On the Cosmology and Astronomical Significance of Story of the Pillow by Ge Hong
The authorship of the book Yuanshi-shangzhen Zhongxian Ji(Story of the Pillow)has been a long-standing controversy since it was deemed a forgery by the General Catalogue of the Imperial Collection of Four Treasures(Sikuquanshu Zongmu).By comparing the book with various cosmological theories of the Han and Jin dynasties,this paper believes that the Story of the Pillow should have been written by Ge Hong during his later years when he lived in seclusion on Mount Luo-fu.The mythological cosmology in the book includes Ge Hong's revision of the traditional theory of sphere-heavens based on the theory of primordial energy.Therefore,the book not only plays an im-portant role in the Taoist theological system,but also makes an outstanding contribution to the devel-opment of Chinese astronomical thought.
Ge HongStory of the Pillowtheory of sphere-heavensastronomy
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