《黄帝阴符经集注(伊尹等)》

The preface to the Huangdi Yinfu Jing Jizhu (Collected Commentaries on the Yellow Emperor's Scripture of the Hidden Talisman) is attributed to Zhuge Liang, Chancellor of Shu-Han.

This work gathers the commentaries of seven scholars, beginning with Yi Yin, and was probably compiled around the Tang dynasty. It consists of one fascicle. The base text comes from the Jade Instructions (Yujue) category of the Dongzhen (Cavern of Perfection) division of the Zhengtong Daozang (Daoist Canon of the Zhengtong Era). Other versions also exist, including those in the Siku Quanshu (Complete Library of the Four Treasuries) and the Han Wei Congshu (Collected Writings of the Han and Wei).

What is called "Destiny" (ming) is simply a person's inborn nature. Human nature is in communion with the mandate of Heaven, which is why the sages prized it. The mandate of Heaven makes ordinary people appear dull, yet it makes the sages appear wise. Hence the saying: "When the Heavenly Mechanism (tianji, the pivot of the movement of Heaven and Earth) is set in motion, the myriad things do not perish; when the Earthly Mechanism slackens, the myriad things cannot grow."

Study the Yinfu Jing (Scripture of the Hidden Talisman) and you will see that creation and transformation (the power by which Heaven and Earth generate all things) seem to rest in human hands, and that life and death depend on people as well. The sages therefore kept these principles hidden in their hearts. They could harmonize Heaven and Earth and gather and scatter the forces of the world without leaving a trace, and this is the Heavenly Mechanism. When the Yellow Emperor grasped it, he was able to ascend to Heaven. When Tang of Shang and King Wu of Zhou grasped it, they were able to become kings of all under Heaven. When the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period grasped it, they were able to command the feudal lords.

It is easy to be a minister but hard to be a ruler, so these stratagems must not be used rashly. Jiang Taigong did not lack opportunities at the age of ninety; he was simply examining his prospective lord with care. Even if a worthy man mastered and applied these stratagems, he could make a stone his master or a carved piece of wood his sovereign and still win the world for them. Yet when a minister exhausts his heart and strength, the ruler may come to fear him for it. Is such a predicament not truly difficult?

Alas, if there is no enlightened ruler, a man of principle would rather end his own life than take office. It is better to withdraw to the mountain crags, nourish one's life, and wait for an age of great peace (the "Tai Steps" here refers to a time of stability in the world and clarity in government). People say that Confucius failed to realize his ambitions while Zhang Yi and Su Qin (together called the "Qin-Yi," the diplomatic strategists) met their moment, but this is not so. Confucius's aim was to bring peace to the world. How could his mind have been set on running about seeking office and bending himself to flatter others? That is precisely what scholars are ashamed of.

Alas, the wise of later generations should apply these principles with care. Fan Li knew how to treasure himself, and so he preserved himself for the long term; Wen Zhong was not cautious enough and died in the end. Was this not because he had divulged the Heavenly Mechanism? Those who divulge the Heavenly Mechanism deserve to sink through the Three Kalpas (a long span of calamity and suffering). For this reason the sages hid these teachings in famous mountains, passed them on to those of kindred spirit, and stored them in golden caskets (precious metal boxes), for fear that petty people would steal and abuse them.

(The end of the original text contains several repeated passages and apparent errors or omissions; the above is translated according to its complete sense.)

Grasp the patterns of the Dao (the Way) of Heaven and follow the manner in which it moves, and the whole principle lies within. This is why the opening passage says: Heaven has five "thieves," and those who can see through them will flourish.

Taigong says that the five thieves are, in order, the "thief of life," the "thief of things," the "thief of timing," the "thief of achievement," and the "thief of Shen (spirit)." Here "thief" refers to perceiving and using the crux of a matter. The "thief of life" means seizing the key to life: one uses "the One" to dissolve the disturbances within life, yet people in the world often wear out their lives by indulging their appetites. The "thief of things" means seizing the key to material resources: one seeks them with single-minded urgency, yet people in the world often fight over them out of greed for profit. The "thief of timing" means seizing the key to opportunity: one meets it with good faith, yet people in the world often miss their chance through inconstancy. The "thief of achievement" means seizing the key to accomplishment: one fulfills it through bestowing kindness, yet people in the world often come to resent those who have shown them kindness. The "thief of Shen" means seizing the key to spirit, change, and verification: one infers change from concrete signs, yet people in the world often confuse small matters with great ones.

Guiguzi says that among the five "thieves" of the Dao of Heaven, none matters more than the "thief of Shen." The other side may seem strong and our side weak, yet through small strength one can win great victories. This is the Dao of Heaven reversing itself, so that the weak overcome the strong. If the changes between Heaven and Earth can be so marvelous, how much more so can those among human beings?

Quan says that the Yellow Emperor mastered the key of the "thief of life" and ascended to Heaven in broad daylight. The Yin and Zhou mastered the signs of the "thief of Shen," overcoming the great with the small and destroying powerful enemies. Guan Zhong mastered the good faith of the "thief of timing" and helped Duke Huan of Qi convene the feudal lords in many covenants. Fan Li mastered the urgent opportunity of the "thief of things" and established his dominance in Southern Yue. Zhang Liang mastered the way of bestowing kindness in the "thief of achievement" and in the end defeated the mighty state of Chu.

The key to the five "thieves" lies in the human heart, while their application must accord with the Dao of Heaven. The universe seems to be held in one's hand, and the transformations of all things seem to arise from oneself.

Taigong said: The sages call them the "five thieves" (five factors that drain life), yet the people of the world call them the "five virtues" (five moral qualities). People live by the five flavors (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty), and may also be harmed or even killed by them, yet no one resents the five flavors for this or gives them up. The same is true of whatever the human heart loves.

Guiguzi said: One who knows how to make use of these life-stealing factors can attain long life without death. The Yellow Emperor drew on the essential qi of young maidens, resonating with it while following the seasons and the transformations of all things, and this follows the same principle. Grass that has passed the winter will not wither if it is covered, but will be harmed if left exposed to frost and dew. If this is the nature of grasses and trees, how much more so for humans, the most spiritually gifted of all beings? The key lies in following the right moment; the art of the young maidens must also be practiced in accordance with timing.

Guangchengzi said: One should burn away the five poisons as though gathering the strength of a fire. The five poisons are the five flavors; once their influence is exhausted, long life can be attained.

Quan said: People are born through the five flavors, and they also die through them. Each of the five flavors has its own function: when one follows their patterns, they generate one another, and when one goes against them, they overcome one another. Qi accumulated over a long time steams the body, damages the five organs, and in the end brings one close to decline and destruction. The reason people cannot live out their allotted years is that they pursue nourishment and desire to excess.

Therefore, the highest principle is plain and without contrivance (wuwei), and embryonic breathing (taixi, breathing as subtle as that of an infant in the womb) has no taste. Although the arts of the immortals are many, the key lies in embracing the One and guarding the center (baoyi shouzhong, focusing singly on stillness and keeping the heart in balance). Although the arts of the young maidens are many, the key lies in returning jing and gathering qi (huanjing caiqi, causing essence to return and nourishing primordial qi). Although the arts of the Golden Elixir are many, the key lies in the divine water and the flowery pool (shenshui huachi, technical terms from alchemy). Although the arts of governing a state are many, the key lies in purity, stillness, and non-action (wuwei), allowing all things to transform and grow of themselves. Although the arts of warfare are many, the key lies in the variation of the unorthodox and the orthodox, and in strategic judgment.

These five matters, when gathered in, are stored in the heart and hidden within the shen; when unfolded, they fill the heavens and penetrate the earth. The transformations of the cosmos can be held in a person's hand in an instant, and the flourishing and withering of all things can be manifested within the human body. The Yellow Emperor obtained these principles, first securing the three palaces (the upper, middle, and lower dantian of the body), and only then governing the myriad states; when the Golden Elixir was complete, he rode a dragon up to heaven.

The nature bestowed by Heaven is the nature of humanity; the human heart is the pivot of transformation and movement. Only when the Way of Heaven is established can the Way of humanity be settled.

Liang commented: The key to what is meant by "establishing Heaven and determining the human" lies in grasping the "Five Thieves" (wuzei, an important term in the Yinfu Jing, the Scripture of the Hidden Talisman, referring to the forces that drive the transformation of things).

When Heaven sets in motion the mechanism of killing and punishment, dragons and serpents rise up from the earth. When humans set in motion the mechanism of killing and punishment, Heaven and earth undergo upheavals as if turned upside down.

Fan commented: In former times, Yi Yin assisted the Shang dynasty, rising in a campaign of punishment in accord with the timing of Heaven. When the Mandate of Heaven of the Xia had run its course, events bore this out. Thus, when the Shang army marched east, the people of the west complained; when it marched south, the people of the north complained as well. Taigong said: "If there is no plowing and sowing, a great drought will come within three years; if one takes no warning from past events, within ten years the land will be ruined. If more than ten thousand people are slain, a great storm will arise." Liang commented: judging from this, after the Chu army killed tens of thousands of Han soldiers, the sky grew dark and a great wind rose, so that day became like night, as if Heaven and earth had been overturned.

When Heaven and humans set transformation in motion together, the foundation of the transformation of all things is thereby laid.

Liang commented: When trust is established at this one point, countless instances of trust arise from it, and so it is called the foundation of all transformations. Quan commented: When great disorder spreads through the world, warfare, floods, droughts, and plagues of locusts are all manifestations of Heaven setting the killing mechanism in motion. Shun once made his living through pottery, and Yu of Xia once rescued the bodies of the dead; Tang of Shang was once imprisoned at Xiatai, and King Wen of Zhou was once held captive at Youli; Liu Bang, Emperor Gaozu of Han, was at first merely a village constable, and Cao Cao, Emperor Wu of Wei, also fell into hardship in his early years. At that time, none of them yet held the position of a ruler, yet they seized the opportunity presented by the changing times, turned the situation around, and laid the foundations of their undertakings. When the noble-minded are cast aside in the wilds, petty men occupy high positions, powerful ministers monopolize authority, and the common people long for upheaval, this is humans setting the killing mechanism in motion. Tang's banishment of Jie, King Wu of Zhou's campaign against Zhou of Shang, Xiang Ji (Xiang Yu)'s killing of Ying (Ziying), and the Wei's deposing of Liu Xie, Emperor Xian of Han, were all responses to moments of sweeping change in the hearts of the people. The noble fall to lowliness and the lowly rise to nobility, just as if Heaven and earth had been turned upside down. When Heaven and humans set transformation in motion together, success and failure follow according to their corresponding principles. All things change without cease, and the sage, following the circumstances of the moment, thereby lays the foundation of his enterprise.

People's natures differ in being clever or dull, and these qualities can be restrained and concealed.

Yi Yin said: the sage can see the skill and the clumsiness in things. If neither side stands to gain, the plan is kept hidden in the heart; if both sides can profit, the sagacious, the worthy, and the heroic will follow the course of events. How much more so in a matter like the conduct of war?

Li Quan said: when one's inner intentions are not leaked outward, this is called "opening" (qi); when external wicked thoughts and disturbances do not enter the heart, this is called "closing" (bi). To be closed outwardly while remaining open within is to grasp the crucial point. One's thinking is hidden as deeply as a shadow, hard to detect, and one's actions are as steady as a mountain. Whether a person's handling of affairs is skillful or clumsy, no one is given the chance to glimpse it.

The nine orifices (the nine openings of the human body, including the ears, eyes, mouth, and nose) are easily disturbed by external evils, and the crux lies in three of them: the ears, eyes, and mouth. These three can be controlled, made either to move or to be still.

Taigong said: the three essentials are the ears, the eyes, and the mouth. The ears can be blocked, the eyes can be covered or deceived, and the mouth can be made nimble or kept silent. When raising troops and mobilizing the masses, one cannot allow tens of thousands of people to discuss and leak extraordinary strategies. The ears, eyes, and mouth may at times be opened and at times be restrained.

Li Quan said: two leaves held before the eyes will hide Mount Tai; two beans stopped in the ears will block out the sound of thunder; a single peppercorn brushing the tongue may leave a person unable to speak. If all nine orifices are disturbed, a person cannot perceive the moment of change. The "three essentials" spoken of here are in truth Shen (spirit), the heart, and the will. When a pivot of change has just been set in motion and has not yet appeared, Shen (spirit) is the first to sense it; when its signs are about to emerge, the heart begins to plan; when the matter truly takes off and is put into action, the will makes the decision.

When the pivot of change is in motion, it is like the movement of Yang qi: the Five Sacred Peaks cannot press down its momentum, and the four great rivers cannot mark out its boundaries. When it is still, it is like Yin qi lying concealed: the wise cannot control its manifestation, and the broadly learned cannot discover its plans. Heaven and earth cannot rob it of its moment, let alone human beings.

Fire arises from within wood; once calamity breaks out, it will surely burn the wood. Wickedness grows from within a state; once the time is ripe and it begins to cause disorder, the state will collapse. One who can recognize and remedy such hidden dangers may be called a sage.

Li Quan said: fire lies hidden in wood, and once it is kindled, the wood is consumed; wickedness lies concealed within a state, and when the wicked gain power, the state perishes. One who understands that fire lies hidden in wood, and who perceives it and sets it right, may be called a sage.

Fire is born from wood, and once it spreads, the wood is consumed. Treachery hides within a state, and once the treacherous gain power, the state perishes. Fire lies concealed in wood and leaves no trace before it appears; likewise, treachery lurks within a state and shows no clear sign before it emerges. Only those of lofty virtue (De) can cultivate themselves and refine their conduct so that the fire of treachery never breaks out.

Even a state free of war may harbor hidden rebellion, and even one without visible disaster may be beset by danger on every side. Jizi fled to escape calamity, yet Qiu Mu was seized and arrested; Shang Rong was imprisoned, and Jian Shu wept for him. (These stories illustrate that misfortune often lies hidden long before it shows itself.)

Heaven causes the myriad things to grow and also causes them to perish. This is the law of the Dao (the Way).

Liang said: The turning point of any matter arises in the human heart. If one acted as the Way of Heaven does, giving life when it is time to give life and taking life when it is time to take it, then the living would believe they had received life, and the dead would likewise believe they had received death.

Heaven and Earth, the myriad things, and human beings act upon one another and consume one another. Heaven and Earth consume the myriad things; the myriad things are used by human beings; and human beings, in turn, consume the myriad things. Only when each of these three interactions is fitting can the "Three Powers" of Heaven and Earth, humanity, and the myriad things be at peace.

Guiguzi said: When these three interactions occur, those involved are often unaware of them and simply call them Shen (spirit). Once one understands the principle of the three, one knows that even treasures such as carriages, horses, gold, and silk can be given up, and then nothing is hard to accomplish. One could pour out a river to fill the sea, or move mountains and overturn the earth. The key lies in acting in accord with the right moment, for only then will events bear their corresponding fruit.

Quan said: Heaven and Earth bring forth the myriad things, yet they also cause them to age gradually. The myriad things provide clothing and mounts for human beings, yet they also make people arrogant and extravagant. Human beings make use of implements, yet in doing so they cause the myriad things to be damaged. All these changes occur of their own accord. When the three interactions each find their proper measure, Heaven and Earth, humanity, and the myriad things can each rest in their place and take turns bearing their own roles.

Therefore it is said: when eating and drinking suit the season, the parts of the body are brought into harmony; when action seizes the critical moment, the transformations of the myriad things are settled.

Guiguzi said: I hope that rulers of later ages will not seek out treasures in great quantity or hoard gold and silk. If they can give up such wealth, then even pouring out a river to fill the sea will be no difficult matter. Food and drink are meant to nourish the whole body, but if the proper time is missed, all manner of illness arises. Action is meant to bring the myriad things to stability, but if the critical moment is missed, it harms them. Thus, when the moment arrives, not even the blink of an eye may be wasted: to act too early is to overshoot, and to act too late is to fall behind. The wise seize the moment; the unwise merely submit to fate.

People know that the sages possess marvelous abilities, but they do not know what principle lies behind the sages' seeming so marvelous.

Quan says: everyone has the kind of clear insight the sages have, and everyone also has a side that seems dull. People prize the sages' intelligence but give no weight to their "foolishness." Having seen the sages' brilliance, one must also see the side of them that seems dull, and having seen their dullness, one must still see their brilliance. The Shangshu (Book of Documents) says: "Acting on brightness alone, affairs are hard to accomplish; acting on obscurity alone, affairs will also be ruined. Brightness and darkness working together is the principle on which the multitude rely." Yi Yin once worked as a tavern hand, Jiang Taigong once made his living slaughtering oxen, Guan Zhong once worked leather, and Baili Xi once survived by selling gruel. In times of decline and turmoil, people thought none of them had any special ability. Later, each met a ruler: Tang of Shang, King Wen of Zhou, Duke Huan of Qi, and Duke Mu of Qin, respectively. Only then could they carry out their ambitions, help the world, and achieve great deeds, and only then did people call them divinely illumined.

The sun and moon move according to fixed measures, and the division between large and small follows fixed patterns. The sages' achievements are completed through this, and the virtue of their spiritual illumination is made manifest through it.

Guiguzi says: those who come later will understand if they reflect carefully. Even Heaven and Earth need not be regarded as excessively exalted, so how much less human beings? Quan says: the year has three hundred and sixty-five days, a fixed count. The moon turns in a set order, and the addition of leap months and the handling of remainders also follow established rules. All of this arises from the movement of the essential Qi (vital energy) that is inherent in Heaven and Earth. It did not come into being so that the sages might accomplish their deeds or reveal the virtue of spiritual illumination. The sages' achievements and their spiritual virtue have their own conditions and are not brought about by the sun and moon. Therefore, success need not be credited to Heaven and Earth, nor failure blamed on Yin-Yang.

As for what is called "stealing the mechanism of Heaven," people under Heaven often do not understand the principle behind it. When a superior person obtains it, they can hold firmly to themselves. When a petty person obtains it, they will recklessly risk their life.

Zhuge Liang says: were the Son of Heaven and Taigong not wiser than Sun Wu, Wu Qi, Han Xin, and Bai Qi? The difference between the superior person and the petty person lies in how they regard and use such abilities. Those four were exceptionally fierce and brave, yet in the end they brought death upon themselves. They did not meet suitable rulers, and were killed because of it. When a superior person obtains this kind of principle, they use it to protect themselves. When a petty person obtains it, they recklessly risk their life.

Zhuge Liang said: Were the Son of Heaven and Taigong not wiser than Sun Wu, Wu Qi, Han Xin, and Bai Qi? This is precisely what distinguishes the noble person from the petty one. Sun, Wu, Han, and Bai were fierce and skilled in war, yet they ended by being put to death, truly because they never met a ruler who genuinely appreciated them, and were killed instead.

Quan (the Tang-dynasty commentator Li Quan) said: When an age is in decline, people under heaven cannot see the signs of decay, nor do they know its source. When a hegemon founds a state, people under heaven likewise cannot see the signs of its founding, nor do they know its source. The noble person seizes the moment, accords with the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people, and so preserves himself. The petty person also seizes the moment, but raises armies and indulges in warfare, holding his own life cheap. The Yijing (Jing, the Book of Changes) says: "The noble person sees the incipient moment and acts, without waiting for the day to end." It also says: "To know the incipient moment, is this not close to the spiritual (Shen)?" The signs of the moment are easy to see, but the principle behind them is hard to grasp; from the traces before one's eyes, one can infer far-reaching change.

The blind hear keenly, and the deaf see sharply. Shut out stimulation from one sense and concentrate on another, and the effect can exceed the ordinary tenfold.

Turn a matter over three times, day and night, and the effect can exceed the ordinary ten-thousandfold.

Yin (a commentator) said: Subtle thought can exhaust the finest details. Liang (a commentator) said: Later generations should reflect carefully on this saying: if the ears and eyes are to be keen, one must exclude interference from one of them. Quan said: A person's ears and eyes are governed by the heart-mind, and in the end return to concentrated spirit (Shen).

Yin said: Subtle thought can exhaust the finest details. Liang said: Later generations should reflect carefully on this saying: if the ears and eyes are to be keen, one must exclude interference from one of them. Quan said: A person's ears and eyes are governed by the heart-mind, and in the end return to concentrated spirit (Shen). When the mind is scattered, one cannot grasp the incipient moment precisely; when the spirit is not unified, one cannot perceive subtle change. Thus Shi Kuang (a musician of the Spring and Autumn period renowned for his discernment of sound) is said to have scorched his eyes so that his hearing might sharpen, and Li Zhu (a legendary figure of extraordinary eyesight) to have stopped his ears so that his vision might grow keener. They gave up one sense and gathered their strength into another, which in truth is to unify the heart-mind and spirit. Observing things and seizing the moment in this way, one's undertakings will be nine parts in ten certain. When a matter arises, withdraw, reflect on it three times day and night, and only then act; observing things and seizing the moment in this way, one's undertakings will be without fail. Taigong said: "When the eyes move, the heart responds; act when you see a sign that it can be done, and stop when you see a sign that it cannot."

The heart-mind arises from external things and also perishes through them; the key to grasping the incipient moment lies in the signs that the eyes perceive.

Quan comments: The key to grasping the changes of the world lies closest at hand in a person's heart and eyes. The heart can direct the eyes, and the eyes can perceive the omens of change in things. When the First Emperor of Qin toured the east and reached Kuaiji, Xiang Yu saw the opportunity in it. His heart was stirred by what lay before him, and he said to Xiang Liang, "That man's position can be taken by me." Later, when the Jin army had fully arrived at the Fei River, Fu Jian saw how the situation was changing, but his heart was overwhelmed by the enemy before him, and he said to Fu Rong, "They are a formidable foe. How can you say they are few?" From this we know that a person's thoughts of life and death are swayed by external things, while the omens of success and failure can show themselves in what the eyes behold.

Heaven seems to bestow no favors, yet vast blessings arise from it. When sudden thunder and fierce winds come, there is nothing among the myriad things that is not startled.

Liang said, "They are a formidable foe. How can you say they are few?" From this we know that a person's thoughts of life and death are swayed by external things, while the omens of success and failure can show themselves in what the eyes behold.

Heaven seems to bestow no favors, yet vast blessings arise from it. When sudden thunder and fierce winds come, there is nothing among the myriad things that is not startled.

Liang said, "Heaven and Earth turn, and the myriad things grow. How flourishing it all is!" Taigong said, "Only by keeping the heart watchful and acting with caution can one attract good fortune." Quan comments: The heart of Heaven appears to bestow no partial favors, yet each of the myriad things feels its own benefit, and so they credit Heaven with the blessing. Laozi said, "Heaven and Earth are not benevolent; they treat the myriad things as straw dogs. The sage is not benevolent; he treats the people as straw dogs." Thus Heaven gives without seeking return, and nurtures the myriad things without claiming credit. When sudden thunder and fierce winds arrive, their force carries far, and those nearby feel the greater fear. The myriad things are startled, restless, and filled with dread. Heaven has not deliberately displayed its might, yet the myriad things fear it, and so they credit Heaven with awe-inspiring power. When the sage grants rewards, it does not seem that he favors the meritorious; when he carries out punishment, it does not seem that he is flaunting his might against the guilty. Therefore rewards and punishments are established by those above, while authority and benevolence appear naturally among those below.

The person of supreme joy has a temperament that is generous and abundant; the person of supreme stillness has a temperament that is upright and incorruptible.

Liang said, "The crux lies right here: ..."

The person of supreme joy has a temperament that is generous and abundant; the person of supreme stillness has a temperament that is upright and incorruptible.

Liang said: This is the crux of the matter. Quan said: Excessive pleasure leads to arrogance and dissipation, while maintaining tranquility allows one to keep to what is upright and stay well. When desires are many, the Shen (spirit) becomes clouded and turbid; when desires are few and simple, the Shen becomes clear and bright. The Shen is the wellspring of wisdom: when the Shen is clear, wisdom is luminous. Wisdom is the master of the heart-mind: when wisdom is impartial, the heart-mind is at peace. People do not use flowing water to see their reflections, but take still, clear water as a mirror, because it is clear and steady. Only when the Shen is clear and the mind is at peace can one see things as they truly are.

The sage neither indulges in extreme joy nor rests content in sheer stillness. He can let the Shen dwell between purity and ease, which is called "holding to the center" (maintaining a state of balance, leaning neither one way nor the other). Such a person cannot be tempted by profit or disturbed by sights and sounds; the eloquent cannot persuade him, the clever cannot shake him, and the brave cannot make him afraid. He sees calamity before it appears, and anticipates hidden dangers in places too subtle for others to notice. Even the Dao of Heaven cannot go against him, to say nothing of the deceptive stratagems used in warfare!

The Dao of Heaven is utterly partial,

Yin said: Its governance is subtle down to the finest detail.

yet in its operation it is utterly impartial.

Liang said: Once one grasps the key to this, affairs will proceed of themselves even without issuing commands to the world; people under heaven may not understand the principle behind it, yet they cannot go against it. Quan said: The Dao of Heaven allows each of the myriad things to reach fulfillment, leaving none out. The chun tree and the fungus, the great peng bird and the small sparrow, ministers and common people, the minute and the grand, the long-lived and the short-lived, each receives a fitting place. This is the "utmost partiality" of the Dao of Heaven. The movement of clouds and the falling of rain, thunder, lightning, frost, dew, and other natural changes, as well as the growth and decline of all things, each have their own balance. This is the "utmost impartiality" of the Dao of Heaven.

The sage models himself on Heaven and takes his pattern from Earth, nurturing the people and attending to their toil and hardship; this is "utmost partiality." He puts proper government orders into effect and carries out institutions that accord with the law; this is "utmost impartiality." Sun Wu said: "If you regard your soldiers as beloved children, they will share life and death with you; if you regard your soldiers as infants, they will go with you into danger. Yet if you only cherish your soldiers but cannot make them obey, it is like doting on a child. Therefore, soothe them with civil virtue, and bring them into order with military discipline and martial preparedness."

The key to subduing an enemy lies in grasping Qi (written here as 炁; in this context referring to the dynamic momentum of events as they unfold and change).

Taigong (Jiang Taigong) said: Is it because soldiers are few in number or low in rank that they should be treated as one's own children? When a general cares for his soldiers, they will gladly die alongside him; when he regards them as infants, he can lead them into deep valleys. But to cherish them without being able to command them is like doting on a spoiled child. Therefore, teach them with ritual propriety and kindness, and bring the ranks into order with military discipline and punishment.

The key to subduing the enemy lies in mastering Qi (炁), the primal energy that moves through heaven and earth, which also refers to the inner force of things.

Taigong said: Is this merely a matter of the small subduing the large, or the small being held in check by the large? Yi Yin said: "Qi is the pivot of heaven's movement and transformation." Quan (the commentator) said: The dark tortoise can swallow a python, and the zhan and sun hawks can strike down swans. The huangyao (a legendary beast) can devour a tiger, the flying squirrel can overpower monkeys, and toads and leeches can bite and feed on fish. The langhuan (another legendary beast) can wound a crane. The yugan (a kind of plant) softens metal; the hache (a legendary spirit creature), once consumed, keeps transforming until it finally becomes jade; and realgar can make iron change. There are also wood that will not burn to ash and stones that float on water. If birds, beasts, plants, and stones, each having received its own Qi, can still use the small to overcome the large, how could a hero who masters this power fail to pacify the world and govern all under heaven?

Life is the root of death, and death is the root of life. Kindness can give rise to calamity, and calamity can in turn bring about kindness.

Taigong said: One who can restrain himself will be embraced by others; one who thinks only of treating himself generously will be shunned. Quan said: Those who seek survival must often first place themselves in a deadly position before finding a path to life, and those who know how to face death are the ones who can first seek life, and only afterward go to their deaths if need be. Heguanzi (a Daoist figure of the Warring States period) said: "Without passing through death, one cannot gain new life; without making a decisive judgment, one cannot accomplish anything." Sun Wu said: "Place your soldiers in a position of death, and they will fight fiercely to live; drive them to the brink of destruction, and they will find ways to survive." Wu Qi likewise said that on the battlefield, among the places where corpses are buried, those resolved to die may live, while those who recklessly hope to survive may die.

Kindness can become the root of calamity, and calamity can become the root of kindness. Wu showed kindness to Yue, yet this later brought disaster. Zhou launched its campaign against Yin-Shang, yet this ultimately led to a new kindness and a new order. Death and life, kindness and harm, are opposites, yet they are bound to one another.

The foolish regard the patterns and principles of heaven and earth as the highest wisdom; I, by contrast, perceive true clarity in things that change with the times, and in the principles that govern them.

Taigong said: Observe the movements and stillness of birds and beasts, and examine the transformations of the myriad things.

Quan said: When the Auspicious Star (a star symbolizing good omens) appears, the Yellow Dragon descends, the phoenix arrives, sweet springs (springs of delicious water) well up, and fine grain grows; when the Yellow River does not flood and the sea raises no waves, all is well. But when the sun and moon draw close or are eclipsed, the Five Phases' planets move erratically, the order of the four seasons falls into confusion, day grows dark and night grows bright, mountains collapse and rivers run dry, thunder sounds in winter and frost falls in summer, these too are signs. The foolish take such portents between heaven and earth as the key to judging whether a government is in order or in disorder.

Emperor Yao's mind was tranquil and balanced, and his kindness reached in every direction. He made his virtue (De) shine forth and brought harmony to the nine branches of his kin. The Six Treasuries (three or six categories of affairs bearing on the people's livelihood) and the Three Undertakings (the principal tasks of governing the state) each kept their proper order without confusion; the hundred grains flourished and the people lived in peace. From this we see that the portents between heaven and earth can serve as the key to judging order and disorder in government.

A benighted ruler and treacherous ministers make laws that contradict one another from one day to the next, impose heavy taxes and harsh decrees, and deceive one another from top to bottom. Imperial relatives and powerful courtiers grow arrogant and dissolute, indulging in wine and music, and raising great buildings and splendid palaces. The people, uprooted from their homes, begin to harbor thoughts of rebellion and resent their sovereign. It is by these circumstances and the signs in affairs that I judge the key to order and disorder.

Others take me for a fool, yet I do not take others for fools; others hope that I will become a sage, yet I do not hope to become one.

Quan said: The thoughts of the wise are deep and subtle, and hard to fathom. The traces left by Chaofu and Xu You may be glimpsed by others, but who could foresee their boundless ingenuity in responding to circumstances? To guess at the heart from outward traces alone is the way of fools.

Hence it is said: to sink water into fire is only to bring about one's own destruction.

Liang said: To govern the people in a way that brings them death, or to lead an army in a way that brings its soldiers to ruin, is a grave failing. If one supposes there is no death, then there will be nothing that does not die; if one supposes there is no life, then there will be nothing that grows. Therefore, only when one understands the principle of transformation between life and death can the state be at peace.

The Dao of nature is by its own character still, and so heaven, earth, and the myriad things are able to come into being.

Yin said: When stillness reaches its utmost, people no longer know how the myriad things are brought forth.

The way heaven and earth operate is one of gradual change, and so the qi of Yin-Yang alternately gains the upper hand.

Understanding the principle of transformation between life and death allows the state to be at peace.

The Dao of nature is by its own character still, and so heaven, earth, and the myriad things are able to come into being.

Yin said: When stillness reaches its utmost, people no longer know how the myriad things are brought forth.

The way heaven and earth operate is one of gradual change, and so the qi of Yin-Yang alternately gains the upper hand.

Liang said: The way heaven and earth operate advances through subtle changes, step by step, until at last one side gains the upper hand.

When Yin-Yang (阴阳) push against and displace one another, change arises smoothly.

Zhang Liang's commentary: When Yin-Yang stir against each other, transformation appears right before one's eyes.

Therefore the sage, understanding that the natural Way (Dao, 道) cannot be defied, follows it and establishes methods accordingly.

Zhang Liang's commentary: A person of great De (德, Virtue) perceives the natural order within it; a person of outstanding talent perceives the principles that can be put to use; a foolish person sees only the surface changes of things. Yi Yin's commentary: Once one understands the natural Way, the myriad things cannot go against it, so one should act in accord with circumstances and draw benefit from them.

Principles of the utmost subtlety cannot be fully matched by calendrical and musical-pitch calculations.

Zhang Liang's commentary: Observe the seasons and movements of birds and beasts, and examine the transformations of all things. The changes of birds and beasts are extremely subtle, and calendrical and musical-pitch calculations cannot fully correspond to them; one should follow these changes and grasp the underlying pattern within them.

Thus there came to be marvelous instruments, from which the myriad phenomena are deduced. The Bagua (八卦, Eight Trigrams, eight kinds of images formed from Yin and Yang lines) and the Jiazi (甲子, the sexagenary cycle, a system of reckoning years and days by pairing the Heavenly Stems with the Earthly Branches) can be used to judge all manner of affairs. The marvelous pattern lies hidden in the obscure and the faint, and calendrical and musical-pitch calculations cannot fully match it.

Zhang Liang's commentary: Observe the seasons and movements of birds and beasts, and examine the transformations of all things. The changes of birds and beasts are extremely subtle, and calendrical and musical-pitch calculations cannot fully correspond to them; one should follow these changes and grasp the underlying pattern within them.

Thus there came to be marvelous instruments, from which the myriad phenomena are deduced. The Bagua and the Jiazi can be used to judge all manner of affairs. The marvelous pattern lies hidden in the obscure and the faint.

Zhang Liang's commentary: The Six Gui (六癸, the six sexagenary pairs whose Earthly Branch is "Gui") belong to the Heavenly Storehouse, and can be used for concealing and hiding.

The methods by which Yin-Yang overcome one another are plainly displayed in images such as the hexagrams, and from them they can be put to use.

Zhuge Liang's commentary: The so-called "marvelous instrument" refers to the sage's wisdom. Heaven presents its various signs, and the sage takes them as his model. By calculating the Jiazi, drawing the Bagua, examining divination with yarrow stalks and tortoise shells, and checking the calendar and musical pitches, one can clearly bring out from the symbols the condition of ghosts and spirits and the principles of Yin-Yang, so that nothing remains unexhausted. The symbolism of the Bagua can be extended and applied, and the sixty Jiazi can likewise be cycled through and applied. The phenomena of spirits emerging and ghosts entering, of ten thousand transformations, can all be discerned through them.

Zhang Liang's commentary: The growth of the myriad things and the manifestation of all phenomena have their root in the mind. The patterns of Yin-Yang transformation and the measures of the sun's and moon's movements are all clearly embodied in the human mind. Guangchengzi said: the Jiazi accords with the number of Yang Nine. Within the hexagram images are contained the methods for commanding armies; in sending out troops one must follow established rules, and one's actions must accord with the patterns of ghosts and spirits, conforming to the timing of Heaven, so that the way of ghosts and spirits can be employed.