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Hexagram 21: Biting Through

䷔ 噬嗑 (Shì Kè) · Biting through. Resolve the obstacle decisively and fairly.

decision, obstacle, fairness, clarity

Lower trigram: Thunder ☳ · Upper trigram: Fire ☲

The judgment

Something stands in the way, like a piece of gristle that keeps the jaws from closing. Bite through it: name the obstacle plainly and deal with it firmly and fairly. Clear, measured consequences let things flow again.

The image

Thunder and lightning arrive together, force and clarity at once. Make your boundaries plain and your consequences fair, so no one has to guess.

The six lines

Read only the lines that changed in your casting, counting from the bottom.

• Line 1 (bottom): A first small misstep is caught early, like feet held briefly in the stocks. A light correction now spares a heavier one later; no blame.
• Line 2: You bite so hard into something soft that you go too far. The reaction is a bit much, but the cause was real; no blame.
• Line 3: You bite into something old and tough and hit something sour. Your standing is questioned and it stings a little, yet the job still needed doing.
• Line 4: The obstacle is hard and the resistance strong. Stay straight as an arrow and solid as metal, mindful of the difficulty, and persistence brings good fortune.
• Line 5: The matter is hard to settle, but your fairness is golden. Stay aware of the risk and keep to the middle way; no blame.
• Line 6 (top): Someone has stopped listening altogether, as if a heavy collar covered their ears. Ignoring every warning leads to misfortune; open your ears while you still can.

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