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論五行體雜
凡五行均布.徧在萬有.不可定守一途.今先論五行體雜.但其氣周流.隨事而用.若言不雜.水只應一.何故謂五而爲六.火.金.木.土.竝爾.當知生數爲本.成數爲雜.既有雜.故一行當體.卽有五義.如木有曲直.此是木也.木中有火.則是火也.木堪爲兵仗.有擊觸之能.卽是金也.木中有潤.卽是水也.木吐華葉子實.卽是土也.火.外陽.卽是火也.內陰.卽是水也.能殺.卽是金也.能熟.卽是木也.能生.卽是土也.土.能生.卽是土也.能容.卽是水也.能成.卽是木也.能防.卽是金也.含陽.卽是火也.金.能斷.卽是金也.從革.卽是木也.含火.卽是火也.有汗.卽是水也.能生.卽是土也.水.外陰.卽是水也.內陽.卽是火也.含養.卽是木也.潤生.卽是土也.能殺.卽是金也.此皆以義釋一行通有五氣.就事而論義則不爾.或有.或無.質弱者.則體相容.質堅者.則體不相容.金中無木.木中無金.金木以正相害.故水中無火.火中無水.兩法正相害.故亦無金.金中有水.木中亦有水.木中亦有火.石中亦有火.而水能生木.則木中有水.水生於金.金中有水.火生於木.木中有火.水復從金生.金中有水.水能生木.木中有火.火尅於金.那得石復有火.此是火性弱.故能入堅.而水中無金.是堅不能入弱.木生於水.木中含水.金能生水.金中含水.所以水中無金木者.金木在水中.不得言水體有金木.溼潤在木石中.木石便得有水義.此亦是弱能入堅.堅不能入弱.炎州有樹.生於火中.此非火能生樹.是火不能燒樹.亦非火在樹中.乃是樹在火中.而體不相雜.無異金在水中.而不能雜水體.亦如海中陰火潛燃.此水中有火.但非水體雜火.此稍涉靈奇.亦非五行常準.又木中有火.火還燒木.此是生火方盛.故能燒木.石中有火.火不燒石.是火至金鄕.氣巳衰.故不能燒石.其以火消金者.亦取其盛.故能爍金.是不取衰火.猶如金能尅木.鉛錫不能斷.此是不堅之金也.土性包含.無所不受.故土中皆備有水金木火.火非直陽氣.猶如范陽地燃.是陰也.土火不相害.雖不恆爾.不得言無.等是四行.何故獨爾.土既居地.地卽是陰.火卽是太陽之氣.故不得恆有也.
論支干雜
支干雜者.五行書云.甲以女弟乙嫁庚爲妻.故乙中有雜金.立春木王.甲召乙還.乙懷金氣來.故仲春殺榆莢白也.丙以女弟丁嫁壬爲妻.丁中有雜水.立夏火王.丙召丁還.丁懷水氣來.故仲夏桑椹熟黑也.戊以女弟己嫁甲爲妻.己中有雜木.季夏土王.戊召己還.己懷木氣來.故季夏有果實青也.庚以女弟辛嫁丙爲妻.辛中有雜火.立秋金王.庚召辛還.辛懷火氣來.故仲秋棗熟朱也.壬以女弟癸嫁戊爲妻.癸中有雜土.立冬水王.壬召癸還.癸懷土氣來.故仲冬草木皆黃也.甲丙戊庚壬.爲男剛強.故自有德不雜.乙丁己辛癸.爲女柔弱.不自專.從夫.故有雜.猶出嫁之女.卽稱夫氏.歸寧之日.攜子而來.氏族便雜.五行十雜云.甲爲木.乙爲材.丙爲火.丁爲灰.戊爲土.己爲泥.庚爲金.辛爲鑪銻.壬爲水.癸爲濁汙.此皆雜義也.寅卯爲木.春懷火.故卯爲純木.寅爲雜木.巳午爲火.夏懷土.故午爲純火.巳爲雜火.申酉爲金.秋懷水.故酉爲純金.申爲雜金.亥子爲水.冬懷木.故子爲純水.亥爲雜水.土居中央.分主四氣.故辰中有餘木.未中有餘火.戌中有餘金.丑中有餘水.各十二日.故四孟爲懷任.生氣之所由.四仲.盛壯之所立.四季.葬送之所在.懷任及葬.皆有雜義.
論方位雜
五行非直性相雜.當方亦有雜義.東方.甲乙寅卯辰.甲.木也.乙中有雜金.寅中有生火.辰.土也.卯中有死水.南方.丙丁巳午未.丙.火也.丁中有雜水.巳中有生金.未.土也.午中有死木.西方.庚辛申酉戌.庚.金也.辛中有雜火.申中有生水.戌.土也.又.酉中有胎木.北方.壬癸亥子丑.壬.水也.癸中有雜土.亥中有生木.子中有胎火.丑中有死金.此竝方別有五行也.寅午戌.火之位也.寅中有生火.在東方.午中有王火.在南方.戌中有死火.在西方.亥卯未.木之位也.亥中有生木.在北方.卯中有王木.在東方.未中有死木.在南方.申子辰.水之位也.申中有生水.在西方.子中有王水.在北方.辰中有死水.在東方.巳酉丑.金之位也.巳中有生金.在南方.酉中有王金.在西方.丑中有死金.在北方.此一行之體.雜在三方也.未辰丑戌.土之位也.未中有王土.辰中有死土.丑中有衰土.戌中有壯土.此土體雜在四方也.趙怡言.五行相雜.如錦綺焉.斯言當矣.
Overall Paraphrase
The qi of the Five Elements is universally distributed among all things and is not fixed. This chapter first explores the intrinsic mutual containment of the Five Elements: although each element has its essence, the qi mechanism circulates and manifests different functions according to specific contexts. If elements were purely unmixed, water should have only one form, so why is it actually divided into five or even six categories? The same applies to fire, metal, wood, and earth. It is essential to understand that the birth number represents the essence, while the completion number contains mixed qi. Thus, each element inherently possesses fivefold attributes:
🌳 Wood: Bending and straightening are its nature (wood); contains heat energy that can generate fire (fire); when crafted into weapons, it has the ability to strike (metal); contains moist sap (water); blossoms and bears fruit to nurture new life (earth).
🔥 Fire: Externally manifests light and heat (fire); internally contains yin substance (water); possesses the nature of destruction (metal); promotes maturation (wood); turns to ash and returns to dust (earth).
⛰ Earth: Generates and transforms all things (earth);包容承载 (water); aids growth (wood); defends and solidifies (metal); contains geothermal heat (fire).
⚔️ Metal: Cutting and shaping (metal); malleability (wood); contains smelting fire (fire); surface condensation (water); ore born from the earth (earth).
🌊 Water: Externally manifests yin cold (water); internally contains yang qi (fire); nourishes life (wood); moistens soil (earth); ice edges are sharp like blades (metal).
The above explains from a philosophical perspective how a single entity contains five types of qi, but in actual phenomena, this is not entirely the case—some are manifest, while others are hidden. Elements with soft textures are easily compatible, while hard ones are difficult to blend:
The Five Elements do not exist in isolation but form a system of mutual penetration and dynamic transformation. Each element contains the potential characteristics of the other four, with actual manifestation depending on texture strength, spatiotemporal position, and energy state. "The soft can enter the hard, but the hard cannot enter the soft" is the fundamental law of material interaction.
The theory of the mixture of the Five Elements reveals the "holographic view" in Chinese philosophy—each part contains information of the whole. This mode of thinking transcends simple classification, emphasizing interconnections and transformative possibilities between things, providing an ancient yet wise framework for understanding complex systems.
On the Mixture of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches
Overall Paraphrase
Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches also have mixed relationships:
Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, and Ren are阳干, masculine and strong, thus maintaining pure essence. Yi, Ding, Ji, Xin, and Gui are阴干, feminine and soft, needing to依附 their husbands, hence containing mixed qi. This is like married women taking their husbands’ surnames and returning to their natal homes with children, mixing the clan’s bloodline.
Interpretation of the Ten Mixed Elements:
Mixed Earthly Branches:
🌱 Yin Mao Wood: Spring contains fire → Mao is pure wood, Yin contains mixed fire.
🔥 Si Wu Fire: Summer contains earth → Wu is pure fire, Si contains mixed earth.
⚔️ Shen You Metal: Autumn contains water → You is pure metal, Shen contains mixed water.
🌊 Hai Zi Water: Winter contains wood → Zi is pure water, Hai contains mixed wood.
⛰ Chen Wei Xu Chou Earth: Each governs the residual qi of the four seasons → Chen has residual wood, Wei has residual fire, Xu has residual metal, Chou has residual water (each for 12 days).
The Four Beginnings (Yin, Si, Shen, Hai) represent the conception stage, the beginning of生气; the Four Peaks (Zi, Wu, Mao, You) represent the peak stage; the Four Seasons (Chen, Wei, Xu, Chou) represent the burial stage. Both conception and burial stages possess mixed qi characteristics.
Using the metaphor of marriage to explain the mixed qi phenomena resulting from the combination of Heavenly Stems,阴干 contain the qi of their配偶五行 due to "following the husband." Earthly Branches are distinguished by purity based on seasonal characteristics, with the earth months at the end of each season specifically collecting the residual qi of the previous season.
Mapping interpersonal relationship patterns onto natural laws reflects the holistic philosophy of "correspondence between heaven and human." Energy is never entirely pure but always penetrates and transforms in flow. This思想 offers profound insights for understanding complex systems and transitional states.
On Directional Mixture
Overall Paraphrase
The Five Elements are mixed not only in nature but also in方位:
| Direction | Heavenly Stems & Earthly Branches | Mixed Qi Phenomena |
|---|---|---|
| East | Jia, Yi, Yin, Mao, Chen | Jia wood; Yi mixed metal; Yin contains birth fire; Mao contains death water; Chen earth |
| South | Bing, Ding, Si, Wu, Wei | Bing fire; Ding mixed water; Si contains birth metal; Wu contains death wood; Wei earth |
| West | Geng, Xin, Shen, You, Xu | Geng metal; Xin mixed fire; Shen contains birth water; You contains胎 wood; Xu earth |
| North | Ren, Gui, Hai, Zi, Chou | Ren water; Gui mixed earth; Hai contains birth wood; Zi contains胎 fire; Chou contains death metal |
Mixed Qi Distribution in Three Harmony Directions:
⛰ Special Earth Combination: Wei (South) king earth, Chen (East) death earth, Chou (North)衰 earth, Xu (West) strong earth—earth qi is dispersed across the four directions.
Zhao Yi’s metaphor, "The mixture of the Five Elements is like brocade," meaning as colorful and interwoven as embroidery, is extremely apt.
Spatial directions also involve the distribution and interweaving of Five Elements energy. The same element spans different directions in the Three Harmony Combinations, reflecting the flow and change of energy in space. The earth element is special, evenly distributed across the four directions with varying states.
Space is not a uniform container but a field filled with energy differences and dynamic changes. The distribution pattern of the Five Elements in space reveals a profound spatial philosophy—each location is a unique node of multiple intertwined energies. This understanding holds significant value for comprehending regional characteristics and environmental interactions.
Related Concepts:
Further Reading:
Modern Research: