I was sipping coffee at a street table having successfully bought sufficient clothes to avoid having to do it again for at least a year when some fifteen or so young men came shouting and laughing down the road. The one at the front was waving a large, naked, inflatable, female doll. Hmm, I thought, that will be Pan abducting maidens again. Five minutes later came a similar number of young women, making just as much noise. They were wearing tennis gear and carrying rackets. Oh, thought I, those will be the protesting nymphs. Yup, I need to get out more and perhaps read a good deal less! My world, outside of work is becoming far too dominated with myth and the Yijing.
I then went back to the problem of which Yijing translation and commentary to recommend to someone wanting to go beyond the basics. I am self raised on Wilhelm and Cary Baynes. Most of my generation were. It is a beautifully written book. It’s a translation of the 18th Century Palace edition which was the result of a very successful redaction of the versions and essays on the Yijing which had grown up over the centuries in China. Modern research has made many advances since then and it is now a little dated. However its strong Confucian tone laid out 'good and proper behaviour' which was a good guide in my younger days as a somewhat confused young man trying to find my way in a world which I did not understand at all. The Wilhelm version is not at all easy, it needs work.
It was then that I remembered Jack Balkin, 'The Laws of Change'. Jack Balkin is Knight Professor of Yale Law School. He has a brilliantly clear mind which enables him to write concisely and with clarity. I am not keen on his translation, but it serves. However his commentary is excellent for anyone who wants to ponder things a little more and see more clearly how they might proceed in a matter. By dint of his clarity and self evident world experience he has managed to bring a clear and practical exposition of the Neo Confucian text to the West. It speaks good practical sense to the modern western mind and I think it a 'good guide' to life in the mundane world. Hilary Barrett has given it one of her excellent close inspections which can be read here. She says, "Karcher expects you to absorb the imagery and 'roll the words in your heart' so that an answer takes form within you. Balkin expects you to read the words like an instruction book, and go and act accordingly.This is the antedote to Stephen Karcher." I wholeheartedly agree... But I will come back to this in my next blog.
At this point a guy asked if he might take one of the café chairs which I was not using. I smiled and nodded yes. I must admit to being slightly surprised as I watched him turn the corner further up the street… still carrying the chair. One day I might get used to London! Meanwhile my next coffee arrived and still no-one had stolen my shopping bags. I will continue these 'Leicester Square' thoughts here early in the week.