The hexagram and eight trigrams divination is a principle summarized by the ancients based on their observation of the laws governing the operation of nature. It originated from the Nàjiǎ system of Jing Fang in the Western Han Dynasty. Initially, 50 pieces of yarrow grass were used, but by the Song Dynasty, "using coins instead of yarrow grass" had become common practice. The diviner holds three copper coins in their hands, clasps them tightly, and contemplates the matter they wish to divine. They allow the information they wish to divine to permeate the copper coins, then clasps their palms together and shakes them before placing them into the hexagram plate. The hexagram is formed by tossing six times.
After the hexagram is formed, it is paired with hexagram lines, and after the dynamic changes, the development process and outcome of things are judged by matching the six relatives ("I", parents, brothers, wife and wealth, official and ghost, descendants) and six beasts (Green Dragon, White Tiger, Red Bird, Black Tortoise, Dog (Qilin) and Teng Snake) with the day's zodiac signs, mainly relying on the flourishing of the five elements of the divining deity, combined with the hexagram lines' verses from the Book of Changes. The Six Trigrams is one of the most widely spread prediction methods among the people, and its variations include the Plum Blossom Divination Method and the interpretation method of Wen Wang's sixty-four hexagrams. It is much simpler than the authentic interpretation method of the Six Trigrams. |
