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Figure of the Year Gui Chou (Water Ox)

Taiyin Wet Earth governs the Si Tian (Heavenly Command), Taiyang Cold Water governs the Zai Quan (Earthly Foundation), and the central movement is Shaozheng Fire Movement. The year's fire is insufficient, causing the qi transformation and operation to lag behind the celestial timing. With Taiyin Wet Earth positioned above (Si Tian), Shao Yang (Ministerial Fire) is on the left and Shaoyin (Monarchial Fire) is on the right; thus, earthly qi ascends, yin exclusively holds power with a solemn nature. With Taiyang Cold Water positioned below (Zai Quan), Jueyin Wind Wood is on the left and Yangming Dryness Metal is on the right; thus, heavenly qi descends, yang qi retreats, and its commands are silent. Great winds rise frequently, fields become dim, white dust rises in all directions, clouds rush toward the south pole, cold rain arrives often, and objects mature with differences during summer. Wetness and cold combine their virtues, yellow-black dust becomes dim, circulating in the intersection of qi. This corresponds to Zhenxing (Saturn) and Chenxing (Mercury). The corresponding grains are black (Xuan), and the intercalary grains belong to the Taijiao Wood movement grains. The degrees of cold transformation and rain transformation as excess and recovery are the same, which is called the degree of evil qi transformation. Rain transformation number is five, fire transformation number is two, cold transformation number is six; this is called the degree of correct transformation.

Yin condenses above, cold accumulates below. When cold water overcomes fire, hail occurs. Sunlight fails to function properly, and killing qi then prevails. Feathered creatures (birds) remain quiet, scaled creatures (fishes, etc.) nurture and grow; these are suitable organisms for the year. Feathered creatures diminish, heat toxins do not arise, constrained by earthly qi (cold and damp). Years of excess should be at high places, years of insufficiency at low places; years of excess should mature late, years of insufficiency early; this is the advantage of Earth facilitating qi transformation. People's physiological qi also follows this. Diseases prevalent this year include cold-dampness, abdominal fullness, body heaviness and oppression, edema, stuffiness and rebellion, cold jue with stiffness and cramping. This is because yearly wet earth is above and cold water is below; Earth can control Water, but heavenly qi is abundant while earthly qi is deficient. One should take the source of transformation to level Earth qi, benefit the yearly qi, and prevent evil from overcoming righteousness. Eat black grains to preserve true qi; eat intercalary qi grains to protect essence. Treatment for the year should use bitter drugs to dry dampness and warm drugs to dispel cold; for severe cases, use diaphoresis or purgation. If neither diaphoresis nor purgation is used, dampness will overflow externally, causing muscle ulceration and skin splitting, with water and blood flowing together. One must assist Yang fire to resist extreme cold. Since the movement differs from cold-damp, dryness and heat should be reduced. Therefore, the suitability of drugs and food: upper part should be bitter-warm, middle part salty-warm, lower part sweet-hot.

Before the midpoint of the year, Taiyin Wet Earth governs. If dampness overcomes, deep yin qi spreads, rain changes cause withering, people suffer from edema, bone pain, Yin Bi (obstruction in yin channels). Yin Bi refers to pain that cannot be felt upon pressing, accompanied by pain in the waist, spine, head, and neck, frequent dizziness, difficult defecation, dysfunction of yin qi, hunger without desire to eat, coughing up bloody sputum, heart feeling empty like hanging, with the root of the disease in the Kidney. Diagnosis is at the foot Taixi point. Treat with bitter-hot drugs, assisted by sour and acrid drugs, using bitter to dry dampness and bland to drain.

After the midpoint of the year, Taiyang Cold Water governs. If cold overcomes internally, condensing and chilling causes shivering. People suffer from lower abdomen pulling to the testicles, connecting to the waist and spine, upward rushing chest pain, bleeding, throat pain, and submandibular swelling. Treat with sweet-hot drugs, assisted by bitter and acrid drugs, using salty to purge, acrid to moisten, and bitter to firm.

Fire movement insufficiency is called the "Fu Ming" (Hidden Brightness) pattern. This is where winning qi and growing qi alternate; growing qi does not circulate freely, organ qi distributes inversely, gathering qi governs itself, and transformation reaches balance. Cold and clear qi frequently rise, summer heat becomes weak. Objects receiving transformation grow but do not flourish, fruiting but immature, becoming old when transformation occurs. Yang qi is suppressed, hibernating insects hide early. Qi is stagnant, usage is violent, movements show alternating manifestation and concealment, attacks cause pain. Diseases manifest as confusion, sadness, and forgetfulness. Transformation combines with the characteristics of the unconquered element. If summer has bright and luminous transformation, winter has severe frost and cold policies; if summer has chilling and freezing excess, there will be intermittent dusty and heavy rain recovery. Disaster lies in the south, organs affected are the Heart, diseases reside internally in the chest and hypochondrium, externally in meridians and collaterals. Thus, when yearly fire is insufficient, cold prevails, long governance is unused, things flourish but fall, condensation and misery are severe, yang qi cannot transform, damaging prosperity and beauty. People suffer from chest pain, flank distension and fullness, bilateral flank pain, pain between the chest, back, and scapulae, and inner arms, severe cases unable to bend or extend, hips and thighs feeling separated. Upon recovery, dust accumulates, heavy rain approaches, black qi obscures, people suffer from diarrhea. The method is entirely to regulate the middle with salty-warm drugs.

First Qi period: From the start of Si hour on Da Han day of Ren Zi year to Mao hour on Chun Fen day of this year, totaling 60 days and 87.5 ke. Main position is Taijiao Wood, guest qi is Jueyin Wood, central sees Fire movement. Wind wood is in position, earthly qi shifts, cold departs, spring qi is correct, wind comes, life spreads, things flourish, people's qi is smooth and comfortable. Wind and dampness contend, rain follows. People suffer from blood overflow, tendon network stiffness, joint disadvantage, body heaviness, and tendon flaccidity. Regulate Jueyin guest qi with acrid to tonify, sour to drain, sweet to relax. Yearly grain should be black, intercalary grain should be rice, so wind does not become evil.

Second Qi period: From Mao hour on Chun Fen day to Chou hour on Xiao Man day, totaling over 60 days. Main position is Shaozheng Fire, guest qi is Shaoyin Fire, central sees Fire movement. Monarchial fire occupies its position, not governing qi transformation, called Zhuo Hua (Scorching Transformation). Great fire is correct, things receive transformation, people are harmonious. Epidemic warmth spreads widely, affecting near and far equally. Damp evaporation contends, rain descends timely. Regulate Shaoyin guest qi with salty to tonify, sweet to drain, sour to astringe. Yearly grain should be black, intercalary grain should be beans, so heat does not become evil.

Third Qi period: From Yin hour on Xiao Man day to Zi hour on Da Shu day, totaling over 60 days. Main position is Shaozheng Fire, guest qi is Taiyin Earth, central sees Fire movement. Yearly fire is in position, dampness depresses it. Heavenly policy spreads, dampness descends, earthly qi ascends, rain descends timely, cold follows. Contracting cold-damp leads to body heaviness, edema, chest and abdominal fullness. Govern Taiyin guest qi with sweet to tonify, bitter to drain, sweet to relax. Yearly grain should be black, intercalary grain should be sesame, so dampness does not become evil.

Fourth Qi period: From Zi hour on Da Shu day to Xu hour on Qiu Fen day, totaling over 60 days. Main position is Taigong Earth, guest qi is Shaoyang Fire, central sees Fire movement. Qi and movement are identical, Wei Fire arrives, humid steaming transforms. Earthly qi ascends, heavenly qi is blocked, cold wind blows morning and evening, steaming heat contends, grass and trees condense smoke, dampness does not flow, thus white dew spreads yin to complete autumn policy. People suffer from collateral heat, sudden blood overflow, malaria, heart and abdominal fullness-heat, abdominal distension, severe cases edema. Govern Shaoyang guest qi with salty to tonify, sweet to drain, salty to soften hardness. Yearly grain should be black, intercalary grain should be beans, so fire does not become evil. Do not violate the heat of Si Qi in this period.

Fifth Qi period: From Hai hour on Qiu Fen day to You hour on Xiao Xue day, totaling over 60 days. Main position is Shaoshang Metal, guest qi is Yangming Metal, central sees Fire movement. Qi and movement are identical, dryness policy has run, cold dew descends, frost falls early, grass and trees turn yellow and fall. Cold air reaches the body, gentlemen dress carefully, people suffer from skin and collateral issues. Regulate Yangming guest qi with sour to tonify, acrid to drain, bitter to discharge. Yearly grain should be black, intercalary grain should be millet, so dryness does not become evil.

Final Qi period: From You hour on Xiao Xue day to Wei hour on Da Han day, totaling over 60 days. Main position is Taiyu Water, guest qi is Taiyang Water, central sees Fire movement. Water is in its position and can overcome fire. Cold rises greatly, dampness transforms greatly, frost accumulates, yin condenses, water freezes hard, sunlight fails to function. Contracting cold leads to joint stiffness and lockage, lower back pain, cold-damp persisting in qi intersection causing disease. Regulate Taiyang guest qi with bitter to tonify, salty to drain, bitter to firm, acrid to moisten. Yearly grain should be black, intercalary grain should be broomcorn millet, so cold does not become evil. These are the transformations of the six Qi periods. In qi intersection transformations, if heavenly qi overcomes, there is Jueyin recovery; if earthly qi overcomes, there is Taiyin recovery. Treat each according to their respective winning and recovery methods.