Synopses & Reviews
From the author of
365 Tao and a leading authority on Taoist practice and philosophy comes a completely innovative translation of the classic text of Eastern wisdom, the I Ching.
The I Ching, or Book of Changes, is an ancient manual for divining the future. Its basic text is traditionally attributed to the Chinese King Wen, the Duke of Zhou, and the philosopher Confucius. By tossing coins, rolling dice, using a computer, or, more traditionally, counting yarrow stalks, one can create a seemingly random combination of heads or tails, odd or even, yin or yang, to construct six lines (for example, solid for odd numbers or broken for even numbers). These six lines make up a hexagram that provides advice, predictions, and answers to questions on topics from love and career to family and finance.
While known mostly as a tool of divination, the I Ching is also a repository of centuries of wisdom. Most of the existing translations offer either dense, scholarly commentary or little more than fortune-cookie platitudes, but in The Living I Ching Deng Ming-Dao takes a more holistic approach. His new translation recovers the true wisdom and philosophy of this ancient classic, so that the I Ching becomes more than just a book of fortune-telling -- it becomes a manual for living.
Synopsis
Known widely as a tool for predicting the future, the I Ching is also a repository of three thousand years of philosophy. Its basic premises are simple: that all the world changes, that change is driven by impersonal forces that can be seen in terms of yin and yang, and that all change is cyclical. The wise person harmonizes with the great cycles of change, and, in order to be a master of change, must understand the I Ching.
With this new translation, Deng Ming-Dao, a leading authority on Taoist practice and philosophy, recovers the true wisdom of this ancient classic. The language is friendly, open, and welcoming, and a breathtaking watercolor by the author opens each chapter. This innovative translation brings the ancient Eastern wisdom of the I Ching alive for contemporary readers.
Synopsis
A leading authority on Taoist practice and philosophy, and author of 365 Tao, Deng Ming-Dao employs his knowledge and poetic sensibility to this new translation of one of the world's oldest books.
While mostly known as a tool of divination, the I Ching is actually a repository of centuries of wisdom. Deng helps readers learn about the basic philosophy of this book so that it becomes a manual for everyday life. This translation uses language that is friendly, open and welcoming without compromising the integrity of the original text. The Living I Ching is also beautifully illustrated with Deng's own pen and ink drawings.
Deng Ming-Dao is the author of eight books, including 365 Tao, Everyday Tao, Scholar Warrior, and Chronicles of Tao. His books have been translated into fifteen languages. He studied qigong, philosophy, meditation, and internal martial arts with Taoist master Kwan Saihung for 13 years, and studied with 2 other masters for 6 years before that. An award-winning graphic designer and fine artist, his work is in several museum collections including the Brooklyn Museum and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. He lives in San Francisco.
About the Author
Deng Ming-Dao is the author of eight books, including 365 Tao, Everyday Tao, Scholar Warrior, and Chronicles of Tao. His books have been translated into fifteen languages. He studied qigong, philosophy, meditation, and internal martial arts with Taoist master Kwan Saihung for thirteen years, and studied with two other masters before that. He is an award-winning graphic designer and fine artist whose work is in several collections, including those of the Brooklyn Museum and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Dengs watercolors appear at the beginning of each chapter in this I Ching.