Trigrams
☳☶ – Thunder above, Mountain below
Meaning
Represents exceeding in small things while holding back in large ones. The flying bird leaves its cry in the air. A small excess is appropriate now; going beyond in major matters is not. Be slightly more humble, more devoted, more careful than ordinary — small adjustments, not grand gestures.
Interpretation
- Go slightly beyond the ordinary in small gestures of care and devotion.
- Hold back from great and risky undertakings — this is not the time.
- Humility and restraint in important matters, generosity in small ones.
Six Yao (Lines) with Classical Quotes
1st Yao (初爻)
飞鸟以凶。
English: The flying bird — misfortune through this. Going too far, too fast, like a bird flying too high — the trajectory leads to misfortune.
Luck Level: Misfortune
2nd Yao (二爻)
过其祖，遇其妃；不及其君，遇其臣，无咎。
English: Passing by the grandfather, meeting the grandmother; not reaching the ruler, meeting the minister — no blame. Finding the right level of relationship and encounter; meeting who one is actually suited for.
Luck Level: Neutral
3rd Yao (三爻)
弗过防之，从或戳之，凶。
English: Not going beyond in defense — if one follows without defending, it will be fatal. Misfortune. Failing to take necessary precautions out of excessive timidity leads to disaster.
Luck Level: Misfortune
4th Yao (四爻)
无咎，弗过遇之；往厉必戒，勿用永贞。
English: No blame — not going beyond in meeting it. Going brings danger and must be guarded against; do not use this for permanent affairs. A careful, limited advance that avoids overcommitment.
Luck Level: Caution
5th Yao (五爻)
密云不雨，自我西郊，公弋取彼在穴。
English: Dense clouds but no rain, from our western outskirts — the duke shoots and takes what is in the cave. So close to abundance yet not producing it; but decisive targeted action still finds its mark.
Luck Level: Neutral
6th Yao (上爻)
弗遇过之，飞鸟离之，凶，是谓灾眨。
English: Not meeting, going past — the flying bird leaves it. Misfortune. This is called disaster and calamity. Going past the critical moment of connection leads to irreversible loss.
Luck Level: Misfortune