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【Monthly Ordinance VI】\n\nIn the first month of spring, the sun is in the constellation of Yingshi; at dusk, the constellation Shen culminates, and at dawn, the constellation Wei culminates. Its days are Jia and Yi. Its sovereign is Taihao, and its deity is Gou Mang. Its creatures are the scaly ones. Its sound is Jue, and its pitch is Dazhong. Its number is eight. Its flavor is sour, and its odor is rank. Its sacrifice is to the door, and the offering is placed before the spleen.\nThe east wind thaws the frozen ground, hibernating insects begin to stir, fish rise to the ice, otters offer fish in sacrifice, and wild geese arrive.\nThe Emperor resides in the left chamber of the Azure Resolve, rides in the phoenix chariot, harnesses the azure dragon, flies the azure banner, wears azure robes, and carries azure jade. He eats wheat and mutton, and his vessels are sparse and penetrating.\nIn this month, the beginning of spring is established. Three days before the beginning of spring, the Grand Astrologer announces to the Emperor: "On such-and-such a day, spring begins, and the virtue of Wood prevails." The Emperor then fasts.\nOn the day of the beginning of spring, the Emperor personally leads the Three Dukes, Nine Ministers, feudal lords, and Doctors to welcome spring at the eastern suburb. Upon returning, he rewards the Dukes, Ministers, feudal lords, and Doctors at court.\nHe orders the Prime Minister to spread virtue and harmonize ordinances, to dispense celebrations and bestow kindness, reaching down to the myriad people. Celebrations and rewards proceed without any impropriety.\nHe then orders the Grand Astrologer to uphold the statutes and observe the laws, to oversee the movements of heaven, sun, moon, and stars, so that their positions and conjunctions are without error, and nothing violates the celestial order, taking the beginning as the constant.\nIn this month, the Emperor, on the first auspicious day, prays to the Supreme Deity for a good harvest. He then selects an auspicious hour, personally carries the plow and share, places them between the guards of his chariot, and leads the Three Dukes, Nine Ministers, feudal lords, and Doctors to personally till the Emperor's field. The Emperor pushes three times, the Three Dukes five times, and the Ministers and feudal lords nine times. Upon returning, he holds a cup in the grand chamber, with the Three Dukes, Nine Ministers, feudal lords, and Doctors all in attendance, and it is called the Wine of Labor.\nIn this month, the weather descends, the earth's vapor rises, heaven and earth are in harmony, and grasses and trees begin to sprout. The King orders the dissemination of farming affairs, commands the field officers to lodge in the eastern suburbs, and all to repair the boundaries and embankments, to carefully survey the hills, slopes, dangerous heights, plains, and lowlands, determining what the land is suitable for, and what the five grains can be planted in, in order to instruct and guide the people, and he must personally attend to it. Once the farming affairs are arranged, standards and measures are first fixed, and the farmers will not be confused.\nIn this month, the Stage Director is ordered to enter the school and practice dances, and to revise the sacrificial statutes. He is ordered to perform sacrifices to mountains, forests, rivers, and marshes, and the victims must not be female.\nChopping wood is forbidden. Do not overturn nests, do not kill young insects, do not harm creatures in the womb or flying birds in the egg, do not take fawns, and do not take eggs. Do not gather great multitudes, do not build walls and fortifications, and cover exposed bones and bury the dead.\nIn this month, one must not raise arms; if arms are raised, calamity will surely follow. Military actions must not arise, and cannot be initiated by us. Do not alter the ways of heaven, do not sever the principles of earth, and do not disturb the order of man.\nIf the ordinances of summer are carried out in the first month of spring, then rain will fall unseasonably, grasses and trees will wither early, and the state will be frequently alarmed. If the ordinances of autumn are carried out, then the people will suffer great pestilence, whirlwinds and torrential rains will arrive together, and weeds and brambles will flourish side by side. If the ordinances of winter are carried out, then floods will cause ruin, frost and snow will fall heavily, and the first sowings will not enter the ground.\n……