Page 441 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

402 T H E EN C YCLOP E DIA O F TAO ISM A- L

"Death and life are one [time] going and one [time] returning" says *Liezi I; in
the same way, the Xici ~ ~ (Appended Statements, a portion of the *Yijing)
states that the Dao is "one [time] Yin and one [time] Yang."
Fan therefore has different ontological meanings according to whether it
is related to our closed world, where everything is finite and reverses to its
contrary or its initial state, indefinitely; or to the absolute Dao that is infinitely
"great," void, and without limits, and exceeds changes and reversals. That is
what *Wang Bi means when he writes, "In movement, if we know that there
is on-being (*wu), all things interpenetrate."
In meditationJan takes on a more technical meaning in compounds such
as Janzhao .& Jm (turning back one's light) or Janting .& ~ (turning back one's
hearing). In this instance, it designates concentration through turning one's
attention and perceptions inwardly.
Isabelle ROBINET

III Girardot 1978b; Lu Yusan 1987; Robinet 1977, 66-71; Stein R. A. 1990,
106- 12

;>.« Dao

Fan Changsheng

?- 318; zi: Yuan 5f;

Fan Changsheng was a Taoist priest and local leader of Sichuan who played
a key role in the founding of the state of Great Perfection (*Dacheng). His
name is variously given as Yanjiu N~, Chongjiu ll!1L, Wen X, and Zhi )t.
He is credited with a commentary to the *Yijing under the name Genius of
Shu (Shucai 1ll7J-) which survived until the Song and has been reconstructed
from citations. Originally from Fuling yg: ~ in southern Sichuan, he had
settled on Mount Qingcheng (*Qingcheng shan, Sichuan) in a community of
several thousand followers. From this base he offered key support to the Li
* family as it sought to re establish itself in the Sichuan region at the begin-
ning of the third century. After the death of his father, Li Te **3', *Li Xiong
offered the throne to Fan, who instead convinced Xiong to take the throne,
arguing that celestial timings favored a ruler surnamed Li. When Li Xiong,
at Fan's urging, proclaimed himself king in the jiazi lfI r year 304, Fan was
welcomed into the capital with great ceremony. Riding in a white cart, he
was met at the gate by Li Xiong, who led him to his seat. Fan received the