Upper Volume

《乾鑿度》曰：氣象未分，謂之太易（謂始生於玄牝）。元氣始萌，謂之太初（陰陽初生）。氣象之端，謂之太始（始有清濁之形）。形變有質，謂之太素（清濁己分）。形質已具，謂之太極（二儀初立）。

The "Qian Zao Du" says: When the vital energy and forms of heaven and earth have not yet been differentiated, it is called "Tai Yi" (referring to the beginning of all things from the profound source known as "Xuan Pen"). When the primordial energy begins to stir, it is called "Tai Chu" (yin and yang are born here). When the vital energy and forms begin to show their initial manifestations, it is called "Tai Shi" (the differentiation of clear and turbid forms begins). When forms change and possess substance, it is called "Tai Su" (clear and turbid have already been separated). When forms and substances are both complete, it is called "Tai Ji" (the two principles of heaven and earth are established here). This book places this cosmological theory at the beginning to establish a foundation for the Six Rats system: from "Tai Yi" to "Tai Ji," there are five stages of development, from formless to formed, from chaos to the differentiation of clear and turbid. The "Heaven Plate" on the Six Rats formula disk, which moves in a circle, and the "Earth Plate," which remains still and square, are based precisely on the image of "the initial establishment of the two principles."

《釋名》曰：天，坦也，坦然而高遠也。《物理論》曰：水土之氣，升而為天。《桓譚新論》曰：天以為蓋左旋，日月星辰，隨而東西。虞喜曰：天確乎在上，有常安之形，故天行健而不息也。《尚書考靈曜》曰：觀二儀之旋，昏明之時。《禮記》曰：天之道，高也，明也，悠也，久也。《易》曰：天垂象，見吉凶。故後世聖人造式，以楓子為天，圓其質，法天而動，以取其義也。

The Shiming says: "Tian" means "Tan," which is broad and lofty. The Wulunli says: the qi of water and soil rises and condenses into Tian. The Huan Tan Xin Lun says: Tian is like a car cover that rotates to the left, and the sun, moon, and stars follow it moving from east to west. Yu Xi says: Tian is indeed located above, with a constant and stable form, so its movement is strong and unceasing. The Shangshu Kaolingyao says: by observing the rotation of the two principles of heaven and earth, one can determine the times of dusk and dawn. The Liji says: the way of Tian is high, bright, distant, and enduring. The Zhouyi · Xici says: Tian shows the images of things, thereby revealing auspicious and inauspicious signs. Because of such understanding of Tian throughout the ages, later sages created the Liu Ren Shi Pan, using "Fengzi" wood for the "Tianpan," shaping it into a circle to imitate Tian and make it movable. When divining, one uses this circular disk by turning it with the hands. The meaning of "round and moving" is precisely this.

昔大禹觀於洛河而受錄，於寰瀛之內，可得而言也。地有四表四瀆，八紘之外，名為八極，地不足東南。其廣東西二億三萬二千里，其南北三億三萬一千三百里。南北為經，東西為緯。乃曰地有十二辰，王侯之所國也。昔黃帝旁行天下，方制萬里，得百里之國萬區。則《周易》所謂首出庶物，萬國咸寧者也。故後世聖人造式。以棗心為地，方其體。法地而靜，其義在茲爾。

In ancient times, Yu the Great observed the heavens and the terrain along the Luo River and Yellow River regions, and received a divine map and record from heaven. From then on, the scale of the world became something that could be described. The earth has four extremities (the farthest points in the four directions), four major rivers (the Yangtze, Yellow River, Huai River, and Ji River, which flow directly into the sea), and beyond the eight directions is called the eight extremes. The earth is said to be lacking in the southeast direction, hence the saying "the earth is insufficient in the southeast." The earth is 232,000 li in width from east to west and 331,300 li in length from north to south. The north-south direction is called "jing" (meridian), and the east-west direction is called "wei" (latitude). Thus, the earth is divided into twelve chen (divisions), which are the places where kings and princes received their fiefs and established their states. In ancient times, the Yellow Emperor traveled throughout the world, demarcated a territory of ten thousand li, and obtained a hundred-li square fief for a total of ten thousand regions. This is what the "Tao" section of the "Zhou Yi" (Book of Changes) "Qian Hexagram" says: "The first to emerge among all things, all the states are at peace." Therefore, later sages when making the "shi pan" (a divination tool), used "zaoxin" wood for the "di pan" (earth plate), shaping it into a square form, imitating the earth and keeping it still—this square plate remains fixed during divination. The sky is round and moves, the earth is square and still; one moves, one remains fixed, thus allowing for the presence of divine generals, and this is the meaning behind it.

《淮南子》曰：天地之道，襲精為陰陽，專精為四時。四時者，春夏秋冬也。

The Huainanzi says: The principle of the operation of heaven and earth is to combine and differentiate the vital energy into yin and yang, and to concentrate and differentiate the vital energy into the four seasons. The four seasons refer to spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The four seasons are the four phases in a year where yin and yang wax and wane. The Six Rats (Liuren) determine the strength or weakness of a divine general based on which season it falls into, thereby determining the five states of qi strength: "Wang" (prosperous), "Xiang" (auxiliary), "Xiu" (resting), "Qiu" (captured), and "Si" (dead). Therefore, discussing the four seasons is the prerequisite for divination.

春：班固曰：春為少陽也，主東方。東，動也，陽氣動物，於時為春。春，蠢也，萬物之生，蠢然而運動。夏：班固曰：夏為太陽也，主南方。南，任也。陽氣任養萬物，於時為夏。夏，假也，萬物假火乃宣平。

Spring: Ban Gu said that Spring belongs to "Less Yang," which governs the East. "East" means "movement," and Yang energy promotes all things; in the sequence of time, this is Spring. "Spring" means "stirring," and all things begin to sprout, stirring into action. Summer: Ban Gu said that Summer belongs to "Full Yang," which governs the South. "South" means "bearing," that is, carrying a burden, and Yang energy bears the responsibility of nurturing all things; in the sequence of time, this is Summer. "Summer" means "borrowing," that is, relying on, and all things rely on the heat of fire to become smooth and harmonious. Using characters with similar pronunciations to explain each other was a common practice in the Han dynasty for explaining the sequence of seasons and the heavenly stems and earthly branches. Here, the established principle that "the East belongs to Wood and is active, the South belongs to Fire and is nurturing" serves as the foundation for later discussions on the Five Phases and determining the Month General.

秋：班固曰：秋，為少陰也，主酉方。西，零也。陰氣零落，於時為秋。秋也（顏師古曰：□，子由切）。萬物收斂乃成熟。冬：班固曰：冬，為太陰也，主北方。北，伏也。陽氣伏於下，於時為冬。冬，終也。萬物終藏，乃不可稱。四季：班固曰：中央者，陰陽之內，四方之中。經緯通達，乃能端直。於四時為四季。土主稼穡蕃息也。

Autumn: Ban Gu said that autumn belongs to "Lesser Yin," which governs the western direction, i.e., You. "West" is equivalent to "ling," meaning the dispersion of yin energy. This dispersion corresponds to the seasonal timing of autumn. As for the character "qiu" (autumn), Yan Shigǔ only left a reverse-sound notation "zi you qie" — the original text here is missing the character being explained, leaving only a placeholder, and it is not conjectured from other sources. At this time, all things gather and converge, thus achieving maturity. Winter: Ban Gu said that winter belongs to "Great Yin," which governs the northern direction. "North" is equivalent to "fu," meaning the concealment of yang energy beneath. This concealment corresponds to the seasonal timing of winter. The character "dong" (winter) means "zhong," signifying the completion of all things, which then retreat and store away, no longer visible. The Four Seasons: Ban Gu said that the center is within yin and yang, and in the middle of the four directions. Only when the meridians and threads intersect here can things be upright and unbiased. When matched to the four seasons, it is called "Four Seasons," referring to the four months — Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei — when earth energy is strong. The eighteen days before each of the four solstices belong to earth, and these four periods of earth's strength in the Six Rats system serve as the basis for the four lessons in the Six Rats system. They are also the origin of the saying "earth is strong in the four seasons."

黃帝遣大撓造甲子，大撓以日之功能生萬物，故隨四時、因萬物而為名，故成陰陽之施化，萬物之始終，十干之象具焉。

The Yellow Emperor sent Da Nao to create the "Jiazi" system, which is the method of recording time using the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. Da Nao believed that the function of "day" is to give birth to all things, so he named the ten Heavenly Stems according to the order of the four seasons and the forms of all things in each stage. Once the names were established, the operation of yin and yang, the beginning and end of all things were included, and the symbolic representations of the ten Heavenly Stems were complete. The following explanation of the meanings of the ten Heavenly Stems is based on the state of all things at each step. Readers should not treat it as etymology but rather as an explanation of the nature of each Heavenly Stem. When judging what a particular stem governs or what character it represents in divination, this symbolic meaning is used.

甲：《春秋元命包》曰：甲者，狎也，春即開，冬即合。鄭司農曰：甲者，拆也，萬物甲拆而後出。班固曰：萬物出於甲也。乙：《春秋元命包》曰：乙者，屈也，盤屈芒而欲伸。鄭司農曰：乙，軋也，萬物自軋而出。班固曰：萬物奮軋於乙。丙：《春秋元命包》曰：丙者，明也，言太陽明盛。鄭司農曰：丙，炳也，萬物盛茂，炳然而明。班固曰：萬物明炳於丙。

Heavenly Stem Jia is explained in the "Chunqiu Yuanmingbao" as "xia," meaning to open and close, symbolizing the opening in spring and closing in winter. Zheng SONGNONG (Zheng Zhong of the Eastern Han dynasty) says Jia is "che," meaning to split open, with all things breaking through their shells to emerge. Ban Gu says that all things begin to sprout from Jia. Heavenly Stem Yi is explained in the "Chunqiu Yuanmingbao" as "qu," meaning to bend, referring to the curled sprout of grass striving to extend. Zheng SONGNONG says Yi is "ya," meaning to press, with all things pressing against each other to push upwards. Ban Gu says that all things strive to press out in Yi. Heavenly Stem Bing is explained in the "Chunqiu Yuanmingbao" as "ming," meaning brightness, referring to the brightness and grandeur of the sun. Zheng SONGNONG says Bing is "bing," meaning flourishing and shining brightly, with all things flourishing densely and shining brightly. Ban Gu says that all things become bright and shining in Bing. Although the three scholars used different characters in their explanations, their meanings are consistent: Jia represents breaking out of the shell, Yi represents bending and stretching, and Bing represents brightness and flourishing, each step moving outward more.

丁：《春秋元命包》曰：丁者，強也，言萬物此時強盛。鄭司農曰：萬物長養，於此剛強。班固曰：萬物強盛於丁。戊：《春秋元命包》曰：戊者，勉也，土勉勵萬物所生。鄭司農曰：戊、茂也，言萬物於此盛茂。班固曰：萬物豐茂於戊。己：《春秋元命包》曰：己者，甘也，言萬物既生，人皆甘之。鄭司農曰：己者，紀也，言萬物皆有條貫成紀。□□□□□。班固曰：萬物出於甲，終於己也。

Ding: The "Chunqiu Yuanmengbao" says, "Ding" means "strong," indicating that at this stage, all things become vigorous and flourishing. Zheng Siniang says, the growth and nurturing of all things reach this point and become strong. Ban Gu says, all things reach their peak of strength at Ding. Wu: The "Chunqiu Yuanmengbao" says, "Wu" means "exert," referring to the earth exerting effort to promote the growth of all things. Zheng Siniang says, "Wu" means "prosperous," indicating that at this stage, all things become flourishing and dense. Ban Gu says, all things reach their peak of prosperity at Wu. Ji: The "Chunqiu Yuanmengbao" says, "Ji" means "sweet," indicating that after all things have grown, people find them sweet. Zheng Siniang says, "Ji" means "order," referring to the order and structure of all things, which are organized and formed. The original text here is missing five characters, and the original text is no longer available, only the shape of the missing text remains, without any supplementation. Ban Gu says, all things begin from Jia and reach Ji as a conclusion. Jia to Ji exactly covers the first half of the ten heavenly stems, and Ban Gu refers to Ji as "end," meaning that the process of growth ends here, and the following Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui shift to a phase of gathering and concealment.

庚：《春秋元命包》曰：庚者，更也，言萬物至秋秀實。鄭司農曰：庚，更也，萬物至秋更空也。班固曰：萬物欲斂更於庚也。辛：《春秋元命包》曰：辛者，新也，言萬物更前體而新。鄭司農曰：萬物秀而新。班固曰：萬物悉新於辛也。壬：《春秋元命包》曰：壬者，任也，萬物於此時而懷妊。鄭司農曰：言冬時閉藏，萬物懷妊於下。班固曰：萬物懷孕於壬。癸：《春秋元命包》曰：癸者，揆也，言萬物成熟，揆而藏之。鄭司農曰：物懷任，於此時揆然萌芽。班固曰：萬物陳揆於癸。

Geng: The "Spring and Autumn Original Mandate Bundle" says, "Geng" means "change," referring to the replacement of things as all things ripen and bear fruit in autumn. Zheng Siniang says, "Geng" means "change," as all things in autumn replace their old appearance and appear empty and sparse. Ban Gu says, all things are about to gather in, and at this step of Geng, they change their form. Xin: The "Spring and Autumn Original Mandate Bundle" says, "Xin" means "new," referring to all things replacing their former forms and appearing fresh and new. Zheng Siniang says, all things sprout and bear fruit, thus renewing themselves. Ban Gu says, all things at Xin are completely renewed. Ren: The "Spring and Autumn Original Mandate Bundle" says, "Ren" means "carry," referring to the carrying of embryos by all things at this time. Zheng Siniang says, this refers to the concealment of winter, as all things carry their embryos underground. Ban Gu says, all things at Ren are pregnant. Gui: The "Spring and Autumn Original Mandate Bundle" says, "Gui" means "measure," referring to the measurement of things after they have matured, and storing them accordingly. Zheng Siniang says, when all things have already carried their embryos, they measure and sprout new shoots at this time. Ban Gu says, all things at Gui display and measure. The meaning of the ten stems completes a full cycle: Jia begins with breaking out of the shell, and Gui ends with measuring and storing, which exactly corresponds to the entire cycle of growth, flourishing, harvesting, and storing in a year. When divining, one looks at the day stem to determine its position and nature within this cycle.

《易》曰：分陰分陽，為用柔剛。謂甲、丙、戊、庚、壬五干為陽日，為剛日。子、寅、辰、午、戌六支為陽辰，為剛辰。謂乙、丁、己、辛、癸五干為陰日，為柔日。丑、卯、已、未、酉、亥六支為陰辰，為柔辰。

The Zhou Changes (I Ching) says: distinguishing yin and yang, alternately using soft and strong. This serves as the basis for the system: the five heavenly stems Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, and Ren are considered yang days, also called 'strong days'; the six earthly branches Zi, Yin, Chen, Wu, Xu, and Wei are considered yang chens, also called 'strong chens'. The five heavenly stems Yi, Ding, Ji, Xin, and Gui are considered yin days, also called 'soft days'; the six earthly branches Chou, Mao, Si, Wei, You, and Hai are considered yin chens, also called 'soft chens'. Note: originally, yang chens should include Zi, Yin, Chen, Wu, Shen, and Xu, but the original text here lists only five and omits 'Shen'; it is still recorded as is. Similarly, the original text writes 'Si' for yin chens, but mistakenly uses a character resembling 'Yi', which is also retained as it was. The distinction between strong days and soft days is very important in the Six Rats system: when selecting the useful god, 'strong days use the heavenly stem's heavenly god, while soft days use the earthly branch's heavenly god'; when arranging the three transmissions, 'strong days first transmit the earthly branch then the heavenly stem, while soft days first transmit the heavenly stem then the earthly branch', all of which are determined by this distinction.

子：班固曰：萬物孳生萌於子。《樂志》曰：子者，孳也。謂陽氣至子，更孳生也。丑：班固曰：萬物紐芽於丑。《樂志》曰：丑者，紐也。言終始之際，故以紐結為名也。寅：班固曰：萬物引達於寅。《樂志》曰：寅者，津也。謂生萬物之津途也。卯：班固曰：萬物冒茆於卯。《樂志》曰：卯者，茆也。言陽氣生而孳茂。

The branch Zi signifies the beginning of growth, as Ban Gu said, where all things sprout and become active. The "Le Zhi" explains that "Zi" is equivalent to "zī," meaning the yang energy renews itself at the Zi position. The branch Chou signifies the formation and budding of all things, as Ban Gu said. The "Le Zhi" explains that "Chou" is equivalent to "niǔ," meaning the connection and knotting, because Chou is at the junction of the end and beginning of the year, so it is named "knotting." The branch Yin signifies the extension and communication of all things, as Ban Gu said. The "Le Zhi" explains that "Yin" is equivalent to "jīn," meaning it is the passage and channel for the birth of all things. The branch Mao signifies the breaking of the soil and emergence of all things, as Ban Gu said. The "Le Zhi" explains that "Mao" is equivalent to "mào," meaning flourishing, indicating the growth and proliferation of yang energy. The meanings of the twelve branches follow the same principles as the ten heavenly stems, placing the annual growth rhythm on twelve positions. In the Six Rén system, these twelve branches are fixed on the earth plate, while the twelve heavenly spirits on the heaven plate move over them. Therefore, it is essential to understand the nature of each branch first.

辰：班固曰：萬物振美於辰。《樂志》曰：辰者，震也。謂萬物震動而長也。巳：班固曰：萬物巳盛於巳。《樂志》曰：巳者，起也。萬物已盛，此時畢盡而起也。午：班固曰：萬物萼而佈於午。《樂志》曰：午者，長也，大也。言萬物皆長大也。未：班固曰：萬物昧蔓於未（蔓者，散也）。《樂志》曰：未者，味也。言萬物生成有滋味也。

Chen: Ban Gu said that all things flourish and become strong at Chen. The "Yue Zhi" said that "Chen" is the same as "Zhen," meaning that all things shake and grow. Si: Ban Gu said that all things have already become flourishing by Si. The "Yue Zhi" said that "Si" is the same as "Qi," meaning that all things have reached their peak, the previous stage has ended, and a new stage begins. Wu: Ban Gu said that all things form flowers and spread out at Wu. The "Yue Zhi" said that "Wu" is "Chang Sheng" and "Da," meaning that all things have already grown big. Wei: Ban Gu said that all things become dark and spread out at Wei ("Man" means to spread). The "Yue Zhi" said that "Wei" is "Wei," meaning that after all things are generated, they have taste. These four branches correspond to the end of spring to the end of summer, a period when yang energy shifts from flourishing to its peak, then gradually declines. In the Six Rén system, Chen and Wei belong to the four seasons' earth, and Wu is the main position of fire, Si is the birth position of fire, and their strength and decline are determined here.

申：班固曰：萬物申堅於申。《樂志》曰：申者，身也。言此時物身體皆成就也。酉：班固曰：萬物皆熟於酉。《樂志》曰：酉者，猶也。謂此時萬物皆猶縮也。戌：班固曰：萬物畢入行戌。《樂志》曰：戌者，滅也。謂此時萬物衰滅也。亥：班固曰：萬物該閡於亥。《樂志》曰：亥者，刻也。言此時陰陽刻殺萬物也。

Shen: Ban Gu said that all things extend and become firm during Shen. The "Yue Zhi" said that "Shen" means "shen," referring to the time when all things have fully grown. You: Ban Gu said that all things mature during You. The "Yue Zhi" said that "You" means "you," meaning contraction, referring to the time when all things begin to contract. Xu: Ban Gu said that all things are fully returned to Xu. The "Yue Zhi" said that "Xu" means "mie," meaning extinction, referring to the time when all things decline and perish. Hai: Ban Gu said that all things are closed and hidden during Hai. The "Yue Zhi" said that "Hai" means "ke," meaning cutting, referring to the time when yin and yang cut and destroy all things. Shen to Hai corresponds to autumn to winter, representing a phase of gathering in, maturity, decline, and concealment, which connects with the previous phase from Zi to Mao, which is about growth and sprouting. The twelve branches thus form a continuous cycle.

董鍾舒曰：王者欲有所為，宜求其端於天。天道大者在於陰陽，陽為德，陰為刑，刑主殺，德主生。陽常居大夏，以生育長養為事。使陰常居大冬，而積於空虛不用之處。此以見天之任德不任刑也。陽出佈施於上，而主歲功。陰入伏藏於下，而時出佐陽，陽不得陰之助，亦不能獨成歲功。王者承天意以後事，故務德教而省刑罰。刑罰不可任以治也，猶陰之不可任成歲也。

Dong Zhongshu said (the original text writes 'Zhong' instead of 'Zhong', which is a transmission error, but it is still recorded as the original character): A ruler who wishes to accomplish something should seek the outline from Heaven. The greatest aspect of the Heavenly Way is yin and yang: yang is 'de' (virtue), and yin is 'xing' (punishment); punishment oversees the severe and killing, while virtue oversees the nurturing and fostering. Yang always resides in the height of summer, taking the nurturing and fostering of life as its duty; while yin always resides in the depth of winter, accumulating in the empty and unused corners. From this arrangement, one can see that Heaven employs virtue rather than punishment. Yang appears and spreads above, overseeing the achievements of the year; yin retreats and hides below, only occasionally coming forth to assist yang. However, if yang does not receive the assistance of yin, it cannot alone accomplish the achievements of the year. A ruler, following the will of Heaven, governs affairs by focusing on virtue and reducing punishment—punishment cannot alone govern the country, just as yin cannot alone accomplish the year. This passage appears to discuss the governance of a ruler, but in reality, it establishes the general principle for determining fortune and misfortune in the Six Rats system: yin and yang depend on each other, with virtue preceding punishment, so in the transmission of the lessons, generating and supporting is auspicious, while overcoming and attacking is inauspicious, and if inauspiciousness has a remedy, it will not lead to disaster.

《白虎通》曰：五行者，謂水、火、木、金、土也。言五行相生，為天行氣之義也。地承天，猶妻之事夫，臣之事君也。

The White Tiger Classic says: The "Five Phases" refer to water, fire, wood, metal, and earth. Speaking of the mutual generation among the Five Phases, it refers to the way heaven circulates its energy. The earth supports heaven, just as a wife serves her husband or a subject serves his sovereign. The Five Phases form the framework of all calculations in the Six壬 system. Each of the ten heavenly stems, twelve earthly branches, and twelve heavenly generals has an affiliation with the Five Phases. By adding the upper and lower parts of the four lessons, one examines their relationships of generation and overcoming. Therefore, this section first clarifies the directions, numbers of generation, and inherent natures of each of the Five Phases.

水：天以一生水於北方。北方者，陰氣，在黃泉之下。任養萬物。水之為言準也。許慎曰：水準也，平也。火：天以二生火於南方。南方者，陽，在上，萬物垂枝。火之為言委隨也。化也。陽用事，萬物變化也。許鎮曰：火，熾也，炎而上也。木：天以三生木於東方。東方者，陽之氣始動，萬物始生。木之為言觸也，陽氣觸物而生也。許填曰：木冒也，冒地而生也。

Water: Heaven uses the number "one," the generating number, to produce water in the north. The north is where yin energy resides, located beneath the yellow springs, and it bears the responsibility of nurturing all things. The meaning of "water" is "standard." Xu Shen said: "Water is the standard, it is level (since the surface of water is naturally level, it is taken as a standard)." Fire: Heaven uses the number "two" to produce fire in the south. The south is where yang energy is dominant above, and all things here hang their branches downward. The meaning of "fire" is to bend and follow things, also change — when yang energy is in command, all things change accordingly. Xu Shen said: "Fire is intense, flames rise upward (the original text mistakenly writes 'Zhen' instead of 'Shen,' but it is recorded as is)." Wood: Heaven uses the number "three" to produce wood in the east. The east is where yang energy begins to move and all things begin to sprout. The meaning of "wood" is "touch," as yang energy touches all things and causes them to grow. Xu Shen said: "Wood is to rise, to emerge from the ground (the original text mistakenly writes 'Tian' instead of 'Shen,' but it is recorded as is)." Heaven produces water with one, earth produces fire with two, heaven produces wood with three; this is the order of the generating numbers of the Five Phases in the "Great Treatise" of the "Zhou Changes," which will be referred to again in the section "Explaining Numbers."

金：天以四生金於西方。西方者，陰始起，萬物禁止。金之為言禁止也。許慎曰：金，禁也。為進退之禁也。土：天以五生土於中央。中央者，主吐含萬物。土之為言吐也。土者最大，包含萬物。將生者出，將死者歸，不嫌清濁。

Metal: Heaven uses the number four in the west to generate metal. The west is where the yin energy begins to rise and all things cease to grow. The meaning of "metal" is to prohibit. Xu Shen said: "Metal" means "to prohibit," which is a constraint on movement forward and backward. Earth: Heaven uses the number five in the center to generate earth. The center is in charge of expelling and containing all things. The meaning of "earth" is "to expel." Earth is the largest among the five phases, encompassing all things: what is about to be born goes out from here, and what is about to die returns here. It does not discriminate between clear and turbid. Each of the five phases has a generating number from one to five, each has a direction and a nature. Six Rén divination determines human nature, locates diseases, and identifies objects and their odors, all derived from these inherent qualities.

傳曰：章為五色。蔡邕曰：通於眼者為五色。《釋例》曰：五方正色有五，間色亦有五也。

Ancient legend says that what is evident externally is the five colors. Cai Yong said that the five colors that can reach the eyes are the five colors. The "Explanations" say that each of the five directions has one primary color, making five in total; and there are also five secondary colors formed by the mixture of two colors. When divining, by determining which of the Five Phases the Useful God belongs to, one can deduce the color of the thing being divined. This is directly applicable in divinations concerning lost items, searching for people, and identifying colors.

青：東方之正色也，象木葉青也。《釋例》曰：甲木畏庚金，故以乙妹嫁與庚為妻。春木旺，甲往召乙，乙懷金氣以應甲，故東方有間色綠也（甲青、乙碧）。赤：南方之正色也，象火光赤色也。《釋例》曰：丙火畏壬水，故以丁妹嫁與壬為妻。夏火旺，丙往召丁，丁懷水氣以應丙，故南方有間色紅也（丙赤、丁紫）。

Green is the true color of the East, symbolizing the green color of leaves. The "Explanations" says: Jia wood fears Geng metal, so the sister of Jia, Yi (wood), is married to Geng as a wife; when spring comes and wood is strong, Jia calls Yi back, and Yi comes with the metal energy from her husband's family to respond to Jia. Thus, green mixed with metal energy produces the intermediate color "green" (Jia is green, Yi is blue-green). Red is the true color of the South, symbolizing the red color of firelight. The "Explanations" says: Bing fire fears Ren water, so the sister of Bing, Ding (fire), is married to Ren as a wife; when summer comes and fire is strong, Bing calls Ding back, and Ding comes with the water energy from her husband's family to respond to Bing. Thus, red mixed with water energy produces the intermediate color "red" (Bing is red, Ding is purple). This theory of "yin drys marrying the dry they fear" is actually explaining the yin-yang combination and transformation among the ten heavenly stems. The idea of five harmonies and the concept of intermediate colors both come from the same principle.

白：西方之正色也，象霜露白也。《釋例》曰：庚金畏丙火，故以辛嫁與丙為妻。秋金旺，庚往召辛，辛懷火氣以應庚，故西方有間色縹也（庚白、辛栗）。黑：北方之正色也，象水黑色也。《釋例》曰：壬水畏戊土，故以癸妹嫁與戊為妻。冬水旺，壬往召癸，癸懷土氣以應壬，故北方有間色紫也（壬黑、癸綠）。黃：中央之正色也，象土黃中通理也。《釋例》曰：戊土畏甲木，故以己妹嫁與甲為妻。季夏土旺，戊往召己，己懷木氣以應戊，故中央有間色紺也（戊黃、己絳）。

White is the true color of the west, derived from the white color of frost and dew. The "Explanations" says:庚 metal fears 丙 fire, so 辛 is married to 丙 as a wife; when autumn comes and metal is strong, 庚 calls 辛, and 辛 brings the fire energy from her husband's family to respond to 庚, thus the western direction produces the intermediate color "缥," which is a pale blue-white color (庚 is white, 辛 is chestnut). Black is the true color of the north, derived from the black color of water. The "Explanations" says: 壬 water fears 戊 earth, so 癸 (the sister of 壬) is married to 戊 as a wife; when winter comes and water is strong, 壬 calls 癸, and 癸 brings the earth energy from her husband's family to respond to 壬, thus the northern direction produces the intermediate color "紫" (壬 is black, 癸 is green). Yellow is the true color of the center, derived from the yellow color of earth with its internal structure fully connected. The "Explanations" says: 戊 earth fears 甲 wood, so 己 (the sister of 戊) is married to 甲 as a wife; when late summer comes and earth is strong, 戊 calls 己, and 己 brings the wood energy from her husband's family to respond to 戊, thus the center produces the intermediate color "绀," which is a reddish-blue color (戊 is yellow, 己 is crimson). The five true colors correspond to the five directions and five phases, while the five intermediate colors arise from the energies of the yin stems from their husbands. In actual divination, yang stems take the true colors, and yin stems take the intermediate colors, based on this principle.

傳曰：發為五音。蔡邕曰：通於耳者為五音，乃宮、商、角、徵、羽也。

Ancient tradition says that the five tones originate from sound. Cai Yong said that the five tones are those that can reach the ears, namely Gong, Shang, Jue, Zhi, and Yu. The five tones are associated with the Five Phases and with rulers, ministers, people, and things, which is a established theory of the Han dynasty's laws and calendar studies; the Six Rats system incorporated them in order to have a symbolic reference when divining matters related to sound, names, and positions. For example, if the Useful God belongs to earth, then Gong tone is used, representing the ruler; if it belongs to metal, then Shang tone is used, representing the minister and assistant.

宮：班固曰：宮，中也。居中央，暢四方。唱始生，為四聲綱也。《律曆志》曰：宮屬土者，以其最濁，君之象也。季夏之氣和，則宮聲調，宮亂則荒，其君驕。《樂志》曰：宮為君，宮之為言躬也。中和之道，無往不理焉。

The "Gong" tone: Ban Gu said, "Gong" means "Zhong," which resides in the center and communicates smoothly in all directions. It is the origin of the other four tones, serving as their guiding principle. The "Book of Han · Records of Music and Calendar" states: The "Gong" tone belongs to the earth element because its sound is the heaviest and most mellow, symbolizing the sovereign. In the season of late summer, when the earth element is strongest, the "Gong" tone is harmonious. If the "Gong" tone becomes disordered, government affairs will be neglected, and the sovereign will become arrogant and indulgent. The "Records of Music" say: The "Gong" tone represents the sovereign, and the meaning of "Gong" is "Gong," meaning to practice personally and earnestly. It maintains the principle of moderation and harmony, and wherever it goes, it can bring order.

商：班固曰：商，章度也（度火名切）。《律曆志》曰：商屬金者，以其濁次宮，臣之象也。秋氣和，則商聲調，商亂則誠，其宮壞。《樂志》曰：商之為言強也，謂金性堅強也。角：班固曰：角，觸也，立也。為宮物觸也，而生載芒也。《律曆志》曰：角屬木者，以其清濁中次商，民之象也。春氣和，則角聲調，角亂則尤，其人哀。《樂志》曰：角為民，之為言觸也，謂象諸陽氣觸物而生也。

Shang: Ban Gu said, "Shang" means to make laws and regulations clear (the phrase in brackets "du du huo qie" is a reverse-sounding annotation for the character "du"). The "Lü Li Zhi" said: Shang belongs to metal because its tone is second only to Gong in thickness and weight, and it symbolizes ministers and officials; when the autumn atmosphere is harmonious, the Shang tone is harmonious; if the Shang tone becomes disordered, the officials' duties will be ruined (the original text's characters "cheng" and "gong" are suspected to be errors for "bie" and "guan", so they are retained as they are). The "Yue Zhi" said: "Shang" means "strength", referring to the nature of metal being hard and strong. Jue: Ban Gu said, "Jue" means "to touch" and "to stand up", as things under the Gong tone are touched, thus producing a sharp angle. The "Lü Li Zhi" said: Jue belongs to wood because its pitch is in the middle and second to Shang, and it symbolizes the common people; when the spring atmosphere is harmonious, the Jue tone is harmonious; if the Jue tone becomes disordered, mistakes will occur, and the people will be sorrowful. The "Yue Zhi" said: Jue represents the people, and its meaning is "to touch", taking the image of yang energy touching all things and causing them to sprout.

徵：班固曰：徵，扯也，物盛大繁祉也。《律曆志》曰：徵屬火者，徵事之象。夏氣和則徵聲調。徵亂則哀，其事傷。《樂志》曰：徵為事也，徵之為言止也，言萬物盛則止也。羽：班固曰：羽，宇也，萬物聚藏宇覆也。《律曆志》曰：羽屬水者，以其最清，物之象也。冬氣和，則羽聲調，羽亂則危，其財匱。《樂志》曰：羽為物，羽之為言舒也，言陽復萬物，孳育而舒生也。

The note on "Zheng" (徵): Ban Gu said that "Zheng" signifies the idea of pulling or initiating, although the original text may have been "che" (扯), and it is suspected that the original might have been "Zhi" (祉) or "Zhi" (止), and it is recorded as is. When all things are flourishing and abundant, blessings are numerous. The "Lü Li Zhi" (律历志) said that "Zheng" belongs to the element of fire, and it symbolizes "affairs" (事). When the summer season is harmonious, the sound of "Zheng" is harmonious; if the sound of "Zheng" becomes disordered, it brings sorrow, and the affairs will suffer. The "Yue Zhi" (乐志) said that "Zheng" represents "affairs" (事), and the meaning of "Zheng" is "to stop" (止), indicating that when all things reach their peak, they should come to a halt. The note on "Yu" (羽): Ban Gu said that "Yu" is the same as "Yu" (宇), meaning that all things gather and are stored, covered by the roof of the universe. The "Lü Li Zhi" said that "Yu" belongs to the element of water because its sound is the clearest, and it symbolizes "things" (物). When the winter season is harmonious, the sound of "Yu" is harmonious; if the sound of "Yu" becomes disordered, there will be danger, and the wealth will be insufficient. The "Yue Zhi" said that "Yu" represents "things" (物), and the meaning of "Yu" is "to spread out" (舒), indicating that when the yang energy returns, all things flourish and grow freely. The five tones correspond to each season. When the seasonal energy is harmonious, the tone is harmonious; when the tone becomes disordered, the affairs associated with that season suffer. This is the old method of using tones to observe the state of governance.

夫音聲者，中於宮，觸於角，神於徵，章於商，宇於羽。故四聲為宮紀。協之五行，則角為木，五常為仁，五事為貌。商為金，五常為義，五事為青。徵為火，五常為禮，五事為視。羽為水，五常為智，五事為聽。宮為土，五常為信，五事為思，以君臣民事物言之，宮為君，商為臣，角為民，徵為事，羽為物。

In general, the five tones correspond to different meanings: the tone of "宫" (Gong) represents the virtue of uprightness and correctness, "角" (Jue) represents the virtue of stimulation and initiation, "徵" (Zhi) represents the virtue of mystery and subtlety, "商" (Shang) represents the virtue of clarity and brightness, and "羽" (Yu) represents the virtue of covering and encompassing. Therefore, the other four tones are all governed by "宫" (Gong). When the five tones are associated with the Five Phases, "角" (Jue) corresponds to wood, and in the Five Constants it represents benevolence, and in the Five Affairs it corresponds to "貌" (appearance). "商" (Shang) corresponds to metal, and in the Five Constants it represents righteousness, and in the Five Affairs it corresponds to "言" (speech). "徵" (Zhi) corresponds to fire, and in the Five Constants it represents propriety, and in the Five Affairs it corresponds to "视" (vision). "羽" (Yu) corresponds to water, and in the Five Constants it represents wisdom, and in the Five Affairs it corresponds to "听" (hearing). "宫" (Gong) corresponds to earth, and in the Five Constants it represents trustworthiness, and in the Five Affairs it corresponds to "思" (thought). If we divide them according to the categories of king, minister, people, affairs, and objects, then "宫" (Gong) represents the king, "商" (Shang) represents the minister, "角" (Jue) represents the people, "徵" (Zhi) represents affairs, and "羽" (Yu) represents objects. The term "five affairs" comes from the "Book of Documents · The Mandate of Heaven," referring to the five aspects of human function: appearance, speech, vision, hearing, and thought. When divining and a particular Five Phase is used, one can follow this line of reasoning to determine a person's character, status, and the affairs they oversee.

五音唱和有相焉，故宮為君，君乃臣民事物之體也。是以聞宮聲，使人溫良而寬大。聞商聲，使大方廉而好義。聞角聲，使人惻隱而仁愛。聞徵聲，使人樂養而好施與。聞羽聲，使人恭謹而好禮節。

The five tones harmonize with each other and support one another, so the tone Gong holds the position of the sovereign, and the sovereign is the essence of ministers, people, affairs, and things. Therefore, hearing the sound of Gong makes one gentle, kind, and broad-minded; hearing the sound of Shang makes one upright, honest, and devoted to righteousness; hearing the sound of Jue makes one feel compassion and be benevolent and loving; hearing the sound of Zheng makes one enjoy nurturing and be generous; hearing the sound of Yu makes one be respectful, cautious, and attentive to propriety. This passage discusses how the five tones influence the human mind. When divining, one can reverse this: if the person being divined appears to be gentle, kind, and broad-minded, his useful god is mostly in earth; if he appears to be upright, honest, and devoted to righteousness, his useful god is mostly in metal.

傳曰：五性者，五常之性也，謂仁、義、禮、智、信也。

Ancient legend says that the "five natures" refer to the five constant virtues, namely benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faithfulness. The five natures correspond to the five phases and the five internal organs, forming the direct basis for divination in Six壬 (Liuren) to determine a person's character and the location of illness: if the useful god belongs to wood, it indicates benevolence and illness in the liver; if it belongs to fire, it indicates righteousness and illness in the heart; the rest can be similarly inferred.

仁：《詩緯》曰：木神主仁。言其葉可蔭，其子可啖，所以為仁。《黃帝》曰：木主於肝。《素問》曰：肝者，魂之所居也。義：《詩緯》曰：金神主義。言劍刀剛斷，所以為義。《黃帝》曰：金主於肺。《素問》曰：肺者，魄之所居也。禮：《詩緯》曰：火神主禮。言燭頭不亂，所以為禮。《黃帝》曰：火主於心。《素向》曰：心者，神之所居也。

Ren: The "Shi Wei" says that the wood deity governs "Ren" — its leaves can provide shade for people, and its fruits can fill people's hunger, hence it is Ren. The "Huangdi" says that wood in the human body governs the liver. The "Su Wen" says that the liver is the dwelling place of the "hun." Yi: The "Shi Wei" says that the metal deity governs "Yi" — swords and daggers are hard and can cut through, symbolizing decisive and unhesitating action, hence it is Yi. The "Huangdi" says that metal in the human body governs the lungs. The "Su Wen" says that the lungs are the dwelling place of the "po." Li: The "Shi Wei" says that the fire deity governs "Li" — the candle flame rises upward without scattering, symbolizing order and adherence to boundaries, hence it is Li. The "Huangdi" says that fire in the human body governs the heart. The "Su Wen" says that the heart is the dwelling place of the "shen" (note: the original text mistakenly writes "Su Xiang" instead of "Su Wen," and this is recorded as is).

智：《詩緯》曰：水神主智。言方園隨器，所以為智。《黃帝》曰：水主於腎。《素同》曰：腎者，精之所居也。信：《詩緯》曰：土神主信。言能生育萬物，所以為信。《黃帝》曰：土主於脾。《素問》曰：脾者，意之所居也。

Wisdom: The "Shi Wei" says that the water deity governs "wisdom" — it changes shape according to the roundness or squareness of the vessel, taking its ability to adapt freely, hence it is wisdom (the original text says "yuan" but it is recorded as "yuan"). The "Huang Di" says that water in the human body governs the kidney. The "Su Wen" says that the kidney is the dwelling place of "essence" (the original text says "Su Tong," which is a mistake for "Su Wen," and it is recorded as such). Trust: The "Shi Wei" says that the earth deity governs "trust" — it can give birth to all things without losing the right time, hence it is trust. The "Huang Di" says that earth in the human body governs the spleen. The "Su Wen" says that the spleen is the dwelling place of "intention." The five elements, five constants, five organs, and five deities correspond completely. When diagnosing illness, simply determining the five elements of the useful deity will reveal both the location of the illness and the deity that is harmed.

五行各正其性而相近也。孔子曰：性相近也。水性滿無不鑑，浸無不通，方圓應變。此信而近智也。火性至明而不亂，犯之者焚。此禮而近義也。木性主仁，秋落春榮，被雪而茂。此仁而近信也。金性誅怨反正，此義而近禮也。土性主厚而味甘，物無不載。此智而近仁也。

The Five Phases each have their own inherent nature, yet they are also interconnected and mutually influential. Confucius said, "Human nature is similar," which aligns with this idea. The nature of water is that when full it can illuminate all things, and when it moistens it can reach everywhere; it adapts to any shape and rounds itself accordingly, responding flexibly — this is keeping faith and close to wisdom. The nature of fire is that it is extremely bright yet not scattered, and those who provoke it will be burned — this is observing propriety and close to righteousness. The nature of wood is characterized by benevolence: it sheds leaves in autumn and revives in spring; after snowfall, it becomes even more vigorous — this is benevolence and close to faith. The nature of metal is to eliminate grievances and guide people back to the right path — this is righteousness and close to propriety. The nature of earth is thick and sweet, capable of bearing all things — this is wisdom and close to benevolence. Therefore, when discussing human nature, one should not fixate on a single Phase, but rather consider which aspect it leans toward.

凡用其神，皆主其事。假令正月甲子日寅時占事，用起勝光火神加酉一，上克下為用。若占人性，則執禮而不亂。若占人疾，其病在心。他皆準此例也。

Whenever a particular god is used, it governs the corresponding category of affairs. Here is an example to follow: On the first day of the first lunar month, at the hour of寅 (Tiger), divining an event, the Month General for the first month is 徵明 (Ze Ming) which corresponds to 亥 (Hai). Place 亥 on top of the hour of寅 and rotate the Heaven Plate. The Day Stem is 甲 (Jia), whose earthly branch's Lodging Palace is on 寅. The result obtained on 寅 is 「胜光」 (Sheng Guang) the fire god, which falls on 酉 (You) metal. Fire overcoming metal is 「上克下」 (upper overcoming lower), so this is taken as the Initiating Transmission. Since the Initiating Transmission is the fire god, when divining a person's temperament, it is concluded that the person adheres to rituals and discipline without disorder; when divining illness, it is concluded that the illness is in the heart (fire governs the heart). All other questions are similarly deduced according to this example. (The original text has an extra character 「一」 below 「加酉」, which is retained as is.)

《禮》曰：六情者，好、惡、喜、怒、哀、樂之謂也。

The Li Ji says: the so-called "six emotions" are the six feelings of like, dislike, joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. The following text uses the "qing xing" theory from the Western Han dynasty scholar Yi Feng: assigning the six emotions to the twelve earthly branches, with two branches governing one emotion. When casting a divination, one looks at which pair of branches the useful god falls on, thereby determining the emotion the person is feeling or the type of matter they are dealing with.

好：翼奉傳曰：北方之情好也。好行貪狼，申子主之。孟康曰：北方水，水生於申，盛於子。性觸地而行，觸物而潤，多所好。故好則貪而無厭，故為貪狼之號。

The "Good" (好) is said in the "Book of Han: Biography of Yi Feng" to be the emotion governed by the North. This emotion is characterized by greed and affection. When this emotion is expressed, it is called "Tian Wang" (贪狼), which is governed by the branches Shen and Zi. Meng Kang's commentary explains that the North belongs to water, which is born in Shen and reaches its peak in Zi. Water has the nature of flowing wherever it meets the ground and soaking whatever it touches. It desires many things, so when "Good" becomes excessive, it leads to insatiable greed, hence the name "Tian Wang." When the useful god falls in Shen or Zi during divination, the interpretation should focus on greed, desires, and inability to let go.

惡：翼奉傳曰：南方之情惡也。惡行廉正，寅午主之。孟康曰：南方火，火生於寅，盛於午。性炎猛無所容受，故為惡。其氣精專嚴整，故為廉貞也。

Evil: The "Yi Feng Zhuan" says that the emotion associated with the south is "evil," meaning aversion and rejection; however, the expression of this emotion is "l廉正" (uprightness and integrity), governed by the branches Yin and Wu. Meng Kang's commentary explains that the south belongs to fire, which is born in Yin and vigorous in Wu; fire is fierce and intense, unable to accommodate anything, hence called "evil"; yet its nature is pure and focused, hence it is also called "Lianzhen" (upright and incorruptible). This shows that the same term "evil" can be negative, indicating harshness and intolerance, or positive, indicating integrity and unbending righteousness. When the divination uses Yin and Wu as the main elements, one should consider both aspects.

喜：翼奉傳曰：西方之情喜也。喜行寬大，巳酉主之。孟康曰：西方曰金，金生於巳，盛於酉，金性喜以利刃加行萬物，故為喜。利刃所加，無不寬大，故曰寬大。怒：翼奉傳曰：東方之情怒也。怒行陰賊，亥卯主之。孟康曰：東方木，木生於亥，盛於卯。木性受水氣而生，貫地而出，故為怒。以陰賊害土，故為陰賊也。

Joy: The "Yi Feng Zhuan" says that the emotion associated with the west is "joy"; the expression of joy is "broad-mindedness," governed by the branches Si and You. Meng Kang's commentary explains: the west is associated with metal, which is born in Si and reaches its peak in You; metal's nature is to use its sharp edge to cut through all things, hence called "joy"; where the sharp edge reaches, everything is smooth and open, hence called "broad-mindedness." Anger: The "Yi Feng Zhuan" says that the emotion associated with the east is "anger"; the expression of anger is "secret malice," governed by the branches Hai and Mao. Meng Kang's commentary explains: the east is associated with wood, which is born in Hai and reaches its peak in Mao; wood absorbs water vapor and grows upward, breaking through the ground, which is the force of "anger"; yet it secretly consumes the earth's energy, hence called "secret malice." The six emotions each take the branches of birth and peak as their main influences, which is exactly the use of the triple harmony "birth, peak" positions.

哀：翼奉傳曰：下方之情哀也。哀行公正，戌丑主之。孟康曰：下方謂南方與北方也，陰陽互對，故為下方。戌竊火，丑竊金。《風角》曰：金剛火強，各歸其鄉。故火刑于午，金刑于酉。金火之盛時而受刑，至窮無所歸，故曰哀也，火強無所私，金性方風，故曰公正也。

The emotion associated with the southern and northern directions is sorrow. The expression of sorrow is fairness. The branches戌 and丑 govern this emotion. Meng Kang explained that the term 'southern and northern directions' refers to the south and the north, which are exactly opposite in yin and yang, hence called the southern and northern directions. The branch戌 contains hidden fire (fire is buried in戌), and the branch丑 contains hidden metal (metal is buried in丑). The book Fengjiao says: metal is hard and fire is strong, each returning to its native place. Therefore, fire is harmed at午 and metal is harmed at酉. Metal and fire are at their peak but are harmed, reaching the end with nowhere to go, hence called sorrow. Although fire is strong, it is impartial, and metal is upright, hence called fairness.

樂：翼奉傳曰：上方之情樂也。樂行奸邪，辰未主之。孟康曰：上方謂東方與西方也，陽氣所萌生，故為上。辰窮水，未窮木。《風角》曰：木落歸本，水流趨末，故木刑于亥，水刑于辰。盛衰各得其所，故樂也。水窮則無隙不入，木本上出，窮則傍行其枝，故為奸邪也。

Joy: The "Upper Direction" is said in the "Transmission of Yifeng" to be associated with the emotion of joy; the expression of joy is called "deceit," governed by the branches Chen and Wei. Meng Kang's commentary explains that the "Upper Direction" refers to the east and west, which are the places where yang energy begins to sprout, hence called "upper." Chen is the place where water reaches its end (water is buried in Chen), and Wei is the place where wood reaches its end (wood is buried in Wei). The "Wind Angle" says: when wood withers, it returns to its root, and when water flows, it flows to the end, so wood is harmed by Hai and water is harmed by Chen. Prosperity and decline each reach their proper places, hence called "joy"; however, when water reaches its end, it can penetrate everywhere, and when wood should grow upward but reaches its end, it branches out sideways, hence it is also called "deceit." Xu and Chou govern sorrow and fairness, while Chen and Wei govern joy and deceit. The four burial branches have dual natures, and when they appear in divination, they must be carefully discerned.

翼奉傳曰：夫占事皆以五行之情而斷之。假令用起火神則無私，用起木神無險詖，用起神后則貪淫慾。

The "Yi Feng Zhuan" says: In divination, one must judge based on the nature of the Five Phases. For example, if the useful god originates from the fire deity (寅,午), then it is concluded that the person or matter is impartial and unbiased; if the useful god originates from the wood deity (亥,卯), then it is concluded that the person does not harbor dangerous and perverse intentions ("xian bi" meaning sinister and biased); if the useful god originates from "Shen Hou," which is the water deity (子), then it is concluded that the person is greedy and has excessive desires. This is the direct application of the previous discussion on the six emotions in divination.

論曰：假令用起木神，寅為雜木而文明。寅生火，故曰雜木而明。卯為純木而為賊，根荄有榮瘁，故稱亥卯為陰賊。木性惠狎歡喜，人思息其下，烏思棲其上，惠狎也。王者德之，則連理生，歡喜也。信而受諫，秋落冬瘁，信也。曲直任物，鋸繩從諫也。占遇木者，以木性而解之。木主賊，凌上而虐下。生而必仰，凌上也。深林無草，虐下也。

Discussion: For example, if the Useful God is of the wood element, even though it is the same wood, it should be examined differently. The寅 (Yin) is called "mixed wood" and is associated with civilization, because it contains fire within it and can generate fire, so it is called mixed wood with brightness. The卯 (Mao) is called "pure wood" but is associated with harm, because the roots of plants have both flourishing and withering, which are uncertain, so the亥 (Hai) and卯 (Mao) are called "shadowy harm." The nature of wood is originally benevolent, kind, and harmonious, causing people to rest under it and birds to perch on it, which is called "benevolence and intimacy." A ruler who governs with virtue will see wood grow into intertwined branches as a sign of auspiciousness, which is called "joy." It is trustworthy and willing to accept advice, shedding leaves in autumn and withering in winter without missing the season, which is called "trustworthiness." It can be bent or straightened, taking the shape of whatever it is placed upon, like a saw and a measuring rope used by a carpenter, which is called "accepting advice." When divination encounters wood, these characteristics of wood should be used to interpret the meaning. However, wood can also indicate harm, as it can oppress those above and mistreat those below: trees always grow upward, which is called "overpowering above"; in deep forests, no grass can grow, which is called "oppressing below."