"The Book of Changes has been translated into English a number of times, but Margaret Pearson's new translation stands out for its fidelity to the oldest and deepest layer of the text, cutting through centuries of later commentary. Her lucid explanations of the hexagram texts will be of great service to those who seek to use this ancient compendium of wisdom as a guide to introspection and self-cultivation in our own time."

​

– John S. Major, independent scholar, former professor of East Asian history at Dartmouth College, and translator of the Huainanzi

A Landmark Translation of an Ancient Classic

The I Ching or Book of Changes is one of the world’s most influential books, comparable to the Bible, the Koran, and the Upanishads. The I Ching’s purpose is universal: to provide good counsel to its users in making decisions during times of change. Since its origins about 3,000 years ago, it has become a compendium of wisdom used by people of many cultures and eras, and analyzed by scholars and seekers alike. This groundbreaking new translation is based on the core text created during the first centuries of the Zhou Dynasty (1045? – 256 BCE), study of documents showing how it was used later in the dynasty, and on current archaeological research findings that have expanded our knowledge of ancient Chinese society. Freed from the distorting effects of commentaries written a thousand years later and after, the essential meaning of the original text comes through here with unusual directness. 

For those wishing to use the text to clarify their thinking about decisions, Pearson also provides a step-by-step guide. 

Whether you are interested in trying this millennia-tested method of making wise choices or in understanding the world view of the early Chinese, this edition is essential.

• Includes the Chinese text.

• The first translation to systematically remove gendered yin/yang abstractions (which do not exist in the original text, only in commentaries written centuries later).

• Offers analysis and interpretation guides for every hexagram.

• Provides useful references to other scholars’ works.