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混元聖紀

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Text ID
KR5c0166
Date
1191–1193
Dynasty
宋

Hùn yuán shèng jì 混元聖紀

Sagely Chronicle of the Chaotic Origin

by 謝守灝 (Xiè Shǒuhào, 1134–1212); preface 1193

A major Southern-Sòng hagiographic-biographical chronicle of Lǎojūn / Tài shàng Lǎo jūn 太上老君 — chronicling his cosmic origin, his manifestations across the ages, and his relationship with the Daoist religious tradition. In 9 juàn. Preserved in the Zhèngtǒng Dàozàng as DZ 770 / CT 770 (Dòngshén bù, Pǔ lù lèi 洞神部譜錄類), and in the Qīng Dàozàng jíyào as JY086.

About the work

Author

Xiè Shǒuhào 謝守灝 (1134–1212, CBDB 52414) was a major Southern-Sòng Daoist scholar-hagiographer. His biographical labour on the Lǎojūn tradition produced a coordinated trilogy of works:

  1. Hùn yuán shèng jì (DZ 770, 1193, 9 juàn) — the present comprehensive chronicle.
  2. Tài shàng Lǎo jūn nián pǔ yào lüè 太上老君年譜要略 (DZ 771) — a chronological table / summary.
  3. Tài shàng hùn yuán Lǎo zǐ shǐ lüè 太上混元老子史略 (DZ 773) — a summary history.

Contents

The chronicle narrates:

  1. Lǎojūn’s cosmic origin from the Chaotic Origin (hùn yuán 混元).
  2. His successive manifestations across the ages — beginning from pre-cosmic times, through the Three Sovereigns (sān huáng 三皇), the Five Emperors (wǔ dì 五帝), the Xià 夏, Shāng 商, and Zhōu 周 dynasties.
  3. His appearance as Lǎozǐ in the Zhōu and his transmission of the Dàodé jīng to Yǐn Xǐ 尹喜.
  4. His subsequent reincarnations and revelations through the Hàn, Wèi-Jìn, Táng, and Sòng periods.
  5. His integration into the Daoist pantheon as Tài shàng Lǎo jūn 太上老君.

Abstract

A foundational Southern-Sòng hagiographic document, systematising the Daoist Lǎojūn tradition in a comprehensive chronicle.

Dating. Preface 1193. Dynasty: 宋.

Translations and research

Reminder: AI generated list - beware of hallucinations. Corrections and additions welcome

  • Schipper, Kristofer, and Franciscus Verellen, eds. The Taoist Canon: A Historical Companion to the Daozang. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004, DZ 770 entry.
  • Kohn, Livia. God of the Dao: Lord Lao in History and Myth. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Center for Chinese Studies, 1998.
  • Seidel, Anna. La divinisation de Lao tseu dans le Taoïsme des Han. Paris: EFEO, 1969.

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