Bai Hu Tong Yi (白虎通義) · Volume 2

一說東方持矛，南方歌，西方戚，北方擊金。夷狄質，不如中國中國文章，但隨物名之耳，故百王不易戚二者制夷狄樂。不制夷狄禮何？以為禮者，身當履而行之，夷狄之人不能行禮；樂者，聖人作為以樂之耳，故有夷狄樂也。殊為舞者？以為使中國人。何以言之？夷狄之人禮不備，恐有過誤也。作之門外者何？夷在外，故就之也。夷狄無禮義，故不在內。《明堂記》曰：“九夷之國，在東門之外。”所以知不在門內也。《明堂記》曰：“禹納蠻夷之樂於太廟。”言納，明有入也。

One view: the east holds spears, the south sings, the west holds axes, and the north strikes metal instruments. The barbarians are simple and lack the refinement of the Central Plain, and only name things as they are, so the hundred kings did not change this, and used two things like the axe to establish the barbarian music. Why was no ritual established for the barbarians? Because ritual is something one must tread and carry out in person, and the barbarians cannot practice ritual; music is made by the sages to delight them, so there is music of the barbarians. Who else is made to dance? It is held that people of the Central Plain are made to dance. On what grounds do we say this? The barbarians' ritual is incomplete and one fears errors. Why is it played outside the gate? The barbarians are outside, so one accommodates them. The barbarians have no ritual or righteousness, so they are not inside the gate. The Record of the Bright Hall says: "The states of the Nine Yi are outside the east gate." From this we know they are not inside the gate. The Record of the Bright Hall says: "Yu took the music of the barbarians into the grand temple." Saying "took in" shows that there was an entering.

曰四夷之樂者何謂也？以為四夷外無禮義之國，數夷狄者從東，故舉本以為之總名也。言夷狄者，舉終始也；言蠻，舉遠也；言貉，舉惡也。則別之，東方為九夷，南方為八蠻，西方為六戎，北方為五狄。故《曾子問》曰：“九夷、八蠻、六戎、五狄、百姓之難至者也。”

What does it mean to say "music of the four barbarians"? It is held that the four barbarians are outer states without ritual and righteousness, and in counting the barbarians one starts from the east, so this origin is raised as the general name. Saying "Yi and Di" raises the end and the beginning; saying "Man" raises the far; saying "Mo" raises the evil. Separately, the east has nine Yi, the south has eight Man, the west has six Rong, and the north has five Di. So the Zengzi Asks says: "The Nine Yi, Eight Man, Six Rong and Five Di are hard for the common people to reach."

何以知夷在東方？《禮?王制》曰：“東方曰夷，被髮文身；又曰：南方曰蠻，雕題交趾；西方曰戎，被髮衣皮；北方曰狄，衣羽毛穴居。”東所以九何？蓋來者過九之為言究也，德遍究，故應德而來亦九也，非故為之，道自然也。何以名為夷蠻？曰：聖人本不治外國，非為制名也，因其國名而言之耳。一說曰：名其短而為之制名也。夷者，聚狄無禮義。東方者，少陽易化，故取名也。北方太陰鄙郄，故少蠻難化，執心違邪。戎者，強惡也。狄者，易也，辟易無別也。

How do we know that the Yi are in the east? The Book of Rites, in the Royal Regulations, says: "The people of the east are called Yi, with hair loose and bodies tattooed"; it also says: "The people of the south are called Man, with carved foreheads and feet crossing; the people of the west are called Rong, with hair loose and wearing furs; the people of the north are called Di, wearing feathers and living in caves." Why is the east nine? Those who came exceeded nine; "nine" has the sense of "exhaust," virtue reaching everywhere, so those who came in response to virtue were also nine; it was not made so on purpose, and the Way is naturally so. Why are they named Yi and Man? The answer: the sages did not govern foreign lands at root, and it was not that they gave them separate names, but only spoke on the basis of their state names. Another view: names were given on the basis of their shortcomings. "Yi" is the Di gathered together, without ritual or righteousness. The east is lesser yang and easy to transform, so this name is taken. The north is great yin, rustic and closed, so there are few; the Man (the base text has a rare character here, lost in transcription) are hard to transform, with minds clinging to what is crooked. The Rong are violent and fierce. The Di are "yi," to give way, without distinction.

歌者在堂上，舞在堂下何？歌者象德，舞者象，君子上德而下功。《郊特牲》曰：“歌者在上。”《論語》曰：“季氏八佾舞於庭。”《書》曰：“下管召鼓，笙鏞以間。”

Why do the singers stand in the hall and the dancers below the hall? Singing images virtue and dancing images merit, and the gentleman puts virtue above and merit below. The Jiao Te Sheng says: "The singers are above." The Analects says: "The Ji family used eight rows of dancers in the courtyard." The Documents say: "Below the hall, the pipes, (the base text has a rare character here, lost in transcription) drums, the sheng and the large bells are played in turn."

降神之樂在上何？為鬼神舉。故《書》曰：“戛擊鳴球、搏拊、琴瑟，以詠，祖考來格。”何以用鳴球、搏拊者何？鬼神清虛，貴淨賤鏗鏘也。故《尚書大傳》曰：“搏拊鼓，裝以秉。琴瑟，練絲朱弦。”鳴者，貴玉聲也。

Why is the music for bringing down the spirits placed above? It is set up for ghosts and spirits. So the Documents say: "Strike the ringing jade, the clappers, the zither and se, in order to chant, and the ancestors come." Why are the ringing jade and clappers used? Ghosts and spirits are pure and empty, valuing purity and stillness and slighting loud clanging. So the Shangshu Dazhuan says: "The clapper-drum is filled with chaff. The zither and se use refined silk and red strings." "Ming" values the sound of jade.

王者食所以有樂何？樂食天下之太平、富積之饒也，明天子至尊，非功不食，非德不飽，故《傳》曰：“天子食時舉樂。”王者所以日食者何？明有四方之物，食四時之功也。四方不平，四時不順，有徹樂之法焉，所以明至尊著法戒也。王平居中央，制御四方。平旦食，少陽之始也；晝食，太陽之始也；脯食，少陰之始也；暮食，太陰之始也。《論語》曰：“亞飯幹適楚，三飯繚適蔡，四飯缺適秦。”諸侯三飯，卿大夫再飯，尊卑之差也。《弟子職》曰：“暮食士偃禮。”士也；食力無數，庶人職在耕桑，戮力勞役，飯即食，飽即作，故無數。

Why does a king have music at meals? It is to delight in eating in a peaceful world with rich stores, showing that the Son of Heaven is of the highest honor and does not eat without merit or fill himself without virtue. So the Commentary says: "The Son of Heaven eats with music raised." Why does a king eat four times a day? To show that he has the goods of the four quarters and eats the merit of the four seasons. If the four quarters are not at peace or the four seasons are not in order, there is a rule of withdrawing music, in order to make plain the highest honor and make the warning clear. The king dwells in the center, controlling the four quarters. Eating at dawn is the beginning of lesser yang; eating by day is the beginning of greater yang; eating in the afternoon is the beginning of lesser yin; eating at dusk is the beginning of greater yin. The Analects says: "The one in charge of the second meal, Gan, fled to Chu; the one in charge of the third, Liao, fled to Cai; the one in charge of the fourth, Que, fled to Qin." Feudal lords have three meals and ministers and grand masters two, a gradation of high and low. The Rules for Disciples says: "Eat the evening meal, and scholars rest and practice ritual." This is for scholars; those who eat by their strength have no set number of meals, and the commoners' duty is plowing fields and tending mulberries, laboring to the utmost, eating when mealtime comes and working again when full, so they have no fixed number.

禮樂者，何謂也？禮之為言履也，可履踐而行樂者。君子樂得其道，小人樂得其欲。聲者，何謂。聲鳴也，聞其聲即知其所生；音者，飲也，言其剛柔清濁和而相飲也。《尚書》曰：“予欲聞六律、五聲、八音。”五聲者，何謂也？宮、商、角、徵、羽，土謂宮，金謂商，木謂角，火謂徵，水謂羽。月令曰：盛德在木，其音角，又曰：盛德在火，其音徵，盛德在金其音商，盛德在水，其音羽。所以名之為角者，躍也，陽氣動躍；徵者，止也，陽氣止；商者，張也，陰氣開張，陽氣始降也；羽者，紆也，陰氣在上，陽氣在下；宮者，容也，含也，含容四時者也。

What are ritual and music? "Li" (ritual) means to tread, something one can walk on and practice; as for music, the gentleman delights in attaining the Way, and the petty man delights in attaining desire. What is "sheng" (sound)? Sound is "ming," and on hearing a sound one knows where it arises from; "yin" (note) is "yin," to drink, saying that firm and soft, clear and turbid harmonize and drink one another in. The Documents say: "I wish to hear the six pitch-pipes, the five sounds and the eight timbres." What are the five sounds? Gong, shang, jue, zhi and yu; earth corresponds to gong, metal to shang, wood to jue, fire to zhi and water to yu. The Monthly Ordinances say: when flourishing virtue is in wood, its note is jue; also: when flourishing virtue is in fire, its note is zhi; when flourishing virtue is in metal, its note is shang; when flourishing virtue is in water, its note is yu. So jue is "yue," to leap, the yang breath stirring and leaping; zhi is "zhi," to stop, the yang breath stopping; shang is "zhang," to spread, the yin breath spreading and the yang breath beginning to descend; yu is "yu," to curve, with the yin breath above and the yang breath below; gong is "rong," to hold and contain, containing the four seasons.

八音者，何謂也？《樂記》曰：“土曰壎，竹曰管，皮曰鼓，匏曰笙，絲曰弦，石曰磬，金曰鍾，木曰。”此謂八音也。法《易》八卦也，萬物之數也；八音，萬物之聲也。所以用八音何？天子承繼萬物，當知其數。既得其數，當知其聲，即思其形。如此飛蠕動，無不樂其音者，至德之道也。天子樂之，故樂用八音。《樂記》曰：“壎，坎音也；管，艮音也；鼓，震音也；弦，離音也；鍾，兌音也；祝，乾音也。”壎在十一月，壎之為言勳也，陽氣於黃泉之下，勳蒸而萌；匏之言施也，在十二月，萬物始施而勞。笙者，太蔟之氣，象萬物之生，故曰笙。有七正之節焉，有六合之和焉，天下樂之，故謂之笙。鼓，震音煩氣也。萬物憤懣震動而出，雷以動之，溫以暖之，風以散之，雨以濡之，奮至德之聲，感和平之氣也，同聲相應，同氣相求，神明報應，天地佑之，其本乃在萬物之始耶，故謂之鼓也。召者，震之氣也，上應卯星以通王道，故謂之召也。簫者，中之氣，萬物生於無聲，見於無形，﹃也，簫也，故謂之簫。簫者以祿為本，言承天繼物為民，本人力加，地道化，然後萬物戮也，故謂之簫也。瑟者，嗇也，閒也，所以懲忽宮商角則宜。君父有節，臣子有義，然後四時和，四時和然後萬物生，故謂之瑟也。琴者，禁也，所以禁止淫邪、正人心也。磬者，夷則之氣也，象萬物之盛也，其氣磬，故曰磬，有貴賤焉，有親束焉，有長幼焉，朝廷之禮，貴不讓賤，所以有尊卑也；鄉黨之禮，長不讓幼，所以明有年也；宗廟之禮，親不讓束，所以有親也。此三者行然後王道得，王道得然後萬物成，天下樂用磬也。鍾之為言動也，陰氣用事，萬物動成，鍾為氣，用金聲也。者，時之氣聲也，節度之所生也。君臣有節度則萬物昌，無節度則萬物亡，亡與昌正相迫，故謂之。

What are the eight sounds? The Yue Ji says: "Earth is the xun (ocarina), bamboo is the pipe, hide is the drum, gourd is the sheng (mouth organ), silk is the string, stone is the chime, metal is the bell, and wood is [a character missing from the source, lost in transcription]." These are the eight sounds. Modeled on the eight trigrams of the Book of Changes, the trigrams are the number of the myriad things, and the eight sounds are the sounds of the myriad things. Why use the eight sounds? The Son of Heaven inherits the myriad things and ought to know their number; once he knows their number, he ought to know their sounds, and from there think of their forms. In this way, even the flying and crawling tiny creatures, [two characters missing from the source, lost in transcription], all delight in its sound; this is the way of utmost virtue. The Son of Heaven delights in this, so his music uses the eight sounds. The Yue Ji says: "The xun is the sound of Kan; the pipe is the sound of Gen; the drum is the sound of Zhen; the string is the sound of Li; the bell is the sound of Dui; the zhu and [a character missing from the source] are the sound of Qian." The xun belongs to the eleventh month; xun means "to exert merit" (xun): beneath the Yellow Springs the yang energy steams and sprouts. The gourd means "to bestow" (shi); it belongs to the twelfth month, when the myriad things begin to unfold and labor. The sheng is the energy of Taicu and images the birth of the myriad things, hence it is called sheng ("birth"). It has the measure of the seven correct tones and the harmony of the six directions, and all under Heaven delight in it, so it is called sheng. The drum is the sound of Zhen and the restless energy. The myriad things burst forth in frustration and quaking: thunder comes to stir them, warmth comes to warm them, wind comes to scatter them, rain comes to moisten them; it rouses the sound of utmost virtue and stirs the energy of peace; like sounds answer one another, like energies seek one another, the spirits respond, and Heaven and Earth give protection. Its root lies in the beginning of the myriad things, so it is called the drum (gu). [A character missing from the source] is the energy of Zhen, answering above to the Mao star to link up the kingly way, hence the name. The xiao (flute) is the energy of the center: the myriad things are born out of soundlessness and appear out of formlessness, and the sign "﹃" also means xiao, hence it is called xiao. The xiao takes emolument (lu) as its root, meaning that it receives from Heaven above, continues the things below, and acts for the people; human strength is added, the transforming way of Earth proceeds, and only then are the myriad things completed, hence it is called xiao. The se (zither) means "thrift" (se) and "leisure" (xian); it is used to guard against negligence, and only then do the gong, shang and jue tones become fitting. When lord and father have restraint and ministers and sons have righteousness, the four seasons are in harmony; when the four seasons are in harmony, the myriad things are born, hence it is called se. The qin means "to prohibit" (jin); it is used to forbid licentiousness and wickedness and to rectify the human heart. The chime is the energy of Yize and images the flourishing of the myriad things; "its energy is chime-like" (qing), hence it is called qing. It has noble and humble, close and distant, elder and younger. The source text reads [a garbled character in the source], which is a corruption from splitting the character shu (distant). In the rites of the court, the noble does not yield to the humble, so there is high and low; in the rites of the village, the elder does not yield to the younger, so age is made clear; in the rites of the ancestral temple, the close does not yield to the distant, so kinship is honored. When these three are practiced, the kingly way is attained; when the kingly way is attained, the myriad things are completed, and all under Heaven delight in using the chime. The bell means "to move" (dong): yin energy takes charge, the myriad things move and are completed; the bell is energy, using the sound of metal. [A character missing from the source] is the energy-sound of the seasons, from which measure is born. When lord and ministers have measure, the myriad things flourish; without measure, the myriad things perish. Perishing and flourishing press close upon each other, hence it is so called.

者，終始之聲，萬物之所生也。陰陽順而復，故曰；承順天地，序迎萬物，天下樂之，故樂用。，始也；，終也。一說笙、、鼓、簫、瑟、壎、鍾、磬也。如其次，笙在北方，在東北方，鼓在東方，琴在南方，壎在西南方，鍾在西方，磬在北方。

[Two characters missing from the source, lost in transcription] are the sound of ending and beginning, from which the myriad things are born. Yin and yang follow along and return again, so the former character is so named; it complies with Heaven and Earth, arranges in order and welcomes the myriad things, and all under Heaven delight in it, so music uses it. The former character is the beginning and the latter is the end. One account says they are the sheng, [a character missing from the source], drum, xiao, se, xun, bell and chime. By this order, the sheng is in the north, [the missing character] is in the northeast, the drum in the east, the qin in the south, the xun in the southwest, the bell in the west, and the chime in the north.

聲五音八何？聲為本，出於五行；音為末，象八風，故《樂記》曰：“聲成文謂之音，知音而樂之謂之樂也。”

The sounds are five and the tones are eight; why? The sounds are the root and come out of the five phases; the tones are the branches and take their image from the eight winds. Therefore the Yue Ji says: "When sounds form a pattern, they are called tones; to understand tones and delight in them is called music."

問曰：“異說並行，則弟子疑焉。”孔子有言：“吾聞擇其善者而從之，多見而志之，知之次也。”“文武之道，未墜於地。”“天之將喪斯文也，樂亦在其中矣。”聖人之道，猶有文質，所以擬其說、述所聞者，亦各傳其所受而已。

Someone asked: "When different accounts circulate side by side, the disciples become confused." Confucius said: "I have heard that one chooses the good and follows it, and sees much and remembers it; this is the next level of knowledge." "The way of King Wen and King Wu has not yet fallen to the ground." "If Heaven means to destroy this culture, then music too is within it." The way of the sages still has the distinction of pattern and substance, so those who conjecture these accounts and record what they have heard each simply transmit what they themselves received.

王者所以立三公、九卿何？曰：天雖至神，必因日月之光；地雖至靈，必有山川之化；聖人雖有萬人之德，必須俊賢三公、九卿、二十七大夫、八十一元士，以順天成其道。司馬主兵，司徒主人，司空主地。王者受命為天、地、人之職，故分職以置三公，各主其一，以效其功。一公置三卿，故九卿也。天道莫不成於三：天有三光，日、月、星；地有三形，高、下、平；人有三尊，君、父、師。故一公三卿佐之，一卿三大夫佐之，一大夫三元士佐之。天有三光然後而能遍照，各自有三法，物成於三：有始、有中、有終，明天道而終之也。三公、九卿、二十七大夫、八十一元士，凡百二十官，下應十二子。《別名記》曰：司徒典民，司空主地，司馬順天。天者施生，所以主兵何？兵者，為諸除害也，所以全其生、衛其養也，故兵稱天。寇賊猛獸，皆為除害者所主也。《論語》曰：“天下有道，則禮樂、征伐自天子出。”司馬主兵，言馬者，馬陽物，乾之所為，行兵用焉，不以傷害為度，故言馬也；司徒主人，不言徒人者，徒眾也，重民；司空主土，不言土言空者，空尚主之，何況於實？以微見著。

Why does a true king establish the Three Dukes and the Nine Ministers? Answer: Although Heaven is utterly divine, it must rely on the light of the sun and moon; although Earth is utterly numinous, it must have the nurturing of mountains and rivers; although a sage has virtue surpassing ten thousand men, he must have outstanding worthies to serve as the Three Dukes, the Nine Ministers, the twenty-seven grand masters and the eighty-one principal officers, so as to comply with Heaven and fulfill its way. The Minister of War (Sima) governs the army, the Minister of Education (Situ) governs the people, and the Minister of Works (Sikong) governs the land. When a king receives the mandate, he takes up the duties of Heaven, Earth and Man, and so divides the offices and appoints the Three Dukes, each in charge of one of them, in order to assess their achievements. Each Duke has three Ministers, hence there are nine Ministers. The way of Heaven is always completed in threes: Heaven has three lights, the sun, moon and stars; Earth has three forms, high, low and level; Man has three honored ones, the lord, the father and the teacher. So each Duke is assisted by three Ministers, each Minister by three grand masters, and each grand master by three principal officers. Heaven has three lights and so can illuminate everywhere; each has its own three models, and things are completed in threes: there is a beginning, a middle and an end, which makes the way of Heaven clear and carries it through. The Three Dukes, nine Ministers, twenty-seven grand masters and eighty-one principal officers make one hundred and twenty officials in all, corresponding below to the twelve earthly branches. The Bie Ming Ji says: the Minister of Education governs the people, the Minister of Works governs the land, and the Minister of War complies with Heaven. Heaven is the giver of life; why does it govern the army? The army removes harm on behalf of the multitude, so as to preserve their lives and guard their sustenance, and therefore the army is called "Heaven." Bandits, thieves and fierce beasts all fall under the one who removes harm. The Analects says: "When the Way prevails in the world, rites, music and punitive expeditions proceed from the Son of Heaven." The Minister of War governs the army and is called "horse" (ma) because the horse is a yang creature, brought to completion by Qian; it is used in the conduct of war, and harm is not its measure, hence the word "horse." The Minister of Education governs the people but is not called "the Tu of people," because tu means "the multitude," and so it stresses the people. The Minister of Works governs the earth but is called not "earth" but "void" (kong); if even the void is governed, how much more the solid? This uses the subtle to reveal the manifest.

王者主三公、九卿、二十七大夫，足以教道，照幽隱，必復封諸侯何？重民之至也。善惡比而易故知，擇賢而封之，使治其民，以著其德，極其才。上以尊天子，備蕃輔，下以子養百姓，施行其道，開賢者之路，謙不自專，故列土封賢，因而象之，象賢重民也。

A true king, having the Three Dukes, nine Ministers and twenty-seven grand masters, is already able to spread instruction and illuminate the hidden; why must he still enfeoff feudal lords? Because he values the people to the utmost. When good and evil are set side by side, they are easily known; he selects a worthy man and enfeoffs him, so that he governs the people of that place, thereby displaying his virtue and exhausting his talent. Above, he honors the Son of Heaven and serves as a bulwark and screen; below, he nurtures the people as one nurtures one's sons, carrying out his way and opening the path for the worthy. Being humble, the king does not rule on his own, so he divides the land and enfeoffs worthy men, and in so doing takes his image from worthiness and values the people.

州伯何謂也？伯，長也，選擇賢良，使長一州，故謂之伯也。《王制》曰：“千里之外設方伯。五國以為屬，屬有長；十國以為連，連有率；三十國以為卒，卒有正；二百一十國以為州，州有伯。”唐虞謂之牧何？尚質，使大夫往來牧諸侯，故謂之牧。旁立三人，凡十二人。《尚書》曰：“諮十有二牧。”何知堯時十有二州也？以《禹貢》言九州也。

What is a Prefect of a Province (zhou bo)? Bo means "chief"; a worthy and good man is selected to be chief of one province, so he is called bo. The Wang Zhi says: "Beyond a thousand li a Regional Chief (fang bo) is established. Five states form one shu, and the shu has a head; ten states form one lian, and the lian has a leader; thirty states form one zu, and the zu has a regulator; two hundred and ten states form one province, and the province has a bo." In the times of Tang and Yu he was called mu (shepherd); why? Because they honored simplicity, they sent grand masters back and forth to shepherd the feudal lords, hence the name mu. Three more were set up beside them, twelve in all. The Book of Documents says: "He consulted the twelve shepherds." How do we know there were twelve provinces in the time of Yao? Because the Yu Gong speaks of nine provinces (which were later divided into twelve).

王者所以有二伯者，分職而授政，欲其亟成也。《王制》曰：“八伯各以其屬屬於天子之老。”曰二伯。《詩》云：“蔽芾甘棠，勿翦勿伐，邵伯所茇。”《春秋公羊傳》曰：“自陝已東，周公主之，自陝已西，邵公主之。”不分南北何？東方被聖人化日少，西方被聖人化日久，故分東西，使聖人主其難者，賢者主其易者，乃俱到太平也。又欲令同有陰陽寒暑之節，共法度也。所分陝者，是國中也，若言面，八百四十國矣。

The reason a true king has two Chiefs (er bo) is to divide the offices and delegate government, hoping that affairs will be completed quickly. The Wang Zhi says: "The eight Chiefs each lead their subordinates and are attached to the Son of Heaven's senior ministers." These are the two Chiefs. The Book of Odes says: "Small is the sweet pear tree; do not prune it, do not fell it, for it is where the Lord of Shao rested." The Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals says: "From Shan eastward, the Duke of Zhou governs; from Shan westward, the Duke of Shao governs." Why not divide north and south? Because the east had received the sages' instruction for few days, while the west had received it for long; so they divided east and west, letting the sage govern the difficult and the worthy govern the easy, so that all could reach peace together. It also lets both sides share the same seasons of yin and yang, cold and heat, and use one common set of standards. The Shan that divides them is the center of the realm; reckoned by area, there are eight hundred and forty states.

諸侯有三卿者，分三事也。五大夫者，下天子。《王制》曰：“大國三卿，皆命於天子。下大夫五人，上士二十七人；次國三卿，二卿命於天子，一卿命於其君；小國二卿，皆命於其君。大夫悉同。《禮?王度記》曰：“子、男三卿，一卿命於天子。”

A feudal lord has three Ministers, which divides three duties among them. He has five grand masters, which is below the Son of Heaven. The Wang Zhi says: "A large state has three Ministers, all appointed by the Son of Heaven. There are five lower grand masters and twenty-seven upper officers. A medium state has three Ministers, two appointed by the Son of Heaven and one by the lord of that state. A small state has two Ministers, both appointed by the lord of that state." The grand masters are the same throughout. The Wang Du Ji of the Book of Rites says: "Viscounts and Barons have three Ministers, one of whom is appointed by the Son of Heaven."

諸侯封不過百里，象雷震百里，所潤雨同也。雷者，陰中之陽也，諸侯象也。諸侯比王者為陰，南面賞罰為陽，法雷也。七十里、五十里，差德功也。故《王制》曰：“凡四海之內九州，州方千里，建百里之國二十，七十里之國六十，五十里之國百有二十。名山大澤不以封，其餘以為附庸閒田。”天子所治方千里，此平土三千，並數邑居山川至五十里，名山大澤不以封者，與百姓共之，不使一國獨專也。山木之饒，水泉之利，千里相通，所均有無，贍其不足。制土三等何？因土地有高、下、中。

A feudal lord's fief does not exceed a hundred li, taking its image from the fact that thunder shakes for a hundred li and rain also moistens for a hundred li. Thunder is yang within yin, and the feudal lords take their image from it. Compared with the true king, the feudal lord is yin, but facing south and bestowing rewards and punishments is yang, which models itself on thunder. Seventy li and fifty li are gradations of merit and virtue. Therefore the Wang Zhi says: "Within the four seas there are nine provinces altogether, each a thousand li square, in which twenty states of a hundred li are established, sixty states of seventy li, and one hundred and twenty states of fifty li. Famous mountains and great marshes are not enfeoffed; the remainder serves as dependent states and vacant fields." What the Son of Heaven governs is a thousand li square, and here the level land is three thousand, with towns, mountains and rivers counted up to fifty li. Famous mountains and great marshes are not enfeoffed because they are shared with the people and not left to one state alone. The riches of timber in the mountains and the benefits of springs and waters connect across a thousand li, in order to balance surplus and lack and make up deficiencies. Why is the land divided into three grades? Because land is high, low or middling.

王者即位，先封賢者，憂人之急也。故列土為疆非為諸侯，張官設府非為卿大夫，皆為民也。《易》曰：“利建侯。”此言因所利故立之。《樂記》曰：“武王克殷反商，下車封夏后氏之後於杞，殷人之後於宋，封王子比干之墓，釋箕子之囚。”天下太平乃封親屬者，示不私也。即不私封之何？普天之下，莫非王土，率土之賓，莫非王臣。海內之眾已盡得使之，不忍使親屬無短足之居，一人使封之，親親之義也。以《尚書》封康叔據平安也。王者始起封諸父、昆弟，與己共財之義，故可與共土也。一說諸父不得封諸侯二十國，厚有功象賢以為民也，賢者子孫類多賢。又卿不世位，為其不子愛百姓，各加一功，以虞樂其身也。受命不封子者，父子手足，無分離異財之義。至昆弟皮體有分別，故封之也。以舜封弟象有比之野也。

When a true king takes the throne, he first enfeoffs the worthy, out of concern for others' urgent difficulties. So dividing the land and setting boundaries is not for the feudal lords, and establishing offices is not for the ministers and grand masters; all is for the people. The Book of Changes says: "It is beneficial to establish feudal lords." This means they are established because it is beneficial. The Yue Ji says: "When King Wu had conquered Yin and returned to the Shang territory, before even stepping down from his chariot he enfeoffed the descendants of the Xia house in Qi, enfeoffed the descendants of the Yin people in Song, built a tomb for the royal prince Bi Gan, and released Jizi." Enfeoffing relatives only after the world is at peace shows that he does not act for private gain. Since he does not act for private gain, why does he still enfeoff them? There is no land under Heaven that is not the king's land, and no one within the borders of the land who is not the king's subject. The multitudes within the seas can already be employed, yet he cannot bear for his relatives to have not even a spot to stand on, so he enfeoffs them; this is the principle of showing affection to kin. Consider the enfeoffment of Kang Shu in the Book of Documents: it was based on security. When a king first rises, he enfeoffs his paternal uncles and brothers because there is a principle of sharing wealth with them, so he can share land with them. Another account says: the paternal uncles may not be enfeoffed to the extent of twenty feudal states; being generous to the meritorious and taking the worthy as one's image is for the sake of the people, and the descendants of the worthy are mostly worthy too. Moreover, a minister's rank and salary are not hereditary, for fear that they will not love the people as their children, so each is given an added merit in order to make himself content. He does not enfeoff his own son upon receiving the mandate, because father and son are like hand and foot and there is no principle of separating and dividing wealth between them. By the time of brothers, the bodies are already distinct, so they are enfeoffed. Consider how Shun enfeoffed his younger brother Xiang in the wilds of Youbi.

封諸侯以夏何？陽氣盛養，故封諸侯，盛養賢也。封立人君，陽德之盛者。《月令》曰：“孟夏之月行賞，封諸侯，慶賜，無不欣悅。”

Why is the enfeoffment of feudal lords done in summer? The yang energy is at its fullest and is growing and nourishing, so enfeoffing feudal lords is a grand nurturing of the worthy. Establishing a ruler of men is done when yang virtue is at its fullest. The Yue Ling says: "In the first month of summer, rewards are given, feudal lords are enfeoffed, and congratulatory gifts are bestowed, and there is no one who is not delighted."

何以言諸侯繼世以立？諸侯，象賢也。大夫不世位何？股肱之臣，任事者也，為其專權擅勢，傾覆國家。又曰孫苟中，庸不任輔政，妨塞賢，故不世世。故《春秋公羊傳》曰：“譏世世，非禮也。”諸侯世位，大夫不世，安法？所以諸侯南面之君，體陽而行，陽道不絕；大夫人臣，北面，體陰而行，陰道絕。以男生內向，有留家之義；女生外嚮，有從夫之義。此陽不絕、陰有絕之效也。

How do we know that feudal lords succeed by lineage? Feudal lords take their image from the worthy. Why do grand masters not inherit their rank and salary? They are limbs and trunk-supports of the ruler, those who hold the affairs of government, and there is fear that they would monopolize power and overturn the state. Another account: if a grandson is only middling and mediocre and cannot assist in government, he would hinder and block the worthy, so rank is not hereditary. Therefore the Gongyang Commentary says: "It criticizes hereditary succession as contrary to ritual." Feudal lords inherit and grand masters do not; what is the model? Because the feudal lord is a ruler facing south, embodies yang and acts accordingly, and the way of yang is not cut off; the grand master is a subject facing north, embodies yin and acts accordingly, and the way of yin has breaks. Consider that a man is born inward-facing and has the principle of staying at home, while a woman is born outward-facing and has the principle of following her husband; this is the proof that yang is not cut off and yin has breaks.

國在立太子者，防篡煞，壓臣子之亂也。《春秋》之弒太子，罪與弒君同。《春秋》曰：“弒其君之子奚齊。”明與弒君同也。君薨，適夫人無子，有育遺腹，必待其產立之何？專適重正也。《曾子問》曰：“立適以長不以賢何？以言為賢不肖，不可知也。”《尚書》曰：“惟帝其難之。”立子以貴不以長，防愛憎也。《春秋傳》曰：“適以長不以賢，立子以貴不以長也。”

A state must establish a crown prince, in order to prevent usurpation and murder and to suppress ministers' rebellions. In the Spring and Autumn Annals, the crime of killing a crown prince is the same as that of killing a ruler. The Annals says: "He killed the son of his ruler, Xiqi." This shows it is the same as killing a ruler. When a ruler dies and his primary consort has no son but is pregnant with a posthumous child, one must wait for her to give birth before establishing an heir; why? To focus on the primary line and value legitimacy. The Zengzi Wen says: "Why is the heir by the primary wife established by seniority and not by worth? Because who is worthy and who is unworthy cannot be known in advance." The Book of Documents says: "Even the Emperor found it difficult." A son by a lesser wife is established by rank and not by seniority, in order to prevent favoritism and hatred. The Spring and Autumn Commentary says: "The primary heir is established by seniority and not by worth; a son is established by rank and not by seniority."

始封諸侯無子死，不得與兄弟何？古者象賢也，弟非賢者子孫。《春秋傳》曰：“善善及子孫。”不言及昆弟，昆弟尊同，無相承養之義，以閔公不繼莊公也，昆弟不相繼。至繼體諸侯無子，得及親屬者，以其俱賢者子孫也。重其先祖之功，故得及之。

When the first enfeoffed feudal lord dies without a son, he may not pass the fief to a brother; why? In ancient times the enfeoffment took its image from the worthy, and a younger brother is not a descendant of that worthy man. The Spring and Autumn Commentary says: "Good deeds are extended to the descendants." It does not say they are extended to brothers. Brothers are equal in honor and have no principle of supporting one another; consider how Duke Min did not succeed Duke Zhuang: brothers do not succeed one another. When a feudal lord who has inherited the line dies without a son, the fief may be extended to relatives, because all of them are descendants of the worthy man. Because the ancestor's merit is valued, it can be extended.

《禮服傳》曰：“大宗不可絕。同宗則可以為後、為人作子何？明小宗可以絕，大宗不可絕。故舍己之父，往為後於大宗，所以尊祖，重不絕大宗也。”《春秋傳》曰：“為人後者，為人子者。”

The Li Fu Zhuan says: "The major lineage may not be cut off. Why may a man of the same clan become an heir and be a son to another? It shows that a minor lineage may be cut off but the major lineage may not. Therefore he sets aside his own father and goes to the major lineage to be an heir, for the sake of honoring the ancestor, valuing not letting the major lineage be cut off." The Spring and Autumn Commentary says: "One who becomes an heir to another is a son to him."

繼世諸侯無子又無弟，但有諸父庶兄當誰庶與兄推親之序也。王者受命而作，興滅國、繼絕世何？為先王無道，妄煞無辜，及嗣子幼弱，為強臣所奪，子孫皆無罪囚而絕，重其先人之功，故復立之。《論語》曰：“興滅國，繼絕世。”誅君之子不立者，義無所繼也。諸侯世位，象賢也，今親被誅絕也。《春秋傳》曰：“誅君之子立。”君見弒其子得立何？所以尊君、防篡弒。《春秋繼經》曰：“齊無知殺其君，貴妾子公子糾當立也。”

When a feudal lord who has inherited the line has neither a son nor a younger brother, but only paternal uncles and half-brothers, whom should be established is worked out by the order of closeness and distance. When a true king receives the mandate and rises, he revives destroyed states and continues broken lineages; why? Because the former king was without the Way and killed the innocent at will, or the heir was young and weak and was dispossessed by powerful ministers, so that the descendants, though blameless, were cut off; valuing the earlier ancestors' merit, he sets them up again. The Analects says: "Revive the destroyed states and continue the broken lineages." The son of a ruler who was executed is not established, because in terms of righteousness there is nothing for him to inherit. Feudal lords inherit rank and salary by taking their image from the worthy, but now the kin have already been wiped out by execution. The Spring and Autumn Commentary says: "The son of an executed ruler is established." When a ruler is murdered, his son can be established; why? For the sake of honoring the ruler and preventing usurpation and regicide. The Chun Qiu Ji Jing says: "Wuzhi of Qi killed his ruler, and Prince Jiu, the son of a noble concubine, should have been established."

大夫功成，未封，子得封者，善善及子孫也。《春秋傳》曰：“賢者子孫宜有土地也。”

When a grand master has completed his achievements but has not yet been enfeoffed, his son may be enfeoffed; this is extending good deeds to descendants. The Spring and Autumn Commentary says: "The descendants of a worthy man ought to have land."

周公不之魯何？為周公繼武王之業也。《春秋傳》曰：“周公曷為不之魯？欲天下一於周也。”《詩》云：“王(指周成王)曰叔父(指周公)，建爾元子，俾侯於魯。”周公身薨，天為之變，成王以天子禮葬之，命魯郊，以明至孝，天所興也。

Why did the Duke of Zhou not go to the state of Lu? Because the Duke of Zhou continued the work of King Wu. The Spring and Autumn Commentary says: "Why did the Duke of Zhou not go to Lu? He wanted to unify the world under Zhou." The Book of Odes says: "The king (King Cheng of Zhou) said: Uncle (the Duke of Zhou), establish your eldest son, and let him be marquis in Lu." When the Duke of Zhou died, Heaven showed a prodigy on his account; King Cheng buried him with the rites of the Son of Heaven and allowed Lu to perform the suburban sacrifice, in order to show his utmost filial piety, which was raised up by Heaven.

王者必即土中者何？所以均教道，平往來，使善易以聞，為惡易以聞，明當懼慎，損於善惡。《尚書》曰：“王來紹上帝，自服於土中。”聖人承天而製作。尚書曰：“公不敢不敬天之休來相宅。”

Why must a true king settle at the center of the land? In order to even out instruction and transformation, so that going and coming, far and near, are the same; so that good is easily heard and evil is also easily heard, showing that one should be wary and cautious and make adjustments in good and evil. The Book of Documents says: "The king comes to continue the work of the Supreme Lord and himself serves in the center of the land." The sage creates in accordance with Heaven. The Book of Documents says: "The Duke dares not fail to reverence the blessing of Heaven, and has come to survey the site."

周家始封於何？后稷封於邰，公劉去邰之。《詩》云：“即有臺家室。”又曰：“篤公劉於斯觀。”周家五遷，其意一也，皆欲成其道也。時寧先皇者，不以諸侯移，必先請從然後行。

Where was the house of Zhou first enfeoffed? Hou Ji was enfeoffed in Tai, and Gong Liu left Tai for [a place name missing from the source, lost in transcription]. The Book of Odes says: "He had a household in Tai." It also says: "Earnest Gong Liu looked out over [the place missing from the source]." The house of Zhou moved five times with the same intent, all to fulfill their way. When it was a time of peace and the earlier kings were in place, they did not move of their own accord because of the feudal lords, but always first asked permission and went only after it was granted.

京師者，何謂也？千里之邑號也。京，大也；師，眾也。天子所居，故以大眾言之，明諸侯，法日月之徑千里。《春秋傳》曰：“京曰天子之居也。”《王制》曰：“天子之田方千里”。

What does "capital" (jingshi) mean? It is the name of a city of a thousand li. Jing means "great"; shi means "multitude." It is where the Son of Heaven dwells, so it is described by the great multitude, showing that the feudal lords model themselves on the sun and moon, whose diameter is a thousand li. The Spring and Autumn Commentary says: "Jing refers to the residence of the Son of Heaven." The Wang Zhi says: "The Son of Heaven's fields are a thousand li square."

或曰：夏曰夏邑，殷曰商邑，周曰京師。《尚書》曰：“率割夏邑。”謂桀也。“在商邑。”謂殷也。

Some say: Xia was called the Xia city, Yin was called the Shang city, and Zhou was called the capital. The Book of Documents says: "He cut down the Xia city." This speaks of Jie. "In the Shang city." This speaks of Yin.

《王制》曰：“天子三公之田視公侯，卿視伯，大夫視子、男士視附庸。”上農夫食九人，其次食八人，其次食七人，其次食六人；下農夫食五人，庶人在官者，以是為差也。諸侯之下士，視上農夫，祿足以代其耕也；中士倍下士，上士倍中士，下大夫倍上士，卿四大夫祿，君十卿祿；次國之卿三大夫祿，君十卿祿；小國之卿倍上大夫祿，君十卿祿。天子之縣，內有百里之國九，七十里之國二十一，五十里之國六十三，凡九十三國。名山大澤不以封，其餘以祿士，以為閒田。

The Royal Regulations says: "The fields of the Three Ducal Ministers of the Son of Heaven are comparable to those of a Duke or Marquis; a Minister's to those of an Earl; a Grandee's to those of a Viscount; an Officer's to those of a dependent state." The best farmer feeds nine persons, the next eight, the next seven, the next six; the poorest farmer feeds five. Commoners who serve in government offices are paid according to these grades. A lower Officer of a feudal lord is comparable to the best farmer, with a stipend sufficient to replace his own farming; a middle Officer receives double that of a lower Officer, an upper Officer double that of a middle Officer, a lower Grandee double that of an upper Officer, a Minister four times a Grandee's stipend, and the ruler ten times a Minister's. In a middling state, a Minister receives three times a Grandee's stipend, and the ruler ten times a Minister's. In a small state, a Minister receives twice an upper Grandee's stipend, and the ruler ten times a Minister's. Within the royal domain: nine states of one hundred li, twenty-one states of seventy li, and sixty-three states of fifty li, ninety-three states in all. Famous mountains and great marshes are not granted as fiefs; the remainder is used to provide stipends for Officers, as reserve land.

諸侯入為公卿大夫，得食兩家菜不？日有能然後居其位，德加於人然後食其祿，所以尊賢重有德也。今以盛德人輔佐，兩食之何？故《王制》曰：“天子縣內，諸侯祿也；外諸侯，嗣也。”

When a feudal lord enters the court to serve as a Duke, Minister, or Grandee, may he draw the income of both fiefs? It is said that one holds a position because of ability, and enjoys a stipend because one's virtue reaches others; this is to honor the worthy and value the virtuous. Now, if one enters the court to assist the king by reason of great virtue and draws both incomes, why is this? Hence the Royal Regulations says: "Within the royal domain, the lands are the stipends of the feudal lords; outside the domain, the feudal lords are hereditary successors."

天子太子食菜者，儲君嗣主也，當有土以尊之也。太子食百里，與諸侯封同，故《禮》曰：“公士大夫子子也。”無爵而在大夫上，故知百里也。

The Crown Prince of the Son of Heaven draws income from a fief because he is the heir and successor, and should have land by which to be honored. The Crown Prince draws from one hundred li, the same as the enfeoffment of a feudal lord. Hence the Rites says: "The sons of Dukes, Officers, and Grandees are also called 'sons'." Though he holds no rank, he stands above the Grandees, so we know his fief is one hundred li.

公卿大夫皆食菜者，示與民同有無也。

That Dukes, Ministers, and Grandees all draw income from fiefs shows that they share in common with the people both abundance and want.

五行者，何謂也？謂金、木、水、火、土也。言行者，欲言為天行氣之義也。地之承天，猶妻之事夫，臣之事君也，謂其位卑。卑者親視事，故自周於一行，尊於天也。《尚書》：“一曰水，二曰火，三曰木，四曰金，五曰土。”水位在北方，北方者，陰氣在黃泉之下，任養萬物；水之為言淮也，陰化沾濡任生木。木在東方。東方者，陰陽氣始動，萬物始生。木之為言觸也，陽氣動躍，火在南方，南方者，陽在上，萬物垂枝。火之為言委隨也，言萬物佈施；火之為言化也，陽氣用事，萬物變化也。金在西方，西方者，陰始起，萬物禁止。金之為言禁也。土在中央者，主吐含萬物。土之為言吐也。何知東方生？《樂記》曰：“春生，夏長，秋收，冬藏。”土所以不名時，地，土別名也，比於五行最尊，故不自居部職也。《元命苞》曰：“土之為位而道在，故大不預化，人主不任部職。”

The Five Phases: what are they? They are Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. They are called "phases" (xing, "moving") because they act on Heaven's behalf, moving its qi. Earth receives from Heaven, as a wife serves her husband or a minister serves his ruler, which indicates that its position is lowly. Those in lowly positions do the work personally, so each phase is complete in itself, and is closer to us than Heaven (while honor still rests with Heaven). The Book of Documents says: "First is Water, second Fire, third Wood, fourth Metal, fifth Earth." Water has its place in the north. In the north, yin qi lies beneath the Yellow Springs and is charged with nourishing the myriad things; "water" means "level" (zhun): yin qi transforms and moistens, and is charged with generating Wood. Wood is in the east. In the east, yin and yang qi first begin to stir and the myriad things begin to grow. "Wood" means "to touch" (chu): yang qi stirs and leaps up. Fire is in the south. In the south, yang is above and the myriad things hang their branches downward. "Fire" means "to yield" (wei sui), that is, the myriad things spread out; Fire also means "to transform" (hua), as yang qi holds sway and the myriad things change. Metal is in the west. In the west, yin begins to rise and the myriad things are restrained. "Metal" means "to prohibit" (jin). Earth is in the center and governs the spitting forth and holding within of the myriad things. "Earth" means "to spit forth" (tu). How do we know the east governs birth? The Record of Music says: "Spring brings forth, summer makes grow, autumn gathers in, winter stores up." The reason Earth is not assigned to a season is that the earth is simply another name for Earth, and is the most honored among the Five Phases, so it does not occupy any single office on its own. The Yuan Ming Bao says: "Earth occupies this position while the Way remains; therefore the great does not take part in particular changes, and the ruler of men does not hold any single office."

五行之性或上或下何？火者，陽也，尊，故上；水者，陰也，卑，故下；水者，少陽；金者，少陰，有中和之性，故可曲可直，從革；土者最大，苞含物，將生者出者，將歸者，不嫌清濁為萬物。《尚書》曰：“水曰潤下，火曰炎上，木曰曲直，金曰從革，土爰稼穡。”五行所以二陽三陰何？土尊，尊者配天，金木水火，陰陽自偶。

Among the Five Phases, some are by nature upward and some downward; why is this? Fire is yang and honored, so it rises; Water is yin and lowly, so it descends. Wood is lesser yang; Metal is lesser yin, with a nature of balance and harmony, so it can be bent or straightened and can also follow and be reshaped. Earth is the greatest and contains the myriad things: what is about to be born, what has come forth, and what is about to return, not minding the pure or the turbid, it forms all things. The Book of Documents says: "Water is called moistening and descending, Fire is called blazing and ascending, Wood is called bending and straightening, Metal is called yielding and reshaping, and Earth is for sowing and reaping." Why do the Five Phases have two yang and three yin? Earth is honored, and the honored matches Heaven; Metal, Wood, Water, and Fire pair up as yin and yang each in their own way.

水味所以鹹何？是其性也。所以北方鹹者，萬物鹹與，所以堅之也，猶五味得鹹乃堅也。木味所以酸何？東方，萬物之生也，酸者以達生也，猶五味得酸乃達也。火味所以苦何？南方主長養，苦者所以長養也，猶五味須苦可以養也。金味所以辛何？西方煞傷成物，辛所以煞傷之也，猶五味得辛乃委煞也。土味所以甘何？中央者，中和也，故甘，猶五味以甘為主也。《尚書》曰：“潤下作鹹，炎上作苦，曲直作酸，從革作辛，稼穡作甘。”北方其臭朽者何？，北方水，萬物所幽藏也，又水者受垢濁，故臭腐朽也。東方者木也，萬物新出地中，故其臭羶。南方者水也，盛陽承動，故其臭焦。西方者金也，萬物成熟，始復諾，故其臭腥。中央土也，主養，故其臭香也。《月令》曰：“東方其臭羶，南方其臭焦，中央其臭香，西方其臭腥，北方其臭朽。”所以名之為東方者，動方也，萬物始動生也。南方者，任養之方，萬物懷任也。西方者，遷方也，萬物遷落也。北方者，伏方也，萬物伏藏也。

Why is the flavor of Water salty? This is its nature. The north is salty because the myriad things all become salty with it, which firms them up, just as the five flavors become firm only when they get salt. Why is the flavor of Wood sour? The east is where the myriad things grow, and sourness helps growth to penetrate, just as the five flavors are brought through only with sourness. Why is the flavor of Fire bitter? The south governs growth and nurture; bitterness is used to nurture, just as the five flavors need bitterness to be nourished. Why is the flavor of Metal pungent? The west wounds and completes the myriad things; pungency is used to wound them, just as the five flavors wilt and are wounded only with pungency. Why is the flavor of Earth sweet? The center is balance and harmony, so it is sweet, just as sweetness is the chief of the five flavors. The Book of Documents says: "Moistening and descending produces saltiness, blazing and ascending produces bitterness, bending and straightening produces sourness, yielding and reshaping produces pungency, sowing and reaping produces sweetness." Why is the smell of the north rotten? The north is Water, where the myriad things lie hidden, and water also receives filth and turbidity, so its smell is rotten. The east is Wood, where the myriad things have just emerged from the ground, so its smell is rank like mutton. The south is Fire, where abundant yang takes over and stirs, so its smell is scorched. The west is Metal, where the myriad things ripen and begin to return, so its smell is fishy. The center is Earth, which governs nourishing, so its smell is fragrant. The Monthly Ordinances says: "The east's smell is rank, the south's scorched, the center's fragrant, the west's fishy, the north's rotten." The east is called "east" (dong) because it is the direction of stirring (dong), where the myriad things begin to stir and grow. The south is the direction of nurturing, where the myriad things are with child. The west is the direction of moving (qian), where the myriad things move and fall. The north is the direction of concealing (fu), where the myriad things lie hidden.

少陽見寅，寅者，演也，律中大蔟，律之言率，所以率氣令生也；卯者，茂也，律中夾鍾；衰於辰，辰震也，律中姑洗。其日甲乙者，萬物孚甲也；乙者，物蕃屈有節慾出。時為春，春之為言蠢蠢動也。位在東方。其色青。其音角，角者，氣動耀也。其帝太，者，大起萬物擾也。其神勾芒者，物之始生，其精青龍，芒之為言萌也。

Lesser yang appears at Yin (the third branch). "Yin" means "to extend" (yan). Its pitch-pipe is Taicu. "Pipe" (lu) means "to lead" (shuai): it leads qi so that it grows. Mao (the fourth branch) means "lush" (mao), and its pipe is Jiazhong. Decline comes at Chen (the fifth branch). "Chen" means "to quake" (zhen), and its pipe is Guxian. Its days are Jia and Yi: Jia is the myriad things sprouting from their husks; Yi is things flourishing, bending, with nodes about to emerge. Its season is spring. "Spring" means wriggling into motion. Its position is the east. Its color is green-blue. Its note is Jue. "Jue" is qi stirring and shining forth. Its emperor is Tai [a rare character lost in the source text during transcription], which means great arising, the myriad things stirring. Its spirit is Gou Mang, which is things beginning to grow. Its essence is the Azure Dragon. "Mang" means "sprout".

陰中陽故，太陽見於巳，巳者物必起，律中仲呂；壯盛於午，午物滿長，律中蕤賓；衰於未，未味也，律中林鐘。其日丙丁者，其物炳明丁者，強也。時為夏，夏之言大也。位在南方。其色赤。其音徵，徵，止也，陽度極也。其帝炎帝者，太陽也。其神祝融，祝融者，屬續。其精為鳥，離為鸞。

Because there is yang within yin, greater yang appears at Si (the sixth branch). "Si" means that things must rise, and its pipe is Zhonglu. Vigor comes at Wu (the seventh branch). "Wu" means things are fully grown, and its pipe is Ruibin. Decline comes at Wei (the eighth branch). "Wei" means flavor (wei), and its pipe is Linzhong. Its days are Bing and Ding: Bing is things shining bright; Ding is strength. Its season is summer. "Summer" means great. Its position is the south. Its color is red. Its note is Zhi. "Zhi" means to stop, for the numbers of yang have reached their limit. Its emperor is Yan Di, who is Greater Yang. Its spirit is Zhu Rong. "Zhu Rong" means continuing and joining. Its essence is the bird; the Li hexagram is the luan bird.

故少陰見於申，申者，身也，律中夷則；壯於酉，酉者，老物收斂，律中南呂；衰於戌，戌者，滅也，律中無射，無射者，無聲也。其日庚辛，庚者，物更也；辛者，陰始成。時為秋，秋之為言愁亡也。其位西方。其色白。其音商，商者，強也。其神少，少者，少斂也。其神蓐收，蓐收者，縮也。其精白虎，虎之為言搏討也。

Therefore lesser yin appears at Shen (the ninth branch). "Shen" means the body, and its pipe is Yize. Vigor comes at You (the tenth branch). "You" means old things gathering in, and its pipe is Nanlu. Decline comes at Xu (the eleventh branch). "Xu" means to extinguish, and its pipe is Wuyi. "Wuyi" means without sound. Its days are Geng and Xin: Geng is things changing; Xin is yin beginning to complete. Its season is autumn. "Autumn" means sorrow and loss. Its position is the west. Its color is white. Its note is Shang. "Shang" means strength. Its emperor is Shao [a rare character lost in the source text during transcription]. "Shao [lost character]" means lesser gathering. Its spirit is Ru Shou. "Ru Shou" means to contract. Its essence is the White Tiger. "Tiger" means to seize and attack.

故太陰見於亥，亥者，仰也，律中應鐘；壯於子，於子者，孳也，律中黃鐘；衰於醜，醜者，紐也，律中大呂。其日壬癸，壬者，陰始任；癸者，揆揆度。可揆度也。時為冬，冬之為言終也。其位在北方。其音羽，羽之為言舒，言萬物始孳。其帝顓頊，顓頊者，寒縮也。其神玄冥，玄冥者，入冥也。其精玄武，掩起離體泉，龜蛟珠蛤。

Therefore greater yin appears at Hai (the twelfth branch). "Hai" means to look up, and its pipe is Yingzhong. Vigor comes at Zi (the first branch). "Zi" means to multiply, and its pipe is Huangzhong. Decline comes at Chou (the second branch). "Chou" means to knot, and its pipe is Dalu. Its days are Ren and Gui: Ren is yin beginning to take charge; Gui is to measure, that which can be measured. Its season is winter. "Winter" means the end. Its position is the north. Its note is Yu. "Yu" means to unfold, that is, the myriad things begin to multiply. Its emperor is Zhuan Xu. "Zhuan Xu" means cold and contracted. Its spirit is Xuan Ming. "Xuan Ming" means entering the darkness. Its essence is the Black Tortoise, covering, shedding, springs, and the turtle, the dragon-serpent, pearls, and clams.

土為中宮。其日戊己，戊者，茂也；己抑屈起。其音宮，宮者，中也。其帝黃帝。其神后土。

Earth is the central palace. Its days are Wu and Ji: Wu is lush; Ji is bending down and rising up. Its note is Gong. "Gong" means the center. Its emperor is the Yellow Emperor. Its spirit is Hou Tu.

《月令》云：十一月律謂之黃鐘何？中和之色；鍾者，動也。言陽氣動於黃泉之下，動養萬物也。

The Monthly Ordinances says that the pipe of the eleventh month is called Huangzhong. Why? "Huang" (yellow) is the color of balance and harmony; "zhong" (bell) means to stir. This says that yang qi stirs beneath the Yellow Springs, and in stirring nurtures the myriad things.

十二月律之謂之大呂何？大，大也；呂者，拒也。言陽氣欲出，陰不許也。呂之為言拒者，旅抑拒難之也。

Why is the pipe of the twelfth month called Dalu? "Da" means great; "lu" means to resist. This says that yang qi wants to come out, but yin does not allow it. "Lu" means resist, as in lodging, restraining, and resisting and making difficult.

正月律謂之太蔟何？太，亦大也；蔟者，湊也。言萬物始大，湊地而出也。

Why is the pipe of the first month called Taicu? "Tai" also means great; "cu" means to gather. This says that the myriad things begin to grow large, gathering and pushing up out of the earth.

二月律謂之夾鍾何？夾者，孚甲也，言萬物孚甲，種類分也。

Why is the pipe of the second month called Jiazhong? "Jia" means husk, that is, the myriad things burst from their husks and their kinds separate.

三月謂之姑洗何？姑者，故也；洗者，鮮也。言萬物皆去故就其新，莫不鮮明也。

Why is the third month called Guxian? "Gu" means old; "xian" means fresh. This says that the myriad things all shed the old and take on the new, and none is not fresh and bright.

四月謂之仲呂何？言陽氣極將，彼故復中難之也。

Why is the fourth month called Zhonglu? This says that yang qi has reached its extreme and is about to pass, so it is again obstructed from the middle.

五月謂之蕤賓，蕤者，下也；賓者，敬也。言陽氣上極，陰氣始，賓敬之也。

The fifth month is called Ruibin. "Rui" means to descend; "bin" means to respect. This says that when yang qi has risen to its extreme and yin qi begins, it is respected with the courtesy due a guest.

六月謂之林鐘何？林者，眾也，萬物成熟，種類眾多。

Why is the sixth month called Linzhong? "Lin" means many: the myriad things ripen and their kinds are numerous.

七月謂之夷則何？夷，傷也；則，法也。言萬物始傷，被刑法也。

Why is the seventh month called Yize? "Yi" means to wound; "ze" means law. This says that the myriad things begin to be wounded and suffer punishment.

八月謂之南呂何？南者，任也，言陽氣尚有，任生薺麥也，故陰拒之也。

Why is the eighth month called Nanlu? "Nan" means to bear a charge. This says that yang qi still remains and is charged with growing shepherd's purse and wheat, so yin comes to resist it.

九月謂之無射何？射者，終也。言萬物隨陽而終，當復隨陰而起，無有終已也。

Why is the ninth month called Wuyi? "Yi" means to end. This says that the myriad things end following yang, and must rise again following yin, without ceasing.

十月謂之應鐘何？應者，應也；鍾者，動也。言萬物應陽而動下藏也。

Why is the tenth month called Yingzhong? "Ying" means to respond; "zhong" means to stir. This says that the myriad things respond to yang and stir, going down to hide below.

五行所以更王何？以其轉相生，故有終始也。木生火，火生土，土生金，金生水，水生木。是以木王，火相，土死，金囚，水休，王所勝老死、囚，故王者休。見王火相何？以知為臣，土所以死者，子為父報仇者也。五行之子慎之物歸母，木王火相，金成，其火ㄡ金。金生水，水滅火，報其理；火生土，土則害水，莫能而御。

Why do the Five Phases take turns reigning? Because they give birth to one another in a cycle, they have an end and a beginning. Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal, Metal generates Water, Water generates Wood. Thus when Wood reigns, Fire is the minister, Earth is dead, Metal is imprisoned, and Water is at rest. What the reigning one overcomes is aged and imprisoned, so the reigning one rests. Seeing the reigning phase and the ministering Fire, why is this so? It is how we know what it is to be a minister. Why does Earth die? A son avenges his father. The sons of the Five Phases are cautious, and things return to their mother. When Wood reigns, Fire is the minister, and Metal is complete, then Fire overcomes Metal. Metal generates Water, and Water extinguishes Fire, repaying this principle; Fire generates Earth, and Earth then harms Water, and nothing can resist it.

五行所以相害者，天地之性，眾勝寡，故水勝火也；精勝堅，故火勝金；剛勝柔，故金勝木；專勝散，故木勝土；實勝虛，故土勝水也。火陽，君之象也；水陰，臣之義也。臣所以勝其君何？此謂無道之君也，故為眾陰所害，猶紂王也。是使水得施行，金以蓋之，土以應之，欲溫則溫，欲寒，亦何從得害火乎？曰：五行各自有陰陽，木生火所以還燒其母何？曰金勝木，火欲為木害金。金者，堅強難消，故母以遜體助火燒金，此自欲成子之義。又陽道不相離，故為兩盛火死子乃繼之。

The reason the Five Phases harm one another lies in the nature of Heaven and Earth: the many overcome the few, so Water overcomes Fire; the refined overcomes the hard, so Fire overcomes Metal; the firm overcomes the soft, so Metal overcomes Wood; the concentrated overcomes the scattered, so Wood overcomes Earth; the solid overcomes the empty, so Earth overcomes Water. Fire is yang and the image of the ruler; Water is yin and the principle of the minister. Why can a minister overcome his ruler? This speaks of a ruler without the Way, who is therefore harmed by the many yin, like King Zhou. If Water were allowed to act, Metal would cover it and Earth would answer it, so that it be warm when it should be warm; and if it were cold, from where could it harm Fire? It is said: each of the Five Phases has its own yin and yang. Wood generates Fire, so why does Fire in turn burn its mother? It is said that Metal overcomes Wood, and Fire wants to harm Metal on behalf of Wood. Metal is hard and difficult to melt, so the mother yields her body to help Fire burn Metal; this is the principle of completing one's own son. Moreover, the way of yang does not part from itself, so the two flourish together, and when Fire dies its son continues.

木王所以七十二日何？土王四季，各十八日，合九十日為一時，王九十日。土所以王四季何？木非土不生，火非土不榮，金非土不成，水無土不高。土扶微助衰，歷成其道，故五行更王，亦須土也。王四季，居中央不名時。五行何以知同時起？醜訖義相生。《傳》曰：“五行並起赴，各以名別。”陽氣陰煞，火中無生物，水中反有生物何？生者以內火，陰在內，故不生也。水、火獨一種，金、木多品何？以為南北陰陽之極也，得其極故一也；東西非其極也，故非一也。

Why does Wood reign for seventy-two days? Earth reigns eighteen days in each of the four seasons, which together make ninety days, one season, and Earth reigns for ninety days. Why does Earth reign in the four seasons? Wood without Earth is not born, Fire without Earth does not flourish, Metal without Earth is not completed, Water without Earth does not rise high. Earth supports the weak, helps the declining, and refines and perfects their Way; so when the Five Phases take turns reigning, they also need Earth. Earth reigns in the four seasons and dwells in the center, and is not assigned to a season. How do we know that the Five Phases arise at the same time? Finishing from Chou, they give birth to one another according to principle. The Commentary says: "The Five Phases arise together and rush forth, each distinguished by its own name." Yang qi and yin killing: there is no living thing in Fire, yet in Water there are living things; why is this? What can give birth does so because Fire is within; yin is within, so it does not give birth. Why do Water and Fire have only one kind each, while Metal and Wood have many kinds? Because south and north are the extremes of yin and yang, and having the extreme, each is one; east and west are not extremes, so they are not one.