A Lasting Legacy

The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name.

The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth; the named is the mother of all things.

Heaven and Earth are dark and yellow, and at first gave rise to yin and yang. Yin and yang are qi, belonging to the physical realm; that which gives rise to one yin and one yang is principle, belonging to the realm beyond the physical. The Dao is another name for principle.

Confucius said: "This is the creation of Heaven and Earth! To seize the power of creation is to establish a heart for Heaven and Earth, secure a destiny for the people, continue the lost teachings of the sages of old, and bring peace to all ages. With this, one can rise above creation and have one's name endure for all time."

The young man asked: "What lies above creation?"

Confucius said: "It cannot be spoken of. You must seek it, contemplate it, and hold fast to it!"

To find the answer to this question, the young man spent his whole life searching, hoping to glimpse a corner of creation and attain a fragment of the Dao...

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.