I Ching Reading

Hexagram 11: Peace

泰 · Tài · Earth over Heaven

harmonyprosperityflowgood fortune

Peace (泰, Tài) is hexagram 11 of the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching, in the traditional King Wen order. It is made of Earth (☷) above Heaven (☰).

Meaning of hexagram 11

Heaven and earth are in communication and things flow. It is a time of ease and growth, but it will not last without upkeep.

Advice

Make good use of the season, share what you have, and do not get careless.

The two trigrams

Peace places ☷ Earth (Kūn), yielding, receptive and nourishing, above ☰ Heaven (Qián), strong, creative and persistent. The lower trigram is the inner side of the situation and the upper one its outer side.

Hexagram
11. Peace
Chinese name
泰 Tài
Upper trigram
☷ Earth (Kūn)
Lower trigram
☰ Heaven (Qián)
Lines
3 yang (solid) and 3 yin (broken)
Place in the sequence
11 of 64 (King Wen order)

The six lines of Peace

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.

  1. First line (yang, solid): the beginning. The root of the matter: early stirrings, foundations, and what has not yet shown itself.
  2. Second line (yang, solid): the inner circle. Your immediate surroundings and steady supports: how things work at close range.
  3. Third line (yang, solid): the threshold. A point of tension between inner and outer, often a test or a restless push forward.
  4. Fourth line (yin, broken): the approach. Stepping into wider circles or nearer to authority; caution and good relationships matter here.
  5. Fifth line (yin, broken): the center of power. The place of influence and clear leadership: where the situation is most fully expressed.
  6. Sixth line (yin, broken): the culmination. The far edge of the situation: completion, overreach, or letting go.

Related hexagrams