The I Ching or Book of Changes

Richard Wilhelm, Cary F. Baynes

• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Year: 2026
• eBook ISBN:
  9780691289342
• Print ISBN:
  9780691284576
• Subtopic: Eastern Philosophy

The landmark translation that introduced an ancient Chinese Classic to the West—more than one million copies sold

The Wilhelm-Baynes translation of the I Ching, or Book of Changes, has inspired millions with its timeless insights into the changing nature of existence. First set down in the dawn of history as a book of oracles, the I Ching grew into a book of wisdom, eventually becoming one of the Five Classics of Confucianism and providing a common source for both Confucianist and Taoist philosophy. With this groundbreaking translation, the ancient Classic came to the West, where it has influenced countless artists and writers, from Bob Dylan and Philip K. Dick to John Cage and Octavio Paz. Organized for easy reference, it presents the sixty-four hexagrams alongside their commentaries and interpretations, including the Ten Wings, supplemental writings traditionally ascribed to Confucius that provide indispensable perspectives on the symbolic structure of the hexagrams. Featuring C. G. Jung’s illuminating foreword, and now with a new introduction by internationally acclaimed essayist Eliot Weinberger, this essential edition preserves the spirit of the ancient text while providing a vital key for anyone seeking to live harmoniously with the immutable law of change.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Introduction to the Paperback Edition
• Preface to the Third Edition by Hellmut Wilhelm
• The Major Divisions of the Material [Chart]
• Foreword by C. G. Jung
• Translator’s Note by C. F. Baynes
• Preface by Richard Wilhelm
• Introduction by Richard Wilhelm
• Book I: The Text
• Book II: The Material
• Book III: The Commentaries
• Key for Identifying the Hexagrams