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Chinese Classics: Original Texts with English Translations

This library holds 280 classical Chinese texts in 16 branches. Each text is shown paragraph by paragraph: the Chinese original, then an English translation.

The divination branches collect the standard works of Four Pillars, Six Lines, Da Liu Ren, Qimen Dunjia, Tai Yi, Jin Kou Jue, Purple Star Astrology, Plum Blossom Numerology, physiognomy and feng shui, among them Yuan Hai Zi Ping (淵海子平), San Ming Tong Hui (三命通會), Di Tian Sui Chan Wei (滴天髓闡微), Zeng Shan Bo Yi (增刪卜易), Liu Ren Da Quan (六壬大全), Qi Men Dun Jia Tong Zong (奇門遁甲統宗), Zi Wei Dou Shu Quan Shu (紫微斗數全書), Mei Hua Yi Shu (梅花易數) and Han Long Jing (撼龍經). The I Ching branch holds Zhou Yi (周易) with its commentaries; the Confucian, Daoist and Buddhist branches include Lun Yu (論語), Dao De Jing (道德經), Zhuang Zi (莊子) and Liu Zu Da Shi Fa Bao Tan Jing (六祖大師法寶壇經).

If a branch is new to you, start on its branch page: it explains what the art is, how its texts relate and in what order to read them. Most divination texts link to the matching chart tool, so you can cast a chart and check a passage against it.

Confucian Classics (32)

Confucian classics and the writings of the Confucian school, from the Warring States period to the Song, with the original beside English translation. Thirty-two titles, including the Four Books and the Spring and Autumn commentaries.

Daoist Classics (23)

Daoist and early Daoist religious texts in Chinese with English translations, including the Daodejing, Zhuangzi, Huainanzi and the inner alchemy writings. Twenty-three titles, with notes on how philosophical Daoism differs from the Daoist canon.

Buddhist Texts (25)

Buddhist texts in Chinese with English translations, including the Jingde Record of the Transmission of the Lamp. Read the original and translation side by side.

Four Pillars Destiny Texts (21)

Classical Four Pillars (Zi Ping) texts with the original beside a translation, including Yuan Hai Zi Ping, San Ming Tong Hui and Di Tian Sui, with notes on how each book relates to the others and where to start.

Six Lines Najia Texts (11)

Classical Six Lines (Najia divination) texts with the original beside a translation, including Bu Shi Zheng Zong, Zeng Shan Bu Yi and Huang Jin Ce, with notes on the sources for hexagram assembly and choosing the Useful God.

Divination Texts (8)

Divination texts with the original beside a translation, eight titles, covering assorted methods and records of verified cases.

Da Liu Ren Texts (29)

Classical Da Liu Ren texts with the original beside a translation, twenty-nine titles including Liu Ren Da Quan, Da Liu Ren Zhi Nan and the Bi Fa rhapsodies, with notes on the Four Lessons and Three Transmissions.

Tai Yi Shen Shu Texts (2)

Tai Yi Shen Shu texts with the original beside a translation. One of the Three Rites, concerned mainly with large-scale trends, with notes on accumulated years and structure numbers.

Qimen Dunjia Texts (8)

Classical Qimen Dunjia texts with the original beside a translation, including the Yan Bo Diao Sou Ge, with notes on fixing the structure, laying out the plates and judging patterns.

I Ching and Yi Studies (63)

The Zhou Changes together with historical commentaries and the diagram-and-number tradition, original beside translation, sixty-three titles in all, with notes on the structure of the text and its commentarial schools.

Plum Blossom Numerology Texts (1)

Plum Blossom Numerology texts with the original beside a translation. Built on casting from numbers and on the body-and-function relation, with notes on casting methods and interpretation.

Purple Star Astrology Texts (1)

Purple Star Astrology texts with the original beside a translation, including the Zi Wei Dou Shu Quan Shu, with notes on the twelve palaces, the fourteen major stars and the Four Transformations.

General and Cross-Discipline Texts (13)

General works on Chinese metaphysics with the original beside a translation, thirteen titles covering calendrical method, date selection and surveys that cut across branches.

Jin Kou Jue Texts (1)

Jin Kou Jue texts with the original beside a translation. A four-position casting method, with notes on how it relates to Da Liu Ren.

Physiognomy Texts (12)

Face and palm reading texts with the original beside a translation, twelve titles including Gong Du Xiang Fa, with notes on method and on what each tradition observes.

Feng shui and Kan Yu Texts (30)

Classical Feng shui texts with the original beside a translation, thirty titles spanning the principal works of both the form school and the qi school, with notes on the division between them and on reading order.