Sheng 地風升
A time to climb one step at a time
You are on a steady climb. Don’t hurry; take it one step at a time and you arrive.
What does I Ching hexagram 46 (Pushing Upward) mean?
A tree growing up from the earth: rising. Climbing step by step brings great growth.
- Pushing Upward in love
- A relationship that deepens slowly and develops.
- Pushing Upward at work and with money
- A good time for gradual growth and promotion.
- Advice
- Rise one step at a time, and keep your humility.
The judgment and the image
Judgment · Pushing Upward
Very auspicious“Great success. Use it to see a great person; no worry. Marching south brings good fortune.”
The Image: Within the earth, wood grows: pushing upward. The noble person follows virtue and accumulates the small to achieve the high and great.
原文 · 元亨，用見大人，勿恤，南征吉。 / 地中生木，升；君子以順德，積小以高大。
The six lines of hexagram 46
Lines are read from the bottom up. When you cast a reading and a line is changing, its statement becomes the key message.
Line 1 · 初六
Auspicious“Rising with consent: great good fortune.”
Those above approve of your rise. Very lucky.
原文 · 允升，大吉。
Line 2 · 九二
Auspicious“Sincerity makes even a small offering fitting; no blame.”
Sincerity matters more than size. A modest gift works.
原文 · 孚乃利用禴，无咎。
Line 3 · 九三
Neutral“Rising into an empty city.”
Nothing stands in your way. Go smoothly ahead.
原文 · 升虛邑。
Line 4 · 六四
Very auspicious“The king makes offerings at Mount Qi: good fortune, no blame.”
You serve something higher with devotion. Blessed.
原文 · 王用享于岐山，吉无咎。
Line 5 · 六五
Auspicious“Perseverance brings good fortune; rising by steps.”
Climb gradually, one step at a time.
原文 · 貞吉，升階。
Line 6 · 上六
No blame“Rising in the dark; it is fitting to persist without rest.”
You keep climbing blindly. Better to keep on doing right than to rush.
原文 · 冥升，利于不息之貞。
Related hexagrams
- Opposite hexagram (every line flipped): 25. Wu Wang (Innocence)
- Reversed hexagram (turned upside down): 45. Cui (Gathering Together)
The classical text is in the public domain; the English translations and readings are our own, for reflection and entertainment.