天地阴阳生五行，各一其质各一气，质具于地气行天，五行顺布四时序。木火土金
水相生，木土水火金克制，亢害承制制生化，生生化化万物立。
【注】天地既立，而阴阳即在天地之中，阳动而变，阴静而合，生五行也。天一生水，
地六成之；地二生火，天七成之；天三生木，地八成之；地四生金，天九成之；天五生土，
地十成之，是五行各一其质也。东方生木，木之气风；南方生火，火之气热；中央生土，土
之气湿；西方生金，金之气燥；北方生水，水之气寒，是五行各一其气也。在地曰木，在
天曰风；在地曰火，在天曰热；在地曰土，在天曰湿；在地曰金，在天曰燥；在地曰水，在
天曰寒，是五行质具于地，气行于天也。木位东方，风气布春；火位南方，热气布夏；土
位中央四维，湿气布长夏；金位西方，燥气布秋；水位北方，寒气布冬，是五气顺布四
时之序也。即周子曰∶阳变阴合，而生水、火、木、金、土。五气顺布，四时行焉。木生火，
火生土，土生金，金生水，水复生木，是五行相生，主生养万物者也。木克土，土克水，
水克火，火克金，金克木，木复克土，是五行相克，主杀害万物者也。相克则死，相制
则生。木亢害土，土亢害水，水亢害火，火亢害金，金亢害木，此克其所胜者也。然我
之所胜之子，即我之所不胜者也。我畏彼子出救母害，不敢妄行，承受乃制，制则生化，
则各恒其德，而生化万物、无不具也。假如木亢太过，土受害矣，是我胜其我之所胜者
也。土之子金，承而制焉，则我畏我之所不胜，自然承受乃制，制则生化矣。火亢太过，
金受制矣，金之子水，承而制焉。土亢太过，水受制矣，水之子木，承而制焉。金亢太过，
木受制矣，木之子火，承而制焉。水亢太过，火受制矣，火之子土，承而制焉。五行皆若
此也。此所以相生而不害，相制而不克也。而生生化化，万物立命之道，即在于是矣。此
五行生克制化之理，不可不知者也。
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\r五行生克制化图\ps110-4a4.bmp\r
天地之间的阴阳产生了五行，每一行都有其特定的物质属性（质）和运行之气（气）。物质的属性固定于大地，而气的运行则流行于天空。五行顺着顺序分布，对应着春、夏、长夏、秋、冬四个季节的时序。
木、火、土、金、水之间存在着相生的关系；木、土、水、火、金之间存在着相克的关系。当某一行过度亢盛产生危害时，会有相应的制约机制来平衡它，从而维持生化功能的正常运作。通过不断的生成与变化，万物得以确立生命。
【注】天地既然已经形成，阴阳就存在于天地之中。阳主动而发生变化，阴主静而进行结合，由此生成了五行。天一生水，地六成之；地二生火，天七成之；天三生木，地八成之；地四生金，天九成之；天五生土，地十成之。这就是说五行各自拥有独特的物质属性。东方生出木，木的气是风；南方生出火，火的气是热；中央生出土，土的气是湿；西方生出金，金的气是燥；北方生出水，水的气是寒。这就是说五行各自拥有独特的气。在地面上表现为木，在天空中表现为风；在地面上表现为火，在天空中表现为热；在地面上表现为土，在天空中表现为湿；在地面上表现为金，在天空中表现为燥；在地面上表现为水，在天空中表现为寒。这说明五行的物质属性具于地，而气运行于天。木位于东方，风气散布于春季；火位于南方，热气散布于夏季；土位于中央及四维方位，湿气散布于长夏；金位于西方，燥气散布于秋季；水位于北方，寒气散布于冬季。这就是五种气顺次分布在四季时序中的情况。正如周敦颐所说：阳变阴合，而生出水、火、木、金、土。五种气顺次分布，四季便随之运行。木生火，火生土，土生金，金生水，水生木，这是五行的相生关系，主要作用是生养万物。木克土，土克水，水克火，火克金，金克木，这是五行的相克关系，主要作用是制约（杀害）万物。相克则导致死亡，有制约则能生存。木过度亢盛会伤害土，土过度亢盛会伤害水，水过度亢盛会伤害火，火过度亢盛会伤害金，金过度亢盛会伤害木，这是克制其所胜的一行。然而，我所胜的一行的子行，就是我无法战胜的一行。我畏惧它的子行出来救助母亲并施加伤害，所以不敢妄自行事，而是承受其制约，有了制约就能生化，这样各行都能保持其正常的德性，从而生养万物，无所不备。假如木气亢盛太过，土就会受害，这就是我克制了我所胜的行。土的儿子（即金），会承接这一趋势去制约木，于是我畏惧我所不能胜的行（金），自然承受其制约，有了制约就能生化了。火气亢盛太过，金就会受制，金的儿子（即水），会承接这一趋势去制约火。土气亢盛太过，水就会受制，水的儿子（即木），会承接这一趋势去制约土。金气亢盛太过，木就会受制，木的儿子（即火），会承接这一趋势去制约金。水气亢盛太过，火就会受制，火的儿子（即土），会承接这一趋势去制约水。五行都是如此。这就是为什么相生而不互相残害，相制而不互相毁灭的原因。而这种生生不息的变化，正是万物确立生命的道理所在。这五行生克制化的原理，是不可不知道的。
Yin and Yang of Heaven and Earth generate the Five Phases (Wu Xing), each possessing its own distinct material substance (Zhi) and Qi. The material substances are fixed in the Earth, while the Qi circulates in Heaven. The Five Phases distribute in accordance with the sequence of the four seasons. Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water engage in mutual generation; Wood, Earth, Water, Fire, and Metal engage in mutual restriction. When one phase becomes hyperactive and causes harm, a corresponding regulatory mechanism restricts it, thereby maintaining the normal operation of generative and transformative functions. Through continuous generation and transformation, all things establish their lives.
[Note] Once Heaven and Earth are established, Yin and Yang exist within them. Yang is active and undergoes change, while Yin is static and combines, thereby generating the Five Phases. "Heaven generates One with Water, Earth completes it with Six; Earth generates Two with Fire, Heaven completes it with Seven; Heaven generates Three with Wood, Earth completes it with Eight; Earth generates Four with Metal, Heaven completes it with Nine; Heaven generates Five with Earth, Earth completes it with Ten." This indicates that each of the Five Phases has its unique material substance. The East generates Wood, whose Qi is Wind; the South generates Fire, whose Qi is Heat; the Center generates Earth, whose Qi is Dampness; the West generates Metal, whose Qi is Dryness; the North generates Water, whose Qi is Cold. This signifies that each of the Five Phases has its unique Qi. On Earth, there is Wood; in Heaven, there is Wind; on Earth, there is Fire; in Heaven, there is Heat; on Earth, there is Earth; in Heaven, there is Dampness; on Earth, there is Metal; in Heaven, there is Dryness; on Earth, there is Water; in Heaven, there is Cold. This demonstrates that the material substances of the Five Phases reside in the Earth, while their Qi circulates in Heaven. Wood is positioned in the East, with Wind Qi spreading in Spring; Fire is positioned in the South, with Heat Qi spreading in Summer; Earth is positioned in the Center and the four corner directions, with Dampness Qi spreading in Late Summer; Metal is positioned in the West, with Dryness Qi spreading in Autumn; Water is positioned in the North, with Cold Qi spreading in Winter. This describes how the five Qis distribute sequentially according to the order of the four seasons. As Zhou Dunyi stated: "Yang changes and Yin combines, giving rise to Water, Fire, Wood, Metal, and Earth. The five Qis distribute in sequence, and the four seasons proceed accordingly." Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal, Metal generates Water, and Water generates Wood again. This is the mutual generation of the Five Phases, primarily responsible for nourishing all things. Wood restricts Earth, Earth restricts Water, Water restricts Fire, Fire restricts Metal, and Metal restricts Wood. This is the mutual restriction of the Five Phases, primarily responsible for controlling (or suppressing) all things. Mutual restriction leads to death, whereas regulation leads to life. If Wood becomes hyperactive, it harms Earth; if Earth becomes hyperactive, it harms Water; if Water becomes hyperactive, it harms Fire; if Fire becomes hyperactive, it harms Metal; if Metal becomes hyperactive, it harms Wood. This represents restricting the phase that one overcomes. However, the child phase of the phase I overcome is the phase that I cannot overcome. I fear that its child will come to rescue its mother and inflict harm, so I dare not act arbitrarily. Instead, I accept the restriction; once restricted, generation and transformation occur. Thus, each phase maintains its proper virtue, enabling the nourishment of all things without exception. For instance, if Wood Qi is excessively hyperactive, Earth suffers harm. This means I have restricted what I normally overcome. The child of Earth, which is Metal, will承接 (receive/inherit) this trend to restrict Wood. Consequently, I fear the phase I cannot overcome (Metal), naturally accepting its restriction, leading to regulation and subsequent generation/transformation. If Fire Qi is excessively hyperactive, Metal is restricted; the child of Metal, which is Water, will receive this trend to restrict Fire. If Earth Qi is excessively hyperactive, Water is restricted; the child of Water, which is Wood, will receive this trend to restrict Earth. If Metal Qi is excessively hyperactive, Wood is restricted; the child of Wood, which is Fire, will receive this trend to restrict Metal. If Water Qi is excessively hyperactive, Fire is restricted; the child of Fire, which is Earth, will receive this trend to restrict Water. The same applies to all Five Phases. This is why mutual generation does not lead to mutual destruction, and mutual restriction does not lead to mutual annihilation. This endless cycle of generation and transformation is the way in which all things establish their lives. The principles of mutual generation, restriction, and transformation of the Five Phases must be understood.