Hexagram 21: Biting Through

Written by Orbitarot · Sources: James Legge, The Yi King (The I Ching), 1882 (judgment and lines); plain readings our own · Updated October 7, 2026

Hexagram 21 in plain words

Fire sits above thunder. Lightning and thunder strike together: clarity and decisive movement in one moment. The shape of the hexagram is an open mouth (the strong lines at top and bottom are the jaws) with something stuck between the teeth, the strong line in the fourth place. To bring the jaws together, the obstacle must be bitten through. Tradition links this to justice: setting clear rules and applying them fairly so that order can return.

In your situation, an obstacle is preventing union or progress. It may be a person acting in bad faith, a misunderstanding, or a habit of your own. The advice is to deal with it decisively but in proportion. Use clarity (fire) to see exactly what the problem is, and energy (thunder) to act on it. Too soft, and the problem stays; too harsh, and you create new harm. Establish clear boundaries and consequences, and keep your aim on restoring harmony, not on punishment for its own sake. Facing the matter now, while it is still manageable, saves much greater trouble later.

The judgment

Shih Ho indicates successful progress (in the condition of things which it supposes). It will be advantageous to use legal constraints.

Translation: James Legge, 1882 (public domain).

The image

(The trigrams representing) thunder and lightning form Shih Ho. The ancient kings, in accordance with this, framed their penalties with intelligence, and promulgated their laws.

From Legge's Appendix II (the Great Symbolism), The Sacred Books of the East, vol. 16, 1882 (public domain).

In plain words: Thunder and lightning strike together: power joined with clarity. When something stands in the way, deal with it clearly and fairly, and make your rules known in advance.

The six lines

Read only the lines that changed in your reading. Lines are counted from the bottom.

Line 1 (bottom)

The first NINE, undivided, shows one with his feet in the stocks and deprived of his toes. There will be no error.

Feet in the stocks, toes hidden from view. A small correction early on stops a mistake from growing; no blame.

Line 2

The second SIX, divided, shows one biting through the soft flesh, and (going on to) bite off the nose. There will be no error.

You bite through tender meat and your nose sinks into it. You may go a little too far in dealing with an easy problem, but it is not a fault.

Line 3

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.

You bite into old dried meat and hit something bad. The problem is stale and unpleasant; there is some embarrassment, but no lasting blame.

Line 4

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.

You bite through dried meat on the bone and find metal arrowheads. The obstacle is tough; keep at it with care and firmness, and things go well.

Line 5

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.

You bite through dried lean meat and find yellow gold. Be fair and steady, stay aware of the risk, and you are free of blame.

Line 6 (top)

The sixth NINE, undivided, shows one wearing the cangue, and deprived of his ears. There will be evil.

Your neck is in the wooden collar and your ears are covered. Refusing to listen to warnings leads to misfortune: open your ears now.

Related hexagrams

All three relations have traditional Chinese names (cuo gua for the opposite, zong gua for the inverse, hu gua for the nuclear). Many modern readers use the opposite as the shadow side of a situation, the inverse as the same moment seen from the other side, and the nuclear hexagram as its inner core.

If one line changes

With a single changing line, hexagram 21 turns into:

Learn more: what the I Ching is, how to read changing lines, the eight trigrams, how to cast with coins or yarrow.

Hexagram 21 in love and relationships

In love, a specific issue may be standing between you, and it will not dissolve by itself. Name it clearly and kindly, set fair boundaries, and deal with it together.

Hexagram 21 for work and decisions

At work, there is a blockage to remove: a stuck decision, a conflict, or a broken rule. Look at the facts, act firmly and fairly, and do not let the problem drag on.

Questions