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(From *Suwen: Liuyuan Zhengji Dalun*)

The Yellow Emperor asked: The Master has explained this in great detail, but how can we clearly verify its corresponding manifestations? (This follows the previous chapter to seek clear evidence of the correspondence of Qi.)

Qibo replied: What an insightful question! The Six Qi (Wind, Heat, Fire, Dampness, Dryness, Cold) move with order and stop at specific positions. Therefore, one usually observes them on the first day of the first lunar month at dawn; by seeing their position, one knows where they are located. (Order refers to sequence; position refers to direction. Both the Host Qi and Guest Qi have their respective sequences and directions. Thus, to understand their correspondence, one should observe on the first day of the first lunar month at dawn to examine the positions of Yin-Yang, darkness/brightness, cold/warmth, and wind, thereby knowing the annual climate patterns. Since this is the beginning of the year's time, it can be used to predict the omens for the whole year.)

When the movement is excessive, its arrival is early; when the movement is deficient, its arrival is late. (Early arrival means the Qi arrives before the solar term; late arrival means the Qi arrives after the solar term.) This is the way of Heaven, the constant nature of Qi. (Excessive Qi arrives early, deficient Qi arrives late; this is the normal pattern of Heavenly Qi.)

When the movement is neither excessive nor deficient, it is called a "Correct Year" (Zheng Sui), and its arrival coincides with the proper season. (A Correct Year refers to a harmonious year where the season arrives and the Qi also arrives.)

The Yellow Emperor asked: The Qi of Overcoming (Sheng) and Repaying (Fu) exists constantly, but when disasters occur, how should they be observed? (Meaning that while Sheng and Fu Qi are common, how does one know when disasters arrive?)

Qibo replied: That which is not "Proper Transformation" (Zheng Hua) is called a disaster. (When it occupies its correct position, it is Proper Transformation; when it does not, it is Evil Transformation, and evil constitutes disaster.)

The Yellow Emperor asked: What causes the Qi to arrive early or late? (Same as in *Liuyuan Zhengji Dalun*. Previously mentioned early, now mentioning late.)

Qibo replied: When the movement is excessive, the Qi arrives early; when the movement is deficient, the Qi arrives late. This is the constant pattern of observation. (This is the meaning of Xiantian [prior to time] and Houtian [after time] mentioned earlier.)

The Yellow Emperor asked: What does it mean to arrive at the appropriate time?

Qibo replied: Neither excessive nor deficient results in arrival at the appointed time; otherwise, it is a disaster. (Arriving at the appointed time means arriving when expected, which is a Correct Year. If it should be early but is late, or should be late but is early, both are considered disasters. In *Liuzhi Dalun*, the Yellow Emperor asked: What if the Qi arrives but does not manifest, or manifests before arriving? Qibo answered: Correspondence implies smoothness; non-correspondence implies reversal. Reversal generates changes, and changes generate disease. The Yellow Emperor asked: Please explain the correspondence. Qibo answered: There is correspondence in the generation of things, and there is correspondence in Qi and pulses; see detailed explanation in Category 6 of this section.)

The Yellow Emperor said: Good. What about Qi transforming out of season?

Qibo replied: Excessive Qi manifests during its proper season, while deficient Qi reverts to the Qi that overcomes it. (Transformation out of season means the Qi does not correspond to the time. Excessive Qi is vigorous, so it manifests during its proper season. Deficient Qi is weak, so it reverts to the Qi that overcomes it. "Qi that overcomes it" refers to the Qi overcoming oneself, such as autumn-like dryness in spring, winter-like cold in summer, summer-like heat in autumn, or rain in winter.)

The Yellow Emperor asked: The Qi of the Four Seasons arrives early or late, high or low, left or right. How should these be observed?

Qibo replied: Movement has reversals and smoothness; arrival has speed and slowness. Therefore, excessive Qi transforms prior to the season (Xiantian), and deficient Qi transforms after the season (Houtian). (Excessive Qi is fast, deficient Qi is slow.)

The Yellow Emperor asked: I wish to hear what you mean by "movement." (The previous discussion of Xiantian and Houtian only referred to the time of arrival, not the direction of movement, hence this question.)

Qibo replied: Spring Qi moves westward. (Spring belongs to Wood and prospers in the East; residing in the East, its movement must be westward. Thus, winds in the three months of spring come from the east. Any east wind in any season derives from Spring Qi.) Summer Qi moves northward. (Summer belongs to Fire and prospers in the South; residing in the South, its movement must be northward. Thus, winds in the three months of summer come from the south. Any south wind in any season derives from Summer Qi.) Autumn Qi moves eastward. (Autumn belongs to Metal and prospers in the West; residing in the West, its movement must be eastward. Thus, winds in the three months of autumn come from the west. Any west wind in any season derives from Autumn Qi.) Winter Qi moves southward. (Winter belongs to Water and prospers in the North; residing in the North, its movement must be southward. Thus, winds in the three months of winter come from the north. Any north wind in any season derives from Winter Qi.)

Therefore, Spring Qi begins from below. (Spring Qi arises and ascends from below, so it begins from below.) Autumn Qi begins from above. (Autumn Qi converges and descends from above, so it begins from above.) Summer Qi begins from the center. (Summer Qi matures and flourishes in the intersection of Qi, so it begins from the center.) Winter Qi begins from the Biao (superficial/exterior). (Biao refers to the exterior manifestation of abundant growth. Winter Qi hides and stores, transitioning from abundance to decline, so it begins from the Biao. "Shuai" [decline/killing] is pronounced as "shao jie".)

Spring Qi begins from the left. (Wood Qi moves from east to west.) Autumn Qi begins from the right. (Metal Qi moves from west to east.) Winter Qi begins from the rear. (Water Qi moves from north to south.) Summer Qi begins from the front. (Fire Qi moves from south to north.) These are the constants of the proper transformation of the Four Seasons. (If Qi is not properly transformed, it becomes Empty Evil and Robber Wind. The *Jiugong Bafeng Pian* states: Wind coming from the direction where it resides is Real Wind, governing the growth and nourishment of all things; wind coming from the opposite direction is Empty Wind, which harms humans. This refers to what was stated above.)

Therefore, at the highest places, Winter Qi is always present. (At the peaks of high mountains, there is ice and snow even in summer; this is Winter Qi being constantly present.) At the lowest places, Spring Qi is always present. (In low-lying areas, grass grows even in winter; this is Spring Qi being constantly present. The *Wuchang Zheng Dalun* states: High places are cold, low places are hot. This is what is meant. One must carefully observe this. The Yellow Emperor said: Good.)