Di Li Bian Huo (地理辨惑)

堪輿之之術，自古迄今，代出名師，研究推測，既精且詳，可謂極矣。而名師間世而出，不得嘗遇；即有口傳心授，世又不獲多聞。其假託名師、妄稱秘訣者，遂滋蔓焉。

Fengshui is a discipline that has produced outstanding masters in every generation throughout history. These scholars have devoted themselves to research and verification, offering explanations that are both profound and detailed, reaching the pinnacle of mastery. However, true masters are rare, appearing only once in a generation, and ordinary people may never have the chance to meet one. Even when there is oral transmission between master and disciple, the general public rarely has the opportunity to hear much of it. Because of this, those who falsely claim to be disciples of great masters and recklessly proclaim to possess secret teachings have proliferated like weeds.

所以敢為偽術以欺世者，不過以枯骨無言，納棺入土，即受謝而去。至於禍發之速，近者期年半載，遠者十數歲方見，彼則誇其地力，當在三五十以欺罔。舉世之孝子慈孫，死喪破敗，為害之酷，筆不勝書。間有偶中，則自詡其真知灼見，若可通神，其實確有據者，百無一人。

These people dare to deceive the world with fake supernatural powers merely because dead bones cannot speak. They bury coffins in the ground, collect their fees, and then leave. As for when the calamity occurs, some manifest within a year or so, while others take decades to show their effects. They then boast, "The power of this land will only manifest in thirty to fifty years," using this excuse to confuse and mislead. Therefore, many filial sons and grandsons throughout the world suffer misfortune and ruin, the severity of their suffering is beyond description. Occasionally, if they happen to guess correctly, they boast of having true insight, as if they can communicate with the divine. In reality, those who actually have solid evidence are not to be found among a hundred such people.

餘弱冠時，嘗聞風水家言，又見龍角牛眠之說，心竊慕之。廣搜地理各種圖冊，冥心思索，無間寒暄。凡繫聲名烜赫者，竭誠就正，其談形勢者，有精有不精，尚屬大同小異；至言理氣，則五行三合、撥砂輔星，純是捕風捉影之說，俗所謂鐵嘴行是也。

I, Ma Taiqing, when I was in my twenties, heard people talk about the art of feng shui, and read about old stories of people who found auspicious burial sites, such as "dragon horns" and "ox sleep," which led to their descendants achieving prominence. I secretly admired these tales. I then searched everywhere for various geographical books, closed myself in my room to think deeply, and never stopped, through cold winters and hot summers. I sincerely visited all the famous geomancers to seek their teachings. These people spoke about "form and situation" (i.e., the physical features of mountains and rivers), some explaining it clearly, others not so clearly, but generally they were quite similar. However, when they came to "li qi" (principles of energy and qi), they talked about "Five Phases and Triple Harmony," "adjusting the sand," and "auxiliary star," which were all baseless talk. This was just the kind of business that relied on a silver tongue to make a living.

道光丁未孟夏，始遇樂亭振宇李先生於京師，然後知管郭楊曾之技，自有真者在。遂執弟子禮，從遊久之，盡得其傳。此後蹤跡所至，覆驗舊塋，雖數百年者，斷之無不吻合，亦不敢輕以語人，恐犯造物之忌也。

By the summer of the Dingwei year in the Daoguang era, I met Mr. Li Zhenyu from Leting in the capital city, and it was then that I learned the true skills passed down from Guan Lu, Guo Pu, Yang Yunsong, and Zeng Wenchan were still alive in the present day. I then bowed in discipleship and followed him for a long time, learning all his teachings. After that, wherever I went, I would examine old graves on the spot, even those buried for hundreds of years, and according to the methods, none of them failed to match. Yet I still dared not easily tell others about it, fearing that I might reveal heavenly secrets and offend the taboos of nature's order.

同治甲子嘉平，老友蓉溪張子，回里葬親，亦精於形勢者也。與餘晝則偕遊，夜則同榻，聞餘所言彰往察來之效，因謂余曰：胡不著之於書，以示後人？余昔與李師約云，誓不濫傳，乃得盡聆其秘，今不可以背吾師。又謂曰：姑留真旨，大概令人知所宗可乎？餘不能卻，遂以平日與人相問答之言，筆錄之，名曰《地理辨惑》。訣雖不在是，而亦未常不在是，慧心人一見，自知之耳。

In the Jiazi year of the Tongzhi era, my old friend Zhang Rongxi returned to his hometown to bury his relative. He himself was skilled in the study of geomancy. During the day we went out together to inspect sites, and at night we slept in the same bed. He listened to me talk about how past events could be used to predict the future, and he advised me, saying, "Why don't you write this down as a book for future generations?" I replied that I had once made a vow with Master Li not to easily spread his teachings, which allowed me to fully understand his secret instructions. Now I could not break away from my master's teachings. Zhang then said, "Then perhaps you can leave the general direction and main principles of the true秘诀, so that people can know what to follow. Would that be acceptable?" I could not refuse, so I recorded my conversations and answers with others one by one, and named the book "Dispelling Confusions in Geomancy." Although the true秘诀 is not written in this book, it is also contained within it—those with a keen mind will naturally understand it.

一問：近日地理多門，當以何者為專主？

Students asked: Recently, the schools of geomancy have become numerous, and one wonders which school should be primarily followed?

答：看龍之來，必須有起伏擺折，有屏幛，有枝腳；至結穴處，必須有砂環水繞，內有窩鉗乳突。此等語，人人能說，及至覓地時，拉山抵水，往往皆錯。蓋看地之法，先以形勢為體，理氣為用；形勢一錯，則體非其體，用非其用，無往而不錯矣。以勢為專主，深明龍穴砂水之法，則於地理一道，亦思過半矣。

Ma Taiqing answered: To see a dragon, it must have ups and downs, bends and turns, with two sides like a screen called "ping zhang," and branches coming off the main ridge called "zhi jiao." When it reaches the point of the site, there must be hills surrounding it and water flowing around it, and within the site, there must be one of the four forms called "wo," "qian," "ru," or "tu." These are all things everyone can talk about, but when actually searching for a site, people often force irrelevant hills to serve as protective ridges and irrelevant water to serve as boundary water, leading to complete mistakes. The order of examining a site is first to take "form and shape" (mountain and river features) as the fundamental, and then to use "principles and qi" (the original period and directions) as the function. If the form and shape are misjudged, the fundamental is no longer fundamental, and the function is no longer functional, leading to mistakes at every step. Therefore, one should focus primarily on form and shape, thoroughly understand the concepts of dragon, site, hills, and water, and then one will have grasped more than half of the knowledge of geomancy.

二問：世之談形勢者，於穴星，每每好言獅、象、虎、鳳、豬、犬、龜、魚、羅漢、將軍、美女等類；言岸砂，則有玉屏、牙笏、文筆、三臺、貴人、天馬、旗鼓等名。是耶？非耶？

Students asked: Those who talk about terrain in the world often mention forms such as lion shape, elephant shape, tiger shape, phoenix shape, pig shape, dog shape, turtle shape, fish shape, arhat shape, general shape, and beautiful woman shape when they talk about the shape of the hill where the energy converges. When they talk about facing hills, protective hills and sand, they mention names such as jade screen, ivory scepter, brush pen, three platforms, nobleman, heavenly horse, flag and drum, and so on. Are these statements correct or incorrect?

答：不過遇有龍真穴的之地，形貌略同，名師偶為是說，俗師遂相襲成風。見一地，即造一名，以眩惑世人，不問有龍無龍，有穴無穴，勉強扦葬，世受其愚，殃咎踵至，豈少也哉。

Ma Taiqing answered: This is merely a good site that happened to meet the true dragon and true穴 in the past. The mountain shape coincidentally resembled some object somewhat, and a master, by chance, made a simile. Later generations of mediocre masters, however, imitated each other, and it became a trend. When they saw a piece of land, they would invent a name for it, using it to deceive the world. They never questioned whether there was a true dragon or a true穴, and forced a burial. The people were deceived by them, and calamities and misfortunes followed one after another. How many such things are there?

三問：看地首重形勢（即巒頭），而近世俗眼，強不知以為知，究竟如何是眼力？

A student asked: When examining a site, one should first focus on its form and structure, which is known as the "Luan Tou" method. However, in recent times, many unskilled geomancers pretend to understand but actually do not. So, what exactly constitutes true discernment?

答：業斯術者，類皆無學之徒，遊食為生，本無真實傳授。凡孝子仁人，或因葬親，或欲積德，須閉戶讀書窮理，登山覆驗名墳，多事閱歷，秋久，自然胸中有些領略，即可知誰為名師，誰為俗士。蓋理正而有驗者，為名師；理悖而無驗者，為俗士。求得名師指示，便是真眼力。

Ma Taiqing answered: Those who practice this line of work are mostly people without scholarly learning, relying on traveling around to make a living. They have never received genuine transmission. If a filial son or a benevolent person wishes to perform a burial ceremony for his parents or to accumulate virtue through this practice, he should close the door to study, thoroughly investigate the principles, and then personally go to mountains and hills to verify the famous old tombs. By experiencing more and comparing more, over time, he will naturally gain understanding and be able to distinguish between a master and an ordinary practitioner. The standard for distinguishing is: those who explain the principles correctly and whose predictions come true are masters; those who explain the principles incorrectly and whose predictions do not come true are ordinary practitioners. Being able to seek guidance from a master is itself a true eye for discernment.

四問：當看何書為是？

The student asked: Then, which books should be read?

答：有形勢之書，有理氣之書。楊公《撼龍》《疑龍》二經，吳景鸞《望龍經》，廖金精《撥砂經》，沈六圃《地學》，此數書，言形勢最為的當；其餘各書，但言形勢者，尚屬可看，至言理氣，則悖謬矣。惟《地理辨正》《天元五歌》，是真理氣之書。

Ma Taiqing answered: Geomancy books can be divided into two categories: one discussing form and the other discussing principles and qi. Yang Yunsong's "The Classic of Shaking the Dragon" and "The Classic of Doubtful Dragons," Wu Jingluan's "The Classic of Observing Dragons," Liao Jinjing's "The Book of Adjusting the Sand," and Shen Liupu's "Geology" are the most accurate in discussing form. Other authors' works, if they only discuss form, can still be somewhat acceptable, but once they touch on principles and qi, they become absurd. The only works that properly discuss principles and qi are Jiang Dahong's annotated "Rectifying Geomancy" and his own "Five Songs of the Heavenly Origin."

五問：世以龍、向、水三合為理氣，其法何如？

A student asked: The world considers the combination of coming dragon, facing direction, and going water as "Triple Harmony" in the context of qi energy. How is this method?

答：理氣雲者，天心之正運，其氣循環往來，以三元為始終者也。彼三合，是一定之死格局，如某龍來，某水去，立某向，以乘龍消水，合得生旺墓庫，主富主貴。雖前數十百年，遇此等地，也是如此用法；後數十百年，遇此等地，也如是用法。而其間吉凶，大相懸殊：或一樣之地，前為人用而發，後為人用而敗；或一山之上，前為人用而吉，後為人用而凶。如此等類，不勝枚舉，吾故謂之死格局，蓋另有三元之真理氣，操其權耳。

Ma Taiqing answered: The concept of "li qi" refers to the correct and proper movement of the heavenly energy, which circulates continuously, coming and going without end. This energy completes a cycle every "san yuan" (three periods, each lasting sixty years: upper, middle, and lower yuan). The "sanhe" system, on the other hand, is a fixed and unchanging pattern: if a certain direction has a dragon coming from it and a certain direction has water going out, then a particular direction is chosen to "cheng long xiao shui" (ride the dragon and eliminate the water), matching the format of birth, prosperity, burial, and storage, thus determining whether a place brings wealth or nobility. For decades or even centuries before, when such a place was used, it was applied in this way; and for decades or even centuries after, when such a place was encountered, it was still used in the same way. However, the fortune and misfortune resulting from these applications differ greatly: the same piece of land, when used by one person, brought prosperity, but when used by another, led to decline; the same mountain, when used by one person, brought good fortune, but when used by another, led to misfortune. There are countless such examples. Therefore, I say it is a dead pattern. The true power that determines fortune and misfortune lies in the truth of the san yuan's li qi.

六問：信如是言，則形勢竟無權耶？

The student asked: According to what you said, does the situation not have any authority at all?

答：有權。形勢所主者，生人之權；理氣所主者，興發之權。如山川平坦者，則出人必溫厚和平，得運，則生端莊公正之貴人，失運，則生庸儒卑鄙之賤人；山川粗雄者，則出人必強悍猛烈，得運，則生鯁直果勇之貴人，失運，則生凶險橫暴之賤人。地理固是如此，亦宜忝看人之家教俗習何如。

Ma Taiqing answered: The situation has its own authority. The authority of the situation concerns the "type of people produced"; the authority of principles and energies concerns the "time when things flourish." For example, in flat and gentle mountains and rivers, the people born there are necessarily mild and harmonious: when they are in a favorable period, they produce upright and just noblemen; when they are in an unfavorable period, they produce mediocre and base commoners. In rugged and majestic mountains and rivers, the people born there are necessarily strong and fierce: when they are in a favorable period, they produce straightforward and courageous noblemen; when they are in an unfavorable period, they produce dangerous and violent villains. The principles of geography are indeed like this, but one should also consider the family education and local customs of that family.

七問：發富發貴，為貧為賤，或賤而富，或貴而貧，或富貴而夭絕，或貧賤而丁壽，是形勢使然？是理氣使然？

A student asked: Some people become wealthy, some become noble, some remain poor, and some are lowly. There are those who were born in humble circumstances but became rich, and others who held high positions yet remained poor. There are also those who are both rich and noble but die young and have no descendants, while others who are poor and lowly yet have many descendants and long lives. Are these differences caused by external conditions, or by internal principles and energies?

答：形勢理氣俱有之。山水得運則富貴，山水失運則貧賤，固屬無疑。其賤而富者，必遠墳非地，新墳得地，故也；其貴而貧者，必山龍得運，向水失運，故也；其富貴而夭絕者，必旺運已盡，煞運管事，故也；其貧賤而丁壽者，必地本非地，而向水得令，有吉無凶，故也。

Ma Taiqing answered: Both the form and the qi energy aspects are related. If the mountains and waters are in harmony with the current favorable period, wealth and honor will follow; if they are out of harmony, poverty and low status will result. This point has no doubt. As for those of low status who become wealthy, it must be because their ancestors' tombs were not on the true site, but the newly buried tomb is on a good site. Those who are in high position but poor must be because the mountain dragon on the back side is in harmony with the current favorable period, while the water facing the front is out of harmony. Those who are both wealthy and honored but die young and have no descendants must be because the favorable period has already passed, and the current period is the evil period. Those who are both poor and of low status but have many descendants and long life must be because the site itself is not a true site, but the water facing the front is in harmony with the current favorable period, thus bringing good fortune without any evil.

八問曰：俗師得一地，必許人以富貴，而實未嘗富貴，何耶？

A student asked: A mediocre teacher finds a piece of land and promises the main family that they will become wealthy in the future, but in fact the main family did not become wealthy. Why is this so?

答：美地所主者，原有四：人丁、壽考、富與貴也。而人丁為壽考之本，壽考為富貴之本。使無人丁，焉有壽考；無壽考，則富貴將誰屬耶？世俗惟知重富貴，故彼即以富貴餌之。其實有人丁壽考，即或及身不富貴，而居仁由義，視貪官汙吏之富貴，孰優。

Ma Taiqing answered: The original four things that a good land can bring are people, longevity, wealth, and honor. People are the foundation of longevity, and longevity is the foundation of wealth and honor. If there are no people, how can there be longevity? Without longevity, who would enjoy wealth and honor? Common people only value wealth and honor, so mediocre diviners use wealth and honor as bait to attract the main family. In reality, as long as there are people and longevity, even if one does not have wealth and honor in this life, if one can act with benevolence and righteousness, it is better than the wealth and honor of corrupt officials.

九問曰：嘗見世之富豪，人丁、壽考、科甲四者，當在何處分別？何以有兼全，有不兼全，有長久，有不長久？

A student asked: I often see that among wealthy families in the world, there are four things: wealth, number of descendants, longevity, and success in the imperial examinations. From where should we distinguish these? Why do some families have all four, while others do not? Why do some maintain their prosperity for a long time, while others do not?

答：豪富人丁壽考，只要坐山主星莊重，水法團聚，俱在旺運便是。至於科甲，則全要看鄉會試之年，有文昌、魁星會於坐山，或會於水口，或會於文峰，或會於向中三堂之水上，俱主科甲。如龍穴砂水，縱美好到十分，只主豪富人丁壽考，而文昌魁星會不著，科甲終不可得也。所以往往有地非吉穴，而亦出科甲者，必其穴前後左右砂水上，有文昌魁星會故也。但發科用，不得大貴，或旋即殞滅，其久與不久，只看交煞運不交煞運而已。

Ma Taiqing answered: Wealth, population, and longevity can all be complete if the main star of the mountain is dignified and steady, the water flows together with affection, and all these are in the prosperous period. As for success in the imperial examination, it entirely depends on whether the stars of Wen Chang and Kuai Xing gather on the mountain, or on the water mouth, or on the cultural peak, or on the water surface of the inner, middle, and outer three levels of the Bright Hall. Whenever such a gathering occurs, it indicates success in the imperial examination. If the dragon, site, sand, and water are excellent, it only indicates wealth, population, and longevity; if the stars of Wen Chang and Kuai Xing do not gather, success in the imperial examination will not be achieved. Therefore, there are often places that are not truly auspicious sites but still produce successful candidates in the imperial examination, because the stars of Wen Chang and Kuai Xing happen to gather on the sand and water around the site. However, such success in the imperial examination does not lead to great wealth, or it may quickly decline. Whether it can last long depends on whether it meets a bad period in the future.

十問曰：凡人之祖墳非一代，代非一穴，每見發福者，或謂其遠祖得地，或謂其新墳得穴，古今聚訟，將何以決疑？

A student asked: A family has ancestral tombs spanning more than one generation, and each generation has more than one grave site. Whenever someone becomes prosperous, some say it is because the distant ancestor was buried in a good location, while others say it is because the new grave was accurately chosen. This has been a subject of debate throughout history. How can we determine the truth?

答：遠墳所主者，生貴之地；新墳所主者，催貴之地。只看人有品貌非常，學問淵博，而一生不遇，乃遠墳有好地，能生此人，而新墳無好地，不能催之也。有骨格醜陋，才識平庸，而遭逢意外，乃遠墳無好地，僅能生此人，新墳有好地，極力催之也。倘其人品學相副，遇合又奇，告知其人必有數代好墳，不待登山而後知之也。

Ma Taiqing answered: The ancestral tomb of the distant ancestor is a place that produces noblemen; the newly buried tomb is a place that promotes and brings forth prestige. Just look at someone whose appearance is extraordinary and whose learning is profound, yet who remains unrecognized throughout his life. This indicates that the distant tomb is of good quality, capable of producing such talent, while the new tomb is not of good quality, thus failing to promote him. Conversely, if someone has an unattractive appearance and mediocre talent, yet unexpectedly rises to prominence, this indicates that the distant tomb is not of good quality, only able to produce such a person, while the new tomb is of good quality, striving to promote him. If a person possesses both virtue and learning, and has extraordinary circumstances, then it can be determined that his family must have several generations of good tombs. There is no need to climb mountains to inspect them.

十一問：形勢縱明，仍當以理氣為主，而三合又非真理氣，則何者謂之真理氣？

A student asked: Although the form and situation have been understood, one still needs to focus on the principle of qi; however, triple harmony is not the principle of qi. Then, what is the true principle of qi?

答：人生天地間，原與天地為一氣，雖死歸於土，又何嘗不與天地為一氣。故《葬經》云「氣乘風散」，所散者何？散其天地之氣也；「界水則止」，所止者何？止其天地之氣也。而氣運之循環往來，又有上中下元以消息之，流行九宮，周布八方，分析二十四山，占六十甲子，躔三百六十度。一元有一元之氣運，一運有一運之用法，得其法而用之，斯謂之真理氣。

Ma Taiqing answered: Humans live between heaven and earth, originally sharing the same vital energy as heaven and earth; even after death, returning to the soil, they are still part of the same vital energy as heaven and earth. Therefore, Guo Pu's "Zang Jing" says, "When the energy is carried by wind, it disperses" — what is dispersed? It is the vital energy of heaven and earth; it also says, "When the water is bounded, it stops" — what is stopped? It is again the vital energy of heaven and earth. The circulation of this energy must be calculated using the upper, middle, and lower yuan, to determine its increase and decrease. It flows through the nine palaces of the Luo Book, spreads throughout the eight directions, is divided into twenty-four mountains, and is combined with the sixty jiazi. It moves through three hundred and sixty degrees. Each yuan has its own energy, and each period has its own application; only when one masters this method and applies it is it called the true energy.

十二問：真理氣，載在何書，可得而聞歟？

A student asked: Where is this truth recorded? Can you tell me about it?

答：蔣大鴻先生所注《地理辨正》，並所著《天元五歌》，二者足稱千古不傳之絕學。道光年間，有無錫章仲山，增注《地理辨正直解》《天元五歌闡義》，尤為明晰。

Ma Taiqing answered: Jiang Dahong's commentary on "Rectifying Geomancy" and his own work "Five Songs of the Heavenly Origin" are sufficient to be called an unparalleled and secret art passed down through the ages. In the Daoguang period, Zhang Zhongshan from Wuxi added comments and interpretations to form "A Direct Explanation of Rectifying Geomancy" and "Explanations of the Five Songs of the Heavenly Origin," which explain things especially clearly and distinctly.

十三問：葉九升之《地理大成》，尹一勺之《地理十二種》，何如？

A student asked: How are the books compiled by Ye Jiusheng, the "Great Achievement in Geography," and Yin Yishao, the "Twelve Types of Geography"?

答：彼亦曾略聞斯道，奈彼信之不專，胸無主見，雜收偽書，不辨魚魯，貽誤世人。不但此也，《乾坤法竅》《風水一書》《增注地理辨正疏》，俱是未得真傳，私心懸揣，擬造挨星圖，去道逾遠，從此玄空一門，又添無數邪說。咸豐元年，京師有妄男子，刻造《地理正宗》一卷，穿鑿不經，尤堪齒冷。此外偽撰之書尚多，愈出愈奇，辨惑之作，正為此輩也。

Ma Taiqing answered: These two people have heard of this doctrine to some extent, but they do not believe in it wholeheartedly. They lack firm convictions and have included various fake books, even failing to distinguish between wrong characters like "yu" and "lu." As a result, they have misled the people. Not only these two: "The Secret of the Heaven and Earth Method," "The Book of Fengshui," and "The Supplemental Annotations to Rectifying Geomancy" are all products of people who have not received true transmission, speculating on their own, fabricating a "star sequence diagram," moving further away from the correct path. Thus, in the school of Xuan Kong, countless heresies have emerged. In the first year of Xianfeng, there was a reckless person in the capital who printed a volume called "The正宗 of Geomancy," which was forced and absurd, making people feel ashamed. There are also many other forged books, becoming increasingly strange. I wrote this "Dispelling Confusions in Geomancy" precisely to deal with such people.

十四問：吾子何以知三元之真，名師之真，得從而學之？

A student asked: Sir, on what basis do you determine that the method of the three periods is true, and that that master is genuine, so that you are willing to take him as your teacher and learn from him?

答：君但知餘今日得知之獨真，而不知餘前日所遇之多偽。自道光壬辰，遊秦之齊，至京師，凡十有六年，其間遇五行三合之師，即求學五行三合之法；遇撥砂輔星之師，即求學撥砂輔星之法。其待師之誠，用功之苦，如《地理原真》《天機會元》《金玉鐵鉛四彈子》《地理大成》《地理大全》《地理綱目》《人子須知》《山洋指迷》《羅經解》及各種地書，日夜不懈。即至相與登山，但云某地主富貴，某地主敗絕，引證各書，非不至詳且備；考其人家之事蹟，殊大不然。

Ma Taiqing answered: You only see that today I have obtained the true诀, but you don't know how many fake ones I have encountered before. Since the year Renchen of the Daoguang era, I have traveled from Shaanxi to Shandong, and then to the capital, a total of sixteen years. During this time, whenever I met a master who talked about the Five Phases and Triple Harmony, I went to learn their methods; whenever I met a master who talked about sand adjustment and auxiliary stars, I went to learn their methods. My sincerity towards the masters and the hardship I put into my studies were all real and solid. I have studied day and night all the books such as "Original Truth of Geography," "Heavenly Opportunity Origin," "Four Lead Bullet Classics," "Complete Geography," "Comprehensive Geography," "Outline of Geography," "Necessary Knowledge for a Son of Man," "Mountain and Ocean Guide," "Compass Explanation," and various other geography books. When I went with them to climb mountains and examine land, they would only say that a certain place would bring wealth and honor, and another would bring decline and ruin, and they would cite various books as evidence, speaking in a detailed and thorough manner. But when I checked the actual rise and fall of those families, it was completely different.

及遇李師也，先聞友人張載勳向余云：子好地理，昨有李姓客同鄉姚伯昂總憲處，其人能觀墳塋地圖，即知某元當發當敗，某房發，某房敗，所主何事，應在何年；或與人談其家吉凶成敗，即能知其墳當是河山向，是何元運之地？其神若此。餘根不立與之一見，而李已歸矣。餘時應莫北友人之聘，乃謁姚公致渴暴之意，而行至塞外，甫二年，丁未歲，姚來信云，李又至京。餘立辭千金之館，回京往謁，被拒，因求姚公之言為介，凡三四返，始濩允為弟子。從游年餘，乃得盡其底蘊，歸又覆諗數年，始去疑義，得真訣之難如此。

The story of how I met Master Li is as follows: First, a friend named Zhang Zai Xun told me that you have a liking for geography. A few days ago, there was a guest surnamed Li who stayed at the home of a fellow townsman named Yao Bo'ang, a high-ranking official. This man could look at a single map of a tomb and tell which part would flourish and which would decline, which family would prosper and which would fail, and what kind of affairs were involved and in which year they would come to pass. Sometimes, when discussing the fortune and misfortune of others, he could even work backwards to determine the mountain on which the tomb was situated, its direction, and which era of the cycle it belonged to — his predictions were so accurate. I immediately wanted to meet him, but Master Li had already returned to his hometown. At that time, I was engaged by friends in the north, so I first visited Master Yao to express my eagerness to meet him, and then set off northward. Just over two years later, in the year Dingwei, Master Yao wrote to say that Master Li had returned to the capital. I immediately resigned from my well-paid position and hurried back to the capital to seek him out, but was turned away. I then earnestly requested Master Yao to introduce me, and I went back and forth several times before he finally agreed to take me as his disciple. After following him for over a year, I finally mastered his entire system; after returning home, I further verified and checked it for several years, until I had resolved all my doubts. To obtain the true secret was indeed a difficult process.

十五問：如吾子所云，三元理氣，既真且靈，何以世之學者，百無一人，均以三合為圭臬耶？

A student asked: According to what the master said, the principles of the three yuan and qi are both true and effective. So why do people studying geomancy not use them at all, even among a hundred, and instead all follow the triple harmony as their standard?

答：三合之書，唐宋元以來，尚無談考，自有明中葉以後，始盛行於時。相傳唐一行和尚之書，又有《海角》《青鳥》《銅函》《玉髓》《赤霆》《黑囊》各種之書，其詞無甚奧義，可以朝成誦而夕行道，故人習之。若蔣公之注，引經據典，語奧義深，乃千古之心傳，惜《天玉》《寶照》二經，隱仙機於注內，必遇其人，始授真訣，否則緘口不言。是以世之學者，既難幸傳，不惟不學，且群起批謗，蓋有由也。

Ma Taiqing answered: The books of the Triple Harmony school have not been discussed or examined since the Tang, Song and Yuan dynasties, until the middle of the Ming dynasty when they became popular. It is said that there are books attributed to Master Yixing of the Tang dynasty, as well as the Sea Angle Classic, the Blue Bird Classic, the Bronze Case Classic, the Jade髓 Classic, the Red Thunder Classic, and the Black Bag Classic, among others. These books have no profound meanings in their wording, and one can memorize them in the morning and use them to look at land in the evening, so everyone is eager to learn them. As for Jiang Dahong's annotations, they cite sources and have profound language and subtle meanings, representing the ancient transmitted methods. Unfortunately, the divine secrets of the Heaven Jade Classic and the Treasure Illumination Classic are hidden within the annotations, and the true secrets are only revealed to suitable people. Otherwise, he would remain silent. Therefore, since scholars of the world find it difficult to obtain the transmission by chance, they not only do not learn it themselves, but also gather together to criticize and slander it — this is also due to certain reasons.

十六問曰：如李師者，近世有幾人？

A student asked: How many people like Master Li are there in the world today?

答：餘自戊申，前師遊廣陵，至姑蘇北出關，歷古代，迄今又十有八年，所遇者，或略知大概，或粗識作用，俱未能造精微。無錫朱旭輪所刻《宅法舉隅》，頗精挨星之法，但所言陽宅，不知其陰地形勢何如。此外不聞有知者，或有之，亦難多得也。

Ma Taiqing answered: I have been traveling since the year Wushen. First I followed my master to Guangling, then went to Gusu, and traveled north across the pass, visiting many places. Up to now, it has been eighteen years. Among the people I have met these years, some only know a general idea, others only have a superficial understanding of the methods, none have reached the subtle and refined level. Zhu Xulun from Wuxi printed a book called "Illustrative Examples of Dwelling Methods," which is quite precise in the method of star alignment. However, he only discussed the method for yang dwellings, and it is unknown how skilled he is in assessing the forms of yin graves. Apart from this, I have not heard of anyone who truly understands this matter; even if there are some, they are rare.

十七問：吾子所言，先形勢而後理氣，及聞休咎之說，又似重理氣而輕形勢。

A student asked: Sir, you said that first we should look at the form and then seek the qi and principles; but when you talk about the verification of good and bad fortune, it seems as if you place more emphasis on the qi and principles and less on the form.

答：非也。理氣從何處看來？凡地形長，就是何龍穴，當收某元之地（地即指山星所捱到之處）；氣長，就是指何向水，當收某元之天。氣值其元而用之，為旺氣；違其元而用之，為死氣。（按：所謂地長，即山峰較水為佳；所謂氣長，即水較山峰為佳。又所謂當收某元之『地』，當收某元之『天』，其中『地』即指山，『天』即指向，亦即是水。）

Ma Taiqing answered: Not so. How should we look at the principles of qi and terrain? If the "earth" side is superior, we should look at what kind of dragon and what kind of site it is, and take the qi of a particular period from the "earth" (here, "earth" refers to the direction indicated by the mountain star). If the "qi" side is superior, we should look at what direction and what water it is, and take the qi of a particular period from the "heaven." When this qi is used in accordance with that particular period, it is called prosperous qi; when it is used contrary to that period, it is called death qi. (Note: The term "earth dominance" refers to mountains being better than water; the term "qi dominance" refers to water being better than mountains. Also, when it says "taking the qi of a particular period from the earth" and "taking the qi of a particular period from the heaven," the "earth" refers to mountains, and the "heaven" refers to direction, that is, water.)

十八問：形勢雖美，元運不合，將棄之歟？

The student asked: Although the form and situation are favorable, if they do not match the current era's fortune, should we give up this land?

答：然。若勉強用之，其凶立至。今之三合，往往犯之，及至受害，或疑曰：此地甚吉，當是舊地之過；否則曰：此地是先凶後吉，固應如是；抑或諉之命運使然，非地之過也。東牽西扯，都只為識不得理氣。

Ma Taiqing answered: It is precisely about giving up. If one forces its use, misfortune will arrive immediately. Now those who use the Triple Harmony often commit this mistake. When misfortune occurs, some will doubt and say: This land is clearly auspicious, so it must be the old tomb that caused the trouble; otherwise they will say: This land was originally凶before it became吉, so it is natural; or they will blame fate, saying it is destined to be so, not the land's fault. They talk in all directions, but in the end, it is only because they do not understand the principles of qi and reason.

十九問曰：形勢完美者，已不可多覯，而又因不會元運而棄之，舉世不乏富貴丁壽之家，其地又不皆完美，則理氣將如何安置？

A student asked: Perfectly formed land is rarely found, and now we discard it because it does not match the current great era. However, there are many wealthy, numerous offspring, and long-lived families in the world, and their land is not necessarily perfect. Then how should we place the principles of yin and yang?

答：天地間，無處不有理氣，全憑形勢以推測之。如君所謂不完美者，即有龍無虎，有虎無龍，或龍虎俱無，或來龍懶散，或穴情模糊，或砂腳飛揚，或水城不顧。俗師以三合五行，正庫借庫，四十八局加之，不能；以撥砂、輔星，淨陰淨陽加之，又不能。技倆既窮，如是乎名之為怪穴。豈知穴形雖怪，而理氣固在，合得理氣，則形勢怪，理氣原不怪也。只有不合三合五行而發者，斷未有不合元運理氣而能或發者。

Ma Taiqing answered: There is no place in the universe without reason and energy; it all depends on the terrain to seek out these principles. Like what you mentioned about imperfect land, it is basically: having the Azure Dragon on the left but not the White Tiger on the right, having the White Tiger but not the Azure Dragon, or neither the Dragon nor the Tiger on both sides; or the dragon coming from afar is scattered and weak, or the site is unclear, or the sand flows outward, or the water flows against the terrain and does not return. Common practitioners try to apply the Triple Harmony and the Five Phases, the main and borrowed reservoirs, and the forty-eight patterns, but they cannot fit them. They also try to apply the methods of adjusting the terrain, the auxiliary star, and the pure yin and pure yang, but they still cannot fit them. After exhausting all their tricks, they give it a name called "strange site." They do not realize that although the site shape is strange, the principles and energies are still there; as long as they match the principles and energies, the site shape may be strange but the principles and energies are not strange at all. There are only lands that do not conform to the Triple Harmony and the Five Phases but still bring prosperity, but there is no land that does not conform to the original movement and principles of energy and can still bring prosperity.

二十問：元運理氣之應，捷如桴鼓，近世習玄空者甚少，間有習之，用亦不驗，是何以故？

A student asked: The verification of the principles of the original cycle and qi flow is as quick as a drumstick hitting a drum. However, in recent times, few people study the Xuan Kong method, and those who do study it often find it ineffective when applying it. What is the reason for this?

答：蓋有故焉。蔣氏之書，文理深奧，懦者喜讀之，亦只視作三合之書，可遊覽而得也，又不肯屈身從師，自逞聰明，肆行臆解，愈迷愈謬者有之；亦有俗士，慕元空之美名，口稱得傳，其實一無所得者有之；抑或虛心向學，不辨真偽，所讀非書，所師非人，以盲引瞎者有之。故用之多無驗，而元空之受謗，實斯人皆之也。

Ma Taiqing answered: There is a reason for this. Jiang Dahong's writings are profound and intricate, so scholars enjoy reading them, yet they treat them merely as a Triple Harmony text, thinking they can just flip through them at random to gain insights. They are unwilling to humble themselves and seek a teacher, instead relying on their own cleverness to make arbitrary interpretations, which only leads them further into confusion and error — this is one category. There are also common people who merely admire the reputation of Xuan Kong, claiming they have inherited the true transmission, but in reality they have gained nothing — this is the second category. There is yet another group who approach learning with humility, but fail to distinguish truth from falsehood, reading books that are not authentic and seeking teachers who do not truly understand Xuan Kong — it is like a blind person leading another blind person — this is the third category. Hence, the practice of Xuan Kong often fails to work. The reputation of Xuan Kong being tarnished is indeed caused by these people.

二十一問：地理家言，無不援引《周易》，以為原本，細核其實，不過言納甲與淨陰淨陽而已，玄空亦本《周易》否？

A student asked: Those who discuss geography always cite the Zhou Changes as their basis, but upon careful examination, they merely refer to "Najia" and "pure yin and pure yang." Is Xuan Kong also based on the Zhou Changes?

答：玄空純是《周易》。其言大體也，以天氣交地，以地體承天；其言先天也，干與坤對待，震與巽對待，坎與離對待，艮與兌對待；其言後天也，坎一、坤二、震三，為上元三運，巽四、中五、乾六，為中元三運，兌七、艮八、離九，為下元三運。至其占驗所主，一本乎繫辭卦象，並無一絲牽強。不似三合以生旺墓庫，左旋右轉以定局，偏左偏右、中針縫針以立向，與《周易》何涉，有似痴人說夢也。

Ma Taiqing answered: Xuan Kong is entirely the Zhou Changes. In terms of its general principle, it is about the heavenly qi descending to meet the earth and the earthly substance ascending to meet the heaven. In terms of the Earlier Heaven Trigrams, it is Qian facing Kun, Zhen facing Xun, Kan facing Li, and Gen facing Dui. In terms of the Later Heaven Trigrams, it is Kan one, Kun two, Zhen three as the first three years of the upper period; Xun four, Zhong five, Qian six as the middle three years; and Dui seven, Gen eight, Li nine as the last three years of the lower period. As for the matters of divination, they are all based on the Great Treatise and the trigram images, without any forced interpretations. Unlike the Triple Harmony method, which uses birth, prosperity, burial, and reservoirs, and determines the pattern by left and right rotation, and establishes directions by leaning left or right, using the central needle and the sewing needle — these have nothing to do with the Zhou Changes. It is like a madman talking in his sleep.

二十二問：先天八卦，起於乾南，止於坤北，豈僅於對待，別無餘蘊乎？

A student asked: The Earlier Heaven Trigrams start with Qian (Heaven) in the south and end with Kun (Earth) in the north. Is it merely about mutual opposition between pairs, without any deeper meaning?

答：豈止此也。先天對待卦內，原有後天流行之卦位，並三元次第，皆在其內，一對待烏足以盡其用乎。如先天坤，居後天坎一；先天巽，居後天坤二；先天離，居後天震三；先天兌，居後天巽四。坤三陰爻，在一宮；巽一陰爻在下，居二宮；離一陰爻在中，居三宮；兌一陰爻在上，居四宮，豈非地氣自下而上升乎。先天艮，居然天干六；先天坎，居後天兌七；先天震，居後天艮八；先天乾，居後天離九。艮一陽爻在上，居六宮；坎一陽爻在中，居七官；震一陽爻在下，居八宮；幹三陽爻，居九宮，豈非六七八九之部位，豈非天氣自上而下降乎。

Ma Taiqing answered: How could it be limited to this? Within the hexagrams of the Heaven's origin, there are already the hexagrams of the later heaven's flow hidden, and even the order of the three periods is included. How can we fully explain the function of just "opposition"? For example, the hexagram Qian of the Heaven's origin falls exactly on the hexagram Kan of the later heaven's first position; the hexagram Xun falls on the hexagram Kun of the later heaven's second position; the hexagram Li falls on the hexagram Zhen of the later heaven's third position; and the hexagram Dui falls on the hexagram Xun of the later heaven's fourth position. The hexagram Kun, which is entirely yin, occupies the first palace; the hexagram Xun, which has only one yin line at the bottom, occupies the second palace; the hexagram Li, which has only one yin line in the middle, occupies the third palace; and the hexagram Dui, which has only one yin line at the top, occupies the fourth palace. The yin lines move upward from the bottom to the top, which is not exactly the movement of the earth's energy rising from below? Now looking at the hexagram Gen of the Heaven's origin, which falls on the hexagram Qian of the later heaven's sixth position; the hexagram Kan falls on the hexagram Dui of the later heaven's seventh position; the hexagram Zhen falls on the hexagram Gen of the later heaven's eighth position; and the hexagram Qian falls on the hexagram Li of the later heaven's ninth position. The hexagram Gen has only one yang line at the top, occupying the sixth palace; the hexagram Kan has only one yang line in the middle, occupying the seventh palace; the hexagram Zhen has only one yang line at the bottom, occupying the eighth palace; and the hexagram Qian, which is entirely yang, occupies the ninth palace. This is not exactly the order of the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth positions, and is not exactly the movement of the heavenly energy descending from above?

一山一水，一陰一陽，一升一降，名曰對待，實具流行。立穴於中五之區，乃天地真交合處，乘得時運，焉有不吉者。（按：所謂立穴於中五之『區』的『區』字，即天心正運之所在也。既合天心正運，能收山者發丁，能收水者發財，山水並收者，財了兩旺。）彼三合家，徒以支離之辭，攀附《周易》者，烏足以語此，玄空之學，固非操觚之士所能望也。

On one side there is a mountain, on the other a body of water; one belongs to yin, the other to yang; one ascends, the other descends. In name, this is called "opposition," but in essence, it already contains "movement and transformation." To establish a site in the central five (中五) area is exactly where heaven and earth truly meet. When combined with the current favorable time, how could it not be auspicious? (Note: The term "area" (区) refers to the place where the heavenly heart and correct movement are located. Since it aligns with the heavenly heart and correct movement, it can hold mountains and thus promote descendants, and hold water and thus bring wealth. If it can hold both mountains and water, then both descendants and wealth will flourish.) Those who follow the Triple Harmony school can only use fragmented words to attach themselves to the Zhou Changes (I Ching), which is not qualified to discuss such matters. The study of Xuan Kong is inherently not something that those who merely play with words and ink can even hope to approach.

二十三問曰：人咸言三合是看山之法，三元是看水之法？

A student asked: People say that Triple Harmony is a method for examining mountains, and Triple Yuan is a method for examining water. Is that correct?

答：非也。人之為是言者，因見蔣公之書，言山之處十之一，言水之處十之九，殊不知山繫形勢，楊、曾、吳、廖諸公，已言之在前，獨於理氣，秘而不宣。彼言山者，不更言水，是以蔣公但言水，不復言山。且《天玉》《寶照經》中，何嘗不有山法。楊公作《撼龍》《疑龍》二經，不言理氣者，恐混淆使形勢不明也；故作《天玉》《寶照》二經，不多言形勢者，亦恐雜亂，令理氣不暢也。蔣公依經文而注之，人遂謂之只知水法，何其謬耶。

Ma Taiqing answered: That is incorrect. People say this because they see that Jiang Dahong's writings focus on water and only mention mountains in a tenth of the content. They do not realize that mountains belong to the category of form and structure, which has already been thoroughly explained by the predecessors such as Yang Yunsong, Zeng Wenchan, Wu Jingluan, and Liao Jinjing. The only part that was kept secret was the aspect of qi theory. Since the ancients discussed mountains but did not mention water, Jiang Da Hong focused only on water and did not repeat the discussion on mountains. Moreover, are the "Tianyu Jing" and "Baozhao Jing" not also containing methods for discussing mountains? Yang Yunsong wrote the "Hanjiong Jing" and "Yijiong Jing" without discussing qi theory, fearing that mixing the two would confuse the discussion on form and structure. He wrote the "Tianyu Jing" and "Baozhao Jing" separately to avoid confusion and ensure clarity in the discussion of qi theory. To say that Jiang Da Hong only understood water methods is extremely absurd.

二十四問：習三合者固多，而信三合者尤多；精玄空者甚少，而信玄空者尤少，至於畏之謗之，何故？

A student asked: Those who study Triple Harmony are numerous, and those who believe in Triple Harmony are even more so. However, those who thoroughly understand Xuan Kong are few, and those who believe in Xuan Kong are even fewer. In fact, some people even fear it or criticize it. What is the reason for this?

答：彼三合者家弦戶誦，則耳濡目染者久，故信之不疑。即或用之不吉，亦祇怨地之不佳，不知法之不是。學玄空者，既鮮真傳，苟或誤用，無益而有損，遂群相驚駭，望風而靡，不知用之差錯，而謂術之不祥，焉得不毀之謗之。然真訣在是，信與不信，關乎人之福澤，有緣法，有天數焉。不然，管郭楊曾，在當時不聞人人求之，惟身後思慕，而既無及矣。

Ma Taiqing answered: The Triple Harmony system is widely known and recited by every household. People are constantly exposed to it, so they naturally believe in it. Even if it brings misfortune, they only blame the land, not realizing that the method is wrong. Those who study the Xuan Kong system are already few in true inheritance, and if they use it incorrectly, they will not only gain no benefit but suffer harm. Thus, people are shocked and flee in fear. They do not realize the mistake lies with the user, but instead say that this system is inauspicious. How could they not criticize and slander it? However, the true secret lies here. Whether one believes or not depends on one's own fortune and destiny. There is both karmic connection and heavenly fate. Otherwise, when Guan Lu, Guo Pu, Yang Yunsong, and Zeng Wenchan were alive, we would not have seen everyone seeking them. Only after their deaths did people begin to long for them, but by then it was too late.

二十五問曰：有用奇門葬法者，其術何如？

A student asked: Some people use the method of the Odd Gate to determine burial matters. What is this method like?

答：元空即是真奇門。龍有龍之三元，水有水之三元，流行九宮；年有年之九宮，月有月之九宮，日時有日時之九宮。龍水之元運得失，俟年月日時之九宮神煞加臨，吉凶禍福立應，一絲不爽。俗師只有三奇六儀，飛吊挨加，以之占數修方，選擇日時則可，以之葬墳則大謬，此皆舍形勢，而空口言神煞之流也。

Ma Taiqing answered: Xuan Kong itself is the true Qi Men. Dragons have their own three yuan, and water has its own three yuan, both circulating within the nine palaces; each year has its own nine palaces, each month has its own nine palaces, and each day and hour also has its own nine palaces. The gains and losses of dragons and water in terms of their yuan yun are only revealed when the nine palace deities and their auspicious and inauspicious influences are added upon them according to the year, month, day, and hour. The good or bad fortune, calamity or blessing immediately manifests, without the slightest error. Common practitioners only have the "Three Marvels" and "Six Instruments" system, relying on the flying plate to determine the palace and sequentially adding the influences. Using it to inquire about matters, determine the direction for construction, and select auspicious days and hours is still acceptable, but using it for burial is completely wrong. These people all ignore the actual terrain and only talk about the deities and influences with their mouths.

二十六問曰：既云形勢理氣，統歸三元運氣主持，又何以有年月日時之異？

A student asked: If it is said that form and qi are ultimately governed by the three periods of qi, then why are there distinctions between year, month, day, and hour?

答：形勢為體，理氣為用。如一白運之地，可管百六十年；二黑運之地，可管百四十年；三碧運之地，可管百二十年；四綠運之地，可管五十年；六白運之地，可管五十年；七赤運之地，與八白九紫運之地，俱各管六十年。至於五黃運中，以前十年屬之巽，後十年屬之幹，俗收二八兩宮者，及奇寄宮之說也。此乃得訣後，覆驗古墳所得者，與舊說微有不同。其年月日時，又為用中之用，一層一層的用將來，非淺躁者所能窺測。

Ma Taiqing answered: Form is the essence, and qi and li are the functions. For example, the land of the White Earth (Yi) can govern for 160 years; the land of the Black Earth (Er) can govern for 140 years; the land of the Green Earth (San) can govern for 120 years; the land of the Green Earth (Si) can govern for 50 years; the land of the White Earth (Liu) can also govern for 50 years; and the land of the Red Earth (Qi), as well as the land of the White Earth (Ba) and the land of the Purple Earth (Jiu), each can govern for 60 years. As for the Yellow Earth (Wu) in the middle, the first ten years belong to the Xun Palace, and the last ten years belong to the Qian Palace; the common belief that the Yellow Earth is placed in the Er and Ba Palaces is derived from the "Lodging Palace" concept in the Qimen system. All of the above conclusions are based on my verification of ancient tombs after I obtained the secret, and they differ slightly from existing views. As for years, months, days, and hours, these are the "use of the use," with layers upon layers of application, something not easily understood by superficial or shallow people.

二十七問曰：理氣既已為用，何以年月日時，又有用中之用？

A student asked: Since the principles and energies are already considered as "use," why do the years, months, days, and hours still have the concept of "the use within the use"?

答：當令之運，二十年一小遷移，六十年一大更換，百八十年周而復始。而一年又有一年之運，一月又有一月之運。如斷墳地何年出科甲之法，須看二十年大運，與每年每月之運，文昌魁星，能否會山向砂水之上，當在某房發科發甲；生氣旺氣，能否會山向砂水之上，當主某房添丁益，可預知，亦可預作也。又以年三白，與月三白，所臨之方，安床開門，可以催丁；以運之生旺，與年月之生旺，合移居改灶，可以去病招財，均有奇驗。

Ma Taiqing answered: The current period of fortune changes every twenty years with a minor shift and every sixty years with a major change, completing a full cycle of one hundred and eighty years before starting again. Each year also has its own period of fortune, and each month has its own. For example, when predicting which year a tomb will produce someone who passes the imperial exams, one must look at the major fortune of twenty years, and combine it with the fortune of each year and month. One should check whether the stars "Wenchang" and "Kui Star" can be aligned with the mountain, direction, sand, and water, thus determining which family will achieve success in the exams. Also, one should check whether the life qi and prosperity qi can be aligned with the mountain, direction, sand, and water, thus determining which family will have more children and gain benefits. These can be predicted in advance and also arranged in advance. In addition, by using the positions of the three whites of the current year and the current month, one can install the bed and open doors to promote the growth of people. By combining the birth and prosperity of the original period with those of the current year and month, one can choose the time for moving house or changing the stove, which can remove illness and bring wealth—these methods have remarkable effects that can be verified.

二十八問曰：理氣既有長短，將毋限滿即便敗絕？

A student asked: Since the duration governed by principles and energies can be long or short, once the duration is fulfilled, does it immediately lead to decline and extinction?

答：地有南北之異，其絕與不絕，亦有異。如南省山龍，一山只扦一穴，倘龍水運敗，則竟敗矣，若另葬一得運之地，則又轉敗為興矣。如北省平陽龍，穴情寬大，附葬多棺，倘正穴龍水交敗運，其附葬於左右者，其穴內所受龍水之氣，移步換形，與正穴之龍水，亦有異，其興其敗，當於此中推測，不得拘泥。

Ma Taiqing answered: The land differs in north and south, and thus the situation of being cut off or not cut off varies accordingly. In the south, it is mountain dragon, and a single mountain can only have one grave site. Once the dragon and water meet bad fortune, it will really decline; if another grave site with good fortune is chosen elsewhere, it can then turn decline into prosperity. In the north, it is flat land dragon, and the grave site is spacious, allowing many coffins to be buried nearby. Even if the main grave's dragon and water meet bad fortune, the coffins buried on the sides will receive different dragon and water energies because their positions have changed, thus altering the form and structure. Whether they prosper or decline should be examined in this regard, and not be treated as a single case.

二十九問曰：每見北省富室多悠久，南省人，富不五代，當於何處決其異同？

A student asked: It is commonly observed that wealthy families in the north tend to last for a long time, while those in the south often decline within five generations. What is the source of this difference?

答：是不難。北省地平曠，按昭穆可葬多棺，得一吉地，故數代富貴，或房同時富貴。南省山龍，結穴於窩鉗乳突，其小者，僅可容棺，稍偏，必侵界水，勢必一代之後，另扦一穴，得地則可，否必敗矣。故南不如北，地勢使然，理氣原無別也。

Ma Taiqing answered: This is not difficult. The northern terrain is flat and open, so many coffins can be buried in one place in order of left and right. As long as one finds a good site, it can bring prosperity for several generations, even with all the branches flourishing at the same time. The southern area is mountainous, and the burial site is formed on small features such as the nest, clamp, breast, and protrusion. These small sites can only accommodate one coffin, and if slightly biased, they will encroach upon the boundary water, inevitably leading to the need for another burial site after one generation. If a good site is found again, it is fine, but if not, it will certainly lead to decline. Therefore, the south is inferior to the north, which is caused by the terrain, and the principles of qi have no distinction of north and south.

三十問曰：昔人有言，葬得吉地之後，所生之人方是貴人，若已生之人，後得地者，與伊無涉，其言是非？

A student asked: There is a saying that after a person is buried in a good grave, the people born afterwards will become noblemen; as for those who were already born before the grave was chosen, even if the family later obtains a good plot of land, it has nothing to do with them. Is this statement correct?

答：得吉地，生貴人，其言甚是。若人已生而得地，不能與伊無涉。餘前所云：地能催富貴丁壽者，正催已生之人也，豈可云與伊無涉。試看人當正盛之時，必心葬凶地，其人立見敗絕，豈非明效耶。

Ma Taiqing answered: Saying "getting a good land can bring about the nobleman" is correct; but saying that those already born have nothing to do with the land they later come into contact with does not make sense. I have previously explained that land can promote wealth, people, and longevity, and what it promotes are exactly those already born. How can it be said to have nothing to do with them? Let us look at an example: someone who is at the height of his prosperity deliberately chooses a bad land for burial, and immediately afterwards his family declines and becomes extinct. Is this not the clearest proof?

三十一問曰：吾子之形勢，必用理氣之對待，然則子龍必用午水，幹龍必用巽水矣？

A student asked: Sir, when you talk about form and situation, you always mention the need for "correspondence" in terms of qi and principle. So does that mean that if the dragon comes from the Zi direction, it must necessarily correspond to the Wu direction water, and if the dragon comes from the Qian direction, it must necessarily correspond to the Xun direction water?

答：不能如是拘泥。所謂對待者，用法中秘妙，難以顯言。但子山午向，既以子為山，則山必有化生腦；既以午為向，則向必有小明堂，此穴內之對待也。穴後有主山父母山，則穴前有中明堂、外明堂。所以《寶照經》云：安墳最要看中陽，寬抱明堂水聚囊；出峽結成玄字樣，朝來鷥鳳舞呈祥；外陽起眼人皆見，乙字灣身玉帶長；更有內陽坐穴法，神機出處覓仙方。是言形，兼言氣；是言水，兼言山。俗人不知，遂謂元空只是水法。

Ma Taiqing answered: It cannot be treated in such a rigid way. What is called "treatment" refers to the secret and subtle methods in application, which are difficult to explain clearly. Taking the example of a site facing south with its back to the north: since the back mountain is the northern direction, there must be a "huasheng nao" (a rounded protrusion that gathers the qi to the entrance) behind it; since the front direction is the southern direction, there must be a "xiaomingtang" (a small bright hall) in front. This is one level of "treatment" within the site. If there is a main mountain and parents mountain behind the site, there should also be a middle bright hall and an outer bright hall in front. Therefore, the "Ba Zhao Jing" says: the most important thing in choosing a site for a tomb is to look at the central yang. The bright hall should be wide and embracing, with many streams gathering into a bag-like shape; the water exiting the pass should twist and turn forming the character "xuan," and the incoming water should flow like phoenixes dancing, showing auspicious signs; the outer yang water is something everyone can see at a glance, bending into the shape of the character "yi," like a long jade belt; in addition, there is also the method of sitting the site with inner yang. The subtle and profound techniques of this method should be sought from the immortal masters. These words not only discuss the form but also the qi; they talk about water as well as mountains. Common people fail to understand them and say that Xuan Kong is merely a water method.

三十二問曰：主山端正，龍虎均齊，水出當面，是真對待，倘有龍來作案，虎來作案，水必有到左到右之別，其對待當何如？

A student asked: If the main mountain is straight and the left dragon and right tiger mountains are evenly balanced on both sides, and water flows straight ahead, this is true balance. However, if the dragon mountain turns to form the main mountain, or the tiger mountain turns to form the main mountain, the water will necessarily flow to the left or right. In such a case, how should we assess the balance?

答：善哉問。任他到左到右，而結穴處，後必有脈有腦，前必有微茫水小明堂，先於此處認定真對待。至於到左到右，乃本宮之內水口，察其理氣，合得何元何運，運吉則吉，運凶則凶。在左屬長房，在右屬小房。

Ma Taiqing answered: That's a good question. No matter whether the water flows to the left or to the right, the place where the energy converges must have a coming line behind it and a transformed brain at the back; in front, there must be a subtle and faint stream of water and a small bright hall. First, we must determine the true opposite here. As for whether the water flows to the left or to the right, that is the internal water mouth within the palace. We only need to examine its principles and energies, and determine which yuan and yun it corresponds to: if the yun is auspicious, then it is auspicious; if the yun is inauspicious, then it is inauspicious. Water on the left corresponds to the eldest son, and water on the right corresponds to the youngest son.

俗人每謂有龍則長房發，有虎則小房發，殊不知吉水在左，雖無龍而長亦發；吉水在右，雖無虎而小亦興；凶水亦然。曾見《人子須知》書內有一圖云：有龍無虎，大江在右，小房大發。渠無以自解，忽悟云：水纏即是山纏。自以為奇，殊不知山陰也，水陽也，以水為山，將陽作陰，呼男代女，豈不令人笑煞。

Common people often say that if there is a Qingsheng sand on the left, the eldest son will prosper, and if there is a Baitu sand on the right, the youngest son will flourish. But they do not know: if auspicious water is on the left, even without Qingsheng sand, the eldest son will still prosper; if auspicious water is on the right, even without Baitu sand, the youngest son will still flourish. The same applies to inauspicious water. I once saw a diagram in the book "Renzi Xuzhi" with the note saying, "If there is Qingsheng sand but no Baitu sand, and a big river is on the right, the youngest son will greatly prosper." The author himself could not explain it properly, so he suddenly came up with the idea that "water winding around is the same as mountain winding around," and thought he had made a wonderful discovery. But he did not realize that mountains belong to yin and water belongs to yang. Treating water as mountain is like treating yang as yin. It is like calling a man's name and making a woman take his place—wouldn't that make people laugh out loud?

三十三問曰：南省山龍，多係龍虎作岸，或近山遠山，來作朝岸；北地平陽，四望空廓，有一水橫過，略一灣曲，即就灣曲處而立穴者，或一水直流，旁有一水插入，即就其合入處而立穴者。

Students asked: In the southern areas, mountain dragons are mostly formed by the left and right dragon and tiger sands serving as nearshore features, or by nearby and distant mountains serving as the facing ridges. In the northern plains, the land is surrounded by open space on all sides, with only a single river flowing through, slightly bending. People choose to establish the site at the bend. Alternatively, if a river flows straight down and another river branches off beside it, people choose to establish the site where the two rivers meet.

或水橫過，左有一水插入，右有一插入，中間一塊方平如幾，即就其中而立穴者，既無化生腦，又無小明堂，到此地位，毫無把握，當如何安置對待理氣？

Alternatively, if a river runs straight and on both sides another stream branches in, forming a flat and level area resembling a table, people would then choose the center to place the tomb. In such places there is neither a birth of the brain nor a small bright hall, and in such situations there is really no certainty. Please ask, how should one handle and manage the qi in such cases?

答：一水橫流，謂之靜；略一灣曲，謂之動；水雖直流，謂之靜；有水插入，即謂之動。陰靜陽動，靜則死而無用，動則生而有用。形既動矣，氣即隨之，察其屬何卦，屬何元運，乘其生旺而扦之，無不利者，內中自有一個對待在。人見其不似山龍之易尋，只見其依水點穴，故謂蔣公元空，是看平陽水龍之法，殊不知其同一理也。且元空自古有之，非蔣公所創造，乃自蔣公標而出之，世之謗元空者，競直指蔣公，殊可笑也。

Ma Taiqing answered: A horizontal stream flowing levelly is called "stillness"; when it slightly bends, it is called "movement." Water that flows continuously is called "stillness"; when other water flows into it, it is called "movement." Yin governs stillness, and Yang governs movement. Stillness leads to death and uselessness, while movement leads to life and usefulness. When the form moves, qi follows. At this time, one should examine which trigram and which yuanshun it belongs to, and if one buries according to the auspicious and thriving qi, there will be no misfortune. This naturally contains a dual aspect. Others see that flat and sunny land is not as easy to find a qi line as mountain dragons, and only see the Xuan Kong school using water to determine the site, so they say that Master Jiang's Xuan Kong is only a method for flat and sunny water dragons. They do not realize that mountains and water are based on the same principle. Moreover, Xuan Kong has existed since ancient times and was not created by Master Jiang alone; it was merely Master Jiang who emphasized it. Those who slander Xuan Kong often point their criticism directly at Master Jiang, which is truly laughable.

三十四問：平陽之內外水口，當如何看法？

A student asked: How should one examine the inner and outer water mouths of a place called Pingyang?

答：於貼身處有三叉交合，即以三叉交合，為內水口；自穴上看其來水初見之處，與去水不見之處，為外水口。《天元五歌》所謂『去來二口死生門』是也。至於水從前過，有停蓄，有轉折，或岸有崩缺之處，皆謂之動，俱主人之禍福，穴上不見者不論。

Ma Taiqing answered: Near the site of the grave, if there are three streams converging to form a 'three-way' intersection, then this three-way convergence is considered the inner water mouth. Standing at the grave site and looking outward, the place where the incoming water first appears and the place where the outgoing water finally disappears are considered the outer water mouth. The "coming and going two mouths are the gate of life and death" mentioned in the Five Songs of the Heavenly Origin refers precisely to this. As for water flowing past the grave site, with areas of pooling, turning, or erosion on the banks, these are all considered 'movement,' and they relate to the fortune and misfortune of people; only those that cannot be seen from the grave site are not counted.

三十五門問曰：水既橫過，又有去來二口，焉能盡合元運？

A student asked: Since water flows horizontally and also has separate sources and outlets, how can both the source and the outlet be in the original period of the cycle?

答：有盡合者，則房房皆利；其邊合邊不合者，則房分中有利有不利。然氣運有往來，故有彼此互為興廢之不同。

Ma Taiqing answered: There are also cases where everything is closed, in which case all the rooms will benefit; as for cases where some are closed and others are not, then among the rooms, some will benefit while others will not. Moreover, the flow of qi and destiny has its ebb and flow, so differences will still arise between the rooms, with some rising while others fall, and they will mutually rise and fall.

三十六問曰：房分公位之說，各有不同。張九儀云：孟在左，仲在向，季在右，四在孟仲之間，五在坐山，六在仲季之間。若七子八子，則何處安頓矣。

A student asked: Regarding the concept of "fang fen gong wei" (which branch should be placed in which direction), different schools have different views. Zhang Jiuyi said: the eldest son is placed on the left, the second on the facing direction, the third on the right, the fourth between the first and second, and the fifth on the mountain facing direction. The sixth is placed between the second and third. Then, if there are seven or eight sons, where should they be placed?

《透地靈》又云：左砂屬長，右砂自右肩為二，往下數去，至砂尖為止，不夠多少，皆在右砂。三合家以長生為長房，一順輪排，或以孟左季右之法。諸家之說不一，究應如何為是？

The book "Toudi Ling" also states: the sand on the left belongs to the first house, and the sand on the right starts from the right shoulder as the second house, counting down until the tip of the sand; regardless of how many houses remain, they are all attributed to the right sand. The Triple Harmony school takes the "Growth" position as the first house, and proceeds in sequence; some people use the first house on the left and the youngest house on the right. There are various opinions, but which one is correct?

答：余初亦用此考驗多次，均不合法，惟孟左仲向季右之說尚是。若四子五子與十子者，均無定準，不得已，隨地考核，久乃透徹。

Ma Taiqing answered: At first I also verified these statements repeatedly, but they did not match the facts. Only the statement "the eldest son is on the left, the second son faces the direction, and the third son is on the right" made some sense. As for families with four, five, or even ten sons, there is no fixed rule. I had no choice but to examine each case on-site, and after a long time, I finally understood it thoroughly.

蓋從左往右排去，不拘多少房分，各佔一位。僅一房者，四面均歸之；兩房者，一居左，一居右；三房者，則孟左，仲向，季右，如九儀之言；七房者，左為長，往右排為二為三，其第四房，正在向上，復往右排為五為六，其第七房，居右之末。如有九房，則長居首，九居末，其第五房，正在向上。若有十房，則五在向之左，六在向之右，屢試不爽。

The method is to arrange them from left to right, regardless of how many rooms there are, with each room occupying one direction. If there is only one room, all four directions belong to it. If there are two rooms, one is on the left and one on the right. If there are three rooms, the eldest is on the left, the second in the middle, and the third on the right, as Zhang Jiuyi said. If there are seven rooms, the eldest is on the far left, the second and third follow to the right, the fourth falls exactly in the upward direction, and the fifth and sixth continue to the right, with the seventh on the far right. If there are nine rooms, the eldest is at the beginning, the ninth at the end, and the fifth falls exactly in the upward direction. If there are ten rooms, the fifth is to the left of the upward direction, and the sixth is to the right. This method has been tested many times and has never failed.

又從覆驗中考得者，如其人未葬時，或長房已死，則葬墳之後，次子居長；如長房位上有吉凶，則代長當之。如有多子，已死數人，即以葬墳之日，照現存幾子，孰為長，孰為仲季，按公位排算。此皆古書所無者，今特指日，亦當以真氣斷之，始驗；若以三合輔星等法胡猜，仍是百無一驗。

There is another point I have discovered through on-site verification: if the eldest son has already died before burial, then the second son will take his place as the eldest branch; thus, the fortune and misfortune of the eldest branch will be borne by this substitute. If there are many sons and several have already passed away, the ranking of the surviving sons is determined on the day of burial, and they are reclassified as eldest, second, and so on. Then, the position of the eldest branch is recalculated accordingly. These are points not found in ancient texts, and I point them out specifically today. However, it is still necessary to use the true qi of the original cycle to make the prediction valid; if one uses the Triple Harmony or the auxiliary star theories recklessly, it will not be effective even a hundred times.

三十七問曰：士大夫家，以讀書求名為重，將葬親大事，付於術士之手。今聆吾子所言，純以《周易》為主，然則地理非小數也。

A student asked: The literati families value reading for official rank, yet they entrust the important matter of burying their parents to geomancers. Now, hearing the teacher say that geomancy is entirely based on the Zhou Yi, this discipline is not a minor skill at all.

答：《周易》包羅萬象，大者不外乎天地人三才而已。通天文者，可以知四時代謝，水旱災祥，以養生；明地理者，可以知九運往來，趨吉避凶，以立命。人能為貞吉之君子，勿為悔吝之小人，以與天地參。

Ma Taiqing answered: The Zhou Changes encompass everything, but the greatest among them are the Three Principles of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. Those who understand astronomy can know the changing of the four seasons, droughts and floods, and thus preserve their lives. Those who understand geography can know the coming and going of the nine cycles, and avoid misfortune to secure their destiny. If a person can become a virtuous gentleman who follows the right path and brings good fortune, rather than a petty person who brings regret and hardship, he can stand alongside Heaven and Earth as the third principle.

孟子曰：惟送死，可以當大事。誰謂地理為小數耶。彼術士既無真實學問，不能不苟悅取容，望門求售，無怪乎富豪役之如同廝僕，道以人卑，故以末流小數視之。

Mencius said: Only the matter of burial rites deserves the term "great affair." Who could say that geomancy is a minor discipline? It is only because those geomancers themselves lack genuine knowledge that they have to flatter and go door to door selling their services, which is why wealthy families treat them like servants. The study of geomancy is looked down upon because the people who practice it are of low status, and thus the world regards geomancy as a minor skill.

三十八問曰：天文地理人事，即此地理以配三才乎？

A student asked: Heavenly phenomena, earthly features, and human affairs—does this mean using this kind of geography to match the three elements?

答：何嘗不是。大龍大干，到頭處，形止氣蓄，鍾靈毓秀，以誕帝王聖賢；大江大河，回合處，建都設邑，控制八方，以居君國卿相。得其氣運，則國泰民安；失其氣運，則時衰世亂。人但知萬事皆由天定，孰知地理亦有主持乎。遷豳卜洛，晉絳楚郢，國之興廢因之。若山川險阻，戰守所憑；土壤瘠肥，農桑所持，乃孟子所謂地利，非地理也。

Ma Taiqing answered: Indeed, that is true. A great dragon reaches the end of its path, its form stops but its energy accumulates, gathering the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, thus giving rise to emperors and sages. Great rivers and lakes converge and encircle, making it suitable to build the capital and establish cities, controlling all directions, thus becoming the residence of monarchs and ministers. Gaining the favorable energy brings national prosperity and people's peace; losing it leads to decline and chaos. People only know that all things are determined by heaven, but they do not realize that geography also plays a dominant role. When the Zhou people moved to Bin, and the Duke of Zhou selected the site for the capital in Luoyi, and when the state of Jin had its capital at Jang and the state of Chu at Ying, the rise and fall of a country were determined by this. As for mountains and rivers, and dangerous terrain, which are relied upon for attack and defense, and the fertility or barrenness of the soil, which supports agriculture and sericulture, these are the "geographical advantage" mentioned in the "Mengzi," not the geography discussed here.

三十九問曰：地理所關者禍福，世人遂因求福而後謀地。至有道學先生，力矯其弊，遇地即葬，可以為世法否？

A student asked: The relationship between geography and fortune and misfortune concerns people's fate. Therefore, people seek to obtain a piece of land in order to seek blessings. As a result, some scholars of Confucianism have tried to correct this flaw, advocating that whenever a suitable piece of land is found, one should bury the deceased there. Is this approach suitable as a standard for people to follow?

答：墳猶樹根也，人猶枝葉也。有地脈處，則根肥葉茂；無地脈處，則樹瘦枝枯。若以安祖宗之骨為念，則可；若以邀己身之福為心，則不可。避風、避水，乾暖之地，則可；若故欲矯俗隨意，從省埋葬，則不可。如程邵朱蔡，非大賢耶，而於葬事其難其慎，亦不過欲安先人之靈，盡其心焉已爾。

Ma Taiqing answered: A grave is like the roots of a tree, and a person is like the branches and leaves. In a place with good earth energy, the roots become strong and the branches and leaves flourish; in a place without good earth energy, the tree becomes weak and the branches and leaves wither. If the intention is to properly bury the ancestors' remains, that is acceptable; if the intention is to seek blessings for oneself, that is not acceptable. Choosing a place that is sheltered from wind and water, dry and warm, is acceptable; but if one hastily and carelessly buries the body just to correct the prevailing customs, that is also unacceptable. Men such as Cheng Yi, Shao Yong, Zhu Xi, and Cai Yuanping, are they not great sages? Yet they were extremely cautious about burial matters, regarded them as difficult, and only wished to ensure the spirits of the ancestors were at peace, giving their best effort.

四十問曰：南方有高山、大壟、平崗，北方有平原、平陽，水鄉有平洋。而高山大壟平原，居高臨下，則多幹流；平岡坦緩，則多水繞；平陽寬，則以溝以路為用；平洋低，則就水立局。其理氣異同？

A student asked: In the south there are high mountains, large ridges, and flat ridges; in the north there are plains and flat lands; in water areas there are flat plains. High mountains, large ridges, and plains are elevated and overlook downwards, mostly being dry rivers without water; flat ridges have gentle terrain and are often surrounded by water; flat lands are wide and use ditches and roads as water channels; flat plains are low-lying and rely on water to establish the layout. Are their principles and energies the same or different?

答：高山大壟，平岡平原，不過有高峻平坦之異，而開幛過峽，成局結穴，朝案護砂，俱是一樣看法；有水無水，是一樣用法。俗眼不知，每以穴高水低為嫌者，謬也。平洋之地，行龍處，雖不見有龍，而兩水相夾，中即是龍；結穴處，不見有砂，而水灣即有砂灣，砂遶才有水遶，所謂兩山之間必有水，兩水之間必有山，正是謂此。

Ma Taiqing answered: High mountains, large ridges, and flat ridges and plains are merely differences in elevation and flatness; as for the features such as opening screens, passing ridges that constrict energy, forming a complete structure and a converging point, and the facing mountains, case mountains, and protective sands, the way to interpret them is exactly the same; whether there is water or not, the method of application is also the same. Common people do not understand this principle and often complain that the site is too high and the water is too low, which is wrong. In flat land, although the dragon path is not visible, there are two streams on both sides, and the middle one is the dragon; although the ridges are not visible at the converging point, wherever the water bends, the ridges also bend, and the ridges surrounding the area will have water surrounding them. What is meant by "between two mountains, there must be water; between two waters, there must be mountains" is exactly this meaning.

若山壟岡原，何用說耶。其平陽以路為用者，路必深至數尺，淺者亦必尺餘，依形就氣而用之，一樣發福；倘深不滿尺，即或用之，亦無效驗。所以然者，行龍結穴，乃陰氣所凝之處；溪澗溝路，乃陽氣所行之處。陰逢陽界即止，山環水繞，即是陰陽交媾，天地鍾靈毓秀之區。山壟、崗原、平陽、平洋，都無二致，雖舉天下之地，不能出此圍範。

As for mountain ridges and hilltops, there is no need to elaborate further. In flat and sunny areas, where roads are treated like water, the road surface must be several feet deep, with the shallowest being more than a foot; by following the form and utilizing the energy, it can still bring good fortune. If the road is not deep enough, even if it is usedwith difficulty, it will not produce the expected results. The reason is that when a dragon-like terrain forms a hill or a site, it is a place where yin energy converges; while streams, ditches, and roads are where yang energy flows. Yin energy stops at the boundary of yang energy. When mountains encircle and water surrounds, it represents the meeting of yin and yang, which is the area where heaven and earth gather the essence of beauty and virtue. Mountain ridges, hilltops, flat lands, and plains are all the same in this regard; even if all the land in the world is considered, it cannot go beyond this scope.

四十一問曰：理氣純以九運為主，又以年月日時為用，為克應之期，其八千四維十二支，將無用耶？

A student asked: Since the principles and energies are purely based on the nine periods, and the years, months, days and hours are used for determining the timing, then are the eight dry branches, four cardinal directions and twelve earthly branches on the compass not of any use?

答：伏羲畫卦，只有八卦，其十二支，亦上應天之舍次。古人製造羅經，分析八方，為三八二十四字，子午卯酉所占之位，即坎離震兌之宮，子坎同是水，卯震同是木，酉兌同是金，故用子午卯酉，不必更言坎離震兌也。

Ma Taiqing answered: Fuxi drew the eight trigrams, originally only the eight trigrams. As for the twelve earthly branches, they also correspond to the positions of the twenty-eight constellations in the sky. Ancient people made the compass, dividing each of the eight directions into three parts, resulting in twenty-four characters. The positions occupied by Zi, Wu, Mao, and You are the four palaces of Kan, Li, Zhen, and Dui: Zi and Kan both belong to water, Mao and Zhen both belong to wood, You and Dui both belong to metal, so once Zi, Wu, Mao, and You have been used, there is no need to repeat Kan, Li, Zhen, and Dui.

乾坤艮巽，正當十二支之隙，又是本卦正位，不必更假名字。其子午卯酉，左右隙處，以壬癸屬水，故附於坎宮；以甲乙屬木，故附於震宮；以丙丁屬火，故附於離宮；以庚辛屬金，故附於兌宮，原屬一體同氣之義，甚屬顯然。

The four trigrams Qian, Kun, Gen, and Xun precisely fill the gaps among the twelve earthly branches, and they themselves are the correct positions of the primary hexagram, so there is no need to borrow other names. As for the empty positions on the left and right sides of Zi, Wu, Mao, and You: Ren and Gui belong to water, so they are attached to the Kan palace; Jia and Yi belong to wood, so they are attached to the Zhen palace; Bing and Ding belong to fire, so they are attached to the Li palace; Geng and Xin belong to metal, so they are attached to the Dui palace. This is simply a matter of the same essence and nature, clearly evident.

然人從而穿鑿，甲不為木，而納於乾金；乙不為木，而納於坤土。如此等類，使五行各失其性，甚至甲或附於寅，而為寅午成局；或附於卯，而為亥卯未局。以至有乙丙交而趨戌，辛壬會而聚辰，土牛納庚丁之氣，金羊收癸甲之靈，生旺墓庫，左旋右旋，令學者至死不悟。其實所繫者，全在乎元運，與太歲所纏之宮主之。

But later scholars insisted on making forced connections: they did not consider Jia as Wood, but instead assigned it to Qian (Heaven), which belongs to Metal; they did not consider Yi as Wood, but instead assigned it to Kun (Earth). Such practices caused the Five Phases to lose their original nature. Even further, they attached Jia to Yin, forming the Fire trinity of Yin, Wu, and Xu; or attached it to Mao, forming the Wood trinity of Hai, Mao, and Wei. Thus, they invented phrases like 'Yi and Bing meet and head toward Xu', 'Xin and Ren meet and gather at Chen', 'Earth Ox absorbs the energy of Geng and Ding', and 'Metal Sheep gathers the spirit of Ji and Gui'. Combined with the concepts of birth, strength, burial, and storage, along with left and right rotations, these have confused scholars to the point of lifelong confusion. In reality, what truly matters is the original cycle and the position of the current year's sovereign.

如一白坎當令，即地支之子，逢太歲在申子辰午四年應之。子年為填實，午年為沖動，申辰為催合，吉則應吉，凶則應凶。如犯一支，則四年應之；犯二支，八年應之；犯三支，則十二年中，無休歇矣。

For example, if the Trigram Kan (Water) is in power and corresponds to the Earthly Branch Zi (Rat), then when the Tai Sui (Celestial Stem) arrives at the years of Shen, Zi, Chen, and Wu, the effect will manifest. The year of Zi is called "filling up," the year of Wu is called "impelling," and the years of Shen and Chen are called "promoting union." If something is originally auspicious, it will bring auspicious events; if it is originally inauspicious, it will bring inauspicious events. If only one Earthly Branch is involved, there will be a response in four years; if two Earthly Branches are involved, there will be a response in eight years; if three Earthly Branches are involved, then within twelve years there will be no moment of rest.

獨乾坤艮巽四宮之內，皆得老友兩位，沖合填實當有八年，遇吉砂吉水，太歲值年，世人見其發之速而且久，莫知其所以然，遂呼曰：乾坤艮巽號御街，四大尊神在內排。不問氣運之得失，故亂用之，一遇凶禍，又呼乾坤艮巽為殺人黃泉矣。

Only the four directions of Qian, Kun, Gen, and Xun each contain two earthly branches, so the combinations of conflict, harmony, and filling up together account for eight years. If these four directions happen to have auspicious sand and water, and also coincide with the year of the sovereign's age, people see quick and long-lasting benefits, but do not understand the reason behind it. Thus they created a mnemonic phrase: "Qian, Kun, Gen, and Xun are called the Imperial Street, with the four great deities arranged within." They ignore whether the qi fortune is gained or lost, and use them recklessly; once encountering misfortune, they then reverse the meaning of Qian, Kun, Gen, and Xun, calling them "the killer of the Yellow Spring."

四十二問曰：大運六十年，小運二十年，何以一白有百六十年，二黑有百四十年，三碧有百二十年之說？

A student asked: The great cycle is sixty years, the small cycle is twenty years, so why is there a saying that the first white (water) governs one hundred and sixty years, the second black (water) governs one hundred and forty years, and the third green (wood) governs one hundred and twenty years?

答：一白與九紫相對，必九紫當運，則一白之地方敗。如上元甲子甲戌二十年，一白正當運，大發；至二黑三碧運內，則一向尚餘氣，故仍發；至四、五、六、七、八運內，運雖過亦無凶，故云百六十年。

Ma Taiqing answered: The one white and nine purple are opposite to each other. It must wait until the nine purple is in its period of influence before the one white's period will decline. For example, during the twenty years of the upper original Jiazi and Jiaxu, the one white was in its period and flourished greatly; during the two black and three green periods, the one white still had residual influence, so it could still flourish; until the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth periods, although the period had passed, there was no misfortune. Calculated this way, it totals one hundred and sixty years.

若甲申甲午二十年，二黑主運固發，在一白運內，同是上元，已可用之，二與八相對，交八白管運即敗，故云百四十年；若甲辰甲寅二十年，三碧主運，交一白運，已可用之，至本運大發，三與七相對，交七赤管運，三碧始敗，故云百二十年。中下二元之地，皆仿此。總之上元六十年，三運之地，皆可用，必至本運而後發耳，中下兩元之地，用法同此。

Now looking at the twenty years of Jiashen and Jiawu, the second black star is in charge, and although it is certainly beneficial, during the first white star period, since they belong to the upper yuan, the second black star's land has already been usable. The second and eighth stars are opposite, so when the eighth white star takes over, the second black star will decline, hence the total period is one hundred forty years. Similarly, for the twenty years of Jiachen and Jiayin, the third green star is in charge; during the first white star period, the third green star's land was already usable, and during its own period it will flourish greatly. The third and seventh stars are opposite, so when the seventh red star takes over, the third green star will decline, hence the total period is one hundred twenty years. The lands of the middle yuan and lower yuan are also applied in the same way. In summary, during the sixty years of the upper yuan, the lands of the three periods can all be used, but they will only flourish when they reach their own period; the lands of the middle yuan and lower yuan are used in the same way.

四十三問曰：巽幹於中元運內，何以各五十年？

A student asked: Why do Xun and Qian each occupy fifty years in the middle yuan period?

答：各卦本運只二十年，惟中五運二十年，前甲申十年屬之巽，三碧運內，四綠之地已可用，故有五十年；後甲午十年屬之幹，七赤運內，六白之地，尚有餘氣，故亦有五十年。然一白九紫兩運之內，四綠六白之地，亦各有二十年旺運，用得者大發，用錯者大敗。此一說，惟李師知之，余考驗之，信然。

Ma Taiqing answered: The original period of each trigram lasts only twenty years, but the middle five period, which also lasts twenty years, needs to be divided. The first ten years, Jiashen, belong to Xun, and during the four green period, the four green energy has already been used, combining to make fifty years. The latter ten years, Jiawu, belong to Qian, and during the seven red period, the six white energy still has residual power, combining to make fifty years again. However, during the one white and nine purple periods, the four green and six white energies each have twenty years of prosperity. If used correctly, great fortune comes; if used incorrectly, great defeat occurs. This knowledge is known only by Li's teacher, and I have tested it in practice, and it is indeed true.

四十四問曰：五行一訣非真術，城門一訣最為良，何所指？

A student asked: The text says "The Five Phases are not true divination, but the City Gate method is most beneficial." What exactly does "City Gate" refer to?

答：即穴後入首束氣之處，與穴前放水出口之處也，乃形勢兼理氣而言。對待元運，皆任於此；吉凶禍福之柄，亦無不在此。

Ma Taiqing answered: This refers to the place where the qi converges at the entrance of the ridge after the burial site, and the place where water is released in front of the burial site; this is a discussion combining form and qi theory. The relationship of front and back and the alignment with the original period and its usage entirely depend on these two places; the power to determine good fortune and misfortune is also entirely determined by these two points.

四十五問：天機妙訣本不同，八卦只有一卦通，如何謂之一卦通？

A student asked: The text says, "The heavenly mechanism and secret techniques are fundamentally different, but the Eight Trigrams only share one trigram in common." How is this called "one trigram in common"?

答：本是說得明明白白，被後人越解越錯，竟有說是以此一卦，去通那八卦，以至愈迷愈謬，盡為理氣言也。所謂一卦通者，乃是當運之一卦，用之最吉，謂之通，言八卦不能皆通也，即餘前篇所云，某卦之當運二十年，是也。

Ma Taiqing answered: This sentence was originally clear and straightforward, but later people interpreted it more and more incorrectly, even suggesting that this hexagram was used to connect with the other eight trigrams, leading to greater confusion. In fact, the entire sentence refers to the concept of "li qi" (principles and energies). The term "one hexagram is in harmony" refers to the hexagram that is most auspicious during its time, hence called "tong" (harmony); it means that the eight trigrams cannot all be in harmony at the same time. This is exactly what I mentioned earlier: a particular hexagram is in harmony for twenty years, referring precisely to this matter.

四十六問：何謂合得天心造化工？

A student asked: What does 「harmonizing with the heavenly mind to create the workings of nature」 mean?

答：世人但以點穴處橫直度量，十字相交為天心；又以明堂水聚為天心，是形勢之天心，非理氣之天心也。理氣之天心，乃某元某運管事，則某元某運，即是真天心。識得天心，以此察人間禍福，用此趨吉避凶，奪天命，改造化，全繫乎此。即以此運入中，按陰陽順逆飛吊，所謂顛顛倒者，所謂星辰流轉要相逢者，又用中之用，不經口授，烏能知之。

Ma Taiqing answered: People only regard the point where thesite is located, measured horizontally and vertically, as the heavenly center, and also consider the place where all the waters converge in the bright hall as the heavenly center. These are all the heavenly centers in terms of form, not in terms of principle and qi. The heavenly center in terms of principle and qi refers to which yuans and yuns are currently in power, and that particular yuan and yun is the true heavenly center. Once one recognizes the heavenly center, one can use it to observe human misfortunes and blessings, to seek good fortune and avoid misfortune; to seize the heavenly mandate and change the workings of nature, all depend on this. Then one should place the stars of this yun into the central palace, and arrange them according to the forward and backward movement of yin and yang. The classic's mention of "upside down and reversed" and "the stars flow and meet" refers again to the "use of the central," which cannot be known without the master's oral transmission and personal instruction.

四十七問曰：凡結地之處，或數十里而結一穴，或十數里而結一穴，或三五里而結數穴者，不等。究之遍地皆人所葬，不盡得穴，小康者有之，自給者有之，亦不皆絕，子孫相繼，間有繁衍者，地之力耶？運之力耶？

A student asked: In areas where graves are located, some places have a burial site every几十 miles, some every十几 miles, and others have several burial sites within three or five miles. The number varies. However, in reality, there are graves everywhere, and not all are located on true burial sites. Some families are only moderately prosperous, some barely make a living, and not everyone has no descendants. The descendants continue from generation to generation, and sometimes there are even very prosperous families. So is it the power of the land or the power of destiny that determines this?

答：其地雖不得穴，亦必地勢高燥平穩，無凶砂惡水沖射，即能自給；有得運低小，砂水顧照，即可小康，而子孫繁衍矣。然亦當以人事參之：倘其人庸懦，縱有吉砂旺水蔭墳，亦只平平；倘其人勤能，但無凶砂惡水浸墳，亦足自立。此以天時、地理、人事，參合之妙，千百中不爽毫髮。

Ma Taiqing answered: Although that piece of land does not have a true qi point, as long as the terrain is high, bright, dry, and stable, without any凶sand or evil water shooting at it, it is sufficient for self-sufficiency; if it also happens to have a slight good fortune, the sand and water will turn back to protect it, then it can achieve a moderate level of prosperity, and the descendants can also multiply. However, it is still necessary to consider human factors: if the family is mediocre and weak, even with auspicious sand and strong water protecting the tomb, it will only be average; if the family is diligent and capable, as long as there is no凶sand or evil water harming the tomb, it is enough to establish a family. This is the wonderful combination of heaven's timing, geographical features, and human factors. After thousands of verifications, it never deviates by even a fraction.

四十八問曰：繼父之墳，能發承祧之子乎？

A student asked: Can the grave of a stepfather bring prosperity to the son who was adopted to inherit the family?

答：何獨不然。試觀人家不利女丁者，或產難，或淫奔，不特其女應之，即其媳亦應之。雖庵剎、寺院、僧道之墳，尚能蔭其招養之徒，豈有繼父不能蔭承祧之子孫耶。但媳之吉凶，母家與夫家參看；而承祧子之吉凶，亦當本生與過繼者同看，俱關係兩家故也。

Ma Taiqing answered: How could it be impossible? Let us look at those families whose burial grounds are unfavorable to female relatives: either they suffer from difficult childbirth or their daughters run away and lose their chastity. Not only does the daughter herself suffer, but the daughter-in-law also suffers. Even the graves of monks and nuns in temples and monasteries can protect and nurture their disciples they have taken in. How then could an adoptive father fail to benefit his adopted son? However, the fortune of the daughter-in-law must be considered together with both her maternal and marital families; the fortune of the adopted son must also be considered together with both his biological parents' family and his adoptive parents' family—because they are connected to both families.

四十九問曰：今人皆欲謀大地，甚至謀得極不堪之地，轉不若不求大地，得一干暖之地，無凶砂惡水沖射，用之好否？

A student asked: Now everyone wants to seek a good piece of land, but often ends up with very poor land. It would be better not to seek land at all, but to find a place that is dry, warm, and free from harmful sand and water flowing towards it. Is this a good approach?

答：較之胡求大地而得禍者，亦不失為中策。但貧人得之，仍如是貧；富人得之，仍如是富。地稍有一分好處，則富者必加一分富，貧者必減一分貧；倘地有一分壞處，亦然。勿作妄想，但求安親，勸得痴人醒，亦是無量功德。

Ma Taiqing answered: Compared to those who recklessly seek a good burial ground and end up bringing misfortune, this at least counts as a middle ground strategy. However, even if a poor person buries his ancestors here, he remains poor; and even if a rich person buries his ancestors here, he remains rich. If the land has a slight advantage, the rich will gain a little more wealth, and the poor will lose a little more poverty; if the land has a slight disadvantage, the situation is the same. As long as one does not harbor improper desires and is solely focused on properly settling the deceased, that is good. Being able to wake up one person who is foolishly obsessed with seeking a good burial ground is also immeasurable merit.

五十問曰：北省人死，即殯即葬；南省人死，厝棺不葬，甚至停留數代，積累十餘棺，以待圖謀風水。所厝不吉，遂愈久愈貧，至不能葬，或夭絕無人，固毋論矣；間或有力者，一舉而葬數代之墳，其吉凶當如何斷？

A student asked: People in the north bury the dead immediately after death, but people in the south keep the coffin for a long time, sometimes for several generations, accumulating dozens of coffins, waiting for a good place for burial. If the place where the coffin is kept is not auspicious, they become increasingly poor, poor to the point of being unable to afford burial, or even dying young, dying out, with no one to take care of them, which is naturally not worth discussing. Occasionally, those with sufficient means will bury all the ancestors of several generations at once. How can we determine the fortune and misfortune in such cases?

答：只看其現在之人，近身父母之墳，與遠祖之墳：同吉，作吉斷；同凶，作凶斷。若遠墳吉近墳凶，仍作凶斷；遠墳凶，近墳吉，仍作吉斷，近者最要故也。

Ma Taiqing answered: One only needs to consider the graves of the closest parents and the distant ancestors who are currently alive. If both places are auspicious, then it is judged as auspicious; if both are inauspicious, then it is judged as inauspicious. If the distant grave is auspicious but the near one is inauspicious, it is still judged as inauspicious; if the distant grave is inauspicious but the near one is auspicious, it is still judged as auspicious—because the nearer grave is more important.

五十一問曰：越是富貴人，越喜厝棺不葬，彼意謂得力於遠墳，姑厝新棺，或在野或在家，何如？

A student asked: The richer and more powerful families tend to prefer keeping the coffin temporarily without burying it, believing that their family's success is due to the ancestors' graves. So they temporarily place the new coffin either in the wild or at home. What is the significance of this practice?

答：毋論遠近，只看頭上一棺，不拘墳厝，最為緊要。如父母在，即看祖父母之停葬處；祖在則看曾祖之停葬處，依運斷之。雖停棺在家，亦與墳厝同，察其禍福，如掌上觀紋。世人每以近棺未葬，有吉有凶，盡歸之遠墳，豈不大錯。

Ma Taiqing answered: Regardless of distance, one should only look at the nearest coffin on top, whether it has already been buried in the grave or is temporarily stored elsewhere. This is the most important point. For example, if the parents are still alive, one should look at where the grandparents' coffin is stored; if the grandparents are still alive, one should look at where the great-grandparents' coffin is stored, and deduce according to the original cycle of time. Even if the coffin is stored in one's own house, its effects are the same as if it were in a grave or temporarily stored. The consequences it brings are clear as the patterns on one's palm. People often wrongly attribute good or bad fortune to the graves of distant ancestors because the coffin is not yet buried, which is certainly a great mistake.

五十二問曰：嘗見淮水以北，有築圍牆以葬墳者，其法何如？

A student asked: I have seen people in the north of the Huai River building a circular wall to bury a tomb. What is the opinion on this method?

答：餘亦曾見之，惜乎彼所用者，俱是三合輔星之法。若依元空理氣用之，其力亦不減於真結。此平陽權宜之計，如水鄉平洋，亦可用之。蓋平陽平洋，無砂繞護，四望無收，擇得高燥寬敝之地，立穴於中，去墳四五丈，築牆齊肩，四面圍之，隔卻凶砂惡水，令墳上不見；開門於元運當令之方，照水口城門之例，亦能發福不替。

Ma Taiqing answered: I have also seen such methods, but unfortunately they all rely on the Triple Harmony and auxiliary star systems. If instead we follow the principles of Xuan Kong qi energy, its effectiveness is no less than that of naturally formed true land formations. This is a provisional method suitable for the Pingyang region; water towns and flat plains can also apply it. Because Pingyang and Pingyang areas lack surrounding hills to protect them, and they cannot be fully enclosed from all sides, one must select a high, dry, spacious and level site, and establish the tomb in the center. A wall of shoulder height should be built about five to seven zhang away from the tomb, surrounding it on all four sides to block out harmful hills and bad water. This way, the tomb will not see these harmful elements. Additionally, the gate should be opened in the direction corresponding to the current yuan yun, following the same method as the "chengmen" (city gate) used at the water mouth. This can ensure long-term prosperity without decline.

五十三問曰：墳地既可築圖，則建樓閣屋宇，以當護砂；挖池塘溝渠，以為界水，亦有效耶？

A student asked: Since a tomb site can be enclosed with a wall, is it equally effective to build pavilions and houses to serve as protective formations, and to dig ponds and ditches to act as boundary waters?

答：嘗見人家陰陽二宅之傍，別家改造屋宇，穿浚溝渠，而此家敗者，忽然而興；盛者忽然而衰，非職是之故歟。彼既有關乎禍福，則依運而造者，正所奪天命，改造他也。若於四鄰之墳宅無礙則可；倘有礙於四鄰墳宅，恐傷天理，切不可為。

Ma Taiqing answered: I often see that when someone nearby builds a house or digs a ditch, a family that was previously declining suddenly becomes prosperous, and a family that was previously prosperous suddenly declines. Is it not precisely because of this? Since human-made structures are related to misfortune and fortune, then constructing according to the original cycle of time is called "taking heaven's destiny and transforming the world." However, this can only be done if it does not interfere with the tombs and houses of the surrounding neighbors; if it does interfere with the tombs and houses of the neighbors, it would be against heaven's will and should absolutely not be done.

五十四問曰：據《宅法舉隅》所云，天心一卦，四十八局，門宅層間，內外六事，條分縷晰，備極詳明。吾子尚以僅知陽宅少之，然則陰陽二宅，用法不同？

A student asked: According to what is explained in "Illustrative Examples of Dwelling Methods," the Heaven Heart hexagram, the forty-eight layouts, the hierarchy between the door and the dwelling, and the internal and external six matters are all discussed in detail. Yet the master still considers them to only understand yang dwellings and therefore undervalues them. Are the methods for using yin dwellings and yang dwellings different?

答：陽宅重局不重龍，重門不重山，其起卦挨星之法，最重是向。移門改路，只在土木之工，轉換之際，氣因門路而入，吉凶隨之。若陰宅山法，先在尋龍點穴，然後立向消水，純是天成，一些差池，斷送人全家性命。彼朱旭輪，乃無錫人，與章仲山同里，又先後俱是道光年間人，且是訣非傳不會。雖蔣公尚稱其師為無極子，彼二人著書，不言其師為誰氏，已屬忘本之人。

Ma Taiqing answered: For a yang house, the emphasis is on the overall layout rather than the coming dragon, and on the gate rather than the sitting mountain; the method of casting the hexagram according to the star directions is most important, and the direction is the key. Moving the door or changing the path is merely a matter of carpentry and construction; once these are altered, the qi will follow the door and path in, and so will the fortune and misfortune change. As for the yin house, the method of mountain form first requires finding the dragon and the site, then setting the direction and eliminating the water flow, all of which are naturally formed; even a slight difference can ruin a family's destiny. Zhu Xulun was from Wuxi and was a fellow townsman with Zhang Zhongshan, and both were from the Daoguang era. Moreover, this method of secret transmission cannot be learned without being taught. Master Jiang still referred to his teacher as the Wuji Zi, yet these two wrote books without mentioning their own teachers, and they can be considered as people who have forgotten their roots.

廣陵人曾向余言，章仲山遊維揚，巨族爭延之，徒手得謝禮萬餘金，不曾與人葬得好墳，乃熟於理氣，而昧於形勢者也。是以因章而疑朱，恐其僅知挨星之法，而昧於形勢耳。

A man from Guangling once told me that when Zhang Zhongshan traveled in Yangzhou, many large families invited him, and he received over ten thousand taels of gifts without doing any burial work, not even able to make a good tomb for anyone. This is the case of someone who is skilled in the principles of qi but not familiar with the forms and circumstances. Therefore, I became doubtful about Zhu Xulun, fearing that he might also only understand the method of aligning stars but not the forms and circumstances.

五十五問曰：《天玉經》云『乾山乾向水流乾，乾峰出狀元；坤山坤向水流坤，富貴永無貧；午山午向午朝堂，大將值邊疆；卯山卯向卯源水，富貴石崇比。』諸解不一，雖蔣公亦未切實指明？

A student asked: The "Tianyu Jing" says, "When the mountain is Qian and the direction is Qian with water flowing to Qian, the peak of Qian will produce a top scholar; when the mountain is Kun and the direction is Kun with water flowing to Kun, wealth and honor will never be lacking; when the mountain is Wu and the direction is Wu with the hall facing Wu, a great general will guard the border; when the mountain is Mao and the direction is Mao with water flowing from Mao, wealth and honor will be as great as Shi Chong." Different schools have different interpretations, even Master Jiang did not clearly explain these lines. How should these lines be understood?

答：此是說形勢，說方位，而暗言理氣，秘妙於形勢方位中也。至於狀元大將，亦不能拘泥。但幹為八卦之首，又其方為天門，遇龍穴砂水，極真極美之地，得元運，又有文魁二星會合，自然出狀元；倘稍有不的，亦可出科甲，不能掄元也。

Ma Taiqing answered: These sentences on the surface talk about form and direction, but in reality they refer to the principles of qi - the secret lies within the form and direction. As for "producing a top状元" or "becoming a great general," one cannot rigidly follow them. This is because Qian is the first of the eight trigrams, and the Qian direction is the heavenly gate. If one encounters a site with extremely true and beautiful dragon,穴, sand, and water, and also coincides with the favorable era, plus the convergence of the two auspicious stars, Wen Chang and Kuai Xing, one naturally produces a top状元. If any of these conditions is slightly inaccurate, one can still produce candidates for the imperial examination, but just not the top rank.

但乾山乾向水流乾，乾峰出狀元，其幹字上，當下一或字：或乾山，或乾向，或乾水，或乾峰，必遇文魁二星，會合之年月始然，否則富貴而已。其餘七山，皆是如此，不僅乾山、午山、卯山、坤山四卦已也。但峰秀水曲者貴，峰肥水大者富，出人物俊秀渾厚，亦在此上分。

Now take the lines 「乾山乾向水流乾，乾峰出状元」. Each occurrence of the word 「乾」 should be read with the word 「或」 added before it: either乾山, or乾向, or乾水, or乾峰. Only when the years and months coincide with the conjunction of the stars of Wen Chang and Kuai Xing will a状元 be produced; otherwise, one will only achieve wealth and honor. The same principle applies to the other seven directions, not limited only to the four trigrams of乾, 午, 卯, and 坤. As for the forms of the peaks and the flow of the water, clear and秀丽 peaks and winding water indicate nobility, while thick and prosperous peaks and broad water surfaces indicate wealth. Whether the people produced are refined or robust also depends on these distinctions.

余曾見直隸蔚州，李氏葬地，當出文狀元，其家習武，竟中武狀元，可見習染使然，地亦無如之何矣。

I once saw a burial site of the Li family in Zhili Weizhou. According to the principles, it should produce a literary状元. However, the Li family has been practicing martial arts for generations, and he actually became a martial arts状元. This shows that later cultivation also plays a role, and even the land cannot help in this matter.

曾見人家藏偽造之元空，珍為秘本，其解乾山乾向水流乾，元後天乾上來龍，為乾山；朝先天乾，為乾向；身坐後天之坎，以先天坎上之水，為乾水；或用飛吊挨排，由坐山挨起，由向上挨起，由來水挨起，由水口挨起，自幹所治之方，為乾山乾向水流乾。種種謬語，以亂真傳，殊可惜也。

I have also seen people hiding a forged version of the Xuan Kong book, treating it as a secret manuscript. It explains "Qian mountain Qian facing water flowing to Qian" as follows: the dragon coming from the later heaven Qian position is called Qian mountain, facing the earlier heaven Qian position is called Qian facing, the body sits on the later heaven Kan position, and taking the water from the earlier heaven Kan position is called Qian water. Alternatively, it uses the method of flying plate to arrange the positions, sometimes starting from the sitting mountain, sometimes from the upward direction, sometimes from the incoming water, and sometimes from the water mouth. Whenever it reaches the area under the jurisdiction of Qian, it is considered "Qian mountain Qian facing water flowing to Qian." All these absurd statements have confused the true transmission, which is truly regrettable.

五十六問曰：南北各省，竟有荒陋州縣，從古迄今，不能出一偉人，亦不出一科第，何其凋敝一至於此？

A student asked: Some remote and backward counties in northern and southern provinces have not produced any remarkable person or someone who passed the imperial examinations from ancient times to now. How could they be so deteriorated?

答：大凡名都巨邑，所占者，皆風水之區。一要城池得地，二要宮署合宜，三要文廟合武，四要書院培養英才，五要土著人士立志向學，再有醇儒指教，自然人文蔚起矣。不然，既不向學，又無指教，科第功名，焉能從天而降耶。如餘所謂龍穴砂水，文魁會合之處，豈百里之邑，竟絕無一有，有是理，有是事乎？

Ma Taiqing answered: Generally speaking, famous places are large cities, and they all occupy good fengshui areas. First, the city should be located on a suitable site. Second, the position of the government office should be appropriate. Third, the direction of the Confucius Temple should be in harmony. Fourth, there should be a academy to cultivate talents. Fifth, the local scholars should be determined to study. Moreover, there should be sincere Confucian scholars to guide them. Thus, the culture and humanities will flourish. Otherwise, if people are not willing to study and there is no one to teach them, how can the imperial examination ranks and official titles fall from the sky? As for what I said about the dragon, the tomb, the hills, the water, and the convergence of the Wen Chang and Kuai Xing, in a county of a hundred miles square, is there really not a single place like this? How could there be such a thing in the world?

如近世河間人，多閹宦；石埭，多衣工；撫州人，多書客；溧水人，多藥商；曹州人，多響馬；南陽穎州壽春，多掖刀捻匪之類。蓋由比屋鄰居，見聞如是，所行為竟如是矣。豈有天成山水，專出宦者、衣工、書客、藥商、響馬、掖刀、捻匪之地者耶。朱博短衣，齊變楚俗，其教化原在人也。

For example, in recent times, people from Hejian often became eunuchs, people from Shidai often became tailors, people from Fuzhou often became book merchants, people from Lishui often engaged in the herbal medicine trade, people from Caizhou often became bandits, and people from Nanyang, Yingzhou, and Shouchun often became violent bandits like the Nian rebels. This is because families live close to each other, and what they see and hear becomes the way they act. How could there be natural mountains and rivers that specifically produce eunuchs, tailors, book merchants, herbal traders, bandits, criminals, and Nian rebels? When Zhu Bo of the Han dynasty took office, he changed his attire to short clothes and dealt with affairs according to local customs, and the customs of Qi gradually became like those of Chu—this shows that education and influence are man-made.

五十七問曰：世有龍穴砂水，並無暇疵之地，不惟不發，甚至敗絕，是何以故？

A student asked: There are some places where dragon, tomb, sand, and water are all excellent, yet they do not produce good results and may even lead to decline. Why is this so?

答：此即是不明三元理氣，盡據形勢之美好，不待合元運之時，而即遷葬。吉氣未到，凶煞先來，故敗絕相尋，遑云發福。彼世之舍理氣而專言形勢者，可不懼哉。

Ma Taiqing answered: This is exactly the result of not understanding the principles of the Three Periods and Qi energies. People only look at the form and think it is good, but they rush to move the grave without waiting for the proper era and energy to align. The auspicious energy has not yet arrived, but the malevolent forces have already come, so one misfortune follows another. How can one talk about prosperity? Those who ignore the principles of Qi and focus only on the form, should they not be afraid?

五十八問：墳地以元運判興廢，已鑿鑿有據，在未葬之時，尚可趨避。設若已葬得運之地，忽交失運時，將舉其墳盡遷之耶？何以未見古人有是事者？不特不見有是事，且有自上元發至下元而不敗者，是何以故？

A student asked: The determination of the prosperity or decline of a burial site based on the original period of time is already well established; before burial, one can seek good fortune and avoid misfortune. But if a person is already buried in a site that was in a favorable period, and then suddenly enters an unfavorable period, is it necessary to move all the graves? Why haven't I ever seen ancient people doing this? Not only have I never seen it, but there are also families who have remained prosperous from the upper period to the lower period without decline. What is the reason for this?

答：理自在，但人不知耳。如今日我明明指出得運失運之效如足，世固無改遷之理，而彼自得運至失運之時而敗，亦不過懵懂受之而已，初未嘗倖免也。亦有三元不敗者，並非上元一墳能管至下元。蓋百餘年間，人非一代，必有新墳，乃上元有上元之老墳，至中元，又遇中元之吉墳，即至下元，又接葬下元之新墳，所以能如是悠久，此非積善之家，有大福德之人不能。

Ma Taiqing answered: The principles are there all along, but people just don't know them. Today I clearly point out how distinct the effects of being in a favorable period and an unfavorable period are. Although there is no reason in the world to change every grave one by one, those families who move from a favorable period to an unfavorable one and eventually decline do so blindly, without understanding. No one can really escape this by chance. As for families that do not decline in the three periods, it is not because a single grave from the upper period continues to be effective throughout the lower period. One must know that within a hundred years, generations of people pass away, and there must be newly buried graves in between. In the upper period, there are old graves from the upper period; by the middle period, they encounter a favorable grave suitable for the middle period; and by the lower period, they continue with a new grave suitable for the lower period. That is why they can maintain their prosperity for so long. This is something that only a family with great virtue and good fortune can achieve.

五十九問曰：世有古仙師鉗記之說，預定大地，將如何發逹，並未言當在何運發？

A student asked: It is said that ancient immortal masters left behind the concept of "clamping records" which designate a certain place as the land, and predict its future prosperity, but they do not specify which era it will flourish in. Why is this so?

答：鉗記之說，間亦有之。彼不運據龍穴砂水之美好而言，固未嘗言元運，亦未嘗言不須元運。且元運之名，古師隱而不宣，自大鴻氏出，慮偽術之混淆，貽害世人，故將元運特長而出之，原屬一片婆心。俗子既不能窺其堂奧，遂以為駭見駭聞。

Ma Taiqing answered: There are indeed occasional instances of such things as qianji. Those who write qianji only talk about the beauty of dragon, grave, sand, and water, and though they do not mention yuan yun, they have never said that yuan yun is unnecessary. Moreover, the term "yuan yun" was originally kept secret by ancient masters; since Jiang Dahong came into prominence, he was worried that false practices would confuse the true transmission and cause harm to people, so he specially emphasized yuan yun, which was an earnest and sincere effort. Common people, unable to grasp the profound meaning, have regarded it as a terrifying and strange theory.

又有一種，慕其名，不得其傳，自創一解，惑世誤人，致令謗元空者紛起。從此元空一道，又復難明真偽，殆天不欲斯人盡聞妙道，而生此種種魔障於世間耶。

There are others who only admire the reputation of Xuan Kong, but have not received any transmission, so they invent their own interpretations, deceiving people and misleading future learners. This has led to widespread criticism of Xuan Kong. Since then, the authenticity of this discipline has become uncertain—perhaps it is heaven's will not to let everyone hear this profound teaching, so many obstacles have arisen in the world.

六十問曰：鉗記之說，果可信否？

A student asked: Is the practice of using a clamp to record things truly reliable or not?

答：有可信，有不可信。其可信者，古仙師遊蹤所致，見有美地，未遇可葬之人，特留鉗記，以待將來有德者；其不可信者，乃俗師受賄巿奸，假託鉗記，以行詐欺愚。且古師鉗記最著者，莫如郭景純、劉伯溫，皆抱負王佐之才；楊筠松、賴布衣，皆高蹈隱逸之士，旁通雜術，偶一為之。非若近世術士，專挾南車，遊說富豪之門，惟知哄騙衣食者，捏造鉗記，飾繪圖形，不如此，惑人不動也，何必鉗記。

Ma Taiqing answered: There are some that are credible and some that are not. The credible ones are those left by ancient sages who, when they traveled around, saw a good site but did not meet someone worthy of it, so they left a mark intentionally, waiting for a person of virtue in the future. The ones that are not credible are made by mediocre masters who accept bribes and engage in fraudulent practices, pretending to use the mark to deceive and fool people. Moreover, the most famous ancient masters of the mark were Guo Pu and Liu Bowen, both of whom had the talent to assist emperors. Yang Yunsong and Lai Buyi were both reclusive scholars who were skilled in divination and only occasionally used the mark. How is this comparable to modern-day diviners who carry a compass around, trying to persuade wealthy families, only knowing how to deceive for a meal? They fabricate marks and embellish diagrams, for without doing so, they cannot persuade people. If they truly had ability, why would they rely on marks?

六十一問曰：青陽桂丹崖，諱超萬者，精三元。昔未第時，居京寓，必改易其門路，後由兩榜即用；其居室每月必遷移，竟以觀察在閩，秉臬權藩終？

A student asked: Qingyang person Gui Dan崖, named Chao Wan, was skilled in the three yuan calculations. When he had not yet passed the imperial examination, he lived in an apartment in the capital city and insisted on changing the door's direction. Later he indeed became an imperial examiner and was immediately appointed to an official position. The room he lived in was changed every month, and eventually he reached the position of Dao Yuan in Fujian, also temporarily managing the Inspectorate of Criminal Justice and acting as the Commissioner of Revenue. Why was this so?

答：余初入都，即知其名，惜未見其人。而測其所行所為，必其墳已得地，彼又以挨星法，施之陽宅耳。其改易門路以求中者，即前所云，取文魁二星會合之處也；其每月遷移居室者，是取生旺之氣，以趨吉避離也。又聞其建造宗祠之後，侄中武舉，子點庶常，殆亦深明明體用作法，方能如是。

Ma Taiqing answered: When I first came to the capital, I had heard his name, but unfortunately I never met him in person. Judging from his actions, it must be that his family's tomb has already obtained a good burial site, and he has applied the method of star alignment to his residence. He altered the entrance and pathways to seek success in the imperial examinations, which is exactly what I mentioned earlier, taking the positions of the Wen Chang and Kuai Xing stars. He changed his rooms every month to obtain the vital and prosperous energy, seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune. It is also said that after he built the family temple, his nephew passed the military examination and his son was appointed as a miscellaneous official. It seems that he must have deeply understood both the body and the application of two-layered methods to achieve such results.

六十二問曰：千里尋龍，到頭一穴，而各書或云過峽高，則穴結高處；過峽低，則穴結低處；或云岸山高，則穴高，岸山低，則穴低；或云看龍虎二砂，以定穴之上下；或云以卦九星五行，以定金之淺深者。究竟如何點穴法？

A student asked: When seeking a dragon for a thousand miles, in the end it is only to find a single grave site. However, different books give different explanations: some say that if the dragon passes through a high ridge, the grave site should be located at a high place; if the dragon passes through a low ridge, the grave site should be located at a low place; some say that if the case mountain is high, the grave site should be chosen at a high place; if the case mountain is low, the grave site should be chosen at a low place; some say that one should determine the high or low position of the grave site by looking at the left and right dragon and tiger ridges; some say that one should use the Eight Trigrams, Nine Stars, and Five Phases to determine the depth of the grave site. So, how should one choose the grave site?

答：從峽山上定穴者，乃術士惡習，誇張其辭，於步龍時，預決穴之高低，即至到頭，勉強牽就，此等之人，余屢見之。以岸山定高低者，恐其高壓，故岸高則高點，岸低則低點；若岸山遠，雖高何嫌。以龍虎定穴者，倘本身無龍虎，將如之何。至以八卦、九星、五行定穴者，更屬迷謬。

Ma Taiqing answered: Determining the site based on the mountain shape in the overpass is a bad habit of geomancers: they like to make big claims, and while surveying the dragon's coming, they already decide the height of the site in advance, then when they reach the site, they force themselves to adjust to fit—this kind of person I have seen many times. Using the case mountain to determine the height of the site is to prevent the case mountain from being too high and pressing on the site, so if the case mountain is high, the site should be higher, and if the case mountain is low, the site should be lower; but if the case mountain is far away, even if it is high, what harm is there? Using the dragon and tiger sands to determine the site, then what if the land itself does not have dragon and tiger sands? As for using the eight trigrams, nine stars, and the five phases to determine the site, that is even more absurd and confusing.

蓋地脈生動，比之如龍者，特因其起伏擺折而云。試看來龍祖山粗雄，跌峽一次，則山漸秀嫩，愈跌俞佳，即至結穴，山形土色全異，而靈氣聚矣。如無跌斷，必左右擺折，遇擺折處，必分枝開帳，以洩憋氣，大則為兼葭枝，小則為水木蘆鞭之類。即至結穴，砂纏水聚，而生氣凝矣，如是乎窩鉗乳突之形成，浮沉高低之法定。

To understand the vitality of the terrain, it is compared to a dragon because it has ups and downs, bends and turns. For example, the ancestral mountain from which the terrain originates is large and majestic. Each time it breaks down into a valley, the mountain becomes more refined and delicate. The more breaks, the better. When it reaches the point where the terrain forms a cluster, the shape of the mountain and the color of the soil have completely changed, and the spiritual energy has gathered. If there are no breaks, then it must bend and turn to the left and right. At every bend and turn, branches and subsidiary ridges must branch out, forming screens and enclosures to release the coarse energy that is trapped. Large ones are called "Jianjia Zhi," and small ones are called "Shuiwu Lubei" and similar. When the terrain reaches the point where the surrounding land forms a ring and the water gathers, the life energy is then stabilized. At this stage, the forms of the depression, the clamp, the nipple, and the protrusion are formed, and the rules for whether thesite should be shallow or deep, high or low are determined.

若是小小窩鉗乳突，是為少陰少陽，即在其上點穴，本無疑義。倘窩鉗寬大，是為老陽，老陽不可用，須於老陽中覓少陰，又當於窩鉗中求乳突，即為少陰；倘乳突肥人，是為老陰，老陰不可用，須於老陰中覓少陽，又當於乳突上求窩鉗，即為少陽。若大窩鉗中無乳突，大乳突上無窩鉗，又有求暈之法。

If the depressions, clasps, nipples, or prominences are small, they belong to the Lesser Yin and Lesser Yang, and one simply needs to puncture them directly, as there is no doubt. However, if the depressions or clasps are excessively wide, this is considered Old Yang; Old Yang is not suitable, and one must seek the Lesser Yin within the Old Yang, meaning one should look for a nipple or prominence within the large depression or clasp. That would be the Lesser Yin. If the nipples or prominences are overly large, this is considered Old Yin; Old Yin is not suitable, and one must seek the Lesser Yang within the Old Yin, meaning one should look for a depression or clasp within the large nipple or prominence. That would be the Lesser Yang. If one cannot find a nipple within a large depression or a depression within a large nipple or prominence, then there is another method called 'seeking the whirlpool' to use.

窩鉗之暈，如人心坎中跳起處，略有一點高影，是一陰初動，似有似無，便是穴暈；乳突之暈，如小兒頌門上吸動處，略有一點低靨，是一陽初動，若隱若現，便是穴暈。立穴於此，自然水朝砂應，龍繞虎馴，其巧妙處，暗合天機。俗師動雲尋龍點穴，豈易言哉，豈易言哉。

The aura around a pit is like the slight bulge in the center of the human chest where the heartbeat is felt; it is a subtle shadow, representing the initial movement of Yin, appearing and disappearing, which is called a qi aura. The aura around a nipple is like the slight depression in an infant's soft spot, where it slightly moves and contracts; it is the initial movement of Yang, faint and intermittent, also called a qi aura. If a site is chosen here, water will naturally flow towards it, and the surrounding terrain will respond appropriately. The Azure Dragon will encircle it, and the White Tiger will be tamed. The subtle intricacies here align with the heavenly mechanism. Ordinary practitioners often casually mention "seeking the dragon and selecting the site," but how easy is that? How easy is that!

六十三問曰：山崗尋龍點穴之法，尚可習見習聞，其平陽平洋，尋龍點穴之法，僅見《水龍經》，具其圖形，究未顯言其所以然點穴理氣之法。

A student asked: The method of seeking a dragon and determining a site in mountainous areas is often seen and heard about; but for flat land and plains, the method of seeking a dragon and determining a site is only found in the Water Dragon Classic, which only draws diagrams and does not clearly explain the principles of site selection and the arrangement of qi.

答：大江以北，東至齊，西至秦，北抵幽燕，平陽居十六七，平原居十之二三，高山大隴，僅十之一二。而葬山者，甚屬寥寥，不從事於平陽平原之地。然北人俗厚質樸，業青鳥者無幾，蓋不善作欺人之事，不似南人誣罔詭譎，競挾南針，自稱妙手者之多也。至其尋龍點穴，亦無真知卓見，大約依局定穴者居多，其得穴與不得穴，發與不發，亦在人幸不幸耳。

Ma Taiqing answered: To the north of the Yangtze River, from the east to Shandong, west to Shaanxi, and north to Youyan, Pingyang accounts for six or seven tenths, plains account for two or three tenths, and high mountains and large ridges account for only one or two tenths. Therefore, few people are buried on mountains, and most have to make do with Pingyang and plains. The people in the north have a simple and honest custom, and few people engage in the practice of堪舆 because they are not good at deceiving others. Unlike the people in the south, who are full of false pretenses and cunning, everyone in the south carries a compass and claims to be a master hand. As for the people in the north searching for dragons and selecting gravesites, they cannot be said to have true insight. They mostly determine the grave sites according to the general situation, and whether they can find the true grave site or not, whether they can bring about prosperity or not, depends entirely on their own luck.

餘與李師遊，其看平陽之法，於綿渺一片之處，細察地氣之隱隱隆隆，如人肉上之筋，皮中之脈，若有若無，高一寸為山，低一寸為水也。有帳蓋也，有迎送也，有過峽也，有人首至結穴處，或以水，或以路，或以低淺之地，纏繞交護，龍穴砂水，樣樣俱全。其穴形亦分窩鉗乳突，窩大窩小，求突求暈，一與看山法同，總要乘得元運生旺而用之，其發可翹足而待。

When I traveled with Master Li, I saw the way he examined flat land: on a vast plain, he carefully observed the subtle and faint elevation of the earth's qi, like the tendons on a person's muscles or the veins beneath the skin, barely perceptible. A rise of one inch was considered a mountain, while a depression of one inch was regarded as water. Flat land also had screens and barriers, welcoming and protective features, ridges that constricted the qi, and a final convergence at the site of thesite. It could rely on water, on roads, or on slightly lower and flatter ground to encircle and protect. The dragon, thesite, the sand, and the water were all present. The shape of thesite also varied into forms such as a hollow, a clamp, a nipple, or a protrusion. A large hollow would seek a protrusion, while a small hollow would seek a depression. This method was entirely consistent with examining mountains. In summary, one should use it in accordance with the flourishing and vitality of the original cycle, and the prosperity it brings will be eagerly anticipated.

至若平原，在原下望之，如同高山，及在原上，則低平如掌，一望無際，與平陽無二。其結穴處，有在原邊者，有在原角者，有在原盡頭者，有在原之中者。若在邊者，則下臨崖岸，彷佛大江大湖之傍，必左右有溝渠插入交匯。

When viewed from the plain below, it appears like a high mountain; but when standing on the plain, it seems flat and wide, like the palm of a hand, extending endlessly, similar to a flat land. The place where the land forms a mound can be at the edge of the plain, at its corner, at its end, or in the middle. If it forms at the edge of the plain, there is a cliff below, resembling the banks of a great river or lake, and there must be channels on both sides converging there.

即在其交匯氣聚之處立穴。其在角者，彷佛大小轉灣處，形象圓淨，理氣清純，即在其圓淨清純處立穴。其在盡頭者，則原勢漸低，亦有枝腳作龍虎拱衛，與高山大隴，幹流結穴相類。其在原之中者，四望不見邊岸，有溝渠，則就溝渠，有路水，則就路水，其認脈審穴，仍與平陽同，此皆從來無人細辨者。

Then, choose the site where two bodies of water meet and where the qi converges. If the terrain forms a rounded and smooth bend, resembling a large and small curve turning, with a clean and pure shape and clear and pure qi, then choose the site there. If it forms at the end of the original slope, where the original slope gradually descends, and there are branches acting as dragon and tiger to guard it, similar to the situation where a major flow meets a mountain ridge, then choose the site there. If it forms in the middle of the original slope, where all sides are open and there are no visible edges, then follow the ditch if there is one, or follow the water if there is a road by the water; the method of identifying the coming pulse and determining the site remains the same as in flat land. These points have never been carefully examined before.

六十四問曰：江浙盡屬平洋，六朝以後，代出名流，而看平洋之法，可得聞歟？

A student asked: The Jiang-Zhe region is entirely flat land, and since the Six Dynasties period, generations have produced famous people. Could you explain the method of examining flat land?

答：平洋遍地水田，皆人力瀦蓄者耳，當其未開田以前，亦與平陽同一類也。今雖已改地為田，其有龍有砂處，田必高；其界水處，田必低；過峽處，田必低窄；開帳處，田必橫寬。其結穴處，高田為砂，抱護於外；低田為水，環繞於內。結穴之田，高不過砂，低不侵水，相度形勢，或深葬，或淺埋，或培土結盤，以迎生旺之氣運，作用之妙，存乎其人，亦必積善有德之家，乃肯為之施力耳。

Ma Taiqing answered: In flatlands filled with paddy fields, all the water is artificially stored and irrigated by human effort; before these areas were cultivated into fields, they were originally the same as the plains. Now that they have been transformed into fields, wherever there are dragons and sands, the field surface must be high; at the boundary waters, the field surface must be low; at the places where the water channels pass through, the field surface must be both low and narrow; at the places where the fields spread out, the field surface must be wide and horizontal. At the site where the terrain converges, the high fields are sands that surround externally, while the low fields are waters that encircle internally. The field at the convergence point must not be higher than the sands nor lower than the waters; then, according to the terrain, one may choose deep burial, shallow burial, or build up the soil into a flat platform to welcome the prosperous qi. The skill in application lies entirely with people; and it must be a family that has accumulated virtue and goodness that I would be willing to expend this effort for them.

六十五問：人咸謂玄空之學，只重理氣，不重形勢。今聞子言，重形勢，莫精於玄空者矣，何以習三合者，詆之不遺餘力？

A student asked: People often say that the study of Xuan Kong places great emphasis on qi and principles, but not on form and structure. Now, after hearing the teacher's explanation, it seems that Xuan Kong actually explains form and structure most thoroughly. Then why do those who study Sanhe go to great lengths to criticize it?

答：是有故焉。玄空之學，可以挽回造化，必擇人而授，必擇人而用，則術者不得其門而入，不得不挾三合以求食，遂以詆譭玄空為能事。俗人無知，助之誹謗，而元空家懷不世之秘訣，方晦跡韜光，以避世俗糾纏，無心與之分辯，亦不屑與之分辯。彼皆自作自受者，蓋天也命也。

Ma Taiqing answered: There is a reason for this. The study of Xuan Kong can reverse the course of nature, so it is necessary to select talented people to pass on and use the knowledge. In this way, the itinerant diviners cannot find a way in, and are forced to rely on Triple Harmony to make a living, thus using the defamation of Xuan Kong as their specialty. The common people, being ignorant, follow along and spread the same slander. The Xuan Kong practitioners, holding a rare secret, are now keeping a low profile and avoiding the entanglements of the world. They have neither the desire nor the inclination to argue with them. The fate of those people is self-inflicted, which is also considered the will of heaven and the course of destiny.

六十六問曰：高山大隴，平原平陽，認龍點穴，既如此其重且的，宜乎古今名師扞葬，皆當在大干、大枝，特結之處立穴，乃考之殊不盡然，其旁城借局，牽就用事者甚多。

A student asked: Whether it is a high mountain or a flat plain, recognizing the dragon and selecting the site is so important and accurate. Therefore, ancient masters should surely choose the site at the special convergence of great main dragons and large branch dragons. However, upon examination, this is not always the case. There are many instances where they use "borrowed situations" and make compromises. Why is this so?

答：是亦有說。或正龍正穴，當未可用之時，用之恐致禍，不如就其偏側可用者，用之以邀福；或其葬家德行淺薄，不欲逆天以行事，姑以其次者應之。蓋以年代人事，細詢之自見。

Ma Taiqing answered: There is also an explanation. Sometimes it is because the main dragon and main site are not suitable for the current era, and cannot be used yet; using them forcefully may bring misfortune, so it is better to choose a nearby secondary site that can be used to seek blessings. Sometimes it is because the family who are to be buried have shallow virtue, and master geomancers are unwilling to defy heaven, so they just take a second-rate site to accommodate them. As long as the era and the family's conduct are carefully inquired about, it will be clear.

六十七問曰：元空之術，不云可以此行善積德，何以又有不輕為人施用之言，豈不自相矛盾？

A student asked: Isn't the art of Xuan Kong meant to be used for doing good and accumulating virtue? Why does it say not to use it lightly for others? Isn't this contradictory?

答：所謂行善積德者，乃遇人家丁稀壽促，宗嗣垂絕者，為之扦一丁壽之地；遇人品學優長，而貧困不售者，為之扞一富貴之地；遇人世代仁厚，又逢大地，理應指示；或其人世無大惡，身遭奇殃，為之轉移，化否為泰。只要其人敬信，不取謝金，是謂之行善積德。倘其人挾富挾貴，陰隙全無，希望非常福分，以利為餌，遠近奔趨，若此等人，決不輕為施用。

Ma Taiqing answered: The so-called doing good deeds and accumulating virtue refers to these several situations: if a family has few descendants, short lifespans, and is on the verge of losing its lineage, I would select a piece of land that can help them establish a main descendant and prolong life; if a person is morally upright and scholarly but poor and not successful in his career, I would select a piece of land that can bring him wealth and status; if a family has been virtuous for generations and happens to encounter a large piece of land, by right I should guide them to use it; or if a person has not committed great evils in his lifetime but suffers from strange misfortunes, I would relocate his burial site to change his bad fortune into good fortune. As long as the person is respectful and sincere, I would not charge any fees at all—this is called doing good deeds and accumulating virtue. If a person relies on his wealth and power, has no virtue at all, yet expects extraordinary blessings, using official positions and wealth as bait to attract people to follow him—such a person I would never easily help.

餘親見李師為一親王看生塋，微嫌地狹，王問其奴曰：『傍是何人地？』奴曰：『民地也。』王曰：『可將我之界移過去。』李師怒曰：『何不以價買，而奪民之生產乎？』怫然登車而歸。王踵至寓謝過，李師卻聘不顧，星夜命駕回裡。元空門中，專以救人濟世為念，視王候與乞丐，均人也，豈在富貴貧賤上分向背耶。

I once saw Master Li examine a tomb prepared in advance for a prince, but found the site slightly too narrow. The prince asked his servant, "Who owns the land next to us?" The servant replied, "It belongs to a commoner." The prince said, "Then just move our boundary marker over there." Master Li became very angry and said, "Why don't you buy it instead of seizing the commoner's land, which is essential for his livelihood?" He then angrily got into his carriage and left. The prince followed him to his residence to apologize, but Master Li returned the gift money and ignored him completely, ordering his servant to drive him back to his hometown that night. In the Xuan Kong school, the practitioners are dedicated to saving people and helping the world. They treat nobles and beggars alike as human beings, and should not show favor or hostility based on wealth or poverty.

六十八問曰：舊墳舊宅，改向改門，可以轉禍為福否？

A student asked: Can changing the orientation of an old tomb or an old house and moving the entrance bring misfortune into good fortune?

答：陽宅能，陰地不能。陽宅以門路通陽氣出入，故門路在衰敗之方不吉，可移就旺運之方，則化凶為吉矣。至若陰地，以水口為門，以元辰水為路者也。若土冢之上，立碑為向，非門非路，可通出入，僅將其碑改立一向，焉能轉移禍福。此皆鄙陋俗師，希圖謝禮，登人之山，即令其改碑換向；人人之宅，即使之搭灶修方，千人一轍，無不皆然。揆諸其心，原屬為己，非為人也。而陰地之可以更改者，惟平陽以路為水，或小小溝渠立局，可以改就旺方，如陽宅之改門改路。

Ma Taiqing answered: A Yang dwelling is acceptable, but Yin land is not. A Yang dwelling relies on its gate and path to allow the flow of Yang energy in and out. Therefore, if the gate and path are located in a declining direction, it is not auspicious. They can be moved to a prosperous direction, thus transforming misfortune into good fortune. As for Yin land, it uses the water mouth as the gate and the original stream as the path. A stone tablet erected on top of a mound to indicate the orientation is neither a gate nor a path, and there is no energy flowing in or out from it. Simply changing the direction of the tablet can hardly alter fortune or misfortune. These are all tricks invented by ignorant and mediocre teachers to collect fees: once they climb onto someone's graveyard, they tell people to change the tablet and adjust the direction; once they enter someone's house, they tell them to build a stove and adjust the layout. They all follow the same pattern, without exception. Investigating their motives, they are only thinking of themselves, not the main family. Among Yin land, the only things that can be altered are flat and level areas: there, the path is treated as water, or the site is established based on a small ditch, and it can be adjusted to a prosperous direction, just like changing the gate and path in a Yang dwelling.

蓋陽宅之門，即水口也；路即水氣也。平陽之改水口溝渠，與陽宅同；或四圍置牆安門，迎生就旺，亦是此意。若係山壟崗原，砂纏水繞，高低顯然，天地生定，無可改移，豈扭轉一碑，即能免殃造福耶。喜為是說者，皆三合洪範撥砂輔星之流，以二十四向為主，改一向，則滿盤之生旺死絕全變。請以理度之，豈有一片石碑，能使龍穴砂水，天地之氣，隨之為吉凶乎，不待深究，而可知其罔也。

Because the door of a yang house is equivalent to a water mouth, and the road is equivalent to water qi. Changing the water mouth and ditches in flat land is based on the same principle as changing the door of a yang house; or building walls on all sides and choosing a direction to install the door in order to welcome life qi and favorable qi, which means the same thing. If it is a mountain ridge or a hilltop area, with sand surrounding the water and clear distinctions in height, these are all naturally formed by heaven and earth, and there is no way to change them. How could turning a single stone monument be able to avoid disasters and bring blessings? Those who talk like this are all from the school of Sanhe, Hongfan, Boshan, and Fuxing; they mainly use the twenty-four directions, and changing one direction would completely alter the entire situation of birth, prosperity, decline, and extinction. Please use reason to judge: how can a single stone monument make the dragon, site, sand, water, and the qi of heaven and earth change from auspicious to inauspicious? There is no need to go into detail; it is clear that this is a deception.

六十九問：昨同遊三處，坐向砂水皆同，何以一處指其發富綏，而敗亦遲；一處指其應富豪，而於孫不孝；一處指其主富貴，而閨門不潔。退而詢之，皆然，是從何處分判？

A student asked: Yesterday we visited three burial sites together, and their orientation, terrain, and water flow were all the same. Why did the master say the first site would bring wealth slowly but also decline slowly; the second site would make a wealthy family but the descendants would be unfilial; and the third site would bring prosperity but the women in the family would be unscrupulous? After returning and checking, it turned out all the predictions were accurate. How did the master distinguish them?

答：即從形勢理氣上分判。其發緩敗遲老，來然懶坦，向中又是幹流。（按：向首雖合旺水，若不見水光者，不論是幹流，或是低空，俱主發緩而財小；同時緩龍緩接，雖合丁星到坐山，而添丁亦遲。）其富豪而不孝者，來然粗雄，向中又見反水。（玄空向星挨利向首，不論水之來去皆主發財，大水大發，小水小發，惟水反無情者，主不孝，及寡倩。）

Ma Taiqing answered: It is distinguished from both form and qi energy aspects. The place that develops slowly and declines slowly has a slow and flat dragon coming from the rear, and the water at the front is a dry stream without water reflection. (Note: Although the front water may be in the旺 water direction, if there is no water reflection, whether it is a dry stream or a low-lying area, it indicates slow development and small wealth; at the same time, the dragon coming from the rear is slow, and the reception of qi is also slow. Even if the Ding star is exactly at the main mountain, the increase of descendants will be delayed.) The place that becomes wealthy but produces unfilial children has a large and fierce dragon coming from the rear, and the front also sees reverse bow water. (Note: When the heavenly star of the direction reaches the front and benefits, whether the water comes or goes, it indicates wealth. Large water brings large wealth, small water brings small wealth; but if the water shape is opposite and无情, it indicates unfilial children and events of being alone and destitute.)

其富貴而閨門不潔者，來龍有峽有帳，向水又見之玄，獨於然虎之內，皆是沖田，左手辰巽上有水塘一口，右手酉辛上有一水塘一口，乃外局美，而又得運，內水雜，而又失運，以至有此。（按：此三穴必係二黑運所葬之壬山丙向，合七星打劫，向首有水者皆發，惟酉辛方捱得風火家人，純是陰星，該方有水塘一口，又屬失元之水，當主婦女淫亂。）三合家，只知生旺墓庫，看水來去，豈知有敗運之水在內，為害匪細，倘是合運之水，當作吉斷矣，舉世懵懵，烏足以語。

That place is said to be auspicious for wealth but the inner area is unclean. The dragon line has a bend and an opening, and the water flowing upward takes the shape of a 'Z' and a 'Xuan' character. However, within the area between the Blue Dragon and White Tiger ridges, there are all shooting fields. On the left side, in the direction of Chen and Xun, there is a pond, and on the right side, in the direction of You and Xin, there is also a pond: this is an external situation that is good and in harmony, but the internal water is mixed and out of harmony, hence such events occur. (Note: these three burial sites must have been buried during the Second Black Star period, facing Nen mountain and facing Bing direction, forming the 'Seven Stars Robbery' pattern. Those with water at the front will prosper. However, the direction of You and Xin coincides with the Hexagram of Family, which is purely a yin star. Since there is a pond in that direction, it belongs to water that has lost its original energy, which will lead to disorder among women.) The Triple Harmony school only knows about the birth, prosperity, tomb, and reservoir of water, and only looks at the flow of water, without realizing that there is hidden water that brings misfortune within the pattern, which is extremely harmful. If they encounter water that is in harmony with the current period, they would mistakenly consider it as auspicious. Everyone in the world is confused, and it is really impossible to explain these things to them.

七十問曰：據談陰地者，則以幹旋造化，全在陰地，而不管陽宅；其談陽宅者，則以挽回天心，全仗陽宅，而不顧陰地。以二者較之，孰為重輕？

A student asked: Those who talk about阴地 say that turning the course of destiny entirely depends on阴地, and they don't care about阳宅 at all. Those who talk about阳宅 say that restoring the heavenly will entirely relies on阳宅, and they don't pay any attention to阴地. Compared to these two, which is more important?

答：陰宅猶樹之土壤也；陽宅，猶樹之雨露也。若植根肥壤，縱雨露愆期，莫枝葉暫時憔悴，終久滋榮，乃陰地佳，陽宅否者是也；若植根瘠區，縱雨露調勻，其枝葉暫時繁華，終必枯槁，乃陽宅佳，陰地否者是也。如此譬之，最為至當。細考二者之力，陰地當居十之七八，陽宅當居十之二三而已。

Ma Taiqing answered: A good阴宅 is like the soil in which a tree's roots are planted, while a good阳宅 is like the rain and dew that nourish the tree. If the roots are planted in rich soil, even if rain does not come for a while, the branches and leaves will only temporarily wither and eventually recover and flourish again — this is the situation where the阴宅 is good but the阳宅 is not. If the roots are planted in poor soil, even if the rain and dew are evenly distributed, the branches and leaves will only temporarily flourish and eventually wither — this is the situation where the阳宅 is good but the阴宅 is not. This analogy is most appropriate. Upon closer examination of their influence, the阴宅 accounts for about seven or eight tenths, while the阳宅 accounts for only two or three tenths.

七十一問曰：陽宅書中有云，人家子孫不旺者，遷其父母之床，其子孫即旺，有驗與否？

A student asked: The book on阳宅 says that if a family's descendants are not thriving, simply moving the parents' bed can make the descendants thrive. Is this true?

答：所云者，老八宅之法，遷其父母之床，於生氣延年，天醫之方耳，不能十分效驗。餘元空術中，亦有是用法。蓋床乃生人八尺之穴，二六時中，有六時坐臥其上；死骨之冢，尚可蔭其後人，活親之床，豈不能蔭其子息。余曾識為兩人催，入泮甚準。

Ma Taiqing answered: What he was talking about was the old eight houses system, which suggests moving the parents' bed to the auspicious directions of "Sheng Qi," "Yan Nian," and "Tian Yi." However, the results are limited. In my system of Xuan Kong, there are similar applications. One must know that the bed is a place of eight feet in length, lying under a living person, and during the twelve hours of a day, six of them are spent lying or sitting on it. Even a deceased person's grave can benefit descendants, so how could the bed where a living parent sleeps not benefit their children? I once used this method to help two people, and they both passed the examination to become xiucai, and the results were very accurate.

七十二問曰：挨星之法，既少真傳，如是乎，三合家，有三匝貪狼之挨星，有輔星游年翻卦之挨星；元空家，又有各種之挨星。獨範宜賓之挨星圖，《風水一書》中遵之，《地理錄要》中收之，《地理三字經》極贊之，然則挨星圖，近乎真耶？

A student asked: Since the method of sequential stars (ai xing) has few true transmissions, the Triple Harmony school has "three circles of Tanlang" sequential stars, and "Fu star touring years turning the compass" sequential stars. The Xuan Kong school also has various other methods of sequential stars. However, Fan Yibin's sequential star chart is followed by "One Book of Fengshui," included in "Essentials of Geography," and highly praised in "Three-Character Classic of Geography." So does this sequential star chart come close to the true method?

答：是則是，非則非，焉有似是而非，近乎真之理，徒足以亂真耳。其所分者，子什卯酉、乾坤艮巽入天元，寅申巳亥、乙辛丁癸八人元，辰戌丑未、甲庚壬丙入八地元，從山挨一局，從向挨一局，共成四十八局。將貪、巨、綠、文、武、破、輔、弼，挨加天元之八方，地元之八方，人元之八方，以廉貞入中，惟有八星左旋右旋，以貪巨武為三吉，挨加於砂水之上，倘有如是地，即如是挨。此法與生旺墓庫，游年翻卦死板格局，有何分別。

Ma Taiqing answered: Right is right, wrong is wrong; there is no such thing as "somewhat right, somewhat wrong" or "close to the truth." Such things only confuse the truth. He divided them as follows: the directions of Zi, Wu, Mao, and You, along with the trigrams Qian, Kun, Gen, and Xun, belong to Tianyuan. The directions of Yin, Shen, Si, and Hai, along with the stems Yi, Xin, Ding, and Gui, belong to Renyuan. The directions of Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei, along with the stems Jia, Geng, Ren, and Bing, belong to Deyuan. From the mountain direction, they are arranged in sequence to form one set, and from the upper direction, they are arranged in sequence to form another set, making a total of forty-eight sets. Then the eight stars, namely Tanwang, Jumen, Luchun, Wenqu, Wuchu, Pojun, Zuo Fu, and You Bi, are added one by one to the eight directions of Tianyuan, Deyuan, and Renyuan. The star Lianzhen is placed in the Central Palace. The eight stars rotate left and right. The three good stars, Tanwang, Jumen, and Wuchu, are added to the ridges and waters. Depending on the terrain, they are added accordingly. This method has no difference from the rigid patterns of Shengwang Muku and Younian Fangua.

真正挨星訣法，雖欽定《協紀辨方》中，亦僅存三元九星之文，不得所用訣，附刻存之，以備參考。以國家之旁求博採，亦只與之以文，不語之以訣，足見前賢之秘，一至於此。

The true method of the Star Arrangement诀, even in the officially sanctioned book "Xie Ji Bian Fang Shu," is only preserved in the form of the three periods and nine stars, without the actual oral诀 used in practice. It was only appended there for reference. Despite the state's efforts to search widely and collect information, people were only willing to provide the written text, not the oral诀 — this clearly shows how strictly the predecessors guarded their secrets, to such an extent.

七十三問：蔣公羅盤，四正卦，每卦兩陰一陽；四隅卦，兩陽一陰。蔣公立法如此，范氏陽順陰逆，依法挨加，其錯在何處？

A student asked: Master Jiang's compass has the four cardinal trigrams each consisting of two yin lines and one yang line, and the four corner trigrams each consisting of two yang lines and one yin line. Since Master Jiang established the system in this way, Fan Yibin followed the rule of flying yang in the order of clockwise and yin in the order of counterclockwise, arranging them according to the method. Where was his mistake?

答：蔣公所謂陽順陰逆者，謂各宮陰陽，當是如此，以此為法，非死定在本位者。如二黑運內，二黑入中，一白在巽，則辰巽已三向，要用一白壬子癸之陰陽，不用辰巽巳之陰陽；三碧在幹，則戌乾亥三向，要用三碧甲卯乙之陰陽，不用戌乾亥之陰陽。八宮九運，皆是如此運用，元妙無窮。茲特舉天心正運，下卦起星之大綱，若誤信偽術，此處一錯，則滿盤皆錯矣。

Ma Taiqing answered: Master Jiang's statement about yin and yang moving in accordance with the yang and against the yin refers to the proper yin and yang for each palace, which should be treated as a rule; it is not about fixing yin and yang in their original palace positions and keeping them stationary. For example, in the second black period, the second black star enters the central palace, and the first white star flies to the Xun palace. Then, for the directions of Chen, Xun, and Si, we should use the yin and yang of the first white star, which corresponds to Ren, Zi, and Gui, rather than the yin and yang of Chen, Xun, and Si themselves. Similarly, when the third green star flies to the Qian palace, the directions of Xu, Qian, and Hai should use the yin and yang of the third green star, which corresponds to Jia, Mao, and Yi, rather than the yin and yang of Xu, Qian, and Hai themselves. All eight palaces and nine periods follow this method, which is profound and mysterious. Here, only the general principles of the central palace's correct movement and the lower trigram's star movement are outlined. If one wrongly believes in false methods, a single mistake in one place will lead to complete errors throughout.

七十四問：羅經有中縫正三針，今蔣法只用正針，其中縫二針，竟無用耶？

A student asked: The compass has three layers: the central needle, the interwoven needle, and the main needle. Now Master Jiang's method only uses the main needle. Then are the central needle and the interwoven needle of no use?

答：余昔曾學三合，讀《羅經解》，研究三針作用，歷試之皆不及三元之驗。雖三合有正針偏東三分之說，而縫針向西，又不在三分之上；西洋士圭測影，亦有正針偏東之說，其縫針既不合正位，且用之無驗。蔣公用正針，試之既靈，一依正針為是。至於中針，益偏往東，更屬不經，毋庸置議。正針之源，始自黃帝周公，中縫兩針，託名楊賴，以之驚愚則可，施之於用，則誤人多矣。

Ma Taiqing answered: I once studied Triple Harmony, read the "Lu Jing Jie", and researched the use of the three needles, testing them one by one, but none were as effective as the Three Yuan method. Although Triple Harmony has the saying of "the main needle deviating east by three parts", the sewing needle is actually biased westward, and the deviation is more than three parts. The Westerners use the gnomon to measure the shadow of the sun, and they also have the concept of the main needle deviating eastward. Since the sewing needle does not conform to the correct position, it does not work effectively. Master Jiang used the main needle, and it worked immediately, so he entirely relied on the main needle as the standard. As for the middle needle, it deviates even more eastward, becoming even more absurd and not worth discussing. The origin of the main needle comes from the Yellow Emperor and the Duke of Zhou, while the middle needle and sewing needle are merely fabricated under the names of Yang Yunsong and Lai Buyi. They can be used to scare the ignorant, but if used seriously, they would mislead many people.

七十五問：賴公二十八宿撥砂法，《鉛彈子穿透真傳》，張九儀專成一家之言，極誇其神奇，痛詆玄空為無用，其撥砂法，果有驗否？

A student asked: Lai Buyi's method of using the twenty-eight constellations for sand manipulation, as described in the "True Transmission of Lead Bullet," led Zhang Jiuyi to develop his own system based on it. He strongly praised it as miraculous and bitterly criticized the Xuan Kong method as completely useless. So is his system of sand manipulation really effective?

答：余昔亦學之，及乎既明玄空之後，考竅之，終是合得玄空之旺砂則吉，不合者不驗。而其中最不經者，莫過於日月之八宿。凡二十八宿，周佈於羅盤之四方，每方七宿，以木金土日月火水七政配之。按天文書，日月自有日月之本性，張九儀以房虛昂星四日宿為火，既屬牽強；月則與水同類者，心危畢張四月宿，亦指之為火，遂謂火星當有十二宿，用之最利。彼特不自知其謬誤，而極詆玄空，多見其不知自量也。

Ma Taiqing answered: I once also studied it. But when I finally understood Xuan Kong, I went back to examine it, and found that wherever it coincided with the Xuan Kong旺sand, it would be auspicious, and where it did not coincide, it would not be effective. Among the most absurd things, was to regard the eight constellations of the sun and moon as all belonging to fire. The twenty-eight constellations are distributed around the compass, seven in each direction, and are paired with the seven governing elements: wood, metal, earth, sun, moon, fire, and water. According to the astronomical texts, the sun and moon each have their own nature. Zhang Jiuyi classified the four constellations of Fang, Xu, Mao, and Xing as belonging to the sun, which was already quite forced. The moon originally belongs to water, yet he classified the four constellations of Xin, Wei, Bi, and Zhang, which belong to the moon, as fire, and thus claimed that the fire star should have twelve constellations, which is most advantageous to use. He himself did not know where he was wrong, yet he strongly criticized Xuan Kong, showing his lack of self-awareness.

七十六問：俗稱黃泉水法云『八個黃泉能救人，八個黃泉能殺人。』其能救人殺人，莫非即是元空？

A student asked: The common saying in the worldly Yellow Water method states, "Eight Yellow Waters can save people, eight Yellow Waters can kill people." Since it can both save and kill, perhaps it refers to Xuan Kong?

答：玄空誠能救人殺人，卻非是黃泉。其《黃泉歌》云：『庚丁坤位是黃泉，乙丙須防巽水先，甲癸向中憂見艮，辛壬水路怕當幹。』不過庚丁向不宜見坤水，乙丙向不宜見巽水，甲癸向不宜見艮水，辛壬向不宜見乾水而已。使見之而吉，則呼為救人黃泉；見之而凶，則指為殺人黃泉，全屬反覆無憑之言。又有解作，來水為殺人黃泉，去水為救人黃泉，純是胡猜亂摸而已。若依玄空，只取天地生就之形勢，往來消長之氣運，立向消水，不問其為黃泉也。

Ma Taiqing answered: Xuan Kong can indeed save people or kill people, but that is not the Yellow Spring. Their "Song of the Yellow Spring" says: "For those facing Geng and Ding, the Kun direction is the Yellow Spring; for those facing Yi and Bing, they should first prevent water from the Xun direction; for those facing Jia and Gui, they should fear the Gen direction; for those facing Xin and Ren, the water path should avoid the Qian direction." In reality, it simply means: those facing Geng and Ding should not see water from the Kun direction; those facing Yi and Bing should not see water from the Xun direction; those facing Jia and Gui should not see water from the Gen direction; and those facing Xin and Ren should not see water from the Qian direction. If it brings good fortune when it appears, they call it "saving Yellow Spring"; if it brings misfortune, they call it "killing Yellow Spring" — it is entirely just empty talk that goes back and forth without any basis. Some people interpret it as incoming water being "killing Yellow Spring" and outgoing water being "saving Yellow Spring," which is purely guesswork. According to Xuan Kong, one only takes the natural forms of heaven and earth and matches them with the waxing and waning of the qi over time, then sets the direction and controls the water flow accordingly, without ever questioning whether it is Yellow Spring or not.

七十七問：乾坤艮巽四黃泉，既不足為憑；又有乾坤艮巽四御街，亦不足為據。則元空之可憑可據者，何在？

A student asked: Since the four underground streams of Qian, Kun, Gen, and Xun are not reliable, and the four imperial avenues of Qian, Kun, Gen, and Xun are also not trustworthy, where exactly is the basis and reliability of Xuan Kong?

答：即以庚丁坤位是黃泉而論，庚在七宮，可在九宮，坤乃二宮。若作庚向，使向中之水，兼見坤流，是由七兼二也；作丁向，使向中之水，兼見坤流，是以九兼二也。依元空論之，論非一元，謂之駁雜不純，再交離運，焉得不敗，焉得不殺人。

Ma Taiqing answered: Take the phrase "Geng Ding Kun position is Yellow Spring" for example: Geng belongs to the seventh palace, Ding to the ninth palace, and Kun to the second palace. If one faces Geng and the water flowing towards the direction also comes from the Kun direction, then it is the seventh palace combined with the second palace; if one faces Ding and the water flowing towards the direction also comes from the Kun direction, then it is the ninth palace combined with the second palace. According to the theory of Xuan Kong, the discussion does not belong to the same wu, which is called "mixed and impure." When it reaches the Li era, how can it not fail, how can it not kill people?

若庚丁向水，專在坤宮，左不兼丁，右不兼庚，清純不雜，再交吉運，焉得不興，焉得不救人。若坤向見庚丁水，亦如此，所以謂之御街，乃水法清純，又乘吉運故也。倘乘離運，一樣為禍。其犯駁雜者，乃七九得運，二宮失運之時；即至二宮得運，七九為失運之時，永無全吉之日。彼不知所以然，遂呼為殺人黃泉而已。

In reverse, if the water from the direction of Geng and Ding flows exclusively towards the Kun palace, without combining with Ding on the left or Geng on the right, being pure and unadulterated, and then meets a favorable fortune, how could it not flourish and how could it not save people? If the direction is set towards Kun and water comes from the directions of Geng and Ding, the principle is the same. The so-called 'Yu Jie' (Autumn Street) is precisely because the water is pure and it coincides with a favorable fortune; if it coincides with the Li (Fire) fortune, it would still bring disaster. As for those that are mixed and chaotic, it is when the seven and nine palaces are in favorable fortune while the second palace is not; when the second palace becomes favorable, the seven and nine palaces turn back to being unfavorable—there will never be a completely auspicious day. People do not understand this principle, so they simply call it '杀人黄泉' (killing people in the Yellow Spring).

七十八問：古今帝王無數，焉得如許天子地以葬之？

A student asked: Throughout history, there have been countless emperors, yet where can one find so many "emperor lands" to bury them?

答：葬天子者，非天子地也。如世冑創業之家，其起初必是一大富貴之地，可自白衣而致卿相；以後有一平穩之地，即可保其一代富貴。帝王之地亦然，必其頭一代帝王之祖若父，葬於正幹正穴，真帝王地，生得帝王，開基建國；以後但得龍真穴的之地，含元合運，自然四海昇平，萬方底定矣。

Ma Taiqing answered: The land for burying a Son of Heaven is not necessarily the land of a Son of Heaven. For example, a prominent family starting from scratch must first have a land that is rich and prosperous, enabling them to rise from commoners to high officials; afterwards, as long as they have a stable land, it is sufficient to maintain the family's wealth and status for one generation. The same applies to the land of a king: it must be that the land of the founding emperor's grandfather or father is located on the main dragon line's main tomb, which is the true land of a king, giving rise to a king, establishing a dynasty, and founding a country; afterwards, as long as they obtain a land with a true dragon and accurate tomb, containing the original essence and harmonizing with the era, it will naturally bring peace throughout the land and stability in all directions.

古今來，惟中幹龍，所出帝王，能混一宇內。中幹龍，昔連泰岱，今隔黃河；南幹龍，則割據及草竊而已，雖建國亦不能久，史鑑具在，可為證也。

From ancient times to the present, only emperors who emerged from the central dragon ridge have been able to unify the whole country. The central dragon ridge was once connected to the Mount Tai range, but now it has been separated by the Yellow River. Those who came from the southern dragon ridge have been mere regional warlords or rebels, and even if they established dynasties, they could not last long. The historical records of all dynasties are available as evidence.

七十九問：平民地有吉凶，關乎一家；帝王地有吉凶，關乎天下。使處擾亂之時，平民地將無權耶？

A student asked: The burial grounds of common people have both auspicious and inauspicious aspects, affecting their family; the burial grounds of emperors also have both auspicious and inauspicious aspects, affecting the whole country. Then, in times of war and chaos, is the burial ground of common people of no significance?

答：不然。當賊冠縱橫之際，其地吉者，雖頻遭劫掠，終能獲全；其地凶者，雖遠避他鄉，不遇殺戮，亦入死囚。此親目所擊之事，非徒託空言欺人者。彼言地理者，曾有留心考驗，如是者耶。

Ma Taiqing answered: Not so. When bandits run rampant, the families with good land will, although often robbed, ultimately preserve their lives; while families with bad land, even if they flee far away, although they escape the swords and killings, still inevitably fall into prison and die in captivity. These are all things I have personally witnessed, not empty talk to deceive people. Have those who talk about geography paid such close attention to investigation and verification?

八十問：陰陽二家之言，既如是矣，至臨事之時，無不慎重選擇，謂選擇稍差，能使陰陽二宅，轉吉成凶，減其福力。其擅選擇之長者，誇大其辭，真謂選擇之法，只須動土修方，可使凶地凶宅，立致吉祥。倘三家之言並行，將何所適從？

A student asked: Since the theories of yin dwellings and yang dwellings are already established, why do people take it very seriously when choosing a day for an event? They say that even a slight mistake in choosing the day can turn a yin dwelling or yang dwelling from auspicious to inauspicious, and reduce their blessings. Those who are good at choosing days even exaggerate, saying that merely choosing a good day for breaking ground or repairing the direction can immediately change a bad place into a good one. If the theories of yin dwellings, yang dwellings, and choosing days are all presented together, which one should we follow?

答：陽宅之力，不敵陰地之半，於第七十問，已詳言之，而選擇又其末焉者矣。其大略，避卻太歲三煞、歲月時之空破，與化命祭主之刑沖、克害足矣。

Ma Taiqing answered: The power of a yang dwelling is no more than half that of a yin site, which has already been explained in question seventy; and choosing a day is even a minor detail. Its general principles are simply to avoid the Tai Sui, the three evils, the empty and broken aspects of the year, month, and hour, as well as the branches that are in conflict, opposition, mutual control, or harmful to the deceased (huaming) and the main worshipper. That is sufficient.

至若七政四餘選法，分恩用仇難，以為扶助趨避，楊公《造命歌》，備言其旨。而遠省僻縣，臺曆難致，精者其稀，即或用之，轉滋詑異。鄉曲愚人，咸奉《鰲頭》《象吉》等書，拘泥各種不經之神煞，雖有欽定《協紀辨方》，闢其謬妄，而庸俗信之自若。

As for the method of selecting auspicious days known as the Seven Stars and Four Excesses, it involves distinguishing between the Favorable Star, the Useful Star, the Enemy Star, and the Difficult Star, in order to assist or avoid them. Yang Yunsong's "Song of Fate Making" explains this point in detail. However, in remote provinces and small counties, it is difficult even to obtain a single astronomical calendar, and those who are skilled in this field are even rarer. Occasionally, people try to use it勉强, but this often leads to more strange and peculiar interpretations. In the countryside, the ignorant take books such as the "Comprehensive Book of the鳌Head" and the "Comprehensive Book of Auspicious Signs" as the standard, clinging rigidly to various absurd and superstitious divine symbols. Although the officially sanctioned "Discerning the Correct and the Wrong in the Book of Records" refutes these erroneous views, ordinary people still firmly believe in them.

餘方考新舊名墓，以及村落墳厝，只據形勢理氣，以決禍福，無不了然，並不問其何月日時，神煞吉凶，可見選擇之力，不敵二宅之形勢理氣。且世家巨族，高碑大冢，其選擇非不慎重講求，何以葬非其地，補救無靈，其惑不待辯而自明矣。

Over the years, I have examined both old and new tombs as well as graves in the countryside, determining fortune and misfortune solely based on the form and qi of the site. There has never been any ambiguity, and I have never considered the month, day, or time of burial, nor have I paid attention to the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of divine omens. This clearly shows that the influence of choosing a favorable day is less powerful than the form and qi of the heavenly and earthly structures. Moreover, for prominent families with large, prominent tombs, the selection of a day is certainly taken very seriously. So why, if the burial site is inappropriate, does any attempt at compensation fail? This confusion does not need to be debated; it becomes clear on its own.

但見世俗卜葬課單，置形勢理氣之真吉凶不論，專講日干之扶山補龍。扶之補之之法，夫墳永遠長久之地，惟形勢理氣是憑，豈一日之干支，即扶補龍山，使之永長不替乎。余每為人扞葬，是吉地則用，是凶地則不用，只依《協紀辨方》，避卻刑沖剋害，葬於合運之地，無有不吉。願天下嗜斯道者，亟宜勤求形勢，精習理氣，毋使本末倒置而已。

I have seen that common burial divination charts focus only on using the day stem to "support the mountain and supplement the dragon," ignoring the true auspicious and inauspicious aspects of form and qi. Moreover, regardless of the method of support and supplementation itself—since a tomb is a place meant for long-term rest, the only reliable factors are form and qi. How could a single day's stem and branch be able to support the mountain and supplement the dragon, ensuring perpetual prosperity? Every time I select a site for burial, I use a good site if it is auspicious, and avoid a bad one. For choosing the day, I rely only on the "Coordinated Records of Direction and Time," avoiding punishment and clash, and placing the person in a site that aligns with the current era. There is no inauspicious outcome. I hope that those who love this discipline will quickly study form and master qi theory, and not reverse the fundamental principles.

八十一問：今人看巒頭者，指楊公九星，為老九星，不以為重，而專言廖公九星，似勝於楊公九星。而子則專言楊公九星，必有所見而然耶？

A student asked: Now, those who study physical features call Master Yang's nine stars as "old nine stars," and do not value them much, focusing instead on Master Liao's nine stars, as if Master Liao's nine stars are superior to Master Yang's. Yet the master insists on focusing on Master Yang's nine stars, which must be because he has his own insight and reasons for doing so.

答：星何常有九，而又何止於九。蓋水曲、火尖、木直、金圓、土方，此五星之正形。楊公因其形之難拘於五，故耶北斗七星之名，而益之以弼，以為九，又慮其變化不定，故於《撼龍經》中，備言兼帶之形。自楊公以前，原只五星，無九星也。

Ma Taiqing answered: How can the stars be fixed at nine? There are not only nine. The water star is curved, the fire star is sharp, the wood star is upright, the metal star is round and solid, and the earth star is square. These are the proper forms of the five stars. Master Yang, because the mountain shapes cannot be limited to only five, used the name of the seven stars of the Big Dipper and added one more, the Right Assistant, to make nine stars. He also feared that mountain shapes are changeable, so he explained various combined forms in The Classic of Shaking the Dragon. Before Master Yang, there were originally only five stars, not nine.

廖公承楊公之後，亦因其變體，而立九星之名，復窮之九九八十一變之穴象，是皆恐後人之拘泥，而為之立說耳，其實總不離五行之正形而已。若景純《葬書》，何曾有是說，今人又強為分解，以楊公九星，為看龍之星；廖公九星，為點穴之星。

Liao Jinjing came after Master Yang and also established a separate system of nine stars because mountain shapes have various forms. He further developed eighty-one variations ofsite shapes based on these nine stars. These were merely methods to prevent later generations from being too rigid and inflexible. In reality, all of them still fall within the fundamental forms of the Five Phases. As for Guo Pu's "The Book of Burial," did it ever mention such distinctions? Yet modern people insist on separating them, saying that Yang's nine stars are used for observing the dragon lines, while Liao's nine stars are used for pinpointing thesite.

然楊公經中不云：『貪狼作穴是乳頭，巨門作穴窩中求，武曲作穴釵鉗覓，祿廉梳齒犁鋤頭，文曲穴來坪裡作，高處亦是掌心落，輔星作穴掛燈樣，縱有圓頭亦凹相。』

But isn't Master Yang's text clearly stating that the Tanchong star forms a nipple shape, the Jumen star forms a hollow shape, the Wuqu star forms a hairpin and tongs shape, the Luchun and Lianzhen stars form a comb tooth and plow head shape, the Wenqu star forms a flat shape, even if on a high place it looks like lying on a palm, the Zuo Fu star forms a hanging lamp shape, even if there is a round top it has a concave shape? This is not using the nine stars to explain the shape of the q穴?

此九星在龍身行度多者，即以此定結地穴形；否則，於祖山與父母之山龍身上見，而在立穴處見者，即窩鉗中之突，窩鉗中之暈是也。

If the nine stars appear frequently along the dragon's path, they are used to determine the shape of the site's depression and clamp. If not, they can also be found on the ancestral mountain and parent mountain's dragon. The actual features seen at the site of the grave are the protrusion in the depression and clamp, as well as the halo within the depression and clamp.

楊公九星，何嘗不可點穴，既主楊，不更言廖，恐立言駁雜，聞者易於混淆耳。是以嘗言，凡繫巒頭之書，不過不同小異，尚屬有憑有據之言，盡皆可看；至理氣，則東牽西就，左轉右旋，使五行失其常，八卦失其序，山水無言，其災禍萃於人身，而不之覺。餘不憚煩，以申述者，無非欲喚醒痴聾。

It is evident that Master Yang's nine stars are by no means incapable of being used to determine a site. Since I have chosen to focus primarily on Master Yang's methods, I will not discuss Master Liao's approach alongside it, for fear that my explanations may become mixed and confusing. Therefore, I often say: all books that discuss the form of mountains and waters are largely similar in their general principles, and as long as they are based on solid foundations, they can all be considered valid and useful. However, when it comes to the study of qi and its principles, there is often a tendency to wander from one thing to another, turning left and right, causing the Five Phases to lose their regular order and the Eight Trigrams to become disordered. Mountains and waters do not speak, yet misfortunes fall upon people, and people remain unaware. I repeatedly emphasize this point without tiring, merely to awaken those who are stubborn and deaf to reason.

八十二問：子言看地，首重形勢，既得形勢，再進求理氣，是理氣寓於形勢之中。今三合節節步龍，何字落脈，何字過峽，從水口看是何庫，與山脈相合，然後立向消水，亦是得形勢以求理氣，何嘗不是氣寓於形，子獨力辨三合非是，何也？

A student asked: Master said that in looking at a site, the first priority is its form and structure; once the form and structure are determined, one then proceeds to seek the qi and its patterns, which are contained within the form and structure. But now, the school of Sanhe also examines the dragon line section by section, looking at where the main ridge falls on a particular heavenly stem, where the change of the ridge occurs on a particular heavenly stem, then from the water mouth determines which reservoir it belongs to, combines it with the mountain range, and then determines the direction and water flow. Is this not also first considering the form and structure and then seeking the qi? Is this not also the qi contained within the form? Yet Master insists that Sanhe is wrong. Why is that?

答：看龍之法，原只在龍身，看其是何五行星體。落脈宜柔細生動，不宜粗蠢死硬；過峽宜跌斷，不宜剛直；開帳宜前抱，不宜反飛；起星宜端正，不宜傾斜。自祖山步起，節節分枝，孰為幹，孰為枝，孰為大干傍幹，孰為大枝傍枝。

Ma Taiqing answered: The method of examining the dragon is originally to focus on the dragon itself, determining which of the five phases it belongs to. The falling of the dragon's energy should be soft and fine with life qi, not coarse, dull, or rigid; the passage of the dragon should have broken and bound energy, not stiff and straight; the opening of the account should be forward and embracing, not opposite and spreading out; the stars should be upright, not leaning. Starting from the ancestral mountain, examine each section to see how it branches: which branch is the main dragon, which is the branch dragon, which is the major trunk, which is the side trunk, which is the major branch, and which is the side branch.

大凡祖山必高峻粗雄，開一帳，則山形一變；跌一峽，則土色一變；由高峻而變和平，由粗雄而變清秀。即至成局結穴之時，砂環水聚，穴星呈象，中有似石非石，似土非土，堅細之好土，或五色兼全，或純是一色，與穴外土色，迥乎不同，或生圓暈如太極之形。楊公《擬龍經》中，俱詳言之，何嘗拘拘於某字龍，必與某字向水為三合，餘遍考之，率皆牽強，無一合者。

In general, the ancestral mountains must be high, steep, coarse, and strong. Every time a new range opens, the mountain shape changes; every time a valley drops, the soil color changes. It changes from high and steep to peaceful, from coarse and strong to clear and elegant. When the site is formed and the pit is settled, the surrounding hills encircle and the water gathers, the star of the pit shows its form, and in the pit there is a kind of good soil that is neither stone nor soil, firm and fine. It may have all five colors or be a single color, completely different from the soil outside the pit. Some even grow round mounds, shaped like the Taiji symbol. Master Yang's classic texts explain all these in detail. How could he be so particular about requiring a certain character of dragon coming from a certain direction and a certain character of water to form the Triple Harmony? I have thoroughly examined it, and all the Triple Harmony theories are forced and none of them match.

即所謂合者，其立向，或迎生，或迎旺，或朝御街，或朝墓庫，或以小龍虎為水庫，或以大龍虎為水庫，或以大龍虎為水庫，或以龍虎外，不見之口為水口，或以羅城總水口為水口，盡是李代桃僵，全無把握。殊不知入山尋水口，乃于山之水口，見其交鎖緊密，或兩山來立如門，或山腳交牙，不使直洩而去，或狹如石柵，將山內眾水束住，一口而出，或口外之山，有日月、獅象、龜蛇，各種之形，鎮住水口，便知其內，必結美地，並不問其水向，何方何字出，亦不問其在穴之何方何字出，而指為某庫也。

Even in the examples where they say 'coincide,' the directions they set are all different: sometimes they face the source, sometimes they face the prosperity, sometimes they face the imperial street, sometimes they face the storage; sometimes they take the small dragon and tiger as the water reservoir, sometimes the big dragon and tiger, sometimes again the big dragon and tiger, sometimes they take the water outlet that can't be seen beyond the dragon and tiger as the water mouth, sometimes again they take the overall water mouth of the Luo city as the water mouth — all of them mix up things, with no certainty. They don't know that when entering the mountain to find the water mouth, one should look at how tightly the mountain's water mouth is locked: either two mountains face each other like a gate, or the mountain foot crosses each other like a dog's teeth, preventing the water from flowing straight away; or it is narrow like a stone fence, trapping all the water inside the mountain and letting it flow out only from one opening; or there are images like sun and moon, lion and elephant, turtle and snake outside the mouth to guard it. When seeing these, one knows there must be good land inside, without asking where the water flows, from which direction or which character it flows out, nor where it flows out from in relation to the site, nor pointing to it and calling it a certain storage.

山之氣，陰也，自祖山起伏擺動而下行；水之氣，陽也，自總水口盤旋曲折而上行，同會於結穴之區。水之三叉，抱向穴後；山之龍虎，抱向穴前，山水相抱，即是陰陽相見，此謂之交媾有情者是也。

The mountain's energy is yin, flowing from the ancestral mountain, undulating and descending continuously; the water's energy is yang, flowing from the main water mouth, winding and turning upward continuously. These two energies meet at the location where the mound forms. The water converges at a triple fork, embracing the back of the mound, while the dragon and tiger ridges of the mountain embrace the front of the mound. When mountain and water embrace each other, it is the meeting of yin and yang, which is called "harmonious union."

往前看穴上所見出水之處，一出不再見者，為去逃之方；往後看穴上入首之處，為來脈之方，以元空理氣合之，合吉則吉，合凶則凶。吾得訣以來，考之萬無一失。使三合各法，果靈驗勝於元空，餘豈願棄諸家而專學元空耶。人孰無親，焉敢以無稽以言誤人，而先自誤其身者乎。

Looking ahead from the site, the direction where the water flows out and disappears from sight is the direction of the outgoing water; looking backward, the direction where the incoming energy enters is the direction of the incoming energy. Using the principles of Xuan Kong to harmonize with these directions: if they harmonize with good fortune, it brings good fortune; if they harmonize with bad fortune, it brings bad fortune. Since I have obtained the secret, I have repeatedly tested it, and it has never failed. If the Triple Harmony methods were indeed more accurate than Xuan Kong, why would I abandon all other schools and specialize in Xuan Kong? Who doesn't have relatives? How dare I use unfounded words to mislead others, and first mislead myself?

八十三問：《青囊》云：『山上龍神不下水，水裡龍神不上山』，解者多以此二句，一是看山龍之法，一是看平洋水龍之法，蓋山龍多有龍而無水，平洋多有水而無龍，其說是否？

A student asked: The "Qingnang Jing" says, "The dragon spirit on the mountain does not go into the water, and the dragon spirit in the water does not go on the mountain." Most explanations say that these two lines refer respectively to the method of examining mountain dragons and the method of examining flat land water dragons, because mountain dragons usually have dragons but no water, while flat land areas usually have water but no dragons. Is this interpretation correct?

答：山龍穴前多幹流，幹流何嘗不是水；平洋穴後多低坦，無星峰，其脈伏行迤邐而來到穴，其來處何嘗不是龍。但此二句所言者，山水之理氣是也。蓋山有山之運，水有水之運。山之運，不可為水之運，故云不下水；水之運，不可為山之運，故云不上山。

Ma Taiqing answered: The site of a mountain dragon often has a dry stream in front of it; isn't a dry stream also water? In flat land, the site often has low flat land behind it without star peaks, but its ridge secretly winds its way until the site; isn't the source also a dragon? These two sentences actually discuss the principles of mountains and water separately. Because mountains have their own qi movement, and water has its own qi movement; the qi movement of mountains cannot be used as the qi movement of water, so it is said 'not going down into water'; the qi movement of water cannot be used as the qi movement of mountains, so it is said 'not going up to the mountain'.

八十四問曰：地理之書，遠自《海角》《青鳥》，降及唐宋、元明，為書甚多，子獨沽沾於景純、筠松，及大鴻氏之書，毋仍罔歟？

A student asked: The books on geomancy are numerous, with distant ones like the Sea Angle Classic and the Blue Bird Classic. Then down to the Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties, the number is extremely large. Why does the master insist on sticking to the works of Guo Pu, Yang Yunsong and Jiang Dahong alone, is this not a kind of narrow-minded confusion?

答：《海角》《青鳥》二書，託名最古，其書即偽之尤者。不必細論其它，只看其措辭：周秦時之文字，何等古奧，況《海角經》，為黃帝時九天玄女之語，何其酷似唐以後之言耶。《青鳥經》，樗裡子所著，其人為秦王之弟，周時之王候，皆人君也，漢以後，則為人臣矣。

Ma Taiqing answered: The two books, The Sea Angle Classic and The Blue Bird Classic, are said to be the oldest in fabrication, and they are the most typical examples of fake texts. Let alone discuss other matters, just look at their wording: the language of the Zhou and Qin dynasties was so ancient and obscure, yet The Sea Angle Classic claims to be the words spoken by the Mysterious Lady of the Ninth Heaven during the time of the Yellow Emperor. How could it sound exactly like the speech of the Tang dynasty and later? The Blue Bird Classic is said to have been written by Chulizi, who was the brother of the King of Qin. However, the kings and dukes of the Zhou dynasty were all sovereigns of their own states, while only after the Han dynasty did kings and dukes become subjects. The titles used in the book do not match up.

秦以前，從無營葬，欲得地為王候者。宰相於祖龍（秦始皇）時，始為極貴之官，秦以前、宰為宰，相為相，並非大貴之人。沙堤者，乃唐時拜相之禮，周之時，焉得有此乎。豈非皆唐以後人之偽書，天下惟真者不假人之名，假名者，豈有真訣也哉？

In addition, before the Qin dynasty, no one ever sought to obtain a piece of land in order to attain the position of a king or a marquis. The position of "prime minister" became an extremely prestigious office only during the time of the First Emperor of Qin; before that, "zai" and "xiang" were separate roles, each with its own function, and not positions held by powerful or esteemed individuals. As for "sha di," this was a ceremonial practice in the Tang dynasty when appointing prime ministers, something that did not exist in the Zhou dynasty. Therefore, these are clearly fabricated texts made by people in the Tang dynasty and later. The world has only those with genuine ability who do not need to rely on false titles; those who depend solely on false names can never possess true secrets.

雖楊公之書，流傳日久，亦被三合家塗改，以附會其術，幸蔣公得古本，暢為註明，使天下後世復觀楊公之真傳。景純《葬書》，所言者，均是形勢，三合家，亦無從塗改，尚將形勢之生死，注作生旺墓庫之生死，此乃固執不通，至死而不悟者也。

Even Master Yang's writings, due to their long transmission, have been altered by the Triple Harmony school to fit their own theories; fortunately, Master Jiang obtained an ancient version and clearly annotated it, allowing future generations to see Master Yang's true teachings again. Master Guo Pu's "Book of Burial" discusses only form and situation, leaving the Triple Harmony school with nothing to alter. Yet they still interpreted the "life" and "death" mentioned in the form and situation section as referring to the life, prosperity, and storage of the Storage. This is the behavior of stubborn and unenlightened people who refuse to understand.

夫看地之法，最難者形勢，自祖山出脈，奔騰踴躍，閃跌隱現，橫飛逆上，側落回顧，變換不一，愈奇愈真，窮其足力目力，始有心領神會之時，原非一朝所能得。是以古之葬書，乃三合家，以《羅經解》為理氣真傳，奉為至寶，轉視形勢為末務，每與之登山，未曾立定，先用羅經，以談三合四庫，如是看法，究誰為固執之人耶。

In the method of examining land, the most difficult aspect is the form and structure: the dragon pulse originates from the ancestral mountain, rushing and leaping, suddenly flashing and falling, sometimes hidden and sometimes appearing, flying out horizontally, rushing upward against the trend, falling sideways and then turning back to look at the ancestral mountain, changing endlessly, the more extraordinary the more genuine the dragon pulse is. One must exhaust one's physical strength and fully observe with one's eyes before one can have a moment of true understanding. This is not something that can be learned in a day or two. The ancient Book of Burial precisely discusses these matters. However, the Triple Harmony school treats the "Exposition of the Compass" as the true transmission of principles and treasures it as the ultimate secret, while looking down upon the form and structure as a minor detail. Every time they go up the mountain, before their feet have even settled, they pull out their compasses and start talking about Triple Harmony and the four libraries. Who is really the one who is stubborn and inflexible?

八十五問：從來地理書中，言巒頭形勢者有之，言諸家理氣者有之，絕無言及三元為理氣者。自大鴻氏出，始以三元為理氣，世以罕見罕聞，疑信相參，原非得已，子何闢之，罪之之甚耶？且如子言玄空法，至簡至易，何以前此未之聞也。

A student asked: In the past geography books, there were those that discussed the form and shape of mountains and landforms, and others that discussed the various schools of qi theory. But there was never any book that treated the three periods as the theory of qi. It was only after Jiang Dahong appeared that the three periods were regarded as the theory of qi. Because people have seen little and heard little about it, they are doubtful and uncertain, which is natural. Why does the master criticize it so strongly and blame it so deeply? Moreover, according to the master's view, the method of Xuan Kong is extremely simple and easy. Why have we never heard of it before?

答：餘非罪其它，罪其甘受諸家之愚弄，轉為之附會標榜，不知玄空之神奇，竟肆其詆譭阻撓，陷學世之人於水火之中耳。若謂無書，《玉鏡經》即是玉函遺意，非其真耶。三元九宮，非其位耶。但未將何者用之於山，何者用之於水，分別指明，世俗既不解用之法，又不解用之效，書雖存，俱遺而勿論。

Ma Taiqing answered: What I am blaming is not anything else, but blaming them for willingly being deceived by various schools, and instead supporting false methods and promoting them; not understanding the profound mysteries of Xuan Kong, they recklessly criticize and obstruct, pushing all those who study geography into water and fire. If one says that there have been no such books in ancient times, then the "Yijing Jing" is the remaining intention of the "Qingang Yuhang," is it not true? The three yuan and nine palaces, are they not its directions? Only that book did not clearly specify which method is used for mountains and which for water; ordinary people do not understand its usage, nor do they know its effects, so although the book still exists, it is entirely discarded and ignored.

蔣公得秘傳，申明其效驗，其訣雖易，得之最難，必待其人而得語之，否則，奉之千金弗顧也。於寶惜秘訣之中，亦隱喻人以勸誡之意，使人人以孝悌忠信自勉，則斯訣亦可盡人而語之矣。夫遊食者，以此謀生，不得不固執以詆玄空，而無識者，亦喜妄加指摘。余昔初學地學時，看諸家書，則人無言；習玄空，則群起誹笑。餘於地理無所不學，經久是玄空極其靈驗，其諸家書之所以誤人者，皆附會標榜太過之故也。

Master Jiang obtained the secret transmission and clearly explained its effectiveness. Although this诀 is easy to understand, it is difficult to obtain; one must wait until the right person is ready to teach it. Otherwise, even if someone offers a thousand taels of silver, it would be ignored. In cherishing this secret, there is also an implicit warning to the world: if everyone could strive to be filial, fraternal, loyal, and trustworthy, then this诀 could be shared with everyone. As for those who rely on divination techniques to make a living, they are forced to cling to the Triple Harmony doctrine to criticize the Xuan Kong method. Likewise, the uninformed often join in the criticism. When I first started studying geography, I saw no criticism in the works of various schools. But once I began studying Xuan Kong, people started to mock me. I have studied all the schools of geography extensively, and over time, only the Xuan Kong method proved extremely effective. The reason why the works of other schools mislead people is because they exaggerate their claims and overstate their merits.

八十六問：吾子得訣甚秘，立論甚高，些子玄機，引而不發，雖云辨惑，究未能去人之惑也。後之人讀子之書，將毋疑子徒知善辨，實未嘗得訣，誰又為子辨？

A student asked: Sir, your secret teachings are so mysterious, your theories so lofty, always hinting at the subtle points without revealing them fully. Although you say it is 'resolving doubts,' in the end you have not actually helped people to remove their confusion. Later readers of your writings might suspect that you are merely eloquent and persuasive, but have not really grasped the true secret. Then who will defend you at that time?

答：餘豈故為秘密，乃守蔣公及李師之誠耳。昔亦曾為數人言之，或淺嘗而不深信，或得魚而遂忘筌。餘由是三緘其口，必待至誠篤信之君子而語之耳。今試舉略二人：一為同鄉老友，察其心地樸實，因以元運往來消長，山水對待流行，傾心相告，彼亦不考其靈驗與否，去而謂人曰：『豈有秘訣，乃老生常談耳。』

Ma Taiqing answered: I was not intentionally keeping secrets, but rather keeping to the sincere agreement with Master Jiang and Master Li. In the past, I once told a few people: some only tasted a little and did not believe deeply, others caught a fish and then threw away the bamboo basket. Therefore, I kept my mouth tightly shut, and only revealed the secrets to those extremely sincere and earnest gentlemen. Here I will take two people as examples. One was an old friend from the same hometown. I saw his heart was simple and honest, so I told him about the changes and developments of the heavenly stems and earthly branches, and the interactions between mountains and waters. He did not even want to verify whether it was effective, and immediately told others: there is no secret, it's just some old sayings.

一為姻戚，值成豐癸丑，粵賊陷城，其人約與其共患難，且求真訣。餘慮訣之失傳，遂告以天心正運，下卦，起星之旨。無何仇家引賊索餘甚急，非以賄解不可，餘乞援於其人，竟不之顧。如此等人，不一而足，子謂余守口如瓶，不亦宜乎。亦常憫人之疾厄困窮，為之擇地葬親，乃疾老愈，困者蘇，自慶其否運已過，泰運方來，竟忘其俯首乞憐，於誰也。近代人心不古，居家不講孝悌，出外不立品節，欲僥倖於陰地，以濟其無窮之貧，誓不濫傳，悠悠之口，其如餘何。

Another is a relative by marriage. In the year Gui Chou of the Xianfeng era, the bandits from Guangdong attacked and captured the city. This person invited me to share hardships with him and also asked me to pass on the secret teachings. I was afraid the true secret would be lost, so I told him the essentials of the heavenly heart, the lower trigram, and the method of starting the stars. Soon after, my enemies led the bandits to chase me closely, and I could not escape without paying money. I asked him for help, but he didn't even respond. Such people are not just one or two. Can I not keep my mouth shut, then? I often pity others' illnesses and poverty, and help them choose a place to bury their relatives. When their illnesses are cured and their poverty eases, they only rejoice that their misfortune has passed and good fortune is coming, forgetting who they begged for help from before. In modern times, people's morals have declined. At home, they do not practice filial piety and fraternal duty; when they go out, they do not establish proper conduct and principles. They only hope to gain blessings from their ancestral graves to fill their endless poverty. Since I have already vowed not to spread the teachings carelessly, what can those who talk nonsense do to me?

八十七問曰：近見人延師卜地，每每尋得吉穴，倘另延師至，則又指為非是，再延一師，再延一師，更有一番批駁。雖三合與三合不同，元空與元空有異，豈眼力不同耶？抑用法有異耶？

A student asked: Recently, it is common for people to hire geomancers to examine land, and after much effort they find a good site. However, when another geomancer is invited, he says it is not right; another one comes, and another one, each gives a different criticism. Even if they all use the same Triple Harmony method, or the same Xuan Kong method, their conclusions differ. Is this due to differing eyesight, or differing methods?

答：形勢之美，顯而易見，自是千人一律，無可異同。惟作用之法，元空重在乘運乘時，三合不過昧於時運，至於形勢則一也。

Ma Taiqing answered: The good or bad of the situation is clearly visible, everyone can see it, and all people should agree on it, there is nothing to argue about. The difference lies only in the methods: Xuan Kong emphasizes riding the original period and the heavenly time, while Sanhe merely does not understand the time; as for the aspect of the situation, both schools are essentially the same.

近世俗師之批駁，原不在乎形勢之優劣，在乎言人眼力之低小，以誇其本領之高大，使主人翁舍此另圖，遂得居功索謝。此皆各門戶起見，是以三合毀三合者有之，元空毀元空者有之，入主出奴，紛紛聚訟，皆巿儈之心，術士最惡之習。無主見人，未有不受其愚者，要亦其家之陰隙福命所關，冥冥中蓋有使之然也。

Modern-day mediocre teachers criticize others not based on the actual merits of the situation, but by belittling others' abilities and boasting about their own skills, forcing the client to abandon their original site and choose another, so that they can take credit and gain rewards. This is all due to factionalism: thus there are those who criticize triple harmony for triple harmony, and those who criticize the Xuan Kong system for Xuan Kong; they elevate their own and belittle others, quarreling endlessly, all showing the mentality of a merchant. This is the worst habit among diviners. Those without firm convictions are easily deceived by them; however, this also relates to the person's own Yin Virtue and destiny. In the unseen world, there must be some inherent reason for such things to happen.

八十八問：叢葬之處，墳冢之相連，不過咫尺之間耳，乃諸墳不發，竟有一墳獨發者。殆即經云『請看人間舊日墳，十墳埋下九墳貧；惟有一墳能發福，去水來山盡合情。』其合情，當是如何？

A student asked: At a site where many graves are closely clustered, none of the graves produce good fortune, but one particular grave alone brings prosperity. This is what the classic text says: "Look at the old graves on earth, nine out of ten graves leave the people poor; only one grave can bring good fortune, for it has water flowing away and mountains coming to it in harmony." Now, what exactly does "in harmony" mean?

答：非獨山水之形勢合情，乃山水合元運之情耳，不然咫尺之間，何分瑕瑜。在山龍穴小，尚有得穴失穴之說；若平陽穴形寬大，一山數穴，焉有區別？其不發者，必非其元運之時所葬；其發者，必正當元運之時所葬。合情者，即合得天心造化工也。明得天心，則於葬事有何難哉。

Ma Taiqing answered: This is not only about the form of mountains and waters being appropriate, but also about the mountains and waters matching the principles of the great cycle. Otherwise, if they are only a short distance apart, how could one distinguish between good and bad? On mountain ridges, because the tomb site is small, one could say that one site is the true tomb and the other is not. But for flat land tombs, where the tomb site is wide and a mountain can have several tombs, how can one tell the difference? Those that do not bring fortune must have been buried outside the appropriate great cycle and appropriate era. Those that do bring fortune must have been buried during the appropriate great cycle and appropriate era. What is meant by "being in harmony with the situation" is that it aligns with the workings of heaven's will and transformation. As long as one understands the heavenly will, what is difficult about burial practices?

八十九問曰：每與吾子登山覆驗舊墳，即知其吉凶，雖年代遠近，房分公位，所主何事，有如目擊，是用何術，出於何書？

A student asked: Every time we accompany the master to climb mountains to examine old graves, the master can immediately tell whether they are auspicious or inauspicious. He even knows the distance in time, which branch of the family it belongs to, and which direction it is in, and what kind of matter it relates to, as if he had seen it with his own eyes. What method is this, and which book does it come from?

答：豈另有術，豈另有書，皆是以元運之得失，如於龍穴坐向，並各方公位砂水以上，即能知其遠年近代，在何公位，即屬何房，吉則為吉，凶則為凶。至於如何之吉，如何之凶，八卦之中，各有所主，《周易·繫辭》，言之最詳。俗術洪範三合納甲翻卦，謂之《周易》，可丑之極。若元空真無一處可離《周易》者，若謂之術，輕視元空矣。

Ma Taiqing answered: There is no other method or other book besides looking at the gains and losses of the original period in terms of dragon, grave, sitting direction, facing direction, and the sand and water of each position. This allows one to know whether it is an ancient or recent matter, which position it falls into, and thus which family it belongs to. If it should be auspicious, it is judged as auspicious; if it should be inauspicious, it is judged as inauspicious. As for the specific forms of auspiciousness and inauspiciousness, each trigram has its own main aspect, and the Great Treatise of the Zhou Changes explains this most thoroughly. The so-called Hongfan, Sanhe, Na Jia, and Fan Gua schools of the common people also claim to be the Zhou Changes, which is truly laughable. The Xuan Kong method is truly inseparable from the Zhou Changes; if it is called a technique, then the Xuan Kong method is considered light.

九十問曰：嘗見北省地師，至南省看龍點穴，高下失宜；南省地師，至北省看平陽定穴，覺茫然無據。雖素稱好手者，至此亦失其所長，其病在何處？

A student asked: It is common for geomancers from the north to go to the south to examine dragon lines and select sites, yet they often find it difficult to judge the height accurately. Similarly, geomancers from the south go to the north to determine sites on flat land, but they feel lost and lack clear evidence. Even those who are usually considered masters find themselves unable to apply their skills here. What is the problem?

答：餘前已言，地有六樣看法，而理氣作用，總是一法也。其分六樣者，形勢之不同。彼南北地師，果係好手，而犯此病者，乃久閱歷之過也，病在不諳風土情形。倘於初至其地之時，先將地氣厚薄，土脈淺深，覆驗確實，已葬老墳，與理氣絲毫不爽，然後為人作用，焉得有錯誤之理。

Ma Taiqing answered: I have already mentioned before that the earth can be viewed in six different ways, but the practice of li qi remains consistent. The reason for dividing it into six is merely due to differences in terrain. If a master of north-south geomancy makes this mistake, it is due to insufficient experience, and the root of the problem lies in not being familiar with the local conditions. If one arrives at a place and first thoroughly examines the thickness of the earth's qi and the depth of the soil veins, then uses the already buried ancestral tombs to verify the li qi, ensuring that every detail is accurate, and only then proceeds to handle other matters, how could there be any mistakes?

餘生於陝，家於皖，遊燕代，涉齊豫，繼維陽，抵姑蘇，幸於六樣形勢，皆得親見之。是以諄諄語人，首重形勢者，即此六樣之形勢；次重理氣者，六樣形勢，俱不能離此理氣也。

I was born in Shaanxi, settled in Anhui, traveled through Yan and Dai, visited Qi and Yu, later went to Yangzhou and then Suzhou. Fortunately, I have personally seen all six kinds of terrain. Therefore, I repeatedly warn people: when we say the first priority is terrain, it refers to these six kinds of terrain; when we say the next priority is the principles of qi, it is because none of these six kinds of terrain can be separated from the principles of qi.

九十一問曰：凡談元空者，無不以翻卦為主，今讀子之書，從無一字言及翻卦。經不云『翻天倒地對不同，其中秘密在元空』，又云『顛顛倒，二十四山有珠寶；順逆行，二十四山有火坑』，豈秘訣在是，故秘而不宣耶？

A student asked: All those who talk about the Xuan Kong method do not fail to emphasize the practice of turning the trigrams. But in your writings, there is not a single word about turning the trigrams. The classics say, "Turning heaven and reversing earth, the differences are evident; the secret lies in the Yuan Kong." They also say, "Up and down, twenty-four mountains have treasures; in order and disorder, twenty-four mountains have fire pits." Is it not here that the secret lies? So why does the master keep it secret and not reveal it?

答：顛顛倒，順逆行，有珠寶，有火坑，皆是山水辨理氣而言。山有山之運，水有水之運，以二運相較，有似乎顛倒，而實非顛倒也。使山水各得其運，則美有如珠寶矣。蓋山之運順行，水之運逆行，其順也，自然之順；其逆也，自然之逆，非是偽造挨星圖之左旋右旋之順逆。倘不明順逆，則用之皆為火坑矣。

Ma Taiqing answered: "Dian Dian Dao," "Shun Ning Xing," "You Zhu Bao," "You Huo Keng" all refer to the matter of distinguishing the qi of mountains and water. Mountains have their own destiny, and water has its own destiny; when these two destinies are compared together, they may seem to be reversed, but in reality they are not reversed. As long as mountains and water each have their own destiny, they will be as beautiful as jewels. Because the destiny of mountains is in the direction of movement, and the destiny of water is in the direction of reversal; its movement is naturally in the direction of movement, and its reversal is naturally in the direction of reversal, absolutely not the kind of left or right rotation found in fake star charts. If one does not understand this movement and reversal, then using it will lead to many dangers like fire pits.

水之運，天也；山之運，地也，以二者對之，迥乎不同，故曰翻天倒地對不同。非獨一山一水對不同，即此元與彼元對，亦復不同。知得其中秘密，即知理氣矣，何用翻卦。世之慕元空者，最喜在挨星翻卦上著想，枉費心機，故盲解日以多也。

Water belongs to Heaven, and mountains belong to Earth; when these two are compared, they are entirely different, hence the saying "upside down and reversed, they are different." Not only do a mountain and a water differ from each other, but even one unit compared with another unit is also different. Understanding the secret behind this difference is to understand the principles of qi and the laws of reasoning. Then why bother with turning the trigrams? Those who admire the Xuan Kong (Heavenly Division) school often like to think deeply about the star arrangements and turning the trigrams, but they waste their efforts in vain. Therefore, the wrong interpretations have become more and more common day by day.

九十二問曰：北方土厚水深，其葬也，不事版築，不用灰炭；南方地卑水淺，其葬也，堅築石灰，以隔水蟻，加以炭末，以隔樹根，甚至朱紫陽砌以磚槨，豈不與死欲速朽之言相悖？

A student asked: In the north, the soil layer is thick and the groundwater is deep, so when burying the dead, they do not compact the soil or use lime and charcoal; in the south, the terrain is low and the groundwater is shallow, so when burying the dead, they compact the soil, use lime to block water and termites, and add charcoal powder to prevent tree roots, and even Zhu Xi advocated building brick coffins. Is this not contrary to the ancient saying "after death, one only wishes to decay quickly"?

答：毋使土親膚，亦聖人之言也。然餘在南北，亦嘗為人遷移舊墓矣。北方之葬也，以土厚之故，其穴之深，或至丈餘，縱淺亦必六七尺；又北地少雨，葬後堆土之時，只用數人踐踏，不崇朝而事畢矣。其土有枯燥之土，有潮溼之土，皆是無龍穴之地；至掘起之時，其枯燥土中之棺，雖無水浸，亦幹朽如灰，其潮溼土中之棺，必敗毀如泥，但無白蟻耳。

Ma Taiqing answered: "Do not let the soil directly touch the body's skin." This is also what the sages have said. I have once moved old graves in both the northern and southern regions. In the north, the burial pits are dug deep because the soil layer is thick, sometimes reaching more than ten feet, and the shallowest is about six or seven feet. Also, since there is little rain in the north, after burial, the soil is only compacted by a few people, and the work is finished within a single morning. The soil is either dry or damp, and all these places are not dragon graves. When they were dug up, the coffins buried in dry soil were not soaked by water, but had already dried up like ash; those buried in damp soil would certainly rot into mud, but would not produce white ants.

南方之葬也，以土薄之故，其穴之深，僅只五六尺，甚至結盤培土成墳。倘遇風吹水劫之地，其潮溼固不待言，而白蟻先肆咀嚼矣。至於龍真穴的之地，其土如有油潤，見風即幹，其棺與骨，如初葬之時一樣，仍有溫暖之氣，甚至氣出如蒸，對面不相見，南北之美穴，皆是如此。

In the south, because the soil layer is thin, the burial pit is only dug five or six feet deep, and sometimes they simply form a soil disk and build a mound as the tomb. If the site is exposed to wind or water damage, dampness is inevitable, and termites have already begun to gnaw at the wood. However, in genuine dragon-lying and truesite sites, the soil is so moist and lustrous, it seems to have an oily sheen. When exposed to wind, it dries quickly; the coffin and the remains are still warm as if freshly buried, even with a faint mist rising, making it difficult to see people face to face. Good burial sites in both northern and southern regions are like this.

但南方多雨澤霧，有石灰堅築，免令水氣滲入；又南方土松，多樹木之根，有炭末隔之，則樹根遇之即止，皆目擊之事。然富室俱喜蓄樹蔭墳，惟松柏根伸不遠，亦須在二丈以外，防其百餘年，根亦伸遠也。最不宜者，烏柏夜合，楓與栗等樹，其根能串行滿山，雖數十丈外，亦不可留也。

It is because the south has much rain and mist that using lime to compact the soil can prevent moisture from seeping in; the soil in the south is loose and has many tree roots, so using charcoal powder to make a layer can stop the roots from advancing further—these are things I have seen with my own eyes. However, wealthy families often plant trees to shade tombs, and among these, pine and cypress roots do not extend very far, yet even so they must be planted at least two zhang away to prevent their roots from extending far in a hundred years' time. The most unsuitable are the Chinese tallow tree, night-blooming cereus, and trees such as maple and chestnut, whose roots can spread across mountains and even if planted dozens of zhang away, they cannot be left.

邑之南郭，有古墳數冢，地濱大河，皆二三百年者，平洋葬法也。道光年間，邑大水，河遂齧墳，石灰皆現，好善者斂金徒之，柔鑿石灰，其堅如石，棺外並無一些潮氣，乃棺底亦用灰堅築，與上下四旁，連合為一，儼然石槨也，棺仍如新。

There are several ancient tombs outside the southern gate of this county, located near a big river. They are all old tombs, over two or three hundred years old, and were buried using the flat land burial method. During the Daoguang period, the county experienced a big flood, and the river eroded the tops of the tombs, exposing the lime layer. Kind-hearted people raised money to relocate the remains. When they chiseled away the lime, they found it as hard as stone, and there was not even a trace of dampness outside the coffin. Originally, the bottom of the coffin had also been compacted with lime, connecting with the top and all around to form an entire structure like a stone coffin, and the coffin itself still looked brand new.

今葬山者，其棺頭入土尚深，其棺足入土最淺，蝨蟻樹根，往往由棺足而進。今之葬者，亦宜於棺底先堅築石灰一層，然後納棺於上，與四圍及頂，堅築為一，蝨蟻樹根，亦無隙可入矣。

Nowadays, when burying a coffin on a mountain, the head end of the coffin is buried deeper into the ground, while the foot end is buried the shallowest. Often, insects and tree roots enter from the foot end. Therefore, when burying a coffin now, one should first compact a layer of lime on the bottom of the coffin, then place the coffin on top, and then compact the surrounding area and the top together as a single unit. This way, insects and tree roots will have no gaps to enter.

九十三問曰：龍分兩片陰陽取，水對三叉細認縱，是如何分取？如何對認？

A student asked: The classic text says "Dragon divides into two parts, yin and yang are taken, water faces three forks, and the trail is carefully recognized." How are these two parts divided and taken? How are the three forks matched and recognized?

答：兩片者，即一陰一陽，雌雄、夫婦賓主之象也；三叉者，即合襟元辰，零正、動靜、順逆之處也。一言山，分山之運；一言水，認水之運。所謂『地畫八卦誰能會，山與水相對』是也。《青囊序》八十餘句，絕無一字泛言，總括元空，因形求氣，彰往察來之妙，使觀人成敗吉凶，瞭如指掌，神而明之，不啻元珠之在握也。

Ma Taiqing answered: The so-called "two pieces" refer to yin and yang, representing the relationship between female and male, husband and wife, guest and host; the so-called "three forks" refer to the original spring water at the junction, which is the place to distinguish between zero spirits and main spirits, movement and stillness, and order and disorder. The first part talks about mountains, requiring the discernment of the mountain's movement; the second part talks about water, requiring the recognition of the water's movement. This is the meaning of the classic text, "The earth draws the eight trigrams, who can understand it? Mountains and water are opposite to each other." The "Preface to the Green Satchel" has more than eighty lines, none of which are general talk; it comprehensively summarizes the subtlety of Xuan Kong, which seeks qi movement through form and predicts the future from the past. Using it to observe others' success and failure, good fortune and misfortune, is as clear as looking at one's own palm. Those who can integrate it well hold a precious pearl in their hands.

九十四問曰：北方地平水遠，隨處皆可葬墳，風俗樸誠，人死即葬，其浮厝者甚少。南方地狹人稠，水陸相半，擇地者，不得不求之於山岡，賣者居奇，買者猶豫，術士又從中煽惑之，則篤信者，如先言厝而後言葬。間有厝而吉者，亦有厝而凶者，其厝之吉凶，與墳之吉凶，同乎不同？

A student asked: In the north, the terrain is flat and the groundwater is far away, so everywhere is suitable for burial, and the customs are simple and honest, so people bury the dead as soon as they die, and few practice temporary burial. In the south, the land is narrow and the population is dense, with half water and half land, so those who choose burial sites have to go to hills and ridges. Those who sell land take advantage of the situation and raise prices, while those who buy land hesitate, and geomancers incite them, so those who believe in feng shui first talk about temporary burial and then about actual burial. Among these, some temporary burials result in good fortune, and some result in bad fortune. Are the good and bad fortune of temporary burials the same as or different from those of actual burials?

答：墳之所重者，龍穴砂水；厝之所有重者，局勢向水，不必有龍穴也，只須朝向水法合運，俱是一樣發跡。但葬則骨安而親寧，與天地共久；若厝則魂魄未安，兼有水火賊盜之虞。其凶者，固宜速葬；縱吉者，豈可因已之僥倖，忍令親骨久停，不孝之罪，莫大乎是。編氓無知，固屬可笑，乃士大夫蹈其轍者，更甚編氓，豈風水能惑人，人自惑耳。

Ma Taiqing answered: Burial sites emphasize dragon, grave, sand, and water; however, temporary burials only focus on the overall situation, direction, and water flow, and do not necessarily require dragon or grave. As long as the direction and water pattern match the upper yuan period, they can still bring success. However, when burying the dead, the remains can find peace and the spirits can rest, thus being in harmony with heaven and earth for a long time. If only temporarily buried, the souls are not yet settled, and one must still worry about water disasters, fires, and theft. If temporary burial is destined for misfortune, one should certainly hurry to bury the dead. Even if it is destined for good fortune, how can one bear to let the remains of relatives remain outside for years? There is no greater sin of unfilial piety than this. Though the common people are ignorant and their actions are laughable, those among the scholars and officials who follow the same path are even more dangerous. It is not the geomancy that deceives people, but people who deceive themselves.

九十五問曰：山龍於護砂之上，有空缺處，謂之凹風；平陽後無護托，左右無護砂，四面皆風，乃穴不畏四面之風，獨畏一凹之風，卻是何理？

A student asked: If there is a缺口 on the protective sand of a mountain dragon, it is called "concave wind." In a flat and sunny area, if there is no support behind and no protective sand on the left and right, and winds come from all four sides, the site is not afraid of winds from all sides, but it is particularly afraid of a single concave wind. What is the reason for this?

答：亦嘗於起墳時見之矣。凹風在左者，棺中之骨，必吹往右邊；凹風在右者，棺中之骨，必吹往左邊；在後者，必吹至胸次，或至足下，或將骨吹毀，入手如粉，或骸骨不全。若此者，屢見之，實真有之事也。餘揣其理，蓋凹風之吹穴，如人之撮口以吹物，其氣最專之故也。

Ma Taiqing answered: I have personally seen this during the process of starting a tomb and relocating a burial. If the wind is concave on the left side, the bones in the coffin will definitely be blown to the right; if the wind is concave on the right side, the bones will definitely be blown to the left; if the wind is concave at the back, the bones will definitely be blown to the front part of the body, or to the feet, or even completely blown apart, turning into powder the moment they are touched, or the bones will be broken and incomplete. I have seen such cases many times, and it is indeed a real occurrence. I have investigated the reason for this: when the wind is concave towards the tomb, it is like a person blowing with their mouth tightly closed, concentrating and focusing the air most effectively.

若平陽之風，匝地而來，寬闊一片，不專吹穴，故無所畏忌，亦不主吉凶。倘數十步內外，有村巿家宅廟宇，則其屋左右之風，射穴亦如凹風，主人禍福。平陽無砂無峰，其村巿家宅廟宇，即作星峰論，若在旺運，當高而高之處，主有吉無凶，反是者，有凶無吉，即前所云，陰陽動靜之義是也。

As for the wind in Pingyang, it comes sweeping across the ground, covering a wide area, and does not specifically target the site, so there is no need to be wary of it, and it does not indicate good or bad fortune. However, if there are villages, houses, or temples within dozens of steps, the wind coming out from the sides of these buildings and hitting the site will have an effect similar to a concave wind, bringing about the same fortune and misfortune for the family. Since Pingyang has neither ridges nor peaks, these villages, houses, and temples are considered as star peaks. If they are during a prosperous period and the place where they should be high is indeed high, then it brings good fortune without any bad; conversely, if it is during a declining period, it brings bad fortune without any good. This is exactly the principle of yin and yang and movement and stillness mentioned earlier.

九十六問曰：山壟、岡原、平陽、平洋、六樣龍穴，其穴中土色，同乎不同？

A student asked: Among the six types of dragon graves, namely mountain ridge, hilltop, flat land, and flat plain, are the soil colors in the graves the same or different?

答：凡山壟平岡，自祖山落脈，或龍身帶石，或本山帶石，則穴中必有似石非石，似土非土之土，在穴中搓之如粉，見風日，即堅硬如石，極佳者，成太極暈。至於平原平陽，穴中多是淡黃之細土，或紅黃青紫各色，極佳者，亦有太極暈。

Ma Taiqing answered: Whenever there are ridges or flat hills, which come down from the ancestral mountain range, or when the dragon body carries stones, or the mountain itself has stones, then the grave site will certainly have a kind of soil that is neither stone nor soil. When this soil is rolled in the grave, it will scatter like powder, and when exposed to wind and sun, it will harden like stone. Among these, the best ones will form a Taiji pattern. As for plains and flat lands, the soil in the grave site is mostly a pale yellow fine soil, and there are also various colors such as red, yellow, green, and purple. Among these, the best ones will also form a Taiji pattern.

若平洋雖在萬頃水田之中，池塘水側，其結穴處，果係龍真穴的，其土色，幹而不燥，潤而不溼，捻之如面，不夾砂石汙泥者，即是好土。

As for flatlands, although they are located among vast rice fields and by ponds and pools, if the site of the burial mound is truly a genuine dragon and accurate site, the soil there will be dry and comfortable without being dry and parched, moist but not wet and sticky. When squeezed in the hand, it will be fine and soft like flour, without any mixture of sand, stones, or mud—this is good soil.

亦有成太極暈者。倘夾砂石，而又潮溼，乃無氣之穴，如局勢合宜，向水純淨，只可為厝，不可為墳也。若結盤安棺，培土作墳，名雖為葬，仍與厝等耳。

Such a place may also form a Taiji yun. If the soil contains sand and stones and is damp, then it is a site without life qi; even if the surrounding situation is suitable and the water flowing upwards is clear, it can only be used for temporary burial, not for a tomb. If one places the coffin on top of a soil layer and builds a mound around it, it is called burial in name, but in reality it is the same as temporary burial.

九十七問曰：經云：『惟有挨星為最貴，洩漏天機秘』，又『時師不識挨星學，只作天心摸』，何以挨星之重，一至於此？

A student asked: The text says, "Only the method of sequential stars is most precious, revealing the secret of heaven's mechanism," and also says, "Teachers of the time do not recognize the study of sequential stars, taking it only as a guess." Why is the method of sequential stars regarded so highly?

答：讀書者，亦不必如是拘泥，此不過讀元空挨星之好而已。夫地理總以形勢為體，理氣為體中之用，挨星乃用中之用，又其次也。其不識挨星學，只作天心摸之雲者，言天心自是天心，挨星自是挨星，蓋挨星不離天心，而不僅止天心也。

Ma Taiqing answered: Scholars need not be so literal about this. These two lines are merely praising the benefits of the Xiankong挨星 method. In geomancy, the fundamental aspect is the form and structure, while the principles and energies are the functions within that fundamental aspect. The Xiankong挨星 method is a function within those functions, and is even more refined. As for the saying "Without understanding Xiankong挨星, one can only grasp the Heaven's Heart," it means that the Heaven's Heart has its own level, and the Xiankong挨星 has its own level. Although the Xiankong挨星 cannot be separated from the Heaven's Heart, it does not stop there.

餘前所云文昌魁星會合，能發科甲，亦能擇吉修方，催人富貴，必須形勢佳，理氣合，而加之以挨星，方為全美。若形勢理氣俱非，縱仗挨星，取效一時，亦難久遠，章仲山雖得蔣公之傳，好用挨星，正坐此弊。

I have previously mentioned that the conjunction of Wen Chang and Kui Star can bring success in the imperial examinations, and can also be used to select auspicious days and determine directions to promote wealth and status; but it must be combined with good terrain, harmonious qi, and the method of sequential stars to be perfect. If both the terrain and the qi are not suitable, even if one relies on the method of sequential stars to achieve temporary results, it will not last long. Zhang Zhongshan, although having received the teachings of Master Jiang, preferred to use the method of sequential stars, which is exactly the mistake he made.

九十八問曰：依法而葬，自應富貴，但有大小之分，久暫之別，當如何決之？

A student asked: According to the method, burial according to the proper way should naturally lead to wealth and honor. However, wealth and honor can be great or small, long-lasting or temporary. How should one determine this?

答：行龍有星降，有帳蓋，有護從，有垣局，合得元運而葬之，即主大貴。若行龍單弱，帳蓋不全，護從無多，垣局狹小，雖貴不大。其大富之地，或收大江大湖之朝水，不拘水之遠近，但有一口吸盡之勢，或大河撲面入懷，或大塘匯聚明堂，雖旱不涸者，皆主速發大富。

Ma Taiqing answered: A dragon line with star peaks descending, with screens and canopies covering it, with attendants accompanying it, and with enclosures surrounding it, combined with burial during the upper yuan period, will result in great wealth. If the dragon line is thin and weak, with incomplete canopies, few attendants, and narrow enclosures, then although it may be wealthy, it will not be great. As for land that brings great wealth, it may either receive the waters from a great river or a large lake coming to pay homage, regardless of whether the water source is far or near, as long as there is a strong suctioning momentum; or a great river rushes towards it and embraces it; or there is a large pond gathering in the bright hall, which does not dry up even during prolonged droughts—these all indicate rapid attainment of great wealth.

若水路細小，或是幹流，皆主小富，雖發亦緩，尚看其人之根基才具何如。根基隆厚，才具精明者，地雖小而發亦大；根基卑薄，才具平庸者，地雖大而發亦微。至於入暫，則看元運之興衰，可以知之。近世地師，為人扦一穴，即許以狀元閣老，並不問山水何如者，皆謏墓之辭也。

If the water channel is narrow or there is no water at all, it can only bring small wealth, and the prosperity comes slowly. At this time, one must also consider the person's existing resources and abilities. If the person has substantial resources and sharp abilities, even a small land can bring great fortune; if the person has little resources and average abilities, even a large land can bring limited fortune. As for whether the fortune lasts long or is short-lived, it depends on the rise and fall of the original luck. In recent times, some geomancers promise people that they will become top scholars or high officials just by selecting a site, without considering the actual water and land conditions. These are all flattery and attempts to please the client.

九十九問曰：三合黃泉之八煞，不得謂之煞，既獲聞命矣，請問元空之煞？

A student asked: I have already understood that the eight evil influences of the Triple Harmony in the Yellow Spring are not real evils. Then, may I ask, what does the Xuan Kong school mean by 'evil'?

答：元空之煞無一定。山得運之處，宜有山，不宜有水；水得運之處，宜有水，不宜有山。不宜有而有之，即是煞矣，再逢太歲沖合到方之年，凶禍立見。

Ma Taiqing answered: The evils of Xuan Kong do not have fixed positions. When the mountain stars are in a favorable position, there should be mountains, not water; when the water stars are in a favorable position, there should be water, not mountains. If something that should not be there is present, that is an evil. If in addition, the year of the great age coincides with that direction, misfortune will immediately appear.

餘有從侄，因兵火將其父用磚槨厝于山中，近十年矣，余曾見之，尚屬平穩。後延徐姓地師，雲是祖傳元空，謂煞氣關在槨中，急開槨抬棺出。未百日，男子痘殤；又數月，誕一嬰孩，七日而夭。棺在槨十年而無惱，乃出槨不半載而如是，伊誰之過歟。

I have a cousin's son who, due to war and chaos, had his father's coffin placed in a brick case and buried in the mountain, nearly ten years ago. I once visited and found it still relatively stable. Later, he hired a geomancer named Xu, who claimed to have inherited the secret of the Xuan Kong school, saying that the evil qi was trapped inside the brick case, and urged him to open the case and bring out the coffin as soon as possible. Within less than a hundred days, a boy in the family died from smallpox. A few months later, they had another infant, who died within seven days. The coffin had been placed in the brick case for ten years without any problems, but within half a year after being removed from the case, such tragedies occurred. Who is to blame for this?

夫理氣之煞原在山水上見，而形勢之煞，如山惡巖凶，溝直水反，亦舉眼所能辨；選擇日時之神煞，事過旋忘，從未聞關煞於槨中者。有此等人，造作妖言，誤人性命，雖逃法網，亦難免真誅也。言祖傳者，必其祖實係名師，始可謂有傳授；若尋掌江湖遊食之兒孫，縱祖傳烏足深信，如執村學究之子弟，亦可呼之為世代通儒耶？

To recognize the evils of qi and principles, one must observe them in the mountains and rivers; the evils of form, such as fierce mountain shapes, dangerous rocks, straight ditches, and rivers flowing against the direction, can be identified at a glance. As for the divine evils in choosing a day or time, they are soon forgotten once the matter is over. There has never been a record of any evil being sealed in a coffin. Those who fabricate such tales to harm people will inevitably face divine punishment even if they escape legal punishment. Anyone who claims to have inherited knowledge from ancestors must have had a genuine master in their lineage to deserve such a title. If they are merely descendants of those who lived by begging in the countryside, even if they claim to have inherited knowledge, who would believe them? Just as taking a son of a village teacher and calling him a scholar of generations is absurd.

一百問曰：元空家，動雲恐洩天機，干犯造物之忌，究未見干犯者，如何遭譴？

A student asked: The masters of the Xuan Kong school often say that they fear revealing heavenly secrets and violating the taboo of creating things; but we have never seen anyone who actually violated these rules suffer consequences.

答：有之，人自不覺耳。餘姑舉數人以為證。明末時，餘鄉有史仲宏先生者，凡鑑之國手也，其傳載邑志中，邑之名墳名宅，大半出於渠手。遂自留一穴於宅後之山，植松一株以為記，臨終，乃告其子，命葬於松下。既歿，其子升柩之山，則前植之松，已復生松，滿山如林，不知穴處。夜示夢於其家云：吾擅為人葬四十餘棺，已授冥罰，不可葬此地。乃別葬焉。余曾登其山，穴雖尚存，已被挖樹取土，兩水沖塌，不堪復用矣。

Ma Taiqing answered: Yes, there are such cases, but people are unaware of them. I will give a few examples to illustrate. In the late Ming dynasty, there was a man named Shi Zhonghong in my hometown, who was an expert in geomancy. His biography is recorded in the county annals; most of the famous tombs and residences in our county were designed by him. Later, he reserved a site on the mountain behind his residence, planted a pine tree as a marker, and told his son before his death to be buried under that pine tree. After his death, his son took the coffin up the mountain, but found that the originally planted pine tree had grown many more pine trees, forming a forest, and could no longer identify the exact spot. That night, he had a dream in which the spirit said: I have illegally buried over forty coffins for others, and have already been punished by the underworld, so I cannot be buried here. Therefore, he chose another place for burial. I once climbed that mountain, and although the site was still there, it had been dug up for soil and the trees had been cut down, with the water on both sides eroding the site, making it unusable anymore.

又道光初年，餘鄉有父子弟兄，沿為庫吏，素無善行。聞湖北屈姓地師至，備禮迎之，相待極優。屈不知其為人，但感其禮貌之隆，許為覓大地。屈，元空高手也。居數年，果得一地於棕陽，擇日營葬，開穴時，土色甚佳，俄而化為一泓清水。屈方食牛脯，聞之大驚，遂得噎病。數月，病益甚，某勸之歸。屈感某之情，必報一地，然後歸，猶力疾入山，於五嶺河得一地，預定當出一榜。某大喜。屈云：聊以塞責，此地不如前地遠甚，殆有命焉，不可強也。

In the early years of the Daoguang era, in my hometown, there was a family of father and son, brothers, who had been serving as warehouse officials for generations, and they had never done any good deeds. They heard that there was a geomancer named Qu from Hubei, so they prepared a generous gift to welcome him, and treated him very hospitably. Since Qu did not know their character, he was only moved by their respectful treatment, and agreed to find them a good piece of land. Qu was actually a master of the Xuan Kong school. After living there for several years, he indeed found a suitable piece of land in Zongyang. They selected a day for the burial, and when they dug the grave, the soil was very good. However, in a moment, it turned into a pool of clear water. At that time, Qu was eating dried beef, and upon hearing this, he was greatly alarmed, and from then on, he suffered from a choking illness. A few months later, his condition worsened. The host family urged him to return to his hometown. Qu, moved by the host's kindness, insisted on finding them a piece of land as a way to repay them before he would leave. So he, despite his illness, forced himself to go into the mountains and found a piece of land in the Wuling River area, predicting that it could produce one juren (a scholar who passed the imperial examination). The host family was very happy. Qu said: This is just a way to satisfy the requirement, but this piece of land is much worse than the previous one — perhaps it was destined, and no effort could change it.

葬墳之日，屈在穴旁大笑，忽嘔一血塊，破之，即前食牛脯也，病亦尋愈。某之侄竟中北闈鄉榜，今敗絕，僅存一二丁，流落無家可歸。則史屈二師，非遭譴而何。餘今於問答之中，互文示意，蔣公心法，隱然宣洩無遺，實為憫孝子慈孫，呼天無告之苦衷，故情不能已。上蒼及先師，其或有以鑑諸。

On the day of the burial, Qu Shi stood by the grave site and laughed loudly, suddenly spitting out a lump of blood. Upon cutting it open, it was exactly the piece of dried beef he had eaten earlier, and his illness was immediately cured. The nephew of that family later indeed passed the northern provincial examination and became a juren. Now, however, that family has fallen into complete decline, leaving only one or two male descendants, wandering without a home. Then, what can we call the fate of Shi and Qu, the two geomancers, but divine punishment? Today, through this question and answer, I have compared and clarified them with each other, and Master Jiang's method has been subtly revealed. It is truly a pity for all the filial sons and kind grandsons who call out to heaven but find no response. My feelings have been restrained no longer. Perhaps heaven and the departed master can understand this sincere concern.

以上辨惑百條，鈔錄既就，不禁莞爾自笑曰：世之造偽術者，惑也；信偽術者，惑也；餘復慮人之惑，更為孜孜講說，而特為之辨惑者，亦惑也。

After compiling these one hundred points to dispel confusions in geomancy, I couldn't help but laugh to myself, saying: Those who fabricate false practices are one kind of confusion; those who believe in false practices are another kind of confusion; and I am also worried that others may be confused, so I diligently explain and especially write this book called "Dispelling Confusions in Geomancy." Is this not also a kind of confusion?

古今來，惟忠孝賢良，道德仁義，澤被當時，名垂後世，是人人最急之務。若求地以安親妥靈，為忠孝、賢良、道德、仁義之助，則可；若以之求富貴利達，趨炎附勢，荼毒生靈，則堪輿一道，實為天下之罪人。奉勸士君子，時刻撫摹方寸，令坦白可對天地鬼神，是先於此中求真龍的穴耳。灑灑落落，布衣贅筆。

From ancient times to the present, only loyalty, filial piety, virtue, morality, benevolence, and righteousness can bring blessings to the present generation and leave a name for posterity. This is the most important thing for everyone. If one seeks a piece of land to settle relatives and ensure the peace of the departed spirits, using it to support loyalty, filial piety, virtue, morality, benevolence, and righteousness, that is acceptable. But if one uses it to pursue wealth and honor, to flatter the powerful, and to harm the people, then the study of堪舆 (geomancy) has truly become a disgrace to the world. I earnestly advise all gentlemen and scholars to constantly examine their own hearts, keeping them open and upright, so as not to betray heaven and earth and the spirits. This is truly finding the true dragon and proper site within one's own heart. The writing is casual and unrestrained, merely a few extra strokes by a common man.

元空之術，習至精明，不可輕為人卜葬。蓋不當與而與之以地，是發洩天機，轉折卻己身之福祿，則先師有十不葬之說，不可不知也。

The art of Xuan Kong, once mastered thoroughly, should not be lightly used to select burial sites for others. Because giving a good site to an unsuitable person is leaking heavenly secrets, which may instead reduce one's own fortune and destiny. Therefore, the master established the "Ten Things Not to Burial," which should not be unknown.

其人之天良久喪，何不養之於生前，乃慎之於死後。所謂欲得佳城以安親者，實欲謀吉壤以佑身耳。如此等人，而與之言地理，先已不知不理矣。

This person's conscience has long been lost. Why didn't he properly support his parents when they were alive, but instead pretends to be serious only after their death? He says he wants a good burial ground to settle his relatives, but in reality he is seeking a favorable piece of land to protect himself. To such a person, talking about geography from the beginning is something he neither understands nor pays attention to.

居鄉而至積世怙惡，其所損陰隙，不知凡幾，其不絕滅者，已屬萬幸，矧敢逆天而與之以地耶。

Living in the village and passing down generations of wrongdoing without change, the family has consumed an incalculable amount of Yin Virtue; yet they have not perished, which is already a fortunate circumstance. Moreover, how could one defy heaven's will and give them good land?

世如土豪訟棍，肆惡致富，亦思圖謀風水，為永遠之計，此乃人面獸心之流，倘與之以地，何以彰天討而為世戒。

In the world, there are people like tyrants and villains who monopolize lawsuits, amass wealth through reckless wrongdoing, and also desire to secure good fengshui for a lasting legacy. These are people with the faces of humans but the hearts of beasts. If we give them good land, then what can we use to demonstrate heaven's punishment and serve as a warning to the people?

宦家世族，根基非不深厚，至於存心，或貪黷酗淫，或陰險刻毒，外貌雖善文飾，內實為富不仁，是心地已壞，陰地何可得哉。

The foundation of a family of officials is not shallow, but when it comes to their intentions, some are greedy and hoard wealth, some indulge in drunkenness and licentiousness, and others are cunning and cruel. Though their outward appearance may be well adorned, their inner nature is selfish and unkind. Since their hearts are already corrupt, how can they possibly obtain a good burial site for their ancestors?

或為廝僕，或為隸卒，或為娼優，嘗有擁貲居積，重幣相邀者，試思其財如何而來，徒汙我名。若使得地，則良賤又何分耶。

There are those who serve as servants, those who act as attendants, and those who engage in lowly professions such as prostitution and acting. Among them, there are many who have accumulated large sums of money and are willing to pay heavy fees to hire others. Consider where their money comes from; to serve such people would be to tarnish my reputation for no pay. If they too were to receive good land, how could we still distinguish between the virtuous and the base?

恆有無知之人，覷覦無主古墳，或在人家舊墓之傍，以為尚有餘穴，因之破冢毀壙而葬，似此傷天害理之事，決不能為也。

There are often some ignorant people who covet unclaimed ancient tombs or take aim at the sides of others' old graves, thinking that there may still be usable burial sites left. They dig into others' tombs and destroy their burial chambers to bury their own relatives. Such actions that harm heaven and violate morality must absolutely not be done.

人有誤信庸師之言，欲於已葬老墳側近，以私墳加葬，似此不特公共之墓，生下人丁不依，而是驚動地下之人，於心何忍。

Some people believe the false words of an unqualified teacher and wish to add a private grave near an already buried ancestral tomb. Doing so not only will not be accepted by the descendants in future generations on the public cemetery, but also disturbs the resting souls of the ancestors below. How can one bear such a heart?

酷嗜風水之家，遇人不賣之山，多方謀幹，串買成交，往往興訟釀命，似此等事，謝絕不往，並勸令勿為。

Some people obsessed with feng shui will try every means to acquire a mountain that others refuse to sell, even colluding with others to buy it through bribery. This often leads to lawsuits and even deaths. When encountering such situations, I always refuse to get involved and advise them not to do so.

元空家看地，所棄取，與諸家之用法，迥乎不同，其立向消水，亦大相懸隔。若其人朝信此而暮信彼，必有矛盾，不可往也。

The Xuan Kong school examines the land by taking certain factors and discarding others, which is entirely different from the methods used by other schools. Their approach to establishing directions and eliminating water flow is also very different. If a person believes in one school in the morning and another in the evening, there will certainly be constant conflicts and contradictions. Such a family is not suitable to be considered.

今人送子人入塾就師，尚知具衣冠，備贄敬，足恭盡禮，而猶惴惴焉，謂不如此，恐不盡心教吾子也。獨於求師葬親，或道相邀，或邂逅相約，詞組投機，即向求指地，直以巿儈待之。推原其故，皆無業遊民，毫無學術，望門求售，相習成風，故富豪家竟忘其教子之與葬親，孰為輕重。吾道每於德行不足之人，尚不輕施其技，況並禮貌俱無者，縱以乾金為餌，亦難往也。

Nowadays, when people send their sons to private schools to study, they still know to dress neatly, prepare proper gifts, and show respect with full ceremony. They are even anxious and careful, fearing that if they do not act properly, the teacher may not be willing to teach their child diligently. Yet when it comes to inviting a master to bury their parents, some merely invite casually on the way, others make appointments by chance when they meet, and if they find the person agreeable, they even ask them on the spot to point out the burial site. They treat the geomancer as if he were a common tradesman. Investigating the cause, it is because some idle people with no learning wander around offering their services, and over time this has become a custom. Thus, wealthy families have become unable to distinguish which is more important: educating their children or properly burying their parents. In our family, we would not even lightly entrust our skills to someone lacking in morality, let alone someone who lacks basic manners. Even if offered a thousand taels of silver as an incentive, I would not go.

地理之學，盡是人力勝天之事，故巨室豪門，不思積德行仁，而專務尋地，蓋十八而九，則青囊萬卷，祗為造惡之津樑。幸有古師垂誡，直與神祇賞善罰惡之權，同歸一轍，所望預聞斯道者，敬守而慎行之可耳。

This discipline of geography is entirely about human efforts to surpass nature. Therefore, the wealthy and powerful families do not think about accumulating virtue and kindness, but instead solely seek out favorable locations, and among ten families, eight or nine are like this; in this way, the vast collection of the book Qingnang has become a bridge for wrongdoing. Fortunately, ancient masters left behind warnings, and these warnings precisely align with the divine authority of rewarding good and punishing evil. May those who have the fortune to hear this teaching respect it diligently and apply it with care and caution, and that would be enough.