Guan Yinzi said: "Whether like a bowl or a basin, a bottle or a jar, a pot or an urn, all can establish heaven and earth;" Divining tortoise shells, counting yarrow stalks, broken pottery, patterned stones—all can reveal auspiciousness or misfortune. This shows that the principles of all things in heaven and earth are formed, and one thing contains them all. Each thing encompasses it, yet none borrows from another. By combining my essence with that of the other, when two essences meet and interact in accord with the Dao, the spirit responds accordingly. One female and one male, egg-producing; One stallion and one mare, live-bearing. Form is the other's essence; principle is the other's spirit. Love is my essence; observation is my spirit. Love is water, observation is fire. When love clings and observation follows, it becomes water. When observation remains and love is restrained, it is transformed into metal. First imagine the primordial qi, which resides in one thing. Cling to love to unite with its form, and contemplate deeply to unite with its principle; then an image will emerge.

"The imagery of a single movement pervades the boundless void." From the center it rises to become heaven, from the center it descends to become earth—as the scripture says, "Dao produces one, one produces two, two produces three". There is no rising without descending; there is no descending without rising. That which rises is fire, that which descends is water—the interplay of yin and yang. What desires to rise but cannot do so is wood; what desires to descend but cannot do so is metal.

"Wood, as a thing, when drilled produces fire, and when twisted produces water." Metal, as a thing, when struck produces fire, and when melted produces water. Metal and wood are the intersections of water and fire; water is essence and heaven, fire is spirit and earth, wood is soul and human beings, metal is corporeal form and things. That which moves without ceasing is time; that which encompasses yet has a location is space. Only earth begins and ends it, with some who resolve it, and others who demonstrate it."

Guan Yinzi said: "The people of the world cannot be counted in the hundreds of millions, and each person's dreams are different; night after night, their dreams differ as well." There is heaven, there is earth, there are people, there are things—all are conceived into being—as explored in The Adjustment of Controversies; they cannot be counted in myriads. How can one know that the present heaven and earth are not the creation of a thinker?"

Guan Yinuser said: "The heart corresponds to jujube, the liver corresponds to elm; I connect with heaven and earth." When about to be overcast, one dreams of water; when about to clear up, one dreams of fire—Heaven and earth communicate with me. I and heaven and earth seem united yet separated, each returning purely to its own place."

Guan Yinzi said: "Heaven and earth are vast, yet they have color, form, number, and direction. I possess that which is without color, without form, without number, without direction—yet it exists as heaven becomes heaven and earth becomes earth."

Guan Yinzi said: "Those who die in the fetal stage, those who die at the hour of Mao—both are human and thing. Heaven and earth may be vast, yet they remain unaware of it." Calculations about heaven and earth all arise from my distinctions and perceptions. It is like a hand that does not touch the blade, so the blade cannot harm a person." 1. 卵 : Originally read: "卯". 據《正統道藏》本、《墨海金壺》本改。

Guan Yinzi said: "In dreams, in mirrors, in water, there are all heavens and earths present. Whoever wishes to leave the dream of heaven and earth should sleep without sleeping; whoever wishes to depart from the mirrored heavens and earth, let their spirit not reflect; Whoever wishes to leave the watery heaven and earth should not draw water from a jar. Their existence or nonexistence lies here, not there. Therefore, the sage does not abandon heaven and earth, but through wu wei (non-action) abandons knowledge."

Guan Yinzi said: "Heaven is not self-heaven; there are those who make it so; earth is not self-earth; there are those who shape it thus. For example, houses, boats, and carts await people to complete them—they do not complete themselves." Knowing that they depend on something else, one knows this does not. Above, no heaven is seen; below, no earth is seen; Inside, I am not seen; outside, others are not seen."

Guan Yinzi said: "That which has time is qi; that which is not qi never experiences day or night. That which has direction is form; that which is not form never knows north or south. What is meant by that which is not qi? That from which qi itself originates. For example, when you shake a fan and produce wind, before it is shaken, the air is not yet wind; once it has been shaken, it is then called qi. What is meant by that which has no form? That from which form itself originates. For example, when wood is drilled to produce fire, before it was drilled, its shape was not yet fire; once it has been drilled, it is then called form."

Guan Yinzi said: "Changes of cold, heat, warmth, and coolness are like tiles or stones; when placed in fire they become hot, when placed in water they become cold; blow on them and they become warm, suck on them and they become cool. They merely respond to external objects, with warmth or coldness coming and going—but those tiles and stones themselves do not move." It is like the reflection in water, which appears to come and go; yet as for the water itself, it truly does not move."

Guan Yinzi said: "Moving clothing through empty space produces wind; blowing air onto an object produces moisture. Pouring water into water causes a sound, and striking stone against stone produces light. He who understands this principle can produce wind, rain, thunder, and lightning at will." For wind, rain, thunder, lightning all arise from qi, and qi arises from the mind. It is like imagining a great fire within; after some time one feels heat; imagining fire and water internally, after some time one feels cold. He who understands this can be united with the virtues of heaven and earth." 1. 大 : Originally read: "火". 據《正統道藏》本、《墨海金壺》本改。

Guan Yinzi said: "The changes in five kinds of clouds may indicate whether a given year will be bountiful or poor; the arrival of the eight winds can foretell auspiciousness or misfortune at that time. Thus it is known that signs of peace, calamity, disaster, and good fortune are merely the movement of one qi. Blend self and other, unite heaven and earth; yet those with narrow wisdom merely recognize and label them."

Guan Yinzi said: "Heaven and earth are temporary dwellings, all things are temporary dwellings; I am a temporary dwelling, the Dao is a temporary dwelling. If one were to separate from these temporary dwellings, the Dao would not be established either." 1. 于 : Originally read: "干". 據《正統道藏》本、《墨海金壺》本改。