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(From *Suwen: Liuyuan Zhengji Dalun*)

The Yellow Emperor asked: Does the Qi of the Five Movements (Wuyun) also exhibit Shengfu (Victory and Repayment/Rebound)? (Fu means repayment/rebound. This question asks whether the Qi of the Five Movements, like the Six Qi, exhibits Shengfu phenomena visible within the year.) Qibo replied: When stagnation reaches its extreme, it erupts; it acts only when the time is right. (When the Five Movements are overly restrained by victory, their stagnation must reach an extreme; those who are extremely stagnant must rebound, and their eruption occurs at specific times. See below for details.) The Yellow Emperor said: May I ask what you mean? Qibo said: The normal Qi of the Five Constants (Wuchang), whether excessive or deficient, manifests differently upon eruption. The Yellow Emperor said: I wish to hear the complete explanation. Qibo said: Excessive Qi erupts violently, while deficient Qi erupts slowly; violent eruptions cause severe disease, while slow eruptions lead to lingering conditions. (Chi refers to a lingering, protracted struggle. Note: Excessive Qi is violent in nature, while deficient Qi is slow; this is logical. However, the previous chapter stated "The arrival of the Excessive is slow and constant, the arrival of the Deficient is violent and fleeting," which seems contrary to this section. In fact, the violence of the Excessive is due to strong momentum, while the disappearance of the Deficient is due to injury. Strong momentum can still be controlled, but injured Qi is hard to sustain. Thus, these two sections complement each other to elucidate the nuances of mild and severe conditions.) The Yellow Emperor said: What are the numerical values for excess and deficiency? Qibo said: Excess uses Cheng numbers (Completion numbers), deficiency uses Sheng numbers (Generation numbers); Earth consistently uses Generation numbers. (Excess uses Cheng numbers, representing abundant Qi; deficiency uses Sheng numbers, representing weak Qi. Earth's Qi is born/generates in the four seasons, so it constantly uses Generation numbers without waiting for Completion. Note: These generation and completion numbers likely correspond to the initial and intermediate stages of Qi. See Volume 1 of *Tuyi* for the explanation of the Five Elements' Generation and Completion Numbers. The numbers mentioned in the previous chapter regarding sixty-year luck policies, such as "Cold Transformation One" or "Cold Transformation Six," share this meaning.)

The Yellow Emperor said: How do their eruptions manifest? Qibo said: When Earth Stagnation (Tu Yu) erupts, cliffs and valleys shake with alarm. (Wood victory restrains Earth, causing Earth stagnation. Extreme stagnation leads to anger, and anger triggers eruption. Cliffs and valleys are deep places of Earth. Alarm/Shaking is the manifestation of Earth Qi erupting.) Thunder roars at the intersection of Qi. (Yin means grand/profound. The intersection of Qi refers to the middle of ascending and descending, specifically between the Third and Fourth Qi. Fire and Dampness combine to form thunder, so it is prominent during the Fire and Dampness seasons.) Dust and haze obscure the sun, turning the sky yellow and black. (Dust and smog block the sun.) Moisture evaporates into white vapor. (Vapor from heat and dampness, belonging to mountain mist.) Sudden storms sweep from high to deep. (Sudden winds and heavy rain rush through and break through high and deep places.) Rocks strike and fly in the air, floods follow. (Cliff collapses and rolling stones cause floods to emerge.) Rivers overflow and spread, fields and pastures resemble scattered foals on mounds of earth. (Rivers overflow, submerging suburbs and plains. "Fields and pastures resembling foals" refers to the aftermath of floods, where only towering mounds of earth and stone remain, looking like a herd of foals grazing in the fields.) The transformational Qi of Earth spreads, bringing timely rains. (The transformation of Earth-Dampness, released from stagnation.) Life begins, grows, transforms, and matures. (When Earth Qi is stagnant, the transformation of all things is delayed. However, Earth Stagnation erupts during the Third and Fourth Qi, so it can still support growth and maturation without missing its season.) Therefore, the people suffer from heart and abdominal distension, borborygmus (intestinal rumbling), and frequent diarrhea. Severe cases involve heart pain, hypochondriac fullness, vomiting, Huoluan (cholera-like syndrome with simultaneous vomiting and diarrhea), fluid retention, sudden profuse diarrhea, edema, and heaviness of the body. (These are all diseases caused by Damp-Earth. Dampness in the Upper and Middle Jiao causes heart and abdominal distension; Dampness in the Lower Jiao causes frequent diarrhea. Heart affected by Dampness causes heart pain; Liver insulted by Dampness causes hypochondriac distension. Distension. Sound without matter is Ou (retching); matter expelled is Tu (vomiting). Huoluan involves simultaneous vomiting and diarrhea, causing mental confusion. Yin refers to Phlegm-Fluid. Zhu Xia refers to sudden profuse diarrhea. Dampness injuring flesh causes edema and heaviness. These are all signs of Earth eruption and Dampness pathogenesis.) Clouds rush to the Rain Mansion (Yu Fu), morning clouds embrace the rising sun, mountains and marshes are obscured by dust and haze; this is the eruption of Earth Stagnation, occurring in the Fourth Qi. (Rain Mansion is where Taiyin Dampness gathers. Morning clouds embracing the sun appear at dawn. Ai Hun is the turbidity of Earth Qi. Earth governs the Fourth Qi, roughly sixty days after the Major Heat solar term in the sixth month. Thus, Earth Stagnation erupts during the Fourth Qi.) Clouds hang across the Heavenly Mountain, mayflies (Fuyou) appear and disappear; this is the omen of impending stagnation. (Fuyou refers to mayflies, born in the morning and dying at night, appearing in cloudy weather. Large manifestations are clouds hanging across mountains; small ones are mayflies appearing and disappearing. Both indicate Dampness transformation. Their appearance signals that Earth Stagnation is about to erupt, and the omen is clear. Fu means stagnation. Fu sounds like 'fo'.)

When Metal Stagnation (Jin Yu) erupts, the sky is clean, the earth is bright, and the air is clear, cold, and sharp. (Fire victory restrains Metal, causing Metal stagnation. Metal Qi is clear and sharp, hence its eruption appears thus.) Great coolness rises, grass and trees are shrouded in mist. (Great coolness is the cold Qi of Metal. Floating mist is the condensing Qi of Metal.) Dry Qi circulates, and thick fogs rise frequently. (When Metal wind arrives, Dry Qi circulates; when Yin Qi condenses, thick fog rises. Wu refers to thick fog. Wu sounds like 'meng' or 'mao'.) Killing Qi arrives, grass and trees turn pale and dry, and Metal produces sound. (Killing Qi is Yin Qi. Cang Gan means withering and falling. "Metal produces sound" refers to the vigorous Metal Qi emitting autumn sounds.) Therefore, the people suffer from cough and rebellious Qi, fullness in the heart and hypochondrium radiating to the lower abdomen, sudden severe pain preventing turning over, dry throat, and a dull, ugly complexion. (Cough and dry throat indicate Lung disease combined with Dryness. Fullness in the heart/hypochondrium radiating to the lower abdomen and sudden pain preventing movement indicate Metal victory injuring the Liver. Chen means dark/dull. Due to Metal's killing nature, the complexion becomes dull and ugly.) Mountains and marshes scorch and wither, soil congeals like frost and salt; this is the eruption of Metal Stagnation, occurring in the Fifth Qi. (Dry Qi circulates, causing mountains and marshes to scorch. Soil surface turns white, salt crusts form like frost. Metal reigns in the Fifth Qi, governing roughly sixty days after the Autumn Equinox in the eighth month. Thus, its eruption occurs in the Fifth Qi. Lu sounds like 'lu'.) White snow at night, dew condensing, and desolate sounds in forests and wilds are omens of impending Metal Stagnation. (These phenomena are precursors to Metal Stagnation erupting.)

When Water Stagnation (Shui Yu) erupts, Yang Qi retreats. (Earth victory restrains Water, causing Water stagnation. When Water stagnates and erupts, Cold transformation prevails, so Yang Qi retreats. Pi is synonymous with Bi/avoid.) Yin Qi erupts violently, great cold arrives, rivers and marshes freeze severely, cold vapors condense into frost and snow. (Han Fen refers to cold vapor like fog. Fen sounds like 'fen'.) In severe cases, yellow and black darkness obscures vision, circulating at the intersection of Qi, resulting in frost-killed crops and water displaying ominous signs. (Yellow is Earth color; Black is Water color. Water erupting due to Earth stagnation shows both colors at the Qi intersection. Xiang means disaster/omen; any sign of good or bad fortune is called Xiang.) Therefore, the people suffer from cold invading the heart causing pain, waist pain, stiffness and immobility of large joints, difficulty bending and stretching, frequent reversal cold (Jue Ni), palpitations/stiffness, and abdominal fullness. (These are all diseases caused by Cold-Water Qi. Fire fears Water, hence heart pain. Cold entering the Kidney causes waist pain. Cold causes Qi and Blood stagnation and tendon contraction, leading to joint stiffness and limited mobility. Yin victory and blocked Yang Qi cause Reversal Cold, palpitations, and abdominal fullness.) Solar light fails, empty spaces accumulate heavy Yin, white dust creates a dim haze; this is the eruption of Water Stagnation, occurring before and after the Two Fires. (Two Fires refer to Ministerial Fire Second Qi and Imperial Fire Third Qi, from Spring Equinox mid-second month to Minor Heat June solar term, totaling 120 days, governed by the Two Fires. Water naturally reigns in Winter, but being stagnant, it erupts during the Fire season, representing Yin overcoming Yang. Wang Shi said: Yin Essence and Water ascend to meet Fire, so their eruption occurs before and after Imperial and Ministerial Fire.) The vast sky is deep and dark, Qi scatters like hemp fibers, faintly visible then hidden, colored black with slight yellow; this is the omen of impending Water Stagnation. (Deep Xuan means black. Ma San means scattering like hemp, faintly visible then hidden. Generally, observing Qi should be done at dawn. Color black with slight yellow: Yellow is Earth, Black is Water. Slight yellow mixed with black is the omen of Water Stagnation about to erupt.)

When Wood Stagnation (Mu Yu) erupts, the sky is dusty and dim, clouds and objects are disturbed, great winds arrive, roofs are blown off, and trees are broken; Wood undergoes change. (Metal victory restrains Wood, causing Wood stagnation. Wood Stagnation eruption brings great Wind Qi, hence dust, disturbed clouds, roof damage, and tree breaking, all changes caused by Wood.) Therefore, the people suffer from epigastric pain centered behind the heart, upward support to both hypochondria, obstruction of the diaphragm and throat, inability to eat or drink, tinnitus, vertigo, blindness/confusion, and sudden stiff collapse. (These are all diseases caused by Wind-Wood and Liver Evil. Jueyin Meridian passes through the stomach and pierces the diaphragm, causing epigastric pain, diaphragmatic/throat obstruction, and eating difficulties. Upward support to hypochondria is Liver Qi rebelling. Liver Meridian follows the throat, enters the nasopharynx, connects to the eye system, and meets at the vertex, causing tinnitus, vertigo, and blindness. Wind-Wood is rigid and damages Stomach Qi most, causing sudden stiff collapse.) The sky is gray with dust, mountains and heavens merge in one color, sometimes turbid, yellow and black stagnant; clouds hang horizontally without rain, yet it erupts; its timing is unpredictable. (Gray dust and turbid colors, yellow-black stagnation, are all wind and dust. Wind overcomes Dampness, so clouds hang but do not produce rain. Wind arrival is dynamic and unstable, so its eruption has no fixed time.) Long rivers bend grass, soft leaves reveal their undersides, pines sing in high mountains, tigers roar in rock caves; this is the omen of impending Wood Stagnation. (Grass bending means grass yields to wind. Revealing Yin means soft leaves droop, showing their undersides when flipped by wind. Pine singing refers to sound among trees. Tiger roaring generates wind, as wind comes from tigers. Observing these indicates Wood Stagnation is about to erupt.)

When Fire Stagnation (Huo Yu) erupts, the sky swells and dims, the great brightness does not shine. (Water victory restrains Fire, causing Fire stagnation. The character "Zhong" (swell) is an error for "Xun" (dim/hazy). Because Fire stagnates and erupts, Heat transformation prevails, so the sky becomes hazy and dim, and the great brightness fails to shine.) Blazing fire moves, great heat arrives, mountains and marshes burn, timber flows with sap, large mansions emit smoke, soil floats with frost/salt, standing water decreases, creeping grass scorches yellow, wind blows confusing words, and Dampness transformation is delayed. (Burning and smoking indicate extreme heat. Timber flowing sap means juices melt and flow. Frost/Salt: springs dry up, salt crusts form. Standing water: accumulated water. Wind blowing confusing words: extreme heat generates wind, wind and heat intensify, causing confused speech. Dampness transformation delayed means rain does not come. Xia sounds like 'xia'. Lu sounds like 'lu'.) Therefore, the people suffer from shortness of Qi, sores, ulcers, carbuncles, swelling and distension of the hypochondrium, abdomen, chest, back, head, face, and limbs, ulcerative paralysis, vomiting and rebellious Qi, convulsions, bone pain, joint movement, sudden profuse diarrhea, warm malaria, sudden abdominal pain, hemorrhage and blood stasis, depletion of essence/fluids, red eyes, heart heat, severe mental confusion and restlessness, and sudden death. (These are all diseases caused by excessive Fire. Vigorous Fire consumes Qi, hence shortness of breath. Fire rots matter, hence sores/carbuncles. Excess Yang pathogens cause obstruction, distension, ulcerative paralysis, etc. Fire Qi rushing upward causes vomiting. Fire injuring tendons causes convulsions; Fire injuring bones causes bone pain; Fire lodging in joints causes joint movement; Fire in intestines/stomach causes sudden diarrhea; Fire in Shaoyang causes warm malaria; Fire solidifying in abdomen causes sudden pain; Fire entering Blood level causes hemorrhage/stasis; Fire scorching Yin level depletes fluids; Fire entering Liver causes red eyes; Fire entering Heart causes heart heat; Fire flaming Upper Jiao causes mental confusion; Fire stagnating in Chest Center causes restlessness. Fire nature is rapid; destroying True Yin causes sudden death. Chang sounds like 'chang zhen qie'. Lu sounds like 'lu'. Fei sounds like 'fei'. Chuan sounds like 'chi'. Zong sounds like 'zong'. Ao sounds like 'ao'. Bao sounds like 'nai bao qie'.) At the end of the ke (time unit), great warmth occurs, sweat moistens the Xuancu (sweat pores); this is the eruption of Fire Stagnation, occurring in the Fourth Qi. (End of Ke refers to the end of the hundred-ke cycle. Day ke starts at Yin Chu and ends at Chou Wei, the time of extreme Yin, making it the coolest part of the day. Great warmth at Ke end and sweat moistening Xuancu implies heat at other times. Xuancu refers to sweat pores. Fire naturally reigns in Summer, but being stagnant, it erupts in the Fourth Qi of Wei/Shen. Fourth Qi is the remainder of extreme Yang.) Movement returns to stillness, extreme Yang reverses to Yin, and the Dampness command transforms and completes. (Earlier it said Dampness transformation is delayed; now Fire reigns and generates Earth, so movement returns to stillness, extreme Yang reverses to Yin. Earth Qi acts, Dampness command returns, allowing all things to transform and complete.) Flowers bloom, water freezes into ice and snow, southern marshes show flame-Yang Qi; this is the omen of impending Fire Stagnation. (Blooming flowers are the season of Imperial Fire Second Qi. Wu Ze refers to southern marshes. Water freezing into ice during flower blooming shows Fire stagnation. Flame-Yang Qi appearing in southern marshes is the omen of Fire Stagnation about to erupt.)

There is a response to stagnation followed by repayment; all eruptions are observed at their extreme. (Below summarizes the meaning of Stagnation Eruption above. Whenever there is a precursor, repayment follows. Things change when they reach the extreme, so extreme stagnation erupts.) Wood eruption has no fixed time; Water eruption follows Fire. (Earth, Metal, and Fire eruptions have specific times. Only Wind-Wood is agile and changing; earlier it said "its timing is unpredictable," meaning Wood eruption has no fixed time. Water overcomes Fire; earlier it said "before and after the Two Fires," meaning Water eruption follows Fire.) Carefully observe the timing, and the disease can be predicted; if timing is lost or contradicts the year, the Five Qi will not move normally, and the policies of Generation, Transformation, Storage, and Collection will lack constancy. (Knowing seasonal Qi allows predicting disease Qi. Losing seasonal Qi makes even the movement of Five Qi unknowable, let alone the normal policies of Generation, Transformation, Storage, and Collection.) The Yellow Emperor said: When Water erupts, there is hail and snow; when Earth erupts, there are gusty winds and sudden rain; when Wood erupts, there is destruction and breaking; when Metal erupts, the sky is clear; when Fire erupts, the sky is dim. What Qi causes this? Qibo said: Qi has degrees of abundance and scarcity; eruptions have degrees of mildness and severity. Mild eruptions manifest only their own Qi; severe eruptions include the Qi below them. Examining the subordinate Qi reveals the truth. (This explains the meaning of Cheng-Zhi [Support and Restraint]. Abundance/scarcity refers to excess/deficiency. Mild/severe refers to the degree of stagnation: mild stagnation causes mild eruption, severe stagnation causes severe eruption. Mild manifests its own Qi. Severe includes subordinate Qi. For example, below Water position, Earth Qi supports it; below Earth position, Wood Qi supports it; below Wood position, Fire Qi supports it; below Fire position, Metal Qi supports it; below Metal position, Water Qi supports it. Thus, mild Water eruption is Cold; severe is Hail/Snow, combining with Earth (hail resembles Earth). Mild Earth eruption is Dampness; severe is Gusty Wind/Rain, combining with Wood (Wind governs gusts/rain). Mild Wood eruption is Wind; severe is Destruction/Breaking, combining with Metal (Metal governs killing/cutting). Mild Metal eruption is Dryness; severe is Clarity, combining with Fire (Fire governs brightness). Mild Fire eruption is Heat; severe is Dimness, combining with Water (Water governs dimness). Zheng means evidence. By examining the supporting Qi below, the mildness or severity of the eruption is known.) The Yellow Emperor said: Excellent. Why do the eruptions of the Five Qi sometimes occur out of position? (Out of position means not corresponding to the correct time.) Qibo said: It is called a difference (Cha). (Qi has prosperity and decline, so arrival has early and late delays; hence it is called Cha. Cha means not in its proper position. As stated in *Zhi Zhen Yao Da Lun*: When Victory and Repayment act, movement is out of position, or arrival is delayed. That text discusses Victory/Repayment being out of position; this text discusses Five Qi eruption being out of position. Though seemingly different, the principle is the same.) The Yellow Emperor said: Is there a specific number for this difference? (Referring to days.) Qibo said: The delay never exceeds thirty days plus a fraction. (Delay refers to the period from start to finish. Du means day. Thirty days plus a fraction is one month. The fraction is 43 ke and 7.5 fen. The difference between early and late Qi does not exceed thirty days. Just as in the method of intercalation for Qi surplus and朔虚 (new moon deficit), early arrivals are 15 days plus a fraction early, late arrivals are 15 days plus a fraction late. Whether early or late, it never exceeds one month plus a fraction, which is exactly this meaning. I note: Although the wind, clouds, rain, and thunder in this chapter are governed by the Five Elements, the distinction between Yin/Yang and Clear/Turbid was discussed by sages. Though not the main point here, the principles of investigation cannot be ignored, so I append them. When asked about thunder, wind, clouds, frost, snow, rain, and dew by Zhang Zi, he replied: When Yin Qi condenses and Yang inside cannot exit, it strikes fiercely to become thunder. When Yang outside cannot enter, it rotates endlessly to become wind. When Yang is hindered by Yin, they contend to descend as rain. When Yin is obtained by Yang, it floats up as clouds. When asked about rain, wind, clouds, and thunder by Shao Zi, he answered: Yang obtaining Yin becomes rain; Yin obtaining Yang becomes wind; Gang obtaining Rou becomes cloud; Rou obtaining Gang becomes thunder. Without Yin, no rain; without Yang, no thunder. Rain is soft/Yin, relying on Yang to rise; Thunder is firm/Yang, relying on Yin to erupt. Zhang explained: Wind and rain descend from heaven, so speak of Yin/Yang; Clouds and thunder rise from earth, so speak of Gang/Rou. Heaven's Yang needs Yin for rain; Earth's Yin needs Yang for thunder. Rain is soft form, originating from Heaven's Yang Qi; Thunder is firm sound, emerging from Earth's Yin body. Yin and Yang use each other. When asked about Bagua hexagrams by Cai Jiezai, he answered: Kan Yin obtained by Yang rises as cloud; shallow Yang becomes fog. Kan Yang hindered by Yin descends as rain; shallow Yin becomes dew. Yin outside, Yang cannot exit becomes thunder; Yin solidifies becomes earthquake (Zhen). Yin inside, Yang cannot enter becomes wind; Yin solidifies becomes great wind (Xun). Yang enveloping Yin makes Li become sleet; Yang harmonizing Yin makes Snow (Li intersects Kan). Yin enveloping Yang makes Kan become thunder; Yin entering Yang makes Frost (Kan intersects Li). The essence of Yin and Yang hides in each other's home, making Li the Sun and Kan the Moon. Yin and Yang clashing becomes lightning; Yin and Yang losing position becomes rainbow. These are the sayings of sages. From my view: Wind is the clear Qi within Yang; mild Qi is gentle, severe Qi is fierce; without Yang, no wind. Cloud is the turbid Qi within Yang; clear turbidity is light, heavy turbidity is heavy; without Yin, no cloud. Clear Yin condensing with Yang becomes dew; turbid Yin rising/falling with Yang becomes rain. Yang suppressed by Yin, stimulated, becomes thunder. Thunder is the sound of lightning; lightning is the form of thunder. Thus, before thunder erupts, lightning must precede it. The reason for the sequence is that form is seen quickly, sound is heard slowly. Cases with thunder but no lightning: either Yang Qi not yet strong (sound reached but form not revealed) or Yin Qi too heavy (blocking Fire's light). Cases with lightning but no thunder: either light visible far but sound not heard far, or isolated Yang form appearing without Yin Qi reaching and water stimulation. To understand thunder, verify with water pouring on fire. Fog is Yin Qi, forced up by Yang. Fog often appears in the morning because at night the sun is underground, and at dawn water Qi ascends; thus, before noon, fog must gather and fall again, forced down by Yang. To understand fog, verify with steam in a pot. Rainbow is formed by sunlight passing through rain, so rainbows appear when rain is ending. Sun east, rainbow west; sun west, rainbow east; residual rain must be in between for the shape to appear. No rain, no rainbow; no sun, no rainbow. In autumn/winter, the sun travels the southern land, the ecliptic is far, so rainbows hide. To understand rainbows, verify with the sun's reflection in a water basin. Hail is formed by heavy Yin condensing cold. As Qibo said: High lands always have winter Qi. So mountain peaks have no summer heat, and the cold of the blue sky condenses there. Since caves can store ice, deep mountains and valleys surely accumulate this, consistent with the theory of clouds and dragons. Thus, during Emperor Wen of Han, hail was like plums and peaches; during Emperor Wu, hail was like horse heads, forming and falling together, having...