Chiyang Daoren, Eastern Taoism
1. The Origins and Development of Divine Light Divination
The Classic of the Divine Light (Shenguang Jing) was created in the Jin dynasty, more than 1,700 years ago. Its title first appears in the chapter “Far-Reaching Survey” of the Baopuzi by Ge Hong of the Jin dynasty. There Ge Hong lists the titles of the scriptures of the immortals, among them a scripture called Divine Light Divination, with no number of scrolls and no named compiler or author. This shows that the Classic of the Divine Light was originally called Divine Light Divination and was a book for predicting good and ill fortune in human affairs.
The ancients placed great importance on protecting the body, nurturing life, and securing their fate; they hoped for success in their undertakings and prayed for long life without aging. So they always wished that in eating and drinking, in daily life and in work, they could seek good fortune and avoid misfortune, so that everything would go smoothly, all would be as they wished, and all would be well. Thus all kinds of arts of divination arose to meet this need. Divine Light Divination probably appeared in just such a social setting.
After the Classic of the Divine Light appeared, it was highly esteemed by masters of the numerological arts through the ages. “The ancient book was originally a single book, which the masters of the arts each put to their own use”: each practitioner took what he needed, gave it his own title, and included it in his own writings, so that the Classic of the Divine Light “had additions and deletions in each age, its transmitted versions differ slightly, and its titles are not the same.” Version after version appeared, making it hard to tell the genuine from the false and the right from the wrong. Fortunately, although the various masters recorded it under different titles and with differing contents, their art of divination and their method of examining the light are exactly the same, which does not affect the essence of Divine Light divination. So as for whether the book is genuine or false, right or wrong, “there is no need to inquire deeply into it for now.”
Because this art is simple and easy to practice, and its results are striking, anyone can use it, and “in great matters, such as serving the ruler and answering his commands, and in small matters, such as dealing with others and responding to sudden change,” it can always be applied. One who understands and uses this art “can, when going out, render service and achieve merit, and, when at home, keep harm at a distance and protect oneself. It is truly the supreme treasure for seeking good fortune, avoiding misfortune, and turning calamity into blessing.”
What practitioners esteem even more is that this art of divination does not use the eight trigrams or Six Lines divination, nor the eight characters of one’s birth (BaZi), nor divination by yarrow stalks and tortoise shells, nor inference from images and numbers; it relies entirely on direct perception to reach a correct conclusion. As the book says, “Without waiting for divination, one already knows good and ill fortune; before taking any action, one knows in advance what will be good or bad.” Moreover, “its method is most simple, its practice most easy, its principle most upright, and its efficacy most divine. Calamity can be turned into blessing, failure can be turned into success, and danger can be changed into safety.” I think, is this not the fundamental reason why “the worthies and sages of old truly revered it, and it has been handed down since ancient times through many long years”?
Divine Light divination is an art “whose text is brief but whose effects are many, whose principle is clear and easily understood”; an art that, “because it concerns the ordinary course of human affairs and daily life, anyone can use”; an art that “is upright and not deceptive, simple and reasonable, which does not search in obscurity but draws on one's own body, and does not seek from others but verifies within oneself”; an art with which “the essentials of military formations, seizing the moment, and making decisions, and the subtle turns of human feeling, coming and going, action and rest, are all bound up.” What is more, “its efficacy is divine,” “like an echo answering a sound.” For this reason the Tang-dynasty monk Yixing (some say it was Li, Duke of Wei) presented a memorial to the emperor, recommending it with the utmost esteem. The memorial said that “for protecting the sacred person, there is no way like this one,” and advised the emperor to use this art often to divine good and ill fortune, so as to protect his sacred person and bring blessing to the state. This shows how important the art is.
Yet this art, so efficacious and so important, has not been found in any classic text from the late Ming dynasty to the present, nor has it been handed down among the people. Why is this? Looking into the reasons, there are no more than two:
First, as Mo Fengjing's “Study of the Classic of the Divine Light” in the book says, “the secret books of remote antiquity and the works recorded by earlier ages” have all “been lost day by day” through “the fires of catastrophe and the worms that bore into books”—met with misfortune and been destroyed overnight.
Second, as the “Definitive Treatise on the Origins” in the book says, “When a gentleman obtains this, he should treasure it and keep it hidden, and not pass it on to the wrong person.” The secret arts of the ancients were passed only to one's own sons, so that over the ages many divine abilities and unique skills, secret techniques and fine prescriptions were gradually lost or could not be handed down. This is the main reason why this secret art of Divine Light divination is found neither in the classics nor in popular tradition.
How, then, did I come to hold this copy of the Classic of the Divine Light? It was both a coincidence and a matter of destiny. Twenty years ago, a fellow Taoist mentioned in casual conversation that he used talismans and incantations to heal illness. I asked him whether he had a genuine copy of the Thirteen Branches of Zhuyou (Zhuyou Shisan Ke). He said he did: he had found it many years before while consulting ancient materials in the national library, and with the library's permission he had photocopied it and brought it back to practice from; ever since he had been studying and using the Zhuyou branch to treat people's illnesses, with good results. I asked him to photocopy one for me, and he agreed. After finishing his Taoist studies he returned to his home at Mount Lao (Laoshan) in Shandong, and before long he did indeed photocopy a copy and mail it to me. Its title was The Xuanyuan Stele Record: Medical Zhuyou in Thirteen Branches. When I opened it, I found that it contained not only all the talismans and incantations of the Thirteen Branches of Zhuyou but also a complete Classic of the Divine Light appended at the end. I was overjoyed, and afterward I practiced and applied it according to the book, gaining much from it with striking results. This is how I came to hold this copy of the Classic of the Divine Light.
So that this secret art of divination can be “used by anyone,” so that people can “know in advance what will be good or bad before taking any action,” and so that people can use this art to “seek good fortune, avoid misfortune, and turn calamity into blessing,” I have decided to make this secret art public. Because this classical secret art is written entirely in classical Chinese and dates from long ago, it is hard for most people to read, so I have translated every section into modern Chinese and placed the translation directly after the original text. Readers who find classical Chinese difficult can read only the translations; they will understand the meaning and content of the original and fully grasp the essentials and methods of this secret art of divination.
As for the mechanism of the secret art of Divine Light divination, readers all want to know: what is the divine light? Why can the divine light foretell the occurrence and outcome of events? Using the principle of the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji) and the theory of yin and yang, I have deciphered and decoded this mysterious phenomenon in a dedicated essay, “The Mechanism of Divine Light Divination,” appended after this text for readers' reference. Readers are asked to take note of it.
2. The Mechanism of Divine Light Divination
1. Every Event Is Preceded by Omens
In daily life, if you pay even a little attention, you will find that many events are preceded by omens. Some of these omens appear as unusual changes in the heavens and the weather, some as abnormal behavior in animals, some as special sensations in the human body, and some as unusual changes in objects. Omens are especially clear before disasters and accidents: if you pay even a little attention, you can at any time and place readily cite countless examples of omens appearing before disasters and accidents, and you yourself will often encounter such cases. This shows that whether an event is auspicious or inauspicious, joyful or calamitous, there are always some omens or outer responses before it happens. By noticing these omens, taking these outer responses seriously, taking timely measures, and getting out of the way early, one can seek good fortune and avoid misfortune, relieve worries and difficulties, dissolve calamities, and reduce losses.
2. The Divine Light Is Precisely a Reflection of Omens
What is the divine light? The divine light is precisely a concrete reflection of an omen. As said above, there are always some omens or outer responses before any event happens. These omens or outer responses are reflected in all kinds of forms: some in changes of the weather, some in the behavior of animals, some in sensations of the human body, some in sounds, light, and color … and the divine light is precisely the omen of an event reflected in the human brain in the form of changes of light and color. With the eyes closed, press with two fingers on the eye sockets where the left and right eyelids meet, and you will see the divine light appear. From the different colors of the divine light, you can judge the event that is about to happen and its good or ill fortune, and so take measures to seek good fortune and avoid misfortune.
What is the divine light? The divine light is a light of information, a gathering of information waves. Before an event happens, its information is transmitted in advance; the information travels in the form of waves to the human brain and gathers into a kind of light, and from the different colors of the light one can know the good or ill fortune of the event. It is just like the oppressive heat before a storm: this “oppressive heat” is information, and when these information waves reach the human body and the body senses the oppressive heat, one knows that a storm is coming.
3. Grasping the Omens of Things Makes Prediction Possible
Since an omen is a sign, sound, light, or sensation that appears or manifests before a thing appears or an event happens, and since the divine light is the reflection in light and color of the gathered information waves of an omen, then by examining the divine light and grasping the omen, one can of course predict things. Why are there omens before events happen? According to the theory of yin and yang, nothing in the universe is apart from yin and yang; everything is composed of yin and yang. The whole universe is also composed of yin and yang: there is a yang world and a yin world. The two worlds correspond to each other, and everything in the yang world is reflected in the yin world. The yin world reflects the things of the yang world in the form of “information.” The yin world is a “mirror” of the yang world, and this “mirror” is “information.” Everything in the yang world constantly emits “information” to its surroundings and the outside world.
“Information” can be stored. Everything that happens in the yang world, even after it has ended, passed, and no longer exists, still has its “information” present in the yin world. “Information” is also anticipatory: for things that have not yet happened in the yang world, their “information” has already appeared in the yin world; this is “anticipatory information.” An “omen” is the manifestation of “anticipatory information,” and the “divine light” is the reflection of an “omen” in light and color. When an event is about to happen, its “anticipatory information” has already appeared and radiates in all directions, spreading through the space of the universe; through the sound, electricity, light, and energy of the universe, it provokes strong reactions in people or things in the world of the living, causing them to behave in special or abnormal ways. This is an “omen.” “Omens” are reflected in all kinds of ways, and the “divine light” is the reflection of an “omen” in light and color. This is the mechanism by which grasping “omens” and examining the “divine light” can predict events that are about to happen.
3. Documents on Divine Light Divination
1. The Original Preface to the Classic of the Divine Light
My late father had the good fortune to meet with the sagely and enlightened sovereign, and it happened that he obtained, as one of his retinue, the books on stars, calendars, and divination kept in our family. Since the founding of the sagely dynasty, all of them have been presented and stored in the imperial archives. Only the Divine Light scripture, because it concerns the ordinary course of human affairs and daily life and anyone can use it, was allowed to remain alone in our family, though I did not know of it.
This autumn, while sorting through old collections, I found it and read it. I saw that it is upright and not deceptive, simple and reasonable; it does not search in obscurity but draws on one's own body, and does not seek from others but verifies within oneself. In great matters, such as serving the ruler and answering his commands, and in small matters, such as dealing with others and responding to change, as well as the essentials of military formations, seizing the moment, and making decisions, and the subtle turns of human feeling, coming and going, action and rest—there is nothing it does not concern. If a scholar-official's family obtains this one text, then when going out one can render service and achieve merit, and when at home one can keep harm at a distance and protect oneself. It is truly the supreme treasure for seeking good fortune, avoiding misfortune, and turning calamity into blessing. I have tested its responses against events, and it answers like an echo to a sound; compared with the common practices of burning tapers and striking bamboo, or casting divination blocks and drawing lots, it is truly as different as heaven and earth. How broad its benefits are!
Recorded by Liu Jian, Xianxianzi of Kuocang, in the autumn of the Jiashen year of the Yongle era.
Translation of the Original Preface to the Classic of the Divine Light
My late forefather happened to have the good fortune to meet the sovereign. The sovereign, wise and enlightened, once obtained from my family's collection its books on astrology, the calendar, and divination. Since the founding of the sagely dynasty, all the books of my family were presented and stored in the secret archives of the palace. Only the Classic of the Divine Light, because it is an art for human affairs, daily life, and everyday use that anyone can put to use, was allowed to remain alone in our home, and yet I did not know of it.
This autumn, while looking through old books and collections, I came upon this book and read it. After reading it, I felt that what it says is upright and not deceptive or perverse, concise and reasonable. It does not search in the path of confusion and ignorance, but gains its proof from one's own body; it does not seek the experience of others, but gains understanding from oneself. In great matters such as serving the ruler and responding to the system of government, in small matters such as dealing with people and responding to sudden changes, and in those great and important affairs such as military formations and on-the-spot decisions, as well as the mysteries and subtle calculations of human relations and of coming and going, action and rest—there is nothing that is not connected with the Classic of the Divine Light.
If the family of a scholar-official obtains this Classic of the Divine Light and puts it into practice, then when going out one can render service, build a career, and achieve great merit, and when at home one can keep far from disaster and protect one's family and oneself. It truly is the supreme treasure for seeking good fortune, avoiding misfortune, and turning calamity into blessing. I have tested its efficacy against actual events, and the result was like an echo answering a sound—incomparably efficacious. This art and the practice in society of seeking divination by burning tapers and striking bamboo, or by casting divination blocks and drawing lots, are truly as different as heaven and earth. And are the benefits that divining matters with the Classic of the Divine Light brings to people not broad and far-reaching?
Recorded by Liu Jian, Xianxianzi of Kuocang, in the autumn of the Jiashen year of the Yongle era of the Ming dynasty.
2. Cheng Maozheng's Preface
In the affairs of the world, what lies with others is hard to rely on, and what lies with oneself is sufficient evidence; taking from distant things is not as good as taking from one's own body close at hand. Who does not have a spirit? What spirit does not have light? The divine light is the master of a person's whole being: with it one lives, without it one dies; red is auspicious, black is inauspicious—and this is only its most evident aspect. Extending this method further: in serving the ruler, one can have one's words accepted; facing the enemy, one can win victory; camping in the wild, one can be free from worry; traveling far, one can decide one's plans; entering the mountains, why fear wolves and tigers? Crossing water, why worry about water dragons and alligators? Sudden rain and violent wind need not be feared for their suddenness; meeting a broken wall or a dead tree, one need not worry that it will fall. Its method is most simple, its practice most easy, its principle most upright, and its efficacy most divine. Calamity can be turned into blessing, failure can be turned into success, and danger can be changed into safety. How can what the method of the divine light means to people be shallow or slight!
Preface by Cheng Maozheng of the Osmanthus Boat on the lakeshore, in an autumn month of the Bingwu year of the Daoguang era.
Translation of Cheng Maozheng's Preface
In the affairs of the world, what happens to others is hard to rely on; one's own personal experience is sufficient proof. This is why “taking from distant things” is not as good as “taking from one's own body close at hand.” Who does not have a “spirit”? What “spirit” does not have light? Everyone has the divine light. The divine light is the master of a person's whole life: with the divine light one can live, without it one will die. If a person's divine light appears red, there will be good fortune; if it appears black, there will be calamity. The divine light's foretelling of good and ill fortune is very clear. Extending this “Divine Light divination” further: if one serves the ruler, one can have good counsel accepted; if one faces the enemy and draws up a formation, one can defeat the enemy and win; if one camps or lodges in the wild, one can be free from all worry; if one travels far, one can decide how to act; entering deep mountains, why fear jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards? Wading through water and crossing rivers, why worry about water dragons, snakes, sharks, and crocodiles? Sudden rain and violent wind need not be feared for coming without warning; meeting a broken wall or a dead tree, one need not worry that it will suddenly collapse.
The method of Divine Light divination is most simple, predicting matters with it is most easy, its mechanism is most orthodox, and its efficacy most wondrous. Divine Light divination gives you omens and revelations, enabling you to turn calamity into good fortune, failure into success, and danger into safety. The method of Divine Light divination bears on people's daily life and on the gains and losses of their words and deeds; how could its practical significance be shallow or slight?
Preface by Cheng Maozheng, in the Osmanthus Boat on the lakeshore of Xin'an, in an autumn month of the Bingwu year of the Daoguang era of the Qing dynasty.
3. A Study of the Classic of the Divine Light
The Classic of the Divine Light, in one scroll of thirteen sections, bears no author's name. At its head is a memorial by the Tang monk Yixing, and what the book describes is the art of reading people. Examining the chapter “Far-Reaching Survey” of the Baopuzi, which lists the titles of the scriptures of the immortals, one finds a Divine Light Divination, with no number of scrolls. Yao Zhenzong's Treatise on Literature of the Three Kingdoms joins it with the Fanglai Jing below it as one book, which is wrong. The astronomy section of the Masters category of the Treatise of the History of the Sui, citing the Seven Records, has an Inner Transcription of the Divine Light in one scroll; in Japan, it is in the catalogue of extant books, where among the astronomers there is a Divine Light Divination in two scrolls. The Five Phases section of the “Treatise on Literature” of the History of Song has Su Deng's Classic of the Divine Light in one scroll; the section on the immortals has Su Deng's Tianlao Classic of the Divine Light in one scroll. Jiao Hong's Treatise on the Books of the National History has, under military yin-yang writers, the Tianlao Classic of the Divine Light in one scroll; under the physiognomy section of the Five Phases writers, the Yellow Emperor's Classic of the Divine Light in one scroll; under the Taoist scriptures, the Classic of the Divine Light of Mount Tai and the Northern Dipper by the Former Master of Lingbao, in one scroll; and under Taoist talismans and registers, Cai Deng's Classic of the Divine Light, with no number of scrolls. The Methods category of the Dongshen Division in the Ming dynasty's Bai Yunji's Annotated Catalogue of the Taoist Canon has the Tianlao Classic of the Divine Light in one scroll.
In my humble view, the Classic of the Divine Light was handed down from the Jin dynasty; the ancient book was originally a single book, which the masters of the arts each put to their own use. From the Six Dynasties to the present, each age has added to or cut from it; the transmitted versions differ slightly and carry different titles. The compilers of the historical bibliographies never saw the original book and therefore recorded the versions separately, and Jiao Hong listed them. The physiognomists thought they had the real thing. Names such as “Lingbao” and “Northern Dipper” are the customary titles of Taoist books, and names such as “the Yellow Emperor” and “Tianlao” are the stock phrases of the masters of the arts, who attributed authorship to them. On what basis Su Deng is named is unknown; Jiao Hong thought that either he or Cai Deng must be an error. That person's era, career, and native place are now unknown; perhaps it was the name of a Song-dynasty collator. This copy bears no name of Deng, probably because a copyist removed it. The memorial by Yixing at its head is shallow and vulgar in tone, and I suspect it is a forgery. I therefore collated it against the Taoist Canon edition and found that the two are clearly different books. Yet in intent and wording they resemble each other in places. The Taoist Canon edition has at its head a memorial by Li, Duke of Wei; comparing it with Yixing's memorial, very many words and phrases are identical, so it seems that Yixing's memorial was plagiarized from that of the Duke of Wei. From this one can tell that the whole of this book was produced on the basis of the Taoist Canon edition. Since before the Qin dynasty, the masters of the arts have been in the habit of borrowing famous names for their books: people of the Tang and Song borrowing the names of Li Jing and Yixing is just like people of the Han and Jin borrowing the names of Shi Kuang and Dongfang Shuo; there is no need to inquire deeply into it for now. In the Ming dynasty, Hu Wenhuan's Gezhi Congshu, in its section on divination, once printed a Classic of the Divine Light; I suspect it is a different edition. This copy was transcribed from an old manuscript of the Cheng family of Xin'an, and traces of later tampering are of course unavoidable. In short, it is a secret book not far removed from antiquity. The works recorded by earlier ages are being lost day by day, and great writings and important records are constantly meeting with disaster; yet this short book of the numerological arts has survived alone beyond the fires of catastrophe and the worms that bore into books. Its good fortune is truly no accident. Moreover, among the numerological arts, the art of reading people comes somewhat closer to reason. I have therefore had it printed and circulated, with the Taoist Canon edition appended after it for comparison. One who seeks rich and savory food may still try horse liver once; one who listens to refined court music need not begrudge an occasional hearing of the “Song of Striking the Earth.” Can I escape the jibe of being a lover of antiquity with a taste for curiosities?
Recorded by the lay practitioner Mo Fengjing in the Jiaxu year.
Translation of A Study of the Classic of the Divine Light
The Classic of the Divine Light, in one scroll of thirteen sections, bears no author's name. At its head is a memorial presented to the emperor by the Tang-dynasty monk Yixing. What the book describes is entirely the art of reading people's faces and foretelling their fortunes. Examining the chapter “Far-Reaching Survey” by Baopuzi (that is, Ge Hong of the Jin dynasty), which lists the titles of the scriptures of the immortals, one finds a Divine Light Divination, with no number of scrolls. Yao Zhenzong's Treatise on Literature of the Three Kingdoms joins it with the Fanglai Jing below it as one book; this is certainly not the genuine Classic of the Divine Light. The astronomy section of the Masters category of the Treatise of the History of the Sui, citing the Seven Records, has an inner transcription of the Classic of the Divine Light in one scroll, called a “copy,” which can be seen in the catalogue. Among the astronomers there is a Divine Light Divination in two scrolls. In the “Treatise on Literature” of the History of Song, the Five Phases writers include Su Deng's Classic of the Divine Light in one scroll, and the writers on the immortals include Su Deng's Tianlao Classic of the Divine Light in one scroll. In Jiao Hong's Treatise on the Books of the National History, the military writers and the yin-yang writers include the Tianlao Classic of the Divine Light in one scroll; the physiognomy section of the Five Phases writers includes the Yellow Emperor's Classic of the Divine Light in one scroll; the Taoist scriptures include the Classic of the Divine Light of Mount Tai and the Northern Dipper by the Former Master of Lingbao, in one scroll; and the Taoist talismans and registers include Cai Deng's Classic of the Divine Light, with no number of scrolls. In the Ming dynasty, the Methods category of the Dongshen Division in Bai Yunji's Annotated Catalogue of the Taoist Canon has the Tianlao Classic of the Divine Light in one scroll. My own private view is that the Classic of the Divine Light was handed down from the Jin dynasty and that there was originally only one ancient book; later, various masters of the numerological arts each made use of the title. From the Six Dynasties to the present, the Classic of the Divine Light was added to or cut down in every dynasty. The versions handed down from each age all differ slightly, and their titles are not all the same. Those who wrote the historical bibliographies had never seen the original Classic of the Divine Light for themselves, which led each of them to record it separately, and Jiao Hong listed them all. The physiognomists, for their part, thought they had obtained the genuine Classic of the Divine Light. For instance, the one called Lingbao Northern Dipper Classic of the Divine Light is really a customary title for Taoist books, and the one called Yellow Emperor and Tianlao Classic of the Divine Light is also a book title the masters of the numerological arts often mention; they all attributed it to an author by name. On what basis Su Deng's name is given is unknown; Jiao Hong thought that one of the two names, Cai Deng or Su Deng, must be wrong. Because that person's era, career, and native place are now unknown, perhaps he was a Song-dynasty collator. This version of the Classic of the Divine Light bears no name of Su Deng; it was deleted by a copyist.
At the head of the book is the memorial presented to the emperor by the monk Yixing. The tone of this book is shallow and vulgar, and I suspect it is a forgery. I therefore took the Taoist Canon edition to collate it, and found that this copy and the Taoist Canon edition are clearly two different books, though in intent and wording they are similar in places. The Taoist Canon edition has at its head a memorial by Li, Duke of Wei; checked against the memorial of the monk Yixing, a great many words and phrases are identical, very much like Yixing's memorial. From this one can conclude that it is a work plagiarized and copied from the memorial of the Duke of Wei. It can be seen that the whole of this book was written by him on the basis of the Taoist Canon edition.
Since before the Qin dynasty, the masters of the numerological arts have had the bad habit of borrowing famous names for their books. People of the Tang and Song dynasties writing under the borrowed names of Li Jing and the monk Yixing is just like people of the Han and Jin dynasties writing under the borrowed names of Shi Kuang and Dongfang Shuo. There is no need now to look deeply into such matters. In the Ming dynasty, Hu Wenhuan's Gezhi Congshu, in its section on divination, once printed a Classic of the Divine Light, which I suspect is a different edition. This copy was transcribed from an old manuscript of the Cheng family of Xin'an, and traces of later deletions, alterations, and confusion were of course unavoidable. Those ancient secret books not far removed from antiquity, and the works recorded by earlier ages, are being lost almost daily; great writings and important records constantly meet with disaster and ill fate. Yet this little book of the numerological arts, the Classic of the Divine Light, has survived alone beyond the calamities of war and fire and the gnawing of bookworms. Its good fortune is truly no accident. Moreover, the art of reading people is, among the numerological arts, a minor principle and a small art, and yet it could thereby be printed and handed down to later generations, with the Taoist Canon edition appended for reference and verification. This is truly no small thing.
A person who is always after rich meat and fine food may as well eat horse liver once to taste it; and why should those accustomed to refined ancient music begrudge a little time to listen now and then to folk songs such as the “Song of Striking the Earth”? Can one escape such mocking words as “obsessed with antiquity and fond of curiosities”?
Recorded by the lay practitioner Mo Fengjing in the Jiaxu year.
4. The Tang Monk Yixing's “Memorial Presenting the Classic of the Divine Light”
Your servant has heard that a person cannot see his own form and relies on water and mirrors; to know omens in advance, one depends on yarrow and tortoise. Yet yarrow and tortoise rely on images and numbers to borrow their numinous power, while water and mirrors examine form and substance without the aid of words. To spy out movement and stillness in secret and penetrate the mysterious and subtle in the dark—its principle is most profound, and the foolish and ignorant see little of it. Your servant is by nature foolish and lazy and has no skill in the arts, but having read widely among many writings, he knows something of their essentials. He knows only that by keeping the divine light at the corners of the eyes and observing the stirrings of the heart before things happen, one knows good and ill fortune without waiting for divination, and knows in advance what will be good or bad before taking any action. Whether serving the ruler or holding office, crossing water or traveling by land, dwelling in the mountains or camping in the wild, drawing up formations or pitching camp—if one can examine the divine light, good and ill fortune will appear of themselves. Ah! Its text is brief but its effects are many; its principle is clear and easily understood. It can truly lead one away from danger to safety and turn calamity into blessing. The worthies and sages of old truly revered it, and it has been handed down since ancient times through many long years. I have revised and corrected it anew and compiled it into a book. Truly, for protecting the sacred person, there is no way like this one. With sincere trepidation and awe, your servant respectfully presents it for Your Majesty's hearing.
Notes:
1. Memorial—a document that ministers in ancient times presented to the emperor.
2. “With sincere trepidation and awe”—in the Han and Wei dynasties, when officials submitted documents to the emperor, the memorial ended with the phrase “with sincere trepidation and awe,” a customary formula for memorials. It means “truly fearful and uneasy.”
Translation of the Tang Monk Yixing's “Memorial Presenting the Classic of the Divine Light”
I have heard that one cannot see one's own appearance and must rely on still water and a level mirror to reflect it. If one wishes to know in advance the omens of what will happen, one must rely on yarrow stalks and numinous tortoise shells for divination. Yet yarrow and tortoise rely on images and numbers to make use of their numinous power, while still water and a level mirror examine one's appearance without relying on spoken words. Spying out movement and stillness in secrecy and penetrating the mysterious and subtle in hidden places—the principle of this is most profound, and the foolish and ignorant find it hard to see.
I am by nature foolish, dull, and lazy, and my skills are not refined, so I could only listen widely to what many people have said, and I have come to know its essentials quite well. I know that the divine light exists where the upper and lower eyelids meet, that is, at the corners of the eyes, and that before an event happens one can know in one's heart the omens of its movement; without waiting for divination, one can know the good or ill fortune of a matter, and before taking any action one can know in advance whether it will be good or bad, fortunate or calamitous. Whether serving the ruler or holding an official post, wading across rivers or traveling over land, dwelling deep in the mountains or lodging in the wild, deploying troops in formation or encamping an army—if one can examine things in advance by Divine Light divination, then the good or ill fortune of the matter will appear of itself. Ah!
The text of this Classic of the Divine Light is brief, yet it has many uses; its principle is simple, clear, and easy to understand. It truly is an excellent method by which one can leave danger for safety, seek good fortune and avoid misfortune, turn danger into blessing, and change sorrow into joy. Since ancient times, wise and worthy men have truly admired and revered this art and recommended it in the highest terms. Handed down from remote antiquity to the present, it has come through a very long span of ages. Now I have revised and corrected it anew and compiled it into a book. Truly, for protecting Your Majesty's sacred person, no method can compare with this way. With sincere trepidation and awe, I respectfully inform Your Majesty of this; this is my memorial.
5. “Definitive Treatise on the Origins”
The divine light is the master of the whole body and the quintessence of the five organs. It is rooted in the Numinous Tower and appears at the eye sockets. Without the help of human effort, its readings are divine. Once, when Li Guangbi camped in the wild, he examined the divine light, found it inauspicious, and knew that Gao Hui was plotting against him; he quickly moved his camp to avoid him and so escaped disaster. This was because he had this method. When Confucius did not see the divine light for ten days, he knew his death was near, and so he lamented that Mount Tai would crumble and the roof beam would break. In recent times Fu Fang foresaw the time of his death, also on the basis of this method. The histories do not record it; I received it from an extraordinary person. A gentleman who obtains it can lead troops to punish the guilty, can pack his bags for a distant journey, can avoid troubles yet to come, and can dispel doubts yet undecided. There is no need for yarrow and tortoise, no labor of thought and worry; but one must have an upright heart and sincere intention to obtain it. If one harbors hidden motives and wrong intentions, seeking some lucky chance, the spirit will not be present of itself—how then can good and ill fortune be relied on? By right principle, when a gentleman obtains this, he should treasure it and keep it hidden, and not pass it on to the wrong person.
Translation of “Definitive Treatise on the Origins”
The divine light is the master of the whole body and the quintessence of the five organs. It is rooted in the Numinous Tower within the heart and appears at the eye sockets where the eyelids meet. Without needing the help of human effort, its readings are divine. In the past, Li Guangbi once camped in the wilderness and examined the divine light; the color of the light was inauspicious, and from this he knew that his enemy Gao Hui was plotting to surround and destroy him. He hurriedly moved his camp and avoided the attack, and so escaped disaster—entirely thanks to this method.
Confucius once went ten days without seeing the divine light appear, knew that his death was near, and so lamented that “Mount Tai will crumble and the roof beam will break.” In recent times, Fu Fang (a personal name) also once examined the divine light and foresaw the time of his death, likewise on the basis of this method. The histories have never recorded or included the Classic of the Divine Light; it was passed on to me by someone else. When a person of noble character and virtue obtains this Classic of the Divine Light and uses its art of divination, he can divine about raising troops and punishing the guilty, and can also divine about packing for and going on a distant journey. By divination he can avoid future troubles, and by its readings he can dispel doubts yet undecided. Without needing yarrow stalks or numinous tortoise shells for divination, and without the labor of thought and deliberation to make judgments, he can foresee good and ill fortune. However, to use the divination of the Classic of the Divine Light reverently, one's thoughts must be pure and upright and one's intentions sincere; only then can one reach a correct conclusion.
If you overstep your place, misuse names, and have crooked intentions and an evil heart, wishing to use this to gain some lucky chance, then the divine light will naturally not appear, and how could you then rely on it to foresee good and ill fortune? By common principle, a cultivated and courteous person who obtains the divination of this Classic of the Divine Light should regard it as a treasure and keep it hidden, and not pass it on to anyone who is not a good person.
4. Specific Applications of Divine Light Divination
1. On Serving the Ruler
Serve the ruler with loyalty. Whether presenting a sealed memorial or answering in person before the throne, the slightest error brings the greatest calamity. You must first examine the divine light after midnight. If you obtain a brilliant red flame of light, it surely portends that the ruler will be pleased and will gladly accept what you say. If it is yellow and the light is round and large, it surely portends rewards, or a banquet with wine and food, and the joy of promotion in office and rank. If it is green, it surely portends a false alarm. If it is white, your words will not be accepted, and there is the fear of severe punishment. If it is black, it is greatly inauspicious, and you should be on your guard.
2. On Facing the Enemy and Punishing the Guilty
Whenever you face the enemy or go to punish the guilty, you must examine the divine light. If its color is red or yellow, bright and dazzling, you will surely win a great victory; even if attacked by a thousand troops and ten thousand horsemen, you need have no worry. If it is green or black, or the divine light does not appear, you should quickly move your camp elsewhere. If it is white, you should not advance your troops, or you will surely suffer the disaster of a broken army and lost generals.
3. On Camping in the Open
Whenever you must camp in the open at night, or have doubts about what worries you, you must clear the mind, still your thoughts, and quickly examine the divine light. If it is green, a treacherous person will come; if black, bandit troops will come; if white, someone close to you is plotting; if it is a red or yellow flame, you may sleep soundly without worry. Whenever you are in a dangerous place and your eyelid twitches, one twitch means one li away, two or three twitches mean two or three li away, and ten twitches mean ten li ahead: treacherous people and bandits will surely arrive. If I know this in advance, I can capture the traitors and bandits while laughing and talking.
4. On Traveling Far
Whenever you travel far and stop for the night in a village, you must examine the divine light. If it is absent and your heart stirs and your eyelid twitches, you should quickly keep well away and not go in. If you are staying in a valley or below a cliff, beneath dead trees or a broken wall, and the divine light is absent, there will surely be the danger of a landslide, falling rocks, a falling tree, or a collapsing wall. When passing in and out of lonely places in the mountains and forests, if the divine light does not appear, you must on no account act rashly, lest there be dangers from tigers, wolves, snakes, or vipers. If you guard against this carefully, there will be no harm.
5. On Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Lightning
Whenever you are outdoors and are suddenly caught in a violent storm, quickly examine the divine light. If it does not appear, there will certainly be the danger of floods, landslides, and collapsing city walls. You must not stay there long, but must move to higher ground; only then can you escape.
6. On Crossing Water
Whenever you are to cross a river or the sea, or a place of dangerous waters and fierce waves, examine the divine light one day in advance. If it is red or yellow, you may cross. If green, there will be strong winds. If white, there will be heavy rain. If it is black or absent, there will be the disaster of the boat capsizing, the rudder breaking, and drowning—losing your life in an instant. How can you not be careful!
7. On Food and Drink
Whenever you drink or dine with others, or are invited by someone while staying as a guest, and fear that some harm may come to you, you must examine the divine light. If it is a bright red flame, or yellow, round, and large, there will surely be joyful occasions and the pleasure of eating and drinking one's fill, without any harm. If it is green or white, it surely portends a quarrel, or poor food and wine and an unsatisfying occasion. If the light is black, you may be harmed by the food and wine, choke on a bone, or eat something poisonous by mistake—troubles will arise in a hundred ways. You must be careful and cautious, or else not go, to avoid harm.
8. On Visiting Friends
Whenever you go to visit friends, also examine the divine light. If the light is yellow or red, the person is at home, and you will have the joy of a glad welcome and generous hospitality with food and wine. If it is green or white, the person may be busy at home, rushing about on other business, or dealing with a death or other misfortune, and will have no time to receive you. If the light is black, there is no need to go; something unexpected will arise, and nothing will go well.
9. On Illness, Life, and Death
If a person's divine light is unclear, or shows no form, for seven nights, it greatly portends danger. If it is seen on one night in five, there is no harm. Watch for it regularly at dusk; if it is absent, examine it again at midnight. If it appears, the primordial qi is merely out of balance, and there will certainly be no danger of death. If the examination shows red or yellow, the person will recover within a day; if green or white, it only portends a lingering illness; if black, or if there is no light, the time of death is near.
5. The Specific Method of Practicing the Divine Light Art
1. The Spirit-Settling Decoction
Whenever you are in a sudden emergency, or troubled by affairs and in a hurry, your spirit will surely be unsettled, and the light will be distorted along with it. Therefore you must first take the Spirit-Settling Decoction; then, with the mind settled and the spirit at peace, your examination will naturally never fail.
Introduction to the Spirit-Settling Decoction formula
The Spirit-Settling Decoction formula: asparagus root (tianmendong; one liang, core removed), ginseng (one liang, plump and moist, rhizome head removed), grassleaf sweet flag rhizome (shichangpu; five qian, of the nine-node kind, hairs removed), poria with pine root (fushen; three liang, skin removed), licorice (five qian, honey-fried, skin removed), cinnabar (five qian, in bright, lustrous grains), and musk (one qian, genuine, ground to a fine powder separately together with the cinnabar).
Prepare the above according to the proper methods and grind them into a fine powder; mix the cinnabar and musk in evenly, and take two qian mixed with a decoction of coptis and rush pith. With this formula, whenever a careless or hot-tempered person is momentarily unsettled in mind and spirit and wishes to examine the divine light, fearing that it will not work, he must first take this medicine and sit quietly in seated meditation for a while; then, as to good and ill fortune, survival and ruin, right and wrong, gain and loss, there is naturally no reason the examination should fail. Others who love stillness and are not troubled by other affairs need not take this medicine.
(Editor's note: This formula contains cinnabar and other toxic ingredients. It is preserved here only as a historical document; on no account prepare or take it yourself.)
2. A Sincere Heart and Upright Intention
The inquirer should sincerely ask the divine light to show the way out of confusion. The divine light must be examined late at night when all is quiet, when one's own mind is calm, alone in a room or in an open space outdoors. Close your eyes, relax, and clear away distracting thoughts, and be sure not to let anyone else know. When examining the divine light, imagine that you are reverently facing the gods, asking them to show you the way out of confusion and reveal good and ill fortune. Concentrate your mind intently and tell the gods at what time you will go to what place to do what, and whom you will face, and ask what the good or ill fortune, success or failure, safety or danger will be. Recite this silently for one to three minutes; then, with your eyes closed, press the left and right eyes (the eye sockets or eyelids) firmly with the middle fingers of both hands and slowly rotate them, and you will see the divine light appear. From its color, you will know the good or ill fortune, success or failure, safety or danger. If you see a green light, there will be a worrying matter; if you see a white light, there will be a false alarm; if you see a yellow or red light, there will be a happy event; if you see black, it is greatly inauspicious.