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The *Neijing* (Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor) states: The Five Movements (Wuyun, the cyclical changes of qi associated with the five phases) and Yin-Yang are the principles of Heaven and Earth, the general code of all things, the parents of change, the origin of life and death, and the residence of divine transformation. How can one fail to study them? It further states: If treatment does not follow the laws of Heaven and the principles of Earth, disasters will occur. It also states: One who does not know the annual addition of the movements, the flourishing and declining of qi, and the origins of deficiency and excess cannot be a physician. From this, we see that those who practice medicine without understanding the Six Qi (Liuyi, the six climatic influences) rarely avoid errors. Herein, the key passages on the Six Qi from the *Neijing* have been compiled into rhymed verses, accompanied by diagrams at the beginning, so that students may clearly grasp the main outline and essential purport at a glance, and subsequently seek the profound meanings throughout the entire classic, thereby hopefully achieving understanding.

1. In the Supreme Void (Taixu, the primordial state of emptiness) lies the principle of Qi; in the Supreme Void lies Qi itself. Through the movement and stillness of Qi, Yin and Yang are generated; through the differentiation of Yin and Yang, Heaven and Earth are formed. Before Heaven and Earth existed, Qi generated form; after Heaven and Earth existed, form contained Qi. Tracing Qi from Form is called Yin-Yang; observing Principle from Qi is called the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji).
[Note] "Supreme" (Tai) refers to the utmost magnitude; "Void" (Xu) refers to emptiness devoid of matter. Within this utmost magnitude and utmost emptiness, silent and odorless, there exists the utmost Principle and Qi. When Principle and Qi are undifferentiated and chaotic, it is called the Supreme Void. Calling the Supreme Void "Non-Polar" (Wuji) refers to the governing Principle within the circulating Qi of the Supreme Void. Calling the Supreme Void "Supreme Ultimate" refers to the circulating Qi within the governing Principle of the Supreme Void. Thus, Zhou Dunyi stated: "Non-Polar gives rise to the Supreme Ultimate," meaning inferring existence from non-existence. In Non-Polar, there is nothing but Principle; in the Supreme Ultimate, there is nothing but Qi. Without using the Principle of Non-Polar to infer the Qi of the Supreme Ultimate, how could one know such Qi exists? Without using the Qi of the Supreme Ultimate to infer the Principle of Non-Polar, how could one know such Principle exists? Thus, it can be known that if discussed separately, Principle and Qi are two; if discussed as a whole, they are one. Where there is such Principle, there is such Qi; where there is such Qi, there is such Principle. Though named two, they are essentially one. Originally, there is no distinction of existence/non-existence, two/one, or priority/posteriority. "Through the movement and stillness of Qi, Yin and Yang are generated" means that the Supreme Ultimate, riding the movement of Qi mechanism, generates Yang, and riding the stillness of Qi mechanism, generates Yin. This is what Zhou Dunyi meant by: "The Supreme Ultimate moves and generates Yang; it is still and generates Yin." However, it does not say "Non-Polar moves..." but "Supreme Ultimate moves..." because Non-Polar specifically governs Principle, and Principle has no movement or stillness; whereas the Supreme Ultimate governs both Qi, and Qi has movement and stillness. "Yin and Yang differentiate into Heaven and Earth" means that Yin and Yang circulate and generate each other endlessly; the clear accumulation of Yang becomes Heaven, and the turbid accumulation of Yin becomes Earth. Thus, Zhou Dunyi said: "Dividing Yin and Yang, the Two Modes (Liangyi) are established." "Before Heaven and Earth, Qi generated form" means that before Heaven and Earth existed, only the Qi of the Supreme Void generated the forms of Heaven and Earth. "After Heaven and Earth, form contains Qi" means that once Heaven and Earth existed, the Qi of the Supreme Void was already embedded within their forms. Therefore, Heaven uses it to initiate all things, and Earth uses it to sustain all things. "Tracing Qi from Form is called Yin-Yang" means Yin and Yang are the Qi circulating within Principle. "Observing Principle from Qi is called Supreme Ultimate" means the Supreme Ultimate is the governing Principle within Qi. Thus, Zhou Dunyi said: "Yin and Yang are one Supreme Ultimate," referring to the extremity of Qi; "The Supreme Ultimate is originally Non-Polar," referring to the extremity of Principle (Figures 1, 2).
[Commentary] Wu Cheng stated: The Supreme Ultimate has no movement or stillness; movement and stillness belong to the Qi mechanism. Therefore, the Supreme Ultimate is discussed primarily from the perspective of Principle. Zhu Xi stated: The movement and stillness of the Supreme Ultimate are the circulation of the Mandate of Heaven (Tianming). Therefore, the Supreme Ultimate is discussed incorporating Qi. He further stated: The Supreme Void is the subtlety of original nature; movement and stillness are the mechanism upon which it rides. The subtlety of original nature is the Supreme Ultimate, referring to its original governance, the subtle Principle of being moving or still. The mechanism upon which it rides is movement and stillness, referring to the circulation of the Mandate of Heaven, the Qi that rides movement and stillness. Zhu Xi's view should be adopted as correct.