The Complete I Ching: The Definitive Translation by the Taoist Master Alfred Huang by Taoist Master Alfred Huang Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Complete I Ching: The Definitive Translation by the Taoist Master Alfred Huang
Book Review: without doubt, the Best!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have had this book for two and a half years, and it was the first version of the I Ching I ever read. I am writing this review now, after reviewing and comparing quite a few other versions, to tell every person who loves the I Ching to get Master Alfred Huang's, which is by far the best of all, and to all newcomers to the I Ching to save money by buying this version, which is all they'll ever need. To quote Master Huang, "Many Westerners know the I Ching, but they do not know the Tao of I". I means change; this book is about Changes, a master template to understand change and our place in it. There is no other I Ching I've read which so clearly expounds the Tao of I, the central yet difficult to discern theme of the I Ching. Many versions are limited to defining the meaning of each Hexagram in isolation, or dwell at length on the Yao (Line) texts, neglecting a thorough treatment of the situation expounded by the complete hexagram. Master Huang's Complete I Ching presents the text as a coherent, interrelated whole. The names of the hexagrams are carefully chosen to reflect this connection. The moving lines present the hexagram that will appear after the line changes from yin to yang or viceversa, making it easy to see what the progression of the situation will be. The text presents lots of additional reference information for each hexagram, useful for intermediate to advanced students. The Author also presents fascinating interpretations of the hexagrams based on references to the historical period when the I Ching is said to have been written. All this, compounded with a lucid, terse prose, make this book fascinating and easy to read (so you can keep going back to it time and again).
Master Huang mentions in his preface: "Sometimes when I have used English translations [of the I Ching] to divine, I have felt so depressed....When I use the Chinese text... there is always hope", and comments on his intention to recover this spirit in his translation. I believe he has attained this objective, and surpassed all other translators in presenting this greatest of Chinese classics for the western reader. Bravo, Master Huang! I Ching enthusiasts and newcomers, BUY THIS BOOK!
Book Review: An Integrated and Thorough Guide to Spiritual Development
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is not for those who seek a mere (and instant) answer for every divination and then continues with life. This is a handbook for spiritual development. The book restores originality of I Ching context, with our minds given total freedom to interpret the texts. All 500 pages of divination pages exhibits every 'gua' (Hexagram) and its corresponding 'yao' (lines) as they are, with explanations limited only to their ancient Chinese context. It portrays the meaning of each figurative element of every ideograph, effects of relationship between two trigrams within each hexagram, sequencing logic of the guas, meaning of the decisions and Confucius' commentaries within their ancient social customs, and effects of progression and transformation of each yao from bottom to top, along with relationships between neighbouring yaos. Therefore, a deep meditative state of mind is required to fully understand the texts and relate them to our specific context of divination.
Every gua has a lot of wisdom to learn from, hence it is highly recommended to read the entire passages for every gua thoroughly. The clarity of Master Huang's translation enables us to further exploring and comparing different guas with lucid comprehension, for that the original nuances are explained faithfully. I even feel that it is a good habit to read the entire book even when we are not seeking divination. The more we know every gua in the same way we know more of each of our friends, the more we cultivate our spiritual understanding of life and its cyclical changes. Going forward, the farther we grow, we could eventually come to appreciate that I Ching is, afterall, a truly integrated oracle with thorough guides in many (if not most) aspects of life and spiritual building.
Book Review: ... each step in preparation for the next....
Summary: 5 Stars
The insight of the I Ching has been a companion guide in my life for two decades, my well-read, well-marked, well-worn, well-loved Wilhelm translation and my books of journal notes. For the past several years, I've felt that I was missing something, some connection I had as yet not been able or ready to make. I would pick up other translations, hoping to find that which had eluded me, only to determine that they missed the mark -- they did not speak to me. Until now. Thank you Master Huang, for you are helping me build the bridge to the next level. I look forward to the upcoming release of your new book. The journey continues....Book Review: The best doorway into the Chinese Theory of Changes
Summary: 5 Stars
Because of his thorough understanding of the principles behind the words of the text of the I Ching, Master Huang makes the process of getting acquainted with the theory of changes a delight. Throughout the book, one is absorbed by the continuity, the pragmatic inner logic that binds the 64 hexagrams (or gua) into a flowing sequence. Master Huang's selection of names for the gua reflects his thoughtful insight into the way they follow each other. The Wilhelm-Baynes translation had made me think that the I Ching was the most abstruse and complicated oracle ever written, but thanks to Master Huang's work, the I Ching is now part of my daily life. To all newcomers to the I Ching I humbly recommend you read this book from beginning to end, one hexagram (or gua) every day, and then you will never get tired of going back to it. Many thanks are due to Master Huang for giving us a complete, definitive translation of the Book of Changes in these times of great change. His love of the text shines through in every word, and it makes the reader love the Book, too.Book Review: The best I-Ching book ever compiled
Summary: 5 Stars
As an I-Ching author myself (Oracle of Changes I-Ching 1997), I have an exhaustive library of I-Ching books. Alfred Huang's is the latest addition to my collection, and by far the best. In fact, I believe it is the best I-Ching ever compiled.It is translated from the original Chinese, but is much easier to understand than Wilhelm-Baynes and the other literal translations. The writing is poetic and conveys a personal warmth that makes the whole work engaging and easy to use. I particularly enjoyed the fact that Master Huang uses the ancient style of ideographs and proceeds to explicate the literal meaning of the graphical elements contained within each character.
This makes it possible even for a Westerner to see how the original Chinese character meant what it did, and how that relates to the text of the hexagram as a whole. This is only one outstanding feature that makes this version a must-have for anyone interested in an authentic I Ching experience.