government office

衙署，上手要重，官升得速，若下手重者，不升。法以正堂為主，忌關煞，申辰方沖射，衰死方孤竦。前面最嫌逼窄，怕有穿射。頭門宜高，二門勿得高過頭門，致佐貳欺壓堂官。角門高大不聚財，若太狹小，官不發，在公胥吏，不利。宜門廊地基同高，正堂地基，又比廊地高一二尺，則吉。兩廊，須另起造，若連正堂，恐書吏通內舞弊。

The official office building should have the left side (the side of the Azure Dragon) solid and substantial, which indicates a quick promotion for the official. If instead the right side is thick and solid, promotion is unlikely. The main hall is the key consideration: the official should not sit directly under a bad omen, and there should be no sharp or direct lines coming from the directions of Shen or Chen. It is also bad if there is a lone, tall structure in a declining or dead direction. The front of the building should not be narrow and cramped, and should not have straight objects pointing towards it. The main gate should be high, but the second gate should not be higher than the main gate, otherwise the deputy officials may appear to surpass the main official. If the side gates are too tall, wealth will not accumulate; if they are too narrow, the official will not prosper, and it will also be detrimental to the clerks working in the office. The foundation of the side corridors should be at the same level as the main hall, and the main hall's foundation should be one or two inches higher than the corridors, which is auspicious. The side corridors must be built separately; if they are connected to the main hall, there is a risk of collusion between the clerks and the inner office for corrupt practices.

月臺，宜寬正；甬道，宜寬平，長十一步者，遷；十二步者，富；十四步者，升；十五步者，優；十七步者，主封賞；二十步者，高轉；如十六步者，官星有阻；十九步者，仕途多厄。更樓，宜在乾坤艮巽方，忌辰戌丑未四墓方，更忌申方，招賊。屏牆，忌太闊遠，吏胥攬權。房科，不宜反向，宜平正一齊，主吏胥和睦。

The moon platform should be wide and square. The corridor should be spacious and level. A corridor of eleven steps indicates a transfer of position, twelve steps indicates wealth, fourteen steps indicates promotion, fifteen steps indicates excellent performance in an examination, seventeen steps indicates receiving a reward, and twenty steps indicates a high promotion and transfer. If it is sixteen steps, the official star is obstructed; if it is nineteen steps, the official career is full of difficulties. The watchtower should be placed in the directions of Kan, Kun, Gen, and Xun, and it should be avoided to place it in the directions of Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei. It is especially forbidden to place it in the direction of Shen, as this will invite thieves. The screen wall (screen wall) should not be too wide or too far away, otherwise the officials will seize power. The offices of each room should not face the opposite direction; they should be level and neat, which indicates harmony among the officials.

東書房，西銀庫，得位者安；左賓館，右牢獄，隱藏者吉。庫房，宜兌及乾艮方，不宜震巽離方。倉廒，喜在不關，不宜酉方，忌當來脈上，與臥房後。衙神、土地，宜居左邊，若居右邊，官身不安，若反背，吏民悖逆。班房，宜遠，忌逼。囹圄，忌向衙廳。馬廄，宜乾兌坤艮方，忌在離方；馬頭，忌朝正南午方；門路，亦忌在午。

The study should be placed to the east and the silver warehouse to the west, each in their proper position for stability; the guest house should be on the left and the prison on the right, both being auspicious when they are concealed and not exposed. The warehouse is suitable to be placed in the direction of Dui and Qian and Gen, but not in the directions of Zhen, Xun, and Li. The granary is preferable to be placed in a location not belonging to the gate direction, and it should not be placed in the You direction. It should also be avoided to be directly on the main ridge line, and also not placed behind the bedroom. The official deity and the land god temple should be located on the left side; if placed on the right side, the official himself will not be at peace; if facing away, the officials and the people will be rebellious and不服. The room for the constables on duty should be distant, and it should not be close. The prison should not face directly the official hall. The horse stable should be placed in the directions of Qian, Dui, Kun, and Gen, but not in the direction of Li; the head of the horse should not face Due South (Wu direction); the path leading to the horse stable should also not be in the Wu direction.

內衙，與住宅同論，以內宅門為咽喉，關係最重。忌門枋朱漆，川堂直長，自外沖內，衙後空虛，暗箭沖背，明堂逼窄，右右凶惡，皆要防避。再參合主命年運，若十道傾欹，四圍缺陷，零星破碎，路氣穿散，須防歲煞加臨，刑沖主命，難免災禍。

The inner courtyard of an official's residence, where the family lives, is treated the same as a regular house. The inner gate is considered the vital passage, and its relationship is most important. It is undesirable for the door frame to be painted red; it is also bad if the passage is straight and long, allowing external energy to directly enter the inner courtyard. It is also unfavorable if the back of the residence is empty and unsupported, with a hidden attack coming from behind. A narrow and cramped bright hall is also to be avoided. Also, it is bad if there are凶恶之物 (evil things) on either side (the original text mistakenly writes '右右' instead of '左右'). All these should be avoided and prevented. In addition, one should consider the residence owner's birth year and the current year's fortune. If all directions are tilted and uneven, with defects and brokenness around, and if the road energy passes through the house and disperses, then one must be cautious of annual evils and punishments and clashes affecting the owner's birth year. At such times, disasters are likely to occur.

郡治學宮，偏宜水掃城腳，辛丁位上，有秀山秀水朝拱，當出元魁鼎甲。上手平和，下手高雄，前面文星矗起，科第不脫。若左高右低者，不利。私衙，與住宅同，上手若高，升官極速；上手若空，官聲不美。

The academies in the administrative centers of prefectures and states are especially favorable if there is flowing water sweeping past the base of the city. If there are beautiful mountains and clear waters coming to pay homage from the directions of Xin and Ding, outstanding scholars such as top-ranking candidates and状元 (top imperial examination winner) will emerge. If the left side is level and peaceful, and the right side is high and prominent, with a sharp, elegant peak (representing literary stars) standing tall in front, then continuous success in the imperial examinations and official titles will follow. However, if the left side is high and the right side is low, it will be unfavorable. As for private offices of officials, they are treated the same as ordinary residences: if the left side is high, promotion to official positions will be rapid; if the left side is empty or low, the official's reputation will be poor.

門前開敝，四圍無破，震庚離乾方上，拱峙聳起，超升極速。

Military offices should have an open and bright front entrance, with no damage or defects around them. If there are peaks rising to form a protective embrace in the directions of Zhen, Geng, Li, and Qian, then rapid promotion and advancement will occur.

大殿為主，宜高，中後殿稍低，須稱。山門及左右殿宇，均以端正平勻為吉。山門切忌開左，頭門低塌，則難為主。辰上開門，官非回祿；前後各向，人口不和；門路重開，是非不息；神像太多，僧道消散。喜四山朝拱，水沖脊背。私室六事，亦與主命相參，配合趨避。

Monasteries and temples should have their main hall built high, with the middle and rear halls slightly lower but in harmony with the main hall. The mountain gate and side halls should be upright and evenly proportioned for good fortune. The mountain gate should not be opened only on the left side. If the main entrance is low and collapsed, it will be difficult to establish the main altar. Opening a door in the辰 direction (Dragon) is associated with legal disputes and fires (the term "Hui Lu" originally refers to the god of fire, but is used here to mean fire disaster). If the front and rear halls face different directions, it will lead to discord among people. If doors and paths are repeated, it will cause continuous disputes. Having too many deities in worship may cause monks and Taoists to scatter. It is favorable to have surrounding mountains forming a ring around the temple. However, a direct water flow hitting the roof ridge is something to be avoided (there may be a missing "avoid" in the original text before the phrase "water hitting the roof ridge"). The six matters concerning private rooms within the temple should also be compared with the main deity's birth year to determine compatibility and avoid inauspiciousness.

店鋪以門為重，要迎水開門，忌開在煞方。鋪櫃設坐，俱以迎水為吉。庫櫃，安於生旺方，或迎水路，坐空朝滿者吉。門前忌街路反背，上手偏重，壓射不利，白虎高則得利。安貨房屋，宜順水坐虛，前逼後空者，脫手易而利加倍。亦宜與主命參酌配合，並論元運興廢，以知趨避去取。

The shop's entrance is most important; it should face water and avoid being in the direction of bad energy. The arrangement of the counter and seating should also face water for good fortune. The silver cabinet and storage cabinet should be placed in the direction of life energy and prosperity, or facing the water flow, with an empty back and full front. The shop's entrance should avoid streets curving back or facing backwards; if the upper side is too heavy or there are tall objects pressing or shooting towards the shop, it is unfavorable. A high position on the right side (White Tiger direction) is actually beneficial. The warehouse for storing goods should face water with an empty back and a narrow front, which makes goods sell easily and profits double. Additionally, it should be considered in conjunction with the shop owner's birth destiny and the prosperity or decline of the current era, to know what to pursue, avoid, take, and discard.