《雲笈七籤》Vol. 21

The Jing of the Three Heavens’ Orthodox Teachings says: The True Kings of the Nine Heavens and the Heavenly King of Primordial Beginning were both born before the “Original Qi” appeared. At that time, the light of heaven had not yet emerged, the breath was dense and unsettled, and turbid matter stretched without limit. Heaven and earth lay within primordial emptiness, vast and remote, for more than seventy kalpas—an immeasurably long span of time. Later, the deep celestial realm began to divide, and the nine kinds of primordial Qi came into being. Each kind separated out only once every 99,990 years. Clear Qi rose high and became pure; turbid Qi sank below, and the Nine Heavens took shape. The True Kings of the Nine Heavens and the Heavenly King of Primordial Beginning received the Qi of nature and were born, thereby establishing the name “Nine Heavens.”

Once the nine kinds of primordial Qi had gathered and taken form, the sun, moon, and stars began to shine. Then the nine True Emperors appeared: the three above were born in the highest realm, Clear Tenuity Heaven; the three in the middle in Yu余 Heaven; and the three below in Great Red Heaven. Clear Tenuity Heaven, Yu余 Heaven, and Great Red Heaven are all levels of the celestial realm in Daoist cosmology.

The Jing of Jade Capital Mountain says: Jade Capital Mountain, the celestial mountain of Daoist legend, rises above the eight directions and lies above all the Great Luo Heavens, like the center of the earthly world. On the mountain stands a city of seven treasures, within the city a palace of seven treasures, and within the palace a mysterious terrace of seven treasures. Seven-treasure trees grow there naturally; a single tree can cover an entire heaven, while eight trees together cover the Great Luo Heavens in all eight directions. Jade Capital Mountain is the seat from which the Lord of the Great Dao, the Supreme, Infinite, and August Sovereign, governs.

The Great Cavern Scripture says: The Great Darkness lies above the Nine Heavens. “Great Darkness” here means the profoundly distant dark Qi, far removed from the Nine Mysteries. Only those who recite the Jade Scripture of the Great Cavern can communicate with this realm. Then the Jade Emperor, riding the Red Empyrean, opened the Great Dao; the realm of Great Darkness was covered in green clouds and became radiant and glorious.

The Scripture of Primordial Beginning says: In the Great Luo realm there is no longer a True Ruler; only the Qi of Great Brahma contains all the heavens. Above the vast void are naturally formed clouds of five colors. The yellowish, dusky clouds are called “Yellow Heaven”; above Yellow Heaven, the blue-gray realm is called “Cang Heaven”; and above Cang Heaven, the dusky, deep-blue realm is called “Azure Heaven.” Thus the scripture praises:

Above the Three Realms

lies the subtle and lofty Great Luo Heaven.

Above it there is no root of visible form;

the clouds rise high, layer upon layer.

The Precious Register of the Three Realms says: In the Scripture of the Numinous Writings of the Various Heavens, the phrase “to stride into Northern Clarity” refers to what lies above the Three Realms…

The “Four Heavenly Emperors” are the four emperors of Northern Zhen Heaven—one of the four directional heavenly realms. Above, the Four Emperors dwell at the summit of the Jade Capital of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing). Responding to the needs of beings, they manifest and guide them. In the middle realm, they govern the Three Realms, set the Five Qi in motion, and descend through the Dao’s invisible workings to bring forth all things. Heaven and humanity each have corresponding heavenly domains. The Jade Pivot, the Jade Balance, the Thirty-Six Emperors, and the Lords of the Five Dipper Asterisms also correspond to parts of the human head. The four directions and the center together form a whole.

Thus, the Scripture of the Four Heavenly Kings says that the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings lies above Jade Clarity and at the summit of the Nine Heavens. At each of the Eight Seasonal Nodes—the Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, and Winter Solstice—the Four Emperors command the gods of the Three Realms to inspect the world, guide those who study the Dao toward liberation, and protect those who perform purification rites and cultivate the Dao.

A commentary by an earlier master says that Northern Clarity Heaven is the Northern Dipper. It also says that the Upper Palace lies beneath the Northern Dipper and above Kunlun, and therefore the human head corresponds to Kunlun. A more superficial interpretation holds that the Northern Dipper is south of Kunlun, in the position of the Central Dipper when viewed from the south; on this basis, it calls the Central Dipper Northern Clarity Heaven. The author considers this explanation untenable: if the Central Dipper is already in the north, where, then, is the Northern Dipper, which lies north of the Central Dipper?

Now, according to the Scripture for Deliverance of Humanity, the Eastern Dipper governs the span of life, the Western Dipper records names, the Northern Dipper governs death, the Southern Dipper governs birth and longevity, and the Chief Star of the Central Dipper presides over the inspection of all spirits. This is what is meant by “the lords of the five Dipper Asterisms in one heaven.” From this we can see that the Northern Dipper lies beyond the Central Dipper to the north.

Furthermore, in the great classic Scripture of the Numinous Writ, the Celestial Worthy says that these four chapters of scripture are wondrous works for extending life, transmitted by the emperors of the four directions. Each of the true lands in the four directions received the ritual sounds corresponding to its direction.

The Eastern chapter says that in the Eastern Florescence Palace of the azure heaven of nine Qi dwells the Great Lord Azure Youth, the revered deity of the East. He sealed the chapter in a precious case of green jade and stamped it with the seal of the Primordial Beginning’s nine Qi.

The Southern chapter says that in the Upper Palace of the Mausoleum of Vermilion, in the southern cinnabar heaven of three Qi, dwells the Supreme Lord of the Southern Pole, the revered deity of the South. He sealed the chapter in a precious case of red jade and stamped it with the seal of Great Cinnabar’s three Qi.

The Western chapter says that in the Western Florescence Palace of the pure white heaven of seven Qi dwells the Queen Mother of the West. She sealed the chapter in a precious case of white jade and stamped it with the seal of Great Purity’s seven Qi.

The Northern chapter says that in the Primordial Beginning’s Upper Northern Palace, in the dark heaven of five Qi in the north, dwells the Great Lord Jade Dawn, the revered deity of the North. He sealed the chapter in a precious case of dark jade and stamped it with the seal of Great Mystery’s five Qi.

These titles show that the East is called Eastern Florescence, the South Southern Pole, the West Western Numinous Presence, and the North Northern Zhen.

To distinguish things precisely: the highest heaven above the Three Realms is ruled separately by four Heavenly Emperors. Within the Three Realms, there is a heaven where life is generated and transformed through the four seasons. This does not mean that “one heaven” is the location occupied by each of the Five Dipper Stars.

A study of the Correct Scripture of the Numinous Writings (Ling Shu Zheng Jing) shows that it lists the proper names and positions of the four Heavenly Emperors above the Three Realms, but does not call them the positions of “one heaven and the Five Dippers.” Yet the account now in circulation leaves out the north alone and treats the central position as the highest. This is not reasonable: could the true northern position really be higher still? Earlier errors about above and below were passed down in turn, giving rise to confusion from ancient times to the present.

On further examination, the reason our former master spoke incorrectly was this: he said that the thirty-two heavens overlap one another from top to bottom and together count as one heaven. He also mistakenly placed the Central Dipper among the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions in the northern position, leaving out the north alone and thus treating the center as the upper position. This, too, is wrong. The phrase “when the Nine Heavens were first formed, they overlapped above and below and together counted as one heaven” compares the Nine Palaces on earth with the heavenly realm. The Heaven of Yudan, one of the Four Brahma Heavens, is at the very top. The Qi above it first takes form at the zi position and occupies the First Palace. This shows that the First Palace is also the first and highest of the Four Brahma Heavens.

If we compare the human body with the heavenly realm, taking the head as Kunlun and the eyes as the sun and moon, then the correspondence between above and below makes sense. But looking at the body through the body, or at the world through the world, is not enough to explain the heavens above. We must also recognize that the head symbolizes the four heavens above the Three Realms, ruled by the four Heavenly Emperors. Even this does not reach the highest regions: the head also symbolizes Mount Yujing and the Great Luo Heaven above the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing).

Thus the Hidden Commentary on the Great Cavern Scripture says that Mount Kunlun rises into the Nine Qi, forming the wheel of the Celestial Pivot within the great void. Since the Central Dipper is located above Mount Kunlun, the celestial gate of the Great Luo Heaven should likewise be above Mount Yujing. The Scripture on the Generation of the Spirits says that flying immortals circle the Jade Palace, the immortal palace within Yujing, while the four chief ministers surround the luminous wheel. Since these places are higher than the Central Dipper within the Three Realms, the celestial gate of the Great Luo Heaven and the Jade Palace of Yujing must also be above Mount Yujing.

It must also be made clear that “one heaven” and the Three Realms each have their corresponding positions, and their overlapping above and below is unlike the Nine Palaces on earth. If the upper position is taken to be the lower one, the order of above and below will be mistaken. The celestial palaces ruled by the four Heavenly Emperors have not been described, nor has it been explained where the respective domains of Donghua, the Southern Pole, the Western Spirit, and the Northern Perfected One are located. Instead, a separate “Four Central Heavens” has been invented.

The Diagram of the Three Realms says: “The thirty-two heavens are arranged in the four directions, with four heavens in each direction. The heavens at each level support one another through accumulated Qi, rising layer upon layer. Each heaven stands on its own, and there is no ‘eight…’”

On what celestial phenomena, then, is this judgment based? Without the eight directions, there would be nothing to compare; without a true center in the Nine Palaces, there could be no Central Dipper Lodge.

If there were no Nine Qi in the heavens, there would be no eight directions below. And if the celestial realm were divided into thirty-five tiers and eight directional regions, where would that idea come from? Even within the human body there are the Three Ones, the Three Origins, and the Nine Palaces, all of which are originally one. Could one really say that the deities Emperor One, Great One, and Lord Emperor exist, yet the Three Origins are absent from the Three Realms? The same applies to the Thirty-Six Emperors. If there were no Three Ones at the center of the Three Realms, where would the Three Ones within the human body come from?

Some scholars in the past focused only on the passage in the Scripture of Hidden Annotations and Precious Instructions, which says: “The Mysterious Stairway and the Terrace of Whirling Ascent lie in the northeast, in the land of Gui, known as the Mysterious Heaven.” The passage means that the Celestial Stairway rises beside the Terrace of Whirling Ascent, from the place called Ram’s Horn, then continues upward along the heavenly road until it enters the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the highest celestial realm in Daoism. Having read this, they mistook the Three Realms and the Four Heavens for parallel celestial regions, and placed the Terrace of Whirling Ascent among them. But if the Terrace lies in the northeast, in the land of Gui, does that mean the Three Realms as a whole lie there too? If not, then that interpretation misreads the scripture.

Here, “Whirling Ascent” refers to the thirty-six heavens, which are linked in succession above and below. The Celestial Pass between them lies at the center and is called the Central Dipper’s Jade Pivot, the hub of the Northern Dipper. The twenty-eight lodges in the four directions ascend in turn, which is why the passage calls it “Whirling Ascent.” Thus the scripture says that the Mysterious Stairway and the Terrace of Whirling Ascent are in the northeast, in the Mysterious Heaven.

It also says that each of the thirty-two heavens above and below has seven lodges, and that the Jade Pivot ascends through the four directions; for this reason, they are also called the “Four Heavens.” These are the Azure Heaven of the Nine Qi in the east, the Vermilion Heaven of the Three Qi in the south, the White Heaven of the Seven Qi in the west, and the Mysterious Heaven of the Five Qi in the north. The “Four Heavens” are the heavens of the four directions, not four additional tiers beyond the celestial realm.

That is why the Scripture on Deliverance from the Unseen says: “The Dipper turns past Ji; the Five Constants revolve in their course. Divided into thirty-five, the total Qi rises to the Origin Above.” This shows that within the thirty-six heavens of the Three Realms, each has a Central Dipper Pivot, and each of the twenty-eight lodges in the four directions corresponds to a celestial tier. The Jade Pivot and the Jade Balance—the stars that symbolize the Northern Dipper’s hub and rotation—are the Celestial Pass through which the twenty-eight lodges move above and below, ascending by way of the Whirling Ascent to reach the Three Pure Ones. They are not another heaven from which one rises at Ram’s Horn.

The original names of the Three Realms were the names of the palaces. Within the Three Realms are thirty-two heavens, arranged in the four cardinal directions, the four intermediate directions, and above and below. Given this, where are the so-called “nine palaces of the Heavenly Pass”? If the nine palaces are like a nine-square grid on the ground, their arrangement has no fixed order either. It must therefore be explained that the “one heaven” and the “Three Realms” mentioned here are not the same kind of division.

The scriptures Hetu Wulian and others say that one heaven has twenty-eight lunar lodges, with seven assigned to each of the four cardinal directions. Together, these correspond to the twenty-eight heavens of the Three Realms. In addition, there are four stars above the Central Dipper. Some also arrange the twenty-eight heavens of the Three Realms across the four cardinal and four intermediate directions, then count the four heavens above as the four positions of the Perfected Ones, making thirty-two positions in all, set apart to one side. This account does not clarify whether the twenty-eight lunar lodges of “one heaven” correspond to the twenty-eight heavens of the “Three Realms,” or whether adding the four Perfected Ones above brings the total to thirty-two. The two systems of arrangement differ, and they also have different scales.

Now consider “one heaven” and the four heavens corresponding to the four cardinal directions on earth. The Jing of the Perfected Ones’ Oral Instructions says that within the Central Dipper are the positions of the Five Dippers: Yangming is the Eastern Dipper, Danyuan the Southern Dipper, Yinjing the Western Dipper, and the North Pole the Northern Dipper. There is also a single star, the Heavenly Pass, which serves as the Central Dipper. Above it is the Perfected One Xuanming, making thirty-five positions in one heaven. Add the Heavenly Emperor of the Upper Origin, and the total for one heaven is thirty-six positions.

As for the ranks of the four Perfected Ones of the upper realm and others, the scriptures Red Writ and Register of the Nine Heavens state that the thirty-two heavens are separated above and below, each with its corresponding allotment of Qi. Add the Four Brahma Heavens, and the Three Realms comprise thirty-six emperors. This division differs from the arrangement of “one heaven” across the four cardinal and four intermediate directions.

The Diagram of the Three Pure Ones says that the three Qi—Mysterious, Primordial, and Original—divide the three realms into three heavens. Then, following the nine heavens described in the Jing of Generating the Spirits, three more heavens are set side by side beneath each of those three. From the thirty-six heavens of the four directions, twenty-seven are then selected and placed beneath the nine heavens, with three set side by side at each location. In this way, each group forms nine heavens through a pattern of “one single and three aligned.” Yet this arrangement does not explain how each of the nine heavens gives rise to the eight directions and the upper and lower regions, nor does it clarify how they correspond to one another or where each is located.

For this reason, the Great Cavern Jing says that each of the three Qi—Mysterious, Primordial, and Original—gives rise to the eight directions, producing twenty-four emperors in all; each of the nine palaces gives rise to the eight directions, producing seventy-two palaces. From this it is clear that the nine heavens described in the Jing of Generating the Spirits are not arranged as nine Qi in a pattern of “one single and three aligned.” Nor can the relationship between the Heavenly Pass and the upper and lower regions be explained by this arrangement.

Because the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen), the three great collections of Daoist scriptures, transform and give rise to things, the Three Lights were established. Each of the Three Vehicles divides into three, giving rise to the Nine Emperors.

The Nine Qi differentiate, each giving rise to three layers of heaven. In this way, the Three Realms and the thirty-six heavens came to be.

If the nine heavens are placed beneath the three layers of heaven, with each group arranged as one layer on its own and three layers side by side, stacked successively above and below, there are only six layers of heaven altogether. If heaven is said to have formed from accumulated Yin Qi, it can indeed be divided into six layers. But if heaven formed from accumulated Yang Qi, it should comprise nine layers. Since there are “nine grades in two ranks,” with different levels above and below, where, then, are the heavens of the Nine Palaces? Thus the Scripture of the Red Writ says: “Heaven has nine gates of division; the three Qi turn in cycles, and the nine divisions are clearly marked.” This shows that the Three Origins and Nine Heavens are the nine layers of heaven.

The Dao De Jing says, “The Dao gives birth to One.” This “One” is primordial Qi, and is also the Primordial Heavenly Worthy who manifests in response to the world. From this wondrous “One,” primordial Qi gives rise to the Three Caverns. Thus the Lingbao Five Talismans Scripture says that the Three Caverns correspond to the Heavenly Worthy, the Three Dukes, and the three layers of heaven. “The three give birth to nine Qi”: the nine Qi correspond to the Heavenly Worthy, the Nine Ministers, and the nine layers of heaven. Each of the nine Qi then gives rise to three heavens. Hence there are three times nine, or twenty-seven ranks; above these twenty-seven ranks are the twenty-seven heavens of ministers governed by the Heavenly Worthy. To align the twenty-seven ranks with the nine heavens, each of the Three Origins has twelve ranks, making thirty-six heavens in the Three Caverns altogether.

This passage describes the Three Pure Ones descending to give rise to the Three Realms. Below the eight directions, they each give rise to countless things—five hundred million, five hundred thousand, five thousand, five hundred and fifty-five hundred million, and more—whose number is boundless, like the earth itself. Each of the Three Realms receives the Qi of the Three Pure Ones, layered above and below according to this pattern. That is what the passage means.

The term “side by side” has another meaning here. The Scripture of the Nine Paths of Returning to the Origin and Flying Through Heaven, from the Cavern of Truth, says that within the heavens of the Three Pure Ones are thirty-six thousand grades, including Heavenly Dukes and Heavenly Ministers. Each has its own offices, with subordinate officials such as dukes, ministers, great officers, marquises, and earls. These ranks govern one another in layers and also rule the lower realm. They descend to give rise to the Three Realms and extend throughout heaven and the human world; humans, spirits, and all things receive this Qi. Each receives a portion of the wondrous “One” of the highest Dao. Thus there are Three Dukes, Nine Ministers, twenty-seven Great Officers, eighty-one Primordial Scholars, as well as 120 commanderies, 1,200 counties, 12,000 townships, and 36,000 pavilions. All these ranks receive the same Qi. Some stand alone and others side by side, forming the source from which spirits and all things are generated. This passage does not mean that the nine heavens are arranged in sequence beside one another.

Some transmitted diagrams and texts concerning the Three Realms contain errors. They describe the descent of the Three Pure Ones and the Nine Qi to give rise to the Three Realms, with one heaven…

The nine kinds of Qi are also associated with nine colors. Here, the nine kinds of Qi issued by the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the three highest deities revered in Daoism, each form a layer of heaven and descend to create the heavenly realms above the Three Realms—the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm. Each receives its original Qi. This account does not say that the heavens were mixed from five colors at the outset.

The Lingbao Jing says: “Qi begins its descent from the Great Treasure, and the Wondrous One begins to take form. The Wondrous One is born from the Origin; the Origin is born from the Mystery. These three give rise to all things in succession, each following upon the other.” The Jiutian Shengshen Jing, the Xuanmen Lun, and other scriptures further record:

At first, Chaos arose from the color “azure” and formed the Boundless Heaven of Yudan. Beneath this heaven, three more heavens arose, each home to one of the three ranks of Supreme Sages. Next, Chaos arose from the color “red” and formed the Highest Heaven of Uppermost Meditation and Goodness. Beneath it, three heavens arose, home to the three ranks of Middle Sages. Next, the Grotto arose from the color “green” and formed the Heaven of Brahma’s Oversight and Suyan. Beneath it, three heavens arose, home to the three ranks of Lower Sages.

Next, the Origin arose from the color “green” and formed the Tranquil Heaven of Doushu. Beneath it, three heavens arose, home to the three ranks of Supreme Perfected Ones. Next, Min arose from the color “yellow” and formed the Heaven of Unprideful Bliss. Beneath it, three heavens arose, home to the three ranks of Middle Perfected Ones. Next, Jing arose from the color “white” and formed the Heaven of the Grotto Origin, Manifestation, and Response to Sound. Beneath it, three heavens arose, home to the three ranks of Lower Perfected Ones.

Next, the Mystery arose from the color “purple” and formed the Heaven of Spirit Transformation and Brahma’s Attendants. Beneath it, three heavens arose, home to the three ranks of Supreme Immortals. Next, Rong arose from the color “blue-green” and formed the Heaven of Lofty Emptiness and Clear Brightness. Beneath it, three heavens arose, home to the three ranks of Middle Immortals. Finally, Yan arose from a color—the original text reads “as color,” likely due to an omission or corruption—and formed the Heavens of No Thought, No Bondage, and No Desire. Beneath them, three heavens arose, home to the three ranks of Lower Immortals.

Thus the radiance of the nine kinds of Qi and nine colors rose to form the Three Realms of Heaven, the three celestial domains of Daoism, and the thirty-six heavens. Qi descended from the Three Realms of Heaven, and only then did the Three Realms come into being. The Qi of the Three Pure Ones descended from the eight directions, giving rise to the five hundred million or more heavens within the Three Realms.

The Jiutian Pu Jing says that Qi descended from the Brahma-Practice Great Clarity Heaven, and the nine kinds of Qi of the Three Realms of Heaven transformed into the heavens of the Three Realms, each with its own color. When the heavens formed by receiving this Qi, the five colors had not yet appeared in a mixed state. Thus, the account in this scripture of the five colors mingling differs from the records above. The Zhutian Neiyin Jing says: “All thirty-two heavens were formed from Qi combined in five ways; the void coalesced and became writings.” This means that the five writings of the true script were formed from the Qi of the five directions.

The Five Phases pervade all things. Together, they correspond to the five viscera; blended, they correspond to the Yin-Yang of Heaven and Earth. The transformations through which the four seasons generate and nurture life thus reveal how the Five Phases in the five directions work together to bring all things into being. This is not the same as the blending of the nine kinds of Qi that gives rise to the five colors. To speak of the five colors as clouds of Qi interweaving, circling, and gathering in dense masses is to confuse two different accounts.

The Four Heavens Below

Older accounts call the “Four Brahma Heavens” the “Four Heavens of the People.” But according to the Scripture of the Nine Heavens (Jiutian Pu Jing), the Three Realms contain thirty-two heavens. From top to bottom, Qi gradually descends from the Brahma-Practice Great Clarity Heaven, where it first emerges from primordial chaos. Chaos is blue-green and gives rise to twenty-two thousand streams of Qi. These blue-green streams grow clear and congeal, forming the Jia Yi Heaven. This shows that Jia Yi Heaven is the highest, first of the Four Heavens of the People. The Four Heavens of the People are neither the Four Brahma Heavens of Great Clarity nor the Four Heavens of the Heavenly Kings.

The “emperor” spoken of here is one who governs the eight directions; only on reaching this rank is one called an emperor. The Great Void Heaven of Supreme Unboundedness and Constant Fusion, the Great Release Heaven of Jade Effulgence and Ascendant Triumph, the Dragon-Transformation Heaven of Brahma’s Deliverance, and the Great Ultimate Heaven of Balanced Nurture and Jia Yi are all at the same level. The Northern Heaven of the Five Mysterious Qi corresponds to the heavens of the four directions, with eight lesser heavens in each direction. Thus the Three Realms contain thirty-two heavens, layered one above another. The heavens transformed by the Three Primordials may also be regarded as a single tier, each assigned to one of the four directions and arranged according to the four cardinal and four intermediate directions, with nine positions in all, aligned above and below.

Specifically, above the Eastern Blue Heaven of the Nine Qi lies the Eastern Florescent Heaven of the Three Realms; above the Southern Vermilion Heaven of the Three Qi lies the Southern Pole Heaven of the Three Realms; above the Western White Heaven of the Seven Qi lies the Western Numinous Heaven of the Three Realms; and above the Northern Mysterious Heaven of the Five Qi lies the Northern Perfected Heaven of the Three Realms.

The Scripture of the Five Talismans (Wufu Jing) says that, in ascent, things transform into five kinds of cloud, and in change, into five kinds of Qi. The Scriptures of Numinous Treasure (Lingbao Jing) also say that the five scriptures bring Heaven and Earth into being and establish them, and make a wide dwelling place for the spirits. Above, they are the mysterious foundation of the Three Realms, sustaining Heaven and Earth for ages. They guard the Five Qi in the Numinous Halls and govern the transformations of the cycles of calamity within the Three Passes.

This means that, above, the five scriptures correspond to the four Heavenly King positions beyond the Three Pure Ones; in the middle, they correspond to the principal positions of the Heavenly Emperors in the four directions of the Three Realms—that is, the Four Brahma Heavens of Great Clarity. Together, these form four groups comprising thirty-two Heavenly Emperors, each governing eight heavens and presiding over their generation and transformation. Below, they correspond to the twenty-eight lunar lodges and thirty-two Heavenly Emperors in a single tier of heaven. They may also be arranged by the four directions, with nine positions in each, or understood as the pure lands of the five directions within a single tier of heaven. The account above follows the Scriptures of Highest Clarity (Shangqing Jing) and the Treatise on the Mysterious Gate (Xuanmen Lun).

Above the Three Realms are the Eight Pure Heavens, called the “Descent of Qi from the Three Pure Ones” (Sanqing). Their Qi descends and gives rise to the Three Realms. According to the scriptures, one of the Eight Pure Heavens is the Great Purity Heaven, called “Double Radiance.” The Great Purity Heaven also includes the Heaven of Brahma’s Conduct, and gives rise to such heavens as the Four Peoples, Jiayi, Dragon Transformation, Great Release, and Constant Fusion. The Four Peoples, Jiayi, Dragon Transformation, Great Release, and Constant Fusion named here are all names of heavenly realms. The Scripture of the Dharma Wheel says that passing beyond the Threefold Net and Eight Difficulties—the successive obstacles described in cultivation—is called “transcendence and deliverance.” It is like emerging from the womb into sudden clarity, and seeing the radiance of the Eight Pure Heavens.

The Four Brahma Heavens shine forth clearly beneath the Three Pure Ones. The Four Peoples Heaven stands at the summit of the Three Realms, below the Eight Pure Heavens. When the Three Realms reach the end of a kalpa, the twenty-eight heavens are destroyed. But the Eight Pure Heavens, the Four Peoples Heaven, and the other heavens above the twenty-eight are never destroyed in a kalpa. They are therefore called the “Eight Pure Heavens above the Three Realms.”

Some say that above a certain heaven within the Three Realms, radiant light appears naturally, so that everything is bright without the need for the sun or moon. This is a mistaken and baseless claim. One should examine the matter carefully and seek confirmation in the scriptures in order to understand it. Within the Three Pure Ones and the Three Realms, mortals and sages differ in rank and attainment; being and nonbeing differ, as do activity and stillness.

The Desire Realm has six heavens, where six kinds of desire manifest. Above it is the Form Realm, with eighteen heavens. The lowest six have relinquished sensual desire but remain attached to form; the middle six gradually relinquish their attachment to form; and in the upper six, the mind becomes correspondingly pure. Above these is the Formless Realm. There, beings gradually relinquish their ties to form, sound, scent, and taste that arise through contact, and gradually forget the things on which consciousness depends. They ascend into space and enter a state beyond birth and death.

The wondrous transformations of the upper realms of the Three Pure Ones are beyond thought. They have treasure light in nine colors and need neither sun nor moon for illumination; there is no distinction between day and night, or between coming and going. As for the bodies formed through the convergence of causes and conditions within the Three Realms, the Scripture of the Cavern of Perfection says: “Heaven has one Qi, from which five Qi arise. The Five True Writings combine and form the body.” The body is like a dwelling, the heart its master, and Shen its root; what arises in response is Shen. Shen resides in the five Qi, and together they form consciousness. Shen also joins with Yin and Yang to form the hun and po souls.

When a person’s six senses—the six faculties of perception—are pure, they respond and give rise to six forms of wisdom. When they are disturbed by the six desires and immersed in the six dusts—the external sensations that lead people to attachment—the opposite occurs. After a person’s body dies, the Yang hun returns to Heaven and the Yin po returns to Earth. The hun and po remain with the bones and become masters of the corpse. Shen bears responsibility for the sins and merits a person accrued in life. Afterward, Shen is born again, responding to different Qi and taking birth accordingly. The four forms of birth and six paths of rebirth likewise arise through such responses. Because purity and turbidity differ between Heaven and Earth, different transformations appear within the Three Realms.

Yin and Yang respond to one another. Once Yin and Yang exist, how could the sun and moon be absent? The ranks of the immortals—the levels attained by those who cultivate the Dao—have their own immortal light. They need not rely on the sun and moon to perceive clearly through their spiritual powers and see all three realms. But ordinary people, tainted by sensual desire and the dust of the world, still depend on the sun and moon together for nourishment.

The sun and moon both govern the passage of day and night, and each of the three realms has its own sun and moon. The sun, moon, and Three Luminaries—usually understood as the sun, moon, and stars—shine together. The Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, the twenty-eight stellar regions into which the ancients divided the sky, move in shifting patterns, and their positions sometimes change. The heavens, too, have cycles of catastrophe; the vital forces and fortunes of Heaven and Earth alternate in their courses.

According to the Lingbao Scripture on the Nine Heavens and the Generation of Life, the sun, moon, and stars, Yin-Yang and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), as well as human beings and all things, all receive the vital energy of generation. Thus, light extends throughout the three realms, each of which has its own sun and moon. The Profound and Wondrous Scripture also says that beyond this world, the skies above the worlds in the eight directions are layered with celestial heavens, the Luo Heavens. Each has its own sun, moon, five planets, and Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, just like the Southern Heaven’s World of Yuli.

The Treatise on the Mysterious Gate and the Great Cavern Scripture say that Perfected Beings and immortals in different heavenly realms use different names for the sun. The Perfected Beings of the Nine Heavens call it “Zhuoyao Luo”; those of the Three Heavens call it “Yuangguang Wei”; in the Great Simplicity Heaven it is called “Miaojing Huang”; the Perfected Beings of Shangqing call it “Jiuyiao Sheng”; immortals in the Great Clarity Heaven call it “Taiming”; in the Supreme Ultimate Heaven it is “Yuanming”; and in the Jade Worthy Heaven it is “Weixuan.” The Perfected Being of Eastern Florescence calls it “Ziyao Ming.” The sun is also called “Round Pearl,” “First Radiance,” and “Great Brightness.” Its name is Yuyi, and the moon’s name is Jielin. The sun and moon also give rise to the eyes on a person’s head. Thus, the Scripture of Jade Capital Mountain says: “In the rise and fall of a breath, visualize the Most High; a splendid vision appears in the Dantian (energy center). Glance to the left, and take Yuyi by the hand; look to the right, and carry Jielin with you.” The people of the Heaven of Universal Illumination all have eyes, and the sun and moon of the three realms are like human eyes.

The Diagram of the Three Realms says that at the center of each heavenly realm stands Mount Kunlun, also called Mount Sumeru. The mountain is vast and lofty, blocking the four directions. The sun and moon circle it, alternating to form day and night. When the sun is in the east, it is noon in the Lu Realm, while its rays shine on the Fuli Realm in the south, where it is regarded as midday. When the sun is at noon in the south, the Yeni Realm regards it as sunrise. When the sun is at noon in the west, its rays shine on the Yudan Realm in the north, where it is regarded as sunrise. When the sun is at noon in the north, the realm in the east regards it as sunrise.

Today, although the seasons correspond to the same lunar mansions, the lengths of day and night at the winter and summer solstices… the original text breaks off here.

If the Sun revolved around a mountain, sunrise and sunset times would be the same in all four directions. Since sunrise and sunset differ from place to place, this shows that no mountain separates the Sun from the world.

Here is an image to explain the difficulty. Someone might say that mountains cast shadows where the Sun rises. When the Sun is due south, the southern sky gradually brightens. When the Sun has just risen in the east, the mountain reflects its shadow, making it seem as if the Sun is coming out from behind the mountain.

For example, from the Sun-Viewing Peak on Mount Tai, the rising Sun appears to emerge from the ground, like a mirror showing half its face above a horizontal line. But this is not the sight of the Sun reflected by a mountain. Suppose the place where the Sun rises is Mount Sumeru, the immense mountain often mentioned in Buddhist and Daoist texts, and the mountain is not high enough to block the Sun. Then we can know that the Sun rises from beneath the ground.

Thus the Yi says, “A line imitates; to imitate is to take an image.” The images of the hexagrams and their lines are modeled on the celestial signs. The Sun beneath the ground corresponds to the Mingyi hexagram: the Sun is in the night, Yang qi descends, and Yin qi rises. The Sun above the ground corresponds to the Jin hexagram: Yang qi rises and Yin qi descends. In the afternoon, when the Sun slants toward the west, this corresponds to the line in the Li hexagram, “When the Sun declines, one sings without beating the earthenware jar.” At this time, Yin qi gradually begins to arise, while Yang qi declines.

Yin and Yang correspond to the xuanji, an ancient astronomical instrument used to observe the heavens and calculate the calendar, and day and night alternate. If the Sun truly revolved around a mountain, measurements with the xuanji in the four directions would show the same pattern of movement. Why, then, do the actual measurements differ? Because at the spring and autumn equinoxes, day and night are equal, while in the other months their lengths differ; there are also differences between north and south.

At the winter solstice, the month is marked by Zi, the earthly branch that indicates the direction associated with the solstice. The Sun reaches its southernmost point, the day is shortest, and the night is longest. The Sun rises in the Xun direction (southeast) and sets in the Kun direction (southwest). Moving counterclockwise, it passes through the hours of night and traverses the three directions of northwest, east, and so on. The nineteen directions across the world are divided into five watches, all of which fall at night. The directions Si, Bing, Wu, Ding, and Wei count as daytime. The places lit by the Sun are in daylight; the three directions of northwest, east, and so on remain in darkness. Only the south is in daylight. This shows that the Sun and Moon are not separated from the world by mountains.

At the summer solstice, the month is marked by Wu, and the Sun reaches its northernmost point. The night is shortest and the day longest. The Sun rises in the Gen direction (northeast) and sets in the Qian direction (northwest). From Gen, it moves counterclockwise through the directions where it is daytime. The nineteen directions across the three regions of east, southeast, and west count as daylight; only the five northern directions—Hai, Ren, Zi, Gui, and Chou—are in darkness. The places lit by the Sun are in daylight, and here too the Sun and Moon are not separated from the world by mountains.

To explain further, on the day of the summer solstice the Sun rises in Gen and sets in Qian, while the three regions of east, southeast, and west are all in daylight. On the day of the winter solstice, the Sun rises from… [The original text ends here.]

Would the lands in the northwest, the east, and the other directions all enter darkness at the same time? Since the sun circles around the four sides of the mountain, the four directions should alternate between light and dark. Does this mean that the sun is hidden by the mountain?

It is also said that on the summer solstice, the sun rises in the Gen direction and sets in the Qian direction. If Mount Kunlun lies near the Zi direction, then the sun, being so far from the mountain, could not be blocked by it. And if the mountain were even farther away, how could it cause an obstruction? Therefore, we cannot say that the sun is hidden by the mountain. Suppose Mount Kunlun extended northward for thousands upon thousands of miles. Then, when the sun stood high in the east, the Mao region in the south would also have to be called the place of sunrise. This makes no sense.

It is also said that when the month marker (a system that uses the twelve Earthly Branches to designate the month’s position) is at Zi, it is the winter solstice, and the sun rises in the Xun direction and sets in the Kun direction. If Mount Kunlun could block the sun, the mountain would have to be moved to the southern Wu position. But the people of this place do not all live in the south, nor could they all live north of Mount Kunlun. Since Mount Kunlun lies at the center of the heavens and does not move, it is clear that the sun and moon are not hidden by the mountain.

The four seasons turn through the year, and the sun, moon, and stars meet to determine the Lülü (the twelve ancient pitch standards). Each month’s marker aligns with its corresponding star spirit: the first month, marked by Yin, aligns with Hai and its spirit is Zhaoming, symbolizing the summoning and illumination of all things; the second month, marked by Mao, aligns with Tiankui; the third month, marked by Chen, with Congkui; the fourth month, marked by Si, with Chuansong; the fifth month, marked by Wu, with Xiaoji; the sixth month, marked by Wei, with Shengxian; the seventh month, marked by Shen, with Taiyi; the eighth month, marked by You, with Tiangang; the ninth month, marked by Xu, with Taichong; the tenth month, marked by Hai, with Gongcao; the eleventh month, marked by Zi, with Daji; and the twelfth month, marked by Chou, with Shenhou.

The month markers and star spirits align and move in sequence. On this basis, the Xuanji and Yuheng (ancient instruments for observing the heavens, also referring to the pivots of celestial movement) determine the four seasons. The seven lodges in each of the four directions (seven constellations in each direction) move in alternation with day and night, showing that the Lülü are the same throughout the world—that is, the southern pitch standards accord with those everywhere else. Since all beneath the heavens shares the same sky, and the heavens are the same in every direction, one should not claim that a mountain blocks the sunlight.

The Eight Sceneries and Three Luminaries mentioned later are the same as those discussed here. The Five Texts of True Writ, which describe the mutual resonance between the sun, moon, and other celestial phenomena, are all recorded in the “Jade Capital’s Flowing Light” chapter. When asked how these principles should be taught and explained, the answer is that they should be clarified and applied according to the actual circumstances.

Some say that the pearl described by the Hu people, the Mani jewel, is really a way of using one thing to convey an idea. They also say that the count of 106 periods and the descent of Qi through the Three Pure Ones and Eight Sceneries to sustain life are teachings transmitted in sequence from the Western Regions. These claims have no basis at all. Some say that this kind of heaven belongs to the terrestrial realm; others say it is a world formed by mixed karmic retributions. It is near, yet does not belong to the Six Desire Heavens; it is far, yet does not fall among the Twenty-Eight Heavens of the Three Realms.

Above Taihuang Huanglu Heaven—the lowest heaven of the Desire Realm—lie the other heavens in succession. I will now offer a brief explanation and answer the questions raised earlier. Within the Three Realms, each of the Three Primordial Ones has twelve positions, making thirty-six in all. Each heaven is divided into the Three Realms, and above them are the Four Brahma Heavens and the Eight Pure Heavens. They all appear above, while their primordial Qi flows downward through them. Since there is said to be an earthly realm, with places in it that each have their own names, what kind of Qi forms the worlds of mixed destinies, and where do they dwell? What do they connect to above, at the pivot of celestial movement, and where are they gathered below? To which tier of heaven do the worlds of mixed destinies in the lower earthly realm belong?

“Heaven” refers to what lies above and stretches over a vast area; “earth” refers to what lies below, thick and able to bear all things. There are different levels both above and below. Within one tier of heaven, the upper part belongs to the Mysterious Pivot; above that tier are still higher celestial regions. The heaven discussed here is Taihuang Huanglu Heaven, and the people of that heaven are those who dwell within it.

In the Three Realms, beings take birth through five kinds of causes and conditions. Although they all inhabit the same heaven, their circumstances differ according to their good and evil deeds. People in the worlds of mixed destinies have short lives, while those among the highest grade of immortals may live for nine million years. The lifespans in the Pure Lands of the Five Directions are also fixed in their own ways. Grotto chambers and empty palaces—the serene abodes of immortals—are found at different levels and are not all alike.

Ancient books tell of someone who played a brief game of chess, or met a woodcutter, then turned back to find the woodcutter’s axe handle rotted away. The woodcutter thought only two days had passed, but more than two hundred years had gone by in the human world. This tale of the different passage of time in the immortal realm and the human world shows how long immortals live. The lifespans of the various immortals will be described one by one later.

Only the lower earthly realm is divided into Pure Lands and defiled lands. Tracing their origin, primordial Qi descended from the Upper Realms of the Three Pure Ones and thereby gave rise to the Three Realms. The forms and patterns of Heaven and Earth took shape from this, and True Immortals and sacred ranks each came into being. Though those who cultivate the Dao dwell within the Three Realms, the roots of the immortal Dao reach far back, enabling them to overcome demonic hindrances. The Scripture for Dispelling Demons says: “In the Upper Realms of the Three Pure Ones are thirty-six heavens; in the Three Realms below are thirty-six emperors.” When the kalpas of the Three Realms come to an end, they are consumed by the fire of the kalpa; yet the immortals of the Three Caverns do not perceive any fire.

From this we can see that good and evil coexist under one heaven in the worlds of mixed destinies. Those who do good receive abundant blessings and long life; those who do evil are sullied and humiliated, and live only briefly. Pure Lands and defiled lands alike exist within the same Heaven and Earth. The vast earth and the worlds below are also home to people who cultivate the Great Dao. Earlier, I listed twelve errors. Examine them carefully, and you will understand the principles involved. Consult the illustrated records and Essentials for Entering the Dao; later sections will explain each point in turn and answer the questions raised earlier.

The Four Brahma Heavens, the Three Realms, and the Thirty-Two Heavens

The Most High says: First is the Desire Realm, which has six heavens: first, Taihuang Huanglu Heaven; second, Taiming Yuwan Heaven; third, Qingming Hetong Heaven; fourth, Xuantai Pingyu Heaven; fifth, Yuanming Wenju Heaven; and sixth, Qiyao MoyI Heaven.

The Realm of Desire has six heavens. In this realm there are physical bodies and desires. Men and women come together, Yin and Yang unite, and people are conceived and born in this way. The scriptures therefore take “desire,” its most prominent feature, as the basis for calling it the “Realm of Desire.”

The second is the Realm of Form, which has eighteen heavens: the Seventh Heaven, Vacuity Beyond the Balance; the Eighth Heaven, Supreme Ultimate Veiled in Mist; the Ninth Heaven, Red Radiance and Harmonious Yang; the Tenth Heaven, Dark Radiance and Reverent Splendor; the Eleventh Heaven, Luminous Radiance and Ancestral Flutter; the Twelfth Heaven, Zhu Luo Huang Jia; the Thirteenth Heaven, Vacuous Radiance and Hall of Luminaries; the Fourteenth Heaven, Contemplative Radiance and Tranquil Composure; the Fifteenth Heaven, Dark Radiance and Reverent Celebration; the Sixteenth Heaven, Great Radiance and Extreme Jade; the Seventeenth Heaven, Primordial Foundation and Vast Ascent; the Eighteenth Heaven, Great Peace and Imperial Cliffs; the Nineteenth Heaven, Manifest Stillness and Extreme Wind; the Twentieth Heaven, Primordial Yellow and Filial Vastness; the Twenty-First Heaven, Great Yellow and Elderly Abundance; the Twenty-Second Heaven, Thoughtless River of You; the Twenty-Third Heaven, Upper Die and Ruan Joy; and the Twenty-Fourth Heaven, Boundless Tan Vow.

The Realm of Form has visible forms but no emotional or sexual desire, and men and women do not come together. Its inhabitants are not born from the womb but appear through transformation. They feed only on fragrance and no longer suffer the inconvenience of bodily excretion, which is why it is called the “Realm of Form.”

The third is the Formless Realm, which has four heavens: the Twenty-Fifth Heaven, Bright Court and Heaven’s Crossing; the Twenty-Sixth Heaven, Deep Passage and Primordial Cavern; the Twenty-Seventh Heaven, Honored Feather and Wondrous Completion; and the Twenty-Eighth Heaven, Refined Joy and Supreme Prohibition.

In the Formless Realm, visible form and desire have disappeared. Its inhabitants have subtle bodies. Though they have bodies that may stretch for hundreds of miles, they are unaware of them themselves. Only perfected beings—those who have successfully cultivated the Dao—can see them. Hence it is called the “Formless Realm.”

The fourth is the Four Brahma Heavens. The four heavens listed by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning are the Twenty-Ninth Heaven, Constantly Merging; the Thirtieth Heaven, Jade Vastness; the Thirty-First Heaven, Brahma’s Reach; and the Thirty-Second Heaven, Jia Yi.

Above the Four Brahma Heavens is the Heaven of Brahma Practice. Above it lie the heavens of Highest Clarity, including Jade Capital, Dark Metropolis, and the Purple Tenuity Palace. This is where the Lord of the Dao, the Most High, resides and governs, and where perfected beings who cultivate the Dao can reach.

The twenty-eight heavens below the Four Brahma Heavens are divided into three realms. Each tier of heaven is governed by an emperor. Those in the heavenly realms are people who, while living in the human world, upheld wisdom and exemplary conduct; through doing good and accumulating De, they were able to ascend there. They naturally have food and clothing, can fly from place to place, and enjoy freedom and happiness, but they have not yet escaped the bounds of birth and death.

Lifespans naturally vary in length. In the first heaven, the heavenly beings live for ninety thousand years; in each successive heaven, their lifespans increase.

Yunji Qiqian, juan 21