--- title: "周易參同契釋疑 – English Interpretation | Daozang" url: "https://daozang.app/en/text/KR5d0024/" canonical: "https://daozang.app/en/text/KR5d0024/" lang: "en" source: "Kanripo 漢籍リポジトリ（京都大学）" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" --- # 《周易參同契釋疑》 Taixuan 太玄部 · 1 volumes · 8,668 characters ## Vol. 1 周易參同契釋疑序世傳周易參同契上中下三篇合而觀之其辭錯亂本不可以分章也彭眞一因爲解註遂并魏公後序分爲九十章以應火候之九轉外餘鼎器歌一篇以應眞鉛之得一前輩謂此書詞韻皆古奥雅難通讀者淺聞妄輙更改故比他書尤多舛誤彭公爲之分章解義誠可謂佐佑眞經矣然承誤註釋或取斷章大義雖明而古文闕裂如易統天心可不愼乎之類皆合與下文連屬而彭本乃截爲上章不成文理意者彭義亦爲近世淺學妄更所以若是兼又有錯簡如象彼仲冬節一章不當在審而不誤之下類如雞子一章不當在各自獨居之下陳抱一嘗以象彼仲冬節一章移於子當右轉之前亦未爲得鄭虚一所校自謂詳備而亦有錯處如中而相干金水合處與鬼爲鄰之類蓋不當改而鄭乃改中爲午水爲木鬼爲仙去本義遠矣然晦爽定爲昧爽鼓下定爲鼓鑄粉提定爲服之厥亦當理愚嘗合諸本參訂之雖皆出於先正數君子讎校而其間更有大叚舛誤如三五併危一兮都集歸一所蓋謂房六張二昴七三方之氣併在北方危一都會集而歸於一處也舊本乃以危一作爲一歸一作歸二非惟失魏公本㫖於理亦自不通此無他蓋因危一訛作爲一遂疑其重復而誤改之耳至若補塞遺脫等語即魏公自序也所謂補 **Interpretation** "Interpretation of Doubts Regarding the Zhouyi Cantong Qi" Preface: A Vernacular Explanation The Zhouyi Cantong Qi circulating in the world is divided into three sections (upper, middle, and lower), but the original text's content is interwoven and should not have been segmented into chapters. Peng Zhenyi (a Daoist figure), for the convenience of commentary, divided Wei Boyang's (the author) postscript into ninety chapters, corresponding to the nine cyclical transformations of alchemical fire phases, and separately listed the "Song of the Cauldron Vessel" as one section, symbolizing the state of pure unity represented by "true lead" (a Neidan term referring to primordial qi). Previous scholars noted that this text employs elegant yet archaic diction, making it difficult to comprehend. Some less learned individuals made arbitrary revisions, resulting in more errors than in other classics. Peng Zhenyi's chapter-by-chapter explanations indeed aid in understanding the true scripture, but he perpetuated certain erroneous annotations and occasionally took passages out of context. While the broader meaning was clarified, the original coherence of the ancient text was fragmented. For example, the phrase "The Yi [Changes] governs the heart of Heaven—can this not be treated with caution?" should connect with the following passage, but Peng's version severed it as the conclusion of the preceding chapter, disrupting the flow of meaning. Additionally, there are issues of misplaced chapters: for instance, the section "Resembling the Midwinter Solar Term" should not follow "Examine Without Error," nor should the "Like a Chicken Egg" chapter come after "Each Dwells Alone." Chen Baoyi (a collator) once moved "Resembling the Midwinter Solar Term" before "The Son [Earthly Branch] Turns Rightward," but this was still not entirely appropriate. Zheng Xuyi (another collator) claimed to have compiled a thorough revision, yet it contained mistakes: for example, changing "zhong" (center) to "wu" (noon), "water" to "wood," and "ghost" to "immortal," completely deviating from the original intent. However, his corrections—such as revising "obscure brightness" to "dim brightness," "below the drum" to "drum casting," and "powder extraction" to "ingesting it"—were relatively reasonable. After cross-referencing various editions, I found that despite being collated by earlier scholars, significant errors remain. For instance, the line "The Three and Five converge at Wei One, all gathering into a single place" originally refers to the qi of the three lunar lodges—Fang (6), Zhang (2), and Mao (7)—converging at the northern lodge Wei (1). Yet older editions mistakenly wrote "wei one" as "become one" and "return to one" as "return to two," not only contradicting Wei Boyang's original meaning but also defying logical coherence. This error arose entirely from miswriting "Wei" as "wei" (to become) and then arbitrarily altering the text to avoid repetition. As for phrases like "supplementing omissions and filling gaps," these are actually part of Wei Boyang's original preface. 塞遺脫乃指鼎器歌也魏公恐篇中所述尚有遺脫故復作此以補塞之如首尾武中間文贍理腦定昇玄之說篇中皆不普顯言而此歌遂陳之也嘗詳其序中數句以姓名櫽括於其間首初一句又拈出參同契者四字蓋此章爲魏公白序明矣按彭公註本此序置在鼎器歌後彭公以鼎器歌辭理勾連字句零碎分章不得遂移此序附於三篇之末分爲九十章以應陽九之數退鼎器歌獨存於後以應水一之數此倒置之失實自彭公始也五相類即非五相類乃三相類也三相類者大易黄老爐火三者之陰陽造化互相似也所謂三道由一俱出徑路又曰羅列三條枝莖相連同出異名皆由一門是也外有讃序一篇或云後序或云魏公讃後人莫知所從遂總名之曰讃序晦菴朱子詳其文意以爲註之後序註亡而序存耳近世註釋者皆祖朱子此說因而削去不録然舊本既載不容不存愚今併書之以附于卷末蓋不欲棄其舊也嗚呼由魏公至于今千有餘歲去古日益遠傳訛日益衆或有識者悼古文之久翳而爲之剔僞辯眞衆必愕眙非詆而笑其僣妄於是寧結舌不語而終莫敢著筆爲是書任其責雖然其如後人何此鄭虛一所以甚爲是書惜也愚區區晩學幸遇明師獲承斯道之正傳兼得是書之善本歷試以還 **Interpretation** “Se yituo” (stopping omissions and losses) refers precisely to the Dingqi Ge (Song of the Cauldron Vessel), the song on the cauldron vessel in the Cantong qi. Master Wei (Wei Boyang) worried that what was set forth in the chapters still contained omissions, and so he composed this song to supplement them. Sayings such as “at the beginning and end use martial fire (wu huo), in the middle use civil fire (wen huo)” and “nourishing and regulating the brain and stabilizing the ascent to the mysterious”—cultivation methods of this kind—were not generally and clearly stated in the chapters, but this song sets them forth. I once examined several lines of the preface carefully: they conceal his name within them, and the opening line again brings out the four characters “Cantong qi zhe.” It is therefore quite clear that this section is Master Wei’s own preface. According to Master Peng Xiao’s annotated edition, this preface is placed after the Dingqi Ge. Because the wording and reasoning of the Dingqi Ge are interlinked and its phrases are fragmented, it could not be divided into chapters; Master Peng therefore moved this preface to the end of the three sections—the three sections of the Cantong qi—and divided the work into ninety chapters to correspond to the number of yang nine (the yang number nine). He then set the Dingqi Ge aside and placed it separately at the end to correspond to the number of Water one (the Water number one). This error of inverted placement actually began with Master Peng. What is called “Wu xiang lei” is not “Wu xiang lei”; it is “San xiang lei.” What is meant by the threefold mutual classification is that the three—the Great Changes (Zhouyi), Huang-Lao (the learning of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi), and furnace fire (the firing times of alchemical refining)—are mutually similar in their Yin-Yang generation and transformation. The statements “the three ways derive from the One, all emerge from the same path” and “three are arrayed; branches and stems are connected; they come forth under different names, all through one gate” refer to exactly this. There is also a Zanxu (Encomium Preface). Some say it is a postface, some say it is Master Wei’s encomium; later people did not know which account to follow, and so they collectively called it the “Zanxu.” Zhu Xi (Hui’an, Master Zhu), examining the meaning of the text carefully, held that it was the postface to a commentary; the commentary was lost while the preface remained. Recent commentators all followed Zhu Xi’s view and therefore deleted it, omitting it from their records. But since the old edition already included it, it cannot but be preserved; I have now copied it as well and appended it at the end of the volume, because I did not want to discard the old edition. Alas, from Master Wei to the present is more than a thousand years; as we grow ever farther from antiquity, transmitted errors increase. If a person of insight laments that the ancient text has long been obscured and, on its behalf, removes its false errors and clarifies its true meaning, the crowd will surely stare in astonishment, censure and slander him, and laugh at his presumption. Thus people would rather keep silent; in the end no one dares take up the brush and assume responsibility for this book. Even so, what is to be done for later generations? This is precisely why Zheng Xuyi (the commentator) especially lamented this book. Although I am an insignificant later student, I have been fortunate to meet an enlightened teacher, receive the orthodox transmission of this Dao, and obtain a good edition of this book; thereafter I have repeatedly tested and verified it. 講明粗熟朞年而書成深恐推之未盡言之未詳改竄凡更三四藁又恐後人無以折衷遂合蜀本越本吉本及錢唐諸家之本互相讎校以爲定本其諸參錯不齊則有朱子考異一書在兹不復贅云時五星聚丑之年金精滿鼎之日林屋洞天紫庭眞逸全陽子書周易參同契釋疑 林屋山人全陽子俞琰迷 上篇釋疑匡郭一本匡作垣陳抱一註本改爲圍郭避諱也運轂正軸謂修丹當正其心猶運轂當正其軸也軸在轂内以貫於轂輻則又在轂之外 以輳於轂者也一本軸作輻非是牝牡四卦蓋繳上文乾坤門户坎離匡郭之 句總言之也此四卦乃鼎器藥物後言六 十卦乃火候也如中篇謂四者渾沌亦是 繳上文乾剛坤柔坎離冠首之句後又日 六十卦用張布爲輿恰成六十四卦六十 四卦皆爲吾丹道之用此所以爲周易參 同契也一本以牝牡四卦爲震兊巽艮非 是以爲橐籥凝神子陳會眞註本以作互猶御者之執銜轡有準繩正規矩隨軌轍處 中以制外謂如御者處於車中而能制御 馬之進退以合乎規繩也蓋與中篇龍馬 就駕明君御時意同舊本猶御者之執銜 轡有凖繩作猶工御者執銜轡凖繩墨非 是前輩乃承誤注釋以爲猶工者之於繩 墨規矩御者之於銜轡軌轍誤矣 **Interpretation** The *Zhouyi Cantongqi Shiyi* (Resolving Doubts on the Zhouyi Cantongqi) was composed by Yu Yan, the Quanzhen Daoist master of Linwu Grotto-Heaven. After years of meticulous study and repeated revisions—concerned that his interpretations might lack depth—he rewrote the manuscript three or four times. To provide posterity with a reliable edition, he compared versions from Shu, Yue, Jizhou and other regions, incorporating annotations from Qiantang scholars to produce this definitive version. As for minor textual variations, Zhu Xi's *Kaoyi* (Textual Analysis) has already addressed them, so we need not elaborate here. The completion of this work coincided with an auspicious celestial phenomenon—the convergence of the five planets in the constellation of Chou—a propitious time for alchemical practice when the "golden essence fills the cauldron." Regarding specific annotations: 1. The term "kuangguo" (enclosing walls) appears as "yuan" (enclosure) in some editions. Chen Baoyi's commentary changed it to "weiguo" (surrounding walls) to observe naming taboos. 2. "Yun gu zheng zhou" (turning the hub to align the axle) refers to the need for inner alignment in Neidan (internal alchemy) practice—just as a wheel's rotation depends on a straight axle. The axle penetrates the hub internally, while spokes support the rim externally. Some editions mistakenly replace "zhou" (axle) with "fu" (spoke), which is incorrect. 3. "Pinmu sigua" (the four paired hexagrams) summarizes the earlier passage about "Qian and Kun as the gateway, Kan and Li as the vessel." These four hexagrams represent the alchemical cauldron and ingredients, while the subsequent sixty hexagrams govern fire regulation. As the middle chapter states, "these four in chaos" echoes the earlier "Qian's firmness and Kun's softness, with Kan and Li at the forefront"—together with the sixty hexagrams completing the full sixty-four hexagram system. All hexagrams serve alchemical purposes, which is why the text is titled *Zhouyi Cantongqi* (The Kinship of the Three Through the Zhou Changes). Those who misinterpret these four hexagrams as Zhen, Dui, Xun and Gen are mistaken. 4. Regarding "yi wei tuo yue" (functioning like bellows to regulate breathing), Chen Huizhen's commentary interprets "yi" (using) as "hu" (mutually). 5. The passage "like a driver holding reins" illustrates that alchemy, like charioteering, requires adherence to precise methods. "Governing the external from within" parallels how a driver seated centrally controls the horses' movement in accordance with standards. This metaphor aligns with the middle chapter's "dragon-horses harnessed, the enlightened ruler steers time." Older editions erroneously wrote it as "like craftsmen-drivers holding reins, squares and ink-lines," leading earlier commentators to misinterpret it as comparing craftsmen's tools with drivers' reins—an incorrect reading. 兼并爲六十謂日用兩卦一月三十日兼并 爲六十卦也一本作兼并爲六十四非是用之依次序一本依作如既未至昧爽即下文晦至朔旦之謂也一本 昧作晦非是蓋既未即月晦昧爽即月朔 若以爲既未至晦爽則猶言晦至晦爽於 文義大謬矣春夏據内體從子到辰巳秋冬當外用自午 訖戌亥蓋以兩卦並言前一卦屬春夏自 子至巳陽自下而升也後一卦屬秋冬自 午至亥陰自上而降也若只以一卦言則 一卦止有六爻以十二時配之恰欠其半 畢竟日用兩卦直事須當以兩卦並言得其序一本序作理變化於中晦菴朱子註本變化作升降一本 作升降變化於其中包袤蓋用文子通玄眞經語舊本作包囊非 是以無制有乃是制造之制非制御之制也大 丹之法於無中造出有來故曰以無制有 如作制御之制發明而以無爲神爲汞爲 離以有爲氣爲鉛爲坎此亦是一說然非 魏公本㫖愚嘗反覆考之蓋因龍虎經有 所謂有無相制朱雀炎空於是後人更不 究上下文之義竟以制造之制作制御之 制說了又如中篇謂剛柔斷矣不相涉入 言剛柔不相侵逾也故繼之曰五行守界 不妄盈縮却與後章剛柔離分之義不同 或又泥乎龍虎經有所謂剛柔抗衡不相 涉入非火之咎譴責於土之說亦未免以 **Interpretation** Combining them into sixty hexagrams means that two hexagrams are used for each day’s on-duty service (zhiri); over the thirty days of a month this combines to sixty hexagrams. Some editions write “combine into sixty-four,” which is incorrect. They must be used in sequence; some editions have “ru” instead of “yi.” From “Jiwei” to “Meishuang” is what the later text means by “from the dark of the moon to the first day of the month.” Some editions write “hui” for “mei,” which is wrong, because “Jiwei” refers to the dark of the moon and “Meishuang” to the new moon. If one reads it as “Jiwei zhi Huishuang,” that would amount to saying “from hui to huishuang,” a great error in meaning. In spring and summer one follows the inner body—the inner lines of the hexagram—from the zi hour to the si hour; in autumn and winter one should apply the outer function—the outer lines of the hexagram—from the wu hour to the hai hour. This is said with two hexagrams combined: the former hexagram belongs to spring and summer, from zi to si, as yang qi rises from below; the latter hexagram belongs to autumn and winter, from wu to hai, as yin qi descends from above. If only one hexagram were used, a single hexagram has only six lines, and matching it to the twelve double-hours would fall exactly short by half. In the end, since two hexagrams are used for daily duty, one must speak of the two hexagrams combined in order to obtain the sequence; some editions write “li” for “xu.” Change and transformation are therein; Zhu Xi’s (Hui’an) annotated edition writes “rise and fall” for “change and transformation,” and some editions have “rise and fall and transformation therein.” “Baomao” adopts wording from the Wenzi, Tongxuan zhenjing; old editions write “Baonang,” which is incorrect. In “using nonbeing to make being” (yi wu zhi you), the word zhi means “to make or produce,” not the zhi of “control.” The method of the Great Elixir creates being from nonbeing, hence it says “using nonbeing to make being.” If one expounds it according to the zhi of “control,” taking nonbeing as Shen, mercury, and Li, and being as Qi, lead, and Kan, that is also one interpretation, but it is not Master Wei’s (Wei Boyang) original intent. I have examined this repeatedly: it is because the Longhu jing has the phrase “being and nonbeing mutually zhi; the Vermilion Bird flames in the void” that later people, without investigating the meaning of the context, went so far as to explain the zhi of “making” as the zhi of “controlling.” Again, the middle section says “the hard and soft are separated and do not intrude upon each other,” meaning that hard and soft do not encroach on each other; therefore it continues, “the Five Phases keep to their boundaries and do not recklessly wax or wane.” This differs from the meaning of “the hard and soft separate and divide” in a later chapter. Some people, moreover, cling to the Longhu jing’s statement “hard and soft resist each other and do not intrude upon each other; it is not the fault of fire, but blame is laid on earth,” which is likewise taking that statement as a basis. 剛柔離分之義說了令人相傳皆謂魏伯 陽因龍虎經而作參同契故不得不祖龍 虎經之說殊不知龍虎經乃是櫽括參同 契之語實出於魏公之後晦菴朱子云後 人見魏伯陽傳有龍虎上經一句遂僞作 此經大槩皆是體參同契而爲之其間蓋 有說錯了處愚向者未得其說亦弗敢便 以朱子此論爲然後來反覆玩味以參同 契相對互考其說乃覺龍虎經之破綻旁 出而眞是櫽括參同契之語也蓋魏公之 作參同契乃是假借同易爻象發明作丹 之祕非推廣龍虎經之說若果推廣龍虎 經之說則當曰龍虎參同契不得謂之周 易參同契也然而龍虎經亦是好文字是 故蔡季通深喜其言如曰元君始鍊汞神 室含洞虚又曰自然之要先存後亡誠爲 至論但不是魏公以前之書耳器用者空李抱素註本者作皆爲徴一本徴作證相當一本當作合非是始終一本作終始非是皆稟中宫一本禀作在一本作中宫所稟非 是之時一本時作際統黄化一本作化黃包鄞鄂朱子考異作根鄂鄂即萼也詩云鄂不 韡鞾是此鄂字或作垠堮或作圻堮或作 新鍔皆非是稱元皇一本稱作當元年一本年作炁乃芽滋一本作芽乃生一本作乃牙滋復卦建始初或疑與關雎建始初重複遂改 **Interpretation** Once the doctrinal point concerning the separation of the hard and the soft is expounded, it is passed down from one person to another, and everyone holds that Wei Boyang (the Eastern Han alchemist and author of the Cantong qi) composed the Cantong qi on the basis of the Longhu Jing (Dragon-Tiger Scripture); consequently they feel compelled to take the teaching of the Longhu Jing as the ancestral source. Yet they do not realize that the Longhu Jing is in fact a condensed paraphrase of phrases from the Cantong qi and certainly postdates Master Wei. Zhu Xi (style name Hui’an) said: Later people saw the phrase “Longhu shangjing” in the biography of Wei Boyang and forged this scripture; it is for the most part composed in imitation of the Cantong qi, and there are probably places in it that are mistaken. I formerly did not grasp this statement, nor did I presume to regard Zhu Xi’s judgment as correct. Later, after repeatedly pondering it and comparing it against the Cantong qi, I came to feel that flaws in the Longhu Jing emerge on every side and that it is indeed a condensed paraphrase of lines from the Cantong qi. Master Wei’s composition of the Cantong qi borrowed the yao-line images of the Zhouyi (Book of Changes) to clarify the secret essentials of elixir alchemy; he was not expanding the doctrine of the Longhu Jing. If he truly had been expanding the doctrine of the Longhu Jing, it should have been called the Longhu Cantong qi and could not have been called the Zhouyi Cantong qi. Nevertheless, the Longhu Jing is also fine writing, which is why Cai Jitong (Cai Yuanding, a disciple of Zhu Xi) greatly liked its sayings—for example, “The Primordial Lord first refines mercury; the spirit chamber contains the cavernous void,” and “The essentials of spontaneity are first to preserve and afterward to forget.” These are indeed most brilliant observations; it is only that the book is not from before Master Wei. As for collation: in the line “qi yong zhe kong” (“the vessel is useful because it is empty”), Li Baosu’s annotated edition writes “jie” for “zhe.” In “wei zheng” (“as evidence”), one edition has “zheng” (proof) for “zheng” (evidence). In “xiang dang” (“corresponding”), one edition has “he” for “dang,” which is incorrect. In “shi zhong” (“beginning and end”), one edition has “zhong shi,” which is incorrect. In “jie bing zhong gong” (“all receive from the central palace”), one edition has “zai” for “bing,” and another has “zhong gong suo bing”; both are incorrect. In “zhi shi” (“at the time”), one edition has “ji” for “shi.” In “tong huang hua” (“governing yellow transformation”), one edition has “hua huang bao.” For “yin e,” Zhu Xi’s Kaoyi has “gen e”; “e” is the same as “e” (the calyx), as in the Shijing line “E bu wei wei,” where this same “e” is used. Some write “yin e,” “qi e,” or “xin e”; all are incorrect. In “cheng yuan huang” (“called the Primordial Sovereign”), one edition has “dang” for “cheng.” In “yuan nian” (“primordial year”), one edition has “qi” (vital energy) for “nian.” In “nai ya zi” (“then the sprouts grow”), one edition has “ya nai sheng,” and another has “nai ya zi.” In “fu gua jian shi chu” (“the Fu hexagram establishes the beginning at the start”), some suspect that it duplicates “guan ju jian shi chu” (“Guanju establishes the beginning at the start”) and therefore emend it. 初爲萌朱子謂此乃不謂古韻者妄改之 也又如下文九六亦相當或疑與剛柔相 當重復而改當爲應皆非是日月無雙明謂日出則月没月出則日没晝 夜遞照迭爲出没也一本無作炁非是蓋 古先無字皆作无如易所謂无妄无咎皆 此无字一本作煥炳而成雙兎者吐生光一本作兔魄吐精光一本作兎 魄吐生光東方喪其明舊本作東北喪其明蓋因易有 東北喪朋之語遂相承其誤習之而弗察 也按坤卦云西南得朋東北喪朋蓋謂坤 位西南西有兊南有離巽皆陰卦也以陰 從陰故云得朋若東北則震艮坎乾皆陽 卦也故云喪朋今魏公謂坤乙三十日東 方喪其明蓋言三十日之晨太陰没於東 方乙位即非用坤卦東北喪朋之說何以 明之蓋西方庚辛南方丙丁東方甲乙乃 一月六節内太陰昏見晨没之地王保義 所謂月有三移是也今夫月之三日昏見 于西方庚至十六則晨没于西方辛八日 昏見于南方丁至二十三則晨没于南方 丙十五日昏見于東方甲至三十則晨没 于東方乙其理蓋曉然矣豈得乙爲東北 耶自古甲之與乙俱列于東方即不在東 北今以乙爲東北則乾體就之時曷不謂 之盛滿甲東北耶甲近東北且不謂之東 北何況乙在甲之前而又近東南其非東 北也明矣 **Interpretation** This passage primarily examines and corrects textual errors and interpretative deviations in the *Zhouyi Cantongqi* (The Kinship of the Three). It begins by noting Zhu Xi's (Zhu Zi) observation that certain textual alterations were made by later scholars unfamiliar with ancient phonetics. For instance, the line "nine and six are also corresponding" (九六亦相当) was mistakenly changed to "nine and six also respond" (九六亦相应) by those who considered it redundant with the phrase "the firm and yielding correspond" (刚柔相当). Such modifications are incorrect. The text then explains the meaning of "sun and moon have no paired brilliance" (日月无双明): when the sun rises, the moon sets, and when the moon appears, the sun withdraws—alternating between day and night. Some versions erroneously replace "no" (无) with "Qi" (炁), which is incorrect. Ancient texts consistently use "无," as seen in the *Yijing* (Book of Changes) terms like "no falsehood" (无妄) and "no blame" (无咎). Regarding the phrase "the hare emits generative light" (兔者吐生光), variant editions record it as "the hare's spirit emits essential light" (兔魄吐精光) or "the hare's spirit emits generative light" (兔魄吐生光). A key discussion centers on the line "the east loses its brightness" (东方丧其明). Earlier editions mistakenly wrote "the northeast loses its brightness" (东北丧其明), conflating it with the *Yijing* Kun hexagram's statement "the northeast loses companions" (东北丧朋). In reality, this refers to the moon's movement: on the 30th day of the lunar month at dawn, the moon vanishes in the Yi position of the east. The author elaborates on the moon's monthly trajectory: appearing at dusk in the western Geng position on the 3rd day, vanishing at dawn in the western Xin position on the 16th; appearing at dusk in the southern Ding position on the 8th, vanishing at dawn in the southern Bing position on the 23rd; appearing at dusk in the eastern Jia position on the 15th, and vanishing at dawn in the eastern Yi position on the 30th. It is explicitly stated that Yi belongs to the east, not the northeast, and the author uses the example of Jia being closer to the northeast yet still not labeled as such to prove Yi could not possibly indicate the northeast. Through astronomical and calendrical knowledge, this passage corrects earlier misunderstandings caused by conflating *Yijing* concepts. 九六亦相當上文復卦建始初下已釋之易象索滅藏謂三十日之夜日月之象俱沉 於北方也一本易象作陽炁非是象彼仲冬節至以曉後生盲舊本錯於後序 陳抱一移置子當右轉之前皆非是按此 章凡押兩傷字并上文易象索滅藏連之 則又押兩藏字蓋古人多用重韻後人不 曉往往妄亂遷改遂使文意不連屬如上 文關雎建始初與復卦建始初又如剛柔 相當與九六亦相當皆重韻也豈可遽以 重韻而害其正文哉商旅一本商作賈浩廣一本廣作曠眇難覩一本覩作覿符徴一本徴作證節令一本節作時中稽於人心一本心作情依卦變一本作循卦節循彖辭一本循作因彖作象非是乾坤用施行天地然後治一本治作理一本 作天下然後治此二句似乎引用乾卦乾 元用九天下治之文然按上文坎離者乾 坤二用則是坎離爲乾坤之用非謂用九 用六也如上文東方喪其明亦非用坤卦 東北喪朋之義蓋魏公之爲是書大率皆 是假借正不必牽泥也可不愼乎一本作可得不愼乎非是魁杓一本杓作柄誃離即别離也一本作移離一本作坎離仰俯他本皆作俯仰朱子謂當作仰俯乃叶 韻今從之統録一本統作總日含五行精一本含作合非是詰過貽主一本作結過移主 **Interpretation** Nine and six likewise correspond: the yang line “nine” and the yin line “six” also correspond to each other; this has already been explained above under “The Return hexagram (a hexagram name in the Zhouyi, one yang returning at the beginning) establishes the beginning.” “The images of the Changes are wholly extinguished and hidden” means that on the night of the thirtieth day, the hexagram-images of the sun and moon both sink into the north (referring to the direction of winter, night, and water). One edition writes “yang qi” for “images of the Changes”; this is incorrect. From “It images that midwinter solar term” to “thereby enlightening later learners who are blind,” this passage was mistakenly placed in the postface by old editions; Chen Baoyi (the editor) moved it before “the child should turn right”; both are incorrect. Note that this chapter rhymes twice on the character “shang” (injury); together with the earlier “The images of the Changes are wholly extinguished and hidden,” it also rhymes twice on “cang” (hidden). The ancients often used repeated rhymes (chongyun), rhyming with the same character more than once; later people did not understand this and often altered the text at random, thereby making the meaning discontinuous. For example, “Guanju establishes the beginning” above and “The Return hexagram establishes the beginning”; likewise, “the hard and soft correspond” and “nine and six likewise correspond”—these are all repeated rhymes. How could one hastily harm the correct text because of a repeated rhyme? For “merchants and travellers,” one edition writes “gu” (merchant) for “shang.” For “vast and broad,” one edition writes “kuang” (expansive) for “guang” (broad). For “faint and hard to see,” one edition writes “di” (to look at) for “du” (to see). For “matching signs,” one edition writes “zheng” (proof) for “zheng” (evidence). For “seasonal ordinances,” one edition writes “shi” (time/season) for “jie” (seasonal node). For “inwardly examining the human heart,” one edition writes “qing” (disposition) for “xin” (heart). For “according to hexagram changes,” one edition reads “following the hexagram nodes.” For “following the Tuan commentary,” one edition writes “yin” (following/because) for “xun” (following) and “Xiang (image commentary)” for “Tuan (Tuan commentary)”; this is incorrect. For “when the functions of Qian and Kun are put into practice, heaven and earth are then ordered,” one edition has “regulated” for “ordered,” and another edition reads “only then is the world ordered.” These two lines seem to quote the text of the Qian hexagram (a hexagram name in the Zhouyi), “Qian’s primal [yuan] uses nine; the world is ordered.” However, according to the preceding passage, “Kan and Li are the two functions of Qian and Kun”—Kan and Li are the functions of Qian and Kun, not the “using nine” and “using six” (the special line statements of the Qian and Kun hexagrams). Likewise, the earlier “the east loses its brightness” does not use the meaning of the Kun hexagram’s “northeast loses its friend.” The Lord Wei (Wei Boyang, author of the Cantong qi) wrote this book largely by borrowing and taking images figuratively; there is really no need to force or rigidly adhere to literal readings. For “How could one not be cautious?”, one edition reads “ke de bu shen hu” (“Can one not be cautious?”); this is incorrect. For “kui and shao,” one edition writes “handle” for “shao”; “kui and shao” refer to the bowl and handle of the Northern Dipper. “Chili” means separation; one edition reads “yili,” and another reads “Kan-Li.” For “looking up and down,” all other editions read “looking down and up”; Zhu Xi says it should be “looking up and down” to fit the rhyme, and we now follow Zhu Xi’s reading. For “comprehensive record,” one edition writes “total” for “comprehensive.” For “the sun contains the essence of the Five Phases,” one edition writes “joins” for “contains”; this is incorrect. For “interrogating faults and transmitting them to the master,” one edition reads “tying up faults and shifting them to the master.” 辰極處正一本處作受一本正作政布政一本作政德終脩一本脩作循一本作中美以掩蔽一本以作已有無亦相須謂水火二氣相資而成造化也 有無或作金炁或作吟炁皆非是進退分布一本進退作退而非是採之類白一本採作望一本作搖白裏一本作包裏相扶一本扶作拘相連一本連作通是非歷藏法謂此道非歷五臟存思之法也 若以是非兩宇作是是非非之義則誤矣次日辰一本次作以非是累土一本作周回而意悅一本作意悅喜跨火不焦入水不濡道成之後法身則然若 以血肉之軀投𢌿水火則豈特焦濡而已 哉移居一本居作名非是功滿一本滿作成非是偃月按下文曰汞日則偃疑作鉛音聲相傳 之訛耳作鼎爐舊本作作法非是艮亦八一本作亦如之虧明一本明作傷金本從日生朔旦受日符謂月之光從日而 生每月朔旦與日相合也蓋金火即日月 也舊本日作月非是若以爲金本從月生 則猶日月本從月生此何義理數稱五一本數作號含育一本作貪欲佇息謂凝佇呼吸之息二者合而爲一如夫 婦之交合也一本息作思一本作恩皆非 是執平一本執作氣土遊於四季守界定規矩諸本皆在壽命得 長久之下惟鄭虚一本却在本性共宗祖 **Interpretation** 1. In “Chenji chu zheng” (“Chenji resides in the correct [position]”), one edition has shou for chu and zheng meaning “government” for zheng meaning “correct.” 2. “Buzheng” (“spreading governance”): one edition reads “zhengde” (“governance and virtue”). 3. In “zhongxiu” (“final cultivation”), one edition has xun for xiu, and another has “Zhongmei.” 4. In “yi yanbi” (“thereby concealing”), one edition has yi meaning “already” for yi meaning “thereby.” 5. “Being and non-being also depend on each other” means that the two Qi of water and fire rely on each other to accomplish creation and transformation. 6. For “being and non-being,” some editions have “metal Qi” or “Yin Qi”; both are incorrect. 7. In “advance and retreat are distributed,” one edition has only “retreat” for “advance and retreat,” which is incorrect. 8. In “what is gathered is white in kind,” one edition has wang (“look toward”) for cai (“gather”), and another has yao (“shake”). 9. “White lining”: one edition reads “wrapping/lining.” 10. In “mutually support,” one edition has ju (“restrain”) for fu (“support”). 11. In “mutually connected,” one edition has tong (“penetrate”) for lian (“connect”). 12. “Shifei lizang fa” means that this Way is not the cunsi (Daoist visualization meditation) method of traversing the five viscera. 13. If one takes the two words shifei as meaning “right and wrong,” one is mistaken. 14. In “ci ri chen” (“the next day at chen”), one edition has yi for ci, which is incorrect. 15. “Accumulated earth”: one edition reads “zhouhui” (“circuit/revolving”). 16. “And the mind is pleased”: one edition reads “the mind is pleased and delighted.” 17. “Stepping through fire without being scorched, entering water without getting wet”—only the dharmakaya, the pure and indestructible body after the Dao is attained, can be like this. If one put the flesh-and-blood body into fire and water, would it merely be scorched and soaked? 18. In “move one’s dwelling,” one edition has ming for ju, which is incorrect. 19. In “merit fulfilled,” one edition has cheng for man, which is incorrect. 20. For “Yanyue” (“crescent moon”), according to the following text’s “mercury sun,” I suspect that yan should be qian (“lead”); it is merely an error caused by oral transmission of sound. 21. “Make a cauldron and furnace”: an old edition reads “make a method,” which is incorrect. 22. “Gen (one of the Bagua) is also eight”: one edition reads “likewise so.” 23. In “wane of brightness,” one edition has shang (“injury”) for ming (“brightness”). 24. “Metal originally arises from the sun; at dawn on the first day of the lunar month it receives the sun’s tally” means that the moon’s light is born from the sun, and on the first morning of each month it conjoins with the sun; for metal and fire, which in alchemical texts stand for the sun and moon, are simply the sun and moon. The old edition writes “moon” for “sun,” which is incorrect; to hold that “metal originally arises from the moon” would be like saying the sun and moon originally arise from the moon—what sense would that make? 25. In “the number is called five,” one edition has hao (“designate”) for shu (“number”). 26. “Containing and nurturing”: one edition reads “greed and desire.” 27. “Zhuxi” means stabilizing and halting the breath, causing exhalation and inhalation to merge into one, like the union of husband and wife; one edition has si (“thought”) for xi (“breath”), and another has en (“grace”), both incorrect. 28. In “holding balance,” one edition has qi for zhi. 29. The two lines “Earth wanders through the four seasons; guarding the boundaries establishes the compass and square” are placed after “life span is long-lasting” in all editions; only the Zhengxu edition places them after “original nature shares the same ancestor.” 之下金以砂爲主禀和於水銀即是直指凡砂凡 汞之造化以譬喻丹法之造化却非假借 外一物以比並内一物相對而言也以黍一本黍作粟非是其卵一本卵作子非是泥汞一本汞作澒鍊飛一本飛作治一本作持鼓鑄一本鑄作下非是雜性不同類一本類作種僥倖訖不遇聖人獨知之朱子本無此十字生狐疑一本生作坐始畫八卦效法天地一本作始畫八卦象效 法天地圖一本作晝八卦效天圖皆非是循而一本作結體庶聖謂無位之聖人也孔子是已一本作聖 者與非是三君一本君作聖令可法一本令作誠爲世定此書謂金丹大道無形無兆無以使 後人取法故定此參同契一書于世與中 篇定録斯文義同舊本作爲世定詩書非 是竊爲一本爲作待輙思慮一本作綴斯愚非是金計有十五水數亦如之即前章所謂上弦 兌數八下弦艮亦八也蓋上弦金半斤下 弦水半斤以兩弦相合而觀之則成一月 三十日之數却與水中金之義不同一本 金計有十五作金數十有五其土遂不入二者與之俱三物相含受變化 狀若神此三物即是金水土三件金水二 者與土合而爲一故曰三物相含受若又 添水火言則成五物矣或以三物爲金火 木以二者爲水火冗雜殆甚非至論也一 **Interpretation** “Below” indicates that what is being discussed is at a lower level or beneath something. “Gold takes cinnabar-sand as its master and receives its harmony from mercury” speaks directly of the generation and transformation of ordinary cinnabar-sand and ordinary mercury (quicksilver), using this as a metaphor for the creative transformation of the elixir-making method (danfa); it is not a matter of borrowing an external thing to compare with and attach to an internal thing. For the entry “with shu (broomcorn millet),” one edition writes su (foxtail millet) for shu, which is incorrect. For the entry “its egg,” one edition writes zi for luan (egg), which is incorrect. For the entry “mud mercury,” one edition writes hong (a variant name for quicksilver) for gong (mercury). For the entry “refining and flying,” one edition writes zhi for fei, and another writes chi. For the entry “bellows and casting,” one edition writes xia for zhu (casting), which is incorrect. “Mixed natures are not of the same kind” means that jumbled natures do not belong to one kind; one edition writes zhong for lei (kind). The ten characters “by chance one never encounters it; only the sage knows it” are absent from Zhu Xi’s edition. “To give rise to fox-like doubt” means to give rise to doubt; one edition writes zuo for sheng (give rise). For the sentence “first drew the Bagua and modeled them on heaven and earth,” one edition has “first drew the images of the Bagua and modeled them on the diagram of heaven and earth,” and another has “the daylight Bagua imitating heaven diagram”; both are incorrect. “Following along” has the sense of proceeding in accordance with something; one edition has “forming the body.” “Common sage” refers to a sage without official position or authority—Confucius is one such; one edition has “sages, perhaps” (sheng zhe yu), which is incorrect. In the entry “three lords,” one edition writes sheng (sage) for jun (lord). “Making it possible to take as a model” means causing it to be emulated; one edition writes cheng for ling. “Establishing this book for the world” means that the great Dao of the Golden Elixir has no traces or omens and cannot be taken as a model by later generations; therefore the book Cantong qi is established in the world, which has the same meaning as “fix and record this text” in the middle chapter. The old edition has “establish the Shi and Shu for the world,” which is incorrect. “I privately consider” means privately thinking or privately acting; one edition writes dai for wei. “Invariably thinking and pondering” means frequently pondering; one edition has “stitch together this foolishness,” which is incorrect. “Counting gold there are fifteen; the number of water is likewise” means that gold counts fifteen and the number of water is also like this. “This is what the previous chapter calls the upper crescent Dui having the number eight, and the lower crescent Gen also being eight” means that the upper crescent Dui has the number eight and the lower crescent Gen also has the number eight (Dui and Gen are names of the Bagua; here the lunar image is borrowed to discuss numbers). “For the upper crescent belongs to half a jin of gold, and the lower crescent belongs to half a jin of water” because the upper crescent is associated with half a jin of gold and the lower crescent with half a jin of water (in the old system, half a jin is eight liang). “Looking at the two crescents combined, they form the number of thirty days in a month.” “But this differs in meaning from gold within water”—that is, from the gold contained in water, an alchemical term. One edition has “counting gold there are fifteen” as “the number of gold is fifteen.” “Its earth therefore does not enter” means that earth consequently does not enter separately. “The two accompany it” means that gold and water, the two, are together with it. “The three things mutually contain and receive” means that the three things contain and receive one another. “The form of their transformation appears spirit-like” means that the state of transformation seems very numinous. “These three things” here are precisely gold, water, and earth. Gold and water, the two, unite with earth to become one, and therefore it says “the three things mutually contain and receive.” If water and fire are also added to the account, then they become five things. Some take the three things to be gold, fire, and wood, and the two to be water and fire; this is exceedingly jumbled and is not a consummate view. The “one” at the end is a marker indicating a variant reading in another edition. 本其土作其三二者作火二又作水二皆 非是濤治一本作鑄冶致堅完一本致作緻炎火張於下龍虎聲正勤與下篇升熬於甑 山兮炎火張設下白虎倡導前兮蒼龍和 於後實同一義舊本龍虎作晝夜非是始文使可修一本作始初文可修親觀一本作相親一本作須親服之一本作粉提一本作粉捏一本作提粉 皆非是一丸一本丸作元一本作粒皆非是刀圭即是刀頭圭角些子而已言其不多也 若以刀爲金圭爲二土巧則巧矣然非魏 公之本旨也較約一本較作簡光明一本明作榮非是薄蝕一本作激薄顯龍虎一本顯作題嘉黄芽一本嘉作加 中篇釋疑偕以造化一本偕作須一本作始元基一本作玄基一本作元模六十卦用張布爲輿一本用作周非是不邪一本邪作陂傾危國家一本作家國傾危卦日一本日作月六十卦用各自有日一本六十卦用作餘六 十卦非是在義設刑舊本在作立日辰一本辰作夜用心一本作逆賊一本作迸散巳口一本巳作鼎之來一本來作中剛柔斷矣不相涉入上篇以無制有下已釋 之晦朔之間合符行中至始於東北箕斗之郷 蓋晦朔之間乃是亥後子前日月於此而 隱藏箕斗之鄕乃是艮後寅前日月自此 **Interpretation** The sentence "qi tu" is written in the base text as "qi san er zhe," and also as "huo er" or "shui er"; none of these is correct. "Tao zhi" is written in one edition as "zhu ye." The "zhi" in "zhi jian wan" is written in one edition as zhi, meaning dense or fine. "Yan huo zhang yu xia, long hu sheng zheng qin" and the next section's "Sheng ao yu zeng shan xi, yan huo zhang she xia; bai hu chang dao qian xi, cang long he yu hou" actually mean the same thing; old editions write "zhou ye" for "long hu," which is incorrect. "Shi wen shi ke xiu" is written in one edition as "shi chu wen ke xiu." "Qin guan" is written in one edition as "xiang qin" and in another as "xu qin." "Fu zhi" is written in one edition as "fen ti," in another as "fen nie," and in another as "ti fen"; all are incorrect. In "yi wan," the "wan" is written in one edition as "yuan" and in another as "li"; both are incorrect. "Dao gui" is just the small bit at the corner of a knife head, indicating that the quantity is small. If one interprets "dao" as metal and "gui" as two earths, clever as this is, it is not the original intent of Master Wei (Wei Boyang). In "jiao yue," one edition has "jian" for "jiao." In "guang ming," the "ming" is written in one edition as "rong," which is incorrect. "Bo shi" is written in one edition as "ji bo." In "xian long hu," the "xian" is written in one edition as "ti." In "jia huang ya," the "jia" is written in one edition as jia meaning "to add." The middle section resolves doubts as follows. In "xie yi zao hua," the "xie" is written in one edition as "xu" and in another as "shi." "Yuan ji" is written in one edition as "xuan ji" and in another as "yuan mo." In "liu shi gua yong, zhang bu wei yu," the "yong" is written in one edition as "zhou," which is incorrect. In "bu xie," the "xie" is written in one edition as "bei." "Qing wei guo jia" is written in one edition as "jia guo qing wei." In "gua ri," the "ri" is written in one edition as "yue." In "liu shi gua yong ge zi you ri," one edition has "yu liu shi gua" for "liu shi gua yong," which is incorrect. In "zai yi she xing," old editions have "li" for "zai." In "ri chen," the "chen" is written in one edition as "ye." "Yong xin" is written in one edition as "ni zei" and in another as "beng san." In "si kou," the "si" is written in one edition as "ding." In "zhi lai," the "lai" is written in one edition as "zhong." The two lines "gang rou duan yi, bu xiang she ru" have already been explained in the first part, from "yi wu zhi you" onward. The passage from "hui shuo zhi jian, he fu xing zhong" to "shi yu dong bei ji dou zhi xiang" speaks from the interval between hui and shuo to the northeast Ji-Dou region. This is because the interval between hui and shuo is after the hai hour and before the zi hour, when the sun and moon are hidden. The Ji-Dou region is the position after the gen position and before the yin branch position, and the sun and moon begin from there. 而旋起以比喻丹法之妙與天地日月同 途也或者徑以艮後寅前爲晦朔之間爲 一陽生採藥之候則相去遠矣旋而右轉嘔輪吐萌謂陽火自腰間旋斗歷 箕上至玄關則光耀透于簾帷之外也一 本旋而作左旋昴畢之上震出爲徴蓋謂月初生見於西方 其象如震以喻身中火候也若以月出方 位論先天八卦方位則先天之震不在西 火候之震亦不在西既不識其落處徒見 其說之相戾耳和平一本和作初其統一本其作陰六五坤承謂六五三十日却非謂坤卦六五 爻也陽數已訖訖則復起推情合性轉而相與諸 本皆在爲道規矩之下惟朱子本在世爲 類母之下非是周流六爻一本流作章非是難以一本以作可滋彰一本彰作亨生光一本生作正非是漸進一本漸作寖成泰一本成作承運而一本而作移榆莢一本莢作葉非是振索一本索作京陽終於巳中而相干謂四月屬巳律應中吕 也霞山子詹谷註本中而作中吕一本中 作午非是午爲蕤賔爲一本作主遯世去位一本作遯去世位非是其精一本其作眞陰伸陽屈毁傷姓名謂七月屬申律應夷則 也伸即申也傷即夷也舊本毁傷作没陽 一本作没揚皆非是消滅一本滅作息非是至神一本至作其一本神作坤 **Interpretation** And "xuanqi" ("whirling rise") is used as a metaphor for the subtlety of danfa (the methods of alchemical cultivation), which follows the same path as Heaven and Earth, the sun and moon. Or some people directly take "after Gen and before Yin" (after the Gen position and before the Yin hour) as the time of huishuo (the end and beginning of the lunar month), when one Yang is born (the first stirring of Yang qi) and one gathers the medicine (caiyao, gathering qi in Neidan); then the discrepancy is very great. "Xuan er you zhuan, ou lun tu meng" ("whirling and turning to the right, vomiting the wheel and spitting out the sprout") means that the yang fire rotates from the waist, passes through the Dou and Ji lunar mansions, and rises to the xuanguan (the mysterious pass, a Neidan aperture), with its radiance shining out beyond the curtain; one edition has "xuan er" as "zuo xuan" ("turning to the left"). "Mao Bi zhi shang, Zhen chu wei zheng" ("above Mao and Bi, Zhen emerging is the sign") means that when the moon first appears in the west, its image is like the Zhen trigram, and this is used as a metaphor for the huohou (fire timing) within the body. If one discusses the Prior Heaven Bagua positions according to the direction in which the moon appears, then the Zhen of the Prior Heaven Bagua is not in the west, and the Zhen of the fire timing is also not in the west; since one does not understand where it falls, one merely sees the statements as mutually contradictory. For "heping" ("peace and harmony"), one edition has "he" as "chu." For "qi tong" ("its governing"), one edition has "qi" as "yin." "Liuwu Kun cheng" ("six-five, Kun receives") means that liuwu is the thirtieth day, not the six-five line of the Kun hexagram. When the yang number has already ended, it rises again after ending; pushing emotion to join with nature, they turn and associate with one another. All editions place this under "wei Dao guiju" ("as the rule and measure of the Dao"), and only the Zhuzi edition places it under "shi wei lei mu" ("the world takes it as the mother of categories"); this is incorrect. For "zhouliu liuyao" ("circulating through the six lines"), one edition has "liu" as "zhang"; this is incorrect. For the "yi" in "nanyi" ("difficult to..."), one edition has "ke." For the "zhang" in "zizhang" ("growing and becoming manifest"), one edition has "heng." For the "sheng" in "shengguang" ("producing light"), one edition has "zheng"; this is incorrect. For the "jian" in "jianjin" ("gradual advance"), one edition has the variant jin. For the "cheng" in "chengtai" ("becoming Tai"), one edition has cheng in the sense of "receiving/supporting." For the "er" in "yun'er" ("moving and..."), one edition has "yi." For the "jia" in "yujia" ("elm pods"), one edition has "ye" ("leaf"); this is incorrect. For the "suo" in "zhensuo" ("shaking the cord"), one edition has "jing." "Yang zhong yu Si, zhong er xiang gan" ("Yang ends at Si, and in the middle they interfere with one another") means that the fourth month belongs to Si, and its pitch corresponds to Zhonglü (one of the twelve pitches). The commentary edition of Xiashanzi Zhangu takes "zhong er" as "Zhonglü"; one edition takes "zhong" as "Wu"; both are incorrect. For the "wei" in "Wu wei Ruibin" ("Wu corresponds to Ruibin"), one edition has "zhu." For "dunshi quwei" ("withdrawing from the world and leaving one's position"), one edition has "dun qu shi wei"; this is incorrect. For the "qi" in "qi jing" ("its essence"), one edition has "zhen." "Yin shen yang qu, hui shang xing ming" ("Yin extends and Yang bends; destroying and injuring names") means that the seventh month belongs to Shen, and its pitch corresponds to Yize (one of the twelve pitches); "shen" (extend) is "Shen" (the Earthly Branch), and "shang" (injure) is "yi" (as in Yize). Old editions have "huishang" as "moyang" (submerging Yang), and one edition has it as "moyang" (submerging and raising); both are incorrect. For the "mie" in "xiaomie" ("elimination"), one edition has "xi"; this is incorrect. For the "zhi" in "zhishen" ("ultimate spirit"), one edition has "qi"; for "shen," one edition has "kun." 衰盛一本衰作更非是承御一本承作汞千秋一本秋作載一無一本無作元非是流布一本流作雲類如雞子至肉滑若飴舊本差在後蓋疑其 重韻而妄掇之也今移正之類如一本類 作狀相扶一本扶作符乃具一本具作俱 若飴舊本飴作鉛朱子本改正作飴新鍔上篇已釋之恒爲一本作築固一本作築完一本作築垣于斯之時情合乾坤一本作爰初之時由乎 乾坤拘則水定水五行初一本作則水定火五行 之初道無形象舊本無作之蓋古者無字是此无 字之與无草寫則相似故誤作之字也一 本象作狀眞一難圖一本一作其至懸一本作玄且非是耳目口三寳一本作耳目已之寳非是發揚一本揚作通視覽一本覽作聽傾鴻濛一本作順以鴻念念舊本作無念證驗自椎移舊本作證難以椎移非是寖以一本作以浸洞無極一本洞作潤非是谷中一本作中宫一本作客中皆非是任杖一本作拄杖没水一本没作投獲黍一本獲作穫不見功一本不作無至約一本至作事非是蓋草書至事之相似 也遂相銜嚥咀嚼相吞奮本彭眞一註及紹興 間劉水年本皆在慈母育養孝子報恩之 下朱子謂今按二句自屬下文俱相貪併 之下四句相承語意連屬不當在此愚按 **Interpretation** “Yiben” refers to another edition, while “feishi” means that the variant reading is incorrect. In the entry “Shuai sheng” (“Decline and Flourishing”), one edition writes “geng” for “shuai”; this is incorrect. In the entry “Cheng yu,” one edition writes “gong” (mercury) for “cheng.” In “Qianqiu” (“A Thousand Autumns”), one edition writes “zai” (years) for “qiu” (autumn). In “Yi wu,” one edition writes “yuan” for “wu”; this is incorrect. In “Liubu” (“Circulation and Spread”), one edition writes “yun” for “liu.” The several lines from “like a chicken egg” through “flesh smooth as syrup” were wrongly placed later in old editions; because someone suspected they repeated a rhyme and rashly excised and relocated them, they have now been moved back and corrected. In the line “lei ru” (“like”), one edition writes “zhuang” for “lei.” In the line “xiang fu” (“supporting each other”), one edition writes “fu” (talisman) for “fu” (support). In the line “nai ju” (“then provided”), one edition writes the homophone ju meaning “all together” for ju meaning “provided.” In the line “ruo yi” (“like syrup”), old editions write “qian” (lead) for “yi” (syrup); Zhu Xi’s (Zhuzi’s) edition corrected it to “yi.” Xin E has already explained this entry in the previous section. In the entry “Heng wei,” one edition has “zhu gu” (“build solidly”), one has “zhu wan” (“build completely”), and one has “zhu yuan” (“build a wall”). For the line “At this time, the dispositions join Qian and Kun,” one edition has “At the very beginning, it comes from Qian and Kun.” For the line “When constrained, water settles; water is the beginning of the Five Phases,” one edition has “then water settles fire; the beginning of the Five Phases.” In the line “The Dao has no form or image,” old editions write “zhi” for “wu,” because the ancient form of wu resembles the cursive wu and was mistakenly changed to zhi; one edition writes “zhuang” for “xiang.” In the line “The True One is hard to depict,” one edition writes “qi” for “yi.” In the line “zhi xuan” (“reaching on high”), one edition writes “xuan” (“profound”) for “xuan” (“suspended”), and this is incorrect. In the line “The three treasures of ears, eyes, and mouth,” one edition has “the treasure of ears, eyes, and self,” which is incorrect. In “fa yang” (“develop and spread”), one edition writes “tong” for “yang.” In “shi lan” (“looking and viewing”), one edition writes “ting” (“listen”) for “lan” (“view”). In “qing hongmeng” (“pour out the primal chaos”), one edition has “shun yi hong.” In “nian nian” (“thought after thought”), old editions have “wu nian” (“no thoughts”). In “The proof naturally pushes and shifts,” old editions have “The proof is difficult to push and shift,” which is incorrect. In “jin yi” (“gradually thereby”), one edition has “yi jin.” In “dong wu ji” (“penetrate the limitless”), one edition writes “run” for “dong,” which is incorrect. In “gu zhong” (“in the valley”), one edition has “zhong gong” (“central palace”) and another has “ke zhong” (“among guests”), both incorrect. In “ren zhang” (“relying on a staff”), one edition has “zhu zhang” (“leaning on a staff”). In “mo shui” (“submerged in water”), one edition writes “tou” (“throw”) for “mo” (“submerge”). In “huo shu” (“obtain millet”), one edition writes the character huo meaning “harvest” for huo meaning “obtain.” In “bu jian gong” (“do not see the achievement”), one edition writes “wu” for “bu.” In “zhi yue” (“most concise”), one edition writes “shi” (“matter”) for “zhi” (“most”), which is incorrect, because the cursive forms of zhi and shi resemble each other. The two lines “Then they mutually hold in the mouth and swallow, chew and mutually devour” are placed by the Fen edition, Peng Zhenyi’s annotated edition, and Liu Shuinian’s edition from the Shaoxing period all under “The compassionate mother nurtures, the filial child repays kindness.” Zhu Xi says that, according to his view, these two lines should belong under the following “all mutually covet and merge”; the four lines connect in sense and should not be placed there. Finally, the author uses “Yu an” (“in my humble opinion”) to introduce his own judgment. 此章以母子之情爲喻蓋所謂遂相銜嚥 如慈烏反哺之義正當在此今依舊本移 正之三五寫一即上篇子午數合三戊己數稱五 是也蓋與悟眞篇三五一不同一本爲作 與非是子當右轉謂虎向水中生也午乃東旋謂龍 從火裏出也子午即水火也子當右轉者 金水合處蓋從右轉至於子也午乃東旋 者木火爲侣乃自東旋至於午也天道左 旋右轉還丹之道與天道一同若曰子從 右轉而加酉午從東旋而加卯則是右旋 左轉與天道背馳矣東旋一本東作左主客一本客作定貪併一本併作便一本作榮皆非是各得其性一本得作有性作功如審一本審作有得成正道一本作得爲成道父主禀與一本主作生非是牝雞一本牝作肥施化之道一本道作功一本作精非是受氣之初一本之作元日改月化蓋用莊子語一本作日受月化非 是又疑日受月化礙理遂改爲月受日化 亦非是水性周章一本水性作和融木火爲侣謂龍從火裏出東三南二同成五 也金水合處謂虎向水中生北一西四共 成之也張紫陽謂四象不離二體正是此 意或用先天離坎加於後天震兌以發明 此說不惟失魏公本旨蓋與身中造化大 段相反一本金水作金木木火作水火謬 之甚矣列爲一本列作合一本作引 **Interpretation** This chapter uses the affection between mother and child as a metaphor; it is probably what is meant by “then they hold it in their mouths and swallow it for each other,” just as the crow’s feeding its parent in return has its meaning precisely here. Following the old edition, I have now restored it to its proper place. “Three-five writes one” is what the previous section calls “the numbers of Zi and Wu (Zi and Wu often stand for water and fire) combine to make three, while the number of the Heavenly Stems Wu and Ji (Earth) is called five.” This differs from the “three-five-one” in the Wuzhen Pian (Awakening to Reality, an alchemical classic by Zhang Boduan). One edition writes “with” (yu) for “makes” (wei), which is wrong. “Zi should turn right” means that the Tiger (a metaphor for the alchemical medicine) is born within water; “Wu then spirals east” means that the Dragon (also a metaphor for the alchemical medicine) emerges from fire. Zi and Wu are water and fire. “Zi should turn right” is the place where metal and water converge, referring to turning right to reach Zi; “Wu then spirals east” is taking wood and fire as companions, referring to spiraling east to reach Wu. The heavenly Dao revolves left and turns right; the way of the returning elixir (huandan, cultivating the elixir) accords with the heavenly Dao. If one says that Zi turns right and is joined with You, and Wu spirals east and is joined with Mao, then that is rightward and leftward rotation contrary to the heavenly Dao. For “spirals east,” one edition writes “left” for “east.” Host and guest: one edition writes “fixed” (ding) for “guest” (ke). For “greedy annexation” (tanbing), one edition writes “convenient” (bian) for “annex” (bing), and another writes “glory” (rong); both are wrong. “Each attains its nature”: one edition writes “has” (you) for “attains” (de), and “merit” (gong) for “nature” (xing). For “as if examining” (ru shen), one edition writes “has” (you) for “examines” (shen). “Attaining the true Dao”: one edition has “attaining to accomplish the Dao” (de wei cheng dao). “The father governs conferring endowment”: one edition writes “generates” (sheng) for “governs” (zhu), which is wrong. “Hen”: one edition writes “fat” (fei) for “female” (pin). “The way of applying transformation”: one edition writes “merit/effect” (gong) for “way” (dao), and another writes “essence” (jing); both are wrong. “At the beginning of receiving qi”: one edition writes “yuan” for “zhi.” “Daily alteration and monthly transformation” adopts a phrase from the Zhuangzi. One edition has “daily receiving and monthly transforming,” which is wrong; some suspect that “daily receiving and monthly transforming” is unreasonable, and so change it to “monthly receiving and daily transforming,” which is also wrong. For “the nature of water circulates everywhere” (shuixing zhouzhang), one edition writes “harmonious fusion” (herong) for “the nature of water.” “Wood and fire as companions” means that the Dragon emerges from fire: the three of the East and the two of the South together make five. “Where metal and water unite” means that the Tiger is born within water: the one of the North and the four of the West together complete it. Zhang Ziyang (that is, Zhang Boduan) said, “The Four Images do not depart from the two bodies,” which is exactly this meaning. Someone uses Li and Kan of the Former Heaven trigrams added to Zhen and Dui of the Later Heaven trigrams to explain this doctrine; this not only loses Wei Gong’s (Wei Boyang’s) original intent, but is on the whole contrary to the internal transformation in the body. One edition writes “metal and wood” for “metal and water,” and “water and fire” for “wood and fire,” which is a serious error. For “arranged as” (lie wei), one edition writes “combine” (he) for “arrange” (lie), and another writes “lead” (yin). 心赤爲女一本脫此四字子五行始一本脫此四宇一本子作居建緯一本緯作位虚危一本作抱眞執火一本作降坐調合一本作執火妄有所冀一本作冀有所望以硇一本硇作□ 下篇釋疑惟昔聖賢懷玄抱眞至憂憫後生好道之倫 隨傍風采指晝古文著爲圖籍開示後昆 露見枝條隱藏本根蓋謂古之聖賢既得 此道以懷玄抱眞復憂憫後生好道之士 不得其說遂爲之隨傍風采援古證今著 爲圖籍以開示之又不敢直直敷露於是 託號五金八石而發明之也所謂著爲圖 籍託號諸石乃指古之聖賢如此非謂後 生好道之人如此也此章彭眞一陳抱一 皆體認錯了惟朱子註獨得其旨三元一本元作光非是精溢一本作津液非是化形一本化作變覆謬衆文謂反覆謬亂其文而不敢徑直漏 泄也一本謬作冒非是傳世一本傳作舉不仕一本仕作遂故爲亂辭一本爲作非非是玄溝一本溝作遠退自後舊本後作改非是關楗有低昂兮周天遂奔走周天兩字舊本 皆作周炁朱子疑周炁無義理遂改爲害 炁亦非是害字與周字蓋相似炁字與天 字頗相近也江河無枯竭兮水流注於海舊本無作之非 是之元之誤中篇道無形象下已詳釋之 一本河作准 **Interpretation** The four characters *xin chi wei nü* are missing in some editions. The four characters *zi wuxing shi* are omitted in one edition; another edition writes *ju* for *zi*. In one edition the *wei* of *jianwei* is written as the homophonous *wei* meaning “position.” In one edition *xuwei* is written *baozhen*. In one edition *zhihuo* is written *jiangzuo*. In one edition *tiaohe* is written *zhihuo*. In one edition *wang you suo ji* is written *ji you suo wang*. In one edition *nao* is left as a blank square. The following resolves doubtful points in the lower chapter. In former times the sages and worthies embraced the mysterious Dao and held fast to the True One, and they felt deep concern and compassion for later people who loved the Dao. Following the style and literary grace of their predecessors, they pointed out and delineated the ancient writings (the received text has *zhi zhou* for *zhi hua*), and compiled books and records in order to reveal it to later generations. What they disclosed were the branches and twigs; what they concealed was the root and trunk. This means that the ancient sages had already attained this Dao, and therefore embraced the mysterious and held fast to the True; and they also pitied later students who loved the Dao for being unable to obtain an explanation of it. Thus, for their sake, following the style and literary grace of the past, they cited ancient affairs to substantiate present principles and composed books and records to reveal it to them. Moreover, they did not dare to lay it out directly and plainly, so they borrowed the names of the five metals and eight minerals (a general term for the mineral ingredients used in alchemy) to expound and explain it. When it says that they compiled books and records and borrowed the names of various minerals, it means the ancient sages did so; it does not mean that later students who loved the Dao did the same. In this chapter both Peng Zhenyi and Chen Baoyi misunderstood it; only Zhu Xi’s commentary alone grasped its essential purport. In one edition the *yuan* of *sanyuan* is written *guang*; this is incorrect. In one edition *jingyi* (“essence overflow”) is written *jinye* (“fluids”); this is incorrect. In one edition the *hua* of *huaxing* (“transforming the form”) is written *bian* (“change”). “Fumiu zhongwen” means repeatedly confounding and disorderly the text, not daring to leak it directly; in one edition *miu* is written *mao*; this is incorrect. In one edition the *chuan* of *chuanshi* (“transmitted to the world”) is written *ju*. In one edition *shi* (“serve”) is written *sui*. In one edition the *wei* of “therefore made confused words” is written *fei*; this is incorrect. In one edition the *gou* of *xuanggou* (“mysterious ditch”) is written *yuan*. In old editions the *hou* of “withdraw from behind” is written *gai*; this is incorrect. The scriptural text says, “The gate-bolt has high and low points; the heavenly circuit thereupon rushes and runs.” This means that the gate-bolt (the crucial mechanism) has rises and falls, and the heavenly circuit (Zhoutian, the cyclical circulation in alchemical practice) therefore runs and moves. Here the two characters *zhoutian* are written in all old editions as *zhouqi*; Zhu Xi suspected that *zhouqi* made no sense and changed it to *haiqi* (“harmful Qi”), which is also incorrect, because the graphs for *hai* and *zhou* are similar, and those for *qi* and *tian* are quite close in form. The scriptural text says, “The rivers and streams do not dry up; their waters flow into the sea.” This means that the rivers and streams will not dry up, and their waters flow into the great sea. Old editions write *zhi* for *wu*; this is incorrect—*zhi* is a mistaken graph for *yuan*. In the middle chapter, from “The Dao has no form or image” onward, this has already been explained in detail. One edition writes *zhun* for *he*. 終復始一本作復終始一本作復更始張於一本於作設白虎一本虎作礬非是蒼龍一本龍作液非是壓止一本止作之龍鱗甲鬛一本龍作魚甲作狎非是接連一本作雜遝自相守一本自作而房六一本六作七非是正陽一本陽作陰非是三五并危一兮都集歸一所蓋謂房六昴七 張二三方之氣并北方危一都會集而歸 於一處也中間極有造化蓋南北張危月 也東西房昴日也危一合房六則爲水之 生成數張二合昴七則爲火之生成數房 六在東張二在南木火爲侣六與二合而 成八昴七在西危一在北金水合處七與 一合而成八應二八一斤之數所謂本之 但二物者此也一本并危一作并爲一又 一本作之與一皆非是一本一所作二所 亦非是當知魏公之作是書無一語不合 造化若以爲三五之與一兮都集歸二所 則造化何有哉又况二所之說尤其大謬 縱使果謂之二所則當言分不當言集既 謂之集則當言一所不當言二所也取甫詹霞山註本作甫取赤色通表裏一本作赤黑達表裏黍米一本黍作稻非是若山澤氣烝兮一本作山澤氣相烝兮非是億世一本世作代而可考一本而作自心靈一本心作魂忽自悟一本忽作乍受圖籙一本作録天圖非是 鼎器歌釋疑徑一分舊本徑作十 **Interpretation** 1. In the scripture text “zhong fu shi” (ending returns to beginning), one edition reads “fu zhong shi” (returning to end and beginning), and another reads “fu geng shi” (returning and renewing the beginning). 2. In the scripture text “zhang yu” (spread out at), one edition has “she” (set up) for “yu” (at). 3. In the scripture text “bai hu” (White Tiger), one edition has “fan” (alum) for “hu” (tiger); this is incorrect. 4. In the scripture text “cang long” (Dark-Green Dragon), one edition has “ye” (liquid) for “long” (dragon); this is incorrect. 5. In the scripture text “ya zhi” (press and stop), one edition has “zhi” (it) for “zhi” (stop). 6. In the scripture text “long lin jia lie” (dragon scales and mane), one edition has “yu” (fish) for “long” (dragon) and “xia” (intimate) for “jia” (scales/armor); this is incorrect. 7. In the scripture text “jie lian” (connect), one edition reads “za ta” (mixed and crowded). 8. In the scripture text “zi xiang shou” (each guards itself), one edition has “er” for “zi.” 9. In the scripture text “fang liu” (Fang-six), one edition has “qi” (seven) for “liu” (six); this is incorrect. 10. In the scripture text “zheng yang” (pure Yang), one edition has “yin” for “yang”; this is incorrect. 11. The scripture text “three and five together with Wei-one, all gather and return to one place” probably means that the Qi of the three positions Fang-six, Mao-seven, and Zhang-two among Fang, Mao, Zhang, and Wei (all names of lunar mansions among the twenty-eight mansions), together with Wei-one in the north, all converge and return to a single place. 12. There is profound creation and transformation in this. 13. For Zhang in the south and Wei in the north correspond to the Moon, while Fang in the east and Mao in the west correspond to the Sun. 14. Wei-one joined with Fang-six is the generation and completion numbers of Water (one is the generative number, six the completion number). 15. Zhang-two joined with Mao-seven is the generation and completion numbers of Fire (two is the generative number, seven the completion number). 16. Fang-six is in the east and Zhang-two in the south; Wood and Fire accompany each other, and six joined with two makes eight. 17. Mao-seven is in the west and Wei-one in the north; this is where Metal and Water join. Seven and one combine to make eight, matching the number by which two eights—sixteen taels—make one catty. 18. What is called “fundamentally it is but two things” refers precisely to this. 19. One edition has “together as one” for “together with Wei-one,” and another has “it and one”; both are incorrect. 20. One edition has “two places” for “one place”; this too is incorrect. 21. One should know that when Wei Gong (Wei Boyang, author of the Cantong qi) wrote this book, not one sentence failed to accord with creation and transformation. 22. If one takes the original text to be “three and five with one, all gather and return to two places,” then what creation and transformation could be spoken of? 23. Moreover, the reading “two places” is an especially great error. 24. Even if it were truly called “two places,” one should say “divide” and not “gather.” 25. Since it is called “gather,” one should say “one place” and not “two places.” 26. In the scripture text “qu fu,” the annotated edition of Zhan Xiashan reads “fu qu.” 27. In the scripture text “red color penetrates inside and outside,” one edition reads “red and black reach inside and outside.” 28. In the scripture text “shu mi” (millet), one edition has “dao” (rice) for “shu” (millet); this is incorrect. 29. In the scripture text “if the Qi of mountains and marshes rises in steam,” one edition reads “the Qi of mountains and marshes steams each other”; this is incorrect. 30. In the scripture text “yi shi” (a hundred million generations), one edition has “dai” (ages) for “shi” (generations). 31. In the scripture text “er ke kao” (and can be verified), one edition has “zi” (from/self) for “er” (and). 32. In the scripture text “xin ling” (the heart is numinous), one edition has “hun” (soul) for “xin” (heart). 33. In the scripture text “hu zi wu” (suddenly one understands by oneself), one edition has “zha” (suddenly) for “hu” (suddenly). 34. In the scripture text “receive chart-registers” (talismanic mandates and prophetic charts), one edition reads “record the heavenly chart”; this is incorrect. 35. “Resolving Doubts on the Song of the Tripod and Vessel” is the section that explains and analyzes the “Song of the Tripod and Vessel.” 36. In the scripture text “one fen in diameter,” old editions have “ten” for “diameter.” 長尺二一本尺二作二尺非是腹齊正朱子云按齊即古臍字一本作腹三 齊非是首尾武中間文蓋謂晦朔爲首尾月望爲中 間也首尾即是一處中間亦即是一處若 言巳爲陽子尾午爲陰亥首巳午兩向爲 中間則是兩箇首尾兩箇中間矣一說以 進陽火則子丑寅爲首辰巳爲尾退陰符 則午未申爲首戌亥爲尾中宫爲中間則 是兩首兩尾一中間其說皆未穩兩七聚一本聚作竅非是贍理腦一本贍作瞻一本作膽皆非是 序釋疑三相類謂大易黄老爐火三者之陰陽造化 互相似也自彭眞一以木三火二土五金 四水一畫爲五位相得而各有合之圖故 後人皆祖彭氏此說竟以爲魏公本文而 並作五行之相類說了沿襲至今無有辯 之者皆不恩魏公所言相類者果爲何事 況易所謂五位相得而各有合盖合五行 之生成數今彭氏止用生數爲得謂之五 位相得而各有合或以爲木三火二爲一 五金四水一爲一五與中央土五共成三 五則猶可謂之三五相類今言五行之相 類則水自一數火自二數金木土之數各 各不同安取其爲相類哉一本作互相類 似亦可取終不若三相類之說爲甚明也 蓋詳其下文有曰三道由一俱出徑路又 曰羅列三條枝莖相連同出異名皆由一 門其爲三相類居然可見矣 **Interpretation** In the line “one chi and two cun in length,” some editions write “two chi” instead of “one chi and two cun”; this is incorrect. In “the abdomen is centered and upright,” the word qi is, according to Zhu Xi, the ancient graph for “navel”; some editions write “the abdomen is three times centered,” which is incorrect. “Martial at the beginning and end, civil in the middle” probably means taking the last and first days of the lunar month (the end and beginning of the month) as the beginning and end, and the full moon (the fifteenth) as the middle. The beginning and end are the same place, and the middle is also the same place. If one says that Si is Yang and Zi is the tail, that Wu is Yin and Hai is the head, and takes the two directions Si and Wu as the middle, then there would be two beginnings and ends and two middles. Another explanation: when advancing the Yang fire, take Zi, Chou, and Yin as the beginning and Chen and Si as the end; when retreating the Yin talisman, take Wu, Wei, and Shen as the beginning and Xu and Hai as the end; take the central palace (Zhonggong) as the middle. That would be two beginnings, two ends, and one middle; none of these explanations is sound. In “two sevens gather,” some editions write “aperture” for “gather,” which is incorrect. In “shan li nao,” some editions write zhan for shan, and another edition writes dan; both are incorrect. “Xu Shiyi” is simply the preface to Resolving Doubts. The phrase “three kinds are similar” (san xiang lei) means that the Yin-Yang generation and transformation in the Great Change (Dayi), Huang-Lao, and furnace fire are mutually similar. Ever since Peng Zhenyi drew the diagram of “the five positions are mutually obtained and each has its conjunction” with Wood three, Fire two, Earth five, Metal four, and Water one, later people have all followed Peng’s explanation, even taking it as Master Wei’s (Wei Boyang’s) original text and expounding it as “the mutual similarity of the Five Phases.” It has been passed down to the present without anyone analyzing it, all because they did not consider what Master Wei meant by “similar.” Moreover, what the Yi calls “the five positions are mutually obtained and each has its conjunction” probably refers to combining the generating and completing numbers of the Five Phases. Now Peng uses only the generating numbers as “obtaining” and calls this “the five positions are mutually obtained and each has its conjunction.” Some hold that Wood three and Fire two combine to form one five, and Metal four and Water one combine to form one five, and that together with the central Earth five they make three fives; that could still be called “three fives are similar.” But if one now speaks of “the mutual similarity of the Five Phases,” Water is number one, Fire number two, and the numbers of Metal, Wood, and Earth are each different; how can they be taken as similar? Some editions have “mutually similar to one another,” which seems acceptable, but in the end it is not as clear as “three kinds are similar.” If we look carefully at the following text, where it says “the three ways come from one, all issuing from the same path,” and also says “three lines are set out; branches and stems are connected; they emerge from the same source under different names; all pass through one gate,” then “three kinds are similar” is plainly evident. 鄶國鄙夫魏公自謂也魏公乃㑹稽上虞人 今不曰會稽而曰鄶國者不欲顯言其本 貫也若直謂之會稽則是後人改之之辭 非魏公本文也挾懷村素一本作懷朴抱素不樂權榮謂不肯愛樂權勢榮耀也樂字當 作去聲一本權作懽非是利名一本利作令宴然閒居一本作遠客燕閒察其所趣一本所作㫖共倫一本倫作論施化一本施作神歸根一本根作愚非是我心一本心作形八石一本八作五成物一本物作功委時去害依託丘山循遊寥廓與鬼爲鄰至 各相乘負安穩長生十六句乃是櫽括魏 伯陽三字各相乘負者如委鬼相乘負爲 魏人白相乘負爲伯阝易相乘負爲陽是 也一本鬼作仙阨作厄各相乘負安穩長 生作吉人相乘安隱長生又一本作吉人 相乘負安穩可長生皆非是又一本東西 南傾作東西南北水旱隔并作水旱兵革 讚序釋疑立政一本作御極米鹽蓋用史記天官書語米鹽分判猶言黑 白分明也一本米鹽作坎離非是以易一本易作經立注一本注作法非是爲此 **Interpretation** The phrase Kuaiguo bizi, "a rustic man of Kuaiguo," is Lord Wei's (Wei Gong's) self-designation. Lord Wei was from Kuaiji Shangyu, in the area of present-day Shangyu in Zhejiang. The text now says Kuaiguo rather than Kuaiji because he did not want to state his original native place explicitly. If it had directly said Kuaiji, that would be a later alteration, not Wei Gong's original wording. "Xiehuai cunsu," read in another edition as "huaipu baosu," means to embrace plainness and simplicity. "Bu le quan rong" means that he was unwilling to delight in power and glory. Here the word le should be read in the departing tone (qusheng), meaning to delight in or be fond of. Another edition writes quan as huan, the same as huan meaning "joy," which is incorrect. In the line about li and ming, another edition writes li as ling. In the line "yanran xianju," another edition has "yuanke yanxian," meaning a distant guest at leisure. In the line "cha qi suo qu," another edition writes suo as zhi. In the line "gonglun," another edition writes lun, meaning "discussion," in place of lun meaning "relations" or "order." In the line "shihua," another edition writes shi as shen. In the line "guigen," another edition writes gen as yu, meaning "foolish," which is incorrect. In the line "woxin," another edition writes xin as xing. In the line about bashi, another edition writes ba as wu. In the line "chengwu," another edition writes wu as gong. The sixteen sentences from "Wei shi qu hai," "yituo qiushan," "xunyou liaokuo," and "yu gui wei lin" through "ge xiang cheng fu" and "anwen changsheng" conceal the three characters Wei Boyang by hidden splitting (yinkuo). The phrase ge xiang cheng fu means, for example, that wei and gui combine to form the character Wei; ren and bai combine to form Bo; and the ear radical with yi combines to form Yang. Another edition writes gui as xian. Another edition writes e as e, the e meaning "distress." Another edition writes "ge xiang cheng fu, anwen changsheng" as "ji ren xiang cheng, an yin changsheng." Yet another edition writes "ji ren xiang cheng fu, anwen ke changsheng"; all these are incorrect. Another edition writes "dong xi nan qing" as "dong xi nan bei." Another edition writes "shui han ge bing" as "shui han bing ge." Zanxu Shiyi is the title for explaining difficult points in the eulogy and preface. In the line "lizheng," another edition has "yuji," meaning to ascend the throne and rule the world. Mi yan probably follows the wording of the Shiji, Tian Guan Shu. Mi yan fen pan is like saying black and white are clearly distinguished. Another edition writes mi yan as kan li, the Kan-water and Li-fire trigrams in the Bagua, which is incorrect. In the line containing yi, another edition writes yi as jing. In the line "li zhu," another edition writes zhu as fa, which is incorrect. In the line "wei ci," another edition writes ci as wu. This is the end marker of the Zhouyi Cantongqi Shiyi. 一本此作吾周易参同契釋疑(終) --- 原文底本：Kanripo 漢籍リポジトリ（京都大学），CC BY-SA 4.0。 Source text: Kanripo Chinese Classics Repository (Kyoto University), CC BY-SA 4.0. HTML version: https://daozang.app/en/text/KR5d0024/