served the thin and the thick, [the bad and the good,] of the age, and according to the times established his teaching. In every age he was the imperial teacher, and formed the laws, which at once either reached to the ninth heavens, or were extended to the four seas. From the time of the three kings, and down through succeeding ages to the time of the king Ti, all submitted to him.
Thus it is known that above and below the heavens, Sao-kiun [the venerable prince] formed all the energies of Tao. He promulgated ten thousand times ten thousand laws, and there was none who did not obtain his salvation and deliverance: yet mankind do not advert to what they daily use.
Sai-tsi, [the venerable sage,] said, "I was born before there was any appearance; I arose before the first; I acted at the origin of simple unfashioned matter; I was present at the opening of the obscure mass; and moved in the midst of the expanse; I went out and in at the doors of the utmost bounds of space." Hence Ko-hiuen in his preface to the
