ching/ching/ching.6

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  65 .\"     @(#)ching.6     8.1 (Berkeley) 5/31/93
  66 .\"
  67 .Dd May 31, 1993
  68 .Dt CHING 6
  69 .Os
  70 .Sh NAME
  71 .Nm ching
  72 .Nd the book of changes and other cookies
  73 .Sh SYNOPSIS
  74 .Nm
  75 .Op hexagram
  76 .Sh DESCRIPTION
  77 The
  78 .Em I Ching
  79 or
  80 .Em Book of Changes
  81 is an ancient Chinese oracle that has been in use for centuries
  82 as a source of wisdom and advice.
  83 .Pp
  84 The text of the
  85 .Em oracle
  86 (as it is sometimes known) consists of sixty-four
  87 .Em hexagrams,
  88 each symbolized by a particular arrangement of six straight (\-\-\-)
  89 and broken (\-\ \-) lines.  These lines have values ranging
  90 from six through nine, with the even values indicating the broken lines.
  91 .Pp
  92 Each hexagram consists of two major sections.  The
  93 .Sy Judgement
  94 relates specifically to the matter at hand
  95 .Po e.g.,
  96 .Dq "It furthers one to have somewhere to go."
  97 .Pc
  98 while the
  99 .Sy Image
 100 describes the general attributes of the hexagram and how they apply
 101 to one's own life
 102 .Po Do Thus the superior man makes
 103 .No himself strong
 104 .No and untiring. Dc Pc
 105 When any of the lines have the values six or nine, they are moving
 106 lines; for each there is an appended judgement which becomes
 107 significant.  Furthermore, the moving lines are inherently unstable
 108 and change into their opposites; a second hexagram (and thus an
 109 additional judgement) is formed.
 110 .Pp
 111 Normally, one consults the oracle by fixing the desired question
 112 firmly in mind and then casting a set of changes (lines)
 113 using yarrow\-stalks or tossed coins.  The resulting hexagram
 114 will be the answer to the question.
 115 .Pp
 116 Using an algorithm suggested by S. C. Johnson, the
 117 .Ux
 118 .Em oracle
 119 simply reads a question from the standard input (up to an EOF) and
 120 hashes the individual characters in combination with the time of day,
 121 process id and any other magic numbers which happen to be lying around
 122 the system.  The resulting value is used as the seed of a random
 123 number generator which drives a simulated coin\-toss divination.  The
 124 answer is then piped through
 125 .Xr nroff 1
 126 for formatting and will appear on the standard output.
 127 .Pp
 128 For those who wish to remain steadfast in the old traditions, the
 129 oracle will also accept the results of a personal divination using,
 130 for example, coins.  To do this, cast the change and then type the
 131 resulting line values as an argument.
 132 .Pp
 133 The impatient modern may prefer to settle for Chinese cookies; try
 134 .Xr fortune 6 .
 135 .Sh SEE ALSO
 136 It furthers one to see the great man.
 137 .Sh DIAGNOSTICS
 138 The great prince issues commands,
 139 .br
 140 Founds states, vests families with fiefs.
 141 .br
 142 Inferior people should not be employed.
 143 .Sh BUGS
 144 Waiting in the mud
 145 .br
 146 Brings about the arrival of the enemy.
 147 .br
 148 If one is not extremely careful,
 149 .br
 150 Somebody may come up from behind and strike him.
 151 .br
 152 Misfortune.