USAGE: I Ching 0.3 for Tcl/Tk
Copyright (c) 1997, 1998 T. Douglas Mast

This is a simple I Ching oracle program for Tcl/Tk.  It includes the text of 
the 64 hexagrams and a Tk-based GUI oracle interface (iching.tk).  The usual 
usage is to ask the oracle a question and then receive a response.  The 
oracle's responses are symbolic, containing many images that can be perceived 
as connected to the problem at hand.

The oracle results are obtained using a simulated coin method, with a random 
number generator seeded by the process id number.  The detailed process can
be followed by examining the routines in the source code "throwing.tcl".  
The simulated throw of three coins results in a numerical result between 6 and 
9, yielding a single divided (yin) or undivided (yang) line.   Rarer values 
(6 or 9) result in "old" or "moving" lines.  Notation is as follows:

   6  ---x---  old yin (divided, moving to yang)
   7  -------  young yang (undivided)
   8  --- ---  young yin (divided)
   9  ---o---  old yang (undivided, moving to yin) 

The combination of six lines yields a "primary hexagram," one of 64 (2^6) 
possible.  Each hexagram has an overall quality that can be inferred from its 
name, judgement, and the individual interpretations of the six lines.  Any 
moving lines (old yin or old yang) are given particular weight in 
interpretation of the oracle's answer.

An example illustrating this method of interpretation follows.  One has
asked the oracle a question, and the random number generator has initiated
a reading appropriate for that moment, using a random number generator
seed determined from the computer's internal clock at the instant the
"throw" button is pushed.  In this particular case, I asked the oracle 
about the prospects of this software project.  The result follows, in the 
form output by the text-based Tcl interface "iching.tcl".  The primary 
hexagram and secondary hexagram are shown along with the interpretations 
of the six lines from each.  These provide lots of images to contemplate, 
and (hopefully) insight into the question at hand.

Below are the hexagrams and texts obtained for this particular reading.  
Recall that the "old" lines (in this case, lines 3 and 6 of the primary 
hexagram) are the most important.  If we had used the graphical version
of the code (iching.tk), those lines would be colored red along with the
judgements of the primary and secondary hexagrams. 

Primary Hexagram:

   6  ---x---
   5  --- ---
   4  -------
   3  ---o---
   2  --- ---
   1  -------

55. FANG (Abundance)

Judgement

Fang intimates progress and development.  When a king has reached the 
point of abundance, there is no occasion to be anxious through fear of a 
change.  Let him be as the sun at noon.

Lines

1. The first line, undivided, shows its subject meeting with his mate.  
Though they are both of the same character, there will be no error.  
Advance will call forth approval.

2. The second line, divided, shows its subject surrounded by screens so 
large and thick that at midday he can see from them the constellation of 
the Bushel.  If he go and try to enlighten his ruler who is thus emblemed, 
he will make himself to be viewed with suspicion and dislike.  Let him 
cherish his feeling of sincere devotion that he may thereby move his 
ruler's mind, and there will be good fortune.

3. The third line, undivided, shows its subject with an additional screen 
of a large and thick banner, through which at midday he can see the small 
Mei star.  In the darkness he breaks his right arm; but there will be no 
error.

4. The fourth line, undivided, shows its subject in a tent so large and 
thick that at midday he can see from it the constellation of the Bushel.  
But he meets with the subject of the first line, undivided like himself.  
There will be good fortune.

5. The fifth line, divided, shows its subject bringing around him the men 
of brilliant ability.  There will be occasion for congratulations and 
praise.  There will be good fortune.

6. The topmost line, divided, shows its subject with his house made large, 
but only serving as a screen to his household.  When he looks at his door, 
it is still, and there is nobody about it.  For three years no one is to 
be seen.  There will be evil. 

Secondary Hexagram:

   6  -------
   5  --- ---
   4  -------
   3  --- ---
   2  --- ---
   1  -------

21. SHIH HO (Biting Through)

Judgement

Shih Ho indicates successful progress.  It will be advantageous to use 
legal constraints.

Lines

1. The first line, undivided, shows one with his feet in the stocks and 
deprived of his toes.  There will be no error.

2. The second line, divided, shows one biting through the soft flesh, and 
going on to bite off the nose.  There will be no error.

3. The third line, divided, shows one gnawing dried flesh, and meeting 
with what is disagreeable.  There will be occasion for some small regret, 
but no great error.

4. The fourth line, undivided, shows one gnawing the flesh dried on the 
bone, and getting the pledges of money and arrows.  It will be 
advantageous to him to realize the difficulty of his task and be firm, in 
which case there will be good fortune.

5. The fifth line, divided, shows one gnawing at dried flesh, and finding 
the yellow gold.  Let him be firm and correct, realizing the peril of his 
position.  There will be no error. 

6. The sixth line, undivided, shows one wearing the cangue, and deprived 
of his ears.  There will be evil.

Interpretation:

The primary result is hexagram 55 (Fang), whose judgement seems to 
show an overall positive omen by the images of abundance and the sun at 
noon.  However, the moving lines (6 and 3) temper this result with the
negative aspects of the overall image.  In line 3, the celestial bodies
are darkened by a screen, causing the subject to break his arm.  In line
6, abundance (the house made large) has caused the subject to be alone, 
and "there will be evil."

The secondary result is obtained by the moving lines changing to their
opposites:  line 6 changes to yang (undivided) while line 3 changes to
yin (divided).  The result is hexagram 21 (Shih Ho), with the overall 
image of biting through.  This may suggest that some of the problems
evident in the primary hexagram could be overcome by breaking through
the screens that block the sun, or the walls and door mentioned in the 
sixth line.  How does this reflect on my question regarding this software
package?  Cultivation of awareness of the situation and its problems
seems to be key. Isolation from the outside world appears to be a potential
danger to be avoided.  "Legal constraints" (such as the Gnu General Public 
License, perhaps) also come into play.   

I am not a sinologist, psychologist, or mystic, so these interpretations
are not necessarily better than any you may make yourself.  In the opinion
of many modern interpreters, much of the value of the images presented 
by the I Ching comes from free association done by an individual in response 
to a reading: this process may bring out subconscious wisdom of which one
was previously unaware.  It is my strong opinion that only you can properly 
interpret your own reading!

Readings can be greatly aided by looking up the results in one of the many
I Ching translations available, such as those listed below under "Further
Reading."  Legge's translation, like others, contains copious commentary 
on each hexagram and line.  Referral to alternate translations is also 
very valuable, since any individual translator may have insights which 
others did not. 

I'll conclude with a note on the hexagram texts included with this 
distribution.  The hexagram texts are paraphrased from the 1899 English 
translation by James Legge.  The paraphrasing process involved removing 
lots of Legge's strange punctuation and parentheses, and updating some
archaic spelling and word usage.  I tried to avoid any changes in meaning.
Any errors are my own fault: if you find any, please let me know so I can
correct them in future revisions.

Legge's translation is, to the best of my knowledge, in the public domain.  
(By contrast, many computer-based I Ching programs, including the venerable 
Unix program "ching", are based on the German translation by Richard Wilhelm,
further translated into English by Cary F. Baynes.  The Wilhelm/Baynes 
translation is copyright 1950 by the Bollingen Foundation, and the copyright
was renewed in 1977 by the present publisher, Princeton University Press.) 
Legge's translation is available in facsimile reproductions from Dover, 
Gramercy, and possibly other publishers.  My edited version of Legge's 
translation is not in the public domain, but is copyright under the Gnu 
General Public License.  Essentially, this means that the text may be freely 
copied, distributed, and reused on a not-for-profit basis, as long as due 
credit is given and the license terms are maintained.  See the 
files README and COPYING for more details.

Further Reading:

Cleary, Thomas, "The I Ching: The Book of Change," Shambhala Publications, 
1992.

Legge, James, "The I Ching: The Book of Changes," Dover Publications, 1963.
(Republication of "The Sacred Books of the East," Vol. XVI, Clarendon Press,
1899).

Wilhelm, Richard (English translation by Cary F. Baynes), "The I Ching or
Book of Changes," Bollingen Series XIX, Princeton University Press, 1967
(24th printing 1990).

Have fun!

Doug Mast
mast@sabine.acs.psu.edu
http://www.personal.psu.edu/tdm104/iching.html
