62. Hsiao Kuo

	Small Excess
	Upper Trigram:	Chen, Thunderclap, Movement
	Lower Trigram:	Ken, Inaction, a Mountain
	Governing Rulers:	Nine in the third place Nine in the fourth place

The Image
Thunder on the mountain: the image of Hsiao Kuo The superior man, in accordance with this, in his conduct exceeds in humility, in mourning exceeds in sorrow, and in his expenditure exceeds in economy.

Miscellaneous Signs
Sincere is Chung Fu; exceeding Hsiao Kuo.

The Judgement
Hsiao Kou indicates that, in the circumstances which it implies, there will be progress and attainment. But it will be advantageous to be firm and correct. Action may be undertaken in small affairs, but not in great affairs. It is like the crying down of a bird on the wing: 'To descend is better than to ascend'. There will in this way be great good fortune.

See also: Ta Chuan - Section 2, Chapter II-9.

Commentary
In Hsiao Kuo we see the small lines exceeding the others, and giving the intimation of progress and attainment. Such exceeding, in order to be advantageous, must be associated with firmness and correctness: that is, it must take place according to the requirements of the time. The weak lines are in the central places, and hence it is said that 'action may be undertaken in small affairs, and there will be good fortune'. Of the strong lines, one is not in its correct place, and neither is central, hence it is said that 'action may be undertaken, but not in great affairs'.
In the hexagram we see the image of 'a bird on the wing, and the cry coming down from it, that it is better to descend that to ascend, thereby leading to great good fortune': to ascend is contrary to what is reasonable in the case, while to descend is natural and right.

The Lines and commentaries
Bottom six
Suggesting the idea of a bird flying, and ascending till the issue is evil.

'There is a bird flying and ascending till the result is evil': nothing can be done to avoid this issue.

Six in the second place
Showing its subject passing by his grandfather, and meeting with his grandmother; not attempting anything against his ruler (and improper correlate), but meeting him as his minister. There will be no error.

'He does not attempt to reach his ruler': a minister should not overpass the distance between him and his ruler.

Nine in the third place
Showing its subject taking no extraordinary precautions against danger; and some in consequence finding opportunity to assail and injure him. There will be evil.

'Some in consequence find opportunity to assail and injure him. There will be evil': how great will it be!

Nine in the fourth place
Showing its subject falling into no error, but meeting the exigency of his situation without exceeding in his natural course. If he go forward, there will be peril, and he must be cautious: there is no occasion to be using firmness perpetually.

'He meets the exigency of his situation without exceeding the proper course': he does so, the position being inappropriate for a stong line.
'If he go forward, there will be peril, and he must be cautious': the result being that his course would not be long pursued.

Six in the fifth place
Suggesting the idea of dense clouds, but no rain, coming from our western borders. It also shows the prince shooting his arrow, and taking the bird in a cave (i.e. his improper correlate).

'There are dense clouds, but no rain': the line is in too high a place.

Top-most six
Showing 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 one of calamity and self-induced injury.

'He does not meet the exigency of his situation, and exceeds his proper course': the position indicates the habit of domineering.