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[Diagram of the Root and Markers of the Six Qi]

The "Root" (fundamental Qi) of the Six Qi corresponds as follows: Shaoyin corresponds to the Wu month, Taiyin to the Wei month, Shaoyang to the Yin month, Yangming to the You month, Taiyang to the Xu month, and Jueyin to the Hai month.
The verse states:
Zi month is Sovereign Fire, Chou month is Damp Earth, Mao month is Dry Metal as the Marker; Chen month is Cold Water, Si month is Wind Wood coordinating together.
Shen month's Ministerial Fire also originates from these numerical principles, while the remaining regular transformations follow their natural order.

Heaven is divided into Five Qi, and Earth is arranged into Five Elements. The Five Qi flow separately, scattering above, passing through the constellations, and merging below with the directional positions, thus being named the Five Movements (Wu Yun).
Dan Tian Qi (Red Qi) passes over the four constellations of Niu, Nu, Kui, and Bi, descending upon the positions of Wu and Gui, establishing the Fire Movement.
Cang Tian Qi (Green/Blue Qi) passes over the four constellations of Xin, Wei, Jiao, and Zhen, descending upon the positions of Jia and Ji, establishing the Earth Movement.
Su Tian Qi (White Qi) passes over the four constellations of Kang, Di, Mao, and Bi, descending upon the positions of Yi and Geng, establishing the Metal Movement.
Xuan Tian Qi (Black Qi) passes over the four constellations of Zhang, Yi, Lou, and Wei, descending upon the positions of Ren and Xin, establishing the Water Movement.
Cang Tian Qi (Green Qi, referring to Wood) passes over the four constellations of Wei, Shi, Liu, and Gui, descending upon the positions of Ding and Ren, establishing the Wood Movement.
These Five Qi pass through the Twenty-Eight Mansions, corresponding clearly with the Twelve Branch positions, making it evident that these are used to record heavenly times and establish the Five Movements. Wu is the Gate of Heaven, belonging to the Qian position. Ji is the Door of Earth, belonging to the Xun position. From Fang to Bi, fourteen mansions are Yang, governing the day; from Mao to Xin, fourteen mansions are Yin, governing the night, together representing one day.
If deduced by the method of Month Establishment, the cause for establishing the Movements becomes visible. Generally, Nei Zhe (Bing) is the Yang of Fire, established at the beginning of Jia and Ji years, with the first month establishing Bing Yin. Bing Fire generates Earth, so Jia and Ji years are Earth Movements. Wu is the Yang of Earth, established at the beginning of Yi and Geng years, with the first month establishing Wu Yin. Wu Earth generates Metal, so Yi and Geng years are Metal Movements. Geng is the Yang of Metal, established at the beginning of Bing and Xin years, with the first month establishing Geng Yin. Geng Metal generates Water, so Bing and Xin years are Water Movements. Jia is the Yang of Wood, established at the beginning of Wu and Gui years, with the first month establishing Jia Yin. Jia Wood generates Fire, so Wu and Gui years are Fire Movements. Ren is the Yang of Water, established at the beginning of Ding and Ren years, with the first month establishing Ren Yin. Ren Water generates Wood, so Ding and Ren years are Wood Movements. These Five Movements all originate from the Heavenly Stem established in the first month. Is this not the mutual interdependence and regulation of days, months, years, and seasons?
Another theory holds that since creation, the Five Qi have succeeded each other through Yuan Hui, and worldly movements have their own destiny, which heaven, earth, and all things cannot escape. In recent times, the Earth Movement has been dominant, hence people have phlegm even without disease, which differs from the previous dynasty (when Fire Movement was dominant) where heat syndromes were common. For instance, the so-called Yangmei Chu (Yaws/Kapok Sore) spread from south to north, affecting humans and animals similarly. Earth dampness generates mold (Mei), so it should be called Meichuang (Mold Sore). One must understand the Five Movements and Six Qi when reading medical texts. The Northern and Southern Policies do not apply only to a single year or time, nor should one forget the overarching system of worldly eras and movements!
A person traveling in the North suffered from epidemic cough and headache due to prolonged rain in summer and autumn. I administered Yiyuan San (Hua Shi [Talcum], 6 liang; Gan Cao [Licorice], 1 liang) mixed with ginger and scallion decoction, achieving immediate effect, expelling dozens of jin of phlegm daily. This was likely due to the Damp command of the Jia-Ji Earth Movement, where phlegm obstructed the Lung Qi in the upper orifices; treating by draining the Lower Orifice of the Bladder sufficed, and it did not fall under ordinary cough treatment.
In a Wu year, a spring plague occurred in Chu land, causing widespread mourning. I dispersed Wuwensan (Five Plagues Powder) into spring water and led children to distribute it, curing hundreds daily. In Wuwensan, Huang Qin [Scutellariae Radix] is the Sovereign herb in Yi-Geng years, Shan Zhi [Gardeniae Fructus] in Ding-Ren years, Huang Bo [Phellodendri Cortex] in Bing-Xin years, Huang Lian [Coptidis Rhizoma] in Wu-Gui years, and Gan Cao Shao [Licorice Root Tip] in Jia-Ji years. The Sovereign herb is doubled in dosage. Xu's Four Ingredients combined with Xiang Fu [Cyperi Rhizoma] and Zi Su [Perillae Folium] serve as Ministers, halved in dosage. The seven herbs are raw, powdered, mixed with three times the amount of Da Huang [Rhei Radix et Rhizoma], decocted thickly, strained, and boiled into a paste to form pills the size of chicken eggs. Coated with equal parts Zhu Sha [Cinnabar] and Xiong Huang [Realgar], and gold foil. Each pill is soaked in seven bowls of spring water, sufficient for seven people. (Verse: Five Plagues Formula takes the Movement as Sovereign; Kidney uses Bo, Heart uses Lian, Lung uses Qin, Spleen uses Cao, Liver uses Zhi to form the Five Movements; Zi Su and Xiang Fu combine as Ministers. Da Huang tripled, boiled into paste, formed into egg-sized pills for seven people. Coat with Xiong Huang and Zhu Sha powder, add gold foil for greater efficacy.)
Zhu Danxi said: For pediatric smallpox/chickenpox syndromes, Chen Wenzhong used warm-hot medicines like Muxiang San and Yigong San. This was largely because when the formula was created, the movement featured Cold Water ruling the Sky and Spring, and the season was severe winter cold. The cold qi constrained the eruption, preventing the sores from reddening and hardening, hence辛热 (acrid-hot) agents were used to disperse it. Today's practitioners treat indiscriminately regardless of seasonal cold or heat, which is erroneous.
A forty-five-year-old man, chronically thin and blood-deficient, experienced a Geng-Zi year with excessive Metal. In late autumn, when Dry Metal was active, following prolonged dry weather, he developed a Dry Syndrome: skin cracking, dry hands and feet, scaling upon scratching, bleeding with pain, thickened fingernails, and inability to scratch due to numbness. I formulated a prescription named Shengxue Runfu Yin (Blood-Generating Skin-Moistening Decoction). It contains Dang Gui [Angelicae Sinensis Radix], Di Huang [Rehmanniae Radix], Sheng Di Huang [Rehmanniae Radix Preparata], Shu Di Huang [Rehmanniae Radix Preparata], Tian Dong [Asparagi Radix], Mai Dong [Ophiopogonis Radix], Wu Wei Zi [Schisandrae Fructus], Pian Huang Qin [Scutellariae Radix], Gua Lou Ren [Trichosanthis Semen], Tao Ren [Persicae Semen] with wine, Hong Hua [Carthami Flos], and Sheng Ma [Cimicifugae Rhizoma]. After taking more than ten doses, the illness vanished like shedding a shell. For dry stool, add Ma Ren [Semen Cannabis] and Yu Li Ren [Pruni Semen]. Subsequent treatments on over ten patients proved effective.