What this change means
Biting into tender flesh so deep the nose disappears: the second line moves, and it describes a moment when you can't stay neutral. Someone is acting unfairly or plainly wrong, and holding a firm limit serves better than looking away. You may go in further than feels comfortable, yet the line carries no fault; the softness of the target makes firmness easy, so the real risk is doing nothing. With the lower Thunder turning to Lake, the figure becomes 38 Opposites. Once you've drawn your line, expect to keep sharing space with people who see things differently. What you can achieve together is modest for now. Don't give in, and don't try to make them like you either. Keep your own nature, let them keep theirs, and contribute to whatever common task remains. Firm limits and coexistence can go together.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 2 of 21 Biting
When you see someone acting unjustly or wrongly, it's better to be uncompromising in setting limits than to do nothing.
Biting tender flesh, the nose sinks out of sight. No fault.
- The judgment of 21 Biting
It's a time for firm, decisive action to overcome obstacles, even legal action if needed. Success is within reach if you act with energy and set limits. Don't be afraid: act.
Success. It is favorable to bring things to judgment.
- The judgment of 38 Opposites
You're in a situation of opposition: the people around you are different from you, yet you need to share with them. This means that what you can achieve for now is small. Even so, don't give in. It matters that both you and they keep your own nature and contribute from there to a shared project.
In small matters, good fortune.
The trigrams
The way back
38 Opposites → 21 Bitingline 2
Other transformations of Biting
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.