Glimpses of Dwelling Methods

By Zhu Yao, courtesy name Xulun, of Xishan (Qing dynasty)

Preface

The learning of geomancy is of long standing. The Odes tell of Gong Liu's move to Bin, again observing its flowing springs and measuring its wet lowlands; the Documents tell of the Duke of Zhou planning Luo, first divining east of the Jian and west of the Chan. From this one knows that sage kings and worthies of the three dynasties, when founding capitals and establishing cities, always discerned the configuration of mountains and waters, examined the meetings of yin and yang, and sought where Heaven and Earth's form and qi melt and condense, to serve as a firm foundation lasting thousands of years. Since Qin and Han there have been specialized books. The Green Satchel, Red Thunder, and other scriptures discuss yin and yang dwellings together; hence Lords Guan, Guo, and the rest could all deeply penetrate their meaning. At the end of Tang, Master Yang Junsong obtained the inner treasury's secret writings, fully explored their depths, and wrote the Heavenly Jade and other scriptures, revealing the two great clear and pure qi: stored according to form where form is; the two qi truly circulate through it. Seekers of fortune must approach prosperity and avoid decline. Master Zeng Wenbian received the transmission in person. By Song, Shao, Cheng, Zhou, and Zhu all knew it. Over long years the true transmission scattered; people thus misapprehended and invented wildly, with different theories—not only were mountain-plain methods for yin sites almost entirely lost, but even yang dwellings' directions and qi fortune became wholly unclear.

Later, Master Jiang Pingjie of Huating obtained the true gist of Yang and Zeng, combined it with Master Shao's cycles of origin, meeting, fortune, and age, and thus used the three periods and nine qi to open the depths of Heavenly Jade and Green Satchel, distinguishing that Xuan Kong five phases are the five phases of the great yin-yang trigrams, not the blind guessing of the vulgar. He composed Corrected Geomancy, Five Songs of the Celestial Origin, and Record of Returning to Thickness, instructing later students; used to judge fortune and misfortune, responses were as drum to mallet—everyone admired and studied them. In leisure from official duties I attended to earth learning, seeking everywhere Master Jiang's printed books, reading deeply and thinking, often gaining insights. But his books are refined and his meaning secret—I could not fully penetrate them at once. Mr. Zhu Xulun, Mingjing of Wuxi, in youth planning his ancestors' graves, engaged a teacher to choose land and in spare time read kan-yu books. Beyond yin sites he also studied yang dwellings, following Master Jiang's three-period method, thoroughly playing with Master Shao and the Change's primordial and later-heaven trigram charts to窥 the depths of River and Writing. Thus form and principle were divided yet united. In later years carrying his inkstone wherever he went, surveying and repairing, all were verified with success. Pity that I was tied to Daliang and could only hear his name without receiving his teaching. This summer coming from Chu to Bian, through my old friend Sun Juru I met him; after long talks our exchanges grew daily denser, hearts and affections joining. I earnestly asked him to explain all he had of Master Jiang's three-period theory. The master said this was only the outline of Master Jiang's method, not the true formula of practical use; then he detailed the subtleties, secret marvels, and inverted operations from root to branch without withholding a surplus. The next day he took out two volumes of Glimpses of Dwelling Methods and gave them to me, saying: these are the definitive texts I have compiled over years, coarse and fine complete. Looking at the several passages on period fortune, facing, and function—Master Jiang's three-period secrets are all here. At first receiving and reading, I still did not窥 the marvels; after several passes and detailed questioning, what had been dim became clear as lines on the palm. I then proposed printing it to share with kindred spirits. The master first feared leaking true secrets, then remembering awakening and aiding the world, readily agreed. Yin sites are where the dead return; yang dwellings where the living abide—comparing them, yang seems even more weighty. This book is simple yet clear, refined yet apt—a true standard for examining dwellings and the root of approaching fortune and avoiding harm. Thus I have recorded the full account. Written by Cheng Tingjing of Jixi, courtesy name Rongping, in the library office of Daliang, first winter of dingyou (1837) Daoguang.

Self-Preface

Methods of examining dwellings have long lost truth—root and branch inverted, weight and light unclear. Printed and spread in shops, so much confusion—self-deceiving and deceiving others, harm not small. Since youth I loved reading kan-yu books; after wide reading I nearly drowned without knowing shore. In guihai (1803) Jiaqing I obtained Jiang Dahun of Duling's Corrected Geomancy, Five Songs of the Celestial Origin, and Record of Returning to Thickness, and knew that since Yang and Zeng the true transmission was all there—only making clear Heaven-Earth yin-yang principle, lodged in qi, appearing in form; in it stillness and movement, coming and going, fortune and misfortune, rise and decline never err a hair. Hence yang dwellings and yin sites share equal weight; yang foundations also take dragon vein and sand-water as yin foundations do, only that the pattern should be broader and grander to have formation. Its essentials are five: ground, gate, thoroughfare, ridge, and empty corner—all details of where wind qi, opposing qi, and joining qi meet. In operation, three periods and nine stars are primary; methods of wandering years and hexagram rules are all expelled. My private conviction lasted years. Wherever I set up a teaching tent and friends built, I silently applied Master Jiang's method—all verified. Thus my conviction grew firmer and those who engaged me increased. In youwu (1825), the fifth year of Daoguang, entering the capital in summer, Chief Censor Han Guiling was overseeing auspicious ground works at Baohua Valley. I visited his residence, surveyed fortune, and was promised autumn recall to the capital with restored ministry office, even another promotion within the year. Come August it was so.

By imperial order returning to the capital, entering the autumn ministry, in December promoted again to Chief Censor—all who heard were amazed. Next year the Ministry of Rites examination: those in the capital who could be co-examiners invited me to view their residences—words often verified. That summer returning south with Imperial Censor Yang Bochui, Han also ill in the feet requested return home. In dinghai (1827) spring he repeatedly wrote inviting me to Suzhou to examine a new residence; work unfinished by autumn, Wang Juchuan wrote urgently from western Guangxi—I went to Xuanhua county office for over two years. Temples, schools, examination halls, and circuit offices all were repaired. In gengyin (1830) autumn accompanying Juchuan to the provincial capital, Left River Intendant Cheng Futang was transferred in and took the salt intendency; with Guilin prefect Mugengshan both had lost wives and asked me to choose auspicious days for temporary storage—thus all authorities knew me. Winter tenth month twenty-seventh, the provincial treasury caught fire; then Governor Zhou Zhihui invited me to plan rebuilding—inauspicious for north-south that year, so waiting for twelfth month to choose days and start together. When the main hall raised its ridge, Governor Su Yungeng was transferred to southern Chu.

By decree Zhihui was to manage the provincial affairs—everyone knew the chosen date must be auspicious. Earlier in eleventh month Su Yungeng, long in office without promotion, invited me to examine the yamen—inside and out, repairing only the peak-top rooms. Delighted, in xinmao (1831) summer I wished to return home; Zhihui strongly stopped me, engaged me to teach his two grandsons, and in leisure walks asked about front and back feng shui. Successive governors had long gone without promotion; he said there were inauspicious places to change. I added to the front reflecting wall over two chi higher and over two zhang wider; inside the wall opened a square pool one chi six cun deep; rear walls made square and regular, raised over two chi. In renychen third month fourth day, by imperial order.

Raised to Jiangxi governor, accompanying him to Zhangmen—the yamen front broad rear narrow, just repaired in spring by predecessor Wu Jifeng, now transferred to river control—inconvenient to change. Only doors, roads, and side rooms: slightly discern fortune and decide approach. With him, Zhejiang Orange Hut Master Xu, knowing my skill, showed me Haining Wang Xunli's newly printed Dwelling Methods, saying: edited and condensed from Integrated Yang Dwellings, removing redundancy, consulting other books—the method takes three periods and nine palaces; yearly stem-branch nayin, animal stars through palaces, distinctions of mountain and house fortune, wandering years, gate hexagrams, threading and layer-turning—all expelled as erroneous, which matches my views. But taking water to fix pattern, pattern to fix house; layers speak of count not bays; bay stars' fortune rises from layer not direction; three-period nine stars fly by mountain without knowing one trigram three mountains, dividing yin-yang to fix mountain-facing and gate-road qi reception—these differ. This shows yang dwellings have substance and function, yet all Master Jiang did, adapting to time, has not fully revealed its marvels. Now by three-period and five-child fortunes judging birth, prosperity, decline, and death—like a cycle—why same Kan dwelling, Bing facing favorable and Ding not, then reverse, same fortune same trigram, fortune and misfortune opposite? Celestial Origin Song says: nine stars and eight trigrams honor riding the time, upper middle lower periods each have what fits; also: four good four bad divide forward reverse, parent two trigrams inverted turn—as Yang Junsong's Heavenly Jade says: nine stars arise paired, male female different, the true marvel at the origin pass. Nine-palace flying white is truly the use of yin and yang dwellings riding time and commanding season. Examiners take it as standard yet must also know how it changes with time—the marvelous method of one trigram two uses. Hence taking from my traveling case Dwelling Essentials and Marvelous Origins of Three Periods, compiled and recorded for colleagues, titled Glimpses of Dwelling Methods—only awaiting the skilled to gain the details. Written by Xulun Zhu Yao of Wuxi, second half of eighth month, renchen (1832) Daoguang.

Examining Qi

Yang dwelling foundations, like yin sites, must obtain dragon vein and sand-water to bound qi; but the incoming configuration must be coarse, grand, and broad, and where the house stands, wide, level, and upright. Before, a blocking barrier; left and right, embracing guards. Yang qi mists and gathers—in cities, neighbors and markets connect like clouds and fog; in villages, houses join and trees are dense; in valleys, mountains enclose and waters embrace, the pattern open and yang—all good land. Though house and pattern may gain or lose fortune differently, if the six inner and outer matters have gain without loss, living there one is always peaceful, with descendants and wealth ever present.

Examining Pattern

Yang dwellings rely on water to fix pattern. Water south is Kan pattern; north Li; east Dui; west Zhen; southeast corner Qian; southwest Gen; northwest Xun; northeast Kun. Water on all four sides, equal near and far, is center pattern. Water twisting with water on both sides—from east through south turning west to north—near south far west is Kan; near west far south is Zhen; at southwest corner with south and west water equidistant is Gen. Where two waters meet at the seam, likewise. Front and back combining is a combined pattern—e.g., water bounding both Kan and Li. Setting the house facing or backing water, leaning left or right, always use one water alone so the pattern is true and qi pure. At corners and angles, only center receives qi unmixed; if front bay left or rear bay right, reception changes. Within one house branches differ in rise and decline—all spoken of water-bearing places. In mountains, recognize falling veins; on land, rely on roads; in cities, examine streets. Yang Dwellings Obtain One Record says: every opening is where it comes; every block where it stops. Distinguish coming and stopping qi to know the true inhalation—pattern must be carefully examined. Pattern fixed, house fortune divides; fortune's rise and fall decide prosperity and decline. But if house and waterway are within twenty steps, weight pattern lightly house; beyond twenty steps, reverse—must also know.

Examining Form

House site should be high and thick; most avoid low and damp. Surrounding form should be square and full; most avoid slant, break, and shatter. Any slight irregularity—cut corners, do not pack into buildings. Before the house, level and unobstructed; avoid covering, pressing, charging, piercing. Inside: low front high back; avoid high front low back; also avoid both low with only middle high, both high with only middle low. Left and right: height even, weight balanced; avoid one high one low, one side with wing-rooms and one without. Slightly longer front-back; avoid broad horizontal like the character one, or narrow-long and too deep. Front-back breadth same; avoid broad front narrow rear—narrow front broad rear is less bad. Middle breadth as front-back; avoid both broad with only middle narrow—both narrow with only middle broad also avoided. Front and back same facing; avoid split hairline leaning left or right differently. Inner and outer facing each other; avoid beams and pillars left-right crossing. Outbuildings' size, length, position neat; avoid uneven defects. Especially avoid: after main house complete, a long slope on the side with a small house at its end like a kick; or half the eaves of main rooms with another slope room; or rafters on wall with ridge but no ridge-pole; or outside house a small house over a road standing alone; or no rear end-house with side wings—called pushcart; wings front and back with no main house blocking—called shoulder-pole; rear road narrow and pointed, side slope leaning—called fire-star dragging tail; deep long house half straight slope—called wood-star hanging; wings behind higher than main hall—called metal-star folding wing. All such ominous forms must be avoided. If outside the main house are attached side rooms, also make form close and dense, height matching, main and secondary clear—no scattering or bullying. Remove the ominous and the house is all auspicious; if pattern and fortune also obtain, daily rise will be seen.

Directions

Twenty-four mountains are assigned to eight trigrams; each trigram rules three. Ren-Zi-Gui is Kan, water; Chou-Gen-Yin Gen, earth; Jia-Mao-Yi Zhen, Chen-Xun-Si Xun, both wood; Bing-Wu-Ding Li, fire; Wei-Kun-Shen Kun, earth; Geng-You-Xin Dui, metal; Xu-Qian-Hai Qian, metal. To use a house, take the Luoshu nine palaces: main star of the sitting mountain enters center, wheels through the eight directions; distinguish flying stars' arrivals—life, death, comparing, prosperity, overcoming, draining. Kan one white water; Kun two black earth; Zhen three jade wood; Xun four green wood; center five yellow earth; Qian six white metal; Dui seven red metal; Gen eight white earth; Li nine purple fire—this is the nine stars' five phases. For Kan mountain: one white main star enters center flying forward; two black to Qian, overcoming mountain—killing qi direction; three jade to Dui, four green to Gen, both receiving mountain's generation—draining qi; five yellow to Li—closing killing; six white to sitting Kan—life qi; seven red to Kun—also life qi; eight white to Zhen, overcoming—killing; nine purple to Xun, receiving mountain's overcoming—dead qi. Then from the flying star's palace trigram examine life, death, harmony, draining, whether saved or controlled, to fix fortune. E.g., Kan dwelling, seven red at Kun transforms life; four green at Gen controls killing; two black at Qian drains killing, lessening harm; eight white at Zhen, killing controlled, lessening harm—so on, all carefully examined. Life qi black, jade, green, red all judged good; five yellow not comparable to others—whether generating or overcoming, all bad; purple-white meeting dead qi is champion star, declining qi fine luster—both counted as wealth.

Number of Layers

For layers a house should have and each layer's fortune, use Hetu five phases with sitting mountain for generation, prosperity, overcoming, draining, death: one-six water, two-seven fire, three-eight wood, four-nine metal, fifty earth—combining one birth one completion, Hetu primordial numbers. One layer water; two fire; three wood; four metal; five earth; six through ten follow five in order; more likewise. Layer's five phases should generate or compare with sitting mountain's—not overcome, drain, or decline. E.g., Kan house layers three and six good, five bad; Li five and seven good, six bad; Zhen-Xun three and seven good, nine and five bad; Qian-Dui five and six good, three and seven bad; Gen-Kun four and five good, three bad. Kan first layer water compares—good; second fire overcome by house—very bad; third receives house's generation—best; fourth metal generates house though drains; fifth earth overcomes—bad; above layers judge alike; each house by analogy. Each layer has good bays—choose within, matching year fortune and life—can selectively use, need not discard all. Layer fortune directions still use Luoshu nine palaces, house star enters center, wheels through, judging fortune. Side rooms use their own palace (of main house) to fly stars. Master Jiang's method only speaks layer five-phase fortune, not layer-star five-phase—simple, direct, apt.

Number of Bays

Bays should be odd not even. Book says: three bays good, four bad; five must leave one empty; seven leave two—this is the outline. Count also uses Hetu five phases with sitting mountain and each layer for generation and overcoming, deciding how many bays. Also Luoshu nine palaces raise bay stars with own mountain and layer for generation, overcoming, fortune. Stars rise by layer: first distinguish house facing yin-yang—yang left yin right—and count from the house's main star as first bay, then in order.

Yang dwellings only established, rising bay-star methods differ variously—almost nowhere to follow. Master Jiang's method: bay stars rise from direction, not from layer. Main house no matter which layer, rise from sitting mountain's direction; side rooms from sitting palace's direction. Sitting Qian, Kan, Gen, Zhen are yang—inside facing out, count left to right; Xun, Li, Kun, Dui yin—inside facing out, count right to left. Kan dwelling one white primary: facing out left hand first bay one white, second two black. Li dwelling nine purple: facing out right first bay nine purple, second one white. No matter which layer, all rise from house star; each layer counts separately, not connected—for one house one taiji, each layer its own taiji, no confusion. Side rooms: by direction with house star primary, see which star flies to direction from center, compare with sitting palace; bay star method only rises from that direction—sitting Zhen, rise three jade; sitting Dui, rise seven red. Side houses follow themselves, not the main—so each house each direction's main star is fixed and bay stars' fortune also determined. Not like Integrated Yang Dwellings connecting layers in count, or counting by which star each layer belongs to, or main house extending to sides—all unusable; take Master Jiang's method as primary.

Circulating Fortune

Fortune has three: Hetu five-child fortune, Luoshu three periods' great and small fortunes. Use Hetu for substance, Luoshu for function. Hetu numbers ten: one-six water, two-seven fire, three-eight wood, four-nine metal, fifty earth—sixty years divided, five children raise fortune: Jiazi to Yihai water, Bingzi to Dinghai fire, Wuzi to Jihai wood, Gengzi to Xinhai metal, Renzi to Guihai earth—each twelve years in order—the so-called five-child fortune. Use this for layer and bay numbers' gain and loss of fortune. Luoshu numbers nine: one white water, two black earth, three jade wood, four green wood, five yellow earth, six white metal, seven red metal, eight white earth, nine purple fire—arranged in nine palaces, divided by three periods: each period sixty years. Upper sixty ruled by one white, water prosperous; middle sixty by four green, wood; lower sixty by seven red, metal—the so-called three-period great fortune. Within each period each palace rules twenty: upper first twenty one white commands, middle two black, last three jade; middle first four green, middle five yellow, last six white; lower first seven red, middle eight white, last nine purple—the so-called three-period small fortune. Use this for pattern and house gain and loss. What receives generation is life qi; what generates is declining qi; what is overcome is killing qi; what it overcomes is dead qi; comparing is prosperous qi. Divide palace by house, divide fortune by period. Prosperity should rise; fortune not yet come still lasts; declining and killing should be discarded; fortune just arriving still flourishes. All fortune changes from period. Examining yang dwellings: first see sitting and outer six matters' directions for circulating fortune; then layers, bays, and six matters for great or small fortune, all good or not; then arrange six matters each direction fit. If Hetu and Luoshu fortunes not yet met, only modest comfort. And one trigram's primordial and later-heaven fortunes can be considered together; nine-palace meeting trigrams sometimes same-family pairs with Hetu numbers—also consult. Plus yearly nine stars' generation and overcoming for fortune—good and bad clearly fixed.

Annual Flow

(For any dwelling, qi-mouth and sitting mountain share weight; for annual flow, qi-mouth is heavy and sitting light.)

Qiu Pingfu said: various schools' years and months much error, only purple-white can be relied on; annual nine stars turn palace by palace, carefully divide prosperity, decline, and imprisonment. Also: eight mountains most fear five yellow coming—even with life qi, wealth cut; meeting stacked yellow in bad—layered disaster, wailing sad. For any yang dwelling, to know year of fortune or harm: check which star enters center that year, flies to each direction to judge fortune; then monthly entering star and its flights for which month—very accurate. Rule: upper Jiazi starts white, middle starts four green, lower starts seven red; by year reverse-wheel into center, forward-deploy each year's entering star original position and five yellow's direction—extremely bad, must not invade. Others by direction and bay with original stars judge prosperity, overcoming, draining—fortune different, or mixed or combined; whether Grand Year, Wu-Ji, year-break, three killings arrive, examine and distinguish, with house fortune's gain and loss to decide. Also monthly establishing fortune spirits add weight. (Annual-month spirits: year values Grand Year, year-break, three killings, Wu-Ji, Du Tian, annual nine stars, Great General, five yellow; month values monthly establishment, great monthly establishment, month break, month three killings, month five yellow, Wu-Ji lodging palace, Grand Year lodging, year-break lodging, Great General lodging.)

Dividing Facings

Master Jiang's method divides origins and fixes fortune, one trigram rules three mountains—so speaking of origins and fortunes, only broadly speak of the trigram, raise fortune by trigram, distinguish mountain directions' rise and decline. Yet within one trigram's three characters, yin and yang also differ: Qian-Hai-Ren, Gen-Yin-Jia, Xun-Si-Bing, Kun-Shen-Geng—twelve yang; Zi-Gui-Chou, Mao-Yi-Chen, Wu-Ding-Wei, You-Xin-Xu—twelve yin. Opening mountain and setting facing must carefully distinguish—and yang dwellings weight the facing-head star even more, seeking prosperity and season. Method uses origin-fortune flying wheel: which star and trigram at facing head; know trigram yin-yang forward reverse; arrange eight directions; see which prosperous, which declining—the so-called prosperity and decline change with time, divided within fortune, not fixed positions' original prosperity and decline. Facing head yin-yang fixed, all gate-road qi reception, room division by position, six matters placement, thus judged with annual-month reference. Within one trigram, distinctions, rise and decline differ—clear as lines on the palm. Otherwise Bing, Ding, and Wu facings, leaning left or right, all mixed—how can same trigram's prosperity and decline differ so? Nine palaces by origin set houses, with separate charts and formulas; since Yang and Zeng through Duling, one thread of transmission—few know. Its method truly probes Heluo's depths—not lightly given.总之: eight trigrams nine stars, still fixed by direction, moving sequential. Mountain trigram entering center flying is substance—direction changes with star; fortune trigram entering center is function—star moves with fortune. All facings' yin-yang division must not stick to each palace's fixed yin-yang, blind to heaven's机妙用.

Operation

Four bad four good divide forward reverse; parent two trigrams inverted turn; facing-head one star fortune's handle; coming-going two mouths life-and-death gate.

This Celestial Origin Song speaks of star-adjacency method. Eight trigrams divide great yin and great yang: four bad in one, four good in one. In fortune matching origin is good; out of fortune bad. Invert and turn to take good trigrams' stars and discard bad. Among the good, Heaven's Heart correct trigram is true good; coming trigrams secondary good; past trigrams unused. Each pattern bounds qi with primordial and later-heaven trigram qi both arriving. Formula: primordial Qian six is Li's track; Xun enters vein responding to Kun palace; Kan water comes facing Dui; Kun two Kan one veins join; Gen eight Qian metal are friends; seven metal four wood qi follow; Li nine dragon sets Zhen position; vein exits heaven three earth eight work; later-heaven dragon primordial facing; yang spirit receives fixed qi blending. Those with water must know their own送-dragon water is incoming, outlet water outgoing; primordial and later-heaven facing clear; outgoing water must get four good stars—road qi same rule.

(Flowing in is coming, flowing out is going—Qian water outlet is outgoing; if shore不通 branch water outlet is exactly where rivers enter, then large water entering branch is coming and shore bottom is still water—see Record of Returning to Thickness chapter on Incoming Conditions. By fortune judge stars: in fortune is life, coming is prosperity, past and future decline-death. Not only purple-white good and jade, green, black, red, yellow bad—all in fortune and coming are good; out of fortune bad. Only purple-white fine lusters; five yellow out of fortune extremely bad; other stars out of fortune all unfavorable. Stars' generation and overcoming interwoven—very accurate.)

The above eighteen charts: Yang Junsong gave them to Zeng Wenbian; later generations had transmitters to our dynasty's Master Pingjie Jiang, who obtained this method from Wu Ji Zi; in later years he taught Jiang Rugao of Kuaiji and others—all oral, no printed edition. East and west of the great river transmission erred; occasional holders of this formula mostly discuss Xuan Kong and leave actual ground—unaware Heaven depends on form, earth on qi; form and qi cannot偏废—only substance and function differ in root and branch. Seeking Master Jiang's method, beyond Heavenly Startling Formula, Ancient Mirror Songs and other books, I obtained this nine-pattern eighteen-chart set, plus Heaven-Earth-Human three charts and fifty-four divided-trigram charts. In gengyin (1830) in western Guangxi, meeting Pingle prefect Mr. Yu Yaoqin discussing earth learning, he showed several books; within, a volume True Transmission of Methods, character-for-character identical with my hidden copy. In dingyou (1837) autumn roaming Daliang, meeting Rongping Master Cheng, in talk he sought the true formula—I took out these eighteen charts and gave them, printing them in Glimpses of Dwelling Methods for kindred spirits, so the true transmission will not be lost over long years; and I hope students of this art will know substance before function, and not forget root while chasing branch. By Xulun.

General Discussion of Six Inner Matters

All affairs within the house—doors, rooms, beds, stoves, wells and such—are collectively called six matters; in fact more than six. Pattern, mountain, layer, bay: still and yin; six matters: moving and yang. Yang bad can overcome yin good; still good hard to suppress moving bad—hence six matters' connections are weighty. From the house alone wheel nine stars: suitable in life and prosperous directions, avoid closing-killing, dead, and declining; also in this layer and bay's good directions, avoid bad; also match master's nayin five phases and east-west four-life good directions, and check small fortune and annual flow. E.g., Kan dwelling one white enters center, two black to Qian, five yellow to Li, eight white to Zhen—Qian, Li, Zhen are killing directions; one-white layer-bay likewise. If entering Two-Black, Five-Yellow, Eight-White fortunes, very bad; or killing directions with high pressure piercing—even without fortune, when annual killing stars fly in and Wu-Ji and five-yellow spirits arrive in turns, harm should come; if further building, harm hastens. When annual-month bad stars fly in, even non-killing directions of this house's layers and bays fear fortune; good directions judge alike.

Doors and Gates

Front called gate, yang; rear called door, yin—meaning Heaven gate and Earth door. Gates use even, doors odd—yin-yang mutual aid. Gates often open, doors often closed—yang open yin close. Front-rear gates should match; rear door not higher than front gate—heaven honored, earth low. Within house, gates not many, not higher than walls; especially avoid chaotic doors—qi scattered not gathered. Door facing pillar; two doors clamping pillar; three doors facing as character pin; doors in both flanks; door under ridge; house large door small; house small door large; and before door straight house, straight road, straight water, straight ditch, straight wall, straight pond, straight bank, tree, stone, temple, tomb charging the door—front or rear of house, all avoid. Openings should be in good directions, avoid bad; approach prosperity, avoid decline.

But why main gates mostly at closing direction—never fully discussed. Some say gate at closing direction drains killing qi and is good—the gist is clear, though incomplete. The main gate is the house's qi-mouth, like a person's mouth for breathing. Taking closing direction for the gate is precisely the position of primordial yin-yang correct pairing; each other intercourse—draining killing and receiving life—makes whole-house qi-machine flow alive, all here. Other directions may be good, but not this trigram's correct pairing—qi-machine naturally harmonious. The vulgar only see closing direction as five-yellow killing and cling to approaching good avoiding harm, half using wandering-year method opening side doors—unthinking that wandering years look at direction fortune, not open main gates; and side doors fear impure qi and house qi broken by cross-charging. House five-yellow differs from annual five-yellow: annual five-yellow gains from heaven's movement—movement has houses and roads to call it, its qi comes harmful—not only at main gate. House five-yellow gains from earth's stillness—stillness has doors and roads to drain it, its qi joins and harmonizes; only fear building high houses. So annual five-yellow directions should be still and uncalled; house five-five directions should flow and not block. The so-called closing: because whole house's left-right four corners' trigram qi mixed, embracing within; house form generally low front high back—qi must run from back to front, and front tightly blocking is like a gate holding fast—hence named closing. Closing is not killing; something blocked and closed is killing. So no high pressure or piercing, pits, toilets, evil things here; only open main gate to drain house killing—door opens, qi joins, killing cannot stay; mountain and facing yin-yang qi harmonize, intercourse generates; then receive external annual good qi—how can descendants and wealth not prosper? If bridges, beams, lanes, houses charge diagonally, temples or archways sharp high press—measure left-right and adapt. Generally building houses, city or village, must take good land and deliberate whole form—near centuries, far millenniums. Long years, different fortunes: good for front not rear, here not there—but still substance all good; even if temporary use unfit, descendants and wealth will not greatly suffer; when fortune turns, prosperity returns. Do not lightly change main gate position when merely out of fortune without evil form or closing harm.

Again Master Jiang's Celestial Origin Song part four on yang dwellings: dwelling dragon judged by earth water spirit tailoring, still weighty three gates bagua arrange; only take three-period prosperous qi, lead it into rooms as embryo. Also: if good spirit with bad road, sour sauce in curd unpourable—gate qi originally includes road qi, as Record of Returning to Thickness yang foundation chapter only says house qi follows gate, implicitly including waterways within, relying on qi-mouth as breath, weighting three periods to decide house fortune with fortune. Books like Integrated Yang Dwellings carry changing gates to draw prosperity—timely remedies also Master Jiang's intent—but must not leave substance and speak only of function, perverse and reckless.

In short: main gate not to be lightly moved; what changes is the qi-drawing road. City change road inside gate; village change road outside gate. Road qi meets life and receives prosperity; entering main gate, step by step from prosperous positions lead into inner rooms, weight inner gate, assist with side door, shift with fortune—all auspicious. Why repeatedly change the whole-house qi-mouth that fits the body?

(Seeing vulgar people with slight knowledge of fortune, when main gate is out of season immediately move it to avoid decline seek prosperity—so gate askew, street-side gate houses become sharp-angle flying shapes. Not only one gain one loss, fortune not yet come and harm arrives; form no longer upright—like a person's mouth crooked, what face? Laughable and hateful. Master Jiang's method originally weights qi-drawing: changing one prosperous gate in primordial ground can rouse decline; but if the gate stays in place only leaning, can its qi truly change? Yang and Zeng transmitted to today without this method—strictly refrain.)

Gates as whole-house qi-mouth must be upright, following principle and configuration. Not only eight-dwelling wandering years pairing three good and opening side doors is not the true method; even forcing changes to match fortune, attending one neglecting another, is not the true gist—discussed fully before. Only gate qi weights opening to the main road: same front, often side doors beside main—left, right, side, across—unfixed, as long as outside street qi can reach within, form unimpeded, choose fortune-matching direction for one prosperous gate, often used, drawing prosperous qi—harmless to whole body and fitting operation. Within house, open doors in good directions to receive it, step by step drawing prosperous qi into inner chambers; further match master's four good directions of east-west four-life—great. If inner and outer gates cannot all match, consult master's nayin—take generating, avoid overcome. Generally fortune and master may not all match: house head must weigh inner and outer gates with east-west four-life good and nayin. Others weight bedroom private doors matching life—direction without life is bad. House head governs whole family rise and fall; others only self, spouse, children. Far gate answers slow, near fast. As for rear door—only for ash and dung exit; most avoid closing front gate and only using rear door; especially avoid rear double doors opening center—draining house qi; only left or right side is fine.

Eighteen star-adjacency charts: one to nine enter center, one pattern forward, one reverse—eighteen patterns total. First pattern forward and reverse, second forward and reverse, third forward and reverse—rest follow.

Bright Hall

(I.e., the courtyard; if inner-outer distance over three zhang eight chi, qi cannot penetrate.)

Bright hall connects qi. Its form: four sides high middle level; slightly deep is water; middle protuberance broad is metal; square without protuberance is earth; straight long under steps all level is wood; middle stone bridge like tiger's eye is fire. Water, metal, earth stars are three good; wood and fire both avoid. Not too small—small then cramped; not too wide—wide then scattered; take six or seven tenths of house as measure. E.g., one zhang horizontal is five chi vertical—halving method, best. Not too deep—deep then wealth not gathered; not too long—long then descendants not prosperous; not like character one: if broad and narrow, horizontal or straight as one—descendants and wealth both retreat. Further, storeys covering heaven gate—very bad; square and broad primary; five cun deep auspicious (use Lu Ban ruler). Bright hall best square and shallow; length and breadth measured from eaves' drip line; number taken should be house receiving generation or house overcoming (generation and overcoming use Hetu numbers): mountain overcomes bright hall brings wealth; bright hall generates mountain brings descendants. In bright hall avoid stone piles and rockeries, raised earth mounds, flowers, sharp piercing, standing water, small houses in center, water exiting facing door or pillar.

Water Ditches

Drain ditches and roads: five cun deep as standard; no need fix direction—only from back to front, one or both sides, winding and coiling, joining and exiting. Jade Mirror says: dark ditch water out should leave no trace; even out of bad direction not bad; only take curving and winding, all one road then flourishing; fear facing upward yellow spring, mountain曜 killing; most avoid digging ditches on Chen-Xu-Chou-Wei four branches; any earthly branch unsuitable for water exit; especially avoid master's life direction—meeting Grand Year, year-break, three killings and master's direct clash years all very bad. Diagonal flying character-eight water, exiting under main gate, or dark ditches under beds—all avoid.

Bedrooms

Bedrooms choose house's life-prosper directions, this layer's life-prosper bays, match master's nayin five phases and east-west four good. Room prefers light avoid dark; window facing middle straight house dripping water—tear-joining killing; avoid lean-to low in front; lean-to as room lower than main; avoid upper ridge or high wall archway pressing—none bear children; avoid room near stove front with green smoke rising; well behind; skylight within; plantains before; storey room with storehouse and stove below; ancestral hall incense behind or below; door facing stove bay, straight pillar, broken vat charging; many doors and windows; butterfly doors both sides one high one low—if two pairs, twins; stairs within, stairs facing door, stairs over bed, stairs corner charging room—avoid all.

Placing the Bed

(Avoid palace star's draining qi direction—must cut off line, e.g., Kan palace's Dui and Gen.)

Place bed in house's good direction and good bay; room door also needs bay star's life prosperity, matching bed's life position. Method: bed-sitting direction star enters center, flies eight directions; bagua yin-yang husband-wife pairing, opening door generating is good, overcoming bad. Room door is bedroom's most critical; bed's sitting must match this door—husband and wife prosperous, then bay star's life prosperity—perfect. East-west life: room east-four directions; west-four life: west-four directions. If direction unmatched, take from room door; move bed to good. One trigram three mountains—for generation and overcoming choose master-matching good and nayin five phases generating. Bed head should pillow life avoid killing: place compass at bed edge center, see what character on room door—use correct five phases to generate or compare with pillow; if pillow generates door, though draining, brings children. Placing bed avoid under main ridge, riding ridge, ridge end, floor end, bed back empty, grain behind bed, bed front charging pillar, bed ends not against wall, door by bed head with outside qi forcing, stairs over bed, dark ditch under, stove front, well behind—all avoid. When annual white reaches mountain, conception; to door, birth. If bed position's division matches male and female life nayin, meeting annual life year, birth without doubt; nine stars flying to life same.

Kitchen and Stove

Kitchen in house's life-prosper direction, avoid closing-killing. Choose auspicious day to build stove; by house head's east-west four-life set stove's sitting and facing. Stove base should press master's four bad directions; stove door face four good—called pressing killing facing life. E.g., Qian-Kun-Gen-Dui west-four life: base press Kan-Li-Zhen-Xun, door face Qian-Kun-Gen-Dui; Kan-Li-Zhen-Xun east-four: reverse. Within four good facings, also yin-yang pairing: if facing and master pure yang or pure yin, not fully good. Male and female one east one west: weight male life, face male good, avoid female绝命—then matching. Further consult nine-palace fortune for prosperity and decline—full perfection. One trigram three mountains: face heavenly stems and four corners, avoid earthly branches and sitting mountain five phases' official and prosperous directions. Running water near house: facing incoming water auspicious. If stove facing cannot judge generation with bay stars and door stars of this bay, and forget where bay star's prosperity and decline lie—though good facing, may not verify. Annual-month good and bad spirits arriving at direction and facing must also be known. Stove facing avoid door-road charging; building avoid upper storeys, stone or brick floors, under bedroom, main ridge pressing. Chimney above house low and hidden; between ridges harms house head. Pots three or five, not two; in water bay indicates loneliness; pot mouth not facing room door. Stove governs descendants, water vat wealth; vat facing middle pot is water-fire already achieved; also auspicious at stove door's four birth directions; kitchen sink same—all in this bay's good, avoid four tomb directions. Vat inside window, dark ditch outside threshold below—harms women and young children. Stove position and bed position avoid opposite—clash closing; generating is good; avoid sharing bay with well.

Study

Study should take house's one-white four-green directions, one-white four-green bays, and open one-white four-green doors and roads. Annual and monthly reaching one-white four-green at direction, bay, door, or four-one same palace, or returning to place—surely greatly benefits examinations. Outside house one-white four-green direction with mountains, waters, towers, pavilions, pagodas, halls, galleries shining—all good. Courtyard open, windows bright; avoid covering and dark, near stove, near toilet; not in four tomb or Kun direction. Form takes wood-fire or metal-water; two or three storeys wood-fire bright—most beneficial; one storey pair metal-water pattern. White Tiger high benefits students; Azure Dragon high benefits teachers. Also match resident's nayin—very accurate; examination lodgings same rule. (One white official star, four green literary brilliance; official career weights one-white, examination fame four-green; their meeting especially marvelous.)

Shrine Room

Spirit tablets and incense must not be in closing or killing directions or left-right of doors—harms household.

Well

Dig well in house's four corners, life-qi prosperous directions; most avoid house dragon's incoming vein, front-back left-right waist, before door, before hall, behind stove, behind bed; also closing-killing and four tomb directions. Prefer heavenly stems not earthly branches.

Pool

Within house, most avoid pools; for other estates fine, residences bad. Outside front of house pool—very bad; twin pools especially; rear likewise. Coiling living beside house: left auspicious, right bad. House edge must not hear flowing water. Pool in closing-killing, yellow spring, four tomb directions all avoid.

Rockeries

Before and after halls avoid rockeries, stone railings, high frames, stone slabs fully paved—killing qi much life-qi little; annual bad stars flying in unfavorable. Bedroom courtyards especially avoid.

Storehouses, Mills, and Grindstones

Storehouses belong earth—in earth directions, not wood; avoid close beside bedrooms. Mills and grindstones metal—in metal-earth, not Si-Wu directions, avoid closing-killing; best at water mouth.

Pits and Latrines

Latrine avoid house foundation incoming vein, Qian heaven gate, Xun literary brilliance, four cardinals general stars, four tomb canopy, closing-killing directions. Should hide, not visible at door; sit draining sitting mountain's qi or what sitting mountain overcomes; not sitting mountain's generating good; in master's rest-imprisoned place; on heavenly stems, not earthly branches; avoid house yellow spring; near neither stove nor room.

Six Domestic Animals' Pens

Six animals avoid main gate left-right and closing directions; by Master Shao's hexagrams: ox Kun earth avoid Mao; horse Qian metal avoid Wu; donkey and mule Zhen wood avoid Shen; chicken Xun wood avoid You; goat Dui metal avoid Si; pig Kan water avoid Chen; dog Gen earth avoid Yin; fish Li fire avoid Hai; goose and duck water avoid Chen-Xu-Chou-Wei; cat wood avoid Shen-You—each by overcoming, must not offend.

(Integrated Yang Dwellings: openings, incoming roads, room division, bed placement, stove, facing, shrine, incense, storehouses, animal pens all in master's four good directions; stove base, chimney, water vat, well digging, mills, latrines directly in four bad.)

General Discussion of Six Outer Matters

All outside the house—bridges, beams, halls, pagodas, pavilions, terraces and such, visible and shining—are collectively six matters; in fact more than six. Discuss prosperity, decline, retreat, killing from the pattern—also must view from the house to avoid error. Fortune and misfortune all by nine-palace flying, divided by fortune's gain and loss; meeting annual good and bad spirits, response especially swift.

Outer six matters each have five phases: neighbor houses, temples, yamen, flagpoles, wooden bridges, bamboo and trees all wood; streams, rivers, ponds water; hall corners, pointed pagodas, archways, kilns, stoves, bell towers, grave mounds, oil presses, silver shops, iron shops fire; streets, walls, embankments earth; arched bridges, rollers, dams, mounds metal. By form: wood long, metal round, earth square, fire pointed, water curved. By color: wood green, water black, metal white, earth yellow, fire red. Consult annual and monthly fortune for fortune. If year-month have five-yellow, two-black, nine-purple stacked on mountain direction with constant bells and drums—fire disaster immediately; fire moves, when one-white water star flies to meet or pool in direction, transformation saves—water controls fire—to avoid harm. Within half a li must respond; far does not.

Mountain Peaks

House with four mountains high pressure, or White Tiger high peak rising, slope head ridge foot in closing-killing direction, or wind-notches far piercing—front-back left-right all avoid. Any piercing, no matter what killing: front harms husband, rear wife, left males, right females.

Waterways

Around house: river channels straight charging, reverse-bow diagonal flying, character-eight outward, and front broad river large sheet with white light gleaming—all bad.

Neighbor Houses

Four sides of house: neighbor houses high, and front straight ridge, straight wall charging—even with separation, fault hard to avoid. Front: head-pressing, chest-pounding, heart-piercing, foot-attacking killings; rear: shoulder-pouncing, back-pushing, arm-drilling, tail-dragging; left-right: ear-touching, waist-charging, arm-twisting, thigh-bumping. Meeting five-yellow, Grand Year, Wu-Ji, annual arrival—bad response.

Bridges

Bridges are places people come and go morning and evening—most avoid charging house and gate, easiest to bring harm. Suitable in house's life-prosper, not closing-killing dead-declining; especially consult fortune—like in-fortune prosperous, avoid in-fortune decline-death.

Streets and Roads

Beyond gate house, roads most weighty. Roads straight facing are read as incoming qi, like incoming dragon; crossing are still, like boundary water—must not be broken. Incoming should be prosperous, outgoing declining—for gate facing approach and avoidance. Prefer curving and embracing; if straight charging, sharp piercing, reverse bow, character-eight, character-human, character-fork, character-fire, character-well, character-cross, character-stream shapes facing the house—all bad.

Temples

God temples and Buddhist monasteries: far not near; avoid seeing upon opening door. Suitable in house's life-prosper, not closing-killing dead-declining; good at water mouth as blocking screen.

Archways

Before house avoid building archways—drawing bad spirits. Nearby old ones should also be in house's life-prosper, avoid closing-killing; if high pressing, any direction bad.

Pointed Pagodas

Pagoda is literary brush peak, also fire star—in house's life-prosper good and one-white four-green directions; avoid closing-killing bad and due south. Before house seeing pagoda top facing—unfavorable; within house high building window seeing pagoda top before—do not use as bedroom.

Trees

Planting trees outside house gathers yang qi—so on broad open ground pattern scattered, use to protect life-qi; in stream valleys windy, use to ward cold. But only suitable house rear two sides, planting in enclosure; front closing directions not covered. Meeting Grand Year, year-break, five-yellow, Wu-Ji, annual to facing—fear unfavorable.

Government Offices

Yamen: upper hand should be heavy—promotion swift; if lower hand heavy, no promotion. Method takes main hall as primary, avoid closing-killing, Shen-Chen directions charging, declining directions lonely and bare. Front most dislike cramped and narrow, fear piercing. Main gate should be high; second gate not higher than main—deputies bullying chief; corner gates high do not gather wealth; too narrow—official does not prosper, clerks unfavorable. Gate corridor foundation same height as main hall; main hall one or two chi higher than corridor—good. Two corridors should be separate builds; connected to main hall fear clerks colluding inside. Moon platform should be broad and level; central path broad and level: eleven steps—transfer; twelve—wealth; fourteen—promotion; fifteen—excellent; seventeen—imperial reward; twenty—high transfer; sixteen—official star blocked; nineteen—career many hardships. Watchtower in Qian-Kun-Gen-Xun, avoid four tomb Chen-Xu-Chou-Wei, especially Shen—draws thieves. Screen wall not too broad or far—clerks seize power. Offices not reverse-facing; level and even—clerks harmonious. East study, west treasury in place—stable; left guest lodge, right prison hidden—good. Storehouse in Dui and Qian-Gen, not Zhen-Xun-Li; granary likes not-closing, avoid You, not on incoming vein or behind bedroom. Yamen god and earth god prefer left; if right, official body uneasy; if reverse-backed, officials and people rebellious. Waiting rooms should be far not cramped; prison not facing yamen hall; stables Qian-Dui-Kun-Gen, avoid Li; horse head not facing due south Wu; roads also avoid Wu. Inner yamen as residence: inner yamen door is throat, most critical; avoid red-lacquered door frames, long straight passage charging from outside in, empty behind yamen, dark arrows to back, cramped bright hall, evil left-right—all guard against. Further consult master's annual fortune; if paths tilt, four sides defective, scattered and broken, road qi piercing—guard annual killing arriving, clash with master's life—hard to avoid disaster.

Schools

Prefectural academy: prefer water washing city foot, Xin-Ding position with elegant mountains and waters approaching—will produce top graduates and first-rank candidates. Upper hand level and gentle, lower hand high and strong; front literary stars standing—examination degrees not escape. Left high right low—unfavorable. Private offices as residence: upper hand high—promotion very swift; upper hand empty—official reputation not beautiful.

Military Offices

Front open and broad, four sides unbroken; Zhen-Geng-Li-Qian directions arched and rising—promotion very swift.

Monasteries

Main hall primary, should be high; middle and rear halls slightly lower, must match. Mountain gate and left-right halls all upright and even good. Mountain gate most avoid opening left; main gate low and collapsed—hard to be master. Opening gate at Chen—lawsuits and fire; front and rear different facings—household discord; doors and roads reopening—disputes endless; too many statues—monks and Daoists scatter. Like four mountains approaching; water charging ridge and back. Private rooms' six matters also consult master's life for pairing and avoidance.

Shops weight the gate: should meet water to open, avoid killing directions. Counters and seats both meet water auspicious; treasury in life-prosper or meeting water road, sitting empty facing full good. Before house avoid street reverse-backed; upper hand pressing heavy unfavorable; White Tiger high then profitable. Goods houses: sit empty with the water; front cramped rear empty—easy to dispose and profit double. Also consult master's life and match, discuss fortune's rise and fall to know approach and avoidance.