Reading
Judgment
Biting Through has success.
It is favorable to let justice be administered.
When an obstacle stands in the way of union, energetic biting through produces success. This holds in all relations. Union, where it does not come about, is always held up by a go-between and traitor, by a hinderer and obstructor. Here one must proceed energetically, so that no lasting damage arises. Such conscious hindrances do not vanish of themselves. Trial and punishment are necessary for deterrence or removal.
But the right manner of proceeding is essential. The hexagram is composed of Li, clarity, and Chen, arousing. Li is soft, Chen is hard. Mere hardness and arousing would be too violent in punishing. Mere clarity and softness would be too weak. Both united produce the right measure. It is important that the decisive man, represented by the fifth line, is mild by nature, while through his position he inspires awe.
Image
Thunder and lightning: the image of Biting Through.
Thus the earlier kings firmed up
the laws through clearly defined punishments.
Punishments are the individual applications of the laws. The laws contain the record of punishments. Clarity prevails when, in the establishment of punishments, lighter and heavier are clearly distinguished according to corresponding offenses. This is symbolized by the clarity of lightning. The firming up of laws takes place through the just application of punishments. This is symbolized by the terror of thunder. This clarity and severity aim to keep people in respect; punishments are not important for their own sake. The obstacles to coexistence among people all grow large through unclarity in the penal provisions and laxity in their execution. Only through clarity and definite swiftness of punishments are the laws firmed up.
Commentary
The hexagram represents an open mouth (compare Number 27, I) between whose teeth there is an obstacle (in the fourth place). As a result the lips cannot unite. To bring about a union, the obstacle must be forcefully bitten through. The hexagram furthermore consists of the signs for thunder and lightning, to indicate how obstacles in nature are violently removed. Energetic biting through overcomes the obstacle to union in the mouth. The thunderstorm with thunder and lightning overcomes the disturbing tension in nature. Trial and punishment overcome the disturbances of harmonious coexistence by criminals and slanderers. Unlike the hexagram Number 6, Conflict, where it is a matter of civil lawsuits, here the criminal trial is addressed.
Changing Lines
Line 1
A nine at the beginning means:
His feet are fastened in the stocks, so that his toes disappear.
No blame.
Commentary
If someone, at their first attempt to do evil, at once falls under punishment, the punishment is only light. Only the toes are covered by the stocks. They are thereby hindered from sinning further, and so become free of blame. It is an admonition to stop in good time on the path of evil.
Line 2
A six in the second place means:
Bites through tender meat, so that the nose disappears.
No blame.
Commentary
Right and wrong are easy to distinguish in the case at hand. It is as if one were biting through tender meat. But one meets with a hardened sinner. Therefore out of anger one goes somewhat too far in the excitement. The disappearance of the nose in biting through means that one loses the fine sense of discrimination owing to the outrage. But this does not matter much, because the punishment as such is just.
Line 3
A six in the third place means:
Bites on old dried meat and strikes on something poisonous.
Small humiliation. No blame.
Commentary
Someone is to carry out a punishment for which they do not have sufficient power and authority. Therefore those being punished do not submit. The matter is an old one, symbolized by salted game, and in it one meets difficulties. The old meat is spoiled. By occupying oneself with the matter, one draws upon oneself poisonous hatred. Thereby one comes somewhat into a humiliating position. But since to punish was a requirement of the time, one still remains free of blame.
Line 4
A nine in the fourth place means:
Bites on dried gristly meat.
Receives metal arrows.
It is favorable to be mindful of difficulties
and to be persevering.
Good fortune!
Commentary
Very great difficulties are to be overcome. Powerful opponents are to be punished. This is very laborious. Yet it succeeds. But one must possess the hardness of metal and the straightness of an arrow in order to overcome the difficulties. If one knows these difficulties and remains persevering, one attains good fortune. The difficult task succeeds in the end.
Line 5
A six in the fifth place means:
Bites on dried lean meat.
Receives yellow gold.
Persevering, be mindful of danger. No blame.
Commentary
One has to decide a case that is not easy but is clear. But one's own nature is inclined to kindliness. Therefore one must pull oneself together so as to be like yellow gold, that is, impartial (yellow is the color of the center) and true as gold. Only if one is continually mindful of the dangers that spring from the responsibility one has taken on does one remain free of faults.
Line 6
A nine at the top means:
His neck is fastened in the wooden cangue,
so that his ears disappear.
Misfortune!
Commentary
Here, unlike the first line, it is a matter of a person who is incorrigible. They bear the wooden cangue as punishment. But their ears disappear in it. They no longer listen to warnings, but are deaf to them. This obduracy leads to misfortune.