Volume One · Ten Methods of Divination by Characters

何以直此十法？蓋一字之來必各有體，因其體之隱現不同，故其測之變化不定。邵子書曰：「認定用神。」又曰：「體立而後用行。」皆有深義。然測不立法，不足以示學者之權衡；字不加減，不足以開問者之蒙昧。是必乘除損益，每一字到真機，流動變化數字於其間，則所問之事昭然在目，驗後豈不愉快？列法於左。

Why are these ten methods established? Because each character presented for divination has its own structure, and the way its strokes are hidden or revealed, spaced or dense varies. Therefore, the changes inferred from them are not fixed. Shao Yong of the Song Dynasty said in his writings: "Identify the Useful God." He also said: "Only after the body is established can the use proceed." These two statements contain profound meaning — first, one must identify the key part of the character, which is called the "Useful God"; then, only after the character's essence is firmly established can one proceed to use it for change. However, if divination does not establish rules, it cannot provide scholars with a standard for judgment and choice; if the character is not added to or subtracted from, it cannot dispel the confusion in the mind of the person seeking divination. Therefore, one must make efforts of "multiplication, subtraction, reduction, and addition" on a single character: either adding strokes, subtracting strokes, splitting it apart, or combining parts, until the true essence of the character is revealed. Then, the characters derived from it will flow and change within, and the matter being inquired about will naturally become clear before one's eyes, and later be fulfilled one by one, which is indeed satisfying. Now, I will list the ten methods below.

字從太極出，各具首尾，各有結構。測字之法不離羲畫之理，生生化化，變幻萬端，因其所問之事而推之，據吾所觸之幾而斷之，百不失一。何以謂之裝頭？蓋其所問之事與所寫之字，雖隱露吉凶，而首猶藏，如神龍不見首；我則添筆於上而出之，燦如躍如，而字中之理全彰，故曰裝頭。

The characters originate from the "Taiji" point, each having a beginning and an end, with its own structural framework. The principle of divination through characters is essentially the same as Fuxi's method of drawing the trigrams: from one comes two, from two comes four, and so on, continuously generating and changing endlessly. Therefore, one should follow the matter the person is inquiring about, and judge based on the current intuitive "qi" or sign that moves one's mind at that moment. In this way, the divination is never wrong. What is meant by "zhuang tou" (making up the head)? When the person's question and the character they write already hint at good or bad fortune, but the head of the character is still hidden and not yet revealed, like a dragon seen only by its tail but not its head. At this moment, the diviner adds a few strokes above the character to reveal the hidden head, making the meaning of the character suddenly clear and vivid, as if it leaps off the page. The principles contained within the character then become fully apparent, hence the term "zhuang tou."

戊（茂）、裡（童）、（死、苑）、古（罟、苦、居）、兄（克、況、兌）、亦（赤）、日（春、皆、百）、爭（箏、事）、早（囗、草、章）、冊（扁、掞）、央（瑽、英）、黽（蒨、黿、蠅）、免（冤、冕）、艮（痕、摐、食）、合（答）、屈（窟）、魚（鯊、鰲）、至（窒、臺）、見（寬、覓、覺）、連（運、蓮）。

The following are examples of characters formed by adding components to the top of a character. Adding "艹" to "戊" forms "茂"; adding "立" to "里" forms "童"; the original character "苑" is formed by adding "歹" to "夗"; adding "艹" to "夗" forms "苑"; adding "罒" to "古" forms "罟"; adding "艹" to "古" forms "苦"; adding "尸" to "古" forms "居"; adding "十" to "兄" forms "克"; adding "冫" to the side of "兄" forms "况"; adding two dots above "兄" forms "兑"; adding one horizontal stroke to "亦" forms "赤"; adding "𡗗" above "日" forms "春"; adding "比" above "日" forms "皆"; adding one horizontal stroke to "日" forms "百"; adding "竹" above "争" forms "筝"; adding one horizontal stroke to "争" forms "事"; adding "艹" above "早" forms "草"; adding "立" above "早" forms "章"; another character is missing, only "囗" remains; adding "户" above "册" forms "扁"; adding "艹" above "央" forms "英"; adding "元" above "黾" forms "鼋"; adding "虫" to the side of "黾" forms "蝇"; adding "宀" above "免" forms "冤"; adding "冃" above "免" forms "冕"; adding "疒" above "艮" forms "痕"; adding "人" above "艮" forms "食"; adding "竹" above "合" forms "答"; adding "穴" above "屈" forms "窟"; adding "沙" above "鱼" forms "鲨"; adding "敖" above "鱼" forms "鳌"; adding "穴" above "至" forms "窒"; adding "士、冖、口" to "至" forms "臺" (now written as "台"); adding "宀" and "艹" above "见" forms "宽"; adding "爫" above "见" forms "觅"; adding the head of "学" above "见" forms "觉"; replacing "车" in "连" with "云" forms "运"; adding "艹" above "连" forms "莲". Among these, the characters "掞" under "册", "瑽" under "央", "蒨" under "黾", and "摐" under "艮" have forms not related to the examples given, and are likely errors in the transmission of the original text; they are retained as they were.

元（坃、完）、冢（家、豪、蒙）、山（巒、甗）、目（眉、著、眷）、足（蹇、促）、可（河、奇、珝）、皮（波、破）、田（留、富、當）、由（笛、囗、甫）、令（零）、巾（吊、幕、皞、席）、比（庇、麗）、其（箕）、夋（戴、冀、翼）、衣（裹、裳）、金（釜、鑾）、心（愁、忠）、升（飛、升）、貝（貧、貴、貪）。

"Yuan" combined with "earth" to form "fu", and with "roof" on top to form "wan"; "zhong" with "cover" replaced by "roof" becomes "jia", and with "gao" on top becomes "hao", and with "grass" and "cover" on top becomes "meng"; "shan" with "lun" on top becomes "lun", and with "yun" on top becomes "yan"; "mu" with "shi" on top becomes "mei", and with "yang" on top becomes "zhuo", and with "qian" on top becomes "juan"; "zu" with "roof" and "jiong" on top becomes "jian", and with "ren" beside it becomes "cu"; "ke" with "water" beside it becomes "he", and with "da" on top becomes "qi"; "pi" with "water" beside it becomes "bo", and with "shi" becomes "po"; "tian" with "mao" on top becomes "liu", and with "roof", "one", and "mouth" on top becomes "fu", and with "shang" on top becomes "dang" (now written as "dang"); "you" with "zhu" on top becomes "di", and another character with a missing base is written as "guan"; "ling" with "rain" on top becomes "ling"; "jin" with "mouth" on top becomes "diao", and with "mo" on top becomes "mu", and with "guang" and "er" on top becomes "xi"; "bi" with "guang" on top becomes "bi"; "qi" with "zhu" on top becomes "ji"; the characters "dai", "ji", and "yi" mentioned under "jun" are actually the character "yi" with a head added—adding "bei" on top becomes "ji", adding "yu" on top becomes "yi", and adding "shi" and "ge" becomes "dai", and the original character "jun" should be a mistake for "yi"; "yi" with "guo" in the middle becomes "guo", and with "shang" on top becomes "shang"; "jin" with "fu" on top becomes "fu", and with "lun" on top becomes "luan"; "xin" with "qiu" on top becomes "chou", and with "zhong" on top becomes "zhong"; "sheng" is also written as "sheng", so it is mentioned together with "fei"; "bei" with "fen" on top becomes "pin", and with "zhong" and "one" on top becomes "gui", and with "jin" on top becomes "tan".

字如人之體，有冠必有履。測法因其所書之字察其善惡，如人之全身已現，但未舉足行動，因以囗囗之，故曰接腳。

A single character is like a person's body. If it has a hat, it must also have shoes. This method involves examining the character written by the person to determine its goodness or badness, fortune or misfortune. It is like a person standing completely in front of you, but has not yet lifted his foot to move. The practitioner then adds strokes below the character to give it a pair of feet, enabling it to move. (The original text has two missing characters here, marked as 「囗囗」.) Therefore, this technique is called "receiving the feet." Adding a head is done above, while receiving the feet is done below. These two methods, one above and one below, are perfectly opposite to each other.

採（悉、釋、番）、千（秀、壬）、立（產、童、音）、裡（冘、墨、鋋）、自（息、身）、苑（葬）、合（枿、會）。

The example characters show how the lower part of a character is added to the base character. For instance, "采" with "心" below becomes "悉," with "睾" becomes "释," and with "田" becomes "番." "千" with "乃" below becomes "秀," and with a horizontal stroke becomes "壬." "立" with "厂" and "丿" below becomes "产," with "里" becomes "童," and with "日" becomes "音." "里" with "灬" below and adding "黑" becomes "墨." "自" with "心" below becomes "息," and adding a stroke becomes "身." "苑" with "廾" below becomes "葬." "合" with a wooden radical below becomes "枿," and with a horizontal stroke becomes "会." It is evident that the added lower parts are mostly components like "心," "田," "日," and "灬." Once these are added, the meaning of the character changes, and thus the fortune or misfortune is revealed.

凡字畫端正、左右俱全，而從中穿入數筆，以變化其字，謂之穿心；如衣裾之縫，其不從中而合。

Any character whose strokes are neat and complete on both sides is considered. If several strokes are drawn through the middle of the character to transform it into another character, this is called 'chuanxin'. This is similar to sewing the front of a garment; if the sewing line does not go through the center, the two pieces of fabric cannot be joined. In fortune-telling through characters, this stroke must pass through the exact center of the character to form a new character.

文（吏）、昌（量）、鞋（難）、維（棨）、月（舟、用、冉、角）、旦（裡、車、叟）、弓（弗、嵒、費）。

The example of the "穿心" method is as follows. In the character "文", a vertical stroke is inserted and a mouth shape is added to form "吏"; in "昌", a horizontal stroke and a "里" stroke are inserted to form "量"; in "鞋", the left and right parts are rearranged to form "难"; "维" becomes "棨". In "月", inserting one stroke forms "舟", "用", and "冉"; inserting two strokes forms "角". In "旦", inserting one vertical stroke forms "里" and "车"; adding "臼" on top forms "叟". In "弓", inserting two strokes forms "弗"; combining with "石" forms "嵒"; adding "贝" forms "费". It is evident that the "穿心" method does not alter the outer shape of the character, but instead adds strokes in the center, changing the form of the character and thereby altering its meaning.

包籠者，字之全體不動，而將筆周圍包裹之，另成一字。

The term "baolong" refers to a method of creating a new character by adding strokes around the original character without moving any of its original strokes, thus enclosing the entire original character within the added strokes to form a new character. When adding strokes at the top, it is called "zhuangtou"; when adding at the bottom, it is called "jiejiao"; when adding in the middle, it is called "chuanxin." However, "baolong" involves surrounding the original character completely with strokes, often resulting in characters with outer frames such as "囗," "辶," or "宀."

稚（灊）、韭（騑、殲、籤）、貝（遺、測）、矢（族、痴）、由（會、遭）、尹（倉、絺）、裡（墨）、玉（寶）、牛（逄、遲）、昔（翽、泬）、辛（襯、幸）、石（磨）、弓（潑）、主（囗）。

The example characters in the "bao long" method are as follows. "Zhi" is enclosed by water and mountain to form "Qian". "Jiu" is combined with "Ma" to form "Fei", with "Die" to form "Jian", and with "Zhu" above and "Shuang" below to form "Qian". "Bei" is combined with "Cuo" and "Zhong" to form "Wei", and with "Shui" and "Li" to form "Ce". "Shi" is combined with "Fang" and "Ren" to form "Zu", and with "Nai" above to form "Chi". "You" is covered by "Ren" and "Yi" to form "Hui", and with "Cuo" added to form "Zao". "Yin" is covered by "Ren" to form "Cang", and wrapped by "Si" to form "Chi". "Li" is combined with "Hei" to form "Mo". "Yu" is covered by "Mian" and added with "Fou" to form "Bao". "Niu" is combined with "Cuo" to form "Pang" and "Chi". "Xi" is combined with "Yu" to form "Hui", and with "Shui" and "Xue" to form "Jue". "Xin" is combined with "Yi" to form "Chen", and with a horizontal stroke above to form "Xing". "Shi" is covered by "Guang" and added with "Lin" to form "Mo". "Gong" is combined with "Shui" and "Bai" to form "Po". "Zhu" is enclosed, but the base character is missing, leaving only "Kuo".

破者，劈破。解者，解拆。將字之體段分開，從中加入數筆而成字，謂之破字。字之筆畫抉出，從旁標比、評論而成文，謂之解。破易而解難，破平正而解奇幻，觀後字可知。又，破與穿心不同。破必要分開，不若穿心字體不動也，解則隨意抉剔耳。

"Breaking" means to split apart, and "interpreting" means to disassemble. Breaking a character involves splitting its structure completely into two parts and then adding a few strokes at the split to form a new character, which is called "breaking a character." Interpreting a character involves picking out each stroke and using these radicals to make comparisons and interpretations, forming a passage of judgment, which is called "interpreting a character." Breaking characters is easy, while interpreting is difficult. The conclusions from breaking are straightforward and proper, while those from interpreting are strange and unpredictable. You will understand this better by looking at the examples provided later. Also, note that breaking is different from "piercing through the center"—breaking requires splitting the character, whereas piercing through the center leaves the original character intact. As for interpreting, it involves arbitrarily picking out strokes from the character without any fixed pattern.

行（術、衙、衍）、辛（章）、共（莫、黃）、衣（鸑、紘、哀、衷）、颭（算）、合（倉）、苦（苗）、璟（枿）、罵（駟）、田（古）、隼（惟）、香（查）、敕（拐、架、枷）、勳（賀）、解（周、祥）。

The example of character breakdown is as follows: "行" is split into its left and right parts, with another stroke added in the middle to form "术", "衙", and "衍"; "辛" is split and with a stroke added to form "章"; "共" is split top and bottom, with "日" added to form "莫" and "田" added to form "黄"; "衣" is split and with "岳" and "鸟" added to form "鸑" and with "糸" and "厶" added to form "纮", and with strokes added above and below to form "哀" and "衷"; "飐" is split into "竹", "目", and "廾" to form "算"; "合" is split by removing the lower "口" to form "仓"; "苦" is split by removing "口" and adding "田" to form "苗"; "璟" is split into its components to form "枿"; "骂" is split into "马" and the four dots to form "驷"; "田" is split into "十" and "口" to form "古"; "隼" is split into "隹" and paired with "忄" to form "惟"; "香" is split into "木" and "日" to form "查"; "敕" is split into its components and paired with "扌" to form "拐", with "木" to form "架" and "枷"; "勋" is split into "贝" and "力" to form "贺"; "解" is split into "用" and "口" to form "周", and "羊" paired with "礻" to form "祥".

哉（告、戎）、乖（禾、比、千）、稱（再、利）、程（杜、和）、鱸（田、申、爐、魚、火）、琳（林、瑞、麻）、膊（肘、傅、補）、椒（叔、枝）、伐（仁、義）、忒（懿、戚）、冒（昂、香）、志（喜、悲）、宋（安、樂）。

The character "zai" is split into "tu" and "kou" to form "gao," and into "ge" and "shi" to form "rong." The character "guai" is completely disassembled to yield "he," "bi," and "qian." The character "cheng" is split into "he" and "tu" to form "du," and into "he" and "kou" to form "he." The character "lu" is split into very small parts: within the fish there are "tian" and "shen," and on the right side there is "lu," so altogether there are "fish" and "fire." The character "lin" is split into "lin," and can also be combined with "rui" and "ma." The character "bo" is split into "yue" and "cun" to form "zhǒu," and the right side "fu" combined with "ren" forms "fu," and with "yi" forms "bu." The character "jiao" has the right side split into "shu," and the left side "mu" combined with "zhi" forms "zhi." The character "fa" is split into "ren" and "er" to form "ren," and into "ge" and "ya" to form "yi." The character "te" can have the strokes "yi" and "xin" added to form "yi," and rearranged with "wu" to form "qi." The character "mao" is split into "ri" and "ang" to form "ang," and with "he" to form "xiang." The character "zhi" is split into "shi" and "xin," adding "kou" forms "xi," and adding "fei" forms "bei." The character "song" removes the wood and adds "nü" to form "an," and rearranged to form "le." All these are methods of first splitting and then combining, selecting at will.

凡字不添不減不足以盡變化。邵子曰：「當添亦添，當減亦減。」或問：「保故用添減？」余曰：「此理易明！添乃補不足，減乃損有餘耳。」

Any single character, if neither strokes are added nor removed, cannot exhaust all its variations. Shao Yong said: "When it should be added, add; when it should be reduced, reduce." Someone asked: "Why do we need the method of adding and subtracting?" (The original text here may have "bao" mistakenly written as "he.") I say this principle is very clear—adding strokes is to supplement what is lacking, and removing strokes is to eliminate what is excessive. Characters reflect reality; matters have deficiencies that need to be supplemented and excesses that need to be reduced. The addition and subtraction in characters correspond to the fullness and emptiness in matters.

唯（難）、佳（雌、雄、帷）、忝（添、泰）、合（命）、曹（會、槽）、鳥（鸞、鳳、鳴）、目（貧、身、貴、賤）、王（玉、弄、全、旺）、巴（色、絕、疤、邑）、才（財、木、牙）、良（勣、琅、娘）、言（詩、論、信）、孔（乳、吼）。

Here are examples of characters formed by adding strokes. The left "mouth" in "唯" is changed to "again" to form "难"; the left part of "佳" becomes "this" to form "雌", "pressure" to form "雄", and "cloth" to form "帷"; the side of "忝" adds "water" to form "添", and the bottom adds "water" to form "泰"; a vertical stroke is added in the middle of "合" to form "命"; the top of "曹" is simplified to form "会", and adding "wood" to the side forms "槽". Adding "luan" above "鸟" forms "鸾", adding "ji" outside forms "凤", and adding "mouth" to the side forms "鸣". Adding "fen" above "目" forms "贫", adding a stroke forms "身", adding "zhong yi" above forms "贵", and adding "zhan" to the side forms "贱". Adding a dot to "王" forms "玉", adding "er" below forms "弄", adding "person" above forms "全", and adding "sun" to the side forms "旺". Adding "yao" above "巴" forms "色", adding "silk" to the side forms "绝", adding "disease" outside forms "疤", and adding strokes forms "city". Adding "shell" to the side of "才" forms "财", adding a stroke forms "wood", and adding a vertical stroke forms "tooth". Adding "force" to the side of "良" forms "ji", adding "king" forms "lang", and adding "woman" forms "niang". Adding "temple" to the side of "言" forms "shi", adding "lun" forms "lun", and moving it to form "person" forms "xin". Adding "hand" and "child" to the side of "孔" forms "ru", and changing to "mouth" forms "hou". All these are formed by adding one or two strokes to the original character, resulting in a completely new meaning.

減筆一法，非事之當而理之正，不可漫然用之也。凡當減時，亦當略減方是。不然，混入摘字法矣。

The method of reducing strokes should not be used casually unless the matter being inquired about truly requires reduction and the reasoning behind it is sound. Whenever reduction is appropriate, it is only suitable to reduce one or two strokes. If too many strokes are reduced, the character becomes fragmented, which would confuse it with the method of "plucking characters" mentioned later. Plucking characters involves arbitrarily selecting scattered strokes from a character, whereas reducing strokes must preserve the overall structure of the character. These two methods should not be confused.

寬（莧、見）、難（鞋）、莫（草）、袍（祀）、鶉（鳴）。

The following are examples of reduced strokes. "宽" becomes "苋" by removing the roof radical, and then becomes "见" by removing the grass radical; "难" becomes "鞋" by removing the right radical "隹" and replacing it with "圭"; "莫" becomes "草" by removing the lower part, leaving only the grass radical and the sun radical; "袍" becomes "祀" by removing two strokes of the clothing radical and replacing them with "礻"; "鹑" becomes "鸣" by removing the bird radical on the right. The reduction involves only one or two strokes or a single component, so the original character's structure remains intact, which conforms to the principle of reduced strokes.

關者，關門也。開則任人出入，闔惟見門而已。測字之有對關體，亦猶是也。其法，專取頭足首尾。如某字頭、某字尾，則如門之閉；分開雲某字頭，某字腳，一頭一尾闔之，則如門之開。此法最簡捷，其用又最廣，為字中第一要義，學者更宜究心。

"Guān" means closing a door. When a door is open, people can go in and out freely; when it is closed, one can only see a single door. In character divination, there is a method called "dui guan," which works on the same principle. This method specifically takes the beginning and end parts of a character, saying that the character is "the head of a certain character" or "the tail of a certain character." When these two parts are combined into a sentence, it is like a closed door, forming a whole. However, when they are separated and explained individually as "the head of a certain character" and "the tail of a certain character," each part forms its own meaning, and when combined, it is like an open door, allowing free movement. This method is the most straightforward and widely applicable, being the most important principle in character divination. Scholars should especially focus on this aspect.

先（牛頭虎足、生頭死足）、善（美頭喜足）、帛（皇頭帝足）、裡（男頭童足）、禹（千頭萬足）、展（眉梢眼角）、伯（伸頭縮腳）、友（有頭沒尾）、推（攔頭截尾）、彥（龍頭彪尾）、吝（頭吉尾、交頭合足）、言（文頭句腳）、找（拖頭曳腳）。

The character "guan" (关) is exemplified through these examples. The top part of "xian" (先) is the head of "niu" (牛, ox), and the bottom part is the foot of "hu" (虎, tiger); alternatively, it can be seen as the head of "sheng" (生, life) paired with the foot of "si" (死, death)—the same character, whether it brings good or bad fortune depends entirely on how this phrase is interpreted. "Shan" (善) has the head of "mei" (美, beauty) and the foot of "xi" (喜, joy); "bo" (帛) has the head of "huang" (皇, emperor) and the foot of "di" (帝, king); "li" (里) has the head of "nan" (男, man) and the foot of "tong" (童, child); "yu" (禹) has the head of "qian" (千, thousand) and the foot of "wan" (万, ten thousand). "Zhan" (展) takes the tip of "mei" (眉, eyebrow) and the horn of "yan" (眼, eye); "bo" (伯) is the head of "shen" (伸, stretch) paired with the foot of "su" (缩, shrink), symbolizing the movement of advancing and retreating; "you" (友) is the head of "you" (有, have) but lacks a tail; "tui" (推) is the head of "lan" (拦, block) added to the tail of "jie" (截, cut off), implying being blocked in front and cut off behind, making it impossible to move forward; "yan" (彦) is the head of "long" (龙, dragon) paired with the tail of "biao" (彪, fierce beast). The original form of "lin" (吝) was "tou ji wei" (头吉尾, good head and bad tail), meaning "good head and bad tail," which can also be interpreted as the head of "jiao" (交, meet) paired with the foot of "he" (合, combine); "yan" (言) is the head of "wen" (文, culture) paired with the foot of "ju" (句, sentence); "zhao" (找) is the head of "tuo" (拖, drag) paired with the foot of "ye" (曳, pull). Once the judgment is made, good or bad fortune is immediately evident. This is the wonderful aspect of the character "guan."

凡事之機到，雖旁人言語、萬物影響，皆可以借來應用，況字中筆畫乎？故或遇指點刻劃處，不妨摘字中一二些小筆畫以斷之，無不奇中。

Whenever the right opportunity arises for an event, even a casual remark from someone else or a sudden movement or sound from things around can be used as a basis for divination. How much more so can the strokes of a character, which are already present, be used? Therefore, when a person points to a certain place or draws a line on paper, the diviner may simply select a couple of small strokes from the character to make a judgment, and it will always be remarkably accurate. This method differs from the method of reducing strokes: the latter requires preserving the general shape of the character, while this method specifically selects small details, capturing exactly that momentary 'opportunity' or 'moment' that is triggered.

哉（土、戈）、殿（共）、調（吉、司）、鞠（米、採、十）、曜（隹、士、紵）、謀（小、口）、廣（共、由）。

In the character 「哉」, the components 「土」 and 「戈」 are extracted; in 「殿」, 「共」 is extracted; in 「调」, 「吉」 and 「司」 are extracted; in 「鞠」, 「米」, 「采」, and 「十」 are extracted; in 「曜」, the radicals 「隹」, 「士」, and the radical of 「纻」 are extracted; in 「谋」, 「小」 and 「口」 are extracted; in 「广」, 「共」 and 「由」 are extracted. When extracting, the meaning of the extracted character is used to make a judgment. If 「戈」 is extracted, it indicates conflict; if 「吉」 is extracted, it indicates joy and celebration. Everything depends on the practitioner's immediate insight at the moment.

觀梅之法活潑潑地，惟在人之心鏡光明，隨物洞照而不遺纖毫，庶可得之。前立九法，特為後學程式；此則邵子之心訣也，其《精微奧妙觀梅法》中已詳。茲姑錄曾驗之事數則，以便學者會悟雲。

The method of "Observing Plum Blossoms" is lively and flexible, without rigid formulas; it entirely depends on the clarity of the practitioner's inner mirror: by reflecting thoroughly on the present circumstances, without missing any detail, one can barely begin to grasp the essence. The previous nine methods were specially established for beginners as a structured approach, providing a starting point by following them. This method, however, is Shao Yong's inner诀, which he explained in detail in his work "The Subtle and Profound Method of Observing Plum Blossoms." Here, I will briefly record a few instances that have been verified, so that scholars may gain insight and understanding from them.

天（凡事空虛，然利於行動。若問功名，宜於晴朗之日。此舉一端，變化由人）。地（凡事有成，但嫌其遲。家宅田禾利）。人（凡事可成可敗，只在真誠方安）。日（實也。完全而不虧，但利於春冬曉；□若夏與晚，不足取也）。月（缺也。時有圓缺，然事之有根。上弦利，下弦不利也）。

Writing the character 「天」 (Heaven): The sky is vast and empty, so most things tend to end in failure, but the heavenly bodies never cease to move, which is favorable for travel and movement; if asking about fame and success, it is best to plan on clear days. This is just one example, and actual variations depend on the diviner's choice. Writing the character 「地」 (Earth): Earth can produce and nurture, so all things can be accomplished, though it is slow in doing so; asking about the home or the harvest of crops is most beneficial. Writing the character 「人」 (Person): People have both good and evil, and are changeable, so things may succeed or fail; only sincerity ensures safety. Writing the character 「日」 (Sun): The sun is a solid entity, full and unbroken, but it is favorable only in spring and winter and at dawn (the original text here is missing, marked as 「□」); if asking about summer or dusk, it is not advisable. Writing the character 「月」 (Moon): The moon is not complete, waxing and waning, yet it has a regular cycle of appearing and disappearing, indicating that matters have a foundation; a waxing moon signifies good fortune, while a waning moon suggests misfortune.

金（世之寶，人之累。久煉則良）。木（春旺秋衰。亦觀其何字，若松柏桂梅之類，又不在衰旺中論）。水（流通無住，獨不利於冬）。火（日中則晦，耀夜有玏；逢水則衰，得木則旺）。土（萬物之母，事事有基，但遲滯不能速就）。

Writing the character "Jin" (Gold): Gold is a treasure of the world, yet it is also a burden to the human body. It must undergo long-term forging to become a fine tool, so it signifies that things require enduring hardship before they can achieve results. Writing the character "Mu" (Wood): Wood thrives in spring and declines in autumn, but one must also consider the specific type of wood being written—such as pine, cypress, osmanthus, and plum trees, which are cold-resistant and evergreen, and thus cannot be judged solely by the four seasons' waxing and waning. Writing the character "Shui" (Water): Water flows continuously and has no fixed place, signifying that things are smooth and unobstructed, never stagnant. However, water freezes in winter, which is the most unfavorable situation. Writing the character "Huo" (Fire): The sun at noon is too bright to reveal fire's glow, and fire's usefulness is only evident at night. Fire is weakened by water but grows stronger with wood. Writing the character "Tu" (Earth): Earth is the mother of all things, and everything has a foundation to rely on. However, earth is slow and cannot achieve results quickly.

至於一切有物之字，或觀梅，或相字，隨機應變，妙用不窮。若無物之字亦可觀梅，則審其來意與字到時上下左右遠近之影響，借而用之，否則拆字。此至精之訣也。以上略舉大概。引伸觸類，神而明之，存乎其人。

As for characters that refer to specific objects, one may use the method of observing plum blossoms to take images from things, or the method of analyzing characters to derive meaning from their forms, adapting flexibly and employing them in infinite ways. If the person writes a character that refers to an abstract concept without a tangible object, one can still use the method of observing plum blossoms. In such cases, one should examine the person's original intention and the circumstances surrounding the moment the character is handed over—what is happening around, above, below, left, and right, as well as distant and near sounds and movements—borrowing these to form a judgment. If one cannot borrow from these, then one should fall back on breaking down the character. This is the most subtle secret of the method of observing plum blossoms. The above is only a brief overview; the rest depends on understanding by analogy. Whether one can apply it skillfully and intuitively depends on one's own insight.

以字象物：口、了、又、飛、馬、簫、廉、丨、眉、木、雲、柵。以物象字：乙（似魚鉤）、亞（紗窗）、弓（蛇）、且（神主）、鳧（嗇犯）、金（斷柄傘）、外（旌旗）、幾（鍾）、身（皂隸）。

The Six Methods of the Heart of Divination use the names of the Six Categories from Xu Shen's Six Scripts—Pictographic, Ideographic, Borrowed Sound, Phonetic Compound, Indicative, and Mutual Explanation—to guide students in divination through characters. The first method is "Pictographic," which compares the shape of a character with the actual object. First, "using the character to represent an object": "Kou" (mouth) resembles a square frame, "Liao" (completed) resembles a hook, "You" (again) resembles a hand, "Fei" (fly) resembles bird wings, "Ma" (horse) resembles a horse's body, "Xiao" (flute) resembles a row of bamboo pipes, "Lian" (honesty) resembles the corner of a roof eave, "Gan" (vertical bar) resembles a straight pole, "Mei" (eyebrow) resembles eyebrows, "Mu" (tree) resembles a tree, "Yun" (cloud) resembles floating clouds, and "Zha" (fence) resembles a fence. Conversely, "using an object to represent a character": seeing a fish hook, one thinks of the character "Yi"; seeing a gauze window, one thinks of "Ya"; seeing a snake, one thinks of "Gong"; seeing an ancestral tablet, one thinks of "Que"; seeing something that is hunched and shrunken, one thinks of "Fu"; seeing an umbrella without a handle, one thinks of "Jin"; seeing a banner, one thinks of "Wai"; seeing a bell, one thinks of "Ji"; seeing a constable in black clothes, one thinks of "Shen." Once the image is accurately taken, the fortune of the matter follows accordingly.

以字象字：芒（破□）、祀（破袍）、貴（破櫃）、虛（戲可）、殳（收疫）、工（進貢）、牙（穿心）、白（宿尾）。以意象字：辛（似幸）、未（似來）、了（似了）、兔（似免）、夫（似失）、桃（似挑）、歡（似坎）、因（似良）、黽（似龜）、兩（似雨）。

Further, "taking one character to resemble another" involves comparing one character to the broken form of another: "Mang" resembles a character missing a corner; "Si" looks like "Pao" with the clothing radical removed; "Gui" resembles "Gui" with the wooden radical broken; "Xu" can be split into "Xi" and "Ke"; "Shu" looks like "Yi" with the disease radical removed; "Gong" resembles "Gong" taking one step further; "Ya" is the heart of "Chuan"; "Bai" is the tail of "Su". Finally, "taking meaning to resemble a character" involves selecting characters with similar meanings and shapes: "Xin" is close to "Xing", differing by one stroke, and thus hardship andby chance are distinguished; "Wei" is close to "Lai", with the difference being only one horizontal stroke between not yet and future; "Liao" resembles "Zi" (the original text says "Si Liao", which should be "Si Zi"); "Tu" is close to "Mian", differing by a single dot; "Fu" resembles "Shi"; "Tao" is close to "Tiao"; "Huan" resembles "Kan", with happiness hiding a hidden pit; "Yin" is close to "Kun" (the original text says "Si Liang", which may be an error); "Ming" resembles "Yu". In divination, by seizing upon this similarity in form and meaning, the interpretation can be grounded.

煙（因風吹火之象，事必借力方成）、淋（楚漢爭鋒之象，主有口角是非）、霏（長虹截雨之象，事多阻隔不成）、蜃（飛龍破蟄之象，凡事主有權柄）、薊（蘇秦背劍之象，功名以待晚成）、居（跋胡幹尾之象，進退不得自如）、逢（劈破蓮蓬之象，子必見傷）。

The method of meaning combination involves interpreting the meanings of the components within a character to form a complete image, then using that image to interpret events. The character "烟" is composed of fire and the character "因," symbolizing "fire being blown by wind," which suggests that the matter in question must rely on external forces to succeed. The character "淋" consists of water and the character "林," representing two trees enclosing water, like the Chu and Han states facing each other across a river, indicating disputes and conflicts. The character "霏" is rain plus "非," resembling a long rainbow cutting the rain in half, suggesting many obstacles and the matter not being able to proceed smoothly. The character "蜃" is "辰" with a bug on top, symbolizing the emergence of a dragon breaking through the earth, indicating the ability to gain authority. The character "蓟" is grass with fish and a knife, like Su Qin carrying a sword to persuade the feudal states, suggesting that achievements will come late in life. The character "居" is a corpse with the character "古" below, like the old wolf in the Book of Songs, which moves forward by stepping on its own neck meat and retreats by tripping on its own tail, indicating difficulty in moving forward or backward. The character "逢" is a walking radical with "夆" inside, like a lotus pod being split open and the lotus seeds scattering, indicating that children may suffer harm.

字（樂子之無家，乃政繁賦重，不堪其苦之詩）、裕（補天浴日之象，必得大人維持）、鏗（緌之彌堅，竭力乃成）、蠙（鹿鳴食萍，情適聲和）、薏（著意栽花，事反不順）、子（蜉蝣之羽，無遠慮者有近憂）、徠（小往事大來，諸事亨通）。

The character 「字」 is composed of a roof and a child, which perfectly matches the meaning in the poem 「乐子之无家」 from the Book of Songs, the Small Ya. It refers to oppressive government policies and heavy taxes that cause the people great suffering. Therefore, when using this character to inquire about matters, it often indicates hardship due to excessive burdens. 「裕」 is composed of a clothing radical and a grain, symbolizing the grandeur of Nuwa repairing the sky and Xihe bathing the sun, indicating that success depends on the support of a powerful person. 「铿」 is composed of a metal radical and a firmness, implying the meaning of 「the more it is ground, the harder it becomes」, suggesting that things can only be achieved through great effort. 「蠙」 is composed of an insect radical and a guest, similar to the scene in the poem 「鹿鸣」 from the Book of Songs where a group of deer call to each other and eat wild water plants, symbolizing harmony between host and guest, indicating mutual understanding and harmony in feelings. 「薏」 is composed of a grass radical and an intention, symbolizing the image of 「trying hard to grow flowers but they fail to bloom」, indicating that the more one tries to manage things, the more difficult they become. The character 「子」 by itself, as in the poem 「蜉蝣之羽」 from the Songs of Cao, describes the short life of mayflies, indicating that a person without long-term planning will face immediate troubles. 「徕」 is composed of a walking radical and the character for coming, exactly matching the image of 「small things going away and great things coming」 in the Tai Hexagram of the Zhou Changes, indicating smooth progress in all matters.

爐（百病叢生，驟然更變。何謂百病？火也，虛也，胃氣不足也，血少也，打虐疾也，出盜汗也，勞傷也，思慮太過也。）

The character "lu" (炉) is composed of the radical for fire plus the character "lu." Fire within a furnace represents a situation where heat is present but not visible, causing internal inflammation. This symbolizes the emergence of various diseases and sudden changes in the condition. What is meant by "hundred diseases"? Let me explain them one by one: first, rising fire in the body; second, deficiency in the fundamental essence; third, insufficient stomach qi; fourth, deficiency in the blood; fifth, malaria characterized by chills and fever; sixth, night sweats; seventh, internal injury from overwork; eighth, damage to the spirit caused by excessive thinking. Whenever the character "lu" is used to inquire about illness, one should examine the symptoms according to these eight points, and the diagnosis is usually accurate. This example clearly shows that the method of interpreting characters not only predicts good or bad fortune but can also identify the category of the illness.

旦（借為春）、千（借為夏）、甲（借為秋）、夕（借為冬）。此四時借用於一日也。立（逢人借為位，遇水借為泣，有女必為妾，得男可成童）。子（旁有女人，則事必好；若在門邊，王有字來）。此二字皆借人事為用也。

Borrowing, is using a character to represent another. First, borrowing by time: the character '旦' means the sun just rising, and is borrowed to represent spring; the character '千' is similar in shape to '午', which means the sun at its zenith, and is borrowed to represent summer; the character '甲' represents the time when all things are covered with shells and become firm, and is borrowed to represent autumn; the character '夕' means the sun setting, and is borrowed to represent winter. This is using the morning, noon, dusk, and night of a day to correspond with the four seasons. Next, borrowing by human affairs: if the character '立' has a person beside it, it is borrowed to represent '位', indicating a position of official rank; if it meets water, it is borrowed to represent '泣', indicating crying; if it is paired with a woman, it becomes '妾'; if it is paired with a man, it becomes '童'. The character '子' if accompanied by a woman becomes '好', indicating smooth affairs; if '子' is placed by a door, it becomes characters like '闲', indicating someone named Wang bringing a letter. These two characters are both borrowed based on human affairs.

口（見鳥過也，有欲鳴之象；見木過，主中）。心（聞音樂定然得意，在水邊沁徹完全）。化（見花為妙，遇草好觀，聽旁人言必褵）。此三字皆借事物為用也。餘仿此例推。

When writing the character "口" (mouth), if a bird flies by, the "口" and the bird combine to form "鸣" (sound), indicating a sign of making a name and gaining recognition. If someone is carrying a pole past, the "口" combines with the pole to form "呆" (dull) or with "中" (center) to form "中" (center), suggesting success in an exam. When writing the character "心" (heart), if one hears music, the "心" combines with the sound to form "意" (meaning), indicating a sense of satisfaction and joy. If one is by the water, the "心" combines with the water to form "沁" (soak), suggesting smooth and complete affairs. When writing the character "化" (change), if one sees a flower, "化" combines with the flower to form "花" (flower), a wonderful omen. If one encounters green grass, the grass combined with "化" forms "花" (flower), which is pleasant to see. If one hears someone else speaking, the spoken word combined with "化" approaches "讹" (error) or "褵" (a type of garment), indicating possible marriage or disputes. These three characters are all derived by combining the current sights and sounds. Other characters can be interpreted in a similar manner.

倒到、秤稱、叉差、加家、非飛、桃逃、梨離。秤心（即稱心）、齊（內中差了，即差在內也）、耗（來日到了，倒到同音）、鶯（如問晴雨，但鶯陰音同，主天必陰難問晴矣）。

Harmonic sound is a method of divination where a character is interpreted by its similar or identical pronunciation to another character. For example, "倒" is read as "到", "秤" as "称", "叉" as "差", "加" as "家", "非" as "飞", "桃" as "逃", and "梨" as "离". Therefore, the characters "秤心" are read as "称心", indicating that all things will go smoothly. The character "齐" contains "差" within it, meaning there is an error inside. The character "耗" consists of "耒" and "毛", which can be interpreted as "come and arrive", and since "倒" and "到" have the same sound, it is interpreted that the matter will arrive. Another example is using the character "莺" to ask whether the weather will be clear or rainy. Since "莺" and "阴" have similar sounds, it is interpreted that the sky will surely turn cloudy, making clear weather unlikely. Harmonic sound relies on the sound heard rather than the shape seen, and when used skillfully, it is the most swift and effective method.

凡事之來，即因其事□□，此則散格、雙句格之法也。其法必審其情性，察其動靜，兼明其蹤跡方妙，所謂「觀梅之深者也」。內分十法：曰觀人，曰察色，曰辨言，曰辨事，曰察墨，曰辨紙，曰觀時，曰相機，曰正論勿好奇，曰言語不可雜。具此十法，則一事即指一事之理而斷之，判字易如反掌矣。

Referring to the matter directly is about pointing out the principle of the matter that the person is asking about. (The original text here is missing two characters, marked as 「□□」.) This is the approach used in the later sections, namely "Scattered Forms" in Volume Five and "Dual Sentence Forms" in Volume Four. Using this method requires thoroughly understanding the person's character and demeanor, observing his movements and expressions, and clarifying the background and nature of his inquiry. Only then can one truly grasp the situation, which is what is meant by "those who deeply apply the method of observing plum blossoms." This method is divided into ten aspects: first, "Observing the person," to determine his status and demeanor; second, "Observing expression," to understand his facial expressions and demeanor; third, "Distinguishing speech," to discern the meaning behind his words; fourth, "Distinguishing the matter," to determine the category of the issue he is asking about; fifth, "Observing ink," to assess the thickness, dryness, and moisture of the ink; sixth, "Distinguishing paper," to evaluate the age, quality, and texture of the paper used; seventh, "Observing the time," to consider the hour and season when the writing was made; eighth, "Observing the moment," to take note of any current influences or impressions; ninth, "Maintain a proper argument, avoid seeking novelty," to make statements that are balanced and not overly novel; tenth, "Speech should not be mixed," to speak with focus and not be scattered or unfocused. When all ten aspects are fully considered, one can directly address the principle of the matter and make a judgment, as easy as turning over one's hand.

一字有二義、三義四義，如為（平）、為（去），行（蘅）、行（杭）、行（沆）、行（慎），王（平）、王（旺），長（場）、長（障）、長（掌）、長（仗），夫（平）、夫（扶）類。不可不隨機應變而用之也。

Transcription is a method where a single character can have two, three, or even four different pronunciations and meanings. When the pronunciation changes, the interpretation also changes. For example, the character '为' has two pronunciations: level tone (as in 'as' or 'behavior') and falling tone (as in 'for' or 'on behalf of'). The character '行' has several pronunciations: like '蘅' (meaning 'row'), like '杭' (meaning 'to walk'), like '沆', and like '慎'. The character '王' has two pronunciations: level tone (meaning 'king') and falling tone '旺' (meaning 'prosperous'). The character '长' has several pronunciations: like '场' (meaning 'length'), like '障', like '掌', and like '仗'. The character '夫' has two pronunciations: level tone (meaning 'husband') and like '扶' (as an interjection). All these cases cannot be fixed or rigidly applied; they must be used flexibly according to the context.

如臨字問病，斷不吉，則曰臨喪，臨乃去聲也。王字問求財，斷曰旺相，王乃去聲讀之。以此應人，誰曰不然。餘有詩曰：一字千金信有之，奇中有正正中奇，五行八卦供吾後，此段天機不易知。

For example, if someone writes the character 「临」 to inquire about illness and the divination suggests an unfavorable outcome, they would read 「临」 as a falling tone, interpreting it as 「临丧」, thus conveying the bad news that the patient is about to pass away. If someone writes the character 「王」 to ask about wealth and the divination suggests a favorable outcome, they would read 「王」 as a falling tone, interpreting it as 「旺相」, meaning the prosperity of wealth is flourishing. Using this method to respond to people, who could say it is wrong? For this reason, I once wrote a poem: 「A single character is worth a thousand pieces of gold, the strange contains the correct and the correct contains the strange. The Five Phases and the Eight Trigrams are at my command, this passage of heavenly wisdom is not easily understood.」 This means that a single character indeed holds great value; the divination seems strange, yet it contains the correct principle; it appears ordinary, yet it hides the extraordinary. The Five Phases and the Eight Trigrams are all under my control, at my disposal; this passage of heavenly wisdom is not something that can be easily grasped.

凡一字之來，用一語判之，謂之取格，如文章人品之有定論也。法先詳其五行生剋，次觀其六神動靜。假若五行相生、六爻安靜，則取吉格斷之，否則以凶格斷之。其斷語皆當出經入史，搜神剔髓，字字珠璣，筆筆風雅，方妙此不傳之秘也。今將既驗之語分類錄後，學者毋忘予苦心焉。

Whenever a single character is received, it should be evaluated with one sentence, which is called 'taking the pattern' or 'taking the form'. It is like appraising an article of writing or a person's character; one sentence determines its quality. The order of taking the pattern is first to examine whether the Five Phases of the character have mutual generation or mutual overcoming, then to look at the 'Six Spirits'—Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, Gou Chen, Tan She, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise—to see if they are active or still. If the Five Phases are mutually generating and the six spirits are still, then a favorable pattern is taken for judgment; otherwise, an unfavorable pattern is used. All the judgments should be drawn from classic texts, extracting the essence of the anecdotes, making each word like a pearl and each stroke refined and elegant. This is the true essence of this secret art not passed on outside. Now, I will list below the verified judgments from past times, categorized by their respective sections. Scholars reading them should not辜负 my sincere efforts. The following is arranged by radical and stroke, with the judgment of the pattern attached to each character.

氵：洩（御溝紅葉漂流一民）、沛（酒闌席散）、漢（臨河興嘆、望洋而嘆）、淬（醉後如泥）、灌（將酒勸人）、沃（波浪掀天）、濯（魚躍於淵）、漚（馳驅跋涉）、漸（源流斬截）、淦（破釜沉舟）、汪（冰清玉潔）、涯（平沙落雁、水邊孤雁）、澹（秋簷滴雨）、沆（龍歸滄海）、渢（長風破浪、風流浪蕩）、津（法律兼備，書筆生涯）。

Heavenly Stems: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui Earthly Branches: Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai Trigrams: Qian (Heaven), Dui (Lake), Li (Fire), Zhen (Thunder), Xun (Wind), Kan (Water), Gen (Mountain), Kun (Earth) The following are the judgments for characters with the water radical. "Lei" (泄) means red leaves with poetry floating down the imperial moat, indicating news from afar or marriage coming naturally. "Pai" (沛) means the end of a drinking session, indicating the end of gatherings. "Han" (汉) means lamenting by the river or sighing at the vast ocean, indicating difficulty in crossing water, something that can be seen but not reached. "Cui" (淬) means falling drunk like mud, indicating drowning in excess. "Guan" (灌) means pouring wine to persuade others, indicating being influenced or encouraged by others. "Wo" (沃) means waves shaking the sky, indicating sudden disturbances. "Zhuo" (濯) means fish leaping from the deep, indicating escaping difficulties and achieving success. "Ou" (沤) means rushing and traveling, indicating hard work and toil. "Jian" (渐) means the source being cut off, indicating the end of a path. "Gan" (淦) means breaking the cauldron and sinking the boat, indicating a desperate gamble. "Wang" (汪) means clear ice and jade, indicating unblemished integrity. "Ya" (涯) means a lone goose by the riverbank, indicating loneliness. "Dan" (澹) means autumn rain dripping from the eaves, indicating a bleak and desolate state. "Hang" (沆) means a dragon returning to the vast sea, indicating each finding their proper place. "Feng" (沨) means long wind breaking waves, with both meanings of great wind and wandering, indicating success in officialdom or a carefree and unscrupulous character in morality. "Jin" (津) means complete legal systems and a career in writing, indicating a profession based on legal knowledge and literary skills.

渱（渴虹飲澗）、泉（無絲引線，身恐不永）、溶（芙蓉出水）、江（功名源遠、財源半空）、淙（服水朝宗）、湯（東漂西蕩）、濃（穠華消減）、池（普施得濟，平地興波）、漏（雲泥之隔）、漁（如魚得水）、洙（泣淚成珠，朱衣點頭）、淮（漸入佳境）、淳（溫柔敦厚）、溽（青龍得水）、潘（筆海瀾翻）、潛（浸潤之譖）、渥（海屋添籌）、清（精衛填海）、沿（江日尋船）。

Ting, a long rainbow hanging over a stream drinking water, indicates taking advantage of circumstances for sustenance; Quan, a white character with water below, without any thread to draw a line, indicates possible short lifespan; Rong, lotus emerging from water, indicates clarity and prominence. Jiang, a character with a work component and water, indicates enduring fame but partial loss of wealth; Cong, many waters converging to the sea, indicates obedience and submission; Tang, drifting east and west, indicates lack of fixed residence. Nong, abundant flowers declining, indicates turning from prosperity to decline; Chi, widespread rain benefiting people, also indicates sudden disturbances on level ground; Lou, clouds separated from mud, indicates a gap between high and low, difficulty in reaching high positions. Yu, like fish in water, indicates contentment and satisfaction; Zhu, tears forming pearls, also taking the meaning of 'a red robe nodding', indicates success in exams; Huai, gradually improving, indicates gradual improvement. Chun, gentle and sincere, indicates a kind and steady nature; Ru, the Azure Dragon receiving water, indicates the Nobleman gaining power; Pan, waves in the sea of writing, indicates vast literary thoughts; Qian, hidden water soaking, indicates gradually increasing slander. Wo, adding a pillar to the house of the sea, indicates longevity; Qing, the bird filling the sea with stones, indicates firm will but difficult achievement; Yan, searching for a boat along the river all day, indicates seeking help from many people.

汀（流水不停，口如懸河）、浙（逝不以濯）、遊（旌旗映水）、浮（江湖遊子）、淋（楚漢爭鋒）、汶（渭水遇文）、鴻（烏江不渡）、潼（河鯉登龍）、淄（涅而不緇）、瀘（三顧茅廬）、湖（鴻臚可居）、沐（一木浮沉）、沈（淚沾繡枕）、深（曲江探花）、沕（夕陽沉汶）、（其顙有氵此恐有顛沛）、浴（冶容誨淫）、浭（投鞭斷流）。

Ting, flowing water that never stops, indicates fluent speech; Zhe, flowing water that cannot be washed again, indicates something that cannot be reversed; You, banners reflected in water, indicates travelers on the way; Fu, wanderers on rivers and lakes, indicates drifting without support; Lin, the Chu and Han armies fighting across water, indicates verbal disputes; Wen, meeting King Wen by the Wei River, indicates meeting a nobleman; Hong, the Wu River is not fordable, indicates the end of a hero's path; Tong, the yellow river's carp leaping through the dragon gate, indicates sudden success; Zi, stained but not black, indicates maintaining purity; Lu, three visits to the thatched cottage, indicates repeated invitations before success; Hu, the position of the grand secretary, indicates holding an important post; Mu, a single tree floating in water, indicates uncertain rise or fall; Shen, tears wetting the embroidered pillow, indicates sorrow in the闺房; Shen, the curved river's probe flower, indicates fame in the imperial examination; Mo, the sunset sinking into water, indicates a bleak ending; the original text here omits the character being interpreted, leaving only the judgment "There is a water radical on his forehead, perhaps there will be hardship," meaning a water mark on the forehead, indicating possible hardship and wandering; Yu, indulging in beauty and teaching immorality, indicates attracting immoral trouble; Geng, throwing whips to stop the flow, indicates a powerful army capable of decisive victory.

沽（枯魚近河）、治（按法可告，望重三臺）、泖（狡兔三窟）、澤（流落釋門）、湛（斟酌浮沉）、濟（齊戒沐浴）、洞（銅壺漏滴）、流（洪荒之象）、沂（淫水芹香，一車漸來）、汛（遠浦歸帆）、沁（甘心淡泊）、汁（海底撈針）、海（望梅止渴）、湧（不能流通）、測（如流財利）、活（舌上波瀾）、漠（聞雷泣墓）、濫（水溢籃橋）、激（褷褷易汙）、洮（湠浪桃花）、溼（沉淪不顯）。

Gū, dry fish near water but unable to live, indicates wrongful advantage; Zhì, following the law can present a case, also indicating high reputation surpassing the Three Stars; Mǎo, a cunning rabbit with three dens, indicates leaving a retreat. Zé, drifting into a Buddhist temple, indicates leaving home or taking refuge in a monastery; Zhàn, between floating and sinking, requires careful consideration; Jì, fasting and bathing, indicates sincere respect for seeking blessings; Dòng, a bronze gong dripping water, indicates slow time, matters needing waiting. Liú, a vast wilderness without end, indicates being lost without a place to return; Yī, the fragrance of water caltrop and a carriage gradually coming, indicates entering the academy and taking the caltrop, with the meaning of passing the examination soon; Xùn, a distant river with returning sails, indicates a traveler arriving soon. Qìn, a contented and simple heart, indicates being content with poverty and having no desires; Zhī, fishing for a needle at the bottom of the sea, indicates being without hope; Hǎi, longing for plums to quench thirst, indicates imagining cakes to fill hunger; Yǒng, water blocked and unable to flow, indicates matters being blocked. Cè, wealth and profit like water coming, indicates smooth income; Huó, waves on the tongue, indicates disputes from words; Mò, hearing thunder and weeping by the tomb, indicates filial piety and sorrow; Làn, water overflowing the basket bridge, indicates flooding and losing control. Jī, water splashing clothes, easily stained and dirty, indicates a clear name easily damaged; Táo, waves following peach blossoms, indicates spring wind success with a touch of charm; Shī, sinking to the bottom of water, indicates being buried and not visible.