Canon
Yanbo Diaosou Song
Read the original through
阴阳逆顺妙难穷，二至还乡一九宫。
若能了达阴阳理，天地都来一掌中。
轩辕黄帝战蚩尤，涿鹿经今苦未休。
偶梦天神授符诀，登坛致祭谨虔修。
神龙负图出洛水，彩凤衔书碧云里。
因命风后演成文，遁甲奇门从此始。
一千八百当时制，太公测成七十二。
逮于汉代张子房，一十八局为精艺。
先须掌上排九宫，纵横十五图其中。
次将八卦分八节，一气统三为正宗。
阴阳二遁分顺逆，一气三元人莫测。
五日都来接一元，接气超神为准则。
认取九宫为九星，八门又逐九宫行。
九宫逢甲为直符，八门值使自分明。
符上之门为直使，十时一易堪凭据。
值符常遣加时干，值使顺逆遁宫去。
六甲元号六仪名，三奇即是乙丙丁。
阳遁顺仪奇逆布，阴遁逆仪奇顺行。
吉门偶合尔三奇，万事开三万事宜。
更合从旁加检点，馀宫不可有微疵。
三奇得使诚堪使，六甲遇之非小补。
乙逢犬马丙鼠猴，六丁玉女骑龙虎。
又有三奇游六仪，号为玉女守门扉。
若作阴私和合事，从君但向此中推。
天三门兮地四户，问君此法如何处？
天冲小吉与从魁，此是天门私出路。
地户除危定与开，举事皆从此中去。
六合太阴太常君，三辰元是地私门。
更得奇门相照辉，出门百事总欣欣。
天冲天马最为贵，猝然有难宜逃避。
但当乘驭天马行，剑戟如山不足畏。
三为生气五为死，胜在三兮衰在五。
能识游三避五时，造化真机须记取。
就中伏吟最为凶，天蓬加著地天蓬。
天蓬若到天英上，须知即是返吟宫。
八门返伏皆如此，生在生兮死在死。
假令凶宿得奇门，万事皆凶不堪使。
六仪击刑何太凶，甲子值符愁向东。
戌刑未上申刑虎，寅巳辰辰午刑午。
三奇入墓宜细推，甲日那堪入坤宫。
丙奇属火火墓戌，此时诸事不宜为。
更兼乙奇来临六，丁奇临八亦同时。
又有时干入墓宫，课中时下忌相逢。
戊戌壬辰与壬癸，癸未丁丑亦同凶。
五不遇时龙不精，号为日月损光明。
时干来克日干上，甲日须知时忌庚。
奇与门兮共太阴，三般难得共加临。
若还得二亦为吉，举措行藏必遂心。
更得值符值使利，兵家用事最为贵。
常从此地击其冲，百战百胜君须记。
天乙之神所在宫，大将宜居击对冲。
假令值符居离位，天英坐取击天蓬。
甲乙丙丁戊阳时，神人天上报君知。
坐击须凭天上奇，阴时地下亦如之。
若见三奇在五阳，偏宜为客是高强；
忽然逢著五阴位，又宜为主好裁详。
值符前三六合位，太阴之神在前二。
后一宫中为九天，后二之神为九地。
九天之上好扬兵，九地潜藏可立营。
伏兵但向太阴位，若逢六合利逃形。
天地人分三遁名，天遁月精华盖临。
地遁日精紫云蔽，人遁当知是太阴。
生门六丙合六丁，此为天遁自分明。
开门六乙合六己，地遁如斯而已矣。
休门六丁共太阴，欲求人遁无过此。
要知三遁何所宜，藏形遁迹斯为美。
庚为太白丙荧惑，庚丙相加谁会得？
六庚加丙白入荧，六丙加庚荧入白。
白入荧兮贼即来，荧入白兮贼即去。
丙为勃兮庚为格，格则不通勃乱逆。
丙加天乙为伏逆，天乙加丙为飞勃。
庚加日干为伏干，日干加庚飞干格。
加一宫兮战在野，同一宫兮战于国。
庚加值符天乙伏，值符加庚天乙飞。
庚加癸兮为大格，加己为刑最不宜。
加壬之时为上格，又嫌岁月日时逢。
更有一般奇格者，六庚谨勿加三奇。
此时若也行兵去，匹马只轮无返期。
六癸加丁蛇夭矫，六丁加癸雀投江。
六乙加辛龙逃走，六辛加乙虎猖狂。
请观四者是凶神，百事逢之莫措手。
丙加甲兮鸟跌穴，甲加丙兮龙返首。
只此二者是吉神，为事如意十八九。
八门若遇开休生，诸事逢之总趁情。
伤宜捕猎终须获，杜好邀遮及隐形。
景上投书并破阵，惊能擒讼有声名。
若问死门何所主，只宜吊死与行刑。
蓬任冲辅禽阳星，英芮柱心阴宿名。
辅禽心星为上吉，冲任小吉未全亨。
大凶蓬芮不堪使，小凶英柱不精明。
小凶无气变为吉，大凶无气却平平。
吉宿更能逢旺相，万举万全功必成。
若遇休囚并废没，劝君不必走前程。
要识九星配五行，须求八卦考羲经。
坎蓬水星离英火，中宫坤艮土为营。
干兑为金震巽木，旺相休囚看重轻。
与我同行即为相，我生之月诚为旺。
废于父母休于财，囚于鬼兮真不妄。
假令水宿号天蓬，相在初冬与仲冬。
旺于正二休四五，其馀仿此自研穷。
急从神兮缓从门，三五反复天道亨。
十干加符若加错，入墓休囚吉事危。
斗精为使最为贵，起官天乙用无遗。
天目为客地耳主，六甲推合无差理。
劝君莫失此玄机，洞彻九宫辅明主。
宫制其门为迫门，门制其宫是迫雄。
天网四张无路走，一二网底有路通。
三至四宫难回避，八九高张任西东。
节气推移时候定，阴阳顺逆要精通。
三元积数成六纪，天地未成有一理。
请观歌里真妙诀，非是真贤莫相与。
Yin–Yang
Yin and Yang Dun, returning at the solstices
阴阳逆顺妙难穷，二至还乡一九宫。
若能了达阴阳理，天地都来一掌中。
After the winter solstice, Yang Dun runs forward from Kan palace one. After the summer solstice, Yin Dun runs backward from Li palace nine. That is what “return to palaces one and nine” means.
Where the song says Qi Men began
轩辕黄帝战蚩尤，涿鹿经今苦未休。
偶梦天神授符诀，登坛致祭谨虔修。
神龙负图出洛水，彩凤衔书碧云里。
因命风后演成文，遁甲奇门从此始。
The origin is told as the Zhuolu war: a revealed tally, the Luo River chart, a phoenix book, and Feng Hou turning them into writing. Read it as lineage, not as archaeology.
From many ju down to eighteen
一千八百当时制，太公测成七十二。
逮于汉代张子房，一十八局为精艺。
The old count was huge. Taigong reduced it to seventy-two living ju; Zhang Liang to eighteen: nine Yang after winter, nine Yin after summer. That is the ju used now.
Nine palaces in the palm
先须掌上排九宫，纵横十五图其中。
次将八卦分八节，一气统三为正宗。
Lay out the Luo Shu in the palm; every line adds to fifteen. The eight trigrams match the eight nodes, and one qi governs three terms. The upper-yuan ju number is that palace’s Luo Shu number.
Two Dun, jieqi and chaoshen
阴阳二遁分顺逆，一气三元人莫测。
五日都来接一元，接气超神为准则。
Yang Dun seats the six yi forward and the three wonders backward; Yin Dun reverses that. Five days make one yuan. A fu-tou before the term is chaoshen; after it, jieqi.
Duty
Zhi fu and zhi shi
认取九宫为九星，八门又逐九宫行。
九宫逢甲为直符，八门值使自分明。
符上之门为直使，十时一易堪凭据。
值符常遣加时干，值使顺逆遁宫去。
Stars walk the palaces; gates follow. The Jia palace is the duty stem; the gate on it is the duty gate. The stem is placed on the hour stem; the gate then flies with Dun. These two lead the chart.
Wonders
Three wonders and six yi
六甲元号六仪名，三奇即是乙丙丁。
阳遁顺仪奇逆布，阴遁逆仪奇顺行。
The six Jia are the yi; Yi, Bing, and Ding are the wonders. This is how the earth plate is seated, not a first verdict.
Lucky gates meeting wonders
吉门偶合尔三奇，万事开三万事宜。
更合从旁加检点，馀宫不可有微疵。
Open, Rest, or Life meeting a wonder is favorable. Neighboring palaces still have to be clean of Fuyin, Fanyin, punishment, tomb, and gate pressure.
Wonders obtaining the envoy
三奇得使诚堪使，六甲遇之非小补。
乙逢犬马丙鼠猴，六丁玉女骑龙虎。
又有三奇游六仪，号为玉女守门扉。
若作阴私和合事，从君但向此中推。
Yi on Xu/Hai, Bing on Zi/Shen, Ding on Chen/Si is “obtaining the envoy.” A wonder on a yi is the Jade Maiden at the door, used for private and joining matters.
Patterns
Heaven’s three gates and earth’s four doors
天三门兮地四户，问君此法如何处？
天冲小吉与从魁，此是天门私出路。
地户除危定与开，举事皆从此中去。
六合太阴太常君，三辰元是地私门。
Heaven’s gates are Tian Chong, Xiao Ji, and Cong Kui. Earth’s doors are Chu, Wei, Ding, and Kai. Liu He, Tai Yin, and Tai Chang are the private earth doors — times and directions that still have a road.
The Tian Ma direction
更得奇门相照辉，出门百事总欣欣。
天冲天马最为贵，猝然有难宜逃避。
但当乘驭天马行，剑戟如山不足畏。
Tian Ma is the way out in sudden trouble, often read with Tian Chong. It is for leaving, not for standing and fighting.
Wander in three, avoid five
三为生气五为死，胜在三兮衰在五。
能识游三避五时，造化真机须记取。
Palace three is living qi; palace five is dead qi. The duty gate in Zhen is yousan; in the center, bixu. Walk living qi; do not enter the forbidden ground.
Fuyin and Fanyin
就中伏吟最为凶，天蓬加著地天蓬。
天蓬若到天英上，须知即是返吟宫。
八门返伏皆如此，生在生兮死在死。
假令凶宿得奇门，万事皆凶不堪使。
A star sitting on its own house is Fuyin, stuck. Tian Peng on Tian Ying is Fanyin, reversed. Gates follow. Even a lucky pair is unusable there.
Yi punishment
六仪击刑何太凶，甲子值符愁向东。
戌刑未上申刑虎，寅巳辰辰午刑午。
An yi landing in the palace it punishes is jixing. Jiazi duty stem fearing the east is the type case: Zi punishes Mao.
Wonders entering tomb
三奇入墓宜细推，甲日那堪入坤宫。
丙奇属火火墓戌，此时诸事不宜为。
更兼乙奇来临六，丁奇临八亦同时。
Yi tombs in Kun/Wei, Bing in Xu/Qian, Ding in Chou/Gen. Tomb means the qi is shut in; the matter does not issue.
Hour-stem tomb and the unmet hour
又有时干入墓宫，课中时下忌相逢。
戊戌壬辰与壬癸，癸未丁丑亦同凶。
五不遇时龙不精，号为日月损光明。
时干来克日干上，甲日须知时忌庚。
An hour stem in its own tomb, or an hour stem that controls the day stem, is an unmet hour. Jia days fear Geng hours. The song calls this darkened sun and moon.
Wonder, gate, and Tai Yin
奇与门兮共太阴，三般难得共加临。
若还得二亦为吉，举措行藏必遂心。
All three in one palace is rare and good. Two of the three is already favorable. Tai Yin is hidden help, not a loud blessing.
Strike from Tian Yi
更得值符值使利，兵家用事最为贵。
常从此地击其冲，百战百胜君须记。
天乙之神所在宫，大将宜居击对冲。
假令值符居离位，天英坐取击天蓬。
From the duty-stem palace, strike its opposite. If the duty stem sits in Li, Tian Ying strikes Tian Peng. The principal sits with Tian Yi.
Yang hours and yin hours
甲乙丙丁戊阳时，神人天上报君知。
坐击须凭天上奇，阴时地下亦如之。
若见三奇在五阳，偏宜为客是高强；
忽然逢著五阴位，又宜为主好裁详。
Jia through Wu are yang hours: read the heaven-plate wonder, better as guest. Ji through Gui are yin hours: read the earth-plate wonder, better as host.
Nine Heavens, Nine Earths, Tai Yin, Liu He
值符前三六合位，太阴之神在前二。
后一宫中为九天，后二之神为九地。
九天之上好扬兵，九地潜藏可立营。
伏兵但向太阴位，若逢六合利逃形。
Ahead of the duty stem: Tai Yin then Liu He. Behind: Nine Heavens then Nine Earths. Raise in Nine Heavens, hide in Nine Earths, ambush in Tai Yin, slip away in Liu He.
Heaven, earth, and human Dun
天地人分三遁名，天遁月精华盖临。
地遁日精紫云蔽，人遁当知是太阴。
生门六丙合六丁，此为天遁自分明。
开门六乙合六己，地遁如斯而已矣。
休门六丁共太阴，欲求人遁无过此。
要知三遁何所宜，藏形遁迹斯为美。
Heaven Dun is Life with Bing under moonlight. Earth Dun is Open with Yi under sunlight. Human Dun is Rest with Ding and Tai Yin. Their beauty is hiding and passing through, not winning a fight.
White entering fire, fire entering white
庚为太白丙荧惑，庚丙相加谁会得？
六庚加丙白入荧，六丙加庚荧入白。
白入荧兮贼即来，荧入白兮贼即去。
丙为勃兮庚为格，格则不通勃乱逆。
Geng on Bing: the opponent comes. Bing on Geng: the opponent leaves. Bing is Bo, disorder. Geng is Ge, a blocked road.
Fu and fei stems
丙加天乙为伏逆，天乙加丙为飞勃。
庚加日干为伏干，日干加庚飞干格。
加一宫兮战在野，同一宫兮战于国。
Bing on Tian Yi is hidden disorder; Tian Yi on Bing is flying disorder. Geng on the day stem pins the day; the day on Geng is a flying block. Next palace: the matter is outside. Same palace: it is at home.
Great Ge, punishment Ge, upper Ge, wonder Ge
庚加值符天乙伏，值符加庚天乙飞。
庚加癸兮为大格，加己为刑最不宜。
加壬之时为上格，又嫌岁月日时逢。
更有一般奇格者，六庚谨勿加三奇。
此时若也行兵去，匹马只轮无返期。
Geng on Gui is a great block; on Ji, punishment; on Ren, an upper block; on a wonder, a campaign that does not return. Always see whom Geng is sitting on.
The four inauspicious images
六癸加丁蛇夭矫，六丁加癸雀投江。
六乙加辛龙逃走，六辛加乙虎猖狂。
请观四者是凶神，百事逢之莫措手。
Gui on Ding: a writhing snake. Ding on Gui: the sparrow in the river. Yi on Xin: the dragon flees. Xin on Yi: the tiger rages. The song says do not start work on these.
Bird in the nest, dragon turning back
丙加甲兮鸟跌穴，甲加丙兮龙返首。
只此二者是吉神，为事如意十八九。
Bing on Jia and Jia on Bing are the two auspicious images: something finds a nest, or turns back with help. “Eighteen or nineteen” means most of the time, not always.
Gates
What the eight gates govern
八门若遇开休生，诸事逢之总趁情。
伤宜捕猎终须获，杜好邀遮及隐形。
景上投书并破阵，惊能擒讼有声名。
若问死门何所主，只宜吊死与行刑。
Open, Rest, and Life favor acting and settling. Injury is capture. Block is cover. View is petitions and breaking a line. Shock is disputes. Death is mourning and punishment.
Strength
Star luck
蓬任冲辅禽阳星，英芮柱心阴宿名。
辅禽心星为上吉，冲任小吉未全亨。
大凶蓬芮不堪使，小凶英柱不精明。
小凶无气变为吉，大凶无气却平平。
吉宿更能逢旺相，万举万全功必成。
若遇休囚并废没，劝君不必走前程。
Fu, Qin, and Xin are best; Chong and Ren next; Peng and Rui worst; Ying and Zhu lesser harm. A weak lesser-harm star can still be used. A lucky star still needs seasonal strength.
Stars and the five phases
要识九星配五行，须求八卦考羲经。
坎蓬水星离英火，中宫坤艮土为营。
干兑为金震巽木，旺相休囚看重轻。
Peng is water, Ying fire, Rui/Ren/Qin earth, Xin/Zhu metal, Chong/Fu wood. Phase first, then strength.
Same as me is Support
与我同行即为相，我生之月诚为旺。
废于父母休于财，囚于鬼兮真不妄。
假令水宿号天蓬，相在初冬与仲冬。
旺于正二休四五，其馀仿此自研穷。
Month is season, palace is ground. Same phase is Support; the month the star generates is Prosper; parent is Deplete; wealth is Rest; ghost is Confine. Tian Peng prospers in months one and two. Gates ask whether time feeds them; stars ask whether they can act on time and place.
In haste follow the spirit
急从神兮缓从门，三五反复天道亨。
十干加符若加错，入墓休囚吉事危。
斗精为使最为贵，起官天乙用无遗。
天目为客地耳主，六甲推合无差理。
劝君莫失此玄机，洞彻九宫辅明主。
Urgent work follows the spirits; slow work follows the gates. A wrong stem on the duty palace, then tomb or rest, endangers even a lucky matter. Guest is heaven’s eye; host is earth’s ear.
Gate pressure and the heaven net
宫制其门为迫门，门制其宫是迫雄。
天网四张无路走，一二网底有路通。
三至四宫难回避，八九高张任西东。
A palace controlling its gate pins the road. A gate controlling its palace has force. Net low in palaces one and two, hard in three and four, high in eight and nine so you can still pass. The center is a net with no exit.
Terms, three yuan, and the close
节气推移时候定，阴阳顺逆要精通。
三元积数成六纪，天地未成有一理。
请观歌里真妙诀，非是真贤莫相与。
The ju must follow the term, and Yin/Yang Dun must not be mixed. The last lines say the method is for checking a chart, not for hearing as a story.
Questions
Is this a translation, or another method?
It explains what the verses say. Yuan Shen, Yuan Qi, and Fei Fu are not unfolded here and these lines do not replace them.
Why is star strength different from the gates?
The song gives stars “the month I generate is Prosper.” Gates more often use “same as me is Prosper.”
Do I need to memorize the whole song?
No. Read the star, gate, and useful god on the chart first. Come back when you meet the matching lines.