The I Ching

A Biography

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Eastern Religions, Confucianism, Reference, History
Cover of the book The I Ching by Richard J. Smith, Princeton University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Richard J. Smith ISBN: 9781400841622
Publisher: Princeton University Press Publication: March 25, 2012
Imprint: Princeton University Press Language: English
Author: Richard J. Smith
ISBN: 9781400841622
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Publication: March 25, 2012
Imprint: Princeton University Press
Language: English

The I Ching originated in China as a divination manual more than three thousand years ago. In 136 BCE the emperor declared it a Confucian classic, and in the centuries that followed, this work had a profound influence on the philosophy, religion, art, literature, politics, science, technology, and medicine of various cultures throughout East Asia. Jesuit missionaries brought knowledge of the I Ching to Europe in the seventeenth century, and the American counterculture embraced it in the 1960s. Here Richard Smith tells the extraordinary story of how this cryptic and once obscure book became one of the most widely read and extensively analyzed texts in all of world literature.

In this concise history, Smith traces the evolution of the I Ching in China and throughout the world, explaining its complex structure, its manifold uses in different cultures, and its enduring appeal. He shows how the indigenous beliefs and customs of Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Tibet "domesticated" the text, and he reflects on whether this Chinese classic can be compared to religious books such as the Bible or the Qur'an. Smith also looks at how the I Ching came to be published in dozens of languages, providing insight and inspiration to millions worldwide--including ardent admirers in the West such as Leibniz, Carl Jung, Philip K. Dick, Allen Ginsberg, Hermann Hesse, Bob Dylan, Jorge Luis Borges, and I. M. Pei. Smith offers an unparalleled biography of the most revered book in China's entire cultural tradition, and he shows us how this enigmatic ancient classic has become a truly global phenomenon.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The I Ching originated in China as a divination manual more than three thousand years ago. In 136 BCE the emperor declared it a Confucian classic, and in the centuries that followed, this work had a profound influence on the philosophy, religion, art, literature, politics, science, technology, and medicine of various cultures throughout East Asia. Jesuit missionaries brought knowledge of the I Ching to Europe in the seventeenth century, and the American counterculture embraced it in the 1960s. Here Richard Smith tells the extraordinary story of how this cryptic and once obscure book became one of the most widely read and extensively analyzed texts in all of world literature.

In this concise history, Smith traces the evolution of the I Ching in China and throughout the world, explaining its complex structure, its manifold uses in different cultures, and its enduring appeal. He shows how the indigenous beliefs and customs of Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Tibet "domesticated" the text, and he reflects on whether this Chinese classic can be compared to religious books such as the Bible or the Qur'an. Smith also looks at how the I Ching came to be published in dozens of languages, providing insight and inspiration to millions worldwide--including ardent admirers in the West such as Leibniz, Carl Jung, Philip K. Dick, Allen Ginsberg, Hermann Hesse, Bob Dylan, Jorge Luis Borges, and I. M. Pei. Smith offers an unparalleled biography of the most revered book in China's entire cultural tradition, and he shows us how this enigmatic ancient classic has become a truly global phenomenon.

More books from Princeton University Press

Cover of the book Currency Power by Richard J. Smith
Cover of the book Bible Culture and Authority in the Early United States by Richard J. Smith
Cover of the book Islam by Richard J. Smith
Cover of the book Nasser's Gamble by Richard J. Smith
Cover of the book American Big Business in Britain and Germany by Richard J. Smith
Cover of the book Einstein and Religion by Richard J. Smith
Cover of the book Collected Works of C.G. Jung, Volume 17 by Richard J. Smith
Cover of the book Capitalism by Richard J. Smith
Cover of the book A Lot of People Are Saying by Richard J. Smith
Cover of the book Do Zombies Dream of Undead Sheep? by Richard J. Smith
Cover of the book Physicalism, or Something Near Enough by Richard J. Smith
Cover of the book The Apple of His Eye by Richard J. Smith
Cover of the book Reforming the World by Richard J. Smith
Cover of the book The Order of Terror by Richard J. Smith
Cover of the book Ancient Chinese Thought, Modern Chinese Power by Richard J. Smith
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy