"This unit is directly related to the previous. Here at the close of the first month of winter, heaven and earth have turned their backs to each other; everything ought to be closed up, fastened down, and tucked in tight. As always, the rituals the emperor performed at this time of year are considered crucial in assuring that human activity aligned with cosmic processes. As an example of how things could go wrong if the rituals were misdirected, consider spring as the season when the yang either rises up or disperses. If the emperor were to carry out spring rituals now, the reverberation onto nature could affect the ice. If the ice didn't seal the earth, the yang essences would leak out. This, then, could cause the populace to likewise rise up and scatter, with disastrous effect on the peace and prosperity of the realm" (Dalby 246).
"East Wind Melts the Ice: A Memoir through the Seasons"
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