Forest of Changes

Book Description

Forest of Changes (Yi Lin) organizes poetic oracles for the 64 hexagrams and their transformations, providing image-rich guidance that shaped divination practice for centuries. It stands as a key source for understanding image-and-omen interpretation and its integration with classical I Ching thought. This comprehensive collection represents one of the most extensive repositories of divinatory poetry in Chinese literature, offering practitioners a wealth of symbolic imagery and metaphorical insights. Each hexagram transformation is accompanied by carefully crafted verses that capture the essential meaning and practical implications of the divination, making it an invaluable resource for those seeking to deepen their understanding of symbolic interpretation in I Ching practice. This English edition—possibly the first—was translated by Xuan Wanyan, a Columbia University graduate from a family steeped in the I Ching tradition, making this once-esoteric system accessible to non-Chinese readers while faithfully preserving its original depth.