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The Story of Chinese Taoism by Nan Huai-Chin

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The Story of Chinese Taoism by Nan Huai-Chin The Story of Chinese Taoism by Nan Huai-chin Translated by Dr. William Brown Copyright © 2002 Nan Huai-Chin, ISBN 0-9721907-3-2 All Rights Reserved Worldwide in All Media. Top Shape Publishing, LLC 1135 Terminal Way Suite 209 Reno, Nevada 89502 No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, including but not limited to electronic, mechanical, digital copying, printing, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the author. For related Top Shape Publishing e-courses, training tapes, coaching and seminars, newsletters and titles on meditation, mind-body phenomena, spiritual experiences, esoteric sciences, naturopathic healing, cutting edge nutraceutical protocols for disease, integrated marketing methods, business growth strategies, national development strategies, cultural commentaries and other related topics, check for us on the web at: www.MeditationExpert.com www.TheSkepticalNutritionist.com www.TopShapeAcademy.com 2 Table of Contents Copyright .......................................................................................................2 Table of Contents .........................................................................................3 About the Translation ..................................................................................6 Introduction ..................................................................................................7 The Origins of the Learning and Thought of the Taoist School and Those of Huang-Lao and Lao-Chuang ....................................................9 • The Relationship of the Taoist School with Huang-Lao • The Relationship of the Taoist School and Lao-Chuang The Relationship of the Thought of the Recluse and the Taoist School ...................................................................................14 • Counter-Evidence to the Legends of Ancient History • The Relationship of the Thought of Confucius and the Recluse • Relationship of the Recluses and Historical Politics The Learning of the Fang-shih (Occultist) and the Taoist School ...........................................................................24 • Early Natural Sciences • The Yin-Yang School Evolved Into the Humanities 3 • Theoretical Physical Sciences Origins of the Learning and Thought of the Fang-shih in the Taoist School ...............................................................................30 • Ancient Traditional Culture and the Taoist School During the Chou Dynasty • Cultural Background of the Northern Chinese States of Ch’i, Lu, Yen and Sung During the Warring States Period • The Culture and Thought of the Southern State of Ch’u During the Warring States Period Contents of the Learning and Thought of the Taoist School and Taoist Religion ................................................................................63 • Cosmological Theories of Heaven and Man in the Taoist School and Taoist Religion • Learning and Thought of the Cultivation of Immortals in the Taoist School The Immortal Alchemical Sect During and After the Han and Wei Dynasties........................................................................101 • The Originator of Alchemical Texts Wei Po-Yang • The Alchemical Method of Refining Ch’i and Nourishing Life Through the Combination of the Medical Sciences of the Fang-shih and the Representations and Numerology of the Book of Changes General Discussion on the Thoughts of the Founders of the Taoist School and Taoist Religion .................................................................126 • The Meaning of “Heaven” Prior to the Split of the Confucian and Taoist Schools • The Meaning of “Tao” Prior to the Split of the Confucian and Taoist Schools 4 • Lao Tzu • Chuang Tzu • The Influences of the Yin-Yang School and Fang-shih of the Warring States Period • The “Fang-shih” of the States of Yen and Ch’i and the Origins of the Thought of Immortals During the Ch’in and Han Dynasties The Taoist Religion...................................................................................176 • Reasons for the Formation of the Taoist Religion at the End of the Han Dynasty • The Taoist School and Taoist Religion During and After the Chin and Wei Dynasties The Ideas of the Taoist School and Taoist Religion and the Educational Spirit of Chinese Culture ...............................................198 Other Books by the Author .....................................................................205 5 About the Translation Several years ago I commissioned Thomas Cleary to translate a complete volume by Nan Huai Chin that consisted of the dual history of Taoism and the Zen school in China. Dr. Cleary was only able to translate half the text, which became The Story of Chinese Zen, published by Charles E. Tuttle. Dr. William Brown was then commissioned to translate the remaining portions of the text, which is what you now have before you. You will find that this was an extremely difficult text to translate, and it is virtually overflowing with information. Because of the density of contents and insights, for your benefit we have highlighted certain sections to help break up the text and call attention to important information. For those who are studying Taoism and its instructions regarding spiritual cultivation, rest assured that Nan Huai-Chin’s words and views will reveal insights you cannot find elsewhere. As for those professionals in academia conducting research on Taoism and Chinese history, as always Nan Huai-Chin’s scholarship presents an entirely different viewpoint than the typical orthodox view, and opens up entirely new areas of dialogue for study. People ordinarily think it is very easy to find someone to translate Nan Huai-Chin’s works, but able translators are rare. A qualified translator must be familiar with a highly specialized Chinese vocabulary that entails a detailed knowledge of Buddhism, Zen, Taoism, Confucianism, history, politics, and quite a few other subjects as well. Buddhist Chinese, all by itself, is considered a specialized area of language study. This does not even go into the necessity for understanding ancient Chinese vernacular, as well as Nan Huai-Chin’s flowing literary style which differs from the standard fare found in newspapers, science publications or the business arena. Of those few translators in the nation who are qualified in these areas, most are too busy or just unwilling to take on such a project. Dr. Brown has taken on this formidable task of bringing this Chinese work into the English language, and we hope you will enjoy it and benefit from it. Bill Bodri 6 Introduction The Taoist religion is a religion whose contents are totally based on the learning and thought of the Taoist school. The contents of the learning and thought of the Taoist school are in turn the confluence of the primitive religious thought, philosophical thought, scientific theories, as well as the science and technology of Chinese culture, great achievements which embody and permeate throughout ancient and modern Chinese culture. Although the Taoist school and Taoist religion are sometimes confused and indistinguishable under the shades of religion, yet in reality, there are great similarities and differences between them. However, it has customarily been the case that the demarcations between the Taoist school and Taoist religion have not been clearly defined, and arbitrarily called superstitious. Thus it has been rendered into a remote island in the middle of the sea which can be viewed but never reached, something abstruse, vague and insubstantial. In presenting a positive appraisal of the learning and thought of the Taoist school, Chi Hsiao-feng said that it “encompasses a hundred generations, and is extensive and profound.” Naturally, any type of learning and thought is similar to the affairs and things of the world in that both possess positive and negative, as well as good and bad aspects. The learning and thought of Taoist religion admittedly encompasses a hundred generations extensively and profoundly, and yet it has been preserved and transmitted since ancient times. Given its amalgamous nature, it has become utterly “fragmented, strange and disorderly.” However, we may not refuse to eat for fear of choking and cast aside the boundless treasure of a traditional culture, for that would be an extremely absurd thing to do. We must now first discuss the origins of the Taoist religion and Taoist school for purposes of brief introduction: The formation of the learning and thought of the Taoist school can be simply categorized into four sources: (1) Huang-Lao learning; (2) the thought of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu; (3) the thought of the recluse; (4) the learning of the occultists (fang-shih). 7 The formation of the religious learning and thought of the Taoist religion can also be simply categorized into four sources: (1) originating from the learning and thought of the Taoist school; (2) arising as a result of political and social changes; (3) stimulation from foreign religions; (4) infatuation with mysticism. 8 Chapter 1 The Origins of the Learning and Thought of the Taoist School and Those of Huang-Lao and Lao- Chuang The Relationship of the Taoist School with Huang-Lao After the Ch’in (256-206 B.C.) and Han (206 B.C.-220 A.D.) dynasties, the learning and thought of the Taoist school was frequently referred to as Huang-Lao or Lao-Chuang, who were taken as the ancestral patriarchs of the Taoist School. Huang refers to Huang Ti (Yellow Emperor), and Lao of course
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