《太平經》Vol. 50

Six Perfected Ones bowed their heads solemnly twice and respectfully reported: “We dare to ask the Divine Being of the August Sovereign: We seek peace between Heaven and Earth, with Yin and Yang each in its proper place and calamities unable to arise arbitrarily. Then the ruler would need only to make daily rounds and govern, guided by the ‘Classic of Great Joy.’ We have asked many things; could you explain them further?”

The Divine Being of the August Sovereign replied: “A good question, a profound one; you have touched on what matters most. Since you sincerely seek the Supreme Dao (the highest right way) and wish to cast aside false teachings—texts and claims that depart from the right way—I will now explain everything to you. You have accumulated goodness before Heaven; how could I dare conceal anything? Seeing that you aspire to goodness and understand the intentions of the spirits, I would not speak or act if I feared going against Heaven’s will—as though Heaven itself had sent you here to ask. I will set things out point by point. Listen and take notes, and leave nothing out.

“If rulers follow my book, calamities can be eliminated all at once. The whole realm will rejoice, and everyone will aspire to become a person of Dao and De (Virtue and Power). The young will follow the example of earlier generations; old and young alike will rise together, all understanding that they should seek true texts—scriptures that accord with the Way of Heaven—and use them to assess affairs and dispel empty display. Their hearts will be able to commune with the spirits. The ruler will then have no cause for worry. Why not make daily rounds and govern? In this way, everything between Heaven and Earth will find its proper place, and the myriad spirits will rejoice. The ruler will be deeply in accord with Heaven’s intent; the Supreme Dao will come to offer its protection, bringing good fortune each day and no misfortune at all. My words are true and never fail. I fear only that people may receive the book and not put it into practice, allowing all manner of false teachings to gather once more. Omens of calamity and empty display—hollow ornamentation—are grave afflictions of Heaven and Earth and Yin-Yang. If a grave affliction goes untreated, how can it be cured? Since you have come to ask, I speak on Heaven’s behalf. Think carefully about the meaning of my book from beginning to end. Hold fast to its intent and do not let it become confused.”

The Perfected One replied: “Yes, yes. When we return, we will gladly reflect on this day and night, record what has been transmitted, and set it in order again and again, hoping it will never be forgotten for generations to come. Since Heaven and Earth were opened, spoken teachings and written texts have passed down from one generation to the next. Things that share the same Qi (vital energy) illuminate one another through their likeness; as related things are sought out and gathered together, the Way grows clearer day by day and never declines. From ancient times to the present, all the sages have spoken together about Heaven, and all the worthy have shared their words and joined in the sages’ plans. Rulers are Heaven’s cherished sons. O child!”

Plain Language Interpretation

To carry on a father’s teachings, one should follow their proper course and dispel the troubles of Heaven and Earth, thereby receiving their protection.

Thus it is said: “One must reflect and act with strength—this is my Dao…” When you encounter a matter, you should awaken to its meaning. If you do not, the divine powers of Heaven and Earth will keep searching it out—by the billions and billions, the thousands and hundreds, the tens and ones. Each matter must correspond to what is sought; only then can one examine whether it is usable. If it does not correspond, urgently seek again among its brothers and kindred, until you find one that corresponds without missing a single element. Only then is it correct. Everything should be handled this way. How can one know whether something corresponds?

To establish correspondence, one must examine it inwardly in the heart and mind, while outwardly seeking a response from the spirits. Things near and far must move in accord. Use divination to test and verify the matter; only when there is a confirming response below is it truly in correspondence. Any claim that does not correspond is not the true Way. Be careful and do not speak recklessly, lest you leave people without descendants in generations to come. Reckless words bring no descendants and cannot be relied on for long; that is why they leave people without descendants. The way of governance declines day by day, and violations of the proper order give rise to deviant claims. These are truly wrong. They all disrupt the patterns of Heaven and Earth and fail to correspond with the sages’ hearts; the spirits cannot be put to work through them. Therefore, those who speak must first examine human feelings and intentions inwardly, and then investigate whether they accord with the spirits outwardly. That is the proper way. This is the warning concerning how to weigh gain and loss and the patterns of Heaven.

Gather writings by kind, bringing them together with the worthy. From among them, select texts whose elements correspond tenfold and whose claims accord with the hearts of people and the spirits. Set them down in writing so that their meaning may be made secure, and test them by verifying their effects below. In this way, they will remain unalterable for ten thousand generations. To verify means that divination yields a response and putting the teaching into practice also yields a response—that is the full standard. Only then can one establish the laws of Heaven completely. This is precisely the great art by which Yin and Yang are harmonized and settled, and the ruler is kept secure. It can turn calamity into good fortune and give the people longer lives. Why? When the patterns of Heaven and Earth are in order, Yin and Yang each find their proper place. When they do, all the spirits rejoice greatly. When the spirits rejoice, they bless the people; thus the ruler remains secure for a long time and the people live longer. How could one fail to strive with all one’s strength?

Feiming are the lesser of the Three Lights. They are all connected to what lies beneath the earth, yet hang suspended above in the sky. Their movements correspond and harmonize with the earth, the people, and the myriad things. They are evidence for the writings. This is shown by written records and divinations in which a hundred, ten, and one all correspond.

What Does Not Correspond and Resonate Is Wrong

What does not echo and correspond, and does not accord with the Dao of Heaven, is wrong. Use measuring vessels to check and calibrate measures. All heretical writings and books should be eliminated. Use events of the past to verify those of the present, follow the Dao of Heaven, and observe the timing of Heaven when undertaking affairs. Do not disturb celestial phenomena or the patterns of the heavens. Only when one shares heart and strength with Heaven can one be called enduringly auspicious. Heaven may be followed, never opposed: follow what the Dao of Heaven favors and use it to benefit people, bringing them prosperity. To defy Heaven’s will is to bring people decline; to lose Heaven’s favor is to perish.

Divination Instructions for Testing Correspondences in Migration and Change of Direction (Chapter Sixty-Eight)

Texts concerning migration, relocation, and changes of direction are all Heavenly Movement writings (texts bestowed by Heaven). Yin and Yang unite, and celestial patterns take shape; emperors, ordinary people, and all things must each move according to the proper principles within them. To grasp their meaning is auspicious; to miss it is inauspicious. Affairs may run counter to the proper course or follow it, so they must be examined carefully and thoroughly.

To find out whether these writings are genuine, test them against twenty-five matters in groups of five: take twenty-five past events and twenty-five new households, and record in detail the year, month, day, and hour from which each came, and whose hands were associated with the Five Tones, then use them to divine good and bad fortune. Only if the results correspond in every hundred and every ten trials are the writings genuine. In this way, one can discern the divisions and principles of Heaven and Earth. The ruler will have no doubts, the people and ministers will not neglect their duties, and all things will each find their proper place. Otherwise, writings that speak in disordered and heretical ways must not be used. Measure them with a measuring vessel: whoever dares use writings that mislead people will have no descendants in later generations. This is because they injure and destroy the people, disrupt the divisions of Heaven and Earth, and, though Heaven and Earth bring people to life, they instead throw Yin and Yang into disorder, thereby bringing an end to their line.

In ancient times there were no writings, and Heaven restored things to their origin. But after the Heavenly Movement writings appeared, people already knew Heaven’s intent and deliberately acted against it. Those who transgressed met death in great numbers, lived short lives, and suffered ill fortune. This is precisely what is meant here.

Those Who Share a Source Are Siblings and Correspond by Kind

Those who share a source are siblings: places with the same Qi are like siblings and respond to one another according to their kind. The Five Sacred Peaks correspond across ten thousand miles. Focus your thoughts carefully on the matter at hand: good corresponds with good, lowly with lowly; in matters of quantity and rank, high and low, not one in ten thousand is mistaken. Repeatedly test how twenty-five Qi in groups of five correspond to twenty-five households and twenty-five hills. When the writings correspond across hundreds and tens of cases, this is a land omen (a sign from the land). Where their Qi combine, the places are sibling lands; their people share the same likes and dislikes, and their various colors, birds and beasts, grasses and trees are alike. These are places with the same Qi. This makes it possible to distinguish clearly and determine whether places correspond.

Those whose Qi is not of the same water source are not siblings: their fish and turtles are alike… (The text continues below with the same distinction between the Qi of places and the Qi of waters.)

Note: This section belongs to the Taiping Jing’s teachings on divination concerning migration and the division of lands according to their Qi. It emphasizes that writings must accord with Heavenly Movement writings and discusses testing through twenty-five matters and land omens associated with the Five Sacred Peaks. These ideas connect with later traditions of fengshui, regional divisions, and divination. The specialized terms “Heavenly Movement writings,” “land omen,” and “twenty-five in groups of five” are best retained in their original form to avoid conflating them with later concepts.

The passage above discusses the role of divination and verification: discerning where all things arise and how events change, so that many outcomes can be inferred. When the signs are the same, the outward forms are the same; when the signs differ, the outward forms differ. This is the principle for distinguishing what is orthodox from what is deviant, and what is genuine from what is false.

The Formula of the Radiant, Dazzling Elixir for Repelling Evil (Chapter Sixty-Nine)

The Radiant, Dazzling Elixir refers to characters engraved in Heaven that can shine with light. They can be used to correct delusion and repel evil spirits.

“Ten out of ten correspond and recover” means that a heavenly document corresponds to true spirits and true officials; when used accordingly, it brings recovery. This is a genuine effect. “Nine out of ten recover” refers to an earthly document that harmonizes with Yin spirits. “Eight out of ten correspond and recover” refers to a balanced document from the human realm, belonging neither wholly to Heaven nor wholly to Earth.

These standards should be used to assess such documents. Most others are deviant writings and must not be used recklessly. Such characters are meant to uphold the orthodox Dao and ward off evil, so they must correspond with spirits. If they are used but bring no recovery, they often mislead people and cannot save them from death.

There are also cases in which ghosts or spirits impersonate others and make people write. The handwriting is hard to decipher, yet it seems to bring recovery. This often means that the person involved has a destiny and allotment in a deviant position and has become a leader of the deviant forces; documents written by that person will not work for others. From this we can see that gathering people to engrave deviant writings makes it easier for deviant Qi to take root in people’s hearts. Such writings should be disposed of in deserted places, such as uninhabited wilderness. Each document in the main text must be tested individually; one should not expect to obtain them all at once.

The Formula for Plants and Trees (Chapter Seventy)

Plants and trees must have De, Dao, and a proper rank before they can be commanded and put to use. They are called plant and tree prescriptions. This refers to plants and trees with numinous efficacy, not ordinary ones.

“Treats an ailment and brings immediate recovery” usually refers to divine plants and trees from Heaven that have taken form and grown on Earth. “Immediately prolongs life” usually refers to immortal plants and trees from Heaven that have taken form and grown on Earth. In prescription names, terms such as “immediate recovery” and “recovery in one day” often indicate how quickly the remedy takes effect.

These plants and trees possess spirit and vitality, can be commanded, and each has its own official rank. The metaphorical names for them correspond to their degree of efficacy: “ten out of ten correspond and recover” is the “Emperor’s Plant”; “nine out of ten correspond” is the “Minister’s Plant”; and “eight out of ten correspond” is the “People’s Plant.” Those below this level are generally unusable and are plants that mislead people.

This is an art for saving lives and sustaining health, and it must be examined carefully. Prescription books should clearly record the names of the plants and trees. A remedy that brings recovery in one day is called a “One-Day Prescription”; one that works in two days is called a “Two-Day Prescription”; and one that works in three days is called a “Three-Day Prescription.” The name must match the actual result; it must not be vague.

Treatise on the Prescriptions of Living Creatures, Chapter Seventy-One

“Living creatures carry the essence of prescriptions” means that birds and beasts can cure illness immediately. Birds carry prescriptions of the gods of Heaven and cure ten out of ten cases. Beasts mostly carry prescriptions of the spirits of Earth and cure nine out of ten. Insects carry prescriptions that lie between the essences of human beings and medicines that harmonize the spirits, and cure eight out of ten. These three kinds each use their own divine medicines, bestowed by Heaven, Earth, and humanity, to treat illness. They are like the Daoist adepts among human beings who are called envoys, divine beings, or divine masters: all are instruments of the essences of Heaven, Earth, and humanity, and of ghosts and spirits. Those whose cures succeed ten times out of ten, or a hundred times out of a hundred, possess the divine prescriptions of emperors and supreme sovereigns; those who cure nineteen times out of twenty possess the divine prescriptions of kings and lords; those who cure eighteen times out of twenty possess the divine prescriptions of high ministers and virtuous recluses in plain clothes. Each has its proper role. Use this standard to judge them, and you will never be wrong.

These three kinds of living creatures all use the divine medicines of Heaven, Earth, and humanity to treat illness. Heaven has made each receive a command from its ancestors and embody a natural art, from which it cannot depart. This is like the phoenix and qilin embodying virtue, and the bee and scorpion embodying poison. One must deeply understand the essential meaning of the Way of Heaven to know its nature. This benefits the governance of emperors and keeps people from being misled. If one does not understand the essential texts and claims instead that every document in the world can be used, then all prescriptions below the seventeenth grade are deviant and do not accord with the Three Auspicious Signs, causing profound harm. Thus, if a treatment harms one person for every ten it cures, it has failed to grasp the intent of Heaven; if it harms two in ten, it has failed to grasp the intent of Earth; if it harms three in ten, it has failed to grasp the intent of humanity. If it harms six or seven in ten, or more, it disrupts the governance of Yin-Yang through its violations, and the spirits are thrown into conflict. For this reason, the sage kings and imperial rulers of antiquity, even when dwelling in secluded chambers, pondered deeply on the intent of Heaven so that they could govern accordingly.

The Taiping Jing (Scripture of Great Peace) passage primarily expounds on the principles of aligning with the heavenly Dao (the Way), cherishing life, and synthesizing collective wisdom.

The scripture first emphasizes that those seeking longevity must diligently study these sacred classics. These texts embody celestial wisdom bestowed to save humanity from calamities. The folk songs and nursery rhymes transmitted through generations are in fact celestial messages conveyed through common people. The timely emergence of sacred scriptures represents the heavens entrusting these truths to virtuous individuals to rectify worldly deviations.

The heavenly Dao abhors killing and cherishes life—even the tiniest creatures possess spiritual consciousness and should not be lightly harmed. Only in dire necessity may limited use be permitted. All beings thrive through the generative power of heaven and earth, yet their proper utilization depends on human discernment. Those who conform to celestial will attain longevity, while those who defy it face destruction. Since all things coexist with heaven and earth, humanity—as the most spiritually endowed—must act with utmost prudence.

In the "Discarding Superficiality Formula" section, the text advocates synthesizing diverse perspectives when studying scriptures. Take interpreting concepts like the "Jiazi" cycle: let each contribute their expertise—astronomers explain through celestial patterns, geographers through terrestrial principles, while others analyze from perspectives of the four directions, central axis, or essential natures. Only by integrating such multifaceted wisdom can one fully comprehend the scriptures' true meaning. The sages formulated eternal, Dao-aligned principles precisely by synthesizing these genuine insights. Contemporary deviations from the Dao stem precisely from heeding narrow, individual opinions rather than collective intelligence.

This passage embodies core Daoist values of life reverence and natural harmony, while underscoring the importance of communal wisdom. Regarding cultivation methods, it advocates comprehending scriptural truths through multi-perspective inquiry, rejecting rigid adherence to singular viewpoints.

To exhaust the principles of the six directions (above, below, and the four quarters), to understand what lies within and without, and to grasp the order of the seven positions (here referring to Heaven, Earth, humanity, and the various levels between them) still does not reach the essence of the myriad things (the pure vital energy and underlying principles at the root of all things). That is why the various schools offer different accounts. As a result, the heavenly scriptures (classics bestowed from Heaven) have lost their original text, and people are left confused. This is where the problem lies.

Whenever one seeks to set something right, its roots must be investigated. The order of Yin-Yang cannot be changed at will; this applies in every case. Otherwise, one is left with an isolated claim, cut off from the meaning of the scriptures and following only one person’s words. This is called partial speech. Only a sage can speak alone about the nature of Heaven and Earth and understand Heaven’s intent. If such a person’s words remain within, they cannot fathom Heaven’s heart; if they go out into the world, they cannot explain the patterns of Heaven or clarify the principles of Earth. Their divinations fail, the spirits do not obey their commands, and they lose the right path, falling instead into delusion. Thus, the pursuit of empty display, without reaching the shared foundation and essential meaning, is the source of the error: it causes the plain and simple to lose their roots and the Dao of Heaven to lose its proper order. Yin-Yang then becomes diseased within; disorder and harmful influences arise, and the cycles of fate are thrown into confusion. Emperors grieve but cannot stop it. Changes in the vital energies continue one after another, and people do not live long. This is a grave calamity.

Even the worthy and wise have lost Heaven’s heart. The sages have been gone for so long that people can no longer grasp the proper distinctions and principles. This is called the disordered Dao. The reason is that the records in the scriptures and teachings of the Dao are jumbled in their sequence. They speak for Heaven and Earth, stand at the head of all affairs, and are the foundation of the spirits. When people grasp their original meaning, the spirits no longer rage and bring harm to humanity. Evil influences are then kept hidden; theft and robbery cease, and when banditry stops, the border peoples retreat. Wind and rain arrive at their proper seasons: clear signs that Heaven is pleased. In its delight, Heaven cherishes its children; therefore, emperors’ lives are prolonged, and its blessings flow down to the people and reach their foundations. The six domestic animals and wild creatures thrive, and the harmonious influence of plants and trees becomes evident. Evil intentions fade away, and upright Qi shines more brightly. This is the natural method of Yin-Yang, like the way things are active in daylight and hidden at night, or how petty people flee while the noble and upright advance.

Examine these words carefully: they explain how to increase the span of life, clarify Yin-Yang, and speak of the spirits. Suppose someone claims that my writing is wrong. The Dao is proven through testing, so let us see what is right and what is mistaken. Take a copy of this text and place it before a group of worthy people. Let them all discuss it freely. If their interpretations differ and they explain its meaning in different ways, that is enough to show that one person’s account is not clear. How, then, could it bring order to Yin-Yang?

A Plain-Language Interpretation of the Taiping Jing

Previous passage: On Holding to the Root and Setting Things Right at the Start

Yang Qi enables a ruler to live in peace and ease, free from cares. Therefore, when few people hold to the root and many merely talk, everything falls into difficulty. When many hold to the root and few merely talk, the Dao grows deeper day by day instead of remaining shallow. If shallowness continues, great disorder follows; if great disorder continues, Yin-Yang fall out of harmony, and malign Qi seize the opportunity to arise.

Thus, a sage ruler should value the root, and a person of noble character should set things right at the start. Then nothing will be impossible to govern well. If people do not value and honor the root, or fail to set things right at the beginning, all things lose their proper measure. The myriad things become as confused as clouds and can no longer be put in order. Those who are perceptive and clear-minded should not be led astray by deceptive, malign books, but should cast them aside.

The Essentials of the Heavenly Patterns, Chapter Seventy-Three

Heaven and Earth have constant patterns, which do not deviate by even the slightest amount. Near and far alike take the same celestial signs as their standard; Qi and things of the same kind respond to one another without fail. This record is called the Record of the Heavenly Patterns, and the book itself is called the Book of Heaven.

Cycles may be counted in this way: myriad myriad, ten thousand ten thousand, thousand thousand, hundred hundred, ten ten. For example, twelve days make one small cycle; twelve years also make a cycle, as do sixty years and one hundred and twenty years. At times a myriad cycles within a cycle are alike; at other times, ten thousand, a thousand, a hundred, or ten cycles are alike. They turn in succession like the Jiazi cycle. Yet each cycle has its own Qi, events, wording, songs, and poems. Though each is called Jiazi, its Qi has not completed the same course, so its manifestations differ. When things resemble one another by kind and are named accordingly, and when the good and the bad share the same Qi, wording, and events, that is what counts as one complete cycle.

By examining these patterns closely and bringing them into accord, one can understand the past and thereby know the present; knowing the present, one can in turn gain a clearer understanding of the past. In this way, one comes to know the principle that Heaven moves according to its constant course and to see clearly the workings of Yin-Yang.

Where a book’s wording is mistaken or its parts contradict one another, they should be used to fill in one another’s gaps. When the songs, sounds, and events all correspond, this is the method of the great, middle, and small cycles. Grasp their meaning and put their affairs in order; then one can harmonize Yin-Yang and bring peace to the ruler. In this way, the book can serve as a model of Heaven’s constant patterns, like spring, autumn, winter, and summer proceeding without confusion.

People of later generations often rely on fate and have little experience. They have never seen a complete cycle, so how can they know that there are three cycles—great, middle, and small? The ancients often joined themselves to the divine Dao, but later people lost the right path. Seeing only what happens in a fleeting moment and failing to understand the divine writings that span past and present, they take one-sided words and declare themselves right. They are like children born in spring who die before seeing autumn, or those born in summer who never live to see winter.

Note: This chapter stresses that good governance depends on valuing the root and setting things right at the start. It also explains how the Record of the Heavenly Patterns uses cycles of days, years, and Jiazi to record Heaven’s constant course. When Qi and things of the same kind correspond, the past and present can confirm one another. Later generations who see only fragments and do not understand the complete cycles may lose the right path. The original text contains ambiguities in its punctuation and some corrupted characters; this interpretation follows commonly accepted readings.

Those who speak about “the affairs of winter” often focus only on what they can see before them. Even after debating the matter ten times over, they still do not understand it in their hearts. If the heart is not in accord with the Dao of Heaven, signs in the heavens cannot be fulfilled. Events of antiquity did not arise from nothing: when the world was well governed or in disorder, corresponding writings appeared. Nor does the Great Dao manifest without cause; it appears in keeping with the times. Thus, much of what the sages and emperors of antiquity did came about because the Qi of Heaven flowed through them, making their words free of falsehood. They could perceive the subtle and foresee what was to come, take up their duties at the proper time, and act in accord with the current of Qi. In this way they conformed to Heaven’s will and enjoyed lasting good fortune. To go against it brings droughts and floods, disharmony in the Qi, and accumulating portents of disaster, with strange phenomena appearing without end. Many worthy people are led astray simply because they act against the current of Qi and disregard what the times demand. This must be treated with the utmost care.

Heaven has allowed writings to be handed down to later generations because people of earlier times possessed both knowledge and longevity. They understood nature and entered the way of emptiness and stillness; they knew that the Dao of Heaven completes its cycle and begins again, and that spring, summer, autumn, and winter each follow their proper course. Those born later may long inherit the current of Qi, yet their learning is shallow and far removed from writings that convey the essential Way. They have forgotten the methods established by earlier generations. Since no one without sagehood can foresee the completion of the cycle, Heaven has brought forth writings once more, so that what came before may be passed down and continued by those who follow, and people may understand it and live in peace. In times of great peace, one may rest secure and govern; in times of middling peace, one should exert oneself and act; in times of disorder, one should support oneself through the Dao and make preparations in advance—just as one prepares for heat at the summer solstice and for cold at the winter solstice. This is what the teaching means. The Dao of Heaven follows a constant course and does not change to suit human feelings: follow it, and there will be good fortune and prosperity; go against it, and there will be danger and ruin. When the Dao of Heaven is at war and lives are harmed, the sun and moon lose their proper courses and the stars move in confusion. To understand the Qi that follows the seasons, so that the sun and moon keep their courses and the stars move in order, is clear proof of Heaven’s way. Those able to follow this Way should encourage themselves and not keep it hidden. Take care not to injure Heaven’s secret writings; let them return to the worthy and benevolent, be made clear above, and be proclaimed below, so that all under Heaven may find peace.

The Method of Moxibustion and Acupuncture, Chapter Seventy-Four

Moxibustion and acupuncture are used to regulate and protect the body’s 360 channels, circulate Yin-Yang Qi, and dispel illness. The 360 channels correspond to the 360 days of the year. Each day, one channel takes charge, responding to the Four Seasons and Five Phases as it circulates throughout the body, both inside and out.

A Plain Language Interpretation of the Taiping Jing

The passage discusses pulse diagnosis and the principles of treating illness. It connects the body’s pulse patterns with seasonal timing, Yin-Yang, and acupuncture.

The first section: The pulse, the four seasons, and the body

The pulse circulates throughout the body, rising to the head and descending to the organs and viscera. It waxes and wanes with the four seasons. When illness is present, the pulse may fail to respond or its rhythms may become irregular; it may knot, be damaged, flow smoothly, or move against its proper course. It therefore needs to be regulated.

Flame (Yang) is the essence of the sun. It governs brightness and impartiality, and is used to detect wrongdoing and eliminate harm. The needle is the essence of Lesser Yin, like the light of Venus; it is used to act in accordance with what is right and drive out harmful influences through acupuncture. When treatment accords with the Heavenly Canons and pulse prophecies, it succeeds in all ten cases: this is the pulse method found in the scriptures. When the replete pulse corresponds with the pulse being treated, the spirit directs the treatment, which succeeds in nine out of ten cases. When it corresponds with the Yin pulse, essence directs the treatment, which succeeds in eight out of ten cases. These are the levels described in the books of the human way. Beyond these, one cannot reliably treat illness by relying on the pulse; one may instead injure the spirit.

Treating the illness of a Jia pulse by treating a Yi pulse is called confusion. It means not understanding the pulse and independently damaging a pulse that has been cut off. One should therefore take joy in understanding the Way of Heaven: whether spirit corresponds with spirit.

The second section: Gathering views on the pulse and determining methods of treatment

Place a patient before you, and the pulse text is like the main text of a scripture. Let people sit around and each describe the illness: some are skilled at the upper parts, others at the lower parts. Each of the 360 pulses has something that can be observed. Record the treatment that each person is usually best at. Only treatments that succeed in all ten cases count as correct; those that fail do not count.

Gather the methods used by those who have cured illness and compile them as a scripture; then every illness treated will have a solution. The Way of Heaven governs the pulse, which may reveal the exterior or the interior, and cannot be fully understood. But if the treatment of a given site succeeds in all ten cases, that is where the pulse converges.

People are large or small, and the measures of the cun and chi differ, yet their rhythms can be measured by the same standard. They should be matched to the acupuncture points and the body’s divisions and textures. Daoist books from different times offer many opinions, and the names of pulses vary; these are called disordered pulses. If a Yang pulse is out of balance but one treats the Yin pulse instead, the person may suffer misfortune; this can harm innocent people and shorten their lives. The reason is that the pulse should correspond with Heaven, Earth, all things, and their vital rhythms. It rises and falls with Qi and cycles without end. Those who grasp its rhythms can use them to nourish their nature and know whether the seasonal Qi has arrived or not. If someone is already out of balance, first calm their mind.

The third section: Pulse diagnosis by sages and the peace of the state

In ancient times, sages sat quietly in a pure place and felt one another’s pulses. By observing the rhythms of their coming and going, they could, though it was hard to put into words, understand how the four seasons and Five Phases had gained or lost balance, and infer from this their own waxing and waning. This was the foundation of pulse diagnosis for stabilizing the state and nourishing the people.

Key points

Plain-Language Interpretation of the Taiping Jing

“One whose body is whole and sound may be so—but should they not be careful?”

If someone is physically sound, can they afford to be careless?

“When people are confused, they follow countless disturbances. To injure the proper channels is to injure the proper Qi; to go against the four seasons and the Five Phases brings calamities and strange portents.”

Once people become confused, they chase after all manner of disorder. Injuring the proper channels damages the root of proper Qi. Going against the four seasons and the Five Phases brings calamities and strange portents.

“The great are harmed greatly, the small harmed slightly. There is always something that can be shaken and unsettled, something that does not remain in its proper place. This is simply how nature works.”

Those of high rank suffer greater harm, and those of low rank suffer less. Things can always be shaken loose, made unstable, or displaced from where they belong. Such things happen naturally.

“Therefore the ancient sages valued this greatly. Sagely emperors remained in their proper positions and watched the courses and measures of the pulses, using them to divine good and ill fortune in the six directions. This is what is meant by knowing the distant through the near, and the outer through the inner. It is thus a vital way of communicating with the spirits.”

For this reason, the sages of antiquity placed great importance on this matter. Sagely emperors stayed in their proper positions and observed the courses and measures of the pulses to divine good and ill fortune in the six directions. This is what is meant by knowing the distant through the near and the outer through the inner. It is a vital way of communicating with the spirits.

The Instructions for Spirit Invocations (Chapter 75)

“In Heaven there are constant, sacred words of essential importance. At appointed times they descend and are imparted to people as spoken words, so that spirit officials may respond to Qi and come and go. When people receive them, they call them spirit invocations.”

Heaven has a body of sacred, essential words that never change. At appointed times, these words descend and are given to people. When spoken, they enable spirit officials to respond to Qi and carry out their tasks. The people who receive such formulas call them spirit invocations.

“An invocation means that what is invoked succeeds a hundred times out of a hundred, or ten times out of ten. These words are the original texts of the heavenly spirits, transmitted in the form of scripture.”

An invocation is said to succeed a hundred times out of a hundred, or ten times out of ten. Such words are the original texts of the heavenly spirits, passed down as scriptural phrases.

“Some invocations can cause spirits and deities to come and remove illness. When they achieve ten successes out of ten, wherever they are used, no one fails to recover. To cure illness by words alone is to use the heavenly spirits’ prophetic words; skilled masters and emperors should make good use of them.”

Some invocations can summon spirits and deities to remove illness. When they succeed ten times out of ten, everyone treated with them recovers. Curing illness through words alone makes use of the heavenly spirits’ prophetic words, and skilled masters and emperors should use them well.

“Gather these texts into a scroll and call it the Book of Invocations and Prophecies. It is a means of summoning the assembled spirits and putting them to work; that is why it cures ten times out of ten.”

When these texts are gathered into a scroll, it is called the Book of Invocations and Prophecies. It serves to summon the assembled spirits and dispatch them, which is why it is said to cure every case.

“When nine out of ten succeed, the true spirits have not arrived; middle-ranking spirits have arrived. This is something that occurs among high ministers.”

If an invocation succeeds nine times out of ten, the true spirits have not come; spirits of middle rank have come instead. This sort of thing is common among high ministers.

“When eight out of ten succeed, human spirits have arrived. This occurs in the governance of the people. These are words of the heavenly spirits, originally meant to summon them.”

If an invocation succeeds eight times out of ten, human spirits have arrived. This sort of thing occurs in matters of governing the people. These are words of the heavenly spirits, originally meant to summon them.

“Words concerning names and the timing of characters descend at appointed times and seep into the earth. Daoists learn of them and pass them on to one another, which is why they can be used to cure illness. Ordinary words spoken by passersby cannot cure illness.”

Words about names and the timing of characters descend and seep into the earth at appointed times. Daoists learn of them and pass them on to one another; this is why they can use them to cure illness. Casual words spoken by passersby have no such power.

“In an emergency, people cannot spare even a moment. Heaven cherishes human life and fears that rare remedies may be hard to prepare quickly, that a great physician may be unavailable, or that the channels may be blocked. Life and death are matters of the utmost importance, so the essential way has been placed in people’s mouths. This is a method for saving lives in an emergency.”

When calamity strikes, there is no time to delay. Heaven values human life and fears that a rare remedy may take too long to prepare, that a great physician may be absent, or that the channels may be blocked. Since life and death are at stake, the essential way has been placed in people’s mouths. This is a means of saving lives in an emergency.

“To determine whether these essential words are genuine, place a sick person before you as a test of the invocation. Each person should first say their secret words aloud and declare that the patient will recover at once. If the patient does recover, the method is genuine; otherwise it is entirely false, a deluded and misleading utterance, and must not be taken as a rule.”

To test whether these essential words are genuine, place a sick person before you and use them as a trial of the invocation. Each person should first speak their secret words and state that the patient will recover at once. If the patient does recover, the method is genuine. If not, it is false and deluded, and must not be taken as a rule.

“Sometimes one person uses an invocation and alone succeeds in curing the patient, while others nearby use it without reliable results. Such words cannot be memorized and recorded.”

Sometimes one person’s invocation cures the patient, while others who use the same words nearby get no consistent results. This shows that the words cannot simply be recorded and repeated by anyone.

“This comes from spirits and ghosts of high rank, who naturally cause a person to speak. It is called an isolated utterance; it is not the true way of summoning spirits.”

Such an utterance comes from a spirit or ghost of high rank, which naturally moves a person to speak. It is called an isolated utterance, and is not the true way of summoning spirits.

“Though people are far removed from Heaven…”

The passage continues with the text’s main idea: although people are far from Heaven, they can still respond to the Way of Heaven through spirit invocations and essential teachings, as understood in the context of the work as a whole.

Translator’s note:

Spirit invocations and the Book of Invocations and Prophecies use texts said to have been imparted by Heaven. Recited as incantations, they summon spirit officials to cure illness; their efficacy is classified by how often they succeed out of ten attempts, with distinctions among true spirits, middle-ranking spirits, and human spirits. To distinguish genuine methods from false ones, the text proposes testing them before a sick person by first speaking the secret words and declaring an immediate cure. If only one person succeeds while others do not, the words cannot be reliably memorized or transmitted; an isolated utterance is not the orthodox way of summoning spirits. In an emergency, the essential way is available through spoken words. Like an emperor’s observation of pulse movements to divine events in the six directions, this is a vital way of knowing the distant through the near.

These two passages from the Taiping Jing (Scripture of Great Peace) discuss two key concepts: first, how ancestral grave geomancy affects descendants, and second, the resonance between music and the energies of heaven and earth.

The section on grave selection explains that ancestral tombs (referred to as "hills") are like roots planted for a family lineage. A well-chosen grave allows the ancestors' spirits (Shen) to return and nourish their descendants, while a poorly chosen one can bring misfortune. This aligns with the cyclical principles of heaven and earth—the Qi (vital energy) of five generations of ancestors eventually reincarnates back into the human world. To test whether land is auspicious or inauspicious, one can observe the growth of seeds: if small seeds flourish, it is "living land" (auspicious), but if good seeds wither, it is "rebellious land" (inauspicious).

The text proposes using twenty-five graves as a reference standard: if the results are consistently accurate, it is a true "Earth-Yin Treasure Scripture" (superior geomancy); if accurate nine times out of ten, it is an "Earth-Yin Treasure Record" (middling geomancy); eight times out of ten indicates disordered geomancy, and anything less is harmful false doctrine. This passage emphasizes the need for careful research in selecting ancestral graves, using historical cases to verify future outcomes—just as the laws of heaven and earth remain unchanging.

The second passage discusses the function of music (various musical tones). Music can connect heaven and earth and harmonize the Qi of the six directions and eight poles (all directions). Harmonious music attracts auspicious signs, while disharmonious music provokes conflict. Each musical tone corresponds to a specific direction (east, west, south, north) and celestial stem (Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, etc.), resonating with twenty-five types of Qi. This reflects the Daoist concept of "heaven-human resonance," where music serves as a vital medium for communication between heaven and earth.

Each has its own domain: Every kind of thing has its own place and patterns.

Sometimes sounds gather and harmonize to form words: At times, sounds come together in harmony and form words.

Thus one comes to understand listening to sounds: This is why one learns to listen to sounds.

Through sounds, one can discern subtle speech and divine good or ill fortune: Sounds allow one to recognize subtle words and divine whether what is to come will be auspicious or inauspicious.

The notes raised correspond to the standard pitch for testing tones with a blade of hair: The notes, or pitches, correspond to the “hair-blowing” pitch standard, a measure of musical pitch.

Only then can one understand the string tones: gong, shang, jue, zhi, and yu: These are the five musical notes.

How does one distinguish the six directions and distances, and judge good or ill by names?: What does it mean to distinguish the six directions and distances, and to judge good or ill by names?

Only those who are well versed can perceive the spirit of things and respond to them: One must be highly skilled to perceive their spirit and respond to events.

Thus the sages of antiquity tuned music to move the myriad things: The ancient sages tuned music so that it could affect all things.

They harmonized Yin-Yang and set the four seasons and Five Phases: They brought Yin-Yang into harmony and established the four seasons and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water).

When Yin-Yang is in harmony, its sounds are pleasing to hear: Harmonious Yin-Yang produces sounds that are easy on the ear.

When Yin-Yang is out of harmony, discordant and disordered, its sounds are unpleasant: When Yin-Yang is disharmonious, at odds, and confused, the sounds are hard to hear.

The strings, too, must be properly tuned; the silk strings are measured in eighty-one divisions so that high and low notes harmonize: The strings should be tuned suitably, their silk measured according to the eighty-one divisions, so that high and low notes accord.

Reflecting on this does not injure the organs or the spirit within: Thinking about it does not harm the organs or the spirit they contain.

If the tuning is wrong, the dance becomes chaotic and without order; the sounds are unpleasant and injure the organs and their spirit: When the tuning is wrong, the dance is confused and disorderly, and the unpleasant sounds harm the organs and the spirit within them.

Therefore, spirits, auspicious signs, and wondrous beings do not come: For this reason, divine beings, omens of good fortune, and marvelous creatures do not appear.

Thus one must find someone capable, skilled in music, and able to take responsibility: One must find a person who is competent, adept at music, and able to fulfill the role.

Only then can Yin-Yang be harmonized and transformed: Only then can Yin-Yang be brought into harmony and transformation take place.

How can this be known?: What shows that it has happened?

The divine beings respond, auspicious signs appear, and wondrous things gather: The spirits respond, auspicious signs manifest, and marvelous beings come together.

This is the person: Such is the person sought.

Otherwise, all is disorderly sound, unable to move anything; therefore they do not come: Without such a person, the sounds remain chaotic and cannot move things, so the beings do not appear.

Thus, in every undertaking, one must find the right person: Every task depends on finding the right person.

If the spirits do not find the right person, they may speak falsely: If they do not find the right person, the spirits may utter false words.

With the right person, no task is impossible, whether easy or difficult: Once the right person is found, any undertaking can be carried out, however easy or hard.

Without the right person, nothing can be done, no matter how great or small the task: Without that person, no undertaking can succeed, whether large or small.

Therefore, the ancient sages valued their decisions and appointments, and sought worthy people wherever they might be found: The ancient sages treated their actions and appointments with care and searched for worthy people, even in hidden places.

This was the way in ancient times: with the right person, things were orderly; without the right person, they fell into disorder: This was the principle of antiquity: things were well governed when the right person was found, and chaotic when they were not.

There are too many ancient writings to record them all: The ancient texts are too numerous to write down in full.

One example points to ten; ten to a hundred; a hundred to a thousand; a thousand to ten thousand; ten thousand to a hundred million; a hundred million to the limitless: A single case can illustrate ten, ten can illustrate a hundred, a hundred a thousand, a thousand ten thousand, ten thousand a hundred million, and a hundred million the infinite.

Every matter has its own domain; each category is placed with its source text at the beginning: Each matter belongs to its own domain, and the source text for each category is placed at the front.

Those who understand should grasp the source; those skilled in applying it should then explain it: Let those who understand hold to the source, and let those capable of using it explain it accordingly.

What corresponds, harmonizes, and is balanced is right: Whatever accords, harmonizes, and is centered is correct.

What does not correspond or remain centered is entirely wrong: Whatever fails to accord or be centered is wrong.

Would you know whether the writings of the ancient sages express the Dao accurately?: How can one tell whether the ancient sages’ writings truly convey the Dao?

It is like calling to someone: if you call the right name, they answer: The comparison is to calling someone: when you call them by their correct name, they respond.

It is the same with spirits: without their names, they do not respond: Spirits are the same; if one does not know their names, they do not answer.

Though they might wish to respond and harmonize, they have no way to reach you, so they do not answer: Even if they wish to respond in accord, they have no means to make contact, and so remain silent.

Thus, in ancient times, the study of names was called “going back to the essence”: For this reason, the ancient study of names was called “returning to the essence.”

To be precise is to think deeply about the matter and its forms, consider what is fitting, and reflect again on the words: Precision means concentrating on the matter and its forms, discerning what is appropriate, and thinking again about the words.

Ponder deeply every matter in these written records: Reflect as deeply as possible on every matter in these texts.

The upper and lower volumes of the whole book are now complete. Each volume discusses different matters, so they must be read carefully and compared with one another to supplement and complete their meaning; only then can the full intent be understood. If one merely finishes reading without probing the essentials, the Daoist methods handed down here will not take effect. Thus, when strange signs appear, one cannot interpret them, as though Yin and Yang were contending. This book was made for benevolent and virtuous worthies and is transmitted to those of De. Those who possess De receive it and regard it as a precious treasure. But if they obtain the book and cannot read it properly, they will denounce it as contrary to the Dao. They will therefore be unable to bring peace to themselves or avert calamity.

The Great Dao seems plain and tasteless, yet its application is inexhaustible. The worthy may rely on it to harmonize the firm and the yielding and to fathom the principles of Yin and Yang; it stands above all written documents. Once everything is settled and each thing has its proper place, confusion ceases. Evil is wholly dispelled, and the Supreme Emperor rejoices greatly. The people are free from demonic disturbances; grace reaches even the smallest things. Amid the turmoil of all things, their Qi is not lost: they return to the Great Beginning, and Heaven and Earth each rest in their proper place. Heterodox writings have vanished; preserve and uphold the primordial Qi. The One is the guiding principle of the Dao; the Two run crosswise through it; with the Three, it is already disordered and cannot be made clear.

Our Dao proceeds through Jiazi and Yichou, with the Six Jia following in succession; the Five Phases turn and follow one another, and the four seasons complete their cycle and begin again. Though the scrolls are many, each has something worth recording, just as a person’s head and feet work in concert. If one character is omitted, another character rises in its place; the worthy restore and join them in sequence. They speak in terms of Yin and Yang, with the inner and outer corresponding, like the carpenter’s square and compass. At first, reciting it seems tasteless; with long recitation, its efficacy becomes evident of itself. The results arrive: calamity leaves the body, Shen gathers again, and people become prudent and good. They bear no name as wicked children and face no punishment. The transformation wrought by the Dao reaches its utmost beauty.

Clearly stated: our writings are used to ward off misfortune; treachery and calamity cease of their own accord, and the people’s lives are prolonged. Those who have not obtained the source have no beginning or end. When ten out of ten correspond, it is a Yang text; when nineteen correspond, it is a Yin text; eighteen, a text of harmony and balance; seventeen, a text that disrupts order; sixteen, a text that encounters the central text; fifteen, a text of ignorance—one may call it half auspicious and half inauspicious. Fourteen correspondences make a heterodox text; thirteen, a text of great disorder; twelve, an abandoned text; eleven, a text of alternating middle ranks. Ten correspondences or fewer make a text unfit for use, one that misleads people. The harm it causes returns as harm to the user in proportion to its extent. If it is used continually for a long time, the method will be extinguished, and the family wiped out. This is what is meant by a tenfold text.

One must follow the orthodox Dao to drive out malign Qi, thereby carrying out the regulations of the orthodox canon. In Daoist cultivation, this usually refers to dispelling demons through specific rituals or rites to uphold the cosmos’s righteous Qi.