履 → 兌

Commentary

Heaven above the lake, and a procession of celestial creatures escorts the traveler home. A dark-maned, black-browed steed gallops eastward to the high country. The Vermilion Bird guides the way; the Numinous Tortoise bears the traveler in state. They arrive at the Gate of Heaven and behold the steadfast sovereign. The verse assembles the directional guardians — Vermilion Bird of the south, divine tortoise of the north — into a cosmic escort, suggesting a journey not merely homeward but toward transcendence. From Treading to the Joyous, doubled lakes reflect one another in shared delight. The arduous journey of proper conduct culminates in pure joy — the traveler is received at heaven's threshold with ceremonial grandeur.