King's Kung-Fu& Tai Chi

Hexagram 10 履 changing to hexagram 36 明夷

lǚ
→
míng yí

Changing lines (counted from the bottom): 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

What to read

Five changing lines: read the one unchanged line of the resulting hexagram. (Rule set out by Zhu Xi in the Yixue qimeng.)

Hexagram 36 明夷, line 1

明夷于飛,垂其翼。君子于行,三日不食,有攸往,主人有言。

The first line, undivided, shows its subject, (in the condition indicated by) Ming I, flying, but with drooping wings. When the superior man (is revolving) his going away, he may be for three days without eating. Wherever he goes, the people there may speak (derisively of him).

The two hexagrams

Hexagram 10 履 — judgment

履虎尾,不咥人,亨。

(Lî suggests the idea of) one treading on the tail of a tiger, which does not bite him. There will be progress and success.

Hexagram 36 明夷 — judgment

利艱貞。

Ming Î indicates that (in the circumstances which it denotes) it will be advantageous to realise the difficulty (of the position), and maintain firm correctness.

The changing lines of hexagram 10

LineChineseLegge
2履道坦坦,幽人貞吉。The second line, undivided, shows its subject treading the path that is level and easy;—a quiet and solitary man, to whom, if he be firm and correct, there will be good fortune.
3眇能視,跛能履,履虎尾,咥人,凶。武人為于大君。The third line, divided, shows a one-eyed man (who thinks he) can see; a lame man (who thinks he) can walk well; one who treads on the tail of a tiger and is bitten. (All this indicates) ill fortune. We have a (mere) bravo acting the part of a great ruler.
4履虎尾,愬愬終吉。The fourth line, undivided, shows its subject treading on the tail of a tiger. He becomes full of apprehensive caution, and in the end there will be good fortune.
5夬履,貞厲。The fifth line, undivided, shows the resolute tread of its subject. Though he be firm and correct, there will be peril.
6視履考詳,其旋元吉。The sixth line, undivided, tells us to look at (the whole course) that is trodden, and examine the presage which that gives. If it be complete and without failure, there will be great good fortune.

English: James Legge (1882), public domain. Chinese: Zhou Yi.

Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0); Chinese Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.