Suwen · The Great Discourse on the Six Subtle Aims

The text

The Yellow Emperor asked: How distant it is — the Dao of heaven. It is like meeting a floating cloud, like looking into a deep pool. A deep pool can still be sounded; a floating cloud, no one knows its far edge. You have often said: carefully serve heaven's Dao. I heard it and stored it. In my heart I privately wondered; I did not know what it meant. I wish you to pour out your mind and speak the matter fully, so that it is not extinguished at the end, lasts long and does not break. May the Dao of heaven be heard? Qi Bo bowed his head, bowed again, and answered: How bright a question — asking after the Dao of heaven. This is to follow heaven's order, the times of fullness and decline. The Emperor said: I wish to hear of the Dao of heaven, the measure of six and six — what is fullness and decline? Qi Bo said: Above and below have their places; left and right have their record. So to the right of Shaoyang, Yangming governs. To the right of Yangming, Taiyang governs. To the right of Taiyang, Jueyin governs. To the right of Jueyin, Shaoyin governs. To the right of Shaoyin, Taiyin governs. To the right of Taiyin, Shaoyang governs. These are what is called the tip of qi; one faces south and waits for them. Therefore it is said: follow heaven's order, the times of fullness and decline; shift the light, set the position, stand upright and wait. This is what it means. Above Shaoyang, fire qi governs; in the middle, Jueyin is seen. Above Yangming, dry qi governs; in the middle, Taiyin is seen. Above Taiyang, cold qi governs; in the middle, Shaoyin is seen. Above Jueyin, wind qi governs; in the middle, Shaoyang is seen. Above Shaoyin, heat qi governs; in the middle, Taiyang is seen. Above Taiyin, damp qi governs; in the middle, Yangming is seen. This is what is called the root. Below the root is what is seen in the middle. Below what is seen is the tip of qi. Root and tip are not the same; qi answers with different images. The Emperor said: There is arriving and arriving; arriving and not arriving; arriving and going too far. Why? Qi Bo said: Arriving and arriving is harmony. Arriving and not arriving: the coming qi falls short. Not yet the time, and it arrives: the coming qi has surplus. The Emperor said: Arriving and not arriving, not yet the time and it arrives — what then? Qi Bo said: If it answers, it is with; if not, it is against. Against, and change is born; change born, and there is illness. The Emperor said: Good. Please speak of the answering. Qi Bo said: In things, birth is the answering. In qi, the pulse is the answering. The Emperor said: Good. I wish to hear how the pattern of earth answers the six measures and the places of qi. Qi Bo said: To the right of the clear brightness is the place of sovereign fire. To the right of sovereign fire, step back one pace: ministerial fire governs. Step again: soil qi governs. Step again: metal qi governs. Step again: water qi governs. Step again: wood qi governs. Step again: sovereign fire governs. Below ministerial fire, water qi receives it. Below the water place, soil qi receives it. Below the soil place, wind qi receives it. Below the wind place, metal qi receives it. Below the metal place, fire qi receives it. Below sovereign fire, yin jing receives it. The Emperor said: Why? Qi Bo said: When it runs to the extreme, it harms; what receives it then checks it. Checked, there is transformation and birth; outside, fullness and decline are arrayed. If it harms, there is ruin and disorder, and transformation and birth become a great illness. The Emperor said: What of fullness and decline? Qi Bo said: Not in its place, it is stray; in its place, it is upright. Stray, and the change is severe; upright, and it is slight. The Emperor said: What is called being in its place? Qi Bo said: The wood movement arriving at Mao; the fire movement arriving at Wu; the soil movement arriving at the four seasons; the metal movement arriving at You; the water movement arriving at Zi — these are called the Year's Meeting, the level of qi. The Emperor said: And not in its place? Qi Bo said: The year does not meet. The Emperor said: In a year of the soil movement, Taiyin is seen above; in a year of the fire movement, Shaoyang or Shaoyin is seen above; in a year of the metal movement, Yangming is seen above; in a year of the wood movement, Jueyin is seen above; in a year of the water movement, Taiyang is seen above — what of this? Qi Bo said: Heaven meets with it. Therefore the Book of Heaven's Origin says: Heaven's Tally. What of Heaven's Tally and the Year's Meeting? Qi Bo said: It is the meeting of the Great Unity Heaven's Tally. The Emperor said: What of honor and lowliness? Qi Bo said: Heaven's Tally is the law-holder; the year's place is the order-bearer; the Great Unity Heaven's Tally is the honored one. The Emperor said: When the stray strikes, what then? Qi Bo said: Strike the law-holder, and the illness is swift and dangerous. Strike the order-bearer, and the illness is slow and holds. Strike the honored one, and the illness is sudden, and there is death. The Emperor said: What of the exchanging of places? Qi Bo said: When the sovereign is in the minister's place, it is with; when the minister is in the sovereign's place, it is against. Against, and the illness is near, the harm swift; with, and the illness is far, the harm slight. This is what is meant by the two fires. The Emperor said: Good. I wish to hear of the paces. Qi Bo said: What is called a pace is sixty degrees and a remainder. Therefore twenty-four paces gather the surplus of a hundred marks and complete a day. The Emperor said: How do the six qi answer the changes of the five phases? Qi Bo said: A place has an end and a beginning; qi has a first half and a middle. Above and below are not the same; seeking them differs as well. The Emperor said: How does one seek them? Qi Bo said: Heaven's qi begins at Jia; earth's qi begins at Zi. Zi and Jia join; this is named the establishing of the year. Watch the time carefully, and qi can be awaited. The Emperor said: I wish to hear, in a year, how the six qi begin and end, early and late. Qi Bo said: How bright a question this is. In a Jia-Zi year, the first qi of heaven's count begins at the first mark after the water drops, and ends at eighty-seven and a half marks. The second qi begins at eighty-seven marks and six parts, and ends at seventy-five marks. The third qi begins at seventy-six marks, and ends at sixty-two and a half marks. The fourth qi begins at sixty-two marks and six parts, and ends at fifty marks. The fifth qi begins at fifty-one marks, and ends at thirty-seven and a half marks. The sixth qi begins at thirty-seven marks and six parts, and ends at twenty-five marks. This is called the first six — the number of heaven. In a Yi-Chou year, the first qi of heaven's count begins at twenty-six marks, and ends at twelve and a half marks. The second qi begins at twelve marks and six parts, and ends at the hundredth mark after the water drops. The third qi begins at the first mark, and ends at eighty-seven and a half marks. The fourth qi begins at eighty-seven marks and six parts, and ends at seventy-five marks. The fifth qi begins at seventy-six marks, and ends at sixty-two and a half marks. The sixth qi begins at sixty-two marks and six parts, and ends at fifty marks. This is called the second six — the number of heaven. In a Bing-Yin year, the first qi of heaven's count begins at fifty-one marks, and ends at thirty-seven and a half marks. The second qi begins at thirty-seven marks and six parts, and ends at twenty-five marks. The third qi begins at twenty-six marks, and ends at twelve and a half marks. The fourth qi begins at twelve marks and six parts, and ends at the hundredth mark after the water drops. The fifth qi begins at the first mark, and ends at eighty-seven and a half marks. The sixth qi begins at eighty-seven marks and six parts, and ends at seventy-five marks. This is called the third six — the number of heaven. In a Ding-Mao year, the first qi of heaven's count begins at seventy-six marks, and ends at sixty-two and a half marks. The second qi begins at sixty-two marks and six parts, and ends at fifty marks. The third qi begins at fifty-one marks, and ends at thirty-seven and a half marks. The fourth qi begins at thirty-seven marks and six parts, and ends at twenty-five marks. The fifth qi begins at twenty-six marks, and ends at twelve and a half marks. The sixth qi begins at twelve marks and six parts, and ends at the hundredth mark after the water drops. This is called the fourth six — the number of heaven. Next, in a Wu-Chen year, the first qi begins again at the first mark. It is always like this, without end; it circles and begins again. The Emperor said: I wish to hear of watching the year. Qi Bo said: How thorough a question this is. When the sun has completed one circuit, heaven's qi begins at the first mark. When the sun has completed a second circuit, heaven's qi begins at twenty-six marks. When the sun has completed a third circuit, heaven's qi begins at fifty-one marks. When the sun has completed a fourth circuit, heaven's qi begins at seventy-six marks. When the sun has completed a fifth circuit, heaven's qi begins again at the first mark. This is called one record. Therefore the years Yin, Wu, and Xu share the same meeting of qi; Mao, Wei, and Hai share the same meeting of qi; Chen, Shen, and Zi share the same meeting of qi; Si, You, and Chou share the same meeting of qi. They finish and begin again. The Emperor said: I wish to hear of their use. Qi Bo said: One who speaks of heaven seeks the root; one who speaks of earth seeks the place; one who speaks of the person seeks the meeting of qi. The Emperor said: What is called the meeting of qi? Qi Bo said: The places of above and below, the middle where qi meets — this is where the person dwells. Therefore it is said: above the heavenly pivot, heaven's qi governs; below the heavenly pivot, earth's qi governs; in the share of the meeting of qi, the person's qi follows, and the ten thousand things come from it. This is what it means. The Emperor said: What is called first half and middle? Qi Bo said: The first half is thirty degrees and a remainder; the middle qi follows the same rule. The Emperor said: Why first half and middle? Qi Bo said: So as to divide heaven and earth. The Emperor said: I wish to hear it to the end. Qi Bo said: The first half is earth's qi; the middle is heaven's qi. The Emperor said: What of their ascent and descent? Qi Bo said: The ascent and descent of qi is the alternating use of heaven and earth. The Emperor said: I wish to hear how they are used. Qi Bo said: When ascent is finished, there is descent — what descends is called heaven. When descent is finished, there is ascent — what ascends is called earth. Heaven's qi descends, and qi flows upon the earth; earth's qi ascends, and qi rises toward heaven. So high and low call to each other; ascent and descent cause each other — and change arises. The Emperor said: Good. Cold and dampness meet; dryness and heat come face to face; wind and fire fall in together. Have you heard of this? Qi Bo said: Qi has domination and return. In the working of domination and return there is virtue and transformation, use and change. When there is change, stray qi takes up its dwelling. The Emperor said: What is called stray? Qi Bo said: The birth of things follows from transformation; the extreme of things comes from change. Transformation and change press against each other — this is the source of completion and ruin. So qi has going and coming; use has slowness and speed. These four being present, there is transformation and there is change — and the wind arrives. The Emperor said: Slowness and speed, going and coming: this is where wind is born, and there is transformation and change — so it is only because of the changes of fullness and decline. Completion and ruin lean on each other and wander in the middle. Why? Qi Bo said: Completion and ruin lean on each other and are born from motion. Motion that does not cease: then change arises. The Emperor said: Is there a term? Qi Bo said: Neither birth nor transformation. That is the term of stillness. The Emperor said: Neither transformed nor born? Qi Bo said: If going out and coming in are abandoned, the spirit-mechanism of transformation is extinguished. If ascent and descent cease, the standing of qi is left alone and in danger. Without going out and coming in, there is no means of birth, growth, robustness, age, and ending. Without ascent and descent, there is no means of birth, growth, transformation, gathering, and storing. Therefore ascent and descent, going out and coming in, are in every vessel. The vessel is the house of transformation and birth. When the vessel scatters, they part, and transformation and birth cease. So there is nothing that does not go out and come in; nothing that does not ascend and descend. Transformation has the small and the great; terms have the near and the far. These four being present, what is precious is to keep them constantly. Go against the constant, and disaster arrives. Therefore it is said: without form, without harm. This is what it means. The Emperor said: Good. Is there that which is neither born nor transformed? Qi Bo said: How thorough a question this is. Joined as one with the Dao — only the true person. The Emperor said: Good.

The line

The Yellow Emperor asked: How distant it is — the Dao of heaven. It is like meeting a floating cloud, like looking into a deep pool. A deep pool can still be sounded; a floating cloud, no one knows its far edge.

The note

Like meeting a floating cloud, like looking into a deep pool. The six subtle aims take ascent and descent, going out and coming in — almost invisible — and make them something you can stand and see.