Who Wrote the "Cantong qi"?

This presentation is based on "The Seal of the Unity of the Three", by Fabrizio Pregadio (Golden Elixir Press, 2011), a book containing a complete translation of the main text of Taoist Internal Alchemy (Neidan). Web page: http://www.goldenelixir.com/press/trl_02_ctq.html.

Transcript

1. WHO WROTE THE CANTONG QI? Fabrizio Pregadio © Golden Elixir Press 2012
2. Fabrizio Pregadio The Seal of the Unity of the Three: A Study and Translation of the Cantong qi, the Source of the Taoist Way of the Golden Elixir 324 pp., Golden Elixir Press, 2011 Paperback • Hardcover • PDF (Abridged) ISBN 978-0-9843082-8-6 (pbk) ISBN 978-0-9843082-7-9 (hbk) Web page: www.goldenelixir.com/press/trl_02_ctq.html This presentation is a summary of the Introduction to: This presentation may be freely downloaded and uploaded to other websites, provided that is is not modified and that it is made available at no charge
3. The Cantong qi ჩಉܖ (Seal of the Unity of the Three) Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com This part of the presentation concerns the main textual features of the Cantong qi
4. • Traditionally attributed to Wei Boyang ᲇഢཅ • Traditionally dated to the Later Han period (ca. 150 CE) • Commonly deemed to be the first Neidan text Yu Yan 俞㧠 (1258-1314) Zhouyi cantong qi fahui पқჩಉܖᚙش, 1284 Cuncun zhai ଘଘᜊ ed., 1310 Beijing University, “Rare exemplar” (shanben ળຊ) [apparently unique] The Cantong qi Traditional Views Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
5. The Cantong qi • Divided into three parts or “Books” (pian Ἣ) • Books 1 and 2 are almost entirely written in poetry (4- or 5- character rhyming verses) • Book 3 is divided into three parts written in different prosodic forms ‣ Either the whole Book 3, or one of its three sections, is entitled Wu xianglei ޒ૬ྨ (The Five Categories) Composition Chen Zhixu ௠க㐘 (1290-ca. 1368) Zhouyi cantong qi zhujie पқჩಉܖ஫ղ, ca. 1330 Jinling shufang ۚྕॻ๥ ed., 1484 Shanghai Library, “Rare exemplar” (shanben ળຊ) [apparently unique] Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
6. • The Cantong qi is an alchemical text • The Cantong qi contains a complete illustration of Neidan (Internal Alchemy) doctrines and practices • The Cantong qi is the first Neidan text The Cantong qi First Reading Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com This is the first of the two main readings of the Cantong qi. The second reading is outlined in the next slide
7. • The Cantong qi deals with 3 main subjects: (1) Cosmology (2) Daoism (3) Alchemy • The 3 subjects are integrated into a single doctrine: ‣ metaphysics ‣ cosmology ‣ description of the highest realized state ‣ canonical form of practice The Cantong qi Second Reading Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com The next slide outlines the differences between the two main readings of the Cantong qi.
8. First Reading • A single subject, a single author, and a single date • Reflects a traditional truth that is impervious to historical analysis Second Reading • The result of a composition process that involved representatives of different traditions, and was completed in several stages • Allows inquiries into the origins of the three subjects and the respective textual components The Cantong qi Differences Between the Two Readings Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
9. Traditions on Wei Boyang Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com This part of the presentation concerns the different views of Wei Boyang
10. Biography in Shenxian zhuan ਆઋၚ Biographies of the Divine Immortals: • Came from Wu 㗀 (present-day Jiangsu, and parts of Anhui and Zhejiang) • Retired on a mountain with three disciples • Tested his elixir on a dog, which died • Wei Boyang and one disciple also died • The other two disciples left • Wei Boyang and his faithful disciple, “whose surname was Yu ۫,” were reborn after death and became immortal Wei Boyang Attr. Ge Hong (283-343) Shenxian zhuan (Yunji qiqian, j. 109) Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com The Shenxian zhuan contains the best- known biography of Wei Boyang.
11. Biography in Shenxian zhuan ਆઋၚ Conclusion: Wei Boyang wrote the Cantong qi and the Wuxing xianglei ޒߦ૬ྨ (The Categories of the Five Agents), altogether in three chapters. His work talks about the Book of Changes, but in fact utilizes its lines and images to discuss the principles of compounding the Elixir. Wei Boyang “ ” Attr. Ge Hong (283-343) Shenxian zhuan (Yunji qiqian, 109) Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com The final passage attributes the composition of the whole Cantong qi to Wei Boyang.
12. Biography in Shenxian zhuan ਆઋၚ Conclusion: Wei Boyang wrote the Cantong qi and the Wuxing xianglei ޒߦ૬ྨ (The Categories of the Five Agents), altogether in three chapters. His work talks about the Book of Changes, but in fact utilizes its lines and images to discuss the principles of compounding the Elixir. Wei Boyang “ ” Attr. Ge Hong (283-343) Shenxian zhuan (Yunji qiqian, 109) Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com The final passage attributes the composition of the whole Cantong qi to Wei Boyang.
13. Preface to Peng Xiao’s ኰᐁ commentary (947 CE): • “According to the Shenxian zhuan . . .” • Came from Shangyu ্۫ in Kuaiji ။ܤ (present-day eastern Jiangsu and western Zhejiang) • Was a learned master competent in prose and poetry and expert in the apocrypha • Cultivated the Dao “in secret and silence” and nourished himself “in Empty Non-being” (xuwu 㐘ແ) Wei Boyang Account by Peng Xiao ኰᐁ Peng Xiao ኰᐁ (?-955) Zhouyi cantong qi tong zhenyi पқჩಉܖ௨ਅٛ (947) Daozang ed. Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com Peng Xiao’s commentary contains an entirely different account of Wei Boyang.
14. Conclusion: Wei Boyang [Wei Boyang] wrote the Cantong qi in three parts in agreement with the Book of Changes. . . . He secretly disclosed his book to Xu Congshi, a native of Qingzhou ੨भ (Shandong), who wrote a commentary on it keeping his name hidden. At the time of Emperor Huan of the Later Han (r. 146-167), the Master again transmitted it to Chunyu Shutong. Since then, it has circulated in the world. Account by Peng Xiao ኰᐁ “ ” Peng Xiao ኰᐁ (?-955) Zhouyi cantong qi tong zhenyi पқჩಉܖ௨ਅٛ (947) Daozang ed. Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com The conclusion mentions two other masters.
15. Conclusion: Wei Boyang [Wei Boyang] wrote the Cantong qi in three parts in agreement with the Book of Changes. . . . He secretly disclosed his book to Xu Congshi, a native of Qingzhou ੨भ (Shandong), who wrote a commentary on it keeping his name hidden. At the time of Emperor Huan of the Later Han (r. 146-167), the Master again transmitted it to Chunyu Shutong. Since then, it has circulated in the world. Account by Peng Xiao ኰᐁ “ ” Peng Xiao ኰᐁ (?-955) Zhouyi cantong qi tong zhenyi पқჩಉܖ௨ਅٛ (947) Daozang ed. Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
16. Commentary to sec. 83: Wei Boyang Some texts on the Dao say that the Cantong qi is in three parts, and that Master Wei Boyang, Xu Congshi, and Chunyu Shutong each wrote one part. These discourses are greatly wrong. In fact, the Master also wrote The Five Categories, where he says, “I now write again to fill the lacunae.” Clearly [the whole Cantong qi] was written only by the Master. Account by Peng Xiao ኰᐁ “ ” Peng Xiao ኰᐁ (?-955) Zhouyi cantong qi tong zhenyi पқჩಉܖ௨ਅٛ (947) Daozang ed. Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com A third different account is found in another part of Peng Xiao’s commentary
17. Commentary to sec. 83: Wei Boyang Some texts on the Dao say that the Cantong qi is in three parts, and that Master Wei Boyang, Xu Congshi, and Chunyu Shutong each wrote one part. These discourses are greatly wrong. In fact, the Master also wrote The Five Categories, where he says, “I now write again to fill the lacunae.” Clearly [the whole Cantong qi] was written only by the Master. Account by Peng Xiao ኰᐁ “ ” Peng Xiao ኰᐁ (?-955) Zhouyi cantong qi tong zhenyi पқჩಉܖ௨ਅٛ (947) Daozang ed. Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
18. The Three Authors Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com This part of the presentation concerns the three masters who are ascribed with the composition and the early transmission of the Cantong qi
19. The Three Authors The Authors of the Cantong qi ‣ Wei Boyang ᲇഢཅ • Three authors are involved in the composition and the early transmission of the Cantong qi • Their geographical origins are important ‣ Xu Congshi ঃኺࣄ ‣ Chunyu Shutong ३ဋ॑௨ Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
20. • Peng Xiao’s account may have been remotely inspired by the narrative found in the Shenxian zhuan, but was modified in almost all major details • It shares only one detail with the Shenxian zhuan: Wei Boyang was born in southern China ‣ Shenxian zhuan: An alchemist who retires on a mountain with his disciples, tests his elixir on a dog, and is reborn after death ‣ Peng Xiao: A learned master who is competent in prose and poetry and is expert in the apocrypha, cultivates the Dao “in secret and silence” and nourishes himself “in Empty Non-being” Wei Boyang ᲇഢཅ The Three Authors Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
21. According to Peng Xiao: • Was a native of Qingzhou ੨भ, in present-day Shandong • Wrote an anonymous commentary to the Cantong qi ‣ This commentary was an independent work (Wei Boyang “wrote the Cantong qi in three parts,” i.e., the whole Cantong qi) Xu Congshi ঃኺࣄ The Three Authors Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
22. According to Tao Hongjing’s ಃ߂ܠ (456-536) Zhengao ਅᨘ (True Declarations): • Was a disciple of Xu Congshi • Was proficient in the “arts of the numbers” (shushu Ꮠज़, i.e., cosmology, prognostication, and the related sciences) • Was appointed fangshi ํ࢜ • Lived at Emperor Huan’s court around 150 CE • Later he returned to the Wu region in the south, where he received an alchemical text from an immortal named Huiche zi ܛंࢠ Chunyu Shutong ३ဋ॑௨ The Three Authors Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
23. Early Views on the Authorship of the Cantong qi Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com This part of the presentation concerns four early accounts of the authorship of the Cantong qi
24. (1) Tao Hongjing ಃ߂ܠ, Zhengao ਅᨘ (True Revelations), ca. 500 (2) Preface to Zhouyi cantong qi zhu, ca. 700 [Waidan commentary] (3) Preface to Zhouyi cantong qi, ca. 700 [“Yin Changsheng” commentary] (4) Liu Zhigu ཱུ஌ݹ, Riyue xuanshu lun ೔݄ݰᒥ࿦, ca. 750 (a) Commentary to Longhu jing ཾދៃ attributed to Xiao xiansheng ᤲઌੜ (now lost) (b) Preface to Riyue hunyuan jing ೔݄ࠞݩៃ (Scripture on the Inchoate Origin of the Sun and the Moon) by Li Xuanguang ཥݰޫ (now extant in an incomplete version) Early Sources on the Authorship of the Cantong qi Early Views on Authorship Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
25. Early Views on Authorship Xu Congshi • No precise detail about the authorship of the Cantong qi • Wei Boyang does not appear at all in this account • receives the “arts of the numbers” from Xu Congshi Chunyu Shutong Account # 1 • Source: Tao Hongjing ಃ߂ܠ (456-536), Zhengao ਅᨘ Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
26. Xu Congshi • Source: Preface to Zhouyi cantong qi zhu, ca. 700 CE [Waidan commentary] • receives the Longhu jing ཾދៃ (in 2 chapters) from an immortal Account # 2 Chunyu Shutong Wei Boyang • receives the Longhu jing from Xu Congshi • adds a chapter entitled Wu xianglei ޒ૬ྨ (The Five Categories) • changes the title from Longhu jing to Cantong qi • the Cantong qi now has 3 chapters Early Views on Authorship Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
27. • Source (1): Preface to Zhouyi cantong qi, ca. 700 CE [“Yin Changsheng” commentary] • Source (2): Riyue xuanshu lun ೔݄ݰᒥ࿦, ca. 750 CE [quoted from a now-lost commentary to the Longhu jing attributed to Xiao xiansheng ᤲઌੜ] • writes the Longhu jing ཾދៃ Account # 3 Xu Congshi Chunyu Shutong Wei Boyang ? • receives the Longhu jing ཾދៃ (prob. from Xu Congshi) • adds a chapter entitled Wu xianglei ޒ૬ྨ • changes the title from Longhu jing to Cantong qi • receives the text from Xu Congshi (after Wei Boyang’s additions) • adds a third chapter • the Cantong qi now has 3 chapters Early Views on Authorship Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
28. • Source: Riyue xuanshu lun ೔݄ݰᒥ࿦, ca. 750 [quoted from the preface to Riyue hunyuan jing ೔݄ࠞݩៃ (Scripture on the Inchoate Origin of the Sun and the Moon) by Li Xuanguang ཥݰޫ] • writes chapter 1 of the Cantong qi • uses the Longhu jing ཾދៃ as a model Account # 4 Xu Congshi Chunyu Shutong Wei Boyang • receives the Cantong qi from Xu Congshi • writes chapter 2 • receives the Cantong qi from Wei Boyang • writes chapter 3 • the Cantong qi now has 3 chapters Early Views on Authorship Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
29. Review Xu Congshi Chunyu Shutong Xu Congshi Chunyu Shutong Wei Boyang Xu Congshi Chunyu Shutong Wei Boyang ? Xu Congshi Chunyu Shutong Wei Boyang Early Views on Authorship Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com • In the four accounts, Wei Boyang is never the author of the Cantong qi • The main master and primary creator of the Cantong qi is always Xu Congshi
30. ‣ Cantong qi, sec. 11: The sage is not born in vain: he contemplates on high the manifest signs of Heaven. Role of Xu Congshi Early Views on Authorship ‣ Zhouyi cantong qi zhu, ca. 700 CE [Waidan commentary]: The True Man Xu [Congshi] looked above and contemplated the images of the trigrams; thus he determined Yin and Yang. “ ” “ ” Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com Similar statements are found in sections 14, 37, and 42. This example shows that during the Tang dynasty the composition of the Cantong qi was attributed to Xu Congshi.
31. PRIMARY AUTHOR Xu Congshi Wei Boyang PLACE Shangdong (North) Jiangnan (South) TRADITION Cosmology Alchemy Two Main Views Early Views on Authorship FIRST VIEW SECOND VIEW Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
32. • The primary creator of the text is Xu Congshi ‣ He writes either the first part of the text, or the first and the second parts • His disciple, Chunyu Shutong, is a fangshi • Wei Boyang is either a disciple of Xu Congshi, or a disciple of Chunyu Shutong • Wei Boyang’s role is secondary or even marginal: ‣ He writes the second part of the Cantong qi ‣ He merely changes the title of the Longhu jing to Cantong qi • The Cantong qi belongs in the first place to the cosmological traditions of the Han dynasty First View Early Views on Authorship Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
33. • The Cantong qi is the work of Wei Boyang ‣ He is an alchemist from Jiangnan • Two associated views: (1) Xu Congshi and Chunyu Shutong are Wei Boyang’s disciples ‣ They receive the Cantong qi from him, and write parts of the text (2) Neither Xu Congshi nor Chunyu Shutong play any part in the composition of the Cantong qi ‣ Wei Boyang writes his work alone • The Cantong qi belongs in the first place to alchemical traditions Second View Early Views on Authorship Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
34. 1. Until the mid-Tang period (ca. 750 CE), the primary author of the Cantong qi was Xu Congshi, a Han-dynasty cosmologist 2. Liu Zhigu is the first known author to suggest that Wei Boyang is the author of the Cantong qi 3. The tradition that Wei Boyang wrote the entire Cantong qi became dominant after Peng Xiao (ca. 950 CE) Summary Early Views on Authorship Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
35. The Three Subjects of the Cantong qi Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com This part of the presentation concerns the three main subjects of the Cantong qi, which are referred to in its title (The Seal of the Unity of the Three)
36. The Cantong qi • Zhouyi पқ Book of Changes • can ჩ three (ࡾ) • tong ಉ unity; to unify • qi ܖ seal (*), token Meaning of the title (*) Seal = “A thing regarded as a confirmation or guarantee of something” Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
37. The Cantong qi Meaning of the title 1. Cosmology (yidao қಓ) 2. Daoism (Huang-Lao 㐋࿝) 3. Alchemy (luhuo ᗝՐ) Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
38. The Cantong qi Meaning of the title େқ৘ੑɺ֤೗ଖ౓ɺ㐋࿝༻ڀɺֱࣕՄޚɺᗝՐ೭ࣄɺਅ༗ ॴᎦɺࡾಓ༝Ұɺ㖣ग़ኸ࿏ɻ The qualities and nature of the great Book of Changes all follow their measures; with study, the Yellow Emperor’s and the Old Master’s teachings are simple to grasp; the work with the fire of the furnace is based on the Truth. These three Ways stem from one, and together yield one path. Cantong qi, sec. 83 Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com This poem mentions the three subjects of the Cantong qi.
39. The Cantong qi Meaning of the title ཏྻࡾᑍɺࢬᣜ૬࿈ɺಉग़ҟ໊ɺօ༝Ұ໳ɻ I have tendered three twigs, but their branches and stalks are bound to one another: “They come forth together but have different names,” as they all stem from one gate. Cantong qi, sec. 87 Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com This poem also refers to the three subjects of the Cantong qi.
40. (1) Cosmology Main topics of the cosmological sections: • Qian ☰, Kun ☷, Kan ☵, Li ☲ • Sun and Moon • Three main cosmological cycles ‣ Day (cycle of 60 hexagrams) ‣ Month (cycle of 8 trigrams) ‣ Year (cycle of 12 hexagrams) • Ruler and governance The Three Subjects of the Cantong qi Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com In these sections, the Cantong qi uses cosmological language and images, and draws sentences and terms from the Book of Changes (see the next slide for an example)
41. The Three Subjects of the Cantong qi ס߶ࠕॊ Qian ☰ the firm and Kun ☷ the yielding ഑߹૬แ join and embrace one another; ཅ᜛ӄड Yang endows, Yin receives, ༤ࣁ૬ਢ the masculine and the feminine attend one to the other. ਢҎ଄Խ Attending, they create and transform, ਫ਼ᔅ೫ဉ unfolding their Essence and Breath. ᅽ཭ףट Kan ☵ and Li ☲ are at the fore: ޫ༾ਨෑ their radiance and glow come down and spread out. ݰ້೉ଌ Mysterious and obscure, this can hardly be fathomed ෆՄᙘᅷ and cannot be pictured or charted. (1) Cosmology Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
42. • The month is divided into six parts (hou ީ) of five days • Each of the six parts is associated with one of the eight trigrams and one of the ten celestial stems • The six trigrams illustrate the rise and the fall of Yin (the broken line) and Yang (the solid line) during the thirty days of the month • The Cantong qi follows Yu Fan’s ۫຋ (164-233) description of this cosmological pattern The Three Subjects of the Cantong qi (1) Cosmology The Najia ೲߕ (Matching Stems) Device Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com This is one of the three main cosmological cycles of the Cantong qi.
43. On the third day, it comes forth with its clear light, when Zhen ☳ and geng match the western direction. On the eighth day, when Dui ☱ matches ding, the waxing quarter is level as a string. On the fifteenth, with the body of Qian ☰ attained, it is full at jia in the eastern direction. . . . When the sixteenth, in turn, acquires control, it appears at dawn at Xun ☴ and xin. When Gen ☶ aligns with bing in the south, it is the twenty-third, the waning quarter. When Kun ☷ is at yi on the thirtieth day, “forego your friends in the northeast.” ࡾ೔ग़ҝ૘、 ਒߀ड੢ํ。 ീ೔ၳडஸ、 ্ݭฏ೗៹。 ेޒסᱪब、 ੝ᕝߕ౦ํ。 . . . े࿡᫚ड౷、 ୥ਏݟฏ໌。 ࠡ௚ԙชೆ、 Լݭೋेࡾ。 ࠕԵࡾे೔、 ౦๺૕ଖ๎。 The Three Subjects of the Cantong qi (1) Cosmology Cantong qi, sec. 13 Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com This poem describes the cycle of the Moon during the month.
44. ࡾ೔ग़ҝ૘、 ਒߀ड੢ํ。 ീ೔ၳडஸ、 ্ݭฏ೗៹。 ेޒסᱪब、 ੝ᕝߕ౦ํ。 . . . े࿡᫚ड౷、 ୥ਏݟฏ໌。 ࠡ௚ԙชೆ、 Լݭೋेࡾ。 ࠕԵࡾे೔、 ౦๺૕ଖ๎。 Cantong qi, sec. 13 The Three Subjects of the Cantong qi (1) Cosmology ࡾ೔฻਒৅ɼ ग़߀ɻ ീ೔ၳ৅ɼ ݟஸɻ ेޒ೔ס৅ɼ Ӱߕɻ े࿡೔୴୥৅ɼ ୀਏɻ ೋेࡾ೔ࠡ৅ɼ ফชɻ ࡾे೔ࠕ৅ɼ ໓Եɻ Yu Fan ۫຋, comm. to Book of Changes Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com This slide shows that the description of the cycle of the Moon in the Cantong qi is drawn from Yu Fan’s commentary to the Book of Changes.
45. (2) Alchemy Main topics of the alchemical sections: • Lead and Mercury • Description of the alchemical method • Aspects of the alchemical method ‣ The five agents and the Elixir ‣ The principle of “belonging to the same kind” (tonglei ಉྨ) ‣ The principle of “inversion” (ni ٯ) • Criticism of erroneous alchemical methods The Three Subjects of the Cantong qi Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com In these sections, the Cantong qi uses alchemical language and images (see the next slide for an example)
46. Ꮃ࣏ኂ߹೭ ࣋ೖ੺৭໳ ݻ࠹ଖࡍ။ ຿ྩக׬ݎ ԌՐுԙԼ Ᏹ໷ᡎਖ਼ۈ ࢝จ࢖Մम ऴᰈ෢೫௠ . . . คఏҎҰؙ ౛ܓ࠷ҝਆ Pound it and mix it, and let it enter the Red-colored Gates. Seal the joints firmly, striving to make them as tight as you can. A blazing fire grows underneath: by day and by night its sound is unchanging and steady. At first make it gentle so that it may be adjusted, at the end make it fierce and let it spread out. . . . Minutely powder it and make it into a pellet — even one speck is supremely divine. (2) Alchemy The Three Subjects of the Cantong qi Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com This is one of the three descriptions of the compounding of the Elixir in the Cantong qi.
47. • The alchemical model of the Cantong qi has influenced virtually the whole history of Chinese alchemy (Waidan and Neidan) from the 7th century onwards ‣ Until then, no alchemical text is based on the model of the Cantong qi The Three Subjects of the Cantong qi (2) Alchemy Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
48. (3) Daoism Main topics of the Daoist sections: • “Superior virtue” (shangde ্℄) and “inferior virtue” (xiade Լ℄) • The origins of life • The natural course of things • Criticism of other practices ‣ Breathing ‣ Meditation on the inner gods ‣ Sexual practices ‣ Rites addressed to minor deities The Three Subjects of the Cantong qi Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com In these sections, the Cantong qi draws sentences and terms from the Daode jing and the Zhuangzi (see the next slide for an example)
49. 㚎Ҏཆݾ ҆ᯩ㐘ແ ݪຊᯅ໌ 㚎রܗᷯ ด࠹ଖၳ ஙݻ᯦ג ࡾޫ཮௜ 㐌ཆࢠच ࢹ೭ෆݟ ۙࣕқٻ Innerly nourish yourself, serene and quiescent in Empty Non-being. Going back to the fundament conceal your light, and innerly illuminate your body. “Shut the openings” (*) and raise and strengthen the Numinous Trunk; as the three luminaries “sink into the ground,” (**) warmly nourish the Pearl. “Watching, you do not see it” (*) — it is nearby and easy to seek. (3) Daoism The Three Subjects of the Cantong qi Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com (*) Daode jing; (**) Zhuangzi This is one of the poems found in the Daoist sections.
50. “Superior virtue has no doing”: it does not use examining and seeking. “Inferior virtue does”: its operation does not rest. ্℄ແҝ、ෆҎ࡯ٻ、 Լ℄ҝ೭、ଖ༻ෆٳ。 Cantong qi, sec. 20 CANTONG QI Superior virtue has no doing: there is nothing whereby it does. Inferior virtue does: there is something whereby it does. ্℄ແҝ、ࣕແҎҝ、 Լ℄ҝ೭、ࣕ༗Ҏҝ。 Daode jing, sec. 38 DAODE JING The Three Subjects of the Cantong qi (3) Daoism Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
51. • Distinction between non-doing (wuwei ແҝ) and doing (youwei ༗ҝ) ‣ The ways of Superior virtue (shangde ্℄) and inferior virtue (xiade Լ℄), respectively • In Superior Virtue, the state prior to the separation of the One into the Two is spontaneously attained • Inferior Virtue focuses on seeking the One Breath of the Dao (ಓ೭Ұᔅ) • The way of Inferior Virtue is the way of alchemy The Three Subjects of the Cantong qi (3) Daoism Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
52. Historical Overview Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com This part of the presentation concerns the historical process that led to the composition of the Cantong qi
53. • Cites a Wei Boyang neijing ᲇഢཅ㚎ኸ (Inner Scripture of Wei Boyang) ‣ Probably an alchemical text (Waidan) ‣ Impossible to demonstrate/refute that this is the Cantong qi ‣ If it is the Cantong qi, the alchemical tradition disregarded it for ca. 500 years • Mentions a Boyang ഢཅ 4 times ‣ 3 times Boyang = Laozi ‣ The 4th mention requires attention (see the next slide, on textual similarities between a passage of the Baopu zi and a poem of the Cantong qi) Historical Overview Did Ge Hong Know Wei Boyang? Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
54. Historical Overview Did Ge Hong Know Wei Boyang? ࣕ؅ӐॾੜɼԲᏗᛑ㘸ɼฉ༗ډࢁྛ೭ ؒɼफഢཅ೭ۀऀɼଇᆝࣕস೭ᐌɼ൴ খಓࣖɼෆ଍ࢉ໵ɽ . . . And when those who peer at life through a pipe, forming personal opinions and expounding mindless speeches, hear that there is someone dwelling in mountains and forests who takes the doings of Boyang as his ideal, they slander and poke fun at him saying, “That is a minor path, not worth bothering with.” Baopu zi neipian, ch. 10 BAOPU ZI CANTONG QI Ꭶ҈ґจ㘸ɺໝҎҙҝ೭ . . . ؅Ӑෆኍ ݟɺ೉Ҏᎋํိɻ Relying on opinion and written speeches, they foolishly act as they like . . . As if peering through a pipe, unable to see broadly, they can hardly assess what impends. Cantong qi, sec. 36 Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
55. Historical Overview Did Ge Hong Know Wei Boyang? ࣕ؅ӐॾੜɼԲᏗᛑ㘸ɼฉ༗ډࢁྛ೭ ؒɼफഢཅ೭ۀऀɼଇᆝࣕস೭ᐌɼ൴ খಓࣖɼෆ଍ࢉ໵ɽ . . . And when those who peer at life through a pipe, forming personal opinions and expounding mindless speeches, hear that there is someone dwelling in mountains and forests who takes the doings of Boyang as his ideal, they slander and poke fun at him saying, “That is a minor path, not worth bothering with.” Baopu zi neipian, ch. 10 BAOPU ZI CANTONG QI Ꭶ҈ґจ㘸ɺໝҎҙҝ೭ . . . ؅Ӑෆኍ ݟɺ೉Ҏᎋํိɻ Relying on opinion and written speeches, they foolishly act as they like . . . As if peering through a pipe, unable to see broadly, they can hardly assess what impends. Cantong qi, sec. 36 Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
56. Historical Overview Did Ge Hong Know Wei Boyang? • The main piece of evidence is Wei Boyang’s biography in the Shenxian zhuan ‣ Attributed to Ge Hong, ca. 320 CE ‣ First cited in a source dating from 978 • Is the final paragraph of Wei Boyang’s biography reliable? Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com The next slides outline the process that led to the composition of the Cantong qi and to its attribution to Wei Boyang.
57. Historical Overview The Cantong qi in Jiangnan • The Cantong qi certainly circulated in Jiangnan in the 5th century • Quoted or cited by 3 authors who lived in Jiangnan: ‣ Tao Hongjing, ca. 500 CE ‣ Jiang Yan, ca. 500 CE ‣ Yan Zhitui , ca. 580 CE Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
58. Historical Overview Creation of the Cantong qi: (1) The Cosmological Portions • Probably transmitted in Jiangnan by lineages that handed down the Han-dynasty cosmological traditions (“Yixue” қላ) ‣ These lineages included the one represented by Yu Fan (164-233) ‣ The original core of the text may have been a Han-dynasty Cantong qi, or a text not entitled Cantong qi ‣ Did not contain portions concerned with alchemy • The use of the Najia cosmological pattern shows that the cosmological portions of the Cantong qi do not date from the mid-2nd century ‣ They were written at least one century later • These lineages attributed the Cantong qi to Xu Congshi and Chunyu Shutong Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
59. Historical Overview Creation of the Cantong qi: (2) The Alchemical Portions • Ge Hong (ca. 320) seems to have known Wei Boyang, but not the Cantong qi • Tao Hongjing (ca. 500) cites the Cantong qi in association with Chunyu Shutong, but does not mention Wei Boyang ‣ When Chunyu Shutong receives an alchemical text, his master is not Wei Boyang • The alchemical portions were added to the Cantong qi after Ge Hong’s time • At that time, Wei Boyang began to be named as the author of the Cantong qi ‣ This role became widely accepted several centuries later Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
60. Historical Overview The Purpose of the Final Paragraph Wei Boyang wrote the Cantong qi and the Wuxing xianglei ޒߦ૬ྨ (The Categories of the Five Agents), altogether in three chapters. His work talks about the Book of Changes, but in fact utilizes its lines and images to discuss the principles of compounding the Elixir. “ ” Attr. Ge Hong (283-343) Shenxian zhuan (Yunji qiqian, 109) Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
61. Historical Overview The Purpose of the Final Paragraph . . . Knowing nothing about the divine Elixir, the worldly scholars (ru) have written several commentaries on it based on Yin and Yang. They have truly missed their meaning. “ ” Attr. Ge Hong (283-343) Shenxian zhuan (Yunji qiqian, 109) Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
62. Historical Overview The Purpose of the Final Paragraph • The final paragraph not only mentions Wei Boyang, but also denounces the “scholars” who interpreted the Cantong qi “based on Yin and Yang”, i.e., cosmology • With these words, the alchemical lineages intended to show that the Cantong qi is not a text on cosmology, but on the foundations of alchemy • Is Wei Boyang’s disciple “whose surname was Yu ۫” none other than Yu Fan ۫຋? ‣ If he is Yu Fan, this shows the priority of the alchemical traditions over the cosmological traditions Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
63. Creation of the Cantong qi: (3) The Daoist Portions • The Cantong qi criticizes the Daoist methods of meditation on the inner gods • At the same time, it uses terms drawn from the “Inner” (“Nei” 㚎) version of the Scripture of the Yellow Court (Huangting jing 㐋ఉៃ), one of the main Daoist texts on meditation, belonging to the Shangqing revelations of 364–70 ‣ About 60 shared terms, evenly distributed among the different parts of the Cantong qi Historical Overview Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
64. Conclusion Daoism and the Unity of the Three Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com This part of the presentation concerns the role of the Daoist traditions in the composition of the Cantong qi
65. • Whoever composed or edited the Cantong qi in its present form mastered the art of poetry • The distinction between the ways of Superior Virtue (Daoism) and Inferior Virtue (alchemy) is drawn from the perspective of the former way ‣ This perspective invests the whole Cantong qi and gives unity to its 3 main subjects • Those who gave the Cantong qi its present form could only be anonymous representatives of the Daoist traditions of Jiangnan ‣ The collective “hand” of the southern Daoist traditions revised the Cantong qi after 450 CE Who Wrote the Cantong qi? Daoism and the Unity of the Three Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
66. • Wei Boyang is much more than a 2nd century semi-legendary alchemist • Just like the Boyang who preceded him is for the Daode jing, Wei Boyang is the symbolic representative of a nameless “collective entity” • He represents the tradition that integrated the different components of the Cantong qi with one another, and created the main exposition of the Way of the Golden Elixir Who is Wei Boyang? Daoism and the Unity of the Three Fabrizio Pregadio, “Who Wrote the Cantong qi?” © Golden Elixir Press 2012 www.goldenelixir.com
67. Fabrizio Pregadio The Seal of the Unity of the Three: A Study and Translation of the Cantong qi, the Source of the Taoist Way of the Golden Elixir 324 pp., Golden Elixir Press, 2011 Paperback • Hardcover • PDF (Abridged) ISBN 978-0-9843082-8-6 (pbk) ISBN 978-0-9843082-7-9 (hbk) This presentation is a summary of the Introduction to: Web page: www.goldenelixir.com/press/trl_02_ctq.html
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