Chapter 152: The Eastern Sky Brightens

Time flowed slowly within the Emperor Yan's Mark. Without realizing it, Huafeng had been comprehending the Taiji Diagram for dozens of days, while merely a few hours had passed in the outside world. As his understanding deepened, the surrounding radiance grew denser, manifesting almost tangibly around him.

"This is... Could Brother Huafeng be breaking through?" Yunmeng had finished her cultivation a step earlier and stood guard beside Huafeng, not daring to lower her guard. She knew this was likely a critical moment of enlightenment, and the slightest mistake could ruin all previous efforts. Therefore, no matter what, she could not let anything happen to Huafeng! Yunmeng thought to herself anxiously.

At this moment, Huafeng within the Emperor Yan's Mark had no idea who he was conversing with, but amidst the shifting lights and shadows, it seemed as though figures transformed from the wisdom of all the predecessors within the Emperor Yan's Mark were slowly instructing him. He calmed his mind and quietly contemplated:

Compared to the Eight Trigrams symbols, the Taiji Diagram appeared relatively late. The Eight Trigrams symbols emerged before the Zhou Dynasty and, according to legend, were created by the ancient Fuxi. The term "Taiji" first appeared in the *Zhuangzi*: "The Great Dao exists above the Taiji yet is not considered high; it exists below the six limits yet is not considered deep; it precedes heaven and earth yet is not considered old; it is senior to high antiquity yet is not considered aged." It later appeared in the *I Ching: Xici Shang*: "In the system of change there is the Taiji, which generates the Two Modes. The Two Modes generate the Four Images, and the Four Images generate the Eight Trigrams."

What is meant by Taiji? "Tai" carries the meaning of "utmost"; "Ji" carries the meaning of "limit"; "Taiji" signifies the ultimate limit, referring to the primal form in the evolutionary stage of the universe where Yin and Yang have not yet differentiated. Therefore, strictly speaking, the Taiji Diagram of intertwined Yin and Yang fish in a circular embrace is not actually a diagram used to express the image of Taiji. Rather, its original name, "Diagram of the Nature of Heaven and Earth" (expressing the natural circulation of the Yin and Yang vital energies), is much more apt. To truly express the image of Taiji, an empty, grey circle would seem to be sufficient.

Studying the *Zhuangzi*, one encounters the philosophical concept of Taiji. Influenced by Daoism and the School of Yin-Yang, the *Xici Shang* states: "Therefore, in the system of change there is the Taiji, which generates the Two Modes. The Two Modes generate the Four Images, and the Four Images generate the Eight Trigrams." Furthermore, the *Xici Xia* states: "When the Eight Trigrams are arranged, the images are contained therein. When they are thus doubled, the lines are contained therein. When the firm and the yielding push against each other, the changes are contained therein."

What is Taiji? Ancient philosophers offered varying explanations. Yu Fan said, "Taiji is the Great Unity." Han Kangbo said, "Taiji is the name for that which has no name."

Kong Yingda said, "Taiji is the Great Beginning and the Great Unity." Su Shi said, "Taiji is that which existed prior to all things." Zhu Xi said, "Taiji is principle."

Lai Zhide said, "Taiji is the utmost principle." Jiao Xun said, "Taiji is synonymous with the Great Center."

Although the commentaries of various schools differ, they all regard Taiji as the inherent substance of heaven, earth, and all beings—referred to briefly as the ontological reality. This reality comprehensively contains infinite forms and endless functions, its form and function being inseparable. Without studying the *Book of Changes* and understanding its principles, one remains ignorant that this reality is inherently possessed by us, and unaware that all things are complete within oneself. Consequently, in all matters, one abandons the root to pursue the branches, seeking outwardly, thereby bringing various disasters upon oneself and the community.

By studying the *Book of Changes* and understanding its principles, one can court good fortune and avoid misfortune. The greatest of misfortunes is the inability to resolve the problem of life and death, while the greatest of good fortunes is learning to become a sage. To learn to become a sage, one must first seek to resolve the problem of life and death. The *Analects* records that Zilu asked about death, and Confucius replied, "Not yet knowing life, how can you know death?" Life comes first, and death follows. To know how to resolve the problem of death, one must understand the origin of life; the origin of life is Taiji.

The generation of the Two Modes by Taiji means that Taiji remains in tranquil stillness, possessing no form or image, serving solely as a pure and luminous essence—this is the ungenerated principle of rationality. When it stirs, it manifests images and initiates function, which is termed birth. The images thus produced are infinite in number, but at the very inception of movement, there are only two forms and colors: bright and dark. The bright color is Yang, and the dark color is Yin; hence they are called the Yin and Yang Two Modes. As explained in the *Kongshi Zhengyi*, the word "Mode" (Yi) is used in the sense of demeanor or bearing because they have not yet formed complete images, and thus they are not called the Two Images, but merely the Two Modes. Yet these Two Modes are actually the fundamental structure leading to the Four Images and ultimately the myriad phenomena. The myriad phenomena are formed through the subdivision of these Two Modes; therefore, no myriad phenomenon is devoid of the Yin and Yang Two Modes. Although the number of myriad phenomena is infinite, their fundamental quantity consists of the odd Yang and the even Yin. When Fuxi drew the trigrams, he invented these two extremely simple lines to indicate the source of all infinite images and numbers.

The Taiji Diagram is a simple geometric shape, and symbols of this kind appear in many cultures. As early as the fifth century BCE, patterns similar to the later Taiji Diagram existed in Celtic art. Later, emblems resembling the Taiji Diagram of the Far East almost identically—differing only in color—appeared on the military uniforms of the Roman Empire.

The Taiji Diagram is also one of the emblems of certain martial arts, particularly Taijiquan. The design of the South Korean national flag likewise originates from the Taiji Diagram.

The Taiji Diagram is hailed as the "First Diagram of China." From the beams and pillars of the Dacheng Hall in the Confucian Temple, to the markers of Laozi's Louguantai, the Sanmao Palace, and the White Cloud Temple; from the robes of Daoist priests to the divination stalls of fortune-tellers; from the covers and emblems of books and periodicals on traditional Chinese medicine, qigong, martial arts, and traditional Chinese culture, to the design of the South Korean national flag, the aircraft insignia of the Singaporean Air Force, and the coat of arms on the Bohr Medal—the Taiji Diagram prominently graces them all. This widely recognized Taiji Diagram, whose shape resembles two Yin and Yang fish entwined with each other, is thus familiarly known as the "Yin-Yang Fish Taiji Diagram."

Since the "Taiji Diagram" has enjoyed such a long-standing and widespread popularity, the questions of its origin and evolution have naturally become the focus of people's interest. Before examining its origins and development, one must clarify the relationship between the name "Taiji Diagram" and its graphical representations. There are two situations here: first, the same name refers to different diagrams. Apart from the Yin-Yang fish graphic, other diagrams called "Taiji Diagram" include the five-tiered diagram (commonly referred to as the "Zhou Dunyi Taiji Diagram"), the hollow circle graphic, and the black-and-white semi-circular graphics (in fact, the latter types of graphics were called "Taiji Diagram" much earlier than the former). Second, the same graphic has different names. For instance, the Yin-Yang fish "Taiji Diagram" was earlier called the "Xiantian Diagram," "Hetu," "Xiantian Natural Hetu," "Xiantian Natural Diagram," and "Ancient Taiji Diagram." The five-tiered "Taiji Diagram" was also known as the "Wuji Diagram," "Taiji Diagram of Forward and Reverse," "Taiji Diagram of Forward Generation," and "Dandao Reverse Generation Diagram" (though minor variations naturally exist within the graphics of both categories of Taiji diagrams).

Many modern people believe that the Taiji Diagram originated in prehistoric times, and some even think it was a gift given to humanity by extraterrestrials during primordial prehistoric times, or perhaps the sole keepsake left behind by one, or even two or three, destroyed civilizations prior to the present human civilization.

What, then, did the Taiji Diagram evolve from? Mr. Chen Lifu believed: "The ancient Taiji diagrams successively unearthed on the mainland are still three to four thousand years older than the compilation of the *Book of Changes* and the *Qian Zuodu*. For instance, the Twin-Dragon Ancient Taiji Diagram on a dual-eared painted pottery urn from six thousand five hundred years ago (the era of Fuxi) unearthed in Yongjing, Shaanxi (now housed in the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities in Sweden), was painted using a center-tipped brush, making it four thousand years older than Confucius.

Later unearthed bronzes of the Shang and Western Zhou Dynasties also bear the Taiji Diagram of male and female twin dragons entwined with each other." (*Some Questions Concerning the Taiji Diagram*) Mr. Chen directly termed the diagram of entwined twin dragons the "Twin-Dragon Taiji Diagram." The entwined twin dragons diagram is, in essence, the "Fuxi and Nüwa Intertwined Tails Diagram" of the primordial ancestors of the Chinese nation. Additionally, some believe the Taiji Diagram originated from certain symbols (such symbols are engraved on Neolithic pottery unearthed at Leidu Liuwan in Minhe County, Qinghai; Shipingshan in Wengniute Banner, Liaoning; and the middle layer site of Shixia in Qujiang, Guangdong), dual-fish pattern graphics (the human-face and fish-pattern painted pottery basin unearthed at the Banpo site in Xi'an, Shaanxi), and dual-phoenix pattern graphics (such motifs exist in Neolithic bone carvings and pottery paintings, as well as the Hemudu culture). Recently, some individuals claimed that the Taiji Diagram originated from the "whirlpool" formed after the convergence of the Yellow River and the Luoshu River beneath Fuxitai in Luoyang, Henan (see *Zhengzhou Daily*, March 8, 1993, page 8).

Are these graphics truly the origin of the Taiji Diagram? If judged solely by these graphic motifs, it is obviously impossible to directly deduce the Taiji Diagram from them. Similar patterns in other ethnic groups failed to evolve into the Taiji Diagram; for instance, ancient Babylon had patterns of twin snakes entwined and mating, and relics from ancient Greece, ancient India, the Caucasus, and Asia Minor (silver ornaments, bronze pots, vases, etc.) featured certain motifs, yet none of these peoples possessed a Taiji Diagram. As for the "whirlpool" theory, it is utterly absurd. Whirlpools are ubiquitous; if one could discern a Taiji Diagram from them, wouldn't the Taiji Diagram be scattered all over the world?

However, judging from the ideological concepts implicit in these graphics, one cannot say they are entirely unrelated to the Taiji Diagram. These graphics are all formed by the pairing and union of dual entities—whether twin dragons, twin snakes, twin fish, or twin birds, and even the symbol " " is formed by the intersection of two identical symbols. This was the product of fertility worship in primitive society. The paired motifs represent either male and female (Fuxi and Nüwa) or male and female animals (twin fish, twin snakes, twin dragons, twin birds); their mutual intersection reflects the primitive peoples' intuitive understanding of the union of male and female.

From human phenomena such as men and women, male and female animals, the sun and the moon, as well as biological and natural phenomena, they gradually comprehended the concept of "Yin and Yang," along with ideologies such as Yin and Yang sharing a single essence, Yin and Yang being relative yet intersecting (opposition and unity), the mutual interaction of Yin and Yang, and the mutual transformation of Yin and Yang. This ideology determined that traditional Chinese culture is, in a sense, Yin-Yang culture. The Yin and Yang lines and trigrams of the *I Ching* are precisely the symbolization of Yin-Yang thought (linear symbols), while the alternating black and white, and the entwined head-and-tail of the Taiji Diagram constitute the ultimate graphic illustration (graphical symbols) of the concepts of Yin-Yang opposition and unity, waxing and waning circulation, and mutual rooting and interaction.

It can be seen that these primitive-era motifs are merely the ideological source of the Taiji Diagram, and the Taiji Diagram could not have directly evolved from them alone. Where on earth did the Taiji Diagram originate? When and by whom was the earliest Taiji Diagram created? Let us first examine the discourses of our predecessors.

In the writings of Song Dynasty scholars, it is fundamentally held that the "Xiantian Diagram" (which should include or be identical to the "Yin-Yang Fish Diagram") was transmitted down from Chen Tuan of the Five Dynasties and early Song period. The most famous is the discourse of Zhu Zhen: "Chen Tuan transmitted the Xiantian Diagram to Zhong Fang, who transmitted it to Mu Xiu, who transmitted it to Li Zhicai, who transmitted it to Shao Yong." (*Hanshang Yizhuan: Jin Yi Shuo Biao*)

Time flowed on, and unconsciously, the east grew pale with dawn.