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[[The Complete I Ching ― 10th Anni Ed: by Alfred Huang 2010

The Complete I Ching ― 10th Anniversary Edition: The Definitive Translation by Taoist Master Alfred Huang - Huang, Taoist Master Alfred | 9781594773860 | Amazon.com.au | Books

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The Complete I Ching ― 10th Anniversary Edition: The Definitive Translation by Taoist Master Alfred Huang Paperback – Illustrated, 17 November 2010

by Taoist Master Alfred Huang (Author)

4.7 out of 5 stars 868 ratings

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A revised edition of the definitive translation of the world’s most important book of divination

• The first English translation from within the tradition by a Chinese Taoist Master

• Includes translations of the Ten Wings--the commentaries by Confucius essential to the I Ching’s insights

Translated by the eminent Taoist Master Alfred Huang, The Complete I Ching has been praised by scholars and new students of the I Ching since its first edition. A native Chinese speaker, Master Huang first translated the original ideograms of the I Ching into contemporary Chinese and then into English, bringing forth the intuitive meanings embodied in the images of the I Ching and imbuing his translation with an accuracy and authenticity not possible in other English translations. However, what makes his translation truly definitive is his return to prominence of the Ten Wings, the commentaries by Confucius that are essential to the I Ching’s insights.

This 10th anniversary edition offers a thorough introduction to the history of the I Ching, how to use it, and several new divination methods; in-depth and easy-to-reference translations of each hexagram name, description, and pictogram; and discussions of the interrelations between the hexagrams and the spiritual meaning of their sequence.

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9781594773860

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978-1594773860

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2nd Edition, Revised, Revised Two-Color

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Review

“A careful comparison of Huang’s translation with the Wilhelm, Legge, and Blofeld versions reveals its superiority in nearly every respect. Readers interested in acquainting themselves with the I Ching for the first time need to look no further; those who have formed a deep personal attachment to a previous translation owe it to themselves to explore this one as well.” ― Intuition

“What is constant through this translation is both a sense of tradition and an appreciation of modernity. Throughout is a philosophical calmness, a sense of the intellectual mingling with the spirit of things. Most importantly, Huang makes this a useful I Ching, more useful for the current temperament than older, more self-conscious translations.” ― The Book Reader

“This translation, from a Taoist master, is the most extensive treatment of the subject I have ever encountered. . . . the quality of the work is so exceptional that it is hard to find fault with it. . . . if you wish to learn this system, this book will be an indispensable aid to your education. There is such a wealth of information contained in this book (each page contains the hexagram being discussed and the ideograph of the name, so there is no confusion) that it is hard to overstate the usefulness of this work. . . . This it is of use and benefit for both the novice and the more experienced user.” ― Mike Gleason, Witchgrove

“Huang succeeds, also, in producing a work that keeps opening up new vistas of understanding and inviting the reader to explore the many layers of discovery offered by the mathematical, visual and literary dimensions of the classic.” ― Reg Little, New Dawn

“Impressive for its scope and the clarity of its translation, this 10th anniversary edition features a new introduction by Huany on the history and application of the I-Ching, with descriptions of the commentary and divination methods.” ― Book News, Inc., February 2011

“. . . this 10th Anniversary Edition of Master Huang’s translation brings new light to understanding and utilizing this ancient wisdom.” ― Light of Consciousness Journal, April 2011

“This book is an absolute requirement for those who rely upon the I-Ching, and most highly recommended as a primary text for anyone wishing to learn how to use it. Highest recommendations to author and publisher - excellent!” ― Elizabeth Hazel, FacingNorth.net, September 2011

From the Back Cover

DIVINATION / EASTERN PHILOSOPHY "A careful comparison of Huang's translation with the Wilhelm, Legge, and Blofeld versions reveals its superiority in nearly every respect. Readers interested in acquainting themselves with the I Ching for the first time need to look no further; those who have formed a deep personal attachment to a previous translation owe it to themselves to explore this one as well." --Intuition "What is constant through this translation is both a sense of tradition and an appreciation of modernity. Throughout is a philosophical calmness, a sense of the intellectual mingling with the spirit of things. Most importantly, Huang makes this a useful I Ching, more useful for the current temperament than older, more self-conscious translations." --The Book Reader Translated by the eminent Taoist Master Alfred Huang, The Complete I Ching has been praised by scholars and new students of the I Ching since its first edition. A native Chinese speaker, Master Huang first translated the original ideograms of the I Ching into contemporary Chinese and then into English, bringing forth the intuitive meanings embodied in the images of the I Ching and imbuing his translation with an accuracy and authenticity not possible in other English translations. However, what makes his translation truly definitive is his return to prominence of the Ten Wings, the commentaries by Confucius that are essential to the I Ching's insights. This 10th anniversary edition offers a thorough introduction to the history of the I Ching, how to use it, and several new divination methods; in-depth and easy-toreference translations of each hexagram name, description, and pictogram; and discussions of the interrelations between the hexagrams and the spiritual meaning of their sequence. Born in 1921, MASTER ALFRED HUANG is a professor of Taoist philosophy, former Dean of Students at Shanghai University, and a third-generation master of Wu-style Tai Chi Chuan, Chi Kung, and Oriental meditation with more than 70 years of experience. He studied the I Ching--a forbidden book at the time--in secret with one of China's greatest I Ching masters, only to be branded an antirevolutionary by the Communist government and forced into manual labor in 1957 and imprisonment in 1966. During his 22 years of confinement, he found the strength to survive through meditation on the I Ching. Released in 1979, he emigrated to the United States. The founder of New Harmony, a nonprofit organization devoted to self-healing, and the author of The Numerology of the I Ching and Complete Tai-Chi, Master Huang lives on the island of Maui.

About the Author

A third-generation master of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan, Chi Kung, and Oriental meditation, Master Alfred Huang is a professor of Taoist philosophy who studied the I Ching with some of China’s greatest minds--only to be imprisoned during the Cultural Revolution in 1966 and sentenced to death. For 13 years in prison Master Huang meditated on the I Ching and found the strength to survive. Released in 1979 weighing only 80 pounds, he emigrated to the United States. Master Huang is the founder of New Harmony, a nonprofit organization devoted to teaching self-healing, and is the author of The Numerology of the I Ching and Complete Tai-Chi. He lives on the island of Maui.

Chapter 16

Yü-Delight

Zhen-Thunder

Kun-Earth

Name and Structure

Yü originally meant delight: today it also means peace and happiness. Delight is the inverse of the preceding gua, Humbleness. Humbleness leads people to delight. Thus, Humbleness and Delight are complementary. Wilhelm translates Yü as Enthusiasm; Blofeld translates it as Repose. In this book I follow the original meaning, Delight.

Sequence of the Gua: When one’s harvest is great and one can still remain humble, there is sure to be an outburst of delight. Thus, after Humbleness, Delight follows.

The ideograph of this gua is a very old form consisting of two parts. The left portion is an ideograph of yü, which means hand out or give something away. There are two hands at the top and a vertical straight line connected to the lower hand, representing the arm. Between the two hands there is a little object. Taken as a whole it is a picture of the act of giving and receiving. The right portion of the ideograph represents an elephant, xiang. The elephant is standing upright on two rear legs with the tail touching the ground. The two front legs are held up in the air. The head of the elephant is looking forward with the long trunk curling upward. In the past there were elephants in the southern part of China, though they no longer exist there. In southern China, elephants were trained to help workers carry heavy things, but in the north they were trained for the purpose of giving people pleasure and delight. People performed a kind of dance known as the elephant dance, which King Wu was fond of. The two parts of the ideograph together mean delight--enjoyed by oneself or given to others.

The structure of this gua is Thunder above, Earth below. Thunder represents action, and Earth submission. These two primary gua standing together symbolize the action of the yang element followed delightfully by all the yin elements. In ancient China, people believed that the power of thunder had influence for a distance of a hundred li (a Chinese unit of length designating about one-third of a mile), equivalent to the realm of a feudal lord. For this reason, the Decision says, “Favorable to establish feudal lords and mobilize the multitude.” Earth is the symbol of a multitude. And establishing feudal lords means gaining assistance.

Decision

Delight.

Favorable to establish feudal lords

And mobilize the multitude.

Commentary on the Decision

Delight.

The firm meets with response.

Its will is fulfilled.

Acting in accord with the time and moving forward;

This is Delight.

Delight.

Acting in accord with the time and moving forward;

It is following the way of Heaven and Earth.

How much more will it be so

In establishing feudal lords and mobilizing the multitude?

Heaven and Earth move in accordance with the time;

Therefore sun and moon do not deviate from their courses,

And the four seasons do not err.

The holy person moves in accordance with the time and situation;

Therefore punishments and penalties become just,

And people are genuinely convinced.

Great indeed are the time and significance of Delight!

Commentary on the Symbol

Thunder comes out of the Earth,

Rising and stirring:

An image of Delight.

In correspondence with this,

The ancient king composed music to honor virtue and merit;

With ardent eagerness, he offered it to God

And shared it with his ancestors.

Yao Text

1. Initial Six

Singing out delight:

Misfortune.

Singing out delight:

One’s will comes to an end.

2. Second Six

Firm as rock,

Not merely for a whole day.

Being steadfast and upright: good fortune.

Not merely for a whole day.

Being steadfast and upright: good fortune.

It is central and correct.

3. Third Six

Staring upward, wallowing in delight:

Regret.

Delaying:

Regret again.

Staring upward, wallowing in delight,

There is regret.

The place is not appropriate.

4. Fourth Nine

Cause of delight;

Great accumulation obtained.

Be not suspicious.

Gather friends around you,

As a hair clasp holds hair together.

Cause of delight;

Great accumulation obtained.

One’s will is bold enough to fulfill great aims.

5. Fifth Six

Be steadfast and upright.

Even sick,

Still persist.

Won’t die.

Be steadfast and upright, even sick,

Resting upon a solid line.

Still persistent; won’t die.

The central way averts death.

6. Top Six

Dark delight.

Make a change:

No fault.

Dark delight reaches the top.

How could it last long?

Significance

The name of this gua is Delight, but the Yao Text is not so delightful. The aim of this gua is to expound the principle of harmony and delight. When one has accomplished great achievements and still remains humble, people will be delighted to gather around. However, this gua does not describe a situation of harmony and delight, but gives warning against self-satisfaction. It is too easy for one to indulge in one’s own pleasure and forget the delight of other people. To the Duke of Zhou, delight was not for one’s own sake but for all. The key is humility and sincerity; these two qualities bring harmony. This is the true meaning of Delight.

The image of this gua is Thunder above, Earth below. Thunder is the sound of yang energy. Thus, Confucius says, “The ancient king composed music to honor virtue and merit; with ardent eagerness, he offered it to God.” When thunder bursts above the Earth, myriad beings are nourished by its yang energy and become delighted and alive. It is a time of enthusiasm and delight. An enthusiastic and delighted mood is helpful to one’s success, but overenthusiasm and too much delight cause self-satisfaction. And self-satisfaction can lead to misfortune. For this reason, all the lines in this gua portend misfortune, except the second line.

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Understanding the I Ching: Restoring Ancient Culture Huang, Alfred, Nesbitt, Daniel

Understanding the I Ching: Restoring a Brilliant, Ancient Culture eBook : Huang, Alfred, Nesbitt, Daniel: Amazon.com.au: Kindle Store

Understanding the I Ching: Restoring a Brilliant, Ancient Culture Kindle Edition
by Alfred Huang (Author), Daniel Nesbitt (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition

4.9 out of 5 stars 40 ratings

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As Confucius states in The Great Treatise, divination is not the highest use of the I Ching. It can and should be used as a living reference for the highest moral and ethical standards for any individual in virtually any given circumstance.

After writing The Complete I Ching, Taoist Master Alfred Huang, encouraged by friends and family to further expound on the subtleties of the sacred text, decided to take a fresh approach. Considering the tremendous differences between life today and life three thousand years ago, the author began to discover new ways to present the ancient wisdom to modern readers. Now, in Understanding the I Ching, he offers a detailed commentary of the sixty-four hexagrams and their characters, including a detailed examination of the nature and principles of the first two gua—heaven and earth—as well as interpretations of the first hexagram and the guiding principles represented by its four characters.

With an in-depth analysis and study of the two different schools of interpretation, the construction of the hexagrams, and the placement and significance of the hexagram’s host, this scholarly yet easy-to-understand book provides exceptional insight for those who have studied the I Ching and seek a deeper understanding of its subtleties and profundity.
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Print length

148 pages
Language

English
Publication date

25 November 2014
File size

6530 KB

Product description

About the Author

Born in 1921, Master Alfred Huang is the author of The Numerology of the I Ching and the bestselling The Complete I Ching. As a young man, he studied the I Ching-a forbidden book at the time-with some of China's greatest minds only to be branded an antirevolutionary by the Communist government and eventually imprisoned. During his twenty-two years of confinement, he found the strength to survive through meditation on the I Ching. Released in 1979, he immigrated to the United States.

A former dean of students at Shanghai University, he is currently a professor of Taoist philosophy, and a third-generation master of Wu-style Tai Chi Chuan, Chi Kung, and Oriental meditation. The founder of New Harmony, a nonprofit organization devoted to self-healing, Master Huang lives on the island of Maui.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product details
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00Q7MVO5A
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 6530 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 148 pages

[[The I Ching or Book of Changes Wilhelm, Hellmut, Cary F. Baynes: Books

Amazon.com: The I Ching or Book of Changes

Wilhelm, Hellmut, C. G. Jung, Hellmut Wilhelm, Richard Wilhelm, Cary F. Baynes: Books

https://www.scribd.com/document/566939918/The-I-Ching-or-Book-of-Changes-by-Richard-Wilhelm-Cary-F-Baynes-Hellmut-Wilhelm-C-G-Jung

The I Ching or Book of Changes (Bollingen Series 170) 3rd Edition, Kindle Edition
by Hellmut Wilhelm (Editor, Preface), C. G. Jung (Foreword), Richard Wilhelm (Translator), Cary F. Baynes (Translator) Format: Kindle Edition

4.7 out of 5 stars 1,032 ratings

Amazon.com Review
More than just a translation, Richard Wilhelm's I Ching is a profound introduction to the Chinese world-view. The I Ching (Yi Jing) is recognized by both Confucians and Taoists as a foundational work, and Wilhelm shows why.

He separates his work into three books.

The first book is about the hexagrams--the meanings of the lines and Wilhelm's extensive comments.

The second presents two early commentaries that interpret the wisdom of the divinatory text, also with Wilhelm's helpful notes.

And the third book takes us back to the hexagrams for more detailed commentary from both ancient Chinese thinkers and Wilhelm.

Wilhelm is able to offer such enormous assistance because he spent the better part of a decade in China studying under classically trained scholars. His love for the work is thus as broad as his understanding.

The I Ching was originally used for divination, kind of like palm reading or interpreting the stars.

It differs from simple prognostication, however, in that it demands us, as diviners, to cultivate an understanding of the world and ourselves.

Without this understanding, the text is useless, hence the value of the commentaries, particularly Wilhelm's.

This version is not without its biases, of course--it is a European's understanding of the I Ching, through a late-Qing dynasty Confucian perspective,

translated into English by a Jungian psychoanalyst.

Nonetheless, it succeeds like no other. --Brian Bruya

--This text refers to the hardcover edition.
Review
Princeton's Bollingen edition--still regarded as the best and most authentic by I Ching aficionados.

Product details
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B004S6QSYO
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Princeton University Press; 3rd edition (January 2, 2011)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 2, 2011
Print length ‏ : ‎ 802 pages

4.7 out of 5 stars

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richard wilhelm book of changes wilhelm and baynes carl jung ancient chinese highly recommend fortune telling yin and yang yarrow stalks kindle edition lao tzu many translations baynes edition ching book version of the i ching best translation years ago chinese culture difficult to understand many years

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Top reviews from the United States

John Engelman
5.0 out of 5 stars I Ching is not a sorcerer. It is a psychologist.

Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2015
Verified Purchase
I am anti choice. I dislike making decisions. A number of years ago I faced a complex dilemma. I had to select between two choices of ambivalent value. The wrong choice would probably be bad for me. Even the right choice held dangers if I did not respond correctly to it.

I went to I Ching, tossed my three coins, and read what it said in the hexagram the coins directed me to. What I read was appropriate to my circumstances. I was still not ready to make my choice, but I had a better understanding of the situation in front of me. I wrote down the hexagram, and took notes on what I Ching told me.

Then I lost my notes. Because I still needed to make my decision, I tossed the three coins again, and went to the hexagram they told me to study.

I was astonished. I was told to go to the same hexagram I had been directed to the first time. The chances of this happening were one in 4,096. I Ching is magic, I concluded. I wrote down the hexagram, and took notes on what it told me about my situation.

Several days later I found my first notes. It turned out that with two tosses of the coins I had been directed to two different hexagrams. Nevertheless, in each case what I read was relevant to my situation. Each hexagram helped me make a difficult decision that turned out to be in my interest.

I Ching is not magic. In a sense it is even more remarkable. It does not serve as a sorcerer, but as a skilled psychologist, one who asks the right questions, helps you to understand aspects of your subconscious mind, and who helps you to solve your problems.

Astrology is somewhat the same. The next time you read your horoscope in a newspaper, do not read what it says for your sign. Read what it says for another sign. If you are facing a problem in your life you will probably find that the writing for the other sign is helpful. Then read your sign. It too is helpful. Finally, read the horoscope in another newspaper, and see what it says for your sign.

There will probably not be any similarity in what the two different horoscopes say about your sign. Nevertheless, each will be helpful.

I have never worked with tarot cards. I suspect that they work the same way. I Ching, astrology, and tarot are evocative. Their ambiguous messages encourage you to project your concerns into them. In the process they help you in ambiguous situations.

The use of the yarrow-sticks or the coins is a way to encourage one who consults I Ching to believe that there is something super natural in its working. What would be less psychologically interesting, but equally effective would be to use a roulette wheel with 64 slots, or to cut 64 small pieces of paper, write one to sixty four on the pieces, put them into a hat, shuffle the hat, close your eyes, and pick a piece of paper. Any one of the 64 hexagrams can give you helpful insights and advice.

Epictetus said that a gambler cannot determine the roll of the dice. He can determine what he will do when the dice stop rolling.

I Ching will not tell the future. It will not give you a winning lottery number. It will not tell you which horse will win a race. It will not tell you which stocks will gain in value, and which will lose. It will not tell you that next week you will receive a letter from a former love interest you have neither seen for years nor been able to forget. It will help you decide how to respond to that letter, if you received it last week.

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Matthias Sillipo
5.0 out of 5 stars Visible effects of the invisible manifest themselvesReviewed in the United States on September 3, 2016
Verified Purchase
I have consulted the I Ching for most of my life, and I bought this edition because the one I had was stolen from my library.
Now I am a hard-core scientist and an agnostic, but sometimes things happen...
I am not going to try to explain what is happening here, neither for myself nor for others.
It is something to be explored, and like music, poetry, maths, chess, gardening, quantum physics ...what-have-you, sometimes you get entangled, sometimes you don't.
If you do with this book, it will be a fulfilling lifetime affair with someone you never really get to know.

75 people found this helpful

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Morgan V. Madison
5.0 out of 5 stars Quick and good advice.Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2019
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There is a key at the end of the book. You use 6 coins - either the traditional I Ching coins or any coins, like pennies. It's a heads/tails system where heads is a solid line and tails is a broken line - at least that's how I do it.

Use the key in the back to find the pattern of 6 lines that fits your coin toss of 6 coins heads/tails, then go to the page for that pattern to read what it means. Contemplate how what you read applies to your question/situation.

Might be easier to use if you're used to other methods of divination.

However, the advice is simple and straightforward. Can be used with tarot card readings, astrology, or anything else to get more/fuller advise.

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Anonymous Consumer
5.0 out of 5 stars This book is amazing and a keeper for me for lifeReviewed in the United States on March 14, 2018
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This book is amazing and a keeper for me for life. The translation and interpretation is very clear and easy to understand. It is the kind of book that just "comes alive and right off the page" if you connect with it. It makes an excellent read anytime because it is very inspirational as well. I read it at night before sleeping, and it seems that the wisdom that it imparts has affected my life in a positive, most profound way!

26 people found this helpful

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A. Walrus
5.0 out of 5 stars An Essential ResourceReviewed in the United States on June 27, 2016
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If I could award six stars to a book then this would be the one. It is absolutely ESSENTIAL for anyone who wishes to undertake a serious study of the I Ching, as it contains not only the most authoritative reading of the text ever published but also a wealth of supporting commentaries that bring further insight into the minds of the great scholars who have read and attempted to divine its full meaning. And all within the same book! I also highly recommend the companion work, Understanding the I Ching, which provides many other valuable insights from the father-and-son Wilhelm team. But beware! There is nothing simple or superficial about either of these books and both will require long hours of patient study and reflection before the reader can begin to understand them. But I cannot think of any other time that would be better spent, especially if the reader is interested in the origins and the history of the religious impulse in man.

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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Certainly value for money but I would have preferred a better quality paperReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 21, 2017
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This is a replacement copy of my original book, now 40 years old and falling to bits. Certainly value for money but I would have preferred a better quality paper.

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DrKarma
5.0 out of 5 stars Five StarsReviewed in the United Kingdom on February 21, 2018
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A Classic must have for every library
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robert h. jacobs
5.0 out of 5 stars Five StarsReviewed in the United Kingdom on April 24, 2016
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This is the best translation of the I Ching.
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Veruca Cyn
5.0 out of 5 stars Thicker book than expected! Heavy reading required.Reviewed in Canada on October 7, 2020
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I have been called to learn I Ching, and this book has been recommended to be numerous times by friends- and there isn't many photos or reviews on this book itself. I'll start off with saying that the presentation of the book is in decent condition, the cover is a bit tattered but the book itself is in mint condition. I am after the knowledge in this product and so the condition of the book is not that much of a concern or priority.

The second thing to note is this book is actually a hefty read, there is a total of 740 pages (this includes titles, appendages, references and authors comments). I have only begun reading the author's commentary on the writing of this book, and it has been really informative giving a lot of detailed background on the legitimacy and qualifications of the people who have gotten together in putting together this book. The font is fairly small so be prepared to read in a well lit place, and to use a bookmark to help space out each line making it easier on the eyes to focus.

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Ron
5.0 out of 5 stars my favourite holy bookReviewed in Canada on November 4, 2018
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im muslim, i read the koran. i appreciate abrahamism. but this book has no narrative. its just philosophy. the way you approach it is totally non-local, random by any western standard. i regularly have profound experiences with it. dylan liked it.

mind you, it itself warns, that for some the i ching is clear as day. for others, it is dark as night. it depends on inclination

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====

Ahmad Sharabiani

May 14, 2011Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: theosophy, non-fiction, 21th-century-bc, classics

The I Ching or Book of Changes, Anonymous

The I Ching or Yi Jing, also known as Classic of Changes or Book of Changes, is an ancient Chinese divination text and the oldest of the Chinese classics.

Possessing a history of more than two and a half millennia of commentary and interpretation, the I Ching is an influential text read throughout the world, providing inspiration to the worlds of religion, psychoanalysis, literature, and art. Originally a divination manual in the Western Zhou period (1000–750 BC), over the course of the Warring States period and early imperial period (500–200 BC) it was transformed into a cosmological text with a series of philosophical commentaries known as the "Ten Wings".

After becoming part of the Five Classics in the 2nd century BC, the I Ching was the subject of scholarly commentary and the basis for divination practice for centuries across the Far East, and eventually took on an influential role in Western understanding of Eastern thought.

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Date of first reading: March 1983 AD Title: Yi Ching, Ya: The Book of Fortunes, the oldest book of Chinese wisdom and fortune-telling, compiled by: Alfred Douglas; Foreword by Carl Gustav Jung; Translator: Sudaba Fadaeli; Tehran, Silver, 1362; on 346 pages; 5th edition 2011;

Another edition of the narrative publication, 1373; on p. 351; Another edition of the third publication, the seventh edition of 1376; 9th edition 1381; ISBN 9646404030;

Topic: Ancient Chinese works and writings - 21st century BC The Yi Ching, or the Book of Transformations, is the Chinese holy book, and the oldest surviving text, from ancient China; In this holy book, which is more than four thousand years old, there are sixty four signs, along with the interpretation of those signs; The purpose of "Ei Ching" is to express the changes that occur at the level of the universe, and form the waves and rings of fortune; Man, by means of "I Ching", leads the forces of fortune, and becomes aware of the events in life, and when needed, he can change the course of life for his own benefit;

"I Ching" does not say what will happen in the future, but it says: why the events are the way they are, and it suggests the way a person should choose in the future; History of "Ei Ching": According to one theory, the origins of "Ei Ching" symbols are adapted from the lines on the back of a turtle, and legends attribute the discovery of the eight "three lines" to the mythical emperor "Fu Si". China, attribute; The next stage of the Yi Ching's development occurred around 1150 BC, at the end of the Shang Dynasty, when the last emperor of that dynasty, Chu Hsin, ordered the arrest of the Emir of Wen, and imprisoned him in his capital; Amir "Wen", by studying three lines, obtained sixty four "six lines"; After the central government was dissolved by the supporters of Amir Chu, the son of Amir Wen, and Amir Chu was recognized as the emperor, he studied his father's works and made his interpretation of each line of the hexagrams. added to the book, which included three hundred and eighty four pieces; Later, this book became known as "Book of Choi"; In the early 5th century BC, Confucius studied Chui, and it is very likely that he, or his students, wrote some commentaries on the Yi Ching; At the end of the 3rd century AD, a young mystic named "Wang Pei" called it "I Ching" as a philosophy of life; The Yi Chingi now available is considered to be the Wang Pei narrative, edited in New Chinese; Source: Douglas, Alfred; "Yiching or Book of Acknowledgments"; Translator Sudaba Fazali; Silver Publishing, first edition 1362 Hijri, updated date 21 (less)

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Danielle

Nov 10, 2007Danielle rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: anyone interested in age-old advice

I read a little bit of this book almost every day. I can usually find a sentence or more that resonates with me on that day. The ancients believed that this book was a representation of the voices of spirits. It is thousands of years old. I don't know how to use divination with it, but I feel like it is a reliable friend who always gives good advice pertinant to my situation.

My favorite line today is, "Everything that gives light is dependent on something to which it clings, in order that it may continue to shine" (119, trigram 30, The Clinging, Fire). This is how I feel about books. Books are the things to which I cling and which allow me to contribute any portion of light to the world (ie. not dwell entirely in despair and darkness). (less)

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Josh

Aug 14, 2011Josh rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I find it strange when people quote this book. I've seen multiple philosophers, writers, History Channel documentaries, heck, even Sean Connery in Zardoz quote the I Ching. Don't they realize that the I Ching's advice is directed towards the specific hexagram casted in response to a specific question? Its advice is catered to those who ask it– its words cannot be pulled out of context and applied to any life situation willy-nilly! The results could be disastrous! Take these two quotes, as an example:

"It is worthwhile to cross great rivers."

"It is not worthwhile to cross great rivers."

So is it worthwhile to cross great rivers or not? Without casting, who would know! You could choose the former, and cross that great river, and all get dysentery and get swept away! "Most likely" safe to cross, huh. Shoulda flipped some coins first, yeah, good ol' Chingy would've told you to take the toll road around it, that way you could've made it to Oregon with some surviving family members. (less)

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Mark

Aug 02, 2011Mark rated it really liked it · review of another edition

At one point in my life while semi-transient, it was necessary to leave a portion of my library behind. So I left a box of books on a corner in Berkeley. My I Ching- the Blofeld translation- was amongst these. Some ten years later, I was browsing a bookstore on Haight St. and found a copy of the I Ching in the dollar discount rack. Opening it to the inside cover revealed a very familiar ink stain- green ink, which I suppose I had spilled on it, back in high school. So what are the odds of anyone finding again the exact same copy of a book long abandoned and given up for dead? "Don't leave me, don't leave me again!" it cried. Needless to say, I took it back home & resolved never again to forsake... "It must have been karma, man."

I originally got my copy somewhere around 1969, and bought it specifically because it was smaller, more portable, much less expensive, and an easier ("less thick") translation than the Wilhelm book.

I think in many ways it's a lot better, since Wilhelm's focused on the yarrow-stalk technique (yarrow stalks being not an item one can find at hand nor in your usual downtown suburban Woolworth's)- and Blofeld's gave instructions on how to use coins- any three coins of a similar value would do, but pennies being most common, are easily fished from a pocket and available even in most dire circumstances (the kind you'd like to ask the I Ching how you can get out of!)

And of course, the I Ching, once you begin using it & get its idioms, isn't exactly the kind of book you ever "finish reading..."

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Aimee

Oct 02, 2007Aimee rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: philosophers and religion enthusiasts

Shelves: philosophy

I know that in NORMAL circles, it's odd to read an ancient chinese text upon which a non-theistic religion is based. HOWEVER, I am not normal and most of the people I enjoy aren't either. SO, let me say that of all the religious texts I have ever read, there is something fundamentally gorgeous about the foundations of this Taoist book. I find it beautiful, cosmically true and irrefutably WISE in its basic applications. By this I mean that the eight pure three-line gua are hypnotically symbolic of every possibility in life and every course of action which leads that life in wisdom -- not that I would divine a 'fortune-telling' from the single gua cast by rods or yarrow stalks or runes... But you'd have to read the book to understand any of that. What I love about the I-Ching is that it is the truest form of advice: prepare, act, reap consequences, reflect, repeat the cycle. This book speaks to my soul in a way the Bible never has, even though I love the stories in the bible. Maybe because it is a wisdom that is symbolic and personal, not a story about someone else, but a true story about MYSELF. You read it. Let me know what you think!

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saïd

Mar 02, 2022saïd rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2_nonfiction, translation_talk, zh_tw_hk, yi_jing

This review is of the translation by Edward L. Shaughnessy.

Edward L. Shaughnessy's 1996 translation of the 易經 [yì jīng] is not, technically speaking, comparable to other translations of the Yi Jing, as it's a translation not of the most common manuscript of the Yi Jing but of the version discovered amongst the Mawangdui silk texts 馬王堆帛書 in 1973. The Mawangdui texts are, true to their name, manuscripts written on silk; the texts were found buried in tomb 3 at Mawangdui, Changsha, Hunan (sealed in 168 BCE), and were thus considered lost until their rediscovery in the late 20th century. Apart from various texts previously known in name only from references in other sources, the Mawangdui texts also included earlier manuscripts of existing texts, including the Yi Jing. This is one of my personal favourite, if for no other reason than Shaughnessy's scholarship. Unlike most other translations, Shaughnessy's is a direct academic translation of a specific manuscript—the Mawangdui silk texts—which naturally results in understandable lacunae and confusing sections. Although probably not the best version for a beginner, this translation is amazing and I highly recommend it.

The Mawangdui version of the Yi Jing, dating back to the beginning of the Han dynasty, is not actually the oldest known manuscript: that honour goes to the bamboo strips found in tomb 2 at Baoshan, Jingmen, Hubei, uncovered in 1987 and dating back to the middle of the Warring States period. In Unearthing the Changes: Recently Discovered Manuscripts of the Yi Jing (2013), Shaughnessy himself discusses the differences between the different manuscripts: the Baoshan bamboo strips differ from the Mawangdui and other versions, particularly in regards to the order of the hexagrams. (Note that the assignment of numbers to specific hexagrams is entirely a modern invention; in fact it's not actually known if the order of the hexagrams was even of any interest to the original author or authors.) The traditional or "canonical" order of the hexagrams is typically known as the King Wen sequence, named after Zhou Wen Wang 周文王, founder of the Zhou dynasty, who (supposedly) reformed the method of interpretation of the text. This sequence generally pairs hexagrams with their upside-down equivalents, except for eight which are paired with their mirror equivalent. The Baoshan bamboo strips almost certainly follow this sequence, although the Mawangdui texts—herein translated—are arranged into eight groups sharing the same upper trigram. There is no academic consensus as to which order is oldest, or even if the order holds any significance. (less)

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Erik Graff

Feb 07, 2009Erik Graff rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Erik by: C.G. Jung

Shelves: religion

The introduction by C.G. Jung was quite helpful in making sense of these ancient "divination texts" as reflective tools. So helpful that I tried it several times with the simple coin method and could see what he was getting at. Intellectually, however, the most interesting thing was the suggestion of a radically different sense of time. Emotionally, I had been brought up with the ideology of evolutionary progress while intellectually I subscribed to the notion of time as the essentially neutral schematization of change. Here, in the "I Ching", was a formalistic approach to time. In other words, as in astrology or even in Marx's conception of epochs, periods of time are understood as having a characteristic entelechy. (less)

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saïd

Feb 27, 2022saïd rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2_nonfiction, zh_tw_hk, yi_jing, which_translation, deutsch

This review is of the translation by Richard Wilhelm.

There are quite a few English-language translations of the 易經 [yì jīng] available, and I have obviously not read all of them, but I'll include as many as I can. The first complete translation into a Western language was when a French Jesuit missionary, Jean-Baptiste Régis, translated the book into Latin in the 1730s. Several other translations, including by the infamous James Legge, spanned the 19th century. The next influential translation was into German in 1923, c/o Richard Wilhelm; Cary Baynes then translated Wilhelm's into English in 1950, and it was Baynes's version that became most popular during the Western counterculture movement during the 1960s. Later translations of the late 20th century incorporated new archaeological findings for more up-to-date material. The two most popular English-language versions are the 1882 translation by Legge and the 1950 translation by Baynes from Wilhelm's German version. Both are, to put it kindly, bad.

JEAN-BAPTISTE RÉGIS (1730s)

If you can get your hands on this translation, go for it, but it's neither accurate nor accessible. I've only read snippets of Régis's translation, but the fact that it's in Latin and was written by a Jesuit missionary in the 18th century should be a tip-off that it's not great.

THOMAS McCLATCHIE (1876)

McClatchie's was the first English-language translation, and it's also not that great. He was far less prudish than Legge, his successor, but still tragically entrenched in the predominant Western mindset towards the East of the 19th century, exemplified in the opening statement of his preface: "The task of translating and explaining the works of Pagan Philosophers is by no means easy of accomplishment. The Heathen and Christian modes of thought are so diverse [that] the Christian translator will find himself completely puzzled, unless, as a preparation for his work, he learns to view these and suchlike subjects from a heathen standpoint." (I feel like this is a perfect example of "task failed successfully.") Although in the public domain, McClatchie's translation is rather difficult to find in non-academic circles, being out of print in most areas; I've read it, and honestly it can be skipped.

JAMES LEGGE (1882)

Also in the public domain is Legge's translation, long considered the "standard" English-language version of the text. Legge is a complicated figure in the history of translation; his work was mostly terrible, but massively influential, and is still often used in translation studies, in no small part because of the fact that many of his translations included parallel Chinese and English text. Like many other translators of the Victorian era, particularly those who were also missionaries, Legge filtered all of his translation work through a Western religious context. Much scholarship has been written on the Victorian-era "invention" of Eastern "beliefs," and Legge is one of the worst offenders; although his opinions on Eastern and particularly Chinese culture and literature did change for the positive throughout his life, the majority of his translation work is so irrevocably tinged with this 19th century-typical Orientalism, as well as his religious evangelism, so as to be functionally useless if the intent is to read something resembling the original text. For further information on Legge specifically, I'd recommend The Victorian Translation of China by Norman J. Girardot.

RICHARD WILHELM (1923)

Wilhelm's original German-language translation is excellent, particularly given the time period in which it was produced. If you read German, I'd highly suggest this translation; it's also out of copyright.

CARY BAYNES (1950)

This translation uses a pivot language, the translation equivalent of homeopathy. Don't read it.

JOHN BLOFELD (1963)

Blofeld's dislike for Baynes is hilarious... ly relatable. This is a pretty solid translation, even from an academic perspective.

GREGORY WHINCUP (1986)

A rather simplistic translation, lacking the more robust historical context of other editions. For some reason, probably because Whincup's intention was to "rediscover" the text, certain characters were translated oddly: 火 (fire) is "shining light"; 水 (water) is "pits" (genuinely no idea). The numbers are also often changed, i.e., 1 = "strong action"; 2 = "acquiescence"; etc. Whincup's translation is certainly different, but different doesn't automatically mean better.

THOMAS CLEARY (1992)

A more academic translation, but lacking the supplementary material for context. I'd recommend only reading this translation alongside another translation if possible.

RICHARD JOHN LYNN (1994)

Lynn's translation is surprisingly good, with great historical and academic context. Also included is Lynn's translation of the commentary of Wang Bi (3rd century), which has been immensely influential on the reception of the Yi Jing for over 700 years. I would definitely recommend this translation.

RICHARD RUTT (1996)

Rutt's translation incorporates contemporary research which placed the Yi Jing during the early Zhou dynasty, which is interesting, but then Rutt ruins practically everything by making the English-language text rhyme.

EDWARD L. SHAUGHNESSY (1996)

This is one of my personal favourite translations, if for no other reason than Shaughnessy's scholarship. Unlike most other translations, Shaughnessy's is a direct academic translation of the oldest known manuscript of the Yi Jing, the 1973 Mawangdui texts (and the five commentaries), resulting in understandable lacunae and confusing sections. A wonderfully literal translation regardless, and the best available of the Mawangdui texts.

ALFRED HUANG (1998)

What's particularly interesting about Huang's translation is that it is, as far as I'm aware, one of the few English-language translations that can be said to be "from within," c'est-à-dire, Huang is himself a Daoist master who was imprisoned for over two decades during the Cultural Revolution for his studies of the Yi Jing. This translation is clearly intended for newcomers, and as such is quite accessible, albeit sometimes too wordy for my taste.

CYRILLE JAVARY (2012)

Javary originally translated the Yi Jing in 1989, and has been working on revising and correcting his translation ever since. With the help of Pierre Faure, Javary produced a thousand-page landmark volume which is one of the best and most complete translations I've read. It's in French, which is (I'm sure) alienating to most, but if you can read French I highly recommend it.

JOHN MINFORD (2014)

Penguin Classics continues to befuddle me with their translation choices. Minford's translation is quite readable, and frequently includes various different possible interpretations of a single hexagram (the book is divided into two parts with different "versions"). There are a handful of baffling idiosyncrasies, such as Minford's decision to include random sprinklings of Latin throughout the text (Jean-Baptiste, reviens-toi?) or his occasional allusions to pop culture (including Dickens, I think?). The commentary is good, and provides a lot of much-needed context; I'd suggest reading this one for the scholarship more so than the translation in and of itself. Minford is clearly incredibly knowledgeable, and there's a veritable wealth of content within these more than 900 pages, but I've read better translations.

DAVID HINTON (2015)

No.

GEOFFREY P. REDMOND (2017)

It's... fine. The translation is nothing special, and the commentary is mostly unhelpful.

I predict (no pun intended) that I'll almost definitely return and write up a more thorough comparison of different translations, including actual examples from the text, but at the moment I simply CBF. (less)

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saïd

Mar 02, 2022saïd rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2_nonfiction, zh_tw_hk, yi_jing, translation_talk

This review is of the translation by James Legge.

James Legge's translation of the 易經 [yì jīng], first published in 1882, was the second ever English-language translation of the text. Although his work with the Yi Jing has long been considered the "standard" English-language version, and is still taught to students today, Legge's role in the history of translation is a complicated one. As a whole his translations were mostly terribly, yet massively influential; due in no small part to the fact that many of his translations included parallel Chinese and English text, a highly unusual format at the time, his work has continued to be studied even centuries after it should be viewed as outdated. Legge, like the majority of Western translators of the Victorian era, was a Christian missionary, and thus his translation work was filtered through a Western Christian religious context, which posed understandable problems when the text in question regarded ancient Chinese spiritual beliefs. Much scholarship has been written on the Victorian-era "invention" of a fictionalised "Oriental belief system"—everyone from Edward Said to Norman J. Girardot—and Legge is by no means blameless. Although his opinions on Eastern, and particularly Chinese, culture and literature did take a turn for the positive throughout his life, the majority of Legge's translation work is so irrevocably tinged with this 19th century-typical mentality, to say nothing of his religious evangelism, so as to be functionally useless—assuming the intent is to read something which closely resembles the original text. If you want to read what some Victorian guy thought ancient Chinese mysticism was all about, then by all means, read Legge. But otherwise, it can safely be skipped. (less)

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saïd

Mar 02, 2022saïd rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2_nonfiction, zh_tw_hk, yi_jing, translation_talk

This review is of the translation by John Minford.

John Minford's 2014 translation of the Yi Jing 易經 [yì jīng] is quite good as an academic text. Most of my experiences with the translations and/or translators selected by Penguin Classics have been at the very least befuddling if not outright incomprehensible, but in terms of readability and general ambience Minford's translation is certainly acceptable. The book is divided into two sections with different interpretations or "versions" of the hexagrams and related commentary, with Minford's contextualising scholarship being particularly helpful. Minford is clearly incredibly knowledgeable about the topics at hand, and there's a veritable wealth of context within these 900+ pages.

It's Penguin Classics, though, so there's some weird shit. I have no idea why Minford chose to include random sprinklings of Latin phraseology throughout the text, or allusions to pop culture... including the works of Charles Dickens, for some reason? It makes absolutely no sense, and adds nothing helpful to the text. In short: Minford's scholarship and knowledge are good, but the actual text of the translation is frequently highly questionable. (less)

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Brian Fitzgerald

May 13, 2015Brian Fitzgerald rated it it was amazing

This book has changed my life more than once. It's an old friend now, dog-eared and battered from travels on five continents, a bit salt-stained from time at sea. In the 1980s I created a software version on a floppy disk. In 2014 I upgraded that to an app for iPhone, Kindle, iPad, Android, and Apple Watch. It's my spelunking buddy in the caverns of the sub-conscious, my wise father, my Sancho Panza, my mystic magician.

You might enjoy this piece I wrote about the I Ching in WIRED: My Quest to bring Hippy Mysticism to the Apple Watch. (less)

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saïd

Mar 02, 2022saïd rated it did not like it

Shelves: 2_nonfiction, zh_tw_hk, yi_jing, translation_talk

This review is of the translation by Cary Baynes.

Most English speakers referring to the "Wilhelm translation" are not, in fact, referring to Richard Wilhelm's excellent 1923 German-language translation of the text, but rather to Cary Baynes's 1950 English-language translation of Wilhelm's translation. While Wilhelm's original translation is excellent, Baynes's is not. Using a "pivot language," as Baynes has done, is the translation equivalent of homeopathy. Don't read this shit. (less)

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saïd

Mar 17, 2022saïd rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2_nonfiction, zh_tw_hk, yi_jing, translation_talk

This is just the James Legge translation, but edited by Raymond van Over. It's not the worst version I've encountered, but Legge's version is absolutely awful. Van Over even acknowledges this in the introduction when he mentions editing the romanisation system "from the difficult Legge system into the more readable Wade-Giles," possibly the only time someone has ever called Wade-Giles "readable." The only reason I have this edition is because the cover is awesome. It looks like a retro video game. I love it. (less)

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Souldaddy

Apr 17, 2008Souldaddy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

As a skeptic I have a hard time reconciling logic & reason with my experiences concerning this book. The I Ching is like Chinese astrology that uses coins instead dates. You throw the coins and get a nugget of wisdom that speaks to your life and its problems. Logic would immediately say this is preposterous and I tend to agree, even now. The only problem with my conclusion is that hundreds of coin throws have shown me the I Ching is anything *but* random.

A friend introduced me to the book and how to "throw the bones." At some point I started throwing the coins without his help, and my errors were the first clue that logic alone was unable to comprehend this book. The I Ching is based on a binary gate, a broken or unbroken line, formed in trigrams and hexagrams. It's easy to interpret results the opposite of what they are, reversing a line or the order they are interpreted. So I would ask the book a question and throw a hexagram which vaguely commented on my issue. To double-check my work, I would read the various hexagrams that were opposite or perpendicular to the "true" hexagram. It was then I found out that, as vague as the true hexagram was, the other hexagrams didn't comment on my question at all.

Many smart people have read the I Ching simply as a book of wisdom. For this purpose I highly recommend it as one of the best works of eastern philosophy available. Like astrology, the I Ching divides life into archetypes, forces that play off of each other in creating the basic human experience. The I Ching philosophy is a model and like any model some people will find it hopelessly vague, but this should never be your excuse for avoiding this kind of writing. The wisdom does not arise from what names the I Ching chooses to throw your experience into, but rather how it divides these experiences and how such archetypes balance off each other. The I Ching focuses on change specifically.

In the end, I realized the secret to the I Ching's success was in making it's philosophy personal. I can read Nietzschean philosophy but because I don't personally ascribe to his logic it stands apart from me. Yet in taking my life into account whenever I read the I Ching, it's had a more profound effect on my thinking then all of my favorite philosophers combined. The accuracy of the book becomes irrelevant, the important thing is the thought process through which the I Ching takes you. (less)

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Alva Ware-Bevacqui

Jun 01, 2012Alva Ware-Bevacqui rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I have used this little Book of Changes for about 15 years (I'm on my second copy) and it has never, ever, ever steered me wrong (unless I've ignored what it said, which has been far too often). Sure, you may think that throwing three coins in the air six times can't tell you anything, but you'd be surprised at how accurate the I Ching is. I've read other I Ching books and this is by far the most accessible. Written by the head doctor for a major circus (go figure!), it is unpretentios and always, always wise with imagery you can understand. The I Ching is NOT about telling the future (in case you were hoping it was) - it's really about how to live and it fits into any religion or no religion. If you approach the book seriously, you'll get a lot out of it. (less)

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Jon Nakapalau

Sep 24, 2016Jon Nakapalau rated it it was amazing

Shelves: religion, cultural-studies, classics, philosophy

A beautiful book that teaches us that change can't be changed...it will become what it was meant to be without our consideration or approval. ...more

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Scott

Jul 01, 2007Scott rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: spirit

This is one of my favorite translations of the Yi Jing. There are three books I use most often when I throw the coins: the classic Wilhelm/Baynes translation, this one, and Carol Anthony's A Guide to the I Ching. What I like about the Alfred Huang book is that it is very readable and useful, and at the same time feels like it is conveying the nuances of the Chinese meanings better than any other translation I have used. Huang explains in better detail a number of the odd turns of phrase that Wilhelm didn't quite seem to get. He is also more willing than Wilhelm was to let his translation be terse and cryptic when the original text is terse and cryptic -- that's both an advantage and a disadvantage, so I find that the Wilhelm/Baynes and Huang translations complement each other nicely. And then Anthony's commentaries add a layer of interpretation that strongly resonates with me.

I have a number of other translations I also like, but these are the three I find I come back to most often for regular use. (less)

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Chris

Mar 06, 2014Chris rated it it was amazing

Mind blown. The Book of Changes has changed me--significantly and substantially.

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Robtee

Oct 25, 2009Robtee rated it it was amazing

It profits the wise man to cross the water,

to be still in winter,

active in summer,

humble in life

and graceful in death

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Yigal Zur

Nov 25, 2018Yigal Zur rated it liked it

great to practice and brood. my hero Dotan Naor in my thrillers use it when he wonder which path to take to solve a case.

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Tita

Dec 21, 2010Tita rated it it was amazing

This one is, for me, the grandfather of all the books I use. I occasionally read it, consult it, when I want a complete and full (and usually quite symbolic and mysterious) reading, for it is the translation closest to the original that I have found. However, I have other translations I use for faster readings or for explanations/explorations into deeper aspects of the figures. My longtime copy of this book has been packed away for several years (long story!), and I have continually thought that it will surface one day. Finally, recently, I realized that it's okay simply to buy another copy! Seeing it on my shelves again is like finding an old friend to reconnect with.

I also recommend highly the Introduction in this book, just for good reading, for it is written by Carl Jung, who was a friend of Richard Wilhelm (the translator) and who tells a charming story of his own discovery of the I Ching through Wilhelm's friendship.

For English readers, I would guess that this is the "authentic" version. (less)

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Maxwell

Jan 20, 2021Maxwell rated it really liked it

Read this in 2017 while studying Carl Jung. Stuck in a relationship that wasn't working but not willing to admit it to myself, I wanted to use the process of "synchronicity" to stir up my subconscious. I got hexagram #18, which holds imagery of "insects or worms in rotting meat held in a sacrificial vessel" and deals with (among many other things) the negative side of sexual infatuation. I'm not spiritual, but am very interested in the social sciences and see how methods of divination like this and tarot (through universality of themes/ the mind's programming to grasp personal meaning) can help people gain new perspective on their problems.

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Lehcim Nosre-dna

May 15, 2007Lehcim Nosre-dna rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: EVERYONE

Shelves: ongoing

IT'S ALIVE!!! ...more

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William Schram

May 10, 2021William Schram rated it liked it

Shelves: spiritual, classics, religion

"The I Ching or Book of Changes" is an ancient tome from China. It discusses using numbers to divine your fortune.

When I picked up the book, I was misinformed about its contents. I thought it was a book of philosophy or ancient wisdom. I would say it has cultural significance, but I did not consider it earth-shattering. (less)

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Mary-Jean Harris

Jul 26, 2016Mary-Jean Harris rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: esoteric-philosophy-or-science

This is a great introduction to the I Ching. First of all, it contains the whole I Ching with lots of commentaries and explanations, historical ones and those from the author. And secondly, the introduction by John Minford was excellent, with a history of divination that progressed to the I Ching, as well as very useful examples of how to actually DO it--when I first got the book and flipped through it, it seemed all fine and dandy, but although you can flip through the hexagrams, how do you actually read some meaning out of it? This is what the author laid out quite nicely.

To me, this book is like Tarot cards, and I use it in a similar manner to the cards. Although the process is different, the spirit of it is the same. What you read from it is different for each person, and yet there is an underlying truth to it that many can read from it. It's not just arbitrary, but very relevant to what we ask it. It is beautifully written and can not only help us guide our lives, but understand the world we live in. It's an honour to be able to read this ancient text, and this translation is a wonderful place to start. (less)

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Brandon Burrup

Sep 22, 2012Brandon Burrup rated it did not like it

Shelves: book-i-will-never-finish

My intent is not to offend any who use this book for spiritual meaning or guidance, therefore if that is you I highly recommend you not read my review and simply move on and accept that not everyone finds meaning in the same way. And frankly much worse has been said about my own religious literature than what I'm about to say.

That said, this book is absolutely ridiculous. I'll be honest I only made it through about 3 or 4 pages, and all I gathered from that is that man is good and man is bad and man is animal that means animal is bad and good and is man is bad and good that means bad is good and good is bad and everything is everything and nothing all at once and absolutely nothing in the universe makes any sense. That's about what the first few pages were like for me. Utter nonsense. (less)

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Ben

Aug 30, 2012Ben rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: must-read, eastern-philosophy

This isn't a book that you sit down a read through (although you can if you want), but more of a tool to use daily/weekly/whenever the needed arises. The wisdom in these pages is incredible, and for whatever reason whichever chapter(s) you roll, the advise within said chapters is always relevant. I highly suggest everyone get a copy and use it to provide some perspective whenever you find yourself in need. You don't need to believe in any supernatural powers to utilize this. Its power lies in it's ability to be relevant no matter what - you unconsciously make it fit into whatever is going on in your life. (less)

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Joe Fiala

Jul 28, 2007Joe Fiala rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ccm

4 stars is a little generous in my book, but these are 4 stars relative to other works. A good all-around translation. I think he adds too much at times, perhaps lending to much credibility to his own interpretations. Nonetheless, it is nice to see how a well-educated Taoist would present his understanding of the Yi Jing to others.

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Jimmy

Feb 14, 2016Jimmy rated it did not like it

Shelves: atheism

Jimmy's I Ching:

One star at the top means

Jimmy fell asleep reading this. ...more

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