The Three-Coin Method: How to Cast I Ching Hexagrams

The three-coin method is the easiest way to cast an I Ching hexagram. With three coins and a few minutes, you can consult the oracle. This guide walks you through every step.

What You Need

Three identical coins (any currency works), a notepad, and a translation of the I Ching or this site’s hexagram guides.

Assign values: heads = 3, tails = 2. Six tosses build one hexagram from the bottom line up.

Casting Step by Step

Step 1: Focus on a clear question and write it down.

Step 2: Toss all three coins together. Add the values.

Step 3: Total 6 or 9 = a solid (yang) line. Total 7 or 8 = a broken (yin) line.

Step 4: A 6 or a 9 is a changing line (old yin / old yang). Mark it specially.

Step 5: Repeat six times, recording lines from bottom to top.

Reading the Result

Your six lines form the primary hexagram. Changing lines indicate transition: the old lines mutate into a second, transformed hexagram.

Read the primary hexagram’s judgment and image, then the changing lines, then the transformed hexagram for the direction of change.

Tips for Good Practice

Cast once per question. Avoid re-asking the same thing in one sitting; it scatters the reading.

Keep a journal of questions and outcomes. Over time you will see how the oracle speaks to you personally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which coins should I use?

Any three identical coins work fine.

Heads or tails is yang?

Common convention: heads = 3 (yang), tails = 2 (yin).

How many lines do I cast?

Six lines, from the bottom up, make one hexagram.