小過 → 未濟
Hexagram 62: Small Exceeding → Hexagram 64: Before Completion
Changing Lines
This transformation involves 3 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 4).
Line 1
初六 飛鳥以凶。
Six at the beginning means: The bird meets with misfortune through flying.
Line 2
六二 過其祖。遇其妣。不及其君。遇其臣。无咎。
Six in the second place means: She passes by her ancestor And meets her ancestress. He does not reach his prince And meets the official. No blame.
Line 4
九四 无咎。弗過遇之。往厲必戒。勿用永貞。
Nine in the fourth place means: No blame. He meets him without passing by. Going brings danger. One must be on guard. Do not act. Be constantly persevering.
Trigram Changes
Yilin Verse
六月采芑，征伐无道。張仲方叔，剋敵飲酒。
In the sixth month gathering bitter herbs; campaigning against the lawless; Zhang Zhong and Fang Shu conquer the enemy and drink wine.
— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE
Commentary
Thunder rumbles above the mountain as troops muster in the sixth month to harvest the bitter southernwood — a campaign against those who defy the Way. Zhang Zhong and Fang Shu lead the expedition, vanquish the enemy, and celebrate with wine. The verse directly alludes to the Odes poem 'Cai Qi' (采芑, 'Gathering Southernwood'), which celebrates Fang Shu's punitive campaign against the Xianyun barbarians under King Xuan of Zhou (r. 827-782 BC). Zhang Zhong was Fang Shu's trusted advisor. The sixth month harvest of qi-grass doubles as military mobilization imagery. From Small Exceeding to Before Completion, the mountain's thunder transforms into fire above water — the task not yet finished. Victory is won and toasts are raised, but the campaign against disorder is never truly complete. Every triumph carries the seed of the next challenge.
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