Tristan G. Brown

“I, the Emperor, have evaluated the ancient and present classics of the Han and the Muslims: both from the onset aim to propagate the Way.”

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The teacher (Khoja ‘Abd Allah) studied deeply the transformations of the taiji and the profundities and subtleties of the adjoined “two” (yin and yang), and the “five” (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water). Later, when he came to the end of his life, he saw that he would leave the mortal world and be transformed into the afterlife. And thus, he divined that the finest place of Baoning was at the base of Coiled Dragon Mountain.

Originally published in T’oung Pao, International Journal of Chinese Studies, 2019. Republished here with thanks.