《太平经合校》Vol. 3

The divine being said to the disciple: You feel ashamed at heart and break into a sweat because you know yourself to be dull-witted, of shallow virtue, and low in station. Though you have studied for some time, you cannot for the moment fully grasp what your enlightened teacher said. That is why you dare to ask again and again—hardly deferential—and for long have kept your master worried. Is that not so?

(The divine being replied:) It is simply that your learning is not yet refined enough. Be careful. Heaven, for humankind, sends down omens and establishes laws; for emperors it fixes teaching commands, so that rule may follow this norm and never miss the mark. If you wish to know the deeper meaning, it lies here. If governance does not rely on this one method alone, heaven often grows sullen and resentful, and many disasters arise. Be on your guard.

When heaven is about to raise up a realm, it takes its model from De (Virtue/Power); when it is about to decline, it takes its model from penal law—this is what is meant. My words must be applied with care in line with heaven-and-earth calamities and changes. Be on your guard. (This sentence repeats in the source with the same sense.)

My words must be applied with care in accord with the rules of heaven-and-earth Yin-Yang, following the Way of heaven and earth, speaking clearly on heaven’s behalf, and arranging this into teaching commands to instruct you. My words are like a sharp arrowhead—there is no second version: follow them and prosperity grows day by day; go against them and the teaching commands exhaust themselves. The law of heaven is truly marvelous.

Therefore the divine persons, perfected ones, and great sages of antiquity, who could deeply understand the law and set standards for emperors, all knew the essentials of celestial patterns and inwardly grasped the meaning of Yin-Yang alone; then they governed wherever heaven and earth allowed, were of one mind with the spirits, and discerned what could be done—so their rule never missed the mark.

(Supplementary gist:) Omens are sent down and laws established for humankind; teaching commands are set for emperors so that rule may follow the ritual norm. When the kingly Way is rising, the model is taken from De; when the kingly Way is fading, the model is taken from penal law. To make laws and standards for emperors, one must first understand heaven’s intent and inwardly clarify the Way of Yin-Yang—then great peace arrives.

Today ignorant officials and common people suppose that heavenly law may be violated at will, indulging themselves and not keeping to the law—thereby constantly disrupting the sovereign’s governance. The root of great calamity lies precisely here. Now that you have obtained this scripture, why not gather your mind in earnest, turn it over again and again, and in a quiet room in solitude reflect on the movement of Heaven? Only then can you transmit Heaven’s teaching, use it to warn the foolish, and assist the emperor in establishing law and order.

When punishments are about to be applied, one should deeply consider where punishment ought to rest. (The received text here is repetitive and corrupt; the general sense is: the use of punishment must be extremely cautious—one must not apply it rashly while alone among officials and the multitude.) Therefore winter punishments are carried out in the open wilds where no one is present; all things hide within and store away, avoiding them greatly. Summer punishments are inward: all things come forth and turn toward De; below ground and within empty chambers punishment dwells in still solitude, all following De to the open field. When De is outside, the myriad things return outward; when De is in hidden emptiness, things return within.

The majesty of Heaven’s punishment is exceedingly great—fortunate enough to overawe the people and the myriad things—so why in turn can it not restrain officials and the multitude? Is it not strange? Clearly punishment must not be used lightly or wrongly: harm one unit of primordial Qi and the qi of Heaven is disordered; harm one unit of compliant qi and the qi of Earth is reversed; harm one scholar and the multitude of scholars perish; harm one worthy and the multitude of worthies hide away. In every matter there is shaking and instability.

Therefore in antiquity sages, sage kings, and emperors saw deeply that this was Heaven’s admonitory book, and in awe of it did not dare act rashly, fearing they would not obtain Heaven’s mind and could not secure their own persons. People of supreme imperial Heavenly De alone saw deeply the bright efficacy of Dao and De; they did not grow weary of holding firm, were not frightened into retreat, and officials and the multitude turned to them and attached themselves—thus they kept to the Dao to preserve themselves whole and kept to De, not daring to lose it.

If you recite my book and still harbor doubts, you should keep this scroll close at hand, reading and comparing it morning and night as a clear warning and proof, so that you may gradually align with Heaven’s intent. To go against these teachings is to oppose Heaven’s will. This is like the qian and kun lines in the Yijing: their positions must not be reversed; like the cycles of the jiazi calendar, which must not be altered; like the fixed laws of the Five Phases, which must not be omitted; like the brightness of sun and moon, which must not be obscured; and like the ruler above and ministers below—order must not be confused. From this one can see that the way Heaven and Earth and yin-yang govern the world favors letting those who practice De thrive. There are foolish people who instead delight in punishment; they should often read this book to dispel confusion, and must teach others toward goodness and toward being scholars who uphold the Way—holding fast to Dao and De and resolving to reduce punishments. My book is precisely the basis for rectifying Heaven’s law and Heaven’s measures. Is practicing De easy, or is practicing punishment easy? With benevolent rule, increase comes day by day; with harsh coercion, loss comes day by day. Go quickly, and transmit my book on Heaven’s behalf—do not doubt. What my book says will not fail the myriad realities within the six directions of Heaven and Earth.

The other party assented repeatedly.

(Another reply:) Is practicing punishment hard, or is practicing De hard? With benevolent rule, increase comes day by day; with harsh coercion, loss comes day by day. Go quickly, and transmit my book on Heaven’s behalf—do not doubt. What my book says will not fail the myriad realities within the six directions of Heaven and Earth.

The other party assented repeatedly, returned in sincerity, examined their faults, spoke only of proper order from high to low, and dared not omit the slightest point.

(Heaven or the sage continues:) Go, and be vigilant and cautious. You need not dissect every clause of my book’s meaning; it is enough to grasp the one great thread of Heaven-Earth and yin-yang. From the spring equinox to the autumn equinox, De (virtue, nurturing grace) holds the outer position: nothing among the ten thousand things fails to grow outward and turn outward; hibernating insects leave their burrows, and people go out of their doors. From the autumn equinox to the spring equinox, De holds the inner position: nothing among the ten thousand things fails to gather inward; what is stored enters its den, and people enter their rooms—this is the clear proof of governing the world through De. From the spring equinox to the autumn equinox, punishment (xing) works from within: the ten thousand things move from inside to outside, inner emptiness, stillness, and each settles in its place. From the autumn equinox to the spring equinox, punishment holds the outer position and governs the outer realm: outside there are no things and no qi (vital energy), emptiness without a single entity and without a populace, all returning to obedience to De—thus it is proved that punishment alone cannot govern the world well.

(Note: Where the original text has missing characters, those passages are not translated. In the final section, readings such as “king/ruler outer” and “king/ruler inner” follow common Taiping jing interpretations: the ten thousand things, with the seasons, move outward or inward.)

Thus De moves in the same direction and with the same power as Heaven: when yang qi goes outward, De goes outward with it; when yang qi turns inward, De turns inward with it. From the autumn equinox through to the spring equinox, Xing (the punitive, corrective force) stays on the outside and governs outer things; there is nothing solid there, no qi—empty, without “soldiers and masses” (one may read this as the sustaining power and the multitude that carry the ten thousand things). Everything returns from De—which shows that Xing alone cannot truly govern the ten thousand things.

De shares heart and strength with Heaven, so when yang goes out, it goes out; when yang enters, it enters. Xing shares heart and strength with Earth, so when yin goes out, it goes out; when yin enters, it enters. De works with sheng qi (the qi of generation and nurture), so when generative qi goes out, De goes out, and when it enters, De enters. Xing works with sha qi (the qi of killing), so when killing qi goes out, Xing goes out, and when it enters, Xing enters. De travels above with Heaven; Xing travels below with Earth. De usually dwells with what is “full” (substantial, alive); Xing usually dwells with emptiness and absence. De usually dwells with “flourishing” (prosperity): outward flourishing means going out, inward flourishing means going in—hence entering in winter and going out in summer. Xing dwells with the qi of decline and death, hence going out in winter and entering in summer. The qi of death is clear and light; where it stays is also clear. De shares qi with emperors and kings, so when kingship is outward, yin goes out and Xing enters inward; Xing shares position with petty people, dwelling where death-qi dwells—hence out in winter, in in summer, and without soldiers or masses.

What the ten thousand things gather into is the accumulated De of emperors and kings; one can always see where they converge, so they may be called emperors and kings. Xing has never dwelt together with things, and has no soldiers or masses, so it cannot be called a gentleman. Therefore the sages of old thought deeply alone, observing what Heaven and Earth and yin and yang do, and took that as their model; knowing the great pattern, they did not miss by one in ten thousand—so they dared not go against it. This is the clear proof of Heaven and Earth—how could one not examine it closely? How could one not be careful? This is the way of nature (ziran zhi fa): it is not altered at human whim; it is the constant path Heaven and Earth always walk. I now tell you all of this fully. You should turn the meaning over in your mind again and again; do not act lightly on your own.

“Yes, yes—I dare not fail you.”

“Good. I have fully transmitted and entrusted to you the true dharma words; my worry is lifted.”

Paraphrase of the Scripture

Act on Heaven’s behalf to remove calamities; use the highest De (Virtue/Power) to teach and transform, and so bring forth sage kings who can embody the royal Dao (the Way). Do not on your own cut off this doctrine and method, or you will invite disaster. “Yes, yes.”

(Right column) By checking against the Heavenly Law, set forth what rulers of past and present have favored and what they have lost, and the essential keys to gain and loss in that.

Note (document structure, not main scripture text)

The sentences above come from dialogic material in the Scripture of Great Peace (Taiping Jing) that urges people to keep the Dao, practice De, and not abandon the essential teaching. “Right column: checking against the Heavenly Law…” is an entry title added in editorial collation; it means using Heavenly Law to examine the rise and fall of ages and rulers’ preferences and their consequences.

What follows—“Taiping Jing Hejiao, juan 45, bing bu…,” “Taiping Jing, juan 45,” “Qitu chushu jue, no. 61,” and similar—is volume, division, and chapter title information in the Hejiao (collated) edition (this piece is “Qitu chushu jue,” no. 61). That is catalog and sectional labeling, not continuous scripture narrative.

The humble fool can hardly bear it: what I wish to ask in my heart, I fear may violate the Celestial Master’s taboos—the fault would be too grave. The words I want to speak will not stop; this petty person cannot hold back, vexed and distressed within the five viscera. I venture one greatest doubt: since the Celestial Master treats me as an innocent child, you must surely pity my hunger and thirst, my urgent longing!

“Go and walk your Dao. Why be so modest?”

“Yes, yes.” (Rising) Today the Celestial Master joins in refined concentration with the Emperor of Heaven and the Empress of Earth; mind and the intent of Heaven and Earth deeply accord, like overlapping compasses and squares—not a hair’s breadth off. I know what Heaven and Earth constantly worry about… Therefore this humble fool, unworthy of life, dares to feel shame and steps forward to ask in full: I wish to know what are the greatest taboos that the spirits of Heaven and Earth always hold?

“Excellent! You refine yourself and advance! You may now ask straight into the heart of Heaven and Earth. When people grasp it and it settles in the heart of the worthy, for ten thousand generations it will not depart. I have always been glad to speak, yet had no one to speak with. Now that the True Person asks, my heart is full of secret joy; I will lay out the Dao for you in detail and dare not conceal anything. The reason is that I fear the spirits of Heaven and Earth may deeply hate me, and then great disaster would come upon my person. True Person, only sit at ease in the light and listen.”

“What Heaven and Earth most bitterly afflict and hate is people who are unyielding and unfilial—what does this mean? I wish to hear.”

“Excellent, your difficult question. In the harmony of Heaven and Earth there are in all three qi; inwardly they share as one household, in turn jointly governing life and jointly nourishing the ten thousand things. Heaven chiefly generates and is called Father; Earth chiefly nourishes and is called Mother; the human chiefly governs and is called Child. The father should chiefly teach and transform according to measure and season; the mother chiefly follows what the father does and nourishes; the child, born, receives mandate from the father and is nourished and fed by the mother. As child one should respectfully serve the father and love the mother.”

“What does this mean?”

“Indeed: the father’s teaching has measure and seasonal timing, so Heaven, through the four seasons, teaches generation, nourishment, and completion—beginning and end each have their time. The wicked person goes against this: that is the child not yielding to the father; the qi of Heaven loses its governance and command and does not obtain its heart. Heaven therefore greatly hates human life and sends disasters and anomalies, using illness to afflict its child—like a household where the father, angry, chastises the child, and change arises at once. Father and son are not in harmony; the father resents the child’s not yielding to the strict father’s teaching and command, then yin overcomes yang, the lower deceives the upper, and many rebellious children appear. Ministers lose their posts; ghostly things rise greatly and together afflict people; the cunning squat by the road; all yin factions lurking in unyielding kinds—the blame lies in going against Heaven and Earth. True Person, can one again fail to yield? This is the natural art, like shadow answering form, following it without parting from the horse—take it as warning.”

“Yes, yes.” (Stopping)

Supplementary text: The Celestial Master (Tianshi), High Heaven, and the Earth Sovereign (Houtu) are often of one mind and one intent; their will aligns deeply with the intent of Heaven and Earth, like compass and square fitting without the slightest gap. What is it that Heaven and Earth constantly anticipate and guard against? What are the great taboos of Heaven and Earth? What do the spirits of Heaven and Earth find most painful and hateful? Above all they hate when people are disobedient and unfilial—but what does that mean?

The Harmonizing Three Qi of Heaven, Earth, and humanity (the qi of the three powers) are inwardly one substance and jointly nurture the ten thousand things: Heaven governs generation and is called father; Earth governs nurturing and is called mother; Humanity governs ordering and is called child. The child receives mandate from the father and grace from the mother; therefore as a child one should respect the father and cherish the mother—why? Because the father’s teaching and commands have measure and season, teaching life to arise according to the four seasons. When the wicked go against the father’s will, Heaven’s qi loses its proper commands, as when a father in the household is angry with his son. When father and son are not in harmony, yin prevails over yang, the lower insults the upper, ministers fail in their duties, and ghostly things accordingly flourish.

“Now I have respectfully received the master’s teaching of Heaven’s commands and admonitions; I wish to hear what violating Earth’s taboos (offending the great prohibitions of the Earth) means.” (The passage from “its commands” through “ghostly things flourish” follows from what was said above: disorder in commands and disharmony between father and son likewise bring the same calamities.)

I now reverently receive the teaching transmitted by my master from Heaven and wish to hear what violating the earthly taboos means. “Good—listen carefully, Perfected One.” “Yes, yes.”

“Heaven is like a father, earth like a mother; father and mother are both ‘persons’ (lords of creation of the same kind as heaven and earth)—what difference is there? Heaven is heaven, earth is also heaven (both belong to the heavenly system); father and mother are distinguished only as yin and yang, male and female—their likes and dislikes are the same. Heaven nourishes human life; earth nourishes human form—yet people are deeply foolish and dim, not knowing to revere father and mother, so that those heaven and earth bring forth are full of regret, gloom, and confusion without understanding why.” “What does that mean?”

“Well said—your words match heaven and earth’s intent; great calamity will be cut off and people will surely be auspicious and good.” “What does that mean? Celestial Master, please explain separately.” “Today everyone under heaven together harms and wrongs their parents.” “What does that mean?”

“The weather of the four seasons is heaven’s regulated motion—if people go against it, they harm the father.” “What does that mean?”

“Today people take earth as mother, receive food and clothing from earth, yet do not together cherish and nourish it—instead they together harm it.” “What does that mean?”

“Good—listen carefully, Perfected One. People are truly unworthy: together they pierce and gouge the earth, raise great works of wood and earth, without principle (not according to heaven-and-earth law)…”

The Zhenren compares the great earth to a mother: people take from her food and clothing yet fail to cherish and help one another; instead they harm her together.

Asked, “What does this mean?” the answer is: listen carefully. People often behave badly—digging everywhere and building on a grand scale without regard for what is right. Deep digging reaches the underground depths; shallow pits may still be many zhang deep. The mother (earth) broods alone in worry and resentment, saying her children are utterly lacking in filial piety and care, often pent up in distress with no way to make herself understood. In antiquity sages sometimes lacked the timely fortune to spread the Dao throughout the world, so people were left to act as they pleased, as if the earth could not feel pain. The earth alone suffers pain below with nowhere to plead; she can only move Heaven above—and people do not know it. When earth is trapped in hardship and cannot restrain these children, she appeals to the father (Heaven), again and again, until the grievances pile up. The father then grows angry without end, and all sorts of disasters and strange omens appear together. The mother too is displeased, often angry, and unwilling to do her full part in nurturing the people and the myriad things. When neither parent is content, the myriad things and the people die; nothing accords with the proper way—and the fault lies here.

Later generations act more excessively day by day. They miss the intent of Heaven and Earth, yet blame Heaven and Earth, saying their words are wrong and out of tune; they also blame their rulers together, saying they cannot govern in peace or rule by principle—and again the fault lies here. Their conduct grows worse daily; failing to grasp the parents’ intent, they resent Heaven and Earth and shift blame upward, each thinking himself wiser than Heaven and Earth while unaware of error, pushing fault onto those above to punish them—so Heaven and Earth no longer love humanity. People die suddenly before one’s eyes; though the sick weep at death’s door, the charge is clear, and the parents of Heaven and Earth no longer rescue them, because the crime is too deep and the blame too heavy—the collapse of responsibility rests on this.

Later generations live even more wildly, surpassing those before, copying one another until it becomes custom, no longer held in check, not knowing they must restrain one another—so calamities multiply daily, truly wronging Heaven and Earth. Heaven and Earth are the parents of humanity, yet the children together injure the parents, robbing and harming them—not a small offense. Therefore Heaven and Earth take unfilial and rebellious conduct as their deepest grievance and grant no further pardon; though lives are short and deaths countless, there is no ground for complaint—the Zhenren understands, does he not?

(Reply) Yes, yes.

Note: “Huangquan” (yellow springs) here means the deep underground. “Zhang” is an ancient measure of length. “Su” means to plead or lodge a complaint. The mark “﹝zhi﹞” in the source is a textual note indicating a break in the original. Some sentences in the received text appear duplicated (“Later generations act more excessively…” and “Heaven and Earth are the parents…”); the vernacular above follows the sense as one continuous account rather than repeating every line twice.

Heaven and Earth each have their proper place, just as men and women have their distinct roles, and what they favor and dislike are largely the same. Heaven nurtures human life; Earth nurtures the human body. Yet people today jointly harm their own “parents”—and those “parents” are Heaven and Earth.

The qi of the four seasons is what Heaven brings forth according to its constant pattern. When people go against it, they harm “Father” Heaven. Earth is like a mother: she provides food and clothing and fosters growth. Instead of cherishing her together and helping one another, people damage her. People behave far too badly and refuse reason: they dig the ground at will and launch huge building projects—deep excavations reach the Yellow Springs (the depths below), shallow ones still go several zhang down. Only “Mother” Earth grieves alone, while her children (the people of the world) are grossly unfilial, often bitter, resentful, and depressed, and they will not heed upright teaching.

Even when the sages of old were present, they could not fully grasp Heaven and Earth’s intent. People treat the earth without awareness or feeling; Earth suffers alone, and Heaven above is moved—yet people do not know it. So “Father” Heaven’s calamities strike again and again, and “Mother” Earth grows angry once more and no longer nurtures the myriad things as she should. When both parents are angry, how can their children escape disaster? Heaven and Earth are supremely compassionate, yet for gross unfiliality and great rebellion, Heaven and Earth grant no pardon—should we not wake up to this?

The envoy has come today to question me in detail because he knows I can explain these principles. A True Person (Zhenren) must not belittle himself, and must not fail to be cautious or to keep a compassionate mind. For gross unfiliality and great rebellion alone, Heaven and Earth do not forgive—should we not wake up to this?

Heaven’s messenger sent you to inquire in detail today, which shows that Heaven knows I can explain these principles clearly. A realized person must not be self-congratulatory and must not fail to be cautious.

“Yes.”

Nowadays people together wrong Heaven and Earth, the parents of all things, and violate Heaven and Earth’s ordinances. From a realized person’s perspective, can such conduct long be sustained in proper reverence without giving rise to perversity? Therefore Heaven will not show them excessive pity either.

“Today the Celestial Master (Tianshi) pities the simple folk and explains this for them in detail. How do we know that Heaven and Earth constantly harbor anger and distress, and resent that people repeatedly break ground and start construction?”

“You ask well. Heaven’s messenger, you press the question again and again—this shows you are asking on Heaven and Earth’s behalf about this matter.”

“I obey.”

“I deeply fear Heaven and dare not conceal anything, lest I bring disaster upon myself. Now I make it clear to you so you may keep it forever in your heart and never forget again. When even one household breaks ground and builds, several neighboring households may fall ill; some may die; some may suffer theft or lawsuits; some may meet military calamity and litigation; some may be harmed by venomous snakes, wasps, tigers, wolves, and other fierce beasts. Major earth-breaking brings major evil; minor earth-breaking brings minor evil. This is the earth deity’s wrath, by which divine spirits send down such disasters. That is why there are so many sick people in the world—this is plain proof. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

(Someone) respectfully assented.

(The dialogue begins.) Nowadays, sometimes turning or digging soil is actually auspicious and brings no disaster—why is that?

Answer: Well asked! In truth, moving earth always carries latent harm; it is only when one hits good, benign soil (auspicious ground) that it does not hurt people at once—but more often it gradually draws misfortune from all directions, and in time it will harm people after all. If it is evil soil (inauspicious ground), people cannot even hold back before they disturb it, and harm comes immediately.

(They ask again) Why can it also harm people far away?

Answer: This is like a person of good heart: though wronged, they can force themselves to endure for a while, yet they cannot truly forget; afterward they still take revenge and hurt others. A wicked person cannot endure for a moment and strikes at once.

(They ask again) Well asked! Today the great earth is vast; compared with it, a person is tiny. How can the little disturbance of someone digging and cutting quickly injure the earth?

Answer: Well asked! Heaven has not let your question come clear enough—how would I know? From your words I hear how earnest you are. What do you wish to say now—why are you troubled and ill at ease, as if only speaking out will ease you? Is it that the spirit-essence of heaven and earth (the numinous vital force within heaven and earth) dwells in your belly, cherishes you, and urges you to speak, while you yourself do not know it? Whatever ordinary people wish to do, it is heaven’s dispatched messenger (a “heavenly envoy”) that drives them.

Answer: Yes. I dare not conceal anything.

(The spirit) says: You carry bright virtue in your person.

(Reply) Yes, yes.

(End of this section)

[Supplement]

Sometimes moving earth brings no calamity because what was moved was good, benign ground; when calamity follows, it is because what was moved was vicious, inauspicious ground. What is meant by “the master (the ground) can harm people and harm those far away”? It is like a good person: though wronged and harmed, they can force endurance for a time, yet in the heart they never forget; a wicked person cannot endure a moment and soon meets retribution. The body of the great earth is enormous; compared with it, human beings are small—how can that little piercing and cutting be said unable to injure the ground?—(The supplement restates: ground has auspicious and inauspicious aspects; human moving of soil is like human conduct—small acts on a vast body still accumulate into harm.)

Someone said: People are so small—how could their every move possibly harm the great earth?

The other party objected: Look—a grown person may be ten chi tall and ten wei around the waist, which counts as large. Yet a tiny worm burrowing into the teeth seems negligible compared with the whole mouthful of teeth. Once the infestation flares up, that person cries out in pain, and before long the teeth fall out one after another. The ratio of a person to heaven and earth is like that of the worm to the person—the human is pitifully small next to the cosmos. Teeth are harder than metal and stone, while the worm is nothing but soft flesh, yet it can torment a person to this degree. Can the claim that “a person cannot move the earth” still hold? Do you grasp the principle involved?

(The Perfected One) Go and reflect on this.

(The disciple) Yes, yes.

(Additional discussion)

Take another analogy: a body ten chi long and ten wei thick, with a small cavity worm in the gaps between the teeth gnawing at them; when it acts up the person screams in pain, and in the end every tooth is lost—the size relation of worm to person, and person to heaven and earth, is just like this. Teeth are as hard as metal and stone; the little worm is made of flesh alone, yet it can cause such great harm. Therefore one cannot conclude, simply because people are small and the earth is vast, that humans have no effect on the earth at all.

Someone might grow as tall as ten zhang and measure more than ten wei around the waist, yet juchong (parasites of festering sores) are at most one cun in length—their bodies are tiny. Even when they gather in numbers they are hardly noticeable, yet they lodge in that person’s flesh and gnaw from morning to night, bringing on illness and even death. The proportion between a human being and the earth is just like this. These creatures are so small—so why can they nevertheless destroy this person? If a perfected person (zhenren) is this muddled, why is he as dark and foolish as ordinary people, almost no different from the vulgar crowd?

Answer: “I truly cannot yet say I understand.”

“You have not even reached this point—how can you speak for common people?”

“I have faults and dullness; I only ask that the Celestial Master (Tianshi) hear where I fall short and, in your kindness, explain the meaning fully for this foolish student.”

“Good. I will not hide anything. I know how grave the sickness of heaven and earth has become—that is why I have spoken to you again and again. I will tell you one more thing so that you may see it clearly and grasp it through repeated reflection.”

“Yes, yes.”

Today a stalwart man or a man of great strength has no trouble subduing jiechong (scabies mites); the jiechong are so fine that they can scarcely be seen. Yet if a dou’s worth of jiechong feed on him together, the pain becomes unbearable and he cannot rest peacefully; in severe cases he cannot even rise from bed. Jiechong, zao (fleas), and shi (lice) are small, but when many of them gather they feed on a person together. Gu chong (poison worms used in gu sorcery) can kill a person; jiechong and zao likewise fill him with distress so that he can neither sit nor stand at ease, and sores break out on his body. The proportion between a human being and the earth is exactly like this. Do you understand?

“Yes, yes.”

[Supplementary passage] Today there are great men and men of prodigious strength who have no trouble subduing jiechong. Even a sheng of jiechong feeding on a person together will cause unbearable pain and deprive him of peaceful rest; in severe cases he cannot rise from bed. Guchong, zao, and shi are small, yet when many gather they feed on a person together. Gu chong can kill a person; zao and shi likewise fill him with distress so that he cannot sit at ease, and sores appear on his body. The harm that human beings do to heaven and earth is also like this.

This passage explains that when people wrong Heaven and Earth, their “grievance” shows up plainly on the land itself, so anyone can see how serious their fault is. It uses wells as a metaphor and, step by step, reckons how many wells are dug under heaven, showing that people keep piercing the earth to draw water—as if wounding the body of the Earth Mother and leaking earthly qi—so Heaven and Earth fall out of harmony and the qi of Supreme Harmony (Taihe) can hardly arrive.

Plain-language explanation

The Perfected One (Zhenren) said: You may still feel that what I have said is not enough to serve as a rule; let me put it more clearly. Though humans are small, the debt and grievance they owe Heaven and Earth appear on the land in plain sight, so that people can deeply reflect and see their great fault.

For example, in one large neighborhood (li) of a hundred households there are a hundred wells; in one township of a thousand households, a thousand wells; in one county of ten thousand households, ten thousand wells; in one commandery of a hundred thousand households, a hundred thousand wells; in one province of a hundred million households, a hundred million wells. (Large and small neighborhoods differ in well size:) a large well is one zhang deep, a medium well several chi, a small well three chi—all dug downward until they reach the Yellow Springs (the deep underground water layer in ancient belief). How many such wells are there under heaven? Some households have more than one. If we count only small wells at three chi: ten wells go three zhang down, a hundred thirty zhang, a thousand three hundred zhang, ten thousand three thousand zhang, a hundred thousand thirty thousand zhang. How many hundreds of millions of wells are there in the world? Every one of them must hit water when dug—and water is the blood of the earth. Today it is as if needles pierce the human body and drain its blood: can the person fail to sicken or turn unwholesome?

Work it out: a hundred million wells—how much width and length do they take together? Think it through yourself. How many “hundred-million wells” are there in the world? So the grievance caused by human action has already been stated plainly by Heaven and Earth. If people harm their mother (the earth) like thieves, illness will be severe; when earthly qi leaks through wells, human illness runs deep. Yet people will not cherish or pity the earth, and instead often say, “Heaven and Earth always wrong me,” and blame Heaven and Earth for not being harmonious—is that not upside down? And here we have spoken only of wells.

Besides this, throughout the world there are great houses, mounds, tombs, and also opening mountains for stone, taking metal and stone, firing pottery, setting pillars, and recklessly digging ditches and channels—sometimes blocking waterways that should flow, damming and choking what should run: how much of this is there? Springs that should flow must flow; channels that should connect must connect; and how much has been pierced through or sealed shut? When springs should open, only then is there smooth flow, following the benefit Heaven and Earth intend—water seeks the low, from high to low. When people do not act thus but disorder the terrain, the great earth is like one covered in sores and ulcers; what should connect does not. When royal government is not harmonious, the earth falls gravely ill, yet no one will say, “The earth is sick; the earth is in pain.” The spirit of the earth (earthly qi, earth deities) ascends to Heaven to lodge complaint, pleading grievance without end. Because of this Heaven and Earth likewise do not speak of “joy,” so the pure qi of Supreme Harmony (Taihe)—the most harmonious, clear, upright vital breath—can hardly come. Does the Perfected One still not understand?

Someone answered respectfully and then said: “People living between heaven and earth ought to have houses for shelter and wells to drink from—what is wrong with that?”

The other replied: “Well said. Heaven does not dislike people having dwellings; what it dislikes is people digging the earth too deep, so that the land everywhere looks as if it has sores and ulcers. Sometimes one digs to the ‘bones of the earth’; sometimes to the ‘blood of the earth.’ What does this mean? Spring water is the blood of the earth; stone is the bones of the earth; rich fertile soil is the flesh of the earth. Breaking open a spring eye is like letting the earth’s blood flow away; breaking stone is like severing the earth’s bones; boring deep into good soil and burying tiles, stones, and hard timber inside, saying it makes the foundation firm, in fact makes the interior of the earth suffer alone. This does not harm only one person—the harm is great. What should be done now?

Earth is the mother of the ten thousand things and delights in nourishing them, yet people do not know its worth. It is like a fetus in the womb: if one keeps to the Way and does not recklessly pierce the mother, the mother will not fall ill; if one recklessly pierces the mother in order to live, the mother will sicken.

People should not recklessly bore deep into the earth. They need only dwell on the surface of the land, enough to cover and conceal themselves, and the earth will not be harmed. Heaven greatly loves humankind and brings them good fortune. I would now ask: how much covering and concealing is enough?

For any moving of earth or entering the ground, the depth must not exceed three chi; above that, one may heap up raised earth. Why take three chi as the rule? Within one chi is where Yang qi shines—qi belongs to heaven. Within two chi is where the ten thousand things grow—qi belongs to the central harmony. Within three chi one reaches the body of the earth—qi belongs to Yin. Going deeper beyond this injures the landform— all is inauspicious.

What about the people of old who lived in caves? That was much like ‘stealing from the earth’ (injuring the landform). They mostly relied on valleys and bored dwellings into cliff faces; because they seldom drove wooden posts deep into the ground, there were few posts in the earth, and they often lived beside flowing water, so harm to the earth was slight and people were less often ill. Later ages did not know their fault and dug deep and ‘stole’ deeply from the earth, so people often did not live long. Why? Because this is a great illness.”

Plain-Language Explanation

When you dig and find spring water, that is the earth’s “blood”; when you find stone, that is the earth’s “bone”; soil is the earth’s “flesh.” Taking blood, breaking bone, piercing flesh, and burying tiles, stone, and hard wood back in the ground is like inflicting sores on a mother’s body. The earth is the mother of all things; if she is harmed in this way, how can she be at peace?

People live on the body of this mother (the great earth), and depending on how deep they go, various kinds of concealment and hidden harm arise. Dig one foot down and yang qi shines there—the qi belongs to Heaven. Two feet down is where the myriad things grow—the qi is balanced and neutral. Three feet and the body of the earth itself belong to yin. Going deeper than this injures the root of the landform.

Today it is not that evil people alone have houses—it is that people dig too deep everywhere, wounding the earth at every turn: sometimes hitting the earth’s bone (stone), sometimes the earth’s blood (springs). Springs are the earth’s blood, stone is the earth’s bone, and the earth is humanity’s mother. Recklessly cutting and wounding the mother leaves her sick and grieving, and people then tend toward illness and short lives.

Whenever you move earth or dig, the rule is not to go more than three feet into the ground: one foot—yang qi shines, qi belongs to Heaven; two feet—where things are born, qi is balanced; three feet and the earth’s body—qi belongs to yin. Dig further and you harm the landform—everything beyond that is inauspicious.

In antiquity people dwelled in valleys, caves, and rock shelters and did not raise many pillars and beams, so they were seldom ill; later generations took too much earth from the ground, and so illness became common.

This passage uses a question-and-answer format to explain how choosing a site, using water, moving earth, and relocating relate to the qi of heaven and earth and taboos concerning spirits.

Question: Nowadays some people live near running water yet do not dig their own wells. Why do they often fall ill often and die young?

Answer (sense of the scripture): Because they have already offended heaven and earth, and the harm extends to neighbors and those in the same community, who share the burden—much as when one household errs, its brothers suffer too. Understand that digging into the ground reaches water; water is the blood and vessels of the earth. To pierce and use it recklessly—how could the body not sicken?

Question: Some people do not break ground to build anew but simply make do in an old house. Why do they sometimes still meet disaster?

Answer: Because their way of acting is unsuitable—they have offended inauspicious spirits.

Question: Which spirit was offended?

Answer: Spirits are not one only; none can be named in advance.

Further question (another wording of the same issue): Some do not move earth or put up a new dwelling but return to the old house early in the morning—if misfortune still occurs, why?

Answer: Again the action is ill-timed and offends inauspicious spirits. Their names are not one; they cannot each be named.

Summary of the passage’s intent: The Taiping jing stresses that living by water requires proper use of water (such as digging wells; do not lightly pierce the ground and disturb the earth’s channels); moving house and occupying an old dwelling must also be done at the right time and in the right way—otherwise heaven and earth are angered, neighbors are implicated, and many spirits are violated, leading to frequent illness, shortened life, or disaster. The Realized Person (the recipient of the Way) understands this and acts with due caution (“weilweil” marks assent to the teaching).

Vernacular Explanation

Therefore, when people live upon the earth, if they do not earnestly teach one another to do good, every move and every stillness easily goes too far, and they drag one another into karmic entanglement. This is what is meant by karmic debt (yuan ye).

Someone asked: “Nowadays some people live far from running water and must dig wells to draw water to survive. What should they do?”

The reply: “Well said. If an old well already exists, everyone should keep using it and drink from it together—do not keep switching wells; if a switch is truly necessary, the old well must be filled in solidly, so that earth qi (di qi) does not leak and scatter chaotically. Drawing water recklessly from underground weakens earth qi and cannot sustain the myriad things. When filling an old well, one must also clear out what is called the ‘central strength’ inside the well—what does that mean? It refers to tiles, stones, timber, and wood in the well: these do not belong in the earth by nature; they were dug out later, like an unwanted growth on the human body that turns into illness.”

The Perfected Person (Zhenren) sighed: “Wonderful! Wonderful! You ask more finely than the Celestial Master (Tianshi); we formerly knew only one side of it.”

The Celestial Master: “Perfected Person, come forward.” “Yes.” “When you ask about things, why must you always get to the root?”

“Because in meeting the Celestial Master, I know that human life depends on Heaven and Earth. Heaven and Earth ought to be joyful, so that there can be great peace and long life; therefore I am often both in awe and urgent toward Heaven and Earth; when Heaven and Earth are not in harmony, it is hard to live out one’s full span.”

“Well said. I often worry because I see poisonous qi in Heaven and Earth accumulating, bandits and killing unceasing, emperors and kings in distress and governance unsettled—so I share in that worry; why do you also worry on the king’s behalf about these things?”

“I have heard that for those who accumulate merit for others, Heaven will reward them—therefore I am glad to speak of Heaven’s mind.”

“Your intention is good. Since the Celestial Master has opened my dullness and shown me Heaven’s taboos, I still wish to ask one thing more: when building houses on low fields by rivers and seas, sometimes without pillars or beams one digs three feet and water appears—what then?”

“Well asked. This is the same as the well discussed before; it alike belongs to taboo and harm…” (The text below continues his further doubts.)

This passage uses the metaphor of digging a well for water to explain that if people carelessly bore into the earth, it is like harming the mother who nourishes them—a serious transgression.

Someone asked: Nowadays people build on low fields by rivers and seas. Sometimes there are no pillars or beams; at three chi into the ground water appears. What should be done?

Answer: You ask well. That too harms the earth. The hole should be dug shallower. That layer is like the earth’s “thin skin,” close to its inner “channels and vessels” (the ancients likened the great earth to a body with circulating blood). To know the consequence, compare it to a person: thick skin does not bleed easily, but if it bleeds, harm is done; thin skin bleeds easily, and bleeding still counts as injury—both are damage. Blood is Heaven and Earth’s “supreme pledge and verification” (their most binding sign and proof). Whoever injures another, whether the skin is thick or thin, if blood is drawn the offense is clear. People take Heaven and Earth as their model and do not wish to be harmed; when harmed they grow angry—how could the earth be pleased to be harmed? Heaven and Earth are humanity’s true root and the parents of Yin and Yang. How can you harm your own parents?

A True Person (zhenren) should keep these words deep in the heart. Fools are sometimes rash; if they suddenly fail to understand, that is a grave fault.

Another asked: People receive food from their mother—what grave fault is there in digging a well for water? Your words no longer match the clarity of Heaven’s intent (tianxin). People today drink what comes from the “mother,” yet they take it where her springs burst forth. Human milk is like the “spring opening (quan che)” on the body; so where an infant nurses is like a water spring on the ground that supplies drink. How can one for no reason pierce its skin and drink its blood and fluid?

Answer: The True Person’s question misses the point.

Disciple: I have faulted and violated the Celestial Master’s taboo.

Celestial Master (Tianshi): No need for excessive humility. But if the question is not thorough, you will not receive the supreme secret. It is not that I dislike your words—August Heaven is greatly angered and has sent you to ask, question by question, which is why you speak in such winding turns.

Disciple: I only ask the Celestial Master to forgive and remove my fault. I still wish to ask and cannot stop myself.

Celestial Master: Speak as usual; why be modest? Since you have come from afar to ask on behalf of Heaven and Earth, do not block or cut off the meaning of the text in my book.

Disciple: Yes, yes.

Brief context: Here the earth is likened to the mother, and groundwater and spring eyes to milk and blood-fluid. In the scripture, digging wells too deep and recklessly piercing earth’s channels is treated like harming the mother and breaking faith with Heaven and Earth; hence the advice to “dig shallower again,” and the stress that a True Person should ponder this deeply.

Those who have never seen or read this scripture do not know how heavy their sins are, yet they often join together in questioning Heaven and Earth from afar—do not block or cut off my scriptural writings!

“Yes, yes.” (response)

Ordinary people cannot see this book and do not know how heavy their sins are, yet they often together blame Heaven and Earth—why is there no harmony? Why is governing the world so one-sided, unfair, and unjust?

“You do not know: every person has offenses against Heaven and Earth, linking forward and backward in succession; those born later will suffer calamities as well, no longer receiving a normal allotted lifespan—life and death have no fixed term. True Persons (Zhenren) must strive—do not lose or abandon this text, and Heaven and Earth will not be angry with people.”

“Yes, yes.”

“If True Persons suffer Heaven and Earth’s condemnation and punishment, the outcome will be dire.”

“Yes, yes.”

“The scripture should be handed to a virtuous sovereign and should be shown to ordinary people. Humans are Heaven and Earth’s sons, the chief among the ten thousand things. Today, in teaching the people the Dao, what should be done? All must reflect deeply: from now on, those who wish for wealth, nobility, long life, and freedom from illness and pain must ponder and observe these words in the scripture, firmly keep them in mind, and each plan for themselves. True Persons must not conceal them—spread the word and inform one another.

Today Heaven and Earth’s spirits move with this scripture and observe people’s words and conduct—why? Do True Persons know? On what basis do you know that spirits follow people? Because if one does not act according to my (the scripture’s) words, one is not trusted. If the people stubbornly conceal this book, they will fall ill; whoever dares to cut it off will be unlucky—this is clear proof that Heaven and Earth’s spirits observe people—awesome indeed!”

“Yes, yes.”

“Go—encourage yourselves! Human life and fate are originally in Heaven and Earth’s hands. Those who wish for peace should first let Heaven and Earth be at peace; only then can they themselves long endure in safety. Yet now they instead worry and distress Heaven and Earth, as if Heaven and Earth together wrong their own parents—how can they obtain peace and good fortune? It has been this way before and after, accumulating for a long time, so disasters and transformations never cease—these words of mine will not err. I often see earth spirits ascend to Heaven to voice grievances—it has never stopped. Therefore I truly know … (the original text is damaged here and cannot be fully restored) … upon meeting True Persons, as if repeatedly urging and questioning, immediately knowing they are angels sent by Heaven.”

This piece belongs to the Taiping Jing genre of admonition urging people to transmit the scripture and not conceal it, teaching that human sins burden Heaven and Earth and that Heaven and Earth’s spirits observe people according to the scripture. “True Person” refers to an accomplished teacher of the Way; “virtuous sovereign” refers to a ruler fit to receive the scripture and show it to the people. The “□□” in the middle marks damage in the original book; the meaning there cannot be restored.

A True Person (zhenren, an accomplished cultivator) comes to ask questions because Heaven intends to reveal this matter all at once so that people may understand for themselves. When a True Person truly sees, they inquire as if repeatedly urged to do so; with one question they know this is the work of a Heavenly Envoy (tianshi, an emissary sent from Heaven).

The True Person comes to ask because Heaven means to awaken people to this in one stroke so the world may know: the common people only know to blame Heaven and do not know to examine themselves deeply.

“Why have you specially sent me to ask about these things today?”

“You are sent to ask because the Great Peace Qi (huang taiping qi, the auspicious energy that presides over the age of Great Peace) of Heaven is about to arrive, and governance should enter Great Peace (taiping, universal order and harmony among all things). Heaven fears that ignorant people will again and again violate Heaven-and-Earth Taboos (tiandi jiji, prohibitions against going against seasonal and spatial order and harming natural and upright qi), without end, together disturbing upright qi and causing harm; if so, the Great Peace qi cannot be harmonized on schedule. Therefore you are sent to ask: the hope is that people will gladly cease violating, so that Heaven and Earth do not fall ill but cherish human beings and let the five grains and all things properly nourish them; if they are neglected, resented, unloving, and unwilling to sustain life, there will be years of disaster—poor harvests; in years about to flourish, produce will be good—such is the principle. Do you understand, True Person?”

“Excellent, excellent! In ancient times there should likewise have been Great Peace—why were the people not forbidden to move earth at will?”

“You ask well. When Heaven and Earth were first opened, there were no prohibitions like those of today.”

“By what can this be proved?”

“Today the Heavenly Capital (tiandu, the overarching order of Heaven and the celestial realm) has already been fully activated, and therefore records (lu, registering and selecting) persons who receive delegated qi (weiqi zhi ren, those who bear the qi Heaven assigns and are charged with its tasks)—Spirit Persons, True Persons, Immortals, Daoists, Sages, and Worthies—all should come forth to assist the Virtuous Ruler (dejun, a sovereign who governs by virtue) in ordering the world; one may say nothing like this ever happened before. From the first division of Yin-Yang and the opening of Heaven and Earth, recording and selecting Heaven’s People (tianmin, representatives of the people enrolled by Heaven) for office has never been on such a scale as now; therefore this is the greatest affair.”

“How awesome and awe-inspiring! … Therefore all bring forth the Primary Way (diyi zhi dao, the most fundamental teaching) and teach the world methods of doing good; when people do good, the world is settled and the sovereign can enjoy ease without worry.”

“Excellent, excellent! How joyful!”

(Note: Some characters in the original are damaged or repeated; the translation follows the usual understanding. Terms such as “recording persons who receive delegated qi” are retained in line with Daoist canon usage.)

Therefore the True Person must be urgently instructed to bring this scripture forth: it must never be kept in private hoarding, but opened so that ordinary people may read it. When the people see these prohibitions, they will gradually restrain themselves and settle disorder; if they still do not cease, calamity will reach later generations and there will be no remedy. Then Heaven and Earth are offended, and not even supplication can turn it back. Do the True Persons understand? The True Person answered: “Yes, yes.” The Celestial Master said: “Go. If anything in the scripture is unclear, come and ask me again.” The True Person answered: “Yes, yes.”

(The above is the content of the right-hand section on “Dissolving the Karmic Bonds between Heaven and Earth.”)

Taiping Jing Hejiao, juan 46, bing division, section 12; Taiping Jing juan 46, “The Dao Has No Price: The Method for Warding Off the Yi and Di,” section 62.

The Celestial Master was about to leave and would not return on any fixed day. The True Person wished to ask one or two more difficult questions. The Celestial Master said: “Speak—say it quickly now; the day I set out is already fixed. What do you wish to ask?” The True Person said: “I wish to ask the enlightened master about the Daoist text the master previously bestowed on this disciple—I wish to inquire about section sixty-two, on the ‘Method for Warding Off the Yi and Di.’”

The disciple said: “The Celestial Master is about to leave, and I do not know when he will return. I wish to ask one or two questions I still do not understand.”

The Celestial Master said: “Speak—quickly. The day of my departure is already set. What do you wish to ask?”

The disciple said: “I wish to ask about the Daoist books the venerable master previously bestowed upon this disciple—this may sound insufficiently reverent or overly bold—but if I do not ask now, might I never understand them in this lifetime?”

The Celestial Master said: “Speak; do not hold back.”

The disciple said: “I only ask the venerable master to instruct this dull disciple.”

The Celestial Master said: “Very well.”

The disciple asked: “The Daoist books the venerable master has bestowed upon this disciple from beginning to end—what are they actually worth in money?”

The Celestial Master sighed: “How muddled you are! Do you think my Dao can be bought and sold at a price? Very well—I will explain clearly so you understand the weight and worth of the Heavenly Dao.”

“Even if you were now given a thousand jin of gold to offer to the state, could that win Heaven and Earth’s favor, harmonize Yin and Yang, remove all disasters and anomalies, prolong the ruler’s life, and bring great order to the realm? Even if you offered ten thousand pairs of jade disks as national treasures to be stored away—the supreme treasures of the realm—could that make the great harmony of the six directions fully appear, bring forth all auspicious signs, and drive the barbarians beyond ten thousand li so they no longer harm us?”

“Yet the Dao I have transmitted to you, though fully set forth, can make the emperor deeply win Heaven and Earth’s favor; all ministers in the realm praise it; every creature that can move or be stirred rejoices; barbarians submit, auspicious signs appear, disasters are removed, the dynasty’s fortune is extended, and the people live long. If one truly turns toward goodness and acts according to my books, grasping only the essentials, nothing fails to respond—it is like stacked compasses and squares, without the slightest deviation.” (The original text is incomplete here.) “The achievement is vast… I speak on Heaven’s behalf and do not deceive you. Using this Heavenly method to assist a ruler of virtue, he will be without worry… like stacked compasses and squares, without straying.”

What I speak is “heavenly discourse”—I will not deceive you. If one uses this heavenly method to assist a virtuous emperor so that he need not worry excessively but simply act in accord with the Way, how great is that worth? And again: this heart of yours that still does not fully understand—do you understand now? The answer: I understand.

Then another point. Among people, nothing is more good and more delightful than true mutual regard, sharing one heart with a partner in bearing and raising children, becoming one body—that goodness is unique. But if ten thousand people were granted to a whole country, everyone would rejoice; those who saw it might even forget their age in joy—yet would that settle heaven and earth, win the hearts of all nations, draw distant lands from the eight directions to respond, and bring universal peace?

My Way can settle the boundless heaven above and put in order the boundless earth below; from the eight directions none fail to submit and come. Those who flock to join are all transformed by virtue and each finds their place. How great is that worth? You must think it through carefully.

If you wish gladly to repay heaven’s great merit and obtain heaven’s heart, you should as soon as possible use the words in this book of mine as your repayment. If you pile up rare treasures and false goods thinking to “offer pillars to heaven,” heaven will not rejoice because of such things, and you will not gain heaven’s utmost sincerity. To obtain heaven’s heart, you should morning and evening reflect on the words in my book; once you grasp their meaning, you will be close to obtaining heaven’s heart. How great is that worth again?

Therefore: to grant a state a thousand in gold is not as good as giving it one essential saying that can govern the state; to grant a state ten thousand pairs of jade disks is not as good as presenting two great worthies. Important words and the Way that great worthies treasure can let an emperor rule at ease, enjoy supreme joy and reach great peace, remove disasters and changes, and settle the realm—how great is the worth of such sayings of great worthies and wondrous Way?

In ancient times, sage emperors and kings were not poor in goods and wealth; what they often lacked was worthy people. They worried that great worthies would not come, that the people would not gather, and that everyone would want to attach themselves elsewhere, so the population grew smaller day by day. That did not accord with the heart of August Heaven, and they lived in constant distress. If they set their minds only on amassing riches in odd, clever, and sham things—delighting in what is fine and novel—they could not win the heart of Heaven and Earth or settle the four seas. Even if they heaped gold, jade, disks, and every kind of rare object until they stretched a thousand li in every direction and piled up to the sky, they still could not draw great worthies, sages, or transcendent masters to assist in governing. Think carefully about my book: great worthies will come of themselves and together help in the king’s rule. Once they join in one purpose and counsel, it is like people in a great city gathering in a single day—myriad things assemble, each brings out all they have, and others may come to seek and take. If my book is followed, Heaven and Earth will grow clearer; sun, moon, and the stars will shine again, their light reaching far in all eight directions. When the four quarters see this, none will be unwilling to submit in goodwill. Worthy Confucian scholars will come forth and no longer hide away. Weapons and armor will be put aside; under heaven people will govern with folded sleeves and walk at ease, no longer harming one another, of one mind in doing good and together enjoying peace under the king’s rule. My book can bring this about. Do you know how great its worth is? (End.)

[Supplement] To offer the state a thousand catties of gold is not as good as offering one crucial sentence, so as to reach good order, great peace, remove disasters, and settle the world. Ancient emperors and kings did not worry over goods and wealth; they worried over lacking worthy people. When great worthies did not come, the people did not gather, and all wanted to attach to outsiders, growing fewer day by day—that did not accord with the heart of August Heaven. If one only hoarded gold, jade, and strange objects until they stretched a thousand li and piled up to the sky, in the end one still could not summon great worthies, sages, or transcendent masters to assist in the king’s rule.

In antiquity the sages alone understood deeply that harmonizing and balancing Qi is what matters; therefore they would not casually hand over “he tu” (harmonizing earth—the kind of secret substance that can settle heaven and earth) to just anyone, but entrusted it only to those who possess De (Virtue/Power). Those with De can grasp the mind of heaven and earth, and for that reason honor the Dao and hold De in esteem. Fools chase clever counterfeits, so heavenly scriptures (classics sent down from on high) do not descend, and sages and worthies do not transmit—this is exactly what is meant. You must be cautious: these words of mine will not be wrongly given to those without De.

(The thrust of the preceding passage repeats the same point: the virtuous know heaven and earth’s intent and honor the Dao and De; fools love the strange and the fake, so heavenly books do not come down and sages do not teach.)

If a person travels carrying treasure, jade disks, or gold, he may still sit awake at night unable to sleep—even though those are only worldly things. How much more so when one must transmit secret books of heavenly treasure (supreme secret classics from heaven that can stabilize heaven and earth, the six directions, and the eight quarters): how could that be lightly passed on?

In the dialogue the one who answers keeps saying “wei wei” (yes, yes). The speaker warns again: this book is guarded with a heavenly spirit clerk (a divine clerk of the celestial bureaucracy who handles documents) always seated beside it; he also says, “Warn yourself again.” Again he says: the spirit clerks of the Three Luminaries (sun, moon, and stars) constantly accompany and watch over it. Again he says: this book is the intent of the Heart of Heaven; you must ponder it with deep refinement.

One who can hear these words may still mention several more matters that ordinary people cannot see—yet it must remain “from mouth to ear,” not spread widely among the multitude. If an emperor obtains it, all under heaven will submit; spirits will assist in governing; each person will turn toward goodness on his own, without needing daily orders, and balance will arise naturally.

The six disciples consider themselves dull and in the dark; they fear that speaking at length will touch forbidden matters. They beg the master alone to set forth morality before High Heaven, and to fashion for the emperor myriad-year treasure vessels (instruments or classics for long-lasting rule and peace). They also wish the master to bring forth everything of the inner teaching and hide nothing, and to receive stern instruction and secret commands while bowing low.

The answer is “Yes”: at this moment I shall weigh the matter for you before High Heaven—what must be fully revealed I dare not conceal; what must not be released I dare not transmit rashly. Heaven and earth each have their calendrical cycles (periods of celestial timing); one must bring things forth according to that timing so they may long endure and the state and family may know great fortune without ruin. That is why it is not given to petty men but to the emperor: the emperor’s calendar is often of one mind with heaven and earth, and only then can this be practiced; petty men cannot practice it. Therefore it belongs to the noble person, and is entrusted to that person.

Note: In the original, the many instances of “wei wei,” repeated sentences, and start/end collation markers have been omitted in this vernacular rendering; repetitions are merged into a single statement where possible to avoid redundancy.

Plain-Language Interpretation

Using Level Virtue, the High and Low of Prices, and Such to Unblock the Foolish Heart

(Title in brief: using upright virtue and the logic of what is costly or cheap in the market to loosen the knots in foolish minds.)

Taiping Jing, Collated Edition, Scroll 47, Part Bing Thirteen

Taiping Jing, Scroll 47

Method 63: How Superior Good Ministers, Sons, and Disciples Attain Immortality for Lord, Father, and Teacher

The Celestial Master asked the Perfected One: “Among all who serve as ministers or common people, what kind counts as the most supremely good? Though it is wearisome, please explain carefully for me.”

The Perfected One replied: “Yes. I only fear I may go too far.”

The Celestial Master asked: “Why be modest? Speak.”

The Perfected One said: “Today, those who are ministers, sons, or common people of the realm—if they are always cautious and trustworthy, never violate royal law, from birth to death commit no grave fault, and in life bear no criminal charge—I would take such persons as the most supremely good.”

The Celestial Master sighed: “Your words seem right, yet are not right; you describe moderately good people, not the supremely good.”

The Celestial Master continued: “Come, tell me again: how should the most supremely good filial son act? Be concrete.”

The Perfected One said: “What I said just now did not match the Celestial Master’s intent; I dare not speak further.”

The Celestial Master asked: “Why be modest? Set forth what you know; where you fall short, I will explain it fully for you.”

The Perfected One said: “Yes. The conduct of the supremely good filial son is to hold fast to the Dao, not daring to let parents worry; he nourishes them well in daily life and holds them in mind morning and evening; from the time he could remember after birth he has never committed a grave fault or borne a criminal charge—that is the supreme filial son.”

The Celestial Master sighed again: “What the Perfected One said again seems right and yet not right; this is the moderately good person, not supreme filial piety; neither excessive nor wrong. Now, with the Perfected One as teacher and disciples cultivating by the method—Perfected One, see how I will speak next. You have only reached the level of wealth, daily life, and the like; ordinary people are dull and hard to teach, and that is exactly how it is.”

Notes (to help read the original):

• Perfected One (Zhenren): In the scripture, the spirit-intermediary who questions and answers with the Celestial Master.
• Supreme good / moderate good / supreme filial piety: The text distinguishes layers—merely “keeping the law, no serious crime, supporting parents” still counts as moderately good; supreme good and supreme filial piety require a higher level (not unfolded in this passage; the Celestial Master will “carry it through for you” later).
• Level virtue, prices high and low: Wording from the scroll title; read with “unblock the foolish heart” that follows—using virtue and metaphors of market value to enlighten the dull.

This passage is a dialogue between the Celestial Master (or True Person) and a disciple, explaining what counts as an uppermost virtuous disciple (shangshan dizi)—a disciple of the highest virtue—and why people in the world so often fall short.

First section

The Celestial Master said: When people stay long in ignorance, over time they may even find uppermost virtue and filial piety strange or dismiss them. You, as son (i.e., disciple), do not measure up to those of uppermost virtue, so you must speak clearly for me about what an uppermost virtuous disciple is.

The disciple answered again and again, “Yes, yes.”

The Celestial Master said: Very well—you should still exert yourself and explain clearly what an uppermost virtuous disciple is.

Second section

The disciple said: I have already twice spoken wrongly and not matched the Celestial Master’s meaning; I dare not speak further.

The Celestial Master said: Very well—you should still exert yourself and explain. As a disciple, to see teaching yet not believe or follow it is a grave fault; but failing to reach that level has existed from antiquity to the present under Heaven. I speak calmly; you need not fear speaking wrongly again.

The disciple again said “Yes, yes,” then described himself: As a disciple, morning and evening I am deferential and careful, following the Master’s jiaochi (instruction and precepts); in speech I do not miss by a hair’s breadth, I dare not speak rashly or disturb the Master’s scriptures; in going and coming I dare not add worry for the Master. Since receiving the Master’s teaching, I dare not do what is irregular or perverse; day by day I turn toward goodness, without ill intent, not going against the Master’s heart—I take this to be an uppermost virtuous disciple.

Third section

The True Person (or Celestial Master) sighed: What you said resembles it a little, but it is not an uppermost virtuous disciple; at most it is only a middling virtuous disciple.

The disciple said: I truly do not measure up. Your humble student, seeing the Master’s strict admonition, forced myself to state three things—and all three missed the Celestial Master’s intent; the fault is heavy, and I fear the guilt cannot yet be removed.

The Celestial Master said: When ordinary people act and cannot reach the mark, so be it; you have no ill intent and no guilt. Today everyone under Heaven is greatly foolish and benighted; not one person truly understands this. Before the True Person, speaking of matters is often like this; what can one expect of worldly commoners and fools?

The disciple said: They often cannot penetrate it and trust only their own foolish hearts—that is how they are by nature. The Celestial Master pities us in every matter and has already enlightened us; I hope you will again show me where I fall short—grateful for the enlightened Master’s conduct and way (or: to understand clearly the Master’s virtue and practice).

Notes (for reading the scripture)

• Uppermost virtue / middling virtue: In Taiping Jing usage, disciples’ ranks or virtue have higher and lower levels; “uppermost virtue” stands above the disciple’s own account of “keeping precepts, obeying the Master, and not doing evil,” which the True Person treats as only “middling virtue.”
• Jiaochi: The Master’s teaching and prohibitions.
• True Person / Celestial Master: Titles in the text for the one who instructs—understood as one who has attained the Dao or who teaches on Heaven’s behalf.
• The closing line “en wei ming shi shi xing” may be corrupt or incomplete in transmitted versions; the gist is the disciple’s plea for the Master to instruct further so he may see what he has not yet reached.

“I will explain these principles to you in detail, True Person. You should apply yourself wholeheartedly and follow along as you record them.” “Yes, yes. As you command.”

“Good. The conduct of the finest ministers and common people is this: from morning to night they hold their sovereign in mind, wishing only that he be secure and at ease, anxious over any illness that might unsettle him, and above all hoping that the emperor may rule effortlessly while the realm naturally comes to order; and among the people below, none fail to take this spirit of filial devotion and kindness as their model. When they take part in governance, their joy is solely in letting the ruler sit at ease and enjoy lasting peace. Govern thus, and it accords with Heaven above, with Earth below, and in the center all the people rejoice—none wrongly implicated, none cast adrift from their posts.

(Note: at this point the received text repeats and contains corrupt passages.) Whatever moves on feet, all turns homeward with the wind. Plague and violent death cease; the myriad beings each find their place. Heaven and Earth harmonize, the three qi are all pleased, and the sovereign’s lifespan is thereby extended. The people will again seek rare arts and methods for the emperor, and hidden writings are offered up without reserve; the realm responds as one, saying, “Excellent—never has there been such a time.” From the aged to infants, none do evil; all keep to wondrous practices and present them to the emperor; receiving them, he may prolong life. All this springs from cherishing the ruler’s advancing age and from governance already aligned with Heaven’s heart—at times Heaven and Earth send spirits bearing elixirs with word of them; once taken, one never reaches the end of that time. Such is the outcome that the conduct of the finest ministers and people can draw forth. Do you understand, True Person?” “Yes, yes.”

[Appendix] All kinds of living beings that can move none fail to be transformed and nurtured along with the wind’s influence; each thing finds its proper place. Heaven and earth are harmonious and joyful, and the sovereign’s life is thereby extended. From the eldest down to infants, none any longer know how to do evil. When people under heaven cherish their ruler and fear his aging, heaven and earth are sure to send divine persons bearing numinous elixirs to inform him; the emperor takes them and his life knows no end.

“You may be said to have already awakened. Therefore in utmost antiquity the first and finest ministers and people under the Supreme Emperor acted in this way. By what means can one seek and bring about such correct governance? By this Dao—our Dao—the foremost text of utmost antiquity. The Perfected Person should deeply ponder its meaning; then you will obtain heaven’s heart-mind. I reverently receive this from heaven’s heart-mind.” (The following text repeats and is corrupt in places; the gist matches what came before: the conduct of good ministers and people is thus; by this Dao it aligns with the foremost text of utmost antiquity; when the Perfected Person deeply ponders, he obtains heaven’s heart-mind.) “Below that, for virtuous rulers I explain disasters and remove various harms. I fear heaven’s majesty and dare not fail to set forth the message in full. Heaven is about to be angry with me and has ordered that the text be entrusted to the Perfected Person—go quickly and deliver it back. When the ruler of supreme virtue receives it and governs by it, his rule will resemble heaven’s—how could it differ from heaven?”

“Excellent, excellent! Hearing the Celestial Master’s words, I know for certain that the true true Qi of Great Peace from heaven has already arrived. The means by which it is brought about—the text has already issued. How joyful—what further worry? If the people are not your charge, why when you see good are you glad, and when you see evil do you grieve? The reason is: when good Qi arrives, evil Qi is hidden; I can always be at ease and need not fear illness or injury. When evil Qi arrives, good Qi is hidden; it makes me fear disaster and dare not act—and all under heaven is the same. Therefore when I see good I am glad.”

“Excellent, your words.”

“Celestial Master, in your compassion you have already explained the method for the foremost good minister, subject, and people. I wish again to hear the art of supreme filial piety.”

“Excellent—what a fine question.〈begin〉 Indeed, the foremost good and foremost filial child, thinking that his parents are growing old, when alone in quiet places thinks of them and is often deeply anxious: how can he not obtain the art of avoiding death? He would gladly go and live with them, valuing the Dao and life over wealth—that alone. He thinks of plucked strings and mournful melodies to delight his parents, transforming their intent so they enter the Dao, gladly dwelling with them to the end of time without knowing they are old. He constantly seeks rare methods and travels far and wide. Utmost sincerity then moves heaven; he exerts his strength until he can do no more. When clothing, food, and wealth suffice, he no longer amasses treasures for later generations. Conversely, to burden his parents with worry and make them stay home guarding property instead of traveling far—that is not supreme filial piety.” (The closing sentence may blend with the earlier “travel far and wide”; the gist is that if one instead makes parents sorrowful and keeps them at home guarding the estate without going afar, that is not supreme filial piety.)

Regarding home sacrifice for deceased parents: the souls of those who have passed still feel discontent and sorrow. When offering sacrifice, do not eat the ritual meal seeking auspicious reward or merit; only urge them to care for themselves well in the netherworld and not to worry further about those still living who conduct the rites (children or the head of the household). This was called the practice of the most filial son in the Great High Antiquity of the Great Sovereign era. When word of such goodness spread in all directions, none failed to rejoice from afar, and all were glad to follow the example. From this arose ministers who were both kindly and filial toward their sovereign. That a filial child should worry for parents, and a good minister for the ruler, is as it should be. What the True Person speaks of today is merely conduct that suffices for “peace and safety”—each person only trying to preserve himself. What benefit does that bring to ruler, father, or teacher, while one still calls oneself a person of highest goodness? That is only someone who seeks protection and profit for himself in name. If even a True Person takes this as good, how much more ordinary people? Seeing only that they act carefully and keep faith, do not violate royal law, and bear no criminal charge, they cry to heaven and earth that they have not failed Heaven, ruler, father, or teacher. What you do is barely enough to preserve yourselves, yet you speak deeply of merit toward those above and wail to Heaven and earth—all such people belong to the lowest folly and cannot count as persons of highest goodness. I explain this in detail to the True Person now so that the True Person may deliver these words to a ruler of superior virtue, instruct the worthy deeply, and enable people at once to awaken and know whether their conduct is right or wrong, and whether it truly benefits ruler, father, and teacher. Since middle antiquity under the Most High, people have grown more foolish, day by day more attached to wealth (or increasingly valuing material gain), and while doing perverse things they still claim merit toward Heaven, earth, ruler, father, and teacher—such persons are greatly rebellious and devoid of reason. Does the True Person not know this? “Yes, yes.” “You may be said to have awakened. To wish to do good now is truly difficult; be careful, my child.”

The Celestial Master (Tianshi) said: “If you do not do your utmost to master this scripture of mine and use it to avert the great calamities of heaven and earth—so that the sovereign may travel without worry, the realm may be at peace, and even grass and trees rejoice—you still cannot count as a person of true supreme goodness; you are only saving yourself. When the sovereign travels without worry, the realm is at peace, and the ten thousand things rejoice, you still do not deserve the name of supreme goodness; you are merely someone who looks after your own person. On what grounds, then, can you bear heaven and earth’s heavy charge? If people wish to preserve themselves, petty folk are especially skilled at it—you know that, do you not?”

The disciple replied: “Yes, yes.”

The Celestial Master said: “You finally show a little awakening. Take care!”

The disciple replied: “Yes, yes. Today the Celestial Master, in pity for my dullness and my failure to understand the Way of life and death, grants that I may again hear how disciples of supreme goodness conduct themselves.”

The Celestial Master said: “A disciple of supreme goodness, after receiving the master’s transmission, is grateful for the master’s grace and thereby becomes fully human. Such a one can long keep company with the worthy without leaving their company; or gain office to repay parents, or enter deeply into the Way and know the art of self-cultivation. One is born through parents, formed in virtue through the master, and honored through the ruler. When alone, reflecting that ruler, father, and master will grow old with nothing adequate to offer in return, one often thinks of seeking wondrous formulas and extraordinary texts for the master as repayment for his merit; at that thought the heart aches, yet no such rare method can be obtained. Therefore one goes further to serve and defer to the worthy, entrusting them with one’s master so they may speak on one’s behalf, or cause the master to rise as a fine assistant beneficial to the sovereign’s governance—only then is one a disciple of supreme goodness in primordial antiquity. Later ages’ enlightened rulers and worthies also call such people persons of supreme goodness and True Persons (Zhenren). For now I will speak of what is easy to teach: strictly maintain trustworthiness and sincerity. From this day forward, if you still do not fulfill the master’s intent, you count only as an obedient disciple who cares for completing yourself alone.”

What benefit is there in opposing your superiors, yet still calling yourself a good disciple? What the True Person speaks of is valuing good words and conduct; yet foolish people in the world often claim they have rendered great service to their master—this is entirely wrong. Whether one is a minister or a disciple, failure to obey the commands of one’s ruler, father, or master should all count as the grave crime of disloyalty and rebellion; such a person can no longer be called good. The good subjects, good ministers, and good disciples of whom the True Person speaks are those whose actions truly match these names. How foolish! What is meant by “good”? Worldly people are benighted; each alone thinks he already understands. A son who will not follow his father, a minister who will not follow his ruler, a disciple who will not follow his master—all should be guilty of the great crime of rebellion and can no longer be called good. The good subjects, good ministers, and good disciples of whom the True Person speaks are those whose actions truly match these names. How foolish! What is meant by “good”? Worldly people are benighted; each alone thinks he has understood for a long time. Now when they are bound by the True Person’s words, their true situation is known: they have strayed from the right path, entered falsity and perversity, and have been deluded for a very long time! Therefore Heaven alone knows this deeply; hence it is angry and displeased, and disasters follow one after another, piling up—this is the reason. Those whose words and deeds are like the True Person’s and who can preserve themselves without fault yet claim they have merit toward Heaven and Earth and toward others—this is extreme folly; you must be all the more careful. Your words have not yet fully accorded with the heart of Heaven; that is why I have the True Person say these things—not for any other reason. I only wish to observe worldly people’s gains and losses: what counts as a great fault? So I have you speak, to see whether your judgment is right or wrong. Do you truly understand?” “Yes, yes.” “Good—you have awakened. At the beginning, when you first awakened and became a True Person, I did not wish to speak with you. Seeing you so diligent and daily turning toward the good, I have therefore talked with you at length, explaining the meaning of Heaven and Earth and resolving what emperors worry over, what the people suffer as injustice, and where the myriad things lose their proper order. Now that I have set forth the dharma words and their meaning for you and hold nothing back, you need only strive to remember them.”

The disciple answered again and again, “Yes, yes.”

The Celestial Master said: “In the past I have met many disciples, yet I could not speak with them at length, so I never finished explaining the Way; my Dao has never been casually passed on to others—do you understand?” “Yes, yes.”

“Go; you will understand in time.” “Yet the Celestial Master, in pity for your disciple, has let us hear words spoken plainly—when the ruler is wise, ministers are the more loyal; when the master is clear-sighted, disciples are the more able to speak straight without concealment.”

“Well said. You have grasped the meaning; act according to these words.”

“Today under heaven, are there truly methods for becoming an immortal who does not die, and recipes for keeping the face from aging? Can they really be obtained?”

“A good question. They can be obtained.” The Celestial Master sighed: “Heaven’s intent! You speak rightly; having understood, go and practice.”

(The Perfected One asked again; the Celestial Master still answered: They can be obtained.)

The Celestial Master continued: “In heaven are stored elixirs of immortality without death, as numerous as grain in the state granaries; immortal garments, as numerous as plain cloth in the Grand Steward’s storehouses; lodges of the immortals, as numerous as official quarters in a county yamen. They dwell constantly by the Great Dao, and so can enter the celestial realm. The Great Dao means being able to dwell in the lodges transmitted by the spirits; one who has De and the Way is like one who lodges in the relay station at the county yamen where envoys rest.”

“Heaven is not stingy with immortal garments and recipes for immortality, but they are not lightly given to people. If one has no great merit toward heaven and earth, cannot govern great calamities of heaven and earth, cannot harmonize the qi of yin and yang, and benefits neither sun, moon, and stars, nor the four seasons, the Five Phases, nor the spirits of heaven and earth, heaven will not grant him recipes for immortality or immortal garments. These are given only to those of exceptional endowment who have achieved great merit. Do you wish to know the general situation? It is like a sovereign who has grain in the great storehouses and silks in the Grand Steward’s treasury. However many pecks and bushels of grain are in the great storehouse, one without merit or virtue cannot obtain even a single sheng; …” (The following passage in the original repeats here; the gist remains that those without virtue and merit must not presumptuously take what is in the storehouse.)

When people commit wrongs, they are brought into prison to stand trial, and officials punish them according to the charges. That is clear proof. People today truly do evil and fail to accord with Heaven’s will, so Heaven does not release the complete formulas of potent medicine. Instead it lets ghosts, spirits, and numinous beings investigate and scourge those who behave without propriety, so illness never stops and deaths are many. It is like local officials suppressing disorder: many convicts in the jails and many sudden deaths — that is exactly the idea.

Those who have rendered great service to the sovereign have ample palaces and sufficient grain, cloth, and silk, and can always obtain food and clothing. The ruler’s position ought to mean governing together with good people at all times — why be stingy? The ruler’s duty is to pacify and govern the world together with all worthy and gentle people. When a ruler has no worthy ministers, a father has no filial sons, or a teacher has no obedient, good disciples, the grief is beyond words. That is why in high antiquity the Three Sovereigns ruled through effortless non-action, without affairs or worry. Ministers were diligent and good, cared for their lord, and truly cherished him; only then did they dare help the lord pacify the world, and they also sought heavenly formulas of immortality for him, so the lord attained long life. When merit was great, those of great merit could still reign effortlessly with nothing to do; diligent, worthy ministers worried for their lord, helped pacify the world, again sought immortal formulas for him, and the lord attained long life. When merit was extremely great, lord and ministers both ascended as immortals, jointly governing affairs in Heaven, and Heaven again provided their food and clothing — that is a clear effect, not empty talk.

From middle antiquity onward, people often envied and blocked the true Dao, and further deceived one another with false paths, making people foolish so that worthy persons were few. Hence rulers and ministers were often miserable, could not pacify the world, and often did not live long. It is not only people today who are at fault; this has gone on for a long time, and perhaps the great blame lies here — would you not know this?

“Yes, yes.”

“Therefore in Heaven today wondrous formulas and immortal garments are stored in numbers beyond counting, but without great merit one cannot obtain them. It is like someone who has official residence, houses, money, grain, cloth, and silk under the county: one should always dwell in accord with the Great Dao and, as head of the household, not flee into hiding.”

This passage explains that whether one has merit (gongde) shows up directly in whether one can obtain even basic food and clothing—those without merit cannot get so much as a peck of grain, a single coin, or a strip of cloth; that is plain to see. So from high antiquity through the middle ages, the true Dao grew scarcer day by day, and the path to genuine long life and immortality became harder and harder to attain.

When someone occasionally lives extraordinarily long, that person is among the rare few who reach great age. Why? Where authentic virtue and the Dao abound, upright qi (zhengqi) is plentiful, so people fall ill less often and live longer; where false writings and doctrines multiply, perverse qi (xieqi) increases, so people sicken more easily and struggle to live long—that is the natural order of heaven and earth.

In antiquity, ministers in the age of the Three Sovereigns mostly practiced the true Dao, so their rulers also lived long; in the age of the Five Emperors, less true Dao remained among ministers, and rulers did not match the Three Sovereigns in longevity; by the age of the Three Kings, true Dao was rarer still, already below the Five Emperors; in the age of the Five Hegemons, ministers cared most for fame, profit, and polished falsehood, with scarcely a trace of true Dao, so rulers often died young—again, clear evidence. Those who still lived long were again only the rare few. Hold these lessons firmly in mind.

(The other party replies: Yes, yes.)

Therefore the sage diviners of old judged whether the omens they received were good or evil and thus knew whether rule was safe or dangerous, auspicious or inauspicious: if the omen matched the writings of the highest goodness, governance had already reached its peak; if it matched middling writings, that was like a person of the middle rank; if it matched lower writings, that was like someone of the lowest rank.

What counts as upper, middle, and lower?

If the writing received resembles that of the Three Sovereigns, it is upper; if it resembles the Five Emperors, it is middle; if it resembles the Three Kings, it is middle leaning large toward the lower band; if it resembles the Five Hegemons, it is lowest.

On what basis can writing be ranked high or low?

You ask well.

This passage explains levels of governance (ruling state or household) and how rise and fall relate to heavenly response.

Three levels of governance

• Highest approach: Do not rely on punishments; let people restrain themselves and turn toward goodness on their own—then order comes naturally.
• Middle approach: Rely on issuing teachings and commands so that people feel some fear and follow to a modest degree.
• Lower approach: Rely on light penalties and small punishments to control people—already middling-to-low or worse.

When there are many commands but only the shell remains, emptiness passed off as substance, when one departs from the correct law, documents are ornate and empty, affairs are handled with abusive punishment, and there is much crooked writing but no true Way to uphold—that is hegemonic rule and the worst outcome. The sages of old could tell good from bad simply by seeing whether one received the teaching and command heaven bestowed.

Who conveys the teaching and how it is verified

Question: I wish to hear who should carry the teaching forth.

Answer: Sometimes it is because worthy persons are born in that age to assist in governance—just as when a household is about to prosper, it surely produces worthy sons. Sometimes the Yellow River and Luo River yield responsive texts and prophetic charts as credential documents (quan shu)—that is the meaning.

Decline contrasted with ascent

• When a household or ruler is about to decline: Heaven does not produce worthy assistants for them; descendants do not value genuine virtue and the Way (Dao), but favor flattery, falsity, and empty show, and practice merit-seeking, sexual misconduct, and heterodox methods—then the family path turns chaotic and ill-fated.
• When a household or noble person is about to rise: They surely seek true virtue and the Way, and marvelous texts and extraordinary formulas that can save themselves; when the noble person is about to rise, Heaven surely grants true writing, true Way, and true virtue, and appoints good people to govern with them. The Yellow River and Luo still give instruction from time to time; disasters grow fewer day by day, auspicious responses increase day by day, and good omens multiply—such are the signs.

(In the text, “wei wei” is a reply meaning “yes, as you command.”)

They said, “Excellent! Excellent!” And again: “Go—the True Person must strive in earnest. That will merit Heaven and help the Lord of Virtue grow clear and enlightened.”

The True Person asked, “What does that mean?”

The other answered, “If you wish to perform great service for Heaven, you are already one who has left the world behind. If in governing the age you win no praise, how can you merit Heaven?”

He asked again, “What should be done now?”

The answer: “Simply deliver the scripture to the Lord of Virtue. The Lord of Virtue is Heaven’s son, in accord with Heaven’s heart. He should use these principles of governance to answer Heaven’s heavy charge and establish great merit, thereby settling the realm and preserving himself—and you too will receive good fortune and a long life secured.”

The True Person said, “Good. I shall obey faithfully.”

They said, “Go. The teaching of the Three Actions is finished. Let this serve as a model for all worthies and common people; those in later ages who wish to do good should all act in this way.”

They added, “This must not mean seeking private gain alone. Those who care only for profit and benefit only themselves, yet call it doing good, fail the Celestial Lord and their father-teachers above.”

They added again, “The conduct of those people the True Person spoke of can still be weighed in the middle and is tolerable to discuss; as for the lowest fools, wicked nature and wicked deeds pile up beyond counting. To hand the book to people of the later age—each must deeply examine and verify his own course of action—what good does that do the Celestial Lord and the father-teachers? Their tracks only multiply, yet each seeks blessing and profit for himself alone. Heaven knows the human heart well; that is why those who suffer affliction in the world are so many.”

The dull student said, “Good. This dull one, having seen Heaven’s heart and the master’s words, is now greatly awakened.”

They said, “You may be called one who awakens easily. Today most are deeply foolish; they trust only their own foolish heart and no longer trust anyone else’s words—the fault lies there. Ruining the Dao of Heaven and embittering the sovereign kings begins with these lowest fools. They instead envy the true Dao and virtuous conduct and say those who walk the path are unworthy, while trusting hearts devoid of humanity. Heaven sickens at this; therefore it had me, this lord of highest virtue, compose this text, so people may bring themselves to goodness, settle their persons, and peace their governance. Those who obtain Heaven’s heart—the ancient Great High Sovereign and lord were thickly aligned with Heaven through just this. Does the True Person understand?”

Answer: “I obey faithfully.”

(Celestial Master) Go. You understand now; you may leave. On the road, keep turning this over in your mind.

(True Person) Yes, yes. I wish to ask one thing more.

(Celestial Master) You already know what it means to attain the Heavenly Mind (tianxin); you may go and reflect well.

(True Person) Yes, yes. I still wish to ask a little about the way of governance: one who attains the Heavenly Mind—in the most ancient age, the noblest kings’ closeness to Heaven was exactly shown in this. Does the True Person understand?

(Celestial Master) Yes, yes.

(True Person) Yes, yes. I wish to ask one thing more.

(Celestial Master) Speak.

(True Person) Celestial Master, when you expound this corpus of ritual and teaching, why are the articles so many and so detailed?

(Celestial Master) A good question. Inquiry like yours can be said already to grasp the original intent of the Dao. Under Heaven, people’s liking for good and evil and their grasp of righteousness are broadly the same, yet their motives and methods differ. Hence the Dao is “great sameness with small differences”—the same matter can be unfolded at ten thousand, one thousand, five hundred, or twenty-character levels of discourse; only then can one barely say the Way of Heaven (tiandao) is made a little clear, and the kingly Way (wangdao) somewhat complete. If one tried to write into this one book everything above and below Heaven and earth, the eight directions and six harmonies, inside and out, the book could never hold it all. Does the True Person know?

(True Person) Yes, yes.

(Celestial Master) Go. You understand. Entrust this book to a ruler of virtue and morality (de), have him promulgate it, and let ordinary people compare their own gains and losses in conduct, using that to dispel disasters and illness in the realm, to settle the emperor, and to bring great order and Great Peace (taiping) to the world. Does the True Person understand?

(True Person) Yes, yes.

(Celestial Master) Go. Urge yourself on; do not be negligent.

(True Person) Yes, yes.

(Right title) Distinguishing lord and minister, father and son, teacher and disciple, so people may know the divinatory methods for good and evil and for gains and losses in conduct.

“Winning People Through the Dao, Not Through Awe” — Chapter Sixty-Four

(Celestial Master) True Person, come forward. Should ordinary people rely on severity, intimidation, scheming, and crafty power—using imposing force to subdue others? That cannot be right, can it? Speak carefully yourself.

(True Person) … (awaiting reply)

Note for readers: In this text, tianxin (Heavenly Mind) means a heart and governance aligned with Heaven’s will; daode zhi jun means a ruler who governs all under Heaven through virtue and morality; datong er xiaoyi (great sameness with small differences) means the great Way is one, while concrete precepts are spelled out differently according to person and circumstance; jue here means a chapter of instruction in numbered, mnemonic form. The divination mentioned in the right title uses omens so each may see good and evil and gains and losses proper to their station. The title of Chapter Sixty-four means that people should be brought to submit through the Dao, not through terror and coercion.

Therefore, people in the late ancient age were hard to govern in advance or retreat, and schemes and fraud were many. Heaven governs by the Dao, so celestial signs are clear and the three lights—sun, moon, and stars—shine pure; earth governs by De, so it can bear insult and carry weight; people rely on harmony to govern, so advance and retreat are more flexible, but words shift and lack a fixed standard—also for this reason.

Heaven’s orthodox position is at the beginning, earth’s orthodox position is in the middle, and humanity’s orthodox position is lowest. When one reaches the bottom one must turn upward: when the three qi reach the lower extreme, the lower extreme should turn upward and return—return to the Dao and one attains great peace, resembling heaven; return to De and it is middling peace, resembling earth; return to harmony and one gets only small disorder, resembling people; if one returns to severity, cunning, and punishments, then daily disorder follows, resembling a hegemonic lord, and punishments rise greatly. Yet today the True Man reverses this and says one should use severity and cunning—this confuses heaven’s meaning.

Question: The Celestial Master says one should not rely on severity and punishments—so why does heaven sometimes send thunder and lightning to strike and take human lives?

Answer: Well asked—you grasp the point. The taking of life is because those whom human lords hold in honor do evil and use it to swap blame onto the innocent; people even of high regard may in turn eat with the six domestic animals, so heaven corrects them and also assists those who submit to being eaten by others—people hate that. So throughout the realm, great or small, whoever lightly wrongs the innocent is seen to be corrected, while those who pity and assist those who submit to others are favored. The noble person who overcomes those who submit should do so with Dao and De, not by raiding, harming, overpowering, or wronging others. Severity and cunning can only subdue the unformed; they cannot with Dao and De subdue those who wish to be without the Dao—apply this at present.

This is like the Thunder Lord going after “shapeless people” (those without proper standing, who break rules and cannot be handled by ordinary law)—even that cannot be done every day. To subdue shapeless people with virtue and power often fails; those who would act recklessly ought to understand this. The Thunder Lord catching shapeless people was never meant as a routine method.

If governance goes against the “heart of Heaven” (what Heaven expects in the way of rightness and fairness), and one wishes to align with the mind of Heaven and Earth, one must practice the Dao and De. So the ancient sages valued winning people over through the Dao, De, benevolence, and benefit—not through harsh punishments, terror, and intimidation.

If one uses crooked means and false majesty to frighten people, the “Upper Sovereign’s great peace qi” from Heaven will not come to aid rule. Why? Because those who govern do not understand principle, or grievances are great and people are afraid to speak—like a robber taking someone’s clothes: the person knows it is wrong but dares not say so, and instead calls the robber “general” or “lord above”—that is the kind of situation meant. Or someone is weak and cannot manage on their own and also dares not speak; all of this is called blockage and obstruction, and it makes yin and yang and the weather of Heaven out of harmony.

Heaven appoints the human ruler to strengthen the strong and help the weak; yet corrupt officials use harsh awe to scare people and cunning fraud to alarm them. When the great peace qi arrives and a ruler of virtue governs, even then one fears that such conduct will disturb upright qi—so these words are shown to the Perfected One, handed to the ruler of upper virtue, and also shown to the worthy and the ordinary person, so officials and people may examine their own governance and respond in ways that benefit those above. Take care not to confuse and ruin this.

(Asked the Perfected One:) “Does the Perfected One understand?” Answer: “Yes, yes.”

(Said:) “Good—you are awakened. Go, and always be careful in what you say; do not speak rashly—Heaven is not like people (who can be deceived or fooled).” Answer: “Yes, yes.”

“Ordinary people cannot compare with those who love to ask.” Answer: “Yes, yes.”

Right: The Method of Distinguishing, Overcoming, and Aligning with What Heaven, Earth, Humans, Ghosts, and Spirits Reject and Support

(This section explains how to distinguish, how to prevail, and how to align with the laws of what heaven, earth, humans, ghosts, and spirits each reject and what they support.)

Scroll 48 · Formula 65 on the Mutual Penetration of the Three Harmonies

Disciple Chunjin bowed again and asked: “May I ask about one matter.”

The Perfected One asked: “What is it that you doubt?”

Chunjin said: “Morning and evening I study and return; I often stay in quiet places, turning the main points over in my mind, not daring to slacken. Now I see in the Celestial Master’s writings frequent mention that ‘the qi of Supreme Sovereign Great Peace is about to arrive,’ yet I do not understand: What is meant by ‘shang’ (supreme/above)? What by ‘huang’ (sovereign)? What by ‘tai’ (great)? What by ‘ping’ (peace)? What by ‘qi’?”

The Perfected One asked: “What exactly do you see at this moment, and where does your doubt lie, that you would ask all these subtle, weighty meanings at once?”

Chunjin replied: “Because the Celestial Master’s books repeatedly speak of the coming of the qi of Supreme Sovereign Great Peace, yet I cannot grasp the main point. I fear that after the Perfected One’s instructions I may still have no way to know, so I dare to ask everything.”

The Perfected One said: “Excellent! Your words must not be changed for ten thousand generations. The time when the Dao is utmost, De is great, and benevolence is flourishing has arrived; August Heaven and the spirits delight to see people hasten to act, so celestial qi stirs your heart and moves you to come morning and evening to ask. The law of Heaven is clear and bright—I find it very remarkable.”

Chunjin replied: “Yes.”

The Perfected One said: “Perfected ones, sit at ease; I will analyze the meaning of each character for you so it may flow on without end. First the character for ‘shang’ (above): one horizontal stroke forms the base; in the middle another vertical stroke rises straight up; above it embraces another single horizontal ‘one’; the three unite in upward movement and do not go downward again—hence it is called ‘shang,’ for in meaning nothing is higher. Turn ‘shang’ upside down and you get ‘xia’ (below): likewise one stroke and a vertical in the middle, embracing downward another ‘one’; the movement runs down and may not rise again—hence ‘xia.’”

“If the mind and will always wish to go downward, in time one reaches the lowest point, with nothing lower still—like turbid qi that delights to gather below and become earth; earth is lowest, with nothing lower. The character ‘shang’ always moves upward and may not go down—like clear qi that delights to rise upward and become heaven; heaven is above, with nothing higher. Therefore heaven’s law is that names each have their character and each have their fixed place; all things under heaven are likewise.”

Opening: Therefore when sages establish laws and standards, they all model themselves on the mind of Heaven in doing so.

Thus the way Heaven establishes laws and standards is that each designation corresponds to a single written form, each with a fixed meaning; the myriad affairs under Heaven likewise follow this principle.

Opening: Therefore when sages legislate, they all take Heaven’s mind as their model. Shouyi (holding fast to the “One” as the root foundation) and delight in “shang” (above) and “bu” (divination): bu means to inquire; to be constantly pleased to move upward and to inquire without ceasing is the greatest good fortune and the highest path. Hence in the character for “shang,” that horizontal stroke runs straight upward and carries the sense of “bu.” When the character for “xia” (below) is written, the lower stroke is also “bu”; bu is inquiry—one should always keep the spirit of inquiry. If one only moves downward, one reaches the extreme where there is nowhere further to go; therefore those who delight only in adding to what is below can no longer return to “shang.” Closing: Thus the character “shang” often has no vertical stroke for “shang” (or alternatively: the basic meaning of “shang” lies in what is above)—meaning that its governance should day by day move upward, in accord with Heaven’s mind; above it there is nothing higher.

“Excellent! Compassionate master, please explain the character ‘huang’ for me again.”

“The character huang: in one day one becomes wang (king). The upper stroke in ri (sun) stands for tian (Heaven); Heaven is numbered as yi (One); when Heaven receives the sun it shines brightly and one may become king—so yi, ri, and wang together form the character huang. Yi is Heaven; Heaven is also the sovereign lord; ri is also a sovereign lord; wang is also a sovereign lord; three sovereign lords combined make the character, named huang. Huang means that its divine light is splendid and bright, illuminating the world—hence this name. Yi is Heaven; Heaven is also sovereign lord; ri is also sovereign lord; wang is also sovereign lord; three sovereign lords together form huang. Huang is first under Heaven; nothing can stand above it.” Closing

Appendix: The character huang: in one day one becomes wang. The upper stroke is Heaven’s number; receiving yi and the illumination of ri, one then shines greatly and becomes wang; yi, ri, and wang compose huang. Yi is Heaven; Heaven is also sovereign; ri is the sovereign’s virtue; wang is also sovereign lord; three sovereign lords together make huang, expressing flourishing virtue shining brilliantly—first under Heaven, with nothing higher above.

The disciple said: Excellent! I earnestly ask the teacher to explain by means of the character huang (Great Peace); I wish to hear what “Great Peace Qi” actually refers to.

The teacher explained: “Tai” means “great”—it speaks of accumulating great conduct like heaven; in all matters the great is valued, and nothing is greater than heaven. “Ping” means governing with utmost fairness—everything is put in order so that deceit and selfishness no longer remain; ping also resembles earth’s position below, presiding over balance: earth upholds fairness, just as when people plant good they reap good and when they plant evil they reap evil; when others treat one well and exert themselves to help, one’s goods increase; when others treat one ill, one’s goods are few and turn bad. “Qi” means heaven’s qi descends in joyful accord to give birth, and earth’s qi rises in smooth delight to nourish; the qi’s pattern moves through heaven above and earth below, yin and yang meet each other and interweave into harmony, joining with central harmony qi as three together to jointly nurture all ordinary things; the three qi love each other and connect, no longer harming one another. Therefore: tai is great, ping is rectitude, and qi chiefly nurtures through communication and harmony; obtaining this to govern yields Great Peace and harmony, and great rectitude—hence it is said Great Peace qi has arrived.

The disciple asked again: Excellent! Does this mean only that heaven, earth, and central harmony qi ought to unite, connect, and govern together? Must everything have the three unite and work as one?

The teacher answered: Excellent! You have obtained heaven’s law; when a king or emperor models himself on it to govern, it is nearly like the divine. I will now explain in detail for the True Person; please follow and record.

The disciple: Yes, yes.

Primordial Qi connects with the natural great harmony qi, joining strength with one heart; at that time, in vagueness and trance, form and substance had not yet appeared—the three qi condensed and jointly gave birth to heaven and earth. Heaven and earth connect with central harmony, joining strength with one heart, and jointly give birth to all ordinary things. Ordinary things connect with the three lights of sun, moon, and stars, joining strength with one heart, and jointly illuminate heaven and earth. Ordinary things, the five phases’ firm and yielding qualities connect with central harmony, joining strength with one heart, and jointly complete the myriad things. The qi of the four seasons, yin and yang connect with heaven, earth, and central harmony, joining strength with one heart, and jointly bring forth the benefit of heaven, earth, and the myriad things. Early spring, mid-spring, and late spring (and so on) connect with one another, joining strength with one heart, each jointly completing one aspect. Earth’s high, low, and level connect with one another, joining strength with one heart, and jointly produce and nourish the things of heaven and earth. Creeping creatures, male and female unite, then mutually generate harmony and connection, joining strength with one heart, to pass on their kind. Men and women connect with one another, joining strength with one heart, and jointly beget children. Three people connect with one another, joining strength with one heart, and jointly govern one household. Ruler, minister, and people connect with one another, joining strength with one heart, and jointly complete one state. All of these root in primordial qi, nature, and the mandate heaven and earth confer. In every matter the three must connect—only then can the Dao be accomplished.

[Appendix]

“Tai” means “great,” referring to vast accumulation comparable to Heaven—nothing is greater than Heaven. “Ping” means that governance must be thoroughly fair and even: all matters are properly ordered so that nothing remains out of balance, like Earth resting below and holding level ground. It is also like people planting and harvesting—sowing good yields good fruit, sowing evil yields evil retribution; those who labor diligently receive their due reward, rich or poor according to their deeds.

Heaven’s qi tends to descend; Earth’s qi tends to ascend. When the two meet, they form harmonizing qi (Zhonghe zhi qi), mutually sustaining and nourishing the ten thousand things without harming one another—hence it is called Taiping (Great Peace). Heaven and Earth unite in harmony of heart and jointly give birth to the myriad beings. When man and woman are of one heart, they beget children; when father, mother, and child share one heart, they complete a household; when ruler, ministers, and people are of one heart, they complete a state.

All things must coexist and harmonize with one another. Heaven, earth, and humanity—or yin, yang, and He (harmony)—must stay in constant mutual connection, join their strength with one heart, and together bear the same responsibility and accomplish the same task. If any one of the three is missing, the work cannot succeed and misfortune follows instead.

Life cannot be sustained by yang alone; governance too will perish if only yang is present. Nor can life be sustained by yin alone; governance will likewise perish if only yin is present. When yin and yang both exist but He—adjustment and cooperative balance—is absent, lineages cannot be passed on and extinction follows as well.

With heaven but no earth, the myriad things have nowhere to settle. With earth but no heaven, the myriad things cannot come forth and grow. When heaven and earth are joined yet lack He, the myriad things cannot mutually nourish one another or preserve themselves. Thus a man cannot raise children by himself, nor a woman nurture them alone; man and woman must unite before children can be born—otherwise how could there be a household or the name of parents? The Law of Heaven (Tianfa) requires all three to come together in one place before completion is possible.

The sages of old deeply understood these conditions of the Dao of Heaven (Tiandao). They used images to mirror governance: the sovereign is like a father, corresponding to Heaven; the minister is like a mother, corresponding to Earth; the common people are like children, corresponding to He (harmony). According to the law ordained by Heaven, every troubled or mixed group ought to achieve threefold unity (sanhe)—mutual connection among the three—so that with one heart and combined effort they can jointly govern one affair, complete one household, and form one body. This is Heaven’s arrangement: mutual dependence, none dispensable.

When a matter carries unresolved grievance yet each party “gets its place,” the result is threefold ruin and threefold misfortune (san hui san xiong). Therefore the sovereign needs ministers, ministers need the people, and the people also need the sovereign and need ministers—only then can one affair be accomplished. If one element is lacking, none of the three can stand. Without people and without ministers, it is hard to call anyone truly sovereign in name and fact. With ministers and people but no sovereign, a complete minister-and-people order cannot be formed. When ministers and people lack a sovereign, disorder arises; they cannot govern themselves and cannot become good ministers and people. The three rely on one another to stand and match one another to succeed. Hence sovereign, minister, and people should accord with the Law of Heaven, connect in threefold unity, work together with one will, and become one household.

This passage explains that ruler, ministers, and people must work together—none can be dispensed with—just as the law of Heaven and Earth requires all three in alignment for things to succeed. Therefore ruler, officials, and common people should take Heaven’s Way as their model: the three levels connect, share one purpose, and form a single household. It is like husband, wife, and children in one family—each role is indispensable. That is a cardinal rule of Heaven’s Way.

It is also like a person needing head, feet, and belly to make a whole body; no part may be casually removed. Remove one and the body is incomplete—not truly human. That is Heaven and Earth’s fixed order. Hence the ancient sages took Heaven as their standard: a man must take a virtuous, compliant wife to keep the household together, so that he may have good children. Here the man stands for the ruler, the woman for the minister, the child for the people. Heaven’s arrangement for governing is that the ruler rely on worthy, clear-sighted ministers as support; with a good wife (virtuous spouse) one can properly nurture children, and with good ministers one can properly lead the people. A good wife bears good children; good ministers produce good subjects; when people and ministers turn toward goodness, the ruler above can long remain at peace.

If a True Person (Zhenren) wishes to know how this works in practice, consider again Heaven as ruler, Earth as minister: rain falls everywhere—where it falls on good soil, good things grow; where it falls on bad soil, bad things grow. The relation of ruler, minister, and people follows the same pattern.

Today parents, rulers, and officials often merely share one broad framework of order—and that is all. In truth, in the large sense they depend on children and the people to supply food and clothing. Without children, lineage ends; if a ruler has too few people, food and clothing fall short and hearts stay anxious and bitter. Therefore to govern a state takes the people as root: without the common people, ruler and ministers have nothing to govern and nothing to manage. So the great sages of old, governing together, from morning to evening treated the people as the most urgent matter and worried for them. It is like parents in a home worrying over having no son—without a son, how can they be called parents? Without the people, ruler and ministers likewise have nothing to rule and nothing to order. That is why the sages of old, in joint rule, made the people their sole urgency and grieved for them—the reason lies here.

Suppose parents fret over having no son—without a son, how can they be called parents? Without the people, how can one be called a monarch? Heaven’s constant way therefore makes monarch, ministers, and commoners share one fate, one fortune and misfortune alike; whenever any office or affair leaves the right track, great disaster follows.

Since middle antiquity the norms of governing the realm have largely fallen out of order; abuses have stacked layer on layer, and those born later have swallowed poison all the deeper—because ruler, ministers, and people did not counsel together, did not think deeply, did not treat one another with kindness and open hearts, did not join in one will, but turned instead to mutual grief and resentment. The monarch is one man, walled deep in the palace; wrongs from the four quarters knot up while truth cannot rise; rule cannot match Heaven’s intent; strange signs and calamities pile up without clearing. What Heaven means to say the ruler cannot know—that is where great disaster takes root; unless all three sides pull together, wisdom is cut off and perverse influences knot and cannot be straightened.

Upward this becomes August Heaven’s great foe; downward the great Earth’s great reproach; for the emperor a great sorrow; disasters swarm without end; for the people a great harm, for the ten thousand things a great sickness—this has piled up alone for very long, and is not only the fault of people under heaven today and in recent ages.

(The True Person asks:) August Heaven’s great foe, the great Earth’s great reproach, the emperor’s great sorrow, disasters heaped without release, great harm to the people, great sickness among the ten thousand things—this has accumulated alone for long, not only the fault of people under heaven today and in antiquity—does the True Person know this as well?

Heaven intends to send down the qi of Great Peace to govern the world, but this must align with the Heart of Heaven; if it does not align, calamity and evil arise on their own, whereas when it aligns, evil naturally vanishes altogether. That is why celestial emissaries and perfected persons explain the principle clearly, so people may correct their faults and produce upright, genuine writings; the perfected ones also come especially to inquire into the matter—disorder arises from this very point: it is not like the natural pattern of heaven and earth’s primordial qi (yuanqi), because the three qi do not mutually connect (Heaven, Earth, and humanity—the three qi flowing through above and below), and all are not united in effort and of one mind (above and below pulling together as one), and so things turn out this way. If the three qi connect and above and below share one mind, then Great Peace and Great Joy (the rule of universal peace and rejoicing) can be established, without disaster or harm.

Question: Then how should governance proceed? Answer: One must urgently model the law of Heaven (take Heaven’s pattern as the model for all affairs)—Heaven’s law requires that in all things there be threefold joint effort and one heart. Heaven takes the three luminaries (sun, moon, and stars) as its “writing”; the three luminaries constantly connect and shine together, without interruption. Since the heavenly charter (the talisman-contract Heaven bestows, the credential of the mandate) appeared, people have used writing as culture to govern, likewise modeling Heaven’s three luminaries; therefore Heaven from time to time causes the Hetu and Luoshu (River Chart and Luo Writing, regarded in antiquity as Heaven-sent numerology and signs of civil order) to appear, again confirming in writing the pattern of culture. The aim is to make people gladly act in Heaven’s image, penetrating to the utmost the divine pattern of governance, so that good increases day by day and evil is extinguished day by day.

The meaning of writing is that documents must follow writing on three paths (Heaven, Earth, and humanity—each path with its own correspondence in writing and in qi). The ruler should skillfully guide subordinates, issue clear edicts and instructions, and teach the people each to keep their place and submit writings upward, reporting all good and evil they hear or know truthfully. One may send couriers, entrust a traveler to deliver them, bring them by cart, or come in person giving one’s name—the rule is thus, and good and evil throughout the world can all be made visible. The ruler guides heavenly qi downward in connection; ministers guide earthly qi upward in connection; the people guide harmonizing qi upward in connection. The perfected one transmits the writing to the ruler who possesses virtue; the ruler should carefully heed its words, and then peace can be established, joy can be established, portents and disasters can be wholly removed, not missing by the weight of a speck. This writing is reverently received from Heaven’s law; it is not empty invention or false speech. Heaven punishes and slays my children—I know too that this is severe banishment.—Yes, yes: portents and disasters removed, not missing by a speck.

My book is received in reverence for the Heavenly law; it is not empty show or false talk. When Heaven intends to execute my son, you know as well that this is a severe heavenly punishment, do you not? “Yes, yes.” “If you wish to obtain my book, believe and accept it and you will be able to keep charge of it; it will resound in response with Heaven and Earth — that is why my words are trustworthy. With verification so clear and great, there is no need for doubt. The Way of governing the state finds its joy in gaining Heaven’s heart and resting in peace; to practice only this effect and resound in response with Heaven is the clear warrant of Heaven and humanity in dialogue. I only see that Perfected Ones are always glad to assist rulers who possess De, wishing to repay Heaven’s great merit — hence I add a word or two more. I know where they fail: blockage and lack of communication … in obtaining the book. The ruler should establish clear teachings and good decrees. Say that from now on officials and commoners should each remain in their place, strive to submit memorials, fully report good and evil, so as to clarify the sage king’s governance and connect with heavenly qi, and must not block one another — whoever blocks shall be held liable for that offense for three years. As for those who alone submit memorials in full sincerity, with no deceptive writing: say that they shall be summoned and given office. What does giving office mean? Ask each what talents and strengths they have, and assign duties according to the limit of their physical capacity. Why assign only what their strength can bear? When Heaven employs people, each is used according to capacity; if one does not use them according to talent and capacity, it is called wrongly harming people — then again one ties up qi and increases calamity. The reason is this: what lies beyond a person’s reach, even from birth to death, they still cannot accomplish. What people now delight in — they delight above all in obtaining fine things, gold and jade. Suppose an enlightened ruler teaches, saying: “If someone could with a wave of the hand obtain all the gold, silver, and strange precious things of every county under Heaven, not exceeding what is due you, and give them all to you” — that person would be overjoyed to receive them; yet if their strength does not reach the goods, even with both hands bound and worn to ruin, they still cannot obtain them. Now, as parent and ruler of the people, when you are about to assign your ministers and subjects to office, if you do not assign according to what they excel at, it is like killing them outright — you still cannot manage their duties; you only empty disorder into the official ranks and bitterly afflict the people.

When offices are in disorder and the people and officials are full of grief, people will lift their faces to heaven and cry out their wrongs; when those grievances reach heaven, heaven in turn sends down more strange disasters and portents. That is why the sages of old sought to align with heaven’s heart and were especially careful in appointing officials, so that each person’s heart was suited to his post and thus matched heaven’s heart. What does it mean to match heaven’s heart? When government responds to the people, and officials daily do good and keep faith and serve loyally, that is proof; promoting such people in due season is helping the state gain those who match heaven’s heart. There are also those who only seek pleasure; once they grab a name and get office, their actions fail, they do not match heaven’s heart, and there is no proof. The ruler, receiving heaven’s heart to govern, ought to match it; not matching is fault. When rule brings no good response, such people should be removed and made to reflect on their faults; then heaven is pleased, and all under heaven are loyal and trustworthy and give their utmost. Even in distant places, hearing this, none dare hide their talent. Memorials reporting urgent distress concern human life at its weightiest and must not be delayed for an instant; if people again cry out in grief and disasters and portents increase, reports must be sent at once. What can wait may wait until autumn or winter—why must it be autumn or winter? In autumn things ripen; in winter things are stored away; the season’s order is fixed. Things ripen in the mid-autumn eighth month, when truth can be verified, so one should follow heaven and earth’s law and from the eighth month onward examine and sort them separately. The ninth month is the end of the sky’s season; by the ninth month things are nearly spent, so when the ninth month ends one reads through and reviews them and sees how much good and evil there is. Ten is the end of counting; by the tenth month things return to the beginning. Heaven takes the eighth month as the tenth month, so things are fully formed; earth takes the ninth month as the tenth month, so things are fully aged; people take the eleventh month (hai) as the tenth month, so things are fully dead.

The “Three Positives” (Sanzheng: Heaven’s Positive, Earth’s Positive, Humanity’s Positive) conclude at this point, and the myriad things should enter the phase of renewal and rebirth.

Qian occupies the northwest. According to Heaven’s way, the myriad things only begin to set fruit and form the kernel (gathering the year’s outcome into a “core”) in the month of Hai. Heaven’s law stipulates: the eighth month is for sorting and clearing; the ninth month for closing accounts and winding up; the tenth month for truly solidifying the kernel. Thus Heaven, Earth, and Humanity’s three unifications (santong) end together within one cycle, and kernel-formation falls in Hai.

Therefore the tenth month must solidify the kernel and deliver downward and gather in the results (fu gui). The reason is this: these three months—the eighth, ninth, and tenth—are exactly when Heaven, Earth, and Humanity’s Three Positives all reach their term together; one should return to the starting point and begin a new round. If the kernel cannot be solidified—fruit that should set does not set, kernels that should be gathered are not gathered—it does not accord with Heaven’s original intent; Heaven and Earth will not rejoice, disasters cannot be removed, and the coming year will suffer as well.

Hence one must inspect separately in the eighth month, bring to full closure in the ninth, and after solidifying the kernel in the tenth, deliver and return (fu gui). The aim is for officials and common people alike to examine their faults more deeply and dare not repeat them. In the coming year, officials and people will be more cautious, and the myriad things will flow more smoothly. If one only delivers the documents in fu gui but does not make people firmly reflect on wrongdoing, subjects in lower station violate orders without knowing it, hearts do not change, Heaven’s way remains upright and unchanging, and evil is not easily removed—therefore fu gui is necessary, so people may compare against their own records.

If a True Person (Zhenren) wishes to know whether it works: when delivering and returning this year, one should write a document and keep it oneself; also teach officials and people each to keep a copy. Compare how much good and evil it contains—this record is called the “Heavenly Tally” (Tianquan). Next year when fu gui comes again, write another copy to keep—year after year thus, using the Heavenly Tally to urge reform, in correspondence with solidifying the kernel and fu gui in the eighth, ninth, and tenth months, then disasters are easier to dispel and the coming year easier to make auspicious.