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It can be shifted. Only the central principle of Heaven and Earth is fixed and unchanging. Therefore, when sages emerged, they observed the great movements of the cosmos by positioning the armillary sphere (Ji Heng), and examined future trends based on key summaries. All of this was derived from this principle, which is what is meant by "establishing correctness through centrality." By pushing forward the remainder to the end, the degrees of Heaven are fully calculated. (Pushing forward the remainder to the end refers to the meaning of surplus or deficit of Qi leading to intercalation mentioned above. Generally, those seeking to understand the Way of Heaven must establish a starting point to grasp the outline; if they do not correct the center, the preceding and following parts will not be clear; if they do not calculate the remainder, the climate will not be accurate. These three aspects are indispensable. Understanding this completes the knowledge of the degrees of Heaven. The pronunciation of 'tui' is the same as 'chui'.)

The Emperor said: I have heard of the degrees of Heaven. I wish to hear how the numbers of Qi combine with them.
Qibo replied: Heaven uses sixty-six (6x6) as its rhythm, and Earth uses eighty-one (9x9) for its regulation and coordination. (The meaning of 66 and 99 is seen in the previous text.) Heaven has ten days. (Ten is the extreme of completed numbers, the ultimate number of Heaven and Earth. Heaven having ten days is like a month having thirty days, and a year having three hundred and sixty days; all are regulated by ten. Thus, Da Nao observed these phenomena and created the Ten Heavenly Stems to record them: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui.) Six cycles of days complete one Jiazi cycle; six repetitions of Jiazi conclude a year; this is the method of three hundred and sixty days. ('Jing' means exhaustion. Ten stems undergoing six cycles result in sixty days, known as one cycle of the Flower Jiazi. Repeating Jiazi six times results in 6x6=360, which is the constant number of days in a year, excluding the surplus of Qi and the deficiency of the new moon, hence it is called the day method.)

Since ancient times, those who connect with Heaven constitute the root of life, which is rooted in Yin and Yang. Their Qi connects with the Nine Provinces and the nine orifices of the human body to the Qi of Heaven. (All living things since ancient times emerge from the primordial Qi of Heaven. Although their forms are generated by Earth, their destiny is endowed by Heaven. Thus, the *Baoming Quanxing Lun* states: "Humans are born from Earth, but their fate hangs from Heaven." This is what is meant by connecting with Heaven. However, the root of connecting with Heaven lies in Yin and Yang. Thus, the *Siqi Tiaoshen Dalun* states: "Yin, Yang, and the Four Seasons are the beginning and end of all things, and the root of life and death." As for the Nine Provinces on Earth and the nine orifices in humans, who among them does not connect with the Qi of Heaven and root in Yin and Yang?)

Therefore, life generates into Five Phases, and its Qi is divided into three. (From Yin and Yang, the Five Phases are transformed, and the generation of all things follows this path, hence "its generation is five." However, the Five Phases all root in Yin and Yang, and the Qi of Yin and Yang each divides into three, known as Three Yin and Three Yang, hence "its Qi is three." The concepts of generating five and Qi being three correspond to the meaning of moving five Qi and six [periods]. It does not say six but three because it combines Yin and Yang. One interpretation is: The Qi of the Five Movements has transformations of excess, deficiency, and balance. Thus, the *Wuchang Zheng Dalun* contains records of three types of Qi, which is this meaning. This interpretation is also valid. According to Wang Bing, 'three' refers to the Three Yuan, namely Heavenly Qi, Earthly Qi, and Moving Qi. However, observing the following text: "Three combine to form Heaven, three combine to form Earth, three combine to form Human," it indicates that Heavenly Qi, Earthly Qi, and Moving Qi are also formed by three. In this case, the meaning of the Three Yuan seems secondary. The above two sections are identical to the *Shengqi Tongtian Lun*, see Disease Category 5.)

Three combine to form Heaven, three combine to form Earth, three combine to form Humans. (Heaven refers to the Qi of Heaven, i.e., the ruling Qi. Earth refers to the Qi of Earth, i.e., the subterranean Qi. Between the upper and lower, within the intersection of Qi, humans reside. The Qi of Heaven, Earth, and Humans all consist of Three Yin and Three Yang, hence "three combine to form Heaven, three combine to form Earth, three combine to form Humans." The following three sections are similar to the *Sanbu Jiuhou Lun*, but that text speaks of the Upper, Middle, and Lower parts, which differs slightly from this; see Pulse and Color Category 5 for details.)

Three multiplied by three equals nine. Divided into nine, there are Nine Fields (regions). The Nine Fields correspond to the Nine Viscera. (Three multiplied by three equals nine, precisely showing the variations of Yin and Yang. Thus, the Nine Fields of Earth and the Nine Viscera of humans correspond in this manner. Nine Fields refer to the territories of the Nine Provinces. The meaning of Nine Viscera is as described below.)

Therefore, there are four Form Viscera and five Spirit Viscera, combining to form nine viscera to correspond to Heaven and Earth. (The four Form Viscera are: 1. Head and horns/ears/nose/mouth area, 2. Eyes and ears, 3. Mouth and teeth, 4. Chest cavity. From *Sanbu Jiuhou Lun*. The five Spirit Viscera are: Liver stores Hun (Ethereal Soul), Heart stores Shen (Spirit), Lungs store Po (Corporeal Soul), Spleen stores Yi (Intellect), Kidneys store Zhi (Willpower). From *Xuanming Wuqi Pian* and *Jiuzhen Lun*.)

The Emperor said: I have heard of the combination of sixty-six and eighty-one. The Master mentioned accumulating Qi for intercalation. I wish to know what is meant by Qi. Please enlighten my ignorance and resolve my doubts. (Meng refers to being blinded in the eyes. Huo refers to confusion in the heart.)

Qibo replied: This was kept secret by the Supreme Emperor and transmitted by the First Masters. (Supreme Emperor refers to the ancient sage emperors. First Masters refer to Qibo's teacher, Qiu Daiji. Qiu is pronounced like Jiangxiu.)

The Emperor said: Please let me hear more.
Qibo replied: Five days are called a Hou (pentad). (The Qi of Heaven and Earth consists of the Five Phases. When the sun travels five degrees in the sky, five days have passed. A day has twelve double-hours; five days equal sixty double-hours, completing one Jiazi cycle. The Five Phases are exhausted, and the climate changes. Thus, five days are called a Hou. A year of three hundred and sixty days comprises seventy-two Hous.)

Three Hous are called a Qi (term/solar term). (Qi refers to solar terms. There are twenty-four solar terms in a year, also called twenty-four Qis. One Qi governs fifteen days, two hours, and five ke plus a fraction. Thus, three Hous make one Qi.)

Six Qis are called a Shi (season). (There are four seasons in a year, also called Si Ji. Each season has ninety-one days plus a fraction, accumulated from six Qis, thus called a Shi. Note: This refers to the six solar terms within one season, also called Small Six Qis, not the Great Six Qis of Three Yin and Three Yang in a year, where each gets sixty days. That is the Great Six Qis; this is the Small Six Qis.)

Four Shis are called a Sui (year), each following its governing Qi. (Accumulating four times nine results in three hundred and sixty days, so four Shis are called a Sui. As years change and seasons shift, each has its governing Qi to serve as the directive of the season.)

The Five Movements succeed each other and govern each period. At the end of the period, they cycle back to the beginning. Seasons are established, Qi is distributed, like a circle without beginning or end. The Hous follow the same law. (The Five Movements are the Five Phases. Xi means succession. Zhi means governance. This continues from the previous text, stating that seasonal years and climates are all connected by the Five Movements succeeding each other, each governing its time to complete the annual cycle. Thus, when seasons are established, Qi is distributed. For example, Spring Qi governs Wood, Summer Qi governs Fire, Late Summer Qi governs Earth, Autumn Qi governs Metal, Winter Qi governs Water. They cycle endlessly like a circle. Not only is the annual Qi like this; even the five-day Hou sees alternating Qi, hence "the Hous follow the same law.")

Therefore, it is said: If one does not know the addition of the year, the prosperity and decline of Qi, and the origin of deficiency and excess, one cannot be a skilled physician. (The addition of the year refers to the Five Movements and Six Qi as recorded in treatises such as *Tianyuanji Dalun*, *Jiaobi Bian Dalun*, *Wuyun Xing Dalun*, *Wuchang Zheng Dalun*, *Liweizhi Dalun*, *Liuyuan Zhengji Dalun*, and *Zhiyao Yao Dalun*. Heavenly movements have prosperity and decline, so Human Qi has deficiency and excess. If a physician does not understand this, how can they be considered skilled? 'Gong' is a term for excellence/refinement. Thus, the Classic mentions this word frequently, emphasizing its importance. It does not refer to the 'craftsman' of later generations. These sentences also appear in the *Guanzhen Pian*; see Acupuncture Category 6 for details.)