| | Heaven's virtue is to give, Earth's virtue is to transform, Human virtue is righteousness. Heavenly qi rises upward, earthly qi descends downward, and human qi resides between them. In spring things sprout, in summer they grow; all beings share this process; In autumn things are killed off, in winter they are harvested; all beings store themselves away. Therefore, nothing is more refined than qi, nothing richer than the earth, and nothing more divine than Heaven. The essence of Heaven and Earth that gives rise to all things values no being higher than human beings. Human beings receive their mandate from Heaven, hence they stand apart with a basis upon which to rely. Other beings lack the capacity for benevolence and righteousness; only human beings can embody benevolence and righteousness. Other beings cannot harmonize with Heaven and Earth; only human beings can harmonize with Heaven and Earth. Human beings have 360 joints, corresponding to the number of Heaven; their physical form and flesh correspond to the Earth's abundance. Above, they have ears and eyes that are perceptive—this is analogous to the sun and moon; their bodies contain hollow cavities and meridians—analogous to rivers and valleys; the heart experiences sorrow, joy, happiness, and anger—these are akin to the spiritual forces of qi. Observing human propriety as one, how exalted is humanity above all other beings, and yet humans are analogous to Heaven itself. Other beings merely draw upon the yin and yang of Heaven for their mere survival, whereas human beings clearly exhibit patterns and principles of culture. Therefore, the forms of all other things inevitably bend and conform to Heaven and Earth from the side, but human beings alone stand upright and noble, directly facing forward with uprightness. Therefore, those who take little from Heaven and Earth merely bend to them; those who draw much from Heaven and Earth stand directly in accordance with them. This demonstrates how human beings are distinct from all other things, participating alongside Heaven and Earth. Therefore, the human body has a round head at its top, symbolizing the capacity of Heaven; hair, symbolizes the stars; the ears and eyes, sharp and alert, symbolize the sun and moon; the nose and mouth that breathe represent the winds and qi; the chest, with its capacity for understanding, symbolizes spiritual wisdom; the abdomen, solid yet hollow, symbolizes all things. All beings are closest to the Earth, hence their lower parts correspond to the Earth. The image of Heaven and Earth uses the waist as a belt. Above the neck lies the spirit and dignity, clearly representing the form of human beings; Below the neck is fullness and humility, analogous to soil. The feet are spread and square in shape, symbolizing the form of the land. Therefore, according to rites, when placing a sash or girdle, one must keep the neck straight in order to distinguish the heart. Above the belt is entirely yang; below the belt is entirely yin. Yang represents heavenly qi; Yin represents earthly qi. Therefore, when yin and yang move, they cause ailments in the feet and swellings in the throat. When earthly qi becomes obstructed, it rises upward as clouds and rain, and the human body also responds accordingly. The symbols of Heaven and Earth, the counterparts of yin and yang, are constantly present in the human body. The body is like Heaven itself; its numerical patterns correspond to those above, hence a person's destiny is connected with them as well. Heaven uses the number of days in a full year to form the human body; therefore, there are 366 minor joints, corresponding to the count of days. There are twelve major joints, corresponding to the number of months; Inside there are five viscera, corresponding to the Five Elements count; Externally there are four limbs, corresponding to the Four Seasons count; The eyes open and close alternately, corresponding to day and night; Sometimes firm and sometimes yielding corresponds to winter and summer; Emotions that alternate between sorrow and joy correspond to yin and yang; The mind has thoughts and calculations, corresponding to measurements and numerical patterns; Conduct governed by principles of propriety corresponds to Heaven and Earth. These all manifest on the body's surface, accompanying human beings from birth, aligning and harmonizing through comparison. Where they can be counted, they correspond to numbers; where they cannot be counted, they correspond to categories. All of these should align and correspond with Heaven, as one unified whole. Therefore, by presenting the tangible we make evident the intangible; by grasping what can be counted, we reveal what cannot be counted. Thus, when speaking of the Dao, it is also appropriate for things to correspond according to their categories and harmonize through numerical patterns, just as their forms do.
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