--- title: "Taishang Ganying Pian 太上感應篇 – Vol. 28 | Daozang" url: "https://daozang.app/en/text/KR5f0001/juan/28/" canonical: "https://daozang.app/en/text/KR5f0001/juan/28/" lang: "en" source: "Kanripo 漢籍リポジトリ（京都大学）" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" --- # 《太上感應篇》Vol. 28 Taiqing 太清部 · Vol. 28 / 30 · 4,798 characters ## Vol. 28 / 30 太上感應篇卷之二十八退五 李昌齡傳鄭清之賛對北涕唾及溺 傳曰楊子雲著論以爲春秋之際晝夜平 等謂日出於卯之正東入於酉之正西故 也桓譚乃著爲新論以難之曰子雲之論 乃人間之卯酉非天上之卯酉天上卯酉 當北斗極極者天樞也樞者天軸也天之 有極亦猶蓋有保斗天雖轉而北極不動 亦猶蓋雖轉而保斗不移自人觀之北固 北而非天正中然春秋之際日之出入常 在南斗當知天如蓋轉北道常逺而南道 常近春秋晝夜曷甞等乎子雲語塞不能 折於此益知斗爲天中無足疑也是故元 始上帝稱北極爲中極寳上眞人稱北斗 七星爲中天七星而吾儒亦云斗爲帝車 運于中央臨制四方分隂陽建四時均五 行移節度定諸紀孰謂爲不然乎昔者天 皇北極北斗七星化生自七寳蓮中結爲 光明飛于中極去地九千九萬餘里化爲 九大寳宫乃紫微垣大虚宫勾陳之位掌 握符圖紀綱元化爲衆星之主領貪狼配 天爲天元主身巨門配地爲地元主命禄 存配火爲日元主福文曲配木爲月元主 禄廉眞配土爲江元主官軄武曲配水爲 河元主壽破軍配金爲海元主妻兒毎星 各有三十六宫毎宫各有三十六曹三界 十方百靈衆眞皆所𨽻屬然則中天北極 不爲尊乎宅尊之所可觸穢乎若以長生 **Interpretation** **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. 經言之則所謂北者又不待須是正北但 凡春東夏南秋西冬北月建所指皆爲犯 北斗柄也減損壽命最爲急速戒哉 賛曰 克已之目非禮勿動不顧而唾 無義有勇溺及簀中擢髮是恐 立不易方君子所重矧彼居北 衆星之共對竈吟詠及哭 傳曰按黄帝竈經竈門不得歌詠哭泣呪 罵呌噉與篇中所言亦皆一也世人但如 竈爲一聚塼土安知有大威力不可冐犯 乃如是耶昔嵩山有一廟極靈異殿上惟 有一竈絶不可近近則有禍由是逺近祈 祀殆無虚日一日有一禪師至廟直入殿 中以柱杖擊竈三下曰汝本泥土合成聖 從何來靈從何起乃敢恁麽烹宰衆生言 訖又打三下竈乃應手破墮須㬰有一青 衣峩冠踊出向師拜曰某實此廟竈神乆 愛京報今蒙禪師爲說無生法忍巳得脫 離此處將生天矣敢不敬謝師曰此是汝 本有之性非吾强言神復再拜而没人因 號師爲破竈墮云其後有僧復以此話問 曰某乆在左右不蒙方便啓發此竈得何 宗㫖遽得生天師曰我只向道汝本泥土 合成更無别箇道理僧方佇思師曰㑹麽 曰不㑹師曰本有之性什麽不㑹僧作禮 師曰墮也墮也破也破也其僧亦大悟嗚 呼此竈但以一聞禪師之言遂能得悟無 生法忍然則吟詠及哭者豈不掇干瀆之 禍乎 賛曰 **Interpretation** 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? 食不語言宴非嘆所哀樂以𩔖 各有攸處吟詠及哭烏可妄舉 匪惟瀆神惡失其叙敬爾執事 謹其黙語又以竈火燒香 傳曰按天師門下科令竈下灰火謂之伏 龍屎是故不可燒香竊甞披閲教典香火 避忌又不只此一事如油漬紙撚不可𤑔 紙錢謂之枉積蠟錢東嶽壘積如山天地隂 陽諸司皆所不受又如供養眞武夏月不 可用李子冬月不可用石榴延降上眞不 可燒乳頭香檀香謂之浴香月季謂之不 時華金桐謂之鬼華凡此皆當避忌與其 不避而自取冒犯孰若敬遵其教乎 賛曰 火在周典出納有時夫燧取日 潔誠可知敬心所寓以祭以祈 拾彼餘燼或非其冝一物不苟 神之聽之穢柴作食 傳曰柴雖不㸑炁實上蒸此穢柴所以不 可作食也不聞勞薪鍊炭之事乎昔荀朂 甞在帝座適膳夫進飯朂曰此必勞薪所 炊帝不之信立召膳夫問之則果以一故 車脚供㸑楊收雖常飯必以炭炊一日李 璋宴其二子亦以炭炊二子終不下筯惟 略餌果實而巳其門下僧聖剛諌曰他物 縱不可食炭炊之飯亦何嫌乎二子曰凡 以炭炊當先燒炭令熟然後入㸑故名錬 炭不然則尚有煙炁此吾所以不食也嗚 呼車脚供㸑而荀朂識爲勞薪炭失於煉 而二子尚嫌煙臭況穢柴造食而奉祀乎 賛曰 **Interpretation** 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. 稷曰明粢祭有先飯蔬食齊如 變色盛饌敬天之禄無敢或慢 火齊必得飭彼薪粲賔祀貴潔 人神奚間夜起祼露 傳曰按道藏日月各廣八百四十里日行 乎乾月行乎坤日得月魄而清月得日魂 而明清明者其氣也精華者其質也隂陽 者其道也烏兎者其象也卯酉者其路也 畫夜者其度也交㑹者其用也大抵晝屬 陽夜屬隂夜即百靈交㑹之時不欲祼露 者恐冒犯也不聞黄三狗袁清之事昔朱 守成凡三夕被盜皆不能入賊首黄三狗 發怒必欲一逞其志旣而又至才入第二 重門則見火光赫然有數輩甲士喝聲呌 捉三狗惶懼爭路走出不覺誤傷其黨獄 成所見甲士乃守成家所事眞武幀軸上 數員從神耳單州妓女楊素眞單獨一身 厚有所積武弁袁清因百計誘引相與結 爲夫婦盡載所有同歸京師舟次孟陽即 夜醉素眞沉之重淵無何適值眞武行空 救之復活然則深更僻處孰謂無神明乎 夜起可祼露乎 賛曰 處必掩身視不下帶凡在形色 動如敬戒安肆則偷夙夜匪懈 豈曰幽閴而可縱敗于以考祥 無勞蓍蔡八節行刑 傳曰上清眞人曰八節之日皆當謀諸善 事不可恚怒忿爭此皆天人大忌獲罪非 小況敢行刑大抵其日乃元始天尊分遣 天尊天君天帝神仙兵馬無鞅數衆教化 **Interpretation** **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. 人間開度群品北斗南辰四司五帝亦復 下降條録罪福且如日行赤道月行黄道 乃其常也至於立春則日行青道出黄道 東三素元君上詣天皇大帝游宴元景行 道受仙度仙上聖天尊同始青天君下降 立夏則日行赤道出黄道南太極上眞三 元眞人上詣紫微宫游宴玄景行道受仙 好生度命天尊同始丹天君下降立秋則 月行白道出黄道西太素上眞白帝君丄 詣玉天玄皇髙眞游宴元景行道受仙太 靈虛皇天尊同始素天君下降立冬則月 行黒道出黄道北上清眞人帝君皇祖上 詣髙上九天玉帝游宴洞景行道受仙無 量太華天尊同始玄天君下降春分則日 復行青道出黄道東太微天帝君上詣髙 上玉皇游宴始景行道受仙玉寳皇上天 尊同青靈始老帝君下降秋分則月行白 道出黄道西南極上眞赤帝君上詣上閬 風臺九靈夫人游宴明景行道受仙太妙 至極天尊同皓靈皇老帝君下降夏至則 日行赤道出黄道南扶桑公大帝上詣太 微宫遊宴受景行道受仙玄眞萬福天尊 同丹靈眞老帝君下降冬至則月行黒道 出黄道北太霄玉妃太虛上眞上詣太皇 宫太微天帝游宴清景行道受仙玄上玉 晨天尊同五靈玄老帝君下降但凡含炁 之流毎至是日各有變化翾飛蠕動草木 飛沉隨縁感應攺故易新輕者或更重重 **Interpretation** 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. 者或更輕善惡回換炁象之運自然而然 上學之士毎於此日自當存想祈謝因變 行化習吉除凶進善黜惡陞明棄闇入正 治邪鍊僞成眞勵思登聖開度群品生成 萬彚仰副太上衆眞如是之意彼行刑者 何物小子乃敢爾耶 賛曰 元氣流行各有分度斗轉星移 鼎新革故賞罰代天順其象數 節序闓端生意攸寓奉時承休 冝戢威怒唾流星 傳曰神降自斗而天師生虛危分秀而眞 武生女節感星而白帝生流星入口而葉 君生然則星之所以分靈孕秀者爲如何 哉流星者亦星之一也楞嚴經曰或見二 日或見兩月乃至暈適珮玦彗孛飛流負 耳虹霓皆爲惡相爾雅曰奔星爲約約即 流星也彗星爲攙搶即孛星也世人但知 奔流爲妖而不知奔流非妖妖實自召要 當恐懼修省急修所以禳解之德其可輙 唾不聞景公三語之善熒惑爲之退舍乎 賛曰 流星天使飛翔大空占彼順逆 災祥所鍾隕石宋儆墜營亮終 有動于上敢不敬恭厭勝之說 出於齊東指虹霓 傳曰演孔圖曰霓者斗之亂精斗失度則 投霓應河圖稽曜鈎曰鎭星散而爲虹霓 春秋運斗樞曰星散爲虹當知虹霓者信 爲斗星餘氣著于形色者也昔者孔子修 春秋製孝經旣成齋沐向北斗自陳所以 著書之意忽有赤虹自天而下化爲黄玉 **Interpretation** **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. 刻文孔子跪而受之孰謂虹霓非斗星餘 炁乎苟或指之烏得無罪 賛曰 蝃蝀在東詩人莫指白虹貫日 軻度易水騷喻小人飄風同㫖 上象或變災異所起見者聳然 其可慢視輙指三光 傳曰太上曰若見日曜月曜北斗南斗則 鄭重扣頭請乞祐䕶上言呼稱至聖至尊 眞宰眞君矜哀凡冗赦宥過咎即再拜不 得輕慢反招殃累然則三光可指乎三光 者日月星也日月巳䟽于下請以北斗南 斗五老五星二十八宿言之大抵世人作 福者少造惡者多是以累歳迍邅連年困 篤鮮有安者若䝉東方九夷胡老君歳星 重華君角亢氐房心尾箕七宿君主攝者 可解寅卯辰甲乙歳月日時上三命刑害 之災東方九九八十一萬歩中五災九厄 土害之炁可以辟斥正月二月三月可保 無他若蒙南方八蠻越老君火德熒惑君 太陽南斗君井鬼柳星張翼軫七宿君主 攝者可解巳午未丙丁歳月日時上三命 刑害之災南方八八六十四萬歩中五災 九厄金害之炁可以辟斥四月五月六月 可保無他若䝉西方六戎氐老君金德太 白君奎婁胃昴畢觜參七宿君主攝者可 解申酉戌庚申歳月日時上三命刑害之 災西方六六三十六萬歩中五災九厄木 害之炁可以辟斥七月八月九月可保無 他若䝉北方五狄羌老君水德辰星君太 **Interpretation** **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. 隂北斗君斗牛女虛危室壁七宿君主攝 者可解亥子丑壬癸歳月日時上三命刑 害之災北方五五二十五萬歩中五災九 厄火害之炁可以辟斥十月十一月十二 月可保無他若蒙中央三秦傖老君土君 鎭星君魁𩲃𩵄䰢魓𩳐魒勾陳七宿君主 攝者可解辰戍丑未戊巳歳月日時上三 命刑害之災中央土害之炁可以辟斥地 祇積祟可以解除四季之内可保無他然 則三光可輙指乎 賛曰 帝堯南面中星是窺舜齊七政 璿玉衡璣兢業觀仰以審百爲 照臨在上幽隱弗遺彼妄指者 凡民無知乆視日月 傳曰太陽日君爲陽宫緫司列二十八宿 爲屬吏太隂月君爲隂宫緫司緫五嶽二 十四炁治山爲地司三河四海九江十二 溪爲水府毎一年有二十四炁毎一節炁 即太陽日君首至當節合廵宿中此日太 隂月君亦至其日則二十四炁治山二十 四炁君各攅集世人善惡災福壽禄生死 等事上於所屬之嶽本嶽司命又復謄奏 于當節隂陽二君所廵宿中立春節按虛 宿湧泉治隂官左監神炁君奏事雨水節 按危宿北平治隂官右監神炁君奏事驚 蟄節按室璧二宿稠稉治隂官左監察炁 君奏事春分節按奎宿主簿治隂官右功 炁君奏事清明節按婁宿蒙秦治隂官左 領功炁君奏事穀雨節按胃宿平蓋治隂 **Interpretation** 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. 官右領功炁君奏事立夏節按昴宿雲臺 治隂官左監功炁君奏事小滿節按畢宿 濜口治隂官右監功炁君奏事芒種節按 觜參二宿公慕治隂官右都炁君奏事夏 至節按井宿玉局治隂官左察炁君奏事 小暑節按鬼宿平岡治隂官左功炁君奏 事大暑節按柳宿北邙治隂官右察炁君 奏事立秋節按星宿葛璝治隂官右領炁 君奏事處暑節按張宿後城治隂官左都 炁君奏事白露節按翼宿本竹治隂官右 監察炁君奏事秋分節按軫宿秦中治隂 官左領神炁君奏事寒露節按角亢二宿 陽平治隂官左平炁君奏事霜降節按氐 宿鶴鳴治隂官左長炁君奏事立冬節按 房宿漓沅治隂官右長炁君奏事小雪節 按心尾二宿庚除治隂官右都領炁君奏 事大雪節按箕宿𨽻上治隂官左都監炁 君奏事冬至節按斗宿眞多治隂官右領 神炁君奏事小寒節按牛宿昌利治隂官 左都監炁君奏事大寒節按女宿鹿堂治 隂官右平炁君奏事然則日月可乆視乎 賛曰 古者人君朝日夕月出納賔錢 軄掌炁越竹宫望拜漢祀猶設 **Interpretation** 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. 典禮寖廢寅恭或闕瞪視奚爲 爝火自滅太上感應篇卷之二十八 --- 原文底本：Kanripo 漢籍リポジトリ（京都大学），CC BY-SA 4.0。 Source text: Kanripo Chinese Classics Repository (Kyoto University), CC BY-SA 4.0. HTML version: https://daozang.app/en/text/KR5f0001/juan/28/