圣人立法以推步，盖不能逃其数。观其立数之因，亦皆出于自然。一曰水，二曰火，三曰木，
四曰金，五曰土者，以水北方子位，子者阳生之初，一阳数也，故水曰一。火南方午位，午者阴
生之初，二阴数也，故火曰二。木居东方，东阳也，三者奇之数，亦阳也，故木曰三。金居西方，
西阴也，四者偶之数，亦阴也，故金曰四。土应西南长夏，五者奇之数，亦阳也，故土曰五。由
是论之，则数以阴阳而配者也。
然水生于一，天地未分，万物未成之初，莫不先见于水。以今验之，则草木子实未就，人虫
胎卵胚胎皆水也，岂不以水为一？及其水之聚而形质莫不备，阴阳之气在中而后成。故物之小而
味苦者，火之兆也；物熟则甘，土之味也。甘极则反淡。淡，本也。然人禀父母阴阳生成之化，
故先生二肾。左肾属水，右肾属火，则因
水而后见，故火次二。盖草木子实大小虽异，其中皆有两以相合者，与人肾同，亦阴阳之兆。是
以万物非阴阳合体，则不能生化也。既阴阳合体，然后有春生而秋成，故木次三，金次四。盖水
有所属，火有所藏，木有所发，金有所别，莫不皆因土而后成。故金木水火土之成数，皆兼土数
五也。水六，火七，木八，金九，土常以五之生数，不可至十者，土不待十以成。是生成之数皆
以合之，则万物岂能逃其数哉？三阴三阳正化者，从本生数；对化者，从标成数。五运之纪，则
太过者其数成，不及者其数生。各取其数之生成多少，以占政令气化胜复之交作，盖明诸用也。
圣人制定法则以推演天道运行，这其中的规律无法脱离“数”的范畴。观察他们确立“数”的原因，也都源于自然规律。所谓一为水、二为火、三为木、四为金、五为土，是因为水位于北方的子位，子是阳气初生之时，属于一的阳数，所以水对应数字一。火位于南方的午位，午是阴气初生之时，属于二的阴数，所以火对应数字二。木位于东方，东方属阳，三是奇数，也属阳，所以木对应数字三。金位于西方，西方属阴，四是偶数，也属阴，所以金对应数字四。土对应西南方的长夏时节，五是奇数，也属阳，所以土对应数字五。由此推论，这些数是按照阴阳属性来配对的。
然而，水生于“一”，在天地尚未分离、万物尚未形成的初始阶段，没有不先显现于水的。用现在的事物来验证，草木的种子果实尚未成熟时，人和虫类的胚胎卵胎本质上都是水，难道不是以水为一吗？等到水聚集而形成形体质地完备，阴阳之气存在于其中，然后才形成万物。所以物体小而味道苦的，是火的征兆；物体成熟后味道甘甜，这是土的味道。甜味极尽则转为淡味。淡，是本源的味道。然而人禀受父母阴阳生成变化的精华，所以先生出两个肾。左肾属水，右肾属火，这是因为因水而后显现，所以火排在第二位。大概草木种子果实大小虽然不同，但其中都有两半相合的结构，与人体的肾脏相同，这也是阴阳的征兆。因此万物如果不是阴阳结合，就不能生化。既然阴阳结合，然后才有春天的生长和秋天的收成，所以木排在第三位，金排在第四位。大概水有所归属，火有所潜藏，木有所萌发，金有所分别，无不都是依靠土而后成就的。所以金、木、水、火、土的成数（完成阶段的数），都兼有土的生数五。水的成数是六，火的成数是七，木的成数是八，金的成数是九，土始终以五这个生数为主，不能达到十，是因为土不需要等到十就能成就。这样生成之数都结合起来看，万物怎么能逃脱数的规律呢？三阴三阳的正化（正常气化），遵循本气的生数；对化（相对气化），遵循标气的成数。在五运（五行之气的运行）的纪年中，太过（旺盛）的时候取成数，不及（衰弱）的时候取生数。各自选取其生成之数的大小多少，来占测政令与气化胜复交替发作的情况，这是阐明各种应用原理。
The sages established laws to deduce the movements of heaven and earth, for these cannot escape the realm of numbers. Observing the reasons for establishing these numbers, they all originate from nature. One is Water, Two is Fire, Three is Wood, Four is Metal, Five is Earth. This is because Water is located in the North at the position of Zi (Rat), and Zi represents the beginning of Yang generation, which is the number One of Yang; thus, Water corresponds to One. Fire is located in the South at the position of Wu (Horse), and Wu represents the beginning of Yin generation, which is the number Two of Yin; thus, Fire corresponds to Two. Wood resides in the East, which is Yang; Three is an odd number and also belongs to Yang; thus, Wood corresponds to Three. Metal resides in the West, which is Yin; Four is an even number and also belongs to Yin; thus, Metal corresponds to Four. Earth corresponds to the late summer in the Southwest; Five is an odd number and also belongs to Yang; thus, Earth corresponds to Five. From this reasoning, it follows that numbers are paired according to Yin and Yang.
However, Water generates from One. In the initial stage before Heaven and Earth were separated and all things were not yet formed, nothing did not first appear in Water. Verifying this with present phenomena, when plant seeds and fruits are not yet mature, and embryos or eggs of humans and insects are essentially Water; does this not mean Water is One? When Water gathers and forms complete physical structures, and Qi of Yin and Yang exists within, then things are formed. Therefore, objects that are small and bitter in taste are omens of Fire; when objects ripen, they become sweet, which is the taste of Earth. When sweetness reaches its extreme, it turns bland. Blandness is the fundamental taste. However, humans inherit the generative transformation of their parents' Yin and Yang, so two kidneys are formed first. The left kidney belongs to Water, and the right kidney belongs to Fire. Because it appears due to Water, Fire ranks second. Although plant seeds and fruits vary in size, each contains two halves combining together, similar to human kidneys, which is also an omen of Yin and Yang. Therefore, if all things do not combine Yin and Yang, they cannot generate and transform. Once Yin and Yang combine, there is spring growth and autumn harvest; thus, Wood ranks third, and Metal ranks fourth. Water has its belonging, Fire has its storage, Wood has its sprouting, Metal has its distinguishing; none are completed without relying on Earth. Therefore, the completion numbers (Cheng Shu) of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth all include the generating number (Sheng Shu) Five of Earth. The completion number of Water is Six, Fire is Seven, Wood is Eight, Metal is Nine. Earth always uses the generating number Five and does not reach Ten, because Earth achieves completion without waiting for Ten. Considering that generating and completion numbers combine, how can all things escape the law of numbers? For the direct transformation (Zheng Hua) of the Three Yin and Three Yang meridians, one follows the generating number of the root; for the counter transformation (Dui Hua), one follows the completion number of the branch. In the cycle of the Five Movements (Wu Yun), when Qi is excessive (Tai Guo), the completion number is taken; when deficient (Bu Ji), the generating number is taken. By taking the magnitude of these generating and completion numbers, one can predict the alternating interactions of governmental directives and Qi transformations, thereby clarifying their applications.