Zhouyi (Durham East Asia Series)

I bought this book on the recommendation of my Yijing teacher, and I have not been disappointed.Rutt's translation is a bit quirky and different in places, but he bases it on solid research and knowledge, and I get the sense that he really appreciated (or even loved) the I Ching (or Yijng), and that it was not just an academic exercise for him.I really like that he provides the text of the Zhouyi by itself, and it's not mixed in with commentaries. But he does still include a translation of the Ten Wings, the later Confucian commentaries that were attached to the I Ching, but even these he provides without additionally interspersing more commentary.He provides a very good overview of ancient China at the the time of the Zhouyi (during the Zhou dynasty) and his translation includes lots of added info about the makeup and history of the I Ching.As I said, some people may find his translation odd or quirky at times - and my even object to it. For example, he has some 'different' names for some of the hexagrams, e.g. 'Dodder' for Hex. 4, and 'Keening' for Hex. 19' and he often presents the text in rhyme, (e.g. Hex. 64 "... the water yet, ... the tail-tip wet"). But I rather like these and find it fun - if sometimes challenging - to work with.I find it perfectly fine to work with for divination. It is an excellent work, though a bit pricey. And it may not be everyone's cup of tea, especially if they want a more 'accessible' or westernized version of the Yi.

Out of all the various translations I've looked at for the I Ching, this one is perhaps the most interesting. It frames the I Ching in a more historical light rather than the typical divinational context we're used to seeing.Is it worth reading? Yes, absolutely! But...is it worth nearly $100? No, it is not. $75 is even too much. It's just way overpriced for a book like this. I understand a book like this doesn't sell many copies. I also understand the time and research that likely went into it. But there's also a reality when it comes to who can pay what for a book like this. I think a price point around $40 would be much better.

I cannot for the life of me trust this translation or the so-called history....Reason? It was done be a Catholic Priest. How could this translator/author possibly give an un-biased translation when the doctrines of his chosen faith strictly, and with great prejudice forbids divination and the type of philosophy taught in this text? He obviously doesn't believe in the text he is translating. OK granted you could say he translated the text transliterally, but that would be quite difficult, if not impossible as there is no one alive that knows and understand the ancient Chinese it was written in. The Chinese of those times was very metaphorical from my understanding. Even native Chinese speakers have a great difficulty translating it and can only do so because they have a philosophical foundation in the metaphorical nature of the language at that time. Master Huang states this many times in his translation of the I Ching. He came to that understanding by studying under a Taoist master for many years. Master Huang is also a believer in the text. If Mr. Rutt believes in the text then he is a hypocrite to his faith thus solidifying my distrust of this translation.

There are many translations of the I Ching that provide the traditional, medieval account (don't pay for one; you can get James Legge's good translation for free). There are also dozens of translations that attempt amateur psychoanalysis. There are even a few that translate a higher level of traditional commentary. But this translation is the ONLY one in existence that actually explains the original meaning of the I Ching according to real historical and archaeological evidence. It summarizes decades of research that otherwise can only be found in obscure Sinological journals. Absolutely worth owning.

I have read many books on I Ching but this is the best byfar. It is the only one which made its history as a text clear tome. The so called Zhouyi is the portion set in writing during the Zhou(later Chinese bronze age). Most of what we consider I Ching is actually commentary from the Han, half a milennium later. Rutt restores the early primitive text which was used for such things as deciding the auspicious occasion for (human?) sacrifices. Rutt sees the Zhou Yi as neither moral or spiritual. We can then see how the Confucian tradition made something quite different of the text with the addition of the Ten Wings. Rutt translates the original Zhou text which consists of what are the hexagram statements and line texts in later forms.He also translates the Ten Wings separately, rather than mixed with the Zhou text as Wilhelm and later Chinese editions do. Rutt's book is the best on the actual, as opposed to mythical text of the Changes. Yet he includes its history in the west and a section entitled, the Fascination of Zhouyi. If you have a serious interest in I Ching, you MUST read this book. It does not supercede the classic Wilhelm/Baynes translation but does far better in letting us see it also as an ancient Chinese text.

I have investigated a large number of English translations of the I Ching and this is the only one I know of that provides serious historical background, including the latest archaeological data and the Mawangdui bamboo strip texts, and a critical approach. In addition to the history of the book there are histories and descriptions of various forms of divination that are presented in a scientific/anthropological fashion, as well as a history of the reception of the book in the West. I was a little alarmed by the rhyming translations of the actual text at first (they can sound rather trite in comparison with Wilhelm/Baynes), but good justifications are given to show that this is the form the original took and that it is similar to the style of the Book of Odes.For readers with critical intelligence and a sense of history, this is the only English edition of the I Ching that can be taken seriously.

There is no need to add comments about the content of the book. The book is clearly very important. However with numerous suppliers charging from £70 - £90 for a Print on Demand Book of only 500 pages this has got to be one of the most seriously overpriced books I have seen. It is not even what I call a proper 'Hardback' but is a 'Paperback in Disguise'. By this I mean that the spine is held together only by glue, in 'Paperback' style. This marks it as cheaply produced. It is not even a very rare book. It certainly does not merit a price above that usual for a 'Hardshell Paperback' of its kind:- around £20 - £25 Max.