I Ching · Hexagram 21 of 64
21. Shì Hé 噬嗑 · Biting Through
By Destiny Kua · Updated
Face the obstacle directly and deal with it fairly.
- Upper trigram
- Fire 離
- Lower trigram
- Thunder 震
What hexagram 21 means
Shì Hé is the image of an open mouth with something between the teeth: you have to bite through to close it. It is about dealing directly with an obstacle, and applying fair consequences. Thunder and lightning together show energy and clarity.
Hexagram 21 in daily life
At work
Something is blocking progress. Name it and deal with it firmly and fairly.
In relationships
An issue stands between you. Address it directly, then let it go.
For yourself
Bite through procrastination. Tackle the thing you've been avoiding.
The six changing lines
If your cast included changing lines (a 6 or a 9), read the matching lines below. Line 1 is the bottom line.
| Line | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Line 1 | Feet in the stocks. A light early correction prevents larger mistakes. |
| Line 2 | Biting through soft meat and going too far. No real harm. |
| Line 3 | Biting old, tough meat and hitting something unpleasant. Slight humiliation, no blame. |
| Line 4 | Biting through gristly meat, you find a metal arrowhead. Hard work, but good fortune. |
| Line 5 | Biting through dried meat, you find gold. Stay aware of danger. |
| Line 6 | Stubborn to the point of not hearing. Misfortune. |
The two trigrams
The lower trigram, Thunder 震 (Zhèn), stands for your inner state and the root of the situation. The upper trigram, Fire 離 (Lí), stands for the outer circumstances. In element terms this is Fire over Wood. Thunder is the trigram of Kua 3 and Fire is the trigram of Kua 9.
Related hexagrams
- Opposite (every line changed): 48. Jǐng 井 · The Well
- Inverted (read upside down): 22. Bì 賁 · Grace
- Trigrams swapped: 55. Fēng 豐 · Abundance
Questions to reflect on
- What obstacle must I bite through?
- Am I being fair in how I respond?
- What have I been avoiding?
Our line summaries are written in plain English in our own words, based on the traditional meanings. For reflection and entertainment, not prediction or professional advice.