Introduction, Transliteration and Commentary by Stephen Cannis, A.N.
The Xuan Hsi painted manuscript known as The Canicula Codex is preserved in the Dog Star Temple on Fu Hsi in the Nu Kua star-system. This is not the finest work the that remarkable Second Century scribe, Xanamu Def, however it is perhaps the most interesting and evocative document of a particular ancient time and place. The codex dates from the year 132 S.D.
Prepared hastily and in secret by the master scribe, Xanamu Def had been imprisoned by Lord Ho XII of the An Dynasty. Still the scribe managed to reproduce from memory and smuggled out of his prison via his visiting wife, this remarkable record of "The Glorious Reign of DaoShin, also called Emperor Ho X." place. The ruling monarch, a grandson of DaoShin himself, had turned to Cat Worship and banished the sacred Dogs of the Star. Yet he did not dare to harm them in any way because of their power and wide support in ancient Xuan.
Fortunately Xanamu Def managed to reconstruct from memory his original (which Lord Ho XII burned) and he preserved the manuscript copy we now have before the unfortunate scribe was beheaded. The manuscript may originally have had additional pages. The holographic and omnidirectional style of Xuanese illustration and inscription make this difficult to determine. We cannot analyze the same kind of internal clues as we find with linear and sequential languages. And yet what we have today remains a whole, a complete story or mythic holon of truth, as it were.
In the fabulous gardens of the Dog Star Temple a small stone pagoda with three spires equal in height can still be seenmarking the graves of DaoShin (Lord Ho X), his spiritualmother Taniel, and his spiritualbrother Jes, who today is revered as St. Ganamesh of the Grail, patron of unmarried youths, attractive young waiters, and of the Quest for the High Self.
The thirteen pages of the codex, inked an dpainted with herbal dyes by the master Xanamu Def are now carefully preserved and highly prized in the primary Dog Temple on Fu Hsi. There this historical treasure is still much admired and discussed over 3,000 years after its creation. A vivid epoch is opened to our sight and brought to life in a lively and apparently quite accurate rendering of historical events that later became legendary tales, and even include some mythic aspects.
The dramatic reign of DaoShin, Friend of Dogs, fluteplayer, farmboy, wrestler, hunter, warrior, dancer, Emperor of All Xuan, Son of Heaven and Brother of Jes, was a colorful and key episode in the ancient history of Fu Hsi. That world was only the third Gaian planet terraformed after the Starseeding that radiated from Gaia-1 began.
A brief historical biography of DaoShin follows the illustrations of the codex and my commentaries upon them.
Transliteration:
1.) Freedom at Point Zero -- Wholeness of the warrior/Burns without flame
The King of Time and Lord of Sky looked down on the world and felt displeased with the Emperor of Xuan, his supreme earthly representative. In the Temple of the Dog Star he spoke to the High Priest Mael in a dream and told him that he would soon send a successor. The Lord instructed that Mael would recognize him when he saw him and anoint him King. Mael kept the secret of this visitation in his heart and awaited the child with the Sign of Heaven upon him.
DaoShin (which means Dark Star) was born in a field where his mother worked gleaning rice that escaped from the automated harvesters. She squatted to birth him, and placed her child under a woven canopy to protect him from the sun. She went back to work, but then she was frightened when an eagle appeared and hovered above her child. At first she tried to scare the bird away, but then she realized it was a sign of divine power from the Lord of Sky.
That night she had a dream of her son full-grown and sitting under the Tree of Life.
Transliteration:
2.) Man of Knowledge -- Rushes protect the growing self/The climb out begins
When DaoShin was still a small child, he with his family were taken captive by Tarash invaders from the north. When they were freed to return home after relatives paid a ransom, the Tarash chieftan saw the happy little boy and called to him. He embraced the boy, kissed him, gave him an apple and sent him on his way. Yet another sign of the special nature of this child, Dark Star.
DaoShin grew tall and very strong working in the rice-fields. He became a handsome young farmer while still too young to grow a beard. However he grew tired of farming and went to the imperial capital of Las. There the Keeper of the Star Dogs (who is actually their head servant) took him into the Temple on instructions from the Great Dogs themselves.
DaoShin was loved and trusted by the Holy Canines of Las.
The High Priest Mael, now an ancient man, recognized the child the Lord of Sky had foretold, and secretly anointed DaoShin as Lord of Xuan. He knew that the young man's worldly power would come in time. Then old Mael died in peace.
Transliteration:
3.) Moon-Womb of the Priestess -- Radiant initiation/Growing on through
Before his death, old Mael recommended DaoShin as stable-master to Lord Hsipoca, a close personal friend of the Emperor Ho IX. The Emperor had grown weary of his nagging, jealous and aging wife. He heard from his nobles of the prowess of a great wrestler. Lord Hsipoca, who was at court at this time, sent for his servant DaoShin who, at his request took on and easily defeated three Tarash visitors at the same time! The victorious wrestler was celebrate and lauded throughout Xuan. While visiting the land of Loon with Hsipoca, DaoShin met a noblewoman, a wealthy widow named Taniel. She knew that the young master of horses and wrestler had caught the eye of Emperor Ho IX. A beautiful and elegant woman of great learning and piety, Taniel took DaoShin under her wing.
[More of the Canicula Codex is on its way soon . . .]
