The Black Tortoise, a mythological figure often depicted as a tortoise intertwined with a snake; it represents the north, the element of water, and is worshiped in Daoism as a guardian deity (also known as [[真武|真武|zhen1 wu3]])

Profound or mysterious principles; deep truths, especially in Buddhism and Daoism.

Tang dynasty Buddhist monk and translator who traveled to India from 629 to 645 to collect scriptures; also known as [[唐三藏|唐三藏|tang2 san1 zang4]] and the basis for the protagonist in the novel [[西游记|西遊記|xi1 you2 ji4]]

the space between the entrance door and the main living area of a house; entrance hall

mysterious, profound, or abstruse; difficult for the average person to understand or grasp

The seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty, reigning from 712 to 756

a type of hard, dark volcanic rock composed mainly of plagioclase and pyroxene, often used as a building material

A philosophical movement during the Wei and Jin dynasties (3rd–4th century AD) that blended Daoist thought from the [[老子|老子|lao3 zi5]] and [[庄子|莊子|zhuang1 zi5]] with Confucian classics like the [[周易|周易|zhou1 yi4]].

Xuanwu district of [[南京|南京|nan2 jing1]] in [[江苏|江蘇|jiang1 su1]] province

to be deliberately mystifying; to make something look unnecessarily complicated or fantastical in order to confuse people; to play tricks to mislead others

intentionally mysterious; arcane; illusory and unpredictable

Ningpo figwort (Scrophularia ningpoensis) or its dried root, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine

(literary) black and yellow (the colors of heaven and earth); sometimes interpreted as dark yellow

(colloquial) unreliable; incredible; vague and mysterious in a way that is hard to believe or grasp

abstruse; profound; difficult to understand; mysteries and profundities (e.g. of the universe)

Zheng Xuan (127-200), an influential scholar of the late Eastern Han dynasty who specialized in Confucian classics; he is known for his extensive commentaries on the [[毛诗|毛詩|mao2 shi1]], [[周礼|周禮|zhou1 li3]], and [[礼记|禮記|li3 ji4]]

the northern part of the sky; also refers more broadly to the north

profound and hidden virtue; a deep or subtle moral character

(literary) the sky or heaven; the vast vault of the sky

Fang Xuanling (579–648), a famous Tang dynasty politician and historian who served as Chancellor under Emperor Taizong; he was the primary editor of the [[晋书|晉書|jin4 shu1]].

great-great-grandson; the fifth generation of a lineage

The true essence or original nature of things; often used in philosophical contexts to refer to a state of primal authenticity.

A famous general (343-388) of the Eastern Jin Dynasty known for his victory at the Battle of Fei River; the nephew of [[谢安|謝安|xie4 an1]].

extremely mysterious and abstruse; refers to things that are deep, profound, and difficult to understand. This phrase originally described the mysteries of the Dao in the [[老子|老子|lao3 zi3]].

(literary) the trend of metaphysics and free conversation prevalent during the Wei and Jin dynasties, centered on Daoist principles of non-action and mental freedom

(literary) swallow; a migratory bird with a forked tail known as [[燕子|燕子|yan4 zi5]] or [[家燕|家燕|jia1 yan4]]

(literary) Daoism; Taoism

Qian Xuantong (1887–1939), a Chinese linguist, educator, and key figure in the New Culture Movement; he was a pioneer in the reform of written Chinese and advocated for the use of vernacular language.

mysterious; occult; abstruse

to imagine things in a way that is unrealistic or lacks a practical basis; to engage in deep or impractical speculation

(literary) very deep or profound; abstruse; faraway and mysterious

A famous scenic lake located northeast of Nanjing, Jiangsu province; known as a former naval training ground during the Three Kingdoms period and as a historical resort since the Jin dynasty.

Profound or abstruse doctrine; specifically the philosophical theories associated with the Taoist-inspired [[玄学|玄學|xuan2 xue2]] school of the Wei and Jin Dynasties.

The ninth month of the lunar calendar.

deep black; a very dark, intense black color

mysterious within mystery; very subtle and profound

(literary) magnetic stone; magnetite; also known as [[磁铁|磁鐵|ci2 tie3]]

Ge Xuan (164-244), a famous Daoist master and alchemist of the Eastern Wu period who is traditionally credited as the ancestor of [[葛洪|葛洪|ge3 hong2]]; he is often referred to by the honorific titles [[葛仙翁|葛仙翁|ge3 xian1 weng1]] or [[太极仙翁|太極仙翁|tai4 ji2 xian1 weng1]].

(literary) a general name for the Buddhist religion

A black or silver fox, valued for its precious dark fur with white-tipped hairs.

A bird (Grus grus) with greyish plumage, a red patch on the crown, and black forehead and neck; found in Siberia and Southern Europe

(literary) black pearl; shiny black bead

the profound or subtle principles of a philosophy or religious text

to talk about deep or abstruse philosophical and metaphysical principles; often associated with Taoist and mystical traditions in a literary context

Difficult to guess or comprehend; incredibly subtle and deep.

deeply mysterious and difficult to understand, as in philosophy or principles

The positions and appearances of heavenly bodies like the sun, moon, and stars; astronomical signs.

a foundational Buddhist text compiled from the lectures of Master Zhiyi, which constitutes one of the three major works of the Tiantai school

To search for and explore the profound or subtle parts of a subject and then extract its essential points; often used to describe a piece of writing that is insightful and concise.