I Ching Coin Method vs Yarrow Stalk Method: Which to Use

People ask me all the time which casting method to use: coins or yarrow stalks. The honest answer is that both work well, but they suit different temperaments and situations. I use both, and I will explain why in this guide.

If you are coming from my guide to casting an I Ching reading, or the parent article comparing I Ching and QMDJ, you are exploring which method fits your practice. This article breaks down the coin and yarrow stalk methods side by side so you can choose with confidence.

The Coin Method: Fast and Portable

The three-coin method is the most widely used casting technique today, and for good reason. You need three coins and a flat surface. Toss them six times, record the lines, and you have your hexagram. The whole process takes about two minutes.

The coins produce lines based on the combination of heads and tails. Three heads gives a moving old yang line, changing from solid to broken. Three tails gives a moving old yin line, changing from broken to solid. Two heads and one tail gives a young yang line, while two tails and one head gives a young yin line. The deep dive on the three-coin method covers the exact mechanics if you need them.

What I love about coins is their immediacy. You can carry three coins in your pocket wherever you go. The question forms, you cast, and the answer arrives in the same breath. For urgent questions, for travel, for daily practice, coins are hard to beat in their convenience.

The coins give you the hexagram without ceremony. For some questions, that directness is exactly what you need.

The Yarrow Stalk Method: Slow and Contemplative

The yarrow stalk method (蓍草) is the oldest known casting technique, predating the coin method by centuries. It uses 50 yarrow stalks (or substitutes like bamboo skewers or wooden sticks) and involves dividing and counting them through a sequence of operations that takes about 15 to 20 minutes to complete.

The process works like this. You start with 50 stalks, remove one and set it aside, then divide the remaining 49 into two piles. Take one stalk from the right pile and hold it between your little finger and ring finger of your left hand. Then count off the left pile in groups of four until four or fewer remain, and hold those between your fingers. Do the same with the right pile. The stalks between your fingers give you the first of three counts that determine a single line. Repeat the entire procedure three times to generate one line, and six times total for the full hexagram. If that sounds complex, that is because it is. The step-by-step guide to the yarrow stalk method walks through every step with diagrams.

The mathematical probabilities of the yarrow method are slightly different from the coins. The chance of getting a moving line is lower with yarrow stalks (roughly 1 in 16 for each line) compared to coins (1 in 8 for each line). This means yarrow readings tend to have fewer changing lines, which produces more stable, less volatile hexagrams.

Head to Head: Coins vs Stalks

When to Use Which Method

My rule of thumb is simple. For daily or weekly practice, for urgent questions, for travel, I use coins. For questions that carry deep weight, where I want the process itself to be a meditation, I use yarrow stalks. The question determines the tool.

When a question is genuinely complex and the answer matters deeply, the 20-minute yarrow process forces me to sit with the question longer before the hexagram arrives. That extended holding period often changes the question itself. By the time the sixth line forms, I have already thought about the situation more deeply than I would have with a quick coin toss. Sometimes the hexagram matters less than the thinking that the long process triggers.

Then again, for a question like, “Should I take this meeting tomorrow?” the coin method gives me the answer I need without overdue ceremony. Speed is a virtue when the question is straightforward and you already know the context.

I recall a period when I was deciding whether to accept a speaking invitation overseas. The question felt heavy, so I went to the yarrow stalks rather than coins. The 20-minute casting process gave me time to sit with the question and actually feel into my reservations. By the time Hexagram 39 (Obstruction) appeared, I had already sensed the answer. The hexagram confirmed what the casting process itself had surfaced: the timing was not right, and the obstruction was internal, not external.

The Probability Difference Matters More Than You Think

The mathematical difference between the two methods is not trivial. With coins, each line has a 12.5% chance of being a moving line that changes into its opposite. With yarrow stalks, that probability drops to about 6.25%. Over six lines, this means coin castings produce an average of 0.75 changing lines, while yarrow produces about 0.38.

In practical terms, coin readings tend to be more dynamic, with at least one or two moving lines that transform the hexagram into something else. Yarrow readings tend to be more static, giving you a single hexagram without transition. Neither is better, but they answer differently. Coins tell you what is changing. Yarrow tells you what is.

This matters because beginners often find moving lines confusing. A hexagram with three changing lines produces a primary hexagram, a relating hexagram, and three line statements to interpret. That is a lot of material to synthesize, and it can overwhelm someone still learning the basic 64 hexagrams. The yarrow method reduces this complexity by producing fewer changing lines, which is why some teachers recommend yarrow for beginners despite its procedural complexity.

For a deeper look at how changing lines work, see my guide on reading changing lines. If you want to explore how the I Ching compares to other divination systems, the I Ching pillar page covers the full landscape.

Ritual and State of Mind

Beyond the mechanics, the two methods create different mental states. The coin method is quick and decisive. You cast and immediately see the result. There is no time to second-guess the question or drift into overthinking. The yarrow method, by contrast, is a slow dance with the question. Each division of the stalks is a moment to reconnect with why you are asking. By the fourth or fifth line, you are settled into a different state of mind than when you started.

Neither state is superior. They serve different needs. When you need clarity fast, coins cut through. When you need to sit with ambiguity and let it resolve naturally, yarrow gives you the time.

The History Behind the Methods

The yarrow stalk method appears in the Xi Ci (Great Treatise), one of the Ten Wings commentaries traditionally attributed to Confucius. This places it firmly in the Zhou dynasty context, roughly 1,000 BCE or earlier. Yarrow (Artemisia) was considered a sacred plant in ancient China, used in medicine and divination alike.

The coin method is much newer, probably Tang dynasty (618-907 CE) or possibly Han (206 BCE-220 CE). As coins became more accessible and casting became more widespread, the faster method naturally gained popularity. By the Song dynasty, the coin method was the standard for most practitioners, though scholars and traditionalists continued to prefer yarrow for formal readings.

Neither method produces “better” hexagrams. The I Ching is a system of probabilities and pattern recognition, and the oracle works through whatever random process you choose. The choice is about what the casting process does to the caster, not about what it does to the hexagram.

FAQ: Coin vs Yarrow Stalk Methods

Do the two methods ever produce different hexagrams for the same question?

Yes, they can and do. Each casting is a fresh event, and the randomness of the methods means the same question asked through two different castings will generally produce different hexagrams. This is not a flaw; it reflects the I Ching’s view that the moment of casting is part of the answer.

Can I switch between methods depending on the question?

Absolutely. Many experienced practitioners do exactly this. Coins for everyday questions, yarrow for the big ones. The method is a tool, and like any tool, you choose the one that fits the job. The I Ching does not care which method you use, as long as you approach the casting with sincerity.

Is one method more “traditional” than the other?

The yarrow stalk method is older, dating back to the Zhou dynasty, while the coin method emerged later. Some traditionalists prefer yarrow for this reason. From a practical standpoint, the oracle works through both, and the historical preference for yarrow has more to do with cultural reverence than superior accuracy.

Does the lower rate of moving lines in yarrow make it less informative?

Not necessarily. Moving lines add information about transitions, but they also add interpretive complexity. A yarrow reading with no moving lines gives you a single, clean hexagram to work with, which can be deeply informative. The pattern is what it is, without changes pulling your attention toward what it might become.

What if I only have coins right now but want the yarrow experience?

Some practitioners use a modified coin method that approximates yarrow probabilities by adding a fourth coin throw and applying a different counting rule. The simplest approach is to accept that coins give you more moving lines and learn to work with them. Over time, you develop skill in interpreting the dynamics of change that coins produce. Then, when you acquire yarrow stalks or substitutes, add that method to your toolkit.