Yijing's Cosmology–Divination–Ethics Continuum: The Sacred Intercourse of Yin-Yang and the Manifestation of Tian-Di

Dear Colleagues,

The Yijing 易经 (Book of Changes), as the foremost of China's Five Classics, reflects the unique religious and ethical thought system that emerged in China from the Zhou dynasty onwards. The conceptual framework of the Yijing integrates divination, cosmology, and moral philosophy, and the Yijing system is composed of sixty-four hexagrams (gua 卦) comprising lines (yao 爻) and statements (ci 辞). It serves not merely as a prophetic tool for consulting Heaven and Earth (tian-di 天地) but constitutes a complete process for observing and emulating the cosmic forces of Heaven and Earth, together with yin and yang and their interactions, thereby influencing human conduct and ethics.

Distinct from the divinations in the Shang dynasty oracle bone inscriptions, the Yijing views Heaven–Earth divination–ethics as the result of the interplay between yin and yang and between Qian 乾 (the Heaven trigram consisting of all yang lines) and Kun 坤 (the Earth trigram consisting of all yin lines), manifested through the sixty-four hexagrams. As stated in the Tuan-zhuan 彖传 (Commentary on the Judgments) of the Tai 泰 hexagram: “Heaven and Earth cooperate with harmony, and all things communicate; above and below unite in shared purpose, and their wills become one” (Tian-di jiao er wanwu tong, shangxia jiao er qizhi tong天地交而万物通，上下交而其志同). Building upon the foundation of divination, the Yijing further regards all things as the result of the cooperations, resonances, and harmonies of Heaven and Earth and yin and yang, and as capable of communicating with Heaven and Earth and yin and yang. The dao道 of Heaven and Earth and yin and yang further becomes the symbol of the Yijing 's cosmology and ethical philosophy, expressed in the form of “image” (xiang 象).

The Yijing 's cosmological framework involving Heaven and Earth and yin and yang exerted a profound and direct influence upon Chinese philosophy and religion. It provided Confucianism a cosmological framework for moral cultivation, provided Daoism the theoretical foundation for its Daoist Alchemy practices (dandao 丹道), and underpinned the tradition of divination by establishing a system of human interaction with the cosmos.

Given this background, this Special Issue centers on the profound religious dimensions and ethical implications of the Yijing and its role in Chinese civilization. We aim to explore its unique contributions to religious thought and practice, both within the Chinese tradition and in comparative dialogue with global religious perspectives.

This Special Issue will accept original research that focuses on (but is not limited to) the following topics:

1. Divination (bushi 卜筮) and numerology (shusu 术数) in the study of Yijing;
2. Cosmogonic ethics in Yijing’s hexagram structures—for example, how qian-kun乾坤/ tian-di天地 dialectics provide moral imperatives;
3. The notion of “images” (xiang 象) in the Yijing;
4. The inquiry into later exegeses of the Yijing and the religious dimensions embedded in their interpretive frameworks;
5. The study of dandao 丹道 (Daoist Alchemy practices) in the Yijing;
6. The contemporary value of Yijing’s cosmology—for example, its religious, spiritual, or ethical applications and its relevance in the contemporary world.

Submissions may engage textual hermeneutics, philosophical analysis, ritual studies, or comparative frameworks. Critical reviews surveying methodological innovations in Yijing studies are equally welcome.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200–300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editors Dr. Solsar Kong or Dr. Lili Zhang or to the Assistant Editor of Religions, Loretta Chen (loretta.chen@mdpi.com). Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Solsar Kong
Prof. Dr. Zhenyu Zeng
Prof. Dr. Qiuli Li
Dr. Lili Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.