《文始真經註》Vol. 2

This scripture elucidates the omnipresence of Dao (the Way). It enumerates common vessels like bowls, jars, bottles, pots, urns, and basins—though differing in form, all share the fundamental characteristic of being "solid outside and hollow inside." The solid aspect belongs to Yin, representing Earth, while the hollow belongs to Yang, representing Heaven. Thus, even these ordinary objects embody the profound mystery of establishing Heaven and Earth.

The text then describes four divination methods: interpreting cracks in scorched turtle shells (Zhaogui), counting yarrow stalks (Shushi), reading broken pottery shards (Powa), and observing fissures in struck stones (Wenshi). Each method can predict fortune or misfortune—odd numbers, associated with Yang, signify auspicious omens, while even numbers, linked to Yin, portend inauspicious outcomes.

Through these examples, the scripture illustrates that the principles of Dao permeate all things in existence. Dao exists naturally, requiring no artificial embellishment, and is universally present in every phenomenon. All things contain its profound mystery—not because objects actively encompass Dao, but because Dao inherently resides within all creation. Just as these humble vessels and divination methods, though simple in form, reveal the profound interplay of Yin-Yang and the cosmic order of Heaven and Earth.

All things in heaven and earth are inseparable from the profound Dao, thus the principles governing celestial movements encompass all phenomena. Each entity contains the complete Dao within itself, existing independently without mutual dependence. This quality of non-dependence means every being is self-sufficient, requiring nothing from external sources.

When the subtle Qi (vital energy) of the diviner (myself) intermingles with that of divination tools (tortoise shells, yarrow stalks, pottery shards, stones, etc.), a miraculous resonance occurs. These dried shells, withered stalks, scorched shards and hard stones possess no inherent spirits—their ability to reveal auspicious or ominous signs stems from the diviner's devout concentration resonating with the cosmic patterns within these instruments. The mutual stimulation of these two subtle energies manifests wondrous verifications.

Birds reproduce through mating and egg-laying (oviparity), while beasts reproduce through mating and live birth (viviparity). Avian creatures possess eight bodily orifices, whereas terrestrial beasts have nine.

During sexual union, the Jing (essence) and Shen (spirit) of male and female merge to form eggs or embryos. The physical form of eggs/embryos derives from the parents' Jing, while the life-principle (conscious nature) within originates from their combined Shen.

In humans, "attachment" represents our Jing-energy, while "observation" embodies our Shen-power. Attachment belongs to Water nature, observation to Fire nature. When attachment fixates on objects, observation arises (like Wood's generative quality); when observation persists, attachment becomes restrained (like Metal's contracting quality). Here "I" refers universally to all people.

When humans generate attachments, they activate their Jing-energy; when observing external phenomena with eyes, they employ their Shen-power. The interaction of attachment (Water) and observation (Fire) generates Wood characteristics: just as wood friction produces fire (manifesting offspring nature) and water immersion reveals maternal nature. The mutual restraint of observation (Fire) and attachment (Water) produces Metal characteristics: just as struck metal sparks fire (manifesting masculine nature) while melted metal becomes liquid (manifesting offspring nature).

This scripture elucidates the Daoist principles of cosmic generation and the formation of life. It begins by explaining the process of life formation: When a desire arises from the father's tranquil nature (true emptiness), it resembles how the Dao gives birth to "the One Qi." This mental image takes form as the mother's likeness in consciousness. Through sexual union, the father's consciousness merges with the mother's in a state of reverie, ultimately forming an embryo. This process applies not only to humans but also to the conception of creatures like birds and beasts.

The text then expounds the theory of cosmic generation: The Dao represents the Wuji (Ultimateless) state, while "the One" signifies the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) state. Although Taiji contains the embryonic forms of heaven, earth, and all things, it remains inseparable from Wuji, hence described as "the cyclical movement of One permeating the great void." The movement of Taiji generates Yang Qi - the light, clear energy ascends to form heaven. When movement reaches its extreme and transforms into stillness, it produces Yin Qi - the heavy, turbid energy descends and condenses into earth.

Finally, it explains the cyclical pattern of Yin and Yang's ascent and descent: Just as Yang Qi begins rising at the winter solstice, reaches its zenith after 180 days at the summer solstice, then transforms into descending Yin Qi; similarly, after Yin Qi descends for 180 days, it reverts to ascending Yang Qi, creating this endless cycle. The mentioned "thirty-six seasonal nodes" refers to the ancient calendrical concept dividing a year into seventy-two pentads (hou).

This scripture elucidates the principles of mutual generation and restraint within the Yin-Yang and Five Phases (Wuxing) system. When Yin energy reaches its extreme, it gives birth to Yang energy—Yang naturally ascends while Yin naturally descends. This ceaseless cyclical movement of ascent and descent enables the perpetual transformation of all things.

Where there is ascent, there must inevitably be descent; without this movement, the cycle of life and death would cease. Thus nothing ascends without descending, nor descends without ascending.

The ascending nature belongs to Fire, while the descending nature belongs to Water. Fire, being Yang, naturally flames upward; Water, being Yin, naturally flows downward. This illustrates the principle that "what rises is Fire, what falls is Water."

Wood's characteristic is the desire to ascend yet inability to fully rise, while Metal's nature is the wish to descend yet inability to completely fall. This is explained through the Five Phases' generative cycle: Water generates Wood, Wood generates Fire—Fire is Wood's offspring, Water is Wood's mother. Within Wood resides the generative relationship between Fire and Water: Fire seeks to rise while Water seeks to descend, hence Wood energy struggles to ascend completely.

Metal presents the opposite case: Water is Metal's offspring, while Fire is Metal's "husband" (in the Five Phases, Fire restrains Metal). Within Metal resides the restraining relationship between Fire and Water: Water seeks to descend while Fire seeks to rise, hence Metal energy struggles to descend completely.

Practical phenomena verify this: drilling wood produces fire (manifesting Fire's nature), while wringing wood yields water (manifesting Water's nature); striking metal generates sparks (manifesting Fire's nature), while melting metal produces liquid (manifesting Water's nature). Thus both Metal and Wood contain the interactive properties of Fire and Water.

The text concludes by explaining that Water represents Jing (essence), the prenatal energy symbolizing Heaven, while Fire represents Shen (spirit), postnatal consciousness symbolizing Earth. Though Water belongs to Yin, it contains Yang energy within (like the Yang line at the center of the Kan trigram), thus possessing ascending qualities corresponding to celestial movement. Within the Five Phases it belongs to Water, yet in energetic transformation it manifests as a more refined form of Qi.

This scripture elucidates the Daoist Five Phases (Wuxing) theory, detailing the correspondences between water, fire, wood, metal, and earth with all phenomena between heaven and earth.

Water represents the essence of heaven. Its cardinal direction is north, its season is winter, its numbers are one and six, its trigram is Kan (symbolizing water), among the Five Constants (Wuchang) it embodies wisdom, its celestial body is the North Star, its sacred mountain is Mount Heng, in the human body it corresponds to the kidneys, its earthly branches are Hai and Zi, and its heavenly stems are Ren and Gui. Thus it is said that water embodies heaven's essence.

Fire represents the spirit of earth, containing yin within yang—just as the Li trigram (symbolizing fire) belongs to yang yet contains a yin line at its center, signifying how descending yin energy forms the earth. Fire's direction is south, its season is summer, its numbers are two and seven, among the Five Constants it embodies propriety, its celestial body is Mars, its sacred mountain is Mount Heng (another Heng in Hunan), in the body it corresponds to the heart, its earthly branches are Si and Wu, and its heavenly stems are Bing and Ding.

Wood represents the human hun (ethereal soul). Its direction is east, its season is spring, its numbers are three and eight, its trigram is Zhen (symbolizing thunder), among the Five Constants it embodies benevolence, its celestial body is Jupiter, its sacred mountain is Mount Tai, in the body it corresponds to the liver, its earthly branches are Yin and Mao, and its heavenly stems are Jia and Yi.

Metal represents the po (corporeal soul) of objects. Its direction is west, its season is autumn, its numbers are four and nine, its trigram is Dui (symbolizing marsh), among the Five Constants it embodies righteousness, its celestial body is Venus, its sacred mountain is Mount Hua, in the body it corresponds to the lungs, its earthly branches are Shen and You, and its heavenly stems are Geng and Xin.

The cyclical movement of the Five Phases creates the four seasons—this is the meaning behind "what flows without ceasing constitutes time." Heaven and earth embrace all things to form the eight directions and the vertical axis—this is the meaning behind "what contains and manifests constitutes space."

Earth is unique, having no fixed direction yet functioning during seasonal transitions. Spring and summer mark the beginning of all things' growth, while autumn and winter mark their completion—earth qi permeates throughout. During certain months, earth qi temporarily recedes; for instance, when wood qi dominates in the first and second months, earth qi remains latent and unmanifest.

This scripture primarily discusses two aspects: the cyclical patterns of the Earth phase within the Five Phases (Wuxing), and an exploration of dreams and consciousness.

First, it explains the annual rhythm of Earth Qi (vital energy): During the fourth and fifth lunar months when Fire Qi is dominant, Earth Qi remains concealed. By the sixth month, twelve days after Fire Qi peaks, Earth Qi begins to emerge, reaching its zenith after another eighteen days. In the seventh and eighth months when Metal Qi prevails, Earth Qi retreats; twelve days after Metal Qi peaks in the ninth month, Earth Qi resurfaces, attaining full strength after eighteen days. Similarly, during the tenth and eleventh months when Water Qi dominates, Earth Qi lies dormant; twelve days after Water Qi peaks in the twelfth month, Earth Qi manifests again, culminating in potency after eighteen days.

Within the Five Phases, Earth corresponds to the central direction and governs the final month of each season (known as the "seasonal month"). Numerologically, it aligns with fifty, and in the Eight Trigrams (Bagua), it resonates with Kun (Earth) and Gen (Mountain). Among the Five Constants (Wuchang), it symbolizes sincerity. Celestially, it connects with the planet Saturn (Zhenxing), and geographically, it represents Mount Song among the Five Sacred Peaks. In the earthly branches (Dizhi), it relates to Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei; in the heavenly stems (Tiangan), it corresponds to Wu and Ji. In the human body, it governs the spleen, while on the spiritual level, it embodies consciousness (Yi). When one's consciousness attunes to subtle expressions, the profound mysteries of self-realization unfold.

The second section observes that the multitude of living beings in the world is beyond reckoning, and each person's dreams differ—even nightly dreams vary. The landscapes, figures, and events that appear in dreams are projections of impressions accumulated in consciousness during waking hours, emerging when the mind rests. As the spirit (Shen) grows dull during sleep, these stored impressions surface and intertwine with wandering thoughts.

Human dreams at night vary endlessly, their multitude beyond reckoning—how much more so when each night brings different visions, countless as dust motes in sunlight. Who can say with certainty that the heaven and earth we inhabit now are not merely the dream of some awakened being? Those still unenlightened, obscured by worldly perceptions, see the myriad things of heaven and earth no differently than we do, all equally lost in a daze where day and night blur indistinct.

Master Guan Yin (a Daoist figure) said: The heart corresponds to red dates, the liver to elm wood. This is because red dates, being crimson, belong to the Fire phase and thus correspond to the heart among the five organs; elm wood, being green, belongs to the Wood phase and thus corresponds to the liver. Heaven and earth give rise to all things through the interaction of Yin and Yang, so the human body resonates with the cosmos. When rain approaches, the influence of Yin energy causes people to dream of water; when clear skies return, the influence of Yang energy makes them dream of fire—proof that heaven, earth, and humanity mutually respond.

The relationship between humans and the cosmos is both intimate and distant, seemingly aligned yet not entirely so. Heaven and earth encompass humanity, yet humanity also contains heaven and earth—the macrocosm and microcosm mirror one another. Though they appear separate, they are fundamentally intertwined. Heaven, earth, and humanity share the same origin; the great Dao (the Way) pervades the cosmos, and the same Dao exists within humans. This Dao is pure and unadulterated, inherently complete—the ultimate destination shared by all.

Through metaphors of dreams and the five organs, this passage illustrates that all phenomena of heaven and earth are products of illusory perception, and only by returning to the singular, undivided Dao can one grasp the fundamental truth. Just as dust motes in sunlight defy counting, human cognition remains limited—transcending appearances is necessary to awaken to reality.

Although heaven and earth are vast, they possess color, form, measurement, and orientation. Heaven appears dark blue, earth appears earthen yellow—thus they have color. Heaven is round, earth is square—thus they have form. Since heaven and earth have color and form, they will ultimately return to dust—thus they are finite. Heaven and earth have eight directional boundaries and distinctions of above and below—thus they have orientation. Though expansive, heaven and earth can be observed through their colors and forms, and exhaustively understood through measurement and orientation.

Yet there exists one reality that transcends these limitations—the Dao of True Emptiness (referring to the essence of the Dao). It cannot be seen and thus has no color, cannot be touched and thus has no form, is boundless and thus immeasurable, is omnipresent and thus has no fixed orientation. This Dao of True Emptiness gives birth to heaven and earth, yet while heaven and earth are finite and will return to dust, from dust they are regenerated, and from regeneration they return to dust again. In this cyclical process of creation and dissolution, the Dao itself neither arises nor perishes, remaining eternally constant.

A fetus that dies in the womb or an embryo that dies in its egg—are they considered human or merely objects? Though heaven and earth are vast, these lives that perish before birth can never know of heaven and earth's existence. Though humans in the womb do not know heaven and earth, once born as children they begin to recognize heaven above and earth below, and this awareness persists from childhood to old age without being forgotten. Thus, humanity's understanding of heaven and earth is ultimately a subjective mental construct of division and definition.

Just as a hand unharmed by a blade's edge remains uninjured—here the hand represents human perception, the blade represents heaven and earth. If human consciousness does not cling to distinctions between heaven and earth, then heaven and earth themselves cannot bind humanity. This chapter reveals a profound truth: all concrete phenomena undergo birth and dissolution, but the Dao of True Emptiness remains eternally unchanging.

Chapter Five of The Wenzhen Scripture primarily discusses how delusional cognition obscures the understanding of Dao (the Way). Master Guan Yin (a Daoist figure) states that reflections of heaven and earth can be seen in dreams, mirrors, and water. In the haze of sleep, people vaguely perceive images of heaven, earth, and beings; when a mirror is held up and down, it likewise captures heaven and earth; gazing into a clear pool, one sees the sky reflected above and below, with mountains and rivers mirrored at the sides—all manifestations of heaven and earth in water.

To eliminate the images of heaven and earth in dreams, one would have to stop sleeping entirely; to remove them from mirrors, one would have to stop using mirrors; to erase them from water, one would have to stop drawing water. Foolish individuals fail to grasp the principle that true emptiness (the real nature of voidness) and the phenomenal world do not obstruct each other. Clinging to delusional cognition and habitual tendencies, they strive to eliminate dreamt images of heaven and earth, unaware that dreams themselves are illusory—why deliberately remove what is already unreal? If forced to do so, one would only lose sleep. Ancient people cast mirrors to reflect appearances; a mirror shows heaven when pointed upward and earth when turned downward, yet the mirror itself possesses no cognitive faculty—it is human delusion that mistakes reflections for real heaven and earth. To erase the mirrored images, one would have to shatter the mirror, but then it could no longer reveal beauty or ugliness. Water reflects sky and mountains yet also serves for irrigation and drinking. To eliminate its reflections, one would have to drain it dry, rendering it useless.

The so-called "existence or non-existence" depends on human perception, not on dreams, mirrors, or water themselves. Thus, sages do not seek to eliminate heaven and earth but rather to dispel delusional cognition. The images in dreams, mirrors, and water appear and vanish intermittently—this "being and non-being" is determined by human delusion, not by any inherent reality in the reflections. Therefore, Master Guan Yin concludes that sages, understanding this truth, do not cling to external forms but directly dissolve delusory cognition.

These two chapters of the Wenshi Zhenjing primarily discuss the relationship between the Dao and all things in heaven and earth, as well as the realization of the state of "true emptiness."

Chapter Six explains that genuine enlightenment can dispel delusional perceptions, allowing one to realize the unobstructed state of true emptiness. The sage (one who has attained the Dao) does not exist apart from heaven and earth but transcends the limitations of subjective cognition. Just as the essence of all things in heaven and earth is a state of true emptiness, each remains unmoved and undisturbed by the others.

Chapter Seven uses metaphors to illustrate that the existence of heaven and earth depends on the Dao. Heaven does not become heaven by itself, nor does earth become earth by itself—just as houses, carts, and boats require human effort to construct. The Dao first gives rise to the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate, the cosmic origin), and from Taiji emerge the two Qi of Yin and Yang (heaven and earth). Understanding this principle allows one to realize that the Dao itself is absolute and does not depend on any conditions for its existence. When one attains this enlightenment, they transcend the dualistic distinctions of above and below, heaven and earth, inside and outside, self and others.

The discussion on time and space points out that the alternation of day and night results from the movement of Yin and Yang Qi. Before the Dao gave rise to primordial Qi, there was no concept of time. Directions like north and south are manifestations of physical forms, while the Dao itself is formless and without attributes. Those who truly realize the Dao can transcend the limitations of time and space, attaining the absolute state where "heaven, earth, and self are no longer seen."

The core of these two chapters lies in clarifying that all things depend on the Dao for their existence, yet the Dao itself is independent, self-sufficient, and an absolute reality beyond duality. By dispelling delusional perceptions, practitioners can realize this transcendent state of true emptiness beyond all opposites.

Before the Dao gave rise to the primordial Qi (the One Breath), there existed neither physical forms of heaven and earth nor any concept of spatial directions in the cosmos. How could terms like east, west, south, or north have meaning? Thus, all things with discernible directions belong to the realm of formed existence, while that original formless state of the source inherently transcends such distinctions.

What is meant by the "non-Qi" state? Consider the wind produced by waving a bamboo fan—before the fan moves, there is no "wind" as an active Qi manifestation. Only when the fan is set in motion does the resulting airflow become identifiable as Qi. This analogy illustrates how the Dao operates to generate primordial Qi: the motionless fan represents the Dao's primordial state prior to emitting the One Breath, while the act of waving corresponds to the emergence of perceptible Qi.

What constitutes the "non-form" state? Take the example of drilling wood to make fire—before friction begins, no visible flame exists. Only through sustained rubbing does the fire take shape. This metaphor reveals the process of cosmic formation: the undrilled wood symbolizes the undifferentiated chaos before the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) emerged, while the appearance of flame represents the transition from Wuji (Limitless) to Taiji, and the subsequent differentiation into the concrete forms of heaven and earth.

This chapter clarifies how the Dao itself transcends spatial orientation and physical form. Like tiles or stones that grow hot when near fire and cold when immersed in water, or become warm when breathed upon and cool when blown upon—these transformations occur through the Dao's operation via primordial Qi, enabling the mutual conversions of Yin-Yang and the Five Phases (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth). Thus natural phenomena like winter's chill and summer's heat emerge. Behind all these changes lies the Dao's invisible impetus driving the circulation of Qi.

This passage uses everyday phenomena to explain the relationship between primordial qi (Yuanqi, the fundamental energy that constitutes all things in Daoist thought) and seasonal changes. The author employs the metaphor of tiles and stones: when placed in fire, they become hot, just as primordial qi follows fiery qi to manifest summer's heat; when immersed in water, they turn cold, like how primordial qi follows watery qi to manifest winter's chill. Human breath can warm tiles like spring's gentle wood qi, while blowing on them can cool them like autumn's crisp metal qi.

The key point is that tiles and stones inherently possess no temperature variation—their warmth or coolness merely responds to external influences. Similarly, primordial qi itself has no inherent heat, cold, warmth, or coolness; it merely reflects the waxing and waning of the Five Phases' qi (Water, Fire, Metal, Wood) to manifest seasonal changes. The author further illustrates this with the analogy of reflections in water: while the reflections come and go, the water itself remains unmoved. Likewise, the qi of the Five Phases may transform, but primordial qi remains constant.

The passage ultimately emphasizes that the Dao (the supreme truth in Daoism) is even more fundamental than primordial qi. If primordial qi remains unaffected by time, how much more so the Dao? Guan Yinzi (a Daoist master) adds: shaking clothes generates wind, exhaling breath moistens objects, water striking water produces sound, and stones colliding create sparks. Those who grasp this principle understand the formation of natural phenomena like wind, rain, thunder, and lightning.

This chapter clarifies two main points: first, the Dao transcends primordial qi (being more fundamental), and second, primordial qi itself is timeless (seasonal changes being mere appearances). This is the content of Chapter 9 of the Wenzhen Zhenjing (Scripture of Perfect Awakening).

The human body is like a microcosm, while heaven and earth constitute a macro-body. Natural phenomena like wind, rain, thunder, and lightning may appear as acts of nature, yet humans can achieve similar effects. When one waves a fan, it creates wind; when one exhales breath onto a surface, it forms condensation—these demonstrate the principles behind creating wind and rain. Pouring water into water produces sound, while striking stones generates sparks—these reveal the mechanisms behind thunder and lightning. Once these principles are understood, summoning wind and rain or commanding thunder and lightning becomes attainable.

Fundamentally, wind, rain, thunder, and lightning all result from the interaction of Yin and Yang Qi (the two fundamental energies constituting all things). When Yang Qi descends without Yin Qi to receive it, wind forms; when Yin Qi ascends without Yang Qi to meet it, clouds emerge; when Yin and Yang Qi collide violently, thunder and lightning manifest. Daoist practitioners who comprehend the wondrous Dao of True Emptiness (the ultimate truth beyond form) and master the origin of Yin-Yang energies can freely wield these cosmic forces. Just as concentrating on imagining fire can generate heat, or visualizing icy water can induce chills, human intention genuinely influences reality.

The text specifically cautions cultivators: the sensations of heat from visualizing a wheel of fire in the Dantian (energy center), or cold from imagining a frigid pool, are merely illusions created by intention—not authentic cultivation states. If even such simple visualizations can produce physical responses, how much more so for practitioners who realize their true mind? Those who truly understand this principle share virtue with heaven and earth, naturally commanding wind and rain. This passage illustrates the correspondence between human body and cosmos through two levels of analogy—first explaining principles through everyday phenomena, then validating their truth through cultivation experiences.

This scripture describes ancient methods for predicting annual fortunes by observing natural phenomena, focusing on two divination techniques: cloud observation and wind measurement.

Regarding five-colored cloud divination: The five colors refer to azure (qing), yellow (huang), red (chi), white (bai), and black (hei) clouds. Ancient practitioners would observe cloud hues in the five directions at dawn on the first day of the lunar new year to forecast regional harvests. Specific correspondences include: black clouds indicate abundant rain but scarce snow; red clouds foretell drought and poor grain yields; azure clouds predict insect plagues and wheat shortages; white clouds suggest human conflicts and poor rice harvests; pure yellow clouds signify peace but average crop yields; while yellow clouds tinged with greenish hues promise bumper harvests of all grains. Single-colored clouds generally indicate poor harvests, whereas multicolored or greenish-yellow clouds predict abundance.

Concerning eight winds divination: The eight winds correspond to the eight trigrams (Bagua) directions (Qian, Kan, Gen, Zhen, Xun, Li, Kun, Dui). Observations were made during the Yin hour (3-5 AM): the Qian direction's "Incomplete Wind" (Buzhou Feng) indicates mixed fortunes; Kan's "Vast Desert Wind" (Guangmo Feng) shows neutral outcomes; Gen's "Melting Wind" (Rong Feng, also called "Ominous Wind") suggests partially favorable conditions; Zhen's "Bright Commoner Wind" (Mingshu Feng), Xun's "Clear Bright Wind" (Qingming Feng), and Li's "Scenic Wind" (Jing Feng) all portend great fortune; Kun's "Cool Wind" (Liang Feng) foretells misfortune; while Dui's "Heavenly Gate Wind" (Changhe Feng) predicts severe calamity.

The text concludes by explaining that these omens of fortune and misfortune manifest the cyclical transformations of Yin-Yang energies between heaven and earth. The referenced cloud and wind divination manuals represent ancient prognostic texts that embody the Daoist concept of "cosmic resonance" (tianren ganying), which posits correspondences between natural phenomena and human affairs.

Those who predict harvests or calamities by observing the movements of wind and clouds are actually perceiving the same fundamental Qi (vital energy) in operation. Whether it manifests as abundance or famine, fortune or misfortune, these are but different expressions of this singular Qi's circulation. Thus, to comprehend the nature of auspicious and ominous signs is to understand the patterns of Qi's movement.

Humans and all things between heaven and earth form an inseparable unity, all originating from the same Qi's operation. When this Qi dissipates, both humanity and the cosmos will perish; our current coexistence with heaven and earth proves we share this identical energetic substance. Those who consider themselves clever mistake their petty intellect and selfish thoughts for their true nature—this is delusion, for such arbitrary notions and private calculations are not humanity's original face.

(Chapter 11 Key Insight:) Selfish cunning is not human nature—everything is simply the spontaneous movement of Qi.

All phenomena between heaven and earth exist in a state of "lodging." Yin-Yang represents the supreme lodging, while heaven and earth constitute the grandest lodging within the manifest world—yet even they are mere specks within the vast emptiness. Thus heaven and earth lodge within the primordial Qi of the Great Void, while the myriad things lodge within heaven and earth. Even the concept of "self" only exists by lodging within the Qi of the Dao (the Way). The Dao itself is nameless; sages reluctantly assigned it a name for explanatory purposes. Were we to discard even this provisional designation, the Dao would become utterly ineffable.

(Chapter 12 Key Insight:) From root to manifestation, all depends on "lodging"—yet when returning to the source, even the name "Dao" should not be clung to.