And once one finds all kinds of meanings, stories emerge. I think that many lines in the I Ching refer to stories, which are well known to everyone in China. It is the natural thing for a fortune-teller to refer to them, and say: act like the famous example tells you to, or warns you not to, and things will all end well for you. In this way, in a few words, it is possible to give a whole lot of advice.
In the second line of hex.36 they talk of horses. There was a king Mu, who was wounded in the left thigh while hunting. It was caused by a bird of omen. If he had used gelded horses, the accident would probably have been less severe. You will find the stories behind the link "Origins".

When one or more lines move, you get a second hexagram. What is the relation between those two? There are many theories, but I can only give my own subjective experience. See link "Structure".

I don't think any hexagram or line is 'good' or 'bad'. They say 'if you do this, then a good result, if you do that, then a bad result'. Imagine giving advice yourself: you would not tell both sides, just one, the most clear one. And sometimes that is the 'good' one, other times the 'bad' one.

You haven't the faintest idea what the Yi is, or how it can be used? See link 'How to begin' Or maybe you know the Yi, and would like to know more - find out behind the link "Big Bang"

Many people have added to these pages. Most don't know it, some do. I mention the ones who might interest you on the page "Sources".

These pages are far from complete. I will add every week or so new hexagrams, books, links I like, and so on. 
Last update see top of page.

Before you look up a hexagram you got and its lines, it clears up a lot if you already know what the positions of the lines mean. If the second line moves, it has to do with relations to the outer world. Line 4 with choices and decisions. Halfway this page there is a list of all those meanings.

The lines of hex.1 speak of dragons. If you want to know why, then go to link 'Choose', choose hex.1 and look at the bottom of that page.

Translating Chinese is like finding poems in every character. The character Shan, or Zen as it is commonly known in the West, is made of altar and alone (extreme, going to the utmost, to be just what you are and nothing else). So Zen is: holy uniqueness. You will find more about Tao, Tao-Te-Ching and Zen behind link "Tao"
And about characters of the Yi: link "Origins"

The Yi is a rich source of structures. There are schools of scholars who unravel the underlying patterns. It has even a strong connection to Western astrology. Of course it has - universal structures reveal themselves in everything which proves valuable. Click on the link "structures"

I combined the I Ching with the Sabian Symbols. They consist of 360 images, one for every degree of the Zodiac, or in plain words: one for every day of the year. Hex.47, line 2 "One is oppressed while at meat and drink.." corresponds with "A group of people who have overeaten.." Of course they are not all this clear, but there are too many coincidences - at least in my opinion. They can be found at the bottom of the hexagrams. See "Choose" and then one of the hexagrams.

I am not scientific. Many things about the old meanings of characters are guesswork. But if scientists would never guess, never use their imagination, never come up with wild theories - then science would make very little progress. About characters: link 'Structures'

When one has been working with the Yi for years, finding many new and exciting meanings for many characters, then one finds also new meanings for the hexagrams themselves and their lines. Often much clearer and more direct than the common translations. See link 'Choose' and the hexagrams.

Did you know that translating Chinese is not only for synologists? With Wenlin, a program made for learning Chinese, you too can translate. Without having to learn anything. You can find out what a character or sentence says according to your personal opinion. Because that is one of the nicest things about it: you can make it just like you want to see it yourself. After all the Yi is supposed to answer YOUR questions, and that is very subjective. The link is: "Sources"

Wenlin has among many other texts also the I Ching and the Tao-Te-Ching. But they are both in simplified characters. The old fullform characters are much more revealing. So I added three texts in fullform characters: the I Ching without the Wings, the I Ching including the Wings and the Tao-Te-Ching. They are easy to copy into your computer. See the link "Chinese texts"

I know that the Yi is not woman-friendly. But that is not his fault, the time of his origin was like that. I don't think it is good to adapt the text to fit in modern views. Part of its meaning would get lost. Accept it the way it is, and try to find the significance for yourself, your question and your situation. And according to your own view of the world.