Synopses & Reviews
•The first translation to honor the authentic Chinese spirit of the Book of Change
For more than 3000 years the I Ching has been the most important book of divination in the world. Yet it has always been translated by Westerners who brought their own cultural biases to the work. Now, for the first time, an eminent Chinese scholar has translated the original ideograms of the I Ching into English. Imprisoned and sentenced to death during the Cultural Revolution in 1966, Master Alfred Huang studied the I Ching in secret with some of China's greatest minds. Released in 1979, he emigrated to the United States, where he discovered that no I Ching existed in English that truly understood the Chinese mind. This book is the product of his desire to right that situation.
To the Chinese, the I Ching is nothing without the Confucian commentaries known as the Ten Wings. Previous editions have given them only a minor place in the book, or have left them out altogether. In this new translation, they are restored to their central importance by Master Huang.
This book also emphasizes the intricate connections between the 64 possible hexagrams, and introduces several new methods for doing readings.
Review
The publisher's decision to call this 'the definitive translation' might at first seem presumptuous, given the fact that generations of readers have come to venerate the Wilhelm, Legge, and Blofeld versions. However, a careful comparison of Huang's translation with these prior classics reveals it 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, Dec 1998) What is constant through the 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 Ching, more useful for the current temperament than older, more self conscious translations. (The Book Reader, Spring/Summer 1999) Huang's definitive translation provides Western audiences with deeper insight into the I Ching. . . . Any reader interested in Eastern philosophy definitely will appreciate this book. (New Age Retailer, Mar/Apr 99)
Review
"In The Complete I ChingAlfred Huang has restored the true essence of the I Ching...."
Review
"A careful comparison of Huang's translation with the Wilhelm, Legge, and Blofeld versions reveals its superiority in nearly every respect."
Synopsis
This authoritative translation is the first by an eminent Chinese scholar, and it includes the essential Confucian commentaries.
About the Author
A professor of Taoist philosophy and former Dean of Students at Shanghai University, Master Alfred Huang is a third-generation master of Tai Chi, Chi Kung, and Oriental meditation, wtih over 50 years of experince. He is the founder of New Harmony, a non-profit organization devoted to teaching self-healing, and is the author of Complete Tai Chi. He lives on the island of Maui.
Table of Contents
The Complete I ChingThe Definitive TranslationAcknowledgments
Preface
Ten Contributions of This Translation
About the Translation
How to Use This Book
Introduction
Flying with the I Ching
The Upper Canon
1. Qian * Initiating
2.Kun * Responding
3.Zhun * Beginning
4.Meng * Childhood
5.Xu * Needing
6.Song * Contention
7.Shi * Multitude
8.Bi * Union
9.Xiao Xu * Little Accumulation
10.Lu * Fulfillment
11.Tai * Advance
12.Pi *Hindrance
13.Tong Ren * Seeking Harmony
14.Da You * Great Harvest
15.Qian * Humbleness
16.Yu * Delight
17.Sui * Following
18.Gu * Remedying
19.Lin * Approaching
20.Guan * Watching
21.Shi He * Eradicating
22.Bi * Adorning
23.Bo * Falling Away
24.Fu * Turning Back
25.Wu Wang * Without Falsehood
26.Da Xu * Great Accumulation
27.Yi * Nourishing
28.Da Guo * Great Exceeding
29.Kan * Darkness
30.Li * Brightness
The Lower Canon
31.Xian * Mutual Influence
32.Heng * Long Lasting
33.Dun * Retreat
34.Da Zhuang * Great Strength
35.Jing * Proceeding Forward
36.Ming Yi * Brilliance Injured
37.Jia Ren * Household
38.Kui * Diversity
39.Jian * Hardship
40.Jie * Relief
41.Sun * Decreasing
42.Yi * Increasing
43.Guai * Eliminating
44.Gou * Encountering
45.Cui * Bringing Together
46.Sheng * Growing Upward
47.Kun * Exhausting
48.Jing * Replenishing
49.Ge * Abolishing the Old
50.Ding * Establishing the New
51.Zhen * Taking Action
52.Gen * Keeping Still
53.Jian * Developing Gradually
54.Gui Mei * Marrying Maiden
55.Feng * Abundance
56.Lu * Traveling
57.Zun * Proceeding Humbly
58Dui * Joyful
59.Huan * Dispersing
60.Jie * Restricting
61.Zhong Fu * Innermost Sincerity
62.Ziao Guo * Little Exceeding
63.Ji Ji * Already Fulfilled
64.Wei Ji * Not Yet Fulfilled
A Brief History of the Zhou Dynasty
Glossary
Index