| | The yin-yang vital energies are in the heavens above, as well as within human beings. Within human beings they manifest as likes and dislikes, joy and anger; within heaven they manifest as warmth, clarity, coldness, and heat. They move in and out, up and down, left and right, forward and backward, flowing parallel without ceasing, never becoming detained or stagnant. Within human beings as well, they should flow without retention, just like the seasons proceeding in an orderly and continuous manner. The cessation or movement of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness—this is what Heaven does to human nature and life. When the time comes and one wishes to express a response, it is also a response from Heaven, no different from how warmth, clarity, coldness, or heat arrive at their appointed times and wish to manifest. If one withholds virtue in anticipation of spring and summer, or delays punishment in expectation of autumn and winter, this may seem to follow the order of the four seasons, but in reality it goes against the fundamental principles of Heaven and Earth. That which is within human beings is also Heaven; how then can one long detain the vital energies, causing them to stagnate and preventing them from proceeding in their proper cyclical course? Therefore, Heaven causes the grain of last year to rot in the first month of spring (Yin), while new wheat grows in autumn, announcing the removal of decay and the continuation of scarcity. This is how success follows hardship, providing for human needs. Heaven has great principles in its creation, and among those that circulate there are also harmful influences. To eliminate and destroy these is done urgently without waiting for the proper season—it is Heaven's will, and sage rulers follow this principle to govern. Therefore, in spring one cultivates benevolence and seeks goodness; in autumn one cultivates righteousness and seeks to address evil; in winter one cultivates punishment and brings about clarity; and in summer one cultivates virtue and promotes leniency. This is how one follows Heaven and Earth, embodying the principles of yin and yang. However, when seeking goodness at the appropriate time, one does not release or overlook evil that is seen. When addressing evil at its appointed time, upon seeing goodness one acts on it immediately. When bringing about clarity in winter, upon encountering great virtue one promptly promotes and honors it; When promoting leniency in summer, upon encountering grave evil one immediately removes it. This is to emulate Heaven and Earth, which at the time of creation also bring about destruction, and at the time of destruction also foster life. Therefore, one's will and intentions should follow Heaven and Earth, and the urgency or gentleness of action should emulate yin and yang. Thus, when human affairs are to be carried out properly, they should not become stagnant or obstructed; one should also show leniency toward others and follow Heaven. By combining the principles of humanity and Heaven, this is called adhering to the Mean. Heaven does not bring life in spring solely for human beings, nor does it bring death in autumn solely upon them. Those who are meant to live do so; those who are meant to die do so—it is not that Heaven waits for the four seasons to determine the meaning of killing living things. In human governance, how can one possibly long detain matters that should be acted upon and insist on waiting for the four seasons? This is called obstruction; it is not adhering to the Mean. Human beings have joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure—just as Heaven has spring, summer, autumn, and winter. When joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure arise at their appointed time and wish to be expressed, it is just like spring, summer, autumn, or winter arriving at their respective times and wishing to manifest—it is all the natural course of Heaven's vital energies. They should be expressed directly without stagnation—this is one principle. Heaven completes a full cycle of these four states in the span of a year, whereas a ruler may pass an entire day without experiencing all four. Therefore, their rhythms cannot be made to correspond with one another. Moreover, Heaven's desire to benefit human beings is not merely its wish to benefit grain. To remove decay does not require waiting for the proper time—how much less should one wait when dealing with corrupt people!
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