Antony Cummins - The Ultimate Guide to Yin Yang

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

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THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO YIN YANG

ANTONY CUMMINS

This edition first published in the UK and USA in 2021 by

Watkins, an imprint of Watkins Media Limited

Unit 11, Shepperton House

8993 Shepperton Road

London N1 3DF

Design and typography copyright Watkins Media Limited 2021

Text and artwork copyright Antony Cummins 2021

The right of Antony Cummins to be identified as the Author of this text has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

Commissioning Editor: Fiona Robertson

Editor: James Hodgson

Head of Design: Glen Wilkins

Designer: Luise Roberts

Production Manager: Uzma Taj

Commissioned Artwork: Jay Kane

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN: 978-1-78678-515-2 (Hardback)

ISBN: 978-1-78678-551-0 (eBook)

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Printed in Hong Kong

www.watkinspublishing.com

To Ben McCarty
for his support of my projects

In spite of common assumptions about yinyang, its main function is not about describing the world or its origins, but rather in enabling one to live well in it.

Robin Wang

I am indebted to Robin Wang, whose outstanding book Yinyang: The Way of Heaven and Earth in Chinese Thought and Culture was the wedge that broke yinyang open for me. For those people who want to delve deeper into the subject, I could not recommend his book strongly enough. I must also thank lisabeth Rochat de la Valle, whose book Yin Yang in Classical Texts is a great way to understand the evolution of the concept as it progressed through the ages. Thanks also to Monkey Press, who kindly sent me books to support my project. Thanks also to Les Conn for help with aspects of Chinese pronouncation and to Derek Yuen for his help with Chinese ideograms. Also to Ikenaga Yukiko for her help with Japanese ideograms and pronunciations. To Mieko Koizumi for her guidance and support in all such matters. Lastly, to James Hodgson, my editor, for his tireless work, and Fiona Robertson of Watkins Publishing for her stalwart support in all my ventures and for bringing this book to reality.

From the dawn of Chinese civilization yinyang has shaped nations and peoples and this eternal symbol of balance and harmony continues to have a powerful presence today. People all over the world live with its teachings in mind to achieve greater balance. However, following the correct path within the restrictions of human society is a constant struggle.

In a perfect world, each person would have abundant land, benefit from the fruits of the earth, rise with the sun and look up at the bright moon. Family and friends would gather round the warmth of a wood fire as the bounty of earth kept everyone safe within its bosom while the sky watched overhead. Sadly, this cannot always be so; while modern living has great benefits, it can be difficult to arrange your life according to ancient principles in todays world.

However, all people can enhance their lives by following the teachings of yinyang. By doing so, they can establish greater balance not only in their own world but also the world at large as they work together with other people to follow natures flow. Attach yourself to the deeper secrets of the ancient sage masters of China and engage in a new way with an old tradition.

Yin and yang: two words that have entered into the world consciousness and seeped their meaning into many aspects of life. There are few people who do not recognize yin and yang, yet most people only understand the concept as a vague idea of opposites. While many books have yinyang in their title, most just use it as a shorthand for balance within a given theme the yinyang of painting, the yinyang of cooking, and so on. There are very few books dedicated to the study of yinyang itself, and they tend to be too academic and complex for the casual reader who comes to the subject with limited prior knowledge.

The aim of all my work is to bring complex ideas to a wider audience without losing the richness of the subject, and this book is no different. It opens up a gateway into the mysterious world of yinyang and gives you two paths to follow. The first leads you to a solid historical understanding of the origins and evolution of yinyang; the second is a way to use these ancient teachings in your own life, to follow the sage masters of old and benefit from the bounty of the eternal Dao.

From the basic concepts and historical development of yinyang through to its uses and skills, the book will outline all you need to know about harmonizing with the Way and help you position yourself in life so that you can benefit from the abundance of the universe. This is not a path of laziness; it is one that shows you how to ride the waves of existence and land on the shores of contentment.

At the end of each chapter you will find a Working with yinyang box, which comprises a short meditation on the key learnings of that chapter. Often it will encourage you to look at the landscape around you, the sky overhead or the development of your own understanding and reflect on the immense power and beauty of yinyang in action.