All translations here are licensed under Creative Commons for Becky Groebner. You may use this work for personal purposes, if you have cited it. If you would like the Pinyin for your own personal learning, please let me know. Including it makes reading too messy in this format. There are a number of footnotes for this chapter that are difficult to include in this translation. Please see the post on Suwen 2 for additional comments.  

四 氣 調 神 大 論 篇 第 二

The Great Theory on Regulating the Vitality during the Four Seasons: Chapter 2

春 三 月 ， 此 為 發 陳 。

The three months of Spring,

These are the months when things begin to manifest.

 

天 地 俱 生 ， 萬 物 以 榮.

Heaven and Earth are both being born,

All the living things are thriving.

 

夜 臥 早起 ， 廣 步 于 庭 ， 被 髮 緩 形.

Lie down to sleep during the night and rise early in the morning,

Take many steps through the courtyard,

Cover your hair and keep a leisurely manner and appearance.

 

以 使 志 生.  生 而 勿 殺! 予 而勿 奪 ， 賞 而 勿 罰.

In this way, allow one’s Nature to be generated. 

Focus on generation and do no killing!

Be generous and do not contend for things,

Be rewarding and do not oppress.

 

此 春 氣 之 應 ， 養 生 之 道 也

This is in accord with the Qi of Spring,

It is the Dao (道) of Nourishing Generation.

 

逆 之 則 傷肝 ， 夏 為 實 寒 變 ， 奉 長 者 少 。

Living contrary to this will harm the Liver.

In Summer this will become substantial cold disturbance (變).

Very little can be offered towards the process of Growth.

 

夏 三 月 ， 此 為 蕃 秀 。

The three months of Summer,

These are the months of abundant fruiting and flowering.

 

天 地 氣 交 ， 萬 物 華 實 

The Qi of Heaven and Earth merges,

All the living things are present in their substantiality.

 

夜 臥早 起 ， 無 厭 于 日

Lie down to sleep during the night and rise early in the morning,

Be without animosity during the day.

 

使 志 勿 怒 ， 使 華 英 成 秀 ，

Allow one’s nature to be without anger. 

Engage the greatness of character to accomplish one’s own flowering.

 

使 氣 得 泄 ，若 所 愛 在 外

Permit the Qi to promote elimination,

It seems as if it has a yearning to be outside. 

 

此 夏 氣 之 應 ， 養 長 之 道 也 ；

This is in accord with the Qi of the Summer. 

It is the Dao (道) of Nourishing Growth.

 

逆 之 則 傷 心 ，秋 為 痎 瘧 ， 奉 收 者 少 ， 冬 至 重 病 。

Living contrary to this will harm the Heart.

In Autumn, this will become malarial fever

Very little can be offered towards the process of Harvesting.

There will be serious illness at the Winter Solstice.

 

秋 三 月 ， 此 謂 容 平

The three months of Autumn,

These are the months that are said to allow for balance.

 

天 氣 以 急 ， 地 氣 以 明

The Qi of Heaven is rapidly exhausting,

The Qi of Earth is reaching the end of it’s illumination.

 

早 臥早 起 ， 與 雞 俱 興 

Lie down to sleep early and rise early in the morning;

Rising in unison with the chickens.

 

使 志 安 寧 ， 以 緩 秋 刑 , 收 斂 神 氣

Allow one’s nature to be peaceful and serene, 

Be unhurried in the Autumn harvest.

Harvesting and collecting the Qi of vitality.

 

使秋 氣 平 , 無 外 其 志, 使 肺 氣 清

Allow the Autumn Qi to balance and level, 

Having nothing outside is to follow it’s nature. 

Engage the Lung Qi for purification. 

 

此 秋 氣 之 應 ， 養 收 之 道也 ； 

This is in accord with the Qi of Autumn,

It is the Dao (道) of Nourishing the Harvest.

 

逆 之 則 傷 肺 ， 冬 為 飧 泄 ， 奉 藏 者 少 。

Living contrary to this will harm the Lung.

In the Winter, there will be evening diarrhea or incontinence.

Very little can be offered towards the process of Storing. 

 

冬 三 月 ， 此 為 閉 藏 。

The three months of Winter,

These are the months of securing and storing.

 

水 冰 地 坼 ， 勿 擾 乎 陽 ，

Water becomes ice and the Earth cracks,

Do not disrupt the Yang!

 

早 臥晚 起 ， 必 待 日 光 ，

Lie down to sleep early and rise late in the morning,

Wait for the sunlight to wake up.

 

使 志 若 伏 若 匿 ，若 有 私 意 ， 若 已 有 得,

Allow your Nature to be as if you are subdued;

It is as if you are hiding;

It is as if your thoughts are private;

And it is as if you have concluded (all needs) and are satisfied. 

 

去 寒 就 溫 ， 無 泄 皮 膚 ， 使 氣 極 奪 。

Avoid the cold and seek for warmth,

Do not allow any sweating from the skin.

Permit the Qi the utmost storage. 

 

此 冬 氣 之 應 ， 養 藏之 道 也 ； 

This is in accord with the qi of Winter,

It is the Dao (道) of Nourishing Storage. 

 

逆 之 則 傷 腎 ， 春 為 痿 厥 ， 奉 生 者 少 。

Living contrary to this will harm the Kidney.

In the Spring, there will be atrophy and weakness.

Very little can be offered towards the process of Generation.

 

天 氣 清 淨 ， 光 明 者 也 ， 藏 德 不 止 ， 故 不 下 也 。

The Qi of Heaven is clean and clear, light and illuminated.

It stores these virtues without limit, 

And therefore, they do not descend.

 

天 明 則 日 月 不 明.  

When Heaven holds the illuminating brightness, 

Then the sun and moon are without illumination.

 

邪 害 空 竅, 陽 氣 者 閉 塞, 地 氣者 冒 明, 雲 霧 不 精  則 上 應 白 露 不 下 。

If Xie injures through the empty cracks,

The Yang Qi is locked and obstructed,

The Earth Qi is recklessly illuminated,

And the clouds and mist are not refined, 

Then the response from above is that the White Dew (白 露) does not descend.

 

交 通 不 表 ， 萬 物 命 故 不 施.  不 施 則 名 木 多 死 。 

If the transportation (of the White Dew to Earth) does not manifest,

The life needs of all that are living cannot be achieved.

If these needs are not achieved, 

Then multitudes of the Great Trees will die. 

 

惡氣 不 發 ， 風 雨 不 節 ， 白 露 不 下 ， 則 菀 槁 不 榮 。 

If the corrupt Qi is not expelled,

The winds and rain are not restrained,

And the White Dew fails to descend,

Then what is bountiful will wither and nothing will thrive.

 

賊 風 數 至， 暴 雨 數 起 ， 天 地 四 時 不 相 保 ， 與 道 相 失 ， 則 未 央 絕 滅。

If thieving winds (賊 風) arrive frequently,

Violent rains regularly rise up, 

The four seasons of Heaven and Earth do not sustain each other,

And the Dao that supports them is lost,

Then there is nothing to unite the seasons,

And they are severed and extinguished.

 

唯 聖 人 從 之 ， 故 身 無 奇 病 ， 萬 物 不 失 ， 生 氣 不 竭。

Only the wise people  follow these ideas,

Therefore, their bodies are without extraordinary diseases,

The living things are not lost,

And the Qi can generate is not exhausted. 

 

逆 春 氣 則 少 陽 不 生 ， 肝 氣 內 變 。

If one lives contrary to the Spring Qi, then Shaoyang cannot generate. The Liver Qi will be interiorly disrupted. 

 

逆 夏 氣 則 太 陽 不 長 ， 心 氣 內 洞 。

If one lives contrary to the Summer Qi, then Taiyang cannot mature. The Heart Qi will interiorly cave in. 

 

逆 秋 氣 則 太 陰 不 收 ， 肺 氣 焦 滿 。

If one lives contrary to the Autumn Qi, then Taiyin cannot gather. The Lung Qi will swell the (upper) Jiao.

 

逆 冬 氣 則 少 陰 不 藏 ， 腎 氣 獨 沉 。

If one lives contrary to the Winter Qi, then Shaoyin cannot store. The Kidney Qi will sink unaided. 

 

夫 四 時 陰 陽 者 ， 萬 物 之 根 本 也 。

Indeed, the Four Season’s Yin and Yang are the source and root of all the living things.

 

所 以 聖 人 春 夏 養陽 ， 秋 冬 養 陰 ， 以 從 其 根 .

It is for this reason that the wise person

Nourishes the yang during the Spring and Summer; 

Nourishes the yin during the Autumn and Winter;

And utilizes that which comes from the source of these Seasons.

 

故 與 萬 物 沉 浮 于 生 長 之 門 ，逆 其 根 則 伐 其 本 ， 壞 其 真 矣 。

Therefore, the wise person supports the rising and falling of all living things 

From birth through to the gates of maturity. 

If one lives contrary to the source in this, then their root will be cut away, 

Their true character will be corrupted.

 

故 陰 陽 四 時 者 ， 萬 物 之 終始 也 ； 生 死 之 本 也 ； 逆 之 則 災 害 生 ， 從 之 則 苛 疾 不 起 ，是 謂 得 道 。

Therefore Yin and Yang and the Four seasons,

are the beginning and end of all living things. 

They are the root of birth and death.

If one lives contrary to the principles of Yin and Yang,

Then the ability to generate will collapse.

If one follows these principles,

Then severe illness will not start.

This is called De Dao (得道), or Living in Accordance with the Dao.

 

道 者 聖 人 行 之 ， 愚 者 佩 之 。 從 陰 陽 則 生 ， 逆之 則 死 ； 從 之 則 治 ， 逆 之 則 亂 。 反 順 為 逆 ， 是 謂 內 格 。

The wise people walk the path of the Dao,

The foolish simply ornament themselves in it.

Following Yin and Yang will result in proliferation,

Living contrary to Yin and Yang will result in death.

Following Yin and Yang results in order.

Living contrary to Yin and Yang results in chaos. 

Alternatively, if one submits to a life that is contrary to this,

It is called Nei Ge (內格), or Internal Resistance.

 

是 故 聖 人 不 治 己 病 ， 治 未 病, 不 治 己 亂 、 治 未 亂 ，此 之 謂 也 。  

It has been said that:

The wise people do not treat the situation already with illness,

They treat when the illness has not yet arrived.

They do not treat the situation already in chaos,

They treat the chaos that has not yet arrived.

 

夫 病 已 成 而 後 藥 之 ， 亂 己 成 而 後 治 之 。

Indeed, if the illness has already arrived,

It is too late to give the medicine.

If the chaos has already arrived,

It is too late to treat it.

 

譬 猶渴 而 穿 井 ， 鬥 而 鑄 錐 ， 不 亦 晚 乎  

This is similar to suffering of thirst and then digging a well.

To only then begin fitting and casting the drill,

Is it not also too late?