Question 18 · Although the situation is favorable, it does not align with the original destiny.

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.