The Primal Numinous Classic of Qimen Dunjia (attributed to Xu Songru of Haichang)

遁甲之說，論者謂始於黃帝，刪於呂望、張良。漢以前往往散見於他書，至於《隋書·藝文志》始有專書一十三卷，唐益倍之。《後漢·張衡傳》鄭元既注九宮之說，而《南齊·高帝本紀》云：“九宮者，一逢、二內、三沖、四輔、五禽、六心、七柱、八任、九英，皆有太過不及之占。”

Concerning the origin of the art of Dun Jia, those who have discussed it throughout history have all said that it was first established by the Yellow Emperor. Later, it was revised and standardized by two military strategists, Lü Shang (Jiang Taigong) and Zhang Liang. Before the Han dynasty, the content of Dun Jia was only scattered in other texts, with no specialized works. It was not until the "Sui Shu · Yiwen Zhi" that dedicated Dun Jia texts were recorded, totaling thirteen volumes. The number of recorded works during the Tang dynasty doubled that of the Sui dynasty. In the "Hou Han Shu · Zhang Heng Zhuan," the Han dynasty scholar Zheng Xuan (originally referred to as "Zheng Yuan" due to taboo avoidance) had already provided annotations on the concept of the "nine palaces." The "Nan Qi Shu · Gao Di Ben Ji" records that the "nine palaces" refer to the first palace as Tian Feng, the second as Tian Nei, the third as Tian Chong, the fourth as Tian Fu, the fifth as Tian Qin, the sixth as Tian Xin, the seventh as Tian Zhu, the eighth as Tian Ren, and the ninth as Tian Ying. Each palace has its own "excess" and "deficiency" divination methods. This system of matching nine stars with nine palaces was already established during the Southern and Northern Dynasties.

唐會要元宗三載十月，術士蘇嘉慶上言，請於京城，置九宮壇：五數而為中，戴九履一，右七左三，二四為上，六八為下，符於遁甲。武宗會昌二年正月，左僕射王起等奏，按黃帝《九宮經》及蕭吉《五行大義》所謂“一宮天蓬卦坎行水方白”者，與今奇門之言星無異。

According to the "Tang Huiyao," in the third year of the Tianbao era of Emperor Xuanzong, the alchemist Su Jiaqing submitted a memorial requesting the establishment of a "Nine Palace Altar" in the capital. The layout of the altar was as follows: the number five was placed in the center, nine above and one below (known as "nine on top and one beneath"), seven on the right and three on the left, with two and four positioned at the upper corners and six and eight at the lower corners—this is exactly the pattern of the Luo Book's Nine Palaces, matching completely with the palace positions used in Dun Jia. In the second year of the Hui Chang era of Emperor Wuzong, the Left Chancellor Wang Qi and others submitted a memorial, examining the "Nine Palace Classic" of the Yellow Emperor and Xiao Ji's "The Great Meaning of the Five Phases." It stated, "the first palace is paired with the Tianpeng Star, the Kan hexagram, belongs to the Water element, is located in the north, and has the color white." This method of pairing palaces with stars is exactly the same as the current system in the Qimen school. This shows that the pairing of palaces with stars was not invented recently, but was already present in official Tang dynasty documents.

宋仁宗時洗馬楊維德篡《奇門符應經》，今亦罕見。明孝成君有《奇門真傳》一書，即今所謂《李氏奇門》也。仇鸞門下士有林徵士者，以奇門兵占屢有奇驗，錦衣陸炳序其書，謂之林氏奇門。而陶真人《遁甲神書》即以李林二氏之書參以他說而謬紊之者也。近今奇門書所流傳者，不下十有餘種。

During the Song Renzong period, the official Yang Weide compiled the "Classic of the Marvelous Gate and Its Responses," but today few copies of this work are extant. In the Ming dynasty, the prince Xiao Cheng wrote the "True Transmission of the Marvelous Gate," which is commonly known as the "Li Family Marvelous Gate." Among the followers of the general Qiu Luan, there was a man named Lin Zhengshi, who used the Marvelous Gate to predict military affairs with frequent accuracy. The imperial guard commander Lu Bing wrote a preface for his book, which is known as the "Lin Family Marvelous Gate." As for the "Dun Jia Divine Book" transmitted by Tao the Immortal, it actually combines the works of the Li and Lin families, and also incorporates other miscellaneous writings, leading to a disordered structure and many errors. Recently, there are already more than ten versions of Marvelous Gate texts circulating. The author of the preface lists this lineage in order to explain that although the Marvelous Gate has had various editions since the Song and Ming dynasties, few of them are reliable, and most have been compiled through repeated copying and merging. This is precisely the reason he wishes to reissue a correct and standardized version of the book.

而眾說紛紜，人樹一幟，敝帚千金，無從別白，或詭誕而不正，或荒謬而難憑，或言多隱秘，或法少變通。求其近理而不悖聖賢之論者，鮮矣。是書之刻，言歸於正理，取可通其動靜、吉凶、生克、制伏，皆足以前民用而輔易道之所未備。而其中一字一義，有兩說三說者，均亦存之。至於書符誦咒，似非正道，概從略焉。

However, there are many conflicting views among different schools of thought, each establishing its own school of thought and regarding its own insights as precious as gold. Readers have no way to distinguish truth from falsehood. Some books are strange and absurd, deviating from the correct path; others are full of errors and not reliable; some obscure the key points and refuse to explain them clearly; others rigidly adhere to old methods without knowing how to adapt. It is very rare to find a book that explains things in a plain and reasonable way without contradicting the teachings of the sages. The purpose of publishing this book is to return to the correct principles: any content that can clarify movement and stillness, good fortune and misfortune, mutual generation and mutual control, and methods of subduing and resolving issues will be included, because all these are sufficient to guide the daily lives of common people and supplement the parts that the Yi Jing does not elaborate on. If the same word or the same meaning has two or three interpretations within the book, they will all be preserved without arbitrary selection. As for practices such as drawing talismans and reciting spells, which seem not to be the right path, they are all omitted.

光緒九年癸未歲孟冬月　隱溪居士書

This preface was written in the ninth year of the Guangxu era, which corresponds to the Guiwei cycle in the sexagenary system, during the first month of winter (the tenth lunar month). The author signed himself as "Yinxix Ju Shi." It is not stated in the book whether this person is the same as Xu Songru, a native of Haichang, who is named at the beginning of the volume.

卷一：奇門起例、陰陽遁、陰陽各局、三元符頭、三奇、六儀、九星、奇儀順逆、值符、值使、定用神訣、訣曰、伏身訣、先天定六親訣、演數七要、數主吉凶歌訣、日奇門、八卦源流、奇門節氣八卦圖。 卷二：八門值事、九宮值符、值使、十干吉凶宜忌、九遁吉凶宜忌、天盤加地盤吉凶。 卷三：奇門捷徑秘訣、九星克應決、中宮值日九星歌訣。

Volume one lays the foundation of the entire text, explaining in order the overall steps for setting up a Qimen layout, the distinction between Yang Dun and Yin Dun, the structure numbers corresponding to each of the twenty-four solar terms, the method for determining the Three Marvels (Yi, Bing, Ding), the Six Instruments (the hidden codes for six Jia cycles), the names of the nine stars, the method for arranging the Qimen symbols in order and reverse, and the methods for determining the Chief Symbol and Duty Gate. The latter half of the volume includes several sets of mnemonic verses for selecting the Useful God, determining the position of the self, identifying the Six Relations, and interpreting numbers to judge fortune and misfortune. It ends with a table for daily Qimen palace arrangements, the origins of the Eight Trigrams, and a diagram showing the pairing of solar terms with trigrams. Volume two shifts to general principles of application, discussing the affairs each of the eight gates oversees, the appropriate uses for the Chief Symbol and Duty Gate in each of the nine palaces, the auspicious and inauspicious aspects of each of the ten heavenly stems, the appropriate and inauspicious uses of the nine types of concealment (tian dun, di dun, etc.), and the auspicious or inauspicious implications of each combination of heavenly stem on the Heaven Plate and earthly branch on the Earth Plate. Volume three focuses on quick decision-making, containing three sets of mnemonic verses: "Qimen Ji Jing Mi Fa" (Secret Method for Rapid Qimen Judgment), the Song of Nine Stars' Responses, and the Song of Nine Stars in the Central Palace on the Day of the Value, for use in urgent situations.

卷四：占天時、占晴雨、占晴、占雨、占雪。 卷五：占歲時豐歉、占歲內豐歉、占田禾、又法占田禾、占蝗蝻、占蠶利、又法占蠶利。 卷六：占地理法、占安葬遷改。 卷七：造宅三白占家宅歌、占家宅、占起造、占修宅舍、占遷移、占分居。 卷八：占功名、又法占科名、占歲考等第、占科舉會試中式、占殿試甲第、占武舉、占投武、占納粟。 卷九：占升遷、占上任吉凶、占新任地方如何、占歷任歸結、占官員有故降伐、占徵召、占應差、占請假、占領文遲速。

Volume four specializes in divining weather conditions. It begins with a general song, then divides into sections on clear weather, rain, snow, and other weather conditions. Volume five divines the abundance or scarcity of a year's harvest: first, it examines the annual fortune, then the nine palaces and their corresponding regions at the time of the beginning of spring, and then separately divines the condition of crops, locusts, and sericulture. Volume six discusses geomancy. The first part is the "method of divining geography" which uses nine stars and eight gates to determine the elevation of terrain and underground treasures. The second part concerns the timing for burial and relocation of graves. Volume seven discusses residential matters. It begins with the "Song of Three Whites for Building a House," followed by sections on the safety of the household, building a new house, repairing an old one, moving house, and dividing property. Volume eight deals with official rank and examinations, including local and county exams, imperial examinations, palace exams, military examinations, enlistment, and the practice of donating grain for official status. Volume nine discusses official careers, including promotions, the auspiciousness of taking up a post, the quality of new posts, the outcomes after completing a term of service, the punishment of officials for misconduct, being summoned by the court, serving in official duties, requesting leave, and the speed of receiving official documents. These six volumes belong to the two major categories of "heavenly conditions and geographical advantages" and "family and official rank," forming the first half of the practical applications in the entire book. The method of using the useful god varies for each section: for divining weather, the nine stars are used; for divining the harvest, the star of the year and the corresponding region are used; for divining geography, the images of the nine stars and eight gates are used; for divining houses, the life gate and the relationship between the gate and the palace are used; for divining official rank, the Wenqu star and the six dings are used; and for divining official careers, the open door and the great year and month builder are used.

卷十：占婚姻、又法占婚姻、占招贅。 卷十一：占胎孕、占生產。 卷十二：占疾病、占患眼疾、占壽數。 卷十三：占詞訟、占興訟並呈狀、占官事催提緩急、占刑獄重輕、占罪輕重、占罪人開釋、占出獄、占官事牽連、占口舌官訟、占被訪吉凶、占和事。 卷十四：占出行期、占道途吉凶、占同伴善惡、占店主善惡、占出行、占未出行先定歸期、占登舟、占水陸。 卷十五：占行人、又法占行人、占遠信、在外占家中平安否、占外人安否、占回本鄉。

Volume ten discusses marriage, with both the main method and another method presented, followed by a section on recruiting a son-in-law. Volume eleven covers childbirth, divided into two sections: pregnancy and childbirth. Volume twelve deals with illness, divided into three sections: general divination of diseases, specific divination of eye diseases, and calculation of lifespan. Volume thirteen discusses lawsuits and legal matters, with the most detailed sections, covering eleven items from initiating a lawsuit and the urgency of the court's summons, the severity of criminal cases, the seriousness of the charges, the release of the accused, their release from prison, being implicated, disputes, being reported by others, and resolving matters through mediation. Volume fourteen discusses traveling, starting with determining the departure date, then examining the fortune of the road, the fortune of companions, and the fortune of the innkeeper, followed by a general judgment on traveling, determining the return date before departure, boarding a boat, and whether to travel by water or land. Volume fifteen discusses people away from home, including determining whether a distant traveler will return (with another method appended), distant letters, determining whether one's home is safe while away, determining the safety of others, and determining whether one can return to one's hometown. The six volumes cover matters closely related to human affairs, with each using its own specific useful god: for marriage, Yi represents the woman and Geng represents the man; for childbirth, the Kun palace represents the mother; for illness, Tian Rui represents the disease spirit; for lawsuits, Open Door represents the official and Jing Door represents the litigation spirit; for traveling, the heavenly stem of the time represents the traveler and Open Door represents the travel date; whether a traveler returns depends on the distance between Tian Peng and Tian Rui.

卷十六：占求財、占求財謀望、占放債、占索債、占借貸財物、占賒取給否、占囑託求人、占事成否。 卷十七：占貿易、又法占貿易、占合夥、占生意興隆否、占貿易利息、占贖物產。 卷十八：占走失、占失物、又法占失物、占捕亡、占官差拿人獲否、占捕捉逃走、占捕盜、占逃難、占逃避、占小賊盜、占人謀害。 卷十九：占尋師訪友、占訪友、占訪人、占見貴人、占謁見、占請人遠近來否、占遠客來意、占約期、占訪館。 卷二十：占燒丹成否、占禱祀、占飲食、占牛馬羊騾牲畜、占漁獵、又法占漁獵。

Volume sixteen discusses wealth, including seeking wealth, seeking wealth along with matters of affairs, lending money, collecting debts, borrowing property, whether debts can be paid, entrusting someone to do something, and whether things will succeed or not, totaling eight sections. Volume seventeen discusses business, divided into trade (with another method attached), partnerships, whether a business will thrive, the thickness of profits and interest from trade, and redeeming property, among other sections. Volume eighteen is the longest, discussing the recovery of people and objects: missing people and animals, losing property (with another method attached), capturing fugitives, whether officials can apprehend someone, chasing away persons, capturing thieves, avoiding danger, escaping from enemies or revenge, preventing theft, and guarding against harm from others, totaling eleven items. Volume nineteen discusses interpersonal relations, including seeking a wise teacher, visiting friends, searching for people, seeking to meet a nobleman, visiting superiors, whether someone can be invited, the intentions of distant guests, setting an appointment date, and seeking a place to stay (for the purpose of teaching). Volume twenty is more miscellaneous, discussing whether alchemy can succeed, worship and prayers, the simplicity or abundance of food, the safety or danger of cattle, horses, sheep, and donkeys, and the results of hunting and fishing (with another method attached). These five volumes cover the book's sections on livelihood and social interactions. The key deities used are the Life Gate, Chief Symbol, and Tianyi. When asking about wealth, one must look at the Life Gate. When distinguishing between host and guest, the Chief Symbol belongs to one's own side, and Tianyi belongs to the other side. When asking about pursuit, the Shang Men is used for the pursuer, and Liu He or Xuanwu for the person being pursued. When reading, remember these points, and the methods for each section can be applied to other similar situations.

卷二十一：占鴉鳴、占雀噪、占犬吠釜鳴火笑牝雞鳴等類、占夢兆、占四體動吉凶。 卷二十二：占人物、又法占人物。 卷二十三：占來意法、射覆。 卷二十四：占賊盜敵兵去來、占賊來否、占賊情虛實、占伏兵有無、占賊臨境城可居否、占攻城、占守城、占援兵、占勝敗、占聞報虛實、占來人善惡、占使人探偵、占行間其地、占詐誘彼墮計中否、占出兵領餉、占行兵無水、占行迷路、五符造天關。

Volume twenty-one discusses the divination methods for various strange omens: such as crows calling, sparrows making noise, dogs barking, pots ringing, explosions, and roosters crowing, as well as abnormal physical phenomena like dreams, eye twitching, and ear heat indicating good or bad fortune. Volume twenty-two deals with "divination of people," using long rhyming verses to determine the identity and appearance of the person coming to the door, with an additional method appended. Volume twenty-three covers "divination of the purpose," meaning determining the reason for the visitor's coming without them speaking, ending with a section on guessing an object (shèfù). Volume twenty-four is the entire section on military divination, the most detailed chapter in the book: it includes topics such as enemy movements, whether thieves are coming or not, the truth or falsehood of enemy intelligence, presence of hidden troops, whether a city can be defended when the enemy approaches, attacking and defending a city, reinforcements, victory or defeat, the authenticity of military reports, the morality of the person coming, sending spies, employing spies, using deception to lure the enemy, issuing troops and receiving pay, finding water while marching, getting lost and determining direction, and finally concluding with a section on "five symbols and the heavenly gate" to determine the auspiciousness of the direction of crows and magpies' calls.

冬至、小寒、大寒――――坎卦 立春、雨水、驚蜇――――艮卦 春分、清明、穀雨――――震卦 立夏、小滿、芒種――――巽卦 夏至、小暑、大暑――――離卦 立秋、處暑、白露――――坤卦 秋分、寒露、霜降――――兌卦 立冬、小雪、大雪――――乾卦

This is a table matching the twenty-four solar terms with the eight trigrams. It consists of four rows and eight columns, with two columns side by side. Each column governs three solar terms. To use it, first determine which solar term the day in question belongs to, then follow the horizontal line in the middle to find which trigram it belongs to. The corresponding palace of that trigram is the palace used for that solar term. The three solar terms of winter solstice, minor cold, and major cold belong to the Kan trigram, which corresponds to the first palace and due north. The three solar terms of beginning of spring, rain water, and惊蛰 (start of thunder) belong to the Gen trigram, which corresponds to the eighth palace and northeast. The three solar terms of spring equinox, clear and bright, and grain rain belong to the Zhen trigram, which corresponds to the third palace and due east. The three solar terms of beginning of summer, minor heat, and major heat belong to the Xun trigram, which corresponds to the fourth palace and southeast. The three solar terms of summer solstice, minor heat, and major heat belong to the Li trigram, which corresponds to the ninth palace and due south. The three solar terms of beginning of autumn, heat cessation, and white dew belong to the Kun trigram, which corresponds to the second palace and southwest. The three solar terms of autumn equinox, light frost, and frost descent belong to the Dui trigram, which corresponds to the seventh palace and due west. The three solar terms of beginning of winter, minor snow, and major snow belong to the Qian trigram, which corresponds to the sixth palace and northwest. The twenty-four solar terms are exactly grouped into three, matching the eight trigrams, which is what is referred to later as "one trigram governs three solar terms."

甲子旬頭起艮，甲戌飛入離宮。 猿猴來入水晶宮，甲午坤中不動。 若見龍興震地，更見虎嘯生風。 九星殿上顯能功，太乙臨之發用。 太乙求財萬事通，攝提門前鬧重重。 軒轅出入多驚恐，招搖動處血光紅。 天符正宜打獵吉，青龍動處干財豐。 咸池多怕官事起，太陰婦女結婚禮。 天乙門中必遇貴，此法千金莫與窮。

The first six lines explain the sequence of the six Jia units in the ten-day cycle: the beginning of the Jiazi cycle starts from the Gen palace (eighth palace), the beginning of the Jiaxu cycle enters the Li palace (ninth palace); "monkey" refers to Shen, meaning the beginning of the Jiashen cycle falls into the Kan palace, which is beautifully called the crystal palace in the poem; the beginning of the Jiawu cycle stops at the Kun palace (second palace) and does not move; "dragon" refers to Chen, meaning the beginning of the Jiachen cycle arises from the Zhen palace (third palace); "tiger" refers to Yin, meaning the beginning of the Jiayin cycle falls into the Xun palace (fourth palace) and produces wind. Then it shifts to discuss the verification of the nine stars: these nine stars each have their own functions on the board, and when Taiyi star is in the palace, it is the time of action. Taiyi governs seeking wealth, and all matters are smooth; SheTi entering the gate causes much quarrel and disturbance at the door; XuanYuan governs being startled when entering or leaving; ZhaoYao causing action indicates bloodshed; TianFu is favorable for hunting and indicates good fortune; QingLong causing action governs abundant wealth; XianChi is most feared for causing lawsuits; TaiYin governs the joy of women's marriage and wedding; TianYi entering the gate certainly meets a nobleman. This method of interpretation is extremely important, so it is said to be worth a thousand gold, and should not be lightly passed on to those who do not appreciate its value.

太乙、青龍、太陰、天乙吉，天符、軒轅中平，攝提、招搖、咸池凶。

The nine stars are divided into three categories based on their auspicious or inauspicious nature: the four stars of Taiyi, Qinglong, Taiyin, and Tianyi are considered auspicious, and when they occupy a palace, they indicate smoothness and success. The two stars of Tianfu and Xuanyan are of medium quality, neither auspicious nor inauspicious by themselves; their effects must be determined by the interaction between the door and the palace. The three stars of SheTi, ZhaoYao, and XianChi are considered inauspicious, and when they occupy a palace, they indicate disputes, bloodshed, and legal troubles. When making a judgment, first determine which star is occupying the palace of the matter in question, and use this to establish the overall auspicious or inauspicious tone, then proceed to analyze in detail.

其法先分陰陽，次詳節氣，次察符頭，乃以陰陽順逆分佈儀奇，而得地盤。然後以符頭加用時干上，如前法分佈儀奇，察其符頭在何宮，即以何星為值符。又從符頭宮起數至用時止，即以何門加於此宮為值使，而得天盤。設例如左。

The process of setting up a divination layout must be done in order. The first step is to determine yin and yang: look at the day of the divination to see if it is after the winter solstice or the summer solstice. If it is after the winter solstice, use "Yang Dun"; if it is after the summer solstice, use "Yin Dun". The second step is to check the solar term, to determine which of the twenty-four solar terms the day belongs to. The third step is to observe the "symbol head" (fu tou), that is, according to the method of upper, middle, and lower trigrams, determine which Jia decade the time of the divination belongs to. The fourth step is to distribute the "Six Instruments" (Jiaziwu, Jiaxuj, Jiasheng, Jiawuxin, Jiachenren, Jiayin) and the "Three Marvels" (Yi, Bing, Ding) into the nine palaces according to the order of yin and yang, either in a forward or reverse direction. This layer is called the "Earth Plate," which is a fixed base. After the Earth Plate is set, the instrument represented by the symbol head is added to the heavenly stem of the time used, and the instruments and marvels are redistributed again according to the previous forward or reverse rules. At this point, observe which palace the symbol head falls into, and take the star of that palace as the "Chief Symbol." Then, starting from the palace where the symbol head originally was, count to the time used, and determine which palace is reached. The door of the original palace is then moved to that palace and serves as the "Duty Gate." This completed layer is called the "Heaven Plate," which is a movable disk that changes with the time. Below are two examples to illustrate this.

假如芒種後癸亥日丙辰時，芒種在夏至前、冬至後，為陽遁。癸亥繫芒種下元，是陽九局，順布六儀（甲子戊在離，甲戌己在坎，甲申庚在坤，甲午辛在震，甲辰壬在巽，甲寅癸在中宮），逆布三奇（乙奇在艮，丙奇在兌，丁奇在乾），是為地盤。丙辰繫甲寅符頭，故以中宮之癸加兌宮丙上為值符，依次順布。又以天禽加兌，順布心、柱，亦如上法。又自中宮甲寅順數至丙辰，亦在兌宮，即借坤宮死門加於兌宮，為值使，是為天盤。

Let's take an example of Yang Dun. Suppose the day is a Guihai day in the Bingchen hour after Mangzhong. Mangzhong comes before Summer Solstice and after Winter Solstice, so it belongs to Yang Dun according to the previous rule. Now check the three yuan. Guihai day is the lower yuan of Mangzhong, and the lower yuan of Mangzhong uses the ninth chart, so it is determined as Yang Dun ninth chart. The rule for Yang Dun is that the six instruments are arranged in order and the three marvels are arranged in reverse. Arranging the six instruments in order, we get Jiazi Wu in the Li nine palace, Jiaxu Ji in the Kan one palace, Jiashen Geng in the Kun two palace, Jiawu Xin in the Zhen three palace, Jiachen Ren in the Xun four palace, and Jiayin Gui in the central palace. Arranging the three marvels in reverse, we get Yi in the Gen eight palace, Bing in the Dui seven palace, and Ding in the Qian six palace. This layer is the earth plate. Now look at the Bingchen hour, which belongs to the Jiayin decade, so the symbol head is Jiayin; the instrument represented by Jiayin is Gui, which is currently in the central palace. Therefore, we lift the Gui from the central palace and add it to the Dui palace's Bing, making the Dui palace the palace of the chief symbol. The other instruments are then arranged in order. The nine stars also move accordingly: the original star in the central palace is Tianqin, so we add Tianqin to the Dui palace, and then arrange Tianxin, Tianzhu, and so on in order. Finally, determine the duty gate: starting from Jiayin in the central palace and counting forward to Bingchen, we still arrive at the Dui palace; the central palace itself does not have a gate, so during Yang Dun we borrow the death gate from the Kun palace to use, thus adding the death gate to the Dui palace as the duty gate. This layer is the heaven plate.

又如霜降後甲寅日辛未時，為陰遁八局，逆布六儀（戊在艮，己在兌，庚在乾，辛在中，壬在巽，癸在震），順布三奇（乙在離，丙在坎，丁在坤），為地盤。辛未繫甲子符頭，故以艮宮戊加中宮辛為值符，依次逆布，又以天任加中，逆布英、蓬。又自艮宮甲子逆數至辛未，在坎，即以艮宮生門加於坎為值使，是為天盤。

Another example of Yin Dun. Suppose the day is Jiayin, which falls after Shuangjiang, and the time is Xinwei. Checking the chart, we find that Yin Dun Eight Arrays should be used. The rules of Yin Dun are exactly the opposite of Yang Dun: the Six Instruments are arranged in reverse order, while the Three Marvels are arranged in the normal order. Arranging the Six Instruments in reverse order, we get Wu in Gen Eight Palace, Ji in Dui Seven Palace, Wu in Qian Six Palace, Xin in Central Five Palace, Ren in Xun Four Palace, and Gui in Zhen Three Palace. Arranging the Three Marvels in normal order, we get Yi in Li Nine Palace, Bing in Kan One Palace, and Ding in Kun Two Palace. This is the Earth Plate. The time Xinwei belongs to the Jiazi ten-day cycle, so the symbol head is Jiazi. The instrument represented by Jiazi is Wu, which is currently in Gen Palace. Therefore, we add Wu from Gen Palace to the Central Palace's Xin, making the Central Palace the position of the Chief Symbol. The other instruments are then arranged in reverse order. The Nine Stars also follow the same movement: the original star in Gen Palace is Tian Ren, which is added to the Central Palace, and then Tian Ying and Tian Peng are arranged in reverse order. To determine the Duty Gate, we count backwards from Jiazi in Gen Palace to Xinwei, arriving at Kan One Palace. Thus, the original Life Gate in Gen Palace is added to Kan Palace to serve as the Duty Gate. At this point, the Heaven Plate is completed. Comparing the two examples, we can see that in Yang Dun everything proceeds in the normal order, while in Yin Dun everything proceeds in the reverse order. The only common feature is that the Central Palace has no gate and must borrow the gate from Kun or Gen Palace.

冬至後用陽遁，夏至後用陰遁。

The entire year is divided into two halves by the two solstices. From the day of the winter solstice until the day before the summer solstice, yang energy gradually increases, and the method used is called "Yang Dun." In this case, the six instruments are arranged in a clockwise order while the three marvels are arranged counterclockwise. From the day of the summer solstice until the day before the winter solstice, yin energy gradually increases, and the method used is called "Yin Dun." Here, the six instruments are arranged counterclockwise while the three marvels are arranged clockwise. This is the fundamental principle for starting a layout in the art of Qi Men. The assignment of solar terms, the selection of structure numbers, and the direction of movement for the instruments and marvels are all determined by this principle. Therefore, the first step in starting a layout is to determine which half of the year the day of the divination falls into.

附一卦管三節。 冬至一七四 小寒二八五 大寒三九六 卦屬坎 立春八五二 雨水九六三 驚蜇一七四 卦屬艮 春分三九六 清明四一七 穀雨五二八 卦屬震 立夏四一七 小滿五二八 芒種六三九 卦屬巽 夏至九三六 小暑八二五 大暑七一四 卦屬離 立秋二五八 處暑一四七 白露九三六 卦屬坤 秋分七一四 寒露六九三 霜降五八二 卦屬兌 立冬六九三 小雪五八二 大雪四七一 卦屬乾

This is the chart of the twenty-four solar terms, arranged in eight rows, with each row governing one trigram and three solar terms. At the end of each row, the corresponding trigram is noted. The way to read it is: the three numbers in each cell represent the structure numbers used for the upper, middle, and lower periods of each solar term, respectively. First, determine whether the day in question belongs to the upper, middle, or lower period based on the trigram symbol. Then, locate the corresponding position in the cell for that solar term and use the number there as the structure number for that day. For example, on the winter solstice, the upper period uses one structure, the middle period uses seven, and the lower period uses four. For the lesser cold, it is two, eight, and five; for the great cold, it is three, nine, and six. These three solar terms all belong to the坎 (Kan) trigram. On the beginning of spring, it is eight, five, and two; for the rainwater, it is nine, six, and three; for the awakening of insects, it is one, seven, and four, all belonging to the艮 (Gen) trigram. On the spring equinox, it is three, nine, and six; for the clear and bright, it is four, one, and seven; for the grain rain, it is five, two, and eight, all belonging to the震 (Zhen) trigram. On the beginning of summer, it is four, one, and seven; for the lesser fullness, it is five, two, and eight; for the wheat growing, it is six, three, and nine, all belonging to the巽 (Xun) trigram. These four trigrams and twelve solar terms, all occurring after the winter solstice, use the Yang Dun method. On the summer solstice, it is nine, three, and six; for the lesser heat, it is eight, two, and five; for the great heat, it is seven, one, and four, all belonging to the离 (Li) trigram. On the beginning of autumn, it is two, five, and eight; for the heat cessation, it is one, four, and seven; for the white dew, it is nine, three, and six, all belonging to the坤 (Kun) trigram. On the autumn equinox, it is seven, one, and four; for the light frost, it is six, nine, and three; for the frost's descent, it is five, eight, and two, all belonging to the兑 (Dui) trigram. On the beginning of winter, it is six, nine, and three; for the light snow, it is five, eight, and two; for the heavy snow, it is four, seven, and one, all belonging to the乾 (Qian) trigram. These four trigrams and twelve solar terms, all occurring after the summer solstice, use the Yin Dun method. The phrase 'one trigram governs three solar terms' at the beginning of the chart refers to the system where each trigram governs three solar terms.

甲己干加子午卯酉為上元，加寅申巳亥為中元，加辰戌丑未為下元。

To determine the three periods (上元, 中元, 下元), one must look at the day's stem and branch. Any day where the day stem is Jia or Ji is the start of a new period, and such a day is called 「symbol head」. Then examine the day's earthly branch: if it is Zi, Wu, Mao, or You, it belongs to 「upper period」; if it is Yin, Shen, Si, or Hai, it belongs to 「middle period」; if it is Chen, Xu, Chou, or Wei, it belongs to 「lower period」. After determining the upper, middle, and lower periods, refer back to the previous structure number table, take the first, second, or third number in the column corresponding to the current solar term, and that gives the required structure number. Once the symbol head is established, the following five days are under its jurisdiction until the next Jia or Ji day starts a new period.

乙為日奇，丙為月奇，丁為星奇。

The Three Marvels are the three most esteemed heavenly stems on the Qi Men disk. Yi is called the "Day Marvel," symbolizing the sun, governing matters of growth, documents, and harmonious relationships; Bing is called the "Month Marvel," symbolizing the moon, governing brightness, authority, and overcoming darkness; Ding is called the "Star Marvel," symbolizing stars, and is the most effective of the Three Marvels, governing achieving things in secrecy, concealment, and the transmission of documents. Whenever an action is taken and the Three Marvels are present in the palace, it is considered beneficial. In the subsequent volumes, when judging auspiciousness and inauspiciousness, the repeated emphasis on whether the Three Marvels are present is due to this reason.

甲子戊、甲戌己、甲申庚、甲午辛、甲辰壬、甲寅癸。

The Six Instruments are hidden codes representing the first day of each of the six Jia decades. On the Qimen disk, the character Jia is not directly written but is hidden behind another heavenly stem. This is the origin of the term "Dun Jia" (Hidden Jia). The method of arrangement is as follows: the Jia of the Jiazi decade is hidden behind Wu; the Jia of the Jiaxu decade is hidden behind Ji; the Jia of the Jiashen decade is hidden behind Geng; the Jia of the Jiawu decade is hidden behind Xin; the Jia of the Jiachen decade is hidden behind Ren; and the Jia of the Jiayin decade is hidden behind Gui. When setting up the disk, the characters Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui are arranged in order. Seeing these characters is equivalent to seeing the corresponding Jia of that decade. The Six Instruments combined with the Three Marvels are called "Qi Yi" (Marvels and Instruments), and together they form all the content arranged in the nine palaces of the Earth Plate.

一天蓬、二天芮、三天沖、四天輔、五天禽、六天心、七天柱、八天任、九天英。

The nine stars are arranged according to the nine palace positions. The number before each star indicates its original palace: the first palace, Kan position, is Tianpeng Star; the second palace, Kun position, is Tianrui Star; the third palace, Zhen position, is Tianchong Star; the fourth palace, Xun position, is Tianfu Star; the fifth palace, the center, is Tianqin Star; the sixth palace, Qian position, is Tianxin Star; the seventh palace, Dui position, is Tianzhu Star; the eighth palace, Gen position, is Tianren Star; and the ninth palace, Li position, is Tianying Star. This sequence represents the original positions of the nine stars on the Earth Plate. When setting up the chart, one should first memorize this order, so that the stars on the Heaven Plate can be rotated accordingly with the value symbol. Among the nine stars, Tianxin, Tianren, Tianfu, and Tianqin are generally auspicious, while Tianpeng, Tianrui, Tianzhu, and Tianying are usually inauspicious. Tianchong is active and unpredictable. When predicting various matters in the following text, one should first check which star is located in the palace where the matter occurs.

陽局順布六儀逆布三奇，陰遁逆布六儀順布三奇。

When arranging the Earth Plate, the movement direction of the Six Instruments and the Three Marvels is exactly opposite. Moreover, the Yin and Yang arrangements are also reversed with each other. In the Yang Dun arrangement, the Six Instruments fly in the order of one palace, two palaces, three palaces, etc., moving clockwise through the nine palaces, while the Three Marvels move counterclockwise through the nine palaces. In the Yin Dun arrangement, the Six Instruments move counterclockwise, while the Three Marvels move clockwise. Remember the phrase "Yang arrangement has instruments moving forward and marvels moving backward, Yin arrangement has instruments moving backward and marvels moving forward," and the Earth Plate will not be arranged incorrectly.

察用時繫何宮儀所轄，即以何宮之儀及星加時干上，為值符。

The method of determining the 'Chief Symbol' is: first look at which of the six jia periods the used hour belongs to. Then find where the instrument of that period falls on the Earth Plate, and take that palace's instrument along with its star, and add them to the palace where the heavenly stem of the used hour is located. The palace where they are added becomes the Chief Symbol palace, and the star that follows is the Chief Symbol star of this chart. The Chief Symbol is the overall commander of the entire chart. When divining, if the question is about the main person involved or about one's own side, the Chief Symbol is usually taken as the Useful God.

察用時繫何宮何儀所轄，從何宮數至用時得幾宮，即以何宮地盤之門加於幾宮，為值使，陽遁順數，陰遁逆數。

The method of determining the "Duty Gate" is as follows: first, check which decade the used hour belongs to, and then determine which palace on the Earth Plate the heavenly stem of that decade falls into. From this palace, count down according to the order of the hour within the decade until reaching the hour in question. The palace where the count stops is the one to which the Duty Gate is assigned. The original gate on the Earth Plate of the starting palace is then moved to the palace where the count ends, and this gate becomes the Duty Gate of the chart. The direction of counting depends on yin and yang: in Yang Dun, count clockwise through the nine palaces; in Yin Dun, count counterclockwise. The Duty Gate serves as the vanguard of the entire chart. When divining, if the question concerns an action or a person involved, the Duty Gate is often used as the Useful God.

以數少者為先，數多者為後，不必分時先時後。占官以數多者為先，數少者為後。

When determining the Useful God, one must first distinguish between the earlier and later. For ordinary matters, the side with the smaller number is considered 'earlier', and the side with the larger number is considered 'later', without needing to consider the actual order of time. However, in cases concerning official positions or career paths, this is reversed: the side with the larger number is considered 'earlier', and the side with the smaller number is 'later', because officials and nobles are esteemed for their higher status, differing from the method used for common affairs. Only after determining the order of earlier and later can one proceed to assess the nearness or distance of the response.

身居之宮發動時，時先時後任君推。 時先過去宜再運，時後將來應有期。 若遇日辰須作主，相逢月建亦同之。 年月日時皆有用，事憑遠近定相宜。

This passage continues to explain the method of determining the sequence. The "body" of the person being questioned falls into a particular palace; the moment when that palace is activated is when the event will occur. Whether the time is before or after the hour is determined by the diviner based on the number from the previous rule. If it is judged as "time before," it means the appointed time has already passed, and the event will have to wait for another cycle to occur again; if it is judged as "time after," it means the appointed time is still in the future and an exact date can be determined. When encountering the day branch, which is the day's stem and branch falling into the relevant palace, use the day branch to determine the time. When encountering the month builder, which is the month's branch falling into the relevant palace, the method is the same as with the day branch. In summary, the year, month, day, and hour levels can all be used. Which level to use depends on whether the matter in question is long-term or short-term: long-term matters use the year and month, while short-term matters use the day and hour.

己占己事即己身，若問他人便有因。 與我有因即是我，與我無涉即他身。 一白入中身在六，二黑入中身在七。 三碧入中身在八，四綠入中身在九。 五黃入中身在一，依次順推知其機。 但得飛身顛倒訣，未來過去明如月。 惟有酉居坎不同，一白入中身在五。 戌亥之時機甚微，今將用法傳古今。

This method specifically explains how to find the palace that represents oneself on the disk, a term called "shen." When one divines for oneself, oneself is the shen; when asking about someone else, one must determine if there is a connection between the person and oneself: if there is a connection, then oneself remains the shen; if not, then the person in question becomes the shen. The method of finding the shen follows the flying palace system: when the one white star enters the central palace, the shen falls in the sixth palace; when the two black star enters the central palace, the shen falls in the seventh palace; when the three green star enters the central palace, the shen falls in the eighth palace; when the four green star enters the central palace, the shen falls in the ninth palace; when the five yellow star enters the central palace, the shen falls in the first palace, and so on in this order. Mastering this "flying shen reversal" method allows one to see the past and future as clearly as the moon. There is, however, one exception: when divining at the酉 (you) hour and the one white star is in the kan palace, it does not follow the usual rule, and when the one white star enters the central palace, the shen falls in the fifth palace. For the戌 (xu) and亥 (hai) hours, the method is even more subtle, so it is specially written down to pass on to future generations.

五為戊己大煞，常人不用。酉亥戌皆係一白入中，身居五。

Here we explain the exception to the usual rule. The five palaces belong to the central Wu Ji earth, which is the dwelling place of the Great Sha. Normally, people do not take the five palace as the self when divining matters, so during the regular progression, they skip over it. However, the three hours of You, Xu, and Hai are special cases: whenever the first white palace is placed in the center and the divination is done during these three hours, the self should still be placed in the five palace, and should not be progressed according to the usual rule to the sixth palace. These three hours are special precisely because they occur at the time when yin energy is becoming more dominant and yang energy is retreating, a time when subtle changes occur, differing from the other nine hours.

青龍發動定求財，田宅明堂父母排。 詞訟天刑官鬼事，文書朱雀遠人回。 天財金匱成交易，天德恩星官祿來。 白虎武名主口舌，功名定是玉堂栽。 天牢奴僕同六畜，玄武陰宮妻妾陪。 司命子孫為福德，勾陳疾病不須猜。

This method assigns the Earlier Heaven divine stars to the Six Relations and various matters. When divining, if a particular deity appears, it indicates the corresponding matter. The Azure Dragon indicates seeking wealth; the Bright Hall relates to fields and houses, as well as parents; Heavenly Punishment relates to lawsuits and also to officials and legal troubles; the Vermilion Bird relates to documents and can also indicate whether a traveler will return. The Golden Chest, also known as Heavenly Wealth, relates to successful transactions; Heavenly Virtue, an auspicious star, indicates the arrival of official positions and salaries. The White Tiger relates to military affairs and disputes; the Jade Hall relates to fame and academic success, and its presence indicates achievement in these areas. Heavenly Prison relates to servants and livestock; the Black Tortoise, being of a dark nature, relates to matters concerning wives and concubines. The Director of Destiny relates to descendants and is a deity of fortune; the Gou Chen indicates illness immediately, without further speculation. When divining, first identify the corresponding deity based on the question, then examine the strength, decline, generation, and overcoming relationships of that deity's position, and the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness will become clear.

一曰數宮，二曰數主，三曰飛星，四曰入門，五曰直日星，六曰日干，七曰時支。 凡看數，遁至本時之星即為數主。看他落在何宮，最為緊要。又看臨到本宮之星善惡如何，門宮吉凶如何，其值日星符並日干、時支俱要細推。

Divination by numbers requires seven essential elements to be clearly identified: first, the "number palace," which indicates the palace where the matter being asked falls; second, the "number ruler," which is the star representing the matter; third, the "flying star," which is the star on the Heaven Plate that moves with the time; fourth, the "entrance," which is the eight gates corresponding to the palace; fifth, the "daily star," which is the star governing the day; sixth, the day stem; and seventh, the earthly branch of the time of the question. The order of calculation is: first, move the star遁 to the time of the question, and the star at that time becomes the number ruler. First, determine which palace the number ruler falls into, which is the most crucial step. Next, check whether the star arriving at this palace is beneficial or harmful. Then examine whether the gate paired with this palace and the palace itself are in mutual generation or mutual control, and whether they are auspicious or inauspicious. Finally, each of the remaining elements—the daily star, the chief symbol star, the day stem, and the earthly branch of the time—must be carefully analyzed, none can be omitted. All seven elements must be complete for the entire divination to be clearly understood.

演數先將數主看，主居生地事無難。 若居難地非容易，得遇和同更喜歡。

Before proceeding with the divination, one must first identify and examine the "number master." If the number master falls in the palace that generates me, things will proceed smoothly without difficulties. If it falls in the palace that overcomes me, things will be difficult to accomplish. If it falls in a palace that is harmonious with my own or shares the same Five Phases, this is the most favorable situation, indicating harmony and success in all affairs. The three situations—favorable, difficult, and harmonious—are the first key factors in determining success or failure.

假如數在乾宮，黑星為主，遁於離為生，遁於震巽為難，遁於艮坤為和。數宮雖好，數主受難則事難成，若數宮雖凶，數主居於吉地，雖凶無害。

For example, suppose the number falls in the Qian hexagram's sixth palace. Take the black star as the number's master. According to the classification in this book, if the number's master moves to the Li hexagram's ninth palace, it is called 'birth place' (生地), which helps the number. If it moves to the Zhen hexagram's third palace or the Xun hexagram's fourth palace, it is called 'difficult place' (难地), which hinders the number. If it moves to the Gen hexagram's eighth palace or the Kun hexagram's second palace, it is called 'harmonious place' (和地), which is a place of mutual harmony. Therefore, we should consider the importance and choose accordingly: although the number's palace may be favorable, if the number's master is in a difficult place, the matter will still not succeed. Conversely, even if the number's palace is unfavorable, as long as the number's master is in a favorable place, the unfavorable condition will not harm the person. Therefore, when analyzing a situation, both the number's palace and the number's master should be considered, with the focus on the situation of the number's master.

甲子乙丑丙寅一宮起休 丁卯戊辰己巳二宮起休 庚午辛未壬申三宮起休 癸酉甲戌乙亥四宮起休 丙子丁丑戊寅六宮起休 己卯庚辰辛巳七宮起休 壬午癸未甲申八宮起休 乙酉丙戌丁亥九宮起休 戊子己丑庚寅又一宮 辛卯壬辰癸巳又二宮 甲午乙未丙申三宮 丁酉戊戌己亥四宮 庚子辛丑壬寅六宮 癸卯甲辰乙巳七宮 丙午丁未戊申八宮 己酉庚戌辛亥九宮 壬子癸丑甲寅還一宮起休乙卯丙辰丁巳還二宮 戊午己未庚申還三宮 辛酉壬戌癸亥仍還四宮

This is the "Day Gate" (日奇门) chart for determining the starting palace. Each group of three days in the sixty Jiazi (甲子) cycle uses one palace, following the order of the nine palaces. To read it, find the day stem and branch of the day in the chart, then take the palace indicated in that cell. Start from that palace with the Xiu Men (休门), and arrange the remaining seven gates in order clockwise. The entire chart is divided into five rows, each with four cells, read from left to right and top to bottom. First round: Jiazi, Yichou, Bingyin start from palace one; Dingmao, Wuchen, Jisi start from palace two; Gengwu, Xinwei, Renshen start from palace three; Guiyou, Jiaxu, Yihai start from palace four. Second round: Bingzi, Dingchou, Wuyin start from palace six; Jimao, Gengchen, Xinsi start from palace seven; Renwu, Guiwei, Jiashen start from palace eight; Yiyou, Bingxu, Dinghai start from palace nine. Third round returns to palace one: Wuzi, Jichou, Gengyin start from palace one; Xinchou, Renchen, Guisi start from palace two; Jiawu, Yiwei, Bingshen start from palace three; Dingyou, Wuxu, Jihai start from palace four. Fourth round: Gengzi, Xinchou, Renyin start from palace six; Guimao, Jiachen, Yisui start from palace seven; Jiwu, Yiwu, Gengshen start from palace eight; Guiyou, Wuxu, Xinhai start from palace nine. Fifth round returns to palace one: Renzi, Guichou, Jiayin start from palace one; Dingmao, Wuyin, Xinsui start from palace two; Jiwu, Yiwu, Gengshen start from palace three; Xinyou, Renxu, Guihai start from palace four. Overall, only palaces one, two, three, four, six, seven, eight, and nine are used, with palace five unused. Palace four completes one cycle, and palace eight completes one full round. The sixty days cover exactly two and a half rounds.

其法亦以本節三元定局作地盤，再以本甲旬頭加本日干上論數，視三奇方。本甲旬頭即值符也，值符之上星加本日干穿宮數去，陰遁奇直皆逆，星門皆順。

The method of using the day's Marvels (日奇) is: still determine the structure number based on the three elements of the current solar term, and use it to form the Earth Plate. Then, add the beginning of the current Jia decade (甲旬) to the day's stem, and count through the gates to see where the Three Marvels fall, thus determining the direction to use. Here, the "beginning of the current Jia decade" refers to the Chief Symbol. Add the star above the Chief Symbol to the day's stem, and count through each palace in order. Special attention should be paid to the method of Yin Dun: during Yin Dun, the Three Marvels and the Chief Symbol both move in reverse, while the nine stars and eight gates all move in the forward direction. The directions are different, so they should not be treated the same.

此時忌出行。 甲己申酉空，乙庚午未中。 丙辛辰巳上，丁壬寅卯同。 惟有戊癸日，子丑永無蹤。

The term "截路空亡" refers to two specific hours determined by the day stem, during which going out is unfavorable as one may encounter obstacles on the way. This section begins by advising against travel during these hours. To determine these hours, the day stem is divided into five groups: Jia day and Ji day have their empty hours at Shen and You; Yi day and Geng day at Wu and Wei; Bing day and Xin day at Chen and Si; Ding day and Ren day at Yin and Mao; while Wu day and Gui day have their empty hours at Zi and Chou. When these hours occur, traveling, attending appointments, or chasing someone is likely to be unproductive, and it is advisable to choose another time for action.

奇門一宮乃坤，老陰之位。陰氣至此而極，陽氣至此而生。卦起於子，為陰陽來復之地，天一生水之宮。其卦為坎，其事為陷，占事如在半途。合洛書之一數，故坎一。 二宮乃巽，陰氣自下而生，陽極而陰漸長也。卦起於申，為萬物致養之時，炎涼相接之位。其象至柔，其卦為坤，占人凡事宜順。取河圖之一數加一倍而補西南，合洛書之二數，故坤二。 三宮乃離，而陽二間一陰，陰陽乃相半也。卦起於卯，為天地鼓動之時，萬物發明之會，震雷陰中。其卦為震，占人有謀動之功。天三居東，合洛書之三數，故震三。

This section explains the origin of the assignment of the Eight Trigrams to the Nine Palaces. Each palace first states which trigram it originally belonged to in the Earlier Heaven arrangement, then mentions the trigram determined in the Later Heaven arrangement and its meaning for divination. The first palace originally belonged to the trigram Kun in the Earlier Heaven arrangement, which is the position where old yin resides; at this point, yin energy has reached its extreme, and yang energy begins to emerge. The energy of this palace starts in the month of Zi (the eleventh lunar month), which is where yin reaches its peak and yang begins to return, also known as the place where "Heaven produces water" according to the Yellow River Chart. In the Later Heaven arrangement, it is assigned to the trigram Kan, whose meaning is to sink or be trapped. If a divination falls into this palace, it indicates that matters are still in progress and have not yet reached their conclusion. It corresponds to the number one in the Luo Writing, so it is called Kan One. The second palace originally belonged to the trigram Xun in the Earlier Heaven arrangement, where yin energy arises from below and yang reaches its peak while yin gradually increases. The energy of this palace begins in the month of Shen (the seventh lunar month), which is the time when all things receive nourishment and growth, and also the transition between the heat of summer and the coolness of autumn. It is the most gentle and compliant in its symbolic representation. In the Later Heaven arrangement, it is assigned to the trigram Kun. If a person's divination falls into this palace, it suggests that affairs should be approached with compliance rather than contention. Its number is derived by doubling the number one from the Yellow River Chart to compensate for the position in the southwest, matching the number two in the Luo Writing, so it is called Kun Two. The third palace originally belonged to the trigram Li in the Earlier Heaven arrangement, with two yang lines enclosing one yin line, so yang and yin each occupy half. The energy of this palace begins in the month of Mao (the second lunar month), which is the time when heaven and earth stir and all things begin to sprout, with thunder stirring within the yin. In the Later Heaven arrangement, it is assigned to the trigram Zhen. If a person's divination falls into this palace, it indicates that plans and actions will lead to success. The number three in the heavens resides in the east, matching the number three in the Luo Writing, so it is called Zhen Three.

四宮乃兌，陽氣盛長於內，陰氣退消於外。卦起於巳，萬物潔齊。已立者生榮，未萌者不長。其象為八，其卦為巽，占事先達後塞。折河圖之天七，除四十五而補東南，合洛書之四數，故巽四。 五宮位中，寄生西南，陰寄東北，為陰陽休息之地，天地歸宿之方。占事不能伸理，故曰中五。 六宮乃艮，陰氣盛長於內，陽氣漸退於外，陰多而陽少也。卦起於亥，為天氣凜冽之時，萬物惕息之會。其象為戰，其卦為乾，占人凡事當慎。取河圖北方之成數，而補西北，合洛書之六數，故曰乾六。

The four palaces in the Earlier Heaven are associated with Dui (Lake), with strong yang energy inside and retreating yin energy outside. The hexagram energy begins in the fourth month, which is the巳 month, when all things are neat and clean: those already established flourish, while those not yet sprouted stop growing. It takes the image of eight, and in the Later Heaven it is assigned to the Xun (Wind) hexagram. If an event falls into this palace, it indicates initial success followed by obstacles. Its number is derived by taking the seven from the Yellow River Chart and subtracting it from forty-five, then adding it to the southeast position, matching the four from the Luo Writing, hence it is called Xun four. The fifth palace is in the center, without a paired hexagram. Yang energy is寄托 in the southwest, and yin energy is寄托 in the northeast, making it a place where yin and yang rest and where heaven and earth return. If an event falls into this palace, it indicates that reason cannot be expressed, things are unclear and cannot be accomplished, so it is simply called 'middle five'. The sixth palace in the Earlier Heaven is associated with Gen (Mountain), with strong yin energy inside and gradually retreating yang energy outside, indicating more yin and less yang. The hexagram energy begins in the亥 month, which is the tenth month, a time when the weather is severe and all things are quiet and cautious. It takes the image of warfare, and in the Later Heaven it is assigned to the Qian (Heaven) hexagram. If a person falls into this palace, all matters should be approached with caution. It takes the completed number from the northern part of the Yellow River Chart and adds it to the northwest position, matching the six from the Luo Writing, hence it is called Qian six.

七宮乃坎，二陰而間一陽，陰陽相半。卦起於酉，為月入之門，萬物至此而銳，賞罰至此而斷。其象為澤，其卦為兌，占事主口舌、官訟、陰謀外洩。合洛書之七數，故兌七。 八宮乃震，陽氣自下生，陰極而陽長。卦起於寅，地氣至此而盡，人事至此而興，為萬物成始成終之會。其象為止，其卦為艮，占人進退不離其居。以河圖東方之數而補東北，用四倍八，合洛書八數，故艮八。 九宮乃乾，老陽之位，陽氣至此而極，陰氣至此而生。卦起於午，為地二生火之宮，萬物相見之時。其卦為離，其義為麗，占事有不正之義。取天一地二之數，三三而得九，合洛書之九數，故離九。

The seventh palace in the Earlier Heaven is Kan, representing two yin and one yang, with yin and yang each occupying half. The energy of the hexagram begins in the eighth lunar month, which is the month of酉 (You), the gate of the moon's rising and setting. At this time, the sharpness of all things is fully developed, and judgment and punishment must be decided here. It takes the image of a marsh, and in the Later Heaven it is determined as the Dui hexagram. If an event falls under this palace, it indicates disputes over words, lawsuits in the government, and secret plans that leak out. It corresponds to the number seven in the Luo Writing, hence it is called Dui seven. The eighth palace in the Earlier Heaven is Zhen, representing the generation of yang energy from below, and the beginning of yang growth when yin reaches its extreme. The energy of the hexagram begins in the first lunar month, which is the month of寅 (Yin), where the earth's energy has reached its end, and human affairs have just begun. This is the meeting point where all things have completed and begun anew. It takes the image of stopping, and in the Later Heaven it is determined as the Gen hexagram. If a person falls under this palace, it indicates that whether moving forward or retreating, they remain rooted in place. It uses the number of the eastern direction from the He Diagram to supplement the northeastern position, and the multiple of four gives eight. It corresponds to the number eight in the Luo Writing, hence it is called Gen eight. The ninth palace in the Earlier Heaven is Qian, the dwelling place of the old yang. Yang energy reaches its peak here, and yin energy begins to arise from here. The energy of the hexagram begins in the fifth lunar month, which is the month of午 (Wu), the palace of "earth two produces fire." At this time, all things appear and meet each other. In the Later Heaven it is determined as the Li hexagram. The meaning of Li is attachment and reliance. If an event falls under this palace, it implies something improper or dependent on others. It takes the numbers of heaven one and earth two, and three multiplied by three gives nine. It corresponds to the number nine in the Luo Writing, hence it is called Li nine.

坎為一氣始生之地，玄都之宮壬癸旺。水位而成冬，木資之以生，火逢之以滅，土遇之以潤，金用之以寒，為正北一白，有休門主之。陽氣升布，萬物滋生。修造吉，治兵、行軍、謀望、遠行、謁貴皆為亨道。 陽日出此門得逢陽貴，陰日出此門得逢陰貴，紫碧之衣。旺則見富貴人，休囚則見貧□人，不然或見交爭。若到離宮，是上克其下，謂之大凶迫。

The Kan palace is the place where the first breath of energy arises. Daoists call it the Palace of the Black Heaven. The heavenly stems Ren and Gui are strong here. It is the position of water, corresponding to winter. Wood grows with water, fire is extinguished by water, earth is moistened by water, and metal becomes even colder with water. Its direction is due north, corresponding to the first palace of the nine palaces, and it is governed by the Xiu Men. Under this gate, yang energy rises and spreads, and all things grow accordingly. Therefore, building houses is very auspicious, and military affairs, marching, planning, traveling, and visiting noblemen are all favorable. The verification of going out through this gate is: if one departs on a yang day, one will meet a yang nobleman; if one departs on a yin day, one will meet a yin nobleman, and the people who come will be dressed in purple or dark blue clothes. When Xiu Men is in a prosperous and strong state, one meets wealthy people; when it is in a weak and confined state, one meets poor people (the original text has a missing character here), or else one will encounter quarrels. If Xiu Men moves to the Li palace, the gate is above and the palace is below, and the water of Xiu Men overcomes the fire of the Li palace, which is overcoming from above to below, called "great misfortune," indicating that affairs will be extremely unsmooth.

坤受六陰之氣，配厚載之德。立秋漸涼，萬物將殞。金遇之則生，水遇之則澄，木遇之則藏，火遇之無光。地氣下降，為西南二黑，有死門主之。 陰氣太盛，只宜刑戮葬吊。遠行主病，再逢凶星應必遇患人或哭聲。行到坎宮，因財爭鬥，上克下為宮迫，大凶。

The Kun palace receives the pure yao (lines) of six yin, matching the virtue of the earth's ability to carry and support all things. The season is approaching the beginning of autumn, when the weather gradually cools and all things are about to wither. Metal is generated here with the help of earth, water becomes clear here with the help of earth, wood is stored away here, and fire loses its brightness here. The earth's energy sinks downward, located in the southwest direction, corresponding to the second black palace in the nine palaces, governed by the 'Death Door'. This palace has excessive yin energy, so it is only suitable for matters of punishment, warfare, burial, and mourning. Traveling through this door from a distance will lead to illness; if it also encounters malevolent stars, one will certainly meet a sick person or hear crying upon going out. When the Death Door moves to the Kan one palace, it indicates disputes over money. The Death Door belongs to earth, which overcomes the water of the Kan palace, with the upper overcoming the lower, called 'palace oppression', indicating a great misfortune.

如閏四月二十九日癸亥日丙辰時，在芒種下元，甲寅為符頭，天禽為值符，死門為值使，皆到七宮，正西坤之神。餘自城南向西走至半路，果見殯喪，是應候也。凡遭官訟，大忌出此門。

The author cites a personal experience. That year on the 29th day of the second month in the leap month, the day stem and branch were Guihai, and the time used was Bingchen. At that time, it was the first period of the Minor Heat season. The symbol head was Jiayin, and the derived chief symbol star was Tian Rui, with the duty gate being the Death Door. Both the chief symbol and the duty gate fell into the seventh palace. The Death Door is usually the god of the Kun palace, but at this time it had moved to the seventh palace of the Dui palace in the direction of due west. The author was walking from the southern part of the city towards the west, and on the way, indeed encountered a funeral procession carrying a coffin. This is the verification of the Death Door being located in the west. Therefore, it is most inauspicious for those involved in lawsuits to leave their homes in the direction of the Death Door.

震居蘭臺之宮，雷霆發洩之處，春和大布，陽氣正通，甲乙正位，盛茂森森。金遇之則傷，水遇之則潤，火遇之則焚，土遇之則培。為東方三碧，有傷門主之。 宜出師執擒報仇、討叛、漁獵，出此門見火光或伐木人則凶，逢盜賊。至坤為宮迫，艮亦凶。

The Zhen palace is located in the position of LanTai, which is where thunder and lightning erupt and release their power. When the spring season brings out the flourishing of yang energy, the heavenly stems Jia and Yi (wood) are in their proper position here, and the grass and trees grow luxuriantly. Metal is harmed here by the wood, water moistens the grass and trees, fire is assisted by the wood and becomes a burning flame, and earth receives the nourishment and cultivation from the wood. This direction is due east, corresponding to the third blue palace in the nine palaces, and is governed by the Shang Men. This gate is suitable for military campaigns, capturing enemies, seeking revenge, suppressing rebellion, and hunting. However, if one leaves through this gate and sees a fire or encounters someone cutting trees, it is an omen of misfortune, and there may also be encounters with thieves. When Shang Men moves to the Kun palace, the wood overcomes the earth, which is an upper overcoming lower, called "gong po." When it moves to the Gen palace, which is also earth, it also indicates misfortune.

如崇禎辛巳四月十八日，大寇數萬掠萊蕪吐子口安營，眾鄉紳舉義兵拒之，未勝。夜使人問我出兵之策。時癸亥日亥時，在立夏下元，陽七局，是甲寅符頭，至亥時得沖傷門為星，宜出東方，果如所言，夜大破之，餘黨悉平。要知九星各有所宜，不拘伏吟。

Here is another example of military divination. In the fourth month of the year Xinsi of the Ming Chongzhen era, several tens of thousands of bandits looted Laowu and set up camp at Tuzikou. Local gentry organized militia to resist, but failed to win. That night, they sent someone to ask the author for a strategy on deploying troops. This day was Guihai, and the time of the inquiry was the hour of Hai. The solar term was the lower part of the beginning of Li Xia, using Yang Dun with seven arrays, and the symbol head was Jiayin. When calculating for the hour of Hai, the sky star was Tian Chong paired with Shang Men. Tian Chong is active, and Shang Men indicates an attack, both belonging to the nature of the eastern Zhen palace. Therefore, it was concluded that troops should be deployed from the east. The result was exactly as predicted; that night, the enemy army was defeated, and all the remaining rebels were subdued. From this, it is known that each of the nine stars is suitable for specific matters. As long as the star and gate are properly matched, even if encountering 'Hidden Chant,' a pattern usually associated with stillness and inaction, one should not hesitate to use military force.

巽四為薰風，春夏交接之時。六陽數絕，陰氣將洩。金遇則伐，水遇則墓，火遇則炎，土遇則庫，木遇則林。萬物鼓舞，為東南四碧，有杜門主之。 杜者，塞也，不宜行誅戮，逃亡難追，路逢遇凶人。如隱逃匿跡，有神助，出此門定逢男女並道，或患手足人。若至坤艮，百不遂。

The fourth palace of Xun is associated with the warm wind, which occurs at the time of the transition between spring and summer. When the six yao reach their pure yang number here, the process ends, and yin energy is about to emerge. Metal is counteracted and cut by wood here, water enters its tomb, fire becomes more intense with the aid of wind, and earth becomes a storehouse here. Wood forms a forest here. All things are stirred and moved by the wind. The direction is southeast, corresponding to the fourth green (written as fourth blue in the book), governed by "Du Men." Du means blockage and closure, so it is not suitable for use in killing or warfare; pursuing fugitives through this gate is difficult, and one may encounter wicked people on the way. Conversely, if one wishes to hide one's tracks or avoid misfortune, leaving through Du Men is as if aided by a deity. Leaving through this gate will certainly result in meeting someone traveling with a companion, or someone with physical disabilities in their hands or feet. If Du Men is used to move to the second palace of Kun or the eighth palace of Gen, wood will overcome earth and cause obstruction, leading to failure in all affairs.

中曰黃庭，為戊己之位，五星齊耀，載接八方，承續四季不正之氣，亦死門主之。

The central palace is called "Huangting," which is the position occupied by the earth element Wu and Ji. The qi of the nine stars converges and shines here. It connects above and below, linking all directions, and continues the chaotic and impure qi between the changing seasons. The central palace itself does not have an assigned gate, so it uses the death door to manage it. This is the reason mentioned earlier that "the central palace borrows the death door as its duty gate." Because the central palace has no gate available and its qi is mixed and complex, when a situation falls into the central palace, it often indicates confusion and difficulty in making a clear case.

乾德天象之體，陰氣受盡，百靈成就，閉塞之時也。木遇之則淺，水遇之則清，火遇之則塞，金遇之則剛，土遇之則潤。為西北六白，有開門主之。 宜遠行、征討、交迎、酒食，出此門路逢茶酒，或見貴人遇。至震巽主口舌。

The乾 palace is based on the virtue of Heaven. At this time, the Yin energy has reached its peak, and all spiritual beings have completed their forms. This is the season when heaven and earth close off and store away their energies. Wood is subdued by metal and its roots are shallow, water becomes clear through the influence of metal, fire is blocked by the metal energy and thus becomes closed off, metal attains its essential energy and becomes strong, and earth generates metal and becomes moist. The direction is northwest, corresponding to the sixth white palace in the nine palaces, governed by the "Opening Door." This door is suitable for long journeys, military campaigns, welcoming and sending off guests, and banquets and drinking. When departing through this door, one may encounter matters related to tea and wine or meet a nobleman. If the Opening Door leads to the Zhen three palace or the Xun four palace, metal will overcome wood, resulting in conflict and disputes over words.

兌西澤梁，為庚之體。嚴金一布，萬木焦黃。金遇之則光，木遇之則死，水遇之則涸，火遇之則亡，土遇之則培。為正西七赤，有驚門主之。 宜啟閉攻敵，彼敗我勝。吉事則危，凶事則貞，強行遭擒。出此門逢患腳疾、眇目人，或聞恐怖交爭。若到震巽，禍患立至，天行殺氣，甚凶。

The Dui Palace is located in the west, symbolizing water and marshes as well as bridges. Its governing element is Geng metal. Once the sharp and severe metal energy spreads, all trees will wither and turn yellow. Metal reaches its true essence here and becomes bright, wood is overcome here and dies, water is drained by metal here and dries up, fire is completely exhausted by metal here and vanishes, and earth generates metal here and is nourished. Its direction is due west, corresponding to the seventh red in the nine palaces, and is governed by the 'Jing Door'. This door is suitable for opening and closing, or for sudden attacks on the enemy, which can cause the enemy to fail and oneself to win. However, using it for good affairs is dangerous, while using it for bad affairs is more secure. If one ignores danger and proceeds with affairs, there is a risk of being captured. Leaving through this door may lead one to meet someone with leg problems or someone who has lost an eye, or to hear frightening quarrels. If the Jing Door moves to the Zhen third palace or the Xun fourth palace, a conflict between metal and wood occurs, and disaster arrives immediately. This is the killing energy of heaven, extremely dangerous.

艮土山，陰陽回運，生成之功，天道大通。金遇之則朗，木遇之則萌，水遇之則正，火遇之則溫，土遇之則精。為東北八白，有生門主之。 凡謀得就，謁見貴人得親。不宜侵伐，主受天刑。此門下取水灌入，樹則死而復生。如出此門，得逢巧藝或皂衣、獨行車馬、紫黃衣人。若至坎為迫害，有文書官刑事。

The艮宫 represents a mountain made of earth, which is a place where yin and yang circulate and turn around. It has the function of generating all things, and the heavenly path becomes very smooth here. Metal becomes clear when it gets born from earth, wood sprouts when it receives earth, water becomes regular when it is controlled by earth, fire becomes gentle when it produces earth, and earth becomes pure when it receives its own energy. This direction is in the northeast, corresponding to the eight white star in the nine palaces, and it is governed by the "Life Gate." When using this gate for affairs, any plan can be successful, and one can gain favor from the nobleman. However, it is not suitable for invading or harming others, otherwise one will suffer punishment from heaven. If water is taken from the Life Gate direction and used to water dry trees, they can die and come back to life. When leaving from this gate, one may meet craftsmen, people wearing black clothes, people driving alone on horseback, or people wearing purple or yellow clothes. If the Life Gate moves to the Kan one palace, earth controls water and creates a harmful situation, which indicates matters related to documents and legal responsibilities.

離據丙火，丙丁之精，純陰交結，火炎氣升。金遇之則熔，木遇之則化，火遇之則興，土遇之則燥，水遇之則死。為正南九紫，有景門主之。 宜選兵獻策、突陣破圍，遠行主中道夭亡。出此門必逢人赤須鳥噪追呼，或遇酒食。若至乾兌上，主有乖異事。

The Li hexagram is ruled by Bing fire, representing the essence of both Bing and Ding fire. Its trigram consists of two yang lines enclosing one yin line, with pure yin concentrated in the center and the fire rising upward. Metal is melted by fire here, wood is burned here, fire gains its true qi and becomes strong, earth becomes dry from the heat, and water is dried up by the fire. This direction is due south, corresponding to the ninth palace's ninth purple star, and is governed by the Jing Gate. This gate is suitable for selecting soldiers, offering strategies, launching sudden attacks on enemy lines, and breaking through encirclements; however, using it for long journeys leads to death midway. Leaving through this gate will certainly result in encountering a man with a red beard, hearing birds screeching or someone chasing from behind, or possibly encountering food and drink. If the Jing Gate reaches the Qian sixth palace or the Dui seventh palace, fire overcomes metal, resulting in an upper overcoming lower, which indicates unusual and chaotic events.