《太平經》Vol. 65

Plain-Language Interpretation

Source: Taiping Jing (Scripture of Great Peace), juan 65 (which shares a fascicle with juan 66), Transmission Section, third part; titled “The Method for Cutting Off Metal Weapons,” no. 99.

The Perfected Ones of the Six Directions, led by Chun, bowed reverently once more and reported: “We wish to ask about the laws of Heaven, but dare not speak rashly. Only the August Heavenly Master has kindly opened this door and allowed us to speak. May no one on the Dao harbor doubts about it.” The Perfected One replied, “Yes, yes.”

The Perfected One continued: “Today, only the Heavenly Master can explain to rulers the lingering calamities left by their forebears and the burdens passed down to them, and devise ways to establish capable rulers, completely eliminate calamities, strange phenomena, and ill omens throughout the world, and transform what is aberrant. We, foolish beings, wish to help the sunlike Qi of Heaven remain bright, so that the ruler’s virtue may flourish day by day, treacherous people are wiped out, evildoers cannot steal, bandits and thieves disappear, and demonic influences hide themselves and cease to spread. May we hear your teaching?”

The Perfected One praised them: “Excellent question, my six disciples. Heaven has instructed the Perfected Ones to promise that, once the noble are free of worry, petty people and wicked ministers will dare not act recklessly. Auspicious Qi has already emerged, and calamities will subside of their own accord. I will now explain the Heavenly Pattern Method in detail to all the disciples, without the slightest omission. Please take notes.” The disciples replied, “Yes, yes.”

Heaven’s laws reveal themselves through signs. The sages of antiquity always acted in accordance with these signs and dared not depart from them. Thus they continually warded off ill omens and put an end to cunning schemers, preventing wicked ministers from acting. They did so by consulting the laws of Heaven. Their aim was to make Yang Qi grow stronger day by day and Fire shine brightly. If one does not know when to guard against decline, one must urgently cut off Metal Qi and prevent it from becoming dominant. When Metal Qi is cut off, Wood Qi can become dominant and Fire can shine brightly, without falling into decline.

What does this mean? A ruler should urgently put an end to weapons, for weapons belong to Metal and must therefore be brought to an end. Yet today, the opposite is done: rulers grant ministers swords and weapons. Weapons belong to Metal, and it is the emperor who grants them; the ruler’s title is also that of a Metal King. When Metal becomes king, it suppresses Wood and Fire declines. Metal’s ascendancy leaves the Wood of the jia and yi stems without Qi; when Wood is cut off, the Qi of yi is cut off too, and Fire no longer shines brightly. When Wood is dominant, Earth cannot be brought forth; when Fire is dim, Earth Qi grows stronger day by day. The Earth’s Qi then moves repeatedly, giving rise to demonic omens. Therefore, weapons and things belonging to Metal should be urgently eliminated. Do not bestow metal objects or weapons, lest ill omens be suppressed and cut off. Heaven’s aversion is no different from that of the spirits.

The disciples asked: “We would like to know: when Metal grows strong and suppresses Wood, why does this in turn cause Fire to decline?”

The Perfected One replied: “Excellent question. Your inquiry is precise and penetrating.”

Background note (to make the Five Phases discussion easier to follow)

This passage belongs to the Taiping Jing’s discussion of governance, religious teaching, and anomalous omens. It correlates the Five Phases—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—with the seasons and human affairs. Weapons and swords belong to Metal. The text says that when rulers give out weapons excessively, Metal Qi becomes too dominant, suppressing Wood and dimming Fire, which in turn causes Earth to stir and gives rise to demonic omens. The “Method for Cutting Off Metal Weapons” therefore urges rulers to put an end to weapons and give out fewer metal objects, helping Yang Qi and Fire’s brightness to flourish. This is a theory of governance expressed through the Heavenly Pattern and the Five Phases, not a general military strategy manual.

The Perfected Person wished to understand what signs and responses the Dao of Heaven would actually manifest, and therefore said: If in spring one raises “Metal troops” (acting in the image of Metal qi and weapons of war), it injures the Wood phase of jia and yi, displeases the Azure Emperor of Heaven (the deity of the east and spring), and enrages the Scarlet Emperor of Heaven (the deity of the south and fire); bing-ding and the si and wu days (the fire phase and fire days) also go awry, and there arises the “grievance of parent against child,” so that the fire phase brings many strange disasters and transformations into ill omens, with demonic harm and crafty deceit. The method inverts things so that fire comes to govern the age, the realm falls into disorder—how can this be? The great calamity lies precisely here.

(The Celestial Sovereign) said: Excellent, excellent. I wish to hear why there must be so many demonic people and why ministers and subjects are crafty, thieving, and rebellious. For the Perfected Person I will explain again in detail, so that you may examine and know: Heaven’s pattern-law (fixed rule) is this—when parents see a robber, the child must repay the grievance; households that repay grievances inevitably gather ill omens, false flattery, and cunning craft; only youths who can practice the wayless can repay grievances and commit rebellion. Therefore when the court bestows Metal troops, it crushes and wounds Wood; when fire governs, the realm cannot be settled. This is Heaven’s constant pattern-law; it cannot be altered to suit human wishes.

The Six Perfected Persons said: If your words are not believed, then urgently cut off Metal troops; whoever dares bear arms shall bear heavy guilt, and fire-disaster will immediately extinguish that rule, and the realm will quickly be pacified—all will say “excellent.” The reason is that fire is called the ruler of humanity, so its strange transformations are the most severe; the other four phases cannot be like this. If you wish to know still more clearly its manifest effect: among the five stars, the Sparkling Deluder (Mars) produces the most drastic changes—this is the clear effect—and the other four stars cannot compare. Sons, be careful with my book and my text; Heaven’s law does not miss by a fraction. Yes, yes—go; for the six sons I will again set forth clearly the law of Heaven.

Thus when Metal qi is wholly cut off and extinguished, Wood qi gains great ascendancy; the king below overcomes the position above, Yellow qi cannot rise, so in spring Wood is king and Earth dies. Therefore only in spring does Heaven fiercely cut off Metal qi at wu, so Wood can flourish as intended; then fire qi grows stronger the next day, and Metal qi is imprisoned; when crafty people cut off Metal’s imprisonment, Water qi rests, yin dare not harm yang, and birth occurs below—take care that there are no disasters or transformations. When Wood qi is king and there is no Metal, Wood can rise and hold authority, then Earth qi dies; the living people and ministers are loyal, careful, and trustworthy and dare not do wrong—this too is Heaven’s pattern-law and covenant document, the constant nature and constant practice of Heaven and Earth. Sons, do you know this? Yes, yes—go; sons, you already know.

Now I will again elucidate the heavenly law for the six of you: at present the realm follows warfare and Metal qi; and when sovereigns at times follow this same course, the pattern of Heaven applies in the same way.

This scripture elucidates the cyclical patterns of cosmic Yin-Yang interactions and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), revealing how these celestial principles govern human politics.

Ancient rulers would distribute weapons to ministers at year's beginning (symbolizing military authority) or dispatch inspectors across territories (symbolizing oversight). Yet sometimes they specifically bestowed metal weaponry (golden arms), where "metal" embodied sovereign power. While strengthening governance, this act carried hidden consequences according to Five Phases theory: flourishing Metal overcomes Wood, while thriving Water suppresses Fire. The northwest belongs to Yin's domain, the southeast to Yang's realm. When nascent Yin (Shaoyin) ascends as ruler and supreme Yin (Taiyin) serves as chancellor, both Yin forces oppress Yang energy, inevitably causing disasters, treachery, and banditry—this being the Dao's immutable law.

Though the southeast represents Yang's zenith, it's paradoxically named the "Earth Gate" (Dihu), while the Yin-dominated northwest bears the title "Heaven Gate" (Tianmen). These thresholds mark where cosmic energies first emerge and all beings pass through. Southeast's extreme Yang births Yin's seed, hence becoming Earth's portal; northwest's ultimate Yin generates Yang's spark, transforming into Heaven's gateway. This mirrors the Yijing's cyclical patterns where Yang lines commence at Jiazi and Yin lines arise from Jiawu—the celestial mechanism ever turning.

When rulers excessively mobilize armies, they agitate the Wood phase, triggering Earth's ascendancy. Flourishing Earth then strengthens Metal (Earth begets Metal), whose dominance sparks relentless warfare. The northwest's Qian-Dui energies (symbolizing strength and joy) provoke border rebellions and rampant banditry—natural phenomena even celestial deities cannot prevent. Thus, metal implements must be restrained to prevent excessive Metal qi.

The scripture ultimately emphasizes these principles govern not individual rulers but universal order. Though Wood and Fire phases don't prosper without cause, unchecked Metal expansion (symbolizing militarism and punishment) with excessive currency circulation brings calamity, making states ungovernable. Overwhelming Metal qi invites grave perils demanding cosmic rebalancing.

Through Five Phases theory, this text warns rulers to harmonize with natural laws, for excessive force disrupts Yin-Yang equilibrium and incites social chaos—a timeless admonition woven into the fabric of Daoist statecraft.

The Hundredth Method: The King’s Bestowal

If evil methods are cut off in accordance with the laws of Heaven, good fortune will be established and the state will be orderly and prosperous. If treacherous and wicked officials are rooted out, the laws of Heaven will not deceive us.

The Six Perfected Ones wished to hear the deeper meaning and essential principles behind Heaven’s use of this as a standard law. “How profoundly you ask, my six disciples! Yet Heaven and Earth take the east to be Lesser Yang, the place where the ruler’s Yang qi first begins to arise; that is why the sun rises in the east. The south is Greater Yang. The sun is the ruler, so the Li trigram in the Yijing symbolizes the sun, and the sun is the ruler. The south corresponds to Fire, and Fire is the ruler. The south also corresponds to summer, the season among the four in which things are nurtured, conceived, and brought to their fullest flourishing. Its De is greatest, and so it is the ruler. Heaven takes this as its standard law.

“Even so, the musical tone Jiao corresponds to the east, and the position of Fire corresponds to the south. Now the qi of Great Peace has reached its height, and Heaven must therefore bring Yang qi to prominence. Seeing you six Perfected Ones ask about this, I know you are messengers of Heaven. So I shall explain in detail the method by which the sun, as ruler, is brought to prominence and set in motion. Take care, Perfected Ones.” “Yes, indeed.”

The Hundredth Method: The King’s Bestowal

“Today, Celestial Master, you have graciously taken pity on us and explained the laws of Heaven in full. I would like to ask one more thing. When the emperor meets his ministers and the common people, the laws of Heaven regard the emperor as their parent. His ministers are the emperor’s worthy sons, helping him govern Heaven and Earth; the common people are the unworthy sons of his household, working his fields and making their living under his rule. When he meets them, should he have something to bestow? If he gives nothing, his kindness and affection will not reach his people and ministers, leaving his children with no way to speak of the Dao. What should be done?”

“Excellent, Perfected One, that is well put. When you meet the worthy, give them writing; when you meet the hungry, give them food; when you meet the cold, give them clothing. Why give writing to the worthy? Because writing arises in the east and shines in the south. The celestial patterns arose in the northeast, and writing emerged there; Heaven reveals its signs in the tiger, whose domain is Yin, and in the dragon, whose domain is Chen, bearing writing as it ascends to Heaven. Li signifies written patterns, which move through the south. Thus the Three Lights are patterns, and the sun is the brightest of them. Writing therefore arises in the east and reaches its fullness in the south; that is why the sun rises in the east and shines at its fullest in the south. Heaven commands emperors to take Heaven as their model, so they should bestow writing to set in motion the workings of the sun and Fire. When the sun rises and Fire is active, people can distinguish what is right and wrong in the writing; writing is also a means by which…”

(The text appears to be damaged here; the final phrase, “writing is also a means by which,” is incomplete.)

The Six Perfected Ones have clearly recorded what is right and wrong in the world. Excellent, excellent! The Six Perfected Ones have largely awakened to the Dao of Heaven.

Now the august Heaven and the enlightened teacher are preparing the Daoist teachings for Heaven. We have nothing to conceal and wish to hear: what kind of scriptures should be bestowed? You six are asking on Heaven’s behalf. It is always difficult to say everything, but those who delight in following Heaven’s laws and urgently seek Great Peace need only gather the true Dao writings from high antiquity, middle antiquity, and later antiquity, select the finest among them, compile them as the Heavenly Scripture, and bestow it upon the worthy, so that they may read and recite it in turn. What should we now consider the essential meaning of past and present to be, and make the great principle for transforming the people and officials? It should be to nurture each person’s nature and bring each person’s life to peace. In this way, the most worthy Confucian scholars will all rejoice, harbor no ill will, and keep their thoughts on the laws of Heaven and Earth. Once they understand these laws, they will lead people to honor and love their ruler, cherish their own lives, and deeply understand how rare and precious an enlightened ruler is. The most worthy and benevolent among them are often anxious that their ruler may grow old; they seek out special methods from distant regions and present them to their sovereign. They should therefore be given Daoist writings. Excellent, excellent! You already understand.

If instead people are casually given weapons and metal objects, each will think about pursuing profit and will encourage martial Qi. As this influence spreads among the foolish and lowly, they will compete for gain; weapons will flourish and metal will prosper, the crafty will turn to theft, and bandits will arise. When Metal takes charge, it injures the Wood phase and disrupts the Qi of Fire. This is the natural order established by Heaven. Do you understand?

“Indeed, indeed. I would like to ask: why not give them other scriptures? But other books do not express the true Dao; they confuse worthy Confucian scholars and do nothing to benefit government affairs or nurture their nature. The scriptures, meanwhile, are shallow and have already been recited day after day by worthy Confucian scholars, so they should not be given to them. Still, one may gather good scriptures of the ancient sages from high antiquity, middle antiquity, and later antiquity, and bestow them as writings. The concern is only that they may not nurture people’s nature, and that people may fail to value themselves and instead become preoccupied with literary form. Yet any writing that is good may be bestowed, so that people can study and recite it, model themselves on it, and be transformed toward goodness. Excellent, excellent! The Six have awakened to this.”

The Secret of Flourishing and Decline Depends on People, Section 101

Today the Celestial Master has graciously come to explain the teaching to this ignorant student. I would like to ask: when giving food to the hungry and …

This scripture expounds the principles of governing a state and bringing peace to the people. Those suffering from hunger and cold most desire warmth and sustenance. If a ruler can fulfill the basic needs of the populace, the people will remain grateful throughout their lives, serving with utmost loyalty without second thoughts. When rare treasures or wise strategies for governance are discovered among the people, they will voluntarily present them to the ruler, wishing for his longevity and well-being. This embodies the principle of "relieving the poor and aiding the distressed" (Zhouqiong Jiuji).

The virtuous delight in learning, the hungry need food, and the cold require clothing. When a ruler bestows rewards upon subjects, they must meet their genuine needs—only then will the world sincerely submit. Heaven's nature esteems De (Virtue/Power) and disfavors punishment. Thus, the east represents the Dao (the Way of growth), while the south symbolizes De (the Virtue of nourishment). All things follow this principle, drawing vitality from the southeast and growing upward. The Yang Qi (vital energy) of heaven and earth is most vigorous during the Chen-Si hours (7-11 AM), stimulating the growth of all beings.

The northwest, in contrast, symbolizes punishment and calamity, governing harm and death. Here, things wither in the west and perish in the north. This direction is dominated by Yin Qi without Yang, causing all things to hide and avoid exposure, as if fearing punishment and disaster. Thus, creatures of the northwest feed on carrion. The ancient sages understood this heavenly principle, hence they revered the true Dao, virtuous De, and the transformative power of rites and music, while treating military force as secondary.

Yet today, some glorify the martial punishment symbolized by the northwest—this is to suppress Yang with Yin and overpower nobility with baseness. It only incites more conflict, breeding disloyalty among subjects and harming state governance. The ancient sages always prioritized moral transformation through De, keeping weapons and warfare subordinate. It is like a person dwelling alone who places books upon the bed and weapons beneath it—this naturally invites foreign tribes to submit and causes bandits to gradually vanish.

Taiping Jing: A Plain-Language Interpretation

The Six Perfected had previously spoken without betraying Heaven and Earth or the Way of the sages. They took their leave and went off to finish some minor matters. Still troubled by doubts, they returned to ask for instruction, repeatedly answering, “Yes, yes.”

After receiving the Celestial Master’s stern admonition, the Six Perfected observed their proper roles and each returned to a quiet place. They pondered the Celestial Master’s words again and again, but still could not understand everything. So they came back and asked, “What exactly do you mean by ‘acting and speaking’?”

The Celestial Master said: “Heaven naturally has the Qi of the four seasons, and Earth naturally has the Five Phases, each in its proper place. The Five Phases also each have their times of flourishing, assisting, resting, confinement, and decline. But all of this depends on people to set it in motion and make use of it. How can you insist that the ‘Qi of growth’ must be in season, and that the Qi of flourishing and assisting must restrain and harm one another? Alas! Though you six study every day, you still fail to grasp the essentials. Instead, you grow more and more confused, almost like people with no understanding. Why is that?

“The laws governing Heaven and Earth are such that the rise and decline of all things follow people’s actions in turn. Whatever people use together and value together will flourish and carry the ‘Qi of growth.’ Whatever they set aside and do not use will decline, as if confined.

“People’s diligent efforts can bring about rulers and teachers. Whatever everyone rushes to use becomes so expensive that it has no fixed price. Whatever everyone throws away and stops using becomes so cheap that it, too, has no fixed price.

“So what people throughout the world are currently making use of will flourish of its own accord. It need not wait for its turn to flourish under the Qi of the seasons or Five Phases. This is the law of Heaven: people’s rise and decline, and with them the rise and decline, value and worthlessness of all things, depend on the human heart. That is why the sages of old knew that the ‘pattern of Heaven’ must not be casually violated. People in remote antiquity understood that Heaven honors the Dao: when the Dao was practiced, it flourished. In the middle age, it was abandoned and no longer practiced, so it rested in decline and was no longer valued. When De was put into practice in the middle age, De flourished. In later times, when even the highest De was abandoned, De again fell into decline. When people make use of culture, culture flourishes; when they make use of military force, military force flourishes; when they make use of money, money flourishes; when they make use of goods and wealth, goods and wealth flourish. Whatever people make use of carries the Qi of flourishing. And when everyone has abandoned something and stopped using it, why must it wait for the seasons or Five Phases to reach their turn of flourishing before it can flourish?

“You study the Dao. Why do you not grow clearer each day, but instead grow more benighted and ignorant?”

If the Perfected themselves think in this way, how much more so ordinary people? They often violate Heaven’s prohibitions and then claim, ‘It is not so.’ That is how they have come to their present state. If what you say accords with my meaning, I will clarify Heaven’s laws and explain to the virtuous ruler the principle of ‘inherited consequences’ and the teachings handed down by the former kings.

Brief notes on proper names and terms:

• The Six Perfected and the Celestial Master: Characters in the text; the Perfected ask the Celestial Master for instruction in the Dao.
• The four seasons, the Five Phases, and flourishing, assisting, resting, confinement, and decline: The four seasons are spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The Five Phases are Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth; their states of flourishing and decline were used in ancient thought to describe how things wax and wane.
• Qi of growth: The Qi of flourishing and renewal, contrasted with decline and confinement.
• Inherited consequences: The bearing of wrongs and retribution left by those who came before, an important idea in the Taiping Jing.

Plain Language Interpretation

General meaning of the scripture:

When disaster is about to strike, is it because someone unfit for the task has been mistakenly appointed? If the wrong person has been appointed, how could the work be carried out according to the proper method?

If the Six Disciples have doubts and wish to know whether our Dao truly has great efficacy and can be trusted, they should promptly report their concerns to an enlightened and virtuous ruler, so that he may act according to the proper method. If this accords with Heaven and Earth and brings about a response, that will be genuine proof of its effectiveness in practice.

Yet even a perfected person cannot fully know whether someone can cause the rise and decline, advance and retreat of all things. Compared with such a person, how is an ordinary person any different from the blind?

Now that the Celestial Master has explained these matters to the humble student, I understand. Have I made any errors? Once people have begun to study, they should reflect deeply on the essential meaning. They must not become accustomed only to the words and fail to understand what they mean. To know the words but not their meaning is to incur the reproach of Heaven, Earth, and the Dao.

Students should study with care and discipline, listening respectfully and putting what they hear into practice. Keep in mind these affairs of heavenly governance: they can suppress the treacherous, the cunning, and the demonic, and prevent a virtuous ruler from failing in his duties. Yes, I will obey.

Key points:

• Six Disciples: Here, the six disciples or six worthy persons who sought instruction from the Celestial Master.
• Perfected person: In Daoism, a person who has attained the Dao; here, contrasted with an ordinary person.
• Celestial Master: A teacher who transmits the Dao of Heaven.
• Virtuous ruler: A ruler of virtue.
• “Yes, I will obey”: A respectful response expressing compliance.
• Heavenly governance: The affairs of governing according to the Dao of Heaven.