| | 蓍龜: |
天子下至士，皆有蓍龜者，重事決疑，亦不自專。《》曰：「女則有大疑，謀及卿士，謀及庶人，謀及卜筮。」定天下之吉凶，成天下之亹亹者，莫善乎蓍龜。 |
| | From the Son of Heaven down to the scholars, all possess yarrow stalks and tortoise shells; in important matters requiring decisions, they do not act on their own authority. The Book of Documents says: "When you have a great doubt, consult the high officials, consult the common people, and consult divination." That which best determines the auspicious or inauspicious for the world, and completes its orderly progress, is nothing better than yarrow stalks and tortoise shell divination.
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| | 蓍龜: |
《禮三正記》曰：「天子龜長一尺二寸，諸侯一尺，大夫八寸，士六寸。龜陰，故數偶也。天子蓍長九尺，諸侯七尺，大夫五尺，士三尺。蓍陽，故數奇也。」 |
| | The Li Sanzheng Ji says: "The Son of Heaven's tortoise shell is one chi and two cun long; that of the feudal lords, one chi; that of high officials, eight cun; and that of scholars, six cun." The tortoise represents yin, hence its number is even. The Son of Heaven's yarrow stalks are nine chi long; those of the feudal lords, seven chi; those of high officials, five chi; and those of scholars, three chi. The yarrow stalk represents yang, hence its number is odd."
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| | 蓍龜: |
所以先謀及卿士何？先盡人事，念而不能得，思而不能知，然後問於蓍龜。聖人獨見先睹，必問著龜何？示不自專也。或曰：清微無端緒，非聖人所及，聖人亦疑之。《》曰：「女則有疑。」謂武王也。乾草枯骨，眾多非一，獨以灼龜何？此天地之間壽考之物，故問之也。龜之為言久也，蓍之為言耆也，久長意也。龜曰卜、蓍曰筮何？卜，赴也，爆見兆筮也；者信也，見其卦也。《》曰：「」《禮士冠經》曰：「筮於廟門外。」 |
| | Why consult the high officials first? First, human efforts are exhausted; when one reflects but cannot obtain an answer, and thinks deeply yet cannot know, then one consults yarrow stalks and tortoise-shell divination. Why would a sage, who sees things first and foresees them, still have to consult the tortoise shell? To show that he does not act on his own authority. Some say: "The subtle and formless, with no beginning or end, are beyond the reach of a sage; even a sage may have doubts about them." The Book of Documents says: "When you have doubts." This refers to King Wu. Dry grass and brittle bones are numerous and not unique; why then use the burning of a tortoise shell in particular? This is an object among heaven and earth that endures longevity, hence it is consulted. The word "guī" (tortoise) signifies duration; the word "shī" (yarrow stalks) signifies seniority; both convey the meaning of longevity. Why is divination using a tortoise shell called bu and that using yarrow stalks called shi? Bu means to rush forth, as the omen suddenly appears; this is shi. It signifies certainty, for it reveals its hexagram. The Book of Documents says: "Three tortoise shells were divined." The Li Shiguan Jing says: "Divination with yarrow stalks is performed outside the temple gate."
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| | 蓍龜: |
筮畫卦所以必於廟何？托義歸智於先祖至尊，故因先祖而問之也。 |
| | Why must divination by drawing hexagrams necessarily take place at the temple? To entrust the meaning and wisdom to one's most venerated ancestors, therefore consulting them through the ancestors.
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| | 蓍龜: |
卜，春秋何方？以為於西方東面，蓋蓍之處也。卜時西向，己卜退，東向。問蓍於東方面，以少問老之義。 |
| | In which direction did divination (bu) face during the Spring and Autumn period? It was considered to be in the west with the face toward the east, for this is where the yarrow stalks were placed. During divination, one faces west; after completing the divination and stepping back, one turns to face east. Divination with yarrow stalks takes place facing east, signifying the meaning of the young consulting the old.
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| | 蓍龜: |
皮弁素積，求之於質也。《禮》曰：「皮弁素積，筮於廟門之外。」 |
| | The pibian cap and plain robes signify a return to simplicity and purity. The Rites say: "Wearing the pibian cap and plain robes, divination with yarrow stalks was performed outside the temple gate."
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| | 蓍龜: |
或曰：天子占卜九人，諸侯七人，大夫五人，士三人。又《》曰：「」 |
| | Some say: "The Son of Heaven has nine diviners, feudal lords seven, high officials five, and scholars three." Again the Book of Documents says: "When three diviners make a reading, follow the opinion of two."
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| | 蓍龜: |
不見吉凶于蓍，復以卜何？蓍者，陽道多變，變乃成。 |
| | If auspiciousness or inauspiciousness is not evident from the yarrow stalks, why resort to tortoise-shell divination again? The yarrow stalk represents the yang principle, which is full of change; only through transformation does it achieve completion.
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| | 蓍龜: |
龜以荊火灼之何？《禮雜記》曰：「龜，陰之老也。蓍，陽之老也。龍非水不處，龜非火不兆。以陽動陰也。」必以荊者，取其究音也。《禮三正記》曰：「灼龜以荊。」以火動龜，不以水動蓍何？以為嘔則是也。 |
| | Why use Jing fire to burn the tortoise shell? The Li Zaji says: "The tortoise is the old form of yin." Yarrow stalks are the old form of yang. The dragon cannot dwell without water; the tortoise cannot reveal omens without fire. This is to act upon yin with yang." The use of Jing fire is for the sake of its pronunciation, which signifies thoroughness. The Li Sanzheng Ji says: "Burn the tortoise shell with Jing fire." Why use fire to activate the tortoise, but not water to activate the yarrow stalks? It is considered correct that way.
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| | 蓍龜: |
蓍龜敗則埋之何？重之，不欲人襲尊者也。 |
| | Why bury the yarrow stalks and tortoise when they are worn out? It is a sign of respect, to prevent others from imitating those in high status.
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| | 蓍龜: |
《》曰：「凡國之大事，先筮而後卜。凡卜，人君視體，大夫視色，士視墨。」「凡人卜事，視高，揚火以作龜。」「凡取龜用秋時，攻龜用冬時。」 |
| | The Zhou Guan says: "In all major state affairs, yarrow stalk divination (shi) is performed first, followed by tortoise-shell divination (bu)." For tortoise-shell divination (bu), the ruler observes the form, high officials observe the color, and scholars observe the ink marks." "When a person performs divination for an affair, he looks upward, raises the fire to activate the tortoise shell." "Whenever tortoises are taken, it is done in autumn; whenever they are prepared for divination, it is done in winter."
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