| | 天地: |
天者何也？天之為言鎮也，居高理下，為人鎮也。地者，易也。言養萬物懷任，交易變化也。 |
| | What is Heaven? "Heaven" means "Zhen," meaning to pacify. It resides high above and governs the lower regions, serving as a pacifier for people. Earth refers to change or transformation ("Yi"). It means nurturing all things and carrying them within, facilitating their exchange and transformation.
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| | 天地: |
始起之天，始起先有太初，後有太始，形兆既成，名曰太素。混沌相連，視之不見，聽之不聞，然後剖判清濁。既分，精出曜布，度物施生。精者為三光，號者為五行。行生情，情生汁中，汁中生神明，神明生道德，道德生文章。故《乾鑿度》云：「太初者，氣之始也。太始者，形兆之始也；太素者，質之始也。陽唱陰和，男行婦隨也。」 |
| | At the beginning of Heaven's origin, first there was Tai Chu, then came Tai Shi; once forms and signs had taken shape, it was named Tai Su. In the beginning, chaos (hundun) was connected; it could not be seen with the eyes nor heard with the ears. Only after this did clarity and turbidity separate. After separation, essence emerged and brilliance spread, measuring things and bestowing life upon them. The essence became the Three Lights (San Guang), while the designations became the Five Elements (Wu Xing). The Five Elements gave rise to emotions; emotions produced essence within, and from this essence arose the divine and enlightened (Shen Ming). From the divine and enlightened emerged morality and virtue (Dao De), and from morality and virtue came literature and culture (Wen Zhang). Therefore, Qian Zao Du says: "Tai Chu is the beginning of qi." Tai Shi is the beginning of forms and signs; Tai Su is the beginning of substance. Yang leads and Yin follows, just as men lead and women follow."
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| | 天地: |
天道所以左旋、地道右周何？以為天地動而不別，行而不離。所以左旋、右周者，猶君臣、陰陽相對之義。 |
| | Why does the celestial way rotate to the left while the terrestrial way moves rightward in cycles? It is because Heaven and Earth move without distinction, travel without separation. The reason for the leftward rotation of Heaven and the rightward cycling of Earth is analogous to the mutual relationship between ruler and minister, or Yin and Yang in opposition.
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| | 天地: |
男女總名為人，天地所以無總名何？曰：天圓地方，不相類，故無總名也。 |
| | Men and women are collectively named as "people." Why then do Heaven and Earth not have a collective name? It is said: Heaven is round and Earth is square; they are unlike each other, hence there is no collective name for them.
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| | 天地: |
君舒臣疾，卑者宜勞，天所以反常行何？以為陽不動，無以行其教；陰不靜，無以成其化。雖終日乾乾，亦不離其處也。故《》曰：「終日乾乾，反覆道也。」 |
| | The ruler moves leisurely while the minister acts swiftly; the inferior should labor diligently. Why then does Heaven act contrary to this norm? It is because Yang, if motionless, would be unable to carry out its function of instruction; Yin, if not still, would be unable to complete its transformation. Even though it is constantly active and diligent throughout the day, Heaven does not leave its place. Therefore, the Yi Jing says: "Constantly active and diligent all day long—this is the principle of returning to the Dao."
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