Change Eight Lectures on the I Ching

by Hellmut Wilhelm

From back "No Chinese Classic is more puzzling than the Book of Changes. . . . There has been a dire need for a study which treats it as a book of both divination and philosophy, and explains its significance in a scholarly yet intelligible manner. The book under review is such a study. . . . Throughout the book there is an amazing combination of profound scholarship and transparent clarity. It is made clear to the reader, with both seriousness and delight, that the Classic is intended to teach men to control their own destiny rather than to submit to the wishes of mysterious beings. It is no collection of myths or revelations but a naturalistic approach to the whole man and the whole world."—Wing-tsit Chan, Journal of Asian Studies". . . a systematic exposition which is lucid, concise yet comprehensive, and very readable. For anyone wishing to enter into the spirit and Weltanschauung of one of China's most influential ancient texts, this little book is in many ways the best introduction available. Particularly good is its treatment of ideological matters, such as the above-mentioned concept of change."—Derk Bodde, Journal of the American Oriental SocietyHELLMUT WILHELM, professor at the University of Washington (Seattle), now retired, was born and educated in China and grew up in an atmosphere of Chinese classical tradition. During the winter of 1943, he delivered these lectures to a group of Europeans, isolated in Peking under Japanese occupation, who wished to study the I Ching.

Genres: Philosophy, Divination, Taoism, Psychology, Spirituality, China, Religion

111 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1960

About the author

Hellmut Wilhelm was a German sinologist noted for his broad knowledge of both Chinese literature and Chinese history. His father, Richard Wilhelm, was also a noted sinologist.

Wilhelm was an expert on the ancient Chinese divination text Yi Jing, which he believed to represent the essence of Chinese thought. He also produced one of the most widely-used German-Chinese dictionaries of the 20th century. He held teaching positions at Peking University and the University of Washington.

Reviews

[Phillip · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Eight Lectures on the I Ching" is a perfect introduction to the I Ching. The author was the son of Richard Wilhelm, the German translator of "The I Ching or Book of Changes" (Incidently, the translation science fiction writer Philip K. Dick consulted). Both Wilhelms, father and son, were respected Sinologists. The son was educated in China. He often referred to his father's translation first published in 1924.

Hellmut Wilhelm, the author of "Eight Lectures..." explained that the lectures his title refers to were delivered in 1943 in Peking. He was part of a group of German speaking Europeans in the city who were keeping a low profile during the Japanese occupation of China during WWII. A friend persuaded him to deliver the introductory lectures about what the "I Ching" was, Its cultural significance, and a little bit about what was in it to the other members of the group. The lectures would be a bit of cultural education and would be looked forward to as a diversion during their difficult time.

These magnificent lectures tell the history of the "I Ching" by placing its development within its multi-century milieu, to explain the motivation of its creation. Wilhelm explained that the book consists of different strata accumulated from different eras of its history. He told about what each strata contributes to the work as a whole.

He described the schema of the hexigrams as symbols and the layout of the accompanying texts. He discussed the meaning of some of the key hexigrams. Finally, he describes the method of using the yarrow sticks or three coins to select a hexigam to be used for answering a well defined question. In other words, how to use the "I Ching" as an oracle.

The beauty of the "Eight Lectures..." is the way Wilhelm describes the incredible scope of the book in its ability to represent wisdom through symbols and words. In doing so they describe and provide wisdom for the entire human and natural world (so Wilhelm claims.)

Of particular interest was his description of Liebniz's recognition of his own binary number system in the Hexigrams. Wilhelms puts it forward as the East and the West arriving at the same conceptions, one using Hexigrams the other numbers mirroring each other.

Wilhelm's sustained presentation remains interesting throughout, enough to make this skeptic want to dive into his father's translation.

[Jc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hellmut was the son of the great German scholar of Chinese religious and philosophical texts, Richard Wilhelm. The elder Wilhelm was the early 20th translator of what is still considered one of the finest European language versions of the I Ching (later translated into English by C.F. Baynes), as well as other classic Chinese texts. Wilhelm fils followed in his father’s footsteps. This work is a transcription of a series of lectures Helmut gave in occupied China in the 1940s. It is interesting if you are already very familiar with the I Ching and its place in Chinese thought. However, I give it only three stars because if you are new to the I Ching, this would be mostly a baffling read, while if you are familiar with the background, philosophy, and use of the Book of Changes, these lectures may seem rather elementary. However, if you already have an appreciation of the I Ching, reviewing these lectures does work as a welcome contemplative activity.

[C Settles · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wilhelm/Baynes I Ching is the classic go to translations for westerners. It has held up remarkably well for many years. Wilhelm's Eight Lectures on the I Ching is a revealing work offering deep insights into the influences that were at work in Wilhelm as a translator. Many of these show how strong his cultural and religious biases influenced the I Ching translation.

[Lysergius · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are the real thing. If an insight into the working of the I Ching is what you seek. Quite hard work, they are translated from the original German, but the insights are all there.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

If your into the I Ching, this is good background that is hard to get so succinctly and in depth.