On Midaughter mailing list, 10-26-2000 :

Hello everyone.
 
It's no rumor. There definitely is an earlier I Ching -- and much else:
 
dartmouth.edu/~news/vox/current/texts  (This page has been changed since, so you will find the one I copied and saved)
 
You are going to want to read this webpage (posted 10 August 2000) for yourself, but here are some quotes:
 
" Leading scholars of ancient China will gather at Beijing University Aug. 19-22 to ponder a number of ancient texts, released for the first time, which could alter contemporary understanding of Chinese culture, history and philosophy. Sponsored by Dartmouth with assistance from a Luce Foundation grant, the conference will focus on a collection of texts that predate most known Chinese writings.
 
"Those causing the most stir are philosophical texts, brush-written on bamboo strips, from the fourth century B.C. These include a manuscript of the Yijing (I Ching) and numerous previously unknown Confucian texts, written at a time when the Confucian canon was being formed."
 
This I Ching is apparently one of a collection of texts that was sold in Hong Kong by grave robbers, was returned to China, and is now in the Shanghai Museum. (The Shanghai Museum also has a webpage.)
 
"None of the texts have yet been published, so conference attendees will not have access to them before arriving in Beijing. However, scholars already know the documents have the potential to challenge long-held assumptions about Chinese culture."
   
--Aardvark