Xu Yuanyi’s Essentials of the Yin Fu Jing 黄帝阴符经心法 胥元一注

Originally titled "Annotated by Xu Yuanyi, the Hermit of Liuxu in Tongchuan, Sichuan".

It was probably compiled around the late Jin to early Yuan dynasties. Originally consisting of three volumes, it was consolidated into one volume and included in the Yujue (Jade Secrets) category of The Dongzhen Section in The Daozang.

Xu Yuanyi’s Essentials of the Yin Fu Jing

Based on the over-400-character version, the scripture is divided into three chapters with titles different from other versions. The annotations elaborate on the Confucian theories of preserving the heavenly principle, eliminating human desires, cultivating the mind, perfecting one’s nature, and practicing these principles in action. It mostly quotes Confucian classics when citing predecessors, with occasional references to Taoist thought of Laozi and Zhuangzi as well as Buddhist doctrines.