The Three Ethereal Souls & the Seven Corporeal Souls [part 1]
In Daoism the description of the Divine Soul is very particular, concrete and constructive. It is established on the basis of life’s medical studies, profound theology [xuan miao shen xue玄妙神学] and the detailed analysis of the Divine Soul’s special characteristics. Daoist theories consider the Divine Soul to be constituted from the Three Ethereal Souls and the Seven Corporeal Souls. After a person’s death the Seven Corporeal Souls at first disperse, thereafter the Three Ethereal Souls depart [from it].
魂主精神, 而魄主身形。
The Ethereal Souls govern consciousness,
whereas the Corporeal Souls govern the body and form.
The Three Ethereal Souls refer to the Heavenly Ethereal Soul [tian hun天魂], the Earthly Ethereal Soul [di hun地魂] and the Life-Destiny Ethereal Soul [ming hun命魂]. In ancient times they were known by the names of Embryonic Radiance [tai guang胎光], Clear Divinity [shuang ling爽灵] and Serene Essence [you jing幽精] or people called the trinity, Governing Ethereal Soul [zhu ling主魂], Awakening Ethereal Soul [jue hun觉魂] and Alive Ethereal Soul [sheng hun生魂]. Furthermore the three were referred to as Original Spirit [yuan shen元神], Yang Spirit [yang shen阳神] and Yin Spirit [yin shen阴神]. Lastly they were called Heavenly Ethereal Soul [tian hun天魂], Knowledgeable Ethereal Soul [shi hun识魂] and Humanly Ethereal Soul [ren hun人魂]. According to modern times scientific explanations it corresponds to the innate Heavenly nature [tian xing天性], heredity [yi chuan遗传] and Post-Heaven [hou tian后天].
