易经 - 宋朝版本 (I Ching - Song Dynasty Edition)
The image shows the title page of the I Ching (Book of Changes "易经") from the Song dynasty around 1100 CE. This is an important historical edition of China's most valued philosophical text. The I Ching, also called Zhou Yi "周易", is the only fully preserved classic among the three ancient divination texts. The other two texts were Lianshan "连山" and Guicang "归藏". Better printing technology in the Song dynasty helped spread these classics more widely. This edition shows efforts to standardize Confucian texts during this time. It used woodblock printing methods and showed Song scholars' dedication to keeping traditional culture alive.
The I Ching is known as the first among classics "诸经之首". It covers all phenomena "涵盖万有" and serves as the foundation "包罗万象" of Chinese civilization. Ancient texts describe it this way: "The I Ching is the essence of Chinese wisdom." It sees the world from a complete view "整体角度". It treats humans and nature as a connected whole that works together. This is called the unity of heaven and human "天人合一". The I Ching is not just a fortune-telling tool "占卜工具". It is a philosophical masterpiece "哲学巨著". It "includes politics, economics, daily life, law, literature, medicine, art, education, mathematics, science, and many other fields. It serves as a key text for all schools of thought." Its ideas about yin-yang "阴阳" and the eight trigrams "八卦" created ancient China's special view of the cosmos. Its influence continues today.
"Ancient scholars often followed Sima Qian's "司马迁" account and agreed that the Zhou Yi was authored by King Wen of Zhou "周文王", while modern scholars hold different views. Since it was written very early, with the evolution of time, the meaning of its text has largely become incomprehensible to people today. Even during the Spring and Autumn "春秋" and Warring States "战国" periods, the content of the this book was already difficult to understand."
