Twenty-first: Discussion on the Five Emperors

負鼎於殷廟，垂釣於磻溪，商賈南陽，飼牛車下，當此之時，其善未見；及登師輔，仁聖並彰，此豈非卑下而能宏濟。其賢德已上，氣正無邪，故居最上。然氣之初也，齡齒終長；氣之末也，命相短促。此四氣又有四別：若上清秀，靈智愈高；上而濁汙，乃須修飭；下而清秀，琢磨方以為器；加之昏濁，朽木不可復雕。兼貴賤、富貧、好丑、善惡、性情、年命，乃有萬途，並五行氣感所致。今且就《文子》論其二十五等，以為階差，自外諸徒，難以具辨。知人則哲，惟帝其難，非明聖者，孰能辨識。

Looking at it in reverse: Yi Yin carried the cooking utensils to the ancestral temple of the Shang dynasty in search of recognition, Jiang Taigong fished by the stream of Baoxi, and Bili Xi traded in Nanyang, while Ning Qi fed oxen under a carriage. At that time, their virtue had not yet been evident; but when they reached high positions as teachers and assistants, their benevolence and wisdom became fully apparent. Is this not a clear example of people starting from humble origins yet eventually achieving great things? As for the previous discussion on sages, virtuous persons, and others above, they were born with pure and uncorrupted qi, hence they occupied the highest level. Moreover, those who received the initial stage of qi had long lifespans, while those who received the declining stage of qi had short lives. The four types of qi mentioned above—kingly, ministerial, resting, and captive—each have four variations: those in the upper category with clear and refined qi possess greater wisdom; those in the upper category with turbid qi must be cultivated and refined; those in the lower category with clear qi can still be shaped into something useful; but those in the lower category with turbid qi are like rotten wood, which cannot be carved any further. In addition, the differences between nobility and commonness, wealth and poverty, beauty and ugliness, goodness and evil, temperament, and lifespan intertwine to create countless variations, all resulting from the influence of the Five Phases' qi. Here, we roughly divide them into twenty-five levels as mentioned in the "Wenzi," but there are many more categories that cannot be fully distinguished. The "Shangshu · Gaoyao Mo" says, "To know people is wisdom; only the emperor found it difficult." Indeed, who other than a wise and enlightened person could discern all these distinctions?

《祿命決》云：王氣中生者，其人王相，宜爵祿；相氣中生者，其人多官；死氣中生者，其人多疾病短命。此並論其生月，當五行氣盛衰時也。況其稟受氣者，其人形質、情性、骨肉、藏府，皆象五行。

The "Lumingshe" states: Those born during the period of royal qi will be in harmony with the right time and circumstances, and are suitable for obtaining titles and salaries; those born during the period of ministerial qi will have many official positions; those born during the period of death qi will suffer from many illnesses and have short lifespans. These statements refer to the birth month, which corresponds to the waxing and waning stages of the five phases. Moreover, since humans receive the five phases' qi, their physical form, temperament, bones and flesh, and internal organs all take shape according to the five phases.

《相書》云：木人細長直身，火人小頭豐下短小，土人員面大腹，金人方面兌口，水人面薄身偏蛇行。木人青色真，有白是害氣；火人赤色真，有黑是害氣；土人黃色真，有青是害氣；金人白色真，有赤是害氣；水人黑色真，有黃是害氣。

The book of physiognomy says: Those belonging to the Wood element have a slender and upright body (like a straight tree); those belonging to the Fire element have a small head, a full lower part, and a short stature (like a flame which is sharp at the top and broad at the bottom); those belonging to the Earth element have a round face and a large abdomen (like thick earth); those belonging to the Metal element have a square face and a pointed mouth (like the squareness of metal); those belonging to the Water element have a thin and clear face, a slanting body, and walk with a snake-like movement (like the winding of water). As for complexion: those belonging to Wood should show a green color, and if they show white, it is a harmful color (Metal overcomes Wood); those belonging to Fire should show red, and if they show black, it is a harmful color (Water overcomes Fire); those belonging to Earth should show yellow, and if they show green, it is a harmful color (Wood overcomes Earth); those belonging to Metal should show white, and if they show red, it is a harmful color (Fire overcomes Metal); those belonging to Water should show black, and if they show yellow, it is a harmful color (Earth overcomes Water).the so-called害气 refers to the color that appears being the color of the element that overcomes the person's own element.

配日，則甲乙為皮毛，丙丁為爪筋，戊己為肉，庚辛為骨，壬癸為血脈。配卦，則干為頭，離為目，坎為耳，兌為口，坤為腹，巽為手，艮為股膝，震為足。其藏府性情，各有別解。然人居天地之內，在山川之中，各隨方位，形性不等。所以東夷之人，其形細長，修眉長目，衣冠亦尚狹長。東海句麗之人，其冠高狹，加以鳥羽，象於木枝。長目者，目主肝，肝，木也，故細而長，皆象木也。

If paired with the ten heavenly stems (days), Jia and Yi belong to wood, corresponding to the skin and hair; Bing and Ding belong to fire, corresponding to the nails and tendons; Wu and Ji belong to earth, corresponding to the muscles; Geng and Xin belong to metal, corresponding to the bones; Ren and Gui belong to water, corresponding to the blood vessels. If paired with the eight trigrams, Qian represents the head, Li represents the eyes, Kan represents the ears, Dui represents the mouth, Kun represents the abdomen, Xun represents the hands, Gen represents the thighs and knees, and Zhen represents the feet. As for the correspondence between the five viscera and six腑 and temperament, there are separate explanations. Furthermore, people live between heaven and earth, among mountains and rivers, and their forms and temperaments vary according to different directions. Therefore, the people of the East夷 have slender bodies, long eyebrows, and long eyes, and their clothing and hats also favor narrow and elongated styles. The people of the eastern Goguryeo wear high and narrow hats, and they insert feathers on them, symbolizing the branches of trees. Their eyes are long because the eyes are governed by the liver, and the liver belongs to wood, so the eyes are long and slender—these all symbolize wood (as the east belongs to wood).

南蠻之人，短小輕壑，高口少髮，衣冠亦尚短輕。高口者，口人中主心，心，火也，火炎上，故高；炎上，故少髮也。西戎之人，深目高鼻，衣而無冠者，鼻主肺，肺，金也，故高；目，肝也，肝為木金之所制，故深；金主裁斷，故髮斷無冠。北狄之人，高權被髮衣長者，權主腎，腎，水也，故高權；被髮者，象水流漫也；衣長，亦象水行也。中夏之人，容貌平整者，象土地和平也；其衣冠車服備五色者，象土包含四行也。

The people of Nanman are short and agile, with a high philtrum and sparse hair. Their high philtrum is because the mouth and philtrum represent the heart, and the heart belongs to fire, which has an upward nature, hence the high philtrum. Also, because fire is fiery and ascending, it burns and scorches, hence the sparse hair. These features are symbolic of fire (the south belongs to fire). The people of Xirong have deep-set eyes and a high nose bridge, and they wear clothes but not hats. The nose represents the lung, which belongs to metal, hence the high nose bridge. The eyes represent the liver, which belongs to wood, and wood is overcome by metal, hence the deep-set eyes. Metal governs judgment, so they cut their hair and do not wear hats. These features are symbolic of metal (the west belongs to metal). The people of Beidi have high cheekbones, wear their hair loose, and wear long clothes. The cheekbones represent the kidney, which belongs to water, hence the high cheekbones. Wearing hair loose symbolizes the flowing water, and long clothes symbolize the unimpeded flow of water. These features are symbolic of water (the north belongs to water). The people of Zhongxia (the Central Plains) have regular and even features, symbolizing the peaceful nature of the land. Their clothing, hats, carriages, and horses come in all five colors, symbolizing that earth can contain the other four elements—wood, fire, metal, and water—since the center belongs to earth.

孔子曰：東僻之人曰夷，精以僥；南僻之人曰蠻，信以樸；西僻之人曰戎，頑以剛；北僻之人曰狄，肥以戾；中國之人，安居和味。《帝王世紀》云：堯流共工於幽州，以竄北狄；遷三苗於三危，以竄西戎；放驩兜於崇山，以竄南蠻；殛鯀於羽山，以竄東夷。

Confucius said: The people in the eastern remote regions are called the Yi, who are shrewd and agile; those in the southern remote regions are called the Man, who are sincere and simple; those in the western remote regions are called the Rong, who are fierce and strong; and those in the northern remote regions are called the Di, who are robust and cruel. The people in the Central Plains live in peace and have balanced diets. The "Imperial Chronology" records that Yao exiled Gonggong to Youzhou to fill the northern Di region; he moved the Sanmiao to Sanwei to fill the western Rong region; he banished HuanDou to Chongshan to fill the southern Man region; and he executed Gun on Yushan to fill the eastern Yi region. This is the origin of the four directions' people corresponding to the four directions' energies.

《春秋文耀鉤》云：氣隨人形，故南方至溫，其人大口，象氣舒緩也；北方至寒，其人短頸，象氣急縮也；東方川谷所經，其人小頭兌形，象木小上也；西方高土，日月所入，其人面多毛，象山多草木也；中央四通，雨露所施，其人面大，象土平廣也。

The "Spring and Autumn Wen Yao Gou" says: The climate of a region shapes the physical features of the people living there. The south is the warmest, so the people there have large mouths, resembling the expansive and gentle nature of the climate; the north is extremely cold, so the people there have short necks, resembling the contracted and compressed nature of the climate; the east is where rivers and streams flow, so the people there have small heads and sharp features, resembling the slender tops of trees; the west is high and is where the sun and moon set, so the people there have more facial hair, resembling the abundance of grass and trees on mountains; the center is where all directions connect and where rain and dew are widely distributed, so the people there have broad faces, resembling the flat and vast land.

《家語》云：孔子曰：堅土之人剛，弱土之人柔，墟土之人大，沙土之人細，息土之人美，耗土之人丑。南方有不死之草，北方有不釋之冰，東方有君子之國，西方有刑殘之尸，中土多聖人，皆象其氣也。

The Book of Master Kong's Family Records states that Master Kong said: Those born on hard land have strong characters, while those born on soft land have gentle characters; those born on hilltops are tall, while those born on sandy land are thin; those born on fertile land have beautiful appearances, while those born on barren land have ugly appearances. In the south there are grasses that never die, in the north there is ice that never melts, in the east there is the land of the noble people, in the west there are corpses of those who have been punished, and in the central plains there are many sages. These are all symbolic representations of the nature of the qi of different regions.

故曰：山氣多男，澤氣多女，水氣多瘖，風氣多聾，休氣多癃，木氣多傴，岸下溼氣多腫，正氣多力，險阻之氣多癭，寒氣多壽，熱氣多夭，谷氣多痺，氣多狂，衍氣多仁，陵氣多貪，輕土多利起，重土多遲鈍，急水人輕，遲水人重。此並隨陰陽五行之氣，故善惡斯別。

Therefore, the qi of mountains and earth tends to produce more males, while the qi of water and marshes tends to produce more females; in places where water qi is abundant, there are more people with speech impediments, and in places where wind qi is abundant, there are more people with hearing loss; in places where stagnant qi is abundant, there are more people with physical disabilities, and in places where wood qi is abundant, there are more people with hunchbacks; in low-lying, damp areas by the water's edge, there are more people with edema, while in places where the vital qi is strong, people tend to have more strength; in places where the qi of mountains and rivers is strong, there are more people with goiters, and in places where cold qi is strong, people tend to live longer, while in places where hot qi is strong, people tend to die young; in mountainous and valley areas where the qi is strong, there are more people with arthritic conditions, and in places where a certain type of qi (a rare character in the original text) is strong, there are more people with mania; in flat lands, people tend to be kind and benevolent, while in hilly areas, people tend to be greedy; on loose soil, people tend to be quick and agile, while on dense soil, people tend to be slow and dull; in areas where water flows rapidly, people tend to be nimble, while in areas where water flows slowly, people tend to be steady and composed. These differences arise from the influence of yin and yang and the five phases, so the goodness and evil of people are thus distinguished.

游年凡有三名，而為二別。三名者：一游年，二行年，三年立。游年之名，皆以運動不住為義，以其隨歲行遊，不定一所也。年立卽是行年。立者，是住立為義，以其今年立於北辰也。就人而論，常行不息，故謂曰行；就歲而論，今之一歲，年住於此，故謂之立。

The term "You Nian" has three names but is divided into two categories. The three names are: one is "You Nian," the second is "Xing Nian," and the third is "Nian Li." Whenever the term "You Nian" is used, it refers to movement and constant change, not staying in one place. It moves with each passing year, not fixed in one position. "Nian Li" is actually the same as "Xing Nian." The character "Li" means to stop and establish, because the current year's Xing Nian is stationed at a particular celestial stem and earthly branch position (the original text says "standing at the Northern Dipper," meaning it is stationed at the position governed by the stars). From the human perspective, age constantly progresses, so it is called "Xing" (movement); from the year's perspective, the current year is stationed at this position, so it is called "Li" (establishment). Although there are three names, they actually fall into two categories: one is "You Nian," and the other is "Xing Nian" (or "Nian Li"), making only two types.

二別者，游年從八卦而數，年立從六甲而行。六甲者，男從丙寅左行，女從壬申右轉，並至其年數而止，卽是行年所至，立於其處也。若欲算知之者，男以實年加二算而左數，女以實年加一算而右數，並從甲子旬始，盡其算，卽是立處也。

The difference between the two lies in the fact that the Yu Nian is calculated according to the positions of the Eight Trigrams, while the Nian Li is determined by the "Six Jia" (the six ten-day periods starting with Jia: Jiazi, Jiaxu, Jiashen, Jiawu, Jiachen, Jiayin). The method of using the Six Jia is as follows: for a man, he starts counting from Bingyin in a clockwise direction (leftward), and for a woman, she starts counting from Renshen in a counterclockwise direction (rightward), continuing until the number corresponding to her actual age is reached. The position reached in this way is the place where the year is established, which is the location of the current year for that person. If one wishes to calculate it directly, for a man, add two to his actual age and count leftward from Jiazi; for a woman, add one to her actual age and count rightward from Jiazi. The position where the count lands is the location of the year.

所以男從丙寅數，何者？日生於寅，日為陽精，男從陽，故取日。丙為太陽，故取丙以配寅。女從壬申數，何者？月生於申，月為陰精，女從陰，故取月。壬為太陰，故取壬以配申。陽故左行，陰故右轉。

Why do men start counting from Bingyin? Because the Sun is born in Yin (Yin is the time of sunrise), and the Sun represents the essence of yang energy. Men belong to yang and should follow yang, so they take the Sun as their reference. Among the ten heavenly stems, Bing is the stem associated with the Sun, so Bing is paired with Yin to form Bingyin. Why do women start counting from Renshen? Because the Moon is born in Shen (Shen is the time of moonrise), and the Moon represents the essence of yin energy. Women belong to yin and should follow yin, so they take the Moon as their reference. Among the ten heavenly stems, Ren is the stem associated with the Moon, so Ren is paired with Shen to form Renshen. Yang represents ascending movement, so men count in a forward direction to the left; Yin represents descending movement, so women count in a backward direction to the right.

《孔子元辰經》云：若甲子旬，男從丙寅，女從壬申；甲戌旬，男從丙子，女從壬午；甲申旬，男從丙戌，女從壬辰；甲午旬，男從丙申，女從壬寅；甲辰旬，男從丙午，女從壬子；甲寅旬，男從丙辰，女從壬戌。皆曰行年。此並候病之法，非通常用。

The "Kongzi Yuanchen Jing" says: If one is born in the Jiazi decade, men start counting from Bingyin, and women from Renshen; if born in the Jiaxu decade, men start from Bingzi, and women from Renwu; if born in the Jiashen decade, men start from Cangwu, and women from Renchen; if born in the Jiawu decade, men start from Bingshen, and women from Renyin; if born in the Jiachen decade, men start from Bingwu, and women from Renzi; if born in the Jiayin decade, men start from Bingchen, and women from Renxu. All these starting points are called "Xingnian." This system is mainly used for predicting illness and is not a commonly used method for calculation.

游年者，男一歲，數從離起，左行八卦，二則在坤，三則在兌，四則在干，五則在坎，六則在艮，七則在震，八則在巽。巽不受八，進而就離，離則是八，坤卽九，兌卽十，以次而數。一若至坤，坤不受一，還退就離，故至十數，皆在政方也。女年一，從坎右行，亦如離法。艮不受八，干不受一，皆歸於坎。

As for the method of calculating the flow years: for a man, at age one, he starts counting from the Li trigram, moving counterclockwise through the eight trigrams. At two, he reaches Kun; at three, Dui; at four, Qian; at five, Kan; at six, Gen; at seven, Zhen; at eight, he should reach Xun. However, Xun does not accept the number eight, so he moves forward one more to Li, making Li the position for eight. At nine, he reaches Kun again; at ten, Dui, and so on. Conversely, if the number one falls on Kun, Kun does not accept the number one, so he moves back to Li. Thus, counting up to ten, all these numbers are assigned to their respective trigrams. For a woman, at age one, she starts counting from the Kan trigram, moving clockwise, following the same method as a man starting from Li. However, for a woman, the trigram Xun does not accept the number eight, and the trigram Qian does not accept the number one. In such cases, she should return to Kan.

所以巽不受八、坤不受一者，坤巽依位，並夾離宮。巽是陽位，有進義而無終義，八是卦之終數，故不受之，前以付離。坤是陰位，陰有退而無進，退則須滅，不敢當其陽始之數，故退讓就離。干不受一、艮不受八者，干是陽也，又為天也，自在其始，始是一義，重則數偶，數偶則成陰，故以付坎。艮是陰也，艮又為山，山則是終，游年曆行八卦，卦數於八，終卽止也，自有其終，理不重受，故付坎。

The trigram Xun does not accept the number "eight," and the trigram Kun does not accept the number "one." The reason is that when arranged according to direction, Kun and Xun are positioned on either side, flanking the Li trigram. Xun belongs to the yang position and signifies forward movement without termination, while "eight" is the final number among the eight trigrams. Therefore, Xun does not accept "eight" and instead passes it forward to Li. Kun belongs to the yin position, and yin only signifies retreat without advancement. Once it retreats, it tends toward disappearance, so it does not dare to accept "one," the initial number of yang, and thus steps back, also passing it to Li. The trigram Qian does not accept "one," and the trigram Gen does not accept "eight." The reason is that Qian is entirely yang and represents heaven, which itself is at the beginning. "One" signifies the beginning, so adding another "one" would make it an even number, which becomes yin. Therefore, it passes "one" to Kan. Gen belongs to yin and represents mountain, which signifies stopping and ending. As the trigram sequence progresses through the eight trigrams, reaching "eight" marks the end. Since Gen itself signifies an end, it should not again accept another terminal number, so it also passes "eight" to Kan.

或問云：天一之行，以坎為一宮，離為九宮；八卦游年，乃以離為一宮者，何？荅曰：天一於天下九州島之事，故從始一而行；游年於人年命之事，故以終九而起命。女游年從坎，男以德苞終始，故九一併數，起太陽之位；女以陰生陽，故從其創始陰位而行。坎位本一，受數一起，共為二，陰數也。游年所至之卦，因三變之：一變為禍害，再變為絶命，三變為生氣。生氣則吉，禍害、絶命則凶。吉則可就其方，凶則宜避其所。

Someone asked: The movement of the Heavenly Stem Tianyi is based on Kan as the first palace and Li as the ninth palace; however, the Eight Trigrams Yuannian treats Li as the first palace. Why is this so? The answer is: The Tianyi governs public affairs of the nine provinces of the world, so it starts from the beginning 'one' (Kan) and moves accordingly; Yuannian governs personal matters of an individual's life, so it begins from the end 'nine' (Li) to determine one's destiny. For women, Yuannian starts from Kan; for men, their virtue encompasses both beginning and end, so the 'nine' and 'one' are combined and counted together, starting from the position of the Sun (Li). Women, being of yin, generate yang, so they begin from the initial yin position (Kan). Kan originally occupies the 'one' position, and then receives the starting number 'one', combining to form 'two', which is the number of yin. When Yuannian reaches a particular trigram, it is determined by the three changing lines: one changing line is 'hazard', two changing lines are 'death', and three changing lines are 'life qi'. Receiving life qi is auspicious, while receiving hazard or death is inauspicious. Auspicious directions should be approached, while inauspicious ones should be avoided.

禍害者，以其相剋害也。如干初九甲子水，變成巽，巽初六辛丑土，是飛辰來克伏辰也；坎初六戊寅木，變成兌，兌初九丁巳火，是飛伏相害也。絕命者，以其卦體被剋制也，如震變為兌，金克木也；艮變為巽，木克土也。生氣者，以其相生同體也，如干變成兌，體同金也；震變成離，木生火也。禍害、絕命，亦有厭行，以其卦所至相制者禳之。如沖火以避兵火，懸一柏木而攘震死，此並五行相制之驗也。游年、年立，卽是人之年命，皆配五行，故於此而釋之。

The term "harm" refers to the situation where the hexagram produced by the change conflicts with the primary hexagram in terms of the Five Phases. For example, if the first line of the Qian hexagram is assigned the stem and branch Jiazi, which belongs to water, and it changes to the Xun hexagram, then the first line of the Xun hexagram is assigned Xinchou, which belongs to earth. This is called "flying branch" (the stem and branch of the changing line) coming to control "hidden branch" (the stem and branch of the original line). Another example is when the first line of the Kan hexagram is assigned Wuyin, which belongs to wood, and it changes to the Dui hexagram, where the first line is assigned Dingsi, which belongs to fire. This is when the flying and hidden branches harm each other. "Destiny" refers to the entire hexagram being controlled, such as when the Zhen hexagram (wood) changes to the Dui hexagram (metal), which is metal controlling wood; or when the Gen hexagram (earth) changes to the Xun hexagram (wood), which is wood controlling earth. "Life Qi" refers to the situation where the two hexagrams either generate each other or belong to the same category, such as when Qian changes to Dui, both belonging to metal; or when Zhen changes to Li, which is wood generating fire. When encountering harm or destiny, there are methods to counteract and resolve these issues by using the element that controls the hexagram in question. For instance, using objects that control fire to avoid disasters caused by fire, or hanging a piece of cypress wood to counteract the misfortune associated with the Zhen hexagram. These are all manifestations of the principle of mutual control among the Five Phases. Since the concept of "yearly influence" and "yearly establishment" are related to human lifespan and are all associated with the Five Phases, they are explained together here.

凡含生蠢動，有知之數，莫不藉五氣而成性，資陰陽以立形。故有陸處水居，潛見道別，遊翔飛走，駑駿不同，皆由氣之清濁，稟性深淺。《考異郵》云：含牙戴角，著脰垂芒，皆為陰也。陰有殺氣，故備有爪牙之毒，螫蠆之類也。飛翔羽翮，柔善之獸，皆為陽也，陽有仁氣，無殺性也。

All living beings that are mobile and have perception take shape through the five phases' energies and establish their nature by relying on the energies of yin and yang. Therefore, some dwell on land, some in water, some hide and some appear, each following different paths; some swim and fly, some soar and run, some are slow and some are swift. These differences arise from the clarity or turbidity of the energies they possess and the depth of their inherent nature. The commentary book "Spring and Autumn Gao Yi You" states: those with sharp teeth in their mouths, horns on their heads, stiff bristles with backward-pointing spines on their necks, and poisonous spines at their tails all belong to the yin category. Yin contains the cutting and killing energy, so these creatures all possess claws and teeth for harmfulness, such as bees and scorpions. As for birds and beasts that fly with wings and have feathers, and are gentle and kind in nature, they belong to the yang category. Yang contains the compassionate energy, so they do not possess the cutting and killing nature.

《家語》云：齕吞者八竅而卵生，齟者九竅胎生。晝生似父，夜生類母，至陰者牝，至陽者牡，皆氣使然也。凡是蠢動之物，併為蟲類。今略分三種：一曰禽，二曰獸，三曰蟲。有羽飛者為禽，有四足走者為獸，無羽足者為蟲。至如蜉蝣之羽，蟭蟟之翼，飛百足，蚊蚋六手，此雖有羽足，猶是蟲例。其朝生暮死，腐穢蠱溼，此皆因變化隨類生者，亦並蟲也。《考異郵》云：蟲入日而化微，故令促。

The "Family Sayings of Confucius" says: animals that swallow without chewing have eight openings and lay eggs; animals that chew have nine openings and give birth to live young. Those born in the daytime resemble their fathers, and those born at night resemble their mothers. When yin energy reaches its extreme, it is female; when yang energy reaches its extreme, it is male. This is all due to the influence of qi. All crawling creatures are classified as insects. Here they are roughly divided into three categories: one called birds, another called beasts, and the third called insects. Those with feathers that can fly are birds; those with four legs that can run are beasts; and those without feathers or legs are insects. As for the wings of mayflies, the wings of cicadas, and flying creatures with many legs (the original text uses a rare character here), as well as six-legged mosquitoes, even though they have wings and legs, they are still classified as insects. Those that live only for a day and die at night, and those that grow in damp and foul places, all change according to the conditions they are in and are born according to their kind, and they are all included in the category of insects. The "Discerning Mail" says: insects are born from the influence of solar energy, have small bodies, so their lives are short.

又鳥、魚二名，於此二者，其號雖別，鳥則飛翔，卽是禽也；魚則潛游，蟲之屬也。《家語》云：鳥、魚生於陰而屬於陽，故皆卵生。魚游於水，鳥遊於云，所以立冬則燕雀入海，化而為蛤，本其類也。

There are also the categories of birds and fish. Although these two categories are different, birds can fly and thus belong to the category of fowl; fish swim in water and thus belong to the category of insects. The "Analects of Confucius" says: both birds and fish are born from yin and belong to yang, so they are both oviparous. Fish swim in water, while birds fly in clouds. Because of this, ancient people said that after the beginning of winter, swallows and sparrows enter the sea and transform into clams and mussels. This is because they are originally transformed from the same kind of qi, so they can transform into each other.

禽名通於獸，獸名不通於禽，故知禽有趨地之能，獸無飛空之用。然此三等，名例甚多，不可具釋，今且先論五靈，次配卦及三十六禽。《家語》云：羽蟲三百六十，鳳為之長；毛蟲三百六十，麟為之長；甲蟲三百六十，龜為之長；鱗蟲三百六十，龍為之長；倮蟲三百六十，人為之長。又曰：毛蟲之精曰麒麟，羽蟲之精曰鳳，介蟲之精曰龜，鱗蟲之精曰龍，倮蟲之精曰聖人。毛蟲西方，羽蟲南方，甲蟲北方，鱗蟲東方，倮蟲中央。此則皆稱蟲也。

The term "qin" can refer to both birds and beasts, as ancient people included birds and beasts under the category of "five qin." However, the term "shou" refers specifically to beasts and does not include birds. From this, we can see that qin have the ability to walk on the ground, while shou lack the ability to fly. However, these three categories are numerous and cannot be explained one by one. Now, let us first discuss the five spirits, then their association with the eight trigrams and the thirty-six qin. The "Analects of Confucius" states: there are three hundred and sixty feathered creatures, with the phoenix as their leader; three hundred and sixty hairy creatures, with the qilin as their leader; three hundred and sixty creatures with shells, with the turtle as their leader; three hundred and sixty scaled creatures, with the dragon as their leader; and three hundred and sixty hairless creatures, with humans as their leader. It also says: the essence of hairy creatures is the qilin, the essence of feathered creatures is the phoenix, the essence of shell creatures is the turtle, the essence of scaled creatures is the dragon, and the essence of hairless creatures is the sage. Hairy creatures are associated with the west (metal), feathered creatures with the south (fire), shell creatures with the north (water), scaled creatures with the east (wood), and hairless creatures with the center (earth). Thus, these five categories are all referred to as "chong."

五靈總為諸蟲之首，今止言其四，以人處中央者，謂有性情之物，人最為主故也。靈者，神靈之義，五禽於蟲獸之中最靈，故曰五靈。《禮記·月令》云：春，其蟲鱗。鄭元注云：龍蛇之屬。夏，其蟲羽，飛鳥之屬。中央，其蟲倮，虎豹淺毛之屬。秋，其蟲毛，狐狢之屬。冬，其蟲介，龜鱉之屬。又云：國君行，前朱雀，後玄武，左蒼龍，右白虎。

The five spirits are always the leaders among various animals. Here, only four are mentioned (the qilin, the phoenix, the tortoise, and the dragon), with humans placed in the center, because among all creatures with emotions, humans are the dominant ones. The term "spirit" refers to the divine; these five are the most spiritually endowed among insects and animals, hence called the "five spirits." The "Book of Rites: Monthly Orders" states: in spring, the scale creatures are in command; Zheng Xuan explains this as referring to dragons and snakes. In summer, the feathered creatures are in command, referring to flying birds. In the central earth, the hairless creatures are in command; Zheng Xuan explains this as referring to tigers and leopards, animals with short fur resembling nakedness. In autumn, the hairy creatures are in command, referring to foxes and badgers. In winter, the shell creatures are in command, referring to turtles and tortoises. The "Monthly Orders" also says: when the king goes out, he sets up the Vermilion Bird flag in front, the Black Tortoise flag behind, the Azure Dragon flag on the left, and the White Tiger flag on the right.

《尚書·刑德放》言：東方春，蒼龍，其智仁；南方夏，朱鳥，好禮；西方秋，白虎，執義；北方冬，元龜，主信，會中央土之精。《禮運》則不論五德，止辨四靈而已。《鉤命訣》云：失仁則龍麟不舞，失禮則鸞鳳不翔，失智則黃龍不見，失義則白虎不出，失信則元龜不見。

The Wei Shu "Shangshu Xingde Fang" says: The East governs spring and is represented by the Azure Dragon, whose virtue is wisdom and benevolence; the South governs summer and is represented by the Vermilion Bird, which values propriety; the West governs autumn and is represented by the White Tiger, which upholds righteousness; the North governs winter and is represented by the Black Tortoise, which guards faith, and they all combine with the vital energy of the central earth. However, the "Liji · Liyun" does not discuss the association of the five virtues with the five directions, but only distinguishes between the four divine creatures: the qilin, the phoenix, the black tortoise, and the dragon. The Wei Shu "Gou Ming Jue" states: If a ruler loses benevolence, the dragon and qilin will not appear; if he loses propriety, the luanfeng will not fly; if he loses wisdom, the yellow dragon will not appear; if he loses righteousness, the white tiger will not emerge; if he loses faith, the black tortoise will not show itself. This treats the appearance or absence of the five divine creatures as a verification of whether the ruler possesses the five virtues of the ruler's constant moral qualities.

《禮記》曰：麟鳳龜龍，謂之四靈。《左傳》云：麟鳳五靈，王者之嘉瑞。《禮》云麟鳳龜龍，不見有虎，於金行稱虎，義則不足。前朱雀，後玄武，是同；其餘三蟲，並有差異。《元命苞》云：離為鳳。又言：鳳，火精；靈龜生水，玄武主北方。此同。《禮》說唯龍、麟、虎三者不同。左青龍，右白虎，舊說不疑。《衍孔圖》以麟為木精，龍則非木；《大戴禮》以麟為毛蟲，麟復成金；麟若為金，虎則無用。公羊高以麟為木精，木生於火，夫子修《春秋》至麟而止，豈知為漢之瑞，今所不埶。

The Book of Rites says: the qilin, the phoenix, the tortoise, and the dragon are called the four divine creatures. The Zuo Zhuan says: the qilin, phoenix, and others are five divine creatures, which are the auspicious signs of a virtuous ruler. The Book of Rites lists only the qilin, phoenix, tortoise, and dragon, but does not mention the tiger. However, when associating with the metal element, it is called the White Tiger. This makes the system of association incomplete. Among various schools of thought, only the positions of the Vermilion Bird in the south and the Black Tortoise in the north are consistent. The associations of the dragon, qilin, and tiger differ among the schools. The Spring and Autumn Yuan Meng Bao says: the Li trigram corresponds to the phoenix. It also says: the phoenix is the essence of fire; the spiritual tortoise is born from water, and the Black Tortoise governs the north. This is consistent with previous views. The only differences are in the associations of the dragon, qilin, and tiger. The old saying that the left is the Azure Dragon and the right is the White Tiger has never been questioned. However, the Yan Kong Tu says the qilin is the essence of wood, so the dragon would not belong to wood. The Da Dai Li Ji classifies the qilin as a hair creature, making it belong to metal. If the qilin belongs to metal, then the White Tiger would have no place. Gong Yang says the qilin is the essence of wood, and wood is born from fire. Confucius compiled the Spring and Autumn Annals and stopped when he obtained the qilin, which would be the auspicious sign of the Han dynasty (the fire dynasty). But this view is not adopted now.

案蔡邕《月令章句》言：天官五獸，左蒼龍，大辰之貌；右白虎，大梁之文；前朱雀，鶉火之體；後玄武，龜蛇之質；中有大角軒轅，麒麟之信。亦龍生於水，遊於木；鳥生於木，遊於火；麟生於火，遊於土；虎生於土，遊於金；龜生於金，游於水。修其母，致其子，五行之情也。

According to Cai Yong's "Chapter on the Monthly Ordinances," the heavenly stars have five creatures. On the left is the Blue Dragon, resembling the form of the Heart Mansion (Heart Star); on the right is the White Tiger, displaying the elegance of the Big Beam (the region of the Hairy Head Mansion); in front is the Vermilion Bird, taking the shape of the鹑 Fire (the constellations of Willow, Star, and Extended Net); behind is the Black Tortoise, embodying the nature of the turtle and snake; and in the center are the two stars, Great Horn and Emperor's Coach, symbolizing the image of the qilin, a creature of faithfulness. He also said: the dragon is born in water and moves in wood; the bird is born in wood and moves in fire; the qilin is born in fire and moves in earth; the tiger is born in earth and moves in metal; the turtle is born in metal and moves in water. This means that each spirit is born in the element that generates it (its mother) and moves in the element it generates (its child). Cultivating the mother element can attract the child element—this is precisely the principle of mutual generation among the Five Phases.

故貌恭體仁，則鳳凰來儀；言從和義，則神龜至；視明禮修，則麒麟臻；智聽故事，則黃龍見；思叡信立，則白虎擾。此言當矣。《禮斗威儀》云：乘金而王，麒麟在郊。《保乾圖》又言：歲星為麟。《考異郵》言：麟者，陰精。此並不同。

Therefore, when the sovereign's appearance is respectful and his conduct is benevolent, the phoenix comes to pay homage with proper ceremony; when his speech follows reason and harmonizes with righteousness, the divine turtle appears; when his vision is clear and his rituals are properly established, the qilin comes; when his hearing is keen and he acts according to established precedents, the yellow dragon appears; when his thoughts are penetrating and his sincerity is firmly established, the white tiger becomes tamed. This matches the five matters (appearance, speech, vision, hearing, thought) from the Book of Documents, the Hongfan, with the five spiritual creatures in a fitting manner. As for the Li Dǒu Weiyi, it says, "When ruling in accordance with the metal virtue, the qilin appears in the outskirts"; the Baoguan Tu says, "The planet Jupiter is the qilin"; and the Kao Yiyou says, "The qilin is the essence of yin"—these various accounts are inconsistent with each other.

今解以木者，觸也，有觸冒之義。麟有肉角，無所牴觸；龍角端無肉，有牴觸義。《易》象震為龍，故木之義扶龍。天官有軒轅黃龍，麒麟之信，信主於土，修母子應，此意亦同。為漢出者，漢是火德，故子應也，是土之義扶麟。

Now the explanation is that "wood" means "touch," implying contact, resistance, or opposition. The horn of a qilin is covered with flesh and cannot be used for resistance; in contrast, the tip of a dragon's horn has no flesh, and thus embodies the meaning of resistance. The Zhou Changes take the image of Zhen as representing the dragon, and Zhen belongs to wood, so in terms of the meaning of wood, it should support the pairing of dragon with wood. Among the stars in the heavens, there are images such as Xuanyuan and Huanglong, which Cai Yong said represented the qilin guarding faith. "Faith" belongs to earth among the five constants; furthermore, the previous idea of "cultivating the mother to bring forth the son" and the concept ofsympathetic response (response or resonance) also align with this. As for the qilin appearing for the Han dynasty, it is because the Han dynasty belonged to the fire virtue, and earth is the son of fire, hence the correspondence between the son and the father—thus, in terms of the meaning of earth, it should support the pairing of qilin with earth.

《易通卦驗》言：立秋，虎始嘯。《孔衍圖》云：虎，金精。《大戴禮》言：虎七月而生，應陽數。《考異郵》亦言：虎斑文者，陰陽之雜。虎為毛蟲，定是金獸。《考異郵》云：參代虎之德，義主斬刈。所以學門謂之虎門，乃畫虎於門者，以兌居西方，兌是說言，主講說故。又金有殺伐之威，虎有毒害之猛，故金義扶虎。

The book "Yitong Guaxian" says: On the day of the Beginning of Autumn, tigers begin to roar. "Kong Yan Tu" says: The tiger is the essence of metal. "Da Dai Li Ji" says: Tigers gestate for seven months and give birth, corresponding to the number seven of yang. "Kao Yi You" also says: The patterns on a tiger's body represent the mingling of yin and yang. Since tigers are classified among the hairy animals, they are determined to be animals of metal. "Kao Yi You" says: The mansion of Sanxiu represents the virtue of the tiger, and its meaning is to cut off and eliminate. Therefore, the main gate of the academy is called "Hu Men," and tigers are painted on the gate, because the trigram Dui is located in the west and belongs to metal, and Dui also has the meanings of joy and speech, governing the discussion of learning. Moreover, metal has the solemnity of severity and warfare, while tigers have the fierce nature of venom and harm. Therefore, in terms of metal, it is appropriate to associate tigers with metal.

問：寅位在東，何忽白虎居西？荅曰：凡五行相雜，無有獨在一方之義。東方自是木行相次，白虎居西，是殺戮之威。如農在東方，正主於龍，干之六爻並是龍象。震取其運動，干譬聖人，自取龍有飛潛之德，為象各異，故無定準也。如《考異郵》云：陰陽相雜，不妨分在東方。此並靈通，隱顯無定，寧可一執。

Someone asked: The branch Yin (which belongs to the tiger) is located in the east among the twelve branches, so why is the White Tiger located in the west? The answer is: All five phases are intermingled and mixed, and there is no principle that any one phase is fixed in a particular direction. The east is originally arranged according to the wood phase, while the White Tiger is located in the west, taking the power of severity and punishment. They are based on different principles. For example, farming belongs to the east, where the dragon is the main symbol; yet the six lines of the Qian hexagram all take the dragon as a symbol, with the Zhen hexagram taking the dragon because of its movement, and the Qian hexagram using the dragon to symbolize the sage because the dragon has the virtue of being able to fly and to hide. The same dragon is used as a symbol in different ways, showing that there is no fixed standard. As the "Kao Yi You" says, yin and yang are naturally intermingled, so the tiger may also have another association with the east. These supernatural creatures are connected with the divine and appear and disappear unpredictably, so how can we be rigid in our views?

《史蘇龜經》云：木神蒼龍，歲星之精；火神朱雀，熒惑之精；灰土之神，名曰騰蛇；土神勾陳，鎮星之精；金神白虎，太白之精；水神玄武，辰星之精。蒼龍主頭，朱雀主唇頸，騰蛇主胸脅，勾陳主腰腹，白虎主股膝，玄武主腳脛。

The Shisu Oracle Classic says: The deity of wood is the Azure Dragon, which is the essence of the planet Jupiter (the Star of Years); the deity of fire is the Vermilion Bird, which is the essence of the Malefic of Violence (Mars); the deity located at the intersection of fire and earth, known as "Ash," is the Snake; the deity of earth is Gou Chen, which is the essence of the planet Saturn; the deity of metal is the White Tiger, which is the essence of the planet Venus (the Bright Star); and the deity of water is the Black Tortoise, which is the essence of the planet Mercury (the Morning Star). These six deities each preside over a part of the human body: the Azure Dragon presides over the head, the Vermilion Bird presides over the lips and neck, the Snake presides over the chest and flanks, Gou Chen presides over the waist and abdomen, the White Tiger presides over the thighs and knees, and the Black Tortoise presides over the feet and lower legs.

案此之六神，朱雀、玄武、蒼龍、白虎，與經緯說同，唯勾陳之神，其語有異。而天官有勾陳之星，在紫微之內，故為土神，此卽蔡邕所云麒麟之信也。騰蛇居火之末，在土之初，而為灰神，以蛇配龜，共為玄武，無有正方，故為灰神。其配頭足等，以東為首，故龍配頭也；以次南轉，故玄武配足。

Examine these six spirits: the Vermilion Bird, the Black Tortoise, the Azure Dragon, and the White Tiger, which are consistent with the statements in the classics. Only Gou Chen differs among the various schools of thought. However, there is indeed a star called Gou Chen in the heavens, located within the Purple Micro垣 (Purple Micro Enclosure), in the central position, so it is designated as the earth spirit. This is what Cai Yong referred to as "the trustworthy麒麒" (the central direction belongs to earth, which governs trustworthiness). Teng Sha is located at the end of the fire and the beginning of the earth, hence it is called the "ash spirit" (fire ends in ash, which is the transitional point between fire and earth). Also, since the snake must pair with the tortoise to form the Black Tortoise, it does not have its own specific direction, so it is simply called the ash spirit. As for the order of their heads and feet, it starts with the east, so the Azure Dragon is assigned the head. Then it proceeds in a clockwise direction to the south, and finally to the north, so the Black Tortoise is assigned the feet.

禽獸屬八卦者，《易》云：乾為馬，坤為牛，震為龍，巽為雞，坎為豕，離為雉，艮為狗，兌為羊。干，健也，馬取其健也。坤，順也，牛取其順。震，動也，龍取其動。巽，風也，雞取其號令，以象風行坎陰也。豕取其陰離陽也，雉取其飛揚艮門也，狗取其守禦。兌，悅也，言也，羊取其悅草。

The Zhou Changes (I Ching) says in the section on the Eight Trigrams: Qian represents the horse, Kun the ox, Zhen the dragon, Xun the chicken, Kan the pig, Li the pheasant, Gen the dog, and Dui the sheep. Qian signifies strength and vigor, hence the horse's strength; Kun signifies flexibility and obedience, hence the ox's docility; Zhen signifies movement, hence the dragon's ability to move; Xun signifies wind, hence the chicken's crowing at dawn, like a signal spreading like wind; Kan is yin, hence the pig's hidden nature; Li is yang, hence the pheasant's bright and soaring feathers; Gen represents gates and thresholds, hence the dog's ability to guard the gate; Dui signifies joy and speech, hence the sheep's habit of eating grass and constantly bleating. (The original text has misalignment between the trigrams and their explanations; "to symbolize the movement of wind and yin" belongs to Kan, "the pheasant represents its soaring and Gen represents gates" belong to Li and Gen respectively.)

又干象六龍，取其潛躍之義。《說卦》云：馬取其強健之德，以健之故稱良馬，以父故稱老馬，以其乾乾不息，故稱瘠馬，以其有變化之用，故稱駁馬。然坤卦又稱牝馬之貞，此止取順義。馬之為義，不獨乾坤震，又為善鳴之馬，以震有雷聲，故震雷之象。又為馵足，馬亦曰白頭，為的顙之馬，取其顯耀之義。坎為美脊之馬，以有居中之閏，故或卦龍馬以配者多，以為行天莫若於龍，行地莫過於馬，故多所象也。坤稱子母牛者，重其蕃息。艮既為狗，亦為鼠，狗有守備之能，狗為能止，鼠為所止，並屬於艮。離為鱉蟹螺蜯龜，皆取其有甲，象外陽之義也。此皆五行之所配合，故於此而釋也。

In addition, the Qian hexagram takes the dragon as its image, representing the dragon's potential for transformation and change. The "Say Hexagram" explains that Qian is associated with the horse, taking its strength and vigor as the basis; because it is strong and vigorous, it is called "a good horse"; because Qian represents the father, it is called "an old horse"; because the virtue of Qian is strong and vigorous without ceasing (qian qian bu yi), it is called "a lean horse" (thin and enduring); because it has the function of change, it is called "a horse with a mottled coat" (its coat is mottled like change). However, the Kun hexagram refers to "a mother horse," which only takes the meaning of the mother horse's gentleness. The horse as a symbolic image is not only found in Qian and Kun; it is also found in Zhen. Zhen is associated with a horse that is good at neighing, because Zhen represents thunder, taking the image of thunder; Zhen is also associated with a horse with a white left hind foot ("zhuzu horse"), and a horse with a white forehead ("desang horse"), taking the meaning of being bright and dazzling. Kan is associated with a horse with a strong and beautiful back, because the yang line in the center of Kan represents the solid and moist image. Therefore, among the hexagrams, those that pair with dragon and horse are the most common, because there is nothing in the sky that can surpass the dragon, and nothing on the ground that can exceed the horse, hence the frequent use of these images. The Kun hexagram refers to "a mother cow," emphasizing its meaning of reproduction and proliferation. Gen is both the dog and the rat: the dog has the ability to guard and prevent, the dog can stop people, the rat is stopped, both belong to Gen (Gen means to stop). Li is associated with turtle, crab, snail, clam, and tortoise, all taking the meaning of their outer shell, symbolizing the outer yang and inner yin of the Li hexagram. These are all results of the mutual combination of the Five Phases, so they are explained together here.

禽蟲之類，名數甚多，今解三十六者，蓋取六甲之數，拭經所用也。其十二屬配十二支，支有三禽，故三十有六禽。所以支有三者，分一日為三時，旦及晝暮也。若以意求，正應十二屬並居晝位，不應或旦或暮。今依拭經法，以氣而取，孟則在暮，仲則在中，季則在旦，是十二屬當十二辰也。餘二十四，既是配禽，以不當支位。所以孟在暮者，孟是一時之首氣，初則未盛，向仲方盛，故屬也，取近盛氣，所以在暮也。仲則在晝者，以其氣盛在中也。季則在旦者，以季為一時之末，其氣已衰，當初近仲，尚有王勢，故屬旦也。於式當位，二俱不失。

Animals and insects are numerous in name and number. Here, thirty-six are explained because the number is taken from the "six Jia" (the sixty Jiazi are divided into six groups of ten). This is also the method used in the style disk divination (the "Shi Jing" is the style classic, which discusses the six rhinoceros style disk method). Among these, the twelve zodiac animals correspond to the twelve earthly branches, with three animals under each branch, making a total of thirty-six animals. Each branch is assigned three animals because a day is divided into three periods: morning, day, and evening. If we think logically, the twelve zodiac animals should all be placed in the day period, not some in the morning and some in the evening. Now, following the method of the style classic, they are arranged according to the strength and decline of the qi: the branches of the first month of each season (Yin, Si, Shen, Hai) are placed in the evening, the branches of the middle months (Zi, Mao, Wu, You) are placed in the day, and the branches of the last months (Chou, Chen, Wei, Xu) are placed in the morning. Thus, the twelve zodiac animals each occupy their respective twelve branches. The remaining twenty-four animals, being auxiliary, do not occupy the main positions. The branches of the first months are placed in the evening because the first month of each season is the beginning of the season's qi, which is initially weak and only becomes strong in the middle months. Therefore, they are placed near the side of the strong qi, hence in the evening. The branches of the middle months are placed in the day because their qi is strongest at the center. The branches of the last months are placed in the morning because the last month of each season is the end of the season's qi, which has already declined. However, when it first begins, it follows closely after the middle month and still carries the momentum of strength, so it is placed in the morning. In this way, each branch is in its proper position on the style disk, and both the qi and the position are in order.

王簡云：子，朝為燕，晝為鼠，暮為伏翼。丑，朝為牛，晝為蟹，暮為鱉。寅，朝為狸，晝為豹，暮為虎。《本生經》云：旦為生木。又云：晝為虎，暮為狸。卯，朝為蝟，晝為兔，暮為貉。一云：朝為狐。《本生經》云：暮為鶴。辰，朝為龍，晝為蛟，暮為魚。巳，朝為蟮，晝為蚯蚓，暮為魚蛇。一云：暮為龜。《本生經》言：旦為赤土，晝為蛇，暮為蟬。午，朝為鹿，晝為馬，暮為獐。《本生經》言：旦為馬，晝為鹿，暮為麞。未，朝為羊，晝為鷹，暮為鴈。《本生經》云：暮為老木。申，朝為貓，晝為猨，暮為猴。一云：旦為羊。《本生經》言：暮為死石。

Wang Jian's view is: for the Zi branch, in the morning it is a swallow, at noon a rat, and in the evening a bat. For the Chou branch, in the morning it is an ox, at noon a crab, and in the evening a tortoise. For the Yin branch, in the morning it is a weasel, at noon a leopard, and in the evening a tiger; the Ben Sheng Jing says that in the morning it is a tree, and another view says at noon it is a tiger and in the evening a weasel. For the Mao branch, in the morning it is a hedgehog, at noon a rabbit, and in the evening a marten; another view says in the morning it is a fox; the Ben Sheng Jing says in the evening it is a crane. For the Chen branch, in the morning it is a dragon, at noon a water dragon, and in the evening a fish. For the Si branch, in the morning it is a eel, at noon a worm, and in the evening a fish snake; another view says in the evening it is a turtle; the Ben Sheng Jing says in the morning it is red earth, at noon a snake, and in the evening a cicada. It is evident that different sources have slight variations. For the Wu branch, in the morning it is a deer, at noon a horse, and in the evening a roe deer; the Ben Sheng Jing says in the morning it is a horse, at noon a deer, and in the evening a roe deer. For the Wei branch, in the morning it is a sheep, at noon an eagle, and in the evening a goose; the Ben Sheng Jing says in the evening it is old wood. For the Shen branch, in the morning it is a cat, at noon a monkey, and in the evening a ape; another view says in the morning it is a sheep; the Ben Sheng Jing says in the evening it is dead stone. It can be seen that the Ben Sheng Jing series does not entirely use animals, but also includes elements like tree, red earth, old wood, and dead stone, which belong to the Five Phases.

酉，朝為雉，晝為雞，暮為馬。一云：朝為雞，暮為死石。《禽變》云：暮為死土。《本生經》言：暮為鳶。戌，朝為狗，晝為狼，暮為豺。一云：暮為死金。《禽變》云：暮為死火。亥，朝為豕，晝為玃，暮為豬。一云：旦為生木，晝為豕，暮為蛦蝓。一云：旦為豚，晝為。一云：暮為朽木。雖《本生經》及《禽變》互有不同，晝暮之位，理從前解。

The酉 branch: in the morning it is a pheasant, at noon it is a chicken, and in the evening it is a horse; another account says in the morning it is a chicken and in the evening it is a dead stone; the "Bird Transformation" text says in the evening it is dead earth. The "Origin of Life" text says in the evening it is a kite. The戌 branch: in the morning it is a dog, at noon it is a wolf, and in the evening it is a jackal; another account says in the evening it is dead metal; the "Bird Transformation" text says in the evening it is dead fire. The亥 branch: in the morning it is a pig, at noon it is a large ape, and in the evening it is a domestic pig; another account says in the morning it is growing wood, at noon it is a pig, and in the evening it is a slug; yet another account says in the morning it is a young pig, at noon it is something (the original text has a rare character here); there is also an account saying in the evening it is rotten wood. The "Origin of Life" text and the "Bird Transformation" text differ in some details, but the arrangement of the three times—morning, noon, and evening—still follows the principle of the waxing and waning of qi as explained earlier.

子為鼠燕伏翼者，色皆玄也，取水之色。鼠之為性，晝伏夜游，象陰氣也；出於穴常見首者，象陽氣萌動於子，欲見之狀也。燕口下有赤者，象陰之懷陽；其尾分者，陰數二也；春分而至，隨陽見也；秋分而蟄，隨陰伏也。《禮記·月令》云：仲春之月，玄鳥至，至日以太牢祀於高禖，以祈子孫也；秋分，玄鳥歸也。是見二月者，子刑卯也。《易通卦驗》云：玄鳥，陰鳥也。伏翼者，鼠老為之，謂之仙鼠。《方言》云：自關已東謂之伏翼。三者皆是陰蟲，故並居子也。

The earthly branch Zi governs the rat, swallow, and bat, because all three have black feathers or fur, which corresponds to the color of water (Zi belongs to water, which is black). The rat hides during the day and comes out at night, symbolizing the movement of yin energy; when it emerges from its burrow, it often only shows its head, symbolizing the beginning of yang energy in the month of Zi, which is just starting to appear and has not yet fully emerged. The swallow has a red patch beneath its beak, symbolizing yin containing yang; its tail splits into two, matching the number two, which represents yin; it comes in spring equinox, following the emergence of yang energy, and retreats in autumn equinox, following the concealment of yang energy. The *Book of Rites: Monthly Orders* says: In the second month of spring, the black bird (swallow) flies in; on the day the swallow arrives, a grand sacrifice is offered to the god of high mountains to pray for descendants. By autumn equinox, the swallow flies back. The swallow appears in the second month (Mao month) but is still classified under the Zi branch, because Zi and Mao have a conflict relationship, and thus are connected. The *Yi Tong Gua Xian* says: the swallow is a bird of yin. The bat is formed from an old rat and is called the immortal rat. The *Dialects* says: in the area east of the Hangu Pass, it is called the bat. These three are all yin animals, so they are all classified under the Zi branch.

丑為牛蟹鱉者，丑為艮，立春之節，農事既興，牛之力也。又上當牛宿，《說題辭》曰：牛為陰事，牽耦耜耕也，故在丑。蟹者，立春之時，卉木生根，如其足也。艮為山，巨靈贔負，首頂靈山，負蓬萊山，卽巨蟹也。鱉者，土之精氣而生，中軟外堅，象土含陰陽也；其藏黃者，土之色也。牛亦有黃，蟹中亦黃，皆土精也。丑在北方水位，故兼主水、土。

The Earthly Branch Chou governs cattle, crab and turtle, because Chou corresponds to the Hexagram Gen, which represents mountain. At the beginning of the year, when spring starts, farming begins, and cattle are relied upon. Moreover, Chou corresponds to the celestial mansion of the Ox. The "Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals" says: cattle are associated with yin affairs, and they pull paired plows to till the soil, so they are paired with Chou. As for crab, at the beginning of spring, grass and trees begin to take root, and the appearance of the fine roots resembles the legs of a crab. Gen represents mountain, and according to legend, the deity Jüling carried heavy burdens on his back and held the mountain of Ling on his head, carrying the divine object from Penglai Mountain, which is the crab. As for turtle, it is born from the essence of earth, being soft inside and firm outside, symbolizing the inclusion of yin and yang within earth. It contains yellow substances inside, which is the color of earth. Cattle have cow bile, and crabs also have crab bile, both representing the essence of earth. Chou itself is located in the northern water position, so it also governs both water and earth elements.

寅為虎豹狸者，三獸形類皆相似。寅為木位，木主藂林；寅又屬艮，艮為山，虎之所處。《集靈經》云：寅為少陽，五色玄黃。寅又有生火，火主文章，三獸俱斑，並有文也。上應箕宿，箕主風，虎嘯風起，《易》云「風從虎」。《家語》云：三九二十七，七主星，星主虎，虎七月生，申沖寅，故虎在寅。狸豹以同類相從也。《本生經》云主木者，以寅有相木，正月方生也。

The earthly branch Yin controls the tiger, leopard, and civet, because these three animals have similar appearances. Yin belongs to the direction of wood, and wood represents dense forests; Yin also belongs to the hexagram Gen, which represents mountain, the place where tigers live. The "Collection of Wonders" says: Yin is the young yang, with a color of dark yellow. Yin also contains the initial fire, which represents culture and patterns, and these three animals all have spots, which corresponds to the meaning of having patterns. Yin corresponds to the mansion of Ji in the sky, which governs wind, and when a tiger roars, the wind arises. The "Commentary on the Wings of the Book of Changes" says, "Wind follows the tiger." The "Discourses of Master Kong" says: three times nine equals twenty-seven, seven represents stars, and stars represent tigers, so tigers are pregnant for seven months before giving birth. Yin and Shen are opposing, tigers are born in Shen and are paired with Yin, so tigers are associated with Yin. Civets and leopards are attached to Yin by being similar to each other. The "Original Life Classic" says Yin governs wood, because Yin contains the wood energy in the position of "Xiang," and in the first lunar month, wood begins to sprout.

卯為兔蝟狢者，兔，陽蟲也，居月中者，陰懷陽也。《元命苞》云：兔居月中者，陰懷陽也，坎之氣。坎在子位，子刑在卯，故兔屬卯。老兔為蝟，狢亦兔類，故並居卯。一云：狢者，狐也，狐狢相類也。《本生經》言鶴者，此音同字誤也。

The Earthly Branch 卯 governs the rabbit, hedgehog, and marmot. This is because the rabbit is a yang creature, and according to legend it resides in the moon, symbolizing yang contained within yin. The *Chunqiu Yuanmengbao* states that the rabbit lives in the moon, representing yin embracing yang, which corresponds to the energy of Kan. Kan is located at the position of Zi, and Zi is said to be in conflict with卯, hence the rabbit is assigned to the卯 branch. Old rabbits transform into hedgehogs, and marmots are also similar to rabbits, so they are all grouped under 卯. Another explanation says that the marmot is actually the fox, and foxes and marmots are similar. As for the *Bensheng Jing* stating that the evening of 卯 is the crane, this is due to the similar pronunciation of "貉" and "鹤," leading to a writing error.

辰為龍鮫魚者，申為水之源，子為中流，辰為水之末，如百川東注，皆歸於海。龍能興雲致雨，為水蟲之長，非海不能苞容，故其神而大。鮫魚亦是水蟲之長者，故並在辰。巳為蛇蟮蚯蚓者，《拭經》云：巳有騰蛇之將，因而配之。蛇，陽也，本在南；龜，陰也，本在北。以蛇配龜為玄武，二蟲共為一神，以陰偶，故從數在北方。蟮及蚯蚓，皆形同也。《禮記》云：小滿之節，蚯蚓出見。《慎子》云：騰蛇游霧，與蚯蚓同。黃帝有大螾如蚯，以應土德。已有寄生之土，故並配之。

The earthly branch Chen governs the dragon,鲛 fish, and fish, because in the triple harmony of the water element, Shen is the source of water, Zi is the middle flow of water, and Chen is the final destination of water, just as all rivers flow eastward and eventually reach the sea. The dragon can summon clouds and bring rain, being the leader among aquatic creatures, and nothing but the sea can contain it, so it is both mysterious and large. The鲛 fish is also a giant among aquatic creatures, so it is also associated with Chen. The earthly branch Si governs the snake,鳝, and earthworms, because the "Classic of Divination" says that there is a divine general named "Teng Sha" at the position of Si, so the snake is naturally associated with it. The snake belongs to the yang element and originally resides in the south; the turtle belongs to the yin element and originally resides in the north; pairing the snake with the turtle forms the Black Tortoise, as two animals combine into one deity. Since the number two is an even number representing yin, it is assigned to the north. The鳝 and earthworms have similar shapes to the snake. The "Book of Rites · Monthly Orders" says that during the period of Xiaoman, earthworms emerge from the ground. The "Zhenzi" says that Teng Sha can move through fog, which is similar to the earthworm. There is also a legend that during the time of the Yellow Emperor, a large earthworm-like creature appeared, symbolizing the virtue of earth. Since the earthly branch Si inherently contains the quality of earth, these creatures are all associated with Si.

《本生經》言土者，以火相合生土也。檢眾書，蟮或為鼉，鼉字復作蟬。《本生經》解蟬云：常水藏，畏羅網，悲吟不言，且欲歌。言其悲吟，與蟬相類；論其水藏，與鼉相類。其形狀及土氣，巳為蛇蟮蚯蚓相類，鼉與蟬並，此非也。又《射覆經》云：遇蟬者，水蟲也，當知是蜆也。

The *Ben Sheng Jing* associates the Earthly Branch *Si* with earth because the *Si* branch combines fire and earth, and fire generates earth. Examining various texts, the character "shàn" is sometimes written as "tuó" (Yangtze alligator), and "tuó" is also written as "chán." The *Ben Sheng Jing* explains "chán" as an animal that often hides in water, fears nets, and mourns without speaking, yet seems as if it wants to sing. In terms of its mournful cry, it resembles a chán; in terms of hiding in water, it resembles a tuó. However, considering its shape and the earthy quality associated with the *Si* position, it should be associated with creatures like snakes, shàn, and earthworms. Including both tuó and chán is therefore incorrect. Additionally, the *She Fu Jing* states that when one divines "chán," it refers to a water insect, and the actual meaning is clam.

午為鹿馬麞者，午為太陽，馬有員蹄，象於陽也。午為天路，馬有駿足，涉遠之日，牝牡有時，故《家語》云：八九七十二，偶以承奇，奇主辰，辰為月，月主馬，馬十二月生，丑沖未，未與午合，故在午。鹿蹄坼者，以象陰也，而居陽位者，象懷陰也。《禮記·月令》云：仲夏之月，鹿角解。《易緯通卦驗》云：鹿者，獸中陽也，夏至解角。《家語》云：四九三十六，六主律，律主鹿，故鹿六月生，未與午合，故亦在午。獐鹿同類，因而配之。

The hour of Wu governs deer, horse and wild boar, because Wu is the position of the Star of brightness and prestige, and the horse's hoof is round, symbolizing Yang (the round sky represents Yang). Wu is also the path of the Star of movement, and the horse has strong legs that can travel long distances. It also has a fixed time for mating. Therefore, the "Analects of Confucius" says: eight multiplied by nine gives seventy-two, even numbers follow odd numbers, and odd numbers govern the months, the month governs the horse, so the horse is pregnant for twelve months before giving birth. The earthly branch Chou (ox) and Wei (earth pig) are opposing, and Wei is in harmony with Wu, so the horse is associated with Wu. The deer's hoof is split, symbolizing Yin, yet it resides in the Yang position, symbolizing Yang containing Yin. The "Rites of Zhou: Monthly Orders" says: in the middle of summer, the fifth month, the deer sheds its antlers. The "Yi Wei Tong Gua Xian" says: the deer is a Yang animal, and it sheds its antlers at the summer solstice. The "Analects of Confucius" says: four multiplied by nine gives thirty-six, six governs the pitch, the pitch governs the deer, so the deer is pregnant for six months before giving birth. Since Wei is in harmony with Wu, the deer is also associated with Wu. The wild boar is of the same category as the deer, so they are both associated with Wu.

問曰：八卦配禽，離不言馬，《禽變》乃以午為馬者，何？荅曰：坤為牝馬之貞，坤既在未，未與午合，故馬居午。問曰：干亦稱馬，震亦稱馬，何不併取其合？荅曰：行地莫過於馬，坤既是地，取其正用；干天震木，非是地體，故不取合。

Someone asked: When the Eight Trigrams are paired with animals, the Li Trigram is paired with the pheasant, not the horse, yet the "Qin Bian" text pairs Wu with the horse. Why is this? The answer is: The Kun Trigram has the saying "the virtue of the female horse," and the position of Kun is Wei. Since Wei combines with Wu, the horse is associated with Wu. Another question: The Qian Trigram is also called the horse, and the Zhen Trigram is also called the horse. Why are theirLiu He positions not used for pairing? The answer is: No animal on the ground surpasses the horse. Since Kun symbolizes the earth, it takes its original use. Qian symbolizes heaven, and Zhen symbolizes wood, neither of which are the body of the earth, so theirLiu He positions are not used.

問曰：若如所解，干之六爻皆稱為龍，行天莫過於龍，龍德應干，何忽居辰？荅曰：未若為馬，誠如來難。馬既在午，正取其合；干位居戌，戌沖在辰，所以龍配於辰。問云：坤既取合，干忽用沖，此義難解。荅曰：坤為陰也，取其柔順從陽之義，故用合；干為陽也，陽體剛強，故取其沖。

Another question: According to this explanation, all six lines of the Qian hexagram are called dragons. In the sky, nothing surpasses the dragon, and the virtue of the dragon corresponds exactly with that of Qian. Then why is the dragon suddenly paired with the Chen position? The answer is: Regarding the fact that the sheep is paired with Wei rather than the horse, this is indeed as you have questioned. Since the horse is paired with Wu, this is because the Kun hexagram is at Wei, and Wei and Wu are in harmony. However, the Qian hexagram is at Xu, and Xu and Chen are in opposition, so the dragon is paired with Chen. Another question: The Kun hexagram uses the concept of Liu He, but the Qian hexagram suddenly changes to use opposition. This reasoning does not make sense. The answer is: Kun belongs to yin, and it takes the meaning of being soft and yielding to yang, hence it uses 'harmony'. Qian belongs to yang, and since yang is inherently strong and firm, it uses the position of 'opposition'. Because the principles of yin and yang differ, one uses harmony and the other uses opposition.

未為羊鷹鴈者，《拭經》云：未為小吉，主婚姻禮娉，禮娉有羊鴈之用。鄭玄《婚禮謁文》云：鴈候陰陽，待時乃舉。《易》以坤為羊，坤在未也。《禮記·月令》云：季夏之月，鷹初學習，此因候以配之。《本生經》云老木者，以未為木墓，木至六月衰老也。

The reasons why sheep, eagles, and geese are not dominant in the position of Wei are because the "Shi Jing" says that the position of Wei is "Xiao Ji," a deity in charge of marriage and wedding ceremonies, and wedding gifts include sheep and geese. Zheng Xuan's "Wedding Rituals Text" says that geese can detect the waxing and waning of yin and yang, and they only take flight when the season is right. The "Zhou Yi" associates sheep with the hexagram Kun, and the position of Kun is exactly Wei. The "Liji · Yueling" says that in the sixth month of late summer, young eagles begin to learn to fight, which is matched according to the seasonal phenomena. The "Ben Sheng Jing" says that Wei represents old wood, because Wei is the storage of wood, and wood has already aged by June. Thus, sheep are associated with the hexagram Kun, geese with the use in marriage, and eagles with the seasonal phenomena of late summer; each has its own basis.

申為猴猿貓者，秋為殺氣，萬物衰老，猴猿之貌並似老人。七月山果皆熟，猴猿以其儲糧之時為王。《拭經》云：金氣盛時，能老萬物猴猿貌也。《家語》云：五九四十五，五為音，音主猿，猿五月生，午中有沐浴金，殺氣未壯，至申金王，殺氣始強。又言：在火中未有音聲，出火其音方成，故並在申。

The earthly branch Shen governs monkeys, apes, and cats because autumn is the season of肃杀 (severe and destructive energy), when all things age and wither. Monkeys and apes have faces that resemble the elderly, hence their association with Shen. In the seventh lunar month, wild fruits in the mountains ripen, and monkeys and apes are busy gathering food, so they are most active at this time. The "Shi Jing" says that when the metal element is at its peak, it causes all things to age, and the appearance of monkeys and apes reflects this aged look. The "Kongzi Jia Wu" states that five multiplied by nine equals forty-five, and five represents sound, which governs apes. Therefore, apes have a gestation period of five months. The position of Wu (午) is where metal is in the "bathing" stage, and the killing energy is not yet strong. By the time it reaches Shen, metal is at its peak, and the killing energy becomes strong. It also says that metal cannot produce sound while still in fire; only when it is out of fire can it produce sound. Apes are known for their loud cries, so apes and Shen are grouped together.

《本生經》言旦為玉者，玉有溫潤鏗鏘之音，故取其旦。暮為死石者，石是玉類，亦有音聲，言其氣衰，故在暮曰死。玉石皆金之本，故皆配金位。貓亦是同類，故以配焉。酉為雞雉烏者，酉為金，威武之用。雞有五德，以武為先，見敵必斗，是其本性。《說題辭》云：雞為積陽，南方之象，火陽精物炎上，故陽出則雞鳴，以類感也。《考異郵》云：雞火畜，鳴近寅，寅陽，有生火，喜故鳴。武事必有號令，故在西方。巽為雞，亦為號令，辰巳並與酉合，故在酉。

The "Ben Sheng Jing" says that the hour of Shen is associated with jade because jade has a warm and smooth texture and a clear, resonant sound, which represents the sound of metal. Therefore, it is paired with the early morning when the vital energy first begins to rise. It says that the hour of You is associated with a dead stone because stone and jade are of the same category and can also produce sound, but since the stone's energy has declined, it is called "dead" in the evening. Jade and stone are both sources of metal, so they are both associated with the metal position. Cats are also animals of the monkey and ape family, so they are included together. The hour of You is associated with chickens, pheasants, and crows because You belongs to metal and takes the use of metal's strength and power. Chickens have five virtues: culture, bravery, courage, benevolence, and trustworthiness, with bravery being the foremost. When they encounter an opponent, they must fight, which is their nature. The "Chun Qiu Shuo Ti Ci" says that chickens are formed from accumulated yang energy and represent the southern direction. Fire is the essence of yang and has an upward nature, so when the sun rises, chickens crow, which is a case of similar things influencing each other. The "Kao Yi You" says that chickens are domesticated animals of fire, and their crowing time is close to the hour of Yin. Yin belongs to yang and contains the initial fire, so chickens feel joyful and crow. Military affairs must have commands, so chickens are associated with the western direction of military power. Among the Eight Trigrams, Xun is associated with chickens, and Xun also governs commands. The hours of Chen and Si are compatible with You, so chickens are associated with You.

雉是火鳥，為武之威。《方伎傳》云：太白揚光，則雞鳴；熒惑流耀，則雉驚。《易通卦驗》云：雉者是陽，雄鳴則雌應，陽唱陰和之義；當時則雊，亦號令之義。烏者，陰之禽，而居日中。《元命苞》云：烏在日中，象陽懷陰也。以其在日中得陽氣，故仁而能反哺。在酉者，春時日臨兌酉，是二八之門，日所入處，取其終也，故並配酉。

The bird known as the pheasant belongs to the fire element and symbolizes the dignity of military affairs. The "Book of Skills and Techniques" states: when the star of metal (the planet Venus) shines brightly, the chicken crows; when the planet of fire (Mars) moves and shines, the pheasant takes flight—this shows that the chicken belongs to metal and the pheasant belongs to fire. The "Commentary on the Changes and Verification of the Trigrams" says: the pheasant belongs to yang, and when the male pheasant calls, the female pheasant responds in harmony, which represents the principle of yang initiating and yin responding. When the season comes, the pheasant calls (gou), which also carries the meaning of issuing commands. The crow belongs to yin birds, yet it is said to dwell in the center of the sun. The "Spring and Autumn Original Mandate Bundle" says: the crow is in the sun, symbolizing yang containing yin. Because it receives yang energy from the sun, its nature is kind and benevolent, capable of carrying food and feeding its mother. It is paired with you because during the spring equinox, the sun reaches the position of the trigram Dui (the western gate), which is the boundary between the second and eighth months, also the place where the sun sets, symbolizing the end. Therefore, both the pheasant and the crow are paired with you.

又云暮為死石者，取其金氣衰也。《禽變》曰暮為死土者，土至金末，氣衰敗也。《本生經》云暮為鳶者，亦迅擊有武用也，無五德，故在暮。戌為狗、狼豺者，戌為黃昏，乾為天門，戌既屬干，昏闇之時，以警備也。京氏《別對》曰：狗為主行，以防奸也。《易》曰：艮為狗。艮既是門闕，狗以守防也。《家語》云：七九六十三，三主斗，斗主狗，狗三月生，辰沖戌，寅戌合，故在戌。《禮記·月令》云：九月之時，豺乃祭獸，因候配之。狼形相似，《說文》云：豺，狼屬也，故並居戌。

There is another explanation that the hour of You (酉) in the evening is called the dead stone, taking the meaning that the metal energy reaches its decline at this time. The "Bird Transformation" says that the evening is called the dead earth, because the earth energy has reached the end of the metal energy and has already declined. The "Origin of Life Classic" says that the evening is associated with the hawk, also taking the meaning of its swift and fierce attack, which has military significance; however, the hawk does not possess the five virtues like the chicken, so it is placed in the evening. The hour of Xu (戌) is associated with dogs, wolves, and jackals, because Xu corresponds to the time of dusk, when Qian (Heaven) is the heavenly gate, and since Xu belongs to the position of Qian, the sky is darkening, requiring vigilance and defense. Jing Fang's "Different Interpretations" says that dogs are responsible for patrolling and preventing thieves and bandits. The "Zhou Yi · Shuo Gua" says: "Gen (Mountain) is the dog." Gen represents the image of a gate, and the dog is precisely used for guarding the gate. The "Analects of Confucius" says: "Seven times nine is sixty-three, three are the stars, the star is the dog, so the dog is pregnant for three months before giving birth; Chen and Xu are opposing, Yin and Xu are harmonious, so the dog is assigned to Xu." The "Liji · Yueling" says: "In September, the jackal begins to display the animals it has hunted as if in a sacrifice, which is based on the seasonal changes." The appearance of the wolf is similar to that of the jackal, and the "Shuowen Jiezi" says "the jackal is a type of wolf," so they are both placed under Xu.

一曰暮死金者，金至戌衰敗故也。《禽變》云暮為死火者，戌為火墓也。亥為豬豕猚者，《拭經》云：亥為雜水，穢濁廁溷之象，豬之所居。豬色玄，象水色也；其蹄分者，陰象也；五更必起，不失其常，如水有潮，不違期也。《家語》云：六九五十四，四主時，時主豕，豕四月生也，沖已，故在亥。豕，豬之小者；猚亦取其類，而好夜行，以陰性也，故並在亥。

Another explanation says that the hour of Xu in the evening is considered dead metal, because metal has already declined by the time it reaches the Xu position. The "Bird Transformation" says that the evening is considered dead fire, because Xu is the storage place for fire. The亥 position governs pigs, boars, and wild boars, because the "Classic of Rituals" says that亥 belongs to mixed water, which symbolizes dirty and filthy places like latrines, exactly where pigs live. Pigs have black fur, which resembles the color of water; their hooves are split, which is a symbol of yin; they must rise at the fifth watch and never deviate from their regular pattern, just like the tides of the sea, which never fail to follow the appointed time. The "Discourses of the Master Kong" says: six multiplied by nine gives fifty-four, four governs the seasons, and the season governs the pig. Therefore, pigs carry their young for four months. The fourth month is巳, and巳 and亥 are opposing, so they are paired with亥. The pig is the smaller type of the boar; the wild boar is also taken from the same category, and it is also nocturnal, belonging to yin, so they are all assigned to亥.

一雲旦為生木者，木生於亥也。暮為蛦蝓者，應是，恐字誤也。又云旦為豚，豚豕同也。一雲暮為朽木者，木始生敷，因水淹沒，故腐朽也。問曰：禽蟲之例數多，何故不取麟鳳為屬，乃取蚯蚓蛇鼠小蟲？荅曰：取十二屬者，皆以其知時候氣，或色或形，並應陰陽故也。麟鳳已配五靈，非是虛而不用。

Another explanation says that the morning of the亥 (Hai) hour is the time when wood is born, because wood's growth begins in亥. Those who say the evening of亥 is the time for a snail probably used a different name for the insect (the original text here has two characters that are both rare in form), and it is likely that the character was written incorrectly. There is also an explanation that the morning of亥 is the time for a piglet, since piglet and pig are essentially the same. Another explanation says that the evening of亥 is the time for rotten wood, because wood begins to sprout and spread, but is then submerged by water, so it rots. Someone asked: there are so many kinds of birds, beasts, insects and worms, why do we not choose the qilin or the phoenix for the twelve earthly branches, but instead choose earthworms, snakes and mice, which are small creatures? The answer is: these twelve are chosen because they all know the seasons and respond to the climate, or they match the yin and yang in their color or form. The qilin and phoenix have already been paired with the five spirits, and are not left unused.

又問曰：麟鳳已配五靈，更不取者；龍虎亦配，何為復用？荅曰：龍動雲興，虎嘯風起，此是應陰陽之氣，所以須取。麟鳳雖靈，無所作動，故不重用。其十二屬，並是斗星之氣，散而為人之命，繫於北斗，是故用以為屬。

Another question: Since the qilin and the phoenix have already been paired with the five spirits, why are they not used again? However, the dragon and the tiger are also paired with the five spirits, yet they are used again (Chen for dragon, Yin for tiger). The answer is: When the dragon moves, clouds arise; when the tiger roars, wind comes. This is because they are able to respond to the qi of yin and yang, so they must be used. Although the qilin and the phoenix also have spirit, they do not show any response or movement, so they are not used again. These twelve zhi (animal signs) are all derived from the qi of the Big Dipper stars spreading out and transforming into human destiny signs, connected to the Big Dipper, so they are used as the twelve zodiac animals.

《春秋運斗樞》曰：樞星散為龍馬，旋星散為虎，機星散為狗，摧星散為蛇，玉衡散為雞兔鼠，闔陽散為羊牛，搖光散為猴猿。此等皆上應天星，下屬年命也。三十六禽，各作方位，為禽蟲之長，領三百六十，十而倍之，至三千六百，並配五行，皆相貫領。既非占候之用，不復具釋。

The "Chunqiu Yun Dou Shu" says: The qi of the first star of the Big Dipper, the Hub, spreads down to become the dragon horse; the second star, the Xuan, spreads down to become the tiger; the third star, the Ji, spreads down to become the dog; the fourth star, the Cui (also called the Quan star), spreads down to become the snake; the fifth star, the Yu Heng, spreads down to become the chicken, rabbit, and rat; the sixth star, the He Yang (also called the Kai Yang), spreads down to become the sheep and ox; the seventh star, the Yao Guang, spreads down to become the monkey and ape. These all correspond to the stars in the heavens above and are connected to the years of human destiny below. The thirty-six animals each occupy a position in the directions, being the leaders of beasts, insects, and creatures, each governing three hundred and sixty kinds. If this number is multiplied many times, it can reach three thousand six hundred kinds, all assigned to the Five Phases, with each level connected and unified. Since these are not actually used for divination, they are not explained in detail.