The Book of Changes

Name: The Book of Changes
ISBN: 9787571645076

姬昌 / 卢安Shenyang Publishing House · ChinaAug 2026

4.5

Word count: 111K words
Chapters: 68
ISBN: 9787571645076

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Summary

This book includes the original text of the I Ching, annotations, and interpretive commentary, making it well suited for grasping the work's deeper meaning. It is highly suitable for general readers: studying it carefully is of real significance for understanding traditional culture, shaping personal values, and promoting social progress and development.

Editor's review

As the first of the classics, the I Ching has long been regarded as a key entry point for understanding traditional Chinese thought and values. This edition contains three parts—original text, annotations, and interpretation—designed to let readers clarify the meaning of the text with the help of annotations and then grasp its significance through interpretation, rather than stopping at the surface of the hexagram and line statements. Its practical value lies in layering a classic long considered daunting: the original text can be read aloud and checked, the annotations resolve obstacles in wording and terminology, and the interpretation offers direction for understanding. It suits ordinary readers who want a systematic introduction to the I Ching but hardly know where to begin, as well as readers who combine the study of traditional culture with personal cultivation and reflection on values. A caveat: the interpretive tradition of the I Ching is long and divided into many schools; the interpretation here is only one view, and readers should keep comparing and thinking rather than treating any single explanation as the only answer.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who want a systematic introduction to the I Ching and need the help of original text, annotations, and interpretation
General readers interested in tracing traditional culture and values to their sources
Readers who wish to pair classic reading with reflection on personal cultivation
Those who need a desk copy of the I Ching for reading aloud and consulting annotations

Not a good fit for

Scholars specializing in the history of Yi studies or excavated texts who need detailed academic textual criticism
Readers who only want to learn divination practice and care nothing for the original text or doctrinal analysis
Readers who expect a single authoritative interpretation and are unwilling to face differences among readings

Reading tips

Read the preface and notes on format first to understand the respective roles of original text, annotations, and interpretation
Read one hexagram at a time: original text first, then annotations, and finally the interpretation
Keep a notebook for questions and alternative understandings for later cross-checking
After several hexagrams, review the overall structure to avoid seeing only scattered hexagram and line statements

About the publisher

Shenyang Publishing House China · Founded in 1988

Shenyang Publishing House was founded on 18 January 1988 with approval from China's national press and publication authority, and is now part of the Shenyang Publishing and Distribution Group. It is a comprehensive municipal publisher holding full-chain publishing licences covering print books, audio-visual and electronic titles, internet publishing and online games. Its list spans social sciences, education, economics, management and science, and it has won major national awards including the Five-One Project Award, the China Publishing Government Award and the China Excellent Publication Awa

版权信息
前言
上经
乾卦第一
坤卦第二
屯卦第三
蒙卦第四
需卦第五
讼卦第六
师卦第七
比卦第八
小畜卦第九
履卦第十
泰卦第十一
否卦第十二
同人卦第十三
大有卦第十四
谦卦第十五
豫卦第十六
随卦第十七
蛊卦第十八
临卦第十九
观卦第二十
噬嗑卦第二十一
贲卦第二十二
剥卦第二十三
复卦第二十四
无妄卦第二十五
大畜卦第二十六
颐卦第二十七
大过卦第二十八
坎卦第二十九
离卦第三十
下经
咸卦第三十一
恒卦第三十二
遁卦第三十三
大壮卦第三十四
晋卦第三十五
明夷卦第三十六
家人卦第三十七
睽卦第三十八
蹇卦第三十九
解卦第四十
损卦第四十一
益卦第四十二
夬卦第四十三
姤卦第四十四
萃卦第四十五
升卦第四十六
困卦第四十七
井卦第四十八
革卦第四十九
鼎卦第五十
震卦第五十一
艮卦第五十二
渐卦第五十三
归妹卦第五十四
丰卦第五十五
旅卦第五十六
巽卦第五十七
兑卦第五十八
涣卦第五十九
节卦第六十
中孚卦第六十一
小过卦第六十二
既济卦第六十三
未济卦第六十四

FAQ

Can I read this book without any grounding in classical Chinese?

You can start with the help of the annotations. This book includes the original text, annotations, and interpretation; the annotations clarify wording and terminology, and the interpretation offers direction for understanding. It is best to begin with shorter, more intuitive hexagrams, reading the annotations first and then returning to the original text—there is no need to understand all the hexagram and line statements from the outset.

Is the interpretation in this book the only correct explanation?

It is better not to see it that way. The interpretive tradition of the I Ching is long, and schools and readings have differed over the centuries; the interpretation here offers only one path to understanding. Readers can use it as a walking stick for beginners while remaining comparative and skeptical; at key points, consult other annotated editions and form their own judgment.

How much should I read each day?

One hexagram at a time is recommended. Read the original text first, then the annotations to resolve difficulties, and finally the interpretation, noting down your questions. Trying to cover too much easily leaves you with conclusions while neglecting the original text; reading one hexagram slowly and leaving time for thought better suits the pace of learning this kind of classic.

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About the author

姬昌 Author

Ji Chang, later commonly known as King Wen of Zhou, has no definitive record of his dates or nationality in publicly available sources, and details of his life remain limited. The library holds two works attributed to him, with the Yijing and the Zhouyi as his representative works, commonly classified under history and philosophy. The Zhouyi is traditionally said to form a divination system through hexagram and line symbols together with hexagram and line statements, embodying ideas such as the interplay of yin and yang and the relationship between heaven and humanity. Later Confucians regarded it as a classic, and commentaries on it continued through the ages. Stylistically, the text is terse and archaic, combining symbolism with divinatory statements to express understandings of nature, society, and human affairs, leaving considerable room for interpretation. Because biographical information is limited, knowledge of the author and his works rests mainly on the thematic features and intellectual influence of these two works.

卢安 Author

Lu An is an author about whom little public information is available. The name appears as the byline of a Chinese book, while details such as nationality, biography and educational background are not clearly recorded. The library holds one work by this author, a history title titled The I Ching (Yijing). Judging from the available information, the book takes the I Ching as its subject and is classified as a history reading, suggesting that the author approaches this classic from a historical and cultural angle rather than as a mere divination manual or a specialized scholarly study. Because of the limited material, it is not possible to confirm other writings, writing experience or public roles of Lu An, nor to assess the author's standing and influence in the field. Readers wishing to understand the author's style and approach can only begin with this single work and consider it in the context of history writing. Overall, Lu An remains an author awaiting further discovery, and this introduction can offer only an objective description at the level of the work.