A Mission to Heaven: A Great Chinese Epic and Allegory

SEARCH FOR IMMORTALITY

Eternal Life impregnates the -world and a child is brought forth. Mind and soul unite and bring forth Religion.

Chaos reigned ere order came, Darkness wrapped the world around, AVhen at last appeared Pan Ku. Light and bright he placed above, Heavy things he ranged below. Li^^ng creatures he called forth, All things needed he supplied. Creation’s wonders if you’d see — Read this journey to the sky.

We have heard that the age of the world is 129,600 years for one kalpa, that these kalpas are divided into 12 periods, just as the day and night are divided into 12 Chinese hours, and each period is 10,800 years (or two half periods of 5,400). Speaking of the divisions in a day, there are twelve of 2 hours each, from midnight to midnight. But if we speak of the division of the kalpas, at the end of each there is a return to chaos and darkness. After the first period of 5,400 years, everything should be dark like night without any living thing. This state is called chaos. After the second period of 5,400 years comes the era which gradually begins to open up with light. Hence the saying, ‘ ‘The winter solstice is the re-beginning.” But Nature never changes. Everything is dead then. Soon after, life again begins. After a third period of 5,400 j^ears more, the light parts of matter rise up, forming the sun and moon and stars. Towards the end of a fourth period of 5,400 years, the solid parts combine. The Book of Changes saj’s, “How great is Heaven, how perfect is the Earth producing all things, the Earth henceforth is solid”. After a fifth period of 5,400 years more, all the solids resolve into water and fire, into mountains, rocks and earth. After a sixth period of 5,400 years, at the end of another kalpa, all things are reproduced again. Heavenly influences descend and earth influences rise, and by the union of the two, all living things are produced. After the seventh period of 5,400 years, men and birds and beasts are produced. Thus we have the three great powers, Heaven, Earth and Man. Three Emperors came forth to rule the earth and five sovereigns fixed the social relations.