Among the numerous symbols and diagrams, there are some special symbols and diagrams used to express the changes in celestial movements and the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang.
These symbols are closely related to fields such as astronomy, astrology, meteorology, and ecology. For example, various symbols related to celestial phenomena, constellations, clouds, thunder, lightning, wind, and rain can be collectively referred to as celestial symbols.
Taoist literature has long explained this point.
First, Taoism claims that these talismans are formed from the pure primordial energy between heaven and earth, and that they are actually a true depiction of all things in the universe.
As recorded in Volume Sixteen of Lingbao Yujian: When chaos first opened and yin and yang had just separated, “the magical wind merged and stirred, the three kinds of qi opened up and shone, the qi gathered to form characters, the clouds and mist condensed to draw seal script, the five textures opened up and extended, and the eight corners emitted light, thus establishing the three powers of heaven, earth and man to govern human society.”
Some believe that these are the Hetu and Luoshu, or the celestial phenomena in the vast Milky Way, which is what people call the true spiritual books.
However, its more important significance lies in its ability to discern the universe and drive the balance of Yin and Yang. Whether it's the flowing and towering of mountains and rivers or the birth and development of humankind, it all demonstrates the wondrous power of the True Jade Characters in adapting to the times and shining brightly.
These mysterious symbols and diagrams that can determine the heavens and earth and manage yin and yang are essentially graphic patterns used to describe the existence and changing laws of all things in the universe.
Secondly, judging from the various names of the symbols, many of them are closely related to celestial phenomena, such as celestial script, astronomy, cloud seal script, thunder script, seven-star hidden script, etc.
Volume 273 of the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu states: "The Seven Star Hidden Texts have the effects of curing diseases, subduing evil spirits, slaying demons, and expelling monsters."
It also points out that: "The great generals of the heavens, the five great demons, and countless ancient characters all originated from the Jade Palace of the Big Dipper and the Mysterious Gate of the Three Platforms. These characters follow the proper laws and regulations, command and control gods and ghosts, and have the power to slay demons and remove evil spirits. They are the mysterious documents controlled by the Northern Emperor."
This indicates that the Seven Stars Hidden Script originates from the inspiration brought by the Big Dipper. It is not just a simple symbol or mark, but more like a mysterious bridge connecting the Big Dipper and the human world, carrying endless mysteries and profound meanings.
Further in-depth study of the structure and composition of the symbols reveals that many of them are closely linked to celestial phenomena. Some symbols meticulously depict constellations such as the Three Stars, the Big Dipper, the Southern Dipper, and the Twenty-Eight Mansions, as if condensing the vast starry sky into a small space.
Others vividly depict natural wonders such as thunder and lightning, and torrential rain, leaving readers in awe.
Furthermore, considering the practical application value of talismans, we are surprised to find that those talismans widely used to control weather changes, such as summoning wind and clouds and driving lightning, such as cloud-summoning talismans, rain-making talismans, thunder talismans, lightning-generating talismans, clearing-up-the-sunshine talismans, snow-making talismans, wind-summoning talismans, etc., all belong to this category of celestial talismans.
From a broader perspective, whether it's the Taiji diagram, the Nine Palaces diagram, the Hetu diagram, or the Luoshu diagram in Taoism, or the mandala in Esoteric Buddhism, they can all be categorized as celestial symbolic diagrams.
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