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The Five Movements (Wu Yun) refer to the Qi of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. The Six Qi (Liu Qi) refer to the six climatic phenomena: Wind, Cold, Summer Heat, Dampness, Dryness, and Fire. Heavenly Stems are used to calculate the Five Movements, and Earthly Branches are used to calculate the Six Qi. There are ten Heavenly Stems; paired together, they form the Five Movements. There are twelve Earthly Branches; opposing each other, they form the Six Qi. Heaven's Qi begins with Jia, and Earth's Qi begins with Zi. When Heaven and Earth combine, it becomes a Jia-Zi year. Thus, Jia-Zi is the beginning of the Gan-Zhi cycle. Heaven's Qi ends with Gui, and Earth's Qi ends with Hai. When Heaven and Earth combine, it becomes a Gui-Hai year. Thus, Gui-Hai is the end of the Gan-Zhi cycle. Yin and Yang alternate, and Gang and Rou complement each other. Therefore, after Jia-Zi comes Yi-Chou; after Ren-Xu comes Gui-Hai. Thirty years constitute one Ji (period), and sixty years constitute one Zhou (cycle). The conditions of Excess (Tai Guo) and Deficiency (Bu Ji) are thus manifested.

However, speaking from the order of the Heavenly Stems as brothers: Jia and Yi belong to Wood in the East; Bing and Ding belong to Fire in the South; Wu and Ji belong to Earth in the Center; Geng and Xin belong to Metal in the West; Ren and Gui belong to Water in the North. According to the pairing of husband and wife: Jia combines with Ji to transform into Earth; Yi combines with Geng to transform into Metal; Bing combines with Xin to transform into Water; Ding combines with Ren to transform into Wood; Wu combines with Gui to transform into Fire. Therefore, in years of Jia and Ji, Earth Movement dominates; in years of Wu and Gui, Fire Movement dominates. The poem states: "Jia and Ji transform into Earth, Yi and Geng into Metal; Ding and Ren transform into Wood, forming dense forests. Bing and Xin transform into Water, flowing endlessly; Wu and Gui, Fire flames invade from the South."

However, speaking from the cyclic order of the Earthly Branches: Yin and Mao belong to Wood in Spring; Si and Wu belong to Fire in Summer; Shen and You belong to Metal in Autumn; Hai and Zi belong to Water in Winter; Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei belong to Earth in the four seasons' transitions. Speaking from their opposing positions: Zi opposes Wu, constituting Shaoyin Sovereign Fire; Chou opposes Wei, constituting Taiyin Damp Earth; Yin opposes Shen, constituting Shaoyang Ministerial Fire; Mao opposes You, constituting Yangming Dry Metal; Chen opposes Xu, constituting Taiyang Cold Water; Si opposes Hai, constituting Jueyin Wind Wood. Therefore, in years of Zi and Wu, Sovereign Fire presides; in years of Chou and Wei, Damp Earth presides; in years of Yin and Shen, Ministerial Fire presides; in years of Mao and You, Dry Metal presides; in years of Chen and Xu, Cold Water presides; in years of Si and Hai, Wind Wood presides. The poem says: "Zi and Wu, Shaoyin Sovereign Summer-Fire; Chou and Wei, Taiyin Damp Earth Rain; Yin and Shen, Shaoyang Ministerial Fire blazing; Mao and You, Yangming Dry Metal presiding; Chen and Xu, Taiyang managing Cold Fire; Si and Hai, Jueyin Wind Wood rising."

The Five Movements have Principal Movement (Zhu Yun) and Guest Movement (Ke Yun); the Six Qi have Principal Qi (Zhu Qi) and Guest Qi (Ke Qi). The Principal Movement and Principal Qi remain unchanged for ten thousand years; the Guest Movement and Guest Qi change annually. Regarding the Guest Movement, there are Excess and Deficiency. Excess years refer to those with the five Yang stems: Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, Ren. Deficiency years refer to those with the five Yin stems: Yi, Ding, Ji, Xin, Gui. The arrival of Excess Qi is early; the arrival of Deficient Qi is late. Regarding Guest Qi, there is Proper Transformation (Zheng Hua) and Opposite Transformation (Dui Hua). Proper Transformation years refer to Wu, Wei, Yin, You, Chen, Hai years. Opposite Transformation years refer to Zi, Chou, Shen, Mao, Xu, Si years. Proper Transformation represents the substantial aspect of the season; Opposite Transformation represents the empty aspect.

For example, in a Jia-Zi year, Jia represents Earth Movement, governing the whole year; Zi represents Sovereign Fire, specifically managing this period of one year (365 days and 25 ke), which exactly matches 365 and 1/4 degrees of the celestial sphere. Within this period, the Principal Movement is arranged sequentially below, while the Guest Movement circulates above. The Principal Movement sequence is: Wood is the First Movement, Fire is the Second, Earth is the Third, Metal is the Fourth, and Water is the Fifth. For the Guest Movement, assuming a Jia-Ji year, Jia represents Earth Movement, so the First Movement is Earth; Earth generates Metal, so the Second Movement is Metal; Metal generates Water, so the Third Movement is Water; Water generates Wood, so the Fourth Movement is Wood; Wood generates Fire, so the Fifth Movement is Fire; Fire generates Earth. Each Movement governs 73 days and 5 ke.

In Excess years, the transition occurs 13 days before the Great Cold solar term, named "Xian Tian" (Prior Heaven). In Deficiency years, the transition occurs 13 days after the Great Cold solar term, named "Hou Tian" (Posterior Heaven). In Equilibrium years, the transition occurs on the day of Great Cold, named "Qi Tian" (Equal Heaven). Within a year, the Principal Qi remains fixed in its six positions, while the Guest Qi circulates through the four seasons. The Principal Qi sequence is: Wind is the First Qi, Fire is the Second, Summer Heat is the Third, Dampness is the Fourth, Dryness is the Fifth, and Cold is the Final Qi.

Regarding Guest Qi, assuming a Zi-Wu year, Shaoyin Sovereign Fire is Si Tian (Presiding over Heaven), Yangming Dry Metal is Si Di (Presiding over Earth), Taiyin Damp Earth is the Left Intercalary Qi of Heaven, and Jueyin Wind Wood is the Right Intercalary Qi of Heaven. This positioning is determined facing south. One Qi is above, one Qi is below, two Qi are on the left, and two Qi are on the right. The Classic states: "Heaven and Earth are the upper and lower of all things; Left and Right are the pathways of Yin and Yang." The Left Intercalary Qi of Earth is the First Qi; the Right Intercalary Qi of Heaven is the Second Qi; Si Tian is the Third Qi; the Left Intercalary Qi of Heaven is the Fourth Qi; the Right Intercalary Qi of Earth is the Fifth Qi; Si Di is the Final Qi. Each Qi governs approximately 60 days and 78.5 ke.

In years of Shen, Zi, and Chen, the First Qi begins at the first ke of Yin hour on the day of Great Cold, transitioning to the Second Qi at the end of Zi hour on the day of Spring Equinox, to the Third Qi at the end of Hai hour on the day of Minor Fullness, to the Fourth Qi at the end of Xu hour on the day of Major Heat, to the Fifth Qi at the end of You hour on the day of Autumn Equinox, and to the Final Qi at the end of Shen hour on the day of Minor Snow. This is called "One Six Days."

In years of Si, You, and Chou, the First Qi begins at the first ke of Si hour on the day of Great Cold, transitioning to the Second Qi at the end of Mao hour on the day of Spring Equinox, to the Third Qi at the end of Yin hour on the day of Minor Fullness, to the Fourth Qi at the end of Chou hour on the day of Major Heat, to the Fifth Qi at the end of Zi hour on the day of Autumn Equinox, and to the Final Qi at the end of Hai hour on the day of Minor Snow. This is called "Two Six Days."

In years of Yin, Wu, and Xu, the First Qi begins at the first ke of Shen hour on the day of Great Cold, transitioning to the Second Qi at the end of Wu hour on the day of Spring Equinox, to the Third Qi at the end of Si hour on the day of Minor Fullness, to the Fourth Qi at the end of Chen hour on the day of Major Heat, to the Fifth Qi at the end of Mao hour on the day of Autumn Equinox, and to the Final Qi at the end of Yin hour on the day of Minor Snow. This is called "Three Six Days."

In years of Hai, Mao, and Wei, the First Qi begins at the first ke of Hai hour on the day of Great Cold, transitioning to the Second Qi at the end of You hour on the day of Spring Equinox, to the Third Qi at the end of Shen hour on the day of Minor Fullness, to the Fourth Qi at the end of Wei hour on the day of Major Heat, to the Fifth Qi at the end of Wu hour on the day of Autumn Equinox, and to the Final Qi at the end of Si hour on the day of Minor Snow. This is called "Four Six Days."

This is because the Guest Movement is superimposed upon the Principal Movement, and the Principal Qi descends upon the Guest Qi. Consequently, the heavenly timing is irregular, and diseases among the people arise from this.