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Learn the I Ching

Everything you need to consult the I Ching on your own, step by step.

1 What Is the I Ching?
The I Ching, or Book of Changes, is a Chinese classic of 64 hexagrams for reflecting on where you stand. What it is, how it works and how to begin.
2 The History of the I Ching
The history of the I Ching as tradition tells it (Fu Xi, King Wen, Confucius) and as scholars see it: a Zhou core, the Ten Wings, the Mawangdui silk text.
3 How to Ask a Question
How to ask the I Ching a question: open questions rather than yes or no, one question per cast, and when it's better not to ask. With examples.
4 How to Toss the Coins
How to toss the I Ching coins step by step: three coins, values of 2 and 3, the numbers 6, 7, 8 and 9, building lines from the bottom up, and the odds.
5 The Yarrow Stalk Method
The I Ching yarrow stalk method step by step: 50 stalks, three rounds of division per line, and why its odds for changing lines differ from coins.
6 Plum Blossom Numerology
Plum Blossom numerology is an I Ching method credited to Shao Yong that builds a hexagram from the date and hour. How it works, with an example.
7 How to Read a Hexagram
How to read an I Ching hexagram: the two trigrams, the six line positions, the judgment and the image, and the steps for reading a full answer.
8 Moving Lines
Moving lines in the I Ching: what 6 and 9 mean, how they create a second hexagram, and what to read depending on how many lines are changing.
9 The Relating Hexagram
The relating hexagram appears when moving lines change, and shows where your situation is heading. How to find it, with a worked example.
10 The Nuclear Hexagram
The nuclear hexagram is built from lines 2 to 5 of your hexagram and shows what works on the inside. How to find it, with a worked example.
11 The Eight Trigrams
The eight trigrams of the I Ching, with their images, family roles, qualities and the two classical arrangements, and a link to each one.
12 Yin and Yang
What yin and yang mean in the I Ching, how they become lines, why lines change, and the common misconceptions worth letting go of.
13 The King Wen Sequence
The King Wen sequence is the traditional order of the 64 hexagrams, how they come in pairs, and why the book is split into two canons.
14 The Ten Wings
The Ten Wings are the ten classical commentaries on the I Ching. What each one is, what it adds to the text, and what scholars say about their age.
15 Chance and Meaning
Chance and meaning in the I Ching, why a random cast can help you think, what Jung meant by synchronicity, and how to see it honestly.
16 Using the I Ching Well
How to use the I Ching well by consulting it to reflect rather than predict, knowing when not to ask, and keeping a journal of your readings.