What is the True One in Taoism? 道教中的真一
Paul PengWhat is the True One in Taoism?
The term True One first appears in Inner Chapters of Baopuzi by Ge Hong.
In discussing the origin of the cosmos, Ge Hong proposed concepts such as The Dao, Mystery, and the One, which are interrelated but each with distinct emphasis.
Baopuzi · Chapter on Earth and Reality states:
“The Dao arises from the One, whose nobility has no equal.
It abides in three forms, representing Heaven, Earth, and Humanity — hence called the Three Ones.
Heaven attained the One and became clear;
Earth attained the One and became stable;
Humanity attained the One and came to life;
Spirits attained the One and became divine.”
What is the True One in Taoism?
It abides in three forms, representing Heaven, Earth, and Humanity — hence called the Three Ones.
The One is the infinitely wondous substance that generates all things.
Thus, those who seek longevity and immortality must guard it,
and guarding the One became the fundamental practice of practitioners in Taoism.
Secret Instructions of the Sage on the Scripture of Great Peace notes:
“One who guards the One can transcend the world, eliminate disasters, serve the ruler, escape death… achieve longevity and everlasting vision.”
Ge Hong further divided guarding the One into two types:
guarding the Mysterious One and guarding the True One.
It is said: “To guard the form and repel evil lies uniquely in the True One.”
Ge Hong personalized the True One, holding that it “has a name, stature, and appearance” (Chapter on Earth and Reality).
He advocated: “Enter the nine chambers to refine contemplation, abide in the True One to summon the gods” (Chapter on Illuminating the Root).
As an essential method for communicating with the divine, guarding the True One was inherited by later Daoist practitioners.
