The portable dragon: the Western man's guide to the I ching

»My purpose in writing this book is to introduce the Western man of affairs to a remarkable 3000-year-old Chinese classic called the I Ching. I believe his life can be enriched considerably through its influence upon his aspirations and actions. For centuries, the I Ching has served as a principal guide in China on how to govern a country, organize an enterprise, deal with people, conduct oneself under difficult conditions, and contemplate the future. It has been studied carefully by philosophers like Confucius and men of the world like Mao Tse-tung. Confucius expressed his deep respect by asking the rhetorical question “Is the I not the perfect book?" In 1143 B.c., King Wen had divided the working man’s life into sixty-four human situations. His son, the Duke of Chou, dissected each of them into six typical events of evolving behavior. Cryptic statements were provided concerning the conditions at hand, the tendencies of people in general, and the recommended courses of action under the circumstances. During the ensuing 1500 years numerous volumes of commentaries were written on the interpretations of the basic texts. I have attempted to adapt and encapsulate the observations and advice for the modern reader. Excerpts from world literature have been added to illustrate the more significant nuances. In all, about 700 quotations by over 650 authors from nearly 60 countries over a period of 6000 years have been used. These selections should, incidentally, also be enjoyable in their own literary right and offer many hours of pleasurable musings. According to the I Ching, the sixty-four situations represent all that a person needs to know about his neighbors and himself to achieve success and tranquillity. They constitute a commonsensical framework for day-to-day living, competing, and letting live. The ultimate purpose of the I Ching, however, goes far beyond practical attainments in the competitive world. To achieve this goal, a different orientation is required. The sixty-four situations and responses are no longer regarded as fixed psychological standards of human behavior. Instead, they are intuitively sensed as ever changing transients in the kaleidoscope of living. Nothing is constant, yet nothing secedes from the whole. There is a time and place for the “one-upmanship” of the tycoon, the “sonomama” of the Buddhist, and the “doing-your-thing” of the hippie. One’s actions of the instant are but notes emitted from his ineffable harmony with the totality of nature. This being the case, they cannot help but be ever timely and proper. The man of affairs has become a sage.« (Preface) Title page Imprint Publisher's Note Preface Acknowledgments Contents I. Introduction to the I Ching II. Text of the I Ching 1. Creativity 2. Responsive Service 3. Organizational Growth Pains 4. Acquiring Experience 5. Biding One’s Time 6. Strife 7. The Army 8. Leadership 9. Restraint by the Weak 10. Stepping Carefully 11. Peace 12. Stagnation 13. Fellowship 14. Wealth 15. Modesty 16. Contentment 17. Acquiring Followers 18. Arresting of Decay 19. Getting Ahead 20. Contemplation 21. Punishment 22. Public Image 23. Intrigue 24. Recovery 25. Instinctive Goodness 26. Restraint by the Strong 27. Sagacious Counsel 28. Great Gains 29. Danger 30. The Cosmic Mean 31. Influencing to Action 32. Enduring 33. Withdrawal 34. Great Vigor 35. Progress 36. Intelligence Unappreciated 37. Family Life 38. Alienation 39. Obstruction 40. Eliminating Obstacles 41. Diminution of Excesses 42. Help from Above 43. Removing Corruption 44. Infiltration by Inferior Men 45. Unity 46. Advancement 47. Adversity 48. Potentialities Fulfilled 49. Revolutions 50. Rejuvenation 51. Shock 52. Resting 53. Growth 54. Propriety 55. Prosperity 56. The Newcomer 57. Gentle Penetration 58. Joy 59. Overcoming Dissension 60. Regulations 61. Sincerity 62. Small Gains 63. Tasks Completed 64. Tasks Yet to Be Completed III. Epilogue IV. References V. Index [On back cover:] poets and scientists, tyrants and saints, hermits and adventurers, storytellers and men of letters pick up the book, feel it, throw it away (Originally published in cloth under the title The Man of Many Qualities: A Legacy of the I Ching ).