As translated by Micheal John Paton

In this chapter what is said about the water dragon refers, in fact, to the regular pattern of the heavenly stars. It was Dong Yuyuan, styled Hualong shan ren, who wrote about and narrated the words of Jingchun. I do not know from which era Master Dong came. In his maps there are thirty six nodes. All of them correspond to the heavenly stars. Each situation includes four word phrases, in total sixteen characters. (Amongst these) there are fuma and jingtang which are appellations of recent times.

This means that it was written by a man of recent generations. This is clear evidence. The method of delineation of the mysteries of star divination is not vulgar. If he was not a scholar who had much erudition in terms of phenomena, charms and omens and an exhaustive exploration of astrology, how could he see to their limits?

Even though it is not necessarily a complete manifestation of the ideas of Jingchun, the author still obtained the meaning from the remnants. As to the sentences and phrases, they show erudition and are well constructed. As a work of scholarship, the beauty is comparable to the Daya of the Book of Songs. It can be seen that this book is unlike the common discussions.

I have examined the masters of the principle of the earth from the Master Yang until now, and few have had literary ability for a long time. There is only the wonderful talent of commoner Lai of the Yuan dynasty who had the misfortune to be under the Mongols and who would pretend to be drunk, living on poetry and wine to hide himself in the mortal world. Yet whenever he chanted in the various counties of the Kull area, his literary talent would be brilliantly displayed. Until now I considered talent like that of Mr. Lai as incomparable but I also give Master Dong this ranking. How can it not be that there is much talent among the experts on form?

Observe that the discussion is only about the similarities between the heavenly stars and the forms of water and these are categorized in order to seek them out. In fact, it is not that there is no basis for this. Is it not said by the ancients that phenomena are established in the sky and forms are established on earth and that the phenomena of the sky and the forms of the earth have a distant correspondence?

Surely, this is of this principle. Is this only something that has been casually passed down? By this we know that the regular pattern of the heavenly stars and what has been passed down to common man with the twenty four directions, each of which is divided into the movement of the stars, are as different as heaven and earth because land has a fixed position but stars do not.

Even though this eliminates the old Five Phases, it does revolve around life and death. Believing the ear is not as good as believing the eye. Believing the eye is not as good as believing the heart. The world has this book and this means that the essential spirit of Jingchun now still has the possibility of existence.

Written by Dahong

All is vast between heaven and earth. The three celestial bodies are manifest and hidden. The one qi moves in a cycle. The Five Phases wax and wane. Thus, rivers flow and mountains are lofty. The warmth of yang is life. The cold of yin is death. From the ancient sages, we have looked to the heavens as a criterion for objects and examined righteousness according to the earth.

Qi is what carries the principle. It is powerful and boundless. The principle congregates and qi gathers. Yin valleys produce yang. The land manifests rivers and great mountains. The Big Dipper hangs in the sky. In the vastness there is indeed one qi. It has same feeling but different names.

A true node is of a wondrous form. With the multitude of stars shining down, the merit of heaven is smoothly spread. The virtue of earth accepts this merit from above. Reed pipes and flying ashes conceive the cherished hundred spirits. 

Mold them by using qi and the form. Separate them into good and ill fortune. Yin and yang mutually reciprocate and the five fates majestically unite. To praise singularity and abandon duality is a deviation from the art.

In desiring to discuss the land, first observe the sky. In desiring to obtain the form, first investigate the fundamentals.

The traces of Yu are vast and boundless. Who is able to carefully inspect them? By not examining the flow, how does one know its source?

The prevailing heavens extend endlessly, fold upon fold and abyss upon abyss, riding the qi and moving.

The mother conceives the son and the husband and wife copulate. Stripped bare, changing and meandering, the submissive benefit is auspicious. Any sudden gushing is detested.

1.       Water of Earth is wide and heavy.

2.       Water of Metal is circular and pure.

3.       Water of Wood is rigid and straight.

4.       Water of Fire is flying and leaping.

At the water's edge look towards the distance. Do not lose the form.

Metal and Wood are mutually offensive. If there is a transformation to Water, then they are matched.

When Water and Fire fight with each other, the flourishing of Wood is particularly prohibited.

The Earth spirit produces Metal which dreads most a meeting with Wood. If the Wood star brings with it Fire, the whole family is overthrown.

For each there is a turning point where animals are raised. The placenta of the fetus dies. If the living have a flourishing official salary, with a clash there will be punishment and injury. The calamity will come rapidly. 

Alas, the Yangzi and Yalu rivers! The heavenly sea overflows without limit. In this powerful, surging flood, the dragon sleeps at night. The infinity of the border leads to even more uncertainty. Even though there are twists and turns, do not fear the winding.

On opening the lock to heaven, a man of virtue does not remark on it. Below one seeks the waters of the Huai, Si, the Three Gorges and the Han. The great veins run vertically and horizontally along the torrent touching the banks.

Provinces, cities, towns and villages are what the dragon spirit takes possession of. A revolving wall or turning screen, the veins follow the qi to gather.

Raise your eyebrows and look into the distance at the wonderful view corning together. The water around islands and inside gorges is vast and narrow rivers enter lakes.

Jingchun set out the patterns of thirty six nodes. At the end of the Jin dynasty the immortal voice died. Since the Tang and Song dynasties the water method has become empty and has disappeared. When was the stone case of Qing Wu written? It does not contain other mysteries but only spoke of water pincers. The water pincer dragon method emerged from Jingchun. With various confused and erroneous versions which entangled the forms, it is difficult to narrow down. One obtained the fish but forgot the bait; this must be realized with the heart.

The water binds and the sand turns, spreading like a terrace recognize the roots and discern the trunk; recognize the branches and discern the leaves. When the mountain is chaotic, the configurational force rushes forth. When the water is chaotic, the configurational force is connected. Spider's silk and the duckweed of water are indistinct and imperceptible. Entering the earth (the qi) is not diminished. Entering the water it is not blocked. A superior sage discerns the qi. A lesser sage discerns the form. When the form and the qi are both obtained, Good fortune and misfortune are naturally real. Observe the depths as if they were shallow; observe the quietude as if there were an uproar. This is the fundamental of the fundamental, yet it is difficult to put it into words. The ancients are already gone. All that is left is the dregs.

The South East is mild and warm. The North West chills you to the bone. The snow and ice has not yet dispersed. The water in lakes is easily drained. Survey the high and assess the flat.

Vital qi is obtained in the node.

The precious three-legged bronze cauldron is covered with smoke. The rain has stopped in the eaves. The drawn crossbow shoots the bolt. A wielded knife cuts to the joint. Like the beard of a shrimp and the eyes of a crab, the fundamental theories are numerous and disorderly. Because they stick together and rely on each other, the method is on the lip and in the breast. The spirit is not passed on by the eye. The fundamental mystery is not passed on by the heart. The mediocre teachers are confused. They do not distinguish the Five Phases. They are already enamored in their bindings. Most of them also mistake the stars, Indicating that life is death and insisting that falsity is truth. Above they show contempt for the heavenly vault. Below they destroy the form of the earth. The spiritual radiance does not shine and daylight is dark and murky. In the darkened hall there is resentment until good fortune is diminished and life degraded. This principle is muddle-headed. Grant, receive, abide by and use the true mystery to enlighten and teach the men of later times.

As translated by Micheal John Paton

This chapter especially explains the principle of the branches and trunks of the water dragon.

In fact, consider the passage of large bodies of water as the moving dragon and call this the trunk. Consider small bodies of water such as canals and ditches as the separating borders and call them branches.

The method for nodes is to seek from the branches but not from the trunks.

This is like there being no true connection amidst the rise and fall of high mountains and folded ridges, yet the old dragon develops tender shoots and there begins to be a structure. The central governing idea of this writing is to use a dragon trunk which encloses in an embrace to obtain the qi and form a situation, and to use the correct and harmonious intersection of a branch dragon to obtain the nourishment of internal qi.  

With this the particularity in discussions of the principles of the water dragon is beauty and completeness because even though great rivers have a winding embrace, their qi is wide and boundless and is not closely related to grave sites. It is decidedly difficult to put one's hand to it. It is necessary with this to have branching water to create the original constellation which surrounds and embraces to develop the embryo.

Then the seven internal qi are produced and the veins of qi of great rivers are completely taken possession of without any remainder. This makes great land. I have observed the famous graves of ancient families. (Around them) there are branched waterways and small trunks in their flow from head to tail. Their form winds and folds in a thousand turns. However, if one obtains a node in the abdomen of the dragon which is complete even though there is no bordering water of the inner hall, great development is also possible.

At the end of these small branches, either a simple turn of a single watercourse or the embrace of the border of two flows, which isolates the area, deepens the storage of the spiritual beauty and concentrates it. Wherever aristocratic and great families are buried, it is always like this and it is not necessary to have an exhaustive discussion of the external situation. The strength of their good fortune is already limitless. Therefore this book is unable to be completely relied on.

However, with a small trunk which does not have any branches even though the situation is great, it is necessarily so that only after a long time can one receive a response because it is difficult to develop rapidly.

With a branched dragon which does not have a trunk although the effect is rapid, the qi is exhausted, easily wanes and is unable to continue far. After all, these are not as good as land which has a branch and trunk for mutual support. One can expect the effectiveness to last from sunrise to sunset and, moreover, one can hope for the favor of prosperity over time.

Thus, can the significance of this book be rejected and its theories not be investigated? What is most important in a particular confluence of water is that its meeting with beauty establishes the node. Although this is a correct view to take, necessarily desiring that this meeting with beauty enters the confluence is still a biased opinion because the subtle use of the water dragon is only in the flowing spirit which is meandering and vivid and the machinations of movement and change are naturally manifested. This flow goes to the front, back, left and right appropriately; the favorable and the contrary and the approach and departure accord with every direction. In general, according to my opinion whoever considers the position and the direction as the control whether they are to the right or the left, they will all be unavoidably drawn towards the correct position.

As for the method of lake and marsh dragons, this book selects completely the surrounding and gathering of a multitude of watercourses. In fact it resembles the theories of the patterns of the mountain dragon sleeping in accordance with the position of the stars and constellations. If this is so the method of the patterns of these situations consolidates the subtleties.

However, I have inspected all of the land in the kingdoms of Wu and Chu. With the three rivers and five lakes the mighty immersions are manifold. However, in seeking what agrees with these patterns, I have not met one in a hundred. This just means that one (should) penetrate these theories in order to learn their meaning and that is all. If one must follow pictures to find a thoroughbred horse, are they not being too foolish?  

Then afterwards one can expect the development of good fortune. If one only seeks a yang site of a large marsh, can there be a place of return for a yin grave, which would be necessarily difficult to control? In other words, the borrowing of the external sand to wrap and protect (the site) is also, in fact, of the method of branches and trunks, it having diversity in its use.

As for the effect of the water dragon, it exists completely in the eight trigrams and the Three Principals. Rivers, lakes and marshes all converge into one. If you are not familiar with this principle even if appropriate land is obtained, you cannot escape from the idea that in seeking good fortune you conversely receive misfortune. Again these are the secrets of heaven and earth. A mind with the wisdom of a sage has passed them on but those who have not written the book are unable to know them.

The writer of this book has not set down his name. It was probably written by someone of recent times. The discussions established in each chapter unavoidably still contain vulgar opinions. I consider the theories of branches and trunks to be the primary significance of the water dragon. Therefore, these maps were chosen to be arranged as the first chapter. If one singularly sticks to these theories one by one, reality will be obscured as with a star in the Milky Way. I annotate this book to ennoble what the scholar is good at.

Written by Dahong

In the original world there was only one qi. If one examines the origins of this qi, there is nothing earlier than water. The sediment in water entwines and becomes earth. When earth and water are agitated, the water falls and the earth emerges. Mountains and rivers are thus formed. Thereupon, mountains have their observed up thrusting blue/greenness and consequently water has the force of its ripples and waves. The Classic says, `qi is the mother of water and water is the son of qi. If qi moves then water follows. If water stops then qi nourishes'. Mother and son are of the same feeling.

Water follows qi like a shadow follows its form. Qi is singular. Its brimming over beyond the land is formed as water; its moving inside of the land is without form and is qi. Water is its external manifestation. Qi is its essence. The internal and external flow together. The manifestation and the essence are of one movement. Thus fate is the subtle use of the natural.

Therefore, if one desires to know whether the qi of the land tends to the east or west, one can gain a rough approximation by the comings and goings of water. So to observe the movements of the mechanisms of qi, one must look at the water courses.

Does the sighing of Confucius show that he saw this principle? Yet a moving dragon must have water to help it and a stationary dragon must have water bordering it. The qi of a moving dragon is singularly in the water. Therefore, one examines from whence the water comes in order to know the origin of the issuance of qi. The qi of a stationary dragon also exists in the water. Therefore, one examines the water's confluence in order to know the place where there is harmonious connection.

The Classic says, `If it is bordered by water then it stops'. It also says, 'External qi moves laterally, and internal qi stops producing'. Is it indicative of this? Now, the qi of heaven and earth is naught but yin together with yang. The Yijing says, "One yin and one yang are called the Way." It also says, "Yin and yang are mutually in each other, and stillness and movement are mutually the basis. When yin and yang change in relation to each other, the myriad things are purified." Guo Pu has said that yang alone will not give birth and yin alone will not develop. When yin and yang harmonize their virtue, one achieves the perfection of birth and development. Therefore, the up thrust of mountain veins and the flow of water veins each have yin and yang.

Water is yang. Mountains are yin. The two are mutually connected and are unable to be an instant apart. The movement of the veins in the land relies on water to guide it. The termination of the veins of the land relies on water to congeal it. How is it able to both direct its movement and congeal its termination? It is because the abundant external qi recombines with the internal qi, and the oscillation between the two forms entities. This is like the achievement of a man and woman coupling, thus giving birth. Yang is the male. Yin is the female. With yang nurturing yin and yin containing yang the male and the female meet. This is the nature of the male animal and the female animal being together. Therefore, it is said, "When yin meets yang, one's luck and wealth will be enduring. When there is a clashing of yang with a harmonizing of yin, the myriad things are born". This is the natural mechanism of transformation within heaven and earth.

From the overall perspective, the body of the chaotic world of prehistoric times is, in fact, at one with the body of myriad things and at one with the subtle function of the Great Extremity (taiji). From a concrete perspective, the relationship of each entity is such that each one of the myriad things is at one with and obtains the original profundity of the Great Extremity. When one has knowledge of the principles of the Great Extremity, one can realize the subtlety of the mechanism of transformation. When one knows the subtleties of the mechanism of transformation, one can speak on the studies of manifestation. 

The water methods being great in number, it is difficult to give an exhaustive account. Let us pick up the outline to explain any vagary. In the world there are a thousand experts who have passed on the precedents for divination. This one says auspicious and that inauspicious yet (the theories) cannot be put into practice. So with the natural water method you must remember this, sir; there is nothing other than the meandering that possesses feeling. With the approach do not desire lashing waters and the departure should not be straight. For the lateral do not desire opposition and the oblique should not be quick. The lateral must detour and embrace to the extent that the bend of a stream is encircling.

The approach then reaches the beginning and the departure meanders away. When the water is clear, still and pure, there is even greater auspiciousness. How can there be there profit in rapid drainage and waterfalls?

When the eight characters separate, man and woman become debauched. With a river flowing into three tributaries, one's estates will be exhausted. Wealth will not accumulate where there is quick run off and quick flow.

Damage will be caused to the population where there is a straight approach and a straight departure. If (the water) shoots off to the left, the eldest son will necessarily meet with disaster. If it shoots off to the right, the younger son will receive calamity and injury. If returning water shoots off from the center, the second wife's son will die young. This will sweep away the sons of the city and the descendants will be few. If there is clashing at the center and shooting at the flank, one becomes solitary and widowed. If the water jumps back, the people leave and wealth withdraws; the screens are rolled up, the daughter will become a concubine and the son will live with the relatives of his wife. If the water is clear, there will be one outstanding among men with many talents and refinements. If the water is muddy, sons of much stupidity are produced.

The great Yangzi is vast and rules over ten thousand hectares of farmland. It secretly aids in degree of nobility, good fortune and food for the 5 tripods. From pools and lakes high official ranks and prime ministerial posts con-dense. Deep and extensive water rules over unmatched nobility. Emergence which is fluttering and oblique is the luck of the peach blossom. Men and women are debauched and always break up their families; it produces coming and going and a liking for wandering about and being dissipated. The whole day is indulged in song with extravagance and excessiveness.

With beautiful water of an approaching flow which is winding, there is certainly the fame of a posted scholar. If the flow of the water departs without obstruction, there will be wealth, abundance and high official position. The water method is not restricted to departure and approach. In general, there must be a winding departure yet a return.

Three windings and five turnings approach and then arrive at the node. (The water) feels a meditative attachment and cannot tolerate to leave. Why use the nine constellations and the eight trigrams? The flourishing of birth and the ending of death are completely empty theories. Here, I am narrating the true occult art. Readers must surely be clear in their hearts. Do not be deluded by contemporary divinations. Having good or bad luck should be distinguished by yourself. 

A great river approaches either from the south east or south west. Even though in its midst there is a place of meandering and winding, one certainly does not see a turning of the head to surround and bind. This is like the flight of the wild goose in that if there is not a slight turning and soaring of the configurational force, it absolutely does not descend and halt. Although the configurational force of the water is smooth flowing, in the end it is not a place where the dragon veins coagulate and gather. How could it be worthy of creating a node?

The Classic says that if it has bordering water, it stops. It also says that bordering water is what stops the approaching dragon. If one still does not see the water turning its head after twenty li, then the place in front of the meander is that of a moving dragon.

The Classic says that a dragon descends to a flood plain (pingyang) like an unrolled mat in one vast area. (The qi) is difficult to grasp. In a pingyang area only water is considered to be the dragon. The winding around of the water is the moorage of the dragon body. Therefore, in general, in seeking the dragon one looks for a place with approaching water turning and surrounding.

However, when the water's path of approach is distant and the configurational force is broad and large even though there is a place where there is a slight turning of the head and straight dragon veins bind the qi to connect with the throat, a node is still not yet formed. Only when there is a great turning and winding does qi begin to gather.

However, in the end the form and configurational force being broad and large, (the qi) is also difficult to grasp. It is necessary to seek a border of branching water to cut it. Would it not be necessarily better to have branching water inserted into the abdomen and manifesting the interior of the hall?

With sand and water wrapping neither sparse nor thick, the form would be complete and solid. Only then would it be a true node. If there is no border of branching water to cut into (the area) even though it is surrounded by a great body of water, in the end the vastness can give no indications because if the configurational force is broad, the qi will drift away and if the form is large, the qi will scatter. If the interior does not have branching water it is singularly mischievous. How can it be used to establish a node? Even if there is no great harm, it is necessarily difficult to develop good fortune. 

As translated by Micheal John Paton

From the misty beginnings of time, water and mountains were considered to be Qian and Kun, the two great thrones which exist simultaneously between heaven and earth; one yin and one yang, one tough and one gentle, one flow and one peak as heaven covers and earth carries. The sun creates morning and the moon creates evening. Each is responsible for a single duty.

The specialists in the principles of the earth of later generations do not recognize the principles and are only aware of the mountain as a dragon but are not aware of water as a dragon. Even if there is loud chatter about the water method, they only consider the mountain as the body and water as the function as with soldiers listening to their general and a wife obeying her husband. In this the fame of the mountain is the only one to esteem and the power of water is small and deficient, thereupon, causing the land and water of the flood plains to be completely abandoned.

The true machination of the placement of the water dragon is twisted to the absurd theories of the mountain dragon. The whole world in its vastness seems to be ignorant to this. It is not true that the idea has not been elucidated since Yang Hui.

Indeed, did the ancients not say: "Do not ask about the dragon when you travel to the flood plains? Only look to the turning of the water and then you will find the true dragon".

They also said: "If there were no dragon and tiger, then to what place would this vast area return? So from the east to the west if one merely takes the water to be a dragon, it is easy to manifest the Three Dukes.

The clarity, fluency and logic of these words are both visible and audible to men. Unfortunately, men of today do not investigate (the concept). As to the form and structure, special books are truly rare and in the end not thoroughly developed causing scholars to face the wall (and see nothing) and have no way of entry. Is this due to the fact that since there are certain rules of the structure of mountains and the movement of water which are finite, and considering that if men know the principle of the water dragon, they will easily grasp the machinations of the spirits and realize the mystery of the great creation, so mother nature draws the bow but does not lose the arrow in order to begrudge this secret?

However, she stands high above the populace and pities those below, thus allowing this ancient secret, which has not been passed down for thousands of years, to emerge by accident. If one knows this secret but does not consider telling anyone, this is being unbenevolent. If one tells someone the secret but it is not the truth, this is being dishonest.

I am not probing into established bad habits. I desire to grasp the reins for the sake of the later erudite scholars and be a pioneer. In accordance with this limitless record, I derive the exquisiteness and completely reveal the occult art of Master Yang so that it is opened wide and becomes widely accepted.

Place high mountains in the category of the mountain dragon and flat regions in the category of the water dragon. The methods are decidedly different.

Do not be afraid to yell this out in a crazy loud voice to announce this to the knowledgeable scholars under heaven. Some will believe it. In such problems, there is always confusion yet one suddenly finds the light to clear up the confusion and the errors. Even though I am naturally happy that this elucidation is not coincidental, it still worries me. I fear risking the punishment of yin and yang.

Moreover, how dare I covet the achievements of heaven as my own contribution? When I began to pass on the method of the water dragon, I searched through documents both ancient and modern but they were vague and lacked apparent evidence.

When I obtained the Jade Mirror Classic of the Chan Buddhist master, Mu Hu, and the 'One Thousand li Eyes', which are writings on the principle mechanism of entering the node, I began to have some written evidence. Soon after, I obtained several chapters of the Water Dragon Classic. I then realized that it was not true that there were no documents on the dragon method of flat regions. This was only because the first worthies valued it highly and were not willing to let it spread uncontrolled throughout the world.

Because there was no published edition and there were errors in the words and sentences, I added some annotations and commentaries and arranged it into five chapters.

1.       The first chapter explains the connection of the great body of the moving dragon with the node and the method of taking advantage the mutual relationship between branches and trunks.

2.       The second chapter narrates the various patterns of the correspondence of the water dragon with the stars above.

3.       The third chapter indicates the comparative similarities of the categories of objects and animals that can consign meaning to the water dragon.

4.       The fourth chapter explains the crux of good and bad fortune in terms of the Five Stars, a correct branch and the nodal body.

5.       The fifth chapter has the same meaning as the fourth and freely refers to it.

The first, third and fourth chapters were obtained from Wu Tianzhu. It seems that the second chapter was obtained from the family of the former eunuch of Cha Pu. I obtained the fifth chapter last from my district. Some have the name of the author and some do not. The words of each excel in the essential principles. When they are observed comparatively, one obtains the omissions and agreements but when they are together it is observed that in relation to the rules of the water dragon, there is none better.

Scholars consider this as being the principle and use the Three Principals, Nine Palaces, Book of Changes, trigrams and taking advantage of qi as the function. If one likens it to a great craftsman, the water dragon is wood for carving and the Three Principals and Nine Palaces are the carpenter's circle, square and marking line.

If one likens it to an apothecary, the water dragon is the tripods, utensils, and medicines and the Three Principals and Nine Palaces are the essence, duration and degree of heating. If there is no quality material even Gong Shu could not put his skill into practice. If lead and the mercury are not prepared, even Bo Yang could not evolve to his supremacy.

Therefore, the method of the intention of the heavenly principal is in reality the best, yet how can we slight this book? One cannot irresponsibly call something a classic. Because of this, it was not changed, was actually concealed in a golden casket in a stone house and was handed down unspoilt to become immortal like the Blue Bag and the Fox Head. If scholars of later generations do not have good fortune to surpass that of other men as well as innate cleverness, they will not come across this book.

It is a rare treasure and of the honorable of this generation only those who are virtuous are able to face it. Do you realize that the book needs to be respected? Do you realize that the book needs to be feared?

Written by Jiang Pingjie, Dahong, of DuLing in the Shuijing temple at Danyang.