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Diagram of the Five Tones Constructing Qi-Movement and the Mutual Generation of Tai (Excess) and Shao (Deficiency)

The *Book of Qi-Movement* states: The five tones are the sounds corresponding to the Five Elements. Earth corresponds to Gong, Metal to Shang, Water to Yu, Wood to Jue, and Fire to Zhi. The *Book of Jin* states: Jue means touch, symbolizing that various Yang energies touch and generate; its transformation corresponds to the Heavenly Stems Ding and Ren. Zhi means stop, indicating that when things grow abundant, they stop; its transformation corresponds to Wu and Gui. Shang means strong, referring to the firm nature of Metal; its transformation corresponds to Yi and Geng. Yu means舒展 (unfolding/comfortable), referring to Yang energy about to recover and all things about to unfold; its transformation corresponds to Bing and Xin. Gong means center, possessing the Way of Harmony and Neutrality, accumulating everywhere. Furthermore, since the main hall and eastern steps are collectively called Gong, the enclosed area varies. This is likely because Earth Qi penetrates the Four Elements, prospers in the Four Seasons, and nourishes the Four Zang Organs while governing them, hence it is called Gong; its transformation corresponds to Jia and Ji. Therefore, the Heavenly Stems begin with Jia (belonging to Earth); Earth generates Metal, so Yi follows; Metal generates Water, so Bing follows; Water generates Wood, so Ding follows; Wood generates Fire, so Wu follows; Fire again generates Earth, so Ji follows; proceeding in order until Gui and then returning to Jia. Among the Ten Heavenly Stems, Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, and Ren are Yang, while Yi, Ding, Ji, Xin, and Gui are Yin; those in Yang belong to Tai (Excess), and those in Yin belong to Shao (Deficiency). Tai indicates excess, and Shao indicates deficiency. Yin and Yang match each other, Tai and Shao generate each other, forming a circle without beginning or end, jointly completing Qi-transformation. However, since Qi has differences in Tai and Shao, their arrival times have delays and speeds. Thus, the *Suwen: Liuyuan Zhengji Dalun* states: Usually, observe on the first day of the first month at dawn; if Qi-movement is in excess, it arrives early; if deficient, it arrives late; neither excess nor deficiency is called a Ping Year (Balanced Year), and its arrival is timely. The *Suwen: Liuweizhi Dalun* states: Arrival coinciding with time is harmonious; arrival not coinciding with time indicates deficient incoming Qi; time passing without arrival indicates excessive incoming Qi. For example, if Excess is suppressed, or Deficiency is assisted, both become Balanced Qi. What begins as observing Qi is where the Dao arises; one must not fail to understand this.

There are three types of Qi-movement: Da Yun (Great Movement), Zhu Yun (Principal Movement), and Ke Yun (Passenger Movement), all belonging to the category of the five tones. Da Yun, also known as Zhong Yun (Central Movement), governs the Qi of a whole year, such as the years of Jia and Ji being governed by Earth Movement. Zhu Yun refers to the constant commands of the four seasons, such as Spring Wood belonging to Jue tone, Summer Fire belonging to Zhi tone, Autumn Metal belonging to Shang tone, Winter Water belonging to Yu tone, and Earth residing in the four seasons belonging to Gong tone, which remains consistent year after year. Ke Yun cycles every ten years; for instance, in a Jia year (Yang Earth), Tai Gong serves as the initial movement; in a Yi year (Yin Metal), Shao Shang serves as the initial movement. These five movements differ and take turns exercising authority. However, among these three movements, there are differences in the mutual generation of Tai and Shao. Tai belongs to Yang, and Shao belongs to Yin; Yin generates Yang, and Yang generates Yin; one moving and one still constitute the Way of Change (Yi Dao). Thus, Jia (Yang Earth) generates Yi's Shao Shang; Yi (Yin Metal) generates Bing's Tai Yu; Bing (Yang Water) generates Ding's Shao Jue; Ding (Yin Wood) generates Wu's Tai Zhi; Wu (Yang Fire) generates Ji's Shao Gong; Ji (Yin Earth) generates Geng's Tai Shang; Geng (Yang Metal) generates Xin's Shao Yu; Xin (Yin Water) generates Ren's Tai Jue; Ren (Yang Wood) generates Gui's Shao Zhi; Gui (Yin Fire) regenerates Jia's Tai Gong. Da Yun does not depart from Yin and Yang; Zhu Yun and Ke Yun do not depart from Da Yun. The Qi of Zhu Yun is the same every year, so Spring must begin with Jue, and Winter ends with Yu. The Qi of Ke Yun takes the Central Movement of the current year as the initial movement and proceeds through sequential generation. Therefore, the *Suwen: Liuyuan Zhengji Dalun* lists the Qi-movements of various years: for the administrations of Tai Yang, Shao Yang, and Shao Yin, and the cycles of Zi-Wu, Yin-Shen, and Chen-Xu, the thirty-year cycles all begin with the Five Tais (Tai Jue, Tai Zhi, Tai Gong, Tai Shang, Tai Yu); for the administrations of Tai Yin, Yang Ming, and Jue Yin, and the cycles of Chou-Wei, Mao-You, and Si-Hai, the thirty-year cycles all begin with the Five Shaos (Shao Jue, Shao Zhi, Shao Gong, Shao Shang, Shao Yu). This is used to record Ke Yun. Furthermore, noting "Chu" (Initial) under Jue tone and "Zhong" (Final) under Yu tone: for the five years of Jia, Yi, Bing, Ren, and Gui, Tai Jue is always the initial movement; for the five years of Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, and Ding, Shao Jue is always the initial movement. This is used to record Zhu Yun. (The diagram of Principal and Passenger Movements is below. The records of Qi-movement for sixty years are detailed in Class 17 of Qi-Movement.)