The I Ching or Book of Changes

No se hizo la miel para la boca del asno, sentencia el proverbio. Así, este “Libro de las mutaciones”: aparentemente sencillo, en ocasiones con afirmaciones pueriles; yergue un muro apenas penetrable para unos pocos, aunque muchos son los que afirman haber entendido sus más profundos arcanos.
El prólogo de Jung de esta edición es fundamental para entender las carencias de muchos lectores a la hora de internarse en el “I ching”. Durante siglos, muchos chinos se han acercado al libro, ya oracular o sapiencialmente, generalmente a través de los comentarios de Confucio. Jung establece las diferencias, claramente favorables a los chinos frente a los occidentales, para entender el libro: una profundidad de perspectiva que nunca show more puede provenir de un conocimiento puramente académico de la filosofía china, dejar de lado ciertos prejuicios occidentales, la asunción de que cada proceso natural se ve interferido por el azar (entiéndase esto también como causas no conocidas o al menos no previstas), …
Jung insiste en que es una obra poco adecuada para intelectualizantes y racionalistas. Afirma que es una invitación al conocimiento de uno mismo: carácter, actitud y motivaciones; y éste se mueve en el ámbito del falible juicio subjetivo.
El lector, leyendo los hexagramas y sus comentarios, puede intuir que Jung está en lo cierto, que apunta al corazón mismo de la obra; pero también comprobará la gran dificultad de aprehender el significado del “I ching”. Bienaventurados quienes lo consigan. show less

Haven't we all consulted this hoary edition, this classic, as a springboard for Jungian free association? A hardy perennial, the old lion still growls and roars... And sometimes purrs, and sleeps.

I finally realized the I Ching was more about politics and generalship than about problem solving.

Everyone must at least understand the mechanics of this text and try them. This is technology of knowledge in the making. The writing is fascinating though as it actually on occasion goes out of its way to predict something specific, taking risks to be wrong.

An amazing book, idea and tool from thousands of years back.

I keep coming back to this old friend for advice and counsel.
The book will never tell you "what to do" but only how to think about
or approach the question of doing.

OK This is the granddaddy of I Ching primers in English, Cary Baynes Translation for Richard Wilhelm's German version is considered to be THE reference book for all other English books on the subject until very recently. If you are young and know a little about Chinese Romanization the book is written in English with Wade/Giles Chinese Romanization (i.e. chi'ng instead of the modern Pinyin qing Tao/Dao etc.)But nevertheless for a good understanding and significant historical background of the I Ching outside of China itself I highly recommend it. Mr. Wilhelm traveled, lectured and taught for many years in the early 20th Century on this and related Taoist subjects. He was very famous in his own right and Baynes English translation gave show more him the :market in America as well as his native Germany/European audiences. show less

I've been using this version of the I-Ching for 35 years and haven't found anything to compare with it. The commentary by Wilhelm is very helpful and full of wisdom. I've delved deeply into this book, taking copious notes over the years. I occasionally use it for matters of general interest: I-Ching Readings for a Changing World.