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(From *Suwen: Chapter 6 - Zangxiang Theory of the Six Jie*)

The Yellow Emperor asked: The beginning of the Five Movements (Wuyun, the movement of the five elements) is like a circle without end. What are its excesses and deficiencies? Qibo replied: The Five Qi alternate in establishing dominance, each having its own prosperity. The changes between prosperity and deficiency constitute the normal pattern. (Excess and deficiency refer to the changes between prosperity and deficiency; however, as the Five Movements alternate, the variations differ.)

The Yellow Emperor asked: What constitutes the Normal Qi (Pingqi)? Qibo replied: It has no faults. ("Fault" refers to error; both excess and deficiency are considered faults.)

The Yellow Emperor asked: How do excess and deficiency manifest? Qibo replied: They are recorded in the Classics. (Here, "Classics" refers to chapters on the interaction and transformation of Qi, such as the "Five Constant Policies," found in Chapters 10 and 13 later in this text.)

The Yellow Emperor asked: What is meant by "the conquered" (Suosheng)? Qibo replied: Spring conquers Late Summer, Late Summer conquers Winter, Winter conquers Summer, Summer conquers Autumn, and Autumn conquers Spring. This is called obtaining the victory according to the Five Elements' seasonal timing, with each organ named according to its Qi nature. ("The conquered" refers to the mutual conquest among the Five Qi. Spring corresponds to Wood, and Wood conquers Earth. Late Summer corresponds to Earth, and Earth conquers Water. Winter corresponds to Water, and Water conquers Fire. Summer corresponds to Fire, and Fire conquers Metal. Autumn corresponds to Metal, and Metal conquers Wood. Thus, it is said to be the victory of the Five Elements' seasons. "Late Summer" refers to the sixth lunar month; Earth is born from Fire and grows in mid-summer when all things flourish, hence the name. Not only do the four seasons follow this pattern of conquest, but so do the five Zang organs of humans: for instance, Liver (Wood) conquers Spleen (Earth), Spleen (Earth) conquers Kidney (Water), Kidney (Water) conquers Heart (Fire), Heart (Fire) conquers Lung (Metal), and Lung (Metal) conquers Liver (Wood). Hence, it is said that organs are named according to their Qi. "Ming" means bestowed by Heaven. The five sentences regarding Spring conquering Late Summer etc., are identical to those in *Jingui Zhenyan Lun*; see Disease Category 27 for details.)

The Yellow Emperor asked: How can one know this conquest? Qibo replied: Seek the arrival of the Qi, which returns to early Spring. ("Zhi" refers to the arrival of Qi, such as the warmth arriving in spring or heat in summer, which corresponds to the meaning of "number of arrival" in texts like *Tianyuanji Lun*. "Early Spring" refers to the day of Lichun (Start of Spring). As stated in *Liuyuan Zhengji Dalun*: "Usually, observe at dawn on the first day of the first lunar month to see its position and know where it resides." Since Spring is the head of the four seasons and New Year's Day is the head of the year, one can use this to anticipate the Qi of prosperity and decline for the whole year. Another view states: Fifteen days before Spring, at the Dahan (Great Cold) solar term, marks the beginning of the first Qi.)

If the Qi arrives before the time, this is called Excess. It will encroach upon what it cannot conquer (Suobusheng) and exploit what it conquers (Suosheng), termed Qi Yin (Overwhelming Qi). ("Wei zhi er zhi" means the season has not arrived but the Qi does, indicating Excess. In Excess, it encroaches upon the unconquerable and exploits the conquered. Of the Five Elements' Qi, that which controls me is Suobusheng, and that which I control is Suosheng. For example, if Wood Qi is excessive, Metal cannot restrain it, and Wood instead insults Metal, which is encroaching upon Suobusheng. Wood is prosperous, and Earth suffers its control, which is exploiting Suosheng. Hence, it is called Qi Yin. "Yin" implies relying on one's strength to act recklessly and tyrannically. The same applies to other excessive Qi. Note: The old text contained ten characters 'bu fen xie pi nei sheng gong bu neng jin' here, which belong to the following text and were mistakenly repeated; they have been deleted.)

If the Qi does not arrive when the time has come, this is called Deficiency. Then, what it conquers will act recklessly, what generates it will suffer disease, and what controls it will encroach upon it, termed Qi Po (Oppressed Qi). ("Zhi er bu zhi" means the season has arrived but the Qi does not, indicating Deficiency. In Deficiency, what it conquers acts recklessly, what generates it suffers disease, and what controls it encroaches. "What generates it" refers to that which produces me. For instance, if Wood Qi is deficient, Earth has nothing to fear, so the conquered (Earth) acts recklessly. If Earth acts recklessly, Water suffers control, so the generator (Water) suffers disease. Metal, taking advantage of Wood's weakness, insults it, so the controller (Metal) encroaches. Hence, it is called Qi Po. "Po" means being invaded and oppressed due to this deficiency. The same applies to other deficient Qi. Note: *Wuyunxing Dalun* states: "How is the ruling Qi?" Answer: "If Qi is in excess, it controls what it conquers and insults what controls it; if deficient, what controls it insults and exploits it, and what it conquers lightly insults it." This shares the same meaning as these two sections. The previous two sections discuss the meanings of arriving early and late; see Section 18 of this category for details.)

Carefully observe the timing, and the Qi can be anticipated. If one misses the time and contradicts the signs, the treatments of the Five Movements will not be distinguished, evil deviations will arise internally, and even skilled physicians cannot prevent them. (To "observe the time" means to monitor the dominant Qi of the four seasons and six Qi. Knowing the time allows one to predict the arrival or non-arrival of Qi. If one fails to know this, missing the time and contradicting the signs, the governance of the Five Movements becomes indistinguishable in terms of prosperity and decline. If evil deviations arise internally and affect people, even those called physicians cannot prevent it, because they do not understand the seasonal Qi. As *Yinyang Yingxiang Dalun* says: "Therefore, if treatment does not follow the laws of Heaven and the principles of Earth, disasters will occur." This is exactly what is meant here.)

The Yellow Emperor asked: Is there any case where there is no succession? (Meaning: Are there cases where the Qi of the Five Elements moves without regular signs and does not succeed one another?) Qibo replied: The Qi of the Blue Sky (Heaven) must not lack constancy. If Qi does not succeed in accordance with norms, it is called Abnormal. Abnormality leads to Change. (Blue Sky refers to the general term for celestial phenomena. "Must not lack constancy" refers to the normal transformation of Heaven and Earth. "Qi does not succeed in accordance with norms" refers to abnormal transformation. Abnormality leads to change, and change leads to disease.)

The Yellow Emperor asked: How should one handle abnormal changes? Qibo replied: When change arrives, disease occurs. If affected by the conquered Qi, the disease is mild; if affected by the unconquerable Qi, the disease is severe. If additionally re-infected by evil, death ensues. ("Affected by the conquered is mild": e.g., Wood suffering Earth's evil, Earth suffering Water's evil; that which I conquer is a mild evil. "Affected by the unconquerable is severe": e.g., Earth suffering Wood's evil, Fire suffering Water's evil; that which conquers me is a thief evil. If the thief evil is severe and one is re-infected, death is inevitable. This applies to both seasonal and Zang Qi.) Therefore, if not during the proper season, the disease is mild; if during the proper season, the disease is severe. (When evil does not hold authority, it is not its season, so the disease is mild. When evil holds authority, it is its season, so the disease is severe. This applies equally to the conquered and the unconquerable.)