Hexagram 21: Shì Kè (Biting Through)
火雷噬嗑 · 第 21 卦 · Fire over Thunder · 中文版
The Judgment
Shi He indicates successful progress (in the condition of things which it supposes). It will be advantageous to use legal constraints.
噬嗑：亨。利用狱。
Commentary on the Judgment (Tuan)
The existence of something between the jaws gives rise to the name Shi He (Union by means of biting through the intervening article). 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.
彖曰：颐中有物，曰噬嗑。噬嗑而亨，刚柔分，动而明，雷电合而章。柔得中而上行，虽不当位，利用狱也。
The Great Image
(The trigrams representing) thunder and lightning form Shi He. The ancient kings, in accordance with this, framed their penalties with intelligence, and promulgated their laws.
象曰：雷电，噬嗑；先王以明罚敕法。
The six lines
Line 1 (first): The first NINE, undivided, shows one with his feet in the stocks and deprived of his toes. There will be no error.
'His feet are in the stocks, and he is deprived of his toes:' - there is no walking (to do evil).
初九：屦校灭趾，无咎。 象曰：屦校灭趾，不行也。 · 单爻页
Line 2 (second): The second SIX, divided, shows one biting through the soft flesh, and (going on to) bite off the nose. There will be no error.
'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).
六二：噬肤灭鼻，无咎。 象曰：噬肤灭鼻，乘刚也。 · 单爻页
Line 3 (third): 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.
'He meets with what is disagreeable and hurtful:' - his position is not the proper one for him.
六三：噬腊肉，遇毒；小吝，无咎。 象曰：遇毒，位不当也。 · 单爻页
Line 4 (fourth): 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.
'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.
九四：噬干胏，得金矢，利艰贞，吉。 象曰：利艰贞吉，未光也。 · 单爻页
Line 5 (fifth): 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.
'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).
六五：噬干肉，得黄金，贞厉，无咎。 象曰：贞厉无咎，得当也。 · 单爻页
Line 6 (sixth (top)): The sixth NINE, undivided, shows one wearing the cangue, and deprived of his ears. There will be evil.
'He wears the cangue and is deprived of his ears:' - he hears, but will not understand.
上九：何校灭耳，凶。 象曰：何校灭耳，聪不明也。 · 单爻页
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English text: James Legge, The Yi King (Sacred Books of the East, vol. 16, 1882), public domain, as transcribed by the Chinese Text Project. Chinese: the received text, checked against ctext.org. Offered for study and reflection, not as prediction.