What is I Ching?
I Ching or the Book of Changes is a divinatory book intended for the use of
Chinese emperors and princes. It is one of classics of the ancient
Confucian
canon. It consists in 64 short essays on the lineal figures named hexagrams.
Each hexagram is made of six yin or yang lines as shown below:
__ __
__ __
_____ Hexagram 54 - Kuei Mei
/ The Marrying Maiden
__ __
_____
_____
The yin is represented by a
broken line__ __ and the yang as a continuous _____ one.
Hexagrams have names that point
to a specific life situation, human attitude or object.
Each hexagram is assigned a so-called Judgment in the form of a short statement
followed by an omen or advice in order to know how to deal with a dangerous
situation or succeed in doing something.
One may consult the I Ching even today through casting three coins or yarrows or even through our online device (see the instruction on the left).
Further Resources:
You can learn more about what I Ching is and mainly how it works by
visiting the links above. Or you may simply read te best English versions and
the introductory study of Carl Jung.
- James Legge version -
http://baharna.com/iching/legge/
- Richard Wilhelm version -
http://www2.unipr.it/~deyoung/I_Ching_Wilhelm_Translation.html
- Carl Jung's introduction to the Wilhelm/Baynes version -
http://www.iging.com/intro/foreword.htm
Explains the content of the book and the consultation methods, and provides an example of
interpretation of the answers.