<span class="chinese-post-title">太極陰陽顛倒解</span> The Explanation of Reversal of Yin and Yang in Taiji from the <span class="chinese-post-title">太極拳說四十篇</span> Forty Chapters on Tàijíquán by <span class="chinese-post-title">楊班侯</span> Yáng​ Bān​hóu​

太極陰陽顛倒解

陽：乾，天，日，火，離，放，出，發，對，開，臣，肉，用，氣，身，武，立命，方，呼，上，進，隅。
陰：坤，地，月、水，坎，卷，入，蓄，待，合、君，骨，體 ， 理，心，文，盡性，圓，吸，下，退、正。

"Yang: the trigram Qian, heaven, sun, fire, fire, the trigram Li, to release, to come out, to emit, to confront, to open, the servant, flesh, application, Qi, physical body, martial, heaven-ordained, square, to exhale, upward, to advance and the corners.
Yin: the trigram Kun, earth, moon, water, the trigram Kan, to roll up, to go into, to store, to relat, to close, the ruler, bones, the body structure, core, rules, Xin, scholar, to accomplish one’s nature, round, to inhale, downward, to retreat and the sides."

蓋顛倒之理，水、火二字詳之，則可明。如火炎上，水潤下者，水能使人在下而用。水在上，則為顛倒。然非有法治之，則不得矣。譬如水入鼎內，而治火之上，鼎中之水，得火以燃之，不但水不能下潤，藉火氣，水必有溫時。火雖炎上，得鼎以隔之，是為有極之地，不使炎上之火無止息，亦不使潤下之水永滲漏。此所謂水火既濟之理也，顛倒之理也。若使任其火炎上，水潤下，必至火，水必分為二，則為火水未濟也。故雲分而為二，合之為一之理也。故雲一而二，二而一，總斯理為三，天、地、人也。

"The intrinsic order of reversal can be explained in detail by “water-fire”. The flames fire upward, water floats downward. If water is kept above, the situation is reversed, and one can use its power. If the method is not correctly applied, this goal cannot be achieved. If water is put in a cauldron and put over fire, the water inside the cauldron will be heated by the fire. Not only the water cannot run downwards and extinguish the fire, water will also warm up. Even if fire wants to move up, the cauldron serves as a separation. There is a separation that does not allow fire to move up liberating breathing, but also prevents water to leak downwards. This is called the system of “water-fire helping each other”, the theory of reversal. If one allows the flame to go upwards and water to run downwards, water and fire will be certainly separated and will not be able to support each other. Therefore it is said, when they are separated, there are two and when they are unified, they are one. Thus, one is two and two is one. In summary, it is from this rule, the Three (powers) heaven, earth and human are derived."

明此陰陽顛倒之理，則可與言道：知道，不可須臾離，則可與言人；能以人弘道，知道，不遠人，則可與言天地同體。上，天;下，地:人在其中矣。苟能參天察地，與日月合英明，與五嶽四瀆華朽，與四時之錯行，與草木並枯榮，明鬼種之吉兇，知人事興衰，則可言乾坤為一大天地，人為一小天地也。夫如人之身心，致知格物十天地之知能，則可言人之良知，良能。若思不失固有，其功用，浩然正氣，直養無害，攸久無疆矣。聽謂人身生成一小天地者，天也，性也；地也，命也；人也，虛靈也，神也。若不明之者，烏能配天地為三乎？然非盡性立命，窮神達化之功，胡為乎來哉!

楊班侯

"If the theory of reversal of Yin and Yang is understood, then it is possible to talk about the Dao. Once understood, it is not possible to separate from the Da and one can talk about what is human. If one is able to apply and perceive the Dao as something that is not far for us, the one is able to discuss how heaven and earth are similar to the body. Heaven is above, earth is below, and the human is between them. If one is able to refer to heaven’s laws and observe earth’s rules, unify oneself with the brightness with the sun and the moon, endure with the Five Sacred Mountains and Four Great Rivers, act in synchrony with the Four Seasons, wither and flourish with the grass and woods, comprehend the seeds of good and bad destinies of ghosts and deities, understand the prosperity and adversity of human affaires, then it may be said that Qian and Kun are like a large Heaven and Earth, while human affairs ar a small Heaven and Earth. Therefore, in terms of human’s body and mind, if one is able to study the underlying principles of Heaven and Earth, then one is capable of understanding the innate wisdom and abilities, one ponders without failing its inherent characterstics, its function, its vast righteousness, its continuous generation without harm, its infinite size and duration. When it is said that the human body is a small heaven and earth, it means that heaven is the intrinsic human nature, the earth is the physical life, what is human is insubstantial spirit and the soul. If this is unclear, how can one join Heaven and Earth and act as three powers? If one is unable to develop one’s intrinsic nature and establish a healthy life, how the exhausted soul cannot attain the goal of transformation?"

Based on the translation by 楊俊敏 Yang Jwing Ming presented in the book 太極拳楊氏先哲秘要 Tai Chi Secrets of the Yang Style.