The Numerology of the I Ching: A Sourcebook of Symbols, Structures, and Traditional Wisdom [Paperback]

Taoist Master Alfred Huang (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2000

The first book to cover the complete Taoist teachings on form, structure, and symbol in the I Ching.

• Provides many new patterns and diagrams for visualizing the layout of the 64 hexagrams.

• Includes advanced teachings on the hosts of the hexagrams, the mutual hexagrams, and the core hexagrams.

• Written by Taoist Master Alfred Huang, author of The Complete I Ching.

The Numerology of the I Ching is the first book to bring the complete Taoist teachings on form, structure, and symbol in the I Ching to a Western audience, and it is a natural complement to Alfred Huang's heralded Complete I Ching. It examines not only the classic circular arrangement of the eight trigrams but also the hidden numerology in this arrangement and its relationship to tai chi and the Chinese elements. Huang explains the binary code underlying the I Ching, the symbolism behind the square diagram of all 64 hexagrams, and Fu Xi's unique circular layout of the 64 hexagrams, completely unknown in the West. Entire chapters are devoted to such vital material as the hosts of the hexagrams, the mutual hexagrams, and the core hexagrams--all barely hinted at in previous versions of the I Ching. With appendices listing additional symbolism for each hexagram, formulas for easily memorizing the Chinese names of the sixty-four hexagrams, and much more, The Numerology of the I Ching is a must for serious I Ching students.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Extraordinarily comprehensive. -- Vegetarian Times

About the Author

Alfred Huang is the author of The Complete I Ching, which has been hailed as a modern masterpiece and judged by Intuition magazine to be "superior in nearly every respect" to the earlier English versions. Imprisoned and sentenced to death during China's Cultural Revolution in 1966, Huang studied the I Ching in secret with some of that country's greatest minds. Released in 1979, he emigrated to Hawaii, where he discovered that no accurate material on the I Ching existed in English. Since then he has devoted his life to righting that situation. He lives on the island of Maui.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Inner Traditions (July 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892818115
• ISBN-13: 978-0892818112
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #242,509 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #28 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Bible & Other Sacred Texts > I Ching

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars deeper mysteries of the Yijing, July 6, 2005

By 

Michael P. McGarry (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Numerology of the I Ching: A Sourcebook of Symbols, Structures, and Traditional Wisdom (Paperback)

This would not be a book for someone unfamiliar with the Yijing (Wade-Giles: "I Ching"), but for someone who has already cultivated a relationship with the Yijing, this book is invaluable. I have never seen so much about the inner meaning of the Yijing explained so clearly. Here the reader will find illumination about the He Tu ("The Yellow River Map"), the Lo Shu ("The Lo River Writing"), lines that are "central" and "correct" (aka "Governing" and "Constituting" rulers), the nuances of different judgements, and numerous traditional Yijing diagrams. Everything that is most obscure in, for example, the Wilhelm-Baynes "I Ching" is made clear here. Again, this book might be hopelessly confusing for someone new to the Yijing, but for someone who has spent time working with the oracle and who wants to deepen a relationship with it, I can think of no better book than this.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very essential to I Ching comprehension., October 5, 2003

By 

Eel Bonjack (Amesbury, MA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Numerology of the I Ching: A Sourcebook of Symbols, Structures, and Traditional Wisdom (Paperback)

All I can say is read this book, one chapter at a time. Then After each chapter, go back and take notes. It is very well explained, and more than worth the time and energy. It has made my practice of using Master Alfred's Complete I Ching much smoother, and it demystifies a lot of nuts and bolts in the I Ching's stucture, while tracing the origins back to the He Tu and Lo Shu diagrams. Yet it is mainly a gateway, one that takes a lifetime to put into practice. One feels incredibly lucky to have discovered such wisdom in his/her own lifetime! I've seen many gimmicky packages of the I Ching that are unauthentic, but this version here rings true throughout.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Concice, Deep, Invaluable and Surprising, September 27, 2005

By 

Steven Savage "Steve Savage" (California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Numerology of the I Ching: A Sourcebook of Symbols, Structures, and Traditional Wisdom (Paperback)

For anyone studying the I Ching, the translations available often cover a few basics, then jump right into the Hexagrams. - and this includes some of the translated works today. However, for those seeking deeper meanings, Alfred Huang's work explores the mathematics, origins, and deeper meanings of the trigrams, hexagrams, and patterns of the I Ching.

There are looks at the different arrangements (Earlier/Later Heaven) of Trigrams, the Lo Shu and He Te diagrams and their relevances. Discussion of King Wen's arrangements of Hexagrams. Mathematical analyses. Speculations. And far more.

Any student of the I Ching, simply, needs this book. If there's a flaw to it its that it will leave you wanting more depth in a market that's often quite shallow. You could reread this book many times and each time find something new.