21. Shih Ho / Biting Through

Top: Fire | Bottom: Thunder

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This hexagram represents an open mouth between the teeth. As a result the lips cannot meet.

To bring them together one must bite energetically through the obstacle. Since the hexagram is

made up of the trigrams for thunder and for lightning, it indicates how obstacles are forcibly

removed in nature. Energetic biting through overcomes the obstacle that prevents joining of the lips;

the storm with its thunder and lightning overcomes the disturbing tension in nature. Recourse to law

and penalties overcomes the disturbances of harmonious social life caused by criminals and

slanderers. The theme of this hexagram is a criminal lawsuit, in contradistinction to that of Sung,

the hexagram Conflict, which refers to civil suits.

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THE JUDGMENT

BITING THROUGH has success. It is favorable to let justice be administered.

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When an obstacle to union arises, energetic biting through brings success. This is true in all

situations. Whenever unity cannot be established, the obstruction is due to a talebearer and traitor

who is interfering and blocking the way. To prevent permanent injury, vigorous measures must

be taken at once. Deliberate obstruction of this sort does not vanish of its own accord. Judgment

and punishment are required to deter or obviate it. However, it is important to proceed in the

right way. The hexagram combines Li, clarity, and Chên, excitement. Li is yielding, Chên is

hard. Unqualified hardness and excitement would be too violent in meting out punishment;

unqualified clarity and gentleness would be too weak. The two together create the just measure.

It is of moment that the man who makes the decisions (represented by the fifth line) is gentle by

nature, while he commands respect by his conduct in his position.

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THE IMAGE

Thunder and lighting:​ Thus the kings of former times made firm the laws through clearly defined penalties.

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Penalties are the individual applications of the law. The lawsspecify the penalties. Clarity

prevails when mild and severepenalties are differentiated, according to the nature of the

crimes.This is symbolized by the clarity of lighting. The law is strengthenedby a just application

of penalties. This is symbolized by the terrorof thunder. This clarity and severity have the effect

of instillingrespect; it is not that the penalties are ends in themselves.The obstructions in the

social life of man increase when there is alack of clarity in the penal codes and slackness in

executing them.The only to strengthen the law is to make it clear and make penaltiescertain and

swift.

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THE LINES

 

Nine at the beginning means: 

His feet are fastened in the stocks so that his toes disappear. No blame.

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If a sentence is imposed the first time a man attempts to do wrong, the penalty is a mild one.

Only the toes are put in the stocks. This prevents him from sinning further and thus he becomes

free of blame. It is a warning to halt in time on the path of evil.

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Six in the second place means:

Bites through tender meat so that his nose disappears. No blame.

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It is easy to discriminate between right and wrong in this case;it is like biting through tender

meat. But one encounters ahardened sinner, and, aroused by anger, one goes a little toofar. The

disappearance of the nose in the course of the bitesignifies that indignation blots out finer

sensibility. However, there is no great harm in this, because the penalty as such is just.

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Six in the third place means:

Bites on old dried meat and strikes on something poisonous. Slight humiliation. No blame.

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Punishment is to be carried out by someone who lacks the power and authority to do so.

Therefore the culprits do not submit. The matter at issue is an old one-as symbolized by salted

game-and in dealing with it difficulties arise. This old meat is spoiled: by taking up the problem

the punisher arouses poisonous hatred against himself, and n this way is put in a somewhat

humiliating position. But since punishment was required by the time, he remains free of blame.

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Nine in the fourth place means:

Bites on dried gristly meat. Receives metal arrows. It furthers one to be mindful of difficulties

And to be persevering. Good fortune.

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There are great obstacles to be overcome, powerful opponents are to be punished. Though this is

arduous, the effort succeeds. But it is necessary to be hard as metal and straight as an arrow to

surmount the difficulties. If one knows these difficulties and remains persevering, he attains good

fortune. The difficult task is achieved in the end.

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Six in the fifth place means:

Bites on dried lean meat. Receives yellow gold. Perseveringly aware of danger. No blame.

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The case to be decided is indeed not easy but perfectly clear. Since we naturally incline to

leniency, we must make every effort to be like yellow gold-that is, as true as gold and as

impartial as yellow, the color of the middle [the mean]. It is only by remaining conscious of the

dangers growing out of the responsibility we have assumed that we can avoid making mistakes.

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Nine at the top means:

His neck is fastened in the wooden cangue so that his ears disappear. Misfortune.

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In contrast to the first line, this line refers to a man who is incorrigible. His punishment is the

wooden cangue, and his ears disappear under it-that is to say, he is deaf to warnings. This

obstinacy leads to misfortune.

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