What are Original Essence and Manifest Traces in Taoism? 道教中的本迹是指什么？

Ben refers to the essence and The Dao; Ji refers to the function and the tangible form. Taoist thinkers regarded Ben as non-being and emptiness, holding that the essence of The Dao is unborn and imperishable, without a name or form. They regarded Ji as being, believing that the essence of The Dao manifests in tangible traces in response to cosmic occasions, undergoing rise and fall, existence and demise, and thus can be seen and heard.

What are Original Essence and Manifest Traces in Taoism?

Cheng Xuanying stated in his Sub-commentary on the Opening, Preface and Secret Instructions of the Dao De Jing: "That which is formless is the Wonderful Origin. When it manifests in tangible traces in response to occasions, it can be seen and heard." He advocated that The Dao should first "return to simplicity and purity, and revert to the Wonderful Origin", then "manifest in tangible traces from its essence to save all living beings". Cheng Xuanying further used the pair of concepts Ben and Ji to explain the process of cosmic generation: "The essence can generate manifestations, and manifestations can generate all things." He also said: "The Wonderful Origin is subtle and transcendent, hence it is said to be formless and without substance; yet it can also generate and transform all things, hence it is said to have form and appearance."