The Huainanzi
Page 18
space-time produced the original qi.
A boundary [divided] the original qi.
That which was pure and bright spread out to form Heaven;
that which was heavy and turbid congealed to form Earth.
It is easy for that which is pure and subtle to converge
but difficult for the heavy and turbid to congeal.
Therefore
Heaven was completed first;
Earth was fixed afterward.
The conjoined essences of Heaven and Earth produced yin and yang.
The supersessive essences of yin and yang caused the four seasons.
The scattered essences of the four seasons created the myriad things.
The hot qi of accumulated yang produced fire; the essence of fiery qi became the sun.
The cold qi of accumulated yin produced water; the essence of watery qi became the moon.
The overflowing qi of the essences of the sun and the moon made the stars and planets.
To Heaven belong the sun, moon, stars, and planets;
to Earth belong waters and floods, dust and soil. [3/18/18–23]
In ancient times Gong Gong2 and Zhuan Xu3 fought, each seeking to become the thearch. Enraged, they crashed against Mount Buzhou;4
Heaven’s pillars broke;
the cords of Earth snapped.
Heaven tilted in the northwest, and thus the sun and moon, stars and planets shifted in that direction.
Earth became unfull in the southeast, and thus the watery floods and mounding soils subsided in that direction. [3/18/25–26]
3.2
The Way of Heaven is called the Round;
the Way of Earth is called the Square.
The square governs the obscure;
the circular governs the bright.
The bright emits qi, and for this reason fire is the external brilliance of the sun.
The obscure sucks in qi, and for this reason water is the internal luminosity of the moon.
Emitted qi endows;
retained qi transforms.
Thus yang endows and yin transforms. [3/18/28–30]
The unbalanced qi of Heaven and Earth, becoming perturbed, causes wind;
the harmonious qi of Heaven and Earth, becoming calm, causes rain.
When yin and yang rub against each other,5 their interaction produces thunder.
Aroused, they produce thunderclaps;
disordered, they produce mist.
When the yang qi prevails, it scatters to make rain and dew;
when the yin qi prevails, it freezes to make frost and snow. [3/19/1–2]
Hairy and feathered creatures make up the class of flying and walking things and are subject to yang.
Creatures with scales and shells make up the class of creeping and hiding things and are subject to yin.
The sun is the ruler of yang. Therefore, in spring and summer animals shed their fur; at the summer solstice, stags’ antlers drop off.
The moon is the fundament of yin. Therefore when the moon wanes, the brains of fish shrink; when the moon dies, wasps and crabs shrivel up.
Fire flies upward;
water flows downward.
Thus,
the flight of birds is aloft;
the movement of fishes is downward.6 [3/19/4–7]
Things within the same class mutually move one another;
root and twig mutually respond to each other.
Therefore,
when the burning mirror sees the sun, it ignites tinder and produces fire.
When the square receptacle7 sees the moon, it moistens and produces water.
When the tiger roars, the valley winds rush;
when the dragon arises, the bright clouds accumulate.
When qilins wrangle, the sun or moon is eclipsed;
when the leviathan dies, comets appear.
When silkworms secrete fragmented silk,8 the shang string [of a stringed instrument] snaps.
When meteors fall, the Bohai9 surges upward. [3/19/9–11]
3.3
The feelings of the rulers of men penetrate to Heaven on high.
Thus,
if there are punishments and cruelty, there will be whirlwinds.
If there are wrongful ordinances, there will be plagues of devouring insects.
If there are unjust executions, the land will redden with drought.
If there are unseasonable ordinances,10 there will be great excess of rain. [3/19/13–14]
The four seasons are the officers of Heaven.
The sun and moon are the agents of Heaven.
The stars and planets mark the appointed times of Heaven.
Rainbows and comets are the portents of Heaven. [3/19/16–17]
3.4
Heaven has nine fields and 9,999 junctures. It is 150,000 li distant from the earth. There are five planets, eight winds, and twenty-eight lunar lodges. There are five offices and six departments. The [six departments] are called the Purple Palace, the Great Enclosure, the Chariot Frame,11 the Pool of Xian,12 the Four Guardians, and the Heavenly Slope. [3/19/19–20]
3.5
What are the nine fields?
The central one is called Balanced Heaven. Its asterisms are Horn, Neck, and Root.13
The eastern one is called Azure Heaven. Its asterisms are Room, Heart, and Tail.
The northeastern one is called Variable Heaven. Its asterisms are Winnowing Basket, Dipper, and Ox Leader.
The northern one is called Umbral Heaven. Its asterisms are Serving Maid, Emptiness, Rooftop, and Encampment.
The northwestern one is called Secluded Heaven. Its asterisms are Eastern Wall, Stride, and Bond.
The western one is called Luminous Heaven. Its asterisms are Stomach, Pleiades, and Net.
The southwestern one is called Vermilion Heaven. Its asterisms are Turtle Beak, Triad, and Eastern Well.
The southern one is called Fiery Heaven. Its asterisms are Ghost Bearer, Willow, and Seven Stars.
The southeastern one is called Yang Heaven. Its asterisms are Extension, Wings, and Chariot Platform. [3/19/22–26]
3.6
What are the five planets?
The East is Wood. Its god is Tai Hao.14 His assistant is Gou Mang. He grasps the compass and governs spring. His spirit is Year Star [Jupiter]. His animal is the Blue-green Dragon. His musical note is jue; his days are jia and yi.15
The South is Fire. Its god is Yan Di.16 His assistant is Zhu Ming. He grasps the balance beam and governs summer. His spirit is Sparkling Deluder [Mars]. His animal is the Vermilion Bird. His musical note is zhi; his days are bing and ding.
The Center is Earth. Its god is the Yellow Emperor. His assistant is Hou Tu. He grasps the marking cord and governs the four quarters. His spirit is Quelling Star [Saturn]. His animal is the Yellow Dragon. His musical note is gong; his days are wu and ji.
The West is Metal. Its god is Shao Hao. His assistant is Ru Shou. He grasps the T-square and governs autumn. His spirit is Great White [Venus]. His animal is the White Tiger. His musical note is shang; his days are geng and xin.
The North is Water. Its god is Zhuan Xu. His assistant is Xuan Ming. He grasps the weight and governs winter. His spirit is Chronograph Star [Mercury]. His animal is the Dark Warrior. His musical note is yu; his days are ren and gui. [3/20/1–6]
3.7
When taiyin is in any of the four midpoints, the planet Jupiter passes through three of the lunar lodges.
When taiyin is in any of the four hooks, the planet Jupiter passes through two of the lunar lodges.
Two times eight is sixteen;17 three times four is twelve. [16 + 12 = 28] Therefore, in twelve years [Jupiter] traverses [all] twenty-eight lunar lodges. The [average] daily motion [of Jupiter] is [approximately] one-twelfth of a [Chinese] degree. In one year, [Jupiter traverses] 307/16d. In twelve years, [Jupiter] completes a circuit [of the heavens]. [3/20/8–10]
3.8
Mars normally enters the asterism Grand Enclosure in the tenth mont
h. [The corresponding state thereupon] comes under its control. Then it emerges, passing through the lunar lodges in turn. [Mars] is in charge of states that lack the Way. It
causes disorder, causes violence;
causes sickness, causes death;
causes famine, and causes warfare.
Its leavings and enterings [of lunar lodges] are irregular. Its color perceptibly varies. [Its color] is sometimes visible and sometimes unnoticeable. [3/20/12–13]
3.9
On the day jiayin [no. 51], in the first year of the Epoch, Saturn is in [the lunar lodge] Dipper. Each year Saturn moves through one lunar lodge. If Saturn should be [in a particular lunar lodge] but is not there, the state [corresponding to that lodge] will lose its land. If Saturn ought not yet to be [in a particular lunar lodge] but [already] occupies it, the state corresponding to that lodge] will increase its land and [its] crops will ripen. The [average] daily motion [of Saturn] is one-twenty-eighth of a [Chinese] degree. Its annual motion is 135/112d. In twenty-eight years it completes a circuit [of the heavens]. [3/20/13–15]
3.10
In the first month, on the day jiayin, in the first year of the Epoch, Venus rises at dawn in the east in [the lunar lodge] Encampment. After 240 days, it disappears. It remains hidden for 120 days and then appears in the evening in the west. After 240 days, it disappears. After thirty-five days, it once again appears in the east. It appears in chen or xu and disappears in chou or wei. When [Venus] should appear but does not appear, or should not yet disappear but does disappear, throughout the world armies will be withdrawn. When [Venus] should disappear but does not disappear, or should not yet appear but does appear, throughout the world armies will set forth [on campaigns]. [3/20/15–18]
3.11
[The movements of] Mercury correspond exactly to the four seasons. Normally in the second month, at the spring equinox, it appears in [the lunar lodges] Stride and Bond. In the fifth month, at the summer solstice, it appears in [the lunar lodges] Eastern Well and Ghost Bearer. In the eighth month, at the autumn equinox, it appears in [the lunar lodges] Horn and Neck. In the eleventh month, at the winter solstice, it appears in [the lunar lodges] Dipper and Ox Leader. [Mercury] appears in [the chronograms] chen or xu and disappears in chou or wei. It appears for twenty days and then disappears.
At dawn it attends [the sun] in the east;
in the evening it attends [the sun] in the west.
If in any season it does not appear, that season will be unfortunate. If it does not appear for four seasons, throughout the world there will be famine. [3/20/20–23]
3.12
What are the eight winds?
Forty-five days after the winter solstice arrives, the Regular [northeast] Wind arrives.18
Forty-five days after the Regular Wind arrives, the Brightly Abundant [east] Wind arrives.
Forty-five days after the Brightly Abundant Wind arrives, the Clear Bright [southeast] Wind arrives.
Forty-five days after the Clear Bright Wind arrives, the Sunshine [south] Wind arrives.
Forty-five days after the Sunshine Wind arrives, the Cooling [southwest] Wind arrives.
Forty-five days after the Cooling Wind arrives, the Changhe [west] Wind19 arrives.
Forty-five days after the Changhe wind arrives, the Buzhou [northwest] Wind20 arrives.
Forty-five days after the Buzhou wind arrives, the Broadly Expansive [north] wind arrives.
When the Regular Wind arrives, release those imprisoned for minor crimes and send away those [foreign intruders] who had been detained.
When the Brightly Abundant Wind arrives, rectify boundaries of fiefs and repair the fields.
When the Clear Bright Wind arrives, issue presents of silk cloth and send embassies to the Lords of the Land.
When the Sunshine Wind arrives, confer honors on men of position and reward the meritorious.
When the Cooling Wind arrives, report on the Potency of the earth and sacrifice at the four suburbs.
When the Changhe wind arrives, store away the suspended [bells] and hanging [chimestones]; qin and se [stringed instruments] [must be] unstrung.
When the Buzhou wind arrives, repair palaces and dwellings and improve dikes and walls.
When the Broadly Extensive Wind arrives, close up gates and bridges and execute punishments. [3/20/25–30]
3.13
What are the five offices?
That of the east is Agriculture.
That of the south is the Military Command.
That of the west is Public Order.
That of the north is Public Works.
That of the center is Metropolitan Affairs. [3/21/1]
What are the six departments? They are ziwu, chouwei, yinshen, maoyu, chenxu, and sihai.21 [3/21/3]
The Grand Enclosure is the hall of the Grand One.22
The Purple Palace is the dwelling place of the Grand One.
Chariot Frame is the residence of the imperial concubine.
The Pool of Xian is a park of water and fishes.
The Heavenly Slope is the gate tower of the assembled spirits.
The Four Guardians are those who bestow rewards and punishments.
The Grand Enclosure governs the Vermilion Bird. [3/21/5–7]
3.14
The Purple Palace controls the Dipper and turns to the left. The sun moves 1d [in relation to the fixed stars] each time it makes a revolution across the heavens. At the winter solstice, the sun is in [the constellation] Lofty Wolf Mountain. The sun shifts 1d per day. Therefore, after it has traveled , at the summer solstice the sun is in [the constellation] Ox Head Mountain. Then it turns back and, [after traveling through] , completes one year. [3/21/7–9]
3.15
At the beginning of a Heavenly Singularity Epoch, the first [civil] month being established in yin, the sun and moon together enter the fifth degree of [the lunar lodge] Encampment. Seventy-six years after the beginning of the Heavenly Singularity Epoch, the sun and moon again enter the fifth degree of Encampment, without any remainder fraction. This is called an Era. Twenty Eras make 1,520 years, called a Grand Conclusion. [After three Grand Conclusions], the sun, moon, and asterisms all recommence in jiayin. [3/21/9–11]
3.16
The daily motion of the sun is 1d. Thus in a year there will be a surplus of ¼d. Thus after four years, there will be an accumulation of 1,461 days, and [the fractional days] will come together again [to make a full day]. Thus after eighty years, [the days of the sixty-day cycle] will be repeated [on the same days of the year]. [3/21/11–13] Thus it is said23 that
ziwu and maoyu are the two diametral chords;
chouyin, chensi, weishen, and xuhai are the Four Hooks.
Northeast is the binding cord24 of Returning Accretion;
Southwest is the binding cord of Reverting Yang;
Southeast is the binding cord of Perpetual Ocean;
Northwest is the binding cord of Penetrating Cleft. [3/21/15–16]
When the sun is at the winter solstice, the Dipper [points] north, exactly on the [north–south] marking-cord line. The yin qi is at its maximum, and the yang qi begins to grow. Thus it is said that the winter solstice produces accretion.25
When the sun is at the summer solstice, the Dipper [points] south, exactly on the [north–south] marking-cord line. The yang qi is at its maximum, and the yin qi begins to grow. Thus it is said that the summer solstice produces recision.
When the yin qi is at its maximum, north is at its farthest extent [from the sun]. The Northern Limit penetrates down to the Yellow Springs. Hence one must not cut into the earth or bore wells. The myriad creatures are shut up in hibernation, and insects are head down in their burrows. Thus it is said that accretion is in the Room.
When the yang qi is at its maximum, south is at its farthest extent [from the sun]. The Southern Limit penetrates upward to the Vermilion Heaven. Hence one must not level hills or raise roof beams. The myriad creatures flourish and increase, and the five grains grow abundantly. Thus it
is said that accretion is in the Field. [3/21/18–21]
When the sun is at the winter solstice, fire follows it.
When the sun is at the summer solstice, water follows it.
Thus,
in the fifth month, fire is at its maximum and water begins to seep out.
In the eleventh month, water is at its maximum and fire arises.26
Yang qi produces fire; yin qi produces water.
[Because] water [begins to be] dominant, the summer solstice is damp.
[Because] fire is [begins to be] dominant, the winter solstice is parched.
When [the weather] is parched, charcoal is light.
When [the weather] is damp, charcoal is heavy. [3/21/23–25]
When the sun is at the winter solstice, wells are full of water and basins overflow. Goats shed their hair, deer’s antlers fall away, and magpies nest. An eight-foot gnomon27 casts a shadow thirteen feet long [at noon].
When the sun is at the summer solstice, the yellow floods enrich the fields, and mineral essences emerge from the soil. Cicadas begin to sing, and the half-summer herb grows; flying insects do not bite foals and calves, and birds of prey do not seize nestlings. An eight-foot gnomon casts a shadow one foot and five inches [i.e., 1½ feet] long [at noon].
When the gnomon shadow is long, yin qi is dominant.
When the gnomon shadow is short, yang qi is dominant.
When the yin qi is dominant, there is water.
When the yang qi is dominant, there is drought. [3/22/1–4]
3.17
Yin and yang, recision and accretion, have seven habitations. What are these seven habitations? They are the Room, the Hall, the Court, the Gate, the Lane, the Road, and the Field. In the eleventh month, accretion dwells in the Room for thirty days, fifteen days before the winter solstice and fifteen days after. Thereafter it shifts its place every thirty days.
When accretion is in the Room, recision is in the Field.
When accretion is in the Hall, recision is in the Road.
When accretion is in the Court, recision is in the Lane.
When yin and yang are of equal power, then recision and accretion are together in the Gate. In the eighth month and the second month, the qi of yin and yang is equal, and day and night are of equal length. Thus it is said that recision and accretion are together in the Gate.