Writers Alan Baker and Will Buckingham have both been prompted to write by the ancient Chinese text the I Ching, also known as The Book of Changes.
Will, began by explaining the
mathematically-derived structure of the I Ching: how the 64 hexagrams are
formed by either Yang (solid) or Yin (broken) lines stacked in sixes, to
represent all the possible combinations. Each of these hexagrams is a statement
that can be used for the purposes of divination, or taken and applied as a
philosophical perspective.
Alan highlighted - and it really struck me - how
contemporary the concepts of I Ching are. He
described it as similar to, and even influential on New Age spiritualism; as
well as a key influence on the development of the binary system.
Both Will and Alan, read some of their own work directly
inspired by their reading of the I Ching. Although both started from the same place
there were remarkable differences between Alan's 256-word prose poems and Will's short stories. However both had similar
elements, being in their own ways random, circular and cryptic.
Listening to Will and Alan's account of the I Ching, I couldn’t distinguish whether what I was
hearing was a mass of convoluted nonsense, or a universal truth delivered with
subtle poignancy. Sitting here reflecting, twenty wiki tabs deep, with tired
eyes and a head full of whirling thoughts; I’m still not sure. In can at least conclude that the I Ching is
a marvellous and seemingly inexhaustible source of food for thought.
Xavier Cranwell
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