《太上老君开天经》

Legend has it that before Heaven and Earth had yet taken form, beyond Taiqing (the realm of clarity and stillness spoken of in Daoism) there stretched a vastness without bound, impossible to measure. There all was emptiness and silence without limit: there was neither Heaven nor Earth, neither Yin nor Yang, neither sun nor moon; nor was there light, direction, color, hardness and softness, covering and bearing; there was neither destruction nor gathering, nor sages and worthies, nor the loyal and the good; there was neither coming and going, life and death, before and after, round and square. Countless transformations surged grandly through it, yet there was neither body nor image. It was natural, empty, still, and mysteriously profound, impossible to probe to its end, vast without bound, without high or low, rank or bias, left and right not yet distinguished; high and low appeared of themselves.

Only I, Laojun (Taishang Laojun, the deity venerated in Daoism), still dwelt at the margin of that empty, still, and mysteriously profound realm, within the mysterious void. Looking, one could not see him; listening, one could not hear him. To say he existed, yet no form could be seen; to say he did not exist, yet the ten thousand things all arose from him.

Beyond the eight directions, the ten thousand things gradually began to differentiate, descending to form a subtle foundation that became the world, and thus Hongyuan (the initial stage in the generation of Heaven and Earth) appeared. In the age of Hongyuan, Heaven and Earth had not yet taken form, the void had not yet divided, clear Qi (vital energy) and turbid Qi had not yet been distinguished, and all still remained in mysterious emptiness and stillness. After Hongyuan had passed through one cycle of rule and ten thousand kalpas, Hongyuan differentiated, and Hunyuan (a further stage in the process of the generation of Heaven and Earth) appeared. Hunyuan in turn passed through one cycle of rule and ten thousand kalpas, reaching a hundred completions; each of these hundred completions lasted 810,000 years, and only thereafter did Taichu (the initial stage of Heaven and Earth) appear.

In the earliest age, Laojun (the Daoist honorific for Taishang Laojun) descended from the void and became the teacher of Taichu. From his mouth he uttered a scripture, the Kaitian Jing (Scripture of Opening Heaven), totaling 480,000 volumes, each of 480,000 characters; every character was able to open up a region one hundred li in circumference, and with this he instructed Taichu.

Taichu began to divide heaven and earth, distinguish the clear from the turbid, open up the chaotic primordial vastness, and establish the forms of the ten thousand things. He stabilized north and south, determined east and west, causing the four directions, above and below, inner and outer, surface and interior all to become manifest, and also distinguished long and short, coarse and fine, female and male, black and white, great and small, and high and low. At that time, between heaven and earth it was still like night.

After Taichu received Laojun’s Kaitian Jing, the clear and the turbid separated: the clear Qi (vital energy) rose to become heaven, and the turbid Qi sank to become earth. The Three Bonds (here referring to the fundamental order of heaven and earth) thereby stood apart, and heaven and earth took form accordingly, yet there were still no sun and moon. Heaven wished to transform and generate the ten thousand things but lacked the conditions for change, so the sun and moon appeared between heaven and earth, illuminating the dark and obscure places.

Although the age of Taichu already had sun and moon, there were still no humans. Later, human life gradually began to take form: receiving the Jing (essence) Qi of heaven from above, receiving the Jing Qi of earth from below, and then being blended by the Qi between heaven and earth, it coalesced into a Shen (spirit) being named “human.”

In the vast emptiness of heaven and earth, the ten thousand things divided into three kinds and gradually grew, each receiving a type of Qi in order to be born. Those generated by Pu Qi (simple, coagulated Qi) were mountains and rocks; those generated by Dong Qi (moving Qi) were flying birds and running beasts; those generated by Jing Qi were humans. Among the ten thousand things, humans are the most honored.

The governance of Taichu lasted for ten thousand kalpas (exceedingly long cyclic periods of cosmic time). Because this was the age in which humans first appeared, it is called “Taichu.” At that time there were only heaven and earth, sun and moon, and humans; no one had yet named the ten thousand things or established knowledge of them. After Taichu ended, the age of Taishi followed.

In the time of Taishi (the Grand Beginning), Laojun descended into the world as a teacher. From his mouth he recited a scripture, the Taishi Jing (Scripture of the Grand Beginning), with which he instructed the people of the Taishi period and arranged ninety-one kalpas for all under heaven. The “ninety-one kalpas” spoken of here accumulate to a “hundred completions”; each “hundred completions” is equivalent to 810,000 years. Taishi is the stage at which the myriad things begin, and so it is called “Taishi.” The myriad things continually circulate, forming a refined, unadorned state; within this, forms become manifest and Qi (vital energy) is generated, until at last they transform of themselves and Yin-Yang takes shape. This Taishi period likewise lasted 810,000 years. After Taishi came to an end, Taisu appeared.

In the time of Taisu (the Grand Simplicity), Laojun descended into the world as a teacher, instructing the people of the Taisu period and governing all under heaven by means of law, lasting eighty-one kalpas, which accumulate to a hundred completions, that is, 810,000 years. Taisu is the state in which the myriad things remain plain and as yet undivided, and so it is called “Taisu.” From the period of Taichu (the Grand Inception) through the period of Taisu, sweet dew descended from heaven and sweet springs (liquan, sweet spring water) welled up from the earth. People who ate and drank of these could live long lives; when they died they did not know burial, but simply discarded the corpses in distant wilderness. This period is called high antiquity. After Taisu came to an end, Hundun appeared.

In the time of Hundun (Chaos), mountains and rivers began to appear. Laojun descended into the world as a teacher, instructing the people of the Hundun period and governing all under heaven for seventy-two kalpas. The Qi of Hundun circulated and transformed, forming mountains and rivers, the Five Sacred Peaks and Four Great Waterways (the five famous mountains and four great rivers), as well as the relative height and rank of mountains and waters—all of these began at this time. In the Hundun period, people first came to have names by which they could be distinguished. Hundun gave birth to two sons: the elder was called Huchen, the younger Huling. After Huchen died he became the spirit of the mountain peaks; after Huling died he became the spirit of the waters. Thus there came to be the Five Sacred Peaks and Four Great Waterways, together with the division of mountains and rivers according to height and rank. After Hundun came to an end, the Nine Palaces appeared (Jiugong, the nine palatial positions in the Daoist cosmological view).

In the Nine Palaces era (an early celestial order from the time when heaven and earth first opened), Lord Lao descended to the human world to serve as a teacher and uttered the Qiankun Jing in order to establish the order of the Nine Palaces and to clarify the names of heaven and earth: clear Qi (vital energy) formed heaven, while turbid Qi formed earth. From the Nine Palaces era onward, heaven belongs to Yang and earth to Yin. The nature of Yang is firm and strong, making it difficult for people to perceive clearly from a distance. In the heavens it manifests as celestial phenomena such as the sun, moon, and stars; on earth as the Five Sacred Mountains and the Four Great Rivers (five famous mountains and four major rivers); and in the human body as the five viscera such as the heart and liver. Although these phenomena bear different names, they ultimately derive from a single source.

After the Nine Palaces era ended, Yuanhuang appeared.

In the Yuanhuang era, Lord Lao again descended to serve as a teacher and uttered the Yuanhuang Jing, teaching Yuanhuang how to govern the world. From this time the civilizing teachings of sovereigns began, gradually circulating to later generations and developing step by step. After Yuanhuang, Taishanghuang next appeared.

During the era of the Taishanghuang, Laojun descended to the human world to serve as teacher to the emperor and instructed him in governing the world. After the Taishanghuang came the Dihuang, and after the Dihuang the Renhuang. Following the Renhuang there appeared in succession Zunlu, Joulou, Hexu, and Tailian. The age from the primordial chaos of heaven and earth down to Tailian is called “Middle Antiquity.” In those days five kinds of “blackness” arose in the heavens and five flavors emerged on the earth; people who consumed these things were able to prolong their years and extend their lives.

After Tailian, Fuxi appeared. Fuxi was born at the very origin of the myriad things, coming into being in accordance with Heaven. He attuned and employed Yin-Yang and established the Bagua (Eight Trigrams). Events prior to Fuxi are not recorded in the Five Classics, nor have written characters been transmitted. Only Laojun already existed long before heaven and earth were opened, dwelling in the boundless void far beyond Taiqing, in numbers beyond calculation. After the Dao (the Way) differentiated and heaven and earth took form, Laojun initiated and arranged the civilizing teachings of the sovereigns, assisted the Heavenly Emperor, transmitted the methods of the Dao so that they would be passed down to later generations, and left behind written records.

In the time of Fuxi, Laojun descended to the human world as teacher under the title “Wuhua Zi,” also known as “Yuhua Zi.” He taught Fuxi to deduce the ancient methods, to elucidate Yin-Yang, to distinguish and rectify the eight directions, and to establish the Bagua, and he composed the Yuanyang Jing to instruct him. Before Fuxi, people had no surnames, only personal names. The customs of the people were simple and unadorned; they had not yet begun to plant the five grains. Fuxi therefore taught them to spread nets and catch birds and beasts for food. At that time people wore animal skins and ate raw meat, whose smell was rank and foul. There were no ritual distinctions between men and women, and they felt neither jealousy nor resentment toward one another. In winter they lived in caves; in summer they nested in the trees. After Fuxi passed away, Nüwa appeared; after Nüwa passed away, Shennong appeared.

In the time of Shennong, Laojun descended to the human world as teacher under the title “Dacheng Zi” and composed the Taiwei Jing to instruct Shennong.

During the reign of Shennong, Lord Lao descended to the mortal world to serve as his teacher under the name Dachengzi. He wrote the Tawei Jing (Scripture of the Grand Subtlety) and taught Shennong to taste all kinds of plants and herbs, distinguish the five grains, and then instruct the common people in sowing and planting. People thus came to eat the five grains and no longer relied on hunting birds and beasts to sustain their lives. After Shennong passed away, Suiren succeeded to the throne.

During the reign of Suiren, Lord Lao descended to the mortal world to serve as his teacher. He taught him to drill wood to obtain fire, allowing firelight to continue the light of the sun, and to transform raw food into cooked food so as to remove the rank smells of the food. After Suiren passed away, Zhurong succeeded to the throne.

During the reign of Zhurong, Lord Lao descended to the mortal world to serve as his teacher under the name Guangshouzi. He taught people to put in order the Three Bonds (the basic ethical relationships between ruler and minister, father and son, and husband and wife) and to harmonize the Seven Governors (usually referring to the movements and governance of the sun, moon, and five major planets). The Three Sovereigns cultivated themselves according to the Dao, and the common people never fell ill. Lord Lao also wrote the Anmo Tongjing Jing (Scripture of Massage for Connecting the Essence). Thereafter there were the three generations of Gaoyuan, Gaoyang, and Gaoxin, as well as Cangjie and Zhongshuo who taught people to study writing and literary composition. After the Three Sovereigns, Xuanyuan the Yellow Emperor succeeded to the throne.

During the reign of the Yellow Emperor, Lord Lao descended to the mortal world to serve as his teacher under the name Guangchengzi. He harmonized Yin-Yang and wrote the Daojie Jing (Scripture of Daoist Precepts) and the Dao Jing (Scripture of the Dao). From the time of the Yellow Emperor onward there began to be distinctions between ruler and minister, father and son, differences of honor and lowliness, and differences of nobility and baseness. After the Yellow Emperor, Shaohao succeeded to the throne.

During the reign of Shaohao, Lord Lao descended to the mortal world to serve as his teacher under the name Suiyingzi and wrote the Xuancang Jing (Scripture of the Mysterious Storehouse). At that time the world was at peace; abundant and beautiful grain appeared, sweet springs, qilin and phoenixes, and auspicious stars shone in the heavens. After Shaohao, Emperor Zhuanxu succeeded to the throne.

The original text here repeats the account of the Shaohao period: it says that Lord Lao’s name was Suiyingzi, he wrote the Xuancang Jing, the world was at peace, excellent grain grew, sweet springs gushed forth, qilin and phoenixes appeared, and a luminous star shone; subsequently after Shaohao came Emperor Zhuanxu.

During the reign of Zhuanxu, Lord Lao descended to the mortal world to serve as his teacher under the name Chijingzi and wrote the Weiyan Jing (Scripture of Subtle Words). After Zhuanxu passed away, Emperor Ku succeeded to the throne; after Emperor Ku, Emperor Yao succeeded. During the reign of Emperor Yao, Lord Lao descended to the mortal world to serve as his teacher under the name Wuchengzi and wrote the Zhengshi Jing (Scripture of Governmental Affairs). After Emperor Yao, Emperor Shun succeeded to the throne.

During the reign of Emperor Shun, Lord Lao descended to serve as his teacher, known as Yinshouzi, and wrote the Taiqing Jing. After Emperor Shun, Yu of Xia appeared.

During the reign of Yu of Xia, Lord Lao descended to serve as his teacher, known as Zhenxingzi, and wrote the Decheng Jing. After Yu of Xia came Tang of Yin, and after Tang of Yin came the early years of the Zhou dynasty. In the early Zhou period, Lord Lao descended to serve as teacher, known as Xieyizi, and wrote the Chijing Jing.

Lord Lao said: “In the hidden beginning of transformative generation, my original substance resided in emptiness, undergoing inexhaustible changes. I have repeatedly transformed my appearance and descended to act as a teacher. Prior to the Three Sovereigns, I was the foundation of marvelous transformations; thereafter I transformed into the teacher of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, and also taught the Three Kings, exhorting them to cultivate goodness.

“Heaven is one, earth is two, humanity is three, the seasons are four, the notes are five, the pitch standards are six, the stars are seven, the winds are eight, the provinces are nine, amounting altogether to forty-five. Zi, Mao, You… the center each possesses nine counting rods. Wear nine and tread one, three on the left and seven on the right, two and four as the shoulders, six and eight as the feet, five in the middle, arranged in the shape of a turtle, thereby constituting the Bagua (Eight Trigrams).

“Water flows to the terminal position, divided into eight, arriving at the Chou position; fallen leaves return to the root, divided into six, arriving at the Hai position; Metal’s nature is rigid and strong, divided into two, arriving at the Wei position; Earth governs the four seasons, divided into four, arriving at the Si position. The Kan trigram travels alone; the Li trigram is luminous with the number four; the Gen trigram is eight, towering high; three returns to the Kun position. The Qian trigram, as a city wall, guards the Kun position and accompanies one; the Xun trigram corresponds to the Heavenly Gate, borrowing one from the Qian position; the Zhen trigram, like thunder shaking the marsh, subtracts a number from the Dui position. Chen, Wu, You, and Hai each form a trigram configuration, each trigram taking in the number eight, and thus the Bagua are constituted; the remaining nine counting rods form the character ‘Yi.’”

The phrases such as “wear nine and tread one, three on the left and seven on the right” employ numerical and directional arrangements to illustrate a configuration of images and numbers. The latter half of the original text involves deductions of the Bagua, the heavenly stems and earthly branches, and counting rods; several phrases are repetitive or contain errors, so that the specific computational method cannot be determined from this passage alone.

Lord Lao then explained the “Xingqi Wei” (a protective method that operates according to seasonal timing and directional positions): “The method of proceeding by appointed times itself possesses a way of protection. One begins first from the Kan position (North, Water) and proceeds toward the Kun position (Southwest, Earth). In the southwest is the Queen Mother, and in the east is the Azure Dragon. Cultivated Qi (vital energy) issues forth from the Earth Door (the portal associated with the entry and exit of earthly qi). The four periods at the Xun position (Southeast) enter the Central Palace (the central direction), then ascend from the Central Palace toward the Qian position (Northwest). Westward one reaches the Great Marsh and the summit of Mount Hua; then onward to the Yin and Gen positions of the northeast; southward to the Li position, which belongs to Fire, and to Mount Huo. Thereafter a sudden transformation occurs, and one enters northward into the Xuan position (a place of profound mystery and remoteness).”

The Scripture of the Opening of Heaven by the Most High Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun Kaitian Jing) concludes at this point.