Historical Roots of the 3-Coin Method

While the I Ching itself boasts an ancient lineage stretching back millennia, the methods for consulting it have evolved over time. The three-coin method, though perhaps appearing modern in its simplicity, has its own fascinating history, intertwined with the broader story of I Ching divination. It didn't emerge in a vacuum but developed from earlier practices and alongside other techniques.

Early Use of Coins in Divination

The practice of using coins for I Ching divination is not a recent invention. Historical records indicate that coins were employed in connection with the I Ching well before AD 200, around the time of the Three Kingdoms period in China (AD 220–280). It's plausible that the practice originated even earlier, but clear documentation points to this era.

One notable figure from this period is Wang Bi (AD 226–249), a brilliant scholar and philosopher who wrote influential commentaries on both the I Ching and the Tao Te Ching. Wang Bi is known to have discussed and written about the use of coins for I Ching divination, lending early legitimacy to this approach.

Simplification and Popularization

As centuries passed, various methods of divination coexisted. An oracle book from the Northern and Southern Dynasties (AD 420–581), known as the Huo Chu Ling (sometimes translated as "Fire Pearl Oracle" or "Fire Orb Classic"), provided a simpler divinatory procedure that involved tossing three coins. This suggests a move towards more accessible techniques.

The method of tossing three coins six times to generate a hexagram gained significant popularity by the Tang Dynasty (AD 618–907). During this culturally rich period, coin divination was one of several methods used by people seeking guidance from the I Ching, including variations that employed eight or even twelve coins.

Superseding Older Methods

The yarrow stalk method, a more complex and time-consuming procedure traditionally considered the orthodox way to consult the I Ching, began to be largely superseded by the use of three coins during the Sui (AD 581–618) and T'ang dynasties. The comparative speed and ease of the coin toss method contributed to its growing preference among many practitioners. This shift helped to popularize coin-based approaches over the more ancient yarrow stalk technique.

Chu Hsi and the Western Understanding

Much of the procedure for forming a hexagram that became widely known in the West can be traced back to the influential Neo-Confucian philosopher Chu Hsi (AD 1130–1200). Interestingly, the method Chu Hsi initially described and endorsed was originally the coin oracle (i.e., by tossing three coins).

However, it's noted by some scholars that Chu Hsi later accepted a different version of the divination process, possibly influenced by Taoist practices, which he then, according to critiques, anachronistically "forced upon" earlier texts to justify it. This later, more complex method (often associated with yarrow stalks but with Chu Hsi's specific interpretations) is the one that became more academically prominent for a time. A critical perspective highlighted in some sources is that this particular method promoted by Chu Hsi "has nothing to do with the divinatory procedures of the Chou I" (the original Zhou Dynasty I Ching). Despite this, his initial work with the coin method played a role in its transmission.

Probabilities and Differences

It's important to note that the three-coin method yields different probabilities for obtaining changing and stable lines compared to the traditional yarrow stalk method. With three coins (assigning values 2 for Yin and 3 for Yang):

• The odds of getting a 6 (Changing Yin) are 1/8.
• The odds of getting a 7 (Stable Yang) are 3/8.
• The odds of getting an 8 (Stable Yin) are 3/8.
• The odds of getting a 9 (Changing Yang) are 1/8.

This means there's a 1/4 chance of getting a changing line (1/8 + 1/8) and a 3/4 chance of getting a stable line (3/8 + 3/8). The yarrow stalk method has a different statistical distribution, making changing lines generally more likely to occur. This difference in probabilities is a key distinction between the two methods and can subtly influence the character of the readings obtained. We will explore the yarrow stalk method and its probabilities in more detail in a future series.

The journey of the three-coin method from ancient practice to its current popular form shows a continuous effort to engage with the I Ching's wisdom in ways that are both meaningful and practical.

In our next article, we will explore the "Philosophical, Spiritual, and Symbolic Layers" associated with the three-coin method.