《太平经钞》Vol. 2

If counsel is not heeded, this will lead to ruin. When the six vital energies are out of balance, the lesser warnings bring unrest and infestations: flying insects and creeping creatures become a scourge. Dark clouds gather, and winds rise without rain; there is cloud but no actual rainfall. More serious warnings come when floods and droughts become uncontrolled, harming all living things and the people. If counsel is still not heeded, ruin will follow.

Disasters caused by flying insects, creeping creatures, birds, and beasts may, in their milder form, harm the people. At their worst, birds and beasts devour people, and locusts appear in great numbers. Dark clouds often gather, and winds rise without rain: there is cloud but no rainfall. In more serious cases, floods and droughts become uncontrolled, harming all living things and the people. If counsel is still not heeded, ruin will follow.

Disasters caused by ghosts, spirits, and numinous beings—the uncanny presences described in the scripture—may, in their milder form, suddenly bring thieves and illness, causing the people to suffer. At their worst, they lead to punishment and death, even the destruction of an entire household. If counsel is not heeded, ruin will follow.

When disturbances appear in the six directions—the four quarters of heaven and earth—they bring disordered winds and rains in their milder form, with violent storms and harmful forces assailing the people. At their worst, they cause calamities that defy the natural order: winds hurl stones through the air, the ground trembles, the heavens are struck, houses are destroyed, and mountains shake. If counsel is not heeded, ruin will follow.

When the sounds of heaven and earth become abnormal, thunder and lightning grow frequent and sudden in their milder form; at their worst, thunderbolts strike without pause. If counsel is not heeded, ruin will follow. Signs also appear among officials and the people: in milder cases, their faces change; in more serious ones, many are injured or harmed. If counsel is not heeded, ruin will follow.

Heaven and earth, the six directions, and the eight extremities—all the regions of the cosmos—issue grave warnings to the world, calling for everything to be set right. The writings of the Yellow River and Luo River, auspicious diagrams said to have emerged from their waters, appear; Heaven’s intent is made plain to all, and records of auspicious signs also come forth. Through these, the ruler is admonished and the realm called back to proper order. There is no one in the realm who does not respond. If counsel is still not heeded, ruin will follow.

When the Dao of Heaven reaches the proper season, its corresponding principles should be put into practice in due order. Thus the sages of antiquity pondered throughout the day and never dared to be lax. They overlooked nothing, however small, and could discern later changes from the faintest signs. Because they did not go against Heaven’s intent, they were able to preserve themselves, bring stability to the people, and nourish all living things, remaining free of worry, ruin, and calamity. They planned as though they had calculated everything in advance, and their actions accorded with Heaven’s intent.

Heaven protects those who are readily taught, sincere, cautious, obedient, receptive to instruction, and able to discipline themselves. Heaven is especially generous toward emperors, repeatedly sending warnings through all manner of anomalies. If an emperor refuses instruction, Heaven then imposes punishments such as deposition. Once the spirits of heaven and earth cease intervening to set things right, anomalies multiply, the people grow weaker and more depleted, and each loses their proper place.

The wise and enlightened emperors of antiquity remained humble and reverent morning and night, reflecting deeply on Heaven’s intent and discerning it, never daring to defy it. They served the August Heaven as their father and the Earth as their mother, and regarded the sun as their elder brother and the moon as their elder sister. They studied the celestial signs, maintained the harmony of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water), followed the changes of the four seasons, and observed their waxing and waning. In this way, they put their own conduct in order and distinguished right from wrong.

An Illustration of the Womb’s Yin-Yang Patterns: Setting Conduct Aright and Dispelling Evil (a diagram or passage that takes the laws of Yin-Yang’s movement as its guide for correcting conduct and dispelling evil thoughts)

The Divine Man said: The Realized One, who has succeeded in cultivating the Dao, already understands these principles. Gather yourself inward and quiet your mind; then your outward conduct will naturally become upright. Close your eyes and turn your awareness within, and you will communicate with the spirits. Refrain from speaking carelessly, and you will accord with the Dao. Yin and Yang enfold and move in relation to one another: this is the law bestowed by Heaven. From this, the art of long life may be opened. You should cultivate yourself uprightly to dispel evil thoughts.

The immortal’s instructions to the Perfected One have already made their meaning clear to you: reduce your selfish desires, and your mind will be able to understand. The principles of external affairs will naturally become upright. Close your eyes and turn your gaze inward, and you can communicate with the spirits. Speak no words, and you can join with the Dao (the Way). Yin-Yang (yinyang) shelter one another, as Heaven approves. From this, the arts of long life can begin.

Do not be stubborn or forceful; instead, be calm and generous. Heaven and Earth receive harmonious Qi, seeming so still that they cannot be heard or seen. To understand their intention, you must observe your inner mind. Be like a fetus in the womb, unconcerned with food and drink: after ten months, it communicates with the spirits. Nothing surpasses the Way of nature. Turn your gaze inward and let Qi settle deep within the twelve layers. “Twelve layers” here refers to the image of cultivating by guarding the inner self layer upon layer.

Thus, return to the simplicity of an infant and you will encounter no danger. If, in old age, you can return to your origins and become young again, you can communicate with the Dao. For this reason, the scripture uses “twelve layers” as an illustration: those who cultivate the Dao with integrity can attain good results, while the unworthy meet misfortune alone. The Way of Heaven endures and does not perish; its forms turn in cycles like the four seasons. Life reaches old age and then returns to its beginning, and so long life is possible.

Reflect on these principles and keep your intentions free of perversity. Continue to accumulate De (Virtue/Power) and do good, and the Dao can naturally be cultivated. Inborn talent is less powerful than practical effort; ultimately, the Dao belongs to those who truly cultivate it. If someone is not suited to it, the Dao will not be put into practice without cause.

The Dao is like the wind, quietly present beside people: when used, it appears; when unused, it vanishes. The worthy have a place to dwell, and the unworthy have their own destination. Life and death depend on oneself; what matters is consistent conduct. Heaven is not at fault. People simply remain silently beside the Dao; use it and you can attain it, fail to use it and you will lose it. The worthy have a place to dwell, and the unworthy have their own destination. Life and death depend on oneself; what matters is consistent conduct. Heaven is not at fault; people bring their own ruin upon themselves. Consider these principles carefully, and do not act recklessly.

Heaven grants people the means to keep to the Dao and put it into practice, so they can live long. If they refuse to cultivate themselves in this way, they will decline and perish. I have recorded these admonitions for you: if the Dao is passed to someone suited to receive it, it is easy to put into practice. In ancient times, sages sealed their transmission of the Dao with an oath made over blood. The Way of Heaven is supremely precious, yet the ignorant treat it lightly.

The Dao is the teacher of all things. Those who attain the Dao are clear-minded; those who lose it are confused. Though Heaven and Earth are vast, they overlook nothing. The worthy cultivate themselves through wisdom and can attain a state equal to that of the spirits. When they accord with the Dao, they grasp the guiding principles of Yin-Yang and the keys to the workings of Heaven and Earth. The sages of antiquity understood this deeply and used it to reveal the essentials of the Dao. Inwardly, it can be used to cultivate oneself; outwardly, it can dispel calamities. If one fails to act in accordance with its principles, one will share in the troubles of Heaven and Earth.

There are broadly four ways to govern the world. If the ruler’s officials are all elderly, younger officials lack a foundation for governing; the world should not be governed by the young alone. I have observed the workings of Heaven: recently, the Qi of Yin and Yang has repeatedly fallen out of balance. At times this is because officials neglect their duties and fail to act with integrity, throwing the seasonal Qi into disharmony. When the ruler lacks understanding, calamities follow one after another, and Daoists suffer as well. Heaven and Earth, the sun and moon, seem to be harmed by this too, losing their usual light. Even if Daoists wish to escape disaster on their own, they may not be able to avoid harm. So although I have received Heaven’s protection and been able to live a long life, I have never dared assume that I could certainly preserve it. When I was young, I studied under a teacher, yet there was still much I could not fully understand. The Celestial Master explained the essential points to me, fearing that these principles might one day be forgotten.

There are four principles of governance: the principles of Heaven, of Earth, and of human affairs, as well as the principles by which all things operate in their own way. Only after the Qi and principles of the first three have been fully applied can one speak of governing the myriad things, such as insects, fish, and plants. What do these principles mean?

The principle of Heaven is for the ruler to serve elderly officials as though they were his fathers. Though an official holds a low position, why should he be honored like a teacher or father? Because, despite his low position, his virtue is noble. The ruler honors him in order to learn from his virtue and plan together with him, so that the world may be at peace.

The principle of Earth is for the ruler to treat his officials as friends, as people of shared purpose and kindred hearts. Officials respond to the ruler as a mother and child love one another, sharing one another’s troubles as siblings do. Though officials hold low positions, they can help the ruler govern the world through the virtue of calmness and harmony.

The principle of human affairs is for the ruler to place officials in a lower position. Young officials are like newborn children, not yet able to plan great matters for their father, and so small disruptions arise in governance. If those who govern the world regard all their officials as teachers and fathers, they will care for them as a father cares for his children. How could danger then arise? Teachers and fathers can resolve the troubles that come from every direction on behalf of their children, and the ruler will therefore be less likely to lose stability.

To govern according to the principle of Earth is to treat all the officials of the world as friends. People who share the same purpose plan together, bear hardships together, and hope for one another’s well-being. The way of Earth lies in yielding to and supporting those above, fully responding to Heaven’s intent and gaining Heaven’s favor; then the world can be at peace.

To govern according to the principle of human affairs is to attain the Qi of balance and harmony. Balance and harmony mean that officials may advance or withdraw, yet remain difficult to see through. This is like a young child who cannot yet plan for his father and may sometimes deceive him. Young officials are not yet able to make far-reaching plans for the ruler, and may therefore deceive him as well. Because the young are inexperienced and have little learning, the ruler is also less wary of them; under this form of governance, there is therefore less disorder.

As for the principles by which all things—such as insects, fish, and plants—operate, they approach a state without reason or righteousness. All things have little understanding and no virtue. They recognize no distinctions of rank or position among themselves and strive only to prevail; in the end, they fall into disorder and decline.

Under governance according to the principle of Heaven, people take joy in living and do not harm one another. Under governance according to the principle of Earth, people act in accordance with goodness, and any harm is slight. Under governance according to the principle of human affairs, people seek their own advantage, their desires multiply, and they often harm and deceive one another, causing fear and anxiety. If they act only according to the way all things contend for victory, nothing will ultimately be accomplished; all that remains is a struggle for dominance among those who recognize no distinctions of rank or position.

Between Heaven and Earth, people are often assigned work beyond their abilities and forced to shoulder tasks they cannot manage. When they fail, they may receive neither understanding nor guidance, but instead be blamed. This leaves them feeling wronged and resentful, and they turn against one another in disputes and lawsuits. When the people are distressed and worn down, they raise their heads and cry out to Heaven. The accumulated Qi of grievance and resentment moves the six directions—Heaven and Earth and the four quarters—and calamities follow one after another. They come in many forms, are difficult to dispel quickly, and cause severe harm. This is a warning to all under Heaven: when the people are distressed in their hearts, the Qi of grievance and resentment rises to Heaven and brings on ceaseless disasters. Such conduct can never succeed, and strange calamities will not cease. How, then, can the Qi of peace arise? This is why peace cannot be achieved: the fault lies here.

All things under Heaven have conditions suited to them, and each should be allowed to fulfill its strengths. Let those able to do something do it; do not force those who cannot. All things depend on the Qi of Yin-Yang. Some things, for example, cannot climb a high mountain, yet in water they can drift with the current, whatever its depth. A great tree cannot be without a crown, yet it can grow amid rivers and seas. From this we can see that when wise ancient kings governed, they planted suitable crops according to the conditions of each kind of land. They allowed all things to grow well and flourish, so the state became prosperous and the ancestral temples had abundant offerings. All under Heaven was at peace, free from illness and hardship, and the Qi of calamity and evil came to rest and no longer spread harm.

If crops are planted without regard for whether the land suits them, things cannot complete their natural span of life and will all wither. The people’s grievances and resentment cannot be dispelled; some may even die young, moving Heaven. Harvests will be poor, the state desperately impoverished, and food and drink too meager for abundance. The ancestral temples will lack offerings, and the people under Heaven will suffer. People will harm one another; rulers and ministers will deceive one another; and what is said inside and outside will not agree. This is where the fault begins. It is the source of great disaster and the road by which a state approaches ruin.

When studying a book, one often finds it difficult to read fluently. Once one has read it thoroughly, one can understand what it contains.

After receiving the book, people often fail to study it diligently enough to learn it thoroughly. Even when they have memorized it, they may know the words well but fail to reflect on their meaning and study them with care. In that case, receiving my book brings no benefit. What difference is there between receiving a book and not striving to put it into practice? What difference is there between seeing food and not eating it, and having no grain at all? If you see a drink but do not drink it, can it quench your thirst when you are thirsty? This does not make someone else suffer; it harms you yourself. How could you not think carefully about this?

Therefore, the sage strives to reflect, and the exemplary person strives to learn, without resting day or night. It is like the heavenly bodies moving without pause, or the many rivers continually flowing together, until at last they form the great rivers and seas. Take care to understand my words well.

Heaven arranges affairs according to their corresponding principles. Each has its proper sphere and a way in which it can be carried out. Affairs come to light at different times: some sooner, some later, and their course can be foreseen. It is like the growth of all things: a seed sprouts at the hour of the Rat, grows at the hour of the Rabbit, droops with branches and leaves at the hour of the Horse, ripens at the hour of the Rooster, and comes to an end at the hour of the Pig. Even when its course can be foreseen, that does not guarantee that events will unfold as expected.

Every affair has conditions suited to its execution and often reveals signs in advance. Before an event actually takes place, Heaven first makes its path visible. The signs shown by Heaven always precede an event; they never follow it. An affair can proceed smoothly only when it encounters the right person. Those who receive Heaven’s aid are precisely those able to see these signs. Without understanding the principle behind them, one will not succeed even by acting accordingly; this shows that one is not the right person. For this reason, it serves as clear proof that carefully examining the Way of Heaven and judging one’s words and actions with caution makes it possible, by and large, to avoid error.

If an affair is suited to a person, Heaven will make the way clear for them; if it is not, the way will be blocked. By carefully finding the right person, illness can be eliminated, calamities and unusual events will disperse on their own, and the Yi and Di—ancient terms for peoples on the surrounding borders—will submit. There will be no need to wage war, and troubles will subside.

All things have their own arrangements and conditions. The right person can carry them out naturally; the wrong person cannot. If the right person has not been found, nothing should be forced forward. One should not forcibly claim someone who is not a companion, nor try to cultivate land that is unsuitable; otherwise, whatever is sown will not grow. If one’s words are not good, one cannot secure a fitting position—how, then, could it last? The four directions of Heaven and Earth each have what suits them; all things differ, and affairs differ as well. A great person understands these principles and can bring stability to the state. A person of middling ability can use them to become a worthy minister, while an ordinary person can rely on them to preserve their own well-being.

In ancient times, Heaven and Earth responded to one another above and below, living in harmony. As a result, natural disasters ceased, and deceit and wickedness were brought to an end. People then had clear minds, keen eyes, and acute hearing. They could know in advance what was about to happen and reflect deeply on the future. They could move things that had no feelings, perform extraordinary deeds, and usually succeed in what they undertook. Their words and actions were honest and dependable. They did not depart from the “mind of the Imperial Void,” a state of stillness, emptiness, and clarity, and they aspired to boundless wisdom and expression.

They understood that human lifespans have their own lengths and limits, advances and declines, each fixed by its allotted measure. They regularly examined the signs of change in Yin-Yang and grasped the essentials through Heaven, Earth, and humanity. They made agreements with the gods, yet never dared to violate the great prohibitions of Heaven and Earth. Whatever they followed or received had to accord with Heaven’s intent, and they reported it through successive written documents, all the way to the Celestial Lord, ruler of the heavenly realm.

When the Celestial Lord received a document, he checked whether its stipulations were clear. Only then would he issue a proclamation, so that the various parties would not resent one another. Those serving as intermediaries could speak on their own initiative; even if they did not report something themselves, it would still come to be heard. Messages passed clearly from top to bottom, and no rule or deadline was missed. People feared that they might fail to complete their duties in time, so they often examined and corrected themselves. They also feared being reported by the gods who monitored them and recorded their faults. Thus they dared not slacken; anyone who made a mistake would be replaced.

For this reason, Heaven repeatedly issued warnings and restated its instructions, requiring words and actions to match what had been said and forbidding disobedience to its commands. This was the standard observed in the heavenly realm and the rule on which the gods relied. Every party acted according to the law and dared not stop, for fear that a matter might fail to be conveyed. Each received more than one assignment, all of which had to be handled with care, lest a deadline be missed. The gods had ranks of honor and authority, and each had a separate duty. If their work fell short of what was required, their shortcomings would be recorded. They would then be anxious and unsettled, as if suffering from hunger and thirst.

The Celestial Lord spoke and issued instructions so that the various parties could govern one another. There were many kinds of documents, whose meaning had to be understood; afterward, the parties also had to verify one another’s credentials. People in ancient times could discern the gains and losses of past events and the changes to come, inside and out, above and below. They observed the four directions and even saw the governing principles beyond their borders. As the years continued to pass, the gods’ workings changed with them. How could they ever come to an end?

The stars each followed their own regular courses and never moved at random. Things followed one another in succession, leaving no uncertainty. People knew the origins of good and ill fortune, and so they established the calendar. Each year had 360 days, calculated according to the lengths of the months; if the calculation left a fraction smaller than a full month, that counted as a short month. Spring, summer, autumn, and winter each had their proper order, while the markings on the water clock—which measured time by the flow of water—ran at different rates. The old and new calendars were compared and adjusted so that their differences were clear and not a hair’s breadth was lost. The twenty-four solar terms were assigned to each month, and the days between them were calculated in sequence. The length of day and night also changed according to its own pattern. When sacrifices were offered to the gods of Heaven and Earth, the officials used the water clock to keep the appointed time. They must not be late, or they would be punished for violating the regulations.

Day and night therefore each had their allotted hours, varying with the length of daylight. A day was measured by a standard of one hundred water-clock marks, with no room for error. In a virtuous state, the days were longer and the water clock flowed more slowly, its markings matching the prescribed standard. Some states today do not follow this method: their calculated hours of day and night are too short, with each mark amounting to only eight or nine tenths. As a result, the ages of the elderly are miscalculated: people who should be old are counted as though they were young, and their lifespans consequently appear shorter. How, then, could one claim on this basis that lifespans have increased? If a state has many officials and its government operates slowly, later generations may still enjoy their inherited blessings and gain a little breathing room. But if it refuses to face its faults, it will still suffer conquest.

The light of Heaven and Earth gathers in the south. The Si and Wu branches both belong to the south, and the Li trigram, which symbolizes fire and brightness, represents the light that shines directly. Ceremonies in the Bright Hall, an important ancient site for sacrifices and governance, should face south, with sunlight shining from the south toward the north. The waxing and waning, advance and retreat of Yang Qi follow a constant pattern. Yin and Yang join and interact as far as the Zi direction, due north, where cold and warmth respond to one another and light naturally shines through. This is precious. The ways of nurturing life and bringing things into being center on Lesser Yang and Greater Yang. Wood and Fire generate one another, each in its proper place. What is there to dispute? The inner and outer succeed one another, each settled in its own name. From brightness above to silence below, all is naturally still; the myriad things flourish, and everything is clear to view. Nothing needs to be deliberately forced for things to come to completion.

Whatever Heaven depends upon should receive its corresponding designation. The pivot and measures of the celestial bodies indicate the allotted limits of life and death. The deity in charge of destiny records the numbers in registers and ledgers according to names, then conveys them to one another through written documents. If someone requests an inspection, the gods check the ledgers and report to the Celestial Lord. The Celestial Lord has officials in charge, and the reporting gods are at his side. All those within and beyond the court stand in awe of them and dare not take matters into their own hands. Affairs passed between the upper and lower realms each have their own deadlines, which must not be missed.

The officials under the Great Yin dare not slacken. They keep the palace gates and towers in proper order. If someone reports a matter on their own initiative, they receive it from one another and handle it, regarding this as an important and proper course. Documents record names, and once an instruction is received, it is carried out at once, without the slightest error.

In ancient times, people had the wisdom and foresight to illuminate and see all kinds of things. After receiving the way of the gods, everything was clear and knowable, each thing had its own rule, and the regular order was never lost. Since the Great Beginning, calendars have had longer and shorter cycles, and the principles behind them are profound and subtle. From ancient times to the present, the key to making a calendar has been to establish the sequence of times and calculate the results. People applied their minds to reflection, observation, and calculation, so that whatever they worked out could be put into practice. Their calculations followed the proper rules; they accumulated the days and months year by year and used the larger totals as the basis for their reckoning.

The world is now enjoying abundance, peace, and stability. The ruler can sit at ease, free from worry, while the people concern themselves only with pleasure and have nothing to do. The Five Grains are no longer valued as they once were, and their prices are no longer fixed. People throughout the realm have taken to brewing wine and drinking together, and the wine trade at markets has become especially prosperous. This is called the “Water Order.” Wine belongs to Water, and the movement of Water’s Qi harms the life-generating Qi associated with Yang.

When people drink until drunk, their pulse Qi becomes disordered. They neglect their proper duties in business, quarrel with one another, and may even kill or injure others. Some set out early for the market but meet with an accident on their way home; some fall into the hands of criminals, some tumble from heights, and others are struck by carts or horses. The harms caused by wine are too numerous to count. Consider how many markets there are within the Four Seas: in a single month, hundreds of millions of measures of grain are consumed. And for no good reason, people are killed or injured every day. Some are left alone and without support, their family lines cut off; some incur misfortune by becoming estranged from their parents; others bring calamity upon their descendants. County officials cannot investigate and deal with each case, and can only beat their breasts and cry out to Heaven. This alarms the Heavenly Emperor, throws the Qi of Yin-Yang, the Four Seasons, and the Five Phases out of balance, and obstructs the rule of a sovereign who would bring peace to the realm, turning the Qi of Great Harmony into disorder.

The people are needlessly made to brew wine, wasting grain and ultimately bringing about these calamities. Therefore, a virtuous ruler should issue a clear edict informing officials and the people: from now on, anyone who drinks one dou of wine at a market without good reason is to receive thirty strokes of the bamboo and three days of labor service; anyone who drinks two dou is to receive sixty strokes and six days of service; anyone who drinks three dou is to receive ninety strokes and nine days of service. The more wine a person drinks, the heavier the punishment. Wine sellers are to be punished in the same way. Those sentenced to punishment are all to work on repairing city walls, roads, and government buildings.

Having them repair city walls, roads, and government buildings serves to carry out large-scale construction. Earth can control Water; it is used to suppress floods so that Water does not excessively harm Yang. Water belongs to Great Yin and also symbolizes the people. If the force of Water is instead allowed to grow unchecked, it will damage Yang essence, with profound consequences. Repairing roads opens up broad and accessible thoroughfares. By tracing omens according to the principle that things of the same kind correspond, the way toward an age of Great Peace can gradually be established.

By examining the patterns that govern the movements of Heaven and Earth, Yin-Yang, and all things above and below, we can understand that acting against these patterns weakens the vitality of all things, injures Yang Qi, and brings grave calamity. We should therefore cultivate the Way of governing the world, take the Great Dao—the fundamental pattern by which Heaven and Earth move—as our model, judge fortune and misfortune according to the kinds of things involved, and gradually establish an age of peace.

By examining how Heaven and Earth, Yin-Yang, and all things above and below care for and govern one another, we should establish worthy achievements and earn a good name. We should first bring harmony to our own families, then help people stop hating one another and become willing to work together with one heart. In this way, the Qi of Great Harmony—the breath of balanced Yin-Yang and peaceful existence among all things—will naturally flourish. The world will grow more peaceful, people in the six directions (above, below, and the four quarters) will unite in purpose, and people throughout the eight directions (everywhere in the world) will share their plans. When governance accords with the people’s hearts, they will all respond with joy.

This requires taking the primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth as the foundation, so that Yin and Yang each settle in their proper place. Evil will then quietly dissipate, and those who resist will return to the proper way. Thus the Great Dao will be made clear and the spirits will grant their approval. Above, I set forth virtue and morality before August Heaven; below, I clarify the laws and principles of mountains and rivers. I also establish rules for rulers, so that even people of middling ability may give rise to good intentions. This is done to dispel the grave grievances between Heaven and Earth, free rulers from worry, help people love one another, and allow all things to find their proper place. The constant laws ordained by Heaven have always endured; they are never hidden from view.

The wise rulers of antiquity honored their ministers and cherished recluses—people of talent and virtue who had not entered official service—in order to benefit the people and do them no harm. Their ministers, in turn, were loyal and trustworthy, and did not deceive their rulers. In this way, they governed their states with the wisdom of spirits. These principles and laws have always been plain to see.

A worthy father is always concerned for his son’s well-being, and a son is always concerned for his father’s comfort. When father and son work together with one heart, there is no family undertaking they cannot accomplish. If they cannot unite, the family falls into disorder: each abandons his proper duties, the household becomes impoverished, and in time they quarrel and part ways, even harming one another. If a biological father and son, bound by the same blood, are so closely connected, how much more should a ruler care for officials and subjects of different surnames throughout the realm, serving as their teacher and father as well? For this reason, sages foresee trouble in its earliest stages and remain especially watchful and cautious.

A teacher belongs to Yang. The teacher should care for students and guide and instruct them along the good path, helping them understand that they must honor Heaven, cherish Earth, respect those above them, and benefit those below. Students, in turn, should serve their teacher with respect, obey diligently, remain loyal and trustworthy, and refrain from deception. When teacher and students work together with one heart, they can examine the laws handed down from ancient times to the present, put the sages’ teachings into practice, clarify the boundaries among the regions of Heaven and Earth, and govern all things well so that each finds its proper place. As worthy people steadily accumulate, they can become able assistants to the ruler, plan governance together with him, and ultimately bring about peace.

If they cannot unite in their plans, or pass on the essential principles to one another, but instead pursue empty and showy words and deceive one another, they will violate the divisions of the Heavenly Dao and disrupt the sages’ teachings. The order of the six directions will become unclear, bringing great calamity upon the world. If rulers and teachers lose the proper Way of governing, they will act against Heaven and Earth, fail to understand the intent of the spirits, and ultimately become a great harm to the world.

Human beings are endowed with the Qi of Yin and Yang. Their movements and stillness, anger and joy, each have their proper times. Even before sexual union, Yin and Yang are already at work within the body, sustaining the ceaseless process of life. The way of Heaven is formed through the joining of three; this is why a child begins to walk at three years old. Three multiplied by three makes nine, and the harmonizing of Yin and Yang thereby reaches a certain stage. Before sexual union, the desires in a person’s heart cannot yet be put into action.

The number of Heaven is five, the number of Earth is five, and five is also the number of human beings; three fives come together to make fifteen. When the Qi within the body stirs, three numbers combine to make nine, and the harmonizing of Yin and Yang reaches a certain stage. Before a man and woman have sexual union, they may have thoughts in their hearts, but cannot yet act on them. When four fives come together to make twenty, they correspond to the Qi of the four seasons, and desire begins to arise. The four seasons govern growth, so people too have the desire to reproduce. When five fives come together to make twenty-five, the Qi of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) is abundant enough to support sexual union and procreation. When five sixes come together to make thirty, the body becomes stronger. Thus Heaven causes people always to have thoughts of reproduction, so that the generative way of Heaven and Earth may flow through them and their kind may continue. Around the age of thirty, people are able to reproduce. In old age, when the body weakens, they should reduce sexual activity, close their doors, and cultivate stillness.

All manner of insects and animals in the world follow the patterns of Heaven and Earth in their life and reproduction. Like Heaven and Earth, human beings too possess the nature of Yin-Yang generation and transformation. In the course of a day and a night, Heaven and Earth together nurture twelve thousand kinds of living things, enabling them to grow to maturity. The darkness of night belongs to Yin; the dry brightness of day belongs to Yang. Heaven combines Yang Qi with Yin essence and sends down rain and dew. The Qi of Yin and Yang enters the Earth, works together, and brings forth twelve thousand kinds of living things. Among them are two thousand kinds that are auspicious and beautiful.

Each of the twelve thousand kinds of living things has its own spirit and its own leader, yet all must follow a single Great Dao for the processes of generation and transformation to run smoothly. The way of Heaven moves up and down, as though people were following one Great Dao to pay homage to a ruler. The spirits of all things share in the generative transformation of Heaven and Earth, and all arise from the same Great Dao. Living things differ in size—large, medium, and small—and the Dao that corresponds to them likewise differs in scale. Each lives, finds space, and moves according to its capacity. The greatest Dao is ten thousand paces wide; the next is a thousand paces, then a hundred, then ten, and the smallest is one pace wide. Five kinds of pathways correspond to the five directions. All grow between Heaven and Earth, rise toward Heaven, and follow one Dao together.

Thus the Great Dao is ten thousand paces wide, the middle Dao a thousand paces, the small Dao a hundred paces, the narrow Dao ten paces, and the finest Dao one pace. Things differ in size, and each comes and goes according to its capacity. They receive Heaven’s gifts from above, then pass life-giving power down to Earth; once they have grown, they all rise together toward Heaven. The Great Dao can only expand; it must not be arbitrarily narrowed. Once narrowed, it can no longer accommodate all things. Some living things may then fail to be born, or may even be injured or die; people too may thereby lose their descendants. Injury harms life, while death takes life away. The ancient sages did not dare abandon or sever the Great Dao because they understood that this was a prohibition imposed by Heaven.

How can the way of Heaven be damaged? The Dao belongs to Heaven, is Yang, and governs birth; De (Virtue/Power) belongs to Earth, is Yin, and governs nurture. If many things cannot be born, this shows that the way of Heaven has been damaged. If a living kind cannot reproduce, this shows that the way of Heaven has been constrained, causing that lineage to end. When one kind cannot reproduce, one line of transmission is cut off; the number of such losses reveals the extent of the harm to the way of Heaven. When the Dao flourishes, it governs the generation of life, and all things can grow. When De flourishes, it governs their nurture, and all things and the people can be cared for, free from injustice and accumulated resentment.

Why does the section on “goodness” in the Five Books place the character qing below and the character dan above? It is because our Dao takes blue-green and cinnabar as its emblems of trust. Blue-green symbolizes the stirring of a benevolent heart, while red is the true color of the sun and Heaven. Our Dao is like the sun: it upholds benevolent governance and does not wish to harm any of the myriad things.

The Son of Heaven is the heart of Heaven, and the empress is the heart of Earth. The heart’s duty is to uphold the right way. Heaven covers everything. All things, great and small, receive the Mandate of Heaven and come into being, which is why it is called Heaven. Heaven embodies the truth of the utmost Dao and does not deceive. One should cherish all things and act with accumulated sincerity and trustworthiness, always seeking only to benefit and never to harm, and never to fail any being. This is the way of Heaven. The ruler is the child of Heaven and the leader of the people, and should model his conduct on the way of Heaven.

A son should receive his father’s stern instruction and act in accordance with it. Only then can he understand his father’s intentions and become someone who governs the household well. If he does not follow his father’s instruction, affairs both great and small in the household will fall into disorder, and the family’s fortunes will decline: property will continually be lost and become difficult to accumulate, affairs will grow chaotic, and calamities will follow one after another, bringing sorrow and hardship. This is their root. When rulers of old were about to act, they first looked up to Heaven, received its instruction in their hearts, and only then took action.

The empress’s conduct should be upright and follow the example of Earth. Earth bears everything; all things, great and small, belong within it, and it embraces and nurtures them all, good and bad alike. The empress is Earth’s child and also its heart. Since she cares for all affairs, she should follow Earth’s example and act like a mother; only then can she be called filial. Heaven, Earth, and the empress respond to one another like an echo answering a sound: a small error has a small effect, and a great error has a great effect. Even the slightest deviation can put her intentions out of accord with the heart of Mother Earth.

When empresses of old were about to act, they first thought of Houtu, the spirit of Earth, and understood that Earth embraces and nurtures everything. They should be patient and tolerant, keep to what is constant, and settle themselves in this way, bringing their intentions into accord with Earth. If they go against this, calamities will follow one after another, punishments will be difficult to restrain, Yin Qi will increase and Yang Qi will decline, and the myriad things will be unable to flourish. This is the root of misfortune.

When the Son of Heaven and the empress both conduct themselves rightly, divine beings and perfected persons will appear, and the true Dao will be made clear. Worthy and wise people will each occupy their proper positions, and good and beautiful things will gather in the state.

Original Qi belongs to Yang. Yang’s function is to bring all things into growth; the spontaneous transformation that nourishes them belongs to Yin, whose function is to nurture all things. Heaven belongs to Yang and is responsible for generating and developing; Earth belongs to Yin and is responsible for nurturing. The sun and daytime belong to Yang and govern generation and development; the moon, stars, and nighttime belong to Yin and govern nurture. Spring and summer belong to Yang and govern generation and development; autumn and winter belong to Yin and govern nurture.

Among the Heavenly Stems, Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, and Ren belong to Yang and govern generation and development; Yi, Ding, Ji, Xin, and Gui belong to Yin and govern nurture. Among the Earthly Branches, Zi, Yin, Chen, Wu, Shen, and Xu belong to Yang and govern generation and development; Chou, Mao, Si, Wei, You, and Hai belong to Yin and govern nurture. Nine belongs to Yang and governs generation and development; six belongs to Yin and governs nurture. Men belong to Yang and govern generation and development; women belong to Yin and nurture all things. The male belongs to Yang and governs generation and development; the female belongs to Yin and governs nurture. The ruler belongs to Yang and governs generation and development; ministers belong to Yin and govern care and support.

Everything under Heaven requires the complementary action of one Yin and one Yang to generate and nurture one another. If there is only Yang, with no giving of life, Yang Qi is wasted, for there is no Yin to receive and nurture it. If there is only Yin, with no reception of transformation, Yang Qi has nowhere to act. Generation and development govern all things: if Yang Qi monopolizes this power, cutting off Yin and Yang from one another so that they cannot communicate, this is a great grievance against Heaven. If Yin refuses to receive transformation and cannot bring forth growth, this is a grave fault. Heaven’s grievance means that Yang refuses to give life and instead harms or destroys things that could have grown. Earth’s fault means that Yin refuses to receive transformation and cannot nurture the myriad things, instead harming their growth.

If Heaven does not send rain at the proper time, it is a cruel Heaven; if Earth does not bring forth and nurture the myriad things, it is a cruel Earth. If a man does not contribute the power of procreation, he cuts off Heaven’s line of transmission; if a woman does not receive transformation, she cuts off Earth’s line of transmission. When the Way of Yin and Yang is severed and there are no descendants, this is a great calamity, as if Heaven and Earth were suddenly destroyed and ceased to exist. Thus, sages value the Way of Heaven and the relevant scriptures. Heaven is the essence of many principles; the worthy love the Way, and so rank below the sages.

When the worthy enter the true Way, they advance further and become immortals. Those who understand the way of becoming an immortal can reach the state of the perfected person; those who understand the true Way can reach the state of the spirit. The spirit joins with Heaven, and its form and principles are in communication with it. Thus Heaven is called spirit, and the spirit can also carry out Heaven’s functions. The spirit is an official of August Heaven, while the spirit-person is the very heart and mind at the core of August Heaven.

The nature of Heaven and Earth is this: what is clear and bright governs what is turbid, while what is turbid cannot govern what is clear and bright. Essence, Qi, and radiance are the heart and mind of all things. Those who govern affairs and discern principles should observe with a clear mind.

What does each of the following represent: spirit-persons, perfected persons, immortals, Dao practitioners, sages, the worthy, common people, and servants? Spirit-persons represent Heaven: Heaven moves without ceasing and shines in all directions, knowing everything. Perfected persons represent Earth: Earth is upright in nature and utterly sincere, never deceiving. Heaven responds to human actions: whatever people plant, Heaven answers according to what they have planted and does not alter it arbitrarily. Immortals represent the four seasons: as the seasons change, all things wax and wane with them, taking no fixed form. Dao practitioners represent the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water); the Five Phases can be used to divine good and ill fortune and are especially suited to judging safety and danger. Sages represent Yin and Yang: Yin and Yang follow the patterns of Heaven and Earth to govern affairs and harmonize the myriad things. Sages, too, should harmonize all things, accord with Yin and Yang, and thereby fulfill Heaven’s heart. The worthy represent mountains and rivers: mountains and rivers carry breath far and wide, and the worthy should likewise help the emperor’s commands reach all quarters. Common people represent the myriad things: wherever things grow, there is no distinction of high or low, and common people are everywhere. Servants appeared in times of decline and represent grasses and trees that are weak and lowly. They usually occupy low positions and find it difficult to flourish, so they are compared to plants.

If servants are virtuous, they too can become good people. If good people love learning, they can become worthy. Through continual learning, the worthy can approach sagehood; through continual learning, sages can come to know the gateway to the Way of Heaven. By persevering in cultivating the Way, one can attain the Way of deathlessness and then become an immortal. An immortal who continues to advance in cultivation can become a perfected person; a perfected person who continues to advance can reach the state of the spirit. If the spirit continues to advance in cultivation, it can unite in form and spirit with August Heaven. Thus, the highest spirit-persons reside in the Purple Palace at the Northern Pole—the heavenly palace that symbolizes the exalted center—and unite with the Lord of Heaven. They are called the “Spirit of Heaven’s Heart.” If the spirit continues to advance in cultivation, it can even transcend the heavens. Entrusted with Original Qi, it teaches and transforms all things through sound, yet has no bodily form. It belongs to Heaven above and concerns itself with heavenly affairs. Beings below the spirit-persons jointly care for affairs between Heaven and Earth, within the Six Directions, and together harmonize the myriad things so that they are free from illness and suffering.

Do you wish to understand the farthest reaches of the four quarters of Heaven and Earth, and what is most precious in the universe? Among the thirty-six thousand heavens and earths, longevity is most prized. Thus Heaven ranks first and Earth second, followed in order by divine beings, perfected beings, immortals, Daoist practitioners, sages, and worthies. These eight kinds of beings all accord with the will of August Heaven, the highest celestial deity, and work together with one mind; for this reason, they all belong to the people of Heaven. Those whom Heaven wishes to employ are assigned their respective duties within the celestial realm. Their thoughts are therefore often alike. These are all people whom Heaven cherishes and nurtures. Heaven prizes longevity and everlasting life above all; immortals, too, yearn for long life and immortality. Those who seek life dare not act recklessly, but consider their own safety and well-being.

Heaven displays its laws through celestial signs. The sages of antiquity often took these signs as their guide and dared not go against them. Thus they abhorred inauspicious things, rooted out the deceitful and wicked, and prevented treacherous ministers from stirring up trouble—all in accordance with Heaven’s laws.

If you wish to make Yang Qi grow stronger day by day, so that the power of Fire becomes brilliantly flourishing and does not wane, you must quickly put an end to Metal Qi and prevent it from gaining power. The meaning is this: the ruler of Heaven should cease making war. Weapons belong to Metal, so warfare should be abandoned as soon as possible. When an emperor bestows weapons upon the feudal lords, he is helping Metal Qi to grow. When Metal Qi is strong, Wood Qi weakens; when Wood Qi weakens, Fire cannot shine brightly. When Fire does not shine brightly, it is a sign that warfare is about to begin. Fire symbolizes the sovereign, who can transform the four seasons. The changes of the planet Mars, which the ancients associated with Fire Qi and strange events, most clearly embody Heaven’s law, without the slightest deviation.

When a ruler governs the state and provides for the people, he is like the head of a household working the fields and making a living. The ruler should understand the people’s circumstances and recognize that they have different needs. What is to be done if he does not show them kindness and care, leaving them with no way to appeal and even driving them to steal? When he sees someone worthy and capable, he should grant that person refinement and honor; the hungry should be given food, and the cold should be given clothing.

Why should the worthy be granted “refinement”? The word “refinement” suggests pattern and literary grace. The scripture says that refinement arises in the East and becomes manifest in the South. Thus the patterns of Heaven appear in the northeast, and writing, too, comes from forms seen in the northeast. The tiger bears markings and corresponds to the position of Yin; the dragon bears markings, corresponds to the position of Chen, and can carry things as it ascends to Heaven. The Li trigram, which symbolizes the South, Fire, and brightness, represents refinement and is positioned in the South. The Sun, Moon, and stars—the three lights—thus display the patterns of Heaven. The Sun rises in the East and shines most brightly in the South. Heaven’s mandate appoints the ruler to govern the world, and the ruler should take these celestial signs as his model.

There are Three Sovereigns in Heaven, three on Earth, and three among humanity; Five Emperors in Heaven, five on Earth, and five among humanity; Three Kings in Heaven, three on Earth, and three among humanity; and Five Hegemons in Heaven, five on Earth, and five among humanity. What do these terms mean? The Three Sovereigns in Heaven correspond to the Sun, Moon, and stars, the three lights. On Earth, they correspond to high places, low places, and level ground. Among humanity, they correspond to ruler, ministers, and people. The Five Emperors in Heaven correspond to the five planets; on Earth, to the Five Sacred Peaks; and among humanity, to the five zang organs.

The Three Kings in Heaven take the three lights as their image, while the Five Hegemons take the Five Sacred Peaks as theirs; their correspondences on Earth and among humanity follow the same pattern. Among Heaven’s Three Sovereigns, the Sun is most exalted, followed by the Moon and then the stars. Among Earth’s Three Sovereigns, the Five Sacred Peaks are most exalted, followed by level ground and then fields. Among humanity’s Three Sovereigns, the ruler is most exalted, followed by ministers and then the people.

There are six grave sins that cannot be expiated. Some bring retribution at once; others carry their consequences into later generations. A person may accumulate countless principles and knowledge, yet refuse to teach others how to preserve their lives: this sin cannot be expiated. A person may accumulate countless virtues, yet refuse to teach others to uphold virtue, cultivate their nature, and act with care: this sin cannot be expiated. A person may possess immense wealth, yet refuse to aid the poor or help those in urgent need, leaving them to die of hunger and cold: this sin cannot be expiated.

A person may know of the Dao, yet look down on it and refuse to study diligently in order to save themselves. Or they may have had the chance to receive the Dao of long life, but neglect to study it, only to die in regret and self-reproach. This sin cannot be expiated. Heaven gives people life, with sinews, bones, and strength, so they can earn their own livelihood. Yet people may refuse to work diligently and instead let themselves go hungry and cold, betray the bodies handed down by their ancestors, and cast aside their own labor. This sin cannot be expiated. Others forcibly seize what belongs to someone else and treat those who preserve harmony as enemies. This sin cannot be expiated. These are the six grave sins, all loathed by Heaven and beyond pardon.

The time of my departure draws near. I leave these words for my six disciples: the Dao is vast and profound, with no distinction between above and below, within and without. Hold fast to the Qi of harmony, and you will embody the proper character of a minister. Seek close at hand, and you may gain great insight; pursue what lies far away, and you may easily lose your way. If a ruler governs well, beginning deep within the heart and truly reflecting on the principles, the way to govern will naturally become clear. The principles lie within the heart, yet can also spread across the four seas. The sages of antiquity called this the essential Dao. When sages taught emperors, they urged them to think deeply and plan far ahead, close the nine openings—that is, withdraw the senses from disturbance by external things—and let their limbs rest. They were to return their spirit to an undifferentiated state, like a ring with its head and tail joined and no end, or an infant in the womb, unburdened by affairs. Only then could they understand the principles. All the Dao I have transmitted takes this as its essential guiding principle. May Heaven cherish it and pass it on.

This concludes fascicle four, section Ding, of the Taiping Jing Chao.

Taiping Jing Chao, fascicle five, section Wu

By matching the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches according to divinely bestowed prophetic texts—writings that foretell good and ill and explain Heaven’s intentions—one can seek the way to govern the state of Chang’an. The question concerns the search for the fundamental principles that connect Heaven and Earth, and for the content in the prophetic texts that can be expressed in a single phrase and remain unchanged for ten thousand generations. The Heavenly Lord faces many calamities, with sorrow and hardship. August Heaven follows the four seasons…

According to Heaven-sent prophetic texts, matching the Heavenly Stems with the Earthly Branches makes it possible to discern the principles of governing a state. What must be sought is the source of the prophetic texts that link Heaven and Earth; one of their statements can never be changed throughout the ages. When the Heavenly Lord, the ruler in Heaven, is often afflicted by illness, calamities and sorrow also become common in the human world.

Heaven takes the four seasons as its limbs, while Earth takes the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) as its body: the seasons govern rise and decline, and the Five Phases govern the patterns of order. These are directed by nine kinds of spirits, which move throughout the world, linking above and below and reaching to the utmost limits; their transformations are difficult to perceive. They are the vital foundation of the world and the gateway to all affairs. Each follows its own constant pattern, which must not be rashly violated. Follow these patterns, and good fortune will endure; disrupt them, and the harmony of Heaven and Earth will be lost.

In the prophetic system of the Way of Heaven, the south corresponds to the ruler: the sun is in the south, Fire is in the south, and the height of summer is also in the south. The Kitchen God among the Five Sacrifices and the heart among the five organs likewise belong to the south. The ruler should therefore wear red, for red belongs to Fire. Abnormalities involving the ruler usually correspond to Yang energy, rather than to Yin places. The sun is the brightest of lights and the foremost among them, so Heaven often uses the image of the sun to divine the flourishing or decline of the ruler’s De.

In governing the state, the ruler should draw near to benevolent and generous people, share the work of governing with those of resolve and virtue, and constantly act in accord with the Dao (the Way) and cherish life. The east belongs to Wood and represents benevolence and growth; the south belongs to Fire and represents brightness and nurture. The east governs the Dao, and the south governs De: the Dao enables all things to grow, while De nurtures them. The dragon of the east symbolizes literary refinement, and the south symbolizes proper form; hence refined literary expression is called “patterned writing.”

The east is where lesser Yang first arises, so the sun rises there. The south is where the sun reaches its height, symbolizing the ruler’s De shining brightly, like Wood giving rise to Fire. Lesser Yin symbolizes ministers, who submit to a ruler as radiant as the sun through the principle of righteousness. Metal is bent and shaped by Fire, just as ministers restrain themselves through righteousness and assist the ruler in carrying out his wishes. Thus lesser Yin represents ministers. Greater Yin symbolizes the people, who flow ceaselessly like water. The people also bear the responsibility of creating a livelihood for the state and its lords. Water nourishes Wood, and Wood symbolizes the ruler’s household.

The prophetic framework of the Way of Heaven says that lesser Yang fears lesser Yin. This means that ministers can oversee the officials and affairs of the state and its lords. The sun fears greater Yin, meaning that the ruler must also take the people into account. When a state has De and its ruler and ministers are wise, the people will obey; when the state departs from the Way, the people will turn away. Therefore, the foundation of governing a state lies in having a large and prosperous population. If the people are few, the state will be poor and weak.

The framework of the Way of Heaven is divided into six sections. The east and south belong to Heaven. When all things grow, they reach upward and outward; insects and people, too, emerge from their burrows. Thus Heaven’s outer color is green, symbolizing Wood, and its inner color is red, symbolizing Fire. The west and north belong to Earth. In autumn and winter, all things wither and return to the soil, while people and insects enter their dwellings. Thus Earth’s outer colors are yellow and white, symbolizing Earth and Metal, and its hidden inner color is black, symbolizing Water and the north.

The east and south occupy honored positions and belong to Heaven. They govern and symbolize the ruler, elders, teachers, and fathers. The west and north occupy lower positions and belong to Earth; they symbolize ministers, the women of the inner palace, and the people. Jia belongs to Heaven and is the foundational position of kingship, so it corresponds to the Heart constellation. The heart belongs to Fire and to the south. Bing is the brightest and most flourishing form of Fire, symbolizing the ruler’s position. Xin is Bing’s consort, and Jia is Bing’s father. Ji corresponds to the empress’s palace, while Xin corresponds to the palace of the secondary empress. Bing is the legitimate son of Jia and symbolizes the ruler who receives the Mandate of Heaven. Geng and Yi are paired, symbolizing the consorts of the regional lords; Ren and Ding are paired, symbolizing the consorts of the emperor’s sisters; Gui and Wu are paired, symbolizing the women of the empress’s natal family.

Each of the ten Heavenly Stems has its own domain, and each Earthly Branch has a fixed correspondence. Although the Way of Heaven sets Yin and Yang in motion, the paired Stems and Branches each have their own positions; they do not all move together with a single household: Jia corresponds to Yin, Yi to Mao, Bing to Wu, Ding to Si, Wu to Chen, Ji to Wei, Geng to Shen, Xin to You, Ren to Zi, and Gui to Chou. Thus the Way of Heaven moves in recurring cycles, while the Way of Earth has fixed places. Land is divided into districts, but the people should not be divided arbitrarily; the state has its borders, and Heaven and Earth, too, each keep to their proper place. Heaven completes one circuit in the course of day and night; this is the constant way. The twelve Earthly Branches each have a fixed position and do not shift with the Heavenly Stems.

Wine has water as its basis, and when Water is strong it can overcome Fire; Fire symbolizes the ruler’s De. One should therefore give up drinking wine promptly in order to preserve the virtue of Fire.

My Daoist methods should be used outwardly to regulate the Yang aspect and inwardly to regulate the Yin aspect. Outwardly, they guide conduct; inwardly, they set the heart and spirit aright. Outwardly, they correct the various classics; inwardly, they correct the various books. Outwardly, they can dispel calamities; inwardly, they can set oneself aright. Outwardly, they can serve as a standard for the learning of the court; inwardly, as a standard for practice within the chamber. Everything should have its proper limits. Those who strive to learn should act according to their abilities. If they instead depart from the established norms, trouble will follow.

When external learning becomes showy, people cannot discipline themselves. When inner practice strays from the right path, it leads instead into deviance. Many students fall gravely ill in this way without realizing it. Those who favor external learning and are exceptionally gifted often become caught up in showiness. They make Daoist methods deviant and without orthodox grounding, yet claim that these methods are the true Dao, deceiving one another. Those who exert themselves excessively in inner cultivation also often fall into deviance, while imagining they have gained some insight.

There are too many texts from past and present to exhaust them one by one. To learn and arrive at what is true, one must not depart from the foundation. When learning the oral instructions—the essentials of practice passed down by word of mouth—from a master, one must not depart from the master’s teachings either. This is the most important principle. The greatest failing in learning is to cater only to outward phrases and passages, becoming ever more shallow, piling up words and speaking recklessly. Those who study inner scriptures but force them to fit prophetic writings that predict fortune and misfortune or explain omens have not grasped the crucial meaning and may instead speak falsely.

For any claim to be correct, it must accord fully with the discourse on the Way of Heaven. If it accords in nineteen parts out of twenty, it contains a minor deviation; if it accords in eighteen, confusion has already begun. Anything below that cannot be adopted. Such teachings will disturb the patterns of the heavens, throw Yin-Yang into discord, set the myriad things against one another, and bring great calamity upon the people.

The way to cultivate nature is correct only if one can clearly behold one’s own form within the heart. Seeing various spirits among the myriad things outside oneself is incorrect. In all one does, one should hold fast to the foundation and then draw on the views of the worthy to steady one’s understanding. It is wrong to focus only on collecting various writings and passages while forgetting what the foundation points to.

The Celestial Master (Tianshi), a preacher revered by Daoists, emerged into the world for the sake of the Qi of Great Peace. He received the Way of Dao and De and sought to establish the rule of the August Sovereign. His concern extended both to rulers who honored the Dao and to ordinary people who were foolish or weak. His thoughts reached throughout the Six Directions—above, below, and the four cardinal directions—and encompassed the Eight Extremities, the farthest reaches in all directions. Nothing lay beyond their scope.

The Dao has nine levels. The first is primordial Qi and Wuwei (non-action); the second, stillness and emptiness; the third, the differentiation of measures and numbers, with visible forms and images; the fourth, the spirit’s outward journey and return; the fifth, the spirit of the Great Dao responding to the four seasons and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water); the sixth, “Ciji”; the seventh, “She Mou”; the eighth, “Yang Shen”; and the ninth, “Jia Xian.” Each level is further divided into nine kinds, making eighty-one paths in all. Though their forms and words differ, in secret practice they all return to one root: the spirit serves as messenger, and the human being as its gateway.

The first, “primordial Qi and Wuwei,” means contemplating oneself without undertaking any action. One thinks only of the body as clear and luminous, as though its Qi had dispersed and left no form, and regularly uses this as a method of cultivation.

The second, “emptiness and naturalness,” means maintaining one’s bodily form while keeping body and mind empty and clear, without pursuing extraordinary transformations. One contemplates the body as luminous within and without, connected from top to bottom, as if a ruler sat at the center and governed all.

The third, “measures and numbers,” involves accumulating Jing and Qi, then turning one’s attention back to contemplate oneself. Beginning with the hair and counting down to the feet, one visualizes each of the five fingers in turn and counts every part of the body, inside and out. One understands the significance of each and practices this contemplation regularly, without the slightest error. This is a relatively simple method of cultivation.

The fourth, “the spirit’s outward journey,” involves contemplating the spirits of the five organs as they enter and leave the body by day. One sees them traveling back and forth, can even speak with them, and thereby learns what is auspicious or inauspicious. This goes a step beyond the method of counting.

The fifth, “the spirit of the Great Dao,” concerns a person’s spirit traveling outward and responding to the four seasons and the Five Phases. The colors blue-green, red, yellow, and black correspond respectively to the comings and goings of the spirits of the organs. The spirit officials of the Five Phases become a person’s messengers and can subdue various malign influences.

The sixth, “Ciji,” is a practice involving stabbing and striking the ground. It may lead a person to favor ingenious and unusual techniques, but it should not be performed often.

The seventh, “She Mou,” concerns Heaven and Earth, the four seasons, the altars of the soil and grain, mountains and rivers, and the spirits honored in sacrifices. It should not be practiced casually.

The eighth, “Yang Shen,” refers to spirits that drift about unpredictably and cannot be assigned to any one place. When the vital essences of the world descend, they may cause a person to speak incoherently, saying things that are half like the truth and half like heresy.

The ninth, “Jia Xian,” refers to a practitioner who sees only ghosts and spirits and has not attained the true Dao.

The celestial gods each possess wondrous treasures. The light of their vital energies appears in different colors as the Five Phases change, and waxes or wanes with the shifting climate of the seasons. These spirits are directed by Heaven and Earth, and they in turn govern the people and all things. Wherever Yin and Yang meet between Heaven and Earth, all things receive the teaching of the Dao and De and grow.

The cultivation of the Dao spoken of here means upholding the Dao and De and continually accumulating good deeds. In this way, one can communicate with the vital energies of Heaven and Earth and the spirits, and interact with the people, insects and other living beings, all things, the seasons, and the energies of the Five Phases. They all know of such good conduct.

The meaning of the original phrase “lei xie. jiu wei jia xian, xian zhe chun jian gui, wu you zhen dao ye” is unclear, and it cannot be translated with certainty from the text as it stands.

The first category is the “Lane of Great Compassion and Filial Devotion.” Compassion and filial devotion arise from within: they are thoughts held in the heart that flow forth naturally, without needing to be learned. This conduct accords with Heaven’s intent and responds to the Earth. Above, it benefits the ruler’s governance; below, it can serve as an example for the people and help bring about harmony. It can be taken as a standard of conduct for all, as clear as a picture painted in bright colors, and so it is placed first.

The second category is the “Lane of Understanding the Dao and De, and Great Gentleness.” Those who understand the classics and moral principles set an example for the people. They delight in studying the Dao and are skilled at accumulating De; thus they do not invite thieves. Such people benefit the ruler’s instruction of the people and are most auspicious.

The third category is the “Lane of Filial and Fraternal Devotion, Beginning to Learn and Become Good.” Those just beginning to practice goodness already wish in their hearts to do what is good. They know to abandon what is wrong and return to what is right, and gradually develop conduct rooted in benevolence and righteousness. Yet these qualities have not become fully natural to them.

The fourth category is the “Lane of Diligent Farming Families.” The children of farming families work hard: they labor from early morning until sunset, do not shrink from hardship, and build up savings over time. Their households are harmonious and peaceful. They provide for their parents and follow the rhythms of the land’s productivity and the Dao of Heaven. They dare not do wrong and are of benefit to the authorities. These people are developing conduct rooted in benevolence and righteousness, but it has not yet become fully natural to them.

The fifth category is the “Lane of Sons Who Are Greatly Inhumane, Unrighteous Young Men, Who Love Weapons and Gather to Commit Crimes.” These people have no regard for benevolence, righteousness, or reason. They insult Heaven and Earth, fail to provide for their parents, and often carry weapons when they go out, making the neighborhood fear them. They are frivolous and unruly, offering no benefit to Heaven and Earth’s teachings and instead causing great harm. The people should join together to hunt them down and cast them into ditches, forbidding anyone to hide or bury them.

The sixth category is the “Lane of Households in Discord, Who Deceive the Old and Favor the Young, and Share Food While Keeping Their Property Separate.” Such households are bound to decline. Their relatives are at odds and cannot correct or guide one another. They also carelessly spread news of people’s comings and goings and avoid one another, abandoning what is fundamental in pursuit of what is trivial. The resulting calamity will be difficult to undo.

The seventh category is the “Lane of Those Who Repent and Abandon Their Weapons.” Some people come from poor and remote places, with little chance to see or hear about the world. They do not understand good and evil, and their conduct gravely violates the Dao of Heaven. Fortunately, they encounter a wise and enlightened ruler who guides them toward goodness. They received no education as children and only come to regret their ways as adults. Good people and worthy scholars should mark them with wooden posts five feet high, so that they may eventually leave their former neighborhoods to seek learning and study the Dao. Scholars should investigate and ask about these people’s histories. In this way, the people will one day all be able to turn toward goodness.

The eighth category is the “Lane of Those Who Repent, Reform, and Join the Good.” When people study at home but fail to complete their learning, they may provoke disorder and calamity. Fortunately, a wise and enlightened ruler understands their circumstances and enables them to repent and renew themselves. In the end, they may even become teachers who guide others.

The ninth category is the “Lane of Greatly Wicked People, Corrupt and Greedy, Who Undermine Good Order.” These people occupy office without doing their duties, and are corrupt and greedy. They deceive their superiors and harm the people. They are deeply treacherous officials, known as “official bandits.” They look human on the outside, but within are like greedy beasts. They bring no benefit to the Yin-Yang of Heaven and Earth. Their crimes are grave, and they should be put to death.

The tenth category is the “Lane of Those Who Correct Their Faults, Return to What Is Right, and Repent of Their Deeds.” After repenting, they correct their conduct and change their intentions. Even if they had no good thoughts when young and often brought calamity upon themselves, those who do wrong in the morning and reform by night may still be called good people.

These ten categories of lanes are rules established by the sages of antiquity. Their purpose is to encourage people to do good, so that they stop harming one another and everyone can enjoy a full lifespan, return to the right path, and cut off the roots of disorder. Thus they may come to see the vital energy of peace.

The workings of the spirits follow established rules and an order. Their roots are divided into four levels. The highest root connects with the emperor, thereby setting the operation of the Heavenly Way aright. The next root connects with the empress, thereby following the patterns of the earth. The middle root connects with the assembled sages, thereby regulating Yin-Yang. The lesser roots connect with the common people, thereby governing the myriad things. Those in high positions can accomplish great undertakings, those in middle positions can accomplish undertakings of middling scope, and ordinary people can accomplish small ones; all can set things right in some measure.

When the emperor practices Dao and De, the sunlight shines brightly; when his Dao and De are deficient, the sunlight grows dim. When the empress practices Dao and De, the moon shines with special brilliance; when her Dao and De are deficient, the moonlight also weakens. When the assembled worthies practice Dao and De, the stars move in radiant splendor; when their Dao and De are deficient, the starlight grows dim. When all four roots follow Dao and De, the realm is at peace, auspicious signs appear, and light spreads far and wide. By observing the celestial phenomena, one can see that wind and rain arrive in season and the climate is clear and harmonious. When the assembled worthies practice Dao and De, the stars move in radiant splendor; when their Dao and De are deficient, the stars too grow dim. When all four roots practice Dao and De, the realm is at peace, auspicious signs appear, and light travels far; by observing the celestial phenomena, one sees that wind and rain come at the proper times, the peoples turn their hearts toward the ruler, and calamities naturally dissipate.

Now that you have received the book of Dao and De transmitted by the Celestial Master (Tianshi), you should entrust it to the people who carefully uphold the Way, so that they may turn toward a benevolent and virtuous ruler. Such a ruler can govern the realm and preserve himself. The emperor is Heaven’s most honored son, and the empress is Earth’s most honored woman. Those who are supremely divine and sacred, though they ought to dwell within the deep recesses of the palace, must concern themselves with lands thousands of miles away. They receive the Mandate of Heaven and govern Yin-Yang, the six directions, and the eight quarters. They occupy the foremost position of honor between Heaven and Earth and are entrusted with the care of the spirits. From the heights of Heaven to the depths below, even the smallest living beings among the myriad things turn their hearts toward them.

Therefore, the ruler should create the “Supreme Numinous Treasure Memorial” (a sacred document for communicating with Heaven’s will) to understand Heaven’s intentions. He should also appoint officials versed in astronomy and calendrical methods—that is, the Grand Astrologers—to take turns observing day and night how the weather waxes and wanes, and how the three lights, the sun, moon, and stars, change. They should gladly accept Heaven’s admonitions in order to seek their own safety. In the eleventh month, he should tune the Yellow Bell (one of the ancient pitch pipes, and the pitch associated with the eleventh month), guiding the Qi beneath the earth upward. He should observe the weather and the changes in the three lights, and gladly attend to the intentions of Houtu, the spirit of the earth, in order to seek safety.

The ruler should build a Bright Hall (a place for ceremonies, deliberations, and observing celestial phenomena) in the Bingwu quarter, facing the sun. He should provide it with eight windows, opening it to all four sides so that the winds of the eight directions and the Qi of the four seasons can flow freely. He should seek to harmonize with them and thereby secure his safety. He should also open the gates on all four sides and welcome rare books, unusual strategies, precious curiosities, wise and capable people, and diverse skills from throughout the realm, so as to establish lasting peace and dispel calamities. When the sages of antiquity held power, they always strove to seek out reclusive worthies and gentle, capable people, governing the realm together with them.

The four seasons and their directions, too, follow an order of rank. Kingly Qi is the force that leads and governs all the other Qi; all Qi belongs to it. It also represents the honored ruler. Kingly Qi symbolizes Heaven, the August One, the Emperor, the King, Tai Sui, the monthly general, the Dipper’s handle, the Azure Dragon, great De, flourishing abundance, supreme kingship, and the power that brings the myriad things into being. Wherever Kingly Qi is found, all things submit to it and grow there; places that turn away from it fall into decline. This is the result of the movement of primordial Qi. Where Kingly Qi occupies a Yang position, that place belongs to Yang; where it occupies a Yin position, that place belongs to Yin. Where it is in Heaven, that place belongs to Heaven; where it is on Earth, that place belongs to Earth. Wherever Kingly Qi arrives, that place becomes the seat of authority, receiving the Mandate of Heaven and presiding over governance.

The sage kings of antiquity occupied the corresponding directions according to the seasons: in spring, the east; in summer, the south; in autumn, the west; in winter, the north; and in the sixth month, the center. When the Qi of the four directions had completed its cycle, it went up to pay court to Heaven. The honored position of Kingly Qi was even higher than Heaven. The direction opposite the monthly general of a given month was called “Break” or “Great Exhaustion.” The direction opposing the emperor’s Qi was regarded as a place of death. In the order established by primordial Qi, the emperor’s Qi is the highest grade of Qi, and its dignity must not be lightly violated.

The position immediately following the monthly general is called “Closure.” Heaven uses Closure to shut away the dark and declining Qi behind it, fearing that they might advance and encroach upon the monthly general’s Qi. “Opening” is a law of the Heavenly Way, which does not delight in harming life. Heaven opens what lies behind in order to warn the declining Qi to withdraw. If they still refuse to retreat, they will be seized and interrogated; once found guilty, they will be difficult to pardon and will ultimately face danger, even death. Therefore, the fifth position after the monthly general is called “Peril,” because it approaches death; the sixth is called “Break,” because it drives things away. The place broken by the Dipper stars governs death, so the Dipper’s Ladle also governs death and danger.

The emperor’s Qi rises from the positions of Lesser Yang and Greater Yang, and regularly keeps to the Dipper’s handle, the direction indicated by the handle of the Northern Dipper. The Qi of death rises from the positions of Lesser Yin and Greater Yin, and regularly keeps to the Dipper’s bowl, where the Dipper’s bowl stars are found. Thus, the six positions following the monthly general are regarded as places that Heaven has abandoned and left empty. They connect with the Qi of the earth and govern closure and the concealment of treachery; evil ghosts and strange beings also dwell there, so they should not be opened casually. The worthies of antiquity cherished life. Their Qi all belonged to the region before the Dipper’s handle and moved together with the Heavenly Way, so it carried auspicious Qi. Craftiness, treachery, and wickedness, by contrast, symbolize Yin-Qi and belong to the region after the Dipper’s handle. They therefore decline day by day, and their actions bring misfortune.

Primordial Qi is indistinct and formless. It naturally condenses into unity; this unity is called Heaven. It divides and produces Yin-Qi, forming Earth; this is called the Two. Heaven and Earth face one another above and below, Yin and Yang combine, and human beings are born; this is called the Three. Heaven, Earth, and humanity together generate and nurture the myriad things; this is called “the Three Treasures.” Material goods stir desire, desire gives rise to wrongful thoughts, wrongful thoughts give rise to treachery and evil, treachery and evil give rise to cunning, and cunning brings calamity. If this does not stop, the realm will fall into disorder and ruin. If ruin continues without end, it cannot be remedied; things will reach their limit and return to the root. This is called “inherited burden”: the consequences of fortune and misfortune borne and passed on between earlier and later generations.

The Heavenly Way itself shows no favoritism. When the unworthy are encountered, the realm falls into disorder; when the worthy are encountered, the realm can be governed. When the emperors of antiquity obtained worthy and wise people, the Way was able to flourish. They did not dare appoint foolish and unvirtuous people as close advisers. This text should be entrusted as soon as possible to a virtuous ruler. If he can fully understand and put its principles into practice, the three kinds of Qi will respond to one another and confirm one another; predictions will prove correct in all ten cases, and matters of governance will all be handled properly. This is the most accomplished method, suitable for the use of emperors. If nine out of ten predictions prove correct, while one kind of Qi remains out of harmony, it is suitable for the use of feudal lords. If eight out of ten prove correct, with two kinds of Qi out of harmony, it is suitable for ordinary people. Anything less is called disrupting the proper order of the Heavenly Way. This will inevitably produce wronged ghosts and spirits, as well as uncanny beings. They lie in hiding and escape detection; consequently, they cannot be governed, nor can the Qi of peace and harmony be restored.

If you wish to attain the Way and study this text, understand that seeking the Way takes stillness and purity as its foundation; continuously accumulating Jing and Qi is the gateway to the divine. When the Five Virtues are harmonized, the hun and po souls can become manifest; when the heart and spirit are clear, the Great Way is revealed. First learn to recognize safety and danger by observing what is around you. The assembled spirits will gather like clouds. If you cultivate this without slackening, you can become a person of long life.

The Great Way need not be sought through strenuous labor. Make the body still as dead ashes and guard the hun and po souls. When the souls do not depart, life can endure. It circles around and begins again; its cycle has no end. If you abandon the root and pursue only the branches, your practice of the Way will go wrong. When the people lose the Great Way, they can scarcely preserve themselves. Take in the meaning of these words and do not forget the true teachings. Stillness and purity are the foundation; they cannot be obtained with money. Treasure the teachings of a wise master and follow the guidance of your teacher, and you can avoid death. The ignorant who defy their teacher’s instructions draw near to ghosts and spirits. They cannot attain the right Way, but instead enter the gate of misfortune. In the end, they lose their spirit and Qi beyond recovery. When their flesh and bones have rotted away, only their ancestors’ names remain, and life itself is utterly extinguished.

All ignorant methods of cultivation arise from within the human heart, and each method has its own principles. Set your foundation deep, and cultivate until you can perceive the spirits and thereby attain life, no longer feeling sorrow or distress. The spirits abhor impatience and forcefulness, so settle your heart and fix your intent; never abruptly abandon your practice. Otherwise, the spirits will not return. When your bones and flesh have rotted into dust, later generations may call you an ancestor, but your life will already have ended, and you will ultimately fall into hardship.

Cultivation must be lasting and quiet. In time, its principles will reveal themselves, allowing you to endure forever without dying and to last as long as Heaven. Your conduct must be peaceful and in accord with the Dao. The worthy persist in practice and do not give up halfway. Only by casting off worldly thoughts can you commune with the spirits, ride the clouds and dragons, and dwell alongside the Thunder Lord. Your form will become divine, your appearance like that of the Great One, a revered Daoist deity. Reflect carefully on what the scriptures say, and guard your measure with caution.

The practice of focused visualization should be carried out in a quiet, secluded room. Seek neither wealth nor official rank. Each day, make your intention more concentrated and refined, and you will be able to dispel ignorance and attain sudden clarity, as bright as daylight. Without learning, it is like trying to see something pitch-black at night: you cannot tell east from west or north from south, as though lost inside a house. Even the worthy and the sages would be bewildered by this, trembling inwardly and alone.

When the Five Practices of Guarding are firmly established, death can be avoided. Be content with poverty and low status, and you may endure for a long time. Disdain your proper place and pursue honor at all costs, and you will obstruct the cultivation of the Dao. Do not covet high office and generous emoluments; if you force your way into rank, the Dao will vanish. It is better to let go of such thoughts and rest in stillness. Even without eating, you can come to understand naturally. All evil influences will keep their distance, and calamities can be avoided. Continue to guard stillness without slackening or losing your foundation, and you may live long and persevere. Do not let your heart run unchecked and lose its proper measure.

Only by seeking the Dao without pause can you become its master. The ways of governing and nurturing life differ, yet they do not conflict with the daily tasks of ordinary people. When those above cherish life, the people can live long. If worldly instruction promotes the Dao and benevolence, and an enlightened ruler yearns for the Great Dao, that teaching will spread downward, making the people honest and keeping them free from calamity for a long time. The people can avoid death because those above them are enlightened; if their rulers are not, instruction cannot be carried out. When the people refuse to cultivate the Dao and instead delight in force, households will be ruined and their fortunes will decline. Some will lie in wait by the roadside with weapons, watching for an opening to rob passersby. The authorities will then be unable to keep the peace, and thieves will multiply. By observing the people’s condition, one can tell whether those above them are enlightened.

When a ruler is benevolent, the people will seek long life. When a ruler is unbenevolent, many wicked things will arise below, and people will die young, failing to understand the value of life. If ignorant people come to delight in De, it is the result of instruction from those above them. When the people are willing to cultivate the Dao, this shows that their ruler is worthy. They all wish to live long and avoid calamity; they are not greedy for food and drink, remain honest, keep clear of warfare, live peacefully in Wuwei (non-action), and cast aside ill omens. An enlightened ruler teaches the people with vigor and brings them close to one another; the ruler’s kindness extends even to the ignorant. Only such a ruler deserves to be called a king. The Way of Heaven cherishes life and thereby enables those above to govern in peace. When the people do not fight, it is the ruler’s good fortune. For the world to be like this is truly a great blessing, and all people will rally to the king.

When the people do not delight in the Great Dao, this shows that those above them are unenlightened. If their hearts harbor treachery, it will show in their outward conduct. They refuse to practice De and instead delight in force; fathers and sons are separated, and people wander along the roadsides. They cannot attain long life, and deaths continue to occur. A household with the poor and ruined is like a den of tigers and wolves. When those above lack De, warfare and calamity will follow; when the people are ignorant, the ruler’s instruction cannot be carried out. When many among the people delight in the way of the immortals, this shows that the emperor is worthy. Heaven sees that governance is well ordered, and its grace descends, illuminating even all the crawling and breathing creatures.

The nature of the Dao of Heaven is to cherish and nurture life, and so it is called the “Heavenly Classic.” The Earth gathers De and delights in sustaining the myriad things, and so it is called the “Earthly Classic.” People gather harmonious Qi and are glad to give, and so this is called the “Human Classic.” Harmonious Qi enables people to communicate and interact with one another. People, too, live in harmony when they share their resources and give to one another. Thus, harmony is the foundation of human conduct.

In ancient times, learners always began by putting the foundation in order, much like planting a tree: first they chose a good seed, then planted it in suitable soil, so that its roots, branches, leaves, and fruit would all grow well. The teacher is like the tree’s root; the disciples are like its branches, leaves, and fruit. For this reason, learners in ancient times first reflected on and understood the foundation, and only then studied the Dao and its methods. Those who do so can accord with the heart of Heaven and attain good fortune.

If one chooses poor seed and plants it in bad soil, how could the branches, leaves, and fruit grow well? So, at the beginning of cultivating the Dao, one must set one’s person and nature in order, and bring the mind to rest in primordial Qi—the original Qi from which all things arise—in order to settle body and mind. One should consider the principles followed by the ancient masters and understand how they cultivated themselves and governed their own conduct. Only after one’s intentions and plans have become thorough and firm can understanding arise.

First settle the body, then begin cultivation. Be like an infant at play: do not rely on exertion of sinew and bone, but only on a kind and good intention. Reflect carefully on why the sages of old lived long and devoted themselves to governing themselves. They relied on the Supreme Dao, using it to restrain wayward thoughts and cast off treachery. There is nothing strange or mysterious about this. Because the foundation is made upright, acting in accordance with it allows one to accord with the heart of Heaven and not oppose the Earth’s life-giving purpose. The seasons then proceed in order, and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) remain in balance. In this way, descendants no longer inherit calamities from one another; each holds the highest De, and none harbors evil thoughts.

When dwelling alone in a quiet room, reflect on the foundation of the scriptures and the Dao, and on how to advance or withdraw in cultivation. The worthy first grasp its meaning; others then follow in turn, until all enter the realm of the Dao together and leave the deviant path behind.

When practicing quiet meditation and visualization indoors, a person’s five senses, body, and mind change along with the Qi of Yin-Yang. The birth, development, and flourishing of Yin and Yang resemble the three stages of early, middle, and late, each following upon the one before it. People should act in step with changes in Qi, following the cycles of the four seasons and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). This is the ordinary pattern of change in the heavenly Dao. Without life-giving Qi, one dies; with Qi, one can grow. All things are affected by it, but its influence is most evident in human life.

The five senses were established so that they could function in step with the movement of Qi. The heavenly Dao, too, reveals its guiding power through the movement of Qi. A perfected person who has attained the Dao gathers primordial Qi and focuses Shen (spirit), and so can walk alone along the Dao for a long time. When ordinary people lose their life-giving Qi, they die. Death is regarded as lowly, while life is held in esteem.

If you hold fast to the Dao, you can follow the changes of Qi for a long time and accord with the heavenly Dao. Do not rush to pursue fame and profit; the Dao will move of itself. The heavenly Dao always causes things to grow and does not make them perish; the earthly Dao, by contrast, encompasses both life and death. Among the sages of antiquity, some cultivated the Dao in government offices, while others went to the mountains to practice. Those of lesser attainment died like insects, remaining among the common people.

The worthy who read these words should reflect deeply. At first, cultivating the Dao is difficult, but in time it becomes easier, and the body can be spared calamity. By guarding De (Virtue/Power) and attaining the body of the Great Dao, then studying and passing through the Nine Chambers—the successive realms or inner apertures of Daoist cultivation—one can become a divine person. Their thoughts are entirely unlike those of ordinary people. Morning and night, they cease to dwell on earthly affairs and instead seek to understand the affairs of Heaven, turning their minds toward the duties of the celestial realm. Afterward, they can also descend through the Nine Chambers. When Jing and Qi have gathered in deep abundance, the physical form transforms of its own accord, and in the end they become sages of Heaven. From then on, they clearly no longer attend to the affairs of the common world.

My book is meant to help accomplished Daoist practitioners live out their lives without perishing too soon, and to keep those of more modest cultivation from falling into ruin or speaking recklessly. It expounds the Great Dao, enabling people to understand their aims fully and allowing the worthy and unworthy alike to make use of their abilities. If they do so until the end of their lives without regret, each will have fulfilled their Heaven-given destiny. Those who hope for long life, peace, and continued existence may reflect on this and follow the right path. Those who do not wish to live on for a long time are better suited to worldly pursuits and need only make themselves comfortable in this life.

Take your words and actions as a mirror, and examine them constantly. This will show you whether you are doing what is right and where you have gained or lost. A worthy and wise person may have broad learning and a vast collection of books, yet if this knowledge cannot help them live longer, it is empty and of no practical use.

Some masters of divination study for a long time but remain trapped by their own learning. They can teach astronomy and geography, understand the nature of all things, and have read and gathered many books, yet they cannot serve their parents or show respect to their ruler. Such knowledge brings no benefit.

Reflect carefully on these words, and you will understand the principles of good and ill fortune they contain. By using this simple method to examine yourself, you can see clearly where you have gained and lost.

What learning matters most? Here, two things are set out so that readers may understand the principles of gain and loss. Since Heaven and Earth first came into being, two things have been most essential for people; the rest may be learned if one wishes, but it does no harm not to know them. What Heaven and Earth and enlightened rulers value, and what brings great results when put into practice, is longevity and filial devotion.

Longevity means enduring as long as Heaven and Earth; filial devotion means striving alongside them. Longevity is a long life, in accord with the vital essence of Heaven. Filial devotion means that the younger generation receives and follows the elders, just as Earth responds to Heaven. To fulfill these two things is to accord with the intentions of Heaven and Earth, and dangers and calamities will naturally recede. Reflect deeply on this principle, and you will understand the Way of peace and the essential means to longevity.

Few people seek to do good and secure a peaceful life. Parents are the root of life; the ruler is the path to honor and high standing; the teacher is the source of wisdom and of an inexhaustible undertaking. These three are all gateways to De (Virtue/Power). Parents carry on the lineage of Heaven and Earth and Yin-Yang. Teachers help people understand Heaven and Earth’s intent and resolve the difficulties of all kinds of affairs. Rulers should carry on the work of Heaven and Earth, accord with Yin-Yang, and strive at all times to grasp Heaven and Earth’s intent, acting according to the principles of governance. These three, therefore, are also gateways to nature and life. Reflect deeply on these words, and many calamities can be dispelled.

Longevity and filial devotion are pleasing to the spirits; lacking longevity and filial devotion makes a person prone to all kinds of misfortune. This is a natural principle and need not be forced. To see how it takes effect, simply observe the consequences of people’s good and evil intentions: what the mind plans finds a response in the world. The principle can be understood through the way a shadow follows a form and an echo answers a sound. Intention is the gateway to good and ill fortune.

The rulers of ancient times of peace understood that the key to governing was simply to set their own intentions aright. When their intentions were good, their ministers also turned toward goodness; when their intentions were crooked, the ministers they drew to themselves were crooked as well. Intention is the pivot on which the movement of Heaven and Earth turns, and must not be disturbed carelessly. Otherwise, the harmonious Qi will be thrown into disorder, and calamities will arise without end.

For a ruler in an age of peace, the key to governing the state is to set his own intentions straight. If his intentions are good, his ministers will find it easier to do good as well. If his intentions are misguided, then even with the aid of his ministers, things will go wrong. A person’s intentions are like the pivot of the workings of Heaven and Earth and must not be stirred recklessly. Otherwise, they will disturb the harmony of Qi (vital energy), and calamities will occur one after another.

Today, people are most afraid of speaking out, so they dare not discuss matters freely. The sun, moon, and stars follow the patterns of the heavens and make way for one another: when the sun rises, the stars disappear, as though they fear its might. The human world is much the same. Within a state’s borders, people fear the authority of the emperor; even those far from the capital fear his edicts and dare not speak. In a province, commandery, county, or even a ting, a basic administrative unit, if there is a harsh official, people under his jurisdiction will not dare to speak. A ting chief is the lowest-ranking official—how much more intimidating, then, are officials with greater power?

People fear being harmed and think only of how to escape. Even when they have good intentions and sound opinions, they dare not express them to their superiors, and communication between those above and below is cut off. Even members of the same family, bound by kinship and descended from the same line, come to fear one another. How much more so between people of different generations?

Since the middle antiquity, people have turned away from morality and increasingly governed through intimidation and force. Those who did not obey were often harmed, and even their descendants could suffer. In later times the situation grew especially severe: a person might be killed simply for wishing to submit a memorial, state a reasoned view, and bring it before the emperor. Even if not killed at once, someone might secretly enlist others to arrange an attack. As a result, ministers and subjects alike kept silent. However much sorrow or grievance they felt, they could not make it known to those above. The emperor therefore could not hear what was really happening or see things clearly. The growing frequency of anomalies in the heavens is clear proof of this misrule.

The people receive life from their parents and are nurtured by Heaven and Earth, so they ought to regard Heaven and Earth as their parents. When Heaven and Earth produce calamities or auspicious signs, it is as though they are conveying a message to people, expressing warning or delight. Yet people still fear being harmed and urge one another to hold back from speaking. In doing so, they conceal grievances and block the channels of communication. Heaven and Earth’s intentions cannot be conveyed, as though they have long been pent up within.

Though the emperor is regarded as the source of divine insight, he lives deep within the palace, far removed by thousands of miles. Gate after gate bars the way, and when the people wish to speak, they are often obstructed and cannot get their words through. When the channels of communication are blocked, Heaven and Earth grow angry, harm all living things, and bring years of great disaster. The state then loses its ability to see clearly and falls into grave danger. The guilt is too great to describe and will ultimately bring about its ruin.

All manner of calamities and strange phenomena are Heaven and Earth speaking to people. Great anomalies are great warnings from Heaven and Earth; moderate anomalies are moderate warnings; minor anomalies are minor warnings. They correspond to great and small events in the human world. They do not appear without cause, nor are Heaven and Earth deceiving people. Auspicious signs are the same: a great portent signifies great joy in Heaven and Earth, a moderate portent signifies moderate joy, and a minor portent signifies slight joy. The absence of both calamities and auspicious signs is simply the ordinary state.

Therefore, when Heaven is about to bring prosperity to and support an emperor, it often bestows remarkable writings and strategies that can be examined through reason. Following their guidance brings great good fortune. When Heaven is no longer willing to support him, it causes these writings and strategies to cease; even if someone obtains them, that person may not understand how to use them and may fail to put them to proper use. When Heaven intends a particular undertaking to flourish, people’s minds become open and receptive, enabling them to understand and adopt this guidance. This is Heaven’s support, not deception.

Those who are about to prosper tend to delight in doing good; those who are about to decline tend to delight in doing evil. Those destined to receive good fortune readily accept counsel, while those destined for calamity love to oppose and defy others. Heaven constantly supports good people, and the Dao (the Way) returns to those who possess De (Virtue/Power). Heaven will not support the wicked, and the Dao will not entrust itself to the foolish.

By the method of “the Celestial Talisman Returning Essence,” gather the essence and Qi back together. Then write out the text in a cinnabar book—that is, a talisman or writing in cinnabar—and ingest it. You will see the writing inside your abdomen; this is greatly auspicious, and all harmful spirits will depart. The Five Officials, the Five Kings, are the beginning of the Dao and the ancestors of the spirits. If you carefully gather in the five senses and close the gateways of perception, making the outer world dim and the inner heart bright, how could you fail to see clearly? Persist in this practice for a long time, and after ingesting the cinnabar text, you will see the writing inside your abdomen; this is greatly auspicious, and all harmful spirits will depart. The Five Officials, the Five Kings, are the beginning of the Dao and the ancestors of the spirits. If you carefully gather in the five senses and close the gateways of perception, making the outer world dim and the inner heart bright, how could you fail to see clearly? Persist in the practice over time, and the Celestial Physician will descend; every illness will vanish, and your life will be prolonged. The foolish cast this aside, while the wise treasure it. This may be called the Way of abiding forever.

What is most precious is to follow nature, allowing body and spirit to protect one another. They depend on and embrace each other; if strange, deluded thoughts arise, they instead invite calamity. When people lose their natural nature, they cannot live long. The five essences of an infant—the five kinds of essence within the body—should return to and guard the self.

The Celestial Lord asked, “Why is it so difficult to bring peace to the world?” The divine officials of the Five Phases replied, “Today, the ruler lives deep within the palace, extremely far from the borders in the four directions. Among the people in distant regions, grievances often accumulate, while reports of good and evil cannot reach the throne. Unusual remedies and sound strategies are also blocked from reaching the ruler. When the people or officials have grievances, they cannot make their case or communicate it themselves. As this state of affairs persists, the roads and channels of information in the four directions become obscured and obstructed. Worthy people therefore withdraw and lie hidden, and the ruler is left without sound counsel or differing views to bring peace to the world. The fault lies in the blocked routes to the distant regions in the four directions, which can no longer communicate with one another.”

People live between Heaven and Earth. Since Heaven and Earth first came into being, each person has had only one life and cannot live it over again. Each person has a name and, among all beings, is the most outstanding, having received the balanced Qi (vital energy). People are so honored that they may be compared with Heaven and Earth. Yet once a person dies, they vanish forever from the world. They can never again appear as a human being or rise and walk about. People grieve over this and feel it is a profound injustice.

Heaven and Earth have their own laws. They are the parents of all beings, and, fearing that people may feel aggrieved in their hearts, they weep and shed tears, raising their heads to cry out to Heaven and bowing low to strike the Earth. They mourn for themselves and long to regain their youth. In response, Heaven bestowed the true Dao (the Way) and wondrous methods so that people could protect themselves and lengthen their lives.

All beings eventually grow old and die. Yet foolish people refuse to make the effort to learn the true Dao and wholesome methods, which could help them enjoy the full span of their lives and delay old age. Instead, they dismiss these methods, mock and disparage the true Dao, and join in deviant, empty pursuits that disrupt the Way of Heaven. They deceive those above them and rush toward death. They prepare their burial sites in advance, make arrangements for funerals and mourning clothes, and even decide what is to be done after they die. If they seek death of their own accord and meet it, what is there to complain about? The end of life is like the sun naturally setting after it rises.

The sages and emperors of antiquity often treasured life deeply and were constantly afraid of death. Day and night, they pondered the way to preserve life, sought out unusual accounts and extraordinary methods, and respectfully served those who cultivated the Dao, sparing no effort or expense. Their sincerity and earnestness moved them to tears, and in turn moved August Heaven. Heaven then showed auspicious signs, and practitioners of the Dao arts came to help them. Thus many lived long lives, and some even transcended worldly life and death.

Heaven and Earth regard human beings as their children, and emperors are especially cherished children of Heaven. How, then, could they fail to treasure the true Dao and its wondrous methods? They should therefore plan far ahead and understand that the world’s wealth will never remain in anyone’s possession for long. The wise and enlightened rulers of antiquity were discerning and capable of bringing many worthy people into office to assist them. In this way, grievances between ruler and ministers could also be resolved. If such a principle holds between Heaven and Earth, how much more must it hold between people? Emperors could therefore govern in peace, free from worry, while worthy people could serve with loyalty and trust, helping their rulers govern the state. Together, they could relieve the great distress of Heaven and Earth and bring prosperity to the people. Is this not a good thing?

People gather together and raise many difficult questions. They ask how Heaven and Earth are destroyed and come into being, why the sun, moon, and stars undergo eclipses, why people meet tragic deaths, and how the documents of policy, talismanic mandates, and sacred writings of the various states came into existence. One question is: Why are the sun, moon, and stars sometimes obscured by eclipses?

Heaven and Earth, the sun and moon, often praise and recommend people. This does not mean that they are offering people praise; it means that things between Heaven and Earth alternate in accord and respond to one another. There are many examples like this, too numerous to record one by one. None of these actions is done to seek a reward from Heaven. Even if others do not help me, I still help them in secret: Heaven will reward such a person. If others say I do evil, but I alone persist in doing good, Heaven will reward such a person as well. If others refuse to make an effort for me, but I gladly make an effort for them; if others refuse to give me food and drink, but I gladly provide these for them; if everyone learns to act deceitfully and cheat one another, but I teach people to do good and treat others sincerely; if everyone says that Heaven and Earth have no awareness, but I secretly revere and serve them; if everyone secretly intends to deceive the ruler, but I secretly help the ruler and dare not deceive him; if my parents do not love me, but I still care for them—Heaven will reward such a person. There are many more actions of this kind.

A perfected person who has attained the Dao should judge for themselves: people of the highest kind seek Heaven’s reward; those of the middle kind seek repayment from others; foolish people of the lowest kind give nothing, yet demand that others repay them. Those who perform the greatest good receive Heaven’s reward: this is the measure of the Dao of Heaven. Those who perform good of a middling kind receive repayment from others and are therefore cherished and entrusted with responsibility. Foolish people of the lowest kind have done nothing to earn a reward, yet demand one; for this reason, Heaven, Earth, and humanity all loathe and punish them.

Thus, the Qi of the august Sovereign Heaven descends to bring forth the myriad things, while the Qi of the Great Earth rises to nourish them. The Qi of the Five Phases works together in motion, and the Qi of the four seasons harmonizes and responds. As a result, the sun, moon, and stars shine more brightly, and people throughout the world can work together in unity. The nature of Heaven lies in its movement, and it should receive the greatest reverence, care, and support. Heaven’s nature is good, so it gives life to the myriad things and leaves none out. Earth’s nature is skilled at nurturing the myriad things, and it too leaves none out. The sages take pleasure in governing Heaven and Earth so that all things benefit. The truly good divine immortals help Heaven and Earth in their work and do not presume to consider themselves burdened by it. They accord with primordial Qi and conform to Heaven’s heart, and so they often meet with good fortune and avoid calamity.

The sages and worthies of antiquity thought deeply and far ahead. They understood the intent of the Dao of Heaven, and so devoted themselves to doing good in secret and dared not do evil. They clearly saw the prohibitions set forth by august Heaven. Later generations, however, defied these prohibitions and persisted in doing evil. Their learning was shallow, and they did not believe in Heaven’s prohibitions. For this reason they were difficult to change, and in the end lost the Dao and died young.

Some people wish to know the allotted lifespans of Heaven, Earth, humanity, and those of different ranks: Heaven lives one hundred and twenty years, Earth one hundred years, humanity eighty years, a hegemon sixty years, and a common person fifty years. The Three Primacies—the beginnings of the year, month, and day—start in the east, because the east is Heaven’s head. The end of the cycle of years and months lies in the northeast, because the northeast is Heaven’s pole. Heaven belongs to Yang, and Yang Qi is vigorous; therefore Heaven’s lifespan is represented by one hundred and twenty years. Earth belongs to Yin and constantly receives what Heaven bestows. The northwest is the extreme point of Yin Qi. Yin governs killing, while Yang governs life. Hai means “kernel” and symbolizes the place where Yin Qi comes to an end. The northwest is where Earth’s lord of life resides; therefore Earth’s lifespan is represented by one hundred years.

Eighty and sixty years symbolize Yang Qi gradually coming to a halt as Yin Qi rises, around the time of the Beginning of Autumn. Autumn belongs to white Qi and is governed by the White Tiger, so this is called the “Hegemon’s Mandate.” Fifty years symbolizes Yang Qi rising and flourishing above while Yin Qi stirs below. Yin and Yang meet and transform; this is therefore called the “Common Person’s Mandate.” Shorter lifespans are all called impermanent destinies, and are truly pitiable.

I will now explain a key principle to you. If you wish to preserve yourself for a long time, you must not forget it. The way to avoid danger and harm and attain longevity lies in knowing how to preserve, cherish, and care for yourself. Adjusting your food and drink at the proper times, taking neither too much nor too little, is a way of caring for yourself. Staying indoors with the door shut and avoiding worldly affairs is also said to be a way of caring for yourself. Studying without ceasing, being content with poverty and low status, and having no worries are likewise said to be ways of caring for yourself. Yet none of these is the fundamental way to love yourself.

True self-love means sincerely preserving yourself, always remembering that your body is incomplete. Even with your eyes closed, you still look back upon yourself and never leave yourself for a moment. To keep reflecting on yourself until you can feel full without eating—this is called loving yourself. To care for yourself means to focus your attention on your body and appearance and see clearly everything from head to foot. If you truly cherish yourself without slackening, your face will shine. If you remember this day and night and take it as your constant way, it is said that you can attain “flying flesh,” the Daoist legendary state in which successful cultivation makes the body light enough to rise aloft.

Therefore, men and women, the young and the old, the worthy and the unworthy should all be able to gather and submit memorials, so that the emperor may understand affairs clearly and hear and see with acuity. The emperor is like the Pole Star, at the center of Heaven. When he remains settled in his place, the stars come forward to report: the great stars in front, the middle stars in the center, and the small stars behind. If even one star cannot make its report heard above, its vital breath will be cut off, and Heaven’s movement will be impaired. The stars are the visible radiance of the vital essence of the people and all things. If someone cannot make their appeal heard by the emperor, it is like a star that cannot report above. As a result, the Qi of Heaven will become disordered and the Qi of Earth will run counter to its proper course.

Therefore, officials at every level and the people should be taught to submit memorials together, whether their matters are great or small. In this way the Qi of Heaven will flow freely, the stars and calendar will be brought to order, Heaven’s afflictions will be dispelled, and the emperor’s burden inherited from past generations or predecessors will be relieved. Envoys should also be ordered to gather memorials by three routes. To ensure that no one is unable to make their appeal heard, the task should be assigned according to what is appropriate to each: local magistrates should record omens and disasters within cities and walled settlements; preachers should record them along market roads; and people in the four directions should record them in the countryside. Each side should supplement the others and pass on information, striving together to have it reported above.

If magistrates and others give way to great anger, Heaven and Earth will fall out of harmony as if they were at war. Signs of this discord will appear in the sun, moon, stars, and the celestial calendar. At times the sun and moon will undergo eclipses, and at other times they will not. The fault lies in the struggle between Yin and Yang Qi. Yin and Yang clash and take turns striving for victory, although they should instead harmonize and help one another, jointly producing a harmonious Qi. Their struggle always arises from a failure to bring them into accord; if they are harmonized, eclipses will not occur. In the best age of antiquity, the sun and moon were never eclipsed. By the middle period, people had gradually turned away from the wishes of Heaven and Earth, and Yin and Yang had gradually grown less affectionate toward one another. Then they began to fight.

If you think what I say is wrong, let a virtuous ruler follow this scripture and fully grasp its principles. The conflict between Heaven and Earth will then cease. If he understands a little, a little of the conflict will cease; if he understands half, half the conflict will cease. The more the emperor practices Dao and De, the less the sun and moon will be eclipsed, and the less the stars and celestial calendar will fall into disorder.

It is like the relations between people. Those who have treated one another warmly but have not met for a long time will be overjoyed when they meet again, and will certainly help one another. Those who have been at odds will fight when they meet unexpectedly.

A question is asked: Drought causes crops to wither and die, while the people perish amid hunger and cold. This is the killing and punishment of the Solar August Heaven, the supreme heavenly deity. The Yang Qi in the six directions has accumulated resentment, and so calamities descend. What does this mean? The forces of Qi in the six directions of Heaven and Earth drive one another to their furthest extremes. The fundamental cause is that the human world has long been in disorder and steeped in wrongdoing, so Heaven sends down killing and punishment.

When such a calamity falls upon people, why does it strike one person rather than another? There is no fixed rule. It is simply that the burden of inherited transgressions—wrongdoing accumulated by ancestors or earlier generations and borne by their descendants—has reached its extreme. Heaven’s anger erupts without distinguishing good from evil, and whoever is caught up in it meets great misfortune. It is like someone who, in a fit of rage, means to punish A, but a good person cannot escape, and B is harmed instead. What fault did B commit? B merely encountered another person’s anger. When inherited guilt accumulates to its extreme, it brings people the calamity of death without distinction between good and evil. This is the gravest fault of all.

Another question is asked: The twelve thousand kingdoms each have different methods of government. How should they be arranged? Each kingdom should follow its own customs and choose suitable practices as its starting point. The southeast position of the Pivot of the Dipper, the hub of the Northern Dipper used in ancient times to indicate direction, belongs to the rising Qi of Fire. I would like to ask about its essential principles.

Fire belongs to Yang. Its signs and ordinances govern the heart of Heaven. Harmony governs action; openness brings things through; brightness governs order. Fire is the ruler of the heart, and the harmonious illumination of the spirit is the foundation of instruction. All things about to flourish begin in the heart. The heart is responsible for setting matters right; it relies on benevolence to discern clearly, and in this way its divine radiance appears.

Although the methods of the twelve thousand kingdoms differ, they can all be brought back to one principle: when memorials and documents are presented to the heavenly court, primordial Qi will flow accordingly, and the Perfected Ones will naturally gather. Those who follow this principle will prosper; those who go against it will perish. Heaven delights in revealing its celestial writings, and so it has caused me to speak these words.

Another question is asked: In ancient times, when the Virtue of Fire held sway, the world once attained peace, yet the divine Way was not put in order. Why now command the Celestial Master alone to act, so that the divine Way may be put in order when the Virtue of Fire holds sway? Because the Qi of Fire is now at its height, and the Qi of the August Sovereign has already arrived. When the Qi of Fire is strong, the divine Way must be put in order. Why? Because Fire is the heart of Heaven.

In ancient times, when the Qi associated with Fire was in motion, all under Heaven should, in principle, have been at peace. Yet the divine Way—the proper course followed by the spirits of Heaven and Earth—was not being upheld. Why, then, was the Celestial Master (Tianshi), acting alone, charged with putting into practice a method to set the Fire phase back on its proper course? Now the Qi of Fire is at its height, and the Qi of the Supreme Sovereign—the vitality of an age of great flourishing spoken of in antiquity—has arrived. When the Qi of Fire is strong, the divine Way must be set right. Why is this? Fire is the heart of Heaven, and the heart governs the spirits; now the heart and spirit must be brought to clarity. When the Qi of Heaven falls out of balance, the ruler grows troubled, yet does not know the crucial cause. If you wish to understand these principles, you must apply yourself with care. When wicked people occupy many posts, they disrupt the ruler’s governance and prevent the upright from serving. Then the baleful Qi between Heaven and Earth takes advantage of the moment to encroach upon the righteous Qi. When baleful Qi is abundant, it joins together to harm the righteous Qi; when righteous Qi is abundant, it can join together to restrain the baleful Qi. Their waxing and waning in relation to each other is a natural law of Heaven and Earth.

One may ask: Since the Qi of Supreme Equilibrium at the Culmination (Dongji Shangping Qi), which brings all under Heaven to the height of flourishing peace, governs the realm, is the Celestial Master therefore to investigate the affliction of people by ulcers, scabies, and insects, and use it as a means of assessing the state of affairs? The calamities caused by insects afflicting people are especially serious, for they symbolize rebellion against the proper Way. Now the Qi of Imperial Equilibrium—the Qi through which a sovereign brings peace—has arrived, so this should not occur. It should correspond to a virtuous ruler, showing his intention to make the Way understood and bring harmony throughout the realm. Yet among the people, the names of the various harmful insects and their presiding powers have not been clarified one by one; large and small insect afflictions continue to cause harm. Ulcers, scabies, and the three kinds of worms said to live in the abdomen should likewise be identified by their presiding names. These afflictions do have names; it is simply that few people know them.

Insects hide inside the human body and secretly gnaw away at it. They symbolize ministers who lack the Way, hiding within the court and harming the people as silkworms devour mulberry leaves. This must be treated with great vigilance; without vigilance, it will lead to grave harm.

Heaven assigns each person a lifespan according to a fixed measure. The thirty years that Heaven and Earth specially set aside for human beings are like an intercalary month added to the cycles of the sun and moon. They are therefore called a “private lifespan.” Those who live beyond this span should become immortals.

Heaven’s mandate sets the limit of a heavenly lifespan at 120 years, an earthly lifespan at 100, a human lifespan at 80, a hegemonic lifespan at 60, and a wǔ lifespan at 50. For those who die before reaching these limits, the timing of life and death has no fixed number; their deaths are all the result of calamity and retribution known as “inherited burden.” This means that the wrongs accumulated by earlier generations are borne by those who come after them. Does this not seem unjust? Each person was originally allotted a lifespan by Heaven, governed by an enduring rule, yet many people today fail to live out their allotted years.

The lifespans allotted by Heaven accumulate without end. When people do good, they can add years to their lives; these added years come from the boundless surplus. To understand how this works, consider this example: in a single village there are ten households, each with a thousand mu of farmland. Nine households do evil and eventually die out, while one household does good. That household then receives the lands of the other nine. This is the principle at work.

Do not expect the Qi of Yin and Yang to give special protection to any particular person. Some people today fail to live out their allotted years yet still expect a reward from Heaven. In the end, they receive none.

If you eat someone else’s food today and give them food in return some time later, you have not eaten at their expense; you have stored up provisions with them. If you drink someone else’s beverage today and drink theirs again some time later, you have not drunk at their expense; you have stored up drink with them. If you carry a heavy load for someone today and ask them to carry one for you later, you have not exerted yourself for them; you have left your baggage in their care. If you use your strength to help someone today and repay them later, you have not simply helped them; you have exchanged merit with one another.

Today, some people praise and recommend others, then hurry to submit memorials. Local people hurry to submit memorials too, as do travelers. Local officials want to refrain from writing, but fear that the people will write; the people hesitate, but fear that travelers will write; the travelers hesitate, but fear that the officials will write. So everyone takes part, and afterward they compete to submit memorials.

If officials and the people are trustworthy, the ruler can appoint them without disappointment, and they, in turn, are willing to fulfill their duties. The ruler can then hear what is happening throughout the realm, carry out his intentions, and preserve himself; officials and the people can also honor Heaven and Earth and remain free from illness. The whole world benefits from this. It therefore brings lasting good fortune and serves as a model for generations to come.

These principles should be entrusted to a virtuous ruler so that the people may understand Heaven’s intent, find security, preserve themselves, and no longer be confused. Proper affairs should be gathered together and put in order, and the foundations of Heaven and Earth examined, in order to dispel Heaven’s alarm, Earth’s reproach, and the calamities of the state. From this, the Scripture of the Ultimate Cavern should be established.

Someone else asked the Celestial Master: “Why do you gather and examine writings by the worthy and the sages from every age since the creation of Heaven and Earth, as well as the mysterious writings in the Hetu and Luoshu, and also record the words of ordinary people, servants, and even distant peoples beyond the frontier? You select unusual sayings and strategies from every kind of writing and speech and bring them together to explain the Dao of Heaven. Is this not an enormous amount of work?”

The Celestial Master replied: “If we simply gathered sayings from places both near and far, it would involve much trouble and be difficult to make sense of. Instead, places throughout the land can establish centers for seeking good counsel and working toward peace, with local officials responsible for preparing them. Those who live far away and cannot come in person can submit differing views, good strategies, and unusual remedies at collection points set beside the roads. Useful contributions are then selected and sent to a virtuous ruler, where the assembled worthies review them together, examine them by category, choose the best, remove improper statements, and compile them into the Scripture of the Ultimate Cavern, called the Heavenly Cavern’s Affairs of Ultimate Governance.

“The purpose is gradually to remove the afflictions of Heaven and Earth, greatly stabilize the ruler’s governance, and diminish the calamities accumulated and endured across countless generations. After this, all things and the multitude of spirits can gradually be transformed through instruction and will no longer continually report human faults to Heaven. That is why Heaven has charged me with gathering and examining these words. Though the work is extensive, how could I not do my utmost?

“Documents from across the land, along with people’s individual submissions, amount to no more than a dozen or so occasions each year. Once collected, they can gradually resolve the difficult questions of the realm, so the task is not especially burdensome. People submit their views locally, and these are then passed on. In this way, the voices of the whole realm are brought together for deliberation, so that the intent of Heaven and Earth may be understood, their Qi brought into harmony, the ruler’s calamities dispelled, and the people and all things enabled to find their proper place. Then Heaven and Earth will rejoice and their afflictions will be removed. When Heaven and Earth rejoice, they will protect the ruler and grant him lasting peace.”

May I ask: Why did Heaven and Earth have everyone across the realm gather their words and strategies, along with writings left by sages and worthies from ancient times to the present, and compile them into the Scripture of the Utmost Cavern?

This is because Heaven and Earth suffer from grave ills. They often fall into chaos and have never been governed well. So Heaven and Earth teach people to gather and deliberate, offering upright words and ingenious strategies together to remedy these ills. That is why they have people widely collect opinions and discuss affairs.

May I ask: Though Heaven and Earth are in chaos, why are they sometimes governed well? It is because Heaven and Earth teach people to gather and deliberate, offering upright words and ingenious strategies together to remedy these ills. That is why they have people widely collect opinions and discuss affairs.

Someone asked, “Heaven and Earth have fallen into disorder and suffer from all kinds of ills. Why not bring forth virtuous sages anew? And even if sages were created again, why would they be unable to bring benefit?”

The Celestial Master (Tianshi) said, “The sages of antiquity each had strengths and shortcomings, and each excelled at one thing. They all conveyed the words of Heaven and Earth, but expressed them in different ways. For this reason, the deeds of sages who appeared at different times were not the same. They all gladly followed the will of Heaven and the patterns of Earth, rejecting evil and practicing good. Their words differed, but were broadly similar. Thus no sage could fully understand the intentions of Heaven and Earth. Serious ills therefore remained, and could not be entirely removed. So Heaven has commanded me to tell these words to the perfected ones—those who have cultivated the Dao successfully and can receive Heaven’s mandate.

“The gods in Heaven say that among those in the world who delight in doing good and wish to follow Heaven’s will, only the perfected ones can undertake this task for a long time. Therefore, the divine writings of high antiquity, antiquity, and later antiquity—texts said to carry the intentions of the gods—should be examined and corrected. Some matters were not mentioned in the divine writings of high antiquity but were addressed in those of antiquity; some were absent from the writings of antiquity but appeared in those of later antiquity. Passages dealing with similar subjects should be grouped together and made to complement one another, forming a complete account of good teachings. Once these writings have been gathered, the intentions of Heaven and Earth will be made clear.

“The sages of high antiquity left things out, and sages of antiquity may have supplied them. Sages of antiquity left things out, and sages of later antiquity may have supplied them. If sages of later antiquity left things out, sages of high antiquity may in turn have added what was missing. Group similar passages together and let them complement one another, and a complete body of sage teaching can be formed. This applies to sages of the highest, middle, and lesser ranks, and likewise to worthies of the highest, middle, and lesser ranks. It applies to rulers, ministers, and common people; to the old, the mature, and the young; to men and women, and even to servants and the Yi and Di peoples—ancient names for peoples living beyond the central states. Each may know something, and each may leave something out. People of different times, ranks, and circumstances may supply what others have not said.

“At times, those above leave something out while those below know it; those below leave something out while those above know it. What neither above nor below has mentioned may be known by those in the middle, while what those in the middle have left unsaid may be known by those above or below. The writings of the gods, sages, worthies, common people, and even the Yi and Di peoples may each contain some gains and some failings. The same is true of people within and beyond the central states. Therefore, important words should be gathered from above and below, within and beyond, among the high and low, and from near and far. Their strengths and shortcomings should be brought together, their contents grouped by subject, and their accounts made to complement one another. In this way, writings and teachings can be made complete and coherent.

“All things born of Heaven and Earth—including the people, sages and worthies, and the various animals—each have strengths and shortcomings, and each has things they cannot do or understand. Their actions are therefore different. Yet, broadly speaking, they all wish to grasp the intentions of Heaven and Earth so that they may find stability. Now Heaven has commanded me to descend into the world and assist a virtuous ruler in reexamining and revising the writings and teachings. I am to gather the writings of the gods and the words of sages and worthies, and continue until the words of common people, servants, and the Yi and Di peoples have also been included, grouped by subject and made to complement one another. The good teachings within them are to be collected and compiled into the Dong Jing, titled The Writings of the August Heaven on the Ultimate Governance of the Cavern. In this way, all the ills of Heaven and Earth can be removed.”

How can all kinds of things be brought into harmony and made to follow one another? The key is to speak appropriately. Good words may be called the “Cavern Scripture”: a scripture that clarifies the fundamental affairs of the august Heaven. In this way, all the ills of Heaven and Earth can be dispelled.

How can all kinds of things be brought into harmony and made to follow one another? When speech is made upright, it brings good fortune; when it is not upright, it brings calamity. In this way, the vital energy of the Supreme Sovereign of Great Peace will arrive. When people fall ill, they hope to recover as soon as possible; when Heaven and Earth fall ill, they too hope to return to normal as soon as possible.

Deviant writings disrupt the Dao scriptures. Once the Dao scriptures are thrown into disorder, the celestial patterns and the geography of the earth become disordered as well. When the celestial patterns and the earth are in disorder, Heaven and Earth fall ill. The sun, moon, and stars, the wind and rain, the four seasons, and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water)—the five forces that compose and drive natural change—all become aberrant, and the years turn inauspicious. The ruler is distressed, government administration falls into confusion, and the people suffer, enduring hunger and cold. These are the calamities caused by deviant writings.

If a state is governed through deviant ideas and misguided words, it will grow more disordered day by day. Ministers then break the law and act recklessly, while the people are plunged into hardship and poverty; together, they damage the order of Heaven and Earth. The celestial officials, the spirits who oversee the affairs of Heaven, become terribly enraged and weep ceaselessly over their grievances. If a household is governed through deviant ideas and misguided words, fathers and sons, husbands and wives will fall out of harmony, hate one another, and quarrel without end, until the household becomes inauspicious.

Upright speech, writing, and expression are the key to setting the foundations of Heaven and Earth straight. They are also a precious basis for bringing peace to households and states, and the foundation on which all people and things under Heaven depend to receive the Mandate of Heaven. Therefore, one should strive to bring them back to the right path.

The Dao I transmit observes the fundamental precepts completely and casts aside the incidental details. Heaven holds to what is fundamental, so I too hold to what is fundamental. Heaven keeps strictly to what is centered and upright, so I too keep strictly to what is centered and upright. Heaven casts aside the incidental, so I too cast it aside. The scriptures I write share the same body, heart, and intention as Heaven and Earth, as well as the same direction, principles, likes and dislikes, and path. Thus, a virtuous ruler who puts them into practice will not go astray. They must never be discarded, through all ages; they will grow ever clearer, never becoming obscure. They will make governance ever more perfected, never lead it into disorder; they will move toward goodness, never turn toward evil.

Therefore, this is called the “Heavenly Cavern of the Utmost Correct Way,” for it accords with the heart of Heaven and Earth. Those who attain the highest secret instructions can live long; those who attain the middle instructions can assist the state; and those who attain the lower instructions can preserve their own peace and well-being.

Why is Yang alone called exalted, while Yin alone is called lowly? The divine man replied: Yang is called exalted because it holds to what is fundamental and is always full and substantial. Yin is called lowly because it is empty and insubstantial, and so is regarded as abhorrent and inferior. Yin and Yang, and men and women, are originally the sources from which primordial Qi first takes shape, and the gateways through which Yin and Yang unite.

The place where a person receives the Mandate to be born is the root. A man receives his Mandate with fullness and surplus; on the lower left and right sides of his body, there is also a substantial place on each side. Fullness and surplus in the upper part mean that Yang Qi is constantly bestowed upon Yin below, with an abundance accumulating. The downward bestowal of Yang Qi symbolizes the sun’s course: there is nothing it cannot cause to grow and come to completion. The accumulation below symbolizes Great Yin responding to the earth; it has patterns, like the paths between fields. The substantial place on the left corresponds to people, and the one on the right to all things. “Substantial” means full and verified; it also symbolizes benevolence and a willingness to give.