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人稟元氣於天，各受壽夭之命，以立長短之形，猶陶者用土為簋廉，冶者用銅為柈杅矣。器形已成，不可小大；人體已定，不可減增。用氣為性，性成命定。體氣與形骸相抱，生死與期節相須。形不可變化，命不可減加。以陶冶言之，人命短長，可得論也。 |
| | Human beings receive their vital energy from heaven, each receiving a destiny of longevity or early death to establish forms of long or short life; this is like potters using clay to make bowls and basins, and metalworkers using copper to make plates and cups. Once the shape of a vessel has been formed, it cannot be made smaller or larger; the human body having already been determined, it cannot be reduced or increased. Using vital energy to form nature, once the nature is formed, destiny becomes fixed. The physical constitution and vital energy embrace the body; life and death depend on their appointed seasons. Form cannot be changed or transformed, and destiny cannot be reduced or added to. Speaking in terms of pottery and metallurgy, the length or brevity of a person's life can thus be discussed.
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或難曰：陶者用埴為簋廉，簋廉壹成，遂至毀敗，不可復變。若夫冶者用銅為柈杅，柈杅雖已成器，猶可復爍，柈可得為尊，尊不可為簋。人稟氣於天，雖各受壽夭之命，立以形體，如得善道神藥，形可變化，命可加增。 |
| | Someone may object: Potters use clay to make bowls and basins; once these vessels are made, they eventually break down and cannot be changed again. As for metalworkers using copper to make plates or cups, although these vessels have already been formed into objects, they can still be melted down again; a plate may become a wine vessel, but a wine vessel cannot become a bowl. Human beings receive vital energy from heaven; although each receives a destiny of longevity or short life, and forms their physical bodies accordingly, if one can obtain the right methods or miraculous medicines, the body may be transformed, and life span extended.
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曰：冶者變更成器，須先以火燔爍，乃可大小短長。人冀延年，欲比於銅器，宜有若鑪炭之化，乃易形；形易，壽亦可增。人何由變易其形，便如火爍銅器乎？《禮》曰：「水潦降，不獻魚鱉。」何則？雨水暴下，蟲虵變化，化為魚鱉。離本真暫變之蟲，臣子謹慎，故不敢獻。人願身之變，冀若蟲虵之化乎？夫蟲虵未化者，不若不化者。蟲虵未化，人不食也；化為魚鱉，人則食之。食則壽命乃短，非所冀也。歲月推移，氣變物類，蝦蟆為鶉，雀為蜄蛤。人願身之變，冀若鶉與蜄蛤魚鱉之類也？人設捕蜄蛤，得者食之。雖身之不化，壽命不得長，非所冀也。魯公牛哀寢疾，七日變而成虎；鯀殛羽山，化為黃能，願身變者，冀牛哀之為虎，鯀之為能乎？則夫虎能之壽，不能過人，天地之性，人最為貴，變人之形，更為禽獸，非所冀也。凡可冀者，以老翁變為嬰兒，其次，白髮復黑，齒落復生，身氣丁彊，超乘不衰，乃可貴也。徒變其形，壽命不延，其何益哉？ |
| | Reply: For metalworkers to alter a formed vessel, they must first subject it to fire and melting before its size or length can be changed. A person who hopes for a prolonged life, wishing to compare himself to copper vessels, should undergo transformation akin to the fire and charcoal of a furnace in order to change form; once the form is changed, longevity may also be increased. How can a person change his form so easily as fire melting copper vessels? The Rites say: "When there is rainwater runoff, do not present fish or turtles." Why so? Because when heavy rain suddenly falls, worms and snakes transform into fish or turtles. These creatures that temporarily change from their original forms are not true beings; therefore, as a cautious subject or child, one dares not present them. Does a person hope for transformation of his body, wishing it to be like the change of worms and snakes? A worm or snake that has not yet transformed is inferior to one that does not transform at all. Worms and snakes that have not transformed are not eaten by people; once they transform into fish or turtles, then people eat them. To be eaten means a short life span, which is not what one hopes for. As time passes and vital energies change, creatures transform into different species; toads become quail, sparrows become clams. Does a person desire transformation of his body in the hope of becoming like quail or clams and fish? People set traps to catch clams, and those who capture them eat them. Even if the body does not transform, a long life span cannot be attained, which is also not what one hopes for. Lu Gong Niua was ill in bed and transformed into a tiger after seven days; Guan was executed at Yushan Mountain and transformed into a yellow crocodile. Does one who wishes for bodily transformation hope to become like Niua becoming a tiger or Guan becoming a crocodile? But the lifespan of tigers and crocodiles cannot surpass that of humans. Among all things in heaven and earth, human nature is most precious; to change from a human form into an animal or beast is not what one should hope for. What is truly desirable is for an old man to transform into a baby; next, white hair turning black again, lost teeth regrowing, and the body's vital energy remaining strong so that vigor does not decline with age—this would be precious indeed. To merely change one's form without extending life span, what benefit is there in that?
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且物之變，隨氣，若應政治，有所象為，非天所欲壽長之故，變易其形也，又非得神草珍藥食之而變化也。人恒服藥固壽，能增加本性，益其身年也。遭時變化，非天之正氣，人所受之真性也。天地不變，日月不易，星辰不沒，正也。人受正氣，故體不變。時或男化為女，女化為男，由高岸為谷，深谷為陵也，應政為變，為政變，非常性也。漢興，老父授張良書，已化為石，是以石之精為漢興之瑞也，猶河精為人持璧與秦使者，秦亡之徵也。蠶食桑老，績而為蠒，蠒又化而為娥，娥有兩翼，變去蠶形。蠐螬化為復育，復育轉而為蟬，蟬生兩翼，不類蠐螬。凡諸命蠕蜚之類，多變其形，易其體；至人獨不變者，稟得正也。生為嬰兒，長為丈夫，老為父翁，從生至死，未嘗變更者，天性然也。天性不變者，不可令復變；變者，不可不變。若夫變者之壽，不若不變者。人欲變其形，輒增益其年，可也。如徒變其形，而年不增，則蟬之類也，何謂人願之？龍之為蟲，一存一亡，一短一長；龍之為性也，變化斯須，輒復非常。由此言之，人、物也，受不變之形，不可變更，年不可增減。 |
| | Moreover, when creatures transform, it follows the changes of vital energy; if there is a transformation with symbolic meaning, it responds to political conditions or natural phenomena. It is not that heaven wishes for longevity and thus transforms their forms, nor is it due to eating miraculous herbs or rare medicines that cause such change. If a person constantly takes medicine to preserve life, he may enhance his innate nature and increase the years of his life. Changes caused by circumstances are not due to heaven's normal vital energy but rather external influences, which do not align with the true nature a person receives. Heaven and earth remain unchanged; sun and moon do not alter their courses; stars do not vanish—this is what is right and proper. Humans receive this normal vital energy, hence the body remains unaltered. Sometimes men transform into women and women into men, just as high banks become valleys and deep valleys become hills—these are changes in response to political conditions, caused by the governance of politics; they are not normal natures. When the Han dynasty rose to power, an old man gave Zhang Liang a book and then transformed into stone; thus, the essence of stone became an omen for the rise of the Han. Similarly, the essence of the Yellow River appeared as a person holding jade to give to a Qin envoy—this was a sign that the Qin would fall. Silkworms feed on mulberry leaves and grow old, then spin themselves into cocoons; the cocoon in turn transforms into a moth. The moth has two wings and changes form to leave behind its silkworm shape. The larva of a beetle transforms into a pupa, the pupa turns into a cicada, and the cicada grows two wings—thus it no longer resembles its original larval form. All creatures of crawling or flying kinds often change their forms and alter their bodies; only the perfected person remains unchanged, for he has received the proper vital energy. Born as an infant, growing into a man, and becoming an old father in later years—throughout life from birth to death, the form has never changed; this is due to natural human nature. If one's innate nature remains unchanged by heaven, it cannot be forced to change again; those who do change are those for whom transformation is inevitable. As for the lifespan of those who transform, it is not as long as that of those who remain unchanged. If a person wishes to change his form and thereby increase his years, this may be acceptable. If one merely changes his form without increasing his lifespan, then he is like a cicada; why would people desire such a thing? Among the creatures known as dragons, some exist and others vanish; some have short lifespans while others are long-lived; the nature of a dragon is to change in an instant, yet such transformations are not constant. From this we may say that humans, like other creatures, receive an unchanging form which cannot be altered, and their lifespan cannot be increased or decreased.
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《傳》稱高宗有桑穀之異，悔過反政，享福百年，是虛也。傳言宋景公出三善言，熒惑郤三舍，延年二十一載，是又虛也。又言秦繆公有明德，上帝賜之十九年，是又虛也。稱赤松、王喬好道為仙，度世不死，是又虛也。假令人生立形謂之甲，終老至死，常守甲形。如好道為仙，未有使甲變為乙者也。夫形不可變更，年不可減增。何則？形、氣、性，天也。形為春，氣為夏。人以氣為壽，形隨氣而動。氣、性不均，則於體不同。牛壽半馬，馬壽半人，然則牛、馬之形與人異矣。稟牛馬之形，當自得牛馬之壽，牛馬之不變為人，則年壽亦短於人。世稱高宗之徒，不言其身形變異，而徒言其增延年壽，故有信矣。 |
| | The Commentary mentions that Emperor Gaozong experienced the unusual growth of mulberry and millet plants, repented his faults, returned to proper governance, and thus enjoyed a hundred years of blessings—this is false. The tradition says that Song Jinggong spoke three good words, causing the planet Mars to retreat by three positions in the sky and thereby extending his life by twenty-one years—this is also false. It is also said that Qin Mu Gong possessed virtuous conduct, and Heaven rewarded him with an additional nineteen years of life—this too is false. To claim that Chi Song and Wang Qiao loved the Dao, became immortals, and transcended to another world without dying is also false. Suppose a person's form at birth is called Jia; from youth until old age and death, he always maintains the shape of Jia. If one practices the Dao to become an immortal, there has never been a case where Jia changed into Yi. The form cannot be altered; the years cannot be reduced or increased. Why is this so? Form, vital energy, and nature are all determined by Heaven. Form corresponds to spring; vital energy corresponds to summer. Humans derive their lifespan from vital energy, and form follows the movement of vital energy. If vital energy and nature are unevenly distributed, then the body will differ accordingly. Cows live half as long as horses; horses live half as long as humans. Therefore, the forms of cows and horses differ from those of humans. To receive the form of a cow or horse, one naturally attains the lifespan of a cow or horse. Since cows and horses do not transform into humans, their lifespans are shorter than those of people. The world speaks of figures like Emperor Gaozong, but does not claim their physical forms changed; it merely states that their lifespans were extended. Therefore, such claims are believable.
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形之血氣也，猶囊之貯粟米也。一石，囊之高大，亦適一石。如損益粟米，囊亦增減。人以氣為壽，氣猶粟米，形猶囊也。增減其壽，亦當增減其身，形安得如故？如以人形與囊異，氣與粟米殊，更以苞瓜喻之。苞瓜之汁，猶人之血也；其肌，猶肉也。試令人損益苞瓜之汁，令其形如故，耐為之乎？人不耐損益苞瓜之汁，天安耐增減人之年？人年不可增減，高宗之徒，誰益之者，而云增加？如言高宗之徒，形體變易，其年亦增，乃可信也。今言年增，不言其體變，未可信也。何則？人稟氣於天，氣成而形立，則命相須，以至終死，形不可變化，年亦不可增加。以何驗之？人生能行，死則僵什，死則氣減，形消而壞。稟生人，形不可得變，其年安可增？ |
| | The blood and vital energy of the body are like a sack storing grain. A sack one dan in size holds just one dan; its capacity is suited to its size. If grain is added or removed, the sack also expands or contracts accordingly. Humans derive their lifespan from vital energy; vital energy is like grain, and form is like a sack. If one's lifespan increases or decreases, then his body should also expand or contract accordingly; how could the form remain unchanged? If human form differs from a sack and vital energy differs from grain, then let us use another analogy: the melon. The juice of a gourd is like human blood; its flesh is like meat. Try to increase or decrease the juice of a gourd while keeping its shape unchanged—can this be done? If people cannot easily add or remove the juice from a gourd, how could Heaven possibly increase or decrease human lifespan? Human lifespan cannot be increased or reduced. If figures like Emperor Gaozong had their lifespans extended, who actually added years to them and how can it be claimed as an increase? If one were to say that figures like Emperor Gaozong underwent physical transformation and thus their lifespans increased, then such a claim could be believed. Now, however, people speak of extended years without mentioning any change in form—this cannot be trusted. Why is this so? Human beings receive vital energy from Heaven; once the vital energy is formed, the body takes shape. Thus, destiny follows accordingly until death. The form cannot be transformed, nor can lifespan be increased. On what basis can this be verified? When a person is alive, they are able to move; when dead, the body becomes rigid and decays. After death, vital energy diminishes, form dissipates, and the body breaks down. Since a living person's form cannot be changed, how can their lifespan possibly be increased?
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人生至老，身變者、髮與膚也。人少則髮黑，老則髮白，白久則黃。髮之變，形非變也。人少則膚白，老則膚黑，黑久則黯，若有垢矣。髮黃而膚為垢，故《禮》曰：「黃耇無疆。」髮變異，故人老壽遲死，骨肉不可變更，壽極則死矣。五行之物，可變改者，唯土也。埏以為馬，變以為人，是謂未入陶竈更火者也。如使成器，入竈更火，牢堅不可復變。今人以為天地所陶冶矣，形已成定，何可復更也？ |
| | From birth to old age, the only changes in a human body are those of hair and skin. When young, one's hair is black; when old, it turns white, and after some time, becomes yellow. Changes in hair do not constitute a change in form. When young, the skin is white; when old, it becomes dark, and with time turns dull as if covered in dirt. Because hair turns yellow and the skin becomes soiled, hence The Rites say: "Yellowed elders with boundless longevity." Changes in hair indicate the aging process and delayed death, but bones and flesh cannot be altered; when lifespan reaches its limit, death occurs. Among the Five Elements, only earth can be transformed or changed. Knead it into a horse, reshape it into a human—this refers to clay that has not yet entered the kiln and been fired. Once formed into an object and placed in the kiln for firing, it becomes firm and unchangeable again. Nowadays, humans are considered to have been shaped by Heaven and Earth; once the form is set, how can it be changed again?
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圖仙人之形，體生毛，臂變為翼，行於雲，則年增矣，千歲不死。此虛圖也。世有虛語，亦有虛圖。假使之然，蟬娥之類，非真正人也。海外三十五國，有毛民、羽民，羽則翼矣。毛羽之民，土形所出，非言為道身生毛羽也。禹、益見西王母，不言有毛羽。不死之民，亦在外國，不言有毛羽。毛羽之民，不言不死；不死之民，不言毛羽。毛羽未可以效不死，仙人之有翼，安足以驗長壽乎？ |
| | Paintings of immortals depict figures with hairy bodies, arms transformed into wings, walking on clouds—thus their lifespans increase and they live for a thousand years without dying. This is an illusionary depiction. The world has false words, and it also has false images. Even if this were true, creatures like cicadas or moths are not truly human beings. Beyond the seas in thirty-five foreign countries, there are peoples with body hair and peoples with feathers—those with feathers have wings. The people with hair or feathers are shaped by the nature of their land; this does not mean that cultivating the Dao causes one's body to grow hair and feathers. Yu and Yi saw Queen Mother Xi, but they did not mention her having hair or feathers. The people who do not die are also found in foreign lands, yet it is not said that they have hair or feathers. The people with hair and feathers are not said to be immortal; the people who do not die are not described as having hair or feathers. Hair and feathers cannot serve as proof of immortality; the wings of immortals, how could they be sufficient to verify longevity?
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