Hexagram 28 大過 changing to hexagram 42 益
Changing lines (counted from the bottom): 1, 2, 3, 4, 6.
What to read
Five changing lines: read the one unchanged line of the resulting hexagram. (Rule set out by Zhu Xi in the Yixue qimeng.)
Hexagram 42 益, line 5
有孚惠心，勿問元吉。有孚惠我德。
The fifth line, undivided, shows its subject with sincere heart seeking to benefit (all below). There need be no question about it; the result will be great good fortune. (All below) will with sincere heart acknowledge his goodness.
The two hexagrams
Hexagram 28 大過 — judgment
棟橈，利有攸往，亨。
Tâ Kwo suggests to us a beam that is weak. There will be advantage in moving (under its conditions) in any direction whatever; there will be success.
Hexagram 42 益 — judgment
利有攸往。利涉大川。
Yî indicates that (in the state which it denotes) there will be advantage in every movement which shall be undertaken, that it will be advantageous (even) to cross the great stream.
The changing lines of hexagram 28
| Line | Chinese | Legge |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 藉用白茅，无咎。 | The first line, divided, shows one placing mats of the white mâo grass under things set on the ground. There will be no error. |
| 2 | 枯楊生稊，老夫得其女妻，无不利。 | The second line, undivided, shows a decayed willow producing shoots, or an old husband in possession of his young wife. There will be advantage in every way. |
| 3 | 棟橈，凶。 | The third line, undivided, shows a beam that is weak. There will be evil. |
| 4 | 棟隆，吉。有它吝。 | The fourth line, undivided, shows a beam curving upwards. There will be good fortune. If (the subject of it) looks for other (help but that of line one), there will be cause for regret. |
| 6 | 過涉滅頂，凶，无咎。 | The topmost line, divided, shows its subject with extraordinary (boldness) wading through a stream, till the water hides the crown of his head. There will be evil, but no ground for blame. |
English: James Legge (1882), public domain. Chinese: Zhou Yi.
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0); Chinese Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.