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Chapter 2 of 5
水龙经
Since the separation of heaven and earth, ⛰mountains and 🌊waters have been the two great divine instruments of the cosmos, dwelling together majestically between heaven and earth. One is yin, one is yang; one is firm, one is gentle; one flows, one stands still—like heaven covering and earth supporting, like the sun rising and the moon ascending, each fulfilling its role, neither dispensable. 🌱
Yet later geomancers failed to grasp this principle, knowing only to call mountains "dragons" but not recognizing that waters may equally be called "dragons." Even those who spoke loftily of water methods merely treated mountains as primary and water as subordinate, even comparing the relationship of water to mountains as soldiers obeying generals or wives submitting to husbands. Thus the status of mountains was uniquely exalted while the authority of water was diminished, causing the plains and watery regions to abandon the true principles of the Water Dragon altogether, instead forcing the illusory theories of the Mountain Dragon upon them. The whole world wandered in confusion, like the deaf and blind—could this not be said to be a crucial point that even Yang Junson (Yang Yunsong) and Zeng Wendian failed to clarify?
The ancients long ago declared: "When you reach level plains, ask not about the dragon; only observe water's embrace—that is the true dragon"; and again: "On the vast plains there are no dragon-tigers; where do the boundless waters return? East and west, take only water as the dragon; dig here and three dukes shall emerge." These words are clear and lucid, their reasoning coherent and penetrating, plainly before people's eyes and ears—it is only that people do not examine them for themselves.
As for the patterns and specific methods of Water Dragon anatomy, there is a genuine lack of specialized treatises providing complete exposition, leaving later students facing a wall with no way in. Could it be that mountain configurations have fixed patterns to follow, while water's movements and transformations are inexhaustible—and that if people mastered the methods of the Water Dragon, they could command the mountains and rivers of the earth at will, holding the divine mechanism and comprehending creation itself? Thus the ancient sages deliberately hinted without fully revealing, preserving these profound secrets on behalf of the Creator?
Yet the high heavens, pitying the common people below, also wished to reveal the secret transmissions of millennia in due season. If one knows but refuses to tell others, that is inhumanity; if one tells but does not speak truthfully, that is unfaithfulness. Not measuring my own shallowness, I am willing to serve as the vanguard path-opener for future generations of discerning scholars, relying upon the transmission of the Ultimate Void, elucidating the essential mysteries, fully disclosing the secrets of Master Yang (Yang Yunsong), so that all may be suddenly enlightened and the gateway thrown wide open.
The Mountain Dragon is assigned to high mountains, the Water Dragon to level grounds—these two methods are clearly distinct and cannot be conflated. I do not fear raising my voice loudly to proclaim this truth to the knowledgeable world, so that people may be convinced and the errors and confusions of the past may be opened up and dispelled. Though I rejoice that my elucidation is not a matter of chance, I also tremble with apprehension, fearing to offend against the retribution of yin and yang—how would I dare to claim as my own ability what is heaven's merit?
Tracing back to when I first inherited the methods of the Water Dragon, I searched through ancient and modern texts, finding vast confusion with no clear foundation. Later I obtained the Jade Mirror Classic (Yujing Jing) and Thousand-Mile Eye (Qianli Yan) by the Chan Master Mujiang, and only then found confirmation and correspondence regarding the profound mysteries of entering the acupoint. Not long after, I obtained the several chapters of the Water Dragon Classic (Shuilong Jing), and only then did I sigh that the methods of the level-plains dragon were by no means without textual transmission—it was merely that the ancient sages treasured their methods and would not lightly reveal them to the world.
Because no printed edition existed in the world, and the text contained errors and corruptions, I undertook collation and arrangement, compiling it into five volumes. Volume One clarifies the general principles of dragon movement and acupoint formation, along with the methods of trunk and branch mutual multiplication; Volume Two discusses the various configurations of the Water Dragon corresponding to celestial stars; Volume Three points out the symbolic analogies through which the Water Dragon is represented by physical forms; Volume Four elucidates the essential principles of good and ill fortune in the five-element main branches and acupoint forms; Volume Five shares the same principles as Volume Four but expands upon them through comprehensive treatment. Among these, Volumes One, Three, and Four were obtained from Mr. Wu Tianzhu; Volume Two was acquired from the old official household in Zhapu; Volume Five was found within our own prefecture—only then was the set made complete.
The authors' names are present or absent across the chapters, yet their discourses each contain exquisite meanings, revealing merits and shortcomings in turn. Viewed together, no work surpasses this set in establishing the standards and regulations of the Water Dragon.
If the student takes this work as the substance, and then employs the Three Cycles and Nine Palaces and the hexagram-charge method of the Yijing as the function—likened to a master carpenter: the Water Dragon is like nanmu and catalpa fine timbers, while the Three Cycles and Nine Palaces are the compass, square, and marking cord; or likened to an alchemist: the Water Dragon is like the crucible and reagents, while the Three Cycles and Nine Palaces are the exquisite control of fire. Without gathering fine timbers, even Lu Ban (the divine carpenter) could not display his skill; without preparing lead and mercury, Wei Boyang could not work his divine transformations. Therefore, the Heavenly Origin Heart-Method indeed reaches the ultimate, yet how could this work be dispensed with?
The title "Classic" (Jing) cannot be conferred lightly. Here I retain the original name without alteration—truly it may be treasured within stone chambers, to stand eternally alongside the Green Bag Classic (Qingnang Jing) and the Fox-Head Classic (Hushou Jing). Those who study in later generations, unless endowed with fortune beyond the ordinary and their minds opened by heaven itself, may never have the opportunity to see this work. A treasure rare in the world—only those possessed of virtue may bear it. Those who read this book should know reverence, and should know caution.
Inscribed by Jiang Pingjie, styled Dahong, of Duling, at the Water and Essence Hermitage in Danyang
I. The Water Dragon and Mountain Dragon Stand in Equal Esteem
In this preface, Jiang Dahong clarifies a fundamental cognitive error: the art of geomancy does not consist solely of the Mountain Dragon method. Since the opening of chaos, mountains and waters have each fulfilled their own functions—one firm, one gentle; one still, one flowing—with no inherent distinction of rank. Yet later geomancers exclusively exalted the Mountain Dragon while diminishing water to a subordinate position—truly a fundamental misunderstanding of the natural laws of heaven and earth.
II. A Distinct Methodology for Level Plains
Level, watery plains cannot be assessed by applying Mountain Dragon theories. The preface quotes the ancient saying: "When you reach level plains, ask not about the dragon; only observe water's embrace—that is the true dragon," clearly indicating that in level, river-networked regions, the encircling flow of water is the key to determining the "dragon." Forcing Mountain Dragon methods upon level plains is like cutting one's feet to fit the shoes.
III. The Guardian's Duty and the Author's Responsibility
The preface reveals the special nature of geomancy's secret transmission: the ancient sages, knowing the awesome power of Water Dragon methods—those who master them can command the mountains and rivers of the earth at will and comprehend the mysteries of creation—deliberately refrained from full disclosure, unwilling to reveal them lightly. Jiang Dahong maintains that knowing but not telling is inhumanity, and telling but not truthfully is unfaithfulness—and therefore unreservedly proceeds to publicize and elucidate.
IV. A Complete System of Substance and Function
The final important concept is the relationship of substance and function between the Water Dragon and the Three Cycles and Nine Palaces. The Water Dragon serves as the substance (forms, configurations, dragon veins), while the Three Cycles and Nine Palaces serve as the function (qi-transport, hexagram principles, permeating qi). Both are indispensable—like fine timber and measuring tools, or reagents and the control of fire.
From "Mountain Supremacy" to "Equal Regard for Mountain and Water"—A Corrective to a Paradigm of Thought
What Jiang Dahong criticizes in this preface is not merely a technical error within geomancy, but a deep-seated cognitive bias. Regarding mountains as noble and water as base, comparing mountains to lords and water to subjects—this hierarchical mode of thinking actually reflects the agrarian civilization's worldview of settling around mountains and treating water as a subsidiary resource.
🎯 From a contemporary perspective, this concept of "equal regard for mountain and water" resonates remarkably with the ecological systems thinking of the "mountain-water-forest-field-lake-grassland life community." Water is no longer an appendage to mountains but an independent natural element with its own value and function.
Geographic Adaptability of Level-Plains Water Regions
Jiang Dahong's assertion that Mountain Dragon methods cannot be applied to level plains still holds relevance for contemporary urban planning and site selection. The environmental characteristics of river-networked plains are fundamentally different from mountainous regions; blanket application of mountain-based experience would inevitably lead to errors in judgment. Methodologies must adapt to geographical conditions—a universal principle that transcends geomancy itself.
Knowledge Monopoly and Open Transmission
The preface candidly admits that the Water Dragon methods remained obscure because the ancient sages "treasured them and would not lightly reveal them." Such knowledge monopolies had a certain rationale in traditional societies—preventing techniques from falling into unscrupulous hands. Yet Jiang Dahong chose the path of open transmission, arguing that "knowing but not telling is inhumanity." This choice carries transcendent significance in our contemporary age of open knowledge sharing.
| Application Context | Core Principle | Contemporary Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Site selection in level plains | Take water as dragon; emphasize water's encircling and embracing | In riverine plains and waterfront cities, prioritize examining water bodies' direction, morphology, and enclosure relationships |
| Urban-rural planning insights | Water systems determine geographic patterns | Refer to the encircling principles of the Water Dragon in relationships between rivers, lakes, wetlands, and architectural layouts in modern cities |
| Environmental-ecological awareness | Equal regard for mountain and water; neither neglected | In development, protect not only mountain forms but also the integrity and flow of water systems |
| Methodological enlightenment | Adapt to local conditions; reject uniform application | Different geographical conditions require different assessment criteria and working methods—no "one-size-fits-all" approach |
Substance-Function Logic in Geomantic Practice
The framework of Water Dragon as substance and Three Cycles-Nine Palaces as function remains a valid analytical tool in contemporary geomantic practice. First, assess the "form" (the level of substance)—how the water moves as dragon, how it forms acupoints, what configurations appear; then assess the "qi" (the level of function)—the waxing and waning of the Three Cycles and Nine Palaces, the coordination of hexagram charge. The two complement each other; neither can be lacking. 🌿
Re-balancing Yin-Yang, Firmness-Gentleness
The preface opens by noting that mountains and waters are "one yin, one yang; one firm, one gentle." Yet in actual historical development, the "firm yang" of mountains was excessively emphasized while the "gentle yin" of water was degraded to subordinate status. Jiang Dahong's "Water Dragon" thought is essentially a philosophical corrective to this imbalance.
On a deeper level, this echoes the phenomenon of the long-term marginalization of "yin" in traditional Chinese philosophy. The rise of Water Dragon studies represents not only a revolution within the field of geomancy but also suggests a return to the Daoist wisdom that "softness overcomes hardness, weakness overcomes strength."
The Tension Between "Withholding" and "Fully Disclosing"
The preface presents an intriguing dilemma: the ancient sages chose to "withhold" (yin er bu fa) because of the immense power of Water Dragon methods, yet Jiang Dahong chose to "raise his voice loudly." Behind this lies a profound question: Should powerful knowledge be restricted in its dissemination? The greater the power of knowledge, the more complex the potential consequences when more people possess it. Jiang Dahong's answer is: knowing but not telling is inhumanity. But true "humaneness" may lie not merely in telling, but in how one guides people to properly use what has been told.
The Ultimate Concern of "The Virtuous Shall Possess It"
The preface concludes with "A treasure rare in the world—only those possessed of virtue may bear it." In traditional geomancy, technique and morality remain inseparable wings. Those who master geomantic arts without a foundation of virtue are like those who wield sharp blades unjustly. This is not superstition, but a universal ethical requirement for all who possess specialized knowledge and technical capability.
Contemporary scholarly research on the Water Dragon Classic focuses on the following areas: