The Laws of Change: I Ching and the Philosophy of Life

First of all, this is not a "translation" from the Chinese but a clear interpretive reworking of the text of Wilhelm/Baynes (with a nod to Blofeld) informed by the most recent scholarship and decades of personal use. It's a book for those who use the Yi for divination or for the study of its philosophy rather than for scholars. After a solid no-nonsense review of the Yi's historical origins and a summary of the philosophy that informs it, Balkin leads the reader through each hexagram with a text that follows the Wilhelm/Baynes version but includes a commentary that makes clear what the Baynes translation sometimes leaves muddled. Yes, there are even footnotes referring some of the key phrases back to their Chinese originals with variant readings. Jack Balkin is a Professor of Constitutional Law at Yale, not an occultist or a writer looking for a quick buck with an I Ching knockoff. This is a true labor of love and the fact that it's being remaindered with no paperback yet in sight is a real tragedy. Grab this book while it's still available in its beautifully produced hardcover edition. It doesn't deserve to become another lost classic.

Finding meaning in life experience is possible. There are Universal Laws in nature that have application to the evolution of man's consciousness that can be apprehended. If we are lucky, we discover information that changes the way we look at life and ourselves by teaching us the fundamental truths that make up Universal Law. The I Ching is such a body of information and Jack Balkin's translation ranks high as a scholarly work, of a peer with Thomas Cleary. The work is unique by way of filtration through a lawyer's mind, adding razor-sharp insight into the meaning of the text. After 23 years of studying the I Ching and with a collection of almost all the English translations available, I refer to Balkin's translation ninety percent of the time. The Laws of Change is a priceless treasure! Thank you, Jack Balkin!

This is probably the best introduction to the I Ching, and for the average person, the best all around version of the I Ching available in English. If you like the old Wilhelm-Baynes translation, you will like Balkin's. It is both clear and poetic. The best feature of this book is the extensive commentaries on the hexagrams and the line statements. They delve into the symbolism of the I Ching and explain its moral teachings. This book is full of profound wisdom and practical common sense. It is also beautifully written. There are several good translations of the I Ching available today, like the Wilhelm-Baynes and Alfred Huang's. But neither of them has practical commentaries on how to apply the book to everyday life situations that compare to Balkin's. And Balkin's takes account of recent historical findings that they don't. In fact, just for the commentaries alone this book would probably be a good supplement to any translation you currently own. This is not a scholarly translation like Richard John Lynn's, which is not that easy for the beginner or the casual user to understand. At the same time, it is much more accurate, informative, and sophisticated than the dozens of popular versions of the I Ching that are being sold these days. It has lots of information about the historical origins and symbolism of the I Ching and the different ways to cast the hexagrams. If you want something clear and comprehensive, with lots of historical detail and really good commentaries, Balkin's is the one to get. It is the best way to get in touch with the wisdom of this famous oracle.

This is a wonderfully realised English translation of the ancient bronze age divinatory tool, the I Ching. Mr. Balkin, a careful writer who renders crisp yet meaningful prose, has given modern thinkers a true gift in this book. 'The Laws of Change' strikes a poetic balance between the Wilhelm/Baynes edition and some of the accessible recent versions. It's easier to get into than the Wilhelm/Baynes and much deeper in its wisdom than its competition.What's particularly well done is Balkin's well thought out commentary on the lines, which, though retaining a level of unconscious symbolism for a unique interpretation, give a pracitical, useful approach to understanding situations. I found myself wishing the author was my uncle or grandfather -- that I could probe his mind for answers to some of my life's toughest issues!This is an I Ching for people wishing to do better in their organizations, for understanding how best to deal with complex and difficult social/business situations, and for making personal decisions with far-reaching affects. It's also quite good if you're like me and are still trying to learn how the world really works. As the author says, "You should not be afraid of the changes that you want to make." (Thanks, Mr. Balkin, for reinvigorating the resolve to make important changes. Your respect for this ancient text is clearly shown and helpful to all.)K.M. McKay

This book is the best I Ching if you want in depth discussions of what the hexagrams and lines really mean. I own several different versions and in most of them there's only a paragraph or a few sentences. I'm always left wanting more. In this version everything is made very clear and it makes the book even more relevant to my life. There's also a great discussion of lots of different ways to cast the hexgrams, more than in any other book I've seen. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who uses the I Ching on a regular basis.