《周易参同契发挥》Vol. 4

The upper Zhen trigram stirs into activity and becomes manifest. The text mentions Wu, Ji, and Chaos in three places, and the Three-Five and the dark moon and new moon in four places. Some passages in the scripture are repeated. In my view, it is possible that three people each wrote one piece; this cannot be ruled out. But because the scripture and commentary are intermingled, it is difficult to tell which parts are scripture and which are commentary. I once thought of sorting the four-character lines, five-character lines, and prose into three sections, so that scripture and commentary would not be mixed together and later students could study them more easily. However, now that the book has been completed, I will leave it as it is. For now, I record at the end of the volume what I have heard, leaving it to discerning people of later generations to judge.

Exposition of the Zhouyi Cantongqi, juan 2

Imperially Commissioned Collection of the Four Treasuries

Clarifications on the Exposition of the Zhouyi Cantongqi

Written by Yu Yan of the Song dynasty

Part One

“Framing”: One version reads “frame.” Chen Baoyi’s annotated edition changes this to “enclosing frame” to avoid a taboo. “Turning the hub and straightening the axle” means that in cultivating the elixir method one should set the mind aright, just as the axle must remain straight when the wheel hub turns. The axle passes through the hub, while the spokes sit outside it and converge at the hub. One version reads “spokes” instead of “axle,” but that is incorrect.

“The four male and female trigrams”—the four trigrams in which Yin and Yang are paired—continues and summarizes the preceding phrases, “Heaven and Earth as the doorway, Kan and Li as the frame.” These four trigrams refer to the vessel and the medicines; the sixty trigrams discussed later refer to the firing times, the arrangement of timing and heat in the elixir process. The middle section says, “The four form Chaos,” likewise continuing the preceding phrase, “Qian is firm, Kun is yielding, and Kan and Li stand at the head.” Later it says, “The sixty trigrams are laid out and spread as a carriage,” completing the set of sixty-four trigrams. All sixty-four trigrams are used to explain my Dao of the Elixir, which is why this book is called the Zhouyi Cantongqi. One version explains “the four male and female trigrams” as the trigrams Zhen, Dui, Xun, and Gen, but this is incorrect.

“Making them serve as bellows”: In the annotated edition by Ning Shen Zi Chen Huizhen, the text reads “mutually.”

It is like a charioteer sitting upright in the carriage, holding the reins and guiding the horses by the proper measures and rules, so that the carriage follows its track and the horses’ advance and retreat remain under control. The meaning here is the same as the line in the middle section of The Seal of the Unity of the Three (Zhouyi Cantong Qi): “The dragon-horse is harnessed; the enlightened ruler governs the seasons.” Older editions give the phrase “as a charioteer holds the bit and reins according to measures” as “as a skilled charioteer holds the bit and reins, measures, and ink lines.” This is incorrect. Earlier scholars perpetuated the error and explained it to mean that a craftsperson relies on ink lines and rules, while a charioteer relies on reins and tracks. That interpretation is also incorrect.

“Combined, they make sixty” refers to using two hexagrams each day. Over the thirty days of a month, this makes sixty hexagrams in all. Another version reads “combined, they make sixty-four,” which is incorrect.

In “use them in sequence,” some versions read “as” instead of “in.”

“From the end of the month to dawn” refers to the period described below, from the last day of the lunar month until dawn on the first day of the new month. “End of the month” means the month’s final day, while “dawn” means the time just before sunrise at the start of the month. If “dawn” is changed to “the last day of the month,” the passage would read “from the last day of the month to the last day of the month,” which makes no sense.

“Spring and summer pertain to the inner aspect, from the Zi hour to the Chen and Si hours; autumn and winter pertain to the outer aspect, from noon until the Xu and Hai hours.” This describes two hexagrams together: the first corresponds to spring and summer, from the Zi hour to the Si hour, as Yang Qi rises from below; the second corresponds to autumn and winter, from the Wu hour to the Hai hour, as Yin Qi descends from above. If this were understood as describing just one hexagram, its six lines would have to correspond to twelve two-hour periods, covering only half the day. The passage should therefore be understood as referring to the use of two hexagrams each day.

Some versions read “obtain its principle” instead of “obtain its sequence.”

Zhu Xi’s commentary edition from the Huian school gives “changes within” as “rises and descents change within it.” Another version also reads “rises and descents change within it.”

The term “envelop and contain” comes from the wording of the Wenzi Tongxuan Zhenjing. Older editions read “wrap and contain,” which is incorrect.

In the phrase “using nonbeing to create being,” “create” means to make or bring into existence, not to restrain or control. The method of the Great Elixir—the elixir sought through Daoist Neidan or alchemical cultivation—is to bring “being” forth from “nonbeing.” Hence the phrase “using nonbeing to create being.” Some interpret “create” as “control” and go on to say that “nonbeing” means spirit, mercury, and the Li trigram, while “being” means Qi, lead, and the Kan trigram. That is one interpretation, but it is not Wei Boyang’s original meaning.

After examining this repeatedly, I have come to think that the misunderstanding probably arose because the Scripture of the Dragon and Tiger contains expressions such as “being and nonbeing control one another; the Vermilion Bird blazes in the void.” Later readers failed to investigate the context carefully and took “create” to mean “control.”

For example, the middle section of the Cantong qi says, “Firmness and yielding are cut apart; they do not enter into one another.” This means that firmness and yielding each keep to their proper place and do not encroach on one another. It then says, “The Five Phases keep to their boundaries and do not increase or diminish arbitrarily,” likewise meaning that each of the Five Phases stays within its limits and does not change at will. This differs from the meaning of “firmness and yielding are separated” later in the text. Some readers, fixating on the phrase “the dragon’s control” in the Scripture of the Dragon and Tiger, interpret this passage as referring to control as well.

Others explain it by citing the Scripture of the Dragon and Tiger: “Firmness and yielding contend with one another and do not enter into one another; this is not the fire’s fault, but blame falls on Earth.” This too can lead them to confuse its meaning with that of “firmness and yielding are separated.” People today often say that Wei Boyang wrote the Cantong qi only after reading the Upper Scripture of the Dragon and Tiger, and therefore had to borrow its language. In fact, they do not realize that the Scripture of the Dragon and Tiger was written by summarizing the contents of the Cantong qi, and dates from after Wei Boyang.

Zhu Xi once said that later readers saw the words “Upper Scripture of the Dragon and Tiger” in Wei Boyang’s biography and forged a text under that title, largely modeled on the Cantong qi, with some of its claims misinterpreted. At first, I too did not understand the reasoning and dared not immediately conclude that Zhu Xi was right. Only after studying both books repeatedly and comparing them did I find many flaws in the Scripture of the Dragon and Tiger, which does indeed seem to have been composed as a summary of the Cantong qi.

In writing the Cantong qi, Wei Boyang used the hexagrams, lines, images, and numbers of the Zhouyi to explain the mysteries of alchemical practice. He was not expanding on the Scripture of the Dragon and Tiger. If he had been, the book should have been titled the Dragon and Tiger Cantong qi, not the Zhouyi Cantong qi.

Nevertheless, the Scripture of the Dragon and Tiger is also a good book. Cai Jitong greatly admired passages in it, such as “The Primordial Lord first refines mercury; the spirit chamber contains the void within the grotto,” and “The essential principle of spontaneity is to preserve first and then let go.” These passages do make good sense. The text, however, was not written before Wei Boyang.

“Vessels are useful because they are empty” means that a vessel can serve its purpose precisely because it has an empty space within it.

Regarding variant readings: some editions have “as proof” instead of “as evidence”; “correspond” instead of “match”; “beginning and end” instead of “end and beginning”; and “all receive from the central palace” instead of “all are in the central palace”—while others read “what the central palace provides.” Some editions have “at that time” instead of “at that juncture,” and “transforming yellow and enclosing” instead of “unifying and transforming yellow.”

In Zhu Xi’s textual notes, “Yin’e” is written as “Gen’e.” “E” means the calyx of a flower; the character has the same meaning in the ancient poem “The calyx blooms in splendor.” Some have written it as “Yin’e,” “Qi’e,” or “Jin’e,” but the commentator considers all these forms incorrect.

Some editions read “should accord with the Primordial Sovereign” instead of “be called the Primordial Sovereign.” In some, the character “year” in “primordial year” is written as “.” Some editions have “then the sprouts flourish” instead of “then the buds grow” or “the buds then flourish.”

Some suspected that “The Fu hexagram establishes the beginning” repeats the phrase “Guanju establishes the beginning,” and so changed “beginning” to “sprout.” Zhu Xi considered this an unauthorized alteration by someone who did not understand ancient rhyme. Below, some likewise changed “accord” in “the nine and six also accord” to “respond,” because it repeats “firm and yielding accord.” The commentator considers these changes incorrect.

“The sun and moon do not shine together” describes their alternating light: when the sun rises, the moon disappears; when the moon rises, the sun disappears, and day and night take turns. Some editions write “” instead of “not,” but the commentator considers this incorrect, since in ancient books the character “not” is the same one used in “no delusion” and “no blame.” Another edition reads, “Their brilliance shines forth as a pair.”

Some editions read “The hare’s soul releases vital light” or “The hare’s soul releases light” instead of “The hare releases living light.” “Hare’s soul” refers to the moon; the line says that the moon pours forth its radiance. An older edition reads “the northeast loses its light” instead of “the east loses its light,” but the commentator considers “east” the original reading.

“ The moon’s soul emits brilliant light” (some editions read “The moon emits life-giving light” or “The moon’s soul emits life-giving light”) refers to the moon shining with brilliant light. “The East loses its brightness” appears in an old edition as “The Northeast loses its brightness.” This error arose from borrowing the wording “the Northeast loses its companions” in the Book of Changes.

The Kun hexagram says, “In the southwest, one gains companions; in the northeast, one loses companions.” Kun is positioned in the southwest. The west corresponds to Dui, and the south to Li and Xun; all are Yin trigrams. Yin follows Yin, so this is called “gaining companions.” The trigrams Zhen, Gen, Kan, and Qian in the northeastern region are Yang trigrams, so this is called “losing companions.” When Wei Boyang says, “Kun, Yi, the thirtieth day; the East loses its brightness,” he means that at dawn on the thirtieth day, the moon sets in the east, at the Yi position. He is not alluding to the Kun hexagram’s phrase “the Northeast loses its companions.”

The Geng and Xin positions in the west, Bing and Ding in the south, and Jia and Yi in the east correspond to where the moon appears at dusk and disappears at dawn over the course of a month. The “three shifts of the moon” described by Wang Baoyi refer to these changes: on the third day, the moon appears at dusk in the west, at the Geng position; by the sixteenth day, it sets at dawn in the west, at the Xin position. On the eighth day, it appears at dusk in the south, at the Ding position; by the twenty-third day, it sets at dawn in the south, at the Bing position. On the fifteenth day, it appears at dusk in the east, at the Jia position; by the thirtieth day, it sets at dawn in the east, at the Yi position. The reasoning is clear: Yi belongs to the east, so how could it be said to lie in the northeast? Since ancient times, Jia and Yi have both been assigned to the east, not the northeast. Jia is close to the northeast, yet is still not called northeastern; Yi lies before Jia and is closer to the southeast, so it is even less possible to place it in the northeast.

The line “Nine and Six also correspond” was already explained above, in the discussion of the Fu hexagram.

“The images of the Changes vanish and lie concealed” refers to the night of the thirtieth day, when the images of both sun and moon sink away in the north. Some editions read “Yang lines” instead of “images of the Changes”; this is incorrect.

The lines “It resembles the midwinter season; by dawn, afterward, life is born blind” were misplaced in the postscript in an old edition. Chen Baoyi moved them to before “The Zi position should turn to the right,” but neither arrangement is suitable. In this chapter, the pattern is for every two lines to rhyme.

Its meaning is like the arrival of the midwinter solar term, intended to enlighten later students.” The old edition mistakenly placed this passage in the preface that follows, while Chen Baoyi moved it to before “the Zi position turns to the right.” Neither arrangement is correct. In this chapter, the character shang (“harm”) in “the two harms” rhymes; the character cang (“conceal”) in the earlier phrase “the images of the Changes are sought, then extinguished and concealed” also rhymes. This shows that the ancients often repeated rhyme words. Later readers did not understand this and frequently altered the text on their own, making the meaning disjointed. For example, “Guanju establishes the beginning” and “the Fu hexagram establishes the beginning” above, as well as “firmness and yielding correspond” and “the nines and sixes likewise correspond,” repeat rhyme words. A repeated rhyme is no reason to alter the main text lightly.

The following are variant readings and textual judgments:

“Merchants and travelers”: one edition reads “merchants and traders.”

“Vast and broad”: one edition reads “vast and open.”

“Dim and hard to see”: one edition writes “see” with the character meaning “discern.”

“Sign and verification”: one edition reads “sign and proof.”

“Seasonal order”: one edition uses “time” instead of “season.”

“Measured against the human heart”: one edition reads “feelings” instead of “heart.”

“Following the changes of the hexagrams”: another edition reads “following the sequence of the hexagrams.”

“Following the judgments”: one edition reads “because of” instead of “following,” and “images” instead of “judgments.” This reading is incorrect.

“Qian and Kun put their functions into practice; only then are Heaven and Earth well governed”: one edition reads “well ordered” instead of “well governed”; another reads, “only then is all under Heaven well governed.” These lines seem to draw on the meaning of the Qian hexagram’s phrase, “Qian’s first potency employs the nine; all under Heaven is governed.” But in light of the earlier statement, “Kan and Li are the two functions of Qian and Kun,” the point here is that Kan and Li are the two functions of Qian and Kun; it does not refer to Qian’s use of the nine and Kun’s use of the six. The earlier phrase “the east loses its brightness” likewise does not allude to the Kun hexagram’s “in the northeast, it loses its companions.” Wei Boyang, the author of the Cantong qi, often borrowed hexagram images and phrases to express his ideas, so one need not insist on their literal sources.

“Could one fail to be cautious?” One edition reads, “Could one possibly fail to be cautious?” This reading is incorrect.

“Kui and the handle”: one edition writes “handle” with the character meaning “shaft.”

“To part and separate” means to go one’s separate ways. One edition reads “move apart”; another reads “Kan and Li.”

“Looking up and looking down”: all other editions read “looking down and looking up.” Zhu Xi argued that it should read “looking up and looking down,” which fits the rhyme; that reading is adopted here. “Collect and record”: one edition uses “summarize” instead of “collect.”

“The sun contains the essence of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water)”: one edition reads “unites” instead of “contains.” This reading is incorrect.

“Questioning faults and handing them to the master”: one edition reads “settling faults and transferring them to the master.”

“The celestial pivot occupies the proper position”: one edition reads “receives” instead of “occupies”; another reads “government” instead of “proper.”

“Establishing government”: one edition reads “government and De.” This reading is incorrect.

“Ultimately cultivate”: one edition reads “follow” instead of “cultivate”; another reads “central beauty.”

“By concealment, one takes the root—the fundamental source—as oneself.”

“Being” and “nonbeing” depend on one another. This refers to the mutual support of the two Qi energies, Water and Fire, bringing about the transformations of all things. In some versions, “being and nonbeing” is written as “Metal Qi” or “chanting”; both readings are incorrect.

In some versions, “distribution through advance and retreat” has “retreat” where it should read “advance.” This is incorrect.

In some versions, “gathering it, its color white” has “gazing” or “shaking” where it should read “gathering.” This passage describes the mutual support of the two Qi energies, Water and Fire, and the transformations they bring about. Some versions also write “being and nonbeing” as “Metal Qi” or “chanting”; both readings are incorrect.

In some versions, “within the white” is written as “enveloping.”

In some versions, “supporting one another” has “restrain” where it should read “support.”

In some versions, “connected to one another” has “communicate” where it should read “connect.”

“Whether or not this is the method of storing” means that this is not a cultivation method in which one visualizes the Five Viscera in sequence. It is incorrect to understand “whether or not” as “right and wrong.”

In some versions, “the next day and hour” has “by” where it should read “next.” This is incorrect.

In some versions, “heaped earth” is written as “surrounding area.”

In some versions, “and the mind is pleased” is written as “the mind is pleased and joyful.”

“Crossing fire without being scorched, entering water without getting wet” describes what the Dharma Body—the nonphysical body said to result from successful cultivation—can do after one has cultivated the Dao. If a flesh-and-blood body were put into water or fire, would it merely be scorched or get wet?

In some versions, “move residence” has “name” where it should read “residence.” This is incorrect.

In some versions, “when the work is complete” has “accomplished” where it should read “complete.” This is incorrect.

Judging from the following reference to “Mercury Sun,” “Crescent Moon” may be a corruption, passed down through pronunciation, of the word for “Lead.” “Sounds transmitted by word of mouth” may be a corruption of “crucible and furnace.” The old edition reads “perform the method,” which is incorrect.

In some versions, “Gen is also eight” is written as “also like this.”

In some versions, “diminished brightness” has “wound” where it should read “brightness.”

“Metal originally arises from the sun; at the new moon, it receives the sun’s tally” means that moonlight comes from the sun, and that on the first day of each month, the new moon aligns with the sun. “Metal and Fire” also refer to the sun and moon. The old edition has “moon” where it should read “sun.” To say that Metal originally arises from the moon would be like saying that the moon originally arises from the moon, which makes no sense.

In some versions, “the number is called five” has “name” where it should read “number.”

In some versions, “nourishing and nurturing” is written as “greed and desire.”

“Focused breathing” refers to breathing practiced with the spirit gathered and still. Here, it means that breathing and gathered attention merge into one, like a husband and wife coming together. Some editions write “thought” or “kindness” in place of “breath”; both are incorrect.

“Maintaining balance”: some editions write “holding to Qi,” which is incorrect.

“Earth moves through the four seasons, keeping to its bounds and established order”: all editions place this under “longevity is attained”; only one edition by Zheng Xu places it under “nature shares a common origin with the ancestors.”

“Metal takes sand as its basis, receiving harmony from mercury” directly uses the changes in sand and mercury themselves as a metaphor for the changes in the Elixir method. It does not use some external substance to represent another, internal substance. Some editions write “millet” as “grain,” which is incorrect; they also write “egg” as “seed,” which is likewise incorrect.

“Clay mercury”: some editions write “hong” in place of “mercury.”

“Refining and sublimating”: some editions write “refining and treating” or “refining and holding.”

“Drumming and casting”: some editions write “down” in place of “casting,” which is incorrect.

“Mixed natures belong to different kinds”: some editions write “species” in place of “kinds.”

“By good fortune, they never encountered the sage, who alone knew this”: Zhu Xi’s edition omits the final ten characters, “who alone knew this.”

“Grows doubtful”: some editions write “sits” in place of “grows.”

“First he drew the Eight Trigrams, modeling them on Heaven and Earth”: some editions read “First he drew images of the Eight Trigrams, modeling them on the maps of Heaven and Earth,” or “He drew the Eight Trigrams, modeling them on the map of Heaven.” Both are incorrect.

“Following it”: some editions write “forming the body.”

“Unheralded sages” refers to sages without prominent status; Confucius was such a person. Some editions read “the sage and those who follow,” which is incorrect. In “the three lords,” some editions write “sage” in place of “lord.”

“Can serve as a model”: some editions write “sincerity” in place of “command.”

“Composing this book for the world” means that the Great Dao of the Golden Elixir has no form or signs, so later generations have no basis on which to follow it. Therefore, the author composed the Cantong qi for the world. This is the same idea as “establishing this text” in the middle section. The old edition reads “composing poetry and books for the world,” which is incorrect.

“Secretly doing”: some editions write “waiting” in place of “doing.”

This means pondering something repeatedly in one’s heart; another copy reads “zhui,” which is incorrect.

The number of Metal is fifteen, and the number of Water is the same. As stated earlier, the waxing half-moon corresponds to the Dui trigram, with a value of eight; the waning half-moon corresponds to the Gen trigram, also with a value of eight. The Metal of the waxing half-moon amounts to half a jin, and the Water of the waning half-moon also amounts to half a jin. Taken together, the two halves correspond exactly to the thirty days of a month. This, however, differs from the meaning of “Metal within Water.” Another copy reads “the count of Metal is fifteen” in place of “the number of Metal is fifteen.”

Earth is not added separately. Metal and Water combine with Earth; the three substances contain one another and transform in ways beyond measure. These three substances are Metal, Water, and Earth. If Water and Fire are included as well, there are five substances. Some say the three are Metal, Fire, and Wood, and that “the two” are Water and Fire. This is thoroughly confused and certainly not a correct interpretation. Another copy reads “the three” for “Earth,” and “Fire, two” or “Water, two” for “the two”; both are incorrect.

Another copy reads “casting and smelting” for “pounding and refining.”

Another copy writes the character “zhi” differently in “bring it to completion and hardness.”

“Flames blaze below; the Dragon and Tiger respond in earnest” has the same meaning as the passage in the following chapter: “It rises and is heated on the steaming mountain; flames are set blazing below. The White Tiger leads the way in front; the Azure Dragon answers from behind.” Both describe the fire being applied below during the refining process, with the Dragon and Tiger responding to one another. An old copy reads “day and night” for “Dragon and Tiger,” which is incorrect.

Another copy reads “the initial pattern can be cultivated” for “the beginning pattern makes it possible to cultivate.”

Another copy reads “mutually close” for “personally observe”; yet another reads “must personally observe.”

Another copy reads “powder and lift,” “powder and knead,” or “lift the powder” for “take it”; all are incorrect. Another copy reads “yuan” or “grain” for “one pill”; both are incorrect.

“Knife-tip measure” means an extremely tiny amount resting on the tip of a knife, and indicates that the dose is very small. Explaining “knife” as Metal and “gui” as two Earths may be ingenious, but it was not Wei Boyang’s original meaning.

Another copy reads “simple” for the character in “compare and summarize.”

Another copy reads “splendor” for “brightness”; this is incorrect.

“Thin gui” also means an extremely tiny amount, like what rests on the tip of a knife, and indicates that the dose is very small. Explaining “knife” as Metal and “gui” as two Earths may be ingenious, but it was not Wei Boyang’s original meaning.

Another copy reads “simple” for the character in “compare and summarize.”

Another copy reads “splendor” for “brightness”; this is incorrect.

Another copy reads “surging and thinning” for “eclipse and obscuration.”

The Dragon and Tiger appear—symbols in alchemy for forces such as Yin-Yang and lead and mercury—and the Yellow Sprout gathers, the newly arising Jing and Qi in Neidan cultivation. The upper and lower sections join, taking Heaven and Earth’s creative transformations as their model.

The sixty hexagrams are arranged in sequence as the track for the process to follow. When the hexagram images are upright and balanced, they do not bring the state to collapse and turmoil. Each of the sixty hexagrams corresponds to a particular day and time; they must be used in order to accord with the seasonal sequence.

At the transition between the dark and new moons—the end and beginning of the lunar month—Yin and Yang Qi move according to their appointed markers. The cycle begins in the northeast, around the lunar lodges Ji and Dou. Here, “between the dark and new moons” refers to the interval after the Hai hour and before the Zi hour, when the sun and moon seem to vanish. “The region of Ji and Dou” refers to the area after the Gen position and before the Yin hour, where the sun and moon begin to turn. The scripture uses this imagery to describe the subtlety of Neidan cultivation and its correspondence with the movements of Heaven, Earth, the sun, and the moon. If “between the dark and new moons” is taken literally to mean the interval after the Gen position and before the Yin hour—that is, when the first Yang arises and the medicine is gathered—the timing would be far off.

Then Yang Qi turns to the right, like a revolving wheel, and sends forth a new sprout. This describes the Yang fire rising from the waist, passing through the lunar lodges Dou and Ji, and reaching the Mysterious Pass, the crucial aperture in Neidan cultivation. Its light then shines beyond the curtain. When the moon first appears in the west, its shape seems to turn to the right as well. The scripture uses the moon’s image to explain the rising and unfolding of Yang Qi.

The character “bi” has “zhen” above it, from which the corresponding image is derived. This refers to the moon’s first appearance at the start of the month in the west. Its image resembles the Zhen trigram and serves as a metaphor for changes in the firing process within the body. If we determine the directions of the Earlier Heaven Bagua according to where the moon rises, the Earlier Heaven Zhen trigram is not in the west, nor is “Zhen” in the firing process of cultivation located in the west. Without understanding the specific position to which it refers, these statements may seem contradictory.

The textual variants in the different editions are as follows:

• “He ping” (harmony): one edition reads “he chu” (harmony at the beginning).
• “Qi tong”: one edition reads “qi yin.”
• “Liu wu Kun cheng”: “Liu wu” refers to the thirtieth day of the month, not the sixth line, fifth place of the Kun trigram. The Yang numbers have reached their end, and after ending, they begin again. When one examines the underlying principle and brings nature and life together, the two thereby unite. All editions place this sentence under “the rules of the Dao”; only Zhu Xi’s edition places it under “the mother of the generations,” which is incorrect.
• “Zhou liu liu yao” (circulating through the six lines): one edition reads “zhou zhang liu yao,” which is incorrect.
• “Nan yi” (difficult to): one edition reads “nan ke.”
• “Zi zhang” (growing more abundant): one edition reads “zi zhang,” written with a different character, which is incorrect.
• “Sheng guang” (giving rise to light): one edition reads “zheng guang,” which is incorrect.
• “Jian jin” (gradually advancing): one edition reads “qin jin.”
• “Cheng Tai”: one edition reads “cheng Tai,” written with a different character.
• “Yun er”: one edition reads “yun yi.”
• “Yu jia” (elm pods): one edition reads “yu ye” (elm leaves), which is incorrect.
• “Zhen suo”: one edition reads “zhen jing.”
• “Yang zhong yu yi zhong er xiang gan”: this refers to the fourth month, which corresponds to the Earthly Branch Si, and to Zhonglü among the pitch standards—the twelve ancient tones associated with the twelve months. The edition annotated by Zhan Gu of Xiashanzi reads “Yang ends in Zhonglü and interacts”; another edition reads “Yang ends at Wu and interacts,” but “Wu” is incorrect.
• “Wu wei bin” (Wu is the guest): one edition reads “Wu is the host.”
• “Dun shi qu wei” (withdraw from the world and leave one’s position): one edition reads “withdraw and leave one’s worldly position.”
• “Qi jing” (its essence): one edition reads “qi zhen” (its true nature).
• “Yin zhong er zuo Zhonglü” (within Yin, Zhonglü arises): one edition writes “Wu” instead of “Zhonglü,” which is incorrect.
• “Wu wei bin” (Wu is the guest): one edition reads “Wu is the host.”
• “Dun shi qu wei” (withdraw from the world and leave one’s position): one edition reads “withdraw and leave one’s worldly position.”
• “Qi jing” (its essence): one edition reads “qi zhen” (its true nature).
• “Yin shen Yang qu hui shang xing ming”: this refers to the seventh month, which corresponds to the Earthly Branch Shen, and to Yize among the pitch standards. “Shen” is used as a loan character for “shen” meaning “to extend,” and “shang” for “yi.” Where the old edition reads “hui shang,” another has “mei Yang,” and a third “mei yang”; all are incorrect.
• “Xiao mie” (vanishing): one edition reads “xiao xi” (news or changes).
• “Zhi shen” (the utmost spirit): one edition reads “qi shen” (its spirit); another reads “zhi Kun.”
• “Shuai sheng” (decline and flourishing): one edition reads “geng sheng” (flourishing anew).
• “Cheng yu” (receiving and governing): one edition reads “yong yu” (governing eternally).
• “Qian qiu” (a thousand autumns): one edition reads “qian zai” (a thousand years).
• “Yi wu”: one edition reads “yi yuan,” which is incorrect.
• “Liu bu” (spreading widely): one edition reads “yun bu” (spreading like clouds).

“Like an egg, with smooth, tender flesh, as if made of malt syrup.” In the old edition, this sentence was placed later, probably because the editors suspected that its rhyme repeated one in the preceding passage and mistakenly moved it. It is now restored to its proper place. Some editions write “form” for “like,” “tally” for “support,” and “all” for “complete.” The old edition reads “like lead” for “like malt syrup”; Zhu Xi’s edition corrects this to “like malt syrup.”

“Blade edge” has already been explained in the previous section.

Some editions read “built firm” for “always being”; others read “built complete” or “built a wall.”

“At this time, feeling and intention accord with Heaven and Earth.” Some editions read, “At the beginning, the source lies in Heaven and Earth.” Some editions read, “When held, Water settles; Water is the beginning of the Five Phases,” while others read, “When held, Water settles Fire; this is the beginning of the Five Phases.” In the phrase “the Dao has no form or image,” the old edition mistakenly writes “of” for “no.” The cursive form of the ancient character for “no” resembles the character for “of,” so the two are easily confused. Some editions write “form” for “image.”

Some editions write “it” for “one” in “the True One is hard to depict.”

Some editions write “mysterious” for “suspended” in “utterly suspended,” but that reading is incorrect.

Some editions read “the treasures of ears, eyes, and self” for “the three treasures of ears, eyes, and mouth”; this is incorrect.

Some editions write “communicate” for “raise” in “raise and spread.”

Some editions write “listen” for “survey” in “look and survey.”

Some editions read “follow by way of the vast expanse” for “follow the vast expanse.”

The old edition reads “no thought” for “thought after thought.”

The old edition reads “proof is difficult to move” for “verification shifts of its own accord”; this reading is incorrect.

Some editions write “by soaking” for “gradually.”

Some editions write “moisten” for “penetrate” in “penetrate the boundless.”

Some editions read “central palace” or “within the vessel” for “within the valley”; both are incorrect.

Some editions write “lean on a staff” for “hold a staff.”

Some editions write “cast into the water” for “sink into the water.”

Some editions write “gather millet” for “harvest millet.”

Some editions read “does not moisten” for “shows no result”; this is incorrect.

Some editions read “central palace” or “within the vessel” for “within the valley”; both are incorrect.

Some editions write “lean on a staff” for “hold a staff.”

Some editions write “cast into the water” for “sink into the water.”

Some editions write “gather millet” for “harvest millet.”

Some editions read “without merit” for “shows no result.”

Some editions read “the matter is brief” for “utterly concise”; this is incorrect. This may be because the cursive forms of “utterly” and “matter” are similar.

Then they are like a loving mother nourishing her dutiful son, and the son repaying his mother’s kindness: they take up, swallow, chew, and ingest one another. The old edition, Pang Zhenyi’s Commentary, and Liu Yongnian’s edition from the Shaoxing era both place these two lines beneath “A loving mother nurtures; a dutiful son repays her kindness.” Zhu Xi argued that, judging by the meaning, the lines belong below, after “both greedily join together,” where the meaning flows continuously; they should not be placed here. I believe this chapter uses the bond between mother and child as a metaphor, and “then they take up and swallow one another” refers precisely to a crow feeding its parent. The lines therefore belong here. I have followed the old edition and moved them back to their original place.

“Three and five become one” refers to the numbers of Zi and Wu combining to make three, and those of Wu and Ji combining to make five, as described in the preceding section. This differs from “three, five, one” in the Wuzhen pian. One edition writes “and” in place of “become,” which is incorrect.

“Zi should turn to the right” means that the tiger emerges from water; “Wu then turns east” means that the dragon appears from fire. Zi and Wu represent Water and Fire. “Zi should turn to the right” means that Metal joins with Water and moves along the right until it reaches the Zi position. “Wu then turns east” means that Wood accompanies Fire, moving from the east to the Wu position. The Way of Heaven revolves to the left and turns to the right; the art of refining the Elixir follows the same pattern. If Zi were said to move from the right to the You position, and Wu from the east to the Mao position, the movement would turn right to left, contrary to the Way of Heaven. One edition writes “turns left” for “turns east.”

“Host and guest” appears in one edition as “fixed guest.”

“Greedily join together” appears in one edition as “greedily and conveniently,” and in another as “greedily seek glory.” Both are incorrect.

“Each attains its nature” appears in one edition with “has” in place of “attains,” and “function” in place of “nature.”

“Truly” appears in one edition with “there is” in place of “truly.”

“Attain and complete the Right Way” appears in one edition as “attain the way of completion.”

“The father presides over endowment” appears in one edition with “give birth” in place of “presides,” which is incorrect.

“Hen” appears in one edition with “fat” in place of “female.”

“The Way of transformation and nurture” appears in one edition with “function” in place of “Way,” and in another with “essence.” Both are incorrect.

“The beginning of receiving Qi” appears in one edition with “origin” in place of “of.”

“Daily change and monthly transformation” draws on the Zhuangzi. One edition reads “daily receiving and monthly transformation,” which is incorrect. Some also considered “daily receiving and monthly transformation” illogical and changed it to “monthly receiving and daily transformation.” That too is incorrect.

“The nature of Water is winding and circuitous” appears in one edition as “the nature of Water is harmonious and fluid.”

Wood and fire accompany one another: this means the Dragon is born from fire. “Three in the east and two in the south combine to make five” refers to Wood’s number, three, in the east and Fire’s number, two, in the south; together they make five. “The Dragon emerges from fire” uses the relationships among the Five Phases to explain how the Dragon corresponds with Wood and Fire. The Zhuangzi says that “the sun receives transformation from the moon,” but this does not make sense. Some suspect the text was later changed to “the moon receives transformation from the sun,” but that is also incorrect.

Water’s nature is to flow in all directions without settling. Another edition reads, “Water’s nature is harmonious and fluid.”

Wood and fire accompany one another, meaning that the Dragon is born from fire: the east corresponds to Wood, whose number is three; the south corresponds to Fire, whose number is two; together they make five. Metal and water combine, meaning that the Tiger is born in water: the west corresponds to Metal, whose number is four; the north corresponds to Water, whose number is one; together they also make five. Zhang Ziyang said, “The Four Symbols are never separate from the two bodies”; this is precisely what he meant. Some explain this by pairing the Li trigram from the Earlier Heaven Bagua with the Zhen and Dui trigrams from the Later Heaven Bagua. This not only departs from Wei Boyang’s original meaning but also runs sharply counter to the changes of Yin and Yang within the human body. Another edition reads “Metal and Wood” for “Metal and Water,” and “Water and Fire” for “Wood and Fire.” These are serious errors.

One edition reads “combine” for “arrange”; another reads “draw forth.”

The four characters “the heart’s redness makes the female” are missing from one edition.

The four characters “the child is the beginning of the Five Phases” are missing from one edition; another edition has “reside” in place of “child.”

One edition reads “establish position” for “establish the warp.”

One edition reads “embrace the true” for “Xu and Wei.”

One edition reads “descend and sit” for “grasp fire.”

One edition reads “grasp fire” for “harmonize and combine.”

One edition reads “hope for something in vain” for “recklessly harbor hopes.”

In “using nao,” one edition has a missing character in place of “nao.”

The second part:

The sages of old embraced the mysterious Dao and the truth. They deeply pitied those in later generations who loved to seek the Dao. Following the signs of things and referring to ancient texts, they explained the principles and compiled books of diagrams and writing to pass on to posterity. They revealed the branches while concealing the root.

This means that the sages of old had already attained the Dao and embraced its mystery and truth. They were also concerned that seekers in later generations might fail to grasp its essential points. So they used the signs of things and cited ancient precedents to explain the principles, compiling books to pass on to posterity. They did not dare to explain everything directly and fully; instead, they used the “five metals and eight minerals”—names for metals and minerals commonly found in alchemical texts—to convey their meaning. The references to compiling books and using mineral names describe what the sages of old did, not what later seekers did. In this chapter, Peng Zhenyi and Chen Baoyi both misunderstood the passage; only Zhu Xi’s commentary grasped its original meaning.

One edition reads “three lights” for “three origins,” but this is incorrect.

One edition reads “bodily fluids” for “essence overflow,” but this is incorrect.

All forms arise through transformation from the same source, their root.

“Repeatedly garbling the text” means deliberately altering and disarranging the wording, without daring to reveal the contents directly. Another copy writes “expose” instead of “garble,” which is incorrect.

In another transmitted copy, “transmit” is written as “raise.”

In another copy, “serve” is written as “follow.”

Thus the wording is deliberately made confused and hard to understand. Another copy writes “not” instead of “make,” which is incorrect.

In the phrase “Dark Ravine,” another copy writes “distant” instead of “ravine.”

In “withdraw from behind,” an old edition writes “change” instead of “behind,” which is incorrect.

“The pivotal mechanism has its rises and falls, and so the circuit of Heaven proceeds in motion.” The old editions both write “circuit of Heaven” as “circuit of mound.” Zhu Xi suspected that “circuit of mound” made no sense, so he changed it to “harm Qi,” but that correction is also wrong. The graph for “harm” may have been confused with the similar-looking graph for “circuit,” while the graph for “mound” looks rather like the one for “Heaven.”

In “river behind,” an old edition writes “change” instead of “behind,” which is incorrect.

“The pivotal mechanism has its rises and falls, and the circuit of Heaven proceeds in motion.” The old editions write “circuit of Heaven” as “circuit of mound.” Zhu Xi suspected the phrase made no sense and changed it to “harm Qi,” but that correction is also wrong. “Harm” and “circuit” have similar-looking graphs, as do “mound” and “Heaven.”

Rivers do not run dry; their waters flow into the sea. An old edition writes “of” instead of “without,” which is incorrect. Here “without” means “not having” or “will not”; it cannot be written as “of.” This is explained in detail in the middle section, “The Dao Has No Form or Image.” Another copy writes “Huai River” instead of “river.”

“Ends and begins again” means that when one cycle ends, it begins anew. Another copy reads “begins and ends again,” while yet another reads “begins anew.”

In the phrase “spread in,” another copy writes “establish” instead of “in.”

In “White Tiger,” a symbolic term in alchemy, another copy writes “alum” instead of “tiger,” which is incorrect.

In “Azure Dragon,” a symbolic term in alchemy, another copy writes “liquid” instead of “dragon,” which is incorrect.

In “press down and stop,” another copy writes “of” instead of “stop.”

“Dragon scales, plates, and mane” refers to the dragon’s scales, armor-like plates, and mane. Another copy writes “fish” instead of “dragon,” and “to imitate” instead of “plates”; both are incorrect.

Another copy writes “mixed and jumbled” instead of “connected in succession.”

In “guard one another by themselves,” another copy writes “and” instead of “by themselves.”

In “Chamber Six,” another copy writes “Seven” instead of “Six,” which is incorrect.

In “Correct Yang,” another copy writes “Yin” instead of “Yang,” which is incorrect.

“Three and five stand together, returning as one”: the three and five stand together and converge in one place. The graph meaning “to imitate” is incorrect.

Another copy writes “mixed and jumbled” instead of “connected in succession.”

In “guard one another by themselves,” another copy writes “and” instead of “by themselves.”

In “Chamber Six,” another copy writes “Seven” instead of “Six,” which is incorrect.

In “Correct Yang,” another copy writes “Yin” instead of “Yang,” which is incorrect.

“Three and five, two and eight, together with one, all converge in the same place.” This refers to the lunar mansion Fang, one of the eastern mansions, corresponding to six; Zhang, one of the southern mansions, corresponding to two; Shen corresponding to seven; and Wei corresponding to one. The Qi of these directions converges and returns to a single place. This contains the principle behind the transformations of creation: Zhang in the south and Wei in the north belong to the Moon; Fang in the east and Mao belong to the Sun. The one of Wei combines with the six of Fang to form the generating number of Water; the two of Zhang combines with the seven of Shen to form the generating number of Fire. Fang’s six lies in the east, and Zhang’s two in the south: Wood and Fire are matched, and six combined with two makes eight. Mao’s seven lies in the west, and Wei’s one in the north: Metal and Water combine, and seven combined with one also makes eight. These correspond to the numbers “two and eight, one jin.” The claim that there are fundamentally only two things refers to this.

Some editions read “together with Wei, one” as “together they become one,” while others read “with one”; both are incorrect. The reading “one place” should not be changed to “two places” either. One should understand that every sentence in Wei Boyang’s book accords with the principles of creation and transformation. If the original meaning were that “three and five, together with one, all converge in two places,” where would the principles of creation and transformation be? Moreover, the reading “two places” is especially mistaken: even if they truly returned to two places, one should say “divide,” not “converge.” Since the text says “converge,” it must mean returning to one place, not two.

At this passage, “take fu” is written as “fu take” in the commentary edition by Zhan Xiashan.

Even if they truly returned to two places, one should say “divide,” not “converge.” Since the text says “converge,” it must mean returning to one place, not two.

At this passage, “fu take” is written as “take fu” in the commentary edition by Zhan Xiashan.

“Red color reaches inside and out”: some editions read “red and black reach inside and out.”

“Millet”: some editions write “rice” instead of “millet,” which is incorrect.

“If the vapors of mountains and marshes steam forth”: some editions read “the vapors of mountains and marshes steam together,” which is incorrect.

“Ten thousand generations”: some editions write “ages” instead of “generations.”

“And may be examined”: some editions write “from” instead of “and.”

“Mind and spirit”: some editions write “defense” instead of “mind.”

“Suddenly awakens to understanding”: some editions write “suddenly” as “abruptly.”

“Receives the charts and registers”: some editions read “records the celestial chart,” which is incorrect.

Song of the Crucible and Vessel

“Diameter of one fen”: older editions write “ten” instead of “diameter.”

“Length of one chi and two cun”: some editions read “two chi,” which is incorrect.

The abdomen and navel should be aligned. Zhu Xi says, “‘Qi’ is the character for ‘navel’ used in ancient texts. One edition reads ‘abdomen five,’ which is wrong.” The beginning and end belong to the martial aspect, while the middle belongs to the civil aspect. Here, the dark and new moons are the beginning and end, and the full moon is the middle. The beginning and end are in fact at the same place, as is the middle. If one says that Si is the tail of the Yang Fire cycle and Wu is the head of the Yin Tally cycle, with the middle lying between Si and Wu, this would produce two beginnings and ends and two middles. Another interpretation holds that, in advancing the Yang Fire, Zi, Chou, and Yin mark the beginning, while Chen and Si mark the end; in withdrawing the Yin Tally, Wu, Wei, and Shen mark the beginning, while Xu and Hai mark the end, with the central palace as the middle. This gives two beginnings and two ends, but only one middle. Neither interpretation is satisfactory.

At the phrase “the two sevens gather,” another edition reads “the two seven apertures,” which is wrong.

At the phrase “nourish and regulate the brain,” other editions read “gaze at and regulate the brain” or “the gallbladder regulates the brain.” Both are wrong.

Preface

“Three Things in Resemblance” means that the Great Changes (the Zhouyi), the teachings of Huang-Lao (Daoist thought represented by the Yellow Emperor and Laozi), and the furnace fire (alchemy) resemble one another in their principles of Yin-Yang change and creation. After Peng Zhenyi drew a diagram assigning Wood three, Fire two, Earth five, Metal four, and Water one to the five positions, showing how they correspond and each find their proper match, later writers adopted Peng’s explanation. They even treated it as Wei Boyang’s original text, changing the title to “The Five Phases in Resemblance.” This has been passed down to the present without anyone pointing out the problem.

People have not carefully considered what Wei Boyang meant by “in resemblance.” Moreover, the Changes’ statement that “the five positions correspond and each has its match” should refer to the matching of the numbers by which the Five Phases arise. Peng’s diagram uses only the generating numbers, so how can it be said to accord with “the five positions correspond and each has its match”? If the explanation is that Wood three and Fire two make a group of five, Metal four and Water one make another group of five, and central Earth five completes “three fives,” then perhaps it could be called “the three things in resemblance.” But if this is called “the Five Phases in resemblance,” Water has the number one, Fire the number two, and Metal, Wood, and Earth each have different numbers. How, then, can they be said to resemble one another?

One edition reads “resemble one another,” which seems to make sense, but it is ultimately less clear than “three things in resemblance.” A close look at what follows shows that the text says, “The three Ways all emerge from one, taking a single path,” and also, “Set out in three lines, their branches and stems linked; they emerge together under different names, all through one gate.” Clearly, it is the three things that resemble one another; the meaning is unmistakable.

“Wei, the humble man of Kuai” is how Duke Wei refers to himself. Duke Wei is Wei Boyang of the Eastern Han dynasty, whose ancestral home was Shangyu in Kuaiji. The text says “Kuai” rather than “Kuaiji” to avoid stating his native place directly. If it were written “Kuaiji,” that wording would have been altered by later hands and would not be Wei’s original text. The references to Kuai and to a humble man also reflect his modest way of speaking about himself.

“Embracing simplicity and purity” means keeping a plain and unspoiled heart. Some versions read “holding simplicity and embracing purity.”

“Not delighting in power and glory” means not coveting power or renown. Here, “delight” is read with a falling tone and means to like or covet. Some versions have “joy” instead of “power”; that is incorrect.

In “profit and fame,” some versions have “command” instead of “profit.”

“Dwelling peacefully at leisure” appears in some versions as “the distant guest rests at ease.”

In “examining what they pursue,” some versions have “aim” instead of “what.”

In “shared discourse,” some versions have “discussion” instead of “discourse.”

In “bringing transformation,” some versions have “spirit” instead of “bringing.”

In “returning to the root,” some versions have “foolishness” instead of “root”; that is incorrect.

In “my heart,” some versions have “form” instead of “heart.”

In “the eight minerals,” some versions have “five” instead of “eight.”

In “bringing things to completion,” some versions have “achievement” instead of “things.”

These sixteen lines—“Leaving the harm behind when the time comes, / Relying on hills and mountains, / Roaming through the vast expanse, / Keeping company with ghosts, / Until each bears and carries the other, / Secure and long-lived”—are an encoded summary of the three characters in “Wei Boyang.” “Each bears and carries the other” interprets the characters by breaking apart and recombining their written forms: “Leaving the harm behind when the time comes” and “Relying on hills and mountains” correspond to “Wei”; “Roaming through the vast expanse” and “Keeping company with ghosts” correspond to “Bo”; and “Until each bears and carries the other” and “Secure and long-lived” correspond to “Yang.” In some related versions, “ghost” is written as “immortal,” and “danger” as “calamity.” Other versions read “A worthy person bears one another; at peace, one lives long” or “A worthy person bears one another, secure and steady, and may live long”; both are incorrect. Another version changes “East, west, and south incline” to “East, west, south, and north,” and “drought and flood are interspersed” to “drought and flood, war and upheaval.”

In the “Preface of Praise,” some versions read “ruling the state” where the text has “establishing government.”

The term “rice and salt” comes from the “Treatise on the Celestial Offices” in the Records of the Grand Historian. It means distinguishing and clarifying, like making black and white distinct. Some versions read “Kan and Li”; that is incorrect.

In “by means of the Changes,” some versions have “classic” instead of “Changes.”

In “establishing the commentary,” some versions have “method” instead of “commentary”; that is incorrect.

In “doing this,” some versions have “I” instead of “this.”

The printed edition of the three chapters of An Elucidation of the Zhouyi Cantongqi has now been completed. Chongxu Zi Zhang Benzhen commissioned craftsmen to carve twenty pages of Explaining Doubts, which were printed together with it, giving readers grounds on which to consult and examine the text. Chongxu Zi truly may be called one who steadfastly believes in the Great Dao and has the courage to act whenever he sees what is right.

Explaining Doubts about An Elucidation of the Zhouyi Cantongqi