I Ching translations - your favourite.

Emily

I've started to use the I Ching again after a while away from it, using the Holitzka cards. And while I like the LWB that come with the deck, I've also dragged my other I Ching books out.

And it started me wondering, other I Ching users, what are your favourite I Ching translations.

I have the Wilhelm book and a copy of the Legge translation saved plus books by Carol Anthony, Sarah Dening, Diana Ffarington Hook and Cassandra Easton. Although these books are modern translations I take what I need from each because I dont think I'm going to be able to find just a single book to meet my needs. But that in turn started me thinking of others favourite I Ching books. :)
 

rachelcat

Probably more than you ever wanted to know, but here you go!

My favorite for readings is Kerson and Rosemary Huang, http://www.amazon.com/I-Ching-Kerso...=UTF8&qid=1365433352&sr=8-27&keywords=i+ching. It’s a translation of just the basic text without any of the commentaries, which I like. It links images in the text with legends of the early dynasty in which the I Ching was supposedly written. A bit idiosyncratic, but good!

Along the same lines of just the basic text without any commentaries are:

The Original I Ching: An Authentic Translation of the Book of Changes, Margaret J. Pearson, http://www.amazon.com/The-Original-...=UTF8&qid=1365433563&sr=8-11&keywords=i+ching, which I haven’t used much, so I’m not sure about.

I Ching: Walking your path, creating your future, Hilary Barrett, http://www.amazon.com/Ching-Walking...=UTF8&qid=1365433636&sr=8-15&keywords=i+ching. You can see the text of her translation on her site, http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/free_I_Ching_reading/.

Zhouyi: A New Translation with Commentary of the Book of Changes, Richard Rutt, http://www.amazon.com/Zhouyi-Transl...8&qid=1365434445&sr=1-2&keywords=i+ching+rutt, goes to scholarly extremes of trying to strip the text down to its earliest, barest essentials. Good to check to see what the latest historical research says.

Others:

I kind of like Karcher, but I can’t get away from the suspicion that all his talk of myths, spirits, altars, etc. is made up by him. I’m not 100% sure whether it is or not, but he’s a psychologist, not an archeologist, so you do the math . . . http://www.amazon.com/Total-I-Ching...=UTF8&qid=1365433809&sr=8-22&keywords=i+ching

Cleary’s translations (of three different ancient commentaries) are interesting and probably more historically accurate, but they are harder for me grasp for readings.

Of the books with translations of the full commentaries, I tend to go with Wilhelm and The Classic of Changes: A New Translation of the I Ching as Interpreted by Wang Bi, Richard John Lynn, http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Chang...8&qid=1365434814&sr=1-1&keywords=i+ching+lynn

Not a translation, but this is on my wishlist! The I Ching: A Biography (Lives of Great Religious Books), Richard J. Smith, http://www.amazon.com/Ching-Biograp...qid=1365434989&sr=1-2&keywords=i+ching+lynn#_

Hope these get your I Ching juices flowing!
 

Emily

Thanks for posting your favourites, I'll check them out they look interesting.

At the moment I'm reading Cassandra Easton's book, which is aimed more at women and the I Ching, but doesn't hold enough detail to really satisfy my curiosity. And looking at my list of books again, at least two of them are very technical and hard going. But saying that, I'm really enjoying doing my I Ching readings again. :)