Table Of ContentDuring this great time of change this book is dedicated to those who are
longing to change and ready to change to a meaningful and successful life of
abundance and happiness.
The Complete I Ching
“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
If some years
were added to my life,
I would dedicate fifty years
to study of the Book of I,
and then I might come
to be without great fault.
CONFUCIUS
AT AGE 70
Acknowledgments
I would like to express my deep gratitude to three most important persons;
without their loving support and encouragement this book would not have been
possible. First is my revered teacher, Master Yin; without his earnest teaching
instruction, I would not have the knowledge to translate this book.
Second is my dear friend Bill Smith, who has made I Ching a daily practice
since 1973 and kept daily notes continuously. After he read over the fifth
revision of my manuscript he said, “Alfred, for the past fifty years Richard
Wilhelm’s translation of the I Ching has been the standard. I hope your book will
be the standard for the next fifty years.” I don’t know whether my translation
will become the standard for the next fifty years, but Bill’s challenge and
encouragement have been the motivating force for the constant improvement of
the translation.
The third important person is Jon Graham, the Acquisitions editor of Inner
Traditions International. His enthusiastic effort in conferring with his company
about publishing my book reminds me of an ancient tale.
It is not rare to find horses able to cover a thousand li a day, but Ba-le is rare.
In the later period of the Spring and Autumn Annals (770–476 B.C.), there
was a man, Ba-le, who was adept in looking at a horse to judge its worth.
Among a herd of horses he was able to point out the one that was able to
cover a thousand li a day. (Li is a Chinese unit of length equivalent to half a
kilometer.)
The story suggests that, without Ba-le, horses able to cover a thousand li a
day often go unrecognized. Although my new translation of the I Ching is not a
horse that covers a thousand li a day, without Jon Graham it would not be
recognized.
I also wish to offer my heartfelt thanks to Steve Thomson and Linda Millar.
During the time I was working on this translation, I stayed at the Zen Monastery
at Akahi Farm in Haiku, Maui, where I met Steve. When he saw I was making a
new translation of the I Ching, he told me it was a matter of great interest to him
to read my manuscript. During the first three months he came to my home every
night to read over my new translation and point out my English mistakes. After I
made the fifth revision, Linda proofread the text.
I would like to express my gratitude to Marguerite Dinkins for the love she
gave me. She spent all of her precious time being with me, reading over my
manuscript, and polishing the English of my translation during her vacation on
Maui. We enjoyed the beautiful scenery, the nice weather, the harmonious
atmosphere, and our lovely like-mindedness.
During the time I worked on the seventh revision, Courtney Collins came
into my life. Through her pureness of heart and sincerity in love I experienced
the harmony of yin and yang, the dance of the souls, and the interplay between
Heaven and Earth. The virtue of her femininity brought me to a new level of
understanding the true significance of Qian and Kun, the first and second gua of
the I Ching.
I would like to extend further thanks to Bill Smith for his appreciation of the
Tao of I and his understanding of the importance of finding the most appropriate
English words for the names of the gua. During my eighth revision, I found that
my original manuscript was not absolutely objective. With the help of Bill, I
checked my manuscript word for word against the Chinese text several times and
in most places I followed the Chinese word order. Without Bill’s help it would
have been almost impossible for my final revision to reveal the true essence of
the I Ching.
I would like to express my appreciation to Inner Traditions International for
publishing this book, making a great contribution in presenting and carrying
forward Chinese culture. My heartfelt appreciation, in particular, to Thomas
Thamm, for designing the beautiful cover which truly captures the essence of the
book, and to Kristin Camp, for designing the interior and preparing the ancient
pictograph for each gua. I also express my deep gratitude to my editor Rowan
Jacobsen and copyeditor Marcia Means for their patience, support, and
suggestions in helping me turn one of the most profound and abstruse Chinese
classics into a readable book.
Contents
Cover Image
Title Page
Dedication
Epigraph
Acknowledgments
Preface
Ten Contributions of This Translation
1. Expounding the Tao of I
2. Understanding the Structure and Meaning
3. The Sequence and Names of the Gua
4. Ancient Chinese Ideographs as Explanations of the Names of the Gua
5. Insights from the Historical Background
6. Unifying the Translations of the Judgments
7. Introducing Simpler Ways to Consult
8. Understanding the Situation
9. Present Information about Future Potential
10. Additional Reference Information for Each Gua
About the Translation
How to Use This Book
Introduction
Between Heaven and Humanity
A Book of Divination, A Book of Wisdom
The Structure of the Book
Flying with the I Ching
Consulting the Oracle
Methods of Divination
Gaining Insight from the Oracle
Part 1. THE UPPER CANON
Chapter 1—Qian • Initiating
Chapter 2—Kun • Responding
Chapter 3—Zhun • Beginning
Chapter 4—Meng • Childhood
Chapter 5—Xü • Needing
Chapter 6—Song • Contention
Chapter 7—Shi • Multitude
Chapter 8—Bi • Union
Chapter 9—Xiao Xü • Little Accumulation
Chapter 10—Lü • Fulfillment
Chapter 11—Tai • Advance
Chapter 12—Pi • Hindrance
Chapter 13—Tong Ren • Seeking Harmony
Chapter 14—Da You • Great Harvest
Chapter 15—Qian • Humbleness
Chapter 16—Yü • Delight
Chapter 17—Sui • Following
Chapter 18—Gu • Remedying
Chapter 19—Lin • Approaching
Chapter 20—Guan • Watching
Chapter 21—Shi He • Eradicating
Chapter 22—Bi • Adorning
Chapter 23—Bo • Falling Away
Chapter 24—Fu • Turning Back
Chapter 25—Wu Wang • Without Falsehood
Chapter 26—Da Xü • Great Accumulation
Chapter 27—Yi • Nourishing
Chapter 28—Da Guo • Great Exceeding
Chapter 29—Kan • Darkness
Chapter 30—Li • Brightness
Part 2. THE LOWER CANON
Chapter 31—Xian • Mutual Influence
Chapter 32—Heng • Long Lasting
