破邪論 2.14

2.14

In response, it is said: From Ling onward through three generations, they exclusively practiced demonic ways. Talismans, registers, petitions, and *jiao* offerings originate from the Daoists. Casting prohibitions, demonic wickedness, and recklessly discussing good and bad fortune—treachery arose from this. Moreover, from the Wu and Wei onward, and down from the Jin and Song, the number of Daoists and laypeople who committed monstrous acts was not few. Why do you single out the assembly of monks and make no mention of the two teachings of Confucianism and Daoism? As for the end of the Daye era, Wang Shichong, Li Mi, Dou Jiande, Liu Wuzhou, Liang Shidu, Lu Mingyue, Li Gui, Zhu Can, Tang Bi, and Xue Ju were all laypeople; there was not a single follower of Śākya among them. Why do you say nothing of this? Your handling of matters is biased, your reasoning crooked, siding with evil and envying the worthy; that you are disloyal as a subject is clear! Fu Yi says: 'From the opening of heaven and earth down to the fourth year of Wude (*xinsi*), 2,761,108 years have accumulated.' In response, it is said: You say that Paoxi had altogether thirty generations and ruled for 20,297 years, and that from Shaohao to Han Gaozu there were 3,201 years; calculating from Paoxi to Han Gaozu for twenty-nine generations, it does not exceed 23,498 years. How is it that from the primal creation down to the fourth year of Wude there suddenly are over 2,760,000 years? Examining the *Genealogy of Imperial Lineages*, it says that when heaven and earth first arose, they were shaped like a chicken's egg, and Pangu was within them, undergoing 90,000 years; next, the Three Sovereigns and the Suiren clan ruled for 20,297 years. According to the bibliographic catalogue by Yang Fen, Director of the Palace Library under the Qi, from the first year of Fuxi (*jiayin*) to the first year of Kaihuang (*xinchou*), there were 61,608 years; adding them altogether, there were 171,905 years. Comparing with this, the discrepancy is far too vast! Please examine the annals to determine their length. Examining what is recorded in the standard histories, Fuxi first drew the eight trigrams, laid out the sexagenary cycle, and invented writing, and only then were there generations and years. Prior to Paoxi, there were originally no calendars or records. What basis is there for this increase or decrease?