I Ching Interpretation.

Author: Sun Yingkui Yang Yiming Interpretation
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-10-01
Features: The Book of Changes is one of the earliest divination books preserved in China. In ancient times, people consulted oracles to seek divine guidance, determining auspiciousness or inauspiciousness and setting their course of action. It was believed that by understanding the Book of Changes and grasping the essence of divination, one could predict outcomes and know fortune or misfortune when venturing out on matters. The Book of Changes is vast in content and holds high value in social history, philosophical thought, and literary significance. It is a precious cultural heritage passed down by ancient people. Originally a book of divination, the Book of Changes contains profound philosophical ideas. Through its evolution from the Classic to the Commentaries, it rose from a divination text to a philosophical work. Its influence on the history of Chinese scholarship, thought, and even the way Chinese people think is profoundly far-reaching. The Book of Changes consists of sixty-four hexagrams, which later generations divided into the Upper Canon and the Lower Canon, with thirty hexagrams in the former and thirty-four in the latter. The Upper Canon elucidates the way of heaven, while the Lower Canon illuminates the way of humanity. In reality, the Book of Changes speaks of celestial time, which is also about humanity. Heaven and humanity are almost indistinguishably intertwined in the Book of Changes. The Book of Changes speaks of the "Three Natures" (heaven, earth, and humanity). Those who interpret the Book of Changes believe that why each hexagram has six lines is related to the relationship between heaven and humanity. The way of heaven is yin and yang, the way of earth is soft and hard, and the way of humanity is benevolence and righteousness. Combining the three natures while embracing both aspects, the Book of Changes thus has six lines. The logical framework of the Book of Changes is as follows: first heaven and earth, then all things; then male and female. Just as all things are born of ancestors, so too are humans.