Chapter Sixty-One: Observing Things

漢儒以反經合道為權，得一端者也。權所以平物之輕重。聖人行權，酌其輕重而行之，合其宜而已。故執中無權者，猶為偏也。王通言：“《春秋》，王道之權。”非王通莫能及此。故權在一身，則有一身之權；在一鄉，則有一鄉之權。以至於天下，則有天下之權。用雖不同，其權一也。

During the Han dynasty, Confucian scholars regarded "acting against conventional norms yet in accordance with the Dao" as "quan" (权), which captures only one aspect. Originally, "quan" refers to a weight used to measure the weight of objects. When sages exercise "quan," they merely weigh the importance of matters and act accordingly, ensuring appropriateness. Therefore, Mencius said, "To adhere to the middle without employing quan is like clinging to a single point"—merely sticking to the middle without weighing is still biased. In the Sui dynasty, Wang Tong said, "The Spring and Autumn Annals are the quan of the Way of the King." No one else could have said this. Thus, when quan is in the hands of an individual, it is the quan of that individual; when it is in a village, it is the quan of that village; and when extended to the whole world, it is the quan of the world. Although its application varies in scale, the scale used for measurement remains the same.

《文中子》曰：“易樂者必多哀，輕施者必好奪。”或曰：“天下皆爭利棄義，吾獨若之何？”子曰：“舍其所爭，取其所棄，不亦君子乎？”若此之類，禮義之言也，心跡之判久矣；若此之類，造化之言也。《太玄》九日當兩卦，餘一卦當四日半。揚雄作《玄》，可謂見天地之心者也。

The Wen Zhong Zi records Wang Tong's words: "Those who are easily pleased will surely suffer much sorrow, and those who give away things lightly will surely love to take by force." Someone else asked: "Since everyone is competing for profit and abandoning righteousness, what should I do?" Wang Tong answered: "Give up what everyone is competing for, and take back what everyone has abandoned. Is that not the way of the gentleman?" Statements like these belong to the level of discussing rites and morality. As for his saying "The distinction between heart and action has long existed," this belongs to the level of discussing the workings of nature. Yang Xiong's Tai Xuan uses nine heavens to match two trigrams, and the remaining trigram matches four and a half heavens. Yang Xiong's composition of the Tai Xuan can be said to be the one who saw the heart of heaven and earth.

落下閎改顓頊曆為太初曆，子云準《太初》作《太玄》，凡八十一卦，九分共二卦。凡一五隔一四，細分之則四分半當一卦氣，起於中心，故首中卦。曆不能無差。今之學曆者，但知曆法，不知曆理。能布算者，落下閎也；能推步者，甘公石公也。落下閎但知曆法，揚雄知曆法又知曆理。五星之說，自甘公石公始也。

In the Western Han dynasty, Luo Huan revised the Zhuan Xu calendar into the Tai Chu calendar. Yang Xiong, who was known by the style name Ziyun, composed the Tai Xuan based on the framework of the Tai Chu calendar. The entire book consists of eighty-one sections, equivalent to eighty-one hexagrams. Each group of nine sections corresponds to two hexagrams. The arrangement follows a pattern of one "five" followed by one "four." When broken down further, each section of four and a half corresponds to the energy of one hexagram. Since the starting point was set at the center, the Tai Xuan placed the section on "Center" first. Calendars cannot be entirely free of errors. Today's scholars of calendars only understand the calculation formulas of calendars but do not grasp the underlying principles. Luo Huan was skilled in arranging counting rods to perform calculations, while Gan De and Shi Shen of the Warring States period were skilled in tracking celestial phenomena. Luo Huan only understood the calendar, but Yang Xiong understood both the calendar and its principles. As for the theory of the five planets, it began with Gan De and Shi Shen.

《素問》、《陰符》，七國時書也。《素問》密語之類，於術之理可謂至矣。韻法，闔闢者律天，清濁者呂地。韻法，先閉後開者，春也；純開者，夏也；先開後閉者，秋也；冬則閉而無聲。東為春聲，陽為夏聲。此見作韻者亦有所至矣。銜凡，冬聲也。

The Huangdi Neijing · Suwen and the Yinfu Jing were both writings from the Warring States period. The Suwen contains secret formulas and techniques, which, in terms of numerical divination principles, can be considered as reaching the highest level. Regarding the rules of tonal patterns: the opening and closing of the mouth corresponds to "Lv" (the heavenly pitch), associated with heaven; the clear and dull tones correspond to "Lu" (the earthly pitch), associated with earth. Further, considering the four seasons: when the voice is first closed and then opened, it belongs to spring; when the mouth is fully open throughout, it belongs to summer; when the voice is first opened and then closed, it belongs to autumn; and in winter, the mouth is closed and there is no sound. Therefore, the "Dong" rhyme corresponds to the sound of spring, and the "Yang" rhyme corresponds to the sound of summer—this shows that the compilers of rhyme books had some understanding. As for the "Xiang" rhyme and the "Fan" rhyme, these correspond to the sounds of winter.

太極，一也，不動。生二，二則神也。神生數，數生象，象生器。太極不動，性也。發則神，神則數，數則象，象則器，器之變復歸於神也。心為太極，又曰道為太極。太極，道之極也；太玄，道之玄也；太素，色之本也。太一，數之始也；太初，事之初也。其成功則一也。

"The Taiji" is a complete oneness, which remains unmoving. From it arises the "two," which is "Shen." Shen gives rise to "shu" (numbers), "shu" gives rise to "xiang" (images), and "xiang" gives rise to "qi" (objects). The unmoving aspect of Taiji is "xing" (nature); once it moves, it becomes Shen, Shen becomes numbers, numbers become images, images become objects, and objects, when they reach their limit of change, return again to Shen. Therefore, the mind is Taiji, and the Way is also Taiji. "Taiji" is the ultimate of the Way, "Taixuan" is the profound aspect of the Way, "Taisu" is the origin of form and color, "Taiyi" is the beginning of numbers, and "Taichu" is the starting point of all things. Although these terms are divided into several categories, they all accomplish the same thing.

元有二，有生天地之始者，太極也。有萬物之中各有始者，生之本也。萬物各有太極、兩儀、四象、八卦之次，亦有古今之象。陰陽分而生二儀，二儀交而生四象，四象交而生八卦，八卦交而生萬物。故二儀生天地之類，四象定天地之體，四象生八卦之類，八卦定日月之體，八卦生萬物之類，重卦定萬物之體。類者，生之序也；體者，象之交也。推類者，必本乎生。觀體者，必由乎象。生則未來而逆推，象則既成而順觀。是故日月一類也，同出而異處也，異處而同象也。推此以往，物焉逃哉？

"The term 'yuan' has two meanings: one refers to the ultimate beginning from which heaven and earth emerged, which is the Taiji; the other refers to the inherent beginning present within each thing, which is the fundamental essence of its life. All things possess the layers of Taiji, two principles, four images, and the Eight Trigrams. They all carry the images of ancient and modern times. When yin and yang are divided, the two principles are formed; when the two principles interact, the four images are formed; when the four images interact, the Eight Trigrams are formed; and when the Eight Trigrams interact, all things are generated. Therefore, the two principles give rise to the category of heaven and earth, while the four images determine the nature of heaven and earth. The four images give rise to the category of the Eight Trigrams, while the Eight Trigrams determine the nature of the sun and moon. The Eight Trigrams give rise to the category of all things, and when they overlap into sixty-four trigrams, they determine the nature of all things. The term 'category' refers to the order of generation; the term 'nature' refers to the result of the interaction of images. To investigate the category, one must start from the process of generation; to observe the nature, one must start from the images. The process of generation has not yet occurred, so one must trace back in reverse; the images have already taken form, so one can proceed forward to observe. Therefore, the sun and moon belong to the same category, both originating from yang but occupying different positions. Although their positions differ, the images they take are the same. Following this method step by step, what thing in the world could escape being understood?"

天變時而地應物。時則陰變而陽應，物則陽變而陰應。故時可逆知，物必順成。是以陽迎而陰隨，陰逆而陽順，本一氣也。生則為陽，消則為陰。故二者一而已矣，六者三而已矣，八者四而已矣。是以言天而不言地，言君而不言臣，言父而不言子，言夫而不言婦也。然天得地而萬物生，君得臣而萬化行，父得子、夫得婦而家道成。故有一則有二，有二則有四，有三則有六，有四則有八。

Heaven's movement is in the changing of seasons, and Earth responds to things. In terms of seasons, yin changes first and yang responds; in terms of things, yang changes first and yin responds. Therefore, the seasons can be predicted in reverse, but things must follow their order to be completed. Thus, yang leads and yin follows, yin moves in reverse and yang moves in regular order, yet they are originally the same qi. When this qi arises, it is called yang; when it declines, it is called yin. Therefore, the so-called "two" is actually one, the so-called "six" is actually three, and the so-called "eight" is actually four. Because of this, ancients spoke of heaven and did not need to speak of earth, spoke of the sovereign and did not need to speak of ministers, spoke of the father and did not need to speak of the son, spoke of the husband and did not need to speak of the wife. However, heaven must have earth to produce all things; the sovereign must have ministers to carry out all teachings; the father must have sons, the husband must have a wife, for the family order to be established. Therefore, there is one and then two, two and then four, three and then six, four and then eight.

語其體，則天分而為地，地分而為萬物，而道不可分也。其終，則萬物歸地，地歸天，天歸道。是以君子貴道也。一陰一陽之謂道。道無聲無形，不可得而見者也。故假道路之道而為名。人之有行，必由乎道。一陰一陽，天地之道也。物由是而生，由是而成者也。

If we consider it from the perspective of 'body' or essence, heaven differentiates into earth, and earth differentiates into all things, but only the Dao is indivisible. At the end, all things return to earth, earth returns to heaven, and heaven returns to the Dao, so the gentleman values the Dao most. The "Great Treatise" says, "One yin and one yang is called the Dao." The Dao has no sound and no form, it is invisible, so it is named using the character for 'road' or 'path,' since people must travel along a path when they go out. The alternating movement of one yin and one yang is the way of heaven and earth; all things are born through it and formed through it.

陽者道之用，陰者道之體。陽用陰，陰用陽。以陽為用則尊陰，以陰為用則尊陽也。陰幾於道，故以況道也。陽尊而神，尊故役物，神故藏用。是以道生天地萬物而不自見也，萬物亦取法乎道也。陰對陽為二，然陽來則生，陽去則死。天地萬物生死主於陽，則歸之於一也。

Heavenly Principle is the manifestation of the Dao, and Earthly Principle is the form of the Dao. Heavenly Principle relies on Earthly Principle, and Earthly Principle also relies on Heavenly Principle: when Heavenly Principle is used, Earthly Principle is regarded as superior; when Earthly Principle is used, Heavenly Principle is regarded as superior. Earthly Principle is still and contains, and its appearance is most similar to the Dao, so it is often used to compare with the Dao. Heavenly Principle is both noble and mysterious: its nobility allows it to control all things, and its mystery allows it to conceal its function. Therefore, the Dao generates heaven and earth and all things without revealing itself, and all things follow the Dao. Heavenly Principle and Earthly Principle are opposite, appearing as 'two'; yet when Heavenly Principle comes, all things are born, and when Heavenly Principle departs, all things die. Since the birth and death of heaven and earth and all things are entirely governed by Heavenly Principle, it is ultimately reduced to 'one'.

自下而上謂之升，自上而下謂之降。升者，生也；降者，消也。故陽生於下，而陰生於上。是以萬物皆反生。陰生陽，陽生陰，陰復生陽，陽復生陰，是以循環而無窮也。性非體不成，體非性不生。陽以陰為體，陰以陽為性。動者，性也；靜者，體也。在天則陽動而陰靜，在地則陽靜而陰動。性得體而靜，體隨性而動，是以陽舒而陰疾也。（更詳之。）

Moving upward is called "sheng" (ascending), and moving downward is called "jiang" (descending). Ascending represents growth, and descending represents decline. Yang energy rises from below, while Yin energy rises from above, so all things are "fan sheng" (reverse growth) — roots are at the bottom while branches and leaves reach upward, which is exactly opposite the direction of Yin energy's descent. Yin can generate Yang, and Yang can generate Yin. Yin again generates Yang, and Yang again generates Yin, thus forming a continuous cycle without end. Nature has no form without a body, and a body has no nature and cannot be born. Yang takes Yin as its body, and Yin takes Yang as its nature. What is active belongs to nature, and what is still belongs to the body. In the heavens, Yang is active and Yin is still, but on the earth, it becomes Yang that is still and Yin that is active. When nature unites with the body, it becomes still; when the body follows nature, it becomes active. Therefore, the movement of Yang is slow, while the movement of Yin is swift. (This passage still requires further detailed examination.)

陽不能獨立，必得陰而後立，故陽以陰為基；陰不能自見，必待陽而後見，故陰以陽為唱。陽知其始而享其成，陰效其法而終其用。陽能知而陰不能知，陽能見而陰不能見也。能知能見者為有，故陽性有，而陰性無也。陽有所不偏，而陰無所不偏也。陽有去，而陰常居也。無不偏而常居者為實，故陽體虛而陰體實也。

Yang cannot stand alone and must rely on Yin to establish itself, so Yang regards Yin as its foundation. Yin cannot manifest by itself and must wait for Yang to lead before it can appear, so Yin regards Yang as the leader. Yang knows the beginning and enjoys the result, while Yin follows Yang's principles and completes its function. Yang can know and see, while Yin cannot; those who can know and see are called "having," so Yang's nature is "having," and Yin's nature is "not having." Yang cannot reach everywhere, while Yin is present everywhere; Yang has a time to leave, while Yin remains constantly. Being present everywhere and remaining constantly is called "real," so Yang's nature is empty, and Yin's nature is real.

陽之類圓，成形則方；陰之類方，成形則圓。陰事太半，蓋陽一而陰二也。陽主闢而出。陰主翕而入。春陽得權，故多旱；秋陰得權，故多雨。冬至之子中，陰之極；春分之卯中，陽之中；夏至之午中，陽之極；秋分之酉中，陰之中。凡三百六十，中分之則一百八十。此二至二分相去之數也。

Yang is inherently round, but when it takes form it becomes square; Yin is inherently square, but when it takes form it becomes round. In the world, Yin bears most of the responsibility, because Yang counts as one part while Yin counts as two parts. Yang tends to expand outward, while Yin tends to contract inward. In spring, Yang is dominant, so there is often drought; in autumn, Yin is dominant, so there is often rain. The winter solstice falls exactly at the Zi position of the twelve earthly branches, which is the extreme point of Yin; the vernal equinox falls exactly at the Mao position, which is the midpoint of Yang; the summer solstice falls exactly at the Wu position, which is the extreme point of Yang; and the autumnal equinox falls exactly at the You position, which is the midpoint of Yin. The entire circle of the heavens is 360 degrees, divided evenly into two parts of 180 degrees each: this is the distance between the two solstices and the two equinoxes.

二至相去，東西之度凡一百八十，南北之度凡六十。冬至之後為呼，夏至之後為吸。此天地一歲之呼吸也。朔，《易》以陽氣自北方而生，至北方而盡，謂變易循環也。東赤、南白、西黃、北黑，此正色也。驗之於曉、午、暮、夜之時可見之矣。

The distance between the winter solstice and the summer solstice is 180 degrees in the east-west direction and 60 degrees in the north-south direction. After the winter solstice, yang energy begins to spread outward, just as the heavens and earth exhale; after the summer solstice, yin energy retreats inward, just as the heavens and earth inhale: this is the inhalation and exhalation of heaven and earth over the course of a year. Regarding the new moon day of each month, the Zhou Changes say that yang energy originates from the north and returns to the north to reach its limit, describing the continuous cycle of change. The colors of the four directions are red in the east, white in the south, yellow in the west, and black in the north; these are the true colors of the four directions. By using the four periods of morning, noon, evening, and night, one can verify this.

天地之氣運，北而南則治，南而北則亂。亂久則復北而南矣。天道人事皆然。推之歷代，可見消長之理也。天地之本其起於中乎？是以乾坤屢變而不離乎中。人居天地之中，心居人之中，日中則盛，月中則盈，故君子貴中也。

The movement of the energies of Heaven and Earth, when flowing from north to south, brings peace to the world, but when flowing from south to north, it brings disorder. When disorder lasts long, it eventually returns to flowing from north to south. This is how the Way of Heaven operates, and it is also how human affairs function. By examining the rise and fall of dynasties throughout history, one can clearly see the principles of increase and decrease. The fundamental nature of Heaven and Earth probably originates from the concept of "center" or "middle." Therefore, the two trigrams, Qian (Heaven) and Kun (Earth), although constantly changing, never deviate from the center. A person situated in the center of Heaven and Earth has a heart that is also centered within their body. The sun reaches its peak when it is at the zenith, and the moon is most round when it is at the zenith, so the gentleman values "center" most.

生者性，天也；成者形，地也。得天氣者動，得地氣者靜。天以氣為主，體為次。地以體為主，氣為次。在天在地者亦如之。天主用，地主體，聖人主用，百姓主體。故日用而不知。顯諸仁者，天地生萬物之功，則人可得而見也。所以造萬物，則人不可得而見，是藏諸用也。

The nature that promotes growth belongs to heaven; the form that achieves completion belongs to earth. Those who receive the heavenly qi are active, while those who receive the earthly qi are tranquil. Heaven takes qi as its main aspect and form as secondary, while earth takes form as its main aspect and qi as secondary. The myriad things in heaven and the myriad things in earth are also distributed according to this proportion. Heaven governs 'function', and earth governs 'form'; the sage governs 'function', and the common people govern 'form', so the Great Treatise says that the common people 'use things daily without knowing'. 'Manifesting through benevolence' refers to the efficacy of heaven and earth in nurturing all things, which people can see. However, the means by which heaven and earth create all things are not visible to people, which is called 'concealing through function'.

或問：顯諸仁、藏諸用。曰：“若日月之照臨，四時之成歲，是顯諸仁也；知其度數之然，而不知其所以然，是藏諸用也。”天之象類，則可得而推。如其神用，則不可得而測也。天以理盡，而不可以形盡。渾天之術，以形盡天，可乎？倚蓋之說，崑崙四垂而為海。推之理則不然。夫地直方而靜，豈得如圓動之天乎？

Someone asked how to explain "manifesting in benevolence, hidden in function." Shao Yong answered, "Just as the sun and moon illuminate the earth, and the four seasons combine to form a year, this is manifesting in benevolence; we can calculate their measures and patterns, yet we cannot explain why they are like this, this is hidden in function." The form and categories of heaven can be calculated; however, its mysterious workings cannot be measured. Heaven can only be fully understood through "principle" (li), not through "form" (xing). The spherical model used by the浑天 scholars to explain heaven is feasible? The盖天 theory says heaven is like an inclined umbrella cover, with Kunlun Mountain hanging down on all sides to form the sea; but when examined by principle, it is not so. The earth is originally square and still; how could it be like the rotating heaven?

天圓而地方，天南高而北下，是以望之如倚蓋焉；地東南下西北高，是以東南多水西北多山也。天覆地，地載天，天地相函，故天上有地，地上有天。天之陽在南，故日處之；地之剛在北，故山處之。所以地高西北，天高東南也。天之陽在南，而陰在北；地之陰在南，而陽在北；人之陽在上，而陰在下。既交，則陽下而陰上。

Heaven is round and Earth is square. Heaven is high in the south and low in the north, so when people look up, it appears like an inclined umbrella; Earth is low in the southeast and high in the northwest, so the southeast has many rivers, lakes, and seas, while the northwest has many high mountains and steep peaks. Heaven covers Earth, and Earth supports Heaven. Heaven and Earth contain each other, so there is Earth in Heaven and Heaven in Earth. The yang energy of Heaven gathers in the south, so the sun resides there; the firm substance of Earth gathers in the north, so mountains reside there—the reason why the terrain is high in the northwest and the sky appears high in the southeast is due to this. The yang of Heaven is in the south and the yin in the north; the yin of Earth is in the south and the yang in the north; the yang of a person is above and the yin below. When yin and yang combine, yang descends and yin ascends.

極南大暑，極北大寒，故南融而北結，萬物之死地也。夏則日隨斗而北，冬則日隨斗而南，故天地交而寒暑和，寒暑和而物乃生也。天渾渾於上而不可測也，故觀斗數以占天也。斗之所建，天之行也。魁建子，杓建寅，星以寅為晝也。斗有七星，是以晝不過乎七分也。（更詳之。）

In the extreme south, it is extremely hot, and in the extreme north, it is extremely cold. Therefore, things in the south tend to melt continuously, while things in the north tend to freeze continuously; these two places are the death grounds for all living things. In summer, the sun follows the Big Dipper towards the north, and in winter, it follows the Big Dipper towards the south. Thus, the energies of heaven and earth interact, and the balance between cold and heat is maintained, allowing all things to grow. Heaven is above, vast and indistinct, so people observe the position of the Big Dipper to predict celestial phenomena. The direction indicated by the Big Dipper represents the movement of heaven. When the handle of the Big Dipper points to the position of the rat (Zi), and the ladle points to the position of the tiger (Yin), the day begins with the tiger (Yin) position. The Big Dipper has seven stars, so the length of the day does not exceed seven parts. (This passage still requires further detailed examination.)

天行所以為晝夜，日行所以為寒暑。夏淺冬深，天地之交也；左旋右行，天日之交也。日朝在東，夕在西，隨天之行也；夏在北，冬在南，隨天之交也。天一周而超一星，應日之行也。春酉正，夏午正，秋卯正，冬子正，應日之交也。冬至之月，所行如夏至之日；夏至之月，所行如冬至之日。

The rotation of Heaven over seven days causes day and night, and the annual movement of the sun causes cold and heat. In summer the shadow is short, and in winter the shadow is long; this is the result of the meeting of Heaven and Earth. Heaven rotates to the left while the sun moves to the right; this is the result of the meeting of Heaven and the sun. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, following the rotation of Heaven; in summer it leans north, and in winter it leans south, following the meeting of Heaven and the sun. When Heaven completes a full rotation, it adds one star's measure, corresponding to the movement of the sun; in the evening, the central star is in the west at the beginning of spring, in the south at the beginning of summer, in the east at the beginning of autumn, and in the north at the beginning of winter, corresponding to the meeting of Heaven and the sun. In the month of the winter solstice, the path of the moon is the same as the path of the sun in the summer solstice; in the month of the summer solstice, the path of the moon is the same as the path of the sun in the winter solstice.

陽主舒長，陰主慘急。日入盈度，陰從於陽；日入縮度，陽從於陰。日行陽度則盈，行陰度則縮，賓主之道也。月去日則明生而遲，近日則魄生而疾，君臣之道也。日以遲為進，月以疾為退。日月一會而加半日，減半日，是以為閏餘也。日一大運而進六日，月一大運而退六日，是以為閏差也。

Yang's nature is to grow gradually, while Yin's nature is to act swiftly and to cause decay. When the sun enters the degree of "Ying" (fullness), Yin follows Yang; when it enters the degree of "Suo" (reduction), Yang follows Yin. When the sun moves through the Yang degrees, its speed is excessive, called Ying. When it moves through the Yin degrees, its speed is insufficient, called Suo. This is the principle of guest and host mutually depending on each other. The moon, the farther it is from the sun, the larger its illuminated side becomes, and its movement appears slower; the closer it is to the sun, the larger its dark side becomes, and its movement appears faster. This is the principle of sovereign and minister acting in harmony. The sun counts slow movement as progress, while the moon counts fast movement as regression. Each time the sun and moon meet, they add half a day and subtract half a day, which is the origin of the leap month. When the sun completes a great cycle and exceeds six days, and the moon completes a great cycle and falls short by six days, this is the origin of the leap difference.

一歲之閏，六陰六陽，三年三十六日，故三年一閏，五年六十日，故五年再閏。《堯典》期三百六旬有六日，夫日之餘盈也六，則月之餘縮也亦六。若去日月之餘十二，則有三百五十四，乃日行之數。以十二除之，則得二十九日。

The leap month in a year includes six yin and six yang. Over three years, a total of thirty-six days accumulate, so a leap month is added every three years. Over five years, a total of sixty days accumulate, so another leap month is added within five years. The Book of Documents, Yao's Classic, states that one year consists of three hundred and sixty-six days: the excess days on the sun's side are six, and the deficient days on the moon's side are also six. If these twelve days of surplus and deficit from both the sun and moon are subtracted, the remaining is three hundred and fifty-four days, which is the number calculated by counting each day. Dividing this by twelve gives twenty-nine days per month.

陽消則生陰，故日下而月西出也；陰盛則敵陽，故日望而月東出也。天為父，日為子，故天左旋，日右行；日為夫，月為婦，故日東出，月西生也。日月之相食，數之交也。日望月則月食，月掩日則日食，猶水火之相剋也。是以君子用智，小人用力。月體本黑，受日之光故白。日入地中，構精之象也。

When yang wanes, yin arises, so when the sun sets, the new moon appears in the west; when yin becomes strong enough, it can contend with yang, so by the full moon, the sun has not yet set and the moon has already risen in the east. Heaven is like a father, and the sun is like a son, so heaven rotates to the left while the sun moves to the right; the sun is like a husband, and the moon is like a wife, so the sun rises in the east while the moon is born in the west. Solar and lunar eclipses result from the meeting of their degrees: when the sun is directly opposite the moon and the moon is obscured, it is a lunar eclipse; when the moon covers the sun, it is a solar eclipse. This is similar to water and fire mutually controlling each other. Therefore, the gentleman relies on wisdom, while the petty person relies on strength. The moon's essence is originally black, but it appears white when illuminated by the sun. When the sun sinks below the earth, it symbolizes the union of heaven and earth's yin and yang, producing a refined essence.

日隨天而轉，月隨日而行，星隨月而見，故星法月，月法日，日法天。天半明半晦，日半盈半縮，月半盈半虧，星半動半靜，陰陽之義也。天晝夜常見，日見於晝，月見於夜而半不見，星半見於夜，貴賤之等也。月晝可見也，故為陽中之陰；星夜可見也，故為陰中之陽。

The sun follows the sky in its rotation, the moon follows the sun in its movement, and the stars follow the moon in their appearance. Therefore, stars take their pattern from the moon, the moon takes its pattern from the sun, and the sun takes its pattern from heaven. Heaven has half bright and half dark, the sun has half full and half diminished, the moon has half round and half missing, and the stars have half moving and half still: these are all examples of the principle of yin and yang being divided. Heaven is always visible whether day or night, the sun is visible only during the day, the moon is visible at night but is sometimes not visible at all, and the stars are visible only at night, but only half of them can be seen: this is another example of the hierarchy of respect and rank. The moon can sometimes be seen during the day, so it is called "yin within yang"; the stars can only be seen at night, so they are called "yang within yin."

陽中有陰，陰中有陽，天之道也。陽中之陽，日也，暑之道也；陽中之陰，月也，以其陽之類，故能見於晝；陰中之陽，星也，所以見於夜。陰中之陰，辰也，天壤也。辰數十二，日月交會謂之辰。辰，天之體也。天之體，無物之氣也。辰至日為生，日至辰為用。蓋順為生而逆為用也。星為日餘，辰為月餘。星之至微如塵沙者，隕而為堆阜。

In the Yang there is Yin, and in the Yin there is Yang; this is the principle of heaven. The Yang within Yang is the sun, which governs the heat of summer. The Yin within Yang is the moon, for it still belongs to the category of Yang, so it can be seen even during the day. The Yang within Yin is the star, which appears at night. The Yin within Yin is the Chén, which is the empty space in the heavens. The number of Chén is twelve, and each time the sun and moon meet, it is called one Chén. Chén is the essence of heaven, and the essence of heaven is a mass of formless qi. Counting from Chén to the sun is the direction of "birth," and counting from the sun to Chén is the direction of "use"—counting forward signifies birth, and counting backward signifies use. The stars are the remainder of the sun, and Chén is the remainder of the moon. The stars, fine as dust, when they fall down, accumulate to form hills and mountains.

天奇而地偶，是以占天文者觀星而已，察地理者觀山水而已。觀星而天體見矣，觀山水而地體見矣。天體容物，地體負物，是故體幾於道也。日月星辰共為天，水火土石共為地，耳目鼻口共為首，髓血筋骨共為身，此乃五之數也。天有五辰，日月星辰與天而為五；地有五行，金木水火與土而為五。五行之木，萬物之類也。五行之金，出乎石也。故水火土石，不及金木，金木生其間也。

Heaven's numbers are odd, Earth's numbers are even. Therefore, those who study astronomy only need to observe the stars, and those who study geography only need to observe mountains, rivers, water and soil. Observing the stars reveals the form of Heaven, and observing mountains and rivers reveals the form of Earth. The form of Heaven can contain all things, and the form of Earth can support all things. Therefore, the concept of "body" is already very close to the Dao. The sun, moon, stars, and constellations together make up Heaven, and water, fire, soil, and stone together make up Earth. The ear, eye, nose, and mouth together make up the head, and marrow, blood, sinew, and bone together make up the body—each group consists of four elements plus their total name, making five. This is the origin of the number "five." Heaven has five stars: the sun, moon, stars, constellations, and Heaven itself, making five. Earth has five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and soil, making five. Among the five elements, wood belongs to the category of all things, while metal comes from stone. Therefore, Shao Yong discussed the elements of Earth only listing water, fire, soil, and stone, not metal and wood, because metal and wood are derived from these four.

陽中陽，日也；陽中陰，月也；陰中陽，星也；陰中陰，辰也。柔中柔，水也；柔中剛，火也；剛中柔，土也；剛中剛，石也。夫四象在錯綜而用之。日月，天之陰陽；水火，地之陰陽；星辰，天之剛柔；土石，地之剛柔。天之陽在東南，日月居之；地之陰在西北，火石處之。天以剛為德，故柔者不見；地以柔為體，故剛者不主。是以震，天之陰也；巽，地之陽也。

The yang within yang is the sun, and the yang within yin is the moon. The yang within yin is the star, and the yin within yin is the constellation. The soft within soft is water, the soft within hard is fire, the hard within soft is earth, and the hard within hard is stone. These two groups of four images must be used in combination: the sun and moon represent the yin and yang of heaven, while water and fire represent the yin and yang of earth. The stars and constellations represent the hardness and softness of heaven, while earth and stone represent the hardness and softness of earth. The yang energy of heaven is in the southeast, so the sun and moon reside there. The yin energy of earth is in the northwest, so fire and stone are found there. Heaven takes hardness as its virtue, so its soft aspect does not show; earth takes softness as its form, so its hard aspect cannot dominate. Therefore, the hexagram Zhen has one yang at the bottom; although it belongs to yang, it actually represents the yin of heaven. The hexagram Xun has one yin at the bottom; although it belongs to yin, it actually represents the yang of earth.

地，陰也，有陽而陰效之。故至陰者辰也，至陽者日也，皆在乎天，而地則水火而已。是以地上皆有質之物，陰伏陽而形質生，陽伏陰而性情生。是以陽生陰，陰生陽，陽克陰，陰克陽。陽之不可伏者，不見於地；陰之不可克者，不見於天。伏陽之少者，其體必柔，是以畏陽而為陽所用。伏陽之多者，其體必剛，是以御陽而為陰所用。故水火動而隨陽，土石靜而隨陰也。（一說云，陰效陽而能伏，是以辰在天，而地之四物皆有所欠也。）

The earth belongs to yin, which always follows yang, with yang coming first and yin imitating it. Therefore, the most yin is Chen, and the most yang is the sun, both of which are in the heavens; while on the earth, there are only water and fire. Thus, on the earth, there are all things with form and substance: yin subdues yang, and form and substance are produced; yang subdues yin, and nature and emotion are produced. Therefore, yang can generate yin, and yin can generate yang; yang can overcome yin, and yin can overcome yang. The yang that cannot be subdued is not seen on the earth; the yin that cannot overcome yang is not seen in the heavens. The yang that is subdued less has a soft body, so it fears yang and is driven by it; the yang that is subdued more has a hard body, so it can resist yang and is driven by yin. Therefore, water and fire are active and follow yang; earth and stone are passive and follow yin. Another interpretation says: yin imitates yang and can subdue it, so Chen remains in the heavens, while on the earth, water, fire, earth, and stone each have their own deficiencies.

陽生陰，故水先成；陰生陽，故火後成。陰陽相生也，體性相須也。是以陽去則陰竭，陰盡則陽滅。火以性為主，體次之；水以體為主，性次之。天火，無體之火也；地火，有體之火也。火無體，因物以為體。金石之火烈於草木之火者，因物而然也。火生於無，水生於有。

Yang generates Yin, so water condenses first; Yin generates Yang, so fire takes form later. Yin and Yang mutually generate each other, and form and nature depend on each other. Therefore, when Yang leaves Yin, Yin becomes exhausted; when Yin is exhausted, Yang also fades away. Fire is primarily about nature and secondarily about form, while water is primarily about form and secondarily about nature. The fire in the heavens is fire without form, while the fire on the earth is fire with form—fire itself has no form, but it relies on the substance it burns to be its form. The fire produced by metal and stone is more intense than that produced by grass and wood, because the substances they rely on are different. Fire arises from 'nothingness,' while water arises from 'somethingness.'

海潮者，地之喘息也。所以應月者，從其類也。燈之明暗之境，日月之象也。水者，火之地；火者，水之氣。黑者，白之地；寒者，暑之地。月者，日之影也；情者，性之影也；陰者，陽之影；鬼者，人之影也。明則有日月，幽則有鬼神。

The tides on the sea are the breath of the earth. They rise and fall with the moon because water and the moon belong to the same category, drawn together by similar energies. The boundary between light and darkness on a flame is exactly the miniature of the sun and moon. Water is the place where fire depends, and fire is the vapor rising from water; black is the place where white depends, and cold is the place where heat depends. The moon is the shadow of the sun, emotion is the shadow of nature, yin is the shadow of yang, and ghosts are the shadows of humans. Therefore, in the bright place there are sun and moon, and in the dark place there are ghosts and spirits.

鬼神者，無形而有用，其情狀可得而知也，於用則可見之矣。若人之耳目鼻口手足，草木之枝葉華實顏色，皆鬼神之所為也。福善禍淫，主之者誰耶？聰明正直，有之者誰邪？不疾而速，不行而至，任之者誰邪？皆鬼神之情狀也。天地之心者，生萬物之本也；天地之情者，情狀也，與鬼神之情狀同。以天地生萬物，則以萬物為萬物；以道生天地，則天地亦萬物也。天地生萬物，聖人生萬民。生生長類，天地成功；別生分類，聖人成能。

The so-called ghosts and spirits are things without form but with function; their nature can be known by observing their effects. For example, the ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hands, and feet of humans, and the branches, leaves, flowers, fruits, and colors of plants, are all the workings of ghosts and spirits. Who bestows blessings upon the virtuous and calamities upon the wicked? Who is the one possessing wisdom, righteousness, and integrity? The "Great Treatise" says, "Without haste yet swift, without movement yet arrived," who bears this responsibility? These are all the manifestations of ghosts and spirits. The heart of heaven and earth is the source of generating all things; the nature of heaven and earth is its expressed condition, which is the same as the nature of ghosts and spirits. From the perspective of heaven and earth generating all things, all things are merely things; but from the perspective of the Dao generating heaven and earth, heaven and earth themselves are no different from other things. Heaven and earth generate all things, while sages nurture the people. The continuation of life generation after generation and the proliferation of species after species is the achievement of heaven and earth; distinguishing various life forms and clarifying their categories is the ability of sages.

動物自首生，植物自根生。自首生，命在首；自根生，命在根。本乎天者親上，本乎地者親下。故變之與應，常反對也。有變則必有應也，故變於內者應於外，變於外者應於內，變於下者應於上，變於上者應於下也。天變而日應之，故變者從天，而應者法日也。是以日紀乎星，月會於辰，水生於土，火潛於石，飛者棲木，走者依草。心肺之相聯，肝膽之相屬，無它變應之道也。

Animals grow from their heads, while plants grow from their roots; those that grow from the head have their life essence centered in the head, while those that grow from the root have their life essence centered in the root. The "Wenyan" section of the Book of Changes says, "Those originating from heaven are closely connected to above, and those originating from earth are closely connected to below." Therefore, the concepts of "change" and "response" are always opposite and relative to each other: whenever there is a change, there must be a response. If the change occurs internally, the response appears externally; if the change occurs externally, the response appears internally; if the change occurs below, the response appears above; if the change occurs above, the response appears below. Heaven changes first, and the sun responds to it, so the side of "change" follows the pattern of Heaven, and the side of "response" follows the pattern of the sun. This is why the sun uses the stars as its order and the moon meets the twelve earthly branches; water arises from the earth, and fire is hidden within stones; flying creatures dwell in trees, and crawling creatures rely on grassy areas; the heart and lungs are connected in humans, and the liver and gallbladder are associated—none of these are based on any other principle, but all are based on the principle of "change" and "response."

陽交於陰而生蹄角之類也，剛交於柔而生根荄之類也，陰交於陽而生羽翼之類也，柔交於剛而生枝幹之類也。天交於地，地交於天，故有羽而走者，足而騰者。草中有木，木中有草也。各以類而推之，則生物之類不過是矣。走者便於下，飛者利於上，從其類也。水之物無異乎陸之物，各有寒熱之性。大較則陸為陽中之陰，而水為陰中之陽。

Heaven and Earth interact, Earth and Heaven interact, so there are birds with feathers that can only run and beasts with feet that can leap. Grass contains the nature of wood, and wood contains the nature of grass. Each category follows this pattern, and all the kinds of living creatures in the world are no more than these. Beasts are suited for moving in low places, birds are suited for moving in high places, each following their own category. Creatures in water and on land have no fundamental difference, but they each have their own nature, either cold or hot. In general, land is "Yang within Yin," and water is "Yin within Yang."

陸中之物水中必具者，猶影象也。陸多走，水多飛者，交也。是故巨於陸者，必細於水；巨於水者，必細於陸也。水之族以陰為主，陽次之；陸之類以陽為主，陰次之。故水類出水則死，風類入水則死。然有出入之類者，龜蟹鵝鳧之類是也。

On land there are certain creatures, and in water there must also be corresponding ones, just as a shadow reflects the form of its object. On land, creatures that walk are more common, but in water, those that swim by flying are more common, due to the interaction of heaven and earth. Therefore, creatures that are large on land correspond to small ones in water, and creatures that are large in water correspond to small ones on land. Water creatures are mainly of yin nature with some yang, while land creatures are mainly of yang nature with some yin. Hence, water creatures die when separated from water, and land creatures that belong to wind die when entering water. However, there are some amphibious creatures that can live both on land and in water, such as turtles, crabs, geese, and wild ducks.

魚在於水則生，離則死，交與不交之謂也。魚者，水之族也；蟲者，風之族也。風類水類，小大相反。在水者不瞑，在風者瞑。走之類上睫接下，飛之類下睫接上，類使之然也。在水而鱗鬣，飛之類也；龜獺之類，走之類也。飛之類喜風而敏於飛上，走之類喜土而利於走下。飛之走，雞鳧之類是也；走之飛，龍馬之屬是也。

A fish lives in water and dies when separated from it, illustrating the principle of whether something belongs to its own category or not. Fish belong to the water category, while insects belong to the wind category. The wind and water categories are opposites in terms of size. Creatures living in water sleep with their eyes open, while those in the wind sleep with their eyes closed. Mammals close their upper eyelids when sleeping, while birds close their lower eyelids, each following the nature of their own category. Fish with scales and whiskers, although living in water, actually belong to the category of flying. Turtles and beavers, although living in water, belong to the category of walking. The flying category prefers wind and is good at rising upward, while the walking category prefers earth and is good at moving on the ground. Within the flying category, those that lean toward walking are chickens and ducks. Within the walking category, those that lean toward flying are dragons and horses.

馬牛皆陰類，細分之則馬為陽，而牛為陰。鷹鵰之類食生，而雞鳧之類不專食生；虎豹之類食生，而貓犬之類食生又食穀。以類推之，從可知矣。虎豹之毛猶草也，鷹鸇之羽猶木也。草伏之獸，毛如草之莖；林棲之鳥，羽如林之葉。類使之然也。

Horse and ox are both of the yin category, but when divided further, the horse leans more towards yang and the ox more towards yin. Birds like hawk and eagle eat only raw flesh, while chickens and wild ducks do not exclusively eat raw food. Tigers and leopards eat only raw flesh, while cats and dogs eat both raw flesh and grain. Following this classification, the rest can be inferred similarly. The fur of tigers and leopards resembles grass, while the feathers of hawks and eagles resemble wood. Animals that hide in grass have fur resembling grass stems; birds that dwell in the forest have feathers resembling leaves. This is due to their inherent nature.

禽蟲之卵，果穀之類也。穀之類多子，蟲之類亦然。蠶之類，今歲蛾而子，來歲則子而蠶。蕪菁之類，今歲根而苗，來歲則苗而子。木者星之子，是以果實象也。木之支干，土石之所成，所以不易。葉花，水火之所盛，故變而易也。葉，陰也；華實，陽也。枝葉耎而根幹堅也。

Birds and insects produce eggs, which are equivalent to the fruits and grains of plants. Grains produce a great number of seeds, and insects lay a great number of eggs. Silkworms, for example, produce eggs this year, and from those eggs silkworms emerge next year. The radish, on the other hand, sprouts from its root this year, and produces seeds next year. Trees are the sons of stars, so their fruits carry the form of stars. The branches and trunks of trees are formed from earth and stone, so they are firm and unchanging. Leaves and flowers are nurtured by water and fire, so they change constantly and are easily shed. Leaves belong to the yin, while flowers and fruits belong to the yang; the branches and leaves are soft, while the roots and trunks are hard.

木之堅，非雷不能震；草之柔，非露不能潤。草類之細入於坤。水之木，珊瑚之類是也；石之花，硝鹽之類是也。龍能大能小，然亦有制之者。受制於陰陽之氣，得時則能變化，變變則不能也。有一日之物，有一月之物，有一時之物，有一歲之物，有十歲之物，至於百千萬皆有之。天地亦物也，亦有數焉。雀，三年之物；馬，三十年之物。凡飛走之物，皆可以數推。

Hard wood requires thunder to shake it, while soft grass needs rain and dew to nourish it. The most delicate among grasses belongs to the "Kun" trigram. Wood growing in water is like coral, and flowers growing on stone are like nitrate and salt. Dragons can grow large or small, yet they are also subject to constraints; they are governed by the dual forces of yin and yang, and can change only when the seasons are right. If they change too much, they can no longer change. There are creatures that live for one day, one month, one season, one year, ten years, up to a hundred, a thousand, or even ten thousand years. The heavens and earth themselves are also things, so they too have their fixed limits. A sparrow lives three years, a horse lives thirty years—any creature that can fly or walk has its lifespan calculable by numbers.

人，百有二十年之物。人為萬物之靈，寄類於走。走，陰也，故百有二十。人寓形於走類，何也？走類者，地之長子也。動者體橫，植者體縱。人宜橫而反縱也。人之骨巨而體繁，木之乾巨而葉繁，應天地之數也。飛者有翅，走者有趾。人之兩手，翅也；兩足，趾也。飛者食木，走者食草，人皆兼之，而又食飛走也，故最貴於萬物也。

Human beings are creatures that live for one hundred and twenty years. Although humans are the most intelligent among all things, their physical form is寄托 in the category of quadrupeds; quadrupeds belong to the yin category, so the natural lifespan of humans is set at one hundred and twenty years. Why do humans寄托 their form in the category of quadrupeds? Because quadrupeds are the eldest sons of the earth. Moving animals have their bodies horizontal, while growing plants have their bodies vertical; humans should have their bodies horizontal, but instead they are vertical. Human bones are thick and their limbs are numerous, just as the main trunk of a tree is thick and its branches and leaves are numerous, which corresponds exactly with the numbers of heaven and earth. Birds have wings, quadrupeds have toes; human hands are like wings, and human feet are like toes. Birds eat fruits from trees, quadrupeds eat grass on the ground, while humans eat both, and also eat birds and quadrupeds, so among all things, humans are the most exalted.

天六地四，天以氣為質，而以神為神；地以質為質，而以氣為神。唯人兼乎萬物，而為萬物之靈。如禽獸之聲，以其類而各能得其一。無所不能者，人也。推之他事，亦莫不然。唯人得天地日月交之用，他類則不能也。人之生，真可謂之貴矣。天地與其貴而不自貴，是悖天地之理，不祥莫大焉。

Heaven's number is six, Earth's number is four. Heaven uses qi to serve as its substance and uses spirit to serve as its divine essence; Earth uses form and substance to serve as its substance and uses qi to serve as its divine essence. Only humans possess the abilities of all things, thus becoming the spiritual essence of all things. For example, the sounds of birds and beasts can only emit one kind of sound according to their own category, but what can emit all kinds of sounds is humans. The same applies to other matters. Only humans can fully utilize the functions of heaven, earth, sun, and moon, which other creatures cannot achieve. A human life can truly be considered noble. Heaven grants humans this nobility, yet humans themselves do not cherish it, which violates the principles of heaven and earth, and there is no greater omen of misfortune than this.

天有四時，地有四方，人有四支。是以指節可以觀天，掌文可以察地。天地之理，具乎指掌矣，可不貴之哉？人之四支各有脈也，一脈三部，一部三候，以應天數也。身，地也，本乎靜，所以能動者，氣血使之然也。水在人之身為血，土在人之身為肉。日為心，月為膽，星為脾，辰為腎藏也；石為肺，土為肝，火為胃，水為膀胱府也。天地並行，則藏府配。四藏，天也；四府，地也。藏者，天行也；府者，地行也。天地並行，則配為八卦。

Heaven has the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter; the earth has the four directions of east, south, west, and north; and a person has four limbs, two hands and two feet. Therefore, counting the joints of the fingers can be used to observe the changes of heaven, and examining the patterns on the palms can be used to study the geography of the earth. The principles of heaven and earth are all contained within a person's hands, so how can we not value them? Each of the four limbs has its own meridians, and each meridian is divided into three parts: cun, guan, and chi. Each part is further divided into three pulses: floating, middle, and deep, corresponding to the numbers of heaven. The body belongs to the earth and is by nature still, but it is able to move because of the movement of qi and blood. Water in the human body becomes blood, and earth in the human body becomes flesh. The sun corresponds to the heart, the moon to the gallbladder, the stars to the spleen, and the constellations to the kidney; these four are called 'zang' (organs). On the earth, stone corresponds to the lungs, earth to the liver, fire to the stomach, and water to the bladder; these four are called 'fu' (hollow organs). Heaven and earth proceed in harmony without contradiction, and zang and fu thus form pairs: the four zang belong to heaven, the four fu to the earth; zang follow the path of heaven, and fu follow the path of the earth. Heaven and earth proceed together, and when paired, they form the Eight Trigrams.

體必交而後生，故陽與剛交而生心肺，陽與柔交而生肝膽，柔與陰交而生腎與膀胱，剛與陰交而生脾胃。心生目，膽生耳，脾生鼻，腎生口，肺生骨，肝生肉，胃生體，膀胱生血。故乾為心，兌為脾，離為膽，震為腎，坤為血，艮為肉，坎為髓，巽為骨，泰為目，中孚為鼻，既濟為耳，頤為口，大過為肺，未濟為胃，小過為肝，否為膀胱。

The forms must combine to produce something, so Yang and strength combine to produce the heart and lungs, Yang and softness combine to produce the liver and gallbladder, softness and Yin combine to produce the kidneys and bladder, and strength and Yin combine to produce the spleen and stomach. The heart produces the eyes, the gallbladder produces the ears, the spleen produces the nose, the kidneys produce the mouth, the lungs produce the bones, the liver produces the muscles, the stomach produces the body, and the bladder produces blood. According to this, the trigrams are paired as follows: Qian is paired with the heart, Dui with the spleen, Li with the gallbladder, Zhen with the kidneys, Kun with blood, Gen with flesh, Kan with marrow, and Xun with bones. Further, the compound trigrams outside the four directions are paired as follows: Tai is paired with the eyes, Zhongfú with the nose, Ji Ji with the ears, Yi with the mouth, Da Guo with the lungs, Wei Ji with the stomach, Xiao Guo with the liver, and Pǒ with the bladder.

天地有八象，人有十六象，何也？合天地而生人，合父母而生子，故有十六象也。心居肺，膽居肝，何也？言性者必歸之天，言體者必歸之地。地中有天，石中有火，是以心膽象之也。心膽之倒懸何也？草木者，地之本，體也。人與草木反生，是以倒懸也。

Heaven and Earth have only eight images, but humans have sixteen. Why? Because humans are formed by the union of Heaven and Earth, and by the union of father and mother. Two unions result in sixteen images on the human body. The heart is enclosed within the lungs, and the gallbladder is attached to the liver. Why? Because when discussing 'nature' (xìng), it must be related to Heaven; when discussing 'body' (tǐ), it must be related to Earth. Earth contains Heaven, and fire is hidden within stone. The heart and gallbladder take their images from this. Why are the heart and gallbladder inverted? Because grass and trees are the foundation of the earth, belonging to the 'body' aspect, while human growth direction is opposite to that of grass and trees. Therefore, these two organs inside the human body are also inverted.

口目橫而鼻耳縱，何也？體必交也，故動者宜縱而反橫，植者宜橫而反縱，皆交也。目口凸而耳鼻竅。竅者，受臭嗅氣物，或不能閉之。凸者，視色別味物，則能閉之也。四者雖象於一，而各備其四矣。鼻之氣，目見之；口之言，耳聞之，以類應也。膽與腎同陰，心與脾同陽。心主目，脾主鼻。

The mouth and eyes are horizontally developed, while the nose and ears are vertically developed. Why is this so? Because the form must necessarily intersect. Moving animals should be vertical but instead grow horizontally, and growing plants should be horizontal but instead grow vertically. This is due to the principle of intersection. The eyes and mouth are protruding, while the ears and nose are recessed openings. The recessed openings are responsible for receiving intangible substances such as odors, hence they cannot be completely closed. The protruding parts are responsible for discerning tangible things such as colors and flavors, hence they can be closed. Although these four parts each take the form of one, each also possesses four functions. The air exhaled from the nose can be seen by the eyes; the words spoken from the mouth can be heard by the ears. This is because they correspond to each other. The gallbladder and kidney both belong to yin, while the heart and spleen both belong to yang. The heart governs the eyes, and the spleen governs the nose.

《素問》肺主皮毛，心脈脾肉肝筋腎骨，上而下，外而內也。心血腎骨交，法也。交即用也。心藏神，腎藏精，脾藏魂，膽藏魄，胃受物而化之，傳氣於肺，傳血於肝，而傳水穀於脬腸矣。神者人之主，將寐在脾，熟寐在腎，將寤在膽（又言在肝），正寤在心。

The Huangdi Neijing · Suwen says that the lung governs the skin and hair, the heart governs the blood vessels, the spleen governs the muscles, the liver governs the tendons, and the kidney governs the bones; this order is arranged from top to bottom and from outside to inside. The heart belongs to blood and the kidney belongs to bones, one outside and one inside, both meeting at the ends, which is modeled after the union of heaven and earth; the term 'union' refers to the interaction and function. The mind is hidden in the heart, essence is hidden in the kidney, the soul is hidden in the spleen, and the spirit is hidden in the gallbladder; the stomach receives food, digests it, then sends the qi to the lung, the blood to the liver, and the essence of food and drink to the bladder and intestines. The mind is the master of a person: when one is about to fall asleep, the mind is in the spleen; when fully asleep, it is in the kidney; when about to wake up, it is in the gallbladder (another view says the liver), and when fully awake, it is in the heart.

天之神棲乎日，人之神棲乎目。人之神，寤則棲心，寐則棲腎，所以象天，此晝夜之道也。天地之大寤在夏。人之神則存於心，神統於心，氣統於腎，行統於首。形氣交而神主乎其中，三才之道也。氣一而已，主之者乾也。神亦一而已，乘氣而變化，能出入於有無死生之間，無方而不測者也。

The divine of Heaven dwells in the sun, and the divine of humans dwells in the eyes. The divine of humans resides in the heart when awake and in the kidney when asleep. This is taking the analogy from Heaven, which corresponds to day and night. The greatest awakening of Heaven and Earth occurs in summer. The divine of humans resides in the heart: the divine governs the heart, the vital energy governs the kidney, and movement is governed by the head. The form and vital energy meet, and the divine is in the middle, which is the principle of the three categories of Heaven, Earth, and humans. There is only one vital energy, governed by the Trigram Qian; there is also only one divine, which rides upon the vital energy and changes, able to move between existence and non-existence, life and death, without being fixed in a place, and thus cannot be measured.

潛天潛地，不行而至，不為陰陽所攝者，神也。出入有無死生者，道也。神無所在，無所不在。至人與他心通者，以其本於一也。道與一，神之強名也。以神為神者，至言也。所以造物者，神也。神不死，所更者，四時也。所以造人者，神人也。神亦不死，假如一木結實而種之，又成是木而結是實。木非舊木也，此木之神不二也。此實生生之理也。（造物，一作造萬物。神人，一無人字。）

A spirit can enter heaven and earth, reach its destination without moving, and be unrestricted by yin and yang. That is the spirit. One that can freely move between existence and non-existence, life and death, is the Dao. The spirit has no fixed place yet is everywhere. A person who has cultivated to the highest degree can communicate with others in heart and mind, because all beings share the same fundamental origin. "Dao" and "One" are merely names imposed upon the spirit. To call it simply "spirit" is the most appropriate term. The spirit creates all things, and the spirit does not die; only the seasons change. The spirit that creates human beings is the spirit-person, and the spirit-person does not die either. For example, a tree bears fruit, and the fruit is planted and grows into the same kind of tree, bearing the same fruit. The tree is no longer the original tree, but the spirit of the tree remains the same. This is the principle of continuous generation and renewal. (In some editions, "造物" is written as "造万物," and in some editions, the character "人" is omitted from "神人.")

氣者，神之宅也；體者，氣之宅也。形可分，神不可分。精氣為物，形也；游魂為變，神也。又曰，精氣為物，體也；游魂為變，用也。氣形盛則魂魄盛，氣形衰則魂魄亦從而衰矣。魂隨氣而變，魄隨形而止。故形在則魄存，形化則魄散，見氣變而形化。人得中和之氣則剛柔均，陽多則偏剛，陰多則偏柔。

Qi is the dwelling place of the spirit, and form is the dwelling place of qi. Form can be divided, but the spirit cannot be divided. The Great Treatise says, "Fine qi becomes things," referring to form; and "wandering souls cause change," referring to the spirit. In other words, "Fine qi becomes things" refers to the body, and "wandering souls cause change" refers to function. When qi and form are vigorous, the soul and shadow are also vigorous; when qi and form are weak, the soul and shadow are also weak. The soul moves with the qi, while the shadow remains with the form; therefore, if the form remains, the shadow remains, but once the form is dissolved, the shadow disperses. From this we can clearly see the principle that when qi changes, form follows. If a person receives the harmonious qi, then strength and flexibility are balanced; if yang qi is excessive, it becomes overly strong; if yin qi is excessive, it becomes overly weak.

氣則養性，性則乘氣。故氣存則性存，性動則氣動也。神無方而性有質。有形則有體，有性則有用。心性而膽情，陽性而陰情，性神而情鬼。發於性則見於情，發於情則見於色，以類而應也。天使我有，是之謂命。命之在我之謂性，性之在物之謂理。理窮而後知性，性盡而後知命，知而後至。

Qi is used to nourish the nature, and nature rides upon Qi. Therefore, if Qi remains, nature remains; when nature is activated, Qi also becomes active. The spirit does not reside in a fixed place, but nature has its substance. If there is form, there is body; if there is nature, there is function. The heart belongs to nature, while the gall belongs to emotion. Yang belongs to nature, while Yin belongs to emotion. Nature leans toward the spirit, while emotion leans toward the ghostly. When nature arises, it manifests as emotion; when emotion arises, it manifests as facial expression: these are all instances of like responding to like. Heaven has endowed me with all these, which is called 'destiny'; when destiny falls upon me, it is called 'nature'; when nature falls upon things, it is called 'principle'. The 'Sayings on the Hexagrams' says, 'To exhaust principles and fully realize nature, thus reaching destiny': by thoroughly investigating principle, one can recognize nature; by fully expressing nature, one can recognize destiny; only when one recognizes these can one truly reach that level.

人之類備乎萬物之性。人之貴兼乎萬類，自重而得其貴，所以能用萬類。仁配天地謂之人，唯仁者其可謂之人矣。人之神則天地之神，人之自欺，所以欺天地，可不慎哉？人之精神貴藏而用之，苟衒於外，則鮮有不敗者。如利刃，物來則剸之。若恃刃之利而求割乎物，則刃與物俱傷矣。

Human beings possess all the qualities of the myriad things. Human dignity lies in combining the strengths of all things, and being able to value oneself properly makes one worthy of this dignity, and enables one to control all things. Only those who practice benevolence can be called human, and only those who practice benevolence deserve the character "person." The spirit of a person is the spirit of heaven and earth, so when a person deceives himself, he is deceiving heaven and earth. How can he not be cautious? The essence of human spirit lies in keeping it hidden and using it at the right time. If one constantly shows it off, few are those who do not fail. This is like a sharp knife: when something comes close, it can cut it easily. But if one relies on the sharpness of the knife to cut everything, both the knife and the object will be damaged.

精義入神以致用也，不精義則不能入神，不能入神則不能致用也。無思無為者，神妙致一之地也，所謂一以貫之。聖人以此洗心，退藏於密。心一而不分，則能應萬變。此君子所以虛心而不動也。人心當如止水則定，定則靜，靜則明。任我則情，情則蔽，蔽則昏矣。因物則性，性則神，神則明矣。

The Great Treatise says, "By refining the principles to their subtlest level, one can reach the divine and put them into use." Without studying the principles to their finest detail, one cannot reach the level of the divine; without reaching the level of the divine, one cannot put them into practical use. What is meant by "without thought and without action" is a state of profound mystery that returns to simplicity and unity, which is exactly what Confucius referred to as "to uphold one principle throughout." The sage uses this to purify his mind and retreat to a hidden place. When the mind is focused and undivided, it can respond to all changes, which is why the gentleman should keep his mind open and not be swayed by external things. The human mind should be like still water: stillness brings stability, stability brings calmness, and calmness brings clarity. If one allows self-centered desires to dominate, one falls into "emotion"; falling into emotion leads to being obscured, and being obscured leads to darkness. By following the nature of things as they are, one aligns with "nature"; aligning with nature connects with the divine, and connecting with the divine brings clarity.

以物觀物，性也；以我觀物，情也。性公而明，情偏而暗。誠者，主性之具，無端無方者也。資性得之天也，學問得之人也。資性由內出者也，學問由外入者也。自誠明，性也；自明誠，學也。至理之學，非至誠則不至；物理之學或有所不通，不可以強通，雖通則有我，有我則失理，而入於術矣。

Standing from the standpoint of the thing itself, it is "xìng" (nature); standing from my own standpoint, it is "qíng" (emotion). Xìng is just and clear, while qíng is biased and obscure. "Chéng" (sincerity) is the instrument that governs xìng; it has no confusion and no fixed place. Talent comes from heaven, while learning comes from others; talent flows outward from within, while learning is inwardly acquired. The Zhongyong says, "From sincerity to clarity, that is xìng; from clarity to sincerity, that is education" — the former path belongs to xìng, and the latter to learning. The study of the highest principles cannot reach its goal without reaching the state of chéng; the study of the principles of things sometimes encounters points that are difficult to understand, and in such cases, one must not force an understanding. Forcing an understanding introduces a "I" into it; once there is a "I," the principle is lost, and one then falls into the realm of techniques and numerology.

言發於真誠，則心不勞而逸，久久而信之；作偽任數，一時或可以欺人，持久必敗。天地日月，悠久而已。故人當存乎遠，不可見其近。智數或能施於一朝，蓋有時而窮，惟至誠與天地同久。天地無則至誠可息，苟天地不能無，則至誠亦不息也。

Speaking from sincerity, the heart does not feel strained and remains at ease; over time, others naturally come to believe. However, if one resorts to falsehood and relies on cunning and scheming, it may deceive people for a while, but eventually it will be exposed. The reason why heaven and earth, sun and moon have remained constant is because of their enduring nature of "longevity." Therefore, people should look further ahead and not focus only on the present. Clever strategies and tactics may show results quickly, but they will eventually reach their limits; only the utmost sincerity can be as enduring as heaven and earth. Unless heaven and earth cease to exist, sincerity will never cease; since heaven and earth will never cease to exist, sincerity will never end.

為學養心，患在不由直道。去利慾，由直道，任至誠，則無所不通。天地之道，直而已，當以求之。若用智數，由徑以求之，是屈天地而徇人慾也，不亦難乎？人必內重，內重則外輕。苟內輕，必外重，好利好名，無所不至。義重則內重，利重則外重。

Doing scholarship and cultivating one's nature most fears taking an unjust path. Removing private desires and lusts, and taking the straight path with sincerity, there would be nothing that cannot be understood. The way of heaven and earth, in the end, is simply the character 'straightness'. People should seek along this path. If one uses cunning and scheming, taking shortcuts to achieve goals, it is like making heaven and earth bend themselves to accommodate human desires, which is not too difficult? People must value the inner self; when the inner self is valued, external things naturally become light. If the inner self is light, then external things must be heavy, leading to greed for fame and profit, and anything can be done. Valuing righteousness makes the inner self heavy; valuing profit makes the outer self heavy.

凡處失在得之先，則得亦不喜；若處得在失之先，則失難處矣，必至於隕穫。天下之事，皆以道致之，則休慼不能至矣。事無大小，皆有道在其間。能安分則謂之道，不能安分謂之非道。人之為道，當至於鬼神不能窺處，是為至矣。

Anyone who first considers 'loss' before 'gain' will not become overly elated when they actually gain something. But if one thinks of 'gain' before 'loss,' once they lose something, they will find it hard to cope and will inevitably become disoriented and distressed. In the world, if all matters are handled according to the Dao, external worries and joys will not disturb one's inner peace. Whether the matter is big or small, there is always a Dao in the middle of it. Those who can remain content with their proper role are following the Dao; those who cannot are not following the Dao. To cultivate the Dao, one must cultivate it to the point where even ghosts and spirits cannot discern its depth, only then can one truly reach the essence of the Dao.

凡人之善惡，形於言發於行，人始得而知之。但萌諸心發於慮，鬼神已得而知之矣。此君子所以慎獨也。（又云，思慮一萌，鬼神得而知之矣，故君子不可不慎獨。）人之畏鬼，亦猶鬼之畏人。人積善而陽多，鬼益畏之矣；積惡而陰多，鬼弗畏之矣。大人者，與鬼神合其吉凶，夫何畏之有？

The goodness and evil of ordinary people become known only when they are expressed in words and acted upon, for others to see. But once a thought begins to sprout in the mind and takes shape as an intention, the spirits already know about it. That is why a gentleman must be cautious in solitude. Another way to put it is: once a thought arises, the spirits are already aware, so a gentleman must be especially careful in solitude. People fear ghosts, but ghosts also fear people. When a person accumulates many good deeds, his body has more yang energy, and the ghosts become even more afraid of him. When a person accumulates many evil deeds, his body has more yin energy, and the ghosts no longer fear him. As for the "Great Man" mentioned in the "Wenyan" section of the Book of Changes, who can harmonize with the fortune and misfortune of ghosts and spirits, what is there to fear?

循理則為常，理之外則為異矣。能循天理動者，造化在我也。天下言讀書者不少，能讀書者少。若得天理真樂，何書不可讀？何堅不可破？何理不可精？得天理者，不獨潤身，亦能潤心。不獨潤心，至於性命亦潤。君子之學，以潤身為本。其治人應物，皆餘事也。

Following the principles is called "constant," while going beyond the principles becomes "strange." Those who act according to the principles of heaven hold the power of nature in their own hands. There are many who call themselves scholars, but few truly understand how to read. If one truly experiences the joy within the principles of heaven, what book could be too difficult to read? What obstacle could be too hard to overcome? What principle could be too intricate to grasp? Those who grasp the principles of heaven not only nourish their bodies but also their hearts; they nourish their hearts and even their lives. The gentleman studies to nourish himself first; governing others and dealing with external matters are merely secondary matters.

一國一家一身皆同，能處一身，則能處一家；能處一家，則能處一國；能處一國，則能處天下。心為身本，身為家本，家為國本，國為天下本。心能運身。苟心所不欲，身能行乎？君子處畎畝則行畎畝之事，居廟堂則行廟堂之事。故無入不自得。變從時而便，天下之事不失禮之大經；變從時而順，天下之理不失義之大權者，君子之道也。

In a country, a family, or an individual, the principle is the same: if one can manage oneself well, one can manage the family; if one can manage the family, one can manage the country; if one can manage the country, one can manage the world. The mind is the root of the body, the body is the root of the family, the family is the root of the country, and the country is the root of the world. The mind directs the body—suppose the mind has no intention at all, can the body act? A gentleman does the work of the fields when he is in the fields, and the work of the court when he is in the court, so the "Doctrine of the Mean" says he "is at ease in all situations." Adapting to circumstances and being convenient everywhere, handling the affairs of the world without abandoning the great principle of ritual; adapting to circumstances and being smooth everywhere, understanding the principles of the world without abandoning the great standard of righteousness: this is the way of the gentleman.

斂天下之智為智，斂天下之善為善，則廣矣，自用則小。人患乎自滿，滿則止也。故禹不自滿，假所以為賢。雖學亦當常若不足，不可臨深以為高也。人必有德器，然後喜怒皆不妄。為卿相，為匹夫，以至學問高天下，亦若無有也。無德者，責人，怨人，易滿，滿則止也。

Gather the wisdom of all under heaven and take it as your own wisdom; gather the goodness of all under heaven and take it as your own goodness, and your mind will become broad; if you rely only on your own, it will be narrow. The greatest danger is self-satisfaction. Once you are full, you stop growing. Therefore, the Book of Documents praises Yu the Great for "not being self-satisfied," precisely because of this he is considered virtuous. Even in studying, one should always feel insufficient and not think oneself high just because one stands on the edge of a deep valley. A person must first have the capacity of virtue, then his joy and anger will not be inappropriate. Such a person, whether he becomes a minister or just a commoner, or even the most learned person in the world, will still remain as if he has nothing. Those without virtue always blame and complain about others, are easily self-satisfied, and once satisfied, they stop growing.

人貴有德。小人有才者有之矣，故才不可恃，德不可無。經綸天地之謂才，遠舉必至之謂志，並包含容之謂量。剸割者，才力也；明辨者，智識也；寬弘者，德器也。三者不可缺一。人苟用心，必有所得。獨有多寡之異，智識之有深淺也。（又云，凡人用心者，必有所得，只是有多寡。）事必量力，量力故能久。

What is precious about human beings is their virtue. Among the petty people, there are also those with great talent, showing that talent alone is unreliable. Virtue, however, cannot be absent. Those who can govern the world are called "talent," those who can set lofty goals and surely achieve them are called "will," and those who can embrace everything and include all are called "capacity." Decisive judgment relies on talent, clear discernment relies on wisdom, and broad-mindedness relies on virtue—these three are indispensable. As long as a person is willing to put in effort, they will surely gain something; the difference lies only in the amount gained, which depends on the depth of their wisdom. (Another way of saying it is: anyone who is willing to put in effort will surely gain something, though the amount may vary.) When doing things, one must first assess one's own strength. Only by assessing one's strength can one persist in doing something for a long time.

聖人利物而無我。易地而處，則無我也。不我物，則能物物。以物喜物，以物悲物，此發而中節也。人智強，則物智弱。夫弓固有強弱，然一弓二人張之，則有力者以為弓弱，無力者以為弓強。故有力者，不以己之力有餘，而以為弓弱；無力者，不以己之力不足，而以為弓強。何不思之甚也？一弓非有強弱者，二人之力強弱不同也。今有食一杯在前，二人大餒而見之，若相讓，則均得食矣，相奪則爭。非徒爭之而已，或不得其食矣。此二者，皆人之情也，知之者鮮。知此，則天下之事皆如是也。

The sage enables all things to benefit without involving a personal "I." By putting oneself in another's position, the "I" naturally disappears; only by not claiming external things as one's own can one truly master them. Rejoicing in what is pleasing about things and grieving in what is sorrowful about them, following the inherent nature of things, this is what the Doctrine of the Mean calls "expressing emotions in a measured way." Human intelligence is strong, while the intelligence of things is weak. A bow originally has both soft and hard parts, but if two people pull the same bow one after another, the stronger one will say the bow is soft, and the weaker one will say the bow is hard. The stronger one refuses to admit his own strength, instead saying the bow is soft; the weaker one refuses to admit his own weakness, instead saying the bow is hard—how little they think! The bow itself has no soft or hard, it is the difference in strength between the two people. Another example is a bowl of rice placed before two people who are extremely hungry: if they share it, both can eat; if they fight over it, they will quarrel, and not only that, but possibly neither will get to eat. These are common human situations, yet few understand them clearly. Once these two situations are understood, then all things in the world are like this.