According to the traditional Chinese theory, one’s life comes from three sources: 1. The one and only congenital Qi from emptiness, "it will not increase for a sage, and it will not decrease for a mediocrity too. Even if lower down, humble as birds, beasts, grass and trees, they also all have this one and only congenital Qi just same as the sage, and have the same nature too. " – Quoted from the , on this point, it seems that God is very fair. 2. one’s soul, the souls are different, some strong, some weak, some wise and some fool. 3. parent’s materials, now we know the main materials from one’s parent are genes, they are also different. If these are true, then originally, each one’s congenital Jing is equal, just because the souls and genes are different, and the mothers’ circumstances in pregnancy are different, these result in the babies’ congenital conditions are different.
Jing – Jing can be considered as essential life substance. There are the congenital Jing and acquired Jing. At the just beginning of one’s life, the one and only congenital Qi fills in the germ cell from emptiness, and later it is stored in the kidney area as the congenital Jing. The acquired Jing includes Yin Jing and Yang Jing. Yin Jing includes semen, blood, saliva etc.; Yang Jing may suggest hormone.
Frogive a rustic in terms of the Dao, but are there not grades of qi? It was my understanding that certain sages recieved a pure allotment of qi. The qi is merely the psycho-physical stuff that allows us to manifest physically, correct? The dust-on-the-mirror, if I understand it correctly. Is this an adequate assessment of the situation?
My (limited) understanding is that the interaction of Qi and Tai Ji (or Li, if you prefer – I believe this is what you meant by soul, correct?) results in yin/yang and from there the Five Elements, correct?
At least, that is my understand of it within the Daoxue, which I understand is distinct from the Daoism you are talking about; however, the Daoxue borrowed wholesale from Daoism . . . so any help would be much appreciated.
Qi as I was taught to understand is the primordial essence of all life.
Shin is the essence of heart-mind.
Jing is the essence of vitality, sexuality. My understanding of it is mostly the same as Li Jiong’s - I just learned a more masculine/feminine current to the separate states.
Gene are different because they are manifestation of physical as separate from essence, which requires the necessity of distinction in the physical realm.
That’s the point angel, I didn’t give an answer, because I don’t know.
The only thing I have been told in relation to that particular inquiry is that continued existence, (speaking from the purely aesthetic, monastic state), is the result of being incomplete in understanding, and having more to yet unlearn. If one is of the “original state”, the spirit will take flight from the physical form and take back to the origin. (not my words or knowledge)
Well that was exactly the point of my question, to come into an understanding that the only reason that we are still here in this physical realm is because we are not yet done. And you have answered my question. The answer is a different perspective but it is the answer none the less. We are genetically different, our physical manifestations are different because of our past causes. I was so hoping that Li Jiong would express himself in a way that I have not begun to even think about.
Life – can survive and succeed through chaos and inanimates.
If we go and try to specify a few areas that our life supposedly comes from, we want to narrow it down, whilst lacking deep or full understanding; This leads to misunderstanding or partiality. Our body system is made of far more then billions of tiny parts. I suggest, instead, you take an absolutely holistic view on it – when viewing a living system.
All of this shit about “person” and “soul” gets in the way of a wider understanding.
So . . . if qi is the essence of life, what do we have without it? It seems to me like all the factors necessary are balanced and dependent upon each other.
It is in the interaction of these basal elements that reality exists, correct? Now, we can argue for a reality divorced of physicality, but that seems as silly as seperating ying from yang. The one requires the other for the definition to be complete. Where is the flaw in this?
Thanks for the warm respondence! Sorry that I do not have the time to answer every question in detail. We have had a lot of profound discussion in our Internal Cultivation Group, if you would join us by taking the Internal Cultivation Course, you will find the detailed answers there. If you have the interest to read the Real Meaning of Dao De Jing seriously, you will find all the answers there by yourself as well.
Here I would explain the Daoist view on universe and life a bit more:
Daoists think the Dao is the ultimate existence; it is the ultimate source of the universe and all lives. The Dao lurks in Wuji; when Taiji starts from Wuji, it appears as the one and only congenital Qi. Taiji runs again, then Yin and Yang are born; Yin and Yang interact with each other, then all things appear.
We do cultivation, the elements is just reversing this process, first we unite Yin and Yang to be Taiji, then the one and only congenital Qi comes; then we cultivate ourselves from Taiji to Wuji, then the Dao is there, and one achieves the legendary immortality.