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Confucianism -> Lunheng -> Ziran -> 8

The following question may be raised:
'Man is born from Heaven and Earth.
Since Heaven and Earth are inactive,
man who has received the fluid of Heaven,
ought to be inactive likewise,
?」 wherefore does he act nevertheless?'
For the following reason.
A man with the highest, purest, and fullest virtue
has been endowed with a large quantity of the heavenly fluid,
therefore he can follow the example of Heaven,
and be spontaneous and inactive like it.
He who has received but a small quota of the fluid,
does not live in accordance with righteousness and virtue,
and does not resemble Heaven and Earth.
Hence he is called unlike,
which means that he does not resemble Heaven and Earth.
Not resembling Heaven and Earth
he cannot be accounted a wise man or a sage.
Therefore he is active.
Heaven and Earth are the furnace,
and the creating is the melting process.
How can all be wise, since the fluid of which they are formed is not the same?
Huang and Lao were truly wise.
黃帝Huang is Huang Di, and Lao is Laozi.
Huang and Lao's conduct was such,
that their bodies were in a state of quietude and indifference.
Their government consisted in inaction.
They took care of their persons, and behaved with reverence, hence Yin and Yang were in harmony.
They did not long for action, and things were produced of themselves;
they did not think of creating anything, and things were completed spontaneously.


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