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21) Shihe: Biting Through

Hexagram:

• C: Thunder and lightning, biting through; ancient kings clarified penalties and proclaimed laws.

• L: Biting through is developmental. It is beneficial to administer justice.

• E: Investigating things and finding out principles.

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Lines:

1 Yang:

• L: Wearing stocks stopping the feet, there is no blame.

• E: Traveling on the path of spiritual cultivation requires thorough investigation of its principles to prevent error.

2 Yin:

• L: Biting skin, cutting off the nose. There is no blame.

• E: When one is weak and not firm, it is fortunate not to practice principles until they are clearly perceived. This is investigating principle without yet penetrating it.

3 Yin:

• L: Biting on dried meat, running into poison. There is a little shame, but no blame.

• E: This is investigating principle and gradually penetrating.

4 Yang:

• L: Biting bony dried meat, one gets the wherewithal to proceed. It is beneficial to work hard and be upright: This leads to good results.

• E: This is rigorously investigating principle and seeing truth.

5 Yin:

• L: Biting into dry meat and finding gold, if one is correct and cautious, then there is no error.

• E: This is the further clarification of clearly understood principles in order to practice seriously.  This is the elimination of doubt from principles.

6 Yang:

• L: Wearing a cangue (yoke), destroying the ears- misfortune.

• E: This is confusion about the principles of reality bringing misfortune.