Hexagram 21 of 64
Biting Through
噬嗑 (Shì Kè)
Biting Through (shì kè) — decisive force to clear the way
ResolutionAs shown in classical I Ching texts
Composition
Upper Trigram
Radiant, clinging, illuminating — clarity that depends on what it lights
Outer situation / environment
Lower Trigram
Arousing, awakening, shocking — sudden movement from stillness
Inner situation / your state
Interaction
Fire above Thunder — flame meeting storm. The outer energy of fire shapes the inner disposition of thunder.
Meaning
Bite through obstacles with decisive action. Justice must be administered to clear the way.
Classical Judgment
“Biting Through has success. It is favorable to let justice be administered.”
The classical judgment is the original oracle text — the answer the I Ching gives when this hexagram appears.
The Image
Thunder and lightning. The kings of antiquity made firm the laws through clearly defined penalties.
The Image is a nature scene associated with this hexagram — a symbolic picture that distils its essence. In classic texts, meditating on the Image was considered the proper way to absorb the hexagram's teaching.
Nuclear Hexagram
Lines 2–5 of this hexagram form an inner hexagram called the nuclear hexagram. It reveals the hidden seed or underlying dynamic within the situation — what lies at the core beneath the surface.
#39 — Hidden within
Obstruction
蹇 (Jiǎn) · Difficulty
In a Reading
When hexagram 21 appears in your reading, the I Ching is drawing your attention to the quality of resolution. Sit with the Image — “Thunder and lightning” — and consider how this pattern is playing out in your current situation. The Judgment offers the oracle’s direct guidance on how to move with this energy rather than against it.
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