LEARN · I CHING
How to Cast the I Ching with 3 Coins
Throw three coins six times. Each throw adds up to 6, 7, 8 or 9 and gives one line of the hexagram. You build the hexagram from the bottom line to the top line. Lines that add up to 6 or 9 are changing lines, and they turn the first hexagram into a second one. This guide shows each step, with a table of values and an example.
Before you throw
Write down one clear question about one situation. If you are not sure how to word it, see What questions can I ask the I Ching? Hold the question in mind, then throw. You need three identical coins. Any coins work. Chinese copper coins are traditional.
Step 1: Give each coin a value
Each coin has two sides. In the method Master Mandy Lim uses, the side with the pattern (花) counts as 3 and the side with the characters (字) counts as 2. Other teachers use other conventions, so always follow one rule for the whole reading.
Step 2: Throw three coins and add them up
Throw the three coins together and add the three values. The total is always 6, 7, 8 or 9.
| Coins | Total | Line you draw | Changing? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three 字 (2 + 2 + 2) | 6 | Broken line (yin) | Yes, it turns into a solid line |
| One 花, two 字 (3 + 2 + 2) | 7 | Solid line (yang) | No |
| Two 花, one 字 (3 + 3 + 2) | 8 | Broken line (yin) | No |
| Three 花 (3 + 3 + 3) | 9 | Solid line (yang) | Yes, it turns into a broken line |
Step 3: Build the hexagram from the bottom
The first throw is the bottom line. Throw six times and draw each new line above the last one. After six throws you have six lines. This is your first hexagram (本卦), which describes the situation as it stands.
The lower three lines form the lower trigram and the upper three lines form the upper trigram. Together they point to one of the 64 hexagrams. See What is the I Ching?
Step 4: Find the changing lines and the second hexagram
Lines that total 6 or 9 are changing lines (动爻). Change each of them to the opposite type: a broken line becomes solid, and a solid line becomes broken. Leave the other lines as they are. The new hexagram is the changed hexagram (变卦). It shows the direction the situation is moving in.
If no line totals 6 or 9, there is no changed hexagram, and you read the first hexagram only.
A short example
Say your six throws, from the bottom, total 7, 8, 8, 9, 7, 8. Lines 1 to 6 are: solid, broken, broken, solid, solid, broken. The fourth line totals 9, so it is a changing line. Change it from solid to broken. The first hexagram has the pattern solid, broken, broken, solid, solid, broken. The changed hexagram has solid, broken, broken, broken, solid, broken. Look up both, and read the first hexagram with the text of the fourth line.
When more than one line changes, teachers differ on which line text to give priority. This is a reading skill, not a counting step, and it is best learned with a reader.
Try it without coins
You can use the free online tool at the I Ching casting tool (摇卦, Chinese interface). It throws virtual coins six times and gives you the first hexagram, the changing lines and the changed hexagram, with the original text in plain Chinese.
What the result means
A hexagram does not give a yes or no. It describes a situation and the way it may develop, and the changing lines show where to look more closely. The I Ching offers guidance and possible trends, not guaranteed outcomes. It does not replace professional medical, legal or financial advice.
Master Mandy Lim offers a private online I Ching consultation: a 60-minute one-to-one video session in English or Chinese, with one main question and up to 3 related follow-up questions.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do you cast the I Ching with three coins?
Throw three coins six times. Add up the values of each throw (6, 7, 8 or 9). Draw the lines from the bottom up. Lines totalling 6 or 9 are changing lines.
What do 6, 7, 8 and 9 mean in a coin throw?
6 is a changing broken (yin) line, 7 is a solid (yang) line, 8 is a broken (yin) line and 9 is a changing solid (yang) line.
Which side of the coin is heads?
It depends on the method. In the method Master Mandy Lim uses, the patterned side (花) counts as 3 and the side with characters (字) counts as 2. Choose one rule and keep to it.
Do I build the hexagram from the top or the bottom?
From the bottom. The first throw is the bottom line and the sixth throw is the top line.
What is a changing line?
A line that totals 6 or 9. It turns into the opposite type of line and produces a second, changed hexagram.
Can I use a free online tool instead of coins?
Yes. The free casting tool on this site throws virtual coins six times and shows the first hexagram, changing lines and changed hexagram.
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