The Chinese phrase, PingFenQiuSe (the title of this article) is commonly used in daily life when expressing a tie match game or when two opponents have equal abilities. Interestingly, almost everyone who uses this phrase does not know it originates in Daoist cosmology.
Ping 平 means equal, even, leveled, balance, or peace. Fen 分 means divided, sharing, separate, part, fraction, or equal. Fen is also the Chinese word for equinox. Qiu 秋 means autumn. Se 色 means color, tint, appearance, scene, expression, or quality. Superficially, this phrase might sound like it means evenly dividing the colors of autumn. In fact, the phrase illustrates the equal quality or the perfectly balanced state of nature during the autumn equinox period.
From the Daoist cosmological perspective, in the natural annual cycle, the Yin 陰 and Yang 陽 energies reach equal levels at both the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, special moments each year that embody equality, balance, and peace. As practitioners, we receive great benefit from our inner cultivation by empowering them with the inherent peaceful and harmonious energies the equinoxes provide.
The YinYang rhythm of nature shows us that there are always changes. Although the two balance points of the equinoxes last only a brief moment, the abundance of the fall harvest is the manifestation of nature moving towards this balance state. The harvest season literally exemplifies the power of nature’s harmonious energy each autumn. Interestingly, the Chinese character He 和 for peace and harmony is made by the radical He 禾 for grains and Kou 口 for mouth.
Ancient written pattern He 和
As with nature, each individual being is made of Yin and Yang energies. Each of us has an imperfect life and encounter countless levels of varying difficulties. We tap into reminders of our peace within more easily if we learn to harvest the fruits of our cultivation practices. PingFenQiuSe inspires us to practice cultivating love and compassion, for self and others, especially when we are challenged by times of crisis, in order to bring deeply impactful moments of harmony into our everyday interactions.
In Daoist tradition, we learn how to live PingFenQiuSe through Guan 觀. The Chinese character Guan means display, visit, watch, advise, and observe. It is also the symbol for hexagram ䷓ from the Yijing 易經, which is associated with the autumnal equinox. As you can see, the hexagram is made with four Yin lines on the bottom and two Yang lines on top. The Guan hexagram represents the time or place we simply watch to see what is going on, having no need to struggle.
If you would like to experience the power of the Guan hexagram Daoist internal alchemy practice, please join me on Zoom to celebrate the autumnal equinox this Sunday, 22 September, 2024, from 6:30-8:00pm Central European Time and take advantage of one of the most powerful times for healing and inner transformation. In this session, we practice using the mudra associated with the tidal hexagram Guan 觀 (#20), and the GaoTanMa 高探馬 (Scout on High) movement from my Hidden Immortal Lineage Taiji Qigong form. Registration details for the event may be found by visiting the training schedule page on my website, Chinese Wisdom Traditions, or by clicking the button below:
To close, I would like to cite my perspective as a Daoist internal alchemy practitioner of Hexagram Guan’s DaXiang instruction from an previous article, Guan ䷓ 觀 – Observe:
The Way of Daoist Cultivation
FengXingDiShang Guan XianWangYiXingFangGuanMinSheJiao
風行地上 觀 先王以省方 觀民設教
— DaXiang 大象 of hexagram ䷓ Guan 觀/Observe
Wind/Qi transforms everything on earth, this is the message of Guan. Applying the wisdom contained within this message, you would thoroughly examine your living condition, mindfully observe your body, and accordingly, create a cultivation plan of action for yourself.