Huangdi sat with his nose, beginning to rectify the celestial framework, overseeing the eight extremities, and examining the establishment of the five constants. He invited the Celestial Master and inquired: "It is said that the movements of heaven and earth are governed by mental activity, and the ascent and descent of yin-yang are manifested by the signs of cold and heat. I have heard from you, Master, about the numbers of the Five Evolutive Phases, and you spoke of the five qi each governing a year, starting with the Jia cycle to determine the fortune. I have thus discussed it. Guiyuqu said: Earth governs Jia and Ji, Metal governs Yi and Geng, Water governs Bing and Xin, Wood governs Ding and Ren, and Fire governs Wu and Gui. Above Zi and Wu, shaoyin governs. Above Chou and Wei, taiyin governs. Above Yin and Shen, shaoyang governs. Above Mao and You, yangming governs. Above Chen and Xu, Taiyang (EX-HN5) governs. Above Si and Hai, jueyin governs. Why is it not midnight yang? What is the reason?" Qibo replied: "This is the clarity of the Dao, the yin-yang of heaven and earth. What can be counted is the yin-yang of Renzhong, but what can be obtained is the combined numbers. Yin-yang can be counted in tens, extended to hundreds, counted in thousands, extended to tens of thousands. The yin-yang of heaven and earth is not counted by numbers but by images."
Huangdi said: "I wish to hear about its beginning." Qibo replied: "A profound question indeed. I have read the Tai Shi Tian Yuan Ce Wen: the red qi of heaven passes through Niu and Nü, the yellow qi passes through Xin and Wei, the blue qi passes through Wei and Shi, the white qi passes through Kang and Di, the black qi passes through Zhang and Yi. The so-called Wu and Ji divisions are Kui, Bi, Jiao, and Zhen, which are the gates of heaven and earth. The beginning of observation is the birth of the Dao, which must be understood."
Huangdi said: "Good. It is said that heaven and earth are the upper and lower realms of all things, and left and right are the paths of yin-yang. I do not understand what this means." Qibo replied: "The so-called upper and lower refer to the positions of yin-yang seen in the upper and lower years. The left and right refer to the upper seeing jueyin, left shaoyin right Taiyang (EX-HN5). Seeing shaoyin, left taiyin right jueyin. Seeing taiyin, left shaoyang right shaoyin. Seeing shaoyang, left yangming right taiyin. Seeing yangming, left Taiyang (EX-HN5) right shaoyang. Seeing Taiyang (EX-HN5), left jueyin right yangming. This is called facing north and naming the positions, speaking of what is seen."Huangdi said: "What is called below?" Qibo replied: "jueyin above then shaoyang below, left yangming right taiyin. shaoyin above then yangming below, left Taiyang (EX-HN5) right shaoyang. taiyin above then Taiyang (EX-HN5) below, left jueyin right yangming. shaoyang above then jueyin below, left shaoyin right Taiyang (EX-HN5). yangming above then shaoyin below, left taiyin right jueyin. Taiyang (EX-HN5) above then taiyin below, left shaoyang right shaoyin. This is called facing south and naming the positions, speaking of what is seen. Upper and lower interact, cold and heat confront each other; when qi harmonizes, there is health; when it does not, there is illness."
Huangdi said: "When qi harmonizes but illness occurs, why is that?" Qibo replied: "It is because the lower confronts the upper, not in the proper position."
Huangdi said: "What about movement and stillness?" Qibo replied: "The upper moves to the right, the lower moves to the left, circling the heavens and meeting again."
Huangdi said: "I have heard Guiyuqu say: 'What corresponds to earth is still.' Now you say the lower moves to the left. I do not understand what this means. I wish to hear how it arises." Qibo replied: "The movement and stillness of heaven and earth, the transformation and return of the Five Phases, even Guiyuqu only observes the upper signs and cannot fully comprehend. The function of change, heaven displays images, earth forms shapes, the seven luminaries traverse the void, the Five Phases adorn the earth. Earth carries the forms of generation and transformation. The void arrays the essential qi corresponding to heaven. The movement of form and essence is like roots and branches. Observing the images, even from afar, one can know."Huangdi said: "Is earth below?" Qibo replied: "Earth is below humans, within the great void." Huangdi said: "Does it rely on something?" Qibo replied: "It is held by the great qi. Dryness dries it, heat steams it, wind moves it, dampness moistens it, cold hardens it, fire warms it. Thus, wind-cold is below, dryness-heat is above, dampness is in the middle, fire moves within, cold and heat enter six times, thus making the void and generating transformation. Thus, when dryness prevails, the earth dries; when heat prevails, the earth heats; when wind prevails, the earth moves; when dampness prevails, the earth becomes muddy; when cold prevails, the earth cracks; when fire prevails, the earth solidifies."
Huangdi said: "How to observe the qi of heaven and earth?" Qibo replied: "The qi of heaven and earth, the actions of victory and return, do not appear in diagnosis. The pulse method says: 'The changes of heaven and earth cannot be diagnosed by pulse.' This is what it means."
Huangdi said: "What about intermediate qi?" Qibo replied: "Following the location of qi, it is expected on the left and right."The Emperor asked: How can one predict it? Qibo replied: If one follows its qi, there will be harmony; if one goes against its qi, there will be illness. Those who are not in their proper positions will fall ill, those who frequently shift their positions will fall ill, those who lose their positions will be in danger, those with reversed measurements will die, yin-yang interlocking will lead to death. First, establish the year to understand its qi, observe the corresponding manifestations on the left and right, and only then can one speak of the life and death of Nishun .
The Emperor said: How do cold, heat, dryness, dampness, wind, and fire correspond in humans, and how do they generate and transform in all things? Qibo said:
- The east generates wind, wind generates wood, wood generates sourness, sourness generates the liver, the liver generates tendons, and tendons generate the heart. In the heavens, it is mystery; in humans, it is the Dao; on earth, it is transformation. Transformation generates Wuwei, the Dao generates wisdom, mystery generates spirit, and transformation generates qi. Spirit in the heavens is wind, on earth is wood, in the body is tendons, in qi is softness, and in the organs is the liver. Its nature is warmth, its virtue is harmony, its function is movement, its color is green, its transformation is flourishing, its creatures are hairy, its governance is dispersion, its command is spreading, its change is destruction, its calamity is falling, its flavor is sour, and its emotion is anger. Anger damages the liver, sorrow overcomes anger, wind damages the liver, dryness overcomes wind, sourness damages tendons, and pungency overcomes sourness.
- The south generates heat, heat generates fire, fire generates bitterness, bitterness generates the heart, the heart generates blood, and blood generates the spleen. In the heavens, it is heat; on earth, it is fire; in the body, it is the vessels; in qi, it is breath; and in the organs, it is the heart. Its nature is summer heat, its virtue is brightness, its function is dryness, its color is red, its transformation is luxuriance, its creatures are feathered, its governance is clarity, its command is steaming, its change is scorching, its calamity is burning, its flavor is bitter, and its emotion is joy. Over-joy damages the heart, fear overcomes joy, heat damages qi, cold overcomes heat, bitterness damages qi, and saltiness overcomes bitterness.
- The center generates dampness, dampness generates earth, earth generates sweetness, sweetness generates the spleen, the spleen generates flesh, and flesh generates the lungs. In the heavens, it is dampness; on earth, it is soil; in the body, it is flesh; in qi, it is fullness; and in the organs, it is the spleen. Its nature is stillness and inclusiveness, its virtue is moistening, its function is transformation, its color is yellow, its transformation is abundance, its creatures are bare. Its governance is tranquility, its command is clouds and rain, its change is pouring, its calamity is flooding, its flavor is sweet, and its emotion is thought. Thought damages the spleen, anger overcomes thought, dampness damages flesh, wind overcomes dampness, sweetness damages the spleen, and sourness overcomes sweetness.
- The west generates dryness, dryness generates metal, metal generates pungency, pungency generates the lungs, the lungs promote the skin and body hair, and the skin and hair generate the kidneys. In the heavens, it is dryness; on earth, it is metal; in the body, it is skin and hair; in qi, it is completion; and in the organs, it is the lungs. Its nature is coolness, its virtue is clarity, its function is solidity, its color is white, its transformation is contraction, its creatures are shelled, its governance is strength, its command is mist and dew, its change is withering, its calamity is falling, its flavor is pungent, and its emotion is worry. Worry damages the lungs, joy overcomes worry, heat damages the skin and hair, cold overcomes heat, pungency damages the skin and hair, and bitterness overcomes pungency.
- The north generates cold, cold generates water, water generates saltiness, saltiness generates the kidneys, the kidneys generate bone marrow, and bone marrow generates the liver. In the heavens, it is cold; on earth, it is water; in the body, it is bones; in qi, it is firmness; and in the organs, it is the kidneys. Its nature is severity, its virtue is cold, its function is storage, its color is black, its transformation is austerity, its creatures are scaly, its governance is stillness, its command is freezing, its change is icy, its calamity is hail, its flavor is salty, and its emotion is fear. Fear damages the kidneys, thought overcomes fear, cold damages blood, dryness overcomes cold, saltiness damages blood, and sweetness overcomes saltiness.
The Emperor said: How do diseases arise and change? Qibo said: When qi is in harmony, the disease is mild; when qi is in conflict, the disease is severe.
The Emperor said: How about the governing of the years? Qibo said: When qi is excessive, it restricts its own element and overcomes the unrestricted element. When it is deficient, the unrestricted element overcomes and oppresses it, while the restricted element is weakened and overcome. Overcome and oppressed, it suffers from pathogenic influence. Overcome and oppressed, it lacks fear. The Emperor said: Excellent.