audiobook The Mandate of Heaven: Hidden History in the Book of Changes by S J Marshall; S. J. Marshall in History

Review

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Interesting read.By Rick S.I don't know where to even begin here so I'll begin at the beginning. The author advances a hypothesis that the I Ching contains a historic record that points to a total eclipse that served as an omen that plays an important part of the overthrow of the Shang dynasty. This theory; if correct leads us to a more accurate dating of the Zhouyi and it's authorship both of which have been disputed for centuries. Marshall sets off to move his theory to a concrete state through a tortuous route using many sources. Half of the total pages are devoted to footnotes; appendices; indexes and a glossary of terms. No one can say the author neglected his research. Still I am uneasy with certain aspects of the book. Marshall is an amateur Sinologist swimming in a pool of well educated and highly revered professionals. In an effort to further his theories he appears (to me) to expect the reader to sweep aside the well accepted translations almost brutishly. "The judgement of this hexagram is misunderstood and mistranslated in Wilhelm/Baynes. The famous 'Be not sad; be like the sun at midday; means nothing of the sort in original Chinese." To accept this as truth we must also believe translations from some well known men of letters also misunderstood what they devoted much time and study to. I for one am not prepared to cast such works aside and label the authors as failing in their task in favor of the author's enthusiasm for his own findings. The hexagram here ; number fifty five; is the locus of Marshall's theory. In the Harvard-Yenching version of the Zhouyi this particular hexagram is comprised of less than one hundred characters some of which are single words; some combine to comprise a single word. I am not saying that Marshall's theory is entirely incorrect. I just don't see it as mutually exclusive to others.Setting aside the author's goal the book itself contains some interesting material packed into a tight space. Some things could have been said with fewer words for greater effect and many of the footnotes could have been integrated into the main body of text for greater affect and easier reading.Would I recommend this book to others? It's hard to say.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Outstanding ResearchBy BrahmanFor those who are interested in a deep historical look at the origins of the I Ching; this is a must book for your library. There are quite a few translations of the "Yi" on the market now; but there really aren't that many books on its historical origins. This book will not teach you how to use the I Ching. It will not teach you how to dissect the trigrams or memorize the Later Heaven Sequence. What it will do is give you a fascinating glimpse into the world that created the Book of Changes. I highly recommend it.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Best book about the I Ching!By Russ KalenBest historical context for the I Ching ever! A very engaging read.