1
太史公曰：自古聖王將建國受命，興動事業，何嘗不寶卜筮以助善！ 唐虞以上，不可記已。 自三代之興，各據禎祥。 涂山之兆從而夏啟世，飛燕之卜順故殷興，百穀之筮吉故周王。 王者決定諸疑，參以卜筮，斷以蓍龜，不易之道也。
The Grand Historian remarks: Since antiquity, whenever sage kings set about founding states, receiving the Mandate of Heaven, and launching great enterprises, they invariably prized the arts of divination by tortoise shell and milfoil stalks to guide them toward the good. Of the ages before Yao and Shun, no records survive. From the rise of the Three Dynasties onward, each founded its legitimacy on auspicious omens. The omen at Mount Tu proved favorable, and so the Xia established its line of succession; the augury of the flying swallow was auspicious, and so the Yin dynasty arose; the milfoil divination of the hundred grains returned a fortunate result, and so the house of Zhou ascended to kingship. For kings to resolve matters of doubt by consulting the milfoil and the tortoise shell, and to render judgment through these instruments — this is an immutable principle.
2
蠻夷氐羌雖無君臣之序，亦有決疑之卜。 或以金石，或以草木，國不同俗。 然皆可以戰伐攻擊，推兵求勝，各信其神，以知來事。
Even the Man, Yi, Di, and Qiang peoples, though they lack the hierarchical order of ruler and minister, nonetheless possess their own methods of divination for resolving uncertainties. Some divine with metal and stone, others with grasses and wood — the customs differ from one people to the next. Yet all these methods serve the purposes of warfare and military campaigns, of deploying armies and seeking victory; each people trusts in its own spirits to foretell what is to come.
3
略聞夏殷欲卜者，乃取蓍龜，已則棄去之，以為龜藏則不靈，蓍久則不神。 至周室之卜官，常寶藏蓍龜； 又其大小先後，各有所尚，要其歸等耳。 或以為聖王遭事無不定，決疑無不見，其設稽神求問之道者，以為後世衰微，愚不師智，人各自安，化分為百室，道散而無垠，故推歸之至微，要絜於精神也。 或以為昆蟲之所長，聖人不能與爭。 其處吉凶，別然否，多中於人。 至高祖時，因秦太卜官。 天下始定，兵革未息。 及孝惠享國日少，呂后女主，孝文、孝景因襲掌故，未遑講試，雖父子疇官，世世相傳，其精微深妙，多所遺失。 至今上即位，博開藝能之路，悉延百端之學，通一伎之士咸得自效，絕倫超奇者為右，無所阿私，數年之閒，太卜大集。 會上欲擊匈奴，西攘大宛，南收百越，卜筮至預見表象，先圖其利。 及猛將推鋒執節，獲勝於彼，而蓍龜時日亦有力於此。 上尤加意，賞賜至或數千萬。 如丘子明之屬，富溢貴寵，傾於朝廷。 至以卜筮射蠱道，巫蠱時或頗中。 素有啊〃幀×因公行誅，恣意所傷，以破族滅門者，不可勝數。 百僚蕩恐，皆曰龜策能言。 后事覺姦窮，亦誅三族。
We hear that in the Xia and Yin periods, those who wished to perform divination would procure tortoise shells and milfoil stalks, then discard them after use, believing that a tortoise shell lost its numinous power if stored away, and milfoil stalks their spiritual efficacy if kept too long. By the time of the Zhou dynasty, however, the court's divination officials began to treasure and preserve the milfoil stalks and tortoise shells; Moreover, though there were particular preferences regarding the size, order, and priority of the instruments, in the end their purpose was one and the same. Some hold that sage kings were able to settle every affair and see through every uncertainty, and that they established the practice of consulting spirits and seeking answers precisely because they foresaw a future age of decline — when the foolish would no longer learn from the wise, when each person would rest content in his own ways, when civilization would splinter into a hundred separate households, and the Way would scatter beyond all bounds. And so they traced the source of guidance back to the most subtle essence, binding it to the realm of the spirit. Others maintain that in the special faculties of insects and creatures, even sages cannot rival them. Their ability to determine fortune and misfortune, to distinguish what will come to pass from what will not, often proves more accurate than human judgment. When Emperor Gaozu founded the Han, he retained the office of Grand Diviner from the Qin dynasty. The empire had only just been pacified, and the clamor of war had not yet subsided. Emperor Hui's reign was brief, Empress Lü governed as regent, and Emperors Wen and Jing simply followed inherited precedents without finding the leisure to study or practice the divinatory arts. Though the office was passed from father to son through the generations, much of its subtle and profound knowledge was lost along the way. When the present Emperor ascended the throne, he threw open every avenue for talent and skill, welcomed scholars of every discipline, and allowed anyone with mastery of even a single art to demonstrate his abilities. Those of surpassing and extraordinary talent were elevated to the highest positions, with no favoritism shown. Within just a few years, the office of Grand Divination was fully restored. It so happened that the Emperor wished to strike the Xiongnu, push back Dayuan in the west, and bring the Baiyue peoples of the south under submission. Divination was employed to foresee omens and portents, allowing him to plan his advantages in advance. As fierce generals drove their blades forward and held their battle standards firm, winning victories in distant lands, the milfoil and tortoise shell divinations and the selection of auspicious days lent their own force to these triumphs. The Emperor took a particular interest, and the rewards he bestowed sometimes amounted to tens of millions of cash. Men such as Qiu Ziming and others of his kind amassed overflowing wealth and basked in such honor and imperial favor that they dominated the entire court. The practice even extended to using divination to ferret out sorcery and gu-poison; these witchcraft divinations at times proved remarkably accurate. Those who bore old grudges seized on these official proceedings to carry out their vengeance, harming whomever they pleased. The families destroyed and households exterminated in this manner were beyond counting. Every official in the court trembled with fear, all declaring that the tortoise shells and milfoil stalks could truly speak. When the truth eventually came to light and the full extent of the treachery was exposed, the perpetrators and three generations of their kin were put to death.
4
夫摓策定數，灼龜觀兆，變化無窮，是以擇賢而用占焉，可謂聖人重事者乎！ 周公卜三龜，而武王有瘳。 紂為暴虐，而元龜不占。 晉文將定襄王之位，卜得黃帝之兆，卒受彤弓之命。 獻公貪驪姬之色，卜而兆有口象，其禍竟流五世。 楚靈將背周室，卜而龜逆，終被乾谿之敗。 兆應信誠於內，而時人明察見之於外，可不謂兩合者哉！ 君子謂夫輕卜筮，無神明者，悖； 背人道，信禎祥者，鬼神不得其正。 故書建稽疑，五謀而卜筮居其二，五占從其多，明有而不專之道也。
To manipulate the milfoil stalks and fix the numbers, to scorch the tortoise shell and read the cracks — the permutations are inexhaustible. It is for this reason that only men of worth are chosen to perform divination. Truly, this shows how gravely the sages regarded such matters! The Duke of Zhou performed divination with three tortoise shells, and King Wu recovered from his illness. King Zhou of Shang was cruel and tyrannical, and the great tortoise refused to yield its oracle. When Duke Wen of Jin set out to secure King Xiang's throne, his divination returned the omen of the Yellow Emperor, and in the end he received the mandate symbolized by the vermilion bow. Duke Xian of Jin, besotted with the beauty of Lady Li, consulted the oracle, which returned the omen of a mouth — a warning that the resulting calamity would plague his house for five generations. When King Ling of Chu resolved to defy the Zhou court, his tortoise shell divination returned an adverse result. In the end, he met his ruin at Ganxi. The omens spoke truthfully from within, and the discerning observers of the age recognized their meaning from without — can one not call this a perfect convergence of the inner and the outer? The gentleman holds that those who make light of divination and deny the existence of spirits are perverse; yet those who abandon the Way of humanity and place blind faith in omens alone cause the spirits to lose their proper function. Thus the Book of Documents established the method for resolving doubt: of the five deliberations, tortoise shell and milfoil divination account for two; among the five prognostications, one follows the majority. This makes clear the principle of employing divination without relying upon it exclusively.
5
余至江南，觀其行事，問其長老，云龜千歲乃遊蓮葉之上，蓍百莖共一根。 又其所生，獸無虎狼，草無毒螫。 江傍家人常畜龜飲食之，以為能導引致氣，有益於助衰養老，豈不信哉！
I traveled to the lands south of the Yangtze, observed the local practices, and questioned the elders. They told me that turtles a thousand years old swim upon lotus leaves, and that a hundred milfoil stalks may spring from a single root. Moreover, in the places where these grow, there are no tigers or wolves among the animals, and no poisonous or stinging plants among the grasses. Households along the river commonly raise turtles and keep them fed, believing the creatures can channel vital energy and benefit the frail and elderly. How can one say this is not credible!
6
褚先生曰：臣以通經術，受業博士，治春秋，以高第為郎，幸得宿衛，出入宮殿中十有餘年。 竊好太史公傳。 太史公之傳曰：「三王不同龜，四夷各異卜，然各以決吉凶，略闚其要，故作龜策列傳。」 臣往來長安中，求龜策列傳不能得，故之大卜官，問掌故文學長老習事者，寫取龜策卜事，編于下方。
Master Chu says: I gained my appointment through mastery of the classical arts, studying under the court Erudites and specializing in the Spring and Autumn Annals. Thanks to a high ranking on the examinations, I was made a Gentleman of the palace and had the privilege of serving as a guard, coming and going within the imperial palace for more than ten years. I have always been a devoted admirer of the Grand Historian's records. The Grand Historian's account states: 'The three ancient kings each employed different tortoise shells, and the four barbarian peoples each practiced their own methods of divination; yet all used these arts to determine fortune and misfortune. Having gained a glimpse of their essentials, I composed the Treatise on Tortoise and Milfoil Divination.' I went back and forth through Chang'an searching for the Treatise on Tortoise and Milfoil Divination, but could not find it. So I went to the office of the Grand Diviner and questioned the custodians of precedent, the scholars, and the elderly practitioners versed in these matters. From them I copied the practices of tortoise and milfoil divination and compiled them in what follows.
7
聞古五帝、三王發動舉事，必先決蓍龜。 傳曰：「下有伏靈，上有兔絲； 上有擣蓍，下有神龜。」 所謂伏靈者，在兔絲之下，狀似飛鳥之形。 新雨已，天清靜無風，以夜捎兔絲去之，既以篝燭此地燭之，火滅，即記其處，以新布四丈環置之，明即掘取之，入四尺至七尺，得矣，過七尺不可得。 伏靈者，千歲松根也，食之不死。 聞蓍生滿百莖者，其下必有神龜守之，其上常有青雲覆之。 傳曰：「天下和平，王道得，而蓍莖長丈，其叢生滿百莖。」 方今世取蓍者，不能中古法度，不能得滿百莖長丈者，取八十莖已上，蓍長八尺，即難得也。 人民好用卦者，取滿六十莖已上，長滿六尺者，既可用矣。 記曰：「能得名龜者，財物歸之，家必大富至千萬。」 一曰「北斗龜」，二曰「南辰龜」，三曰「五星龜」，四曰「八風龜」，五曰「二十八宿龜」，六曰「日月龜」，七曰「九州龜」，八曰「玉龜」：凡八名龜。 龜圖各有文在腹下，文云云者，此某之龜也。 略記其大指，不寫其圖。 取此龜不必滿尺二寸，民人得長七八寸，可寶矣。 今夫珠玉寶器，雖有所深藏，必見其光，必出其神明，其此之謂乎！ 笔玉處於山而木潤，淵生珠而岸不枯者，潤澤之所加也。 明月之珠出於江海，藏於蚌中，蚗龍伏之。 王者得之，長有天下，四夷賓服。 能得百莖蓍，并得其下龜以卜者，百言百當，足以決吉凶。
It is said that whenever the Five Emperors and Three Kings of antiquity set any enterprise in motion, they invariably consulted the milfoil and the tortoise shell first. The tradition states: 'Where a hidden spirit dwells below, dodder grows above; Above, there is milfoil being pounded; below, there dwells a divine tortoise.' The so-called 'hidden spirit' is found beneath the dodder vine, and its shape resembles a bird in flight. After a fresh rain, when the sky is clear, still, and windless, one goes out at night to strip away the dodder. A caged lantern is then set up to illuminate the spot. When the flame dies, one marks the place and encircles it with four zhang of new cloth. At dawn, one digs — at a depth of four to seven chi, one will find it. Below seven chi, it cannot be obtained. The 'hidden spirit' is the root of a thousand-year-old pine. Whoever eats it will never die. It is said that wherever milfoil grows to a full hundred stalks, a divine tortoise invariably guards it from below, and an azure cloud perpetually hovers above it. The tradition states: 'When the realm is at peace and the kingly Way prevails, the milfoil stalks grow to a full zhang in length, and their clusters number a hundred stalks.' In the present age, those who gather milfoil cannot meet the ancient standards. Finding a full cluster of a hundred stalks, a zhang in length, is impossible; even gathering eighty or more stalks, eight chi long, is already difficult. Ordinary folk who wish to cast hexagrams may use clusters of sixty stalks or more, six chi or longer — these are sufficient for the purpose. The records state: 'Whoever obtains a famous tortoise will see wealth flow toward him, and his household is certain to amass a fortune reaching ten million.' The first is called the Northern Dipper Tortoise; the second, the Southern Star Tortoise; the third, the Five Planets Tortoise; the fourth, the Eight Winds Tortoise; the fifth, the Twenty-Eight Mansions Tortoise; the sixth, the Sun and Moon Tortoise; the seventh, the Nine Provinces Tortoise; and the eighth, the Jade Tortoise — eight named tortoises in all. Each type of tortoise has distinctive markings on the underside of its shell. The particular pattern indicates to which class the tortoise belongs. Here I record only the general purport and do not reproduce the diagrams. One need not find a tortoise a full one chi and two cun in length. For ordinary folk, a tortoise of seven or eight cun is a treasure well worth keeping. Even pearls, jade, and precious vessels, though buried deep, will inevitably reveal their radiance and manifest their spiritual luminance. Is this not what the saying refers to! Where jade dwells within the mountain, the trees grow lush; where an abyss produces pearls, the riverbanks never wither. Such is the nourishing influence these treasures exert. The luminous pearl is born in the rivers and seas, concealed within a clam, with a hornless dragon coiled above to guard it. A ruler who obtains it will hold the empire for ages to come, and the barbarian peoples of the four quarters will pledge their submission. Whoever obtains milfoil of a hundred stalks together with the tortoise that guards it below, and uses them for divination, will find every prediction fulfilled — more than sufficient to determine fortune and misfortune.
8
神龜出於江水中，廬江郡常歲時生龜長尺二寸者二十枚輸太卜官，太卜官因以吉日剔取其腹下甲。 龜千歲乃滿尺二寸。 王者發軍行將，必鉆龜廟堂之上，以決吉凶。 今高廟中有龜室，藏內以為神寶。
Divine tortoises are found in the rivers. Each year, the Commandery of Lujiang delivers twenty tortoises, each one chi and two cun in length, to the office of the Grand Diviner. The Grand Diviner then chooses an auspicious day to remove the plastron from beneath each tortoise. A tortoise must live a thousand years before it reaches a full one chi and two cun in length. Whenever a king dispatches armies and sends generals forth on campaign, he must first bore into a tortoise shell in the ancestral temple to determine whether fortune or misfortune awaits. To this day, within the Temple of Gaozu there is a tortoise chamber where the shells are kept as sacred treasures.
9
傳曰：「取前足臑骨穿佩之，取龜置室西北隅懸之，以入深山大林中，不惑。」 臣為郎時，見萬畢石朱方，傳曰：「有神龜在江南嘉林中。 嘉林者，獸無虎狼，鳥無鴟梟，草無毒螫，野火不及，斧斤不至，是為嘉林。 龜在其中，常巢於芳蓮之上。 左脅書文曰：『甲子重光，得我者匹夫為人君，有土正，諸侯得我為帝王。』 求之於白蛇蟠杅林中者，齋戒以待，譺然，狀如有人來告之，因以醮酒佗發，求之三宿而得。」 由是觀之，豈不偉哉！ 笔龜可不敬與？
The tradition states: 'Take the foreleg shank bone, bore a hole through it, and wear it as a pendant. Hang the tortoise in the northwest corner of the room. Then one may enter the deepest mountains and densest forests without losing the way.' When I was serving as a Gentleman, I came across the Wanbi Recipes, which state: 'There is a divine tortoise dwelling in the auspicious forest south of the Yangtze. An auspicious forest is one where no tigers or wolves roam, no kites or owls perch, no poisonous or stinging plants grow, where wildfire cannot reach and no woodsman's axe has ever fallen. Such is what is meant by an auspicious forest. The tortoise dwells within, always nesting atop the fragrant lotus. On its left flank is inscribed: 'When the jiazi cycle comes round again in doubled radiance, the commoner who obtains me shall become a lord of men with dominion over the land; the feudal lord who obtains me shall become emperor.' To find it in the forest where the white serpent coils, one must fast and purify oneself and wait. Suddenly, as though someone has come to deliver a message, one pours a libation of wine and sets out. After three nights, the tortoise will be found.' Seen in this light, is the tortoise not truly magnificent! Can one fail to revere the tortoise?
10
南方老人用龜支床足，行二十餘歲，老人死，移床，龜尚生不死。 龜能行氣導引。 問者曰：「龜至神若此，然太卜官得生龜，何為輒殺取其甲乎？」 近世江上人有得名龜，畜置之，家因大富。 與人議，欲遣去。 人教殺之勿遣，遣之破人家。 龜見夢曰：「送我水中，無殺吾也。」 其家終殺之。 殺之后，身死，家不利。 人民與君王者異道。 人民得名龜，其狀類不宜殺也。 以往古故事言之，古明王聖主皆殺而用之。
An old man in the south once propped up a bed leg with a tortoise, and the arrangement lasted more than twenty years. When the old man died and the bed was moved, the tortoise was still alive. The tortoise possesses the ability to circulate vital energy and practice guided breathing exercises. One might ask: 'If the tortoise is truly this divine, then why does the Grand Diviner's office, upon obtaining a living tortoise, invariably kill it to take its shell?' In recent times, a man living by the river obtained a famous tortoise and kept it as a pet. His household grew enormously wealthy as a result. He consulted with others and considered releasing the tortoise. Others advised him to kill it rather than release it, warning that setting it free would bring ruin upon his household. The tortoise appeared to him in a dream and said: 'Return me to the water. Do not kill me.' In the end, the family killed the tortoise. After the tortoise was killed, the man himself died, and misfortune befell the household. The way of the common people differs from that of kings. When ordinary folk obtain a famous tortoise, all signs suggest it ought not to be killed. Yet if we look to the precedents of antiquity, the enlightened kings and sage rulers of old invariably killed them and put them to use.
11
宋元王時得龜，亦殺而用之。 謹連其事於左方，令好事者觀擇其中焉。
When King Yuan of Song obtained a tortoise, he too killed it and put it to use. I set down the account of those events in what follows, so that interested readers may examine them for themselves.
12
宋元王二年，江使神龜使於河，至於泉陽，漁者豫且舉網得而囚之。 置之籠中。 夜半，龜來見夢於宋元王曰：「我為江使於河，而幕網當吾路。 泉陽豫且得我，我不能去。 身在患中，莫可告語。 王有德義，故來告訴。」 元王惕然而悟。 乃召博士衛平而問之曰：「今寡人夢見一丈夫，延頸而長頭，衣玄繡之衣而乘輜車，來見夢於寡人曰：『我為江使於河，而幕網當吾路。 泉陽豫且得我，我不能去。 身在患中，莫可告語。 王有德義，故來告訴。』 是何物也？」 衛平乃援式而起，仰天而視月之光，觀斗所指，定日處鄉。 規矩為輔，副以權衡。 四維已定，八卦相望。 視其吉凶，介蟲先見。 乃對元王曰：「今昔壬子，宿在牽牛。 河水大會，鬼神相謀。 漢正南北，江河固期，南風新至，江使先來。 白雲壅漢，萬物盡留。 斗柄指日，使者當囚。 玄服而乘輜車，其名為龜。 王急使人問而求之。」 王曰：「善。」
In the second year of King Yuan of Song, the Yangtze River dispatched a divine tortoise as an envoy to the Yellow River. When it reached Quanyang, a fisherman named Yu Qie cast his net, caught it, and held it captive. He placed the tortoise in a basket cage. At midnight, the tortoise appeared in a dream to King Yuan of Song and said: 'I was dispatched by the Yangtze as an envoy to the Yellow River, but a fishing net blocked my path. Yu Qie of Quanyang caught me, and I cannot free myself. I am trapped in peril, with no one to whom I can appeal. Your Majesty is a man of virtue and righteousness, and so I have come to plead my case before you.' King Yuan awoke with a start, deeply shaken. He summoned the Erudite Wei Ping and said to him: 'Just now I dreamed of a man with an outstretched neck and elongated head, clad in black embroidered robes and riding in a covered carriage. He appeared in my dream and said: "I was dispatched by the Yangtze as an envoy to the Yellow River, but a fishing net blocked my path. Yu Qie of Quanyang caught me, and I cannot free myself. I am trapped in peril, with no one to whom I can appeal. Your Majesty is a man of virtue and righteousness, and so I have come to plead my case before you."' What manner of creature could this be?' Wei Ping took up his divination board and rose to his feet. He looked up to observe the moonlight, noted the direction of the Northern Dipper, and fixed the sun's position and bearing. He used the compass and square as his guides, supplemented by the balance and weights. Once the four cardinal points were established and the eight trigrams aligned to face one another, he examined the signs of fortune and misfortune, and the shelled creature manifested itself before all others. He then addressed King Yuan: 'Last night was a renzi day, and the lunar lodge was in the Ox constellation. The river waters gathered for a great assembly, and the spirits convened to deliberate. The Milky Way stands aligned from north to south, the Yangtze and the Yellow River had a fixed appointment, the south wind has just arrived, and the envoy from the Yangtze came ahead of schedule. White clouds choked the Milky Way, and all things were brought to a halt. The handle of the Dipper points toward the sun — the envoy was fated to be captured. Clad in black robes and riding in a covered carriage — the creature you saw is a tortoise. Your Majesty should dispatch someone at once to make inquiries and recover it.' The king said: 'Very well.'
13
於是王乃使人馳而往問泉陽令曰：「漁者幾何家？ 名誰為豫且？ 豫且得龜，見夢於王，王故使我求之。」 泉陽令乃使吏案籍視圖，水上漁者五十五家，上流之廬，名為豫且。 泉陽令曰：「諾。」 乃與使者馳而問豫且曰：「今昔汝漁何得？」 豫且曰：「夜半時舉網得龜。」 使者曰：「今龜安在？」 曰：「在籠中。」 使者曰：「王知子得龜，故使我求之。」 豫且曰：「諾。」 即系龜而出之籠中，獻使者。
The king immediately dispatched a messenger at a gallop to the magistrate of Quanyang with this inquiry: 'How many fishing households are there? Which of them is called Yu Qie? Yu Qie caught a tortoise, and it appeared to the king in a dream. The king has therefore sent me to recover it.' The magistrate of Quanyang ordered his clerks to examine the registers and maps. There were fifty-five fishing households on the water, and the dwelling upstream belonged to a man named Yu Qie. The magistrate of Quanyang replied: 'Understood.' He rode out with the messenger to find Yu Qie and asked him: 'What did you catch in your nets last night?' Yu Qie replied: 'At midnight I hauled up my net and found a tortoise.' The messenger asked: 'Where is the tortoise now?' Yu Qie replied: 'It is in the basket cage.' The messenger said: 'The king knows that you caught a tortoise, and has sent me to retrieve it.' Yu Qie replied: 'As you wish.' He tied up the tortoise, brought it out of the cage, and presented it to the messenger.
14
使者載行，出於泉陽之門。 正晝無見，風雨晦冥。 雲蓋其上，五采青黃； 雷雨并起，風將而行。 入於端門，見於東箱。 身如流水，潤澤有光。 望見元王，延頸而前，三步而止，縮頸而卻，復其故處。 元王見而怪之，問衛平曰：「龜見寡人，延頸而前，以何望也？ 縮頸而復，是何當也？」 衛平對曰：「龜在患中，而終昔囚，王有德義，使人活之。 今延頸而前，以當謝也，縮頸而卻，欲亟去也。」 元王曰：「善哉！ 神至如此乎，不可久留； 趣駕送龜，勿令失期。」 衛平對曰：「龜者是天下之寶也，先得此龜者為天子，且十言十當，十戰十勝。 生於深淵，長於黃土。 知天之道，明於上古。 游三千歲，不出其域。 安平靜正，動不用力。 壽蔽天地，莫知其極。 與物變化，四時變色。 居而自匿，伏而不食。 春倉夏黃，秋白冬黑。 明於陰陽，審於刑德。 先知利害，察於禍福，以言而當，以戰而勝，王能寶之，諸侯盡服。 王勿遣也，以安社稷。」 元王曰：「龜甚神靈，降于上天，陷於深淵。 在患難中。 以我為賢。 德厚而忠信，故來告寡人。 寡人若不遣也，是漁者也。 漁者利其肉，寡人貪其力，下為不仁，上為無德。 君臣無禮，何從有福？ 寡人不忍，柰何勿遣！」 衛平對曰：「不然。 臣聞盛德不報，重寄不歸； 天與不受，天奪之寶。 今龜周流天下，還復其所，上至蒼天，下薄泥涂。 還遍九州，未嘗愧辱，無所稽留。 今至泉陽，漁者辱而囚之。 王雖遣之，江河必怒，務求報仇。 自以為侵，因神與謀。 淫雨不霽，水不可治。 若為枯旱，風而揚埃，蝗蟲暴生，百姓失時。 王行仁義，其罰必來。 此無佗故，其祟在龜。 後雖悔之，豈有及哉！ 王勿遣也。」
The messenger loaded the tortoise onto his carriage and departed through the gate of Quanyang. Though it was broad daylight, nothing could be seen. Wind and rain plunged everything into darkness. Clouds canopied overhead, shimmering in five colors of azure and gold; thunder and rain erupted simultaneously, and the wind swept them onward. They passed through the main gate and presented themselves in the eastern wing of the palace. The tortoise's body gleamed like flowing water, moist and luminous. When it caught sight of King Yuan, the tortoise stretched out its neck and advanced three steps, then stopped, drew its neck back, retreated, and returned to its original spot. King Yuan found this behavior strange and asked Wei Ping: 'The tortoise stretched out its neck and advanced toward me — what was it hoping for? Then it drew back its neck and retreated. What does this signify?' Wei Ping replied: 'The tortoise was in peril, held captive through the night. Your Majesty, being a man of virtue and righteousness, sent someone to rescue it. By stretching its neck forward, it was expressing gratitude. By drawing back and retreating, it was signaling its desire to depart at once.' King Yuan exclaimed: 'How remarkable! Its spiritual power is truly this great — we must not keep it any longer; ready a carriage at once and send the tortoise on its way, lest it miss its appointed time.' Wei Ping replied: 'This tortoise is a treasure of all under Heaven. Whoever first obtains such a tortoise shall become the Son of Heaven. With it, ten pronouncements will yield ten correct results, and ten battles will end in ten victories. Born in the depths of the abyss, it was nurtured in the yellow earth. It comprehends the Way of Heaven and is learned in the ways of high antiquity. For three thousand years it has roamed without venturing beyond its domain. Tranquil, serene, still, and upright, it moves without the slightest exertion. Its lifespan rivals that of heaven and earth, and none can fathom its limits. It transforms in concert with all things, changing its color with the turning of the four seasons. It dwells in concealment, lying dormant and taking no food. In spring it turns blue-green, in summer yellow, in autumn white, and in winter black. It is versed in the principles of yin and yang, and discerning in the arts of punishment and benevolence. It foresees advantage and harm, discerns fortune from calamity. With its counsel, every pronouncement proves correct; with its guidance in war, every battle ends in victory. If Your Majesty treasures it, all the feudal lords will submit.' Do not release it, Your Majesty, but keep it to safeguard the altars of state.' King Yuan replied: 'This tortoise is a supremely divine creature. It descended from the heavens above and plunged into the deepest abyss. It found itself in peril and distress. It deemed me a worthy man. Perceiving my deep virtue, loyalty, and trustworthiness, it came to plead its case before me. If I were not to release it, I would be no better than the fisherman. The fisherman covets its flesh, and I would covet its power. For those below, this is inhumanity; for those above, it is a lack of virtue. When ruler and minister alike abandon propriety, how can good fortune possibly follow? I cannot bear to act otherwise. How could I possibly refuse to release it!' Wei Ping responded: 'That is not how things stand. I have heard it said that supreme virtue does not demand repayment, and a great trust does not require its return; when Heaven bestows a gift and one refuses to accept it, Heaven withdraws the treasure. This tortoise has roamed the entire world and always returns to its place. Above, it ascends to the azure sky; below, it descends into the mire. It has traversed the breadth of the Nine Provinces, never once suffering shame or humiliation, never once being detained. Yet upon arriving at Quanyang, a fisherman humiliated it and held it captive. Even if Your Majesty releases it, the Yangtze and the Yellow River will surely be enraged and bent on retribution. Deeming themselves affronted, they will conspire with the spirits. Torrential rains will fall without end, and the floodwaters will be beyond control. Or else they will bring drought, with winds whipping up the dust, locusts swarming in sudden plagues, and the common people losing their harvests. If Your Majesty persists in this course of benevolence and righteousness, their punishment will surely follow. There is no other cause — the curse originates with the tortoise. Even should you regret it afterward, it will be far too late! I implore Your Majesty: do not release it.'
15
元王慨然而嘆曰：「夫逆人之使，絕人之謀，是不暴乎？ 取人之有，以自為寶，是不彊乎？ 寡人聞之，暴得者必暴亡，彊取者必后無功。 桀紂暴彊，身死國亡。 今我聽子，是無仁義之名而有暴彊之道。 江河為湯武，我為桀紂。 未見其利，恐離其咎。 寡人狐疑，安事此寶，趣駕送龜，勿令久留。」
King Yuan heaved a deep sigh and said: 'To obstruct another's envoy and thwart another's designs — is this not tyranny? To seize another's possession and claim it as one's own treasure — is this not brute force? I have heard it said that what is gained through tyranny will be lost through tyranny, and what is seized by force will in the end bring no lasting gain. Jie and Zhou ruled through tyranny and violence — they perished, and their states fell with them. If I heed your counsel, I will forfeit the name of benevolence and righteousness and follow the path of tyranny and force. The Yangtze and the Yellow River would stand as Tang and Wu, and I would be cast as Jie and Zhou. I see no advantage in it, and I fear the blame it would bring upon me. My mind is troubled with doubt. What use is such a treasure to me? Ready a carriage at once and send the tortoise on its way. It must not be detained any longer.'
16
衛平對曰：「不然，王其無患。 天地之閒，累石為山。 高而不壞，地得為安。 故云物或危而顧安，或輕而不可遷； 人或忠信而不如誕謾，或醜惡而宜大官，或美好佳麗而為眾人患。 非神聖人，莫能盡言。 春秋冬夏，或暑或寒。 寒暑不和，賊氣相奸。 同歲異節，其時使然。 故令春生夏長，秋收冬藏。 或為仁義，或為暴彊。 暴彊有鄉，仁義有時。 萬物盡然，不可勝治。 大王聽臣，臣請悉言之。 天出五色，以辨白黑。 地生五穀，以知善惡。 人民莫知辨也，與禽獸相若。 谷居而穴處，不知田作。 天下禍亂，陰陽相錯。 悤悤疾疾，通而不相擇。 妖孽數見，傳為單薄。 聖人別其生，使無相獲。 禽獸有牝牡，置之山原； 鳥有雌雄，布之林澤； 有介之蟲，置之谿谷。 故牧人民，為之城郭，內經閭術，外為阡陌。 夫妻男女，賦之田宅，列其室屋。 為之圖籍，別其名族。 立官置吏，勸以爵祿。 衣以桑麻，養以五穀。 耕之耰之，鉏之耨之。 口得所嗜，目得所美，身受其利。 以是觀之，非彊不至。 故曰田者不彊，囷倉不盈； 商賈不彊，不得其贏； 婦女不彊，布帛不精； 官御不彊，其勢不成； 大將不彊，卒不使令； 侯王不彊，沒世無名。 故云彊者，事之始也，分之理也，物之紀也。 所求於彊，無不有也。 王以為不然，王獨不聞玉櫝隻雉，出於昆山； 明月之珠，出於四海； 鐫石拌蚌，傳賣於市； 聖人得之，以為大寶。 大寶所在，乃為天子。 今王自以為暴，不如拌蚌於海也； 自以為彊，不過鐫石於昆山也。 取者無咎，寶者無患。 今龜使來抵網，而遭漁者得之，見夢自言，是國之寶也，王何憂焉。」
Wei Ping replied: 'That is not how things stand. Let Your Majesty put aside these worries. Between heaven and earth, stones are heaped up to form mountains. Towering yet never collapsing, they render the earth stable. Thus it is said that some things appear precarious yet prove perfectly secure, and some things seem light yet cannot be moved; some people are loyal and trustworthy yet fare worse than deceivers; some are ugly and base yet prove fit for high office; and some are beautiful and enchanting yet become a curse upon all around them. Unless one is a divine sage, no one can fully articulate these truths. Through spring, autumn, winter, and summer — now scorching, now freezing. When cold and heat fall out of harmony, noxious vapors encroach upon one another. Within a single year the seasons differ — the appointed cycle of time ordains it thus. And so spring gives birth, summer nurtures growth, autumn gathers the harvest, and winter stores it away. Some follow the way of benevolence and righteousness; others follow the way of tyranny and force. Tyranny and force have their place, and benevolence and righteousness have their appointed time. All things in creation follow this pattern — they are beyond the power of any one ruler to fully control. If Your Majesty will hear me out, allow me to speak in full.' Heaven brings forth the five colors so that white may be distinguished from black. Earth produces the five grains so that good may be known from evil. The people knew no way to make such distinctions and were scarcely different from birds and beasts. They dwelt in valleys and sheltered in caves, ignorant of agriculture. Calamity and chaos reigned throughout the world, and yin and yang were thrown into disorder. All was haste and confusion, with everything mingling indiscriminately. Monstrous portents appeared with alarming frequency, and the inherited traditions grew thin and feeble. The sages sorted the living creatures into their proper kinds, ensuring they would not prey upon one another. Beasts, with their males and females, were assigned to the mountains and plains; birds, with their males and females, were dispersed through the forests and marshlands; and shelled creatures were consigned to the streams and valleys. To shepherd the people, the sages built walled cities, laying out neighborhoods and streets within, and establishing field paths and boundaries without. Husbands and wives, men and women, were allotted fields and residences, their dwellings arranged in orderly rows. Registers and records were created, distinguishing each family by name and lineage. Officials were established and clerks appointed, encouraged by ranks and stipends. They clothed the people in silk and hemp and nourished them with the five grains. They plowed the soil, broke the clods, hoed the rows, and cleared the weeds. The mouth could savor what it craved, the eye could behold what it found beautiful, and the body reaped the benefits. Seen in this light, nothing can be accomplished without the exercise of force. Thus it is said: if the farmer does not exert himself, the granaries will stand empty; if the merchant does not exert himself, he will gain no profit; if women do not exert themselves, their cloth and silk will not be fine; if officials do not exert themselves, their authority will not hold; if a general does not exert himself, his soldiers will not follow orders; and if a lord or king does not exert himself, he will pass from the world without leaving a name. Therefore it is said: exertion is the wellspring of all enterprise, the principle underlying all distinction, and the binding thread that holds all things together. Whatever is pursued through effort, there is nothing that cannot be attained. If Your Majesty disagrees, consider this: have you not heard that jade caskets and rare pheasant plumes come from Mount Kunlun; that luminous pearls come from the four seas; that stone is chiseled and clams pried open, and the treasures passed on for sale in the markets; When sages obtain such things, they make them the greatest of treasures. Wherever the greatest treasures reside, there stands the Son of Heaven. If Your Majesty considers this an act of tyranny, it is no worse than prying open clams in the sea; and if Your Majesty considers it an act of force, it is no more than quarrying stone from Mount Kunlun. Those who take such treasures incur no blame, and those who keep them suffer no calamity. Now the tortoise-envoy blundered into a net and was caught by a fisherman. It appeared in a dream and pleaded its own case — this is a treasure of the state. What has Your Majesty to fear?'
17
元王曰：「不然。 寡人聞之，諫者福也，諛者賊也。 人主聽諛，是愚惑也。 雖然，禍不妄至，福不徒來。 天地合氣，以生百財。 陰陽有分，不離四時，十有二月，日至為期。 聖人徹焉，身乃無災。 明王用之，人莫敢欺。 故云福之至也，人自生之； 禍之至也，人自成之。 禍與福同，刑與德雙。 聖人察之，以知吉凶。 桀紂之時，與天爭功，擁遏鬼神，使不得通。 是固已無道矣，諛臣有眾。 桀有諛臣，名曰趙梁。 教為無道，勸以貪狼。 系湯夏臺，殺關龍逢。 左右恐死，偷諛於傍。 國危於累卵，皆曰無傷。 稱樂萬歲，或曰未央。 蔽其耳目，與之詐狂。 湯卒伐桀，身死國亡。 聽其諛臣，身獨受殃。 春秋著之，至今不忘。 紂有諛臣，名為左彊。 誇而目巧，教為象郎。 將至於天，又有玉床。 犀玉之器，象箸而羹。 聖人剖其心，壯士斬其胻。 箕子恐死，被髪佯狂。 殺周太子歷，囚文王昌。 投之石室，將以昔至明。 陰兢活之，與之俱亡。 入於周地，得太公望。 興卒聚兵，與紂相攻。 文王病死，載尸以行。 太子發代將，號為武王。 戰於牧野，破之華山之陽。 紂不勝敗而還走，圍之象郎。 自殺宣室，身死不葬。 頭懸車軫，四馬曳行。 寡人念其如此，腸如涫湯。 是人皆富有天下而貴至天子，然而大傲。 欲無猒時，舉事而喜高，貪很而驕。 不用忠信，聽其諛臣，而為天下笑。 今寡人之邦，居諸侯之閒，曾不如秋毫。 舉事不當，又安亡逃！」
King Yuan replied: 'That is not how I see it. I have heard it said that a man who remonstrates brings fortune, while one who flatters brings ruin. For a ruler to heed flattery is the mark of a fool. Be that as it may, misfortune never comes without cause, nor does fortune arrive without reason. Heaven and earth merge their vital energies to bring forth every manner of wealth. Yin and yang follow their appointed divisions and do not depart from the four seasons. The twelve months take the solstice as their turning point. The sage who thoroughly comprehends these principles keeps himself free from disaster. When an enlightened king applies these principles, no one dares deceive him. Thus it is said: fortune, when it comes, is something a man creates for himself; and misfortune, when it comes, is something a man brings upon himself. Misfortune and fortune are two sides of the same coin, as are punishment and virtue. The sage scrutinizes these to distinguish fortune from misfortune. In the time of Jie and Zhou, they vied with Heaven itself for credit, obstructed the spirits, and barred them from communion with the world. This was already the height of lawlessness, and yet flattering ministers abounded. Jie had a flattering minister by the name of Zhao Liang. Zhao Liang instructed him in lawless ways and encouraged his greed and rapacity. He imprisoned Tang at the Xia Terrace and put Guan Longfeng to death. His attendants, fearing death, furtively offered flattery at his side. The state teetered as precariously as stacked eggs, yet every voice proclaimed that no harm was at hand. They proclaimed joy lasting ten thousand years, declaring that the revelry would never end. They blinded his eyes and stopped his ears, abetting him in deceit and madness. In the end, Tang attacked Jie. Jie perished, and his state was destroyed. By heeding his flattering ministers, he alone bore the calamity. The Spring and Autumn Annals set it all down, and to this day the lesson has not been forgotten. Zhou of Shang had a flattering minister called Zuo Qiang. Boastful and sharp-eyed for contrivance, Zuo Qiang taught Zhou to build the Ivory Gallery. The gallery was to soar to the very heavens, and there was also a bed of jade. There were vessels of rhinoceros horn and jade, and ivory chopsticks for the royal meals. He cut open the heart of a sage and hacked off the shins of a brave man. Jizi feared for his life, so he let down his hair and feigned madness. He killed the Zhou prince Li and imprisoned King Wen, whose personal name was Chang. He cast him into a stone dungeon, keeping him confined from nightfall to dawn. His followers secretly and anxiously kept him alive, and together they escaped. They made their way to the land of Zhou, where they found the Grand Duke Wang — Jiang Ziya. They raised soldiers and mustered an army to wage war against Zhou of Shang. King Wen fell ill and died, but they carried his body with the army as they marched. The crown prince Fa assumed command and was proclaimed King Wu. They clashed at Muye and routed Zhou's forces south of Mount Hua. Zhou was routed and fled back to the capital, where he was besieged at the Ivory Gallery. He took his own life in the Proclamation Chamber. His corpse was left unburied. His severed head was hung from the back of a chariot and dragged through the streets by four horses. When I contemplate such an end, my insides churn as though filled with boiling water. These men all commanded the wealth of the realm and held the supreme rank of the Son of Heaven, yet they were supremely arrogant. Their appetites knew no limit. In all their undertakings they craved grandeur, and they were greedy, ruthless, and proud. They spurned the loyal and trustworthy, heeded their flattering ministers, and became a laughingstock for all under Heaven. My own state, placed as it is among the feudal lords, does not amount to even the tip of an autumn hair in comparison. If I act improperly, where in the world would I escape to!'
18
衛平對曰：「不然。 河雖神賢，不如崑崙之山； 江之源理，不如四海，而人尚奪取其寶，諸侯爭之，兵革為起。 小國見亡，大國危殆，殺人父兄，虜人妻子，殘國滅廟，以爭此寶。 戰攻分爭，是暴彊也。 故云取之以暴彊而治以文理，無逆四時，必親賢士； 與陰陽化，鬼神為使； 通於天地，與之為友。 諸侯賓服，民眾殷喜。 邦家安寧，與世更始。 湯武行之，乃取天子； 春秋著之，以為經紀。 王不自稱湯武，而自比桀紂。 桀紂為暴彊也，固以為常。 桀為瓦室，紂為象郎。 徵絲灼之，務以費（民）［氓］。 賦斂無度，殺戮無方。 殺人六畜，以韋為囊。 囊盛其血，與人縣而射之，與天帝爭彊。 逆亂四時，先百鬼嘗。 諫者輒死，諛者在傍。 聖人伏匿，百姓莫行。 天數枯旱，國多妖祥。 螟蟲歲生，五穀不成。 民不安其處，鬼神不享。 飄風日起，正晝晦冥。 日月并蝕，滅息無光。 列星奔亂，皆絕紀綱。 以是觀之，安得久長！ 雖無湯武，時固當亡。 故湯伐桀，武王剋紂，其時使然。 乃為天子，子孫續世； 終身無咎，後世稱之，至今不已。 是皆當時而行，見事而彊，乃能成其帝王。 今龜，大寶也，為聖人使，傳之賢（士）［王］。 不用手足，雷電將之； 風雨送之，流水行之。 侯王有德，乃得當之。 今王有德而當此寶，恐不敢受； 王若遣之，宋必有咎。 後雖悔之，亦無及已。」
Wei Ping responded: 'That is not how matters stand. Divine and worthy as the Yellow River may be, it does not compare to Mount Kunlun; and the source of the Yangtze does not compare to the four seas. Yet people still seize the treasures from these waters, feudal lords contend for them, and wars erupt as a result. Small states are annihilated, great states thrown into peril. Fathers and brothers are killed, wives and children taken captive, states laid waste and ancestral temples razed to the ground — all in the struggle for these treasures. Warfare, conquest, division, and strife — this is what tyranny and force truly look like. Thus it is said: seize power through force, but govern through culture and principle. Do not defy the rhythm of the four seasons, and always keep worthy men close; move in harmony with the transformations of yin and yang, and let the spirits serve as your agents; commune with heaven and earth, and make them your allies. The feudal lords will pledge their submission, and the people will rejoice. The state will be at peace, and the world will begin anew. Tang and Wu followed this path and thereby won the throne of the Son of Heaven; the Spring and Autumn Annals set it down as a guiding principle for all ages. Yet Your Majesty does not liken yourself to Tang and Wu, but instead compares yourself to Jie and Zhou. The tyranny and brutality of Jie and Zhou were something they regarded as perfectly normal. Jie built a palace of tiles, and Zhou constructed the Ivory Gallery. They levied silk to adorn these extravagances, intent on squandering the people's resources. Taxes were levied without limit, and killing was carried out without restraint. They slaughtered people and livestock alike, using leather to fashion bags. They filled the bags with blood, hung them aloft, and had men shoot arrows at them — vying in arrogance with the Heavenly Emperor himself. They defied the natural order of the four seasons and tasted the offerings before the hundred spirits. Anyone who dared remonstrate was put to death, while flatterers remained ever at their side. Sages went into hiding, and the common people were paralyzed with fear. Heaven visited drought upon the land again and again, and the state was beset with monstrous portents. Crop-devouring insects appeared year after year, and the five grains failed to ripen. The people found no peace in their homes, and the spirits refused their sacrificial offerings. Whirlwinds howled daily, and midday turned dark as night. Both the sun and the moon were eclipsed, extinguished and robbed of all their light. The stars fell from their courses and flew about in disorder, all guiding principles shattered. Seen in this light, how could such a state possibly endure! Even without the advent of Tang and Wu, the time had come for it to perish. And so when Tang overthrew Jie and King Wu vanquished Zhou of Shang, the appointed time had decreed it. They became Sons of Heaven, and their descendants continued the line through the generations; Throughout their lives they suffered no reproach. Posterity has praised them ever since, and the acclaim continues to this day. They all acted at the right moment, seized the opportunity with decisive force, and thereby achieved the rank of emperor and king. This tortoise is a supreme treasure. It serves as an emissary of the sages and is bestowed upon worthy kings. It needs no hands or feet — thunder and lightning escort it; wind and rain convey it, and flowing water bears it on its way. Only a lord or king of true virtue may be deemed worthy to receive it. Your Majesty possesses the virtue to be worthy of this treasure, yet you hesitate and dare not accept; if you release it, the state of Song will surely incur blame. Even should you come to regret it afterward, it will be far too late.'
19
元王大悅而喜。 於是元王向日而謝，再拜而受。 擇日齋戒，甲乙最良。 乃刑白雉，及與驪羊； 以血灌龜，於壇中央。 以刀剝之，身全不傷。 脯酒禮之，橫其腹腸。 荊支卜之，必制其創。 理達於理，文相錯迎。 使工占之，所言盡當。 邦福重寶，聞于傍鄉。 殺牛取帮，被鄭之桐。 草木畢分，化為甲兵。 戰勝攻取，莫如元王。 元王之時，衛平相宋，宋國最彊，龜之力也。
King Yuan was overjoyed. He turned to face the sun, offered thanks, bowed twice, and accepted the tortoise. He chose an auspicious day for fasting and purification — a jia or yi day being the most propitious. He sacrificed a white pheasant and a black sheep; their blood was poured over the tortoise at the center of the altar. With a knife, the shell was removed, yet the body remained whole and unharmed. Dried meat and wine were offered in ritual, and the entrails were laid out. A thorned branch was used for the divination, the incision carefully controlled. The lines of the cracks spread clearly, and the patterns interlocked and answered one another. Skilled diviners were called to interpret the results, and every pronouncement proved correct. The state's good fortune and this precious treasure became renowned throughout the neighboring lands. Oxen were slaughtered for their hides, which were stretched over tong wood from Zheng to make drums and shields. Every kind of wood and plant was allocated and fashioned into armor and weapons. In winning battles and conquering territories, no one could rival King Yuan. In the time of King Yuan, Wei Ping served as chancellor of Song, and Song became the most powerful state of all. This was the power of the tortoise.
20
故云神至能見夢於元王，而不能自出漁者之籠。 身能十言盡當，不能通使於河，還報於江，賢能令人戰勝攻取，不能自解於刀鋒，免剝刺之患。 聖能先知亟見，而不能令衛平無言。 言事百全，至身而攣； 當時不利，又焉事賢！ 賢者有恒常，士有適然。 是故明有所不見，聽有所不聞； 人雖賢，不能左畫方，右畫圓； 日月之明，而時蔽於浮雲。 羿名善射，不如雄渠、蜂門； 禹名為辯智，而不能勝鬼神。 地柱折，天故毋椽，又柰何責人於全？ 孔子聞之曰：「神龜知吉凶，而骨直空枯。 日為德而君於天下，辱於三足之烏。 月為刑而相佐，見食於蝦蟆。 猬辱於鵲，騰蛇之神而殆於即且。 竹外有節理，中直空虛； 松柏為百木長，而守門閭。 日辰不全，故有孤虛。 黃金有疵，白玉有瑕。 事有所疾，亦有所徐。 物有所拘，亦有所據。 罔有所數，亦有所疏。 人有所貴，亦有所不如。 何可而適乎？ 物安可全乎？ 天尚不全，故世為屋，不成三瓦而陳之，以應之天。 天下有階，物不全乃生也。」
Thus it is said: the divine tortoise, for all its power, could appear in King Yuan's dream yet could not free itself from a fisherman's cage. Its every pronouncement was correct, yet it could not complete its mission to the Yellow River and report back to the Yangtze. Its powers could bring men victory in battle and conquest, yet it could not save itself from the blade's edge and escape the peril of being flayed and pierced. Its prescience could foresee events and make itself manifest, yet it could not silence Wei Ping. In pronouncing on the affairs of others it was flawless every time, but when it came to its own fate it was utterly helpless; when the moment turns against you, what good is even the greatest wisdom! The worthy have their constant nature, and even gentlemen are subject to the vagaries of circumstance. And so even sight has its blind spots, and even hearing has its deaf moments; however worthy a person may be, he cannot draw a square with his left hand and a circle with his right simultaneously; the sun and moon shine brilliantly, yet even they are sometimes veiled by drifting clouds. The legendary archer Yi was renowned for his skill, yet even he was surpassed by Xiongqu and Fengmen; Yu was celebrated for his eloquence and wisdom, yet even he could not prevail over the spirits. When the very pillars of the earth have crumbled and the sky itself has no rafters, how can one demand perfection of any creature? When Confucius heard of this, he said: 'The divine tortoise can discern fortune and misfortune, yet in the end its bones are left dry and hollow. The sun reigns in virtue over all under heaven, yet is shamed by the three-legged crow that dwells within it. The moon governs punishment and serves as the sun's companion, yet even it is devoured by the toad. The hedgehog is humbled by the magpie, and the divine soaring serpent meets its peril at the fangs of the centipede. Bamboo has joints and grain on the outside, yet inside it is straight and hollow; the pine and cypress are the noblest of all trees, yet they are posted as sentinels at gates and doorways. The cycle of days and celestial stems is imperfect, and so there are gaps and voids. Even gold has its flaws, and white jade has its blemishes. In the course of events, some things move swiftly and others slowly. All things have their constraints, and all have their supports. A net has its closely woven parts and its loosely woven parts. Every person has qualities in which he excels, and qualities in which he falls short. What in this world can be called entirely fitting? How can anything be made perfect?' Even heaven itself is not perfect. When people build houses, they leave the tiles incomplete — a symbolic gesture to correspond with the imperfection of heaven. All under heaven is graded in degrees. Things come into being precisely because they are not perfect.'
21
褚先生曰：漁者舉網而得神龜，龜自見夢宋元王，元王召博士衛平告以夢龜狀，平運式，定日月，分衡度，視吉凶，占龜與物色同，平諫王留神龜以為國重寶，美矣。 古者筮必稱龜者，以其令名，所從來久矣。 余述而為傳。
Master Chu says: The fisherman hauled up his net and found a divine tortoise. The tortoise appeared of its own accord in King Yuan's dream. King Yuan summoned the Erudite Wei Ping and described the tortoise he had seen. Wei Ping worked his divination board, fixed the positions of the sun and moon, calibrated the balance, examined the signs of fortune and misfortune, and his divination matched the tortoise's appearance exactly. He counseled the king to keep the divine tortoise as a great treasure of state. How admirable! In ancient times, divination always invoked the tortoise, on account of its venerable name — a practice of great antiquity. I have set down this narrative as a treatise.
22
三月二月正月十二月十一月中關內高外下四月首仰足開肣開首俛大五月橫吉首俛大六月七月八月九月十月
Third month, second month, first month, twelfth month, eleventh month: the inner barrier is high and the outer low. Fourth month: head raised, feet spread, belly open, head bowed — greatly auspicious. Fifth month: horizontal — auspicious; head bowed — greatly auspicious. Sixth month, seventh month, eighth month, ninth month, tenth month.
23
卜禁曰：子亥戌不可以卜及殺龜。 日中如食已卜。 暮昏龜之徼也，不可以卜。 庚辛可以殺，及以鉆之。 常以月旦祓龜，先以清水澡之，以卵祓之，乃持龜而遂之，若常以為祖。 人若已卜不中，皆祓之以卵，東向立，灼以荊若剛木，土卵指之者三，持龜以卵周環之，祝曰：「今日吉，謹以粱卵焍黃祓去玉靈之不祥。」 玉靈必信以誠，知萬事之情，辯兆皆可占。 不信不誠，則燒玉靈，揚其灰，以徵后龜。 其卜必北向，龜甲必尺二寸。
The divination prohibitions state: On zi, hai, and xu days, one must not perform divination or kill a tortoise. At midday, divination should be performed as if the meal has ended. Dusk and nightfall mark the tortoise's boundary — divination must not be performed at these times. On geng and xin days, one may kill the tortoise and bore into its shell. On the first day of each month, one should purify the tortoise. First wash it with clean water, then purify it with an egg, then hold the tortoise and proceed — always treating it with the reverence due an ancestor. If a divination has proven inaccurate, one purifies the tortoise with an egg. Stand facing east, scorch it with thorn or hardwood, point the earthen egg at it three times, hold the tortoise and circle the egg around it, and recite: 'Today is auspicious. With grain and deep-yellow egg, I respectfully purify and banish all ill fortune from the Jade Spirit.' The Jade Spirit must be approached with sincerity and trust. It knows the truth of ten thousand affairs, and every crack-omen it produces can be divined. If it proves untrustworthy and is treated without sincerity, then burn the Jade Spirit, scatter its ashes, and summon a new tortoise. Divination must be performed facing north, and the tortoise shell must measure one chi and two cun.
24
卜先以造灼鉆，鉆中已，又灼龜首，各三； 又復灼所鉆中曰正身，灼首曰正足，各三。 即以造三周龜，祝曰：「假之玉靈夫子。 夫子玉靈，荊灼而心，令而先知。 而上行於天，下行於淵，諸靈數，莫如汝信。 今日良日，行一良貞。 某欲卜某，即得而喜，不得而悔。 即得，發鄉我身長大，首足收人皆上偶。 不得，發鄉我身挫折，中外不相應，首足滅去。」
To begin the divination, first use the boring tool to scorch and drill. When the drilling is complete, scorch the head of the tortoise shell — three times each; then scorch again at the center of the drilled spot — this is called 'aligning the body' — and scorch the head — called 'aligning the feet' — three times each. Then circle the tortoise three times with the tool and recite the invocation: 'I call upon you, Master Jade Spirit. Master Jade Spirit, the thorn scorches your heart and grants you foreknowledge. You travel above through the heavens and below through the abyss. Among all spirits, none is as trustworthy as you. Today is an auspicious day. I now perform a propitious divination. So-and-so wishes to divine about such-and-such a matter. If the answer is favorable, there will be joy; if unfavorable, regret. If favorable, let the cracks open toward me, long and wide, with head and feet gathered — all matching symmetrically above. If unfavorable, let the cracks toward me be broken and bent, inner and outer not matching, head and feet vanishing.'
25
靈龜卜祝曰：「假之靈龜，五巫五靈，不如神龜之靈，知人死，知人生。 某身良貞，某欲求某物。 即得也，頭見足發，內外相應； 即不得也，頭仰足肣，內外自垂。 可得占。」
The invocation for the divine tortoise divination runs: 'I call upon the divine tortoise. The five shamans and five spirits cannot match the divine power of the tortoise, which knows the death of men and knows their life. So-and-so's augury is propitious. So-and-so seeks such-and-such. If favorable, the head appears and the feet extend, inner and outer matching; if unfavorable, the head is raised and the feet are drawn in, inner and outer drooping downward. This may be divined.'
26
卜占病者祝曰：「今某病困。 死，首上開，內外交駭，身節折； 不死，首仰足肣。」 卜病者祟曰：「今病有祟無呈，無祟有呈。 兆有中祟有內，外祟有外。」
The invocation for divining on behalf of a sick person runs: 'So-and-so is now gravely ill. If death is indicated, the head of the crack opens upward, inner and outer lines cross in alarm, and the body joints are broken; if the patient will survive, the head is raised and the feet are drawn in.' The invocation for divining whether a patient's illness is caused by a curse runs: 'This illness may have a curse without visible signs, or it may show signs without any curse. If the omen has markings at the center, the curse is internal. If the curse is external, the omen shows it on the outer portion.'
27
卜系者出不出。 不出，橫吉安； 若出，足開首仰有外。
Divination on whether a prisoner will be released. If the prisoner will not be released, the crack is horizontal — auspicious and settled; if the prisoner will be released, the feet spread, the head is raised, and there are external markings.
28
卜求財物，其所當得。 得，首仰足開，內外相應； 即不得，呈兆首仰足肣。
Divination on whether sought-after wealth and goods will be obtained. If the goods will be obtained, the head is raised and the feet spread, inner and outer matching; if not obtained, the omen shows the head raised and the feet drawn in.
29
卜有賣若買臣妾馬牛。 得之，首仰足開，內外相應； 不得，首仰足肣，呈兆若橫吉安。
Divination on selling or buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen. If the transaction will succeed, the head is raised and the feet spread, inner and outer matching; if unsuccessful, the head is raised and the feet are drawn in. The manifest omen may be horizontal — auspicious and settled.
30
卜擊盜聚若干人，在某所，今某將卒若干人，往擊之。 當勝，首仰足開身正，內自橋，外下； 不勝，足肣首仰，身首內下外高。
Divination on attacking a band of brigands — a certain number gathered at a certain place. A certain commander now leads a certain number of soldiers to go and strike them. If victory is indicated, the head is raised, the feet spread, and the body is upright — the inner line arches up while the outer descends; if defeat is indicated, the feet are drawn in, the head raised, and the body and head show the inner line low and the outer high.
31
卜求當行不行。 行，首足開； 不行，足肣首仰，若橫吉安，安不行。
Divination on whether one should set out on a journey or not. If travel is indicated, the head and feet are spread; if one should not travel, the feet are drawn in and the head raised. If the crack is horizontal, auspicious, and settled — 'settled' means do not travel.
32
卜往擊盜，當見不見。 見，首仰足肣有外； 不見，足開首仰。
Divination on whether one will encounter the brigands when setting out to attack them. If the brigands will be encountered, the head is raised, the feet drawn in, with external markings; if they will not be encountered, the feet spread and the head is raised.
33
卜往候盜，見不見。 見，首仰足肣，肣勝有外； 不見，足開首仰。
Divination on whether one will spot the brigands when going to scout for them. If they will be spotted, the head is raised, the feet drawn in — the drawn-in part prevails, with external markings; if they will not be spotted, the feet spread and the head is raised.
34
卜聞盜來不來。 來，外高內下，足肣首仰； 不來，足開首仰，若橫吉安，期之自次。
Divination on whether reported brigands will arrive or not. If they will come, the outer line is high and the inner low, the feet drawn in, and the head raised; if they will not come, the feet spread and the head is raised. If horizontal, auspicious, and settled — expect them to remain where they are.
35
卜遷徙去官不去。 去，足開有肣外首仰； 不去，自去，即足肣，呈兆若橫吉安。
Divination on whether one will be transferred and leave office or remain. If departure is indicated, the feet spread with drawn-in parts on the outer side, and the head is raised; if one will not leave, or will depart voluntarily, the feet are drawn in; the manifest omen is horizontal — auspicious and settled.
36
卜居官尚吉不。 吉，呈兆身正，若橫吉安； 不吉，身節折，首仰足開。
Divination on whether remaining in office will prove auspicious. If auspicious, the manifest omen shows the body upright, or is horizontal — auspicious and settled; if inauspicious, the body joints are broken, the head raised, and the feet spread.
37
卜居室家吉不吉。 吉，呈兆身正，若橫吉安； 不吉，身節折，首仰足開。
Divination on whether dwelling in one's house and home will be auspicious. If auspicious, the manifest omen shows the body upright, or is horizontal — auspicious and settled; if inauspicious, the body joints are broken, the head raised, and the feet spread.
38
卜歲中禾稼孰不孰。 孰，首仰足開，內外自橋外自垂； 不孰，足肣首仰有外。
Divination on whether the grain crops will ripen during the year. If the crops will ripen, the head is raised and feet spread — the inner line arches up while the outer droops; if they will not ripen, the feet are drawn in, the head raised, with external markings.
39
卜歲中民疫不疫。 疫，首仰足肣，身節有彊外； 不疫，身正首仰足開。
Divination on whether an epidemic will strike the people during the year. If an epidemic is indicated, the head is raised, the feet drawn in, and the body joints show rigidity on the outer portion; if no epidemic is indicated, the body is upright, the head raised, and the feet spread.
40
卜歲中有兵無兵。 無兵，呈兆若橫吉安； 有兵，首仰足開，身作外彊情。
Divination on whether there will be war during the year. If no war is indicated, the manifest omen is horizontal — auspicious and settled; If war is indicated, the head is raised, the feet spread, and the body shows a rigid external aspect.
41
卜見貴人吉不吉。 吉，足開首仰，身正，內自橋； 不吉，首仰，身節折，足肣有外，若無漁。
Divination on whether meeting a person of high rank will prove auspicious. If auspicious, the feet spread, the head is raised, the body upright, and the inner line arches up; if inauspicious, the head is raised, the body joints broken, the feet drawn in with external markings, or there is no yield.
42
卜請謁於人得不得。 得，首仰足開，內自橋； 不得，首仰足肣有外。
Divination on whether a petition to another person will be granted. If the petition will be granted, the head is raised, the feet spread, and the inner line arches up; if not granted, the head is raised, the feet drawn in, with external markings.
43
卜追亡人當得不得。 得，首仰足肣，內外相應； 不得，首仰足開，若橫吉安。
Divination on whether a fugitive will be caught. If the fugitive will be caught, the head is raised, the feet drawn in, inner and outer matching; if not caught, the head is raised and the feet spread, or the crack is horizontal — auspicious and settled.
44
卜漁獵得不得。 得，首仰足開，內外相應； 不得，足肣首仰，若橫吉安。
Divination on whether fishing or hunting will yield a catch. If a catch will be made, the head is raised and the feet spread, inner and outer matching; if no catch, the feet are drawn in and the head raised, or the crack is horizontal — auspicious and settled.
45
卜行遇盜不遇。 遇，首仰足開，身節折，外高內下； 不遇，呈兆。
Divination on whether one will encounter brigands while traveling. If brigands will be encountered, the head is raised, the feet spread, the body joints broken, the outer portion high and the inner low; If no brigands will be encountered, the manifest omen appears as normal.
46
卜天雨不雨。 雨，首仰有外，外高內下； 不雨，首仰足開，若橫吉安。
Divination on whether it will rain. If rain is indicated, the head is raised with external markings — the outer portion high and the inner low; if no rain, the head is raised and the feet spread, or the crack is horizontal — auspicious and settled.
47
卜天雨霽不霽。 霽，呈兆足開首仰； 不霽，橫吉。
Divination on whether the rain will clear. If the rain will clear, the manifest omen shows the feet spread and head raised; if the rain will not clear, the crack is horizontal — auspicious.
48
命曰橫吉安。 以占病，病甚者一日不死； 不甚者卜日瘳，不死。 系者重罪不出，輕罪環出； 過一日不出，久毋傷也。 求財物買臣妾馬牛，一日環得； 過一日不得。 行者不行。 來者環至； 過食時不至，不來。 擊盜不行，行不遇； 聞盜不來。 徙官不徙。 居官家室皆吉。 歲稼不孰。 民疾疫無疾。 歲中無兵。 見人行，不行不喜。 請謁人不行不得。 追亡人漁獵不得。 行不遇盜。 雨不雨。 霽不霽。
This crack pattern is termed 'horizontal — auspicious and settled.' When used to divine illness, a seriously ill patient will not die within one day; one whose illness is not serious will recover on the divined day and will not die. For prisoners, those with serious offenses will not be released, while those with minor offenses will soon go free; if after one day there is still no release, the detention will be prolonged but no harm will come. When seeking wealth or buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen, the result will be obtained within one day; beyond one day, the opportunity will be lost. Those who planned to travel will not set out. Those expected to arrive will come shortly; if they have not arrived by mealtime, they will not come. As for attacking brigands: do not go. If one goes, the brigands will not be encountered; reported brigands will not come. As for an official transfer: there will be no transfer. Remaining in office and dwelling at home are both auspicious. The year's grain crops will not ripen. As for epidemic illness among the people: there will be none. There will be no war during the year. As for meeting a person of rank: do not go — no joy will come of it. As for petitioning another: do not go — it will not be granted. Pursuing a fugitive, fishing, or hunting will yield nothing. While traveling, one will not encounter brigands. As for rain: it will not rain. As for clearing: the rain will not clear.
49
命曰呈兆。 病者不死。 系者出。 行者行。 來者來。 市買得。 追亡人得，過一日不得。 問行者不到。
This crack pattern is termed 'manifest omen.' The patient will not die. The prisoner will go free. The traveler will set out on the journey. The awaited person will arrive. Purchases at the market will succeed. A pursued fugitive will be caught, but if not found within one day, the search will fail. As for inquiring about a traveler: the traveler has not yet arrived.
50
命曰柱徹。 卜病不死。 系者出。 行者行。 來者來。 市買不得。 憂者毋憂。 追亡人不得。
This crack pattern is termed 'pillar piercing through.' When divining illness, the patient will not die. The prisoner will go free. The traveler will set out on the journey. The awaited person will arrive. Purchases at the market will not succeed. Those who are worried need not be anxious. The pursuit of a fugitive will not succeed.
51
命曰首仰足肣有內無外。 占病，病甚不死。 系者解。 求財物買臣妾馬牛不得。 行者聞言不行。 來者不來。 聞盜不來。 聞言不至。 徒官聞言不徙。 居官有憂。 居家多災。 歲稼中孰。 民疾疫多病。 歲中有兵，聞言不開。 見貴人吉。 請謁不行，行不得善言。 追亡人不得。 漁獵不得。 行不遇盜。 雨不雨甚。 霽不霽。 故其莫字皆為首備。 問之曰，備者仰也，故定以為仰。 此私記也。
This crack pattern is termed 'head raised, feet drawn in — internal markings present, external absent.' When divining illness, even a seriously ill patient will not die. The prisoner's bonds will be loosened. Seeking wealth or buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen will not succeed. The traveler will receive word and decide not to set out. The awaited person will not arrive. Reported brigands will not come. Despite the reports, they will not arrive. As for an official transfer: despite the report, no transfer will take place. Remaining in office will bring worries. Dwelling at home will bring many calamities. The year's grain harvest will be moderate. There will be much sickness from epidemic illness among the people. There will be war during the year, and despite reports, hostilities will not be resolved. Meeting a person of rank will be auspicious. As for petitioning: do not go. If one does go, no favorable words will be received. The pursuit of a fugitive will not succeed. Fishing or hunting will yield nothing. While traveling, one will not encounter brigands. As for rain: it will not rain heavily. As for clearing: the rain will not clear. Therefore in all these entries, the character for 'evening' is consistently written as 'head prepared.' When asked, the explanation is: 'prepared' means 'raised,' and so it has been established as 'raised.' This is a private notation.
52
命曰首仰足肣有內無外。 占病，病甚不死。 系者不出。 求財買臣妾不得。 行者不行。 來者不來。 擊盜不見。 聞盜來，內自驚，不來。 徙官不徙。 居官家室吉。 歲稼不孰。 民疾疫有病甚。 歲中無兵。 見貴人吉。 請謁追亡人不得。 亡財物，財物不出得。 漁獵不得。 行不遇盜。 雨不雨。 霽不霽。 凶。
This crack pattern is termed 'head raised, feet drawn in — internal markings present, external absent.' When divining illness, even a seriously ill patient will not die. The prisoner will not be released. Seeking wealth or buying servants and concubines will not succeed. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. When attacking brigands, they will not be found. Reports say brigands are coming — there is alarm within, but they will not come. As for an official transfer: there will be none. Remaining in office and dwelling at home will be auspicious. The year's grain crops will not ripen. There will be severe epidemic illness among the people. There will be no war during the year. Meeting a person of rank will be auspicious. Neither a petition nor the pursuit of a fugitive will succeed. As for lost property: it will not be recovered. Fishing or hunting will yield nothing. While traveling, one will not encounter brigands. As for rain: it will not rain. As for clearing: the rain will not clear. This is inauspicious.
53
命曰呈兆首仰足肣。 以占病，不死。 系者未出。 求財物買臣妾馬牛不得。 行不行。 來不來。 擊盜不相見。 聞盜來不來。 徙官不徙。 居官久多憂。 居家室不吉。 歲稼不孰。 民病疫。 歲中毋兵。 見貴人不吉。 請謁不得。 漁獵得少。 行不遇盜。 雨不雨。 霽不霽。 不吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'manifest omen — head raised, feet drawn in.' When used to divine illness, the patient will not die. The prisoner has not yet been released. Seeking wealth or buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen will not succeed. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. When attacking brigands, they will not be found. Reported brigands will not come. As for an official transfer: there will be none. Remaining in office for long will bring many worries. Dwelling at home will be inauspicious. The year's grain crops will not ripen. The people will be struck by epidemic disease. There will be no war during the year. Meeting a person of rank will be inauspicious. A petition will not be granted. Fishing or hunting will yield little. While traveling, one will not encounter brigands. As for rain: it will not rain. As for clearing: the rain will not clear. This is inauspicious.
54
命曰呈兆首仰足開。 以占病，病甐死。 系囚出。 求財物買臣妾馬牛不得。 行者行。 來者來。 擊盜不見盜。 聞盜來不來。 徙官徙。 居官不久。 居家室不吉。 歲稼不孰。 民疾疫有而少。 歲中毋兵。 見貴人不見吉。 請謁追亡人漁獵不得。 行遇盜。 雨不雨。 霽小吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'manifest omen — head raised, feet spread.' When used to divine illness, a seriously ill patient will die. The prisoner will be released. Seeking wealth or buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen will not succeed. The traveler will set out on the journey. The awaited person will arrive. When attacking brigands, the brigands will not be found. Reported brigands will not come. An official transfer will take place. One will not remain in office for long. Dwelling at home will be inauspicious. The year's grain crops will not ripen. There will be some epidemic illness among the people, but only a little. There will be no war during the year. Meeting a person of rank will not prove auspicious. Petitioning, pursuing a fugitive, fishing, and hunting will all fail. While traveling, brigands will be encountered. As for rain: it will not rain. As for clearing: slightly auspicious.
55
命曰首仰足肣。 以占病，不死。 系者久，毋傷也。 求財物買臣妾馬牛不得。 行者不行。 擊盜不行。 來者來。 聞盜來。 徙官聞言不徙。 居家室不吉。 歲稼不孰。 民疾疫少。 歲中毋兵。 見貴人得見。 請謁追亡人漁獵不得。 行遇盜。 雨不雨。 霽不霽。 吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'head raised, feet drawn in.' When used to divine illness, the patient will not die. The prisoner will be detained for a long time, but will come to no harm. Seeking wealth or buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen will not succeed. The traveler will not set out. As for attacking brigands: do not go. The awaited person will arrive. The reported brigands will come. As for an official transfer: despite reports, there will be none. Dwelling at home will be inauspicious. The year's grain crops will not ripen. There will be little epidemic illness among the people. There will be no war during the year. A meeting with a person of rank will succeed. Petitioning, pursuing a fugitive, fishing, and hunting will all fail. While traveling, brigands will be encountered. As for rain: it will not rain. As for clearing: the rain will not clear. This is auspicious.
56
命曰首仰足開有內。 以占病者，死。 系者出。 求財物買臣妾馬牛不得。 行者行。 來者來。 擊盜行不見盜。 聞盜來不來。 徙官徙。 居官不久。 居家室不吉。 歲孰。 民疾疫有而少。 歲中毋兵。 見貴人不吉。 請謁追亡人漁獵不得。 行不遇盜。 雨霽。 霽小吉，不霽吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'head raised, feet spread — internal markings present.' When used to divine illness, the patient will die. The prisoner will go free. Seeking wealth or buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen will not succeed. The traveler will set out on the journey. The awaited person will arrive. When going to attack brigands, the brigands will not be found. Reported brigands will not come. An official transfer will take place. One will not remain in office for long. Dwelling at home will be inauspicious. The year's grain crops will ripen. There will be some epidemic illness among the people, but only a little. There will be no war during the year. Meeting a person of rank will be inauspicious. Petitioning, pursuing a fugitive, fishing, and hunting will all fail. While traveling, one will not encounter brigands. As for rain: the skies will clear. If it clears, slightly auspicious. If it does not clear, auspicious.
57
命曰橫吉內外自橋。 以占病，卜日毋瘳死。 系者毋罪出。 求財物買臣妾馬牛得。 行者行。 來者來。 擊盜合交等。 聞盜來來。 徙官徙。 居家室吉。 歲孰。 民疫無疾。 歲中無兵。 見貴人請謁追亡人漁獵得。 行遇盜。 雨霽，雨霽大吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'horizontal auspicious — inner and outer both arching up.' When used to divine illness, if the patient has not recovered by the divined day, death will follow. The prisoner bears no guilt and will be released. Seeking wealth or buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen will succeed. The traveler will set out on the journey. The awaited person will arrive. When attacking brigands, the forces will clash and the match will be evenly balanced. Reported brigands will indeed come. An official transfer will take place. Dwelling at home will be auspicious. The year's grain crops will ripen. There will be no epidemic illness among the people. There will be no war during the year. Meeting a person of rank, petitioning, pursuing a fugitive, fishing, and hunting will all succeed. While traveling, brigands will be encountered. The rain will clear. When the rain clears, it is greatly auspicious.
58
命曰橫吉內外自吉。 以占病，病者死。 系不出。 求財物買臣妾馬牛追亡人漁獵不得。 行者不來。 擊盜不相見。 聞盜不來。 徙官徙。 居官有憂。 居家室見貴人請謁不吉。 歲稼不孰。 民疾疫。 歲中無兵。 行不遇盜。 雨不雨。 霽不霽。 不吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'horizontal auspicious — inner and outer both auspicious.' When used to divine illness, the patient will die. The prisoner will not be released. Seeking wealth, buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen, pursuing a fugitive, fishing, and hunting will all fail. The traveler will not arrive. When attacking brigands, they will not be found. Reported brigands will not come. An official transfer will take place. Remaining in office will bring worries. Dwelling at home, meeting a person of rank, and petitioning will all be inauspicious. The year's grain crops will not ripen. The people will be struck by epidemic illness. There will be no war during the year. While traveling, one will not encounter brigands. As for rain: it will not rain. As for clearing: the rain will not clear. This is inauspicious.
59
命曰漁人。 以占病者，病者甚，不死。 系者出。 求財物買臣妾馬牛擊盜請謁追亡人漁獵得。 行者行來。 聞盜來不來。 徙官不徒。 居家室吉。 歲稼不孰。 民疾疫。 歲中毋兵。 見貴人吉。 行不遇盜。 雨不雨。 霽不霽。 吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'the fisherman.' When used to divine illness, the illness is severe, but the patient will not die. The prisoner will go free. Seeking wealth, buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen, attacking brigands, petitioning, pursuing a fugitive, fishing, and hunting will all succeed. The traveler will set out and return safely. Reported brigands will not come. As for an official transfer: there will be none. Dwelling at home will be auspicious. The year's grain crops will not ripen. The people will be struck by epidemic illness. There will be no war during the year. Meeting a person of rank will be auspicious. While traveling, one will not encounter brigands. As for rain: it will not rain. As for clearing: the rain will not clear. This is auspicious.
60
命曰首仰足肣內高外下。 以占病，病者甚，不死。 系者不出。 求財物買臣妾馬牛追亡人漁獵得。 行不行。 來者來。 擊盜勝。 徙官不徙。 居官有憂，無傷也。 居家室多憂病。 歲大孰。 民疾疫。 歲中有兵不至。 見貴人請謁不吉。 行遇盜。 雨不雨。 霽不霽。 吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'head raised, feet drawn in — inner portion high, outer portion low.' When used to divine illness, the illness is severe, but the patient will not die. The prisoner will not be released. Seeking wealth, buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen, pursuing a fugitive, fishing, and hunting will all succeed. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will arrive. When attacking brigands, victory will be achieved. As for an official transfer: there will be none. Remaining in office will bring worries, but no real harm. Dwelling at home will bring many worries and illness. The year's harvest will be abundant. The people will be struck by epidemic illness. There will be war during the year, but it will not reach this place. Meeting a person of rank or petitioning will be inauspicious. While traveling, brigands will be encountered. As for rain: it will not rain. As for clearing: the rain will not clear. This is auspicious.
61
命曰橫吉上有仰下有柱。 病久不死。 系者不出。 求財物買臣妾馬牛追亡人漁獵不得。 行不行。 來不來。 擊盜不行，行不見。 聞盜來不來。 徙官不徙。 居家室見貴人吉。 歲大孰。 民疾疫。 歲中毋兵。 行不遇盜。 雨不雨。 霽不霽。 大吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'horizontal auspicious — a raised line above, a pillar below.' The illness will be prolonged, but the patient will survive. The prisoner will not be released. Seeking wealth, buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen, pursuing a fugitive, fishing, and hunting will all fail. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. As for attacking brigands: do not go. If one goes, they will not be found. Reported brigands will not come. As for an official transfer: there will be none. Dwelling at home and meeting a person of rank will both be auspicious. The year's harvest will be abundant. The people will be struck by epidemic illness. There will be no war during the year. While traveling, one will not encounter brigands. As for rain: it will not rain. As for clearing: the rain will not clear. This is greatly auspicious.
62
命曰橫吉榆仰。 以占病，不死。 系者不出。 求財物買臣妾馬牛至不得。 行不行。 來不來。 擊盜不行，行不見。 聞盜來不來。 徙官不徙。 居官家室見貴人吉。 歲孰。 歲中有疾疫，毋兵。 請謁追亡人不得。 漁獵至不得。 行不得。 行不遇盜。 雨霽不霽。 小吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'horizontal auspicious — elm raised.' When used to divine illness, the patient will not die. The prisoner will not be released. Seeking wealth or buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen will ultimately not succeed. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. As for attacking brigands: do not go. If one goes, they will not be found. Reported brigands will not come. As for an official transfer: there will be none. Remaining in office, dwelling at home, and meeting a person of rank will all be auspicious. The year's grain crops will ripen. There will be epidemic illness during the year, but no war. Neither a petition nor the pursuit of a fugitive will succeed. Fishing or hunting will ultimately yield nothing. The journey will not succeed. While traveling, one will not encounter brigands. As for whether the rain will clear: it will not clear. This is slightly auspicious.
63
命曰橫吉下有柱。 以占病，病甚不環有瘳無死。 系者出。 求財物買臣妾馬牛請謁追亡人漁獵不得。 行來不來。 擊盜不合。 聞盜來來。 徙官居官吉，不久。 居家室不吉。 歲不孰。 民毋疾疫。 歲中毋兵。 見貴人吉。 行不遇盜。 雨不雨。 霽。 小吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'horizontal auspicious — a pillar below.' When used to divine illness, even if the illness is severe and does not quickly improve, the patient will eventually recover and will not die. The prisoner will go free. Seeking wealth, buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen, petitioning, pursuing a fugitive, fishing, and hunting will all fail. The traveler who was expected will not arrive. When attacking brigands, the forces will not engage. Reported brigands will indeed come. An official transfer will occur. Remaining in office is auspicious, but will not last long. Dwelling at home will be inauspicious. The year's grain crops will not ripen. There will be no epidemic illness among the people. There will be no war during the year. Meeting a person of rank will be auspicious. While traveling, one will not encounter brigands. As for rain: it will not rain. The skies will clear. This is slightly auspicious.
64
命曰載所。 以占病，環有瘳無死。 系者出。 求財物買臣妾馬牛請謁追亡人漁獵得。 行者行。 來者來。 擊盜相見不相合。 聞盜來來。 徙官徙。 居家室憂。 見貴人吉。 歲孰。 民毋疾疫。 歲中毋兵。 行不遇盜。 雨不雨。 霽霽。 吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'carrying position.' When used to divine illness, the patient will soon recover and will not die. The prisoner will go free. Seeking wealth, buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen, petitioning, pursuing a fugitive, fishing, and hunting will all succeed. The traveler will set out on the journey. The awaited person will arrive. When attacking brigands, the forces will encounter each other but will not engage in battle. Reported brigands will indeed come. An official transfer will take place. Dwelling at home will bring worries. Meeting a person of rank will be auspicious. The year's grain crops will ripen. There will be no epidemic illness among the people. There will be no war during the year. While traveling, one will not encounter brigands. As for rain: it will not rain. As for clearing: the skies will clear. This is auspicious.
65
命曰根格。 以占病者，不死。 系久毋傷。 求財物買臣妾馬牛請謁追亡人漁獵不得。 行不行。 來不來。 擊盜盜行不合。 聞盜不來。 徙官不徙。 居家室吉。 歲稼中。 民疾疫無死。 見貴人不得見。 行不遇盜。 雨不雨。 不吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'root obstruction.' When used to divine illness, the patient will not die. The prisoner will be detained for a long time, but will come to no harm. Seeking wealth, buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen, petitioning, pursuing a fugitive, fishing, and hunting will all fail. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. When attacking brigands, the brigands will move away and the forces will not engage. Reported brigands will not come. As for an official transfer: there will be none. Dwelling at home will be auspicious. The year's grain harvest will be average. There will be epidemic illness among the people, but no deaths. One will seek to meet a person of rank but will not succeed. While traveling, one will not encounter brigands. As for rain: it will not rain. This is inauspicious.
66
命曰首仰足肣外高內下。 卜有憂，無傷也。 行者不來。 病久死。 求財物不得。 見貴人者吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'head raised, feet drawn in — outer portion high, inner portion low.' There will be worries, but no real harm. The traveler will not arrive. If the illness drags on, the patient will die. Seeking wealth or goods will not succeed. Meeting a person of rank will be auspicious.
67
命曰外高內下。 卜病不死，有祟。 市買不得。 居官家室不吉。 行者不行。 來者不來。 系者久毋傷。 吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'outer high, inner low.' When divining illness, the patient will not die, but there is a curse at work. Purchases at the market will not succeed. Remaining in office and dwelling at home will both be inauspicious. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. The prisoner will be detained for a long time, but will come to no harm. This is auspicious.
68
命曰頭見足發有內外相應。 以占病者，起。 系者出。 行者行。 來者來。 求財物得。 吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'head visible, feet extending — inner and outer corresponding.' When used to divine illness, the patient will recover. The prisoner will go free. The traveler will set out on the journey. The awaited person will arrive. Seeking wealth or goods will succeed. This is auspicious.
69
命曰呈兆首仰足開。 以占病，病甚死。 系者出，有憂。 求財物買臣妾馬牛請謁追亡人漁獵不得。 行不行。 來不來。 擊盜不合。 聞盜來來。 徙官居官家室不吉。 歲惡。 民疾疫無死。 歲中毋兵。 見貴人不吉。 行不遇盜。 雨不雨。 霽。 不吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'manifest omen — head raised, feet spread.' When used to divine illness, a seriously ill patient will die. The prisoner will go free, but worries will follow. Seeking wealth, buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen, petitioning, pursuing a fugitive, fishing, and hunting will all fail. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. When attacking brigands, the forces will not engage. Reported brigands will indeed come. An official transfer, remaining in office, and dwelling at home will all be inauspicious. The year will be a bad one. There will be epidemic illness among the people, but no deaths. There will be no war during the year. Meeting a person of rank will be inauspicious. While traveling, one will not encounter brigands. As for rain: it will not rain. The skies will clear. This is inauspicious.
70
命曰呈兆首仰足開外高內下。 以占病，不死，有外祟。 系者出，有憂。 求財物買臣妾馬牛，相見不會。 行行。 來聞言不來。 擊盜勝。 聞盜來不來。 徙官居官家室見貴人不吉。 歲中。 民疾疫有兵。 請謁追亡人漁獵不得。 聞盜遇盜。 雨不雨。 霽。 凶。
This crack pattern is termed 'manifest omen — head raised, feet spread, outer portion high, inner portion low.' When used to divine illness, the patient will not die, but there is an external curse at work. The prisoner will go free, but worries will follow. Seeking wealth or buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen: the parties will meet but fail to reach agreement. The traveler will set out. The awaited person will receive word but will not come. When attacking brigands, victory will be achieved. Reported brigands will not come. An official transfer, remaining in office, dwelling at home, and meeting a person of rank will all be inauspicious. The year's harvest will be average. There will be epidemic illness among the people and there will be war. Petitioning, pursuing a fugitive, fishing, and hunting will all fail. Reports of brigands will prove true — brigands will be encountered. As for rain: it will not rain. The skies will clear. This is inauspicious.
71
命曰首仰足肣身折內外相應。 以占病，病甚不死。 系者久不出。 求財物買臣妾馬牛漁獵不得。 行不行。 來不來。 擊盜有用勝。 聞盜來來。 徙官不徙。 居官家室不吉。 歲不孰。 民疾疫。 歲中。 有兵不至。 見貴人喜。 請謁追亡人不得。 遇盜凶。
This crack pattern is termed 'head raised, feet drawn in, body broken — inner and outer corresponding.' When used to divine illness, even a severely ill patient will not die. The prisoner will be detained for a long time without release. Seeking wealth, buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen, fishing, and hunting will all fail. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. When attacking brigands, a useful victory will be won. Reported brigands will indeed come. As for an official transfer: there will be none. Remaining in office and dwelling at home will both be inauspicious. The year's grain crops will not ripen. The people will be struck by epidemic illness. The year's harvest will be average. There will be war, but it will not reach this place. Meeting a person of rank will bring joy. Neither a petition nor the pursuit of a fugitive will succeed. Encountering brigands will be inauspicious.
72
命曰內格外垂。 行者不行。 來者不來。 病者死。 系者不出。 求財物不得。 見人不見。 大吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'inner obstruction, outer drooping.' The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. The patient will die. The prisoner will not be released. Seeking wealth or goods will not succeed. One will seek a meeting but will not succeed. This is greatly auspicious.
73
命曰橫吉內外相應自橋榆仰上柱足肣。 以占病，病甚不死。 系久，不抵罪。 求財物買臣妾馬牛請謁追亡人漁獵不得。 行不行。 來不來。 居官家室見貴人吉。 徙官不徙。 歲不大孰。 民疾疫有兵。 有兵不會。 行遇盜。 聞言不見。 雨不雨。 霽霽。 大吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'horizontal auspicious — inner and outer corresponding, arching up, elm raised, pillar above, feet drawn in.' When used to divine illness, even a severely ill patient will not die. The prisoner will be detained for a long time, but will not be found guilty. Seeking wealth, buying servants, concubines, horses, or oxen, petitioning, pursuing a fugitive, fishing, and hunting will all fail. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. Remaining in office, dwelling at home, and meeting a person of rank will all be auspicious. As for an official transfer: there will be none. The year's harvest will not be a great one. There will be epidemic illness among the people and there will be war. There will be war, but the armies will not meet in battle. While traveling, brigands will be encountered. Despite reports, the meeting will not take place. As for rain: it will not rain. As for clearing: the skies will clear. This is greatly auspicious.
74
命曰頭仰足肣內外自垂。 卜憂病者甚，不死。 居官不得居。 行者行。 來者不來。 求財物不得。 求人不得。 吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'head raised, feet drawn in — inner and outer both drooping.' When divining about worries and illness, the illness is severe, but the patient will not die. One will not be able to remain in office. The traveler will set out on the journey. The awaited person will not arrive. Seeking wealth or goods will not succeed. Seeking a particular person will not succeed. This is auspicious.
75
命曰橫吉下有柱。 卜來者來。 卜日即不至，未來。 卜病者過一日毋瘳死。 行者不行。 求財物不得。 系者出。
This crack pattern is termed 'horizontal auspicious — a pillar below.' When divining an expected arrival, the person will come. If the person has not arrived by the divined day, they have not yet set out. When divining illness, if the patient has not recovered after one day, death will follow. The traveler will not set out. Seeking wealth or goods will not succeed. The prisoner will go free.
76
命曰橫吉內外自舉。 以占病者，久不死。 系者久不出。 求財物得而少。 行者不行。 來者不來。 見貴人見。 吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'horizontal auspicious — inner and outer both rising.' When used to divine illness, the illness will be prolonged, but the patient will not die. The prisoner will be detained for a long time without release. Seeking wealth or goods will succeed, but the yield will be meager. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. A meeting with a person of rank will succeed. This is auspicious.
77
命曰內高外下疾輕足發。 求財物不得。 行者行。 病者有瘳。 系者不出。 來者來。 見貴人不見。 吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'inner high, outer low — illness light, feet extending.' Seeking wealth or goods will not succeed. The traveler will set out on the journey. The patient will recover. The prisoner will not be released. The awaited person will arrive. One will seek to meet a person of rank but will not succeed. This is auspicious.
78
命曰外格。 求財物不得。 行者不行。 來者不來。 系者不出。 不吉。 病者死。 求財物不得。 見貴人見。 吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'outer obstruction.' Seeking wealth or goods will not succeed. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. The prisoner will not be released. This is inauspicious. The patient will die. Seeking wealth or goods will not succeed. A meeting with a person of rank will succeed. This is auspicious.
79
命曰內自舉外來正足發。 ［行］者行。 來者來。 求財物得。 病者久不死。 系者不出。 見貴人見。 吉。
This crack pattern is termed 'inner self-rising, outer arriving upright — feet extending.' The traveler will set out on the journey. The awaited person will arrive. Seeking wealth or goods will succeed. The illness will be prolonged, but the patient will not die. The prisoner will not be released. A meeting with a person of rank will succeed. This is auspicious.
80
此橫吉上柱外內自舉足肣。 以卜有求得。 病不死。 系者毋傷，未出。 行不行。 來不來。 見人不見。 百事盡吉。
This crack pattern is 'horizontal auspicious — pillar above, outer and inner both rising, feet drawn in.' When used for divination, what is sought will be obtained. The patient will not die. The prisoner will come to no harm, but has not yet been released. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. One will seek a meeting but will not succeed. All one hundred affairs are entirely auspicious.
81
此橫吉上柱外內自舉柱足以作。 以卜有求得。 病死環起。 系留毋傷，環出。 行不行。 來不來。 見人不見。 百事吉。 可以舉兵。
This crack pattern is 'horizontal auspicious — pillar above, outer and inner both rising, pillar at the feet, ready for action.' When used for divination, what is sought will be obtained. The patient will seem to die but will soon revive. The prisoner will be detained but will come to no harm, and will soon be released. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. One will seek a meeting but will not succeed. All affairs are auspicious. It is permissible to mobilize the army.
82
此挺詐有外。 以卜有求不得。 病不死，數起。 系禍罪。 聞言毋傷。 行不行。 來不來。
This crack pattern is 'upright deceit — external markings present.' When used for divination, what is sought will not be obtained. The patient will not die, and the illness will recur but pass each time. The prisoner is held on account of a grave offense. Despite the reports, no harm will come. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive.
83
此挺詐有內。 以卜有求不得。 病不死，數起。 系留禍罪無傷出。 行不行。 來者不來。 見人不見。
This crack pattern is 'upright deceit — internal markings present.' When used for divination, what is sought will not be obtained. The patient will not die, and the illness will recur but pass each time. The prisoner held for a grave offense will come to no harm and will eventually be released. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. One will seek a meeting but will not succeed.
84
此挺詐內外自舉。 以卜有求得。 病不死。 系毋罪。 行行。 來來。 田賈市漁獵盡喜。
This crack pattern is 'upright deceit — inner and outer both rising.' When used for divination, what is sought will be obtained. The patient will not die. The prisoner is without guilt. The traveler will set out. The awaited person will arrive. Farming, trade, market purchases, fishing, and hunting will all bring joy.
85
此狐狢。 以卜有求不得。 病死，難起。 系留毋罪難出。 可居宅。 可娶婦嫁女。 行不行。 來不來。 見人不見。 有憂不憂。
This crack pattern is called 'fox and badger.' When used for divination, what is sought will not be obtained. The patient will die — recovery is unlikely. The prisoner is detained without guilt, but release will be difficult. It is acceptable to dwell in the house. It is acceptable to take a wife or to marry off a daughter. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. One will seek a meeting but will not succeed. Though there may be worries, there is no cause for concern.
86
此狐徹。 以卜有求不得。 病者死。 系留有抵罪。 行不行。 來不來。 見人不見。 言語定。 百事盡不吉。
This crack pattern is called 'fox piercing through.' When used for divination, what is sought will not be obtained. The patient will die. The detained prisoner will be found guilty. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. One will seek a meeting but will not succeed. All matters of speech and agreement are settled. All one hundred affairs are entirely inauspicious.
87
此首俯足肣身節折。 以卜有求不得。 病者死。 系留有罪。 望行者不來。 行行。 來不來。 見人不見。
This crack pattern is 'head bowed, feet drawn in — body joints broken.' When used for divination, what is sought will not be obtained. The patient will die. The detained prisoner will be found guilty. The awaited traveler will not arrive. The traveler will set out. The awaited person will not arrive. One will seek a meeting but will not succeed.
88
此挺內外自垂。 以卜有求不晦。 病不死，難起。 系留毋罪，難出。 行不行。 來不來。 見人不見。 不吉。
This crack pattern is 'upright — inner and outer both drooping.' When used for divination, what is sought will not remain hidden. The patient will not die, but recovery will be difficult. The detained prisoner is without guilt, but release will be difficult. The traveler will not set out. The awaited person will not arrive. One will seek a meeting but will not succeed. This is inauspicious.
89
此橫吉榆仰首俯。 以卜有求難得。 病難起，不死。 系難出，毋傷也。 可居家室，以娶婦嫁女。
This crack pattern is 'horizontal auspicious — elm raised, head bowed.' When used for divination, what is sought will be difficult to obtain. Recovery from illness will be difficult, but the patient will not die. The prisoner's release will be difficult, but no harm will come. It is acceptable to dwell at home, take a wife, or marry off a daughter.
90
此橫吉上柱載正身節折內外自舉。 以卜病者，卜日不死，其一日乃死。
This crack pattern is 'horizontal auspicious — pillar above, carrying upright, body joints broken, inner and outer both rising.' When divining illness, the patient will not die on the divined day, but will die within a day thereafter.
91
此橫吉上柱足肣內自舉外自垂。 以卜病者，卜日不死，其一日乃死。
This crack pattern is 'horizontal auspicious — pillar above, feet drawn in, inner rising, outer drooping.' When divining illness, the patient will not die on the divined day, but will die within a day thereafter.
92
（為人病）首俯足詐有外無內。 病者占龜未已，急死。 卜輕失大，一日不死。
For divining a person's illness: head bowed, feet deceitful — external markings present, internal absent. For the patient, before the divination is even complete, death comes suddenly. If the divination is minor and the larger significance is missed, the patient will not die within one day.
93
首仰足肣。 以卜有求不得。 以系有罪。 人言語恐之毋傷。 行不行。 見人不見。
The crack shows head raised and feet drawn in. When used for divination, what is sought will not be obtained. The detained prisoner will be found guilty. Others' words may cause alarm, but no harm will come of it. The traveler will not set out. One will seek a meeting but will not succeed.
94
大論曰：外者人也，內者自我也； 外者女也，內者男也。 首俛者憂。 大者身也，小者枝也。 大法，病者，足肣者生，足開者死。 行者，足開至，足肣者不至。 行者，足肣不行，足開行。 有求，足開得，足肣者不得。 系者，足肣不出，開出。 其卜病也，足開而死者，內高而外下也。
The Grand Principles state: The outer portion of the crack represents other people, and the inner portion represents oneself; the outer represents the female, and the inner represents the male. When the head of the crack is bowed, it signifies worries. The large portion of the crack represents the body, and the smaller portions represent the branches. The great rule for illness: when the feet are drawn in, the patient will live; when the feet are spread, the patient will die. For expected arrivals: when the feet are spread, the person will arrive; when the feet are drawn in, the person will not. For travelers: when the feet are drawn in, the traveler will not set out; when the feet are spread, the traveler will go. When seeking something: if the feet are spread, it will be obtained; if the feet are drawn in, it will not. For prisoners: when the feet are drawn in, the prisoner will not be released; when spread, the prisoner will go free. When divining illness, if the feet are spread and yet the patient dies, it is because the inner portion is high and the outer portion is low.