Zhou Dunyi's Supreme Polarity Diagram (Taijitu ) Commentary by Zhu Xi

Translated by Joseph A. Adler Kenyon College

Copyright 2008 by Joseph A. Adler NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION

Note: This is an unfinished draft translation, which I am placing on the web only for consultation and comment by scholars. The source text is Zhang Boxing, comp., Zhou Lianxi xiansheng quanji (1708), in Zhengyi tang quanshu (Library of Zhengyi Hall), Baibu congshu jicheng ed.

The Supreme Polarity Diagram (Taiji tu )*

Master Zhu said: The Supreme Polarity Diagram was created by Master Lianxi. Master Zhou's [original] name was Dunshi and his syle name was Maoshu. Later, to avoid [Emperor] Yingzong's name, he changed [his own] to Dunyi. His family lived along Lian Stream (Lianxi) in Rongdao County in Daozhou. He was broadly learned and energetic in practice, and he heard the Way early. In handling affairs he was firm and determined; he had the style of a man of old. In governing he was careful to take reciprocity seriously and was fully devoted to moral principle. He created the Supreme Polarity Diagram, the Penetrating Writing (Tongshu), and the Penetration of the Yi (Yitong), altogether several tens of chapters. His emotions were light-hearted, his manners were exceedingly pleasant, and he especially enjoyed fine landscapes. At the base of Mt. Lu there was a stream where the master enjoyed sitting at the edge, so he called it Lian Stream (Lianxi) and built his study on its bank.

The remarks by Zhu Xi on this page, except for the first sentence, are excerpted (by Zhang Boxing) from Zhu Xi's Yi-Luo yuan-yuan lu (Record of the origins of the Luoyang school). Zhu Jieren, Yan Zuozhi, Liu Yongxiang, eds., Zhuzi quanshu (Zhu Xi's Complete Works), 17 vols. (Shanghai: Shanghai guji chuban she, 2002), v.12:923-925. Numbered footnotes, except where noted, are interpolated notes by Zhang Boxing.

Master Zhu's Explanation of the Diagram (Zhuzi tu jie )

This stands for "Non-polar (wuji) and yet Supreme Polarity (taiji)!" [Taijitu shuo], which is the fundamental substance (benti) by which yang [arises] from activity and yin from stillness.1 But it is not separate from yin and yang;2 it is precisely yin and yang that indicates the fundamental [substance].3 It is only for the sake of speech that it is distinguished [lit. not mixed] with yin and yang.4 This is the active yang and still yin of fundamental substance.5 [wuji/taiji]. The central [inner] is the is

is the activity of yang; the functioning of

is how it operates.

the stillness of yin; the substance of

is how it is established.

is the basis of

, and the

is

the basis of

This is yang changing and yin combining to generate water, fire, wood, metal, and

earth. This

is yang transforming, and this

is yin combining. Water

is the flourishing of

1 2 3 4

Taiji is li. Yin-yang is qi. What enables qi to be active and still is the li as master (zai). The Way (dao) is not separate from implements (qi). The Way within implements.

The Way is the Way; implements are implements. Already in the above three sentences the necessity to see in terms of unity and multiplicity is clarified.
5

This is the taiji of the first paragraph.

4 yin;6 therefore it resides on the right.7 Fire the left.9 Wood is the flourishing of yang;8 therefore it resides on in the fragility of

is the fragility of yang;10 therefore it is below fire.11 Metal

yin;12 therefore it is below water.13 Earth

is blended qi;14 therefore it resides in the center. is yin [water] based in yang [fire]

The connection between water and fire above by the and yang based in yin.

With water there is wood, with wood there is fire, with fire there is earth, with earth there is metal, and metal returns to water [liquid]. Like a beginningless circle, the five qi are arranged and the four seasons proceed.

"The Five Phases are simply yin and yang" [Taijitu shuo]; there is nothing other than

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

In autumn yin appears and in winter yin flourishes. The place of north. In spring yang appears and in summer yang flourishes. The place of south. When yang first appears it is fragile. The place of east. When yin first appears it is fragile. The place of west. The four [above states of] qi blended.

5 these five manifestations [of qi] and two actualities.15 "Yin and yang are simply the Supreme Polarity" [Taijitu shuo], without distinction [lit. no this and that] between essential and gross, root and branch.16 "The Supreme Polarity is fundamentally Non-polar" [Taijitu shuo] means that "the operation of Heaven above has neither sound nor smell."17 "In the generation of the Five Phases, each one has its nature" [Taijitu shuo] means that the manifestations of qi and the differences in its materiality each have their own , without borrowing [overlap].18 This is

how the Non-polar, the two [qi], and five [phases] "mysteriously combine" [Taijitu shuo] without interruption.19 Qian is male and Kun is female; in terms of the transformations of qi,20 each has its unique nature, yet male and female are "the one Supreme Polarity" [Taijitu shuo]. The myriad

Water, fire, wood, metal, and earth each has its polarity. [The corresponding sentence in the Taijitu shuo is "each has its nature." So polarity (ji) here implies that each has a specific configuration of the yin-yang polarity.] Yin and yang together are a balanced [centered] polarity (zhong ji). But the polarities of the Five Phases are also the polarities of yin and yang. It is not there in the Five Phases there is something that is lacking from yin and yang. "Essential" means the Supreme Polarity and "gross" means yin and yang; li is the root and qi is the branch. But while there are these differentia of essential and gross, root and branch, the reality is undifferentiated into distinctions such as this and that. [Translator's note:] Zhongyong 33 (last line), quoting Shijing, no. 235. Zhu Xi quotes this is the first line of his commentary on the Taijitu shuo. [Zhang:] The Way, which is above forms [metaphysical], is fundamentally cannot be spoken of in terms of named characeristics. [Translator's note:] That is, each thing has its own unique nature, symbolized by the separate, non-overlapping circles of the Five Phases. [Zhang:] The Supreme Polarity is not a non-existent thing; all things contain it. Therefore it does not depend on borrowing. Li and qi blend together and mysteriously combine, and only then are able to generate the myriad things.
20 19 18 17 16

15

Generating by receiving the natural qi of heaven and earth is called "the transformations of qi."

6 things transform and generate; in terms of the transformations of form,21 each has it own nature, yet the myriad things are "the one Supreme Polarity."22 "Only humans receive the finest and most spiritually efficacious [qi]" [Taijitu shuo]; what is meant by "human" lies simply in this. Thus form is the character of expression of ;24 the fivefold nature is the virtues of .23 and spirit is the

;25 good and evil is the distinction of

male and female;26 and myriad events are the images of the myriad things.27 This is how the activity of Heaven puts in order the interactive process,28 and what good fortune and misfortune, repentance and regret, follow in life.29 Only the Sage receives the refined, undivided essence30 and is able to complete the

In the human world, things are generated when they receive the qi of heaven and earth and then interact and stimulate each other; this is called "the transformations of form." Up to this point the discussion analyzes the substance of the Diagram. From here on it fully extends the ideas based on the Diagram.
23 24 25 26 27 22

21

Receiving the Supreme Polarity and the qi of yin stillness. Receiving the Supreme Polarity and the qi of yang activity. Receiving the Supreme Polarity and the li of the Five Phases. Yang is good, yin is evil. Heaven's ability to transform and generate things, humans' ability to differentiate the myriad Physical nature [per se] is unordered; moral nature is ... mixed.

events.
28 29

In following with li there is good fortune; in going against li there is misfortune. Repentance comes from bad fortune and hastens good fortune. Regret comes from good fortune and tends toward misfortune. The Sage receives the finest, purest, unmixed, most unified, and undivided [portion] of the two qi and Five Phases that Heaven produces. This is what makes him unique among humans.
30

7 substance and function of [wuji/taiji].31 In this way, the alternation of activity and stillness

reaches its peak (ji),32 and all situations under Heaven stimulate and respond (gantong) to the centrality of the still and unmoving (jiran budong).33 Now, centrality34 is humanity.35 Stimulation36 is represented by the of ,37 and the function ,42 and

is how it operates.38 Correctness39 is rightness.40 Silence41 is represented by the

the substance of

is how it is established.43 Centrality and correctness, humanity and rightness,

All humans embody the principle of activity and stillness. The Sage completes the virtue of activity and stillness.
32 33

31

Following with yin and yang accords with the natural order (tianli).

In the nature of ordinary people, the physical endowment is unbalanced and impure, so they cannot overcome errors. The nature of the Sage is clear and unified, enabling him to quietly stimulate the myriad affairs without obstruction.
34 35 36

Centrality is ritual propriety, correlated with fire. Humanity is correlated with wood.

Wood and humanity in terms of the seasons are spring. Fire and ritual propriety in terms of the seasons are summer. Spring and summer are the time of the growth and flowing of the creative process. Humanity and ritual propriety are the human mind's mechanism for displaying li through stimulation.
37 38 39 40 41

Following the pattern of yang's activity. Spreading out is the function. Correctness is wisdom, correlated with water. Rightness is correlated with metal.

Metal and rightness in terms of the seasons are autumn. Water and wisdom in terms of the seasons are winter. Autumn and winter are the time of gathering and storing in the creative process. Rightness and wisdom are the human mind's system for nourishing li through silence.
42 43

Following the pattern of yin's stillness. Harvesting and storing is the substance.

8 are the pure, complete substance,44 yet stillness is always the master of it.45 So the human is established in this way,46 and heaven and earth, the sun and

moon, the four seasons, ghosts and spirits cannot oppose it.47 The superior person's caution and fearfulness is how he cultivates this and has good fortune.48 The petty person's recklessness and depravity is how he perverts this and has misfortune.49 The Ways of Heaven, earth, and humans are each the one [earth], and humanity [humans], represented by . Yang [Heaven], firmness

, are the origin of things.50 Yin, the yielding,

Although centrality and humanity are correlated with active functioning, and correctness and rightness are correlated with still substance, nevertheless the four are all the virtues of the nature and are thoroughly contained within the Sage's complete substance. Ordinary people, due to the injury to their natures caused by feelings and desires, often act deficiently. The Sage maintains the centrality of the unmanifest [nature] in the harmony of his manifest [activity], and therefore always makes stillness the master.
46 47 45

44

"Cultivating the Way is called education" (Zhongyong 1).

Heaven and earth, the sun, moon, and four seasons, ghosts and spirits have nothing that is not the two [modes of qi] and the five [phases] mysteriously combining and constituting [things]. The Sage completes the substance and function of the Supreme Polarity, and so throughout the universe what can oppose it? The Zhongyong's statement, "Heaven and earth are established, the myriad things are nourished," is correct (Zhongyong 2). This is the moral order (daoli). This is learning how to know what is beneficial and to put it into effect to serve the functioning of one's material endowment. The elementary learner questions this, but the achievement is great. This is how one can cultivate oneself and have good fortune. Under stimulation by things the desires act up and one does not understand moderation. Then the human desires become reckless and the natural order (tianli) is extinguished. This is how one perverts oneself and has bad fortune.
50 49 48

"Non-polar and yet Supreme Polarity!" (Taijitu shuo).

9 and rightness, represented by , are the end of things.51 This is what is meant by change, and the

Way of the three ultimates (Heaven, earth, humans) is established therein. In reality there is just one .52 Thus, "In change there is the Supreme Polarity" is the meaning of .53

51 52 53

"Supreme Polarity is fundamentally non-polar" (ibid). The myriad principles are none other than one principle. The Supreme Polarity is nothing other than yin and yang.