← The I Ching
Hexagram 21 · ☲ over ☳
Biting Through
Shi He
The judgment
An obstacle stands between here and the goal and must be removed decisively — this hexagram does not counsel patience with what simply needs to go. In legal or conflict situations it suggests the need for clear judgement. The obstruction cannot be worked around; it must be bitten through.
The image. Thunder and lightning — the decisive force that cuts through what blocks the way.
Guidance
Act decisively to remove the obstacle; don't negotiate with what simply needs to go. Clarity and firmness now prevent the issue from festering further.
How it’s built
Every hexagram is two trigrams — the lower one beneath the upper. This one is Zhèn below Lí.
☲Upper · Firethe Clinging — light, clarity, beauty, the middle daughter
☳Lower · Thunderthe Arousing — movement, shock, a sudden beginning, the eldest son