Translation and Annotation of the Zhouyi
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Summary
Editor's review
As an editor, I consider the book's greatest strength to be the practicality of its "translation and annotation" format. It turns crabbed and obscure ancient scripture into a text that can be understood and reflected upon, greatly lowering the barrier to reading. Mr. Zhou's annotations avoid the abstruse and strive to stay close to the original meaning of the scripture, often citing the "Ten Wings," such as the Great Commentary, for mutual corroboration, helping readers build a holistic understanding of the Zhouyi as a philosophical classic rather than merely a book of divination. His explanations of key concepts such as yin and yang, hardness and softness, and time and position are especially apt, providing solid stepping stones for readers to grasp the core of Yijing thought.
For contemporary readers, the Zhouyi often feels remote. This book serves as a reliable bridge, guiding readers past textual obstacles to touch directly the most profound modes of thought and cosmology in traditional Chinese culture. Whether one wishes to explore its philosophical meaning or appreciate its literary and intellectual value, this annotated translation is a steady, dependable starting point. It offers no quick-fix conclusions but hands readers a key to interpret the classic for themselves; its value for reading endures.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Beginners interested in the Zhouyi but with a weak foundation in classical Chinese who want a reliable introductory guide
- University students in literature, history, and philosophy who need an authoritative, standard reference edition of the Zhouyi
- Readers who wish to understand Zhouyi thought systematically from philosophical and cultural perspectives rather than focusing only on divination
- Collectors who favor Zhonghua Book Company's "Classical Masterworks: Translation and Annotation Series" and seek authoritative editions with accurate content
Not a good fit for
- Pragmatists seeking quick-fix divination methods or occult feng shui applications
- Seasoned Yijing scholars, who may need more specialized academic works engaging more schools of debate
Reading tips
- Read the preface and editorial notes first to understand the book's translation and annotation format and the author's basic views, then move on to the main text
- While reading, compare the original text, translation, and annotations side by side, focusing on the annotations' explanations of key concepts and historical context
- Do not feel obliged to understand everything at once; begin with hexagrams and lines that interest you, and use the commentaries such as the Great Commentary to gradually grasp their logic of thought
About the publisher
Zhonghua Book Company is a publisher known for collating ancient texts and academic publishing, with its output centered on Eastern philosophy, culture, classic works, art, and historical reading. Its library contains 532 titles, including Chen Shou's Records of the Three Kingdoms, Guo Qingfan's Collected Commentaries on Zhuangzi, the four-volume Chinese Literature: Four Great Classical Novels, and the two-volume Table of Seal and Clerical Script Forms from Qin, Han, Wei, and Jin. These titles span historical classics, commentaries on the philosophers, classical novels, and philological reference works. Representative authors include Chen Shou, Guo Qingfan, Wu Cheng'en, Shi Nai'an, Cao Xueqin, Luo Guanzhong, Xu Wenwu, and the Hanyu Dazidian character-form group, reflecting a focus on primary sources and scholarly editors. Its publishing character lies in combining authoritative editions and annotated texts with both accessible classics and specialized research. Public information on its fuller catalog is limited; this note describes only the directions evident in the library's holdings.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 出版说明
- 前言
- 周易释名
- 卦爻和卦爻辞
- 易传产生的时代
- 周易的思想
- 其他周易研究
- 周易译注
- 上经
- 乾（卦一）
- 坤（卦二）
- 屯（卦三）
- 蒙（卦四）
- 需（卦五）
- 讼（卦六）
- 师（卦七）
- 比（卦八）
- 小畜（卦九）
- 履（卦十）
- 泰（卦十一）
- 否（卦十二）
- 同人（卦十三）
- 大有（卦十四）
- 谦（卦十五）
- 豫（卦十六）
- 随（卦十七）
- 蛊（卦十八）
- 临（卦十九）
- 观（卦二十）
- 噬嗑（卦二十一）
- 贲（卦二十二）
- 剥（卦二十三）
- 复（卦二十四）
- 无妄（卦二十五）
- 大畜（卦二十六）
- 颐（卦二十七）
- 大过（卦二十八）
- 坎（卦二十九）
- 离（卦三十）
- 下经
- 咸（卦三十一）
- 恒（卦三十二）
- 遁（卦三十三）
- 大壮（卦三十四）
- 晋（卦三十五）
- 明夷（卦三十六）
- 家人（卦三十七）
- 睽（卦三十八）
- 蹇（卦三十九）
- 解（卦四十）
- 损（卦四十一）
- 益（卦四十二）
- 夬（卦四十三）
- 姤（卦四十四）
- 萃（卦四十五）
- 升（卦四十六）
- 困（卦四十七）
- 井（卦四十八）
- 革（卦四十九）
- 鼎（卦五十）
- 震（卦五十一）
- 艮（卦五十二）
- 渐（卦五十三）
- 归妹（卦五十四）
- 丰（卦五十五）
- 旅（卦五十六）
- 巽（卦五十七）
- 兑（卦五十八）
- 涣（卦五十九）
- 节（卦六十）
- 中孚（卦六十一）
- 小过（卦六十二）
- 既济（卦六十三）
- 未济（卦六十四）
- 系辞上传①
- 系辞下传
- 说卦
- 序卦
- 杂卦
FAQ
What are the main differences between Zhou Zhenfu's edition and other annotated editions of the Zhouyi, such as those by Gao Heng or Huang Shouqi?
Does this book include both the "Classic" and the "Commentaries" of the Yijing in full?
Can someone with no background at all understand it?
Comments
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About the author
Zhou Zhenfu (1911–2000), whose formal name was Linrui, was a native of Pinghu, Zhejiang, and a renowned scholar of literature and history as well as an editor. He worked for many years at Kaiming Bookstore, China Youth Publishing House and Zhonghua Book Company, serving successively as editor and senior editor, and edited such works as Guan Zhui Bian and Tan Yi Lu. Beyond his editorial work, he devoted himself to the study and popularization of classical poetry, prose composition and rhetoric, authoring works including Examples of Shi and Ci, Examples of Prose, and A History of Chinese Rhetoric, as well as a ten-volume Collected Works of Zhou Zhenfu. His annotated translations such as the Shijing and Zhouyi, and his appreciative studies including Selected Works of Li Shangyin and Appreciation of Mao Zedong's Poetry, combine scholarship with readability and have had a broad influence on the collation and transmission of classical Chinese culture.
