(Translated by Sherwin Lu)

An Abstract:
Following the Tao means the correct handling of the relationship between Yin and Yang. When the Yin force is brimming over, Yang begins to assert itself and gradually accumulates,… When the Yang force is in full swing, Yin begins to unfold itself and gradually builds up,… Neither is to go to any extremes. Spring and summer are seasons for cultivating the life-giving virtue while autumn and winter for purging the decayed. Cultivation of virtue followed by punishment of the corrupt – this is the way for nourishing life. If one pushes a constraining policy in a season meant for loosening the Yang power of life, the depressing Yin force will untimely come back, and force the insects back underground and induce the return of frost and snow when they should melt, so that all crops will wither away,… Conversely, if one adopts over-indulging policies at a time meant for constraint, the Yang force will come back to induce insects to chirp and weeds to turn green again in winter, preventing the Earth from preserving life’s potentials for unfolding at the turn of the next season. The untimely return of the Yang force re-acts the growth season but actually ruins the potentials for new life. So, nothing will be achieved this way, either. A sage will just follow the natural tide of things and would not invent any clever artifices. He cherishes the people and sees to it that they will enjoy Heaven’s bounty with no hindrance. Therefore, he does not allow anybody to interfere with people’s seasonal activities, nor to exploit the land too aggressively, nor to flinch from combating a powerful enemy or to worry too much about the loss of lives when fighting for Heavenly justice, which means saving more lives.

The Text:
The Yellow Emperor sent his minister, named Li Hei, out in civilian clothes on an inspection tour around the vassal states to see that rules and regulations promoting virtue be set up. Li Hei reported what he saw faithfully: black as black; white as white.… [missing words] … Wicked people had to watch themselves:  they rested when others stopped working, and took up work when they saw others did. When Li Hei is ready to institute legal codes … [missing words] … he said to the Yellow Emperor, “The Heaven and the Earth have taken form and the human race been born, but there are no rules by which to judge what is in compliance with the Tao of Heaven and what is in opposition to It, no regulations according to which to administer punishments and rewards, no timing system to regulate farming and leisure activities, no ranking system to distinguish the noble and the lowly. Now I want to set up all these rules, regulations and systems so that people can tell right and wrong, good and evil, that punishments and rewards can be used to cultivate noble-mindedness, that people’s activities are kept in step with the Heavenly cycles around the Earth. What do you think of it, my Lord?”

The Yellow Emperor said: All things had been one whole before the Heaven and Earth split … [missing words] … with no distinction of day and night, Yin and Yang. Since Yin and Yang were not separated yet, it was not possible to name anything. Now that one is divided into two: Yin and Yang, and the four seasons distinguished … [missing words] … become the norm. The enlightened take it as the Tao, which is profound and subtle, and follow it in whatever they do. Following the Tao is the same as handling the relationship between the female and the male. When there is attraction between the two, then follows the union of the assertive and the receptive. They complement each other and give birth to new forms. When they meet in Heaven, there emerge the cycles of the sun, the moon and all other stars; when they meet on Earth, here emerge all the plants and other living things. Touched with Heavenly subtlety, all on Earth are synchronous with the stars in the sky…. [missing words] … Bathed in the vital breath of the Earth, all living things germinate and grow in due course. All is consummated by the Heavenly Tao. Without the working of the Tao from Heaven, nothing can be consummated; without the nourishment by the Earth, nothing will grow. We humans are born with the consciousness that we need to feed ourselves and procreate. Without union and procreation, there will be no life on Earth to complete its wholeness; without foods, there will be no human intelligence to recognize and practice the Tao of Heaven.

When the Yin force is brimming over, Yang begins to assert itself and gradually accumulates, so that the life-enhancing momentum of the day is initiated and finally produces plenty for human consumption and nourishment. When the Yang force is in full swing, Yin begins to unfold itself and gradually builds up, so that the life-preserving stamina of the night is safely stored and finally gives birth to new life for the species to continue its existence. Neither is to go to any extremes: everything is regulated by punishing the corrupt and encouraging the virtuous. Spring and summer are seasons for cultivating the life-giving virtue while autumn and winter for sweeping away the decayed. Promotion of virtue followed by punishment of the corrupt – this is the Tao, the way for nourishing life. Now that kinship relations among the population are definite and clear, rivaling groups of people keep fighting one another. This must be corrected to bring about order and stability. The most effective means for correction are punishment by law and education in moral virtue. When the two methods are properly used and alternately put into full play, just as the sun and the moon take turns lighting up the Earth, any deviation can be rectified: whether going too far or not far enough in either direction.

Therefore, we must not allow anybody’s self-interest to interfere with our use of human resources; neither should we restrain ourselves for concerns about saving lives when fighting an enemy for a good cause; nor should we exploit the land too aggressively. Too aggressive use of land will lay waste to it. Excessive concern about saving lives will ruin a good cause which saves more lives. Interference from self-interest may unleash over-aggressiveness and trigger unnecessary or unjust wars. Also, as a chieftain of the people, one should restrain from merry-making in the farming seasons so as not to interfere with people’s regular activities as prescribed by the Heavenly cycle. Then, crops will grow normally and yield good harvests; people will be happy and the population will also grow steadily; social relations from top down will be harmonious; and all will be blessed by Heaven. Follow the seasonal cycles to meet the people’s needs and implement edifying measures first before resorting to punishment -- this is in line with the Heavenly way. But if one pushes a constraining policy in a season meant for loosening the Yang power of life, the depressing Yin force will untimely come back, constricting the nourishing capacity of the Earth. Improper purging pressure at a wrong time will force the insects back underground and induce the return of frost and snow when they should melt, so that all crops will wither away, other disasters follow, and nothing can be accomplished. Conversely, if one adopts over-indulging policies at a time meant for constraint, the Yang force will come back running counter to the cycle of seasons, preventing the Earth from preserving life’s potentials for unfolding at the turn of the next season. Improper relaxing of proper penal measures will induce insects to chirp and weeds to turn green again in winter. The untimely return of the Yang force re-acts the growth season but actually ruins the potentials for new life. So, nothing will be achieved this way, either.

Now that the Tao of Heaven is omnipresent and all things on Earth have taken shape, with the alternate ebb and flow of Yin-Yang forces complementing each other, a sage will just follow the natural tide of things. He would not invent any clever artifices but keep in step with the movement of the Tao. He cherishes the people and sees to it that they will enjoy Heaven’s bounty with no hindrance. A wise person holds Heaven in reverence and treats human affairs justly, free from selfish concerns. If somebody or some ruler of another state commits crimes against Heavenly justice, he will take necessary actions to punish him so as to fulfill Heaven’s will, never flinching nor passing the buck. If the time is right, he will seize the chance and make a prompt decision with no hesitation. But if the chance is missed, people will suffer from more troubles.