Taoism Arts

Taoism Arts

p. 31, n. 103

*luminary*	*name*	*meaning*
sun	Tai-yan	supreme yan
moon	Tai-yin	spreme yin
Mercury	C^en-xin	chronograph star
Venus	Tai-bo	great white
Mars	Yin-huo	sparkling deluder
Jupiter	Sui-xin	year star
Saturn	Z^en-xin	quelling star

the Three Caverns

p. 46 canon in 5^th century Ch.E.					p. 231 according to Quan-z^en
#	Cavern (Don-)	*meaning ("of __")*	*sectarian source*	p. 18 meaning	__ Tian-zun ("Caelestial Worthy") of Cavern
1^st	*-Z^en*	Truth	S^an-qin	highest purity	Yuan-s^i
2^nd	*-Xuan*	Mystery	Lin-bao	numinous treasure	Lin-bao
3^rd	*-S^en*	Divinity	San-huan	three emperors	Dao-de

p. 83 from 2^nd century Ch.E. Si-c^uan: characterizations of the tomb

"stone chamber which prolongs life"

rendevouz [for the dead] to "meet immortal friends (xian you)", viz. "supernatural figures" {cf. [Akan] deity Nyame "Friend"}

p. 85 according to Huai-nan-zi: climbing Mt. Kun-lun

*one who climbeth onto __ (each twice as high as the praeceding)*	*will achieve / become __*
the Chilly Peak of Mt. Kun-lun	deathlessness
the Hanging Garden {cf. one of the Wonders of the World}	a spirit [s^en]
Heaven	a god [di]

pp. 132 & 137 Lian dynasty (6^th century Ch.E.): figures of the 5 planets ("from Sogdiana", p. 137) [anything from Sogdiana is likely to be Bon]

*planet*	*characterization*	*"whose shrine was placed at the __ "*	pp. 134-136 figure
p. 132 Jupiter	"righteous with great authority", a "lordly prince"	p. 137 Lord's Gate	*p. 136*	animal-headed, riding on a swine (?)
p. 137 Mars	"willing and violent noble"	Soldier's Gate		6-armed (holding mace, wheel, etc.) ass-headed man riding on an reddish ass
Saturn	"appropriate for matters concerning water and earth"	next to a field or a small river islet	*p. 135*	swarthy man riding on a black bull
Venus	"imperial consort" requiring female musicians	Women's Palace		red-bird-head-capped woman riding on a flying pink-breasted red-tailed white bird
Mercury	"official"	Minister's Residence	*p. 134*	monkey (?)-head-capped, holding tablet

p. 137 Lian dynasty (6^th century Ch.E.): figures of the 28 Lunar Mansions (also from Sogdiana)

#	*meaning*	*Xiu*	pp. 133-136 figure
1^st	horn	Jiao	*p. 134*	pink-robed, cranium-capped woman holding blossom
2^nd	neck	Kan		swarthy, holding balance
3^rd			*p. 133*	red-clad, green-armored, holding sword while riding on huge tortoise {at Galapago is.?}
4^th	chamber	Fan	*p. 136*	having scorpion atop head; scaly-limbed
5^th	heart	Xin		having scorpion atop head; scaly-limbed
6^th	tail	Wei		holding bow & 2 arrows
7^th	winnower	Ji	*p. 135*	holding bow & 2 arrows while riding on horse over flames
8^th				flaming-headed man holding rope & flail (?)
9^th	ox	Niu	*p. 134*	green antelope-headed
10^th	woman	Nu:		brown [white on p. 135, lowest register] goat-headed
11^th	emptiness	Xu		*emerging from jar {cf. jinn in [<arabian] 1001 Nights}*
12^th			*p. 133*	gray striped-feline-headed. red-clad, armored, holding halberd & sword [?= tiger-headed banner-holding god on p. 249]
13^th			*p. 135*	in skiff on water
14^th
15^th			*p. 134*	animal-headed, wearing vertically striped robe
16^th				cranium-capped, holding bent rod
17^th				holding halberd & spear
18^th				ox (?)-headed, holding blossom
19^th				riding on horned maned white beast
20^th				cranium-capped. seated on cloud
21^st				orange-robed, wearing hat
22^nd				holding crook
23^rd				green-robed, holding blossom [cf. 1^{st : but}not cranium-capped]
24^th			*pp. 133-134*	riding on flying red-winged green dragon
25^th
26^th			*p. 133*	hermit (?) in rocky wilderness
27^th				standing amidst fire atop 2-tiered altar
28^th				orange-robed, wearing hat {cf. 21^st}

pp. 175-176 12^th century Ch.E.: the 10 divine manifestations of Lao-zi as scripture-revelators

p.	#	*in the time of __*	*Lao-zi appeared as __*	*and revealed the __*
*175*	1^a-st	the C^i-min [jie "kalpa"]		*Lin-bao "Numinous Treasure"*
	1^b-st	the Kai-huan		*Don-s^en "Cavern of Divinity"*
	2^nd	Sui-ren the discover of fire	Jin-qe di-jun ("Golden Tower Imperial Lord")	?
*176*	3^rd	Fu-xi the inventor of the 8 Tri-grams	Yu-hua-zi	*Yuan-yan Jin "Primordial Yan Scripture"*
	4^th	S^en-non the inventor of crop-cultivation	Da-c^en-zi	*Yuan-jin Jin "Primordial essence Scripture"*
	5^th	Ju-ron the inventor of metal-casting	Guan-s^ou-zi	*An-mo Ton-jin Jin "Massage-which-Circulateth-Essence Scripture"*
	6^th	Huan-di the caster of 9 magical tripods	Guan-c^en-zi	*Z^i-dao Tai-s^en Jin "Utmost Way Great Life Scripture"*
	7^th	Yao	Z^en-xin-zi	*Lin-bao Jin "Numinous Treasure Scripture" [again?!: cf. 1a]*
	8^th	S^un	Xue-yi-zi	*Tai-qin Jin "Great Clarity Scripture"*
	9^th	Yu the land-reclaimer [from flood]	Wu-c^en-zi	*Kai-tian Jin "Opening the Heaven Scripture"*
	10^th	Tang of the Yin dynasty	C^uan-yu-zi	*Lin-bao Jin "Numinous Treasure Scripture" still "(again)"!: cf. 1a & 7]*

p. 176 "the names for manifestations 7 and 9 have been reversed"

p. 177 Huan-di & Guan-c^en-zi met on the Kon-ton S^an ("Emptiness-Identity Mountain"), according to the 11^th ch. of the Z^uan-z^ou

p. 205 according to the Golden Script Book of the Great Ultimate (of the Tan dynasty)

visionary object	is the __-soul in the microcosm	corresponding to the __-essence of the 9 Heavens in the macrocosm	and is repraesented by __ talismans
the "Jade Girdle"	hun	yan	9
the "Golden Crown"	po	yin	1

{Jade Girdle = "Ring of Power" around body mentioned by Carlos Castan~eda}

pp. 209-212 Ordination-Scroll of Empress (of Min dynasty, 1493 Ch.E.): "fifty-two gods and immortals" (p. 208)

the 6 Din goddesses
p.	*color of blouse*	*color of skirt's exterior*	*color of skirt's interior*	*color of sash*
*210*	red	green	yellow	dark-green
	brown	yellow	blue	green
	brown	brown	green	blue
	red	green	yellow	dark-green
	yellow	red	white	green
*209*	red	yellow	green	blue

the 6 Jia gods (all bearded)
p.	*color of shirt*	*color of kirt's exterior*	*color of kirt's interior*	*color of sash*
*209*	red	blue	yellow	green
	yellow	dark-green		blue
	red	yellow	green	green
	red	grey	green	dark-green
	orange	green	yellow	green
	red	blue		blue

the 3 Tian-din ("Caelestial Guards")
p.	*color of shirt*	*color of kirt's exterior*	*color of kirt's interior*	*color of sash*
*209*	blue	yellow		green
	red	blue	yellow	dark-green
	blue	pink	green	blue

the females wear variegated, and the males white, pantaloons

p. 214 8^th century Ch.E.: Sword of Phosphorescence and Thunder

*__ side of sword-blade*	*illustration*
"phosphorescence"	sun, moon, Northern Dipper, 5 Planets
"thunder"	the 5 Sacred Peaks & 4 Rivers

p. 219 Dipper constellations

*the __ Dipper*	*is in controll of the Records of __*
Southern (in Sagittarius)	life
Northern (= Ursa Major)	death

in Yuan dynasty: ritual attire of patriarch of Xuan-jiao ("Mysterious Teaching") sect

pp. 222-223		pp. 220-221
#	*for __*	*color of robe*	*color of lapel (border) of robe*	*over inner garment of __*
1^st	p. 222 nei-guan "inner observation" (meditation)	p. 221 white	blue
2^nd	formal, for receiving honors	orange	red	gray
3^rd	performing fei-bu "flying pace" (ritual dance)	red	green	white
4^th	informal, for travel	white	--
5^th	pp. 222-223 watching crane-birds	p. 220 white	black	brown
6^th	p. 223 observing clouds [for omens? {cf. so, cf. Hawai>ian}] from mountain-bluff	white	dark-blue	brown
7^th	Method of the Great Cavern	orange, ornamented		gray
8^th	playing zither	p. 221 white	dark-blue	brown
9^th	Jiao caerimony	red	brown	light-blue
10^th	worship of river-god	white	black
11^th	harkening to wind rustling pine-trees [invoking the god Master Red-Pine?]	white	dark-blue	brown
12^th	sacriice at mountain	white	black
13^th	royal palace	dark-blue (vide p. 223)		red
14^th	describing ritual techniques [i.e., lecturing?]	dark-blue		red

(blue may be used [by Yuan] because of [Mongol] sky-god Tengri)

evolution of 3s

p. 228 in 11^th century Ch.E.	p. 229 in 5^th century Ch.E.
Miao-yi (the "Wondrous One") became	Tai-wu ("Great Nothingness") became
San-yuan (the "3 Primes"), which became	Tai-wu ("Great Nothingness") became
San-qi (the "3 Energies"), which became	the Three Energies (: "the Mysterious, Primordial, and Beginning energies"), which became
San-cai (the "3 Materials")	the Three Materials (: "the heavens, the earth, and all things in between")

p. 231 divine realms

in Daoist encyclopaedia of 7^th century Ch.E.:		according to another authority [p. 252, n. 8 -- the Purities' deitiies deriving from a Numinous Treasure scripture which "developed from the Scripture of the Three August"]:
*deity*	*is ascribed to the heaven __*	*to these heavens are ascribed respectively as deity*
--	"the highest of the highest"	Primordial Beginning Caelestial Worthy
Yuan-s^i Tian-zun ("Primordial Beginning Caelestial Worthy")	Jade Purity	Tian-bao Jun ("Caelestial Treasure Lord")
Tai-s^an Da-dao Jun ("Great Highest Grand Way Lord")	Highest Purity	Lin-bao Jun ("Numinous Treasure Lord")
Tai-s^an Lao-jun ("Great Highest Elder Lord") [= Lao-zi]	Great Purity	S^en-bao Jun ("Spirit Treasure Lord")

pp. 228-231 the 3 Tian-zun ("Caelestial Worthies")

p.	the __ Caelestial Worthy	*gem at pinnacle of tiara*	*halo around head*	*robe*	*inner clothing*	*holding*
*228*	Primordial Beginning	red	green	dark-blue [light-blue on p. 228]	green [yellow on p. 228]	white pearl (?)
*229*	Numinous Treasure	white	yellow (?)	light-blue	gray (?)	crozier (?)
*230*	the Way & its Power	red	yellow (?)	orange	black	fan

the Caelestial Worthy of the Way & its Power is white-haired, white-bearded {cf. the "Antient of Days"}

pp. 233-236 Son dynasty [depictions of them]: the San-guan ("3 Officials")

p.	*the Official of __*	*clad in __*	*riding on a __*	*retinue*	*daemones*
*234*	Heaven	gold	pink cloud in a green sky	14 attendants	0
*235*	Earth	purple	white horse led by falconer	Z^on Kui ("Queller of Daemones")	3
	Water	dark-blue	dragon (its eyen red with gold pupils) on the ocean	attendants riding turtles	5

known to the Caelestial Masters since 2^nd century Ch.E (p. 233), the Three Officials as "judges" (p. 233) for "the netherworld of the dead" (p.234) {occupy the ro^le of [Hellenic] Minos, Rhadamanthus, & Sarpedon}

pp. 233-234 the 1^st Caelestial Master "made a contract with the Three Officials ... as well as with the generals of the star of the Great Year ... so that they entered the orthodox system of the Three Heavens and no longer opposed the faithful." {as the generals are usually numbered as 60, would these 3 + 60 = 63 match the 63 worshipped by the Jaina-s?}

p. 240 in 11^th century Ch.E.: Procession of Immortals Paying Homage to the Primordial

*primary god*	*his function*
Fu-san Da-di (Fusan Grand Emperor)	sun-rise
Nan-ji Tian Di-jun (South Pole Caelestial Emperor-Lord)	lengthy human life
Don-hua Tian Da-di (Eastern Floriate Caelestial Grand Emperor)	husband of Xi-wan-mu (West Queen-Mother)

p. 243 in 15^th century Ch.E.: god Tai-yi ("Surpreme Uniy", identified as Little Dipper's Kochab = ladler in "purple chamber" of Tai-wei "Supreme Tenuity" Palace) & attending gods

location, relative to him	outer robe	inner robe	inner clothing (on arms)	holding
centre (himself)	light-purple	black	light-blue	hands clasped
in front (brown)	dark-blue	light-purple	white	hands clasped
to left front	light-blue	red	white	hands clasped
to left	red	light-purple	?	2-pronged lance with streamers
in back	---	--	light-yellow	3-pronged lance with tassels
to right	light-blue	orange	light-purple	white ensign-banner on pole

p. 242 Tai-yi was generator of water in 4^th century before Ch.E.; and so resembleth Z^en-wu ("Perfected Warrior") of the Dark Heaven: but Tai-yi weareth boots (whereas Z^en-wu is usually barefoot).

p. 245 in 15^th century Ch.E.: god Zi-wei ("Purple Tenuity" in Purple Tenuity Court) & attending gods

*location, relative to him*	*headdress*	*border of robe*	*robe*	comparative: p. 243
to right	white tiara, surmounted with red gem	green	purple, over white
himself	red mortarboard cap with hanging fringes	red	dark-blue
to left	white tiara, surmounted with white gem	LIGHT-BLUE	purple, over ORANGE	LIGHT-BLUE outer robe, over ORANGE belly-covering
to left, 1/2-back	purple turban	dark-blue	LIGHT-BLUE
to left, full-back	red upright	PURPLE	RED	RED outer robe, PURPLE inner robe
to right, full-back	golden clip	RED	BLUE	RED-&-BLUE armor
to right, 1/2-back	blue turban	blue	ORANGE	ORANGE inner robe

the 4 Saints Perfected Lords

	*p. 298 according to Junkunc MS* (of 12^th century Ch.E.)**				*p. 299 15^th century Ch.E.*
*god*	*color*	*faces*	*arms*	*holding __*	*robe*
Tian-pen	[dark-blue]	3	6	sun, moon, bell, disk, sword, halberd	white
Tian-you	[swarthy]	2	4	sword, flaming wheel, bow, arrow	red
Xuan-wu "Dark Warrior"	black?				black
Yi-s^en "Respectful Sage"	?			"left hand resting on right wrist"	black

pp. 344-347 Illustrations of the Sealed Verification of the Golden Elixir of the Reverted Cinnabar

p.	#	*name*	*description*	p.	*picture, as depicted*
344	1^st	Original Root	empty circle
	2^nd	Startled Awakening	6 paths differentiated
	3^rd	Qian & Kun	36 divine palaces between sun& moon upon mountain on square island
	4^th	Alchemical Vessels	man (= furnace); woman (= crucible)
	5^th	Lead & Quicksilver	boy (= quicksilver) in circle; girl (= lead) in circle
	6^th	Harmon-ization	the 12 "earthly branches"
	7^th	Realized Land	single-gated palace, surrounded by wall, on waterlily
	8^th	Selection	3-legged toad emanating from its mouth region which envelopeth crane; sword-lidded crucible on 3-tiered altar
	9^th	Systemat-ization	3-tiered altar with at its corners exorcistic swords with hanging mirrors	*347*	also, approached by staircase: 4 sequentially overflowing basins, set upon green-topped orange-rimmed red-legged table
*344-345*	10^th	Support	central figure (= Northern Dipper) on 3-tiered altar, flanked by 2 persons		central figure, brown-robed, is between 2 hovering dragons, the left [from the figure] one blue & the right one white
*345*	11^th	Consuming Cinnabar	sport with magical pearl over ocean		red "pearl" is between blue dragon & white dragon
	12^th	9 Tripods	punctuated by 5 orbs resting on clouds are the 9 tripods cast by the Yellow Emperor	*346*	the 5 orbs are red, their clouds pink
	13^th	Bringing forth Fire	facing 2 conjoined circles, meditator with his back to viewer {cf. Orthodox Church priest facing altar, with his back to viewers}; beneath is crucible amidst a fire: the whole surrounded by moons at phases		meditator is red-clad; ring of small orange circles is around the conjoined circles (including crucible, etc.); bright side of each moon-phase is also red
	14^th	Removing Fire	2 conjoined circles; again, the whole surrounded by moons at phases	*347*	the 2 conjoined circles (pink one above gray one) have white vertical oval in their juncture; ring of small circles around the conjoined circles; again, bright side of each moon-phase is red
	15^th	Adding & Subtracting	*upon 3-tiered altar: out of crucible issueth region cotaining to [its] left the 7 po-souls, to right 3 hun-souls; "po-souls harmonize with lead, ... hun-souls combine with mercury"*		the region ariseth out of a red "pearl" (orb) in the crucible, which is set amid a fire; hovering around that crucible are 2 dragons, one (the pawed) white and one blue; 2 of the set of 3 (hun-souls) of single legs topped with animal-head
	16^th	Bathing or Purification	on 3-tiered altar is crucible, whence ariseth cloud whereon is seated an infant	*346*	orange orb is behind infant (including cloud & crucible)
	17^th	Golden Elixir	on 3-tier altar: amidst a fire, a crucible above which is, hovering, "pearl" with dragon above it in fiery atmosphaere		the "pearl" is red, and is surrounded by yellowish-white halo (orb); the dragon is a blue one
	18^th	Embracing the Primordial	man meditating under pine-tree		[no pine-tree]
	19^th	Audience with the Primordial	"The man rides on clouds that rise from a fire"	*347*	rather, the fire-flames instead arise olut of that cloud
	20^th	Returning to the Primordial	empty circle		that "empty circle" is a full white orb

[is the "pear"" in each case intended by the artist to be a ruby? the artist intended a white tiger in each case where the text specifieth a white tiger; this is in accord with other texts describing the mating of female dragon (instead of tigress) with male dragon.]

pp. 350-351 Illustration of Inner Circulation

p.	*scene*	*in body*
*350*	9 peaks	jiu-gon "9 palaces" [in brain]
	s^en-s^ui "spirit water" down-flowing	[efferent impulse along] spinal cord
	"white-haired old man with eyebrows hanging to the ground"	alchemical lead
*350-351*	"blue-eyed foreign monk with arms raised" facing upward	alchemical quicksilver
*351*	12-storeyed tower	trachea
	at influx from that tower: holding dipper-constellation, man in wreath around spiral	[influx = breath; spiral = lungs]
	Weaving Maiden	kidneys
	Oxherder Youth, ploughing: "The iron ox plants the field, sowing golden coins"	heart [ox = good will; field = world as field of merit; coins = good deeds, one’s "treasure in heaven"]
	behind the Oxherder-Youth: 4 yin-yan symbols united by ring	[ring = sphincter of anus?]
	"boy and girl ... operating treadmills that drive the water upward"	[genitalia]

Stephen Little, with Shawn Eichman: Taoism and the Arts of China. U. of CA Pr, Berkeley, 2000.