oracoli
I Ching
The I Ching (in Chinese Yijing), or Book of Changes, is one of the foundational works of ancient Chinese philosophy. It is composed of 64 hexagrams, each formed by six continuous (yang) or broken (yin) lines, which describe qualities of a situation and its possible changes.
Origin and structure
The canonical version dates back to the Zhou dynasty (11th-8th century BC) and is one of the Five Confucian Classics. The 64 hexagrams are numbered and bear names such as The Creative (1), The Receptive (2), Possession in Great Measure (14), Modesty (15), Before Completion (64). Each hexagram has a judgment, an image and commentaries on the individual lines.
Changing lines
A line can be "old" (unstable) and transform into the opposite, generating a second hexagram. This feature makes the I Ching dynamic: it offers not a static snapshot but a direction of development. Traditional consultation is performed with yarrow stalks or three coins tossed six times.
FAQ
How many hexagrams are there?
Sixty-four, generated by all combinations of six yin or yang lines.
Is it a religious book?
It has roots in Confucianism and Taoism. Today it is also read in a secular and psychological key (Jung studied it and made it known in the West).
Can I consult it more than once?
Tradition advises against repeatedly consulting it on the same question at short intervals. Better to meditate on the first answer.