Jingyi Wang
In the field of systems thinking, the shift towards second-order cybernetics has become increasingly prominent. The 64 hexagrams, meanwhile, constitute a divination or speculative philosophy grounded in synchronicity and momentum. To transcend causal thinking and gain a visceral understanding of the dynamic and nonlinear nature of systems, this report juxtaposes the symbolic system of the I Ching’s hexagrams with systems methodology, proposing a design game toolkit for groups of participants to understand complex ecological and social dilemmas. The toolkit comprises Deck A: 64 hexagram cards; Deck B1: Structure Cards; Deck B2: Strategy Cards; and a set of tokens. At the outset, participants are invited to use the three-coin divination method, receive a hexagram card, and then proceed with subsequent analysis and sharing. This sequence facilitates the emergence of perceptual thinking prior to analysis. In Deck A, the author draws upon and enriches content from two I Chings (Zhou Yi and Gui Cang), and borrows Daoist non-anthropocentric language to facilitate interpretation and understanding. In Deck B, players draw and apply cards from the corresponding decks, and ultimately, all participants consolidate their analytical findings.
This research and design are still in the prototyping phase. The report details the gameplay and usage process—how participants understand and act as part of a system, and demonstrates this through specific procedures.
Keywords: systems thinking, I Ching, design games, second-order cybernetics, toolkit