论小过卦的过与不及——析小过卦卦爻辞

On the idea of excess and deficiency reflected in Hexagram Xiao Guo

小过卦依托卦象固有的等级框架,或取象比况,或直陈其事,揭示出当时社会的许多道理,其中包含了丰富的辩证法因素。《易》作者以为家事是小事,国事是大事,小事可以“过”,大事不可以“过”,这是尊君。这些思想见解是维护周王朝的统治和大一统思想的体现。“过”的概念,实际上是哲学上“度”与“量”的问题。任何事物都有“度”和“量”。本卦就运用了这一哲学思想来育说事理。

Based on its inherent status frame by the images, Hexagram Xiao Guo （literally, Small Excesses, the 62^nd hexagram） either takes analogies or directly recounts the events, exposing then many social principles which consist of rich dialectical elements. The author of the Yi considers family affairs are trivial and the state affairs are major issues. The trivial issues can be done “excessively” while the great issues cannot be “excessively” completed. This is called venerating the emperor. These thought embodies the idea of great national unity to vindicate the control of the Zhou Dynasty. The concept of “excess” is actually related to the issue of “degree” and “quantity” in philosophy. Everything has its “degree” and “quantity”. This hexagram applies this philosophical thought to revealing the principles.