Volume Three · Climbing Mountains Without Using a Compass

或問：巒頭理氣千古聚訟，以子作《天機貫旨》專言理氣。考之經云：何處山頭無子午，登山不用開羅經。然則前賢之說非歟。答曰：惟得訣之人實有是事，非時師所得藉口也。凡生成之龍必有生成之穴，放棺之所果能認定來脈，則挨左挨右原不可差毫釐；其龍虎朝應非此不登對，其砂水明堂非此必有走竄，然後用羅經格之，理氣自合，所謂不用羅經者一也。入山尋水口，而格地之方位坐向皆可逆料，登龍格之巒頭自合，所謂登山不用羅經者二也。

Someone asked: Luan Tou and Li Qi have been debated for thousands of years, yet your book "Tian Ji Guan Zhi" focuses on Li Qi. However, the classics say: "Wherever there is a mountain peak, there is a Zi and Wu; when climbing a mountain, one does not need a compass." Then, is the saying of the ancients wrong? The answer is: Only those who truly understand the secret can indeed experience this, and it is not something modern geomancers can use as an excuse. Any dragon that naturally forms must have a naturally formed grave site; if the place for placing the coffin can truly identify the coming pulse, then the left and right directions must not differ by even a fraction. The dragon and tiger, and the front and back formations, cannot be arranged without this; the surrounding terrain and water, and the bright hall, cannot be collected without this. When using the compass to measure, the principles of Li Qi will naturally align—this is the first meaning of "not needing a compass." Before entering the mountain, first find the water mouth, and the orientation and direction of the entire area can be predicted in advance; then climb the dragon body to measure, and the Luan Tou will naturally align—this is the second meaning of "climbing a mountain without a compass."

朱子云：天以陰陽之行化生萬物，氣以成形而理以賦焉。理者一定之理，氣者一定之氣，形則無一定之形。然形雖千變萬化，而終不能出此一方之外，則亦未嘗無一定之理。一定之氣合於一定之理、一定之氣則為生氣，不合於一定之氣、一定之理則為死氣。得訣之人羅經爛熟於胸中，是以真龍正穴有不用開羅經之時，正所謂巒頭之外別無理氣。餘仰止不知羅經，乃藉此言以闢理氣，謬矣。

Zhu Xi said: Heaven uses yin and yang and the Five Phases to generate all things. Qi gathers and solidifies into form, and principle is also contained within. Principle is a fixed principle, Qi is a fixed Qi, but form does not have a fixed form. However, although form changes endlessly, it cannot escape this one area, so there is no lack of a fixed principle within it. When a fixed Qi conforms to a fixed principle, it is called Life Qi; when it does not conform to a fixed Qi and a fixed principle, it is called Death Qi. Those who have mastered the诀 have thoroughly memorized the compass in their minds, so when they encounter a true dragon and a correct site, they do not need to use the compass. This is exactly what is meant by "there is no principle and Qi outside of form." Yu Yangzhi originally did not understand the compass, yet used this sentence to reject principle and Qi, which was a great mistake.

望氣者，望山川所升之氣以辨其龍之結作也。太祖之上，於夏秋之交、雨霧之後、丑寅之時必有升之氣，宜於此時望之。氣之發從山顛直起沖上，下小上大如傘，此為真氣；若橫于山腰者，乃云露之氣，非真氣之發也。氣清奇者貴，肥濁者富，端正者出文，偏斜者出武。要赤為上，青白黑次之，其詳《天機素書》。

The method of observing the qi involves looking at the qi rising from mountains and rivers to determine whether a dragon is truly forming a structure. On the peak of the great ancestor mountain, during the transition from summer to autumn, after the rain and mist have just cleared, especially in the hours of Chou and Yin, there must be qi rising. One should go to observe at this time. When the qi appears, it rises straight up from the mountain peak, with a small bottom and large top, resembling an umbrella; this is true qi. If the qi is only spreading horizontally along the mountain waist, it is merely cloud mist and dew, not true qi. Clear and peculiar qi indicates nobility, thick and turbid qi indicates wealth, upright qi produces scholars, and slanted qi produces generals. The color of the qi is best red, followed by green, white, and black. For more detailed explanations, refer to the book "Tian Ji Su Shu."

或問：《玉尺經·審向篇》耑言卦氣，而審向之重惟在認水立向，穴與向豈有方歟。秀水則曰當趨，休囚則曰當避則避，豈六秀亦有不當趨、休囚亦有不當避者歟。答曰：五行各有所屬，生旺休囚不同，若從拘卦氣，則所謂生者非真生，旺者非真旺，休囚非真休囚，不過如時師所傳六秀黃泉之類耳。《審向篇》云：其訣則全在認水立向。如卯龍坤水朝立木向，則化官為鬼；午龍乾水朝立水向，則化煞生權，此認來水之訣。又如水出巽口，向丁未為沖生，改未丁則巽在絕地；水流坤口，向申庚為破旺，改坤申則坤在衰方，此認去水立訣也。

Someone asked: The "Reviewing the Direction" section of the "Juchijing" specializes in the theory of hexagram qi, and the key to reviewing the direction lies solely in "recognizing the water and establishing the direction." Are there fixed directions for the grave and the direction? If beautiful water is said to be followed, and weak and confined water is said to be avoided, then among the six auspicious directions, are there ones that should not be followed, and among the weak and confined, are there ones that should not be avoided? The answer is: The five phases each belong to their own elements, and the states of birth, prosperity, rest, and decline differ. If one is rigidly bound to the theory of hexagram qi, then the so-called birth is not true birth, the so-called prosperity is not true prosperity, and the so-called rest and decline are not true rest and decline. It is merely like the current system of the geomancer's six auspicious directions and the underground water. The "Reviewing the Direction" section says: This set of rules is entirely about recognizing the water and establishing the direction. For example, if a dragon comes from the卯 (Mao) direction and water comes from the坤 (Kun) direction to face the hall, and one establishes the direction of wood, then the official star becomes a ghost star; if a dragon comes from the午 (Wu) direction and water comes from the乾 (Qian) direction to face the hall, and one establishes the direction of water, then the evil qi is transformed into power — this is the rule of recognizing the incoming water. Another example: if water flows out from the巽 (Xun) direction, establishing the direction of Dingwei (丁未) becomes a conflicting and beneficial direction, but changing to the direction of Wei Ding (未丁) makes the Xun direction fall exactly into the terminal position; if water flows out from the坤 (Kun) direction, establishing the direction of Shen Geng (申庚) becomes a breaking of prosperity, but changing to the direction of Kun Shen (坤申) makes the Kun direction fall exactly into the declining position — this is the rule of recognizing the outgoing water and establishing the direction.

龍與水如夫與婦，有是夫有是婦，有是龍水必有是向，故當以龍為主。惟六十龍秘而不傳，先以教人以認水立向。已不能認龍，又不能認水，而徒求之六秀三合。六秀者多不合生旺，合生旺者反為八煞黃泉，此六秀所以有不宜趨，休囚所以有不宜避也。

The relationship between dragon and water is like that between husband and wife: there must be such a husband to have such a wife, and there must be such a dragon and water to have such a direction. Therefore, dragon should be the main focus. However, the method of sixty dragons is secret and not passed down, so predecessors first taught people to start with recognizing water and determining direction. Now, people are neither able to recognize dragon nor water, and they only seek blindly among the six auspicious directions and triple harmony. Most of the six auspicious directions do not actually match with the favorable and thriving directions, while the truly favorable and thriving directions are mistakenly considered as eight evils and yellow springs. This is why among the six auspicious directions there are some that should not be pursued, and among the weak and confined directions there are some that should not be avoided.

《天機賦》云：生與旺而同歸，人共財而咸吉；更從六秀方來，定擬滿門朱紫。明生旺為主而六秀次之。又云：六秀如逢曜氣，定出強梁之輩。此則病死墓絕之方終為不吉。後之學者從穿山透地坐穴認取五行為主，則信手拈來，頭頭是道，即先賢之認水立向且落第二義，而六秀黃泉之非又不待言矣。

The Tian Ji Fu says: "When the water is born and vigorous, it leads to good fortune, and people and wealth are all auspicious; if it comes from the Six Auspicious directions, the whole family will surely achieve high status." This clearly emphasizes the importance of birth and strength, with the Six Auspicious as secondary. It also says: "If the Six Auspicious meet the shining energy, strong and powerful people will emerge." This shows that water falling in the directions of sickness, death, mourning, and decline is ultimately inauspicious. Later scholars, by focusing on the Five Phases as determined through mountain penetration, earth penetration, and the site of the dwelling, can easily apply the principles and find clarity in every aspect. Even the ancient sages' emphasis on recognizing water and establishing direction becomes secondary. As for the errors in the theories of the Six Auspicious and the Yellow Spring, there is no need to elaborate further.

水味可以知地脈之美惡，故有嘗水之法。平陽平崗不出澗水，須嘗其井水；高山則嘗其溪澗，須於多晴後嘗之。老山之中難以登臨，須逐澗嘗其水，其水香甜則此上有好穴，若水淡無味，其中不結穴也。凡水以香為貴，甜為富厚人丁；若甜而帶辣則出武貴，若味帶酸苦皆為不吉之所也。又水喜清忌濁，冬宜溫、夏宜冷為妙，論詳於後。昔吳公嘗朱子祖地有翰墨香，為朱氏扦此地，斷曰：當出一賢人，聰明如孔子。

The taste of water can determine the quality of the land's energy, so there is a method called tasting water. In flat plains or gentle hills where mountain streams do not flow, one should taste the well water. On high mountains, one should taste the stream water, and it is best to do so after several days of clear weather. In deep mountains and dense forests that are difficult to reach, one should follow each stream and taste the water. If the water is fragrant and sweet, it indicates a good site for a tomb. If the water is bland and tasteless, it suggests no good site. Generally, water is considered good if it is fragrant, and sweet water indicates wealth and a thriving population. If the water is sweet but has a spicy taste, it suggests the emergence of a military official of high rank. If the water is sour or bitter, it is considered an inauspicious place. In addition, clear water is considered favorable, while turbid water is considered unfavorable. In winter, water that feels warm and in summer, water that feels cold is most desirable. Detailed discussions will be provided later. In the past, Wu Gong tasted the water of the ancestral tomb of Zhu Xi's family and found a fragrance like ink and literature. He then selected this site for the tomb and predicted: This place will produce a virtuous person, whose wisdom can compare with that of Confucius.

或問：葬者藏也，期安其祖父，故程子五患皆為祖父起見，今必富貴之利祿誘其子孫，是安親之念不勝其求福之念也，忘親僥倖皆從此起，古之孝子慈孫果有是歟。答曰：不孝有三，無後為大，是子孫之有無關係祖父也。推之而事君不忠、範官不敬、戰陣無勇皆為不孝，使吾之子孫暫然繁衍，而上能致君、下可澤民，獨非孝乎。

Someone asked: "Burial means to hide, and the purpose is to ensure the ancestors are at peace. Therefore, Cheng Yi spoke of the 'five dangers,' all for the sake of the ancestors. Now, however, people use wealth, honor, and official rank to entice others' descendants, which shows that the idea of securing the ancestors' peace is outweighed by the desire for blessings. Forgetting the ancestors and harboring侥幸 (侥幸 means侥幸, which is a term for taking chances or hoping for luck) all begin here. Could ancient filial sons and kind grandsons be like this?" The answer was: "There are three kinds of unfilial behavior, and having no descendants is the worst. This shows that the presence or absence of descendants is directly related to the ancestors. Extending this idea, being unfaithful to the sovereign, being disrespectful in office, and being cowardly in battle are all considered unfilial. If my descendants can temporarily multiply, and if they can assist the sovereign above and benefit the people below, is this not filial?"

今葬法不審而破旺沖生，禍不旋踵，貽祖父之辱莫大於此。五患之說，程子猶洩之耳。古人所重固在積德於冥冥之中，然積德之外又能安其祖父以安其子孫，尤為大孝。若謂妄想僥倖皆從此起，然則學也祿在其中，是教人千祿也；以德行仁者王，是教人圖王也。充類至義之盡，無一可為，又不止風水而已也。

Nowadays, burial practices are not carefully examined, leading to situations where the旺 (prosperity) is broken and the 生 (life) is conflicting, causing misfortunes to arrive quickly, bringing great disgrace to the ancestors. Master Cheng mentioned five dangers, but only gave a general account. Although the ancients valued accumulating virtue in the unseen world, they could also arrange for the ancestors and thus secure the descendants, which is even greater filial piety. If one were to think that allby chance (侥幸 means侥幸, which can be translated as "侥幸" or "taking chances") comes from seeking blessings, then Confucius said, "Learning also includes official rank," which would imply teaching people to seek official rank; Mencius said, "Those who practice virtue and benevolence will become kings," which would imply teaching people to seek kingship. If this line of reasoning is taken to its extreme, then nothing can be done, not just in the case of fengshui.

有種地師並不開口講論巒頭理氣，有人詢之則曰：我有秘訣在。夫曰秘訣，是不可輕與人言之物也；不可輕言，則人問可不必對，又另一家之妙也。又另一家則古書不必通，只此二字可以省酧酢、廢誦讀，而又勝於讀盡諸書而始堪應答者，又可靜坐養神以謀利，抑何妙也。

There is a type of geomancer who never speaks about the principles of hill shapes and qi energy. When people ask him, he simply says, "I have my own secret method." Since it is called a secret, it is something that cannot be casually shared. If it cannot be casually shared, then when people ask, he may just choose not to answer, which is another advantage of this approach. There is yet another school that is even more ingenious: they do not need to thoroughly study ancient texts, only relying on the two characters "secret method" to avoid socializing, to skip reciting texts, and even surpass those who answer questions after reading extensively. They can also meditate in stillness and make profits while sitting, how wonderful that is.

然天下之道除妖術之外，無一事有秘訣者。作聖作賢、成仙成佛皆無有秘訣者，何獨地理有秘訣乎。顧即以秘訣論，則其訣亦無用之物也。何也。吾見魏科高甲、富商大賈，其子弟未必如父兄，彼非不訓誨也，蓋神明在人無訣可傳故也。若曰吾得一訣即可以了明天地之道，夫多讀精思者尚不能，而一訣何容如此哉。吾不能信矣，故言秘訣者非明師。

However, the principles of the world, apart from witchcraft, do not rely on secrets. To become a sage, a virtuous person, a immortal, or a Buddha, there are no secrets involved. Why then is there a secret for geography? Even if there really were secrets, they would be of no use. Why? I have seen families that have produced high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants, yet their sons and brothers may not be able to match their fathers and uncles. This is not because they are not taught, but because divine understanding lies entirely within each person, and there is no secret to pass on. If someone claims that he has obtained a single secret phrase and thus understands the ways of heaven and earth, even those who have extensively studied and thought deeply cannot achieve this. How could a single phrase have such power? I really cannot believe it. Therefore, anyone who talks about secrets is not a true master.

《天玉》之旨從來未經發明，得吾子如披雲露而見青天矣。外篇所重者耑在四經，內傳亦曾言之，子獨以為當闕疑，何也。答曰：四經之說群於外篇，而內傳一見於中編、再見於下篇，皆以上下文語氣不相蒙，中下篇數語必後人增入，外編是後人偽作。中編云：胎沐養生貪長，共冠臨衰旺仲，季子排來病死位墓絕亦皆是。此即皆生旺墓吊合於三方，而孟仲季之公位攸分。兄弟多者以一四七為長、二五八為中、三六九為小，本之河圖並非臆見。若又以四經分四男，是一山而有兩公位，其為後人增入斷斷無疑。

Some people say: The main idea of the "Tianyu Jing" has never been explained before, and now with the master's explanation, it is like clearing away the clouds to see the blue sky. However, the "Tianyu Wai pian" focuses particularly on the "four classics," which were also mentioned in the "Neichuan." Yet the master advocates doubt, so why is that? The answer is: The theory of the four classics is all concentrated in the "Wai pian," while in the "Neichuan," it appears only once in the middle part and once again in the lower part, and both times it does not fit with the surrounding text. This shows that the few sentences in the middle and lower parts must have been added by later people. The entire "Wai pian" is undoubtedly a later forgery. The middle part says: "Tai, Mu, Yang, Sheng belong to Ganlang in the first house, Guan, Lin, Cai, Wang belong to the second house, and the third son's positions are also disease, death, tomb, and extinction." This means that the positions of Sheng, Wang, and Mu are aligned with three directions, and the public positions of the first, middle, and youngest houses are thus determined. In families with many brothers, the first, fourth, and seventh sons are considered the first house, the second, fifth, and eighth sons the middle house, and the third, sixth, and ninth sons the youngest house. This is based on the "He Tu," not a random assumption. If we further divide the four classics to assign them to four sons, it would be like having two public positions for one mountain, which is clearly a later addition.

外編非無精義，獨以四經為主，大旨全乖，故知為後人假託。餘擇其確然可信者備錄於後。其一則玄空大卦歟訣也，訣曰：外卦玄空理最幽，乾坤艮巽明根由，坎離震兌分天地，五行即在此中求。坎離震兌者，水火木金也；乾坤艮巽則其生地。此即《天玉經》之三卦，所謂四龍四局也。

The "Outer Treatise" is not without profound meaning, but it focuses solely on the four classics, completely deviating from the main principles, so it is determined to be a later fabrication. I have selected several parts that are indeed credible and list them below. The first is the mnemonic for the Xuan Kong Da Guan, which says: "The outer trigram of Xuan Kong is the most profound, Qian, Kun, Gen, and Xun clearly reveal their origins. Kan, Li, Zhen, and Dui divide heaven and earth, and the Five Phases are sought within them." Kan, Li, Zhen, and Dui represent the four sectors of water, fire, wood, and metal; Qian, Kun, Gen, and Xun are the long life positions of these four sectors. This is exactly what the "Tianyu Jing" refers to as the three trigrams, also known as the four dragons and four sectors.

其一則五行合生命也，訣云：金木水火各一宮，生命不相同，查得五行合生命，自然發福勝石崇。如木局生命則天干必甲乙丁壬，地支必亥卯未寅，納音必屬木，推之金水火莫不皆然，此歷試而不爽者。

The second rule is about the Five Phases matching the deceased's life, as explained in the诀: "Each of the elements gold, wood, water, and fire belongs to one palace; the life is different; if the Five Phases are compatible with the life, then prosperity will naturally arise, surpassing the wealth of Shi Chong." For example, if setting up a wood pattern, the heavenly stem of the deceased's birth year should be Jia, Yi, Ding, or Ren, the earthly branch should be Hai, Mao, Wei, or Yin, and the Nayin sound element should also belong to wood; when calculating for the patterns of gold, water, and fire, the same principle applies. This rule has been consistently verified.

其一則四路黃泉也，訣云：庚丁坤上是黃泉，乙丙須防巽水先，甲癸向中休見艮，辛壬水路怕當乾。此專以去水言。庚丁者金局也，坤申同宮，來則為催官，故能救人；去則沖破官祿，故能殺人。木火水皆仿此。

The third rule is the formula for the four paths of the Yellow Springs. The formula says: "When the direction of Geng and Ding faces Kun, it is the Yellow Spring; when the direction of Yi and Bing faces Xun water, it must be guarded against; when the direction of Jia and Gui faces the middle, it should not meet Gen; when the direction of Xin and Ren faces water, it should not face Qian." This rule specifically refers to the direction of water flow. Geng and Ding belong to the metal sector, and Kun is in the same palace as Shen. If water comes from the Kun and Shen direction, it is called promoting official water, which can save people; but if water flows away from the Kun and Shen direction, it will clash with the official position, which can harm people. The principles for the wood, fire, and water sectors are all derived from this reasoning.

其一則救貧黃泉也，訣云：辛入乾宮百萬生，癸歸艮位煥文章，乙向巽流清富貴，丁坤終是萬斯箱。乾坤艮巽即木火金水，乙辛丁癸乃是四養方，所以救貧。又謂之黃泉者，此方去水如人之失所養，定主夭貧，此黃泉真訣也。

The fourth is the formula for saving from poverty in the Yellow Spring. The formula says: "Xin enters the Qian palace and generates a million, Gui returns to the Gen position and shines with literary success, Yi faces the Xun flow and brings clarity and wealth, Ding reaches the Kun and eventually fills ten thousand rooms." Qian, Kun, Gen, and Xun correspond to the four directions of wood, fire, metal, and water. Yi, Xin, Ding, and Gui are precisely the four nourishing directions, so they can save from poverty. It is also called the Yellow Spring because once these directions are drained of water, it is as if a person has lost their nourishment, inevitably leading to early death and poverty. This is the true formula of the Yellow Spring.

外此則與《天玉》不合。如金木水火山山有玄竅，所以為造化之妙；四經則不論納音而割裂二十四山，分為四局，律以生死衰旺之義總不可解，其謬一。乾為西金之關，艮為北水之關，則木之關宜在巽而反在坤，火之關宜在坤而反在巽，其謬二。金為父母，木為子孫，水為兄弟，火為孫媳，於義奚取；而既分公位，又別三才，又分天地人鬼，名目愈多支離愈甚，其謬三。

In addition to these four points, the "Outer Chapters" differ from the "Heavenly Jade Classic." For example, the four directions of metal, wood, water, and fire each have their own hidden openings on every mountain, which is the subtle and profound aspect of nature; however, the four classics do not consider the nayin sound element, but instead divide the twenty-four mountains into four directions forcibly, using the principles of birth, death, decline, and prosperity to measure them, which is altogether incoherent—this is the first error. The gate of the western direction, Qian, is the gateway of the metal direction, and the gate of the northern direction, Gen, is the gateway of the water direction. Therefore, the gateway of the wood direction should be Xun, but it is placed at Kun; the gateway of the fire direction should be Kun, but it is placed at Xun—this is the second error. It also says that metal is the parents, wood is the children, water is the brothers, and fire is the daughter-in-law. What principle does this take? It divides the public position, the three elements, and also divides heaven, earth, human, and ghost, with more names, leading to greater fragmentation and confusion—this is the third error.

沖生破旺皆論納音，其應如響，即所謂長生位上黃泉是下化之年定見形者，亦當以挨星為主。今而歸之四經，遍觀古墓百無一驗，其謬四。木旺於東是為東卦，金旺西是為西卦，水旺北、火旺南是為南北二卦，皆大父母為之主宰，故五行統於三卦，又統於天地二卦，舉天地而左旋右旋、順逆零正皆在其中。外編獨以乾卦為天卦、支卦為地卦，與《天玉經》之義前不相蒙，其謬五。

The principles of mutual generation, destruction, conflict, and strength should all be discussed in terms of Nayin sound elements, and their effects are verified as quickly as an echo. Even statements such as "the Yellow Spring appears at the position of growth, and the form is clearly visible in the year of transformation" should be based on the method of sequential stars. However, nowadays they are attributed to the four classics, and when examining ancient tombs, none of them are verified—this is the fourth error. Wood is strong in the east, so there is an eastern trigram; metal is strong in the west, so there is a western trigram; water is strong in the north and fire in the south, so there are northern and southern trigrams. All of these are governed by the great parent trigram, so the Five Phases are all subordinate to the three trigrams, which in turn are subordinate to the Heaven and Earth trigrams. As long as the Heaven and Earth trigrams are mentioned, the concepts of left rotation, right rotation, and the order of forward and backward movements are all included within them. However, the Outer Chapter separately refers to the Heavenly Stem trigram as the Heaven trigram and the Earthly Branch trigram as the Earth trigram, which does not align with the original meaning of the Tianyu Jing—this is the fifth error.

予初讀《天玉》如行露中，亦曾廢書而嘆，及悟其為羅經解，則觸處流通全無空礙，獨外編舛謬反覆，思之不得其說。然《青囊》《玉尺》皆發明內傳之旨，而四經獨無一字齒及，此必後人假託，無容附會。善讀者惟求其理之可信者從之。又云：五行無根水上折，時師那會得。似言穿透俱無可論，而後取四經折水，乃萬不得已之法，故袁波幹云：攢地奇驗，而造葬則無是理。

At first I read the Tianyu Jing as if walking through the night in dew, and I even gave up on the book and sighed in frustration. But when I realized it was actually an explanation of the compass, everything became clear and there were no obstacles. However, the Wai pian was full of contradictions and inconsistencies, and no matter how I thought about it, I could not understand it. Moreover, the Qingnang Jing and Yucesheng Jing all elaborate on the principles of the Neichuan, but they never mention the four classics, which suggests that they must have been falsely attributed by later people, and cannot be forced into a connection. A good reader should only follow those teachings that are credible. The Wai pian also says, "The Five Phases have no root, and the water will break, how can the common masters understand this?" This seems to suggest that penetrating the mountain and ground is impossible, and then they resort to the method of breaking water from the four classics, which is a last resort. Therefore, Yuan Bogen said that this method is quite effective for temporary burials (collecting the land), but if used for formal burials, there is no such reasoning.

余讀古今地理之書，其論巒頭者則謂巒頭重而理氣輕，論理氣者則謂理氣精而巒頭淺，聚誦紛紛幾成矛戟。不知有巒頭而無理氣，則乘真截偽、收水配向之功廢；執理氣而背巒頭，則真龍真穴真砂真水之情以違殊，失《青囊》之本旨矣。蓋有形斯有氣，有氣斯有理，因形以察氣，因氣以論理，一體一用不得偏廢者也。但古集雖多而二者不串論，以致一本兩岐而真道不明於世矣。餘故集巒頭理氣並取，作此星期合為一篇，體用兼舉，本末一貫，庶無偏而不舉之患雲。

I have read many ancient and modern geographical texts. Those who talk about the form (lun tou) say that form is important and the qi theory (li qi) is secondary, while those who talk about the qi theory say that the qi theory is subtle and the form is crude. There are many conflicting opinions, almost like swords facing each other. They do not realize that if there is form but no qi theory, then the skills of capturing true qi, cutting off false qi, collecting water and aligning directions are all wasted. If one clings solely to the qi theory and ignores the form, then the true dragon, true site, true sand, and true water will all be lost, and thus the fundamental meaning of the Qingnang Jing will be lost. There must be form before there can be qi, and there must be qi before there can be theory. By form we observe qi, and by qi we discuss theory. One is the body, the other the function; neither can be neglected. However, although ancient writings are numerous, they do not integrate both aspects, leading to the original source splitting into two divergent paths, and the true way thus becoming obscure. Therefore, I have combined both form and qi theory into one, presenting both body and function together, and connecting the root and the branch as one, hoping to prevent the mistake of focusing on one side and neglecting the other.

或問：小玄空古人用量山步水，袁波千雲平洋可論小玄空，山龍則在所後。近刻《地理原真》者並以龍穴論生入克入，紛紛聚訟，吾子將誰適從。答曰：小玄空乃穴前放水，非生成之水也。《造微賦》云：五行實無繫於龍家，禍福須聚於水路。相生相剋、生入克入為有情，生出克出為無情，是以生入克入則為吉神，生出克出雖旺來墓去亦為殺。《奧語》云：天心既辨穴何難，但把向中放水看。向中者，穴前也，穴前放水以消溝澮之盈。餘但將造賦熟讀之，自有渙然冰釋者，不待予言。

Someone asked: "The small Xuan Kong was used by ancient people to measure mountains and water. Yuan Boga said that for flat land, the small Xuan Kong can be discussed, but for mountain dragons, it should be considered secondary. Recently, the printed version of "The Original Truth of Geography" has even used the concepts of 'born into' and 'controlled into' when discussing dragon and grave sites. There are many conflicting views, so which school should we follow, sir?" The answer was: "The small Xuan Kong refers to the water released in front of the grave site, not natural large rivers. The "Zao Wei Fu" says: 'The Five Phases are not related to the dragon, but the fortune and misfortune must gather along the water path.' Among the mutual generation and control, 'born into' and 'controlled into' are considered to be affectionate, while 'born out' and 'controlled out' are considered to be unaffectionate. Therefore, 'born into' and 'controlled into' are auspicious deities, while even if 'born out' and 'controlled out' are favorable directions or directions of burial, they are still considered as evils. The "Qing Nang Ao Yu" says: 'Once the heavenly heart is distinguished, the grave site is not difficult, just look at the water released in the direction of the grave.' The term 'direction of the grave' refers to the front of the grave site; releasing water in front of the grave site is to drain the overflowing water in the ditches. All of you just need to read the "Zao Wei Fu" thoroughly, and it will naturally become clear, without needing me to explain further."

夫天下盡皆人子，則無一人無厝葬之事，是此事也須人人知之能之矣。然四民各業，勢不得也，其中乃有嗜好其道、精專是事者，人乃厚禮而延之為地師，於是有傳家之學焉。為地師則有利於是，漸變為射利之途焉；自為射利之途，而變偽百出，黎丘貌似真道，大喪而孝子仁人反受其害矣。世人雖知其弊，而勢不得不延師；勢必延師，則地之得不得在師，更急於得地也。

All people are the sons of others, so no one is without the matter of burying their ancestors. By reason, this matter should be understood and practiced by everyone. However, the four classes of society each have their own occupations, and thus cannot all do it. Among them, some people prefer this study and devote themselves to it, and others then invite them with generous gifts to be geomancers. Thus, there has been a family tradition passed down through generations. Since geomancy becomes profitable, this profession gradually turns into a means of making a living. Once it becomes a means of making a living, deceit and fraud become rampant, like the ghost of Litiu who appears exactly like the real thing. As a result, funerals are ruined, and the filial sons and benevolent people suffer. Although the world knows of this flaw, circumstances often force people to hire a geomancer. Since it is necessary to hire one, whether one can obtain a good site depends entirely on the geomancer. Therefore, choosing a good geomancer is more important than obtaining a good site.

然不能識師，焉能得師。餘於此中久矣，見師多矣，師非不可辨別之物，能知辨之之道，自不得之師也，故者相師之法為人子告焉。或曰：審若是，則世之射利者君而怨多矣。余曰：天下仁人孝子多，地師少，射利者究非地師，乃奸偽之徒也。葬親事大，射利事小，利人子之利溥，害地師之害微；況所利者乃仁人孝子，仁人；而所害者不過奸偽之徒哉。

However, if one cannot recognize a good geomancer, how can one invite a good one? I have been in this line for a long time and have seen many geomancers. A geomancer is not something that cannot be distinguished. As long as one knows the method of discernment, one will naturally not invite a mediocre one. Therefore, I write down the method of identifying geomancers to inform the sons. Some people say: According to your words, would not all those profit-seeking geomancers hate you? I say: There are many benevolent and filial people in the world, but few geomancers; those profit-seeking ones are actually not geomancers, but rather cunning and deceitful people. Burial of relatives is a great matter, profit is a minor thing; the benefit brought to the sons is great, while the harm done to the geomancers is slight. Moreover, those who gain are the benevolent and filial, while those who suffer are merely the deceitful and dishonest.

或問：木生於山，粟芽於室，以其有生氣也；既死之朽骨有何生氣而能澤其子孫。即太王遷邠、周公卜洛，建都立國或有形勢之說，而陰宅前此未聞。大儒朱紫陽酷信風水，而後世猶或非之，吾子專言理氣，獨未思之歟。答曰：上古之不信風水，猶之於草依木處也，利用前民之事皆以漸而興，何況風水，至於朽骨無知。

Someone asked: Trees grow on mountains, and millet sprouts in the house, because they have life qi; then what life qi do decayed bones have, which can shade descendants? Even if King Wen of Zhou moved to Bin and the Duke of Zhou planned Luoyi, perhaps there was some consideration of terrain for establishing a capital, but the concept of阴宅 (burial sites) had not been heard of before that. The great scholar Zhu Xi strongly believed in fengshui, yet later people still criticized him. If you specialize in discussing principles and qi, haven't you considered this point? The answer is: In ancient times, people did not believe in fengshui, just as they lived in nests and caves. All things convenient for people's livelihood gradually developed, let alone the study of fengshui. As for saying that decayed bones are without knowledge—

余幼以泥其說，偶以針浮杯水，亦如羅經之指南北，乃覺其非針與杯水有知也，其所以指南北者乃天地自然之氣也。天包地外，地在天中，則靈蠢蠕物皆轉移於天地之氣。故死者不必有知，而死者之骨實生人之根本，其澤及子孫者，天地之氣為之也。江南之桔樹之江北為枳，無非為天地之氣所使；知桔枳為氣所使，則知死者之骨亦為氣所使也。通天地人謂之儒，朱子為信天地之大者。至於《青鳥》《葬書》前此未聞，則前代有其時耳，豈可以草衣木食反咎今日之布帛宮室也哉。

When I was young, I was also puzzled by such questions. By accident, I floated a needle on a cup of water, and it pointed to the south and north like a compass. Then I realized that the needle and the water had no consciousness; they pointed in that direction because of the natural qi of heaven and earth. Heaven surrounds the earth, and the earth hangs in the middle of heaven. Therefore, all living beings, whether spiritual or not, and all creatures that crawl, move with the qi of heaven and earth. Therefore, the dead may not have consciousness, but their bones are the root of the living. Their bones can bless their descendants because it is the qi of heaven and earth that is at work. The orange tree from the south becomes a trifoliate orange when moved to the north, simply because it is controlled by the qi of heaven and earth. If we know that the transformation of the orange into the trifoliate orange is due to the qi, then we should also know that the bones of the dead are also due to the qi. Only those who can connect heaven, earth, and humanity are called Confucians. Master Zhu was exactly someone who believed in the vastness of heaven and earth. As for the "Classic of the Blue Bird" and the "Book of Burial," I had not heard of them before, simply because previous generations had not yet reached the time when they appeared. Can we blame the present day for the time when our ancestors wore grass clothes and ate fruits from trees?

或問：天星卦例有侈談秘訣者，又有斥其非者。餘仰止極貶星卦並黜理氣，而子耑言理氣又不及星卦，豈理氣在星卦之外歟。先賢云：得卦不得金，枉自費勞心；得金不得卦，謾自空閒話。彼所謂金卦者，獨非理氣歟。

Someone asked: The example of celestial stars and hexagrams, some people talk about it as a secret, while others condemn it as a mistake. Yu Yangzhi strongly criticized the star and hexagram method, even abandoning the principles of qi together; the master specializes in the principles of qi, yet does not mention the star and hexagram, how can the principles of qi be outside the star and hexagram? The ancients said: "Getting the hexagram but not the metal, is just a waste of effort; getting the metal but not the hexagram, is just empty talk." The "metal" and "hexagram" he referred to, are they not the principles of qi?

答曰：楊公云：世人愛把天星論，盡說貪狼武曲尊，嘗將兩字鉗龍脈，莫把天機亂指空。所謂兩字者，實指穿山透地。蓋奪神功、改天命則兼論天盤，而乘氣坐穴專以地盤為主。七十二龍所以坐穴，得金者得七十二龍之分金也；六十龍所以乘氣，得卦者得六十龍之本卦也。時師金卦乃以一百二十分金與卦外起卦，失之遠矣。

Master Yang once said a poem: "People love to discuss heavenly stars, all praising the greedy wolf and Wu Qu. They often use two characters to control the dragon's energy, but do not乱 point the heavenly mechanism in vain." The so-called "two characters" actually refer to the methods of passing through mountains and penetrating the ground. When seizing divine power and changing destiny, one must consider the Heaven Plate, while when riding the qi and sitting the grave, one should focus solely on the Earth Plate. The seventy-two dragons are used for sitting the grave, and "getting gold" means obtaining the dividing gold of the seventy-two dragons. The sixty dragons are used for riding the qi, and "getting the hexagram" means obtaining the primary hexagram of the sixty dragons. Now, geomancers talk about gold and hexagrams, yet they use a different set of one hundred twenty dividing golds and another hexagram outside the original, which is too far from the true method.

以假混真相傳既久，惟《鐵彈子》有云：用先天以統龍，當詳究子四龍之天星；用後天以布屬，宜熟察乎三盤之卦例。四龍者，金木水火也；三盤者，穿山一盤、透地一盤、坐穴一盤。故先天之卦用震坎離兌之局，辨在納音所屬何五行。自五行言之則為四卦，自二父母言之則為三卦，自甲庚丙壬、乙辛丁癸言之則為玄空大卦。其法以之先看坐穴五行所屬何卦，次看穴中透氣所屬何卦，又看逐節來脈所屬何卦，必同歸一卦，而後自山頭立向皆與水合，所謂富貴結全龍也；反此則為出卦，破旺沖生，終歸敗絕。

The mistaken practices have been passed down for a long time, but only the "Iron Bullet" is correct: "Using the Earlier Heaven to control the dragon, one must carefully examine the heavenly stars of the four dragons; using the Later Heaven for layout, one should be well-versed in the trigrams of the three disks." The four dragons refer to metal, wood, water, and fire; the three disks refer to the mountain penetration disk, the underground penetration disk, and the sitting site disk. Therefore, the Earlier Heaven trigrams use the four trigrams of Zhen, Kan, Li, and Dui, and when distinguishing them, one must fully consider the Nayin sound element belonging to which of the Five Phases. From the perspective of the Five Phases, it is four trigrams; from the perspective of the two parents, it is three trigrams; from the perspective of Jia, Geng, Bing, Ren and Yi, Xin, Ding, Gui, it is the great trigrams of Xuan Kong. Its method is: first look at the Five Phases of the sitting site, then look at the Five Phases of the incoming qi in the site, then look at the Five Phases of each section of the incoming ridge, and they must all return to the same trigram. Then, when establishing the direction from the mountain head, they can all harmonize with water. This is called "the complete dragon forming wealth and honor." Conversely, it is called "going out of the trigram," which breaks the prosperity and harms the life force, eventually leading to decline and failure.

天下至難辨者真偽，而以偽亂真猶莫如地理。蓋奪神功改天命，其術雖神，而遇不遇之機緣仍不能強。昔玄宗不知，疑其盜竊神器，乃至藏其書、禁其學，復飭一行禪師撰《銅涵》偽經，為亂雅奪朱之計。朝廷既忌其真，而習其者猶稀，其偽於是有一真說即設一謬解，以混其傳。

The hardest thing to distinguish is truth from falsehood, and nothing is more adept at confusing truth than geography. Because geography can seize divine power and alter destiny, this art is indeed profound, yet whether one meets with it or not still depends on opportunity, and it cannot be forced. Once upon a time, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang dynasty did not understand the matter well, suspected that people in the folk were using it to seize the divine treasure, and thus ordered the collection of the books, the prohibition of their study among the people, and the commissioning of Yixing the monk to compose the fraudulent text called the "Bronze Container Classic." His strategy was to confuse the orthodox with the refined and to replace the red with the purple. Since the court feared the true method, those who practiced the true method became even fewer, allowing the false method to spread widely. Every time a true interpretation appeared, a false explanation would accompany it, thus confusing its transmission.

如坎離正位人難識，差卻毫釐斷不靈，此真訣也，則有中針審龍、縫針定穴以亂其真。九星雙起雌雄異，玄關真妙處，此真訣也，則有艮丙為貪狼星、垣分貴賤以亂其真。二父母者陰陽之別名，三卦者從生趨旺、自旺朝生之隱語，此真訣也，則有天父地母二卦審生氣天醫以亂其真。穿山透地坐穴是為三盤，震兌坎離是為四卦，此真訣也，則有才官父子、卦外起卦以亂其真。甲庚丙壬俱屬陽而行，此真訣也，則有陽亥龍為甲木、陰龍為乙木以亂其真。

For example, "The positions of Kan and Li are hard to recognize, a slight error leads to failure," this is a true secret, yet some people use the methods of needle divination for dragon lines and needle determination of sites to confuse it. "The dual emergence of the nine stars with differing yin and yang, the true subtlety lies in the hidden gate," this is a true secret, yet some people use the method of associating Gen and Bing with the star Tianwang and dividing worth based on the垣局 to confuse it. "Two parents" is merely another name for yin and yang, "three trigrams" is just a hidden expression of the movement from birth to prosperity and self-prosperity towards birth, this is a true secret, yet some people use the method of the two trigrams of Heaven and Earth, and examining the life qi and Heavenly Doctor to confuse it. The three disks of mountain penetration, ground penetration, and site selection are called the three disks, and the combination of Zhen, Dui, Kan, and Li are called the four trigrams, this is a true secret, yet some people use the method of the six hexagrams of wife wealth, official ghosts, parents, and children, and starting another trigram outside the main one to confuse it. The stems Jia, Geng, Bing, and Ren are all yang and follow the order, this is a true secret, yet some people use the method of calculating Jia wood for yang亥 dragons and Yi wood for yin亥 dragons to confuse it.

淨陰淨陽專言乘氣，兩氣交至是為雙金斗腦，此真訣也，則有陽射陰、陰射陽、向上雙金以亂其真。六十甲子分佈二十四山是為平分六十龍，此真訣也，則以盈宿六十龍以亂其真。七十二龍應七十二候，如淘沙撿金故謂之分金，此真訣也，則有百二十分金以亂其真。

Net Yin and Net Yang specifically refer to the interaction of energies; when two energies meet at a single point, it is called "Double Metal Meeting at the Brain," which is a true secret. However, some people use methods like Yang shooting Yin, Yin shooting Yang, and the upward Double Metal to disrupt it. Distributing the sixty Jiazi across the twenty-four mountains is called "Evenly Dividing the Sixty Dragons," which is a true secret. However, some people use the method of the hundred twenty divisions of the dragons to disrupt it. The seventy-two dragons correspond to the seventy-two seasonal divisions of a year, like sifting sand to select gold, taking some and leaving others, so it is called "Dividing the Gold," which is a true secret. However, some people use the hundred twenty divisions of gold to disrupt it.

二十八宿喜龍水生和、不宜克戰，此真訣也，則有甲子起角管禽星以亂其真。三百六十五度忌關煞空亡，此真訣也，則有天度六十以亂其真。納甲者先天之五行、納音者後天之五行，此真訣也，則有洪範卦氣以亂其真。廉貞破軍是為煞曜，破旺沖生是為黃泉，此真訣也，則有八煞黃泉以亂其真。大玄空乃生成之水，耑論俟星；小玄空實人力所為，穴前折水，此真訣也，則有向上起長生、潮水論生克以亂其真。

The twenty-eight mansions prefer to harmonize with dragons and water, and they should not be in conflict or battle, this is the true secret. Yet some people use the method of starting with Jiazi for the Horn mansion and managing the bird stars to disrupt it. The entire circle of 365 degrees should avoid the evils of the closing and void, this is the true secret. Yet some people use the idea of "heavenly degrees of sixty" to disrupt it. The method of assigning stems (Najia) is based on the Earlier Heaven's Five Phases, and the method of sound elements (Nayin) is based on the Later Heaven's Five Phases, this is the true secret. Yet some people use the method of the Book of Changes' hexagram qi to disrupt it. Lianzhen and Pojun are evil stars, and when they break the prosperity and clash with the birth, it leads to the Yellow Spring, this is the true secret. Yet some people use the method of the eight evils and Yellow Spring to disrupt it. The Great Xuan Kong discusses naturally occurring water, focusing on the stars; the Small Xuan Kong actually refers to human-made water, such as water diverted in front of the site, this is the true secret. Yet some people use the method of determining the birth based on the direction and the flow of water to disrupt it.

諸如賴氏《催官》乍合乍離，吳公《教子書》楊曾二計之外總無一是，矛盾參商其類非一。惟《玉尺》發明《天玉》，而無如倫父覆假劉賴之名為之註釋，展轉傳偽，千古長夜。雖以蔡西山、朱紫陽互相商討，然且縫針雙向依違無定；如《玉髓》陰陽流泉，莫知為理氣。後之人即欲不廢書而嘆，寧可得乎。

As for Lai Wenjun's "On Hastening Officialdom," it sometimes agrees and sometimes disagrees; Wu Gong's "Teaching His Son," apart from transcribing two comments from Yang and Zeng, has nothing else that is correct. There are many other books that contradict themselves and are in dispute. Only the "Jade Measure Classic" truly elaborates on the "Heavenly Jade Classic," but unfortunately,庸 people have falsely attributed it to Liu Bingzhong and Lai Wenjun, making annotations that have been passed down through generations, leading this discipline into an eternal darkness. Even the repeated discussions between Cai Yuanzheng and Zhu Xi on the topics of "sewing needle" and "bidirectional" remained ambiguous. The "Jade髓 True Classic" talks about yin and yang and flowing springs, yet it does not realize that this is precisely the principle of qi. Later generations, even if they wanted to sigh and abandon the books, how could they possibly do so?

予以參悟微言，鑑古人之成格而知五行有主，悟此則吉凶如見，迷此則悵悵何之。因而盡掃群言，獨標正義，作《天機貫旨》以遺天下仁人孝子，今而後楊曾之心法無所不貫也。天以陰陽五行化生萬物，氣以成形而理以賦焉，巒頭理氣是一非一、是二非二，是貫乎《中庸》也。龍陽則水必陰，龍陰則水必陽，天根月屈宛然一太極圖，是貫乎《易》也。相其陰陽即楊曾之看雌雄，觀其流泉即楊曾之認水立向，是貫乎《詩》也。萬事本於黃鐘、起於河洛，律呂旋宮，體用一源，是以後天五行耑重納音，是貫乎性理也。地在天中，為天之大氣所主，則天地之氣即地之氣，是葬乘生氣皆轉移於天地之氣，是貫乎天道也。

I have contemplated the subtle words of the ancients and verified their established patterns, and thus I have come to understand that each of the Five Phases has its own master. When I have grasped this, fortune and misfortune appear clearly before me; when I have lost this understanding, I am lost and do not know where to go. Therefore, I have set aside all other opinions and emphasized the correct path, composing this book, "The Heavenly Mechanism and Its Meaning," for the benevolent and filial people of the world. From now on, the methods of Yang and Zeng are fully integrated. Heaven uses yin and yang and the Five Phases to generate all things; the qi condenses into form and the principle is contained within. The physical form and the qi principle are one yet not one, two yet not two—this is the unity of the "Doctrine of the Mean." If the dragon is yang, then the water must be yin; if the dragon is yin, then the water must be yang. The heavenly root and the lunar cave are clearly a diagram of the Taiji—this is the unity of the "Book of Changes." "Examining its yin and yang" is Yang and Zeng's method of determining the male and female aspects, "Observing its flowing springs" is Yang and Zeng's method of identifying the water and establishing the direction—this is the unity of the "Book of Poetry." All things originate from the Huangzhong pitch and begin with the Yellow River Chart and the Luo Writing. The system of pitch pipes and rotating palaces originate from the same source, so the Later Heaven Five Phases emphasize the Nayin sound element—this is the unity of the study of nature and principle. The earth is suspended in the center of heaven, subject to the dominance of heaven's great qi. Thus, the qi of heaven and earth is the earth's qi, and the burial site takes advantage of the life qi, which shifts with the qi of heaven and earth—this is the unity of the way of heaven.

歲漸差而東，是以縫針之子午進前一位，所以示造葬家候氣之準；天漸差而西，是以中針之子午退後一位，所以示造葬家查緾度之準，是貫乎治歷也。夫滿屋散錢終歸一索，以萬錢同一孔也；同此後天則同此五行，萬事萬物舍是蔑由，而看於天機乎。或者曰：紫色龜聲，餘分閏位，又烏知夫偽之非真而真之非偽也。餘則曰：書以偽，天亦偽，地亦偽，古今之言天道性理者無非一偽，是則餘亦偽也，即謂《天機貫旨》之書以偽亂真也又不可乎。

The solar terms shift eastward each year, so the needle's Zi and Wu are moved forward by one position to serve as a standard for the geomancers to detect the qi changes; the celestial degrees shift westward each year, so the central needle's Zi and Wu are moved backward by one position to serve as a standard for the geomancers to measure the winding degrees — this is the integration of the calendar system. A thousand scattered coins eventually need to be strung together with a single thread, because all the square holes of the coins are the same; similarly, since it is the Later Heaven, it is the same system of the Five Phases, and all things and phenomena cannot be handled without it, let alone the discernment of heavenly mysteries. Perhaps someone might say: purple can be mistaken for red, the sounds of tortoises and beasts can be mistaken for the refined music, and the position of the leap year can also pretend to be the standard, so how can you know whether the false is true or the true is false? I would answer: if the book is false, then heaven is false, earth is false, and all those who have discussed the heavenly way and principles throughout history are all false, then I am also false; even if one says that the book "The Comprehensive Meaning of Heavenly Mysteries" is using falsehood to confuse truth, what is wrong with that?

或問：雙金煞紛紛不一，《行程記》云：不換雙金只管扦，休泥淨陰淨陽。楊曾傳授心法，固有不盡信矣。答曰：雙金乃論乘氣非立向也。卜宅兆者淘沙撿金，古人謂之分金，乃六十龍與七十二龍，後曰三針之下皆添設一百二十，謬種偽傳，遂相率而忘其初耳。六十甲子分佈二十四山，其氣不過一線，從來山起頂處仔細認取，方能使承接之間不差毫釐。如同一子也，丙庚為陽、甲戊壬為陰，既承而子氣不宜雜，以甲戌氣線在界縫之間，兩字雙行，是以雙金斗腦，陰陽駁雜無氣可乘，下後必絕。

Someone asked: The concept of double metal煞 is subject to various interpretations. The "Travel Notes" say: "Do not change the double metal; just proceed with the placement. Do not insist on pure yin or pure yang." This suggests that the methods passed down by Yang and Zeng may not all be reliable. The concept of double metal refers to capturing the qi, not to the direction. Selecting a burial site should be like sifting sand to find gold, a process called "dividing the gold," which refers specifically to the sixty dragons and seventy-two dragons. Later, it was said that under the three needles, one hundred and twenty divisions of gold could be added, leading to false methods being spread widely, and people followed them, forgetting the original meaning. The sixty jiazi are distributed under the twenty-four mountains, each line of qi being only as thin as a thread. One must carefully determine the origin of the mountain to the peak to ensure accuracy in the connection. For example, in the case of a Zi mountain, Bingzi and Gengzi belong to yang, while Jiazi, Wuzi, and Renzi belong to yin. Once the connection is made, it should not be mixed with both yin and yang. Since the lines of qi from Jia and Xu fall exactly at the boundary, when both are used together, it forms "double metal meeting at the head," resulting in a mixture of yin and yang with no qi to capture. If buried in such a place, the descendants will certainly become extinct.

《青囊經》云：更有淨陰淨陽法，前後八尺不宜雜。斜正受來陰陽取，氣乘生旺方無煞。來山起頂方要知，三節四節不須拘，只要龍神得生旺，陰陽卻與穴中殊。陰陽取者，陰則乘丙子氣，陽則受戊子氣也。泛論羅經何從而辨其為甲子、其為戊子，從來山頂起處認取，草蛇灰線之脊，或陰或陽有毫釐不可混之處。先賢云：一毫千里，一指萬山。所謂一毫一指者，辨在微茫。

The Qingnang Jing says: "There is also a method of pure yin and pure yang, with a front and back span of eight feet where no other elements should be mixed. The slope and straight lines are taken according to yin and yang, and the qi should be taken from the direction of birth and prosperity to avoid evil. When the mountain comes to the peak, one must know where it originates; three or four sections are not strictly required. What matters is that the dragon line should be in a state of birth and prosperity, and yin and yang may differ from the situation at the site of the grave." The phrase "taking yin and yang" refers to yin elements taking the qi of Bingzi and yang elements taking the qi of Wuzi. If one merely looks at the compass superficially, how can one distinguish whether it is Jiazi or Wuzi? One must recognize it from where the mountain originates. That subtle line running like a snake through the grass is either yin or yang, and there is no room for confusion, even in the smallest detail. The ancients said: "A hair can span a thousand miles, a finger can encompass ten thousand mountains." The distinction lies in these extremely subtle details.

故指出雙金合入之所趨避。《玉尺經》云：龍落空亡須明避忌。此那六十龍之空亡，即是大金，舊注指七十二失之遠也。《青囊經》之淨陰淨陽、《行程記》之不犯雙金，無非一理，特其文之少變耳。俗以小玄空論雙金於金庫，龍向猶為近似，其餘皆不合。總之以偽亂真，辨之必嚴，乘氣之訣此處明顯矣。

Therefore, it is necessary to point out the place where two metals meet, so that people can know when to approach and when to avoid. The "Jade Scale Classic" says: "When the dragon falls into an empty and dying position, one must clearly avoid and be cautious." This refers precisely to the empty and dying positions of the sixty dragons, which is the "great metal"; old annotations mistakenly refer to it as the seventy-two dragons, which is far from correct. The "Qingang Classic" speaks of pure yin and pure yang, and the "Travel Record" speaks of avoiding double metals, which are essentially the same principle, differing only in wording. The common practice of using small Xuan Kong to discuss double metals, placing them on the metal warehouse, is somewhat close when considering the dragon and the direction, but differs in other aspects. In summary, things that confuse truth with falsehood must be strictly distinguished. The诀窍 of riding the qi is now clearly explained here.

宜豐李三素著。天機出煞出何煞，不出災殃發。明得雙金直射墳，閃得是仙人。直山直向不須下，下後兒孫罷。天機穴裡披雙金，屬土急推尋。巽龍乾向龍虎正，絕了長房定。乾龍巽向亦如然，敗了長房田。艮龍坤向災殃發，亦犯雙金煞。坤龍艮向亦如之，敗了長房兒。

This passage was written by Li Sansu of Yifeng. What does the Heaven's Mechanism refer to when it talks about removing a煞? It refers to removing a harmful influence. If it is not removed, calamities will occur. If the double metal line is directly pointing at the tomb, only a deity can avoid its effects. Where the mountain and direction are directly opposite each other (straight mountain and straight direction), one should not bury a grave, for the descendants will suffer. If the site has double metal and the Nayin element belongs to earth, one must quickly investigate thoroughly. When a dragon from the Xun direction faces the Qian direction, although the dragon, tiger, and sand formations are proper, the eldest son's line will definitely end. The same applies when a dragon from the Qian direction faces the Xun direction, causing the eldest son's land to be lost. When a dragon from the Gen direction faces the Kun direction, calamities will immediately occur, as it has committed the double metal煞; similarly, when a dragon from the Kun direction faces the Gen direction, the eldest son's sons will be lost.

亥龍巽向龍虎偏，吉慶進田莊。艮龍丁向亦如此，主得兒孫富。甲庚丙壬龍直向，長子有災殃；乙辛丁癸亦如之，直射長房兒。坤申來龍寅甲向，壬癸向為上。庫逢子癸位端停，子癸最昌榮。癸山丁向是本法，亦犯雙金煞。離龍坎向亦如妨，壬癸何相當。坎龍午向暫時吉，久後人丁失。離龍單子一般凶，子息也除蹤。

A dragon from the亥 direction facing the巽 direction, even if the dragon and tiger sands are slanted, will still bring good fortune and the addition of farmland; similarly, a dragon from the艮 direction facing the丁 direction also brings prosperity to the descendants. If dragons of the甲, 庚, 丙, and 壬 directions face the correct direction, the eldest son will suffer misfortune; dragons of the乙, 辛, 丁, and 癸 directions will also cause harm to the eldest son's son. If the dragon comes from the坤 or 申 directions and faces the寅 or 甲 direction, it is actually better to face the壬 or 癸 direction. If theStorage is properly aligned and stored at the子 or 癸 position, then the子 and 癸 directions will be most prosperous. Although the癸 mountain facing the丁 direction is the correct method, it still incurs the double metal煞. Similarly, a dragon from the离 direction facing the坎 direction also causes problems, and the words 壬 and 癸 are not suitable. A dragon from the坎 direction facing the午 direction is temporarily auspicious, but over time the family will lose its descendants. A dragon from the离 direction facing the子 direction is also harmful, and the descendants will be cut off.

兌龍直卯何堪下，以卯為向□，又加左右庚甲兼不怕。卯龍直酉何堪裝，辛庚也無妨。十二山頭正直射，絕了長房也。十二支辰正直對，子午命傾危。直山直向合紫微亥也，家吉永無危。辛戌得龍又得穴，左右無空缺。丙丁庚辛水口連，立便進田莊。取得辛亥穴得正，水口流永吉。忽然左畔有高峰，右畔有凹風。左邊山風容易整，填滿便無病。有力之家用土培，無力之家用木栽。

How can one bury a dead person when the dragon of the Trigram Dui (Lake) is directly facing the Mao (Rabbit) position? If one insists on using the Mao position as the direction, as long as the sides are supplemented with the directions of Geng (Metal) and Jia (Wood), there will be no problem. Similarly, how can one bury a dead person when the dragon of the Trigram Mao is directly facing the You (Rooster) position? As long as the directions of Xin (Metal) and Geng (Metal) are supplemented, there will be no harm. If the head of a mountain corresponding to one of the twelve Earthly Branches is directly facing the main line, the eldest son will face extinction. If the mountain corresponding to Chen (Dragon) is directly facing the main line, people with the destiny of Zi (Rat) or Wu (Horse) will be in danger of their lives. If the straight mountain and straight direction exactly match the position of the Purple Micro Palace (Zhai Wei) in the Hai (Dog) position, then the family residence will be auspicious and safe forever. If the Xin and Xu directions are both true dragons and the main site is correct, the surrounding hills on both sides will be complete. If the water mouth of the directions of Bing, Ding, Geng, and Xin are connected, the family will immediately gain farmland and estates. If one takes the Xin Hai position and the site is correctly seated, the water will flow continuously and always bring good fortune. If suddenly there is a high hill on the left and a hollow wind on the right, the left hill wind is easy to manage; filling it up will eliminate the problem. Those with the means can use earth to raise the ground, while those without the means can plant trees to block the wind.

明得天心天穴子，便識陰陽山水口。陽山穴莫水流陰，閃受穴中心。二十四山依此識，不怕穴斜側。穴心水口合山頭，穴側也風流。龍虎穴正是本法，水口怕犯煞。水口龍虎若彎弓，富貴在其中。淺學時師無學識，只道穴斜側，不知其地有真龍，富貴即相逢。陰陽交雜正龍穴，穴正多啾唧；陰陽不雜穴偏側，偏側也為吉。此是太華出煞訣，依此全無煞。吾今特錄與時師，留下救人災。

If one can recognize the location of the heavenly heart and heavenly cave, then one understands the relationship between yin and yang and the mountains and water mouths. For a yang mountain, the cave should not allow water to flow to the yin side; it can be slightly avoided, and the water should be received at the center of the cave. All twenty-four mountains should be recognized in this way, and one will not fear that the cave is slanted. As long as the cave center and the water mouth match the mountain head, even if the cave is slightly slanted, it will still be beautiful. Although the dragon and tiger sands and the cave are properly aligned, it is still the correct method, but the water mouth is most afraid of evil influences. If the dragon and tiger sands on both sides of the water mouth embrace like a bow, wealth and honor will be within. A shallow-minded geomancer lacks insight and will only say that the cave is slanted or biased, not knowing that there is true dragon in the land, and wealth and honor will come immediately. If yin and yang are mixed but the cave is properly seated, even a properly seated cave will bring many troubles and gossip. If yin and yang are not mixed but the cave is slightly slanted, the slanting is actually auspicious. This is the method of eliminating evil from the Great Huashan Master. Following this method will completely eliminate evil influences. Today I specially copied it out for all geomancers, leaving it to save people from disasters.