Rectifying Geomancy (by Jiang Dahong, Qing dynasty)

楊公得青囊正訣，約其旨為奧語，以元空之理氣，用五行之星體，而高山平地之作法，已概括於其中。然非得其真傳口訣者，索之章句之末，終不能辨，謂之奧語。誠哉，其奧語也。

Yang Yunsong obtained the authentic oral transmission of the Qingnang school, and condensed its essential principles into this essay called "Ao Yu" (The Secret Words). It is based on the principles of Xuan Kong (Heavenly Division), and applies the forms of the nine stars according to the Five Phases. Both the methods for mountainous dragon and flat land dragon are included within it. However, those who have not personally received the true oral transmission can only search for meaning in the surface words, and will ultimately be unable to discern what it is actually saying. Therefore, it is called "Ao Yu" (The Secret Words). This name is indeed appropriate, as it is truly profound.

坤壬乙，巨門從頭出。艮丙辛，位位是破軍。辰巽亥，盡是武曲位。甲癸申，貪狼一路行。

This is the four-line summary of the "Ai Xing" mnemonic: "Kun, Ren, and Yi all start from the top and are grouped under 'Ju Men'; Gen, Bing, and Xin are all grouped under 'Po Jun'; Chen, Xun, and Hai are all under 'Wu Qu'; Jia, Gui, and Shen all follow 'Tan Lang'." These four lines explain the rules for matching the heavenly stems and earthly branches with the nine stars in the Xuan Kong Da Gua system of star alignment. They do not mean that these directions are fixedly associated with a particular star.

挨星五行，即九星五行也。貪巨祿文廉武破輔弼，一一挨去，故曰挨星。元空大卦五行，亦即挨星五行，名異而實同者也。此五行原本洛書九氣，而上應北斗，主宰天地化育之道，幹維元運萬古，而不能外也。此九星與八宮掌訣九星不同。唐使僧一行作卦例以擾外國，專取貪巨武三吉，其實非也。

Jiang Dahong explains: The so-called "sequential star five phases" refers to the five phases of the nine stars. These stars are Tuanlang, Jumen, Luchun, Wenqu, Lianzhen, Wuqu, Pojun, Zuofu, and Youbi. They are arranged one by one in sequence, hence the term "sequential star." The five phases of the Xuan Kong Da Guan are also the sequential star five phases, with different names but the same essence. This system of five phases originally comes from the Lo Shu Nine Palaces, corresponding to the Big Dipper, governing the vital mechanisms of the universe's creation and sustenance, controlling the changes of the great cycles, and has remained unchanged since ancient times, with nothing able to escape its scope. Note that the nine stars here are entirely different from the nine stars arranged in the "Eight Palaces Palms" (i.e., the system of the Yuannian Guan examples). The Tang dynasty court sent the monk Yi Xing to create these examples to confuse foreign lands, selecting only Tuanlang, Jumen, and Wuqu as the "three auspicious stars," which is actually incorrect.

夫九星乃七政之根源，八卦乃乾坤之法象，皆天寶地符精華妙氣。顧於其中分彼此、比優劣，真庸愚之識、詭怪之談矣。只是天地流行之妙，與時相合者吉，與時相背者凶。故九星八卦，本無不吉，而有時乎吉；本無有凶，而有時乎凶。所以其中有趨有避，真機妙用，全須秘密耳。

The nine stars are the origin of the seven celestial bodies, including the sun and moon. The eight trigrams are the symbolic representations of heaven and earth, and both belong to the refined and subtle essence of the universe, like precious talismans. To distinguish between them or compare their superiority is the view of an ignorant person and a strange notion. In reality, the qi of heaven and earth flows with the time, and what aligns with the current season brings good fortune, while what contradicts it brings misfortune. Therefore, the nine stars and the eight trigrams themselves are neither inherently auspicious nor inherently inauspicious; they only appear auspicious or inauspicious when they meet certain periods of fortune. The true skill and subtlety in their application lie in the ability to either seek good fortune or avoid misfortune, which can only be mastered through secret oral teachings.

真知九星者，豈惟貪巨武為三吉，即破祿廉文輔弼五凶亦有吉時；真知八卦者，豈惟坎離乾坤四陽卦為凶，即震巽艮兌四陰卦亦有凶時。斯得元空大卦之真訣矣。奧語首揭此章，乃挨星大卦之條例。

A true master of the nine stars would never consider only Tanniang, Jumen, and Wuqu as the "three auspicious" stars; even stars like Pojun, Luchun, Lianzhen, Wenqu, and Fubì, which are regarded as inauspicious, also have their auspicious moments when they are in command. A true master of the Eight Trigrams would not rigidly focus only on the four yang trigrams of Kan, Li, Qian, and Kun; the four yin trigrams of Zhen, Xun, Gen, and Dui also have their inauspicious periods when they are out of command. Only those who can understand this level can truly grasp the essential principles of the Xuan Kong Da Gua. The opening chapter of the "Ao Yu" explicitly highlights this section, precisely because it serves as the fundamental principle of the Aixing Da Gua.

坤壬乙非盡巨門，而與巨門為一例；艮丙辛非盡破軍，而與破軍為一例；巽辰亥非盡武曲，而與武曲為一例；甲癸申非盡貪狼，而與貪狼為一例。此中隱然有挨星口訣，必待真傳人可推測而得。

Kun, Ren, and Yi are not all considered as Ju Men, but they belong to the same category as Ju Men; Gen, Bing, and Xin are not all considered as Po Jun, but they belong to the same category as Po Jun; Xun, Chen, and Hai are not all considered as Wu Qu, but they belong to the same category as Wu Qu; Jia, Gui, and Shen are not all considered as Tan Lang, but they belong to the same category as Tan Lang. These four sentences contain the secret of the sequential stars, which can only be understood by those who have received the true transmission and can then deduce it.

若舊注以坤壬乙，天干從申子辰三合為水局，故曰文曲；艮丙辛，天干從寅什戌三合為火局，故曰廉貞之類，謬矣。又有云長生為貪狼，臨官為巨門，帝旺為武曲，亦謬。

As for the interpretations in old commentaries—stating that Kūn Rén Yǐ is considered a water formation formed by the triple harmony of Shēn Zǐ Chén, thus matching Wénqū, and that Gèn Bǐng Xīn is considered a fire formation formed by the triple harmony of Yín Wǔ Xu, thus matching Liánzhēn (the original text's '什' is a phonetic error for '午')—such explanations that fit the nine stars into the triple harmony are all wrong. Others also claim that in the twelve long life positions, the long life position is Tān狼, the official position is Jùmén, and the prosperity position is Wǔqū, which is also incorrect.

左為陽，子癸至亥壬；右為陰，午丁至巳丙。

The left side belongs to yang, counting from Zi, Gui through to Hai, Ren; the right side belongs to yin, counting from Wu, Ding through to Si, Bing. This is an example from the "Ao Yu" illustrating one method of arranging yin and yang distribution in the Xuan Kong Da Guan.

蔣注：此節言大五行陰陽交媾之例，如陽在子癸至亥壬，則陰必在午丁至巳丙矣。自子至壬，自午至丙，路路有陽，路路有陰，以此為例，須人自悟也。非拘定左邊為陽、右邊為陰，若陰在左邊，則陽又在右邊矣。亦可云左右，亦可云東西，亦可云前後，亦可云南北，皆不定之位。雌雄交媾非有死法，故曰元空。舊注自子丑至戌亥左旋為陽，自午至申未右旋為陰，謬矣。

Jiang Dahong explains that this section discusses an example of yin and yang interaction in the "Great Five Phases" (Xuankong Dagu Five Phases). If yang falls in the path from Zi to Gui to Hai, then yin must fall in the path from Wu to Ding to Si. Counting from Zi to Ren and from Wu to Bing, each path has yang and each path has yin. Master Yang merely uses this as an example for readers to understand on their own. He is not stating that the left is always yang and the right is always yin. If yin falls on the left, yang naturally moves to the right. This relationship can be described as left and right, east and west, front and back, or north and south; none of these are fixed directions. The interaction of yin and yang has no fixed method, hence it is called "Xuankong." Old commentaries that state the path from Zi to Xu is left rotating and belongs to yang, and the path from Wu to Wei is right rotating and belongs to yin, are incorrect.

雌與雄，交會合元空；雄與雌，元空卦內推。蔣注：元空之義見於曾序江南節注。

Male and female energies must meet in accordance with the principles of "Xuan Kong"; when male and female energies are paired, they should also be sought within the great hexagrams of Xuan Kong. Jiang Dahong explains: the exact meaning of the term "Xuan Kong" has already been explained in the annotation of the section "Jiangnan Dragon Comes to Look North" in Zeng Gong'an's "Preface to the Green Satchel," and there is no need to repeat it here.

山與水，須要明此理；水與山，禍福盡相關。蔣注：山有山之卦氣，水有水之卦氣，脫不得陰陽交媾之理，山有山之禍福，水有水之禍福，有山禍而水福，有山福而水禍，有山水皆福，有山水皆禍，互相關涉品配為用。

Discussing mountains and discussing water both require an understanding of the principle of yin and yang interacting; the auspiciousness and misfortune of mountains and water are entirely interconnected. Jiang Dahong explains: mountains have their own trigram energies, and water has its own trigram energies; both sides are inseparable from the principle of yin and yang interaction. Mountains have their own auspiciousness and misfortune, and water has its own auspiciousness and misfortune: there are cases where the mountain side is misfortune and the water side is auspicious, cases where the mountain side is auspicious and the water side is misfortune, cases where both mountain and water sides are auspicious, and cases where both mountain and water sides are inauspicious. The two are interrelated and must be considered together, not only looking at one side.

明元空，只在五行中；知此法，不須尋納甲。蔣注：九星五行大卦之法，只明元空二字之義，則衰旺生死了然指掌之間，不必尋幹納甲，坤納乙，巽納辛，艮納丙，兌納丁，震納庚，離納壬，坎納癸之天父地母一行所造卦例矣。

To understand "Xuankong," everything lies within this system of the Five Phases; once this method is understood, there is no need to seek out the Najia system. Jiang Dahong comments: the method of using the Nine Stars and the Five Phases in the Great Trigrams only requires a clear understanding of the meaning of "Xuankong," and the rise and decline, birth and death of qi and destiny will become immediately clear, as if in the palm of one's hand. There is no need to resort to the so-called "Heavenly Father and Earthly Mother" trigram examples, such as Qian being assigned to Jia, Kun to Yi, Xun to Xin, Gen to Bing, Dui to Ding, Zhen to Geng, Li to Ren, and Kan to Gui. These were created by the Tang dynasty monk Yixing.

顛顛倒，二十四山有珠寶；順逆行，二十四山有火坑。蔣注：顛倒順逆，皆言陰陽交媾之妙，二十四山陰陽不一，吉凶無定，合生旺則吉，逢衰敗則凶，山山皆有珠寶，山山皆有火坑，毫釐千里間不容髮，非真得青囊之秘，何以能辨之乎。

Understanding the secret of "dian dian dao" (reversal), the twenty-four mountains are everywhere treasures; if the order is wrong, the twenty-four mountains are everywhere pits of fire. Jiang Dahong explains: what is meant by reversal and by order, refers to the subtle application of yin and yang interaction. The yin and yang of the twenty-four mountains are not fixed, nor are the good and bad outcomes predetermined: if they harmonize with the current vital and prosperous energy, they are auspicious; if they meet with declining and deteriorating energy, they are inauspicious. Therefore, each mountain may be a treasure or a pit of fire, differing by a hair's breadth but leading to a thousand miles of error, leaving no space even for a hair. Without truly attaining the secret transmission of the "Qingang" text, how can one distinguish between them?

認金龍，一經一緯義不窮；動不動，直待高人施妙用。蔣注：易雲幹為龍，幹屬金，乃指先天真陽之氣，無形可見者也，地理取義於龍，正謂此耳，一經一緯，即陰陽交媾之妙，金龍之經緯，隨處而有，而動與不動，去取分焉，必其龍之動，而後妙用出，蓋若不動者，不可用也，金龍既屬無形，從何可認，認得動處，即知用法，所以有待高人也歟。

To recognize the "Golden Dragon," its meaning of one vertical and one horizontal line is boundless; whether it is moving or not depends on the skill of a master. Jiang Dahong explains: The Zhou Yi says that Qian represents the Dragon, and Qian belongs to the Metal element in the Five Phases, referring to the true yang energy in its original state, which is invisible. Geomancers use the term "Dragon" precisely for this meaning. The so-called one vertical and one horizontal line refers to the subtle interaction between yin and yang. The Golden Dragon's vertical and horizontal lines can be found everywhere, but the distinction between "moving" and "not moving" is the key to selection and rejection. Only when the Dragon moves can its subtle application be revealed; if it does not move, it cannot be used. Since the Golden Dragon is invisible, how can we recognize it? Recognizing where it moves allows us to understand how to apply it. Precisely because of this difficulty, we must wait for a master.

第一義，要識龍身行與止；第二言，來脈明堂不可偏；第三法，傳送功曹不高壓；第四奇，明堂十字有元微；第五妙，前後青龍兩相照；第六秘，八國城門鎖正氣；第七奧，要向天心尋十道；第八裁，屈曲流神認去來；第九神，任他平地與青雲；第十真，若有一缺非真情。

The first principle is to recognize whether the dragon body is still moving or has stopped. The second point is that both the coming ridge and the bright hall should not be neglected. The third rule is that the left and right protective sands named 'transmission' and 'work official' must not be higher than the main mountain. The fourth remarkable point is that the cross lines on the bright hall have subtle principles. The fifth wonderful point is that the dragon and tiger on both sides of the site should correspond with each other. The sixth secret point is that the 'city gate' at the eight directions should lock in the righteous energy. The seventh profound point is to seek the ten paths from the 'heavenly center'. The eighth consideration is to clearly recognize the flowing spirit that comes and goes in a winding manner. The ninth marvelous point is that whether it is flat land or high mountain, it applies universally. The tenth true point is that if any of these ten points is missing, it is not a genuine and true convergence.

蔣注：上節言金龍之動不動，而此節緊頂龍身行與止，學者不可忽也。蓋有動則有止，不動則雖有金龍，只是行龍，原無止氣。故高人妙用，以此為第一，有此一著，然後其餘作法，可次第而及也。來脈明堂不可偏，非謂來脈必與明堂直對，不可偏側也。若如所云，則子龍必作午向，亥龍必作巳向矣。來龍結穴變化不一，有直結者，有橫結者，有側結者，豈容執一。楊公之意，蓋謂來脈自有來脈之受氣，明堂自有明堂之受氣，二者須各乘生旺，兼而收之，不可偏廢也。

Jiang Dahong wrote: The previous section discussed the movement and stillness of the golden dragon. This section continues by discussing the movement and stillness of the dragon's body. Scholars must not neglect this. There is movement before there is stillness; if there is no movement, even if there is a golden dragon, it is merely a passing dragon, which originally has no gathering energy. Therefore, masters of the art consider this principle as the first. One must first establish this, before proceeding to discuss the rest in order. "The incoming ridge and the bright hall must not be biased" does not mean that the incoming ridge must be directly opposite the bright hall, and not allow any deviation. If it were strictly interpreted that way, the dragon of the zi direction would have to face the wu direction, and the dragon of the hai direction would have to face the si direction. The convergence of the dragon varies in many ways; there are straight convergences, horizontal convergences, and lateral convergences. How can one rigidly adhere to a single pattern? The original intention of Master Yang is to say that the incoming ridge has its own received energy, and the bright hall has its own received energy. Both sides must each take the thriving and prosperous energy, and incorporate them together, without neglecting either side.

傳送功曹乃左右護龍星辰。蓋真龍起頂，必高於護砂，乃為正結；若左右二星反壓本山，非龍體之正矣。平地亦然，貼身左右，有高地掩蔽，陽和房分不均，俗術所不覺也。十字符微，乃裁穴定向之法，雖云明堂，實從穴星內看十字。明此十字，則穴之上下左右，向之偏正饒減，盡於此矣。其云元微，誠哉其元微也歟。

"The 'Transmission' and 'Work Official' are two star peaks on either side of the site, guarding the coming dragon. When a true dragon rises to the peak, it must be higher than the protective ridges, which is considered proper; if the two peaks on either side are actually higher than the main mountain, then it is not the proper form of the dragon body. The same applies to flat land: if there are high ground on either side close by that block the sunlight and qi, then the qi received by each branch will be uneven, and this layer of superficial technique cannot detect it. 'Crossing the Original Micro' is a method for determining the position and orientation of a穴位; although it refers to the bright hall, it is actually viewed from within the main peak. Once this cross is understood, whether the穴位 should be high or low, left or right, the orientation should be biased or straight, added or reduced, is all contained within it. Master Yang said it is 'original micro,' truly deserving of its name as it is very subtle."

前後青龍兩相照，從□托龍虎定穴法者，此義易知。八國城也，八國有不滿之處，是曰城門。蓋城門通正氣之出入，而八國鎖之，觀其鎖定之方，便知是何卦之正氣，以測衰旺，而定吉凶也，故曰秘。天心十道，緊頂八國城門而來。蓋城門既定，正氣之來縱，又當於穴內分清十道，乃知八穴正氣，廣狹輕重，銖兩平衡□辨，故曰奧。此兩節專言入穴測氣，非論形勢也。不然，則與明堂十字，前後青龍兩條不幾於復乎。

"Before and after the Azure Dragon shine upon each other," this meaning is easy to understand for those who know how to determine the site based on the Dragon and Tiger sands. As for "eight countries," it refers to the forms around the site in all eight directions; if there is a missing or incomplete part among the eight directions, it is called "city gate." The city gate is the passage through which the vital energy enters and exits. The surrounding sands and waters lock this passage; by observing which direction the lock is in, one can determine which trigram's vital energy is entering, thus judging whether it is flourishing or declining, and thereby determining fortune or misfortune. That is why Master Yang called it "secret." "Heaven's heart ten paths" follows immediately after the eight countries and city gate. Once the city gate is determined, the origin of the vital energy becomes clear. Then, within the site, one must distinguish the ten paths clearly in order to understand the width and weight of the site's vital energy, discerning it as clearly as weighing silver in units of liang. That is why it is called "mystery." These two sections specifically discuss measuring the vital energy after entering the site, not discussing the form; otherwise, would it not repeat the previous two points about "Bright Hall ten characters" and "before and after the Azure Dragon"?

屈曲流神，巳是合格之地，然有此卦來則吉，彼卦來則凶者，□以屈曲而用之誤矣，須有裁度，乃可變通取用，故曰裁。以上皆審氣之真訣，至微至渺者，一著不到，將有滲漏而失真情矣。平地高山，總無二法。上八句，各是一義，末二句，不過叮嚀，以囑之，語氣奏□，借成十節耳。

Water flowing in a winding and affectionate manner is already considered a qualified terrain; however, if the winding is the same, it may be auspicious from one trigram and inauspicious from another. If one merely sees the winding and uses it indiscriminately, it would be a mistake. One must have a discerning judgment to make flexible choices—this is called 'cutting and selecting.' All the above discuss the true method of examining the qi, which is extremely subtle and profound. If there is any oversight in one aspect, the qi will leak away, and the true nature will be lost. Level ground and high mountains have no different methods in this regard. The previous eight lines each discuss a separate matter, while the last two lines are merely reminders, filling up the tone to complete ten sections.

明倒杖，卦坐陰陽何必想。蔣注：此以下二節，專指山龍穴法，平地無涉，因世人拘執淨陰淨陽之說，故一語破之，倒杖非必如俗傳十二倒仗法，此後人偽造也，只接脈二字，足盡倒杖真訣，既知接脈，便知真穴，既得真穴，使有真向，自然之陰陽巳得，又何必淨陰淨陽之拘拘哉。

Understanding the method of "dazhang" (reverse staff), is it still necessary to worry about whether the mountain is yin or yang? Jiang Dahong explains: From here on, the next two sections specifically refer to the method of selecting a site for a mountain dragon, and have nothing to do with flat land. Because people have been blindly clinging to the idea of "pure yin and pure yang," Master Yang (Yang Yunsong) was forced to clarify this in one sentence. "Dazhang" does not necessarily refer to the twelve conventional dazhang methods, which were fabricated by later people; the true secret of dazhang is simply the two characters "jiemai" (receiving the pulse). If one understands jiemai, one can find the true site; once the true site is found, the natural direction will naturally be determined, and the yin and yang are already included within it. Why then should one still insist on discussing "pure yin and pure yang" so rigidly?

識掌模，太極分明必有圖。蔣注：山龍真，必有太極暈藏於地中，此暈變化不同，而其理則一，非道眼孰能剖露哉。

To recognize the appearance of the palm, the Taiji pattern within thesite must clearly appear in form. Jiang Dahong comments: If the mountain dragon is truly formed, there must be a circle of "Taiji Yun" hidden underground. The shape of this Yun varies, but the principle is only one. Without someone with the eye of Dao, who could reveal it?

知化氣，生剋制化須熟記。蔣注：生旺之氣為生，衰敗之氣為克，扶生旺之氣，勝衰敗之氣，是為制化，此一節兼平地而言。

One must understand the transformation of qi, and thoroughly grasp the concepts of generation, overcoming, control, and transformation. Jiang Dahong explains: the qi that is currently strong and flourishing is called "generation," while the qi that is out of its season and declining is called "overcoming." Supporting the flourishing qi and suppressing the declining qi is referred to as "control and transformation." This section discusses both plains and hills together, and is not limited to mountain dragons.

說五星，方圓尖秀要分明；曉高低，星峰須辨得元微；鬼與曜，生死去來真要妙。蔣注：此三節，皆論山龍形體，不須另解，鬼曜之生死去來，是辨龍穴之要著也。龍之轉結者，背後必有鬼，有穴星如許長，而鬼亦如許長者，俗眼難辨，有反在鬼上求穴者，不知穴星是來脈為生，鬼身是去脈為死，察其去來，而真偽立辨矣。盡龍左右龍虎都生，曜氣向外反張，有似乎砂之飛走者，此真氣有餘直沖上前，而餘氣帶轉，如人當風振臂，衣袖飄揚反向後也。在真龍正穴，則為曜氣在，無有穴之地，則為砂飛，比其辨在龍穴，而不在砂也。

When discussing the forms of the five stars, one must clearly distinguish between square, round, sharp, and elegant shapes. One should also understand their height differences and discern the subtle distinctions between star peaks. As for the 'ghost' and 'bright star,' their birth and death, coming and going, are most important and subtle. Jiang Dahong comments: these three sections are all about the form of mountain dragons, so no separate explanation is needed. However, the birth and death of the 'ghost' and 'bright star' are crucial for identifying dragon sites. Whenever a dragon body turns and forms a site, it must necessarily have a 'ghost' behind it. Some site stars may be long, and so too may the 'ghost' be long. Common people find it difficult to distinguish, and some even mistakenly search for the site on the 'ghost' itself. They do not understand: the side of the site star is the coming pulse, which belongs to 'life'; the side of the 'ghost' is the going pulse, which belongs to 'death.' By clearly distinguishing between the coming and going pulses, the true and false become immediately clear. At the true dragon site, the left and right dragon and tiger are alive, and the 'bright star' energy spreads outward, appearing as if the sand is flying away. In reality, this is surplus true energy rushing forward, with the extra energy being turned back, just like a person waving their arms against the wind, causing their sleeves to flutter backward. At the true dragon site, this is called 'bright star energy'; at a false site, this is called 'sand flying.' Therefore, the distinction lies in whether the dragon site is true or false, not in the sand itself.

向放水，生旺有吉休囚否。蔣注：向中放水，世人莫不以來水特朝為至吉，去水元辰走洩為至凶，殊不知向上之水不論去來，若合生旺，則來固吉，去亦吉，若逢休囚，則去固凶，來亦凶。楊公因向上之水關係尤緊，其說最能誤人，故特辨之。

When water flows upward, if it harmonizes with the vital and prosperous energy, it brings good fortune; if it falls into weak and confined energy, it brings misfortune. Jiang Dahong explains: When discussing upward flowing water, people generally believe that water specially flowing towards the tomb is most auspicious, while water that drains away the original energy is most inauspicious. They do not realize that water flowing upward, whether coming or going, as long as it harmonizes with the current vital and prosperous energy, coming is auspicious and going is also auspicious; if it falls into weak and confined energy, going is inauspicious and coming is also inauspicious. Master Yang emphasized the importance of upward flowing water particularly, as the common beliefs of the world are easily misleading, so he specially clarified this point.

二十四山分五行，知得榮枯死與生；翻天倒地對不同，其中密秘在元空；認龍立穴要分明，在人仔細辨天心；天心既辨穴何難，但把向中放水看；從外出入名為進，定知財寶積如山；從內生出名為退，家內錢財皆廢盡；生入克入名為旺，子孫高官盡富貴。

The twenty-four mountains each belong to one of the Five Phases, and according to this, we can determine whether the qi is flourishing, withering, dying, or thriving. The pairing of "flipping heaven and turning earth" varies everywhere, and the secret lies in the term "Xuankong." Recognizing the dragon and establishing the site must be clear, and it all depends on whether a person is willing to carefully discern the "Heaven's Heart." Once the Heaven's Heart is clearly identified, pinpointing the site is not difficult; it only depends on how the water is released in the direction. Qi coming from outside is called "entering," which indicates wealth accumulating in abundance. Qi coming from inside is called "retreating," which means the family's wealth will be lost. If there is both entering and controlling, it is called "prosperous," meaning descendants will hold high official positions and enjoy wealth and honor.

蔣注：元空大卦之妙，祗翻天倒地對不同七字。二十四山既分定五行，則榮枯生死宜有一定矣；及其入用，有用於此時則吉、用於彼時則凶者，時之對不同者，其一也；有用之此處則吉、用之彼處則凶者，物之對不同者，又其一也。此其秘密之理，非傳心不可。

Jiang Dahong's commentary: The key to the mystery of the Xuan Kong Da Guan lies in the seven characters "flip heaven and invert earth, matching differently." Since the twenty-four mountains have already been assigned the Five Phases, prosperity, decline, birth and death should have a fixed standard; but when applied in practice, two situations arise: the same place is auspicious when used at this time but inauspicious when used at that time, which is a difference in "time," that is the first; the same time is auspicious when used at this place but inauspicious when used at that place, which is a difference in "things" (form and position), that is the second. The secret behind this cannot be transmitted except through master and disciple heart-to-heart transmission.

天心，即上文第七奧之天心，另有辨法，非時師所謂天心十道也；若如時師之說，又何用仔細耶。天心既辨，則穴中正氣巳定，而撓其權者，在向中所放之水也。從外生入，從內生出，此言穴中所向之氣也。我居於衰敗，而受外來生旺之氣，所謂從外生入也；我居於生旺，而外來衰敗之氣，似乎我反生之，故云從內生出也。

The "heavenly heart" mentioned here refers to the "heavenly heart" from the seventh point earlier, "seek the ten paths from the heavenly heart," and it has its own method of discernment, which is different from the "ten paths of the heavenly heart" currently spoken of by modern geomancers. If it were really as simple as the current masters claim, why would there be a need to remind people to be careful? Once the heavenly heart is clearly identified, the righteous energy within the site is determined. The force that can take over this authority and disrupt the situation lies in the water flowing from above. The terms "coming from outside" and "emerging from within" both refer to the energy received from above at the site: if I am in a declining position but receive external vital and prosperous energy, this is called "coming from outside"; if I am in a vital and prosperous position but receive external declining energy, it appears as if I am generating it, hence called "emerging from within."

此言穴中所向之氣，穴中既有生入之氣矣，而水又在衰敗之方，則水來克我，適所以生我也。內外之一生一克，皆成生旺，兩美相合，諸福畢臻，所以高官富貴有異於常也，其中正有對不同者存焉。舊注所云，小元空水生向克向為進神，向生水克水為退神，非是。青囊豈有兩元空五行邪。

This still refers to the qi coming upward from the site. If the site has already received the beneficial qi that nourishes and supports, and the water flows into the declining direction, then the water coming to overcome is actually completing the site. The internal and external aspects of generation and overcoming both result in the flourishing and vigorous qi, combining two benefits, bringing all kinds of blessings together, so it produces high officials and enjoys wealth and honor, which is different from ordinary families. Here lies the principle of 'opposite yet harmonious'. The old annotations that talk about the so-called 'small Xuan Kong'—calling water generating the direction as advancing god and water overcoming the direction as retreating god, and vice versa— are incorrect. How could the Qingnang school have two sets of Xuan Kong Five Phases?

脈息生旺要知因，龍歇脈寒災禍侵；縱有他山來救助，空勞祿馬護龍行。蔣注：此下二節總一篇之意，言先尋龍脈，以定穴之有無，次論九星，以辨氣之吉凶也。此一節先言形體，而以來龍之脈息為重，外砂之護夾為輕。

The vitality and prosperity of the qi must be understood in terms of their origin; if the dragon has stopped and the qi is weak and cold, calamity will come. At this time, even if other mountains come to help, with the blessing of the禄 star and the horse star accompanying along the way, it will be in vain. Jiang Dahong's commentary: the following two sections are meant to conclude the entire passage. First, we seek the dragon's path to determine whether there is a true qi point here; then we discuss the nine stars to distinguish the fortune and misfortune of the qi. In this section, the form is discussed first, giving more importance to the main dragon's qi and less to the surrounding hills and protective features.

勸君再把星辰辨，吉凶禍福如神見；識得此篇真妙微，又見郭璞再出現。蔣注：此一節乃言卦氣，而以九星大五行為主，言如上節所云，雖得來龍脈息之真穴，而吉凶禍福尚未能取，必勸君再將挨星訣法，細審衰旺生死，而後可趨吉而避凶，轉禍而為福。一篇之旨不過如此，苟能識其微妙，前賢與後賢，一般見識，一般作用，青囊二卷更無餘義矣。

I advise you to clearly distinguish the nine stars, so that you can foresee good fortune and misfortune as accurately as a deity; if you can truly grasp the subtle essence of this passage, you would be equal to Guo Pu in his time. Jiang Dahong's commentary: this section discusses the concept of卦气 (gua qi), with the nine stars and the Five Phases as its main focus. The meaning is: as mentioned in the previous section, even if you have accurately identified the true dragon and its breath, you may still not be certain about the fortune or misfortune. Therefore, I urge you to carefully examine the qi movement using the method of 挨星 (ai xing), to discern the waxing and waning, birth and death of the qi, and only then can you talk about avoiding misfortune and turning calamity into blessing. The main purpose of the entire passage is no more than this. If you can truly understand its subtle meaning, the wisdom of the ancients and the moderns would be the same, and the upper and lower volumes of the Qingnang would have no other meaning beyond this.

蔣注：總論楊公此篇其言，元空大卦挨星五行，即青囊經上卷，陽生於陰之義，而下卷理寓於氣之妙用也；其言倒杖太極暈五星脈息，即青囊經中卷，形止氣蓄之義，而下卷氣囿於形之妙用也。一形一氣括盡青囊之昌，而究其元機正訣，如環無端，不可捉摸，謂之曰奧語宜哉。

Jiang Dahong's general discussion: In this passage by Master Yang, wherever he talks about the heavenly stems and earthly branches, the five phases, and the principles of the Xiankong Da Guan (Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branches) system, it is exactly the principle of "Yang arises from Yin" in the upper volume of the Qingnang Jing (Classic of the Blue Bag). It is also the practical application of "the principle is embodied in the qi" mentioned in the lower volume. Whenever he discusses the reverse staff, the太极晕 (Taiji cloud), the five stars, and the pulse and breath, it is exactly the principle of "shape stops and qi accumulates" in the middle volume of the Qingnang Jing, which is also the practical application of "qi is confined by form" mentioned in the lower volume. One refers to "form," the other to "qi," and these two concepts encompass the entire meaning of the Qingnang Jing. However, when we seek the true secret and profound meaning, it is like a circular ring with no beginning, making it difficult to grasp. Calling this passage "Ao Yu" (Secret Words) is indeed appropriate.

江東一卦從來吉，八神四個一；江西一卦排龍位，八神四個二；南北八神共一卦，端的應無差。

The hexagram of Jiangdong has always been auspicious, and in the eight spirits it passes through four positions, dealing only with one hexagram, hence it is called "four one"; the hexagram of Jiangxi, when arranged in the dragon position, also passes through four positions within the eight spirits, but it oversees two hexagrams, hence it is called "four two"; the hexagram of north and south involves the eight spirits forming one hexagram, encompassing three hexagrams, and when thoroughly examined, there should be no error. These three sentences are the general principle of the Three Hexagrams in the Tianyu Jing.

蔣注：天玉內傳，即青囊奧語，挨星五行，玄空大卦之理。楊公妙用，止有一法，更無二門，此乃反覆其詞，以授曾安公者也。江南江北江東江西，曾序已先下腳註矣。但南北東西，應有四卦；而此云三卦者，緣玄空五行，八卦排來，止有三卦故也。江東一卦者，卦起於西，所謂江西龍去望江東，故日江東也。八神，即八卦之中，經四位而起父母，故曰八神。四個，言八神之中歷四位也。一者，此一卦祇管一卦之事，不能兼通他卦也。

Jiang Dahong wrote: The Inner Transmission of the Tianyu Jing discusses the principles of the Esoteric Words of the Green Satchel, including the method of sequential stars and the Five Phases, as well as the great trigrams of Xuan Kong. Master Yang's profound application has only one method, no other path exists. Here, the words are simply repeated several times to pass on to his disciple Zeng Guan'an. The terms Jiangnan, Jiangbei, Jiangdong, and Jiangxi have already been explained in the Preface to the Green Satchel by Zeng Guan'an. According to the directions, there should be four trigrams for the four cardinal directions. However, here only three trigrams are mentioned, because when the Five Phases of Xuan Kong are arranged according to the Eight Trigrams, they actually form only three trigrams. "Jiangdong trigram" refers to the trigram starting from the west, which corresponds to the phrase "Jiangxi dragon goes to look at Jiangdong" in the Preface, hence the term Jiangdong. "Eight spirits" refers to selecting a parent trigram every four positions within the Eight Trigrams, hence called eight spirits. "Four" refers to the eight spirits passing through four positions. "One" means this trigram only concerns its own trigram and cannot be combined with other trigrams.

江西一卦者，卦起於東，反而言之，即謂江東龍去望江西亦可，故日江西也。亦於八卦之中，經四位而起父母，則亦曰八神。四個二者，此一卦兼管二卦之事，而不能全收三卦也。比如坎至巽，乃第四位，巽至兌，亦第四位；八卦之中各經四卦，故日八神四個也。

"The Jiangxi hexagram" refers to a hexagram that begins from the eastern direction. Conversely, it can also be described as "the dragon from Jiangdong looks toward Jiangxi," which is equally valid, hence the term Jiangxi. It also starts a parent hexagram every four positions within the eight trigrams, so it is also called the Eight Spirits. "Four twos" means that this hexagram can oversee two hexagrams at the same time, but cannot fully encompass three. For example, counting from Kan to Xun is exactly four positions, and counting from Gen to Dui is also exactly four positions. Within the eight trigrams, each goes through four hexagrams, hence it is said "Eight Spirits with four."

南北八神考，乃江北一卦，所謂江南龍來江北望也。不云四個者，此卦突然自起，不經位數，與東西兩卦不同也。八神共一卦者，此卦包含三卦，總該八神，又非八神四個二之比也。夫此東西南北三卦，有一卦止得一卦之用者，有一卦兼得二卦之用者，有一卦盡得三卦之用者，此謂玄空大卦秘密寶藏，非真傳正授，斷不能洞悉其妙旨也。俗注：寅至丙為東卦，申至壬為西卦，午至坤為南卦，子至艮為北卦非。

"The Northern and Southern Eight Gods" refers to the hexagram of the Jiangbei (north bank), which corresponds to the meaning in the "Preface" of "Jiangnan Long Comes to Jiangbei to Look" (the original text's "kao" is a mistake for "zhe"). Here, we do not mention "four" because this hexagram arises suddenly on its own, and there is no need to count how many steps it has passed through, differing from the arrangement of the eastern and western hexagrams. The phrase "eight gods share one hexagram" is used because this hexagram includes three hexagrams and encompasses the eight gods, which cannot be compared to the idea of "eight gods in groups of two." In summary, among the three hexagrams of east, west, south, and north, some are only useful for one hexagram, some are useful for two, and some are useful for all three—this is the secret treasure of the Xuan Kong Da Guan. Without proper transmission and instruction, one will certainly not be able to grasp its profound meaning. Common annotations that take寅 (Yin) to 丙 (Bing) as the eastern hexagram, 申 (Shen) to 壬 (Ren) as the western hexagram, 午 (Wu) to 坤 (Kun) as the southern hexagram, and 子 (Zi) to 艮 (Gen) as the northern hexagram are incorrect.

二十四龍管三卦，莫與時師話，忽然知得便通仙，代代鼓駢闐。蔣注：二十四龍本是八卦，而八卦又分三卦，此玄空之秘，必須口傳。若俗注：丙本南離，而反屬東卦，壬本北坎，而反屬西卦，牽強支離，悖理之極。且云四個一者，寅辰丙乙四個，在一龍；四個二者，申戌壬辛四個，在二龍，又屬無謂。

The twenty-four dragons are all under the jurisdiction of the three trigrams, but this should not be told to ordinary geomancers; once one suddenly understands it, one has grasped the secret of immortality, and one's descendants will be prosperous with carriages and horses, and continuous wealth and honor. Jiang Dahong explains: the twenty-four dragons are originally the eight trigrams, and the eight trigrams are merged into the three trigrams, which is the secret of Xuan Kong. It is wrong to say, as common interpretations do, that the direction of Bing belongs to the southern trigram Li but insists it belongs to the eastern trigram; or that the direction of Ren belongs to the northern trigram Kan but insists it belongs to the western trigram. Such explanations are forced and illogical, going against reason. They also claim that the 'four ones' refer to the characters Yin, Chen, Bing, and Yi in the first dragon, and the 'four twos' refer to the characters Shen, Xu, Ren, and Xin in the second dragon, which is entirely without reason.

天卦江東掌上尋，知了值千金；地畫八卦誰能會，山與水相對。蔣注：天地東西南北，皆對待之名，所謂陰陽交媾，玄空大卦之妙用也。此節方將山與水相對一言，略指一班，洩漏春光矣；非分天卦於江東，分山水相對於地卦也。若以辭害志，分別支離，即同痴人說夢矣。俗注：天卦地支從天干，以向論水神旺墓，地卦天干從地支，以龍論山水生死者，非。

The heavenly trigrams should be sought in the Jiangdong direction and through palm divination; once understood, they are worth a thousand pieces of gold. As for the eight trigrams drawn on the ground, who can truly grasp their meaning? The key lies in the mutual relationship between mountains and water. Jiang Dahong explains: heaven and earth, east and west, south and north, are all relative terms, discussing the interaction of yin and yang, which is the profound application of the Xuan Kong Da Gua. This passage only slightly hints at the idea of mountains and water facing each other, already considered a revelation. It does not mean that the heavenly trigrams are exclusively associated with Jiangdong or that the mutual relationship of mountains and water is exclusively related to the earthly trigrams. If one rigidly adheres to the literal meaning and misunderstands the original intent, forcing a fragmented interpretation, it becomes like a madman talking in dreams. Common interpretations claim that the heavenly trigrams follow the heavenly stems with the earthly branches, considering the water deity's strength and burial from the direction, while the earthly trigrams follow the earthly branches with the heavenly stems, considering the birth and death of mountains and water from the dragon line. These are incorrect.

父母陰陽仔細尋上刖後相兼定上刖後相兼兩路看，分定兩邊安。蔣注：卦有卦之父母，爻有爻之父母，皆陰陽交媾之妙理。此節一刖後，指卦爻而言；一卦之中為父母，卦前卦後，偏旁兩路，即為子息，若不仔細審察，恐於父母之胎元不真，而陰陽有差錯矣。俗注：以一刖兼後為一大卦，屬向首；後兼一刖為地卦，屬龍家，為兩邊者，非。

The parents of the hexagram should be carefully identified; both the front and the back, and the back and the front, must be accurately determined. Both of these two directions should be clearly seen, and each side should be properly placed. (The original text "刖" is a variant form of "前," and the same applies to other instances.) Jiang Dahong explains: A hexagram has its own parents, and a line has its own parents. They all refer to the subtle principle of the union of yin and yang. In this passage, the terms "front" and "back" refer to the hexagram and its lines: the central element of a hexagram is its parents, while the two directions of the front and back of the hexagram are its children. If not carefully examined, there is a risk that the parents' origin will be false, leading to errors in the yin and yang. Common interpretations take "front and back" as a single hexagram, assigning it to the direction, and "back and front" as the earth hexagram, assigning it to the dragon's origin, claiming this is the "two sides," which is incorrect.

卦內八卦不出位，代代人尊貴；向水流歸一路行，到處有聲名；龍行出卦無官貴，不用勞心力；祇把天醫福德裝，末解見榮光。蔣注：八卦之內有三卦，在三卦之內，則為不出卦而吉，三卦之外，即為出卦而凶；向須卦內之向，水須卦內之水，上者皆歸本卦，則全美矣。天醫即巨門，上福德即武曲，此乃一行所造小游年卦例，以溷挨星之真者也。蓋謂世人誤認卦例為九星五行，必不能獲福也。

Within the hexagram, the eight trigrams do not leave their original positions, and the family will be prosperous generation after generation; if the direction and water flow together into the same hexagram, one will have a good reputation wherever they go. Once the dragon leaves its original hexagram, there will be no official status or prestige, and there is no need to waste further effort; if one only pretends to be the 'Heavenly Doctor' or 'Fortune Virtue,' they will never achieve true honor. Jiang Dahong explains: within the eight trigrams, they merge into three hexagrams. If they fall within these three hexagrams, it is called 'not leaving the hexagram' and is auspicious; if they fall outside these three hexagrams, it is called 'leaving the hexagram' and is inauspicious. If the direction is within the original hexagram and the water is also within the original hexagram, both returning to the original hexagram is considered perfect. 'Heavenly Doctor' refers to the gate door, and 'Fortune Virtue' refers to Wuqu. This is a small year hexagram example created by Yixing, used to confuse true star alignment. Master Yang's meaning is that people mistakenly take this hexagram example as the nine stars and five phases, and they will certainly not receive blessings.

倒排父母蔭龍位，山向同流水，十二陰陽一路排，總是卦中來。蔣注：倒排父母，即顛顛倒之義，陰陽交媾，皆倒排之法；山向與水神，必倒排以定陰陽。十二陰陽，即備二十四山之理，言雖有二十四位陰陽，總不脫八卦為父母也。

Reversing the parents trigram to protect the dragon position, considering the mountain, direction, and water deity together; arranging the twelve pairs of yin and yang in sequence, ultimately all originate from the trigram. Jiang Dahong explains: "Reversing the parents" refers to the "upside down" mentioned in the "Secret Words." The union of yin and yang employs the method of reversing; both the mountain and direction, as well as the water deity, must be reversed to determine yin and yang. The so-called "twelve yin and yang" refers to the principle that among the twenty-four mountains, each pair consists of one yin and one yang: although there are twenty-four positions of yin and yang, they all ultimately derive from the eight trigrams, which are the parents.

關天關地定雌雄，富貴此中逢；翻天倒地對不同，秘密在玄空。蔣注：雌雄交媾之所，乃天地之關竅，知其關竅，而後交媾可定也。江南龍來江北望，江西龍去望江東，此為翻天倒地，已詳奧語注中。俗注：以辰戌丑未，為闢天關地，非。

By fixing the heavenly stem and earthly branch to determine the male and female energies, wealth and honor are sought within this principle; the pairing of 'upside down heaven and reversed earth' varies everywhere, and the secret lies entirely in the term 'Xuan Kong'. Jiang Dahong comments: the location where male and female energies meet is precisely the key passage of heaven and earth; only after recognizing this key passage can the meeting place be determined. 'Southern dragons come to look northward, western dragons go to look eastward'—this is called 'upside down heaven and reversed earth', which has already been explained in detail in the annotations of 'Ao Yu'. Common interpretations that refer to the terms Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei as 'opening the heavenly gate and closing the earth gate' are incorrect.

三陽水向盡源流，富貴永無休；三陽六秀二神當，上見入朝堂。蔣注：三陽者，丙午了也。天王青囊，既重挨星生旺矣，而此節提出主陽，別有深意，非筆舌所能道。六秀者，本卦之二爻，故日二神。天王以卦之父母為三吉，以卦之子息為六秀。俗注：艮丙巽辛兌丁為一八秀，非。

Three yang waters flow along the direction and exhaust their source, leading to continuous wealth and prosperity; when the two deities of three yang and six excellence are in their proper positions, a person can attain official positions. Jiang Dahong's commentary: The term 'three yang' refers to the three positions of Bing, Wu, and Ding (the original text mistakenly used 'le' instead of 'Ding'). Since both the Tianyu and Qingnang texts have already emphasized the generation and prosperity of the star directions, this section specifically mentions 'three yang' with a deeper meaning that cannot be fully explained by words. The term 'six excellence' refers to two lines of the primary hexagram, hence called 'two deities'. The Tianyu text considers the parents of the hexagram as the three auspicious directions and the children of the hexagram as the six excellence. Common interpretations that consider Gen, Bing, Xun, Xin, Dui, and Ding as the six excellence are incorrect.

水到玉街官便至，神童狀元出，印緩若然居水口，玉街近臺輔，鼕鼕鼓角隨流水，豔豔紅旆貴。蔣注：鼓角紅施，皆以形象言。俗注：乾坤艮巽為玉街，長生前一位為鼓角，後二位為紅旆，非。

Water flowing to the position of 「Yu Jie」 indicates the arrival of official fortune, producing prodigies and top-ranking scholars; if the form of 「Yin Shou」-like terrain is located at the water mouth, then Yu Jie is adjacent to the position of a high-ranking minister. The sound of drums and horns following the flowing water, and bright red flags waving, are all signs of high status. Jiang Dahong's commentary: the terms of drums and horns, and red flags, are all metaphors based on the forms of terrain and water. Common interpretations that fix Qian, Kan, Gen, and Xun as Yu Jie, and the position before the Longsheng as Gujiao and the position two steps after as Hongqi, are incorrect.

上按三才並六建，排定陰陽算；下按玉輦捍門流，龍去要回頭。蔣注：三才即三吉，六建即六秀，此節上二句論方位，故須排定陰陽。下二句論形勢；玉輦捍門，皆指去水，須纏身兜抱，故謂之日回頭也。俗注：以長生諸位為六建，及王輦捍門，俱就方位言者，非。

The upper part follows the "Three Heavens" and "Six Foundations" to arrange yin and yang for calculation; the lower part follows the flow of water from "Jade Chariot" and "Gate Defense," requiring the dragon to turn back and look at the tomb. Jiang Dahong explains: "Three Heavens" refer to the three good directions, and "Six Foundations" refer to the six excellent positions. These two sentences discuss direction, so yin and yang must first be arranged. The next two sentences discuss the terrain. "Jade Chariot" and "Gate Defense" both refer to flowing water, which must encircle the tomb and embrace it affectionately, hence the need for "turning back." Common interpretations mistakenly take the twelve long life positions as the six foundations, and also treat "Jade Chariot" and "Gate Defense" as directions, which is incorrect.

六建分明號六龍，名姓達天聰；正山正向流支上，寡夭遭刑杖。蔣注：下二句，緊接上二句而言，水之取六建是矣。然卦之山向，在四隅卦中，則用本卦支神之六建；在四正卦中，又當用本卦於神之六建。若卦取正山正向，而水又流他卦之交上，是陰差陽錯，而必有寡夭刑杖之憂矣。學四正卦，而四隅卦不辨自明矣。此節以下，專辦干支零正陰陽純雜，毫釐千里之微也。

Six foundations are clearly defined and can be called the Six Dragons, whose names may reach the ears of the Son of Heaven. If the main mountain and direction are properly established, but the water flows toward the branch of the earth, the family will suffer from loneliness, orphans, early death, and punishment by law. Jiang Dahong comments: the next two lines follow the previous two. Taking the Six Foundations from the water is correct, but if the mountain and direction of the hexagram fall into the four corner hexagrams, then the Six Foundations should be taken from the earth branches of the primary hexagram. If they fall into the four cardinal hexagrams, then the Six Foundations should be taken from the heavenly stems of the primary hexagram (the original text '于神' refers to '干神'). If the hexagram takes the correct mountain and direction, but the water flows to the yao position of another hexagram, then there will be a mismatch between yin and yang, inevitably leading to loneliness, orphans, early death, and legal troubles. Here, the four cardinal hexagrams are used as examples (the original text '学' refers to '举'), and the four corner hexagrams do not need further explanation. From this section onward, the text specifically distinguishes between pure and mixed elements of heavenly stems and earthly branches, as well as yin and yang. These are subtle details where a slight error can lead to great mistakes.

共路兩神為夫婦，認取真神路，仙人秘密定陰陽，便是正龍岡。蔣注：共路兩神，即一干一支也。一干一支皆可為夫婦，然有真夫婦、有假夫婦，真夫婦為正龍，假夫婦即非正龍矣。如巽已為真夫婦，丙午亦真夫婦，若已丙則不得為真夫婦矣。其他做此。

Two deities on the same path form a couple; one must identify the true deity's path. The secret method of determining yin and yang passed down by immortals refers to this correct dragon ridge. Jiang Dahong explains: the phrase "two deities on the same path" means one heavenly stem paired with one earthly branch. Any combination of one stem and one branch can form a couple, but among them there are true couples and false couples: the true couple represents the correct dragon ridge, while the false couple does not. For example, Xun and Si form a true couple, and Bing and Wu also form a true couple. If Si and Bing are paired together, they do not form a true couple. Other combinations follow the same principle.

陰陽二字看零正，坐向須知病，若遇正神正位裝，發水入零堂，零堂正向須知好，認取來山腦，水上排龍點位裝，積粟萬餘倉。蔣注：青囊天玉，蓋以卦內生旺之位為正神，以出卦衰敗之位為零神；故陰陽交媾，全在零正二字，零正不明，生旺必有病矣。若知其故，而以正神裝在向上為生入，而以零神裝在水上為克入，則零堂正向，豈不兼收其妙乎。

To understand the concepts of yin and yang, one must look at "zero god" and "main god." If the mountain and direction are incorrectly determined, then the situation becomes unhealthy. If the main god is placed in its proper position, and the water flows in the direction of the zero god, with the zero direction matching the main direction, the benefits will be clear. One must also recognize the peak of the incoming mountain (the top of the mountain's ridge), and arrange the water's flow according to its position, so that it can accumulate enough grain to fill ten thousand granaries. Jiang Dahong explains: In the books "Qingang" and "Tianyu," the position within the primary hexagram that is currently thriving and vigorous is called the "main god," while the position outside the hexagram that is declining is called the "zero god." Therefore, the interaction between yin and yang entirely depends on the concepts of zero and main. If one cannot clearly distinguish between zero and main, then the concepts of thriving and vigorous will be flawed. If one understands the reason, placing the main god in the direction of the front is called "yin entering," and placing the zero god in the water's direction is called "yin overcoming." Thus, matching the zero direction with the main direction, isn't it possible to receive the benefits from both ends?

向水既妙，而來山之腦，未必與坐向相合，又當認取果來之山，又與坐向同在卦內，則來脈又合；非但一向之旺氣而已，惟水亦然。蓋山有來山之腦，而水亦有來水之源，水龍即是山龍，亦須節節排去，點位裝成，果能步步零神，則水之來脈，與水之入口同一氣；山之坐向，與山之來脈同一氣。斯零正二途，別無閒雜，而為大地無疑矣。

Heavenly Stems: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui Earthly Branches: Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai Trigrams: Qian (Heaven), Dui (Lake), Li (Fire), Zhen (Thunder), Xun (Wind), Kan (Water), Gen (Mountain), Kun (Earth) Even though the water and the mountain have already been matched perfectly, the mountain's head may not necessarily align with the direction the building faces. One must identify which specific mountain is coming from. If it also belongs to the same trigram as the facing direction, then the mountain's energy will be in harmony, and the building will not only benefit from the upward energy but also from the surrounding areas. The same principle applies to water. Mountains have their own heads, and water has its own sources; water dragons are similar to mountain dragons, and both should be traced step by step, arranged according to their positions. If each step aligns perfectly with the zero spirit, then the water's source and its entrance will be connected by the same energy, and the mountain's facing direction and its incoming energy will also be connected by the same energy. In this case, there will be no mixed energies on either the zero or the main path, and it is certain that the land is of great quality.

正神百步始成龍，水短便遭凶，零神不問長和短，吉凶不同斷。蔣注：此承上文而言，正神正位裝，向固吉矣；然其向中來氣，須深遠悠長，而後成龍，若然短淺，則氣不聚，難以致福。至於水則不然，一遇正神，雖一節二節，其煞立應矣。其零神之長短，又與正神有異，使零神而在水，雖短亦吉，若零神而在向，雖短亦凶；是零神之吉凶，在水向之分，而不繫乎長短也。

The main spirit must travel at least a hundred steps to form a dragon, and if the water is short, it will bring misfortune; the auxiliary spirit, however, does not depend on the length, and its fortune or misfortune must be judged separately. Jiang Dahong explains: this follows from the previous discussion. The main spirit, when placed in its proper position, is naturally auspicious; however, the incoming energy must be deep and long to form a dragon. If it comes short and shallow, the energy cannot gather and will not bring blessings. Water is different: once it meets the main spirit, even just one or two sections, the evil energy will immediately manifest. As for the auxiliary spirit's length, it is different from the main spirit: when the auxiliary spirit falls on water, even if short, it is auspicious; when it falls on the upward direction, even if short, it is inauspicious. Therefore, the fortune or misfortune of the auxiliary spirit depends on whether it falls on water or the upward direction, and has nothing to do with its length.

父母排來到子息，須去認生克，水上排龍點位分，兄弟更子孫。蔣注：亦承上文排龍而言，卦之中氣為父母，卦之二爻為子息，而本宮他卦之父母為兄弟。上二句言山上排龍，下二句一水上排龍。山上排龍，從父母排到子息，總是一卦，則卦氣純矣；然須認其卦之生克，若得卦之生氣，則純乎吉，若得卦之克氣，則純乎凶矣，豈可以其卦之純一，而遂謂吉哉。

From the parents' hexagram to the children's, one must also discern the relationship of generation and overcoming; when arranging dragons on water, one should look at them separately by position, and distinguish between the brothers' hexagram and the descendants' yao. Jiang Dahong's commentary: This continues the previous discussion on arranging dragons on mountains. The central energy of a hexagram is called "parents," and the two yao of the hexagram are called "children." The first two sentences refer to arranging dragons on mountains, while the latter two refer to arranging dragons on water. When arranging dragons on mountains, starting from the parents to the children, the entire passage remains within one hexagram, and the hexagram energy is considered pure. However, one must still determine whether this hexagram energy is life energy or overcoming energy. If it is the life energy of the hexagram, then it is purely auspicious; if it is the overcoming energy of the hexagram, then it is purely inauspicious. How can one simply say it is auspicious just because the hexagram energy is pure?

山上排龍來脈一路，大都只在一卦之內，至於水上排龍則不然，水有一路來者，亦有兩三路來者，故須照位分開，而不能拘一卦之父母，只要旁來之水，亦在父母一氣之卦，謂之兄弟。兄弟卦內又有子孫，雖非一父母，而總是一家骨肉，來路雖多，不害其為吉也。凶者反是。

On a mountain ridge, the dragon line comes from only one direction, and generally does not go beyond one hexagram; this is different with water. Water may come from one direction or from two or three directions, so it must be examined according to its position, and one cannot rigidly stick to the hexagram's parent element. If the water coming from the side also falls into the same hexagram as the parent element, it is called "brother." Within the brother hexagram, there is also the grandson element. Although they are not from the same parent, they are still family members, and even if the source is numerous, it does not affect the auspiciousness. Conversely, if it is a凶卦 (evil hexagram), the more sources there are, the worse it becomes.

二十四山分兩路，認取五行主，龍中交戰水中裝，便是正龍傷，前面若無凶交破，莫斷為凶禍，凶星看在何公位，仔細認蹤由。蔣注：此一節，專指卦之差錯者而言。兩路者，陰陽生死也；二十四山，每山皆有兩路，非分開二十四山歸兩路也。兩路之中，須認取五行之所主，五行所主，貴在清純。若龍中所受之氣，既不清純，而吉凶交戰矣，倘能以水之清純者救之，庶龍氣遇水之制伏，而交戰之凶威可殺；奈何又將龍中交戰之卦，裝入水中，則生氣之雜出者，不能為福，而死氣之雜出者，適足為禍，正龍有不受其傷者乎。

The twenty-four mountains each have two directions, and one must clearly identify which of the Five Phases is in charge; the dragon's energy has already become a mixture of good and bad, and then this conflicting energy is placed into the water, causing the main dragon to be harmed. If there is no harmful star to break it up in front, it cannot be judged as a disaster; one must carefully determine where the harmful star is located, by examining its origin and flow. Jiang Dahong comments: this section specifically discusses situations where the energy of the trigrams is incorrect. The term 'two directions' refers to the yin and yang, as well as the life and death energies; each of the twenty-four mountains has its own two directions, not dividing the twenty-four mountains into two groups. Among these two directions, one must clearly identify which of the Five Phases is dominant, and the key is that the Five Phases should be pure. If the energy received by the dragon is not pure from the beginning, and good and bad energies are already conflicting, then using pure water to save it can subdue the dragon's energy, reducing the harmful effects to some extent. Unfortunately, the conflicting trigram of the dragon is also placed into the water, so the mixed life energy cannot bring blessings, while the mixed death energy can cause disasters—how can the main dragon avoid being harmed?

然水之差錯，其力足以相勝，吉多者吉勝凶，凶多者凶勝吉。入口雖然交戰，而來水源頭，若無凶星變破，則氣猶兩平，雖不致福，亦未可據斷為凶禍。且凶星之應，亦有公位之分，吉凶雙到之局，只看某房受著，便於此房斷其有禍，不受奢者亦不應也。非如純凶不雜之水，房房受其殃禍之比，故其蹤又當仔細認雲。

However, errors in the water flow can have opposing effects: if the good elements are more prominent, the good will overpower the bad; if the bad elements are more prominent, the bad will overpower the good. Although there is a struggle between good and bad in this section of the water mouth, as long as the source of the water does not have malevolent stars to disrupt it, the energy remains balanced. Although it may not bring great blessings, it cannot be definitively considered as a calamity. Moreover, the effects of malevolent stars also differ according to the 'public position' (fáng fēn): in a pattern where both good and bad elements arrive, only the family that is affected will suffer; the families not affected by the malevolent influence will not experience the consequences. This is different from the case where the water is entirely malevolent and all families suffer. Therefore, it is even more important to carefully examine the origin and course of the water.

先定來山後定向，聯珠不相妨，須知細覓五行蹤，富貴結金龍。蔣注：此節單指山上龍神而言。青囊天玉，原以來山所受之氣，與向上所受之氣，分為兩局；然兩局又非截然兩路，故云聯珠不相妨。此不可約略求之者也，須當細覓蹤跡；若是富貴悠久之地，必然來山是此卦，而向首亦是此卦，一氣清純，方得謂之全龍耳。

First determine the coming mountain, then determine the direction, and the two should be like linked pearls, not conflicting with each other; one must know that one should carefully search for the traces of the Five Phases, only then can wealth and honor be formed by the golden dragon. Jiang Dahong explains: this section refers specifically to the mountain dragon spirit. The "Qingang" and "Tianyu" texts originally divide the qi received by the coming mountain and the qi received by the direction into two sections, but the two sections are not entirely separate paths, hence the saying "linked pearls do not conflict." This aspect cannot be roughly handled; one must carefully search for its traces. Any land that brings long-lasting wealth and honor must have the coming mountain belonging to this hexagram and the direction also belonging to this hexagram, with a single, pure qi, which is called "complete dragon."

五行若然翻值向，百年子孫旺，陰陽配合亦同論，富貴此中尋。蔣注：此節上二句言山上龍神，下二句言水裡龍神。五行翻值曏者，五行之旺氣值向也；翻即翻天倒地之翻，言生旺氣翻從向上生入也。山管人丁，故云百年子孫旺，而富貴亦在其中矣。陰陽配合，水來配合也，亦與向上之氣同論，但用法有殊耳。水管財祿，故云富貴此中尋，而子孫亦在其中矣。

The flourishing energy of the Five Phases, if turned towards the direction, will bring prosperity of descendants within a hundred years; the principle of yin and yang combination is also based on this. Jiang Dahong explains: these two lines above refer to dragon qi in mountains, and the two below refer to dragon qi in water. "Five Phases turning towards the direction" means the flourishing energy of the Five Phases is aligned with the direction; "turning" here refers to "turning heaven and reversing earth," meaning the vital and prosperous energy is reversed to flow into the direction. Mountains govern descendants, so there will be prosperity of descendants within a hundred years, and wealth and honor are included within this. "Yin and yang combination" refers to water coming to combine, and it is also based on the principle of directional energy, but the methods differ. Water governs wealth and official rank, so wealth and honor can be found here, and descendants are included within this.

東西父母三般卦，算值千金價，二十四路出高官，緋紫入長安，父母不是未為好，無官只富豪。蔣注：此節發明用卦之理，重卦體而輕爻，重父母而輕子息；蓋同一生旺，而力量懸殊也。言東西，而南北在其中矣。青囊天玉之秘，只有三般卦訣，若二十四路不出三般卦之內，則貴顯何疑，然卦內又當問其是父母之卦否，高官緋紫，必是父母之氣，源大流長，所以貴耳。若非父母，而但乘爻神子息之旺，則得氣淺薄，僅可豪富而已。

The three types of hexagrams, East and West parents, are worth a thousand gold; the twenty-four directions do not go beyond these three hexagrams, and if they do, they will bring high officials wearing red and purple robes entering the capital. If it is not the parents' hexagram, it cannot be considered truly good, there will be no official rank, only becoming a wealthy person. Jiang Dahong comments: this section explains the principle of using hexagrams: emphasizing the hexagram body rather than the yao positions, emphasizing the parents rather than the children, because even though they are both born and flourishing, their strength differs greatly. Here it mentions East and West, and the directions of North and South are included as well. The secrets of "Qingang" and "Tianyu" are only in the mnemonic "three types of hexagrams." If the twenty-four directions do not fall within the three types of hexagrams, how can one doubt the attainment of high status? However, within the hexagram, there is still another question: is it the parents' hexagram? To attain high official rank and wear red and purple robes, it must certainly be the parents' energy, with a broad source and long flow, hence achieving status. If it is not the parents' hexagram, but only riding on the flourishing energy of the yao and children, the energy obtained is shallow, at most becoming a wealthy person.

父母排來看左右，向首分休咎，雙山雙向水零神，富貴永無貧，若遇正神須敗絕，五行當分別，隔向一神仲子當，千萬細推詳。蔣注：此亦承上文，用卦須父母而言，父母排來，要排來山之龍脈也；來山屈曲，必不能盡屬父母，兼看左右兩爻子息若何。若於息純清不雜，又須向首所受之氣，逢生旺則休，逢衰敗則咎。若雙山雙向卦氣錯雜，須得水之外氣，悉屬零神克入相助，剛雙山雙向，為水神所制伏，而富貴可期矣。萬一水路又屬正神，則生出克出，兩路皆空，而敗絕不能免矣。

When determining the parents, one must also look at the left and right trigrams, and distinguish between auspicious and inauspicious directions. When double mountains are paired with zero spirits' water, wealth and honor will last long without poverty. If it happens to be the main spirit, it will lead to failure and extinction; the Five Phases must be clearly distinguished. The spirit opposite the direction should be on the second son, so it must be carefully examined. Jiang Dahong explains: This is continuing from the previous statement "Using the hexagram must take the parents into account." What is meant by "parents come in order" is to determine the dragon line of the mountain. If the mountain bends, it cannot entirely belong to the parents, and one must also consider the left and right trigrams and their descendants. If the descendants are pure and unimpeded, one must then look at the direction from which the qi comes: if it meets a thriving and vigorous phase, it is auspicious; if it meets a declining and weak phase, it is inauspicious. If the mountains are double and the directions are opposite, and the hexagram qi is mixed, then the external qi of the water must entirely belong to the zero spirits, which will assist by overcoming, and the double mountains and opposite directions will be subdued by the water spirits, thus giving hope for wealth and honor. If the water path also belongs to the main spirit, then both the generating and overcoming paths will be empty, and failure and extinction are inevitable.

公位之說，乃因洛書八卦震兌坎離，而定杯仲季三子之位，隔向一神，猶在離卦之內，故日仲子。天玉略露一班，以為分房取驗之矩矱；言仲而孟季可類推矣。

As for the concept of 「public position」 (division of family branches), it is determined by the four trigrams of Zhen, Dui, Kan, and Li in the Luo Shu Eight Trigrams, establishing the order of the three sons: the eldest, the middle, and the youngest (the original text's 「cup」 is a mistake for 「eldest」). The deity located across from the position remains within the range of the Li trigram, so it should be associated with the middle son. The Tian Yu text only briefly mentions this point, serving as a standard for dividing family branches; once the middle son is established, the eldest and youngest can be similarly inferred.

若行公位看順逆，接得方奇特；宮位若來見逆龍，男女失其蹤。蔣注：承上文仲子一神，而概言公位之說。順則生旺，逆則死絕。然不云生死，而曰順逆者，若論山上龍神，則以生氣為順，死氣為逆，若論水裡龍神，則又以死氣為順，生氣為逆故也。

If you follow the principle of the public position, you need to determine whether it is in the right or wrong direction, and only when it connects properly can it be considered extraordinary. If the position of a particular branch comes from a reverse dragon, then the men and women of that branch will lose their traces (experience a decline in population). Jiang Dahong comments: This is a general explanation of the concept of public position, following the previous mention of the "second son" deity. Right direction means prosperity and vitality, while wrong direction means death and decline. However, Master Yang does not mention death and vitality but instead uses the terms right and wrong direction, because: when discussing the dragon energy on land, life qi is considered right direction and death qi is considered wrong direction; but when discussing the dragon energy in water, it is the opposite, with death qi being right direction and life qi being wrong direction.

更看父母下三吉，三般卦第一。蔣注：通篇皆明父母三般卦理，反覆詳盡矣，終篇復申言之，若曰千言萬語，只有此一事而已，無復他說也，蓋致其叮嚀反覆之意雲。

In the end, one must also consider the three auspicious directions beneath the parents' hexagram. The three kinds of hexagrams are the first thing to focus on. Jiang Dahong commented: The entire passage discusses the principles of the parents' three kinds of hexagrams, which have already been explained in detail repeatedly. At the end of the passage, it is restated once more, as if to say: thousands of words, there is only one matter, nothing else. This is merely expressing the meaning of earnest advice and repetition to its fullest extent.