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Yuanhai Ziping · The Deep Sea of Ziping Astrology
Disease and Disposition
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Disease is governed by essence, spirit, qi and blood, each subject to injury. Internally these are called viscera and bowels; externally, limbs and body.
Within the Eight Characters' stems and branches and the five phases' generation and restraint, judge the most severely injured factor. Excessive strength and insufficiency alike produce illness. The text associates Metal with injury by blades and punishment; Water with drowning or death in a boat; Wood with self-hanging, tiger attacks and snakes; Fire with disordered nighttime sleep, snake injury and burning; Earth with landslides, crushing stones, entrapment in mud and collapsing walls.
For the heavenly stems' internal bodily correspondences, the verse says:
Jia is Liver; Yi, Gallbladder; Bing, Small Intestine;
Ding, Heart; Wu, Stomach; Ji, Spleen;
Geng is Large Intestine; Xin belongs to Lung;
Ren is Bladder; Gui, Kidney.
For their external bodily correspondences:
Jia, head; Yi, nape; Bing, shoulders;
Ding, Heart; Wu, flanks; Ji, abdomen;
Geng is the navel; Xin, thighs;
Ren, shins; Gui, feet.
Zi, shan disorder; Chou, belly and abdomen;
Yin, arms and limbs; Mao, eyes and hands;
Chen, back and chest; Si, face and teeth;
Wu, Heart and abdomen; Wei, Spleen and chest;
Shen, cough illness; You, Liver and Lung;
Xu, back and Lung; Hai, head and Liver.
The Liver is the Kidney household's seedling; the Kidney is the Liver's master.
The Kidney communicates with the eyes; the Gallbladder stores the hun soul, the Liver the po soul, the Kidney essence, the Heart spirit and the Spleen qi. These correspondences are retained as supplied, rather than changed to a different medical scheme.
A Wood destiny with many Geng, Xin, Shen and You signifies Liver and Gallbladder disease. Internally the list includes fright, deficient timidity, depletion illness and vomiting blood, dizziness and dim vision, phlegm panting, head-wind and foot-qi, paralysis on either side, crooked mouth and eyes, wind disorders and painful sinews and bones. Externally it includes dry skin, eye disease, sparse head and beard hair, falls and injury to hands and feet. For women it lists miscarriage and disordered blood qi; for children, acute and chronic fright-wind, night crying and cough. The classic says: 'Painful sinews and bones arise because Wood is injured by Metal.'
A Fire destiny meeting Water and its flourishing Hai-Zi territory signifies Small Intestine and Heart-channel disorders. Internally the list includes derangement and muteness, pain of mouth and Heart region, acute and chronic fright-wind, a damaged tongue and hoarse mouth and throat, tidal fever and mania. Externally it includes dim eyes and blindness, Small Intestine and Kidney-qi disorders, toxic sores, pus and blood. For children it lists pox eruptions and ring-like sores; for women, dried blood with dribbling discharge. Fire governs dryness and a red face. The classic says: 'Dim and clouded sight often comes from Fire restrained by Water.'
An Earth destiny meeting Wood and flourishing Yin-Mao territory signifies injury to Spleen and Stomach channels. Internally it includes obstructed eating, regurgitation and qi choking, gu distention, diarrhea, yellow swelling, inability to eat or drink, selective eating, vomiting and Spleen injury. Externally it lists illness of the left hand, mouth and abdomen, and dry, rough skin. For children it lists gan wasting and Spleen yellowing. Earth governs warmth and often lingering stagnation, with a withered-yellow complexion. The classic says: 'Deficient Earth overtaken in flourishing Wood territory certainly indicates Spleen injury.'
A Metal destiny meeting Fire and flourishing Si-Wu territory signifies Large Intestine and Lung-channel illness: cough, panting, vomiting, intestinal wind, hemorrhoids and fistulas, spirit affliction and loss of soul, and depletion with timidity. Externally it lists withered dry skin, a wind-afflicted nose, red ju lesions and abscesses, all involving pus and blood. The classic says: 'Weak Metal meeting blazing Fire territory leaves no doubt of blood disease.'
A Water destiny meeting Earth and the flourishing concluding months of the four seasons signifies Bladder and Kidney-channel illness. Internally it lists loss of essence, white turbidity, night sweating, intercourse with ghosts, deficiency-depletion, deafness and cold-damage or wind-cold illness. Externally it lists toothache, shan disorder, one-sided genital dragging, lower-back pain, Kidney-qi dribbling, vomiting, diarrhea and pain. For women it lists pregnancy-related flooding and persistent white discharge. Water governs cold, with a face described as red and dark. The classic says: 'Cold illness of the lower prime comes only from Water meeting injury by Earth.' These are historical claims of the chart system, not modern diagnostic correspondences.
Disposition, with Images of the Stems and Branches
Disposition manifests joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure, love, dislike and desire, and distributes benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness. Formed from the father's essence and mother's blood, it is all related to Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth.
Wood is called crooked and straight, tastes sour and governs benevolence: compassion, kindness, graciousness, benefiting others, care for orphans and widows, quietness and purity. Its person is refined, tall, and blue-white in complexion. Thus 'abundant Wood has much benevolence.' Excess becomes rigid and breaks, with stubborn partiality; insufficiency means little benevolence and a jealous heart.
Fire is called flaming upward, tastes bitter and governs propriety: deference, respect, dignified bearing and substantial simplicity. The face is pointed above and round below, the space between the brows narrow, nostrils exposed, spirit flashing, speech hurried and intentions impatient. The complexion may be blue-red; the knees shake while seated. Excess brings excessive deference and cleverness, an impatient nature and a red beard. Insufficiency gives a yellow, thin appearance, sharp cunning, jealousy and malice, and beginnings without completion.
Metal is called following transformation, tastes pungent and governs righteousness: shame, dislike of wrong, loyalty, generosity, courage, heroism and a sense of honor. Its person is balanced, with bones and flesh proportioned, a square white face, high brows, deep eyes, high nose, upturned ears, clear ringing voice and firm decisions. Excess means lack of benevolence, love of fighting and greed. Insufficiency brings much reconsideration, little decisiveness, miserliness and frustrated endeavors.
Water is called moistening downward, tastes salty and governs wisdom: discernment of right and wrong, ample ambition, many plans, deep strategy, literary intelligence, deceit and drifting, powerless overturning, hidden schemes and preferences. Excess gives solitary rigidity and stinginess, failure to win others' regard, deep malice, cruelty, broken trust and reversals. Insufficiency gives timidity and lack of plans, and a small, thin body.
Earth is called sowing and reaping and Gouchen, tastes sweet and governs trustworthiness: honesty, deep sincerity, agreement of words and deeds, and reverence for spirits and Buddhas. Its person has a rounded back, broad waist, large nose, square mouth, refined brows and eyes, a wall-like yellow face, deliberate action and generous capacity. Excess gives dull simplicity and stubbornness like folly. Insufficiency gives a worried complexion, low nose, uneven face, heavy muddy voice, plainness and obstinacy.
A weak day stem means shrinking timidity and shyness; a strong day stem means reckless boasting, rigid opinion and pride. Judge each according to degree. The author claims that these rules never fail.
Images of the Stems and Branches: Heavenly Stems.
Jia:
Jia Wood stands first among the heavenly stems,
originally without branches, leaves or rootlets.
To endure with Heaven and Earth a thousand years,
bury it ten thousand zhang into sand and mud.
Cut into beams, it gives Metal a useful task;
turned to ash and charcoal, Fire brings disaster.
A blunt mass without contrivance or devices,
it lets spring and autumn come and go.
Yi:
Yi Wood's rootlets must be planted deep;
it suits sunny ground, not shade.
To float adrift it most fears excessive Water;
why bitterly use Metal to cut it apart?
Southward blazing Fire brings no slight disaster;
westward heavy Earth invades with still more harm.
A structural beam is no tree with roots attached;
distinguish carefully and apply the mind.
Bing:
Bing Fire shines clearly as a single sun;
from upright greatness it establishes the order.
Its vast light sees beyond a thousand li;
its mighty flame can reach the eight expanses.
At its emergence, would it be floating Wood's child?
In transmitting birth, it will not mother wet mud.
How could dead waters of rivers and lakes restrain it?
It fears only a forest of Wood bringing calamity.
Ding:
Ding Fire takes the form of a candle lamp;
meeting the sun, it loses its light.
In season it can cast a thousand jin of iron;
out of season it cannot melt one cun of Metal.
Even scant dry kindling can draw it forth;
no abundance of wet Wood can generate it.
Distinguish its decline and flourishing clearly:
flourishing, a furnace; declining, a single lampstand.
Wu Earth:
Wu Earth resembles city walls and embankments;
to steady rivers and seas, its roots must be weighty.
Combination among the pillars strengthens its form;
with emptiness beneath the day, its force must collapse.
Thin strength cannot bear Metal's drainage;
once its work is complete, why open it with Wood?
All life it chiefly needs vigor in the southeast;
when self is strong, southeastern vigor loses balance.
Ji:
Ji Earth is fields and gardens of the four corners;
deep Kun can be the foundation of all things.
Where Water and Metal flourish, self is weak;
when Fire and Earth succeed, the frame is finest.
Out of season, how could it bury swords and halberds?
In season, cultivation tools may be used.
Do not merely boast of flourishing Resource and many combinations;
without punishment and clash, all is unsuitable.
Geng:
Geng Metal is blunt and stubborn, especially hard;
Fire's control completes its work, then it fears Water territory.
Born in summer, the southeast over-refines it;
born in autumn, it also shines in the northwest.
Deep Water instead restrains it;
flourishing Wood can make it injure itself.
Repeated Wu and Ji in stems and branches bring heavy Earth;
without clash or break, it is buried.
Xin:
Xin Metal is pearls and jade, responsive in nature;
it most loves yang warmth, sand and clear Water.
Its completion needs no blazing Fire to refine it;
for support it particularly favors birth from moist mud.
With much Water and strong Fire, the northwest is suitable;
with cold Water and cold Metal, Bing and Ding are needed.
Seated on Emolument, rooted and flourishing,
why fear thick Earth concealing its form?
Ren:
Ren Water is vast, gathering the hundred rivers;
flowing throughout the world, it knows no bounds.
Many gathered stems and branches make it drift;
repeated Fire and Earth dry up its source.
Nurturing its nature and forming a womb require Wei and Wu;
Long Life and Returning Emolument belong to Qian and Kun.
Strong self originally lacks Wealth and Emolument;
a northwestern course brings hardship in youth.
Gui:
Must Gui Water really be rain and dew?
Rooted through Hai and Zi, it becomes rivers.
Without Kun and Kan in the pillars, self remains weak;
Wealth and Officer in the frame are not prized in excess.
Complete Shen-Zi-Chen makes a superior pattern;
complete Yin-Wu-Xu requires balance.
Even if Fire and Earth are born in deepest summer,
how could a northwestern course be excessive?
Images of the Stems and Branches: Earthly Branches.
Zi:
As month branch, Zi Water holds the foremost name;
streams and ravines flow vast and endlessly clear.
In Heaven, yang returns and Earth moves into strength;
among people, warm Water lodges with Metal's birth.
Encountering Wu's break brings instability;
even meeting Mao's punishment retains affection.
If Shen and Chen combine into a frame within the pillars,
it becomes rivers and seas with roaring waves.
Chou:
Deep winter establishes Chou, fearful of ice and frost;
who knows that Heaven's season turns to a second yang?
Warm Earth truly can generate the myriad things;
must cold Metal only remain deeply stored?
Punishment and clash with Xu and Wei are not useless;
joining Rooster and Snake surely has a method.
With much Water and Wood in day and hour,
one must enter Xun and Li territory.
Yin:
Wood of Gen's palace is established in spring;
qi gathers as three yang, and Fire is in Yin.
Its intent joins Snake and Monkey, three noble guests;
its kind joins Mao and Wei as one family.
Only meeting Wu raises it beyond the ordinary;
Shen alone threatens Emolument and the governing outline.
Much Fire in the Four Pillars dislikes Fire territory;
dry Wood has never rushed south.
Mao:
Mao Wood is luxuriant and receives deep qi;
in mid-spring, how could it fail to dislike Metal?
Repeated Geng and Xin fear Shen and You;
repeated Hai and Zi dislike Gui and Ren.
Disaster in the sixfold clash brings falling leaves;
joy in a threefold combination makes a forest.
If day and hour return to heavy autumn Metal,
further westward travel brings unbearable harm.
Chen:
Chen is the third month, with warm watery mud;
it nourishes and cultivates the roots of myriad trees.
Though Jia declines, Yi's remaining qi persists;
even entering the tomb, Gui returns to life.
One key is needed to open the treasury;
meeting three clashes breaks its door.
Repeated Water and Wood with northwestern cycles
raise fear that the original Earth cannot remain.
Si:
Si is early summer, with Fire increasing its light;
creation circulates at the stage of six yang.
Out-of-season Geng Metal relies on its mother for birth;
in-season Wu Earth follows its mother to Emolument.
The threefold configuration involving Chuansong instead does no harm;
one clash with Dengming brings injury.
Travel to the southeast's generative territory,
and the heaven-scorching Fire is no ordinary blaze.
Wu branch:
In the Wu month, blazing Fire is rising;
after six yang qi, a single yin is born.
Geng Metal loses position and self has no use;
Ji Earth returns home and achieves Emolument.
Shen and Zi arriving together can battle and restrain;
Xu and Yin appearing together make it brighter.
The southeast is precisely strong-self territory;
in the northwest, rest and imprisonment lose its form.
Wei:
In Wei's month, yin deepens and Fire gradually declines;
it stores Officer and Resource, but does not store Wealth.
Without nearby Hai and Mao, its form is hard to change;
even distant punishment and clash can open the treasury.
Without Fire it fears travel to Metal and Water;
with much cold it especially loves Bing and Ding.
Distinguish the useful influence's likes and dislikes;
do not mistake a jade tablet for a stone.
Shen:
Shen Metal is firm and vigorous as month branch;
Water and Earth find Long Life in this palace.
In Si-Wu's furnace, it becomes swords and halberds;
in Zi-Chen's frame, its edge gains brightness.
With much Wood but no Fire, it can still prevail;
heavy Earth burying Metal instead brings ill fortune.
To recognize what this influence resembles,
know it differs from gentle pearls and jade.
You:
The eighth month is named Congkui;
its white Metal and clear flowing Water are admired.
With much Fire, eastward travel fears Yin and Mao;
with flourishing Wood, southward travel fears Bing and Ding.
Water and mud in the pillars should be useful;
how could northwestern cycles lack favorable relation?
If a threefold combination makes it firm and sharp,
it differs from unrefined stubborn Metal.
Xu:
The ninth month, Hekui, is hardest in nature;
do not say things are merely gathered and stored here.
A great furnace and mighty Fire can achieve completion;
blunt iron and stubborn Metal rely on its support.
The sea cavern clashes with Dragon, producing rain and dew;
the mountaintop combines with Tiger, stirring literary brilliance.
Heaven's Net may be a soul-bewildering formation;
a Fire destiny meeting it has particular injury.
Hai:
Dengming's position has a deep Water source;
rain and snow produce cold at the time of six yin.
It must await Shengguang before Earth is employed;
without Chuansong, much Metal is wasted.
The five lakes gather and form an image;
the threefold combination holds them with intent.
To recognize Heaven and Earth's warm places,
seek them through Gen, Zhen, Xun and Li.
The Ten Gods of Yuanhai Ziping.
The verse directions, named branch aliases, correspondences and apparent tensions are retained as written. Each of the ten stem poems and twelve branch poems keeps eight translated verse lines.
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