Zi, Gui, and Jia-Shen Together: Tanlang

Zi, Gui, and Jia-Shen together — Tanlang walks the whole way.

Ren, Mao, Yi, Wei, Kun — the five positions are Jumen.

Qian, Hai, Chen, Xun, Si, connected with Xu as Wuqu named.

You, Xin, Chou, Gen, Bing — the heavenly stars speak of Pojun.

Yin, Wu, Geng, Ding above — Youbi arrives as the fourth star.

Lianzhen returns to the five positions, as all stars move forward or in reverse.

It is said that among these there are six lines, which may have come from Jiang Yao's Notes from My Teacher, a disciple of Jiang Dahong. Yet the sources behind that work are themselves quite suspect, and it cannot be fully trusted.

But is there reason to it? According to the text: starting from Zi, go backward from the home palace; Xun-Qian and Qian-Xun proceed forward; Mao, You, and Wu with Tan-Xun cycle in reverse; Kun and Gen with qi at Wu proceed forward. Ren, Geng, and Bing start from Xu and go forward; Chou and Wei above Geng cycle in reverse; Chen-Xu and Xu-Chen both go in reverse; Jia starts from Wei palace and follows the forward order. Yi, Xin, and Ding start from Si and reverse; Hai-Si and Si-Hai proceed forward; Shen (yang) and Gui (yin) start from the home palace; Yin starts from Yi with great forward movement.

Thus one may also begin the Tanlang star this way. For the heavenly origin still follows the numbers of the He Tu — taking one, six, seven, two, nine, four, three, eight — and arranging them as Tan, Ju, Lu, Wen, Wu, Po, Fu; this is the proper qi of Heaven. The earthly origin belongs to Chen, Xu, Chou, Wei; the human origin belongs to Yin, Shen, Si, Hai. This reasoning seems quite sound.

Although this is now considered common knowledge, many records in books contain errors, since mountain and water do not cycle by the same rules. Moreover, people say this is not a rigid method — only when matched with yuan and period does it become accurate.

In the marketplace one often finds many versions of transmitted copies that differ from one another, yet all claim to speak of the same thing.

Zi, Gui, Jia, Shen begin at the home palace; at Qian, Wu, You, Mao, Xun seek the path;
Yi, Xin, Ding, Hai turn from Si; Geng, Ren, Bing, Chen advance from Xu;
Yin advances to Yi, Si advances to Hai; from Xun start at Qian palace, from Xu start at Chen;
Kun and Gen two palaces have Tanlang at Wu; Chou and Wei Tanlang cycle above Geng.
Yin and yang, two spirits, divide forward and reverse — the city-gate secret, examine it carefully.

Zi, Gui, Jia, Shen begin at the home palace; Yi, Xin, Ding meet at Si;
Mao, Wu, You palaces correspond at Xun;
Bing, Ren, Geng communicate at Xu; Chou and Wei meet Geng, Kun and Gen at Wu;
only Yin mountain is in Yi.
Qian, Xun, Chen, Xu, and Si, Hai — know that the opposite side is the true track.

Tanlang at Zi, Gui, and Jia-Shen; Ren, Mao, Wei, Kun, Yi as Jumen;
in palaces four and six all are Wuqu;
You, Xin, Chou, Gen, Bing as Pojun; Yin, Wu, Geng, Ding, four positions,
the Youbi star arrives in order.

Zi, Gui, and Jia-Shen together — Tanlang walks the whole way; Ren, Yi, Mao, Wei, Kun — five positions Jumen arrives.
Qian and Xun two palaces are all Wuqu named; You, Xin, Chou, Gen, Bing — heavenly stars speak of Pojun.
Yin, Wu, Geng, Ding above — the purple Bi star arrives; yin and yang, forward and reverse, all positions must be distinguished in detail.

The substitute stars use only thirteen stars, yet Tanlang is matched with Jia and Shen. The substitute Jumen is at Ren, Mao, Yi; substitute Pojun at Chou, Gen, Bing mountains.
All three mountains of the Xun trigram are Wuqu; Geng and Yin receive Youbi, the two stars. Yang forward, yin reverse, skipping one position — this is the empty position, avoid the flowing spirit.