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Summary: Superior in every way! A version true to Chinese Wisdom.
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The most difficult task when translating a document from its original source language into another language is to carry across the full *meaning* of the work (as it was intended, not how its interpreted). This is virtually impossible to do without a thorough understanding of both the original language (that which the document is written in), and of the culture that is transmitted via that language. Until now, this has been the same problem that has plagued other English translations of the I Ching.Previously, these other translations have relied upon a Western perspective and understanding, leaving something important behind... the cultural wisdom behind the I Ching. Even the best translations available prior to that of Master Huang (those by Wilhelm, Legge and Blofeld) have failed to fully relate the cultural wisdom inherent in the I Ching. They've come close, but close isn't close enough. These translations lack the open-endedness of the Chinese I Ching that lead to its multiple interpretations and are inherent in the Chinese writings of antiquity. To gain an understanding from a Chinese perspective requires an understanding that only someone living within the culture and fluent in the language, with many years of practical experience (and training), has to offer. Enter Huang. To truly experience a culture, and its wisdom, one must experience it first hand. Raised in China and spending a good many years of his life working with the I Ching, Master Huang has gained an understanding of the I Ching that most of us could only hope to experience. He has taken on the monumental task of translating this amazing book into English, with the cultural wisdom, open-endedness and fluidity of the original I Ching, and succeeded. This is, bar-none, the best English translation of the I Ching published to date, and the only version you'll ever need (unless you enjoy collecting books). I cannot recommend it enough!
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Summary: This I Ching translation is uniquely accurate.
Review: Alfred Huang is a tai chi master and Taoist professor living on the Island of Maui, Hawai'i. His two books (Complete I Ching published by Inner Traditions and Complete Tai Chi published by Charles E. Tuttle) are both scholarly works. The approach taken by Alfred's translation of the I Ching is different from the Wilhelm-inspired tradition. Most such books, following the Wilhelm mode, have provided interpretation as part of their translation. The Chinese text of the I Ching is even more imagery oriented -- more inscrutable, to some -- than most such translations tolerate. The strength of that imagery is its ability to inspire personal insights. Alfred's book presents a careful transposition of Chinese images of the I Ching into English, with as little elaboration as possible. He then provides his own separate interpretative ideas and comments, but the text of King Wen and the Duke of Zhou are rendered as closely as possible to the original Chinese metap! hor. Alfred's book also introduces more detail with regard to the nature of the names of the gua, implications of their ideographs and nuances of their meaning. It is a scholarly, ground-breaking work that should capture the interest of Western readers. Additionally, Alfred has introduced the concept of the Tao of I that is inherent, although not expressed directly, in the I Ching. He also explains how the sequence of the gua is not random but has coherence, representing a recurrent cycle. Alfred explains how the I Ching describes the unity of Heaven and Humanity and further explains in some detail how specific aspects of each gua are associated with his interpretation of the history of King Wen and the Zhou Dynasty. The Complete I Ching is a carefully researched and meticulously translated rendering of the original Chinese text that should be appreciated for the accuracy of its metaphorical imagery.
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Summary: Alfred Huang's translation of I Ching - Life Transforming!
Review: Alfred Huang's modern American prose and poetry translation of the I Ching is "the best" translation I've read. There are many enjoyable commentaries on the I Ching in English (e.g. Wu Wei's I Ching Wisdom) and there are older translations of the I Ching held in high esteem by western scholars (e.g. The Richard Wilhelm/Cary F. Baynes translation). But with Alfred Huang's translation, you get a pre-"cultural revolution" professor of Taoist philosophy translating the I Ching directly into English from ancient Chinese texts and modern Chinese commentaries/scholarship. This is much better than reading Cary F. Baynes' "English language" translation of Richard Wilhelm's "German translation" of Chinese texts -- which until Master Huang's translation was considered the "definitive" English-language translation available. The I Ching is comprised of four parts: 1) divinatory passages 2) history of the Zhou overthrow of the Shang dynasty 3) Duke of Zhou's commentary and 4) commentary by Confucius. Alfred Huang adds a "fifth" part: a scholarly and native-Chinese perspective on ancient and modern Chinese cultures. In those five parts of the Alfred Huang's translation of the I Ching one finds: 6) tons of practical Chinese philosophical meditations on living attuned to the laws of nature and humanity. Despite my praise for Huang's translation, I do have some questions or concerns! For example, in comparing his translation to "other translations in English," Alfred Huang relies almost exclusively on only two English-language translations by Wilhelm/Baynes and Bloefeld -- only dropping "James Legge's" name in a brief introductory cameo appearance. There is scant mention of the many other English-language translations available. For Master Huang to simply say I focus on only Wilhelm/Baynes and Bloefeld because they are "the best" in English is not convincing scholarship; it's merely a claim. His scholarship with the Chinese texts seems apparent, but I would like to see more comparisons with other English-language translations. Can some of the other translations into English spread light on the I Ching? My second reservation: how much is Alfred Huang's own commentary influenced by his immersion in Taoist and Confucian philosophy, and how does this chronologically undercut the purity of his translations? In other words, are we getting an anachronistic I Ching translation here -- i.e. a post Taoist-Confucian reading or rearticulation of the I Ching? (And why does Master Huang only use 5 of the 10 "Wings" of Confucius and not all 10 in his translation?) Despite these reservations, I can only applaud Alfred Huang's translation as masterful and definitive. Without having flipped a single coin or yarrow stalk, Master Huang's text has begun to transform my restless life into one of greater harmony. Of course, he would say it is not he who transforms, but the wisdom of the I Ching. Thank you Master Huang for making the I Ching more accessible to my daily life. I hope you translate the Tao Te Ching next. Xie Xie Ni Da Shi!
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Summary: A Thirty Year User Of I Ching Comments
Review: ALL of the English translations available have failed to achieve the open-endedness of this work. In the beginning of one's study of I Ching, one does not notice so much that the translation is actually muddying the waters. After many many years and digesting many situations, one comes to feel by intuition that the translations, especially Wilhelm, go completely off track at many points. For one thing, it is difficult to live in a world as delineated into "Superior Men" and "Inferior Men" as the Wilhelm translation has it. The terms are so absolute that thinking of one's fellows in them can actually CAUSE errors in action or perception when one is using the book as an oracle. Master Huang uses much less severe terms, which do not carry the harshness of many translations. He himself commented that his own experience with English translations used for oracles could depress him so badly he didn't want to try again! I agree completely from my own experience. This is just something one has to experience through many years to appreciate. The translation is EVERYTHING. Master Huang's is the cleanest, clearest, least "contaminated" version available I think. "Neutral" might be a way to state this.
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Summary: The best I-Ching book ever compiled
Review: As an I-Ching author myself (Oracle of Changes I-Ching 1997), I have an exhaustive library of I-Ching books. Alfred Huang's is the latest addition to my collection, and by far the best. In fact, I believe it is the best I-Ching ever compiled. It is translated from the original Chinese, but is much easier to understand than Wilhelm-Baynes and the other literal translations. The writing is poetic and conveys a personal warmth that makes the whole work engaging and easy to use. I particularly enjoyed the fact that Master Huang uses the ancient style of ideographs and proceeds to explicate the literal meaning of the graphical elements contained within each character. This makes it possible even for a Westerner to see how the original Chinese character meant what it did, and how that relates to the text of the hexagram as a whole. This is only one outstanding feature that makes this version a must-have for anyone interested in an authentic I Ching experience.
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Summary: Use the I Ching in the manner it was meant to be used
Review: Expertly translated by Alfred Huang, a third-generation master of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan, Chi Kung, and Oriental meditation, The Complete I Ching is the ancient Eastern philosophical classic and book of divination that has been used since ancient times to seek meaning. This English version is exceptional in that it includes full translations Confucius' Ten Wings, his commentaries and insights that are crucial to the wisdom the I Ching has to offer. An extensive introduction teaches the reader about the subtleties of the translation as well as instructions for using the I Ching in the manner it was meant to be used. Due to its exhaustive and meticulous accuracy, The Complete I Ching is the version to have for English speakers interested in exploring the insights and uses of this age-old resouce.
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Summary: A great I Ching for your library!!!!
Review: I confess, when I first purchased this book I was a little put off. I was new to the I Ching and I probably had the get answers quick mentality. I almost immediately put this book on the shelf. But I kept coming back to it in order to glean an in depth perspective. As I have grown in my studies of the Ching (only 8 months!!) and as I have applied its wisdom and answers to my current situations - I have realized just what a momumental task that Huang has accomplished. It goes without saying that this will be one of my prized versions. I now use it extensively because it gives accurate answers and provides appropriate background but it still very versatile for any situation. It's is a beautiful book, too. I recommend that you throw the dust jacket away. My binding was weak and may necessitate me purchasing another version, but oh well. I simply love this book. The prose and explanations are relevant and applicable. His value adds such as change patterns, et al are a great addition. If you are new to the I Ching and getting your feet wet but want books of substance and endurance then The Complete I Ching is an excellent place to start and truthfully it will be the ONLY translation that you will need. I also recommend that you purchase Stephen Karcher's How to Use the I Ching and Sarah Denning's The Everyday I Ching. All three are a tour de force in your understanding and application of the I Ching's wisdom. If you really want your money's worth - get Karcher's I Ching kit since it has his book, yarrow stalks and coins. If you wish to have one more resource, then I recommend R. L. Wing's I Ching Workbook as a means of understanding and visually seeing the patterns that affect your life.
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Summary: without doubt, the Best!
Review: I have had this book for two and a half years, and it was the first version of the I Ching I ever read. I am writing this review now, after reviewing and comparing quite a few other versions, to tell every person who loves the I Ching to get Master Alfred Huang's, which is by far the best of all, and to all newcomers to the I Ching to save money by buying this version, which is all they'll ever need. To quote Master Huang, "Many Westerners know the I Ching, but they do not know the Tao of I". I means change; this book is about Changes, a master template to understand change and our place in it. There is no other I Ching I've read which so clearly expounds the Tao of I, the central yet difficult to discern theme of the I Ching. Many versions are limited to defining the meaning of each Hexagram in isolation, or dwell at length on the Yao (Line) texts, neglecting a thorough treatment of the situation expounded by the complete hexagram. Master Huang's Complete I Ching presents the text as a coherent, interrelated whole. The names of the hexagrams are carefully chosen to reflect this connection. The moving lines present the hexagram that will appear after the line changes from yin to yang or viceversa, making it easy to see what the progression of the situation will be. The text presents lots of additional reference information for each hexagram, useful for intermediate to advanced students. The Author also presents fascinating interpretations of the hexagrams based on references to the historical period when the I Ching is said to have been written. All this, compounded with a lucid, terse prose, make this book fascinating and easy to read (so you can keep going back to it time and again). Master Huang mentions in his preface: "Sometimes when I have used English translations [of the I Ching] to divine, I have felt so depressed....When I use the Chinese text... there is always hope", and comments on his intention to recover this spirit in his translation. I believe he has attained this objective, and surpassed all other translators in presenting this greatest of Chinese classics for the western reader. Bravo, Master Huang! I Ching enthusiasts and newcomers, BUY THIS BOOK!
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Summary: What they (those other reviewers) said!
Review: Pretty much what has been said in other reviews are accurate. I want to say that there is a certain logic and flow to both Alfred Huang's writing and to the sequences of the hexagrams that I did not see in other texts. He also stresses that the core of I-Ching is not about divination but about coduct and sincerity. I never expected a book on divination could be so touching. Although it is probably out of character for Mr Huang to read reviews of his work, I hope that he does for the sake of knowing the lives he touched rather than for ego. It made me into a Taoist.
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Summary: ... each step in preparation for the next....
Review: The insight of the I Ching has been a companion guide in my life for two decades, my well-read, well-marked, well-worn, well-loved Wilhelm translation and my books of journal notes. For the past several years, I've felt that I was missing something, some connection I had as yet not been able or ready to make. I would pick up other translations, hoping to find that which had eluded me, only to determine that they missed the mark -- they did not speak to me. Until now. Thank you Master Huang, for you are helping me build the bridge to the next level. I look forward to the upcoming release of your new book. The journey continues....
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