This book provides an introduction for the general reader to this classic sacred text. Joseph A. Adler explains the Yijing's multi-layered structure, its origins, its history of interpretation from the early first millennium BCE up to the present day, its function of divination, its significance in the history of Chinese thought, and its modern transformations. He explores why the Yijing has been considered the most profound expression oftraditional Chinese thought and what meaning it can have for contemporary readers.