Hexagram 10 · Treading

履 · Lǚ

Hexagram 10, Treading (履, Lǚ), is one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching (Book of Changes). It is formed by Lake below and Heaven above. Its judgment reads, in the Chinese original: “履虎尾，不咥人，亨。”. In the classical tradition this hexagram is associated with careful conduct — treading with courtesy and caution. This page collects its structure, judgment, Image and six line texts for cultural study.

Structure

Lower trigram: Lake (兑) — joy and open exchange
Upper trigram: Heaven (乾) — creative strength and initiative
Symbol: ䷉ · Name: 履 (Lǚ) · Number: 10 of 64

Judgment (Chinese original)

The Image (Chinese original)

The Six Lines (Chinese original)

1. Bottom line (yang) (初九)
   素履，往，无咎。
   The Image says: “素履”之“往”，独行愿也。
2. 九二 (九二)
   履道坦坦，幽人贞吉。
   The Image says: “幽人贞吉”，中不自乱也。
3. 六三 (六三)
   眇能视，跛能履，履虎尾，咥人，凶；武人为于大君。
   The Image says: “眇能视”，不足以有明也；“跛能履”，不足以与行也；“咥人之凶”，位不当也；“武人为于大君”，志刚也。
4. 九四 (九四)
   履虎尾，愬愬，终吉。
   The Image says: “愬愬，终吉”，志行也。
5. 九五 (九五)
   夬履，贞厉。
   The Image says: “夬履，贞厉”，位正当也。
6. Top line (yang) (上九)
   视履考祥，其旋元吉。
   The Image says: 元吉在上，大有庆也。

FAQ

What is I Ching Hexagram 10?

Hexagram 10 is Treading (履, Lǚ), one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching. It is formed by Lake below and Heaven above, and belongs to the classical Chinese textual tradition.

What is the judgment of Treading?

The judgment of Treading reads, in the Chinese original: “履虎尾，不咥人，亨。”. Its Great Image reads: “上天下泽，履。君子以辨上下，定民志。”. Translations vary by edition; the judgment and the Image are the core texts for understanding the hexagram.

What does Treading symbolize?

In the classical tradition, Treading is associated with careful conduct — treading with courtesy and caution. It is studied as cultural symbolism — a lens for reflection — not as a prediction of fortune or future events.