The Encyclopedia of World Religions

. I ,

I Ching “Classic of Changes”; an ancient Chi nese book used to divine the forces at work in the universe ( see C HINA , RELIGIONS OF ). The I Ching is the most important of the five classics that C ONFU CIUS (551–479 B . C . E .) supposedly edited. The other four are the Book of History, the Book of Poetry, the Book of Rites, and the Spring and Autumn Annals. The I Ching dates at least to the fourth century B . C . E ., perhaps even earlier. It had become an important book in C ONFUCIANISM by the second century B . C . E . The Ancient Chinese used several methods to divine or discern the cosmic forces that were in operation at any given time. One method was to cast stalks of the yarrow plant. The object was to see whether the stalks would break or remain whole. Those that broke were said to be yin; those that did not were said to be yang ( see YIN / YANG THE ORY ). As a result, the ancient Chinese represented yin with a broken line (––). They represented yang with an unbroken line (—). A single stalk, whether yin or yang, does not give much information about the universe. Cosmic forces are too complex to be described by a sim ple “yes” or “no” answer. So the ancient Chinese grouped lines together. The basic grouping con tained three lines drawn horizontally, one on top of the other. The figure that resulted was known as a trigram. One can see four trigrams around the central yin-yang diagram on the South Korean f lag. Mathematics tells us that it is possible to draw eight different trigrams. But the system used in the I Ching is more complex still. It groups two tri grams together. The resulting figure is known as

a hexagram, because it contains six lines. The I Ching starts with a hexagram of six unbroken or yang lines. Next comes the hexagram in which all six lines are broken or yin. The book continues until it exhausts all 64 possible combinations of six broken and unbroken lines. In and of themselves, the hexagrams are meaningless. The I Ching provides their mean ings. It provides a name and brief description for each hexagram. Then it provides two more sets of meanings, known as “judgments” and “images.” All three—name, judgment, and image—are rather vague. That makes it possible for the person con sulting the book to adapt the meanings to suit her or his own situation. To use the I Ching, one must be in the proper state of mind. One reflects on one’s question, then tosses either yarrow stalks or coins. By examining the tossed stalks or coins one identifies two differ ent hexagrams. The first hexagram provides infor mation on the current state of affairs. The second hexagram identifies the changes that are coming. Turning to the I Ching one looks up the names, judgments, and images associated with the two hexagrams. Each person must decide individually how the names, judgments, and images apply to her or his life. images, icons, idols in religion The reli gious use of pictures and statues. The religions of the world run a gamut in terms of the object of WORSHIP on ALTARS and in shrines, from those who venerate three-dimensional statues of gods, buddhas, or SAINTS with candles, incense, and

211 S