易經 · I Ching · #21
䷔
Shi He · Gnawing Bite · Biting Through
噬嗑
Something is stuck — one clear, honest move beats endless circling.
The Judgment
A clear obstruction is blocking things. Decisive, fair action removes it and leads to success.
The Image
Thunder and lightning together, so ancient rulers made laws clear and penalties firm.
How to use it
Face the stuck point directly. Be clear, be fair and be decisive.
Structure
Six lines: 離 Fire (Li) above and 震 Thunder (Zhen) below. Lines are read from the bottom up.
Related hexagrams
- ䷯ 48. Welling · The Well — Opposite: every line reversed
- ䷕ 22. Adorning · Grace — Reversed: the same lines turned upside down
- ䷦ 39. Limping · Obstruction — Inner (nuclear): the hidden structure formed by lines 2 to 5
Each BaZi pillar maps to a hexagram through its stem and branch. Coin casting uses a different method — both are valid paths into the Book of Changes. The I Ching is a traditional wisdom text. It describes the character of a moment, not a fixed outcome.