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释五行名
夫万物自有体质。圣人象类而制其名。故曰：名以定体。无名乃天地之始，有名则万物之母。以其因功涉用，故立称谓。《礼》云：子生三月，咳而名之。及其未生，本无名字。五行为万物之先，形用资于造化，岂不先立其名，然后明其体用。《春秋元命苞》曰：木者，触也，触地而生。许慎云：木者，冒也，言冒地而出。字从于中下，象其根也。其时春。《礼记》曰：春之为言蠢也，产万物者也。其位在东方。《尸子》云：东者，动也，震气故动。《白虎通》云：火之为言化也，阳气用事，万物变化也。许慎曰：火者，炎上也，其字炎而上，象形者也。其时夏。《尚书大传》云：何以谓之夏？夏，假也。假者方呼万物而养之。《释名》曰：夏假者，宽假万物，使生长也。其位南方。《尚书大传》云：南，任也，物之方任也。《元命苞》云：土之为言吐也，含吐气精，以生于物。许慎云：土者，吐生者也。王肃云：土者，地之别号，以为五行也。许慎云：其字，二以象地之下，与地之中，以一直画，象物初出地也。其时季夏。季，老也，万物于此成就方老，王于四时之季，故曰老也。其位处内。内，通也。《礼斗威仪》云：得皇极之正气，含黄中之德，能苞万物。许慎云：金者，禁也，阴气始起，万物禁止也。土生于金，字从土，左右注，象金在土中之形也。其时秋也。《礼记》云：秋之为言愁也，愁之以时察守义者也。《尸子》云：秋，肃也，万物莫不肃敬恭庄，礼之主也。《说文》曰：天地反物为秋。其位西方。《尚书大传》云：西，鲜也。鲜，讯也，讯者，始入之貌也。《释名》《广雅》《白虎通》皆曰：水，准也，平准万物。《元命苞》曰：水之为言演也，阴化淖濡，流施潜行也。故立字，两人交，一以中出者为水。一者，数之始，两人，譬男女，阴阳交以起一也。水者，五行始焉，元气之湊液也。《管子》云：水者，地之血气筋脉之通流者，故曰水。许慎云：其字象泉并流，中有微阳之气。其时冬。《尸子》云：冬，终也，万物至此终藏也。《礼记》云：冬之为言中也，中者，藏也。其位北方。《尸子》云：北，伏也，万物至冬皆伏，贵贱若一也。五行之时及方位，故分而释之。
论支干名
支干者，因五行而立之。昔轩辕之时，大撓之所制也。蔡邕《月令章句》云：大撓采五行之情，占斗机所建也。始作甲乙以名日，谓之干；作子丑以名月，谓之支。有事于天，则用日；有事于地，则用辰。阴阳之别，故有支干名也。而名有总别：先论总名，次言别号。
总名支干者，干字乃有三种不同：一作“干”，二作“簳”，三作“竿”字。今解“簳”字者，此支簳既相配成用，如树木之有支条茎簳，共为树体，所以云簳。又作“干”者，干济为义，支者，支任为义，以此日辰，任济万事，故云支干。又作“竿”字者，亦是簳义，如物之在竿上，能竖立显然，故亦云竿也。世书从易，故多用干。
次别号者。《诗纬·推度灾》云：甲者，押也。春则开也，冬则阖也。郑玄注《礼记·月令》云：甲者，抽也。乙者，轧也。春时万物皆解，孚甲自抽轧而出也。丙者，柄也，物之生长，各执其柄。郑玄云：丙者，炳也。夏时万物强大，炳然著见也。丁者，亭也。亭，犹止也，物之生长，将应止也。戊者，买也。生长既极，极则应成，买易前体也。己者，纪也。物既始成，有条纪也。郑玄云：戊之言茂也，己之言起也。谓万物皆枝叶茂盛，其含秀者抑屈而起也。庚者，更也。辛者，新也。谓万物成代，改更复新也。郑玄云：谓万物皆肃然改更，秀实新成也。壬者，任也。癸者，揆也。阴任于阳，揆然萌芽于物也。郑玄云：时维闭藏，万物怀任于下，揆然萌芽也。
子者，孳也。阳气既动，万物孳萌。《三礼义宗》云：阳气至，孳养生。丑者，纽也。纽者，系也，续萌而系长也。故曰：孳萌于子，纽芽于丑。《三礼义宗》云：言居终始之际，故以纽结为名。寅者，移也，亦云引也。物芽稍吐，引而申之，移出于地也。《淮南子》云：寅，蠕动生也。《三礼义宗》云：寅者，引也，肆建之义也。卯者，冒也，物生长大，覆冒于地也。《淮南子》云：卯，茂也，茂然也。《三礼义宗》云：卯，茂也。阳气至此，物生滋茂。辰者，震也，震动奋迅，去其故体也。《三礼义宗》云：此月之时，物尽震动而长。巳者，已也，故体洗去，于是已竟也。《三礼义宗》云：巳，起也。物至此时，皆毕尽而起。午者，仵也，亦云萼也。仲夏之月，万物盛大，枝柯萼布于午。《淮南子》云：午者，忤也。《三礼义宗》云：仵，长也，大也。明物皆长大也。未者，昧也。阴气已长，万物稍衰，体薆昧也。故曰：薆昧于未。《淮南子》云：未，味也。《三礼义宗》云：时物向成，皆有气味。申者，伸。伸，犹引也，长也，衰老引长。《淮南子》云：申，呻也。《三礼义宗》云：申者，身也，物皆身体成就也。酉者，老也，亦云熟也。万物老极而成熟也。《淮南子》云：酉，饱也。《三礼义宗》云：酉，犹也。犹，伦之义也。此时物皆缩小而成也。戌者，灭也，杀也。九月杀极，物皆灭也。《三礼义宗》云：此时物衰灭也。亥者，核也，阂也。十月闭藏，万物皆入核阂。《三礼义宗》云：亥，劾也，言阴气劾杀万物也。
《尔雅·岁次》云：大岁在寅，名摄提格。《淮南子》注云：格，起也，万物承阳而起。卯名单阏。单，尽；阏，止也。言阳气推万物而起，阴气尽止也。辰名执徐。执，蛰也；徐，舒也。言伏蛰之物，皆散舒而出也。巳名大荒落。荒，大也，言万物炽盛而大出，落落而布散也。午名敦牂。《淮南子》云：欃枪敦，盛；牂，壮也，言万物盛壮也。未名协洽。《淮南子》云：协，和也；洽，合也。言阴欲化，万物和合也。申名涒滩。《淮南子》云：涒滩，大修也，言万物皆修其精气也。酉名作鄂。《淮南子》云：作鄂，零落也，言万物皆陊落也。戌名掩茂。掩，蔽也；茂，冒也，言万物皆蔽冒也。亥名大渊献。渊，藏；献，迎也。言万物终亥，大小深藏窟伏，以迎阳也。子名困敦。困，混也；敦，沌也，言阳气混沌，万物牙孽也。丑名赤奋若。奋，起也；若，从也，言阳气奋迅万物而起，无不顺其性。赤，阳色也。《春秋纬》云：大阴所在之名，与《淮南子》《尔雅》不同。此并支干别名大意，终从气解，故以具释之。
Overall Meaning Translation
Everything has its essential form, and sages observe the characteristics of phenomena to name them. Thus, it is said: naming is to determine the essence. The nameless is the initial state of chaos in heaven and earth, while the named becomes the foundation for understanding all things. Because things have their functions and purposes, a system of designations must be established. The Book of Rites records: when an infant is three months old and can smile, they are given a name. Before birth, there is naturally no name. The Five Elements, as the fundamental components of all things, derive their forms and functions from natural creation. How could names not be established first, followed by an explanation of their relationships between substance and function?
🌳 Explanation of the Wood Element
The Chunqiu Yuanming Bao states: Wood means "to touch," as it touches the earth and grows. Xu Shen believed: Wood means "to emerge," referring to breaking through the earth and sprouting. The character's form extends downward from the middle, symbolizing the spread of roots. It corresponds to spring 🌱. The Book of Rites says: Spring means "to stir," referring to the budding and growth of all things. Its direction is the east 🌅. Shizi states: East represents "movement," driven by the energy of the Zhen trigram. The Baihu Tong explains: Fire represents "transformation," as yang energy dominates the season, prompting the metamorphosis of all things. Xu Shen interprets: Fire symbolizes flames rising upward 🔥, with a character form resembling ascending flames. It corresponds to summer ☀️. The Shangshu Dazhuan states: Summer means "to accommodate," meaning to nurture and sustain all things. The Shiming says: Summer means "to grant," giving all things space to grow. Its direction is the south 🔥.
⛰️ Explanation of the Earth Element
The Yuanming Bao states: Earth means "to emit," containing the essence of energy to nurture all things. Xu Shen explains: Earth can emit and produce all things. Wang Su believed: Earth is another name for the ground, incorporated into the Five Elements system. Xu Shen analyzes the character form: two horizontal lines symbolize the surface and the interior of the earth, while a vertical line represents plants breaking through the soil. It corresponds to late summer 🌾 (the end of summer). "Late" implies maturity, as all things ripen and age during this stage, governing the end of the four seasons, hence called "old." Its direction is the center 🔄. The Lidou Weiyi states: Earth receives the righteous energy of the imperial ultimate, containing the virtue of the yellow center, and can embrace all things.
⚔️ Explanation of the Metal Element
Xu Shen explains: Metal means "to restrain," as all things收敛 and are restrained when yin energy first arises. Earth produces metal, and the character form derives from earth, with strokes on both sides resembling metal hidden within the earth. It corresponds to autumn 🍂. The Book of Rites states: Autumn means "sorrow," guarding righteousness with its肃杀 nature. Shizi says: Autumn represents "solemnity," as all things exhibit a respectful and dignified state, embodying ritual. The Shuowen states: Heaven and earth收敛 all things in autumn. Its direction is the west 🌅. The Shangshu Dazhuan says: West means "fresh," referring to the initial state of收敛 for all things.
💧 Explanation of the Water Element
The Shiming, Guangya, and Baihu Tong all state: Water means "level," leveling all things. The Yuanming Bao says: Water means "to spread," as yin energy transforms into moisture, flowing and moving潜行. The character form resembles two people intersecting, with a vertical line in the middle representing water 💧. "One" is the beginning of numbers, and "two people" symbolize male and female, with yin and yang uniting to produce one. Water is the beginning of the Five Elements, a liquid formed by the condensation of无气. The Guanzi states: Water is the blood, energy, and veins of the earth, flowing ceaselessly, hence called water. Xu Shen explains: The character form resembles flowing spring water, containing subtle yang energy. It corresponds to winter ❄️. Shizi states: Winter means "end," as all things reach their conclusion and藏伏. The Book of Rites says: Winter represents "storage," meaning to collect and store. Its direction is the north 🌌. Shizi states: North means "to潜伏," as all things潜伏 in winter, regardless of nobility or commonality.
The Five Elements theory is essentially an attempt by ancient people to grasp the world through a symbolic system,归纳 complex natural phenomena into five basic interaction patterns. This systems thinking still holds enlightening significance in modern complexity science—how to understand complex systems with simple rules.
On the Names of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches
Overall Meaning Translation
The Stems and Branches system was established based on the principles of the Five Elements. Legend attributes its creation to Da Nao during the time of the Yellow Emperor. Cai Yong's Yueling Zhangju records: Da Nao adopted the nature of the Five Elements and observed the direction of the Big Dipper's handle to create it. The names of the days, such as Jia and Yi, are called "Stems," while the names of the months, such as Zi and Chou, are called "Branches." Stems are used for worshiping heaven, and Branches for worshiping earth, reflecting the distinction between yin and yang. The naming includes general and specific explanations: first, the overall meaning of Stems and Branches is discussed, followed by interpretations of individual names.
📖 General Meaning of Stems and Branches
The character "干" has three variants: 干, 簳, and 竿. "簳" signifies the pairing of branches and stems for use, like trees having branches and trunks forming the whole tree; "干" conveys the idea of supporting, and "支" the idea of bearing, as the days bear and support all things, hence the name Stems and Branches; "竿" is like objects erected on a pole, clearly visible. Common documents use the simplified form "干" for convenience.
🔤 Specific Explanations of Heavenly Stems
🐭 Specific Explanations of Earthly Branches
📅 Year Designations by Jupiter's Cycle
The Erya·Suici records the year names of Jupiter:
The Chunqiu Wei records略有不同 from the Huainanzi and Erya. The above are the essential meanings of the alternate names of the Stems and Branches, ultimately explained from the perspective of energy transformation.
The Stems and Branches system showcases the thinking characteristics of ancient Chinese people—"observing phenomena to create tools"—creating symbolic tools to grasp the world by observing natural phenomena (Big Dipper movement, phenological changes). This "象思维" forms an interesting contrast with Western conceptual thinking and may offer new ideas in complex system modeling.
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