THE LONG VIEW

From Divination to Philosophy: Edward Shaughnessy on the Evolution of the I Ching In Plain English: This talk explores the history of the *I Ching*, an ancient Chinese book traditionally used for fortune-telling and philosophical guidance. The speaker, a longtime expert in the field, explains that the book was not written all at once by a single person but evolved over many centuries. By using newly discovered ancient documents buried in the ground, he shows that the book began as a simple tool for divination and slowly grew into a complex philosophical guide about how humans can influence their own future. Ultimately, he argues that the *I Ching* is meant to be an evolving, living text that changes its meaning as the world changes, rather than a fixed set of rules. Summary: Professor Edward L. Shaughnessy presents a rigorous, evidence-based approach to the *I Ching*, characterizing it as a dynamic text that evolved from divination practices into a sophisticated philosophical treatise. He emphasizes that the *I Ching* cannot be understood in isolation; it must be analyzed through the lens of archaeological evidence, including oracle bones, bronze inscriptions, and excavated bamboo manuscripts. He argues that traditional, transmitted versions of the text often contain errors or intentional modifications by later scribes, which obscure the original historical context and the text's gradual maturation. A major focus of the lecture is the *Xici Zhuan* (Great Commentary), which Shaughnessy divides into two distinct analytical sections: the *Qian-Kun* thesis (focusing on cosmic principles and human conduct) and the *Xici* thesis (focusing on epistemology and the process of divination). He contends that these sections were likely composed by different authors during the Warring States period, reflecting a sophisticated shift in intellectual thought. He explicitly rejects the idea that these commentaries were authored by Confucius, attributing them instead to the evolving discourse of mid-to-late Warring States intellectuals who sought to move beyond simple fortune-telling. Shaughnessy’s methodology is explicitly critical of the "received" scholarly tradition. He famously critiques the work of Gao Heng and others who relied heavily on textual emendation and speculative phonetic shifts, arguing that such methods often result in subjective, arbitrary interpretations. He advocates for a "multi-evidence" approach, where archaeological findings serve as the primary constraint on philosophical interpretation. By doing so, he aims to "humanize" the text, viewing it not as a static, mystical relic, but as an intellectual project that invites the reader to actively participate in the process of meaning-making. Ultimately, the professor reflects on the responsibility of the scholar to provide a rigorous, evidence-backed understanding of these classics. He views the study of the *I Ching* as an ongoing dialogue between the past and the present, where the value of the text lies in its ability to adapt to new questions and challenges. He concludes that the *I Ching* is not a closed book of ancient truths, but a "key" that allows individuals to engage with the concepts of change, agency, and human development in their own lives. Key Points: - * The *I Ching* originated as a divination tool that gradually incorporated philosophical commentary over centuries. - * Archaeological evidence (bamboo/silk manuscripts) is essential to correct errors and biases found in transmitted classical texts. - * The *Xici Zhuan* is not a unified work by a single author but a composite of different philosophical sections, likely from the Warring States period. - * Shaughnessy rejects the traditional attribution of the commentaries to Confucius, identifying them as products of later intellectual discourse. - * The professor critiques traditional scholars like Gao Heng for relying too heavily on speculative phonetic changes rather than textual evidence. - * He advocates for an "interlocking" interpretation of the text, where binary opposites (like *Qian* and *Kun*) represent a dynamic, creative, and generative process. - * The ultimate value of the *I Ching* is its capacity to facilitate human agency, allowing individuals to navigate change rather than passively accept fate. Notable Quotes: - * "If you have seven parts of evidence, you shouldn't speak eight parts of words." (Paraphrased principle of scholarly integrity). - * "The *I Ching* is not a book of ancient truths, but a key that allows individuals to engage with the concepts of change." - * "Divination was never just fortune-telling - it was a way to determine one’s own will and participate in the world." Data Points: - * 1975: The year Shaughnessy began studying under his teacher in Taiwan. - * 1981: Initial meeting with Chinese scholars (Qiu Xigui and Li Xueqin). - * 1991: Publication of his first book on Western Zhou bronze inscriptions. - * 2004: Launch of a major Chinese research project on excavated and transmitted texts. - * 50 years: The approximate duration of Shaughnessy’s research career dedicated to the *I Ching*. - * 650 pages: The length of his major work on Western scholars' contributions to excavated texts. - * 12 chapters: The structure of his most recent book on the origins of the *I Ching*. Controversial Claims: - * The assertion that King Wen of Zhou may have killed his own father, based on interpretations of *Zhu Shu Ji Nian* (Bamboo Annals). - * The claim that the traditional scholarly work of Gao Heng is largely "useless" or incorrect due to his reliance on subjective phonetic manipulation. - * The characterization of Henry Kissinger as a "bad man" in the context of global history, despite his recognition in some circles. - * The dismissal of certain *I Ching* commentaries (like the *Xiang Zhuan*) as potentially simplistic or "empty" compared to the philosophical depth of the *Xici*. Technical Terms: - * *Bu* (卜): The practice of divination using oracle bones or other methods in early China. - * *Xici Zhuan* (繫辭傳): The "Great Commentary" or "Appended Remarks," a core philosophical commentary on the *I Ching*. - * *Qian-Kun* (乾坤): The first two hexagrams of the *I Ching*, representing the fundamental creative and receptive forces of the universe. - * *Received Text* (傳世本): The version of a classical text that has been passed down through generations of copying and printing, as opposed to excavated manuscripts. - * *Oracle Bones* (甲骨文): Ancient animal bones or turtle shells with inscribed questions and answers, used for divination in the Shang Dynasty. - * *Interlocking Parallelism*: A linguistic structure identified by Shaughnessy in the *I Ching* where opposing concepts function together to produce a third, new meaning. - * *Epistemology*: The branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and scope of knowledge - used here to describe the *Xici* section's focus on how we know what we know.