title: Unearthing the Changes: Recently Discovered Manuscripts of the Yi Jing (I Ching) and Related Texts (Translations from the Asian Classics)
author: Edward Shaughnessy
description: A truly wonderful book, masterfully conceived and extremely well crafted. Edward L. Shaughnessy demonstrates once again why he is, among all Western scholars, the premier translator and interpreter of the early history of what became the <i>Classic of Changes</i>arguably the most important single work in all of premodern Chinese history. (Richard J. Smith, author of <i>The I Ching: A Biography</i>)<br /><br />Shaughnessy has written the definitive account of these materials. Nothing like it exists, in any language. Closely argued, and drawing on an impeccable control of the literature, this study re-forms our understanding of how and what the Yijing might have been. (Kidder Smith, Bowdoin College)<br /><br />In his skillful presentation of three groups of bamboo-strip manuscripts discovered in China since the 1970s, Shaughnessy gives new meaning and pleasure to reading one of the two oldest works of Chinese literature, the <i>Classic of Changes</i>. These manuscripts bring to life the significance of divination in early Chinese culture, while remaking our understanding of the '<i>Changes</i>.' (Donald Harper, University of Chicago)<br /><br />As a master of the '<i>Changes</i>,' one of China's most influential and yet most perplexing texts, Shaughnessy presents specialist scholars and students with an admirably clear account of the difficulties of interpretation and a comprehensive review of recently found manuscript copies of the book. His deeply researched text breaks new ground for the study of Chinese manuscripts and China's methods of divination, with penetrating contributions to the scholarly handling of fragments, the recovery of lost literature, and the problems of textual criticism. (Michael Loewe, University of Cambridge)<br /><br />Highly recommended. (<i>CHOICE</i>)<br /><br /><i>Unearthing the Chances</i> will appeal to the archeologist in everybody... Beautifully designed... Shaughnessy's attention to detail is admirable, and makes this an essential book for those interested in the history of the <i>I Ching.</i> (<i>Contemplating IChing</i>)<br /><br />A groundbreaking work. (<i>Journal of Asian Studies</i>)<br /><br />A perfect reference work for students and specialists of both the <i>Zhouyi</i> and Chinese palaeography. (Dimitri Drettas <i>The Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies</i>)
zlib_text: **The Tao Te Ching**
  
   **An Introduction by Stan Rosenthal**
  
   **PREFACE**
  
   **A number of problems arise when translating any work from a written
  language, such** **as early Chinese, into twentieth century English. One such
  problem is the difference** **between the written forms of the two languages,
  another is the difference between the** **two cultures, and a third is the
  time which elapsed between the writing of the original** **work, in this
  instance, some time between six hundred and three hundred years before** **the
  Christian era, and the compilation of the textual arrangement by Wang Bih,**
  **dating from the third century A.D., used today.**
  
   **There are however, other problems for any translator/interpreter of this
  work. The** **first is the number of changes in the form of written Chinese
  characters since the** **original work was written. At least one such change
  occurred prior to the** **arrangement of the text by Wang Bih, and at least
  another three have been** **impleme