The Image of the Cosmos in the I Ching: the Yi-globe (pdf)


The Yi-globe: The Image of the Cosmos in the Yijing

GO TO: Version 2011 (.pdf format)


This is a revised version of the previous text on this site. I have completed the shortened chapters and still added some new amendments.
The whole material has been rearranged and has got a more attractive book form, in .pdf format.


Table of Contents

Part 1: Cosmology ... 6
I. Introduction ... 6

  • The worldview of the Yijing ... 6
II. The reconstruction of the Yi-globe ... 14
  • Fundamental principles ... 15
  • The five levels ... 20
  • Final compilation of the Yi-globe ... 30
  • Structural properties ... 33
  • Summary of the reconstruction ... 37

III. The analysis of the Yi-globe ... 39
  • Connections with other arrangements ... 39
  • Space and time ... 42
  • Fire and water — The six-pointed stars ... 57
  • Dark and light — Yin and yang ... 62
  • Summary of the Yi-globe’s symbolism ... 69

IV. The origin of the King Wen sequence ... 71
  • The rules of the King Wen sequence ... 71
  • The King Wen matrix ... 78
  • The Yi-matrix ... 80
  • Changes in the Yi-matrix ... 81
  • The development of the King Wen sequence — Summary ... 85
  • The significance of the traditional (King Wen's) sequence ... 88

V. Conclusions ... 89

Part 2 : The descendants of the Yi-globe ... 91
VI. The Yi-yantra ... 92

  • The yantras and the Yi-globe ... 92
  • Other analogues ... 96
VII. The Yi-spiral ... 98
  • The Way ... 98
  • The Yi-spiral ... 106
VIII. The Yi-globe and the microcosm ... 109

Appendix ... 119
Bibliography ... 121
Contact ... 124


I would call the special attention of the readers to Chapter IV about the origin of the King Wen sequence. There are new arguments there in support of the previous hypothesis on this subject. That is, the linear King Wen sequence was derived from a two-dimensional matrix (I call it King Wen matrix, see below) where the hexagrams were arranged according to a definite rule.



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