《上清太玄九阳图》

The Dao (the Way) originally has no fixed words of its own; people rely on words to explain the Dao. Shen (spirit) originally has no fixed image of its own; people rely on images to seek the truth. Inwardly one harmonizes the yin po (corporeal soul), and outwardly one cultivates the yang hun (ethereal soul), so as to bring oneself into accord with the principle of being and non-being and to follow the timing of the shifts between movement and stillness. One rising and one falling are the root of the subtle transformations of the Three Palaces (the sites within the body where Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen are refined). One floating and one sinking are the way of guiding the flying mysterious Qi of the Six Caverns (a term of Daoist internal cultivation for the pivotal apertures through which Qi moves in the body). With a mind of Wuwei (non-action) one carries out purposeful action, and thus brings one’s pure and true nature to completion; seeming not to act by design, one can nevertheless refine the Nine-Yang Elixir. The Qi of the elixir condenses like a pearl; Jing and Qi circulate; Tiangui (the Jing and Qi bound up with human reproduction and physiological change) is stirred into motion, like the sun rising and rose-colored clouds lifting, until at last one reaches the state before the myriad phenomena come into being.

The verse says:

Before one has awakened to the Dao, one must rely on all manner of methods; once the mind opens in awakening, one knows that the myriad things return to emptiness and non-being.

Within, the Mysterious Pearl (in Neidan (internal alchemy), the name for the appearance of Jing and Qi gathering) becomes manifest,

still and soundless, as if one dwelt alone in the Great Void.

Diagram of the Great Mystery in Chaos

The realms of chaos and of the empty Brahma-void are deep, dark, and without light. Mysterious Jing has not yet appeared, and persons and things have not yet been distinguished. Body and mind are pure and clear, dim and empty; one does not know why it is so, yet it is so of itself.

The verse says:

Secluded and still, there is no sound, nor any form or color;

silent and wordless, remote and dim.

Heaven and earth have not yet revealed their forms;

the Jing of Taiyi (the primordial Qi of which Daoism speaks) lies deeply hidden within.

Clear, Cool Wuwei

Dao and De (Virtue/Power) Are Spontaneous

Diagram of Not Yet Seeing

What is called “not yet seeing” means that the practitioner who cultivates the true has not yet opened the vision that discerns the great Dao. Even when facing the brightness of the sun and moon, one cannot recognize one’s own nature; though one walks the path of practice day and night, one still does not understand the principle of the myriad things. To know the myriad things, however, one must rely on an inner awareness that is subtle and obscure.

The verse says:

“Not yet seeing” is like an obstruction in the eye: there is sight, yet one cannot see clearly.

If the mind penetrates the great Dao, it can wash away the veil of delusion.

Once one awakens, it is as if one saw the stars at noon;

if one goes astray, one loses the Mysterious Pearl in vain.

Diagram of the Great Mystery Restraining the Po

Gazing inward, one sees no definite shape, only a sense of clarity, emptiness, and stillness, as if a scene of mysterious frost were present. This is precisely the method of cultivation by which one secures the root of life and nourishes the original Qi of the life-stalk.

The verse says:

Gentleness, humble yielding, emptiness, and stillness without contention are the highest De (Virtue/Power): modest and mild, one willingly withdraws and seeks no private gain.

Close the eyes and concentrate in contemplation, so that outer reflections and distracting thoughts disperse; quietly guard the true nature and the compassionate heart within.

Diagram of Refining the Soul in the Great Mystery (Taixuan Lianhun zhi Tu)

The Great Dao (the Way) cannot be seen clearly through ordinary seeing and hearing; only by examining it with a true heart can one truly comprehend it. The Great Dao is marvelous: it transforms and gives birth to the myriad things, and its light reaches in every direction. Resplendent yet blended as one, it is as if the yang soul were fused into a single whole, moving before heaven, earth, and the myriad phenomena have yet appeared.

Hymn

Bright eyes shine upon the brows, and radiance bursts forth;

as if striking open the void wall of Jingshan and reaching straight into the hidden depths.

The brilliance of Lingbao (Numinous Treasure) is lustrous and pure,

spread throughout the deep and subtle realm of the Great Void.

Diagram of Movement and Stillness in the Great Mystery (Taixuan Dongjing zhi Tu)

The Great Dao clings to nothing and rests in silent stillness; mute and profound, this is “stillness.” When Shen (spirit) is stirred and responds, response brings through-connection, radiance bursts forth, as if striking open the void wall of Jingshan and reaching straight into the hidden depths. The brilliance of Lingbao is lustrous and pure, spread throughout the deep and subtle realm of the Great Void.

The Great Dao clings to nothing and rests in silent stillness; mute and profound, this is “stillness.” When Shen is stirred and responds, response is followed by communion; transformation unfolds, expansive and marvelous—this is “movement.” When movement and stillness complement each other, the true Dao can be realized.

Hymn

Cleave open Mount Jing and seek the fine jade within;

break through the nets of the world and search out the mysterious Dao.

Two points of clear radiance gleam, crystalline and bright,

like a red sun rising to the very center of the sky.

Diagram of Being and Non-being in the Great Mystery (Taixuan Youwu zhi Tu)

The Great Dao is Wuwei (non-action), yet there is nothing it cannot accomplish; when it acts, its fundamental substance remains empty non-being. When non-being functions, it can in turn manifest substantial being. From this one penetrates the mysterious and wondrous and displays the marvelous De of the Great Dao: this is the principle by which “being” and “non-being” generate each other.

Hymn

Jade cassia lies hidden deep within the bright moon over the sea;

the jasper grove sends forth a clear, cool light.

Mysterious illumination blends into a single whole,

containing the vast, supreme and without bound.

Diagram of Ascent and Descent in the Great Mystery (Taixuan Shengjiang zhi Tu)

Looking up at the Great Dao, one finds that the more one gazes, the higher it seems; spiritual intent rises with it—this is the sign of heavenly images lifting. Seeking downward, one finds that the more one probes, the more solid it becomes; spiritual intent descends with it, answering the principle of the earth’s deep stillness. In this way one can possess the function of Chonghe (harmonious emptiness): between looking up and looking down, above and below join, penetrating every transformation, and one comes to understand the pattern of rising and falling, ascent and descent.

Hymn

Marvelous transformation, one ascent and one descent:

the pivot of the Dao moves between floating above and sinking below.

Within the mysterious, Lingbao is nourished,

and brightness shines through to the heart of heaven.

Diagram of the Three Essentials in the Great Mystery (Taixuan Sanyao zhi Tu)

At the very beginning of the Great Beginning, the primordial and fundamental state is the Dao (the Way) of emptiness and nothingness. It moves everywhere and penetrates without obstruction, manifesting a radiance like that of Xiangdi, the Image of the Sovereign. The working of the Dao drifts and settles between the heights of heaven and the depths of earth.

Within the mysterious and subtle, the Lingbao—the wondrous treasure of which Daoism speaks—is conceived, and its light shines through the heart of Heaven.

The Diagram of the Three Essentials of the Great Mystery

At the very beginning of the Great Beginning, the primordial and fundamental state is the Dao of emptiness and nothingness. It moves everywhere and penetrates without obstruction, manifesting a radiance like that of Xiangdi. The Taiguang, the light of innate spiritual nature of which Daoism speaks, gathers and condenses, and from it the Yuanshen, a person’s original Shen (spirit), shines forth. The three merge into one undifferentiated whole and appear within the principle of true emptiness.

Verse:

The Golden Elixir (Jindan) is like a disc of the red sun, and the supreme Dao is like the blue heaven.

So long as the numinous light in the eyes does not grow dim, why search outside for the mysterious and subtle?

The Diagram of the Six Harmonies of the Great Mystery

The Dao of Heaven and the Dao of humanity interpenetrate one another, and within empty luminosity there is again empty luminosity. The Qi (vital energy) of harmonious blending joins the Qi of primordial unity, and within breath there is again breath. The light of wisdom condenses together with the brightness of Xiangdi, and within spiritual illumination there is again spiritual illumination. Liudong Feixuan—a Daoist expression meaning that mysterious Qi penetrates the six directions, ascends, and transforms—this is the “Dao of the Three Reaching Through.”

Verse:

Sunlight enters the dark and hidden realm and universally aids Yin-Yang; where the wind passes, it is as if the crown of the head splits open and the Gate of Heaven stands wide.

Throughout the whole realm, dragon light gleams in color; wondrous power, like a pair of wings, circles back and forth.

The Diagram of the Nine Yang of the Great Mystery

The principles set forth above ultimately blend into one. The single true principle transforms and appears, becoming form within what has neither form nor shape. Radiance circulates and shines to the farthest reaches of the eight directions; inside and outside are thoroughly transparent and clear. This is the truth of the mysterious images of the Nine Yang.

Verse:

Clearly discern the true principle, and observe the earth and the patterns of heaven; watch the stars in flight, and awaken to the mysterious principle in its successive depths.

Even at this point, slight obstructions remain; how can this compare with the very beginning, before any distinction and before any appearance?

Following carefully the illustrated explanations of cultivating the true in the Jinbi Gujing, the ancient Jing (scripture/classic) of Gold and Jasper: on the third day the moon rises from the Geng position, corresponding to the Zhen trigram, and the yang line begins to ascend. The verse for the eighth day is:

Clearly discern the true principle, and observe the earth and the patterns of heaven; watch the stars in flight, and awaken to the mysterious principle in its successive depths.

Even at this point, slight obstructions remain; how can this compare with the very beginning, before any distinction and before any appearance?

A careful examination of the illustrated teachings on cultivating perfection recorded in the Jinbi Gujing (Ancient Scripture of Gold and Cyan) shows the following. On the third day of each month the moon rises from the geng station, corresponding to the Zhen trigram, and one yang line is added. At the first quarter on the eighth the moon rises from the ding station, corresponding to the Dui trigram, and the yang lines increase to two. On the fifteenth, when the moon is full, it stands in the jia quarter, corresponding to the Qian trigram. At first light on the sixteenth the moon is at the xin station, corresponding to the Xun trigram, and one yin line is born anew. At the last quarter on the twenty-third the moon is at the bing station, corresponding to the Gen trigram, and two yin lines are born anew. On the thirtieth the moon is wholly extinguished and lies in the yi quarter, corresponding to the Kun trigram. The scripture says: what has been set forth above is the change over the thirty days of a month.

The Kun trigram transforms and gives rise to the three trigrams Zhen, Dui, and Qian; the Qian trigram transforms and gives rise to the three trigrams Xun, Gen, and Kun. This marvelous operation of change turns and returns without cease, like a ring that has no end. The Bagua (Eight Trigrams) are arrayed in sequence, and their rhythm is never disordered.

The hymn says:

The Middle Prime—here referring to the inner central region spoken of in cultivation—transforms the two trigrams Kan and Li, and one at once becomes aware of what is seen and heard. Within water and fire a sacred mechanism lies concealed; Yin-Yang are joined in accord, and the transformations are wondrous. Heart and Shen (spirit) gather and grow still, merging into pure essential nature; the bodily form seems released, passing beyond the realm of the azure-subtle. It accords with the image of the Qian yuan—the primordial Qi (vital energy) at the origin of the Dao (the Way) of Heaven—like starlight shining upon the Heavenly River.

Diagram of the Image of Zhen

On the third day the moon rises from the geng station, corresponding to the Zhen trigram, and one yang line is added.

The hymn says:

The line “nine at the beginning” changes and forms the Zhen trigram; the moon of the third gradually appears, passing beyond the realm of the azure-subtle. It accords with the image of the Qian yuan, and starlight shines upon the Heavenly River.

Diagram of the Image of Zhen

On the third day the moon rises from the geng station, corresponding to the Zhen trigram, and one yang line is added.

The hymn says:

The line “nine at the beginning” changes and forms the Zhen trigram; on the third the moon rises from the geng station. Clear, bright eyes open like a luminous mirror, and one line begins to be added.

Diagram of the Image of Dui

At the first quarter on the eighth the moon rises from the ding station, corresponding to the Dui trigram, and the yang lines increase to two.

The hymn says:

The Zhen trigram changes and becomes the Dui trigram; on the eighth the moon stands at the ding station. Numinous radiance fills the eyes; the yin lines withdraw, and the yang lines increase to two.

Diagram of the Image of Qian

On the fifteenth the moon is full, corresponding to the image of the Qian trigram, located in the jia quarter.

The hymn says:

The Dui trigram changes and becomes the Qian trigram. The emblematic image of the Qian yuan is like Heaven. Full, bright moonlight shines upon the jia quarter, and from this pure Qi begins to reach through to the mysterious realm.

Diagram of the Image of Xun

At first light on the sixteenth the moon is at the xin station, corresponding to the Xun trigram, and one yin line is born anew. The hymn says:

When the Qian hexagram changes into the Xun hexagram, day has just broken and the moon stands at the Xin position. Yin Qi (vital energy) begins to increase, while Yang Qi gradually diminishes. The waxing and waning of Yin-Yang, and the changes of their advance and retreat, are like the alternation of morning and evening.

Diagram of the Gen Image

On the twenty-third day, at the last quarter, the moon is located at the Bing position, corresponding to the Gen hexagram. This indicates that Yin Qi has increased by another two portions. The verse says:

The Xun hexagram changes into the Gen hexagram, and the time reaches the last quarter on the twenty-third.

The jade-ring moon sinks into the Bing position, as if half of it had fallen into a deep pool.

Diagram of the Kun Image

On the thirtieth day the moon is extinguished at the Yi position, corresponding to the Kun hexagram and symbolizing pure Yin. The verse says:

The Gen hexagram changes into the Kun hexagram; the primordial Qi of Kun appears deep, dark, and chaotic.

Pure Yin sinks into the deep pool.

Diagram of the Kun Image

On the thirtieth day the moon is extinguished at the Yi position, corresponding to the Kun hexagram and symbolizing pure Yin. The verse says:

The Gen hexagram changes into the Kun hexagram; the primordial Qi of Kun appears deep, dark, and chaotic.

Pure Yin arises from the Yi position; from this one comprehends the great Dao (the Way) and comes to know the infinite.

Diagram of the Li Image

The Li hexagram is empty in the middle. In the heavens it symbolizes the sun, and in the human body it symbolizes the eyes. To be able to observe things and thereby understand the principle within them is called Shen (spirit). The verse says:

Above the Li hexagram is hidden the sun of empty brightness, and its light makes the eyes clear.

The mind opens like a palace hall and reflects a precious bright mirror; heaven and earth are vast, level, and boundless.

Diagram of the Kan Image

The Kan hexagram is solid in the middle. In the heavens it symbolizes the moon, and in the human body it symbolizes the ears. To be able to hear and thereby awaken to principle is called sagehood. The verse says:

Within the Kan hexagram are hidden water and the moon; keen ears apprehend the pure and quiet chant.

The work of utmost sagehood is especially refined; even without zither strings, one hears music sounding on without cease.

The verse says:

How great are the primordial signs of the myriad things; how profound and luminous is the great Dao of august Heaven.

Firm and vigorous, central and correct, and pure and unified—this is precisely the subtle and pure essential nature.

The verse says:

The great Dao proceeds, penetrating and unobstructed; the wondrous myriad things thereby sprout and arise.

Fine De (Virtue/Power) causes the myriad things to grow in beauty and shine with luster.

The verse says:

The great Dao nourishes the myriad things and brings them benefit; all things obtain peace.

The grace of De is widely bestowed, and the world is thereby bright and flourishing.

The verse says:

Innate nature is pure and upright, containing the numinous quality of the myriad things.

True primordial essence, pure and condensed, coalesces into starlight like the precious jade langgan.

Diagram of the Nine Yang of the Great Mystery for Cultivating the True

The verse says:

When primordial chaos first opens, heaven and earth begin to form; the Qi of primal harmony transforms and returns to the Great Beginning.

The three palaces are arrayed above and below; the six caverns correspond with sinking and rising; Brahma-Qi circulates through and links the stellar lodges of the four directions.

Diagram of the Nine Yang of the Great Mystery for Cultivating the True

The verse says: the original text is unfinished at this point.

When primordial chaos first opened, the Yuanhe Qi (vital energy)—the original harmonious breath from before Heaven and Earth had divided—became the Qi of Taichu, the Great Beginning. The Three Palaces (the upper, middle, and lower palatial seats spoken of in Daoism) are arrayed above and below throughout Heaven and Earth, and the Six Caverns (the six grotto-heavens of Daoist teaching) respond in harmony with the rising and falling of Heaven and Earth. Fanqi (the pure and mysterious breath) circulates through the four quarters, and primordial florescence extends over both the formed and the formless realms. Qian and Kun (Heaven and Earth) are the precious cauldron; Heaven and Earth themselves are the elixir furnace. The imperial image (the manifestation of the supreme divinity) holds numinous nature within it, perfect and luminous, united with the Taixu (the vast and boundless void). Shen (spirit) condenses into the marrow of the cinnabar phoenix, and Qi congeals into the cream of the azure toad. Once it has been refined into what is genuinely pure and essential, the Qi of pure Yin is wholly dispelled. The divine fire of the Nine Yangs gathers and at last transforms into the Pearl of Primordial Unity.

Hymn

What has been copied and transmitted is the scale and pattern of cultivation, within which being and non-being are discerned.

When being and non-being are thoroughly understood, the mysterious vision transforms into the elixir pearl.

Songs of the Twelve Hours of the Taixuan (Great Mystery)

The First: The Hour of Zi (Midnight)

At midnight, the hour of Zi, the Mysterious Primordial Holy Ancestor (the ancestral master revered in Daoism) left behind the essentials of cultivation. Yangsu (the pure quintessence of Yang Qi) reveals the manner of high antiquity; Liang Cheng dwells at ease and becomes the Chongxuzi (one who has reached the realm of emptiness and stillness). People each claim to be capable—yet how could they all fully attain it? To forget every kind of clever artifice: the crux lies here. Zigao, by means of splendid plumage, subdued the divine bird; had he not met the strange peng, how could such a thing have occurred?

The Second: The Hour of Chou (Cockcrow)

At cockcrow, the hour of Chou, one is roused within the dream, so that the original root (the foundation of life) grows clear. Before the sunlight has come forth, the eyes open early; Tiangui (the essential Qi bound up with the body’s growth and reproduction) turns back and lies hidden at the mouth of the Dipper (the station of the stellar Dipper). Open the Mysterious Pass (the inner aperture in cultivation through which the movement of Qi enters and leaves), so that the movement of Qi reaches the elbows and arms; silently lay down “non-being,” and light appears of itself. Only then does Jixu (a term in the original whose meaning is unclear) know how to avoid the Qi that drifts away and scatters. The voice of the Great Dao (the Way) is plain and unadorned—why would one need to cry out aloud?

The Third: The Hour of Yin (Daybreak)

At daybreak, the hour of Yin, numinous Yang (the wondrous Qi of Yang) has not yet appeared, yet the myriad things are already wholly renewed. The realm of perfect and utmost clarity is hard to speak of; the teeming spectacle, though without perception, seems endlessly to discourse. Forget the turbid and filthy bodily form, transform the defiled body and mind, dwell together with companions of the Dao in the realm of the immortals, and choose neighbors of lofty purity. If one does not distinguish the true from the false, one becomes a reckless fellow, striving to outdo others in the dusty world and clinging to the self.

The Fourth: The Hour of Mao (Sunrise)

At sunrise, the hour of Mao, the cinnabar phoenix (the divine bird that symbolizes the manifestation of Yang Qi and numinous nature) arrives, and the heart no longer hangs upon vexation. Colors of light reflect upon one another and fill the great emptiness; radiance shines through, leaving out not even the most minute place. The pivotal essentials of the higher immortals’ cultivation are already clear; what is mysterious and true, deep and pure, is by no means a shallow or petty teaching. Wen Shi (a term in the original whose meaning is unclear) and Zhonghua Li Yi Hui (the original appears corrupt or incomplete and cannot be reliably explained)—the light of Heaven is limpid and lustrous, without a speck of dust, and transmits the Six Treasures (important secret essentials of Daoist cultivation).

At the Chen hour, the Valley Spirit—the inner primordial Shen (spirit) and the source of life—is quietly illumined by the light of heaven. Full and vast, tranquil and unattached, the human being and the myriad things seem to merge into one. Entering the turning of the seasons, one carefully examines the teaching of the “three bodies.” The great Dao (the Way) is empty and still, and human nature manifests of itself. The Qi (vital energy) of primordial unity gathers, transforms, and gives rise to life, and the myriad things accordingly grow rich and genuine. One must not confuse the ferocious Taowu, a legendary beast of evil, with fair and exquisite gardens. Among the maples, the numinous chun, a legendary tree of long life, brings forth the new from the old.

The Sixth

At the Si hour, the Dao is already present, and the human being proceeds from the “One” to give rise to the “Two.” Phrases such as “Zi Zhongkui” appear corrupt or incomplete in the original and are difficult to interpret with certainty; the general sense is that one should concentrate one’s thought and grasp the meaning of the sage’s writing. Realizing true emptiness and understanding the essential purport, luminous awareness can then commune with heaven and earth. One constantly abides in stillness within the Great Void. Having reached this point, who can fully explain the realm of return to the primordial source?

The Seventh

At the Wu hour, the light of heaven shines bright and illumines the earth. Dwelling deep in a quiet chamber, body and mind are pure, the countenance is at peace, and neither sweetness nor bitterness any longer weighs on the heart. Awakening and delusion each have their own attainments. Supporting the orthodox Dao and dispelling deviant falsehood both require careful discernment. One makes manifest the “Image of the Sovereign”—a term in Daoist scriptures for the primordial lord or the source—which appears in the pre-celestial. The clear and harmonious Qi that moves and nurtures contains within it the original truth of high antiquity.

The Eighth

At the Wei hour, the courtyard is utterly still, and even the golden-haired mastiff no longer barks. In silence one keeps to the divine work and the Dao of supreme goodness. A numinous stirring wells up from the depths and fills heaven and earth. Dwelling in a realm of mystery and subtlety, pure and beautiful, those who have not yet realized the Dao need to examine it with care. Opening the Jade Door, the portal that leads into the realm of mystery, one sees a light like starry eyes. If one does not yet understand even the meaning of the word “Dao,” how can one judge rightly?

The Ninth

At the Shen hour, one who delights in Heaven and knows one’s destiny can remain far from hardship and distress. One neither envies the three joys of Rong Qiqi nor seeks a lifespan of a hundred years like Lin Lei. Taking the Dao as host and innate nature as guest, the two Qi of Yin-Yang gather and intermingle, returning to ultimate truth. Gazing up at the light and shadow of the moon palace, one has already encountered the floating wood and can cross the waves to reach the ford. Here the “floating wood” is a metaphor of cultivation, indicating that one has met an opportunity on which to rely, or a means of crossing over to liberation.

The Tenth

At the You hour, one rests alone at ease. The mind is spacious, relaxed, and still, and does not become entangled with the disturbances of external things. Over the high mountains the moon rises, as if scattering a radiance like fine jade; beside the stream a light breeze stirs the golden willow branches. The Dao arises of itself, and the spirit is concentrated and carefully maintained. Within, the heart is full and luminous: it seems empty, yet it contains a real numinous clarity. Pure Yang Qi unfolds and flows freely. One has already encountered the floating wood and can cross the waves to reach the ford.

Note: Several phrases in the original appear to have been miscopied or to survive only in fragments (for example, “入岁由咇论三身,” “子钟馗qu瞀不精思,” and “s子深居r室中”). The reading above is a cautious interpretation based on context; where the sense cannot be fixed with certainty, this has been indicated.

The Dao (the Way) arises spontaneously of itself, and the intent of Shen (spirit) must be guarded with concentrated attention. A radiance full and perfectly clear seems empty and void, yet within it lies a real and wondrous efficacy.

Pure Yang Qi (vital energy) spreads through the vast Taixu—the great void of which Daoism speaks—and is enough to drive back the demons of Yin, sending them fleeing beyond the heavens.

Eleven

At dusk, in the hour of Xu (about seven to nine in the evening), two ornate candles light the empty, quiet room.

Bright radiance shines there, as if children were at play within it. The infant—a metaphor for the pure and innocent mind-spirit—is illumined, and the work of this stage of cultivation is thereby brought to completion.

One circulates the light within one’s innate nature and brings into play the power of spiritual intent. The body relaxes and opens; mind and Shen settle and grow stable; advance and withdrawal proceed with ease.

Indeed, the “solar butter”—a metaphor in Daoist practice for an essence as purely Yang as the sun—has a rich, mellow flavor. The wise master, after ingesting it, finds it sweet as honey.

Twelve

At the time when people have settled for the night, the hour of Hai (about nine to eleven in the evening), one lowers the curtain and closes the doors, forgetting both loathing and fond attachment.

Content and at ease, one grasps the essential pivot of transcending the mundane world. Roaming freely and acting in accordance with one’s nature, one meets no obstruction even as mind and Shen remain settled.

The Great Dao nourishes the allotted mandate of life, and the true primordial vitality—the original Qi inherent in life—remains. Heaven and Earth have their fullness and their emptiness, and the changes within them reveal the principle of Pi and Tai, of adversity and favorable fortune.

The two hexagrams Zhun and Meng—names from the Book of Changes that symbolize the stages of a thing’s first arising and of initiation—receive the hexagram images and are endowed with the impulse of coming into being. The myriad sages and the thousand perfected ones all follow and rely upon this principle.