The Mystic Pivot of Earthly Order: A Study on the Ancient Origins of the Six Combinations and Qi Transformations of the Twelve Earthly Branches
This article offers an in-depth investigation into the pre-Qin, high-antiquity origins and inner rationale of the Six Combinations and their Qi transformations among the Twelve Earthly Branches (e.g., Zi-Chou combining to transform into Earth). Through textual examination of the Earthly Branches' origins, their connection with Jupiter's orbital cycle, the correspondences between the twelve months and the twelve sovereign hexagrams, and the spatial positioning of the four Earth-branches at the four inter-cardinal directions, the essay reveals the profound astronomical and yin-yang philosophical underpinnings of the Earthly Branch system as a cornerstone of Chinese metaphysical arts.
Chapter Eight: The Six Combinations, Qi Transformation, and the Study of Musical Pitch-Pipes
Section 1: Overview of the Twelve Pitch-Pipes
The study of ancient musical pitch-pipes is inseparable from astronomical calendrics. The twelve pitch-pipes (lulü) are: Huangzhong (Yellow Bell), Dalü (Great Regulator), Taicou (Great Budding), Jiazhong (Pressed Bell), Guxian (Maiden Purity), Zhonglü (Mean Regulator), Ruibin (Luxuriant Guest), Linzhong (Forest Bell), Yize (Southern Tribunal), Nanlü (Southern Regulator), Wuyi (Without Excess), Yingzhong (Responsive Bell).
The twelve pitch-pipes correspond one-to-one with the twelve Earthly Branches:
| Branch | Pitch-Pipe | Yin/Yang |
|---|---|---|
| Zi | Huangzhong | Yang pitch |
| Chou | Dalü | Yin pitch |
| Yin | Taicou | Yang pitch |
| Mao | Jiazhong | Yin pitch |
| Chen | Guxian | Yang pitch |
| Si | Zhonglü | Yin pitch |
| Wu | Ruibin | Yang pitch |
| Wei | Linzhong | Yin pitch |
| Shen | Yize | Yang pitch |
| You | Nanlü | Yin pitch |
| Xu | Wuyi | Yang pitch |
| Hai | Yingzhong | Yin pitch |
The six yang pitches correspond to the six yang Branches (Zi, Yin, Chen, Wu, Shen, Xu); the six yin pitches to the six yin Branches (Chou, Mao, Si, Wei, You, Hai).
The Lushi Chunqiu, "Chapter on Musical Pitch" (Yinlü Pian), details the generative relationships of the twelve pitches:
"Huangzhong generates Linzhong; Linzhong generates Taicou; Taicou generates Nanlü; Nanlü generates Guxian; Guxian generates Yingzhong; Yingzhong generates Ruibin; Ruibin generates Dalü; Dalü generates Yize; Yize generates Jiazhong; Jiazhong generates Wuyi; Wuyi generates Zhonglü."
This is the "method of thirds" (sanfen sunyi fa): a yang pitch generates a yin pitch downward (reducing by one-third), and a yin pitch generates a yang pitch upward (augmenting by one-third), producing all twelve pitches in succession.
Section 2: The Six Combinations as Reflected in the Pitch-Pipes
Placing the Six Combination pairings within the pitch-pipe system:
- Zi-Chou: Huangzhong (Zi) combines with Dalü (Chou)
- Yin-Hai: Taicou (Yin) combines with Yingzhong (Hai)
- Mao-Xu: Jiazhong (Mao) combines with Wuyi (Xu)
- Chen-You: Guxian (Chen) combines with Nanlü (You)
- Si-Shen: Zhonglü (Si) combines with Yize (Shen)
- Wu-Wei: Ruibin (Wu) combines with Linzhong (Wei)
Every single combination pairs one yang pitch with one yin pitch! This accords perfectly with the principle of yin-yang union -- yang pitches are yang tones, yin pitches are yin tones, and yang and yin tones combine to form harmonious sound.
The Guoyu, "Discourses of Zhou, Part II," records the words of Ling Zhoujiu:
"Now six is the color of the center; therefore it is named Yellow Bell (Huangzhong). It serves to cultivate and nourish the six qi and the nine virtues. From this they are ranked: second is Great Budding (Taicou), which serves metal music to assist yang and release what is stagnant; third is Maiden Purity (Guxian), which serves to cleanse and purify the hundred things, examine the spirits, and receive guests; fourth is Luxuriant Guest (Ruibin), which serves to bring peace and tranquility to spirits and humans, in the offering and exchange of toasts; fifth is Southern Tribunal (Yize), which serves to sing the praises of the nine standards, keeping the people without duality; sixth is Without Excess (Wuyi), which serves to proclaim the illustrious virtue of wise men, showing the people their model and standard."
This passage discusses the functions of the six yang pitches: Huangzhong cultivates the six qi; Taicou assists yang and releases stagnation; Guxian cleanses the hundred things; Ruibin brings peace to spirits and humans; Yize sings the nine standards; Wuyi proclaims the virtue of the wise. Each yang pitch has its specific function, resonating with the qi of Heaven and Earth.
Why do the Six Combination pairings exactly match yang-pitch with yin-pitch$22
The answer lies in the very nature of the pitch-pipes. Yang pitches are yang tones -- clear, bright, ascending. Yin pitches are yin tones -- deep, gentle, descending. Yang tones and yin tones combining produce harmony -- this is the fundamental principle of music.
In astronomical calendrics, yang pitches correspond to months of rising yang qi; yin pitches to months of descending yin qi. The two months of a Six Combination, one yang pitch (yang Branch) and one yin pitch (yin Branch), are like the harmonizing of high and low notes in music -- combining to produce a harmonious sound. This harmonious sound is the musical expression of "qi transformation."
Section 3: Huangzhong and Dalü -- Zi-Chou Transforming into Earth
Huangzhong is the chief of the twelve pitches, corresponding to the Zi-month and the winter solstice. Dalü corresponds to the Chou-month.
The Hanshu, "Treatise on Pitch-Pipes and the Calendar":
"Huangzhong -- 'yellow' is the color of the center; 'bell' means seed (zhong). Heaven's center number is five; five is the count of tones, tones rise to the palace note (gong), and none of the five tones is greater. Earth's center number is six; six is the count of pitches, and pitches number twelve. Six yang make the pitches (lü); six yin make the tones (lü). Pitches serve to govern qi and classify things."
Huangzhong is the chief of yang pitches, its tone the most profound and majestic, like the voice of the Earth itself. Dalü is the chief of yin pitches (by positional order, not generative order), its tone gentle and sustained.
The combination of Huangzhong and Dalü is like the fusion of Earth's yang voice and yin voice -- producing precisely the qi of "Earth." This accords perfectly with Zi-Chou combining to transform into Earth.
What are the characteristics of the combined tone of Huangzhong and Dalü$23
The ancients held that the combined tone of Huangzhong and Dalü is the palace tone (gong) -- the most profound and centered of the five tones. The palace tone corresponds to Earth; this is the basic correspondence between ancient musical theory and the Five Phases. Zi-Chou combining to transform into Earth, at the musical level, manifests as Huangzhong and Dalü combining to produce the palace tone -- the tone of Earth.
Section 4: The Resonance Between Pitch-Pipe Generation and Six Combination Qi Transformation
The generative sequence of the pitch-pipes (Huangzhong -> Linzhong -> Taicou -> Nanlü -> Guxian -> Yingzhong -> Ruibin -> Dalü -> Yize -> Jiazhong -> Wuyi -> Zhonglü), expressed in Earthly Branches:
Zi -> Wei -> Yin -> You -> Chen -> Hai -> Wu -> Chou -> Shen -> Mao -> Xu -> Si
Notable correspondences include:
- Step 10: Mao -> Xu (Jiazhong generates Wuyi upward) -- Mao and Xu are a Six Combination pair! In the pitch-pipe generative chain, Mao directly generates Xu, resonating with their combination relationship.
- Step 4: You -> Chen (Nanlü generates Guxian upward) -- the reverse of the Chen-You combination, also a close link.
These correlations hint at a deeper mathematical structure connecting the Six Combination system and the pitch-pipe generative chain -- a structure likely intimately tied to ancient numerological arts.
Section 5: The Method of Testing Qi and Six Combination Qi Transformation
In antiquity there existed a method of "testing qi" (houqi), using pitch-pipe tubes to detect the rise and fall of terrestrial qi.
The Hanshu, "Treatise on Pitch-Pipes and the Calendar":
"The method of testing qi: construct a room with three layers of walls, doors shut and sealed with daub so that it is perfectly airtight, draped with fine red silk. Within the room, set a wooden bench; for each pitch-pipe one bench, lower on the inside and higher on the outside, oriented by its proper direction. Place the pipe upon it; fill its inner end with reed-catkin ash. Then watch and wait according to the calendar. When the qi arrives, the ash is stirred. When stirred by qi, the ash disperses. When stirred by a person or by wind, the ash clumps."
In this method, pitch-pipes are placed within a sealed chamber, filled with reed-catkin ash. When the qi of a particular solar term arrives, the ash in the corresponding pipe is blown and scattered. For instance, when the qi of the winter solstice arrives, the ash in the Huangzhong pipe moves first.
If this method is indeed effective (as the ancients firmly believed), it demonstrates that the qi of Heaven and Earth does exhibit subtle fluctuations, and these fluctuations resonate with the frequencies of the pitch-pipe tubes. The Six Combinations and Qi Transformation can find explanation within this resonance theory:
- Zi-Chou transforming into Earth: when the qi of the Zi-month's Huangzhong and the Chou-month's Dalü are simultaneously detected in the chamber, their combined resonant frequency is the palace tone -- the tone of Earth.
- By extension, the combined resonant frequencies of all six combination pairs correspond to the tones of the Five Phases (plus Sun and Moon).
Though this remains conjectural, its logic is entirely consistent with the ancient system unifying musical pitch, astronomy, and the Five Phases.