Library

(Suwen: Treatise on the Great Changes of Qi Interchange)
The Yellow Emperor asked, "You have spoken of the seasonal conditions, where deficiency and excess both correspond to the Five Planets. Now, regarding the transformations of virtue and governance, disasters and calamities, which are not ordinary occurrences but arise suddenly, if such abrupt changes occur, will the stars also respond?" (This continues from the previous chapter to detail the correspondence of the Five Planets. It means that for any transformations of virtue, governance, disasters, or calamities, if there is an abrupt change, whether the stellar phenomena will respond to it.) Qibo replied, "The planets follow the Heavenly Dao in their movement, so they do not move arbitrarily, and there is no response that does not occur. However, sudden movements are due to the interactive changes of Qi, and the stars may not necessarily respond to them. Therefore, it is said that 'they respond to the constant but not to the sudden,' which is what this refers to." (Following the Heavenly Dao means that the seasonal conditions inherit the Heavenly Movement, so Qi does not move arbitrarily, and the appearance of the Five Planets responds to every movement. But those sudden changes are unrelated to the Heavenly Movement and vary with circumstances, so the Five Planets may not necessarily respond. This is because they respond to the constant but not the sudden. 'Constant' refers to the normal state of flourishing and declining, which has its origins, so there is invariably a response. 'Sudden' refers to a temporary convergence; without major changes, there may be no response.) The Yellow Emperor asked, "How does the response manifest?" Qibo said, "Each follows its own Qi transformation." (Following its own Qi transformation means that Suisui (Jupiter) corresponds to Wind, Huoxing (Mars) corresponds to Fire, Tuxing (Saturn) corresponds to Dampness, Baitai (Venus) corresponds to Dryness, and Chenxing (Mercury) corresponds to Cold.) The Yellow Emperor asked, "What are the speeds and directions (retrograde/progressive) of their movements?" Qibo said, "If a planet lingers for a long time on its orbit, moves retrograde while holding its degree, and appears dim, this is called 'Shengxia' (Inspecting the Lower Realm)." (Dao refers to the path traveled by the Five Planets. Liujiu means lingering for an extended period. Nishou means moving retrograde without advancing and holding its celestial degree. Xiao means lacking rays and having obscured light. Shengxia means observing whether the ruler and people in the corresponding earthly division possess virtue or faults.) If a planet leaves its position, returns quickly after leaving, and passes through its orbit in a curved manner, this is called 'Shengyiguo' (Inspecting Omitted Faults). (This means returning quickly after leaving and passing through its degree with hesitation. Shengyiguo means inspecting what was未尽 (left unfinished) and then examining the omitted faults.) If it lingers for a long time and circles around, sometimes separating and sometimes attaching, this is called 'Yizai Yu De' (Discussing Disaster and Virtue). (Huan means circling and revolving. Huoli Huofu means wanting to leave but staying. Yizai Yu De implies deliberating whether to bring disaster or bestow virtue.) When the response is near, the star appears small; when the response is far, the star appears large. (Ying refers to the response of disaster or virtue. If the responded matter is minor and near, the star appears small. If the responded matter is severe and far, the star appears large.) If the rays are large and exceed the normal size by one fold, the Qi transformation is intense; if it exceeds by two folds, the disaster will arrive immediately. (Mang refers to rays. Shen refers to the intensity of Qi transformation. Ji means the disaster arrives immediately.) If it is smaller than normal by one fold, the Qi transformation is diminished; if it is smaller by two folds, this is called 'Linshi' (Overseeing), inspecting faults and virtues. Those with virtue receive blessings, and those with faults receive punishment. (Jian refers to the decline of Qi transformation. If it is less than half the normal size, it is not intense, but disaster will still inevitably occur. Linshi means observing. Inspecting the earthly divisions under the star's influence, bestowing fortune on the virtuous and punishing the faulty.) Therefore, when stellar phenomena appear, high and distant ones look small, while low and near ones look large. Thus, a large appearance means the response of joy or anger is near, and a small appearance means the response of disaster or fortune is far. (Generally, high and distant phenomena appear small. Low and near phenomena appear large. Large means near, and the response of joy/anger is near. Small means far, and the response of disaster/fortune is far. Observing the variations of slowness, lingering, hiding, and retrogression in the Five Planets allows one to know their height and distance. Note: The text above says 'Response near is small, response far is large.' Here it says 'Large means joy/anger is near, small means disaster/fortune is far.' This seems contradictory. However, in the former, 'near' refers to minor matters and 'far' to severe matters; thus, responding to minor/near results in a small image, and responding to severe/far results in a large image. In the latter, 'near' refers to urgency and 'far' to slowness; thus, a large image means urgent responses, and a small image means slow responses. The former discusses form/image, while the latter distinguishes by distance; although the wording differs, the principle is the same.) When the annual Yun (Qi movement) is excessive, the ruling star deviates northward. (Yunxing is the star governing the year. Beiyue means deviating from its proper orbit towards the north. The north is the residence of Ziwei Taiyi. The ruling star not keeping its degree and moving northward shows its arrogant and unrestrained Qi.) When Yun and Qi are harmonious, each follows its own path. (Without strong/weak or winning/losing Qi, each maintains its proper path.) Therefore, when the annual Yun is excessive, the Feixing (Feared Star) loses its color and assumes the color of its mother star. (Weixing is the star controlled by the dominant element. For example, if Wood Yun is excessive, Saturn is the Weixing. Losing color and assuming the mother's color: Wood loses color and assumes Black (Water/Mother); Fire loses color and assumes Cyan (Wood/Mother); Earth loses color and assumes Red (Fire/Mother); Metal loses color and assumes Yellow (Earth/Mother); Water loses color and assumes White (Metal/Mother). The reason is that if Wood Qi is excessive, Earth Star loses color and assumes Red. Red is the child of Wood and the mother of Earth. Since child and mother Qi must correspond, both colors appear, demonstrating the wonderful cycle of mutual generation.) If deficient, the color assumes that of the star it cannot overcome. (Wood deficiency assumes White; Fire deficiency assumes Black; Earth deficiency assumes Cyan; Metal deficiency assumes Red; Water deficiency assumes Yellow. This is assuming the color of the controlling element.) Those who take this as a model look around uncertainly, knowing not its mystery. Deeply worried, who among them is truly capable? (Xiao means taking as a model. Qulu means looking back hesitantly. Minmin means deep worry. The Heavenly Dao is hard to fathom, and discussing it is not easy. Although those wishing to take models look around uncertainly, none know its mystery. Thus, among those with deep worries, who is truly competent? This emphasizes the difficulty of finding such people. Linglan Midian Lun states: 'Xiao zhe qulu, shu zhi yao?' The meaning differs slightly here; see Zangxiang Category 1 for details.) Acting recklessly without evidence, showing fear to feudal lords. (Since those who understand the Heavenly Dao are rare, there are often reckless individuals who use unverified theories to show fear to feudal lords. Their words prove unfounded, confusing people's hearts of reverence and moral cultivation. Such people not only fail to help but become criminals who cause mistakes.)
The Yellow Emperor asked, "What are the disaster responses?" Qibo said, "They also follow their respective Qi transformations. Thus, seasons have flourishing and declining phases, encroachments have retrogressive and progressive natures, stays have long and short durations, appearances have good and bad forms, constellations have winning and losing attributes, and omens have auspicious and inauspicious signs." (Shizhi refers to the changing of years. The movement of the Five Planets is flourishing when timely and declining when untimely. Moving eastward and encroaching slowly (slower than Heaven) is progressive (Shun), resulting in light disaster. Moving westward and encroaching quickly (faster than Heaven) is retrogressive (Ni), resulting in heavy disaster. Long stays mean deep disaster; short stays mean shallow disaster. Good forms have moist/joyful colors; bad forms have dry/angry/sorrowful colors. Suoshu refers to the Twenty-Eight Mansions and Twelve Earthly Branches, each associated with different Five Elements. Wherever the Five Planets appear, Excess meets Prosperity and Deficiency meets Decline, making disaster worse. If Excess is controlled or Deficiency is assisted, disaster is light. This is Winning/Losing. When Five Planets act as Virtue/Transformation, it is Auspicious; as Disaster/Variation, it is Inauspicious; these are all Omens. Wang Shi said: Mars encroaching, staying, retrogressing, and approaching brings worries of false accusations and lawsuits; Metal brings worries of execution and stifled Qi; Wood brings worries of shock and wind; Earth brings worries of abdominal fullness, diarrhea, and swelling; Water brings worries of cold Qi rushing upward. Hence, omens have auspicious and inauspicious outcomes.) The Yellow Emperor asked, "What constitutes good and bad?" Qibo said, "There is joy and anger, sorrow and loss, moisture and dryness. These are the normal states of stellar phenomena and must be carefully observed." (Wang Shi said: Observing the Five Planets at night. Joy is felt when people see them favorably; fear is felt when they appear intimidating. Faint, flickering light indicates the star's sorrow. Distinct, dull light unlike others indicates the star's loss. Round, bright, balanced, and serene light indicates the star's joy. Overpowering, overflowing rays indicate the star's anger. Ze means moist/bright; Zao means dry/withered. Ban Gu said: The essence of the Five Elements forms Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water on earth. In heaven, Jupiter aligns with Wood in the East, Mars with Fire in the South, Venus with Metal in the West, Mercury with Water in the North, and Saturn with Earth in the Center. They flourish in the four seasons: Wood in Spring, Fire in Summer, Metal in Autumn, Water in Winter, each flourishing for 72 days. Earth flourishes in the last 18 days of each season (Chen, Xu, Chou, Wei months), totaling 360 days. Their colors are: Wood Green/Cyan, Fire Red, Metal White, Water Black, Earth Yellow. Each has specific celestial divisions. Colors vary by status (Prosperous, Ministerial, Retired, Dead): Prosperous shines brightly; Ministerial is solid inside; Retired has no rays and doesn't shake; Dead has little light/color. White circle indicates mourning; Red circle indicates war; Green circle indicates summer floods; Black circle indicates disease/death; Yellow circle indicates auspiciousness. White horn indicates weeping; Red horn indicates enemy attack; Black horn indicates water/military exhaustion. Sima Qian said: When all five planets share the same color, weapons are laid down, people are peaceful, grains abound, winds/rains are regular, winters/c Summers are normal, solar eclipses don't happen at new moon, lunar eclipses don't happen at full moon. This is a righteous state, indicating a sage ruler. Ying can be pronounced as Rong or Yong.) The Yellow Emperor asked, "Do the six factors differ in height?" Qibo said, "Whether the phenomenon appears high or low, the response is the same; thus, humans also respond to it." (Where there is this phenomenon, there is this response. Though height varies, the Qi response is one.)