Home > The Yellow Emperor's Classic of the Hidden Talisman (Yin Fu Jing)

Scripture Name: The Yellow Emperor's Classic of the Hidden Talisman. Abbreviated as Yin Fu Jing. The author is unknown; legend attributes it to Huang-Lao Daoist masters of the Warring States period. Some say it was written by Kou Qianzhi of the Northern Wei or Li Quan of the Tang Dynasty. One volume. Base Text Source: Zhengtong Daozang, Dongzhen section, Benwen category.

Chapter One: The Immortal Embraces Unity to Expound the Way

Observe the way of heaven, grasp and implement its operations, and you will comprehend everything. Heaven contains the "Five Thieves" (the five phases overcoming each other, or five deviations harmful to the heavenly order). Those who perceive them will prosper. Hold the understanding of the Five Thieves within your heart, and you can apply it to heaven. Thus, the universe seems to be in your hands, and the transformations of all things arise from your own being. The nature of heaven is reflected in humanity. The human mind is the pivot. Establish the way of heaven to settle humanity. When heaven activates its killing mechanism, stars shift and constellations change. When earth activates its killing mechanism, dragons and snakes (powerful creatures or terrestrial energies) rise from the land. When humanity activates (perverse) killing intent, heaven and earth are overturned. When heaven and humanity act in concert, amidst myriad transformations, the foundation is set. Nature possesses cleverness and clumsiness; both can be concealed. The perversions of the nine orifices (eyes, ears, nose, mouth, etc.) lie in the three crucial ones (eyes, ears, mouth), which govern action and stillness. Fire is born from wood; once disaster (fire) erupts, it will overcome (consume) it. Treachery is born within a state; when the time comes for it to act, collapse is inevitable. Those who understand this and cultivate it are called Sages. Heaven gives life and heaven brings death; this is the principle of the Way.

Chapter Two: Enriching the State and Pacifying the People to Expound the Method

Heaven and earth are the "thieves" (appropriators, transformers, consumers) of the myriad things; the myriad things are the "thieves" of humanity; humanity is the "thief" of the myriad things. When these three thefts are properly regulated, the Three Powers (heaven, earth, humanity) are at peace. Therefore it is said: Eat in accordance with the season, and the hundred parts of the body are regulated. Act at the pivotal moment, and the myriad transformations are pacified. People know the spiritual nature of what appears spiritual, but do not know the spiritual nature within what does not appear spiritual. The sun and moon have their measures; their sizes and cycles are fixed. From this, sage-like achievements are born, and spiritual intelligence emerges. The mechanism of this theft, no one in the world can see, no one can know. The noble person obtaining it thereby makes his person secure; the petty person obtaining it thereby endangers his life.

Chapter Three: Strengthening the Military and Achieving Victory to Expound the Technique

The blind are adept at hearing; the deaf are adept at seeing. Sever all distractions, focus on a single source, and its effectiveness surpasses that of an army tenfold. Reflect three times (repeatedly) day and night, and its effectiveness surpasses that of an army ten-thousandfold. The mind is born from things, and dies by things; the pivot lies in the eyes. Heaven shows no favor, yet from this arises great favor. Swift thunder and violent winds—all things stir (come to life) accordingly. Ultimate joy leads to an indulgent nature; ultimate stillness leads to an austere, restrained nature. Heaven is supremely private (in its fixed laws), yet its application is supremely public. The means to subdue creatures (or adversaries/desires) lies in qi (vital energy). Life is the root of death; death is the root of life. Favor is born from harm; harm is born from favor. The foolish take the patterns and markings of heaven and earth as sagely; I take the patterns and principles of the times and things as wisdom. Others consider the ability to foretell as foolishness; I consider not attempting to foretell as sageliness. Others aspire to be that kind of sage; I do not aspire to be that kind of sage. Therefore, (those who force foreknowledge and oppose nature) are like sinking into water or entering fire—they bring about their own destruction. The way of nature is still; thus heaven, earth, and the myriad things are born. The way of heaven and earth is gradual; thus yin and yang alternate and prevail. Yin and yang mutually push, and transformation proceeds smoothly. Therefore, the sage knows the way of nature cannot be opposed, and thus regulates it accordingly. The way of ultimate stillness cannot be fully matched by pitch-pipes and calendars. Hence, there are marvelous instruments (like the symbols of the Eight Trigrams and the Celestial Stems/Earthly Branches, Jia Zi), from which the ten thousand images arise. The Eight Trigrams and Jia Zi conceal divine mechanisms and hidden mysteries. The art of yin and yang overcoming each other is clearly evident, advancing into the realm of phenomena.