《黄帝阴符经注(张果)》

The Yinfu Jing (Scripture of the Hidden Talisman), traditionally attributed to the Yellow Emperor, explains how the sage follows the Dao of Heaven and grasps the key to applying the Dao. The scripture says that one who holds this key will flourish all the more as circumstances shift and change, and will ultimately achieve the work of a true king. One who loses the key will decline further with every change, and will end in ruin. Later, Yi Yin and Lü Shang grasped only a shallow portion of it, yet that was enough to save the common people. How much more would this be true of a sage?

The text is terse in wording and profound in meaning. Several earlier worthies wrote commentaries on it, but their explanations are by turns veiled and explicit, so later students have found it hard to truly understand. Even following one particular school is like trying to climb to Heaven without a ladder. In recent times, Li Quan wrote a presumptuous commentary under the borrowed name of a sorcerer-witch. It speaks only of human affairs and gravely confuses the scripture's fundamental purpose. His understanding was shallow, yet he believed he knew the great Dao, and he even led the shallow-minded to think they had glimpsed the secrets of Heaven. This is truly lamentable.

I know that I am foolish, yet I cannot agree with these views. I once thought: if one hears the Dao in the morning, one may die in the evening without regret. By chance, in a collection of Daoist texts, I came upon a Yinfu Zhuan (Commentary on the Yinfu). I do not know who wrote it, but its language and principles are far-reaching and profound, as though in natural accord with the Dao. So I have incorporated it into my annotations, hoping that later readers will not stray from the essential purpose of the Dao.

"Observe the Dao of Heaven and hold fast to the workings of Heaven, and all is complete."

Observe the patterns of the Dao of Heaven, and act in accordance with its movements. The essential point of the teaching lies here.

To observe the Way of nature (Dao), there is in fact no object that can be observed directly. One should not look with the eyes, but perceive with the mind. When the mind reaches a state of depth and subtlety, there is no visible, concrete form left, and for this reason it can illuminate the true nature of the natural world. Only by entering into the subtle can one gain insight, and this is the meaning of "Yin" (阴, the hidden).

Grasping the workings of nature likewise offers nothing that can be seized by the hand. One should not grasp with the hands, but take hold of the key to the changes of things. This key is able to move freely with change and remain unconstrained, and for this reason it can accord with the principles of nature. This is the meaning of "Fu" (符, the tally, or accordance).

To illuminate with the mind and to accord through the key moment: with this, the meaning of "Yinfu" (阴符, the Hidden Tally) is fully expressed. Li Quan interpreted "Yin" as dim and obscure, and "Fu" as conformity, and placed this as his opening commentary to the text. This shows a truly poor understanding.

Therefore, Heaven has the "Five Thieves" (五贼); those who are able to recognize them will flourish.

The so-called "Five Thieves" (wuzei) are Fate, Things, Time, Merit, and Shen (spirit). The ancient texts say that when sages governed the world, they kept their eyes on the larger picture and were not bound by trivial details. They valued the strengths of things without concealing their flaws. In times of peace, they guided people with righteousness and transformed the common folk through the practice of De (Virtue/Power). In times of danger and hardship, they adapted flexibly and acted promptly to rescue the people. The sages aimed to set the order of Heaven and Earth right, and their plans were devoted to relieving human society. Thus, through great righteousness they removed the world's calamities, through great benevolence they established the world's benefits, through the correct Dao (the Way) they set right the world's injustices, and through impartiality they dissolved the world's selfish desires.

There are five such strategies, which seem to defy convention yet in truth accord with the Dao. When the sages employed them, they were called "thieves"; since the world benefited from them, people called them "De." The "thief" here is not the robber of ordinary speech. It refers to a function that follows the Way of Heaven and, as circumstances require, alters the original arrangement of things.

By stirring the Mandate of Heaven so that a new person replaced the old ruler, the sages made it seem that Heaven's decree was simply so, and people did not see the "thief" behind it. In this way the Yellow Emperor replaced the Flame Emperor. By altering the natural arrangement of things, Emperor Yao replaced Emperor Zhi. By altering the arrangement of Heaven's timing, Emperor Shun replaced Emperor Yao. By altering the achievements that Heaven had brought about, Yu the Great replaced Shun. By altering the marvelous power that Heaven had bestowed, Tang of Shang overthrew the Xia dynasty. All of this appears to accord with nature, yet people can hardly perceive the "thief" within it. Whoever can see through this will flourish.

When Jiang Taigong applied the principle of "stealing Fate," he used this phrase to explain the underlying idea. Li Quan failed to grasp it and mistook it for something like the Yellow Emperor seizing the lives of young women and ascending to heaven in broad daylight.

The "Five Thieves" reside in the human heart and are carried out in action upon the Way of Heaven. The universe seems to lie in the palm of one's hand, and the transformations of all things arise from within oneself.

The commentary says: when one cultivates De (Virtue/Power) and can discern the crucial point and apply it with subtlety, whatever stirs within will manifest outwardly. How could this be called wielding weapons or creating disaster? If one sees the crux of things and grasps it, then even Heaven and Earth, vast as they are, lie within one's palm, to say nothing of lesser matters. If one understands the wondrous transformations and embodies them personally, then even the myriad things, however numerous, cannot exceed the reach of one's awareness, to say nothing of a few. If I can comprehend and employ the transformative power of Heaven and Earth in their natural course, is that not grand and boundless? Li Quan and others interpreted the "Five Thieves" (a Daoist term from the Yinfu Jing, here referring to five transformative forces) as the five flavors, holding that following the five flavors could make one an immortal who never dies. This is a grave distortion of the meaning of the Dao (the Way).

Heaven-endowed nature is human nature; the human heart-mind is the pivot of the transformation of things. Establish the laws of the Way of Heaven, and use them to steady the human heart-mind.

The commentary says: what is called the pivot within Heaven's nature, when it comes to rest in the human person, is the human heart-mind. Human nature is originally in accord with the profound Dao of Heaven, and so the sage is able to embody the "Five Thieves" in person.

When the Way of Heaven sets in motion the pivot of severity and decline, dragons and serpents rise up from the earth; when humans set in motion the pivot of severity and decline, Heaven and Earth are overturned and transformed.

The commentary says: "Heaven" means the Way of Heaven.

The commentary adds: what is called the pivot within Heaven's nature, when it comes to rest in the human person, is the human heart-mind. Human nature is originally in accord with the profound Dao of Heaven, and so the sage is able to embody the "Five Thieves" in person.

When the Way of Heaven sets in motion the pivot of severity and decline, dragons and serpents rise up from the earth; when humans set in motion the pivot of severity and decline, Heaven and Earth are overturned and transformed.

The ancient text says: "The mechanism of Heaven (tianji) has its tension and its slackening; when drawn taut it does not give life, and when relaxed it does not bring death." The workings of Heaven's fortune alternate between tension and ease, and their effects may be favorable or harmful. When the mechanism is drawn taut, the power of slaughter and punishment is put into effect; when it relaxes, that power recedes, and Heaven's killing impulse subsides with it. Yet while Heaven displays its might through Qi (vital energy, the natural force of cosmic movement), human beings take De (Virtue) as the key to how they stand and act in the world.

In autumn and winter, the Yin energy turns bitterly cold and congeals. This is when the mechanism of Heaven is drawn taut and the energy of slaughter becomes manifest, so dragons and serpents shrink in fear and hide away. When winter departs and spring arrives, the Yin energy withdraws and the Yang energy grows. This is when the mechanism of Heaven relaxes and the energy of slaughter ebbs, so dragons and serpents rejoice and rouse themselves. Heaven has its cold and its warmth; De likewise has its severity and its gentleness; and human affairs, too, have their tightening and loosening.

When a ruler combines moral instruction and punishment with dignity and rectitude, his own mechanism of slaughter is drawn taut, and his ministers therefore stand in awe and obey. When a ruler loses his Virtue and his punishments become lopsided, his mechanism of slaughter goes slack, and treacherous people grow pleased with themselves and act without restraint. Human rank is divided into the exalted and the humble, just as Heaven and Earth are divided into above and below. Hence the saying: "When Heaven unleashes the mechanism of slaughter, dragons and serpents rise upon dry land, and bandits and disorder arise from it; when humans unleash the mechanism of slaughter, Heaven and Earth are overturned, and the exalted and the humble are remade." The meaning is this: when the killing energy of Heaven is set in motion, dragons and serpents appear on land, and robbers and calamities rise from it; when the mechanism of slaughter is set in motion among people, the order of things is overturned, and the relations between high and low may change along with it.

It is said that when Taigong, Zhuge Liang, and others had killed more than ten thousand people, a great wind suddenly arose and the daylight turned dark, and they took this as an omen that Heaven and Earth were being overturned. This understanding is badly mistaken.

When Heaven and humanity act together, the foundation for all manner of transformations is thereby laid.

The ancient text says: Heaven above turns the mechanism of fortune and misfortune, while the ruler below wields the authority over benefit and harm. Therefore, a person of Virtue, even when meeting every kind of change, grows ever more prosperous in strength and in the end achieves the work of a king; a person without Virtue declines day by day with those changes, until he is destroyed. The foundation laid by the myriad transformations takes form in precisely this natural way.

People's natures differ in being clever or slow, yet all can be restrained and concealed.

The ancient text says: the sage is skilled at employing his own nature. When he is in difficulty or faces a perilous situation, he uses strategy and follows principle to pass through the crisis; when he faces a powerful enemy or must read the situation clearly, he acts in accordance with righteousness and yields at the proper time to avoid conflict. One must act this way in governing a state, and one must act this way in leading troops into battle.

As for the deluded and wayward thoughts of the nine orifices (the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and the organs of excretion), the key lies in the "three essentials" (sanyao, usually understood as the three elements of cultivation: Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit)). By mastering them, one can regulate the movement and stillness of body and mind.

The nine orifices (the ears, eyes, mouth, nose, and other openings of the human body) each have their own function, and among them there are three crucial points. The Commentary holds that these "three essentials" are the pivot (ji), the emotions (qing), and nature (xing). To follow the pivot brings stability; to let the emotions drive one easily leads onto a crooked path; to follow one's nature brings uprightness. Thus the sage, when acting, restrains the surge of emotion and grows still in order to preserve their nature, so as to steady the pivotal point within the heart. The petty person does the opposite. Taigong explained the "three essentials" as the ears, eyes, and mouth, and Li Quan explained them as the heart, Shen (spirit), and breath. The commentator holds that both views place the emphasis on forgetting the pivotal point and fail to grasp the original meaning of the Yinfu Jing (Scripture of the Hidden Talisman).

Fire arises from within wood, and once disaster breaks out, it often burns the wood to ashes. Treachery grows from within a state, and once the moment arrives and it is set in motion, the state collapses.

One who understands these principles and cultivates them is called a sage.

The Commentary says: Wood is by nature still, but once it is set in motion, fire is born; if one fails to notice the fire growing stronger, it will in the end consume the very wood that gave it birth. A person's nature is originally still, but through the stirring of emotion and desire, treachery takes root; if one fails to notice that treachery has already taken shape, the state will fall into turmoil as a result. The discerning person can see the flaws in an opponent and arrange their actions accordingly, and the clever person can grasp an opponent's weaknesses and use the opening to gain advantage. Thus everyone under heaven feels that they have gained something: the living believe they have preserved their lives, and the dead too believe they have found a resting place; each considers themselves to be in accord with principle.

The seasons of Heaven include both giving life and taking it away, and this is the pattern of the Dao (the Way). Heaven and Earth draw upon the myriad things, the myriad things draw upon humankind, and humankind in turn draws upon the myriad things. When these three relations of mutual use, among Heaven and Earth, the myriad things, and humankind, each find their proper measure, the Three Powers of Heaven, Earth, and humankind are brought to stability.

Heaven and Earth rely on the qi of Yin-Yang (阴阳) to give birth to the myriad things, yet the myriad things do not know that Heaven and Earth are drawing upon them. The myriad things rely on their many flavors to nourish human beings, yet humans do not know that they in turn are drawing upon the myriad things. Humans rely on planning and the calculation of benefit and harm to direct the myriad things, yet the myriad things do not know that they are being directed by humans. These three relationships of taking and using are subtly interwoven within the human heart-mind, and the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, and humankind) move in accord with the natural order of Heaven. Only when one meets the right moment can one sustain a long life; if one's actions can always seize the opportune time, then all one's undertakings will go smoothly and one will live in peace. But if the timing is wrong and one's actions fail to grasp the crucial point, one may head toward danger and ruin.

Hence it is said: when eating and drinking accord with the seasons, every part of the body can be properly nourished; when action seizes the critical moment, the transformations of the myriad things can be settled.

When people witness something marvelous, they take the marvel itself to be a supernatural power, without realizing that it can occur only because of a hidden operation that does not reveal itself.

The commentary (the Zhuan) says: people of that age did not understand the principle of "stealing" (盗), and regarded miraculous transformations merely as supernatural powers. Guiguzi said: "Only when neither side perceives it can it be called marvelous." This means that a subtle and concealed operation ultimately manifests its effect. Li Quan failed to grasp the meaning of this passage, which connects the three spiritual powers of Heaven, Earth, and humankind, and instead used the sage and the fool as a comparison. This is a serious error.

The sun and moon follow their own regular courses, and the great and the small among the myriad things each have their fixed measure. From this the achievements of the sage arise, and from this the workings of the spirits (Shen) become manifest.

The Zhuan says: "the sun and moon have their standards" refers to the regularity of their motion; "the great and small each have their fixed share" refers to the relationship between ruler and minister. By observing the seasons of Heaven, examining human affairs, and grasping the crucial opportunities in human conduct, the sage's achievements can be accomplished and the workings of the spirits can be made manifest. When the heart-mind accords with the principles of things, one can handle affairs with ease; this is the skill of acting in accordance with principle. Li Quan interpreted "sun and moon" as calendrical degrees and "great and small" as remainders, and further held that spirit-qi (Shen and Qi) can produce the sage's achievements and the spirits. This is a grievous mistake.

This "stealing of the mechanism" (盗机), the hidden operation of mutual taking and using among Heaven, Earth, and the myriad things, cannot be seen by anyone under Heaven, nor can anyone fully know it.

When the noble person obtains it, they steady themselves and preserve their person; when the petty person obtains it, they hold their own life lightly.

The Commentary (Zhuan) says: The "stealing" function is subtle, yet when it is set in motion it produces effects that are plain and far-reaching, and its use is profoundly mysterious. When the superior person uses it and achieves their aims, they bring benefit to all under heaven, as Jiang Taigong did; when they do not, they cultivate themselves, as Confucius did. Is this not because they were able to choose carefully the course that was advantageous? When petty people use it, they bring harm upon themselves. Does this not describe the case of the minister Wen Zhong? To gain profit while abandoning righteousness: does this not describe Li Si? Is this not because he held to the principle with too little firmness?

The blind are good at hearing, and the deaf are good at seeing; cutting off dependence on one sense toward external things,

makes it possible, by drawing on the strength of the multitude, to multiply the effect tenfold; repeating this three times by day and by night, and drawing on the strength of the multitude, the effect may be multiplied ten thousandfold.

The Commentary says: The blind concentrate on hearing and are not disturbed by color, so their hearing is acute; the deaf concentrate on sight and are not pulled by sound, so they see clearly. Therefore, if within a single day one does three times over what ten people could do, one raises one's effectiveness; if within a single night one rests three times, one fully restores one's spirit (Shen). In this way one can draw on the strength of ten thousand people. The word "shi" here refers to the multitude, not to an army; to interpret it as an army is a mistake.

The mind arises because of external things, and it also perishes because of external things; the key lies in the eyes.

The Commentary says: The human mind has feelings of liking and dislike, and external things differ as good or bad, gain or loss. The eyes observe things outwardly, and the mind responds within and makes its judgment. If a thing is good, one follows it and acts; if it is not, one sees it clearly and stops in good time.

The Commentary also says: The human mind has feelings of liking and dislike, and external things differ as good or bad, gain or loss. The eyes observe outwardly while the mind judges within; what is good is carried out and what is not good is halted, and in this way one can discern good conduct and punish wrongdoing. The annotator cites Xiang Yu as an example, saying that his eyes revealed the inner workings of his mind, so that his mind arose because of external things; he also cites Fu Jian as an example, saying that after seeing his opportunity his resolve was extinguished, so that his mind perished because of external things. The annotator speaks in this way without understanding that external things themselves differ as good or bad, and that their effects are not the same.

Heaven appears to show no favoritism, yet from this arises the greatest of blessings. When the thunder is swift and the wind fierce, there is nothing among the myriad things that is not startled and set into motion.

The Commentary (Zhuan) says that Heaven warns people through ominous signs and calamities. If people take these warnings to heart, remain cautious, and cultivate their virtue (De), they can turn disaster into blessing. This approach seems to bestow no kindness, yet it brings great benefit. Li Quan held that Heaven and Earth's lack of benevolence is itself a great kindness, and that the return of all things to Heaven stems from ignorance. These claims stray far from the original meaning of the Yinfu Jing (Scripture of the Hidden Talisman).

The greatest joy lies in a generous nature; the greatest tranquility lies in a pure and incorruptible nature.

The Commentary says that when emotions have not yet surfaced, this state is called "the Mean" (zhong); holding to balance and harmony is the constant Way (Dao). One who finds in joy a state of mind that suits oneself will have a nature that is full and generous. To rest in the constant Way and not crave excess is to be self-sufficient; when the mind is tranquil and pure, one is perpetually content. Li Quan took extravagance to be the nature of joy and took incorruptibility to be tranquility. This accords neither with the principles of "the Mean" and "constancy" nor with the true meaning of the Supreme Dao.

The Way of Heaven appears supremely partial, yet in practice it is supremely impartial.

The Commentary says that the natural order is subtle and hard to discern, so it seems to be partial in the extreme. Yet its results are plain and manifest and cannot be defied, so it is also impartial in the extreme. The sage, in modeling himself on the Way of Heaven, should do likewise. Li Quan cited Sunzi: "Regard your soldiers as beloved sons, and you can live and die alongside them." What does this have to do with the principle discussed here?

Seizing and restraining the myriad things hinge on Qi (炁, vital energy, the breath and force of life).

The Commentary says that seizing a thing depends on Qi, while restraining a thing depends on grasping the right moment and the fitting opportunity. Could this be decided by differences in ability or size? Jiang Taigong also asked whether things of different sizes cannot restrain one another. Li Quan did not grasp the meaning of "seizing" (qin), mistaking it for catching birds and beasts, and explained it with examples such as the black tortoise devouring the python and the yellow-waisted beast preying on the tiger. This is truly regrettable.

Life is the root of death, and death is the root of life. Kindness arises from harm, and harm arises from kindness.

People love life and strive to preserve themselves, yet if they value their own persons too highly, they lose the Dao (the Way), and death follows. People loathe death, but if they can see through to the principles of things, they can hold fast to the Dao and seek out a path of life for themselves. Where good fortune arrives is called "grace"; where calamity arrives is called "harm." If harming oneself brings benefit to others, that harm in turn yields grace. The commentator cites Sunzi's teachings on warfare to illustrate life and death, and the cases of Ding Gong and Guan Zhong to illustrate grace and harm. When the principles by which one regards things differ, the conclusions drawn will differ as well.

The foolish take the patterns and regularities between heaven and earth to be sagely brilliance; I, by contrast, discern wisdom in the changing of the seasons and the workings of the myriad things. Others regard me as a fool, yet I hold that refusing to echo the crowd is true wisdom. Others judge who is sage by standards agreed upon in advance; I do not judge sagehood by such standards.

The Commentary (Zhuan) says: By observing the movements of the heavenly bodies and the succession of the four seasons, and by examining how the earth transforms and nurtures the myriad things, one can come to know a great deal. Yet the sage does not flaunt what is known, and instead conducts himself with an air of concealing his sharpness. This means that the sage bestows slight kindnesses on others without revealing himself, and in this way nourishes his own person. The four seasons turn and the myriad things grow, all in accord with nature. Therefore, the sage abides in an ordinary, unbiased frame of mind; what is called life and death lies simply in how one chooses for oneself.

When a person walks toward death, it is like sinking oneself into water to drown, or throwing oneself into fire to burn: each is a self-inflicted destruction. To govern a state in accord with principle, the key lies in reducing unnecessary affairs of government; to command an army with a grasp of adaptability, the key lies in not abusing military force. So long as one does not bring about the conditions for death, one will not destroy oneself; and if so, what can ghosts and spirits do to me? If heaven and earth have not created the conditions for life to end, what can heaven and earth do to me?

The sage cultivates his person and so brings peace to the household; in governing the state and bringing order to the world, the key lies in establishing the conditions that foster survival. Actively removing the natures and tendencies that lead to death is the moment of opportunity for survival; eliminating the vital impulse and letting oneself drift toward death is the moment of opportunity for destruction. If a commentator cannot understand the Way of Heaven and merely uses these words to deceive others, he will lead people astray. The sage is able to perceive the Dao; if foolish people were made to verify the Way of Heaven, it would result in grave error.

Therefore it is said: "To sink into water and then throw oneself into fire is to summon one's own destruction." The commentary on this line appears above.

The Dao (the Way) of nature is pure and still, and so Heaven, Earth, and the myriad things are able to come into being.

The Commentary says: "The Dao of nature is Wuwei (non-action), yet nothing is left undone. Movement and stillness each accord with their own nature, and this is the deepest purity and stillness. When purity and stillness reach their utmost, they can establish Heaven and Earth and bring forth the myriad things, and all of this happens of itself. Yi Yin said: 'When purity and stillness reach their utmost, one does not even know how the myriad things are born.'"

The principle by which Heaven and Earth move is gradual and subtle, and so Yin-Yang alternately wax and wane.

The Commentary says: "'Gradual' (jin) means little by little, and faintly. In the Dao of Heaven and Earth, the outward form is plain to see while the inner working is subtle. It changes and penetrates without cease, yet everything returns to the right course. Precisely because these changes occur gradually, Yin and Yang can be distinguished and the four seasons can proceed smoothly."

As Yin and Yang advance upon one another, change proceeds without obstruction.

The Commentary says: "The sage acts in accord with the critical moments of Yin-Yang transformation. The order of Heaven and Earth formed naturally of itself, so one should observe it and make use of it by following the natural tendency of things. In this way one accords with the Dao of nature."

Therefore the sage, understanding that the Dao of nature must not be defied, follows it in establishing laws and standards.

The commentary on this line appears above.

The Dao of utmost stillness cannot be fully matched by the pitch-pipes or the calendar.

The Commentary says: "When the Dao reaches the realm of utmost stillness, the lülü (the standards the ancients used to fix musical pitch) and the calendar, though established on its basis, cannot fully coincide with it. The phrase 'where birds and beasts dwell' means that this realm belongs to the natural state in which birds and beasts live."

From this arise marvelous instruments and uses, and in turn the myriad phenomena appear. Within the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) and the sexagenary cycle of jiazi lie subtle and wondrous principles, and also hidden, profound transformations that cannot be fathomed.

The Commentary says: "The many strange images presented by the transformations of the Bagua arise from this. Looking upward, one can deduce the myriad phenomena; looking downward, one can manage the ten thousand affairs. Use the Bagua to observe the Dao of Heaven, and follow the Nine Divisions (jiuchou, the ancient principles for governing the world and observing nature) to model the Dao of Earth. Then consult the climate and the seasonal divisions, and let the jiazi cycle of years and days run through them all. Use the subtle principles to penetrate things, and gather them in through concealed means. All the wondrous transformations unfold from the Dao of nature."

The patterns by which Yin and Yang restrain one another and wax and wane are clearly revealed in the forms and transformations of the myriad things.

The Commentary (Zhuan) says that the principle by which Yin-Yang (阴阳) restrain and transform one another appears plain and easy on the surface, yet its subtle workings are endlessly varied, and throughout all of them it never departs from the fundamental law. If one truly understands this and has faith in it, one can go further and come to know the subtle and profound workings of the heavens.