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天一地二,盖乾坤之体,坤为土也,乾为金,金亦土也,为水母。(天一地二,奇偶之策也。三奇为乾,三偶为坤,是一而两之之义也。故阴阳自始者,谓之太始。阴阳自明者,谓之太极。则万物之始于乾也,亦由天地之所资以始,是以知乾为之太始。万物之所资生于坤也,亦由天地之所资以生,是以知坤为之太极。故乾之卦所以在西北,坤之卦所以在西南。以乾为太始,以坤为太极,可知矣。是以太始之极,一而两之,作乾坤之象,金土同体而异名,有此见一数之终始也矣。)
四正四隅,何遐迩之为正。艮为土也,应乎坤;巽为风也,风出木。(乾坤艮巽,四隅也,而为天地之大纪;坎离震兑,四正也,而为乾坤之大纲。曾不知广轮之艮,而有会通之情也。然则万物之始终,莫盛乎艮,故应乾坤之节制,莫始于巽,故为风,然风非出于木,而鼓舞于万物,为事由动之生息也,故巽继于震。)
坎离未判,以清浊明水火;震兑之前,以左右用金木。(天一地六,相合生水;地二天七,相合生火。言水则含知而内明,言火则崇礼而外照。内明足以应物,外照足以知人。知人者无所不知,应物者无所不应。故清之为水,得天一辰中是,奇内而天一,偶外而地六,其为卦也曰坎;故浊之为火,得地二辰中是,偶合【内】而地二,奇外而天七,其为卦也曰离。夫二者本水火南北之分,为乾坤男女之体,亦由清浊判于自然也。天三地八相合,而生木于东方,木生风以动之,故为卦曰震。地四天九相合,而生金于西方,金生水以泽物而物悦之,故为卦曰兑。然东木受西金之制,而左言木右言金者,是震男兑女,尊卑之义也。)
易八卦者,以刚柔相半;连四象者,分逆顺而生成。(易以八卦兼三才而两立,为天地广轮之体用,故始三,一而为乾,二为坤,生六六九九之变,为四象五行之数,然后圣人分阴分阳,迭用柔刚以相易之,故天地位而成章也,列万汇而象之,以别盛衰矣。四象者,大而为日月星辰,广而为金木水火,八卦由四象而两制之,则有阴中之阳,阳中之阴,寒暑运行而万物化育也。)
二仪分列,各包四象之形;乾坤音土,遂作五行之用。(天地为二仪,则上有日月星辰运于无为,下有金木水火济于有用。金生于土而聚于土者,然乾坤本一而立二,为清浊之别,包括四象为五行,以尽天地之数,备万物之成终也。)
一而两之,道法乎自然;八卦九宫,乘阴阳以数。(道生一,一虽立而道未离也。一生二,二名成,而道斯远矣。是故道非数,而数之所生,一非二,而一之所出。阴阳之在天地,其妙有机,而物之所始,其显有数,而物之所生,始终如一。一有二而不可以相无,然阴虽有佐于阳,阳实始之而无恃焉。阳虽有赖于阴,阴实由之而不与焉。是阳常始而阴常成,阳常唱而阴常和,有自然之理,故阳奇阴偶,迭用生成,而天五地六,二五而成十,五十有五之策,所以行变化而明鬼神也。故乾坤之策,万有一千五百二十,当期之日,当万物之数。四营成易,十有八变成卦,发刚柔而生爻,以八八于四维,则居中者尽乎九也。)
五行分阴阳为十干,清而不下;五支易刚柔为十支,浊而不上。(天地之数各成于五,然始立甲者,本乎土之气,申乾坤皆土之义,始于甲之【乙】丙丁,次生戊己庚辛壬癸,如一之有二,而为十干之气主,曰清则腾而生,故不同下之五行也。五支,言道生一而支散为五,以成五行之数,乃浊者下沉,而生二五如十,则分支列于乾坤之广轮,如甲之生乙,丙之生丁之义,故寅则运于卯,巳则运于午,然而同类为阴阳,而不同支干之生。)
土逐四时之气,故有十二支。十二支以夫妇为体,十干以父子相乘。(四时乃四季也,顺四象之用,然四象为两立成八支,惟土者本天地,各五而两之,则分四支列乎四维,以终四象之变。盖辰戌同体,丑未同形,子阳亥阴、寅阳卯阴之类,如夫妇之同体。甲生乙、乙生丙类,如父子相生,本乎一而为五。)
三才有阴阳之天地,五行运物化之人伦。(分阴阳则为天地,立父子则为人伦,故干阳也,亦有乙丁己辛癸之为阴;支阴也,亦有子寅辰午申戌之为阳,是知阴阳之相覆,奇偶相匹,故万物化成。生者为父为母为子为孙,配之为夫为妇,以别人伦之要也。)
故曰:甲己真宫,乙庚真商,丙辛真羽,丁壬真角,戊癸真徵。(甲木二五之始,名而为土,六位相成于己,故曰真宫。土生始成终,故金次于土,羽水之音,角木之音,徵火之音,此十干皆天之清气生数成于五,至六而为偶,为阴阳之始,作天地之真运。然而真运在天,必自地而得之矣。何则天罡本乎辰也,阳动而阴静,得十二常转位,自甲子为始,至于辰则见戌,是地之功也,故甲之为土明矣,是知真运在天,自地而得之也。)
寅午戌火体,亥卯未木体,申子辰水体,巳酉丑金体,斯非真体,乃五行生旺库之地,土则从四事成之。(四象之体而终皆土,故戊至辛而金之土也。)
Overall Paraphrased Translation
This chapter systematically elaborates on the generative logic of the Eight Trigrams system and its correspondence with the Five Elements and Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches: 🌌 Qian (Heaven) and Kun (Earth) are positioned as the foundation of the cosmos, giving rise to the six offspring trigrams—Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui—collectively forming the spatiotemporal framework of the four cardinal and four intermediate directions. The Five Elements (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth) differentiate through Yin and Yang to form the Ten Heavenly Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches. The Heavenly Stems, representing clear Qi, ascend to govern celestial cycles, while the Earthly Branches, representing turbid Qi, descend to govern geographical directions. They are paired according to ethical models such as parent-child and husband-wife relationships, forming a system of correspondence between heaven and humanity. The author particularly emphasizes the central role of "Earth"—it is not only the foundation of the Eight Trigrams (both Qian and Kun belong to Earth) but also the mother of the Five Elements (Metal, Water, Wood, and Fire all originate from Earth). Furthermore, Earth establishes a resonance with the Heavenly Stems beyond the physical level through the five musical notes (Gong, Shang, Jue, Zhi, and Yu).
This chapter reveals a profound organic view of the cosmos: Heaven and earth are not mechanically combined but form a living community, achieving self-regulation through the interaction of Yin and Yang and the cycles of the Five Elements. The incorporation of ethical relationships (parent-child, husband-wife) into cosmology reflects the ancient Chinese core philosophy of "harmony between heaven and humanity"—where natural order and social ethics share the same principles. Although this mode of thinking differs from the modern scientific paradigm, it offers a unique holistic perspective for understanding complex systems.
Related Concepts:
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