Hexagram 2 坤, Line 1
坤
Hexagram 2 · first line, divided (six)
履霜，堅冰至。
In the first line, divided, (we see its subject) treading on hoarfrost. The strong ice will come (by and by).
James Legge (1882), public domain.
Small image (小象)
履霜堅冰，陰始凝也。馴致其道，至堅冰也。
If only this line changes, hexagram 2 becomes hexagram 24.
← Hexagram 2 坤: judgment and all lines
Character glossary
- 履lǚshoes; to walk, to tread
- 霜shuāngfrost; frozen, crystallized, candied
- 堅jiānhard, strong; firm, resolute
- 冰bīngice; ice-cold
- 至zhìreach, arrive; very, extremely
- 陰yīnthe female principle; dark, shaded; hidd
- 始shǐto begin, to start; beginning
- 凝níngto coagulate, to congeal; to freeze
- 也yěalso, too
- 馴xúntame, obedient, docile
- 致zhìto send; to present, to deliver; to caus
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
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.