I Ching hexagram · 10 of 64
Hexagram 10: Treading 履 Lǚ · Conduct, caution, etiquette
Careful conduct. Walk lightly and keep good manners in risky situations. Treading on the tail of the tiger. It does not bite. Success.
- Upper: ☰ Heaven
- Lower: ☱ Lake
- Nuclear: 37
- Opposite: 15
Number
10 of 64
Chinese name
履 Lǚ
Upper trigram
☰ Heaven
Lower trigram
☱ Lake
Nuclear hexagram
䷤ 37. The Family
Opposite hexagram
䷎ 15. Modesty
What hexagram 10 means
Hexagram 10 shows the joyful lake beneath the strong heaven, the weak walking behind the strong. Its famous image is stepping on a tiger's tail without being bitten.
It is about conduct: how to behave correctly in a delicate or dangerous situation. Good manners, cheerfulness and knowing your place let you move safely among powerful people.
The Judgement · 卦辞
履：履虎尾，不咥人，亨。
Treading on the tail of the tiger. It does not bite. Success.
The Image · 象曰
上天下泽，履；君子以辩上下，定民志。
Heaven above, the lake below: the image of treading. The noble person distinguishes high and low and steadies the minds of the people.
The lines and trigrams
Treading places ☰ Heaven (乾 Qián), the trigram of strength and creative power, above ☱ Lake (兑 Duì), the trigram of joy and openness. The lower trigram describes the inner situation and the upper trigram the outer world.
A hexagram is read from the bottom line up. Lines 1 to 3 form the lower trigram and lines 4 to 6 the upper trigram. Solid lines are yang and broken lines are yin; in the traditional names a yang line is called Nine (九) and a yin line Six (六).
Hexagram 10 in your life
Love and relationships
Tread carefully and with respect. Good-humoured courtesy eases tension, but don't take risks with someone's feelings or test their limits.
Personal growth
Pay attention to how you walk through the world. Simplicity, tact and integrity keep you safe in risky places.
The six changing lines
If you cast hexagram 10 and some lines come out as changing lines, read the text for those lines, then turn each one into its opposite to find the hexagram your situation is moving towards. See how to consult the I Ching.
Line 1 初九 · Nine at the beginning
Simple conduct. Going forward without pretensions brings no blame.
Line 2 九二 · Nine in the second place
Treading a smooth, level path. The quiet, independent person who stays modest has good fortune.
Line 3 六三 · Six in the third place
A one-eyed person thinks they can see, a lame person thinks they can walk. Overconfidence treads on the tiger's tail and gets bitten: misfortune.
Line 4 九四 · Nine in the fourth place
Treading on the tiger's tail with great caution. Good fortune in the end.
Line 5 九五 · Nine in the fifth place
Resolute conduct. Keep going, but stay aware of the danger.
Line 6 上九 · Nine at the top
Look back on your conduct and weigh the signs. If it has been sound throughout, supreme good fortune follows.
Hexagram 10 questions, answered
What does I Ching hexagram 10 mean?
Hexagram 10, Treading (履 Lǚ), is about conduct, caution, etiquette. Careful conduct. Walk lightly and keep good manners in risky situations. Hexagram 10 shows the joyful lake beneath the strong heaven, the weak walking behind the strong. Its famous image is stepping on a tiger's tail without being bitten.
What does hexagram 10 mean in love?
Tread carefully and with respect. Good-humoured courtesy eases tension, but don't take risks with someone's feelings or test their limits.
What does hexagram 10 mean for work and money?
Dealing with a powerful boss, client or situation. Be polite, professional and well prepared; correct conduct protects you.
Which trigrams make up hexagram 10?
Hexagram 10 has Heaven (Qián) as its upper trigram and Lake (Duì) as its lower trigram.
What are the related hexagrams of hexagram 10?
Its nuclear hexagram is 37, The Family. Its opposite, with every line changed, is 15, Modesty. Turned upside down it becomes 9, Small Taming.
All 64 hexagrams
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