General Discussion on the Nayin System

Original Text

尝观《笔谈》论六十甲子纳音，本六十律，旋相为宫，法也。纳音与《易》纳甲同法：乾纳甲、坤纳癸，始于乾而终于坤。纳音始于金，金，乾也，终于土，土，坤也。五行之中，惟有金铸而为器，则音响彰，纳音所以先金。

纳音之法，同类娶妻，隔八生子，律吕相生之法也。甲子，金之仲，同位娶乙丑，隔八下生壬申；金之孟壬申，同位娶癸酉，隔八上生庚辰；金之季庚辰，同位娶辛巳，隔八下生戊子。火之仲戊子，娶乙丑，生丙申；火之孟丙申，娶丁酉，生甲辰；火之季甲辰，娶乙巳，生壬子。木之仲如是左行，至于丁巳，中吕之宫。五音一终，复自甲午金之仲，娶乙未，隔八生壬寅，一如甲子之法，终于癸亥。

自子至于巳为阳，故自黄钟至于仲吕皆下生；自午至于亥为阴，故自林钟至于应钟皆上生。夫上下生者，正谓天气下降，地气上升。数之所合，变之所由出也。乾为天，坤为地，乾坤合而为泰；德为父，红为母，德红合而为东；乾为君，支为臣，干支合而纳音生。是故甲乙为君，子丑为臣，子丑甲乙合而为金。盖五行之在天下，各有气性，有材位，或相济或相克，若成器未成器，旺中受绝，绝中受气，惟相配而取之为不同耳。此金之数之所以难同而又有海中沙中之异。

Interpretation

I once read in *Dream Pool Essays* about the Nayin (the symbolic sounds of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches) of the Sixty Jiazi. It is based on the Sixty Lüs (pitches in ancient Chinese music theory), and the method is to rotate and take each as the Gong (the fundamental pitch). The Nayin follows the same method as the Na Jia (assigning the Heavenly Stems to the hexagrams) in the *Book of Changes*. In the Na Jia, Qian (Heaven) is assigned to Jia and Kun (Earth) is assigned to Gui, starting from Qian and ending with Kun. The Nayin starts with metal. Metal corresponds to Qian, and ends with earth. Earth corresponds to Kun. Among the Five Elements, only metal can be cast into utensils, and then its sound can be clearly heard. That's why the Nayin starts with metal.

The method of the纳音 is as follows: For the same category, one takes a "mate", and every eight positions later, a "child" is produced. This is the method of the mutual generation of the pitches in the system of the twelve pitches. Jiazi represents the middle phase of metal. It takes Yichou in the same position category and eight positions later gives birth to Renshen below. Renshen represents the early phase of metal. It takes Guiyou in the same position category and eight positions later gives birth to Gengchen above. Gengchen represents the late phase of metal. It takes Xinsi in the same position category and eight positions later gives birth to Wuzhi. Wuzhi represents the middle phase of fire. It takes Yichou and gives birth to Bingshen. Bingshen represents the early phase of fire. It takes Dingyou and gives birth to Jiachen. Jiachen represents the late phase of fire. It takes Yisi and gives birth to Renzi. For the middle phase of wood, it proceeds in the same way to the left until it reaches Dingsi, which is the pitch of Zhonglü. After one cycle of the five tones, it starts again from Jiashen, the middle phase of metal. It takes Yiwèi and eight positions later gives birth to Renyin, following the same method as that of Jiazi, and ends with Guihai.

From the first earthly branch (Zi) to the sixth (Si) is considered yang. Therefore, from the fundamental pitch (Huangzhong) to the sixth pitch (Zhonglü), the pitches are all produced by the downward generation method. From the seventh earthly branch (Wu) to the twelfth (Hai) is considered yin. So, from the fifth pitch (Linzhong) to the twelfth pitch (Yingzhong), the pitches are all produced by the upward generation method. The so - called upward and downward generation methods actually refer to the descent of celestial qi and the ascent of terrestrial qi. The combination of numbers is the origin of changes. Qian represents the sky, Kun represents the earth, and the combination of Qian and Kun forms the hexagram Tai. Virtue is like the father, and the color red is like the mother, and their combination forms the east. Qian represents the ruler, and the earthly branches represent the ministers. The combination of the heavenly stems and earthly branches gives rise to the纳音 (a system in traditional Chinese music and cosmology). Therefore, the heavenly stems Jia and Yi are like rulers, and the earthly branches Zi and Chou are like ministers. The combination of Zi, Chou, Jia, and Yi results in the element of metal. In the world, the five elements each have their own qi natures, positions, and capabilities. They may either assist or counteract each other. Whether an object is formed or not, whether it is prosperous and then declines, or declines and then receives qi, it all depends on the combination, and the results are different. This is why the numbers related to metal are difficult to be the same, and there are differences such as metal in the sea and metal in the sand.