Taijitu shuo Wuji (philosophy)

zhou s taijitu diagram

the (11th century ce) taijitu shuo 太極圖說 explanation of diagram of supreme ultimate , written zhou dunyi (1017-1073 ce), cornerstone of neo-confucianist cosmology. brief text synthesized confucianist metaphysics of yijing aspects of daoism , chinese buddhism. in taijitu diagram, wuji represented blank circle , taiji circle center point (world embryo) or broken , unbroken lines (yin , yang).

zhou s key terms wuji , taiji appear in famous opening phrase wuji er taiji 無極而太極, adler notes translated supreme polarity non-polar! .

non-polar (wuji) , yet supreme polarity (taiji)! supreme polarity in activity generates yang; yet @ limit of activity still. in stillness generates yin; yet @ limit of stillness active. activity , stillness alternate; each basis of other. in distinguishing yin , yang, 2 modes thereby established. alternation , combination of yang , yin generate water, fire, wood, metal, , earth. these 5 [phases of] qi harmoniously arranged, 4 seasons proceed through them. 5 phases yin , yang; yin , yang supreme polarity; supreme polarity fundamentally non-polar. [yet] in generation of 5 phases, each 1 has nature. (tr. adler 1999:673-4)

robinet explains relationship.

the taiji 1 contains yin , yang, or 3 (as stated in hanshu 21a). 3 is, in taoist terms, 1 (yang) plus 2 (yin), or 3 gives life beings (daode jing 42), 1 virtually contains multiplicity. thus, wuji limitless void, whereas taiji limit in sense beginning , end of world, turning point. wuji mechanism of both movement , quiescence; situated before differentiation between movement , quiescence, metaphorically located in space-time between kun 坤, or pure yin, , fu 復, return of yang. in other terms, while taoists state taiji metaphysically preceded wuji, dao, neo-confucians taiji dao. (2008:1058)