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I possess shallow learning, yet I have glimpsed the beginnings of Yin-Yang and Five Elements in the medical way. As for the Main Qi (Zhu Yun), Guest Qi (Ke Yun), and Six Qi (Liu Qi), their circulation and changes are subtle and infinite, truly causing one to feel bewildered even with white hair. During the Ming Dynasty, Wang Shishan and Wang Xingu from Xin'an compiled the *Yao Lan* (Essential Overview), which was quite concise and easy to read, and it was included in Xu Donggao's *Gu Jin Yi Tong* (Comprehensive Medical Canon of Past and Present). Previously, I was taught this text by my senior, Mr. Chu Zhuyuan from Hunan, who said it was compiled by a reclusive person surnamed Gao during the Qianlong reign. Upon reading it, I found it largely identical to the Wang version, but added diagrams explaining the ascending and descending Guest Qi, listing main diseases and pulse patterns by year, making it even more concise and easier for students to memorize. Therefore, without presuming upon my ignorance, I made slight revisions and collations to include it as an appendix to this collection. It is a pity that Master Zhang's name has not been transmitted, so he could not be honored; however, since his book exists, he lives on, and I have no regrets.

Signed by Zhang Nan, junior scholar from Kuaiji.

Having read the *Tianyuan Ji Da Lun* (Great Discussion on the Heavenly Origin) and seven other chapters of the *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), deducing and elaborating on the theory of Five Movements and Six Qi, I often found its profound mysteries difficult to penetrate, sighing three times after putting down the book each time. This is the guideline of Heaven and Earth, the source of all changes. Unless one understands the theories of the *I Ching* (Book of Changes), the *Hong Fan* (Great Plan), calendar origins, and musical pitch standards, how dare one arbitrarily interpret or speak of it? No wonder people today have neglected it for a long time. An ancient sage said: "If one does not understand the Five Movements and Six Qi, what good is it to browse through all medical books?" Thus, one may choose not to practice medicine, but if one has vowed to do so, holding life and death in the palm of one's hand, one must be fiercely reverent. One should be widely learned, think deeply, and strive to search; the spirit will then illuminate me. Do not fear. However, knowing Heaven and Earth requires first knowing humanity. Zhu Danxi said: "First recognize where the pathogenesis changes and how to treat." If one solely focuses on the movements of Qi, one might fall into the error of Ma Zongsu and his followers, who recklessly claimed that a person born in a certain year would suffer from a disease in a specific meridian on a specific day, use a certain medicine, recover on a certain day, and face danger on another. This violates the essence of the classics and drifts into the bizarre. Here, I specifically extract the general outline and key points, allowing learners to appreciate the simplicity, serving as a starting point for traveling far and climbing high. As for penetrating the divine and mastering change, there have been innovations since the *Neijing*; can we stop here!

The Five Movements (Wu Yun) are Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth; the Six Qi (Liu Qi) are Wind, Cold, Summer Heat, Dampness, Dryness, and Fire. Combining the Ten Heavenly Stems creates the Five Movements: Jia and Ji combine to form Earth Movement; Yi and Geng combine to form Metal Movement; Bing and Xin combine to form Water Movement; Ding and Ren combine to form Wood Movement; Wu and Gui combine to form Fire Movement. Corresponding to the Twelve Earthly Branches are the Six Qi: Zi and Wu correspond to Ministerial Fire (Jun Huo); Chou and Wei correspond to Damp Earth; Yin and Shen correspond to Ministerial Fire (Xiang Huo); Mao and You correspond to Dry Metal; Chen and Xu correspond to Cold Water; Si and Hai correspond to Wind Wood. The Movement cycles every five years, while the Qi circles every six periods. The Five Movements include Excess (Tai Guo), Deficiency (Bu Ji), Balanced Movement (Ping Yun), Great Movement (Da Yun), Main Movement (Zhu Yun), and Guest Movement (Ke Yun). Excess years are represented by the five Yang stems: Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, Ren. Deficiency years are represented by the five Yin stems: Yi, Ding, Ji, Xin, Gui. In excess years, the Qi transitions thirteen days before Major Cold (Da Han), called "Pre-heaven" (Xian Tian). In deficiency years, it transitions thirteen days after Major Cold, called "Post-heaven" (Hou Tian). A Balanced Movement occurs when the ruling Qi (Si Tian) matches the movement Qi. Or, if Excess is controlled by the ruling Qi; or if Deficiency combines with the annual branch, it is called Year Meeting (Sui Hui). If the monthly stem matches, or if at the start of the first Qi, the daily and hourly stems match, it is called Stem Virtue Match (Gan De Fu). When these occur, the generation of things and pulse responses show no priority or delay, all being Balanced Movements. Transitioning exactly on Major Cold is called "Equal Heaven" (Qi Tian). The Great Movement refers to the Heavenly Stem of the current year. The Main Movement always begins with Wood Qi from Major Cold, follows the generating sequence, ends with Water Qi, with each Movement governing 72 days and 5 ke, repeating yearly. The Guest Movement, for example in a Jia-Ji year, starts with Earth Qi, also from Major Cold, follows the generating sequence, ends with Fire Qi, each governing 72 days and 5 ke, changing annually.

The Six Qi include Ruling Qi (Si Tian), Subterranean Qi (Zai Quan), True Transformation (Zheng Hua), Opposite Transformation (Dui Hua), Main Qi (Zhu Qi), and Guest Qi (Ke Qi). True Transformation years are Wu, Wei, Yin, You, Chen, Hai. Opposite Transformation years are Zi, Chou, Shen, Mao, Xu, Si. True Transformation governs the reality of transformational commands; Opposite Transformation governs the virtuality. Zi, Wu, Mao, You form one category: if Zi-Wu Ministerial Fire rules above, then Mao-You Dry Metal rules below. Yin-Shen-Si-Hai form one category; Chen-Xu-Chou-Wei form one category, following similar examples. Main Qi always begins with Wood Qi from Major Cold, follows the generating sequence, ends with Water Qi, each Qi governing 60 days plus 87.5 ke, repeating yearly. Guest Qi starts from the third branch after the annual branch. For example, in a Zi year, the third branch after Zi is Xu. Xu belongs to Water, so Water Qi starts from Major Cold as the First Qi (Left Interstice of Zai Quan); Wood is the Second Qi (Right Interstice of Si Tian); Fire is the Third Qi (Si Tian Fire Qi); Earth is the Fourth Qi (Left Interstice of Si Tian); Heat is the Fifth Qi (Right Interstice of Zai Quan); Metal is the Final Qi (Dry Metal of Zai Quan). Each Qi governs 60 days plus 87.5 ke, changing annually. When Guest is added to Main, if Guest overcomes Main, it is compliant; if Main overcomes Guest, it is rebellious. Generally, Si Tian governs the first half of the year, Zai Quan governs the second half. This is the major Guest Qi added onto the Main Qi. Si Tian is above, Zai Quan is below, Movement Qi is in the middle. If Si Tian controls or generates Movement Qi, descending from above is compliant, with differences in generation and control. If Movement Qi controls or generates Si Tian, ascending from below is rebellious, with differences in magnitude. When Si Tian equals Movement Qi, it is called Heaven符 (Tian Fu). When the annual branch equals Movement Qi, it is called Year Meeting (Sui Hui). When Zai Quan equals Movement Qi, it is called Same Heaven符 (Tong Tian Fu). When Movement Qi equals Zai Quan, it is called Same Year Water Meeting (Tong Sui Shui Hui). When Si Tian, Movement Qi, and Air Qi three-way combine, it is called Tai Yi Tian Fu. Tian Fu is the Law Enforcer; those struck by the Central Law Enforcer suffer rapid and critical illness. Sui Hui is the Order Executor; those struck by the Central Order Executor suffer slow and persistent illness. Tai Yi Tian Fu is the Noble Person; those struck by the Central Noble Person suffer sudden death. Alas! Wind, Cold, Summer Heat, Dampness, Dryness, and Fire are the Yin-Yang of Heaven, served by the Three Yin and Three Yang. Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water are the Yin-Yang of Earth, responding to Growth, Flourishing, Transformation, Harvest, and Storage. Wu and Ji belong to Earth, but transformational Qi must base on five, so Jia-Ji transform to Earth, leading the list; Earth generates Metal, so Yi-Geng follow; Metal generates Water, so Bing-Xin follow; Water generates Wood, so Ding-Ren follow; Wood generates Fire, so Wu-Gui follow. This is the order of transformational Qi. Although the Five Elements are each one, Fire uniquely divides into Ministerial and Sovereign, corresponding to the Six Qi of Heaven. Wood prospers in the East, Fire in the South, Metal in the West, Water in the North, and Earth in the Four Corners. Wu attaches to Xu in the Qian position; Ji attaches to Chen in the Xun position. The opposite of Wei is Chou, and Chou-Wei belong to Kun-Gen regions. Thus, Chen, Xu, Chou, Wei are positions of attached prosperity. For instance, the transformation of Tai Jiao (Excess Wood) is opening and splitting, but changes to crushing; the transformation of Tai Zheng (Excess Fire) is warm, but changes to blazing heat—these are True Transformation Qi. If Shao Jiao (Deficient Wood) lacks Qi, Clear Qi wins and Heat returns; if Shao Zheng (Deficient Fire) lacks Qi, Cold wins and Rain returns—this is the return of Evil Transformation. Severe cold with yang flames indicates Fire Depression; severe heat with chill indicates Metal Depression, due to suppression and insufficiency. Water depression releasing causes hail; Earth depression releasing causes violent storms, arising from suppressed anger. If Wind prevails excessively, it conquers Tai Yin; if Heat prevails excessively, it conquers Yang Ming, insulting what it should conquer. Below Ministerial Fire, Water Qi supports it; below Damp Earth, Wind Qi supports it, this is controlling hyperactivity. If crushing changes do not respond, great winds blow everywhere; if blazing changes do not respond, scorching heat covers the seas; if Clear Qi victory does not respond, the universe remains bright and clean; if Rain Qi return does not respond, mountains and marshes become steaming humid. The sages repeatedly teach earnestly, hoping people emulate Yin-Yang and harmonize with techniques, avoiding being harmed by Qi movements. Even if occasionally harmed, one should know the cause of illness, preventing reckless medication and lamenting premature death. Both Main and Guest Qi can cause disease; lower is Main Qi, upper is Guest Qi. The Classic says: For the ruler of Wood position, drain with Sour, tonify with Acrid; for Guest Jue Yin, tonify with Acrid, drain with Sour, soothe with Sweet. For the ruler of Fire position, drain with Sweet, tonify with Salty; for Guest Shao Yin, drain with Sweet, soften with Sour; for Guest Shao Yang, tonify with Salty, drain with Sweet, soften with Salty. For the ruler of Earth position, drain with Bitter, tonify with Sweet; for Guest Tai Yin, tonify with Sweet, drain with Bitter, soothe with Sweet. For the ruler of Metal position, drain with Acrid, tonify with Sour; for Guest Yang Ming, tonify with Sour, drain with Acrid, purge with Bitter. For the ruler of Water position, drain with Salty, tonify with Bitter; for Guest Tai Yang, tonify with Bitter, drain with Salty, firm with Bitter, moisten with Acrid. Generally, if Guest overcomes, drain Guest and tonify Main; if Main overcomes, drain Main and tonify Guest. The Classic further details treatments for excessive influence of Si Tian and Zai Quan, reverse influence, and suitable medicines/foods for upper and lower annual movements. Within the Five Movements, one must break stagnant Qi and first access the source of transformation. Thus, Huazi believes: When Tai Yang rules, take September as the source of Water; when Yang Ming rules, take June as the source of Metal; when Shao Yin/Shao Yang rule, take March as the source of Fire; when Tai Yin rules, take June as the source of Earth; when Jue Yin rules, take the twelfth month of the previous year as the source of Wood. The Classic says: Do not lose heavenly trust, do not oppose qi suitability, do not assist victory, do not sponsor return; this is supreme governance. Humans are born from Five Element Qi and end according to Five Element numbers. Wang Bing said: Heaven distributes Qi, not exceeding the Five Elements; humans within Qi, how could they not correspond to Heavenly Dao? Following the rise and fall of Yin-Yang in Qi movements is natural law. The Classic says: Not knowing the annual addition, the rise and fall of Qi, and the origin of deficiency/excess, one cannot be a physician. Nevertheless, the principles of Qi movements should not be rigidly applied. For example, if Liver Wood is inherently deficient and Spleen Earth is excessive, and the movement is Tai Jiao, Liver Qi becomes slightly solid and Spleen Qi levels out, clearly showing the Five Viscera. With internal and external factors touching at any time, even in an Excess movement, there may be deficiency logic; in a Deficiency movement, there may be excess concerns. If one strictly adheres to Qi movements, can one avoid treating excess as excess and deficiency as deficiency, harming the insufficient and benefiting the redundant? Moreover, annual Qi on earth sometimes behaves abnormally: winter has unseasonable warmth, summer has unseasonable cold, spring has unseasonable dryness, autumn has unseasonable warmth. Those who encounter them get sick. Also, Spring Qi moves west, Autumn Qi moves east, Summer Qi moves north, Winter Qi moves south. Lowlands retain Spring Qi; highlands retain Winter Qi. Heaven is deficient in the northwest, windy; Earth is incomplete in the southeast, damp. Furthermore, within a hundred li, weather differs; a thousand li away, cold and warmth vary. Different regions lead to different diseases; these are exceptions beyond the rules. Those skilled in discussing Qi movements observe changes flexibly, grasping the unfound insights of ancients. Hope you do not stick rigidly and become a continuation of Cheng and Ma.