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The Books

Essential books for study

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Paths to Climb the Mountain

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Chapter 26 The quality of gravity

重為輕根,靜為躁君。是以聖人終日行不離輜重。雖有榮觀,燕處超然。奈何萬乘之主,而以身輕天下?輕則失本,躁則失君。 1. Gravity is the root of lightness; stillness, the ruler of movement. 2. Therefore a wise prince, marching the whole day, does not go far from his baggage wagons. Although he may have brilliant prospects to look at, he quietly remains (in his proper place), indifferent to them. How should the lord of a […]

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Chapter 61 The attribute of humility

大國者下流,天下之交,天下之牝。牝常以靜勝牡,以靜為下。故大國以下小國,則取小國;小國以下大國,則取大國。故或下以取,或下而取。大國不過欲兼畜人,小國不過欲入事人。夫兩者各得其所欲,大者宜為下。 1. What makes a great state is its being (like) a low-lying, down- flowing (stream); — it becomes the center to which tend (all the small states) under heaven. 2. (To illustrate from) the case of all females: — the female always overcomes the male by her stillness. Stillness may be considered (a sort […]

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Chapter 37 The exercise of government

道常無為而無不為。侯王若能守之,萬物將自化。化而欲作,吾將鎮之以無名之樸。無名之樸,夫亦將無欲。不欲以靜,天下將自定。 1. The Tao in its regular course does nothing (for the sake of doing it), and so there is nothing which it does not do. 2. If princes and kings were able to maintain it, all things would of themselves be transformed by them. 3. If this transformation became to me an object of […]

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Sun Tzu on The Art of War

SUN TZU ON THE ART OF WAR THE OLDEST MILITARY TREATISE IN THE WORLD Translated from the Chinese By LIONEL GILES, M.A. (1910)       [This is the basic text of Sun Tzu on the Art of War. It was extracted from Mr. Giles’ complete work as titled above. The commentary itself, which, of […]

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Body Fluids

BODY FLUID JIN YE I. Lung, Spleen and Kidney involved in water metabolism. A. Lung: disperses and descends qi and body fluid. If this function of Lung fails, edema may occur, usually in the face. This type of edema is often treated by inducing sweating, using the opening and closing of pores (another function of […]

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Xue (Blood)

BLOOD XUE I. Definition A. Red liquid, rich in nutrition, circulates in blood vessels. B. Form of Qi, more concentrated; dense form of Qi; inseparable from Qi. C. Blood carries Qi; Qi attached on Blood; Qi moves and pushes Blood to circulate. II. Formation A. Food and water / B. Nutritive Qi, Kidney Essence and […]

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Jīn – 金 – Metal

Dominates Qi and controls respirationRegulates the water passagesDominates skin and hair, Wei Qi, Body fluids, Food essenceOpens into the nosePaired with: Large IntestineReceives waste material from Small IntestineAbsorbs fluids and excretes feces Metal (Chinese: 金; pinyin: jīn), the fourth phase of the Chinese philosophy of Wu Xing, is the decline of the matter, or the […]

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Chapter 18 The decay of manners

大道廢,有仁義;智慧出,有大偽;六親不和,有孝慈;國家昏亂,有忠臣。 1. When the Great Tao (Way or Method) ceased to be observed, benevolence and righteousness came into vogue. (Then) appeared wisdom and shrewdness, and there ensued great hypocrisy. 2. When harmony no longer prevailed throughout the six kinships, filial sons found their manifestation; when the states and clans fell into disorder, loyal ministers appeared. […]

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