The Laws of Change

As important to Chinese civilization as the Bible is to Western culture, the I Ching is one of the oldest treasures of world literature. Yet despite many commentaries written over the years, it is still not well understood in the English-speaking world. In this masterful new interpretation, Jack Balkin returns the I Ching to its rightful place as a book of wisdom that teaches how to live one’s life in a changing and confusing world.

The I Ching is nothing less than an explanation of the laws of change in the universe and of how human beings can learn to live in harmony with them. Balkin presents it as a work of practical philosophy and ethics, concerned with helping people to cultivate their characters, achieve emotional balance, and maintain personal integrity in the face of adversity and ever-changing circumstances. He shows how the I Ching’s divinatory system helps the reader discover the book’s underlying philosophy through applying its insights to everyday problems.

Balkin’s comprehensive and perceptive commentaries highlight a clear, understandable version of the core text of the I Ching that preserves its striking imagery while remaining faithful to the long tradition of ethical interpretations of the work. The Laws of Change: I Ching and the Philosophy of Life affords us the opportunity to experience a world masterpiece anew with unprecedented depth and understanding.

Jack M. Balkin is Knight Professor of Constitutional Law and the First Amendment at Yale Law School, and the founder and director of Yale’s Information Society Project. His books and articles range over many different fields, including philosophy, law, politics, cultural evolution, and social theory. He lives in Branford, Connecticut.