[주역 예언] I Ching-based Prophet

The I Ching (역경/易经 literally meaning "Classic of Changes") or Zhouyi (주역/周易 meaning "Changes of Zhou") is one of the oldest of the Chinese classic texts, which contain a divination system of cosmology and philosophy.

In Korea, under the Confucian system, the I Ching was admired by people of all ranks as a textbook of oriental philosophy (의리/義理) as well as a tool for divination (상수/象數).

 

World of Changes

 

Confucius (공자/孔子) said, "The stream flows day by day. All things of the world are changing like this." Confucius studied the I Ching diligently. 

Nobel Prize laureate Hermann Hesse highly praised the I Ching in his novel the Glass Bead Games (1943) that the main character Knecht asked what he should do of the I Ching. It showed him a hexagram of "Mountain and valley water" (산수몽/山水蒙), a good sign for a student who starts to learn more.

 

In addition, Philip K. Dick, American science fiction writer, who used to resort to the I Ching when he was perplexed what to say just like in his novel, The Man in the High Castle, said, "Well, the I Ching gives advice beyond the particular, advice that transcends the immediate situation." Philip K. Dick said more on the Book of Changes in his interview with VERTEX: The answers have an universal quality. For instance, “The mighty are humbled and the humbled are raised.” If you use the I Ching long enough and continually enough, it will begin to change and shape you as a person. It will make you into a Taoist, whether or not you have ever heard the word, whether or not you want to be.[1]

 

The text of the I Ching describes each of the 64 hexagrams, and later scholars added commentaries and analyses of each one.

Its readings can be challenging to interpret, because they show a picture of the situation. So the influence of the I Ching cannot be underestimated in the political, economical, social and cultural life of the East Asian people. Notably, each of the 6 lines of the hexagram describes a specific individual from a servant to a king, and the outcome of their endeavor.

For further information, see I Ching at KoreanLII.

 

Prophecy based on I Ching

 

In Korea, Tanheo (탄허/呑虛)[2] a Buddhist monk well versed in not only Buddhist scriptures like the Avatamsaka Sutra (화엄경/華嚴經) but also the I Ching, predicted the future of the East Asian countries including Korea based on the teachings of the I Ching.

 

Tanheo said in his Analects:3)

* As Korea has come through the hardships of history, it will become the center of world (간방/艮方) with the help of the United States. According to the I Ching, Korea is like a young man (간소남/艮小男) while America is like a joyful young woman (태소녀/兌小女). So their marriage will be benevolent each other. Korea could unprecedentedly survive the Korean War and other socio-economic difficulties with the timely support of America.

* The United States will be defeated in the Vietnam War as if iron is melted down in fire. (His prediction was made in the late 1960s.)

 

* China and Russia will go in a way separated each other. Because China is like a old bachelor while Russia is a middle-aged man, they are on bad terms in every aspect of life.

* As the fire deep inside the Earth is going through the Arctic Ocean, the arctic glaciers are gradually melted away and the sea level will increase. Sooner or later most of the Japanese Islands located off the Continent (손방/巽方) will be submerged losing two thirds of the territory.

 

* At that time, the tilt of Earth's axis will become upright, and everything on the Earth will be automatically normalized. In the course of great upheavals and earthquakes on the Earth, China will lose its arsenal and terrain. on the contrary, Korea will gain its territory in the west and north.

* However, it is not the end but the start of the new age of world.

 

Also Tanheo foretold some interesting phenomena as follows:[3]

* These days women like to show their naked body-line more and more without shame. Likewise the Earth will turn itself more and more naked and plain.

  (여자들이 부끄러움 없이 자신의 몸을 노출하고 다니는 것처럼 지구도 적나라/赤裸裸하게 변신을 할 것이다.)

 

* Don't move in the crowd, nor engage yourself in chatting with others in group.

  (사람들과 휩쓸리지 말고 무리지어 잡담하지 말라.) The prophet mentioned the bad side of SNS, didn't he?

* Put your thoughts high, and keep your beliefs firm.

  (뜻은 항상 고상하되, 지조는 굳게 가져라.)

 

* Never get in on fraudulent and unfaithful activities at all.

  (모든 거짓과 진실치 못한 행동을 하지 말라.)

* Then you Koreans will save the world with noble moral culture.

  (그리하면 한국에서 세계인류를 구출할 정신문화가 일어나 꽃을 피울 것이다.)

 

* In 1975, Tanheo visited Deokju Temple of Jecheon and said, "When the moon rises over the mountain top of Wolak-san, it will be reflected on the waters. After 30 years have passed thereafter, a woman king will appear. And three or four years later Korea will see an abrupt unification."

  (제천의 월악산/月岳山 영봉 위로 달이 뜨고 이 달빛이 [1983년 완공된 충주댐] 물에 비치고 나면 30년쯤 후에 여자 임금이 나타나고 그리고 3-4년 있다가 통일이 된다.[4]

 

⇒ See also Tanheo Museum at Suseo, Seoul (in Korean).

 

Note

1] 서구의 소설가 중에서 주역을 작품 중에서 직접 언급한 작가는 노벨 문학상 수상자인 헤르만 헤세와 SF 소설의 전범을 보여준 필립 K 딕이 있다. 필립 K 딕은 작품의 줄거리를 구상할 때 막히면 주역점을 쳤다고 공공연히 이야기했다.

2] Tanheo's secular name was 김금택(金金鐸, 1913-1983).

3] 탄허, ｢탄허록(呑虛錄)｣, 휴출판사, 2012, pp. 44-55.

4] 조용헌, "월악산의 통일예언", 조선일보 조용헌 살롱 971, 2015.1.5.