Selection from the Book of Lieh Tzu: Chapter 1 - Heaven’s Gift, Part 1 of 2

Formerly the sages reduced Heaven and Earth to a system by means of the Yin and Yang. But if all that has shape was born from the Shapeless, from what were Heaven and Earth born? I answer: There was a Primal Simplicity, there was a Primal Commencement, there were Primal Beginnings, there was a primal Material. The Primal Simplicity preceded the appearance of the breath. The Primal Commencement was the beginning of the breath. The Primal Beginnings were the breath beginning to assume shape. The primal Material was the breath when it began to assume substance.