In ancient times, Emperor Yao commanded Xi He to reverently teach the people how to measure time, so that they might understand the cycles of the seasons and the rhythms of the earth.

粤昔帝堯，命羲和敬授人時，厥民知析因夷隩之節。

Subsequent sages expanded upon this knowledge, applying hard days for external affairs and soft days for internal matters. These principles were recorded in the classics, unchanged through the reigns of a hundred kings.

後聖有作，推而彌廣，至於外事用剛日，内事用柔日，此皆載之經典，百王不易者也。

Later, however, errors crept in, and over time, diviners began to alarm the people with interpretations of fortune and misfortune that defied reason. As noted in Chu Shaosun’s additions to the Records of the Grand Historian, one house declared a day auspicious, another inauspicious; one called it mildly lucky, another gravely unlucky, such contradictions left the people in confusion. Since the time of Emperor Wu of Han, debates over these matters have raged, and thinkers like Xun Yue and Wang Chong dismissed them as lacking any rational foundation, deeming them unworthy of discussion.

厥後濫觴，日以訛謬，術士以吉凶禍福之說震驚朕師，不可方物。如褚少孫補史記所稱，彼家云吉，此家云凶，彼家云小吉，此家云大凶，茫乎不知其畔岸。漢武以來，已如聚訟，而荀悅、王充輩斥為理之所無，弃而勿論者也。

Nevertheless, heaven moves through the seasons by the sun and moon, and humans follow heaven through time. Just as they work by day and rest by night, as do rulers and officials, and work with the sunrise and rest with sunset, as do the common people. To disregard this, it is to lose order, a fault universally understood.

雖然，天以日月行四時，人奉天而時，若嚮明而治，嚮晦而息，后王君公所以奉若天道也，日出而作，日入而息，羣黎百姓所以奉若天道也。否則，不能晨夜，不夙則暮，詩人譏焉，人人所知也。

Thus, in undertaking great affairs or mobilizing large groups, one must align with the five seasons and discern the five directions to harmonize with the nature of heaven and earth. Should we not carefully analyze these subtle and profound principles to their utmost depth? The obscure and superstitious claims of diviners are their own errors, yet this does not warrant discarding all practices, like abandoning food for fear of choking.

然則，舉大事，動大衆，協乎五紀，辨乎五方，以順天地之性，豈無寸分節解，以推極其至精至微之理者歟？其支離蒙昧，拘牽謬悠之說，乃術士之過，而非可因噎而廢食者也。

The Imperial Astronomical Bureau previously produced the Selected Almanac, published in the 22nd year of Kangxi’s reign. It was compiled by astrologers, yet errors accumulated and were perpetuated in practice, often leading to contradictions. Recognizing its flaws, Emperor Kangxi compiled and published the Treatise on Astronomical Principles to address these issues, but he refrained from revising the Bureau’s official text, leaving this task to future generations. Such was the caution of a sage ruler. When informed of these errors, the Bureau’s officials acknowledged the need for revision. Upon their request, I noted that among those who received instruction from my illustrious ancestor, a few—such as Prince Zhuang—still retained some understanding of these matters. If revisions were not made now, future generations might lack the knowledge to undertake them. Thus, I ordered the compilation of a new text to be distributed across the empire. Compared with the old version, many errors were corrected, though customs long practiced could not be entirely removed for the sake of practicality.

欽天監舊有選擇通書，刻於康熙二十二年，其書成於星官之手，因訛襲謬，見之施行，往往舉矛刺盾。皇祖聖祖仁皇帝，知其荒率不可以訓，曾纂為星歷考原一書，刋刻頒行，而未將監本改正，蓋以待夫後人。聖人之心，慎而又慎如此也。以諭監臣，監臣曰，通書之謬，允宜改正。朕因其請，謂及今猶有莊親王等數人，曾經皇祖指授，稍明此理，使此時不加訂正，恐後此益復無可任使。爰命編輯成書，頒布天下。較之舊本，謬說少除，然俗所久沿，則亦不能盡去，便民用也。

This new work is titled The Book of Harmonizing Times and Distinguishing Directions. Its purpose is to respect the cycles of heaven and respect the directions of earth. Everything, the heaven and earth stand as our models. To say that this action leads to fortune, and that action to misfortune, wise people avoid discussing. Yet even so, between reverence and irreverence, fortune and misfortune surely follow. This is the preface.

命名曰，協紀辨方書，夫協紀辨方者，敬天之紀，敬地之方也，一作止，一語默，天地實式臨之，况其大乎！如曰，如是則吉，如是則凶，如是則福，如是則禍，則明者所弗道也。雖然，敬不敬之間，吉凶禍福隨之矣，是為序。

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