第 62 卦 · Hexagram 62

小過

Xiao Guo · Small Exceeding (Thunder over Mountain)

宜下不宜上，飛鳥遺音

上☳震 · 雷 / Thunder下☶艮 · 山 / Mountain

錯卦把每一爻都翻轉（陽↔陰）後得到的另一卦。Every line flipped, yang ↔ yin.Opposite61 · 中孚

綜卦把整個卦上下顛倒後得到的另一卦。The whole figure turned upside-down.Inverse本卦self

互卦由二、三、四爻與三、四、五爻組成的中間卦。Built from lines 2-3-4 and 3-4-5.Nuclear28 · 大過

象Image

先看圖像，再讀文字。Read the image before the words.

大象傳《大象傳》從上下卦的自然圖像推演全卦之象，再提出人事取法。The Great Image derives conduct from the two trigrams' natural images.Great Image

全卦成象Whole image
山上有雷，小過
(The trigram representing) a hill and above it that for thunder form Xiao Guo.
人事取法Conduct
君子以行過乎恭，喪過乎哀，用過乎儉。
The superior man, in accordance with this, in his conduct exceeds in humility, in mourning exceeds in sorrow, and in his expenditure exceeds in economy.

山上有雷——小過之象。雷聲過山而稍過。君子由此體會：行為要過於恭敬、居喪要過於哀痛、用度要過於節儉。「小過」之大義是：在禮的範圍內，寧可稍微過頭，不可不及。

(The trigram representing) a hill and above it that for thunder form Xiao Guo. The superior man, in accordance with this, in his conduct exceeds in humility, in mourning exceeds in sorrow, and in his expenditure exceeds in economy.

辭Words

先讀經文，再讀《彖傳》如何解釋卦辭。The received text, then the Tuan commentary on it.

經

卦辭對整個卦（六條線為一組）的總體判斷。The judgment on the hexagram as a whole.

Judgment

小過，亨。利貞。可小事，不可大事。飛鳥遺之音，不宜上宜下，大吉。

小過卦——亨通。利於守正。可做小事，不可做大事。飛鳥留下啼聲——宜於下而不宜於上，大吉。

Xiao Guo indicates that (in the circumstances which it implies) there will be progress and attainment. But it will be advantageous to be firm and correct. (What the name denotes) may be done in small affairs, but not in great affairs. (It is like) the notes that come down from a bird on the wing — to descend is better than to ascend. There will (in this way) be great good fortune.

傳

彖傳十翼之一，直接解釋卦名、卦辭及其剛柔結構。Tuan Zhuan — explains the name, the Judgment and the line structure.

Commentary on the Judgment

小過，小者過而亨也。過以利貞，與時行也。柔得中，是以小事吉也。剛失位而不中，是以不可大事也。有飛鳥之象焉，飛鳥遺之音，不宜上宜下，大吉。上逆而下順也。

小過——小者（陰）過而亨。過而能利貞——是與時偕行。柔（六二、六五）得中，所以小事吉。剛（九三、九四）失位而不中，所以不可大事。卦象有飛鳥之形——飛鳥留下啼聲，宜下不宜上，大吉——上逆下順。

In Xiao Guo (we see) the small (lines) exceeding (the others), and (giving the intimation of) progress and attainment. Such 'exceeding, in order to its being advantageous, must be associated with firmness and correctness': — there must be an acting according to the requirements of the time.

爻Lines

六條線各有一句判斷。閱讀次序初→上；卦象由下而上，看左側的卦。One statement per line, read from the first line to the top. The figure is drawn bottom-up — watch the rail.

初六

飛

飛而向上凶ascends, evil

第 1 爻 · 陰line 1 · yin

飛鳥以凶。

飛鳥（向上飛）——凶。陰柔之始而欲上行——「不宜上宜下」之戒，故凶。

The first SIX shows its subject — a bird flying — and ascending till the issue is evil.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註。Xiao Xiang — short classical commentary on this line.

飛鳥以凶，不可如何也。

飛鳥之凶，是無可如何（自取其凶）。

六二

妣

小越知止small surpass, knows limit

第 2 爻 · 陰line 2 · yin

過其祖，遇其妣；不及其君，遇其臣，無咎。

越過了祖父，遇到了祖母（小越）；不及於君，遇到了臣，無咎。陰柔得中正——能小過而知止，故無咎。

The second SIX shows its subject passing by his grandfather, and meeting with his grandmother; not attempting anything against his ruler, but meeting him as his minister. There will be no error.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註。Xiao Xiang — short classical commentary on this line.

不及其君，臣不可過也。

不及於君，是臣下不可越過君上。

九三

防

弗防受戕no precaution, harmed

第 3 爻 · 陽line 3 · yang

弗過防之，從或戕之，凶。

不能過防備而從之——或被戕害，凶。陽剛而失正——應防備而不防（小過之時陽不可過剛），則為陰所傷。

The third NINE shows its subject taking no extraordinary precautions against danger; and some in consequence finding opportunity to assail and injure him. There will be evil.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註。Xiao Xiang — short classical commentary on this line.

從或戕之，凶如何也。

從而被戕害，凶到何種程度。

九四

遇

弗過而遇no excess, encounters

第 4 爻 · 陽line 4 · yang

無咎。弗過遇之。往厲必戒，勿用永貞。

無咎。不過於進取而遇合——前往則危須戒，不可長守。陽剛失位——須以柔處剛，不可永久守此剛。

The fourth NINE shows its subject falling into no error, but meeting (the exigency of his situation), without exceeding (in his natural courage). If he go forward, there will be peril, and he must be cautious. There is no occasion to be using firmness perpetually.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註。Xiao Xiang — short classical commentary on this line.

弗過遇之，位不當也。往厲必戒，終不可長也。

不過而遇，是位不當。往則危須戒，終究不可長久。

六五

雲

密雲不雨dense clouds, no rain

第 5 爻 · 陰line 5 · yin

密雲不雨，自我西郊；公弋取彼在穴。

密雲不下雨——從我西郊起；公以矰射取那在穴中的（飛鳥）。柔居尊位而失中——求小成則可。

The fifth SIX shows (us) dense clouds, but no rain, coming from our borders in the west. It also (shows) the prince shooting his arrow, and taking the bird in a cave.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註。Xiao Xiang — short classical commentary on this line.

密雲不雨，已上也。

密雲不雨，是已過於上。

上六

亢

離正招災departs, summons disaster

第 6 爻 · 陰line 6 · yin

弗遇過之，飛鳥離之，凶，是謂災眚。

不能相遇而過——飛鳥離開——凶，是所謂的災難。陰柔在最上而過——遠離正應，必凶。

The topmost SIX shows its subject not meeting (the exigency of his situation), and exceeding (his proper limits). (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.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註。Xiao Xiang — short classical commentary on this line.

弗遇過之，已亢也。

不遇而過，是已過高。

用Use

把象套到你的情境，取一個可行的下一步。Apply the image to your situation; take one practical step.

小慎·謙下·寧過於恭

Small caution · humility · lean toward respect

把象套到你的情境 · Apply the image to your situation

初六飛新人急於上行——必凶。New hire rushing upward — evil.
六二妣小有越界但知所止——無咎。Small step beyond, knows where to stop — no error.
九三防陽剛而不防——必受傷。Strong without precaution — wounded.
九四遇不過於激進而遇——須戒。Not overzealous and meets — stay alert.
六五雲形勢已成但時機未到——求小成。Conditions ready but time isn't — small win.
上六亢高處失應——必招災。High and unmoored — disaster.

可行的一步 · Practical move

小過卦最大的應用：「不宜上宜下」+「行過乎恭」。任何時候謙下勝於高傲，保守勝於冒進，禮上稍過勝於不及。最高境是六二「過其祖遇其妣不及其君」——小有越但知所止。最該避免初六「飛鳥以凶」與上六「弗遇過之凶」——上行皆凶，下行皆吉。

Xiao Guo's deepest applications: 'better below than above' + 'excess in humility'. In any time: humility beats pride, conservation beats rushing, slight excess in ritual beats deficit. Peak: line 2 'pass grandfather, meet grandmother, no excess against ruler' — small overstep with knowing limit. Avoid line 1 'bird flies, evil' and line 6 'departs, evil' — upward motion is always evil, descent is always auspicious.

失手之處 · Failure mode

現代許多攀關係、追逐頭銜之舉是「飛鳥以凶」之鏡——急於上行、攀附高處、追求曝光，皆此爻所警。中國「下行哲學」正是這個人人爭上的時代的解藥——能向下、能謙、能慢，方能久。

Modern networking culture and status-chasing are mirrors of 'bird flies, evil' — rushing upward, attaching to elites, chasing visibility — all warned by line 1. Chinese 'descent philosophy' is the antidote for this status-driven era — willing to go down, to be humble, to be slow — only this lasts.

義理Commentary4

三國·魏 (226–249 CE)王弼《周易注》Wang BiScholarly

王弼以為小過卦的核心在「宜下不宜上」——卦象兩陽在中、四陰在外，是飛鳥之形；陽中陰外是「小者過大者」。讀此卦最該記住「可小事不可大事」——小過之時不能做大事，須小心而不過於進取。又當深記大象「行過乎恭、喪過乎哀、用過乎儉」——禮的範圍內寧可稍過，不可不及。

Wang Bi takes the core of Xiao Guo to be 'better below than above.' The figure has two yang lines within and four yin lines without — the shape of a bird in flight; yang inside, yin outside means 'the small exceeding the great.' Most worth remembering is 'fit for small affairs, not for great ones' — in a time of small exceeding one must not attempt great undertakings, but be careful and not press forward. And hold fast to the Great Image: 'in conduct exceed in reverence, in mourning exceed in grief, in expenditure exceed in frugality' — within the bounds of ritual, better slightly too much than too little.

北宋 · 11th c.程頤《伊川易傳》Cheng YiScholarly

程子強調小過卦與大過卦相對：大過是棟樑之過、是大事之變；小過是行為之過、是小事之慎。小過之時當以慎為本——初六「飛鳥以凶」、上六「弗遇過之凶」皆為過上之戒。最高境是六二「過其祖遇其妣」——小越而知止。

Cheng Yi stresses that Xiao Guo stands opposite Da Guo (Great Exceeding): Da Guo is the excess of the ridgepole, the upheaval of great affairs; Xiao Guo is excess in conduct, care in small affairs. In a time of small exceeding, caution is the root — line 1's 'the flying bird brings misfortune' and line 6's 'passing without meeting — misfortune' are both warnings against going too high. The best position is line 2, 'passing the grandfather, meeting the grandmother' — a small overstep that knows where to stop.

南宋 · 12th c.朱熹《周易本義》Zhu XiIntroductory

朱子直言：小過者，小者過於大者也。卦象兩陽在中而四陰在外，是「小者過」之象。學者讀此卦最該記住「飛鳥遺之音不宜上宜下」——任何時候要懂得「下行」（謙下）勝於「上行」（高傲）。又當深記「行過乎恭」——在禮的方向上稍過頭是好的。

Zhu Xi says plainly: Xiao Guo is the small exceeding the great. Two yang lines within and four yin without — the image of 'the small exceeding.' What the student should remember above all is 'the flying bird leaves its cry: better not upward, better downward' — at any time, understand that going down (humility) beats going up (pride). And hold fast to 'in conduct exceed in reverence' — in the direction of ritual, a slight excess is good.

21 世紀現代傳承·編輯組原創Modern lineageIntroductory

小過的過，指稍稍過於平常，分寸先由卦辭講明：「可小事，不可大事」。卦象四陰包兩陽，如飛鳥張翼，卦辭借鳥聲叮嚀「不宜上，宜下」，往高處飛聲音就散了，落低處反而安穩。哪些事宜於稍過？大象劃了範圍：「行過乎恭，喪過乎哀，用過乎儉」，禮數方向上的事寧可過頭一點；爭勝與張揚，半分也過不得。六二「過其祖，遇其妣；不及其君，遇其臣」是這卦的火候：越了一步，隨即知止，過而不僭。小過之時的正路，就是低調做小事，並且把小事做得比平常更用心一點。

The 'exceeding' in Xiao Guo means going slightly past the ordinary, and the judgment fixes the proportion up front: 'fit for small affairs, not for great ones.' The figure — four yin lines wrapping two yang — is a bird with wings spread, and the judgment borrows the bird's cry to give its warning: 'better not upward, better downward.' Fly high and the sound scatters; settle low and it carries. Which things deserve a slight excess? The Great Image draws the boundary: 'in conduct exceed in reverence, in mourning exceed in grief, in expenditure exceed in frugality' — in the direction of ritual, err a little on the far side; in contention and display, not by half a step. Line 2, 'passing the grandfather, meeting the grandmother; not reaching the ruler, meeting the minister,' is this hexagram's exact temperature: one step over, then stopping at once — exceeding without usurping. The right course in a time of small exceeding is to keep a low profile, do the small things, and do them with a little more care than usual.

注解Annotation8

小過xiǎo guò

A small exceeding — the small (yin) going slightly past the great. Modest excess, not upheaval.

遺yí

To leave behind — the flying bird leaving its cry as it passes.

妣bǐ

Grandmother, deceased female ancestor. Line 2's small overstep: past the grandfather to meet her.

戕qiāng

To wound, do violence to — the harm that finds line 3 when it takes no precaution.

弋yì

To shoot birds with a corded arrow — the prince's retrieval shot in line 5.

穴xué

Cave, hole — where the bird is taken: low, not aloft.

亢kàng

Too high, at the extreme — the top line's vice of overshooting the peak.

災眚zāi shěng

Calamity and self-made injury — zai 災 is disaster from without, sheng 眚 from one's own fault.

歷史Context4

小過中孚成對·慎與誠

Xiao Guo and Zhong Fu — caution and sincerity

第 62 小過與第 61 中孚為一對錯卦——一陰一陽相反。中孚是內誠之聚、小過是外慎之行。讀此卦理應與中孚並讀——同樣是「中道」的兩面。

Xiao Guo (62) and Zhong Fu (61) are opposites — every line yin-yang reversed. Zhong Fu is sincerity gathered within; Xiao Guo is caution carried in outward conduct. Read the two together — they are two faces of the same middle way.

「不宜上宜下」·中國「謙下」哲學的根

'Better below than above' — root of Chinese humility ethic

卦辭「飛鳥遺之音不宜上宜下大吉」是中國「謙下哲學」的最強表達——任何時候、任何處境，「下行」（謙下、低調、保守）勝於「上行」（高傲、張揚、冒進）。後世《道德經》「為而不爭」「江海所以能為百谷王者，以其善下之」皆與此相應。

The judgment's 'the flying bird leaves its cry: better not upward, better downward — great fortune' is the strongest statement of the Chinese ethic of staying low: in any time and any circumstance, going down (humility, low profile, conservatism) beats going up (pride, display, rash advance). The Daodejing's 'act without contending' and 'rivers and seas rule the hundred valleys because they excel at staying below them' answer to this.

「行過乎恭，喪過乎哀，用過乎儉」·禮上稍過勝於不及

'Excess in respect, mourning, frugality' — ritual: better excess than deficit

大象的這三句話是中國禮治觀的核心——禮的方向上「稍過頭」是君子之德。後世「禮多人不怪」「過儉則固」皆與此相應。但須注意：恭哀儉之過是君子之德，進爭奢之過則為凶。

These three phrases of the Great Image are the core of the Chinese view of ritual conduct: in ritual's direction, going 'slightly over' is a superior man's virtue. Later sayings — 'no one faults an excess of courtesy,' 'excessive thrift turns stingy' — belong to the same conversation. But note the asymmetry: excess in reverence, grief, and frugality is virtue; excess in advance, contention, and extravagance is misfortune.

六二「過其祖遇其妣」·小過的最佳之態

'Pass grandfather, meet grandmother' — best state of Small Exceeding

六二「過其祖遇其妣不及其君遇其臣」是小過卦的最佳之態——能小有越（過祖見妣），但知所止（不及君而遇臣）。中國禮制中「越級」之忌——能小越而不大越，是君子之智。

Line 2 — 'passing the grandfather, meeting the grandmother; not reaching the ruler, meeting the minister' — is Xiao Guo at its best: capable of a small overstep (past the grandfather to the grandmother) yet knowing where to stop (not presuming on the ruler, meeting him as minister). Chinese ritual order forbids leaping over rank; the wisdom of the superior man is to overstep a little without overstepping greatly.

練習Practice3

char-recall
「不宜上宜下」之意？為何中國認為下行勝於上行？
What does 'better below than above' mean? Why does Chinese thought hold that descent beats ascent?
parse
「行過乎恭，喪過乎哀，用過乎儉」之三過——哪些「過」是好的，哪些「過」是壞的？
'Excess in respect, mourning, frugality' — which excesses are good, which are evil?
line-read
用初六「飛鳥以凶」評論你看見過某位急於上行而招凶的人。
Use line 1 'bird flies, evil' to comment on someone you've seen rush upward and meet disaster.