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1998 was a hallmark year for the I Ching when it saw the release of Alfred
Huang's "The Complete I Ching". Superior to the Wilhelm version in every way, it also set a new standard for the beloved Chinese
oracle previously held by its predecessor for nearly a century. Huang, imprisoned in his native China during the Cultural
Revolution for his beliefs, re-introduces the I Ching in its purest form by implementing his teachings as a Taoist master
and philosopher. The I Ching is the oldest and most most well-known book of divination in the world, dating back some 5,000
years. Written and constant revised by China's top sages and philosophers throughout the centuries, it has withstood
the test of time and and is still an important part everyday Chinese life and culture. What sets this book apart from
the rest of the pack are Huang's emphasis on the relationships between Heaven and humanity, and the Tao of Change. Also included
but left out of preceding publications are the Ten Wings, or ten chapters of commentary attributed to Confucius and other
Confucian scholars that are essential to the true meaning of the I Ching. Definitions and explanations are accompanied throughout
with colorful historical accounts into the origins of the I Ching, as well as pertaining to individual ideographs.
Basically, the I Ching consists of 64 chapters, each represented as a gua,
or a hexagram of six lines with a specific meaning. The most traditional method of consulting the I Ching is through
the yarrow stalk method, but due to its complexity, a much quicker and simpler method of tossing 3 coins was introduced during
the Tang Dynasty circa 700 A.D. This book these, as well as two new ways of consultation, including the Eight Coins Magic
and the Eight Gemstones Augur methods. The commentary in this and most other I Ching books are based on The Ten Wings, but
The Complete I Ching is the only title that I can recall (the other one being Eranos Foundation's "The Original I Ching"
by Rudolph Ritsema and Shantena Augusto Sabbadini)gives both a historical account, as well as a breakdown of all 10 chapters
of The Ten Wings as they pertain to the various elements of each commentary. The commentary and definition for each gua
in this book are broken down into the following parts:
* Name and Structure: Examines the literal meaning of the name, structure, and ideograph of the gua.
Sequence of the Gua: Confucius' translation of the transition from one gua to another.
* Decision: Keing Wen's interpretation into the meaning of the gua.Commentary on the Decision: Confucius' elaboration
of King Wen's interpretation.Commentary on the Symbol: Confucius's interpretation on the significance of the lower and upper
trigrams' position within a gua.
* Yao Text: The Duke of Zhou's interpretation of each of the six lines within the hexagram.
* Significance: The author's overall interpretation into the meaning of the hexagram, line by line.
* Additional Reference Information for This Gua: Additional information for advanced study.
Up until now, most published works on the I Ching available in the U.S. and
Europe have always been presented from a westernized point of view, often misinterpreted. Huang brings an authentically Chinese
perspective to the practice, carrying on the traditions of many generations of Taoist I Ching masters before him. Taoists
believe that only from non-existence can there be existence, ultimately leading back to non-existence. This notion that all
things in life must eventually come full circle is one of the basic tenets of I Ching, from which Taoism is derived and
underlies the important relationship between each individual gua, as well as between the trigrams that constitute the
gua. Having always been either omitted or misinterpreted by scholars in Europe and the United States, this definitive edition
by Alfred Huang restores the fundamental principles of the I Ching now made accessible to western audiences for the first
time ever. His well-organized prose is well thought out, as it makes the five millennium old divination system accessible
and relevant to the modern day reader. As a pragmatist, this book is the most useful and invaluable resource on the subject
that one can find today. Literary-wise, it is a profound masterpiece, of pure genius, and about as close as one can get to
perfection if there is such a thing. "The Complete I Ching" is a well-written and fascinating read that I often to refer
to time and again for insight and guidance in my life, and to recommend this title a thousand times over still wouldn't do
it justice. 5 OUT OF STARS.
My Ratings Scale are as follows:
5 Stars- EXCELLENT. Buy a few extra copies for family and friends.
4 Stars- Very good
3 Stars- OK. Could
be better.
2 Stars- Not very good.
1 Star- Don't bother.
10th Anniversary edition: Released in November 2010, this edition includes text that is more visibly readable
with minor revisions to reflect outdated sources and references. Other noticeable changes include a dual-tone printing
scheme highlighting ideographs and other important text in red, all-new author's bio, and French Flaps at the front and back
ends of the book that double as bookmarks which I thought was a very nice touch! The link to the 10th Anniversary Edition's
product page is:
http://store.innertraditions.com/isbn/978-1-59477-386-0
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