Section 81.1
Heaven, earth, yin, yang, wood, fire, earth, metal, and water constitute nine things. Together with human beings, they total ten, completing Heaven’s numerical categories. Therefore,
when counting, you arrive at ten and stop.
When writing, you take the tenth stroke as the last one.
Both examples derive from [Heaven’s numerical categories]. Why are human beings noble?
1 [It is because] what originates with Heaven extends to human beings [and thus] is completed. What lie outside this completion are called “things.” Although things may take on the incipient qualities of nobility, they do not fall within the compass of [the word] “noble.” From this, it can be seen that human beings are, by a great margin, superior to other things, the noblest in the world. Below, human beings nurture the myriad things; above, they form a triad with Heaven and Earth. Thus, their orderly or disorderly status and the motion, rest, compliance, or deviance of their
qi can injure or benefit the transformations of yin and yang, and stir and shake everything within the Four Seas. Things, being difficult to comprehend, are like spirits; you cannot say it is not so. Now,
if you fall onto the ground, you will die or suffer injury, and you will be unable to move.
If you fall into mud, you will be able to move in some direction, but only for a short distance.
If you fall into water, you will be able to move in some direction for a longer distance.
From this, one can see that the more fluid a thing is, the more readily it alters, moves, stirs, and shakes. Now the fluidity of the transformations of qi is not so limited as that of water. The people’s ruler, with his numerous activities, moves it ceaselessly. Thus, his orderly or disorderly qi constantly intermingles with the transformations of Heaven and Earth, producing disorder [in response to the ruler’s disorder].
When the age is ordered and the people are harmonious, when the will is tranquil and the qi is upright, the transformations of Heaven and Earth will be quintessential, and the beauty of the myriad things will arise.
When the age is disordered and the people vie with one another, when the will is biased and qi grows malign, the transformations of Heaven and Earth will be harmful, and catastrophes will arise.
This is why the virtue of a well-ordered age enriches the plants and trees; its beneficence flows to [all within] the Four Seas; and its achievements are surpassing. [81/83/15–23]
Section 81.2
Names are the means by which one distinguishes things.
For [relationships that are] close, there are significant names;
for [relationships that are distant], there are less significant names;
for [people who are] noble, there are refined names;
for [people who are] base, there are plain names;
for [ages that are] near, there are detailed names;
for [ages that are] distant, there are general names.
The terminology [of the Spring and Autumn] does not conceal the true nature of things. It illuminates the true nature of things but does not neglect proper terminology. If people’s minds follow it and do not struggle against it, it will penetrate and connect the ancient and contemporary without the least disorder. Such are the righteous principles of [its use of] names.
Men and women are like the Way. People’s inborn differences are discussed [by means of] propriety and righteousness. The origin of names and designations arise from human affairs. What does not comply with the Way of Heaven is designated as unrighteous.
Observe the distinctions between Heaven and humankind;
scrutinize the differences between the Way and fate;
and you will understand the delightfulness of propriety.
Observing goodness, one cannot but like it;
observing evil, one cannot but dislike it.
But likes and dislikes come and go and cannot be preserved and guarded [permanently]; therefore we have the Human Way. The Human Way is what human beings follow. It is the source from which people obtain joy, but it is not chaotic; it is [reliably] repetitious without being tiresome. [Each of] the myriad things comes into existence bearing a name. The sage names them in accordance with their appearance. However, [names] can be modified, in every case in accordance with righteous principles. Thus, one rectifies names so that the names are righteous. The term “thing” is a general name for something, an all-inclusive name for something. But things also have their particular names, which are specific names and not names for things in general. Thus it is said:
“What the myriad things move but has no form is intention;
what takes form but does not change is virtue;
what is joyous without being chaotic and [reliably] repetitious without being tiresome is the Way.” [81/83/25–81/84/3]
Section 81.3
[Everything] within the Four Seas blends with the qi of yin and yang and intermingles with Heaven and Earth. Thus there is the popular expression that states: “One who may be called a king forms a triad with Heaven and Earth.” If he forms a triad with Heaven and Earth, then he has undergone a transformation. How could such a transformation be due solely to the quintessence of Heaven and Earth? The king also participates in and blends together with it.
When he is orderly, salutary qi blends with the transformations of Heaven and Earth.
When he is disorderly, noxious qi blends with the transformations of Heaven and Earth.
The norms of Heaven are such that
when he identifies with Heaven, there is mutual benefit;
when he differs from Heaven, there is mutual harm.
This cannot be doubted. [81/84/3–7]