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The Complete I Ching: The Definitive Translation
A revised edition of the definitive translation of the world’s most important book of divination • The first English translation from within the tradition by a Chinese Taoist Master • Includes translations of the Ten Wings--the commentaries by Confucius essential to the I Ching’s insights
- GenresPhilosophyClassicsChina
Paperback
About the author
Alfred Huang
16 books11 followersA third-generation master of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan, Chi Kung, and Oriental meditation, Master Alfred Huang is a professor of Taoist philosophy who studied the I Ching with some of China’s greatest minds--only to be imprisoned during the Cultural Revolution in 1966 and sentenced to death. For 13 years in prison Master Huang meditated on the I Ching and found the strength to survive. Released in 1979 weighing only 80 pounds, he emigrated to the United States. Master Huang is the founder of New Harmony, a nonprofit organization devoted to teaching self-healing, and is the author of The Numerology of the I Ching and Complete Tai-Chi. He lives on the island of Maui.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 12, 2026
I’m probably the only one who read this straight from cover-to-cover instead of using it more as a reference. The I-Ching was designed to be used for divination, which is where a question is answered through a process involving luck, with a spiritual belief that the outcome will be accurate. I don’t practice divination, but I still wanted to read this to learn all the wisdom therein. The I-Ching is the oldest significant work of Chinese literature.
In ancient times, commentary by Confucius was added to it, the "Ten Wings." This particular text that I read was a translation into English by Taoist Master Huang, who included not only those commentaries, but also his own commentary, all of which are invaluable for explaining the gua (the original texts) which are written as cryptic poetry which had meaning to ancient feudal Chinese readers, but many (if not most) of the meaning would be lost to us now (random example: I never would have guessed that crossing great rivers signifies undertaking dangerous activities). If you were to read the gua without explanation you would be mystified, but Huang explains everything very well so even a complete Westerner can understand it.
Some of what I found most interesting was the cosmology explained at the beginning of the book: yellow is the color of earth and blue the color of heaven, and when the two unite they generate a multitude of beings. Also, the significance of yin and yang is explored in great depth; the concept is much more sophisticated and interesting then my basic idea of it had been. These concepts that are taught at the beginning come up again and again as you read the 64 gua.
There are 64 gua because there are 8 different results, and you get results twice, so 8x8=64. Each gua represents a particular stage of life or season and has wisdom on how to get through that season as well as possible. Some seasons appear to be wonderful, and the I Ching usually teaches caution in these cases. Some seasons appear to be terrible, and the I Ching usually teaches hope and perseverance in these cases—things will get better. In fact I would be amiss to not mention that the overarching theme of the I Ching is change. The only constant in life is change. And after things progress to their extremes, they then alternate to their opposites. This comes up again and again, and when reading the gua in order from 1-64 you can see the progression; Huang calls out why each one alternates to the next one.
While I’m not an expert on the different translations of the I-Ching into English, I can say this, Huang constantly puts in what the other translations named each gua and why he disagrees when he does. He also has a way of explaining things very thoroughly in a way that is satisfying. And he includes commentaries that other translations don’t, and that’s actually very important from what I can tell. Those commentaries bring a lot of life to the text. So I would recommend that anyone who is a Westerner who wants to read the I-Ching use this translation as it is simply very thorough and well-written.
So how good was the wisdom? Was it life-changing? I would say that it was often very insightful. I took a lot of notes. There were many parts that I didn’t really understand or that didn’t necessarily click for me, but every single gua always had at least a couple of parts that were really good to think about. This was well worth reading, although it was long! This translation is 500 pages, and they are big pages. So it’s not a quick read. But if you really want to delve into the history of ancient literature, I would say this is very rewarding.
The way these are written gives you inadvertent glimpses of what life was like in ancient China. Marshes were associated with joy, because these wide flat marshes were where an abundance of food was grown. Crossing great rivers was a dangerous event, to only be undertaken during auspicious times. Hunted game had three grades: the top grade was killed by shooting it through the heart and could be presented at offerings, the middle grade was hit in the legs and could be used at banquets, and the lowest grade was hit in the belly and could only be eaten by the person who killed it. Under the Shang dynasty, there were slaves, but King Wen abolished slavery, angering a lot of slave owners but ushering in a new era of productivity. On and on, there are hundreds of interesting facts you learn about this era that paint a full vivid picture of what life was like for these people thousands of years ago—for me that is a rich thing indeed to get to see. It isn’t all good; the I Ching’s view of gender is, well, really different than ours today. But I tried to not let that distract me from learning all I could from this work of art.
This morning I finished the I Ching, and it was a feeling of accomplishment and musing. Remember how the I Ching teaches that after things proceed to their extremes, they alternate to their opposites? The cycle of 64 gua begins with Initiating, which is all yang, followed by Responding, which is all yin. It starts off with alternating between extremes. At the end, the second-to-last gua is Already Fulfilled, followed by Not Yet Fulfilled. Both of these have three yin and three yang and every line alternates from the last one: they are the most perfectly balanced gua. But Already Fulfilled has all the lines in the “correct” places, whereas Not Yet Fulfilled has all the lines in the “incorrect” places. It was interesting that Already Fulfilled is not the ending of the cycle. Actually, it’s the second to last, because after fulfilling one goal, then one realizes that there is a completely new undertaking that must be focused on, and the last gua—Not Yet Fulfilled, which is a period of realizing that everything is wrong—leads directly into the beginning of the next cycle, the Initiating, the pure yang energy of heaven that pushes forward to make a new thing.
As always the advice in the last two gua was counter-intuitive on first glance, but makes sense when you think about it. Already Fulfilled is actually filled with warnings, because this is the stage when people become complacent; they have their goals fulfilled and there is nothing else to do. They become given to excess and indulgence. Not Yet Fulfilled is actually more auspicious than you would think; it is a time of trouble, and yet, because one is in a balanced place, one can move forward cautiously and know that, because the time is ripe for change, he will probably have great success moving forward.
Perhaps my biggest takeaway from reading the I Ching is a greater awareness of seasons of life than anything else I’ve ever read. I feel I have a lot more depth of understanding of the progression of life and how one should act in different circumstances—when to embrace pain, when to be cautious about joy, or when to do the opposite. There was a whole lot of interpersonal stuff in here too that I didn’t really touch on. But suffice it to say…this was a truly great book.
In ancient times, commentary by Confucius was added to it, the "Ten Wings." This particular text that I read was a translation into English by Taoist Master Huang, who included not only those commentaries, but also his own commentary, all of which are invaluable for explaining the gua (the original texts) which are written as cryptic poetry which had meaning to ancient feudal Chinese readers, but many (if not most) of the meaning would be lost to us now (random example: I never would have guessed that crossing great rivers signifies undertaking dangerous activities). If you were to read the gua without explanation you would be mystified, but Huang explains everything very well so even a complete Westerner can understand it.
Some of what I found most interesting was the cosmology explained at the beginning of the book: yellow is the color of earth and blue the color of heaven, and when the two unite they generate a multitude of beings. Also, the significance of yin and yang is explored in great depth; the concept is much more sophisticated and interesting then my basic idea of it had been. These concepts that are taught at the beginning come up again and again as you read the 64 gua.
There are 64 gua because there are 8 different results, and you get results twice, so 8x8=64. Each gua represents a particular stage of life or season and has wisdom on how to get through that season as well as possible. Some seasons appear to be wonderful, and the I Ching usually teaches caution in these cases. Some seasons appear to be terrible, and the I Ching usually teaches hope and perseverance in these cases—things will get better. In fact I would be amiss to not mention that the overarching theme of the I Ching is change. The only constant in life is change. And after things progress to their extremes, they then alternate to their opposites. This comes up again and again, and when reading the gua in order from 1-64 you can see the progression; Huang calls out why each one alternates to the next one.
While I’m not an expert on the different translations of the I-Ching into English, I can say this, Huang constantly puts in what the other translations named each gua and why he disagrees when he does. He also has a way of explaining things very thoroughly in a way that is satisfying. And he includes commentaries that other translations don’t, and that’s actually very important from what I can tell. Those commentaries bring a lot of life to the text. So I would recommend that anyone who is a Westerner who wants to read the I-Ching use this translation as it is simply very thorough and well-written.
So how good was the wisdom? Was it life-changing? I would say that it was often very insightful. I took a lot of notes. There were many parts that I didn’t really understand or that didn’t necessarily click for me, but every single gua always had at least a couple of parts that were really good to think about. This was well worth reading, although it was long! This translation is 500 pages, and they are big pages. So it’s not a quick read. But if you really want to delve into the history of ancient literature, I would say this is very rewarding.
The way these are written gives you inadvertent glimpses of what life was like in ancient China. Marshes were associated with joy, because these wide flat marshes were where an abundance of food was grown. Crossing great rivers was a dangerous event, to only be undertaken during auspicious times. Hunted game had three grades: the top grade was killed by shooting it through the heart and could be presented at offerings, the middle grade was hit in the legs and could be used at banquets, and the lowest grade was hit in the belly and could only be eaten by the person who killed it. Under the Shang dynasty, there were slaves, but King Wen abolished slavery, angering a lot of slave owners but ushering in a new era of productivity. On and on, there are hundreds of interesting facts you learn about this era that paint a full vivid picture of what life was like for these people thousands of years ago—for me that is a rich thing indeed to get to see. It isn’t all good; the I Ching’s view of gender is, well, really different than ours today. But I tried to not let that distract me from learning all I could from this work of art.
This morning I finished the I Ching, and it was a feeling of accomplishment and musing. Remember how the I Ching teaches that after things proceed to their extremes, they alternate to their opposites? The cycle of 64 gua begins with Initiating, which is all yang, followed by Responding, which is all yin. It starts off with alternating between extremes. At the end, the second-to-last gua is Already Fulfilled, followed by Not Yet Fulfilled. Both of these have three yin and three yang and every line alternates from the last one: they are the most perfectly balanced gua. But Already Fulfilled has all the lines in the “correct” places, whereas Not Yet Fulfilled has all the lines in the “incorrect” places. It was interesting that Already Fulfilled is not the ending of the cycle. Actually, it’s the second to last, because after fulfilling one goal, then one realizes that there is a completely new undertaking that must be focused on, and the last gua—Not Yet Fulfilled, which is a period of realizing that everything is wrong—leads directly into the beginning of the next cycle, the Initiating, the pure yang energy of heaven that pushes forward to make a new thing.
As always the advice in the last two gua was counter-intuitive on first glance, but makes sense when you think about it. Already Fulfilled is actually filled with warnings, because this is the stage when people become complacent; they have their goals fulfilled and there is nothing else to do. They become given to excess and indulgence. Not Yet Fulfilled is actually more auspicious than you would think; it is a time of trouble, and yet, because one is in a balanced place, one can move forward cautiously and know that, because the time is ripe for change, he will probably have great success moving forward.
Perhaps my biggest takeaway from reading the I Ching is a greater awareness of seasons of life than anything else I’ve ever read. I feel I have a lot more depth of understanding of the progression of life and how one should act in different circumstances—when to embrace pain, when to be cautious about joy, or when to do the opposite. There was a whole lot of interpersonal stuff in here too that I didn’t really touch on. But suffice it to say…this was a truly great book.
July 28, 2022
I suppose the best way to describe this book is to think of it as a procedure for thinking about the current situation and deciding on a course of action. I suspect that the "divination" part of the procedure is actually irrelevant, but provides a way to calm the mind through a repetitive process, almost leading to a trance state. The result might be random, or might be fate, but then the real work begins. Using various maxims (or clichés) of the culture along with the hexagram obtained in the first step the current conditions are analyzed, while at the same time the moving yao is considered in order to forecast the results of an intended action, or perhaps just to give advice on potential actions. Thinking and analyzing are emphasized before any action, while harmony, yin-yang transitions and other basics of the human condition are fully considered in order to produce a wise response - the forecast or advice.
I will now consider the results of my first divination in which I am asking for advice on divination. The gua I must interpret are Kun - responding (earth over earth) moving towards Bi - Union (water over earth). As expected, the results will take me some time to complete.
I will now consider the results of my first divination in which I am asking for advice on divination. The gua I must interpret are Kun - responding (earth over earth) moving towards Bi - Union (water over earth). As expected, the results will take me some time to complete.
April 20, 2026
Discovering Joseph Campbell and Alan watts helped me to discover Terrence mckenna. And through him, I started learning more and more about the I Ching, and the Tao.
So one I day about 12 years ago, I found this at a store and thought I’d pick it up - to see what all the hype was about.
And yeah, it’s totally worth the hype. It’s hard to describe what it’s about, because I’m not that smart. But reading it over the years has truthfully helped me from losing my mind entirely in certain situations.
Essentially, it’s a doctrine of Taoism and confuscianism. And a documentation on patterns of time.
every single passage in it can, pretty much, be distilled down to;
“time marches on. There’s both good and bad in this world. Neither lasts forever. And you can’t have one without the other. Keep calm and carry on - through the bad, and learn to appreciate the good.”
It’s also a pretty cool divination tool. Whether or not you believe in it - is irrelevant. Because if you do it properly, it will direct you to a passage that will perfectly describe the situation you’re going through, and what to do - to calm your mind and persevere. (I personally prefer the 3 coin method. Rather than the yarrow stick method)
If you truly want to know more about it, I would highly recommend listening to lectures by Alan watts; or especially Terrence mckenna. They break it down beautifully, and help lay a framework of understanding- for when you eventually read through it yourself.
Its thousands of years old at this point, and it’s stuck around for a reason. It’s worth it. I give it 5/5 hourglasses ⏳⌛️⏳⌛️⏳
So one I day about 12 years ago, I found this at a store and thought I’d pick it up - to see what all the hype was about.
And yeah, it’s totally worth the hype. It’s hard to describe what it’s about, because I’m not that smart. But reading it over the years has truthfully helped me from losing my mind entirely in certain situations.
Essentially, it’s a doctrine of Taoism and confuscianism. And a documentation on patterns of time.
every single passage in it can, pretty much, be distilled down to;
“time marches on. There’s both good and bad in this world. Neither lasts forever. And you can’t have one without the other. Keep calm and carry on - through the bad, and learn to appreciate the good.”
It’s also a pretty cool divination tool. Whether or not you believe in it - is irrelevant. Because if you do it properly, it will direct you to a passage that will perfectly describe the situation you’re going through, and what to do - to calm your mind and persevere. (I personally prefer the 3 coin method. Rather than the yarrow stick method)
If you truly want to know more about it, I would highly recommend listening to lectures by Alan watts; or especially Terrence mckenna. They break it down beautifully, and help lay a framework of understanding- for when you eventually read through it yourself.
Its thousands of years old at this point, and it’s stuck around for a reason. It’s worth it. I give it 5/5 hourglasses ⏳⌛️⏳⌛️⏳
June 8, 2025
heaps smart
August 15, 2021
A book on divination- with commentaries from Confucius, the great Chinese sage. It’s thought-provoking to say the least.
June 20, 2024
This book is the guidance to a form of divination that the Chinese people have used for over 3,000 years, making it one of the oldest forms of divination in history. Written by a man who came to the United States after having been imprisoned by the Communist government of his own country for 20 years, it offers a unique look at, not only a complex and ancient method of soothe saying, but also the cosmology, history, and world view of a people who can trace their culture back to a time thousands of years before the birth of Christ. Even if a person is not interested in employing the divination technique it is meant for, this is still a book that brings to life events that most Westerners are not even aware existed. A wonderful and fascinating read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews