Dà guò Surpassing Excess [hexagram 28]

Yin line Yang line Yang - controlling line Yang line Yang line Yin line

Strangeness, top-heavy
Lake over
Wind
Metal Metal element

Mountain Wood
[27] Nutrition; Nourishment
Opposite
Lake Wind
Dà guò [28] Surpassing; Excess
Inverse
Heaven Heaven
Qián [1] Donator; Initiating
Mutual

Lunar month: 10 ; Host or Controlling line : 4
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: 栋桡, , . Dà guò: dòng ráo, lì yǒu yōu wǎng, hēng.

Da Guo 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.

: , . 栋桡, 末弱. , , , . 矣哉! Tuàn zhuàn: Dà guò, dà zhě guò yě. dòng ráo, běn mò ruò yě. gāng guò ér zhōng, xùn ér shuō xíng, lì yǒu yōu wǎng, nǎi hēng. dà guò zhī shí dà yǐ zāi!

Da Guo shows the great ones (the undivided lines) in excess. In ‘the beam that is weak’ we see weakness both in the lowest and the topmost (lines). The strong lines are in excess, but (two of them) are in the central positions. The action (of the hexagram is represented by the symbols of) flexibility and satisfaction. (Hence it is said), ‘There will be advantage in moving in any direction whatever; yea, there will be success’. Great indeed is (the work to be done in) this very extraordinary time.

: , ; 惧, 遁闷. Xiàng zhuàn: Zé miè mù, dà guò; jūn zǐ yǐ dú lì bù jù, dùn shì wú mēn.

(The trigram representing) trees hidden beneath that for the waters of a marsh forms Da Guo. The superior man, in accordance with this, stands up alone and has no fear, and keeps retired from the world without regret.

young yin young yang young yang young yang young yang changing yin
I Ching transform
Lake
Heaven
Guài [43] Eruption; Breakthrough
Change
: 藉茅, . Chū liù: jiè yòng bái máo, wú jiù.

The first ‘six’, divided, shows one placing mats of the white mao grass under things set on the ground. There will be no error.

: 藉茅, . Xiàng zhuàn: Jiè yòng bái máo, róu zài xià yě.

‘He places mats of the white mao grass under things set on the ground:’ - he feels his weakness and his being in the lowest place, (and uses extraordinary care).

young yin young yang young yang young yang changing yang young yin
I Ching transform
Lake
Mountain
Xián [31] Reaction; Influence
Change
: 枯杨稊, 妻, . Jiǔ èr: kū yáng shēng tí, lǎo fū dé qí nǚ qī, wú bù lì.

The second ‘nine’, undivided, shows a decayed willow producing shoots, or an old husband in possession of his young wife. There will be advantage in every way.

: 妻, . Xiàng zhuàn: Lǎo fū nǚ qī, guò yǐ xiàng yǔ yě.

‘An old husband and a young wife:’ - such association is extraordinary.

young yin young yang young yang changing yang young yang young yin
I Ching transform
Lake
Water
Kùn [47] Confinement; Exhaustion
Change
: 栋桡, . Jiǔ sān: dòng ráo, xiōng.

The third ‘nine’, undivided, shows a beam that is weak. There will be evil.

: 栋桡, . Xiàng zhuàn: Dòng ráo zhī xiōng, bù kě yǐ yǒu fǔ yě.

'The evil connected with the beam that is weak' arises from this, that no help can be given (to the condition thus represented).

young yin young yang changing yang young yang young yang young yin
I Ching transform
Water
Wind
Jǐng [48] Source; Replenish
Change
: 栋隆, ; 吝. Jiǔ sì: dòng lóng, jí; yǒu tā lìn.

The fourth ‘nine’, 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.

: 栋隆, . Xiàng zhuàn: Dòng lóng zhī jí, bù ráo hū xià yě.

‘The good fortune connected with the beam curving upwards’ arises from this, that it does not bend towards what is below.

young yin changing yang young yang young yang young yang young yin
I Ching transform
Wood
Wind
Héng [32] Perseverance; Endurance
Change
: 枯杨, , 誉. Jiǔ wǔ: kū yáng shēng huā, lǎo fù dé shì fū, wú jiù wú yù.

The fifth ‘nine’, undivided, shows a decayed willow producing flowers, or an old wife in possession of her young husband. There will be occasion neither for blame nor for praise.

: 枯杨, . , . Xiàng zhuàn: Kū yáng shēng huā, hé kě jiǔ yě. lǎo fù shì fū, yì kě chǒu yě.

‘A decayed willow produces flowers:’ - but how can this secure its long continuance? ‘An old wife and a young husband:’ - this also is a thing to be ashamed of.

changing yin young yang young yang young yang young yang young yin
I Ching transform
Heaven
Wind
Gòu [44] Reaction; Encountering
Change
: 顶, , . Shàng liù: guò shè miè dǐng, xiōng, wú jiù.

The topmost ‘six’, 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.

: , . Xiàng zhuàn: Guò shè zhī xiōng, bù kě jiù yě.

‘Evil follows wading with (extraordinary) boldness (through the stream):’ - but (the act) affords no ground for blame.

This translation of the YiJing classic text uses the original Chinese including the Xiàng zhuàn commentary converted to modern simplified characters and pinyin. The English translation is based on William Legge (1899) which is now out of copyright. We have changed some wording and converted to American spelling. We hope to replace this with a more modern translation.

See also