Biting Through
Fire (離 Lí) above, Thunder (震 Zhèn) below
Published July 22, 2026 · By Oriens
I Ching Hexagram 21, 噬嗑 (Shì Hé), represents Biting Through.
SourceZhouyi (周易, The Book of Changes) — hexagram 21 (噬嗑 Shì Hé). Chinese source: Chinese Text Project, based on 《武英殿十三經注疏》本《周易正義》 (ctp:book-of-changes/shi-he). Judgment: received Zhouyi hexagram statement (卦辭). English: Translation by Oriens Editorial Translation. Image: Xiang / Image commentary layer (象傳), distinct from the Judgment and line texts. Image and line English: named translation by James Legge, The Yî King (1899), public-domain translation; online reproduction. The named translation is used for the Image and line statements only.
1. Judgment (卦辭 Guàcí)
噬嗑：亨。利用獄。
Oriens Editorial Translation: Success. It is favorable to employ legal proceedings.
2. Image (象 Xiàng / Xiang commentary)
雷电噬嗑,先王以明罚敕法。
James Legge: (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.
3. Line Statements (爻辭 Yáocí)
Line 1 of 6 (from the bottom):
初九：屨校滅趾，无咎。
James Legge: The first NINE, undivided, shows one with his feet in the stocks and deprived of his toes. There will be no error.
Line 2 of 6 (from the bottom):
六二：噬膚滅鼻，无咎。
James Legge: The second SIX, divided, shows one biting through the soft flesh, and (going on to) bite off the nose. There will be no error.
Line 3 of 6 (from the bottom):
六三：噬臘肉，遇毒；小吝，无咎。
James Legge: 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.
Line 4 of 6 (from the bottom):
九四：噬乾胏，得金矢，利艱貞，吉。
James Legge: 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.
Line 5 of 6 (from the bottom):
六五：噬乾肉，得黃金，貞厲，无咎。
James Legge: 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.
Line 6 of 6 (from the bottom):
上九：何校滅耳，凶。
James Legge: The sixth NINE, undivided, shows one wearing the cangue, and deprived of his cars. There will be evil.
For the general method for changing lines and relating hexagrams, see How to Read the I Ching.
4. Modern Interpretation (Oriens commentary)
This is an Oriens interpretation, not part of the Zhouyi text.
Biting Through can prompt a careful question about obstruction: what sits in the middle of this situation blocking closure, and can it be removed decisively rather than worked around? The figure's imagery of biting through reads here as material of the received text's world; it is not a recommendation to force anything.
The Chinese source and translation provenance are identified above. The Judgment is an Oriens Editorial Translation; the Image and line statements are labeled with James Legge. This keeps the modern reflection separate from both the received text and the named translation.
Nothing on this page predicts how any dispute ends, and nothing is legal advice. Health, financial, legal, employment, and relationship decisions belong within their appropriate professional and personal contexts.
Continue with the Hexagram 21 card and the I Ching guide; these are reading paths, not additional predictions.