![]() But there are still deeper levels of meaning. We have seen how the shape of Pan Ku's shield represents the cosmic egg and how the interplay of the two cosmic forces, the yin and the yang, are represented by the black and the white halves of the Tai Chi symbol. The older chapters, consolidated with the newer commentaries, form a single, cohesive work that is the basis of The Book of Changes we read today. These masterworks were written as supplements to the older parts of the book. ![]() The most famous of all commentators was the sage Confucius, whose writings, together with those of his contemporary Lao Tsu, formed the backbone of subsequent Chinese philosophical thought.Ĭonfucius is believed to have added at least some of the commentaries known as the Ten Wings. With the passage of centuries, devotees have added extensive commentary. One of the most interesting features of the book is that its creation has been something of a community effort. Research in this century has arrived at a number of conclusions about the I Ching's history, about its uses in the past, and also about its meaning. What could be easier or more simple than a life guided by instinct?Įven though scholars believe this book to be one of the oldest in existence, it is used even today as both a tool to investigate the permutations of life and as an oracle. The word "I" also refers to the notions of "simplicity" and "ease." This suggests a deep connection with the natural world. In the context of the book itself, the Chinese word "I" refers to "change." For this reason, the text is known in the English language as The Book of Changes. ![]() The writings require us to reflect on the meaning of a very basic and ancient set of ideas. This quality not only indicates its considerable age, but is, perhaps, the source of its greatness, since these writings demand that its readers use both intuition and open-minded thinking. Although it presents the concept of an orderly, structured universe, the writings are puzzling because of their extensive reliance on very old images and metaphors. To those who understand it, it is certainly one of the most cherished. In the same way that mythology sparks both the imagination and the intellect, so, too, does the "I."įor this reason, it is one of the most consulted and commented on books ever written. When discussing Chinese philosophy it is difficult to avoid turning to the I Ching. Among other things, the "I," as it is known, is a treatise on the practice of divination, or foretelling the future. Some of my books Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).A very early system of symbols is found in the I Ching, considered to be an ancient text even among the Chinese themselves, who boast a very long recorded history. Click on the image of an I Ching hexagram to get to its webpage. Here they all are, in the traditional order. ![]() Each of the 64 hexagrams has its own name, meaning, and divinatory text. For more about the eight trigrams, click the header.Īn I Ching hexagram is composed of two trigrams. The meaning of a hexagram is decided by what two trigrams are paired in it, one above the other. Each trigram represents a basic natural force. That makes a total of eight possible trigrams (2 x 2 x 2). A trigram is a combination of three lines that can either be whole or broken in two. The I Ching hexagrams have their own symbolic meanings, but these stem from the two trigrams of which they consist. They represent yin and yang, the basic polarities of Chinese cosmology and philosophy. In I Ching, each hexagram has its own particular meaning in divination. That means there are 2 6 = 64 possible combinations of lines into hexagrams. Each of these lines can be solid or broken. Hexa in hexagram means six, which refers to the six lines that form a hexagram. You find links to all of the hexagrams and their divinatory texts below. It contains 64 hexagrams and texts on how to understand them in the case of divination. I Ching is one of the oldest books of Ancient China.
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