Three-coin casting

Cast your first hexagram with three coins

Write the one thing you truly want to ask, then toss three coins six times. Each toss gives one line, starting from the bottom, so you can read the main hexagram, changing lines, and relating hexagram in order.

Four casting steps

First, set one clear question. Second, toss three coins six times, adding each toss as 6, 7, 8, or 9. Third, mark old yin six and old yang nine as changing lines. Fourth, read the main hexagram for the present pattern and the relating hexagram for the direction of change.

The four line values

A three-coin toss produces four possible line values: 6 is old yin, 9 is old yang, and both change; 7 is young yang and 8 is young yin, and both stay as they are. Recording the values in order keeps the method clear for a first casting.

How to read after casting

Begin with the main hexagram rather than rushing to a good-or-bad verdict. Then read the changing line to see where the situation is active. If there are changing lines, turn them over to form the relating hexagram and read it as a tendency, not a replacement for the main hexagram.

Three-coin casting FAQ

Do I need old Chinese coins?

No. You can use physical coins, substitute coins, or the page simulation. The important point is to keep the same counting rule throughout one casting.

Why are the six lines built from the bottom upward?

In a traditional hexagram the first line is the bottom line. The first toss goes at the bottom, and each later toss is placed above it until the sixth line completes the hexagram.