An Introduction to the I Ching: A Brief Look at the Classic of Changes and a Brief Background

If you're starting to read this, I assume you have some curiosity in what the I-Ching is, what wisdom it holds, and what it can teach you. I will give an introduction to the I-Ching and summarize its role as a book of wisdom. I was initially introduced to the I-Ching in a college psychology class, where we spoke about the role of wisdom and how it operated in the human brain. From then on, my curiosity has led to a large appreciation of the wisdom the text provides.

Origins

The I-Ching was originally a book structured to act as an oracle. That is, it was relied upon to aide an invoker in predicting the present and the future. However, over time and in the hands of the Confucian school, it gained status as a book of wisdom more so than a divining guide. The actual book itself was crafted over many centuries. It evolved through Chinese dynasties and a changing world. The actual date of the book is often disputed, but the most accurate guess is that the book reached completion around the third century B.C. However, this fact is disputed - some claim that Confucius was the primary author, while others say that parts of the book predate and succeed him.

However, when regarding the I-Ching, there is another factor to consider: this is an extremely dense text. All mainstream copies are based on and include the original text, but also the commentary of an interpretor. There are many versions of the I-Ching, or Book of Changes. The version I have used and continually refer to is the Wang Bi interpretation, as translated by Richard John Lynn. It provides a solid background to the text itself, as well as Lynn's own notes and references to Bi and the text itself. Overall, it is a very complete introduction to the book.

Structure

The I-Ching is a set of sixty-four hexagrams. Each has its own title (they aren't just 1-64), judgment, image, interpretation. Each of these hexagrams is made of of two trigrams: and upper and a lower. The trigrams themselves are named as follows: Qian (heaven), Kun (earth), Zhen (thunder), Sun (wind), Kan (water), Li (fire), Gen (mountain), and Dui (lake). Each of the trigrams is made up of three lines. Each is either broken (- -) or unbroken (---) (this doesn't translate well into text). The combination of two trigrams forms a hexagram, which is supposed to be representative of a type or flow of change. An example of this would be hexagram 32, Perseverance.

The line structure is extremely important. The two types of lines represent the yin and yang of the universe. The unbroken line (---) represents Yang, while the broken line (- -) represents Yin. Depending on where a line falls, it could mean good fortune or bad fortune (if you chose to see the book as a divining manual).

After the initial hexagram, we are given the judgment (essentially, what the hexagram means or stands for). Immediately after that, we get the commentary on the judgment. This is part of what varies based on who wrote the commentary. Again, in the text I've used, Wang Bi provided the commentary. In other versions, they will differ.

Next is the commentary on the images. The word "images" is used loosely here - there isn't an actual image, but the commentary evokes one. This image is relevant to both the trigrams and the hexagram.

After that, you get a bit of explanation on the order of the hexagrams. For instance, in hexagram 29: "One cannot stay forever in a state of superiority. This is why daguo [Major Superiority, Hexagram 28] is followed by kan [sink hole]. Kan here indicates a pit."

The next section is the hexagrams in irregular order. This section runs counter to the commentary on the sequence, but at the same time, provides links to other hexagrams. As such, pairs or groups are often formed.

Finally, we get the line commentaries. This is where the nature of the line (unbroken or broken) comes into play. We get six commentaries, one for each line, explaining the position of the line and what it means. With each line you also get a commentary on the image that the line invokes.

All of these make up the body of the text. What you have to consider, though, is that along with the original text, you're also going to get the interpretations of the commentaries, judgments, and images as provided by the interpretor. Again, you mileage may vary based on the edition you use, so I would wholly recommend doing some research before actually purchasing a copy. Or, you could always just buy all of the versions and get a very round view of the Classic of Changes. Whichever route you choose, you will get a book full of wisdom. I plan to go further into detail about certain sections of the I Ching as well as how to use it as a divining tool in later articles.

Sources:

I Ching: The Classic of Changes. Trans. Richard John Lynn. New York: Columbia U Press, 1994.