《太上感應篇》Vol. 28

The Scripture: Taishang Ganying Pian (Treatise of the Most High on Response and Retribution)

Scripture text:

Taishang Ganying Pian, Scroll Twenty-Eight, “Refraining from the Fifth”

(Transmitted by Li Changling; eulogized by Zheng Qingzhi)

Do not spit, blow your nose, or urinate or defecate while facing north

The commentary says: Yang Ziyun wrote that around the spring and autumn equinoxes, day and night are equal in length because the sun rises due east at Mao and sets due west at You. Huan Tan then wrote the New Discourses to challenge him: “What Ziyun calls Mao and You are the Mao and You seen by people on earth, not the Mao and You of the heavens. The heavenly Mao and You should be determined by the northern pivot of the Dipper. The pivot is the celestial hub, and the hub is the axis of heaven. Heaven has a pivot just as a canopy has a central fitting: heaven turns, yet the North Pole does not move, just as the canopy turns while its central fitting remains fixed. From where people stand, north is still north, but it is not the exact center of the heavens. During the spring and autumn equinoxes, however, the sun’s rising and setting are always near the Southern Dipper. We should understand that heaven turns like a canopy, with the northern arc always farther away and the southern arc always closer. How, then, could day and night at the spring and autumn equinoxes truly be equal?” Yang Ziyun was at a loss for words and could not refute this. This makes it all the clearer that the Dipper is the center of heaven; there is no reason to doubt it.

Thus the Primordial Beginning Supreme Emperor calls the North Pole the Central Pole, and the Treasure Supreme Perfected One calls the seven stars of the Northern Dipper the Seven Stars of the Middle Heaven. Our Confucian scholars, too, say that the Dipper is the Emperor’s chariot: it moves through the center, governs the four directions, divides Yin and Yang, establishes the four seasons, balances the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), shifts the seasonal measures, and sets the cycles in order. Who could say this is not so?

In ancient times, the Celestial Sovereign, the North Pole, and the seven stars of the Northern Dipper came into being from a seven-jeweled lotus. They formed a radiance and flew to the Central Pole, more than ninety thousand li above the earth. There they transformed into the Nine Great Treasure Palaces: the Purple Tenuity Enclosure, the Great Void Palace, and the position of Gouchen, among others. They hold the talismanic charts, regulate the transformations of the primordial order, and rule over the host of stars.

The stars are assigned as follows: Tanlang (Greedy Wolf) corresponds to Heaven and the Celestial Origin, and governs the body; Jumen (Great Gate) corresponds to Earth and the Terrestrial Origin, and governs life; Lucun (Preserving Wealth) corresponds to Fire and the Solar Origin, and governs good fortune; Wenqu (Literary Song) corresponds to Wood and the Lunar Origin, and governs official emoluments; Lianzhen (Pure Chastity) corresponds to Earth and the River Origin, and governs office; Wuqu (Military Song) corresponds to Water and the River Origin, and governs longevity; and Pojun (Army Destroyer) corresponds to Metal and the Sea Origin, and governs spouse and children. Each star has thirty-six palaces, and each palace has thirty-six offices. The numinous beings and perfected ones throughout the Three Realms and Ten Directions are all subordinate to them.

If this is so, is the North Pole of the Middle Heaven not supremely exalted? How could one defile the place where the exalted reside? If we consider long life…

(The original scroll continues with discussion of longevity practices and related matters. The passage provided ends here.)

Plain-language interpretation:

This section is titled “Refraining from the Fifth.” It warns people not to blow their nose, spit, or relieve themselves while facing north, lest they profane a place of honor. After the eulogy, the commentary cites an ancient debate to explain why the north and the Northern Dipper are regarded as the center of heaven, and thus why the prohibition is justified.

The prohibition itself

“Do not spit, blow your nose, or urinate or defecate while facing north” means not to direct bodily waste toward the north. In the traditional cosmology, the north is associated with the celestial pole, the Emperor’s residence, and the reach of the Northern Dipper. It is therefore considered a pure and exalted direction, toward which one should not direct filth.

Yang Ziyun and Huan Tan debate whether day and night are equal at the equinoxes

The commentary says that the Han scholar Yang Ziyun (Yang Xiong) once argued that day and night are approximately equal at the spring and autumn equinoxes because the sun rises at Mao, due east, and sets at You, due west.

Huan Tan challenged this in his New Discourses. Yang, he argued, was referring to Mao and You as observed from the ground, not the true Mao and You of the heavens. The heavenly directions should be determined by the northern pivot of the Dipper. The pole is the celestial hub, like an axis: heaven turns around it, but the pole itself remains still. The commentary compares this to a canopy that turns while its central fitting stays in place.

From the ground, north remains north, but it is not the exact center of the celestial sphere. Moreover, around the equinoxes the sun’s rising and setting points often lie toward the Southern Dipper. Since heaven turns like a canopy, the northern arc is farther away and the southern arc closer. So, Huan Tan argued, day and night at the equinoxes may not truly be equal. Yang Xiong could not answer him. The commentary takes this as further proof that the Dipper is the center of heaven.

Confucian and Daoist traditions both honor the Northern Dipper

The Primordial Beginning Supreme Emperor calls the North Pole the Central Pole, while the Treasure Supreme Perfected One calls the seven stars of the Northern Dipper the Seven Stars of the Middle Heaven. Confucian scholars, too, describe the Dipper as the Emperor’s chariot. As it moves through the center, it governs the four directions, divides Yin and Yang, establishes the four seasons, balances the Five Phases, shifts the seasonal measures, and sets the cycles in order.

The Celestial Sovereign, the North Pole, the seven stars, and the Nine Great Treasure Palaces

According to the account, the Celestial Sovereign, the North Pole, and the seven stars of the Northern Dipper arose from a seven-jeweled lotus. They formed a radiant light and flew to the Central Pole, more than ninety thousand li above the earth, where they transformed into the Nine Great Treasure Palaces. These include the Purple Tenuity Enclosure, the Great Void Palace, and the position of Gouchen. They hold the talismanic charts, regulate the transformations of the primordial order, and rule the stars.

The seven stars are linked to the Five Phases and to aspects of human life. The associations given in this text are: Tanlang, or Greedy Wolf, corresponds to Heaven and the Celestial Origin, and governs the body; Jumen, or Great Gate, corresponds to Earth and the Terrestrial Origin, and governs life; Lucun, or Preserving Wealth, corresponds to Fire and the Solar Origin, and governs good fortune; Wenqu, or Literary Song, corresponds to Wood and the Lunar Origin, and governs official emoluments; Lianzhen, or Pure Chastity, corresponds to Earth and the River Origin, and governs office; Wuqu, or Military Song, corresponds to Water and the River Origin, and governs longevity; and Pojun, or Army Destroyer, corresponds to Metal and the Sea Origin, and governs spouse and children.

Each star has thirty-six palaces, and each palace has thirty-six offices. The numinous beings and perfected ones throughout the Three Realms and Ten Directions are all under their authority.

Returning to the prohibition

If the Central Pole and the North Pole of the Middle Heaven are such exalted places, how could one direct spit, nasal discharge, or bodily waste toward them? The continuation on longevity and related subjects develops the same concern with reverence, purity, the body’s spirits, and spiritual response.

Summary: Scroll Twenty-Eight uses astronomy, stellar deities, and the image of the Emperor’s chariot to explain why the north is held in honor. The rule against facing north while relieving oneself is presented as a matter of avoiding defilement of the celestial hub and offense to the ruler of the stars. If one is unsure of direction in daily life, the basic point is to know that the north is not a direction toward which one should direct bodily waste. This concern with small acts of conduct accords with the Taishang Ganying Pian’s emphasis on accumulating good through careful attention to everyday behavior.

When the scripture speaks of the “north,” it does not necessarily mean due north. The directions associated with spring, summer, autumn, and winter—east, south, west, and north—as well as the direction indicated by the monthly jian (the Earthly Branch assigned to each month, used in the traditional calendar to mark that month’s direction), all count as directions in which one may offend the handle of the Northern Dipper. The Dipper’s seven stars form a ladle, and its handle points in different directions as the seasons and months change. In former times, people believed that offending it could shorten one’s life. The loss of longevity was said to come especially swiftly, so one should be vigilant and cautious.

The verse says:

The way to master oneself is “do not act contrary to ritual.” To spit at someone without a thought is courage without righteousness, as perilous as drowning, being wrapped in a mat, or having one’s hair seized and pulled. What the noble person values is “standing firm without leaving the right path.” How much more, then, should one respect the honored place in the north, surrounded by the gathered stars? This refers back to the discussion of the north and the stars.

Chanting and weeping before the stove

A transmitted text says: “According to the Stove Scripture of the Yellow Emperor, one must not sing, chant, weep, curse, or shout at the stove door.” This is the same principle discussed in this text. People take the stove to be nothing more than bricks and earth, unaware that it holds great power and must not be offended. Such is the way of the world.

Long ago, on Mount Song, there was a shrine renowned for its supernatural manifestations. In the main hall stood only a stove, which no one dared approach; those who did were struck by disaster. As a result, worshippers came from near and far almost every day. One day a Chan master arrived at the shrine. He walked straight into the hall and struck the stove three times with his staff, saying, “You are made of mud. How can you be holy? Where does your spiritual power come from? How dare you cook and slaughter living beings?” When he had finished, he struck it three more times. At the sound, the stove broke apart and fell to the ground.

A moment later, a figure in blue robes and a tall crown sprang out and bowed to the master. “I am indeed the stove spirit of this shrine,” he said. “For a long time I have been attached to my physical form and greedy for the fruits of karmic reward. Now, thanks to the master’s teaching of the Dharma of patience with the birthless, I have been freed from this place and will be born in heaven. How could I fail to thank you respectfully?”

The master replied, “This is your own original nature; I did not impose it on you with my words.” The spirit bowed again and disappeared. People thereafter called the master “Stove-Breaker, Stove-Faller.”

Later, a monk asked the master about this: “I have been by your side for a long time, yet you have never awakened me with such skillful means. What teaching did this stove receive that it could suddenly be born in heaven?” The master replied, “I only said to it: ‘You are made of mud. There is no other principle.’” The monk stood thinking. The master asked, “Do you understand?” The monk said, “I do not.” The master replied, “Your original nature is already there. What is there not to understand?” The monk bowed. The master said, “Fallen, fallen; broken, broken.” The monk too came to great awakening.

Alas! This stove heard the Chan master’s words just once and was able to awaken to the patience with the birthless. Those who chant or weep before a stove—will they not invite the harm that comes from offending what should be treated with reverence?

When eating, refrain from speaking; at banquets, avoid sighing or displaying emotions like joy or anger. All actions should suit the occasion—neither reciting poetry, singing, nor weeping should be done carelessly. Such behavior not only offends the divine but also disrupts the proper order. You who serve the gods must be prudent in speech and action, knowing when silence is appropriate.

Using stove fire to burn incense is strictly forbidden. According to the liturgical rules of the Celestial Master (Zhang Daoling) tradition, the ashes beneath the stove are called "dragon dung," making them unfit for incense burning. Daoist scriptures reveal many other incense taboos: oil-stained paper wicks must not be used to burn spirit money—such offerings are termed "wasted wax coins," piled high before the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak (Mount Tai), yet rejected by all celestial and earthly deities. When making offerings to the True Warrior Emperor, avoid plums in summer and pomegranates in winter; when inviting higher immortals, never burn frankincense or sandalwood, known as "bathing incense." Monthly roses are called "untimely blossoms," and golden paulownia flowers "ghost flowers"—all must be avoided. Rather than risk divine offense through negligence, reverently observe these precepts.

The Eulogy states: Fire in Zhou rituals followed seasonal rhythms; drilling wood for flame embodied purity and devotion. Using residual embers in worship is improper. Only meticulous reverence invites divine response.

Cooking with unclean firewood is likewise prohibited. Though unlit, its turbid qi still rises—thus defiled wood must never fuel sacred meals. Have you not heard the tale of "toiling firewood and refined charcoal"? When Xun Xu attended the emperor, he once tasted a meal and declared it cooked with aged cartwheels. Skeptical, the ruler summoned the chef, who confirmed the fuel's origin. Yang Shou would eat only charcoal-cooked meals. Once, Li Zhang hosted Yang's sons with charcoal-fired dishes, yet they touched nothing but fruit. Their advisor Sheng Gang protested: "Other foods you might refuse, but what's wrong with charcoal-cooked fare?" They replied: "For charcoal cooking, one must first burn it thoroughly—this is 'refining.' Otherwise, smokiness lingers, so we abstain." Alas! If Xun could detect wheel-fired meals and the Yang brothers spurned unrefined charcoal, how much more must we avoid defiled wood in sacrifices?

The Eulogy states: Zhou rites aligned fire governance with heaven's seasons; flame-kindling methods revealed piety. Should worship employ filth, how would spirits partake? Every leaf and twig must be pure to summon the divine presence.

Plain Language Interpretation

On Sacrifice and Purification

The scripture says: The millet used in sacrifice should be clean and bright, and the first offering in the ritual should be cooked rice. When observing a fast and eating vegetarian food, keep body and mind as upright as they would be during a formal purification. Present the offerings with a solemn expression and a respectful face. Fill the vessels with sacrificial food, and honor the blessings and good fortune bestowed by Heaven without the slightest negligence. Make the fire and prepare the meal according to the proper rules; clean and prepare the firewood and grain as well. Whether receiving guests or performing a sacrifice, cleanliness matters most. The way of treating people and the way of honoring the spirits are one and the same: one must not be meticulous with people and careless with the spirits.

Do Not Uncover Yourself When Rising at Night

When getting up at night, do not go about naked.

Explanation from the Commentary

The commentary cites a Daoist source: The Sun and Moon are each 840 li across. The Sun travels through the Qian position, and the Moon through the Kun position. The Sun receives the Moon’s po and becomes clear; the Moon receives the Sun’s hun and becomes bright. Clarity and brightness are Qi; their essence is substance; Yin and Yang are the Dao; the crow and hare—the images of a crow in the Sun and a hare in the Moon—are their emblems; Mao and You are the paths by which they travel back and forth; day and night are the measures of their movement; and their conjunction is their function. In general, day belongs to Yang and night to Yin. Night is when the myriad spirits meet, so one should not uncover oneself, for fear of offending ghosts and spirits.

Huang Sangou and Zhu Shoucheng

A story is told of Huang Sangou and Yuan Qing. Long ago, Zhu Shoucheng was robbed on three successive nights, but the thieves could not get inside. Their leader, Huang Sangou, grew angry and resolved to succeed at least once. He returned to Zhu’s house, and had just entered the second gate when a brilliant blaze of fire appeared. Several armored soldiers shouted that they were going to seize him. In panic, Sangou fled, accidentally injuring one of his accomplices, and eventually ended up in prison. The soldiers he saw were actually the attendant deities painted on a hanging scroll before the image of Zhenwu, the Perfected Warrior, enshrined in Zhu Shoucheng’s home.

Yuan Qing and Yang Suzhen

Yang Suzhen, a courtesan from Shan Prefecture, lived alone and had accumulated considerable savings. Yuan Qing, a military officer, used every means to woo her and marry her, then loaded all her belongings onto a boat and took her back to the capital. When the boat moored at Mengyang, Yuan Qing got drunk that night and drowned Yang Suzhen in the depths. Soon afterward, Zhenwu happened to pass through the sky and rescued her, bringing her back to life. So who can say that in a remote place in the dead of night there are no spirits watching? When getting up at night, how could one go about naked?

Verse of Praise

When indoors, keep the body properly covered; do not let the eyes look below the belt. In every matter of form and appearance, let each action be guided by a reverent and disciplined mind. Ease and comfort can lead to carelessness, so remain vigilant morning and night. How can anyone claim that, because a place is secluded and no one is there, they may give free rein to misconduct? One can judge good and ill by examining oneself in this way, without needing to trouble the yarrow stalks and milfoil for divination.

Punishments on the Eight Seasonal Days

The commentary also cites the words of a Perfected One of the Highest Clarity: On the eight seasonal days of the year, one should make plans to do good and must not become angry or quarrel. These are grave taboos for both Heaven and humanity, and violating them brings serious guilt. How much worse, then, to carry out executions? On these days, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sends forth Celestial Worthies, Celestial Lords, Celestial Emperors, and countless divine hosts to teach and transform the world. One should be all the more careful not to act rashly or kill.

When people conduct rituals of universal salvation and deliverance, the Northern Dipper, Southern Dipper (the southern celestial lodges), the Four Offices, and the Five Emperors also descend. They examine matters in detail and record the offenses and blessings of all beings.

The sun normally follows the Red Path, while the moon follows the Yellow Path: these are the regular courses of the celestial bodies. At the Beginning of Spring, the sun follows the Green Path, veering eastward from the Yellow Path. The Three Primordial Ladies (revered deities who govern the Qi of the Three Primordials) ascend to pay court to the Great Emperor of Heaven. They feast and travel along the Way in the Heaven of Primordial Radiance, receive the Way, and become immortals. The High Sages and Celestial Worthies descend to the human world together with the Lord of Primordial Azure.

At the Beginning of Summer, the sun follows the Red Path, veering southward from the Yellow Path. The Supreme Ultimate High Perfected Ones and the Perfected Ones of the Three Primordials ascend to the Purple Tenuity Palace. In Dark Radiance, they feast, travel along the Way, and receive the Way of immortality. The Celestial Worthy Who Cherishes Life and Grants Deliverance, together with the Lord of Primordial Cinnabar, descends.

At the Beginning of Autumn, the moon follows the White Path, veering westward from the Yellow Path. The High Perfected Ones of Great Simplicity and the Lord of the White Emperor ascend to pay court to the High Perfected One, the Mysterious Sovereign of Jade Heaven. In Primordial Radiance, they feast, travel along the Way, and receive the Way of immortality. The Celestial Worthy, Sovereign of the Great Spirit and the Void, together with the Lord of Primordial Simplicity, descends.

At the Beginning of Winter, the moon follows the Black Path, veering northward from the Yellow Path. The Perfected Ones and Lords of Highest Clarity, together with the Imperial Ancestor, ascend to pay court to the Jade Emperor of the High Nine Heavens. In Cavernous Radiance, they feast, travel along the Way, and receive the Way of immortality. The Celestial Worthy of Boundless Great Florescence, together with the Lord of Primordial Mystery, descends.

At the Spring Equinox, the sun again follows the Green Path, veering eastward from the Yellow Path. The Lord of the Great Tenuity Heaven ascends to pay court to the High Jade Emperor. In Primordial-Beginning Radiance, he feasts, travels along the Way, and receives the Way of immortality. The Celestial Worthy, Sovereign of the Jade Treasure Heaven, together with the Lord of Primordial Old Age of Green Spirit, descends.

At the Autumn Equinox, the moon follows the White Path, veering southwestward from the Yellow Path. The High Perfected Ones of the Southern Pole and the Lord of the Red Emperor ascend to pay court to the Lady of the Nine Spirits at the High Terrace of Lanfeng. In Bright Radiance, they feast, travel along the Way, and receive the Way of immortality. The Celestial Worthy of the Great Marvel, Supreme and Utmost, together with the Lord of Imperial Old Age of Bright Spirit, descends.

At the Summer Solstice, the sun follows the Red Path, veering southward from the Yellow Path. The Great Emperor, Lord of Fusang, ascends to the Palace of the Great Tenuity, where he feasts, receives Radiance, travels along the Way, and receives the Way of immortality. The Celestial Worthy of Mysterious Perfection and Ten Thousand Blessings, together with the Lord of True Old Age of Cinnabar Spirit, descends.

At the Winter Solstice, the moon follows the Black Path, veering northward from the Yellow Path. The Jade Consort of Great Empyrean and the High Perfected One of Great Void ascend to pay court to the Celestial Emperor of the Great Tenuity in the Great Sovereign Palace. In Pure Radiance, they feast, travel along the Way, and receive the Way of immortality. The Celestial Worthy of the Mysterious Heights and Jade Dawn, together with the Lord of Mysterious Old Age of the Five Spirits, descends.

All living beings endowed with Qi undergo their own changes on each of these seasonal-node days. Birds, insects, plants, and trees, whether afloat or submerged, respond according to their conditions, leaving the old behind and taking on the new. Even a minor offense recorded in the register of offenses and blessings may thereby grow slightly heavier.

A Vernacular Reading of the Taishang Ganying Pian (Treatise of the Most High on Response and Retribution)

1. Good and Evil Turn in Cycles; Fortune Follows Its Natural Course

The consequences of good and evil can turn into one another, just as the changing fortunes of Heaven and Earth unfold naturally. When people of deep cultivation reach such a moment, they contemplate and offer prayers of thanks, adapting themselves to change. They practice good deeds and avert calamity; promote the good and reject the evil; turn toward clarity and leave darkness behind; enter the right path and correct what is crooked; refine what is false into what is true; set their resolve on becoming sages; and open the way to deliver all beings. In this way, they accord with the intentions of the Most High and the assembled perfected ones.

But those who carry out executions—who are they to dare such reckless acts?

Eulogy:

Primordial Qi flows through all things, each within its proper measure. The Dipper turns and the stars shift; the old gives way to the new. Rewards and punishments are carried out on Heaven’s behalf, in keeping with the patterns and numbers of the cosmos. At the turning of the seasons, the seed of life is hidden within. To receive the season and inherit its blessings, one should restrain one’s anger and authority.

2. Spitting at a Shooting Star

The tradition says: A deity descended from the Dipper and the Celestial Master (Tianshi) was born; the finest essence of the Xu and Wei lunar mansions gave rise to the Perfected Warrior (Zhenwu); the Maiden Jie was moved by a star and gave birth to the White Emperor; and a shooting star entered someone’s mouth, leading to the birth of Lord Ye. How, then, do the stars impart their numinous power and bring forth what is exceptional?

A shooting star is also a kind of star. The Surangama Sutra says: “Some see two suns or two moons, or halos, mock suns, mock moons, comets, meteors, parhelia, rainbows, or iridescent clouds; all are inauspicious signs.” The Erya says that a rushing star is called a “yue”—that is, a meteor—and that a comet is called a “chanqiang,” or a bo star.

People know only that shooting stars are ominous portents. They do not realize that the star itself is not the omen; the omen is something people bring upon themselves. One should respond with fear and self-examination, quickly cultivating De (Virtue/Power) to dispel the calamity. How can one lightly spit at or curse the star? Has no one heard that when Duke Jing spoke three words of good omen, the Mars star withdrew from its position?

Eulogy:

Shooting stars are Heaven’s messengers, flying across the vast sky. Their signs are read for what is favorable or unfavorable; they gather portents of calamity and blessing. A falling stone once warned the state of Song; a star fell upon the camp, and Zhuge Liang’s end followed. When something stirs above, how could we fail to show reverence? The claim that such things can be warded off by magical means comes from the backwater of Qi.

3. Pointing at a Rainbow

The tradition says: The Yankong Tu says that a rainbow is the disordered essence of the Northern Dipper: when the Dipper loses its proper course, a rainbow appears in response. The Hetu Jiyao Gou says that Saturn disperses and becomes rainbows. The Chunqiu Yun Dou Shu says that stars disperse and become rainbows. We should understand, then, that rainbows are visible forms condensed from the Northern Dipper’s remaining Qi.

In ancient times, after Confucius completed his Spring and Autumn Annals and composed the Classic of Filial Piety, he fasted and bathed, then declared before the Northern Dipper his purpose in writing. Suddenly, a red rainbow descended from the sky and transformed into yellow jade.

A Plain-Language Reading of the Taishang Ganying Pian (Treatise on the Actions and Consequences)

An inscription records that Confucius once knelt to receive this text. Who can say that a rainbow is not the remnant Qi of a constellation? To point at things carelessly and make reckless explanations—how could that fail to bring blame?

Praise says:

The Book of Songs says that a rainbow appeared in the east, and the poet warns people not to point at it casually. Mencius used a white rainbow piercing the sun as a metaphor for a petty person. Violent winds carry the same meaning: unusual signs in the heavens often foretell calamity. Those who witness them should be solemn and never treat them lightly. Pointing at the sun, moon, or stars—the Three Luminaries—and speaking carelessly about them is sure to bring misfortune.

The Commentary says: The Most High says: If you see the sun, the moon, the Northern Dipper, or the Southern Dipper, you should bow reverently and ask for protection. Respectfully recite, “Most Holy and Most Exalted True Sovereign and True Lord,” asking for compassion toward ordinary people and forgiveness for their faults, then bow again. Do not treat these powers lightly, or you will bring calamity upon yourself. So, may one point carelessly at the Three Luminaries? The Three Luminaries are the sun, moon, and stars. The sun and moon have been discussed briefly above; this passage focuses on the Northern Dipper, the Southern Dipper, the Five Elders, the Five Planets, and the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions.

In general, people do little good and much evil. As a result, they suffer year after year through hardship and prolonged illness, with little peace. If one receives the protection of the Old Lord Hu of the Nine Yi of the East, the Lord Chonghua of the Wood Virtue Jupiter, and the Star Lords who govern the seven mansions Jiao, Kang, Di, Fang, Xin, Wei, and Ji, one may be freed from the harms and punishments in one’s fate associated with the years Yin, Mao, and Chen, and with the Heavenly Stems Jia and Yi in any year, month, day, or hour. Within 810,000 paces to the east, the Five Calamities, Nine Adversities, and harms caused by Earth Qi can all be driven away; the first three months are then said to pass without further trouble.

If one receives the protection of the Old Lord Yue of the Eight Man of the South, the Lord of Fire Virtue Mars, the Lord of the Sun, the Lord of the Southern Dipper, and the Star Lords who govern the seven mansions Jing, Gui, Liu, Xing, Zhang, Yi, and Zhen, one may be freed from the punishments and harms in one’s fate associated with the years Si, Wu, and Wei, and with the Heavenly Stems Bing and Ding in any year, month, day, or hour. Within 640,000 paces to the south, the Five Calamities, Nine Adversities, and harms caused by Metal Qi can be driven away; the fourth, fifth, and sixth months are then said to pass without further trouble.

If one receives the protection of the Old Lord Di of the Six Rong of the West, the Lord of Metal Virtue Venus, and the Star Lords who govern the seven mansions Kui, Lou, Wei, Mao, Bi, Zui, and Shen, one may be freed from the punishments and harms in one’s fate associated with the years Shen, You, and Xu, and with the Heavenly Stems Geng and Xin in any year, month, day, or hour. Within 360,000 paces to the west, the Five Calamities, Nine Adversities, and harms caused by Wood Qi can be driven away; the seventh, eighth, and ninth months are then said to pass without further trouble.

If one receives the protection of the Old Lord Qiang of the Five Di of the North, the Lord of Water Virtue Mercury, and the… (The following section, which concerns the northern mansions and methods for warding off calamity in winter, is cut off here in the original text.)

Note: This text links the four directions, four seasons, Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, seven lunar mansions, distances measured in paces, and the “Five Calamities and Nine Adversities.” It belongs to a Daoist system of star and destiny beliefs and rituals for averting calamity. Readers should understand it as an ancient framework connecting celestial signs with human affairs, not as a modern account of astronomy.

The Dipper, Ox, Maiden, Emptiness, Danger, Chamber, and Wall lodges—the seven northern constellations governed by the Lord of the Northern Dipper in the Yin Palace—can dispel the calamities of the Three Destinies caused by the years, months, days, and hours of Hai, Zi, Chou, Ren, and Gui. The Five Calamities and Nine Afflictions within a range of 250,000 paces to the north, along with the qi of harm caused by fire, can also be driven away. During the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth months, these lodges can protect people and keep them safe.

If one comes under the governance of the central Sanqin Canlao Lord, the Earth Lord, the Lord of the Guarding Star, and the lords of the seven lodges Kui, Gui, Gui, Xing, Bi, Shen, and Piao, then the calamities of the Three Destinies caused by the years, months, days, and hours of Chen, Xu, Chou, Wei, Wu, and Ji can be dispelled. They can also drive away the qi of harm associated with central Earth and relieve the baleful influence that the earth spirits have accumulated. Throughout the four seasons, they can protect people and keep them safe. But can the Three Luminaries—the sun, moon, and stars—really be pointed to at will?

The eulogy says: Emperor Yao faced south as he governed the world and observed the central stars, which were used to determine the seasons. Shun carefully established the Seven Luminaries—the sun, moon, and the five planets, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Venus, and Mercury—and examined the instruments for observing the heavens: the Xuan, Yu, Heng, and Ji. Diligent and cautious, he looked up at the celestial signs to examine the affairs of government. The heavenly bodies hang high above and shine down; nothing hidden in darkness escapes their notice. Those who presume to point out the celestial signs are ignorant commoners.

The Commentary says: The Solar Lord, the Lord of the Sun, governs the Yang Palace and commands the twenty-eight lodges, appointing them as his subordinates. The Lunar Lord, the Lord of the Moon, governs the Yin Palace and commands the Five Sacred Peaks and the twenty-four qi corresponding to the solar terms. He administers the mountains and serves as the terrestrial registrar. The Three Rivers, Four Seas, Nine Rivers, and Twelve Streams belong to the Water Palace.

There are twenty-four qi each year. At every solar term, the chief of the Solar Lord’s retinue arrives at the lodge associated with that term to make an inspection. On the same day, the Lunar Lord also arrives there. At that time, the twenty-four qi lords who administer the mountains gather and report the people’s good and evil, calamities and blessings, longevity and allotted fortune, life and death, and other matters to the mountains under their respective charge. The gods who oversee destinies at each peak then copy these reports and submit them to the lodge where the Yin and Yang Lords are conducting their inspection during that solar term.

At the Start of Spring, the inspection is made at the Emptiness lodge, and the Yin official Zuo Jian Shenqi Lord of Yongquan’s administration reports on affairs. At Rain Water, the inspection is made at the Danger lodge, and the Yin official You Jian Shenqi Lord of Beiping’s administration reports. At Awakening of Insects, the inspection is made at the Chamber and Wall lodges, and the Yin official Zuo Jiancha Qi Lord of Choujing’s administration reports. At the Spring Equinox, the inspection is made at the Kui lodge, and the Yin official You Gong Qi Lord of the Registrar’s administration reports. At Clear and Bright, the inspection is made at the Lou lodge, and the Yin official Zuo Linggong Qi Lord of Mengqin’s administration reports. At Grain Rain, the inspection is made at the Wei lodge, and the Yin official Yin Si Shenqi Lord of Pinggai’s administration reports.

This passage records the system of Yin officials who oversee the twenty-four solar terms in Daoism. At each of the twenty-four solar terms in the year, Yin officials of different ranks report affairs in the human world to the Celestial Court. Each official corresponds to a particular lunar mansion and administrative seat—a Daoist governing district. For example:

At the Start of Summer, the Lord of Qi Who Rightly Directs Meritorious Deeds submits his report from the Cloud Terrace seat in the Mao lunar mansion.

At Grain Buds, the Lord of Qi Who Left Supervises Meritorious Deeds submits his report from the Bi lunar mansion seat.

At the Winter Solstice, the Lord of Qi Who Rightly Directs the Spirit submits his report from the Zhentuo seat in the Dou lunar mansion.

Each solar term has a corresponding lunar mansion that serves as a celestial reference point, such as Mao, Bi, and Dou. These Yin officials are stationed at different Daoist administrative seats, including the well-known Yuntai, Yuju, and Heming seats.

The hymn that follows says that ancient emperors had a tradition of making offerings to the sun and moon, and that the Han dynasty still preserved the rite of facing and paying homage from the Bamboo Palace. Over time, however, these ceremonies gradually fell into disuse. People lost their reverence for Heaven and Earth, like a small flame that puts itself out. The passage laments that people no longer value the ancient tradition of resonance between Heaven and humanity.

Note: Qi (vital energy) is written here with the Daoist form of the character. An administrative seat refers to one of the Daoist Twenty-Four Governing Districts, the districts established by Zhang Daoling when he founded the Way of the Five Pecks of Rice.