Annotated Book of Changes · Hexagram 28

大過daguo

Great Exceeding

See also: Wilhelm commentary for Hexagram 28

卦

Hexagram Statement

卦辭

經 Classic Text

大過巽下兌上 大過， 棟橈，利有攸往，亨。 棟橈者，謂屋棟也。本之與末俱橈弱，以言衰亂之世，始終皆弱也。「利有攸往亨」者，既遭衰難，聖人利有所往，以拯患難，乃得亨通，故云「利有攸往亨」也。 ○注「音相過之過」。正義曰：相過者，謂相過越之甚也，非謂相過從之過，故《象》云「澤滅木」，是過越之甚也。四陽在中，二陰在外，以陽之過越之甚也。

Translation

Da Guo (Great Excess), with Xun below and Dui above.

Great Excess.

The ridgepole sags. It is beneficial to have somewhere to go. Success.

"The ridgepole sags" refers to the ridgepole of a house. Both the base and the top are sagging and weak, which speaks of a time of decline and disorder where beginning and end are both weak.

"It is beneficial to have somewhere to go; Success" means that having encountered decline and difficulty, the sage benefits from having somewhere to go in order to rescue the time from calamity, and thereby attains success. "

" The Correct Meaning states: "Surpassing one another" means surpassing and exceeding to an extreme degree; it does not mean the 'guo' of passing by. Therefore the Image says "the lake submerges the trees," which signifies surpassing and exceeding to an extreme degree.

Four yang lines are in the center and two yin lines are on the outside, showing the extreme excess of the yang.

注 Wang Bi's Commentary

音相過之過。

Translation

Pronounced as the 'guo' of surpassing one another.

疏 Kong Yingda's Subcommentary

正義曰：過謂過越之過，非經過之過。此衰難之世，唯陽爻乃大，能過越常理以拯患難也。故曰大過。以人事言之，猶若聖人過越常理以拯患難也。

Translation

The Correct Meaning states: 'Guo' (excess) means the 'guo' of surpassing and exceeding, not the 'guo' of passing through. In this time of decline and difficulty, only the yang lines are great and able to surpass normal principle to rescue calamity. Therefore it is called Great Excess.

Speaking in terms of human affairs, it is as when a sage surpasses normal principle to rescue calamity.

鎖

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Source: eee-learning.com (易學網) · Edition: 武英殿十三經注疏

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