The Tao of I Ching: Way to Divination [Paperback]

Tsung Hwa Jou (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing (December 15, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804814236
• ISBN-13: 978-0804814232
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #387,193 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I studied with the author, March 7, 2007

By 

Charles R. Strange "8palms" (Southern California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Tao of I Ching: Way to Divination (Paperback)

In the summer of 1998, I was accepted as a live in student of the author of this book, Jou, Tsung Hwa. Along with a small handful of fellow students, I trained daily with the author for five months until his untimely passing in a car accident. We studied Chen and Yang style Taijiquan mainly, but also Taoist Meditation, and Yijing (I Ching).

Master Jou, the name affectionately given to him by his students, was a profound man. In his eighties, he appeared in his sixties, and after a few minutes practicing Taijiquan, would take on the robust look of someone in their forties. He casually communicated with the animals on his farm, as strange as this sounds it is true. He had a much younger girlfriend, and although eighty, apparently had not lost any of his sexual vigor. Every morning he would wake up before dawn to practice his Taijiquan for upwards of three and four hours, unlike some "masters" that slow down once past their prime. On the last day I saw him alive, he waved good bye, and smiled. I have felt on several occasions that there was a lot going on that was beyond me regarding this. Myself and other close students have since had dreams in which he visited and taught us more Taijiquan. Our living instructors at the time have sometimes been amazed when we show them the techniques we learned in our dreams from Master Jou. After his death, his body remained relaxed, and did not stiffen, for several hours after he left his body. This is according to my senior brother who arrived at the scene of the crash to confirm his identity. I'm not generally a believer in fantasy, but having met this man and lived with him, there was a lot that made me question so called "reality."

Concerning this book, I must admit that there is room for a new edition to be written in the same spirit. The pictures, essential for grasping the "feeling" of the hexagrams, are poorly reproduced. Also, while I disagree with "excessive" written descriptions of the divinations, the short descriptions that are included could use some editorial polishing in order to be better represented for the English reader.

On the positive, Jou, Tsung Hwa's work is revolutionary when contrasted with most Yijing books. His entire approach guides you to become "intimate" with Change. Encouraged is an intuitive approach with realistic landmarks. Through working with his very helpful exercises, you are able to establish a true relationship with the spirit of the Yijing. Additionally, his method of divination using time and space to cast hexagrams is more interesting to me than simply tossing coins or separating yarrow stalks.

While not the first or last Yijing book you should buy, you definitely SHOULD buy this one if you are a serious practitioner. You may be able to extract some "essence" from this author that is unavailable from other translations.

I sincerely hope this review is useful for at least one person to help achieve balance in their life.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A useful tool, just not the best translation, February 23, 2006

By 

D. Musso "erzegowaz" (Italy) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Tao of I Ching: Way to Divination (Paperback)

I found in it some useful hints for divination, especially some interesting timing technique, that in all books I own I never found well explained (the other only that mention something similar is "Numerology of I ching" by Dao Liu, but timing is only slighty mentioned.) Badly, is really poorly translated and because of it the sense of some paragraph is hard to find out, unless you are a good guesser :)

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book, warts and all, April 20, 2010

By 

Freeman Crouch - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Tao of I Ching: Way to Divination (Paperback)

In an ordinary sense this is a bad book. The typography is inept, the illustrations cribbed from who knows where, the translation a mediation between several english translations. This is, in short, not a book by a professional publications person.

And yet this is a radiant personality, a fine person, a good man. Everything I've read about Master Jou is consistent with this. Our times could use more teachers of courage, moderation and decency. I'm a terrible skeptic, but I hope I know a heart of gold when I see one, even as indirectly as through the medium of a book. It gives good divinations, it gives wise, sly, canny advice. I think of it as a story told with puppets, which could be improvised or home-made, and yet tell a story of terrible importance -- and also be very entertaining. The old-school analog typography has the energy of a Godzilla movie: and some of you are aware that this is a compliment, coming from me.

There is a ton of interesting ancillary material. The notes in it give other ways of doing divinations, and helps situate the Yijing in divination practice. "Plum Flower Mind I Ching" is fascinating. Very, very interesting material I really haven't see anywhere else. Also there are a number of graphical representations of the hexagrams you might not easily find in one place. Highly recommended, especially for working diviners.

I have this book in a beautiful little red hardback with a plastic cover, which has given me a lot of pleasure. I recommend this edition if it is available any more.