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*Ling Shu: Tian Nian Chapter* (Full Text)

Huang Di asked Qi Bo, saying: I wish to hear about the beginning of human life. What constitutes the foundation? What establishes the form? What is lost leading to death? What is gained leading to life? ("Ji" refers to the foundation or base. "Zhi", pronounced like "xun", refers to materials for vessels, such as clay.)

Qi Bo replied: The mother's essence serves as the foundation, and the father's essence serves as the building material. One dies when "Shen" (Spirit) is lost, and one lives when "Shen" is obtained. (Human birth results from the union of parental essences to form the body. The father provides the Yang energy of Qian, and the mother provides the Yin substance of Kun. Yang is singular in its bestowal, while Yin is dual in its reception; thus, the mother is the foundation, and the father is the building material. This is akin to farming: one must have fertile land before sowing seeds. If the seed is poor but the land excellent, the offspring resembles the father; if the seed is excellent but the land poor, the offspring resembles the mother. If both land and seed are good but Yin and Yang are disordered, even nurturing will not lead to success. Therefore, when these three combine, the transformation of forms is infinite. The earth is the "foundation," the seed is the "building material," and the essence of Yin and Yang is "Shen." Understanding this allows one to understand the rationale of human generation.)

Huang Di asked: What is "Shen"?

Qi Bo said: When blood and Qi are harmonized, Ying (Nutritive) and Wei (Defensive) flow smoothly, the Five Zang organs are formed, Shen resides in the Heart, and Hun and Po are fully present, then a person is complete. (Shen is the spirituality arising from the harmony of Yin and Yang. When the two energies combine to create life, blood, Qi, Ying, Wei, and the Five Zang organs are sequentially formed, and Ming (Brightness/Spirituality) becomes apparent. However, the concept of Shen has two meanings: distinctively speaking, the Yang spirit is called Hun, and the Yin spirit is called Po; will, intention, thought, and consideration also belong to Shen. Collectively speaking, Shen resides in the Heart, and all emotions and mental activities are governed by the Heart; this is the complete Shen of our body. When Jing (Essence) is full, Qi is full; when Qi is full, Shen is full. There is no case where Xing (Form) and Qi decline yet Shen remains vigorous, nor is there a case where Shen has scattered yet the Form exists alone. Thus, it is said that losing Shen leads to death, and gaining Shen leads to life. Regarding the meaning of Hun and Po, as stated in the previous chapter *Ben Shen*: "Following Shen and coming and going is called Hun; emerging and entering with Jing is called Po." Other scholarly theories consistent with reason are attached below for detailed explanation. Kong Yingda of the Tang Dynasty said: At birth, the body begins to take shape; the spirituality of the form is called Po. Within Po lies Yang Qi, and the spirituality of Qi is called Hun. Hun and Po are names for spiritual entities. At birth, sensory functions like eyes and ears, mental awareness, and limb movements are the spirituality of Po; later, gradual spiritual awareness and perception are the spirituality of Qi. Le Qi said: The clarity of the Heart is called Hun and Po. Po belongs to the physical form, and Hun belongs to the spirit. Jing is Po, and Po is the spirit of Jing; Shen is Hun, and Hun is the spirit of Qi. Shao Yong said: When Qi and Form are vigorous, Hun and Po are vigorous; when Qi and Form decline, Hun and Po also decline. Hun changes with Qi, and Po transforms with Form. Thus, when Form exists, Po exists; when Form decays, Po scatters. Zhu Xi said: Hun is divine, Po is spiritual; Hun is Yang, Po is Yin; Hun is active, Po is static. While alive, Hun is carried by Po, and Po restrains Hun; after death, Hun wanders and returns to Heaven, while Po sinks and returns to Earth. Actions and movements are Hun; non-action is Po. When Po is strong, hearing and vision are acute, and memory is retained. In the elderly, dim vision, deafness, and forgetfulness indicate the decline of Po. He also said: When alive, Hun and Po interact; upon death, they separate. The dark halo of the moon is Po, and its light is Hun. Hun is the flame of Po, and Po is the root of Hun. Fire represents Hun, and the mirror represents Po. A lamp has a flame (Hun); when an object comes, it burns. A mirror reflects objects, but the image is inside. Fire and Sun represent external scenes (Yang/Hun), while Metal and Water represent internal scenes (Yin/Po). Yin governs storage and reception, so Po can memorize internally; Yang governs application and expression, so Hun can manifest externally. These two are inseparable; when Jing gathers, Po gathers; when Qi gathers, Hun gathers. This constitutes the substance of humans and things. When Jing exhausts and Po descends, Qi scatters and Hun wanders, resulting in ignorance.)

Huang Di asked: People have different lifespans; some die young, some live long, some die suddenly, and some suffer from chronic illness. I wish to hear the principles behind this.

Qi Bo said: When the Five Zang organs are solid, blood vessels are harmonious, muscles are supple, skin is dense, the movement of Ying and Wei follows its normal pattern, breathing is slow and gentle, Qi moves according to rhythm, the Six Fu organs digest food, and Jin Ye (Body Fluids) are distributed and spread, each functioning normally, thus longevity is achieved. ("Solid" means resistant to damage; "harmonious" means resistant to disorder; "supple" means free from stagnation; "dense" means protected from injury. Normal Ying and Wei movement indicates harmonious meridians. Slow breathing and rhythmic Qi movement indicate proper regulation by the San Jiao (Triple Burner). Digestion by the Six Fu organs and distribution of fluids result in harmony among Zang and Fu organs, abundant spirit, and vitality, hence longevity.)

Huang Di asked: How does one reach the age of one hundred and then die?

Qi Bo said: When the nasal passages are deep and long, the facial bones are high and square, Ying and Wei are unobstructed, the three facial regions and the areas around the temples show high bone structure and full flesh, one can live to a hundred years. (*Book of Rites* states: "One hundred years is called Qi Yi." "Shi Dao" refers to the seven orifices, representing the pathways through which the Five Zang organs express themselves, e.g., Lung Qi connects to the nose, Liver Qi to the eyes, Spleen Qi to the mouth, Heart Qi to the tongue, and Kidney Qi to the ears. These are the pathways of the five sense organs. "Sui" means deep. "Ji Qiang" refers to the face; bones are the "Ji" (base), and the cheekbones/facial contours are the "Qiang" (wall). See Chapters 31 and 2 of the Pulse and Color section. Such features—harmonious Ying/Wei, high bones, and full flesh—are the path to longevity, allowing one to reach a hundred years.)

Huang Di asked: May I hear about the decline of Qi until death?

Qi Bo said: At ten years old, the Five Zang organs begin to stabilize, blood and Qi circulate, and Qi is located lower in the body, so the child likes to run. (Heavenly and earthly energies: Yang rises, leading toward life; Yin descends, leading toward death. Thus, the Qi in youth, being lower, rises from below.) At twenty, blood and Qi become vigorous, muscles grow, so the youth likes to walk briskly. At thirty, the Five Zang organs are firmly established, muscles are solid, and blood vessels are full, so the adult likes to walk steadily. (When full, agility decreases, hence the preference for steady walking.) At forty, the Five Zang, Six Fu, and twelve meridians reach their peak stability, pores begin to loosen, luster fades, hair turns gray, and the state of fullness becomes static, so the middle-aged person likes to sit. (The law of heaven and earth is that extremes change; prosperity declines. Just as the sun passes its zenith and wanes, and the moon waxes then wanes, at forty, Yin Qi is halved. Gray hair and a preference for sitting mark the beginning of decline.) At fifty, Liver Qi begins to decline, liver leaves thin out, bile production decreases, and vision blurs. At sixty, Heart Qi begins to decline, sorrow and grief increase, blood and Qi become sluggish, so the elder likes to lie down. At seventy, Spleen Qi becomes deficient, and skin withers. At eighty, Lung Qi declines, Po departs, and speech becomes erroneous. At ninety, Kidney Qi is exhausted, and the meridians of the Four Zang organs are empty. At one hundred, all Five Zang organs are deficient, Shen and Qi depart, leaving only the corpse to end. ("Po departs" refers to physical decay. "Kidney Qi exhausted" refers to the depletion of True Yin. This complements the *Shang Gu Tian Zhen Lun* chapter regarding women completing seven cycles and men eight cycles. That chapter uses sevens and eights to denote Yin-Yang limits; this chapter uses tens to denote the full lifespan. Human Qi has a fixed schedule, but variations arise from innate endowment and personal conduct. Only the wise avoid letting desires harm their natural innocence, nurturing natural longevity through natural ways to fulfill their heavenly years. This is the consensus of sages. Modern people not only fail to preserve what they have but seek to transcend fate and ascend, confusing others and themselves. They do not realize that without limit there is no boundary, and with existence there is an end, yet they pride themselves on enlightenment. Is this not like dreaming and interpreting dreams? Their lack of awakening is profound.)

Huang Di asked: What happens to those who do not live out their natural lifespan? (Referring to premature death before the allotted time.)

Qi Bo said: Their Five Zang organs are not solid, the nasal passages are short, (as described above; "short" means brief/stunted.) the orifices are exposed and flared, (the nine orifices are open and visible.) breathing is rapid and labored, (rapid breathing indicates shortness of breath; labored breathing indicates susceptibility to injury; neither is a sign of longevity.) the facial base is low, pulses are thin with little blood, muscles are not firm, (Stone implies hardness.) frequently attacked by wind-cold, blood and Qi are deficient, meridians are obstructed, true Qi and pathogenic factors attack each other, causing chaos and mutual entrapment, (Frequent wind-cold invasion indicates weak exterior defense. Blood/Qi deficiency indicates insufficient Zheng Qi. Meridian obstruction indicates stagnation. Thus, pathogenic factors easily invade. Although Zheng Qi should repel pathogens, insufficiency allows pathogens to enter, hence "mutual entrapment." "Shuo" is pronounced 'shuo'.) thus ending life at mid-years. (Since these physical and Qi characteristics differ from those of the long-lived, dying at mid-life has its causes, rooted in innate endowment. The human constitution is determined at conception, suggesting a fixed destiny seemingly beyond human control. However, if endowed well and nurtured according to Dao, longevity increases; if endowed poorly and nurtured contrary to harmony, lifespan shortens. Thus, the knowledgeable may elevate their status from low to medium, or medium to high; the ignorant may drop from high to medium, or medium to low. It is said that Heaven's order can overcome man, but man's effort can also overcome Heaven. Endowment is congenital (Xian Tian), responsibility lying with parents; cultivation is acquired (Hou Tian), responsibility lying with one's own mind.)