In all ages and centuries, people have been interested in the secrets of the present and future. And if in ancient Egypt, tarot cards were used for these purposes, then in China - the “Book of Changes” (“I Ching”, “Zhou I”, “Canon of Change”). This is a whole fortune telling system, consisting of 64 hexagrams. Each of them fully describes a specific situation and its further development. Moreover, for each hexagram, an explanation of all moving lines is given. In the standard translated divinatory Book of Changes, one can find 228 different interpretations and illustrations to them.
What is it
Fortune telling on hexagrams is one of the easiest ways to find out your future and sort out a particular situation. Its purpose is to calculate the development process. This is one of the few divinations in which the philosophical theory of ancient China is manifested. This is a classic system, recognized as one of the most important in those days.
In 215 BC e. Emperor Qin Shihuang ruled in China. He knew that having eradicated scholarship, it would be much easier to manage people and for some time he really managed to keep his subjects in a state of ignorance and humility. He destroyed all philosophical works and canons, and also killed all famous scientists. The only book he left is I Ching. It was from her that he predicted his future. In addition, fortune telling on hexagrams helped him in his reign. So, the book has survived to this day, and now anyone can use it.
Fortune-telling Basics
The whole process of predictions is divided into three stages:
- Taking gua (getting a hexagram).
- The interpretation of the image.
- Calculation of the situation.
Previously, for the first stage of fortune telling on hexagrams, 50 yarrow stems were used. At the same time, they put one in a jug - it was a certain image of the state of taiji. And fortune telling was performed using 49 stems.
But what to do if such a method is not available to the fortuneteller? In the year 20 e. Jing Fanom created the method of divination, which involved the use of three Chinese bronze coins. You can use others, it is only important that they are yellow.
Fortune telling
Before proceeding with the predictions, you need to know that the coins should be stored in a separate secluded place. The inhabitants of the Middle Kingdom used a case for these purposes, and inside it was a red silk fabric. It was in it that the coins were stored. Before divination, you need to leave all thoughts and anxieties. Imagine that you are a vehicle between Heaven and Earth. Now you will receive very important knowledge. Now put a piece of paper and a pen next to it and focus on the question that concerns you.
Coins and the book itself with the interpretation of hexagrams should be treated with great respect. Even if the result of fortune-telling does not suit you, you should not be angry. If the fortunetelling technique was performed correctly, then the interpretation must be accurate.
Take gua
In order to get a hexagram, coins should be thrown 6 times. In this case, the result is recorded from the bottom up - from the Earth to Heaven. Now we learn how to record the result:
- if two tails fall out - this position is called “tea” and it is designated as a straight line (Jan) 7;
- if two eagles - position "tribute", dashed line (yin) 8;
- three tails is jung. It denotes the old yang and goes into yin 6;
- three eagles (jiao) - the old yin, turning into yang 9.
So, if you throw coins 6 times, you will get a certain hexagram. Its significance will be the answer to your question. If the situation is quite complicated, and the result does not fully reveal its essence, then you can get two more gua.
Advanced hexagram fortune telling
To get a more detailed answer, we need 2 more gua. You can get them as follows. Select the second, third and fourth yao (line) this will be the inner trigram (first). The third, fourth and fifth line is the outer trigram. An example can be seen in the following photo:
This will be the first additional hexagram. The second is found using moving gua. So, 2, 3 and 4 are moving lines. They should be replaced. The second line is intermittent, and the third and fourth lines are straight. The rest should be left unchanged and written in the same order.
Image interpretation
In order to start the second stage of fortune telling by a hexagram, it is also necessary to determine the numbers of the main and additional gua. For the main - 60, for the first additional - 27, and for the second additional - 49.
- The main hexagram indicates the current state of affairs.
- The first additional - shows the development of events.
- The second additional gua reveals hidden aspects of the situation and the result.
The search for the desired hexagram is carried out using a special table. The top is 6, 5 and 4 lines, and the bottom is 3, 2, 1. Finding the necessary trigrams horizontally and vertically, you need to add your gua.
Situation calculation
The last stage in divination by the “Book of Changes” is the interpretation of hexagrams. Of course, you should start with the main one. In our example, this is number 60. It is called "Restriction." The hexagram itself indicates that everything is needed measure. In addition, there are 6 more values that are associated with moving gua. For example, if fortune-telling is the initial nine, it means that external activity is contraindicated for a person. The second nine indicates that you must not be inactive and. etc.
But in this case, 60 hexagram is the main one. And therefore, it shows that the situation arose precisely because of inaction. Of course, the advice in this case will be to be more active.
What else can tell fortune telling on coins? Hexagram (optional), which has 27 number, is called "Feeding". It indicates an increase in income. Since the first additional gua shows the development of events, it is most likely that a person will succeed in financial matters. Especially if he listens to the first hexagram and acts more decisively.
The significance of the hexagram in fortune telling is not always easy to understand. For this, there are moving lines that form the second additional gua. She will show the result of events. In our case, it is 49 hexagram. It is called "Change." Gua shows that things will really improve, but for this it is necessary to act actively. What else gives a person fortune-telling from the Book of Changes? The value of hexagrams does not so much show the events that will occur in the future, but rather tells how to proceed in a given situation.
The Book of Perms is a philosophical work that should not be perceived as a dogmatic teaching, but as an aid in solving everyday problems. In addition, it should be understood that the modern interpretation of hexagrams may be slightly distorted, and to understand the essence of Chinese works in the original is not so simple.
The I Ching system is much like Tarot cards. In most books, an image is added to each hexagram that most accurately reflects the essence of the gua itself.
Summing up, we can say that the Chinese fortuneteller “I Ching” is a unique work that has incorporated all the wisdom of the Celestial Empire. Having learned how to correctly perform fortune telling, you can get real help in many everyday situations.