Plum Blossom · One Cast
Two offhand numbers set this moment down as a hexagram.
One matter, two offhand numbers, one cast.
How this hexagram is derived
- The first number sets the upper trigram. Divide it by eight and take the remainder, mapped to Qian, Dui, Li, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Gen, Kun in the primal sequence; a remainder of zero counts as eight, which is Kun.
- The second number sets the lower trigram. Same division. The upper trigram sits outside, the lower inside; stacked together they form the primary hexagram.
- Both numbers plus the hour set the moving line. The traditional day runs on twelve double-hours; Zi is the first, Hai the twelfth. Add the two numbers to the hour's ordinal, divide by six, and the remainder names the moving line; zero counts as six.
- The moving line flips into the changed hexagram. Invert that one line from yang to yin or back, and the primary hexagram becomes the changed hexagram, used here as a reference for possible development.
- The middle four lines stack into the nuclear hexagram. Lines two to four form the lower trigram, three to five the upper. This is the middle passage of the matter, the part you tend to see last.
- Ti and Yong set the main line of the reading. The trigram holding the moving line is Yong, representing the matter; the still one is Ti, representing you. The five-element relation between them is what the cast has to say.
Everything above is fixed arithmetic with no AI in the loop. The hour is calculated in Hong Kong time, so the same numbers entered in the same double-hour always yield the same hexagram. You can check every remainder yourself against the steps shown under the cast.
Learn to read your cast
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mei Hua Yi Shu?
Mei Hua Yi Shu, also called Plum Blossom Divination or Plum Blossom Numerology, is an I Ching practice using numbers, time or observations. This site uses two numbers and the current Hong Kong double-hour, then reads the three hexagrams and the Ti-Yong five-element relation.
How do I pick the two numbers?
Hold one matter in mind and enter two numbers that occur to you. The first sets the upper trigram, the second the lower. Both numbers and the Hong Kong double-hour determine the moving line. No birth details are needed.
Does this tool use two numbers or three?
This tool uses two numbers plus the current Hong Kong double-hour, in UTC+8. Zi counts as one and Hai as twelve. Three-number and calendar-time methods use different inputs and can give different moving lines. This page offers only the two-number-plus-hour method.
What are Ti and Yong?
The trigram containing the moving line is Yong, representing the matter or its circumstances. The still trigram is Ti, representing the person asking. Their five-element relation supplies part of the traditional interpretation.
What are the nuclear and changed hexagrams?
The nuclear or mutual hexagram uses primary lines two to four for its lower trigram and three to five for its upper trigram. The changed hexagram flips the moving line. This site reads them as references for the process and possible development of the matter.
Who was Shao Yong?
Shao Yong (1011 to 1077) was a Northern Song scholar associated with I Ching cosmology. Mei Hua Yi Shu is traditionally attributed to him. The plum-blossom story describes a cast prompted by sparrows fighting over a branch and calculated from calendar values.
How is this different from coin casting?
Coin casting builds six lines and can produce several moving lines. This number method determines the trigrams by division and produces one moving line. Our reading focuses on trigram imagery and Ti-Yong relations; other Mei Hua approaches may also consult classical texts.
Can I cast again on the same question?
This site recommends one matter, one cast. Read the first cast before considering another. If new information changes the situation, record that change and ask about the specific point.
What is free, and what is paid?
Casting, the primary, nuclear and changed hexagrams, the Ti-Yong relation and every calculation step are free, with no sign-in. An optional $2.99 reading relates the cast to your question and includes a timing window for reflection. This is a one-time purchase, with no subscription. An eligible prepaid question pack can also cover it.