《皇極經世》Vol. 8

Interpretation

Comprehensive Mirror of the Supreme Ultimate, Scroll Three, Middle Section, “Increase, Part Two.”

Written by Shao Yaofu of Sanchuan.

The third section of the historical sequence derived through “cycles, eras, and periods”: “Treatise on Observing Things,” Part Fifteen.

The era by days: Jia, first.

The era by months: Wu, seventh.

The era by stars: Jia, one hundred and eighty-first.

The era by the twelve double-hours: Zi, two thousand one hundred and sixty-first.

The years below are arranged according to the sexagenary cycle:

Jiazi, year one; Yichou, year two; Bingyin, year three; Dingmao, year four; Wuchen, year five; Jisi, year six; Gengwu, year seven; Xinwei, year eight; Renshen, year nine; Guiyou, year ten; Jiaxu, year eleven; Yihai, year twelve; Bingzi, year thirteen; Dingchou, year fourteen; Wuyin, year fifteen; Jimao, year sixteen; Gengchen, year seventeen; Xinsi, year eighteen; Renwu, year nineteen; Guiwei, year twenty. In the twenty-seventh year, Jiachen, Emperor Shun made an eastern tour and died at Kuaiji.

Jiashen: Xia Qi ascended the throne; Yiyou, year two; Bingxu, year three; Dinghai, year four; Wuzi, year five; Jichou, year six; Gengyin, year seven; Xinmao, year eight; Renchen, year nine; Guisi: Xia Taikang ascended the throne.

The twelve double-hours era reaches Chou, two thousand one hundred and sixty-second.

Jiawu, year two; Yiwei, year three; Bingshen, year four; Dingyou, year five; Wuxu, year six; Jihai, year seven; Gengzi, year eight; Xinchou, year nine; Renyin, year ten; Guimao, year eleven; Jiachen, year twelve; Yisi, year thirteen; Bingwu, year fourteen; Dingwei, year fifteen; Wushen, year sixteen; Jiyou, year seventeen; Gengxu, year eighteen; Xinhai, year nineteen; Renzi, year twenty; Guichou, year twenty-one; Jiayin, year twenty-two; Yimao, year twenty-three; Bingchen, year twenty-four; Dingsi, year twenty-five; Wuwu, year twenty-six; Jiwei, year twenty-seven; Gengshen, year twenty-eight; Xinyou, year twenty-nine. Taikang lost his state. Hou Yi, ruler of the State of Youqiong, resisted him by the river and eventually died.

Renxu: Xia Zhongkang ascended the throne; Guihai, year two.

The twelve double-hours era reaches Yin, two thousand one hundred and sixty-third.

Jiazi, year three; Yichou, year four; Bingyin, year five; Dingmao, year six; Wuchen, year seven.

Note: The original lists the years one by one according to the sexagenary cycle, and the year numbers indicate their sequence within this treatise. Some cycle signs, year numbers, and associated events may contain copying or printing errors. The sequence above is preserved as in the original, with familiar accounts of the emperors’ deeds explained in accessible terms.

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Interpretation

In the eighth year, the year of jisi; the ninth year, the year of gengwu; the tenth year, the year of xinwei; the eleventh year, the year of renshen; the twelfth year, the year of guiyou; and the thirteenth year, the year of jiaxu. In the year of yihai, Xiang of Xia ascended the throne. The second year, the year of bingzi; the third year, the year of dingchou; the fourth year, the year of wuyin; the fifth year, the year of jimao; the sixth year, the year of gengchen; the seventh year, the year of xinsi; the eighth year, the year of renwu; the ninth year, the year of guiwei; the tenth year, the year of jiashen; the eleventh year, the year of yiyou; the twelfth year, the year of bingxu; the thirteenth year, the year of dinghai; the fourteenth year, the year of wuzi; the fifteenth year, the year of jichou; the sixteenth year, the year of gengyin; the seventeenth year, the year of xinmao; the eighteenth year, the year of renchen; and the nineteenth year, the year of guisi.

This was the 2,164th year in the “Mao Cycle of the Meridian Count.”

The twentieth year, the year of jiawu; the twenty-first year, the year of yiwei; the twenty-second year, the year of bingshen; the twenty-third year, the year of dingyou; the twenty-fourth year, the year of wuxu; the twenty-fifth year, the year of jihai; the twenty-sixth year, the year of gengzi; and the twenty-seventh year, the year of xinchou. In the twenty-eighth year, the year of renyin, Han Zhuo killed Houyi, ruler of the state of Youqiong, and seized power, declaring himself ruler. He sent his sons Jiao and Yi to destroy the Zhen Guan and Zhen Xun clans and eliminate Xiang of Xia. He enfeoffed Jiao in Guo and Yi in Ge. Mi, a minister of Xiang of Xia, fled to the Miao clan. Xiang’s widow Min returned to the You Ren clan, where she later gave birth to Shaokang.

In the year of guimao, Shaokang of Xia was born; this was the second year. The third year, the year of jiachen; the fourth year, the year of yisi; the fifth year, the year of bingwu; the sixth year, the year of dingwei; the seventh year, the year of wushen; the eighth year, the year of jiyou; the ninth year, the year of gengxu; the tenth year, the year of xinhai; the eleventh year, the year of renzi; the twelfth year, the year of guichou; the thirteenth year, the year of jiayin; the fourteenth year, the year of yimao; the fifteenth year, the year of bingchen; the sixteenth year, the year of dingsi; the seventeenth year, the year of wuwu; the eighteenth year, the year of jiwei; the nineteenth year, the year of gengshen; the twentieth year, the year of xinyou; the twenty-first year, the year of renxu; and the twenty-second year, the year of guihai.

This was the 2,165th year in the “Chen Cycle of the Meridian Count.”

The twenty-third year, the year of jiazi; the twenty-fourth year, the year of yichou; the twenty-fifth year, the year of bingyin; the twenty-sixth year, the year of dingmao; the twenty-seventh year, the year of wuchen; the twenty-eighth year, the year of jisi; the twenty-ninth year, the year of gengwu; the thirtieth year, the year of xinwei; the thirty-first year, the year of renshen; the thirty-second year, the year of guiyou; the thirty-third year, the year of jiaxu; the thirty-fourth year, the year of yihai; the thirty-fifth year, the year of bingzi; and the thirty-sixth year, the year of dingchou.

Here, “Mao Cycle of the Meridian Count” and “Chen Cycle of the Meridian Count” are calendrical markers in the Huangji Jingshi system of chronology.

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Interpretation

In the Wuyin year, the thirty-seventh year; in the Yimao year, the thirty-eighth year; in the Gengchen year, the thirty-ninth year; in the Xinsi year, the fortieth year.

In the Renwu year, Shaokang ascended the throne of the Xia dynasty. Jumi of Xia gathered the remaining forces of Zhen’guan and Zhenxun in the territory of Ge, destroyed Hanzhuo, and installed Shaokang as ruler. After ascending the throne, Shaokang destroyed Jiao in the territory of Guo and Yi in the territory of Ge, thereby bringing the Youqiong clan to an end.

In the Guiwei year, the second year; in the Jiashen year, the third year; in the Yiyou year, the fourth year; in the Bingxu year, the fifth year; in the Dinghai year, the sixth year; in the Wuzi year, the seventh year; in the Jichou year, the eighth year; in the Gengyin year, the ninth year; in the Xinmao year, the tenth year; in the Renchen year, the eleventh year; in the Guisi year, the twelfth year.

The cycle of jingchen zhi si: 2,066.

In the Jiawu year, the thirteenth year; in the Yiwei year, the fourteenth year; in the Bingshen year, the fifteenth year; in the Dingyou year, the sixteenth year; in the Wuxu year, the seventeenth year; in the Jihai year, the eighteenth year; in the Gengzi year, the nineteenth year; in the Xinchou year, the twentieth year; in the Renyin year, the twenty-first year; in the Guimao year, the twenty-second year.

In the Jiachen year, Zhu of Xia ascended the throne; in the Yisi year, the second year; in the Bingwu year, the third year; in the Dingwei year, the fourth year; in the Wushen year, the fifth year; in the Jiyou year, the sixth year; in the Gengxu year, the seventh year; in the Xinhai year, the eighth year; in the Renzi year, the ninth year; in the Guichou year, the tenth year; in the Jiayin year, the eleventh year; in the Yimao year, the twelfth year; in the Bingchen year, the thirteenth year; in the Dingsi year, the fourteenth year; in the Wuwu year, the fifteenth year; in the Jiwei year, the sixteenth year; in the Gengshen year, the seventeenth year.

In the Xinyou year, Huai of Xia ascended the throne; in the Renxu year, the second year; in the Guihai year, the third year.

The cycle of jingchen zhi wu: 2,167.

In the Jiazi year, the fourth year; in the Yichou year, the fifth year; in the Bingyin year, the sixth year; in the Dingmao year, the seventh year; in the Wuchen year, the eighth year; in the Jisi year, the ninth year; in the Gengwu year, the tenth year; in the Xinwei year, the eleventh year; in the Renshen year, the twelfth year; in the Guiyou year, the thirteenth year; in the Jiaxu year, the fourteenth year; in the Yihai year, the fifteenth year; in the Bingzi year, the sixteenth year; in the Dingchou year, the seventeenth year; in the Wuyin year, the eighteenth year; in the Jimao year, the nineteenth year; in the Gengchen year, the twentieth year; in the Xinsi year, the twenty-first year; in the Renwu year, the twenty-second year; in the Guiwei year, the twenty-third year; in the Jiashen year, the twenty-fourth year; in the Yiyou year, the twenty-fifth year; in the Bingxu year, the twenty-sixth year.

In the Dinghai year, Mang of Xia ascended the throne; in the Wuzi year, the second year; in the Jichou year, the third year; in the Gengyin year, the fourth year; in the Xinmao year, the fifth year; in the Renchen year, the sixth year; in the Guisi year, the seventh year.

Note: The ganzhi system is used to mark years. “Jingchen zhi si” and “jingchen zhi wu” are chronological markers used in the original text’s calendrical count. Zhu, Huai, and Mang of Xia were rulers of the Xia dynasty.

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Interpretation

In the 2,168th year of the “Jingchen Wei” phase:

The Jiawu year is year eight; the Yiwei year, year nine; the Bingshen year, year ten; the Dingyou year, year eleven; the Wuxu year, year twelve; the Jihai year, year thirteen; the Gengzi year, year fourteen; the Xinchou year, year fifteen; the Renyin year, year sixteen; the Guimao year, year seventeen; and the Jiachen year, year eighteen. The Yisi year is recorded as “Xia Xie.” The Bingwu year is year two; the Dingwei year, year three; the Wushen year, year four; the Jiyou year, year five; the Gengxu year, year six; the Xinhai year, year seven; the Renzi year, year eight; the Guichou year, year nine; the Jiayin year, year ten; the Yimao year, year eleven; the Bingchen year, year twelve; the Dingsi year, year thirteen; the Wuwu year, year fourteen; the Jiwei year, year fifteen; and the Gengshen year, year sixteen. The Xinyou year is recorded as “Xia Bujiang,” the Renxu year is year two, and the Guihai year is year three.

In the 2,169th year of the “Jingchen Shen” phase:

The Jiazi year is year four; the Yichou year, year five; the Bingyin year, year six; the Dingmao year, year seven; the Wuchen year, year eight; the Jisi year, year nine; the Gengwu year, year ten; the Xinwei year, year eleven; the Renshen year, year twelve; the Guiyou year, year thirteen; the Jiaxu year, year fourteen; the Yihai year, year fifteen; the Bingzi year, year sixteen; the Dingchou year, year seventeen; the Wuyin year, year eighteen; the Jimao year, year nineteen; the Gengchen year, year twenty; the Xinsi year, year twenty-one; the Renwu year, year twenty-two; the Guiwei year, year twenty-three; the Jiashen year, year twenty-four; the Yiyou year, year twenty-five; the Bingxu year, year twenty-six; the Dinghai year, year twenty-seven; the Wuzi year, year twenty-eight; the Jichou year, year twenty-nine; the Gengyin year, year thirty; the Xinmao year, year thirty-one; the Renchen year, year thirty-two; and the Guisi year, year thirty-three.

In the 2,170th year of the “Jingchen You” phase:

The Jiawu year is year thirty-four; the Yiwei year, year thirty-five; the Bingshen year, year thirty-six; the Dingyou year, year thirty-seven; the Wuxu year, year thirty-eight; the Jihai year, year thirty-nine; the Gengzi year, year forty; the Xinchou year, year forty-one; the Renyin year, year forty-two; the Guimao year, year forty-three; the Jiachen year, year forty-four; the Yisi year, year forty-five; the Bingwu year, year forty-six; the Dingwei year, year forty-seven; the Wushen year, year forty-eight; and the Jiyou year, year forty-nine.

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Interpretation

This passage primarily uses the cyclical designation of years formed by the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, and gives each group’s ordinal number within the system of the Huangji Jingshi.

From “Gengxu, fifty” to “Guihai, four,” it lists the Stem-Branch designations and their corresponding ordinal numbers in sequence. The Stem-Branch designations are the sixty combinations formed by pairing the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches; the numbers indicate positions in this sequence. “Xia Jiong,” “Xia Jin,” and “Kong Jia” are names of rulers of the Xia dynasty, placed beside the relevant designations as markers. The numbers that follow continue to increase in sequence.

“Jingchen reaches Xu, two thousand one hundred seventy-one” and “Jingchen reaches Hai, two thousand one hundred seventy-two” give the counts in this calendrical system when the Chen position advances to Xu and Hai, respectively: 2,171 and 2,172.

At the end, “The third part of the Huangji Jingshi, the fourth volume of ‘Using Meetings to Order the Cycles,’ the sixteenth chapter of the ‘Treatise on Observing Things’” gives the text’s section and level: the third part of the Huangji Jingshi, the fourth volume of “Using Meetings to Order the Cycles,” and the sixteenth chapter of the “Treatise on Observing Things.”

“Jingri reaches Jia, one; Jingyue reaches Wu, seven; Jingxing reaches Yi, one hundred eighty-two” lists the ordinal positions in the calculations for the sun, moon, and stars: the sun corresponds to Jia, ordinal one; the moon to Wu, ordinal seven; and the stars to Yi, ordinal 182. These are terms used in the Huangji Jingshi to calculate time through Stem-Branch designations and numerical sequences, rather than ordinary descriptions of years.

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Interpretation

This passage from Huangji Jingshi arranges time under “Jingchen” headings, with each group corresponding to a period of years recorded by the sexagenary cycle. Phrases such as “the Zi of Jingchen, 2,173” give the sequence number of each group. Entries such as “Jiazi, 23” and “Yichou, 24” give the cyclical signs in the order of the sixty-year cycle, together with their corresponding numbers.

“Xia Gao,” “Xia Fa,” and “Xia Gui” are the names of Xia dynasty rulers. Placed after the corresponding cyclical signs, they indicate that those years are associated with these rulers. The remaining entries, which give only numbers, record in sequence the number assigned to each cyclical sign.

The passage lists, in order, the cyclical signs and numbers belonging to “the Zi of Jingchen,” 2,173; “the Chou of Jingchen,” 2,174; and “the Yin of Jingchen,” 2,175. It ends with “Gengchen, 38.”

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Interpretation

Xin-si is year thirty-nine, ren-wu year forty, and gui-wei year forty-one. They are followed by jia-shen year forty-two, yi-you year forty-three, bing-xu year forty-four, ding-hai year forty-five, wu-zi year forty-six, ji-chou year forty-seven, geng-yin year forty-eight, xin-mao year forty-nine, ren-chen year fifty, and gui-si year fifty-one. These are the years and their ordinal numbers arranged in the order of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches.

“Through the Chen cycle, Mao, 2,176” indicates the 2,176th year in this system of cyclical dating, situated in the Mao phase.

Next comes jia-wu year fifty-two. The yi-wei year is recorded as Shang Tang, founder of the Shang dynasty. The following years are then recorded in sequence as bing-shen year two, ding-you year three, wu-xu year four, ji-hai year five, geng-zi year six, xin-chou year seven, ren-yin year eight, gui-mao year nine, jia-chen year ten, yi-si year eleven, bing-wu year twelve, and ding-wei year thirteen. The wu-shen year is recorded as Shang Taijia, a Shang king who succeeded Shang Tang. Next come ji-you year two, geng-xu year three, xin-hai year four, ren-zi year five, gui-chou year six, jia-yin year seven, yi-mao year eight, bing-chen year nine, ding-si year ten, wu-wu year eleven, ji-wei year twelve, geng-shen year thirteen, xin-you year fourteen, ren-xu year fifteen, and gui-hai year sixteen.

“Through the Chen cycle, Chen, 2,177” indicates the 2,177th year in this system, situated in the Chen phase. After that, beginning with jia-zi year seventeen, the years are recorded in sequence as yi-chou year eighteen, bing-yin year nineteen, ding-mao year twenty, wu-chen year twenty-one, ji-si year twenty-two, geng-wu year twenty-three, xin-wei year twenty-four, ren-shen year twenty-five, gui-you year twenty-six, jia-xu year twenty-seven, yi-hai year twenty-eight, bing-zi year twenty-nine, ding-chou year thirty, wu-yin year thirty, ji-mao year thirty-two, and geng-chen year thirty-three.

The xin-si year is recorded as Shang Woding, a Shang king. After that come ren-wu year two, gui-wei year three, jia-shen year four, yi-you year five, bing-xu year six, ding-hai year seven, wu-zi year eight, ji-chou year nine, geng-yin year ten, xin-mao year eleven, ren-chen year twelve, and gui-si year thirteen. “Through the Chen cycle, Si, 2,178” indicates the 2,178th year in this system, situated in the Si phase. Next come jia-wu year fourteen, yi-wei year fifteen, bing-shen year sixteen, and ding-you year seventeen.

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Interpretation

The years are arranged in the order of the cyclical stems and branches, with the succession of Shang rulers’ reigns indicated.

The year Wuxu is year eighteen, Jihai year nineteen, Gengzi year twenty, Xinchou year twenty-one, Renyin year twenty-two, Guimao year twenty-three, Jiachen year twenty-four, Yisi year twenty-five, Bingwu year twenty-six, Dingwei year twenty-seven, Wushen year twenty-eight, and Jiyou year twenty-nine.

In the year Gengxu, Tai Geng of Shang was on the throne. Xinhai was year two, Renzi year three, Guichou year four, Jiayin year five, Yimao year six, Bingchen year seven, Dingsi year eight, Wuwu year nine, Jiwei year ten, Gengshen year eleven, Xinyou year twelve, Renxu year thirteen, and Guihai year fourteen.

“Through the cyclical sequence to the Wu position, 2,179” is a chronological phrase used in the Huangji Jingshi to indicate a position in the calendrical count.

Jiazi was year fifteen, Yichou year sixteen, Bingyin year seventeen, Dingmao year eighteen, Wuchen year nineteen, Jisi year twenty, Gengwu year twenty-one, Xinwei year twenty-two, Renshen year twenty-three, Guiyou year twenty-four, and Jiaxu year twenty-five.

In the year Yihai, Xiao Jia of Shang was on the throne. Bingzi was year two, Dingchou year three, Wuyin year four, Jimao year five, Gengchen year six, Xinsi year seven, Renwu year eight, Guiwei year nine, Jiashen year ten, Yiyou year eleven, Bingxu year twelve, Dinghai year thirteen, Wuzi year fourteen, Jichou year fifteen, Gengyin year sixteen, and Xinmao year seventeen.

In the year Renchen, Yong Ji of Shang was on the throne; Guisi was year two.

“Through the cyclical sequence to the Wei position, 2,180” is a chronological phrase used in the Huangji Jingshi to indicate a position in the calendrical count.

Jiawu was year three, Yiwei year four, Bingshen year five, Dingyou year six, Wuxu year seven, Jihai year eight, Gengzi year nine, Xinchou year ten, Renyin year eleven, and Guimao year twelve.

In the year Jiachen, Tai Wu of Shang was on the throne. Yisi was year two, Bingwu year three, Dingwei year four, Wushen year five, Jiyou year six, Gengxu year seven, Xinhai year eight, Renzi year nine, Guichou year ten, Jiayin year eleven, Yimao year twelve, Bingchen year thirteen, Dingsi year fourteen, Wuwu year fifteen, and Jiwei year sixteen.

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Interpretation

Gengshen, Xinyou, Renxu, and Guihai are numbered seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, and twenty, respectively.

This is the chronological sequence in the 2,181st position of “Jingchen of Shen.” Next, Jiazi through Guisi are numbered twenty-one through fifty, in order.

The sequence then enters the 2,182nd position, “Jingchen of You.” Jiawu through Jiwei are numbered fifty-one through seventy-five, in order; Jiwei corresponds to “Shang Zhong Ding.”

Next, Gengshen, Xinyou, Renxu, and Guihai are numbered two, three, four, and five, respectively. Then the sequence enters the 2,183rd position, “Jingchen of Xu.” Jiazi through Jisi are numbered six through eleven, in order.

Names such as Jiazi and Yichou are stem-branch combinations arranged according to the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. “Jingchen of Shen, You, and Xu,” together with the numbers that follow, are calendrical markers in the system of Huangji Jingshi.

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Interpretation

Gengwu year: the twelfth year.

Xinwei year: the thirteenth year.

Renshen year: Wai Ren ascended the throne of the Shang dynasty.

Guiyou year: the second year.

Jiaxu year: the third year.

Yihai year: the fourth year.

Bingzi year: the fifth year.

Dingchou year: the sixth year.

Wuyin year: the seventh year.

Jimao year: the eighth year.

Gengchen year: the ninth year.

Xinsi year: the tenth year.

Renwu year: the eleventh year.

Guiwei year: the twelfth year.

Jiashen year: the thirteenth year.

Yiyou year: the fourteenth year.

Bingxu year: the fifteenth year.

Dinghai year: He Danjia ascended the throne of the Shang dynasty.

Wuzi year: the second year.

Jichou year: the third year.

Gengyin year: the fourth year.

Xinmao year: the fifth year.

Renchen year: the sixth year.

Guisi year: the seventh year.

According to the chronology calculated in the Huangji Jingshi, by the hai month of the Jingchen year, 2,184 years had elapsed.

Jiawu year: the eighth year.

Yiwei year: the ninth year.

Bingshen year: Zu Yi ascended the throne of the Shang dynasty.

Dingyou year: the second year.

Wuxu year: the third year.

Jihai year: the fourth year.

Gengzi year: the fifth year.

Xinchou year: the sixth year.

Renyin year: the seventh year.

Guimao year: the eighth year.

Jiachen year: the ninth year.

Yisi year: the tenth year.

Bingwu year: the eleventh year.

Dingwei year: the twelfth year.

Wushen year: the thirteenth year.

Jiyou year: the fourteenth year.

Gengxu year: the fifteenth year.

Xinhai year: the sixteenth year.

Renzi year: the seventeenth year.

Guichou year: the eighteenth year.

Jiayin year: the nineteenth year.

Yimao year: Zu Xin ascended the throne of the Shang dynasty.

Bingchen year: the second year.

Ding Si year: the third year.

Wuwu year: the fourth year.

Jiwei year: the fifth year.

Gengshen year: the sixth year.

Xinyou year: the seventh year.

Renxu year: the eighth year.

Guihai year: the ninth year.

The above is from the middle section of Volume Three of the Huangji Jingshi.

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