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Annotation of researchv10dc/man/manx/ching.6, revision 1.1.1.1

1.1       root        1: .TH CHING 6 sola
                      2: .CT 1 games
                      3: .SH NAME
                      4: ching \- the book of changes
                      5: .SH SYNOPSIS
                      6: .B /usr/games/ching
                      7: [
                      8: .I hexagram
                      9: ]
                     10: .SH DESCRIPTION
                     11: The
                     12: .I "I Ching"
                     13: or
                     14: .I "Book of Changes"
                     15: is an ancient Chinese oracle
                     16: that has been in use for
                     17: centuries
                     18: as a source of wisdom
                     19: and advice.
                     20: .PP
                     21: The text of the
                     22: .I oracle
                     23: (as it is sometimes known)
                     24: consists of sixty-four
                     25: .I hexagrams,
                     26: each symbolized
                     27: by a particular
                     28: arrangement of
                     29: six straight
                     30: .B ---
                     31: and broken
                     32: .B -\ -
                     33: lines.
                     34: These lines
                     35: have values ranging
                     36: from six through nine,
                     37: with the even
                     38: values indicating
                     39: the broken lines.
                     40: .PP
                     41: Each hexagram
                     42: consists of two major sections.
                     43: The `Judgement' relates specifically
                     44: to the matter at hand
                     45: (E.g.,
                     46: `It furthers one to have somewhere to go.')
                     47: while the
                     48: `Image' describes the general attributes
                     49: of the hexagram and how they apply
                     50: to one's own life
                     51: (`Thus the superior man
                     52: makes himself strong and untiring.').
                     53: .PP
                     54: When any of the lines
                     55: have the values six or nine,
                     56: they are moving lines;
                     57: for each there is an appended
                     58: judgement which
                     59: becomes significant.
                     60: Furthermore, the moving lines
                     61: are inherently unstable and
                     62: change into their opposites;
                     63: a second hexagram
                     64: (and thus an additional judgement)
                     65: is formed.
                     66: .PP
                     67: Normally, one consults the oracle
                     68: by fixing the desired question
                     69: firmly in mind
                     70: and then casting a set of changes
                     71: (lines) using yarrow-stalks
                     72: or tossed coins.
                     73: The resulting hexagram will be the answer
                     74: to the question.
                     75: .PP
                     76: Using an algorithm
                     77: suggested by S. C. Johnson,
                     78: the Unix
                     79: oracle simply reads a question
                     80: from the standard input
                     81: (up to an EOF)
                     82: and hashes the individual characters
                     83: in combination with other indicia
                     84: which happen to be lying
                     85: around the system.
                     86: The resulting value
                     87: is used as the seed
                     88: of a random number generator
                     89: which drives a simulated
                     90: coin-toss divination.
                     91: The answer appears on the
                     92: standard output.
                     93: .PP
                     94: For those who wish
                     95: to remain steadfast
                     96: in the old traditions,
                     97: the oracle will also accept
                     98: the results of a personal
                     99: divination using,
                    100: for example, coins.
                    101: To do this,
                    102: cast the change
                    103: and then type the
                    104: resulting line values
                    105: as an argument.
                    106: .PP
                    107: The impatient modern may prefer to settle for
                    108: Chinese cookies; try
                    109: .IR fortune (1).
                    110: .SH "SEE ALSO"
                    111: It furthers one to see the great man.
                    112: .SH DIAGNOSTICS
                    113: The great prince issues commands,
                    114: .br
                    115: Founds states, vests families with fiefs.
                    116: .br
                    117: Inferior people should not be employed.
                    118: .SH BUGS
                    119: Waiting in the mud
                    120: .br
                    121: Brings about the arrival of the enemy.
                    122: .PP
                    123: If one is not extremely careful,
                    124: .br
                    125: Somebody may come up from behind and strike him.
                    126: .br
                    127: Misfortune.

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