Zhang Zhu - The Inner Chapters Part 2

葬书

The Inner Chapters No 2

內篇二

Arteries and Branches.

地勢原脈，山勢原骨，委蛇東西，或為南北。

Arteries are the source of the topography; the bones are the source of mountains.

Winding like a snake from East to West or from South to North.

·       Comment: The topography of the land forms mountain ranges. (Many and varied) The mountain itself is defined by the bone structure. (Singular) It can go in all directions and not fixed.

千尺為勢，百尺為形。

Thousands of feet are considered as contours; hundreds of feet are considered as features.

·       Comment: Whatever is far away is considered as general contour of the land which provides the power for the Qi and should be considered differently from whatever is closer which is considered as features/shape.

勢來形止，是謂全氣。全氣之地，當葬其止。

From the contours coming from afar ending in nearby features; this is considered as the complete Qi.

The place for burial is where the Qi is complete. The Xue position where the Qi has stop and accumulates.

·       Comment: To analyze the Qi fully, it is important to understand fully the distant topography to the near features where the Qi terminate. The best place for burial is where the full Qi terminate and accumulate.

宛委自複，回環重復。

若踞而候也。若攬而有也。

Winding, twisting and turning back, further turning around to the original self.

As if crouching and waiting, waiting to seize or grasp something.

Comment: Describing the movement of the dragon which is the mountain ranges. In reality mountain ranges behaves in such a manner as described above. It is often quite difficult to ascertain whether it is moving or turning around or waiting to move again. 

欲進而卻，欲止而深。

Moving forward and then retreating, when it stops it goes deep.

來積止聚，沖陽和陰。

Arriving and gathering, accumulating where it stops, clashing the Yang and Yin.

Comment: The Qi gathers and build up as it flows. Where it stops the Qi will then accumulate. Mixing the Yang Qi and the Yin Qi. The Yang being moving Qi and the Yin being still/not moving Qi.  When it stop the Yang Qi becomes Yin Qi and is blended together.

土高水深，郁草茂林。貴若千乘，富如萬金。

With high mountain and deep water, where the vegetation is thick and dense.

It is considered noble (nobility with a thousand chariot) and fortunate (riches with ten thousand gold).

經曰：形止氣蓄，化生萬物，為上地也。

Classics: Qi is stored at the Xue feature, transforming to produces all living beings, it is considered as Superior land.

Comment: Where the contour stop at the Xue point. It is where the Qi accumulate and is transformed into Living Beings.

平支, 乘气

Flatland and Branches, Riding Qi.

地贵平夷，土贵有支

The noble land is level ground, the noble earth has branches.

Comment: The 2 categories of land for Feng Shui. One which is the Flatland Dragon and the Highland Dragon. Both of them can be good or bad. It is not a matter of saying only the highland has good Feng Shui.

支之所起，氣隨而始。支之所終，氣隨以鍾 (气随而终)。

The rise of the branches is the starting point of the Qi.

The end of the branches is the stopping point of the Qi.

觀支之法，隱隱隆隆，微妙玄通，吉在其中。

The method of observing the branches, partly hidden and partly distinct.

The auspiciousness lies within the subtle methodology of Xuan.

Comment: Through observation and applying the theory of Feng Shui, it is possible to detect the quality of the Qi even though it is partly hidden and not easy to detect.

經曰：

地有吉氣，土隨而起。支有止氣，水隨而比。

勢順形動，回復始終。法葬其中，永吉無凶。

Classic:

Where there are auspicious Qi in the ground, the land will rises accordingly.

Where there is accumulated Qi in the branches, the water will follows accordingly.

Where the topography rises and fall with moving feature, returning to the beginning. Burial carried out in such a place will attract eternal good fortune without any misfortune.

山势

Mountain Topography.

山者，勢險而有也，法葬其所會。

Mountain: There are dangerous mountains when we carry out burial.

Comment: There are good and bad places for burial in the mountains.

乘气所來。审其所废。擇其所相。避其所害。

The Qi riding the In-Coming dragon. To examine the deficient Qi, select the acceptable ones, avoid the harmful ones.  

Comment: Basic Feng Shui methodology. To examine the land to determine the Qi. Whether it is deficient and unusable or prosperous which is acceptable or harmful which should be avoided. Whether it is good or bad is determined by the In-Coming Qi which came from the topography of the land.

是以君子奪神功，改大命。

In this way the gentlemen grabbed the magical power from the gods to change the destiny.

Comment: A Feng Shui master who understand how to tap the Qi can change the fortune of people and is described here as having the power of the god.

禍福不旋日。

Fortune and misfortune does not revolve based on the days.

經曰：葬山之法，若呼吸中言應速也。

Classic: The method for mountain burial is comparable to shouting in the valley where the echo is immediate.

·       Comment: When burial is done correctly, the effect is very fast.

五不葬

5 Types of mountains unsuitable for burial.

山之不可葬者五，

The five types of mountains which are unsuitable for burial.

氣以生和，而童山不可葬也。

Qi accumulates where there is Sheng Qi. “Child Mountain” which is bare and lifeless is unsuitable for burial.

·       Comment: “Child Mountain” means mountain which is still young and has no vegetation and is devoid of life.

·       Mountain devoid of life is unsuitable for burial. Sheng Qi and life are connected. When a mountain is rocky and devoid of any life, it also represent a place having very little Sheng Qi.

氣因形來，而斷山不可葬也。

Qi is derived from the shape/feature of the land flowing according to the countour. “Broken Mountain” which is cut/broken is unsuitable for burial.

·       Comment: The meaning of cut/broken is where the Sheng Qi has been removed. Example part of a mountain where the vegetation has been totally removed by nature (soil erosion) or due to action by man.(Mining)

氣因土行，而石山不可葬也。

Qi travel through the earth. ‘Stone Mountain” which is rocky is unsuitable for burial.

·       Comment: When the ground is too rocky, the Qi will not be able to flow freely.

氣以勢止，而過山不可葬也。

Qi stop or accumulate where the contour comes to an end. “Running Mountain” is not suitable for burial.

·       Comment: “Running Mountain” is where the Qi has not stopped and accumulate in a Xue and is still flowing.

氣以龍會，而獨山不可葬也。

Qi originates from the dragon (Mountains), “Lonely Mountain” is not suitable for burial.

·       Comment: A standalone mountain will not have the powerful Qi described in the earlier phrase where the Qi is like surging waves and galloping horses which came from the mountain ranges.

經曰：童,  斷, 石, 過, 獨, 生新凶而消已福。

Classic: Child, Broken, Stone, Running, Broken Mountains will reduce new misfortune and reduced the acquired fortune.

·       Comment: Those who are buried in the 5 danger mountains will not only experience bad luck but their own acquired good luck will be reduced.

万乘

Superior Mountains.

上地之山，若伏若連，其原自天。

若水之波。若馬之馳。

The superior mountain, through a series of ascending and descending, originally from the heaven. Like surging waves, or galloping horses.

·       Comment: This phrase is about the movement of the Qi from the original mountains ranges through a serious of ups and downs like a roller coaster. The power of the Qi flow is like the surging waves and the power of galloping horses.

其來若奔。其止若屍。

In-Coming in a rush, when stopped it is like a corpse.

·       Comment: The Qi flowing down from the superior mountain in a fast mode due to the contour, but when it stopped, it will stop totally. The Qi will all accumulate in that spot. That spot is the “Xue”.

若懷萬寶而燕息。

若具萬善而潔齊。

Similar to a person resting peacefully holding a treasure;

Or someone who has collected enough merits but still pure and humble.

若橐之鼓。若器之貯。

Like a bulging bag, or a storing container which is full.

若龍若鸞，或騰或盤。

Like dragon soaring or phoenix circling.

禽伏獸蹲，若萬乘之尊也。

Birds submitting (concede), the beast crouching in submission, to the King with ten thousands chariots.

Comment: The few phrases describing the power of the Xue point.

天光發新。朝海拱辰。

New heavenly lights shining brightly. The rivers all returning to the sea.

·       Comment: In-Coming dragon coming into the Ming Tang (Bright Hall) with renewed prosperous energy. Out-Going water going towards the sea where the water mouth is located.

龍虎抱衛，主客相迎。

Embraced and protected by the Dragon and Tiger, Host receiving and Guest welcoming.

·       Comment: The Xue spot being protected by the dragon on one side and the tiger on the other side. The dragon In-Coming to the Xue spot (Ming Tang) and Out-Going to the Water mouth representing the Host and Guest relationship.

四勢朝明，五害不親。十一不具，是謂其次。

The four Directions are correct and proper, without the 5 dangers.

With only one such non-conformation, it will be considered as lower category.

·       Comment: The 5 dangers include “Child Mountain”, “Broken Mountain”, “Stone Mountain”, “Running Mountain” and “Lonely Mountain”.

The Theory Of Yin Yang and the importance of the Classics.

The theory of Yin Yang.

There are many masters out there who teaches Feng Shui without touching on the meaning of Yin Yang when doing Feng Shui audit.

The theory of Yin Yang should be the first topic for Feng Shui irrespective of schools.

Without taking out the Lou Pan, the Yin Yang of a place should be the first considerations.

There are some who says it is important to know the Qi of a place before any Feng Shui audit is to be carried out.

To know the Qi of a place it is most important to know the Yin Yang of a place.

Before proceeding to Dragon(mountain), Xue(Spot), Sha(Flat ground), Water(Watermouth) and Facing.

There are some masters who walk the dragon(mountain) without knowing that it is not necessary to have mountain to have Qi movement.

A Taiwan Master told me that Taiwan is a good place due to the mountains and Singapore has no Feng Shui because it has no mountain. It is interesting that Singapore will be the country with the most numbers of Millionaires in the world.

Anyone who knows the theory of Yin Yang would know the meaning of the following from the article:

阴阳相见两为难，

Yin meeting Yang creates difficulty;

Feng Shui Classics:

This article is based on Liu Fah which is not considered a classic.

But the Liu Fah school has a very good understanding of the theory of Yin Yang.

Unlike Flying star. Which is not a Feng Shui school according to many masters.

If we analyzed this using the Feng Shui classics, we should still be able to correlate back to the writings by the original Feng Shui master. This is the reason the classics are so important. If nothing can correlate back to the classics, can it still be considered as Feng Shui.

Like Flying Star written by Jiang Da Hong, a scholar who wrote extensively on Feng Shui. He wrote a lot of books. But does that means what he wrote is correct?

There are also a lot of prolific writers in our modern world. Is there any books out there that any Real Feng Shui Masters would even put their hands on?

Zhang Zhu:

丘壟之骨，岡阜之支，氣之所隨。

The bones (structure) of hills and mountains.  The branches of the ridges and mounds. Represent the way the Qi flows.

Comment: The structure of the topography of the land is a representation of the movement of the Qi.

經曰: 氣乘風則散，界水則止。

Classic: Qi rides the wind and dissipates. The movement of Qi stop upon reaching water.

古人聚之使不散，行之使有止，故謂之風水。

The collection of Sheng Qi by the ancients to prevent it from dissipating. It is moving and stopping it, retaining it to make use of it, is the art of Feng Shui.

Comment: Very clearly describing the flow of Qi as a result of Ci Xiong.

Ching Nan Hsu:

龙分两片阴阳取，

The dragon is divided into two halves, Yin and Yang,

Comment: How is the dragon divided? It is as simple as that. Again describing the observation of Ci Xiong.

Ching Nan Ao Yu.

雌与雄，交会合元空，

雄与雌，元空卦内推.

Female and male, interact and combined with Xuan Kong,

Male and female, extract the Xuan Kong Gua from within.

Comment: Also here in XKBY.

颠颠倒，二十四山有珠宝；

顺逆行，二十四山有火坑.

Top turned upside down, treasures to be found in the 24 mountains,

Forward, backward, fire pits to be found in the 24 mountains.

Comment: This is also a very important Yin Yang analysis based on Ci Xiong.

The Use of Yin Yang.

The three methods described by 林老師  under 第二章  雌雄与阴阳动静 is quite a good description to observe Yin Yang.

But it is not giving any clues on how to use Yin Yang.

阴阳相见两为难，

Yin meeting Yang creates difficulty;

雌雄章 - Ci Xiong Chapter

作者谈养吾 - 玄空本义叙

阴阳分而言之曰雌雄者，言其形，非言其气也。

Ci-Xiong which also refers to Yin Yang, represent form not represent Qi.

上下有无形之阴阳互相往来，

Upper and lower with formless Yin Yang mutually arriving.

而后有有形之雌雄互相交媾，

Later with Ci Xiong which has form mutually copulating,

天气下降，地气上升，此大雌雄之交媾也。

Heaven Qi descending, earth Qi ascending, the copulation of the big Ci-Xiong.

山静水动，山峙水流，此形体上之交媾也。

Mountain still and water move, mountain store, water flow, the copulation of the form.

大小强弱，雌雄之形，

Big small strong weak, the form of Ci Xiong.

动静刚柔，雌雄之情，

Movement, stillness, firm, gentle, the emotion of Ci Xiong,

大小不相符，动静不相配，

Big and small not in harmony, movement and stillness not matching,

则雌是雌而雄是雄，

Ci is Xiong and Xiong is Ci,

虽有其名，而无交媾之实矣，

Even though it is referring to Ci Xiong, but it does not copulate,

相地务必有外气行形之雌雄，

The landform must have the external appearance of Ci Xiong,

而后有内气止生之生气，

Furthermore with growing Qi in the inner still Qi.

外气交，内自合，

Copulating in the external Qi, combining internally,

此所谓看雌雄也。

Thus termed as observing Ci Xiong.

而雌雄有大小之分，

Ci Xiong is differentiated into big and small,

作法中每运有一大雌雄，

Every period has a big Ci Xiong,

谓之父母卦，

Called parent Gua,

为每运之正向，其力大，

Representing the proper facing of every period, it is considered as powerful.

经云：

Classics:

雌与雄交会合玄空，

Ci and Xiong copulation together with Xuan Kong,

此指山水有形之雌雄而言，

Referring to mountain/water Ci Xiong which has form.

又云：

雄与雌玄空卦内推，

Deriving Ci and Xiong from the Gua of Xuan Kong,

此指阴阳二气，

Referring to Yin and Yang,

无形之雌雄而言，

The Ci Xiong which is formless.

经又云：

阴阳相见两为难，

Yin meeting Yang creates difficulty;

一山一水何足言，

One mountain one water how to be sufficient;

玩此则雌雄之义，

Playing with this meaning of Ci Xiong;

明白晓畅矣。

To understand clearly.

雌雄者，阴阳动静对待之称，

Ci Xiong, the term used to refer to the movement and stillness of Yin and Yang,

以言乎体，则一动一静，一山一水，一实一空，即雌雄也。

Referring to the object, one move one still, one mountain one water, one solid one void, this is Ci Xiong.

以言乎用，则乾坤震巽坎离艮兑，

Through the use of Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen and Dui.

自然之气感，自然之交合，即雌雄也。

The natural feeling of Qi, the natural copulation, which is Ci Xiong.

杨公养老看雌雄者，看有形之山水，与辨无形之阴阳也。

Yang Gong grow old observing Ci Xiong, looking at mountains and water ways which are with form, to derive the formless Yin Yang.

有形之山水动静，原本诸无形之阴阳二气，杨公不云相阴阳，而曰看雌雄者，乃有形之往来，即无形之交合也。

The movement and stillness of mountain/water which represent objects with form, originally referring to formless Yin Yang. Yang Gong did not referred to it as Yin Yang, but as observing Ci Xiong, noting the arrival of object with form, to analyze the matching/combination of the formless.

所以阴阳无不配，雌雄无不合，

Therefore Yin Yang will always match, Ci Xiong will always combine,

不配与不合，即谓之相乘，

Not matching and not combining, referring to riding each other;

见夫某方有多大之高山实地，

Seeing the husband’s direction with how big or high mountains,

Comment: To check which is the side with high mountains and which is the lower ground:

其对面一方，亦必取其多大之水道低地以配之，

The opposite direction, must obtain the water ways to match accordingly.

观其形之相配，既出于自然，

Observing the matching of the form, derived from the natural environment,

知其气之交合，亦出于毫不勉强，

Knowing the matching/combination of the Qi, the resultant no need to force,

此中奥窍，全凭作者以目力足力斟酌定之，

The key to this mysterious point, all depend on the author’s visual power to deliberate and determine,

所以相地有龙穴砂水向，

Therefore the location of Dragon(mountain), Xue(The spot), Sa(Flatland), Water and Facing,

五大要素之分辨，

The five essential factors to differentiate,

奥语有十大真意之辨别，

Au Yu classics differentiate it into ten different categories,

避其偏而就其正，

Avoid the incorrect to establish the true one.

经云：

前后八尺不宜杂，

Within 8 Chinese feet at the front and at the back, it is not suitable to mix;

Comment: What is not suitable to mix? This is referring to Yin Yang.

斜正受来阴阳取，

Receiving from the direct or indirect to obtain the Yin Yang;

Comment: What is 斜正 direct or indirect?

八尺者极言其小也。

Within 8 feet is actually a small distance.

Comment: It is important to analyze the Yin Yang of the front and back within a short distant. Not something very far away.

外气即合，其八尺之所，

The combination of external Qi, within 8 Chinese “foot”,

阴阳无不配，雌雄无不交，

Yin Yang will always match, Ci Xiong will always copulate,

此为不易之理，惟其行之方向，

This represents the unchanging theory, the direction of this art,

与夫无形之消长，有合时失时之别耳，

With the husband going up and down without form, there are times when it is matching and other times when it is not matching.

Comment: This is an important concept from Liu Fah. From the Xuan Kong school which is based on time. (Period)

元有上下，运有八卦，

Yuan is divided into upper and lower, the Period into 8 Gua,

其气运既不同，其物质之感受，

The period Qi are different, the affect on the objects,

当然亦随之而变易，

Will naturally follow the changes,

此所以峦头有合情与否，

So in Luan Tao (landform) there is the notion of whether it is with affection,

理气有合时与否之分也。

In Li Qi there is the notion of whether it is timely or untimely.

世人不知雌雄有无形与有形之真旨，

Human do not understand the purpose of Ci Xiong with form and without form.

徒从罗经上红黑字分为阴阳，

The disciple obtaining Yin Yang from the Red and Black in a Lou Pan (compass).

又从掌诀上分为顺逆，

Also deriving from the palm the going forward or in reverse,

即以为看雌雄者，颠倒是非，真伪莫辨，

Thinking that is the way to observe Ci Xiong, reversing what is right and wrong, not able to differentiate between true and false,

莫怪后之研究地学者，盲无适从也。

Do not blame the future earth study disciple, blindly following the method.

第二章  雌雄与阴阳动静

Ci Xiong and Yin Yang – “movement and stillness”.

第一节  有形者称为雌雄

With form is referred to as Ci Xiong. (Female-Male)

雌雄其實是陰陽的另外一種稱呼方式，其差別在於，陰陽是用來指稱無形之氣，而雌雄是指有形有體的物質。

In fact Ci Xiong is another reference for Yin Yang. The difference is Yin Yang is referring to formless matter whereas Ci Xiong is referring to something with form.

談養吾「玄空本義」中說：「雌雄者，言其形，非言其氣也。」

Master Tang mentioned in Xuan Kong Ben Yi: “Ci Xiong, referring to form, not referring to Qi.”

又說：「以言乎體，則一動一靜，一山一水，一實一空，即雌雄也。」

Also says: “Ci Xiong is referring to body/object, one moving one still, one mountain, one water, one solid one void.

「楊公養老看雌雄者，看有形之山水，與辨無形之陰陽也。」

Yang Gong grow old observing Ci Xiong, looking at mountains and water ways which are with form, to derive the formless Yin Yang.

所以雌雄是指有形之物，看風水時先要能夠分辨出何處是雌，何處是雄。

Therefore Ci Xiong is referring to object which has form, the art of feng shui is to differentiate which is Ci-male and which is Xiong-female.

Method 1.

而雌雄又可以分成幾方面來看，一種是在大自然的環境中，有崇山峻嶺，又有江河溪澗的情況，則山與水就代表雌與雄。

Ci Xiong can be analyzed in a few different ways. One method is derived from the natural environment. From mountain ranges and water ways (streams and rivers). Mountains and rivers representing Ci Xiong.

山是靜的，所以屬陰屬雌，水是動的，所以屬陽屬雄。

Mountains are considered as still and quiet, so they represent Yin-Ci-Female.

Rivers are considered as moving, so they represent Yang-Xiong-Male. 

 

 

 

 

Method 2.

第二種情況是位於都市城鎮之中，平洋之地，沒有高山崗嶺，江河溪流也不多見，反而是建築物櫛次鱗比，道路縱橫交錯，人來人往，車水馬龍。

Second method to analyze Ci Xion in an urban environment, in a flat area, where there are no mountain ranges, also with no streams/rivers nearby, where it is mostly occupied by manmade buildings and structures, intersections of roads and highways, intersperse by humans, circulation of vehicles.

現代人大多是身 處於這樣的環境之中。

This is the environment for modern societies.

在都市中既然無山崗江河，要如何分辨雌雄呢？

In an environment with no mountains ranges and water ways, how to differentiate Ci Xiong?

其實是以建築物比擬為山，以街道巷弄比擬為河流，建築物是固定不動的，是實的，是靜的， 所以屬陰屬雌。

It is through the use of buildings as mountains, streets and alleyways as rivers, buildings are considered as still, solid and quiet, therefore they represent Yin-Ci-female.

街道人車往來頻繁，帶動氣流流動，為動氣之所，所以屬陽屬雄。

Streets with vehicles and pedestrians movement, dispersing the Qi through movement, therefore they represent Yang-Xiong-male.

基本上城市住宅看重的是大門、路口等動氣之所，是否位於水之旺方，且令住宅納得旺氣。

In an urban residence, the most important consideration is the door and the road intersections, the source of moving Qi. Whether it is located correctly in the prosperous water direction, allowing the residence to obtain the prosperous Qi.

所以談養吾註解天元五歌時說：「陽宅立向，在城市則全以向為主。」

Master Tang referring to “Heaven Cycle 5 songs”: “Facing for Yang residence, in urban setting the facing is the main criteria.”

又說：「陽宅之出入處，或空曠處，即為動處，此處看法，當作水用，氣之流動則一也。」

Also says: “The entrances for Yang dwellings or empty external spaces are considered as spaces with movement. When analyzing such spaces, they represent water, spaces with Qi movement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Method 3.

第三種情況則是住宅室內雌雄動靜之區別。

The third method to analyze Ci Xiong is the differentiation between movement and stillness in internal spaces.

基本上就是「空」與「實」的區別，實處我們可以把它當作山來看待，空處則可視為水。

The fundamental consideration is regarding “solid” and “void”. Solid to represent mountain and void to represent water.

延伸來看，凡是櫥櫃、書櫃、 桌椅、 高大的器物所在之處， 或是封閉的角落、 堆滿物品的地方、 人不常走動不常經過的處所， 都可視為屬靜屬陰屬雌。

The following items:- cabinets, bookcases, tables and chairs, spaces occupied by tall objects, corners which are sealed/closed, spaces with lots of objects, spaces with very little human activities – can all represent Yin-Ci-female.

而大門、房門、走道、樓梯、電梯等人們經 常走動往來的地點， 或是開窗之處、空曠的地方等等比較通風，氣流流通性比較好的地方，則可視為屬動屬陽屬雄。

The following items:- main door, room doors, staircase, lift, spaces with frequent human activities, window openings, empty spaces, spaces with good movement of Qi – can all represent Yang-Xiong-male.