卷二十七·天官书第五

卷二十七·天官书第五

司马迁

中宫天极星，其一明者，太一常居也；旁三星三公，或曰子属。后句四星，末大星正妃，余三星后宫之属也。环之匡卫十二星，藩臣。皆曰紫宫。

前列直斗口三星，随北端兑，若见若不，曰阴德，或曰天一。紫宫左三星曰天枪，右五星曰天棓，后六星绝汉抵营室，曰阁道。

北斗七星，所谓“旋、玑、玉衡以齐七政”。杓携龙角，衡殷南斗，魁枕参首。用昏建者杓；杓，自华以西南。夜半建者衡；衡，殷中州河、济之间。平旦建者魁；魁，海岱以东北也。斗为帝车，运于中央，临制四乡。分阴阳，建四时，均五行，移节度，定诸纪，皆系于斗。

斗魁戴匡六星曰文昌宫：一曰上将，二曰次将，三曰贵相，四曰司命，五曰司中，六曰司禄。在斗魁中，贵人之牢。魁下六星，两两相比者，名曰三能。三能色齐，君臣和；不齐，为乖戾。辅星明近，辅臣亲强；斥小，疏弱。

杓端有两星：一内为矛，招摇；一外为盾，天锋。有句圜十五星，属杓，曰贱人之牢。其牢中星实则囚多，虚则开出。

天一、枪、棓、矛、盾动摇，角大，兵起。

东宫苍龙，房、心。心为明堂，大星天王，前后星子属。不欲直，直则天王失计。房为府，曰天驷。其阴，右骖。旁有两星曰衿；北一星曰舝。东北曲十二星曰旗。旗中四星曰天市；中六星曰市楼。市中星众者实；其虚则秏。房南众星曰骑官。

左角，李；右角，将。大角者，天王帝廷。其两旁各有三星，鼎足句之，曰摄提。摄提者，直斗杓所指，以建时节，故曰“摄提格”。亢为疏庙，主疾。其南北两大星，曰南门。氐为天根，主疫。

尾为九子，曰君臣；斥绝，不和。箕为敖客，曰口舌。

火犯守角，则有战。房、心，王者恶之也。

南宫朱鸟，权、衡。衡，太微，三光之廷。匡卫十二星，藩臣：西，将；东，相；南四星，执法；中，端门；门左右，掖门。门内六星，诸侯。其内五星，五帝坐。后聚一十五星，蔚然，曰郎位；傍一大星，将位也。月、五星顺入，轨道，司其出，所守，天子所诛也。其逆入，若不轨道，以所犯命之；中坐，成形，皆群下从谋也。金、火尤甚。廷藩西有隋星五，曰少微，士大夫。权，轩辕。轩辕，黄龙体。前大星，女主象；旁小星，御者后宫属。月、五星守犯者，如衡占。

东井为水事。其西曲星曰钺。钺北，北河；南，南河；两河、天阙间为关梁。舆鬼，鬼祠事；中白者为质。火守南北河，兵起，谷不登。故德成衡，观成潢，伤成钺，祸成井，诛成质。

柳为鸟注，主木草。七星，颈，为员官。主急事。张，素，为厨，主觞客。翼为羽翮，主远客。

轸为车，主风。其旁有一小星，曰长沙，星星不欲明；明与四星等，若五星入轸中，兵大起。轸南众星曰天库楼；库有五车。车星角若益众，及不具，无处车马。

西宫咸池，曰天五潢。五潢，五帝车舍。火入，旱；金，兵；水，水。中有三柱；柱不具，兵起。

奎曰封豕，为沟渎。娄为聚众。胃为天仓。其南众星曰廥积。

昴曰髦头，胡星也，为白衣会。毕曰罕车，为边兵，主弋猎。其大星旁小星为附耳。附耳摇动，有谗乱臣在侧。昴、毕间为天街。其阴，阴国；阳，阳国。

参为白虎。三星直者，是为衡石。下有三星，兑，曰罚，为斩艾事。其外四星，左右肩股也。小三星隅置，曰觜觿，为虎首，主葆旅事。其南有四星，曰天厕。厕下一星，曰天矢。矢黄则吉；青、白、黑，凶。其西有句曲九星，三处罗：一曰天旗，二曰天苑，三曰九游。其东有大星曰狼。狼角变色，多盗贼。下有四星曰弧，直狼。狼比地有大星，曰南极老人。老人见，治安；不见，兵起。常以秋分时候之于南郊。

附耳入毕中，兵起。

北宫玄武，虚、危。危为盖屋；虚为哭泣之事。

其南有众星，曰羽林天军。军西为垒，或曰钺。旁有一大星为北落。北落若微亡，军星动角益希，及五星犯北落，入军，军起。火、金、水尤甚：火，军忧；水，水患；木、土，军吉。危东六星，两两相比，曰司空。

营室为清庙，曰离宫、阁道。汉中四星，曰天驷。旁一星，曰王良。王良策马，车骑满野。旁有八星，绝汉，曰天潢。天潢旁，江星。江星动，人涉水。

杵、臼四星，在危南。匏瓜，有青黑星守之，鱼盐贵。

南斗为庙，其北建星。建星者，旗也。牵牛为牺牲。其北河鼓。河鼓大星，上将；左右，左右将。婺女，其北织女。织女，天女孙也。

察日、月之行以揆岁星顺逆。曰东方木，主春，日甲乙。义失者，罚出岁星。岁星赢缩，以其舍命国。所在国不可伐，可以罚人。其趋舍而前曰赢，退舍曰缩。赢，其国有兵不复；缩，其国有忧，将亡，国倾败。其所在，五星皆从而聚于一舍，其下之国可以义致天下。

以摄提格岁：岁阴左行在寅，岁星右转居丑。正月，与斗、牵牛晨出东方，名曰监德。色苍苍有光。其失次，有应见柳。岁早，水；晚，旱。

岁星出，东行十二度，百日而止，反逆行；逆行八度，百日，复东行。岁行三十度十六分度之七，率日行十二分度之一，十二岁而周天。出常东方，以晨；入于西方，用昏。

单阏岁：岁阴在卯，星居子。以二月与婺女、虚、危晨出，曰降入。大有光。其失次，有应见张。其岁大水。

执徐岁：岁阴在辰，星居亥。以三月与营室、东壁晨出，曰青章。青青甚章。其失次；有应见轸。岁早，旱；晚，水。

大荒骆岁：岁阴在巳，星居戌。以四月与奎、娄晨出，曰跰踵。熊熊赤色，有光。其失次，有应见亢。

敦牂岁：岁阴在午，星居酉。以五月与胃、昴、毕晨出，曰开明。炎炎有光。偃兵；唯利公王，不利治兵。其失次，有应见房。岁早，旱；晚，水。

叶洽岁：岁阴在未，星居申。以六月与觜觿、参晨出，曰长列。昭昭有光。利行兵。其失次，有应见箕。

涒滩岁：岁阴在申，星居未。以七月与东井、舆鬼晨出，曰大音。昭昭白。其失次，有应见牵牛。

作鄂岁：岁阴在酉，星居午。以八月与柳、七星、张晨出，曰长王。作作有芒。国其昌，熟谷。其失次，有应见危。有旱而昌，有女丧，民疾。

阉茂岁：岁阴在戌，星居巳。以九月与翼、轸晨出，曰天睢。白色大明。其失次，有应见东壁。岁水，女丧。

大渊献岁：岁阴在亥，星居辰。以十月与角、亢晨出，曰大章。苍苍然，星若跃而阴出旦，是谓“正平”。起师旅，其率必武；其国有德，将有四海。其失次，有应见娄。

困敦岁：岁阴在子，星居卯。以十一月与氐、房、心晨出，曰天泉。玄色甚明。江池其昌，不利起兵。其失次，有应见昴。

赤奋若岁：岁阴在丑，星居寅，以十二月与尾、箕晨出，曰天皓。黫然黑色甚明。其失次，有应见参。

当居不居，居之又左右摇，未当去去之，与他星会，其国凶。所居久，国有德厚。其角动，乍小乍大，若色数变，人主有忧。

其失次舍以下，进而东北，三月生天棓，长四丈，末兑，进而东南，三月生彗星，长二丈，类彗。退而西北，三月生天欃，长四丈，末兑。退而西南，三月生天枪，长数丈，两头兑。谨视其所见之国，不可举事用兵。其出如浮如沈，其国有土功；如沈如浮，其野亡。色赤而有角，其所居国昌。迎角而战者，不胜。星色赤黄而沈，所居野大穰。色青白而赤灰，所居野有忧。岁星入月，其野有逐相；与太白斗，其野有破军。

岁星一曰摄提，曰重华，曰应星，曰纪星。营室为清庙，岁星庙也。

察刚气以处荧惑。曰南方火，主夏，日丙、丁。礼失，罚出荧惑，荧惑失行是也。出则有兵，入则兵散。以其舍命国。荧惑为勃乱，残贼、疾、丧、饥、兵。反道二舍以上，居之，三月有殃，五月受兵，七月半亡地，九月太半亡地。因与俱出入，国绝祀。居之，殃还至，虽大当小；久而至，当小反大。其南为丈夫丧，北为女子丧。若角动绕环之，及乍前乍后，左右，殃益大。与他星斗，光相逮，为害；不相逮，不害。五星皆从而聚于一舍，其下国可以礼致天下。

法，出东行十六舍而止；逆行二舍；六旬，复东行，自所止数十舍，十月而入西方；伏行五月，出东方。其出西方曰“反明”，主命者恶之。东行急，一日行一度半。

其行东、西、南、北疾也。兵各聚其下；用战，顺之胜，逆之败。荧惑从太白，军忧；离之，军卻。出太白阴，有分军；行其阳，有偏将战。当其行，太白逮之，破军杀将。其入守犯太微、轩辕、营室，主命恶之。心为明堂，荧惑庙也。谨候此。

历斗之会以定填星之位。曰中央土，主季夏，日戊、己，黄帝，主德，女主象也。岁填一宿，其所居国吉。未当居而居，若已去而复还，还居之，其国得土，不乃得女。若当居而不居，既已居之，又西东去，其国失土，不乃失女，不可举事用兵。其居久，其国福厚；易，福薄。

其一名曰地侯，主岁。岁行十三度百十二分度之五，日行二十八分度之一，二十八岁周天。其所居，五星皆从而聚于一舍，其下之国，可以重致天下。礼、德、义、杀、刑尽失，而填星乃为之动摇。

赢，为王不宁；其缩，有军不复。填星，其色黄，九芒，音曰黄钟宫。其失次上二三宿曰赢，有主命不成，不乃大水。失次下二三宿曰缩，有后戚，其岁不复，不乃天裂若地动。

斗为文太室，填星庙，天子之星也。

木星与土合，为内乱。饥，主勿用战，败；水则变谋而更事；火为旱；金为白衣会若水。金在南曰牝牡，年谷熟，金在北，岁偏无。火与水合为焠，与金合为铄，为丧，皆不可举事，用兵大败。土为忧，主孽卿；大饥，战败，为北军，军困，举事大败。土与水合，穰而拥阏，有覆军，其国不可举事。出，亡地；入，得地。金为疾，为内兵，亡地。三星若合，其宿地国外内有兵与丧，改立公王。四星合，兵丧并起，君子忧，小人流。五星合，是为易行，有德，受庆，改立大人，掩有四方，子孙蕃昌；无德，受殃若亡。五星皆大，其事亦大；皆小，事亦小。

蚤出者为赢，赢者为客。晚出者为缩，缩者为主人。必有天应见于杓星。同舍为合。相陵为斗，七寸以内必之矣。

五星色白圜，为丧旱；赤圜，则中不平，为兵；青圜，为忧水；黑圜，为疾，多死；黄圜，则吉。赤角犯我城，黄角地之争，白角哭泣之声，青角有兵忧，黑角则水。意，行穷兵之所终。五星同色，天下偃兵，百姓宁昌。春风秋雨，冬寒夏暑，动摇常以此。

填星出百二十日而逆西行，西行百二十日反东行。见三百三十日而入，入三十日复出东方。太岁在甲寅，镇星在东壁，故在营室。

察日行以处位太白。曰西方，秋，日庚、辛，主杀。杀失者，罚出太白。太白失行，以其舍命国。其出行十八舍二百四十日而入。入东方，伏行十一舍百三十日；其入西方，伏行三舍十六日而出。当出不出，当入不入，是谓失舍，不有破军，必有国君之篡。

其纪上元，以摄提格之岁，与营室晨出东方，至角而入；与营室夕出西方，至角而入；与角晨出，入毕；与角夕出，入毕；与毕晨出，入箕；与毕夕出，入箕；与箕晨出，入柳；与箕夕出，入柳；与柳晨出，入营室；与柳夕出，入营室。凡出入东西各五，为八岁，二百二十日，复与营室晨出东方。其大率，岁一周天。其始出东方，行迟，率日半度，一百二十日，必逆行一二舍；上极而反，东行，行日一度半，一百二十日入。其庳，近日，曰明星，柔；高，远日，曰大嚣，刚。其始出西方，行疾，率日一度半，百二十日；上极而行迟，日半度，百二十日，旦入，必逆行一二舍而入。其庳，近日，曰大白，柔；高，远日，曰大相，刚。出以辰、戌，入以丑、未。

当出不出，未当入而入，天下偃兵，兵在外，入。未当出而出，当入而不入，天下起兵，有破国。其当期出也，其国昌。其出东为东，入东为北方；出西为西，入西为南方。所居久，其乡利；易，其乡凶。

出西至东，正西国吉。出东至西，正东国吉。其出不经天；经天，天下革政。

小以角动，兵起。始出大，后小，兵弱；出小，后大，兵强。出高，用兵深吉，浅凶；庳，浅吉，深凶。日方南金居其南，日方北金居其北，曰赢，侯王不宁，用兵进吉退凶。日方南金居其北，日方北金居其南，曰缩，侯王有忧，用兵退吉进凶。用兵象太白：太白行疾，疾行；迟，迟行。角，敢战。动摇躁，躁。圜以静，静。顺角所指，吉；反之，皆凶。出则出兵，入则入兵。赤角，有战；白角，有丧；黑圜角，忧，有水事；青圜小角，忧，有木事；黄圜和角，有土事，有年。其已出三日而复，有微入，入三日乃复盛出，是谓耎，其下国有军败将北。其已入三日又复微出，出三日而复盛入，其下国有忧；师有粮食兵革，遗人用之；卒虽众，将为人虏。其出西失行，外国败；其出东失行，中国败。其色大圜黄滜，可为好事；其圜大赤，兵盛不战。

太白白，比狼；赤，比心；黄，比参左肩；苍，比参右肩；黑，比奎大星。五星皆从太白而聚乎一舍，其下之国可以兵从天下。居实，有得也；居虚，无得也。行胜色，色胜位，有位胜无位，有色胜无色，行得尽胜之。出而留桑榆间，疾其下国。上而疾，未尽其日，过参天，疾其对国。上复下，下复上，有反将。其入月，将僇。金、木星合，光，其下战不合，兵虽起而不斗；合相毁，野有破军。出西方，昏而出阴，阴兵强；暮食出，小弱；夜半出，中弱；鸡鸣出，大弱：是谓阴陷于阳。其在东方，乘明而出阳，阳兵之强，鸡鸣出，小弱；夜半出，中弱；昏出，大弱：是谓阳陷于阴。太白伏也，以出兵，兵有殃。其出卯南，南胜北方；出卯北，北胜南方；正在卯，东国利。出酉北，北胜南方；出酉南，南胜北方；正在酉，西国胜。

其与列星相犯，小战；五星，大战。其相犯，太白出其南，南国败；出其北，北国败。行疾，武；不行，文。色白五芒，出蚤为月蚀，晚为天夭及彗星，将发其国。出东为德，举事左之迎之，吉。出西为刑，举事右之背之，吉。反之皆凶。太白光见景，战胜。昼见而经天，是谓争明，强国弱，小国强，女主昌。

亢为疏庙，太白庙也。太白，大臣也，其号上公。其他名殷星、太正、营星、观星、宫星、明星、大衰、大泽、终星、大相、天浩、序星、月纬。大司马位谨候此。

察日辰之会，以治辰星之位。曰北方水，太阴之精，主冬，日壬、癸。刑失者，罚出辰星，以其宿命国。

是正四时：仲春春分，夕出郊奎、娄、胃东五舍，为齐；仲夏夏至，夕出郊东井、舆鬼、柳东七舍，为楚；仲秋秋分，夕出郊角、亢、氐、房东四舍，为汉；仲冬冬至，晨出郊东方，与尾、箕、斗、牵牛俱西，为中国。其出入常以辰、戌、丑、未。

其蚤，为月蚀；晚，为彗星及天夭。其时宜效不效为失，追兵在外不战。一时不出，其时不和；四时不出，天下大饥。其当效而出也，色白为旱，黄为五谷熟，赤为兵，黑为水。出东方，大而白，有兵于外，解。常在东方，其赤，中国胜；其西而赤，外国利。无兵于外而赤，兵起。其与太白俱出东方，皆赤而角，外国大败，中国胜；其与太白俱出西方，皆赤而角，外国利。五星分天之中，积于东方，中国利；积于西方，外国用兵者利。五星皆从辰星而聚于一舍，其所舍之国可以法致天下。辰星不出，太白为客；其出，太白为主。出而与太白不相从，野虽有军，不战。出东方，太白出西方；若出西方，太白出东方，为格，野虽有兵不战。失其时而出，为当寒反温，当温反寒。当出不出，是谓击卒，兵大起。其入太白中而上出，破军杀将，客军胜；下出，客亡地。辰星来抵太白，太白不去，将死。正旗上出，破军杀将，客胜；下出，客亡地。视旗所指，以命破军。其绕环太白，若与斗，大战，客胜。兔过太白，间可椷剑，小战，客胜。兔居太白前，军罢；出太白左，小战；摩太白，有数万人战，主人吏死；出太白右，去三尺，军急约战。青角，兵忧；黑角，水。赤行穷兵之所终。

兔七命，曰小正、辰星、天欃、安周星、细爽、能星、钩星。其色黄而小，出而易处，天下之文变而不善矣。兔五色，青圜忧，白圜丧，赤圜中不平，黑圜吉。赤角犯我城，黄角地之争，白角号泣之声。

其出东方，行四舍四十八日，其数二十日，而反入于东方；其出西方，行四舍四十八日，其数二十日，而反入于西方。其一候之营室、角、毕、箕、柳。出房、心间，地动。

辰星之色：春，青黄；夏，赤白；秋，青白，而岁熟；冬，黄而不明。即变其色，其时不昌。春不见，大风，秋则不实。夏不见，有六十日之旱，月蚀。秋不见，有兵，春则不生。冬不见，阴雨六十日，有流邑，夏则不长。

角、亢、氐，兖州。房、心，豫州。尾、箕，幽州。斗，江、湖。牵牛、婺女，杨州。虚、危，青州。营室至东壁，并州。奎、娄、胃，徐州。昴、毕，冀州。觜觿、参，益州。东井、舆鬼，雍州。柳、七星、张，三河。翼、轸，荆州。

七星为员官，辰星庙，蛮夷星也。

两军相当，日晕；晕等，力钧；厚长大，有胜；薄短小，无胜。重抱大破无。抱为和，背为不和，为分离相去。直为自立，立侯王；破军杀将。负且戴，有喜。围在中，中胜；在外，外胜。青外赤中，以和相去；赤外青中，以恶相去。气晕先至而后去，居军胜。先至先去，前利后病；后至后去，前病后利；后至先去，前后皆病，居军不胜。见而去，其发疾，虽胜无功。见半日以上，功大。白虹屈短，上下兑，有者下大流血。日晕制胜，近期三十日，远期六十日。

其食，食所不利；复生，生所利；而食益尽，为主位。以其直及日所宿，加以日时，用命其国也。

月行中道，安宁和平。阴间，多水，阴事。外北三尺，阴星。北三尺，太阴，大水，兵。阳间，骄恣。阳星，多暴狱。太阳，大旱丧也。角、天门，十月为四月，十一月为五月，十二月为六月，水发，近三尺，远五尺。犯四辅，辅臣诛。行南北河，以阴阳言，旱水兵丧。

月蚀岁星，其宿地，饥若亡。荧惑也乱，填星也下犯上，太白也强国以战败，辰星也女乱。蚀大角，主命者恶之；心，则为内贼乱也；列星，其宿地忧。

月食始日，五月者六，六月者五，五月复六，六月者一，而五月者五，凡百一十三月而复始。故月蚀，常也；日蚀，为不臧也。甲、乙，四海之外，日月不占。丙、丁，江、淮、海岱也。戊、己，中州、河、济也。庚、辛，华山以西。壬、癸，恒山以北。日蚀，国君；月蚀，将相当之。

国皇星，大而赤，状类南极。所出，其下起兵，兵强；其冲不利。

昭明星，大而白，无角，乍上乍下。所出国，起兵，多变。

五残星，出正东东方之野。其星状类辰星，去地可六丈。

大贼星，出正南南方之野。星去地可六丈，大而赤，数动，有光。

司危星，出正西西方之野。星去地可六丈，大而白，类太白。

狱汉星，出正北北方之野。星去地可六丈，大而赤，数动，察之中青。此四野星所出，出非其方，其下有兵，冲不利。

四填星，所出四隅，去地可四丈。

地维咸光，亦出四隅，去地可三丈，若月始出。所见，下有乱；乱者亡，有德者昌。

烛星，状如太白，其出也不行。见则灭。所烛者，城邑乱。

如星非星，如云非云，命曰归邪。归邪出，必有归国者。

星者，金之散气，其本曰火。星众，国吉；少则凶。

汉者，亦金之散气，其本曰水。汉，星多，多水，少则旱，其大经也。

天鼓，有音如雷非雷，音在地而下及地。其所往者，兵发其下。

天狗，状如大奔星，有声，其下止地，类狗。所堕及，望之如火光炎炎冲天。其下圜如数顷田处，上兑者则有黄色，千里破军杀将。

格泽星者，如炎火之状。黄白，起地而上。下大，上兑。其见也，不种而穫；不有土功，必有大害。

蚩尤之旗，类彗而后曲，象旗。见则王者征伐四方。

旬始，出于北斗旁，状如雄鸡。其怒，青黑，象伏鳖。

枉矢，类大流星，蛇行而仓黑，望之如有毛羽然。

长庚，如一匹布著天。此星见，兵起。

星坠至地，则石也。河、济之间，时有坠星。

天精而见景星。景星者，德星也。其状无常，常出于有道之国。

凡望云气，仰而望之，三四百里；平望，在桑榆上，千余二千里；登高而望之，下属地者三千里。云气有兽居上者，胜。

自华以南，气下黑上赤。嵩高、三河之郊，气正赤。恒山之北，气下黑下青。勃、碣、海、岱之间，气皆黑。江、淮之间，气皆白。

徒气白。土功气黄。车气乍高乍下，往往而聚。骑气卑而布。卒气抟。前卑而后高者，疾；前方而后高者，兑；后兑而卑者，卻。其气平者其行徐。前高而后卑者，不止而反。气相遇者，卑胜高，兑胜方。气来卑而循车通者，不过三四日，去之五六里见。气来高七八尺者，不过五六日，去之十余里见。气来高丈余二丈者，不过三四十日，去之五六十里见。

稍云精白者，其将悍，其士怯。其大根而前绝远者，当战。青白，其前低者，战胜；其前赤而仰者，战不胜。阵云如立垣。杼云类杼。轴云抟两端兑。杓云如绳者，居前亘天，其半半天。其□ 者类阙旗故。钩云句曲。诸此云见，以五色合占。而泽抟密，其见动人，乃有占；兵必起，合斗其直。

王朔所候，决于日旁。日旁云气，人主象。皆如其形以占。

故北夷之气如群畜穹闾，南夷之气类舟船幡旗。大水处，败军场，破国之虚，下有积钱，金宝之上，皆有气，不可不察。海旁蜄气象楼台；广野气成宫阙然。云气各象其山川人民所聚积。

故候息秏者，入国邑，视封疆田畴之正治，城郭室屋门户之润泽，次至车服畜产精华。实息者，吉；虚秏者，凶。

若烟非烟，若云非云，郁郁纷纷，萧索轮囷，是谓卿云。卿云，喜气也。若雾非雾，衣冠而不濡，见则其域被甲而趋。

夫雷电、虾虹、辟历、夜明者，阳气之动者也，春夏则发，秋冬则藏，故候者无不司之。

天开县物，地动坼绝。山崩及徙，川塞溪垘；水澹地长，泽竭见象。城郭门闾，闺臬稿枯；宫庙邸第，人民所次。谣俗车服，观民饮食。五谷草木，观其所属。仓府厩库，四通之路。六畜禽兽，所产去就；鱼鳖鸟鼠，观其所处。鬼哭若呼，其人逢俉。化言，诚然。

凡候岁美恶，谨候岁始。岁始或冬至日，产气始萌。腊明日，人众卒岁，一会饮食，发阳气，故曰初岁。正月旦，王者岁首；立春日，四时之始也。四始者，候之日。

而汉魏鲜集腊明正月旦决八风。风从南方来，大旱；西南，小旱；西方，有兵；西北，戎菽为，小雨，趣兵；北方，为中岁；东北，为上岁；东方，大水；东南，民有疾疫，岁恶。故八风各与其冲对，课多者为胜。多胜少，久胜亟，疾胜徐。旦至食，为麦；食至日昳，为稷；昳至餔，为黍；餔至下餔，为菽；下餔至日入，为麻。欲终日有云，有风，有日。日当其时者，深而多实；无云有风日，当其时，浅而多实；有云风，无日，当其时，深而少实；有日，无云，不风，当其时者稼有败。如食顷，小败；熟五斗米顷，大败。则风复起，有云，其稼复起。各以其时用云色占种所宜。其雨雪若寒，岁恶。

是日光明，听都邑人民之声。声宫，则岁善，吉；商，则有兵；徵，旱；羽，水；角，岁恶。

或从正月旦比数雨。率日食一升，至七升而极；过之，不占。数至十二日，日直其月，占水旱。为其环域千里内占，则为天下候，竟正月。月所离列宿，日、风、云，占其国。然必察太岁所在。在金，穰；水，毁；木，饥；火，旱。此其大经也。

正月上甲，风从东方，宜蚕；风从西方，若旦黄云，恶。

冬至短极，县土炭，炭动，鹿解角，兰根出，泉水跃，略以知日至，要决晷景。岁星所在，五谷逢昌。其对为冲，岁乃有殃。

太史公曰：自初生民以来，世主曷尝不历日月星辰？及至五家、三代，绍而明之，内冠带，外夷狄，分中国为十有二州，仰则观象于天，俯则法类于地。天则有日月，地则有阴阳。天有五星，地有五行。天则有列宿，地则有州域。三光者，阴阳之精，气本在地，而圣人统理之。

幽厉以往，尚矣。所见天变，皆国殊窟穴，家占物怪，以合时应，其文图籍禨祥不法。是以孔子论六经，纪异而说不书。至天道命，不传；传其人，不待告；告非其人，虽言不著。

昔之传天数者：高辛之前，重、黎；于唐、虞，羲、和；有夏，昆吾；殷商，巫咸；周室，史佚、苌弘；于宋，子韦；郑则裨灶；在齐，甘公；楚，唐眛；赵，尹皋；魏，石申。

夫天运，三十岁一小变，百年中变，五百载大变；三大变一纪，三纪而大备：此其大数也。为国者必贵三五。上下各千岁，然后天人之际续备。

太史公推古天变，未有可考于今者。盖略以春秋二百四十二年之间，日蚀三十六，彗星三见，宋襄公时星陨如雨。天子微，诸侯力政，五伯代兴，更为主命，自是之后，众暴寡，大并小。秦、楚、吴、越，夷狄也，为强伯。田氏篡齐，三家分晋，并为战国。争于攻取，兵革更起，城邑数屠，因以饥馑疾疫焦苦，臣主共忧患，其察禨祥候星气尤急。近世十二诸侯七国相王，言从衡者继踵，而皋、唐、甘、石因时务论其书传，故其占验凌杂米盐。

二十八舍主十二州，斗秉兼之，所从来久矣。秦之疆也，候在太白，占于狼、弧。吴、楚之疆，候在荧惑，占于鸟衡。燕、齐之疆，候在辰星，占于虚、危。宋、郑之疆，候在岁星，占于房、心。晋之疆，亦候在辰星，占于参罚。

及秦并吞三晋、燕、代，自河山以南者中国。中国于四海内则在东南，为阳；阳则日、岁星、荧惑、填星；占于街南，毕主之。其西北则胡、貉、月氏诸衣旃裘引弓之民，为阴；阴则月、太白、辰星；占于街北，昴主之。故中国山川东北流，其维，首在陇、蜀，尾没于勃、碣。是以秦、晋好用兵，复占太白，太白主中国；而胡、貉数侵掠，独占辰星，辰星出入躁疾，常主夷狄：其大经也。此更为客主人。荧惑为孛，外则理兵，内则理政。故曰“虽有明天子，必视荧惑所在”。诸侯更强，时菑异记，无可录者。

秦始皇之时，十五年彗星四见，久者八十日，长或竟天。其后秦遂以兵灭六王，并中国，外攘四夷，死人如乱麻，因以张楚并起，三十年之间兵相骀藉，不可胜数。自蚩尤以来，未尝若斯也。

项羽救钜鹿，枉矢西流，山东遂合从诸侯，西坑秦人，诛屠咸阳。

汉之兴，五星聚于东井。平城之围，月晕参、毕七重。诸吕作乱，日蚀，昼晦。吴楚七国叛逆，彗星数丈，天狗过梁野；及兵起，遂伏尸流血其下。元光、元狩，蚩尤之旗再见，长则半天。其后京师师四出，诛夷狄者数十年，而伐胡尤甚。越之亡，荧惑守斗；朝鲜之拔，星茀于河戍；兵征大宛，星茀招摇：此其荦荦大者。若至委曲小变，不可胜道。由是观之，未有不先形见而应随之者也。

夫自汉之为天数者，星则唐都，气则王朔，占岁则魏鲜。故甘、石历五星法，唯独荧惑有反逆行；逆行所守，及他星逆行，日月薄蚀，皆以为占。

余观史记，考行事，百年之中，五星无出而不反逆行，反逆行，尝盛大而变色；日月薄蚀，行南北有时：此其大度也。故紫宫、房心、权衡、咸池、虚危列宿部星，此天之五官坐位也，为经，不移徙，大小有差，阔狭有常。水、火、金、木、填星，此五星者，天之五佐，为纬，见伏有时，所过行赢缩有度。

日变脩德，月变省刑，星变结和。凡天变，过度乃占。国君强大，有德者昌；弱小，饰诈者亡。太上脩德，其次脩政，其次脩救，其次脩禳，正下无之。夫常星之变希见，而三光之占亟用。日月晕適，云风，此天之客气，其发见亦有大运。然其与政事俯仰，最近天人之符。此五者，天之感动。为天数者，必通三五。终始古今，深观时变，察其精粗，则天官备矣。

苍帝行德，天门为之开。赤帝行德，天牢为之空。黄帝行德，天夭为之起。风从西北来，必以庚、辛。一秋中，五至，大赦；三至，小赦。白帝行德，以正月二十日、二十一日，月晕围，常大赦载，谓有太阳也。一曰：白帝行德，毕、昴为之围。围三暮，德乃成；不三暮，及围不合，德不成。二曰：以辰围，不出其旬。黑帝行德，天关为之动。天行德，天子更立年；不德，风雨破石。三能、三衡者，天廷也。客星出天廷，有奇令。

Volume 27 · Treatise on the Celestial Offices, Fifth

司马迁

In the Central Palace is the Star of the Celestial Pole. The one among them that is bright is the constant dwelling of Taiyi, the Great Unity. The three stars beside it are the Three Dukes; some say they are the sons and their kin. Of the four stars that curve behind, the great star at the end is the principal consort, and the remaining three are the kin of the rear palace. The twelve stars that ring it round in guard are the vassal ministers. All of this is called the Purple Palace.

The three stars ranged in front, in line with the mouth of the Dipper, tapering toward the northern end, now visible and now not, are called Yinde, the Hidden Power; some call them Tianyi, the Celestial One. The three stars to the left of the Purple Palace are called the Celestial Lance; the five to the right are called the Celestial Flail; the six behind, which cut across the River of Heaven and reach Yingshi, are called the Gallery Road.

The seven stars of the Northern Dipper are what is meant by "the revolving jade sighting-tube and the jade crossbar, by which the seven governances are set in order." The handle links with the Dragon's Horn; the crossbar faces the Southern Dipper at its midpoint; the bowl pillows on the head of Shen. What determines the month at dusk is the handle, and the handle governs from Hua south-westward. What determines it at midnight is the crossbar, and the crossbar governs the middle provinces between the He and the Ji. What determines it at dawn is the bowl, and the bowl governs from the sea and Dai north-eastward. The Dipper is the Emperor's carriage: it turns about the centre and looks down to control the four quarters. The dividing of yin and yang, the establishing of the four seasons, the equalizing of the Five Phases, the shifting of the nodes and degrees, the fixing of all the reckonings — all of these hang upon the Dipper.

The six stars set like a frame upon the Dipper's bowl are called the Palace of Wenchang: the first is the Senior General, the second the Deputy General, the third the Honoured Chancellor, the fourth the Director of Destinies, the fifth the Director of the Centre, the sixth the Director of Emoluments. Within the Dipper's bowl is the prison of honoured men. The six stars below the bowl, paired two by two, are named the Three Steps. When the colours of the Three Steps match, ruler and minister are in accord; when they do not match, there is discord. When the Assistant Star is bright and close, the assisting ministers are intimate and strong; when it is pushed off and small, they are estranged and weak.

At the tip of the handle are two stars: the inner one is the spear, Zhaoyao; the outer one is the shield, the Celestial Point. There are fifteen stars in a curved ring attached to the handle, called the prison of common men. When the stars within that prison are full, prisoners are many; when it is empty, the prison is opened and they go out.

When Tianyi, the Lance, the Flail, the spear and the shield shake, and their rays grow large, arms are raised.

The Eastern Palace is the Azure Dragon: Fang and Xin. Xin is the Hall of Light; its great star is the Celestial King, and the stars before and behind are his sons and their kin. They should not stand in a straight line; when they are straight, the Celestial King loses his counsel. Fang is the storehouse, and is called the Celestial Team of Four. Its yin side is the right outside horse. Beside it are two stars called the Collar; one star to the north is called the Linchpin. The twelve stars curving to the north-east are called the Banner. The four stars within the Banner are called the Celestial Market; the six within are the Market Tower. When the stars within the market are many, there is abundance; when it is empty, there is dearth. The many stars south of Fang are called the Mounted Officers.

The left horn is the Judge; the right horn is the General. Dajiao, the Great Horn, is the court of the Celestial King and Emperor. On either side of it are three stars, curving about it like the feet of a tripod, called Sheti. Sheti stand in line with what the Dipper's handle points to, and by them the seasons are established; hence the year-name "shetige." Kang is the outer ancestral temple and governs sickness. Its two great stars to the south and north are called the Southern Gate. Di is the Celestial Root and governs pestilence.

Wei (尾) is the Nine Sons, and stands for ruler and ministers; when they are pushed apart and broken off, there is discord. Ji is the roving guest, and stands for the tongue and its quarrels.

When Fire — that is, Mars — trespasses upon Jiao and lodges there, there is battle. When it does so at Fang and Xin, kings hold it hateful.

The Southern Palace is the Vermilion Bird: Quan and Heng. Heng is the Great Tenuity, the court of the three luminaries. The twelve stars ranged about it in guard are the vassal ministers: on the west, the Generals; on the east, the Chancellors; the four stars to the south are the Upholders of the Law; in the middle is the Upright Gate; to left and right of the gate are the Side Gates. The six stars within the gate are the feudal lords. The five stars within those are the Seats of the Five Emperors. Behind, fifteen stars cluster thickly and are called the Positions of the Gentlemen-of-the-Household; one great star beside them is the position of the General. When the moon and the five planets enter in the direct sense and keep to their track, then those whose emergence and lodging one watches for are the ones the Son of Heaven will put to death. When they enter in the contrary sense, or do not keep to their track, the matter is named from what they trespass upon; and when they reach the central seats and take form there, it means that the body of subordinates are joining in plots. With Metal and Fire this is especially grave. West of the court's guard-wall are five scattered stars called Shaowei, the Lesser Tenuity, the officers and grandees. Quan is Xuanyuan. Xuanyuan has the body of a yellow dragon. Its foremost great star is the image of a female ruler; the small stars beside it are the charioteers and the kin of the rear palace. When the moon and the five planets lodge there or trespass upon it, the prognostication is as for Heng.

Dongjing governs affairs of water. The curved star to its west is called the Battle-axe. North of the Battle-axe is the Northern River; to the south, the Southern River; between the two Rivers and the Celestial Gate-towers is the Pass and Bridge. Yugui governs the affairs of sacrifice to the dead; the white thing at its centre is the Block. When Fire lodges at the Northern and Southern Rivers, arms are raised and the grain does not ripen. Therefore power is accomplished at Heng, observation at the Celestial Pond, injury at the Battle-axe, calamity at Jing, and execution at the Block.

Liu is the bird's beak, and governs trees and grasses. Qixing is the neck, and is the Round Office; it governs urgent affairs. Zhang is the crop, and is the kitchen; it governs the serving of wine to guests. Yi is the wings and their quills, and governs distant guests.

Zhen is the carriage, and governs wind. Beside it is one small star called Changsha, and this star should not be bright; if it is bright and equal to the four stars, or if the five planets enter within Zhen, arms are greatly raised. The many stars south of Zhen are called the Celestial Arsenal Tower; the arsenal holds the Five Chariots. If the stars of the Chariots put out rays or grow more numerous, or are not all present, there is nowhere to station chariots and horses.

The Western Palace is Xianchi, and is called the Celestial Five Ponds. The Five Ponds are the carriage-lodges of the Five Emperors. If Fire enters them, there is drought; Metal, arms; Water, flood. Within them are three Pillars; when the Pillars are not all present, arms are raised.

Kui is called the Great Boar, and stands for ditches and channels. Lou stands for the gathering of multitudes. Wei (胃) is the Celestial Granary. The many stars to its south are called the Fodder-stack.

Mao is called the Hairy Head; it is the star of the Hu, and stands for gatherings in white mourning dress. Bi is called the Hunting-net Chariot; it stands for the frontier troops and governs shooting and hunting. The small star beside its great star is the Whispering Ear. When the Whispering Ear shakes, there are slanderous and disorderly ministers at the ruler's side. Between Mao and Bi is the Celestial Highway. On its yin side are the yin states; on its yang side, the yang states.

Shen is the White Tiger. Its three stars in a straight line are the Balance-stone. Below them are three stars, tapering, called the Punishment, and they stand for the business of beheading and cutting down. The four stars outside them are the left and right shoulders and thighs. Three small stars set at the corner are called Zixi, the Beak-tuft, and they are the tiger's head; they govern the business of the baggage-train and the encampments. To the south are four stars called the Celestial Privy. One star below the Privy is called the Celestial Ordure. When the Ordure is yellow it is auspicious; green, white or black, inauspicious. To the west are nine stars in a curving bend, set out in three places: the first is the Celestial Banner, the second the Celestial Park, the third the Nine Pennons. To the east is a great star called the Wolf. When the Wolf's rays change colour, robbers and brigands are many. Below it are four stars called the Bow, facing the Wolf. Close to the ground beyond the Wolf is a great star called the Old Man of the Southern Pole. When the Old Man appears, there is order and peace; when he does not appear, arms are raised. He is regularly watched for at the southern suburb at the autumn equinox.

When the Whispering Ear enters within Bi, arms are raised.

The Northern Palace is the Dark Warrior: Xu and Wei (危). Wei (危) stands for the roofing of houses; Xu stands for affairs of weeping and wailing.

To their south are many stars called the Feathered Forest, the Celestial Army. West of the Army is the Rampart, which some call the Battle-axe. Beside it is one great star, the Northern Outpost. If the Northern Outpost grows faint or vanishes, or the stars of the Army stir, put out rays and grow sparser, or the five planets trespass upon the Northern Outpost and enter the Army, then armies are raised. With Fire, Metal and Water this is especially grave: Fire means trouble for the army; Water, disaster by flood; Wood and Earth are auspicious for the army. The six stars east of Wei (危), paired two by two, are called the Minister of Works.

Yingshi is the Pure Temple, and is called the Detached Palace and the Gallery Road. Four stars within the River of Heaven are called the Celestial Team of Four. One star beside them is called Wang Liang. When Wang Liang whips up his horses, chariots and cavalry fill the plain. Beside them are eight stars cutting across the River, called the Celestial Pond. Beside the Celestial Pond is the River Star. When the River Star stirs, men go wading through water.

The four stars of the Pestle and the Mortar lie south of Wei (危). As for the Gourd, when a green-black star lodges at it, fish and salt grow dear.

The Southern Dipper is a temple, and to its north is the Establishing Star. The Establishing Star is a banner. Qianniu stands for the sacrificial victims. To its north is Hegu, the River Drum. The great star of Hegu is the Senior General; those to left and right are the generals of the left and right. As for Wunü, to its north is the Weaving Maid. The Weaving Maid is the granddaughter of Heaven.

One examines the courses of sun and moon in order to reckon the direct and retrograde motion of the Year Star, Jupiter. It is said to be of the east and of Wood; it governs spring, and among the days jia and yi. When righteousness is lost, the chastisement issues from the Year Star. When the Year Star runs ahead or falls behind, the state is named from the lodge it occupies. The state where it stands may not be attacked, but may itself chastise others. When it hurries past its lodge and goes forward, this is called running ahead; when it withdraws a lodge, falling behind. Running ahead, that state has troops that do not return; falling behind, that state has sorrow, its general will perish, and the state will be overthrown and defeated. Where it stands, if the five planets all follow it and cluster in a single lodge, then the state beneath can bring the empire to itself by righteousness.

In a shetige year: the Year Yin moves leftward and stands at yin, while the Year Star turns rightward and occupies chou. In the first month it comes out at dawn in the east together with Dou and Qianniu, and is named Jiande, the Overseer of Power. Its colour is a deep green with a sheen. When it falls out of its sequence, the answering sign appears at Liu. If the year is early, there is flood; if late, drought.

The Year Star comes out and moves eastward twelve degrees; after a hundred days it halts and turns to retrograde motion; retrograding eight degrees, after a hundred days it moves eastward again. In a year it travels thirty and seven-sixteenths degrees, at a rate of one-twelfth of a degree a day, and in twelve years it completes the circuit of the heavens. It regularly comes out in the east, at dawn, and goes in in the west, at dusk.

A chan'e year: the Year Yin is at mao, the star occupies zi. In the second month it comes out at dawn with Wunü, Xu and Wei (危), and is called Jiangru, the Descending Entry. It has a great sheen. When it falls out of sequence, the answering sign appears at Zhang. That year there is great flood.

A zhixu year: the Year Yin is at chen, the star occupies hai. In the third month it comes out at dawn with Yingshi and Dongbi, and is called Qingzhang, the Green Emblem. It is green and very brilliant. When it falls out of sequence, the answering sign appears at Zhen. If the year is early, there is drought; if late, flood.

A dahuangluo year: the Year Yin is at si, the star occupies xu. In the fourth month it comes out at dawn with Kui and Lou, and is called Pianzhong, the Halting Heel. It is a blazing red with a sheen. When it falls out of sequence, the answering sign appears at Kang.

A dunzang year: the Year Yin is at wu, the star occupies you. In the fifth month it comes out at dawn with Wei (胃), Mao and Bi, and is called Kaiming, the Opening Brightness. It is flaming with a sheen. Arms are laid down; it is favourable only to dukes and kings, and unfavourable for the ordering of troops. When it falls out of sequence, the answering sign appears at Fang. If the year is early, there is drought; if late, flood.

A xieqia year: the Year Yin is at wei, the star occupies shen. In the sixth month it comes out at dawn with Zixi and Shen, and is called Changlie, the Long Array. It is brilliant with a sheen. It is favourable for marching troops. When it falls out of sequence, the answering sign appears at Ji.

A tuntan year: the Year Yin is at shen, the star occupies wei. In the seventh month it comes out at dawn with Dongjing and Yugui, and is called Dayin, the Great Sound. It is brilliantly white. When it falls out of sequence, the answering sign appears at Qianniu.

A zuo'e year: the Year Yin is at you, the star occupies wu. In the eighth month it comes out at dawn with Liu, Qixing and Zhang, and is called Changwang, the Long Sovereign. It bristles with spikes. That state will prosper and the grain will ripen. When it falls out of sequence, the answering sign appears at Wei (危). There is drought and yet prosperity; there are deaths among women, and sickness among the people.

A yanmao year: the Year Yin is at xu, the star occupies si. In the ninth month it comes out at dawn with Yi and Zhen, and is called Tiansui. It is white in colour and greatly bright. When it falls out of sequence, the answering sign appears at Dongbi. The year has flood, and deaths among women.

A dayuanxian year: the Year Yin is at hai, the star occupies chen. In the tenth month it comes out at dawn with Jiao and Kang, and is called Dazhang, the Great Emblem. It is a deep green; and if the star seems to leap and comes out covertly at daybreak, this is called "the correct levelling." If troops are raised, their commander will surely be valiant; and if that state has power, it will possess all within the four seas. When it falls out of sequence, the answering sign appears at Lou.

A kundun year: the Year Yin is at zi, the star occupies mao. In the eleventh month it comes out at dawn with Di, Fang and Xin, and is called Tianquan, the Celestial Spring. It is dark in colour and very bright. Rivers and pools will flourish; it is unfavourable for the raising of troops. When it falls out of sequence, the answering sign appears at Mao.

A chifenruo year: the Year Yin is at chou, the star occupies yin. In the twelfth month it comes out at dawn with Wei (尾) and Ji, and is called Tianhao. It is a deep sooty black and very bright. When it falls out of sequence, the answering sign appears at Shen.

If it should occupy a lodge and does not, or occupies it and then shakes to left and right, or leaves before it should leave and meets with other stars, then that state has misfortune. Where it stays long, that state's power is abundant. When its rays stir, and it is now small and now large, or its colour changes repeatedly, the lord of men has sorrow.

When it falls out of its sequence of lodges and below: if it advances to the north-east, in three months there is born the Celestial Flail, four zhang long, tapering at the end; if it advances to the south-east, in three months there is born a broom star, two zhang long, like a broom; if it withdraws to the north-west, in three months there is born the Celestial Chan, four zhang long, tapering at the end; if it withdraws to the south-west, in three months there is born the Celestial Lance, several zhang long, tapering at both ends. Watch carefully the state over which these appear: it may not undertake affairs or use arms. If its coming out is now as though floating and now as though sinking, that state has earthworks; if now as though sinking and now as though floating, that region will perish. If it is red and has rays, the state it occupies will prosper; and those who meet its rays and give battle will not win. If the star is red-yellow in colour and sinking, the region it occupies will have a great harvest. If it is green-white with a red ashiness, the region it occupies has sorrow. If the Year Star enters the moon, that region will have its chancellor driven out; if it fights with the Great White, that region will have an army broken.

The Year Star is also called Sheti, and Chonghua, and the Answering Star, and the Reckoning Star. Yingshi is the Pure Temple, and is the temple of the Year Star.

One examines the hard breath in order to place the Sparkling Deluder, Mars. It is said to be of the south and of Fire; it governs summer, and among the days bing and ding. When ritual is lost, the chastisement issues from the Sparkling Deluder, and this is the Sparkling Deluder going astray in its course. When it comes out there are arms; when it goes in, the arms are dispersed. The state is named from the lodge it occupies. The Sparkling Deluder stands for turbulence and rebellion, for cruelty and banditry, sickness, mourning, famine and war. If it goes contrary to its course by two lodges or more and settles there, in three months there is calamity, in five months the state suffers arms, in seven months it loses half its land, in nine months it loses the greater part of its land. If a state has it coming out and going in together with it, that state's sacrifices are cut off. If it settles there, the calamity comes round and arrives, and though it should be great it turns out small; if it is long in coming, though it should be small it turns out great. To the south it means mourning for men; to the north, mourning for women. If its rays stir and ring it about, or it is now in front and now behind, now left and now right, the calamity is the greater. If it fights with another star and their lights reach one another, there is harm; if they do not reach one another, no harm. If the five planets all follow it and cluster in a single lodge, the state beneath can bring the empire to itself by ritual.

By rule, it comes out and moves eastward sixteen lodges and halts; it retrogrades two lodges; after sixty days it moves eastward again, counting ten lodges from where it halted, and in ten months it goes in in the west; it travels hidden for five months and comes out in the east. Its coming out in the west is called "the reversed brightness," and he who holds the mandate finds it hateful. When it moves east swiftly, it travels a degree and a half in a day.

Its motion east, west, south and north is swift. Troops gather beneath it in each case; in giving battle, to follow it is to win, to go against it is to lose. If the Sparkling Deluder follows the Great White, the army has trouble; if it parts from it, the army retreats. If it comes out on the yin side of the Great White, the army is divided; if it travels on its yang side, a subordinate general gives battle. If in its course the Great White overtakes it, an army is broken and a general killed. When it enters, lodges at or trespasses upon the Great Tenuity, Xuanyuan or Yingshi, he who holds the mandate finds it hateful. Xin is the Hall of Light, and is the temple of the Sparkling Deluder. Watch this carefully.

One goes through the conjunctions at the Dipper in order to fix the position of the Quelling Star, Saturn. It is said to be of the centre and of Earth; it governs the last month of summer, and among the days wu and ji; it belongs to the Yellow Emperor, governs power, and is the image of a female ruler. In a year it fills one lodge, and the state it occupies is fortunate. If it occupies a lodge before it should, or having left returns and occupies it again, that state gains land, or if not land then a woman. If it should occupy a lodge and does not, or having occupied it goes off west and east, that state loses land, or if not land then a woman, and it may not undertake affairs or use arms. Where it stays long, that state's blessing is abundant; where it shifts quickly, the blessing is thin.

One of its names is the Earth Marquis, and it governs the harvest year. In a year it travels thirteen and five one-hundred-and-twelfths degrees, in a day one twenty-eighth of a degree, and in twenty-eight years it completes the circuit of the heavens. Where it stands, if the five planets all follow it and cluster in a single lodge, the state beneath can bring the empire to itself by weight. When ritual, power, righteousness, killing and punishment are all lost, then the Quelling Star shakes on account of it.

Running ahead, the king is not at peace; falling behind, there is an army that does not return. The Quelling Star is yellow in colour, with nine spikes, and its note is called the Huangzhong gong. Falling out of sequence upward by two or three lodges is called running ahead: a command of the ruler goes unaccomplished, or else there is a great flood. Falling out of sequence downward by two or three lodges is called falling behind: there is grief among the empress's kin, the year does not recover, or else the heavens split or the earth quakes.

The Dipper is the Great Chamber of Letters, the temple of the Quelling Star, and the star of the Son of Heaven.

When the Wood Star and Earth come together, there is internal disorder and famine; the ruler should not use this to give battle, for he will be defeated. With Water, plans change and affairs are altered. With Fire, there is drought. With Metal, there is a gathering in white mourning dress, or else flood. When Metal is to the south, this is called female-and-male, and the year's grain ripens; when Metal is to the north, the year is partly barren. When Fire and Water come together, this is called quenching; when Fire and Metal come together, this is called smelting, and it means mourning; in both, affairs may not be undertaken, and the use of arms means great defeat. Earth means sorrow: the ruler will wrong his ministers; there is great famine, defeat in battle, an army put to flight, an army hard pressed, and great defeat in whatever is undertaken. When Earth and Water come together, there is a good harvest yet obstruction, and an army overthrown, and that state may not undertake affairs; if it comes out, land is lost; if it goes in, land is gained. Metal means sickness, internal war, and loss of land. If three of the planets come together, the state of the land of that lodge has war and mourning within and without, and a new duke or king is set up. If four come together, war and mourning arise together, the gentleman sorrows and the common man is set adrift. If five come together, this is called the change of ways: he who has power receives the blessing, a great man is newly set up, he takes in the four quarters, and his sons and grandsons flourish; he who lacks power receives calamity or perishes. If the five planets are all large, the affair too is great; if all small, the affair too is small.

The one that comes out early is running ahead, and the one running ahead is the guest. The one that comes out late is falling behind, and the one falling behind is the host. There will surely be a heavenly response appearing at the handle stars. To share a lodge is conjunction. To override one another is fighting, and within seven cun it is certain.

When a planet's colour is white and round, there is mourning and drought; red and round, the centre is unsettled, and there is war; green and round, there is sorrow and flood; black and round, there is sickness and many deaths; yellow and round, then it is auspicious. Red rays mean a trespass against our walls; yellow rays, a contest over land; white rays, the sound of weeping; green rays, sorrow over arms; black rays, then flood. Their intent lies in where the exhaustion of arms comes to its end. When the five planets are all of one colour, the empire lays down its arms and the hundred families are at peace and prosperous. Spring wind and autumn rain, winter cold and summer heat: their stirrings regularly go by this.

The Quelling Star comes out, and after a hundred and twenty days moves retrograde to the west; moving west a hundred and twenty days, it turns back eastward. It is visible three hundred and thirty days and then goes in; thirty days after going in it comes out again in the east. When the Grand Year was at jiayin, the Quelling Star was at Dongbi, and therefore at Yingshi.

One examines the sun's course in order to place the Great White, Venus. It is said to be of the west and of autumn, and among the days geng and xin; it governs killing. When killing is misused, the chastisement issues from the Great White. When the Great White goes astray in its course, the state is named from the lodge it occupies. It comes out, travels eighteen lodges in two hundred and forty days, and goes in. Going in in the east, it travels hidden through eleven lodges in a hundred and thirty days; going in in the west, it travels hidden through three lodges in sixteen days and comes out. If it should come out and does not, or should go in and does not, this is called losing its lodge: if there is not an army broken, there is certainly a usurpation against the ruler of a state.

Its reckoning begins from the High Origin: in a shetige year it comes out at dawn in the east with Yingshi and goes in at Jiao; it comes out at dusk in the west with Yingshi and goes in at Jiao; it comes out at dawn with Jiao and goes in at Bi; it comes out at dusk with Jiao and goes in at Bi; it comes out at dawn with Bi and goes in at Ji; it comes out at dusk with Bi and goes in at Ji; it comes out at dawn with Ji and goes in at Liu; it comes out at dusk with Ji and goes in at Liu; it comes out at dawn with Liu and goes in at Yingshi; it comes out at dusk with Liu and goes in at Yingshi. In all there are five comings-out and goings-in on each side, east and west, making eight years and two hundred and twenty days, and then it comes out again at dawn in the east with Yingshi. Its general rate is one circuit of the heavens in a year. When it first comes out in the east, its motion is slow, at a rate of half a degree a day, and after a hundred and twenty days it must retrograde one or two lodges; reaching its highest point it turns back and moves eastward, travelling a degree and a half a day, and after a hundred and twenty days it goes in. When it is low and near the sun, it is called the Bright Star, and is yielding; when high and far from the sun, it is called the Great Clamour, and is hard. When it first comes out in the west, its motion is swift, at a rate of a degree and a half a day, for a hundred and twenty days; reaching its highest point its motion becomes slow, half a degree a day, for a hundred and twenty days, and at daybreak it goes in, and it must retrograde one or two lodges before going in. When it is low and near the sun, it is called the Great White, and is yielding; when high and far from the sun, it is called the Great Minister, and is hard. It comes out at chen and xu, and goes in at chou and wei.

If it should come out and does not, or goes in before it should, the empire lays down its arms, and troops that are abroad come home. If it comes out before it should, or should go in and does not, the empire raises arms and a state is broken. When it comes out at its appointed term, that state prospers. Its coming out in the east is for the east, its going in in the east is for the north; its coming out in the west is for the west, its going in in the west is for the south. Where it stays long, that quarter profits; where it shifts quickly, that quarter has misfortune.

Coming out in the west and reaching the east, the states due west are fortunate. Coming out in the east and reaching the west, the states due east are fortunate. In coming out it does not cross the heavens; if it crosses the heavens, the empire changes its government.

If it is small and its rays stir, arms are raised. If at first it comes out large and afterwards is small, the troops are weak; if it comes out small and afterwards is large, the troops are strong. If it comes out high, to use troops deep in is auspicious and shallow inauspicious; if low, shallow is auspicious and deep inauspicious. When the sun is in the south and Metal stands to its south, or the sun is in the north and Metal stands to its north, this is called running ahead: marquises and kings are not at peace, and in using troops to advance is auspicious and to withdraw inauspicious. When the sun is in the south and Metal stands to its north, or the sun is in the north and Metal stands to its south, this is called falling behind: marquises and kings have sorrow, and in using troops to withdraw is auspicious and to advance inauspicious. Use troops in the image of the Great White: when the Great White moves swiftly, move swiftly; when slowly, move slowly. When it has rays, dare to give battle. When it shakes and is restless, be restless. When it is round and still, be still. To follow where its rays point is auspicious; to go against them is in every case inauspicious. When it comes out, send out troops; when it goes in, bring troops in. Red rays, there is battle; white rays, there is mourning; black round rays, sorrow, and affairs of water; green round small rays, sorrow, and affairs of wood; yellow round gentle rays, affairs of earth, and a harvest. If, three days after it has come out, it returns and goes faintly in, and three days after going in comes out again in strength, this is called the weakening: the state beneath has an army defeated and a general put to flight. If, three days after it has gone in, it comes out again faintly, and three days after coming out goes in again in strength, the state beneath has sorrow: its host has grain and arms and armour, and leaves them for others to use; and though its soldiers be many, its general will be taken captive by others. If its coming out in the west goes astray in its course, the outer states are defeated; if its coming out in the east goes astray, the Central States are defeated. If its colour is a great round yellow and glossy, good things may be done; if it is round, large and red, the troops are strong but do not give battle.

The Great White when white is matched with the Wolf; when red, with Xin; when yellow, with the left shoulder of Shen; when green, with the right shoulder of Shen; when black, with the great star of Kui. If the five planets all follow the Great White and cluster in a single lodge, the state beneath can make the empire follow it by arms. Standing in a full lodge, there is gain; standing in an empty one, there is no gain. Motion overcomes colour, colour overcomes position, having a position overcomes having none, having a colour overcomes having none; and when its motion is right, it overcomes them all. If it comes out and lingers among the mulberries and elms, it afflicts the state beneath. If it goes high and swiftly, and before its days are done passes a third of the sky, it afflicts the state opposite. If it goes up and then down again, down and then up again, there is a general who turns traitor. If it enters the moon, a general will be put to death. When the Metal and Wood stars come together and shine, the states beneath face each other without engaging: though arms are raised, they do not fight; and if in coming together they destroy one another, the region has an army broken. Coming out in the west, if it comes out on the yin side at dusk, the yin troops are strong; if it comes out at the evening meal, they are slightly weak; at midnight, moderately weak; at cockcrow, greatly weak — this is called yin sinking into yang. When it is in the east, if it rides the dawn and comes out on the yang side, the yang troops are strong; if it comes out at cockcrow, they are slightly weak; at midnight, moderately weak; at dusk, greatly weak — this is called yang sinking into yin. When the Great White is hidden, to send out troops is to bring calamity upon them. If it comes out south of mao, the south overcomes the north; north of mao, the north overcomes the south; exactly at mao, the eastern states profit. If it comes out north of you, the north overcomes the south; south of you, the south overcomes the north; exactly at you, the western states win.

When it trespasses upon the fixed stars, there is small battle; upon the five planets, great battle. When they trespass upon one another, if the Great White comes out to their south, the southern state is defeated; to their north, the northern state is defeated. When its motion is swift, it is martial; when it does not move, it is civil. If it is white with five spikes and comes out early, there is an eclipse of the moon; late, a heavenly calamity and a broom star, and it will break out in that state. Coming out in the east it stands for power: in undertaking affairs, to keep it on the left and go to meet it is auspicious. Coming out in the west it stands for punishment: in undertaking affairs, to keep it on the right and turn one's back to it is auspicious. The contrary is in every case inauspicious. When the Great White's light casts a shadow, one wins in battle. When it appears by day and crosses the heavens, this is called contending for brightness: the strong state weakens, the small state grows strong, and a female ruler prospers.

Kang is the outer ancestral temple, and is the temple of the Great White. The Great White is a great minister, and its title is Senior Duke. Its other names are the Yin Star, the Great Rectifier, the Encamping Star, the Watching Star, the Palace Star, the Bright Star, the Great Decline, the Great Marsh, the Ending Star, the Great Minister, Tianhao, the Ordering Star, and the Moon's Woof. Those in the position of Grand Marshal watch this carefully.

One examines the conjunctions of sun and chronogram in order to settle the position of the Chronogram Star, Mercury. It is said to be of the north and of Water, the essence of the Great Yin; it governs winter, and among the days ren and gui. When punishment is misused, the chastisement issues from the Chronogram Star, and the state is named from the lodge it occupies.

By it the four seasons are made correct: in mid-spring, at the spring equinox, it comes out at dusk at the borders of Kui, Lou and Wei (胃), five lodges to the east, and this is for Qi; in mid-summer, at the summer solstice, it comes out at dusk at the borders of Dongjing, Yugui and Liu, seven lodges to the east, and this is for Chu; in mid-autumn, at the autumn equinox, it comes out at dusk at the borders of Jiao, Kang, Di and Fang, four lodges to the east, and this is for the Han; in mid-winter, at the winter solstice, it comes out at dawn at the eastern borders and moves westward together with Wei (尾), Ji, Dou and Qianniu, and this is for the Central States. Its comings out and goings in are regularly at chen, xu, chou and wei.

If it is early, there is an eclipse of the moon; if late, a broom star and a heavenly calamity. When at its season it ought to appear and does not, this is a failure: pursuing troops abroad do not give battle. If it fails to come out in one season, that season is out of harmony; if it fails to come out in all four seasons, the empire has great famine. When it appears as it ought: white in colour means drought, yellow means the five grains ripen, red means war, black means flood. Coming out in the east, large and white, there are troops abroad, and they will disperse. When it is constantly in the east and red, the Central States win; when it is in the west and red, the outer states profit. When there are no troops abroad and it is red, arms are raised. When it comes out in the east together with the Great White, both red and with rays, the outer states are greatly defeated and the Central States win; when it comes out in the west together with the Great White, both red and with rays, the outer states profit. When the five planets divide the midst of the heavens and pile up in the east, the Central States profit; when they pile up in the west, those of the outer states who use arms profit. When the five planets all follow the Chronogram Star and cluster in a single lodge, the state of that lodge can bring the empire to itself by law. When the Chronogram Star does not come out, the Great White is the guest; when it comes out, the Great White is the host. If it comes out and does not go along with the Great White, then though the region has an army it does not give battle. If it comes out in the east while the Great White comes out in the west, or it comes out in the west while the Great White comes out in the east, this is called opposition: though the region has troops, they do not give battle. If it comes out out of its season, then what should be cold is warm instead and what should be warm is cold instead. If it should come out and does not, this is called striking down the soldiers: arms are greatly raised. If it enters within the Great White and comes out above it, an army is broken and a general killed, and the guest's army wins; if it comes out below, the guest loses land. If the Chronogram Star comes up against the Great White and the Great White does not withdraw, a general will die. If it comes out above the upright banner, an army is broken and a general killed, and the guest wins; if below, the guest loses land. Look to where the banner points, and name from it the army that will be broken. If it rings the Great White about, or seems to fight with it, there is great battle and the guest wins. If the Hare passes the Great White with a gap between them that would take a sword, there is small battle and the guest wins. If the Hare stands before the Great White, the army disbands; if it comes out to the left of the Great White, there is small battle; if it grazes the Great White, there is a battle of some tens of thousands and the host's officers die; if it comes out to the right of the Great White at a distance of three chi, the army is hard pressed and bound to battle. Green rays mean sorrow over arms; black rays, flood. Its red course lies in where the exhaustion of arms comes to its end.

The Hare has seven names: the Lesser Rectifier, the Chronogram Star, the Celestial Chan, the Anzhou Star, the Fine and Clear, the Capable Star, and the Hook Star. When it is yellow in colour and small, and comes out and shifts its place, the civil order of the empire changes and is no longer good. The Hare has five colours: green and round means sorrow; white and round, mourning; red and round, the centre is unsettled; black and round, auspicious. Red rays mean a trespass against our walls; yellow rays, a contest over land; white rays, the sound of wailing.

Coming out in the east, it travels four lodges in forty-eight days, of which its reckoning is twenty days, and then turns back and goes in in the east; coming out in the west, it travels four lodges in forty-eight days, of which its reckoning is twenty days, and then turns back and goes in in the west. In one case it is watched for at Yingshi, Jiao, Bi, Ji and Liu. If it comes out between Fang and Xin, the earth quakes.

The colours of the Chronogram Star: in spring, green-yellow; in summer, red-white; in autumn, green-white, and the year's harvest ripens; in winter, yellow and not bright. If it changes these colours, that season does not prosper. If it is not seen in spring, there are great winds, and in autumn there is no fruit. If it is not seen in summer, there is a drought of sixty days, and an eclipse of the moon. If it is not seen in autumn, there is war, and in spring nothing grows. If it is not seen in winter, there is overcast rain for sixty days, towns are swept away, and in summer nothing comes to full growth.

Jiao, Kang and Di: Yanzhou. Fang and Xin: Yuzhou. Wei (尾) and Ji: Youzhou. Dou: the Jiang and the lakes. Qianniu and Wunü: Yangzhou. Xu and Wei (危): Qingzhou. Yingshi through to Dongbi: Bingzhou. Kui, Lou and Wei (胃): Xuzhou. Mao and Bi: Jizhou. Zixi and Shen: Yizhou. Dongjing and Yugui: Yongzhou. Liu, Qixing and Zhang: the Three He. Yi and Zhen: Jingzhou.

Qixing is the Round Office, the temple of the Chronogram Star, and the star of the Man and the Yi.

When two armies face one another and the sun has a halo: if the halo is even, their strength is matched; if it is thick, long and large, there is victory; if thin, short and small, no victory. A double embrace means a great breaking and nothing left. An embracing halo means concord; a halo turned away means discord, and a parting and going apart. A straight halo means setting oneself up, and the establishing of a marquis or king, and the breaking of an army and killing of a general. Borne on the back and carried on the head, there is joy. If the encircling is within, the inner side wins; if without, the outer side wins. Green without and red within, they part on good terms; red without and green within, they part in enmity. If the vaporous halo comes first and departs last, the army that stays in place wins. If it comes first and departs first, there is profit before and trouble after; if it comes last and departs last, trouble before and profit after; if it comes last and departs first, there is trouble both before and after, and the army that stays in place does not win. If it appears and departs, its outbreak is swift, and though there be victory there is no merit. If it is seen for half a day or more, the merit is great. When a white rainbow is bent and short, tapering above and below, the side beneath it sheds much blood. A solar halo decides the victory: at nearest within thirty days, at furthest within sixty.

As for eclipse: what is eaten is what is unfavourable; what is reborn is what is favourable; and when the eating grows complete, it falls upon the ruler's position. By what it stands in line with and by the lodge the sun occupies, together with the day and the hour, one names the state concerned.

When the moon travels the middle road, there is peace and harmony. On the yin interval, there is much water and affairs of yin. Three chi outside to the north is the Yin Star. Three chi north of that is the Great Yin: great flood and war. On the yang interval, there is arrogance and licence. The Yang Star: many harsh imprisonments. The Great Yang: great drought and mourning. At Jiao, the Celestial Gate: the tenth month becomes the fourth, the eleventh the fifth, the twelfth the sixth, and water breaks out, near three chi, far five chi. If it trespasses upon the Four Assistants, the assisting ministers are put to death. If it travels the Northern and Southern Rivers, one speaks by yin and yang of drought, flood, war and mourning.

If the moon eclipses the Year Star, the land of that lodge has famine or perishes; the Sparkling Deluder, there is disorder; the Quelling Star, inferiors trespass against superiors; the Great White, a strong state is defeated in war; the Chronogram Star, women cause disorder. If it eclipses Dajiao, he who holds the mandate finds it hateful; Xin, then there is rebellion by traitors within; a fixed star, the land of that lodge has sorrow.

The days on which lunar eclipses begin: at five months, six of them; at six months, five; at five months again, six; at six months, one; and at five months, five; in all, after a hundred and thirteen months it begins again. Therefore eclipses of the moon are the ordinary course, while eclipses of the sun are ill. On jia and yi, they concern what lies beyond the four seas, and sun and moon are not divined from. On bing and ding, the Jiang and the Huai, the sea and Dai. On wu and ji, the middle provinces, the He and the Ji. On geng and xin, west of Mount Hua. On ren and gui, north of Mount Heng. An eclipse of the sun falls upon the ruler of a state; an eclipse of the moon, upon generals and chancellors.

The Guohuang Star is large and red, and its form resembles that of the Southern Pole star. Where it comes out, arms are raised beneath it and the troops are strong; the quarter opposite it does not profit.

The Zhaoming Star is large and white, without rays, and is now up and now down. In the state where it comes out, arms are raised and there are many upheavals.

The Wucan Star comes out in the field of the due east. In form the star resembles the Chronogram Star, and it stands some six zhang from the ground.

The Dazei Star comes out in the field of the due south. The star stands some six zhang from the ground; it is large and red, stirs frequently, and has a sheen.

The Siwei Star comes out in the field of the due west. The star stands some six zhang from the ground; it is large and white, resembling the Great White.

The Yuhan Star comes out in the field of the due north. The star stands some six zhang from the ground; it is large and red, stirs frequently, and on inspection is green within. Where these four field stars come out, if they come out in the wrong quarter, there is war beneath them, and the quarter opposite does not profit.

The Four Quelling Stars come out at the four corners, some four zhang from the ground.

Diwei Xianguang also comes out at the four corners, some three zhang from the ground, like the moon when it first comes out. Where it is seen, there is disorder beneath; the disorderly perish, and he who has power prospers.

The Torch Star has the form of the Great White, and when it comes out it does not move. Seen, it is extinguished. What it lights up is a city in disorder.

Like a star but not a star, like a cloud but not a cloud: this is named Guixie, the Returning Aslant. When Guixie comes out, there will surely be those who return to their allegiance.

The stars are the scattered breath of Metal, and their root is said to be Fire. When the stars are many, the state is fortunate; when few, unfortunate.

The River of Heaven too is the scattered breath of Metal, and its root is said to be Water. When the River has many stars, there is much water; when few, drought. This is the great rule of it.

The Celestial Drum: it has a sound like thunder and yet not thunder, a sound that is in the ground and reaches down to the ground. Where it goes, arms break out beneath it.

The Celestial Dog has the form of a great shooting star, with a sound; where it comes down and rests on the ground, it resembles a dog. Where it falls, it looks from a distance like flaming firelight shooting up to the sky. Beneath it is a round patch of some several qing of field, and where it tapers above it takes a yellow colour; for a thousand li an army is broken and its general killed.

The Geze Star has the form of a blazing flame, yellow-white, rising from the ground upward, large below and tapering above. When it appears, there is harvest without sowing; and if there are not earthworks, there will surely be great harm.

The Banner of Chiyou resembles a broom star but is curved at the rear, in the likeness of a banner. When it appears, kings go campaigning against the four quarters.

Xunshi comes out beside the Northern Dipper, in form like a cockerel. When it is angry it is green-black, in the likeness of a crouching turtle.

Wangshi, the Crooked Arrow, resembles a great shooting star, moving like a snake and green-black, and from a distance it looks as though it had fur and feathers.

Changgeng is like a bolt of cloth fastened to the sky. When this star appears, arms are raised.

When a star falls to the ground, it is a stone. Between the He and the Ji, stars fall from time to time.

When the heavens are pure, the Auspicious Star appears. The Auspicious Star is the star of power. Its form is not constant, and it regularly comes out over a state that has the Way.

In watching clouds and vapours, if one looks up at them, they are three or four hundred li off; looking level, above the mulberries and elms, they are a thousand and more, or two thousand li; climbing a height to look at them, those that reach down to the ground are three thousand li. When cloud-vapours have a beast sitting upon them, that side is victorious.

From Hua southward, the vapour is black below and red above. At the borders of Songgao and the Three He, the vapour is pure red. North of Mount Heng, the vapour is black below and green below. Between Bo, Jie, the sea and Dai, the vapours are all black. Between the Jiang and the Huai, the vapours are all white.

The vapour of conscript labourers is white. The vapour of earthworks is yellow. The vapour of chariots is now high and now low, and gathers here and there. The vapour of cavalry is low and spread out. The vapour of foot-soldiers is bunched together. If it is low in front and high behind, they are swift; if square in front and high behind, they are sharp; if sharp behind and low, they will fall back. If the vapour is level, their march is slow. If high in front and low behind, they will not halt but turn back. When vapours meet one another, the low overcomes the high, the sharp overcomes the square. If the vapour comes low and follows the ruts of the carts, in not more than three or four days it will be seen at five or six li off. If the vapour comes seven or eight chi high, in not more than five or six days it will be seen at ten and more li off. If the vapour comes a zhang or two zhang high, in not more than thirty or forty days it will be seen at fifty or sixty li off.

When the shao clouds are of an essential white, the general is fierce and his officers are cowardly. When their base is great and they break off far in front, battle is at hand. Green-white, with the front low, one wins the battle; with the front red and tilted upward, one does not win. Battle clouds are like a standing wall. Shuttle clouds resemble a shuttle. Axle clouds are bunched and taper at both ends. Cord-like handle clouds stretch across the sky in front, or halfway across it. Those that are □ resemble the old watchtower banners. Hook clouds are bent in a curve. When any of these clouds appear, one divines by combining the five colours. And when they are glossy, bunched and dense, and their appearance stirs men, then there is a prognostication: arms will surely be raised, and battle joined in the quarter they stand in line with.

What Wang Shuo watched for was decided beside the sun. The cloud-vapours beside the sun are the image of the lord of men, and one divines by taking each according to its form.

Thus the vapour of the northern Yi is like herds of animals and domed tents; the vapour of the southern Yi resembles boats and ships, pennons and banners. Places of great flood, fields where armies were defeated, the ruined sites of broken states, ground with hoarded cash beneath it, the place above gold and treasure — all have their vapours, and they must be examined. The clam-vapour beside the sea takes the image of towers and terraces; the vapour of the broad wilderness forms itself into palaces and gate-towers. Cloud-vapours take in each case the image of the mountains and rivers and of the people gathered there.

Thus one who watches for increase and waste enters a state or a city and looks at the good order of its boundaries and fields, the freshness of its walls, houses, gates and doors, and next at the excellence of its carriages, robes and livestock. Where there is solid increase, it is fortunate; where there is empty waste, unfortunate.

Like smoke but not smoke, like cloud but not cloud, thick and abundant, wound about in loose coils — this is called the Auspicious Cloud. The Auspicious Cloud is a vapour of joy. Like mist but not mist, so that caps and robes are not wetted — when this is seen, that region will put on armour and hasten to war.

Now thunder and lightning, the two rainbows, the thunderbolt, and brightness in the night — these are the stirrings of the yang breath; they break out in spring and summer and are stored away in autumn and winter, and so there is no watcher who does not attend to them.

The heavens open and hang things down; the earth quakes, splits and breaks apart. Mountains collapse or shift; rivers are stopped up and valley streams choked. The waters swell and the land grows; marshes dry up and lay bare their shapes. City walls and gates, inner doors and door-posts, withered and dry; palaces, temples, mansions and lodges, where the people take their places. Songs and customs, carriages and robes — look at what the people eat and drink. The five grains and the plants and trees — look to what they belong to. Granaries, treasuries, stables and storehouses, and the roads that run out in the four directions. The six domestic animals and the birds and beasts — where they breed and whither they go; fish and turtles, birds and rats — look at where they stay. If ghosts wail or seem to call, it is that men have met with something uncanny. Talk that transforms things — it is truly so.

In general, for watching whether the year will be good or bad, one watches the beginning of the year carefully. The beginning of the year may be the day of the winter solstice, when the generating breath first sprouts. On the day after the La sacrifice, the people have finished out the year and gather once for food and drink, sending forth the yang breath; hence it is called the first of the year. The morning of the first month is the king's head of the year; and the day of the Beginning of Spring is the beginning of the four seasons. These four beginnings are the days for watching.

And Wei Xian of the Han would gather on the day after the La sacrifice and on the morning of the first month to decide by the eight winds. If the wind comes from the south, there is great drought; from the south-west, slight drought; from the west, there is war; from the north-west, the Rong beans ripen, there is light rain, and troops are hurried; from the north, it is a middling year; from the north-east, it is a superior year; from the east, there is great flood; from the south-east, the people have sickness and pestilence, and the year is bad. Thus the eight winds are each set against the wind opposite, and the one that is reckoned the more is held to prevail: much prevails over little, long over quick, swift over slow. From dawn to the morning meal is for wheat; from the meal to the sun's declining, for millet; from the declining to the late meal, for panicled millet; from the late meal to the after-meal, for beans; from the after-meal to sunset, for hemp. One wishes that throughout the day there be cloud, and wind, and sun. If the sun is there at its proper time, the crop is deep-rooted and its fruit abundant; if there is no cloud but wind and sun at the proper time, it is shallow-rooted and its fruit abundant; if there is cloud and wind but no sun at the proper time, it is deep-rooted and its fruit scant; if there is sun but no cloud and no wind at the proper time, the crop will fail. If this lasts about the time of a meal, the failure is small; about the time it takes to cook five dou of rice, the failure is great. If then the wind rises again and there is cloud, the crop rises again. In each case one divines by the colour of the clouds at that time what it is fitting to sow. If there is rain or snow or cold, the year is bad.

On that day, when the light is bright, one listens to the sound of the people of the city. If the sound is gong, the year is good and fortunate; shang, there is war; zhi, drought; yu, flood; jue, the year is bad.

Or one may count from the morning of the first month the successive rains. At the rate of one sheng of grain eaten per day, it reaches seven sheng and no further; beyond that, no prognostication is made. Counting to the twelfth day, each day corresponds to its month, and one divines flood and drought. This is a prognostication for the thousand li within one's own region; for a prognostication for the empire, it runs through the whole first month. From the lodges the moon passes, and from the sun, the wind and the clouds, one divines for the state concerned. Yet one must always examine where the Grand Year stands. At Metal, a good harvest; at Water, ruin; at Wood, famine; at Fire, drought. This is the great rule of it.

On the first jia day of the first month, if the wind comes from the east, it is fitting for silkworms; if the wind comes from the west, or there are yellow clouds at dawn, it is bad.

At the winter solstice the shadow is at its shortest: earth and charcoal are hung in the balance, and when the charcoal stirs, the deer shed their antlers, the roots of the orchid come out, and the spring waters leap; one knows the solstice roughly by these, but the decision rests on the gnomon shadow. Where the Year Star stands, the five grains meet with prosperity; the quarter opposite it is the opposition, and that year there is calamity.

The Lord Grand Astrologer says: Ever since men were first born, what ruler of an age has not kept count of sun, moon, stars and chronograms? And when it came to the Five Houses and the Three Dynasties, they carried this on and made it clear: within were those who wore cap and sash, without were the Yi and the Di; they divided the Central States into twelve provinces; looking up, they observed the images in the heavens, and looking down, they took the kinds of things on earth for their model. In heaven there are sun and moon; on earth there are yin and yang. Heaven has the five planets; earth has the Five Phases. Heaven has the ranked lodges; earth has the provinces and regions. The three luminaries are the essence of yin and yang, and their breath has its root in the earth, and the sages bring them together and set them in order.

From You and Li backward, it is too remote. The heavenly changes that were observed were in every state kept in separate burrows, and every house divined from portents and matched them to the responses of the time; their writings, charts and records of omens are without rule. This is why Confucius, in discussing the Six Classics, recorded anomalies but did not write down explanations of them. As for the Way of Heaven and the mandate, it is not transmitted; transmitted to the right man, he needs no telling; told to the wrong man, though you speak, it does not take hold.

Those who in former times transmitted the numbers of heaven: before Gaoxin, Chong and Li; under Tang and Yu, Xi and He; under the Xia, Kunwu; under the Yin and Shang, Wu Xian; in the house of Zhou, Shi Yi and Chang Hong; in Song, Zi Wei; in Zheng, Bi Zao; in Qi, Gan Gong; in Chu, Tang Mei; in Zhao, Yin Gao; in Wei, Shi Shen.

Now the revolution of the heavens undergoes a small change once in thirty years, a middling change in a hundred years, a great change in five hundred; three great changes make one era, and three eras make the full completion: these are its great numbers. One who governs a state must hold the Three and the Five in honour. A thousand years above and a thousand below, and then the juncture of heaven and man is continuous and complete.

The Lord Grand Astrologer has traced back the heavenly changes of antiquity, and there are none that can be verified against the present. Roughly speaking, in the two hundred and forty-two years of the Spring and Autumn there were thirty-six eclipses of the sun, broom stars appeared three times, and in the time of Duke Xiang of Song stars fell like rain. The Son of Heaven grew weak, the feudal lords governed by force, the Five Hegemons rose in succession and took over the giving of commands. From this time on, the many oppressed the few and the great swallowed the small. Qin, Chu, Wu and Yue were Yi and Di, and became strong hegemons. The Tian clan usurped Qi, three houses partitioned Jin, and together they became the Warring States. They contended in attack and seizure, arms and armour rose up again and again, cities were repeatedly put to the sword, and famine, pestilence and bitter suffering came with them; ministers and rulers shared the same anxieties, and their examining of omens and watching of stars and vapours grew all the more urgent. In recent ages the twelve feudal lords and the seven states called themselves kings, and those who spoke of Vertical and Horizontal alliances followed one upon another; and Gao, Tang, Gan and Shi, according to the business of their times, set forth their books and traditions — and so their prognostications and verifications are a jumble of rice and salt.

The twenty-eight lodges govern the twelve provinces, and the Dipper's handle takes them all in: this has been so for a long time. For the territory of Qin, the watch is on the Great White, and the divination on the Wolf and the Bow. For the territory of Wu and Chu, the watch is on the Sparkling Deluder, and the divination on the Bird's Balance. For the territory of Yan and Qi, the watch is on the Chronogram Star, and the divination on Xu and Wei (危). For the territory of Song and Zheng, the watch is on the Year Star, and the divination on Fang and Xin. For the territory of Jin, the watch is likewise on the Chronogram Star, and the divination on Shen and the Punishment.

When Qin had swallowed up the Three Jin, Yan and Dai, everything from the He and the mountains southward was the Central States. The Central States, within the four seas, lie to the south-east and are yang; being yang, their stars are the sun, the Year Star, the Sparkling Deluder and the Quelling Star, and the divination is south of the Highway, with Bi presiding over it. To the north-west are the Hu, the Mo, the Yuezhi and the other peoples who wear felt and furs and draw the bow; they are yin, and being yin, their stars are the moon, the Great White and the Chronogram Star, and the divination is north of the Highway, with Mao presiding over it. Thus the mountains and rivers of the Central States flow to the north-east; their main cord has its head in Long and Shu and its tail sinking at Bo and Jie. This is why Qin and Jin were fond of using arms and again divined from the Great White, the Great White presiding over the Central States, while the Hu and the Mo, who raided and plundered repeatedly, were divined for by the Chronogram Star alone, the Chronogram Star's comings and goings being restless and swift and regularly governing the Yi and the Di: this is the great rule of it. In this they alternate as guest and host. The Sparkling Deluder stands for the bushy star: without, it orders arms; within, it orders government. Hence the saying, "Though there be an enlightened Son of Heaven, one must still look to where the Sparkling Deluder stands." As the feudal lords grew strong by turns, the records of the disasters and anomalies of those times are not worth setting down.

In the time of the First Emperor of Qin, in fifteen years broom stars appeared four times, the longest lasting eighty days and stretching, some of them, right across the sky. Afterwards Qin went on to destroy the six kings by arms and unite the Central States, driving off the four barbarian peoples without, and the dead lay like tangled hemp; and thereupon Zhang Chu and the rest rose together, and within thirty years arms trampled upon one another beyond all counting. Since Chiyou there had never been anything like it.

When Xiang Yu relieved Julu, the Crooked Arrow streamed westward, and thereupon the feudal lords east of the mountains joined in alliance, went west, buried the men of Qin alive, and put Xianyang to the sword.

At the rise of the Han, the five planets clustered at Dongjing. At the encirclement of Pingcheng, the moon had a halo about Shen and Bi seven layers deep. When the Lü clan made their rebellion, the sun was eclipsed and it grew dark by day. When the seven states of Wu and Chu rebelled, a broom star several zhang long appeared and the Celestial Dog passed over the fields of Liang; and when the fighting came, corpses lay and blood flowed beneath it. In the Yuanguang and Yuanshou eras the Banner of Chiyou appeared twice, at its longest stretching half across the sky. After that the armies of the capital went out on four sides, punishing the Yi and the Di for some tens of years, and the campaigns against the Hu were the heaviest of all. At the fall of Yue, the Sparkling Deluder lodged at Dou; at the taking of Chaoxian, a star bristled at the River Garrison; when arms went against Dayuan, a star bristled at Zhaoyao. These are the plain and conspicuous ones. As for the fine and small changes, they cannot all be told. Looking at it from this, there has never been a case where the form did not appear first and the response follow after.

Now of those who have practised the numbers of heaven since the Han: for the stars, Tang Du; for vapours, Wang Shuo; for divining the year, Wei Xian. So in the methods of Gan and Shi for the five planets, only the Sparkling Deluder has retrograde motion; and retrograde motion and where it lodges in retrograding, and the retrograde motion of other stars, and the encroaching eclipses of sun and moon, are all taken for divination.

I have looked through the records of the Scribes and examined the course of affairs: in a hundred years there is no planet that has come out without also moving retrograde, and in retrograde motion it has always grown large and changed colour; and in the encroaching eclipses of sun and moon, their travelling south and north has its seasons: this is the great measure of it. Therefore the Purple Palace, Fang and Xin, Quan and Heng, Xianchi, Xu and Wei (危), with the lodges and the stars ranked under them — these are the seats of the Five Officers of Heaven; they are the warp, they do not shift, their sizes have their gradations, and their spacings are constant. Water, Fire, Metal, Wood and the Quelling Star, these five planets, are the Five Aides of Heaven; they are the weft, their appearances and disappearances have their seasons, and in passing along they have their measure of running ahead and falling behind.

When the sun changes, cultivate power; when the moon changes, review punishments; when the stars change, knit up concord. In general, one divines from a heavenly change only when it passes the measure. Where the ruler of a state is strong and great, he who has power prospers; where he is weak and small, he who dresses up deceit perishes. Best of all is to cultivate power, next to cultivate government, next to cultivate remedies, next to cultivate expiation; and below that, quite rightly, there is nothing. Now changes in the fixed stars are rarely seen, while divination from the three luminaries is in constant use. Halos and blemishes on sun and moon, clouds and winds — these are the guest breaths of heaven, and their appearing too has its great cycles. Yet in rising and falling with the affairs of government, they are the closest to being tallies between heaven and man. These five are the stirrings by which heaven is moved. One who practises the numbers of heaven must be versed in the Three and the Five; and running through past and present from end to end, looking deeply into the changes of the times and examining their coarse and their fine, he will have the Celestial Offices complete.

When the Azure Emperor exercises his power, the Celestial Gate opens for it. When the Red Emperor exercises his power, the Celestial Prison empties for it. When the Yellow Emperor exercises his power, the Celestial Calamity rises for it, and the wind comes from the north-west, always on geng and xin days; if within one autumn it comes five times, there is a great amnesty; three times, a small amnesty. When the White Emperor exercises his power, on the twentieth and twenty-first days of the first month the moon has an encircling halo, and a great amnesty is regularly proclaimed, which is to say that the Great Yang is present. One account says: when the White Emperor exercises his power, Bi and Mao form the encircling; if the encircling lasts three evenings, the power is accomplished; if it does not last three evenings, or the encircling does not close, the power is not accomplished. A second account says: it encircles at a chen, and does not go beyond that ten-day period. When the Black Emperor exercises his power, the Celestial Gate-bar stirs for it. When Heaven exercises its power, the Son of Heaven newly establishes his reign-year; when it does not, wind and rain break the stones. The Three Steps and the Three Balances are the court of Heaven. When a guest star comes out in the court of Heaven, there are extraordinary commands.