Also known as Preponderance of the Great, Great Exceeding, Critical Mass.
The characters 大過 mean "great" and "going past". Hexagram 28 is about a load too heavy for its supports: the ridgepole of the house is bending. Something has to give. That calls for unusual, decisive action, not waiting.
The figure
Lake over Wind. The lake has risen over the trees and drowned them. Four strong lines crowd the middle while the two ends are weak, like a beam heavy in the center and thin where it rests.
The judgment
The ridgepole is bending. Still worth setting out, and it goes through.
The situation is past normal limits. It isn't hopeless, but it won't hold if left alone. Move, and move carefully.
The image
The marsh risen over the trees and drowned them. Stand on your own without fear, and drop out of sight without minding it.
In extraordinary times, stand firm even if alone, and step away from the world calmly if you must.
The six lines
Counted from the bottom, the way the figure is built when you cast it.
- Line 1, at the bottom. Laying white rushes under what you set down. Not a mistake. Extra care at the start, before the weight comes.
- Line 2. Fresh shoots spring from the base of a withered willow. An aging man marries a young bride. All of it helps. Renewal from an unlikely source.
- Line 3. The ridgepole bends to breaking. It goes badly. Pushing ahead alone and refusing help.
- Line 4. The ridgepole is braced. It goes well. If you have hidden motives, it ends in embarrassment.
- Line 5. A withered willow bursts into blossom. An aging woman marries a young man. No fault, but nothing to admire. A late bloom that doesn't renew the root.
- Line 6, at the top. Wading into the water until it goes over your head. It goes badly, but you're not at fault. Giving everything for something that matters.
Reading it for a question
Hexagram 28 says the load is too heavy for the current setup. Strengthen the weak points, get help, and make a real change. Don't wait for it to snap.