《黄帝金匮玉衡经》

The Yellow Emperor said: “I transmit these two texts, the Illustrated Golden Casket and the Scripture of the Jade Armillary, to you; you must keep them carefully. If you do not meet a suitable person, the methods of the Dao must not be passed on at will. Even if one sits quietly in Wuwei (non-action), without clear and thorough understanding one still cannot grasp the principles within. One need not step outside one’s door to know the world, nor leave one’s house to find the true sovereign (that is, the principal agent sought in the divination). By means of the divine generals Mingshi, Dengming, and the others, and by observing the positions they come to occupy, one can judge good and ill fortune. Without profound practice, this art cannot be understood.

Guard your mouth carefully and do not leak what is secret, and calamity will not arise from this. If the true formulas of the methods of the Dao are divulged, one’s life and destiny will surely fall into peril. The methods used in different places may vary, yet the principles for discerning the great Dao are the same. Treasure it, and do not transmit it to the foolish and ignorant.

The noble deity Tianyi (the exalted spirit who presides over divination and commands the host of gods) dwells at the center. Relying on the Xuanji and wielding the Yuheng (ancient instruments for observing the heavens, also a figure for the pivot that governs celestial phenomena), it commands the four seasons, harmonizes Yin-Yang, holds the standard, and occupies the proper stations of the stars Kui, Gang, and the rest. To its left are the mansions Fang and Shen; it turns its back to Xu and faces Zhang. The seven mansions of the four quarters are arrayed in order, and the leader holds sway over the eight directions. With compass and square it measures heaven and earth and regulates Yin-Yang; examining first the five and then the six, it thereby reveals good and ill fortune.

The Azure Dragon dwells on the left, linked with the mansions Jiao and Kang; the White Tiger assists on the right and governs the mansions under its charge. The Vermilion Bird is in front, soaring between the mansions Yi and Zhang; the Dark Warrior is behind, receiving the bounty of De (Virtue/Power) and drawing its efficacy to a close. Liuhe (the divine general in charge of harmony, transmission, and related affairs) attends to provisions and relay posts; Gouchen serves as general; Tengshe is charged with execution and punishment, and metal and iron ring out. Tianhou is noble and acts in concert; Taichang is like a court gentleman of the terrace; Taiyin is a yin divine general, in charge of the documents of the inner palace; Tiankong is of humble station and waits upon the imperial court. The White Tiger governs injury, and one must examine the fortune and misfortune it brings. The gods each have their own duties and dispositions and cannot be shifted at will.

Tianyi presides over all the gods and makes what is within and without clear and bright. Metal, Wood, Water, and Fire are each set out in order. Kui and Gang do not take up the affairs of the Wu and Ji days; Wu and Ji belong to central Earth and are therefore the root by which Tianyi governs the center. Divine Qi (vital energy) is stored within. From Jiazi to Guiyou is one ten-day cycle; Xu and Hai are the positions of gu and xu (the orphan and the empty); they are like the tomb of the royal father and do not fall within this ten-day cycle. If Kui and Gang do not take up the affair, it is called a doubled calamity.

Among the thirty-six methods recorded in the Golden Casket and the Jade Chamber, Tianyi is the most exalted, the chief deity who commands the royal generals; among all the generals its awesome divinity is solemn, lofty and majestic.”

Among the day-and-branch (richen: the heavenly stem and earthly branch used for the day and time being divined) and their Yin-Yang Shen (spirits), whenever the upper and the lower stand in a relation of conquest, that configuration is taken as the initial activation (fayong: the Shen first selected for use in the layout). This is called “ru bu ru” (“entering or not entering”), and it is the most critical judgment. By richen is meant, for example, that if today is a jiazi day, “jia” is the day and “zi” is the branch. The Shen overlying the day is called the yang Shen; the Shen underlying the branch is called the yin Shen.

At dawn (early morning) on a jiazi day in the first month, Dengming overlies jia, and there is no conquest between them; Congkui overlies zi, and again there is no conquest; Chuansong, the yin Shen of Dengming, still shows no conquest; Shengxian overlies the yin Shen of Congkui, so that the upper conquers the lower, and Shengxian is therefore taken for use.

At dawn on a renshen day in the twelfth month, Congkui is added to ren, with no conquest; its yin Shen is Xiaji, again with no conquest; Shengxian overlies shen, the upper conquering the lower, and Shengxian is therefore taken for use. If the attendant general (jiang Shen: the spirit-general that moves with the layout and its transmissions) is Tianhou (the Heavenly Empress), and Tianhou comes to rest together with the fire Shen upon a metal position, there is cause for anxiety, and women are unsettled; should there be a pregnancy, miscarriage or injury may follow. If Tiangang appears in the transmission and the spirit-general is Tengshe (the Soaring Snake), the indication is terror; by the eighth month this person may come to blows over a matter involving a woman, each side frightening the other. If Gongcao appears in the transmission and the spirit-general is Liuhe (the Six Harmonies), then by the first month there may be consultation with officials about a marriage.

If the matter is one of buying and selling, an initial activation belonging to metal indicates money and property; belonging to wood, it indicates anxiety and harm; belonging to fire, verbal quarreling; belonging to earth, fighting and litigation; belonging to water, flight and licentiousness. Upper conquering lower means anxiety about a woman; lower conquering upper means anxiety about a man. What is feared must also be judged from the flourishing, prospering, resting, imprisoned, and dead states of the Five Phases (Wuxing: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) through the four seasons: upper conquering lower may be the flight of another person; lower conquering upper may be illness in oneself.

If the Taisui (Year Star) is in mao and Taichong is taken for use, good or ill fortune answers within that year; if Taichong is taken for use in the second month, good or ill fortune answers within that month; if Taiyi is taken for use on a si day, good or ill fortune answers on that very day; if Gongcao is taken for use at the yin hour, good or ill fortune answers within that double-hour, and the outcome is verified very soon. One should not let a seated person rise, nor let a person who is walking stop, for the matter of good or ill fortune is on the point of occurring. Other cases are inferred in the same way.

At the wei hour of a jiaxu day in the first month, Gongcao, in the capacity of Tianhou, is added to the position xu and taken as the initial activation. Tianhou represents women; within the branch yin of the first month there is a fire of generation and growth, symbolizing that a woman is pregnant. Tianhou belongs to water, while there is fire in Gongcao; water and fire conquer one another, and the judgment is therefore that the child is injured, or dies young, at birth. The original text continues: in spring and summer Gongcao belongs to the Beam of the Nine Heavens and indicates anxiety over the county official; xu is a branch of aversion, and the hour stands at “death on the right,” indicating strange prodigies and demonic harassment. If Shengxian appears in the transmission and the spirit-general is Baihu (the White Tiger), one fears death and mourning; if the final transmission shows Liuhe as the Heavenly Gate, it indicates secret matters and a marriage arranged through a go-between. Kui is the Heavenly Pass; if one goes out through the Heavenly Gate, ascends the Heavenly Pass, passes the Heavenly Beam, and also meets the White Tiger, bereavement and death are certainly to be feared. One may also meet with obstruction, with coming and going or a change of residence that does not go smoothly, with a woman fleeing in distress, and even with entanglement in the offices of government.

If the initial activation and the three transmissions (sanchuan: the three Shen passed on in sequence within the layout) all belong to fire, they indicate burning and conflagration, killing and injury, startling thunder, or disputes of speech. The time at which a favorable outcome answers is the time engendered by the initial activation; the time at which an unfavorable outcome answers is the time the initial activation fears. When Gongcao is the initial activation, bing and ding days or hours are auspicious, and geng and xin days or hours are inauspicious. If the initial activation begins from a yang branch, the distress lies with other people and the affair may be delayed; if it begins from a yin branch, the distress arises from oneself. Descendants seen in the transmission can rescue the mother; if ghost-officials are seen, the baleful calamity grows heavier. If the initial activation still holds some faint living Qi (vital energy), or if the spirit-generals can restrain the malign Shen, this too may be regarded as a sign that there is deliverance.

When the initial activation meets the “solitary” (gu) among the six jia, it is called the primal son (yuanzi); when it meets the “void” (xu), it is called the primal husband (yuanfu). Auspiciousness and inauspiciousness must further be judged from the rise and decline of the Five Phases. Conquered by flourishing Qi, one fears the authorities; overcome by prospering Qi, one fears for money and property; overcome by resting Qi, one fears illness; conquered by imprisoned Qi, one fears imprisonment and detention; overcome by dying Qi, one fears death and mourning. The family tomb and resting Qi correspond to the elderly; flourishing Qi, prospering Qi, and embryonic Qi correspond to those in the prime of life. The illnesses and calamities indicated by conquest among the Five Phases are these: metal conquering wood indicates breakage and injury; wood conquering earth indicates abscess and swelling; earth conquering water indicates blockage and obstruction within; water conquering fire indicates being seized, and loss of sight; fire conquering metal indicates terror, loss of Qi, or a mind dazed and thrown into disorder.

Within the six jia, the positions occupied by wu and ji, together with the positions that stand in direct opposition to them, are ordinarily taken as the “solitary.”

In the Yin-Yang (yinyang) relationship of the day and the hour, if the two sides overcome one another, one looks first at the case in which the lower overcomes the upper. When the upper overcomes the lower, it is called “smooth” (shun); when the lower overcomes the upper, it is called “contrary” (ni). A contrary image means that the trouble lies hidden deep within and is hard to dispel; a smooth image means that the trouble is comparatively shallow, shows itself outwardly, and is easy to resolve. In making a judgment, therefore, one must carefully determine which side ought to be adopted, and examine the signs of good and ill fortune just as they begin to appear.

Suppose, for example, the second month, the day Wuzi, and the hour Mao. Shenhou (one of the Twelve Generals) comes upon the stem Wu, and the branch Xu is lodged under the governance of the stem Bing. When the lower overcomes the upper, the yin spirit obtained is Xiaoji; when the upper overcomes the lower, the transmitting spirit obtained is Gongcao. Both are cases of the upper overcoming the lower, so Shenhou should be taken as the yongshen (the principal object adopted in the judgment), and the signs of good and ill fortune are examined accordingly. Or again, on a morning in the year Renchen, Xiaoji comes upon the stem Ren and forms a case of the upper overcoming the lower; one should then take Shenhou as what is used.

In divination by the Zhouyi, the “shi” represents the person who consults the oracle; in shi divination (the method of inferring good and ill fortune by means of the shi board), the “yong” represents the consultant, and good and ill fortune are distinguished by means of it.

What the mutual overcoming of the Five Phases (wuxing: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water) foretells is as follows. When Metal comes upon Wood, it indicates injury to persons, and worry over fights, lawsuits, and even involvement with the authorities. When Wood comes upon Metal, one worries that a woman’s affairs will entangle the authorities. When Water comes upon Earth, one worries about the loss of money. When Earth comes upon Water, one worries about fights and damage to cloth and silk. When Wood comes upon Earth, one worries about imprisonment, verbal disputes, and property caught up and harmed. When Earth comes upon Wood, one worries that a man will suffer a grave illness, and sacrifice and prayer to avert misfortune may also be required. When Metal comes upon Fire, one worries about deception by an outsider. When Fire comes upon Metal, it indicates a quarrel among two women and one man. When Fire comes upon Water, one worries that a woman will be frightened, or that officials and litigation will be involved. When Water comes upon Fire, it indicates alarm, or an illness related to childbirth. Other cases follow by the same reasoning.

Suppose, for example, the first month, the day Yisi, and the hour Wei. Chuansong comes upon the stem Yi, with the upper overcoming the lower, so Shenhou ought to be taken as the yin spirit of Chuansong; yet Shenhou comes upon the branch Shen, and the two do not overcome one another. Congkui comes upon the stem Ji, with the lower overcoming the upper, and is therefore taken as the yongshen. The general that rides it is Liuhe (Six Harmonies), which governs secret and private matters. Because Congkui is overcome from below, servants and maids are implicated as well. This foretells serious trouble, and harm plotted in secret may occur. Matters of this kind begin with people of low status; and because the xiang Qi (vital energy in its secondary phase of flourishing) is overcome, the method of divination takes the case to indicate lawsuits and disputes over property.

If the transmitting spirit obtained is Daji and the outcome finally returns to Taiyi, then according to the method the case indicates combat, mutual injury, and even death. Why is it judged in this way? Because the yongshen arises from the Three Metals and finally returns to Taiyi, and the general that rides it is the White Tiger; the inference may be drawn on that basis. Other situations are likewise inferred by analogy.

According to the explanation of the third classic, in the relationship between the day stem and branch and Yin-Yang, if two cases of “the lower overcoming the upper” or two cases of “the upper overcoming the lower” appear, one should first take as the yongshen (useful spirit) the side that combines with and stands close to the day stem. This choice is made so that the judgment will correspond to the day stem of that day. When overcoming occurs in two places, one takes the place that corresponds to the day stem, because two yongshen are available to choose from.

Bi (closeness) means nearness and combination, and it indicates that the trouble arises within; if there is no combination, the trouble comes from outside, the matter lies farther away, and it may be connected with enmity. One must therefore give priority to the side that corresponds to the day stem. If the inquiry concerns thieves or fugitives, one should look to the neighboring households of the same hamlet.

For example, in the first month, on a Xinhai day at the Mao hour, Shengxian is set upon Xin and Xiaojie is set upon Hai, forming two places where the upper overcomes the lower. Xiaojie combines with Xin; according to this case there is Xinwei but no Xinchou, so Xiaojie is taken as the yongshen.

As another example, in the second month, on a Bingwu day at the Wei hour, Chuansong is set upon Bing and Congkui is set upon Wu, forming two places where the lower overcomes the upper. Chuansong combines with Bing; according to this case there is Bingshen but no Bingyou, so Chuansong is taken as the yongshen. The original text writes this example out a second time.

If the yongshen is selected on a hard day (gangri), the trouble is judged by its Five Phases (wuxing: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water). If Wood is taken, one fears county officials and documents; if Fire is taken, one fears trouble over fields and houses, and disputes; if Wood is taken, the text also says that one fears county officials and ghosts of the dead; if Metal is taken, one fears relocation, unrest, or armed force; if Water is taken, one fears that a woman is pregnant, and is especially concerned that the matter will come due on a Mao day. A further set of Five Phase correspondences is then listed: if Wood is taken, one fears wooden implements, boats and carts, or thieves; if Water is taken, one fears battle and bloodshed by weapons; if Earth is taken, one fears for goods and property, beans and grain; if Metal is taken, one fears for the six domestic animals; if Fire is taken, one fears that a woman will be summoned into service, that there will be licentiousness, or that the household will fall into discord.

For example, in the first month, on a Renchen day at the Chen hour, Shengxian overlies Ren, forming lower overcoming upper, and Dengming is set upon Chen, likewise forming lower overcoming upper. By the judgment given in the text, this situation contains no Renhai, only Renwu, and Shengxian is therefore taken as the yongshen.

If the yongshen is overcome by old Qi (vital energy), the indication is usually fulfilled as worry over illness. When Fire enters a Water position and one also meets Tianhou—one of the twelve heavenly generals, often associated with women and with private, yin matters—the affair may arise because of a woman. When Daji appears in the transmissions together with Gouchen, it usually indicates worry over fighting. Chuansong in the final transmission governs going out and coming in, movement back and forth; if, while serving as the final transmission, it is also joined with Tianhou, Xuanwu, and the like, a long journey may bring some loss. Chuansong set over the Chou position means that it descends upon a tomb, which usually indicates sorrow and an absence of joy; one may also dream of the dead, or the matter may involve the orphaned and the widowed. The remaining cases are to be understood in the same way.

The Fourth Classic says: When one divines by the day, the day-branch, and the hour, a plan to travel far may meet with loss. When Chuansong falls upon the Chou position, this means that what lies below is one’s own tomb. By the method of divination there are signs of sorrow, grief, and low spirits, and one is also apt to dream of the dead, or of orphans and widows. Other cases may be inferred in the same way.

The Fourth Classic says further: If, on the Yin and Yang plates of the day and day-branch, two candidate spirit-generals appear that match the day-stem and belong to the same class, one must begin from them and enter at the earthly-branch position over which the day-stem falls, comparing how deeply each passes through ground where the phases conquer one another. The one that incurs the deeper shehai—the harm suffered in that passage—is adopted as the Yong, the indicator used for the judgment. This is called “observing what is faint and perceiving what is pivotal.” Entering from a Ji position, the terminal place of a quarter, or from a Zhong position, its medial place, is called Wei, the faint; entering from a Meng position, the initial place of a quarter, is called Ji, the pivotal. Ji means the distress is deeper; Wei means the distress is shallower and more readily passes.

For example, on a Jiashen day in the eighth month, at pingdan, early dawn, Tiangang falls upon the Jia position and forms a pattern in which the lower conquers the upper. Shenhou stands as Hekui, and the Yin spirit likewise forms a pattern of the lower conquering the upper. Thus both Tiangang and Shenhou are restrained from below. Both also combine with the Jia day: Jia-Chen corresponds to Tiangang, and Jia-Zi corresponds to Shenhou. Tiangang belongs to Earth; falling upon the position of Jia Wood, it has only just begun to enter the Wood quarter, so the conquest it suffers is deep, and this counts as Ji. Shenhou, falling upon Xu, turns and enters the Water quarter, which counts as Wei. Tiangang is therefore taken as the Yong.

In another case, on a Jiazi day in the seventh month, with the hour falling on Hai, Chuansong falls upon the Jia position and forms the upper conquering the lower. The Yin spirit is Gongcao, forming the lower conquering the upper. Shengxian falls upon Zi and likewise forms the lower conquering the upper; its Yin spirit is Shenhou, forming the upper conquering the lower. All these candidates combine with the day-stem Jia. Shengxian passes through Gui and arrives at Chou, whereas Gongcao passes through Geng, You, and Xin and suffers the deeper conquest, so Gongcao is taken as the Yong. This configuration is called “advance and retreat losing their proper measure.” Conquest from above and from below is interlaced, which means the distress is comparatively severe.

On a Xinyou day in the first month, with the hour falling on Wu, Taichong falls upon the Xin position and forms the lower conquering the upper. Chuansong, as the Yin spirit of Taichong, falls upon Mao and forms the upper conquering the lower. Gongcao falls upon You and forms the lower conquering the upper. Xiaoji, as the Yin spirit of Gongcao, falls upon Yin and likewise forms the lower conquering the upper. Both Taichong and Xiaoji are restrained from below, and both combine with the Xin day. Taichong passes through Xin and enters Xu, which means the distress is comparatively shallow. Xiaoji has only just entered the Wood quarter and suffers the lighter conquest, so Xiaoji is taken as the Yong. This is called “glancing aside, one sees one’s enemy; looking upward, one sees one’s mound.” The original text uses the phrase to show how one inspects the quarter, and the depth, of the restraint borne by the candidates.

Xiaoji governs women. When it carries Shengguang, Tengshe (the Soaring Serpent), or similar generals, it commonly indicates the dead, a woman, fright, something strange, or a matter of bloodshed. If Xiaoji passes beyond the northeast, the Ghost Gate lying at the Xu position, the distress is comparatively shallow; if Xiaoji has only just entered the Wood quarter, one still judges by the lighter degree of shehai. Should the transmission yield Shenhou carrying Tiankong (Heavenly Void), the wife may deceive her husband and harbor a divided heart. If at last one reaches Taiyi carrying Tianhou (the Heavenly Empress), distress on the woman’s side grows heavier. If the spirit taken as Yong is conquered by the Five Phase (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, or Water) then in command, the method indicates worry before the authorities, the calamity of arms, and harm between enemies, for this is Fire falling upon a Water position. Other cases follow by the same reasoning.

The fifth scripture explains: if, among the four Yin-Yang lessons corresponding to the day stem and the day branch, none overcome one another, one must take as the useful spirit (yongshen) the Shen (spirit) that stands in remote overcoming with the day stem. This is called “When the pairings are all without mutual overcoming, one enters by following what stands alone.” That is to say, there is originally no overcoming within the four lessons, and only a single Shen, standing alone in a Yin lesson, is able to overcome the day stem.

If the day stem overcomes a Shen in a Yin lesson, or if the Shen in turn overcomes the day stem, both indicate that the person concerned will meet with worry, and that the matter comes from outside. When the day stem overcomes the Shen, it indicates enmity and grievance, and the misfortune arises from within; one hopes for someone from outside to come, yet waits in vain. Even if the earthly branch remotely overcomes some Shen, one cannot on that basis select the useful spirit; one should look to the day stem, not to the earthly branch.

For example, on a Xin-You day in the fourth month, at the Ji hour, the lesson arrangement places Daji over Xin, and the two do not overcome each other; the Yin lesson yields Tian’gang, and there is likewise no overcoming; Shenhou overlies You without overcoming; and the Yin lesson yields Taichong, again without overcoming. Only the day stem Xin remotely overcomes Taichong, and so Taichong is taken as the useful spirit.

Or again, on a Jia-Wu day in the fifth month, at the Xu hour, Dengming overlies Jia without overcoming; Chuansong, as the Yin spirit of Dengming, likewise does not overcome; Taichong overlies Wu without overcoming; and the Yin lesson yields Shenhou, again without overcoming. Between the Yin and Yang of the four lessons there is no overcoming at all. Only Chuansong remotely overcomes the day stem Jia, and therefore Chuansong is taken as the useful spirit.

If two Shen both remotely overcome the day stem, one likewise takes as the useful spirit the Shen that is of the same kind as the day stem and corresponds to it. When the Noble Person (guiren) proceeds in direct order, it indicates that subordinates are hard to restrain, and one may worry that a man will fall ill; when the Noble Person proceeds in reverse, it indicates that father and son find it hard to draw close, and one may worry about a woman. If, while traveling, one meets a visitor from outside, one must not allow the person who enters the gate to harbor slander or thieving, harmful intent. Calamity may come from the southwest, or soldiers may burst into the household, causing casualties and the sight of blood; one should therefore be cautious and avoid setting out toward the southwest. All these judgments must be considered together with the spirits and generals—the various Shen in the lesson arrangement and the symbols assigned to them. When Kui and Gang appear together with the White Tiger (Baihu), they govern plotting, harm, killing, and injury; the Dark Warrior (Xuanwu) governs thieves.

For example, on a Ji-Mao day in the first month, at the Yin hour, Tian’gang overlies Ji without overcoming, and the Yin lesson, which yields Daji, likewise does not overcome; Shenhou overlies Mao without overcoming, and the Yin lesson, which yields Congkui, likewise does not overcome. Among the Yin and Yang of the four lessons there is no overcoming at all. Only the day stem Ji alone overcomes Shenhou, and so Shenhou is taken as the useful spirit. According to this method, the reading governs some matter between a woman and her husband, and there may also be a summons from a person of noble rank; it further indicates that the deceased is subject to overcoming and control, so that one should ordinarily worry about funeral matters. In addition, it may involve litigation within the household, or matters of the residence or the grave. Other cases follow by the same principle.

The Sixth Classic (Jing) says: if the Yin-Yang relation of the day and the chen (日辰) does not involve mutual overcoming, and if there is likewise no remote mutual overcoming between them, one uses the method of “looking upward on a hard day and looking downward on a soft day,” inspecting the position of the Mao star (昴星) in order to determine the yongshen (用神, Shen, the spirit taken as the basis of the judgment). This is called “the day and the chen emphasized” (日辰重). Every kind of matter may be divined by means of it.

On a hard day, one looks at the spirit corresponding to the place of the Mao star on the earthly plate; on a soft day, one looks at the earthly branch upon which the Mao star arrives on the heavenly plate. The Mao star symbolizes blockage and obstruction: a person on the road will be delayed, and a person who remains at home may meet with distress. If the question is put on a hard day, and a man has traveled far and not returned, there is fear that he will fight with someone away from home and die. If the question is put on a soft day, a woman may secretly be involved in licentious conduct, and the anxiety will be grave and hard to dispel.

For example, on a wuzi day in the second month, at the yin hour, with the heavenly plate set over the yin position: Daji (大吉) is set upon the wu position, and the two do not overcome each other; the yin spirit is Congkui (从魁), which also does not overcome; Chuansong (传送) is set over the zi position, and the account goes on to say that this too does not overcome; Tiangang (天罡) is taken as Chuansong, and the yin spirit likewise does not overcome. None of the four lessons overcome one another, and on this day there is also no remote mutual overcoming. Wu is a hard day. To “look upward” is to look above: upon the Mao star one sees Taiyi (太一), and therefore Taiyi should be taken as the yongshen. The traveler will set out on the road again.

Again, on a yiwei day in the ninth month, at the chen hour: Taichong (太冲) is set upon the yi position, and the two do not overcome each other; the yin spirit is Gongcao (功曹), which does not overcome; Shengxian (胜先) is set over the wei position, which does not overcome; the yin spirit is Taiyi, which also does not overcome. A yiyou day counts as a soft day, so one should look downward at the heavenly plate, inspect the earthly branch upon which the Mao star arrives, and take that as the yongshen. The traveler will stop and go into hiding; if he has not returned, the person left at home will stay indoors and will not wish to see anyone. The method above may be used in divining every kind of matter.

If good and ill fortune are judged by this method, then, when the transmissions of the lesson have not been worked out as far as the final transmission, one may still decide on that basis. For example, on a wuyin day in the first month, at the wei hour: Congkui is set upon the wu position, and the two do not overcome each other; the yin spirit is Daji, which does not overcome; Shengxian is set over the yin position, which does not overcome; the yin spirit is Hekui (河魁), which also does not overcome. Wu is a hard day, and upon the Mao star one sees Daji, so good and ill fortune may be judged from this; the transmissions of the lesson need not be carried through to the final transmission.

The same lesson example says further: on a wuyin day in the first month, at the wei hour, Congkui is set upon the wu position, with Daji as the yin spirit; Shengxian is set upon the yin position, with Hekui as the yin spirit. Wu is a hard day; upon the Mao star one sees Daji, and Daji should be taken as the yongshen. The traveler will be delayed at a checkpoint or bridge in a distant place. The noble spirit is Tianyi (天一) and stands at the “gate of six.” If one asks about a person of rank, it means that he is not secure in his office; if one asks about an ordinary person, it means separation, or that each goes his own way. This is the case of a hard day.

On a jichou day in the first month, at the gui hour (鬼时): Kui (魁) is set upon the ji position, and the two do not overcome each other; the yin spirit is Daji, which does not overcome; Tiangang is set over the chou position, which does not overcome; the yin spirit is Xiaoji (小吉), which does not overcome, and there is no remote mutual overcoming either. A jiyou day counts as a soft day, so one should inspect, on the heavenly plate, the earthly branch wu upon which the Mao star arrives, and take Shengxian as the yongshen; the general riding upon it is Tiankong (天空). Other cases follow in the same way.

The Seventh Classic explains that when Heaven and Earth cover and join one another, this is called riyin (“day chant”). When the spirit-generals seem each to return to their proper stations, and the four day-and-branch positions do not overcome one another, on a hard day one takes the spirit upon the day as the yongshen, the spirit employed; on a soft day one takes the spirit upon the branch as the yongshen. This situation is called guanliang yinyang fan, “the reversal of the Yin-Yang passes and bridges.” On such days, therefore, there is no auspicious hour that can be chosen.

If today is a Jia day, for example, it is a hard day. The Qi (vital energy) of De (Virtue/Power) lies in yang, so one takes the spirit upon the day as the yongshen. If today is a Yiyou day, the Qi of De lies in yin, so one takes the spirit upon the branch as the yongshen. This is because the Qi of Yin-Yang joins together. At such a time one should neither travel nor undertake business, for affairs will be hard to bring to success.

In divining good and ill fortune, and in matters of setting out, changing residence, or being away from home, one must watch how the yongshen changes. When a move is at hand, if the spirit-generals join, one looks to the yongshen that is set in motion; if the spirit-generals separate, one takes the spirit punished by the yongshen as the spirit transmitted for use; if one meets self-punishment, one takes the spirit that clashes with it.

If today is a Jiazi day, for example, Gongcao comes upon Jia and serves as the yongshen. Gongcao punishes Ji, and next Taiyi appears; Taiyi punishes Jia, and finally Chuansong appears. Both good and ill fortune are to be judged from the spirit-generals.

Among hard days, when the Wood spirit comes upon Wood, it portends anxiety over documents and wooden objects, and a man’s wish to travel far; when the Fire spirit comes upon Fire, it portends quarrels between men and women, even involvement with the authorities; when the Metal spirit comes upon Metal, it portends anxiety over moving and separation; when the Earth spirit comes upon Earth, it portends anxiety that a person of rank will send someone on a distant journey; when the Water spirit comes upon Water, it portends a person of rank drinking wine.

Among soft days, when the Wood spirit is set upon Wood, it portends anxiety over boats and carriages, even involvement with the authorities; when the Fire spirit is set upon Fire, it portends anxiety over a woman’s improper conduct and lawsuits concerning houses; when the Metal spirit is set upon Metal, it portends moving and separation; when the Earth spirit is set upon Earth, it portends women’s affairs, lawsuits over fields and dwellings, or separation; when the Water spirit is set upon Water, it portends the loss of property, pursuit of a thief without success, theft within the household, or inability to cross a frontier. The remaining cases follow by the same pattern.

The Eighth Classic explains that Daji overcomes Yi. When the days Wu, Ji, Xin, and Ren are matched with the hours Zi, Wu, Mao, and You, this is called the Dao (the Way) of Heaven and Earth, and it brings on the calamity of the “Nine Uglinesses.” The so-called Nine Uglinesses are five heavenly stems and four earthly branches. Such days and hours portend the loss of property, pursuit of a thief without success, theft within the household, or inability to cross a frontier. The remaining cases follow by the same pattern.

In the original text of the Seventh Classic, the passage beginning “property is lost and runs off…” appears again at the end of the Eighth Classic, and both occurrences are rendered above in keeping with the original. The original wording “on You, use the spirit upon the branch” agrees in sense with the later “soft day” and may be a textual corruption; following the context, it is rendered here as “on a soft day, take the spirit upon the branch.”

The Eighth Classic states that when the days Yi, Wu, Ji, Xin, and Ren are paired with the hours Zi, Wu, Mao, and You, the result is called the “Nine Ugliness” (Jiuchou), a configuration in the movements of Heaven and Earth that readily invites calamity. The Nine Ugliness is formed from five Heavenly Stems together with four Earthly Branches, nine in all.

Daji (“Great Auspicious,” a spirit-sha in the art of Liuren) is commonly regarded as a great baleful sha of Heaven; when it moves to a given place, that place is then called “Chou” (ugliness). On one of the four medial days (the days Zi, Wu, Mao, and You), or at one of the four medial hours, if Daji arrives upon the day-and-hour—the stem-and-branch pair used in casting the divination—and one proceeds to act, every affair is greatly inauspicious.

When Daji is added upon the day, it harms the elder; when added upon the hour-branch, it harms the younger. On a yang and firm day it harms men; on a You day it harms women. If the day falls in a yang position, it harms the husband; if it falls in a yin position, it harms the wife. When both the day and the hour lie behind Tianyi (Heavenly One, one of the spirit-generals of Liuren), this is called “Double Yin,” and it harms the parents; when both lie before Tianyi, this is called “Double Yang.” If the day and the hour stand one before and one behind, each is judged according to Yin-Yang.

If one infers from the flourishing and ruling states of the Five Phases (Wuxing) through the four seasons, the calamity may be fulfilled within three years; if the Qi is in a state of imprisonment or death, it may be fulfilled within three months. The concrete circumstances must be judged together with the heavenly general—the spirit-general in a Liuren divination—upon which Daji arrives. When one of the four medial positions arrives together with the “Great Hour,” the case is still greatly inauspicious; if it arrives together with a baleful spirit, for example when added upon the “Nine” position, the calamity is heavier and may bring severe consequences such as punishment, death, and bloodshed.

The scripture further says that the day Yi is the day when thunder and lightning first arise, and that the days Wu and Ji are the days when Beichen (the North Star) descends; all of these are days of great auspiciousness. The day Xin is the day when, as autumn begins, punishments start to be carried out, and also a day upon which the ruler, the sun, the moon, and the stars do not shine, so that undertakings are hard to bring to completion. The four medial days bear upon the survival and perishing of the myriad things. Daji is moreover the place from which the movements of the sun, the moon, and the five stars begin; therefore, when these factors come together, they do harm.

For example, in the second month, on the day Renzi at the hour You, Daji arrives at Zi. Renzi is a firm day, and by this method the eldest son is harmed; the outcome may be fulfilled in the sixth month on the days Wuchen, Wuxu, Jiwei, or Jichou. The reason is that Water is in command and overcomes Earth, so an Earth day and an Earth month are taken as the time of fulfillment. If this configuration is obtained at the hour You in an Earth month of the four seasons, You belongs to the four medial hours; Daji added to Zi is then added upon a yang branch and indicates that a young boy comes to harm. In the second month the Great Hour lies at Zi, and in spring Earth occupies the place of death, so the configuration is especially baleful; one must next see upon whom, specifically, it arrives.

According to the heavenly general that arrives together with Daji, one may judge further. If Taiyin (Great Yin) arrives with it, the trouble concerns sacrifices to ghosts and spirits; if Tengshe (the Soaring Snake) arrives with it, one dies of fright; if Zhuque (the Vermilion Bird) arrives with it, the matter concerns documents and writings, or death by fire; if Liuhe (the Six Harmonies) arrives with it, a woman falls into licentiousness, conceives, and bears a child; if Gouchen (the Hook Array) arrives with it, one dies in confinement and distress; if Qinglong (the Azure Dragon) arrives with it, there is a surplus arising from wine, food, and money; if Tianyi arrives with it, the sorrow concerns a person of high standing; if Tianhou (the Heavenly Empress) arrives with it, a wife conceives another man’s child; if Xuanwu (the Dark Warrior) arrives with it, thieves appear and livestock suffer loss; if Taichang (the Grand Constancy) arrives with it, a woman suffers loss through fields, dwellings, and property; if Baihu (the White Tiger) arrives with it, there is bereavement and death; if Tiankong (Heavenly Emptiness) arrives with it, the loss concerns theft and fraud.

In the eleventh month, on the day Yimao at the hour Chen, Daji added to Yi is taken as the Useful—that is, it is selected as the key spirit-general of the divination. The general-spirit is Tengshe, and both the Useful Spirit and the Transmitted Spirit ultimately fall on Earth positions, indicating women’s sorrows and disputes over fields and dwellings, with the eldest daughter coming to harm.

In the eighth month, on the day Wuzi at the hour Mao, Daji is added to Zi, and Yin and Gongcao (the Merit Officer) are taken as the Useful. Although Daji itself is not selected as the Useful Spirit, the Nine Ugliness configuration is still formed, indicating that a young boy comes to harm. Daji may also indicate change in the household and the grave. Other cases are to be understood in the same way.

The explanation of the Ninth Classic holds that, among the various methods of divination, if the chen-star—the earthly branch upon which the time of divination falls—of its own accord comes to overlie the position of the day stem and forms the configuration in which the lower overcomes the upper, this is called “bearing one’s own person and going to attach oneself to another.” It means taking the initiative to commit oneself and depend upon someone else, much like the case of a son-in-law who marries into his wife’s family.

For example, on a Jiaxu day Hekui (the spirit of Xu) overlies Jia; for Yiwei, Xiaoji overlies Yi; for Bingshen, Chuansong comes to overlie Bing; for Jiachen, Tiangang comes to overlie Jia; and for Yichou, Daji overlies Yi. In this divinatory lesson the chen-star overlies the day stem, and the relation of the lower overcoming the upper also appears. When it is used to inquire into good and ill fortune, it indicates that the young may harm the old and that members of the family conflict with one another; relations within and without become licentious and disordered, and internal strife breaks out in the household. It may also indicate a minister plotting against the ruler, a son scheming against his father, or a servant plotting to harm his master.

There is another set of divinatory indications. When Hekui comes to overlie Jia, it signifies suffering punishment when going out, meeting danger when entering, or the arising of a lawsuit. When Xiaoji comes to overlie Yi, it signifies a woman’s sorrow, or matters connected with wine and food. When Taiyi comes to overlie Gui, it signifies a woman becoming involved in litigation over clothing. When Hai comes to overlie Ji, it signifies a woman contending over money and property. When Congkui comes to overlie Ding, it signifies the division of the household or living apart. When Shengxian comes to overlie Ren, it signifies lawsuits concerning fields, dwellings, and women, and there may also be alarm or fire. When Shenhou comes to overlie Xu, it signifies a woman dying of illness, and it also involves licentiousness, bathing, and the like. If the celestial general that rides upon it—the divine general assigned according to the earthly branch in the divinatory chart—is Tianhou, then it signifies licentious affairs among kin.

It is further said that in the second month, on a Jiaxu day at the Yin hour, Hekui arrives together with the spirit of the month, and Wei comes to overlie Jia, forming the lower overcoming the upper. Although an auspicious image is present, matters of licentiousness remain as well. If the celestial general that rides upon it is the Vermilion Bird (Zhuque), members of the household accuse one another; if it is Gouchen, family members harm one another; if it is the White Tiger (Baihu), they kill one another; if it is Tiankong, someone wishes to become a son-in-law who marries into his wife’s family; and if it is Tianhou, it indicates matters of licentiousness.

The explanation of the Tenth Classic states: “Closed mouth, closed mouth; the yin is behind you.” This means that the image of the closed mouth appears in the divinatory chart, and the yin spirit—a hidden spirit-sha—lies behind one’s person. According to the rule by which the four positions, when shifted, amount to the same, if one counts backward from Shenhou to Congkui and this accords with Tianhou in the position of Chou, it signifies matters of licentiousness.

“Close the mouth, close the mouth; Yin is behind you.” This means that, when making an inquiry, one should be cautious and reserved and must not disclose another person’s private affairs. The Yin position is reckoned from the place behind one: one shifts through four positions in succession, counts backward from Shenhou to Congkui, and then joins the result with the Chou position, so as to fix the Yin-Yang place occupied by the divine general.

When one inquires about the deceased, a man is judged from the Yin position and a woman from the Yang position. One first observes the direction in which the deceased lies, and then infers the direction of that person’s final return. If the result falls on imprisoned or dead Qi (vital energy), the distance is comparatively near; if it falls on flourishing or assisting Qi, the distance is comparatively far. If Yin Qi lies layer upon layer, the deceased will not come forth. One must also judge together with fanyin, a configuration in which directions clash. The deceased is assigned to the Yang position, while a thief is sought from the Yin position; judgments of this kind all rely on Xuanwu, the divine general who governs thieves and matters of concealment.

The branch positions of the decades of the six Jia belong to Yang, and the branch positions of the decades of the six Gui belong to Yin. For example, when Gongcao serves as Xuanwu, the Yin position is at Dengming; when Tiangang serves as Xuanwu, the Yin position is at Daji. This is the method of determining Yin and Yang from the heads and tails of the six Jia decades.

Take the Gengzi hour in the first month: Tiangang comes to rest on Chen and serves as Xuanwu, and the Yin position falls on Dengming. To find out who the thief is, one looks at the spirit that arrives upon Geng and obtains Taichong. Taichong belongs to Wood, and Wood is born in Hai; the thief may therefore be a kinsman of the deceased.

Or again, in the ninth month, when the Dingsi hour is set upon Chou, Congkui, acting as Tianyi, comes to Wei, and Shenhou, acting as Xuanwu, comes to Xu. If a woman is missing, one searches toward the northwest gate and judges by the Cheng region; if a man is missing, one looks at Congkui, and, since Congkui comes to Wei, one searches according to the direction of the Wei region. This is called the “four reversals,” that is, judging by means of four divine generals. You corresponds to six and Wei to eight; six multiplied by eight is forty-eight li. If a woman is missing, one looks at Shenhou, and Shenhou comes to Xu; the number of Xu is five and the number of Zi is nine, and five multiplied by nine is forty-five li.

The distance must also be adjusted according to the impetus of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water): the distance obtained under flourishing Qi is doubled; that obtained under assisting Qi is multiplied by ten; that obtained under resting Qi is doubled; that under imprisoned Qi is kept at the original number; and that under dead Qi is halved.

Or again, in the first month, when the Jiazi hour is set upon Mao, Tiangang, acting as Xuanwu, comes to Shen. Tiangang belongs to Yang, and the Yin position lies at Daji. By the rules given above, if a man is missing, one searches toward the southeast, in the direction of the Si region; if a woman is missing, one searches toward the southwest, in the direction of the Shen region.

What is called “closing the mouth” means that the Yellow Emperor valued the privacy of others and therefore warned people not to disclose it. The six Jia belong to Yang, namely: Jiazi is Shenhou, Jiaxu is Hekui, Jiashen is Chuansong, Jiawu is Shengxian, Jiachen is Tiangang, and Jiayin is Gongcao. These are the Yang positions of Xuanwu. The six Gui belong to Yin, namely: Guiyou of the Jiazi decade is Congkui, Guiwei of the Jiaxu decade is Xiaji, Guisi of the Jiashen decade is Taiyi, Guimao of the Jiawu decade is Taichong, Guichou of the Jiachen decade is Daji, and Guihai of the Jiayin decade is Dengming. These are the Yin positions of Xuanwu.

The end of the scripture says that this method is to be checked against the bearings of the four directions. The original text repeats itself in many places, and some sentences appear to contain omissions or corruptions, so that certain individual steps of the calculation are consequently difficult to identify with certainty.

The Jade Balance Chapter

Tianyi Liuren takes the Yongshen (useful spirit) as the starting point of judgment.

The first scripture (Jing) says that the Qi (vital energy) of the Five Phases (Wuxing) represented by the Yongshen must be of the same class as the Five Phases of the day of the inquiry. Other factors are set aside for the moment, and nearness or distance is then judged from the relation between the Yongshen and the day stem. Where a phase is born stands for living Qi; where it dies stands for dead Qi.

For example, if the day stem on the day of the inquiry is Jia or Yi, it belongs to Wood. Should the Yongshen be Dengming (one of the Twelve Generals, corresponding to Hai), it stands for living Qi and suits an inquiry into auspicious matters; should the Yongshen be Xiaoji (one of the Twelve Generals, corresponding to Wei), it stands for dead Qi, and the matter divined readily declines. Hai, Mao, and Wei all belong to Wood: Wood receives birth in Hai and enters death in Wei. One therefore looks only at the Wood Qi contained in Dengming and need not consider any further Water Qi; one looks only at the Wood Qi contained in Xiaoji and need not consider the Fire or Earth Qi within it.

“Nearness and distance” here means the kinship between the Yongshen and the day stem. If the Yongshen arises from Dengming, Dengming corresponds to the Wood of Jia and Yi. Gongcao and Taichong, belonging to the same Wood, may be compared to brothers of the same blood, while Xiaoji may be compared to a brother of another surname, or to a grandson born of a daughter. When auspicious matters are inquired into, the appearance of Dengming on the Yin plate or the Yang plate is an auspicious omen; when inauspicious matters such as death and loss are inquired into, the appearance of Xiaoji on the Yin plate may likewise be used to judge kinship.

When the Yongshen shares the Five Phases of the day, it may be used to judge relations among kin and brothers. Combination of the day stem with a Yang class represents men; combination with a Yin class represents women. In divining good or ill fortune and all kinds of affairs, one may thereby tell whether kin are inner or outer, near or far. Those of the same class who combine are the closest relations. Other cases are extended in the same way.

The second classic (Jing) explains that one uses the stems and branches of the day, together with the spirit-generals (the names of the spirits in a divination chart that are coordinated with the heavenly stems and earthly branches in order to infer a matter), to judge whether a matter has newly arisen or is something left over from the past. In judging, one must see whether, when they meet, they stand in mutual conquest or mutual aversion.

For example, if today is a Yi day, and Kui comes to rest upon Yi and is taken as the yongshen (the key spirit-position selected for the divination), Kui is classed as Metal and its direction is the west; this indicates that the matter begins anew. If instead Daji comes to rest upon Yi and is taken as the yongshen, there is Metal within Daji, and Metal here indicates that the matter has already passed. What is meant by the two “looking upon each other” is that the Wood within Yi seeks to conquer Kui, the Earth within Daji is unwilling to meet Kui, and the Metal within Daji cannot harmonize with it either. This situation is called “meeting, yet mutually averse.”

Thus, if the yongshen arises from “initial birth,” the matter is new: all affairs are as if new, and good or ill fortune must be judged according to the signs displayed by the spirit-generals. If the yongshen arises from “death,” the matter is old and has already passed.

When the ancients took a wife or kept company with others and later wished to seek marriage again or restore the relationship; when a wife who had already left was later to be brought back; or when something once possessed was now to be sought once more—all such cases may be judged as new or old by this method.

For example, on a Ding day, Daji coming upon Ding is initial birth, and Tiancheng coming upon Ding is death; on a Ji day, Tiancheng coming upon Ji is initial birth, and Xiaoji coming upon Ji is death; on a Xin day, Xiaoji coming upon Xin is initial birth, and Hekui added to Xin is death; on a Gui day, Daji coming upon Gui is initial birth, and Tiancheng coming upon Gui is death. The scripture further gives the grounds according to the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) contained in each stem and branch and in the spirit-generals: there is Water within Ding, and there is also Water within Daji; there is Wood within Ji, and there is also Wood within Xiaoji; there is Fire within Xin, and there is also Fire within Kui; there is Earth within Gui, and there is also Earth within Kui. All of these situations may serve as a basis for judgment. This method is used only for the five You days.

When a divination is made on a gang day, if the yongshen arises from yang, it indicates a new matter; if it arises from yin, it indicates an old matter. Encountering Qi (vital energy) in the wang-xiang state—Qi that is flourishing and vigorous—indicates a new matter; encountering Qi in the qiu-si state—Qi that is weakened—indicates an old matter. A yongshen that arises from yang may also indicate a matter yet to come; one that arises from yin indicates a matter already past.

There is yet another method of judgment. On a Yi day, Tianyi indicates a new matter and Daji an old matter; on a Ding day, Chuansong indicates a new matter and Tiancheng an old matter; on a Ji day, Dengming indicates a new matter and Xiaoji an old matter; on a Xin day, Gongcao indicates a new matter and Kui an old matter; on a Gui day, Taiyi indicates a new matter and Tiangang an old matter. Each is judged according to the spirit-general that comes to rest upon it.

Yi belongs to Wood. Wood is born in Hai, grows in Mao, and dies in Wei. If Dengming is the one employed, it indicates an old matter; Taichong indicates a new matter; Xiaoji indicates a matter yet to come. Other cases follow by the same principle.

Exposition of the Fourth Scripture: The days of the Four Beginnings (Sili)—the Beginning of Spring, the Beginning of Summer, the Beginning of Autumn, and the Beginning of Winter—are called the “Four Severances” (Sijue). The scripture says that if someone happens to meet with distress on these days, it is a calamity sent down by Heaven, and disaster befalls the person.

The so-called “Four Beginnings” are the days on which the four seasons commence. At the Beginning of Spring the Qi (vital energy) of Lesser Yang begins; at the Beginning of Summer the Qi of Greater Yang begins; at the Beginning of Autumn the Qi of Lesser Yin begins; and at the Beginning of Winter the Qi of Greater Yin begins. They are therefore called the Four Beginnings.

The so-called “Four Severances” mean that, when the seasonal nodes change places, the impetus of the old season is exhausted and the new season is about to be established. On the day before each of the Four Beginnings, the Qi of the two seasonal orders meet and part from one another; for this reason they are called the Four Severances.

For example, on the day before the Beginning of Spring, if one looks up at the sun on a ji day, it is said that the sun in heaven is shining upon the ji day. When good or ill fortune is divined at this time, the scripture holds that sudden disaster will come to the door, even to the point of bloodshed, and may bring investigation by the authorities; it also says that when a woman gives birth the fetal position may be reversed.

If a monthly general—in the ancient mantic arts, a divine general assigned by the month and used in divination and the observation of omens—happens to preside over this day, it is likewise held to be inauspicious. The lunar spirits spoken of here are the monthly generals such as Dengming of the first month and Hekui of the second month. The scripture holds that they conjoin with the chronogram of Death and are urgent in nature. For example, if the Beginning of Spring falls on a xinhai day, the preceding day is a gengxu day, and the monthly general presides at the position of geng: this is such a case.

The scripture says again that if one meets with distress on this day, it is a calamity sent down by Heaven. When this day is used to divine all manner of matters, the scripture holds that there will be sudden death, even death upon the road, and that it may be fulfilled within the same month. If the monthly general only presides alone at geng and has not actually arrived at its position, this does not count as fulfillment. The baleful omen spoken of here is governed by the spirit of the monthly general.

The explanation of the fourth scripture (Jing) states that, at the seasons of the “Four Separations” (sili), if one looks up and sees the moon stationed in particular lunar lodges, this is regarded as an inauspicious omen. Whether the omen is great or small, it is a manifestation of the “Heavenly Bandit” (Tiankou) passing through. The “Four Separations” refer to the moments when these solar terms meet and give way to one another: Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, and Winter Solstice.

What the text calls the moon’s lodge is the lodge in which the moon stands as it moves. Arranged by the months, the first month is the Shi lodge (Encampment), the second the Kui lodge (Legs), the third the Wei lodge (Stomach), the fourth the Bi lodge (Net), the fifth the Jing lodge (Well), the sixth the Liu lodge (Willow), the seventh the Zhang lodge (Extended Net), the eighth the Jiao lodge (Horn), the ninth the Di lodge (Root), the tenth the Xin lodge (Heart), the eleventh the Dou lodge (Dipper), and the twelfth the Xunü lodge (Serving Maid).

The meaning is that, at the Spring Equinox, Yin and Yang (Yin-Yang) separate, each moving on its own course and each attending to its own charge. The so-called “Heavenly Bandit” is an ominous sign formed by the accumulation of Yin Qi (vital energy), and it governs punishment. At the Spring Equinox, Yin Qi is at the mao position and, like a thief, harms the hundred plants, so that the seed pods of the elm fall; at the Summer Solstice, Yang Qi is at the wu position, the hundred plants are harmed, and shepherd’s purse and wheat wither and die; at the Autumn Equinox, Yin Qi is at the you position, and although the season of stern killing ought then to begin, there appears instead the anomaly of flowers blooming in autumn; at the Winter Solstice, Yang Qi is at the zi position, and although the myriad things lie hidden, plants such as shepherd’s purse and wheat begin to grow in winter. None of these phenomena accords with the proper Qi of the season.

The ancients therefore held that the moon’s passage through these lodge positions, which do not accord with the season, is a transformation of accumulated Yin Qi and portends punishment. When this method is used to divine affairs, it is held that calamities such as theft and robbery will break out suddenly and be quickly fulfilled. The particular omen is explained by the direction in which the moon stands and by the corresponding “divine general” (a divine name or symbol within the system of observational divination).

There is another method of divination. At the Spring Equinox, the hai hour of a jiazi day is taken as the “hour of separation” (lichen). If the lodge in which the moon stands comes upon the hai position, one should not travel far; otherwise one may meet thieves, suffer robbery, and even lose one’s belongings and die on the road. The scripture explains that this is because, at the Spring Equinox, Yin Qi is at the mao position and harms grasses and trees as a thief would.

The explanation of the fifth scripture (Jing) says: if the Five Phases (Wuxing) of the hour overcome the stems and branches of that day, and the spirit-general employed further intensifies this overcoming, then the matter being divined will be pressed down from above. What lies above will in turn bring distress, and the spirit-generals will also come into conflict with one another. This is called “Tiangang Sizhang,” and it means that all things suffer harm.

For example, on a jia or yi day, if the Heaven Plate (tianpan) of a certain hour overlies geng or xin—geng and xin belong to Metal, and Metal overcomes the Wood of jia and yi—the hour is said to overcome the day. If, among the spirit-generals employed, there is also Chuansong or Congkui (spirit-generals in the Liuren system, whose Five Phase is Metal), Metal comes once more to overcome the Wood of jia and yi. This is called “a spirit that further assists the employment.”

“Conflict among the generals” means that, although Congkui and Chuansong belong to Metal, they are nevertheless controlled by Qinglong (whose Five Phase is Wood). They overcome one another, and conflict therefore arises. Other cases may be inferred in the same way.

What is called “Tiangang” means that the hour, the spirit employed, and the matter being divined all overcome the day together; above and below also overcome one another, so that even if one seeks help to resolve the situation, it is hard to succeed. It is therefore called “Sizhang,” indicating that every affair suffers harm. To conduct affairs in such an hour is often unlikely to succeed; one may also fear injury and ruin, even the decline and fall of the household.

For example, on the gengzi day of the second month, when the si hour overlies the ji position, the difficulty can be resolved if one meets Daji (one of the spirit-generals of Liuren). The scripture then gives a further illustration: on the gengzi day of the second month, when the si hour overlies the ji position, Daji overlies the geng position and there is no mutual overcoming; Taiyi (one of the spirit-generals of Liuren) overlies the zi position, the lower overcoming the upper, and thus becomes the spirit employed. When the si hour overlies the si position, the Fire of si overcomes the Metal of geng, so the hour overcomes the day; Taiyi, as the spirit employed, further overcomes geng, and this constitutes “the employment further assists it.” Auspiciousness and inauspiciousness may be judged by the method set out above.

The Sixth Classic (Jing) says that Yang cannot unite with Yin (Yin-Yang), and that Yin does not draw near to Yang. The spirits of the three transmissions correspond with one another, as if turning back to join their own kind. The method of divination holds that there ought not to be illicit sexual conduct; if there is such conduct, misfortune will arise from it.

For example, take a divination cast in the first month, on a Jiazi day at the Mao hour. Jia belongs to Yang and symbolizes the husband; Zi belongs to Yin and symbolizes the wife. Chuansong (the Transmitter) rests upon Jia, and Hekui (the River Chief) rests upon Zi. Jia wishes to draw near to Zi but fears Chuansong; Zi wishes to draw near to Jia but fears Hekui. Both Chuansong and Hekui belong to Earth, and so Yin and Yang do not draw near to each other.

What is called “the three utterances obtaining one another” means that the spirits within the three transmissions turn and correspond, each returning to its own kind—for instance, when the three transmissions are entirely of Wood, entirely of Metal, or entirely of Fire. In this casting, Hekui is the initial transmission, Chuansong the middle transmission, and Gongcao (the Director of Merit) the final transmission. Among the earthly branches, Yin, Wu, and Xu all belong to Fire; Hai, Mao, and Wei all belong to Wood; Shen, Zi, and Chen all belong to Water; and Si, You, and Chou all belong to Metal. This is what is meant by the three transmissions being of one kind. Used to divine a person’s circumstances, it indicates a heart harboring improper thoughts, with affairs heading toward danger and ruin.

As a further example, take a divination cast in the eighth month, on a Gengchen day at the Shen hour. Tiangang (the Celestial Dipper) rests upon Geng, and Shenhou (the Divine Empress) rests upon Chen. Tiangang belongs to Earth and overcomes the Water to which Shenhou belongs; this is Yang being unable to unite with Yin. Shenhou belongs to Yin and fears the Earth of Tiangang, which is why it is said that Yin does not draw near to Yang. In this casting, Shenhou is the initial transmission, Chuansong the middle transmission, and Tiangang the final transmission. These are called the “three utterances,” and the three transmissions all return to the same kind. Thus, although Yin and Yang do not unite, they correspond with one another within the three transmissions.

When this casting is used to divine about a person, it indicates that there may inwardly be a matter of private intimacy, or that litigation may be discussed in secret. Why is this so? Shenhou both represents the Yin within the Chen position upon which Tiangang rests and is the spirit brought into use. A single spirit thus bears two orientations, from which one infers that the person concerned is of two minds and may engage in licentious, unrestrained conduct. The statement that “there ought not to be illicit sexual conduct” means that if, on such a day and at such an hour, one has sexual relations with a licentious woman, misfortune is sure to follow.

Responsibility is judged according to the relations of overcoming among the spirits and generals: if the upper overcomes the lower, the fault lies with the man; if the lower overcomes the upper, the fault lies with the woman.

The Seventh Jing (scripture/classic) says: When Yang Qi (vital energy) has nothing on which to rely, and Yin Qi has nowhere to draw close, calamity will arise from outside, from inside, and from oneself.

What is called “Yang having nothing on which to rely” means that what is below suppresses what is above; what is called “Yin having nothing to which it draws close” means that Yin Qi turns and restrains Yang Qi. This is an omen of great misfortune, signifying that the movements of Heaven and Earth have lost their normal order.

On the gengyin day of the first month, at the renwu hour, when the hour overlies the ji position, it is inadvisable to undertake any affair; otherwise calamity will fall upon oneself, one’s advances and retreats will miss their proper measure, and there will be still greater distress.

On the renzi day of the first month, when the hour overlies the ji position, Taiyi (a spirit name in shi divination) overlies the ren position, and Shengxian (a spirit name in shi divination) first overlies the zi position: this is “Yang having nothing on which to rely.” Shengxian transmits onward and encounters Shenhou (a spirit name in shi divination), while Taiyi transmits onward and encounters Dengming (a spirit name in shi divination). When one divines about all affairs, calamity will fall upon oneself, one’s advances and retreats will miss their proper measure, and there will be still greater distress.

Likewise, on the renzi day of the first month, when the hour overlies the ji position, Taiyi overlies the ren position and Shengxian overlies the zi position: this is “Yang having nothing on which to rely.” When Shengxian transmits onward and encounters Shenhou, and Taiyi transmits onward and encounters Dengming, this is “Yin having nothing to which it draws close.”

Using this method of divination to infer a person’s circumstances, if the ruler has no power on which to rely and the father has no one close to him, then one will certainly be deceived. When Shaozheng is at such a time, even Heaven and Earth feel anxious and afraid—how much more so the common people?

The Eighth Classic explains: when the day-chen—the heavenly stem and earthly branch used in choosing the day and hour for divination—overcomes the day stem, this is the lower position restraining the upper, and it is called “Luanshou” (Disordered Head). It foretells possible harm to elders. What is meant by “the branch overcoming the day” is that, when the day stem of each day comes upon its own earthly branch, it is overcome by that earthly branch.

For example, if today is a Bing-Zi day, Taiyi carries Bing and overlies Zi; on a Yi-You day, Taichong carries Yi and overlies You; on a Ren-Xu day, Dengming carries Ren and overlies Xu; on a Gui-Wei day, Shenhou carries Gui and overlies Wei; on a Ding-Hai day, Shengxian carries Ding and overlies Hai; on a Jia-Shen day, Gongcao carries Jia and overlies Shen; on a Xin-Si day, Congkui carries Xin and overlies Si; on a Ji-Mao day, Xiaoji carries Ji and overlies Mao; on a Wu-Yin day, Tiangang carries Wu and overlies Yin. All of these are cases of the earthly branch overcoming the day stem, that is, the lower position restraining the upper.

When this configuration is used to inquire into human affairs, it foretells a contravention of the constant Way (Dao): a subject may kill the ruler, children may harm their parents, a wife may plot against her husband, and bondservants may injure their master; in every matter the signs are inauspicious. On a Jia-Shen day in the first month, at the Mao hour, Mao comes to overcome Jia—this is the first contravention. Kui (Congkui) overlying Jia means that the lower position restrains the upper—this is the second contravention. If the “yong,” the key factor taken up in the judgment, is overcome by the sovereign, it foretells the intervention of the authorities, and even death and mourning. Why is this so? Because in spring the Qi (vital energy) of Earth is weak, and this governs death and mourning; if the configuration also resembles “Tianyu” (Heaven’s Prison), the same inference is drawn.

The Ninth Classic says: “When the yongshen (the key spirit-general selected in divination to judge a matter) arises from the Qi (vital energy) of imprisonment and death, and the Dipper (here, the direction indicated by the Dipper’s handle) further points toward the place of today’s affliction.” This is called “the Heavenly Prison approaching one’s person,” and it means that calamity draws near to oneself. If one also meets the sign of “slaying the imprisoned,” one must guard against punishment and disgrace.

“The yongshen arising from imprisonment and death” means that the spirit-general coincides with the Qi of imprisonment and death. “The Dipper commanding today’s worry” means that the Dipper’s handle points to the place generated by the present day. For example, on a gengshen day in the seventh month of autumn, Shengxian, as the Azure Dragon, occupies the geng position, and Taiyi, as Gouchen, occupies the wei position; these should then be taken as the yongshen. The Dipper’s handle further points to the ji position, and ji is the place generated by the gengshen day. Gongcao, as Tengshe, occupies the ji position and becomes the yin spirit of Taiyi. Taichong, as the Vermilion Bird, occupies the wu position, overcomes Gouchen, and comes to occupy the wei position, and should likewise be taken as the yongshen. The Dipper’s handle still points to the ji position, and ji is again the place generated by the gengshen day. Tengshe and the Vermilion Bird belong to Fire, while Gongcao and Taichong belong to Wood. In autumn the Qi of Fire is imprisoned and the Qi of Wood declines and dies, and neither has living Qi. The Dipper’s handle further points to the place generated by the day and its cyclical signs, so it is unsuitable to undertake any affairs; all will bring the affliction of being trapped and imprisoned.

Another method of reckoning: on a dingmao day in the seventh month, with the hour set at the ji position, Chuansong is the yongshen. In autumn, ding Fire stands in imprisoned Qi and is further overcome by imprisoned Qi, and the Dipper’s handle points to the mao position. Mao is the home position of the ding day, so this household will have a matter of detention and imprisonment. If the Dipper’s handle points to zi or hai, it indicates that an elder brother may suffer imprisonment, or meet danger while traveling.

On a yiwei day in the first month, with the hour set at the shen position, Xiaoji occupies the yi position; the lower overcomes the upper, and it serves as the yongshen. The first month is in its prosperous phase, yet the day-spirit stands in dead Qi, and the Dipper’s handle further points to the gui position; gui is the home position of the yi day. This is what is meant by “the Qi of death and imprisonment, and the Dipper commanding today’s worry.”

There is yet another explanation. If, when one divines, the yongshen taken from the day and its cyclical signs falls within the Qi of imprisonment and death—for example, if in spring one obtains a spirit of Metal or Earth—this is “the yongshen arising from imprisonment and death.” “The Dipper commanding the day’s worry” means that the Dipper’s handle points to the home position of the present day, signifying that the Heavenly Prison approaches one’s person. The so-called worry brought by imprisoned and dead Qi means that the Qi of imprisonment and death inflicts punishment within the prison.

On a yiyou day in the second month, with the hour set at the ji position, the Dipper’s handle points to the hai position. Hai is the home position of the yi day, and so there is worry. Xiaoji, as the yin spirit of Gongcao, occupies the yin position and becomes the yongshen. In spring the Qi of Earth stands in the position of death; this is “the yongshen arising from imprisonment and death.” The sequence is transmitted to Shenhou, and at the end one meets Taiyi, who arrives together with the White Tiger; there must be a matter of death. Xiaoji is the place of Wood’s prison. If one meets an enemy, on raising one’s head one sees grave mounds. If the case is judged by the image of entering the tomb, even obtaining the Azure Dragon cannot bring deliverance. Other cases may be inferred in the same way.

(Certain phrases in the original are suspected of textual error, and the passage on “yiyou in the second month” contains repeated wording; the above follows the order of the original.)

The Tenth Jing (scripture/classic) states: When the three lights of the sun, the moon, and the stars are all present and complete, auspicious power is contained within them. What is meant here is that the Yang Shen (spirit) of the day-branch, the Shen employed by the day-branch, and the Dipper generals—the divine generals assigned to the Northern Dipper—are for the most part auspicious; if one further obtains the Qi (vital energy) of wang and xiang, the seasonal Qi in which the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) are flourishing and mutually supportive, this is called “the Three Lights, with their use lying within.”

What is called here “the light of the Three Yangs” refers to three kinds of Yang Qi, and not to the Yin Shen among the transmitted Shen and the employed Shen. If the Yang Shen of the branch, the employed Shen, and the Dipper general all incline toward the auspicious, this is the light of the Three Yangs. If the transmitted Shen and the employed Shen also meet auspicious generals and generate one another above and below; if the final transmission can restrain the initial transmission; or if above and below do not overcome one another and what is below does not encroach upon what is above—then the indication is for the most part auspicious. If any one of these Shen obtains the Qi of wang and xiang and also receives an auspicious general, then even if inauspicious generals appear elsewhere, the later course may still turn toward blessing. Joy will in the end be seen, and there will certainly be a great celebration.

When this configuration is encountered, a journey of ten thousand li will not end in drowning; illness does not easily worsen; malign ghosts cannot intrude; and one will not be wounded in battle. What is sown can grow; what is undertaken can succeed; what is sought can be obtained; and what is wished can be granted. One who is gravely ill will not come to death, and one who is held in custody will not suffer punishment. Even if the blade has already reached the neck, there is no need for terror. Even if the corpse has already been placed in the coffin, it may still return to life, and one can pass into and out of the unseen darkness. This is called the verified response of numinous spirits. The teachings handed down by the sages and the Jing transmitted by the worthy should be followed with care and treasured in the golden casket—the place where precious canonical writings are kept—and this method must not be divulged.

There is another method. On a Jia-Yin day in the first month, with the hour added to Ji, Chuansong is the Azure Dragon. The Azure Dragon flourishes in the spring and is further stationed at Jia and Yin; the Shen upon the day and the auspicious general together occupy a place of wang and xiang. The Jing says that Jia-Yin in the first month is a flourishing day, and this counts as the first light; the Azure Dragon is also flourishing and is stationed at a flourishing position, and this counts as the second light; the year-fate stands at the Gate of Wood, and this counts as the third light. Gongcao serves as the transmitted Shen, and the Yin Shen is placed upon the position Jia; Gongcao is itself a Yang Shen, and together with the general Tianhou, the Heavenly Empress, it becomes the employed Shen. This is called “the use lies within.” At this time, among the auspicious and inauspicious Shen of heaven and earth, both the Shen and the generals incline toward the auspicious. The formula of the method says, “An inauspicious matter is determined according to whichever side is greater in number,” and this is precisely the situation meant.

There is yet another method. When Tianyi, the name of a divine general, proceeds in forward order, and the third and fifth positions ahead are placed upon the day-branch, this is the first Yang. When the transmitted Shen and the employed Shen ultimately rest in the Qi of wang and xiang and do not overcome one another, this is the second Yang. When the light of the sun shines upon the proper position of that day, this is the third Yang. This, too, is called “the use lies within.”

For example, on a Wu-Chen day in the sixth month, with the Chen hour added to Chen, the relevant spirit-positions all receive the Qi of wang and xiang. Chuansong is Shengxian, and the Yin Shen, placed upon Wu, becomes the employed Shen. Chuansong in the sixth month obtains the Qi of xiang, and this is also called the Three Lights. The transmitted Shen meets Kui and, together with Xuanwu, the Dark Warrior, is stationed at the position of the earthly branch Shen; the final transmission is Shenhou and, together with Tianhou, is stationed at the position of the earthly branch Xu. This is called obtaining the Qi of wang and xiang at the outset and returning at last to an auspicious general. There will therefore be a great celebration; even if inauspicious signs remain, they cannot cause harm.

If Tianyi proceeds in reverse order, and the third and fifth positions ahead are placed upon the day-branch, this is the first Yin. If the employed Shen and the final transmission rest in the Qi of imprisonment and death, with above and below overcoming one another, this is the second Yin. If the hour overcomes the year-fate, this is the third Yin. When the Dipper and the moon shine upon the proper position of that day, calamity is brought about. When the three Yins gather within the employed Shen, this is called “Redoubled Yin.” In the end there will be misfortune, and one will certainly be hard-pressed and poor. Even if a person in custody is released, he will still remain under official constraint; even if a sick person recovers, his spirit will decline, as though the hun and po souls had already entered the coffin. The household will decay and be depleted, and ruin and anxiety will follow one after another. Used to divine affairs of every kind, all are greatly inauspicious. This is the configuration known as “entering beneath the Nine Earths and being put to the service of the three Yins.”