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

Pregadio, Fabrizio

ISBN 10: 098430827X / ISBN 13: 9780984308279

Editore: Golden Elixir Press, 2011

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Codice articolo I-9780984308279

Dati bibliografici

• Titolo: 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
• Editore: Golden Elixir Press
• Data di pubblicazione: 2011
• Lingua: Inglese
• ISBN 10: 098430827X
• ISBN 13: 9780984308279
• Rilegatura: Rilegato
• Condizione: New

Descrizione articolo

Riassunto

"The Cantong qi is the forefather of the scriptures on the Elixir of all times. Its words are ancient and profound, arcane and subtle. No one can fathom their meaning." Thus begins a preface found in one of the commentaries to the Cantong qi (The Seal of the Unity of the Three). These words express several significant features of the work translated in the present book: the charm of its verses, the depth of its discourse, its enigmatic language, and its intimate relation to Taoist alchemy (Waidan and Neidan).

Under an allusive poetical language and thick layers of images and symbols, the Cantong qi hides the exposition of a doctrine that inspired a large number of commentaries and other works, and attracted the attention not only of Taoist masters and adepts, but also of philosophers, cosmologists, poets, literati, calligraphers, philologists, and bibliophiles.

As shown by its title, the Cantong qi is concerned with three major subjects, namely Cosmology (the system of the Book of Changes), Taoism (the way of "non-doing"), and Alchemy, and joins them to one another into a unique doctrine, known as the Way of the Golden Elixir. In addition to a complete translation of the text, this book contains explanations of each of its sections, notes on many of its verses, and a detailed introduction to its history and doctrines.

Table of contents

Preface, ix

INTRODUCTION, 1
     The Title of the Cantong qi, 2
     A Single Author, or Multiple Authors?, 5
     The Dating Riddle, 11
     The Three Books and the "Ancient Text," 28
     Main Commentaries, 33
     Dao, Cosmos, and Man, 36
     The Way of "Non-Doing," 47
     Alchemy in the Cantong qi, 53
     From the External Elixir to the Internal Elixir, 58

TRANSLATION, 65
     Book 1, 69
     Book 2, 92
     Book 3, 114

NOTES, 127

TEXTUAL NOTES, 231

TABLES AND FIGURES, 245

APPENDIXES, 261
     Two Biographies of Wei Boyang, 263
     Chinese Text, 266
     Index of Main Subjects, 286

Glossary of Chinese Characters, 295
Works Quoted, 303

L'autore

Fabrizio Pregadio has taught at the University of Venice (1996-97), the Technical University of Berlin (1998-2001), Stanford University (2001-08), and McGill University in Montreal (2009-10). He is the author of "Great Clarity: Daoism and Alchemy in Early Medieval China" (Stanford University Press, 2006) and the editor of "The Encyclopedia of Taoism" (Routledge, 2008). His translations of Taoist texts include the "Wuzhen pian" (Awakening to Reality, 2009) and the "Cantong qi" (The Seal of the Unity of the Three, 2011), both published by Golden Elixir Press.