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COSMOLOGY (YUZHOUXUE): Mythology of Metaphysics

Taoist divination, a metaphysical application of an eternal philosophy (internal) of nature (cosmic intergrity), is built upon the foundation of cosmology (external) (the study of the origin and structure of the universe), which describes the myth of creation and its living process through unfolding mathematical-numerological structures. Cosmology represents the physical (earth) aspect of creation, particularly pertaining to the human being (daoshi). Philosophy represents the spiritual (heaven) aspect of the method (dao). Both cosmology and philosophy combine to form the metaphysical application, which represents the emotional (human) aspect of the written cosmic code (Yijing).

 

The philosophy of Tao is simple, live in harmony (integrate) with nature by following it. Following it required observing the wave patterns (movement phases) of nature. These patterns, perceived as various reductions of the vast spectrum of vibratory frequencies, provide the blueprints for intuitive interpretation of divination and a direction for remedial action. The Taoists, superb observers of nature, had already applied theories of relativity and cosmology accepted in modern quantum mechanics [trans. the study of natural quantities in motion] over 5000 years ago (see appendix ‘Quantum Tao’).

 

Taoism synthesized its indigenous natural philosophy with Confucian and later Buddhist ideologies. The hierarchical (pyramidal) social structure of Confucianism is remarkably similar to that of the Sumerians. The Buddhist inputs subjective experiences, specific to its tradition, into a Hindu cosmology, which descended from the Hurrian (upper Euphrates river) and Hittite (Asia Minor) traditions of Mesopotamia (Hean-Tatt) (Sitchin). Therefore, it is important to become familiar with the older influences of foreign cosmological systems (ie.Tantra, Kabballah; Sumerian), which may provide missing details of its original meaning. Therefore, this section will incorporate trans-cultural mathematical perspectives in order to express the deep inherent meaning of Taoism. The natural philosophy of Taoism can assume all forms or none, thus all other philosophies, religions, or sciences can fit into its multi-scoped cosmological system. These similarities support the historical speculations of one origin for all civilizations, one ancient global civilization, and similarity in human metaphysics.

 

ORIGINS OF MYTHOLOGY: Prehistoric Antiquity

Taoist divination is based on a mythological cosmology, which was imported into China via migrational waves from Mesopotamia, the original civilization (see below). Most likely, the first significant insertion of Sumerian tradition occurred in remote antiquity (c.2200 BCE) via the city-state of Harran (of the Hurrian people). Located on the upper Euphrates river on a land route (later called the Silk Road) that connected the Mediterranean Sea with the Far East, Harran was considered a major religious center and crossroads for trade.

 

 

 

Even though according to the Bamboo Annals Chinese civilization began in the Yellow River (Huang he) basin with the Xia Dynasty (c.2200 BCE), Chinese mythology, or its legendary remote antiquity period, parallels Sumerian mythology, which begins with the creation of the cosmos. Parallels can also be found in pantheon cosmology, numerology and mathematics, language and writing, the calendar, ritual, architecture and art, and the search for immortality (alchemy), not only with the Chinese but other cultures outside of Sumeria. (see appendix ‘Parallels of Chinese and Sumerian Cosmology/Mythology’).

 

Since the mythologies of migratory peoples (Sumerians) are essential to the cosmology, on which divination and alchemy is founded upon, the mythology of prehistory should be considered as possible historical fact. Furthermore, conjunctive research of modern science has confirmed the validity of various ancient legends of Sumeria particularly those pertaining to astrophysics and geophysics (ie.creation of the solar system). Modern science, particularly the field of quantum physics, has reached the point of advancement where it breaks down and merges with mysticism.

 

Migrations from Mesopotamia into China: Cultural Origins (Hean-Tatt)

The migration theory states that the Chinese descended from the Bak people in Babylon [Greek: Chaldea] and migrated out of Akkadia (Oldest Sumer) in Mesopotamia through Khotan in Turkestan via the Old Silk Road into northern China. This migration took place after the decisive battle between Huangdi and Chiyou in the war of gods and monsters.

 

The people of Sumer dispersed in the four directions, and the original Akkadian language diversified through time and space. The migrations of the four directions may be thought of as the creation of the four nations, or kingships (beginning c.3800 BCE), after the Deluge (about 10,998 BCE). Originally, there was Sumer, which became the Mesopotamian kingdom of Shem, which later spread east and north into the Indo-European (Asia Minor, Iran, India, Europe) kingdom of Japeth, and west and south into the African-Arabian (Egypt, Arabia) kingdom of Ham. Finally, there was the Holy region, which was restricted to men (a hidden region which wielded awesome weapons). This region was named Place of the Missiles (Tilmun).

 

 

Waves of Migrations to China: (via Asia Minor crossroads of Harran) (Sitchin)

?         Olden Sumer (300, 000 BCE): Adamu [Chinese Shamanic traditions: Fu Xi] and Cain of Olden (ante-Diluvian) Sumerian [Chinese: First World] via sea

 

?         Sumer (11, 000 BCE): Ziusudra [Chinese Shamanic traditions: Shennong] lands on Mount Ararat; agriculture and restoration of post-Diluvial Mesopotamia [Chinese: Second World] by Ninurta

?         Nippur (3760 BCE)

?         Babylon (3450 BCE): Confusion of language and dispersion of races at Babylon (Tower of Babili Incident); Marduk exiles to Egypt and banishes Ningishzida (to Asia/Mesoamerica)

?         Aratta/Lhasa/Kunlun/Uruk (3100-1600 BCE): Inanna’s territories [Chinese: Third World]; Gilgamesh [Chinese demigod: Huangdi]

?         Lagash (2600-2040 BCE): Ninurta’s Gutium Hordes (assisted by Ningishzida)

?         Marduk’s Supremacy (2024 BCE):

·            Babylon (1800 BCE)

·            Egypt-Hittite (1470 BCE)

·            Assyria (1200 BCE)

·            Persia (550-500 BCE)

·            Phoenicia/Greek (300 BCE)

 

·            India (300 BCE - 300 CE)

 

(see also appendix on ‘Prehistoric Chronology’)

 

Components of Chinese Mythology: (Stevens)

The Taoist mythological pantheon personifies qualities of energy that represent the unfolding mathematical structures of cosmology, as well as being humanity’s immortal ancestors.

 

As in all cultures the gods were designated a numerical hierarchical rank, and had a celestial body (stars, planets, sun, and moon) counterpart. According to mythos, deities possessed the secrets of immortality, created and genetically manipulated humanity from the matter of the earth, created demigods through interbreeding with the daughters of humanity, engaged in warfare alongside humanity, and lived and reigned as kings in heaven and upon earth.

 

As touched upon earlier, the Taoist pantheon consisted of the natural deities of indigenous shamanism (experiential natural philosophy), incorporated Buddhist deities, which drew from the Hindu pantheon (having Sumerian origins), and the hierarchical structures of Confucian ideology, whose intelligentsia often ironically, antagonized the existence of Gods and Spirits. Taoism, Buddhism, and legends of historical heroes provided mythological gods, legendary demi-gods, and deified humans of Chinese popular folk religion.

 

Deity Types:

Eventhough mythical deities were represented in human form on temple altars so that people could better relate with them, they were never actually human. Legendary demi-gods include heroes, sage emperors, and their ministers who may have been individual humans with prolonged longevity, or the embodiment of dynasties. Then there are local non-human spirit beings, who are popular amongst Chinese cults. Animal-headed deities were imported into China from Tantric Buddhism. Chinese deities and demi-gods function as the regulators of destiny, creators of the universe, legendary rulers of prehistory as the sage-kings, spiritual personifications of nature and regulators of agriculture, and deities of knowledge and the underworld. Important texts contributing to the identification and portrayal of Chinese deities are the Deification of the Gods (Fengshen yanyi) (Ming Dynasty), and the Journey to the West (Xiyou ji) (16th c.CE).

 

 

Fundamental Chinese Sources:

The Deification of the Gods (Fengshen yanyi) (Ming Dynasty) describes the period of the Shang-Zhou mythical wars, where both sides consisting of humans and deities waged unrestricted warfare using sorcery and magical weaponry, ultimately leading to the defeat of the Shang dynasty, and suicide of the evil tyrant (1127-1050 BCE). The conflict was followed by the canonization of the heroes and the establishment of the celestial hierarchy by Jiang Ziya, the heroic prime minister. Fengshen yanyi also describes the 12 Celestial Ministries: medicine, water, time, fire, war, finance, exorcism, public works, thunder, agriculture, five sacred mountains.

 

Xiyou ji describes the pilgrimage of Xuanzang, a Buddhist Monk, to India (7th c.CE). He returned to China with Indian teachings. The Xiyou ji describes the frequent aid to Xuanzang from the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, also known as Qitian Dasheng (Great Sage the Equal of Heaven). He is worshiped as defender and protector of the Buddhist doctrine by expectant mothers, gamblers, and the sick. Qitian Dasheng is able to control demons, teleport, polymorph, and bestow fortune and healing on devotees.

 

Taoist mythology, personifications of inherent mathematical concepts, will be inserted appropriately throughout this section so that the reader may acquire a deeper numerological understanding of cosmology.

 

NUMEROLOGY OF METAPHYSICS: Mathematics of Tao

The understanding of cosmology depends predominantly on the language and practice of the four ancient intellectual disciplines (arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy). Arithmetic evaluates number. Geometry (our cosmological mind map), “earth measure,” is the basic science of natural law, which evaluates number in space. Music evaluates number in time. Astronomy evaluates number in space-time. (see fig. 8)

 

 

The practice of geometry functions only on a certain level of reality, the archetypal consciousness (the internal/spiritual realm). Experience results from immaterial, abstract, geometrical archetypes (essential concept/ideal/geometric symbol) composed of harmonic waves of energy, nodes of integrity, and melodic forms springing forth from the realm of geometric proportion (unchanging heaven/metaphysical). The archetypal consciousness is channeled through the human mind as ectypal consciousness (formal model/sign). The typal (actual specific instance) is subject to sensory perception (changing earth/physical). (Lawlor) (see fig. 15)

 

 

To Plato (427 BCE), reality consisted of essential archetypal ideas, and physical perceived phenomena are only mere reflections. Archetypal ideas could only be perceived by pure reason alone, therefore Plato subscribed that geometry was the clearest language to describe the metaphysical realm. Geometrical knowledge is innate within the higher self (god-head) of humanity. The passage from creation to procreation, from idea to form, can be mapped by geometry and experienced through the practice of geometry (rekindling of the soul’s fire through effort). (Lawlor) Taoists apply this geometrical practice metaphysically in the firing process of interior alchemy (neidan). (see fig. 63-72)

 

Ancient cultures may have symbolized eternal processes as gods, or lines of action through which the spirit condenses into energy and matter. These processes, archetypal activity, demonstrate the principle that energy is controlled, specified, and modified through the effects of angulation, which illustrate a fundamental relationship between two numbers. Thus, the archetypes, or gods, represent dynamic functions forming links between higher worlds of constant interaction and processes with the actual world of particularized objects. (Lawlor)

 

Information is energy. Physics refers to the basic unit of light as a photon that came into being from an electron that increased velocity enough to break out of atomic orbit about a nucleus. This photon, reflected off a viewed object, carries information that travels in waves through an eye to file an event-image as memory in the brain. Metaphysically, the perception of an event-image, or point on the wave of experience, received through photonic transmission, is interpreted as a symbol by the ectypal consciousness. These symbols of interpretation, frozen frames of understanding, are the crucial link between the typal and archetypal consciousness. The continuous flow of interpretations becomes the proportional harmonic feeling of moving through experience. In other words, a human interprets the proportional harmonic flow of experience event-by-event geometrically through the recognition of symbols.

 

The idea is created in heaven. The sign is discovered in the human mind. The specific instance is observed on earth. (see fig. 15, 25) The actual sensations of earth originated ideally in heaven. The material senses function in response to their discovery of immaterial (spiritual) qualitative archetypal geometric proportions. The sense of smell responds to the geometry of molecule construction. The sense of hearing notices logarithmic, proportional differences between frequencies of sound waves. For sight, nerves in the retina are tuned into the same frequency range as skin. (Lawlor)

 

Pythagoras (560-490 BCE) said, “All is arranged according to number.”

 

The distance of the square’s diagonal or the circle’s circumference would never be known exactly because they make irrational functions (1:Ö2; 1:p). Irrational functions demonstrate graphically a level of invariable and universal experience, which is the key to opening a higher reality of number. Number has a definite, finite, particularizing power (quantity: exoteric/external; arithmetic), and a universal synthesizing power (quality: esoteric/internal; numerology). (Lawlor) Cosmology utilizes arithmetic for its structure and numerology for its meaning.

 

ESOTERIC NUMEROLOGY

No.

Discipline

Level of Consciousness

Illustration

Image

1

Arithmetic

(number)

Spiritual; essence; wisdom

Point

Absolute unity; God-head; creation; circle

2

Geometry

(number in space)

Intellectual; being; knowledge

Line

Duality; power of multiplicity; self; first man (father)

3

Music

(number in time)

Emotional; virtue; opinion

Plane

Trinity; mother; triangle

4

Astronomy

(number in space-time)

Physical; action; sensation

Form/Volume

First born thing; material world; procreation; child; tetrahedron/square

 

This symbology of number, numerology, is reinforced mathematically with exponents, which represent the number’s dimension. Any number to the zero power is one, symbolically the unity womb. Any number to the first power is itself, expressed one-dimensionally. Any number to the second power is expressed as a plane, two-dimensionally. Any number to the third power is expressed as a three dimensional form. (see fig. 8)

 

The ascending dimensional progression expresses the creation of form from a point through the movement from heaven to earth. Reversing the movement (earth to heaven) is seen in the Buddhist alchemical process of renouncing the transient physical world and returning to the spiritual source (nirvana) (square-triangle-circle = earth-humanity-heaven = earth-fire-water). This progression moves from a four-point (three dimensional form) through a three point (two dimensional plane) to a one point (one dimensional point). This progression exemplifies the transformation from the material to the immaterial through the firing process of interior alchemy (neidan).

 

The entire perceptible universe is composed of vibrations, wave-forms. Waves, pure temporal patterns, can only be understood through number. All life physically vibrates, while all elemental or inanimate matter vibrates molecularly. The notion that every vibrating body emits sound is the key to understanding the universe. (Lawlor)

 

Qualities of matter are actually differences in periodicity. In biology, geometrical proportion illustrates that every atom of every molecule is being changed and replaced. Genetic coding is a vehicle of replication and continuity. The DNA helix is a set of fixed geometrical proportions. Bodily existence is determined by an invisible immaterial world of pure form and geometry, the archetypal essence. Photosynthesis occurs when carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and the magnesium of the chlorophyll molecule are arranged in a complex twelve-fold plan, the innate geometry of life.

 

The innate intellectual quality, which perceives spiritual archetypal idea was called ‘pure reason’ by the Greeks, ‘heart-mind’ by the Hindus, and ‘intelligence of heart’ by the Egyptians. Geometry is the tool, which allows the understanding of the origins of form and the principles of evolution. Through the practice of geometry, thought patterns can be raised to the archetypal level.

 

“The student’s concentration on sacred geometry was a discipline to assist in seeing, the metaphysical realities beneath all appearance; the crystallization of perception.” –Robert Lawlor

 

The physical world has a secondary reality. Its knowledge is imprecise. Nothing can exist without a cause. The creator of anything focuses on the eternal unchanging (complete archetypal heaven) and uses it as a pattern for form and function for good results. If creation is a result from focusing on the changing existence (incomplete) the results will be poor. The changing earth is the likeness of the unchanging complete eternal perfect heaven. (Plato)

 

Anatomy of the Soul: (see fig. 9)

The body of the cosmos is composed of five elements, earth, water, fire, air, and ether (Chinese: earth, water, fire, metal, wood). The spherical shape (extremes equidistant in all directions from the center) of the cosmos revolves on axis. The cosmos is a single complete whole consisting of parts that are wholes. The body of the cosmos contains all possible figures within it. Nothing can be taken from or added to it. It is designed to supply its own nourishment from its own decay. (Plato)

 

The soul of the cosmos is the ultimate cause of all motion of its body, because the soul was created before the body. The soul of the cosmos is composed of three layers of paired actions.

 

COMPOSITION OF SOUL

Quantitative (Log2)

Qualitative (Log3)

Indivisible Existence

Intermediate Existence

Divisible Existence

Indivisible Sameness

Intermediate Sameness

Divisible Sameness

Indivisible Difference

Intermediate Difference

Divisible Difference

 

The soul’s ingrained mathematical structure can be expressed in seven numbers within a compass like model, progressing at logarithms of 2 and 3. One represents the indivisible and the intermediate, or 20 or 30. Logarithm 2 represents the quantitative linear structure of destiny. Logarithm 3 represents the qualitative circular details filled in by free will. Their intersection of log2 and log3 express the fate of divine intervention. It is always the qualitative realm that links the opposing realms of the quantitative (Plato with Pythagorean origins). Yijing numerology unfolds the structure of the quantitative realm which harmoniously returns the qualitative attitude of Taoist alchemy to the indivisible existence through an intermediary (middle) path. (see fig. 2-3)

 

Folding and Unfolding:

When analyzing the quantitative (material-external) realm (earth = log2), the exponents (0, 1, 2, 3, 4) define the cosmological level of progressive external creation, while the products (1, 2, 4, 8, 64) define the level of physical multiplicity and diversity, which can be expressed geometrically as polygons (circle-square-octagon) within the three realms upon a central axis (see fig. 2, 25-26);

 

[void (hundun) (20) ® heaven (tian) (21 ) ® earth (di) (22 ) ® human (ren) (23 ) ® human quantitative application (Yijing) (26)]

 

When analyzing the qualitative (spiritual-internal) realm (heaven = log3), the exponents (0, 1, 2, 3, 4) define the metaphysical (philosophical) level of progressive internal observation, while the products (1, 3, 9, 27, 81) define the level of spiritual multiplicity and diversity, which can be expressed as overlapping circles of heaven (abodes of deities) within the three realms upon a central axis (see fig. 25, 42-43);

 

[heaven (tian) (30) ® three heavens (santian) (31 ) ® nine heavens (jiutian) (32 ) ® three levels of nine heavens (33 ) ® human qualitative application (neidan) (34)]

 

External creation and internal observation are interconnected through the discovery of their exponential growth similarity (0, 1, 2, 3, 4).

 

Geometry of Experience: Intermediary Progression between the Quantitative and Qualitative

When the Nile flooded annually, the people of ancient Egypt were reminded of chaos. But when it receded, chaos was replaced by order. This event demonstrates the geometric law of proportion. When the laws of nature are perceived, inner conflict can be removed, and harmony is restored between the body, mind, and spirit.

 

The goal of geometry is to enable the mind to channel abstract cosmic tendencies of heaven into spatial ordered form upon earth. This is the conversion of number patterns into spatial arrangement: geometric proportion. Geometric symbols reveal still moments of time-continuum universal action that is hidden from sensory perception. Plato expresses that geometry and number are the most simplified expressions, and therefore the most ideal philosophical language. (Lawlor)

 

In Buddhist and Hindu philosophy time is represented as a necklace of square beads (mala), tangible moments or events. To be absorbed by this succession of limited frames is an illusion (maya). It is the inner thread, the unimaginable continuum that is real.

 

Our experience results from immaterial, abstract, geometrical proportions that spin to compose an arrangement of harmonic energy waves. Proportion is formed from ratio, a comparison of two different dimensions, quantities, or ideas (qualities; a : b). Sensory faculties respond by measuring the difference. Gregory Bateson said that the world is made up of patterns of ‘differences which make up difference.’ Comparison (‘analogos’ in Greek) is the basis of conceptual judgment.

 

Discontinuous proportion, used by the Pythagoreans, manifests the finite with two different ratios; [a : b :: c : d], [2 : 4 :: 3 : 6]. Continuous proportion expresses threeness through the reduction of number terms by introducing a mean term [a : b :: b : c]. Geometry can be used as a symbol, but ultimately it is the most simplified expression of innate pattern. In the continuous proportion, the perceiver does not stand outside the perceptual process as portrayed in the Pythagorean discontinuous proportion. Instead, the perceiver becomes apart of the perceptual process. The perceiver (b) forms the equivalency or identity between observed differences (a and c). Humanity is the geometric mean between heaven and earth.

 

The constant awareness of the integration of the external vibratory field with the internal field of perception, Sri Aurobindo referred to as “knowledge by identity,” which means the fusion of the self with the world, and is necessary for spiritual development. The continual flow of experience is a continuous proportion illustrated through the relationship between cognition, faculties of perception, and the external object:

 

[cognition : perception :: interpretation :: perception : external object].

 

“Whether we know it or not, all things take on their existence from that which perceives them.” -Upanishad

 

Nothing would exist without perception. Perception is relationship. To be is to relate. (Lawlor) Perception, the scope of experience, sifts through sensory information to ultimately remember an eternal concept. At the core of perception, created symbol is the key for understanding (returning to the innate concept) the interpretation of sensory data:

 

[sensory data : symbol :: symbol : concept].

 

Golden Proportion (F):

Continuous proportional thought approaches the sense of unity when the three-termed (trinity) proportion becomes possible with two terms (duality). The continuous proportion with two terms [a : b :: b : (a + b), or b/a = F] is the ‘golden proportion,’ and designated as phi, ‘F,’ the 21st letter in the Greek alphabet. There are two considerations (mysteries) for relating phi with unity. This proportion is larger than unity when b is equal to 1, so unity expanding is expressed by adding a to it. 

 

1)       First Mystery of Holy Trinity (the three that are two): [the whole is more than unity (a + b > 1)]

?         First term = a = 1/F

?         Second term = b = 1

?         Third term = a + b = a + 1 = 1/F + 1

 

?         a/b : a/a + b,  or b/a + 1

 

2)       Second Mystery of the Holy Trinity (the three that are two that are one): [the whole is equal to unity (a + b = 1)]

?         If the value of unity is shifted so that the whole is equal to one, a unique characteristic of the quantity of F (1.618) is discovered as the only geometric partitioning of unity.   

?         When the third term is (a + b = 1), then (1/F + 1/F2  = 1).

 

Thus, the ultimate reduction of proportional thought from the three termed continuous proportion is a mathematical metaphor for the trinity: “the three that are two that are one.” Unity (a : b :: b : 1) is the goal of progressive meditation. Phi, derived from an irrational (intimate) geometrical relationship, is the only possible creative duality (proportional existence) within unity. Therefore, phi was referred to as the ‘golden proportion,’ or the perfect division. In Christian mysticism, F is the ‘son of God.’  (see fig. 10-14, 34-35)

 

 

Robert Lawlor says, “In proportional thought there are no fixed quantities, only fixed relationships.”

 

The continuous progression of F represents the external universe regenerated from the creative dream of God, the abstract (internal values divisible within 1) to the visible (external values greater than 1), the replication of God (unity), or the evolution of consciousness.

 

[…1/F3 : 1/F2 :: 1/F2 : 1/F :: 1/F : 1 :: 1 : F :: F : F2 :: F2 : F3…]

 

The geometrical implications of the golden proportion are written by St. John,

 

“In the beginning was the word [internal progression of the abstract dream of God; Holy Spirit; F2, F3],

and the word was with [in] God [external progression of the concrete universe; Son of God; 1/F3, 1/F2],

and the word was God [unity; God the father; 1].”

 

(In Greek, ‘logos’ translates as ‘word’ or ‘idea,’ meaning a three-termed proportion.)


The continuous progression of
Ö2 is a procreative power functioning generatively on the external plane [1 : Ö2 :: Ö2 : 2].

 

Johannes Keplar said, “Geometry has two great treasures: one is the Pythagorean theorem, and the division of a line into mean and extreme ratios, the golden mean (F).”

 

F Series of Fibonacci:

Fibonacci, a 13th century Italian mathematician, drew attention to this series, which seems to control the laws governing the patterns of natural growth; branching. Some examples of these laws can be seen in: the conch shell nautilus pompilius, multiple reflections of light through mirrors, gains and losses of radiation, breeding patterns of rabbits, ratio of males to females in honeybee hives, philiotaxis (leaf arrangement on the stem of a plant), sunflower, cactus, pine cones, biometry (body measurements and bone lengths), etcetera.

 

FIBONACCI SERIES OF F

Series

Terms

Relationship

Examples

A

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610

 

Two successive terms are added together to derive the third term;

Any two successive terms tend to relate as 1: F;

Any three successive terms relate 1: F: F2;

Fourth term: 1+2=3

89/55=1.61818=approx. F;

144/55=2.61818=approx. F2

B

1, 3, 4, 7, 11, 18, 29, 47, 76, 123, 199, 322, 521, 843, 1364

Successive ratios will tends toward F;

Corresponding terms of series A and B tends toward Ö5;

Twelfth term: 521/233=2.23605=approx.Ö5

C

1, 5, 6, 11, 17, 28, 45, 73, 118, 191, 309, 500, 809, 1309, 2118

Whole numbers tend to be half the decimal expression of the Golden Ratio;

1/F= .618

Twelfth term: 309x2=618

C1

(C x 2)

2, 10, 12, 22, 34, 56, 90, 146, 236, 382, 618, 1618, 2618, 4236

 

 

D

F-5, F-4, F-3, F-2, F-1, 1, F1, F2, F3, F4, F5;

.090, .1458, .236, .3819, .618, 1, 1.618, 2.618, 4.236, 6.854, 11.090

Logarithmic progression

F2xF3=F5

 

 

The Relationship between Ö5, F and the Pentagon:

The diagonal of the double square (Ö5) is required to determine the Golden Section, from which the pentagon can be derived. Thus, phi has an association with flowers having five petals or a multiple of five petals. Five is the foundation for living forms, while six and eight are the foundation of mineral and inanimate forms. The pentagon is the symbol of life, particularly human life, thus the manifestation of the five elements. (see fig. 34)

 

The continuous proportion expressed that the universe is God creating himself, thus creation cannot exist without perception and to perceive is to relate. And to relate is to be. With the Golden Proportion being the only possible continuous proportion to create duality within unity, the construction of the pentagon came to represent divine manifested form (life derived from phi; man was created in God’s likeness). Pentagonal geometry manifests naturally in biological systems. (see fig.14)

 

The Golden Navel:

“Man is the measure of all things.” –Heraclitus

 

The navel is the center of the universe. The ancient Chinese character for ‘zhong,’ meaning middle, or center, and F (phi) are virtually the same.

 

By taking the human height as 1 (unity), the locus of the genitals is at ½ the height, and the distance from the feet to the navel is 1/F, and from the navel to the top of the head is 1/F2. In females the cut of the Golden Section is slightly above the navel, while in males, slightly below. Sexuality, expressed by ½ and Ö2, is the ever-expanding, halving-then-doubling, procreative function of man. At birth however, it is the navel that divides the child in half. Phi integrates part to whole by relating the child to its origin, its mother (the universe). Phi represents the relational power in the navel, which binds individual awareness with the totality of its origin to which it will return. The navel, center of the physical self, is what the mind focuses on to lay the foundation for spiritual accomplishment during meditation. (see fig. 12)   

 

 

“I am that which binds. I am the golden navel of the universe. He who knows this knows Upanishad. Upanishad means 'near approach.’” –Upanishad

 

The Golden Triangle:

In Taoist cosmology, the pentagon represents the generative cycle of the five elements: fire®earth®metal®water®wood. Where as the pentagram inscribed within it represents the destructive cycle: fire®metal®wood®earth®water.

 

The ratio of the length of one of the lines of the pentagram and a side of the pentagon is F:1, respectively. Each line of a pentagram is bisected in two places creating three segments, two equally long segments at the ends and one shorter one in the middle. The ratio of the length of the longer segment to the shorter one is F. Interestingly, the sum of the lengths of the shorter segment and one of the longer segments is equal to a side of the pentagon. (see fig. 35)

 

 

The Golden Triangle is an isosceles triangle in which the ratio of either of the two equal sides to the shorter base is F. The two base angles are 72° and the vertex angle is 36°. Twenty Golden Triangles can be found within the pentagon-pentagram construction, 5 small, 5 large, and 10 medium. The base angles of 72° express the number of years to establish 1° of precession in the zodiac (72x30=2160; zodiac age); (see ‘Astrology’ section).  The vertex angle is 36° shows a mathematical connection with all aspects of Taoist numerology, most particularly the sexagesimal calendar (60 x 60 = 3600 year epoch); [sim.Sumerian: Nibiru sun circuit].

 

Vesica Pisces: Generator of Form; Eye of the Vortex

Literally, ‘vesica’ is a bladder when filled with air would be in the form of a fish, ‘pisces,’ was the predominant sacred geometry utilized in Medieval Christian mysticism. The vesica pisces is the fish shaped juxtaposition of two circles with their centers on each other’s circumference (known as the eye of the vortex to the Greeks; mouth of the word becoming flesh or window of Christ to the Christians; eye of Ra to the Egyptians). It is the two circles and their juxtaposition (vesica pisces) that establish the trinity, which the Chinese call the Great Triad (Santian) (see below) of heaven, humanity, and earth. (see fig. 15, 25-26)

 

 

“The father’s divine eye is the pattern of creation behind creation.”-Key 316:5 Book of Enoch

 

The upper circle represents heaven, universal consciousness (mind), the gold solar source, the unchanging, and the archetypal symbol. Heaven is one, the whole, odd, yang, and unchanging because it is always present. The unchanging quality of the whole is that its parts are always changing. (see fig. 25)

 

“Everything a human being creates, is already there.”- Antonio Gaudi   

 

The lower circle (inscribing a square) represents earth (body), empirical consciousness, the silver lunar reflection, the changing, and the typal object particular to the event experienced. When the one divides it becomes two parts. Dependent upon the circumstances of interaction, dichotomy gives birth to the three, and the three to the 10,000 things that are always changing, yet still parts of the one.

 

The vesica pisces (juxtaposition of the two circles) represents the region of humanity, eye of god, balancing consciousness (spirit), and the ectypal comprehended product of memory and present event interpretation. The spirit (humanity) connects the mind (heaven) with the body (earth).

 

The Piscean Age (started 60 BCE-2100 CE) is characterized as the formal embodiment of spirit, manifesting a deeper penetration of spirit into form; this is the materialization of spirit. This idea is demonstrated with the length of the axis, between the two intersecting points of the overlapping circles, acting as the midline of the vesica pisces, which is equal to Ö3. Thus, Ö3 is linked with the formative process (the embodiment of spirit; or manifesting the supernatural within the finite). A vesica pisces succession is the mother of all the regular polygons. (see fig. 27)

 

 

The triangle is the first and simplest polygon construction derived from the vesica piscis (balancing consciousness, the ectypal realm of human perception and interpretation).

 

 “In India the triangle is called the mother, for it is the birth channel through which all the transcendent powers of unity and its initial division into polarity must pass in order to enter the manifest realm of surface. The triangle acts as the mother of form.”- Robert Lawlor

 

 

The human spirit relates with other living things, perceives the archetypal consciousness, via the heart chakra (fourth or middle chakra), or middle dantian, on the central channel. Recalling above, the Egyptians referred to the perception of the innate archetypal as the “intelligence of heart,” and “heart-mind” for the Hindus. Furthermore, the Chinese designate the fire element with the heart, as well as the triangle.

 

Qi Bo said, “...joy is a vacuum and is the emotion of the heart.” (Huangdi neijing as quoted in Veith)

 

Joy, or happiness, the accomplishment of the spirit, which resides in the heart, is a vacuum of relationship through which all form is manifested (perceived).

 

Angles (triangles) become a bridge between heaven and earth. A triangle is three angles, or angels. Heliobiology is the study of the angle as a specification of the influences of celestial patterns (angels) on earthly events. For instance, the angular position of the moon and the planets does affect the electromagnetic and cosmic radiations, which impact with the earth, and in turn these field fluctuations affect many biological processes. Leverage is the principle that states that forces are controlled, specified, and modified through the efforts of angulation. Also, light is refracted through substances at different angles.

 

The hexagon, a progressive generative form from the vesica pisces, is seen in carbon bonding patterns, which allow the formation of organic substances. It is the hexagonal construction that leads to the formation of the regular polyhedra. (see fig. 28)

 

 

“There is no god which is not all gods.” -Koran

 

Axis Mundi: Conduit of the Anthropocosm (Cosmic Human)

The oneness of heaven may be discovered after establishing the axis of the world (axis mundi), which is a vertical axis linking the over-world (heaven/stars; reason) with the underworld (earth; chaos) via a particular still point that represents the center. It is the axis mundi (within the educating human) that brings order (expanding heaven) to chaos (changing earth). This still point is observed as the center of gravity (navel; umbilical hole) in the human being when practicing internal alchemy. The human being as axis mundi has been called the cosmic human (homomundus) in Leonardo’s famous drawing, known as the Vitruvian Man, illustrating the relationship of the navel to the golden proportion. (see fig. 16) The human being (a microcosm), like a tree, is an axis mundi, a conduit between heaven and earth (macrocosm).

 

St. Bernard of Clairvaux asked, “What is God? He is length, width, height, and depth.” (as quoted in Lawlor) (see fig. 29)

 

This statement defines God through the four directions, up and down (the vertical axis which links heaven with earth), which is axis mundi. Thus, axis mundi provides a system of measurement for earth (geometry). In geo-physics, this statement is expressed as a cube (earth: material earth) stabilized by two tetrahedrons spinning in opposite directions (fire: polarity of electro-magnetic/energetic earth) (star tetrahedron; merkaba). (see fig. 16, 36)

 

Architectural microcosms (expansions of human microcosms) express axis mundi through nomadic dwellings (ie. teepee; yurt; kiva), temples (ie.Sumerian ziggurat), and mandala cities. (see fig. 16)

 

 

In geometric cosmology, the mystic doctrine of creation, the main anthropocosmic principle is that humanity is not a mere part of the universe but rather it is both the final summarizing product of evolution and the original seed, from which the universe germinated.

 

Analogos: [seed is to tree as the cosmic man is to the universe].

 

The tree grows from the seed but also creates more seeds. This is said another way in the kabbalist expression, “In kether is malcut, and malcut is in kether.” (see below) The tree is the universe, which is the actualization of the seed, which is the cosmic man. Thus, the cosmic man, or true man (zhenren) to the Taoists, is the source of the universe. This notion reinforces the idea of the Upanishad, “nothing exists without perception.”  Humanity is not seen as the child of mother earth but earth is contained in the character of the cosmic man. The notion of the cosmic man being a part (origin) of the universe demonstrates that each fragment of the whole contains the constituents of the overall structure of the whole. The anthropocosm is the basis of astrological philosophy and internal alchemy.

 

As Robert Dicke puts it, “The right order of the universe may not be, ‘Here is the universe, so what must man be?’ But instead, ‘Here is man, so what must the universe be?”

 

Thus, the body of the cosmic man contains universal proportions that are the basis for a canon of measurements used by many civilizations, which govern poetry, dance, architecture, art, etc. (ie. cubit, phi).

 

Kabballah: Tree of Life

The kabballah (Hebrew trans. “to receive” life), tree of life, or divine lightning rod of remote antiquity found in Sumerian mythos, and Judaic mysticism, is a highly definitive axis mundi. According to legend, it is a cosmological teaching from the Sumerian King Melchizedek to his faithful servant Abraham. Kabballah can be applied to all phenomena, further defining the cosmology and processes of the anthropocosm (cosmic man).

 

The creative process of life begins in the void (ain), or unmanifested consciousness of negative existence, which contains the endlessness of the unknown (ainsoph), which channels limitless light (ainsophaur) through the condensation of the crown (kether) to eventually manifest the physical existence (malcut). Energy descends (divine lightning flash) and ascends (Jacob’s Ladder) the kabballah in a specific path through ten spheres of light (sepherot), which are connected through twenty-two pathways [corresponds with 22 letter Hebrew alphabet and Ganzhi system]. (see fig. 4-5, 67-72); (and ‘Ten Stems’ and ‘Twelve Branches’); (Halevi), (Sankey)

 

 

According to the Book of the Secrets of Enoch, Eden’s Tree of Life “is more beautiful than any created thing; on all sides in appearance is like gold and crimson, transparent as fire.” From its root move four streams of honey, milk, oil, and wine, from Heavenly Paradise to the Paradise of Eden, making a revolution around Earth. This description suggests that the Tree of Life was as conduit between Heaven and Earth, paralleling the Chinese idea of the Kunlun mountains, and the microcosmic orbit functioning as an axis mundi.

 

The fruit of the Tree of Life, which was located in the Western Paradise of Eden parallels the mythological Chinese immortality peaches and mushrooms (lingchi) of the Western Paradise of the Kunlun mountains, where the immortals lived.

 

             

SEPHEROT OF THE KABBALAH

 

1

2

3

 

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Phenomena

Kether

Hochma

Binah

Daat

Hesed

Gevura

Tepheret

Netzah

Hod

Yesod

Malcut

Aspect

Divine Self

Wisdom

Understanding/

Intellect

Knowledge

Mercy

Judgment

Beauty

Eternity;

Victory

Reverberation;

Splendor

Foundation

Kingdom

Anatomy

Head

L Brain;

L Palm

R Brain;

R Palm

Head

L Arm

R Arm

Thorax; Viscera

L Leg

R Leg

Genitals

Root

Viscera

 

L lung

R lung

Brain

Spleen

Liver

Heart

L kidney yang-

vitality

R kidney yin-

truth

Genitals

 

Chakra

Crown

Third Eye

Throat

Heart

Solar Plexus

Sacral

Root

Human

 

Inner

Intellect

Outer Intellect

Knowledge

Inner Emotion

Outer Emotion

Essential Nature;

Watcher

Involuntary Processes

Voluntary Processes

Persona;

Ego

Body

Psyche

Divine Self

Animus;

Active

Intellect

Anima;

Passive

Intellect

Mystic experience; Prophecy; Enlightenment

Ego Ideal

(reward);

Active Emotion

Super Ego

(punishment);

Passive Emotion

Individuality

Libido;

Active Action

Mortido;

Passive Action

Ego;

Identity

Body;

CNS;

Id

Planets

Uranus

Neptune

Saturn

Pluto

Jupiter

Mars

Sun

Venus

Mercury

Moon

Earth

Earth

 

Galaxy

Stars

Knowledge of Origin

Sun

Planets

Earth

Nature

Man

Moon

Matter

Government

 

Spirit of Nation

Constitution

Head of State

Upper House

Lower House

Parliament

Departments

Civil Service

People

Land

Religion

 

Teaching

Tradition

Knowledge

Momentum

Movement

Discipline

Conduct

 

Practice

Theory

Personal Level

 

Economy

 

Exchange

concept

Finance

principles

Knowledge

Resources/

Capital

Banking/

Stock Exchange

Currency

Circulation/

Industry

Trade

Personal Wealth

 

Life Span

In womb;

Out of womb

 

 

Father

Mother;

Old age

Conception

Cell multiplication;

Middle age

Cell differentiation;

Adulthood

Essence;

Prime

Conservation;

ANS;

Youth

Harmonization;

Voluntary Systems;

Childhood

Predisposition;

Infancy

Body

Time

 

Planetary

Nature

Non-existence

Species

One Life

Day/Night

Breath

Impression

Passing Time

Material World

Octave Note

Do

Re

Mi

Interval

Fa

Sol

Source of Tone

La

Ti

Interval

Do

Triads

 

Monad: Spiritual Triad (1,2,3);

Divine Consciousness

 

Soul Triad;

Neshuma: Human Soul (4,5,6);

Self Consciousness; Evolution

Personality Triad;

Vegetable Soul (7,8,9)

Elemental Body: Mineral Soul

 

Father;

Tao

Son;

Yang

Holy Spirit;

Yin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruah: Spirit; Objective/Cosmic Consciousness (1,2,6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nefesh: Animal Soul (6,7,8)

 

 

The Four Worlds

 

Atziluth: Emanations; Fire; Spirit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Briah: Creation; Air; Intellect; Archetypal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yetzirah: Formation; Water; Emotional; Ectypal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assiah: Elements and Action; Earth; Physical; Typal

Key:

5% Shade = Right = Actual Left = Pillar of Dynamic = Cosmic Father = Abba = Yang = Energy = Expansion = Freedom = Active/Inner = Pingala nadi (Hindu yang channel)

15% Shade = Left = Actual Right = Pillar of Structure = Cosmic Mother = Aima = Yin  = Matter = Contraction = Submission = Passive/Outer = Ida nadi (Hindu yin channel)

White = Center = Pillar of Consciousness = Equilibrium = Sushuma (Hindu central channel)

 

Note:

There have been varying sources for the polarity of hochma and binah and pingala and ida. Because pingala and ida were thought to interweave each other, their position really doesn’t matter. Since the Chinese denote the left side of the brain to be the sun (+) and the right side to be the moon (-), the left wrist to be the husband (+) and the right wrist to be the wife (-), I will designate the dynamic pillar (+) and pingala nadi (+) to occupy the left side of the body and the structure pillar (-) and ida nadi (-) to occupy the right side of the body. Ironically the left kidney is yin but occupying netzah (inner action of truth), and the right kidney is yang but occupying hod (outer action of vitality).

 

MAGNIFICIENT VOID (HUNDUN): Zero Point

Zero point is the vast intermediary space between the absolute (timeless, formless, nonexistence, source of creation, godhead, unity) and the relative (manifested creation, myriad things, existence) universe. As a gate between the intangible and the tangible, this is the wormhole that folds space-time, where all scientific law breaks down. It is the potential source of energy contained in a seed [Sanskrit: bindu].

 

Black holes help explain the phenomenon of zero point, which contains the infinite. They are either the product of the primordial universe (beginning-birth), or of gravitational collapse of a high mass (>3 suns) star (end-death). In the singularity point of the black hole is where space and time are integrated and all physics breaks down.

 

Black holes can only be measured in terms of mass, electrical charge, angular momentum (spin), and size (which is proportional to its mass). The event horizon (which cannot be measured) of the black hole is the boundary between the inside and the outside of space-time continuum. Nothing, not even light can ever escape from inside the event horizon. When something falls into the black hole, strong tidal forces crush the object into the singularity point. There is no mass limit to black holes. Black holes are thought to aid galaxy formation as active yet void (until the singularity point) galactic centers. Active galactic nuclei and galaxy rotation support this theory.

 

Taoist Wuwei:            

Known as the attitude of the Taoist saint (zhenren), it literally translates as “non-doing.”  It actually means maintaining naturally an attitude of nonintervention, or letting things take their course, and being devoid of premeditation and intention until the appropriate situation calls for spontaneous action. Essentially, it is action confined to what is natural and necessary.

 

“In the pursuit of learning, everyday something is acquired. In the pursuit of Tao, everyday something is dropped. Less and less is done until non-action is achieved. When nothing is done, nothing is left undone. The world is ruled by letting things take their course. It cannot be ruled by interfering. Tao abides in non-action, yet nothing is left undone.” –Ch.48 Daodejing translated from Feng and English

 

This attitude is virtually identical to the attitude of Zen Buddhism, calling the spontaneous action satori. In Taoist alchemy, the empty attitude of wuwei is inherent in the chaotic void (hundun), which is the ultimate destination and refinement of the spirit (shen).

 

Symbolically, the void corresponds with the original sphere of unity (wuji), (see fig. 17) contained within chaos, the center position in the dynamic yin and yang, the five elements, the bagua, luoshu, and sexagenary cycle. It is the central reference hub of emptiness of which the universe revolves around. Therefore, it is the position of the Taoist adept, being a direct conduit to the absolute.

 

 

Wuji: Ultimateless

Chen Tuan (906-89 CE), a Taoist scholar of neidan and waidan, lived as a hermit on the sacred mountain of Huashan, where he carved the Diagram of the Ultimateless (wujitu) on a rock near his meditation spot. Chen Tuan also is credited with the creation of the Diagram of Primordial Heaven (xiantiantu). These two diagrams influenced the Neo-Confucian philosopher Zhou Yidun in the creation of the Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate (taijitu).

 

The wujitu depicts the innate motivation of all things to return to the ultimateless (wuji). The spirit (shen) is the ultimate of being which returns to the absolute ultimateless (wuji) of nonbeing, the origin of all things.

 

The wujitu consists of several tiers of circles [sim. to kabballah] (see fig. 5), which describes the process of meditation. The first tier is a sphere representing the “Gate of Dark Femininity,” the foundation of heaven and earth. The second tier is a sphere representing the consolidation of the three treasures (sanbao) in the lower elixir field (dantian) during meditative breathing. Through consolidation, the sanbao are transformed into each other, essence (jing) into the circulation of energy, or breath (qi), into spirit (shen). The third tier is a configuaration of five spheres representing the five elements (wuxing), or five breaths assembling at the source. The five elements, wood and fire on the left (yang), metal and water on the right (yin), and earth in the center (neutral), are the five movers within the lesser circulation of breath (microcosmic orbit), which ultimately reach the greater circulation of breath (macrocosmic orbit). The fourth tier is a divided (yin-yang) three-ringed circle (kan-li), representing the unification of fire (li) and water (kan). The fluctuation of yin and yang guides the great circulation of breath. Both the wuxing within the lesser circulation, and the yin and yang within the greater circulation, lead to the unity of spiritual consciousness (shen). The fifth tier, at the top, is a sphere representing the consolidation of the spirit back into nonbeing (xu), returning to the ultimateless.

 

 

Buddhist Sunyata:

The fundamental cosmic element is space, which embraces unity. Because its nature is empty, it embraces and is the precondition of everything. Nothing of substance can exist or be differentiated without space. Therefore it is the foundation of consciousness. Consciousness of infinite space, beyond the space of time, leads to the realization of infinite consciousness. During meditation, the infinite consciousness occurs when time and space are transcended and unified into a point (bindu), which represents the end of integration and the beginning of the unfolding of inner space. Bindu is where the internal and the external have their origin and reintegration.

 

The great void, or emptiness [Sanskrit: sunyata], the central idea in Buddhism recognizes that ultimately all things are empty, impermanent, devoid of essence, and characterized by suffering. Sunyata is a state of realizing the universal consciousness, a mirror-like wisdom, which reflects the forms of all things without clinging to them or without being touched or moved by them. It is the collective transformation of the five aspects (skanda) of individual existence into the enlightened cosmic consciousness (boddhi-citta). (Govinda)

 

The void is the cosmic ocean that contains, permeates, and maintains the development of all phenomena. It is the source of creation as well as the unifying force of all phenomena. The Hinayana school, sunyata is applied to the individual as being an empty vessel. The Mahayana school denies individual empty vessels and thus arrives at total insubstantiality. (Shambhala- Encyclopedia)

 

The Madhyamika school (middle path between existence and nonexistence) views emptiness as having a two-fold character; emptiness of the self, or egolessness (reminiscent of Hinayana) and liberation, or emptiness as being equivalent to absoluteness (reminiscent of Mahayana). To realize emptiness means to attain liberation, which is accomplished by purifying the mind of affirmation (yes) and negation (no), thus embracing neutrality (I don’t know). The Madhyamika teaching believed that the absolute truth (emptiness of all phenomena beyond existence and nonexistence) could be realized by working through the relative truth (which does not exist because of its interdependence on the absolute truth). To the Madhyamika school, sunyata has three functions:

 

1)       Is the precondition for the arising and impermanence of all beings

2)       Enables liberation from samsara (cycle of birth, death, and rebirth)

3)       Enables the comprehension of emptiness through wisdom (prajna); thus enables the realization of nirvana (extinction of samsara)

 

Madhyamika was also known as Sunyatavada (teaching of emptiness), because of its teaching concerning the emptiness of all things. In the Yogachara school all things are empty because they arise from the mind, which is equated with sunyata. The realization of emptiness, the absolute truth or enlightenment, which is viewed as the ultimate goal of Buddhist practice, doesn’t happen through philosophical argument but through direct experience (tantra). (Shambhala- Encyclopedia)

 

According to the teachings of the Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bardo Thodol) there are five dhyani-buddhas arranged in a four petaled lotus mandala [Sanskrit: “circle, arch, section”]; (see fig. 18-19) Vairocana Buddha occupying the center represents the undifferentiated universal principle of consciousness and the embodiment of the all-embracing great void. (Govinda) The Bardo Thodol differentiates six bardos, or in-between space, or suspended states of consciousness. The first three bardos of birth, dream, and meditation correspond to life, and the last three, moment of death, supreme reality, and becoming, correspond to death and rebirth. (see fig. 70-72)

 

 

 

 

Kabbalist Ain:

In kabbalist tradition (Judaic mysticism), the creative process of life begins in the void (ain), or unmanifested consciousness of negative existence, which contains the endlessness of the unknown (ainsoph), which channels limitless light (ainsophaur) through the condensation of the crown (kether) to eventually manifest the physical existence (malcut). Oppositely in the process of spiritual awakening (approaching death), dormant serpent (kundalini) energy at the root ascends the central channel to the universal source above the crown. (see fig. 67-68); and appendix on ‘Kabballah’) (Halevi)

 

Zero as Number:

Throughout history the circular mandala (Sanskrit. “circle, arch, section”) represented the essential structure of the universe based on its division into four quarters, to represent the elements, the seasons, the cardinal directions, etcetera. Where as Euclidian geometry and other modern systems of geometric thought are based on intellectual definitions and abstractions, ancient geometry meditates upon a formal order born from metaphysical unity. Ancient geometry begins with one. Modern geometry begins with zero. 

 

Zero, considered a number, has been traced back to India (8th c.CE). In Sanskrit, zero (sunya) translates as “empty.” Indian mentality did not allow the placement of zero at the beginning of the number series therefore it was positioned after 9. It was not until the Age of Reason, in Europe (16th c.CE), that zero preceded 1. The value of zero in Hinduism and Buddhism expresses the goal of the created universe as well as the individual by obtaining personal escape from samsara through renunciation of the material world. This meant the attainment of blank void, or ‘selfless absence.’ In Greece, the empty column was denoted for zero. The Mayans of Mesoamerica used an egg shape.

 

Al-Khwrizmi (8th c.CE) brought zero with Indian numerals to the Islamic world. Four hundred years later Al-Gorisma’s (whose name is responsible for the word algorithm) works were brought into the Arabic settlements of Spain. Some monastic orders, such as the Cistercian Order whose philosophy inspired Cathedral construction, claimed that zero was a device of the devil. The acceptance of zero simplified arithmetic calculation and was first seen among merchants. The replacement of the numeral system invited numeric entities that have no verifiable concept or geometric form. Such entities included:

 

IRRATIONAL NUMERIC ENTITIES

Numeric Entity

Example

Relatives

Negatives

Infinite decimals

 

Algebraic irrationals

Cube root of 10

Transcendental rationals

“e” as the basis of logs

Logarithms

Which satisfy no rational algebraic equation

Imaginary numbers

The square root of –1

Complex numbers

The sum of a real and imaginary number

Literal numbers

Letters representing mathematical formulae

 

Zero changed the meaning of ‘idea’, which meant form. In western thought, after the Industrial Revolution, zero negated the spiritual with the development of atheism. Zero influenced psychological ideas, such as the finality of death, the separation of heaven and earth, and existentialist ideas of non-being. In the natural world, zero is only a mental entity. In atomic theory of the 19th century, zero was used to conceptualize the empty void where the building blocks of matter floated. Now nuclear physics conceives the atom not as segregated particles that attract and repel, but as a field of interconnected, ever-transforming, particle-patterns. This interconnected field is what the Chinese call the qi, or life force. The universal energy force represents the root of oneness.

 

“The sage holds to unity in stillness.” -Hanfeizi

 

Oneness resides within the void (ie. the qi moves through the meridians; enlightened unity is approached through an empty mind). The root of oneness is internal. The infinite can be found within zero and zero is beyond the infinite.

 

GREAT UNITY (TAIYI) OF HEAVEN: Order (Power) of Universal Tao (see fig. 2-3, 7)

The oneness of Tao represents the absolute mathematical foundation of Yijing numerology, quantitatively expressed as 1 (20), and of the Taoist pantheon, qualitatively expressed as 1 (30), three in one (sanyi). Both quantitative and qualitative oneness is expressed infinitely in no dimensions, as a point.

 

In the Daodejing, one (taiyi; dao) is the sacred beginning, which contains the duality of yin (turbidity, chaos, earth) and yang (clarity, order, heaven) (liangyi). Yin and yang are harmonized by the cohesive third element, humanity. The myriad creatures are created when heaven expands, earth changes, and humanity educates. (see fig. 1, 7, 26)

 

 

“The way begets the one; one begets two; two begets three; three begets the myriad creatures.” –Laozi, Daodejing, Ch.42

 

Tao, meaning way, method, or teaching, is the central concept of philosophical (Daojia) and religious (Daojiao) Taoism, and origin of its name. Confucianism interprets Tao to mean human behavior or moral laws (li). The Way of Virtue and its Power (Daodejing) written by Laozi is the first text to metaphysically define Tao as universal oneness, which is all-embracing and original. Laozi referred to oneness as Tao because there was no other term available.

 

“The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name.” –Laozi, Daodejing, Ch.1

 

The Tao is the primordial source (taishi), the mother who gives birth to heaven and earth (tiandi), and nourishes the ten thousand things, or universe (wanwu). The Tao is compared to the “mysterious female,” whose gate is the root of the duality of heaven (yang) and earth (yin). This concept was used by Taoists to justify certain sexual practices (fangzhongshu) as a means of returning to the oneness, or attaining enlightenment.

 

A universal law essential to Taoism, states that all things, even the Tao itself, must return (fu) to the Tao. The unchanging and eternal (chang) movement, or spirit, of the Tao is return. Taoists view enlightenment (ming) as the realization of the unchanging and eternal (chang) universal law of return. The Book of Changes (Yijing) describes return (fu) to mean the qualitative process of change, or more specifically changing into the opposite (ie. when yin has reached its peak, yang returns). Thus, the qualitative process of change (return) is unchanging. The only certainty is that everything is uncertain.

 

In the Daodejing, returning (fu) to the ultimate destination of simplicity (pu), plainness (si), and innocence, the original nature of humanity, is represented as an unhewn block, or rough timber (pu), a new-born child (yinger), or raw silk (si). The predominant characteristic of the original innocence is spontaneous action (wuwei) and freedom from desire and attachment. The Tao is invisible, inaudible, unfathomable, eternal, and the form of the formless. The function (energy) of the Tao is being, while its essence is nonbeing. The Tao is Taiyi, which cancels out, or unifies all opposites (see ‘Taiji’ below). The Tao acts spontaneously and in accordance to the primordial chaos (hundun), its nature (zijan). Its action and result are without intention (wuwei), yet nothing remains undone. The phenomenal world comes into being through the power, or virtue (de) of the Tao.

 

The oneness of heaven expresses itself through the Tao, or method, which constantly creates/transforms (zaohua) the source (yuan) qi, which is not matter or spirit, but energy-matter, into the myriad transformations. These transformations began with nonintervention (wuwei), which became the Great Unity (Taiyi). Oneness is simply expressed geometrically as a circle, or point (1st dimension). In cosmological oneness reality is conceived as a unified whole. The essential law of nature (cosmic rhythm) is that everything revolves around a center point. To follow the center is to be in harmony with nature. (see fig. 2-3)

 

 

Becoming one with the Tao does not happen through intellectual investigation, but by realizing its unity, simplicity (pu), and emptiness within the self. Its realization requires an intuitive understanding that rests on, and pursues nothing, through abiding in silence. Its realization does not happen through acquiring knowledge, but rather through purging unnecessary excess to arrive at silent wisdom, which remains centered in primordial chaos. Therefore Tao cannot be expressed in words. The silent wisdom corresponds to a return to the source. Through abiding in the stillness of the source, internal and external activities become still, all limitations and conditions fade away, and the celestial light illuminates the truth, which links the self with the absolute (Dao). Philosophy (ie.Zhuangzi and Daodejing) and various preliminary breathing practices are utilized to enhance the meditative process (neidan), which facilitates the realization, or return to the Tao.

 

Two Paths: Daojia and Daojiao (see ‘History’ section)

There are two paths of Taoism, philosophical (Daojia) and religious (Daojiao). Daojia is based on the writings of Zhuangzi and Laozi, and aims at a mystical union with Tao (spiritual immortality) through a life of meditation. Daojia understands Tao to mean the all-embracing origin of all things. At the core of daojia is the attitude of wuwei, spontaneous and unmotivated action (see ‘History’ section). Daojia has maintained an antagonistic ethical view of Confucian hierarchy, which is believed to veil true human nature, its return to the Tao.

 

Daojiao embraces all Taoist schools and movements pursuing the attainment of physical immortality (changsheng busi). The most prominent movements were the Five Bushels of Rice School (Wudoumi dao), Way of Supreme Peace (Taiping dao), Highest Purity School (Shangqing pai), School of the Magic Jewel (Lingbao pai), Way of Right Unity (Zhengyi dao), and Way of the Realization of Truth (Quanzhen dao). Methods utilized to attain immortality consist of meditation, alchemy, physical and breathing exercises, and sexual practices.

 

Nature of Energy (Qi): Power of Tao

From a singularity point in the void, an interconnected field of life force (qi) provides order for the Tao, surrounding, permeating, and binding everything. The original energy force represents the root of oneness. When qi condenses (aggregates) it gives birth to matter, or form (xing) and when it is dispersed it gives rise to energy. Qi cannot be created nor destroyed, it can only be transformed. The qi in the body can assume many forms and roles but the qi is essentially one.

 

The character for qi indicates something, which is intangible (literally “vapor,” “steam,” or “gas”) and tangible (literally “uncooked rice”). Therefore, qi can manifest as subtle phenomena (steam), which derives from coarse phenomena (rice).

 

Because qi is the foundation of everything, and can therefore manifest into anything, it is a difficult word to translate. Qi has been translated as “energy,” “matter” (also known as ji), “material force,” “ether,” “matter-energy,” “vital force,” “life force,” vital power,” and “moving power.” Since qi is the fundamental quality in all phenomena, it also provides continuity between coarse material form and subtle non-material energy.

 

Interactions: (see fig. 17-18)

“Dao originated from emptiness and emptiness produced the universe. The universe produced qi…that which was clear and light drifted up to become heaven, and that which was heavy and turbid solidified to form earth.” (Huainanzi as quoted in Maciocia)

 

Before the beginning of all life and the interplay of heaven and earth, there was the Great Void, which nothing created, nothing preceded, and nothing sustained, until it was brought into movement by the original Great Qi. This movement enabled heaven qi to descend and earth qi to ascend, and from their interplay came change, movement and transformation; and thus there was life. In other words, the intercourse of heaven qi and earth qi created humanity. (Mann)

 

“Every birth is a condensation and every death is a dispersion. Birth is not a gain, death is not a loss. When condensed energy becomes a living being and when dispersed it is the substratum of mutations.” (Veith)

 

“The root of the way of life of birth and change is qi; the myriad things of heaven and earth all obey this law. Thus qi in the periphery envelops heaven and earth, qi in the interior activates them. The source wherefrom the sun, moon and stars derive their light, the thunder, rain, wind, and cloud their being, the four seasons and the myriad things their birth, growth, gathering, and storing: all this is brought about by qi. Man’s possession of life is completely dependent upon this qi.” (Zhangshi leijing as quoted in Mann)

 

“That which was from the beginning in heaven is qi; on earth it becomes visible as form; qi and form interact, giving birth to the myriad things.” (Suwen as quoted in Mann)

 

The elemental interaction of the heaven and earth creates the myriad things.

 

“In heaven there is wind, in earth there is wood; in heaven there is heat, in earth there is fire; in heaven there is damp, in earth there is earthiness; in heaven there is dryness, in earth there is metal; in heaven there is cold, in earth there is water; in heaven there is qi, in earth there is form; form and qi interact thus creating the myriad things.” (Suwen as quoted in Veith)

 

QI INTERACTIONS

Heaven

Earth

Wind

Wood

Heat

Fire

Damp

Earth

Dryness

Metal

Cold

Water

Qi

Form

 

Pulse of Lifestyles: (see fig. 6)

Artificial Lines: straight lines do not exist in nature

Natural Lines: all lines are curved

 

 

Natural Life: has rhythmical curves not deviating too far from a straight baseline (a balanced fundamental path)

Extremes:

?         Internal extremes (impulsiveness, anxiety, anger, depression, tension) are more serious than exterior extremes (natural causes)

?         Extremes create opposite extremes

?         The more extreme and frequent the fluctuations (the sharpening of curves), the shorter the life becomes; lessening extremes (curve frequency) lengthens life

?         Work to decrease sharp angles through personal cultivation

?         Longevity comes by stretching out the curves

 

Tian: Heaven; (Shambhala)

Heaven, the abode of deities, represents oneness. Taoist heaven now follows the example of Buddhist heaven, which recognizes 36 heavens arranged on six levels. The lowest level consists of six heavens of desire. The second level has eighteen heavens of forms. The third level has four heavens of formlessness. The fourth level has four heavens of Brahma (the creator). The fifth level consists of the heavens of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), which are inhabited by the Celestial Venerables (Tianzun). The highest heaven is the Heaven of the Great Web (Daluotian), which has been described as uninhabited, or as the seat of Celestial Venerable of the Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun). Daoluotian separates the universal light from the darkness.

 

 

The Daodejing considers tian to be equivalent to the Tao. The supreme being, or Celestial Venerable (Tianzun), a personal form of tian, influenced the destiny of humanity through celestial mandates (tianming). It was believed that tian preserved order (peace) for benevolence, but also caused disorder (catastrophe) for human transgression. The Celestial Venerable reveals himself only to internally cultivated beings of virtue, true human (zhenren). Confucianists make God tantamount to tian, which can also mean sky, destiny, nature, or ethical principle, which is considered the highest designation.

 

The symbol for heaven is a doughnut-like disc (bi), where the diameter of the outer rim is twice as wide as the diameter of the inner opening. This same dimension is used in the formation of the Supreme Ultimate Diagram (Taijitu) (see below). The bi was adopted for the Chinese lucky gold coins, and the Japanese go-yen coin, which is also gold in color.

 

Tortoise: (see fig. 7)

The tortoise is a symbol of the universe (dao), more specifically the celestial pivot (pole star). It is actually one of the four great constellations (four animals), which designates the northern quadrant. Its shell is domed like the vault of heaven and hard, representing the protective yang aspect. Its belly is soft yin. The tortoise is a symbol of the Star of Longevity (Shoulao), who represents the human aspect of the Three Stellar Deities (Sanxing) (see ‘Sanxing’ below). According to legend, Fu Xi observed the surface of the shell to be demarked with the nine numbers of the magic square, the map of the world. In remote antiquity the tortoise’s bone shell was used to cast oracles. Bone as well as the turtle is associated with the water element, which corresponds to the origin of life.

 

 

The ideogram for ‘turtle’ (gui), particularly the bone shell, is verbatim to ‘glans penis’ (the sensitive tip of the penis), which may suggest the oracle casting nature of the penis, eventhough they both are shaped similarly. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the genitals are ruled by the kidney which is the viscera of the element water and corresponds to the northern direction, like the turtle. In the ancient traditions of the world, stones were worshiped and consulted as oracles [Hindu: lingum stone is actually the penis of Shiva]. The oracle casting nature of the penis reinforces the precise numerological correspondence between the DNA triplet codon sets and the Yijing hexagrams, suggesting that birth is a divine oracle; note the position of north and the winter solstice denotes the birth of life and the cracking of the seed.

 

Components of the ideogram for gui are embedded in its homophones for ‘ghost,’ ‘semi precious gems stone,’ and ‘grand, strange, exotic.’ Other homophones of gui (but having different ideograms) with direct correlation to the nature of the symbolic position of the turtle include, ‘10th stem,’ ‘return,’ and ‘jade tablet.’

 

Tianzun: Celestial Venerable (Supreme Deity) (see fig. 7)

This is the highest title venerated to a Taoist deity. The Three Supreme Ones (Sanqing) are considered the most important Tianzun. The Jade Emperor was also venerated as Tianzun. When Buddhism became very influential in China (3rd c.CE), the Taoists created the title of Tianzun as a counterpart for the Boddhisattva. Like the Boddhisattva, the Tianzun descended from heaven to teach wisdom to immortals, who would teach ordinary humans. Thus, it was believed that the Tianzun were the source of sacred texts and immortality prescriptions. When Buddhism first came to China, the Buddha was venerated as Tianzun, but was later designated as Terrestrial Venerable (Shizun) to avoid confusion. (Shambala) The various celestial venerables are identified below. (See ‘Liangyi’ for identifications for deities of heaven and demons of earth/hell.)

 

Pangu: Creator (see fig. 7); (Shambhala), (Stevens), (Lurker)

In Chinese mythology, oneness is represented in the creator of the world, and first human, Pangu, a primeval giant who was born of the five elements, who used a hammer and chisel, and the help of the dragon, phoenix, unicorn, tiger, and tortoise to form heaven and earth. In a 3rd century BCE version, Pangu arose from the chaos, or world-egg (taiyi), before the division of yin (heavy earth) and yang (light heaven). Over a period of 13,000 years the distance (Pangu’s size) between heaven and earth increased at a rate of 10 feet per day, differentiating yin and yang within unity (symbolized by Pangu embracing the taijitu). After his death, the different parts of his body were transformed into the various parts of the world: his head turned into the four sacred mountains, the sun arose from the left eye and the moon from the right, his breath became the wind, his voice became the thunder, the rain from his sweat, his blood became rivers and oceans, his veins and muscles became rocks, his flesh became soil, his skin becoming the cultivated land, his hair became grass and trees, and his bones and teeth became inorganic matter. The union of breath created the first humans, a youth and a maiden, whose descendents spread over the earth. Pangu is usually represented as a dark skinned dwarf with horns, dressed in a simple skirt and necklet of leaves, and holding a hammer and chisel.

 

Xuantian Shangdi: Supreme Lord of the Dark Heavens, All-Highest, Supreme Emperor (see fig. 7); (Shambhala), (Stevens), (Lurker)

The God-head of Oneness, Ruler of Heaven (Shangdi), is comparable to God the Father, or the One True God, worshiped solely until polytheism took hold about 500 BCE, until the end of the Shang era. In Chinese mythology, Shangdi controls weather (storms), therefore he was worshiped as the god of agriculture and destiny [sim.Sumerian: Enlil; Hebrew: Yahweh; Greek: Zeus]. Symbolically, Shangdi represents the synthesis of the yin-yang, or the great qi that powers the universe, located in the center of the bagua. Shangdi is chief of the four spirits (azure dragon, vermilion bird, white tiger, black tortoise) of the four palaces or four quadrants (sigong).

 

Shangdi is synonymous with the treasure, pearl, or way (dao), of heaven. At first, Shangdi was worshiped as an abstract (unseen) concept (center) and gradually became personified by the Tang dynasty (618-907 CE) as the Jade Emperor, Yuhuang Dadi. Shangdi may be considered a single entity of supreme oneness, as well as the spirit of cumulative ancestral rulers. During the Shang dynasty, the earliest supreme being, referred to as Shangdi, was consulted by diviners on behalf of the emperor for good fortune. In Beijing, Tian-An-Mien was used as a temple altar of Shangdi. In ancient times, the priest-king worshiped Shangdi as a holy ancestor by sacrificing a young ox (representing center) [sim.Sumerian: bull associated with Enlil] at the northern and southern borders during the winter and summer solstices respectively.

 

Beidi/Zhenwu: Perfected Warrior (see fig. 7); (Little)

The palace of Shangdi is located among the Great Bear Northern Pole stars of the central palace. Therefore, he is also known as Beidi (Northern Emperor). Beidi is a powerful exorcist, a deity of folk religious cults, the pivotal stellar god, and one of the most powerful ministers of the Jade Emperor. Beidi is usually depicted with the snake and the tortoise, former demon allies of Mowang, the Demon King, who he conquered in the legendary wars of 12th century BCE.

 

In Taiwan, Shangdi is known as Perfected Warrior, or True Warrior (Zhenwu), which relates to the animal associated with the North, the Dark Warrior. During the Ming Dynasty, the monastery at Wudangshan venerated Zhenwu, as the 82nd incarnation of Laozi. He was distinctively portrayed wearing armor but being barefoot, with a turtle entwined by snakes, a symbol of his role as an exorcist and healer. Zhenwu was credited with revealing the alchemical martial art, Taijiquan. Beidi and his spirit soldiers organized into spirit armies under the 36 Celestial Generals (Sanshiliu Tianjiang). Zhenwu is the principal patron of soldiers and protector of national security, as fanatically worshiped by uprising boxers in the Boxer Rebellion of 1900, for example.

 

A popular legend of Beidi describes his imperial origins. Emperor Qingdi’s wife conceived him during a dream of Laozi’s approach in a dragon carriage bearing a male baby who emanated a brilliant spectrum. Eighteen months later she bore a son who was illuminated by a resplendent light who eventually succeeded to the thrown. Realizing the instability of human existence, Beidi retired to the mountains, incarnating 800 times to become the first golden immortal.

 

When Beidi was on earth as a human, destined to become the golden emperor of heaven, people were primarily vegetarian. An evil man persuaded Beidi to taste meat, which so revolted him that he cut open his stomach to clean his bowels. During this activity, he was summoned to heaven, and his stomach and bowels followed as the snake and tortoise, that became his human and civil aides.

 

Protestant missionaries in China, elected to use the term Shangdi, to describe God (Yahweh), a convention still used by Chinese Protestants today. Catholics translated their version of God as Lord of Heaven (Tianzhu).

 

Polaris (Beidi): Carriage of Oneness

In terms of astrology, the still point of heaven, from earth’s perspective, functions as a central hub for all stars, or navel of the universe, as the big dipper, or great bear (Polaris system). The big dipper is the carriage, or chariot, for the god-head. (see fig. 7 and ‘Astrology’ section)

 

Di: Lord, God

Di is the oldest Chinese designation for the Supreme Being, Shangdi. According to legend, Di designates the primordial ancestor of the Shang people (2000 BCE). According to oracular inscriptions, Di designated the highest ruler capable of supernatural powers (ie. influence over weather), and controlling the fate of the people. Later, Di became an honary title for royal ancestors. During the age of philosophers (500 BCE), Di and Shangdi were interchangeable with the term heaven (tian). The Daodejing considers Di to be subordinate to the Tao. Other philosophies designate Di as a personal God.

 

Yuanshi Tianzun: Venerable Celestial One of the Original Beginning (see ‘Sanqing’ below); (see fig. 26)

 

Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun: The Great Unity, Deliverer from Suffering (see fig. 1, 7); (Shambhala), (Stevens), (Lurker)

Taiyi, a tutelary deity, is worshiped by for deliverance from suffering in the underworld. He also assists internal alchemists to achieve immortality. Signifying Great Unity, he is a benevolent deity, who was perfected before creation, and one of the Twelve Immortals of Heaven, recorded in the Fengshen yanyi. His symbol is a lion, which is often represented on temple scrolls. Taiyi is also worshiped as a sky god who dwells in the Purple Palace, in the constellation Zigong. He is also known as Jiugong Taiyi (Supreme Unity of the Nine Palaces).

 

Taiyi is the personification of unity, which is represented in the sky as the Big Dipper, the central hub to which all the constellations revolve. He is subordinate to Yuanshi Tianzun of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing Daozu), equal to the Jade Emperor, and assisted by the Ruler of Fate (Siming). According to the Fengshen yanyi, he lived during the Legendary Age of the Five Sage Kings (Wudi), who became his subjects, and was the doctor of Huangdi. Taiyi is the Taoist equivalent of the Buddhist Dizang wang (Kshitigarbha), a savior who liberates repenting beings in the underworld.

 

Taiyi can be traced back to the sacrifices of Chinese shamanism (3rd-4th c.BCE). The Daodejing (Ch.42), Zhuangzi, and the Spring and Autumn Annals (Lushi chunqiu) (3rd c.BCE), describe Taiyi as a generator of multiplicity (wanwu). During the Han Dynasty (2nd c.BCE), Taiyi was venerated into a personal triad (sanyi), and the Taoist sorcerer Miu Ji introduced the cult to the royal court. Devotees of Shangqing pai worship Taiyi, who is believed to reside in the center of the brain (Purple Palace of the Jiugong).

 

Taiji: Ridge Beam; Supreme Ultimate; (Shambhala)

This term taiji appears in the Book of Changes (Yijing), to denote ultimate reality, or the primordial origin of all things. In Neo-Confucianism, the philosopher Ju Xi (1130-1200 CE) equates taiji with the Supreme One (taiyi), or the highest reality. According to an Yijing commentary by Xizi, taiji, the original beginning of change, produced the two original energies (liangyi), which produced the four images (sixiang), which produced the eight trigrams (bagua). This unfolding expresses the quantitative realm of logarithm 2 (see ‘Anatomy of the Soul’ above).

 

According to Neo-Confucianism, taiji fuses two fundamental universal principles, the normative principle of morality, or spiritual aspect (li), and the formative primordial substance, or physical aspect (qi). The formless, unlimited, procreative quality of taiji is made possible by li, which he equated with dao, but its nature is guided through quantitative alternating phases of rest (yin) and activity (yang), a characteristic pattern of qi, the progenitor of form.

 

Both spiritual and physical aspects are considered to be inseparable. The pre-existing original spiritual principle (li) finds expression through its existential dependent, matter (qi). The highest reality (taiji) embraces the li of heaven and earth. Thus, each entity is apart of taiji.

 

The movement of taiji creates yang, until it reaches an extreme and then it rests, creating yin, and vice versa. When the two energies (liangyi) separate they can clearly be perceived. The alternation of yin and yang, causing its fusion, produces the four images (sixiang) and the five elements (wuxing), which is the material foundation of all phenomena. All complex components are apart of their original whole, the taiji, and ultimately wuji. All phenomena become eternal through its unceasing productive and ever-transforming qualities.

 

Taijiquan: Supreme Ultimate Fist; (Shambhala)

The fist of the supreme ultimate (taijiquan) is a meditational martial art (14th c.CE) that harmonizes mind and body through synchronizing visualizations of the mind (yang) with the flowing postures of the body (yin) through the vehicle of the breath, a function of the spirit. According to cult legend, the Dark Warrior (Zhenwu) bequeathed taijiquan to the monks at Wudangshan.

 

Jiang Ziya: Chief Minister of the Spiritual Realms; (Stevens)

Jiang Ziya, commander of all celestial armies, is considered a deity of destiny, and worshipped commonly today as a protector of homes and shops. Usually Jiang Ziya is portrayed as a peasant trader who ascended in rank to a general in Shang dynasty court of the evil king, Zhou Xin. Other stories portray him as a Taoist philosopher seeking immortality.

 

Jiang antagonized Zhou Xin’s concubine, Daji, by destroying one of her vampire friends. Jiang escaped execution to ultimately fight against the Shang dynasty. After the Shang was defeated, Jiang served as prime minister, and presided at the canonization ceremony, where he awarded divine posts and titles to heroes and worthies who died on both sides of the Shang-Zhou wars to rule over the destinies of mortals. Yuanshi Tianzun, one of the three supreme deities, issued Jiang a sacred mandate, which ordered that the people worship the spirits of the dead heroes as regulators of nature, judges of morality, rewarding the good and punishing the evil. Jiang planned to appoint himself Jade Emperor (supreme deity) in a heaven without a ruler but was foiled. Therefore, he restored heaven’s order as chief minister of the spiritual realm.

 

Yuhuang Dadi: Jade Emperor, Supreme Lord of the Universe (see fig. 7); (Shambhala), (Stevens), (Lurker)

By the Tang dynasty, the unseen abstract center of oneness, Shangdi was personified into Yuhuang Dadi, also known as Yudi, the Jade Emperor, worshiped as a superior deity in Chinese folk religion, and religious Taoism. Yuhuang is one of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing). Yuhuang determines what happens on heaven and earth, and has a vast celestial bureaucracy (which replicates human government) to carry out the task. Each deity is assigned a specialized task or ministry, and at the beginning of every year must ascend to Yuhuang’s palace in highest heaven to submit their annual duty report, which will determine future job placement. However, it was the responsibility of the terrestrial administration of the emperor to petition an irresponsible deity warning demotion, which was confirmed by the Taoist priest.

 

Yuhuang’s palace is located in the Heaven of the Great Web (Daluotian), where he rules the whole universe, including subordinate heavens, earth, and the underworld. His palace guard is the Transcendental Official (Lingguan). Lingguan are militant, semi-demonic, spirit officials that guard Taoist scriptures and uphold justice. (see ‘Wang Lingguan’ below)

 

Yuhuang’s earthly representatives include, Dongyue Dadi, Chenghuang, Zaojun, and Tudi Gong. Yuhuang is portrayed sitting on a throne, wearing dragon embroidered ceremonial robes, a head dress which dangle 13 strings of pearls, holds a ceremonial plaque, and shows dignity with a stern but calm facial expression. In the Taoist celestial hierarchy, Yuhuang was originally the assistant of Yuanshi Tianzun, who later resigned his supreme post to Yuhuang.

 

According to legend, before Yuhuang was born, his mother had a dream that Laojun handed her a child. Yuhuang was born a prince, who abdicated his throne after only a few days in order to retire to the mountains to study the Tao. Upon attaining perfection, he devoted the remainder of his life to teaching the Tao to the sick and poor. After 3200 world periods, he became the golden immortal, and after another hundred million eons, the Jade Emperor.

 

Among Yuhuang’s large family were powerful cult deities. Yuhuang’s nephew, Yangjian, also known as Erlang, dispels demons and ghosts by unleashing Hounds of Heaven (Tiankou). One Yuhuang’s wives, known as the horse-headed deity (sim to Doumu and Guanyin), rules over silk worms (sim to Huangdi’s wife Leizu). Yuhuang has nine daughters who dwell in the nine different heavens. One of his nine daughters, Qiku Niang, the Seventh Lady, is worshiped by girls wishing to know whom they will marry.

 

According to popular legend, Yuhuang Dadi’s immortal messenger appeared in a dream of the Song Emperor (1012 CE), Zhen Cong. The letter explained the danger of signing a treaty with the barbarian tribes and that Zhen Cong was an incarnate of the Jade Emperor. Soon following, Zhen Cong issued an edict proclaiming that whenever the Jade Emperor appeared in a dream he always announced himself as the Master of Heaven and Earth, and the Incarnation of the Tao. Zhen Cong’s recognition made the Jade Emperor the supreme deity in the Chinese pantheon, known as the Supreme Ruler of the Heavens, the Underworld, and Protector of Humanity. All Taoist, Buddhist, and deities of popular religion became subordinate to the Jade Emperor.

 

After the Shang-Zhou wars, the awesome post of the Jade Emperor was awarded unintentionally to a commoner by Jiang Ziya, who was reserving the post for himself. When offered the post, he paused with customary courtesy to consider, uttering “deng-lai” (wait a moment). An opportunist, named Zhang Denglai stepped forward to claim the position. Jiang Ziya unable to retract his words, silently cursed Zhang Denglai, saying “your sons will become thieves and your daughters will become prostitutes.”

 

In Vietnam, Yuhuang Dadi is worshiped as Zaodai (from the Chinese Gaotai meaning High Terrace), who is also associated with Jehova or Yahweh, the supreme being and creator in Christianity. His symbol is an eye in a heart.

 

Doumu: Mother Goddess, Mother of the Great Wagon (see fig. 7, 26); (Shambhala), (Stevens), (Lurker)

Doumu (Mother Goddess), or Xi Wangmu (Queen Mother of the Western Paradise) [sim.Sumerian: Ninhursag], a deity of Taoist popular legend, whose palace is also amongst the Great Bear (a.k.a. big dipper) stars, is considered the mother of the nine emperors and humankind. As Wangmu Niangniang, she is known as the consort of Shangdi or Yuhuang Dadi. She is the goddess of immortality and the embodiment of yin. Doumu supervises the register, which records the life and death of each person. She is venerated by devotees seeking longevity, and is the personification of compassion.

 

In Taoist and Buddhist temples, she is portrayed sitting on a lotus throne, has four heads, with three eyes in each, and eight arms holding precious objects.

 

She dwells in the Kunlun mountains, in the west of China, giving her the name ‘Queen Mother of the Western Paradise.’ The Kunlun mountains [sim.Sumerian realm of Anunnaki: Edin], also known as the Western Heavens, and Mountains of the Immortals, was a land where heaven and earth met.

 

Originally in prehistory, Doumu was thought of as a menacing figure with tiger’s fangs and a leopard’s tail, who spread infectious disease [sim.Hindu: Durga/Kali]. Doumu was later portrayed as a beautiful goddess (10th c.CE) [sim.Sumerian: Ishtar; Greek: Aphrodite (goddess of war and love)].

 

She changed in popular Taoist belief into a friendly being who watches over the herb of immortality, and regales her chosen ones (zhenren), or immortals (xian), on the peaches of eternal life (symbolically reinforcing the notion of centered oneness), in her garden of peaches near Jade Green Lake. She is accompanied by the phoenix.

 

She is also known as the Controller of Time and Space, and death. She is the supreme goddess of the Taoist pantheon, and became a very powerful popular religion deity of the Tang dynasty.

 

Popular lore claims that Xi Wang Mu incarnated as the mother of the Jade Emperor, Confucius, Laozi, and Sakyamuni Buddha. Some believe that she was the wife of the Jade Emperor, by whom she had nine sons and twenty-four daughters, all immortals. Most believe that she married an old man, Dongwang Mugong, the Royal Count of the East.

 

Xi Wangmu has each immortal (which there are tens of thousands) report to her in the Western Heavens and pay obeisance before being given a post within humanity. A popular story describes how Xi Wangmu’s immortal banquet, held every 3000 years, when the immortality peaches are ripe, was raided by He Who Awakens to Nothingness, or Nirvana (Sun Wukong), or the Monkey King (Sun Houzi), a deity of destiny, who drank the entire elixir and consumed all the peaches before anyone could stop him. Sun Wukong, skilled in magic, attained immortality by stealing it. He was born from an egg that was fertilized by the wind.

 

 

Gushen: Spirit of the Valley

The Daodejing describes Gu Shen as the Mysterious Female, or the Primordial Mother (Xuanpu), who is a symbol of the Tao.

 

“The Valley Spirit never dies; it is the woman, primal mother. Her gateway is the root of heaven and earth. It is like a veil barely seen. Use it; it will never fail.” Daodejing, Ch.6

 

This passage was taken literally by followers of Daojiao to justify using sexual practices to attain immortality. The valley is a symbol of the way (dao) or virtue (de) by being the void (wu) to which all water flows, and therefore a place where life begins. The spirit of the valley may also designate the spirit of mountain springs.

 

Bixia Yuanjun: Princess of the Azure Clouds

According to popular legend, Bixia Yuanjun, also known as the Goddess of Maternity, protects women and children and is considered the patron of wet nurses. Her cult is centered in Taishan, Shandong province, where she became known as Lady of Taishan (Taishan Niangniang), or Holy Mother (Shengmu), and accepted as daughter of Lord of the Underworld (Dongyue Dadi), also known as God of Taishan. Pilgrims go to Taishan to pray for children. Her cult developed by Taoists during the late Tang dynasty, to counter the growing popularity of Buddhist Goddess of Mercy (Guanyin).

 

The veneration of Bixia Yuanjun can be traced back to legends of the Han dynasty. She is usually accompanied by two female assistants, the Lady of Good Eyesight, who protects children from eye infections, and the Lady Who Bestows Children. She also has six other female subordinates, who protect children of different ages. Bixia Yuanjun, her two assistants, and six subordinates are known the Nine Ladies (Jiu Niangniang), to whom many Chinese temples (nainaimiao) are dedicated.

 

Guanyin: Goddess of Mercy

Interestingly, Doumu, Xi Wangmu, as well as Bixia Yuanjun, Jiutian Xuannu, and Nugua has been interchangeable with the Buddhist Guanyin.

 

Laozi: Old Master (see “History’ section); (see fig. 7)

 

Zi: Ancestor

Veneration of ancestors is a central concept in Chinese religions. Families designate plaques or pictures of their ancestors, who provide protection and communication with heaven. Ancestral plaques are kept in the family shrine (4-5in wide by 8-10in long) with engraved names and birth and death dates. Wealthy families keep separate ancestral shrines, while modest families place the plaques on the north wall (the quadrant of polaris, water, rebirth, memory, and ancestors). Plaques are arranged according to the family hierarchy. The number of plaques reflects the prestige of the family. It is common to hold ceremonies for ancestors on the new or full moon, or the ancestor’s birth or death date, by offering candles, incence, and food. In neurophysiology, the region of the brain that is associated with memories (even ancient ones), and ancestors, in facial analysis, is the occipital lobe, which also corresponds to the water element.

 

Tianzhu: Emperor (see fig. 7); (Shambhala)

The emperor is referred to as Son of Heaven (Tianzhu), who serves as a mediator between humanity and heaven. The emperor’s power is both secular and sacred, the latter being received through tianming. Chinese Catholics designate God as Tianzhu. (See ‘Wudi’ and ‘Sanhuang’ below)

 

Tianming: Celestial Mandate, Will of Heaven (Confucius)

This is the mandate ruled by the virtue of the Son of Heaven (tianzhu), the Chinese emperor. Tianming have been traced back to the Yin and Zhou dynasties. The emperor received his mandate directly from heaven, which legitimized and restricted his authority. It was essential for the emperor to recognize the signs of heavenly wrath or approval, so he could correct his conduct accordingly to the will of heaven.

 

Confucianism defines ming, or tianming, as the will of heaven, a power directed at a specific aim. It was later referred to the totality of all universal energy beyond the influence of the human will. Thus, successful action depends on the will of heaven. Understanding ming means to act according to the requirements of a given situation, without concern for its resulting success or failure; acting appropriately in the moment (similar to the spontaneous action of wuwei). Accepting the inevitability of destiny (ming) is an ideal characteristic of the Confucian saint.

 

Tianshu: Celestial Writing

Taoism designates two types of tianshu. First, there is natural tianshu, or Chinese pictograms resembling clouds that can only be read by those who have realized the Tao. Second, there is cloud script (yunzhuan), which is used in Taoist texts.

 

Zhenren/Shengren: True Human/Sage (see fig. 7, 26); (Shambhala)

Zhenren (true, or pure, human being), first used by Zhuangzi, was considered to be an ideal figure in Daojia and Daojiao, and is a person who has realized the truth within oneself, and thus attained the Tao, liberated from all limitations and concepts.

 

The Huainanzi describes the zhenren as “neither born, nor does he die; he is not empty, nor is he full.”

 

The Taipingjing places the zhenren above immortals (xian) and below deities (shen), within the Taoist hierarchy. Since the Tang Dynasty, the title of zhenren has been a honary title given to saints and sages. Emperor Tang Xuanzong bestowed the title of Pure Man from the Southern Land of Blossoms (Nanhua zhenren) to Zhuangzi, and thus his collective writings, has been called Nanhuazhenjing.

 

Zhuangzi describes three synonymous terms for zhenren, which designate specific levels of realization and liberation. All three levels of zhenren describe the ideal human, or human who has attained perfection by realizing the Tao.

 

1)       Shengren (realized sage or saint) is free of name

2)       Shenren (spiritual human) is free of action

3)       Chiren (highest human) is free of ‘I’

 

The sage, who has accomplished the unified mind-state, the Laozi state, is the goal for the practitioner of Tao (daoren). The daoren finds oneness, or spiritual rebirth and growth, by returning ambitious thought inward to the source of destiny. Constant return to the source of creation is known to Taoist adepts as the firing process of internal alchemy, or guarding the treasure, like a pregnant lady guards the fetus. The treasure, or yuanqi, is stored in the dantian (elixir field) located on the great central channel (axis mundi), or microcosmic orbit. (see fig. 16, 63) The lower dantian, or ocean of energy (qihai), located below the navel at the center of gravity was demarked by the Greeks as the golden proportion, which is the fundamental growth proportion found in all natural phenomena. (see fig. 12)

 

The Laozi unified mind-state enables the spiritual inauguration of the true son of heaven (tianzhu), a title intended for an emperor. The Hebrews have described these spiritual people as prophets (ie.Jesus, Isiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Elijah, Enoch), chosen for their spiritual refinement to reveal divine messages to humanity.

 

Yuren: Feather Human

Originally, the feather human (yuren) designated the flying immortals (xian). Later after the establishment of Daojiao, it became a specific designation for a daoshi, who has attained immortality (changsheng busi), ascending to heaven in broad daylight (feisheng) [sim.Biblical: Elijah flying to heaven in a chariot of fire; Hebrew: Enoch].

 

Dantian: Cinnabar Field, Elixir Field, Three Centers

There are three dantians in the human body where the yuanqi accumulates. The upper dantian is located in the center of the head, or brain, and accessed through yintang, fengfu, or baihui points (6th and 7th chakras). The middle dantian is located in the center of the torso (from genitals to crown), or heart region, and is accessed through shanzhong or lingtai (4th chakra). The lower dan tian is located in the centroid (center of gravity) of the body, or naval region, and is accessed through qihai or mingmen (2nd chakra). The Shangqing pai believes that the dantian centers are inhabited by deities and demons, or the three worms (sanchung).

 

Each dantian consists of nine palaces. The only descriptions in existence refer to the upper dantian palaces. One compartment, Mingtanggong, is the dwelling place of Huang-Laojun. The central compartment is known as niwangong, where Taiyi resides (niwan is synonymous with the Sanskrit term for nirvana).

 

Qihai: Ocean of Energy

Located two finger breadths below the navel, qihai is identified as the centroid (center of gravity) of the human body. Because it is located in the center of the lower dantian, which is associated with Shoulao and longevity, it is considered a focal point in the practice of embryonic breathing (taixi), essential for the attainment of immortality. (see ‘golden proportion’ above).

 

 

Yuanqi: Primordial Breath

In Taoist interior alchemy, the primordial breath (yuanqi), the original completion personified mythologically as Taiyi, and represented as an egg, maintains the close interweaving of yin and yang. Yuanqi created heaven by ascending in a pure state, created earth by descending in a turbid state, and then created the entire universe, the ten thousand things (wanwu) through the integration of heaven and earth. Yuanqi is synonymous with neiqi, which the Taoist adept circulates throughout the body during embryonic breathing, a practice essential for attaining immortality, and returning to the source of creation.

 

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, yuanqi is produced at the life gate, or destiny gate (mingmen), between the kidneys, in the center of the lower dantian. It circulates via the triple warmer meridian (sanjiaojing), a meridian designated specifically for mingmen and the three dantians, to various parts of the body, nourishing the five viscera (wuzang) and the six containers (liufu).

 

Xian: Immortal (physical); (see fig. 7); (Shambhala)

In religious Taoism, attaining physical immortality means that one has transcended the “world of dust” and may be considered a sorcerer. Various methods of endeavoring to achieve immortality include producing an immortality pill (waidan), breathing exercises (ie. xingqi, fuqi, taixi), gymnastics (daoyin), sexual techniques (fangzhongshu), fasting (zhai), or meditation (ie. zouwang, shouyi, zunshu).

 

Ge Hong, alchemist, defines three levels of immortality, terrestial, celestial, and just separated (shijie). Terrestial immortals dwell in nature, usually forests or mountains. They are sorcerers with the ability to conquer demons, befriend animals, become invisible, and retain a youthful age. As sages, they have occaisionally been known to astonish mortals with their magic and transmit ancient knowledge. Celestial immortals dwell in heaven (tian), which the Taoists have designated as the Isles of the Immortals (Penglai, Yingzhou, Fangzhang) [sim.Andean: Titicaca] in the eastern sea, and the Kunlun mountains of the Western Paradise [sim.Sumerian: Edin]. Celestial immortals ascend to the clouds with their bodies upright, soar through the clouds without beating wings, ride dragons to heaven, polymorph into animals, meander through azure clouds, dive deep into oceans and rivers, and fly to mountain peaks. Before attaining eternal life, celestial immortals had to rid themselves of emotion and ambition.

 

Immortals are often portrayed on riding upon a crane, which has amazing longevity (1000 years or more). They are believed to ascend to heaven (feisheng) on a crane with a vermillion red head, which signifies its preservation of pure yang. The most popular immortals are the eight immortals (baxian). In Chinese art, the xian are frequently portrayed as having feathers. The original ideogram for xian translates to mean, “ascending into the air,” corresponding with feisheng. The later transformed ideogram for xian translates to mean, “man” and “mountain,” suggesting that immortality is saught after by withdrawing to the mountains.

 

Changsheng busi: Immortality (physical or spiritual); (Shambhala)

Immortality was the motivation for Taoist alchemy. There are two distinct schools of alchemy, outer alchemy (waidan) and inner alchemy (neidan). Waidan schools, predominant in religious Taoism (Daojiao), strived for physical immortality through external means, the production and ingestion of immortality pills which consisted of various life prolonging substances (eg.cinnabar and gold). Neidan schools, predominant in philosophical Taoism (Daojia), strived for spiritual immortality through internal means, abstaining from eating grain (bigu), practicing various breathing exercises and gymnastics (daoyin), meditation, and certain sexual practices (fangzhongshu). A person who is physically immortal ascends to heaven (feisheng) at the moment of death, leaving no physical body remnant. A person who is spiritually immortal has attained enlightenment, or oneness with the Tao. Spiritual immortals represent a unification of yin and yang, thus they transcend life and death, time and space, and male and female. For this reason legendary immortals have been depicted as male or female throughout the ages.

 

Eventhough the alchemical motivations (physical-external or spiritual-internal) of the two schools are defined by their names, both schools interchangibly used each other’s terminology to describe the alchemical process. Waidan and neidan were of equal importance until immortality became considered to be more spiritual (6th c.CE). Instead of trying to produce a physical immortality pill, alchemists used waidan terminology to explain neidan.

 

There are many common symbols of immortality found throughout Chinese culture, the crane, a gnarled wooden staff, pine trees, peaches (of Xi Wangmu on Kunlun), mushrooms of immortality (lingchi), and various deities (ie.Shoulao).

 

Abodes of Immortals: (Shambhala), (Robinet), (Stevens), (Lurker)

Penglai, Yingzhou, and Fangzhang are islands of the immortals in the East China Sea, represented epitomes of ultimate bliss. [sim.Americas]

 

Penglai: Rampant Weeds [sim.Andean empire]

An island in the East China Sea, believed to be the home of immortals, and habitat for the mythological mushroom of immortality (lingchi). Liezi’s writings about Penglai and the lingchi motivated the development of Daojiao. There were many failed expeditions (as far back as 4th c.BCE), due to ships being captured, or lost, and according to legend the entire island of Penglai disappearing into the sea. Liezi describes Penglai as an island of gold and precious stones, glittering white animals, forests of coral and pearl, fragrant flowers and sweet fruits that brought immortality upon ingesting, and inhabited by immortal fairies that flew in great numbers.

 

Yingzhou: World Ocean Continent

Yingzhou is another island of the immortals believed to be in the East China Sea.

 

Fangzhang/Fanghu: Square Fathom/Square Urn [sim.North American/Mesoamerican nations]

Fangzhang is another island of the immortals believed to be in the East China Sea. A Taoist text (4th or 5th c.BCE) describes Fangzhang as being in the center of the eastern ocean (Pacific and Atlantic), having four coasts (W, S, E, N) of 5000 miles long, a favorite dwelling place of dragons, having palaces of gold, jade, and crystal, and the Nine (life-giving) Springs. Immortals who wish not to ascend to heaven, travel here for the certificate of the primordial source of life. They plant the herb of immortality and marry princesses, who rule over water spirits, dragons, sea snakes, whales, and all marine life.

 

Kunlun: [sim.Sumerian: Edin]

A mountain range in western China, glorified as a Taoist paradise, and according to legend abode of Xi Wangmu and the earthly immortals. It is here where Xi Wangmu grows immortality peaches. In Taoist cosmology, Kunlun consists of three (or nine) levels, connecting heaven with earth. The upper level penetrates heavenly realms of the gods while the lower level penetrates the watery realms of the dead. There have been many expeditions for the immortality peach. Shangqing pai equates Kunlun with the brain.

 

According to tradition, King Mu of Zhou was the first to visit Kunlun, where he found the palace of Huangdi. He erected a stone memorial and received by Xi Wangmu.

 

According to the Huainanzi, the mountains of Kunlun, Cool Breeze, Hanging Garden, and Fenced Paulonia Garden, form the parks of Kunlun city. The lakes in these parks are of ‘yellow water,’ which return to its source after flowing through the park. The water is also known as cinnabar water, which gives immortality to whomever drinks from it. Those who can reach the peak of Cool Breeze, the lowest of the three mountains, attain immortality. Those reaching the peak of the second mountain, Hanging Garden, which is twice as high as the first, will become spirit who controls wind and rain. Those reaching the peak of the highest mountain, the place of Dadi (Supreme Celestial Emperor), step into heaven and become a divine spirit (shen).

 

Taishan:

Taishan, also known as the Sacred Mountain in the East, is situated in Shandong, Eastern China, and is considered a focal point of Chinese mythology. The Taoist deity, Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak (Taiyue Dadi, or Dongyue Dadi), Supreme Ruler of the Underworld (see below), subordinate only to the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang), resides here. His daughter is Shengmu (see above). It was believed that people’s souls came from Taishan and returned there after death, assembling at its base (Haolishan). Taishan’s Stairway to Heaven (approximately 7000 steps) lined with shrines and temples lead to its peak where the Jade Emperor’s temple is situated.

 

DUALITY WITHIN UNITY (LIANGYI): Yin and Yang

The Chinese characters for yin and yang literally illustrate the dark (yin) and sunny (yang) side of a hill, or mountain (symbol of Tao). Yin and yang represent two phases of a relative cyclical progression, constantly alternating into each other. Ancient farmers observed day alternating into night. Sunlight promoted activity during the day. The moon (yin) reflected sunlight through darkness encouraging rest. The sun (yang) position tells where yang is. The sun is in the sky, which was perceived as a round vault of the heavenly bodies that measures time (yang). Earth was modulated into fields, which measured space (yin). The sun rises in the east (yang) and sets in the west (yin).

 

 

In ancient China, the well-being of the state’s people depended on the well-being of the emperor, believed to be a conduit and representative of heaven. Thus, the emperor’s position was accepted as the pivotal perspective in Chinese cosmology. During imperial ceremonies, the emperor faced south towards his subjects who faced north. By doing so he opened himself up to the influence of heaven, in the extreme yang direction of south (top), and turned his back to earth, in the extreme yin direction of north (bottom). His left was in the east (yang) and his right was in the west (yin). (see table below for correspondences)

 

 

Yijing Numerology: Application of Natural Philosophy

The concept of yin and yang was probably first seen in the Book of Changes (Yijing) (700 BCE). This book of philosophy and divination contains 64 hexagrams, each consisting of six lines, derived from broken (yin) and continuous (yang) lines. During the Warring States period (446-221 BCE), the concepts of yin-yang and five elements (wuxing) were developed by the Naturalist School (Yinyangjia), whose main advocate was Zhou Yan (c.350-270 BCE). Yinyangjia became common heritage for the Neo-Confucianist schools of the Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties who formed a coherent philosophy of nature, ethics, sociology, and astrology. (Maciocia 1-2)

 

In Yijing numerology, the two basic phases of energy (liangyi) is expressed quantitatively in the first dimension as 2 (21), two points within one, or duality within unity.

 

Separation and Integration:

Yin and yang represent the polar manifestations of the supreme ultimate (taiji) that cause the creation of the universe through its separation and integration. The separation of yang and yin formed heaven and earth. The interplay of yin and yang formed the five elements (wuxing), which unfolded into the ten thousand things (wanwu). All phenomena are viewed as an eternal cyclical process of transforming into its opposite upon arriving at its extreme phase. This cycle of yin-yang alternation, constant change, expresses the movement of the Tao.

 

The generating yang is light energy that ascends to the higher sphere and the receiving yin is heavy energy that descends to the lower sphere. Yin and yang are created through their separation. The interaction of the two energies represents the principle of equilibrium (taijitu), and the creation of threeness within oneness. (see fig. 17-19, and next section)

 

Integration of yin and yang is expressed through the concepts of hua-zao and hun-po.  Transformation (hua), yang from heaven, gives form (zao) to yin, earth. At the time of conception, the corporeal soul (hun) comes from heaven and unites with the earth, by residing in the liver, an anatomically inferior located organ. The animal spirit (po) comes from earth and joins the heaven, by residing in the lungs, an anatomically superior located organ. At death, the hun and po return to their origins. This movement of hun and po demonstrates a juxtaposition, which binds the center. (see fig. 18)

 

Taijitu: Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate

The Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate (Taijitu) was created by the Neo-Confucianist, Zhou Dunyi (1017-73 CE), to describe the creation of the ten thousand things (wanwu) from the supreme ultimate (taiji), which he considered verbatim to the original unconditioned state of existence (wuji) (see ‘taiji’ above). The diagram fuses the philosophies of Confucianism and Taoism.

 

The Taijitu is expressed geometrically as a circle (taiyi) enclosing two smaller inscribed circles (½ diameter of original enclosing circle) (formation of yin and yang), tangent to each other and the original enclosing circle. An s-curve (dao completes yin and yang formation) highlights half of the circumference of each lesser interior circle but on alternating sides. Lastly, two smaller circles (yang within yin and yin within yang) represent the extreme condition just prior to transforming into the opposite. The two smaller circles with ½ diameter of the inscribed circles, or ¼ the diameter of the original enclosing circle (bi), are drawn about the center points of each inscribed circle. The ¼ diameter circle location is determined by drawing a third ¼ diameter circle through the center of the other two (¼ diameter circles), with its center at their tangent. The Taijitu geometry expresses the logarithm (power 2) inherent in Yijing mathematics.

 

 

Shading can be determined through the rule of multiplying positives and negatives. For example, if three ¼ diameter circles are inscribed within the yin side ½ diameter circle, one being yang, and one being yin, then the middle circle will be yang. The shade of the inner circle cannot just be determined by being the opposite of the side it’s on, but also by multiplying the positive and negative factors of a side. (Remember, an odd number of negatives make a negative product, while an even number of negatives make a positive.)

 

On the yin side, there are two (even) yin factors (two ¼ diameter yin circles within the ½ diameter yin circle side) and one yang factor (¼ diameter yang middle juxtaposed circle), giving a yang product (¼ diameter yang inner central circle) (negative x negative = positive; then positive x positive = positive). It is the opposite on the yang side with two yang factors and one yin factor, giving a yin product (positive x positive = positive; then positive x negative = negative). (see fig. 2, 19-20)

 

The Taijitu represents two complementary spheres of polar energies that co-exist within a great unity, or infinity within unity (figure 8 within a circle). These two spheres, or points, relative to any aspect in physics or metaphysics, create a line (2nd dimension) of force, which reinforces their natural attraction.

 

Multiplicity and Diversity:

One is only definable through two. Unity can become multiplicity and diversity. Duality is the result of the creator dividing itself within itself, thus creating two. The truth of every evolution or progression is rhythmic alternation or oscillation. Everything alternates towards its opposite. The only inevitability in cosmic life is alternation. While one represents God, the creator, two represents the self, or ‘me,’ or the created multiplicity. (Lawlor) (see fig. 20) One is an odd (yang) number, representing the energy of heaven, which transforms into the matter of earth, represented by an even (yin) number, two.

 

 

Squaring the Circle: Circle, Arch, Section [Sanskrit: Mandala] (see fig. 16, 21-23)

Unity is represented by a circle. By squaring the circle, unity is now represented by the square (see fig. 21), symbolizing the transformation of energy into matter. The square with four primary orientations (N, S, E, W) makes space comprehensible. Two pairs of equal yet opposite linear elements (axis of Taijitu) fulfill the universal nature. A square is made of four equal straight lines joined at right angles. Any number multiplied by itself is a square. Multiplication, symbolized by a cross, generates a square surface. Crossing is an action principle. Nature means “that which is born,” (multiplicity) which requires a crossing of opposites in order to represent the earth.

 

 

Pythagoras said, “The purpose of life was to discover and manifest supernatural existence within the finite.”

 

Root of Destiny:

The finite perfection is represented by limited whole number arithmetic (ie. square = earth, nature). The division of unity occurs when the supernatural is manifested within the natural [ie. the square is divided by its diagonal (Ö2)]. The side of the original square is called its ‘root’ and is given the value of 1. The area of the square is also 1. The diagonal gave rise to 2 because square 2 is implied (grows out of the original square). The diagonal of square 1 becomes the root of square 2 (twice the area of square 1). (Lawlor) (see fig. 23)

 

The natural world undergoes change (growth) through the diagonal (root; supernatural symbol of the archetypal realm; irrational function). The Pythagoreans called these archetypal symbols (irrational functions), ‘unutterables’ (Ö2, p).

 

?         Living naturally means lengthening the yang, or subtle cycle.

?         Living supernaturally means to eliminate yin, or course sphere, and become purely subtle.

 

Two leads to the endless proliferation (generative) through the unchanging geometric progression [a:b::b:c/1:2::2:4]. Root two represents the power of multiplicity, unlimited expansion, and growth pattern of cellular fission in living organisms. Like a vegetal root that is embedded in the earth, the root of the square is embedded in the former square. The plant depends on the root for stability and nutrition. The root breaks down fixed minerals in the earth. Like root two, it destroys in order to progress. Roots contain incredible yang energy; the power to grow. Desert roots have been known to burrow over a hundred feet to reach water. Roots aggressively hunt for sustenance that will provide nourishment and protection. The root is a symbol of natural sacrifice, for its efforts are not for itself. (Lawlor)

 

The diagonal of the square (Ö2) transforms 1 into 2. It can represent the transformation of food into energy, abstract thinking into reason and understanding, sexual reproduction (if the human height is 1, then the square’s diagonal demarks the genitals at its midpoint) (see fig. 10, 31), and lightning. Lightning is the root of the sky, transforming carbon and nitrogen into compounds for plants. If the height of the human body is 1, then the navel center (hara) measures 2-Ö2 from foot to navel, and Ö2-1 from head to navel. In neidan, the navel center is associated with self-control and self-transmutation.

 

Laozi says, “to seek one’s root is to pursue one’s destiny.”

 

Root progressions can be represented generatively (Ö2 divides the surface of a square), formatively (Ö3 divides a volume, cube), and regeneratively (Ö5 divides the surface of a double square).

 

Energetic Cycles: represents the state of energy applied to the daily, moon, yearly, and life cycles (see fig. 1)

 

Temporal Correlations: Cyclical Phases (see fig. 3)

Fundamentally, yin and yang measure time through progressively alternating phases. Therefore, phenomenological development is the result of this alternation. Furthermore, every phenomenon contains duality at different degrees of manifestation, depending on the development of the phase. In other words, every phenomenon belongs to a particular phase, but also contains the seed of the opposite phase. In turn, these components define the four directions and the five elements.

 

“The yin and the yang of the four seasons are the basis of the myriad things. Therefore a wise man will nourish yang in spring and summer, yin in autumn and winter. Follow this fundamental law and you will be on the threshold of birth and growth; rebel against it and you will destroy its root and harm its truth. For yin and yang and the four seasons are the beginning and the end of the myriad things, the roots of life and death. If you rebel against them you will destroy life, if you follow them disease will not arise…He who follows yin and yang will have life; he who rebels against them will die. Obey and you will be cured; rebel and calamity will follow.” (Suwen as quoted in Mann)

 

YIN AND YANG ASPECTS FOR SEASONS AND TIMES (Suwen)

Aspect

Solar Season (year)

Lunar Period (month)

Time (day)

Yang w/in yin = growth of yang

Spring (equinox)

Half Moon (waxing)

Dawn 

Yang w/in yang = absolute yang

Summer (solstice)

Full Moon

Noon (utmost yang)

Yin w/in yang = growth of yin

Autumn (equinox)

Half Moon (waning)

Dusk

Yin w/in yin = absolute yin

Winter (solstice)

New Moon

Midnight (utmost yin)

 

“In winter on the 45th day (the beginning of spring) the yang qi is slightly superior and the yin qi is slightly inferior; in summer on the 45th day (the beginning of autumn) the yin qi is slightly superior and the yang qi is slightly inferior.” (Suwen as quoted in Mann)

 

Phases of Transformation: (see fig. 24)

The duality of phase can also be applied to phenomenological transformation. Yang represents subtle, intangible, and gaseous states of aggregation (heaven-energy), while yin represents coarse, tangible, and solid states of aggregation (earth-matter).

 

“Heaven is an accumulation of yang, earth is an accumulation of yin.” (Suwen as quoted in Maciocia)

 

The two types of aggregation, energy and matter, are not independent of each other, but transform into each other through an infinite number of progressions.

 

“Yin is quiet, yang is active. Yang gives life, yin makes it grow…Yang is transformed into qi, yin is transformed into material life.” (Suwen as quoted in Maciocia)

 

Yang corresponds to creation, activity, expansion, and ascending. Yin corresponds to condensation, materialization, contraction, and descending.

 

Lines: (see fig. 24)

The lines express the language of energy movement and its polar strength, particularly as the building blocks of Yijing divination.

?         Continuous (1): odd = yang (strong force)

?         Broken (2): even = yin (weak force)

 

Axis: (see fig. 47)

Alternatively, the cardinal axis of polar trigrams of the early sequence represent life (south-heaven) and death (north-earth) belonging to yang (N-S axis), and growth (east-fire) and storage (west-water) belonging to yin (E-W axis).

 

Main ideas:

¤      Two opposite phases form a complementary unity

¤      One phase contains the seed of the other

¤      Nothing is totally one phase

¤      Each phase will inevitably transform into the other

 

Identifications:

?         Yang: light side; life, vitalizing, heaven, man, aggressive, time

?         Yin: dark side; death, devitalizing, earth, woman, passive, space

?         Circle: their integration

 

DUALITY OF YIN AND YANG

Scope

Yang

Yin

Nature

Phases of Cyclical Movement

Day

Night

Sun         

Moon

Light

Dark (Obscured)

Clear day

Cloudy day, Clouds

Activity

Rest

Heaven (sky)

Earth

Round (vault)

Square (flat)

Time

Space

Energy

Matter

Light

Heavy

Creative

Receptive

Generates

Grows

Expansion: Upward/Outward/Movement

Contraction: Downward/Inward/Stillness

Ascending

Descending

Upper

Lower

Hard

Soft

Fire

Water

East, South

West, North

Left

Right

Autumn, Winter

Spring, Summer

Dragon, Bird

Tiger, Turtle

Green, Red

White, Black

Odd numbered day

Even numbered day

Mercury

Lead

 

Long-Hu: Dragon-Tiger

Dragon and tiger are symbols of yang and yin, being polar opposites on the X-axis (yin: east-west) of the four directions (sigong). In neidan symbolism, the dragon comes from li and the tiger comes from kan.

 

The Brain:

?         Right Hemisphere: intuition influenced by the moon; water

?         Left Hemisphere: logic influenced by the sun; fire

 

Dynamic Energy Flow in Acceleration: (see fig. 19)

The faster the flow progresses, the more rapid its decrease,” –Ni, Hua Jing

 

“When yang reaches its highest point, yin grows; when yin is at its fullest, yang starts on its way.” –Ni, Hua Jing

 

Shen: Deities of Heaven and Earth (Shambhala), (Stevens), (Lurker)

Wenchang Dijun: God of Literature

Wenchang is the Taoist deity of literature, as well as the constellation of six stars in the vicinity of the big dipper. It is believed that when these stars are bright, literature flourishes. According to legend, Wenchang descended to earth and incarnated as a human 17 times. He is believed to be the author of various miraculous tomes that were revealed to humanity, and is venerated by scholars on the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. Scholars believe he influences the filling of official posts, promotions within bureaucracy, and maintenance of records and registers. Both Wenchang and Confucius record the details of the life and death of all scholars, and may be petitioned to alter a scholar’s lifespan.

 

He is usually portrayed as holding a wish fulfilling sceptor (juyi), and in the company of a stellar deity (Guixing), responsible for issuing official testimonials, and Red Robed One (Zhuyi), a patron for ill-prepared candidates for official examinations. He has two polar distinctive assistants, Tianlong and Diya.

 

Tianlong-Diya: Father Heaven and Mother Earth

Tianlong and Diya are a pair of divine assistants to Wenchang, God of Literature. Tianlong represents the father in heaven (yang), and Diya, also known as Mother Earth (Dimu), represents mother earth (yin). Their union is believed to be the progenital cause of all living things.

 

Sun and Moon Deities:

Shenyi: God of the Sun, The Divine Archer

According to mythos, at one time there were ten suns in heaven that threatened life on earth. Shenyi shot down nine suns and became the lord of the remaining one. Shenyi represents the light male yang principle, while his wife Henge represents the dark female yin principle.

 

 

Change: Goddess of the Moon

Change, or Henge, a beautiful goddess of popular legend, had a palace of immortals on the moon. She is the daughter (or sister) of the God of the Yellow River, Hebo. She is considered the patron of women, and prayed to by abused wives. Her husband, Shenyi or Houyi, was a great archer who was awarded an elixir of immortality by Xi Wangmu for shooting down nine of the ten suns that were scorching the earth, creating draught and famine. After stealing and swallowing her husband’s elixir, and becoming an immortal, she fled her husband’s wrath to the moon as a toad. There she lives stranded, cold and alone with only the companionship of a hare. On clear nights, it is said that the hare can be seen pounding the elixir on the face of the moon. She is portrayed wearing regal garments carrying the disc of the moon in her right hand. She represents the dark female yin principle, while her husband, Shenyi represents the light male yang principle.

 

Taiyin Xingjun: Lady of Yin

Taiyin Xingjun (Lady of Yin, Goddess of the Moon) with Taiyang Xingjun (Lord of Yang, God of the Sun) are creation deities which regulate nature and climate, particularly light (dark and light) and temperature (cold and heat). They are worshipped by farmers and fisherman as protective deities.

 

Yuexia Laoren: Old Man of the Moon, Divine Matchmaker

The Old Man of the Moon, a deity, of popular legend, is believed to bind intended couples before their births with an invisible red thread, which when knotted, links them forever, despite any contrary wishes. The Chinese say that marriages are made on the moon.

 

Erjiang: The Two Commanders, or Gatekeepers Hong and Ha [sim. Sumerian Nergal and Ninurta]

Hong and Ha represent two complementary halves of the absolute unity. Hong represents the diamond world of the spirit (yang), while Ha represents the world of the elements (yin). In the Buddhist pantheon, they are called Dvarapala (Gate keepers), demon guards (yaksa), or armored guards, who fortify the entrances to temples and monasteries.

 

According to the Fengshen yanyi, Hong and Ha were great generals for the Shang dynasty tyrant emperor, Zhou Xin. They are portrayed with their mouths open, one wider than the other, indicating their use of magic in warfare. Ha blew a deadly yellow gas from his mouth with a vocal “ha!” Hong snorted a white vaporization beam from his nose (or third eye) with a vocal “hong!” Thus, they became known as “Ha the Blower,” and “Hong the Snorter.” Eventually, they found themselves on opposing sides dueling to the death, resulting in a double fatality. They were later canonized by Jiang Ziya as the gate guardians of the Buddha. They can be commonly seen guarding the gates of monasteries and temples of Yunnan, Jiangxi, and Xian. As guards, they are portrayed with gigantic muscles, armored, and poised to strike with a spear or sword. Ha is positioned on the left (if facing the gate), portrayed with an open mouth and a vermilion or blue face, while Hong is positioned on the right, portrayed with a partially opened mouth and a green or charcoal face.

 

In residences and public buildings, the spirit gatekeepers (menshen), are commonly believed to have been Chin Shubao and Ho Jingde, also two generals, but of the Tang dynasty emperor, Tang Taizong. The menshen guard against evil spirits (gui).

 

Wang Lingguan: General or Marshal Wang

General Wang is famous for destroying demons, particularly during the Shang-Zhou wars, after which he was awarded deification and the title, Heavenly Marshal of the Ministry of Fire. General Wang is portrayed as a soldier, wearing tiger armor, a small Taoist crown, having a red face, red beard, and three eyes (two protrude slightly and one vertical third eye). His mouth is agape with anger, and he has two parietal tufts of hair that help identify demons. He holds a ‘whip’ (magical sword) in his right hand over his head, while holding a Magic Finger of Golden Light for protection against demons and ghosts with his left hand (pressing forward at waist level with the middle finger extended, pointing vertically with other fingers entwined). General Wang is ready to obey any order from the Jade Emperor.

 

Guandi: God of War

Guandi is considered the patron of literature and protector of merchants. He is considered a righteous guardian and queller of demons. Before he was deified for virtuous heroism in warfare, he was known as Guanzhong, who was killed in battle. He is the court figure equivalent of Zhenwu.

 

Houtu: Mother Earth

Spirit of the Earth (Houtu), or Land and Grain, is also known as Mother Earth (Houtu Furen). The Houtu cult is centered in Wanrong, Shanxi, where she is portrayed as a matronly figure. From the Zhou dynasty, Houtu was worshiped as an earth spirit (male), who was in charge of the underworld, and therefore offered sacrificial offerings after a death. According to legend, Houtu was an assistant to Huangdi. Houtu might be the synthesis of Sheji (God of Harvest) and Houji (God of Fields and Crops) from remote antiquity.

 

Sheji: God of Harvest

God of Harvest (Sheji), also known as the God of Soil and Grain, maintains one of the oldest agrarian cults, well established by the Zhou dynasty. Sheji was only worshiped by the aristocracy, who dedicated altars to him, west of the Imperial City, Beijing, and outside the Palace City, Nanjing. Each altar, in phallic form, were made of a square stone with an arrangement of five different pounded, colored soils from different regions (reminiscent of legend of Nugua), which belonged to the ruler and his vassals. The Tutelary Earth God (Tudi Gong), and the object of the fertility cult, pre-dating the Han dynasty, has been identified with Sheji. Today, farmers worship Sheji to control insect pests and to ensure a good harvest.

 

Houji: God of Fields and Crops

According to legend, Houji was a descendant of Huangdi and appointed Minister of Agriculture by Shun. Local lore varies in saying that Houji was a descendant of Shen Nong, while others claim he was the progenitor of the Zhou dynasty, who settled in northern Shaanxi and later venerated as a deity, giving the people wheat and barley. He is also known as the God of Millet, and God of Cereals.

 

Yuqiang: God of the Sea and Ocean Winds

As the sea god, he rides upon two dragons in the form of a fish’s body. As the wind god, he has the body of a bird and the face of a human.

 

Hebo: River Duke

In popular Chinese folk religion, he is considered the divine ruler of all rivers. It is believed that he achieved immortality by weighing himself down to the bottom of the river with stones. Until the end of the Zhou dynasty, a maiden was sacrificed to him annually, by being thrown into the river as his bride.

 

Gui/Guixian: Demons of the Underworld and Ghosts (yin); (Shambhala), (Robinet), (Stevens), (Lurker)

Gui refers to the spirit of the dead, formed of the negative yin component of the soul, or corporeal soul (po), after death. The term gui applies to all dead souls outside an individual’s family. Gui are feared because they are capable of avenging injustices committed against them during their life. Hungry ghosts are those who have committed suicide, drowned, were executed, died a long way from home, or have no descendents, and due to their attachment to mortality, could not be reincarnated. They were doomed to wander as evil spirits.

 

Offerings of paper money (issued from the bank of the underworld), or paper houses, are burned so that gui can accumulate merit in their world. In the 7th month (autumn equinox) of each year, the feast of hungry ghosts is celebrated, at which the community strives to appease these lost souls with ceremonial sacrifices.

 

According to popular belief, gui wear clothes with no hems, and their bodies cast no shadows, so that they are perceived as a mere vapor. Their voices differ from those of the living. On the other side, gui perceive humans as a dim red light. Neidan teaches that the spiritual embryo (shengtai) must consist of pure yang, because even the most minute trace of yin within the embryo will render it vulnerable to gui.

 

Zhonggui: God of Literature and Examinations

Zhonggui committed suicide after the authorities did not grant him a deserved first-place examination. Eventhough he is therefore, guixian, he is also considered the protector against evil spirits and demons. His portrait, hung at the end of the year, is used to ward off demons. His sword expels the five venomous creatures, the snake, centipede, scorpion, lizard, and toad.

 

Huangquan: Underworld of the Yellow Springs

Huangquan (Yellow Springs) is the name for the underworld, which was the returning destination for the corporeal soul (po) after death. Huangquan, believed to be a watery place situated in the north, reveals the ancient customs of burial site positions and the head orientation of the buried dead. The north also indicates an energetic quality of rebirth.

 

Siming/Zaojun: Lord of Destiny/God of the Family Hearth, Kitchen God

Siming, one of the most important deities of religious Taoism (8th c.BCE), is better known today in popular folk religion as Zaojun. He determines the lifespan of each individual. He keeps a register of human transgressions and omissions, from which he informs the Supreme One (Taiyi), and requests a lifespan modification of the individual in question, accordingly. Siming keeps a Book of Death, which lists mortals, and a Book of Life, which lists immortals (shen). According to the Shangqing pai, Siming, as well as Taiyi, inhabit one of the nine compartments of the three dantians. Shamans, the precursor of the masters of method (fangshi), frequently contacted Siming.

 

Siming later became identified with Zaojun, the most important deity of popular religion. Zaojun is the family tutelary deity and domestic representative of Yuhuang. Devotees fix a picture of Zaojun above the hearth, and venerated on new moon and full moon days. From the hearth, representing the heart (emperor) of the dwelling, Zaojun records filial behavior and submits an annual report to Yuhuang between the 12th day of the final lunar month and lunar New Year’s Day. It is customary to smear honey around the mouth of Zaojun on New Year’s Eve to ensure a favorable report to Yuhuang. The reports are archived for review at the day of someone’s death, when each person is summoned to the courts of the underworld to receive judgment. Zaojun is usually portrayed as being surrounded by children, and is worshiped as a protector of the family.

 

Chenghuang: City God

Chenghuang is a tutelary and protection deity of the capital and walled cities, who wards off disasters, and is the local representative of the Jade Emperor. Chenghuang can ward off disasters, cause rainfall in draughts, bring out the sun, grant good harvests, and ensure the success of the citizens. His temple was named celestial court (yamen). Chenghuang controlled human morality through intimidation with the promise of dreadful punishments after death. Chenghuang’s office verifies and examines souls (hun-po) of the recently dead, before being transferred to the Underworld Courts, where judgment is passed and final destination is determined, reincarnation on earth or immortality on Kunlun. Chenghuang is regularly petitioned by Taoist devotees on behalf of the deceased to intercede with the Ten Judges of the Underworld.

 

In the Chenghuang tradition of ancient times, adopted by the Taoists, prominent citizens who devoted their life to the public good were venerated as Chenghuang. It is common to witness a statue of Chenghuang being carried in parades during the feast day of a city.

 

Dongyue Dadi: Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak

The Fengshen yanyi describes how Yellow Flying Tiger (Huang Feihu or Fei), a human prince, was canonized by Jiang Ziya to become the Lord of Taishan (Dongyue Dadi, or Taiyue Dadi). He was originally portrayed as chthonic deity taking the form of a one-eyed bull with a snake’s tail. After many adventures during the Shang-Zhou wars, he was venerated as the supreme ruler of the underworld and the senior Lord of the Five Sacred Peaks of Taoism at Taishan, assistant to Yudi.

 

Taishan, Shandong province, one of the five mountains, has been regarded as the abode of the dead, where souls are processed by its residing gods. His bureaucracy maintains the register, the Book of Life, that records the death due dates of the living. After a soul is arrested (death), it is escorted by runners from the yamen before the City God (Chenghuang) with the Earth God’s (Houtu) identity verification report. The City God then endorses the Earth God’s report and may add information, before transferring the soul under escort to the First Court of the Underworld, where the process of purging the soul of all sin begins.

 

Mingfu Shiwang: Ten Presiding Judges of the Underworld

It is generally accepted that there is a judge or king that rules each of the ten courts of the underworld, the first and last being administrative. Yanluo Wang is the supreme judge of all ten courts, Lord of the Underworld (sim. to Hindu Yama). The Mingfu Shiwang have assistants, either scholar-clerks, or bestial torturers.

 

The First Court maintains a register of the living and the dead, contains details of allotted life spans, and behavior reports of good and bad deeds committed by a soul during life. If good deeds outweigh bad deeds, the soul is transferred to the Tenth Court, also administrative, where the soul’s destiny is determined, as an immortal in the Western Heavens (Kunlun), reincarnated as a human or animal, or retained in the underworld as a hungry ghost or demon.

 

After the soul has passed through all Ten Courts, and purged of its sins, it prepares for reincarnation in the human world. In the Hall of Oblivion, Mengpo Niangniang (Grandmother Meng) administers the soup of forgetfulness, which erases all memory of the soul before it takes rebirth. After rebirth, the soul passes out of Taishan jurisdiction until it is arrested again.

 

TEN HELLS

Hell

Judge/King (Yama/Wang)

Crime

1

Chinguang

Wickedness (look into mirror and see all those one has harmed); processing

2

Chujiang

Corrupt and dishonest go betweens in marriage

3

Songdi

Failure to abide

4

Wuguan

Swindling and tricking

5

Yama

Religious crime

6

Piancheng

Profanity in language, behavior, or attitude

7

Taishan (Grand Emperor of the Eastern Peak)

Tomb robbers

8

Bingteng

Filial disloyalty

9

Tushi

Suicide, abortion, pornography (most feared: only escape is to return to earth as a ghost)

10

Quanlu

Rules over rebirth

 

THREE SPHERES OF HEAVEN (SANTIAN): Three Heavens within One (see fig. 1, 16, 25-26)

The trinity is expressed qualitatively in the first dimension as 3 (31), three points within one. The one gave birth to the two that gave birth to the three; three within one (sanyi), three heavens within one (santian), or three powers (sanzai).

 

Santian is expressed geometrically by drawing a third circle (½ diameter of original circle) with the same center as the original circle (taiyi), and through the center points of the two interior circles (yin-yang). This geometry of overlapping circles is the starting point for constructing the kabballah. (see fig. 5)

 

As mentioned in the above section, the two polar spheres represent yang-yin, heaven-earth, mind-body, longevity-prosperity, and universal unchanging archetypal consciousness-changing empirical typal consciousness. While the juxtaposition of the two spheres represents the creation of fundamental threeness, perceiving humanity, spirit, happiness, and the balancing ectypal intermediary consciousness. (see fig. 15)

 

 

 

Sanqi: Three Breaths (Mystery, Inceptive, Original) (see fig. 26); (Shambhala), (Robinet)

The chaotic void underwent change and fused the three primordial breaths (sanqi) into the Jade Maiden (Xuanmiao), representing the mysterious female, who gave birth to Laozi, representing the Tao. Laozi separated the breaths to form the myriad creatures. Tao interacts by breathing subtly the three colors, (xuan, shi, yuan). The dark, mysterious breath (xuanqi) is pure and light, which ascended to form the sky (heaven) with a blue-green color. The inceptive, gestative breath (shiqi) is heavy and turbulent, which descended to form the earth with yellow breath. The primordial breath (yuanqi) flowed outward to form water and the stars (human) with white breath.

 

Huangtingjing: (see fig. 63); (Shambhala), (Robinet)

The Book of Yellow Court (Huangtingjing) describes the physiology of a human being as a vertical axis (quality of yin and yang, known as the central channel, or great meridian) surrounded by a rotational horizontal plane (cyclical five elements). The vertical axis is segmented into three parts, each having three centers, or elixir fields (dantians), where the yuanqi accumulates. These three centers are the simultaneous homes of life as the three original immortals (sanyuan), and death as the three worms (sanchung), or worldly demons. The rotary horizontal plane has five spiritual aspects that are housed in the five viscera (zang). This geometry is similar to the concept of the Six Deities (Liujia). This physiology takes in the twenty-four breaths of the year, or spirits of light, which correspond to the twenty-four solar months. (see fig. 3) (see also ‘History’ section)

 

?         Heaven (formed by xuanqi- eastern azure): The light circle represents the spiritual realm. The circle, expressing completeness of the natural method (dao), represents the heaven. The goal of spiritual cultivation is to achieve total fulfillment and purification, so that the pure yang body can ascend into immortality.

 

?         Earth (formed by shiqi- central yellow): The dark circle represents the material realm, contamination, ghosts, bondage, and sorrow. The square, expressing cardinal directionality of virtue (de), represents the earth.

 

?         Human/Stars/Water (formed by yuanqi- western white): The integration of the two realms represents the realm of humans, or human life before the achievement of the subtle yang body. The octagon, two inscribed squares, represents a humanity that harmonizes the natural method (dao) with the virtue (de).

 

The primordial breath (yuanqi) manifested into the Three Primordial Ones (Sanyuan), or various Taoist trinities that evolved throughout the ages. The Three Primordial Ones, parallelling the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), were the Venerable Celestial One of the Original Beginning (Father: Yuanshi Tianzun), Lord Tao (Holy Spirit: Daojun), and Lord Lao (Son: Laojun).

 

Sanqing Daozu: Three Pure Ones (see fig. 26); (Shambhala), (Robinet), (Stevens)

The Fengshen yanyi refers to the Taoist trinity as the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing Daozu) of the three Taoist heavens. They are creation deities who rule the cosmos from the highest heaven. The Doctrine of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqingjing) describes that the trinity is the internal personification of three treasures (sanbao), breath or energy (qi), vital essence (jing), and spirit (shen). The Three Pure Ones are often confused with the Three Ancient Emperors (Sanguan Dadi), which are the personified trinity of the Jade Emperor (see below).

 

1)       Yuanshi Tianzun: Venerable Celestial One of the Original Beginning (Yuqing)

Considered the supreme deity in religious Taoism (Daojiao), represents the deity of the primordial beginning who was born at the beginning of the universe as a result of the three breaths merging, and then formulated heaven and earth. Dominating the first phase of cosmological creation, he commands the Heaven of the Heavenly Ones, or Heaven of Jade Purity (Yuqing), therefore he is also referred to as the Perfect One, the Jade One (Yuqing), and Lord of the Heavenly Jewel (Tianbaojun).

 

Yuanshi Tianzun existed in hundun for eons as the unchanging truth, or the primordial cause of creation. Being formed from yuanqi, explains why following his doctrine leads to immortality. At the beginning of each eon, he transmits the Scriptures of the Magic Jewel (Lingbaojing) to subordinate deities, who use it to teach the Tao to humanity. The earliest mention of Yuanshi Tianzun in the writings of the alchemist, Ge Hong. Yuanshi Tianzun replaced Huanglaojun, the supreme deity of early Taoism who now is subordinate. Yuanshi Tianzun is believed to be eternal, invisible, limitless, and the source of all things, who transmits the truth contained in the Lingbaojing. He is said to reside in the Taluotian, above the Sanqing heavens.

 

The Fengshen yanyi refers to Yuanshi Tianzun as the supreme Taoist deity who authorized the deification of the ministers and warriors after the Shang-Zhou wars. After Yuanshi Tianzun retired from the throne in the Kunlun mountains, he was succeeded by the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang). Yuanshi Tianzun was one of the earliest distinguishable deities of Taoism (4th–3rd c.BCE), while the Jade Emperor appeared much later (1000 CE). Yuanshi Tianzun is usually portrayed scantily dressed with a hair bun and beard, sitting on a lotus.

 

2)       Lingbao Tianzun: Highest Holy One, High Pure, Heavenly Elder of the Spiritual Treasure, or Magic Jewel (Shangqinq)

Also known as the High Pure Lord (Taishang Daojun), he existed since the creation of the universe, who represents energy, and devised the interaction of yin and yang, and heaven and earth. Lingbao Tianzun guards the Lingbaojing, and allocates time into the various epochs. Dominating the second phase of cosmological creation, he commands the Heaven of Great Purity, or the Heaven of the Perfect Ones (Shangqing).

 

3)       Shenbao Tianzun: The Greatest Holy One, Supreme Pure (Taiqing)

Also known as the Heavenly Venerable of the Tao and the Te (Daode Tianzun), Taishang Laojun, and Laojun (see ‘History’ section), he reveals the Taoist teachings of the Lingbaojing to humanity. Dominating the third phase of cosmological creation, he commands the Heaven of Highest Purity (Taiqing), and immortals.

 

Hongjun Laozu: (Stevens)

Hongjun Laozu, considered a spirit of creation, is personified yuanqi. In the Fengshen yanyi, he is considered the Great Ancestor, and Master of the Patriarchs, who trained Laozi and the earliest immortals. Hongjun Laozu mediated peace between three conflicting heroes who were later deified as the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing Daozu). They assembled in Jiang Ziya’s camp, where Hongjun Laozu lectured on the evils of aiding the evil tyrant Zhou Xin. Hongjun made them each swallow a pill that would explode resulting in their deaths if they harbored any evil thought.

 

Sanguan Dadi: Three Rulers (Shambhala), (Robinet), (Stevens)

In popular myth, another but similar representation of the Taoist Trinity is referred to as the Three Ancient Emperors, the Three Great Primordial Rulers, and the Lords (controllers) of Heaven, Earth, and Water (Sanguan Dadi). The trinity is known to be the source of happiness and their ability to avert calamities and sickness. The Jade Emperor dispatched the trinity to observe people’s thoughts and actions. The trinity is comprised of Ruler of Heaven (Tianguan), Ruler of Earth (Diguan), and Ruler of Water or Humanity (Shuiguan or Renguan). The Three Rulers parallel the Three August Ones (Sanhuang) (see ‘Wudi’ below).

 

1)       Tianguan: Ruler of Heaven

The Ruler of Heaven is associated with the Jade Emperor, who bestows luck and prosperity. He is also known as the Emperor of Heaven (Tianhuang).

 

2)       Diguan: Ruler of Earth

The Ruler of Earth is associated with God of Agriculture (Shennong), or Universal Creator (Pangu), who judges the sins of humanity, and grants remission for those who repent. He is also known as the Emperor of Earth (Dihuang).

 

3)       Shuiguan: Ruler of Water

The Ruler of Water is associated with Laozi, who assists believers to overcome obstacles (dispels evil and heals sickness), and bestows happiness. He is also known as the Emperor of Humanity (Renhuang).

 

The Sanguan Dadi goes back to the beginning of religious Taoism, when their assistance was enlisted for healing ceremonies (exorcisms) by founding Celestial Master Zhang Daoling, leader of the Five Bushels of Rice movement (Wudoumi dao), and Zhang Lu, leader of the Way of Supreme Peace (Taipingdao). In the healing ceremony, the sick would write their sins on three strips of paper, one for each ruler. The strip intended for Tianguan was burned or left on a mountain peak. The strip for Diguan was buried. And the strip for Shuiguan was thrown into the river.

 

The Sanguan Dadi is not usually identified together, but when they are they hold the registers of good an evil deeds. Tianguan is usually shown representing the Sanguan Dadi and holding a scroll inscribed, “The Ruler of Heaven bestows good fortune.” For this reason, Tianguan is typically associated with the Three Stellar Deities (Sanxing). (compare similarities below with ‘Sanxing’)

 

Sanxing (Fu-Lu-Shou): Three Stellar Deities, Gods of Good Fortune, Triad of Merit (Happiness, Prosperity, Longevity)

Another Taoist trinity, is the Three Stellar Deities, or Three Fortune Deities (Sanxing), Fushen, Caishen, and Shoulao, which are most commonly seen on Taoist altars as the embodiments of merit, happiness (fu) (ie. having children) (right), and prosperity (lu) (center), and longevity (shou) (left), respectively (directions are relative to observer). The Sanxing were venerated by Shangqing pai as the regulators of the poles (referred to as the tree of life), pertaining specifically to the accomplishment of merit, as well as being worshiped widespread in popular religion. (see fig. 26)

 

Merit is the result of the consistent balance of intention shared between the mind’s thoughts, the spirit’s feelings, and the body’s actions. When the three components of the balanced intention fuse into the moment, the mind’s thoughts transform into the disciple’s discipline, the spirit’s feelings transform into the master’s devotion, and the body’s actions transform into the servant’s diligence. Longevity is the accomplishment of the mind’s principle of disciplined wisdom. Happiness is the accomplishment of the spirit’s understanding of devotional contentment. Prosperity is the accomplishment of the body’s instinct of diligent sensitivity. (see fig. 25)

 

1)       Fushen/Fuxing: God of Luck/Lucky Star (Happiness); [Star 5 of Big Dipper]

The Lucky Star (Fuxing) is portrayed wearing an official’s blue robes and he has his son in his arm. He is symbolized as a bat (a good luck sign). Fuxing is often associated with Tianguan.

 

Fuxing has been identified in tradition as a government official, Yangcheng (6th c.CE), who came from the village of Dao Zhou, which was inhabited by dwarfs. The emperor frequently summoned the dwarfs because he fancied their company, which diminished the population of Dao Zhou. Yangcheng petitioned the emperor to cease his summoning, and he complied out of utter sincerity.

 

Fuxing is also identified with general Kuozi I (8th c.CE), who saved the Tang Dynasty from destruction after an uprising. When he requested assistance from the Celestial Weaver to grant him fame and fortune, she responded that he is already the God of Wealth.

 

2)       Caishen/Luxing: God of Riches/Star of Honor and Status (Prosperity); [Star 6 of Big Dipper]

The Prosperity Star (Luxing), also known as Guanxing (Star of State Officials), is a hermit with supernatural powers who rides a black tiger. He is symbolized as a stag.

 

Luxing has been identified in tradition as Shifei, a vassal of the Han Dynasty founder, and the God of Literature (Wenchang Dijun).

 

3)       Shoulao/Shouxing: God of Longevity/Star of Longevity; [Star 4 of Big Dipper]

The Star of Longevity (Shouxing) carries a peach and his sacred animal is a white crane. Shoulao, or Shoulaoren, is also known as Nanji Tianjun (Old Immortal of the South Pole). Shouxing is a domestic deity prayed to by the elderly around their 60th birthday (full cycle). According to legend, Shouxing was the patriarch Peng, who lived a thousand years (2000-1000 BCE), marrying 19 wives and surviving 54 sons. Shouxing determines a human’s mortal lifespan. He is portrayed as a white-bearded old man with a broad smile, ear lobes that hang to his shoulders, high protruding forehead believed to be full of yangqi, carrying a knobby staff which hangs a magical fungus in one hand (a symbol of the immortals, or shen), and an immortality peach in the other. He is symbolized by a mushroom or a turtle.

 

A famous legend describes how Nanji Tianjun extended the lifespan of Zhao Yen from 19 to 91 years (flipping the digits) after he offered wine and meat to the God of the North and South Poles, who regulate the date of birth and death, respectively.

 

 

Fulu: Longevity Talisman (Shambhala)

These were magical talismans of Laojun, who revealed them to Zhang Daoling. Fulu are strips of paper, metal, or bamboo inscribed with ideograms, used to heal sickness and exorcise demons. They became widely used by Zhengyi dao. Originally fulu were divine contracts, employed by celestial master priests (tianshi) that were split in half for each party to honor. The fulu ensured divine protection against illness if the devotee maintained good behavior. Later, fulu were used as contracts for anything. Ge Hong advocated the importance of wearing fulu during longevity cultivation. Today, fulu are used to heal sickness, bring good fortune (child birth), and ward off catastrophes. 

 

Fulu were typically written in cloud script (yunzhuan), which resembled clouds. It was difficult to read and could only be understood by initiates. Yunzhuan were believed to have the properties of curing illness and warding off demons (gui).

 

Shou: Longevity (Shambhala)

The Taoists believed that an individual’s lifespan could be lengthened through internal alchemy, which utilized certain breathing, physical or sexual exercises, meditation, and avoiding certain foods. Longevity is considered the preliminary stage of immortality.

 

Sanhuang: Three August Ones (Shambhala), (Robinet), (Stevens), (Lurker)

The Text of the Three August Ones (Sanhuang wen), one of the fundamental works in fangshi ideology, became a main component in Ge Hong’s library and the Lingbaojing, as a structural foundation for internal alchemy. The Sanhuang discussed below are parallels to the Sanguan.

 

1)       Fu Xi: First World Emperor (Heaven Emperor) [sim.Sumerian: Adapa]; (see fig. 7)

            Oneness is represented also as the emperor, the divine incarnate ruler of earth. The first patriarchal emperor, Fu Xi (reigned. 2952-2836 BCE), is credited with the establishment of monarchy, hierarchical government, marriage laws, and the computation of time through the invention of a calendar in the form of a knotted cord. He is also credited with the invention of the bagua and the 64 hexagrams (early sequence), which outlines the cosmology fundamental in divination (ie. casting oracles with yarrow stalks) and writing ideograms. For this, he is known as the Patriarch of the Eight Trigrams and the Patron of Fortunetellers. Furthermore, he established a basis for social order through the invention of the one hundred family names and decreed that marriages may only occur between persons of differing family names, thus inventing the institution of marriage and ensuring registration for taxation. He also invented the fishing net from watching spiders, musical instruments, the breeding of silk worms, and taught people how to breed and tame animals [taught to Biblical Abel], cook food, and smelt iron [taught to Biblical Abel].

 

            Fu Xi is portrayed in primitive dress in skins or leaves. In earlier carvings and paintings he is portrayed with his sister/wife, Nugua, as two intertwined snakes (similar to today’s medical symbol; merman and mermaid) [sim.Sumerian symbol of Enki and Ninhursag]. Similarly, he has also been portrayed as having a dragon’s body and a bovine head [sim.Sumerian constellation Capricorn of Ea/Enki].

 

            He married his younger sister, Nugua [sim.Sumerian: Anunnaki succession code], in order to ensure the balance between yin and yang. Nugua’s symbol is the compass, while Fu Xi’s is the set square (which became the emblem of Dayu who later measured the world; geometry) together symbolizing the construction of the world, the round heaven and the square earth (represented geometrically as a square inscribed in the circle).

 

            In mythos, Fu Xi’s mother miraculously conceived by seeing a shooting star and gave birth 12 months later in Shaanxi province. Legend claims that Fu Xi was buried in Henan province, the center of his cult.

 

 

Jiutian Xuannu/Nugua: The Dark Lady of the Ninth Heaven [sim.Sumerian: Ninti/Ninhursag]

Jiutian Xuannu saved humanity from cataclysmic disaster. When she descended to earth to become a human, she became known as Nugua, the empress of Fu Xi. She was first recorded as a male, with a human head and snake or fish body. During the Han dynasty this portrayal shifted to a female connected with immortality, love, and war. According to the Fengshen yanyi, Nugua was born in Shanxi province as Fu Xi’s younger sister, whom he married. With Fu Xi, she is credited with instituting marriage, taming wild animals, instructing humanity how to irrigate water, and inventing the flute.

 

Sacrifice to Nugua ensured good weather. According to the Fengshen yanyi, the demon Gonggong (embodied in a black dragon) destroyed a mountain that supported the northwest section of heaven with a furious head butt. As a result, a black hole was created, releasing a terrible and continuous storm. Humanity petitioned Nugua to fill the hole. Nugua melted down many colorful stones from different regions into a molten which filled the hole. After the rain stopped a rainbow appeared where the multicolored molten patch was.

 

Nugua is also considered a creation deity, who molded humanity from primordial mud, yellow earth, after the separation of heaven and earth. Because the molding process became too time consuming, she dipped a rope in the mud, and then swung it around so that globs of mud would fall off it. The few and original handmade humans became wealthy and noble, while the mud splashes became the poor and common [sim.Sumerian: Ninhursag’s creation of humanity].

 

In the myth of the decline of the Shang dynasty, Nugua used magic on the evil emperor, Zhou Xin. Zhou Xin cought a glimpse of Nugua and wrote a blasphemous poem on her temple wall. Nugua got revenge by morphing three demons into beautiful maidens who were commanded to beguile Zhou Xin to his destruction. His avariciousness eventually turned his loyal subjects and his family against him. Ultimately, he committed suicide.

 

Nugua, also known as a goddess of love, became the patroness of matchmaking in modern times. She is prayed to by newly weds for a successful marriage. She married her older brother after the great flood in order to repopulate the earth. Local myth has located the escape from a mountain peak near Linfen, Shanxi, where they were born of lions. Despite this act of incest, she is responsible for the custom forbidding marriage within the same clan.

 

2)       Shennong: Second World Emperor (Earth Emperor) [sim.Sumerian: Ziusudra]; (see fig. 7)

The second patriarchal emperor, Shennong (reigned. 2800 BCE), is credited with the invention of agriculture (husbandry) and medicine (esp. herbal), thus is also known as the Divine Husbandman. As the God of Agriculture he is sometimes portrayed with the head of an ox. He is considered harmful to peasants as the God of the Hot Winds and his wife is known as the Goddess of the silkworm. He is listed as one of the Shangdi (High Gods) of the Han royal house. In mythology, he is considered one of the Sanhuang or Sanguan Dadi (Three Great Primordial Rulers) with the Jade Emperor and Laozi. Being regarded as the first farmer, his reign marked humanity’s transformation from hunters into farmers. Shennong introduced farming tools (wooden ploughs, metal axes, clay pottery), perfected the art of cultivating the five grains (wugu) (hemp, millet, rice, wheat, and pulse), and established markets to exchange produce.

 

Shennong is known as the Patron of Farmers and Herbalists. He analyzed the efficacy of herbs by ingesting them. According to legend, Shen Nong possessed a transparent stomach, which allowed him to observe his efficacy tests of herbs. He ultimately died from a test, where his whole body turned black. Shennong’s Treatise on Herbs (Shennong bencaojing) is the highest authority in China today on herbal medicine.

 

Early reliefs and prints portray Shennong either as a snake with a human head and arms, or as a human holding a two-pronged spade. Today, he is portrayed as primitive man sitting on a rock, wearing grass and leaves around his neck, waist (skirt), and calves. He is customarily portrayed with black skin, reflecting his death from poison. In south China, he is portrayed holding an ear of wheat or rice stalk, while in his home province of Shanxi in the north, he holds a head of millet or sorghum.

 

 

3)       Huangdi: Third World Emperor (Human Emperor) [sim.Sumerian: Gilgamesh]; (see fig. 7)

The third patriarchal emperor, Huangdi (reigned.2697-2597 BCE), the Yellow Emperor, or Golden Dragon Emperor, is known for being the founder of religious Taoism (sim to Zhang Daoling), a millennium before Laozi, but studied under an earlier incarnation of Laozi (Taiyi). Furthermore, he is credited with the creation of humanity, the invention of writing, family names (sim to Fu Xi), the wheel, pottery, pestles and mortars, dyeing, bows and arrows, armored boats, the 60-cycle calendar (which began on his birthday and officially continued until 1911), and the breeding of silkworms (sim to Shennong). He is the alleged author of the Inner Classic of the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi neijing), the first medical treatise in Chinese history (3d-2d c. BCE). During his reign he cleared the brush, drained marshes, drove out wild animals, made animal husbandry possible, domesticated cattle and horses, introduced textiles, instituted copper coins, and developed internal alchemy and acupuncture. He taught the people architecture, how to make bricks and utensils, metalwork, and ancestral duty. Because he invented fashion design, he is known as the Patron of Tailors.

 

His extremely ugly but supportive queen, Leizu, or Yuan Fei, taught how to rear silkworms and spin and weave silk. Therefore, she is also known as the Patron of Silkworm Cultivators and Weavers.

 

While Fu Xi and Shennong are portrayed as primitive, Huangdi is depicted wearing clothes.

 

He is famous for his victory over the serpent rebel Chi You with the assistance of a dragon. After the conquering Chi You, he ascended the throne as Huangdi. The Dragon Boat festival celebrated today is symbolic of this event.

 

According to legend, Huangdi spontaneously came into being as a result of the fusion of energies that marked the beginning of the world. According to the Han Chinese, he lived in the Yellow River basin and created humanity by placing earthen statues at the cardinal points of the world, leaving them exposed to the breath of the world’s beginning for 300 years. When the statues were totally pervaded by the breath they were able to speak and move. In this way the various races of the world were created. It was Huangdi who separated the races in the four directions (symbolized by the 5 emperors of the bagua) [sim.Sumerian: Tower of Babel incident with Enlil (symbolized by a bull) and Ninurta victorious over Marduk].

 

At the age of 100, Huangdi was a sorcerer who invented the golden elixir (jintan). He attained immortality on Chingshan, whereupon he ascended to heaven on a dragon (feisheng) with his ministers and seventy of his ladies, and became one of the five mythological emperors, who ruled over the five cardinal points (the fifth being the center ruled by Huangdi).

 

Since the Warring States Period, Taoists have associated Huangdi with the cult of the immortals. During the Han Dynasty (206 BCE- 220 CE) the Huang-Lao sect of the Celestial Master school was founded, which maintained fangshi ideology. The Han Chinese consider Huangdi their progenitor, rather than Fu Xi. According to folk legends, Huangdi was buried in Huangling, Shaanxi.

 

Huang-Lao: Yellow Old

Huang-Lao combines the divinity of Huangdi and Laozi, which are both considered the founders of religious Taoism (Daojiao) (200 BCE). Huang-Lao, also known as Huang Laojun is the central deity of the Way of Supreme Peace School (Taiping dao) and Way of Huang-Lao (Huanglao dao).

 

Huang Laojun: Ancient Yellow Lord

The central deity of the Way of Supreme Peace School (Taiping dao), considered a world emperor who descended to earth recurrently, since the beginning of the world, through multiple incarnations as a sage, in order to teach humanity about the Tao. One of his incarnations was Laozi.

 

Three Sage Kings: (Shambhala), (Stevens), (Lurker)

The semi-mythical rulers, Yao, Shun, and Yu, were regarded as perfect/true one (zhenren) who were non-bloodline successive chosen, or elected, rulers. As mentioned above, Yao and Shun are considered the last of the five world emperors (Wudi) in the prehistory of China. Confucius describes the Three Sage Kings as role model emperors, referring to Yao as ‘great indeed,’ Shun as ‘entirely good,’ and Yu as ‘without deficiencies.’

 

1)       Yao: Lord of the Golden Age

Yao (reigned. 2357-2259 BCE) was a military expansionist and high priest who contributed much to Chinese culture. He is credited for inventing writing and precognitive divination through interpreting cracks on ox bones and tortoise shells after applying hot irons. He is said to have established the calendar, and introduced official posts of the four seasons. He contributed to the establishment of a fair and merciful legal system. He advocated the use of astronomy to assist agriculture.

 

He was known to have eyebrows of eight colors, and nine orifices instead of seven. His capital was in Linfen (modern Pingyang), Shanxi, where his tomb and temple are.

 

His nine sons were incapable of ruling, so he abdicated Shun. Yao gave two of his daughters as wives to Shun. According to legend, Yao encountered Shun as a peasant farmer plowing with two oxen. The farmer beat a basket rather than whipping the ox, so the ox would believe his partner was being beaten.

 

According to myth, ten suns appeared threatening to scorch the earth, after Shun accepted the throne. Nine of ten were shot down by Shenyi, the divine archer. Yao is also known as the Tamer of Wind, who restored order to the realm with Shenyi after a monster devastated the south with violent storms. He also helped dam the flooding Yellow River with the help of Huangdi’s great grandson, Kun.

 

2)       Shun:

Shun (reigned. 2259-2220 BCE), successor of Yao, instituted penal laws, divided the kingdom into provinces, and deepened rivers. He was believed to have the face of a dragon, a big mouth, very tall, and black in color. He is credited with inventing the writing brush, and two have had four eyes (two pupils in each eye).

 

According to legend, the Four Mountains who rule the four directions, suggested to Yao, to abdicate Shun. According to classical texts, Shun was an eastern barbarian skilled in pottery and agriculture. He is said to have traveled throughout the four directions, banishing the evil beings guarding their entrances.

 

After his father was widowed, the father and the stepmother developed a great animosity for Shun, which led to several attempted murders which did not waiver Shun’s loyal conduct. Eventually, Shun won their love, and since then has been included in the twenty-four examples of filial piety.

 

Three years later, he was promoted to governor. Before he succeeded the throne, he served Yao for 28 years, draining and clearing the land, cultivating the five grains, and driving off wild animals.

 

Shun was the first emperor to pilgrimage to Taishan, Shandong, to offer sacrifices on its peak. He was believed to have died at age 100 while exploring tribe south of the Yangzi river and buried in Jiuyishan, Hunan. A local Hunan legend ties in Shun’s death with the origin of the spotted bamboo, which was surface stained by his two weeping consorts who searched for Shun when he became lost in a Xiang river flood.

 

3)       Yu/Dayu: Master of the Way

Shun passed over his two sons and chose Yu (reigned. 2220 BCE), one of his ministers, to succeed the throne. Yu was an engineer who tamed the flooding Yellow River, in Henan province with canals and embankments. It is said he made holes through the mountains in order to drain the water that had already risen to touch heaven. He has also been called the creator of the world. Yu was the last of the zhenren emperors, who were chosen for their wisdom rather than their blood. Yu was succeeded by his son, the first emperor of a dynasty, founder of the Xia. Hereditary succession continued until the beginning of the Republic of China in 1911.

 

It is believed that he traveled the nine provinces and connected them through the irrigation of its waters. His extensive travels gave him a limp, which became a model for the step of Yu (yupu). The shamanic dance traces the stars of the Big Dipper constellation, and is performed by daoshi in order to exorcise demons. The yupu is considered the most ancient form of Taoist magic. Origins of the yupu vary according to legend. According to one legend, the origin of the yupu came from Dayu observing walking birds while trying to crack open pebbles. Another view believes that celestial spirits taught Dayu the steps to give him power over the forces of nature.

 

Also according to legend, Dayu received the mystical diagrams, Hetu and Luoshu, from a turtle emerging from the Yellow River.

 

According to myth, Yu had three apertures in each ear, the body of a snake, human face, tiger’s nose, and a head of an ox. Mythos claims that Yu was a descendant of Huangdi through immaculate conception and born from a virgin mother of common folk.

 

Another legend states that Yu would polymorph into a bear while breaking up rocks. His wife, accustomed to bringing meals for her husband at the sound of a beating drum, mistook the banging rocks for a drum. When arriving she beheld a bear and fled in terror. Yu pursued her until she became exhausted and petrified. Being pregnant at the time, the stone in the womb continued to grow. At the end of the tenth month, Yu opened the petrified body with the stroke of his sword, and his son the Opener (Chi) was born.

 

Yu’s cult center is in Kaifeng, Henan. His tomb is located just beyond Shaoxing, Zhejiang, where he also built canals. He built a temple (not in existence), dedicated to Yao and Shun, in Linfen. The temple had four courtyards designated to the three sage kings: eastern court for Yu, chief (center) court for Yao, and the western court for Shun. These three courts (sanqing) are reflective of heaven, humanity, and earth.

 

Sanbao: Three Treasures (see fig. 25)

In the Daodejing of philosophical Taoism (Daojia), the three treasures (sanbao) refers to love which leads to fearlessness, moderation which leads to reserved power, and the renunciation of fame and honor which leads to the development and refinement of talent. In religious Taoism (Daojiao), sanbao has varied meanings, which all have correspondence in interior alchemy (neidan). First, is heaven’s relationship with humanity (see ‘golden mean proportion’ above), similar to the Buddhists, is the Tao (Dao), Taoist scripture (daozang), and Taoist master or priest (daoshi). Second, there are the three elixir fields (dantians), upper (yintang), middle (shanzhong), and lower (qihai). Third, there are the inner treasures, primordial essence (jing), primordial energy (qi or yuanqi), and primordial spirit (shen). The three outer treasures consist of the sense organs, ears, eyes, and mouth. The various original trinities, the three heavens (santian), the three energies (sanqi), the three dantians, or the sanbao is also referred to as the three originals (sanyuan).

 

 

Heaven’s Relationship with Humanity:

1)       Dao: Method or Way (God) (see ‘Oneness of Tao’ above)

 

2)       Daozang: Taoist Text/Canon (word)

In general, the Taoist canon (daozang) were revelations, representing celestial communication to humanity through the Taoist master, medium. It is also an actual collection of writings that form the basis of the Taoist doctrine. The oldest entries date back to the 5th c.BCE, while the present complete version consists of 1476 works in 5486 volumes, which are uncredited and undated. The Daozang includes writings on philosophy, medicine, botany, astronomy, geomancy, etc. The Taoists believed that the secrets of immortality could be penetrated through a proper understanding of the Daozang’s revelations. Precursors to the Daozang, consisted of various works on Taoist deities and immortals (5th–6th c.CE), while the actual compilation consisted of 3744, 5700, or 7300 volumes on various Taoist disciplines (8th c.CE). This first canon was widely disseminated, but was later revised, on orders of the emperor (1010 CE) into 4359 volumes, and soon after to 4565 volumes.

 

The 4565 volumes were divided into three main sections, or grottoes (dong), and four subsections. Each dong was preceded by a divine revelation by an important deity of the Taoist pantheon. The first dong was under the sign of Yuanshi Tianzun, the second under Taishang Daojun, and the third under Taishang Laojun (Laozi). Eventually, it was believed that all three sections were revealed by Laozi.

 

The last version was expanded into 5481 volumes (1111-1118 CE), and became a model to all subsequent editions. Many scriptures of the Daozang were lost due to the hostilities between the Buddhists and Taoists during the Yuan dynasty.

 

3)       Daoshi: Taoist Master, Scholar, or Priest

The Taoist masters (daoshi) were considered the leaders of Daojiao congregations (4th c.CE), whose office was inherited. They were responsible for organizing all religious matters, including rituals and ceremonies, and distributing talismans. Daoshi of the School of Right Unity (Zhengyi dao) lived with their families near a monastery (guan) and governed by a celestial master (tianshi). The daoshi of the School of the Realization of Truth (Quanzhen dao) lived in strict celibacy. The official title of daoshi originated with the Five Bushels of Rice movement (Wudoumi dao).

 

The daoshi garb consisted of a long gray or black gown with wide sleeves. They grew their hair long and pinned it up in a top-knot. During ceremonies they wore a five-pointed crown, and a robe of 240 segments arranged on 10 strips of material, gathered around the waist with a cloud embroidered belt. They also wielded a wish-fulfilling scepter (ruyi), which was carved from bamboo, jade, or bone. Its upper end was in the form of an immortality mushroom (lingchi).           

 

Monastic daoshi had a strict lifestyle, observing many days of fasting, and were regulated by five rules of behavior: do not kill, abstain from eating meat or drinking alcohol, do not lie or steal, do not marry or have coitus. Monastic Taoism had additional rules of moral conduct beyond the five basic rules. Quanzhen dao had three stages of moral codes according to their level of difficulty:

 

1)       Dawning of Truth (chuzhenjie): noble ones in transformation

2)       Intermediate Goal (zhongjijie) (300 rules): noble persons of virtue

3)       Celestial Immortal (tianxian): noble persons in the Tao

 

The moral codes addressed behavior of monks as well as the monastic community as a whole, through dress, diet, monastery facilities, ritual, teacher-student relationships, etc.

 

Sanyi: Three Nobles (Rulers of the Elixir Fields)

According to the Shangqing pai, the three dantians are ruled by the Three Nobles (Sanyi), who guard the elixir fields from the three worms (sanchung), which are like demons or ghosts (gui). Spirit-mind (shen) belongs to the upper dantian, which is ruled by the Celestial One (Tianyi). Breath-energy (qi) belongs to the middle dantian, which is ruled by the Supreme One (Taiyi). Vitality-essence (jing) belongs to the lower dantian, which is ruled by the Earthly One (Diyi).

 

“The Tao begot the one. One begot two. Two begot three. And three begot the ten thousand things.” –Ch.42 Dao De Jing

 

Arising out of the Tao was Taiyi, which the Taoists maintain as their supreme deity who personifies oneness. Original oneness split into heaven and earth, which represent the two practices. The heavenly practice, meditation on becoming one with the Tao, or preserving the one (shouyi), is based on the teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi. The earthly practice is the circulation of the breath (xingqi) through the three dantians. The fusion of the two practices (shouyi and xingqi) results in the collective embodiment of the Three Nobles (Sanyi) into the ultimate principle (Taiyi) residing at each of the three dantians.

 

Santian (Three Dantian): (see fig. 26)

Dantian: Cinnabar Field, Elixir Field, Three Centers

There are three elixir fields (dantians) in the human body where the primordial energy (yuanqi) accumulates. The upper dantian is located in the center of the head, or brain, and accessed through yintang, fengfu, or baihui points (6th and 7th chakras). The middle dantian is located in the center of the torso (from genitals to crown), or heart region, and is accessed through shanzhong or lingtai (4th chakra). The lower dantian is located in the centroid (center of gravity) of the body, or naval region, and is accessed through qihai or mingmen (2nd chakra). Shangqing pai believes that the dantian centers are inhabited by deities and demons, or the three worms (sanchung).

 

Each dantian consists of nine palaces (jiugong). The only descriptions in existence refer to the upper dantian palaces. One compartment, the Bright Hall Palace (Mingtanggong), is the dwelling place of Huang Laojun. The central compartment is known as Clay Ball Palace (Niwangong), where Taiyi resides (niwan is synonymous with the Sanskrit term for nirvana).

 

Sanbao: Three Treasures of the Dantians (Vitality, Energy, Spirit)

1)       Jing: Vitality, Essence (Semen)

Essence (jing) is considered the foundation of the three treasures, and considered their most coarse substance. Literally, jing designates the tangible semen of a male and menstrual blood of a female. In an intangible sense, jing is vitality and melts with the qi to eventually create the shen. The lower dantian (qihai) is the seat of jing (jingshe). Taoist adepts may employ various sexual techniques (ie. fangzhongshu, huanjing bunao), in order to prevent ejaculation, or leakage of essence, preserving the jing, and thus avoiding disease and promoting longevity.                                                          

 

In ancient sources (ie. Huangdi neijing), jing has been defined as “cleaned rice,” “seed essence,” “source of life,” and “essence of the bodily organs.” It is believed that following conception, jing is the initial formation prior to the spinal cord and brain.

 

2)       Qi: Energy, Breath, Ether (Temperment, Strength, Atmosphere)

Energy (qi) is considered the central concept in Taoism, being the original life force and cosmic spirit that surrounds, permeates, and binds all life. In Taoist cosmology, the creation of the world came about through a division of the oneness, Taiyi, when clear yang ascended to form heaven and turbid yin descended to form earth. The continual intermingling of yin and yang with yuanqi generated the ten thousand things (wanwu).

 

In Taoist alchemy (neidan), the cosmos (macrocosm) is a reflection of the human being (microcosm), therefore yuanqi, is a key component. Anatomically, yuanqi, is accumulated in the lower dantian, at the navel, precisely at ocean of energy (qihai), which is the centroid (center of gravity) of a human. By focusing the mind at qihai the adept conserves yuanqi by descending it to the seat of the jing. As a result of the fusion of jing and qi, yin and yang become balanced, thus preventing illness, and nourishing the shen. Various meditative breathing techniques of neidan (ie. xingqi, fuqi, yanqi, lianqi, taixi) aim to purify and transmute the qi, which when trained consistently for a certain duration can give the adept special abilities. (see ‘Neidan’ section in ‘History’)

 

Qi as life force, circulates in the body through meridians, maintaining various organ function and growth. Blockages within the meridian flow result in illness. Qi is also designated as emotions, or neurohormones (in the modern sense). The emotional sphere of consciousness is located in the middle dantian (shanzhong), the seat of qi.

 

Qi also designates the breath, or air, which is known as the outer breath (waiqi). A human respiratory cycle reflects the creation of the cosmos. Inhalation of clean air reflects the period of the living (shengqi), the formation of heaven, the solar period from the winter solstice to the summer solstice, midnight to noon, and the lunar waxing period. Exhalation of stale air reflects the period of the dead (shuqi), the formation of earth, the summer solstice to winter solstice, noon to midnight, and the lunar waning period. According to certain Taoist sources, breathing exercises should be practiced in the living period to absorb positive energy.

 

Neo-Confucianist, Ju Xi designates qi as the material, or typal aspect, of things, and li as the principal, or archetypal aspect.

 

3)       Shen: Spirit, Mind, Deity

Shen refers to any of the 36,000 deities of the macrocosm, which according to Shangqing pai, also inhabit the microcosm of the human body. In order to attain immortality, the Taoist adept must prevent the deities from leaving the body, through neidan practices. Each shen has a name and designated anatomical area of inhabitance. The elite shen are called the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing). Shen, meaning yang spirit of heaven or deity, is opposed to gui, meaning yin demon or ghost.

 

As a component of the three treasures, shen refers to the personal spirit, or mind, of a human, which is created from the union of the jing with the yuan qi of the cosmos, which enters the body upon the first breath of a newborn infant. The shen leaves the body at the moment of death. The seat of the shen is the upper dantian (yintang), where thoughts and feelings are determined.

 

Confucianism views the shen as venerated ancestral spirits.

 

In neidan, shen may be referred to as mind, which consists of two layers, the outer and later ordinary consciousness, or cognition (fire) (shishen), and the inner and earlier spiritual consciousness, or intuition (water) (yuanshen). Ordinary consciousness consists of sense perception, feelings, and thoughts, while the spiritual consciousness refers to a higher self that pervades the cosmic integrity. After birth, spiritual consciousness becomes latent and hidden, due to the conditioning of the ordinary consciousness to cover it. Through meditation (neidan), the adept can reestablish the connection with the original spirit, or spiritual consciousness, after eliminating the external influences of the ordinary consciousness.

 

The sublimation of jing into shen is the refinement of the most coarse (physical) substance to the most delicate (psychic) substance.

 

“Although the spirit is produced from life essence and qi, nevertheless that which governs and selects life essence and qi controls their function, is the spirit of the heart.” (Zhangshi as quoted in Mann 58)

 

¤      Jing (vitality, essence):pre-heaven

·         Most coarse and dense (earth realm)

·         Formed from food and water

·         Indicates inherited constitution

·         Stored in kidneys (lower warmer): bone development

·         Indicates inherited physical constitution

·         Foundation for qi and shen

 

¤      Qi (energy, breath): post-heaven

·         Most refined (human realm)

·         Formed from food, water, and air

·         Indicates qi produced or depleted day to day

·         Produced by stomach and spleen (middle warmer)

·         Governed by lungs

·         Indicates daily energetic condition

 

¤      Shen (spirit, mind): eternal

·         Most immaterial and subtle (heaven realm)

·         Formed from jing (pre-heaven) and qi (post-heaven)

·         Indicates emotional and mental condition

·         Dwells in heart (upper warmer)

 

Qi correlates with yang, while blood correlates with yin. The qi creates the shen, which controls it. Jing and qi are the creators of the shen, while the shen commands the jing and qi. The created rules its creator.

 

Interaction of Heaven and Earth:

?         Living naturally means lengthening the yang, or subtle cycle.

?         Living supernaturally means to eliminate yin, or course sphere, and become purely subtle.

 

Sanchung: Three Worms

Taoists believe the three worms to be transcendental beings of impermenant form, demons or ghosts, who inhabit the three dantians. The three worms are like spectres that drain the lifeforce of a human, thus preventing the attainment of immortality. They cause disease and also inform heaven of human transgression so that the deities (Siming/Zaojun) may shorten their lifespan. Therefore, Taoist adepts strive to abstain from eating grains (bigu), to prevent nourishing the three worms. Taoists may also fast and meditate on the days that the three worms ascend to heaven, in order to prevent them from informing the Jade Emperor of human transgression.

 

The first worm dwells in the upper dantian (niwan), in the brain, causing blindness, deafness, loss of teeth and hair, halitosis, and sinus congestion. The second worm dwells in middle dantian (shanzhong), in the heart, causing heart disease, asthma, and melancholy. The third worm dwells in the lower dantian (qihai), at the navel, causing intestinal disorders, skin diseases, rheumatism, and lack of will power.

 

Correspondences:

 

THREE SPHERES OF HEAVEN

Aspect

Heaven

Humanity

Earth

Generating Breath (qi)

Xuanqi

Yuanqi

Shiqi

Primordial One (Sanyuan)

Pure One (Sanqing)

Yuanshi Tianzun

(Venerable Celestial One of the Original Beginning)

Yuqing

Shenbao Tianzun

Taiqing

Laojun

(Lord Lao)

Lingbao Tianzun

Shangqing

Daojun

(Lord Dao)

Stellar God (Sanxing)

Fushen

Shoulao

Caishen

August One (Sanhuang)

Tianhuang

Taihuang

Dihuang

Noble One (Sanyi)

Tianyi

Taiyi

Diyi

Ancient Emperor (Sanguan)

Tianguan

Shuiguan

Diguan

World Emperor; Demigod (Sage-King)

Fu Xi

Huangdi

Shennong

Sage-King

Yu

Yao

Shun

Immortal (Xian)

Celestial

Kunlun

Terrestrial

Time

Future

Present

Past

Direction

East, South

Center

West, North

Orientation

Left

Center

Right

Color

Azure

White

Yellow

Symbol

Open circle: yang

Blend: Taiji

Filled circle: yin

Shape

Circle; Hexagon

Octagon; Triangle

Square

Heaven

Sun

Stars

Moon

Earth

Mountains

Plains

Rivers

Hell (Judgment Court)

Left: Great Yang Fire

(hears life cases)

Center: Knife Wind/Divine Wind

(cuts through joints; deliverance from corpse)

Right: Great Yin Water (hears death cases)

Humanity

Father

Child

Mother

Society

Sovereign

People

Minister

Ethics

Method (dao)

Harmony/Peace (an)

Virtue (de)

Consciousness

Archetypal (idea)

Ectypal (sign)

Typal (actual)

Balancing Agent

Principle

Understanding

Instinct

Function

Thought

Speech

Action

Occupation

Disciple

Master

Servant

Pursuit

Discipline

Devotion

Diligence

Accomplishment

Prosperity (lu)

(wealth/knowledge)

Happiness (fu) (contentment)

Longevity (shou)

(health)

Body scope

Head

Torso (heart)

Whole body (navel)

Alchemy

Inner (neidan)

Golden (jindan)

Outer (waidan)

Heavenly relationship w/Humanity

Dao (method/God);

Philosophy

Daozang (text/word);

Philosophical Application: Divination Oracle (Yijing)

Daoshi (master/messiah);

Cosmology

Vitality (Jing)

Saliva (rain from heaven)

Body fluid

Semen (dew from earth)

Breathing

Inhale (nose)

 

Exhale (mouth)

Sublimation

Yang (qi: breath)

Fire

Wind

Golden (qi) Elixir (jing)/ Divine Juice/ Pearl/ Immortality Pill

Thunder

Yin (jing: saliva and semen)

Water

Rain

Alchemical Ingredient

Gold (ruler: sun)

Lead (yellow germ)

Mercury (minister: moon)

Viscera          

Upper Warmer: heart/lung

Middle Warmer: spleen/liver

Lower Warmer: kidney

Dantian

Yintang/Niwan/Baihui

Shanzhong/Lingtai

Qihai/Mingmen; Zhongwan

Treasure (Sanbao)

Shen: Spirit/Mind

Qi : Energy/Breath

Jing: Vitality

 

FOUR PHASES OF ENERGY (SIXIANG):

In Yijing numerology, fourness is expressed quantitatively in the second dimension (22) as two axes of lines. The four phases, or cardinal directions, can be expressed geometrically as a square inscribed in a circle, specifically the lower circle (½ diameter) drawn within the original circle. (see fig. 2, 16)

 

Characterization of Phases: (see fig. 24)

?         Strong Yang: old yang, strong nuclear force

?         Strong Yin: old yin, weak nuclear force

?         Lesser Yang: young yang, light force, electromagnetism

?         Lesser Yin: young yin, heavy force, gravity

 

THE DIVISION OF THE SUPREME ULTIMATE

 TAIJI

(Supreme Ultimate)

LIANGYI

(Yin and Yang)

SIXIANG

(4 Phases)

BAGUA

(8 Trigrams) (Former Heaven)

Taiji/

Wuji

Yang

 

      

Lesser Yang

(wood)

6  Kan (middle yang)

5  Sun (strong yin)

Greater Yang

(fire)

2  Dui (least yin)

1  Qian (pure yang)

Center: Zhong

Yin

 

         

Lesser Yin

(metal)

4  Zhen (strong yang)

3  Li (middle yang)

Greater Yin

(water)

8  Kun (pure yin)

7  Gen (least yang)

 

PENTOLOGY OF FIVE ELEMENTS (WUXING): Five Phases of Energy (see fig. 30-39)

The five elements, also known as the five movers, or five virtues (wude), wood (mu), fire (huo), earth (tu), metal (jin), and water (shui), are actually abstract expressions of phases of energy transformation. The five element theory can be traced back to Chinese philosopher Zhou Yan (350-270 BCE), who either invented or compiled the doctrine. The five element theory, developed after yin and yang, was a numerological expansion of the Naturalist School (Yinyangjia), which had great influence over the state of ancient China, giving the five elements political connotation. The ancient naturalist philosophers, sages, or masters of method (fangshi), held a prestigious position equivalent to modern scientists. The earliest references refer to the five elements as “seats of government” (fu), or “ability, talent, material” (cai), and were six rather than five. In terms of the six seats of government, grain was considered the 6th element.

 

According to the great historian Su Ma Qian, Zhou Yan’s method of classification consisted of first examining small phenomena and then expanding gradually to larger until reaching the limitless. Zhou Yan applied the five element theory to space (geography: mountains, rivers, animals, etc.) and time (historical reigns of emperors). Zhou Yan claimed that politics and sociology followed the phase sequence of the five elements. According to the Spring and Autumn Annals of Master Lu (Lushi chunqiu), which describes Zhou Yan’s philosophy of history, heaven reveals an elemental portent to humanity whenever a king is about to appear.

 

The four phases are expressed on a receptive field, which is considered the fifth phase. The receptive field, or holding force (harmonizing), activates the rotation of the four phases, thus there are actually 5 phases in a cycle of movement.

 

The five elements are not five different concrete substances as the early Confucianists wrote about in the Great Plan, or Great Norm (Hongfan, a chapter in Shujing), but rather one cosmic force differentiated into five abstract energies, which was developed by Zhou Yan of Yinyangjia The Hongfan also teaches that the world of nature is dependent on the world of humanity, therefore the inadequate conduct of a ruler will cause abnormal phenomena in nature.

 

The five elements are represented geometrically by a pentagram inscribed in a pentagon inscribed in a circle.

 

Characterization of Phases:

?         Lesser Yang: wood symbolizes sprouting (nurturing)

?         Strong Yang: fire symbolizes expanding (advancing)

?         Lesser Yin: metal symbolizes contracting (consolidating)

?         Strong Yin: water symbolizes returning (yielding)

 

?         Center (0): earth symbolizes harmonizing (unifying)

 

Origin of Movement:

All movement comes from stillness. Stillness is the central pivot point for movement. The earth element represents the center of the universe. (see fig. 37-38; also Hetu below)

 

The Hetu was a prototype for the Former Heaven Sequence of trigrams of the bagua, a numerological arrangement of the elements, and therefore significant in Yijing numerology. According to legend, it was discovered on a dragon-horse (unicorn) emerging from the river Ho by the shaman-king Fu Xi.

 

Elemental Numerology according to Hetu: (see fig. 39)

Designated elemental numbers have 5 added to them. Five (elements) are associated with earthly phenomenon, while six (climates) are associated with heaven phenomenon. In Yijing numerology, all five elements have yin-earth (even) numbers and yang-heaven numbers (odd). Odd numbers characterize the birth quality of an element, while even numbers characterize the growth and perfection of an element.

 

¤      Water: 1, 6

¤      Fire: 2, 7

¤      Wood: 3, 8

¤      Metal: 4, 9

¤      Earth: 5, 10 (0)

 

This arrangement reflects the anatomical position of the seasonal phases, the internal viscera, the triple warmer system, and emphasizes the middle warmer (spleen and stomach) as the pivotal element.

 

Interrelationships: Laws of Movement (see fig. 30)

Chinese medicine examines three sequences. Since there are five elements, their laws of movement (sequences), generating, controlling, overacting, or insulting can be studied within a particular geometrical model: a pentagram inscribed in a pentagon inscribed in a circle, with each element designated at a pentagram vertex point.

 

There are two characterizations of elemental sequence, normal and abnormal. Normal (physiological) relationships, generating and controlling, promote elemental balance. The two sequences form an elemental triangle (ie. wood controls earth, but earth generates metal which controls wood), which promotes a self-regulating system of balance. Abnormal (pathological) relationships, generating (deficient or excess), overacting (excess), and insulting (deficient), occur during elemental imbalance.

 

 

Generating (interpromoting, creative, ‘mother-son’ relationship): (sheng)

¤      Cycle: wood®fire®earth®metal®water

¤      Representation: clockwise motion about the pentagon

¤      Image: wood fuels fire; fire (molten core) makes earth; earth creates metal; metal holds water; water feeds wood

 

A sound (water) expresses a thousand pictures. A picture (wood) expresses a thousand words. A word (fire) expresses a thousand thoughts. A thought (earth) expresses a thousand feelings (metal). Thus, a picture expresses a billion feelings, and a sound expresses a trillion feelings.

 

Controlling (interacting, restraining): (ke)

Controlling actually means supporting rather than suppressing (organ functions).

¤      Cycle: wood®earth®water®fire®metal

¤      Representation: clockwise motion about the pentagram

¤      Image: wood pierces earth; earth damns water; water douses fire; fire melts metal; metal cuts wood

 

Overacting (destructive):

This sequence follows the same as the controlling, but an element gets out of control “over-controls,” becoming excessive causing a decrease in the controlled element.

 

Insulting (counteracting, opposite direction of controlling):

¤      Cycle: wood®metal®fire®water®earth

 

The Birth of the Cosmic Volumes: Elemental Polyhedra (see fig. 34-36)

“The five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, water, encompass all the phenomena of nature. It is a symbolism that applies itself equally to man.” –Suwen

 

As already stated, Ö2 divides the surface of the square, Ö3 divides the volume of a cube, and is the length of the vesica piscis axis, and Ö5 is the length of a diagonal bisecting two squares. These roots are considered the trinity of generative principles. These three root relationships are all that are necessary for the formation of the five regular polyhedra, which are also representational of the five elements.

 

Plato studied the correlation of four earthly elements and one heavenly element with the properties of the five regular polyhedra, so coined the Platonic solids.

 

Primitive chaos is described as disorganized trace elements of fire, water, earth, and air. The soul of the cosmos (God), gave them order (shapes). The formation of any volume requires triangulation. (Lawlor) The constructive triangles consist of isosceles (45° triangles) and scalene (30°/60° triangles). Transformation is the break down of a regular solid into its constituent triangles and then the recombination of the triangles to form a different solid. The chaotic elements transformed into the ordered elemental volumes (Platonic solids; polyhedra). Each polyhedron is defined by a certain element depending on its shape and degree of mobility. (see table below and fig. 34)

 

Elemental transformation depends on polyhedra in motion (generative jitterbug; or spinning and pulsing polyhedra that create each other within each other). Elemental equilibrium depends on polyhedra stillness. Change in size causes change in position. The maintenance of constant disequilibria ensures that the perpetual motion of the constituents (polyhedra) shall continue unceasingly. There is no equilibrium in the original chaos. The volumes express the manifestation of the material world, a process that links heaven with earth. They reenact the cosmic history.

 

ELEMENTAL ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE POLYHEDRA

Polyhedron

Western Element

Chinese Equivalent Element

Characteristics

Earthly Elements

Cube

Earth

Earth

Most immobile; made of isosceles triangles

Icosahedron

Water

Water

Least mobile next to the cube; largest; least sharp

Octahedron

Air

Metal

Intermediate mobility; second sharpest

Tetrahedron

Fire

Fire

Most mobile; smallest; sharpest

Heavenly Element

Dodecahedron

Ether

Wood

Least mobile next to icosahedron

 

Neolithic stones (“calcis which evolved into “calculus and “calculation”) in the shape of polyhedra (Platonic solids) were made from observing the movement patterns of the stars and planets. Since the planets reside in the heavens, their movement patterns (geometry), and thus the polyhedra are classified as archetypal. It is for this reason that stone polyhedra were used for divination.

 

In Egyptian mythology, Nun, the cosmic ocean, represents pure undifferentiated spirit, or space without limit of form; preceding any god; it is pure potentiality (the void). By seed or will of the creator, who is within this Nun, the undifferentiated space is impelled to contract and coagulate itself into volume. Thus Atum, the creator, first creates himself or distinguishes himself from the undistinguishable Nun by generating volumes, so that creation might begin. (Lawlor) 

 

Creation is distinction or definition. Definition requires the generation of volumes. 

 

 

 

In Hindu metaphysics (mythology), each polyhedron was symbolic of envelopes of consciousness, which were believed to interact with the physical body of man, who is the reenactment of the cosmic history. The whole material coagulation begins with the F seed, the fire spirit (triangulation of form into polyhedral volumes), of the supreme creator, Brahma, analogous to Atum.

 

Purusha, the cosmic man, is associated with the icosahedron as the seed image of Brahma. The icosahedron is the first form that all other forms arise naturally from. It represents the unmanifested potential correlating to the Great Void. The icosahedron is the only polyhedron that doesn’t touch other polyhedra.

 

Prakriti, the dodecahedron, represents the feminine power of creation and manifestation (touching all other generated polyhedra). Since the dodecahedron is made up of 12 pentagonal faces, it represents the quintessence of the natural universe; the Great Qi.

 

 

At the envelope of the natural world, with the star tetrahedron and the octahedron, it is the Ö2, which is active. The cube (earthly manifestation of unity) of matter is structurally stabilized by the star tetrahedron, which represents the duality of qi, the yin and yang. The octahedron, the heart of the cosmic solid, represents the crystallization of matter, which has the clarity of a diamond. 

 

 

 

POLYHEDRA GENERATION

 

Polyhedron

Element

Zang-fu

Envelope

Kosa

Seat

Virtue

Faces

Vertexes

Vectors

Vector Length

T

 

Icosahedron

(outer)

Water

K/ UB

Bliss/

Inspiration

Ananda

Meditative Union

Willfulness

20

12

30

F

Dodecahedron

Wood/

Ether

Lv/ GB

Knowledge

Vijnana

Innate Knowledge by Identity

Tolerance

12

20

30

1/F

Cube

Earth

Sp/S

Mind/

Thought

Mano

Pure Reason

Patience

6

8

12

1

I

 

(Star) Tetrahedron

Fire

H/ SI, P/TW

Energetic

Prana

Intuitive Mental Faculty

Calmness

4

4

6

Ö2

Octahedron

Metal/

Air

L/LI

Food/

Physical

Anna

Instinctual Mind

Zeal

8

6

12

1/Ö2

Icosahedron (inner)

Water

 

Ultimate Perfection of Body in its Physical Manifestation

 

 

 

 

 

1/F2

T = transpersonal

I = individual

The last column (Vector Length) is dependent on the radius of the original circle and its division by F.

 

Note:

Each envelope or body of consciousness of the human individual interpenetrates or encompasses the following one. The second through fourth envelopes (vijnana, mano, and prana) consist of the ethereal body (linga sarira) and the fifth envelope (anna) is the gross material body (sthula sarira).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Correspondences: (Veith)

The elemental correspondences to phenomenon can be studied (pentology) through different scopes, such as astrological, ecological, sociological, spiritual, physiological, sensual, pathological, and medical. All phenomena have elemental attributes due to their resonance at a particular frequency. This elemental resonance can be expressed as a sphere of influence, which interconnects many functions and attributes beyond the phenomenon itself.

 

Five Mountains of Kunlun: Axis Mundi

The five mountains in the Kunlun range had elemental designations, with the central mountain, Kunlun, extending up to touch the pole star and rooting in the underworld at the Yellow Springs. Kunlun mountain was considered home to the Queen Mother of the West (Xi Wangmu), and the earthly immortals.

 

Five Sacred Mountains Peaks of China: (Little)

In ancient China, the mountain was worshiped as spirit of the earth. As the highest place on earth, which touched the sky, it served as a link between heaven and earth. This link provided the most appropriate space for interior alchemy (ie.meditation) and resources for exterior alchemy (ie.herbs and minerals). The mountain became the chosen site of serenity for hermitages, whose monks endeavored in refining their spirits.

 

Wind, rain, light

Life sings in harmony

 

1)       Taishan (east): is considered the abode of the Supreme Deity of the Underworld (Dongyue Dadi) (see ‘Immortal’ above); it is also considered the burial site of Confucius

2)       Huashan (west): is near the ancient capital Xian (Tang Dynasty); a precipice of the immortal’s palm is imprinted on the face of the mountain

3)       Hengshan (south)

4)       Hengshan (north)

5)       Songshan (center)

 

Note: There are two different mountains for Hengshan.

 

Agriculture Deities: (Stevens)

Agriculture depends upon the subtle balance of the atmospheric forces, which according to myth are regulated by God of Thunder (Leigong), God of Wind (Fengshen), God of Rain (Yushen), and the water regulator, Dragon King (Longwang). According to myth, the atmospheric deities have the authority to delay (draught) or overdo (floods) their responsibilities at whim, or as punishment for severe human transgressions, resulting in draughts or floods that cause famine and destruction. Therefore, it is widely believed that there is a link between human behavior and divine behavior (weather). If a deity’s action or nonaction is unjustified, a human may petition a superior deity to punish the divine transgressor.

 

The four storm gods elementally correspond to the four quarters (sigong), which parallels the generation of a storm. Wind (Fengshen) takes the eastern quadrant, which generates thunder (Leigong) in the south, which generates rain (Yushen) in the west, which generates flooding (Longwang) in the north.

 

Leigong: Thunder God, Thunder Duke

The Thunder God (Leigong) is an impersonal, stern but benevolent deity that expels evil. His consort is the Lightning Matron (Dianmu). Lei Zhenzi, one of the Sons of Thunder, whose image is identical to Leigong, was born out of a celestial egg. Both have been carved into buildings for protection against lightning.

 

Leigong belongs to the five-deity Celestial Board of the Ministry of Thunder, whose chairman is Leizu, whom he is often confused. Leizu is portrayed as a Taoist, dressed in robes, hair in a bun, third eye, and holding a wish-fulfilling magic scepter (ruyi). Subordinate to Leizu are Leigong (thunder) portrayed with bat’s wings, a bird’s head and talons, and a blue human body, who wears a loin cloth and beats a drum with a hammer to create thunder, Dianmu (lightning), with mirrors or lightning sparks in each hand, Fengbo (wind) with a flag and a wind wheel, and Yushi (rain) with a rain dragon or watering can.

 

It is believed that Leigong and Dianmu have punished evil with thunderbolts, even for transgressions done in past lives, but only after receiving instruction from the Jade Emperor.

 

Long: Dragon

The dragon is the Taoist representation of the yang principle, which is usually surrounded by water or clouds (yin). Chinese mythos knows five types of dragon, which have elemental designation. Celestial dragons (fire) guard the abodes of the deities; dragon spirits (wood) regulate the wind and rain; earth dragons (earth) cleanse rivers and deepen oceans; treasure-guarding dragons (metal); and imperial dragons (water) who have five talons instead of four.

 

Longwang: Dragon King

In Taoist mythology, the ministers of the Celestial Ministry of Water, or Dragon Kings (Longwang), dwell in palaces at the bottoms of various bodies of water (oceans, lakes, rivers, streams, springs, and wells). Longwang are subordinate to Yuanshi Tianzun to whom they submit reports annually. Longwang visit heaven in the spring and return to the deep in autumn. Dragon Kings, storm riders, are the guardians of the various bodies of water, believed to be a direct cause of earthquakes, fogs, and floods, and are responsible for rainfall, which is a fundamental factor for crop fertility.

 

Dragon Kings are lesser than atmospheric deities, in that they can only provide or withhold rainfall on the orders of the Jade Emperor. In the case of prolonged draughts, people display images of the Dragon King in the sun until he relents and provides rain.

 

Dragon Kings have jurisdiction over rain and funerals. If a bad omen occurs at a funeral, the assistance of a Dragon King may be implored for protection against possible disaster for the descendents of the deceased. Taoism distinguishes between Celestial, Oceanic, and Elemental Dragon Kings.

 

Wushi: Five Corpses

The five types of contaminated energy found in the five viscera are allocated with the five colors. The wushi, like the sanchung, are believed to decrease the life span, so meditation and fasting was adopted.

 

Wudi: Demigods of Humanity, World Emperors, Five Sage Kings

Myth describes the five sage kings as having incredible longevity. In modern times this has been described as dynasties. All five emperors, believed to have lived during the 3rd millennium BCE, highlight phases in cultural development. The first three kings, known as the Three August Ones (Sanhuang), Fu Xi, Shennong, and Huangdi, are most legendary for their contributions to cultural development. The last two, Yao and Shun, are considered semi-legendary. The reigns of the five emperors ends with the decline of the Shang dynasty. Confucius only mentions Yao, Shun, and Yu. The Wudi corresponds to the five elements.

 

ATTRIBUTES OF ELEMENTAL PENTOLOGY

Element

WOOD

FIRE

EARTH

METAL

WATER

Astrological/Cosmological

Platonic Elements

Ether

Fire

Earth

Air

Water

8 Trigrams

Zhen, Sun

Li

Kun, Gen

Dui, Qian

Kan, Dui

Directional Hetu Number

8

9

5

7

6

10 Celestial Stems

1, 2 (Jia, Yi: armor, a hook)

3, 4 (Bing, Ding: fire, an unknown person)

5, 6 (Wu, Ji: flourishing, extreme)

7, 8 (Geng, Xin: evening star, bitter)

9, 10 (Ren, Gui: great north, water)

12 Earthly Branches

Yin, Mao

Si, Wu

Chou, Chen, Wei, Xu

Shen, Yu

Zi, Hai

Cyclical Numbers

5, 6, 19, 20, 27, 28, 35, 36, 49, 50, 57, 58

3, 4, 11, 12, 25, 26, 33, 34, 41,42, 55, 56

7, 8, 15, 16, 23, 24, 37, 38, 45, 46, 53, 54

1, 2, 9, 10, 17, 18, 31, 32, 39, 40, 47, 48

13, 14, 21, 22, 29, 30, 43, 44, 51, 52, 59, 60

Dragon/General

Azure/Green

Red

Yellow

White/Blue

Black

Star Palace/

Sacred Animal

Azure Dragon

Vermilion Bird/

Phoenix

Yellow Dragon/Ox

White Tiger/

Dog/

Unicorn/

Ling

Black Tortoise/

Dark Warrior/

Snake

Animal Class

Scaled

Feathered

Naked

Hairy

Shelled

Heavenly Bodies

Stars

Sun

Earth

Lunar Mansions

Moon

Planet

Jupiter

Mars

Saturn

Venus

Mercury

Season

Spring

Summer

Late summer

Autumn

Winter

Moon Phase

First Quarter (waxing)

Full Moon

 

Last Quarter (waning)

New Moon

Direction

East

South

Center

West

North

Peak Time

Dawn

Noon

 

Dusk

Midnight

Time

Cock to dawn® yang w/in yin

Dawn to midday® yang w/in yang

Extreme yin

Midday to dusk® yin w/in yang

Dusk to cock® yin w/in yin

Ecological

Control

Sun

Life

Universal Stability

Moon

Death

Growth & Development

Germination

Cultivation

Transformation

Harvest

Storage

Phase

Generating

Developing

Stabilizing/ Harmonizing

Contracting

Returning

Topography

Sea

Sun and Dew

Fertile Land

Hills

Mountain

Feature Shape

Columnar: tall soaring hills, chimneys, narrow skyscrapers, minarets, pillars

Pointed: sharp mountain peaks, church and temple  spires

Flat: flat hills, plateaux, table mountains, flat roof buildings

Round: gently rounded summits, domes

All shapes and no shape: irregular and undulating hills, complex structures

Material

Wood

Plastics, animals

Brick

Metal

Glass

Climate

Wind

Heat

Humidity

Dryness

Cold

Weather

Wind

Heat

Sunshine

Cold

Rain

Sacred Peak

Taishan

Hengshan

Songshan

Huashan

Hengshan

Grain

Wheat/Corn

Gluten (Hemp)

Millet

Rice

Bean (Pulse)

Sacrificial Animal (Meal)

Sheep

Fowl

Ox

Horse/Dog

Pig

Mineral

Realgar

Cinnabar

 

Orpiment

Malachite

Venom

Centipede

Toad

Spider

Scorpion

Snake

Sociological

Wartime Strategy

Advance

Attack

Hold

Consolidate

Yield

Ministry

Agriculture

War

State

Justice

Works

Occupation

Electrical worker, professional

Soldier, professional

Farmer, laborer, storekeeper

Laborer, clerical worker

Miner, chemical worker, clerical worker

Political

Loyal Subjects

Affairs of State or Public Works

Emperor/Prince

Ministers

Produce or Material Things

Emperor

Heaven Sovereign (medicine):

Taihao/

Fu Xi = Chung

(animal tamer)

Earth Sovereign (medicine/

agriculture):

Yandi/

Shennong = Li

(divine farmer)

Human Sovereign

(civilization): Huangdi =

Koulong

Longevity Sovereign:

Xiaohao =

Kai

Chuanhu =

Xiuxi

Dynasty

Xia

Zhou

Huangdi

Shang

Qin?

Guardian Spirit

Kumeng

Zhouyong

Houtu

Rushou 

Xuanming

Place of Sacrifice

Doors

Hearth

Center

Gates

Passageways

Implement

Compass

Ruler

Plumbline

T-square

Scales

Buddhism/Hinduism (see appendices)

Element

Ether/Aether

Fire

Earth

Air (Heaven)

Water

Seed syllable

Om

Hrih

Tram

Ah

Hum

Mahamandala Buddha

Mahavairocana

Amitabha

Ratnasambhava

Amoghasiddhi

(creation)

Akshobyha

Direction

Center

West

South

North

East

Element Color

Blue

Red

Yellow 

Green

White

Buddha Color

White

Red

Yellow

Green

Blue

Self Factors

Energy

Action

Body

Thought

Emotion

Skanda

(mind-body element)

Consciousness/

Identity (Vijnana)

Perception

(Samjna)

Form

(Rupa)

Discrimination/

Volition

(Samskara)

Sensation

(5 senses)

(Vedana)

Prajna (wisdom)

Void/Realization (dharma)

All Discriminating

All Embracing (equality)

All Accomplishing

All Reflecting

Animal Throne

Lion

Peacock

Horse

Garuda = birdman that destroys dragons

Elephant

Emblem

Wheel

Lotus

Jewel

Visvavajra  

Vajra

Emblem Seed Syllable

Om

Padme

Mani

Ah

Hum

Mudra (Gesture)

Wheel

Meditation

Giving

Fearlessness

Earth-touching

Karmic Factor

Mental stain

(ie. envy/hatred) (klesa)

Act (effort) (prayoga)

Object

(vastu)

Mental satisfaction

(accomplishment)

(nispati)

Intention

(samjna)

Karmic Suffering

Self-centeredness/

Depression

Repetitive or fixed patterns of mind/

Worry

Physical appetites/

Obsession

Negative attitudes/

Anguish

Compulsive pleasures/

Compulsion

Topa Shape

(destructive ascension)

5 = Mani/ Jewel

3 = Triangle

1 = Square

4 = Half Circle

2 = Circle

Mandala

The Observer

Karma (Creations)

Maha (All Body)

Dharma (Seed sounds)

Samaya (Symbols)

Mountain

 

Omei

Jiuxia

Wutai

Puto

Heavenly King/

Buddhist Guardian Chinkang

Molijing:

Land Bearer: white face, carries jade ring, spear, and magic sword

Molihong:

Lord of Growth: red face, holds umbrella

 

Molihai:

Far Gazer: blue face, carries 4 string guitar

Molishou:

Well-Famed: black face, carries 2 whips, bag, and snake

Amoghasiddhi Bodhisattva

Vajrayaksa

(Wisdom: skillfully conquering obstacles)

Vajrakarma

(Protecting: making offerings)

 

Vajraraksa

(Compassion: protects student from lethargy and wastefulness)

Vajrasandhi

(Enlightenment: last of 16 stages of perfection)

Boddhisattva Mudra Fist

Fists at heart w/wrist slightly bent

Clasped hands overhead

One finger spearhand

Chest level fist w/knuckles protruding

On guard

Bodhisattva

 

Acalarajah

Ksitigharba

Manjusri

Avalokitesvara

Bodhisattva Vow

To attain enlightenment

To end all suffering

To follow the Buddha’s path

To study the Buddha’s teaching

To save all beings

Unskillful Craving

Extinction

Power

Possessions

Knowledge

Sensations

Mental Affliction

Ignorance

Hatred

Greed

Confusion

Self Belief

Mental Affliction Remedy

Familiarizing oneself w/principles of causality

Generation of compassion towards others

Meditations upon transitory nature of all existent things

Meditation on breathing process and rhythms

Discriminating between various components and activities which create consciousness

Relationships

Parents

Teacher

Down = Servants

Up = Brahmins

Children

Friends

Christianity/Hebrew (see appendices)

Biblical Archangel

Ezekiel

Gabriel

 

Michael

Lucifer

Biblical Gospel

Luke

Symbol: Ox

(power, sacrifice)

Christ Teaching: To Greeks (Good Physician/

Savior of Mankind)

John

Symbol: Eagle (truth)

Christ Teaching: To Eternity (Eternal Son/Incarnate Word)

 

Mark

Symbol: Lion (courage, dignity, energy)

Christ Teaching:

To Romans (Son of God/Lord of the World)

Matthew

Symbol: Man/King/Christ

Christ Teaching:

To Jews

(Messiah of Jews)

Kabalic Animals

Horned, fishtailed creature

Winged Sphinx

 

Dog

Snakes

Spiritual/Psychological

Blessing

Health, Vitality, Strength

Love, Marriage, Social Harmony

Happiness, Wealth

Purity, Honesty

Achievement, Intelligence

Spiritual Resource

Hun:

Soul; Ethereal Soul

Shen:

Spirit

Yi:

Intelligence

Po:

Corporeal Soul; Animal Spirit

Zhi:

Will Power

Personality Strength

Bearing

Imagination

Intellect

Eloquence

Attentiveness

Personality Qualities

Casual, creative, lover of nature and children

Lively, quick, aggressive

Stable, reliable, practical, primitive, conservative

Progressive, calculated, determined

Contemplative, communicative, restless

Manner

Casual

Educated

Circumspect

Vigorous

Tranquil

Virtue

Ren: Benevolence

Yi: Righteousness

Li: Propriety

Chi: Knowledge

Xin: Faith

Ideal Interaction

Trusting

Opening

Connecting

Releasing

Aligning

Discipline

Tolerance

Calmness

Patience

Readiness

Will-power

Emotion

(Temperament)

Anger/Depression

Joy/Worry

Pensiveness/

Obsession

Grief

Fear

Taijiquan

Hand Maneuver

Repulse monkey

Fair lady works shuttles

Part horse’s mane

Chop

Snake creeps down

Taijiquan

Footwork

Step and look left

Advance

Stand firm in middle

Step and look right

Retreat

Physiological

Zang-Fu (Viscera)

Lv/GB

H/SI, P/TW

Sp/S

L/LI

K/UB

System

Nervous

Cardiovascular: Spirit

Muscular

Respiratory

Reproductive

Tissue nourished

Muscle (tendon)

Blood vessel (pulse)

Flesh (muscle/fat)

Skin

Bone

Expands into

Nails

Color (face)

Lips

Body hair

Head hair

Sense

Sight

Words

Taste

Smell

Hearing

Sense Organ

Eye

Tongue

Mouth

Nose

Ear

Orifice

Eye

Ear

Mouth

Nose

Anus

Fluid

Tears

Sweat

Saliva

Mucus

Urine

Circulation of the 6 Arteries

Wind

Thunder penetrates

Air of a ravine

Heavenly climate (Throat: Earth climate)

Rain

Sensual

Musical Note

Soh

Lah

Doh

Ray

Mi

Tone

Jiu

Chi

Gong

Shang

Yu

Healing Tone

Xu (Lv)

He (H); Xi (TW)

Hu (Sp)

Qi (L)

Chui (K)

Sound

Shout

Laugh

Sing

Weep

Groan

Color

Green (Azure)

Red (Vermilion)

Yellow

White

Blue/Black

Taste

Sour

Bitter

Sweet

Pungent

Salty

Smell

Rancid

Scorched

Fragrant

Raw

Rotten

Polygon

Rectangle/Cone

Triangle

Square

Half-circle/Oval

Circle

Polyhedron

Dodecahedron

Tetrahedron

Cube

Octahedron

Icosahedron

Pathological

Where evil qi resides

Armpits

Elbows

Hips/Thighs

Elbows

Knees

Flavor Action

Gathering/Binding

Strengthening

Retarding

Dispersing

Softening

Effect of  overacting/ counteracting  flavor on visceral tissue

Pungent ®knots muscle

Sour ®injures muscles

Salty ®hardens pulse

Bitter ®injures energy

Sour ®toughens flesh

Sweet ®injures flesh

Bitter ®withers skin

Hot ®injures skin and body hair

Sweet ®aches bone

Salty ®injures blood

Healthy Tissues Strengthen Viscera

Muscle ®H

Blood ®Sp

Flesh ®L

Hair/Skin ®K

Marrow/Bone ®Lv

Meridian Level

Shaoyang

Taiyang

 

Taiyin

Shaoyin

Life Expectancy for Uneven Pulse

18 days

9 days

4 days

12 days

7 days

Alchemical Ingredient

Realgar

Cinnabar

Gold

Orpiment

Malachite

Seasonal Patterns of Visceral Diseases

Normal Pulse

Fine and delicate like strings of a musical instrument

Beats like a fine hammer

Soft and feeble; well-balanced

Small and rough

Small and like stone

Sickness

Head (wind: cough, nose bleed)

Viscera (food retention: chest, ribs)

Spine (cold in the center)

Shoulder & Back (intermittent fever)

4 Limbs (severe cold: cough, para-lysis, convulsions)

Season to heal

Summer

Late Summer

Autumn

Winter

Spring

If improvement has not occurred, then disease holds graver in:

Autumn

Winter

Spring

Summer

Late Summer

If death does not strike, then it can be warded off in:

Winter

Spring

Summer

Late Summer

Autumn

Rise again in:

Spring

Summer

Late Summer

Autumn

Winter

Avoid:

Wind

Hot foods, hot clothes

Overeating, damp clothing

Cold food and drink, chilly clothing

Spicy food, warm clothes

Visceral Disease Patterns

Animated Spirits

Morning

Noon

Sunset

Evening

Midnight

Heightened Spirits

Evening

Midnight

Sunrise

Noon

Last days of last months of seasons

Calm Spirits

Midnight

Early morning

Towards evening

Midnight

Towards sunset

Sickly Tendency

Disintegrate

Soften/Weaken

Work lazily

Close/Bind

Harden

Quick Food

Pungent to dispel

Salty to make pliable

Sweet to set it at ease

Sour for reception

Bitter to strengthen

General Treatment

Method

Acupuncture (needle of flint), fish and salt® internal burning (sea)

Acupuncture (9 needles), sour food and curd (sun, dew)

Massage, qi gong, exercise (fertile land)

Herbs, wool clothes (hills)

Moxibustion, milk (mountains)

Visceral Dietary Treatment

Tonify

Pungent

Salty

Sweet

Sour

Bitter

Drain

Sour

Sweet

Bitter

Pungent

Salty

Quickly eat:

Pungent

Salty

Sweet

Sour

Bitter

Proper food

Sweet

Sour

Salty

Bitter

Pungent

Examples

Millet, dates, mallows

Peas, plums, leeks

Beans, chestnuts, coarse greens

Wheat, mutton, almonds, apricots

Gluten, peaches, onions

 

Liujia: Six Deities

The Ge Hong Taoist cosmology, influenced by the Weishu, incorporated six deities (Liujia), for heaven, earth, and the four seasons by regulating the time for divination, ritual, and spiritual cultivation. The optimum times for such practices were on the first day of each ten days within a cycle of sixty. The 10 stems demark the 10 days within each of the 6 periods. Geometrically, the six deities could be expressed as the four seasons spiraling (ascending) on a rotational plane between the vertical axis of earth and heaven.

 

EIGHT TRIGRAMS (BAGUA): Eight Natural Forces (see fig. 1-3, 40-48)

The eight natural forces are represented in the former and later heaven sequence of the eight trigrams (bagua), the basis of the Yijing. The eight phases are expressed quantitatively in the third dimension, 8 (23), as two pairs of axes, or a plane. There are 64 (24) possible paired combinations of trigrams to form the hexagrams of the Yijing.

 

“The eight trigrams were conceived as images of all that happens in heaven and on earth. At the same time, they were held to be in a state of continual transition, one changing into another. Here we have the fundamental concept of the Book of Changes. The eight trigrams are symbols standing for changing transitional states; they are images, which are constantly undergoing change. Attention centers not on things in their state of being but on their movements in change. The eight trigrams therefore are not representations of things as such but of their tendencies in movement.  In an abstract sense, they represented not objective entities, but functions.” –R. Wilhelm

 

Bagua: Yijing Origins (see fig. 2-3, 40-41)

The bagua, or configuration of the eight trigrams, is a mind map that expresses the patterns of nature. Each trigram consists of three lines being either continuous (yang) or broken (yin), giving eight possible combinations.

 

The Taoist legend of the bagua is the origin of Yijing mathematics, which is also a tool for examining the metaphysical portents of numerological values. It is a symbol that represents the different aspects of Taoist alchemy. According to legend, Fu Xi derived the Bagua sequences after the discovery of the Hetu and Luoshu diagrams. The Hetu was on the back of a dragon-horse emerging from the Yellow River, while the Luoshu was on the back of a turtle emerging from the River Lo. Si Ma Qian claims the trigrams and the hexagrams were formulated by Wang Wen, a founder of the Zhou dynasty. Therefore, Fu Xi’s sequence is known as the early heaven sequence which corresponds indirectly with the Hetu, while King Wen’s sequence is known as the later heaven sequence which corresponds with the Luoshu. (see also ‘Hetu,’ and ‘Luoshu’ below)

 

Bagua Functions:

?         Records cyclic interactions of time and direction

?         Records major historical events

?         Talisman of protection

?         Yijing divination

 

General Notes:

?         Trigrams are read from the inside outward (bottom to top).

 

Xiantian Sequence: Pre-Heaven, Primordial Arrangement, Anterior Heaven Array (see fig. 45)

?         Diagram Correspondence: corresponds indirectly to the Hetu

?         Developer: Fu Xi

?         Representation: heavenly order (everything as it is in heaven, as well as thoughts prior to their manifestation on earth)

?         Ideal Version: talismans, mirrors, Yijing forecasting

?         Opposing Relationship: each trigram is converse of its opposite (shows interaction of opposing energies that bring about creation; expression of duality); the earth element stabilizes the opposite interactions

?         Energetic Relationship: shows the clockwise generative progression of evolving trigrams that represent the different energy phases, or the rise and fall of yin and yang

?         Historical Speculation: solely invented and used in the pre-diluvian period, when the world was ruled by heavenly worthies, or deities (before Great Flood and possible pole-shift; evident by the shift in the fire, or sun, trigram position)

 

4 Poles:

?         Emergence into existence: heaven (creation) and earth (reception)

?         Becoming aware: fire (reason) and water (intuition)

?         Effectuation: thunder (will: stimulation) and wind (feeling: evaluation)

?         Becoming conscious: mountain (active stillness: transcendent consciousness) and sea (passive sensuality: sensory consciousness)

 

Cardinal Trigrams: (see fig. 47)

?         Qian-Kun (Heaven and Earth): Qian and kun are considered the primordial trigrams that progenerate the remaining 6 trigrams. They are also the first and second hexagrams of the Yijing, considered the gateway of transformation and parents of the remaining hexagrams. In the early sequence, the trigrams designate south (vermillion bird) and north (black tortoise), the yang axis, respectively. Qian is characterized with 3 or 6 unbroken lines representing the creativity of pure yang, and kun is characterized with 3 or 6 broken lines representing the receptivity of pure yin.

 

In Taoist alchemy, qian refers to the furnace and head, and kun is the cauldron and belly. Furthermore, in physiology, qian refers to the sense organs (outer-head: ears, eyes, tongue, mouth, nose), and kun refers to the visceral organs (inner-belly: kidney, liver, heart, spleen, lung).

 

?         Li-Kan (Fire and Water): Li and kan trigrams express importance because they maintain the same configuration when turned upside down. When the duplications of the trigrams are combined, they form the 30th and 29th hexagrams of the Yijing. The trigram li has a broken line between two continuous lines. The trigram kan has a continuous line between two broken lines. As trigrams they designate the east-west (yin) axis of the early sequence and the south-north (yang) axis of the later sequence. Therefore, in the early sequence with qian and kun, they designate the cardinal directions.

 

In neidan, kan and li symbolize the ingredients of the elixir of life, lead and mercury respectively, which fuse to produce the spiritual embryo (shengtai). The continuous middle yang line of kan ascends to fuse with the broken middle yin line of li which descends. The ascending yang line of kan represents the purification of essence (jing) and energy (qi). The descending yin line of li represents the crystallization of spirit (shen).

 

In the early sequence of trigrams, kan symbolizes the white tiger (baihu), the crescent moon, and the hare, while li symbolizes the green dragon (qinglong), the sun, and the crow. In the later sequence, kan symbolizes winter, north, water, black, kidneys, and lead, while li symbolizes summer, south, fire, red, heart, and mercury.

 

 

Houtian Sequence: Post Heaven, Inner-World Arrangement, Posterior Heaven Array (see fig. 46)

?         Diagram Correspondence: derived from the Luoshu Magic Square

?         Developer: Zhou Wang Wen

?         Representation: earthly order of the seasons (earthly fulfillment and consummation of the Former Heaven; earthly conditions manifested by heaven)

?         Practical Version: compass (flood controller)

?         Cyclic Relationship: shows temporal progression (cyclic movement) of different energy phases; clockwise movement expresses rise and decline of yin and yang

?         Energetic Relationship: shows the interaction of opposing energies that stem creation

?         Elemental Relationship: polar trigrams express a destructive (hostile living environment)

?         Historical Speculation: invented in the ante-diluvian period (Dayu claimed to regulate floods with the use of the Later Heaven Sequence)

 

The Houtian Sequence is based on the following passage from the Yijing, “The ruler comes forth in Zhen with his creation. He completes the work in Sun. He causes things to see one another in Li and to serve one another in Kun. He rejoices in Dui and battles in Qian. He is comforted and rests in Kan, and then finishes the work of the year in Gen.”

 

Images of Concrete Reality:

1)       Qian: creative, strong, heaven, father

2)       Kun: receptive, yielding, earth, mother

3)       Zhen: arousing, movement, thunder, oldest son

4)       Kan: abysmal, danger, water or clouds, middle son

5)       Gen: still, rest, mountain, youngest son

6)       Sun: gentle, penetrating, wind or wood, oldest daughter

7)       Li: clinging, luminous, sun or lightning, middle daughter

8)       Dui: joyous, joyful, lake, youngest daughter

 

Eight Immortals: Baxian; (see fig. 7); (Ho- Immortals), (Shambhala)

The eight immortals, popular Taoist mythological figures, were first described during the end of the Tang Dynasty (618-906 CE). The tales were developed during the Song Dynasty (960-1260 CE) and officially formed during the Yuan Dynasty (1260-1368 CE).

 

The stories of the eight immortals were popular amongst the oppressed common folk of China, the vast illiterate majority. They represent good fortune, the misery of hardship and the threat of retribution to the oppressors. The eight immortals each represent a life condition, youth, old age, poverty, wealth, nobility, the populace, the feminine and the masculine. The stories incorporate the spirits of the land, the Jade Emperor’s heavenly court, the Huangdi, Laozi, and Xi Wangmu (Taoist Guanyin), the gods of earth and water (sea dragons), the 10 courts of hell, ideas of reincarnation and ancestor worship, the power of free will over destiny, and the use of magical items.

 

 

Portrayals of Becoming Immortal:

1)       Li Diguai:

Li is associated w/medicine. He is unpredictable, has a bad temper, and is favored by exorcists. He fights for the poor and needy. According to tradition, Xi Wangmu healed an abscess on Li’s leg, taught him how to become an immortal, and gave him his iron crutch. His gourd contains an elixir or resurrection.

 

Laozi descended from heaven to initiate Li in the Taoist teachings. Soon after, Li became an immortal and astral traveled to Huashan. He instructed his student to burn his body if he didn’t return within 7 days. On the 6th day the student rushed off to be with his dying mother, consequently burning Li body prematurely. Upon return, Li found his body in ashes and was forced to take the body of a dead beggar, with a black face, pointed head, matted hair, a crippled leg, and big protruding eyes. Laozi eased his reluctant to accept his fate with a golden hair band and an iron crutch.

 

2)       Zhang Guolao:

Zhang was a Taoist who lived during the Tang Dynasty. He is pictured riding his magic white donkey (capable of riding 1000 miles per day) backwards. The donkey could be folded up like a handkerchief and carried in a pocket, revived with a sprinkle of water. He is the bringer of offspring (esp. boys). Supposedly he was actually a bat who transformed himself into a human.

 

Zhang was a high official of the emperor, who had questioned a famous Taoist master of Zhang’s true identity. The Taoist master believed that he would die if he revealed the truth about Zhang. However, if the emperor were to go barefoot and bald to Zhang requesting forgiveness, Zhang could resurrect the Taoist master. The emperor promised to ablige, whereupon the master told him that Zhang was an incarnation of the primordial chaos (hundun). The master immediately died. After the emperor begged forgiveness, Zhang resurrected the master by sprinkling water over his body. Soon after, Zhang became ill and retired to the mountains (742 CE). His pupils found his grave empty (shijie).

 

3)       Cao Guojiu:

He was brother-in-law of Song Dynasty emperor, and an imperial court official. He became a mountain hermit ashamed of his younger brother who was a murderer. He was made an immortal because he looked useful. He is portrayed holding a pair of castanets. He is the austere patron saint of actors.

 

According to legend, Cao encountered Zhong Liquan and Lu Dongbin, who inquired why he was on the mountain. Chung replied “following the way,” whereupon they further inquired where the way was. Cao answered by pointing at heaven. They then asked where heaven was, and Cao pointed at his heart. Zhong and Lu then realized that Cao knew the original face of things, and taught him how to become an immortal, and became one within a few days.

 

According to another legend, the emperor gave Cao a gold medal that could clear obstruction. When Cao tried to cross the Yellow river by showing the gold medal to the ferryman, he met a Taoist priest, who revealed himself as Lu Dongbin, and assisted Cao to attain immortality.

 

4)       Han Xiangzi:

Han is the nephew of Han Yu, famous literary statesman of the Tang Dynasty. He had a fierce temper and possessed supernatural abilities. He is the patron of musicians. He loves solitude, music, poetry, and the mountains. He is portrayed holding a jade flute, bouquet of flowers, or a peach. He can make flowers grow or bloom at will.

 

According to legend, Han caused multiple colored peonies to blossom in the middle of winter that displayed a poem on its petals, “Clouds veil the peaks of Chinlingshan. Where is your home? Deep lies the snow on Lan Pass and the horses will go no further.” Han saw hidden meaning in the poem, which his uncle Han Yu dismissed as nonsense. Soon after, Han Yu was banished by the emperor, and found himself stuck at Lan Pass. Han appeared and cleared the snow. He told his uncle that he would regain his official post and return to his family, which came true.

 

5)       Lu Dongbin:

Born in 798 CE, in a family of civil servants. He traveled to Lushan where he met a fire dragon, who presented him w/magic sword that enabled him to be concealed in heaven. He is worshiped as the patron saint of barbers.

 

He is associated w/medicine and the elixir of life. He has power over demons w/sword and charms.

 

According to legend, Lu traveled to the capital where he met the immortal Zhong Liquan, who was warming some wine. Lu fell asleep and dreamt of being a wealthy official for fifty years, until a crime caused his families banishment and extermination. Upon awakening, he abandoned his pursuits to be an official and instead followed Zhong Liquan to the mountains, where he was initiated into alchemy and swordsmanship. At age 100 Lu still retained a youthful appearance, and was capable of traveling 100 miles in seconds.

 

Lu considered compassion essential to attaining immortality. He transformed waidan into neidan. His sword was a tool for quelling passion, aggression, and ignorance. His example had a profound influence on Taoism, as the Quanzhen dao school venerated him as their founder.

 

6)       He Xiangu:

The only female of the baxian, who lived during the Tang dynasty, and was granted immortality through her ascetic practices as a hermit in the mountains. She attained immortality at the age of 14 when a spirit came into her dream and instructed her to grind a stone called “mother of clouds” into a powder and ingest it, giving her the ability of flight.

 

According to legend, He Xiangu lost her way in the mountains while gathering herbs and met a Taoist master, Lu Dongbin, who gave her a peach to eat. She never again had hunger.

 

She is portrayed holding a lotus blossom, a peach, or a ladle, the latter a token of her function as the patron goddess of housewives.

 

7)       Lan Caihe:

An odd lunatic, sometimes male, female, or hermaphrodite, dressed in rags, wearing a belt made of black wood, a boot on one foot, while the other is bare, and he carries a basket of flowers, or a flute.

 

According to legend, Lan would wear a thick overcoat in summer and thin clothes in winter. His breath was like hot steam. He roamed as a singing drunk beggar. He strung his donations on a cord, which he dragged behind him. One day he stopped into an inn, took off his clothes and disappeared into the clouds on a crane (feisheng).

 

8)       Zhong Liquan:

Zhong lived during the Han dynasty, and was a high imperial official (general or governor) who retired to the mountains and is famous for inventing the immortality pill through alchemy. He is said to have instructed Lu Dongbin.

 

He is portrayed as a corpulent man with a beard hanging to his navel, wisps of hairs at his temples. He uses a fan that revives the dead.

 

According to legend, Zhong met a Taoist master in the forest, who at his request gave him prescriptions for immortality. As Zhong was departing, he gave the Taoist master’s hut a last glance and discovered that it had disappeared.

 

Another legend describes how Zhong saved the lives of the poor during a famine by miraculously producing silver coins. One day while meditating, a wall of his hermiage collapsed, revealing a jade vessel containing prescriptions for attaining immortality. Following them to the accompaniment of celestial music, he was taken to the abode of the immortals on a shimmering cloud.

 

THE EIGHT IMMORTALS

Immortal

Direction

Symbols

Related Legends

Li Diguai;

Diguai Li

S: Qian

Masculine

Iron Crutch; Medicine gourd

Jade Emperor’s Birthday

The Path to Immortality

The Student’s Mother

The Fragrant Nine Crooked Stream

The Eight Immortals’ Table

The Black Pearl

The Lame Healer

Peng Chuo and the Eight Immortals

Hanzi and the Young Master

Zhang Guolau

N: Kun

Feminine

Bamboo instrument (fish drum: capable of making a loud noise)

Jade Emperor’s Birthday

The Punishment of Guangzi Lian

Donkey Fire

A Thronged Straw Sandal

Why Zhang Guolau Rides His Donkey Backwards

The Bamboo Shoot that Grows Upside Down

How Zhang Guolau Obtained a Donkey

Peng Chuo and the Eight Immortals

Hanzi and the Young Master

Cao Guojiu

NE: Zhen

Pair of castanets; Imperial tablet of recommendation

Jade Emperor’s Birthday

Cao Guojiu Repents His Sins

Peng Chuo and the Eight Immortals

Han Xiangzi

SE: Dui

Jade flute;

Bouquet of flowers;

Peach

Jade Emperor’s Birthday

The Prophecies of Han Xiangzi

The Dragon Girl and the Immortal Flute

Peng Chuo and the Eight Immortals

Lu Dongbin

W: Kan

Large sword (Chanyao Kuai: Devil Slayer);

Fly whisk (flight)

Jade Emperor’s Birthday

Grottoes of Zhongling

Baishi’s Drama

Dream of Lu Dongbin

The Oil Seller

Shaoxing’s Aromatic Pastries

Lu Dongbin’s Vengence

A Matchmaker for Guanyin

Peng Chuo and the Eight Immortals

Hanzi and the Young Master

He Xiangu

SW: Sun

Lotus flower (openness and wisdom)

Jade Emperor’s Birthday

Donkey Fire

How He Xiangu Became an Immortal

A Hundred Birds in a Mountain

Peng Chuo and the Eight Immortals

Lan Caihe

NW: Gen

Basket of flowers

Jade Emperor’s Birthday

The Flower Basket Epiphany

Peng Chuo and the Eight Immortals

Hanzi and the Young Master

Zhong Liquan;

Han Zhongli

E: Li

Feather or palm leaf fan (controls seas); peach of immortality

Jade Emperor’s Birthday

Peng Chuo and the Eight Immortals

 

NINE PALACES (JIUGONG): Magic Squares (Hetu and Luoshu)

According to Chinese tradition Huangdi (2688 BC) invented magic squares to counter and slay black serpents. Magic squares are instruments of prophecy, and also tools to explain the processes of interior alchemy (neidan).

 

There are conflicting stories about the origins of the diagrams, Hetu and Luoshu. The most common legend claims that they were discovered by Fu Xi who then used them to derive the bagua. The Hetu was on the back of a dragon-horse emerging from the Yellow River, while the Luoshu was on the back of a turtle emerging from the River Luo. Another tradition states that Dayu was the discoverer. Yet another tradition claims that Fu Xi discovered the Hetu and Dayu discovered the Luoshu. Until the 12th c.CE, the names of the two diagrams were reversed (the present Hetu was known as the Luoshu, and vice versa). They were given their present names by Taoist philosopher Juxi.

 

The nine palaces relate directly to the legendary arithmetic of the nine numbers within the Hetu and the Loshu, which actually derive the former and later heaven sequences of trigrams respectively. In both diagrams, even (yin) numbers are represented by white circles, and odd (yang) numbers are represented by black circles. Confucianism claims that these two magical diagrams in additon to the concept of the five elements (wuxing) are the mathematical origins of the Yijing.

 

According to the Shangqing pai, the brain is divided into nine palaces which are inhabited by nine deities (shen). The palaces are arranged between the forehead and the nape of the neck in two rows, of four and five compartments. The highest palaces are the first three palaces of the lower row, where Huang Laojun and his assistants reside. The palace found at the center of the brain is called niwan, after the Buddhist nirvana, where Taiyi resides.

 

Hetu: Former Heaven Sequence (see fig. 37-39)

Legend: (2943 BC)

The pattern that became the prototype for the Former Heaven Sequence, was discovered on a dragon-horse, or unicorn (chiling) emerging from the river He by the shaman-king Fu Xi (demigod).

 

 

Arithmetic:

?         Excluding 5, odd and even numbers add up to 20

?         Inner four numbers add up to 10

?         Outer four numbers add up to 30

?         Outer number minus the inner number of any side is equal to 5

 

Numerology:

?         5 neutralizes and unifies

?         5 is derived from adding or subtracting one yang and one yin number

?         5 implies establishment

 

?         All numbers contain 0 and 1

?         1 is the established factor

?         0 is that which is established

?         5 can be expressed as 0: for it can go further up or down from a central reference position

 

 

 

Luoshu: Later Heaven Sequence (Rule of Nine Emperor Gods) (see fig. 40-48)

Legend: (2205 BC)

While draining the Luo River (Luo He) into the Yellow River (Huang He), Emperor Yu finds the text of The Great Plan (Hongfan), which is consulted through a divination method using the tortoise and reeds. He also marks a magic square of nine numbers, corresponding to the Later Heaven Sequence, on a tortoise that emerged from the river Luo. This Luoshu was developed by Wang Wen.

 

Root Structure (Magic Circle): how energy moves in the universe

 

Counting: (see fig. 42)

?         1 to 9: Earth to Heaven (N®S); clockwise = yang

?         9 to 1: Heaven to Earth (S®N); counterclockwise = yin

 

?         Yang embraces yin: south = yang/ north = yin

 

Arithmetic Relationships:

?         Every row, horizontal, vertical, and diagonal add up to 15 (the number of days in one of 24 solar periods)

?         Gammadion (Swastika): The central number (5) plus/minus the directional number (N, W, S, E) will determine the difference/sum, which is the counterclockwise adjacent number (NW, SW, SE, NE). In other words, each directional triangle of numbers includes its sum designated to that direction. The directional numbers are the numbers used to generate hexagrams in Yijing divination.

 

?         Northern Triangle: 1 (N) + 5 (C) = 6 (NW)

?         Western Triangle: 2 (SW) + 5 (C) = 7 (W)

?         Southern Triangle: 4 (SE) + 5 (C) = 9 (S)

?         Eastern Triangle: 3 (E) + 5 (C) = 8 (NE)

     

Nine Square with Eight Trigrams: (see fig. 45-48)

The Later Heaven Sequence of Eight Trigrams (Bagua) corresponds directly to the Luoshu Magic 9 Square.

 

¤      9 = Completeness and the height of greatness

¤      Taixuanjing: Tortoise 9 point diagram utilizing 9 tetragrams with 81 permutations reflected in Mahjong game

¤      Taoist Ritual: double up on central point to derive a tenth point (apex of octagonal pyramid)

 

 

 

 

 

 

ATTRIBUTES OF THE NINE PALACES WITH THE EIGHT TRIGRAMS

Attribute

QIAN

SUN

LI

GEN

ZHONG

DUI

KAN

ZHEN

KUN

Astrological/Cosmological

Image

Heaven

Wind/

Wood

Fire/

Heat/

Lightning/

Sun

Mountain

Center

Sea/

Lake/

Cloud

Water/

Lake/

Rain/

Moon

Thunder

Earth

Family Member

Father

Eldest daughter

Middle daughter

Youngest son

 

Youngest daughter

Middle son

Eldest son

Mother

Direction (F)

S

SW

E

NW

Center

SE

W

NE

N

Direction (L)

 

NW

SE

S

NE

Center

W

N

E

SW

Trigram Number

(F=Binary)

1 = 000

5 = 100

3 = 010

7 = 110

 

2 = 001

6 = 101

4 = 011

8 = 111

Palace Number (L)

6

4

9

8

5

7

1

3

2

Trigram Color (F)

Gray, white, silver, gold,

dark red, dark colors

Purple, green,

blue,

white

Red,

bright red

Turquoise, beige,

dark yellow

 

White, silver, gold,

purple

Black, blue, red

Green, green- brown, yellow

Yellow/ beige yellow

Palace Color (L)

White

Turquoise-green

Purple

White

Yellow

Red

White

Jade-green (blue)

Black

Dipper Star

Wenqu

(6)

Lianzhen

(4)

Yubi

(9)

Zufu

(8)

Pozhun

(5)

Wuqu

(7)

Tanlong (1)

Luzun

(3)

Zhumen (2)

Palace Portent

B

B

B, M

B

M

B, M, N

B

B, M, N

 

M

Trigram Animal (F)

Horse, dragon, goose, lion, elephant

Fowl,

Worm,

Mosquito, fly

Pheasant, tortoise, shelled animals

Dog,

tiger, rat, animals w/long snouts, mountain animals

 

Sheep,

horned, lake creatures

Pig,

Fish, water creatures

Dragon,

snake, horse (pony), fish

Ox,

cow, mare, dragon

Palace Animal (L)

White tiger

Light green dragon

Bird

Yellow snake

Red tiger

Turtle

Dark green dragon

Yellow snake

Astrologi-cal Animal

Pig, dog

Dragon, snake

Horse

Ox

 

Rooster

Rat

Rabbit

Sheep

Qi

Vigorous

Soothing

Growing

Expansive

 

Creative

Change-able

Flourishing

Nurturing

Sha

Acceler-

ating

Disruptive

Overpow-ering

Unpre-dictable

 

Provoking

Dangerous

Stagnating

Lingering

Feng Shui Remedies

Light: mirrors, lights

Straight lines: fan, sword, bamboo

Machines: appliance

Sound: chimes

 

Life: plants, fish, money

Stillness: Statue

Color:

Movement: flag, banner, ribbon, fountain, mobile, chimes, incense, pinwheel

Property

Creative

Gentle

Clarity

Stillness

 

Open

Mystery

Arousing

Receptive

Aspiration

Mentors

Wealth

Fame

Knowledge

Peace

Children

Career

Family

Marriage

Auspices

Strength, dignity, ambition, promotion

Travel, concentr-ation, steady progress

Fame, art, change of residence, good time for publicity

Coolness, internal change, finish one and begin another

Peace, peak, plan ahead, store excess

Joy, relaxation, accomp-lishment

Problems, obstacles, losses, stagnation

Genera-tion,

initiative, movement

Creative, time to reap benefits of former efforts

Quality

Authority, strength, father-hood, clarity, courage, activity, solid, decisive

Growth, trade, yielding, gentle, indecisive, weak, fragrant, neat, obedient, excitable, restless

Fire,

light-giving, festivity, agitated, enlight-ened, beautiful, dedicated

Resting, obstacles, scholarly success, quiet, slow, indecisive, secretive, contra-dictory, tough, independ-ent, stubborn, stagnant

 

Joy, purity, gossipy, quarrel-some, critical, soft, harmon-ious, broken

Danger-ous, business success, cunning, deceitful, wise, sad, harmless, busy, depressed, disturbing

Movement, health, excited, diligent, angry, nervous, threaten-ing, anxious, successful, flying, musical, shocking

Devotion, mother-hood, partner-ship, flexibility, soft, patient, moderate, calm, weak, empty, passive, cowardly, sick, deathlike

Action

Giving

Penetrat-ing

Burning

Stability

 

Joy

Flowing

Movement

Receiving

Yin/Yang

Pure Yang

Strong Yin

Middle Yin

Least Yang

 

Least Yin

Middle Yang

Strong Yang

Pure Yin

Element

Metal

(big)

Wood (small)

Fire

Earth (small)

 

Metal (small)/

Water

Water

Wood

(big)

Earth

(big)

Seasonal Node

Winter Begins

Summer Begins

Summer Solstice

Spring Begins

 

Autumn Equinox

Winter Solstice

Vernal Equinox

Autumn Begins

Strong Season: Ruling Months

Autumn:

Aug, Sept, Oct

Spring: Aug, Sept, Oct

Summer: May, June, July

Last 18 days of any season

 

Autumn: Aug, Sept, Oct

Winter: Nov, Dec, Jan

Spring: Aug, Sept, Oct

Last 18 days of any season

Specific Months

Late Fall-Early Winter: Sept (last 1/2)- Oct

April (last 1/2)- May

May (last 1/2)- June (first 1/2)

Jan (last 1/2)-Feb (first 1/2)

 

Aug-Sept (first 1/2)

Nov, Dec, Jan

March-April (first 1/2)

Nov;

June (last 1/2)- July (first 1/2)

Hour

7pm-10pm

7am-11am

9am-11am

11am-1pm

1am-5am

 

5pm-7pm

4pm-7pm

10pm-1am

5am-7am

5am-9am

1pm-5pm

1pm-4pm

Shape

Round,

short

Long, straight

Round and empty; enclosed on all sides

Round or square; empty inside but covered

 

Oval

Round

Round or square; empty inside & uncovered

Square, big belly

Feature

Metallic

Plants

Lights

Mountain

 

Metallic

Aquarium, ponds

Trees

Planet

Ecological

Weather

Clear sky, bright, cold, ice, hail

Windy

Rainbow, lightning, red sunset, clear, sunny, hot, drought

Cloudy, misty, volcanic eruptions

 

Cloudy, rain, drizzle, new moon

Clouds, heavy rain, snow, ice, hail, frost, moonlight

Thunder-storm, turbulence

Cloudy, dark, misty, light rain

Plant

Fruit tree

Flowering, fruit-bearing, fast-growing

Tropical, lotus, cactus

Fruits, seeds, roots

 

Weeds, grasses

Trees w/dried out trunks

Pod-bearing, young, green, bamboo, fast growing

Tree trunk

Agriculture

Strength

Vegetation

Drought

Seeds

 

Salt

Danger

Speed

Nourish-ment

Food

Horsemeat, tendons, meat, liver, lung, fish head, chicken head, fruit

Chicken, wild fowl, vege-tables, fruits, fish

Dry meat, fried meat, charcoal broiled and burnt meat, pheasant

Wild animal meat, bamboo shoots, potatoes, melons, fruits, roots, mountain fowl

 

Lamb, freshwater fish, duck, rich and spicy foods, leftovers

Pork, seafood, soup, wine, cool drinks, canned food, fruit w/kernels

Fresh meat, pig's feet, deer, bird, sour fruits, vegetables

Beef, deer, pheasant, inner organs, roots, potatoes, bread, cereals, bamboo shoots, mushroom, sweets

Theological/Sociological

Immortal

Lan Caihe

Han Xiangzi

Diguai Li

Cao Guojiu

 

Lu Dongbin

Zhang Guolau

Han Zhongli

He Xiangu

Immortal

Emblem

Basket of Flowers

Jade Flute

Gourd/

Iron Crutch

Castanets

 

Sword/

Fly Whisk

Bamboo Lute

Feathery Fan

Lotus

Immortal Treasure

Mirror

Gold Coin

Stone Chime

Rhinoceros Horns

 

Lozenge

Books

Dragon Pearl

Leaf

Buddhist

Emblem

Fish

Jar

Canopy

Lotus

 

Conch Shell

Mystic Knot

Wheel of Law

Umbrella

People

Ruler;

king/

prince,

old/great man

Merchant;

middle aged woman, widow, hermit

Women;

middle aged woman, intellectual, student, soldier, sage, leader

Officials;

young man (20-29), teenager, bachelor, unem-

ployed, mountain-eer

 

Sorcer-esses; young girl, concubine, maid, servant

Thieves;

young man (20-30), sailor, driver, thief

Young men;

Older man (30-40)

Masses;

queen, farmer, peasant, servant, wife

Civil Works

Circles

Business

Weaponry

Gates

 

Reflections

Wheels

Roads

Squares

Place

Capital, large state, highlands, meadow, plain

Summer resort, market, garden, softwood forest

Dry highland, rocky place, kitchen

Small roads, narrow passages, highland, grave yard, mountain areas or forests

 

Swamp, ditch, river bank, pond, pool, dry well, ravine, salt mine, valley

River, lake, stream, spring, low or wet, swamp, pond, pool

Hardwwod forest, dense wood, bushes, park, grassy area, market, highway, street

Field, open spaces, rural, country side, village, shade, storage, basement, home

Building Type

Public, tall, hotel

Temple,

3-5 story tall

Empty, many windows, safe

Temple, haunted, offices, storage, safe

 

Unsafe

Cafeteria, bar, restaurant

Tall

Houses: small, farm, low, clay, secure; earth steps,

Material Things

Gold, bronze, jade, pearls, precious stones (hard), ice, mirror

Wood, rope, cord, straight things, stretching things, needle, thread, table, story, picture, telephone

Book, document, weapon, mail, electricity, fireplace, kitchen ware, stove

Earth, stone, clay

 

Decorative gold or metal, soft metal, metal musical instru-ments, broken, useless, container

Hard wood, flexible material, poison, medicine, containers for liquids, bow, wheel, boat, ship

Wood, weeds, reed, wood musical instrument, flower, grass, drum, telephone

Cloth, cotton, silk, grain, clay, floor, axe

Sensual

Sound

One beat, note, sound

 

Happy

Gong

 

Harsh

Moans, morning

Loud

Silence

Taste

Hot, spicy, strong

Salty

Bitter

Sweet

 

Hot, spicy

Salty, sour

Salty

Sweet

Physiological

Body Area/ Organ Systems/

Regular Meridian

Head, bone;

L

Thighs, pelvis, upper arm, Respira-tory;

Lv/GB

Eyes, heart, chest, solar plexus;

Cardio-vascular

H

Hands, fingers, limbs, bones, back;

Sp/S

H; shen

Mouth, tongue, throat, saliva, lungs, small intestine;

L/LI

Ears, blood, lower abdomen,

Reproduc-tive;

K/UB

Feet,

Nervous  system, hair, voice, liver

Trunk, belly, flesh,

Sp/S

Meridian Level

General Yang

Jueyin

Shaoyin

Taiyang

 

Taiyin

Shaoyang

Yangming

General Yin

Regular

Meridian

GV

Lv/GB

H/SI

Sp/S

 

L/LI

K/UB

P/TW

CV

Spiritual Vessel

Chong

(Pene-trating)

 

Dai

(Girdle)

Ren

(Concep-tion)

Yinwei

(Yin-linking)

 

Du

(Govern-ing)

Yangqiao

(Yang-heel)

Yangwei

(Yang-linking)

Yinqiao

(Yin-heel)

Master Point

Sp4- gongsun

GB41- zulinqi

L7- lieque

P6- neiguan

K6- zhaohai; CV8- shenque

SI3- houxi

UB62- shenmai

TW5- waiguan

K6- zhaohai

Taijiquan

Movement

(F)

Ward off/ Push up

Pull down (cai)

Push forward (ah)

Shoulder stroke (kao)

 

Elbow stroke (zhou)

Press forward

(ji)

Split/ Bend backward (lie)

Roll back/ Pull back

Parameter

(Bagang)

Yang

Exterior

Hot

Deficient

 

Excess

Cold

Interior

Yin

Key:

F = Former Heaven Sequence

L = Later Heaven Sequence