Shihe, six in the second placeHexagram 21, line 2 · Shihe (Biting Through) · changing to 38
The line
In plain wordsBiting into a piece of tender meat so deep that even your nose sinks in. The matter is easy to handle; you just come down a bit hard and get slightly hurt yourself. In the end, no blame.
The Image commentary on this line
噬膚滅鼻，乘剛也。
"Biting into soft flesh until the nose is buried": it rides on the firm.
The small Image commentary is the earliest explanation of the line texts. It usually explains a line from its position: where it stands, whether it holds the center, and which line answers it.
Verdict
平Neutral. Neither good nor bad. Do your part, correct mistakes, and nothing will go wrong.
How to read good fortune, misfortune, regret, humiliation and no blame →
Asking about work, love or money
- Work
- The problem you need to deal with is not hard and can be settled quickly. You may come down a little too hard and pick up some trouble yourself, but that does not matter. What needs handling, handle.
- Love
- This knot between the two of you is easy to undo once you talk it out. Your words may come out a bit strong and you may feel a little hurt yourself, but getting it said clearly is not wrong.
- Money
- The money you need to collect and the accounts you need to settle are not hard to handle; you can deal with them directly. Your methods may be a bit tough, and it may cost you a little too, but doing this is not wrong.
This is how to read it when this is the only changing line. With several changing lines, first see which text governs; for the hexagram as a whole, see Shihe.
Line position
A yin line in a yin place: it is in its proper place; it holds the center of its trigram. Its partner is the fifth line, which is also yin, so there is no answer from it.
Second place: the center of the lower trigram, a place of praise. Stay centered and yielding.
When you get this line
If this is the only changing line in your cast (three inscribed sides, old yin), this line is your answer. The primary hexagram is Shihe (Biting Through); when this line changes it becomes Kui (Opposition): hexagram 21 changing to 38.
Which text to read with several changing lines →
Resulting hexagram · Kui (Opposition)
You are out of step with each other. Big things will not work; small ones still can.