“The three months of Spring,

they denote effusion and spreading.

Heaven and Earth together generate life;

the myriad beings flourish.

Go to rest later at night and rise early.

Move through the courtyards with long strides.

Dishevel the hair and relax the physical appearance,

thereby cause the mind to orient itself on life.

Give life and do not kill.

Give and do not take.

Reward and do not punish.

This is correspondence with the Qi of Spring and

it is the Way to nourish life.

Opposing it harms the liver.

In summer this causes changes to cold,

and there is little support for growth.”

 

From Huang Di nei jing su wen, Chapter 2: Comprehensive Discourse on Regulating the Spirit in accordance with the Qi of the Four seasons.

P. U. Unschuld annotated translation, University of California Press.