Punishment and Virtue

The Huainanzi says: On the winter solstice day, the Dipper’s handle points north to the cord; yin qi is at its extreme and yang qi is just stirring, so winter solstice is called Virtue. On the summer solstice day, the Dipper’s handle points south to the cord; yang qi is at its extreme and yin qi is just stirring, so summer solstice is called Punishment. When yin qi is extreme it reaches north to the North Pole and below to the Yellow Springs, so one must not dig the ground or sink wells. The ten thousand things close and store; hibernating creatures keep their heads in their nests—thus Virtue is in the chamber. When yang qi is extreme it reaches south to the South Pole and above to the Scarlet Heaven, so one must not level mounds or climb onto roofs. The ten thousand things multiply and grow; the five grains sprout and lengthen—thus Virtue is in the fields.

This takes Zi-Wu and Mao-You as the two cords—the so-called Cross of the Heart of Heaven. Again, summer solstice is Punishment and winter solstice is Virtue; punishment is yin, virtue is yang. Yang qi rises to its extreme and reaches the Scarlet Heaven; yin qi sinks to its extreme and reaches the Yellow Springs.

It also says: Each month, Virtue resides in the chamber for thirty days—fifteen days before the day and fifteen after—and then shifts to dwell thirty days in each successive place. When Virtue is in the chamber, Punishment is in the fields; when Virtue is in the hall, Punishment is in the lanes; when Virtue is in the courtyard, Punishment is in the alleys. When yin and yang are virtuous to each other, Punishment and Virtue join at the gate. In the second and eighth months, yin and yang qi are equal and day and night are balanced—this is called Punishment and Virtue joining at the gate. When Virtue is south there is life; when Punishment is south there is killing. Hence it is said: in the second month they meet and the ten thousand things are born; in the eighth month they meet and grass and trees die.

Virtue begins from Zi and Punishment from Wu. In the second month Mao, Punishment and Virtue enter Mao and join at the gate of the seven dwellings; in the eighth month You, Punishment and Virtue enter You and also join the gate of the seven dwellings. From Mao to Si, Virtue is in the south and brings life—hence in the Mao month the ten thousand things are born. From Wu to You, Punishment is in the south and is called killing—hence in the You month grass and trees die.

The Cantongqi says: Dragon west, tiger east; establish the warp at Mao-You. Punishment and Virtue meet together and rejoice at sight of each other. Punishment governs submission and killing; Virtue governs arising and coming forth. In the second month elm leaves fall as Kui arrives at Mao; in the eighth month wheat sprouts as Tiangang takes position at You.

What Kui arrives at is the qi of life; what Tiangang takes position with is the qi of killing—hence the meaning of facing and turning away. Therefore the Cantongqi again says: “Zi in the south and Wu in the north, each other’s guiding standard. The numbers one and nine end and then begin anew.”

Zi in the south and Wu in the north is the art of inversion. One is water, nine is fire. In the inversion’s use, Xuanxiao is at Zi, under the lodge of Xu and Wei.