“Chengfu” in the Taiping Jing: Daoist Karma & Cosmic Justice

This text is excerpted from Excerpts from the Taiping Jing - Chapter on Interpreting Inherited Retribution.

Scripture Name: Excerpts from the Taiping Jing (Taiping Jing Chao). The original author is unrecorded; research suggests it was compiled by Lü Qiu Fangyuan, a Taoist monk at the end of the Tang Dynasty, who abridged the Taiping Jing (The Scripture of Great Peace). It consists of ten volumes, each corresponding to seventeen volumes of the original Taiping Jing.

Source of the Base Text: Zhengtong Daozang (The Daoist Canon of the Zhengtong Reign), Taiping Section.

Chapter on Interpreting Inherited Retribution

Since the creation of Heaven and Earth, malignant qi has never ceased; even when it fades, it revives again. Why is this? Longevity is Heaven’s most precious treasure—it is bestowed only upon the virtuous and cannot be obtained through pretense. To understand this treasure: only when all beings under Heaven, Earth, and the six directions (north, south, east, west, upper, lower), as well as all things near and far, are free from resentment and strife, and all rejoice thoroughly, can longevity be extended. If even one matter causes displeasure, there will be injuries and deaths.

In human conduct, some strive to do good yet unexpectedly meet misfortune; others deliberately do evil yet surprisingly gain good fortune. Those who gain good fortune by doing evil may claim themselves "virtuous," but this is not true. Those who strive for good yet suffer misfortune inherit the transgressions of their ancestors—calamities accumulated over past and present generations befall them. Those who do evil yet gain good fortune benefit from the great merits accumulated by their ancestors, which flow down to bless them. If one performs extraordinary meritorious deeds (ten thousand times greater than ordinary good), even if their ancestors left residual misfortune, it will not reach them. Such merits then flow onward to future generations, becoming part of the cycle of inheritance. Every five generations form a minor cycle, and every ten generations return to the initial state. Some perform minor good deeds, insufficient to atone for karmic debts; if their ancestors passed down evil, the calamity of inheritance will cause their lineage to perish without descendants—truly an injustice.

Regarding "inherited retribution" (chengfu): Heaven operates in three tiers. Emperors are bound to the karmic flow of thirty thousand years, ministers three thousand years, and commoners three hundred years. All are connected by this inheritance, rising and falling in turn, and this cycle endures alongside the prosperity and decline of governance. To break this cycle, one must follow the model of Heavenly governance in ancient times—ponder this deeply and never forget it.

Humans have three levels of lifespan, corresponding to the three vital energies: the lifespan of the Supreme Yang (Taiyang), Supreme Yin (Taiyin), and Harmony (Zhonghe). The upper lifespan is 120 years, the middle 80 years, and the lower 60 years. 120 years align with Heaven’s great calendar, matching the full annual cycle of Heaven and Earth. 80 years correspond to the division of Yin and Yang into eight pairs, which aligns with Earth’s order—Earth separates all things, so those who die depart, and those who live remain. 60 years correspond to the energy of Harmony, matching the Dun hexagram (meaning "retreat") in the sixth lunar month. "Retreat" signifies escape, thus this lifespan governs the junction of life and death. If one persists in doing good beyond these lifespans, they are said to "transcend the mortal world." If one persists in evil and fails to reach even the lower lifespan, they die prematurely.

Those who die as fetuses or before reaching adulthood are innocent bearers of their ancestors’ transgressions. Frequent head illnesses indicate Heaven’s displeasure; frequent foot illnesses, Earth’s displeasure; frequent internal organ illnesses, conflict among the energies of the Five Elements (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth); frequent limb illnesses, disharmony among the energies of the Four Seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter); frequent deafness or blindness, disorder of the Three Luminaries (Sun, Moon, Stars); frequent fevers and chills, violent contention between Yin and Yang energies; frequent confusion and disorientation, the displacement of all things; frequent spirit-induced illnesses, the wrath of Heaven and Earth’s divine beings; frequent deaths from febrile diseases, destruction by the Supreme Yang’s energy; frequent deaths from cold diseases, harm by the Supreme Yin’s energy; frequent sudden deaths, excessive severity of punitive energies; frequent qi stagnation or deficiency, the misalignment of the Eight Solar Terms (the 24 solar terms grouped into eight key ones).

Today, Yin and Yang in Heaven and Earth are utterly displaced, thus afflicting all things. Emperors govern with disharmony: floods and droughts occur unpredictably, bandits rise repeatedly, yet punishments are only made harsher—penalties pile up endlessly, and conflicts remain unresolved. The people cry out to Heaven; local officials govern with chaos, lacking proper order. All things are damaged, and this suffering stirs the Highest Heaven: the Three Luminaries fluctuate violently, stars wander from their orbits. Only the "Supreme Dao" can save this. I know Heaven’s will does not deceive you—once Heaven’s wrath is unleashed, it cannot be halted. Those who offend Heaven shall die prematurely.

In the beginning, when Heaven and Earth were first created from the Primordial Chaos, each sage comprehended one aspect of the Dao with true, unwavering knowledge—no doubts remained in their minds. Thus, each was able to accomplish a great undertaking, which later generations followed without error. Even sages excelled in one specific great task but could not fully grasp the Heavenly Dao, so their virtues varied. If even Heaven (and Earth) are thus, how much more so ordinary humans? Heaven and Earth each excel in one aspect: Heaven excels in loftiness and clarity, Earth in lowliness and solidity, and the Harmony (Zhonghe) energy excels in nurturing all things. Even they cannot encompass everything—how much less can ordinary people? The Earthly Branch Hai (corresponding to the northwest) marks the northwest extreme of Heaven and Earth, and Si (corresponding to the southeast) marks their southeast extreme. If the cold of Hai fails to constrict (all living things) in due time, the Si period of the following year will bring retaliatory harm.

The Earthly Branch Zi (corresponding to the north) marks the north extreme of Heaven and Earth, and Wu (corresponding to the south) marks their south extreme. If the Zi period (winter) fails to store energy in accordance with nature, the Wu period (summer) will bring inherited retribution (chengfu) and ruin. The Earthly Branch Chou (corresponding to the northeast) marks their northeast extreme, and Wei (corresponding to the southwest) marks their southwest extreme. If the Chou period (late winter) fails to nurture new growth in due time, the sixth lunar month (associated with Wei) will bring retaliatory punishment. Such is the inherent operation of Heaven and Earth.

Today, emperors dwell within innermost palaces: if they practice Dao and virtue, their kindness extends ten thousand li, and the people enjoy their grace—fathers are compassionate, sons are filial, families are prosperous, and no one commits evil. If emperors lose sight of Dao and virtue within their palaces, even ten thousand li away, officials and commoners will neglect their duties. Though the distance is vast, the root cause is one and the same. Practicing virtuous words is not as good as practicing virtue in one’s own conduct.

The Perfected One (Zhenren) asked the Divine Person (Shenren): “Throughout my life, I have not known what brings lasting joy—what is it?” The Divine Person replied: “Have you not observed the great, broad-minded Perfected Ones of old? They aged only after first thriving because they rejected evil and cherished only the true Dao. The true Dao preserves them, while evil fades away. When all ordinary people are trapped in hardship, they alone endure—this is lasting joy. Radiant and joyful in solitude, why harbor resentment? But if one ultimately fails to attain immortality, what then?” The Divine Person answered: “Constant practice draws one near to achievement; thinking of good draws one near to longevity. The Dao is the eternal Scripture without end.”

In ancient times, Divine Persons governed the world, with Perfected Ones serving as their ministers to rule the people. Thus, the people did not even realize there was an emperor—they governed themselves naturally through the Dao, without deliberate effort. Next, Perfected Ones governed, with Immortals as their ministers: the people did not see their rulers directly, but gradually became aware of the emperor, heeding his teachings and honoring their lord. Then, Immortals governed, with Daoists as their ministers: governance grew slightly strict, punishments and laws became explicit, stirring fear in the people’s hearts and sowing the seeds of cunning and deceit. Finally came “hegemonic rule”: rulers did not carefully select their ministers, the people suffered injustice, and chaos arose. Governance drifted farther from the Dao, chaos drew closer, and order could no longer be restored.

Therefore, thinking of the Divine leads to the Divine; thinking of the True leads to the True; thinking of Immortality leads to Immortality; thinking of the Dao leads to the Dao; thinking of Wisdom leads to Wisdom. When a sage devotes sincere thought to worthy people, the spirit of those worthies comes to aid them; thinking of evil leads to the ghosts of fools, who confuse and deceive them. All that one thinks of can be attained—it depends only on the quality (excellence or inferiority) of what is being thought. Thus, a superior person (Shangshi) as ruler thinks of the Divine and True; a middle person (Zhongshi) as ruler is mentally perceptive and wise; an inferior person (Xiashi) as ruler has nothing worthy of thought and merely acts according to fate.

The Perfected One asked: “How can we know whether an emperor thinks of good or evil?” The Divine Person replied: “It is easy to know. If an emperor thinks of benevolence and goodness, auspicious omens will appear solely for him, and sacred texts (Tushu, referring to divinely revealed diagrams and writings) will come into being solely for him. An emperor’s benevolence and clarity arise from the Wood and Fire energies; his martial wisdom arises from the Metal and Water energies; his gentleness arises from the Earth energy. The signs that Heaven reveals never err.”

The Perfected One asked: “Who should obtain the rare diagrams and extraordinary methods that emerged in ancient times?” The Divine Person answered: “Officials or commoners who find them should present them to the emperor. When an emperor obtains these, the seasonal energies become harmonious, governance grows wiser, and virtuous scholars well-versed in the Dao emerge to assist him—his way of ruling grows stronger by the day. Foreign tribes (Yidi) perish, governance proceeds without effort (Chuigong er zhi, meaning “ruling with folded hands”), punishments cease naturally, and the people know no warfare. Can one not recognize these proofs of an emperor’s good thoughts? Even without seeing the emperor himself, one can know it.”

The Perfected One asked: “How can a Divine Person know all this?” The Divine Person replied: “Through the ‘silent Dao.’ A ruler who desires benevolence and cherishes life imitates the Heavenly Dao; ministers who desire gentleness, obedience, and the nurturing of the people imitate the Earthly Dao—then auspicious responses will emerge. Thus, Heaven and Earth endure without speaking, governing through divine power alone; divine beings attain immortality without speaking—all possess inner clarity while remaining outwardly unassuming, hence becoming the origin of all Dao. Divine beings come and go without physical dwellings: they are tranquil and silent, rest peacefully as if asleep, and divine radiance arises naturally within them. How can they not be auspicious and joyful? Those who speak excessively deplete their vital essence; those who labor excessively torment their bodies; those who rely overly on force harm themselves—these are the sources of misfortune and disaster. Be cautious of my words: do not think recklessly. Good thoughts may bring virtue; evil thoughts will harm you in return. Safety and danger are as intertwined as the strands of a hair knot—beware, and do not let your thoughts be muddled.”

When a person loses the Dao, their life ends; if one truly understands the meaning of the Dao, their life can be preserved. Strive to nurture your vital essence—do not torment yourself. Learn from a wise teacher and serve them, and disasters will not arise. The Perfected One dared not forget the Divine Person’s words. The Divine Person said: “Those who learn the Dao do so for their own sake, not for others. Thus, one must love and cherish oneself. Persist in learning the Dao for a long time, and you will become a Divine Perfected One—transcending ordinary people. This is the truth.”

The Perfected One asked: "How can we know the efficacy of the Dao?"

The Divine Person replied: "Confirm it through a wise teacher, then practice it in your own person. When your body transforms and changes, you will stand in the same school as the divine Dao, be neighbors with the True, and share the same abode as Divine Persons. Seek the Dao within yourself—why would you fail to see its benefits? Those who lose the essence of the Dao, instead, search for it in the four wildernesses. When they find nothing, they grow old in despair. Thus, they stray from the root and claim ‘there is no Dao in the world,’ forever drowning in sorrow. Straying from the root is a great disaster: great rulers who lose it cannot govern peacefully; middle-ranking scholars who lose it disrupt their lords; virtuous people who lose it cannot attain worthiness; ordinary people who lose it destroy themselves. The deeds of ancient sages are no different from those of today; the despair of ancient fools is also the same as today’s. The proof is so clear."

The Perfected One asked: "How can we know if a person (or lineage) will rise or decline?"

The Divine Person replied: "When a great ruler is about to rise, rare texts (of wisdom) emerge, and worthy people come to assist in governance. When a family is about to rise, those who seek (the Dao) gain sustenance, and the goodness of their children becomes evident."

The Perfected One asked: "How can such worthiness be attained?"

The Divine Person replied: "All through thought—sincere, unceasing thought will bring forth all that one strives for. How divine is the Dao in governing the world—can one not practice it with dedication? The Divine Person continued: ‘The Three Cardinal Guides (between ruler and minister, father and son, husband and wife) and Six Disciplines (ethical norms for social relations) can endure in auspiciousness only because they uphold the Dao and never deviate from proper governance; thus, they remain ever blessed. Heaven, which holds power over lifespan, does not deprive people of their aspirations.

‘The nature of Wood is benevolence—thinking of benevolence draws one to the East, for the East presides over benevolence. The same principle applies to all the Five Directions (East, South, West, North, Center). All matters under Heaven follow the law of “like attracting like”: if an emperor aspires to tranquility, his governance will also be tranquil—this is the working of “summoning through similarity.”

‘Scholars of old practiced the Dao within their own persons; scholars of today, by contrast, merely imitate others. Ancient scholars learned to stabilize and nurture their own beings; modern scholars chase empty literary flourishes—they do not accumulate vital essence in their bodies, but instead pour their efforts into empty writings. This is truly ignorance of the root (of the Dao).’"