Hexagram 21: Biting Through (噬嗑 Shì Hé) — I Ching Guide

Q: What is I Ching Hexagram 21 (噬嗑 Biting Through)?

I Ching Hexagram 21, 噬嗑 (Shì Hé), represents Biting Through. It is formed by Fire (離 Lí) above, Thunder (震 Zhèn) below. The core teaching of this hexagram is captured in its Judgment: 'Biting Through has success. It is favorable to let justice be administered....'

Q: What does the Image of Hexagram 21 mean?

The Image states: 'Thunder and lightning: the image of Biting Through. Thus the kings of former times made firm the laws through clearly defined penalties.' This teaches that the superior person responds to the hexagram's situation by cultivating the corresponding inner quality.

Q: How do the six lines of Hexagram 21 develop its meaning?

The six lines trace a progression through the hexagram's situation. Starting from the bottom (Line 1) through Line 6, each position reveals a different aspect of how Biting Through manifests — from initial stirrings to the final outcome. Key lines include the ruler of the hexagram and the culminating line.

Q: What is the relationship between Hexagram 21 and other hexagrams?

Hexagram 21 (Biting Through) follows Hexagram 20 in the traditional King Wen sequence, forming a meaningful progression. Its nuclear hexagram and opposite/complementary hexagram provide additional dimensions of meaning.

Oriens

噬嗑

Shì Hé — Hexagram 21

Biting Through

Fire (離 Lí) above, Thunder (震 Zhèn) below

Published July 22, 2026 · By Oriens

Summary

I Ching Hexagram 21, 噬嗑 (Shì Hé), represents Biting Through. Formed by Fire (離 Lí) above, Thunder (震 Zhèn) below, this hexagram teaches about biting through. The core message: Biting Through has success. It is favorable to let justice be administered..

Key Takeaways

Hexagram 21 is formed by Fire (離 Lí) above, Thunder (震 Zhèn) below, combining two of the eight trigrams into a unique archetypal situation
The Judgment reveals the hexagram's core teaching through a concise, oracular statement
The six lines trace a progression from initial conditions through to the culmination and outcome
The Image connects the natural symbolism of the trigrams to the conduct of the superior person
This hexagram's wisdom applies to modern situations involving

The Judgment

Biting Through has success. It is favorable to let justice be administered.

— I Ching, Biting Through

The Image

Thunder and lightning: the image of Biting Through. Thus the kings of former times made firm the laws through clearly defined penalties.

— I Ching, Image

The Six Lines

Line 1: Line 1: His feet are fastened in the stocks, so that his toes disappear. No blame.

Line 2: Line 2: Bites through tender meat, so that his nose disappears. No blame.

Line 3: Line 3: Bites on old dried meat and strikes on something poisonous. Slight humiliation. No blame.

Line 4: Line 4: Bites on dried gristly meat. Receives metal arrows. It furthers one to be mindful of difficulties and to be persevering. Good fortune.

Line 5: Line 5: Bites on dried lean meat. Receives yellow gold. Perseveringly aware of danger. No blame.

Line 6: Line 6: His neck is fastened in the wooden cangue, so that his ears disappear. Misfortune.

Modern Application

Hexagram 21 is about removing obstacles through decisive action. The image is a mouth with something obstructing it — to close the mouth, you must bite through. The hexagram teaches that justice, like biting, requires the right pressure at the right point. Fire (clarity) above Thunder (decisive action) represents punishment that is both enlightened and firm. In modern life, Biting Through applies to confronting difficult truths, enforcing boundaries, removing toxic elements from organizations, and any situation where a clean, decisive break is necessary to restore order. It warns against both excessive harshness and excessive leniency.

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