Small Exceeding (Xiǎo Guò)

Judgment

小过：亨，利贞，可小事，不可大事。飞鸟遗之音，不宜上，宜下，大吉。

Plain Meaning：Small exceeding: success in small matters, not great ones; like the bird’s call, better to descend than ascend—great fortune below.

Image (Great Commentary)

山上有雷，小过；君子以行过乎恭，丧过乎哀，用过乎俭。

Line Texts

• 初六飞鸟以凶。

  The bird flying high too soon—misfortune.

• 六二过其祖，遇其妣；不及其君，遇其臣；无咎。

  Passing the grandfather, meeting the grandmother; not reaching the ruler, meeting the minister—no blame in due measure.

• 九三弗过防之，从或戕之，凶。

  Failing to take extra precaution—harm may follow; misfortune.

• 九四无咎，弗过遇之。往厉必戒，勿用永贞。

  No blame—meeting without exceeding; advance warily, and do not cling rigidly.

• 六五密云不雨，自我西郊，公弋取彼在穴。

  Dense clouds without rain; the prince shoots into the cave to fetch the hidden one.

• 上六弗遇过之，飞鸟离之，凶，是谓灾眚。

  Exceeding beyond all measure, like the bird flying into the snare—calamity.

Symbolism

Thunder on the mountain: exceed a little in small things, never in great.

Life Lesson

Err on the side of humility, thrift and reverence; keep a low posture.

Modern Application

Overdeliver in small details; stay conservative in big moves.

Words of Caution

Flying high beyond your strength invites a fall.