Hexagram 28 · Preponderance of the Great

大过 · Dà Guò

Hexagram 28, Preponderance of the Great (大过, Dà Guò), is one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching (Book of Changes). It is formed by Wind below and Lake above. Its judgment reads, in the Chinese original: “栋桡；利有攸往，亨。”. In the classical tradition this hexagram is associated with great excess — a beam sagging under load. This page collects its structure, judgment, Image and six line texts for cultural study.

Structure

Lower trigram: Wind (巽) — gentleness and quiet penetration
Upper trigram: Lake (兑) — joy and open exchange
Symbol: ䷛ · Name: 大过 (Dà Guò) · Number: 28 of 64

Judgment (Chinese original)

The Image (Chinese original)

The Six Lines (Chinese original)

1. Bottom line (yin) (初六)
   藉用白茅，无咎。
   The Image says: “藉用白茅”，柔在下也。
2. 九二 (九二)
   枯杨生稊，老夫得其女妻；无不利。
   The Image says: “老夫”“女妻”，过以相与也。
3. 九三 (九三)
   栋桡，凶。
   The Image says: “栋桡”之“凶”，不可以有辅也。
4. 九四 (九四)
   栋隆，吉；有它，吝。
   The Image says: “栋隆”之“吉”，不桡乎下也。
5. 九五 (九五)
   枯杨生华，老妇得其士夫，无咎无誉。
   The Image says: “枯杨生华”，何可久也？“老妇”“士夫”，亦可丑也。
6. Top line (yin) (上六)
   过涉灭顶；凶，无咎。
   The Image says: “过涉”之“凶”，不可咎也。

FAQ

What is I Ching Hexagram 28?

Hexagram 28 is Preponderance of the Great (大过, Dà Guò), one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching. It is formed by Wind below and Lake above, and belongs to the classical Chinese textual tradition.

What is the judgment of Preponderance of the Great?

The judgment of Preponderance of the Great reads, in the Chinese original: “栋桡；利有攸往，亨。”. Its Great Image reads: “泽灭木，大过；君子以独立不惧，遁世无闷。”. Translations vary by edition; the judgment and the Image are the core texts for understanding the hexagram.

What does Preponderance of the Great symbolize?

In the classical tradition, Preponderance of the Great is associated with great excess — a beam sagging under load. It is studied as cultural symbolism — a lens for reflection — not as a prediction of fortune or future events.