The Essentials of the Yi Jing

[sparhawk]

I would like to recommend a book that I just received and that recently came out (Nov/2003). It is called:

The Essentials of the Yi Jing (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1557788278/qid=1073771056/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-6766832-7567035?v=glance&s=books)
by Chung Wu, Ph.D.
ISBN 1-55778-827-8

Here is something from the back cover:

The Yi Jing (I Ching or book of Changes) is a classic in Chinese literature that provides a philosophy and also a practical way to anticipate the future by means of divination. Most students of the Yi Jing have focused on one aspect and ignored the other. Historically, advances in classical Chinese culture were made by academics, not by diviners. Modern Chinese scholars study this classic for the wealth of its philosophical thought and literary style in the same manner they study other Confucian classics. In the West, since its introduction in the eighteen century, however, it has aroused more interest as an aid for divination, like Tarot, than as a work of scholarship or philosophy. This book integrates these long separated strands.

Working with the original text and with the historical treatments of the Yi Jing in both Chinese and Western culture, Dr. Wu has translated and annotated this ancient classic for students and serious readers. He corrects past misinterpretations, omissions, and foreign ideas that were introduced to the original text. He provides the reader useful charts and commentaries, making this the most unified, comprehensive, and detailed explanation of the Yi Jing.

Chung Wu was born in China and was privately tutored in the classics of Chinese literature and practiced calligraphy as a young student. Throughout his life he has continued studying Chinese literature. He earned a B.S. in Chemistry at Fukien Christian University in 1941 and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1952. Dr. Wu has published articles on China including in Collier's Encyclopedia.

Mr. Wu was born in 1919.

Luis

[bradford_h]

Hi Luis-
Amazon has no sample pages for this.
Would you mind awfully much transcribing a sentence or two of his translation, like 1.0 & 1.1 or 3.0 & 3.1?
This would be much appreciated- I've bought my fill of pigs in a poke.
b

[cheiron]

Hi Luis

Well the Yi Jing seems to recommend it.

Like Mr B ? I have a shelf load of 3 legged Donkeys? Could I further burden you with adding a request for a few lines of his commentary on those lines?

After all I am playing the shadow to Mr B?s bright light ;)

Brad ? This morning I was enjoying your Dao De Jing - #56 to be precise? I read about 4 other ?leading? versions of this? you really caught it beautifully for me? How do I know? ? Your translators version! ? What gifts you give.

http://www.hermetica.info/#LaoziSkipDown

Good greetings to you both

--Kevin

[sparhawk]

Hi Brad and Kevin,

Here we go. I'll use 3.0 & 3.1 and some commentaries. I believe that Hex1 is too easy for what you are trying to do. I will transcribe his translation in bold text and his commentaries in italics.

3. Zhun, Distress - Zhun is primordial, pervasive, prosperous, and persevering. The subject should proceed with caution. It will be advantageous to establish marquisates.

Zhun receives the same four attributes as Qian. Unlike Qian, however, Zhun is facing enormous uncertainties. Here are the reasons for its weakness. The hexagram is composed of Zhen confronted by Kan. Zhen (thunder) is characterized by swift motion and Kan (water) symbolizes a big river. To make a swift decision to cross a big river without careful planning entails much risk. Moreover, the pictograph of Zhun depicts a germinating seed pushing its new growth above the ground. It underlies an early frailty. Hence, he who observes this judgment should proceed with caution and try to seek assistance.
At the time this judgment was being written, China was governed by a feudal system headed by a king. The authority of the king relied on the support of the various loyal feudal princes that he appointed. Hence, an extension of the meaning of establishing marquisates is to plant support to strengthen the central government. In the present context, it simply means to seek wise counsels because of the subject's own frailty. For this reason, its literal meaning is too restrictive and we should look for broader implications. As I have pointed out earlier, progress in understanding the Yi Jing has often been made not with literal meaning, but with alternative interpretations.

The Tuan. Zhun connotes distress arising from the first intercourse between Qian and Kun. Taking action in the midst of difficulty requires utmost pervasiveness and perseverance to succeed. Activities of thunder and rain fill the great void. Natural disorder and obscurity prevail. The time is right to establish marquisates, but unsettling will continue.

The Tuan is Confucius's elaboration of King Wen's judgment. We can readily undestand the meaning of the first sentence if we remember Section 10, especially Figure 21, in Chapter III. Zhen, which is the inner trigram of Zhun, symbolizes the eldest son of Qian and Kun. In hexagram Zhun, Zhen is under Kan, which denotes danger. Thus, the activity of Zhen in under constraint. Under these conditions, a person should not attempt to do too much. With proper attitude, he may succeed in a moderate way. The reason for all this is that the hexagram is inherently weak.

The Xiang. Clouds and thunder form hexagram Zhun. Thus the Jun zi plans and organizes.

the Xiang paints a picture of the overcast sky with clouds (Kan) and thunder (Zhen), suggesting a situation of apprehension and uncertainty. This is no difference from "natural disorder and obscurity" noted in the Tuan. The jun zi, who has the ability and desire to counsel, would bring order to the chaotic situation.

First Nine. There is a formidable obstruction to advance. It will be advantageous, however, to remain persevering. It will be advantageous also to establish marquisates.
The Xiang. Although he is under constraint, he has set his goal correctly. Like a noble man serving the common people, he will receive their support.

The first yao is properly occupied by yang. But the three overwhelming yin yao above impose a severe constraint on the yang's activity. Nevertheless, if the subject can remain firm and correct, he will overcome.
In the Xiang, the nobleman refers to the first nine, which is the principal yao of the lower trigram Zhen. (For a discussion of the principal yao of the trigrams, see section 10 of Chapter III.) His position is under the three yin yao, the common people. Anyone who can be humble enough to serve under the common people should win the hearts of the mass. We recall a saying by Lao Zi: "He who plans well cannot be uprooted."

There you have it. I hope you'll find it interesting and compelling. Please forgive any typos you may find... http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/I_Ching_community/clipart/happy.gif

All the best,

Luis

[bradford_h]

Hi Luis-
Thank you for this extra effort.
It looks to be worth acquiring, and so far seems reasonably true to the Chinese and the spirit of the text. He still adds a few (fairly confucian) ideas in the translation itself, and inserts extra pronouns and such. Generally seems to have a pretty good understanding.
brad

[cheiron]

Thanks Luis

I like the way he deals with the trigrams and lines as well as his commentary.

Appreciate you going to that trouble.

Now to find the space for it http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/I_Ching_community/clipart/happy.gif

Thanks

--Kevin

[sparhawk]

You are welcome guys!

Regarding his use of Confucian ideas and extra pronouns I think it has to do with the fact that the book is for a Western market. Some sacrifice on behalf of mass legibility must be conceded.

Other than that I find the book very interesting.

Luis

[bradford_h]

Hi Luis-
I got it ordered. Maybe more comments to come in a few weeks. Powell's has it new on sale for US$19.95.
Here's an example of what you can miss though (this is his furthest example from literal):
"There is a formidable obstruction to advance."
is just two words: Pan Huan, cliffs all around, or surrounded by crags, or large rocks encircling. With the literal image you can also learn the the way out is to be patient and follow the dao of water (03.1x, "respect the lowly and basic" also picked up by Laozi, as indicated by 03.1 zhi gua 08, water over earth).

[sparhawk]

Hmm, very interesting indeed.

Now, in reading your message above, I just realized that we must consider that Western people studying the Yi for a decent length of time have trained their minds to see things in a more pictographic way than normal. Even those who cannot read the language, such as myself. Which is the reason we tend to grow impatient when we find translations that force legibility over content. For example, I have no problem interpreting your quote above. However, I wonder how many beginners end up scratching their heads if presented with it on their first approach to the Yi.

On the other hand, nobody ever claimed that the Yi is an easy subject to study... http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/I_Ching_community/clipart/happy.gif

BTW, I'm getting pissed with Amazon. Whatever happened with discounted book prices? I'll definitely start looking back at Powell's.

L

[cheiron]

Hi Luis

I have now got it orderred.... thanks

Re. Amazon - Here in the UK the big sharks are the second hand booksellers selling through Amazon... I recently bought an out of print book on Analytic Psychology for about $100. When I got it I realised it was a silly price and challenged the seller - I got an immediate 50% rebate...

In future I intend to find the seller from their name (Google)and negotiate...

--Kevin

[bradford_h]

Hi Luis-
RE:
"Even those who cannot read the language, such as myself. Which is the reason we tend to grow impatient when we find translations that force legibility over content."

The Chinese is so damn rich and non-linear, it has to take lifetimes. You can bet the authors were undestanding the text in Chinese, not reading translations, and pondering in many dimensions.
I find my best isights come from trying to get inside the sensuous aspect of the images and live inside each little puzzle.
In the case of 3.1, I imagine being lost or trapped in the little valley, but realize that if there were no way out it would be a lake. There's a tiny walled valley in northern New Mexico that I can often picture here. So I take a deep breath and start looking around. Maybe get humble and "appoint helpers" by asking directions. Maybe look for water to lead me. Maybe I admit a temporary defeat and go back the way I came in, if that's the only way out. With all these ways the metaphor can go, not all will be precisely right, but one reading is bound to fit my question. And this is certainly more fun than having some author tell me "well, this line means ....."
b

[bradford_h]

Hi Luis & all
Finally received the Chung Wu book.
Now that I see it I think I would recommend it for a "top 50" collection, athough I would not for a "top 20". I have maybe 150. Comfortably above average. I will definitely read it all for the occasional great insight. Maybe for now I'd put it on a level with Alfred Huang or Henry Wei.
His insights are inconsistent - very good in places, passable in most, but I wouldn't take anything on faith without checking other translations. He misses the point as often as anyone else on my B list.
I'm pretty sure he knows Chinese, though I suspect he has a big problem with the old grammar, so that he sometimes has to depart from proper word meanings to fit certain grammatical misnderstandings. Like most, he ignores the Chinese particles instead of taking the time to understand them. His translations add a lot of extra stuff, sometimes just to get full, fluffy English sentences with unnecessary masculine pronouns as subjects.
b

[cheiron]

Good morning Brad

Thanks for your review... I value your opinion.

Mine is still in the post http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/I_Ching_community/clipart/sad.gif

What are your top three?

Thanks

--Kevin

[bradford_h]

Hi Kevin -
Desert island question?
1) The Kunst dissertation (even though he's a modernist, and it's Zhouyi only)
2) Richard Lynn's Wang Bi version
3) ZD Sung's bilingual Legge/Chinese
If I couldn't take my own I'd take the R/K (for the concordance, not the translation).
If I had to choose between my own I'd take the Matrix, not the Simple one.
b

[cheiron]

Hi Brad ? Thanks

I like Richard Lynn a lot too? anything else I would say now would be sycophantic? chuckles?

But that Matrix is a pretty powerful tool? A great gift?

The good news is we are not sending you to the island just yet?

Thanks

--Kevin

[bradford_h]

damn

[ryder]

Whatever happened to Richard Kunst? It's rather unusual to write a seminal dissertation (most are rubbish) and then disappear from sight. If he's still alive, I wonder if he still thinks about the Yi?

Ryder

[bradford_h]

Hi Ryder
This is all I know. I've never communicated with him.
http://research.humancomp.org/ftp/yijing/
b

[sparhawk]

Hi Brad,

Sorry for the late reply. Thanks for your review of the book. I like myself and, although I lack the Chinese knowledge you have, I agree with you that the book has some inconsistencies. Not all that bad though, IMHO. I like the chart on page xlviii with the parallelism and complementarity of all 64 hexagrams. Very handy for beginners, I believe.

BTW, I have a couple of copies of Z.D . Sung's book and I like it a lot. Hard to find a few years ago. Nowadays I'm sure it can be found at ABE or Alibris with little problem. Kevin may remember that a few weeks ago I quoted to him from that book about Hex64.


L

[bradford_h]

RE: The Text of Yi King and Its Appendixes
by Z. D. Sung
The Chinese text is very reliable (just a couple of problems that I note in my own version). The translation is Legge's.
Sun Publishing has been promising to reprint this (for US$32) for more than three yeas now, but so far all it's been is empty promises. They're seeming awfully flaky by now.
ABE has 5 copies from $25-50, and also several copies of his smaller "Symbols" which has lots of stuff to please the folks on the 6x6 cube thread.

[sparhawk]

Brad, I should send you a bottle of wine or something. I've been on the lookout for the "Symbols" book for quite a while and haven't checked ABE on it for about two years.

My fault for not being a little more organized with my wish lists.

Thank you!

L

[bradford_h]

dead of winter here
flower petals crash to the floor
the mouse stomps around

[sparhawk]

Nice Brad!
Is that from a part of the book I haven't got to yet (I'm a slow reader...) or are you trying your hand at Haiku?

L

[bradford_h]

I wanted to write a haiku for this great rare silence here.
Basho did a wonderful one for summertime:

This quietness
The shrilling of cicadas
Stabs into the rocks

[sparhawk]

ume ga ka ni
notto hi no deru
yama-ji kana


Aroma del ciruelo,
y de pronto el sol sale:
senda del monte.

BASHO

[yonathan]

I am new at this web... but I must begin and if this is the wrong place I ask an immediately and big sorry. Anyway, I have began studying the I Ching almost 41 years ago. My father have gived me a book - in german -, of James Legge with essays of Karl Yung. Today, that I am 52 years old, I think in the words of Confucius « if I can get more 50 years alive I shall dedicate only to the I Ching... » Really, I do not need more 50 years, maybe more one hundred.
I was 11 years and I began reading this book slowly... realy slowly... drinking each word and obderving the Binary mathematical situation that the book presents me like the Combinatory implied there.
So I have decided to use the staks for deep meditation and the coins to complet any lake of understanding.
But when I was reading the book I noticed that Legge reports the five partitions of the staks like a loosed system. I was not so superfitial to thing « ok; if the ancient have loosed the system what can I do... », anyway I have decided to pass over that.
So, I was using the obtained hexagrama like a yantra and the pronunciation like a mantram and one day - looks to me even today, after five minutes of "inconsciousness" -, six hours after I "wake up" with the system of the five partitions. Until today I have not spoke about this with anybody but today... During all these years I have used this systems and he never have failled.
So, my question is: Is there anybody who have happened the same, or anybody who are inside of this way?
I never have used the I Ching like a fortune teller; I allways have used it like a Bible together with the documents of the Tao.

Enough!
Yonathan

[cheiron]

Welcome Yonathan

Seems like a realy good way to use the I Ching to me.

Happy birthday!

Can you say more about the system of the five partitions?

I am listennig eagerly!

--Kevin

[yonathan]

Like I have said « I am new here... » and to present the system I must prepare a space to make pictures of the maps amd I don't know how to do it in these space... If You can give me some explanation I shall present imediatly, but if images are not possible I must prepare a way of simply and clear presentation.

Gratfull for Your atention
Yonathan

[hilary]

Hi Yonathon, and welcome,

You can certainly upload images: see the 'formatting' link in the LH menu for how. But please optimise your images for the web first: make sure they are narrow enough to fit on a page at 800x600, and reduce the file size as much as you can.

If that's all gibberish to you, please say so, and some helpful person is sure to step in to help you out!

[hilary]

P.S. A pianist! Great! What a shame no-one has invented a way to play chamber music over the net...

[yonathan]

So, see music... trie to litsten. Look at the binary from 0 to 12
0000 a pause
0001 decimal 01 La
0010 ibid 02 La sustenuto
0011 " 03 Si
0100 " 04 Do
0101 " 05 Do sustenuto
0110 " 06 Re
0111 " 07 Re sustenuto
1000 " 08 Mi
1001 " 09 Fa
1010 " 10 Fa sustenuto
1011 " 11 Sol
1100 " 12 Sol sustenuto
The scale are complete in half tons;
I have began in La because is the sound of the nature... if You want to put one musical instrument operating just listen the sound of the watter running and with your voice make the same toon... You are in La;
Until here I have got a structure for an hexagram and one mutant;
But the possible combinations above are not complete, so

1101 decimal 13 top line of a trigrama
1110 ibid 14 second line of a trigrama
1111 " 15 bottom " " " "

and You have much more than that because that is only a presentation of something greater like the I Ching desearves.

Binarly with You
Yonathan

[yonathan]

Now Hilary
If You put two hexagramas one above the other You get (the close lines is only to mark the positions an not relative to Yin or Yang):

________ begin of the five musical lines
________
________
__/_____ Clave Sol
________
________ supl. inferior Do (1)
________ begin of five musical lines
__/_____ clave Fa
________
________
________

Nota (1): a supl. inferior belongs to the two hexagaramas and the system is a way to understand/convert the way how to unifie the two essential nmusical claves; i.é: the I Ching can be played in any instrument under any ritm if You using combinatory develope all the sistema. You see the bases of music are binary.

In the time of the Greeks was the same; they have used only four lines but 4X3=12=6+6.

Ok!!!
Yonathan

[yonathan]

Because I have no time to learn how to put here images and maps I have take the freedom to send to You - Hilary -, part of the material about the five divisions of the stalks.
If is possible to You please publish this material here.

I am sorry about that
Sincerly yours
Yonathan

[mick]

Yonathan,

Welcome to Clarity.

Have I understood your diagram correctly?

________ begin of the five musical lines
________
________
__/_____ Clave Sol
________
________ supl. inferior Do (1)
________ begin of five musical lines
__/_____ clave Fa
________
________
________


The bottom five lines are the Bass Clef, supl. inferior Do is middle C and the top five lines are the Treble Clef.

Looking forward to reading your material about the five divisions of the stalks.

I very rarely use the I Ching for divination. Mostly I read the I Ching as a book of ancient wisdom. This sounds similar to you.

Best wishes,

Mick

[yonathan]

Hello Mick

I and only for myself, do not accept I Ching for divination and, like You I use the I Ching to learn that fantastiv ancient wisdom. But, when somebody says me that something are lost and for a "real reason" that I ignore (seems a contradiction), that thinking stays like a trouble in my deep subconscient... normally these something lost appear.
I hoppe that the Five Divisions method appear soon at these page.
Thank You for Your wecome
Yonathan

[hilary]

Rather than copying Yonathan's material onto this page, I've simply saved his email, converted an image and uploaded it all here (http://www.onlineClarity.co.uk/I_Ching_community/messages/367/yonathan.html)

Apologies in advance for not participating so much here, but another two orders for phone readings have just come in!

(Also apologies for the very slow-loading page. I don't have the time or probably the skill to clean up the email program's byzantine html. Any offers?)

[yonathan]

Wen I say, in the document above presented by Hilary and that I thank You so much, that I make these map of Five Partitions Method for each year that it is not correct. Some maps have mantain is activitie for two and three years and sometimes one map only last for four or sevem monses. How I know the time a map last? Because can appear one hexagrama that ask me to make another oracle... so, I get the stalks or the coins and I ask if these means only a simple three partition or if is to make another map of five partitions. In agreement with the answer I act.
Sometimes when I am working, walking or simply doing "nothing" in a flash appears to me an hexagrama with or without mutant; so, I draw imediatly the picture and go to my office to read about these hexagramas. That happens also in dreams or when I am in a meditation level.

Ok. That Clarity of the Understanding be with us
Yhonathan

[tashij]

yonathan, thank you for bringing your work here.

[yonathan]

Tashij
During years I have felt a feeling of opostion about to publish that material and even my Concordance Between I jing and the Complete Tharoth. For me, to publish (in portuguese, spanish, french, english, german or hebrew), was and is easy because I am an writer of Phylosophy of Religions with best-sellers.
But the bad feeling of making money with tese material make me kept them with me. When I discover this web immediatly I decide to publish.
Now, belongs to each one to do with these what they desire to do.
I hope that material be significant to all of You.

Friendly
Yonathan

[tashij]

we are very bleesed to have your contribution. i am continually amazed at the offering here from many esteemed students of the Yi. it will take me a while to understand what you have written, but it takes only a blink of an eye to appreciate your generosity and pure offering.

friendly to you as well.

[yonathan]

The really situation is that all of that is so evident that troubles ower tendencie to complex things. Anyway, the maps can intricate a little but for a short time. Make a map quietly... the estimated time for that is around one hour and half.

Be calm and act in a deep concentration... if you have any doubt e-mail me krark_org@netcabo.pt

Yonathan