Shi Ke — Clearing the Obstruction
Also known as: Biting Through
The Judgement
噬嗑卦：噬嗑，亨。利用狱。
Shi Ke, biting down on what lies between: success that goes through. It is favourable to try cases at law.
AI commentaryWith Fire, seen as lightning, above Thunder, the hexagram pictures thunder and lightning striking together and something lodged between the jaws. It stands for biting down, clearing obstructions, and setting the law in order through clear penalties. The yang lines at top and bottom are the jaws; the yang line in the fourth place is the obstacle between them, which must be severed before they can close, hence the name: biting until the jaws meet. Removing it brings success that goes through, and it is favourable to try cases and apply penalties. The moment calls for firm, clear, decisive action against what does harm: thunder's force and lightning's brightness together make verdicts fair.
AI plain readingShi Ke places Fire, pictured as lightning, above Thunder, so thunder and lightning strike together; it also shows a mouth with something stuck between its teeth. It stands for biting down, clearing an obstruction, and setting rules and penalties in clear order. The yang (solid) lines at the top and bottom are the jaws, and the yang line in the fourth place is the obstacle between them; only when it is bitten off can the mouth close, and the name says just that: biting so that the jaws come together. Clearing the blockage brings success that goes through, and it is favourable to try cases and apply penalties. If you draw this hexagram, be firm and clear-sighted: combine the authority of thunder with the clarity of lightning, and disputes can be settled fairly.
The Great Image
雷电，噬嗑；先王以明罚敕法。
Together, thunder and lightning form the image of Shi Ke. From it the former kings learned to make penalties clear and keep the laws in order.
The Six Lines
1st Line (nine)
初九：屦校灭趾，无咎。
Locked in wooden foot shackles that injure the toes: no blame.
AI commentaryA first, minor offence meets wooden foot shackles (屦校) that injure the toes. Punishing a small fault and warning at the outset keeps one from greater wrongdoing, so there is no blame. A light penalty applied early stops evil before it takes root.
AI plain readingA small first offence is met with wooden foot shackles that hurt the toes. Correcting the fault while it is still small, and warning at the very start, keeps you from sliding into serious wrongdoing, so there is no blame. The lesson: a light penalty applied early stops trouble before it can grow.
- Timing
- This phase calls for correcting small slips at once, before they sprout into anything that could bring blame.
- Money
- Plug small budget leaks early, such as a forgotten subscription or careless purchase; the reading favours keeping your savings intact.
- Career
- When a team member first cuts a corner, a quiet word that day stops the shortcut spreading across the project.
- Relationships
- Raise a small hurt gently on the day it happens, so no rift can open and affection stays whole.
- Home & Household
- A bad habit is easiest to break in its first week; agree a clear house rule now for a peaceful household.
- Health
- Traditionally this line points to early attention to minor symptoms or a slipping routine, which helps keep you well.
- Marriage
- If you and your partner talk through the first small disagreement honestly, the union begins on a sound footing.
- Exams & Study
- Catch lazy study habits on day one; a fixed daily revision hour, set early, steers your preparation towards a good result.
- Travel
- Most travel trouble starts as a small oversight, so a final check of tickets, documents and bookings favours a safe journey.
- Disputes & Legal Matters
- In a minor quarrel, an early apology or fair compromise can head off a formal case and greater trouble.
- Finding a Person
- Get the first details right, especially the last place and time seen; correcting a wrong lead early makes finding the person possible.
- The Decision Point
- Deal with a fault while it is still small: a light correction at the start prevents serious wrongdoing later, and there is no blame.
2nd Line (six)
六二：噬肤灭鼻，无咎。
Biting into tender flesh so deeply that the nose sinks out of sight: no blame.
AI commentaryBiting into soft flesh until the nose is buried in it: the case is easily grasped and the truth comes out, so even a severe penalty rests on sound reasons. Where a wrong is plain and readily admitted, pressing it home firmly carries no blame.
AI plain readingYou bite into tender meat so deeply that your nose sinks into it. The case is easy to establish and the real facts come out, so even a severe penalty is justified and there is no blame. The lesson: when a wrong is plain, use the momentum and press on until the wrongdoer admits it.
- Timing
- This is a window when facts lie open and momentum helps; settle matters fully before it closes, and no blame follows.
- Money
- Audit your accounts thoroughly now and trace every unexplained charge until the books balance and the record is clean.
- Career
- Trace an obvious work problem to its root and hold people accountable; strictness that fits the facts restores order.
- Relationships
- If a misunderstanding is easy to explain, talk it through completely until you can both let it go and make up.
- Home & Household
- Deal firmly with household friction until everyone accepts a fair rule; the house settles once all can see the reasoning.
- Health
- The tradition reads thorough care that truly fits a clear complaint, kept up until it clears, as blameless and favouring recovery.
- Marriage
- Clear the air with your partner fully and fairly, explaining your position in depth, and lingering doubts can dissolve before commitment.
- Exams & Study
- Push hard on topics you have nearly mastered; intense, well-planned effort turns partial understanding into solid exam results.
- Travel
- Decide firmly on route and arrangements and carry them out; handling small hitches decisively keeps the trip running smoothly.
- Disputes & Legal Matters
- Where evidence is clear, press your case hard and document every point; the reading points towards your being found in the right.
- Finding a Person
- Follow every promising lead to its end; deep, methodical inquiry tends to surface the facts and help you locate the person.
- The Decision Point
- When a matter is clear and readily resolved, press on until it is completely settled; firmness backed by sound reason carries no blame.
3rd Line (six)
六三：噬腊肉，遇毒；小吝，无咎。
Biting into dried, cured meat and meeting poison: a slightly mean outcome, but no blame.
AI commentaryTough cured meat that tastes of poison: handling a long-hardened wrong meets resistance. The outcome is slightly mean, yet morally there is no blame. Entrenched wrongs resist, but holding to what is right and pressing on leaves one blameless in the end.
AI plain readingYou bite into hard, dried meat and it tastes bitter. A problem built up over a long time fights back when you take it on, and that can feel like poison. The outcome may be slightly mean, yet you are not in the wrong. Hold to what is right, keep working, and no blame follows.
- Timing
- Long-neglected problems come due together in this period; the principled response tastes sour but brings no blame.
- Money
- Clearing long-standing debts or tangled accounts meets resistance and a few small losses, but honest persistence keeps you on solid ground.
- Career
- Colleagues may resent you for overhauling a practice tolerated for years, yet the fault lies with the practice, not with you.
- Relationships
- An apology for an old hurt is often received coolly; sincerity repeated over weeks is what warms the bond again.
- Home & Household
- When a long-festering household problem is finally raised, some sulking is likely; with fair handling, the house grows calmer over time.
- Health
- The tradition reads a lingering condition as slow to yield; keeping steadily to a sensible regimen favours gradual improvement despite setbacks.
- Marriage
- Give the old disagreement you both avoid its own evening; some awkwardness is a small price on the slow road to commitment.
- Exams & Study
- Early sessions on a long-avoided topic feel bitter and slow; within weeks, methodical practice starts showing in your marks.
- Travel
- Unfinished paperwork or a disputed booking may resurface on this trip; settled by the book, it delays you only briefly.
- Disputes & Legal Matters
- Keep to the facts and proper procedure in a long-running conflict; though the process may be wearing, the reading favours your position.
- Finding a Person
- Old leads in a long-cold search may go nowhere at first; patient, honest inquiry carries no blame and can find the person.
- The Decision Point
- Expect pushback when you tackle a deep-rooted problem; the outcome may be slightly mean, but hold to what is right and you remain without blame.
4th Line (nine)
九四：噬干胏，得金矢，利艰贞，吉。
Biting into dried meat on the bone and finding a metal arrow. It is favourable to hold to what is right through hardship: auspicious.
AI commentaryBiting dried meat on the bone and finding a metal arrow: the hardest case calls for firm, straight integrity. It is favourable to keep steadfast correctness through difficulty, and so it is auspicious. Whoever bears heavy responsibility should remain upright and resolute.
AI plain readingYou bite into tough meat on the bone and find a metal arrow inside, a symbol of firmness and straightness. The hardest case needs unbending integrity, and it is favourable to keep to what is right through hardship. The lesson: when you carry a heavy responsibility, staying straight and steady makes the outcome auspicious.
- Timing
- Hard cases and tough choices define this period, and the line calls it auspicious for anyone who meets them with integrity.
- Money
- Quick but dubious deals are the trap to refuse; this auspicious line favours a tight budget and slow, clean earnings.
- Career
- Take on the hardest project without cutting corners; keep your principles under pressure, and it ends auspiciously, with the job done.
- Relationships
- A deep rift will not heal by being papered over; the auspicious path to making up starts with naming it plainly.
- Home & Household
- Someone in the family must make the unpopular call; firm, fair handling brings peace back to the house, an auspicious turn.
- Health
- Read traditionally, a hard period for your health calls for steady, patient self-care; auspicious, provided you keep the routine going.
- Marriage
- Agree the hard terms before the wedding, not after; a match built on terms neither partner fudges is auspicious.
- Exams & Study
- Even the toughest exam or hardest material yields to disciplined, honest effort through the grind; for study, the line is auspicious.
- Travel
- Expect closures or delays on this trip; with spare days built in and no risky shortcuts taken, the journey proves auspicious.
- Disputes & Legal Matters
- Auspicious, and the reading leans towards vindication: in a high-stakes case, gather solid evidence and never shade the truth.
- Finding a Person
- Arduous and full of setbacks, the search is still auspicious if every lead is followed truthfully; the person can be traced.
- The Decision Point
- When you carry the weight of a hard case, stay firm, straight and patient; holding to what is right through hardship is auspicious.
5th Line (six)
六五：噬干肉，得黄金，贞厉，无咎。
Biting into dried meat and finding yellow gold. Holding to what is right while mindful of the danger: no blame.
AI commentaryBiting dried meat and finding yellow gold: judging with gentle, centred virtue finds the middle way. Yet one in high office must stay watchful and hold to what is right amid danger. When leniency and severity are balanced, there is no blame.
AI plain readingYou bite into dried meat and find yellow gold, a symbol of balance and fairness. From a position of authority you handle matters with moderation and find the middle way, yet you must stay alert to danger and keep to what is right. Lead fairly, stay watchful, balance mercy with firmness: no blame.
- Timing
- This phase lifts you to a high, exposed place; treat that height with constant care and correctness, and no blame follows.
- Money
- Split income between a fixed savings share and essentials, and wait a week before any large outlay; the reading favours stability.
- Career
- Managing others, match each reprimand to the harm done; senior roles draw scrutiny, so double-check decisions and work stays orderly.
- Relationships
- Be warm with someone close without excusing real faults, and watch how your words land; then the bond stays harmonious.
- Home & Household
- As the one who holds the household together, be measured in discipline and quietly watchful, so the home stays secure.
- Health
- The tradition favours sustainable daily exercise, regular sleep and periodic check-ups; kept up without extremes, they point to sound health.
- Marriage
- Before committing, agree on what each partner gives and expects; stay alert to small imbalances and the union turns out well.
- Exams & Study
- Alternate hard sessions with lighter review days and log recurring errors; stay wary of complacency, and your preparation can bear fruit.
- Travel
- Treat everyone you meet on the road with courtesy and good sense; mind local hazards and you arrive without incident.
- Disputes & Legal Matters
- Ask for what is reasonable, stand on the facts in mediation and guard against procedural traps; the reading supports your claim.
- Finding a Person
- Accuse no one too soon and verify each reported sighting; handled even-handedly and alertly, the search can find the person.
- The Decision Point
- Lead from the centre: balance leniency with firmness, stay aware of the danger in your position, and there is no blame.
6th Line (nine)
上九：何校灭耳，凶。
Wearing a heavy wooden collar that covers the ears: inauspicious.
AI commentaryWrongs pile up into a grave offence, and the offender must bear a heavy wooden collar that covers the ears: inauspicious. One who refuses to reform, letting small faults grow into a great crime, is beyond rescue: the sternest warning against ignoring correction.
AI plain readingMisdeeds accumulate until the offence is serious, and you wear a heavy wooden collar so large that it covers the ears: inauspicious. The lesson: if you refuse to change and let small faults build into something grave, the damage can no longer be undone. This line is the strongest warning against shrugging off instruction and repeated warnings.
- Timing
- The moment calls for abandoning a wrong course; mistakes left to pile up turn inauspicious and, at the extreme, beyond rescue.
- Money
- List every debt this week and stop what feeds them; the reading calls unchecked losses inauspicious and warns they can turn ruinous.
- Career
- If colleagues have warned you more than once about the same lapse, reform immediately; ignored long enough, it is inauspicious and ends careers.
- Relationships
- Apologise while a grievance is still fresh; resentment left to fester brings an inauspicious break-up that no one can mend.
- Home & Household
- The longer a household problem goes unaddressed, the closer an inauspicious breakdown comes; tackle it while it is still manageable.
- Health
- The tradition reads ignoring warning signs here as inauspicious and dangerous; seek care early, while the problem can still be remedied.
- Marriage
- Bitterness neither partner will address is the inauspicious sign here; once it fully hardens, the split becomes final, so mend things early.
- Exams & Study
- Every skipped week of revision makes the next harder; restart your timetable today, because an ever-growing backlog is an inauspicious path to failure.
- Travel
- Ignoring repeated warnings about a trip is inauspicious; reconsider or reroute rather than pressing ahead into mounting hazards.
- Disputes & Legal Matters
- Persisting in wrongdoing or refusing to settle makes a dispute grave; the reading is inauspicious and warns of a damaging loss.
- Finding a Person
- Drop each false assumption at once; a search that compounds its own errors is inauspicious, and the person slips out of reach.
- The Decision Point
- Do not let small faults build into a grave one; ignoring every warning leads to an inauspicious result that cannot be undone.