{"version":1,"scope":"full","truncated":false,"id":"editorial-learn-iching-cast-scope-record","url":"https://wenbu.app/en/learn/iching-cast-scope/","locale":"en","revision":"c3db99faae07cb9d7bf5ac66f76ba50b6c12e97973d606fb5ddcf68f59877b53","updated":"2026-11-02T13:04:36.341Z","content":"# Narrow the question before casting: one hexagram, one scope\n\nUse a scope-narrowing worksheet to split a broad worry into sub-questions, choose one, rewrite it as a question a cast can address, state what the cast will not answer, and record the six line values with the moving lines so a later reading is not stretched to cover everything.\n\nUpdated: 2026-11-02 · Wenbu AI-assisted editorial\n\nOne six-line cast serves one clearly scoped question. Start by copying the broad worry word for word, then list the sub-questions it hides and choose just one. Add an observable fact and a real constraint, then rewrite the sub-question as something a cast can address, such as \"in the next two weeks, should I first raise the boundary on late-changing requests with the project lead?\" Finally, write down what this cast will not answer. After casting, keep the original wording, the six bottom-to-top values (6, 7, 8 or 9), the moving-line positions, and both the original and resulting hexagrams in one place. If a new sub-question appears later, keep the old record intact and cast again rather than stretching the old reading. Narrowing gives the interpretation a definite object; it does not guarantee a correct conclusion, and the imagery remains a prompt for reflection that real-world facts still have to test.\n\n[Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md) · [Wenbu · asking a better question](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/ask-a-better-question.md) · [Wenbu · calculation conventions](https://wenbu.app/methodology/)\n\n- One cast answers one scoped question; a broad worry must first be split into sub-questions and one chosen.\n\n- The last narrowing step is rewriting the sub-question as something a cast can address, not a request for someone else to draft or decide.\n\n- A usable record holds the original question, six bottom-to-top values, moving-line positions, and both hexagrams.\n\n- When a new question appears, keep the old record and cast again instead of stretching the old reading.\n\n## From a broad worry to one recordable cast\n\n1. **Keep the original wording** — Copy the broad worry exactly as it came, as a comparison point, without editing it yet.\n\n2. **Split out sub-questions** — List the three to five hidden sub-questions so you can see how many things the worry is really asking.\n\n3. **Choose one and add facts** — Circle one sub-question and add an observable fact, a real constraint and a concrete result.\n\n4. **Rewrite it as a castable question** — Turn it into a should-I or which-first question with a time frame and a named counterpart, not a request to draft or decide for you.\n\n5. **State what will not be answered** — List the unchosen sub-questions as exclusions to define this cast's scope.\n\n6. **Cast and record** — Use the three-coin method for six bottom-to-top values, then record moving lines and both hexagrams beside the question.\n\nThis flow shows the decision order for narrowing: keep the original wording, split out sub-questions and choose one, add facts and limits, rewrite the sub-question as something a cast can address, state what will not be answered, then cast and record the six values with the moving lines. If a second question creeps in at any step, return to step two and split again.\n\n[Wenbu · asking a better question](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/ask-a-better-question.md) · [Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md)\n\n## Why one hexagram should answer one scope\n\nA six-line cast produces a structure: six values read from the bottom up, some moving lines, an original hexagram and a resulting one. That structure can carry one specific inquiry, not a whole life. Ask \"what should I do about my career and my relationship\" and any interpretation will almost certainly stitch the two domains together, applying the same image first to work and then to a relationship, until neither has actually been tested.\n\nAn over-broad question has a quieter cost: you cannot tell whether the reading addressed it. With a defined scope you can ask, \"did this respond to the constraint I named?\" With a vague one, almost any sentence can be read as relevant. Narrowing is therefore not decoration; it leaves an anchor for later reading. Be honest about the limit: even a narrow question yields imagery that prompts reflection, and traditional meanings, AI inference and your own account of events should be kept apart.\n\n[Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md) · [Wenbu · calculation conventions](https://wenbu.app/methodology/)\n\n## A four-step scope-narrowing worksheet\n\nFirst, copy the broad worry exactly as it came, without editing, as a comparison point. Second, list the sub-questions hidden inside it, usually three to five, such as \"should I change roles,\" \"should I raise the boundary first,\" or \"should I wait a quarter.\" Third, circle only one sub-question and add three things to it: an observable fact, a real constraint (time, budget, missing information), and the concrete result you want. Fourth, write one sentence stating what this cast will not answer, explicitly excluding the sub-questions you did not choose.\n\nThe order matters. Keep the original wording first, split second, add facts and limits third, and only then write the exclusions. Starting with exclusions can delete the part you actually care about. When adding facts, label motive judgments such as \"they do not value me\" as inference, and keep \"twice this week a request changed late and I stayed late both times\" as observation. A question written this way gives the interpretation something specific to answer.\n\n[Wenbu · asking a better question](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/ask-a-better-question.md) · [Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md)\n\n## Rewriting the sub-question into something a cast can address\n\nThe step most likely to go wrong is turning the sub-question into a request for someone else's work, such as \"help me draft three sentences to raise the boundary.\" That asks for a deliverable, and a hexagram does not answer it directly, so the cast has nothing to be checked against. A better form turns the same situation into a question about position and choice: \"In the next two weeks, should I first raise the boundary on late-changing requests with the project lead?\" It keeps a time frame, a named counterpart and one concrete matter, giving the imagery somewhere to land.\n\nThree checks help. Does the sentence name a time frame or stage? Does it name a specific person or action? Is it a \"should I, which first, what happens if\" question rather than \"write this, calculate this, decide this for me\"? If two subjects are still packed into one sentence, it is not narrowed yet; return to step two and split again. Rewriting changes only the form of the question, not the facts, so that one six-line cast has a clear job.\n\n[Wenbu · asking a better question](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/ask-a-better-question.md) · [Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md)\n\n## Recording it: six values plus the moving lines\n\nThe core of the record is six numbers, not a diagram of solid and broken lines alone. In the three-coin method each line takes a value of 6, 7, 8 or 9, placed from the bottom up; 6 and 9 are moving lines that flip to build the resulting hexagram. Copying only the yin and yang shapes loses which lines move, and with them the resulting figure. A complete record therefore shows the original question, the method (three coins or manual entry), the six values in bottom-to-top order, the moving positions, and the names and numbers of both hexagrams.\n\nRemember too that a random cast cannot be reproduced by asking again. Repeating the question produces a new random result that may coincidentally match or differ entirely; that is the random process, not the hexagram changing. The record preserves what actually happened this time. If you enter six physical coin values manually, write the numbers and their order clearly, because an unlabeled screenshot cannot distinguish 6 from 8 or 7 from 9.\n\n[Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md) · [Wenbu · calculation conventions](https://wenbu.app/methodology/)\n\n## What to do when a follow-up question appears\n\nThe most common misuse is a new sub-question surfacing days later and the old hexagram being reinterpreted to claim it was \"really about that too.\" The rule is simple: leave the old record as it stands, cast again for the new question, and note the relationship in the new record, for example \"follows up the earlier question about changing roles; this time only about communication during probation.\" Each record then keeps its own boundary and they do not contaminate each other on review.\n\nThe other case is an interpretation that drifts. Do not rush to cast again; return to the record and check whether the reading went beyond the scope you wrote, treated inference as fact, or used background you never supplied. If a genuinely new inquiry is needed, run the four-step worksheet again. Narrowing and recording cannot guarantee a correct conclusion; they ensure you know what you asked and how far this cast was allowed to answer.\n\n[Wenbu · asking a better question](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/ask-a-better-question.md) · [Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md) · [Wenbu · calculation conventions](https://wenbu.app/methodology/)\n\n## Broad questions versus narrowed casting questions\n\n| Dimension | Broad original question | Narrowed casting question | Record note |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Scope | What should I do about my career and my relationship? | In the next three months, should I first raise the boundary on late-changing requests with the project lead? | Covers one sub-question; excludes the relationship and whether to resign |\n| Fact | Everything feels wrong. | Three late requests in two weeks; I stayed late each time. | Observable events only; motives marked as inference |\n| Constraint | None stated. | Friday delivery cannot slip; two hours a week for conversation. | Time and budget written into the question |\n| Question form | I want an answer. | A should-I or which-first question with a time frame and a named counterpart. | Not a request to draft, calculate or decide for you |\n| Not answered | Undefined. | Does not answer whether to change jobs, nor judge colleagues' motives. | Explicit exclusions prevent later stretching |\n| Record | One sentence only. | Original question + six values + moving positions + both hexagrams. | Missing one item makes review hard |\n| Follow-up after the cast | None. | Separate note: help me draft three sentences to confirm which requests must finish today. | This is preparation for action, not the casting question |\n\n[Wenbu · asking a better question](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/ask-a-better-question.md) · [Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md) · [Wenbu · calculation conventions](https://wenbu.app/methodology/)\n\n## Hypothetical example: narrowing \"should I quit?\" into one recordable cast\n\nThe following is a hypothetical practice situation. It does not describe a real person and is not a computed chart or cast for anyone. Suppose a reader wants to cast about work, starting from \"should I quit my job?\" — a sentence that hides several sub-questions.\n\n1. Keep it verbatim: \"Should I quit my job?\" stays at the top, unchanged, as a comparison point.\n\n2. Split out sub-questions: (a) should I first talk to my manager about late-changing requests; (b) should I start sending applications; (c) should I wait until the quarterly bonus is paid; (d) am I simply unsuited to this field.\n\n3. Choose one: (a), because it can be acted on this week and its result observed.\n\n4. Add facts and limits: the fact is \"three late requests in two weeks, and I stayed late each time\"; the limit is \"Friday delivery cannot slip, and I have two hours a week for conversation.\"\n\n5. Rewrite it as the casting question: \"In the next two weeks, should I first raise the boundary on late-changing requests with the project lead?\" It names a time frame, a counterpart and one concrete matter, so a cast can address it.\n\n6. State what will not be answered: this cast does not decide whether to resign, does not judge the manager's motives, and does not assess the industry.\n\n7. Cast and record: suppose the three-coin method gives 6, 7, 8, 9, 7, 8 from the bottom up, with moving lines at positions one and four, the original hexagram Kun 困 (47) and the resulting Jie 节 (60). Write the question, method, six values, moving positions and both names on one sheet. After the cast, if needed, add a separate follow-up task: \"help me draft three sentences to confirm which requests must finish today.\"\n\nA week later, review whether you used those three sentences and how the other person responded, not whether the hexagram was \"accurate.\" If you later want to ask about sending applications, that is a second scope: keep this record and cast again rather than stretching the reading of Kun and Jie to cover a job search.\n\n[Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md) · [Wenbu · asking a better question](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/ask-a-better-question.md) · [Wenbu · calculation conventions](https://wenbu.app/methodology/)\n\n## FAQ\n\n### Can one question cover both work and a relationship?\n\nIt is not advisable. One six-line cast corresponds to one scope; asking about two domains lets the interpretation stitch them together, and you cannot tell whether it addressed your specific constraint. Split them into two sub-questions, cast for one, and leave the other for a separate session.\n\n[Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md) · [Wenbu · asking a better question](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/ask-a-better-question.md)\n\n### The question changed after casting — can I keep reading the old hexagram?\n\nDo not stretch the old hexagram to cover a new question. Keep the old record intact, including the original wording, six values and moving lines; cast again for the new question and note how it relates to the old one. Each record then keeps its own boundary.\n\n[Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md) · [Wenbu · asking a better question](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/ask-a-better-question.md)\n\n### Will casting again on the same question give the same result?\n\nNot on demand. Online casting draws randomly, so repeating the question yields a new random result that may coincidentally match or differ. What can be reproduced is the record: method, six values, moving positions and the original result, not the same hexagram.\n\n[Wenbu · calculation conventions](https://wenbu.app/methodology/) · [Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md)\n\n### Does narrowing the question make the reading more accurate?\n\nThat cannot be promised. Narrowing clarifies what the reading is about, so you can judge whether it responded to the constraint you wrote; it does not guarantee a correct conclusion, and the themes are reflection prompts. Check important matters against real information, and talk or verify directly when needed.\n\n[Wenbu · asking a better question](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/ask-a-better-question.md) · [Wenbu · calculation conventions](https://wenbu.app/methodology/)\n\n## Glossary\n\n- **Scope**: The one sub-question this cast is allowed to answer, plus the exclusions you wrote; anything outside it is not part of this reading. [Wenbu · asking a better question](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/ask-a-better-question.md) · [Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md)\n\n- **Casting question**: A should-I or which-first question with a time frame and a named counterpart that a hexagram can address, as distinct from a request to draft, calculate or decide for you. [Wenbu · asking a better question](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/ask-a-better-question.md) · [Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md)\n\n- **Moving line**: A line valued 6 or 9 in the three-coin method, flipped to build the resulting hexagram; its position must be recorded or the figure cannot be rebuilt. [Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md)\n\n- **Resulting hexagram**: The figure after every moving line flips, also called the relating hexagram; together with the original it forms the full structure of one cast. [Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md)\n\n- **Observable fact**: An event you witnessed or have a record of, kept with its time and scope, such as two late-changing requests; written separately from inferences about motives. [Wenbu · asking a better question](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/ask-a-better-question.md)\n\n## Evidence notes\n\n- One toss of three coins yields one line; six tosses build the figure bottom to top, 6 and 9 change, and all six numbers should be kept so another reader can reconstruct both hexagrams. — “Keep all six numbers so another reader can reconstruct both hexagrams.” (fact); [Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md)\n\n- Turning a vague worry into a workable question means separating observable events from assumptions about motives and including one real constraint. — “Describe observable events and label assumptions about motives separately.” (editorial); [Wenbu · asking a better question](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/ask-a-better-question.md)\n\n- Wenbu's online casting simulates three fair coins with cryptographic randomness, accepts manual entry of six values, and keeps the original result. — “保留六个原始数字” (fact); [Wenbu · calculation conventions](https://wenbu.app/methodology/)\n\n## Sources\n\n- [Wenbu · three-coin method](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md) — Existing editorial and worked calculation; fetched 2026-11-02T13:00:36.999Z; complete response\n\n- [Wenbu · asking a better question](https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/ask-a-better-question.md) — Existing editorial practice; fetched 2026-11-02T13:00:37.014Z; excerpt\n\n- [Wenbu · calculation conventions](https://wenbu.app/methodology/) — First-party implementation; not evidence of predictive accuracy; fetched 2026-11-02T13:00:36.982Z; complete response\n\n[Write your question and cast one hexagram](https://wenbu.app/en/iching/)","edition":{"title":"Narrow the question before casting: one hexagram, one scope","description":"Use a scope-narrowing worksheet to split a broad worry into sub-questions, choose one, rewrite it as a question a cast can address, state what the cast will not answer, and record the six line values with the moving lines so a later reading is not stretched to cover everything.","answer":"One six-line cast serves one clearly scoped question. Start by copying the broad worry word for word, then list the sub-questions it hides and choose just one. Add an observable fact and a real constraint, then rewrite the sub-question as something a cast can address, such as \"in the next two weeks, should I first raise the boundary on late-changing requests with the project lead?\" Finally, write down what this cast will not answer. After casting, keep the original wording, the six bottom-to-top values (6, 7, 8 or 9), the moving-line positions, and both the original and resulting hexagrams in one place. If a new sub-question appears later, keep the old record intact and cast again rather than stretching the old reading. Narrowing gives the interpretation a definite object; it does not guarantee a correct conclusion, and the imagery remains a prompt for reflection that real-world facts still have to test.","answerSourceIds":["iching","questions","methods"],"evidence":[{"claim":"One toss of three coins yields one line; six tosses build the figure bottom to top, 6 and 9 change, and all six numbers should be kept so another reader can reconstruct both hexagrams.","sourceId":"iching","quote":"Keep all six numbers so another reader can reconstruct both hexagrams.","kind":"fact"},{"claim":"Turning a vague worry into a workable question means separating observable events from assumptions about motives and including one real constraint.","sourceId":"questions","quote":"Describe observable events and label assumptions about motives separately.","kind":"editorial"},{"claim":"Wenbu's online casting simulates three fair coins with cryptographic randomness, accepts manual entry of six values, and keeps the original result.","sourceId":"methods","quote":"保留六个原始数字","kind":"fact"}],"takeaways":["One cast answers one scoped question; a broad worry must first be split into sub-questions and one chosen.","The last narrowing step is rewriting the sub-question as something a cast can address, not a request for someone else to draft or decide.","A usable record holds the original question, six bottom-to-top values, moving-line positions, and both hexagrams.","When a new question appears, keep the old record and cast again instead of stretching the old reading."],"sections":[{"heading":"Why one hexagram should answer one scope","paragraphs":["A six-line cast produces a structure: six values read from the bottom up, some moving lines, an original hexagram and a resulting one. That structure can carry one specific inquiry, not a whole life. Ask \"what should I do about my career and my relationship\" and any interpretation will almost certainly stitch the two domains together, applying the same image first to work and then to a relationship, until neither has actually been tested.","An over-broad question has a quieter cost: you cannot tell whether the reading addressed it. With a defined scope you can ask, \"did this respond to the constraint I named?\" With a vague one, almost any sentence can be read as relevant. Narrowing is therefore not decoration; it leaves an anchor for later reading. Be honest about the limit: even a narrow question yields imagery that prompts reflection, and traditional meanings, AI inference and your own account of events should be kept apart."],"sourceIds":["iching","methods"]},{"heading":"A four-step scope-narrowing worksheet","paragraphs":["First, copy the broad worry exactly as it came, without editing, as a comparison point. Second, list the sub-questions hidden inside it, usually three to five, such as \"should I change roles,\" \"should I raise the boundary first,\" or \"should I wait a quarter.\" Third, circle only one sub-question and add three things to it: an observable fact, a real constraint (time, budget, missing information), and the concrete result you want. Fourth, write one sentence stating what this cast will not answer, explicitly excluding the sub-questions you did not choose.","The order matters. Keep the original wording first, split second, add facts and limits third, and only then write the exclusions. Starting with exclusions can delete the part you actually care about. When adding facts, label motive judgments such as \"they do not value me\" as inference, and keep \"twice this week a request changed late and I stayed late both times\" as observation. A question written this way gives the interpretation something specific to answer."],"sourceIds":["questions","iching"]},{"heading":"Rewriting the sub-question into something a cast can address","paragraphs":["The step most likely to go wrong is turning the sub-question into a request for someone else's work, such as \"help me draft three sentences to raise the boundary.\" That asks for a deliverable, and a hexagram does not answer it directly, so the cast has nothing to be checked against. A better form turns the same situation into a question about position and choice: \"In the next two weeks, should I first raise the boundary on late-changing requests with the project lead?\" It keeps a time frame, a named counterpart and one concrete matter, giving the imagery somewhere to land.","Three checks help. Does the sentence name a time frame or stage? Does it name a specific person or action? Is it a \"should I, which first, what happens if\" question rather than \"write this, calculate this, decide this for me\"? If two subjects are still packed into one sentence, it is not narrowed yet; return to step two and split again. Rewriting changes only the form of the question, not the facts, so that one six-line cast has a clear job."],"sourceIds":["questions","iching"]},{"heading":"Recording it: six values plus the moving lines","paragraphs":["The core of the record is six numbers, not a diagram of solid and broken lines alone. In the three-coin method each line takes a value of 6, 7, 8 or 9, placed from the bottom up; 6 and 9 are moving lines that flip to build the resulting hexagram. Copying only the yin and yang shapes loses which lines move, and with them the resulting figure. A complete record therefore shows the original question, the method (three coins or manual entry), the six values in bottom-to-top order, the moving positions, and the names and numbers of both hexagrams.","Remember too that a random cast cannot be reproduced by asking again. Repeating the question produces a new random result that may coincidentally match or differ entirely; that is the random process, not the hexagram changing. The record preserves what actually happened this time. If you enter six physical coin values manually, write the numbers and their order clearly, because an unlabeled screenshot cannot distinguish 6 from 8 or 7 from 9."],"sourceIds":["iching","methods"]},{"heading":"What to do when a follow-up question appears","paragraphs":["The most common misuse is a new sub-question surfacing days later and the old hexagram being reinterpreted to claim it was \"really about that too.\" The rule is simple: leave the old record as it stands, cast again for the new question, and note the relationship in the new record, for example \"follows up the earlier question about changing roles; this time only about communication during probation.\" Each record then keeps its own boundary and they do not contaminate each other on review.","The other case is an interpretation that drifts. Do not rush to cast again; return to the record and check whether the reading went beyond the scope you wrote, treated inference as fact, or used background you never supplied. If a genuinely new inquiry is needed, run the four-step worksheet again. Narrowing and recording cannot guarantee a correct conclusion; they ensure you know what you asked and how far this cast was allowed to answer."],"sourceIds":["questions","iching","methods"]}],"figure":{"title":"From a broad worry to one recordable cast","caption":"This flow shows the decision order for narrowing: keep the original wording, split out sub-questions and choose one, add facts and limits, rewrite the sub-question as something a cast can address, state what will not be answered, then cast and record the six values with the moving lines. If a second question creeps in at any step, return to step two and split again.","sourceIds":["questions","iching"],"steps":[{"label":"Keep the original wording","detail":"Copy the broad worry exactly as it came, as a comparison point, without editing it yet."},{"label":"Split out sub-questions","detail":"List the three to five hidden sub-questions so you can see how many things the worry is really asking."},{"label":"Choose one and add facts","detail":"Circle one sub-question and add an observable fact, a real constraint and a concrete result."},{"label":"Rewrite it as a castable question","detail":"Turn it into a should-I or which-first question with a time frame and a named counterpart, not a request to draft or decide for you."},{"label":"State what will not be answered","detail":"List the unchosen sub-questions as exclusions to define this cast's scope."},{"label":"Cast and record","detail":"Use the three-coin method for six bottom-to-top values, then record moving lines and both hexagrams beside the question."}]},"table":{"title":"Broad questions versus narrowed casting questions","columns":["Dimension","Broad original question","Narrowed casting question","Record note"],"rows":[["Scope","What should I do about my career and my relationship?","In the next three months, should I first raise the boundary on late-changing requests with the project lead?","Covers one sub-question; excludes the relationship and whether to resign"],["Fact","Everything feels wrong.","Three late requests in two weeks; I stayed late each time.","Observable events only; motives marked as inference"],["Constraint","None stated.","Friday delivery cannot slip; two hours a week for conversation.","Time and budget written into the question"],["Question form","I want an answer.","A should-I or which-first question with a time frame and a named counterpart.","Not a request to draft, calculate or decide for you"],["Not answered","Undefined.","Does not answer whether to change jobs, nor judge colleagues' motives.","Explicit exclusions prevent later stretching"],["Record","One sentence only.","Original question + six values + moving positions + both hexagrams.","Missing one item makes review hard"],["Follow-up after the cast","None.","Separate note: help me draft three sentences to confirm which requests must finish today.","This is preparation for action, not the casting question"]],"sourceIds":["questions","iching","methods"]},"example":{"title":"Hypothetical example: narrowing \"should I quit?\" into one recordable cast","intro":"The following is a hypothetical practice situation. It does not describe a real person and is not a computed chart or cast for anyone. Suppose a reader wants to cast about work, starting from \"should I quit my job?\" — a sentence that hides several sub-questions.","steps":["Keep it verbatim: \"Should I quit my job?\" stays at the top, unchanged, as a comparison point.","Split out sub-questions: (a) should I first talk to my manager about late-changing requests; (b) should I start sending applications; (c) should I wait until the quarterly bonus is paid; (d) am I simply unsuited to this field.","Choose one: (a), because it can be acted on this week and its result observed.","Add facts and limits: the fact is \"three late requests in two weeks, and I stayed late each time\"; the limit is \"Friday delivery cannot slip, and I have two hours a week for conversation.\"","Rewrite it as the casting question: \"In the next two weeks, should I first raise the boundary on late-changing requests with the project lead?\" It names a time frame, a counterpart and one concrete matter, so a cast can address it.","State what will not be answered: this cast does not decide whether to resign, does not judge the manager's motives, and does not assess the industry.","Cast and record: suppose the three-coin method gives 6, 7, 8, 9, 7, 8 from the bottom up, with moving lines at positions one and four, the original hexagram Kun 困 (47) and the resulting Jie 节 (60). Write the question, method, six values, moving positions and both names on one sheet. After the cast, if needed, add a separate follow-up task: \"help me draft three sentences to confirm which requests must finish today.\""],"conclusion":"A week later, review whether you used those three sentences and how the other person responded, not whether the hexagram was \"accurate.\" If you later want to ask about sending applications, that is a second scope: keep this record and cast again rather than stretching the reading of Kun and Jie to cover a job search.","sourceIds":["iching","questions","methods"]},"faq":[{"question":"Can one question cover both work and a relationship?","answer":"It is not advisable. One six-line cast corresponds to one scope; asking about two domains lets the interpretation stitch them together, and you cannot tell whether it addressed your specific constraint. Split them into two sub-questions, cast for one, and leave the other for a separate session.","sourceIds":["iching","questions"]},{"question":"The question changed after casting — can I keep reading the old hexagram?","answer":"Do not stretch the old hexagram to cover a new question. Keep the old record intact, including the original wording, six values and moving lines; cast again for the new question and note how it relates to the old one. Each record then keeps its own boundary.","sourceIds":["iching","questions"]},{"question":"Will casting again on the same question give the same result?","answer":"Not on demand. Online casting draws randomly, so repeating the question yields a new random result that may coincidentally match or differ. What can be reproduced is the record: method, six values, moving positions and the original result, not the same hexagram.","sourceIds":["methods","iching"]},{"question":"Does narrowing the question make the reading more accurate?","answer":"That cannot be promised. Narrowing clarifies what the reading is about, so you can judge whether it responded to the constraint you wrote; it does not guarantee a correct conclusion, and the themes are reflection prompts. Check important matters against real information, and talk or verify directly when needed.","sourceIds":["questions","methods"]}],"glossary":[{"term":"Scope","definition":"The one sub-question this cast is allowed to answer, plus the exclusions you wrote; anything outside it is not part of this reading.","sourceIds":["questions","iching"]},{"term":"Casting question","definition":"A should-I or which-first question with a time frame and a named counterpart that a hexagram can address, as distinct from a request to draft, calculate or decide for you.","sourceIds":["questions","iching"]},{"term":"Moving line","definition":"A line valued 6 or 9 in the three-coin method, flipped to build the resulting hexagram; its position must be recorded or the figure cannot be rebuilt.","sourceIds":["iching"]},{"term":"Resulting hexagram","definition":"The figure after every moving line flips, also called the relating hexagram; together with the original it forms the full structure of one cast.","sourceIds":["iching"]},{"term":"Observable fact","definition":"An event you witnessed or have a record of, kept with its time and scope, such as two late-changing requests; written separately from inferences about motives.","sourceIds":["questions"]}],"cta":{"label":"Write your question and cast one hexagram","reason":"Narrow your broad worry into one sub-question with the worksheet, rewrite it as a castable question, state what will not be answered, then cast in Wenbu's I Ching tool by tossing or entering six values, and record the question, six values, moving positions and both hexagrams in one place."}},"editionScope":"full","sources":[{"id":"iching","title":"Wenbu · three-coin method","url":"https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/iching-three-coins.md","role":"Existing editorial and worked calculation","fetchedAt":"2026-11-02T13:00:36.999Z","hash":"e18c84a0b24afe6832c7f4de41eb8ef37c85ce16df23cdfde364a005d0cb9be3","truncated":false},{"id":"questions","title":"Wenbu · asking a better question","url":"https://wenbu.app/knowledge/en/ask-a-better-question.md","role":"Existing editorial practice","fetchedAt":"2026-11-02T13:00:37.014Z","hash":"05115e671452d53d36674ceb5f1797b61adf4276c35300213c0b8c23874ba229","truncated":true},{"id":"methods","title":"Wenbu · calculation conventions","url":"https://wenbu.app/methodology/","role":"First-party implementation; not evidence of predictive accuracy","fetchedAt":"2026-11-02T13:00:36.982Z","hash":"5452dbc076e1c31aa334fa49949d682ad7851e75a5cf9396b6682530b30f0f0c","truncated":false}],"previousAdditions":[]}