Rustom/Sourcebook, 6. Zhang Junfang: Discourse on Primordial Energy

The Discourse on Primordial Energy (Yuanqi lun) is an essay in chapter 56 of the encyclopedia Seven Tablets in a Cloudy Satchel (Yunji qiqian), which was compiled upon imperial order in the early 11 th century CE. It discusses the nature of the universe in terms of primordial energy (yuanqi), presenting the process of cosmic unfolding and the configuration of the human being, integrating various strands of Daoist and traditional Chinese teachings. Thus, it outlines a series of stages of cosmic unfolding, all described as “great,” during which the universe moves from overarching chaos through vibrating and vacillating energies to more concrete and tangible reality.