Section 81A.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 brought to completion. 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 surpass spiritlike understanding. [81A/84/10–18]
Section 81A.2
The influences of a chaotic age are equally widespread. Both [well-governed and chaotic ages] rely on the transformations of Heaven and Earth to bring success or failure to things, and both depend on the assistance of yin and yang to take responsibility for what they do. Thus doing what is evil causes one’s strength to diminish and one’s achievements to suffer injury; one’s reputation will thus decline.
The space between Heaven and Earth contains yin and yang
qi that constantly immerses human beings, [just] as water constantly immerses fish. The way in which they differ is that [water] can be seen, whereas [
qi] cannot be seen, as it is colorless and clear. Nevertheless, human beings’ dwelling in the space between Heaven and Earth is like fish not
2 leaving the water; they are the same. Its seamlessness is like that of
qi, but [
qi] is more fluid than water. Water is to
qi what mud is to water. Hence, the space between Heaven and Earth appears empty but is full. Human beings are constantly immersed in this colorless clarity. [When they] avail themselves of this chaos-quelling
qi, it flows forth, penetrates, and intermingles with them. Thus when the
qi of human beings blends harmoniously, the transformations of Heaven and Earth are beautiful; when it intermingles hatefully, its fragrance is destroyed. This is something that is easy to understand. If you infer from the categories of things, and rely on what is easy to understand to see what is difficult to understand, the true situation may be apprehended: Orderly or disorderly
qi and noxious or salutary customs intermingle with the transformations of Heaven and Earth. Born of the transformations of Heaven and Earth and returning to intermingle with the transformations of Heaven and Earth, they join together with the cycles of Heaven and Earth. When the
Spring and Autumn makes known the way of worldly affairs, it also writes of what can and cannot be [understood] exhaustively with regard to Heaven, for such are the responsibilities of the ruler. An
Ode declares:
“Heaven is hard to trust;
it is not easy to be a king.”
3This expresses it. The ruler must know Heaven. “Knowing Heaven” is what the poem calls “difficult.” Heaven’s intentions are difficult to see, and its Way is difficult to get straight. Thus, the ruler clarifies the emerging and retiring of yin and yang and the places where it is full or empty and thereby observes the Will of Heaven; he distinguishes the root and branches, compliance and deviance, contraction and expansion, [and] broadening and narrowing of the Five Phases and thereby observes the Way of Heaven. The Will of Heaven is humane; its Way is righteous.
One who acts as the people’s ruler
gives or takes, lets live or executes, in each case in accordance with its [respective] righteous principle; [thus he is] like the four seasons.
He classifies the officials and establishes the functionaries, ensuring accordance with their abilities; [thus he is] like the Five Phases.
He loves humaneness and loathes vileness, relying on virtue and avoiding punishments; [thus he is] like yin and yang.
Of such a ruler it is said, “He is able to be the counterpart of Heaven.”
4 It is the Way of Heaven to nourish living things, and it is the way of the ruler to nourish human beings.
The greatness of the ruler lies in his forming a triad with Heaven and Earth;
the distinction between what he likes and loathes lies in the principles of yin and yang;
the expression of his approval and disapproval lies in the comparison of chilling and heating;
the tasks of the officials lie in the righteous principles of the Five Phases.
With such things, the ruler nourishes all that lies within the space between Heaven and Earth and stirs all that lies within the Four Seas. [81A/84/18–81A/85/5]
Section 81A.3
[Everything within the Four Seas] blends with the qi of yin and yang and intermingles with Heaven and Earth. Thus the popular expression 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. [81A/85/5–7]