Hexagram 62, line 6
上六Line 6 of Small Excess
Six at the top · 小過 xiǎo guò
爻辭 The line text
弗遇過之，飛鳥離之，凶，是謂災眚。The sixth line, divided, shows its subject not meeting (the exigency of his situation), and exceeding (his proper course). (It suggests the idea of) a bird flying far aloft. There will be evil. The case is what is called one of calamity and self-produced injury.
弗遇過之，已亢也。'He does not meet the exigency (of his situation), and exceeds (his proper course):'—(the position indicates) the habit of domineering.
In plain words
The top line is yin at the extreme of the thunder, the opposite of line four: it 'does not meet but exceeds' (弗遇過之), overshooting the situation instead of fitting it, and 'the flying bird departs' — the bird of the first line now far aloft, out of reach of any call to come down. The text says evil and adds the hexagram's heaviest phrase, 'this is called calamity and self-inflicted injury' (災眚), misfortune from outside and from one's own doing together. The small Image says the line is 'already overbearing' (已亢也). Small excess carried to the end is no longer small.
If this line is changing
You have gone past the point where the situation could be met and are flying on momentum; come down now, before the cost becomes something you did to yourself.
Where the line stands
- A broken line, yin — written 六 (six), the number of an old yin line that moves when cast.
- It is in its correct place (當位): a yang line in an odd position or a yin line in an even one, which the tradition reads as a line at ease where it stands.
- It belongs to the upper trigram 震 Zhen (the Arousing) (thunder).
- It corresponds (應) with line 3: one yin and one yang, the two lines answer each other across the hexagram.
之卦 When this line moves
小過 Small Excess becomes ䷷ 56 旅 Traveling
Fire on the mountain: the wanderer who does not stay long. Small success; perseverance brings good fortune to the traveller — be modest, correct, and careful with your resources and companions.
What it becomes56 · 旅 TravelinglǚThe six lines of 小過 Small Excess
- 初六Six at the beginningflying too soon · the bird rises · nothing to be done
- 六二Six in the second placepassing the grandfather · meeting the minister · keeping distance
- 九三Nine in the third placeno extra guard · attacked from behind · evil
- 九四Nine in the fourth placemeeting without exceeding · going on is dangerous · do not fix forever
- 六五Six in the fifth placeclouds without rain · too high · the bird in the hole
- 上六Six at the topovershooting · the bird flies off · self-made calamity
Read 小過 Small Excess for a question about
Questions about this line
- What does Six at the top of hexagram 62, Small Excess, mean?
- The top line is yin at the extreme of the thunder, the opposite of line four: it 'does not meet but exceeds' (弗遇過之), overshooting the situation instead of fitting it, and 'the flying bird departs' — the bird of the first line now far aloft, out of reach of any call to come down. The text says evil and adds the hexagram's heaviest phrase, 'this is called calamity and self-inflicted injury' (災眚), misfortune from outside and from one's own doing together. The small Image says the line is 'already overbearing' (已亢也). Small excess carried to the end is no longer small.
- What does hexagram 62 become when line 6 changes?
- Small Excess becomes hexagram 56, 旅 Traveling: Fire on the mountain: the wanderer who does not stay long. Small success; perseverance brings good fortune to the traveller — be modest, correct, and careful with your resources and companions.
- Is line 6 of Small Excess in its correct place?
- It is in its correct place (當位): a yang line in an odd position or a yin line in an even one, which the tradition reads as a line at ease where it stands.
Chinese text: the received Zhouyi (Wuyingdian lineage). English: James Legge, The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East XVI, 1882 (public domain).