Taijitu

The Taijitu 太極圖 (Lagging-Gilles: you ai4 chi2 you u2; Pinyin: taìjítú) (figure of the supreme ridge), still called Symbol of the Yin and Yang or symbol taoist, is a Chinese symbol associated with the Taoïsme and the Néo-confucianisme. They are the thinkers of the latter current, in particular Zhu Xi, who popularized it starting from the Song in the form opposite, most generally known, sometimes surrounded of the eight trigrams ( Bagua ) (1). Other forms exist, of which that described by Zhou Dunyi (周敦頤), used for the practice of alchemy interns taoist neidan (內丹).

It is reproduced on the flag of the South Korea.

Taiji

The term taiji, or supreme ridge , appears in the Zhuang Zi . Although it can receive various interpretations, the majority of them derive from the following sentence of the xici (1), comment of the Yi Jing : “The changes have a supreme ridge, which gives birth to the two aspects and yang, which gives themselves birth to the four figures, which give themselves birth to the eight trigrams which determine the favorable one and the unfavourable one, which gives rise to the human events”. Often regarded as equivalent with CAD, it is sometimes associated with the concept of the without-ridge wuji (2).

(1) 易經繫辭傳 (2) 無極

Comments of the taijitu

The Taijitushuo (1), first comment of the taijitu in which the symbol appears in the form " développée" visible low, is allotted to Zhou Dunyi (2) (1017? - 1073), well-read man confucéen versed in the taoism and interested by the Buddhism. It counted among its nephews the Cheng brothers, famous néo-Confucianists of whom will claim Zhu Xi. It is the latter which decided to develop the short work of Zhou, in which it had recognized ideas in agreement with its own theory. Although Zhou Dunyi never took disciples, it made of him the precursor of its school and wrote in its turn a Taijitushuo which will enter the program of the imperial examinations in year 29 of the era Kangxi (Dynastie Qing).

The interpretation which Zhuxi of the symbol and the associated concepts makes is disputed by the representatives of the other currents. Thus, Lu Xiangshan (3) （1139 - 1192）, its contemporary, saw in the yin and the yang concepts metaphysics, whereas for Zhu Xi only the taiji is metaphysical. The taoists reproach him for having, by removing a word of the comment of Zhou Dunyi, entirely confused the supreme ridge taiji with the without-ridge wuji , whereas they are for them two poles between which the practitioner of internal alchemy evolves in his course to the immortality.

(1) 太極圖說 (2) 周敦頤 (3) 陸象山

Three taijitu known

Taijitu de Zhou

The figure opposite, called zhouzi taijitu (1), is the form in the past known, that of the Commentaire of the taijitu of Zhou Dunyi. Particularly associated with the practice taoist with internal alchemy, it would have been created according to the tradition under the name of wujitu (figure of the without-ridge), at the same time as of other ritual diagrams, by Chen Bo (2), be born under the Five dynasties and die under the Song. The unit would have been transmitted to Zhong Fang (3), then in Mu Xiu (4) (979 - 1032) and with Merry Li (5), before leading between the hands of Zhou Dunyi. The taoist of Song of the South Xiao Yingsou (6) and the 43e celestial Maître Zhang Yuchu (7) included it in their works.

Read from top to bottom (or from left to right in the case of a horizontal provision), it represents the process by which the CAD gives birth to the dix-mille beings and things of creation; in the opposite direction, it is about the alchemical course of return to the CAD during which the practitioner transforms his " vieux" IQ ancestor in purified original IQ.

the circle of bottom represents the field of lower Cinabre xiadantian (8) still called carries xuanpin (9) or deqiao (10), site of the IQ ancestor zuqi (11).
the second circle represents the process lianji (12) (car-alchemy) of transformation of the jing (13) (gasoline excessively yin) in IQ, then IQ in shen (14) (constituting divine spirits).
the third diagram represents fusion hehe (15) of the five elements, each one associated with an internal organ (Foie - wood Cœur - fire, Rate - ground, Poumon - metal, Rein - water).
the following circle represents the completion of the trigram Li (16) by the trigram kan (17) to entirely form the trigram qian (18) yang.
the last circle represents the return to the wuji (without-ridge), release and attack of immortality.

(1) 周子太極圖 L (2) 陳摶 (3) 種放 (4) 穆修 (5) 李溉 (6) 蕭應叟 (7) 張宇初 (8) 下丹田 (9) 玄牝之門 (10) 得竅 (11) 租氣 (12) 煉己 (13) 精 (14) 神 (15) 和合 (16) 離 (17) 坎 (18) 乾

Taijitu de Lai

The figure opposite is usually called laishi taijitu (1) according to the name of its creator Lai Zhide (2) （1525 - 1604), néo-Confucianist and practitioner taoist of the Dynastie Ming, author of the Zhouyi jizhu (3) (1598), important comment of the Zhouyi in which its diagram is. It is called also circular figure of Mr Lai Qutang (4). It schematizes the pivotal role of the principle Li (5), the opposition of the two yin categories and yang and circulation of the IQ.

(1) 來氏太極圖 (2) 来知徳 (3) 周易集注 (4) 来瞿唐先生圆图 (5) 理

Taijitu of the origins

The term Taijitu of the origins (1) nowadays indicates the largely known symbol, whose popular Chinese name is fish yin and yang (2). According to the work Discrimination of the diagrams of changes (3) of Hu Wei (4) （1633 - 1714） of the Qing, it represents the movement of alternation of IQ yin (black) and yang (white) inconceivable one without the other and concealing each one a germ of the other. Certain purists consider that the yin and the yang there being illustrated separated, it is not a question rigorously of a taijitu, the concept of taiji not admitting any differentiation. This diagram can be the subject of various specific interpretations according to the scope of application.

(1) 先天太極圖 (2) 陰陽魚 (3) yitu mingbian 易圖明辨 (4) 胡渭

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