帝曰∶何谓邪乎？岐伯曰∶夫物之生从于化，物之极由乎变，变化之相薄，成败之所由也。（按∶景岳曰∶
“物之生从于化，由化而生也；物之极由乎变，由极而变也。生由化而成，其气进；败由变而致，其气退。
故曰变化之相薄，成败之所由也。薄，侵迫也。”）按天元纪大论，物生谓之化，物极谓之变，是解变化之义；
此言从于化，由乎变，是推原所以生极之故也。文虽同而义实异，王注
及诸家俱作一例解，亦未之思也。故气有往复，用有迟速，四者之有，而化而变，风之来也。（按，往者时之
退，复者令之新，迟者应至而不至，速者不应至而至也。四序推移，固有一定之常数，应至而至，风之正也；乃
气有非常，则或未至而至，或至而不至，变变化化，风邪于是乎来也，惟有迟速而变化生焉。下文方推原到盛衰，
景岳即以迟速为盛衰，误矣。）帝曰∶迟速往复，风所由生，而化而变，故因盛衰之变耳。成败倚伏游乎中，
何也？（按∶帝言风邪之起，固由于气之往来迟速，然其所以迟速之故，衰则迟而盛则速耳。其间或成或败，
或先成而败即倚焉，或败矣而成即伏焉，咸不外乎往复迟速者何故。）岐伯曰∶成败倚伏生乎动，动而不已则
变作矣。（按∶景岳曰∶“动静者，阴阳之用也。所谓动者，即形气相感也，即上下相召也，即往复迟速也，
即升降出入也，由是而成败倚伏，无非由动而生也。但动而正则吉，不正则凶，动而不已，则灾变由之而作矣。”
成败之相倚伏也，实变化之自然，动乎其不得不动，动静之常也；若动而不已，是有动无静，气反其常，灾变必
因之而作，天地且然，人其可多动乎。）帝曰∶有期乎，岐伯曰∶不生不化，静之期也。（按∶景岳曰∶“阳
动阴静，相为对待，一消一息，各有其期。上文言成败倚伏生乎动，即动之期也；动极必变，而至于不生不化，
即静之期也。然则天地以春夏为动，以秋冬为静；人以生为动，死为静也。”）帝曰∶不生化乎？（“帝疑天地之
道，岂真有不生不化者乎。”）岐伯曰∶出入废则神机化灭，升降息则气立孤危。（按∶景岳曰∶“凡物之动
者，血气之属也，其生气根于身之中，以神为生气之主，故曰神机。然神之存亡，由于饮食呼吸之出入，出入
废，则神机化灭而动者息矣。物之植者，草木金石之属也，其生气根于形之外，以气为荣枯之主，故曰气立。
然气之盛衰，由于阴阳之升降，升降息，则气立孤危而植者败矣。”按五常政大论曰∶“根于中者，命曰神机，
神去则机息；根于外者，命曰气立，气止则化绝。”）是则神机气立者，万物之所恃以
生化，而天地之道所必不可无者也。无生化则无万物，无万物且不成其为天地，故下文云云也。故非出入则无
以生长壮老已，非升降则无以生长化收藏。（按∶景岳曰∶“生长壮老已，动物之始终也，故必赖呼吸之出入；
生长化收藏，植物之盛衰也，故必赖阴阳之升降。”）是以升降出入，无器不有，故无不出入，无不升降。（包
藏生气者，皆谓生化之器，触物然矣。夫窍横者，皆有出入去来之气；窍竖者，皆有阴阳升降之气往复于中。
何以明之？则壁 户牖两面伺之，皆承来气冲击于人，是则出入气也。夫阳升则井寒，阴升则水暖，以物投井及
叶坠空中，翩翩不疾，皆升气所碍也。虚管溉满，捻上悬之，水固不泄，为无升气而不能降也。空瓶小口，顿
溉不入，为气不出而不能入也。由是观之，升无所不降，降无所不升，无出则不入，无入则不出。夫群品之中，
皆出入升降，不失常守，而云非化者，未之有也。有识无识，有情无情，去出入，已升降，而得存者，亦未之
有也。故曰出入升降，无器不有。按∶启玄妙喻，得未曾有，但无不出入二句，王本在下节器者生化之宇之下，
详味文义，必错简也，今移置于此。）故器者生化之宇，器散则分之，生化息矣。（按∶易曰∶“形而下者谓
之器，形而上者谓之道。”）器以载道，所以藏神而葆气者也。生生化化，皆从此出，故曰生化之宇。宇者，
天地四方之名也。如或不能保守形器，则必致于解散，而升者自升，降者自降，出者自出，入者自入，各相分
而生化息矣，此宝命全角之论所由作也。化有小大，期有近远。（按∶张景岳曰∶“物之小者如秋毫之微，
大者如天地之广，此化之小大也。夭者如蜉蝣之朝暮，寿者如彭 之百千，此期之近远也。化之小者其期近，
化之大者其期远，万物之气数固有不齐，及其同归于化与期则一也。”）四者之有，而贵常守，反常则灾害至
矣。（四者，谓出入升降也。按∶人有此生，则必有此四者，有升有降，有出有入，是其常也，谨而守之，则
生化无穷。如有升无降，有降无升，有入无出，有出无入，则反其常道，而灾害未有不至者也。）故曰
无形无患，此之谓也。（夫喜于遂，悦于色，畏于难，惧于祸，外恶风寒暑湿，内繁饥饱爱欲，皆以形无所隐，
故常婴患累于人间也，若便想慕滋蔓，嗜欲无厌，外附权门，内丰情伪，则动以牢网，坐招燔 ，欲思释缚，
其可得乎，是以身为患阶尔。老子曰∶“吾所以有大患者，为吾有身，及吾无身，吾有何患。”此之谓也。）
帝曰∶善！有不生不化乎？岐伯曰∶悉乎哉问也！与道协议，惟真人也。帝曰∶善！（言人有逃阴阳，免
生化，而不生不化，无始无终，同太虚自然者乎？真人之身，隐见莫测，出入天地，内外顺道，至真以生，其
为小也入于无间，其为大也过虚空界，不与道如一，其孰能尔乎。按∶昔人云∶爱生者可杀也，爱洁者可 也，
爱荣者可辱也，爱完者可破也。本无生，孰杀之；本无洁，孰 之；本无荣，孰辱之；本无完，孰破之。知乎
此者，可以出入造化，游戏生死矣。真见道语。）
黄帝问：什么是邪气？岐伯说：万物的生长依赖于“化”，万物的极点则源于“变”。变化相互迫近，是成败产生的根源。（按语：张景岳说：“万物的生长从于‘化’，是由化而生成的；万物的极点由于‘变’，是由极而转变的。生由化而成，其气是进；败由变而致，其气是退。所以说变化相互迫近，是成败产生的根源。薄，意为侵迫。”）参照《天元纪大论》，万物生成称为“化”，物极必反称为“变”，这是解释“变化”的含义；这里说“从于化，由乎变”，是推究产生生长和极点的根本原因。文字虽然相同，但含义实际上不同，王冰注及各家都作同一类解释，也是没有深思的缘故。所以气有往和复，用有迟和速，这四种情况的存在，从而产生化和变，风也就由此而来。（按语：往者指时间的退去，复者指时令的新至，迟者指应到而未到，速者指不应到而先到。四季推移，固然有一定的常数，应到而至，是正常的风；但如果气有异常，则或未到先到，或已到未到，变化无常，风邪于是产生，只有迟速而变化随之产生。下文才推究到盛衰，张景岳却把迟速当作盛衰，这是错误的。）
黄帝问：迟、速、往、复，是风产生的原因，进而产生化和变，所以是因为盛衰的变化罢了。成功与失败相互依存潜伏于其中，为什么呢？（按语：黄帝说风邪的产生，固然由于气的往来迟速，然而之所以有迟速的原因，衰则迟而盛则速罢了。其间或有成或败，或先成而后败随即依附，或已败而后成随即潜伏，都不外乎往复迟速的原因是什么。）
岐伯说：成功与失败的相互依存潜伏产生于“动”，动不停止就会发生变异。（按语：张景岳说：“静和动，是阴阳的作用。所谓动，就是形气相互感应，就是上下相互召唤，就是往复迟速，就是升降出入，因此成功与失败相互依存，无非都是由动而产生的。但是动而正就吉，不正就凶，动个不停，灾害变异就由此产生。”成功与失败的相互依存潜伏，实际上是变化的自然规律，动是不得不动，动静是常态；如果动个不停，就是有动无静，气反而违背常态，灾害变异必然因此产生，天地尚且如此，人难道可以多动吗？）
黄帝问：有固定的时期吗？岐伯说：不生不化，是静的时期。（按语：张景岳说：“阳动阴静，互为对待，一消一息，各有其期。上文说成败依存潜伏产生于动，即动的时期；动极必变，以至于不生不化，即静的时期。那么天地以春夏为动，以秋冬为静；人以生为动，死为静。”）
黄帝问：有不生化吗？（“黄帝怀疑天地的道理，难道真有不生不化的东西吗？”）
岐伯说：出入停止则神机化灭，升降停止则气立孤危。（按语：张景岳说：“凡是动的物体，属于血气之类，其生气根植于身体内部，以神为生气的主宰，所以叫神机。然而神的存亡，取决于饮食呼吸的出入，出入停止，则神机化灭而动者停止。植物类的物体，属于草木金石之类，其生气根植于形体外部，以气为荣枯的主宰，所以叫气立。然而气的盛衰，取决于阴阳的升降，升降停止，则气立孤危而植物类败亡。”参照《五常政大论》说：“根于内部的，命曰神机，神离去则机能停止；根于外部的，命曰气立，气停止则化绝。”）这样看来，神机和气立，是万物所依赖以进行生化的，也是天地之道中必不可缺少的。没有生化就没有万物，没有万物甚至不能称之为天地，所以下文说……所以没有出入就无法经历生长壮老已的过程，没有升降就无法经历生长化收藏的过程。（按语：张景岳说：“生长壮老已，是动物的始终，所以必须依赖呼吸的出入；生长化收藏，是植物的盛衰，所以必须依赖阴阳的升降。”）因此升降出入，没有哪个器物不具备，所以无不有出入，无不有升降。（包藏生气者，都称为生化的器物，接触事物即可明白。横向的窍孔，都有出入去来的气；竖向的窍孔，都有阴阳升降的气在内部往复。怎么证明呢？墙壁门窗两面观察，都承受来气冲击于人，这就是出入之气。阳气上升则井水寒，阴气上升则水暖，将物体投入井中及树叶坠在空中，翩翩下落不快，都是上升之气阻碍所致。空心管子灌满水，捏住上端悬挂起来，水确实不泄漏，是因为没有上升之气而不能下降。空瓶小口，倒水不进，是因为气出不去而不能进入。由此看来，升无所不降，降无所不升，无出则不入，无入则不出。在各类物种之中，都有出入升降，不失常守，而说不变化的，是没有的。有识无识，有情无情，去掉出入，已经升降，而能存活的，也是没有的。所以说出入升降，没有哪个器物不具备。按语：启玄子（王冰）的比喻，前所未有，只是“无不出入”两句，王本在下节“器者生化之宇”之下，仔细体味文义，必定是错简，现在移置于此。）所以器物是生化的空间，器物消散则气分散，生化就停止了。（按语：《易经》说：“形而下者谓之器，形而上者谓之道。”）器物承载道，是用来藏神而保气的地方。生生化化，都从这里产生，所以叫生化的空间。宇，是天地下四方的名称。如果不能保守形器，则必然导致解散，而升者自升，降者自降，出者自出，入者自入，各自分离而生化停止，这也是《宝命全形论》产生的原因。
化有小大，期有近远。（按语：张景岳说：“物的小者如秋毫之微，大者如天地之广，这是化的大小。夭折者如蜉蝣的朝暮，长寿者如彭祖的百千岁，这是期的远近。化小的其期近，化大的其期远，万物的气数本来不齐，等到同归于化和期时是一样的。”）这四种情况存在，贵在常守，违反常规灾害就到了。（四者，指出入升降。按语：人有此生，则必有此四者，有升有降，有出有入，这是常态，谨慎守住，则生化无穷。如果有升无降，有降无升，有入无出，有出无入，则违反常道，灾害没有不到来的。）所以说“无形无患”，就是这个意思。（因为喜欢顺遂，悦于美色，畏惧困难，恐惧祸患，对外厌恶风寒暑湿，对内繁杂饥饱爱欲，都是因为身形无所隐藏，所以常常在人世间遭受患累。如果便想慕滋蔓，嗜欲无厌，外附权门，内丰情伪，则动不动就像陷入牢网，坐招焚烧，想要解脱束缚，怎么可能呢？所以身体是患难的阶梯。老子说：“我之所以有大患，是因为我有身体，如果我无身，我还有什么患难呢？”就是这个意思。）
黄帝说：好！有不生不化的吗？岐伯说：问得详尽啊！与道相合契合的，只有真人罢了。黄帝说：好！（意思是人有逃避阴阳，免除生化，而不生不化，无始无终，同太虚自然一样的吗？真人的身体，隐现莫测，出入天地，内外顺道，至真以生，他小到进入无间，大到超过虚空界，不与道合一，谁能做到这样呢？按语：古人说：爱惜生命的人可以被杀，爱惜洁净的人可以被污辱，爱惜荣耀的人可以被羞辱，爱惜完整的人可以被破坏。本来无生，谁杀他；本来无洁，谁污辱他；本来无荣，谁羞辱他；本来无完，谁破坏他。懂得这个道理的人，可以出入造化，游戏生死了。真是见道的言语。）
Yellow Emperor asked: What is called pathogenic factor (Xie Qi)?
Qi Bo replied: The generation of things follows transformation (Hua), and the extreme of things arises from change (Bian). The mutual approach of transformation and change is the origin of success and failure. [Note: Zhang Jingyue said: "The generation of things follows transformation, meaning it is generated by transformation; the extreme of things arises from change, meaning it changes due to extremity. Generation is completed by transformation, with advancing Qi; failure is caused by change, with retreating Qi. Therefore, it is said that the mutual approach of transformation and change is the origin of success and failure. 'Bo' means encroachment or pressure."] Referring to *Tianyuan Ji Da Lun*, the generation of things is called transformation (Hua), and the extremity of things is called change (Bian); this explains the meaning of transformation and change. Here, saying "follows transformation, arises from change" is deducing the root cause of generation and extremity. Although the text is the same, the meaning is actually different. Wang Bing’s commentary and various schools all interpret them as one type, which shows a lack of deep thought. Thus, Qi has retreat (Wang) and return (Fu), and its application has slowness (Chi) and speed (Su). The existence of these four leads to transformation and change, and wind comes thereby. [Note: Retreat refers to the passing of time; return refers to the arrival of new seasons. Slowness refers to what should arrive but does not; speed refers to what should not arrive but does. The shifting of the four seasons has fixed constants. Wind arriving when expected is normal wind; however, if Qi is abnormal, it may arrive early or late, leading to unpredictable changes, where wind pathogens arise, with only slowness and speed generating change. Later texts deduce prosperity and decline; Zhang Jingyue mistakenly equates slowness/speed with prosperity/decline.]
Yellow Emperor asked: Slowness, speed, retreat, and return are the origins of wind, leading to transformation and change, thus due to changes in prosperity and decline. Success and failure rely on and hide within each other in the midst; why is this? [Note: The Yellow Emperor states that the rise of wind pathogens is indeed due to the coming and going of Qi's slowness and speed, but the reason for this slowness or speed is that decline causes slowness and prosperity causes speed. In between, there may be success or failure; sometimes success precedes and failure immediately relies on it, or failure occurs and success immediately hides within it. All this is not outside the question of why there is retreat, return, slowness, and speed.]
Qi Bo replied: Success and failure relying on and hiding within each other arise from movement (Dong). If movement does not cease, then change (Bian) will occur. [Note: Zhang Jingyue said: "Stillness and movement are the functions of Yin and Yang. What is called movement is the mutual interaction of form and Qi, the mutual calling of above and below, the retreat and return, slowness and speed, and the descending and ascending, entering and exiting. Thus, the reliance and hiding of success and failure all arise from movement. But if movement is correct, it is auspicious; if incorrect, it is ominous. If movement does not cease, disasters and changes will arise from it." The reliance and hiding of success and failure are actually the natural course of change. Movement is inevitable; stillness and movement are the norm. If movement does not cease, there is movement without stillness, and Qi deviates from its norm, causing disasters and changes. Even heaven and earth are like this; how much more so for humans to move excessively?]
Yellow Emperor asked: Is there a fixed period?
Qi Bo replied: Non-generation and non-transformation constitute the period of stillness. [Note: Zhang Jingyue said: "Yang moves, Yin is still; they oppose each other, waxing and waning, each having its period. The previous text stated that success and failure arise from movement, which is the period of movement; movement reaches its extreme and changes until non-generation and non-transformation, which is the period of stillness. Thus, heaven and earth consider spring and summer as movement, and autumn and winter as stillness; humans consider life as movement and death as stillness."]
Yellow Emperor asked: Is there non-generation and non-transformation? [Note: The Yellow Emperor doubts whether the way of heaven and earth truly includes anything that neither generates nor transforms.]
Qi Bo replied: If entering and exiting cease, the Spirit Mechanism (Shen Ji) perishes; if ascending and descending stop, the Qi Establishment (Qi Li) becomes isolated and perilous. [Note: Zhang Jingyue said: "All moving things belong to blood and Qi. Their vital Qi is rooted within the body, with Shen (Spirit) as the master of vital Qi, hence called Shen Ji. However, the existence or demise of Shen depends on the entering and exiting of food intake and breathing. If entering and exiting cease, the Shen Ji perishes, and movement stops. Plant-like things belong to grass, trees, metals, and stones. Their vital Qi is rooted outside the form, with Qi as the master of flourishing or withering, hence called Qi Li. However, the prosperity or decline of Qi depends on the ascending and descending of Yin and Yang. If ascending and descending stop, the Qi Li becomes isolated and perilous, and plant-like things fail." Referencing *Wu Chang Zheng Da Lun*: "Rooted within is called Shen Ji; if Shen departs, the mechanism stops. Rooted without is called Qi Li; if Qi stops, transformation ceases."] Thus, Shen Ji and Qi Li are what all things rely upon for generation and transformation, and they are indispensable to the Way of Heaven and Earth. Without generation and transformation, there are no ten thousand things; without ten thousand things, there cannot even be heaven and earth. Hence the following statements. Therefore, without entering and exiting, there is no process of growth, flourishing, maturity, aging, and death; without ascending and descending, there is no process of growth, flourishing, transformation, gathering, and storage. [Note: Zhang Jingyue said: "Growth, flourishing, maturity, aging, and death are the beginning and end of animals, thus relying on the entering and exiting of respiration; growth, flourishing, transformation, gathering, and storage are the prosperity and decline of plants, thus relying on the ascending and descending of Yin and Yang."] Therefore, ascending, descending, entering, and exiting are present in every vessel (Qi). Thus, nothing lacks entering and exiting, and nothing lacks ascending and descending. [Note: Anything containing vital Qi is considered a vessel of generation and transformation, evident upon observation. Horizontal apertures have Qi entering and exiting; vertical apertures have Yin and Qi ascending and descending reciprocally within. How to prove this? Observe walls, doors, and windows; they receive incoming Qi impacting people, which is entering/exiting Qi. When Yang ascends, well water feels cold; when Yin ascends, water feels warm. Objects thrown into wells or leaves falling slowly in air are hindered by ascending Qi. A hollow tube filled with water, sealed at the top and suspended, does not leak because there is no ascending Qi to allow descending. An empty bottle with a small mouth cannot be filled because Qi cannot exit to allow entry. From this, we see: ascending implies descending everywhere, descending implies ascending everywhere; without exiting, there is no entering; without entering, there is no exiting. Among all species, all have entering, exiting, ascending, and descending, maintaining constancy. To claim something does not transform is impossible. Whether conscious or unconscious, emotional or not, without entering/exiting or having already ascended/descended, survival is impossible. Thus, it is said that entering, exiting, ascending, and descending are present in every vessel. Note: Qixuanzi’s metaphor is unprecedented. However, the phrase 'nothing lacks entering and exiting' appears in Wang Bing’s edition under the next section 'Vessels are the space of generation and transformation.' Careful reading suggests this is a misplaced slip (Cuo Jian), now moved here.] Therefore, vessels are the space of generation and transformation. If the vessel scatters, Qi divides, and generation/transformation ceases. [Note: *I Ching* says: "What is below form is called vessel; what is above form is called Dao." Vessels carry Dao, serving to store Shen and preserve Qi. Endless generation and transformation all originate from here, hence called the space of generation. 'Yu' refers to the directions of heaven and earth. If one fails to conserve the physical vessel, it must lead to dissolution, where ascending rises alone, descending falls alone, exiting goes out alone, entering comes in alone, separating from each other, and generation/transformation ceases. This is the reason for the treatise *Bao Ming Quan Xing Lun*.]
Transformation has small and large scales; periods have near and far extents. [Note: Zhang Jingyue said: "Things small as the tip of an autumn hair, large as heaven and earth, represent the small and large of transformation. Those dying young like mayflies (morning to evening), those living long like Peng Zu (hundreds/thousands of years), represent the near and far of periods. Small transformations have near periods; large transformations have far periods. The Qi and numbers of all things are inherently unequal, but when returning to transformation and period, they are the same."] The existence of these four [entering, exiting, ascending, descending] requires constant adherence; violating norms brings disasters. [Note: These four refer to entering, exiting, ascending, descending. Having life necessitates these four: ascending/descending, entering/exiting. This is the norm. Guarding it carefully ensures endless generation/transformation. If there is ascending without descending, descending without ascending, entering without exiting, or exiting without entering, it violates the normal way, and disasters will inevitably follow.] Thus it is said: "Formlessness means no trouble," which is what this refers to. [Note: Desiring compliance, delighting in beauty, fearing difficulty, dreading disaster, hating external wind/cold/heat/dampness internally, and being burdened by hunger/fullness and desires—all stem from the fact that the form is visible/unhidden, thus constantly suffering troubles in the human world. If one indulges in excessive desires, attaches to power externally, and fosters hypocrisy internally, one is trapped like in a prison, inviting destruction. Trying to escape bonds is impossible. Thus, the body is the ladder to trouble. Laozi said: "My great trouble is that I have a body; if I had no body, what trouble would I have?" This is what is meant.]
Yellow Emperor said: Excellent! Is there anything that neither generates nor transforms?
Qi Bo said: Your question is thorough! Only the True Person (Zhen Ren) aligns perfectly with the Dao.
Yellow Emperor said: Excellent! [Note: Does this mean humans can escape Yin/Yang, avoid generation/transformation, become non-generating/non-transforming, have no beginning/end, and merge with the Great Void/Nature? The True Person’s body is hidden and manifest unpredictably, entering/exiting heaven and earth, internal/external following the Dao, existing in utmost truth. Small enough to enter the interstitial, large enough to exceed the void. Who else but one united with the Dao could do this? Note: Ancients said: One who loves life can be killed; one who loves purity can be defiled; one who loves honor can be humiliated; one who loves wholeness can be broken. If originally non-existent, who kills it? If originally pure, who defiles it? If originally honored, who humiliates it? If originally whole, who breaks it? Those who understand this can navigate creation/destruction and play with life and death. Truly words of seeing the Dao.]