The Hexagram Heaven and Lake Treading (䷉) in the 64 Hexagrams of the I Ching: Origins, Meaning, and Practical Applications

What number is the Thiên Trạch Lý hexagram, and which hexagrams make up its upper and lower trigrams?

The Thiên Trạch Lý hexagram (履, Sino-Vietnamese reading: Ly, English: Treading) is hexagram number 10 among the 64 hexagrams in the Zhou Yi sequence. The upper trigram is Can (Heaven), the lower trigram is Doai (Lake). The hexagram name combines to form Thiên Trạch, meaning Heaven above Lake.

The character Ly 履 originally means shoes, sandals, to walk, to tread upon. In this hexagram, the central image is treading on a tiger's tail without the tiger biting, a metaphor for advancing through a dangerous place while still keeping oneself intact.

What does the original text of the Thiên Trạch Lý hexagram say?

The original text consists of the gua statement and six line statements. Below is the original text in traditional Chinese characters, the Sino-Vietnamese reading following those characters exactly, with a close translation of the meaning.

Gua statement: 履虎尾，不咥人，亨。

• Sino-Vietnamese: Ly ho vi, bat diet nhan, hanh.
• Translation: Treading on a tiger's tail, the tiger does not bite, success.

Line So cuu (first line): 素履，往无咎。

• Sino-Vietnamese: To ly, vang vo cuu.
• Translation: Walking plainly, advancing brings no fault.

Line Cuu nhi (second line): 履道坦坦，幽人貞吉。

• Sino-Vietnamese: Ly dao than than, u nhan trinh cat.
• Translation: The path of walking is level, the recluse who keeps uprightness is fortunate.

Line Luc tam (third line): 眇能視，跛能履，履虎尾，咥人，凶。武人為于大君。

• Sino-Vietnamese: Mieu nang thi, ba nang ly, ly ho vi, diet nhan, hung. Vu nhan vi vu dai quan.
• Translation: Blind yet thinking one sees, lame yet thinking one walks, treading on a tiger's tail, bitten by the tiger, misfortune. The warrior doing the work of a great ruler.

Line Cuu tu (fourth line): 履虎尾，愬愬終吉。

• Sino-Vietnamese: Ly ho vi, sach sach chung cat.
• Translation: Treading on a tiger's tail, fearful and cautious, in the end fortunate.

Line Cuu ngu (fifth line): 夬履，貞厲。

• Sino-Vietnamese: Quai ly, trinh le.
• Translation: Walking with resolve, keeping uprightness but there is danger.

Line Thuong cuu (top line): 視履考詳，其旋元吉。

• Sino-Vietnamese: Thi ly khao tuong, ky toan nguyen cat.
• Translation: Looking back on the steps taken and examining the omens, returning brings great fortune.

What do the commentaries on the hexagram say?

The Thoan commentary and the Tuong commentary belong to the Ten Wings, not the words of the classic. Tradition attributes them to Confucius; modern scholarship places this textual layer around the 5th to 2nd century BCE.

Thoan commentary: 履，柔履剛也。說而應乎乾，是以履虎尾，不咥人，亨，利貞。剛中正，履帝位而不疚，光明也。

• Translation: Ly is the soft treading on the hard. Doai is joyful and responds to Can, therefore treading on a tiger's tail, not bitten, success, favorable to uprightness. The firm is central and upright, treading the imperial seat without shame, radiant indeed.

Great Tuong (Tuong commentary): 上天下澤，履；君子以辨上下，定民志。

• Translation: Above is heaven, below is lake, this is Ly; the noble person thereby distinguishes above and below, and settles the will of the people.

Small Tuong for each line:

• So cuu: 素履之往，獨行願也 (Walking plainly and going, it is to follow one's aspiration alone).
• Cuu nhi: 幽人貞吉，中不自亂也 (The recluse who keeps uprightness is fortunate, because being central, the heart does not disorder itself).
• Luc tam: 眇能視，不足以有明也。跛能履，不足以與行也。咥人之凶，位不當也。武人為于大君，志剛也 (Blind yet thinking one sees, not enough to have clarity. Lame yet thinking one walks, not enough to walk together. The misfortune of being bitten is because the position is unsuitable. The warrior doing the work of a great ruler is because the will is firm).
• Cuu tu: 愬愬終吉，志行也 (Fearful and cautious yet in the end fortunate, the will is carried out).
• Cuu ngu: 夬履貞厲，位正當也 (Walking with resolve, upright yet in danger, because the position is properly held).
• Thuong cuu: 元吉在上，大有慶也 (Great fortune at the top, there is great blessing).

How do Wang Bi and Zhu Xi comment on the Thiên Trạch Lý hexagram?

Below are the two commentators' notes, translated closely in meaning.

Wang Bi's commentary (in the Zhou Yi zhengyi, with Kong Yingda's subcommentary):

• On the Thoan commentary passage "the firm is central and upright, treading the imperial seat without shame, radiant": Wang Bi comments "this speaks of the virtue of the fifth line."
• On the So cuu line: "At the head of the Ly hexagram, it is the beginning of the act of walking. The way of walking dislikes ornamentation, therefore only plainness brings no fault. Walking with plainness, where does one go that does not follow? Surely it is to follow one's aspiration alone, and things do not trespass upon it."
• On the Cuu nhi line: "The way of walking favors humility, does not delight in fullness, values sincerity, dislikes those who paint the exterior. The second line takes yang in a yin place, which is walking into a place of humility. Being central within and treading the center, hidden and manifest are the same. The beauty of the way of walking is at its height here. Therefore 'the path of walking is level,' with no dangerous place. Being hidden and keeping uprightness, one deserves good fortune."
• On the Luc tam line: "In the time of Ly, taking yang in a yang place is still called lacking humility, how much more taking yin in a yang place, using the soft to ride the hard? Therefore when it makes clarity, it is blindness; when it makes movement, it is lameness; walking in a dangerous place, it is bitten. Its will is firm and strong, it does not correct its own walking, it wants to override others, 'doing the work of a great ruler,' its action has not escaped misfortune, yet its will is placed in the fifth line, stubborn indeed."
• On the Cuu tu line: "Close to the supreme honor, taking yang to mount yang, being in a place of much fear, therefore it says 'treading on a tiger's tail, fearful and cautious.' But taking yang in a yin place, taking humility as the root, though in a place of danger and fear, in the end it achieves its will, therefore 'in the end fortunate.'"
• On the Cuu ngu line: "Obtaining the position in a place of honor, using firmness and resolve to keep uprightness, therefore it says 'walking with resolve, upright yet in danger.' The way of walking dislikes fullness, yet the fifth line is in a place of honor, therefore there is danger."
• On the Thuong cuu line: "The omens of fortune and misfortune of calamity and blessing arise from where one has not yet walked; at the end of the act of walking, the way of walking is already complete, therefore one can 'look back on the steps taken' and 'examine the omens.' Being at the end and responding to Doai, high yet not dangerous, this is returning. The way of walking is greatly accomplished, therefore 'great fortune.'"

Zhu Xi's commentary (Zhou Yi benyi):

• On the gua statement "treading on a tiger's tail, not biting the person, success": "Doai is also the name of a three-line trigram, one yin appearing above two yang, therefore its virtue is joy, its image is lake. Ly means treading upon and advancing. Taking Doai meeting Can, harmonious joy treading behind the firm and strong, there is the image of treading on a tiger's tail without being wounded, therefore the hexagram is Ly, and the divination text is thus. A person who can be like this, though in a dangerous place, is not wounded."
• On the So cuu line: "Taking yang in the lowest place, at the head of the Ly hexagram, not yet altered by things, this is one who follows plain walking. A diviner like this advances without fault."
• On the Cuu nhi line: "Firm and central in the lower place, not responding to the upper, therefore it is the image of a level path of walking, hidden and alone keeping uprightness. A recluse who walks the way and meets such a divination text is upright and fortunate."
• On the Luc tam line: "Six in the third is neither central nor upright, soft yet with a firm will, treading upon Can with such a stance will surely bring injury, therefore such an image, and the divination text is misfortune; again it is the image of a firm and martial person who gains his will and gives free rein to tyranny, like Qin Zheng, Xiang Ji, how could they last long?"
• On the Cuu tu line: "Nine in the fourth also takes the neither central nor upright to tread upon the firmness of nine in the fifth, but taking firmness in a soft place, therefore it can be warned and fearful and obtain final good fortune."
• On the Cuu ngu line: "Nine in the fifth takes firmness, centrality and uprightness to tread the imperial seat, below taking Doai's joy to respond, all affairs will surely be done without doubt, therefore the image is of resolute walking. Though it obtains uprightness, it is also a dangerous path, therefore the divination text is that though upright, there is danger, a very deep warning."
• On the Thuong cuu line: "Looking at the end of walking to examine the omens, going all around without defect, one obtains great fortune. The diviner's fortune and misfortune look at where one walks and it is not yet settled."

When encountering the Thiên Trạch Lý hexagram for questions about work, how should it be understood?

In Nhật Nguyệt's understanding, the Ly hexagram describes a situation where you are advancing in a layered environment, with stronger people or rigid rules above. The point to note is not "what Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion is," but that the original text and the commentaries show many different ways of walking, with different outcomes.

Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: if you are new to the work, begin at the plain level, doing the right task, in the right role, avoiding display. If you are already in a fairly high position, spend time reviewing recent decisions, because the Cuu ngu line mentions resolve accompanied by a warning. If you want to break through beyond your capacity, read the Luc tam line carefully before acting.

When encountering the Thiên Trạch Lý hexagram for questions about love, how should it be understood?

In Nhật Nguyệt's understanding, the Ly hexagram offers no promise about love. The original text has only one image running throughout, which is walking through a place that may be dangerous, and the lines show different outcomes depending on attitude.

Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: if you are getting to know each other, let things progress at a natural pace, do not rush to put the relationship in a position where it must prove itself. If you are in a relationship with a gap in status, age or family background, look directly at that gap and speak clearly with each other before moving on. The Luc tam line, commented on by Wang Bi as "its will is firm and strong, it does not correct its own walking," is an image to avoid.

When encountering the Thiên Trạch Lý hexagram for questions about money, how should it be understood?

In Nhật Nguyệt's understanding, the Ly hexagram suggests passing through an area with risk; it is not a guarantee about finances. What is worth considering is the degree of caution, not a certain outcome.

Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: with long-term commitments or leveraged investments, divide them into smaller parts, keep a reserve portion, and avoid deciding while overly confident. The Cuu ngu line is recorded by both Wang Bi and Zhu Xi as upright yet still carrying danger, so this is a time not to put everything into one door.

When encountering the Thiên Trạch Lý hexagram for questions about health, how should it be understood?

In Nhật Nguyệt's understanding, the Ly hexagram says nothing about specific illness. It only suggests an attitude: passing through a difficult place requires caution, it must not be taken lightly.

Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: this is not a basis for diagnosis or for skipping examinations. Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: if you have unusual signs, go for a check-up and follow the doctor's guidance; live moderately, sleep enough, eat at proper meals, limit harmful habits.

What is Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion for someone in a leadership position?

In Nhật Nguyệt's understanding, the Cuu ngu line is the most notable line for a leader. Wang Bi comments that "the way of walking dislikes fullness, yet the fifth line is in a place of honor, therefore there is danger"; Zhu Xi comments that "though it obtains uprightness, it is also a dangerous path." Both emphasize caution even while in a high seat.

Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: spend time periodically sitting down to see whether you are deciding for the work or for the position. Allow those below to voice opposing views before you finalize. Set up a person or a mechanism that can challenge you without being penalized.

What is the structure of the hexagram and its relationship to neighboring hexagrams?

The table below keeps the structural data that matches the lookup tools on Nhật Nguyệt.

The figures in the table match the results of the lookup tools on Nhật Nguyệt.

Regarding historical context, the gua statement and line statements carry the social norms of ancient times, such as the ruler-minister relationship, hierarchy of above and below, and the image of the warrior. This is the context of the text, not advice for life today.

Regarding authorship, tradition attributes the sequence to Fu Xi, King Wen, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius; modern scholarship does not consider these attributions proven. Ancient copies such as the Zhou Yi bamboo slips kept at the Shanghai Museum and the Mawangdui silk manuscript show that the text circulated before the Han dynasty, while the Ten Wings are a later-composed layer of commentary.

Overview article on the topic: The 64 hexagrams of the I Ching and their meanings.