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To cast an I Ching reading with three coins, toss them six times, recording one line per toss from the bottom upward. Under the traditional 2/3 face convention, totals of 6 and 9 are changing lines; 7 and 8 are stable. Read the primary hexagram first, then the text for each changing line, and finally the relating hexagram formed by flipping the changing lines. Treat the result as a prompt for reflection, not a guaranteed prediction.
What you need before casting
You need three coins, a way to record six lines, and a translation or reference that identifies hexagrams and includes their judgments, images, and line texts. Translation matters: wording and commentary vary by edition, so follow one book or text throughout rather than mixing interpretations.
Before tossing, write one open question in a first-person sentence. Instead of asking only whether a particular outcome will happen, ask what you should consider about the decision or situation. For example: “What should I understand as I decide whether to change jobs?” A focused question gives you context for reading the resulting text.
Choose which coin face counts as 2 and which counts as 3 before you begin, and keep that convention for all six tosses. The documented traditional convention assigns one face 2 (yin) and the other 3 (yang); modern guides may label the faces differently. The labels themselves matter less than applying the same rule consistently.
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How to cast the I Ching with three coins
- Write down your question. Keep it open-ended and focused on the situation you want to reflect on.
- Assign coin values. Decide which face is 2 and which is 3, then use that convention for every toss.
- Toss all three coins together. Add their values. The total creates one line.
- Record the first line at the bottom. Draw it as broken or solid according to the total in the table below.
- Repeat five more times. Place each new line above the previous one until the figure has six lines.
- Identify the hexagram. Use the six-line figure in a hexagram table or the index of your chosen translation. Make sure you match the lines from bottom to top.
| Total | Line type | What to draw | What happens in the relating hexagram |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Changing yin | Broken | Changes to solid |
| 7 | Stable yang | Solid | Remains solid |
| 8 | Stable yin | Broken | Remains broken |
| 9 | Changing yang | Solid | Changes to broken |
Under this convention, 6 and 9 mark changing lines, while 7 and 8 mark stable lines. A changing line is drawn in its original state in the primary hexagram; its opposite state is used when you form the relating hexagram.
How to interpret changing lines and the second hexagram
- Read the primary hexagram’s judgment and image. This is the six-line figure as cast, before changing lines are flipped. Use its text as the starting point for considering your question.
- Read the text for every changing line. If the cast contains one or more 6s or 9s, consult the corresponding line commentary in the primary hexagram. Interpret the wording in the context of the question you wrote down. Traditions differ on how to combine multiple changing-line texts; a straightforward approach is to read each one rather than assume a single universal rule.
- Flip each changing line to find the relating hexagram. Turn every 6 into a solid line and every 9 into a broken line. Leave 7 and 8 unchanged. Identify the resulting six-line figure in your reference.
- Read the relating hexagram’s judgment and image. Treat this as another lens on the pattern or tendency in the situation, not as a certain account of the future.
If none of the lines changes, there is no different relating hexagram to calculate. Read the primary hexagram’s judgment and image without adding one.
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The order matters: the primary hexagram describes the cast as it stands; the changing-line texts give attention to the lines that are in transition; and the relating hexagram offers a further perspective after those lines are reversed. The reading remains an interpretive practice grounded in a textual tradition, not an empirically established forecasting method.
How coin casting differs from yarrow-stalk casting
Both methods produce six yin-or-yang lines, but they do not produce changing lines with identical frequencies. The Wilhelm/Baynes appendix’s calculation gives these probabilities for a single line; they are the appendix’s mathematical results, not independent measurements of real-world casts.
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| Line total | Three coins | Yarrow stalks |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 2/16 | 1/16 |
| 7 | 6/16 | 5/16 |
| 8 | 6/16 | 7/16 |
| 9 | 2/16 | 3/16 |
The 2026 casting guide describes yarrow stalks as the older, slower method and coins as a shorter way to cast. These are procedural differences, not a basis for declaring one method more authentic. If you switch methods, bear in mind that the relative likelihood of changing-line totals differs.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choosing a translation and using the text carefully
Hexagram names, judgments, images, and line commentary can read differently across translations. Use the index and casting directions for the edition you have, and name that edition if you quote its wording. For example, the Wilhelm/Baynes electronic text identifies Richard Wilhelm as translator from Chinese into German and Cary F. Baynes as the English renderer; it identifies the English edition as 1950. Other translations may use different language or explanatory conventions.
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Read the actual wording rather than treating a hexagram name or a single line as a verdict. Bring the question back to the text, notice what seems relevant, and distinguish that reflection from a claim that a particular event must happen. The sources describe ways to cast and interpret the figures; they do not establish an empirical accuracy rate for predicting outcomes.
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Sources and further reading
- iFate: How to consult the I Ching — casting steps and an open-question approach; guide dated April 15, 2026.
- Hilary Barrett: I Ching for Beginners — introductory guidance, with a 2015 copyright notice.
- Wilhelm/Baynes I Ching electronic text — translation details and “Consulting the Oracle” appendix; the file identifies the English edition as 1950 and was last modified in 2022.
- Wilhelm/Baynes appendix on the probabilities of the yarrow-stalk and coin methods — the source for the per-line calculations compared above.
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