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The sages established laws to deduce the movements of heaven and earth, for these cannot escape the realm of numbers. Observing the reasons for establishing these numbers, they all originate from nature. One is Water, Two is Fire, Three is Wood, Four is Metal, Five is Earth. This is because Water is located in the North at the position of Zi (Rat), and Zi represents the beginning of Yang generation, which is the number One of Yang; thus, Water corresponds to One. Fire is located in the South at the position of Wu (Horse), and Wu represents the beginning of Yin generation, which is the number Two of Yin; thus, Fire corresponds to Two. Wood resides in the East, which is Yang; Three is an odd number and also belongs to Yang; thus, Wood corresponds to Three. Metal resides in the West, which is Yin; Four is an even number and also belongs to Yin; thus, Metal corresponds to Four. Earth corresponds to the late summer in the Southwest; Five is an odd number and also belongs to Yang; thus, Earth corresponds to Five. From this reasoning, it follows that numbers are paired according to Yin and Yang.

However, Water generates from One. In the initial stage before Heaven and Earth were separated and all things were not yet formed, nothing did not first appear in Water. Verifying this with present phenomena, when plant seeds and fruits are not yet mature, and embryos or eggs of humans and insects are essentially Water; does this not mean Water is One? When Water gathers and forms complete physical structures, and Qi of Yin and Yang exists within, then things are formed. Therefore, objects that are small and bitter in taste are omens of Fire; when objects ripen, they become sweet, which is the taste of Earth. When sweetness reaches its extreme, it turns bland. Blandness is the fundamental taste. However, humans inherit the generative transformation of their parents' Yin and Yang, so two kidneys are formed first. The left kidney belongs to Water, and the right kidney belongs to Fire. Because it appears due to Water, Fire ranks second. Although plant seeds and fruits vary in size, each contains two halves combining together, similar to human kidneys, which is also an omen of Yin and Yang. Therefore, if all things do not combine Yin and Yang, they cannot generate and transform. Once Yin and Yang combine, there is spring growth and autumn harvest; thus, Wood ranks third, and Metal ranks fourth. Water has its belonging, Fire has its storage, Wood has its sprouting, Metal has its distinguishing; none are completed without relying on Earth. Therefore, the completion numbers (Cheng Shu) of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth all include the generating number (Sheng Shu) Five of Earth. The completion number of Water is Six, Fire is Seven, Wood is Eight, Metal is Nine. Earth always uses the generating number Five and does not reach Ten, because Earth achieves completion without waiting for Ten. Considering that generating and completion numbers combine, how can all things escape the law of numbers? For the direct transformation (Zheng Hua) of the Three Yin and Three Yang meridians, one follows the generating number of the root; for the counter transformation (Dui Hua), one follows the completion number of the branch. In the cycle of the Five Movements (Wu Yun), when Qi is excessive (Tai Guo), the completion number is taken; when deficient (Bu Ji), the generating number is taken. By taking the magnitude of these generating and completion numbers, one can predict the alternating interactions of governmental directives and Qi transformations, thereby clarifying their applications.