Huangdi Yinfujing
Encyclopedia
The Huangdi Yinfujing or Yinfujing, is a circa 8th century CE Daoist scripture associated with Chinese astrology
and Neidan
-style Internal alchemy. In addition, Huangdi Yinfujing is also the name of a Chinese Fengshui text on military strategy
.
, the Wu Xing, and biospiritual techniques. In the description of Alexander Wylie (1867:216), "This short Treatise, which is not entirely free from the obscurity of Tâoist mysticism, professes to reconcile the decrees of Heaven with the current of mundane affairs." In the explanation of the modern Daoists Zhang Jiyu and Li Yuanguo,
The Huangdi Yinfujings date of composition is uncertain. Some scholars believed it existed prior to the Zhou Dynasty
(1122-256 BCE), while others believe it is a forgery from the Tang Dynasty
(618-907 CE). The traditional Chinese belief, as well as the eponymous title, ascribed this classic to the legendary Chinese sovereign
Huangdi "Yellow Emperor
". According to literary legend, in 441 CE the Daoist reformer Kou Qianzhi
hid the Huangdi Yinfujing in a cave near Mount Song
, where it was discovered by the Tang scholar Li Quan 李筌 (fl. ca. 743 CE). Li transcribed the text and published it with his commentary (Yinfujing Jie 陰符經解). There is consensus among contemporary scholars that Li probably forged the text, which is confirmed by the absence of references in pre-Tang sources. Despite this comparatively late date, the Huangdi Yinfujing is considered a Chinese classic, and collections like the Daozang
and Siku Quanshu
include various editions and commentaries.
During the Song Dynasty
, the Huangdi Yinfujing was canonized by the Quanzhen "Complete Perfection" school of Neidan internal alchemy. Liu Chuxuan 劉處玄 (1147–1203), founder of the Suishan (隨山 "Mount Sui") lineage, wrote a commentary (Huangdi Yingujing Zhu 陰符經註), and Qiu Chuji
丘處機 (1148–1227), founder of the Longmen (龍門 "Dragon Gate") lineage, wrote another. Xia Yuanding 夏元鼎 (fl.
1201) wrote a textual exegesis (Huangdi Yingujing Jiangyi 黃帝陰符經講義). The analytical commentary (Yinfujing Kaoyi 陰符經考異) dubiously attributed to the leading Neo-Confucian scholar Zhu Xi
first suggested that Li forged the text.
Qing Dynasty
scholars used philological methods to analyze classical texts. Liu Yiming 劉一明 (1734–1821), the 11th Longmen Daoist patriarch, wrote an erudite commentary (Yinfujing zhu 陰符經註). Acker published an annotated translation of Liu (2006). Li Xiyue 李西月 (1806–1856), leader in the "Western School" (西派) of Neidan, also wrote a commentary.
Besides the above Daoist Huangdi Yinfujing 黃帝陰符經, there is another military text by the same name. It contains 602 characters in 86 rhymed lines, and is a type of strategy manual based on the Qimen Dunjia (奇門遁甲 "Strange Gates Escaping Techniques") method of Fengshui. Ho Peng-Yoke explains the title.
The first English versions were published during the Victorian era
. Frederic H. Balfour
initially translated the Yinfujing within his Taoist Texts (1884:49-62). James Legge
translated the text and Li Xiyue's commentary as an appendix to The Texts of Taoism (1891:255-264).
More recent English translations and studies reflect insights from modern Sinology
, as surveyed by Reiter (1984). Christopher Rand's (1979) article on Li Quan translates and interprets the Huangdi Yinfujing as a treatise on Chinese military strategy. Thomas Cleary
published a popular translation with Liu Yiming's commentary (1991:220-22).
The title Huangdi Yinfujing combines three Chinese words. The first Huangdi 黃帝 "Yellow Emperor" and last jing 經 "classic; scripture; book" are common in titles of other Chinese classic texts
. For example, the Huangdi Neijing "Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic" and Huangdi Sijing
"Yellow Emperor's Four Classics". The second word yinfu "hidden/secret talisman/correspondence" is an uncommon compound
of yin 陰 (of yin and yang
) "shady place; passive; negative; secret; hidden" and fu 符 " tally (with two halves); talisman; symbol; charm; amulet".
Fulu
符籙 "Daoist secret talismanic writing; Daoist magic formulas" refers to charms written in peculiar characters, often on yellow paper (for instance, see Jiang Shi).
English translations of Yinfujing illustrate semantic problems with the title:
Note the omission of Huangdi above, which all the translators render as "Yellow Emperor", excepting Komjathy's "Yellow Thearch"".
Chinese astrology
Chinese astrology is based on the traditional astronomy and calendars. The development of Chinese astrology is tied to that of astronomy, which came to flourish during the Han Dynasty ....
and Neidan
Neidan
Neidan, or internal alchemy, spiritual alchemy is a concept in Taoist Chinese alchemy. It is a series of physical, mental, and spiritual disciplines intended to prolong the life of the body and create an immortal spiritual body that would survive after death.In Neidan the human body becomes a...
-style Internal alchemy. In addition, Huangdi Yinfujing is also the name of a Chinese Fengshui text on military strategy
Military strategy
Military strategy is a set of ideas implemented by military organizations to pursue desired strategic goals. Derived from the Greek strategos, strategy when it appeared in use during the 18th century, was seen in its narrow sense as the "art of the general", 'the art of arrangement' of troops...
.
Texts
There are two received versions of the Daoist Huangdi Yinfujing, a shorter text of 332 Chinese characters in one section and a longer one of 445 in three sections. Both versions of this classic explain cosmological correspondences, the Dao of Heaven, Yin and YangYin and yang
In Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang , which is often referred to in the West as "yin and yang", is used to describe how polar opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn. Opposites thus only...
, the Wu Xing, and biospiritual techniques. In the description of Alexander Wylie (1867:216), "This short Treatise, which is not entirely free from the obscurity of Tâoist mysticism, professes to reconcile the decrees of Heaven with the current of mundane affairs." In the explanation of the modern Daoists Zhang Jiyu and Li Yuanguo,
The Huangdi yinfu jing (The Yellow Emperor's Scripture on "Unconscious Unification") reflects this later stage of Daoist thought and attempts to "expose heaven's mysteries and reveal divinity's workings." It became one of the most important classics of Daoism, second only in significance to the Daode jing. Zhang Boduan (987-1082), in his Wuzhen pian (An Essay on Realizing Perfection), said: "The treasured Yinfu jing consists of more than three hundred words whereas the inspired Daodejing has five thousand characters. All those who attained immortality in the past and attain it in the present have comprehended the true meaning of these scriptures." (2001:113)
The Huangdi Yinfujings date of composition is uncertain. Some scholars believed it existed prior to the Zhou Dynasty
Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
(1122-256 BCE), while others believe it is a forgery from the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
(618-907 CE). The traditional Chinese belief, as well as the eponymous title, ascribed this classic to the legendary Chinese sovereign
Chinese sovereign
Chinese sovereign is the ruler of a particular period in ancient China. Several titles and naming schemes have been used throughout history.-Emperor Title:...
Huangdi "Yellow Emperor
Yellow Emperor
The Yellow Emperor or Huangdi1 is a legendary Chinese sovereign and culture hero, included among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Tradition holds that he reigned from 2697–2597 or 2696–2598 BC...
". According to literary legend, in 441 CE the Daoist reformer Kou Qianzhi
Kou Qianzhi
Kou Qianzhi was a Taoist reformer who reenvisioned many of the ceremonies and rites of the Way of the Celestial Master form of Taoism and reformulated its theology into a new movement known as The Northern Celestial Masters...
hid the Huangdi Yinfujing in a cave near Mount Song
Mount Song
Mount Song, known in Chinese as Song Shan , is one of the Five Sacred Mountains of Taoism and is located in Henan province on the south bank of the Yellow River in China...
, where it was discovered by the Tang scholar Li Quan 李筌 (fl. ca. 743 CE). Li transcribed the text and published it with his commentary (Yinfujing Jie 陰符經解). There is consensus among contemporary scholars that Li probably forged the text, which is confirmed by the absence of references in pre-Tang sources. Despite this comparatively late date, the Huangdi Yinfujing is considered a Chinese classic, and collections like the Daozang
Daozang
Daozang , meaning "Treasury of Dao" or "Daoist Canon", consists of around 1400 texts that were collected circa C.E. 400...
and Siku Quanshu
Siku Quanshu
The Siku Quanshu, variously translated as the Imperial Collection of Four, Emperor's Four Treasuries, Complete Library in Four Branches of Literature, or Complete Library of the Four Treasuries, is the largest collection of books in Chinese history and probably the most ambitious editorial...
include various editions and commentaries.
During the Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
, the Huangdi Yinfujing was canonized by the Quanzhen "Complete Perfection" school of Neidan internal alchemy. Liu Chuxuan 劉處玄 (1147–1203), founder of the Suishan (隨山 "Mount Sui") lineage, wrote a commentary (Huangdi Yingujing Zhu 陰符經註), and Qiu Chuji
Qiu Chuji
Qiu Chuji was a Daoist disciple of Wang Chongyang. He was the most famous among the Seven True Daoists of the North...
丘處機 (1148–1227), founder of the Longmen (龍門 "Dragon Gate") lineage, wrote another. Xia Yuanding 夏元鼎 (fl.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1201) wrote a textual exegesis (Huangdi Yingujing Jiangyi 黃帝陰符經講義). The analytical commentary (Yinfujing Kaoyi 陰符經考異) dubiously attributed to the leading Neo-Confucian scholar Zhu Xi
Zhu Xi
Zhū Xī or Chu Hsi was a Song Dynasty Confucian scholar who became the leading figure of the School of Principle and the most influential rationalist Neo-Confucian in China...
first suggested that Li forged the text.
Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
scholars used philological methods to analyze classical texts. Liu Yiming 劉一明 (1734–1821), the 11th Longmen Daoist patriarch, wrote an erudite commentary (Yinfujing zhu 陰符經註). Acker published an annotated translation of Liu (2006). Li Xiyue 李西月 (1806–1856), leader in the "Western School" (西派) of Neidan, also wrote a commentary.
Besides the above Daoist Huangdi Yinfujing 黃帝陰符經, there is another military text by the same name. It contains 602 characters in 86 rhymed lines, and is a type of strategy manual based on the Qimen Dunjia (奇門遁甲 "Strange Gates Escaping Techniques") method of Fengshui. Ho Peng-Yoke explains the title.
Yinfu 陰符 (secret tally), according to a military text entitled Liutao 六韜 (Six Strategies) and attributed to Jiang Shang 姜尚 in the eleventh century BC, refers to the tallies of various specified lengths used between the emperor and his generals for confidential communication. For example, the tally used to report a conquest in war had a length of one Chinese foot, that to report a victory in battle had a length of nine Chinese inches, that for reporting the occupation of an enemy city was eight Chinese inches long, and so on. (2003:85)
Translations
The Huangdi yinfujing classic has been translated into English, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Russian, and Japanese.The first English versions were published during the Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
. Frederic H. Balfour
Frederic H. Balfour
Frederic Henry Balfour was a British expatriate editor, essayist, author, and sinologist, living in Shanghai during the Victorian era. He is most notable for his translation of the writings known today as the Tao Te Ching...
initially translated the Yinfujing within his Taoist Texts (1884:49-62). James Legge
James Legge
James Legge was a noted Scottish sinologist, a Scottish Congregationalist, representative of the London Missionary Society in Malacca and Hong Kong , and first professor of Chinese at Oxford University...
translated the text and Li Xiyue's commentary as an appendix to The Texts of Taoism (1891:255-264).
More recent English translations and studies reflect insights from modern Sinology
Sinology
Sinology in general use is the study of China and things related to China, but, especially in the American academic context, refers more strictly to the study of classical language and literature, and the philological approach...
, as surveyed by Reiter (1984). Christopher Rand's (1979) article on Li Quan translates and interprets the Huangdi Yinfujing as a treatise on Chinese military strategy. Thomas Cleary
Thomas Cleary
Thomas Cleary is a prolific author and translator of Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian and Muslim classics, and of the Chinese Art of War tradition of strategy and statecraft. He lives in Oakland, California in the United States.-Life and work:...
published a popular translation with Liu Yiming's commentary (1991:220-22).
Title
Chinese classic texts
Chinese classic texts, or Chinese canonical texts, today often refer to the pre-Qin Chinese texts, especially the Neo-Confucian titles of Four Books and Five Classics , a selection of short books and chapters from the voluminous collection called the Thirteen Classics. All of these pre-Qin texts...
. For example, the Huangdi Neijing "Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic" and Huangdi Sijing
Huangdi Sijing
The Huangdi sijing are long-lost Chinese manuscripts that were discovered among the Mawangdui Silk Texts. They are also known as the Huang-Lao boshu , in association with the "Huang-Lao" philosophy named after the legendary Huangdi and Laozi...
"Yellow Emperor's Four Classics". The second word yinfu "hidden/secret talisman/correspondence" is an uncommon compound
Compound (linguistics)
In linguistics, a compound is a lexeme that consists of more than one stem. Compounding or composition is the word formation that creates compound lexemes...
of yin 陰 (of yin and yang
Yin and yang
In Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang , which is often referred to in the West as "yin and yang", is used to describe how polar opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn. Opposites thus only...
) "shady place; passive; negative; secret; hidden" and fu 符 " tally (with two halves); talisman; symbol; charm; amulet".
Fu means a seal, divided into two parts. On one half of this seal we have the visible phenomena of the world around us; this we can all see, but, the diagram being incomplete, we require the other half of the seal, that bearing the 道理 [daoli "principle, truth; reason"] of Heaven or the Unseen World, before we can understand the why and the wherefore of the existing order of things. (Balfour 1884:49)
Fulu
Fulu
Fulu is a term for Daoist practitioners in the past who could draw and write supernatural talismans, Fu , Shenfu which they believed functioned as summons or instructions to deities, spirits, or as tools of exorcism, as medicinal potions for ailments...
符籙 "Daoist secret talismanic writing; Daoist magic formulas" refers to charms written in peculiar characters, often on yellow paper (for instance, see Jiang Shi).
English translations of Yinfujing illustrate semantic problems with the title:
- Clue to the Unseen (Balfour 1881)
- Classic of the Harmony of the Seen and the Unseen (Legge 1891)
- Scripture for Joining with Obscurity (Rand 1979)
- Scripture of the Hidden Contracts (Reiter 1984)
- Classic on Yin Convergence (Cleary 1991)
- Scripture on "Unconscious Unification" (Zhang and Li 2001)
- Secret Military Warrant Manual (Ho 2003)
- Scripture on the Hidden Talisman (Komjathy 2004)
- Scripture on the Hidden Fitness (Tsun 2006)
- Scripture of Hidden Contracts (Acker 2006)
Note the omission of Huangdi above, which all the translators render as "Yellow Emperor", excepting Komjathy's "Yellow Thearch"".
External links
- Yellow Emperor's Scripture on the Hidden Fitness, 2006 translation by Silfong Tsun Yinfu Jing 阴符经, calligraphic copy by Chu SuiliangChu SuiliangChu Suiliang , courtesy name Dengshan , formally Duke of Henan , was a chancellor of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, during the reigns of Emperor Taizong and Emperor Taizong's son Emperor Gaozong...
褚遂良 Huangdi Yinfu Jing, PDF image of Section 1