Treading (履, Lǚ) is hexagram 10 of the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching, in
the traditional King Wen order. It is made of Heaven (☰) above Lake
(☱).
Meaning of hexagram 10
You are walking close to something powerful. Good manners, awareness and
calm confidence keep you safe.
Advice
Move with care and respect, stay true to your principles, and do not
provoke the strong.
The two trigrams
Treading places ☰ Heaven (Qián), strong, creative and persistent, above
☱ Lake (Duì), joyful, open and pleasing. The lower trigram is the inner
side of the situation and the upper one its outer side.
Hexagram
10. Treading
Chinese name
履 Lǚ
Upper trigram
☰ Heaven (Qián)
Lower trigram
☱ Lake (Duì)
Lines
5 yang (solid) and 1 yin (broken)
Place in the sequence
10 of 64 (King Wen order)
The six lines of Treading
A hexagram is read from the bottom line up. In a reading, a changing
line (a 6 or a 9 in the three-coin method) draws attention to its
position.
First line(yang, solid): the beginning. The root
of the matter: early stirrings, foundations, and what has not yet
shown itself.
Second line(yang, solid): the inner circle. Your
immediate surroundings and steady supports: how things work at close
range.
Third line(yin, broken): the threshold. A point
of tension between inner and outer, often a test or a restless push
forward.
Fourth line(yang, solid): the approach. Stepping
into wider circles or nearer to authority; caution and good
relationships matter here.
Fifth line(yang, solid): the center of power. The
place of influence and clear leadership: where the situation is most
fully expressed.
Sixth line(yang, solid): the culmination. The far
edge of the situation: completion, overreach, or letting go.