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Sanming Tonghui · A Comprehensive Account of the Three Destinies
On the Animal Signs of the Earthly Branches
Read in English. Switch to Original for word notes, or select text to ask a question.
Someone asks: “Why do the earthly branches have animal signs, while the heavenly stems do not?” The answer: “Heavenly stems move and have no fixed image; earthly branches are still and have images. The light and clear are heaven; the heavy and turbid are earth. Within the heavy and turbid there are material things. Thus Zi belongs to Rat, Chou Ox, Yin Tiger, Mao Rabbit, Chen Dragon, Si Snake, Wu Horse, Wei Sheep, Shen Monkey, You Rooster, Xu Dog, and Hai Pig. These twelve signs also divide into odd and even and function through flourishing and decline. The odd are Rat, Tiger, Dragon, Horse, Monkey, and Dog: one belongs to yang, and these six animals' feet are said to be odd. The even are Ox, Rabbit, Snake, Sheep, Rooster, and Pig: two belongs to yin, and these six animals' feet are said to be even. Snake alone has no feet: what meaning is taken? Si as a month is pure yang, and as an hour is spring yang, as printed. Its number is even but its time yang, so Snake images it. Snake is a yin creature. Not using its feet to image Si leaves a doubtful point, also implying reluctance to speak of yin; moreover, there are two-headed snakes. The twelve signs can be checked as the leading animals selected from the thirty-six creatures, with distinctions of yin and yang and odd and even. This is creation's subtlety.”
Yin is Wood and its animal Tiger; Xu Earth and its animal Dog. Chou and Wei are also Earth, their animals Ox and Sheep. Wood overcomes Earth, so Dog, Ox, and Sheep submit to Tiger. Hai is Water and Pig, Si Fire and Snake, Zi Water and Rat, Wu Fire and Horse. Water overcomes Fire, so Pig eats Snake, and Fire is harmed by Water, so Horse eating rat droppings develops abdominal swelling, the author claims. Yet some do not overcome one another. Wu is Horse and Zi Rat, You Rooster and Mao Rabbit. Water overcomes Fire, so why does Rat not chase Horse? Metal overcomes Wood, so why does Rooster not peck Rabbit? Hai is Pig, Wei Sheep, Chou Ox. Earth overcomes Water, so why do Ox and Sheep not kill Pig? Si is Snake and Shen Monkey. Fire overcomes Metal, so why does Snake not eat Monkey? Monkey fears Rat, and Dog bites Monkey. Rat is Water and Monkey Metal: Water does not overcome Metal, so why does Monkey fear Rat? Xu is Earth and Shen Monkey: Earth does not overcome Metal, so why does Monkey fear Dog? The twelve branches' animals correspond still less if mutual conquest is based on energy and nature. In general, blood-bearing creatures subdue one another and even devour one another according to blunt or sharp teeth and weaker or stronger bodily force.
Translator's note: Both the initial odd/even-animal explanation and the subsequent critique of animal behavior are retained. The feet, spring-yang-hour, two-headed-snake, and horse-illness statements are the source's claims, not established zoological or medical findings. The absent full list of thirty-six creatures has not been supplied.
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