Chapter 1

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The Divine Root Conceives and the Spring Breaks Forth
As the Heart's Nature Is Cultivated, the Great Way Arises
Before Chaos was divided, Heaven and Earth were one;
All was a shapeless blur, and no men had appeared.
Once Pan Gu destroyed the Enormous Vagueness
The separation of clear and impure began.
Living things have always tended towards humanity;
From their creation all beings improve.
If you want to know about Creation and Time,
Read Difficulties Resolved on the Journey to the West.

In the arithmetic of the universe, 129,600 years make one cycle. Each cycle can be divided into twelve phases: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI and XII, the twelve branches. Each phase lasts 10,800 years.
Now within a single day, the positive begins at the time I; at II the cock crows; at III it is not quite light; at IV the sun rises; V is after breakfast; and at VI one does business. VII is when the sun reaches noon; at VIII it is slipping towards the West; IX is late afternoon; the sun sets at X; XI is dusk; and at XII people settle down for the night.
If you compare this with the big numbers, then at the end of Phase XI Heaven and Earth were still one, and no beings had appeared. 5,400 years later came the beginning of Phase XII, when all was darkness and there were still no people or other creatures; for this reason it was called Chaos. Another 5,400 years later Phase XII was drawing to a close and a new cycle was about to begin. As Phase I of the new era approached, gradually there was light. As Shao Yong said,

“When winter reaches the mid-point of Phase I
The heart of Heaven does not move.
Where the Positive first appears
Nothing has yet come to life.”

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第一回　
灵根育孕源流出　心性修持大道生
"　　混沌未分天地乱，茫茫渺渺无人见。   
　　自从盘古破鸿蒙，开辟从兹清浊辨。   
　　覆载群生仰至仁，发明万物皆成善。   
　    欲知造化会元功，须看西游释厄传。"

盖闻天地之数，有十二万九千六百岁为一元。将一元分为十二会，乃子、丑、寅、卯、辰、巳、午、未、申、酉、戌、亥之十二支也。每会该一万八百岁。

且就一日而论：子时得阳气，而丑则鸡鸣；寅不通光，而卯则日出；辰时食后，而巳则挨排；日午天中，而未则西蹉；申时晡而日落酉；戌黄昏而人定亥。譬于大数，若到戌会之终，则天地昏蒙而万物否矣。再去五千四百岁，交亥会之初，则当黑暗，而两间人物俱无矣，故曰混沌。又五千四百岁，亥会将终，贞下起元，近子之会，而复逐渐开明。邵康节曰：

冬至子之半，
天心无改移。
一阳初动处，
万物未生时。