21. Biting Through (噬嗑)

Pronunciation: Shi is pronounced shi-li; he is pronounced hu-la. Shi means to bite; he means to close or unite. When something intervenes between things, one bites through it and brings them together.

As a Gua, with two yang lines above and below and empty within, it has the image of an open mouth; Nine in the fourth place, a single yang line, intervenes in the middle, and one must bite through it before the mouth can close; therefore it is Biting Through (Shì Hé).

Its divination indicates that one shall attain success: because there is an obstruction, there is no passage; bite through it to unite, and there is success.

Furthermore, with three yin and three yang lines, firm and yielding are equally divided, moving below and bright above—thunder below and lightning above.

It originally derives from the hexagram Increase (Yì), where the yielding line of Six in the fourth place moves upward to the fifth and attains Central Position.

Thus, a yin line residing in a yang place, though not in Correct Position, makes it advantageous to administer justice. For in administering justice, only majesty and discernment, while keeping the middle, are prized.

Hence whoever obtains this in divination and possesses such virtue will correspond to its divination. [Explaining the name and meaning of the hexagram by its structure.] [Pronunciation: Shang is pronounced shi-zhang.]

Also explaining the hexagram text by the hexagram's name, structure, virtue, two images, and hexagram change. "Thunder and lightning" should be read as "lightning and thunder."

In the Sequence of the Hexagrams for Biting Through: When something is worthy of contemplation, union follows; hence it is received with Biting Through. He means union; once there is something to contemplate, there are those who come to unite with it.

This is why Biting Through follows Contemplation. Shi means biting; he means closing together. When there is something in the mouth obstructing it, one bites through it and then brings the jaws together.

The hexagram has two firm lines at top and bottom and yielding lines in the middle—firm on the outside and hollow within—which is the image of a person's cheeks and mouth. Within the hollow center there is another firm line, which forms the image of an object in the jaws.

When there is something in the mouth, it separates upper and lower so that they cannot close; one must bite through it to unite them, hence Biting Through.

The sage applies the image of the hexagram to the affairs of the world: in the mouth, it is an object separating the jaws so they cannot close; in the world, it is the obstinate, perverse, or slanderous and treacherous creating divisions in between, so that the affairs of the world cannot unite.

One must employ penalties and punishments—chastising for minor offenses and executing for major ones—to eliminate them, and only then can order under heaven be accomplished.

Wherever discord exists—in all under heaven, in a state, in a family, or in myriad affairs—it is always due to an obstruction. Without obstruction, there is harmony.

Even the generativity of heaven and earth and the completion of myriad things all depend on union to succeed; whatever has not united has an obstruction.

If between ruler and minister, father and son, relatives and friends, there is estrangement, disloyalty, grievance, or rift, it is because slander and evil intervene between them. Eliminate them, and harmony is restored. Thus, obstruction is a great harm to the world.

The sage observes the image of Biting Through and extends it to the myriad affairs of the world, causing all obstructions to be removed so that union is achieved; then nothing fails to be harmonious and well-governed.

Biting Through is of great practical use in governing all under heaven. Removing obstructions under heaven relies on employing punishments; therefore the hexagram takes the use of penal law as its meaning.

In the two trigrams, bright illumination and awe-inspiring thunder represent the image of administering punishments. "Biting Through, success": The hexagram inherently possesses the meaning of success.

The reason affairs in the world do not attain success is that there is an obstruction; bite through it to unite, and there is success. "Advantageous to administer justice": The way to bite through and unite makes it fitting to employ legal proceedings.

Without legal proceedings, how could the obstructions in the world be removed?

It does not say "advantageous to employ punishments" but says "advantageous to administer justice" because the hexagram possesses the image of bright illumination, which is advantageous for investigating lawsuits.

Lawsuits are that whereby truth and falsehood are thoroughly investigated; when the facts are obtained, one knows the root of the obstruction, and only then can one set up defenses and inflict punishments.

The Tuan says: There is something in the mouth; this is called Biting Through. Biting Through brings success. There is something in the mouth, hence Biting Through.

When an object intervenes in the mouth, it causes harm; bite through it to unite, and the harm is gone, leading to success. Hence it is said: "Biting Through brings success." Firm and yielding are divided; movement and brightness; thunder and lightning unite and shine forth.

This speaks in terms of the hexagram's talents. Firm lines and yielding lines alternate; firm and yielding are clearly distinguished without confusion, which is the image of clear discernment. Clear discernment is the foundation of investigating lawsuits.

Movement and brightness: Zhen is below and Li is above; its action is accompanied by illumination. Thunder and lightning unite and shine forth: thunder roars and lightning flashes, mutually dependent and appearing together, united in brilliant manifestation.

Illumination and awe acting together is the dao of administering justice. Being able to illuminate leaves no hidden deceit; possessing awe leaves none who dare not fear.

Having spoken above of movement and brightness through the two images, it reiterates the meaning of employing both awe and illumination. The yielding attains Central Position and moves upward; though not in Correct Position, it is advantageous to administer justice.

The images are never placed upside down; it is suspected that the characters in this text were transposed. Thunder and lightning are things that mutually depend on each other and appear together; they also bear the image of closing together.

Lightning is bright and thunder is awe-inspiring. The ancient kings observed the image of thunder and lightning, emulated their brightness and awe to clarify their penalties and punishments, and reformed their laws and orders.

Laws are that which clarify the principles of affairs and establish safeguards against wrongdoing.

Shi means biting; he means closing together. Whenever things are not close, it is because there is an obstruction between them. Whenever things are not uniform, it is because there is transgression.

When there are obstructions and transgressions, biting through to unite them is how passage is attained. Punishing and overcoming to achieve passage is the advantage of administering justice.

There is something in the jaws; biting through it to close together is the meaning of "Biting Through."

Correct Meaning: Regarding "Biting Through, success": shi means biting; he means closing together. When an object is in the mouth, it separates the upper and lower jaws; if one bites through and removes the object, the upper and lower meet and attain "success."

The name of this hexagram borrows the image of the mouth to convey its meaning, using it as a metaphor for penal law.

Whenever between above and below there is an object creating an obstruction, one must employ penal law to remove it in order to attain success; hence it says "Biting Through, success."

Regarding "Advantageous to administer justice": because one uses punishments to remove the obstructing matter, it is "advantageous to administer justice."

Correct Meaning: This explains the name "Biting Through." Note: In the Tuan commentary of the various hexagrams, usually the hexagram name is stated first, and then it says "called Tong Ren," "called Da You," "called Xiao Chu," and the like.

Here it does not repeat the hexagram name at the beginning: where the meaning is obscure, the hexagram name is given first and then concluded with the hexagram name; where the meaning is fully evident, the hexagram name is not stated first.

In cases like "There is something in the mouth; this is called Biting Through," the matter is already obvious, so the hexagram name is not put first.

This is the Master adapting to the phrasing and flow of principle, issuing words according to meaning without setting a rigid rule. Correct Meaning: Explaining the meaning of "success": through "Biting Through" one attains "success."

From "Firm and yielding are divided, movement" to "unite and shine forth": Correct Meaning: Explaining the meaning of "advantageous to administer justice." When firm and yielding are divided and not mixed up, action is clear and manifest.

When thunder and lightning unite without disorder, affairs become clearly displayed; being bright and conspicuous, lawsuits can be judged. "Firm and yielding are divided" refers to Zhen's firmness being below and Li's yielding being above.

That "firm and yielding" are said to be "divided" while "thunder and lightning" are said to "unite" is meant to show that "illumination" and "action" are distinct matters, hence firm and yielding are "divided."

Although illumination and action are each distinct matters, they are employed interdependently, hence thunder and lightning "unite."

But as the substance of the Changes takes many images: if taking the meaning of division, it is "Zhen below and Li above"; if taking the meaning of union, it is Li and Zhen combining into a single hexagram.

This explains how the two images provide the meaning of "advantageous to administer justice."

Regarding the commentary from "Firm and yielding are divided, movement" to "the meaning of administering justice": Correct Meaning: Regarding "Thunder and lightning combine, and being orderly they shine forth": the Tuan text merely says "thunder and lightning unite"; the commentary says "being orderly they shine forth" because the preceding text says "firm and yielding are divided."

If firm and yielding are divided, there is no confusion; hence it says "thunder and lightning combine, and being orderly they shine forth."

From "The yielding attains Central Position" to "advantageous to administer justice": Correct Meaning: This explains the line's meaning of "advantageous to administer justice." A yin line dwelling in the fifth place is "the yielding attaining Central Position."

As for "moves upward," dwelling in the upper trigram, its intent is to advance, hence "moves upward." Its virtue being such, "though not in Correct Position"—occupying a yang position with a yin line—it is still "advantageous to administer justice."

Regarding the commentary from "Refers to the fifth" to "does not hinder administering justice": Correct Meaning: Whenever "moving upward" is mentioned, it generally refers to going toward the noble place.

Fusi (Wang Bi) in this commentary feared people might think that going only to the fifth place constitutes moving upward, so he clarified it here.

In general, whenever "moving upward" is spoken of, any movement toward advancement is called "moving upward"; it is not only going toward the fifth position that is called "moving upward."

Thus the Tuan of the Qian hexagram (Modesty) says: "The dao of Earth is humble and moves upward"; the body of the Kun dao is on high, so it generally says "moves upward" without stopping.

Also the Tuan of the Sun hexagram (Decrease) says: "Decreasing the lower and increasing the upper is called moving upward"; this refers to reducing the lower trigram to augment the upper trigram as "moving upward," which also does not refer specifically to the fifth place.

However, here saying "moves upward," as well as in the Tuan of Jin (Progress) saying "moves upward," where it is already in the fifth position and yet called moving upward, is like a king: though already present in the honored position, his aspiration still desires to advance, looking up with admiration to the precious dao of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors; hence it is called "moving upward."

Correct Meaning: As for "Thunder and lightning: Biting Through," the image of Biting Through lies in the mouth.

Thunder and lightning are not the physical body of Biting Through; but Biting Through images external things, and since it possesses the forms of thunder and lightning, thunder and lightning are taken to convey the awesome meaning of clarifying punishments and reforming laws; hence it says "thunder and lightning" in succession.