Hexagram 11 Tài (泰): Peace, Meaning and Six Lines
Eleventh hexagram of the I Ching: Earth above Heaven, exchange and peace. Judgement, six lines, moving lines and a careful reading of the hexagram of Peace.
Key points
| Number | 11 of 64 (King Wen order) |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 泰 (Tài) |
| Approximate pronunciation | tie |
| Name (French tradition followed here) | Tai, Peace |
| Lower trigram (inner) | Qian, Heaven |
| Upper trigram (outer) | Kun, Earth |
| Lines, from bottom to top | yang / yang / yang / yin / yin / yin |
| Twin hexagram | No. 12, Pi, Stagnation |
Hexagram 11: Tài (泰), name and composition
Hexagram 11 is that of peace, harmony and flourishing: the character suggests something spacious and free. In a system of seasonal correspondences from the Han period, it is linked to the first month of the Chinese year, the beginning of spring.
Hexagram no. 11 is written 泰 and transliterated Tài in pinyin; it is pronounced approximately “tie”. It is made of two trigrams stacked one above the other: below, inside, Qian (Heaven); above, outside, Kun (Earth). The overall image is therefore Earth above Heaven.
The six lines, from bottom to top, are: yang (solid), yang (solid), yang (solid), yin (broken), yin (broken), yin (broken). In King Wen’s order it forms a pair with hexagram 12 (Pi, Stagnation), which is both turned upside down and reversed (each line changes its nature).
The judgement in brief
The judgement is stated in few words: the small departs, the great arrives. Good fortune is present and success too. In other words, what is petty or closed away withdraws, and what gathers and opens draws near.
General meaning
Earth is set above Heaven, which seems back to front, and it is precisely this that makes exchange possible: heaven rises, earth sinks, and their energies mingle. The three yang lines below rise towards the three yin lines above. The image is that of a fruitful exchange, balanced relationships, a season in which everything circulates.
The text does not promise an eternal peace. The third line reminds us that there is no plain without a slope and no going without a return, and the last shows the rampart collapsing back into the moat. To enjoy peace is also to tend it so that it lasts.
The six lines, one by one
The lines are counted from bottom to top. Here, summarised in our own words, is the image the ancient text attaches to each one; the last column gives the hexagram obtained if that line alone is moving.
| Line | Nature | Summarised image | If it is moving |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | yang (solid) | Pulling up a tuft of grass: all the roots come with it. Advancing alongside one’s peers is favourable. | No. 46 (Sheng) |
| 2 | yang (solid) | Bearing what is rough with breadth of mind, not neglecting those far away nor withdrawing into one’s own circle: holding to the middle way. | No. 36 (Ming Yi) |
| 3 | yang (solid) | No plain without a slope, no going without a return: remain faithful in difficulty and enjoy what is given without anxiety. | No. 19 (Lin) |
| 4 | yin (broken) | Descending lightly, without flaunting one’s wealth, with one’s neighbours and in all sincerity. | No. 34 (Da Zhuang) |
| 5 | yin (broken) | King Yi gives his daughter in marriage: a blessed alliance, very great good fortune (it is often read as the humility of the powerful). | No. 5 (Xu) |
| 6 | yin (broken) | The rampart collapses into the moat: there is no need to raise an army; one stays within one’s circle and remains cautious. | No. 26 (Da Chu) |
The moving lines
A moving line is a line that the casting marks as unstable: one reads its own text, then it turns into its opposite, which gives a second hexagram, read as the direction the situation is taking. A moving yang line is called “nine”, a moving yin line “six”. Without a moving line, one keeps to the general judgement.
For Tai, a moving line locates your point of peace: advancing alongside your peers, holding to the middle, accepting alternation, descending lightly, welcoming a blessed alliance, or preparing to see peace recede.
A modern reading, with caution
Today, Tai is often read as a moment of balance: a period in which a team, a couple or a project works well. A careful reading avoids seeing in it a lasting state: the text recalls alternation and fragility. It invites you to ask what deserves upkeep before the situation tips over.
Questions for reflection
- What, in my life, is flowing well at the moment?
- What must I maintain so that this balance lasts?
- Do I tend to rely too much on a favourable moment?
- Who around me needs me to leave them room?
Mistakes to avoid
- Believing that peace is an asset that needs no upkeep.
- Neglecting those far away to attend only to one’s own circle.
- Flaunting one’s success rather than sharing it with one’s neighbours.
- Ignoring the warnings of the third and sixth lines.
Names, translations and a reminder
The name “Tai, Peace” follows one tradition of translation among others. Other translations speak of Peace, Prosperity or Flourishing; the character 泰 also means “great” and “calm”. Compare two translations if you can.
A reminder: the I Ching is a book of wisdom and divination, consulted as a tool for reflection, never as a prediction; it does not replace medical, legal, financial or safety advice. This page summarises the text in our own words.
Frequently asked questions
What does hexagram 11 of the I Ching mean?
It is the hexagram of peace and exchange: heaven and earth meet. It speaks of harmony, but also of the need to maintain it.
Why Earth above Heaven?
Because heaven tends to rise and earth to sink: placed this way, they meet. It is the reverse of hexagram 12, where each stays in its place and they do not cross.
Is Tai always favourable?
Its judgement is good, but the lines remind us that every peace has a slope, and the last line announces its decline if it is neglected.
What are the trigrams of hexagram 11?
Qian (Heaven) below, inside, and Kun (Earth) above, outside.
What is the twin hexagram of number 11?
Number 12, Pi, Stagnation: in King Wen’s order hexagrams come in pairs, the second being both turned upside down and reversed (each line changes its nature).
Also read
The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to The 64 hexagrams of the Yi King.