《太平經》Vol. 91

The Taiping Jing (Scripture of Great Peace) holds that the writings of the Celestial Master (Tianshi) are to gather and collate every kind of utterance from the opening of heaven and earth onward. These include the writings of the ancient worthies and sages, numinous charts and texts such as the River Chart and the Luo Writing, and also the words of ordinary people, of bondservants, and even of the Yi and Di peoples of distant lands. Bringing together the unusual insights and sound strategies of every quarter and arranging them into a body of discourse that explains the Dao (the Way) of Heaven is a task that, though extensive, is by no means impossible to complete.

So that people from distant regions may also take part, places for collecting utterances may be established in every locality; such places are also set up beside the roads, for those unable to come in person to submit differing opinions and sound strategies. The materials collected are then forwarded level by level and presented to the ruler who possesses De (Virtue/Power). The ministers jointly deliberate, classify and compare them, select the best content, discard improper utterances, and compile them into the classic Tiandong Ji Zhengshi.

The scripture says that once this has been done, the maladies of heaven and earth can gradually be removed, the emperor’s governance will tend toward stability, and the calamities accumulated over ten thousand generations can all recede as well. At that time, the myriad beings and the many spirits will have no faults left to report upward to Heaven, and Heaven will no longer be displeased by the evil deeds of the human world. Those commissioned to collate these utterances therefore act under Heaven’s mandate; even if the work is abundant, they should do their utmost to bring it to completion.

People everywhere need only state their views where they live and then send those utterances upward. Even if each person speaks of only one matter, or of a dozen or so, the doubtful and difficult affairs of the world can thereby be explained, and this will not impose too great a burden. This is to gather the utterances long accumulated throughout the world, so that the intent and the Qi (vital energy) of heaven and earth may pass freely through, to remove the disasters that befall the emperor, and to let the common people and the myriad beings each rest securely in their proper place. Heaven and earth will therefore rejoice; disasters and maladies will be eliminated, and blessings will also descend upon the emperor, leaving him safe and untroubled.

The scripture then presses the question: Why, in one and the same age, do heaven and earth have all people under Heaven jointly gather words, sound strategies, and the writings of the divine and the sagely from past and present, and compile them into the Dongji Jing? The answer is that heaven and earth are just then beset by grave illness and disorder, which have never yet been properly governed; that is why they instruct people to gather opinions and together to set in order rightful utterances and extraordinary strategies.

This passage from the Taiping Jing (“Scripture of Great Peace”) is a dialogue between Heaven and the Perfected Person. It discusses the world’s grave ills, why new sages are no longer sent down readily, and why the divine writings from high, middle, and lower antiquity must be gathered and revised. In plain language:

People were brought together to deliberate so that the great ills of the world might be remedied. The Perfected Person asked: “Since Heaven and Earth are in disorder and their ills are so severe, why not send down new good people and sages? Even if a sage were sent down later, surely it would be too late and of little use?”

Heaven sighed and said: “How can you be so unclear, Perfected Person? The people of old already said that the lowly and benighted grow dull through long habit and cannot examine things closely enough to know the truth. If even you speak this way, how much less can ordinary people understand? Because people do not trust one another’s words—or my writings—their resentment grows, and Heaven’s calamities become still more severe and harder to remedy. That is why Heaven has sent you to ask again and again: so I can explain things fully once more. You have agreed to listen, and I have been commanded to do this work. I dare not conceal anything and bring blame upon Heaven. Listen carefully, Perfected Person, as I explain each point in turn.”

Sages of every age have had their strengths and shortcomings, each excelling in a particular matter. All have transmitted Heaven’s teachings to Earth and spoken of Heaven and Earth’s intent, but they have not acted in the same way. They all wished to turn people away from evil and toward good, yet their words could not match one another in every detail. Thus even all the sages together could not fully know Heaven and Earth’s intent, and their great ills could not be entirely remedied. If another sage were sent down, things would most likely be the same. Heaven has grieved for a long time, and so has sent me down to explain everything fully, especially to tell you, Perfected Person. The gods in Heaven say that among all under Heaven, you alone delight in goodness and accord with Heaven’s heart. That is why I tell you the truth; these are not empty words. Do you understand?” The Perfected Person answered obediently that he understood.

That is why the divine writings from high, middle, and lower antiquity are being revised. Some teachings were given in high antiquity but not in middle antiquity; others were not given until lower antiquity. By grouping related teachings together and using them to fill one another’s gaps, they can be brought into a single body of good teachings. Only when they are gathered in this way can the divine books and Heaven and Earth’s intent be clearly seen. Do you understand?” The Perfected Person answered obediently that he did. Sages of high antiquity had their failings, which sages of middle antiquity corrected; middle antiquity had its failings, which sages of lower antiquity corrected; and lower antiquity had its failings, which sages of high antiquity corrected—that is, the scriptures of each age have gaps of their own and must be considered together.

Here, “Perfected Person” refers to a practitioner who receives Heaven’s revelation and transmits the Way of Great Peace. “Divine writings” means the texts transmitted by sages through the ages that accord with the Dao. “Remedying ills” and “severe ills” are metaphors for disorder in society, calamities and portents, and the collapse of human relations; they do not refer only to personal illness. The dialogue emphasizes that sending down one more sage cannot cure the problem at its root. The divine writings from every age must be gathered and their good teachings brought together to approach the true intent of Heaven and Earth.

The Scripture of Great Peace—A Plain-Language Interpretation

The Perfected One asked: “Do you understand how things of the same kind gather together and make up for one another, joining to form a complete set of ‘sagely words’?”

The disciple replied: “Yes, yes.”

The Perfected One said: “You understand it well. If something is missing from the Great Sage, the Middle Sage makes it up; if something is missing from the Middle Sage, the Lesser Sage makes it up. Those of the same kind follow one another and fill each other’s gaps, joining to form a complete set of sagely words. Do you understand?”

The disciple replied: “Yes, yes.”

The Perfected One said: “You understand it well. If the Great Worthy has a shortcoming, the Middle Worthy makes it up; if something is missing from the Middle Worthy, the Lesser Worthy makes it up. Those of the same kind follow one another and fill each other’s gaps, joining to form a complete set of worthy words. Do you understand?”

The disciple replied: “Yes, yes.”

The Perfected One said: “You understand it well. If something is lacking in the position of emperor or king, the ministers make it up; if something is lacking among the ministers, the common people make it up. Those of the same kind follow one another and fill each other’s gaps, joining to form a complete set of words. Do you understand?”

The disciple replied: “Yes, yes.”

The Perfected One said: “You understand it well. If something is lacking among the oldest and longest-lived, able-bodied adults make it up; if something is lacking among the able-bodied adults, the young make it up. Those of the same kind follow one another and fill each other’s gaps, joining to form a complete set of words. Do you understand?”

The disciple replied: “Yes, yes.”

The Perfected One said: “You understand. If something is lacking on the men’s side, women make it up; if something is lacking among women, servants and the Yi and Di peoples make it up. Those of the same kind follow one another and fill each other’s gaps, joining to form a complete set of words. Do you understand?”

The disciple replied: “Yes, yes.”

The Perfected One said: “Now you understand. Sometimes writings from high antiquity have been lost, and writings from middle antiquity carry them on; when those are incomplete, writings from later antiquity carry them on. Those of the same kind follow one another and fill each other’s gaps, joining to form a complete set of words. Do you understand?”

The disciple replied: “Yes, yes.”

The Perfected One said: “You understand it well. Sometimes the Way of people in high antiquity has been lost, and people of middle antiquity carry it on; when it is lost among them, people of later antiquity carry it on. Those of the same kind follow one another and fill each other’s gaps, joining to form a complete set of words. Do you understand?”

The disciple replied: “Yes, yes.”

The Perfected One said: “You understand. Sometimes what has been lost among those in high positions is found among those below them; what has been lost among those below is found among those above. Sometimes both above and below lose it, and those in the middle carry it on; sometimes it is lost in the middle, and those above and below carry it on. Sometimes the writings of celestial spirits are lost, and the writings of human sages carry them on; when the sages’ writings are lost, the writings of the worthy carry them on; when the worthy’s writings are lost, the writings of the common people carry them on; when the common people’s writings are lost, the Yi and Di peoples carry them on. Sometimes what is lost within is instead carried on outside.

(Throughout the passage, the point is repeated: the Dao and its writings need not be gathered in one place. If something is lost in a particular rank, group of people, or era, others at different levels within the same kind can follow and make up for it. In this way, good, sagely, and worthy words can still form a complete whole and are not cut off.)

Plain-language interpretation

Some truths learned from outside can cause one to lose inner understanding, while truths realized within may prove of no use in the outside world. Gain and loss alternate. So one must gather teachings from every level and domain, inside and out, among those of high and low status, near and far. The scriptures and key sayings should be classified by length and set alongside one another to fill in what is missing. Only then will they be complete, and the written records and spoken words truly form a coherent whole. Do you understand, Perfected One? —“Yes, yes,” he replied respectfully. Xingzi, you already understand.

Heaven and Earth bring forth and transform the myriad things. Among all people, sages, and living beings, each has strengths and weaknesses, falls short in some ways, and makes mistakes. Thus each acts differently. Yet, broadly speaking, everyone hopes to win the approval of Heaven and Earth and to find peace of mind. At the time, each claimed to be in the right, and everyone believed their own understanding was true. As a result, they all lost the heart of Heaven and Earth. Calamities therefore occurred often, great and small, one after another. This is clear proof. The living must bear the burden of their accumulated deeds, and their descendants fall ill with increasing severity. Do you know this, Perfected One? —“Yes, yes.” Xingzi, you understand now.

Therefore, Heaven has sent me down today as the Lord of the Way of Highest De (Shangde Daojun) to examine and renew the teachings. I am to gather and classify divine writings and the words of sages, all the way down to commoners, servants, and non-Han peoples, and bring their expressions together. I will collect what is good into a single scripture of ultimate insight, called The Writings on Governance in the Cavern of the Ultimate Heaven. Only then will all the afflictions of Heaven and Earth be completely removed. Do you understand, Perfected One? —“Yes, yes.” Excellent! Excellent! Xing, Perfected One, you have responded to the task and understood it; you now understand the affairs of the people. Heaven has granted you long life and raised you to the rank of Highest Perfected. “I dare not, I dare not. I attained it through my own practice; it was not through your power.” You are unmatched in your goodness toward the world, so Heaven cherishes you. “I dare not, I dare not.”

Nowadays, all that foolish people need do is refrain from blaming Heaven. They dare hope for nothing more, and dare not be dissatisfied. —“Yes, yes.” May I ask: when the various teachings are brought together and made to correspond with one another, I would like to hear the essential method. —“That is a good question. You speak with the voice of Heaven’s messenger! Very well. Please sit comfortably, and I will explain the principles of the Way to you.” —“Yes, yes.”

Suppose everyone is discussing the character “甲” together. They are all discussing the same matter. Presented before the assembled worthy and enlightened people, it ought to become a written record for the world and words for the people, though each person may express it differently. If there is no clause or statement in it that can be faulted, then take what is best and bring it into accord with the hearts of the people.

On the First Meaning of “Heart”: Gather different accounts together and treat them as grounds for confirming one another, so that right and wrong may be discerned and understanding awakened. What accords with the human heart also accords with the Heart of Heaven and Earth.

How is it to be discerned? I would hear the essential teaching.

Answer: When ordinary people act, they should first reflect within their own hearts, then compare their thoughts with those of the worthy and the sages. If they themselves judge an action to be right, and the worthy and sages likewise agree that it is good, its outcome will accord with the “Heart of Heaven.”

If they are still uncertain in their own hearts, they should also compare their judgment with the views of the worthy and sages, and even of ordinary people. If all say it is wrong, it is inauspicious, and Heaven will ultimately answer it with misfortune. This is a clear sign.

Therefore, gather these teachings as the central principle of the scripture: What accords with the human heart is right; what does not accord with the human heart is wrong. Do you understand? — I understand.

Every text and every undertaking has its root. To rely on that root, and to speak in accord with the words passed down and shared by the community, is the way. Whatever accords with the human heart accords with the spirits; whatever does not accord with the human heart does not accord with the spirits.

Excellent. — I have received your instruction. Why does the Perfected One say, “I have received your instruction”? Those who do good and uphold what is right attain the Heart of Heaven and live; those who do evil and lose the Heart of Heaven meet misfortune and die. Life and death both belong to “destiny,” hence the words, “I have received your instruction.”

Excellent. The Perfected One speaks rightly; I have nothing to add. Thus, when Heaven makes words and texts correct, there is good fortune; when it does not, there is misfortune. Therefore, the Perfected One is instructed to inspect and correct the documents according to the standard.

— I understand. Only then can the Qi of the Great Peace and High Sovereign be established, and the Qi that prolongs life arrive. Yet the words of sages vary in length, and so the Qi of the High Sovereign was once confined by deviant sayings and mistaken words and never had the chance to arrive. Since the creation of Heaven and Earth, the Qi of the High Sovereign has never helped emperors govern their realms. Now Heaven wishes to bring it forth in its entirety; therefore, the documents are to be inspected and corrected.

For every deviant statement left over, there is one illness left over. Each deviant teaching or mistaken passage brings one illness: ten bring ten illnesses, a hundred bring a hundred, a thousand bring a thousand, and ten thousand bring ten thousand. Illness arises in proportion to the deviant statements, deviant texts, and mistaken words that remain. Heaven and Earth fall ill, and people fall ill as well. If people are free of illness, Heaven is free of illness; if people are half ill, Heaven is half ill; if people are ill in every degree and in every part, Heaven is wholly ill. Those who make people ill ought to be glad when they recognize it; if they fail to recognize it, they will die.

“Disciple: There are so many teachings. I would like to ask: Does Heaven fall ill because of deviant speech, deviant phrases, and deviant writings?

“Perfected One: Alas, you have grown even more confused and dull-witted! Sit quietly, and I will explain it to you. When people use deviant speech and writings to explain the scriptures and speak of the Dao, they disrupt the scriptures and Daoist classics. Once the Daoist classics are thrown into disorder, the patterns of Heaven and the features of the earth are thrown into disorder as well. When these are disordered, Heaven and Earth fall ill. Then the sun, moon, and stars, the winds and rains, the four seasons, and the Five Phases fall into conflict and lose their proper order. Harvests fail, rulers worry, government offices fall into disorder, and the people suffer grievance, hunger, and cold. Is this not the sickness caused by deviant writings and speech? If they spread widely, they will bring on such great chaos that it cannot be set right. Do you understand?”

“Disciple: Yes, yes.”

“When deviant writings, speech, and mistaken phrases are used to govern a state, the state grows more disordered by the day. Deviant words, phrases, and mistaken writings deceive the ears; the state is thrown into danger and disorder, officials break the law and act recklessly, and the people are driven into hardship. Together, they defile the order between Heaven and Earth. The heavenly officials grow furious and send warnings day after day, while the people’s cries of grievance never cease. Do you understand?”

“Disciple: Yes, yes.”

“When deviant speech, writings, and mistaken phrases are used to govern a household, the order between parents and children and between husband and wife breaks down. They come to hate one another and quarrel without end, until the household becomes wretched. Do you understand?”

“Disciple: This is truly frightening! Hearing the Celestial Master speak this way fills me with dread. I, foolish as I am, had not thought it through; I never knew that such calamities could be brought on by these evil deeds.”

“Perfected One: You have been foolish on your own for a long time. Ordinary people think these things are trivial and refuse to get rid of them, and so harmony is lost. These deviant words, phrases, and writings incur a grave enmity with Heaven and Earth. They are the state’s great thieves and the people’s fierce demons. How could we not all cast them aside and make every effort to root them out?

“Heaven cares for virtuous rulers and fears they may fail to awaken and suffer another great calamity. That is why it sent me down to the human world to explain everything in detail. I, the Perfected One, must quickly deliver this text so that people will promptly reflect on Heaven’s intent and may then find peace. Otherwise, Heaven’s anger will continue to gather without end. Heaven will no longer let the sages speak one by one, and a gathering alone cannot remove the sickness completely. Therefore, people throughout the world must speak with one voice and together examine ancient writings for evidence. Now Heaven’s anger has gathered against deviant speech, deviant writings, one-sided words, and the utterances of sycophants. What must now be examined is precisely what I, the Perfected One, wish to make clear—as in the case of rulers…”

A Plain-Language Reading of the Taiping Jing

First passage

The Yi and Di peoples have repeatedly raised armies to invade and cause harm, so the court has sent a great army to suppress them. In undertaking a campaign, a ruler must not act out of anger: those who act in anger may achieve great merit and receive many rewards, while those who do not act in anger will still be examined by the emperor. Now the examination of heretical writings—documents that do not accord with the right Way—has reached this point! Does the Perfected One know what has gone wrong? Yes, yes—how fearsome! Order has now been restored to the realm, and one may say that the Perfected One has understood.

Second passage

Is what is urgent now the narrow, uninformed speech of some person, or heretical writings and words? Heaven and Earth have given rise to great resentment because of them. This is a grave calamity for the emperor: the realm had been at peace, but now it is in complete disorder. So these things must now be cut off, and all discussion, speech, and memorials must focus on policies for restoring peace. Only then will the weather gradually return to its proper course, and heretical words and speech be entirely cut off and brought to an end. From now on, Heaven will have people conduct examinations, and the spirits too will carry out examinations. These will grow more urgent with each passing day, without a moment’s pause. Do you understand, Perfected One? Yes, yes. This foolish student is deeply afraid. Knowing one’s fear can spare one from being confused and overwhelmed by examination.

Third passage

Yes, yes. This foolish student falls short in every respect and has committed grave offenses that have disturbed Heaven and Earth. I have caused the Celestial Master worry and concern. I will carefully remember the warning about the heretical writings and words spoken by one person. I now ask to receive further instructions and repeated admonitions. These are the highest precepts conveyed in the main text. Excellent! The written text has already said all this. Why do you still ask on your own? The minds of the confused are stubbornly knotted; even the intelligent may not fully understand. Those who do not value repeated, clear instructions remain dim and unenlightened, and instead disrupt the Way of the Celestial Master. How could I not ask again and again?

Fourth passage

Excellent words. Very well—sit at ease, and I will explain fully to all the Perfected Ones. Right speech, proper texts, and upright words are the foundation for setting Heaven and Earth in order and the precious vessels and parents that bring peace to the state. All ordinary people and all things in the realm receive their mandate from them. Therefore, every effort should be made to set them right. Yes, yes. I wish to hear how right speech, proper texts, and upright words become the foundation of Heaven and Earth, the state’s precious vessels, and the mandate received by ordinary people and all things.

Fifth passage

Decisively—ah! Perfected One, you have heard these words many times already. My writings are full of people pretending to be ill when they are not, and of hollow, extravagant, heretical words. Why do you still keep asking? This foolish student was born into the common world and has long accumulated ignorance by following its customs. I do not know where heretical teachings and injunctions lead, so without repeated, careful explanation I remain completely confused. Yet you wish to know the matter precisely: ordinary people all claim to uphold what is good, but together they devise words that run counter to the borrowed names and terms of the Twelve Spirit Talismans. These terms in Daoist teachings each have their own borrowed names and meanings, which must be understood correctly and not interpreted carelessly. That is why I dare to ask again.

Note: This passage is a dialogue in the Taiping Jing between a Perfected One (the Celestial Master) and a disciple. Its central argument stresses the importance of “right speech, proper texts, and upright words” for Heaven and Earth, the state, and all things. It opposes heretical writings and words and advocates the use of documents grounded in the right Way to bring peace to the realm. Terms such as “Yi and Di,” “emperor,” and “Celestial Master” refer to specific political and religious contexts of the period.

This scripture passage explains: When people act according to what appears to be correct principles yet calamities persist, it's because the words and texts they rely upon are themselves incorrect and chaotic. Ordinary people may casually repeat such words without consequence, but when actually put into practice, they prove contrary to the Dao of Heaven. Only those words and writings that truly dispel disasters must be the proper speech (zheng yan) and correct texts (zheng ci) aligned with the Heavenly Dao, for they completely resonate with the will of Heaven and Earth.

When both rulers and common people act according to these proper words and texts, Heaven and Earth return to their correct paths. The cycles of seasons, transformations of the Five Phases (Wuxing), and growth of all beings will each find their proper place. The sun, moon, and stars will follow their regular courses, bringing peace and prosperity to the nation. At such times, the divine spirits bestow methods for immortality and miraculous treasures, all auspicious responses manifest, while wickedness and unnatural phenomena naturally vanish. The people live contentedly in their vocations, fulfilling their natural lifespans, and all creatures progress through their normal cycles of growth and decline.

These proper words and texts form the foundation of Heaven and Earth, the treasure of the nation, and the clear evidence of life for all beings. Conversely, perverse speech and corrupt writings provoke the wrath of Heaven and Earth, bringing danger and ruin. Yet ignorant people fail to understand this truth, instead producing various heretical doctrines and writings, competing with each other to deceive their superiors, defiling the orthodox methods of the Heavenly Dao and disrupting the order of creation. This is what Heaven and Earth most detest—the greatest calamity for any nation.

Now the Celestial Master (Tianshi), as the transmitter of Heaven's will, sternly condemns these perverse words and texts as the root cause of social upheaval. The Perfected Persons (Zhenren, those who have attained the Dao through cultivation) should understand that the gravest transgression in our time is how people use corrupt words and texts to disturb the natural order of Heaven and Earth.

A Modern Interpretation of the Taiping Jing

Since Heaven and Earth often suffer from “illness,” does this not mean that Heaven is angry and laying blame? Just as people resent someone who repeatedly harms others, do they not? “Yes, yes.” Heaven’s resentment and Earth’s censure are therefore clear.

Today, crooked words, writings, and speeches deceive those in high positions and endanger the state. Government often loses Heaven’s favor, and people’s lives are not extended—or are even cut short. This has happened to more than one person, time and again, because of such things. Is this not a great calamity for the state? Do you understand, Perfected Ones? “Yes, yes.”

In later antiquity, most people were ignorant. Some saw the signs in Heaven but said that they were less reliable than those crooked words. Such people are nothing less than ringleaders in the betrayal of the state, the greatest cause of resentment between Heaven and Earth, a great danger to the people, and a source of harm to all things and to fierce ghosts. Virtuous rulers must be extremely cautious and never follow their words. Whoever does so will incur Heaven’s resentment. They should plan carefully for themselves and consider the dangers, so that they may remain at peace for a long time. Heaven especially favors virtuous rulers, and so has established this method for them, enabling them to protect themselves and the state. Do you understand, Perfected Ones? “Yes, yes. This disciple has now awakened greatly. I will be cautious, very cautious. Heaven’s might must not be offended.” “Yes, yes.”

After the Perfected Ones have offered this reminder, the virtuous ruler should carefully observe and reflect on Heaven’s teachings and the signs in Heaven, so they can be passed down to officials and the people. The memorials jointly submitted by the three groups should, in the eighth month, be assigned to three separate places according to the procedure for “checking and collating.” Those beginning the collation should be east of the ruler. Once a document has been checked once, it should be passed to the ruler’s south; after the second check, to the ruler’s west; and after the third, it should be set aside north of the ruler when collation is complete. The collators should work in different places and must not meet. Why is this? I would like to hear the full explanation. “If they meet, some may collude to manipulate the process, conceal the truth, and deceive others. This would again bring Heaven and Earth’s censure and make them great traitors to the state. Heaven and Earth abhor such people and make emperors govern in times of disorder. So the work is divided among separate locations, where the three groups can check the documents. They should verify them together, thereby discerning Heaven’s intent and stabilizing the ruler’s government.”

Why should the first collation take place east of the ruler? The east governs Heaven’s Qi and is associated with the heart and benevolence. Those who examine matters at their source should do so with care, make every effort to act benevolently, accord with the intentions of Heaven and Earth, and keep the ruler’s stability in mind. That is why the work is done in the east. The benevolent should conduct their work with discernment, so the documents are passed to the ruler’s sun-facing side, the south. Once the matter has been examined clearly, it should be decided according to righteousness, and wrongdoing should be eliminated; those who have merit may be retained.

Modern Interpretation

Because both those with achievements and those without achievements must be recorded, particular care should be taken to prepare “conduct reports” (accounts of officials’ character and administrative record) even for those without achievements. Once completed, these reports should be stored in a shadowy chamber north of the ruler. This allows the ruler to keep track of people’s conduct throughout the realm and know who is good and who is evil. This method must not be abandoned. When a ruler with De (Virtue/Power) uses it to review officials, he is called a “Great Spirit,” one who can fully grasp the hearts of people throughout the realm and the movements of every unusual change. Do you understand this, Perfected One? It is truly something to fear! Something to fear! Know that you must revere Heaven and act according to its words if you are to live long.

(The disciple:) Yes, yes.

From then on, local officials no longer dared to submit false conduct reports at will. Once the reporting system was in place, the ruler with De could rest easy. Do you understand?

(The disciple:) Yes, yes.

Heaven warns: when proofreading documents, omit one item and receive thirty strokes of the whip; omit ten and receive three hundred; omit a hundred and receive three thousand. A ruler with De should make such a person leave office and never serve again. This person has treated their duties lightly, and is hated by Heaven, blamed by Earth, and a great danger to the state. Those who are hated and blamed, and those who are treacherous, cannot remain in service for long. They will soon provoke Heaven and Earth, and should be removed as quickly as possible. Good! Good! Let this serve as a warning to the Perfected One: one essential principle is that the writings and the Dao recorded in my book extend from top to bottom without end. Every upright statement, expression, and text is something I received under Heaven’s mandate and brought down into the world to pass on.

I know with certainty that Heaven cherishes upright speech, texts, and expressions, and therefore deeply despises crooked speech, expressions, and texts. I also know with certainty that Heaven and Earth greatly resent these things. For this reason, they commanded me to descend into the human world and correct and remove what they resent, along with those who act treacherously. My purpose is to bring stability to a virtuous state, to release it for good from the accumulated burdens and punishments that have built up since Heaven and Earth were created, to remove calamity so that people may rest and recover, and to restore upright Qi (vital energy) to the order of ancient times. Then the peaceful Qi of the August Heaven will arrive all at once in the distant lands of the six directions and eight regions. Do you understand?

(The disciple:) Yes, yes.

Thus my scriptures consist entirely of Heaven’s words; they do not depart from their proper measure or stray from their standards. Heaven detests crooked texts, so I detest them too; Heaven cherishes upright texts, so I cherish them too. In practicing the Dao, I always keep to what is fundamental, guard the middle, and cast aside what is secondary: Heaven keeps to what is fundamental, so I do the same; Heaven guards the middle, so I do the same; Heaven casts aside what is secondary, so I do the same. In composing this text, I share with Heaven and Earth the same body, heart, intent, portion, principles, likes, dislikes, Dao, and path. That is why I have ordered the ruler with De to use this method to review the people of the realm.

This passage discusses the importance of truthful speech and action in the Taiping Jing (Scripture of Great Peace). It states that those who fully align their conduct with the Dao (the Way) of heaven will shine eternally like the sun, free from darkness or chaos, enjoying perpetual auspiciousness without calamity. This state is called "heaven's ultimate and perfect righteous path" (Tian zhi dongji zhengdao), representing the highest harmony with the heart of heaven and earth.

The scripture explains that those who grasp the highest principles attain longevity, those mastering intermediate principles can assist in governing the state, while even those with basic understanding maintain constant peace. Followers with doubts about the teachings may inquire at any time. However, deliberate false speech or wrongful actions incur punishment: thirty strokes of discipline for each incorrect statement. This severity stems from the foundational nature of truth—a single error violates the primal unity (Yi).

The thirty-stroke penalty serves as atonement to heaven, earth, and human rulers: ten strokes for each realm. The text clarifies that heaven and earth frequently manifest wrath through disasters precisely because careless recording and transmission of teachings propagate errors, inviting calamity. Thus, every statement must undergo rigorous verification, requiring truthfulness from both superiors and subordinates. Partial honesty—where only one party speaks truth—remains ineffective in appeasing celestial and terrestrial grievances.

Finally, it emphasizes that even if written edicts rectify worldly discourse, without the ruler’s sincere commitment to justice, the spirits governing the four seasons and Five Phases (Wuxing), or the harmonizing Qi (vital energy) of ancestral and cosmic deities, will rekindle their wrath, allowing malignant forces to resurge. True Great Peace (Taiping) demands unwavering honesty from highest to lowest—only then can heaven and earth be pacified.

Plain-Language Interpretation of the Scripture of Great Peace

…that would be useless. So, following Heaven’s will, I teach the sovereign of Virtue, the ruler entrusted by Heaven to educate all under Heaven. I do not dare go against Heaven’s intent. Everything must follow Heaven’s law: take the patterns of how Heaven and Earth move as the classic, follow the Yang Qi as the right way, and use the four seasons and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) as the guiding principles. These do not change for ten thousand generations.

“Do you understand?”

“Yes, yes. Your disciple is dull-witted, but has begun to understand.”

“To revere Heaven’s writings and know what it means to stand in awe is already to set out on the path to lasting good fortune. This is a major teaching for instructing the perfected.”

As for how to collate documents and examine claims: you must not assume that a “divine text” means exactly whatever its words say on the surface. That is called deaf writing: the words are there, but the meaning is not. Can speech and action have no basis, no supporting evidence? Why make such empty claims? This does not mean those written words should be discarded. Rather, ask what the words truly mean. Only by grasping their meaning can you explain the matter clearly. If you do not make the meaning clear, how can anyone understand? So you must ask questions and work it out. If the meaning cannot be understood, the text cannot be put to use. This is called deaf governance: addressing only the surface and not the root.

If you want to truly understand a meaning, remember that, just as people speak for reasons and on the basis of evidence that can be examined, you cannot simply say, “A certain Lord Dong once said this,” and use it to support an argument or guide action. To prove a point or accomplish something, you need solid grounds. How can you rely on fabrication and empty talk? Everything must have real evidence and a sound basis to stand firm.

If you want to know the greater effects and see clear proof, consider the teachings I established for the sovereign of Virtue: their effectiveness is judged by putting them into practice and seeing whether they work. If you try them and nothing follows, they are false. If you try them and they work, they accord with the Dao. The same applies to truthful accounts, written texts, and spoken words. How can you simply display omens and recite old texts without explaining their principles?

Foolish people, by contrast, cling rigidly to phrases from “divine texts” found here and there. Sometimes these phrases are merely ways of speaking about warding off hardship and relieving distress. A divine text may be imposing or contain a deeper meaning. But if people pass on only the words, not the complete teaching contained in a scroll, and transmit fragments far and wide through hearsay, those who have not deeply grasped its key and true meaning will only string together phrases about “warding off hardship and relieving distress,” imagining they have explained matters when they have not. The fault lies with anyone who loses sight of the original meaning and prevents the supreme Dao and the words of Virtue from being understood.

“Do you understand?”

“Yes, yes. Your disciple is dull-witted, but has understood with care.”

“If you still fail to understand this, you will remain lost. So when you examine texts and people’s words by the principles in my book, always ask in the end: What do they mean, and how can that meaning be grasped?”

The Taiping Jing, Scroll 91: “Signs of Harm from Heaven’s Resentment and Earth’s Blame; Establishing the Text of the Scripture of the Utmost Cavern” (excerpt), modern-language interpretation

On explaining and classifying: Those who explain should organize their material by category. Then the world’s writings and words of every kind can be pursued to their very end in a single undertaking. The laws of the Dao (the Way) will become clear, and words about good and evil will illuminate one another.

On practicing the Dao and the realized person’s insight: “Excellent! Excellent! One who practices my Dao sees this situation.” The realized person should consider it again and again, from top to bottom. When things are tested against one another and explained clearly, nothing remains unclear. There is nothing in the world that cannot be accomplished. The Great Dao is fulfilled, Heaven and Earth rejoice, and a virtuous ruler enjoys lasting peace.

On Heaven’s governance and the people’s hearts: Everyone in the world speaks with one voice, saying, “Excellent!” No unnecessary discussion remains. Heaven’s governance has once again accorded with the intent of Heaven and Earth; this is why it is called “peace.” When affairs are handled in a way that accords with ordinary people’s wishes, there is no more needless talk throughout the world. Do you understand, realized person?

The realized person answers: “Yes, yes.”

On asking again: The realized person says, “The wording is somewhat different, and I still have doubts. I have come to ask again.”

The answer: “Yes, yes.”

Explanation: “Realized person” refers to someone who receives instruction and can embody the Dao; here, this person appears in the form of a dialogue. “Great Dao” refers in the text to the fundamental way of governing the country in accord with Heaven. “Heaven’s governance” is a state of rule in which policies accord with the Dao of Heaven and the intent of Heaven and Earth. A “virtuous ruler” is a ruler of virtue who can practice the Way of Great Peace. The final “yes, yes” is a response expressing acceptance and willingness to follow.