General Principles of Character Divination, Part Two
占字總訣篇之二
Complete Five Phases and Six Spirit Stroke Forms
五行全備與六神形式
Complete Five Phases
五行全備
一點一畫五行全，試看首尾秘為占。點畫若無疵筆露，功名發達享高年。
A single dot, a single stroke—the five phases are complete. Examine head and tail, for the secret lies in divination. If dot and stroke are free of flawed brushstrokes, fame and success shall come, and one will enjoy long years.
The Dot
、
如一點端正，無破綻、鴉嘴等形，則是五行全。如不合式，仍屬水。
If a single dot is upright and proper, without cracks, crow-beak shapes, or the like, then the five phases are complete. If it does not conform to this standard, it still belongs to Water.
The Single Horizontal Stroke
一
亦五行全，此象乃庖羲氏畫卦之初，而混元一氣之數也。
This too represents the five phases complete. This image is that of Fuxi's initial drawing of the trigrams—the number of the primordial unified qi.
The Circle
○
此太極未分時，亦五行全大之象也。
This represents the time before the Supreme Ultimate divided—it too is the grand image of the five phases complete.
The Square
□
歌曰：四匡無風全五行，是亦五行全也，如出字園字之類，四匡緊緊不透風，乃是。如筆稀者，不是。口小者屬金，亦不是，此地之象也。
The verse says: Four sides sealed with no wind—the five phases are complete. This too is the five phases complete, as in characters like 出 or 園 and the like, where the four sides are sealed tight with no gap for wind to pass through. If the brushstrokes are sparse, it does not count. If the mouth is small, it belongs to Metal and also does not count. This is the image of Earth.
Six Spirit Stroke Forms
六神形式
Azure Dragon (Stroke Forms: 丿 ㄟ)
青龍 丿 ㄟ
蠶頭燕額是青龍，凡撇捺長，而有頭角之樣，即作青龍。如撇短，則不足。如成青龍之式，不拘撇捺，皆化木，如無鬚角，雖長亦非青龍。
A silkworm head and swallow brow—this is the Azure Dragon. Whenever left-falling or right-falling strokes are long and have the appearance of horns and angles, treat them as the Azure Dragon. If the left-falling stroke is short, it is insufficient. When the Azure Dragon form is achieved, regardless of whether it is a left-falling or right-falling stroke, all transform into Wood. If there are no whisker-like angles, even if long, it is not the Azure Dragon.
Vermilion Bird (Stroke Forms: ㄨ 丿)
朱雀 ㄨ 丿
尖短交加朱雀神，撇短而有尖嘴之形，則為朱雀。主文書事，原屬火無化。
Sharp, short, and intersecting—this is the Vermilion Bird spirit. When the left-falling stroke is short and has the form of a pointed beak, it is the Vermilion Bird. It governs matters of documents and correspondence, and originally belongs to Fire with no transformation.
Coiling Serpent (Stroke Forms: 乙 乞 叉)
螣蛇 乙 乞 叉
螣蛇長曲勢如行，其樣如蛇，皆化火看，亦主文書，乃驚怪等。
The Coiling Serpent is long and curved as if in motion. Its appearance is like a snake; all such forms are read as transforming into Fire. It also governs documents and correspondence, as well as frights and strange occurrences.
Hook Array (Stroke Form: 勹)
勾陳 勹
灣弓斜月勾陳象，凡帶長者是也，屬土無化，主羈滯。
A curved bow or slanting moon—this is the image of the Hook Array. Any stroke with an elongated hook qualifies. It belongs to Earth with no transformation, and governs delays and entanglements.
White Tiger (Stroke Forms: 兄 几 圭)
白虎 兄 几 圭
尾尖口闊方為虎，口不開者，非虎也，化作金用，主疾病，凶之兆也。
A pointed tail and wide-open mouth—only then is it the Tiger. If the mouth does not open, it is not the Tiger. It transforms into Metal in use, and governs illness—an omen of misfortune.
Dark Warrior (Stroke Forms: ㄙ 么 ㄠ 云)
玄武 ㄙ 么 ㄠ 云
體態方尖玄武形，化木，主盜賊事，又主波浪險阻等事。
A form that is both angular and pointed—this is the shape of the Dark Warrior. It transforms into Wood, and governs matters of theft and robbery, as well as turbulent waves and perilous obstacles.
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