Library

(Su Wen: Yin Yang Ying Xiang Da Lun)

Qibo said: The Heaven's Yang energy is insufficient in the Northwest, therefore the Northwest belongs to Yin. Consequently, a person's right ear and eye are not as acute as the left. The Earth's Yin energy is incomplete in the Southeast, therefore the Southeast belongs to Yang. Consequently, a person's left hand and foot are not as strong as the right.

(Heaven is Yang, and the Northwest is a Yin direction, hence Heaven is insufficient in the Northwest. Earth is Yin, and the Southeast is a Yang direction, hence Earth is incomplete in the Southeast. The sun, moon, stars, and planets are the four images of Heaven, analogous to human ears, eyes, mouth, and nose. Thus, the left ear and eye are brighter than the right because Yang prevails in the Southeast. Water, fire, stone, and earth are the four bodies of Earth, analogous to human skin, flesh, sinews, and bones. Thus, the right hand and foot are stronger than the left because Yin is strong in the Northwest.)

The Yellow Emperor asked: Why is this so? Qibo replied: The East belongs to Yang. Yang energy gathers its essence upwards; when it gathers upwards, the upper part becomes bright and the lower part becomes deficient. Therefore, it makes the ears and eyes sharp but the hands and feet inconvenient. The West belongs to Yin. Yin energy gathers its essence downwards; when it gathers downwards, the lower part becomes abundant and the upper part becomes deficient. Therefore, it makes the ears and eyes less sharp but the hands and feet convenient.

(Gathering means accumulating. The way of Heaven and Earth is rising from the East and descending from the West. Rising is Yang, descending is Yin. Yang Qi arises at the middle of Zi hour, reaches its peak at the middle of Wu hour, rises from the left and gathers upwards. Thus, the brightness of the ears and eyes is also on the left, while the left hands and feet are inconvenient. Yin Qi arises at the middle of Wu hour, reaches its peak at the middle of Zi hour, descends from the right and gathers downwards. Thus, the strength of the hands and feet is also on the right, while the right ears and eyes are not sharp.) Therefore, if both upper and lower parts are affected by pathogenic factors, those affecting the upper part will be more severe on the right, and those affecting the lower part will be more severe on the left. This is where the Yin and Yang of Heaven and Earth cannot be complete, so the pathogens reside there.

(Ju refers to involving both upper and lower. Wherever pathogens gather, they must find deficiency. Thus, in the upper part, deficiency on the right leads to severity on the right; in the lower part, deficiency on the left leads to severity on the left. This is because the Yang of Heaven is not complete on the upper right, and the Yin of Earth is not complete on the lower left, allowing pathogens to reside there and cause particularly severe illness.)

(Su Wen: Yin Yang Ying Xiang Da Lun)

Therefore, Heaven has Jing (Essence), Earth has Form. Heaven has the Eight Disciplines (of seasons), and Earth has the Five Regions.

(The essence of the Five Elements manifests as images in Heaven, becoming the Seven Governors and Twenty-Eight Mansions, which determine the degrees of Heaven. Distributed on Earth, they become mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas, forming the shape of Earth. Only because Heaven has Essence are the Eight Solar Terms correct; only because Earth has Form are the Five Directions distinct. Ji means record/verification. Li means distance/path.) Therefore, they can serve as the parents of all things.

(Qian knows the great beginning, Kun creates the objects. Yang transforms into Qi, Yin forms into Shape. When Yin and Yang combine their virtue, changes appear. Thus, Heaven and Earth are the parents of all things.) Clear Yang ascends to Heaven, Turbid Yin descends to Earth.

(This is the principle of Yang ascending and Yin descending.) Therefore, the movement and stillness of Heaven and Earth are governed by Shen Ming (Divine Spirit).

(Shen Ming refers to the conditions and states of Yin and Yang. The movement and stillness of Heaven and Earth, the coming and going of Yin and Yang, are the governing principles of Shen Ming. The I Ching says: "That which is called Shen speaks of the wondrous nature of all things." Nothing accelerates the movement of things faster than Thunder; nothing disturbs them faster than Wind; nothing dries them faster than Fire; nothing delights them more than Lake; nothing moistens them more than Water; nothing completes or initiates things more than Gen. Thus, Water and Fire reach each other, Thunder and Wind do not contradict, Mountain and Lake communicate breath, and only then can transformations occur and all things be formed. These are the meanings of the governance of Shen Ming. Thus, they can grow, mature, harvest, and store, ending and beginning again. One Yin and one Yang advance and retreat mutually, so waxing and waning are endless, ending and beginning again.) Only the wise person matches Heaven above to nourish the head, imitates Earth below to nourish the feet, and follows human affairs in the middle to nourish the Zang-Fu organs.

(Clear Yang is above, so the head matches Heaven to nourish its clarity. Turbid Yin is below, so the feet imitate Earth to nourish their tranquility. The Five Qi circulate within, so the Zang-Fu organs follow human affairs to nourish their harmony. Although this speaks of the head, feet, and Zang-Fu organs, it actually refers to the upper, middle, and lower parts, none of which fail to emulate Heaven, Earth, and Humanity.) Heavenly Qi connects with the Lung, Earthly Qi connects with the Epiglottis/Throat (Yi),

(Heavenly Qi refers to Clear Qi, i.e., respiratory air. Earthly Qi refers to Turbid Qi, i.e., dietary air. Clear Qi connects with the Zang organs, entering the Lung first via the Larynx. Turbid Qi connects with the Fu organs, entering the Stomach first via the Epiglottis/Throat. Yi refers to the throat. Liu Jie Zang Xiang Lun states: "Heaven feeds humans with Five Qi, Earth feeds humans with Five Flavors." Five Qi enter the nose and are stored in the Heart and Lung; Five Flavors enter the mouth and are stored in the intestines and stomach. Tai Yin Yang Ming Lun states: "The larynx governs Heavenly Qi, the epiglottis/throat governs Earthly Qi." Their meanings are identical. Yi is pronounced 'yi'.) Wind Qi connects with the Liver,

(Wind is Wood Qi, the Liver is the Wood organ, same Qi seeks same, thus connecting with the Liver. The previous two sentences generally state that Heaven and Earth Yin and Yang connect with humans; the following four sentences separately state that the Five Elements' climate connects with humans. This details how Heavenly Qi connects with the Lung and extends to the Zang organs.) Thunder Qi connects with the Heart,

(Thunder is Fire Qi, the Heart is the Fire organ, thus they connect.) Grain Qi connects with the Spleen,

(Mountain valley Earth Qi, the Spleen is the Earth organ, thus they connect.) Rain Qi connects with the Kidney.

(Rain is Water Qi, the Kidney is the Water organ, thus they connect.) The Six Meridians are like rivers, the Intestines and Stomach are like the sea,

(The Six Meridians refer to the Three Yin and Three Yang, circulating Qi and Blood, thus acting as the body's rivers. The intestines and stomach receive and hold water and grain, thus acting as the body's sea. This details how Earthly Qi connects with the Epiglottis/Throat.) The Nine Orifices are the Qi of Water Injection.

(The seven upper orifices and two lower orifices constitute the Nine Orifices. Qi of Water Injection refers to the infusion of Water Qi, such as tears from the eyes, mucus from the nose, saliva from the mouth, and urine/feces from the two lower orifices. Although the ears seem devoid of water, the moisture and turbidity in the ear caused by fluid and Qi indicate the presence of Water Qi. Where Qi arrives, Water must arrive; where Water arrives, Qi must arrive. Hence, it is called Qi of Water Injection. I observe: The subtlety of the unity of Yin and Yang is seen in Qi and Water. Qi is Yang, and Qi governs ascent; Water is Yin, and Water governs descent. However, Qi is hidden within Water, so Water is Qi; Water is hidden within Qi, so Qi is Water. Although ascent and descent divide Yin and Yang, Qi and Water are essentially of the same category. Why? Consider the analogy of a pot. Water in the pot, when heated by Yang fire below, dries up; this is not that the water disappears, but that water transforms into Qi and leaves. When covered tightly above, water generates; this is not that water is created, but that Qi condenses into water and flows. Thus, without water, from where does Qi come? Without Qi, from where does Water arrive? Water and Qi are one entity, as seen here. Human Jing and Qi are also like this. Thus, speaking of Qi injecting into Water is acceptable, and speaking of Water injecting into Qi is acceptable; however, the reason for saying "Qi of Water Injection" rather than "Water of Qi Injection" is truly profound! This divine revelation of subtle truths is seen in the reversal. ) Using Heaven and Earth as Yin and Yang,

(This reiterates the above, stating that the wise person's health preservation all conforms to the Yin and Yang of Heaven and Earth, such as Heavenly and Earthly Qi, Wind, Thunder, Rain, Grain, Rivers, Seas, and Nine Orifices.) Sweat of Yang is named after the Rain of Heaven and Earth;

(Sweat emerges from Yang but originates from Yin, thus it is named after the rain of Heaven and Earth. Rain is equivalent to human sweat, and sweat is equivalent to heavenly rain; both are transformed from Yin Essence. To understand the meaning of rain is to be able to discuss sweat.) The Qi of Yang is named after the Swift Wind of Heaven and Earth.

(Qi inherently belongs to Yang; when Yang is excessive, Qi becomes urgent, thus it is named after the swift wind of Heaven and Earth. To understand the balance of Yin and Yang, and the mutual control of movement and stillness, is to be able to discuss Qi.) Violent temper resembles Thunder,

(Heaven has thunder and lightning, which is the manifestation of accumulated Fire; humans have violent tempers, which is the rebellion of angry Qi. Hence the saying "thunderous anger".) Rebellious Qi resembles Excessive Yang.

(The Qi of Heaven and Earth, when ascending and descending harmoniously, does not rebel. If Heaven does not descend and Earth does not ascend, Yang becomes hyperactive above; similarly, rebellious Qi in humans is like this.) Therefore, if treatment does not emulate the disciplines of Heaven, and does not utilize the principles of Earth, then disasters will arrive.

(The above text states that human Yin and Yang conform to Heaven and Earth, so the wise person must emulate Heaven to regulate the body. If one does not know this and instead violates the disciplines of Heaven and rebels against the principles of Earth, then disasters will arrive. The character "Li" (principle) here differs from the "Li" (distance) in "Five Regions"; the former refers to the boundaries of vast lands, while the latter refers to the principles of Qi and energy.)