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Chapter 1 of 14
Zao Hua Yuan Yao — Key to Creation
Translation of Wei Qianli’s Preface:
A preface serves to narrate, outlining the content and core intent of a book. Some books include the author’s own preface, often filled with modest remarks, while others feature prefaces written by different authors, typically laden with praise that may stray from reality. I write this preface because both the original author and the commentator have passed away, allowing me to objectively highlight the book’s strengths and weaknesses. The overview and purpose of the book are detailed in Mr. Yu Chuntai’s preface. In my view, the book has four strengths: First, it relies solely on the five elements of the Eight Characters (water🌊, fire🔥, wood🌳, earth🪨, metal💨) to explain the principles of generation, restraint, conflict, combination, and harmony, avoiding other divergent views. Its conclusions are as crisp and clear as the famous pears of the Ai family or the scissors of Jingzhou. Second, adhering to the principle of "selecting the useful deity based on the monthly outline," it systematically discusses the ten day stems across twelve months in an orderly and structured manner. With a bit of effort, readers can confidently analyze countless life charts. Third, it provides real-life examples of fate analysis to substantiate its claims, allowing readers to study with assurance. Fourth, Mr. Xu Lewu, a modern master of destiny analysis, was well-read and knowledgeable. His commentaries and examples are like adding the finishing touch to a dragon’s eyes. However, there are also four weaknesses: First, the original text is poorly written and often fails to convey the intended meaning. Second, Mr. Xu Lewu’s commentaries occasionally include far-fetched interpretations that diverge from the topic. Third, the transcribed versions are riddled with errors (due to the hastily produced mimeographed copies, which originated from Xu’s unpublished commentaries. When Mr. Xu passed away in the autumn of 1949, destiny analysis was strictly prohibited in Shanghai, so enthusiasts secretly mimeographed dozens of copies for circulation, making errors inevitable). Fourth, although I borrowed the book from Mr. Li Yutian in Shanghai in 1957 and he made corrections, I served as the proofreader. Despite repeated reviews, errors may still exist, for which I apologize to readers. My only hope is that after publication, enthusiasts of destiny analysis will provide feedback and suggestions for revisions in future editions, making this valuable work even more perfect. I hereby write this preface. Written by Wei Qianli in Taipei on the Beginning of Winter in the Bingwu year.
Translation of the Preface to The Treasured Mirror of Prosperity and Adversity:
As the ancient saying goes, "Words without refinement will not travel far," which holds true. The book Lan Jiang Gang (The Riverbank Outline) pairs the ten heavenly stems with the twelve months, observing their growth, prosperity, decline, and rest🌱📅, to establish criteria for selecting useful deities. It sets a fixed pattern to manage myriad changes, presenting an unparalleled order among books on destiny analysis. However, written by practitioners, its profound principles are often obscured by inadequate expression and transcription errors (such as "confusing Lu with Qian or Hai with Shi"), making it difficult to read. It remained obscure for nearly five centuries, overlooked by the world. Specialized knowledge and deep principles are challenging to convey clearly in ordinary language. Later scholars, unable to grasp its meaning, dismissed it, and it became less popular than Yuan Hai Zi Ping or Shen Feng Tong Kao. Lan Jiang Gang was written during the Ming Dynasty without an author’s name. In the early Qing Dynasty, during the Kangxi era, it came into the possession of court astrologers and was renamed The Key to Creation and Destiny. During the Guangxu era, it fell into the hands of Yu Chuntai, who renamed it The Treasured Mirror of Prosperity and Adversity, and it was first printed. When I commented on it, I found the book remarkable but could not fully understand it. Unable to find a good edition, I hesitated to make changes due to suspected errors. Later, through a friend’s introduction, I acquired a finely transcribed copy from the Wu family in Zhenzhou. After collating and studying it, I finally gained clarity. With familiarity, one can grasp its principles and apply them to real-life cases naturally. I have reinterpreted it, adding examples of modern famous figures, and titled it Commentary on the Key to Creation and Destiny. I aimed to convey what was left unexpressed rather than elaborate on the principles. The profound and complex ideas, with their potential for misinterpretation, led me to revise the manuscript seven times. Amid the turmoil of war (the profound chaos of battle), all means of livelihood were reduced to ashes, and I lacked the funds to publish the completed manuscript. Perhaps the secrets of creation are not meant to be revealed, or the time was not yet right. I leave the manuscript for the future. Written by Xu Lewu in the Qianqian Study in the mid-winter of the 30th year of the Republic of China.
Translation of the Original Preface to The Treasured Mirror of Prosperity and Adversity:
In ancient times, the study of human nature and destiny was highly valued, emphasizing self-cultivation and mental refinement to fulfill heaven’s endowment. Human nature and destiny were considered inseparable. Later, the art of fortune-telling emerged, though its origins are unclear. Masters like Guan Gongming, Guo Jingchun, and Li Xuzhong could remarkably predict a person’s prosperity, adversity, life, and death, indicating its long history. Although distinct from the study of human nature and destiny, it requires a deep understanding of the mysteries of yin and yang🌞🌙 and the origins of creation to foresee events. Today, practitioners follow the Ziping method. Ziping, a figure from the Five Dynasties period named Ju Yi, built upon Li Xuzhong’s methods, refining them further. His approach focuses on patterns like wealth, rank, seals, and resources, though it seems some secrets remain undisclosed. The way of heaven values balance and harmony. When energies are excessively biased, yang leads to rigidity, and yin to softness, with good and bad fortunes intertwined. Fortune-tellers use these imbalances to detect clues, and The Key to Creation and Destiny uniquely captures these secrets. The book, divided into two volumes, has no known author. It is said that Mr. Chen Nangai obtained it from court astrologers. Its discussions are concise yet comprehensive, its principles subtle yet clear. Though it establishes a fixed pattern, it encompasses infinite variations. Deep study reveals its origins, while even superficial understanding allows for accurate insights, making it a standard in fortune-telling. Long transmission has led to errors (e.g., "confusing Lu with Yu or Hai with Shi"). Now slightly corrected, it is published alongside essential works on fortune-telling for enthusiasts, helping people understand destiny, cultivate themselves, correct biases (possibly a misspelling of "correct"), and advance their studies. The original preface lacks an author’s name, likely because someone intended to publish it but failed. The book includes the fate analysis of Kangxi, referred to as a victorious destiny, confirming it was undoubtedly handed down by court astrologers of the Kangxi era.
Please translate the above content into English, maintaining the original format and structure.