Bible Encyclopedias
Yih-King

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

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"the book of changes," is the oldest of the sacred books of the Chinese. It was written by Fohi, the reputed founder of Chinese civilization, and is described as a very mysterious and almost unintelligible work, treating chiefly of the nature of the universe in general, the harmonious action of the elements, and periodic changes of creation. These ideas were expressed by means of eight peculiar diagrams, which constitute the basis of natural philosophy as well as of religion. Some contend that in Fohi and his family we may recognise Noah and the second parents of our race. Many commentaries have been written on the Yih-king, and very varied have been the expositions, so that, from being regarded originally as a cosmological essay, it came to be looked upon as a standard treatise on ethics.