Loading...
Chapter 2 of 12
葬经翼
The Burial Classic says: "The momentum comes, the form settles."
This speaks of the place of complete qi — where the dragon vein's momentum races forth, and the form of the cave-star settles and congeals here. For a place of complete qi, the burial method should select this position of "settling."
It further says: "Its coming is like a gallop; its settling is like a corpse."
From this we know that "coming" and "galloping" describe the mobile state of the dragon vein's momentum, belonging to movement; "settling" and "corpse-like" indicate the dignified, serene dwelling state of the cave-star's form, belonging to stillness. Momentum is the course of the incoming dragon; form is the star-body where the cave forms. Momentum requires its coming; form requires its settling. Hence the Classic says: "Crossing water is how the incoming dragon is halted," and again: "The outer qi travels horizontally" — both elucidate the principle of "settling."
The forms of cave-stars are infinitely varied, like the human body. Though they differ in size, height, corpulence, leanness, inclination, and orientation — impossible to reduce to uniformity — their outer appearances can be summarized into no more than six basic configurations: round, flat, straight, curved, square, and concave. The variations among these six forms are inexhaustible; anything not conforming to these six cannot be called a cave-star.
Having clarified the body of the cave-star, one must next seek where its qi is concentrated (the gathering point of generative qi). Mountain bodies are intrinsically still, so the cave should seek movement within stillness. Movement belongs to yang; yang is generative qi. Hence the Burial Classic says: "Burial is the riding of generative qi." Later masters encoded this teaching as the arcane phrase: "First observe whether the golden dragon moves or not" — this refers to exactly the same principle.
When the dragon comes from the left, its qi pours toward the right, so the cave should be sought on the right; when the dragon comes from the right, its qi pours toward the left, so the cave should be sought on the left. Hence it is said: "Next observe the blood vessels to recognize the path of arrival." When the dragon arrives in a dead-straight line, the settling cave often deviates to one side; when the dragon arrives obliquely, the settling cave is often a true frontal conjunction. Thus the saying: "The phoenix tree leaf bears a side seed; the willow branch tip puts forth a true heart."
The Classic says: "Ride the metal, mirror the water, sit the earth, seal the wood." What does this mean? Among the Five Phases, roundness is metal, curvature is water, straightness is wood. Every true cave possesses a round, dynamic spot: for bowl-and-tong forms the roundness is at the top, for breast forms at the lower portion, for mound forms in the middle. If within a bowl or tongue there appears a small protrusion, or upon a breast or mound there reposes a bowl or tongue, it is called "cirrus-patterned earth star" — a cave of lesser yin or lesser yang. Beneath the child's head there is the ball-eave; beneath the ball-eave there is the burial mouth; the exact center above the burial mouth is called the "philtrum," and the residual qi below the burial mouth is called the "ball whiskers" — these are all variant names for the validating signs of entering dynamic qi.
What is meant by mirroring the water? Wherever there is such a roundness to ride upon, there will invariably be faint, slightly curving waters embracing from left and right that conjoin in front within the small bright hall. Later generations renamed these "shrimp whiskers, crab eyes, golden fish," and so forth — all referring to the same thing.
What is meant by sealing the wood? Beyond the faint embracing waters there must be two patches of cicada-wing sand, faint yet discernible, running straightly to flank the front of the cave, pressing the faint waters to converge within the small bright hall. The ancients said: "Above emerges the bright shoulder, below opens the hidden wing; one flank bright, one flank hidden, one side short, one side long" — this refers to this configuration. None but the most concentrated spirit and the keenest penetrating vision can perceive it.
With these three present, one further requires soil complete in all five phases — soil like cut fat and polished jade. For rocky mountains with earthen caves, the four-complete soil is required; for earthen mountains with rocky caves, fat-like and jade-like quality is sought. When the four validating signs are all present, there must be warmth within — that is fire. This is the essential method of scrutinizing a cave.
Therefore, the overarching pursuit of a cave lies in the water ramparts and hall configuration. But the finer scrutiny and resolution of doubt is fixed at the small bright hall, then proceeding to the near table-mountain, dragon-and-tiger, ghost and joyously flanking conditions. Where the water rampart curves and embraces is the place of sentiment; the lower sand must point straightly in to gather — this is called "obtaining water," and the cave is not far off. Then re-examine where in the hall configuration lies flat and balanced; the definitive criterion is the place where left and right sand-and-water embrace one another in due measure. Ascending a height opposite to survey it, the place that harmonizes with the configuration will naturally stand out from the rest, and the cave is not far. To eliminate all doubt, observe whether before the cave there is a small bright hall where faint waters conjoin, sufficiently spacious for a person to lie down. The ancients said: "Water attests the bright hall; the bright hall attests the cave" — this is the meaning.
From within the small bright hall, turning to view the summit-form of the cave-star — whichever of round, flat, straight, curved, square, or concave it matches — that is the validation. Upon the star-body's surface, where one of these dynamic signs appears — bowl, tongue, breast, mound, chicken-heart, fish-bladder, thread-ash within gray, crisped fat within a cup, snake within grass — that is the true cave. Either the near table-mountain shows sentiment, or in this position the formerly fierce sand-and-water all dissolve from view, called "spirit concealed, killing forces vanquished." Or in this position the dragon and tiger only then hold their appointed functions; either the straight-coming becomes transversely received at the head. If the cave-star is a transverse mountain, then a transverse dragon upon emerging must possess a ghost-star, and one should seek validation through the ghost-star. Only the filial ghost embracing singly from behind — from this the meridian may be taken. There are also cases without a ghost-star, validated by supporting and joyously flanking mountains. The forms of supports differ; only those in immediate proximity to the cave-star are potent. When there is neither support nor joyously flanking mountain, either the dragon's end loops backward like a hook, or curls inward, then the presence or absence of support and music does not matter.
Where great dragons terminate at mountain tips that are sharp and thin, with scattered configurations, wind-blown, water-scoured, no cave will form; one should instead seek at the waist-ridge. If not a waist-conjunction, then a dragon-riding cave. Both require the star-body to be elegant, the cave-form to accord with rule, the flanking retinue to show sentiment, and all waters within the domain to be serviceable; both are equally called true culmination of the trunk dragon.
Generally speaking, though dragon-riding caves have many varieties, they do not exceed the four configurations of inverse, forward, transverse, and lateral. The inverse and forward methods never depart from the dragon's spine. Those upon the spine require the mountain to open its face, producing again a fine, tender star like a pass-gate. Before the cave, the small bright hall should be broad and level, with no sensation of water dropping into the cave-pit, and no great water running off before the cave. The out-flowing direction should also present a true face-turning inward; branch feet must embrace back, and flanking both sides of the cave there should be pinching ears — the Celestial Noble and Great Noble. The luo-cheng ramparts must be tightly completed without omission; the out-flowing water must ultimately join within dozens of li, with a true watergate where guardgates collect and shut—this is the forward dragon-riding method.
As for the inverse dragon-riding, it overwhelmingly forms at the point where the dragon is about to end, facing back toward the incoming dragon to form the cave. The Black Tortoise must open a broad face, its drooping head must be equally tender and fine, and the small bright hall, near table, and pinching ears observed as in the former method. The extending branch-feet nearest the body should all be gathered back, and the great water inversely conjoins from behind, with gate-guarding mountains possibly in the rear. Both lotus-city and watergate must be tight; for the watergate, intercrossing forms are superior. The four methods of left-forward lateral riding, right-forward lateral riding, left-inverse lateral riding, and right-inverse lateral riding always set the cave biased to one side, likewise resolved by the direction of the dragon's approach. Every lateral-riding attitude must be biased: in the forward case, a transverse table-mountain appearing directly ahead channels back around to gather; the water before the cave and the lower-reaching branch-feet converge to meet the transverse table intimately — a pattern like the closing of hands is essential. In the inverse case, take from the cave the side where water is gathered within. (Whenever one speaks of gathering the water of one side, it refers to the forward boundary-water; there is never a principle of gathering the rear boundary-water—mark this well.) Before the face, yet another transverse table-screen may circumscribe. In inverse postures the small table tends to lie forward—this should not be doubted. The lower inverse sand gathers turning back to face squarely inward; the bright hall, flanking protections, responding table, luo-cheng rampart, and watergate—every one examined by the standard method, without negligence.
Only the transverse dragon-riding produces work unlike the other configurations — directly analogous to a waist-settlement on a great dragon. If the settlement comes from only one or two segments of star-body, it is still termed transverse dragon-riding; if it extends yet further segments, or opens a small barrier and emits a vein before forming the cave, only then is it named a waist-settlement. Such is its general outline.
In sum, burial is concealment. The cave-point is where mountain and water interlock, yin and yang fuse and congeal together, and where affection concentrates. To conceal it while riding generative qi means that where yang qi gathers, there will be none of the three invasions of wind, ants, or water to afflict the body. The fundamental nature of the sentimental and the insentient is ultimately not dual in principle — how could mountains and rivers be unlike the bonds of sensitive beings when they conjoin? Truly, if one trusts these words, more than half of the task of seeking a cave is already mastered!
The final chapter situates its core within a single word: "settling" — the momentum comes, the form settles: a place of complete qi. This unfolds as follows:
…… this narrow containment of life-receiving/stop-post summary;
Very last official definition of burial/cave environment chosen by necessity then core — singular of branch: corner from wind nest proximity same shield defense standard pos to an embracing of home the composition? . It affects dry off ants/water break-back shield otherwise; it cond previously other material more key lines focal place;