"The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name... The wisdom of our patriarch Laozi is beyond us." Chisongzi knelt on a cushion in the great hall, gazing at the stone stele on the dais, inscribed with the Tao Te Ching, as he spoke with deep feeling.
Beimingzi sat opposite Chisongzi, a low tea table set before him with cups and a teapot. He softly recited, "Ever without desire, one beholds its subtle mysteries; ever with desire, one beholds its manifestations. These two arise together, differing in name but sharing one source. Mystery upon mystery, the gateway to all wonders."
Chisongzi poured tea for them both and offered a cup to Beimingzi. "Master, you came specifically to see me today. Is there something important you wish to discuss?"
"I heard Donghuang Taiyi of the Yin-Yang School came to see you?"
Chisongzi's hands paused. A complicated expression flickered across his face as he answered quietly, "A few days ago, Donghuang Taiyi slipped into our sect to meet with me. On behalf of the King of Qin, whom he serves, he invited the Heavenly Sect to join Qin. The king was willing to honor Daoism as the state religion and appoint me a high minister of Qin, with standing equal to the Yin-Yang School. But I refused."
Beimingzi lowered his eyes. "I understand your thinking. Qin's rise is already assured. Although its chancellor, Lü Buwei, currently controls the court, the King of Qin is not a man content to remain under another's thumb. Lü Buwei may wield immense power, but ultimately, he is only a subject of Qin. Sooner or later, authority over the state will return to the king.
"By contrast, most rulers of the Six Kingdoms are