About this page. The original text of 《皇極經世》 (Taixuan 太玄部, 23 volumes) is shown in Classical Chinese as transmitted in the Kanripo (Kyoto University) edition. An English interpretation of the 18 passages on this page accompanies it: select a passage or press “Interpretation” to show it. All texts in English
Reading modes explained
- Horizontal: ordinary left-to-right reading; the interpretation can be shown.
- Scroll: vertical text running right to left; the wheel scrolls sideways (no interpretation in this mode).
- Wheel: columns of vertical text turn around a drum; use the wheel, drag or arrow keys, or auto-play.
- Pages: about 200 characters per page; use the buttons, swipe or arrow keys.
Source textInterpretation
Contents (23 volumes)
Vol. 1
The first section of the upper part of Volume One of The Book of the Supreme Ultimate’s World Ordering.
Written by Shao Yaofu of Sanchuan (Shao Yaofu was Shao Yong; Yaofu was his courtesy name).
The first through sixth sections of “Taking the Yuan as the Measure for the Hui” all belong to the “Observing Things” chapter.
What is listed here is a numerical table arranged by “day, month, star, and constellation.” It marks the items in order, beginning with “day, Shen, one; month, Zi, one; star, Jia, one; constellation, Zi, one.” “Star Jia, Star Yi, Star Bing, and Star Ding” above are the names of the star groups; “constellation Zi, constellation Chou, constellation Yin,” and so on, follow the sequence of the Twelve Earthly Branches. The numbers in parentheses give the corresponding ordinal positions. For example, “Star Yi (two), constellation Zi, thirteen” means that this group begins at the thirteenth item.
The items listed in the table are as follows:
Star Jia group: constellation Zi through constellation Hai, positions one through twelve.
Star Yi group: constellation Zi through constellation Hai, positions thirteen through twenty-four.
Star Bing group: constellation Zi through constellation Hai, positions twenty-five through thirty-six.
Star Ding group: constellation Zi through constellation Xu, positions thirty-seven through forty-seven.
This passage arranges combinations of “Chen” with the Twelve Earthly Branches in sequence and gives the corresponding numerical values. The slash in parentheses separates the tens and ones digits; for example, “forty-eight” is 48.
Starting from 48, the sequence is as follows:
Chen-Hai is 48. After “Star Wu” (the fifth marker) come Chen-Zi at 49 and Chen-Chou at 50; the values then increase in order through the Earthly Branches, reaching Chen-Hai at 60.
After “Star Ji” (the sixth marker), Chen-Zi is 61. The values increase in sequence through Chen-You at 70 and Chen-Hai at 72.
After “Star Geng” (the seventh marker), the sequence begins with Chen-Zi at 73 and increases in order through Chen-Wei at 80 and Chen-Hai at 84.
After “Star Xin” (the eighth marker), the sequence begins with Chen-Zi at 85 and increases in order through Chen-Si at 90, ending with Chen-Hai at 96.
“Star Wu,” “Star Ji,” “Star Geng,” and “Star Xin” serve as section markers. The passage mainly presents the correspondence between each combination and its successively increasing number.
Here is a numerical sequence table from The Book of Supreme World Ordering (Huangji Jingshi). “Star” (here referring to the sequence of stellar periods) is ordered by Ren, Gui, Jia, and Yi; “Branch” is ordered by Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, and Hai. The numbers in parentheses indicate the corresponding ordinal numbers.
Starting with “Star Ren (nine), Branch Zi,” the sequence increases in order: Branch Zi is ninety-seven, Branch Chou is ninety-eight, Branch Yin is ninety-nine, and Branch Mao is one hundred, continuing through Branch Hai at one hundred and eight. Next comes “Star Gui (ten),” numbered consecutively from one hundred and nine to one hundred and twenty; “Star Jia (eleven),” from one hundred and twenty-one to one hundred and thirty-two; and “Star Yi (twelve),” beginning at one hundred and thirty-three and listed here through Branch Wu (one hundred and thirty-nine).
This is a numerical table arranged by combinations of “Star” and “Branch,” with the entries primarily mapping sequence positions to numbers.
This passage is a chronological table from the Huangji Jingshi, arranged in groups labeled “Stars” and listing the corresponding sequence of each “Chen.” The numbers in parentheses indicate sequence numbers. For example, “Chen Wei (one hundred forty)” means the 140th entry, while “Star Bing (thirteen)” means the thirteenth position in the Bing group. Here, “Chen” is a specialized label in the table and should not be interpreted directly as the “Chen” of the Twelve Earthly Branches.
Beginning with “Star Bing (thirteen),” the entries proceed in order through Chen Zi, Chen Chou, Chen Yin, Chen Mao, Chen Chen, Chen Si, Chen Wu, Chen Wei, Chen Shen, Chen You, Chen Xu, and Chen Hai, with a sequence number given for each. Next come “Star Ding (fourteen)” and “Star Wu (fifteen),” arranged in the same order. The entire passage consists of entries organizing chronological numbers; it does not describe specific events or cultivation methods.
This passage is organized by “stars”: it lists the twelve “branches” in each group and marks their ordinal numbers in sequence. “Star Ji,” “Star Geng,” and so on are group names; “Branch Zi,” “Branch Chou,” and so on are the item names within each group. The numbers in parentheses indicate sequence numbers.
Following the original order, the passage begins with “Branch Hai (one hundred/eighty),” continues through the twelve branch entries under “Star Ji (sixteen),” and then proceeds to the groups “Star Geng (seventeen),” “Star Xin (eighteen),” and “Star Ren (nineteen).” The numbering continues to increase in each group: the Star Geng group runs from “one hundred nine/thirteen” to “two hundred/four”; the Star Xin group runs from “two hundred/five” to “two hundred one/sixteen”; and the Star Ren group is currently listed through “Branch Mao (two hundred/twenty).”
This is a chronological arrangement table from the Jing of the Huangji Jingshi. It mainly presents the correspondence between groups and ordinal numbers; this passage alone does not establish the specific dates or calendrical units represented by the numbers.
This passage is part of the chronological table in The Book of Supreme World Ordering (Huangji Jingshi). It is divided into sections marked “Star,” with entries pairing “Chen” with the twelve earthly branches in sequence. Here, “Star” marks the divisions in the table, while “Chen-Zi,” “Chen-Chou,” and so on are ordered combinations of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. The numbers in parentheses give the corresponding sequence numbers.
The passage begins with “Chen-Chen (221)” and proceeds through “Chen-Hai (228),” followed by “Star-Gui (20).” It then continues from “Chen-Zi (229)” and lists the entries in sequence through “Chen-Wei (260).” Along the way, “Star-Jia (21)” and “Star-Yi (22)” mark the beginning of new sections.
The original mainly lists chronological entries in a fixed order and contains no narrative.
This passage is a chronological number table from the Huangji Jingshi. It is divided into sections marked “Star Bing,” “Star Ding,” and “Star Wu,” and lists entries such as Chen Zi, Chen Chou, and Chen Yin in sequence, each with its corresponding ordinal number. Here, “star” marks the sections, while “Chen” is part of the system’s chronological designations; the numbers in parentheses indicate the order.
In the original sequence, Star Bing corresponds to numbers 206 through 276, Star Ding to 277 through 288, and Star Wu to 289 through 300. This passage contains only designations and ordinal numbers; it does not describe specific events or cultivation practices.
This is a section of the numerical table in the Classic of Supreme World Ordering (Huangji Jingshi). “Star Ji,” “Star Geng,” “Star Xin,” and “Star Ren” are the names of the divisions in this table. From “Chen-Zi” through “Chen-Hai,” the twelve Chen positions are listed in order according to the Earthly Branches; the numbers in parentheses are their corresponding ordinal numbers.
Star Ji (twenty-six): Chen-Zi (three hundred and one), Chen-Chou (three hundred and two), Chen-Yin (three hundred and three), Chen-Mao (three hundred and four), Chen-Chen (three hundred and five), Chen-Si (three hundred and six), Chen-Wu (three hundred and seven), Chen-Wei (three hundred and eight), Chen-Shen (three hundred and nine), Chen-You (three hundred and ten), Chen-Xu (three hundred and eleven), Chen-Hai (three hundred and twelve).
Star Geng (twenty-seven): Chen-Zi (three hundred and thirteen), Chen-Chou (three hundred and fourteen), Chen-Yin (three hundred and fifteen), Chen-Mao (three hundred and sixteen), Chen-Chen (three hundred and seventeen), Chen-Si (three hundred and eighteen), Chen-Wu (three hundred and nineteen), Chen-Wei (three hundred and twenty), Chen-Shen (three hundred and twenty-one), Chen-You (three hundred and twenty-two), Chen-Xu (three hundred and twenty-three), Chen-Hai (three hundred and twenty-four).
Star Xin (twenty-eight): Chen-Zi (three hundred and twenty-five), Chen-Chou (three hundred and twenty-six), Chen-Yin (three hundred and twenty-seven), Chen-Mao (three hundred and twenty-eight), Chen-Chen (three hundred and twenty-nine), Chen-Si (three hundred and thirty), Chen-Wu (three hundred and thirty-one), Chen-Wei (three hundred and thirty-two), Chen-Shen (three hundred and thirty-three), Chen-You (three hundred and thirty-four), Chen-Xu (three hundred and thirty-five), Chen-Hai (three hundred and thirty-six).
Star Ren (twenty-nine): Chen-Zi (three hundred and thirty-seven), Chen-Chou (three hundred and thirty-eight), Chen-Yin (three hundred and thirty-nine), Chen-Mao (three hundred and forty), Chen-Chen (three hundred and forty-one), Chen-Si (three hundred and forty-two).
This passage mainly lists the cyclical counts for the years and months. Its format is fixed, showing that the counts increase in sequence.
From “Chen-Wu (three hundred and four/thirteen)” to “Chen-Hai (three hundred and six/ten),” it records the sequence in which “Chen” pairs with the twelve Earthly Branches, along with the corresponding numbers. Then “Month-Chou, second star, Jia (thirty/one)” marks a new point in the month and star sequence. The list continues from “Chen-Zi (three hundred and six/eleven).” “Star Yi (thirty/two)” marks the next point in the star sequence, and the numbers that follow continue to increase.
Here, “Chen-Wu,” “Chen-Wei,” and similar expressions are count markers formed by combining “Chen” with an Earthly Branch; phrases such as “three hundred and four/thirteen” indicate the corresponding ordinal numbers. The passage is concerned primarily with calendrical ordering and does not describe specific events or cultivation rituals.
This passage is a numerical table from the Huangji Jingshi. It uses “Chen” to denote the Chen position among the twelve earthly branches, then lists combinations in sequence—“Chen-Xu,” “Chen-Hai,” “Chen-Zi,” continuing through combinations such as “Chen-Si.” The numbers in parentheses are the corresponding ordinal numbers. At the end of each cycle, “Star-Bing,” “Star-Ding,” “Star-Wu,” and “Star-Ji” mark the next group, with that group’s ordinal number also given.
Following the order of the original markings, the passage begins with “Chen-Xu (three hundred eight/thirteen)” and “Chen-Hai (three hundred eight/fourteen).” It continues with “Chen-Zi (three hundred eight/fifteen)” in the “Star-Bing (thirty/three)” group, followed by further entries. “Star-Ding (thirty/four),” “Star-Wu (thirty/five),” and “Star-Ji (thirty/six)” then appear in turn. The final entry is “Chen-Mao (four hundred two/fourteen).”
Here, “Star,” “Chen,” and their combinations are used to arrange and mark the numerical sequence. This is tabular numerical material, not continuous prose. The slashes in the original are retained as part of its printed numerical notation; this passage alone does not establish whether they indicate fractions or another counting format.
This passage mainly presents the calendrical-numbering table of the Huangji Jingshi, listing in order the entries in the “Chen” group and their corresponding numbers. The numbers in parentheses are sequence numbers; for example, “four hundred one/fifteen” means four hundred fifteen. “Star Geng,” “Star Xin,” and “Star Ren” are section markers, and the following “thirty/seven,” “thirty/eight,” and “thirty/nine” mean thirty-seven, thirty-eight, and thirty-nine, respectively.
The entries appear in order as follows: Chen-Chen (four hundred fifteen), Chen-Si (four hundred sixteen), Chen-Wu (four hundred seventeen), Chen-Wei (four hundred eighteen), Chen-Shen (four hundred nineteen), Chen-You (four hundred thirty), Chen-Xu (four hundred thirty-one), and Chen-Hai (four hundred thirty-two).
Under Star Geng (thirty-seven), the sequence begins with Chen-Zi (four hundred thirty-three), followed by Chen-Chou (four hundred thirty-four), Chen-Yin (four hundred thirty-five), Chen-Mao (four hundred thirty-six), Chen-Chen (four hundred thirty-seven), Chen-Si (four hundred thirty-eight), Chen-Wu (four hundred thirty-nine), Chen-Wei (four hundred forty), Chen-Shen (four hundred forty-one), Chen-You (four hundred forty-two), Chen-Xu (four hundred forty-three), and Chen-Hai (four hundred forty-four).
Under Star Xin (thirty-eight), the sequence begins with Chen-Zi (four hundred forty-five), followed by Chen-Chou (four hundred forty-six), Chen-Yin (four hundred forty-seven), Chen-Mao (four hundred forty-eight), Chen-Chen (four hundred forty-nine), Chen-Si (four hundred fifty), Chen-Wu (four hundred fifty-one), Chen-Wei (four hundred fifty-two), Chen-Shen (four hundred fifty-three), Chen-You (four hundred fifty-four), Chen-Xu (four hundred fifty-five), and Chen-Hai (four hundred fifty-six).
Under Star Ren (thirty-nine), the sequence begins with Chen-Zi (four hundred fifty-seven), followed by Chen-Chou (four hundred fifty-eight), Chen-Yin (four hundred fifty-nine), Chen-Mao (four hundred sixty), Chen-Chen (four hundred sixty-one), Chen-Si (four hundred sixty-two), Chen-Wu (four hundred sixty-three), and Chen-Wei (four hundred sixty-four).
This section is a chronological table from the Huangji Jingshi, listing each of the twelve Earthly Branches under the “Chen” year and giving its corresponding ordinal number. “Star Gui,” “Star Jia,” “Star Yi,” and “Star Bing” mark the sections; the numbers in parentheses identify each entry.
The list begins with “Chen-Shen (465)” and continues through “Chen-Hai (480).” “Star Jia (41)” then marks the next section, which runs from “Chen-Zi (481)” through “Chen-Hai (492).” “Star Yi (42)” marks another section, running from “Chen-Zi (493)” through “Chen-Hai (504).” Finally, “Star Bing (43)” marks a new section, in which “Chen-Zi (505)” is listed. Names such as “Chen-Zi,” “Chen-Chou,” and “Chen-Yin” are year designations formed by combining “Chen” with the respective Earthly Branch in the traditional sexagenary calendar.
This passage is a numerical table from Huangji Jingshi, arranged in sequence by stars, signs, and ordinal numbers. “Star Ding,” “Star Wu,” and “Star Ji” are section markers, while “Sign Zi,” “Sign Chou,” “Sign Yin,” and so on are the sequential names used in the enumeration. The numbers in parentheses indicate the corresponding positions. For example, “Sign Chou (five hundred and six)” is listed in the five hundred and sixth position.
In order, the entries run from “Sign Chou (five hundred and six)” through “Sign Si (five hundred and forty-six).” “Star Ding (forty-four)” marks the forty-fourth section, which continues from “Sign Zi (five hundred and seventeen)”; “Star Wu (forty-five)” marks the forty-fifth section, which continues from “Sign Zi (five hundred and twenty-nine)”; and “Star Ji (forty-six)” marks the forty-sixth section, which continues from “Sign Zi (five hundred and forty-one).” The original text mainly lists the sequence and numbering, without further narrative.
This is a numerical chronology table from the Huangji Jingshi. It marks larger sections with “xing” (star) and subsections within them with “chen.” The numbers in parentheses are corresponding ordinal numbers, not narrative content from the classic.
Beginning with “Xing Geng (forty-seven),” the table lists entries in sequence such as “Chen Zi,” “Chen Chou,” and “Chen Yin.” Their ordinal numbers increase from five hundred fifty-five/thirteen to the next “Xing Xin (forty-eight),” where the numbering continues, and then to “Xing Ren (forty-nine).” The table currently runs through “Chen You (five hundred eighty/sixteen).” Names such as “Chen Wu” recur because they belong to different “xing” sections and each corresponds to a different ordinal number.
This passage records a chronological sequence from the Huangji Jingshi. “Chen-Xu,” “Chen-Hai,” “Chen-Zi,” and the like mark periods using combinations of the Earthly Branches; “Star Gui,” “Star Jia,” and the like mark divisions within the sequence. The numbers in parentheses are the corresponding ordinal numbers.
The sequence begins with the 517th year of “Chen-Xu,” then lists the years of Chen-Hai, Chen-Zi, Chen-Chou, and so on, up to “Chen-Mao” in the 628th year. “Star Gui,” “Star Jia,” “Star Yi,” and “Star Bing” mark the sequence’s transitions into different divisions.
This passage from the Huangji Jingshi lists calendrical cycle entries pairing the Chen position with the twelve Earthly Branches, with each ordinal number given in parentheses.
Chen-Chen (629th), Chen-Si (630th), Chen-Wu (631st), Chen-Wei (632nd), Chen-Shen (633rd), Chen-You (634th), Chen-Xu (635th), Chen-Hai (636th).
The next section, labeled “Star Ding” (54th), runs from Chen-Zi (637th) through Chen-Hai (648th).
The “Star Wu” section (55th) runs from Chen-Zi (649th) through Chen-Hai (660th).
The “Star Ji” section (56th) runs from Chen-Zi (661st) through Chen-Wei (668th).
“Chen-Zi,” “Chen-Chou,” and the like are combination names in the calendrical table; “Star Ding,” “Star Wu,” and “Star Ji” are section markers within the table.
This passage is mainly a table of cyclical numbers from The Book of Supreme World Ordering (Huangji Jingshi), with no continuous narrative. It lists, in sequence, entries pairing “Chen” with the twelve Earthly Branches, and at certain points marks celestial-stem star names alongside their corresponding numerical positions.
For example, “Chen-Shen (six hundred six / nineteen)” indicates that the entry “Chen-Shen” corresponds to the number “six hundred six” and is marked “nineteen.” “Star Geng (fifty / seven)” indicates that the marker “fifty / seven” belongs to the star name “Geng.” The entries “Star Xin,” “Star Ren,” and “Star Gui” follow in turn, with the numbers increasing gradually until “Chen-Chou (seven hundred one / ten).”
Here, “Chen,” “Shen,” “You,” “Xu,” “Hai,” “Zi,” “Chou,” “Yin,” “Mao,” “Si,” “Wu,” and “Wei” are all Earthly Branches; “Geng,” “Xin,” “Ren,” and “Gui” are Heavenly Stems. The numbers and slashes in parentheses follow the original text’s numerical notation, indicating sequence and position. This table alone does not make clear what the numbers specifically mean within the book’s overall system.
Chen-Yin: Year 711
Chen-Mao: Year 712
Chen-Chen: Year 713
Chen-Si: Year 714
Chen-Wu: Year 715
Chen-Wei: Year 716
Chen-Shen: Year 717
Chen-You: Year 718
Chen-Xu: Year 719
Chen-Hai: Year 720
The Book of Supreme World Ordering (Huangji Jingshi), Volume One, Part One.
Source text: Kanripo 漢籍リポジトリ(KR5d0063); Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Report an error / feedback