Sì qì shè shēng tú 四氣攝生圖
Diagrams on Regulating Life by the Four Seasonal Pneumata
Anonymous (late Táng 唐後期)
A late-Táng Daoist life-nourishing (yǎng shēng 養生) text with diagrams illustrating the four-seasonal cycle of qì 氣 and its implications for personal cultivation. Preserved in the Zhèngtǒng Dàozàng as DZ 766 / CT 766 (Dòngshén bù, Líng tú lèi 洞神部靈圖類).
About the work
The text belongs to the Daoist yǎng shēng 養生 tradition — a broad genre of practical cultivation literature integrating seasonal regulation, dietary practice, breath-cultivation (dǎo yǐn 導引), and inner-alchemical framing.
Contents
The work provides:
- Diagrams illustrating the seasonal-cycle of qì across the four seasons.
- Practical instructions for adjusting diet, exercise, meditation, and rest to harmonise with seasonal qì flows.
- Integration with the Wǔ xíng 五行 (Five Phases) correspondences.
Dating
Per catalog: late Táng (Táng hòu qī 唐後期, c. 800–907). Dynasty: 唐.
Translations and research
- Schipper, Kristofer, and Franciscus Verellen, eds. The Taoist Canon: A Historical Companion to the Daozang. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004, DZ 766 entry.