[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":28},["ShallowReactive",2],{"metaeast_zhouyigaodaoyd_en-gaodaoyiduan-62":3},{"slug":4,"archived":5,"date_created":6,"date_updated":7,"title":8,"seotitle":9,"seodescription":10,"htmlcode":11,"number":12,"content":13,"title1":14,"content1":15,"title2":16,"content2":17,"title3":18,"content3":19,"title4":20,"content4":21,"title5":22,"content5":23,"title6":24,"content6":25,"title7":26,"content7":26,"seo_keywords":27,"og_title":8,"og_description":10},"gaodaoyiduan-62",false,"2026-08-11T01:18:30.466Z","2026-07-04T14:35:18.000Z","Thunder over Mountain, Xiaoguo (Small Excess): Success. Constancy is favorable. Small matters may be done, not great ones. A flying bird leaves its call: better to descend than ascend. Great good fortune.","Takashima Ekidan Hexagram 62: Thunder over Mountain (Xiaoguo \u002F Small Preponderance) - Original Hexagram Text and Explanation - Eastern Metaphysics Repository","Takashima Ekidan Hexagram 62 Thunder over Mountain (Xiaoguo) Explanation: Hexagram Judgment: \"Xiaoguo (Small Preponderance): Success. Perseverance brings reward. Small affairs may be undertaken; great affairs must not be undertaken. The flying bird leaves a lingering sound. It is not suitable to ascend, but suitable to descend. Great good fortune.\" Includes judgment and detailed real divination case studies.","䷽",62,"Xiaoguo: Success. Persistence is advantageous. Small matters are permissible; great matters are not permissible. A flying bird leaves behind its song: it is not suitable to ascend, but suitable to descend. Great good fortune. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 62 Thunder over Mountain (Xiaoguo) \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n As a hexagram, it has two yang lines inside and four yin lines outside. Yin represents smallness, hence 'small'; yin exceeds yang, hence 'exceeding'. The hexagram structure has Zhen above and Gen below. Zhen is movement, Gen is stopping. Movement and stopping should attain the proper middle; if movement or stopping is excessive, both are called exceeding. Zhen is thunder, Gen is mountain; if thunder is overly fierce, or the mountain is overly steep, it is also called exceeding. Because the excesses are all in small matters, this hexagram is named 'Xiaoguo' (Small Exceeding). \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Xiaoguo [87]: Success. It is beneficial to be steadfast. Small matters may be undertaken, but not great matters. A flying bird leaves its sound: it should not ascend, but descend. Great good fortune. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 'Xiaoguo' refers to yin exceeding yang, which corresponds to 'conducting oneself with excessive deference, mourning with excessive grief, spending with excessive frugality'. Because the excess lies in minor details, the path can still be clear and open; hence it is said: 'Small Exceeding brings success.' 'Beneficial to be steadfast' means rectifying society and encouraging morality, where the benefit lies in returning to correctness; hence it is said: 'Beneficial to be steadfast.' Four yin lines hold power on the outside while two yang lines are compressed in the middle, soft and weak, unable to shoulder great responsibilities and fit only for small tasks; hence it is said: 'Small matters may be undertaken, but not great matters.' Zhen is a swan and also sound; hence it is said: 'A flying bird leaves its sound.' The sound left behind is a mournful cry. When a flying bird flies too high and wishes to descend but cannot, it cries mournfully for help. Ascending brings greater danger, while descending brings safety; hence it is said: 'It should not ascend, but descend. Great good fortune.' Good fortune lies in descending. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The Tuan Commentary says: Xiaoguo means the small ones exceed yet gain success. Exceeding with benefit in steadfastness means moving together with the time. The soft lines attain the middle position, and thus small matters bring good fortune. The firm lines lose their positions and are not in the middle, and thus great matters cannot be undertaken. There is the image of a flying bird; 'a flying bird leaves its sound: it should not ascend, but descend, bringing great good fortune,' because ascending goes against harmony while descending follows it. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Exceeding what is fitting is called excess. Excesses vary in size, which is why the hexagram names are also divided into Daguo (Great Exceeding) and Xiaoguo (Small Exceeding). When yang exceeds yin, the excess is great; when yin exceeds yang, the excess is small. The two hexagrams oppose each other inside and out, each having its own imbalance, hence they are termed excess. In Xiaoguo, movement leads immediately to stopping, so what exceeds is small; being small, it can still pass through, hence 'the small ones exceed yet gain success.' Every movement and stopping should correspond to its time; being appropriate to the time is called correctness. When the time calls for Xiaoguo, one should handle it with small excess; hence the Tuan Commentary says 'beneficial to be steadfast.' The Commentary adds 'exceeding with benefit in steadfastness means moving together with the time,' meaning that obtaining benefit and steadfastness through excess is due to the time requiring such excess. 'Small matters may be undertaken' refers to being prudent and cautious in details, which is well within one's ability, as the soft second and fifth lines attain the middle position. 'Not great matters' refers to abandoning the easy and attempting the difficult where capability falls short, as the firm third and fourth lines lose their positions. The 'image of a flying bird' consists of two yang lines in the middle representing the bird's body, and four yin lines on the outside representing the wings preparing to fly. A bird hovers and perches carefully to avoid danger; once shot by an arrow, its cries echo above and below as it calls its flock for help, as the saying goes, 'When a bird is about to die, its cry is mournful'; hence 'a flying bird leaves its sound.' Riding above is contrary, and being contrary inevitably brings misfortune; supporting below is harmonious, and being harmonious brings great good fortune; hence 'it should not ascend' but 'is suitable to descend.' \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Applying this hexagram to human affairs, Zhen is movement and Gen is stopping; human affairs consist of nothing beyond these two aspects of moving and stopping. Moving excessively is an excess in action, and stopping excessively is an excess in rest; but because what exceeds is minor, it is called Xiaoguo (Small Exceeding). If a person neither moves nor stops, there would be no excess, but without moving or stopping, there would also be no progress or success. It is precisely because there is slight excess that success can still be attained; hence 'Small Exceeding brings success.' What is called excess often arises because, when the times are overly harsh, one deliberately emphasizes generosity, or when the times are overly fierce, one deliberately uses leniency. Such excess does not depart from correctness because it responds to the timing. When the time requires gentleness, one simply acts with gentleness; since gentleness attains the middle, 'small matters bring good fortune.' When the time requires firmness, one acts with firmness; but since firmness here has lost its proper place, 'great matters cannot be undertaken.' Indeed, whether human affairs attain or lose the middle way depends solely on appropriateness to the time. As for 'it should not ascend, but descend,' we derive this image from observing the flying bird. The image of the 'flying bird' comes from the top line of Zhongfu, where it says 'a soaring voice mounts to heaven: misfortune.' This conveys the same meaning as 'it should not ascend, but descend.' A flying bird is in danger when ascending and safe when descending; hence 'ascending goes against harmony while descending follows it.' Applying this to human affairs, arrogance brings danger, while humility brings safety. Thus one realizes that for someone who is humble and defers to others, though they may not be able to shoulder great responsibilities, in small matters everything will be auspicious. It all depends on whether gentleness can adapt to the time. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Applying this hexagram to the state, the grand institutions of the nation—such as the Xia favoring loyalty, the Shang favoring substance, and the Zhou favoring refinement—were established by the Three Kings, whose institutions were all determined according to the times. Thus, when the time called for loyalty, loyalty was practiced; when for substance, substance; when for refinement, refinement. Each adapting to its time gained its proper steadfastness, and the Dao flourished everywhere. If done out of season, excessive loyalty, excessive substance, or excessive refinement are all called excess. Though the excess may be small, it cannot be denied as an excess, which is why excess is divided into Daguo and Xiaoguo. In Daguo, four firm lines are inside, possessing grand talent and strength, so its excess is also great; in Xiaoguo, four soft lines are outside, with limited wisdom and shallow knowledge, so its excess is also small. For instance, a ruler or minister who holds state power with great authority will achieve greatly in success and fail greatly in defeat; whereas one who merely maintains self-discipline in minor matters achieves little and loses little. This all hinges on the division between firmness and gentleness. Thus, when gentleness attains the middle, small matters are bound to be auspicious; when firmness loses its position, great matters cannot be undertaken. Indeed, all principles of governance—whether smooth or reverse, ascending or descending—derive from this. Descending when one ought to descend is called compliance; ascending when one ought to descend is called defiance. Defiance brings misfortune, while compliance brings good fortune. Observe how a bird flies high, soaring in the vast void without knowing where to stop; if it does not descend, it can find neither food nor roost, crying mournfully in distress, wanting to descend but unable to—this is the path of misfortune. Those who govern a nation, occupying high places and treading on perilous ground, should take warning from the image of the flying bird to understand what is compliant and what is defiant. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Viewing this hexagram as a whole, Daguo comes from Yi; when the nourishment of food and drink is excessive, death and mourning result. Xiaoguo comes from Zhongfu; when temperament loses its balance, disaster and calamity result. Thus, within Xiaoguo, the nuclear hexagram is Daguo. Being neither central nor trustworthy, moving without stopping, both will surely lead to destruction. When the Tuan Commentary says 'success', it means people should restrain themselves and repent, whereupon they will naturally gain smooth progress; if they behave like Daguo with 'no fear' and 'no gloom', their fault will actually be worse than Daguo's. Why? Daguo possesses yang-firm talent, whereas Xiaoguo is yin-soft, and rash, agitated behavior is especially to be avoided. Taking the image of a flying bird also originates from the top line of Zhongfu, 'a soaring voice mounts to heaven'. Thus in the hexagram body, the two unbroken lines represent the bird's body, while the four broken lines above and below represent its wings. Gen desires to stop while Zhen desires to move. As four yin lines hold sway, the two yang lines are pressed into a perilous and fearful position; letting the yin lines go where they may, they cannot stop themselves, like a bird flapping its wings to fly high, unable to control its own body. The further the wings fly, the more anxious the body becomes, crying out mournfully for help in vain—this is what is meant by 'a flying bird leaves its sound.' Therefore, in the time of Xiaoguo, stopping below brings good fortune while moving upward brings misfortune; this is what is meant by 'it should not ascend, but descend.' All six lines take the imagery of a bird: the initial and top lines are on the outside, representing wing feathers and soaring feathers, both bringing misfortune; the second and fifth lines represent wings, where the second line has no blame because it is below, while the fifth, though central, achieves no merit because it is above; the third and fourth lines represent the body, where the third, as the ruler of Gen's stopping, fails to stop and responds upward, hence unfortunate, while the fourth, as the ruler of Zhen's movement, moves yet responds downward, hence without blame. This is the rationale behind the Commentary's statement that 'ascending goes against harmony while descending follows it.' \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The Commentary on the Image says: Thunder upon the mountain: Xiaoguo. In accordance with this, the noble person in conduct exceeds in deference, in mourning exceeds in grief, and in expenditure exceeds in frugality. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Zhen as thunder represents moving without stopping; Gen represents stopping without moving. Thunder upon the mountain means the thunder is constrained by the mountain, so the thunder must be small; hence it is Xiaoguo. The noble person takes this image to regulate conduct, where conduct is not faulted for excessive deference; takes this image in mourning, where mourning is not faulted for excessive grief; and takes this image in practical expenditure, where expenditure is not faulted for excessive frugality. 'Conduct', 'mourning', and 'expenditure' are all active, symbolizing Zhen; 'deference', 'grief', and 'frugality' are all restraint, symbolizing Gen. Excessive deference, grief, and frugality are all means to correct the corruptions of a particular era. Because they depart from the middle path, they are called 'Small Exceeding', yet they are sufficient to reform society and inspire moral customs. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 　　[Divination] \u003Cbr> \n Divination on fortune: The path is noble and refined, possessing an attitude of disdaining to sink into vulgar trends. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Divination on business: Because prices are temporarily too high and out of tune with the times, both buying and selling are difficult. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Divination on fame and career: Failing to harmonize with popular customs, one is instead envied or resented by others. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Divination on military campaigns: Encamped high on a mountain, the position is overly elevated, making both advance and retreat difficult. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Divination on marriage: Likely an old husband and a young wife, with an excessively large age gap. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Divination on residence: This residence is likely situated high on a mountain. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Divination on illness: An illness caused by excessive cold or excessive heat; it requires balancing to attain harmony. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born.","Initial Six: A flying bird brings misfortune.","Initial Six: A flying bird brings misfortune. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The Commentary on the Image says: 'A flying bird brings misfortune,' nothing can be done about it. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 'By means of' (yi) refers to using wings to fly. Birds fly using wings; the initial and top lines represent the two wings, which is why both mention 'flying bird'. In Xiaoguo, 'it should not ascend, but descend.' The initial line is at the bottom, making it even less appropriate to ascend; if it flies by beating its wings straight upward, wanting to descend but being unable to, its misfortune is clear, hence 'a flying bird brings misfortune.' The initial line sits at the beginning of Gen's stopping, originally having no image of flying. But the initial and top lines correspond as beginning and end; the top line sits at the end of Zhen's movement, where the bird moves and longs to fly. The initial and top lines form the two wings: if one wing flies, the other wing cannot stop alone, so when they fly, both fly together, and both suffer misfortune together. The Commentary on the Image explains 'nothing can be done about it' because 'ascending goes against harmony while descending follows it.' The initial line is below, yet it refuses to harmoniously stay below and instead rebels upward, bringing misfortune upon itself; thus nothing can be done. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 　　[Divination] \u003Cbr> \n Divination on fortune: Not remaining content with one's lot, blindly dreaming of soaring upward brings misfortune. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Divination on business: Small in strength yet aiming for greatness, low in position yet scheming for heights—overestimating oneself will surely lead to failure. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Divination on fame and career: One should be content with a modest and humble position. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Divination on military campaigns: The initial line is at the bottom of Gen; one should hold troops in place and refrain from moving. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Divination on marriage: The families should be of equal standing; it is unsuitable to seek a marriage above one's status. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Divination on residence: The residence should ideally be low and modest in size. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Divination on illness: The spirit and soul are scattered and flying away; misfortune. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n [Case Study] A certain friend came to request a divination on whether an endeavor would succeed, and divined Xiaoguo transforming into Feng. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Judgment: A bird naturally finds safety in perching and toll in soaring; flying without descending means the bird cannot find a place to roost, hence misfortune, just like a person wandering anxiously on the road, unable to settle in peace. Now you divine about an endeavor and obtain this line statement; I know your plan aims to abandon the small for the grand, leaving the low to pursue the high, striving hard for advancement. Judged by the line image, the higher a bird flies, the more dangerous it becomes, wanting to descend but being unable to; this metaphorically indicates that the larger your endeavor, the harder it will be. Not only will the affair fail, but in the future, even if you wish to retreat to something smaller, you will be unable to do so. I advise you to settle your mind, retreat, hold your position, and harbor no wild fantasies; thus you may avoid misfortune. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n [Case Study] On the winter solstice of the 27th year of Meiji, divining on our nation's diplomatic relations with Russia for the 28th year, divined Xiaoguo transforming into Feng. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Judgment: The initial line is at the bottom of Gen. Gen means stopping, so originally movement is inappropriate. Yet the bird flies by moving, abandoning Gen's stopping to follow Zhen's movement, discarding compliance for defiance, which is why it brings misfortune. The Tuan Commentary states, 'it should not ascend, but descend'; if a bird can remain peacefully below, misfortune can be avoided. Now divining on our country's diplomacy with Russia and getting this line image, the inner hexagram Gen represents us, while the outer hexagram Zhen represents Russia. Russia glares like a tiger, knowing only how to mobilize troops and vie for dominance. As we were at war with Qing, Russia envied our victory and showed eager signs of moving. If they move, we cannot remain motionless; thus both the initial and top lines speak of 'flying bird'—this is where the image manifests. If both move, both will surely suffer misfortune; we must strictly abide by the admonition to remain below, then misfortune can be avoided. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Later, when our nation made peace with the Qing Empire, following the principle of submitting below, a peaceful resolution was achieved.","Six at Second: Passing by his grandfather, he meets his grandmother. Not reaching his prince, he meets his minister. No blame.","Six at Second: Passing by his grandfather, he meets his grandmother. Not reaching his prince, he meets his minister. No blame. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Six at Second: Passing by his grandfather, he meets his grandmother [88]. Not reaching his prince, he meets his minister. No blame. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The Commentary on the Image says: 'Not reaching his prince,' as a minister one must not exceed. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n In the conventions of the I Ching, corresponding yin and yang form ruler and minister, or husband and wife, taking pairing as their rule. Where there is no correspondence, they represent father and son, equals, principal wife and concubine, or grandmother and daughter-in-law, taking same-kind relationships as their rule. The fifth line is the position of parents, as well as grandparents; a yang line represents father or grandfather, while a yin line represents mother or grandmother. If the fifth line represents parents, the second line must be the child; if the fifth represents grandparents, the second must be the grandchild. Here, both the second and fifth lines are yin and do not correspond, having the match of grandmother and daughter-in-law, hence 'passing by his grandfather, he meets his grandmother.' By usual rule the fifth is ruler, but in this hexagram the ruler refers to the top line, while the fifth is a minister; thus minister refers to the second and fifth lines. Passing the fourth line to meet the fifth, one stops at the fifth without ascending further, hence 'not reaching his prince, he meets his minister.' Passing when one may pass, and refraining when one should fall short, achieves the middle path between constant principles and expediency, without bias towards excess or deficiency, hence 'no blame.' Furthermore, the second and fifth lines are drawn together in gentleness, with the fifth being noble and the second humble; for the humble toward the noble, if they do not exceed, they receive courteous treatment, but if they exceed, they incur suspicion of overstepping. Therefore, although the fifth is a minister relative to the top line, the second cannot meet the top line; unable to meet, the second looks up at the top line as distant and unreachable in its high halls. Refraining from exceeding where one should not, and resting content in 'suitable to descend'—what blame could there be? This is the best line of Xiaoguo, and this is what the Commentary on the Image explains. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 　　[Divination] \u003Cbr> \n Divination on fortune: The path is smooth and steady; even if one does not obtain everything, getting half is still enough to be free of blame. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Business: Investing capital to trade abroad—though one may not return fully laden with wealth, gaining fifty percent is already quite sufficient. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Official Rank \u002F Fame: Though the highest rank is not attained, a middle status is already achieved. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Military Campaigns: Having already decapitated the enemy general and uprooted their banner, what fault could there possibly be? \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Illness: The efficacy of the medicine has not yet taken effect. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Marriage: It is feared this is not a suitable or main match. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Residence: The deity of the household is restless. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n [Case Study] In July of the 18th year of Meiji, I was spending the summer in Ikaho. A man calling himself the Master of Kikakudo, skilled in haikai poetry, visited my lodging. He said: \"Lately, the art of haikai has declined, which I deeply lament. Every year the Imperial Court produces Imperial Waka poems and permits the public to write matching compositions, yet haikai alone receives no attention. I secretly wish to submit a proposal for haikai to be viewed by His Majesty. Hearing that you master the divine Zhouyi, I ask you to divine whether this will succeed.\" Divining this, he obtained Xiaoguo transforming into Heng. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Judgment: This line is Six at the Second, a doubled Yin, gentle, weak, and lacking strength. The line statement says \"meets the grandmother, meets the minister,\" where what is met are all Yin images. It also says \"does not reach his ruler,\" which clearly states that it cannot reach the sovereign's ear. You divine on submitting haikai to the court and obtain this line statement. As haikai is a variation of waka, employing indirect persuasion through refined literary style, even a brief line carries a harmonious and moderate spirit, by no means mere trifling with nature. The line statement says: \"Passes by his grandfather and meets his grandmother; does not reach his ruler, but meets his minister.\" Judging from this, though it may not reach the royal palace above, it may be presented to high nobility, where there will surely be refined minds who appreciate it. Thus it says \"no fault.\" \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The Master of Kikakudo was greatly delighted upon receiving this divination. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n [Case Study] In June of the 29th year, Pak Yong-hyo of Korea returned from the United States and visited my villa, saying: \"In the Korean government, comrades citing a secret royal command are urging me to return home. I am still hesitant and undecided, so I ask for a divination to decide my course of action.\" Divining this, he obtained Xiaoguo transforming into Heng. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Judgment: The line statement says \"does not reach his ruler,\" from which it is already clear that those urging you to return to your country are not acting on royal command, but rather out of the intention of ministers below. The line image Six at the Second is doubled Yin; more Yang brings good fortune, while more Yin brings misfortune, so going back risks disaster. Furthermore, the hexagram structure shows movement above and standstill below; your government's summons corresponds to the movement of the outer trigram, while the inner trigram Gen signifies stopping, which already portends that you should not return. With such hexagram images, though you hold deep feelings for your homeland, you should cherish yourself and by no means return in haste. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Hearing this divination, Pak Yong-hyo completely abandoned his plan to return. Later it was learned that within the Korean government, factional strife broke out, and many court ministers were executed under false charges. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n [Case Study] In the 30th year, divining on the diplomatic relations between our country (Japan) and Great Britain, I divined and obtained Xiaoguo transforming into Heng. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Judgment: Our country and Great Britain are separated by vast oceans, thousands of miles apart. The alliance between the two nations relies entirely on ambassadors connecting their goodwill, which is precisely what the line statement means by \"does not reach his ruler, but meets his minister.\" In terms of hexagram positions, the inner trigram belongs to us and the outer trigram belongs to Britain, with line two and line five each occupying the center of their respective trigrams. In terms of hexagram images, the whole hexagram resembles a flying bird, where line two and line five act as its two wings; when it flies, both wings move together. This clearly shows an image of our two nations uniting, supporting each other as if they were one body; hence \"no fault.\"","Nine at the Third: Do not exceed; guard against it. Following this, someone may harm him; pitfall.","Nine at the Third: Do not exceed; guard against it. Following this, someone may harm him; pitfall. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Commentary on the Image says: \"Following this, someone may harm him\"—how severe is this pitfall! \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Line three occupies the top of the lower trigram, being doubly Yang and not centered. What the Tuan Commentary refers to as \"one should not undertake great affairs\" applies to lines three and four. Moreover, line three is a position prone to misfortune; where could one go if one exceeds? Therefore, the line says \"Do not exceed.\" The hexagram structure has a solid Yang line laid horizontally across its center, having the image of guarding\u002Fprotecting; Gen means stopping, carrying the meaning of defense. To defend means to stop excess; stopping excess means one should \"not exceed.\" The upper nuclear trigram is Dui, and Dui represents metal blades, having the image of harming. If line three leaps over defense and exceeds, someone may follow and harm him. Though \"or\u002Fsomeone\" implies an uncertain event, the situation is already in grave danger; hence \"pitfall.\" The Commentary on the Image says \"how severe is this pitfall!\", meaning that pure rigidity is already sufficient to invite disaster, and forcing one's way forward will inevitably bring catastrophe—the misfortune is self-inflicted and cannot be helped. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 　　[Divination] \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Fortune: The current fortune is off course; by acting cautiously and guarding oneself, one may still avoid disaster. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Business: Transporting goods abroad carries the danger of encountering robbery; one should not advance forward. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Official Rank \u002F Fame: Absolutely do not seek it; seeking it will bring disaster. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Marriage: If not a genuine marriage, it is an enemy or robber; one should guard against it. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Residence: Misfortune and calamity are approaching the door; guard against them carefully. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Illness: Beware of knife wounds or surgical injuries; ominous. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Lost Property: Do not pursue or search for it; only then can you avoid calamity. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Lawsuits: Guard against implicating major legal execution or capital charges. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Pregnancy: A boy will be born, but he is difficult to raise. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n [Case Study] A Yokohama merchant, Mr. Kikyoya Isobei, came and said: \"This morning my friend Soda Kinsaku sent a shop servant boy to deliver three thousand yen in paper currency to the Mitsui Bank. By afternoon he had not returned. When inquiring at Mitsui Bank, they said no money had been delivered. Thereupon people were dispatched everywhere to search, but no trace could be found. Please cast a divination to show the direction clearly.\" Divining this, he obtained Xiaoguo transforming into Yu. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Judgment: The hexagram structure has Zhen above and Gen below; Gen represents a young boy and Zhen represents an eldest son. Line three is doubly rigid and not centered, exactly matching the image of two males. The line statement says \"Do not exceed; guard against it. Following this, someone may harm him; pitfall.\" Line three is inside and line four is outside, meaning line three must be cautiously guarded and not cross over line four; if it leaps over defense and exceeds, it fears suffering the calamity of murder and robbery. According to this line image, the boy must have already met with harm, and the perpetrator must be an acquaintance, not an outside robber. The line is at the third; three represents the body of the bird, which cannot fly away immediately. The fifth line says \"The duke shoots an arrow to capture him in the cave.\" From the third to the fifth line represents three days; within three days, the killer will surely be captured. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Three days later, the corpse was indeed found inside a certain rice chest belonging to someone named Amamiya Chuuemon, who was the perpetrator. Upon arrest and interrogation, it was learned that the two were fellow villagers who frequently visited each other. On that day, the boy carried three thousand yen in gold\u002Fcash and passed by Chuuemon's residence. Knowing he carried a huge sum of money, Chuuemon instantly harbored evil intent, strangled him to death, robbed his money, hid the body wrapped in cloth inside the rice chest, and intended to ask a neighbor to help dump it into the river.","Nine at the Fourth: No fault. Do not exceed, but meet him. Going forward brings danger, one must be cautious. Do not use perpetual perseverance.","Nine at the Fourth: No fault. Do not exceed, but meet him. Going forward brings danger, one must be cautious. Do not use perpetual perseverance. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Commentary on the Image says: \"Do not exceed, but meet him\" because the position is not appropriate. \"Going forward brings danger, one must be cautious\" because in the end it cannot be sustained for long. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Line four is also Yang-rigid and not centered. It occupies the bottom of the outer trigram, residing in a soft place with a rigid nature, unlike line three which has doubled rigidity above; hence \"no fault.\" \"Do not exceed, but meet him\"—meeting means encountering unexpectedly. Xiaoguo says \"unsuited for going upward, suited for remaining below.\" One must not move forward, for going brings danger, hence \"going forward brings danger, one must be cautious,\" which serves to warn against reckless movement. The Tuan Commentary says \"excess is beneficial when persevering, moving in accordance with time.\" When time demands action, action is perseverance; when time demands going upward, stopping is perseverance. Perseverance lies in adapting to time, not in rigid adherence, hence \"do not use perpetual perseverance.\" The Commentary on the Image explains \"do not exceed, but meet him\" through \"the position is not appropriate,\" meaning a Yang line resides in a Yin place, rigid yet out of position, indicating it does not exceed line five. It explains \"going forward brings danger, one must be cautious\" through \"in the end it cannot be sustained for long,\" meaning going forward brings danger and one cannot forever hold on to correctness. For this line, the Nine Schools' Commentary on Zhouyi states that line four advances to meet line five without exceeding it further, which fits the hexagram image best. Indeed, the Han scholars' interpretation of images holds immutable truth. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 　　[Divination] \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Fortune: Timing means stopping when appropriate; one should not move recklessly or advance lightly. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Business: Stop when reasonable profit is made; by no means be excessively greedy. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Official Rank \u002F Fame: Do not seek rash advancement, and you will naturally enjoy the celebration of an unexpected encounter; if you act recklessly in pursuit of glory, you may instead suffer disaster. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Military Campaigns: Line four is rigid yet out of position; one should not attack, and only then can there be no fault. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Marriage: A good match will naturally exist; when the time comes, you will encounter it. Do not be in a hurry for matchmaking or betrothal. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Residence: Dwelling in peace is suitable; there is no need to move or relocate. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n [Case Study] A friend visited and asked for a divination regarding borrowing money. Divining this, he obtained Xiaoguo transforming into Qian. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Judgment: Line four is at the beginning of Zhen; Zhen signifies movement, and movement means thinking of going forward. Going upward from four, one must first pass five. The line says \"do not exceed,\" meaning there will naturally be courteous treatment, which lies at line five. Meeting brings danger instead, so one must be cautious. Now divining on borrowing money and obtaining line four of Xiaoguo, I know you are going forward for the sake of borrowing. Line four is adjacent to line five and must not exceed it; if you \"do not exceed\" line five, there will surely be a meeting at line five. Line five says \"dense clouds without rain,\" so great favors are hard to expect; it also says \"shoots an arrow to capture him in the cave,\" so small favors will surely be obtained. If you bypass line five and proceed further, not only will you gain nothing, but you will also incur peril; you should take caution.","Six at the Fifth: Dense clouds without rain, coming from our western outskirts. The duke shoots an arrow to capture him in the cave.","Six at the Fifth: Dense clouds without rain, coming from our western outskirts. The duke shoots an arrow to capture him in the cave. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Commentary on the Image says: \"Dense clouds without rain\"—they have already ascended too high. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n \"Dense clouds without rain\" is identical to the Tuan Commentary of Xiaoxu, signifying that it cannot accomplish great affairs—precisely the meaning of \"one should not undertake great affairs\" in the Tuan Commentary. Six at the Fifth occupies the honored position as a Yin line, representing the abundance of Yin; abundant Yin creates the image of clouds and rain. The nuclear trigram containing line five is Dui, which means dense, hence \"dense clouds\"; Dui also belongs to the west, hence \"western outskirts\"; upper Zhen moves while lower Gen stops it, hence \"without rain.\" This is because in Xiaoguo, abundant Yin is on the outside while Yang energy lies hidden within, resulting in dense clouds that yield no rain. In cloud divination, clouds moving from east to west bring rain, while clouds moving from west to east bring no rain; hence \"from our western outskirts.\" According to I Ching principles, major affairs refer to \"King\" and minor affairs refer to \"Duke\"; Xiaoguo \"is suitable for small affairs, not suitable for great affairs,\" hence referring to \"duke\" and \"cave.\" The hexagram comes from Kan; Kan means hidden, the image of a cave; Kan also represents a bow or arc, the image of shooting with an arrow tied to a string (Yi). Shooting with an arrow is used to capture flying birds, hence \"the duke shoots an arrow to capture him in the cave.\" \"Dense clouds without rain\" represents \"unsuited for great affairs\"; shooting to capture in the cave represents \"suited for small affairs.\" Unsuited for going upward, thus clouds are above and do not rain; suited for remaining below, thus the cave is below where shooting can succeed. Line five is the ruler of the hexagram, so the import of the Tuan Commentary is fully expressed at line five. The Commentary on the Image says \"they have already ascended too high,\" which also explains the meaning of \"unsuited for going upward\" in the Tuan Commentary. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 　　[Divination] \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Fortune: Current fortune is mediocre; it is difficult to accomplish great deeds, and one can only accept minor gains. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Business: Minor profits can be obtained. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Official Rank \u002F Fame: Remaining hidden in the mountain forests, an invitation or appointment will eventually descend upon you. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Military Campaigns: The enemy has set an ambush inside a mountain cave; one should attack and take it first. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Marriage: This is a clandestine relationship formed through improper channels, not an honorable marriage. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Weather: Severe drought. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Lost Property: One should search inside holes or cave-like underground places. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Illness: It is suitable to use acupuncture techniques for treatment. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n [Case Study] In the 30th year, divining on the fortune of the Ministry of War (Army Ministry), I divined and obtained Xiaoguo transforming into Xian. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Judgment: Clouds moving and rain falling are images of action; upper Zhen moves while lower Gen stops it, hence there are clouds without rain. Gen represents a cave and Zhen represents pursuit, having the image of shooting arrows to capture. Here the cave is below, and Zhen captures inside it, which is precisely what the Tuan Commentary calls \"suited for remaining below.\" The line image indicates that rain does not descend, which means \"unsuited for great affairs\"; that the cave can yield a capture means \"suited for small affairs.\" Now divining the army's fortune and obtaining this line statement: dry land does not depend on rain anyway. West belongs to Metal, and Metal is the image of soldiers and weapons. Our country lies in the East, so troops moving must head west, making western outskirts precisely the ground for military operations. Caves are also land where troops can ambush; \"duke\" refers to the Minister of the Army. Shooting with tethered arrows is originally necessary for military training; or during downtime from military duties, hunting in the hills and fields to shoot birds for army provisions is a minor matter, which is perfectly fine. Thus we know that this year the army will have no major operations, and all will remain peaceful and unharmed.","Six at the Top: Not meeting him, but exceeding him. The flying bird falls into a net; pitfall, this is called calamity and misfortune.","Six at the Top: Not meeting him, but exceeding him. The flying bird falls into a net; pitfall, this is called calamity and misfortune. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Commentary on the Image says: \"Not meeting him, but exceeding him\"—he has already reached the extreme height. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The Top line is doubly Yin and not centered, occupying the ultimate peak of the whole hexagram. Top and initial lines form the beginning and end, so the initial line says \"flying bird,\" and the Top line also says \"flying bird.\" Line four says \"do not exceed, but meet him,\" while the Top line says \"not meeting him, but exceeding him\"—their meanings are diametrically opposed. \"Do not exceed\" means not exceeding line five and naturally gaining an encounter, where meeting brings no fault. \"Not meeting\" means not stopping at line five and recklessly exceeding in order to seek a meeting, where meeting inevitably brings disaster. Positioned outside the hexagram, its image is the bird's wing, flying together with the initial line. At the initial line, taking flight was already known to be disastrous; at the Top line, its flight has reached the absolute extreme, so the disaster is even more severe. Nets are spread high, and it wishes to break free but cannot, just as the Book of Songs chants: \"The fish net is set, yet the wild goose falls into it.\" Bringing disaster through arrogance and extremity violates the warning of \"unsuited for going upward\"; hence the Commentary on the Image explains it using \"extreme.\" \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 　　[Divination] \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Fortune: The higher one goes, the more perilous it gets; the further one advances, the more severe the danger. Not knowing how to retreat and preserve oneself, misfortune is self-inflicted. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Official Rank \u002F Fame: Rash advancement brings disaster. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Business: Not having met the right time, yet advancing recklessly, will inevitably lead to failure. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Military Campaigns: When advancing with the army without encountering enemy troops, know that the enemy must have laid an ambush in secret. One should retreat immediately, otherwise falling into severe peril is inevitable. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Divination on Marriage: Guard against falling into the traps of treacherous matchmakers. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n [Case Study] A friend came to request a divination regarding his son's illness. Divining this, he obtained Xiaoguo transforming into Lü. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Judgment: The hexagram image resembles a flying bird, with the Top line as the bird's wing. A goose feather meeting a favorable wind is what a flying bird relies on, yet failing to meet it and exceeding further means the bird flies without stopping—a path that courts disaster. Now you divine on your son's illness and obtain this line statement. The Top line is at the extreme of Zhen, and Zhen represents the eldest son, so I know your eldest son must be sick. The line image is doubled Yin and not centered, indicating the illness is definitely an extreme cold syndrome. The physician failed to recognize this excessive cold and repeatedly administered cold-natured medicines, making the illness even more severe. The bird falling into the net means being captured alive, not yet killed, so there is still hope for recovery from the illness. This line is the end of the hexagram, and the following hexagram is Jiji (After Completion); Jiji means successfully crossing over danger. Thus, the illness can still be turned around.",null,"Zhouyi, I Ching, Takashima Ekidan, Hexagram 62, Lei Shan Xiao Guo, Sixty-Four Hexagrams, Hexagram Text, Line Text, Divination",1787044936021]