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BE LIABLE 28.\" FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR 29.\" CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF 30.\" SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR 31.\" BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, 32.\" WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE 33.\" OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN 34.\" IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. 35.\" 36.\" 37.\" Copyright (c) 1993 38.\" The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. 39.\" 40.\" Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without 41.\" modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions 42.\" are met: 43.\" 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright 44.\" notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer. 45.\" 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright 46.\" notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the 47.\" documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution. 48.\" 3. Neither the name of the University nor the names of its contributors 49.\" may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software 50.\" without specific prior written permission. 51.\" 52.\" THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE REGENTS AND CONTRIBUTORS ``AS IS'' AND 53.\" ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE 54.\" IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE 55.\" ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE REGENTS OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE 56.\" FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL 57.\" DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS 58.\" OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) 59.\" HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT 60.\" LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY 61.\" OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF 62.\" SUCH DAMAGE. 63.\" 64.\" 65.\" @(#)ching.6 8.1 (Berkeley) 5/31/93 66.\" 67.Dd February 20, 2021 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 77The 78.Em I Ching 79or 80.Em Book of Changes 81is an ancient Chinese oracle that has been in use for centuries 82as a source of wisdom and advice. 83.Pp 84The text of the 85.Em oracle 86(as it is sometimes known) consists of sixty-four 87.Em hexagrams , 88each symbolized by a particular arrangement of six straight (\-\-\-) 89and broken (\-\ \-) lines. These lines have values ranging 90from six through nine, with the even values indicating the broken lines. 91.Pp 92Each hexagram consists of two major sections. The 93.Sy Judgement 94relates specifically to the matter at hand 95.Po e.g. , 96.Dq \&It furthers one to have somewhere to go. 97.Pc 98while the 99.Sy Image 100describes the general attributes of the hexagram and how they apply 101to one's own life 102.Pq Dq Thus the superior man makes himself strong and untiring. 103.Pp 104When any of the lines have the values six or nine, they are moving 105lines; for each there is an appended judgement which becomes 106significant. 107Furthermore, the moving lines are inherently unstable 108and change into their opposites; a second hexagram (and thus an 109additional judgement) is formed. 110.Pp 111Normally, one consults the oracle by fixing the desired question 112firmly in mind and then casting a set of changes (lines) 113using yarrow\-stalks or tossed coins. The resulting hexagram 114will be the answer to the question. 115.Pp 116Using an algorithm suggested by S. C. Johnson, the 117.Ux 118.Em oracle 119simply reads a question from the standard input (up to an EOF) and 120hashes the individual characters in combination with the time of 121day, process id and any other magic numbers which happen to be 122lying around the system. 123The resulting value is used as the seed of a random 124number generator which drives a simulated coin\-toss divination. 125The answer is then piped through 126.Xr nroff 1 127or 128.Xr mandoc 1 129for formatting and will appear on the standard output. 130.Pp 131For those who wish to remain steadfast in the old traditions, the 132oracle will also accept the results of a personal divination using, 133for example, coins. 134To do this, cast the change and then type the 135resulting line values as an argument. 136.Pp 137The impatient modern may prefer to settle for Chinese cookies; try 138.Xr fortune 6 . 139.Sh DIAGNOSTICS 140The great prince issues commands, 141.Pp 142Founds states, vests families with fiefs. 143.Pp 144Inferior people should not be employed. 145.Sh SEE ALSO 146It furthers one to see the great man. 147.Sh BUGS 148Waiting in the mud 149.Pp 150Brings about the arrival of the enemy. 151.Pp 152If one is not extremely careful, 153.Pp 154Somebody may come up from behind and strike him. 155.Pp 156Misfortune. 157