To explain the creation of the universe to Emperor Taizong and the Confucian court, Alopen abandoned the traditional Western imagery of a six-day timeline and instead utilized classic Chinese cosmology, specifically the concepts of Yin and Yang, the two primal forces, and the Five Elements.
This brilliant synthesis is recorded word-for-word in the opening prologue of the Xi'an Stele (781 CE) [The Xi'an Stele]. Below is the precise historical text, its literal translation, and the theological mechanics behind Alopen's choices.
📜 The Historical Text: The Opening of the Stele
The text begins by identifying God (Alaha) as the unchangeable, primordial source of all life, and then immediately describes the physical creation of the universe:
Original Text (Classical Chinese):
「……判十字以定四方，鼓元風而生雙氣。暗空易而天地開，日月運而晝夜作。匠成萬物，創造初人。」
Literal Translation:
"...He mapped out the Cross to stabilize the four cardinal directions. He stirred the Primordial Wind and generated the Two Primal Forces (Yin and Yang). The dark void was transformed, and heaven and earth opened up. The sun and moon revolved, and day and night began. Mastering the creation of all things, He created the First Man."
🔍 How Alopen Merged the Genesis Story with Yin & Yang
Alopen systematically matched Genesis concepts with Chinese cosmic principles to explain how God created light, dark, order, and life:
1. Generating Yin and Yang (鼓元風而生雙氣)
- The Concept: In traditional Chinese philosophy, the universe begins in a state of chaos (Wuji), which splits into Shuang Qi (雙氣)—the "Two Primal Forces" or Yin and Yang. Yin represents darkness, passivity, and the earth; Yang represents light, activity, and heaven.
- The Theological Mapping: Alopen states that God generated these two forces. By doing this, he subtly corrected Chinese philosophy: instead of Yin and Yang being self-existent or spontaneous forces, Alopen argued they were created tools manufactured by the True Lord.
- The Biblical Link: This corresponds directly to Genesis 1:2–4, where the Spirit of God hovers over the deep, splits the light from the darkness, and separates the heavens from the earth.
2. The Spirit as the Primordial Wind (鼓元風)
- The Concept: Alopen describes God "striking" or "drumming" the Yuan Feng (元風)—the "Primordial Wind" or "Original Breath"—to set the universe in motion.
- The Biblical Link: This is a masterful translation of the Hebrew word Ruach (רוּחַ) from Genesis 1:2, which means both "Spirit" and "Wind/Breath" ("And the Spirit/Wind of God moved upon the face of the waters"). In Chinese thought, this "Wind" acts as the catalyst that forces the chaotic cosmos to organize into Yin and Yang.
3. The Cross as the Axis of Order (判十字以定四方)
- The Concept: Before Yin and Yang could properly function without collapsing back into chaos, the universe required structure. Alopen states that God used the Shizi (十字)—the cross shape—to "fix the four directions" (North, South, East, West).
- The Theological Mapping: In ancient Chinese cosmology, balancing the four cardinal directions was essential for cosmic harmony. By asserting that the Cross was the very grid upon which the universe was organized, Alopen elevated the primary symbol of Christian redemption into the ultimate instrument of cosmic creation.
🌌 The Broader Text: The Five Elements and Human Nature
As the prologue continues, Alopen expands his creation theology to include the human soul, combining the Biblical creation of Adam with the Five Elements (Wu Xing):
Original Text (Classical Chinese):
「同天尊靈性，賦以良和。體非染愛，衣以五行。」
Literal Translation:
"[God] conferred upon him a nature in harmony with the Heavenly Honored One, giving him a goodness that was perfectly balanced. His original nature was free from stained desires, and he was clothed in the Five Elements."
The Theology:
- Image and Likeness: Alopen explains that the human soul possesses a nature identical to Tianzun (God), capturing the concept of the Imago Dei (Image of God).
- The Five Elements: Instead of saying Adam was made "from the dust of the ground" (which might have sounded coarse to the imperial court), Alopen writes that man's physical body was "clothed in the Five Elements" (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). This framed the human body as a perfectly balanced, noble microcosm of the entire universe.
💡 The Result of Alopen’s Strategy
By framing the creation narrative this way, Alopen avoided sounding like a foreign radical. To Emperor Taizong, Alopen’s "Luminous Religion" did not contradict ancient Chinese truths; rather, it provided the missing answer to a historic philosophical mystery: Who actually set Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements into motion in the first place? Alopen's answer was Alaha.
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