Anyone interested in Chinese cultural studies, Asian religions, or the New Age movement has heard of the I Ching, the Book of Changes. It is unknown who wrote the original text. In fact, it probably had more than one author. The I Ching has been sought after for millennia as a tool of prophecy and divination for some, while for others it has served the need for spiritual truth and philosophical knowledge. In short, it is one of the world’s greatest religious texts. This multimedia version of the I Ching is noteworthy for what it includes — technology only available to us in the computer age. The CD‐ROM includes the full text of the Wilhelm‐Baynes translation, considered a standard since its publication as a part of the Bollingen Series in the 1950s. It also includes the full text of Wilhelm’s commentary on the I Ching, entitled Change: Eight Lectures on the I Ching. The fact that the software is published by Princeton University Press virtually guarantees a noteworthy product. Its target audience, however, could be seen as both researchers and the general public.
The purpose of this software is to make readily available to the public an easy‐access version of the I Ching for both personal use as an oracle and professional use as a research tool for students of Asian cultures. A host computer for this software has minimal requirements for today’s computer technology. For PC/Windows:
486 processor or better Windows 3.1 or higher VGA Monitor (256 colors) 8 megabytes installed RAM recommended 4 megabytes hard disk space CD‐ROM drive
For Macintosh: 68030 processor or better (e.g. at least LCIII) color monitor 8 megabytes installed RAM recommended 4 megabytes hard disk space CD‐ROM drive
In addition, a user needs to have Adobe Acrobat Reader and Quicktime installed. Both are provided on the CD for installation if the user does not have them.
The Multimedia I Ching is a beautiful software package. Throughout the entire program, you are entertained by recordings of Asian music as well as replicas of Chinese landscape scroll paintings. The graphic quality and the audio are quite clear. You move from scene to scene by following the arrows, in much the same way you would in any three‐dimensional game currently available.
Upon beginning the program, you are asked to log in. The I Ching keeps a separate file of all items regarding individuals on the hard drive. For instance, consulting the oracle with a question will generate results, which can be saved and dated in the journal file. Once you have logged in, you are taken to the main screen where you may choose to work with preferences of the software or go directly to the Oracle Pavilion or the Library. You “travel” to the pavilion or library by following the directions of arrows, providing you with a three‐dimensional tour of your surroundings. Once you enter either location, the first place one should proceed is to the tour guide by clicking on the gray stone. Here, a changing scroll of Chinese landscapes and the strains of Oriental music accompany narration providing a basic introduction to the I Ching and a variety of aspects on it, such as how to perform a divination.
If you go to the Oracle, you must decide whether you want to consult the yarrow sticks or the coins. You provide a question, and the divination begins. Thereafter, it is interpreted with information for the basic learner and the advanced individual. Should you choose to go to the Library, you have a variety of rooms which you may explore. The main introductory room gives you a tour of the entire software program and background on the individuals involved in its making from the early 20th century through today. The Library itself is equipped with its own aerial map highlighting your location, providing you with the ability to “jump” to a different location in the Library by clicking on location dots.
The Library is beautifully constructed. Each three‐dimensional room is ornately decorated with digitized art resembling traditional Ming or Qing Dynasty vases, furniture, and landscape paintings. There is even a rock garden you can visit. In the Library, you can read the full text of the I Ching and the detailed explanations of each hexagram and trigram (located in separate rooms), as well as other original texts translated by Wilhelm and others. It also includes a bibliography of resources for further reading. The Library is an excellent resource for those interested in any aspect of the I Ching, and thus makes for good background information for prospective researchers.
The entire multimedia format for the I Ching has many intriguing advantages to it. However, ironically, all of its features have become what we might consider to be almost second nature in multimedia format. There is nothing akin to a search engine; but everything is designed and planned well. The “Read Me” text file and the manual note that, in some Windows programs, there have been minor problems with some graphics and palettes. More information on this is available at the web site address.
When I used the software, I had no problem with graphics or sound. One problem I did encounter was related to the cursor. I am used to a cursor switching from an arrow to something else when I touch upon a link. While this occurs in some of the three‐dimensional locations, the text files do not do this, which makes it somewhat frustrating to know what I can or cannot do without trial and error. There is no official published manual to accompany the software either. There is a manual available on the disc and an insert to the compact disc, but even a brief published manual would have been beneficial.
Initially, one could see that purchasing this software for an academic library would be questioned. The promotions for the software itself weigh themselves more toward its “fun” aspect for use as a divinatory, horoscope‐like source. Secondary is the research material (the texts and bibliography) for further research in the I Ching. Yet, these resources are valued tools for a student. I could see that purchasing this software as a reference item in an academic library might be a waste of money, unless of course the library dealt heavily in Asian culture. On the other hand, The Multimedia I Ching is certainly a valid introductory learning tool for students; so I would consider it a viable purchase for academic libraries that allow for the checking‐out of computer software. In summary, the software is a fantastic education tool, geared toward both the entertainment and education sectors. It leans slightly more toward the former than the latter, and perhaps could be purchased with that audience and intent in mind.
