《三才定位图》

Mount Kunlun's summit is known as Mount Yujing (Jade Capital Mountain). In the Heaven of Yujing dwells a Celestial Emperor, and in each of the four directions there are eight more, making thirty-three in all. The phrase "the sun and moon vanish, and day and night take form" refers to this level of the heavens.

The palace where the Celestial Emperor of Yujing resides is called the "Hall of Penetrating Light" (Tongming Dian) in the Lansheng zhuan: the light from the Emperor's body and the light within the hall illuminate one another. The Lingshu jing (Jing, scripture) says that above the Heaven of Yujing lie the Three Pure Ones' heavens (Sanqing). Among these, the Heaven of Taiqing is also called the Great Red Heaven (Dachi Tian). The Liezi describes it thus: "Look up and you cannot see the sun or moon; look down and you cannot see the rivers or seas." This is the level of the heavens it has in mind.

The heavens of the Three Pure Ones also include the Heaven of Shangqing, which is also called the Heaven of Yuyu, and the Heaven of Yuqing, also called the Heaven of Qingwei. The Nine Sovereigns send down primordial Qi (vital energy), and from this Yin-Yang begins; the spirits (Shen) move freely and transform, and the myriad things and the self all attain peace and joy. This too refers to this level of the heavens.

The Heaven of Xuhuang is where the Nine Sovereigns of the Celestial Perfected send primordial Qi downward, their influence moving as wind above and nourishing as moisture below, thereby creating the world. The primordial Qi divides into Yin-Yang, and so humans come to be male and female; the Dongjing calls them the Jade Youth and the Jade Maiden. For this reason, I arrange the heavens where the Three Pure Ones dwell as follows: Yuqing is the Heaven of Qingwei, Shangqing is the Heaven of Yuyu, and Taiqing is the Great Red Heaven.

The Bagua (Eight Trigrams) of the Yijing (Classic of Changes) probably originate from the qi (气, vital energy) of the Nine Sovereigns of Celestial Truth, the ancient primordial energy of the heavens in Daoist teaching. Pure Yang qi forms the Qian trigram, located in the northwest; pure Yin qi forms the Kun trigram, located in the southwest. Yang from Qian descends and replaces the middle Yin line of Kun, producing the Kan trigram, with a Yang line in the center, which symbolizes the moon. Yin from Kun rises and replaces the middle Yang line of Qian, producing the Li trigram, with a Yin line in the center, which symbolizes the sun.

The moon receives the qi of the sun and travels through the twelve chen (the twelve directions or time positions). At the end of the month, when there is no moon, it takes the image of Kun; at the full moon, it takes the image of Qian. From the third to the seventh day, the moon appears at the Geng position and takes the image of the Zhen trigram; from the eighth to the twelfth, it appears at the Ding position and takes the image of the Dui trigram; from the thirteenth to the seventeenth, it appears at the Jia position and takes the image of Qian; from the eighteenth to the twenty-second, it appears at the Xin position and takes the image of the Xun trigram; from the twenty-third to the twenty-seventh, it appears at the Wu position and takes the image of the Gen trigram; from the twenty-eighth to the second day of the following month, it disappears at the Yi position and takes the image of Kun. From this, five days make one hou (a "season" of five days) and three hou make one qi (a solar term); the equinoxes and solstices, as well as the solar terms such as the Beginning of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, can all be determined precisely.

Among the sixty-four hexagrams of the Yijing, the Li trigram symbolizes fire and lightning, and the Kan trigram symbolizes water and clouds, yet they are not used directly to symbolize the sun and moon. This is because the sun and moon are formed through the changes of the Qian, Kun, Zhen, Dui, Gen, and Xun trigrams, and from these the year, month, day, and hour are derived; if the sun and moon were fixed to a single trigram, this would hinder the understanding of the process of change.

Confucian scholars of the Han dynasty called the four trigrams Zhen, Li, Dui, and Kan the "four principal trigrams," and attributed the function of Qian and Kun to the six child trigrams (Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui, which are born of Qian and Kun). These claims are all subjective speculation. The Three Sovereigns, the Five Emperors, and Confucius all used this body of principles to investigate the patterns of things, to exhaust the nature of human beings, and thereby to understand fate. If one does not grasp it through a divine-like insight but merely infers it through cleverness and intellect, is this not precisely what the Yijing describes: that beyond a certain limit, it is no longer something that ordinary knowledge can know?

Heaven of the Void Sovereign (Xuhuang Tian)

The Nine Sovereigns of Celestial Truth, the Void Sovereign Mysterious Elder, the Void Sovereign Mysterious Emperor, the Void Sovereign Mysterious Venerable, and the Void Sovereign Mysterious Lord.

Yuqing Heaven (玉清天) (one of the celestial realms in Daoism)

Here dwell the Pure and Subtle Celestial Sovereign of Yuqing Heaven, Tianbao Jun (the presiding deity of Yuqing Heaven, named Tianbao Jun), the Supreme Lord of Purple Dao and Void Sovereign, the Dao Lord Supreme of Yiri and the Void Sovereign, the Primordial Lord of Changyang, Beginning of the Void and Exalted Sovereign, the Exalted Lord of the Void Sovereign of Seven Stillnesses and the Birth of the Dao, the Grotto-Pure Lord of Taiming and the Void Sovereign, and the Great Empyrean Lord of Shixuan and the Void Sovereign, together with the Heaven of the Seven Contemplations and Mysterious Birth.

The Pure and Subtle Celestial Sovereign of Yuqing Heaven, Tianbao Jun, the Supreme Lord of Purple Dao and Void Sovereign, the Dao Lord Supreme of Yiri and the Void Sovereign, the Primordial Lord of Changyang, Beginning of the Void and Exalted Sovereign, the Exalted Lord of the Void Sovereign of Seven Stillnesses and the Birth of the Dao, the Grotto-Pure Lord of Taiming and the Void Sovereign, the Great Empyrean Lord of Shixuan and the Void Sovereign, the Golden Spirit Lord of the Void Sovereign of the Seven Contemplations and Mysterious Birth, the Lord of Halted Radiance and the Void Sovereign of the Eight Contemplations and Exalted Mystery, the Great Dao Lord of Clear Supremacy, Supreme Jade Sovereign of Purple Radiance, the Dao Lord of Mysterious Sovereignty, True King of the Nine Empyreans of Supreme Void and Purple Reflection, the Dao Lord of Supreme Sovereignty of the Three Primes and Great Brightness of the Grotto Void, the Dao Lord of Purple Sovereignty of Great Simplicity and Exalted Void at the Supreme Pole, and the Dao Lord of Graceful Sovereignty of the Void Brightness, Purple Orchid, Central Prime and Exalted Heights.

There are also the Dao Lord of Exalted Void Sovereignty of the Eastern Brightness, the Dao Lord of Exalted Void Sovereignty of the Western Splendor, the Dao Lord of Exalted Void Sovereignty of the Southern Vermilion, the Dao Lord of Exalted Void Sovereignty of the Northern Truth, and the Dao Lord of Void Sovereignty of the Central Prime and Supreme Union, together with the Exalted Dao Lord of the Five Spirits and Seven Brightnesses in Primordial Unity.

Next are the Primordial Dawn Lord of the Void Sovereign, Venerable Elder of the Supreme Truth of the Three Primes; the Primordial Spirit Lord of the Void Sovereign, Supreme Truth of the Four Poles of the Three Primes; the Dao Lord of the Void Sovereign of Primordial Supremacy, of the Yellow Radiance at the Center of the Three Primes' Dawn; and the Dao Lord of the Void Sovereign of the Central Prime and Supreme Union, together with the Exalted Dao Lord of the Five Spirits and Seven Brightnesses in Primordial Unity.

Also named are the Primordial Dawn Lord of the Void Sovereign, Venerable Elder of the Supreme Truth of the Three Primes; the Primordial Spirit Lord of the Void Sovereign, Supreme Truth of the Four Poles of the Three Primes; the Primordial Terrace Lord of the Void Sovereign of the Yellow Radiance at the Center of the Three Primes' Dawn; and the Primordial Embryo Lord of True Origin, born of the Void, the Spirit of Purple Reflection and Radiance of the Three Primes.

In addition there are the Exalted Void Sovereign Lord, the Lord of the Supreme Jade Void Sovereign, the Sovereign Jade Emperor Lord, the Lord of the Sovereign Pure and Grotto Truth, the Exalted Lord of Great Simplicity, the Lord of Purple Void, Supreme Emperor and Sovereign, Master of the Myriad Beginnings, Supreme Sovereign Master, Lord of Purple Dawn; the Venerable Lord of Purple Void Sovereign and Supreme Emperor, the Primordial Lord of Green Spirit and Yang Tranquility, the Lord of the Grotto Vista of True Void and Great Truth, and the Supreme Elder Lord of Truth Without Flower.

Shangqing Heaven (上清天) (one of the celestial realms in Daoism)

Lingbao Jun (Lord of the Numinous Treasure) of the Yuyu Shangqing Heaven, together with the Dao Lord of the Three Primes of Purple Purity, Great Simplicity, and Lofty Void Illumination; the Celestial Emperor and Dao Lord of Purple Dawn and Supreme Subtlety; the Lord of Scattered Blossoms of the Seven Dawns, True One of the Four Dippers; Ziji, Lord of the Purple Essence of the Three Primes of the Purple Void; the Imperial Lord of the Upper Void of the Nine Origins and True Stillness; the Lord of the Three Simplicities of Purple Essence of Shangqing; the Yellow Elder Dao Lord of the Center, Flying Dawn of the Great Void; the Great Emperor and Supreme Dao Lord of the Cinnabar Forest of Fusang in the Eastern Glow of the Great Origin; Li Zhen, Celestial Emperor of Great Peace and Lord of the Upper Radiance, the Later Sage of the Golden Gate; the True Lord Peng Shi Yuanjing, the Later Sage of the Great Void; Wang Qingtong, Dao Lord and Jade Protector, Master of High Dawn at the Fangzhu Palace of Eastern Florescence; the Lord of the Dawn Center of Great Nothingness; the Lord of Great Simplicity of the Jade Gate in the Cavern Palace on Mount Emei; Zichen, the Jade Emperor Master of the Purple Void; the Supreme Lord, True One of the Center, of Great Brightness and Numinous Radiance; and the True Lord Director of Destinies of the Nine Sovereigns.

In the east, in the Cavern Palace within Mount Shangshi Shaoyang, there are the Lord of Great Simplicity of the Jade Gate; Zichen, the Jade Emperor Master of the Purple Void; the Supreme Lord, True One of the Center, of Great Brightness and Numinous Radiance; and the True Lord Director of Destinies of the Nine Sovereigns.

The east belongs to Lesser Yang (Shaoyang) and corresponds to Qingzhou and the Azure Emperor. The south belongs to the realm that penetrates Yang and receives Yin, and corresponds to the Red Emperor. The west belongs to Lesser Yin (Shaoyin) and corresponds to the White Emperor of the Western Metal. The north belongs to the realm that penetrates Yin and culminates in Greater Yang, and corresponds to the Black Emperor. The center gathers and governs the numinous qi (Qi), and is presided over by the August Yellow Emperor.

Taiqing Heaven (one of the Daoist celestial realms) contains the Divine Treasure Lord of Great Red Taiqing, together with the Primal Elder of True Yang and Dao Lord of the True One; Yuanjing, Lord of the Supreme Ultimate and Great Dao; the Great Dao Lord of Taiqing; the Dao Lord of the Center of the Four Elders of the Imperial Court; the Primal Lord of Imperial Beginning and Purple Numen; the Lord of Golden Splendor and Radiant Origin of the Nine Simplicities of Great Beginning; the True Lord of the Dawn of the Yellow Chamber of Primal Void; the Lord of Inner Radiance, Supreme True One of Azure Essence; the Lord of the Three Primes of Jade Splendor, Supreme True One of the Celestial Sovereign; the Lord Who Guards the Prohibitions, Supreme Emperor of the Two Adepts and Nine True Ones of Zhenzhou; the Primal Lord of the Four True Ones who preside over the Supreme Ultimate; the Lord of Yellow Radiance in the Dawn Center; the Elder Lord of the Eight Sovereigns of Shangqing; the Jade Lord Who Governs the Charts, Master of Ten Thousand Splendors and Jade Truth of Dongqing Xiaoyou; the Lord of Prohibitions of the Supreme Unity and Upper Origin; the Worthy Primal Lord of the Nine Black Jades of Great Yang; the Lord of Immortals who presides over the Elder of the Nine Blacks of Great Perfection; and the Golden Elixir Sovereign of Azure Gold, Mother of the Nine Numinous True Immortals of Turtle Mountain in the Western Origin.

Bagua Descending into Blackness (a title or term related to the Bagua and changes in atmospheric phenomena):

The scripture (Jing) says: "The Dao precedes Taiyi (the Great One), and the form of Taiyi is naturally as it is."

Taiyi (太一, the primordial qi of the cosmos's beginning) is the first undivided qi (气), born within the Great Void (Taixu). Because it dwells within the boundless Wuji (无极) and at the beginning of the formless and imageless, it is called Taiyi, the Supreme One. Above it lies wind, and below it lies water; these two qi, wind and water, gather and mingle.

Above the Great Void stands the Heaven of the Jade Capital (Yujing), which is also Mount Yujing. The scripture (Jing, 经) says that it contains the qi of the Six Primes, which stirs the spirits (Shen, 神) of the Nine Sovereigns of Celestial Truth, who descend and divide the image of primordial chaos. In its first transformation, the original qi takes an unadorned, undivided state and then forms the wheels of wind and water. In its second transformation, the wind and water qi come to rest and gather.

Above the Jade Capital there are eight heavens each to the east, south, west, and north, thirty-two heavens in all, governed by twenty-two Lords (Dijun). Above the Jade Capital are also the heavens of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, 三清): the Realm of Jade Purity, the Realm of Highest Purity, and the Realm of Great Purity. Above the Three Pure Ones are the Ten Heavens of the Void Sovereign. There dwell the Primal Elder, the Primal Lady, the Primal Emperor, and the Primal Venerable of the Void Sovereign, together with the Perfected Persons of the Nine Sovereigns of Celestial Truth. The Sovereigns of Celestial Truth send down the nine qi of Celestial Truth, which divide the Six Primes and form the image of primordial chaos.

Lesser Yang corresponds to the Qian trigram and symbolizes metal. The Metal Perfected One among the Nine Sovereigns of Celestial Truth sends down the first qi, which is born in water and takes a form like "xiyao" (戏药; the original's figurative image, whose precise meaning is unclear). After it transforms, its upper part is red and its lower part black, its left side is blue-green and its right side white, and its center is yellow; this qi moves within it and is stored within it.

Lesser Yin corresponds to the Xun trigram and symbolizes wood. The Wood Perfected One sends down the second qi, which is born in wind and also takes a form like "xiyao." After transformation, its upper part is black and its lower part red, its left side is white and its right side blue-green, and its center is yellow; this qi moves and is stored within it.

Greater Yin corresponds to the Kan trigram and symbolizes water, but it has the nature of the virtue (De, 德) of water turning back into fire. The Fire Perfected One of water's virtue sends down the third qi, which is born in water and takes a form like an embrace around an egg.

Greater Yang corresponds to the Li trigram and symbolizes fire, but it has the nature of the virtue of fire turning back into water. The Water Perfected One of fire's virtue sends down the fourth qi, which is born in wind and takes a form like an embrace around an egg.

Yangming corresponds to the Zhen trigram and symbolizes wood. The Wood Perfected One sends down the fifth qi, which is born in water and takes a form like a mouth holding a lotus flower.

Jueyin corresponds to the Dui trigram and symbolizes metal. The Metal Perfected One sends down the sixth qi, which is born in wind and takes a form like a mouth holding a lotus flower.

The three Yang converge at the Gen trigram, which symbolizes earth. The Earth Perfected One sends down the seventh qi, which responds to the qi of earth and arises above, spreading out in all directions and becoming Heaven. Thus the pure Yang qi becomes Heaven, and the remaining primal qi disperses and transforms into the sun, moon, and stars.

The three Yin converge at the Kun trigram, which also symbolizes earth. The Earth Perfected One sends down the eighth qi, which responds to the qi of earth and opens downward, spreading out in all directions and becoming Earth. Thus the turbid Yin qi becomes Earth, and the remaining primal qi condenses into mountains, rivers, metals, and stones. From this point the natural constancy of the Dao (道) begins to appear between Heaven and Earth.

The original text contains many repetitions, suspected scribal errors, and disordered punctuation, such as "xiyao," so the relevant passages can only be translated literally from the surviving wording, and their exact referents cannot be determined.

In the Jade Capital Heaven (Yujing) stands Mount Yujing, and upon the mountain is built the Hall of Perfect Illumination (Tongming Hall). Enshrined within the hall is the Jade Emperor, Supreme Lord of Heaven (the sovereign ruler of the celestial realm in Daoism), flanked by the Memorial Attendants (youths responsible for delivering petitions). To the east, south, west, and north, there are eight layers of heaven in each direction.

At the place called the "Gate of the Changes" are arrayed General Tang, General Ge, and General Zhou, together with the Envoy of Perfect Communication (an envoy who links the human world with the deities and guides petitions upward). Zhang the Perfected Master receives the petitions, while the Document Attendant (a clerk or youth who accompanies the memorials) is responsible for presenting the written petitions.

Within the heavens are also arrayed the Great Marshal Tianpeng, the Great Marshal Tianyou, the Perfected Lord Yisheng Baode, and the Perfected Lord Youshang Zhenwu Lingying, along with the Four Heavenly Kings of the east, south, west, and north.

In the Ziwei Enclosure (the region of the sky where celestial star officials and palaces reside) are arrayed the Great Emperor of Heaven (Tianhuang Dadi), the Emperor of Ziwei, the Seven Lords of the Northern Dipper, the Sun Emperor, the Moon Emperor, and the Lords of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Metal, Water, and Earth): the Star Lords of the Virtues of Wood, Fire, Metal, Water, and Earth. There are also the star lords Luohou, Jidu, Ziqi, and Yuebei. In the east, south, west, and north there are likewise Lords of the Seven Lunar Mansions, each governing the constellations of their respective direction.

The Six Palaces of Fengdu (the palaces of the underworld in Daoist teaching) include: the Palace of Zhou-jue Yin Heaven, the Palace of Taisha Liangshi Zong Heaven, the Palace of Mingchen Naifan Wucheng Heaven, the Palace of Tianzhao Zuihei Heaven, the Palace of Zongling Qifei Heaven, and the Palace of Gansi Lianwan Lü Heaven.

Above the Three Pure Ones heavens (Sanqing) there are also the Ten Heavens of the Void Sovereign (Xuhuang). Dwelling within them are the Elder of the Void Sovereign, the Primordial Lord of the Void Sovereign, the Primordial Emperor of the Void Sovereign, the Primordial Venerable of the Void Sovereign, and the Nine Sovereigns of Heavenly Rectitude. There are, in addition, the Three Heavens of the Void Sovereign.

The Heaven of Jade Purity (Yuqing) is governed by the Celestial Lord of Heavenly Treasure (one of the Three Pure Ones of Daoism). The Inner Scripture of the Divine Landscape (Shenjing Neijing) says: "The wondrous essence (Jing) within the Great Void causes the six directions (heaven, earth, and the four quarters) to alternate and transform; the Dao of this transformation involves both generation and completion." The Scripture of the Great Cavern (Dadong Jing) says: "Dividing and transforming forms, scattering images, each dwells among the ranks of the Supreme Perfected (immortals of high station)."

The Heaven of Shangqing (Highest Clarity) is governed by the Lord of Lingbao (a revered Daoist deity). The heavenly beings there have golden bodies, and the image of the great Dao appears behind their necks. Once in a lifetime, they undergo a single process of generation and accomplishment. The Dadong Jing (Scripture of the Great Cavern) says that they can divide their forms and scatter their shadows, and that they hold rank among the Supreme Perfected (high-ranking immortals who have attained the Dao).

The Heaven of Shangqing is governed by the Lord of Lingbao. The heavenly beings there have golden bodies and bear a circular halo behind their necks, as they rise and fly into purple clouds and mist. The "Purple Mist of Shangqing" mentioned in the Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) refers to precisely this scene.

The heavenly beings of the Heaven of Taiqing (Great Clarity) are radiant with light. The Dadong Jing says that Water and Fire arise within their bodies, and their radiance illuminates ten thousand kalpas (immense spans of time). Bearing a circular halo behind their necks, they roam freely through the Nine Dawns (a term for the lofty celestial realms in Daoism).