SIDE BY SIDE
Compare mantic systems
Read systems against shared questions to identify common language, procedural differences and distinct limits.
| Dimension | 灵棋经 ↗ | 《焦氏易林》 ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Yijing-derived and correlative systems | Yijing-derived and correlative systems |
| Inputs | Tokens, casting convention, outcome sequence and text edition | Primary and changed figures, text edition and commentary |
| Procedural structure | Four tokens in each of three groups yield a number through their faces; the three numbers index a figure, image and judgment. Casting details and token markings vary by edition. | Transformations among the sixty-four hexagrams produce 4,096 indexed combinations, each paired with a verse built from images, historical allusions and everyday situations. |
| Formation | Uncertain date; probably circulating before the Six Dynasties, with medieval manuscript evidence | Approximately mid-late Western Han to early Eastern Han |
| Evidence labels | Textually documented · Traditional attribution · Contested lineage or date | Textually documented · Contested lineage or date |
| Texts | Lingqi Jing / Dunhuang fragments of the Spirit-Token Manual / Daoist and Japanese editions | Jiaoshi Yilin / Critical and annotated editions of the Yilin |
| Limits | Ancient-sounding attributions do not establish authorship, and its 125 figures should be distinguished from the Zhouyi's sixty-four hexagrams. | Authorship—Jiao Yanshou, Cui Zhuan or cumulative composition—remains disputed, and traditions do not agree on one casting procedure. |
| Research question | How is a physical result encoded as a textual entry? | How does one image change across different verses? |