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The four seasons shift, and the qi changes with time. Humans exist within the intersection of heaven and earth qi; following it brings comfort, while opposing it gives rise to disease. The main purport of this chapter is to teach people to nourish their qi by conforming to the seasonal timing.

During the three months of spring, this is called "Fa Chen" (Sprouting and Shedding). (Note: Fa means sprouting/expanding; Chen means accumulated/old. It refers to expanding the accumulation from winter. The commentary says qi secretly disperses and reveals its form, so there is no distinction between Chen and Fa.) Heaven and earth generate together, and all things flourish. (Note: The above four sentences discuss the qi of heaven and earth; the following discusses how humans should nourish qi according to the season.) Go to bed late and rise early, take broad steps in the courtyard, let down your hair and relax your body, to allow your will to generate. (Note: Resembling the emergence of spring qi, do not let your will become depressed.) Promote growth but do not kill, give but do not take, reward but do not punish. (Note: Follow and inherit the heavenly timing to nourish the qi of life.) This corresponds to the spring qi and is the way of nourishing life. (As mentioned, following the sequence of times. Spring yang distributes the command of generation, so those who nourish life must carefully observe the heavenly timing.) If you oppose it, you injure the Liver, and in summer, cold transformations may occur, because the provision for summer's growth is insufficient. (Note: This states that if one cannot nourish qi according to the season, disease arises naturally. 'Oppose' in the commentary is interpreted as reversing the command that overcomes oneself, which is too rigid; failing to follow the season to nourish qi is itself opposition. Why does opposing spring qi lead to cold transformation in summer? Wood flourishes in spring but is the source of fire. If one fails to respond to spring to nourish the mechanism of generation, wood becomes weak and cannot generate fire. Thus, in summer, when heat is expected, cold appears instead, which is called cold transformation. 'Feng' (provide) implies moving from below to above or from here to there. The qi of heaven and earth generates in spring, grows in summer, harvests in autumn, and stores in winter; none can be missing, and the order cannot be reversed. Winter's storage is provided by autumn's harvest; autumn's harvest is provided by summer's growth; summer's growth is provided by spring's generation; spring's generation is provided by winter's storage. If one cannot respond to spring and instead opposes its generating qi, by summer, one violates its harmonious command, meaning the provision is scant. The rest follows this pattern.)

During the three months of summer, this is called "Fan Xiu" (Lushness and Beauty). (Fan means lush/prosperous; Xiu means beautiful/flourishing. Yang qi generates in spring and reaches abundance in summer, causing things to grow, hence Fan Xiu.) Heaven and earth qi intersect, and all things flower and bear fruit. (Citing the Summer Solstice. *Mai Yao Jing Wei Lun* states: "Forty-five days after the Summer Solstice, yin qi slightly ascends, and yang qi slightly descends." From this, heaven and earth qi intersect. Note: Hua Shi refers to flowering and fruiting, not the maturity of autumn/winter.) Go to bed late and rise early, do not dislike the sun. (Note: Summer suits open circulation; do not sleep too much to damage the spirit.) Keep your will free from anger, allow your essence and brilliance to mature, allow your qi to vent, as if your love were external. (Note: When the will is harmonious, essence and brilliance flourish; when qi vents, skin and pores open, reaching outward without depression, as if loving something.) This corresponds to the summer qi and is the way of nourishing growth. If you oppose it, you injure the Heart, and in autumn, malaria may occur, because the provision for autumn's harvesting is insufficient, and illness becomes severe by the Winter Solstice. (Note: Why does opposing summer qi lead to malaria in autumn? *Jin Gui Zhen Yan Lun* states: "Those who sweat little in summer heat develop wind-malaria in autumn." Summer suits venting; excessive收敛 (conservation) causes the qi of the three seasons to remain depressed, leading to malaria in autumn. 'Nue' refers to old malaria, occurring every three days. 'Winter Solstice' here does not refer to the solar term but implies that by winter, the illness will be severe. The Heart governs fire and flourishes in summer; opposing summer qi injures the Heart, weakening fire. Weak fire cannot overcome water; at the time when it is overcome, the illness worsens. Pronunciation: jie.)

During the three months of autumn, this is called "Rong Ping" (Container and Level). (After summer growth, flowers and fruits are formed; by autumn, the appearance is calm and settled.) The heavenly qi becomes urgent, and the earthly qi becomes clear. (Urgent refers to sharp wind sounds; Clear refers to changing colors of objects.) Go to bed early and rise early, waking with the chickens. (Note: Autumn nights are cold with dew, suitable for early bed; autumn air is crisp, suitable for early rising.) Keep your will peaceful to缓 (slow down/milden) the punishment of autumn, gather your spirit and qi, keep the autumn qi balanced, do not let your will wander externally, to keep Lung qi pure. (Note: Gather spirit and will, avoid the killing command, to collect qi and protect the lungs. The three paragraphs share one intent.) This corresponds to the autumn qi and is the way of nourishing harvesting. If you oppose it, you injure the the Lungs, and in winter, unsolidified diarrhea may occur, because the provision for winter's storing is insufficient. (Note: Why does opposing autumn qi lead to Sundun diarrhea in winter? Autumn suits conservation; if not tight, storage is insecure. Sundun diarrhea is a disease of insecure storage. Pronunciation: sun.)

During the three months of winter, this is called "Bi Cang" (Closing and Storing). (The gate of earth closes, and yang qi hides.) Water freezes, and the ground cracks; do not disturb yang. Go to bed early and rise late, waiting for sunlight. (Avoid cold.) Let your will seem hidden and concealed, as if having private intentions, as if already satisfied. (Note: Describing the state of deep concealment.) Move away from cold and toward warmth; do not let the skin sweat excessively, lest qi be frequently depleted. This corresponds to the winter qi and is the way of nourishing storing. If you oppose it, you injure the Kidneys, and in spring, flaccidity and cold limbs may occur, because the provision for spring's generation is insufficient. (Note: Why does opposing winter qi lead to fei jue in spring? Winter governs storage, gathering the qi of the four seasons into secrecy. If storage is insecure, there is no foundation for emergence, leading to fei jue in spring.)

The qi of heaven is pure, quiet, and bright. (Discussing how heaven displays itself to humans.) It hides its virtue continuously, thus it does not descend/fail. (Four seasons form order, seven luminaries revolve; heaven does not show form, which is hiding virtue. When virtue is hidden, application is unyielding, thus it does not fail. Laozi said: "Supreme virtue is not virtuous, therefore it has virtue." Heaven is supreme, and even its virtue is hidden; how much more so the way of preserving life, which must follow heaven?) If heaven shows its brightness, then the sun and moon lose their brightness, and evil harms the empty apertures. ... The reason heaven hides its virtue is that it wishes to conceal great brightness; thus, when great brightness appears, small brightness extinguishes. If heaven were self-bright, the brightness of sun and moon would hide. What is discussed here? It means human true qi should also not leak; one should follow the Dao in purity and quietness to preserve innate truth. If departing from the Dao, empty evils enter the apertures. Note: Kong (empty), pronounced as Kong (hole), is too pedantic; hole means empty, but the character Kong is more holistic.

The yin and yang of the four seasons are the root of all things. Therefore, the sages nourish yang in spring and summer, and nourish yin in autumn and winter, following their root, thus floating and sinking with all things in the gate of growth. (Note: Yin and yang are mutually rooted, the basis of all things, to be nourished together in all seasons. Why did the sage divide them? Not knowing that spring and summer are days of yang generation, and autumn and winter are times of yin operation. Excessive use leads to exhaustion; the sage nourishes them at the time of potential exhaustion, which is following the root. If the root is solid, application is endless.) Opposing the root is felling the trunk and ruining the true qi. (...Note: If one cannot nourish like the sage, the trunk is felled and true qi is ruined.) Therefore, the sage treats disease before it occurs and disorder before it arises. This is what is meant. To medicate after disease has formed, or to govern after chaos has arisen, is like digging a well when thirsty or casting weapons when fighting begins—is it not too late?! (Note: Repeated sighing emphasizes the importance of early nourishment.)