The Qing Nang Jing (青囊經) is the foundational pillar of Feng Shui philosophy. Attributed to Huang Shigong (黃石公) , this brief yet profound text establishes the metaphysical framework for all San Yuan and Xuan Kong systems. It provides the logic for how Qi interacts between Heaven and Earth.
Qing Nang Jing (青囊經)
The Yellow Bag Classic: The Origin of Kanyu Cosmology
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The Three Scrolls of Transformation / 三卷化機
1. Upper Scroll: The Beginning (化始)
Explains the origin of Yin and Yang and the cosmic order. It establishes that "Heaven is noble and Earth is humble," and how the primordial Qi (One Qi) flows between them.
Key Concept: Yang Qi originates from the Earth, and Yin Qi responds from Heaven. They are mutually rooted.
一、上卷：化始
闡述陰陽之起源與宇宙秩序。確立了「天尊地卑」及原始一氣在兩者間流動的理法。
核心概念： 陽氣生於地，陰氣應於天。陰陽互根，相互滋育。
2. Middle Scroll: The Mechanism (化機)
Reveals the dynamic interaction between Form (Landforms) and Qi (Energy). It describes how celestial stars correspond to terrestrial mountains and rivers.
Key Concept: "Observe the form to detect the Qi." The land is the visible body of the invisible energy.
二、中卷：化機
揭示形（地理形勢）與氣（能量）之間的動態互動。描述天之星宿如何與地之山川相互對應。
核心概念： 「因形察氣」。大地是無形能量的顯化實體。
3. Lower Scroll: The Completion (化成)
Provides the practical application of the Eight Trigrams and the Six Jia. It explains how to achieve "Storing Wind and Gathering Qi" (Zang Feng Ju Qi).
Key Concept: Aligning human life with the "Virtue of Earth" to achieve harmony with the "Way of Heaven."
三、下卷：化成
提供八卦與六甲的實際應用。解釋如何達到「藏風聚氣」的經典原則。
核心概念： 將人之生活與「地德」對齊，以達到與「天道」的和諧。
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Jiang Dahong's Insight
Jiang Dahong emphasized that the Qing Nang Jing is the root of Xuan Kong . He taught that the "Golden Dragon" mentioned in San Yuan refers to the primordial Yang Qi described in the Upper Scroll. Understanding this text is necessary to distinguish between "Dead" static formulas and "Living" dynamic energy management.
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Famous Verses & Analysis / 經典名句解析
Verse 1: The Cosmological Foundation
"Heaven is exalted, Earth is humble; Yang establishes the Yin position. The one Qi of Heaven and Earth moves in between, transforming above and below."
Analysis: This opening verse establishes the entire cosmological hierarchy. "Exalted" (尊) and "humble" (卑) are not value judgments but structural descriptions — Heaven moves and distributes, Earth receives and manifests. Yang does not simply dominate Yin; it "establishes" (奠) Yin's position, meaning Yang defines where Yin will settle. This is the root principle of Feng Shui site selection: find where the active Yang forces have arranged the passive Yin receptacles.
第一句：宇宙根基
天尊地卑，陽奠陰位。一氣流行於天地之間，上下變化。
Tiān zūn dì bēi, yáng diàn yīn wèi. Yī qì liúxíng yú tiāndì zhī jiān, shàngxià biànhuà.
解析： 此開篇之句確立了整個宇宙的層次結構。「尊」與「卑」非價值判斷，而是結構性的描述——天動而施布，地靜而承受。陽不僅主宰陰，更「奠定」陰之位置，意即陽之力決定陰之所聚。此為風水擇地之根本原則：尋找陽氣安排陰氣匯聚之處。
Verse 2: The Meeting of Yin and Yang
"When Yin and Yang meet properly, fortune and blessings are eternal. When Yin and Yang override each other, disasters follow one upon another."
Analysis: This is the diagnostic key of all Feng Shui practice. "Meet" (相見, xiāng jiàn) implies a harmonious coming-together — mountains embracing water, facing direction complementing the sitting direction. "Override" (相乘, xiāng chéng) implies one force crushing another — steep cliffs into raging torrents, an exposed ridge facing howling winds. The entire art reduces to this single test: are the Yin and Yang forces at this site meeting or clashing?
第二句：陰陽相見之理
陰陽相見，福祿永貞。陰陽相乘，禍咎踵門。
Yīnyáng xiāng jiàn, fúlù yǒng zhēn. Yīnyáng xiāng chéng, huòjiù zhǒng mén.
解析： 此為風水診斷之鑰。「相見」意味和諧交會——山環水抱，向與坐互補。「相乘」意味一方壓制另一方——陡崖直入急流，裸脊面對狂風。整門學問歸結為此一準則：此地之陰陽二氣是相會還是相沖？
Verse 3: Earth's Virtue and Heaven's Light
"Earth's virtue rises upward, Heaven's light descends below. Yin uses Yang to reflect, Yang uses Yin to contain."
Analysis: This passage from the Middle Scroll reveals the dynamic exchange between Heaven and Earth. It is not a one-directional flow — Earth sends its virtue (德, dé) upward while Heaven sends its light (光, guāng) downward. The practitioner must understand this two-way communication: the landscape sends energy toward the sky, and celestial influences (stars, time cycles) descend to shape the land. This is why Xuan Kong integrates both landform and time-based star calculations.
第三句：地德天光
地德上載，天光下臨。陰以陽相，陽以陰含。
Dì dé shàng zài, tiān guāng xià lín. Yīn yǐ yáng xiāng, yáng yǐ yīn hán.
解析： 此中卷之句揭示天地間的動態交流。非單向之流——地德上升，天光下降。修行者須明此雙向溝通：地貌向天發送能量，而天之影響（星辰、時間週期）下降塑造大地。此乃玄空整合形勢與時間飛星推算之根源。
Verse 4: From the Limitless to Form
"From the Limitless comes the Supreme Ultimate; Principle resides in Qi, Qi is contained in Form."
Analysis: This philosophical verse from the Lower Scroll traces the cascade of manifestation: Wuji (無極, the Void) produces Taiji (太極, the Supreme Ultimate), which produces Yin and Yang. The invisible Principle (理, lǐ) dwells within Qi (氣), and Qi is imprisoned within physical Form (形, xíng). For the Feng Shui practitioner, this means: read the Form (what you can see) to understand the Qi (what you can feel) to grasp the Principle (the cosmic pattern). This is the methodology of 觀形察氣 — "observe form, investigate Qi."
第四句：無極而太極
無極而太極也，理寓於氣，氣囿於形。
Wú jí ér tài jí yě, lǐ yù yú qì, qì yóu yú xíng.
解析： 此下卷之哲理名句追溯顯化之次第：無極生太極，太極生陰陽。無形之理（理）寓於氣中，氣則囿於有形之形中。對風水修行者而言：觀形（可見者）以知氣（可感者），知氣以悟理（宇宙法則）。此即「觀形察氣」之法門。
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Practical Application Principles / 實踐應用原則
The Three Levels of Reading a Site
The Qing Nang Jing establishes a three-level methodology that all subsequent Feng Shui systems follow:
- 觀形 (Guān Xíng) — Observe Form: Read the visible landscape. Mountains, water courses, terrain, vegetation. This is the Luan Tou (巒頭) level.
- 察氣 (Chá Qì) — Investigate Qi: Sense and calculate the invisible energy. Use the Luopan compass, flying star charts, and time cycles. This is the Li Qi (理氣) level.
- 悟理 (Wù Lǐ) — Comprehend Principle: Understand the underlying cosmic law connecting Form and Qi. This is the level of mastery — knowing why the rules work, not just that they work.
Key Application: Yin-Yang Site Assessment
When assessing any site using Qing Nang Jing principles, check these fundamental conditions:
- Mountain (陰) + Water (陽) Balance: Is there a proper ratio of solid landmass to water features? Neither should overwhelm the other.
- Stillness (靜) + Movement (動): The sitting direction should be stable and protected (still), while the facing direction should have open, flowing energy (moving).
- Receiving (承) + Distributing (施): Does the site receive Qi from an incoming dragon (mountain range) and distribute it through a proper ming tang (open space in front)?
- Hidden (藏) + Visible (顯): The best sites have hidden depth — the Qi is stored, not exposed. A site that "shows everything" leaks its energy.
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Connection to Xuan Kong Flying Stars / 與玄空飛星之關聯
The Qing Nang Jing provides the philosophical foundation upon which the entire Xuan Kong Flying Stars (玄空飛星) system is built. Understanding this connection is essential for serious practitioners:
| Qing Nang Jing Principle | Chinese | Xuan Kong Application |
|---|---|---|
| Heaven moves, Earth is still | 天動地靜 | Time stars (天盤) rotate through periods; the physical compass (地盤) remains fixed |
| Yang establishes Yin's position | 陽奠陰位 | The facing star (陽, active) determines the quality of the sitting star (陰, receptive) |
| Yin-Yang meet = fortune | 陰陽相見 | Mountain star meets actual mountain, Water star meets actual water = auspicious configuration |
| Yin-Yang clash = disaster | 陰陽相乘 | Mountain star at water position, Water star at mountain = 上山下水 (Uphill-Downwater, inauspicious) |
| Qi is contained in Form | 氣囿於形 | Flying star calculations must be verified against actual landforms — numbers alone are meaningless without form |
| Earth's virtue rises upward | 地德上載 | The site's physical quality affects which stars are activated — a flat site vs. a mountainous site activates different star combinations |
Study Note: Why the Qing Nang Jing Matters for Flying Stars
Many modern Xuan Kong practitioners jump directly to calculating flying star charts without understanding why the system works. The Qing Nang Jing provides the answer: the stars are not arbitrary numbers — they represent the dynamic interplay of Heaven's Qi (time cycles) descending to meet Earth's Form (physical landscape). When Jiang Dahong decoded the Xuan Kong system, he explicitly stated that the Qing Nang Jing was its theoretical root. Without this foundation, practitioners risk becoming "formula followers" rather than true masters of energy management.
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Commentary Traditions / 歷代注疏
The Qing Nang Jing's terse, cryptic language has inspired centuries of commentary. Key commentators include:
- Yang Yunsong (楊筠松, Tang Dynasty): Expanded the Qing Nang Jing's principles into practical manuals — the Tian Yu Jing, Qing Nang Ao Yu, and Han Long Jing can be seen as applied commentaries.
- Jiang Dahong (蔣大鴻, Ming-Qing): Regarded the Qing Nang Jing as the root of his Xuan Kong system. His Qing Nang Ao Yu Zhu (青囊奧語注) cross-references the Qing Nang Jing extensively.
- Zhang Xinyan (張心言, Qing Dynasty): Founder of the Xuan Kong Da Gua school, who drew heavily on the Lower Scroll's discussion of trigrams.
- Shen Zhuren (沈竹礽, late Qing): Interpreted the text through the lens of his Shen-lineage Xuan Kong Flying Stars methodology.
Warning for Students
The Qing Nang Jing is deliberately obscure. Each school of Feng Shui interprets it to support their own methodology. The San Yuan school reads it as supporting time-cycle calculations; the San He school reads it as supporting directional formulas. A sincere student should study the original text alongside multiple commentaries and, most importantly, verify interpretations through field practice.
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📜 The Three-Volume Cosmological Framework
The Qing Nang Jing's structure mirrors the fundamental triad of Chinese cosmology — Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. Each volume provides the theoretical basis for one layer of Feng Shui practice:
Upper Volume: 天 (Tiān, Heaven)
Opening verse: 天尊地卑，阳奠阴位。 (Tiān zūn dì bēi, yáng diàn yīn wèi.)
"Heaven is exalted, Earth is humble; Yang establishes the Yin position."
This volume establishes the cosmological framework: Heaven and Earth interact through Yin and Yang. The movement (动, dòng) of heavenly Qi and the stillness (静, jìng) of earthly form create the conditions for life and fortune. Key principle: 阳以相阴，阴以含阳 — "Yang reflects toward Yin, Yin contains Yang." Nothing is purely one or the other.
Middle Volume: 地 (Dì, Earth)
Opening verse: 地德上载，天光下临。 (Dì dé shàng zài, tiān guāng xià lín.)
"Earth's virtue rises upward, Heaven's light descends below."
This volume addresses the physical landscape — mountains (山, shān), water (水, shuǐ), and their Qi patterns. Mountains (Yin, still) support Yang residents (the living); Water (Yang, moving) governs the orientation of Yin spaces (ancestors). The interaction is always complementary, never parallel.
Lower Volume: 人 (Rén, Humanity)
Opening verse: 无极而太极也，理寓于气，气囿于形。 (Wú jí ér tài jí yě, lǐ yù yú qì, qì yóu yú xíng.)
"From the Limitless comes the Supreme Ultimate; Principle resides in Qi, Qi is contained in Form."
This volume bridges theory and practice: how to apply Heaven's principles and Earth's forms for human benefit. The key method: 观形察气 (guān xíng chá qì) — "observe form, investigate Qi." The practitioner reads the visible landscape (形, xíng) to understand the invisible Qi flow beneath.
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⚖️ Core Theory: Yin-Yang Interaction (陰陽相見)
The Qing Nang Jing's fundamental teaching on Feng Shui outcome can be distilled into a single couplet — arguably the most important verse in the entire Feng Shui canon:
阴阳相见，福禄永贞。
阴阳相乘，祸咎踵门。
Yīnyáng xiāng jiàn, fúlù yǒng zhēn.
Yīnyáng xiāng chéng, huòjiù zhǒng mén.
"When Yin and Yang meet properly, fortune and blessings are eternal.
When Yin and Yang conflict and override each other, disasters follow one upon another."
This verse encodes the entire art of Feng Shui in two lines. Every technique — whether San He water methods, Flying Star charts, or Liu Fa Six Methods — is ultimately a tool for ensuring that:
- Yin and Yang "meet" (相见, xiāng jiàn): Mountains (Yin, solid, still) and water (Yang, moving, open) are present in balanced, harmonious proportion. Dragon and Water are matched. Mountain Stars align with solid landforms; Water Stars face open, moving features.
- Yin and Yang do not "conflict/override" (相乘, xiāng chéng): There is no clash between the site's Yin-Yang profile and its surrounding environment. A site where steep cliffs plunge into raging torrents — or flat plains face dead, stagnant water — produces Sha (煞) Qi because the elements cannot meet, only collide.
Practitioner Application
Before any advanced calculation (star charts, period analysis, date selection), the Qing Nang Jing demands a prior question: Do Yin and Yang meet here? A site where mountains and water balance each other in the landscape is already half-solved. A site where they clash at the fundamental landform level cannot be fully rescued by interior remedies — the root must be addressed first.
This is why Jiang Dahong insisted: "宁可信其有, 不可信其无" — it is better to believe the landform's evidence than to trust stellar calculations alone when they conflict.