天地生化之机,水火而已矣。宜平不宜偏,宜合不宜分。火性炎上,有以下之。水性就下,有以上之。浃洽
于中,无致盈亏,名之曰交。交则为既济,不交则为未济。交者生之象,不交者死之征也。夫亢旱不生物,火偏
胜也,泛滥物亦不生,水偏盛也。风露和均,雨阳时若,承平之瑞也。承平既久,民物雍熙,国运日以兴隆。人
身之水火,即气血也,即阴阳也。孤阴则阳无以生,独阳无以生,独阳则阴无以化。气化则为火,血化则为水。
气血争化,并行不悖,阴阳各得其所,然后水生木而肝荣,木生水而心旺,火生土而脾健,土生金而肺润,金生
水而肾足,转转相生,百骸九窍力司厥职,生长收藏,物时偕行矣。或谓凡物孕于阴,而诞于阳。孕者蕴积其中,
血疑有余。诞者发泄于外,气应不足。不足、有余亦是偏,偏则不合。故气血俱要,但益气宜倍于补血,非特抑
水昂火,盖天包乎地,阳统乎阴,不如此不得其调匀也。所以阴症用热药,热则助其气。阳症用寒药,寒则凉其
血,由偏而使之平。火一炎上,苦咸以降。水一就下,辛温以升,由分而使之合。若升之不上,降之不下,热之不
热,寒之不寒,是曰未济,未济则病日趋愈下,而命将绝焉。故曰交者生之象,不交者死之征也。不观之釜甑爨
乎?水居其上,火处其下,水火一交,生气沸腾,五谷随熟,人乃得而食之,是人所赖以滋培者,不在五谷而在
水火也。然则人身也,天地也。天地也,水火也。生之化之,既济未济,不言嘿喻矣。
赞曰∶天一之精,地六之灵,其色元苍,其性和平,其德务滋,有涸靡盈,防之如城,守之如瓶,既清既静,
乃能神明。
太极未分,命寓无极,太极既分,数成以七,泽被生民,无声无色,消则阴霾,长则炎赫,允执厥中,是谓
至德。
The mechanism of generation and transformation in heaven and earth consists merely of Water and Fire. They should be balanced rather than biased, integrated rather than separated. The nature of Fire is to flare upwards, requiring guidance to descend; the nature of Water is to flow downwards, requiring guidance to ascend. When they permeate and harmonize within, without deficiency or excess, this is termed "Jiao" (Interaction/Intersection). Interaction leads to "Ji Ji" (Already Fined/Ideal Harmony), while lack of interaction leads to "Wei Ji" (Not Yet Fined/Disharmony). Interaction is the symbol of life, whereas non-interaction is the omen of death.
Just as drought prevents things from growing due to excessive Fire, and flooding prevents growth due to excessive Water, so too do wind and dew need to be even, and rain and sun timely, which are auspicious signs of peace. When peace prevails for a long time, people and things flourish harmoniously, and the nation's fortune prospers day by day. The Water and Fire in the human body refer to Qi and Blood, which are also Yin and Yang. If Yin exists alone, Yang cannot be generated; if Yang exists alone, Yin cannot be transformed. Qi transformation manifests as Fire, and Blood transformation manifests as Water. When Qi and Blood transform in coordination, proceeding together without contradiction, and Yin and Yang each find their proper place, then Water generates Wood to nourish the Liver, Wood generates Water (note: text says Wood generates Water but context implies Wood feeds Heart/Fire via Wood-Fire relationship or typo in original logic, strictly translating text: "Wood generates Water makes Heart prosperous") to prosper the Heart, Fire generates Earth to strengthen the Spleen, Earth generates Metal to moisten the Lungs, and Metal generates Water to fill the Kidneys. Thus generating each other in turn, the hundred bones and nine orifices perform their duties, and growth, storage, and seasonal changes proceed with the times.
Some argue that all things are conceived in Yin and born in Yang. "Conception" implies accumulation within, suggesting Blood is in surplus; "Birth" implies emission outward, suggesting Qi is deficient. However, deficiency and surplus are also forms of bias, and bias contradicts harmony. Therefore, both Qi and Blood are essential, but tonifying Qi should be doubled compared to nourishing Blood. This is not merely to suppress Water and elevate Fire, but because Heaven envelops Earth, and Yang commands Yin; only thus can balance be achieved. Hence, for Yin syndromes, hot medicines are used to assist Qi; for Yang syndromes, cold medicines are used to cool Blood, thereby restoring balance from bias. When Fire flares up, bitter and salty flavors are used to descend it; when Water flows down, pungent and warm flavors are used to ascend it, thereby reuniting what was separated. If ascending fails to rise, descending fails to fall, warming fails to warm, and cooling fails to cool, this is called "Wei Ji." In a state of Wei Ji, disease worsens daily, and life is about to end. Thus, it is said: interaction is the symbol of life, non-interaction is the omen of death.
Have you not observed cooking with a pot and steamer? Water sits above, Fire resides below. Once Water and Fire interact, vital energy boils, grains cook simultaneously, and humans can eat them. The foundation upon which humans rely for nourishment lies not in the grains themselves, but in Water and Fire. Thus, the human body is like heaven and earth, and heaven and earth are like Water and Fire. The processes of generation and transformation, Ji Ji and Wei Ji, are self-evident and can be understood in silence.
Praise says: The essence of Tian One, the spirit of Di Six, its color is dark blue/black, its nature is peaceful, its virtue is nurturing, avoiding dryness but preventing overflow, guarded like a city wall, protected like a vase, clear and quiet, enabling spiritual clarity.
Before Taiji divided, Ming (Life Force) resided in Wuji. After Taiji divided, numbers formed at Seven. Its grace covers the people, silent and colorless; when it recedes, it is gloomy mist; when it grows, it is scorching heat. Sincerely holding the Middle Way is called Supreme Virtue.