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29. Wood primarily governs the transformation of hairy animals, dogs, hemp, and plums; Fire primarily governs feathered animals, horses, wheat, and apricots (abundantly); Earth primarily governs naked-skin animals, cattle, millet, and dates; Metal primarily governs shelled animals, chickens, rice, and peaches; Water primarily governs scaled animals, pigs, beans, and chestnuts. These entities thrive when they receive the harmony of the five Qi, but wither and fail to reproduce when they lose this harmony. In cases of Excess (Tai Guo), both the entities transformed by me and those transformed by what I overcome are nurtured. In cases of Deficiency (Bu Ji), both what overcomes me and what I overcome are jointly nurtured.

[Annotation] "Naked-skin animals" (Luo Chong) refer to creatures without hair, feathers, scales, or shells. The Qilin is the leader of hairy animals, and since all hairy animals are born transversely (horizontally), they belong to Wood. The Feng (Phoenix) is the leader of feathered animals, and since all feathered animals fly upward, they belong to Fire. Humans are the leaders of naked-skin animals, and since all such animals possess four limbs, they belong to Earth. The turtle is the leader of shelled animals, and since all shelled animals have hard armor, they belong to Metal. The dragon is the leader of scaled animals, and since all scaled animals live in water, they belong to Water. Secondly, their corresponding domestic animals are dogs, grains are hemp, and fruits are plums; these are all products of Wood's transformation. Their corresponding domestic animals are horses, grains are wheat, and fruits are apricots; these are all products of Fire's transformation. Their corresponding domestic animals are cattle, grains are millet, and fruits are dates; these are all products of Earth's transformation. Their corresponding domestic animals are chickens, grains are rice, and fruits are peaches; these are all products of Metal's transformation. Their corresponding domestic animals are pigs, grains are beans, and fruits are chestnuts; these are all products of Water's transformation. Generally speaking, among these five types of transformed entities, if they receive the harmony of the five Qi, they will flourish and reproduce; if they lose the harmony of the five Qi, they will wither and fail to reproduce. "Excess leading to synchronized transformation" means that both the entities transformed by me and those transformed by what overcomes me (the element that controls me) are nurtured. For example, if Wood is in excess, then entities belonging to Wood's transformation, such as hairy animals, dogs, hemp, and plums, will thrive, and entities belonging to Metal's transformation (which overcomes Wood), such as shelled animals, chickens, rice, and peaches, will also thrive. This is because when there is excess, the Qi is vigorous, and the element that normally overcomes me comes to synchronize its transformation. The rest of the excess transformations follow this pattern. "Deficiency leading to concurrent transformation" means that both the element that overcomes me and the element that I overcome are lush and nurtured. For example, if Wood is deficient, the Metal that overcomes it—corresponding to shelled animals, chickens, rice, and peaches—all undergo transformation and nurture. This is because when there is deficiency, the Qi is weak; I fear the element that overcomes me, and the element that I overcome does not fear me, so it comes to concurrently manage its transformation. The rest of the deficiency transformations follow this pattern. "Bao" means lush or flourishing.