Lianshan Yi

Lianshan Yi —Qing—Ma Guohan Lianshan Yi, with Ancient Three Mounds and Lianshan Yi Comprehensive Examination appended 　　 　　 　　Lianshan 　　Compiled by Ma Guohan of the Qing dynasty 　　 　　Ma Guohan’s preface: Lianshan, in one fascicle, is incomplete. According to the Rites of Zhou, “Spring Offices, Grand Diviner”: “He was in charge of the methods of the Three Changes; the first was Lianshan.” Zheng Xuan’s commentary says: “It was named Lianshan, resembling a mountain emitting and receiving qi, and changing.”Jia Gongyan’s commentary says: “In this Lianshan Yi, the hexagrams take pure Gen as the first. Gen is mountain; mountain above mountain below—this is why it is called Lianshan. Since cloud vapor emerges from and enters the mountains, the Yi is therefore named Lianshan.” It also says: “The Xia made the thirteenth month the beginning of the year, following the human system. There is no principle by which humans should make a hexagram the first; Gen gradually accords with the first month, and therefore Gen is made the first.”Huan Tan’s New Discourses says: “Lianshan contains eighty thousand words.” Apparently the book still existed during the Later Han; Junshan had seen it, but few transmitted it. Therefore, neither the Han History: Treatise on Literature nor the Sui History: Treatise on Classics recorded it. The Tang History: Treatise on Literature contains Lianshan in ten fascicles, with commentary by Sima Ying. According to the History of the Northern Dynasties: Biography of Liu Xuan: “At that time, Niu Hong proposed purchasing and seeking lost books throughout the realm. Liu Xuan then forged more than one hundred fascicles, titled them Lianshan Yi, Lu History, and so forth, submitted them to the authorities, sought his reward, and left. Later someone sued him; after receiving an amnesty that spared his life, he was punished by removal from office.”Since Liu Xuan forged a Lianshan, while Sima Ying’s annotated edition did not appear until the Tang dynasty, later Confucian scholars had reason to raise doubts.Nevertheless, Huangfu Mi’s Annals of Emperors and Kings, Li Daoyuan’s Commentary on the Water Classic, and Li Chunfeng’s Yisi Divination all quote Lianshan. Huangfu Mi was a Jin man and Li Daoyuan a Northern Wei man, both preceding Liu Xuan. The passage cited by Li Chunfeng—“Chang’e flees to the moon; repeated divinations have the omen huang”—is identical to Zhang Heng’s Spiritual Constitution and is certainly an ancient lost passage. Other passages use rhyme for the lines, resembling Yilin; even if it is not an ancient classic, it is still utterly unlike the Shanfeng transmitted in the Three Mounds and said to have been prefaced by Mao Jian.Emperor Yuan of Liang also had a thirty-volume Lianshan. Duan Chengshi said that each hexagram cited the Guicang, Dou Tu, Licheng, Wehua, Jilin, and Jiao Gan’s Yilin. These works are now lost; perhaps later writers’ citations could no longer be distinguished? Here I have compiled into one volume the quotations from various books together with the discussions of many scholars. The explanations of Zhu Yuansheng and Xue Zhen are sometimes found in this book and sometimes accord with earlier formulations; they are appended below the orthodox text. By making contact with these passages and extending the discussion, those who enjoy learning and deep reflection may grasp their meaning. Ma Guohan, courtesy name Zhu Wu, of Licheng. 　　 　　Lianshan 　　1. Bo 　　The seventh line says: When the number is exhausted, one reaches Bo, and the end is regrettable. —Huang Zuo’s Six Arts: Categories and Variants quotes a version containing the words “says” and “regrettable”; Luo Mi’s History of the Road quotes a version containing “and.” 　　Image says: Reaching Bo and coming to an end means one still does not know how to change. —Huang Zuo’s Six Arts: Categories and Variants quotes the word “says” and the preceding sentence; Luo Mi’s History of the Road quotes the word “also.” 　　2. Fu 　　The initial seventh line says: The dragon hides in the numinous; returning preserves the body. Deep, with no boundary; holding fast, with no limit.—Luo Mi’s History of the Road omits the word “says”; Huang Zuo’s Six Arts: Categories and Variants reads: “The seventh line of Fu says: The dragon hides in the abyss; preserving the spirit, without boundaries.” 　　Image says: Returning preserves the spirit; it can be applied. —Six Arts: Categories and Variants omits “can”; History of the Road omits the preceding sentence and reads: “The image can be applied.” 　　3. Gou 　　The initial eighth line says: The dragon changes into a snake; perhaps it hides in a hollow. Here lie the sprouts of calamity. —History of the Road reads “initial sixth line” and omits “says”; Six Arts: Categories and Variants reads: “The eighth line of Gou says: The snake hides in a hollow; here lie the sprouts of calamity.” 　　The Image Judgment says: “Yin nurtures the sprouts; it must not be allowed to grow.” — The quotation in the *Six Arts and Their Branches* omits the character “and”; the quotation in the *Road History* omits the four-character phrase “the Image says, yin nurtures the sprouts,” stating: “The Image: it must not be allowed to grow.” 　　4. Zhongfu 　　Initial eight: One person knows the woman; it is still possible to leave. — Huang Zuo, *Six Arts and Their Branches* 　　The Image Judgment says: “The woman comes and returns; trust is not centered.” — Same source 　　5. Yangyu 　　6. Wandering and moving — Luo Ping’s commentary on the *Road History*: “The *Spring and Autumn Diagram of Confucius’ Evolution* says: ‘When Confucius completed the *Spring and Autumn Annals*, he consulted an oracle and obtained the Yangyu hexagram.’”The Records of the Grand Historian says: “The First Emperor obtained the jade disc of Lord Haochi, which said that next year the Ancestral Dragon would die. He divined about it and obtained Youxi, an auspicious result. Yangyu and Youxi are hexagrams of Lianshan.” 　　7. Gun, Earl of Chong, hid in the wilderness of Yushan. —Li Daoyuan, Commentary on the Water Classic 　　8. Gun was enfeoffed at Chong. —Pei Yin, Collected Commentary on the Records of the Grand Historian 　　9. Yu married the daughter of Tushan, whose name was Youyu, and she gave birth to Qi. —Huangfu Mi, Annals of Emperors and Kings; Taiping Imperial Reader, volume one hundred thirty-five. 　　10. A man named Feng Yi obtained the elixir of immortality from the Queen Mother of the West. Chang’e stole it and fled to the moon. Before departing, he performed repeated divinations with Youhuang. Youhuang declared: “Auspicious. Flittingly, the younger sister marries; alone she will travel west. She will encounter Heaven’s dark obscurity; do not fear, do not be alarmed. Afterward there will be great prosperity.” Chang’e then entrusted her body to the moon. —Li Chunfeng’s Yisi Divination 　　11. Yangwen Qi divined about offering sacrifices to the spirits atop Great Mound —(Note: this entry does not state its source) 　　12. The Emperor emerges through Zhen, is ordered through Xun, meets through Li, performs service through Kun, speaks delightfully through Dui, battles through Qian, labors through Kan, and completes his words through Gen. 　　—Gan Bao’s commentary on the Rites of Zhou quotes: “This is the Yi of Lianshan.” Luo Mi’s Lushi: Elucidations also says so. 　　13. Returning together to the father, reverent as at the ruler’s place. —Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals: In Min year two, the Lu historian divined for Chu Qiu’s father; by milfoil divination he encountered Great Possession changing to Qian. Cheng Jiong’s Ancient Methods of Divination quotes it, saying: “These are certainly words of the two Changes.” 　　14. A thousand chariots, three withdrawals; after the three withdrawals, capture its male fox. —Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals: In Duke Xi year 15, Jin diviner Tu Fu performed a milfoil divination and encountered Gu. 　　fifteen. The southern state is straitened; shoot its primal king and strike him in the eye. —Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals: In Duke Cheng year sixteen, during the battle at Yanling, the duke divined; the historian said: “Auspicious—the hexagram encountered is Fu.” Gu Yanwu’s Rizhilu quotes these two passages and says: “This is precisely what is called the method of the Three Changes.” They are appended here. 　　 　　Zhu Yuansheng wrote in *Three Changes: A Preparatory Study*: “The *Lianshan* consists of two sections. From Fu to Qian it forms the yang instrument, and from Gou to Kun it forms the yin instrument. Its total number of stalks is fifteen hundred and twenty. At the end of the two sections of the *Xici*, the total is also fifteen hundred and twenty; this is a statement taking the stalks of the *Lianshan* as its basis. It also says: “The *Lianshan Yi* provides the model for the Xia calendar; the phrase in the *Yaodian*, ‘Separate commands were given to Xi and He,’ likewise provides the model for the Xia calendar. Comparing the *Book of Documents* with the *Changes*, their meaning is identical.”The *Book of Documents* says: “At midday the star Bird appears, thereby determining mid-spring”; “The day is long and the star Fire appears, thereby marking mid-summer”; “At night the star Void appears, thereby determining mid-autumn”; “The day is short and the star Pleiades appears, thereby marking mid-winter.” This evidently takes the mid-season stars to determine the four seasons. Now, arranging the twenty-eight lunar mansions according to the *Lianshan Yi*: at the winter solstice, the hexagram is Fu and the mansion is Void; at the summer solstice, the hexagram is Gou and the mansion is Star; at the spring equinox, the hexagram is Lin and the mansions are Di and Fang; at the autumn equinox, the hexagram is Dun and the mansion is Pleiades. For the two solstices and two equinoxes of the four seasons, using the hexagrams to calibrate the mansions is precisely the “mid-season stars” of the *Yaodian*. 　　It also says: “The principles of waxing, waning, division, and convergence are found in the *Lianshan Yi*; therein lies the utmost refinement, transformation, and spirituality. Qian and Kun oppose each other: Qian’s waxing is Kun’s waning, Qian’s division is Kun’s convergence; Kun’s waxing is Qian’s waning, and Kun’s division is Qian’s convergence. Dui and Gen oppose each other, Li and Kan oppose each other, and Zhen and Xun oppose each other. The remaining fifty-six hexagrams likewise form pairs; waxing, waning, division, and convergence all correspond to the eight trigrams. Xue Zhen said: ‘In the *Lianshan*, Qian begins at Zi and Kun begins at Wu, which agrees with the small diagram of the Earlier Heaven. It also follows the sequence Gen, Zhen, Xun, Li, Kun, Dui, Qian, Kan.’ Appendix: Discussions by Various Authorities 　　1. *Rites of Zhou, Grand Diviner*: “He is in charge of the methods of the Three Changes. The first is the *Lianshan*, the second the *Guizang*, and the third the *Zhouyi*. Their primary trigrams are all eight, and their divisions are all sixty-four.” It also says: “The Diviner is in charge of the Three Changes in order to distinguish the names of the Nine Divinations: first the *Lianshan*, second the *Guizang*, and third the *Zhouyi*. 2. *Classic of Mountains and Seas*: “The clan of Fuxi obtained the *Hetu*; the Xia Hou lineage followed it and called it the *Lianshan*.” 3. Du Zichun said: “The *Lianshan* belongs to Fuxi.” 　　4. Huan Tan said: “The *Lianshan* has eighty thousand words, and the *Guizang* four thousand three hundred words. The Xia *Changes* is elaborate, while the Yin *Changes* is concise.” He also said: “The *Lianshan* was stored in the Orchid Terrace. 5. Zheng Kangcheng said: “The *Lianshan* resembles a mountain emitting and receiving qi; it is transformation. 6. Chunyu Jun said: “The *Lianshan* resembles a mountain emitting and receiving qi, carrying and linking Heaven and Earth. 7. Yao Xin said: “The Lianshan clan obtained the *Hetu*; the Xia people followed it and called it the *Lianshan*.” 　　8. Ruan Ji said: “Pao Xi arranged and unfolded the transformations of the sixty-four hexagrams. Later sages observed them and followed them, taking their images and applying them. The classics of Yu and Tang all remain, but the writings of high antiquity have not survived. 9. Huangfu Mi said: “The Xia people followed the Yan Emperor and called it the *Lianshan*. In the *Lianshan Yi*, the hexagram Pure Gen is first. Gen means mountain—mountain above and mountain below—hence the name *Lianshan*. Cloud qi emerges from and returns into the mountains. Xia made the thirteenth month the beginning of the year, following the human line; Gen gradually establishes the first month, so Gen is placed first. 10. Emperor Yuan of Liang said: “Du Zichun said: ‘The *Lianshan* is Fuxi;*Guizang* is the Yellow Emperor.’ According to the *Book of Rites*: ‘I wish to observe the way of Yin; I obtained Kun and Qian.’ Since the present *Guizang* places Kun before Qian, we know clearly that it is Yin. Since the *Guizang* is tied to the institutions of Yin, it follows that the *Lianshan* is a Xia book. 11. Kong Yingda said: “The *Lianshan* began with Shennong.” He also said: “Divination in the Zhou era used the *Lianshan*, *Guizang*, and *Zhouyi* together. The *Lianshan* and *Guizang* used the unchanging lines for divination, namely the lines seven and eight. The two Changes have both been lost, so it is unknown whether this was actually so.” 　　12. Jia Gongyan said: “The *Hongfan* says: ‘Choose and establish three diviners; in the divination, follow the words of two.’ This is because at the time of divination the three Changes—the *Lianshan*, *Guizang*, and *Zhouyi*—were all used together. Xia and Yin used the unchanging as the basis of divination, while the *Zhouyi* used the changing; the three men each divined with one Change. The *Rites for an Officer’s Funeral* says that when divining the site’s east and west, there was a ‘group divination.’ ‘Group’ means the multitude: one divined together with his associates.The *Spring and Autumn Diagram of Confucius’ Development* says: “Confucius revised the *Spring and Autumn Annals*, completing it in nine months. When it was divined, the hexagram Yang Yu was obtained.” Song Jun’s commentary says: “These are the names of Xia and Yin hexagrams; that is why there is no corresponding text in the present *Zhouyi*.” Thus Confucius too used the divination methods of the two earlier dynasties. 13. Liu Chang said: “‘Keeping the back, not obtaining the body’ is the way of humanity. Taking Yin as the first month, when Mu Jiang divined, she obtained Gen with an eight; this is Gen changing into Sui, and is the Change of the *Lianshan*. 　　14. Shaozi said: “Xia took the month established by Yin as the first month and called it the human standard. The *Changes* is called the *Lianshan*, and since Gen is placed first, it represents humanity. 15. Fang Que said: “The *Lianshan* begins with Gen. Its hexagram possesses inner and outer aspects as one body; its position lies between the two northeastern directions, thereby facing the season of humanity. Xia used the human calendar as its standard, and therefore its book follows this. 16. Huang Shang said: “Revealing the obscure is the benevolence of the Changes. Therefore Xia called it the *Lianshan*, expressing its benevolence through an image. A mountain is still yet gives birth to and nourishes things; it embodies the way of benevolence.” 　　17. Shen Kuo said: “The statements of the hexagrams and lines all use nine and six; only the *Lianshan* and *Guizang* use seven and eight for divination. 18. Lu Dian said: “The *Lianshan* begins with Gen, hence the name *Lianshan*; this is what the *Changes* means by ‘joined mountains.’ Earlier Confucians thought it referred to cloud qi emerging continuously from mountains; that is incorrect.” He also said: “The *Lianshan Yi* is possessed by a household in Chang’an; all its hexagrams are vertical. 19. Shao Bo said: “The meaning of the *Lianshan Yi* is extremely shallow. Could it be Liu Xuan’s forged book?” 　　20. Li Gang said: “The *Lianshan* and *Guizang* use stillness as the basis of divination, so their lines are called seven and eight. Seven and eight are the numbers of lesser yin and lesser yang. Because the lesser yin and lesser yang are empty and not yet full, they are still and do not change. 21. Zhu Zhen said: “The reason Gen heads the *Lianshan* is that the eight winds begin at Buzhou, which truly lies in the northwest; it is the sequence of the seven mansions called Eastern Wall and Encampment, corresponds to Hai among the terrestrial branches, Yingzhong among the pitches, and the Beginning of Winter among the seasons. This was the calendar of Zhuanxu, which is why it began with the tenth month.” 　　22. Guo Yong said: “The Xia Changes is called the *Lianshan*, and the Shang Changes the *Guizang*. Calling them the Xia and Shang Changes reflects the fact that the name ‘Changes’ had not yet been established at that time. 23. Zhang Xingcheng said: “Xia called it the *Lianshan*, the celestial Changes; the *Tai Xuan Changes* takes from it. 24. Zheng E said: “The *Zhouyi* uses nine and six for divination, while the *Lianshan* and *Guizang* use seven and eight. The *Zhouyi* divines what changes; the *Lianshan* and *Guizang* divine what does not change. 25. Zheng Qiao said: “The *Lianshan* is the Changes of the Xia Hou lineage. It first emerged in the Tang, and is now lost.” 　　26. Cheng Jiong said: “The *Lianshan* and *Guizang* ought to have the same numerical system as the *Zhouyi*, but different wording. Earlier Confucians said that the *Zhouyi* divines what changes; this is wrong. They also said that the *Lianshan* and *Guizang* divine what does not change; this too is wrong. Diviners of antiquity used the methods of all three Changes together. Wei Yuan’s divination obtained Tun, and he said, ‘It is beneficial to see the feudal lord’; this is the *Zhouyi* divining what does not change.Ji You’s divination obtained Great Possession changing into Qian, and he said: ‘Together we return to the father; reverent as in the ruler’s place.’ These are certainly the words of the two other Changes. Since it changed to Qian, the changing lines were used; thus the *Lianshan* and *Guizang* sometimes also divined what changes. 27. Cheng Dachang said: “The *Rites of Zhou* records the Three Changes. Their primary trigrams are all eight, and their divisions all sixty-four. The *Lianshan* is Xia; the *Guizang* is Shang. By the time of Xia and Shang, the eight trigrams had already been differentiated into sixty-four hexagrams.” 　　28. Cai Yuanding said: “The *Lianshan* begins with Gen and the *Guizang* with Kun. I imagine their applications must have differed greatly from the *Zhouyi*, yet their Way was the same. 29. Zheng Dongxiang said: “From Pao Xi through Xia and Shang, although the eight trigrams had been doubled, people did not yet know the waxing and waning of seven, eight, nine, and six. The *Lianshan* began with Gen and the *Guizang* with Kun. Xia and Shang used them, both taking the unchanging as the basis of divination; their numbering stopped at sixty-four.” 　　30. Luo Mi said: “Emperor Yan, Shennong, ordered the Masters of Strange Matters to preside over divination, and Wu Xian and Wu Yang to preside over milfoil divination. Thus they penetrated its transformations, completing the patterns of the world; they exhausted its numbers to determine the images of Heaven and Earth. The eight-by-eight trigrams formed hexagrams, rewarding and assisting the spirits, communicating the aspirations of all under Heaven, and determining the undertakings of all under Heaven. Of the one that begins all things and ends all things, none is more flourishing than Gen. Gen is the trigram of the northeast; therefore Gen was doubled and made the beginning. This is what is called the *Lianshan Yi*. 31. Luo Ping said: “The writings of the *Lianshan* were produced in the age of Yu. 32. Chen Zao said: “Xia possessed the *Lianshan*. Did milfoil divination begin with this?”Thus, before Xia replaced Yu, Shun’s court already possessed it. 33. Li Guo said: “The *Changes Digest* says: ‘After Heaven and Earth, there were the myriad things.’ The Xia Changes begins with Gen, so things precede Heaven and Earth. This is why the Xia Changes was not transmitted; its explanation is indeed good, yet it cannot avoid being a rash statement. The first hexagrams of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou Changes differ because they embody the meaning of the three standards. The Xia Hou lineage established Yin as the first month and the beginning of the year, making it the human chronicle. Of the twenty-four positions of Heaven and Earth, Gen connects with Yin; the myriad things end at Gen and also begin at Gen. The Xia calendar established Yin, connected with Yin, and therefore began with Gen.” 　　34. Liu Yan said: “Someone asked about the authenticity of the *Lianshan* and *Guizang*. I replied: The *Han Bibliographic Treatise* does not record the *Lianshan*, but the *Tang Bibliographic Treatise* does. The *Han Bibliographic Treatise* does not record the *Guizang*, but the *Central Library Catalogue* of Jin and the bibliographies of Sui and Tang do. What was absent in the past and exists now is evidently false—especially since its statements are contrary to the classics.” 　　35. Wang Yinglin said: “The *Lianshan* begins with Gen. Gen is where all things end and begin. The eight winds begin at Buzhou; the qi of the hexagrams begins at Zhongfu; the winter solstice is the origin of the calendar, the Yellow Bell the foundation of the pitches. *Taiyuan* records the days at the Ox mansion and the qi at Zhongshou, ending in obscurity; in the primordial Gen it records the beginning and end of all things.” He also said: “I suppose the hexagrams of Xia and Shang each also had statements beneath them, which is why the Zhou people preserved them together for divination. 36. Huang Yinyan said: “The *Lianshan* is the Earlier-Heaven Changes of Pao Xi. 37. Zhu Yuansheng said: “The *Lianshan* is the first of the Three Changes.”　It also says: “The composition of the *Lianshan* also took its models from the diagrams and writings.” It also says: “The *Lianshan* was composed by Fuxi and used by Xia; the *Guizang* was composed by the Yellow Emperor and used by Shang. When the Duke of Zhou assisted King Cheng, he established offices and divided duties, ordering the Grand Diviner and the Diviner to manage the *Zhouyi* alongside them. He did not set the *Lianshan* and *Guizang* aside as useless simply because Zhou used the *Zhouyi*.” It also says: “In his commentary on the *Lianshan*, Jia Gongyan explained: ‘The *Lianshan* takes Pure Gen as its first hexagram. Gen is mountain; mountain above and mountain below—hence the name *Lianshan*.’Examining Jia’s commentary against the wording of the *Shuogua*: In the Xia season, Xia established Yin as the first month; Pure Gen truly corresponds to the Beginning of Spring. Since spring is the first season, could this be why Gen is the first of the *Lianshan Yi*? The *Treatise on Pitch Pipes and Calendars* in the *Book of Han* describes the Three Standards, saying that the human standard is Yin, which is wood; the Taicou pitch is eight inches long, symbolizing the eight trigrams, and this is how Fuxi followed Heaven and Earth, communicated with spirits, and classified the myriad things. From this we know that Pao Xi also used Yin as the first month, and Xia Hou merely followed him. This is what Gongyan meant by saying that the *Lianshan* was composed by Fuxi and followed by Xia Hou.　It also says: “The *Lianshan Yi* has been lost for a long time. Through the *Rites of Zhou*, its name has survived; through the *Commentary on the Trigrams*, its meaning has survived; through the Xia calendar, its use has survived. 38. Jin Lüxiang said: “The wording of the *Lianshan* and *Guizang* can no longer be examined. Scholars say that Shao’s mutual-body diagrams, including the diagrams of the Already Fulfilled and other hexagrams, are the surviving method of the *Lianshan*; the later methods of Na Jia and returning souls are the surviving methods of the *Guizang*. 　　39. Hu Yigui said: “The *Lianshan* consists of ten scrolls, as seen in the *Tang Bibliographic Treatise*. Before the Tang there was no such book, so the Tang *Lianshan* seems to be a forged book from the Sui era. 40. Wu Cheng said: “The *Lianshan* is the Changes of Xia. 41. Wu Lai said: “Changes divination uses change, so its numbers use only nine and six and favor the mature. The *Lianshan* and *Guizang* divine through what does not change, so their numbers use only seven and eight and favor the young.”The *Lianshan* uses seven and begins with Gen; the *Guizang* uses eight and begins with Kun. This is still no more than the old system of Fuxi. As for calculating the stalks used in practice, the *Lianshan* has thirty-six, the *Guizang* forty-six, while the *Changes* has forty-nine, as though they were not mutually applicable. 42. Zhu Yinlao said: “The *Lianshan* is the Changes of Shennong. It begins with Gen, and all who establish Yin as the first month follow it. Even Yao and Shun did so; it was not only the Xia Hou lineage. 43. Lei Siqi said: “The Changes of the *Lianshan* and *Guizang* have the same divination method but different line statements.” 　　44. Zhu Sheng said: “The *Lianshan* begins with Gen; it is the juncture of beginning and ending. 45. Wang Yi said: “The Changes began when Fuxi first drew the eight trigrams and then doubled them into sixty-four hexagrams. At that time there were probably diagrams but no book. Later sages, following them, composed the *Lianshan*, the *Guizang*, and the *Zhouyi*. All were based on Fuxi’s diagrams, but each used them differently.” 　　46. He Qiaoxin said: “The Tang Arts and Literature Record contains ten scrolls of Lianshan, attributed to Changsun Wuji’s sequenced commentary. The text has many omissions and errors, and this book has long been lost. Yet, if we seek it, there is still something that can be said: what is called ‘mountain upon mountain, Gen’ is precisely the surviving meaning of Lianshan. All six lines are distinct human images. Though the book no longer survives, its images can still be inferred. 47. Wang Dao said: “Lianshan begins with Gen. Commentators all say that Gen occupies the position of Yin and accords with the meaning of establishing Yin; this is quite mistaken. Gen is in Yin, the postnatal arrangement of King Wen. How could Xia have anticipated and adopted it?”Moreover, all six lines belong to the human realm; why is Gen alone at the head? The reason is that the three feminine trigrams need not be considered. Zhen has one yang moving beneath two yins; Kan has one yang positioned between two yins. Neither is fully sufficient to correspond to the proper way of humanity. Only Gen has one yang above two yins, which both accords with the image of one ruler and two subjects and profoundly matches the subtle principle that only stillness can bring the multitude to stillness—the highest excellence of the human way. Gen is placed first for this reason. 48. Zhan Ruoshui said: In the Lianshan Yi of the Xia dynasty, knowing when to stop is the essential principle from beginning to end; this is why Master Cheng selected the Gen hexagram. 　　49. Sun Yi said: “Those who explain Lianshan say it is like clouds emerging from mountains, continuous and unending. But how could clouds emerging continuously suffice to exhaust all the principles under Heaven? They also say: the eight trigrams circulate in order; Lianshan and Guicang likewise each have an order, but their meanings remain incomplete. 50. Hu Yinglin said: “The ten-scroll Lianshan Yi appears in the Tang Arts and Literature Record. According to Ban Gu’s record, the Zhouyi heads the Six Classics; the Xia and Shang Changes were altogether different.”Sui dynasty scholar Niu Hong acquired thirty-seven thousand volumes of surviving books from throughout the realm. When Wei Wencheng and others compiled the History of Sui, they recorded every lost title from the Jin and Liang onward, yet never mentioned anything called Lianshan. It only appeared in the Tang—could that be so? The History of the Northern Dynasties, Biography of Liu Xuan, says: Emperor Wen of Sui sought out charts and books, and Xuan then forged Lianshan and the Lu Annals and presented them. Ma Duanlin relied on this to consider them Xuan’s work; perhaps that is so. Xuan was later exposed and stripped of office, so the Sui Records did not list it, but the book continued to circulate afterward and, during the Kaiyuan era, when books were gathered in abundance, it was merely brought into the palace library. 　　51. Shen Maoxiao said: “The Xia Changes begin with Gen, thereby completing the end and gestating the function that emerges through Zhen. 52. Hao Jing said: “Lianshan has a six-line Gen hexagram. Gen means mountain; with Gen above and below, it is called Lianshan. 53. Jiao Hong said: “Lianshan is Gen. In Xia times, scholars placed importance on stopping. 54. Sun Qifeng said: “Lianshan begins with Gen. Gen means stopping. In affairs under Heaven, renewal comes not daily through action but daily through stopping. Only when one stops at the proper time can one act at the proper time. This is the meaning of completing both beginning and end.” 　　55. Huang Zongyan said: “Huan Tan said that Lianshan contains eighty thousand words and Guicang four thousand three hundred words. Does this mean the Xia text, together with the Yin text and the Zhouyi, was nearly twenty times the length of King Wen’s and the Duke of Zhou’s statements? How could these have been ancient bamboo volumes? Those who make such a claim likewise do not understand the common principles connecting ancient and modern times.” 　　56. Gu Yanwu said: “Lianshan and Guicang are not Changes. When the Rites of Zhou speaks of the ‘Three Changes,’ later people used the name of the Changes to name them. It is like Mozi speaking of the Spring and Autumn of Zhou, Yan, Song, and Qi: the histories of Zhou, Yan, Song, and Qi were not all the Spring and Autumn, but were called ‘Spring and Autumn’ by borrowing the name of Lu’s history. 57. You Tong said: “Lianshan begins with Gen, Guicang begins with Kun. Their ordering of the hexagrams is somewhat different, but the names of the hexagrams have never differed.” 　　58. Huang Yujian said: “Yi was the name given by Zhou; thus Lianshan and Guicang were also named Yi by Zhou and called the ‘Three Changes.’ 59. Zhu Yizun said: “Mao Jian’s preface to the Three Tombs places the Mountain Tomb first, saying that it is the Yi of Lianshan, composed by Fuxi.”Its images include such meanings as the Exalted Mountain as ruler, the Prostrate Mountain as minister, the Ranged Mountains as people, the Joined Mountains as things, the Hidden Mountain as yin, the Linked Mountain as yang, the Stored Mountain as military forces, and the Layered Mountain as images. It says: “The Celestial Emperor first drew the eight trigrams. Lianshan was named Yi; ruler, minister, people, things, yin, yang, military forces, and images first became clear to the world.” This is absurd and not credible.　It also says: “According to Du Zichun, ‘Lianshan’ was Fuxi and ‘Guicang’ was the Yellow Emperor; Yao Xin took ‘Ranged Mountains’ to mean Shennong. Yet Ban Mengjian’s Table of Ancient and Modern People lists Fuxi, Shennong, and the Yellow Emperor among sages, and lists Lianshan and Guicang among benevolent men. They should not appear again in this manner. The Ancient Three Tombs Preface to the Ancient Three Tombs Song — Mao Jian The Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals by Zuo says: ‘Zuo Xiang, the left historian of Chu, could read the Three Tombs, Five Canons, Eight Soils, and Nine Mounds.’Sun Anguo, in his account of the Documents, said that the writings of Fuxi, Shennong, and the Yellow Emperor were called the Three Mounds and spoke of the Great Way. The Book of Han's Treatise on Literature records ancient books in detail, yet the books of the Three Mounds are no longer listed. Could it be that these books were lost during the Han dynasty? In the seventh year of Yuanfeng, I was sent on a mission to the Western Capital to inspect the subordinate counties. On the road to Biyang in Tangzhou, there were no relay stations, so I stayed and ate at a commoner's house. Written on the door was: “The Three Mounds book has been borrowed by someone.” I immediately called the master of the house and asked about it. He said: “It is the ancient Three Mounds. A certain family truly possesses this book.” I therefore ordered it brought out and read it.Each of the Three Tombs has a Commentary. The Tombs are written in ancient script, while the Commentaries are in clerical script. Their words are concise and their reasoning clear, so I suspect they could not have been produced by later generations. I borrowed them, returned home, and copied them. From time to time I showed them to people fond of antiquities, who often pointed to them as forged books. Yet on examining why there are three Tombs, it appears they are distinguished by mountain, qi, and form: the Mountain Tomb speaks of ruler, minister, people, things, yin, yang, military forces, and images, and is called Lianshan; the Qi Tomb speaks of return, storing, birth, movement, growth, nurture, stopping, and killing, and is called Guicang;The Form Tomb speaks of Heaven, earth, sun, moon, mountains, rivers, clouds, and qi, and is called Qian-Kun. This differs greatly from the earlier Confucians’ explanation of the Three Tombs. All follow related categories and fully explore the principles of Heaven and earth. There are also chapters such as the Record of Surnames, Imperial Strategies, and Political Canons. Their prose is plain and terse, truly remnants of high antiquity. The Zheng of Yin quotes the Political Canons: “Those who act before the proper time are killed without pardon; those who fail to act in time are killed without pardon.” Kong’s commentary takes this as a political canon of the Xia rulers, and it agrees considerably with the Documents. Could later people have forged it? People of the world merely say that this book had already been lost in the Han and therefore should not exist in later ages.Moreover, the Documents was earnestly sought and purchased at the beginning of the Han but could not be obtained; only during Emperor Wu’s reign did it emerge from the walls of a house. Could it therefore be declared forged? I examined this book and, having come to trust it deeply, intend to pass it on to learned gentlemen who appreciate such things; thus I write this preface. Mountain Tomb — Celestial Emperor Fuxi — Lianshan Yi Great Images of the lines and trigrams: Exalted Mountain: ruler; ruler-minister counterpart; ruler-people official; ruler-things dragon; ruler-yin queen; ruler-yang teacher; ruler-military general; ruler-image head Prostrate Mountain: minister; minister-ruler marquis; minister-people knight; minister-things tortoise; minister-yin son; minister-yang father; minister-military soldier; minister-image thigh 　　Ranged Mountain: people; people-ruler food; people-minister strength; people-things goods; people-yin wife; people-yang husband; people-military weapons; people-image body Joined Mountain: things; things-ruler metal; things-minister wood; things-people earth; things-yin water; things-yang fire; things-military weapons held; things-image spring Hidden Mountain: yin; yin-ruler earth; yin-minister wilderness; yin-people ghosts; yin-things beasts; yin-yang music; yin-military demons; yin-image winter Linked Mountain: yang; yang-ruler Heaven; yang-minister the firm; yang-people spirits; yang-things birds; yang-yin ritual; yang-military reprimand; yang-image summer 　　Stored Mountain: military forces; military-ruler commander; military-minister assistant; military-people army; military-things materials; military-yin strategy; military-yang battle formation; military-image autumn Layered Mountain: images; image-ruler sun; image-minister moon; image-people stars; image-things clouds; image-yin night; image-yang day; image-military qi The Great Ancient River Chart: Record of Surnames Pure qi had not yet risen, turbid qi had not yet descended, wandering spirits had not yet become numinous, and the five colors had not yet separated. Within this was a thing, obscure yet possessing inherent nature; it was called chaos. Chaos was the Great Beginning. The Great Beginning was the sprouting of the primordial womb. The number of the Great Beginning was one; one was the Supreme Ultimate. The Supreme Ultimate was the father and mother of Heaven and earth.One polarity was the Change; Heaven was lofty, bright, and pure, while earth was broad, deep, and turbid—this was called the Great Change. The Great Change was the transformation of Heaven and earth. The number of the Great Change was two; two were the two primary forms. The two primary forms were the forms of yin and yang; this was called the Great Origin. The Great Origin was the intercourse of Heaven and earth. Its number was four; four filled the Change, and the four images transformed to form the myriad things; this was called the Great Purity. The Great Purity was the beginning of the three powers. Its number was three; three filled the Change, and Heaven and earth conceived and gave birth to men and women; this was called the three powers. The three powers were the completeness of Heaven and earth.The wandering spirits moved and became numinous. Thus flying, walking, creeping, transforming, moving, growing, insects, and fish necessarily filled the space between Heaven and earth; this was called the Great Antiquity. The Great Antiquity was the beginning of living people. The people of the Great Antiquity all lived long lives. When the Change was full, there began three men and three women; they gathered in winter and dispersed in summer, ate the fruits of birds, beasts, insects, fish, grasses, and trees, and when men and women joined their essences, the woman’s child received a surname. At first there were three heads, called the Era of He Xiong. They produced offspring for three generations. When the He Xiong clan died, descendants transmitted one another’s records, recording their lifespans; this was called the Era of the Recorded Lifespans. Four surnames were recorded in all, and offspring were produced for two generations.Men and women became numerous, living in groups and fleeing together, following the strong; this was called the Era of Connected Flight. They produced offspring for one generation, making five surnames in all; this was called the Record of the Five Surnames. People throughout the world lived in groups and drew close according to kind. Men and women became numerous and divided into nine heads, each dwelling in its own direction, so they were called the Clan of Dwellers in Directions. When they died, offspring continued for thirty-two generations. The strong and weak pressed against one another, wishing to swallow and harm each other. Among them was a divine person who lifted and upheld them and governed them, hence the name Clan of Lifted Support. The Lifted Support clan produced offspring for thirty-five eras, recording seventy-two surnames in all; hence the name Clan of Universal Surnames.The Youchao clan arose, the first awakened among the Great Antiquity. It understood Heaven, earth, grasses, trees, insects, fish, birds, and beasts, and enabled people to live in nests and caves, accumulate the flesh of birds and beasts, and gather the fruits of grasses and trees; all the nine heads of the world submitted. Youchao was the first ruler. In movement and stillness, groups gathered and honored him. His lifespan was one Great Change; he originally descended from the Clan of Universal Surnames. The Suiren clan was the child of Youchao. Born divinely intelligent, it taught people to cook food, drill wood to obtain fire, and the living beings of the world honored it. There was first a midday market where goods were exchanged, a platform for transmitting teachings, and government by knotted cords. Its lifespan was one Great Change; it too descended from the Clan of Universal Surnames.The Fuxi clan was the child of Suiren. He was born through the wind, hence the surname Feng. At the end of Jia, eight Tai had completed; after thirty-two Changes of grasses and trees, in the month when grass grew, on the day rain fell, the river overflowed. At that time a dragon-horse bore the chart, seemingly divided into five colors; its writing opened the five Changes, and the Jia image was the Exalted Mountain. The Celestial Emperor first drew the eight trigrams, all Lianshan, and named them Yi. Ruler, minister, people, things, yin, yang, military forces, and images first became clear to the world. After the chart appeared, there were two more completions and thirty-two Changes of grasses and trees; in the month when trees withered, he ordered his minister Feilong to create the six scripts. After one more Change of grasses and trees, in the month when trees flourished, he ordered his minister Qianlong to create the Jia calendar. Fuxi made sacrificial oxen, governed metal to produce implements, and taught the people to cook food.He made the nine heads of Yi into nine governors. From honoring and serving arose ritual; from the dragon’s appearance came the recording of offices; from the wind’s arrival came music. He ordered the Descending-Dragon clan, He, to lead the myriad people; ordered the Water-Dragon clan to pacify and govern water and earth; ordered the Fire-Dragon clan to cook and make implements; and because people dwelt in directions, established cities and walls. The people of the world called him Celestial Emperor, Taihao, Fuxi, Youpao, or Shenglong; he was originally a descendant of the Clan of Universal Surnames. Imperial Strategies of Celestial Emperor Fuxi In ancient times, the Celestial Emperor occupied the ruler’s position. He consulted the generals, consulted the ministers, consulted the people, and issued the imperial strategy statements.The Emperor said: “I was born without the Way. I inherited my father’s dwelling in the directions, and after thirty-two Changes of grasses and trees, I rose to the ruler’s position. My father, the Fire Emperor, returned to the world; the River Chart had not yet descended. The living people tied cords, and none failed to trust them. At the end of Jia, eight Tai had completed; after thirty-two Changes of grasses and trees, I alone had reached old age. People of the surname produced many descendants; groups gathered like insects and wished to swallow and harm one another. Heaven, in its supreme benevolence, in the month when grass grew, sent rain from Heaven and caused the river to descend. The dragon-horse bore the chart and the spirits opened my heart. Before my child was born, I drew the eight trigrams, and all were secure from top to bottom.”Afterward, there were two completions and twenty-two Changes of grasses and trees. The Emperor said: “I order my child Xiang to occupy my position of Flying Dragon, govern my charts and writings, and act in my place to consult the regions above and below, without any private interest.” Xiang said: “All this accords with the words of consulting the multitude. May the ruler have no worries.” After one more Change of grasses and trees, the Emperor said: “I order my child Ying to occupy my position of Hidden Dragon, govern my yin-yang Jia calendar, and consult the regions above and below without error.” Ying said: “Following this method is likewise in accord. May the ruler have no worries.” The Emperor said: “Do nothing.” After twenty-two more Changes of grasses and trees, the Hao Ying clan presented the calendar to the ruler, saying: “The calendar begins with Jia-Yin.” The Emperor said: “On the Jia day and Yin hour, gather the people at the Teaching Platform and announce to them that Jia-Yin is the beginning.”In the second month of the Change, the Celestial King ascended the Teaching Platform. He then gathered the living people, including Nüwa’s descendants, and arranged them without distinction of ministers and officials, high and low. On the upper right was the assistant minister Gonggong; below him was the assistant minister Huang Huan. The Flying Dragon Zhu Xiang clan and the Hidden Dragon Hao Ying clan occupied positions to the ruler’s left and right. The Lili clan dwelt in the north, the Hexu clan in the south, the Kunlian clan in the west, the Getian clan in the east, and the Yinkang people below. The governors of the nine provinces each commanded their own groups and dwelt outside. The Emperor said: “I consult you, my upper assistant minister Gonggong. I have reached old age and practice non-action. You must support my correct Way, announce it to the people, and enable them to know the Jia calendar. From this, the days, months, years, and seasons begin; let nothing go unrecorded. Do not be remiss.”Gonggong said: “I occupy the position of ruler and minister, yet have rendered no service. May Your Majesty bear this in mind.” The Emperor said: “Xiaxiang Huang Huan, I am old and have reached the utmost of inaction. You alone must support me in the righteous Way, cherish and love the people below, and work with all your strength to advise and inform the people, so that they may know the Jia calendar. From this day, let the days, months, years, and seasons begin; let nothing go unrecorded. Do not be remiss.” Huan said: “I occupy the position of ruler and minister, yet have rendered no service. May Your Majesty bear this in mind.” The Emperor said: “Li Luzi, you occupy my position of Water Dragon and are in charge of nourishing plants and opening the sources of springs. Never miss the proper season. Do not be remiss.” Lu said: “I will exhaust my strength for the people. May Your Majesty bear this in mind.”The Emperor said: “Da Ting is in charge of our dwellings. Explain matters to those among the people who have no dwelling, and borrow their strength to build homes together, so that none suffer cold or freezing.” Ting said: “I shall comply with the people’s words.” The Emperor said: “Yin Kangzi, you occupy the domain of water and earth, enabling the people to settle without being swept away or drifting. Be diligent in opening the Way and reaching those below.” Kang said: “I shall comply with Your Majesty’s words.” The Emperor said: “Hundun, you occupy my position of Descending Dragon and are devoted solely to governing the people.” The Emperor said: “Kun Lianzi is in charge of my knives and axes. Do not let wild beasts, sacrificial tigers, and the like injure or maim living beings; do not let powerful men of the same kind drive out and oppress the weak. Subdue them.” Lian said: “I shall take exclusive charge of military affairs. May Your Majesty have no concern.”The August Sovereign said: “If the rulers of the four quarters all follow my words, then the world will have no harm; if they cherish the people, their positions will not be endangered.” The August Sovereign said: “Do not seek your own comfort; seek only the people’s peace. When the people are at peace, you are at peace; when the people are in danger, you are in danger. You must keep this in mind.” Qi Tomb—Human Sovereign Shennong—Guicang Yi Images of the hexagrams: Heavenly qi returns: returning and concealing its position; returning to give birth to the hun soul; returning in movement, riding a boat; returning as the elder brother; returning to nurture and create things; returning in stillness, dwelling within a domain; returning in killing, surrendering. Earthly qi conceals: concealment returns and interacts; concealment gives birth to Mao; concealment in movement is the rat; concealment as the elder sister; concealment nurtures and transforms things; concealment in stillness is a double gate; concealment in killing is theft. 　　Wood qi gives birth: birth returns; birth conceals harm; birth in movement is Yang merit; birth grows into the original embryo; birth nurtures; birth in stillness is nature; birth in killing is mutual restraint. Wind qi moves: movement returns and rides a carriage; movement conceals receiving seed; movement gives birth to opportunity; movement grows into wind; movement nurtures the source; movement in stillness is vigilance; movement in killing is cruelty. Fire qi grows: growth returns and follows the teacher; growth conceals following the husband; growth gives life to aspirations; growth in movement is beauty; growth nurtures by violating the Way; growth in stillness is equality; growth in killing follows nature. Water qi nurtures: nurturing returns and flows; nurturing conceals the sea; nurturing gives birth to love; nurturing in movement is fishing; nurturing grows into seedlings; nurturing in stillness is cultivation; nurturing in killing is livestock. 　　Mountain’s qi stops: Stopping returns to restraint; Stopping stores as the abyss; Stopping gives birth to appearance; Stopping moves as relief; Stopping grows plants; Stopping nurtures by moistening; Stopping kills through leniency and pardon. 　　Metal’s qi kills: Killing returns to corpses; Killing stores as tombs; Killing gives birth to mercilessness; Killing moves as weapons of war; Killing grows through battle; Killing nurtures without injury; Killing stops disorder. 　　 　　The Human Sovereign Shennong’s Canon of Governance 　　The Canon says: Heaven alone gives birth to the people; the ruler alone serves Heaven. Food, funerals and sacrifices, clothing, and education and transformation all return to governance. The Emperor said: “I have been born without virtue; let all follow the ancient government. Alas, rulers of the four quarters! You have offices and undertakings; be sons and fathers, elder brothers and younger brothers. Do not bring disorder to governance.”In ancient times, the two rulers first became kings. There were no written contracts; they governed by tying knots, and exchange brought life. They also merely returned to governance. In ancient times, under the Celestial Sovereign, the teaching of culture was first cultivated, the eight trigrams were first drawn, and the distinctions between ruler and minister, people and things, yin and yang, and military signs were clarified, replacing governance by tied knots. In speech, only words were used; in making implements, only images; in actions, only changes; and in divination, only prognostication. The Celestial Sovereign’s lineage returned to qi. I merely continue the government, following the ancient Way to establish governance. The August Sovereign said: “Align with the seasons of Heaven, rely on the advantages of the land, and be generous to the people. The people are the foundation of the state; food is Heaven for the people. If agriculture is not properly ordered, food will not be abundant; if the people are not properly ordered, their occupations will not be devoted. The people have their allotted numbers, food has its moderation, and agriculture has its instruction.”For the vast multitudes of living people, do not disrupt the canons of governance. The Canons of Governance state: The ruler's proper path is one; two or three bring misfortune. The minister's proper virtue is one; then there is constant good fortune. The proper seasons are four; if the seasons are disordered, nothing will grow. The proper qi is harmony; if qi is disordered, pestilence arises. The proper officials number a hundred; the proper populace falls into four classes; the proper colors are five; all must be genuine and good. Diseases properly number four hundred and four, while medicines properly number three hundred and sixty-five. Exceeding these numbers leads to chaos, becoming confused and toxic. The proper Dao is constancy; exceeding proper governance leads to perversion. Proper punishment is fairness; exceeding proper governance turns it into self-interest. Proper emolument is sufficiency; exceeding proper governance leads to extravagance. Proper ritual is moderation; exceeding proper governance leads to presumption. Proper music is harmony; exceeding proper governance leads to dissipation. Proper governance is simplicity; exceeding proper governance leads to disorder. Proper mourning is grief; exceeding proper governance leads to ostentation.Weapons and warfare are rightly meant to quell disorder; exceeding governance turns them dangerous. Markets and shops are rightly meant for goods; exceeding governance turns them perverse. Censure and prohibitions are rightly meant to correct wrongdoing; exceeding governance makes them useless. The Emperor said: “Alas, you who have offices and undertakings, who are sons and fathers, elder brothers and younger brothers, all follow my words and return everything to correctness.” The Emperor said: “A ruler’s trust and appointment must be upright; a minister assisting the ruler must be loyal; mutual administration among officials must be public-spirited; officials succeeding one another in office must be diligent; officials caring for the people must be benevolent; officials and people serving their superiors must be devoted to their work. Let no father be unrighteous, and let his son be filial. Let no elder brother be unfriendly, and let his younger brother be respectful. Let the husband not wander, the wife not be licentious, the teacher not be negligent, and instruction not be lost. Punishment is form: it shapes your body. The Way is guidance: it guides your will.Ritual is regulation: it regulates your emotions. Music is harmony: it harmonizes your voice. Governance is correctness: it corrects affairs. 　　 　　Form Tomb, the Earth Sovereign Xuanyuan, Qian Kun Yi 　　Grand images of the hexagrams: 　　Qian’s form is Heaven: Heaven-Earth descends qi; Sun-Heaven is the central Way; Moon-Heaven is night illumination; Mountain-Heaven bends upward; River-Heaven bends downward; Cloud-Heaven creates yin; Qi-Heaven practices obscurity. 　　Kun’s form is Earth: Heaven-Earth is a round mound; Sun-Earth is a circular palace; Moon-Earth is slanted and curved; Mountain-Earth is a dangerous path; River-Earth is broad and level; Cloud-Earth is a high forest; Qi-Earth is low and damp. 　　Yang forms: the sun. Heaven is the sun’s brightness; earth is the sun’s reflected radiance; the moon follows the sun from the new moon; mountains sink westward with the sun; rivers carry the sun’s light; clouds conceal the sun; qi is bound and covered. Yin forms: the moon. Heaven is the moon’s excess; earth is the moon’s hidden radiance; sun and moon alternate in brightness; the mountain moon rises high; the river moon floats eastward; clouds conceal the moon’s palace; qi is dark yin. Earth forms: mountains. Heaven is the mountain peaks; earth is the mountain’s solid rock; the mountain is a perilous peak; the moon is the mountain’s slanting summit; rivers are the mountain’s islands; clouds are the mountain’s ravines; qi is the mountain’s crags. Water forms: rivers. Heaven is the Milky Way; earth is the river; the sun is the river’s lake; the moon is the river’s winding pool; mountains are the river’s ravines; clouds are the river’s streams; qi is the river’s springs. 　　Rain’s form is cloud: Heaven-Cloud is auspicious; Earth-Cloud is yellow sleet; Sun-Cloud is a red haze; Moon-Cloud is plain patterned cloud; Mountain-Cloud is overlapping peaks; River-Cloud flows; 1; Qi-Cloud scatters colors. 　　Wind’s form is qi: Heaven-Qi hangs as mist; Earth-Qi rises as vapor; Sun-Qi surrounds the day; Moon-Qi rounds the night; Mountain-Qi envelops smoke; River-Qi floats with light; Cloud-Qi flows in patterns [the original character has rain above and Zhang below]. 　　 　　The Earth Sovereign Xuanyuan’s Canon of Governance 　　The Emperor said: “Alas, Heavenly Masters, ministers, the Five Regulators, the hundred officials, scholars, farmers, merchants, and artisans and technicians, all follow my words.”The canon of governance says: When a state has no heterodox teachings, its markets have no licentious goods, its land has no wasteland, its offices have no corrupt officials, its towns have no idle wanderers, its mountains are not stripped bare, and its marshes do not dry up, the Way of rectitude has reached its utmost. When the Way of rectitude reaches its utmost, officials have their regular duties, the people have their regular occupations, fathers and sons do not betray kindness, husbands and wives do not betray affection, brothers do not abandon righteousness, animals do not lose their leaders, and plants do not lose their life. The canon of governance says: Square, round, angular, and straight; curved, slanting, concave, and convex—each must have a form. Far and near, high and low, long and short, swift and slow—each must have a regulation. Cold and heat, dryness and dampness, wind and rain, adverse and favorable—each must have its season. Metal, wood, water, fire, earth, stone, feathers, and hair—each must have its beneficial use.Silk, hemp, mulberry, and ramie; sinew, horn, teeth, and leather—each must have a use. The implements and tools of the hundred crafts must each have a regulation. The sage governs the world: authority gathers wealth; wealth applies wisdom; wisdom nurtures the worthy; the worthy assist the Way; the Way unifies those below, not serving those above; those above extend benevolence; benevolence preserves position; position regulates righteousness; righteousness uses··ritual; ritual regulates emotion; emotion deepens trust; trust unifies virtue; virtue illuminates conduct; conduct honors teaching; teaching returns to governance; governance honors transformation; transformation follows nature; nature preserves life; life protects growth; growth completes longevity. The August Sovereign said: “Heavenly Master Qibo, you administer the sun, moon, stars, yin and yang, and the calculations of the calendar.”Be upright in correcting your father, and do not make any mistake or grant any indulgence. Kill those who act before the proper time; kill those who fail to act in time. You must be vigilant. The August One said: Lord of Earth, be centered and upright. You understand the mountains, rivers, plants, trees, insects, fish, birds, and beasts. Take charge and observe carefully; do not disrupt the system of fields and thereby create lawsuits over farmland. You must keep this in mind. The August One said: Dragon of the East, be upright. Distribute ranks and emoluments to the worthy and wise. Consult and conduct yourself properly; do not conceal great worthies for the sake of coveting wealth, and do not shield those of evil virtue for the sake of private reward. The August One said: Rong of the South, be upright. Regulate rites, clothing, and sacrifices. You alone must be upright; do not disrupt the institutions of the state by presuming upon your superiors, and do not abolish sacrificial services by treating reverence as mere simplicity. You must keep this in mind. The Emperor said: “Tai Feng, Western Regulator, you distribute weapons, warfare, punishments, and laws; take charge and judge them fairly.” The Emperor said: “Tai Chang, Northern Regulator, you oversee the land system and the people’s affairs; instruct and equalize them. Let the hundred crafts be good, and let the mountains and rivers be mapped by you. Be diligent and reverent.” The Emperor said: “Heavenly Master, assistant ministers, the Five Regulators, the hundred officials, scholars, farmers, merchants, and artisans and technicians, all follow my words and spend their lives in rest and well-being.” 　　 　　Afterword to the end of The Ancient Three Tombs 　　(A recluse at the end of the Tang) 　　The Commentary says: The River Chart was hidden at the beginning of Zhou; the Three Tombs were lost during the reigns of You and Li; the Luo Writing was burned when Qin was destroyed. The Way of governing the age of peace can no longer be seen. I myself withdrew into seclusion west of Qingcheng during the Tianfu era. Because of wind and rain, a stone split open, and inside was a stone box. I obtained three chapters of ancient writing. The bark was broken and the slips were detached; all were seal script. They were books of the Three Sovereigns of high antiquity. 　　 Edition in the Han-Wei Collectanea