"Dispelling Confusions in Geomancy," by Ma Taiqing of the Qing dynasty.

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.)