I Ching: The Book of Changes

The I Ching is an ancient Chinese text of wisdom and divination. It is also known as the “Book of Changes.” Its purpose is to offer guidance and reflection through hexagrams, which are obtained by tossing coins. Each hexagram represents a situation and is associated with a ruling that can be read in the book.

On this page, Oratlas offers a convenient way to toss coins, obtain a hexagram, and read the resulting ruling. To do so, it uses an original translation of the influential German translation of the I Ching by the Sinologist Richard Wilhelm (1873-1930).

One way to consult the I Ching is to ask a clear, preferably open, question before tossing the coins. You can also consult the I Ching without asking any questions, simply seeking general guidance. To toss the virtual coins on this page, simply click the coin toss button six times. Once the hexagram is completed, a button will appear to read the ruling that hexagram leads to.

The virtual coins offered are shaped like traditional Chinese coins often used for the I Ching. The dark coin represents “yin” and the light coin represents “yang.”