I Ching hexagram 10

I Ching hexagram 10: Treading

履 lǚ · heaven above a lake

Treading on a tiger's tail and walking away unbitten: careful conduct gets you safely past someone powerful.

The judgment: Treading on the tiger's tail. It does not bite. Success.
"(Lî suggests the idea of) one treading on the tail of a tiger, which does not bite him. There will be progress and success."
James Legge's translation, 1882
What it says to you: The lake lies under heaven, the soft and cheerful below the strong, which is how the text arrives at its famous image: you step on the tiger's tail and it doesn't bite. The tiger is whoever or whatever holds more power than you. You can't avoid the encounter, but you can survive it through manners, plain conduct, and attention to every step. The lines run from a simple, unadorned walk that goes fine, to a quiet person on a level road, to the disaster in the third line: a one-eyed man who thinks he can see, a lame man who thinks he can walk, a soldier playing king. He gets bitten. The fourth line steps on the same tail with fear and care, and ends well. Know your actual capacity, walk modestly, and look back over your steps.

Matter by matter

Love: A delicate dynamic, perhaps uneven in power. Courtesy and care keep things safe; arrogance gets punished.
Work: Dealing with a powerful boss or client: be correct, modest, and alert, and don't overstep.
Money: Proceed cautiously; the risks are real but manageable with careful conduct and an honest assessment.
A yes or no question: Yes, with a condition: go ahead only if you act carefully and know your limits.

The six lines of Treading

A hexagram is built from the bottom up, so the first line is the lowest. You read a line's text only when your cast made it a moving line.

Bottom line, solid

Plain treading. Going ahead, no mistake.

Keep it simple and be yourself. Walking your ordinary path without ambition or show is exactly right. Go ahead, and don't dress the plan up to impress anyone.
Second line, solid

Treading a smooth, level road. The quiet recluse is steady and fortunate.

Your way is easy if you keep to yourself and don't get tangled in other people's ambitions. Quiet independence and steady conduct bring good fortune.
Third line, broken

The one-eyed thinks he sees, the lame thinks he walks. He treads on the tiger's tail, it bites. Misfortune. A soldier acting as a great ruler.

You may be overestimating yourself. Pushing ahead beyond your real ability gets you bitten. Admit your limits now, before a risky move proves them for you.
Fourth line, solid

Treading on the tiger's tail. Fearful and careful, good fortune in the end.

You're in a dangerous spot near real power. Caution is your protection, and a little fear is useful here. Move with careful respect, and you'll come out fine.
Fifth line, solid

Decisive treading. Steady, but dangerous.

You're resolute and in charge, and that firmness carries risk. Keep going if it's right, but stay alert. Certainty at the top is a hazard of its own.
Top line, solid

Look at your steps, examine the signs. Turning back to review: great good fortune.

Look back over the whole road you've walked. If your conduct has been sound, the outcome is very good. Review honestly, and learn from it.

About hexagram 10

What does I Ching hexagram 10 mean?

Hexagram 10, Treading, puts heaven above a lake. Treading on a tiger's tail and walking away unbitten: careful conduct gets you safely past someone powerful. Its judgment reads: Treading on the tiger's tail. It does not bite. Success.

Is hexagram 10 a yes or a no?

Yes, with a condition: go ahead only if you act carefully and know your limits.

What does hexagram 10 mean for love?

A delicate dynamic, perhaps uneven in power. Courtesy and care keep things safe; arrogance gets punished.

What does hexagram 10 mean for work?

Dealing with a powerful boss or client: be correct, modest, and alert, and don't overstep.

Cast the coins for a new question , or for a straight yes or no, throw the moon blocks

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The judgment and lines are rendered from the Chinese text; the quoted judgment is Legge's 1882 translation, and every other English line is Jade Almanac's own. A cast is a prompt for reflection, not advice about health, money or the law.