Hexagram 21: Biting Through

Trigrams

Upper trigram: Li (Fire) · Lower trigram: Zhen (Thunder)

Judgment

Success. Favorable to administer justice.

Image

Thunder and lightning: biting through. The ancient kings made penalties clear and laws precise.

Meaning of Hexagram Biting Through

Biting Through (噬嗑) is hexagram #21 of the 64 I-Ching hexagrams, formed by the upper trigram Li (Fire) and lower trigram Zhen (Thunder). It represents removing obstacles decisively, as in resolving disputes or injustice. When this hexagram is cast, the querent should meditate on the judgment and image to grasp what the Yi is saying about the current situation.

The Six Lines Explained

First Line (Nine at the Beginning)

"Li jiao mie zhi, wu jiu — Feet in the stocks, the toes destroyed; no blame"

Like a foot caught in the stocks, losing the big toe: no great fault. A light penalty for a small early wrongdoing — meant as a warning to prevent recurrence, not a severe punishment.

Second Line (Six in the Second Place)

"Shi fu, mie bi, wu jiu — Biting through tender meat, the nose disappears; no blame"

Biting through soft meat but grazing off the nose: no blame. This line has the power to handle things easily (like biting soft meat), but meets a stubborn offender and must act more forcefully than expected — the fault lies with the wrongdoer, not the enforcer.

Third Line (Six in the Third Place)

"Shi la rou, yu du, xiao lin, wu jiu — Biting on old dried meat and meeting poison; slight humiliation, no blame"

Biting into gristly, tainted meat and being poisoned by it: a minor regret, but no serious fault. This line lacks the authority for a smooth resolution, meets resistance and resentment, but still fulfils its duty to keep order.

Fourth Line (Nine in the Fourth Place)

"Shi gan zi, de jin shi, li jian zhen, ji — Biting dried meat on the bone and finding a bronze arrowhead; perseverance through hardship brings good fortune"

Biting through dried meat still on the bone and finding a bronze arrow (evidence); enduring hardship while holding to the right path brings good fortune. This line has real ability, capable of resolving even difficult, stubborn cases if it perseveres and holds its ground.

Fifth Line (Six in the Fifth Place)

"Shi gan rou, de huang jin, zhen, li, wu jiu — Biting dried meat and finding yellow gold; perseverance amid danger, no blame"

Biting dried meat and finding gold (a precious honour); remaining ever cautious and apprehensive brings no blame. The ruling line, holding power to judge fairly, yet still needing prudence and never becoming complacent.

Top Line (Nine at the Top)

"He jiao mie er, xiong — Wearing the cangue and losing the ears; misfortune"

Wearing a cangue on the neck, the ears cut off: misfortune. A severe penalty for one who has sinned beyond redemption — a warning about the consequences of accumulating wrongdoing over time.

The Transformed Hexagram

The inner trigram is Zhen (Thunder), the outer is Li (Fire). If the fifth line (the ruler) moves, the outer trigram changes from Li to Qian, forming hexagram 25, Innocence (Wu Wang). Identify the exact moving line for the correct transformation.

Applications by Area of Life

Work & Career

This hexagram concerns resolving conflicts and disputes within an organisation through clear principles and discipline (like a court of law). One must be both firm and reasonable, in the spirit of the fifth line.

Love & Relationships

Resolve decisively the issues and misunderstandings blocking the relationship (like “biting through the obstacle” so the jaws can close). Address small conflicts early before they accumulate into larger problems, as the closing lesson of the hexagram advises.

Health

Deal decisively with minor health issues from the outset (as in the first line), to avoid them accumulating into a serious, hard-to-treat illness (as warned in the top line).

Wealth

Legal issues or financial disputes may need to be resolved. Handle them fairly and persistently (as in the fourth line) to achieve a good outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions about Biting Through

What does hexagram Shi He (Biting Through) mean?

Shi He means “biting to unite” — the image of biting through an obstacle between the jaws so the mouth can close. This hexagram is about using discipline and punishment to remove obstacles that cause division and disorder.

Why is this hexagram linked to law and punishment?

Because its image resembles a mouth with an obstruction between the jaws — symbolising deceitful, flattering people who obstruct communication between superiors and subordinates, requiring “punishment” (biting away) to remove them.

What is the most important lesson from this hexagram?

Correct wrongdoing while it is still small (first line) to prevent evil from accumulating to the point of no return (top line) — as Confucius said of the top line: “a small evil seems harmless, but accumulated over time it becomes a great crime.”