ACHTismeerdanDUIZEND Updated on apr. 5, 2024 16 min read

THE SKETCHBOOK OF CHANGES

observations, micro-adventures and photosynthesis inspired by the 64 chapters of the I Ching

1 On the blackboard, a drawing in chalk. The little boy isn’t in the least afraid of making mistakes. An eraser works wonders.

2 and 3 Using a rake and a stick, he draws geometric shapes in the Portuguese sand. How long will they last? The sea gives, the sea takes away.

4 The old man in China comes to the park on every odd day of the week. After just a few minutes, the sun causes his characters, painted with water, to fade.

5 Lines on paper aren’t set in stone. After all, there’s an eraser at the back of the pencil.

There are three types of treatises on the I Ching: 1. direct translations from Chinese 2. commentaries on these 3. stories and images loosely inspired by the Book of Changes. The Sketchbook of Changes belongs to this last category.

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The photograph that appears at the start of every post in The Sketchbook of Changes, features one of the five stamps:

sketch of changes in the river valley around Dalfsen ..

sketch of change along the coast near Nazaré …

sketch of changes indoors: 'The Kleine Museum' ...

a sketch of the mind, awake and asleep …

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RESOURCES
A text as ancient as the I Ching is not easy to understand. It helps to compare several translations and commentaries side by side. In the overview below, I refer to the sometimes differing chapter titles used by the various authors.
AH = Alfred Huang wrote The Complete I Ching, an original translation from Chinese into English. A classic and extremely readable work.
RW = Richard Wilhelm lived in China as a missionary in the early 20th century. He translated the I Tjing into German. For a long time, this was regarded as the most authoritative translation in the West.
JB = Jack Balkin wrote The Laws of Change. A book with the clarity of a legal scholar, which he in fact is.
JJ = Julie Tallard Johnson wrote the I Ching for Teens. Unconventional, original, and not only for teens.
DM = Deng Ming-Dao wrote The Living I Ching. Excellent structure and poetic.
RR = Richard Rutt wrote Zhouyi with the subtitle Translation with Commentary of the Book of Changes. Indispensable historical perspective.
SD = Sarah Denig wrote The Everyday I Ching. The influence of Carl Gustav Jung, who wrote the introduction to Richard Wilhelm’s I Ching, shines through.

introduction. I CHING

chapter 1. INITIATING
Initiating (AH) / The Creative (RW) / The Dynamic (JB) / Initiation (JJ) / Heaven (DM) / Active (RR) / The Creative Force (SD)

chapter 2. RESPONSE
Responding (AH) / The Receptive (RW) / The Receptive (JB) / Mother Earth (JJ) / Earth (DM) / Earth (RR) / Responsiveness (SD)

chapter 1 & 2: INTER-BEING

chapter 3. BEGINNING
Beginning (AH) / Difficulty at the Beginning (RW) / Difficulty in the Beginning (JB) / Difficulty at First (JJ) / Sprouting (DM) / Massed (RR) / Difficulty In the Beginning (SD)

chapter 4. PLAY
Childhood (AH) / Youthful Folly (RW) / Youthful Inexperience (JB) / Youthful Energy (JJ) / Youth (DM) / Dodder (RR) / Inexperience (SD)

chapter 5. WAITING
Needing (AH) / Waiting - Nourishment (RW) / Waiting (JB) / Waiting (DM) / Waiting (RR) / Waiting (SD)

hoofdstuk 6. CONFLICT
Contention (AH) / Conflict (RW) / Conflict (JB) / Crossroads (JJ) / Dispute (DM) / Dispute (RR) / Conflict (SD)

chapter 7. MULTITUDE
Multitude (AH) / The Army (RW) / The Army (JB) / Spiritual Warriors (JJ) / Armies (DM) / Troops (RR) / The Army (SD)

chapter 8. UNITY
Union (AH) / Holding Together (RW) / Union (JB) / The Sacred Dance of Love (JJ) / Joining (DM) / Joining (RR) / Joining the Right Group (SD)

chapter 9. STARTING SMALL
Little Accumulation (AH) / The Taming Power of the Small (RW) / Small Accumulation (RB) / Starting Small (JJ) / Smallness Tames (DM) / Farming: Minor (RR) / Exercising Restraint (SD)

chapter 10. WALK
Fulfillment (AH) / Treading (RW) / Treading (JB) / Caution (JJ) / Walking (DM) / Stepping (RR) / Treading Carefully (SD)

chapter 11. ADVANCE
Advance (AH) / Peace (RW) / Peace (JB) / Peace of Mind (JJ) / Prospering (DM) / Great (RR) / Overall Harmony (SD)

chapter 12. STANDSTILL
Hinderance (AH) / Standstill (RW) / Standstill (JB) / Boredom (JJ) / Clogging (DM) / Bad (RR) / Stagnation (SD)

chapter 13. LIKE-MINDED
Seeking Harmony (AH) / Fellowship with Men (RW) / Fellowship with People (JB) / Lovers, Friends and Like-minded People (JJ) / Kindred (DM) / Mustering (RR) / Cooperating with Others (SD)

chapter 14. GREAT HARVEST
Great Harvest (AH) / Possession In Great Measure (RW) / Great Possession (JB) / Inheritance (JJ) / Great Holdings (DM) / Large (RR) / Outstanding Good Fortune (SD)

chapter 15. MODEST
Humbleness (AH) / Modesty (RW) / Modesty (JB) / Being Grounded (JJ) / Humility (DM) / Rat (RR) / Modesty (SD)

chapter 16. INTENSITY]
Delight (AH) / Enthusiasm (RW) / Enthusiasm (JB) / Intensity (JJ) / Delight (DM) / Elephant (RR) / Thinking Ahead (SD)

chapter 17. FOLLOWING
Following (AH) / Following (RW) / Following (JB) / Getting What You Want (JJ) / Following (DM) / Pursuit (RR) / Being Adaptable (SD)

chapter 18. DECAY
Remedying (AH) / Work on what has been Spoiled (RW) / Remedying (JB) / Mend what is Broken (JJ) / Poison (DM) / Mildew (RR) / Dealing with Decay (SD

chapter 19. APPROACHING
Approaching (AH) / Approaching (RW) / Overseeing (JB) / Something Approaches (JJ) / Arrival (DM) / Keening (RR) / Moving toward your Goal (SD)

chapter 20. OBSERVING
Watching (AH) / Contemplating (RW) / Viewing (JB) / You Really Are what You Think (JJ) / Beholding (DM) / Observing (RR) / Taking an Overview (SD)

chapter 21. BITING THROUGH
Eradicating (AH) / Biting Through (RW) / Biting Through (JB) / Removing Obstacles (JJ) / Biting (DM) / Biting (RR) / Getting Down to Essentials (SD)

chapter 22. BEAUTY
Adorning (AH) / Gratie (RW) / Adornment (JB) / Beauty And The Beast (JJ) / Adornment (DM) / Bedight (RR) / Adornment (SD)

chapter 23. SCATTERING
Falling Away (AH) / Splitting Apart (RW) / Splitting Apart (JB) / Falling Apart without Losing It (JJ) / Splitting (DM) / Flaying (RR) / Doing Away with the Old (SD)

chapter 24. RETURNING
Turning Back (AH) / Return (RW) / Return (JB) / A Tuning Point (JJ) / Returning (DM) / Returning (RR) / The Turning Point (SD)

chapter 25 INNOCENCE
Without Falsehood (AH) / Innocence (RW) / Innocence (JB) / Truth (JJ) / Innocence (DM) / Unexpected (RR) / Innocence (SD)

chapter 26. ACCUMULATION
Great Accumulation (AH) / The Taming Power of the Great (RW) / Great Accumulation (JB) / Practice Under Fire (JJ) / Great Restraint (DM) / Farming: Major (RR) / Controlling your Resources (SD)

chapter 27. JAW
Nourishing (AH) / The Corners of the Mouth (RW) / Nourishment (JB) / Food for the Soul (JJ) / Nourishing (DM) / Molars (RR) / N

chapter 28. GREAT EXCEEDING
Great Excess (AH) / Preponderance of the Great (RW) / Greatness In Excess (JB) / Extraordinary Times (JJ) / Great Excess (DM) / Passing: Major (RR) / Overload (SD)

chapter 29. DARK
Darkness (AH) / The Abysmal (RW) / The Abyss (JB) / Living the Tao (JJ) / Pit (DM) / Pit (RR) / Danger (SD)

chapter 30. LIGHT
Brightness (AH) / The Clinging (RW) / Radiance (JB) / Flaming Rainbow (JJ) / Brilliance (DM) / Oriole (RR) / Shedding Light on Things (SD)

chapter 31. RESONANCE
Mutual Influence (AH) / Influence - Wooing (RW) / Mutual Influence (JB) / Attraction (JJ) / Feeling (DM) / Chopping (RR) / Mutual Attraction (SD)

chapter 32. LONG LASTING
Long Lasting (AH) / Duration (RW) / Enduring (JB) / The Web of Life (JJ) / Constancy (DM) / Fixing (RR) / Perseverance (SD)

chapter 33. WITHDRAWAL
Retreat (AH) / Retreat (RW) / Retreat (JB) / Backing Off (JJ) / Withdrawal (DM) / (RR) / Retreating (SD)

chapter 34. GREAT STRENGTH
Great Strength (AH) / The Power of the Great (RW) / Great Power (JB) / Authentic Power (JJ) / Great Vigor (DM) / Big Injury (RR) / Great Power (SD)

chapter 35. ADVANCE
Proceeding Forward (AH) / Progress (RW) / Progress (JB) / Improvement (JJ) / Advancing (DM) / Advancing (RR) / Progress (SD)

chapter 36. DARKENING OF THE LIGHT
Brilliance Injured (AH) / Darkening of the Light (RW) / Darkening of the Light (JB) / A Time of Darkness (JJ) / Smothered Light (DM) / Crying Pheasant (RR) / Keeping a Low Profile (SD)

chapter 37. FAMILY
Household (AH) / The Family - The Clan (RW) / The Family (JB) / The Family And The Gang (JJ) / Family (DM) / Household (RR) / The Family (SD)

chapter 38. ESTRANGEMENT
Diversity (AH) / Opposition (RW) / Opposition (JB) / Misunderstandings (JJ) / Estrangement (DM) / Espy (RR) / Opposition (SD)

chapter 39. OBSTACLE
Hardship (AH) / Obstruction (RW) / Obstruction (JB) / Between a Rock and a Hard Place (JJ) / Hindered (DM) / Stumbling (RR) / Facing Obstruction (SD)

chapter 40. LIBERATION
Relief (AH) / Deliverance (RW) / Deliverance (JB) / Freedom (JJ) / Releasing (DM) / Unloosing (RR) / Release From Obstruction (SD

chapter 41. DECREASE
Decreasing (AH) / Decreasing (RW) / Decrease (JB) / Disappointment (JJ) / Decrease (DM) / Deminishing (RR) / Decrease (SD)

chapter 42. INCREASE
Increasing (AH) / Increasing (RW) / Increase (JB) / Opportunity (JJ) / Increase (DM) / Enriching (RR) / Increase (Sp

chapter 43. BREAK-THROUGH
Eliminating (AH) / Break-Through - Resoluteness (RW) / Resolution (JB) / Breakthrough (JJ) / Decisiveness (DM) / Skipping (RR) / Determination (SD)

chapter 44. ENCOUNTER
Encountering (AH) / Coming to Meet (RW) / Encounter (JB) / Encounters (JJ) / Copulating (DM) / Locking (RR) / A Meeting of Opposites (SD)

chapter 45. GATHERING
Bringing Together (AH) / Gathering Together (RW) / Gathering Together (JB) / Gathering Together (JJ) / Collecting (DM) / Together (RR) / Gathering Together (SD)

chapter 46. GROWING UPWARD
Growing Upward (AH) / Pushing Upward (RW) / Ascending (JB) / Becoming (JJ) / Rising (DM) / Going Up (RR) / Pushing Up (SD)

chapter 47. EXHAUSTION
Exhaustion (AH) / Oppression (RW) / Oppression (JB) / Exhaustion (JJ) / Distress (DM) / Beset (RR) / Being Restricted (SD)

chapter 48. REGENERATION
Replenishing (AH) / The Well (RW) / The Well (JB) / Well-Being (JJ) / Well (DM) / Well (RR) / The Wellsprings of Life (SD)

chapter 49. REVOLUTION
Abolishing the Old (AH) / Revolution (RW) / Revolution (JB) / Coming-of-Age (JJ) / Reform (DM) / Leather (RR) / Total Transformation (SD)

chapter 50. EMBRACING THE NEW
Establishing the New (AH) / The Cauldron (RW) / The Cauldron (JB) / The Cauldron (JJ) / Cauldron (DM) / Cauldron (RR) / The Cauldron (SD)

chapter 51. SHOCK
Taking Action (AH) / The Arousing (RW) / Shock (JB) / The Thunderers (JJ) / Thunder (DM) / Thunder (RR) / Shock (SD)

chapter 52. KEEPING STILL
Keeping Still (AH) / Keeping Still (RW) / Keeping Still (JB) / Being Still (JJ) / Stilling (DM) / Cleaving (RR) / Living in the Present (SD)

chapter 53. GRADUALLY

Developing Gradually (AH) / Development - Gradual Progress (RW) / Developing Gradually (JB) / What’s the Rush (JJ) / Gradually (DM) / Settling (RR) / Gradual Development (SD)

chapter 54. SUBORDINATE
Marrying Maiden (AH) / Marrying Maiden (RW) / The Marrying Maiden (JB) / Being Undermined (JJ) / Marrying Sister (DM) / Marriage (RR) / Playing a Subordinate Role (SD)

chapter 55. ABUNDANCE
Abundance (AH) / Abundance (RW) / Abundance (JB) / Abundance (JJ) / Plentiful (DM) / Thick (RR) / Abundance (SD)

chapter 56. GUEST
Travelling (AH) / The Wanderer (RW) / The Wanderer (JB) / The Traveler (JJ) / Traveler (DM) / Sojourner (RR) / Stranger in a Strange Land (SD)

chapter 57. PENETRATING
Proceeding Humbly (AH) / The Penetrating (RW) / Gentle Influence (JB) / Running a Marathon (JJ) / Wind (DM) / Food Offerings (RR) / Gentle Influence (SD)

chapter 58. JOY
Joyfull (AH) / The Joyous (RW) / Joy (JB) / The Art of Happiness (JJ) / Exchange (DM) / Satisfaction (RR) / Joy in Communication (SD)

chapter 59. DISPERSING
Dispersing (AH) / Dispersion (RW) / Dispersion (JB) / Forgiveness (JJ) / Spreading (DM) / Gushing (RR) / Obstacles Fade Away (SD)

chapter 60. DISCIPLINE
Restricting (AH) / Limitation (RW) / Limitation (JB) / Reasonable Limits (JJ) / Regulation (DM) / Juncture (RR) / Self-Control (SD)

chapter 61. INNER TRUTH

Innermost Sincerity (AH) / Inner Truth (RW) / Inner Truth (JB) / Trusting your Intuition (JJ) / Confidence Within (DM) / Trying Captive (RR) / The Power of the Inner Truth (SD)

chapter 62. LITTLE EXCEEDING

Little Exceeding (AH) / Preponderance of the Small (RW) / Exceeding Smallness (JB) / Small Steps (JJ) / Small Crossing (DM) / Passing: Minor (RR) / Attention to Detail (SD)

chapter 63. IT’S DONE
Already Fulfilled (AH) / After Completion (RW) / After Completion (JB) / Fulfillment (JJ) / Already Across (DM) / Already Across (RR) / Mission Accomplished (SD)

chapter 64. BACK TO SQUARE ONE
Not Yet Fulfilled (AH) / Before Completion (RW) / Before Completion (JB) / Change Is the Rule of Life (JJ) / Not Yet Across (DM) / Not Yet Across (RR) / Nearly Home and Dry (SD)

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