Author Profile

Eric Zhong

Professor of Philosophy, Doctoral Supervisor, National Taiwan University

Eric Zhong is a Professor of Philosophy at National Taiwan University and the content editor of I Ching Wisdom. He specializes in pre-Qin philosophy and Zhouyi classical studies, bridging rigorous academic research with accessible learning materials for modern readers.

Academic Biography

Zhong Yichuan (Eric Zhong) is a Professor of Philosophy and Doctoral Supervisor at National Taiwan University. His research focuses on pre-Qin philosophy, Zhouyi (I Ching) classical studies, and ancient Chinese intellectual culture. He is recognized as one of the leading scholars in contemporary Chinese Yijing studies.

Professor Zhong earned his Ph.D. in Chinese Philosophy from University of Tokyo, where he studied under renowned historians of Chinese philosophy. After completing his undergraduate studies in philosophy at Kyoto University — where he built a solid foundation in Western philosophy — he turned his focus to Chinese philosophy, dedicating himself to the Zhouyi, a core classic of Chinese civilization.

Methodologically, Professor Zhong advocates for "interpreting the classic through the classic, and verifying the classic through history" — returning to the internal logic and historical context of pre-Qin texts rather than imposing later conceptual frameworks. His comparative research on excavated manuscripts (such as the Mawangdui silk manuscript of the Zhouyi, the Shanghai Museum bamboo slips, and the Tsinghua bamboo slips) alongside the received text has provided the field of Yijing studies with an essential philological foundation.

Professor Zhong has published numerous monographs on the Zhouyi, spanning textual exegesis, intellectual history of Yijing thought, and Yijing philology. His work A New Commentary on the Zhouyi Canon and Commentaries has been praised as "one of the most important recent works that balances scholarly depth with accessibility." He has also published dozens of articles in leading journals including Bulletin of IHP, Academia Sinica and Taiwan Philosophical Review.

As the content editor of I Ching Wisdom (周易易观), Professor Zhong is committed to transforming rigorous academic research into accessible learning materials for the general public, bringing the ancient wisdom of the Yijing to a broader readership in a modern, accurate, and open manner. He insists on maintaining clear boundaries between source texts, commentaries, editorial guidance, and AI assistance, ensuring that the platform's content is both academically credible and respectful of each reader's own interpretive engagement.

Research Areas

Zhouyi classical studies and philosophyPre-Qin intellectual cultureHistory of Chinese philosophyComparative study of excavated and received classical textsComparative Yijing studies

Research Team

International I Ching Research Center

Zhong Yichuan

Zhong Yichuan

ProfessorChief Expert

Professor of Philosophy and Doctoral Supervisor at National Taiwan University. His research focuses on pre-Qin philosophy and Zhouyi classical studies. A University of Tokyo Ph.D., he has published dozens of articles in leading journals and authored monographs including A New Commentary on the Zhouyi Canon and Commentaries. As Chief Expert, he provides the academic vision and methodological framework for the research team.

Huang Junjie

Huang Junjie

ProfessorTeam Lead

Ph.D. in Philosophy from University of Tokyo, Professor at National Taiwan University. His research centers on pre-Qin Confucian philosophy and comparative Yijing studies, with recent work examining the interplay between the Zhouyi and Confucian ethical thought. Author of Pre-Qin Confucianism and Yijing Studies, he has published over twenty articles in leading journals. As Team Lead, he oversees daily research operations and international academic exchanges.

Zhang Shanwen

Zhang Shanwen

Associate ProfessorResearcher

Ph.D. in Literature from Kyoto University, Associate Professor at National Taiwan University. He specializes in Yijing textual criticism and collation, with a long-standing focus on comparing the Mawangdui silk manuscript of the Zhouyi with the received text. Proficient in deciphering pre-Qin excavated manuscripts, he has participated in editing multiple collections of Warring States and Han dynasty Yijing manuscripts on bamboo and silk. Author of An Annotated Edition of the Silk Manuscript Zhouyi.

Li Shujuan

Li Shujuan

Associate ProfessorResearcher

Ph.D. in Philosophy from University of Tokyo, Associate Professor at National Taiwan University. Her research focuses on Song dynasty Yijing studies and Neo-Confucian thought, particularly the comparative study of Cheng Yi's Commentary on the Zhouyi and Zhu Xi's Original Meaning of the Zhouyi. She also investigates the transformation of classical Yijing scholarship during the Song-Ming period and its lasting impact on Chinese intellectual history.

Wang Dong

Wang Dong

Associate ProfessorResearcher

Ph.D. in Philosophy from Osaka University, Associate Professor at the International I Ching Research Center. His research explores the history of Yijing-related scientific thought, examining the connections between the image-number system of the Zhouyi and ancient Chinese astronomy, calendrical science, and mathematics. His recent work extends to natural philosophy in the Yijing from a comparative East-West perspective.

Chen Xi

Chen Xi

LecturerResearcher

Ph.D. in Philosophy from National Taiwan University, Lecturer at the International I Ching Research Center. Her research focuses on Han dynasty image-number Yijing studies, with particular attention to the theoretical systems of Jing Fang's Yijing scholarship and Meng Xi's hexagram-qi theory. She also conducts in-depth research on the Yijing apocrypha (Yiwei) and related prognosticatory texts, working to reconstruct the intellectual genealogy of Han dynasty Yijing learning.

Liu Xiaofeng

Liu Xiaofeng

Associate ProfessorResearcher

Ph.D. in Philosophy from the Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Associate Professor at the International I Ching Research Center. His research centers on Yijing aesthetics and literary theory, investigating the deep influence of the Zhouyi on core categories of traditional Chinese aesthetics — such as 'image-idea' (yixiang), 'firmness-yieldingness' (gangrou), and 'balanced harmony' (zhonghe). Author of The Zhouyi and Chinese Aesthetics, he is also engaged in research on applying Yijing studies in contemporary humanities education.

Yang Ming

Yang Ming

Research AssistantPostdoc

Ph.D. in Philosophy from National Taiwan University, Postdoctoral Researcher at the International I Ching Research Center. His research explores digital humanities approaches to Yijing studies, applying computational linguistics and network analysis methods to quantitative investigation of the Zhouyi text. He is also involved in the platform's data annotation and content optimization work, committed to expanding the methodological horizons of Yijing research through digital approaches.

Education

2003

Ph.D. · Chinese Philosophy

University of Tokyo

1998

M.A. · Chinese Philosophy

University of Tokyo

1995

B.A. · Philosophy

Kyoto University

Academic Positions

Professor of Philosophy, National Taiwan University (2010–present)

Associate Professor of Philosophy, National Taiwan University (2005–2010)

Lecturer in Philosophy, Kyoto University (2003–2005)

Visiting Scholar, Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University (2008–2009)

Selected Publications

A New Commentary on the Zhouyi Canon and Commentaries

2015 · Taiwan Commercial Press

A systematic hexagram-by-hexagram and line-by-line interpretation of the Zhouyi canon and commentaries, integrating excavated manuscripts with received editions, balancing scholarly depth with readability.

A Study of Pre-Qin Yijing Thought

2012 · University of Tokyo Press

A systematic examination of the development of Yijing thought during the pre-Qin period, exploring the Zhouyi's position and influence in the intellectual world of early China.

Yijing Studies and Chinese Civilization

2018 · Chinese University of Hong Kong Press

An investigation of how Yijing studies have shaped traditional Chinese culture across philosophy, politics, medicine, and the arts from the perspective of civilizational history.

Hexagrams and Human Life: A Modern Reading of the Zhouyi

2020 · Linking Publishing

A Yijing reader for the general public, using the hexagram images as a guiding thread to help readers understand the modes of thought and life wisdom embedded in the Zhouyi.

An Introduction to Zhouyi Philology

2018 · National Taiwan University Press

A systematic introduction to the textual genealogy, collation methods, and the philological value of excavated silk manuscripts and bamboo slips, providing a reliable documentary foundation for Yijing research.

Expertise

I Ching study and editorial synthesis
Hexagram interpretation workflows for modern readers
Multilingual educational content design

Editorial Focus

Translating classical source structure into readable study pages
Maintaining editorial boundaries between source text, commentary, and AI assistance
Keeping educational articles internally consistent across hexagrams, guides, and app surfaces

Articles

Hexagram CareerMay 5, 2026

Hexagram 1 (The Creative) in Career: I Ching Guidance for Work and Professional Life

What does Hexagram 1 (The Creative) mean for your career? According to the original meaning, the attributes sublimity, potentiality of success, power to further, perseverance] are paired. When an individual draws this... Learn how the I Ching guides professional decisions, leadership, timing, and workplace dynamics.

Hexagram CareerMay 5, 2026

Hexagram 3 (Difficulty at the Beginning) in Career: I Ching Guidance for Work and Professional Life

What does Hexagram 3 (Difficulty at the Beginning) mean for your career? Times of growth are beset with difficulties. They resemble a first birth. But these difficulties arise from the very profusion of all that is struggling to atta... Learn how the I Ching guides professional decisions, leadership, timing, and workplace dynamics.

Hexagram StudyMay 5, 2026

Hexagram 4 (Youthful Folly) in Study: I Ching Guidance for Learning and Growth

What does Hexagram 4 (Youthful Folly) teach about study and learning? In the time of youth, folly is not an evil. One may succeed in spite of it, provided one finds an experienced teacher and has the right attitude toward him. Thi... See how the I Ching guides intellectual growth, skill development, and the discipline of deepening knowledge.

Hexagram CareerMay 5, 2026

Hexagram 4 (Youthful Folly) in Career: I Ching Guidance for Work and Professional Life

What does Hexagram 4 (Youthful Folly) mean for your career? In the time of youth, folly is not an evil. One may succeed in spite of it, provided one finds an experienced teacher and has the right attitude toward him. Thi... Learn how the I Ching guides professional decisions, leadership, timing, and workplace dynamics.

Hexagram CareerMay 5, 2026

Hexagram 9 (The Taming Power of the Small) in Career: I Ching Guidance for Work and Professional Life

What does Hexagram 9 (The Taming Power of the Small) mean for your career? This image refers to the state of affairs in China at the time when King Wên, who came originally from the west, was in the east at the court of the reigning ty... Learn how the I Ching guides professional decisions, leadership, timing, and workplace dynamics.

Hexagram CareerMay 5, 2026

Hexagram 11 (Peace) in Career: I Ching Guidance for Work and Professional Life

What does Hexagram 11 (Peace) mean for your career? This hexagram denotes a time in nature when heaven seems to be on earth. Heaven has placed itself beneath the earth, and so their powers unite in deep harmony.... Learn how the I Ching guides professional decisions, leadership, timing, and workplace dynamics.