Synopses & Reviews
A landmark new translation of the ancient Chinese oracle and book of wisdom
Pose a question, then toss three coins (or cast your yarrow stalks) to access the time-honored wisdom of the I Ching.
The I Ching, or Book of Change, has been consulted through the ages, in both China and the West, for answers to fundamental questions about the world and our place in it. The oldest extant book of divination, it dates back three thousand years to ancient shamanistic practices involving the ritual preparation of the shoulder bones of oxen. From this early form of communication with the other world, it has become the Chinese spiritual book par excellence. An influence on such cultural icons as Bob Dylan, John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Philip K. Dick, and Philip Pullman, the I Ching is turned to by millions around the world for insights on spiritual growth, business, medicine, genetics, game theory, strategic thinking, and leadership, and of course for the window it opens on China.
This new translation, over a decade in the making, is informed by the latest archaeological discoveries and features a gorgeously rendered codex of divination signsand#151;the I Chingand#8217;s sixty-four Tarot-like hexagrams. It captures the majesty and mystery of this legendary work and charts an illuminating path to self-knowledge.
Review
and#8220;Consistently eloquent and erudite, this rendition of the
I Ching will endure as a classic of the twenty-first century and beyond.and#8221; and#8212;
Anthony C. Yu, Carl Darling Buck Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in Humanities, The University of Chicago
and#8220;Readers familiar with the classic Wilhelm/Baynes translation can rest assured that John Minfordand#8217;s new version has surpassed it. . . . It is a work of art. But it is also extremely user-friendly, especially for general readers who wish to consult their fortunes with this book. They will find here, in Minfordand#8217;s many-splendored prose, a largesse of wisdom and sheer mystical power.and#8221; and#8212;Leo Ou-fan Lee, Sin Wai Kin Professor of Chinese Culture, Chinese University of Hong Kong
and#8220;A creative masterpiece in itself, this translation by John Minfordand#8212;one of the foremost cultural intermediaries of our dayand#8212;throws fresh light on the great Chinese classic of the occult. It is a kind of unholy resurrection, a cable that disappears into the abyss of a darker time. In it the Bronze Age predicts to the Information Age the shadow of what is to come.and#8221; and#8212;Timothy Mo, three-time finalist for the Booker Prize
and#8220;A nicely produced book with an enthusiastic spirit and scholarly credentials . . . [It] has a freshness and clarity about it and reads well [and] has the authority of a solid translator with great scholarly experience. [It] should certainly join the small handful of books that are worthy of consulting time and time again.and#8221; and#8212;Yijing Dao
and#160;
Synopsis
The
I Ching, probably the oldest book in existence, provides a system of knowledge that makes it possible to analyze the patterns of changes in life governed by the Immutable Law of Change. Whether we use the
I Ching for divination or to study the principles involved with it, if we allow ourselves to be governed by its teachings, we shall enrich the content of our lives, free ourselves from anxiety, and become harmless or even intelligently helpful to others and pleasant companions to ourselves.
This translation of the I Ching has been especially prepared for practical use in divination. It is easier to use than any previous version, and the language is closer to that of the Chinese original.
About the Author
John Minford is the translator of the acclaimed Viking Penguin edition of The Art of War and a professor of Chinese at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia.