Brief Introduction of Dongpo Yi Zhuan
Su Dongpo is famous all over the world as a literary giant, but few people know that he is a "master of Yi Studies" and once wrote a book "The Yi Zhuan of Dongpo". When Su Shi was young, he studied the Book of Changes with Zhang, a Taoist priest in Meishan. He wanted to be a Taoist priest in the mountains when he was young, and he had frequent contacts with Taoist priests all his life. He is well versed in the Yijing divination and the technique of "fetal interest", calling himself "the Taoist priest in tin cans". His father, Su Xun, was proficient in Tai Xuan, but he tried to write Yi Zhuan in his later years, but failed, leaving Su Shi to continue writing this book. When Su Shi was demoted to Huangzhou as an official at the age of 45, he began to write Yi Zhuan, which was revised continuously from then on until his death. His cognitive methods and ruling thoughts were deeply influenced by the Book of Changes, and his poems became more and more profound. Later generations do not understand the principles of the Book of Changes, and often only scratch the surface. However, after Su Shi's death, his works were banned by Cai Jing and others, and the Book of Changes was changed. The Book of Changes was quietly published in the world ("Piling" is another name for Changzhou where Su Shi died), so it is little known. The author of Dongpo Yi Zhuan believes that without Dongpo Yi Zhuan, Su Shi's thoughts and poems would be out of the question.