Yuan Anxi Magical Square: An attempt at interpreting (original) (raw)
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Abstract
The tradition preserved in Arabic numerological lore professed that numbers were flesh, while the word-meaning, or root-meaning behind the numbers was the soul. Inasmuch as in neoplatonic arithmetic the type (soul) is eternal and the token (particular) is transient. Assuming that Arabs were artful at revealing and concealing, one might assume that various magical squares did not escape such patient treatment, that perhaps in a spontaneous manner, might reveal its hidden wisdom.
Figures (2)
The tradition preserved in Arabic numerological lore professed that numbers were flesh, while the word-meaning, or root-meaning behind the numbers was the soul. Inasmuch as in neoplatonic arithmetic the type (soul) is eternal and the token (particular) is transient. Assuming that Arabs were artful at revealing and concealing, one might assume that various magical squares did not escape such patient treatment, that perhaps in a spontaneous manner, might reveal its hidden wisdom. Most probably, the Iron Square came into possession of Mongolians (who already conquered the Yuan part of China) after the conquest of Eastern Persia in the years 1218 — 1221. During the Northern Song Dynasty, Xi'an was known as Jingzhaofu. Its name was changed to Fengyuan in 1273 under the Yuan Dynasty. In 1275 Prince of Anxi (son of Khublai Khan) or Ananda , who was a Mongolian prince, built a palace city near Xi'an. It was called Dawang Dian in Chinese and Gan Erduo in Mongolian. Today, it is referred to as Anxi. Mateusz Zalewski (2014)
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