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The I Ching
7.5Attr. King Wen
The oldest Chinese classic — 64 hexagrams and three thousand years of continuous use; Leibniz credited its binary structure as inspiration for modern binary arithmetic.
GBM Assessment (Score: 7.5/10)
The I Ching is the oldest Chinese classic and a lasting work of philosophical literature in human history. Its system of hexagrams and binary oppositions not only shaped Chinese cosmological thought but also influenced the German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, whose development of binary arithmetic drew direct inspiration from its structure.
Attributed to King Wen and originating in the Western Zhou dynasty, the I Ching has influenced virtually all subsequent Chinese philosophy, from Confucianism to Taoism. It has been continuously in print for over three thousand years, making it one of the longest-lived texts in world literature. In the twentieth century, the psychologist Carl Jung drew upon its principles in developing his theory of synchronicity, extending its influence well into modern Western thought.
China & India, c. 1000-800 BC
China's Western Zhou dynasty governs through feudal lords; the I Ching emerges from royal divination. In India, the Upanishads develop metaphysical concepts that will shape Asian thought for millennia. The Bronze Age collapse has shattered the old Mediterranean world. Greece enters its Dark Age. The Phoenicians spread their alphabet — ancestor of every European script.
Awards & Adaptations
Continuously in print 3000+ years. Influenced Jung.
Recommended Edition
James Legge trans. (1882)
