Qingjing Jing and Neiguan Jing Composed (Six Dynasties–Early Tang)
The two anonymous scriptures that bridge Han visualization and Tang zuowang — the Qingjing Jing's emptying ladder and the Neiguan Jing's inner observation — take shape between the sixth and seventh centuries.
Event: Between the sixth and early seventh centuries CE, two short anonymous scriptures appeared that would define Tang meditation vocabulary: the Qingjing Jing (Scripture of Constant Clarity and Stillness, ~400 characters) with its Madhyamaka-influenced emptying ladder, and the Neiguan Jing (Scripture of Inner Observation) with its “still the spirit, settle the mind, no wild thoughts arise” method. Both are attributed to Taishang Laojun (the deified Laozi); scholarship dates the compositions to this window and notes Buddhist and Chongxuan influence.
Evidence class: received scriptures; composition dating is scholarly inference.
Why it matters here: these two texts are the direct sources of Sima Chengzhen’s Zuowang Lun — the bridge from Han shouyi to Tang system. See the Qingjing Jing and Neiguan Jing pages.
Sources
- Qingjing Jing and Neiguan Jing, received texts; dating per modern scholarship (Kohn et al.)