The Ancient Lineage - A History of Yarrow Stalk Divination

The yarrow stalk method of consulting the I Ching is not a recent innovation but a practice steeped in millennia of history. Its origins are deeply entwined with the spiritual and intellectual development of ancient China, evolving alongside other divination forms and eventually becoming codified as a classical approach to seeking wisdom from the Book of Changes.

Ancient Roots: Predating and Coexisting with Other Forms

The yarrow stalk method, known as bu shi (卜筮), is remarkably ancient, with its origins traced back to at least the Early Zhou dynasty (c. 1046–771 BC), and possibly even earlier, to the late Western Zhou Dynasty (1122–770 BC). It is generally associated with hexagram divination from its inception.

Importantly, the yarrow stalk method developed alongside, and did not initially replace, older divination techniques that utilized oracle bones (typically tortoise plastrons or ox scapulae) and shells. Unlike the bone and shell methods, which were often a strict royal prerogative, the use of yarrow stalks may have been more accessible, not exclusively confined to the highest echelons of power.

The Rise of Yarrow Stalks

By the Spring and Autumn period of the Eastern Zhou dynasty (770–221 BC), accounts of divination methods using yarrow stalks become more prominent in historical records. While the role of a "stalkcaster" may have once been a distinct specialization, by this era, their functions were often shared among various court officials. Diviners, registrars (shi), crackmakers (specialists in oracle bone pyromancy), political advisors, and other office-holders might all have been involved in performing or interpreting yarrow stalk divinations.

Several factors contributed to the increasing prominence of the yarrow stalk method:

• Relative Ease: Compared to the complex and resource-intensive process of oracle-bone divination (which involved careful preparation of bones, application of heat, and interpretation of cracks), the yarrow stalk method was comparatively more straightforward to perform.
• Scarcity of Materials: Over time, the availability of suitable tortoise shells for oracle bone divination may have decreased, making yarrow stalks a more sustainable alternative.

As a result, the yarrow stalk method soon became the primary form of divination for a wide range of matters, particularly those not central to major royal rituals or critical affairs of state, where oracle bones might have retained precedence for longer.

Codification in the Ten Wings

The methods of divination, including the yarrow stalk technique, were formally appended to the I Ching text within the collection of commentaries known as the Ten Wings (十翼 Shi Yi). This likely occurred sometime during the Warring States period (403–221 BC).

Specifically, the Xici Zhuan (繫辭傳, "Commentary on the Appended Judgments"), also known as the Ta Chuan (Great Treatise), which comprises two of these appendices, sets forth the yarrow stalk divination method. Historians generally date the Xici Zhuan to around 221 BC. Remarkably, the fundamental way the yarrow stalk method is performed today remains relatively unchanged from how it was taught in this ancient text.

The Influence of Zhu Xi and Reconstructions

Despite the ancient textual basis, the continuous transmission of the exact original practice is a subject of some scholarly discussion. The renowned Neo-Confucian philosopher Zhu Xi (AD 1130–1200) played a significant role in shaping the understanding and practice of the yarrow stalk method as it is often known today.

• Reconstruction: Zhu Xi, in his influential work Yixue Qimeng (易學啟蒙, "Introduction to the Study of the I Ching," AD 1188), meticulously recreated or reconstructed the yarrow stalk method. This was based on clues and descriptions found in older texts, as the original text of the Xici Zhuan was considered by some to be vague in its practical instructions.
• Debate over Original Method: It is noted that the original yarrow stalk method, as described in the Ta Chuan, may have been largely forgotten or fallen out of common practice during the Sui (AD 581–618) and T'ang (AD 618–907) dynasties. During this period, the simpler coin oracle method (which Zhu Xi himself initially used and described) gained widespread popularity. Some scholars suggest that Zhu Xi's later embrace and detailed exposition of the yarrow stalk method was an attempt to revive and systematize what he believed to be the classical approach, possibly applying interpretations derived from his understanding of the coin oracle to earlier texts.
• Certainty of Preservation: Because of this complex history, it is impossible to be absolutely certain that Zhu Xi's Yixue Qimeng perfectly preserves the yarrow stalk method exactly as it was practiced in the Zhou or Han dynasties. However, his reconstruction has been profoundly influential and forms the basis for most contemporary practice of the traditional yarrow stalk method.

The journey of the yarrow stalk method through Chinese history—from its ancient shamanistic connections, through its codification in classical texts, to its scholarly reconstruction—highlights its enduring importance as a conduit to the profound wisdom of the I Ching.

In our final article of this core series, we will explore "Article 9: The Deeper Meaning - Philosophical and Spiritual Dimensions of Yarrow Stalks."