The I Ching - Index

What is the I Ching ?
The book of change, called the I Ching is an ancient manuscript written several millenium ago.
It is one of the five Chinese Classics.

1. The Book of Change - The I Ching I Ching Directory
   
2. The Book of History - Shu Ching
3. The Book of Odes - Shih Ching
4. The Book of Rites - Li Chi
5. The Spring and Autumn Annals - Ch'un Ch'iu

The initial writings contained in the I Ching are credited to Emporer Fu Hsi (c.2900 BC).

What is the I Ching used for ?

In the earliest years the Chinese would use stalks of milfoil ( an herb with multi layered leafs ) or bones for divination purposes. These acted as oracles and would deliver a message to an interpreter or diviner. The I Ching is the recorded understanding of the interpreter as he equated the message to the position that the stalks or bones would be placed after settling. The bone oracle was in use for a long time before the manuscript was written. The I Ching is a recording of the process of bone divining.
The knowledge of the I Ching or Book of Change goes beyond the natural world, and delves into the metaphysical realm to give full understanding of the mysteries of the unknown.

How is the I Ching oracle charged ?

An open ended question is asked by a person who needs guidance in a certain matter. The hexagrams are cast and the diviner interprets the oracular meaning of the hexagrams according to the positions in which they fall.

Each hexagram contains a series of six stacked horizontal lines - solid or broken. A broken line is Yin and a solid line is Yang. The expert diviner leads the seeker through a process or reading similar to any psychic reading and returns an answer to the question.

The history of how the I Ching came to be is in the history of how China came to be. That story is recorded but open for debate. Archeologists are still finding clues that give new meaning to that history.







This page is my reference page to issues referencing the Chinese Calendar or I Ching system of divination. It may include some insight to possible 2012 scenarios such has Terence McKenna's work with the I Ching.

I Ching and You

From the I Ching to 2012 - Terrence Mckenna's Astonishing Theory and the Singular Event for Mankind.