Hexagram 21 of 64 · King Wen order
噬嗑Biting Through
Shì Kè · ䷔ · above: Fire ☲ 離 Lí · below: Thunder ☳ 震 Zhèn
The removal of obstacles to harmony through the energetic application of law or clear decision-making.A one-line gloss written for this site (AI-assisted). Everything below it is the classical text.
The Judgment 卦辭
亨。利用獄。
Shih Ho indicates successful progress (in the condition of things which it supposes). It will be advantageous to use legal constraints.
James Legge, The Yî King (1882), the Text. Words in (parentheses) are Legge's own additions.
Commentary on the Judgment 彖傳 (Tuan, the first Wing)
1. The existence of something between the jaws gives rise to the name Shih Ho (Union by means of biting through the intervening article).
2. The Union by means of biting through the intervening article indicates 'the successful progress (denoted by the hexagram).'
The strong and weak (lines) are equally divided (in the figure). Movement is denoted (by the lower trigram), and bright intelligence (by the upper); thunder and lightning uniting in them, and having brilliant manifestation. The weak (fifth) line is in the centre, and acts in its high position. Although it is not in its proper position, this is advantageous for the use of legal constraints.
The Image 象
雷電噬嗑；先王以明罰敕法。
(The trigrams representing) thunder and lightning form Shih Ho. The ancient kings, in accordance with this, framed their penalties with intelligence, and promulgated their laws.
Legge's Great Image (Appendix II). The Chinese above also carries the Small Images of the six lines.
The six lines 爻辭
Read from the bottom (line 1) to the top (line 6). Each line: the Chinese, Legge's translation, and the Small Image commentary on it.
Line 1 初九
The first line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
履校滅趾，無咎。
The first NINE, undivided, shows one with his feet in the stocks and deprived of his toes. There will be no error.
Small Image: 'His feet are in the stocks, and he is deprived of his toes:'—there is no walking (to do evil).
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 35, Progress.
Line 2 六二
The second line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
噬膚滅鼻，無咎。
The second SIX, divided, shows one biting through the soft flesh, and (going on to) bite off the nose. There will be no error.
Small Image: 'He bites through the soft flesh, and (goes on) to bite off the nose:'—(the subject of the line) is mounted on the strong (first line).
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 38, Opposition.
Line 3 六三
The third line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
噬臘肉，遇毒；小吝，無咎。
The third SIX, divided, shows one gnawing dried flesh, and meeting with what is disagreeable. There will be occasion for some small regret, but no (great) error.
Small Image: 'He meets with what is disagreeable and hurtful:'—his position is not the proper one for him.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 30, The Clinging, Fire.
Line 4 九四
The fourth line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
噬乾胏，得金矢，利艱貞，吉。
The fourth NINE, undivided, shows one gnawing the flesh dried on the bone, and getting the pledges of money and arrows. It will be advantageous to him to realise the difficulty of his task and be firm,—in which case there will be good fortune.
Small Image: 'It will be advantageous to him to realise the difficulty of his task and be firm, in which case there will be good fortune:'—his light has not yet been sufficiently displayed.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 27, The Corners of the Mouth.
Line 5 六五
The fifth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
噬乾肉，得黃金，貞厲，無咎。
The fifth SIX, divided, shows one gnawing at dried flesh, and finding the yellow gold. Let him be firm and correct, realising the peril (of his position). There will be no error.
Small Image: 'Let him be firm and correct, realising the peril (of his position), and there will be no error:'—he will possess every quality appropriate (to his position and task).
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 25, Innocence.
Line 6 上九
The sixth line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
何校滅耳，凶。
The sixth NINE, undivided, shows one wearing the cangue, and deprived of his ears. There will be evil.
Small Image: 'He wears the cangue and is deprived of his ears:'—he hears, but will not understand.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 51, The Arousing.
Related hexagrams
lines 2-4 below, 3-5 aboveOpposite 錯卦48. The Well 井
every line changedInverse 綜卦22. Grace 賁
turned upside down
A hexagram is a mirror, not a command: read it to reflect, never to obey. Sources: James Legge (tr.), The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East vol. XVI (Oxford, 1882; 2nd ed. 1899), public domain; the Chinese text from Project Gutenberg ebook #25501 (易經), public domain. The trigram facts and the related hexagrams are computed from the line pattern. The gloss, selection and arrangement are CC-BY-SA-4.0 (PlayfulProcess). Data: github.com/PlayfulProcess/recursive-iching.