The I Ching in The Running Grave: A Weaponised Oracle

What Is the I Ching?

The I Ching (Book of Changes) is an ancient Chinese divination text that has been used for centuries as a source of guidance and wisdom. In The Running Grave, Robert Galbraith incorporates the I Ching not as a neutral tool but as a central symbol of manipulation. The novel presents the oracle through multiple lenses: as a thematic epigraph, a ritual object, and — most importantly — a weapon of psychological control wielded by cult leader Mazu Wace.

Recurrence Throughout the Novel

The I Ching appears in key moments that shape the story’s arc:

• Chapter 1 epigraph: A passage warns that “things that should have been stopped were not stopped soon enough,” setting up the novel’s theme of consequences of overlooked signs.
• Chapter 28 (Abigail’s confession): Former cult member Abigail Glover reveals to Cormoran Strike that Mazu “rigged” the I Ching readings, using them to decide punishments and brand dissenters as “pigs.”
• Chapter 30 (the pig hexagram): Abigail explains the phrase “the pig acts in the abysmal,” derived from Hexagram 29 (The Abyss), which Mazu invoked to dehumanise members.
• Chapter 58 (Reaney’s tattoo): Ex-member Jordan Reaney has Hexagram 56 (The Wanderer) tattooed on his hand — a permanent mark of his indoctrination.
• Chapter 130 (Robin sees Mazu): Robin Ellacott, undercover at Chapman Farm, witnesses Mazu kneeling on the floor counting yarrow stalks, consulting the I Ching to seek supernatural guidance.
• Chapter 132 (the retreat hexagram): Mazu warns of the hexagram “Tun/Retreat” just before Robin confronts her, showing how the oracle is used to justify the cult’s actions.

Additional epigraphs in chapters 36, 69, 71, and 126 reinforce the I Ching’s presence, each echoing the story’s themes of danger, retreat, and transformation.

How Mazu Weaponises the I Ching

Mazu Wace, the cult’s co‑founder, twists the I Ching from a personal oracle into an instrument of control. She allows no one else to handle the yarrow stalks, claiming that only the “pure spirit” can properly channel the divine vibration. By monopolising access to the text, she turns every reading into a verdict. Abigail tells Strike that Mazu “rigged it” — she used the I Ching to decide who was telling the truth, who should be punished, and what that punishment should be.

The most brutal application involves Hexagram 29, which Mazu associates with “the pig.” In the cult, being labelled a pig meant being treated as subhuman. Members who fell out of favour were forced to crawl naked wearing pig masks (as described by Abigail regarding the punishment after Daiyu’s drowning). The I Ching thus becomes a branding tool that strips victims of their humanity and justifies cruelty.

In Chapter 132, when Robin enters the temple room and finds Mazu consulting the I Ching, Mazu warns of “Tun/Retreat.” This is not a neutral divination; it is a threat, a way to frame Robin’s impending confrontation as a cosmic error. Mazu leverages the oracle’s authority to silence opposition and maintain the cult’s hierarchy.

Character Connections

• Mazu Wace is the primary abuser of the I Ching. Her obsession with Chinese mysticism — she “likes anything Chinese” and pretends to be half‑Chinese — fuels her claim to spiritual authority.
• Abigail Glover provides the crucial insider testimony that exposes Mazu’s manipulation. Her scornful tone (“my arse, she is”) underscores the gap between Mazu’s pretence and reality.
• Jordan Reaney bears a permanent reminder of his time in the cult. His tattoo of Hexagram 56 (“The Wanderer”) reflects his sense of isolation and his inability to fully escape the church’s influence.
• Robin Ellacott witnesses Mazu’s ritual firsthand, feeling “fear and repugnance.” Her encounter deepens her understanding of the cult’s psychological grip.
• Strike investigates the I Ching’s role, piecing together how it was used to control members. His interview with Abigail is a turning point that uncovers the cult’s hidden violence.
• The epigraphs themselves act as a silent character, framing the narrative with a fatalistic tone that echoes the cult’s manipulation and control.

Theme Connections

The I Ching embodies several major themes:

• Cult manipulation and control: Mazu’s rigged readings demonstrate how spiritual tools can be co‑opted to enforce obedience, silence dissent, and justify abuse.
• Consequences of overlooked signs: The opening I Ching epigraph warns that disasters stem from unchecked early failures — a prophecy that unfolds through the Edensor family’s inability to intervene in Will’s recruitment.
• Family trauma and hidden history: The I Ching’s role in punishing witnesses to Daiyu’s drowning ties directly to the Wace family’s buried secrets.
• Pursuit of justice and truth: Both Strike and Robin work to expose Mazu’s misuse of the oracle, revealing the truth behind the cult’s veneer of spirituality.
• Love and sacrifice: Robin’s undercover mission forces her to feign belief in the I Ching’s power, a sacrifice that strains her relationships and endangers her life.

Study Questions

1. How does Mazu’s use of the I Ching differ from its traditional purpose, and what does this reveal about the cult’s methods?
   Answer: Traditionally, the I Ching is a personal oracle used for guidance. Mazu monopolises the readings, rigs the outcomes, and uses them to impose punishments. This reveals that the cult maintains control by centralising spiritual authority and twisting sacred texts to justify abuse — a hallmark of coercive control.

2. What is the significance of the “pig” in the novel’s use of the I Ching?
   Answer: The pig is drawn from Hexagram 29 (The Abyss), with the line “the pig acts in the abysmal.” Mazu uses this to brand dissenters as “pigs,” dehumanising them and authorising brutal treatment — including forcing victims to crawl naked in pig masks. The pig becomes a symbol of shame and exclusion within the cult.

3. How does the I Ching epigraph in Chapter 1 connect to the novel’s central plot?
   Answer: The epigraph states that disasters happen because “things that should have been stopped were not stopped soon enough.” This foreshadows the Edensor family’s failure to intervene in Will’s radicalisation, the police’s neglect of abuse reports, and the cumulative weight of overlooked signs that allow the cult to thrive until a costly rescue operation is necessary.

4. What does Jordan Reaney’s tattoo of Hexagram 56 (“The Wanderer”) reveal about his experience at Chapman Farm?
   Answer: Hexagram 56 is described as “he who has few friends: this is the wanderer.” Reaney’s tattoo indicates his feeling of isolation and rootlessness, both during his time in the cult and afterwards. His reluctance to discuss it and his nightmares about pigs suggest unresolved trauma from his indoctrination.