Yu sui zhen jing

Yu sui zhen jing is a book on feng shui astrology, compiled by Zhang Dongxuan and annotated by Liu Yunzhong of the Song dynasty. The National Central Library copy is a Ming edition, printed in the 29th year of the reign of Emperor Jiajing (1550) in Fuzhou, in 32 volumes. At the head of the work is the preface written by Zhang Jing (dated 1550). At the end of the work is a note in red ink indicating that "from here the leaves are missing." It also has several prefaces. One (dated 1592) was written by He Jigao, prefect of Fuzhou; another is the overall preface to the work. The original prefaces by Liu Yunzhong (dated 1136) and Cai Jitong (dated to the Shaoxi reign, 1190--94) are attached at the end. The work is comprised of 30 essays, with a handwritten biography of Cai Shen (1167--1230) of the Southern Song, and 18 appended essays with a separate preface by Lu Xiwei. Also included are two other works, Yu sui ben yuan (The principle of chalcedony scriptures) and Yu sui mi chuan (Secret formula of chalcedony scriptures), each in three juan, and each with a table of contents and annotations by Liu Yunzhong and Cai Jitong. Throughout the work, punctuation, corrections in red ink, and notes on the tops of pages are provided. A note at the end indicates that it was edited and printed in the Fuzhou Prefecture. Yu sui zhen jing discusses in detail the science of geomancy, or divination using the laws of heaven and earth, mountains and waters, and the five elements to predict good and bad things. The work is 22.2 centimeters high and 15.1 centimeters wide, with each single page having ten columns. The first 12 leaves of juan three are handwritten supplements. There are three square-shaped seal impressions, two in red and one in white. One is the official seal of the National Central Library; the others belong to Chen Yu.