How six casts of three coins build an I Ching hexagram

The six-line order

1. Top lineSixth cast
2. Line 5Fifth cast
3. Line 4Fourth cast
4. Line 3Third cast
5. Line 2Second cast
6. Bottom lineFirst cast

Bottom-to-top order matters. Reversing it creates a different hexagram, so the interface keeps the next open position visible while you record the coins.

The 6, 7, 8 and 9 coin values

Line & Choice uses one fixed face assignment: Heads counts as 2 and Tails counts as 3. Add the values of all three coins. The total determines both the line shape and whether that line is moving.

The order of the three coins within one toss does not matter. For example, Tails–Heads–Heads and Heads–Tails–Heads both make a 7.

Stable lines and moving lines

A 7 or 8 is stable: it keeps its original yang or yin form. A 6 or 9 is moving: a moving yin line can become yang, while a moving yang line can become yin when a changed hexagram is considered.

Line & Choice marks moving lines for transparency. In the current simplified product, they do not replace or reverse the primary fixed directional judgment. The changing-lines guide explains that product boundary in detail.

Physical coins or digital casting

Physical coins make the pause and the act of forming each line tangible. Use three similar coins, keep Heads as 2 and Tails as 3 for all six tosses, and enter each result before tossing again.

The digital option uses secure browser randomness to produce each group of three faces. It is a convenience, not a claim of greater accuracy. Both paths create the same six-line input and use the same deterministic rule engine.

A complete six-cast example

Suppose the six tosses below are recorded in this order. Cast 1 is the bottom line and Cast 6 is the top line. H means Heads; T means Tails.

The completed bottom-to-top record is yin, yang, yin, yang, yang, yin. Lines 1 and 4 are moving because their values are 6 and 9. The system locks this exact six-line input; it does not reorder the casts or ask AI to decide which lines move.

When the reading becomes fixed

Once all six lines are recorded and the cast is locked, AI cannot alter the throws, the hexagram, or the directional result. Personal context can change how the later explanation is phrased, but it does not create a second cast behind the scenes.

See the public method page for the role of fixed rules and retries. Read what changing lines mean for the visible moving-line boundary used in the current product.

A calm casting routine

• Read the final question once before the first toss.
• Keep the same coin-face assignment for all six casts.
• Record each cast before making the next one.
• Do not start over because an early line feels unwelcome.