Two Precious Scroll Narratives of Guanyin and Her ... - Khamkoo

214 Notes to Pages 164–183
8. The Star of the Ground is the first star of the Big Dipper (Ursa Major), in
charge of the virtue of yang. In physiognomy it refers to the nose. The Cowherd
(also known as the Buffalo Star) is the Chinese name for the star Altair.
9. The Five Mounts are the five holy mountains of the four directions and
the center. In Chinese physiognomy the term refers to the five sense organs. The
Four Conduits refer to the four major rivers of ancient China (Yellow River,
Yangzi, Huai, and Ji), which were also revered as deities. In physiognomy the
term refers to the ears, the eyes, the mouth, and the nose.
10. Chinese physiognomy divides both the head and the body into three
sections, which have to be equal to ensure a good fortune. Long earlobes are
said to be an indicator of good fortune.
11. The phoenix is the king of birds; it will alight only on the parasol tree.
12. The turtle is believed to live to a very old age.
13. The gate with its vermilion steps refers to the imperial court.
14. The peaches of immortality of the Queen Mother of the West, the ruler
of all female immortals, ripen only once every three thousand years. When they
do, she invites all immortals and deities to her garden atop Mt. Kunlun to eat
these special peaches.
15. Chen Lian apparently has kept to a vegetarian diet, which also includes
abstinence from such things as onions and garlic.
16. ‘‘Misty flowers’’ is a common euphemism for courtesans and
prostitutes.
17. In Chinese the words for ‘‘talent’’ (cai) and ‘‘riches’’ (cai) have the same
pronunciation. As Shancai may also be understood to mean ‘‘Good-in-Riches,’’
Shancai was also venerated as a god of wealth.
18. The three paths are the three paths of rebirth: as human, animal, or
hungry ghost.
19. ‘‘Little monk’’ is also a common euphemism for the penis.
20. The bodhisattva Kṡitigarbha, who has vowed to release all living beings
from suffering, is widely revered as the highest deity of the Underworld.
21. Zhuang Zhou (ca. 369 BCE–ca. 286 BCE) is credited with the authorship
of the Daoist classic Master Zhuang (Zhuangzi). The Zhou dynasty reigned
from the eleventh century BCE to 256 BCE. The Western Zhou actually refers to
the early centuries of the Zhou dynasty. Zhuang Zhou lived during the Eastern
Zhou, when the Zhou dynasty resided at Luoyang and had lost most of its
power.
22. ‘‘Grand Superior’’ is an abbreviated form of Grand Superior Old Lord
(Taishang laojun), one of the titles of the deified Old Master (Laozi).
23. Outside the magistrate’s office a drum was placed, to be beaten by those
who wanted to lodge a complaint.
24. The Ancestral Teacher of Pure Yang is Lü Dongbin, one of the popular
group of the Eight Immortals. He is usually depicted as a young man carrying a
sword.
25. In the Daoist-inspired language of Internal Alchemy mysticism, cinnabar
is the main ingredient of the elixir of life, the highest Truth.
26. Insight into emptiness dawns when one realizes that the image of the
Buddha produced in meditative visualization ‘‘does not come from anywhere
and does not go anywhere’’ and that it ‘‘comes thusly and goes thusly.’’