Author: Livia Kohn

The Yellow Court Scripture, vol. 2

Precursors and Successors by Livia Kohn The Huangting jing (Yellow Court Scripture), a central classic of Daoist meditation translated earlier in this series, did not grow or remain in a cultural vacuum. This book seeks to elucidate its greater context,

Precursors and Successors

by Livia Kohn


The Huangting jing (Yellow Court Scripture), a central classic of Daoist meditation translated earlier in this series, did not grow or remain in a cultural vacuum. This book seeks to elucidate its greater context, presenting discussions and translations of four major and six minor works that can be described as precursors or successors of the text dating from the Eastern Han to the late Tang dynasties. Taken together, these texts illustrate the vibrant cultural role of the Huangting jing in the middle period, showing its growth as part of early Daoist meditation circles and demonstrating its later development into more medical and exorcistic contexts. The book with its original translations makes a major contribution to the study of Daoist cultivation and Chinese intellectual history.

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Available Oct 15

PRAISE

Livia Kohn’s newest book presents translations of various Huangting jing precursor and successor texts together with well-written scholarly introductions. It not only situates the Huangting jing within its broader tradition, but also shows clearly how Chinese views on the interior landscape of the body, the terminology used to describe it, and the various practices for maintaining health underwent a continuous process of evolution and refinement through the centuries. It is sure to become an indispensable guide.

—Thomas E. Smith, translator of Declarations of the Perfected, Parts One and Two

Students of Daoism will highly welcome the first translation into any Western language of the entire Laozi zhongjing and parts of the Lingbao wufuxu relevant to the Huangting jing tradition as they open a more comprehensive view of early Daoism. Readers will also find Kohn’s translations of the Huangting zhongjing jing, the Huangting neijing wuzang liufu buxietu, and six other texts in the wake of the Buxietu particularly useful. As early examples of Daoist medicine and body vision, they complement our knowledge of classical Chinese culture during the Tang and Five Dynasties periods.

—Stephan Peter Bumbacher, University of Basel

THE AUTHOR

Livia Kohn, Ph.D., is Professor Emerita of Religion and East Asian Studies at Boston University. The author or editor of close to sixty books (including the annual Journal of Daoist Studies), she spent ten years in Kyoto doing research. She now serves as the executive editor of Three Pines Press, runs international conferences and workshops, and guides study tours to Japan.

OUTLINE

The Huangting jing 黃庭經 (Yellow Court Scripture) is a text in multiple formats, most importantly an outer and an inner version, the Waijing and the Neijing, both written in seven-character verses and revealed by central cosmic deities. As outlined in my earlier book on the subject (Kohn 2023), recent research tends to favor the understanding that the Waijing is older, linked with the Celestial Masters and dated to the late Eastern Han dynasty. The Neijing, on the other hand, goes back to the late 3rd century and is linked with Wei Huacun 魏華存 (251-334), the libationer of the Celestial Masters who turned revealing deity of Highest Clarity. Through her, the text made its way into the Highest Clarity school although, as Isabelle Robinet points out, it never attained full canonical status on par with the high celestial scriptures (1993, 58).

Knowing this and realizing that the work with its unique presentation of organ palaces, body gods, and internal cultivation methods did not grow or remain in a vacuum, the question arises what cultural background it arose from and what impact it had upon Chinese culture later, specifically in the medieval period, that is, the question of precursors and successors. This book hopes to answer this question, presenting discussions and translations of four major and six minor works that relate in various ways to the Huangting jing.

Key precursors, then, equally dating from the late Eastern Han, are the Lingbao wufuxu 靈寶五符序 (Explanation of the Five Talismans of Numinous Treasure, DZ 388, SV 232-33), notably passagesthat describe deities, heavens, and cultivation practices associated with the five phases; and the Laozi zhongjing 老子中經 (Central Scripture of Laozi, DZ 1168, SV 92-94) with its presentation of gods found both in the greater universe and within the human body.

Main successors are the Huangting zhongjing jing 黃庭中景經 (Central Lights Scripture of the Yellow Court, DZ 1401, SV 350), a composite work of the Sui or early Tang that reformulates and expands the basic Huangting jing teachings; and the Huangting neijing wuzang liufu buxietu 黃庭內景五臟六腑補瀉圖 (Illustrated Outline of the Tonification and Dispersal [of the Qi] of the Five Organs and Six Viscera According to the Inner Lights of the Yellow Court,DZ 432, SV 348-49), dated to 848, which links Huangting jing cosmology and practices with the medical understanding and healing technologies of the time.

In its wake, in turn, are six further works, dating from the late Tang and Five Dynasties periods, that reprint or summarize the outline of the organs as found in the Buxietu, present theoretical discussions of the nature of qi, and link Huangting jing culture with popular methods of protection and exorcism. The last two among them, moreover, contain first indications of internal alchemy, the dominant form of Daoist meditation since the Song dynasty. Its practitioners adopted and integrated the body vision and internal activation expressed in the Huangting jing, giving rise to many further commentaries and interpretations, notably two in the Song, three in the Ming, and at least eight in the Qing.

Overall, the text and its related works expand and modify key features of Han religious culture, which are integrated in the Huangting jing: the heavens, deities, and activation of the five phases as well as the multiplicity of gods found both in the greater universe and within the human body. All have in common that they subscribe to the core vision of the body as a microcosm with close correspondences in the outside world.

1 For a comprehensive list of commentaries, see Gong 1997, 1:66-68. The texts are reprinted in Zhou and Sheng 2015.

Human Body Fengshui

An Almanac of Inner Daoist Cosmology by Dr. Baolin Wu and Austin Lane Muhs, in cooperation with Kevin T. Hill, Jessica Eckstein, Michael McBride, Paulina Wierzbicka, and Brent Christopher Wulf Human Body Fengshui is a unique journey into the mindset

A Bright Light in the Darkness

A Modern Daoist Perspective on the Twelve Animal Zodiac A Bright Light in the Darkness presents the vast variety of Daoist perspectives on the twelve-animal zodiac together with its practical application. It introduced the concept of the inner and outer

Rousing the Rabbit

Qigong for Opening the Occipital Third Eye and Foreseeing Destiny Rousing the Rabbit provides an in-depth exploration of rabbit symbolism and lore from a Daoist perspective. Not only did the abundant fertility of the rabbit establish it as an ancient

The Yellow Court Scripture, vol. 1

Text and Main Commentaries

by Livia Kohn

The Huangting jing (Yellow Court Scripture) is a central classic of Daoist meditation. It comes in two major versions, an “outer” and an “inner” text, that are both revealed by senior deities and written in lines of seven characters. Going back to the early middle period, with major commentaries from the Tang dynasty, they are rather mysterious and poetic in diction, presenting the human body in terms of energies and spirits, towers and chambers. Without giving specific instructions, they suggest visualization, energy circulation, and alignment with the celestial bodies to maintain and control these internal powers in order to enhance life, increase longevity, and reach for immortality. Both texts, moreover, carry celestial potency in themselves and have been chanted since they first appeared. This book, after a historical introduction, translates both versions with their main commentaries, prefaces, and recitation instructions. Allowing the sources to speak for themselves, it opens a new vista on Daoist meditation, traditional cosmology, and the Chinese understanding of body and mind.

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Mad Rulers and Worthy Sons

A Translation and Analysis of the Newly Excavated Zhouxun

by Andrej Fech

This book presents the first study and translation of the ancient text Zhouxun (Instructions of the Zhou). Lost early but mentioned in the history of the Han dynasty, a copy appeared recently and was published as part of the Peking University collection. The work is unique in its claim that ancient Chinese monarchs determined their succession based solely on the abilities of their heirs, disregarding ritually sanctioned criteria, such as primogeniture and the nobility of the maternal lineage. Power transfer here combines hereditary and meritocratic factors in new and different ways. Mad Rulers and Worthy Sons provides a complete translation together with a detailed analysis of the history, structure, and contents of this important document. The book opens a new chapter in our understanding of political values and governmental procedure in early China.

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Living with Taiji

Resilience through Inner Power

by Frieder Anders with Emanuel Seitz

Living with Taiji shows how to live optimally, following the principles of Daoism and nourishing life by practicing the traditional art of Taiji, which goes far beyond martial arts and offers access to a fully integrated and empowered way of life. The book is the product of decades of experience: Frieder Anders, the first European master of the 6th generation of the Yang style, has practiced or almost fifty years and served as a teacher for over forty. The book divides into two parts. First, “Taiji in Action” reprints sections of monthly blog posts on the concrete activation of the practice; it focuses on the breathing types and the growth of inner power. Second, “Fundamental Concepts” introduces key principles as well as the Daoist perspective (by Emanuel Seitz). The book is inspiring and easy to read; it offers an in-depth understanding of Taiji and gentle guidance toward the personal unfolding of optimal ways of being and resilience through inner power.

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JDS 16 (2023)

AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 1. PREORDER NOW! Paperback $30, plus S& H PDF file: $15 CONTENTS Articles Katerina Gajdosova Being One with Dao: The Emergent Notion of Freedom in Early Chinese Cosmological Texts Christina Panera Embodying Heaven: The Ancient Philosophy of Dance

Shadows of Mawangdui

Animating the Silk Daoyintu

by Ronald C. Smith & Antonio M. Carmone

Shadows of Mawangdui offers a fresh perspective on a set of drawings on silk called Daoyintu (Exercise Chart), part of a medical library that was unearthed from a Chinese tomb, dated 168 BCE. Substantially damaged, the silk is arguably one of the most enigmatic medical manuscripts found. Its forty-four static images give an intriguing but incomplete view of an ancient health practice, developed at a time when magical and medical concepts coexisted. Daoyin is the ancient forerunner of modern qigong energy work, and many of the manuscript’s original movements can be connected to present-day practices.

Inspired by their taiji quan teachers and drawing on scholarly work on medical and Daoist exercises, the authors offer a highly creative and inspiring interpretation of the images. They show the images, give a detailed explanation, and offer a step-by-step movement guide, complete with descriptive photos. The work is insightful and inspiring, having grown from many years of practice, intuitive analysis, and teaching. Readers are encouraged to work with the exercises along the lines suggested, yet also allow their one unique creativity to unfold as they take their very own path, look within themselves, and find their own meaning in the age-old practice. A powerful guide and engaging presentation for anyone interested in healing, longevity, Chinese medicine, and Daoism.

Contents and Introduction

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Dog Mother

World Culture and Dog Qigong

Dog Mother explores the powerful relationship the dog has with humanity. From a Daoist perspective, it examines the pivotal role the dog has in world culture through studies of folklore, mythology, and religion. Opening new insights on the dog’s significance and ample cross-cultural connections. Dr. Baolin Wu reveals the spirit that connects dog and humanity in sharing for the first time the Chinese zodiac’s Dog Qigong from the White Cloud Temple in Beijing. A practice embodying the canine spirit to transform the practitioner, to increase the body’s ability to self-heal, and to establish a deep relationship with nature. In addition, he also offers Dog Neigong exercises, simple enough to perform throughout the day to increase the body’s natural senses (smelling, hearing, seeing) generating health and long life. The book is a cultural treasure-trove, a formidable cornucopia of dog lore, and a potent resource for self-healing and Daoist realization. A must-read for all interested in dogs, personal cultivation, and cultural exploration.

Contents and Introduction

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