Yingzhong re-kè zì xù

不侫曩以先人襄事，與季兄究心堪輿家，間有一得，筆之為書，名曰《人子須知》。鉛山見溪王君、書林餘氏雖嘗兩刻，病其未備，每欲再訂，弗暇也。辛巳夏，中丞王公、太史李公召入郢。明年春，又知遇司空曾公，客郢兩寅，頗多隙日。乃取前書緒正之。會季兄亦自荊南來，更相與討論潤色，刪繁補遺，較昔所著，合者十又四五。錄成，司空不鄙，校梓廣傳。

I once, in handling the funeral affairs of my ancestors, studied geomancy together with my elder brother. Occasionally, I had some insights, which I recorded in a book called "The Essential Knowledge for a Human Child." Although the book was printed twice by Wang Jun of Jianshan and the Yu family of Shulin, I always felt it was incomplete and often wanted to revise it, but lacked the time. In the summer of theXinsi year of the Wanli Ninth Year, I was summoned to Yingzhong by the official Wang Gong, and in the spring of the following year, I was also favored by the official Ceng Gong. Staying in Yingzhong for two years, I had plenty of spare time, so I took out the old book to revise and organize it. Fortunately, my elder brother also came from Jingnan, and together we discussed and polished it again. We deleted the redundant parts and filled in the omissions. Compared with what I had written before, only about four or five tenths remained consistent. After finishing the draft, Ceng Gong did not mind its simplicity and helped revise and publish it to spread it more widely.

第蠡測管窺，極知不可以為訓。念吾兄弟，自少遨遊四方，今顛毛種種矣。三十年間，心力盡在此編。敝帚千金，不忍遽棄耳。或誚余嘗從薦紳談性命之學，何屑屑於此，迷而不返？余謂西山先生父子及草廬吳公，皆儒者宗，嘗著《發微論》，發揮《玉髓》，刪定《葬書》，君子不以此少之。即朱子所上《山陵議狀》，有味哉其言之也！

But my own understanding is like measuring the sea with a ladle or seeing the sky through a tube; it is clearly insufficient to be regarded as a standard. Thinking of how my brother and I have been traveling around the country since childhood, now our hair is already white and thin. Over these thirty years, all our life's efforts have been spent on this book. We regard our own broken broom as more valuable than a thousand gold pieces, and we really can't bear to throw it away just like that. Some people mock me, saying: You have once discussed the study of principles and destiny with the gentry, why are you so particular about this minor subject and stuck to it without returning? I answer: Master Cai Xishan and his son, as well as Master Wu Cheng of Caolou, are all great masters among the Confucian scholars. They wrote the "Fa Wei Lun," elaborated on the "Yushui Zhenjing," and revised the "Zangshu." The virtuous gentleman does not therefore look down upon them. Even Zhu Xi's "Shanling Yizhuang," the words in it are also of great weight and worth pondering.

且送終，人子大事，而付之庸師之手，天親之謂何？餘為此舉，凡以共子職而已。天下豈有無親之人哉！敬與為人子者共之。高明之士，竄定紕繆，出特見以相長，尤所願也。萬曆癸未春月吉旦山人徐善述書於郢中之陽春書屋。

Moreover, the task of accompanying one's parents in their final moments is a great responsibility for a son. To entrust it to an ordinary and vulgar teacher is to treat the natural relationship between family members as nothing. I do this merely to fulfill my duty as a son. How could there be a person without parents in the world? I respectfully present this book for all sons to share. If there are enlightened individuals who can correct any errors or omissions in it, and offer unique insights for mutual learning and improvement, that would be even more what I hope for. Written by the mountain recluse Xu Shanshu on a fine spring day in theGuiwei year of the Wanli era, at Yangchun Book House in Yingzhong.

《青囊經》秦之隱君子體易而作，陳希夷註釋稱《天機書》。按：世言堪輿家為青囊術，蓋祖此耳。《青烏經》秦青烏子著。《搜山記》漢朱桃仙著。《赤霆經》漢留侯張子房著。《六甲配卦圖》漢京房著。《狐首經》按：曾葛溪謂得之沈氏萬卷樓中，無作者名氏。郭璞《葬書》所引之《經》即一也。《錦囊經》即《葬書》，晉叅軍河東郭璞著，宋西山蔡文節公訂定，草廬吳文正公刪定。《捉脈賦》晉太尉長沙公鄱陽陶侃著。侃將葬母，失牛，遇異人指牛眠穴，位至三公。今催官說始此。

The *Classic of the Azure Crow* was composed by a reclusive gentleman of the Qin dynasty who studied the principles of the *Book of Changes*. When Chen Tuan annotated it, he called it the *Book of Heavenly Mechanism*. Note: The term "Sealing Bag Method" (青囊术) used for geomancy originates from this book. The *Classic of the Azure Crow* was written by the Qin dynasty scholar Qingwu Zi. The *Search of the Mountains Record* was authored by Zhu Taoxian of the Han dynasty. The *Red Thunder Classic* was written by Zhang Liang, the Marquis of Liu. The *Six Celestial Stems and Trigram Diagram* was composed by Jingfang of the Han dynasty. The *Fox Head Classic*: Note: Yuan dynasty scholar Ceng Xi said this book was obtained from Shen's Collection of Ten Thousand Volumes, and it has no known author. The "Classic" cited by Guo Pu in his *Book of Burial* as "the Classic says" is this very text. The *Sealed Bag Classic* is the same as the *Book of Burial*. It was written by Guo Pu, a military officer from Hedong during the Jin dynasty, and later edited by Cai Xishan (Wenjie Gong) of the Song dynasty and Wu Cheng (Caolou, Wenzheng Gong) of the Yuan dynasty. The *Treatise on Pulse Detection* was authored by Tao Kan, the Grand Tutor of Changsha during the Jin dynasty. Tao Kan was about to bury his mother when he lost his ox. He met a mysterious person who pointed out a place called "Ox Sleep Pit." Later, he rose to the rank of a high official. The concept of "officiating the official position" (催官) in modern times originated from this.

《小卷陰陽正要》唐司天李淳風著。《大衍曆分度》唐內供奉一行禪師著。《理氣心印》唐亞父聞喜丘延翰著。《雪心賦》唐昭文館學士章貢卜則巍著。《疑龍經》、《撼龍經》、《畫筴圖》、《筴四大穴法》、《立錐賦》、《撥砂圖》、《胎腹經》、《望龍經》、《倒杖法》俱贛州楊筠松著。筠松名益，號救貧仙，南唐時人，曾文辿師也。《心鏡》、《尋龍記》、《陰陽問答》雩都曾文辿著。《一粒粟》楊筠松著，劉誠意伯批註。《游氏家傳啟蒙》南唐僉判新安遊潛著。潛，國師何令通婿也。《金鎖秘訣》五代陳摶著。摶，字圖南，豪州人，受業曾文辿，隱居西華山。宋徵不起，賜號希夷先生。

"The Small Volume on Yin and Yang Essentials" was written by Li Chunfeng, a Tang dynasty official in charge of celestial observations. "The Great Derivation Calendar and Degrees" was authored by Yixing, the Buddhist monk and inner court official of the Tang dynasty. "The Principles of Qi and Yin" was written by Qiu Yanhan, a man from Yaxi during the Tang dynasty, who was known as the Second Father. "The Snow Heart Essay" was composed by Bu Zewei, a scholar of the Zhaowen Academy and native of Zhanggong during the Tang dynasty. "The Classic of Doubtful Dragons," "The Classic of Shaking the Dragon," "The Drawing Stick Diagram," "The Four Great Points Method," "The Cone Essay," "The Sand Adjustment Diagram," "The Embryo Classic," "The Dragon Viewing Classic," and "The Reverse Staff Method" were all written by Yang Yunsong of Ganzhou. Yang Yunsong, whose name was Yi, was known as the Poor Relief Immortal, and he lived during the Southern Tang dynasty, being the teacher of Zeng Wenchan. "The Mirror of the Heart," "The Dragon Search Record," and "Questions and Answers on Yin and Yang" were authored by Zeng Wenchan of Yudu. "One Grain of Millet" was written by Yang Yunsong, with annotations by Liu Ji, the Ming dynasty Minister of Sincerity. "The Family Transmission启蒙 of You" was written by You Qian, a judge of the Southern Tang dynasty and native of Xin'an; You Qian was the son-in-law of the Grand Master He Lingtong. "The Golden Lock Secret" was written by Chen Tuan of the Five Dynasties period. Chen Tuan, whose name was Tunan, was from Bozhou, studied under Zeng Wenchan, and lived in seclusion in Xihua Mountain; the Song dynasty summoned him but he refused to take office, and the court bestowed upon him the title of Xiyi Master.

《黑囊經》五代范越鳳著。一雲楊筠松著。《洞林秘訣》、《尋龍入式歌》范越鳳著。《葬經》六卷隋肅吉著。《龍經》三卷左仙著。《太華經》太華眞人許亮著。《撥沙經》陳亞和著。《吳氏家傳口訣》五代德興吳克誠著。誠，南唐國師吳法旺子，受業陳希夷先生。《玉髓眞經》宋國師張子微著。子微名洞玄天師，張道陵三十三代孫。蔡西山先生增發揮。《吳公解義》批註心印。《龍格通玄歌》、《吳氏秘訣》俱宋國師景鸞著。克誠子。

The "Black Bag Classic" is attributed to Fan Yuefeng of the Five Dynasties, although some say it was written by Yang Yunsong. "The Secret Methods of the Hidden Forest" and "Song of Entering the Dragon Style" are also attributed to Fan Yuefeng. The "Classic of Burial" in six volumes was written by Xiao Ji of the Sui Dynasty. The "Classic of the Dragon" in three volumes was authored by Zuo Xian. The "Classic of Taishan" was written by Xu Liang, the immortal of Taishan. The "Classic of Sand Divination" was composed by Chen Yahu. "The Family Transmission Oral Secrets of Wu" was written by Wu Kecheng, a person from Dexing during the Five Dynasties; Wu Kecheng was the son of Wu Fawang, the state master of Nan Tang, who studied under Chen Tuan, the master Xiyi. The "True Classic of Jade髓" was written by Zhang Zimiao, the state master of the Song Dynasty; Zhang Zimiao, whose name was Dongxuan Tianshi, was the thirty-third descendant of Zhang Daoling. Cai Xishan once added explanations and elaborations to it. "Wu Gong's Interpretation" is a commentary on "The Heart Seal of Qi Li". "The Song of the Dragon's Grid Communicating with the Profound" and "Wu's Secret Methods" are both written by Wu Jingluan, the state master of the Song Dynasty; Wu Jingluan was the son of Wu Kecheng.

《洩天機》前廖瑀著。按：元曾葛溪《俯察要覽》云：“有兩廖瑀，前廖樂平人，後廖雩都人，俱號金精，術俱神。《洩天機》本前廖著，因餘芝孫增入後廖《地課》及《入式歌》，增首尾衍文，世遂莫知有前廖禹矣。”今考前廖著述，重巒頭；後廖著述，重天星。後廖乃張公道明為虔倅時拔者，卒傳吳氏學。

The book "Xie Tian Ji" was written by Liao Yu before. According to the Yuan dynasty scholar Zeng Ge Xi's "Fu Cha Yao Lian," there were two Liao Yus in history: the earlier Liao was from Leping, and the later Liao was from Yudu, both known as Jinjing, and their divination methods were highly accurate. Originally, "Xie Tian Ji" was written by the earlier Liao Yu, but Yu Zhi Sun added the later Liao Yu's works "Di Ke" and "Ru Shi Ge" into it, and also added some supplementary text at the beginning and end. Because of this, people no longer knew there was also an earlier Liao Yu. Now, upon examination, the writings of the earlier Liao Yu focused mainly on "Luan Tou," while those of the later Liao Yu focused mainly on "Tian Xing." The later Liao Yu was selected by Zhang Daoming, who served as the chief official of Qianzhou, and the final transmission belonged to the Wu school of learning.

《陰契陽符》、《師門心法》、《金精口訣》、《懷玉經》、《赤人圖》後廖禹著。《司馬頭陀水法》馬仙著。荊門州馬仙觀有臺基尚存，即其成道之所也。《發徵論》宋閩蔡牧堂先生著。觧注十數家，惟明鄱陽方伯余佑注本最善。《囊金》一名《心經》，上牢劉謙著，新安謝子期批註。《光明大照圖》司馬大士著。《催官篇》、《旅寓集》宋賴文俊著。俊官建陽，棄職浪遊，號布衣子。後修眞太乙峰下，世傳仙去。《玄樹經》宋浙右方斗南著。《海底眼》劉白頭著。《分金斷訣》厲伯韶著。《三寳經》珏齋謝子逸著。

"The Yin Covenant and Yang Symbol," "The Heart Method of the Teacher's Gate," "The Golden Essence Formula," "The Jade Embrace Classic," and "The Red Man Diagram" were written later by Liao Yu. "The Water Method of Sima Touduo" was authored by Ma Xian; the Ma Xian Temple in Jingmen Prefecture still has the remains of its platform, which is where he attained enlightenment. "The Elucidation Treatise" was written by Cai Muting from Fujian during the Song Dynasty; there are over ten commentaries on it, with the best being the commentary by Yu You, the governor of Poyang in the Ming Dynasty. "The Bag of Gold," also known as "The Heart Sutra," was written by Liu Qian of Shangao, with annotations by Xie Ziqi of Xin'an. "The Bright Illumination Diagram" was authored by Sima Dashi. "The On Hastening Officialdom" and "The Traveler's Collection" were written by Lai Wenjun during the Song Dynasty; Lai Wenjun once held an official post in Jiaying, later abandoned his post and traveled freely, adopting the name "Bujizi," and in his later years he practiced cultivation at Taibiyi Peak, and it is said that he ascended to immortality. "The Divine Tree Classic" was written by Fangdounan from Zhejiang during the Song Dynasty. "The Eye at the Bottom of the Sea" was authored by Liu Baotou. "The Dividing Gold Decision" was written by Li Beshao. "The Three Treasures Classic" was authored by Xie Ziyi of Juozhai.

《陰陽正源》宋德興紫瓊張眞人著。《堪輿要約》南宋國師德興傅伯通著。《大理歌》南宋國師鄒仲容著。容，名寬，德興人，與伯通同師廖金精。《祝氏秘鉗》宋觀物先生祝秘著。《堪輿微義》元齋易巖著。《俯察元機》元學士傅文懿公立著。立，伯通玄孫，祝觀物甥，精皇極數，學通天文地理。《革象新書》元德興趙緣督眞人友欽著。《俯察要覽大全》元曾葛溪著。《平沙玉尺經》元太師劉秉忠著，明誠意伯劉伯溫解釋，賴敬迪補註，為當世所宗。《地理件目》吳折著。一名集解，又名眞指、快捷方式、指南。折，景鸞裔也。《金斗訣葬法》、《一掌金》云外老人傅地著。地，傅伯通後裔。《金函經》、《天玉經》俱未詳所著。

"The Source of Yin and Yang," written by Zhang Zhenren, a true person from DeXing in the Song Dynasty. "Essentials of Divination," authored by Fu Botong, a national master of the Southern Song Dynasty from DeXing. "The Great Song of the Great Capital," written by Zou Zhongrong, a national master of the Southern Song Dynasty; Zou Zhongrong, also known as Zou Kuan, was from DeXing and studied under Liao Jinjing along with Fu Botong. "The Secret Clasp of the Zhu Family," written by Zhu Mi, the Master of Observing Things in the Song Dynasty. "Subtle Meanings of Divination," authored by Zhai Yiyan in the Yuan Dynasty. "Observing the Original Mechanism," written by Fu Li, a scholar of the Yuan Dynasty, also known as Fu Wenyi Gong; Fu Li was the great-great-grandson of Fu Botong and the nephew of Zhu Guanwu, skilled in Huangji numbers, and his knowledge spanned astronomy and geography. "New Book of Transformation of Forms," authored by Zhao Youqin, a true person from DeXing in the Yuan Dynasty. "Comprehensive Guide to Observing the Essentials," written by Zeng GeXi in the Yuan Dynasty. "The Jade Scale of the Flat Sand," authored by Liu Bingchong, the Grand Master of the Yuan Dynasty, with explanations by Liu Ji, the Honest Gentleman of the Ming Dynasty, and annotations by Lai Jingdi, highly esteemed in his time. "Catalogue of Divination," written by Wu Zhe, also known as "Collection of Explanations," or "True Direction," "Short Path," and "Guide"; Wu Zhe was a descendant of Wu Jingluan. "The Golden Basin Decree Burial Method" and "One Hand Gold," written by Fu Di, the Elder of Cloud Outside; Fu Di was a descendant of Fu Botong. "The Golden Case Classic" and "The Heaven Jade Classic" have unknown authors.

《分金瀛海經》明德興董德彰注。《四神秘訣》、《天卦》、《青囊》、《南針論》《分金解》董德彰注。《三易三元編》李玄緒著。《叢珠素書》陳彥繹著，遊潛湄齋註疏。《何家沙法》明豐城南塘何德宏著。《地理摘奇》樂平洪理著。《大地圖》松江徐長谷著。《陰陽定論》泰和周視著。《陰陽決疑》蜀太守南泉羅青霄著。《堪輿正要》泰和龍巖樵著。《堪輿管見》閩副憲雙湖謝延桂著。以下俱不詳著者姓名：《昏衢炬燭》、《萬萬山心法》、《趙緣督瑣錄》、《祝氏神龍經》、《水經》、《張落魄口訣》、《空山老人穴法》、《天涯海角經注》、《寸金穴法》、《四十字穴法》、《沙竹圖穴法》、《銅人穴法》、《相山骨髓》、《三式全書》《地脈經》《地理指南》、《堪輿指南》、《山海經》。

"The book 'Fen Jin Ying Hai Jing' was annotated by Dong De Zhang from Dexing in the Ming Dynasty. 'Si Mi Xue Jue', 'Tian Gua', 'Qing Nang', 'Nan Zhen Lun', and 'Fen Jin Jie' were all annotated by Dong De Zhang. 'San Yi San Yuan Bian' was written by Li Xuan Xu. 'Cong Zhu Su Shu' was written by Chen Yan Yi, with annotations and commentary by You Qian (Mei Zhai). 'He Jia Sha Fa' was written by He De Hong from Fengcheng Nan Tang in the Ming Dynasty. 'Di Li Zhai Qi' was written by Hong Li from Leping. 'Da Di Tu' was written by Xu Chang Gu from Songjiang. 'Yin Yang Ding Lun' was written by Zhou Shi from Taihe. 'Yin Yang Jue Yi' was written by Luo Qing Xiao, the governor of Sichuan's Nanquan. 'Kan Yu Zheng Yao' was written by Longyan Qiao from Taihe. 'Kan Yu Guan Jian' was written by Xie Yan Gui, the deputy governor of Fujian's Shuanghu. The following books have unclear authorship: 'Hun Qu Ju Zhu', 'Wan Wan Shan Xin Fa', 'Zhao Yuan Du Su Luo Lu', 'Zhu Shi Shen Long Jing', 'Shui Jing', 'Zhang Luo Po Kou Jue', 'Kong Shan Lao Ren Xue Fa', 'Tian Ya Hai Jiao Jing Zhu', 'Chun Jin Xue Fa', 'Si Shu Zi Xue Fa', 'Sha Zhu Tu Xue Fa', 'Tong Ren Xue Fa', 'Xiang Shan Gu Mei', 'San Shi Quan Shu', 'Di Mai Jing', 'Di Li Zhi Nan', 'Kan Yu Zhi Nan', and 'Shan Hai Jing'."

孔子曰“卜其宅兆而安厝之”。程子曰：“卜其宅兆者，卜其地之美惡也。地之美者，則神靈安，子孫盛。若培植其根而枝葉茂。”又曰：“祖父子孫同氣，彼安則此安，彼危則此危。”朱子曰：“葬之為言藏也，所以藏其祖考之遺體也。以子孫而藏其祖考之遺體，則必致其謹重誠敬之心，以為安固久遠之計。使其形體全而神靈得安，則其子孫盛而祭祀不絕。”

Confucius said, "Choose a good place for burial and arrange the funeral properly." Cheng Yi said, "What is meant by divining the location for a tomb is to select a good piece of land. If the land is good, the spirits of the ancestors will be at peace, and the descendants will flourish; this is like nurturing the roots of a tree, so the branches and leaves will naturally thrive." He also said, "The ancestors and descendants share the same vital energy; if the ancestors are secure, then the descendants will be secure; if the ancestors are in danger, then the descendants will be in danger." Zhu Xi said, "The character 葬 means to hide. Since descendants are to hide the remains of their ancestors, they must surely approach it with solemnity and reverence, making long-term and secure arrangements. By preserving the remains and ensuring the peace of the ancestors' spirits, the descendants will flourish and the rituals of worship will never be interrupted."

又曰：“其或擇之不精，地之不吉，則必有水泉、蟻螻、地風之屬以賊其內，使其形神不安，而子孫亦有死亡絕滅之憂，甚可畏也。”陸象山曰：“通天地人曰儒。地理之學雖一藝，然上以盡送終之孝，下以為啟後之謀，其為事亦重矣。親之生，身體髮膚皆當保愛，況親之歿也，奉親之體厝諸地，固乃付之庸師俗巫，使父母體魄不得其安，則孝安在哉！”

Zhu Xi also said: "If the selection is not precise, then even if the land is not auspicious, there must be things like water springs, ants, and underground winds inside that will harm the remains and the spirits, causing both the body and the spirit to be restless, and leading to worries of death and extinction among the descendants, which is very terrifying." Lu Jiuyuan said: "Only those who can integrate heaven, earth, and humanity deserve to be called Confucians. Although the study of geomancy is just a skill, when viewed from above, it is about fulfilling the filial duty of sending off the deceased, and when viewed from below, it is about making provisions for future generations. This matter is indeed significant. When parents are alive, we should protect and cherish their bodies and hair, let alone after their death, when we place their remains in the earth, handing them over to ordinary geomancers and common fortune-tellers, causing their bodies and spirits to be restless. Where is the filial piety in that?"

夫觀聖賢所論如此，則擇地殯親之道，誠仁人孝子之不可忽者。若平居視地理為末務，而不之問，一旦有大故，則不免倉卒苟且為之，幸得吉地，固所願矣；不幸而置親體於蟻泉沙礫中，無異委之於壑坵，不孝孰甚？故人子須於平時講明其說，庶幾他日臨事不悞，而親魄得安於地下矣。

Looking at the discussions of sages and virtuous men, we can see that choosing a proper place for burying one's parents is indeed something that the benevolent and filial must not take lightly. If one has always regarded geomancy as a trivial matter and never paid attention to it, then when there is a major funeral in the family, one is likely to be hurried and careless. Although it is fortunate to find a good site, if by misfortune the parents' bodies are placed in an anthill, a spring source, or among sand and gravel, it is no different from leaving the deceased in a mountain ravine or a hillside. Is there a more unfilial act than this? Therefore, as a son, one must understand these principles thoroughly in daily life, so that when the time comes, one will not make mistakes, and the spirits of one's parents can rest in peace beneath the earth.

雖然，三折臂然後稱明醫，地之理又非膚淺及鮮傳者所能究竟也。苟曰予既已知之矣，而自用自專，悞凶為吉，牢不可破，則其害奚異於庸師俗巫哉！噫，萬鎰之玉，必付之玉人而後可也。

Though this is true, an old saying says that a good physician must have his arm broken three times, implying that true mastery requires great hardship. The principles of geomancy are not something that can be fully understood by those who only skim the surface or lack genuine transmission. If someone were to say that he already understands it, and then become arrogant and stubborn, misjudging凶地 as吉地, and refusing to be convinced by anyone, the harm he causes would be no different from that of a common fortune-teller or a vulgar local geomancer. Alas, a jade worth ten thousand taels must be entrusted to a skilled jade carver to be properly worked.

司馬溫公曰：“今人有喪親者，往往久而不葬。問之，曰歲月未利也。又曰未有吉地也。遊宦遠方未得歸也。貧未能辦葬具也。至有終身累世而不葬，遂有棄失尸柩不知其處者。嗚呼！可不令人深嘆愍哉！人所貴於身後有子孫者，為能藏其形骸也。其所為乃如是，曷若無子孫死於道路，猶有仁者見而殣之耶。

Sima Guang said: "Nowadays, when people die, their parents are often left unburied for a long time. When asked the reason, they say the year and month are inauspicious, or that they have not yet found a good place for burial, or that they are far away in official service and cannot return, or that they are poor and cannot afford the funeral expenses. There are even cases where people do not bury their parents throughout their lives, and even across several generations, until the coffin is lost and its whereabouts are unknown. Alas! Is this not deeply lamentable and pitiful? People value having descendants after death because they hope someone will properly bury their bodies. Their actions have reached such a point that it is better to have no descendants and die on the roadside, for then there would still be kind-hearted people who would bury them."

且先王制禮，葬期遠不過七月，自王公以下，皆三月而葬。又禮，未葬不變服，食粥，居倚廬，哀親之未有所歸也。既葬，然後漸有變除。今之人背禮違法，未葬而除喪，從宦四方，食稻衣錦，飲酒作樂，於心安乎？”吳草廬曰：“喪不即舉，年代已遠，或子孫參差而人事不齊，或罹兵亂而水火不測，或貧病兼併而不能舉，或是非爭兢而害成，或官事牢獄而不可為，或日怠日忘而竟成棄置，皆停喪久遠而變見多端也。”

Moreover, the former kings established rites and regulations, setting the longest period for burial at seven months, while princes and ministers below were to be buried within three months. The rites also stipulated that before burial, mourning clothes should not be changed, one should only eat thin porridge, live in a simple hut against the wall, and grieve for one's parents without a resting place. Only after burial could one gradually change and end mourning. Now, people violate these rites, removing their mourning clothes before burial, seeking official positions everywhere, eating good food and wearing fine clothes, drinking and enjoying themselves. Can they feel at ease in their hearts?" Wu Cheng said, "If funeral arrangements are not handled promptly, over time, there may be cases where descendants are scattered and unable to gather people, or where wars and disturbances cause unpredictable calamities, or where poverty and illness make it impossible to hold the funeral, or where disputes lead to conflicts, or where legal troubles prevent the funeral from being held, or where neglect and forgetfulness lead to complete abandonment. These are all causes of many misfortunes resulting from delaying the funeral for too long."

愚按：二公所言，極其痛切。蓋今時之俗，平居多不講夫地理，及有變故，則懵無所措，停柩以侍擇地。初心雖切，久必因循，遂至醉夢過時，不知為天地間極大罪人。有子不能葬其父，有孫不能葬其祖，至於年代深遠，誠有如二公之所慮者。嗚呼！為人子者可不懍懍然而知所戒懼乎？

I remarked: Sima Guang and Wu Cheng both spoke with extreme sincerity. Today's customs are such that people usually do not pay attention to geomancy in daily life, but when there is a funeral in the family, they are confused and helpless, and have to stop the coffin waiting for a suitable place to bury. Although their initial intentions are sincere, as time goes on, they inevitably become careless and procrastinate, finally missing the opportunity in a state of confusion, without realizing they have become great sinners in the world. A son cannot properly bury his father, a grandson cannot properly bury his grandfather, and if this is delayed for a long time, the consequences that the two gentlemen worried about will indeed appear. Alas! Can sons not be cautious and aware of the danger?

夫地理之法雖繁，而“葬乘生氣”一言，足以盡其肯綮。故千里來龍入首，惟融八尺之穴。諺云“陰地一線”是也。祖冢既已乘乎一線生氣，則其左右上下皆為死氣，葬之徒為蟻穴泉窟而已。不惟新葬之柩將為禍患，且又洩祖宗之生氣，驚祖宗之體魄，其為害不小也。

The methods of geomancy are numerous, but the phrase "burial in life qi" captures its essence entirely. Therefore, even a long-distance "dragon" arrives at the "entrance" and condenses into a single grave site of about eight feet square. The saying "there is only a thread of life qi in the阴地 (burial ground)" means exactly this. Once the ancestral tomb has occupied this thread of life qi, then all around it is death qi. Burial there is merely finding a place for the family's ancestors like an ant hole or a spring cave. This not only brings misfortune to the newly buried coffin, but also leaks the life qi of the ancestors and disturbs their bodies, causing significant harm.

或曰：中州之地，始葬者南面，後竁左右昭穆而殯，謂之族葬。有一穴安數十冢者，有一冢安十數柩者，似於侵葬，未聞其禍何也？予曰：中州之地，千里平洋，水深土厚，若得一穴，可安十數柩者有之，可安十數冢者有之。張子微所謂“也有一龍十數穴，也有一穴十數塋”者是耳。東南山叢，水駛土薄，易泉而多石，螻蟻生之，安可與中州比也？

Someone asked: In the Central Plains region, the first burial is oriented with the body facing south and the head facing north. Later graves are arranged to the left and right according to the order of昭 and穆, and this is called "family burial." There are cases where one grave site contains dozens of tombs, and one tomb contains more than ten coffins. It seems like they are all intrusive burials, yet there is no mention of any misfortune. Why is that? I answered: The Central Plains region has thousands of miles of flat land, deep water levels and thick soil layers. If a good burial site is found, it can accommodate dozens of coffins, and also dozens of tombs. Zhang Zimo said, "There is also a dragon with several burial sites, and also a single burial site with several tombs," which exactly describes this situation. In the southeast region, mountains are densely clustered, rivers are swift, and the soil is shallow. It is easy to have water and there are many stones, with insects proliferating. How can this be compared to the Central Plains?

或又曰：附葬祖側，及父母必合葬，皆古禮，有不可議者。答曰：禮貴通變。附葬既有侵祖之嫌，而合葬或不得已，亦不必拘。予兄弟嘗遊閩至考亭，拜文公朱夫子遺像。及徧觀其先世坵壟，文公之祖退翁，名森，字良材，墓在政和縣感化裡護國寺西。父韋齋先生，名松，諡獻靖，墓在崇安縣上梅里寂歷山。母祝氏夫人，墓在建陽崇泰裡寒泉嶺仰天湖形。文公墓在建陽嘉禾裡九峰山下，風吹羅帶形。

Someone else asked: It is an ancient custom to bury the deceased beside the ancestors' tombs and to have parents buried together, and these practices should not be criticized. I replied: Ritual values flexibility and adaptability. Since burying a deceased beside the ancestral tomb may be suspected of encroaching upon the ancestral tomb, and if there is an unavoidable situation for burying parents together, one need not be overly rigid. My brothers and I once traveled to Fujian to visit the site of Master Zhu Xi's former residence, paying homage to his portrait, and also visited the tombs of his ancestors. Zhu Xi's grandfather, Master Tui翁, named Sen, with the courtesy name Liangcái, was buried west of the Huguo Temple in Ganhuacun, Zhenghe County. His father, Master Weizhai, named Song, with the posthumous title Xianjing, was buried in Shangmei Village, Chong'an County, on Jilì Mountain. His mother, Madame Zhuushì, was buried in Chongyang County, Choutaicun, Hanquan Ridge, with the shape of "Looking Up at the Sky Lake." Zhu Xi himself was buried at Jiuheng Mountain, Jiay禾 Village, Chongyang County, with the shape of "Wind Blowing a Silk Ribbon."

退翁以前墓皆在徽婺源，去考亭固已甚遠。而退公、韋齋、文公之墓，又各在一縣，去考亭皆百餘里，何嘗拘於附近祖冢之說？又，考文公葬父，亦嘗三遷，而最後遷處，與葬母同年按文公年譜，乾道六年正月葬母，八月改葬父，亦未嘗拘於父母合葬。噫！此見我文公先生燭理之明，不狃於俗，足可為法矣！

The tombs of several generations before Tuweng were in Wuyuan, Huizhou, which is far from Kaoting. The tombs of Tuweng, Weizhai, and Zhu Xi were each in different counties, each over a hundred li away from Kaoting. How could they be bound by the idea that tombs must be near the ancestral graves? Moreover, when Zhu Xi buried his father, he moved the grave three times, and the final relocation of his father's grave was in the same year as the burial of his mother (according to the "Chronological Record of Zhu Wenzhong," in the first month of the sixth year of Qiandao, he buried his mother, and in the eighth month he moved his father's grave). This shows that he did not strictly adhere to the custom of burying parents together. Alas! From this we can see that Zhu Xi's understanding of matters was clear and profound, not conforming to the prevailing customs, and thus can be taken as a standard!

按：《文公年譜》云：紹興十四年，葬韋齋於西塔山，其後改葬於寂歷山中峰之原。及考韋公，《遷韋齋墓記》曰：初，府君將殆，欲葬崇安之五夫。卒之明年，遂定於靈梵院側。時熹幼未更事，卜地不詳。懼體魄之不安，乾道六年，遷於白水之鵝峰山下。又考文公慶元五年撰《韋齋行狀》云：公卒之明年，熹奉其柩葬於崇安縣之五夫。然公所藏，地勢卑溼，懼非久計，乃奉而遷武夷鄉上梅里寂歷山中峰僧舍之北。即此而觀，乃是三遷葬也。見《建寧郡志》。

According to the "Yearly Record of Zhu Wen Gong," in the fourteenth year of the Shaoxing era, the Master Wei Zhai was buried on the west tower mountain, but later was moved to the middle peak of Jilis Mountain. Further examining the "Record of Relocating the Master Wei Zhai's Tomb" written by Zhu Xi, it says that when his father was seriously ill, he originally intended to be buried in Wufu of Chong'an; but in the second year after his death, the tomb was decided to be near the Lingfan Temple. At that time, Zhu Xi was young and had not experienced much, so the land was not carefully selected. He was worried that his father's body would not be at peace, and thus in the sixth year of the Qiandao era, he moved the tomb to the foot of Epeng Mountain in Baisui. Also examining the "Biography of Master Wei Zhai" written by Zhu Xi in the fifth year of the Qingyuan era, it says that in the second year after his father's death, Zhu Xi carried the coffin to be buried in Wufu of Chong'an County; but the place was low-lying and damp, and he feared it was not a permanent solution, so he carried the coffin again to the north of the Buddhist monastery in the middle peak of Jilis Mountain in Shangmei Village, Wuyi Township. According to these records, it is indeed three times that the tomb was moved. This matter is recorded in the "Annals of Jianning Prefecture."

曾葛溪曰：“圖葬舊穴，惑之甚也。嘗見一舊穴，雖前已發大貴，子孫不肖鬻之，凡三易主，葬二百餘年，卒無顯者。人但指而言曰：‘此某氏祖冢，徙墎賣與某氏。不利，又轉賣某氏，皆不利’。即此可知，舊穴無重發達之驗。

Ceng Ge Xi said: "To intend to bury someone in an old grave that has already been used is the height of foolishness. I have once seen an old grave which, although it had once produced a great nobleman, later because the descendants were wicked, it was sold. It changed hands three times, and for more than two hundred years, no one from that family became prominent. People only point to it and say: 'This is the ancestral tomb of a certain family, the coffin was moved and sold to another family; it is inauspicious, then it was sold again to another family, also inauspicious.' Just by looking at this one case, we can know that an old grave does not have the evidence of renewed prosperity."

又有葬後風遷水易者，難以殫舉，竟未聞葬舊穴而獲福者。況憑福恃勢，發他人之墳，誅其用心，已不為天所佑，地何能福之哉？且地脈初興，如火之始然；及其既敗，如灰燼已冷。欲於冷灰中求炙手熱，決無是理。此古人謂圖葬舊穴，如求嗣續於鶴髮婦人耳。”

After the grave is buried, if the wind direction changes and the water flow becomes easier, there are countless such cases, yet no one has ever heard of someone gaining blessings by burying in an old grave. Moreover, relying on one's wealth and power to dig others' graves, if we consider this heartlessly, such an intention has already lost the protection of heaven, how could the land grant him blessings? Furthermore, when the earth energy is just beginning to rise, it is like a fire that has just been lit; but when it has already declined, it is like cold ashes. To seek warmth from cold ashes is utterly unreasonable. Therefore, the ancients said that attempting to bury in an old grave is like asking an old woman with white hair for children.

按：葛溪所論，誠皆切當。蓋人子求地葬親，當先修其德。謀葬已發之穴，徙人之親而葬其親，伐人之冢而為已冢，忍心害德，莫此為甚，縱得地理，天理何在？予嘗謂：人人難保百年墳，徙墎重扦太忍心。莫道天公無報應，後來還有伐墳人。求地者宜知所戒。

The remarks of Zeng Gexi are indeed very appropriate. A son seeking a place for burying his parents should first cultivate his own virtue. To seek an already blessed old grave, to move another's ancestors to bury one's own ancestors, to dig up another's tomb to use as one's own tomb, is an act of extreme cruelty and deep violation of morality; even if one obtains good geomancy, where is the heavenly justice? I once wrote a few lines saying: it is hard for everyone to preserve their own tomb for a full hundred years; to move another's coffin and re-bury one's own is very cruel; do not say that heaven does not take revenge, for later people will also dig up your tomb. Those seeking a burial site should be warned accordingly.

世俗拘泥公位之說，兄弟眾多，各懐私意，爭論不決，遂有終身不殯其親者。噫！為人父母者，每以子多為幸。今若此，則是不若少子者，無房分之爭，得歸全於土，而免久暴之患矣！是故求地惟當辨眞偽，不可拘泥公位。地誠眞美，而於公位或有不齊，此亦付之子孫緣，不可挾私而久暴其親，亦不可信邪師之言，妄有作為而反壞其地。

People are stuck in the idea of "public position" (gongwei). With many brothers, each has their own private interests, and they argue endlessly, so there are even people who cannot bury their parents for their whole lives. Alas! Parents always consider having many sons as a blessing; now things have turned out this way, and it is actually worse than families with fewer sons: there is no quarrel over property shares, and the parents can be buried intact, avoiding the misfortune of having the coffin exposed for a long time. Therefore, seeking a burial site should only distinguish between true and false graves, and not be bound by the concept of public position. If the land is indeed true and beautiful, even if it cannot equally serve all the branches, this can only be attributed to the fortune of each descendant. One must not act out of private interest and leave the parents exposed for a long time. Nor should one listen to false teachers and recklessly alter the layout, which would ruin a good site.

且欲房分之均，不可拘於一穴，宜別求一穴以補襯之，則得均矣。楊公云“豈可一墳分公位，必取眾墳叅互議”是也。大抵公位之說，只可置之勿論。蔡文節公云：“今人動爭公位之說，以致久不葬親，何所見之謬耶！造化者自區處，豈伊人力所能巧計？地不可不擇，當使亡魂安處。至於自求多福，乃在地理以外，非可以徇私為心。

One should not rigidly adhere to a single burial site if the intention is to ensure that each branch of the family benefits equally. Instead, another site should be sought to complement the first, thereby achieving balance naturally. Yang Yunsong said, "How can a single tomb serve the interests of all the family branches? It is necessary to consult and consider the situation of multiple tombs," which conveys exactly this idea. In general, the concept of 'public position' should be set aside. Cai Yuan ding (Wenjie Gong) said, "Modern people often argue over the concept of public position, leading to the prolonged delay in burying their parents. What an absurd view! The natural order has its own arrangement, which cannot be controlled by human cunning. Choosing a suitable site is essential, so that the spirits of the deceased may have a resting place. As for seeking personal blessings, that is a matter beyond the scope of geomancy. One must not harbor selfish intentions."

才有私心，其計必左。世人以此誤自己，誤子孫者甚多。及不如意，從而遷徙，愈更愈錯，非地誤人，用心之誤也。”程子曰：“不以奉親為計，而專以利後為謀，非孝子安厝之用心。”誠為至論。故人子但以安親為念可也。若曰期生人之受蔭，冀富貴於將來，但末務耳。況有葬後沙水變易，而公位之說亦多不驗。為人子者，須知大義，豈可專泥於茲乎。

As soon as there is a selfish thought, calculation will certainly fail. Many people thus waste themselves and their descendants. When things do not go as desired, they follow the remains and change the burial site, only making things worse. This is not the land that has wasted people, but the wrong intention that has wasted people." Cheng Yi said: "If one does not regard the proper burial of parents as a matter of concern, but only seeks to benefit future generations, this is not the sincere intention of a filial son in burying his parents." This is truly a profound statement. Therefore, as a son, one should only be concerned with ensuring that one's parents are properly buried. As for hoping that the living will be protected and expecting future wealth and honor, these are merely secondary matters. Moreover, there are cases where after burial, the shape of the sand and the course of the water change, making the theory of official positions mostly inapplicable. Sons must understand the great principles; how can they be overly attached to such matters?

孔子曰：“古者不修墓。”非不修墓也，蓋必誠必信已。當葬時而豫為一成不動之計，其慎重尚如此，況舉既葬之親而欲改遷之，何可以慎重不如是乎？今之人有輕信人言，或為富貴而動其念，或為禍患而惕其衷，往往易於改葬，彼其事得已耶？抑不得已耶？如其不得已，而有水蟻及他患也，改之無不可也。然亦有為野師所惑，誤改吉地者，令親體不免暴露，吾恐仁人孝子當不止其顙之有泚矣。

Confucius said, "In ancient times, they did not repair tombs." This does not mean they did not want to repair tombs, but rather that when they buried the deceased, they fulfilled their sincerity and faithfulness. At the time of burial, they had already made a plan to do it once and for all, without any future changes, with such seriousness. How much more so should we be serious when we want to dig up the already buried parents and move their graves? How can we be careless about such a matter? Nowadays, some people easily believe others' words, some are motivated by the desire for wealth to think about moving graves, and some, due to encountering misfortunes, become anxious and often lightly decide to move graves. Are these things really something they should do or something they must do? If it is indeed unavoidable, and there are waters, ants, or other troubles in the grave, then moving the body is not improper. However, there are also those who are deceived by charlatans, who mistakenly change the original auspicious site, causing the remains of their parents to be exposed. I think that a benevolent and filial person would feel not only sweat on their forehead at that time.

《青烏經》云：“凡地有五不祥者可改：一冢無故自陷；二冢上草木枯死；三冢有淫亂風聲，少亡孤寡；四男女忤逆顛狂，刼害刑傷瘟火；五人口死絕，家產耗散，官訟不息。改之。如見三祥瑞則勿改：一見生龜蛇生氣物；二見紫藤交結棺木；三有水珠玸色如乳溫暖，或有氣如霧，穴中乾燥無水蟻，並吉。”甚哉，有味乎其言之也！

The Classic of the Azure Crow says: "There are five ominous signs that indicate a grave should be moved. First, the tomb mound collapses without cause. Second, the grass and trees on the tomb wither and die. Third, there is disorder in the family, such as immoral talk, the death of young people, or the continuous presence of orphans and widows. Fourth, there is rebellion between men and women, madness, calamities, injuries, epidemics, and fires. Fifth, the family's population dies out, property is wasted, and lawsuits never cease. In such cases, the grave should be moved. However, if three auspicious signs are present, do not move the grave. First, seeing living turtles or snakes that have vitality. Second, seeing purple wisteria entwined around the coffin. Third, seeing water droplets that are milky in color and warm, or mist-like vapors, with the grave site dry and no stagnant water or ant damage. These are all favorable signs." This passage is truly excellent and worth reflecting on repeatedly!

予茲推廣其意，特立五戒：曰人丁蕃衍者不遷，年代深遠者不遷，無五不祥者不遷，不犯五患者不遷程子曰：“須使他日不為道路，不為城郭，不為溝池窯灶，不為貴勢所奪，不為耕犂所及，家道平康者不遷。誠欲其人之慎之也。

My purpose in promoting this is to specifically establish five rules: do not move if the family is prosperous, do not move if the site is ancient, do not move if none of the five ominous signs appear, do not move if it does not violate the "five dangers" (Cheng Yi said: "It must ensure that the burial ground will not become a road, not become a city or town, not become a ditch or pond or kiln or stove, not be taken by the powerful and wealthy, not be plowed or turned over."), and do not move if the family is safe and prosperous. Establishing these rules is indeed to make people treat this matter with seriousness.

雖然，禮有改葬之服緦麻，歷頒啟攢之日，古人亦未嘗不遷。如不得已，須得明師再三商確。大抵地無全美，只當察其輕重緩急。如有財無人，須求溫暖之穴；有人無財，宜尋得水之地。審有其地果勝舊墳，然後議遷。如舊墳無大禍患，可以平穩，則當別求吉地接福於後，未為不可，奚必於改葬哉！是故“慎之”一字，改葬者所當繹思也。

Although this is the case, the rites originally included provisions for wearing the mourning clothes of缌麻 when relocating a grave, and the almanac also announced auspicious days for starting the gathering of bones and opening the grave. This shows that ancient people did not entirely avoid moving graves. If it is indeed unavoidable, one should consult a highly skilled geomancer repeatedly to decide. In general, there is no place that is perfectly suitable in every aspect; one should weigh the importance and urgency of the situation. If the family is wealthy but has few descendants, one should look for a warm grave site; if there are many descendants but no wealth, one should seek a place that can obtain water. Only after carefully examining and confirming that the new site is indeed superior to the old grave can one consider relocation. If the old grave does not have major misfortunes and is relatively stable, then one should seek another auspicious site to continue the blessings of future generations, which is also acceptable. Why must one necessarily relocate the grave? Therefore, the word "caution" is something that those who intend to relocate graves should think over repeatedly.

求地須辨眞偽，不必拘大小。若龍穴眞的，縱力量輕，猶能發越。徒慕大地，而不能辨眞偽，葬於假穴之中，是置親體於水泉蟻穴，求福得禍，顧何益哉！蓋大地難識，且有鬼神司之，不可強求。往往圖大地者，雖小地亦不得，而竟被假地所誤。

To seek a good burial site, one must distinguish between true and false, without being overly concerned about its size. As long as the 'dragon' is genuine and the '穴' (burial site) is correct, even if its power is small, it can still bring blessings. If one is only fond of large sites but cannot discern true from false, and ends up burying in a false site, it is like placing one's parents' remains in a water spring or ant hole. Intending to seek blessings, one ends up causing misfortune. What benefit is there? One must know that large sites are hard to identify, and there are spirits governing them, so one should not force matters. Those who seek large sites often fail to obtain even small ones, and eventually are misled by false sites.

彼蓋不知安穩小地，在在有之，易於求索。況小地既眞，數穴併力，亦能致大。楊筠松云：“大地難得小易求，積累不已成山邱，眾墳合力卻成大，人說小地生公侯。”又云：“是眞不必問大小，積小成大最為好。”又云：“圖大不得且思次，此事當與智者議。”旨哉言乎！人子求地，且知辨眞偽，慎毋為圖大所惑。

They probably don't realize that small, stable sites are everywhere and easy to find. Moreover, even a true small site, when several points work together, can achieve a great result. Yang Yunsong said, "Large sites are rare and small ones are easy to find; accumulating them continuously forms mountains and hills. Many graves working together can create great achievements; people say that small sites can produce dukes and marquises." He also said, "Truth does not depend on size; accumulating small things to form the great is best." He further said, "If you cannot achieve the great, think of the next best thing; this matter should be discussed with the wise." These words are very reasonable! As a son seeking a site, one should only learn to distinguish true from false sites and must not be misled by the desire for a large site.

夫地理之學，有道眼，有法眼。道眼生知，不可尚矣。所謂法眼者，必從師授，徧觀名墓，何為而吉，何為而凶，龍穴何為而入格，砂水何為而合局，一一檢點，以之為法，故曰法眼。卜氏云：“追尋仙蹟，看格尤勝看書。”楊氏云：“勸君且去覆舊墳，勝讀十卷撼龍文。”又曰：“見格多時心易曉，見多勝耳千回聞。”又云“若不看格信人說，俗師不曉能惑人”是也。

The study of geography has both "Dao Yan" and "Fa Yan." Dao Yan is an innate insight, something not attainable by ordinary people. Fa Yan, on the other hand, must be learned through a teacher's guidance, by examining famous ancestral tombs throughout history. One must understand what constitutes good and bad sites, how a dragon and a site qualify as proper, and how surrounding terrain and water flow form a harmonious layout. By comparing and verifying each site, one can establish a standard, hence the term Fa Yan. Bu Ze Wei said, "Seeking the traces of famous sites left by predecessors and observing their actual layouts is more effective than reading books." Yang Yunsong said, "I urge you to visit old tombs, which is better than reading ten volumes of the text 'Hàn Lóng'." He also said, "After seeing many patterns, the mind becomes clear; seeing more is better than hearing a thousand times." He further stated, "If one does not understand the patterns and relies solely on others' words, common teachers who lack understanding may mislead people." All these statements convey the same principle.

故將欲營宅兆，必須先去多觀仙蹟名墓，以彼為法，則庶幾心目有主，不被假地所惑，誠一緊要事也。為人子者，當念厝親是平生第一大事，上為親體安寧之謀，下保子孫久遠之計，而不可憚其登渉之勞也。

Therefore, before planning to build a tomb, one must first visit many famous ancient tombs left by predecessors and take them as a standard. In this way, one will have clear ideas in mind and eyes, and will not be misled by fake sites. This is indeed a crucial matter. As a son, one should think about the fact that burying one's parents is the most important matter in one's lifetime. Above all, it is for the peace of the parents' remains, and below all, it is for the long-term security of the descendants. Therefore, one must never be afraid of the hardship of climbing mountains and crossing rivers.

曾葛溪曰：“求地必先擇良師，師非其人，為害不淺。”誠哉言也！蓋得地非難，得師為難。得其師，不患不得其地。苟師非其人，毀瓦畫墁，雖有美地，而或扦失其穴；雖得美穴，而或葬乖其法，況欲其尋地乎？故擇師又為求地之先務也。

Zeng Ge Xi said, "To seek good land, one must first select a competent geomancer. If the geomancer is not the right person, the harm can be great." These words are indeed correct. Obtaining good land is not difficult, but obtaining a good geomancer is. As long as one obtains a good geomancer, there is no worry of not getting good land. If the geomancer is not such a person, it is like destroying someone's roof tiles or scribbling on walls at random: even if there is beautiful land, he might miss the correct spot for thesite; even if he finds a goodsite, he might violate the proper procedures during burial. And how much more so can one expect him to find land? Therefore, selecting a geomancer is the first essential task before seeking land.

然地學之師亦難矣哉，非通儒不能窮理格物以致其知，非眞授受不識榘矱微妙以盡其奧。通儒術，得傳授，苟蔑其德，吾恐指鹿為馬，誑鳥為鸞，而為害尤甚。是故備斯三者，然後始為良師。雖然，師固不可不擇，擇而得其人，又須謁誠以感之，故曰取人以身。

However, becoming a master of geomancy is truly difficult: one cannot thoroughly understand natural principles and gain true knowledge without being a well-versed Confucian scholar. One cannot recognize the subtle rules and profound aspects without genuine transmission from a teacher. Even if someone is knowledgeable in Confucianism and has received true instruction, if he lacks virtue, I fear he might mislead others, such as mistaking a deer for a horse or a wild bird for a phoenix, causing even greater harm. Therefore, a good teacher must possess learning, proper transmission, and virtue. Although this is the case, a geomancer must not be chosen carelessly. Once a suitable person is found, one must approach him with sincere诚意 to win him over. Hence, it is said, "Take a person by oneself"—first rectify oneself, then one can attract talent.

蔡文節公曰：“積德為求地之本也。凡人慾為子孫永遠計者，當以公心處世，方便行事。一念合理，百神歸向，擇地論穴又其次也。不然，吾德之不修，而徒責効於祖宗父母之遺骨，朝移夕改，愈更愈謬，其悖逆不孝之罪，適足以取誅譴於造物，顧何益哉！”

Cai Yuan Ding (Wenjie Gong) said, "Accumulating virtue is the fundamental basis for seeking a proper place. Those who wish to plan for their descendants in the long term should act with a public heart, be kind to others, and act conveniently for people. As long as one's thought aligns with the principles of heaven, all the spirits will be attracted to him. As for choosing a site and discussing the grave, that is secondary. Otherwise, if one does not cultivate his own virtue, but instead一味ly seeks verification from the remains of his ancestors and parents, moving the grave in the morning and changing it in the evening, becoming more absurd with each change, the sin of rebellion and ingratitude would be sufficient to invite the punishment of the creator of all things, and what benefit would that bring?"

吳文正公曰：“嘗見人家求得吉地，而後不蒙其福，反見凶禍者，何哉？若非立穴之誤，便是立向之差。又有掘鑿大過，傷龍傷穴，變吉成凶。又有已得吉地，又得明師，而乃固執己見，移穴易向。相地者惟務承順，不復執術，遂至防誤。又或術者憸心詭行，不肯盡術。又有既得吉地，葬之不差，而子孫輕信人言，輒遷改，他姓得之，因以獲福。凡此未必盡皆術者之過，往往冥冥中有使然者，由不積德之故也。不積德而求地，譬之不耕而求獲，寧有是理哉！”

Wu Cheng (the Literatus of Wenzheng) said: "It is common to see families who have obtained a favorable burial site, yet later do not receive good fortune, but instead suffer misfortune. Why is this so? It is either because the穴位 was incorrectly selected, or the direction was improperly established. There are also cases where excavation was excessive, injuring the 'dragon' and the '穴', turning a favorable site into an unfavorable one. There are also instances where a favorable site was already obtained, yet the family hired a skilled geomancer, but insisted on their own will, insisting on moving the穴位 and changing the direction. The geomancer, in order to please the family, gave in and did not adhere to his own methods, thus causing mistakes. There are also cases where the geomancer had evil intentions and acted deceitfully, unwilling to use his full skill. There are also cases where a favorable site was already obtained and the burial was properly conducted, yet the descendants easily believed others and frequently changed the site, allowing another family to take possession of it, thus gaining prosperity. These things are not necessarily all the fault of the geomancers; often there is some unseen force at work. The root cause lies in the lack of accumulated virtue. To seek a good site without accumulating virtue is like expecting a harvest without sowing seeds; how could such a thing be possible!"

按：二公所論切當。蓋欲陰地好，先要心地好。先大父存耕公嘗勸人不可以勢力營風水，因作詩云：踏破鐵鞋無覓處，得來全不費工夫，牛眠鶴舉獲奇遇，只存方寸地中求詩見《存耕稿》。鄉達松軒葉先生以之為名言。

Note: The discussions of Cai and Wu are both very appropriate. If one wishes for a good "yin ground," one must first have a good "heart ground." My grandfather, Cun耕 Gong, once advised people not to seek good fengshui by relying on power, and he composed a poem for this purpose: "After wearing out my boots I find no trace, but I get it all without effort; a cow sleeping in a meadow and a crane taking flight bring good fortune, all sought only in a square inch of land." (The poem is found in "Cun耕 Drafts.") A respected local scholar, Mr. Ye Songxuan, has cited this poem as a famous saying.

又宋謙父詩曰：世人盡知穴在山，豈知穴在方寸間。好山好水世不欠，尚非其人尋不見。我見富貴人家墳，往往葬時皆貧賤。迨其富貴力可求，人事極時天理變。故得吉地，必有德可以膺福，然後神以吉地畀之。神之俾以吉地，即天之報善故也。欲求吉地，為祖父宅兆，俾先人之體魄安而後世之榮盛不替者，當先積德以端其本焉。

Song Qianfu also wrote a poem saying: "The world knows that the grave is in the mountain, but does not know that the grave is in the space between the heart. Good mountains and good waters are not lacking in the world, yet they cannot be found if it is not the right person. I have seen the tombs of wealthy families, which were often buried when their ancestors were poor. When they became wealthy and had the power to seek, the human affairs had reached their peak and the heavenly principles changed." Therefore, those who can obtain a good burial site must certainly have virtue sufficient to deserve the blessing, and then the spirits would grant them a good site. The spirits grant them a good site precisely because heaven is rewarding their good deeds. If one wishes to seek a good burial site to build a tomb for one's ancestors, ensuring the rest of the family's prosperity continues without decline, one should first accumulate virtue to correct this fundamental aspect.

或曰：求地必本於德，則亦修德而已，擇地之術，又焉用哉？予曰：擇地以藏親為計。人子之於親也，固當無所不用其極。苟慮夫親魄之安危，則豈容不慎重而廣擇之哉！修德以竢天，擇地以盡人，並行而不悖，仁人孝子之為心也。

Some people say: Since seeking a proper place fundamentally depends on virtue, then cultivating virtue is enough, and what is the use of geomantic methods for choosing a site? I reply: Choosing a site is to properly enshrine one's parents. As a son, one should naturally strive to do everything to the utmost for one's parents. Since there is concern for the safety and well-being of one's parents' spirits, how can one allow carelessness or neglect in choosing a site? Cultivating virtue is waiting for heaven's will, while choosing a site is fulfilling human effort. Both should be carried out together without contradiction, which is the sincere intention of a benevolent and filial son.