The Qi (Vital Force) of Heaven and Earth
天地所蘊(yùn)含的氣?!皻狻笔菢?gòu)成一切有形之物的基本材料,充盈流動(dòng)于天地之間。“天地之氣”沒有具體的形狀,但有陰陽(yáng)兩種相反的屬性。“天之氣”屬陽(yáng),“地之氣”屬陰?!疤斓刂畾狻钡倪\(yùn)行遵循著陰陽(yáng)變化的法則?!疤斓刂畾狻钡慕换プ饔猛苿?dòng)著晝夜寒暑、風(fēng)雨雷電的天象變化,也決定了萬(wàn)物的生成與變化。
"The qi (vital force) of heaven and earth" denotes the two types of qi, an element that constitutes all things corporeal and flows between heaven and earth. Both shapeless, the qi of earth and the qi of heaven respectively possess the opposite attributes of yin and yang. Their movement follows the law of the change of yin and yang. The interaction between the two types of qi leads to the day and-night cycle, the succession of the seasons, and the occurrence of such heavenly phenomena as wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. The interaction also determines how all the things are generated and changed.
引例 Citations:
◎天地之氣,合而為一,分為陰陽(yáng),判為四時(shí),列為五行。(董仲舒《春秋繁露·五行相生》)
天地之氣,聚合而為一,區(qū)別而為陰陽(yáng),分判為春夏秋冬四時(shí),排列為金木水火土五行。
The qi of heaven and that of earth merge into one thing; it evolves into yin and yang, the four seasons, and the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. (Dong Zhongshu: Luxuriant Gems of The Spring and Autumn Annals)
◎天地之氣,莫大于和。和者,陰陽(yáng)調(diào),日夜分,而生物。(《淮南子·泛論訓(xùn)》)
天地之氣的變化,最重要的就是調(diào)和。調(diào)和,就是陰陽(yáng)協(xié)調(diào),日夜分判,而生成萬(wàn)物。
The change in the qi of heaven and that of earth prioritizes harmonization, which refers to the reconciliation between yin and yang, the differentiation between day and night, and then the generation of all the things. (Huainanzi)
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供稿:北京外國(guó)語(yǔ)大學(xué) 外語(yǔ)教學(xué)與研究出版社
責(zé)任編輯:錢耐安