Differentiating Authentic from Spurious in the "Ping Sha Yu Chi"

地理多偽書，《平尺》者，偽之尤者也。或曰：是書也，以目視之，儼然經也，子獨辨其偽，何居？曰：惟世皆以為經也，餘用是不能無辨。

Fengshui is a discipline where many fake books have been produced, and among them, the "Ping Sha Yu Chi Jing" (hereafter referred to as "Ping Chi") is the most fake of all. Someone questioned me: This book is right in front of us, appearing as a dignified "Classic," yet you insist it is false. What is your basis for this claim? I replied: Precisely because the whole world treats it as a "Classic" and follows it, I cannot help but step forward to clarify this issue.

今之術家守之為金科玉律，如蕭何之定趺法，苟出乎此，不得為地理之正道。術士非此不克行，主家非此不敢信，父以教其子，師以傳其弟。果能識此，即可以自號於人曰堪輿家，延之上座，操人身家禍福之柄而不讓，拜人酒食金帛之賜而無漸。

Nowadays, geomancers regard this book as the supreme authority, just like the laws established by Xiao He at the beginning of the Han dynasty, which are not to be altered. Any views outside of this book are considered not the proper path of "geography." Geomancers cannot proceed without following it, and those who do not listen to it are not trusted. Fathers use it to teach their sons, and teachers use it to pass on to their disciples. As long as one can memorize this set of doctrines, one can claim to be a "geomancer," be invited to sit in the upper seat, and take charge of the fortune and misfortune of a family without hesitation, receiving food, drink, money, and silk without feeling ashamed ("jian" is the same as "can," meaning shame).

是以當世江湖之客，寶此書為衣食之利器，譬農之來耜、工之斧斤，其於謀生之策，可操劵而得也。有朝開卷而成誦，暮挾南車以行術者矣。豈知其足以禍世如是之酷哉！知其禍世而不辨，餘其無人心者哉！

Therefore, nowadays, the itinerant diviners on the streets and in the markets regard this book as a crucial tool for making a living, just as farmers rely on their plows and carpenters on their axes to earn their daily bread. It is a sure way to secure their livelihood. Some even memorize the formulas in the book in the morning and, by evening, carry a compass (the "south carriage," a term here used to refer to the magnetic compass) to start their work of examining land for others. They have no idea how severely this book has harmed people. Knowing its harm to the world yet refusing to clarify it, how could I not be a heartless person!

或曰：是書之來也遠矣，千又安知其為偽也，乃從而辨之？曰：我亦辨之以理而已矣。或曰：亦一理也，彼亦一理也，安知子之理是而彼之理非與？曰：餘敵惠於先之賢哲，而授餘以黃石、青鳥、楊公、幕講之秘要，竊自謂於地理之道，得之真而見之確矣。

Some people have said: This book has been passed down for a long time, how can you know it is a forgery and dare to criticize it? I replied: I merely use the principle of 'reason' to examine it. The other person asked again: You have your own reasoning, and he has his own reasoning, how can you know your reasoning is correct and his is wrong? I answered: I have the good fortune to receive the blessings of the wise men of previous generations, who passed down to me the secret teachings of Huangshi Gong, Qingniao Zi, Yang Yunsong, and Mujiang Chan Shi. I believe that what I have received is the true诀 of geomancy, and what I have seen is a correct theory.

故於古今以來所謂地理之書，無所不畢覽，凡書之合於秘要者為真，不合秘要者為偽，而此書不合之尤者也。既得先賢之秘要，又嘗近自三吳兩浙，遠之齊魯、豫章、八閩之墟，縱觀近代名家墓宅，以及先世帝王聖賢陵墓古蹟，考其離合，正其是非。

Therefore, all the books that claim to discuss geography that have ever existed, I have read through without exception. Those that agree with this secret principle are genuine, while those that do not agree are fake. The "Ping Sha Yu Che Jing" is the most inconsistent with this principle. Having already obtained the secret teachings of the ancients, I have also traveled extensively in recent times, visiting the ruins and old sites of Sanwu, Liangze, Qilu, Jiangxi (Yuzhang), Fujian (Bamboo Forest), and examined the tombs and mansions of famous figures of modern times, as well as the tombs of emperors and sages from previous dynasties. I have checked whether they conform to what is written in the book, and based on this, I have corrected the errors and verified the truths within.

凡理之取驗者為真，無所取驗者為偽，而此書不驗之尤者也，故敢斷其偽也。益以黃石、青鳥、楊公、幕講斷之，以名家墓宅、先世古蹟斷之，非餘敢以私見臆斷之也。

Any theory that can be verified through practical evidence is true, while that which cannot be verified is false. This book is precisely the one that is most difficult to verify, so I have the courage to conclude that it is a fake. I use the methods of Huangshi Gong, Qingniao Zi, Yang Yunsong, and Mulu Jiaoshi to judge it, and I refer to examples from famous tombs and ancient sites of previous dynasties, rather than making up my own opinions out of personal bias.

或曰：然則秉忠之譔、伯溫之注盅與？曰：此其所以為偽也。夫地理者，裁成天地之道，輔相天地之宜，以經邦定國、禍福斯民者也。三代以上，明君哲相無不知之；世道下衰，其說隱秘，而寄之乎山澤之癯、逃名避世之士。

Someone asked: Then is this book, which is said to have been written by Liu Bingzhong of the Yuan dynasty and annotated by Liu Bowen of the early Ming dynasty, also unreliable? I said: This is precisely where its falsehood lies. This discipline of geography is "to shape the way of heaven and earth, and assist in the proper conditions of heaven and earth" (taken from the image text of the Tai hexagram in the Zhou Changes), a matter of great importance for governing the country and relating to the happiness and misfortune of the people. In the dynasties before the Xia, Shang, and Zhou, wise kings and discerning ministers all understood it; later, when the world declined, this discipline became secret, and was entrusted to reclusive hermits and lofty scholars who lived in mountains and waters, avoiding fame and the world.

智者得之，嘗以輔翼興王，扶持景運，而其說之至者，不敢顯然以告世也。文成公之事太祖，其最著者矣。及其沒也，盡舉生平所用天文、地理、數學之書進之內府，從無片言隻字存於家而教其子孫，況肯著書立說以傳當世耶？

A wise person who possesses this knowledge often uses it to assist an emerging emperor and support the prosperity of a dynasty. However, the most subtle aspect of it is not openly shared with the world. Liu Ji (posthumously known as Wencheng) assisting the Ming Taizu was the most famous example. When he died, he presented all the books on astronomy, geography, and divination techniques he had used throughout his life to the imperial court's inner library, and not a single word or sentence remained in his home for his descendants, let alone the idea of writing books to spread his knowledge in the present age.

故凡世本之稱青田者皆偽也。均之佐命之英，知青田則知秉忠矣。或曰：何是書之文辭井井乎，若有可觀者也？曰：其辭近是，其理則非（疏是先生不得不辨處）。葐亦世之通人而不知地理者，以意為之，而傳會其說，托之乎二公者也。餘特指其謬而一一辨之，將以救天下之溺於其說者。

Therefore, any book that claims to be "Qingtian" geomancy is fake (Liu Bowen was from Qingtian in Zhejiang, hence the name Qingtian). Liu Bingchong was also an outstanding general who assisted in founding the country; understanding the principles of Qingtian means understanding the principles of Liu Bingchong. Someone else asks: then why is this book well-structured and its wording seems quite commendable? I say: its wording may seem proper, but its principles are entirely wrong (the original edition has a marginal note here: "This is a point the master cannot help but clarify"). It is probably just a person who is knowledgeable in general matters but ignorant of geography, who fabricated it according to his own ideas, and then forced it to be attributed to Liu Bingchong and Liu Bowen. I specially point out its errors one by one and correct them, in order to save those people in the world who are deceived by this kind of doctrine.

山龍之脈與平洋龍脈，皆因水而驗其脈之動靜，而皆不以水而限其脈之去來。今先言山龍。夫，山剛質也，水柔質也，山之孔竅而水出焉。故兩山之間，必有一水，山窪下之處，即水流行之道。水隨山而行，非山隨水而行也。

The dragon lines of mountainous terrain and those of flat plains (water towns and plains) both rely on water to examine the movement and stillness of the qi. However, water cannot be used to determine the coming and going of the qi. Let us first discuss mountain dragon lines. Mountains are of a hard substance, while water is of a soft substance. Where the mountain has openings, water flows out from there. Therefore, between two mountains there must be a stream of water, and the low areas of the mountains are where the water flows. This shows that water follows the mountains, not the mountains following the water.

山之高者，脈所從起；山之卑者，脈所從止。山自高而卑，故水亦從之自高而卑，此一定之理也。往往大溪大澗之旁，小幹龍所憩焉；大江大河之側，大幹龍所休焉。蓋來山之眾支聚乎此，故來水之眾泒亦聚乎此也。

In high mountain areas, the mountain ridges are where the qi begins to rise; in low mountain areas, the mountain ridges are where the qi stops. As mountains go from high to low, water naturally follows the same direction, which is an unchanging principle. Therefore, beside large streams and ravines, there are often small dry dragons resting there; beside large rivers and major waterways, there are often large dry dragons stopping there. This is because numerous branches of the coming mountain converge here, so the numerous branches of the coming water also converge here.

然據水之順逆而論脈之行止，但可就其大概而言爾，若必謂水於此界，脈必於此斷；水向左流，脈必不向右行，則不可也。夫龍脈之起伏轉折，千變而不窮。有從小江小湖崩洪而過者矣；有從大江大河，越數百十里不知其蹤跡端倪而過者矣；有收本身元辰小水，逆行收數里而結者矣；有向大乾水逆奔數百里而結者矣。

However, judging the course of a dragon pulse by the flow of water, whether it flows with or against the current, can only be a rough estimate; if one insists that water marking a boundary means the pulse must necessarily terminate there, or that if water flows to the left, the pulse must not flow to the right, such reasoning does not hold. The undulations and turns of a dragon pulse are infinite and ever-changing: some pass beneath small rivers and lakes, "bursting through" and flowing secretly; some cross large rivers and lakes, traveling hundreds of miles without any trace or clue visible before they meet the pulse; some gather their own "original stream" small waters, flowing against the current for several miles before forming a mound; and some face a major dry river, flowing against it for hundreds of miles before forming a mound.

龍之真者，水愈斷而其過脈愈奇，勢愈逆而其骨力愈壯，豈一水之橫流，可遏之使斷，牽之使前乎？今《玉尺》云：順水直沖而逆回結穴，方知體段之真；若逆水直沖而合襟在後，斷是虛花之地。眾水趨歸東北，而坤申之氣施生；群流來向巽（震）辰，而乾亥之龍毓秀。甲卯成胎，不含酉辛之氣；午丁生意，豈乘坎癸之靈。據此而言，是天下必無逆水之龍也。豈其然哉。

The true dragon is such that the more water it intercepts, the more remarkable its passage becomes; the more it comes in a reverse direction, the stronger its bones and power appear. How could it be that a single flowing water could cut it off or lead it to flow smoothly away? Now the "Jade Measure Classic" says: "Only when water flows straight and then turns back to form a site, can we see the true form; if water flows in reverse and the meeting point of two waters, called 'hujin,' falls behind the site, it is definitely a false and useless place." It also says: "When all waters flow toward the northeast, the qi of the坤申 direction is then manifested; when all streams come from the巽辰 direction, the dragon of the乾亥 direction is then nurtured. Those formed in the甲卯 direction do not contain the qi of酉辛; those with vitality in the午丁 direction, how could they be able to ride the spirit of the坎癸?" These are exactly the key points of false statements. According to this, there would certainly be no dragon formed by reverse flowing water in the world. Is that really the case?

或曰：子所言，山龍也；《玉尺》所言，平壤也。故其言曰：幹源曠野，鋪氈細認交襟；極隴平坡，月角詳看住結。山龍有脈可據，故有逆水之穴，平壤無脈可尋，只就流神之來去，認氣之行止，豈與山之過峽起伏，同年而語乎。子生平專分山水二龍以正告天下，何又執此論也？

Someone defended the "Juching Jing" by saying: "You are talking about mountain dragons, while the "Juching Jing" discusses flatlands. Therefore, the book says: 'In vast plains and open fields, one should examine carefully the place where two streams meet, as if spreading out a carpet; on the highest and level ground, one should look closely at the subtle form resembling the moon's horn, and determine where the energy settles.' Mountain dragons have ridges and patterns to follow, so there are sites formed against the flow of water; in flatlands, there are no ridges to follow, so one can only recognize the movement of energy by observing the flow of water, which cannot be compared with the undulations and changes of mountain dragons. You have always divided mountain dragons and water dragons into two separate paths, warning the world, so why are you so stubborn here?"

解之曰：平壤固純以流神辨氣，與山之脈峽不同，至以水之來去為氣之行止，則我不取。我以為酉辛水到，則甲卯之脈愈真；癸坎流來，則午丁之靈益顯。坤申生氣，眾水必無東北之趨；乾亥成龍，群流必無巽辰之向。由此而言，《玉尺》不但于山龍特行特結之妙茫然未知，且於平壤雌雄交媾之機大相背謬。

I explained that although Pyongyang relies purely on flowing water to distinguish qi, it is different from the mountain dragon's discussion on ridges and valleys; but taking the water's coming and going directly as the movement of qi, I cannot agree. I think: it is precisely because the water from the west-southwest direction comes to the site that the ridge from the east-northeast direction appears more genuine; it is precisely because the water from the north-northwest direction flows in that the qi from the south-southeast direction becomes more vigorous. Since the southwest direction is where the life qi gathers, all the waters must certainly not flow toward the northeast (instead they should come from the northeast against the flow); since the north-northwest direction has formed a true dragon, all the streams must certainly not flow toward the southeast and east. Therefore, the "Juzhi Jing" not only fails to understand the subtle aspect of mountain dragons "special movement and special formation" (unique departure and unique convergence), but also contradicts the principles it discusses regarding the meeting of yin and yang in flat land.

至其統論三大幹龍，而以為北幹乃崑崙之丑艮出脈，而龍皆坤申；南幹乃崑崙之巽辰出脈，而龍皆乾亥；中條乃崑崙之寅甲、卯乙出脈，而龍皆庚酉辛。注者遂實其解曰：北幹無離巽艮震穴，中幹無震巽艮穴；建康只有南離、臨安只有坤兌、八閩只有坤申，固哉，《玉尺》之言也。

As for the general discussion of the three great dragon ridges of the world, it says that the northern dragon ridge originates from the Kunlun Mountains in the direction of Chou and Gen, so the dragons in that area all belong to the Gen and Shen. The southern dragon ridge originates from the Kunlun Mountains in the direction of Xun and Chen, so the dragons in that area all belong to the Qian and Hai. The central ridge originates from the Kunlun Mountains in the direction of Yin and Jia, and Mao and Yi, so the dragons in that area all belong to the Geng, You, and Xin. Those who make annotations simply take this to mean that the northern dragon ridge has nosite of Li, Xun, Gen, or Zhen; the central dragon ridge has nosite of Zhen, Xun, or Gen; and the southern capital (Jingkang) can only have the Li, Hangzhou (Lingan) can only have the Kun and Dui, and Fujian (Bamboo Region) can only have the Kun and Shen. The statements in the "Jade Measure Classic" are truly narrow-minded and laughable.

夫，舉天下之大勢，大抵自兌之震、自幹之巽、自坤之艮者，地勢之從高而下然也。至於龍之剝換轉變，豈拘一方。真脈性喜逆行，大地每多朝祖，若執此書順水直沖之說，遇上格大地，反以為不合理氣而棄之，而專取傾瀉奔流，蕩然無氣之地，誤以為真結而葬之，其詒害於人，烏有限量，餘故不得已，而叮嚀反覆以辨之也。

Taking a broad view of the entire realm, mountains and rivers generally flow from west (Dui) to east (Zhen), from northwest (Qian) to southeast (Xun), and from southwest (Kun) to northeast (Gen). This is merely the natural tendency of the land to slope from high to low. As for the transformation of dragon lines, how could they be confined to a particular direction? True lines tend to favor reverse movement, and the earth often shows a tendency to turn back toward their source. If one rigidly adheres to the notion of "following the water straight ahead," when encountering high-grade land, it would be considered unreasonable and thus discarded. Instead, one would selectively choose areas where water rushes freely and lacks energy, mistakenly taking them as true sites for burial. The harm caused by such errors has no limit. Therefore, I have no choice but to repeatedly emphasize and clarify this point.

易曰：立天之道，曰陰與陽。惟此二氣，體無不具，用無不包，是二者不可偏廢，故曰孤陽不生，獨陰不長，是二者未嘗相離。故曰陽根於陰，陰根於陽。舍陽而言陰，非陰也；舍陰而言陽，非陽也。

The "Shuo Gua Zhuan" of the "Zhou Yi" says: "Establishing the principle of Heaven, it is called yin and yang." Between heaven and earth, there are only these two energies of yin and yang: in terms of their essence, there is no single thing that does not depend on them; in terms of their function, there is no single affair that is not encompassed by them. These two cannot be neglected, so it is said "solitary yang cannot thrive, solitary yin cannot grow." These two have never been separated, so yang relies on yin as its root, and yin relies on yang as its root. To talk about yin without yang would not be yin; to talk about yang without yin would not be yang.

聖人作易，必扶陽抑陰者，何也？曰，道一而已，故曰幹分而為二，而名之曰坤。以兩儀之對待者言，曰陰陽；以一元之渾然者言，惟陽而已。言陽，而陰在其中矣。就人事言，則陽為君子、陰為小人。內君子外小人為泰、內小人外君子為否。由此言之，陽與陰不可分也。苟其分之，則貴陽陰，如聖人之作易。何也，若貴陰賤陽，是背乎聖人作易之旨，而亂天地之正道也。

So why did the sage compose the Book of Changes with the principle of supporting Yang and restraining Yin? Answer: The Dao originally is one, so Qian is divided into two, and the other half is named Kun. From the perspective of dual opposites, there is a distinction between Yin and Yang; but from the perspective of a single, unified principle, it is simply Yang. When Yang is spoken of, Yin is already included within it. In terms of human affairs, Yang represents the gentleman, and Yin represents the petty person. When the gentleman is inside and the petty person is outside, it is the卦 of Tai; when the petty person is inside and the gentleman is outside, it is the卦 of Po. Thus, Yang and Yin cannot be completely separated. If they must be divided, it should be to honor Yang and restrain Yin, as the sage composed the Book of Changes. Why? Because if one reverses this and honors Yin while belittling Yang, it would contradict the original intent of the sage in composing the Book of Changes, and would disrupt the proper way of heaven and earth.

《玉尺》乃以艮巽震兌四卦為陰之旺相而貴之，以乾坤坎離為陽之孤虛而賤之。即以納甲、八干十二支：丙納於艮，辛納於巽，庚納於震而亥卯未從之，丁納於兌而己酉丑從之，十者皆謂之陰而貴；以甲納乾，以乙納坤，以癸納坎而子申辰從之，以壬納離而午寅戌從之，十者皆謂之陽而賤。

The Yuzhi Jing strangely regards the four trigrams Gen, Xun, Zhen, and Dui as the flourishing and strong positions of yin, thus treating them with respect, while considering the trigrams Qian, Kun, Kan, and Li as the isolated and weak positions of yang, thus treating them with contempt. It applies the method of Najia, assigning the eight heavenly stems and twelve earthly branches accordingly: Bing is assigned to Gen, Xin to Xun, Geng to Zhen with Hai, Mao, and Wei (the triple harmony of wood) following, Ding to Dui with Si, Chou, and Jiyou (the triple harmony of metal, originally stated as Jiyou) following; these ten are all regarded as yin and thus esteemed. Meanwhile, Ji is assigned to Qian, Yi to Kun, Gui to Kan with Shen, Zi, and Chen (the triple harmony of water) following, and Ren to Li with Yin, Wu, and Xu (the triple harmony of fire) following; these ten are all regarded as yang and thus looked down upon.

於是當世之言地理者，不論地之真偽若何，凡見陰龍陰水陰向，則概謂之吉，而見陽龍陽水陽向，則概謂之凶，此乖謬之甚者也。夫，吉凶之理莫著於易，易六十四卦各有其吉，各有其凶，八卦，六十四卦之父母也，豈有四卦純吉、四卦純凶之理。八干十二支亦然。

Therefore, nowadays those who talk about geography, regardless of whether the land itself is genuine or not, whenever they see Yin dragon, Yin water, and Yin direction, they all say it is auspicious; whenever they see Yang dragon, Yang water, and Yang direction, they all say it is inauspicious. This is truly absurd to the extreme. The principles of auspiciousness and inauspiciousness are nowhere more thoroughly explained than in The Zhou Changes (I Ching): each of the sixty-four hexagrams has its own auspicious aspects and its own inauspicious aspects; and the eight trigrams are the parents of the sixty-four hexagrams. How could there be four trigrams that are entirely auspicious and four that are entirely inauspicious? The eight heavenly stems and twelve earthly branches are also the same.

吾謂論地，只論其是地非地，不當論其屬何卦體，屬何干支。若果龍真穴的，水神環抱，坐向得宜，雖陽亦吉也。若龍非真來，穴非真結，砂飛水背，坐向偏斜，雖陰亦凶也。

I think when judging a site, one should only consider whether it is a good site or not, and not consider which trigram it belongs to or which heavenly stem and earthly branch it falls under. If it is truly a dragon coming true, a proper site, with water spirits embracing it affectionately and the orientation properly arranged, then even if it falls in what they call the 'Yang' position, it is still auspicious. If the dragon is not truly coming, the site is not properly formed, the terrain is scattered and the water flows against the site, and the orientation is crooked and not correct, then even if it falls in what they call the 'Yin' position, it is still inauspicious.

又拘所謂三吉六秀，而以為出於天星，考之天官家言，紫微垣在中國之壬亥方，而太微垣在丙午方，天市垣在寅艮方。且周天二十八宿分佈十二宮，皆能為福，皆為災。地之二十四干支上應列宿，亦猶是也。何以在此為吉，在彼為凶，此與天星之理全乎不合？

It is also stuck to the so-called "three auspicious and six flourishing" directions, thinking that they come from the stars in the heavens. However, according to astronomers, the Purple Micro垣 corresponds to the Ren Hai direction in Chinese territorial divisions, the Tai Wei垣 is in the Bingwu direction, and the Tian Shi垣 is in the Yin Gen direction; meanwhile, the twenty-eight constellations in the whole sky are distributed among the twelve palaces, and each constellation can bring both blessings and calamities. The twenty-four heavenly stems and earthly branches on earth correspond to the constellations in the sky, and the reasoning is exactly the same. On what basis can something being in one direction be considered auspicious and something in another direction be considered inauspicious? This does not align with the principles of the heavenly stars at all.

至謂乾坤老亢、辰戌為魁罡、丑未為暗金煞，然種種悖理。夫乾坤為諸卦之父母，六子皆其所產，何得為凶。老嫩之辨在於龍，龍之出身嫩也，即乾坤亦嫩也；龍之出身老，即巽辛兌丁亦老也。

As for the statements that Qian and Kun are "old and fierce," Chen and Xu are "Kui Gang," and Chou and Wei are "dark metal evil," all these are illogical. Qian and Kun are the parents of all the hexagrams; Zhen, Kan, Gen, Xun, Li, and Dui are all born from them. How can they be considered凶 (evil)? The distinction between old and young lies in the dragon's origin: if a dragon is born young, even if it comes from the Qian or Kun direction, it is a young dragon; if a dragon is born old, even if it comes from the Xun, Xin, Dui, or Ding direction, it is an old dragon.

斗之戴匡為天魁，斗柄所指為天罡，此樞幹四時，斟酌元氣，造化之大柄也。理數家以為天罡所指，眾煞潛形，何吉如之，而反以為凶耶。五行皆天地之經緯，何獨忌四金？庚酉辛，金之最堅剛者也，既不害其為吉，而獨忌四隅之暗金，甚無謂矣。諸如此類，管郭楊賴從無明文，不知妄作，流毒天下，始作俑者其無後乎。我不禁臨文而三嘆也。

The part of the Big Dipper's handle called "Tiankui" is the head of the Dipper, and the direction pointed by the Dipper's handle is called "Tian Gang." It regulates the four seasons and balances the vital energy, being the great power of creation and transformation. Those who discuss principles and numbers all say that where "Tian Gang" points, "zhong sha" (malevolent forces) hide their forms. What could be more auspicious than this, yet it is regarded as inauspicious? The Five Phases are the meridians and threads of heaven and earth; why is there a particular aversion to the four "jin" (earthly branches) of Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei? Even Geng, You, and Xin, which are the hardest and strongest among the metals, do not hinder them from being auspicious. Yet they specifically avoid the four corners known as "an jin" (hidden metal), which is entirely unreasonable. Such names and classifications have never been clearly stated by the sages such as Guan Lu, Guo Pu, Yang Yunsong, and Lai Wenjun. They are all pretending to understand when they do not, fabricating things out of nowhere, causing harm throughout the world. The first person to start this would surely be childless and without descendants (a phrase from the Mencius, Liang Huibing Wang, "The first person to make a clay figure of a person, will he not have no descendants?"). As I write this, I can't help but sigh repeatedly.

盈天地間只有八卦。先天之位，曰乾坤定位，山澤通氣，風雷相薄，水火不相射。八卦總之陰而已。山陽澤陰、雷陽風陰、火陽水陰，皆兩儀對待之象。對待之中，化機出焉。所謂玄牝之門，是為天地根，一陰一陽之謂道。

What fills the universe is the Eight Trigrams. The original position of the Eight Trigrams is: Heaven (Qian) and Earth (Kun) are positioned above and below, Mount Gen (Geng) and Lake Dui (Dui) communicate their energies, Wind Xun (Xun) and Thunder Zhen (Zhen) interact with each other, Water Kan (Kan) and Fire Li (Li) do not harm each other (as stated in The Zhou Changes, The Discourse on the Trigrams). In general, the Eight Trigrams are simply one yin and one yang: Mount Gen is yang, Lake Dui is yin, Thunder Zhen is yang, Wind Xun is yin, Fire Li is yang, Water Kan is yin. All of them are images of the two principles (yi) that are opposed and complementary. It is precisely in this mutual opposition and complementarity that the vitality of nature arises. This is what the Tao Te Ching says, "The mysterious female, the gate of heaven and earth, is called the root of heaven and earth." It is also what the Great Treatise of The Zhou Changes says, "To be one yin and one yang is called the Dao."

八卦者，天地之體；五行者，天地之用。當其為體之時，未可以用言也。故坎雖為水，此先天之水，不可以有形之水言也；離雖為火，此先天之火，不可以有形之火言也。故艮為山而不可以土言也、兌為澤而不可以金言也、震巽為風雷而可以木言也。

The Eight Trigrams are the "body" of heaven and earth, while the Five Phases are the "function" of heaven and earth. When they are in the position of "body," they cannot be explained by "function." Therefore, although Kan belongs to water, it is the water of the primordial heaven and cannot be explained by tangible water; although Li belongs to fire, it is the fire of the primordial heaven and cannot be explained by tangible fire. Similarly, Gen, although representing mountain, cannot be explained by "earth," Dui, although representing marsh, cannot be explained by "metal," and Zhen and Xun, although representing thunder and wind, cannot be explained by "wood" (the original text is missing a "not" in the last sentence).

若論後天方位八卦，而以坎位北而為水、以離位南而為火、以震位東而為木、以兌位西而為金，似矣。四隅皆土也，又何以巽木乾金不隨四季，而隨春秋耶？此八卦五行之一謬也。

If we use the later heaven directions to discuss the eight trigrams, considering the Kan trigram in the north as water, the Li trigram in the south as fire, the Zhen trigram in the east as wood, and the Dui trigram in the west as metal, this makes sense. However, the four intermediate directions, Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei, all belong to earth. Then why do the Xun trigram's wood and the Qian trigram's metal follow the seasons of spring and autumn instead of the earth of the four seasons? This is the first fundamental error in matching the eight trigrams with the five phases.

及論二十四龍則又造為三合之說。復附會之以雙山，更屬支離牽強而全無憑據。夫，既以東南西北為四正五行，則巳丙丁皆從離以為火、亥壬癸皆從坎而為水、寅甲乙皆從震而為木、申庚辛皆從兌而為金，辰戌丑未皆從四隅以為土，猶之可也。

When discussing the twenty-four mountains and their dragons, it introduces another concept called "Triple Harmony," and further connects it with the idea of "Double Mountains" (combining one heavenly stem and one earthly branch into one position). This becomes increasingly fragmented and forced, with no solid basis. Honestly speaking, since the directions East, South, West, and North have already been established as the four cardinal directions corresponding to the Five Phases, then巳 (Si), 丙 (Bing), and 丁 (Ding) are all grouped under Li (Fire), 亥 (Hai), 壬 (Ren), and 癸 (Gui) are all grouped under Kan (Water), 寅 (Yin), 甲 (Jia), and 乙 (Yi) are all grouped under Zhen (Wood), 申 (Shen), 庚 (Geng), and 辛 (Xin) are all grouped under Dui (Metal), and 辰 (Chen), 戌 (Xu), 丑 (Chou), and 未 (Wei) are all grouped under the four corners and belong to Earth. According to this pattern, the reasoning is consistent and can be somewhat accepted.

今又以子合申辰而為水、並其鄰之坤壬乙亦化為水；以午合寅戌而為火，並其鄰之艮丙辛亦化為火；以卯合亥未而為木，並其鄰之干甲丁亦化為木；以酉合已丑而為金，並其鄰之巽庚癸亦化為金。論八卦則卦爻錯亂，論四令則方位顛倒，此三合雙山之再謬也。所謂多岐亡羊，朝令夕改，自相矛盾，不持悖於理義，亦不通於辭說者矣。

Now it combines Zi with Shen and Chen to form a water pattern, and in doing so, also transforms the nearby trigrams Kun, Ren, and Yi into water; it combines Wu with Yin and Xu to form a fire pattern, and in doing so, also transforms the nearby trigrams Gen, Bing, and Xin into fire; it combines Mao with Hai and Wei to form a wood pattern, and in doing so, also transforms the nearby trigrams Qian, Jia, and Ding into wood; it combines You with Si and Chou to form a metal pattern (the original text says "Si Chou"), and in doing so, also transforms the nearby trigrams Xun, Geng, and Gui into metal. In this way, when considering the eight trigrams, the trigrams and their lines become disordered, and when considering the four seasons, the directions become inverted. This is the second level of error in the Triple Harmony and dual mountains. Indeed, as the saying goes, when there are too many wrong paths, even a sheep can get lost. There are contradictory instructions given in the same day, and the statements contradict each other. Not only do they violate the principles, but they also fail to make coherent statements.

又以龍脈之左旋右旋，而分五行之陰陽，曰亥龍自甲卯乙、丑艮寅、壬子癸方來者為陽木龍；亥龍自未坤申、庚酉辛、戌乾方來者為陰木龍。其餘無不皆然，謬之謬者也。

It also divides the Five Phases into yin and yang according to the left and right rotation of the dragon veins. It says that if the亥 dragon comes from the directions of Jia Mao Yi, Chou Gen Yin, or Ren Zi Gui, it is called 'Yang Wood Dragon'. If the亥 dragon comes from the directions of Wei Kun Shen, Geng You Xin, or Xu Qian, it is called 'Yin Wood Dragon'. All other dragons are similarly classified in this manner. This is truly a mistake on top of another mistake.

又以龍之所屬而起長生、沐浴、冠帶、臨官、帝旺、衰、病、死、墓、絕、胎、養；又以龍順逆之陰陽分起長生，曰陽木在甲，長生在亥，旺於卯、墓於未；陰木屬乙，長生在午、旺於寅、墓於戌。其餘無不皆然。舉世若狂以為定理，真可哀痛矣。

It also arranges the twelve palaces of growth, bathing, capping, officialdom, prosperity, decline, illness, death, burial, extinction, conception, and nurturing according to the five phases associated with the dragon. It then divides the beginning of life for each dragon according to its direction and yin-yang attributes. For yang wood, which belongs to Jia, the beginning of life is in Hai, prosperity is in Mao, and burial is in Wei. For yin wood, which belongs to Yi, the beginning of life is in Wu, prosperity is in Yin, and burial is in Xu. The rest follow the same pattern. The whole world treats this as an unchangeable rule, which is truly heartbreaking.

夫五行者，陰陽二氣之精華，散於萬象，周流六虛，盈天地之內，無處不有五行之氣，無物不具五行之體。今以龍而言，則直者為木、圓者為金、曲者為水、銳者為火、方者為土。又窮五行之變體，而曰貪狼木、巨門土、祿存土、文曲水、廉貞火、武曲金、破軍金、左輔土、右弼金。五行之變盡矣。此楊曾諸先覺，明目張膽以告後人者也。

In reality, the Five Phases are the essence of yin and yang, spread throughout all phenomena, circulating in all directions, filling the entire universe. There is no place without the qi of the Five Phases, and no object without the body of the Five Phases. Regarding the form of a dragon's body: straight forms belong to wood, round forms belong to metal, curved forms belong to water, sharp forms belong to fire, and square and upright forms belong to earth. Further examining the variations of the Five Phases, there are: Tanwang belongs to wood, Jumen belongs to earth, Luchun belongs to earth, Wenqu belongs to water, Lianzhen belongs to fire, Wuqu belongs to metal, Pojun belongs to metal, Zuo Fu belongs to earth, and You Bi belongs to metal—here the variations of the Five Phases are fully explained. This is the correct method openly taught by Yang Yunsong and Zeng Wenda and other wise men to later generations.

夫此九星五行者，或為起祖之星、或為傳變之星、或為結穴之星、或為夾從輔佐之星，或兼二、或兼三、或兼四，甚而五星傳變，則地大不可名言，以此見五行者變化之物，未有單取一行不變以為用者也。

These nine stars belong to the Five Phases, some serving as the originating star, others as intermediate transforming stars, some as the concluding star, and others as auxiliary protective stars. Some stars combine two functions, others three, and some even four. In extreme cases, the five stars may transmit and transform successively, leading to vast and indescribable areas. From this, we can see that the Five Phases are ever-changing, and there is no principle of using a single phase alone and keeping it fixed.

今不於龍體求五行之變化，而但執方位論五行之名字，是使天地之生機不變不化，取其一，盡廢其四矣。又從方位之左右旋分五行之陰陽，是使一氣之流行左支右絀，得其半而未能全其一矣。

Nowadays, people do not seek the changes of the Five Phases within the Dragon Body, but instead rigidly use the names of the Five Phases based on directions. This is equivalent to saying that the vital energy of heaven and earth remains unchanged and untransformed, selecting one of the Five Phases while completely discarding the other four. Furthermore, they divide the yin and yang of the Five Phases based on the left and right rotation of directions. This is equivalent to saying that the flow of vital energy is restricted on one side and weak on the other, only capturing half, and even failing to preserve a single Phase completely.

試以物產言之。若曰南方火地無大水；北方水地不火食；西方金地不產各材；東方木地不產良金，有是理乎？試以品性言之。盡人皆具五德，若曰東方之人皆無義；西方之人皆無仁；北方之人皆無禮；南方之人皆無智，有是理乎？

Taking the products of different regions as an example: could it be true that there is no great water in the southern region, which is associated with fire? Or that fire is not used for cooking in the northern region, which is associated with water? Or that there are no various kinds of timber in the western region, which is associated with metal? Or that the eastern region, which is associated with wood, does not produce good gold? Does such reasoning make sense? Taking human nature as another example: everyone possesses the five virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faithfulness. Could it be true that all people from the east do not value righteousness, all people from the west do not value benevolence, all people from the north do not value propriety, and all people from the south do not value wisdom? Does such reasoning make sense?

且不獨觀四時之流行乎，春氣一噓而萬物皆生，不特東南生，而西北無不盡生；秋氣一肅而萬物皆落，不特西北落，而東南無不盡落。是生殺之氣不可以方隅限也。

Moreover, just by observing the seasonal changes, one can understand clearly: when the spring energy arises, all things sprout together; not only does life arise in the southeast, but also in the northwest. When the autumn energy becomes severe, all things wither together; not only does decay occur in the northwest, but also in the southeast. This shows that the energies of growth and decay cannot be confined to specific directions.

又不觀乎五材之利用乎，棟樑之木遇斧斤以成材；入冶之金，須鍛鍊而成器；大塊非耒耜不能耕耘；清泉非爨燎不能飲食。道家者流，神而明之，故有水火交媾、金木合併之義，以為大丹作用，即大易既濟、歸妹之象也。故曰識得五行顛倒顛，便是大羅仙。相生者何嘗生，相剋者何嘗克乎。

Now let's look at the actual use of the five materials—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. The timber used for beams must meet the axe and saw to become useful. Metal to be melted in a furnace must be tempered to become a tool. Large plots of land cannot be farmed without the plow and hoe. Clear spring water cannot be used for food without fire for cooking. The Daoists have deeply understood this principle, so they speak of "water and fire combining" and "metal and wood merging," using these concepts for the preparation of great elixirs. This is actually the imagery of the two hexagrams, "The Containing" and "The Return of the Young Girl," from the Zhou Yi. Therefore, alchemists say, "Recognizing the reversal of the five elements is to become a great immortal." Thus, the idea of mutual generation is not simply generation, and the idea of mutual control is not simply control.

今《玉尺》曰：癸壬來自兌庚，乃作體全之象；坎水迎歸寅卯，名為領氣之神。金臨火位，自焚厥尸；木入金鄉，依稀絕命。火龍畏見兌庚，遇北辰而自廢；東震愁逢火劫，見西兌而傷魂。是山川有至美之精英，而以方位廢之也。

Now the "Jade Measure Classic" says: "A dragon of Ren and Gui comes from Dui and Geng, only then does it form a complete body; Kan water welcoming back Yin and Mao, only then does it become a spirit that leads the energy. Metal approaching the fire position is like burning its own body; wood entering the metal territory seems to have its life cut off. A fire dragon most fears encountering Dui and Geng; when it meets northern Kan water, it automatically becomes ineffective; an eastern Zhen dragon worries about encountering fire disasters; when it meets western Dui, it will suffer soul damage." According to this, mountains and rivers originally have extremely beautiful essence, yet they are all dismissed with just one direction.

且五行之論生旺墓，而亦限之以方位，其說起於何人？若以天運言，則陽升而萬物皆生、陰升則萬物皆死，無此生彼死、此死彼生之分也。若以地脈言，有氣則萬物皆生、無氣則在在皆死，無此生彼墓，此旺彼衰之界也。

The Five Phases also discuss generation, prosperity, and burial, but they too are bound by fixed directions. So where did this theory originate? If we consider the heavenly movement, when yang energy rises, all things are generated; when yin energy rises, all things die. There is no distinction of generation here and death there, or death here and generation there. If we consider the earth's energy, where there is energy, all places are alive; where there is no energy, all places are dead. There is no boundary of generation here and burial there, or prosperity here and decline there.

今龍必欲自生趨旺，自旺朝生；水必來於生旺，去於囚謝；砂之高下亦如之，皆因誤認來龍之五行所屬，於是紛紛不根之論，咸從此而起也。

Now they insist that the dragon must go from growth to prosperity and back from prosperity to growth; that water must come from the direction of birth and prosperity and go to the direction of captivity and decline; even the height and lowness of the ridges are determined according to this principle. All this is due to a mistaken identification of the five phases of the dragon's origin. Thus, all sorts of baseless discussions arise from here.

更有謂龍之生旺墓若不合，別有立向消納之法。或以坐山起五行，或以向上論五行。不知山龍平壤皆有一定之穴、生成之向，豈容拘牽字義，以意推移。朝向論五行固為乖謬、坐山論五行亦未為得也。《玉尺》又兩可其說曰：可合雙山，作用法聯珠之妙；宜從卦例，推求導納甲之宗。又何其鼠首兩端，從無定見耶。

Some people say that if the birth, prosperity, and burial of the dragon are not in harmony, there is another method to determine the direction and its influence: either starting from the mountain's orientation to determine the Five Phases, or starting from the upper direction to determine the Five Phases. But in reality, whether it is mountain dragons or flat land, each has a fixed site and a naturally determined direction. How can people be allowed to be confined by words and impose their own interpretations? Taking the orientation to determine the Five Phases is certainly wrong, and taking the mountain's orientation to determine the Five Phases is equally incorrect. The "Yuzhi Jing" is vague and contradictory, saying: "It can be combined with dual mountains, taking advantage of the wonderful effect of linked pearls; it is also suitable to follow the hexagram examples, to explore the principles of Najia." How can it be so indecisive and never have a fixed view?

我願世之學地理者，山龍只看結體之五星、平壤只看水城之五星，此乃五行之真者。苟精其義，雖以步武楊賴亦自不難。至於方位五行，不特小玄空生克出入、宗廟洪範、雙山三合斷不可信，即正五行八卦五行亦不可拘。此關一破，則正見漸開，邪說盡息，地理之道始有入門。嗟乎，我安得盡洗世人之肺腸，而曉然告之以玄空大卦天元九氣之真訣，使黃石、《青囊》之秘，昭昭乎若揭日月而行也哉。

I wish that all those who study geography would look at mountain dragons only in terms of the five stars that form their structure, and when examining flat land, they should focus only on the five stars of the water city. This is the true meaning of the Five Phases. If one can thoroughly master this principle, even striving to reach the level of Yang Yunsong and Lai Wenjun would not be difficult. As for the Five Phases in terms of direction, not only should the minor Xuan Kong's generation and overcoming, the ancestral temple Five Phases, Hongfan Five Phases, and the triple harmony dual mountains be considered unreliable, but even the orthodox Five Phases and the Eight Trigrams Five Phases should not be rigidly adhered to. Once this barrier is broken, correct understanding will gradually become clear, and false teachings will naturally cease. Only then can the study of geography truly begin. Alas! How can I wash the hearts of all people and clearly explain to them the true secrets of Xuan Kong Da Gua and the heavenly origin of nine qi, so that the secret teachings of Huang Shi Gong and the Qing Nang Jing may shine brightly like the sun and moon across the world?