Chapter 5: The Great Treatise on the Correspondence of Yin and Yang
1
Yin and Yang are the principles governing
Heaven and Earth, the fundamental rules of all things, the parents of
transformation, the origin of life and death, and the residence of spirit and
clarity.
2
Yin and Yang are the root of all
transformations; therefore, the Way of Heaven establishes Yin and Yang, which
determine the four seasons; the seasons distinguish cold and heat; cold and
heat govern life and death; life and death differentiate the five tastes.
3
Yin and Yang are the manifestations of Qi,
the fundamental source of transformation.
4
Yin and Yang overcome each other, insult
each other, multiply each other, confuse each other, and resemble each other.
5
Yin and Yang push each other causing waxing
and waning; thus there is fullness and emptiness, life and death, length and
shortness, increase and decrease.
6
Therefore, existence and non-existence generate
each other; difficulty and ease complement each other; long and short define
each other; high and low lean against each other; sound and tone harmonize;
front and back follow each other.
7
Heaven and Earth are impartial, treating all
things like straw dogs; the sage is likewise impartial, treating the people
like straw dogs.
8
The sage embraces unity as a model for the
world; not showing off makes him bright, not claiming correctness makes him
prominent, not boasting makes him accomplished, not being proud makes him
lasting.
9
To carry and nurture the spirit and hold
unity—can it be without separation? To focus Qi and make it gentle—can one be
like a newborn infant? To cleanse the mysterious vision—can it be without
blemish?
10
Attain the utmost emptiness and firmly keep
stillness. All things arise together; I observe their return.
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