Three-Coin I Ching

Hold one question in mind and toss three coins six times. Each toss builds one line, from the bottom up.

Hold one clear question in mind. It stays on this page and is never sent or saved.

Line 1 of 6

Sample reading

Abundance changing to Biting Through

Primary hexagram

Where things stand

豐

55. Abundance

Changed hexagram

Where things are heading

噬嗑

21. Biting Through

What to read

Two lines move, so read both in the primary hexagram. The upper line carries more weight.

Line 6 · AbundanceRead this first

豐其屋，蔀其家，闚其戶，闃其无人，三歲不覿，凶。

A rich house, screened off from the family. You look through the door, silent, no one there. For three years no one is seen. Misfortune.

Line 3 · AbundanceRead this as well

豐其沛，日中見沬，折其右肱，无咎。

The curtain is so thick that small stars show at noon. You break your right arm. No fault.

These rules come from Zhu Xi's 《易學啟蒙》. The Chinese is checked against two classic editions. The English is our own modern version.

The six lines

  1. Line 66Old yinMoving
  2. Line 58Young yin
  3. Line 47Young yang
  4. Line 39Old yangMoving
  5. Line 28Young yin
  6. Line 17Young yang

Understanding the three-coin method

The three-coin method is the most common way to cast an I Ching hexagram today. It replaces the long yarrow stalk ritual with six tosses of three coins. Each toss gives one line, and six lines make a hexagram. Lines that are about to change show where the situation is moving.

How it works

  1. Toss three coinsA plain side counts 3 and an inscribed side counts 2, so a toss adds up to 6, 7, 8 or 9.
  2. Find the line7 is a solid line and 8 is a broken line. 9 is a solid line about to change, and 6 is a broken line about to change.
  3. Build from the bottomThe first toss is the bottom line. The sixth toss is the top.
  4. Change the moving linesTurn each 6 and 9 into its opposite to get the changed hexagram.

How to read it

  1. Start with the primary hexagramIt describes where things stand now.
  2. Look at the moving linesThey show what is in motion. The number of moving lines decides which text to read.
  3. Look at the changed hexagramIt shows where things are heading if they keep moving this way.

Our method

Coin values
We follow the old note that all plain sides is 9, all inscribed sides is 6, two inscribed and one plain is 7, and two plain and one inscribed is 8.
Randomness
Tosses use your browser's secure random numbers. Nothing is sent to us.
Which text to read
We follow the seven rules in Zhu Xi's 《易學啟蒙》. Other teachers use other rules.

Common questions

Can I use real coins?

Yes. Toss your own coins and use the guide above to work out each line. Our tool is only a convenience.

Why do I get a different result each time?

Each cast is a new moment. The tradition asks you to cast once for one question, and not to repeat it until you get an answer you like.

Is this the same as the yarrow method?

The steps are simpler and the odds differ. With coins, 6 and 9 are equally likely. With yarrow, 9 is three times as likely as 6.

Does it predict the future?

Treat it as a tradition for reflection. It is not medical, legal or financial advice.

Sources

  • 周易 Zhou Yi
  • 京氏易傳 Jing Shi Yi Zhuan, 四庫全書 edition
  • 易學啟蒙 Yi Xue Qi Meng, Zhu Xi