The Blue Bird Immortal's Ten Non-Interactions

一不相粗頑丑石。頑石粗丑，形類凶惡者不可相也。亦有龍身及穴星，左右龍虎皆粗石，而穴間不見，且穴星純土者，則吉。如沐國公地，來龍純石，拔聳入雲。近而視之，巉巖峻峭可驚。及臨穴，左右皆石，只是當穴純土，光彩明白，所以吉也。福建興、泉諸名地，多有石。

First, do not examine rough, coarse, and ugly stones. Stones that are rough, coarse, and ugly, and resemble evil things, should not be used for divination. However, there are cases where the dragon body and thesite stars, along with the left and right dragon and tiger formations, are all made of coarse stones, but they are not visible within the site. If thesite star is purely earth, then it is auspicious. For example, the land of Mu Guogong had a dragon body entirely made of stone, rising abruptly into the clouds. When approached closely, the rocks were steep and formidable. However, at the site of thesite, the left and right sides were also stones, but the actualsite was purely earth, clear and bright, hence auspicious. Many famous sites in the areas of Xinghua and Quanzhou in Fujian province also mostly feature stones.

二不相急水爭流。急水交劍爭流，穴前見之極凶，不可相也。三不相窮源絕境。卜氏云：“窮源僻塢，豈有眞龍？”誠以窮僻水尾，乃龍脈發身處，不可相也。有等大龍，翻身入源，奔至塢底而結穴者，不以此拘。四不相單獨龍頭。單山獨壟，孤寒無倚，不可相也。洪氏云：“獨當作露，不露不忌。”亦有大龍獨行，而至結穴處，開窩鉗，有龍虎者不忌。

Second, do not look at places where fast flowing water meets and struggles like two swords crossing. Such a situation is extremely凶, and one should not go to examine it. Third, do not look at water sources that have reached their end in remote and desolate mountain gullies. The Book of Divination says: "Where the water source is exhausted in a secluded mountain gully, where could there be a true dragon?" Indeed, remote and secluded water endings are exactly where the dragon's energy originates, so one should not go to examine them. However, there is an exception when a great dragon turns back to its source, flows to the bottom of the gully, and forms a mound there; in such cases, this rule does not apply. Fourth, do not look at isolated dragon heads. A single mountain or ridge, solitary and cold, is not suitable for examination. Hong氏 says: "Solo" should be understood as "exposed," and if it is not exposed, there is no need to avoid it. There are also cases where a great dragon travels alone, but at the site of the mound, it forms a窝 shape or a钳 shape, accompanied by dragon and tiger formations, which are also acceptable and not to be avoided.

五不相神前佛後。卜氏云“神前佛後，忌聞鐘鼓之聲”是也。然予兄弟多見美地，不以此拘。如福建建寜楊文敏公祖地在白鶴山者，弋陽汪尚書祖地在叫巖寺者，皆切近禪室。又如廖金精扦張少保壽基，神廟先據，去其廟而立穴。若此之類，莫能殫舉。

Fifth, one should not be concerned about the presence of deities or Buddhist temples. The Book of Divination says, "When divining, one should avoid hearing the sound of bells and drums in the presence of deities or Buddhist temples," referring to this rule. However, our brothers have seen many fine sites that are not bound by this restriction: for example, the ancestral tomb of Yang Wenmin, a distinguished official from Jianning, Fujian, located on White Crane Mountain, and the ancestral tomb of Wang Shusheng, a high-ranking official from Yiyang, situated near a monastery. Another instance is when Liao Jinjing selected a site for Zhang Shaobao, whose land had already been claimed by a temple; he demolished the temple before establishing the tomb. There are countless such examples.

然則神前佛後，似亦不足忌與？竊謂神廟寺觀，多是孤陰寡陽、單獨龍神，或水口之山，故在不相。偶亦有結地者，則龍有臺屏帳蓋，而非單獨之比。有陰有陽，擁從侍衛，而非水口用神之屬。特其龍甚旺，故山川靈氣所鍾，未下之前，而有神靈依棲者，或餘氣發洩而為神廟寺觀者，若此之類，何神前佛後之足畏？諺云“天下名山僧占多”，其斯之謂與！

So, the presence of deities in front and Buddha in the back is not something to be avoided? I privately think: temples and monasteries are mostly built in isolated and barren places, or on mountains at the water's mouth, so they are classified as "not harmonious." Occasionally, there are cases where the land is suitable, which is because the dragon's body has a platform, a screen, a canopy, and a cover, different from being alone; there is both yin and yang, with attendants surrounding it, and they do not belong to the category of water mouth deities. It is only because the dragon energy is extremely strong, and the mountain and river spirits gather here, that before people are buried, deities take up residence, or the remaining energy is released to form temples and monasteries. In such cases, having deities in front and Buddha in the back is not something to fear. The saying goes, "Under heaven, famous mountains are mostly occupied by monks," which probably refers to this.

雖然，猶不可概以壇廟處有穴，而專慕於此。此等去處，不結穴者極多，結穴者乃偶有一二而已。若於不結穴處勉強扦葬，尤非所宜，不可不慎。誠有吉穴，務須至誠，以善求之，不可則止，付之緣份。切不可恃勢強求，以為理外之事。多見因此風水且未得，而反賈奇禍者，君子可不慎之哉！

Although this is the case, one must not assume that wherever there is a temple or shrine there must be a good burial site. There are many places where no burial site is formed, and only occasionally is there one. If one forces a burial in a place where no site is formed, it is especially inappropriate and should be approached with caution. If there is indeed a good burial site there, one must seek it with sincere heart and proper means. If it cannot be found, one should give up and leave it to fate. One must never use power to forcefully take it, treating it as something that can be taken by force beyond reason. It is common to see people who have not yet obtained good风水 (fengshui) and have already brought about strange misfortunes. Should a gentleman not be cautious!

傳疑建安楊文敏公祖達卿，好施與，以木萬株施之白鶴山僧，因得其地。先是，有望氣者言此山有異氣，欲斷之。且斷而夜復滿，遂止。楊氏葬後，文敏公榮登第，官太師。又科第數十人，至今富貴不替。

Let us note this story: The grandfather of Yang Wenmin, a distinguished official of the Jian'an period, was named Daqing. He enjoyed giving alms and gave over ten thousand trees to the monks of Baihe Mountain, thus obtaining that piece of land. Before this, there was a person skilled in observing the aura who said that the mountain had an unusual aura, and wanted to cut it off. However, when they cut it during the day, it would regrow fully by night, so they gave up. After the Yang family was buried there, Wenmin passed the imperial examination and rose to the position of Grand Tutor; in addition, dozens of others also passed the examination, and to this day their family remains prosperous and wealthy.

按：是亦催官地也。葬此地時，文敏公十餘歲矣。公有《白鶴山房記》詳載得地之由，見《建寧志》，圖見龍法卷。又廖金精為張潛公扦壽域於德興鑄印墩，其穴為吳王芮廟基，神甚顯，不可犯。廖曰：“姑置，俟壬申歲，君家必產貴子，可令乳母襁褓中訓食為拆。

Note: This is also a "cui guan di" (offspring promotion land). At the time of burial, Wenmin Gong was already over ten years old. He wrote a text called "Baihe Shanfang Ji" (White Crane Mountain House Record), which details the reason for obtaining this land, see "Jianning Zhi"; the diagram is in the chapter on dragon methods in this book. Additionally, Liao Jinjing once selected a site for Zhang Qian Gong in Dexing, and that site was exactly the foundation of the tomb of King Wu of Wu, Lü Rui. The spirit there is very prominent and should not be disturbed. Liao Jinjing said: First, put it aside. Wait until the Renshen year, your family will certainly have a noble son; you can have the wet nurse teach him to read the character "chai" even when he is in his swaddling clothes.

三四歲語言明白，可負此子入廟，據案上，令乳母以果品食之，彼必言拆。預名僕伕百餘人至廟間，候童言拆，群聲應曰“領鈞旨”一時撤廟，然後扦穴可也。”果歲至壬申而誕張忠定公壽，如廖公語，撤廟扦穴。後忠定官至少保，贈潛亦少保，今稱少保墓。

When the child was about three or four years old and could speak clearly, they would carry him into the temple and make him sit on the shrine altar. The wet nurse would offer him fruits and delicacies. The child would certainly say the word "split." Previously, over a hundred servants had been arranged to wait in the temple. When the child said "split," all the servants would respond in unison with "receive the imperial decree," and then they would immediately dismantle the temple on the spot. After that, they could perform the acupuncture point technique. Later, indeed, in the year of Renshen, Zhang Zhongding was born, named Shou. Everything followed Liao Gong's instructions, with the temple being dismantled and the acupuncture point technique applied. Later, Zhongding held the position of Shao Bao, and his father Zhang Qian also received the posthumous title of Shao Bao. Now the place is called "Shao Bao's Tomb."

六不相墓宅休囚。墓宅休囚，氣運衰敗，縱有吉穴，亦不發福，不可相也。蓋地之氣運有盛有衰。當其盛時，則小結作亦能發福；當其衰敗，則雖有上結亦不發越。故古今一洛邑也，古今一長安也，昔為富貴繁華之地，而今為草莽荊棘之場，非陵谷變遷，亦氣運使之耳。地師先須識此。

Sixth, one should not choose a site where the land is weak and confined. If the land of a tomb or residence is in a state of decline and weakness, even if there is a good site, it will not bring blessings, and such a site should not be chosen. Because the energy of the land has periods of prosperity and decline: when it is strong, even a small site can bring good fortune; when it is weak, even the best site will not bring good fortune. Therefore, both ancient and modern times, the same place such as Luoyi or Chang'an, which were once prosperous and flourishing, have now become wastelands covered with weeds and thorns; this is not because the mountains and rivers have changed their shape, but because of the change in the energy of the land. Those who practice geomancy should first understand this.

七不相山岡潦亂。山勢岡壟走亂，條條無情之處，龍穴不聚，不可相也。八不相風水悲愁。風水悲愁者，山粗雄而不媚，水峻急而有聲，風交吹，如號如泣。或湖泊之間，或渺茫之坂，或山鄉之處，風水悲愁，多為戰鬥之場，每數十年，必有一次戰爭殺伐。或賊寇所過，或剿滅強梁之類，此必然之應也。

Seventh, do not examine places where the hills are chaotic and muddy. If the mountain ridges are disorderly and run in random directions, with no sense of harmony, the dragon energy and the spirit energy of the site cannot gather together, so such places should not be chosen. Eighth, do not examine places with gloomy and sorrowful fengshui.the so-called gloomy and sorrowful fengshui refers to mountains that are coarse and rugged without grace, and water that is steep and rapid with loud noises, with winds blowing from several directions, like wailing and crying. Such places may be found among lakes, on vast and desolate slopes, or in deep mountains and remote villages. Most places with gloomy and sorrowful fengshui are likely to become battlefields, and there will be wars and killings every few decades: either bandits passing through or government troops suppressing rebels. This is an inevitable outcome.

九不相坐下低軟。凡主山，欲其盛旺高明。若坐下低軟，則無氣脈，多為軟弱蕩皮死氣之類，不可相也。十不相龍虎尖頭。龍虎尖頭相鬥乃凶。若尖而不射不斗，多是曜星發露，為貴地之證，又未可盡以為凶。楊公云：“或斗或射尖如針，兩邊相指穴前尋。非為子息多清貴，更須積玉與堆金。”蓋此等龍虎，若龍穴眞，乃為明曜，主貴尤顯。

Ninth, do not look at low and soft terrain where the mountain sits. All main mountains should be vigorous and lofty; if the mountain where the site sits is low, sunken, and soft, it lacks energy and is mostly of a weak, scattered, and dead qi type, and should not be considered. Tenth, do not look at the sharp peaks of the dragon and tiger mountains. If the peaks of the dragon and tiger mountains face each other and fight, it is considered凶; but if they are only sharp without mutual shooting or fighting, it is mostly a sign of the 'bright stars' being revealed, which is a sign of a noble site, and cannot be generally considered凶. Yang Yunsong said: whether they fight or shoot, if their peaks are sharp like needles and point at each other from both sides, the site is located in the middle. Not only will the descendants produce many of high moral standing, but they will also accumulate treasures and gold. This shows that such dragon and tiger mountains, if the dragon and site are true, are 'bright stars,' which bring great wealth and honor.

廖金精穴星八病：斬指摺痕項下拖，破碎石嵯峨。斷肩有水穿膊出，剖腹腦長窟。折臂原來左右低，破面浪痕垂。陷是腳頭竄入水，吐舌生尖嘴。又穴面四病：貫頂脈從腦上抽，星峰不見頭。墜足脈從□□下去，靈光內所聚。繃面橫生脈數條，生氣自潛消。飽肚粗如覆箕樣，醜惡那堪相。

Liao Jinjing mentioned eight types of sicknesses in thesite stars: "Cut finger" refers to a fold or crease extending from the neck; "Broken" means the stone is rugged and disordered; "Broken shoulder" means water flows out from the shoulder area; "Split abdomen" means a long hole appears on the head; "Broken arm" refers to both arms being low and sunken originally; "Broken face" means wavy marks hanging down on the face; "Sinking" means the foot part is submerged in water; "Protruding tongue" means a sharp mouth is formed. There are also four sicknesses of the穴 face: "Piercing the top" means the vein goes straight up from the top of the head, and the star peak is not visible; "Falling foot" means the vein goes downward from somewhere, and the spiritual light is concentrated inside (the original text is missing two characters here); "Tightened face" means several veins branch out horizontally, and the life qi naturally diminishes; "Full belly" means it is thick like an inverted bamboo basket, looking ugly and unappealing.

李淳風論脈有八病：如葫蘆則非乳，如魚胞則非泡。貫頂如竹不起頂，非節。透頂出脈，非硬。圓有脊，非塊。串不明，非珠。流動出脈，非轉皮。八病圖

Li Chunfeng discussed eight types of pulse conditions: those shaped like a gourd are not "ru" (milk); those resembling a fish bladder are not "pao" (bubble); those running through the top like a bamboo pole without a peak are not "jie" (node); those that emerge from the top are not "ying" (hard); those that are round with a ridge are not "kuai" (mass); those that are not clearly connected are not "zhu" (pearl); and those that flow with branching pulses are not "zhuan pi" (turning skin). The following is titled "Eight Pulse Conditions," but the original manuscript only includes the title, and the illustration has been lost.

又穴有七凶：貫頂串脈、露胎、繃面、死鱉背、斷如斬、受殺、吐殺。

In addition, there are seven ominous signs in a site for burial. The first is 'Guan Ding Chuan Mai', where the incoming energy comes straight down from the peak of a star-shaped hill without forming a rounded top to gather and contain the energy. The second is 'Lu Tai', where the central point of the site is exposed and bare, with no surrounding cover. The third is 'Beng Mian', where the surface of the site is tight and hard, with several straight lines running across it. The fourth is 'Si Bie Bei', where the shape of the site is round and stiff, with no distinction between yin and yang boundaries. The fifth is 'Duan Ru Zhan', where the energy stops abruptly, as if cut off by a knife. The sixth is 'Shou Sha', where the site is directly in the path of a sharp, harmful force. The seventh is 'Tu Sha', where the main hill of the site has sharp, projecting features pointing directly towards the central point. If any of these seven signs are present, the site is unsuitable for burial.

覆月：太陰星下角穴，何以謂之覆月絕哉？必孤露飽硬，無受穴之處，來龍不眞。多作水口羅星之類，誤下則絕。牛鼻：獨高而孤垂，無遮護，風交吹者是也。訣云：“雨打蛤蟆背，風吹牛鼻頭，有人扦此穴，田地不留坵。”窮源：源之窮盡處，乃龍未住，大山發足處耳，必山勢雄逼。《雪心賦》曰：“窮源僻塢，豈有眞龍？”亦有大龍翻身屈曲，結穴於源頭者，亦有似源頭寔非源頭者，又不以此拘。

"Fuyue" refers to taking a site at the lower angle of the "Taiyin Star." Why is it listed as a "Fuyue Jue" (a bad site)? Because such places are inevitably isolated and exposed, full and stiff, with no concave area to receive the qi, and the incoming dragon is not genuine. Such mountain shapes are mostly just "Luoxing" (a star at the water mouth), and if one buries the grave there, it will lead to the extinction of the descendants. "Nouni" refers to a mountain peak that rises alone, hanging in isolation, with no surrounding cover or protection, and winds coming from all eight directions hitting it. The mnemonic says: rain falls on the back of a toad, wind hits the tip of a cow's nose. If someone takes a site here, the family will not be able to keep even one piece of farmland. "Qiongyuan" refers to the place where the water source is exhausted. There the dragon has not yet stopped, but only the beginning of the mountain range, and the mountain form must be strong and oppressive. The "Xue Xin Fu" says: "Qiongyuan and remote gullies, where can there be a true dragon?" However, there are also great dragons that turn around and bend here, forming a true site at the source, and there are also cases that seem to be the source but are not actually the source. Therefore, one cannot rigidly follow this rule.

牛角：尖露而出不多，是曜氣，不結穴，誤下必絕。釵股：硬露脈盡氣絶。帶刀：峻硬側斜，無立穴處。牽城：水斜牽無情，必不融結。倒城：傾瀉。三箭：水直射峻急，而來去皆凶。撞城：水直撞射穴。斷城：水沖破。四吊：四水直去無溶注。裹城：水裹頭無餘氣。訣云：“裹頭城裡莫扦墳，刦卻東西便動瘟。”

"The 'ox horn' refers to the sharp tip of a mountain extending outward but not very long, which is the 'radiant qi' of the dragon body. It does not form a burial site itself; if buried here, it will certainly lead to no descendants. 'Hairpin' refers to a stiff and exposed mountain ridge where the energy of the mountain ends. 'Carrying a knife' describes a mountain that is steep, rigid, and leaning sideways, with no suitable place to establish a burial site. 'Tying the city' refers to water flowing away at an angle, showing no affection towards the burial site, and will certainly not gather life qi. 'Reversing the city' refers to the surrounding area tilting and water rushing down rapidly. 'Three arrows' refer to water flowing straight and quickly, whether coming or going, it will bring misfortune. 'Colliding the city' refers to water directly hitting the burial site. 'Breaking the city' refers to the surrounding area being broken by water. 'Four suspensions' refer to water flowing straight in all four directions, with no place to stop or return. 'Wrapping the city' refers to water tightly surrounding the burial site, leaving no space for residual qi. The mnemonic says: do not choose a burial site where the water wraps around the head, as if water from the east and west comes to seize it, the family will suffer from plague."

蛇頭：氣暴殺重，不開窩鉗，不可扦穴。若有氈者，下粘穴，又不拘此。或下王字穴，或下耳穴，皆要有自然窩泡，否則主凶。蛇尾：尖利而小且長，亦脈盡氣絕之所矣。浮牌：闊而氣散，不結穴。或龍眞者，可為陽基。遠岡：是纏護之沙，風吹水刦，無枝腳，或縱橫路遶，皆凶。犁壁：高峻而下尖，八風交吹，無藏蓄之態，主凶。

"The 'snake head' has a fierce and violent appearance with heavy killing energy. If the hill shape does not form a 'wok' or 'claw' opening, it is not suitable for a burial site. If there is a 'mat' shape in front of the site, then a 'sticky site' can be chosen, and it will not be restricted by this rule; or a 'king character site' or 'ear site' can be chosen, but they must be supported by natural 'wok' or 'bowl' shapes to receive the life qi, otherwise they will still bring misfortune. The 'snake tail' has a sharp and long shape, which is also a place where the qi has reached its end and the life qi has been cut off. 'Floating plate' refers to a mountain with a broad surface but scattered life qi, which is not suitable for a burial site; however, if the coming dragon is indeed a true dragon, it can be used as a site for a residential building. 'Distant hill' refers to the sand hills that encircle and protect the main dragon. If they are exposed to winds from all sides and have their water stolen away, lack branches and feet, or are surrounded and cut by roads, they will bring misfortune. 'Plow share' refers to a mountain that is high and steep with a sharp end. It is exposed to winds from all eight directions, which blow against each other, and has no shape to gather and store qi, thus bringing misfortune."

交劍：山之交劍者，尖利相指射。水之交劍者，兩水相交會。山交劍主殺斗軍配，水交劍是脈大盡處，主絕。死蛇：死蛇不屈曲而軟弱無氣，主絕。垂足：箕踞之狀，凶。天敗：崩陷之所，氣敗處也。誤認為窩而下之，主絕。懸針：大龍行去而垂枝腳，上大而下尖利如懸針，不結穴，主絕。鞋尖：微有起而孤露，無來脈，風吹水割。狼牙：尖露。離鄉：左右山飛走順水，無收拾。弓鞠：兩垂。弓弦：直急。鼠頭：尖縮。

"Jiao Jian" comes in two types: mountain Jiao Jian occurs when two mountain ridges have sharp tips facing each other, pointing at one another; water Jiao Jian occurs when two streams meet directly. Mountain Jiao Jian indicates violence, fighting, and exile, while water Jiao Jian signifies the end of a dragon pulse, leading to no descendants. "Si She" refers to a straight, unbending mountain ridge that is weak and lacks life qi, indicating extinction. "Chui Zu" describes a mountain shape resembling a person spreading out their legs and sitting in a squatting posture, which is ominous. "Tian Bai" refers to a place where the mountain body collapses and sinks, which is where the earth qi deteriorates; if one mistakenly takes this collapsed area as a "wo" (a concave area) for burial, it leads to extinction. "Xuan Zhen" refers to a branch of a great dragon that hangs down, with a thick upper part and a sharp tip like a needle, which does not form a burial site; burial here leads to extinction. "Xie Jian" describes a slight elevation that is isolated and exposed, with no incoming energy, and is eroded by wind and water. "Lang Ya" refers to sharp mountain tips that protrude outward. "Li Xiang" occurs when both sides of the mountain follow the water flow and disappear without any convergence. "Gong Ju" refers to both ends of a mountain sloping downward. "Gong Xian" describes a straight and abrupt mountain ridge. "Shu Tou" refers to a mountain head that is narrow and inwardly contracted.

過宮：氣去不融結。《葬書》云：“氣以龍止，而過山不可葬也。”不蓄：陰陽不交，界合不明，生氣散漫而無收拾。謂之不蓄，言不聚蓄也。《葬書》云“不蓄之穴，腐骨之藏”是也。騰漏：左空右缺，前曠後跌，地中生氣悉為風所蕩散，不能融聚。壟之沉氣升騰於上，支之浮氣漏洩於下，葬之無益於存亡，適足以腐敗棺骨。《經》曰“騰漏之穴，敗棺之藏”是也。臥尸：壅腫直硬，如死尸臥地。龍之無逶迤不結穴者也。誤下主絕。釵頭：前言釵股，乃硬而露。此言釵頭，乃硬而尖，皆凶。

"Overpassing the Palace" refers to a dragon qi that merely passes by without stopping, thus unable to converge and form a burial site. Guo Pu's "Book of Burial" states that life qi must follow the dragon ridge and stop to gather, so a mountain that is merely passing by is not suitable for burial. "Not Accumulating" refers to the failure of yin and yang to meet, and the converging waters not being clearly defined, causing the life qi to scatter and have nowhere to gather. Therefore, it is called "not accumulating," meaning it cannot gather or accumulate. The "Book of Burial" says, "A burial site that does not accumulate is a place for decaying bones," precisely describing this situation. "Rising and Leaking" refers to the left side being empty and the right side missing, the front being open and the back falling away, with the life qi in the ground completely scattered by the wind and unable to converge. On high ridges, the buried qi rises and disperses, while on flat ridges, the shallow qi leaks downward. Burial in such places brings no benefit to the living or the dead, only causing the coffin and bones to rot. The "Classic of Burial" states, "A rising and leaking burial site is a place for ruined coffins," precisely describing this. "Lying Corpse" refers to a mountain body that is swollen and stiff, like a corpse lying horizontally on the ground. This is the shape of a dragon ridge that lacks gentle undulations and vitality, incapable of forming a burial site. Misplacing a burial here leads to extinction. "Hairpin Head" refers to the previously mentioned "Hairpin Shaft," which is hard and exposed, while this refers to a hard and sharp head. Both are ominous.

一曰破：崩破峰壟，斷岡壞塹之地，或流水沖損，霹歷所驚。二曰歹：欹歹不正，在右邊則女不正破產，在左則出奸滑人。三曰流：流走不顧，隨水而去。或左右山不收，或玄武、朱雀尖竄。四曰射：山直來，尖射向塜宅。或如拖槍，或如懸刀，或如虯尾。

The first is called "Pò" (Break): mountain peaks and ridges collapse and become damaged, ridges break apart, ditches are ruined, or they are injured by flowing water or struck by thunder. The second is called "Dǎi" (Bad): the mountain shape is crooked and not upright; if it leans to the right, it indicates improper behavior by women and the decline of family fortune; if it leans to the left, it suggests the emergence of cunning people. The third is called "Liú" (Flow): the mountain trend flows continuously without returning to protect the site, following the water away; or the left and right mountains do not converge, or the "Xuánwǔ" (Black Tortoise) at the back and the "Zhūquè" (Vermilion Bird) in front are sharp and protruding. The fourth is called "Shè" (Shoot): the mountain comes straight and sharply, with its tip pointing toward the tomb or dwelling; some resemble a long spear dragged along, some like a hanging knife, some like the tail of a qiu long.

五曰回：峰巒環合，入來相揖，龍虎宛轉回抱，歸向不流者是也。六曰伏：其山偃伏低下，不能高聳，或如覆尸，或如臥蠶是也。七曰圓：山欲圓而不欲粗，欲小而不欲大。粗大則鈍濁，圓小則清奇。八曰巧：巧者，秀麗如描畫，聳立如卓旗。或橫如玉帶，或突如跪爐，或轉如勒馬，或盤如戲龍，或疊如垂簾，或簇如懸幕，或列如排衙，或據如案床，或如驅羊，或如飛鳳，千狀萬類，不可盡載，智者自能明之。

The fifth is called "Hui" (return): the surrounding peaks encircle and converge, all approaching the tomb site in a respectful manner. On the left is the "Qinglong" (Azure Dragon) and on the right is the "Baihu" (White Tiger), winding and embracing, all converging towards the central point of the tomb without following the water flow. The sixth is called "Fu" (reclining): the mountain body lies low and flat, neither rising nor towering. Some resemble a covered corpse, others a coiled silkworm. The seventh is called "Yuan" (round): the mountain shape should be smooth and rounded, not coarse or clumsy; it should be small and delicate, not large and bulky. Coarse and large appear dull and turbid, while small and round appear clear and elegant. These three examples are all auspicious. The eighth is called "Qiao" (skillful): skillfulness refers to beauty so refined it seems painted, and a lofty appearance like a raised banner. Some lie horizontally like jade belts, some rise abruptly like kneeling incense burners, some twist like a horse's reins, some coil like playful dragons, some overlap like hanging curtains, some cluster like suspended curtains, some line up like officials standing in formation, some rest like a magistrate seated on a bench, some resemble driving sheep, others like a spreading phoenix. There are countless forms, too many to describe fully. Those with discernment can naturally recognize them.

九曰暗：形狀不明，在陰暗之處。或模糊不清，或眾山共圍一山。十曰亂：雜亂繁多，並無條理，如亂花，如投算，四散不可紀是也。十一曰水：有山無水謂之孤，有水無山謂之寡。水欲深而不急，欲平而無聲。十里之外有秀水入明堂者，大貴之地也。十二曰石：開壙見青石者凶，紅粉者吉。獨石如鼓，丑石如崩崖，尖利頑塊，俱凶。石碎巉巖，與山無草木，及石間有溼潤者，俱凶。若有五色石，細膩如粉，並五色土者，主大富貴之地。

Ninth is called "Darkness": the shape of the mountain is indistinct, located in a shady and dark place; or the outline is blurred, or the mountains surround a single mountain. Tenth is called "Disorder": the mountain shapes are chaotic and numerous without order, like scattered flowers or overturned counting sticks, spreading out in all directions and countless. Eleventh is called "Water": having mountains without water is called "Solitude", and having water without mountains is called "Fewness"; water should be deep rather than rapid, calm rather than noisy; if there is a beautiful stream flowing into the "Bright Hall" within ten li, it is a place of great fortune. Twelfth is called "Stone": encountering green stone while digging a grave indicates bad fortune, while encountering red soil powder indicates good fortune. A single stone standing alone resembles a drum, an ugly stone resembles a collapsed cliff, and sharp stones all indicate bad fortune. If the stones are broken and the mountain terrain is dangerous and rugged, or if the mountain is barren with no vegetation, or if water seeps wetly from the stone cracks, these also indicate bad fortune. If five-colored stones are found, fine as powder, and accompanied by five-colored soil, it indicates a place of great wealth and honor.

山凹絶、城門絶、覆鍾絶、馬眼絶、幹流絶。如居山谷，且要藏風。此山凹而龍虎腰缺陷，風吹其穴，主絶。廖氏云：“第一莫下凹風穴，決定人丁絶。”眞龍正穴結作於內，而門戶間雖似星辰，乃不結穴，謂之城門絶。形如覆鍾，高聳而直硬峻急，可尋下吐粘穴，要龍虎護衛其覆鍾。俗取向上穴者非是。若果有穴，則開窩鉗。來龍急而玄武高昂，不受穴，孤露受風吹，水必不聚堂，一無可取，何必泥亥龍艮龍哉！橫龍有空亡窩，趕元辰幹流，而左右山皆走竄，龍去別處做穴，乃過龍也。悞下必絕人丁。

This section originally had five diagrams, but now only the titles remain: Mountain Hollow, City Gate, Inverted Bell, Horse Eye, and Dry Stream. The diagrams are lost, and the following are the explanations for each of the five diagrams. Mountain Hollow: If one resides in a valley, the first thing to consider is to retain wind. In this case, the mountain shape is concave, and the waist of the "dragon and tiger" terrain on both sides has a gap, allowing wind to directly blow into the site, leading to the extinction of descendants. Liao Jinjing said: First of all, avoid sites where the wind is drawn into the hollow, as the descendants will certainly be cut off. City Gate: The true dragon and proper site are within, and although there are decent star peaks between the water mouth and the gate, they do not form a site. Mistaking the gate for the site is called City Gate. Inverted Bell: The mountain shape resembles an inverted bell, tall and stiff, with a steep slope. The "clinging site" should be sought at the place where the mountain slopes out, and the "dragon and tiger" terrain should guard this inverted bell. The common practice of taking the site at the top of the bell is wrong. If there is indeed a site, it will certainly form a "womb" or "claw." Horse Eye: The coming dragon is urgent, and the "Xuanwu" behind is high and proud, unwilling to accept the site. It is isolated and exposed to the wind, and the water cannot gather in the Bright Hall. There is nothing to take, so why cling to the directions of亥 dragon and艮 dragon? Dry Stream: The dragon has an empty false womb along its course, rushing closely after the dry stream, and the mountains on both sides have all run away. The dragon is actually going to form a site elsewhere, and this is just a passing dragon. Mistaken burial will certainly lead to the extinction of descendants.

犁嘴絶、鵝頭絶、幹窠絶、初龍絶、大坂絶。降勢急而尖如犁嘴，直硬帶殺，不可扦穴，誤下必絕。護送不包穴而皆尖利，本身雖逶迤，不可謂龍活，乃鵝頭鴨頸，單寒微弱，故主絕。過龍假結幹窠，橫脈不能斗虎，又無唇氈證穴，必是花假，主絕。眞是初龍結穴則吉。但非初龍，而千龍發處，扦無脈無穴之地，山粗水短，無龍無穴，主絕。大坂之中，無龍脈，無突，無來歷，一坦平洋，或經斷脈水刦，不相聯屬，葬之主絕。

The next group also contains five types of dangerous landforms: Li Zui Jue, E Tou Jue, Gan Ke Jue, Chu Long Jue, and Da Ban Jue. Their explanations are as follows. Li Zui Jue: The mountain trend drops steeply and ends abruptly like the tip of a plow, appearing stiff and hard with a killing energy. It is not suitable for selecting a burial site. If buried incorrectly, it will result in extinction of the family line. E Tou Jue: The protective ridges do not enclose the burial site and are all sharp. Although the mountain trend may appear winding, it cannot be considered a living dragon. This shape resembles a goose head and duck neck, appearing isolated, thin, cold, and weak in energy, thus leading to extinction. Gan Ke Jue: A passing dragon falsely forms a dry nest. The transverse energy does not match with the right side of the White Tiger, and there is no lip carpet in front of the burial site to confirm it. It is definitely a false and fake site, leading to extinction. Chu Long Jue: If it is indeed the initial dragon forming a burial site, it will naturally be auspicious. However, if it is not the initial dragon but just a branch dragon originating from thousands of branches, and a burial site is chosen in an area without energy or a site, the mountain trend is coarse and clumsy, and the water flow is short and abrupt. There is neither a dragon nor a site, leading to extinction. Da Ban Jue: In a large field of flat land, there is no dragon energy, no elevation, and no origin. The land appears flat like the sea, or it has been disrupted by a broken energy water flow, with no connection before or after. Burial here will lead to extinction.

若星頭不明，不土不金，肢腳走閃，巖峻破碎，崩崕洪赤，倒旗惡石，肥壅腫粗，茅葉拖鎗，歹欹軟蕩，架柴曬網，破傘嵯峨，柔弱屈曲，死蛇死鱔，散花亂衣，迎送不來，順下斜飛，披頭撒掌，均陷客風，當面捲簾，土牛牽動等穴，若不避忌，悞人敗絶，宜加精辨，庶眞假得分也。

The twenty-four kinds of grave sites listed by Hong Wu Zhai are characterized by the following forms: the head and face of the site star are not distinct, neither forming the shape of "Earth Star" nor "Metal Star"; the limbs and feet are scattered and evasive; the mountains are steep and broken; cliffs are collapsed and the soil is reddish; the mountain shape resembles an inverted flag with many evil stones; it is fat, swollen, and clumsy; resembling the leaves of reeds or a long spear dragged along; leaning, soft, and unstable; resembling a pile of firewood or a spread-out fishing net; resembling a broken umbrella or rugged stones; weak and bent; resembling dead snakes or eels; resembling scattered flowers or disordered clothes; the surrounding sands do not come to meet; the water flows straight down or the body tilts and flies away; the hair is spread out and the hands are spread open; the surroundings are collapsed on all sides allowing outside winds to enter; facing a curtain of water that rushes directly down; the earth ox is pulled by water. If these grave forms are not avoided with caution, they can mislead human lives and ruin families and descendants. Therefore, they should be carefully distinguished to clearly differentiate true from false.

玄武垂下，頸長如繩，而且纖細。頭上成星，而入首不昂，兩邊殺水又刦，全無生氣，不吉而凶。《雪心賦》云：“穴後須防仰瓦。”蓋後宮仰瓦，則氣不融結，何得有地？惟天財穴又喜仰瓦。不生胞乳，又無氈唇，龍必不眞，不須著眼。玄武吐舌，若龍眞而左右有情，亦有截法，所謂“玄武嘴長高處截”是也。壅腫彎來似壅弦，金魚不到土牛牽。時師道是窠囊裡，枉費心機空費錢。如人扶起筲箕樣，水直金魚會不成。氣脈不藏空立穴，子孫窮苦受伶仃。

The first is "Long Neck": The rear mountain "Xuanwu" hangs down, the neck is long like a rope and very thin; although there is a star formation on top, the entrance does not rise up, and there are killing waters on both sides that steal the life qi, there is no life qi at all, not only not auspicious, but also indicates misfortune. The second is "Upside Down Gourd": The Snow Heart Assignment says that one should be cautious of upside down gourds behind the site. If the rear area is upside down gourd, the qi cannot merge and settle, how can there be land? Only the "Heavenly Wealth Site" is favorable to upside down gourd. The third is "No Breast": If there is no breast formed, and there is no cushion lip in front of the site, the coming dragon is definitely not genuine, there is no need to spend time looking. The fourth is "Tongue Protrusion": The shape of Xuanwu protruding its tongue, if the coming dragon is genuine and the left and right sands are harmonious, there is a method to intercept, which is called intercepting the mouth of Xuanwu at a high place. The fifth is "Weng Xian": The mountain body is swollen and curved like a drum string, the "Golden Fish Water" does not reach the front of the site, the earth ox is moved by water; the current geomancers only consider it as a weak area, wasting time and money in vain. The sixth is "Upside Down Basket": The shape is like a person lifting a basket, water flows straight away, the Golden Fish Water does not meet; the qi pulse cannot be retained and a site is established in the air, the descendants can only be poor and lonely.

牛軛形橫無節枝，兩邊水散局順飛。硬直挺然無護揖，誤扦枉死少年兒。如人擁膝坐寒爐，健硬生來氣脈粗。左右不回山水散，田連阡陌也如無。廖公云：繃面橫生脈數條，生氣自潛消。與此稍異，要之皆為凶穴，不可下也。廖公云：墜足脈從腳下出，此謂頭細頭粗，皆一理耳，俱不可下。《葬書》云：氣以生和，而童山不可葬也。蓋童禿之山，草木不能生育，安能有生氣以蔭人哉！竹篙頭硬而帶殺，既無節又無痕，誠一死硬物耳，安可下穴？

The seventh form is "Cow Yoke": the mountain shape is like a cow yoke lying horizontally, without branches or feet, with water dispersing on both sides and the terrain flowing away with the water; the mountain body is stiff and straight without any protection or support, and an incorrect burial may cause young people to die prematurely. The eighth form is "Hugging the Knee": the shape resembles a person sitting by a cold stove hugging his knees, being strong and stiff from birth with coarse and clumsy energy lines; the surrounding ridges do not embrace, and the water and mountains scatter in all directions, even if the land is connected in fields, it is as if there is none. The ninth form is "Tightened Face": Liao Jinjing said that a mountain with a tightened face produces several straight lines, and the life energy naturally fades away; the meaning here is slightly different from what Liao Gong said, but in the end, they are all凶穴, not suitable for burial. The tenth form is "Fallen Foot": Liao Jinjing said that a fallen foot is when the energy line comes out from under the mountain foot; here it refers to a mountain that is narrow at the top and thick at the bottom, the principle is the same, and it is not suitable for burial. The eleventh form is "Child's Head": Guo Pu's "Book of Burial" said that life energy needs the growth of grass and trees to be harmonious, so a mountain without any grass and trees, called a child's head, cannot be used for burial; a mountain that is barren and cannot even grow grass and trees, where can the life energy come from to protect descendants? The twelfth form is "Bamboo Pole": the mountain body is like a bamboo pole, hard and fierce at the top, without any branches or marks, it is just a hard and dead object, how can a grave be made on it?

穴星不成，而硬直如搖拳，孤露受風，必來龍不眞，故有此丑穴，不必顧矣。反肘無情向穴，謂之龍虎反眥，主悖逆爭鬥，不孝不義，凶莫大焉。硬面天罡帶火如弩觜，不受穴，切勿輕下，主瘟火人命，枉死少丁。禾鍬面峻硬壁立，不受穴，是龍不眞，故成此形狀，不必追尋耳。玄武不垂頭者，謂之拒尸。故但凡穴前，必須要平坦，否則不納穴，皆是拒尸。白虎入明堂，兒孫主少亡。蓋虎山高昂，謂之銜尸。又入明堂，謂之拭淚，俱大凶。若水到右，白虎宜強，不以此拘。

The thirteenth is 'Shaking Fist': the star point does not form properly, appearing stiff and straight like a fist being thrown out, isolated and exposed to wind. This is definitely due to an untrue dragon line, resulting in such an ugly site. There is no need to pay attention to it. The fourteenth is 'Reversed Elbow': the mountain arm is like a reversed elbow, facing the site without any affection, called 'Dragon and Tiger Reverse Eye', which indicates rebelliousness and disputes among descendants, unfilial and unjust behavior, extremelyvicious. The fifteenth is 'Heavenly Gang with Fire': the mountain face is stiff, and the shape of Heavenly Gang is accompanied by fire, sharp like the mouth of a crossbow, which cannot accept a site. It must not be lightly chosen, as it brings plague, fire, wrongful deaths, and few descendants. The sixteenth is 'Huo Qiao': the mountain face is steep and stiff, standing like a wall, unable to accept a site. This is due to an untrue dragon body forming such a shape, so there is no need to search further. The seventeenth is 'Rejecting Corpse': the rear mountain 'Xuanwu' does not bow its head, called 'Rejecting Corpse'. Therefore, all sites must be flat in front, otherwise they cannot accommodate the coffin site, all of which are considered 'Rejecting Corpse'. The eighteenth is 'Tiger Pressing the Hall': the 'Baihu' terrain intrudes into the Bright Hall, causing descendants to die young. If the Baihu mountain is high, it is called 'Chewing Corpse'; if it further intrudes into the Bright Hall, it is called 'Wiping Tears', both are extremelyvicious. However, if water flows from the left to the right, the Baihu terrain is naturally stronger, and this rule does not apply.

右二十四位殺穴：頸長者，來弱也；翅短者，無包藏也；貫頂者，無主星也；繃面者，生氣殺也；若如死鱉者，陰陽不分也；墜足者，後輕前重也；童頭者，躁禿無生氣也；竹篙、搖拳者，直殺也；水現、甕弦、空窩者，無頂乳虛窩也；死塊者，頑硬也；鱉裙者，氣散也；突肚似冬瓜，與覆鍾、筲箕，皆死硬粗峻也；箕口，散也；仰箕，虛窩也；擁膝，逼迫也；仰瓦，後空也；吐舌，露胎也；玄武壁立，不納也；虎逼堂，捶胸拭淚也。大抵穴星粗頑，破碎、壁峻、醜惡、壅腫、尖利、瘦削、柔弱、脈露、硬直不悠揚，皆謂之殺穴，必來龍不眞，故作穴不美，而水城、案對、龍虎縱合矩度，亦為虛花，不可貪砂水而失龍穴之根本也。

Of the twenty-four types of deadly sites, each has its own root cause: "Long neck" is due to a weak incoming ridge; "Short wings" is due to lack of concealment and protection; "Piercing the top" is due to absence of a main star forming the peak; "Taut face" is due to life qi turning into killing qi; those shaped like "dead turtle" are due to failure to distinguish yin and yang; "Dropped foot" is due to lightness at the back and heaviness at the front; "Bald head" is due to dryness and lack of life qi; "Bamboo pole" and "Waving fist" are due to straight and harsh forms; "Water appearance," "Wine jar string," and "Empty hollow" are due to absence of a peak and nipple, only having empty hollows; "Dead block" is due to dull and rigid forms; "Turtle skirt" is due to scattered qi that does not gather; "Bulging belly" resembles a winter melon, and together with "Covered bell" and "Sieve" they are all due to dead, hard, and harsh forms; "Spoon mouth" is due to dispersion; "Upside-down spoon" is due to empty hollow; "Hugged knee" is due to forced and cramped layout; "Upside-down roof tile" is due to empty space at the back; "Protruding tongue" is due to exposed fetal qi of the site; "Black Tortoise standing upright" is due to inability to contain the coffin site; "Tiger pressing the hall" is like the appearance of pounding the chest and wiping tears. In general, if the site star is coarse, dull, or clumsy, or if it is broken, steep, ugly, swollen, sharp, thin, weak, exposed in qi flow, or straight without gentle undulations, these are all called deadly sites. They must be due to false incoming ridges, so the resulting site is not beautiful. At such times, even if the "water city," case mountains, and the left and right dragon and tiger mountains are in proper form and scale, they are only empty appearances. One must not be tempted by the beauty of the landform and water, and neglect the fundamental aspects of the dragon and the site.

穴怕斗煞直扦。穴怕臃腫頑堅。穴怕孤露單寒。穴怕惡石巉巖。穴怕坐下低軟。穴怕卑溼瀝泉。穴怕懶坦平洋。穴怕崩破鑿傷。穴怕前高後低。穴怕四山壓欺。穴怕左空右缺。穴怕明堂傾跌。穴怕鎗頭鼠尾。穴怕鵝頭鴨嘴。穴怕高山峻嶺。穴怕面牆坐井。穴怕水走沙飛。穴怕燒窯築陂。

The thirty-six taboos listed by Master Zhang Zihong of the Purple Jade, first explaining the first eighteen. The site should not be chosen where the heavenly stems and earthly branches clash directly and forcefully; it should not be on a mountain that is bulky and dull; it should not be isolated and exposed, thin and cold; it should not be surrounded by evil rocks that are jagged and uneven; it should not be on a low and soft slope beneath a mountain; it should not be on low and damp ground that constantly leaks spring water; it should not be flat and lazy like a plain with no undulations; it should not be on a mountain that has collapsed or been damaged by human excavation; it should not have high land in front and low land behind; it should not be oppressed by surrounding mountains; it should not have the left side empty and the right side broken; it should not have the bright hall tilted or falling; it should not have the ridges shaped like a spearhead or a rat's tail; it should not be shaped like a goose's head or a duck's beak; it should not be on the peak of a high mountain; it should not have a wall blocking the view in front, as if one were in a well; it should not have water flowing away and sand scattering in all directions without gathering; it should not have nearby kilns or dams that cause artificial destruction.

穴怕捲簾水現。穴怕刦砂當面。穴怕凹風吹射。穴怕元辰直瀉。穴怕堂氣不收。穴怕箭水直流。穴怕界水淋頭。穴怕牽動土牛。穴怕明堂空曠。穴怕界水塞暗。穴怕八風交吹。穴怕劍水沖摧。穴怕全無餘氣。穴怕路行穿臂。穴前怕見深坑。穴前怕見反城。穴後怕是仰瓦。穴後怕是高掛。

The next eighteen points are as follows. The grave site should avoid having layers of land falling down in front of it like a rolled-up curtain, with the water in the hall clearly visible; it should avoid having sharp ridges facing directly in front; it should avoid having a hollow wind blowing in and shooting at the grave site; it should avoid the 'Yuan Chen water' flowing straight out in front of the grave; it should avoid the energy of the bright hall not being able to be gathered; it should avoid straight water flowing out like an arrow; it should avoid boundary water flowing down from the top of the grave site like a shower; it should avoid water moving the 'earth ox' and causing it to collapse; it should avoid the bright hall being too open and not having any barriers; it should avoid boundary water being blocked, dark and stagnant; it should avoid winds coming from all eight directions colliding and blowing against each other; it should avoid water flowing like a sword eroding and breaking the site; it should avoid the grave site having no remaining energy behind it to receive; it should avoid a road crossing through the arms of the dragon and tiger. In front of the grave site, it should avoid deep pits and depressions, and water surrounding the site that is without sentiment; behind the grave site, it should avoid the shape of an inverted roof, and a high hanging form without support.

龍雖好而無穴，謂之有若無；穴雖好而無龍，謂之寔若虛；地雖吉而葬不得法，謂之有官而無祿；地雖吉而年月失利，謂之有舟無楫。傳疑玉蟾仙翁為臨川吳氏扦新畲陽基，在縣北百里，鱔魚形。吳氏舊基乏人。翁曰：“扦此大旺人丁，但年月未利。”吳氏欲速，不暇筮期。仙翁曰：“亥卯水流乾戌合，年月不利貴來遲。”吳氏果大旺人丁。自宋迄今，三百年後始出中江公璁，登嘉靖乙未進士，官籤憲。曰方、曰慧、曰宗漢諸君，連登科第方亨。

The dragon pulse may be good, but it cannot form a true site, which is called "having as if not having" — it appears to be present, but in reality it is absent; although the site shape is good, there is no true dragon continuing behind it, which is called "real as if empty" — it seems solid, but in fact it is hollow; although the earth energy is auspicious, the burial does not conform to the proper regulations, which is called "having official rank but no salary" — the title is obtained, but the actual benefits cannot be obtained; although the earth energy is auspicious, the chosen year and month lose the favorable timing, which is called "having a boat but no oar" — the boat is there, but there is no oar to row. Bai Yuchan's four metaphors are meant to emphasize that the dragon, site, burial method, and year-month are all indispensable. The following passage belongs to the category of doubtful rumors. Master Bai Yuchan once selected a site for the Yang residence of the Wu family in Linchuan. The location was one hundred miles north of the county town, shaped like a eel. The Wu family's old site had a declining population. The master said that moving to this location would bring a great increase in descendants, but the year and month were still not favorable. The Wu family urgently wanted to start construction and could not wait for the proper time to choose. The master left a lesson saying: "The water of Hai and Mao combines with the dry戌." Since the year and month were unfavorable, the noble energy would arrive later. Later, the Wu family indeed experienced a great increase in descendants. From the Song Dynasty until today, three hundred years passed before Zhongjiang Gong Wu Cong, who passed the Jiajing Yiwei imperial examination and became a censor of the imperial court. After that, Wu Fang, Wu Hui, and Wu Zonghan successively passed the exams, and the family's fortune became prosperous.

附：凡定穴，有天然的定之所，一步不可移易者，方為眞穴。如人灼艾用針，自有一定之穴，不可差毫釐。若移左一步放棺亦似是，移右一步放棺亦似，移上亦正，移下亦正，無的然之所者，則非眞穴。術家謂之菩薩面，面面皆好，決非眞穴。無蹤跡個字，無燕尾三叉，無唇氈證佐。有個字，有唇氈，有三叉。龍分兩片穴三叉，證佐分明始是眞。平正尖圓隨步有，也應此地小榮華。

There is a further discussion. Whenever a site is determined, there must be a naturally fixed position, and moving it even a single step would be wrong, only then can it be considered a true site. Just like a physician using moxibustion or acupuncture, the human body has certain fixed acupoints, and even the slightest deviation would be wrong. If moving the coffin to the left looks suitable, moving it to the right also looks suitable, moving it up or down also appears proper, and there is no fixed point that must be there, then it is not a true site. The geomancers refer to this situation as "Buddha's face" — looking good from all directions, which precisely shows that it is not a true site. There was originally a diagram comparing true and false sites, but the diagram has been lost, leaving only two descriptions. The false site diagram says: there is no "individual" shape water trace above the site, no "three forks" converging water like a swallow's tail, and no lip mat as evidence. The true site diagram says: there is a "individual" shape water trace, there is a lip mat supporting it, and there is three forked water converging. The dragon pulse divides into two parts at the site top and flows down, and there are three forked waters converging in front of the site, these evidences are clear and distinct, only then can it be considered a true site. As for the shape of the site being flat or upright, sharp or round, it varies according to the step position, as long as the evidence is clear, even if the pattern is not large, it can still bring about a small amount of prosperity.

附：傷龍傷穴有兩說，一是點穴太高為傷龍，穴點太低為傷穴；一是順來順下，氣沖於腦，謂傷龍；斜插太過，氣不貫耳，謂傷穴。二說俱是。以氣言，高則氣太急，低則脫氣，順來順下，鬥氣沖腦，饒減太過，脈注不著。故云“高低饒減咫尺間，得失吉凶從此定。”不可不慎。傷龍主禍速，傷穴主禍遲。古人謂“寧可傷穴，不可傷龍。”以取禍之遲速言耳。其實二者均不可傷。一說掘鑿太廣傷龍，開井太深傷穴，皆當慎之。

A further discussion. There are two interpretations regarding "injuring the dragon" and "injuring the site": one is that if the site is marked too high, it is called injuring the dragon; if it is marked too low, it is called injuring the site. The other is that if the qi flows smoothly and continues straight down, directly hitting the site's head, it is called injuring the dragon; if the site is dug at an angle beyond the proper point, and the qi does not reach the site's ear, it is called injuring the site. Both interpretations are correct. From the perspective of qi, if the site is too high, the qi comes too quickly; if it is too low, it separates from the qi. If the qi flows smoothly and directly down, it strikes the head. If the site is dug too far beyond the proper point, the qi cannot reach the site's center. Therefore, the difference between high and low, and the excess or deficiency, is only within a few feet, and the fortune or misfortune of a single site is determined by this. It is therefore essential to be cautious. The disaster caused by injuring the dragon comes quickly, while that caused by injuring the site comes slowly. Ancients said it is better to injure the site than the dragon, referring to the speed of the disaster. In reality, both should be avoided. There is another view: if the excavation area is too large, it injures the dragon; if the gold well is dug too deep, it injures the site. Both should be carefully avoided.

江右山人徐善繼述 同著。此冊專論怪穴。夫怪穴者，異常之穴也。眞龍藏幸，穴多異常，人難測識，故曰怪穴。寔乃造化隱機，以俟有德。故凡大地，多是怪穴。但常穴易安穩，怪穴多僥險；常穴雖時師猶可知，怪穴非法眼不可辨。若識怪不眞，為害不淺。本欲置之不談，尙恐庸師嗜利者，籍口奇怪，黎首飲鴆。又愳自認聰明者，索隱好奇，置身險地。是以將言復輟，欲罷不能。謂如隱秘而不談，孰若直陳而破惑？敢將師訣，參以己知，立歌補註，用述其概云。

This volume is jointly authored by the brothers Xu Shanji and Xu Shanshu, known as Jiangyou Mountain Man. This particular book focuses on discussing "strange graves" (guai xue).the so-called "strange graves" refer to graves that do not conform to the usual patterns. True dragons are adept at hiding and evading, and the graves they form are mostly unusual and extraordinary, difficult for ordinary people to perceive, hence they are called "strange graves." In reality, these are mechanisms intentionally concealed by the forces of nature, waiting for those of virtue and wisdom to recognize them. Therefore, most great graves are of the strange type. However, regular graves are more stable and safe, while strange graves often carry a sense ofby chance and danger. Regular graves can even be understood by ordinary geomancers, but strange graves can only be discerned by those with sharp eyes and profound knowledge. If one fails to correctly recognize a strange grave, the consequences can be severe. Originally, I intended to omit discussing this topic, fearing that庸俗 geomancers seeking profit might use the term "strange" as a pretext, leading people to take harmful measures and ultimately lose their lives. Also, I fear that those who are overly self-assured might pursue the unusual and exotic, placing themselves in danger. Therefore, I hesitated to speak, wanting to stop but unable to. Rather than keeping it secret, it is better to speak out plainly to dispel doubts. Thus, I compiled the ancestral oral teachings along with my own insights into a rhymed verse and added explanations, briefly explaining the main points.

眞龍藏幸穴奇怪，俗眼何曾愛？天珍地秘鬼神司，指點待明師。注：藏者，晦而隱也。幸者，譎而險也。蓋眞龍融結，福量非常，故其為穴，亦殊常格。潛蹤閃跡，韜光斂華，而為詭異形穴，若有閉藏之狀，不使時俗易識，故曰藏幸。厲伯韶云：“天機好處從來秘，不教俗眼識其奇。”

The song says: True dragon is good at concealing and hiding, forming a unique and strange site. How could ordinary people appreciate it? It is something treasured by heaven, cherished by earth, and guarded by ghosts and spirits. It waits for a wise master to reveal it. Commentary: What is meant by 'concealing' is to be obscure and hidden; what is meant by 'hiding' is to be strange and perilous. The true dragon, where it merges and forms, brings extraordinary blessings, so the site it forms is unlike ordinary ones: it hides its traces, conceals its sharpness, and takes on strange shapes, as if intentionally hiding, not allowing ordinary people to easily recognize it, hence called 'concealing and hiding'. Li Beshao says: The best places of heavenly secrets are always secret, not allowing ordinary people to see their wonders.

然大地吉穴，人不易識。若天地之有呵護以待厚德，不輕與人者。苟非明師深契奧妙，何以發天地之隱，洩鬼神之機哉！陳氏名策，號靈泉，銀邑人云“地出生成捉穴易，不須師管郭。地逢怪異穴難扦，遂要遇神仙”是也。但怪穴雖待明師而後扦，名師亦必積德而可致。故積德為圖地之本，良有以也。苟使穴皆不怪，人皆可扦，則為惡之家亦可以得吉地，豈造化福善禍淫之微意哉！

However, a good and auspicious burial site on the earth is not easy for people to recognize. The situation is like heaven and earth guarding it on the side, waiting only for those of great virtue, and not giving it easily to anyone. If it is not a master who deeply understands its mysteries, how could one reveal the secrets of heaven and earth or uncover the mechanisms of ghosts and spirits? Chen Ce, known as Lingquan, a person from Yinyi, once said: if the land is formed in a straightforward manner, finding the burial site would be easy, and there would be no need to invite masters like Guan Lu or Guo Pu; but if the land grows in an unusual shape, the burial site becomes difficult to find, and one must encounter a divine person. However, although strange burial sites require a master to be able to find them, the master himself must also rely on accumulated virtue to be able to be invited. Therefore, accumulating virtue is the fundamental aspect of seeking good land, and this statement is very reasonable. Suppose all burial sites in the world were not strange, and everyone could find them, then evil families would also be able to obtain good land, and how could there be the profound meaning of 'blessing the virtuous and punishing the wicked' in the workings of heaven and earth?

明師堪破玄機訣，秘密不敢說。恐君緣福或輕微，指出反驚疑。注：天造地設，或好地丑形，或好形丑病。如杜後無齒，侍周王則生；鉤弋手拳，遇漢武則伸。俟其人耳。明師之識怪穴，怪穴之待明師，豈偶然哉！

The song says: A wise master understands the secret principles but keeps them hidden, not daring to reveal them. He fears that your good fortune is not enough, and if he were to explain it, you might doubt or disbelieve. Commentary: Things created by heaven and earth may have good land but an ugly shape, or a good shape but a bad illness. For example, the Empress Dowager Du of the Later Zhou Dynasty was born without teeth, but they grew when she served the Zhou King; the Consort Gouyi of Emperor Wu of Han had hands that were curled and could not be stretched, but when she met Emperor Wu, her hands opened. These were all waiting for the right person. A wise master can recognize strange sites, and strange sites are waiting for a wise master. This is no accident.

但此等大地，明師雖能識之，奈何形穴怪異，隱晦殊常，苟非陰功重厚，福人慶門，雖有曾楊之能，周孔之地，獻之必不受，告之必不信，反致掩口胡盧，或驚駭疑怖，甚至訕謗詆譭而咎之。若吳國師景鸞獻中乾地，而反遭禁錮者，世豈少哉！

This kind of good land, although recognized by a master, is often strange in shape and obscure. Those seeking land, if they lack deep virtue and are not blessed with fortune and prosperity, will not accept even the best land recommended by a master like Zeng Wenchan or Yang Yunsong. They will not believe the advice given, instead laughing secretly or showing fear and doubt, even mocking and blaming the master for the misfortune. For example, Master Wu Jingluan, a great master, was imprisoned after recommending a good site for the central dragon, and such cases are not rare in the world.

何也，誠以此等大地，非淺福薄德所宜受用。苟不度德而妄獻輕指，則天地鬼神加怒，而地師反遭禍害。故明師雖遇此眞龍大地怪異之穴，必須珍重，毋得輕洩，以取禍愆。賴氏云：“世降風移人少淳，大地相逢勿輕許。”廖氏云：“世人將信又將疑，枉自洩天機。”

Why is it like this? It is really because such kinds of land are not suitable for people with shallow virtue and insufficient merit. If one does not assess the person's virtue and recklessly presents or carelessly advises them, the heavens and earth, along with ghosts and spirits, will be angered, and the geomancer himself will suffer misfortune. Therefore, even a wise master, when encountering an extraordinary site on a true dragon land, must treat it with seriousness and cherish it, not easily reveal it, to avoid bringing calamity. Lai Buyi said: With the decline of the world and the change of customs, people's hearts are rarely sincere and thick, so when encountering great land, one should not easily give it to others. Liao Jinjing said: People listen with half belief and half doubt, thus revealing the heavenly secrets in vain.

地有奇巧有丑拙，總名為怪穴。巧是穴形美且奇，地位使人疑。拙是穴形媸且丑，狐疑難下手。高人造化蘊胸中，巧拙盡玄通。注：眞龍之融結，有處於非常之地者，謂之巧。有結為詭丑之形者，謂之拙。總名曰怪穴，惟高術之士能明之。

The rhyme says: The earth has both clever and clumsy paths, all of which are generally called strange graves.the so-called clever means the grave shape is both beautiful and unusual, but its location raises doubts;the so-called clumsy means the grave shape is both ugly and awkward, causing people to hesitate and not dare to act. A master understands the principles of creation and transformation, and can comprehend both clever and clumsy situations clearly. Explanation: The true dragon's convergence sometimes falls in extremely unusual places, which is called clever; sometimes forms strange and ugly shapes, which is called clumsy. Together they are called strange graves, and only those with profound skills can understand them.

大凡怪穴有蹺蹊，龍要十分奇。認得龍神的的眞，怪穴始堪針。注：怪奇以龍為取舍，故必有十分美龍，方可下之。不然則多謬戾，禍不旋踵。《經》云：“龍若眞兮穴便眞，龍不眞兮少眞穴。”又云“恐君疑穴難取裁，好向後龍身上推。龍上生峰是根核，前頭形穴是花開。根荄若眞穴不假，蓋從種類生出來”是也。

The rhyme says: Whenever there is an odd or strange site, there must be some peculiar features, and the coming dragon must be exceptionally beautiful; only when the dragon spirit is truly confirmed can the site be accurately selected. Commentary: Judging strange sites involves considering the coming dragon, so it is essential that the dragon is exceptionally good before choosing a site for burial; otherwise, mistakes are likely to occur, and disasters may come quickly. The "Burial Classic" says: If the dragon is true, then the site will naturally be true; if the dragon is not true, there will be few true sites. It also says: If you are uncertain about the shape of the site, it is best to return to the coming dragon's body for consideration; the stars and peaks on the dragon's body are the roots, while the forms and sites in front are the flowers; if the roots are true, the flowers will not be false, because the flowers naturally grow from this root.

巧穴巧穴何巧穴，仔細與君說。或然高在萬山巔，天巧穴堪扦。注：地有結於萬仞山巔而為天巧之穴者，子微云：“第一天巧最高穴，常人懼怕輕棄撇。只言高處穴難安，不知巧穴有眞訣。天巧山頂分龍虎，峻地平夷有門戶。人到穴中有半天，四望百里堪摘取。此地神童及狀元，子子孫孫皆過府。”

The song says: "Skillful穴位, skillful穴位, what exactly constitutes a skillful穴位? Let me explain it carefully to you. Some are high up on the summits of myriad mountains, and these are called 'Heavenly Skillfulsite' that can be selected." Commentary: Indeed, there aresite that form skillful sites on the summits of ten thousand仞 mountains. Zhang Zimo said: The first class of Heavenly Skillfulsite is located at the highest position, often causing ordinary people to feel intimidated and easily abandon it, saying that there is no room for asite at high places. They do not know that skillfulsite has its own true method. The Heavenly Skillfulsite on the mountain peak has two "Dragon and Tiger" ridges branching out, on a steep and rugged ground there is a flat area, accompanied by a gate; when a person stands at thesite, it feels as if suspended in mid-air, and looking in all directions, one can see and take in scenery from a hundred li of mountains and rivers. Such a place produces prodigies and top scholars, and the descendants all hold official positions in the government.

釋之者曰：“穴不在天而名曰天巧，以其高出雲霄，如在天上，故曰天巧。每見龍穴湫窟、仙祠佛宇，多在崇岡疊嶺之上。登山或數十里，或二三十里，多至五六十里，方見窟穴宮室。所在莫不別有天地境界。觀其龍穴，其為龍宮，其為仙廟，其為佛剎，各隨其宜，不可更革。蓋天造地設，逞奇顯異，山上出泉，冬夏不竭。峰巔有田，多至萬傾。未經開荒，則長林茂木、惡蜂、毒蛇、鬼神占護。及其緣會遇合，則風霆開霹，鬼神剪除，長徑屈蟠，廣途平坦。此造化之玄也。天巧之穴，無以異此。”信哉，言也！

The person explaining this passage says: The cave is not really in the sky, but it is called "Heavenly Skill" because it rises high above the clouds, seeming to hang in the sky, hence the name. Often, dragon pools, deep caves, temples of immortals, and Buddhist monasteries are mostly located on high hills and layered mountains. To reach such places, one may have to walk dozens of miles, some twenty or thirty miles, and some even up to fifty or sixty miles. Upon arriving, one finds these caves and palaces, each place possessing its own unique realm. Observing the dragonsite there, some are made into dragon palaces, others into immortal temples, and others into Buddhist monasteries, each suited perfectly, none can be altered. All of this is naturally formed by heaven and earth, deliberately showing off its strange and extraordinary features: springs spout from the mountain peaks, never drying up in winter or summer; fields on the peak tops stretch to tens of thousands of acres. Before cultivation, these places were covered with dense forests and poisonous snakes and bees, guarded by ghosts and spirits. But when the right opportunity comes, thunder and lightning split the path, and ghosts and spirits clear the way, allowing long winding paths to ascend and wide roads to be smooth and easy. This is the mystery of nature. The principle of the Heavenly Skill cave is exactly the same. This explanation is truly accurate.

是故凡天巧之穴，雖在高山，及登其所，豁然開闊，局勢寬平，如在平地，不知為萬仞山巔。但見四面八方，獻奇列秀，如三千粉黛、八百煙花，次第羅列。城郭周完，朝案重疊，明堂團緊，左右環抱，三陽具備，諸吉拱護，水不傾瀉，穴不孤寒，乃為眞結，力量極大。上格貴龍，乃為禁穴，或出聖賢；中格龍亦能出將入相、皇妃國戚、神童狀元、滿門朱紫；下格龍無此融結也。

Therefore, any genuine heavenly skill site, although located on a high mountain, when you reach the top, the view suddenly opens up, the terrain is broad and level, like standing on flat ground, and you do not feel that you are on the peak of ten thousand feet. All around, the surrounding peaks present strange and beautiful formations, like three thousand powdered beauties and eight hundred fireworks arranged in order. The "encircling city" is regular and complete, the facing mountains and case mountains are layered and repeated, the "bright hall" is compact and gathered, with the left and right mountains embracing the site with affection, the "three yang" are all present, various auspicious sands surround and protect the site, and the water does not flow away, the site is not isolated and cold. Only then can it be considered a true convergence, with great power. A superior dragon of the highest level converging on this site is a "forbidden site," even capable of producing sages and virtuous people; a medium-level dragon can produce generals and ministers, imperial concubines and royal relatives, and prodigies like状元, with the whole family becoming prominent; a lower-level dragon cannot even form such a site.

予兄弟所見者，如漢高祖祖地在寕都縣靈雲山牙鼓峒見朝州府郡《志》及《一統志》、舊名虔州府虔化縣，朱夫子祖地在婺源縣官坑嶺金斗形樑上穴，笵文正公祖地，在蘇州大湖格名萬笏朝天，及吾邑廖公下張氏白牛坦祖地出一文一武一神仙：張忠定公燾為叅知政事，文也；甲公忠利侯，武也；紫瓊眞人張君範，仙也，泉州曾丞相公亮祖地番天馬蹄形，皆其格也。

We brothers have personally seen heavenly skillful graves, such as the ancestral site of Han Gaozu, located in Yagu峒 of Lingyun Mountain in Ningdu County, which is recorded in the local gazetteers and the "Da Ming Yitong Zhi." Ningdu was formerly known as Qianzhou Fu Qianhua County. The ancestral site of Master Zhu Xi is in Guanping Ridge of Wuyuan County, a beam-shaped grave on a golden bucket. The ancestral site of Fan Zhongyan is in the Taihu Lake of Suzhou, with the form named "Wan Hu Chao Tian." Also, there is the ancestral site of Liao Jinjing for the Zhang family at Baimiaotan in our county, which produced one scholar, one general, and one immortal: Zhang Taowang, the Zhang Zhongding Gong, who held the position of Canshizhengshi, representing the scholar; Zhang Jia, who was enfeoffed as the Marquis Zhongli, representing the general; and Zhang Junfan, the Purple Qiong Immortal, representing the immortal. Additionally, there is the ancestral site of the former Minister Zeng Gongliang of Quanzhou, with the form named "Fan Tian Ma Ti." All of these belong to the category of heavenly skill.

大抵此等地，要穴場極暖，雖在高山，不知其高則善。否則，據高挹秀，未免風寒，又多結為神仙窟宅。如太和山之玄帝宮、九華山之地藏殿、匡廬天池寺、雁蕩羅漢巖，與夫武夷天遊、西華仙掌、太華三仙、黃梅四祖等處，皆天巧穴也。

In general, this type of site is important because the pit must be extremely warm. Even though it is located on a high mountain, it should not feel high, which is considered good. Otherwise, if it only occupies a high position and takes in distant beauty, it is prone to cold winds and寒气, and such places are mostly formed as immortal retreats or abodes for monks and Taoists. For example, the Xuan帝 Gong in Wudang Mountain, the Dizang Hall in Jiuhua Mountain, the Tianchi Temple in Lu Mountain, the Luohanyan in Yandang Mountain, the Tianyou Peak in Wuyi Mountain, the Xianrenzhang in the Western Mountain Hua Mountain, the Sanxian in Taishan, and the Sizui Temple in Huangmei, all belong to naturally exquisite sites.

凡修佛，亦須擇取名山，然後以成道。蓋亦收山川之靈秀耳。人嘗謂“修仙先要選名山如許眞君煉丹洞，郭景純選酉山金氏宅而後成道，切忌孤峰四望寒。請君古來成道處，洞天福地不尋常古云“天下名山僧占多”不其然乎。”

Anyone who practices Buddhism must first select a famous mountain before they can attain enlightenment, as it is simply about gathering the spiritual essence of the mountains and rivers. Some have said: To cultivate immortality, one must first choose a famous mountain—such as Xu Zhenjun's alchemy cave, or Guo Pu's selection of the You mountain site for the Jin family, all of which were first associated with famous mountains before achieving enlightenment. It is most undesirable to have a single isolated mountain peak, appearing cold and desolate from all sides. Look at the places throughout history where enlightenment was attained; which of the immortal caves and sacred lands are ordinary places? An old saying goes, "The famous mountains of the world are mostly occupied by monks," which precisely reflects this principle.

或然低在深山裡，沒泥穴可取。注：地有結於平田汙下之處者。廖氏曰“藏龜閃跡在田中”是也。張子微謂之天平穴。中原平洋之地，龍行地中而不可見，間露毛脊，為石骨，為墩阜。及結穴處，亦要高下分明，此亦名為沒泥龍蛇，藏蟄於泥，時有毛脊露出泥外，取其不見龍身，間露一二，知其為蛇龍之蟄藏耳。此格全在觀水勢以尋穴。故楊公云“平地龍神因水勢”，又云“凡到平洋莫問蹤，只觀水遶是眞龍。”但龍平田散亂難見，而又雜以溝洫，諸水縱橫，未易檢點，必心目聰巧，而後可識。不然，亦水邊日耳。

The rhyme says: Some are hidden deep in the mountains, but in muddy water there are actually sites to be found. The commentary explains that there are indeed formations located in flat fields and low, damp areas. Liao Jinjing referred to this as "the hidden turtle and fleeting traces in the fields," and Zhang Zimoi called it "the Heaven's Balance site." In the central plains, on flat land, the dragon moves beneath the earth and is not visible, only occasionally showing a small ridge or forming a stone ridge or small hill. When it reaches the site, it still needs to be clearly elevated and depressed. This pattern is also called "the dragon and snake hidden in mud"—the dragon and snake lie concealed in the mud, occasionally showing a line of their backs above the mud. The site is taken based on the fact that the entire body of the dragon is not visible, but only a few parts are occasionally exposed, allowing one to recognize that the dragon and snake are lying in hiding. This pattern relies entirely on observing the water flow to find the site, so Yang Yunsong said: The dragon spirit on flat land must be identified by the water flow. He also said: When reaching the flat land, one need not look for its traces, only the places where water surrounds it are the true dragon. However, the dragon in flat fields is scattered and hard to distinguish, and is mixed with ditches and various streams, which cross each other in a complicated manner, making it difficult to examine one by one. One must have both a sharp mind and keen eyes to recognize it; otherwise, one would only waste time and effort by the water's edge.

或然孤露八風吹，登穴自隈聚。注：廖氏云：“坐空轉面去當朝，不怕八風搖。”然亦不可穴上受風，登穴隈聚則善也。張子微天風穴云：“八風可至之地，望之若寒，即之則溫；望之似露，登之則藏。”《發揮》云：“山峻穴高，蓋於峻中求平；山露穴出，蓋以兩肩有蔽。”似於孤露受風，其實則藏風聚氣，此所以吉。俗眼不識，嫌其露也。或然直出兩水射，臨穴有憑藉。注：楊公云“亦曾見穴直如鎗，兩水射脅似難當”是也。然兩水射脅之穴，必要當水射處，或有石曜沖出，或有山頭夾照，穴間不見水來，故曰“臨穴有憑藉”。

The song says: Some graves appear isolated and exposed, with winds coming from all eight directions. However, when you reach the grave site, there is a hidden and gathering place of qi. Commentary: Liao Jinjing says: If the back is empty and the body turns to face the flowing water, it is not afraid of the winds from all directions shaking it. However, the grave site itself should not be exposed to wind. It is best if, when you climb up, you feel a hidden and gathering place of qi. Zhang Zimoi talks about the "Heavenly Wind Grave" saying: In places where winds from all eight directions can reach, from afar it seems very cold, but when you get close, it is warm; from afar it seems very exposed, but when you reach the grave, it is actually hidden. "Development" says: If the mountain is steep and the grave is high, one should find a flat area within the steepness; if the mountain is exposed and the grave is prominent, there should be some hills on both shoulders to shelter it. Such graves seem to be isolated and exposed to wind, but in reality they can hide the wind and gather qi, thus being auspicious. Common people cannot recognize this, and only dislike it for being exposed. The song says: Some graves stretch out straight, with water flowing directly to their sides. However, when you reach the grave site, there is support and shelter. Commentary: Yang Yunsong says: I have once seen graves that stretched out straight like a spear, with two streams of water shooting at their sides. It seemed difficult to bear the impact. However, such graves with water shooting at their sides must have either a stone protrusion blocking the water or a hill beside it to protect it. When standing at the grave, you cannot see the water coming, so it is said "there is support at the grave site."

或然結在水中央，四畔水汪洋。注：楊公云：“也有穴在深潭裡。”卜氏云：“水底穴，必須道眼。”謝子期釋之曰：“水底之穴，甚難尋究，必是來脈精奇，蹤跡怪異，自然超拔，與眾不同。脈跡奇異而來，臨於深淵大澤，忽然隱脈，必其穴生水底，惟道眼者知之。”張子微亦云：“要知水巧在何處，行水中間龍脈繫。或見或隱或夾流，尋得龍來穴無地。居然卻在水中央，百個山人無一喜。正緣見脈不分明，巧在水中難指耳。”

The rhyme says: Somesite are formed in the center of water, surrounded by vast waters on all four sides. Commentary: Yang Yunsong said that there are alsosite located in deep pools. Bu Ying Tian said thatsite beneath water must be discerned by those with enlightened eyes. Xie Zi Qi explained thatsite beneath water are extremely difficult to find; such a site must have an extraordinary and unique coming ridge, with strange traces, naturally outstanding and different from others. When the ridge trace comes from a strange and unusual direction and suddenly disappears near a deep abyss or large marsh, then the穴 must be beneath the water, known only to those with enlightened eyes. Zhang Zi Wei also said: To know where the "water skill" lies, the middle of the water flow is where the dragon ridge is located. It may appear or disappear, or be sandwiched between streams. When searching for the dragon, one may not see the place where the穴 falls. It might actually be in the center of the water, and none of a hundred geomancers would be happy about it—because the ridge is not clearly visible, and the skill lies in its concealment within the water, making it hard to identify.

誠如諸公所說，則安穴水裡。以愚庸見，則為不然。嘗究廖氏《怪穴破惑歌》云：“捉月雖云在水中，還要土來封。”正恐人以水中安穴，而不能用土封耳，故指出。穴在水中，四畔皆水，乃是水中突出山阜，于山阜上結穴，而四面迴環周帀，皆汪洋巨浸，即是穴在水中，為水巧之穴。不可悞作穴安水底，方為水中怪穴。且天地間安有水中作穴扦葬之理？苟或有之，亦行險僥倖，仁人孝子豈忍以親體置之水中，而自取悖逆之罪，以希圖富貴哉！

According to what the previous people said, the grave should be placed in the water. In our humble opinion, this is not the case. We have carefully studied Liao Jinjing's "Song of Clarifying Strange Burial Sites," which says: Although a grave site that catches the moon is said to be in the water, it still needs to be covered with soil. This is precisely to prevent people from believing the idea of placing the grave in the water without using soil to cover it. So what is meant by a grave site in the water, with all sides surrounded by water, is actually a mountain rising out of the water, with the grave formed on top of this mountain, and all around it are vast bodies of water—this is called a grave site in the water, known as a "clever water" grave site. It should not be misunderstood as placing the coffin in the bottom of the water, which would be considered a strange grave site in the water. Moreover, how could there be any burial sites in the water in the world? Even if there were, it would be taking great risks; a kind-hearted son, how could he bear to put his parents' remains into the water, risking the sin of rebellion, just to hope for wealth and honor?

蔡西山亦嘗有云：“水巧之穴，尤其難見，亦且難信。宇宙之間，水中融結固不多見。扦於水中，尤屬罕聞。或者舍山而就水，舍高而就低，理則有之，亦須龍穴眞的無疑方可。不然，反成絕穴。況扦於水中乎？非審詧地理精熟透徹，何敢以前人體魄嘗試險穴？”誠確論也。

Cai Yuan Ding also said: water-embedded graves are especially difficult to find and even harder to believe in. In the world, the formation of such graves in water is rare, and even more so to place a grave in water. Although the idea of abandoning mountains for water, or abandoning high places for low ones, may make sense in theory, it must be that the dragon is true and the grave is genuine, without any doubt; otherwise, it would become a dead end. And even more so when placing the grave in water. If one has not reached a level of mastery and thorough understanding in examining geography, who would dare to use the remains of ancestors to test such a dangerous grave? These words are indeed accurate and appropriate.

或然結在頑石裡，鑿逢土脈取。注：子微云：“也有石山石片漫，皆無寸土穴難安。不合龍眞難舍去，尋趂十日無足觀。此名天完混沌氣，龍皮粗厚頭面幹。時人莫道無草木，不知童山是兩般。童山土色細雜碎，可栽木植生長難。天完之地無縫路，蕩蕩光滑如削刓。卻須迴環四獸地，自有土潤草木山。只有相當作穴處，頭面漫漫皆石盤。石必有縫可鐫鑿，石板之下有土山。若得土時穴須淺，不必深鑿入其間。”是謂穴結石裡也。但頑石漫漫，不易測識。苟非高術法眼相度，安知頑石之下，可以鑿縫土而安柩哉！故卜氏云“石間穴貴得明師。”

The rhyme says: some graves are formed within hard rock, requiring the rock to be broken open and encountering soil veins before the grave can be used. Commentary: Zhang Zimei said, there are also cases where an entire mountain is made of stone, with stone fragments spread out everywhere, and no soil at all; the grave has nowhere to be placed. However, because the dragon line is indeed genuine and cannot be abandoned, one may search for ten days without finding any clue. This kind is called "Heavenly Completion and Chaos Qi," where the dragon's surface is thick and rough, and its head and face are dry and withered. At that time, people should not hastily judge it as bad just because there is no grass or trees. One must know that a child mountain and a Heavenly Completion mountain are two different things: a child mountain has fine, scattered, and disorderly soil, making it difficult for trees to grow; whereas a Heavenly Completion mountain is entirely smooth and seamless, looking as if it has been polished and flattened. In such places, as long as the four beasts (the surrounding terrain) encircle and embrace it, there will naturally be areas with moist soil and lush grass. Only the exact spot where the grave is formed has a flat stone surface on its head and face. The stone must have a crack that can be carved, and beneath the stone plate lies a hill of soil. When reaching the soil, the grave should be shallowly buried, without digging too deep. This describes a grave formed within the stone. However, the hard rock is vast and difficult to recognize; unless a master with profound knowledge and a clear eye examines it, who would know that beneath the stone there is a crack that can be opened to reveal soil for placing the coffin? Therefore, Bu Ying Tian said: graves formed in stone are precious because they require a wise master to be invited.

或然有穴瞰泉竅，葬後泉乾燥。注：眞龍氣旺，故結穴完而其氣又有餘盛，從而漏為靈泉。子微所謂“龍氣之旺，迸裂不禁者”是也。亦謂之“龍漏穴”，本是眞龍漏天地之秘，示人以自然之穴。但造物玄機，以泉惑人，故未易測。然其泉亦必甘美異常，又非冷泉險潰之比。

The rhyme says: Some graves are situated facing a spring, but after burial the spring dries up. The explanation is: When the true dragon's energy is strong, after the site is formed, there is still surplus energy which leaks out to form a spiritual spring. Zhang Zimo said, "When the dragon's energy is too strong, it bursts out and cannot be contained," referring to this situation. This is called a "dragon leakage site," which is actually where the true dragon leaks out the secret of heaven and earth, revealing a natural site to people. However, the subtle mechanism of creation uses springs to mislead people, making it difficult to discern. Nevertheless, such springs must be exceptionally sweet, differing from those that are cold and sinister, often overflowing suddenly.

西山云：“泉有數種，惟冷漿泉不可灌溉，不堪盥俯，不入炊飲，滋滋浸漬，清不能澄，濁不能混。此無用之泉也。紅泉之地，不可取用，恐有銀脈。腥泉之地，不宜留意，恐有鐵礦。溫泉、醴泉則旺氣已鍾於泉，不復成地。若泉清，可椈，可澣，可灌，澄之愈清，混之難濁，春夏不盈，秋冬不涸，皆泉水之美者也。

Cai Yuan Ding said: There are several types of spring water. Only cold spring water is of no use, as it cannot be used for irrigation, washing the face, or cooking and drinking. It only seeps and permeates continuously, but it cannot be made clear by settling, and it cannot become turbid by stirring. This is useless spring water. If spring water turns red, it should not be used, as there may be silver ore veins underground. If spring water smells foul, it need not be considered, as there may be iron ore underground. Hot springs and sweet醴 springs indicate that the vital energy has fully gathered at the spring, and it will no longer form land. If spring water is clear, it can be drunk by hand, used for washing, and for irrigation. The clearer it becomes, the more it remains clear; stirring it does not make it turbid. In spring and summer, it does not overflow, and in autumn and winter, it does not dry up. These are the finest types of spring water.

穴適值此，則為佳脈。瞰泉竅上弦以治穴納棺，此泉必縮為生氣，不復流注。若夫得雨則盈，雨霽則涸，望之似可揚塵，踐之或可沒脛，此不瀦之地，地脈疏漏，最為無用。或春夏有泉，秋冬乾涸；或雨則泉迸，晴則泉幹，皆不足用。故穴逢龍漏，又須論泉而後論地，泉吉而穴吉是也。然亦不必拘於葬後泉幹，亦有不幹而吉者，但要泉美為凖耳。

When a site encounters such a spring, it is a good qi flow. If the coffin is placed in the area near the spring's edge, the spring will contract back and transform into life qi, no longer flowing. However, those springs that fill up with rain and dry up when it stops are not good. They appear to be able to raise dust but when stepped on, they sink up to the knees. These are lands that cannot retain water, with loose and porous underground qi, which is of no use. Also, springs that appear in spring and summer but dry up in autumn and winter, or springs that burst out when it rains and dry up when the sky is clear, are not suitable for use. Therefore, if a site encounters 'dragon leakage', one must first assess the quality of the spring and then the quality of the land. Only then can the site be considered good. However, one need not strictly follow the rule that 'after burial, the spring dries up'. There are cases where the spring does not dry up yet the site is still good. The key is to judge based on the quality of the spring's water.

或然有穴逼水邊，葬後水城遷。注：龍眞穴正，不幸而逼近水涯，或水沖割，此亦造化留心待人主耳，故葬後水徙而吉。卜氏云“水有陵遷谷變”是也。《史記》：“晉郭璞葬母於暨陽，去水百步，人以為言。璞曰：‘當即為陸矣！’其後沙漲，皆為桑田。”

The song诀 says: Some graves are very close to the water, and after burial, the water course changes its course. Commentary: The dragon is true and the grave is correct, even if it is not skillfully placed near the water's edge, or is eroded by the water, this is also a deliberate arrangement by nature waiting for the right person. Therefore, after burial, the water will change its course and become auspicious. The Book of Divination says "water may have its mountains and valleys change," which means exactly this. The Records of the Grand Historian records that Guo Pu of the Jin dynasty buried his mother in Ji Yang, only one hundred steps away from the water. Everyone criticized this, but Guo Pu said, "This place will soon become land." Later, silt accumulated and that area became mulberry fields.

或然有穴居龍脊，騎龍貴無敵。注：廖氏曰“騎龍須要居龍脊，龍住應無敵”是也。蓋騎龍穴力量最大，乃龍氣旺盛，故結穴後猶有餘氣之山。以其穴不居盡處，故曰騎龍。舊說前去山皆不結穴。予兄弟見仙蹟騎龍穴結後，再去山多有結作，但力量有大小，受穴有正副不同耳。

The rhyme says: Somesite sit directly on the dragon's back, known as "riding the dragon"穴位, which is extremely valuable. Commentary: Liao Jinjing says that a riding the dragon穴位 must be situated on the dragon's back. When the dragon stops, its response is unmatched. The power of riding the dragonsite is greatest because the dragon's energy is very strong, and after forming thesite, there are still leftover energies in the mountains ahead. Since thesite is not at the end of the dragon, it is called riding the dragon. Old sayings claim that the mountains continuing forward from thesite do not form any moresite. However, our brothers have seen riding the dragonsite left by ancient sages. After thesite is formed, the mountains continuing forward often still form othersite, but their power varies in strength, and the main and subsidiarysite differ accordingly.

如吾邑吳國師為十院張氏下一騎龍穴，在新營河南五里，土名烏石源，出張忠定公燾，為宰執。甲公封忠利侯，進士五十餘人。其龍結穴後，復起大山，去土名桃芝源，又結董德彰下金鵝抱卵形地，出尚書省齋公張憲。

For example, in the county, the national master Wu Jingluan identified a dragon site called Qilong Xue, located five miles south of Xinying River, in the place called Wushiyuan. This site produced Zhang Zhongding Gong Zhang Tao, who held high official positions, as well as Zhang Jia who was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Zhongli, and also fifty more candidates for the imperial examination. After this dragon site formed its climax, a large mountain rose again ahead, and when it reached the place called Taozhiyuan, Dong Dezhang identified a site shaped like "Golden Goose Hatching Eggs," which produced Zhang Xian, the official of the Ministry of Personnel.