Biting Through (噬嗑, Shì Kè) is hexagram 21 of the 64 hexagrams of the
I Ching, in the traditional King Wen order. It is made of Fire (☲)
above Thunder (☳).
Meaning of hexagram 21
Something stands in the way and must be dealt with firmly. Clear
judgment and fair enforcement remove the blockage.
Advice
Face the problem directly, be fair but firm, and do not let it drag on.
The two trigrams
Biting Through places ☲ Fire (Lí), bright, clinging and clear, above ☳
Thunder (Zhèn), arousing, sudden and energetic. The lower trigram is the
inner side of the situation and the upper one its outer side.
Hexagram
21. Biting Through
Chinese name
噬嗑 Shì Kè
Upper trigram
☲ Fire (Lí)
Lower trigram
☳ Thunder (Zhèn)
Lines
3 yang (solid) and 3 yin (broken)
Place in the sequence
21 of 64 (King Wen order)
The six lines of Biting Through
A hexagram is read from the bottom line up. In a reading, a changing
line (a 6 or a 9 in the three-coin method) draws attention to its
position.
First line(yang, solid): the beginning. The root
of the matter: early stirrings, foundations, and what has not yet
shown itself.
Second line(yin, broken): the inner circle. Your
immediate surroundings and steady supports: how things work at close
range.
Third line(yin, broken): the threshold. A point
of tension between inner and outer, often a test or a restless push
forward.
Fourth line(yang, solid): the approach. Stepping
into wider circles or nearer to authority; caution and good
relationships matter here.
Fifth line(yin, broken): the center of power. The
place of influence and clear leadership: where the situation is most
fully expressed.
Sixth line(yang, solid): the culmination. The far
edge of the situation: completion, overreach, or letting go.