《太上老君太素經》

The Taishang Laojun Taisu Jing (Scripture of the Supreme Venerable Lord on the Primordial Simplicity) elucidates the genesis of the cosmos and the essence of Daoist cultivation:

"Taisu" (the primordial state of undifferentiated chaos) is pure and luminous, known as the Dao (the Way). During the Taisu era, divine spirits (Shen) operated within it, and the Dao gave birth to life. When life took form, the Dao endowed it with destiny. Thus, heaven and earth took shape, and Dao and De (Virtue/Power) became universal principles. The greatness of the Dao lies in its spontaneity (Ziran), while the greatness of De lies in longevity.

The Dao generates the One (Taiji, the Supreme Ultimate), the One generates the Two (Yin-Yang), the Two generate the Three (heaven, earth, and humanity), and the Three give rise to all creation. When heaven and earth become full, they diminish; diminishing, they return to their source. Thus, heaven covers all things without exception, earth supports all things without fail, and the sun and moon illuminate all things without bias. Those who truly understand the "One" do not cling to conceptual knowledge of it. The marvel of the Dao is that the wise comprehend it, while sages embody it.

The Dao is vast and formless, hidden and nameless. Beyond heaven and earth, it is profoundly mysterious; within heaven and earth, it flourishes abundantly. The Dao permeates all existence—it is not mine alone. It shows no partiality and makes no distinctions.

The scripture further states: Life is to be cherished; death is to be feared. Plants take root in the earth to live and perish when uprooted; fish and turtles survive in water but die when removed from it; humans depend on their physical form to live and expire when their Qi (vital energy) dissipates. Thus, sages recognize the importance of Qi, treasuring it as the body's most precious resource.

The Great Dao reveals the patterns of the universe; the Great Text articulates its essential principles. What satisfies ordinary people is what troubles me; what they pursue obsessively is what I relinquish. Only sages grasp this truth. Those of great De (Virtue) endure the world's criticism; those of great stature bear its humiliation. Only by enduring censure can one attain nobility; only by withstanding disgrace can one become sovereign.

The human heart-mind is like water in a vessel: Still, it grows calm; tilted, it churns; stirred, it muddies; settled, it clarifies. Cultivating the mind resembles governing water: Block it, and it stagnates; channel it, and it flows; breach its banks, and it follows the terrain. The heart-mind requires restraint, just as water needs dikes.

Finally, the scripture explains that the Yi (the principle of change) contains Taiji—Taiji is Taiyi (the primal transformation). Before Taiyi, nothing earlier existed: only pure white Qi. Then came Taichu (the beginning of Qi), Taishi (the beginning of form), and Taisu (the beginning of substance)—these mark the stages of the Yi's unfolding.

This scripture describes the cosmic evolution from chaos to order:

It begins with the "Yi" (referring to the undifferentiated primordial state), which first transforms into "One" (Taiji, the primal unity). This "One" then divides into "Three" (the Three Powers: Heaven, Earth, and Humanity), which further develops into "Five" (the Five Phases: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth). The "Five" evolves into "Seven" (the Seven Luminaries: Sun, Moon, and five planets), finally reaching "Nine" (the Nine Palaces, representing completion). After reaching its zenith at "Nine", it returns again to "One" (the cyclical nature of the Dao).

Within this process, the light and pure Qi ascends to form Heaven, while the heavy and turbid Qi descends to form Earth. The harmonized Qi (balanced Yin-Yang energy) gives birth to humanity. When the essential Qi of Heaven and Earth intermingles, it generates all things in creation.

(Note: This passage embodies the Daoist cosmological view of "The Dao begets One, One begets Two, Two begets Three, and Three begets all things," while incorporating the theories of Yin-Yang and the Five Phases.)