I Ching hexagram · 62 of 64
Hexagram 62: Small Exceeding 小过 Xiǎo Guò · Small matters, caution, detail
Attend to small things; don't aim too high for now. Success. Perseverance brings benefit. Small things may be done; great things should not be done. The flying bird brings the message: it is not well to strive upward, it is well to stay below. Great good fortune.
- Upper: ☳ Thunder
- Lower: ☶ Mountain
- Nuclear: 28
- Opposite: 61
Number
62 of 64
Chinese name
小过 Xiǎo Guò
Upper trigram
☳ Thunder
Lower trigram
☶ Mountain
Nuclear hexagram
䷛ 28. Great Exceeding
Opposite hexagram
䷼ 61. Inner Truth
What hexagram 62 means
Hexagram 62 has strong lines in the middle and weak lines on the outside, like a bird with outstretched wings. It describes a time when small things can be done but great things should not be attempted.
Like a bird that should not fly too high, stay grounded. Pay attention to detail and be modest, careful and conscientious, and you will do well.
The Judgement · 卦辞
小过：亨，利贞。可小事，不可大事。飞鸟遗之音，不宜上宜下，大吉。
Success. Perseverance brings benefit. Small things may be done; great things should not be done. The flying bird brings the message: it is not well to strive upward, it is well to stay below. Great good fortune.
The Image · 象曰
山上有雷，小过；君子以行过乎恭，丧过乎哀，用过乎俭。
Thunder on the mountain: the image of small exceeding. The noble person is exceptionally respectful in conduct, exceptionally sorrowful in mourning and exceptionally thrifty in spending.
The lines and trigrams
Small Exceeding places ☳ Thunder (震 Zhèn), the trigram of movement and arousal, above ☶ Mountain (艮 Gèn), the trigram of stillness and restraint. The lower trigram describes the inner situation and the upper trigram the outer world.
A hexagram is read from the bottom line up. Lines 1 to 3 form the lower trigram and lines 4 to 6 the upper trigram. Solid lines are yang and broken lines are yin; in the traditional names a yang line is called Nine (九) and a yin line Six (六).
Hexagram 62 in your life
Love and relationships
Small gestures and attention to detail matter. Don't push for big commitments; be careful and modest.
Personal growth
Excellence in small things. Humility and care bring good fortune.
The six changing lines
If you cast hexagram 62 and some lines come out as changing lines, read the text for those lines, then turn each one into its opposite to find the hexagram your situation is moving towards. See how to consult the I Ching.
Line 1 初六 · Six at the beginning
The bird meets misfortune by flying. Don't try to soar too soon.
Line 2 六二 · Six in the second place
Passing by the ancestor, you meet the ancestress; not reaching the prince, you meet the official. Know your limits: no blame.
Line 3 九三 · Nine in the third place
If you are not extremely careful, someone may come up from behind and strike you. Misfortune.
Line 4 九四 · Nine in the fourth place
No blame. You meet him without passing by. Going on is dangerous, so be on your guard.
Line 5 六五 · Six in the fifth place
Dense clouds, but no rain from our western region. The prince shoots and takes one in the cave: find capable helpers.
Line 6 上六 · Six at the top
Not meeting him, passing him by. The bird flies too high and meets misfortune.
Hexagram 62 questions, answered
What does I Ching hexagram 62 mean?
Hexagram 62, Small Exceeding (小过 Xiǎo Guò), is about small matters, caution, detail. Attend to small things; don't aim too high for now. Hexagram 62 has strong lines in the middle and weak lines on the outside, like a bird with outstretched wings. It describes a time when small things can be done but great things should not be attempted.
What does hexagram 62 mean in love?
Small gestures and attention to detail matter. Don't push for big commitments; be careful and modest.
What does hexagram 62 mean for work and money?
Focus on details, routine work and small improvements. Avoid big risks and ambitious expansion for now.
Which trigrams make up hexagram 62?
Hexagram 62 has Thunder (Zhèn) as its upper trigram and Mountain (Gèn) as its lower trigram.
What are the related hexagrams of hexagram 62?
Its nuclear hexagram is 28, Great Exceeding. Its opposite, with every line changed, is 61, Inner Truth. It reads the same upside down, so it is its own inverse.
All 64 hexagrams
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