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Huangdi Neijing · The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon
Suwen 71 · The Proper Order of the Six Origins
Read in English. Switch to Original for word notes, or select text to ask a question.
The Yellow Emperor asked: “I know the six transformations and changes, overcoming and counteraction, excessive and proper governance, and the earlier or later uses of sweet, bitter, acrid, salty, sour and bland. But the five movements sometimes follow heavenly qi, sometimes oppose it, sometimes follow Heaven while opposing Earth, or follow Earth while opposing Heaven. Some accord and some do not. I cannot yet clarify these matters.
I wish to understand Heaven’s order, follow Earth’s pattern, harmonize the movements and regulate transformation, joining virtue above and below without one taking the other’s place. Heaven and Earth should rise and descend appropriately and the five movements circulate without disordered governance. How are the correct flavors used in following and opposing?”
Qi Bo bowed twice and touched his head to the ground: “How illuminating the question! This is Heaven and Earth’s guiding order and the source of transformation and change. Who but a sage emperor could exhaust its ultimate pattern? Though I lack cleverness, let me set out the Way so it never disappears or changes through time.”
The Emperor said: “Please extend and arrange it by classes, distinguish regional governances and their directing authorities, reveal qi’s numbers and clarify proper transformation. May I hear this?”
Qi Bo said: “First establish the year to clarify its qi: the circulating numbers of Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth, and the governing transformations of cold, summer heat, dryness, dampness, Wind and Fire. Then Heaven’s Way can be seen and people’s qi regulated. Yin and yang withdraw and unfold close at hand without confusion. Let me explain the numbers that can be counted.”
The Emperor asked: “What is Taiyang’s governance?”
Qi Bo said: “It is the order of Chen and Xu years.
Taiyang / Greater Jue / Taiyin: Ren-Chen and Ren-Xu. Movement Wind; transformation sounding disturbance and opening cracks; change shaking, breaking and uprooting; illness dizziness, shaking and dim eyes. Five-tone sequence: Greater Jue, Lesser Zhi, Greater Gong, Lesser Shang, Greater Yu.
Taiyang / Greater Zhi / Taiyin: Wu-Chen and Wu-Xu, corresponding to Balanced Zhi. Movement heat; transformation warm summer heat and oppressive warmth; change fierce blaze and boiling; illness constrained heat. Sequence: Greater Zhi, Lesser Gong, Greater Shang, Lesser Yu, Lesser Jue.
Taiyang / Greater Gong / Taiyin: Jia-Chen and Jia-Xu, both yearly meetings. Movement yin dust; transformation soft moisture and heavy saturation; change thunderous shock and sudden gusts or downpour; illness dampness below and heaviness. Sequence: Greater Gong, Lesser Shang, Greater Yu, Greater Jue, Lesser Zhi.
Taiyang / Greater Shang / Taiyin: Geng-Chen and Geng-Xu. Movement coolness; transformation mist, dew and desolating chill; change severe killing, withering and fall; illness dryness, oppression of the back and chest fullness. Sequence: Greater Shang, Lesser Yu, Lesser Jue, Greater Zhi, Lesser Gong.
Taiyang / Greater Yu / Taiyin: Bing-Chen and Bing-Xu, both heavenly tallies. Movement cold; transformation congealing chill and piercing cold; change ice, snow, frost and hail; illness great cold remaining in streams and valleys. Sequence: Greater Yu, Greater Jue, Lesser Zhi, Greater Gong, Lesser Shang.
Reading note: Each configuration preserves the source order of upper qi, annual movement and lower qi. Every year pair and following five-tone sequence is retained; the supplied sounding-disturbance wording is not used to invent an additional phase.”
In this Taiyang governance of Heaven, qi transformation and the movement run before Heaven’s timing. Heavenly qi is severe and earthly qi still. Cold congeals in great emptiness and yang qi gives no command. Water and Earth unite virtue, corresponding above to Chen and Zhen.
Its grains are dark and ji millet; governance severe and command slow. Cold governance rises greatly; marshes lack yang flame. Fire waits for its time to emerge. Shaoyang governs in the middle and seasonal rain approaches. At the limit it stops and rain disperses, returning to Taiyin. Clouds attend the northern pole; damp transformation spreads moisture through all things. Cold spreads above and thunder moves below. Cold and damp qi remain at qi’s meeting. People suffer cold and dampness, wasting flesh, wilting feet unable to draw back, watery diarrhea and blood overflow.
First qi: earthly qi shifts and great warmth arrives. Grasses flourish early; epidemic illness and warm illness arise, with bodily heat, headache, vomiting and sores in flesh and interstices.
Second qi: great coolness returns instead. People are distressed, grasses meet cold and Fire is suppressed. Illness brings constrained qi and central fullness; cold begins.
Third qi: Heaven’s governance spreads, cold moves and rain falls. People suffer cold yet have internal heat, abscesses, deep sores, pouring diarrhea, Heart heat and clouded oppression. Untreated, they die.
Fourth qi: Wind and dampness contend; Wind transforms into rain. Growth, transformation and completion proceed. Illness brings great heat, scant qi, wasting flesh, wilting feet and red and white downward flux.
Fifth qi: yang transforms again; grasses grow, transform and complete. People are at ease.
Final qi: earthly qi takes its proper position and damp commands act. Yin congeals in great emptiness and dust settles over the outskirts. People feel miserable cold as cold Wind arrives. If the proper course is opposed, pregnancy dies.
Thus the year suits bitter flavor to dry and warm. Break constrained qi, first support its source of transformation, restrain the movement and assist what cannot overcome. Do not allow violent excess to produce illness. Eat the year’s grain to preserve true qi; avoid deficient harmful influence to secure correct qi. Adjust amounts to similarities and differences: what shares cold and damp transforms through dryness and heat; what differs transforms through dryness and dampness. Use more for the same and less for the different.
When using cold, keep away from cold; coolness from coolness; warmth from warmth; heat from heat. Food follows the same method. For deceptive appearances, reverse the usual rule. Opposing this produces illness. This is what timing means.
Reading note: The supplied dryness-and-dampness transformation in the contrasting case is retained, rather than changing its second term to heat or coolness.
The Emperor said: “Good. What is Yangming’s governance?”
Qi Bo said: “It is the order of Mao and You years.
Yangming / Lesser Jue / Shaoyin: coolness and heat share overcoming and counteraction, corresponding to Balanced Shang. Ding-Mao is a yearly meeting; Ding-You is paired with it. Movement Wind, coolness and heat. Sequence: Lesser Jue, Greater Zhi, Lesser Gong, Greater Shang, Lesser Yu.
Yangming / Lesser Zhi / Shaoyin: cold and rain share overcoming and counteraction, corresponding to Balanced Shang. Gui-Mao and Gui-You; movement heat, cold and rain. Sequence: Lesser Zhi, Greater Gong, Lesser Shang, Greater Yu, Greater Jue.
Yangming / Lesser Gong / Shaoyin: Wind and coolness share overcoming and counteraction. Ji-Mao and Ji-You; movement rain, Wind and coolness. Sequence: Lesser Gong, Greater Shang, Lesser Yu, Lesser Jue, Greater Zhi.
Yangming / Lesser Shang / Shaoyin: heat and cold share overcoming and counteraction, corresponding to Balanced Shang. Yi-Mao is a heavenly tally; Yi-You a yearly meeting and Supreme-One Heavenly Tally. Movement coolness, heat and cold. Sequence: Lesser Shang, Greater Yu, Greater Jue, Lesser Zhi, Greater Gong.
Yangming / Lesser Yu / Shaoyin: rain and Wind share overcoming and counteraction; Xin-Mao accords with Lesser Gong. The source then gives Xin-You and Xin-Mao. Movement cold, rain and Wind. Sequence: Lesser Yu, Lesser Jue, Greater Zhi, Greater Gong, Greater Shang.
Reading note: Xin-Mao’s separate mention and repeated year pair are preserved, as are the source’s differing Greater and Lesser tone labels.”
In this Yangming governance of Heaven, qi transformation and movement run after Heaven’s timing. Heavenly qi is urgent and earthly qi bright. Yang alone issues commands and blazing summer heat moves greatly. Things dry and become firm; full Wind governs. Wind and dryness traverse qi’s meeting, with much yang and little yin. Clouds hasten to the rain receptacle and damp transformation spreads. Extreme dryness brings moisture.
Its grains are white and red. Intervening grain is named for the Greater movement; what diminishes is white armored and feathered kinds. Metal and Fire unite virtue, corresponding above to Taibai and Yinghuo. Governance is sharp and command violent. Hibernating creatures appear and running water does not freeze. People suffer cough, blocked throat, cold and heat, sudden trembling chills and urinary retention or closure. Coolness comes first and strong, killing hairy creatures; heat follows violently, afflicting armored creatures. Agitated overcoming and counteraction disturb greatly. Cool and hot qi remain at qi’s meeting.
First qi: earthly qi shifts; yin begins congealing and qi becomes severe. Water freezes and cold rain transforms. Illness brings internal heat, distention, swelling of face and eyes, much sleeping, nasal discharge or bleeding, sneezing, yawning, vomiting, yellow-red urine and, when severe, painful difficult urination.
Second qi: yang spreads and people ease; things arise and flourish. Great epidemic harm arrives and sudden death is frequent.
Third qi: Heaven’s governance spreads and coolness moves. Dryness and heat join; extreme dryness brings moisture. People suffer cold and heat.
Fourth qi: cold rain falls. Illness brings sudden collapse, shivering, delirium, scant qi, dry throat and craving drink, Heart pain, abscesses, swelling, sores, ulcers, intermittent fever and cold illness, bone wilting and bloody stools.
Fifth qi: spring commands act contrary to the season. Grasses arise and flourish; human qi is harmonious.
Final qi: yang spreads and weather is warm instead. Hibernating creatures appear and running water does not freeze. People are balanced and well; the illness is warm illness.
Thus eat the year’s grain to settle qi and intervening grain to remove harm. The year suits salty, bitter and acrid: promote sweat, clear and disperse, and settle movement qi without allowing harm. Break constraint and support the source of transformation. Set amounts by the lightness or severity of cold and heat. What shares heat uses more of Heaven’s transformation; what shares coolness more of Earth’s transformation.
When using coolness, keep away from coolness; heat from heat; cold from cold; warmth from warmth. Food follows the same rule. Reverse it for deceptive appearances. This is its Way. Opposing it disorders Heaven and Earth’s channels and disturbs yin and yang’s guiding order.
Reading note: The compressed intervening-grain and creature-loss labels are kept as source categories; no modern crop variety or zoological replacement is imposed.
The Emperor said: “Good. What is Shaoyang’s governance?”
Qi Bo said: “It is the order of Yin and Shen years.
Shaoyang / Greater Jue / Jueyin: Ren-Yin and Ren-Shen. Movement stirring Wind; transformation sounding disturbance and opening cracks; change shaking, breaking and uprooting; illness shaking, dizziness, lateral flank symptoms and alarm. Sequence: Greater Jue, Lesser Zhi, Greater Gong, Lesser Shang, Greater Yu.
Shaoyang / Greater Zhi / Jueyin: Wu-Yin and Wu-Shen, both heavenly tallies. Movement summer heat; transformation warm clamor and oppressive warmth; change fierce blaze and boiling; illness constrained heat above, overflowing or discharging blood and Heart pain. Sequence: Greater Zhi, Lesser Gong, Greater Shang, Lesser Yu, Lesser Jue.
Shaoyang / Greater Shang / Jueyin: Jia-Yin and Jia-Shen. Movement yin rain; transformation soft moisture and heavy saturation; change thunderous shock and sudden gusts or downpour; illness heaviness, swollen elbows, blockage and retained drink. Sequence: Greater Gong, Lesser Shang, Greater Yu, Greater Jue, Lesser Zhi.
Shaoyang / Greater Shang / Jueyin: Geng-Yin and Geng-Shen, corresponding to Balanced Shang. Movement coolness; transformation mist, dew and sharp clarity; change severe killing, withering and fall; illness in shoulders, back and chest. Sequence: Greater Shang, Lesser Yu, Lesser Jue, Greater Zhi, Lesser Gong.
Shaoyang / Greater Yu / Jueyin: Bing-Yin and Bing-Shen. Movement severe cold; transformation congealing chill and piercing cold; change ice, snow, frost and hail; illness cold and swelling. Sequence: Greater Yu, Greater Jue, Lesser Zhi, Greater Gong, Lesser Shang.
Reading note: The source heads Jia-Yin/Jia-Shen with Greater Shang although its following sequence begins Greater Gong; both are retained. Its 肘 swelling is rendered elbows without silently replacing the graph with the similar general-swelling term.”
In this Shaoyang governance of Heaven, qi transformation and movement run before Heaven’s timing. Heavenly qi is properly placed and earthly qi disturbed. Wind rises violently, trees bend, sand flies and blazing Fire streams. Yin acts and yang transforms; rain responds in season. Fire and Wood share virtue, corresponding above to Yinghuo and Sui.
Its grains are red and blue-green; governance severe and command disturbing. Wind and heat spread together, clouds and things seethe, and Taiyin flows across. Cold comes at times with cool rain. People suffer internal cold, sores and ulcers outside, diarrhea and fullness within. Sages harmonize rather than contend with it. Going and returning bring cold and heat, intermittent fever, diarrhea, deafness, dim eyes, vomiting, swelling above and changed color.
First qi: earthly qi shifts, prevailing Wind shakes things and cold departs. The weather becomes very warm and grasses and trees flourish early. Returning cold does not kill them. Warm illness arises, with qi blocked above, blood overflow, red eyes, coughing counterflow, headache, gushing blood, flank fullness and sores in skin and interstices.
Second qi: Fire is instead constrained. White dust rises on all sides; clouds hasten to the rain receptacle. Wind cannot overcome dampness, rain falls and people are well. Illness brings constrained heat above, coughing counterflow, vomiting, internal sores, chest and throat obstruction, headache, bodily heat, confusion and pus-filled sores.
Third qi: Heaven’s governance spreads, blazing summer heat arrives and Shaoyang confronts above. Rain approaches. People suffer internal heat, deafness, dim eyes, blood overflow, pus sores, cough, vomiting, nasal discharge and bleeding, thirst, sneezing, yawning, throat obstruction and red eyes. Sudden death is frequent.
Fourth qi: coolness arrives, alternating with summer-heat transformation. White dew falls and human qi is peaceful; illness brings fullness and heaviness.
Fifth qi: yang departs, cold arrives, rain falls and qi gates close. Hard trees wither early. People avoid harmful cold; the cultivated person keeps thoroughly protected.
Final qi: earthly qi takes its proper position. Wind arrives, all things grow again and dark mist moves. Illness brings closure and failure of restraint, Heart pain and cough because yang qi is not stored. Restrain movement qi, assist what it cannot overcome, break constraint and first obtain the source of transformation. Violent excess then does not arise and severe illness does not begin.
The year suits salty and acrid, and also sour: promote seepage and discharge, soaking and outward release. Observe cold and warmth to regulate excess. What shares Wind and heat uses more cold transformation; what differs less. When using heat, avoid heat; warmth avoid warmth; cold avoid cold; coolness avoid coolness. Food follows the same rule. Reverse it for deceptive appearances. Opposing this is a step toward illness.
The Emperor said: “Good. What is Taiyin’s governance?”
Qi Bo said: “It is the order of Chou and Wei years.
Taiyin / Lesser Jue / Taiyang: coolness and heat share overcoming and counteraction, corresponding to Balanced Gong. Ding-Chou and Ding-Wei; movement Wind, coolness and heat. Sequence: Lesser Jue, Greater Zhi, Lesser Gong, Greater Shang, Lesser Yu.
Taiyin / Lesser Zhi / Taiyang: cold and rain share overcoming and counteraction. Gui-Chou and Gui-Wei; movement heat, cold and rain. Sequence: Lesser Zhi, Greater Gong, Lesser Shang, Greater Yu, Greater Jue.
Taiyin / Lesser Gong / Taiyang: Wind and cool clarity share overcoming and counteraction, corresponding to Balanced Gong. Ji-Chou and Ji-Wei are Supreme-One Heavenly Tallies. Movement rain, Wind and cool clarity. Sequence: Lesser Gong, Greater Shang, Lesser Yu, Lesser Jue, Greater Zhi.
Taiyin / Lesser Shang / Taiyang: heat and cold share overcoming and counteraction. Yi-Chou and Yi-Wei; movement coolness, heat and cold. Sequence: Lesser Shang, Greater Yu, Greater Jue, Lesser Zhi, Greater Gong.
Taiyin / Lesser Yu / Taiyang: rain and Wind share overcoming and counteraction, corresponding to Balanced Gong. Xin-Chou and Xin-Wei; movement cold, rain and Wind. Sequence: Lesser Yu, Lesser Jue, Greater Zhi, Lesser Gong, Greater Shang.
Reading note: The final sequence retains the supplied Lesser Gong, without replacing it by the Greater Gong found in another year group.”
In this Taiyin governance of Heaven, qi transformation and movement run after Heaven’s timing. Yin alone governs and yang withdraws. Great Wind rises at times; heavenly qi descends and earthly qi soars. Plains darken with mist; white dust rises on all sides, clouds rush toward the southern pole and cold rain arrives repeatedly. Things complete with a shift in summer’s timing.
People suffer cold and dampness, abdominal fullness, bodily swelling and puffiness, blockage, counterflow, cold reversal and tight contraction. Dampness and cold unite virtue; yellow-black dusty darkness moves through qi’s meeting, corresponding above to Zhen and Chen. Governance is severe, command quiet, grains yellow and dark.
Yin congeals above and cold gathers below. Cold Water overcomes Fire and forms hail. Yang light does not govern and killing qi moves. Excess suits high places and lateness; insufficiency low places and earliness. These are Earth’s benefits and qi’s transformations; human qi follows them. Intervening grain is named for its Greater movement.
First qi: earthly qi shifts, cold leaves and spring qi is proper. Wind comes and generation spreads, making all things flourish and human qi unfold. Wind and dampness press together and rain comes later. Illness brings blood overflow, tight sinews and networks, hindered joints, heaviness and sinew wilting.
Second qi: great Fire is properly placed; things receive transformation and people harmonize. Warm epidemic illness spreads greatly, near and far alike. Dampness and steaming press together and rain falls in season.
Third qi: Heaven’s governance spreads, damp qi descends and earthly qi rises. Rain falls in season and cold follows. Encountering cold and dampness brings heaviness, swelling and fullness of chest and abdomen.
Fourth qi: dreaded Fire confronts and humid steaming transforms. Earthly qi rises but heavenly qi is blocked apart. Cold Wind comes at dawn and evening; steaming heat presses together. Grasses and trees gather smoky moisture. Damp transformation does not flow, so white dew spreads through yin to complete autumn’s commands. Illness brings heat in the interstices, sudden blood overflow, intermittent fever, hot fullness of Heart region and abdomen and abdominal distention, with swelling when severe.
Fifth qi: severe commands act. Cold dew descends, frost falls early and grasses and trees yellow and shed. Cold reaches the body. The cultivated person keeps thoroughly protected; people suffer illness of skin and interstices.
Final qi: great cold rises and dampness transforms greatly. Frost accumulates, yin congeals and water hardens to ice. Yang light does not govern. Cold causes locked joints and waist–buttock pain. Cold and dampness press at qi’s meeting to cause illness. Break constraint and obtain its transformation source, benefit yearly qi and do not let harmful influence prevail. Eat the year’s grain to preserve true qi and intervening grain to protect essence.
The year suits bitter flavor to dry and warm. Severe cases require outward release and discharge; without these, damp qi overflows, flesh ulcerates, skin splits and water and blood flow together. Assist yang Fire to resist extreme cold. Set amounts by similarities and differences: what shares cold uses hot transformation, what shares dampness dry transformation. Use less for the different and more for the same.
When using coolness, avoid coolness; cold avoid cold; warmth avoid warmth; heat avoid heat. Food follows the same method. Reverse for deceptive appearances. This is the Way; opposing it produces illness.
Reading note: Dreaded Fire retains the source’s 畏火 expression. The component graph 月真 in the swelling clause is rendered contextually without adding a separate disorder. The obscure cha-xia phrase is rendered as shifted summer timing, without assigning it to a particular month.
The Emperor said: “Good. What is Shaoyin’s governance?”
Qi Bo said: “It is the order of Zi and Wu years.
Shaoyin / Greater Jue / Yangming: Ren-Zi and Ren-Wu. Movement stirring Wind; transformation sounding disturbance and opening breaks; change shaking, breaking and uprooting; illness spreading fullness. Sequence: Greater Jue, Lesser Zhi, Greater Gong, Lesser Shang, Greater Yu.
Shaoyin / Greater Zhi / Yangming: Wu-Zi is a heavenly tally; Wu-Wu a Great-One Heavenly Tally. Movement blazing summer heat; transformation warm radiance and oppressive warmth; change fierce blaze and boiling; illness heat above and blood overflow. Sequence: Greater Zhi, Lesser Gong, Greater Shang, Lesser Yu, Lesser Jue.
Shaoyin / Greater Gong / Yangming: Jia-Zi and Jia-Wu. Movement yin rain; transformation soft moisture and seasonal rain; change thunderous shock and sudden gusts or downpour; illness central fullness and heaviness. Sequence: Greater Gong, Lesser Shang, Greater Yu, Greater Jue, Lesser Zhi.
Shaoyin / Greater Shang / Yangming: Geng-Zi and Geng-Wu, corresponding to Balanced Shang. Movement forceful coolness; transformation mist, dew and desolating chill; change severe killing, withering and fall; illness cold below. Sequence: Greater Shang, Lesser Yu, Lesser Jue, Greater Zhi, Lesser Gong.
Shaoyin / Greater Yu / Yangming: Bing-Zi is a yearly meeting, paired with Bing-Wu. Movement cold; transformation congealing chill and piercing cold; change ice, snow, frost and hail; illness cold below. Sequence: Greater Yu, Greater Jue, Lesser Zhi, Greater Gong, Lesser Shang.
Reading note: Great-One preserves the supplied 大一 title in Wu-Wu, alongside the chapter’s 太一 title elsewhere.”
In this Shaoyin governance of Heaven, qi transformation and movement run before Heaven’s timing. Earthly qi is severe and heavenly qi bright. Cold meets summer heat; heat is added to dryness. Clouds rush to the rain receptacle, damp transformation moves and rain falls in season. Metal and Fire unite virtue, corresponding above to Yinghuo and Taibai.
Governance is bright, command sharp, grains red and white. Water and Fire, cold and heat remain at qi’s meeting and begin illness. Heat illness arises above, cool illness below; cold and heat encroach and contend in the middle. People suffer cough, panting, blood overflow or discharge, nasal discharge and sneezing, red eyes and sores at their corners, cold counterflow entering Stomach, Heart pain, waist pain, enlarged abdomen, dry throat and swelling above.
First qi: earthly qi shifts, dryness is about to depart and cold begins. Hibernating creatures hide again, water freezes and frost falls again. Wind arrives and yang is constrained. People instead keep thoroughly covered. Joints lock and waist and buttocks hurt. Blazing summer heat is about to rise, with sores inside and outside.
Second qi: yang spreads and Wind moves. Spring qi is proper and all things flourish in response. Cold arrives at times; people are harmonious. Illness brings difficult urination, dim or red eyes and qi constrained above with heat.
Third qi: Heaven’s governance spreads and great Fire moves. All kinds multiply freshly; cold arrives at times. Illness brings qi counterflow, Heart pain, alternating cold and heat, cough, panting and red eyes.
Fourth qi: humid summer heat arrives and great rain falls at times. Cold and heat alternate, producing cold-and-heat illness, dry throat, yellow jaundice, nasal discharge or bleeding and drink-related outbreaks.
Fifth qi: dreaded Fire confronts and summer heat returns instead. Yang transforms, all things arise, grow and flourish, and people are well. The illness is warm illness.
Final qi: dryness commands act and remaining Fire is blocked within. Swelling occurs above, with cough and panting and blood overflow when severe. Repeated cold produces dark mist; illness arises in skin and interstices, lodges inside in the flanks and connects down to the lower abdomen to produce internal cold. Earth’s qi is about to change.
Restrain movement qi, support the year’s overcoming influence, break constrained outbreaks and first obtain transformation’s source. Do not let violent excess produce illness. Eat the year’s grain to preserve true qi and intervening grain to ward off deficient harmful influence. Salty flavor softens and regulates above; when severe, bitter releases and sour gathers. Settle below; when severe, bitter discharges.
Set amounts by qi’s similarities and differences. What shares heavenly qi uses cold and clear transformation; what shares earthly qi warm and hot transformation. When using heat, avoid heat; coolness avoid coolness; warmth avoid warmth; cold avoid cold. Food follows the same rule. Reverse it for deceptive appearances. This is the Way; opposing it produces illness.
The Emperor said: “Good. What is Jueyin’s governance?”
Qi Bo said: “It is the order of Si and Hai years.
Jueyin / Lesser Jue / Shaoyang: coolness and heat share overcoming and counteraction, corresponding to Balanced Jue. Ding-Si and Ding-Hai are heavenly tallies. Movement Wind, coolness and heat. Sequence: Lesser Jue, Greater Zhi, Lesser Gong, Greater Shang, Lesser Yu.
Jueyin / Lesser Zhi / Shaoyang: cold and rain share overcoming and counteraction. Gui-Si and Gui-Hai; movement heat, cold and rain. Sequence: Lesser Zhi, Greater Gong, Lesser Shang, Greater Yu, Greater Jue.
Jueyin / Lesser Gong / Shaoyang: Wind and cool clarity share overcoming and counteraction, corresponding to Balanced Jue. Ji-Si and Ji-Hai; movement rain, Wind and cool clarity. Sequence: Lesser Gong, Greater Shang, Lesser Yu, Lesser Jue, Greater Zhi.
Jueyin / Lesser Shang / Shaoyang: cold and heat share overcoming and counteraction, corresponding to Balanced Jue. Yi-Si and Yi-Hai; movement coolness, heat and cold. Sequence: Lesser Shang, Greater Yu, Greater Jue, Lesser Zhi, Greater Gong.
Jueyin / Lesser Yu / Shaoyang: rain and Wind share overcoming and counteraction. Xin-Si and Xin-Hai; movement cold, rain and Wind. Sequence: Lesser Yu, Lesser Jue, Greater Zhi, Lesser Gong, Greater Shang.
Reading note: The source’s cold/heat and heat/cold orders are preserved in their respective clauses, along with its final Lesser Gong.
In this Jueyin governance of Heaven, qi transformation and movement run after Heaven’s timing; years corresponding to a balanced year instead run with Heaven’s timing. Heavenly qi is disturbed and earthly qi properly placed. Wind rises high and far and blazing heat follows. Clouds hasten to the rain receptacle and damp transformation moves. Wind and Fire share virtue, corresponding above to Sui and Yinghuo.
Governance is unsettling, command swift, grains blue-green and red. Intervening grain is named for the Greater movement; patterned, horned and feathered kinds diminish. Wind, dryness, Fire and heat alternate in overcoming and counteraction. Hibernating creatures appear and running water does not freeze. Heat illness acts below, Wind illness above, while Wind and dryness show overcoming and counteraction in the middle.
First qi: cold begins its severity and killing qi arrives. People suffer cold on the lower right.
Second qi: cold does not leave. Snow falls, water freezes, killing qi transforms and frost descends. Fine grasses scorch above; cold rain arrives repeatedly. Yang transforms again and people suffer heat in the center.
Third qi: Heaven’s governance spreads and Wind rises at times. People suffer tears, ringing ears, shaking and dizziness.
Fourth qi: humid summer heat and damp heat press and contend in the upper left. People develop jaundice and swelling.
Fifth qi: dryness and dampness take turns prevailing. Sinking yin spreads, cold reaches the body and Wind and rain move.
Final qi: dreaded Fire commands and yang transforms greatly. Hibernating creatures emerge, running water does not freeze, earthly qi unfolds greatly and grasses grow. People are at ease; illness brings warm epidemic disease. Break constrained qi, support its transformation source, assist movement qi and do not let harmful influence prevail. The year suits acrid to regulate above and salty below. Do not recklessly encroach upon dreaded Fire’s qi.
When using warmth, avoid warmth; heat avoid heat; coolness avoid coolness; cold avoid cold. Food follows the same rule. Reverse the constant for deceptive appearances. This is the Way; opposing it produces illness.
Reading note: The compressed creature-loss labels retain their supplied descriptive classes, and the lower-right/upper-left illness locations remain distinct.
The Emperor said: “Good. Your account is comprehensive. But how are its responses made clear?”
Qi Bo said: “How illuminating the question! The six qi move in sequence and rest in positions. Thus observe them at dawn on the first day of the first month. Seeing their positions reveals where they are. An excessive movement arrives early; an insufficient movement late. This is Heaven’s Way and qi’s constancy. A movement neither excessive nor insufficient is called a balanced year and arrives at its proper time.”
The Emperor asked: “Overcoming and counteracting qi are ordinarily present, while calamities arrive at times. How are these observed?”
Qi Bo said: “What does not belong to ordinary qi transformation is called calamity.”
The Emperor asked: “How do Heaven and Earth’s numbers begin and end?”
Qi Bo said: “How comprehensive the question! This is the clear Way. The count begins above and ends below. Before the year’s midpoint, heavenly qi governs; afterward, earthly qi governs. Where above and below exchange, their meeting governs. Then the yearly order is complete. Thus, once positions are clear, the months of qi can be known. This is what is meant by qi.”
The Emperor asked: “I oversee these matters and follow the rules. Why do they sometimes fail to match the numbers?”
Qi Bo said: “Qi’s action has greater and lesser amounts, and transformation flourishing and decline. Their strength and amount follow the same kind of transformation.”
The Emperor said: “I wish to hear what shared transformation means.”
Qi Bo said: “Wind and warmth share spring transformation. Heat, dusk-like warmth, dimness and Fire share summer transformation, in both overcoming and counteraction. Dryness, cool clarity, haze and dew share autumn transformation. Clouds, rain, darkness and dust share long-summer transformation. Cold qi, frost, snow and ice share winter transformation. These are Heaven and Earth’s five movements and six qi, alternating in the usual flourishing and decline.”
The Emperor said: “I know that a movement sharing Heaven’s transformation is called a heavenly tally. What is sharing Earth’s transformation called?”
Qi Bo said: “Three excessive configurations share heavenly transformation and three insufficient ones do likewise. Three excessive configurations share earthly transformation and three insufficient ones do likewise. Together these comprise twenty-four years.”
The Emperor said: “I wish to hear which these are.”
Qi Bo said: “Jia-Chen and Jia-Xu, Greater Gong, are joined below by Taiyin; Ren-Yin and Ren-Shen, Greater Jue, by Jueyin; Geng-Zi and Geng-Wu, Greater Shang, by Yangming. These are three configurations.
Gui-Si and Gui-Hai, Lesser Zhi, are joined below by Shaoyang; Xin-Chou and Xin-Wei, Lesser Yu, by Taiyang; Gui-Mao and Gui-You, Lesser Zhi, by Shaoyin. These are three.
Wu-Zi and Wu-Wu, Greater Zhi, confront Shaoyin above; Wu-Yin and Wu-Shen, Greater Zhi, Shaoyang above; Bing-Chen and Bing-Xu, Greater Yu, Taiyang above. These are three.
Ding-Si and Ding-Hai, Lesser Jue, confront Jueyin above; Yi-Mao and Yi-You, Lesser Shang, Yangming above; Ji-Chou and Ji-Wei, Lesser Gong, Taiyin above. These are three. Outside these twenty-four years, there is neither this joining below nor confrontation above.”
The Emperor asked: “What is joining below?”
Qi Bo said: “Excess joined below shares the heavenly-tally condition; insufficiency joined below shares the yearly-meeting condition.”
The Emperor asked: “What is confronting above?”
Qi Bo said: “Excess and insufficiency alike are called heavenly tallies. Their changes act in greater or lesser amounts; illness appears mildly or severely; life and death come early or late.”
The Emperor asked: “You say to keep away from cold when using cold and from heat when using heat. I do not understand. What is keeping away?”
Qi Bo said: “Do not encroach upon heat with heat or cold with cold. Following brings harmony; opposing illness. One must respectfully fear and keep away from these influences. This concerns the six positions arising in time.”
The Emperor asked: “What of warmth and coolness?”
Qi Bo said: “When governing qi is hot, do not encroach with heat; when cold, do not encroach with cold; when cool, do not encroach with coolness; when warm, do not encroach with warmth. If intervening qi is the same as its governing qi, do not encroach. If different, a slight encroachment is allowed. These are the four objects of respect and must be carefully examined.”
The Emperor said: “Good. What happens when one encroaches?”
Qi Bo said: “If heavenly qi opposes the season, one may follow the season. If the influence overcomes its governing qi, encroachment is allowed until balance is reached, but not beyond it. This is harmful qi overcoming in reverse.”
Thus do not lose Heaven’s reliable timing, oppose what suits qi, give wings to its dominance or assist its counteraction. This is called the highest regulation.
The Emperor said: “Good. Do the yearly orders governed by the five movements have constant numbers?”
Qi Bo said: “Let me set them in order. Jia-Zi and Jia-Wu: Shaoyin Fire above, Greater Gong Earth movement in the middle, Yangming Metal below. Heat transformation two; rain transformation five; dryness transformation four. These are the days of proper transformation.
For transformation above, salty and cold; in the middle, bitter and hot; below, sour and hot. These are the appropriate qualities of medicinals and food.
Reading note: The transformation numbers are retained as the source’s numerical designations, not converted into durations or doses. Harmonizing in the following lists retains 和 as distinct from warm, cool, cold and hot.”
Yi-Chou and Yi-Wei: Taiyin Earth above, Lesser Shang Metal movement in the middle, Taiyang Water below. Heat and cold transformations share overcoming and counteraction: the days of harmful-qi transformation. Calamity is in Palace Seven. Damp transformation five, cool-clarity transformation four, cold transformation six: the days of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above bitter and hot; middle sour and harmonizing; below sweet and hot.
Bing-Yin and Bing-Shen: Shaoyang ministerial Fire above, Greater Yu Water movement in the middle, Jueyin Wood below. Fire transformation two, cold transformation six, Wind transformation three: the days of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above salty and cold; middle salty and warm; below acrid and warm.
Ding-Mao and Ding-You: Yangming Metal above, Lesser Jue Wood movement in the middle, Shaoyin Fire below. Cool-clarity and heat transformations share overcoming and counteraction: the days of harmful-qi transformation. Calamity is in Palace Three. Dryness transformation nine, Wind transformation three, heat transformation seven: the days of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above bitter and slightly warm; middle acrid and harmonizing; below salty and cold.
Wu-Chen and Wu-Xu: Taiyang Water above, Greater Zhi Fire movement in the middle, Taiyin Earth below. Cold transformation six, heat transformation seven, damp transformation five: the days of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above bitter and warm; middle sweet and harmonizing; below sweet and warm.
Ji-Si and Ji-Hai: Jueyin Wood above, Lesser Gong Earth movement in the middle, Shaoyang ministerial Fire below. Wind and cool-clarity transformations share overcoming and counteraction: the days of harmful-qi transformation. Calamity is in Palace Five. Wind transformation three, damp transformation five, Fire transformation seven: the days of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above acrid and cool; middle sweet and harmonizing; below salty and cold.
Geng-Wu and Geng-Zi: Shaoyin Fire above, Greater Shang Metal movement in the middle, Yangming Metal below. Heat transformation seven, cool-clarity transformation nine, dryness transformation nine: the days of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above salty and cold; middle acrid and warm; below sour and warm.
Xin-Wei and Xin-Chou: Taiyin Earth above, Lesser Yu Water movement in the middle, Taiyang Water below. Rain and Wind transformations share overcoming and counteraction: the days of harmful-qi transformation. Calamity is in Palace One. Rain transformation five and cold transformation one: the days of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above bitter and hot; middle bitter and harmonizing; below bitter and hot.
Ren-Shen and Ren-Yin: Shaoyang ministerial Fire above, Greater Jue Wood movement in the middle, Jueyin Wood below. Fire transformation two and Wind transformation eight: the days of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above salty and cold; middle sour and harmonizing; below acrid and cool.
Gui-You and Gui-Mao: Yangming Metal above, Lesser Zhi Fire movement in the middle, Shaoyin Fire below. Cold and rain transformations share overcoming and counteraction: the days of harmful-qi transformation. Calamity is in Palace Nine. Dryness transformation nine and heat transformation two: the days of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above bitter and slightly warm; middle salty and warm; below salty and cold.
Jia-Xu and Jia-Chen: Taiyang Water above, Greater Gong Earth movement in the middle, Taiyin Earth below. Cold transformation six and damp transformation five: the days of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above bitter and hot; middle bitter and warm; below bitter and warm.
Yi-Hai and Yi-Si: Jueyin Wood above, Lesser Shang Metal movement in the middle, Shaoyang ministerial Fire below. Heat and cold transformations share overcoming and counteraction: the days of harmful-qi transformation. Calamity is in Palace Seven. Wind transformation eight, cool-clarity transformation four, Fire transformation two: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above acrid and cool; middle sour and harmonizing; below salty and cold.
Reading note: The source changes from 日, days, to 度, measures, here. The labels are kept distinct without imposing a modern angular or temporal unit.
Bing-Zi and Bing-Wu: Shaoyin Fire above, Greater Yu Water movement in the middle, Yangming Metal below. Heat transformation two, cold transformation six, cool-clarity transformation four: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above salty and cold; middle salty and hot; below sour and warm.
Ding-Chou and Ding-Wei: Taiyin Earth above, Lesser Jue Wood movement in the middle, Taiyang Water below. Cool-clarity and heat transformations share overcoming and counteraction: the measures of harmful-qi transformation. Calamity is in Palace Three. Rain transformation five, Wind transformation three, cold transformation one: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above bitter and warm; middle acrid and warm; below sweet and hot.
Wu-Yin and Wu-Shen: Shaoyang ministerial Fire above, Greater Zhi Fire movement in the middle, Jueyin Wood below. Fire transformation seven and Wind transformation three: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above salty and cold; middle sweet and harmonizing; below acrid and cool.
Ji-Mao and Ji-You: Yangming Metal above, Lesser Gong Earth movement in the middle, Shaoyin Fire below. Wind and cool-clarity transformations share overcoming and counteraction: the measures of harmful-qi transformation. Calamity is in Palace Five. Cool-clarity transformation nine, rain transformation five, heat transformation seven: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above bitter and slightly warm; middle sweet and harmonizing; below salty and cold.
Geng-Chen and Geng-Xu: Taiyang Water above, Greater Shang Metal movement in the middle, Taiyin Earth below. Cold transformation one, cool-clarity transformation nine, rain transformation five: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above bitter and hot; middle acrid and warm; below sweet and hot.
Xin-Si and Xin-Hai: Jueyin Wood above, Lesser Yu Water movement in the middle, Shaoyang ministerial Fire below. Rain and Wind transformations share overcoming and counteraction: the measures of harmful-qi transformation. Calamity is in Palace One. Wind transformation three, cold transformation one, Fire transformation seven: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above acrid and cool; middle bitter and harmonizing; below salty and cold.
Ren-Wu and Ren-Zi: Shaoyin Fire above, Greater Jue Wood movement in the middle, Yangming Metal below. Heat transformation two, Wind transformation eight, cool-clarity transformation four: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above salty and cold; middle sour and cool; below sour and warm.
Gui-Wei and Gui-Chou: Taiyin Earth above, Lesser Zhi Fire movement in the middle, Taiyang Water below. Cold and rain transformations share overcoming and counteraction: the measures of harmful-qi transformation. Calamity is in Palace Nine. Rain transformation five, Fire transformation two, cold transformation one: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above bitter and warm; middle salty and warm; below sweet and hot.
Jia-Shen and Jia-Yin: Shaoyang ministerial Fire above, Greater Gong Earth movement in the middle, Jueyin Wood below. Fire transformation two, rain transformation five, Wind transformation eight: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above salty and cold; middle salty and harmonizing; below acrid and cool.
Yi-You and Yi-Mao: Yangming Metal above, Lesser Shang Metal movement in the middle, Shaoyin Fire below. Heat and cold transformations share overcoming and counteraction: the measures of harmful-qi transformation. Calamity is in Palace Seven. Dryness transformation four, cool-clarity transformation four, heat transformation two: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above bitter and slightly warm; middle bitter and harmonizing; below salty and cold.
Bing-Xu and Bing-Chen: Taiyang Water above, Greater Yu Water movement in the middle, Taiyin Earth below. Cold transformation six and rain transformation five: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above bitter and hot; middle salty and warm; below sweet and hot.
Ding-Hai and Ding-Si: Jueyin Wood above, Lesser Jue Wood movement in the middle, Shaoyang ministerial Fire below. Cool-clarity and heat transformations share overcoming and counteraction: the measures of harmful-qi transformation. Calamity is in Palace Three. Wind transformation three and Fire transformation seven: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above acrid and cool; middle acrid and harmonizing; below salty and cold.
Wu-Zi and Wu-Wu: Shaoyin Fire above, Greater Zhi Fire movement in the middle, Yangming Metal below. Heat transformation seven and cool-clarity transformation nine: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above salty and cold; middle sweet and cold; below sour and warm.
Ji-Chou and Ji-Wei: Taiyin Earth above, Lesser Gong Earth movement in the middle, Taiyang Water below. Wind and cool-clarity transformations share overcoming and counteraction: the measures of harmful-qi transformation. Calamity is in Palace Five. Rain transformation five and cold transformation one: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above bitter and hot; middle sweet and harmonizing; below sweet and hot.
Geng-Yin and Geng-Shen: Shaoyang ministerial Fire above, Greater Shang Metal movement in the middle, Jueyin Wood below. Fire transformation seven, cool-clarity transformation nine, Wind transformation three: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above salty and cold; middle acrid and warm; below acrid and cool.
Xin-Mao and Xin-You: Yangming Metal above, Lesser Yu Water movement in the middle, Shaoyin Fire below. Rain and Wind transformations share overcoming and counteraction: the measures of harmful-qi transformation. Calamity is in Palace One. Cool-clarity transformation nine, cold transformation one, heat transformation seven: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above bitter and slightly warm; middle bitter and harmonizing; below salty and cold.
Ren-Chen and Ren-Xu: Taiyang Water above, Greater Jue Wood movement in the middle, Taiyin Earth below. Cold transformation six, Wind transformation eight, rain transformation five: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above bitter and warm; middle sour and harmonizing; below sweet and warm.
Gui-Si and Gui-Hai: Jueyin Wood above, Lesser Zhi Fire movement in the middle, Shaoyang ministerial Fire below. Cold and rain transformations share overcoming and counteraction: the measures of harmful-qi transformation. Calamity is in Palace Nine. Wind transformation eight and Fire transformation two: the measures of proper transformation.
Medicinals and food: above acrid and cool; middle salty and harmonizing; below salty and cold.
All these fixed-period orders, overcoming, counteraction and proper transformations have constant numbers that must be examined. Thus one who knows the essential can finish in one statement; one who does not scatters into endless discussion. This is the meaning.
The Emperor said: “Good. Does the qi of the five movements also return by the year?”
Qi Bo said: “At the extreme of constraint, it breaks out, awaiting its time to act.”
The Emperor said: “Please explain what this means.”
Qi Bo said: “The qi of the five constants breaks out differently in excess and insufficiency.”
The Emperor said: “I wish to hear it fully.”
Qi Bo said: “Excess acts violently; insufficiency gradually. Violent action causes severe illness; gradual action lingering illness.”
The Emperor said: “What are the numbers for excess and insufficiency?”
Qi Bo said: “Excess uses the completion number; insufficiency uses the generation number. Earth always uses the generation number.”
The Emperor said: “How do these outbreaks occur?”
Qi Bo said: “When constrained Earth breaks out, rocky valleys shake with alarm and thunder booms where the qi meet. Dust darkens to yellow and black, then changes into white vapor. Whirlwinds and sudden downpours sweep heights and depths, hurling rocks into the air. Floodwaters follow; rivers overflow and spread, and the fields seem to pasture earthen colts. Transforming qi then spreads, bringing timely rain, so things begin to be born, begin to grow, begin to transform and begin to mature.
“People consequently suffer distension about the heart and abdomen, rumbling intestines and frequent stools. In severe cases there are heart pain and rib-side swelling, vomiting and sudden vomiting with diarrhea, an outbreak of retained fluids with pouring diarrhea, swelling and bodily heaviness. Clouds race toward the Rain Storehouse; rosy clouds crowd the morning sun; mountains and marshes are dim with dust. Its outbreak occurs in the fourth qi period. Clouds lying across sky and mountains, drifting appearances that arise and vanish, are advance signs of the constraint.”
The earthen-colt image describes earth and stones left standing after flooding. The displayed source’s obscure graphs in the symptom pair are read contextually as rib-side swelling; they are not silently corrected in the Chinese.
“When constrained Metal breaks out, heaven is clean and earth bright; the wind is clear and the qi sharp. Great coolness arises; smoke-like vapor floats above grasses and trees. Dryness moves, thick mists repeatedly rise, and killing qi arrives. Plants turn gray-green and dry; Metal makes its sound.
“People consequently suffer cough with counterflow and fullness about the heart and rib-sides drawing into the lower abdomen, with frequent sudden pain so that they cannot turn over. The throat is dry and the face dusty and ill-colored. Mountains and marshes become scorched and withered; frost-like salt congeals on the soil. The constrained qi breaks out in the fifth qi period. White dew falling at night and mournful sounds in woods and thickets are its signs.”
The rib-side reading follows the context; the displayed source has the same anomalous graph used in the preceding symptom list.
“When constrained Water breaks out, yang qi retreats and yin qi suddenly rises. Great cold arrives; rivers and marshes freeze hard, and cold mist forms frost and snow. In severe cases a yellow-black obscurity spreads where the qi meet, producing killing frost: Water displays its portent.
“People consequently suffer invading cold with heart pain, pain in the lower back and buttocks, impaired large joints and difficulty bending and stretching, frequent counterflow, hard focal obstruction and abdominal fullness. Sunlight fails to govern; deep yin accumulates in the sky, with dim white haze. The outbreak occurs around the periods of the two Fires. A deep, dark sky, qi scattered like hemp fibers, faintly appearing and disappearing, black with a little yellow, gives advance signs of the constraint.”
The two Fires are the sovereign and ministerial Fires of this calendar scheme.
“When constrained Wood breaks out, dust darkens the great sky and clouds are disturbed. Great wind arrives, lifting roofs and snapping trees; Wood shows abnormal changes.
“People consequently suffer pain at the stomach cavity opposite the heart, propping upward against both rib-sides. Diaphragm and throat are blocked, and food and drink cannot descend. In severe cases the ears ring, dizziness whirls, the eyes cannot recognize people, and sudden stiff collapse is frequent. Blue-green dust fills the sky, making sky and mountains one color; or the qi is turbid, yellow and black and pent up. Clouds lie across the sky without raising rain. This outbreak has no fixed qi period. Grass bows along long rivers, tender leaves show their shaded undersides, pines sing on high mountains and tigers roar in rocky hollows: these are advance signs of the constraint.”
The displayed source’s anomalous graph in “both rib-sides” is read from the bodily context.
“When constrained Fire breaks out, the great sky is swollen with obscurity and the great light does not shine. Blazing Fire moves and great summer heat arrives. Mountains and marshes seem aflame; timber exudes sap, great buildings send up smoke, frost-like salt floats on the soil, standing water diminishes and trailing plants scorch yellow. Wind moves and speech becomes confused; Damp transformation comes late.
“People consequently suffer scant qi, sores, ulcers, abscesses and swelling. The rib-sides, abdomen, chest, back, face, head and four limbs swell and become distended; there are distension of the body cavities, ulcerous eruptions and heat rash, vomiting with counterflow, spasms, bone pain and movement at the joints. There are pouring diarrhea, warm intermittent fever, sudden abdominal pain, blood overflowing and pouring out, diminished essence and fluids, red eyes and heat in the Heart. Severe cases bring clouded oppression and anguished agitation, with frequent sudden death. At the end of the day’s water-clock count there is great warmth, and sweat wets the sweat pores. The outbreak is in the fourth qi period.
“When movement turns back, stillness follows; at the extreme of yang it reverses to yin. Damp’s command then transforms and brings things to completion. Flowers open while water freezes; mountains and rivers have ice and snow; blazing yang appears over southern marshes. These are advance signs of the constraint. Only after its signs appear does the returning response follow. All break out when their limit is reached. Wood has no fixed outbreak time; Water follows Fire. Carefully watch the time, and illness can be assigned its expected period. If the time is missed and the year’s qi opposed, the five qi fail to move: generation, transformation, gathering and storage have no constant governance.”
Several displayed graphs in the swelling and distress phrases are corrupt or obscure; the English follows their bodily context. “Swollen with obscurity” retains the source image, whose first graph is itself disputed in older commentary. The water-clock phrase is not converted into a modern clock hour.
The Emperor said: “Water breaks out as hail and snow; Earth as whirlwinds and sudden downpours; Wood as destruction and snapping; Metal as clarity and brightness; Fire as murky darkness. What qi makes this so?”
Qi Bo said: “Qi has greater and lesser amounts; outbreaks are slight or severe. A slight outbreak accords with its own qi. A severe one includes the qi below it. Examine that lower qi, and the manifestations can be understood.”
The Emperor said: “Good. Why do the five qi sometimes break out outside their assigned positions?”
Qi Bo said: “Determine their displacement.”
The Emperor said: “Does the displacement have a number?”
Qi Bo said: “They are all later by thirty measures and a remainder.”
“Measures” translates du in this calendrical passage; older commentary reads it as day measures. The source gives no exact remainder here.
The Emperor said: “Why does qi arrive early or late?”
Qi Bo said: “When the movement is excessive, its arrival is early; when insufficient, its arrival is late. This is the constant rule for observing it.”
The Emperor said: “What makes it arrive at the proper time?”
Qi Bo said: “With neither excess nor insufficiency, it arrives at the proper time. Departures from this are calamities.”
The Emperor said: “Good. Why does qi sometimes transform outside its proper season?”
Qi Bo said: “What is excessive acts in its own season; what is insufficient turns toward the qi that overcomes it.”
The Emperor said: “The qi of the four seasons arrives early or late, above or below, to left or right. How is it observed?”
Qi Bo said: “Its course may oppose or follow the order, and its arrival may be slow or swift. Thus excess brings transformation ahead of heaven’s timing; insufficiency brings it after heaven’s timing.”
The Emperor said: “I wish to hear what is meant by its course.”
Qi Bo said: “Spring qi moves west, summer qi north, autumn qi east and winter qi south. Spring qi therefore begins below, autumn qi above, summer qi in the middle and winter qi at the outer tips. Spring qi begins on the left, autumn qi on the right, winter qi behind and summer qi in front. These are the constant rules of proper transformation in the four seasons. Thus in the highest places winter qi is always present, while in the lowest places spring qi is always present. This must be carefully observed.”
The Emperor said: “Good.”
The Yellow Emperor asked: “In the responses of the five movements and six qi, how do we see the proper course of the six transformations and the ordering of the six changes?”
Qi Bo replied: “The proper ordering of the six qi includes transformation and abnormal change, overcoming and returning counteraction, activity and illness. Their manifestations differ. Which does Your Majesty wish to hear?”
The Emperor said: “I wish to hear all of it.”
Qi Bo said: “Let me explain them in turn. As the qi arrive:
“Jueyin brings harmony and balance.
“Shaoyin brings warmth.
“Taiyin brings haze and muggy dampness.
“Shaoyang brings blazing summer heat.
“Yangming brings clear, bracing sharpness.
“Taiyang brings cold mist.
“These are the constants of seasonal transformation.”
“Jueyin brings the Wind Storehouse and the cracking open of things.
“Shaoyin brings the Fire Storehouse, unfolding and flourishing.
“Taiyin brings the Rain Storehouse, roundness and fullness.
“Shaoyang brings the Heat Storehouse and movement outward.
“Yangming brings the Storehouse Governing Killing and the changing of green growth.
“Taiyang brings the Cold Storehouse and return to storage.
“These are the constants in governing transformation.”
“Jueyin brings generation and shaking by Wind.
“Shaoyin brings flourishing and the appearance of forms.
“Taiyin brings transformation, clouds and rain.
“Shaoyang brings growth, abundance and freshness.
“Yangming brings gathering, mist and dew.
“Taiyang brings storage, closeness and enclosure.
“These are the constants of qi transformation.”
“Jueyin brings the generation of Wind and ends in stilling austerity.
“Shaoyin brings the generation of heat, with cold in its middle.
“Taiyin brings the generation of Damp and ends in pouring rain.
“Shaoyang brings the generation of Fire and ends in steaming dampness.
“Yangming brings the generation of dryness and ends in coolness.
“Taiyang brings the generation of cold, with warmth in its middle.
“These are the constants of beneficent transformation.”
“Jueyin brings the transformation of hairy creatures.
“Shaoyin brings the transformation of feathered creatures.
“Taiyin brings the transformation of bare-bodied creatures.
“Shaoyang brings the transformation of winged creatures.
“Yangming brings the transformation of armored creatures.
“Taiyang brings the transformation of scaled creatures.
“These are the constants of beneficent transformation.”
The displayed Taiyin line reads zhen, an anomalous graph here; the creature list is interpreted in the sense of the bare-bodied kind found in parallel texts. Both Fire lines retain their feather/wing correspondence, rather than inventing a different class.
“Jueyin brings generating transformation.
“Shaoyin brings flourishing transformation.
“Taiyin brings moistening transformation.
“Shaoyang brings luxuriant transformation.
“Yangming brings firming transformation.
“Taiyang brings storing transformation.
“These are the constants in the spread of governance.”
“Jueyin brings furious whirlwinds and great coolness.
“Shaoyin brings great warmth and cold.
“Taiyin brings thunderbolts, sudden torrents and violent wind.
“Shaoyang brings whirlwinds, scorching flames and congealing frost.
“Yangming brings scattering and falling, and warmth.
“Taiyang brings cold, snow, ice, hail and white haze.
“These are the constants of qi’s abnormal changes.”
“Jueyin brings bending and stirring, approach and following.
“Shaoyin brings lofty brightness and flame, and dim dusk.
“Taiyin brings deep gloom, white haze and obscurity.
“Shaoyang brings brilliant light, red clouds and dim dusk.
“Yangming brings smoke and dust, frost, sharp harshness and mournful sounds.
“Taiyang brings rigidity, hardness like pointed bristles, and standing erect.
“These are the constants in the execution of the commands.”
“Jueyin brings internal tightness.
“Shaoyin brings sores, eruptions and bodily heat.
“Taiyin brings accumulated fluids, focal obstruction and blockage.
“Shaoyang brings sneezing, vomiting, sores and ulcers.
“Yangming brings soft, puffy swelling.
“Taiyang brings difficulty bending and stretching.
“These are the constants of illness.”
“Jueyin brings propping pain.
“Shaoyin brings fright, bewilderment, aversion to cold, shivering and delirious speech.
“Taiyin brings accumulation and fullness.
“Shaoyang brings fright, agitation, clouded awareness and sudden illness.
“Yangming brings nasal trouble and illness of the buttocks, private parts, thighs, knees, hips, calves, shins and feet.
“Taiyang brings lower-back pain.
“These are the constants of illness.”
The displayed Yangming list has two anomalous bird graphs between hips and feet; “calves” and “shins” follow the body-part sequence in parallel texts. The Chinese source is retained as displayed.
“Jueyin brings contraction and twisting.
“Shaoyin brings sorrow, derangement, nosebleeds and slight bleeding.
“Taiyin brings fullness in the middle and sudden vomiting with diarrhea.
“Shaoyang brings throat obstruction, ringing ears and surging vomiting.
“Yangming brings cracked and peeling skin.
“Taiyang brings sweating during sleep and rigidity.
“These are the constants of illness.”
“Jueyin brings rib-side pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
“Shaoyin brings talking and laughing.
“Taiyin brings heaviness and swelling.
“Shaoyang brings sudden pouring diarrhea, clouding with spasms and sudden death.
“Yangming brings nasal discharge and sneezing.
“Taiyang brings flowing diarrhea and stoppage.
“These are the constants of illness.”
The displayed graphs for the rib-side and clouding phrases are anomalous; they are interpreted contextually, not silently corrected in the Chinese. The final line retains both diarrhea and stoppage.
“In all these twelve changes, beneficent action responds with beneficent action, transformation with transformation, governance with governance and command with command. If the qi is high, the response is high; if low, low; if behind, behind; if in front, in front; if within, within; if outside, outside. These are the constants of position.
“Thus prevailing Wind causes movement; prevailing heat swelling; prevailing dryness dryness; prevailing cold puffiness; prevailing Damp watery diarrhea. Severe cases bring blocked water and swelling. The changes are described according to where the qi is located.”
The Emperor said: “I wish to hear how they act.”
Qi Bo said: “The activity of each of the six qi turns toward what cannot overcome it and there produces transformation. Thus Taiyin’s rain transformation acts upon Taiyang; Taiyang’s cold transformation upon Shaoyin; Shaoyin’s heat transformation upon Yangming; Yangming’s dryness transformation upon Jueyin; Jueyin’s Wind transformation upon Taiyin. Determine each one’s location and examine it there.”
The five applications are preserved as listed; the source does not give a separate Shaoyang application here.
The Emperor said: “What happens when each occupies its own position?”
Qi Bo said: “Occupying its own position is ordinary transformation.”
The Emperor said: “I wish to hear where they are located.”
Qi Bo said: “Determine the position, and the direction and month can be known.”
The Emperor said: “How do fullness and emptiness differ in the qi of the six positions?”
Qi Bo said: “The greater and lesser differ. The greater arrives gradually and remains constant; the lesser acts abruptly and disappears.”
The Emperor said: “How do fullness and emptiness differ in the qi of heaven and earth?”
Qi Bo said: “When heaven’s qi is insufficient, earth’s qi follows it; when earth’s qi is insufficient, heaven’s qi follows it. The movement lies between them and always takes the lead. Qi dislikes what overcomes it and turns toward what harmonizes with it. Following the movement in this way gives rise to illness.
“Thus when the upper prevails, heaven’s qi descends; when the lower prevails, earth’s qi shifts upward. Greater and lesser amounts displace their allotted shares: slight influence gives a small displacement, strong influence a large one. When severe, the positions exchange and the qi cross. This exchange produces great changes and illness. The Great Essentials says: ‘For the severe, the reckoning is five parts; for the slight, seven parts. Their difference can be seen.’ This is what it means.”
The numbers are retained as the text’s shares; no unmentioned denominator or modern percentage is supplied.
The Emperor said: “Good. The discourse says, ‘With heat, do not encroach upon heat; with cold, do not encroach upon cold.’ Yet I wish not to avoid heat, not to avoid heat. How is this done?”
The displayed question repeats “not to avoid heat.” The repetition is retained; parallel versions pair cold with heat.
Qi Bo said: “How comprehensive the question! In releasing the exterior, one need not avoid heat; in attacking the interior, one need not avoid cold.”
The Emperor said: “What if one neither releases nor attacks, yet encroaches upon cold or heat?”
Qi Bo said: “Cold and heat do damage within, and the illness becomes more severe.”
The Emperor said: “I wish to hear what happens to someone without illness.”
Qi Bo said: “Where none exists, it produces illness; where illness exists, it worsens it.”
The Emperor said: “What kinds of illness does it produce?”
Qi Bo said: “Failing to avoid heat brings heat; failing to avoid cold brings cold. When cold arrives, illnesses arise with hard focal obstruction, abdominal fullness, urgent pain and diarrhea.
“When heat arrives, illnesses arise with bodily heat, vomiting and diarrhea, sudden vomiting with diarrhea, abscesses and deep sores, clouded constraint, pouring diarrhea, clouding with spasms, swelling and distension, vomiting, nasal discharge and nosebleeds, headache, changes in bones and joints, flesh pain, blood overflowing or passing below, and difficult or obstructed urination.”
The source’s anomalous graph before “spasms” is read in the same sense as in the earlier Shaoyang list.
The Emperor said: “How is it treated?”
Qi Bo said: “The season must be followed. An encroachment is treated with what overcomes it.”
The Yellow Emperor asked: “When a woman carries a child, what of treating her with potent medicinals?”
The source uses du, a term here for potent or toxic medicinals; it is not a declaration that such substances are harmless.
Qi Bo said: “When there is a reason for it, there is no destruction; nor is there destruction of the child.”
The reply is the text’s claim about an existing pathological condition, as explained in the next exchange.
The Emperor said: “I wish to hear what this reason means.”
Qi Bo said: “For great accumulations and great gatherings, such intervention may be made. Reduce the greater part and stop. Going beyond this causes death.”
The Emperor said: “Good. How is severe constraint treated?”
Qi Bo said: “For constrained Wood, open a way through; for constrained Fire, release it; for constrained Earth, remove it; for constrained Metal, drain it; for constrained Water, check it. Then regulate its qi. Check what is excessive with what it fears. This is what is called draining.”
The Emperor said: “What about borrowing qi?”
Qi Bo said: “Where its qi is borrowed, the prohibition does not apply. This refers to insufficient host qi and prevailing guest qi.”
The Emperor said: “How complete is the sages’ Way! The great transformations of heaven and earth, the measures of their movement, the ordering of what presides and governs, the government of yin and yang, the commands of cold and summer heat—who but you could comprehend them? Let this be stored in the Chamber of the Numinous Orchid and titled ‘The Proper Order of the Six Origins.’ Without purification and fasting, I dare not show it. It must be transmitted with care.”
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