《黄帝四经》

The Dao gives rise to standards (fadu). Standards are used to weigh gain and loss and to distinguish right from wrong and straight from crooked. One who grasps the Dao establishes standards yet does not dare to transgress them, and once they are set, does not dare to abandon them. Only one who can measure oneself by standards can see clearly the circumstances of the world without being bewildered.

Emptiness and non-being are formless and profoundly obscure, and they are the root from which all things arise. Yet the growth of the myriad things also brings calamity: first, craving desire, and second, not knowing contentment. Things that grow necessarily move, and movement too brings calamity: first, being out of step with the times, and second, acting improperly even when the time is right. Action gives rise to affairs, and affairs too bring calamity: first, going against principle, second, departing from reality, and third, not knowing how to manage them. Affairs necessarily accompany speech, and speech too brings calamity: one speaks without keeping faith, lacks reverence for others, deceives oneself, boasts, and presents what is lacking as abundant.

Therefore, both misfortune and fortune arise from the profoundly obscure root, yet some lead to death and others to survival, and some bring defeat while others bring success. Misfortune and fortune follow the same fundamental principle, but people often do not know where they come from. To see things clearly, the key lies in being empty and still, in non-action (wuwei), and in keeping the mind clear and luminous. Even something as minute as an autumn hair must take on a form and a name. Once form and name are established, the distinction between black and white, right and wrong, follows.

Thus one who follows the Dao observes the world without clinging to any single thing, without holding fast to any one position, without acting presumptuously, and without favoring oneself. Whatever happens under heaven naturally reveals its form, name, reputation, and title. Once form and name are fixed, reputation and title are also established, and nothing can conceal its traces or hide its true state.

Fairness brings clear discernment, and discernment carried to its utmost produces achievement. Rectitude carried to its utmost produces stillness, and stillness carried to its utmost produces penetrating wisdom. Impartiality is itself wisdom, and one whose wisdom reaches its utmost can become the measure for all under heaven. In evaluating things, one should calibrate them with the steelyard and weights (quanheng), which measure heaviness and lightness, and compare them against the Way of Heaven. Whatever happens under heaven must have an ingenious and exact means of verification. Affairs should be as clear as straight timber, and though their number may be great, they should be countable like grain stored in a granary. When the measures of capacity, such as the dou and the shi, and the standards of length are all complete, nothing can hide its true condition within them. Once standards of measure are in place, one can govern and adjudicate by them.

What has been severed can be rejoined, and what has vanished can reappear. Whoever grasps the standards for weighing and adapting to change, and checks them against the Way of Heaven (Tiandao), can perceive the regularities of things. Whatever happens under heaven will have a subtle verification. Some affairs are as plain as straight timber, while others are as numerous as the grain in a granary. Once the measures, such as the dou and the dan, have been prepared and their dimensions displayed, nothing can escape measurement and discernment. When the standards are in place, they can be used to govern and to adjudicate.

The mystery of change, in which the severed is rejoined and the vanished reappears, who can master it? The dead may be revived, and calamity may turn into good fortune. If one grasps its essential point and then traces things back to their origin, one finds that they have no fixed and unchanging form. From this one comes to know where fortune and misfortune arise, and also learns the way of accommodating change: keep the various forces in balance and stop at the proper measure. When weight and lightness lose their balance, this is called going against the Dao.

Heaven and earth have constant regularities, the common people have constant affairs, nobility and lowliness have fixed ranks, and governing subordinates follows set principles, so that the people too have stable standards. The constant regularities of heaven and earth include the alternation of the four seasons, the succession of day and night, the flourishing and withering of the myriad things, and the transformations of softness and hardness. The daily affairs of the people are that men farm and women weave. Nobility and lowliness each keep their place, and the worthy and the unworthy do not obstruct one another. The principle of governing subordinates is to employ talent without exceeding its strengths. The standard for governing the people is to remove private partiality and establish public righteousness.

When constant order changes and exceeds its limits, it must be met with the method of expedience (quan). Constancy and expedience each have their proper place, and names and standards must not be abandoned. Whether affairs are great or small, each of the myriad things has its belonging and its place. Changes such as compliance and opposition, or life and death, likewise have their own forms and names. Once names and forms are fixed, the boundaries among things are thereby established.

Therefore, only one who grasps the Dao can clearly perceive, above, the cyclical changes of the Way of Heaven, and, below, understand the distinctions between ruler and minister. Able to examine minutely the course of the myriad things from beginning to end, yet not regarding oneself as their master, one attains simplicity and subtlety, vast and profound yet formless, and so becomes the standard for all under heaven.

Dao Fa (Standards of the Way)

A state that loses the proper Dao (Tiandao) brings great turmoil upon its altars of soil and grain (shejì). A state that seizes another's territory without offering any compensation is bound to perish. Only by conforming to the limits that Heaven's Dao (Tiandao) has set can a declining state flourish again. If punishments and prohibitions are not fitting, disaster will recoil upon those who impose them. To impose a ban on military campaigns against a state that is truly guilty and deserves destruction will surely reduce its land to ruins. To annex another state without claiming it for oneself is called acting in accordance with Heaven's meritorious work (tiāngōng), that is, acting in conformity with the Dao of Heaven.

Heaven and Earth harbor no private intentions, and the seasons never cease their cycle. Heaven and Earth establish the order of their operations, and the sage (shèngrén) therefore upholds and follows it. When one acts beyond proper measure and loses the appropriate degree, Heaven will send down calamity. If a person relies on his own strength and wishes to overpower the Dao of Heaven, he should prudently withdraw and not force a confrontation. If the Dao of Heaven instead overrides a person's will, he should go along with it, yielding first and extending afterward. One must abide by the limits set by the Dao of Heaven and must not presume to take Heaven's meritorious work as his own.

After annexing another state, one repairs its city walls, occupies its court, makes use of its bells and drums, enjoys its wealth, and takes its daughters as wives. This is called defying the Dao of Heaven and attempting to best others through brute force. If one proceeds by yielding first and extending afterward, one must still ultimately abide by the limits of the Dao of Heaven and must not monopolize Heaven's meritorious work. After annexing another state, repairing its walls, occupying its court, using its bells and drums, enjoying its wealth, and taking its daughters, one will bring that state toward desolation, peril, and collapse.

Therefore, only the sage can abide by the limits of the Dao of Heaven and act according to its proper measure. The Way of Heaven and Earth accomplishes no more than three achievements. Yet when the achievements are complete and one still does not stop, one's own person falls into danger and calamity. When the sage campaigns against another state and, having annexed it, tears down its walls, burns its bells and drums, distributes its wealth among the people, scatters its children to be cared for, and enfeoffs its lands to worthy men, this is called acting in accordance with Heaven's meritorious work. Having completed the achievement, one does not continue to grasp for more, and in the future one will not invite calamity.

Do not seize openly or secretly, do not harm the land, do not treat the people as one's own possession, and do not form factions that split the realm. Open seizure will cause Heaven to strip away one's light. Secret seizure will leave the land desolate. Harming the land will bring Heaven's punishment in the form of war. Controlling the people will scatter them to the four quarters. Forming factions and splitting apart will lead to internal strife, with people attacking one another. Open seizure invites sickness and disease, secret seizure brings famine, harming the land results in the loss of territory, controlling the people results in the loss of their hearts, and forming factions brings upheaval. These are the five acts of defiance. Once all five acts of defiance have taken shape, they will [a gap in the original text] damage the fundamental order of the land, alter the old constant Way, presume to establish and change laws and standards, act at the whim of private desires, and ultimately bring danger and calamity upon oneself. This is called exceeding the limit and losing proper measure.

Disorder in governance is called the "Five Reversals." When each of these five kinds of disorder reaches its extreme, the foundations of the state are shaken, the situation changes, and ordinary laws are broken. A ruler who arbitrarily establishes or alters decrees and follows his own desires will ultimately endanger himself and bring calamity. This is what is meant by going to excess and losing proportion.

Governing a state requires policies applied in stages. In the first year, one conforms to local customs and comes to understand the habits and circumstances of the common people. In the second year, one practices virtuous governance (De), cherishing and encouraging the people. In the third year, one levies no taxes, so that the people have something to gain. In the fourth year, one promulgates decrees so that the people stand in awe. In the fifth year, one uses punishments to set things in order, so that the people dare not commit wrongdoing. In the sixth year, the original text has a lacuna. By the seventh year, the people can be sent forth on the state's behalf and defeat powerful enemies.

The text further explains that "conforming to custom" means following the wishes of the people. "Employing De" means cherishing and encouraging the people. "Enabling the people to gain" means relaxing prohibitions and reducing taxes at markets and passes. What is called "issuing commands" includes organizing the people into groups of five and ten, a basic unit of household registration and military organization in ancient times, selecting the capable and worthy, and distinguishing among different kinds of talent. "Correcting by punishment" means that those who commit crimes are penalized according to law, and those whose offenses are grave are not pardoned. Through such governance, the people can then devote their loyalty to the state.

Once orders are issued, they must be carried out thoroughly, so that superiors and subordinates share one purpose, policies are consistent, and the common people harbor no divergent intentions. Only then can the city be held and battles won. Orders take effect as soon as they are issued because they have already become habits that everyone shares. Men and women are both encouraged because the ruler cherishes the people. Whether the people are being mobilized or settled, they are willing to obey because the timing is right. People accept rewards without thinking themselves meritorious, and they do not resent their superiors when punished, because rewards and punishments are fitting. Rank between noble and base is clearly distinguished, so the worthy are not overshadowed by the unworthy, and the regulations on clothing differ to mark each person's status. When the state has no bandits, deceit and falsehood do not arise. When the people have no evil thoughts and their food and clothing are sufficient, punishments can be applied justly.

With ample strength for defense, a city is hard to breach, but attacking without sufficient strength will bring about one's own ruin. Heaven and earth have seasons of growth and decline, and the state likewise has patterns of rise and fall in its affairs. Nurturing the people in accordance with the seasons when heaven and earth bring forth and sustain the myriad things is called civil (wen) governance. Punishing those who deserve it in accordance with the season when heaven and earth bring about the austere decline of the myriad things is called martial (wu) action. When civil governance and military preparedness are carried out together, all under heaven will submit.

The root of the people lies in the land, and the root of the land lies in whether it is suitable. Suitability depends on the seasons, the use of the seasons depends on the people, and the strength of the people must be brought out through restraint. Understand the conditions of the land and wait for the proper season before planting. Use the people's labor sparingly and arrange their service judiciously, and wealth will grow. When taxation is moderate, the people will be prosperous, and when they are prosperous, they will understand shame and observe propriety. In this way, orders become shared habits and punishments are not violated. When government orders take deep root in people's hearts and the people do not break the law, defense can be consolidated and wars won.

Law and standards (fa) are the highest principles of political governance. When the state is governed according to them, it will not fall into disorder, and those who establish the standards must not act arbitrarily. Affairs should be handled with sincerity, fairness, and selflessness, and rewards and punishments must be credible. This is the way of governance. Reducing tangled administrative affairs, moderating taxation, and not disrupting the farming seasons of the people will bring stability to the state. Without a father's instruction, one cannot obtain the service of children; without a mother's kindness, one cannot fully draw out the strength of the people. Only by combining a father's instruction with a mother's kindness does one accord with the virtue of heaven and earth, and when all three are achieved, affairs can be accomplished.

When one can gather the heroes and brave warriors of the realm, the preparations for defense are complete. Understanding how to apply the ways of civil and martial action with care, all under heaven will submit. When orders accord with the people's wishes, the people will obey. Treating everyone equally, without partiality, will bring the people close to their ruler.

To observe a state, one must look at its ruler; to observe a household, one must look at its father. Only one who can govern a state deserves to be called a ruler, and only one who can govern a household deserves to be called a father.

In examining a state, there are six situations that run against the natural order: a son overrides his father, and a minister overrides his ruler. Even if such a state is strong, it cannot become a true king. When the legitimate heir offends his father, this is called "daily expenditure" (shang ri fei), and when the ministers turn against one another and the great officials seize power, this is called "obstruction" (yong se). If this occurs in a strong state, the state will be weakened; in a middling state, it will be overrun; in a small state, it will perish.

When an adviser is placed in high office while remaining outside the court, this is called "reversed completion" (ni cheng), and the state will never find peace. A strong state will fall into danger, a middling state will be weakened, and a small state will be overrun. When the ruler loses his position but the minister still holds on to his own post, this is called "outer root" (wai gen), and disaster is near. A strong state will face great anxiety, a middling state will fall into danger, and a small state will be weakened. When both ruler and minister lose their proper places, this is called "no root" (wu ben): the high and the low both lose their foundation, and the state will suffer grave losses. A strong state will be overrun, a middling state will perish, and a small state will be utterly destroyed.

When a ruler is cruel and his ministers rebel, this is called "great wildness" (da huang). With enemies without and turmoil within, Heaven will send down calamity, and whether the state is large or small, it may be destroyed. When a state has two rulers, with men and women each contending for authority, this is called "great confusion" (da mi), and civil war will break out within the state. A strong state will be overrun, a middling state will perish, and a small state will be utterly destroyed.

In examining a state, there are also situations that accord with the natural order: when the ruler does not lose his position, the state has a foundation; when ministers do not overstep their posts, the lower ranks have something to rely on, and although the state may face troubles, it can still endure. When the ruler is benevolent and the ministers are loyal, the state is at peace.

Rulers have their duties, and ministers have theirs. When each occupies his proper place, the state grows strong. When the ruler holds to laws and standards and the ministers follow the principles of things, the state can flourish and become hegemon. When the ruler wins the support of his subjects, and his ministers gather around him like spokes around the hub of a wheel, he may become king. The six practices of compliance and the six practices of defiance mark the boundary between the survival and the ruin of a state.

The ruler occupies the highest position. He holds the six essentials of governance and decides matters of life and death, reward and punishment. When the realm is at peace, he should take the manifestation of De (dé, Virtue) as his standard and model himself on Heaven and Earth. Like Heaven and Earth, which cover and sustain all things, he treats everyone under Heaven without partiality, and for this reason he is able to rule the realm. The principle of ruling the realm encompasses the Way of Heaven, human affairs, and the Way of Earth. When these three are brought together and put into practice, one can possess the realm.

The ruler stands facing south, and his ministers are reverent and cautious, not daring to deceive him. Ministers comply with the ruler, and they likewise do not dare to deceive those above them. When the common people are harmonious and united and willingly serve their ruler, his territory becomes vast, his population large, and his forces strong, and no one under Heaven can rival him.

When the realm is governed through civil virtue, even the smallest matters are attended to completely. Even when military affairs arise, one responds to them appropriately. This is the foundation of becoming king. However, one who does not understand the governing methods of kingship cannot rule the realm. One who understands these methods does not, while driving his chariot in pursuit of game, lose himself in the chase; in feasting and pleasure, he does not indulge to excess. Confronted with rare treasures and fond pursuits, he does not allow them to confuse his mind. When contending with the realm, he reduces expenditure while still achieving results. In this way the state becomes prosperous…… (The remainder of the original text is missing.)

One who understands the Way of kingship does not, while driving his chariot in pursuit of game, lose himself in the chase; in feasting and pleasure, he does not indulge to excess. Confronted with rare treasures and fond pursuits, he does not allow them to confuse his mind. When contending with the realm, he reduces expenditure while still achieving results.

If a state can ... it will be prosperous; but if ... it will grow poor and its people will be left destitute. A ruler who does not understand the Wangdao (the Kingly Way, the principles and methods for governing all under Heaven) and gives himself over to unrestrained hunting will find the birds and beasts gradually depleted. If he indulges in food and pleasure, his spirit will grow slack; if he is attached to playthings and beauty, his heart will become confused. If he wages war against the other feudal lords, spending heavily without result, then even a victory may fail to ..., and he will ultimately lose ..., leaving the treasury empty. If he further goes against the timing of Heaven, the state will be impoverished and the common people will fall into hardship.

Worthy men will not remain to assist such a ruler, and the people of the realm will not turn to him. Once things have reached this point, if the ruler still cannot honor the worthy and take as his teachers those who possess the Dao, the state will no longer be his state.

One who governs the realm possesses Xuan De (profound De, a virtue that is deeply hidden yet luminous), and some matters are understood by him alone; though he governs the realm, the people do not know the reasons behind it. Such a ruler regards his territory lightly and values worthy men, so the foundations of the state are secure and he himself is able to rest in peace. He treats material goods lightly and values wisdom, so his achievements are accomplished and his wealth also grows. He treats his own person lightly and honors the great Dao, so he himself becomes exalted and his decrees are carried out.

The hegemon gathers armored soldiers to campaign against those who refuse to submit; he punishes crimes and forbids lawbreaking, yet does not treat these as means of seeking private gain. Therefore his decrees can prevail throughout the realm, and no one dares to disobey. If one moves instead toward the opposite, wars will follow one upon another, forces will struggle against one another, and ruin may arrive at any moment, while the people do not know where the calamity began.

As for the so-called hegemon-kings ..., only the true king is able to embrace and bear all the myriad things under Heaven, so that each finds its proper place and grows in accordance with its nature.

When the ranks of ruler and minister are reversed, this is called ni (inversion). When worthy and unworthy men are mixed together and placed out of order, this is called luan (disorder). When action and stillness fall out of season, this is called ni (inversion). When the disposition of life and death is improper, this is called bao (tyranny). Inversion and disorder cause a person to lose their root and their proper duties, and they also violate the heavenly seasons. Tyranny in conduct causes the loss of the people's hearts. Losing the root leads to ruin, losing one's duties invites usurpation, violating the heavenly seasons brings famine, and losing the people's hearts invites calamity. When a state is repeatedly displaced and remains unsettled, Heaven will also impede it.

The Dao of Heaven (Tiandao) is not distant; it lies within the entering, dwelling, going out, and returning of human affairs. When minister and ruler each keep to their proper place, this is called stillness (jing). When worthy and unworthy men each occupy their proper positions, this is called rectitude (zheng). When action and stillness both accord with the movement of Heaven and Earth, this is called wen (civil governance, meaning order that accords with the order of Heaven and Earth). When campaigns and punishments are carried out at the right time, this is called wu (martial force, meaning decisive authority exercised in accordance with the season). Through stillness the state is secured; through rectitude affairs of government are well managed. Wen allows governance to be clear and penetrating, and wu allows the strength of the state to flourish. Security allows the root to be preserved; proper governance allows the people's hearts to be won; clarity allows one to accord with the heavenly seasons; strength allows authority and commands to be carried out. Governance must align with Heaven and Earth and also accord with the hearts of the people. When wen and wu are practiced together, this is called shang tong (upper harmony, meaning the coordination of ruler and people with Heaven, Earth, and the popular will).

By carefully grasping the four standards, one can bring peace to the realm and stability to a single state. If one governs internally in accordance with principle but acts externally against principle, one may succeed for a time, but will ultimately suffer loss. If one governs internally in violation of principle but acts externally in accordance with it, one may achieve merit, but will ultimately perish. When both internal and external affairs are contrary to principle, this is called chong yang (compounded calamity, meaning misfortune piled upon misfortune). Such a ruler will himself face danger, may even be slain, and the state will fall into ruin. When both internal and external affairs accord with principle, this is called tian dang (fitting the Dao of Heaven). In this case, achievements are not lost once accomplished, and calamity does not come later.

……Fame and ornament……are the means employed in governing. To "accord" (shun) means that action conforms to principle; to be "correct" (zheng) means that the conduct of affairs has a root. To hold fast to the Great Dao and follow principle, one must begin from the root and take accordance with principle as the standard. Campaigns must be prohibited, and punishments must match the offenses, and above all must accord with the principle of Heaven. If covenants are broken, one will fall into distress, and calamity will come later. ……Fame and ornament……are the means employed in governing. To "accord" (shun) means that action conforms to principle; to be "correct" (zheng) means that the conduct of affairs has a root.

Grasping the Dao (the Way, the fundamental law that governs how the cosmos operates) and following the principles of things requires beginning from the root and the starting point. Arranging governance in accordance with the regularities of things, and prohibiting military campaigns only on the basis of guilt, ensures that judgments accord with heavenly principle (tianli). Departing from agreements leads to distress, and applying punishments excessively causes harm. To act against common sense and to conflict with proper standards means that even if one acts, one may achieve nothing, but so long as one does not violate heavenly principle, no calamity will come.

Do not……; do not seek to preserve life through death, and do not manufacture a false reputation. When reputation exceeds reality, this is called damaging one's good name. When yang qi develops to its extreme, it instead brings about death; when yin qi develops to its extreme, it instead brings about the sprouting of life. This is called going against the constant pattern of yin and yang. When yang qi is excessive, external things decline; when yin qi is excessive, the inner vitality begins to sprout. If one both violates the regularities of yin and yang and departs from one's proper position, then in the greater case the state perishes, and in the lesser case the self comes to grief.

Things that reach their extreme turn back, and what has flourished begins to decline. This is the law by which Heaven and Earth operate, and also the regularity of human affairs. Whether one accords with or opposes this law, both outcomes are governed by it, yet the consequences differ. One who can carefully understand the principle of compliance and opposition is said to grasp the "guiding thread of the Dao" (daoji, the governing order of the Way). To treat the weak humbly with the strength of the strong: what state could fail to prevail? To treat the lowly humbly with the nobility of the honored: what person could fail to win their allegiance? To treat the unworthy humbly with the attitude of the worthy……

What the compass draws is called a circle, and what the carpenter's square defines is called a square; ……beneath is called level, and what lies above the water's surface is called flat. Measuring with the inch and the foot, one can determine size and length; weighing with the steelyard (a balance), one can distinguish weight without error; measuring with the dou and the shi (units of capacity), one knows quantity, each with its fixed measure. These eight standards are the criteria by which things are verified.

The cycles of the sun, moon, and stars, the seasonal times, the establishment of……, and the arrangement of inner and outer positions are the standards of Heaven. That height cannot obscure the forms of things, and that beauty or ugliness cannot conceal their true conditions, are the standards of Earth. That rulers and ministers each keep to their positions, that scholars each attend to their duties, that appointing talent does not exceed a person's strengths, and that discarding private intent to establish public fairness are the standards of human affairs.

Names of good and bad repute each have their own designation, and compliance and defiance each have their own outward form, while intentions and feelings always find some concrete expression. If the sovereign and his lords can discern the truth within these matters, this is the foundation for governing the land and examining the condition of the people. Ruler and minister each keep to their proper station, and scholars each remain content in their office. When employing men of talent, one does not assign them tasks beyond their strengths. Setting aside private interest and taking public righteousness as the standard is the foundation for keeping the people at peace.

Names of good and bad repute each have their own designation, and compliance and defiance each have their own outward form, while intentions and feelings always find some concrete expression. Kings and dukes should hold fast to fairness and use it to rectify the world below. To accord with the seasons of Heaven and to punish conduct that defies the Heavenly Dao and brings calamity is called "martial" (wu). To employ force first and follow it with civil governance is the way to achieve success. In governing a state, the proper sequence of civil measures and the use of force must be observed, and only then can the royal enterprise be accomplished. If a ruler turns away from the ordinary principles of human feeling, and while occupying the highest position remains confused and does not awaken, he will inevitably meet with slaughter.

The weak and yielding have committed no fault, yet their circumstances are perilous. Their strength is insufficient, yet they suffer injury; this is what is called "weakness." One who is upright and purposeful can sustain his efforts without slackening. When reputation and achievement correspond to each other, they endure. If reputation and achievement do not correspond, so that fame rises while actual results decline, this is called losing the Dao, and in the end it will surely bring disaster upon oneself.

Hoarding gold, jade, and pearls is the root of resentment; indulging in female entertainers and rare curiosities is the beginning of disorder. To cling to the root of resentment while also fostering the beginnings of disorder is a course for which, even if a sage were present, no plan of rescue could be devised.

The ruler is the pivot that connects Heaven and Earth and the center from which commands are issued, bearing the mission of governing the state. If the ruler does not respect the Dao (the Way) of Heaven, he loses the numinous intelligence that Heaven bestowed; if he does not value the Earth, he loses his foundation; if he does not follow the regularities of the four seasons, the people will suffer hardship. If the ruler cannot settle the positions of the inner and the outer, and cannot accord with the changes of stillness and motion, then affairs of government will fall into difficulty within the court, measures will be obstructed when extended outward, and the Eight Standards will all be lost.

Only by valuing the Earth can one preserve the root, and only by according with the regularities of the four seasons will the people be spared hardship. When affairs inner and outer are properly arranged, government within the court can be carried out and measures directed outward will proceed smoothly. When the Eight Standards are not lost, the state can accord with the order of Heaven and Earth.

Heaven holds the unified fundamental principle and, by means of it, clearly discerns the three kinds of change, establishes the two aspects of standard, sets up the Eight Standards, and implements the Seven Laws, so that all things each attain their proper place. Birds and beasts, and the creatures that flutter their wings, crawl, or fly, each have their constant patterns. That the myriad things do not lose their constant patterns has its root in Heaven's unifying principle.

The Earth follows the unified fundamental principle in order to discern the three kinds of change. The sun rises and sets on schedule, and its movement between north and south has its bounds; this is the basis for measuring the degrees of Heaven. The moon waxes and wanes on schedule, and its fullness, waning, advance, and retreat all follow regularity; this is the basis for measuring number. The lodged stars each have fixed courses and move without losing constancy; this is the basis for measuring trustworthiness and regularity. Heaven discerns the three kinds of change and establishes the two aspects of standard, and so there is alternation of day and night. Heaven establishes the two aspects of standard and sets up the Eight Standards, and so the four seasons each have their measure, stillness and motion each have their positions, and inner and outer each have their arrangement.

What Heaven establishes to make manifest and rectify the myriad things is the Dao of Heaven. What is fitting and appropriate is the measure of Heaven (Tiandu). What keeps time and can be trusted is the period of Heaven (Tiqi). What reaches its extreme and then returns is the nature of Heaven (Tianxing). What is necessarily so is the mandate of Heaven (Tianming). That upon which the myriad things rely, and through which they obtain their order of life, is collectively called the "Seven Laws" (Qifa). When each of the Seven Laws accords with its name, it is called "a thing" (wu).

Each of the myriad things has its own regularity, which is called li (principle, pattern). The place where that regularity resides is called Dao (the Way). When a thing goes against the Dao, it is said to have lost its li, and the place where li is lost is called ni (reversal). Compliance and reversal each bring their corresponding results, so the survival, flourishing, and decline of a state can be foreseen.

□□□□□ can give rise to wisdom. Once there is wisdom, one can be upright; once upright, one can be still; once still, one can be calm; once calm, one can be at peace; once at peace, one returns to simplicity; once simple, one can be pure and refined; and once refined, one can penetrate to shen (spirit). Reaching the state of shen, one sees clearly and is not deluded. A ruler who understands this principle can guard the root of Heaven and Earth and examine matters in accord with the Dao of Heaven. He can exhaust the principles within the □□□□ Four Extremities, hold the "Six Handles" (the six methods for governing all under Heaven) to command the realm, and examine the "Three Names" (the three kinds of nomenclature and states of governance) to handle the myriad affairs. He observes compliance and reversal and understands the patterns by which hegemons succeed or fail and states come to peril or ruin. He grasps the functions of emptiness and fullness, of motion and stillness, and comprehends the correspondence between name and reality. He distinguishes true conditions from false embellishment thoroughly and is not deluded. When these are accomplished, the Kingly Dao is achieved.

The "Six Handles" are: first, guan (observation); second, lun (discernment); third, dong (movement); fourth, zhuan (turning); fifth, bian (alteration); and sixth, hua (transformation). Guan means seeing clearly which states will rise and which will perish. Lun means distinguishing the crucial points on which a state's survival, decline, or fall depends. Dong means being able to break the strong and aid the weak. Zhuan means turning the situation without losing sight of the need to avoid faults. Bian means attacking a state that is about to die and nurturing one that still has vitality. Hua means making virtue manifest and eliminating calamity. When all six handles are complete, one can accomplish kingship.

The "Three Names," also called zheng ming (rectification of names), are as follows. First, once names are established, affairs are settled. Second, when names contradict the standards of law, disorder results. Third, when someone forcibly claims the title of lord, he will ultimately be destroyed, and even his title will cease to exist. By examining these three situations clearly, one will obtain corresponding results in handling affairs.

When movement and stillness are out of season, or when trees are planted in the wrong soil or at the wrong time, this violates the regularity by which the land nurtures growth. When ministers do not draw close to the ruler, subordinates do not draw close to their superiors, and the common people do not diligently attend to their own tasks, the internal governance of the state has run counter to the Dao. A place where such reversal occurs is called a "dead state" (si guo), and it should be attacked. Conversely, a place where affairs proceed in accord with li is called a "living state" (sheng guo), and it should be aided and nurtured.

There is a principle of governing a state that involves compliance and defiance. When the common people do not draw close to the affairs they are engaged in, this shows that the inner logic of governance has already been violated. A state where such defiance prevails is called a "dead state" and should be punished by force. By contrast, a state that proceeds in accordance with the proper order is called a "living state" and should be supported. One who understands the principles of compliance and defiance can thereby distinguish the real from the false.

Those who possess genuine strength should display humility toward others, while those whose strength is insufficient should display an appearance of sufficiency. To mobilize the realm through purposeful action wins the obedience of all under heaven; to stabilize the realm through non-action (Wuwei) brings tranquility to all under heaven. Names and realities must correspond before a state can be secure and calm. When the myriad things each return to their proper place, names are each fixed and affairs are each properly arranged. By examining these three matters, namely names, realities, and affairs, one can clearly distinguish the real from the false and avoid confusion. When a state is about to flourish, it should first punish those whose guilt is grave and who are destined to perish first.

Whoever violates prohibitions and contravenes ordinary reason will surely incur heaven's censure. If a state simultaneously suffers all six of the "six perils," it will perish; if it suffers three of the "three undeserved calamities," it too will head toward ruin. A state that abandons its political commands will perish. A ruler who commits offenses must be the first to be punished.

Those who violate prohibitions and act against constant principles will certainly bring down the punishment of Heaven. If a state simultaneously possesses the "Six Perils" (liu wei), it will perish. If it simultaneously possesses the "Three Non-Gu" (san bu gu), it will head toward ruin. A state that abandons its laws will perish. If a ruler simultaneously falls into the "Three Blockages" (san yong), he will lose his lands and may even be replaced. If a state simultaneously shows the "Three Calamities" (san xiong), disaster will turn back and descend upon itself.

Those who hold high position and act excessively will bring death upon themselves. Those in lower positions who act excessively will be subjected to punishment. Shallow virtue combined with excessive merit will lead to ruin, and having one's status restricted, being unable to rule as king yet scheming to do so, will bring death. The five actions of "mei li" (greed for profit), "ru chuan," "da xing," "wei luan shou" (being the head of rebellion), and "wei yuan mei" (being the go-between of resentment) will all cause calamity to turn back upon oneself. The meanings of terms such as "ru chuan" and "da xing" are unclear, and they are retained here as in the original.

To defend the state while relying only on its strategic terrain weakens the state. To govern the state while relying only on its strength makes it grow weak in turn. If troops are raised without justification, or if the target of an attack is one that should not be attacked, Heaven will send down a double calamity. If a rebellious undertaking fails, this is called "de tian" (obtaining Heaven). If a rebellious undertaking succeeds, Heaven will not allow its fate to last, and will further intensify the punishment. To grow arrogant to the extreme without restraint, while conducting oneself without rectitude, is called "hou ming" (the later mandate).

To slaughter the people on a large scale, massacre those who surrender, and punish the innocent will all cause disaster to turn back upon oneself. When a guilty state is attacked, the disaster suffered is five times the original. When an innocent state is attacked, the disaster suffered is ten times the original.

When a state is attacked and does not know how to hold its ground, it cannot keep its territory as its enduring foundation. Even if it wishes to save others, it cannot preserve them, and instead becomes the gateway through which disaster arrives. This is called "wei gen" (the root of peril). To possess only reputation and ornament while actually gaining very little will place the state in danger and cause it to lose its lands. To undertake great construction in the summer is called "jue li" (severing of order). Violating prohibitions and principles will certainly bring the punishment of Heaven.

The "Six Perils" are: first, the legitimate heir is at odds with the father; second, the ministers seize power on their own; third, the strategists pursue only their own ends; fourth, the ruler allows the feudal lords to decide the deposition and enthronement of rulers; fifth, those around the ruler form factions for private gain and block the channels of speech; and sixth, the fathers and elder brothers form cliques and show partiality. If these harms cannot be restrained, calamity will fall upon oneself.

Three kinds of bugu (undeserved harm, that is, suffering injury without fault) arise: first, arbitrarily killing the worthy and virtuous; second, killing commoners who have already submitted and complied; and third, punishing those who are without fault. All three count as undeserved harm.

There are also three kinds of yong (blockage, in which the ruler cannot hear the true situation and his power is obscured). The first occurs when someone within the inner court holds the advantage and blocks the channels through which the ruler learns the facts. If both inner and outer parties are suppressed, and even the innocent are punished, the ruler is left isolated without support. Such a state has unstable defenses, and even its battles are hard to win. This is called the first blockage.

Passing messages from inside outward is called huo (delusion). Passing messages from outside inward. When inner and outer then contend with one another, the state is endangered. This is called the second blockage. When one person monopolizes the ruler's authority, it is called bi guang (obscuring the light), since it conceals the ruler's clear discernment. When both inner and outer channels of information are controlled by him, this is called layered blockage. When inner and outer forces merge into one, the state will change hands. This is the third blockage.

There are also three wicked conduct: first, favoring violent weapons; second, carrying out practices that violate virtue and righteousness; and third, indulging one's desires. These are called the san xiong (three evils). When one obscures the benefit of all under heaven, calamity comes upon all under heaven. When one obscures the benefit of a single state, disaster comes upon that state.

Forming a pact in the name of simplicity and then breaking it is called ruchuan. Punishing one who deserves punishment, yet ultimately causing the favored side to suffer harm, is called dali (reaching benefit). Killing fathers and elder brothers above, and expelling sons and younger kin below, is called luanshou (the root of disorder). Forming alliances with outsiders yet failing to keep faith is called yuanmei (the go-between of resentment). When a state is about to perish, the circumstances described in appear.

Affairs should be governed first by civil means and brought to an end, if necessary, by force; this is the law by which Heaven and Earth operate. The four seasons each have fixed measures, which is the regularity of Heaven and Earth, and the sun, moon, and stars each follow their own courses, which form the guiding order of Heaven and Earth. Spring, summer, and autumn bring things to completion, while winter brings them to withering; this too is the law of Heaven and Earth. The seasons keep their sequence without error or displacement, always following a set standard. Things rise and also cease, grow and also die. The four seasons alternate in turn, winter giving way to spring, returning and renewing in an unbroken cycle. This is the principle of human affairs, and people should follow the patterns of its favorable and adverse courses.

When achievement exceeds what the Way of Heaven (Tiandao) permits, it invites capital punishment; when achievement falls short of what the Way requires, one withdraws and goes unnamed; when achievement accords with the Way, fame can be fully realized. This is the principle of human affairs: to accord with the Way is to survive, to conform to the reason of things is to succeed, to defy the Way is to perish, and to lose the root is to lose one's reputation. To turn away from the Way is to cause a state to lose its ruler. A state without a ruler will, within, fall into conflict between the favorable and the adverse, and the parties will attack one another. When the root is destroyed and achievement is ruined, disorder arises, and the state itself will perish.

If someone believes they can accord with the will of Heaven, yet destroys the root, overturns the ruler, disregards the constant norms of the Way, and does not restrain the strength of the people, then even if they roam about in constant motion, they will achieve nothing. To cause what is already dying to linger on, while setting out to attack what still has life, is called "reverse accomplishment" (achieving success by violating the normal order). Even if no one kills them, they will certainly suffer the punishment of Heaven. When the seeds of violating the constant measures first appear, one must be extremely cautious and must not try to correct the situation by force; otherwise, the other party will bring punishment upon themselves.

Therefore, one who holds the Dao (the Way) and observes the world must carefully examine where affairs begin and distinguish the nature and proper names of actions. Once the nature and names of actions are fixed, the favorable and the adverse each have their places, life and death each have their bounds, and survival, ruin, rise, and decline each have their causes. Then these circumstances are compared with the constant laws of Heaven and Earth, and one determines where misfortune and fortune, life and death, survival and ruin, rise and decline each finally lead. In this way, no action fails to accord with reason, and no discussion of the affairs of the world omits a plan. Thus they are able to establish the Son of Heaven, set up the Three Dukes (the high ministers who assist the Son of Heaven), and bring the world into transformation under them. This is called possessing the Dao.

Lun Yue (Treatise on Essentials)

The Dao is the root of all things and of spiritual activity. Shenming (spirit illumination) dwells within the bounds of standards (fadu), yet it can perceive what lies beyond them. Dwelling within the standards, it wins trust even when it does not speak; perceiving beyond them, the words it utters cannot be lightly altered. Dwelling within the standards, it remains still and unshaken; perceiving beyond them, its actions are not altered by external things. To move yet remain still, to be steadfast and unwavering, to act without being changed by external things: this is why it is called shen (spirit).

Shenming is the criterion by which things are observed and understood. There is a thing that begins in origination, stands upon the earth, and fills the heavens. Its form is unseen by anyone, yet it vastly pervades the space between heaven and earth, and people do not know its name. Because one cannot understand it, one acts against the natural order and presumptuously attempts to bring things to completion. The myriad things arise from it, and if one contravenes the nature of things, calamity descends upon oneself. To nurture things in ways that harm their life is to damage their vitality. To cut down the root, turn away from what is near, and destroy the source of flourishing is to invite inevitable chaos and a return to namelessness.

Burning and destroying are aberrations in the operation of things, just as indulgence and excess are aberrations in the development of life. When various things and goods are rashly pursued for growth without regard for measure, death will surely follow. These three cases all involve going beyond the standards while presuming to succeed. Such endeavors cannot succeed, and calamity will follow in their wake. Taking the hard as soft may allow one to survive, while taking the soft as hard brings harm. Gentleness carried to its utmost brings auspiciousness, while firmness carried to its utmost leads to ruin.

Nuo (assent) is the verification of speech, and yi (completion) signals the cessation of speech. To assent and yet not keep one's word reveals profound confusion of wisdom; to keep one's word after assenting is what it means to dwell within the standards. When affairs arise under heaven, one must first examine the names and actualities involved. Following names to trace the course of principle, one obtains good fortune when they accord with principle and invites disaster when they do not. Right and wrong each have their boundaries, and judgments must be made according to the standards. To maintain emptiness and stillness, listen carefully, and take the standards as the measure of judgment, while examining the beginning and end of names and actualities, is called exhausting principle (qiong li). Only through impartiality can observation and understanding remain undeluded, and only then can one know when to rise and act.

Therefore, one who grasps the Dao observes the world and can discern the correct course and follow principle. Such a person distinguishes straight from crooked and grasps beginning and end, and so is able to follow names and their rightful roles (mingfen) and to exhaust principle. Names emerge through form and are conveyed through sound. When name and actuality are in harmony, calamity can be avoided, and the rise and fall of affairs can be properly managed. This is like a shadow following a form or an echo following a sound, or like a balance that accurately shows the lightness or heaviness of an object. Thus only one who grasps the Dao can attain emptiness and impartiality, and so see things clearly and recognize the true nature of names, roles, and principles.

When disorder gathers within and outward words and deeds are inappropriate, ruin follows. When institutions are established but carried out improperly, collapse also results. When one violates the standards and allows a situation to swell beyond measure without knowing when to stop, the state will perish. Even if a state's measures are empty and its affairs seem unaccomplished, if it thereby accords with the Way of Heaven, it may be called one that "obtains Heaven." But if affairs appear accomplished while body and mind lose their proper roles and legitimacy, there is ultimately no true achievement. When standards are repeatedly violated and the Dao is not upheld, the state is in peril and calamity approaches. When two sides oppose each other and attack one another, calamities will descend upon both in turn, and both states will fall into ruin.

The Mingli Jing (Scripture of Names, Principles, and Standards) comprises five thousand characters.

In the past, Huang Zongzhi began to value good faith and set standards for himself. He took the four directions as his boundary and kept his one mind within, so that affairs in all four directions proceeded through its center. He took reference from what lay before and behind, left and right, and in his conduct he followed the standard everywhere. For this reason he became the paramount lord of the world.

I have received the mandate of Heaven, established my position on earth, and achieved my name among men. Only I am able to accord with the Dao of Heaven. Taking myself as the center, I let affairs in the four directions proceed through me, took reference from what lies before and behind, left and right, and acted in accordance with the standard. For this reason I am able to become the paramount lord of the world. I have received the mandate of Heaven, established my position on earth, and achieved my name among men. Only I am able to accord with the Dao of Heaven, and so I established the offices of king, duke, and the Three Dukes, founded the state, and set up the ruler and the Three Ministers (officials who assist the sovereign).

Calculating the days, reckoning the months, and arranging the years must all correspond to the movements of the sun and moon. The earth is broad and abundant, and the Heaven we take as our model is vast and bright. I revere Heaven, cherish the land, and draw near to the people. Whatever the mandate may be, one must hold fast to emptiness, stillness, and sincerity. I revere Heaven, cherish the land, and draw near to the people, establishing the duties that the mandate of Heaven confers, and I hold fast to emptiness, stillness, and sincerity. If I cherish the people, the people will not perish. If I cherish the land, the land will not lie waste.

I receive … from the people, die …, and my position …. If I can be affectionate toward my kin and employ the worthy, then nothing I do will be omitted, and I will have reached the appropriate state.

Having carried out the mandate and established order, the Yellow Emperor commanded Li Hei (a personal name) to act in concealment, inspecting and observing the four directions in order to examine the constant laws of the good Way. Li Hei displayed the signs: when he saw black, he said black; when he saw white, he said white. …. When he met evil people, he displayed warnings. When people were still, he was still; when people acted, he followed with action.

Li Hei had already promulgated the institutions and established the standards. … He said: "Heaven and Earth have already taken form, and the people have already been born, but there is no guiding thread between opposition and compliance, virtue and punishment are misapplied, stillness and action lack a fitting moment, and sequence and precedence have no …. When people act, he follows with action. Li Hei had already promulgated the institutions and established the standards. … He said: 'Heaven and Earth have already taken form, and the people have already been born, but there is no guiding thread between opposition and compliance, virtue and punishment are misapplied, stillness and action lack a fitting moment, and sequence and precedence have no …'"

The Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) said: When all things were still undifferentiated and merged as one, there was neither darkness nor brightness, and Yin-Yang had not yet been distinguished. Before Yin-Yang was settled, I had no means of naming them. Afterwards, things began to divide and became two sides, namely Yin and Yang, and Yin and Yang then divided into the Four Seasons. People thereby established a constant order, took the regularities that are clear and visible as their norms, and acted in accordance with subtle principles.

Following these norms, Yin and Yang respond to one another like male and female. The hard meets the soft, the soft and the hard complement and complete each other, and Yin and Yang, in their union, give rise to visible forms. Downward they join with the earth, and upward they correspond with Heaven. One grasps the subtle transformations of the Dao of Heaven, acts in accord with the seasons, and waits for the qi of the earth to stir. Thus sprouting things grow, and things that are growing continue to flourish; Heaven accomplishes them by following their course. Where one does not accord with change, things cannot take form, and where they are not nurtured, they cannot grow.

What the common people need for living is no more than food and the means to sustain their livelihood. Without union and continuity, one cannot rely on the land; without food, people cannot survive, and there is no question of according with the seasons. To bestow favor in accordance with Yin qi, so that the people may have their own undertakings, is the way to nourish them. Things take form by following the conditions they already have. If one does not accord with those conditions, they cannot take form, and if they are not nurtured, they cannot grow. Yang qi nourishes the body, Yin qi lies deep, and during the long night qi is closed and stored away while life is gestated within the earth. These are all the conditions by which life is sustained.

Governing must not be merely lenient, nor rely solely on severe punishment. One should use punishment and De (Virtue/Power) together to set order right: in spring and summer one applies De, and in autumn and winter one applies punishment. Applying De first and punishment afterward is for the sake of nourishing life. Once the people are each settled, if they set themselves against one another, strife arises, and if they cannot be brought to submit, then regulations must be established. The key to governing lies in punishment and De. When the operation of punishment and De is clear, sun and moon alternate in facing one another, so that people can see the proper measure, abundant without excessive tilt.

Therefore, to keep the common people from being driven into hardship by those who employ them, one should not govern by surface appearances or by blind inspection, and in cultivating the land one must not secretly deplete its strength. When the land's strength is secretly depleted, the fields will become barren. When only surface inspections are made, wealth will be wasted. And when the people are overworked in service, rebellion will arise.

Hence a ruler should accord with the seasons, keep the people's livelihood secure, and not disturb the farming or violate the rhythms of Heaven. In this way the five grains will ripen and the people will multiply and flourish. When ruler and minister each find their proper place, the timing of Heaven will also assist the enterprise. In governing, one should arrange the farm work according to the seasons, first bestowing virtuous government (dezheng) and only afterward applying punishments, for this accords with the Dao of Heaven (Tiandao).

If the season has already passed its peak and the farm work has still not been carried out in time, and the yin-qi of the seasonal phases arrives in succession, the land will struggle to yield a harvest. If at this point names and roles are not rectified and punishments are misapplied, the hidden insects will not emerge, frost and snow will remain abundant, and even the early spring grains will grow weakly, and calamity will arise. To act in this manner will ultimately fail to achieve success.

If the season has passed and yet the farm work is still being pushed forward, and the yang-qi of the seasonal phases again arrives in succession, the land will likewise struggle to yield. If at this point names are not rectified and punishments are slack, the hibernating insects begin to stir and withered grasses sprout anew. Yang-qi has already arrived, yet yang is piled upon yang, the seasons fall into disorder, and the myriad things lose the conditions for normal growth. To act in this manner will likewise fail to proceed smoothly.

When the Dao of Heaven runs through its stages, the myriad things on the earth are correspondingly brought to completion. As the myriad things disperse, circulate, and accomplish one another, this is the work of the sage (shengren). The sage does not prevail through cleverness but holds fast to the regularity of the changing seasons. They govern the people with generosity and accord with the Dao of Heaven. The sage rectifies their own conduct to await the timing of Heaven and calms their dealings to await the hearts of the people. They do not violate the patterns that Heaven's timing reveals, nor do they act rashly or willfully. When the moment calls for decision, they decide promptly, for failing to decide when decision is due will instead invite disorder.

The Yellow Emperor asked Yanran where to begin in promoting the Five Rectifications (wuzheng), the standards for governing affairs of state. Yanran replied, "Begin with yourself. Once you have upright standards within, extend them to others. When inner and outer are connected, affairs can be accomplished."

The Yellow Emperor said, "I have already rectified myself and quieted my mind, yet the state has become even more unsettled. Why is this?" Yanran answered, "One should first fill the heart with substance and then rectify outward conduct, and only then will the state surely be at peace. Hold the compass (gui, the tool for drawing circles) in the left hand and the carpenter's square (ju, the tool for drawing squares) in the right, and use them to measure and regulate things. When the men and women of the realm each keep to their proper place, what more is there for the state to worry about? After the Five Rectifications have been promoted, they can be used to examine the Five Affairs of government. Hold to the compass and square, and wait to respond to any war that may arise."

The Yellow Emperor said, "I still do not understand myself. What should I do?" Yanran replied, "If you do not yet understand yourself, then settle yourself as if you were diving into a deep abyss, and seek the standard within. Only after you find the inner standard can you know yourself and restrain yourself."

The Yellow Emperor said, "I wish to restrain myself. How should I go about it?" Yanran said, "Those who share the same principles act in the same way; those who hold different principles act differently. Now the realm has great affairs to be carried out, and the moment has arrived. Act with caution, and do not contend."

The Yellow Emperor said, "What should I do if I do not act?" Yanran replied, "Anger is the agitation of the blood and qi, and contention is the clash of external bodies. If anger is held down and never released, it accumulates until it becomes like a festering carbuncle (yongju), a poisonous sore formed from within the body. If one can remove the four ills, one will be like dry bones, with nothing left to contend over."

The Yellow Emperor then took leave of the great officers of the state, ascended Mount Bowang, and lay still for three years, reflecting inwardly as he sought the Dao. Shan Cai and Yanran afterward climbed the mountain to rouse him, saying, "It is time to act. To start a contest on your own initiative invites peril, but to refuse all contention entirely brings no achievement."

The Yellow Emperor then took up weapons, put the army in order, beat the drum himself, and met Chiyou in battle, finally capturing him. The Yellow Emperor then bound the assembled people with an oath, declaring, "Whoever violates righteousness and acts against the seasons shall be punished as Chiyou was. Whoever abandons righteousness and betrays their clan shall be put to death according to the law, and driven into a dead end."

Five Rectifications

The Yellow Emperor's assistant said: "I alone govern the realm. Now I wish to bring the people to peace and make all under Heaven upright and fair. Where should I begin?"

Guotong replied: "Unless the high and low, the steep and the level, are first leveled, fairness cannot be achieved. Unless a trustworthy standard is first established, governance cannot be made upright. Observe the patterns of Heaven above, examine the features of the earth below, and then verify them through the way of man and woman. Heaven has its governing order of movement, and the earth has its constant regularity. The Way of Heaven (Tiandao) and the Way of Earth (Didao) accord with each other, and therefore there is darkness and brightness, yin and yang. The earth has mountains, rivers, lakes, and marshes, black and white, beauty and ugliness. The earth takes stillness as its De (Virtue/Power), while Heaven takes movement and manifestation as its constant. Stillness and motion nourish one another, and De and harshness complete one another. Each has its own name, and they work together so that things can take form. Therefore there is darkness and brightness, yin and yang, and also mountains, rivers, lakes, black and white, beauty and ugliness. The earth takes stillness as De, and Heaven takes movement and manifestation as its constant. Stillness and motion nourish one another, and De and harshness complete one another. Each has its own name, and they work together so that things can take form. When yin and yang are complete, transformation occurs. If a heavy thing [...the original text is missing characters here...], then bearing the myriad things becomes light. Human beings have an inner nature, and each of the myriad things has its own form, and by these each takes its own shape."

The Yellow Emperor said: "The people depend on Heaven for their life and rely on the land for their food. We regard Heaven as father and the earth as mother. Now I wish to bring the people to peace, make the realm upright, and make all under Heaven fair. Where should I begin?"

Guotong replied: "Only when the terrain is steep can its flatness be made evident. The standard [...the original text is missing characters here...]. Where there is no trustworthy measure for noble and base, there arise gradations between poor and rich. The former generations used this method, and later generations held it up as a constant rule. Let me begin with myself, Guotong."

Thereupon, Guotong put on coarse cloth, his clothes worn and tattered, shouldered his bundle, and went about begging for food, traveling through the states, thereby displaying the appearance of the utmost poverty and lowliness.

Li Hei asked, "...Yangmou... Gaoyang, what should be done?" Tai Shanji replied, "You need not worry. The Way of Heaven (Tiandao) operates with impartiality and reliability; the sun and moon do not linger, and they continually illuminate the world. Human life has a fixed limit, and if one indulges desires, one will be clouded by them and make mistakes. When affairs reach abundance, they may turn toward decline; when they reach their peak, they move toward their end. Giving to others when it is handled improperly brings harm instead, and pursuing excess only wastes effort in vain. If one lets him proceed slowly, deviating from the proper path, and then causes him to become troubled and distressed, one will bring calamity upon him. Raising him higher and higher, and then not rescuing him when he stumbles, eventually leads him to die without any chance to repent. You need not worry."

Li Hei said, "The count has already exceeded sixty, yet Gaoyang has not lost his position. His desires have long been growing... to call this heaven's will. If it is heaven's will and yet one takes no precautions, what then should be done about the Heavenly Official and the Earthly One?" Tai Shanji replied, "Do not speak of it as mere heaven's will. One must prepare responses in advance... follow the course of events, enrich his position, shift his strength, and then strike when the opportunity comes. Do not make it known. Those above should be upright and hold to unity, and those below should be quiet and keep to their duties: holding to rectitude is to await the timing of heaven, and quietness is to await human affairs. Once the order of names between heaven and earth is established... the myriad things arise naturally, following the laws of the Way of Heaven. The judgments of the Way of Heaven do not err, and opposition and compliance each have their own kind. Do not be alarmed, and do not be fearful; his rebellious affairs will begin of their own accord. I will follow his defiance and let it develop until he loses his life, and then establish another man of great rectitude to bring things into accord with sincerity. Once the affair is accomplished, do not make it known, and the necessary preparations will gradually be completed. I will observe how his earlier deeds come to their conclusion, and I will travel eastward. Awaiting the emergence of the circumstances that follow, I will then harmonize matters from within them."

Rectifying Disorder (Zheng Luan)

Among the myriad things between Heaven and Earth, there is mutual dependence and harmony, and their wondrous transformations unfold in many forms. The common people labor and can find their own enjoyment in it. At times, I also let them expend themselves as they will. When this accumulation reached a certain point, the Taishan Zhiji said, "It is time to act." Thereupon, the Yellow Emperor secretly allied with Chiyou, then took up weapons and dispatched his troops. The Yellow Emperor personally engaged Chiyou in battle and, seizing the opportunity, captured him.

The Yellow Emperor flayed Chiyou's hide and made it into a target for archery, rewarding those who hit it most often. He cut off Chiyou's hair and raised it high as Chiyou's banner. He also made Chiyou's stomach into a ball for kicking, rewarding those who kicked it most. He further rotted Chiyou's bones and flesh and made them into meat paste, which he distributed to all under Heaven. Because of this, the Supreme Deity issued a prohibition. The Yellow Emperor declared: "Do not violate my prohibitions, do not spread my meat paste, do not disturb the people, do not sever my Dao (the Way)."

Those who violate the prohibitions, spread the meat paste, disturb the people, or sever the Dao, as well as those who go against righteousness and the demands of the times, overstep and act improperly, make and alter laws on their own, act solely on their desires, or wage war without the Supreme Deity's permission, should all take Chiyou and Gonggong as a warning. They shall be made to submit and endure the suffering of arrows. They shall be placed in a state of neither death nor life, becoming a punishment upon the earth. The Yellow Emperor said: "Be careful to observe the ranks and roles I have established, do not transgress the constant penal laws, and use this to admonish later generations."

Gaoyang asked Li Hei, "The order of Heaven and Earth has already taken shape, and only then were the common people born. Now some people do not follow the Dao (the Way) of Heaven. They scheme against one another, each wishing to overturn the other. I am deeply troubled by this. What should be done?"

Li Hei replied, "Do not be troubled. The arrangement of Heaven and Earth has always been this way. Once Heaven and Earth have fixed their order, rival parties will still contend with one another. Those who initiate strife bring calamity upon themselves, yet if one does not contend at all, one cannot achieve any accomplishment. Those who accord with the Dao flourish, and those who go against it perish. So long as one does not violate the Dao, one will not lose the foundation on which one stands.

"Once Heaven and Earth had formed, the common people were born. Once the clans were distinguished and settled, those who were hostile to one another began to contend early on. To judge whether an affair is appropriate, the key lies in punishment (xing) and De (Virtue/Power). Both punishment and De must be examined clearly and correctly, shining on each other like the sun and the moon, so that people can see the standards they ought to follow. If a judgment goes astray, one must repeatedly examine its crucial points.

"The De of Heaven is luminous, yet without punishment it cannot be carried out. The punishments of Heaven are solemn, yet without the De of governance they inevitably lead to overturning. Punishment and De support each other, and only then does the order of the compliant and the defiant take shape. Punishment lies hidden, while De of governance is manifest outwardly. Punishment belongs to Yin, and De belongs to Yang. Punishment is subtle, and De is evident. One should take manifest De of governance as the norm, while applying punishment through its subtle principles. The manifest and the subtle penetrate each other, and at times one must grasp the crux of the matter by reversing the approach.

"The Dao operates in human affairs in a cyclical manner, and at times it appears to come from outside. Stillness and action must both accord with the proper moment, and only then will Heaven and Earth aid the undertaking. Holding to stillness, one must not grow slack. When one should be still but cannot be, the state will be unsettled. When one could act but does not, the Dao will still circulate and turn, and people will instead be governed by it. When action and stillness accord with the right moment, Heaven and Earth will lend their help. When the moment is lost, Heaven and Earth will withdraw that help.

"The regularity of Heaven and Earth is that cold and heat, dryness and dampness cannot stand together, and that hardness and softness, Yin and Yang, cannot each operate in isolation. The two nourish each other and accomplish each other in due season. In repose there must be standards, and in action one must follow one's proper role. The affairs of Heaven and Earth may seem easy to accomplish, yet human affairs have no constant standard. When one goes to excess and loses proper measure, upheavals arise and ordinary norms change. As a result, De of governance has no way to be carried out, and the application of punishment also goes astray. When there is no standard in repose and action betrays one's proper role, the guilty will be punished accordingly."

The ruler, having passed through worldly affairs and been tested by hardship, knows that fortune and misfortune follow fixed principles. Through this he can distinguish between "masculine conduct" (xiong jie) and "feminine conduct" (ci jie), and so discern the direction in which calamity or blessing will lead. Arrogance, overbearing pride, and self-importance are called masculine conduct; reverence, frugality, and humility are called feminine conduct.

Masculine conduct belongs to the kind that strives relentlessly to win and to seize, while feminine conduct belongs to the kind that considers others and is accommodating. What is obtained through masculine conduct does not necessarily bring good fortune, while what is given up through feminine conduct often returns as a reward in the end. If one repeatedly profits through masculine conduct, this is called accumulating calamity: worries and dangers will arrive one after another, and may even endanger one's life. If one repeatedly practices feminine conduct, this is called accumulating virtue (De). By remaining cautious, keeping to oneself, and never violating this principle, one's blessings and emoluments will be abundant.

Generally speaking, when misfortune arrives first, danger often follows; when it arrives later, things often turn toward good fortune. If one meets disaster at first but suffers no successive calamities, this shows that feminine conduct still remains. If things do not turn toward good fortune afterward, this shows that masculine conduct still remains. If neither the earlier nor the later period brings danger, feminine conduct has been present throughout. If neither the earlier nor the later period brings any auspicious sign, masculine conduct has been present throughout.

If a person is fond of adopting masculine conduct, this harms the vital life-force. Great people will be injured by it, and small people will be ruined by it. To preserve one's position in this way brings no peace: affairs are hard to accomplish, gains are hard to obtain, battles are hard to win, one does not attain longevity, and one's descendants struggle to multiply. This is called dangerous conduct, and it is also called the loss of virtue.

If a person is fond of adopting feminine conduct, this brings blessings and emoluments. The wealthy prosper through it, and the poor also gain something. Used to preserve one's position, it brings peace; affairs succeed, gains are obtained, and battles are won. When virtue accumulates, one flourishes; when calamity accumulates, one perishes. By observing whether a person is accumulating virtue or calamity, one can see the direction in which his fortune and misfortune will go.

The Forces of Female and Male Must Be Mutually Adjusted.

If the conduct of armies goes against the seasons of Heaven, one must not rashly launch an attack, and if one does not model oneself on the terrain, one must not act recklessly. If penal law cannot be carried through, the army cannot be established. □□□□ Heaven and Earth reveal their configurations, and the sage accomplishes affairs by following the propensity of the situation. The sage's achievements must be brought about by the circumstances. Seizing the opportune moment and conforming to □□ will certainly lead to success.

The sage does not violate the configuration of things, nor does he lightly transmit orders that are out of season. Instead, he follows the seasons of Heaven and makes decisions promptly. When a decision should be made but is not, one will instead suffer chaos and calamity. The Dao of Heaven (tiandao) both takes and gives. When one encounters auspicious signs □□□□ but does not accept them, and instead yields to misfortune, disaster will come.

When one meets with obstruction three times and the momentum of following is cut off, the war cannot succeed. Yet when one meets with obstruction three times and the momentum of following is cut off, the war may still succeed because of it. □ If one does not enjoy its merit, one will instead bear disaster. If the state has good fortune, those who face calamity bear the disaster. If the state has no good fortune, it can only prolong its precarious situation and remain in anxiety and unrest. Relying on the strength of the people and going against what the Dao of Heaven follows, war may succeed. □ If one does not enjoy its merit, one will still suffer disaster in return. If the state has good fortune, those who face calamity bear the disaster. If the state has no good fortune, it can only prolong its precarious situation and remain in anxiety and unrest.

Relying on the strength of the people and transgressing the limits set by the Dao of Heaven, even if one establishes still more merit, the state will fall into danger because of it, and the altars of soil and grain (the state itself) will be harmed. In the end the affair cannot be counted as a success, and the final blessing will not return to the one who established the merit. This is the regularity of the Dao of Heaven and the Dao of Earth.

The Demeanor of Warfare.

The Yellow Emperor asked Li Hei, "I alone now hold the whole realm, and cunning people will emerge, arguing without restraint and showing off their cleverness, so that affairs can no longer be governed by law. I fear that someone will use this to throw the realm into disorder. Tell me, is there a fixed principle by which the common people can be brought back to the proper Way?"

Li Hei replied, "There is. After Heaven and Earth took shape, the myriad things each had their proper names, and where they came together each had its form, and by these one keeps a single unified order of names. It reaches upward to Heaven and extends downward across the Four Seas. I have heard that the established methods of the realm are not many; they can be summed up in a single sentence: return to the One by following the names, and the common people will not disturb the principles of order."

The Yellow Emperor asked, "Is there truly such a 'One' as the principle of the realm?"

Li Hei replied, "There is. In the past, August Heaven sent the Wind Spirit to transmit the saying 'the Dao is One.' The Five Emperors (legendary sovereigns of antiquity) used it to take their pattern from Heaven and Earth, to measure the Four Seas, to pacify the people, and to regulate the conduct of the scholars of their age. Therefore those who spoke slander withdrew, the worthy and capable rose in numbers, the depraved fled, and glib, sophistical speech came to an end. Return to the One by following the names, and the common people will not disturb the principles of order."

The Yellow Emperor asked, "Is this 'One' merely the single unity, or does it have a deeper and more far-reaching meaning?"

Li Hei replied, "The One is the root of the Dao; how could it lack profound meaning? If a person loses the One, they cannot hold to the root. The meaning of the One must be examined through Heaven and Earth; the principle of the One can be put into practice across the Four Seas. How does one know when a matter has reached its extreme, and how does one measure near and far? The key lies in holding fast to the single root without losing it. By using the One to govern change, one can know the many from the few. Gazing afar over the Four Seas and surveying above and below, the four quarters all come together, each following its own Way.

"A hundred sentences have a root, a thousand sentences have their essentials, and ten thousand sentences have their governing outline; though the myriad things are many, all can be gathered back into one root. If one is not a upright person, who could govern these affairs? Only an upright person can hold the correct Way to rectify what is crooked, grasp the root to comprehend the manifold, remove the calamities the people suffer, and maintain the things the people need. Embracing and holding fast to the root, and sharing the same ultimate end with Heaven and Earth, one may then understand the fortune and misfortune that Heaven and Earth send down."

Whenever conduct departs from the constant Dao (the Way), Heaven will prohibit it. Whenever affairs are carried out in error, Earth will prohibit it. Whenever government edicts are violated, the ruler will prohibit them. When all three are governed properly, the state comes close to stability.

The land has its own taboos. One should not raise its terrain up or let it sink down, nor block its rivers, go against the lay of the land, or obstruct the channels through which the common people voice their views. Acting without regard for standards, holding office yet refusing to yield, and proceeding directly while overstepping the rules are all called great calamity.

In dealing with others, one must balance firmness and gentleness. Unyielding strength should not merely display itself, and gentleness should not rely only on compliance. One who is as fierce as a tiger in firmness invites disaster, and one who indulges in excess and dissipation also walks toward ruin. One who follows ancient institutions and clarifies principles but fails to put them into practice is in danger. One who schemes only for private gain and keeps encroaching on others to expand himself will, in the end, be emptied out.

The Dao of Heaven operates constantly and endures, spreading its bounty across the earth and reaching all of Jiuzhou (the Nine Provinces, or the regions of the world). Therefore, kings and dukes must issue their commands with caution, so that the common people understand the basis of their actions. Heaven follows a constant pattern, and the people should take it as their standard. To go against this pattern is to harm one's lifespan, and in the end one must bear the consequences of one's own conduct. This is the Dao of Heaven.

Wherever a state stores up weapons, it has principles for employing them. There are three such principles: war for profit, war for righteousness, and war to vent anger.

To wage war for profit is to see that ……, that famine has struck, that the state has no leisure to attend to its affairs, and that court and countryside have lost their coordination, and so to send troops to seize gain. When war is fought this way, even if it brings no great reward, it does not cause great calamity. To wage war for righteousness (yi) is to punish chaos and halt violence, to promote the worthy and dismiss the unworthy. This is what is called righteousness. …… is what the multitude are willing to sacrifice themselves for. Therefore, when a state uses its full strength to attack the world, a ruler of ten thousand chariots (wansheng zhi zhu, a ruler commanding ten thousand war chariots) …… likely begins with such a course, and few are able to persist in it to the end. This is not the mind's constant disposition, but a change that comes about when one is again driven into distress.

As for taking up arms out of rage, the mind holds nothing but anger, and it cannot rest merely at being angry. Once one is angry, one is certain to act. If, after the affair succeeds, one has no further aim, then one has, from the very beginning, set out on a path that runs against the proper Dao. This does not accord with the Dao. The movement of the Dao arises from necessity, and what is necessary will continue without cease. Therefore, …… is ……; "prohibition" (jin) means causing to act. Thus, when things proceed along their established direction, they do not stagnate.

Benfa (On Fundamental Campaigns)

The sage (shengren), one who possesses De (Virtue/Power) and understands principle, conducts affairs in accordance with the regularities of Heaven and Earth, follows the hearts of the people, and receives the auspicious protection of spirits and ghosts. He causes the common people to share in the benefit, so that the myriad folk all depend upon him. This is what is called righteousness. He personally bears the burden at the front, and the ruler ……

The sage's conduct accords with the patterns of Heaven and Earth, follows the wishes of the common people, and brings harmony to spirits and ghosts. He lets the people share the benefits together, so that all the myriad people can rely on him. This is called "righteousness" (yi).

When the sage personally takes the lead and the ruler adopts his proposals, the state benefits over the long term, and the blessings reach the myriad people for generations. All under Heaven therefore praise and support him. One who offers a single saying that benefits people is a "scholar" (shi). One whose single saying benefits the state is a "pillar of the state" (guoshi).

Therefore the junzi, the gentleman, lowers himself and follows the Dao (the Way). He uses wisdom to discern the Dao and firm resolve to practice it. He treasures the Dao as it travels alongside the world, softens himself, and waits for the right moment. If the feudal lords and nobles understand this, it is a blessing for the state. A state with vast territory and a large population may act forcefully and place itself behind the multitude, yet still fail to grasp the right timing, and such a state will invite misfortune.

Therefore a ruler cannot govern the state by luck. Governing a state has a proper order of approach. Above, one must understand the timing of Heaven; below, one must understand the advantages of Earth; and in between, one must understand human affairs. One who skillfully harmonizes Yin-Yang and rectifies affairs will bring the state to good order, while one who acts perversely and against the norm will bring it to chaos. When names (ming) are rightly ordered, no deviance arises, and deviant names cannot be established. Following the correct path, one does not fall into danger. One may dwell behind things yet also initiate ahead, and so both the common people and the state can act accordingly.

When the common people obtain the Dao, they can perfect themselves. When the state obtains it, the state is settled. A small state that obtains it can guard its territory, and a great state that obtains it can annex and unify all under Heaven. The Dao has a source but no fixed starting point. When it is used, it becomes concrete efficacy; when it is not used, one may still observe and examine it. When one blends it together, one reaches goodness, and when one follows it, one has constant standards. The ancient worthies all acted by this Dao. Understanding it, one can bring Heaven, Earth, spirits, ghosts, and humanity into peace. Applied to the army, it stabilizes the troops; applied to the state, it makes the state flourish. The ancient worthies practiced the Dao in exactly this way.

Heaven keeps constant standards, and Earth keeps constant patterns. One should work together with the common people and also dwell alongside the spirits (shen).

Those who are arrogant, domineering, greedy, and fond of strife, who secretly plot ill-omened affairs, will bring down severe punishment and endanger their own lives. Those who only seize and never give will surely see their state come to ruin. Calamities nearby will follow one upon another, and those far away will spread outward. Once a disaster that runs against reason takes root, who could withstand it?

Heaven detests excessive height, Earth detests boundless expanse, and people detest relentless severity. If height does not stop, Heaven will overturn it. If expansion does not stop, Earth will cut it off. If severity does not stop, people will rise up and kill the one who is harsh.

When someone is about to arrive, one need only observe carefully. Speech should be focused, and action should be focused as well. Once this is achieved, it must be maintained and not lost. Speech should be graceful, and action should flow smoothly. If one does not know when to stop, people will kill him. When someone is about to arrive, one need only observe carefully. Speech should be focused, and action should be focused. Once this is achieved, it must be maintained and not lost. Speech should be graceful, and action should flow smoothly. Even once this is achieved, one should not become self-satisfied because of it.

Therefore, speech is the proof of the heart, the countenance is the revelation of the heart, and breath is the surfacing of the heart. Speech without corresponding action is called deception. Thus, one should speak only once a matter has its beginning, while action must persist to the end. Straight trees are easily felled, and upright people are easily killed.

The Dao (the Way) has no form and no name. It existed before Heaven and Earth, and even today it cannot be fully accomplished. Conduct and guard.

The Yellow Emperor asked Lihei: "When the Dating clan (a legendary ancient sovereign) ruled the world, they did not distinguish Yin-Yang, did not calculate the sun and moon, and did not record the seasons, yet they caused the earth to produce goods naturally. How did they govern?"

Lihei replied: "The Dating clan governed the world calmly and unhurriedly, upright and still, first establishing the principle of gentleness with measure. They were kind, respectful, humble, and frugal, relying chiefly on humility and yielding, and always remaining behind rather than competing to go first. They were upright in conduct and faithful in word, treating others with benevolence. They were merciful and cherished the multitude, dignified and honest yet courageous, but they did not dare to rise above others.

Their hearts were sincere and single-minded; they did not seek after things improperly, and they held fast to one root without seeking anything else. They expressed gentleness and restraint in their actions, so the effects they produced were also gentle. …They rectified their virtue, esteemed moral excellence, and did not contend for victory. They stationed themselves where they dared not act rashly, and conducted affairs as though they were unable to do certain things. They showed only that they did not dare to compete for first place, and understood that holding to what one refrains from doing is what preserves one's position. They kept to softness and restraint, and held firmly to them; when a powerful force reached its limit, they followed the momentum and took it up. By acting in this way, the people did not fight.

The common people labored without suffering hardship; when hungry they did not starve, and when dying they did not resent it. The rulers did not arbitrarily enlarge the burdens on the people, did not launch wars, did not initiate disorder, and did not stir up resentment or conspiracy. They did not plot in secret or make dubious decisions on their own, nor did they scheme to seize others' fields or take away others' dwellings. They settled the people cautiously and followed the regularities of Heaven and Earth. They did not presume to undertake affairs on their own, but waited for forces that opposed the circumstances of the time to exhaust themselves. When they saw land seized or the strength of the people harmed, or the seasons of Heaven violated, they moved to correct matters, returning things to the proper Way.

In this manner, even when they won victories in external campaigns, they did not pursue relentlessly; and after acquiring territory, they did not go back on their word. Victory abroad, yet blessings arose from within. They expended very little effort, and yet their reputation was clear and prominent. This is the utmost of following the regularities of things.

Shundao (Following the Dao)

To understand gain and loss, one must examine names and status and distinguish the forms of things. If the forms of things can remain constant and stable, then my heart will become all the more tranquil. The reputation of affairs will also be clear and prominent. This is the utmost of following regularity."

To know gains and losses, one must examine closely the names of things and their actual forms. The forms of things always manifest themselves on their own; the more I keep still, the more clearly I can see them. Affairs always proceed according to their own patterns, so I do not force any action.

Dwelling quietly in concealment, things arrive of their own accord; when they depart, they also leave of their own accord. Can one be focused, can one stop agitated movement, and can one avoid clinging to the self? Can one make choices according to the particular circumstances of each thing and respect its principles? Whether affairs are minute or numerous, it is as if nothing is retained. Many things come forth, and I have nothing I cannot respond to. I do not keep old experience stored in my mind, nor do I hold onto past preconceptions. What has already passed, I let pass; what arrives is new. When old and new alternate without confusion, my responses can be complete.

The Ten Great Classics (Shi Da Jing) runs to about four thousand characters and is commonly known by this name.

The Dao (the Way) has no beginning, yet it responds to things. Before things arrive, it does not yet exist; once they arrive, it manifests. Things about to appear will first reveal their traces. One establishes them according to these traces, and then names them according to what they are.

What does this mean? Improper punishments harm authority, indulgence of desires destroys the standards of law, and failing to accord with the Dao injures the foundation. Repeatedly stressing these three points says that if a person cannot even preserve themselves, how could they hold onto the state?

The unorthodox follows the course of the unorthodox, and the orthodox follows the course of the orthodox; the unorthodox and the orthodox never travel on the same track.

In general, the patterns by which things change either increase or decrease, either advance or retreat. Those who take the lead in initiating change will meet with danger. Acting in accordance with standards, one will not overstep boundaries; waiting for things to show their signs before observing them, one will not be confused; governing according to the laws, one will not fall into disorder.

The sage does not initiate rashly, does not act arbitrarily, does not plan in advance to seek gain, does not take attainment as the goal, and does not refuse blessings, but conforms to the principles of the Dao of Heaven.

Those who go against the Dao of Heaven will die, those who deceive their ruler will die, and those who despise their superiors will fall into peril.

What the heart desires, the will tends toward; what the will desires, strength follows. Therefore, those who dwell in nests observe the wind, and those who dwell in caves know the coming of rain. This is because they harbor concern and remain constantly attentive. When worry is in the heart, one takes action; only by remaining content in one's position can one endure over time. If one cannot make people obey, one cannot possess them.

Among the ministers of an emperor, in name they are ministers, but in reality they are teachers. Among the ministers of a true king, in name they are ministers, but in reality they are friends. Among the ministers of a hegemon, in name they are ministers, but in reality they are ……. Among the ministers of a ruler whose state is perishing, in name they are ministers, but in reality they are servants.

Those who boast of themselves will be shunned by the many; those who …… others live in danger, and even after death they suffer disgrace. Dwelling at ease, they do not court danger; in hardship, they do not pick and choose their opportunities.

Those who refuse stipends are not regarded by the Son of Heaven as his ministers, and those whose emoluments are meager will not share dangers with him. Therefore, one must proceed according to each person's own circumstances. One does not take office in a strong and wealthy state, does not marry one's daughter into a strong and wealthy family, and does not associate with those of… . One neither insists on ceasing military action entirely nor stubbornly insists on deploying troops; war is an action taken only when there is no alternative.

Those who understand the origins of the Way of Heaven (Tiandao) and examine the regularities of the earth, the sage… sets forth the guiding principles by which heaven and earth operate. His understanding is broad, and he is able to see alone… and to exist alone. The domain of the Son of Heaven extends a thousand li in every direction, while that of each feudal lord extends a hundred li, so that they remain bound to one another. Therefore, in establishing the Son of Heaven, one must not allow the feudal lords to harbor doubts; in establishing the eldest legitimate son, one must not allow the sons of concubines to harbor doubts; and in establishing the principal wife, one must not allow the concubines and maidservants to harbor doubts. Where there is doubt, people will harm one another, and where relations are tangled, people will obstruct one another.

When the time is right for action, one should act swiftly and without fanfare. When the time is not right, one should shut the door and reveal no sign.

Heaven arranges cold and heat, the earth forms heights and depths, and people decide what to give and what to take. When giving and taking are appropriate, one can establish a kingly enterprise; when they are not, one will wander and die. Heaven has a cyclical system of punishment, and those who do evil will ultimately suffer its harm in return.

The world often does not permit people to abandon the standards and act solely according to their own wishes. If one persists obstinately, calamity will follow.

If a state can be preserved, the strength of all under heaven cannot bring about its ruin; if a state is about to perish, the strength of all under heaven cannot keep it alive. When the time has not yet arrived, forcing one's own position into practice will bring calamity.

When the time has not come, one conceals one's virtue; when the time has ripened, one hides one's virtue even more deeply. … shallow … relies on strength. Once the achievement is complete, one returns to the original path, and then no one can take one's place.

The feudal lords do not seek revenge, nor do they wipe away shame; they only look to see where… lies.

For those who secretly do evil, envy others, commit adultery, or steal, one should lower their rank and keep them far from oneself. If their rank is not lowered and they are not kept at a distance, calamity will surely come.

When internal affairs have not been properly handled, one should not speak of external affairs. When minor matters have not been investigated and clarified, one should not speak of great affairs.

Benefits must not be monopolized by one person, and rewards should not be doubled and given unevenly to a single individual. Animals with horns on their heads have no upper front teeth.

When one raises a just pretext for a campaign, one should stop once the aim is achieved. What is genuinely substantial needs no ornamentation, the most sincere words need no embellishment, and the most sublime music is not meant to provoke laughter. A splendid thing must have substance, and if its interior truly has substance, there is no need for much elaboration.

The Dao (the Way) by which Heaven and Earth operate has a left and a right, a yin and a yang. In acting, one should follow the shifting circumstances of the moment and not cling rigidly to the beginning and end one first set out. Take thunderous might as the chariot and rumbling momentum as the horses. Act when it is time to act, and halt when it is time to halt. Rely on the terrain as one's resource and on the common people as one's aid. If one does not accord with these conditions, one's undertakings will lose their foundation.

Palaces built with excessive luxury are abhorred by Heaven. Those who build them should not dwell in them, and even if they do move in, they will ultimately suffer calamity.

Reducing clothing and burial goods to a meager standard should be prohibited. Mobilizing corvée labor to reclaim marshes and lakes, or to cut down trees and shallow forests, should likewise be prohibited, as should gathering people to heap up high ground and fill in low ground. Only when floodwaters arrive may one respond according to the situation. Do not rush to bring about artificial results ahead of their natural time, and do not let things flourish prematurely out of season. Forcing an outcome ahead of time brings ruin, and flourishing out of season cannot last.

The sun brings light, and the moon brings dimness. At nightfall one rests, and at dawn one rises. Do not violate the natural constancy of things, and stop once affairs have reached their proper limit.

The strong may issue commands, while the weak can only comply. When strength is evenly matched, contests are decided according to the rules. If one acts out of hatred yet seeks to win affection, even a father cannot gain his son's closeness. If one acts with an attitude of contempt yet seeks respect, even a ruler will not earn the reverence of his ministers.

When a clan or state is about to rise, it is like preparing to launch a campaign against some place……

The foundation of a state that has decayed from within is like a mountain being cut away on all sides: it will eventually collapse. Upright and worthy people may perish because of the calamities their ancestors left behind, while reckless and defiant people may survive because of the achievements their ancestors left behind. Low ground that is level will gradually rise, while high ground that leans will eventually fall. In the mountains there is [missing text in original], and the scenery is [missing text in original].

Reckless and defiant people survive because of the achievements their ancestors left behind. Low ground that is level gradually rises, while high ground that leans eventually falls. In the mountains there is [missing text in original], [missing text in original], and the scenery is flourishing.

Fierce tigers and wolves can still be held back by shields, yet brothers who live together cannot bring harmony among themselves. When they share one room, they will not yield to each other; when they are apart, they cannot support each other. This damages the root of the state. [Missing text in original] do not come, so why not come and teach one another harmony and brotherly affection? Can the bond of kinship between brothers really be easily altered?

There are three kinds of conduct in the world that lead to death: in anger, failing to measure one's own strength; craving desire without knowing contentment; and, being few and weak, failing to avoid the many strong enemies.

Do not lend weapons to bandits, and do not transport grain for robbers. Lending weapons to bandits and carrying grain for robbers will make the short grow long and the weak grow strong. The balance of power is thus altered, and in the end it turns back to harm oneself.

Things that are not the same are forcibly recommended and merged as identical; things that have no difference are insisted upon as separate. Even when affairs are not deliberately contrived, they will form naturally, and one should accomplish tasks by following such circumstances.

Outwardly close but inwardly repelled is called being alike in appearance but different within. If internal division does not arise, external enemies will withdraw. Once the outer boundaries between parties are clear, the shared inner foundation should also be established. When internal turmoil does not arise, external enemies will retreat.

Those who receive kindness do not necessarily acknowledge being favored; those who lose do not resent [missing text in original]. Heaven has light, yet it does not worry that the people are in darkness; the people avoid doors and windows and take light for themselves, and Heaven need not act. The earth has wealth, yet it does not worry that the people are poor; the people cut wood for fuel and each secures their own sufficiency, and the earth need not act.

When turmoil arises among the feudal lords, if those responsible for pacifying it lose the principles of governance, the state that was already in disorder will instead become the source of further calamity.

When the time is not yet ripe, one cannot yet act, but it will surely be done in this way by later descendants. Therefore it is said: to restrain others while going against principle will in the end bring one to be restrained by others.

The living have dwellings, and the dead have graves. Do not have the living engage in matters concerning the dead. When stirred, one should promptly return to the right path, for the right path is not far away.

If a minister holds two authorities, the state will surely be in peril. That the state has not fallen into crisis is because the ruler is still sustaining the situation; once the ruler loses his position, the state is certainly in danger. That the state has not yet perished after the ruler has lost his position is because the ministers are still assisting.

If a son holds two authorities, the household will surely fall into disorder. That the household has not fallen into disorder is because the parents and elders are still maintaining order; once the elders are gone, the household is in danger. That the household has not yet fallen into disorder after the loss of the elders is because the son is still assisting. If one does not rely on the help of assistants, and does not heed the plans of the wise and enlightened, but depends only on strong city walls and courage sufficient to resist external enemies, this is called having a weak foundation in oneself. A weak foundation leads to errors: the city is not securely defended, and in battle one cannot win.

When two tigers fight, a weak and feeble dog can take advantage of the momentum left after their struggle to subdue them.

Those skilled at governing a state adopt the highest approach of leaving no visible trace; the next is □□□□; the lowest are contention, decision by force, and litigation. The highest approach is to neither contend nor litigate, and not to force decisions. The most excellent strives at the □; the next strives openly; the lowest waits until calamity has already arisen and only then tries to remedy it.

When it is cold, one alone feels hot; when it is hot, one alone feels cold. Life then falls into danger, because this goes against the normal order of things.

Reverence and caution can overcome indolence; resolve can overcome doubt.

The calamity of a state's ruin…… (lacuna in the text)…… does not believe in the □ within it, nor believe that it can be realized. It is already impossible, yet one still does not believe in the…… (lacuna in the text)…… does not believe in the □ within it, nor believe that it can be realized.

Judging whether things are straight or crooked, or whether they bring gain or loss, requires more than verbal claims. One must examine how things change and how they return, scrutinize their names and standing, and then render judgment accordingly. Things that have already been accumulated should first be stored away until the proper moment for their use arrives. The ruler should establish institutions that align governance with accumulation, and should grasp the moment by observing the changes in what has been accumulated. Only in this way can affairs of state be set right and the distinctions of noble and base, survival and ruin, be made clear.

In all discussion, one must take the great meaning of Yin-Yang as the guiding standard. Yin and Yang here refer to paired opposites: Heaven is Yang and Earth is Yin; spring is Yang and autumn is Yin; summer is Yang and winter is Yin; daylight is Yang and night is Yin. A great state is Yang and a small state is Yin; a state that is powerful is Yang and one that is weak is Yin; a time of affairs is Yang and a time of quiet is Yin; extension is Yang and retreat is Yin. The ruler is Yang and the subject is Yin; the high position is Yang and the low position is Yin; the male is Yang and the female is Yin; the father is Yang and the son is Yin; the elder brother is Yang and the younger brother is Yin; the elder is Yang and the younger is Yin; the honored is Yang and the humble is Yin; the eminent is Yang and the afflicted is Yin. Taking a wife and begetting children belong to Yang, while encountering mourning belongs to Yin; commanding others is Yang, while being commanded is Yin; the guest is Yang and the host is Yin; the teacher is Yang and the one who is put to service is Yin; speaking is Yang and silence is Yin; giving is Yang and receiving is Yin.

The Yin aspect takes its model from Earth. The virtue of Earth, De (virtue), is stillness, gentleness, uprightness, and tranquility. It is soft yet measured, does not rush ahead in affairs, and excels at giving without contending. This is the standard of the great earth, and it is the principle by which the yielding Yin governs its conduct in the world.

In the beginning, in its constant and original state, everything was one with Taixu (the Great Void, a vast, formless, and silent condition). Emptiness and the myriad things were merged into a single whole, constant and unified, with no other distinctions. All was chaotic and hazy, with no division between light and dark. A subtle and mysterious power pervaded everything, and the essential qi (jingqi) was still and undisturbed. In antiquity there was nothing that could serve as a basis, and the myriad things had nothing to rely on. There was then neither form nor name; it was boundless and vast, impossible to name. Heaven could not cover it, and Earth could not bear it.

It can make the small become small and the great become great. It fills the four seas within and embraces what lies beyond them. In shade it does not decay, and under the sun it does not wither. It follows its constant law without change and enables each thing to accord with its nature: birds fly because of it, fish swim because of it, and beasts run because of it. The myriad things grow by means of it, and all affairs are accomplished through it. Everyone follows it, yet no one knows its name; everyone uses it, yet no one sees its form. Its designation is "One." Emptiness is its dwelling, non-action (Wuwei) is its nature, and harmony is its function.

Therefore, the supreme Dao (the Way) is too distant to be observed and too profound to be measured. It is manifest yet cannot be confined by any name; it is vast yet cannot be described by any form. It stands alone, without an opposite, and none of the myriad things can govern it. Heaven and Earth, Yin-Yang, the four seasons, the sun and moon, the stars and clouds, and all things that move, act, grow, and reproduce obtain their life from the Dao, yet the Dao is not diminished by this. When the myriad things return to the Dao, it does not thereby increase. It is firm and cannot be destroyed, yielding and cannot be altered. No subtlety can reach it, and no profound inquiry can go beyond it.

Thus only the sage can perceive the Dao that has no form and hear the Dao that has no sound. Understanding that reality lies within emptiness, one can reach the state of Taixu. By penetrating the essential qi of Heaven and Earth, one connects the myriad things without gap, pervading and embracing them without becoming full. One who follows this Dao may be called a master of the Dao. The wise can discern the ultimate limits of things, know what ordinary people cannot know, and attain understanding that ordinary people cannot attain. This is called examining the profound and penetrating the minute. When the sage-king applies this principle, all under Heaven submit to him; he shows no partiality and no aversion. When those in high position act in accordance with the Dao, the people will not be confused. When each of the myriad things is given its proper share, the people will not contend. When things are given appropriate names, the myriad things settle in their places.

Without deliberately pushing governance, one can still carry it through; without slackening in the face of disorder, one can respond to chaos. Confronting vast affairs, one need not force them; following their momentum, one reaches the goal. Probing subtle principles, one need not cling to searching; by according with the Dao, one attains them. Holding fast to the One without being changed by external things is grasping the root of the Dao. Mastering a few key points allows one to know the many things; seizing the essentials of an affair allows one to correct deviation with the upright Dao. Looking forward, one can trace antiquity; looking back, one can discern the minute. Embracing the great Dao and holding to its standards, all under Heaven will return to unity. By examining remote antiquity, one can understand the regularities by which the myriad things move; by tracing things to their source, one can find the grounds of their generation.