I Ching · King Wen 46 of 64
Hexagram 46 — Pushing Upward (Shēng)
- ascent
- effort
- steady growth
Earth (receptive devotion) over Wind (gentle penetration)
Meaning
Wood grows upward through the earth—invisible, steady, irresistible. Willed effort in small accumulating steps brings ascent.
Wood growing up through the earth: ascent with no drama, no leaps, and no reversals — the tree does not check its progress daily, it simply does not stop. This hexagram removes the excuse of the unavailable audience: it explicitly counsels seeking out the great person without fear.
Love & Relationships
The bond grows quietly stronger; nurture it with steady care. Love that deepens by increments — one honest conversation, one kept promise at a time — outperforms love that advances in dramatic lurches. Trust the slope, not the spikes.
Career & Work
Climb by consistent effort; seek audience with decision-makers without fear. Ask for the meeting with the decision-maker; this hexagram's whole posture is upward and it favors the one who requests an audience. Stack small verifiable wins into an unarguable case.
Advice
Push upward like a seedling—flexible, persistent, unhurried. Hold this counsel lightly but seriously: the I Ching describes the shape of the moment, and Pushing Upward rewards those who move with that shape rather than against it.
Changing Lines
Changing lines in Pushing Upward mark stages of the climb — the ascent that meets confidence below, pushing upward into an empty city, and the top line's blind ascent that climbs on in darkness past the point of purpose. A moving line asks whether your rise is still rooted, or climbing for climbing's sake.
Cast your own reading
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Frequently asked questions
- What does Hexagram 46 mean?
- Hexagram 46, Pushing Upward (Shēng), is the hexagram of ascent, effort, steady growth: Wood grows upward through the earth—invisible, steady, irresistible.
- What does Hexagram 46 mean for love?
- In love readings, Pushing Upward counsels: The bond grows quietly stronger; nurture it with steady care. Love that deepens by increments — one honest conversation, one kept promise at a time — outperforms love that advances in dramatic lurches. Trust the slope, not the spikes.
- Is Hexagram 46 a good hexagram?
- In the I Ching no hexagram is simply good or bad — each describes a moment in time and how to meet it well. Pushing Upward centers on ascent and effort, and its outcome depends on following its counsel: Push upward like a seedling—flexible, persistent, unhurried. Read as guidance rather than a verdict, it points the way to the best available outcome.