Anzhi

It is a bit blurry and quite a while since I have had the book, I'm sorry. But I would say, with respect, if you are looking for something with the flavor of your serious and detailed questioning, she and you are not recipricol, in the way she approaches the Yi. You appear in your reponses more 'fire', direct and with a seeking burn, and I recall she is more 'water', very fluid, and intuitive. That maybe furthering if you want that change to explore with her, via her book. Or not, according to your own seasons. I am not a very good book reviewer nor an accomplished academic. More a psychologist or poet in my approach. Perhaps there may be a proper review on Amazon?

Why he may not be widely known I don't know, especially in the scholarly area. As you are likely aware, there is a plethora of Yi Jing material on the internet. Online Clarity is a well known and well attended forum on the Yi. Second hand assessment goes only so far. It may or may not suit your needs. I have read widely on the Yi and as I say it remains my main reference. The published books were expensive.,so I only purchased the matrix copy.

I have read this a while ago. I haven't a copy now. And I am not sure which edition it was. But the edition I read, was valuable and written well. It is not a big book, but is serious writing on themes the author sees in the Yi.

Thank you for your interest in this rather impressive man. His site is well worth a good explore. His grasp of detail is very good. His two YiJing volumes are excellent in my opinion. One his translation, the second the fully referenced script of the Chinese version. You can download both of these free. He has also presented a similar with the Lao Tzu. His writing is very articulate and temperate, while his aquaintance and intimacy with the works becomes quickly obvious. I only know his written acquaintance of the language, but I would be very surprised if he wasn't a confident speaker. A remarkable man. https://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2020/06/19/bradford-hatcher/

I am saddened to hear this news, somewhat belatedly. His work on the Yi was unique , thorough and very furthering. A central reference for me. Sorry, I have been away from the Forum. I recommend his free offerings on his site. I purchased his second volume, with full details on every gua on Chinese characters. Use it often. Grateful for his life and work. "Please forgive the lack of updates and any dead linkson account of my having proved mortal." from his site https://hermetica.info/

I find this good read on the major significance of the Ta Chuan, part of the Ten Wings. It is where the rich description of the yarrow method is found. "...Edward Shaughnessy in his retranslation of the Great Commentary based on the Mawangdui materials echoes Peterson’s evaluation of its importance in observing that “the worldview of its Xici or Appended Statements Commentary—integrating man and nature through the medium of the Yijing—is arguably the most sophisticated (it is certainly the most subtle) statement of the correlative thought that has been so fundamental to all of China’s philosophical systems.” Shaughnessy is not exaggerating when he says that “indeed, so central has the Yijing been to Chinese thought over these two millennia that a history of its exegetical traditions would require almost a history of Chinese thought.” The Yijjing as a text is itself an object lesson in the worldview that it attempts to present. That is, when we reflect on the nature of particular “events” within this process worldview, the relationship between these particular foci and their fields lends itself to a holographic understanding of world systems..." https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40636-015-0013-2

Very rich thread and lots of furthering possibilities. I have pondered the outputs of various methods and whether they detract or add. I think from experience the yarrow (or their probabilities in a suitable method of casting) appear to be closer to the "mark" in responses, sometimes as has been mentioned freakingly so, down to exact words/phrases used in question. But the role of our intuitive field is important It is not just the book but the interaction, as with all synchronistic events. There is something mysterious in this. I do not discount other methods of approach for synchronicity and our intuitions can work with all things, as does the Tao, but just clearer perhaps rather than a slight fog. Holographic properties are inherent here I think. With holography if the original plate for projection is shattered any piece will project the original but not as clearly. I see holographic qualities in the Yi. Ritually and preparing the receptive spirit, nothing beats the yarrow stalks. I'd like to get real ones, not skewers however, though painted.

Well done and informative, shall follow on YouTube. Thank you Harmen.

My take on it is that the Yin and Yang are not equal in that sense. That sort of equality necessarily means stagnation and lack of movement. The Yang is higher greater and more active than the Yin, which is submissive by definition. The Tai Chi symbol is perhaps best thought of as mobile with the small spots growing and lessening in turn. I regard the unequal probabilities as better reflecting and corresponding to this movement and change within life. All energy we know flows via differentiation.

May I share one remarkable synchronicity. I did a reading for my daughter and family about making a decision about a dog they had acquired to be a companion to their other one. It was untrained and causing numerous problems. They didn't know whether to persist or not. The casting gave understandable allusions to both if it was kept or if they passed it on, to consider. It helped them to crystallize their thinking and decision making, bringing to light unconsidered possibilities and views of the overall situation. They decided to give it to someone on bigger property and "Larry" and the new owners are very happy. They weren't "told" to do it by some "mumbo jumbo" but assisted as a good counselor would, helping to see the possible aspects and changes around the issue. Anyway, on the way home shortly after leaving their place and doing the casting, a car was in front of me with the license plate "Two Dogs". I have never seen before or after such a number plate. It can be explained as just a coincidence. Perhaps. But when such things happen often around the intentional us of the Yi you do begin to wonder. I wasn't looking for it.

Thank you Old Dog. Yes, not an uncommon view. I share a lot of it too, being highly respectful of science. But like many things there are varieties of what is labelled "synchronicity", including what is so-called but isn't. But however we understand it, and I have a read a book or two about this fascinating subject, it is a "phenomenon" of some sort that strikes 'casters' often when working with the Yi. In many cases I am now of the view it is a particular way our primate patterning searching mind works. Synchronicities are defined by a coincidence of meanings and meanings are projected by us on the outer world. It is no wonder we see so many in the Yi, so full of symbols and allusions in a language of multi-meaning ideographs. This in no way demeans the Yi or the phenomenon, but simply explains how it can be so intuitively helpful and uncovering and "furthering" our quests. Nor am I beyond wondering how sometimes it really is so spot-on in a casting, with even the very words of your question or concern front and centre and the most helpful appropriate allusions. Not always but often. And even if we have the most detailed explanation of causation of the phenomenon, the process and helpfulness of this book and its structure and ideas keep it alive and people responding to its process of "divination", which to me now is just a word we attach to the process. Intuitively the ancients evolved with it and their applications evolved with it, and by that mysterious process of evolution came up with a brilliant process of deep intuitive encounter with life and one's mind and expanded perceptions.

There is both a three and a two coin method of casting. Like the use of 16 objects/marbles the two coin method reporduces the probalities of the milfoil method. https://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/learn/ways-to-consult-the-i-ching/2-coins/ The discussion as to how the probabilities reflect Yang/Yin qualities in life are very interesting (Yin will tend to remain at rest...Yang tends to activity and change more often) but are not spoken about in that manner really (perhaps indirectly though) in the Ta Chuan. The whole number thing is interrelated to months and shamanic type connections via the numerical path to "activating the ghosts and spirits", so there are varying symbolisms with the whole milfoilprocess. "four seasons"..."unique lunar months"...the extreme of Ch'ien sticks is 260..the extreme of K'un sticks is 144...this gives 360. Corresponds to days of the year." etc. Ta Chuan is not an unquestionable "bible", it is an added commentary and ideas from long ago. Correspondences and holistic thinking drips throughout the Yi; this was how they sought to evoke the "spirit(s)" to see and understand the changes and possibilities. This is what is happening when we cast. While any random (three coin) method will bring forth a hexagram of value, (any hexagram has correspondences to the "ten thousand things"), if we believe in the fact of synchronicity then we will seek to "aid it' to appear clearer by as best tuning as possible, not only of the method but also of the mind-heart. I use both marbles and two coin method. A funny memory was going to the toy shop to gather my different colored marbles in specific numbers,while the shop person thought I'd lost mine.

I am not fluent in Chinese, but have Chinese language references and understand the approach to grammar somewhat. I wouldn't expect Master Huang's translation to be necessarily "the best" just because he is Chinese. He is also pretty Confucian in approach. That's OK but it is just one aspect of the jewel. But reading and responding with the heart-mind to the Yi and surviving by it as he did in hard imprisonment for a number years, certainly gives him some cred imo. If we think encountering the Yi is very dependent on an "accurate" translation I don't thinks so, because Chinese is such a many- nuanced lingo there are many opinions. I read Master Huang's work for the info re the original characters and some inputs from Chinese culture that do help. I, like others, have two or three references to get a more complete 'taste' of a gua. Wilhelm's is always valuable but necessarily dated in some aspects. Also very Confucian in stress. My final measure is how the particular version confronts me and challenges. My primary one, with the characters laid out with expanded meanings is the word by word one by Bradford Hatcher. "The Book of Changes" Vol. 2. Meeting with the Yi is not just an academic exercise, but somewhat also of a meditative kind, for me.

I have been walking this way for 30 plus years. I can still go to DDJ 1 to be inspired and to appreciate how much I do not know, which may be one the most significant things to achieve. I wander off the path due to my own "coming late". I am now a stupid old fool who just done that yet gain. But I come again and find this way is still the same and there is no yea or nay, an emptiness that is endlessy full. I get kindly chided for "coming late" and things go on as before, embraced and embracing. I wonder when I will get tardy again? "Coming late" is a phrase one encounters in the Yi Jing. It is not being present. Not being present for a moment or for a year or two means I do not see or hear what's actually going on. It was still actually going on. You try to find "Sages" of a way that declares that naming or describing is some other way but not this one, as if painted in big letters over the first "door" people often come through to it. Try not to be foolish. But even in your foolishness (and mine) , even if you flee, if you have come near, it may yet come again and surprise. Don't ask me how whatever "it" is does "it". I can't seem to get away from it, no matter how a hard I try to be not present. Even in my "not presentness", like a playful cat I find it whacking at the trouser cuff of my left leg when I thought it was outside. May I recommend the book "Dao De Jing - A Philosophical Translation" by a couple of old fool honkey professors of philosophy departments. The DDJ was first written in Chinese characters, you may need to know furher how that can be a many nuanced way of communicating. It may also help you appreciate the life enhancing richness on DDJ if truly wished to be helped at the present time - to try and be more present. To this end may I suggest more respectful dialogue with your many correspondents, not for their sake, or the Dao's, but for yours. But if you do not wish too, so be it, we will all enjoy yapping with each other around the fire. The Dao is in all things , without exception.

Thank you Shidifen and Daelun for your most helpful further additions. Pardon my lateness of response. I have been wandering. _/\_ In the meantime I did procure a copy of Karcher. It was second hand and smelt like it was from ancient China. Nevertheless it reads well.