The “International Conference on Interpreting The Book of Changes at Home and Abroad” jointly organized by the Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences (IAS) of the University of Macau and BNU-HKBU United International College was successfully held at the IAS online and on-site on June 23 and June 24, 2023. The conference invited esteemed scholars from renowned institutions worldwide.
The conference was divided into three sessions. Session one of the conference was kicked off with a speech by Prof. Yu Xingzhong. Prof. Fabrizio Pregadio first brought a report on The Book of Changes and Daoist Internal Alchemy (Neidan內丹) and Prof. Hin-ming Frankie Chik showed us the weaving of San Xuan, a perfect embodiment of the mystery of Dao. Then, Prof. Radu Bikir demonstrated the role of Yijing in the hands of literati in the Song Dynasty – predicting the future, while Prof. Michael Harrington interpreted the strategy and submission to principle in the commentary of Cheng Yi.
Prof. Richard John Lynn as the first speaker of session two introduced the classic of Changes, which was used as a divination book and a source of wisdom in China, and was gradually accepted by the Western world in the 17th-20th centuries. Prof. Zhang Wenzhi shared the gradual development of people from prognosis on anomalies to image-numerology in the Han Yi tradition. Prof. Yuet-keung Lo demonstrated the path to spiritual awakening from Su Shi to Ouyi. Additionally, Prof. Wen Haiming and Prof. Zhao Jingyi respectively introduced the important research of Zhouyi in China, its philosophy internationalization and the history of Ming and Qing Yijing studies.
Prof. Wu Lijing brought the first report for session three of the conference. He interpreted the three images of changes: Yi King, I Ching and Zhouyi in detail. Prof. John Tsz Pang Lai and Prof. Andreas Günter Weis presented Thomas McClatchie’s and James Legge’s English translation of the I Ching and the connection between the I Ching and Weimar German translated by Richard Wilhelm. Prof. Lo Kwai Ching reported on a study of the deep links between the I Ching and Chinese medicine and Prof. Zhu Liang presented Jiaoshi Yilin, a Han divination manual in the picture of Han reading of the Book of Changes.
At the end of the conference, Prof. Lin Shaoyang shared his insights on the cultural dissemination and influence brought by the Book of Changes in East Asia and the world.
The conference attracted teachers and students from different fields and majors around the world to actively participate, provided opportunities for the audience to learn and communicate, promoted academic exchanges and cooperation, and contributed to the publication of the Dao Companion to the Book of Changes a good foundation has been laid.
