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The *Lunyu* (Discourses on the Medical Classic) states: The sages of ancient times taught their subjects, telling them to avoid "empty evil and thief wind" (Xu Xie Zei Feng, i.e., harmful winds from conflicting directions) at the appropriate time. They were instructed to maintain a state of tranquility, emptiness, and non-action (Tian Dan Xu Wu), so that true qi (Zhen Qi, vital energy) would follow naturally, spirit (Shen) would be guarded within, and how could disease arise? (Tian refers to inner lack of striving; Dan refers to outer lack of desire; Xu Wu refers to extreme emptiness and stillness, the pinnacle of tranquility, reaching nature. True qi follows as Cao Zhenren said: "Spirit is nature, qi is destiny. If spirit does not stray outward, qi settles itself." Zhang Xujing said: "Once spirit goes out, bring it back; when spirit returns to the body, qi naturally returns." Also: "If one can often remain pure and quiet, heaven and earth will all return." True one qi comes with me. Essence is not wantonly injured, spirit is not wantonly moved, hence called "guarding within". Such people, how can evil invade? How can disease arise?)

There are "True Persons" (Zhen Ren) who can support heaven and earth, grasp yin and yang, breathe essence and qi, stand independent guarding spirit, and whose muscles and flesh seem as one (Zhen means innate truth. No need for cultivation, thus called True Person; heart like Taiji, virtue matches Liangyi. Supporting and grasping mean holding. A person of complete truth connects breath to heaven's root and earth's pulse, transforming essence into qi. Standing independent guarding spirit transforms qi into spirit. When essence and qi both transform, only spirit remains, hence "independent". Muscles and flesh as one means spirit returns to emptiness; though there is flesh, the body is like void. As Daoists say "embrace unity", or "attain unity, all matters finished", this is the meaning of form and spirit being together). Thus, their lifespan can match heaven and earth, having no end; this is called "Dao Sheng" (Dao generates life) (Heaven and earth have substance and will decay when kalpas end. The True Person's life has no beginning and no end; heaven and earth decay, but my life does not end. This is not attachment to physical life, but because form and spirit are subtle and united with Dao, hence "Dao Sheng", indicating it is not merely physical survival).

There are "Perfected Persons" (Zhi Ren) whose virtue is pure and Dao is complete, harmonizing with yin and yang, adjusting to the four seasons (Zhi means arriving through cultivation; Chun means thick/rich. Virtue is rich, Dao is complete, not violating yin/yang or the four seasons, almost conforming to heavenly timing). They leave the world and separate from worldly customs, accumulating essence and preserving spirit (Leaving the world means hiding form and traces. Accumulating essence and preserving spirit means refining essence into qi, and qi into spirit). They wander between heaven and earth, seeing and hearing beyond the eight extremes (After spirit is complete, one can manifest divine powers of appearing and disappearing, wandering heaven and earth; free from worldly dust, one can penetrate sensory barriers, seeing and hearing beyond the eight extremes). These are those who increase lifespan and strengthen the body, also returning to the level of True Persons (The previous True Person was described by "Dao Sheng"; here Perfected Persons are described by "lifespan" and "strength", merely preserving form. Saying they return to True Person means if one refines spirit to return to void, one can be equal to True Person, achieved entirely through cultivation).

There are "Sagely Persons" (Sheng Ren) who dwell in the harmony of heaven and earth, following the principles of the Eight Winds (Sheng means great transformation, a super-class among humans, merging virtue with heaven and earth, order with four seasons, dwelling in heavenly-earthly harmony to nourish qi, following Eight Wind principles so evil cannot harm. Eight Winds, from *Lingshu*, chapter Nine Palaces and Eight Winds: Wind from one's residence is Real Wind, promoting growth and nurturing all things; wind from the opposing direction is Empty Wind, harming humans, promoting killing and harm; South wind is Da Ruo Feng; Southwest is Mou Feng; West is Gang Feng; Northwest is Zhe Feng; North is Da Gang Feng; Northeast is Xiong Feng; East is Ying Er Feng; Southeast is Ruo Feng). They adapt desires within secular society, harboring no resentment or anger, wearing appropriate clothing, and avoiding vulgar behaviors (Moderate diet and regular routine adapt desires. Controlling emotions preserves nature, eliminating resentment. Blending light with the mundane, not leaving the world. Clothing follows ritual. The Sage's heart is unstained; though blending with the mundane, never imitating vulgarity). Externally, they do not labor the body with affairs; internally, they have no worries of thought. They make tranquility and joy their task, and self-satisfaction their merit. Their form does not decay, spirit does not scatter, and they can live to a hundred (Externally not laboring ensures bodily peace; internally no worry ensures spiritual calm. Tranquility and joy regulate the seven emotions. Self-satisfaction means acting according to one's position, finding contentment everywhere. Such people, form unharmed by thieves, spirit not lost, can live a hundred years).

There are "Worthy Persons" (Xian Ren) who take heaven and earth as models, imitate sun and moon, distinguish stars, follow or oppose yin and yang, and differentiate the four seasons (Xian Ren are experts in medical Dao. Modeling heaven-earth yin-yang principles, practicing acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbs, wise men can regulate the five zang organs; these are such people). They intend to follow ancient times and merge with Dao, which can also extend lifespan to its limit (Intending to follow means aspiring to ancients but not yet fully merging. Merging with Dao means medical Dao connects to Immortal Dao. Regulating Ying and Wei, nourishing the root, not disturbing heaven-earth harmony, avoids premature death, hence "can extend life". "Also" distinguishes from Sagely Persons above. "To its limit" means Tian Gui is exhausted, form is frail, needles and drugs cannot help. True Persons achieve through non-action; Perfected Persons arrive through action. Sages treat disease before it arises; Worthy Persons treat disease after it arises. Though cultivation differs, respecting life is one. As Laozi says: There is something混沌 (hun dun) formed before heaven and earth, forced named Dao, without traces to cling to, how can form approach it? Bai Yuchan said: "The four elements and whole body belong to Yin, I do not know what is Yang Jing." Returning to origin, still and silent, named Dao. Accumulating essence and preserving spirit, extending life, named Art. *Wenshi Jing* says: Forgetting spirit transcends life; seeing spirit prolongs life. Forgetting spirit means extreme emptiness/stillness, essence naturally becomes qi, qi naturally becomes spirit, spirit naturally returns to void. Seeing spirit means using emptiness as base and fire symbols as function, refining essence to qi, qi to spirit, spirit to void. Alas! We humans exist in constant motion, controlling bodies destined to change. Life is lodging, death is return. Who escapes? Greedy seekers face danger; self-abandoners miss timing. Even blind cultivators focus inward. Have they not heard *Taixi Jing*: "Fetus forms from subduing qi; qi rests from fetus. Qi entering body is birth; spirit leaving form is death. Knowing spirit and qi allows longevity." Qi has pre-heaven and post-heaven distinctions. Post-heaven is breathing qi; pre-heaven is formless, generating heaven/earth/humans/things. Kangjie said: "When Qian meets Xuan, observe Moon Cave; when Earth meets Thunder, see Heaven Root.往来 between Heaven Root and Moon Cave, thirty-six palaces are all spring." Truly intoxicated by pre-heaven theory. Pity that starting methods are wrong, misinterpreted. Wrongly taking eyes as Moon Cave, sexual organ as Heaven Root, makes one laugh. If one gets the method and practices, within an hour, pre-heaven ancestral qi returns, nostrils feel like facing wind, no need for breathing control or counting breaths. Just one word breaks the secret, allowing eternal existence. Without deep fortune, few won't slander upon hearing. Even vulgar doctors laugh at absurdity. Not knowing medical Dao connects to Immortal Dao, recorded since ancient times, depends on the person).

The *Siqi Tiaoshen Dalun* (Great Treatise on Regulating Spirit According to Four Qi) states: The three months of Spring are called "Fa Chen" (Fa means sprouting/generating; Chen means spreading/displaying. Developing all things, spreading across the universe, hence Fa Chen). Heaven and earth generate together, all things flourish (Fu He era, Wood virtue circulates. Ju Sheng is yinyun qi. Heaven and earth yinyun, all things become pure. Rong means manifest. Fa means generate). Sleep late, rise early, walk broadly in the courtyard (This explains heaven's command of generation; humans must nurture well. Sleeping with Yin, rising with Yang. Sleeping late, rising early, making Yang abundant and Yin scarce, symbolizing Spring ascending qi. Broad steps mean moving without rest, the way to nourish Yang). Loosen hair, relax form, to allow will to generate (Loosening hair spreads Spring qi of head. Relaxing responds to command gently. Thus spirit/will is adjusted, resembling heaven's generation). Generate and do not kill, give and do not take, reward and do not punish (*Shangshu Wei* says: Eastern Green Emperor loves life, does not harm. Yu's Prohibition: In Spring months, forests do not use axes. Guan Zi says: Resolve grudges, pardon crimes, all to honor generative virtue). This responds to Spring Qi, the way of nourishing life (Four seasons' commands: Spring generates, Summer grows, Autumn harvests, Winter stores. Above rules are ways of nourishing life). Violating it injures Liver; in Summer, cold changes occur; providing for Growth is less (Violating means not following above methods. Providing means receiving. Liver Wood prospers in Spring; violating Spring nourishment injures Liver, Heart Fire loses its source, so in Summer Fire is insufficient and Water insults it, causing cold change. Cold change turns heat to cold. Since Spring generation is violated, Summer growth qi is surely less).

The three months of Summer are called "Fan Xiu" (Fan means leafing out; Xiu means flowering. The gathering of all things flourishing and beautiful). Heaven and earth qi intersect, all things flower and bear fruit (Intersection of Sitian and Zaiquan, third and fourth qi intersections. *Liuyuan Zhengji Dalun* says: Upper and lower interact, qi intersection governs. Yang qi grows first, Yin qi harvests later, so all things flower and fruit). Sleep late, rise early, do not dislike the sun (Rising/sleeping same as Spring, also nourishing Yang. Xun Zi says: In summer do not curl up. Meaning should avoid scorching heat, not be weary from sun). Let will not be angry, let brilliance become beautiful, let qi vent, as if love is outside (Anger makes qi ascend, aiding fire hyperactivity, so let will not be angry, then life intent flows smoothly, like flowers becoming beautiful. Qi venting means skin/pores open, following smooth timing. Expansion to utmost fills universe, function is outward not inward. Humans nourish themselves with it, so love seems outside, unaware this regulates the center). This responds to Summer Qi, the way of nourishing growth. Violating it injures Heart; in Autumn, malaria occurs; providing for Harvest is less (Sleeping late etc. follow Summer growth; otherwise violate timing. Heart master governing season is disturbed. Heart injured, summer heat attacks; Autumn Metal restricts, summer heat stagnates inside, causing malaria. Summer growth violated, Autumn harvest provision is less). At Winter Solstice, serious illness (Heart Fire injured, lingering to Winter, Water overcomes Fire, illness becomes serious).

The three months of Autumn are called "Rong Ping" (Yin rises, Yang descends, Great Fire moves west. All things' forms stabilize here, hence Rong Ping). Heaven qi is urgent, Earth qi is clear (Wind urgency called Ji; object clarity called Ming). Sleep early, rise early, rise with chickens (Sleep early to avoid initial cold; rise early to follow new freshness). Let will be peaceful to slow Autumn punishment (Yang virtue decreases daily, Yin cruelty increases daily, so need spiritual peace to slow killing qi). Converge spirit and qi, let Autumn qi be peaceful; do not let will go outward, let Lung qi be clear. This responds to Autumn Qi, the way of nourishing harvest (Converging, not going outward, respond to Autumn Qi, nourish harvest). Violating it injures Lung; in Winter, undigested diarrhea occurs; providing for Storage is less (Lung Metal governs Autumn; losing Autumn nourishment injures Lung. Lung injured, Kidney loses master. So in Winter undigested diarrhea. Undigested diarrhea means water/grain not separated; Kidney governs two passages, losing storage duty).

The three months of Winter are called "Bi Cang" (Yang qi hides, closure forms Winter). Water freezes, earth cracks, do not disturb Yang (Yin excess Yang decline, gentleman solidifies, not harmed by cold, i.e., do not disturb Yang). Sleep early, rise late, wait for sunlight (To avoid cold, i.e., nourish storage). Let will be hidden/concealed, as if having private thoughts, as if already satisfied (Hidden/concealed, private/satisfied, all retreat to secrecy, modeling storage root). Leave cold, seek warmth, do not sweat skin, let qi frequently deplete (Leave cold seek warmth to nourish Yang. Do not sweat/deplete to honor storage. Zhen Shi says: If storage not tight, warm without frost/snow, next year Yang qi weak, grains fail. Human body mirrors heaven-earth, can one not follow timing?). This responds to Winter Qi, the way of nourishing storage. Violating it injures Kidney; in Spring, flaccidity/cold limbs occur; providing for Generation is less (Water returns to Winter prosperity; Winter losing nourishment injures Kidney, Liver Wood loses master. Liver governs sinews, so in Spring sinew disease causes flaccidity; Winter not storing, Yang deficiency causes cold limbs. Winter storage violated, inheriting qi for Spring generation is less).

Heavenly Qi is clear, quiet, and bright. Quiet should be read as Pure. Clear Yang qi, pure and unmixed, is Heaven's body; residing high without hyperactivity, descending to brighten, is Heaven's function. Hiding virtue without stopping, thus does not fall (Hiding virtue means hiding brightness, not claiming it. Stopping not means vigorous movement unceasing. Only hiding and not stopping, though descending, truly does not fall, never damaging high status, hence "does not fall"). If Heaven reveals brightness, Sun/Moon are not bright, evil harms empty apertures (Only Heaven hides virtue, not using itself, so Sun/Moon shine to show creation. If Heaven hides not virtue and reveals brightness, Sun/Moon cannot borrow it to shine; Great Brightness appears, Small Brightness extinguishes. This metaphor: body's origin not hidden, revealed outward, mind empty, evil gathers). Yang qi closes, Earth qi covers brightness (Heaven uses itself, lone Yang hyperacts, closing Yin qi; Earth qi isolated, covering brightness). Clouds/mist not refined, then upper responds with White Dew not descending (Earth qi up becomes clouds/mist; Heaven qi down becomes rain/dew. Upper/lower blocked, Earth qi not ascends, clouds/mist not refine upward; Heaven qi not descends, dew/rain not spread downward. Human upper jiao like mist, Tanzhong qi transformation opens waterways, transports to bladder. Qi transformation not reaching Zhoudou, waterways blocked, like White Dew not descending). Communication not expressed, ten thousand things' lives not applied, not applied then famous trees die (Lone Yang not born, lone Yin not formed. If upper/lower not communicate, yin/yang discord, life path stops, cannot express in ten thousand things' lives, so generation not applied, famous trees die). Evil qi not emits, wind/rain not regulated, White Dew not descends, then withered grass not flourishes (Evil qi not emitting, turbid qi not dispersing. Wind/rain not regulated, climate chaotic. White Dew not descending, Yin essence not descending, meaning not expressing/applying. Withered grass not flourishing, plants depressed/withered, cannot sprout, meaning famous trees die. Above spoke heaven-earth not communicating. Here speaks specifically Heaven qi not descending). Thief winds come frequently, heavy rains rise frequently, heaven-earth four seasons not preserved, deviating from Dao, then perish mid-way (Yin/Yang not harmonious, thief winds/heavy rains frequently invade, growth/storage not constant, losing natural yin/yang comfort/discomfort. Yang means mid-half. Perished before mid-half). Only Sages follow it, so body has no strange diseases, ten thousand things not lost, vital qi not exhausted (Following means modeling heaven-earth four seasons. Preserving spirit/truth to follow hiding virtue, brave/diligent to follow unceasing, returning vision/listening to follow not revealing brightness, connecting Ren/Du meridians to follow yin/yang ascent/descent, thus conforming to constant classics, how can strange diseases exist? Ten thousand things not lost, moving with time, vital qi fills universe. Not exhausted means no mid-way perishing risk. I note: Four seasons are Yin/Yang movement; Punishment/Virtue are Four Seasons combination. Spring withering/Autumn flourishing, Winter thunder/Summer snow, punishment/virtue changing terms, thief qi arrives disaster. Virtue starts Spring, grows Summer; Punishment starts Autumn, flows Winter. Punishment/Virtue not lost, four seasons one. Punishment/Virtue leaving home, time reverses, thus not knowing to follow heaven-time, not respecting life canon. Therefore *Tianzhen Lun* says adjust to four seasons, differentiate four seasons. Four Qi are heaven-earth constant lines; Regulating Spirit is cultivation key. Hence Spring/Summer nourish Yang, Autumn/Winter nourish Yin, to follow root. Root: human based on heaven, heaven based on Dao, Dao based on nature. These are methods of treating disease before arising, urgently needed by cultivators).

The *Yinyang Yingxiang Dalun* (Great Treatise on Yin-Yang Correspondence to Phenomena) states: Knowing Seven Losses and Eight Gains allows the two [Yin/Yang] to be regulated; not knowing to use this is the sign of premature aging (Two means Yin/Yang. Seven is number of Young Yang; Eight is number of Young Yin. Seven Losses is Yang declining; Eight Gains is Yin growing. Yin/Yang are root of life/death. Life follows Yang, fearing Yang loss; Death follows Yin, fearing Yin growth. Knowing Seven Losses/Eight Gains, observing change mechanism, using supporting/restraining techniques, Yang stays strong, Yin does not exploit, two can harmonize, constantly embodying Spring/Summer timing, forever gaining youth/strength/health, truly grasping Yin/Yang. Not using this, perishes mid-way. Use means action. Like Fu hexagram one Yang born, Sage rejoices, saying "Not far returning, no great regret, supreme good." Gou hexagram one Yin born, Sage guards, saying "Tied to metal brake, correct auspicious, going forward, seeing凶, lean pig trusts hesitation." This is Immortal school's advancing Yang fire, retreating Yin symbol妙用. Zhu Ziyang says: Laozi says governing people/serving heaven nothing better than frugality. Only frugality is called early service; early service is called heavy accumulation of virtue. Early service means frugality means not far, returning is here. Heavy accumulation means previously accumulated, then nourished by frugality, adding accumulation. Body not damaged, then added frugal nourishment, called early service and heavy accumulation. If damage then nourish, only enough to repair damage, not called heavy accumulation. Knowing this, when Seven Yang will lose, Eight Yin will gain, arrange early; Yang qi not injured, Yin use not expanded. Thus regulating Yin/Yang, creation in hand. Hua Yuanhua says: Yang is root of life, Yin is foundation of death. Yin should often decrease, Yang should often increase. Following numbers lives, following Yin perishes. These words serve as commentary on Seven Losses/Eight Gains). Age forty, Yin qi halves itself, daily activities decline (Twenty is Young Yang, Thirty is Strong Yang. Dongyuan says: Over fifty, descending qi more, ascending qi less. Descending is Yin, Ascending is Yang. Thus at forty, ascending Yang qi and descending Yin qi are half each. Yang winning Yin means strong,