I Ching

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The I Ching (pinyin: yijing) is a popular system of divination that has its origins in China. It works by the usual fortune-telling method: one of a number of vague answers[1] is given to an unspoken question, and the asker is either satisfied and pays up, or confused, and pays up for an interpretation of the answer.[2]

The answer is chosen by the casting of, usually, yarrow sticks.[3] Coins can also be used.

Mao Zedong is said to have used the I Ching, although the ordinary Chinese people were banned from using it under communism. Work that one out.[4]

[edit] External links

[edit] Footnotes

  1. There are 64 (26) hexagrams, each associated with the text of an "answer." Often, that's it. Sometimes a particular line or lines in a hexagram may be given emphasis, with further associated text. Emphasized lines are said to be "moving," and lead to the hexagram's morphing into another one, with yet more text going along with it.
  2. Parallels with H2G2 are strictly coincidental.
  3. Although asparagus can be used, when in season.
  4. I Ching translations (onlineclarity.co.uk)
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