天地之气The qi of Heaven and Earth

天地之气

The Qi (Vital Force) of Heaven and Earth



天地所蕴含的气。“气”是构成一切有形之物的基本材料，充盈流动于天地之间。“天地之气”没有具体的形状，但有阴阳两种相反的属性。“天之气”属阳，“地之气”属阴。“天地之气”的运行遵循着阴阳变化的法则。“天地之气”的交互作用推动着昼夜寒暑、风雨雷电的天象变化，也决定了万物的生成与变化。

"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：

◎天地之气，合而为一，分为阴阳，判为四时，列为五行。（董仲舒《春秋繁露·五行相生》）

天地之气，聚合而为一，区别而为阴阳，分判为春夏秋冬四时，排列为金木水火土五行。

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)

◎天地之气，莫大于和。和者，阴阳调，日夜分，而生物。（《淮南子·泛论训》）

天地之气的变化，最重要的就是调和。调和，就是阴阳协调，日夜分判，而生成万物。

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)