Dictionary of all Scriptures & Myths

YAO, CELESTIAL EMPEROR

A symbol of the Higher Self manifesting upon the buddhic plane, during the cycle of involution.

"Yaou was very young when he began to reign, but his heart was penetrated by a benevolence as extensive as heaven. His mother observed a red dragon, and was delivered of him after fourteen months' pregnancy. Fire was the element chosen to illustrate the virtues by which he reigned. Yaou was frugal in his food, and almost mean in his dress; to study the happiness of his people was his sole business. Unwearied in his researches, he made annual tours throughout the empire; his arrival was anxiously looked for; his presence was as refreshing as that of the rain upon the parched soil. Strive,' he said, "for wisdom, and render virtue conspicuous, show obedience to your superiors; be kind.' Without effort he promoted virtue, his sole example being sufficient to render the whole nation virtuous. Yaou's presence displayed the splendour of the sun; his deportment the majesty of the clouds." - C. GUTZLAFF, Chinese History.

The Self or Soul was born first upon the buddhic plane as Love wide-reaching throughout the manifest. Truth-matter (mother), becoming relative and conditioned, brought forth the Self after a full period of latency and complete preparation. Divine Love on the buddhic plane (fire) was the element characterising the higher qualities through which the Self ruled the activities of the plane. Self was undergoing but little experience, and external manifestation was almost absent. The involution of the higher qualities was the great purpose of the Self. The manifestation of the Self is symbolised by the illuminating radiation of the sun, and his functioning by the outpouring of rain (truth) on the buddhic plane (clouds).

The "red dragon " has the same meaning as the " great red dragon of REV. xii, which seems to threaten the "woman before she brings forth the "man-child." It stands for the relative in the manifest which always must include in some degree the opposites of goodness, love and truth.

The period indicated is the golden age of involution wherein the qualities are involved in matter and the World-soul in peacefulness and to the utmost perfection, so that when the One Soul becomes the many souls, each soul will contain within it as a microcosm the perfections of the One, the Macrocosm. Each soul is perfect potentially, and awaits the evolution of all that is within it, so that it may be perfect actually.

See Also

ARCHETYPAL MAN
BIRTH OF MANCHILD
BUDDHIC PLANE
CIVILISING
CLOUDS
CRIPPLES
DRAGON (red)
DYNASTY
ELEMENTS (Five)
EVOLUTION
FIRE
FOOD
GOLDEN AGE
INVOLUTION
LIMBS
MACROCOSM
MANCO
MAYA (higher)
MEMBERS
OANNES
CHONAMOCHI
RESPECTFUL MANNERS
ROBE
SUN
VISTASP
YEAR