Wake Forest University

氣之精英者為神。金木水火土非神，所以為金木水火土者 是神。在人則為理，所以為仁義禮智信者是也。

植。

气之精英者为神。金木水火土非神，所以为金木水火土者 是神。在人则为理，所以为仁义礼智信者是也。

植。

�𤧺�^�̬����C��������g�D���A�ҥH����������g�� �O���C�b�H�h���z�A�ҥH�����q§���H�̬O�]�C

�ӡC

��֮��Ӣ��Ϊ�񡣽�ľˮ������������Ϊ��ľˮ������ ����������Ϊ��������Ϊ��������������Ҳ��

ֲ��

Translation: qi form spirit (shen). Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth are not spirit. That which produces Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth is spirit. In the case of human beings we call it li, and it is that which produces Benevolence, Sense of Right and Wrong, Sense of Ritual, Wisdom, and Faithfulness.

Commentary:

There are several levels of being, and several systems of concepts, under consideration in this passage:

Tai-ji
Yin-yang spirit (?)
5 Xing (not-spirit) || Benevolence, Sense of Right and Wrong, Sense of Ritual, Wisdom, Faithfulness

A parallel scheme that Zhu Xi uses when talking in terms of Yi Jing is as follows:

Tai-ji
Yin-yang
4 Xiang || Benevolence, Sense of Right and Wrong, Sense of Ritual, Wisdom

I think that the implication that Yin and Yang are spirit is clear. There are other places where Zhu Xi talks about the various fractions of qi, and the general picture he presents is of a series of grades from the ethereal to the dense and adamantine. The odd thing, from a Western point of view, is that the concrete is based on the etherial. Instead of saying that because there are human beings, there is the human spirit, for instance, the view of Zhu Xi and people like him is that first there is the human spirit and then there are human beings. At least that is the order of dependence, the order of dependent possibilities. This viewpoint is definitely not based on materialism.

-- PEM