Yijing CompassI Ching reading
All hexagrams

Hexagram 28 · King Wen sequence

Great Pressure

大過 · dà guò

Modern reflection

Exceptional pressure calls for decisive but balanced action.

Lower trigram: 巽 Wind
Upper trigram: 兌 Lake

Historical source

Tâ Kwo suggests to us a beam that is weak. There will be advantage in moving (under its conditions) in any direction whatever; there will be success.

(The trigram representing) trees hidden beneath that for the waters of a marsh forms Tâ Kwo. The superior man, in accordance with this, stands up alone and has no fear, and keeps retired from the world without regret.

James Legge, 1882, public domain. Historical wording is shown for source transparency, not as a guaranteed prediction.

Changing-line passages

  1. Line 1The first SIX, divided, shows one placing mats of the white mâo grass under things set on the ground. There will be no error.
  2. Line 2The second NINE, undivided, shows a decayed willow producing shoots, or an old husband in possession of his young wife. There will be advantage in every way.
  3. Line 3The third NINE, undivided, shows a beam that is weak. There will be evil.
  4. Line 4The fourth NINE, undivided, shows a beam curving upwards. There will be good fortune. If (the subject of it) looks for other (help but that of line one), there will be cause for regret.
  5. Line 5The fifth NINE, undivided, shows a decayed willow producing flowers, or an old wife in possession of her young husband. There will be occasion neither for blame nor for praise.
  6. Line 6The topmost SIX, divided, shows its subject with extraordinary (boldness) wading through a stream, till the water hides the crown of his head. There will be evil, but no ground for blame.

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