木主化毛犬麻李，火主羽马麦杏饶，土主化 牛稷枣，金主化介鸡稻桃，水主化鳞
彘豆栗，得气皆育失萧条，太过齐化我克我，不及兼化克皆苞。
【注】虫者，毛、羽、 、介、鳞也。麟为毛虫之长，而诸毛皆横生，故属木也。凤
为羽虫之长，而诸羽皆翔升，故属火也。人为 虫之长，而诸 物皆具四肢，故属土也。
龟为介虫之长，而诸介皆甲坚固，故属金也。龙为鳞虫之长，而诸鳞皆生于水，故属水也。
次则其畜犬，其谷麻，其果李，皆木化也。其畜马，其谷麦，其果杏，皆火化也。其畜牛，
其谷稷，其果枣，皆土化也。其畜鸡，其谷稻，其果桃，皆金化也，其畜彘，其谷豆，其
果粟，皆水化也。凡此五化之物，得其气之和，则皆蕃育，失其气之和，则皆萧条而不
育也。太过齐化，谓我所化之物，与克我者所化之物皆育也。假如木太过，毛虫、犬畜、
麻谷、李果，木化之类育，而介虫、鸡畜、稻谷、桃果、金化之类亦育。盖太过则气盛，所
不胜者，来齐其化也，其余太过之化仿此。不及兼化，谓克我者、我克之者皆茂育也。假
如木不及克我之金，其虫介，其畜鸡、其谷稻、其果桃，皆化育也。盖不及则气衰，克
我者我畏之，我克者不畏我，来兼其化也。其余不及之化仿此。苞者，茂也。
Wood governs the transformation of hair, dogs, hemp, and plums; Fire governs the transformation of feathers, horses, wheat, and apricots, with abundant fruits; Earth governs the transformation of naked creatures (humans), cattle, millet, and dates; Metal governs the transformation of shelled creatures, chickens, rice, and peaches; Water governs the transformation of scaled creatures, pigs, beans, and chestnuts. If they obtain the harmony of Qi, all things will flourish and multiply; if they lose the harmony of Qi, all things will appear withered and fail to multiply. In years of Excess (Tai Guo), "Qi Hua" manifests as both "what I overcome" and "what I transform" are nourished; in years of Deficiency (Bu Ji), "Jian Hua" manifests as both "that which overcomes me" and "that which I overcome" flourish and multiply.
[Note] The term "creatures" refers to hairy, feathered, naked, shelled, and scaled creatures. The Qilin is the chief of hairy creatures, and all hairy animals lie horizontally (on their sides), thus belonging to Wood. The Phoenix is the chief of feathered creatures, and all feathered animals fly upward, thus belonging to Fire. Humans are the chief of naked creatures, and all naked beings possess four limbs, thus belonging to Earth. The turtle is the chief of shelled creatures, and all shelled animals have hard shells, thus belonging to Metal. The dragon is the chief of scaled creatures, and all scaled animals live in water, thus belonging to Water. Secondly, their domestic animals are dogs, their grains are hemp, and their fruits are plums; these are all transformations of Wood. Their domestic animals are horses, their grains are wheat, and their fruits are apricots; these are all transformations of Fire. Their domestic animals are cattle, their grains are millet, and their fruits are dates; these are all transformations of Earth. Their domestic animals are chickens, their grains are rice, and their fruits are peaches; these are all transformations of Metal. Their domestic animals are pigs, their grains are beans, and their fruits are sorghum/millet (Su); these are all transformations of Water. Generally speaking, among these five categories of transformed things, if they obtain the harmony of Qi, they will prosper and be nourished; if they lose the harmony of Qi, they will wither and fail to be nourished. "Excess Qi Hua" means that "what I transform" and "that which overcomes me" are both nourished. For example, if Wood is in excess, hairy creatures, dog livestock, hemp grains, and plum fruits, which belong to Wood transformations, are nourished, while shelled creatures, chicken livestock, rice grains, and peach fruits, which belong to Metal transformations, are also nourished. This is because when there is excess, Qi is vigorous, and the element that does not overcome it (i.e., the one that overcomes it) comes to coordinate its transformation. The rest of the excess transformations follow this pattern. "Deficiency Jian Hua" means that "that which overcomes me" and "that which I overcome" both flourish and multiply. For example, if Wood is deficient, the Metal that overcomes it—its creatures are shelled, its livestock are chickens, its grains are rice, and its fruits are peaches—all undergo transformation and nourishment. This is because when there is deficiency, Qi is weak; I fear that which overcomes me, and that which I overcome does not fear me, so they come to jointly manage its transformation. The rest of the deficiency transformations follow this pattern. "Bao" means lush or flourishing.