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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. [[KR5c0166|Hùn yuán shèng jì]] (DZ 770, 1193, 9 juàn) — the present comprehensive chronicle.
  2. [[KR5c0167|Tài shàng Lǎo jūn nián pǔ yào lüè]] 太上老君年譜要略 (DZ 771) — a chronological table / summary.
  3. [[KR5c0169|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, WèiJìn, 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

  • 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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