King's Kung-Fu& Tai Chi

Hexagram 3 屯 changing to hexagram 62 小過

tún
→
xiǎo guò

Changing lines (counted from the bottom): 1, 3, 4, 5.

What to read

Four changing lines: read the two unchanged lines of the resulting hexagram; the lower one is the main one. (Rule set out by Zhu Xi in the Yixue qimeng.)

Hexagram 62 小過, line 2

過其祖,遇其妣;不及其君,遇其臣;无咎。

The second line, divided, 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.

Hexagram 62 小過, line 6

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 selfproduced injury.

The two hexagrams

Hexagram 3 屯 — judgment

元亨,利貞。勿用有攸往,利建侯。

Kun (indicates that in the case which it presupposes) there will be great progress and success, and the advantage will come from being correct and firm. (But) any movement in advance should not be (lightly) undertaken. There will be advantage in appointing feudal princes.

Hexagram 62 小過 — judgment

亨。利貞。可小事,不可大事。飛鳥遺之音,不宜上宜下,大吉。

Hsiâo Kwo 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.

The changing lines of hexagram 3

LineChineseLegge
1磐桓,利居貞,利建侯。The first line, undivided, shows the difficulty (its subject has) in advancing. It will be advantageous for him to abide correct and firm; advantageous (also) to be made a feudal ruler.
3即鹿无虞,惟入于林中,君子幾不如舍,往吝。The third line, divided, shows one following the deer without (the guidance of) the forester, and only finding himself in the midst of the forest. The superior man, acquainted with the secret risks, thinks it better to give up the chase. If he went forward, he would regret it.
4乘馬班如,求婚媾,往,吉无不利。The fourth line, divided, shows (its subject as a lady), the horses of whose chariot appear in retreat. She seeks, however, (the help of) him who seeks her to be his wife. Advance will be fortunate; all will turn out advantageously.
5屯其膏;小貞吉,大貞凶。The fifth line, undivided, shows the difficulties in the way of (its subject's) dispensing the rich favours that might be expected from him. With firmness and correctness there will be good fortune in small things; (even) with them in great things there will be evil.

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.