五行生旺 Wuxing Growth Cycle

考原曰木長生於亥 火長生於寅 金長生於巳 水長生於申 土亦長生於申寄生於寅各由長生 沐浴 冠帶 臨官 帝旺 衰 病 死 墓 絶 胎 養順歷十二辰蓋天道循環生生不已故木方旺而火已生火方旺而金已生金方旺而水已生水方旺而木已生由長生而順推穉則必壯盛則必衰終而復始迭運不窮此四時之所以錯行五氣之所以順布也至於土生於申而寄生於寅則後天坤艮之位故易於坤曰萬物皆致養焉於艮曰萬物之所成終而所成始也

按五行長生之義考原之說甚明而土之生於寅申則引而未發由今考之水土之同生於申也申為坤坤為地水土所以凝也土之寄生於寅也寅為孟春孟春之月天氣下降地氣上騰天地所以和同草木所以萌動也是故洪範家獨以土生於申為五行之體隂陽選擇諸家皆以土生於寅為五行之用蓋長生在寅則臨官在巳乃為土旺金生與木火水同為一例然則以土為生於寅者所以順五行相生之序固與月令土旺於夏秋之交以順四時相生之序者同出於理之自然而非為臆說也外此又有陽死隂生陽順隂逆之說甲木死於午則乙木生焉丙戊死於酉則丁己生焉庚金死於子則辛金生焉壬水死於卯則癸水生焉由長生而沐浴十二位皆逆轉陽死則隂生隂死則陽生此二氣之分也陽臨官則隂帝旺隂臨官則陽帝旺此四時之會也順逆分合俱極妙理論十干則分隂陽論五行則陽統隂尤天地自然之義故凡言數者皆祖之此吉凶神煞所由起也

五行 _Wuxing	^G0長生_Growth	^G1沐浴_Bathing	^G2冠帶_Dressing	^G3臨官_Enterprise	^G4帝旺_Prosperity	^G5衰_Decline	^G6病_Sickness	^G7死_Death	^G8墓_Tomb	^G9絕_Termination	^G↊胎_Conception	^G↋養_Nurturing
^X0木_WOOD	^E↋亥	^E0子	^E1丑	^E2寅	^E3卯	^E4辰	^E5巳	^E6午	^E7未	^E8申	^E9酉	^E↊戌
^X1火_FIRE	^E2寅	^E3卯	^E4辰	^E5巳	^E6午	^E7未	^E8申	^E9酉	^E↊戌	^E↋亥	^E0子	^E1丑
^X2土_EARTH	^E8申	^E9酉	^E↊戌	^E↋亥	^E0子	^E1丑	^E2寅	^E3卯	^E4辰	^E5巳	^E6午	^E7未
^X3金_METAL	^E5巳	^E6午	^E7未	^E8申	^E9酉	^E↊戌	^E↋亥	^E0子	^E1丑	^E2寅	^E3卯	^E4辰
^X4水_WATER	^E8申	^E9酉	^E↊戌	^E↋亥	^E0子	^E1丑	^E2寅	^E3卯	^E4辰	^E5巳	^E6午	^E7未

天干 _{Heavenly Stem}	^G0長生_Growth	^G1沐浴_Bathing	^G2冠帶_Dressing	^G3臨官_Enterprise	^G4帝旺_Prosperity	^G5衰_Decline	^G6病_Sickness	^G7死_Death	^G8墓_Tomb	^G9絕_Termination	^G↊胎_Conception	^G↋養_Nurturing
^H0甲	^E↋亥	^E0子	^E1丑	^E2寅	^E3卯	^E4辰	^E5巳	^E6午	^E7未	^E8申	^E9酉	^E↊戌
^H1乙	^E6午	^E7未	^E8申	^E9酉	^E↊戌	^E↋亥	^E0子	^E1丑	^E2寅	^E3卯	^E4辰	^E5巳
^H2丙	^E2寅	^E3卯	^E4辰	^E5巳	^E6午	^E7未	^E8申	^E9酉	^E↊戌	^E↋亥	^E0子	^E1丑
^H3丁	^E9酉	^E↊戌	^E↋亥	^E0子	^E1丑	^E2寅	^E3卯	^E4辰	^E5巳	^E6午	^E7未	^E8申
^H4戊	^E2寅	^E3卯	^E4辰	^E5巳	^E6午	^E7未	^E8申	^E9酉	^E↊戌	^E↋亥	^E0子	^E1丑
^H5己	^E9酉	^E↊戌	^E↋亥	^E0子	^E1丑	^E2寅	^E3卯	^E4辰	^E5巳	^E6午	^E7未	^E8申
^H6庚	^E5巳	^E6午	^E7未	^E8申	^E9酉	^E↊戌	^E↋亥	^E0子	^E1丑	^E2寅	^E3卯	^E4辰
^H7辛	^E0子	^E1丑	^E2寅	^E3卯	^E4辰	^E5巳	^E6午	^E7未	^E8申	^E9酉	^E↊戌	^E↋亥
^H8壬	^E8申	^E9酉	^E↊戌	^E↋亥	^E0子	^E1丑	^E2寅	^E3卯	^E4辰	^E5巳	^E6午	^E7未
^H9癸	^E3卯	^E4辰	^E5巳	^E6午	^E7未	^E8申	^E9酉	^E↊戌	^E↋亥	^E0子	^E1丑	^E2寅

Kaoyuan (Investigation of Origins) _ctext states:

㊍_WOOD begins its growth in ^BB亥.
㊋_FIRE begins its growth in ^B2寅.
㊎_METAL begins its growth in ^B5巳.
㊌_WATER begins its growth in ^B8申.
㊏_EARTH also begins its growth in ^E8申 but is adopted growth in ^E2寅.

Each element follows a twelve-stage growth cycle, including:

^G0长生_Growth
^G1沐浴_Bathing
^G2冠带_Dressing
^G3临官_Enterprise
^G4帝旺_Prosperity
^G5衰_Decline
^G6病_Sickness
^G7死_Death
^G8墓_Tomb
^G9绝_Termination
^GA胎_Conception
^GB养_Nurturing

These stages cycle through the twelve Earthly Branches, reflecting the ceaseless rotation and continuity of heavenly processes.

Since the natural order of heaven follows a perpetual cycle of birth and rebirth

when ㊍_WOOD prosper, ㊋_FIRE has already begun to grow
when ㊋_FIRE prosper, ㊎_METAL has already begun to grow
when ㊎_METAL prosper, ㊌_WATER has already begun to grow
when ㊌_WATER prosper, ㊍_WOOD has already begun to grow

This sequence illustrates the principle of growth progressing to maturity, followed by decline, and ultimately returning to renewal. Such alternation underpins the harmonious flow of the four seasons and the smooth distribution of the FIVE-PHASES energies.

Regarding ㊏_EARTH, it is said to grow in ^E8申 and be adopted grow in ^E2寅. This corresponds to the Post Natal positions of ☷_EARTH and ☶_MOUNTAIN. ☷_EARTH in the I Ching is described as “where all things receive nourishment.” ☶_MOUNTAIN is described as “where all things come to completion and begin grow.” These interpretations emphasize ㊏_EARTH role as the foundation of transformation, embodying both the end and the beginning within the endless cycle of creation and decay.