cd08

But/cc ,/, again/rb ,/, we/ppss have/hv no/at real/jj evidence/nn on/in this/dt from/in that/dt quarter/nn until/in the/at close/nn of/in the/at ninth/od century/nn A.D./rb ,/, when/wrb an/at Arabic/jj scholar/nn ,/, Tabit/np Ibn/np Korra/np (/( 836-901/cd )/) is/bez said/vbn to/to have/hv discussed/vbn the/at magic/jj square/nn of/in three/cd ./.
Thus/rb ,/, while/cs it/pps remains/vbz possible/jj that/cs the/at Babylonians/nps and/or/cc the/at Pythagoreans/nps may/md perhaps/rb have/hv had/hvn the/at magic/jj square/nn of/in three/cd before/cs the/at Chinese/nps did/dod ,/, more/ql definite/jj evidence/nn will/md have/hv to/to turn/vb up/rp from/in the/at Middle/jj-tl East/nr-tl or/cc the/at Classical/jj-tl World/nn-tl before/cs China/np can/md lose/vb her/pp$ claim/nn to/in the/at earliest/jjt known/vbn magic/jj square/nn by/in more/ap than/in a/at thousand/cd years/nns ./.



2/cd-hl ./.-hl
The/at-hl ``/`` Lo/np-hl Shu/np-hl ''/'' square/nn-hl as/cs-hl an/at-hl expression/nn-hl of/in-hl centrality/nn-hl 
The/at concept/nn of/in the/at Middle/jj-tl Kingdom/nn-tl at/in peace/nn ,/, strong/jj and/cc united/vbn under/in a/at forceful/jj ruler/nn ,/, which/wdt had/hvd been/ben only/rb a/at longed-for/jj ideal/nn in/in the/at time/nn of/in the/at Warring/vbg-tl States/nns-tl ,/, was/bedz finally/rb realized/vbn by/in the/at establishment/nn of/in a/at Chinese/jj-tl Empire/nn-tl under/in the/at Ch'in/np dynasty/nn (/( 221-207/cd B.C./np )/) ./.
But/cc this/dt was/bedz only/rb accomplished/vbn by/in excessive/jj cruelty/nn and/cc extremes/nns of/in totalitarian/jj despotism/nn ./.
Among/in the/at many/ap severe/jj measures/nns taken/vbn by/in the/at First/od-tl Emperor/nn-tl ,/, Shih/np Huang-ti/np ,/, in/in his/pp$ efforts/nns to/to insure/vb the/at continuation/nn of/in this/dt hard-won/jj national/jj unity/nn ,/, was/bedz the/at burning/nn of/in the/at books/nns in/in 213/cd B.C./np ,/, with/in the/at expressed/vbn intention/nn of/in removing/vbg possible/jj sources/nns for/in divergent/jj thinking/nn ;/. ;/.
but/cc ,/, as/cs he/pps had/hvd a/at special/jj fondness/nn for/in magic/nn and/cc divination/nn ,/, he/pps ordered/vbd that/cs books/nns on/in these/dts subjects/nns should/md be/be spared/vbn ./.
Many/ap of/in the/at latter/ap were/bed destroyed/vbn in/in their/pp$ turn/nn ,/, during/in the/at burning/nn of/in the/at vast/jj Ch'in/np palace/nn some/rb ten/cd years/nns later/rbr ;/. ;/.
yet/cc some/dti must/md have/hv survived/vbn ,/, because/cs the/at old/jj interest/nn in/in number/nn symbolism/nn ,/, divination/nn ,/, and/cc magic/nn persisted/vbd on/rp into/in the/at Han/np dynasty/nn ,/, which/wdt succeeded/vbd in/in reuniting/vbg China/np and/cc keeping/vbg it/ppo together/rb for/in a/at longer/jjr period/nn (/( from/in 202/cd B.C./np to/in A.D./rb 220/cd )/) ./.
In/in fact/nn ,/, during/in the/at first/od century/nn B.C./np ,/, an/at extensive/jj literature/nn sprang/vbd up/rp devoted/vbn to/in these/dts subjects/nns ,/, finding/vbg its/pp$ typical/jj expression/nn in/in the/at so-called/jj ``/`` wei/fw-nn books/nns ''/'' ,/, a/at number/nn of/in which/wdt were/bed specifically/rb devoted/vbn to/in the/at Lo/np Shu/np and/cc related/vbn numerical/jj diagrams/nns ,/, especially/rb in/in connection/nn with/in divination/nn ./.
However/rb ,/, the/at wei/fw-nn books/nns were/bed also/rb destroyed/vbn in/in a/at series/nn of/in Orthodox/jj-tl Confucian/jj-tl purges/nns which/wdt culminated/vbd in/in a/at final/jj proscription/nn in/in 605/cd ./.


	After/in all/abn this/dt destruction/nn of/in old/jj literature/nn ,/, it/pps should/md be/be obvious/jj why/wrb we/ppss have/hv so/ql little/ap information/nn about/in the/at early/jj history/nn and/cc development/nn of/in the/at Lo/np Shu/np ,/, which/wdt was/bedz already/rb semisecret/jj anyhow/rb ./.
But/cc ,/, in/in spite/nn of/in all/abn this/dt ,/, enough/ap evidence/nn remains/vbz to/to show/vb that/cs the/at magic/jj square/nn of/in three/cd must/md indeed/rb have/hv been/ben the/at object/nn of/in a/at rather/ql extensive/jj cult/nn --/-- or/cc series/nn of/in cults/nns --/-- reaching/vbg fullest/jjt expression/nn in/in the/at Han/np period/nn ./.


	Although/cs modern/jj scholars/nns have/hv expressed/vbn surprise/nn that/cs ``/`` the/at simple/jj magic/jj square/nn of/in three/cd ''/'' ,/, a/at mere/jj ``/`` mathematical/jj puzzle/nn ''/'' ,/, was/bedz able/jj to/to exert/vb a/at considerable/jj influence/nn on/in the/at minds/nns and/cc imaginations/nns of/in the/at cultured/vbn Chinese/nps for/in so/ql many/ap centuries/nns ,/, they/ppss could/md have/hv found/vbn most/ap of/in the/at answers/nns right/ql within/in the/at square/nn itself/ppl ./.
But/cc ,/, up/in to/in now/rb ,/, no/at one/pn has/hvz attempted/vbn to/to analyze/vb its/pp$ inherent/jj mathematical/jj properties/nns ,/, or/cc the/at numerical/jj significance/nn of/in its/pp$ numbers/nns --/-- singly/rb or/cc in/in combination/nn --/-- and/cc then/rb tried/vbn to/to consider/vb these/dts in/in the/at light/nn of/in Old/jj-tl Chinese/jj cosmological/jj concepts/nns ./.


	Such/abl an/at analysis/nn speedily/rb reveals/vbz why/wrb the/at middle/jj number/nn of/in the/at Lo/np Shu/np ,/, 5/cd ,/, was/bedz so/ql vitally/ql significant/jj for/in the/at Chinese/nps ever/rb since/in the/at earliest/jjt hints/nns that/cs they/ppss had/hvd a/at knowledge/nn of/in this/dt diagram/nn ./.
The/at importance/nn of/in this/dt 5/cd can/md largely/rb be/be explained/vbn by/in the/at natural/jj mathematical/jj properties/nns of/in the/at middle/jj number/nn and/cc its/pp$ special/jj relationship/nn to/in all/abn the/at rest/nn of/in the/at numbers/nns --/-- quite/ql apart/rb from/in any/dti numerological/jj considerations/nns ,/, which/wdt is/bez to/to say/vb ,/, any/dti symbolic/jj meaning/nn arbitrarily/rb assigned/vbn to/in it/ppo ./.
Indeed/rb ,/, mathematically/rb speaking/vbg ,/, it/pps was/bedz both/abx functionally/rb and/cc symbolically/rb the/at most/ql important/jj number/nn in/in the/at entire/jj diagram/nn ./.


	If/cs one/pn takes/vbz the/at middle/jj number/nn ,/, 5/cd ,/, and/cc multiplies/vbz it/ppo by/in 3/cd (/( the/at base/nn number/nn of/in the/at magic/jj square/nn of/in three/cd )/) ,/, the/at result/nn is/bez 15/cd ,/, which/wdt is/bez also/rb the/at constant/jj sum/nn of/in all/abn the/at rows/nns ,/, columns/nns ,/, and/cc two/cd main/jjs diagonals/nns ./.
Then/rb ,/, if/cs the/at middle/jj number/nn is/bez activated/vbn to/in its/pp$ greatest/jjt potential/nn in/in terms/nns of/in this/dt square/nn ,/, through/in multiplying/vbg it/ppo by/in the/at highest/jjt number/nn ,/, 9/cd (/( which/wdt is/bez the/at square/nn of/in the/at base/nn number/nn )/) ,/, the/at result/nn is/bez 45/cd ;/. ;/.
and/cc the/at latter/ap is/bez the/at total/nn sum/nn of/in all/abn the/at numbers/nns in/in the/at square/nn ,/, by/in which/wdt all/abn the/at other/ap numbers/nns are/ber overshadowed/vbn and/cc in/in which/wdt they/ppss may/md be/be said/vbn to/to be/be absorbed/vbn ./.


	Furthermore/rb ,/, the/at middle/jj number/nn of/in the/at Lo/np Shu/np is/bez not/* only/rb the/at physical/jj mean/nn between/in every/at opposing/vbg pair/nn of/in the/at other/ap numbers/nns ,/, by/in reason/nn of/in its/pp$ central/jj position/nn ;/. ;/.
it/pps is/bez also/rb their/pp$ mathematical/jj mean/nn ,/, since/cs it/pps is/bez equal/jj to/in half/abn the/at sum/nn of/in every/at opposing/vbg pair/nn ,/, all/abn of/in which/wdt equal/vb 10/cd ./.
In/in fact/nn ,/, the/at neat/jj balance/nn of/in these/dts pairs/nns ,/, and/cc their/pp$ subtle/jj equilibrium/nn ,/, would/md have/hv had/hvn special/jj meaning/nn in/in the/at minds/nns of/in the/at Old/jj-tl Chinese/nps ./.
For/cs they/ppss considered/vbd the/at odd/jj numbers/nns as/cs male/nn and/cc the/at even/jj ones/nns as/cs female/jj ,/, equating/vbg the/at two/cd groups/nns with/in the/at Yang/np and/cc Yin/np principles/nns in/in Nature/nn-tl ;/. ;/.
and/cc in/in this/dt square/nn ,/, the/at respective/jj pairs/nns made/vbn up/rp of/in large/jj and/cc small/jj odd/jj (/( Yang/np )/) numbers/nns ,/, and/cc those/dts composed/vbn of/in large/jj and/cc small/jj even/jj (/( Yin/np )/) numbers/nns ,/, were/bed all/abn equal/jj to/in each/dt other/ap ./.
Thus/rb all/abn differences/nns were/bed leveled/vbn ,/, and/cc all/abn contrasts/nns erased/vbn ,/, in/in a/at realm/nn of/in no/at distinction/nn ,/, and/cc the/at harmonious/jj balance/nn of/in the/at Lo/np Shu/np square/nn could/md effectively/rb symbolize/vb the/at world/nn in/in balanced/vbn harmony/nn around/in a/at powerful/jj central/jj axis/nn ./.


	The/at tremendous/jj emphasis/nn on/in the/at 5/cd in/in the/at Lo/np Shu/np square/nn --/-- for/in purely/ql mathematical/jj reasons/nns --/-- and/cc the/at fact/nn that/cs this/dt number/nn so/ql neatly/rb symbolized/vbn the/at heart/nn and/cc center/nn of/in the/at universe/nn ,/, could/md well/rb explain/vb why/wrb the/at Old/jj-tl Chinese/nps seem/vb to/to have/hv so/ql revered/vbn the/at number/nn 5/cd ,/, and/cc why/wrb they/ppss put/vb so/ql much/ap stress/nn on/in the/at concept/nn of/in Centrality/nn-tl ./.
These/dts twin/jj tendencies/nns seem/vb to/to have/hv reached/vbn their/pp$ height/nn in/in the/at Han/np dynasty/nn ./.


	The/at existing/vbg reverence/nn for/in Centrality/nn-tl must/md have/hv been/ben still/ql further/rbr stimulated/vbn toward/in the/at close/nn of/in the/at second/od century/nn B.C./np ,/, when/wrb the/at Han/np-tl Emperor/nn-tl Wu/np Ti/np ordered/vbd the/at dynastic/jj color/nn changed/vbn to/in yellow/nn --/-- which/wdt symbolized/vbd the/at Center/nn-tl among/in the/at traditional/jj Five/cd-tl Directions/nns-tl --/-- and/cc took/vbd 5/cd as/cs the/at dynastic/jj number/nn ,/, believing/vbg that/cs he/pps would/md thus/rb place/vb himself/ppl ,/, his/pp$ imperial/jj family/nn ,/, and/cc the/at nation/nn under/in the/at most/ql auspicious/jj influences/nns ./.
His/pp$ immediate/jj motive/nn for/in doing/vbg this/dt may/md not/* have/hv been/ben directly/rb inspired/vbn by/in the/at Lo/np Shu/np ,/, but/cc this/dt measure/nn must/md inevitably/rb have/hv increased/vbn the/at existing/vbg beliefs/nns in/in the/at latter's/nn$ efficacy/nn ./.


	After/in this/dt time/nn ,/, inscriptions/nns on/in the/at Han/np bronze/nn mirrors/nns ,/, as/ql well/rb as/cs other/ap writings/nns ,/, emphasized/vbd the/at desirability/nn of/in keeping/vbg one's/pn$ self/nn at/in the/at center/nn of/in the/at universe/nn ,/, where/wrb cosmic/jj forces/nns were/bed strongest/jjt ./.
Later/rbr ,/, we/ppss shall/md see/vb what/wdt happened/vbd when/wrb an/at emperor/nn took/vbd this/dt idea/nn too/ql literally/rb ./.


	All/abn this/dt emphasis/nn on/in Centrality/nn-tl and/cc on/in the/at number/nn 5/cd as/cs a/at symbolic/jj expression/nn of/in the/at Center/nn-tl ,/, which/wdt seems/vbz to/to have/hv begun/vbn as/ql far/ql back/rb as/cs 400/cd B.C./np ,/, also/rb may/md conceivably/rb have/hv led/vbn to/in the/at development/nn of/in the/at Five-Elements/nns-tl School/nn-tl and/cc the/at subsequent/jj efforts/nns to/to fit/vb everything/pn into/in numerical/jj categories/nns of/in five/cd ./.
We/ppss find/vb ,/, for/in example/nn ,/, such/jj groupings/nns as/cs the/at Five/cd-tl Ancient/jj-tl Rulers/nns-tl ,/, the/at Five/cd-tl Sacred/jj-tl Mountains/nns-tl ,/, the/at Five/cd-tl Directions/nns-tl (/( with/in Center/nn-tl )/) ,/, the/at Five/cd-tl Metals/nns-tl ,/, Five/cd-tl Colors/nns-tl ,/, Five/cd-tl Tastes/nns-tl ,/, Five/cd-tl Odors/nns-tl ,/, Five/cd-tl Musical/jj-tl Notes/nns-tl ,/, Five/cd-tl Bodily/jj-tl Functions/nns-tl ,/, Five/cd-tl Viscera/nns-tl ,/, and/cc many/ap others/nns ./.
This/dt trend/nn has/hvz often/rb been/ben ascribed/vbn to/in the/at cult/nn of/in the/at Five/cd-tl Elements/nns-tl itself/ppl ,/, as/cs though/cs they/ppss had/hvd served/vbn as/cs the/at base/nn for/in all/abn the/at rest/nn ;/. ;/.
but/cc why/wrb did/dod the/at Old/jj-tl Chinese/jj postulate/vb five/cd elements/nns ,/, when/wrb the/at Ancient/jj-tl Near/jj-tl East/nr-tl --/-- which/wdt may/md have/hv initiated/vbn the/at idea/nn that/cs natural/jj elements/nns exerted/vbd influence/nn in/in human/jj life/nn and/cc activities/nns --/-- recognized/vbd only/rb four/cd ?/. ?/.
And/cc why/wrb did/dod the/at Chinese/nps suddenly/rb begin/vb to/to talk/vb about/in the/at Five/cd-tl Directions/nns-tl ,/, when/wrb the/at animals/nns they/ppss used/vbd as/cs symbols/nns of/in the/at directions/nns designated/vbd only/rb the/at usual/jj four/cd ?/. ?/.
Obviously/rb ,/, something/pn suddenly/rb caused/vbd them/ppo to/to start/vb thinking/vbg in/in terms/nns of/in fives/nns ,/, and/cc that/dt may/md have/hv been/ben the/at workings/nns of/in the/at Lo/np Shu/np ./.


	This/dt whole/jj tendency/nn had/hvd an/at unfortunate/jj effect/nn on/in Chinese/jj thinking/nn ./.
Whereas/cs the/at primary/jj meanings/nns of/in the/at Lo/np Shu/np diagram/nn seemed/vbd to/to have/hv been/ben based/vbn on/in its/pp$ inner/jj mathematical/jj properties/nns --/-- and/cc we/ppss shall/md see/vb that/cs even/rb its/pp$ secondary/jj meanings/nns rested/vbd on/in some/dti mathematical/jj bases/nns --/-- the/at urgent/jj desire/nn to/to place/vb everything/pn into/in categories/nns of/in fives/nns led/vbd to/in other/ap groupings/nns based/vbn on/in other/ap numbers/nns ,/, until/cs an/at exaggerated/vbn emphasis/nn on/in mere/jj numerology/nn pervaded/vbd Chinese/jj thought/nn ./.
Scholars/nns made/vbd numbered/vbn sets/nns of/in as/ql many/ap things/nns as/cs possible/jj in/in Nature/nn-tl ,/, or/cc assigned/vbd arbitrary/jj numbers/nns to/in individual/jj things/nns ,/, in/in a/at fashion/nn that/wps seems/vbz to/in the/at modern/jj scientific/jj mind/nn as/cs downright/ql nonsensical/jj ,/, and/cc philosophical/jj ideas/nns based/vbn upon/in all/abn this/dt tended/vbd to/to stifle/vb speculative/jj thought/nn in/in China/np for/in many/ap centuries/nns ./.



3/cd-hl ./.-hl
Yin/np-hl and/cc-hl Yang/np-hl in/in-hl the/at-hl ``/`` Lo/np-hl Shu/np-hl ''/'' square/nn-hl 
Although/cs the/at primary/jj mathematical/jj properties/nns of/in the/at middle/jj number/nn at/in the/at center/nn of/in the/at Lo/np Shu/np ,/, and/cc the/at interrelation/nn of/in all/abn the/at other/ap numbers/nns to/in it/ppo ,/, might/md seem/vb enough/ap to/to account/vb for/in the/at deep/jj fascination/nn which/wdt the/at Lo/np Shu/np held/vbd for/in the/at Old/jj-tl Chinese/jj philosophers/nns ,/, this/dt was/bedz actually/rb only/rb a/at beginning/nn of/in wonders/nns ./.
For/cs the/at Lo/np Shu/np square/nn was/bedz a/at remarkably/ql complete/jj compendium/nn of/in most/ap of/in the/at chief/jjs religious/jj and/cc philosophical/jj ideas/nns of/in its/pp$ time/nn ./.
As/cs such/jj ,/, one/pn cannot/md* fully/rb understand/vb the/at thought/nn of/in the/at pre-Han/jj and/cc Han/np periods/nns without/in knowing/vbg the/at meanings/nns inherent/jj in/in the/at Lo/np Shu/np ;/. ;/.
but/cc ,/, conversely/rb ,/, one/pn cannot/md* begin/vb to/to understand/vb the/at Lo/np Shu/np without/in knowing/vbg something/pn about/in the/at world/nn view/nn of/in the/at Old/jj-tl Chinese/jj ,/, which/wdt they/ppss felt/vbd they/ppss saw/vbd expressed/vbn in/in it/ppo ./.


	The/at Chinese/jj world/nn view/nn during/in the/at Han/np dynasty/nn ,/, when/wrb the/at Lo/np Shu/np seems/vbz to/to have/hv been/ben at/in the/at height/nn of/in its/pp$ popularity/nn ,/, was/bedz based/vbn in/in large/jj part/nn on/in the/at teachings/nns of/in the/at Yin-Yang/np and/cc Five-Elements/nns-tl School/nn-tl ,/, which/wdt was/bedz traditionally/rb founded/vbn by/in Tsou/np Yen/np ./.
According/in to/in this/dt doctrine/nn ,/, the/at universe/nn was/bedz ruled/vbn by/in Heaven/nn-tl ,/, T'ien/np --/-- as/cs a/at natural/jj force/nn ,/, or/cc in/in the/at personification/nn of/in a/at Supreme/jj-tl Sky-god/np-tl --/-- governing/vbg all/abn things/nns by/in means/nn of/in a/at process/nn called/vbn the/at Tao/np ,/, which/wdt can/md be/be roughly/rb interpreted/vbn as/cs ``/`` the/at Order/nn-tl of/in-tl the/at-tl Universe/nn-tl ''/'' or/cc ``/`` the/at Universal/jj-tl Way/nn-tl ''/'' ./.
Heaven/nn-tl ,/, acting/vbg through/in the/at Tao/np ,/, expressed/vbd itself/ppl by/in means/nn of/in the/at workings/nns of/in two/cd basic/jj principles/nns ,/, the/at Yin/np and/cc the/at Yang/np ./.
The/at Yang/np ,/, or/cc male/jj principle/nn ,/, was/bedz the/at source/nn of/in light/nn ,/, heat/nn ,/, and/cc dynamic/jj vitality/nn ,/, associated/vbn with/in the/at Sun/nn-tl ;/. ;/.
while/cs the/at Yin/np ,/, or/cc female/jj principle/nn ,/, flourished/vbd in/in darkness/nn ,/, cold/nn ,/, and/cc quiet/jj inactivity/nn ,/, and/cc was/bedz associated/vbn with/in the/at Moon/nn-tl ./.
Together/rb these/dts two/cd principles/nns influenced/vbd all/abn things/nns ,/, and/cc in/in varying/vbg combinations/nns they/ppss were/bed present/jj in/in everything/pn ./.


	We/ppss have/hv already/rb seen/vbn that/cs odd/jj numbers/nns were/bed considered/vbn as/cs being/beg Yang/np ,/, while/cs the/at even/jj numbers/nns were/bed Yin/np ,/, so/cs that/cs the/at eight/cd outer/jj numbers/nns of/in the/at Lo/np Shu/np represented/vbd these/dts two/cd principles/nns in/in balanced/vbn equilibrium/nn around/in the/at axial/jj center/nn ./.
During/in the/at Han/np dynasty/nn ,/, another/dt Yin-Yang/np conception/nn was/bedz applied/vbn to/in the/at Lo/np Shu/np ,/, considering/vbg the/at latter/ap as/cs a/at plan/nn of/in Ancient/jj-tl China/np ./.
Instead/rb of/in linking/vbg the/at nine/cd numbers/nns of/in this/dt diagram/nn with/in the/at traditional/jj Nine/cd-tl Provinces/nns-tl ,/, as/cs was/bedz usually/rb done/vbn ,/, this/dt equated/vbd the/at odd/jj ,/, Yang/np numbers/nns with/in mountains/nns (/( firm/jj and/cc resistant/jj ,/, hence/rb Yang/np )/) and/cc the/at even/jj numbers/nns with/in rivers/nns (/( sinuous/jj and/cc yielding/vbg ,/, hence/rb Yin/np )/) ;/. ;/.
taking/vbg the/at former/ap from/in the/at Five/cd-tl Sacred/jj-tl Mountains/nns-tl of/in the/at Han/np period/nn and/cc the/at latter/ap from/in the/at principal/jjs river/nn systems/nns of/in Old/jj-tl China/np-tl ./.


	Thus/rb the/at middle/jj number/nn ,/, 5/cd ,/, represented/vbd Sung-Shan/np in/in Honan/np ,/, Central/jj-tl China/np-tl ;/. ;/.
the/at 3/cd ,/, T'ai-Shan/np in/in Shantung/np ,/, East/jj-tl China/np-tl ;/. ;/.
the/at 7/cd ,/, Hwa-Shan/np in/in Shensi/np ,/, West/jj-tl China/np-tl ;/. ;/.
the/at 1/cd ,/, Heng-Shan/np in/in Hopei/np ,/, North/jj-tl China/np-tl (/( or/cc the/at mountain/nn with/in the/at same/ap name/nn in/in neighboring/vbg Shansi/np )/) ;/. ;/.
and/cc the/at 9/cd ,/, Huo-Shan/np in/in Anhwei/np ,/, which/wdt was/bedz then/rb the/at South/jj-tl Sacred/jj-tl Mountain/nn-tl ./.
For/in the/at rivers/nns ,/, the/at 4/cd represented/vbd the/at Huai/np ,/, to/in the/at (/( then/rb )/) Southeast/nr-tl ;/. ;/.
the/at 2/cd ,/, the/at San/np Kiang/np (/( three/cd rivers/nns )/) in/in the/at (/( then/rb )/) Southwest/nr-tl ;/. ;/.
the/at 8/cd ,/, the/at Chi/np in/in the/at Northeast/nn-tl ;/. ;/.
and/cc the/at 6/cd ,/, the/at (/( upper/jj )/) Yellow/jj-tl River/nn-tl in/in the/at Northwest/nr-tl ./.


	Note/vb that/cs by/in Western/jj-tl standards/nns this/dt plan/nn was/bedz ``/`` upside/rb down/rp ''/'' ,/, as/cs it/pps put/vbd North/nr-tl at/in the/at bottom/nn and/cc South/nr-tl at/in the/at top/nn ,/, with/in the/at other/ap directions/nns correspondingly/rb altered/vbn ;/. ;/.
but/cc in/in this/dt respect/nn it/pps was/bedz merely/rb following/vbg the/at accepted/vbn Chinese/jj convention/nn for/in all/abn maps/nns ./.
The/at same/ap arrangement/nn was/bedz used/vbn when/wrb the/at Lo/np Shu/np was/bedz equated/vbd with/in the/at Nine/cd-tl Provinces/nns-tl ;/. ;/.
and/cc whenever/wrb the/at Lo/np Shu/np involved/vbd directional/jj symbolism/nn ,/, it/pps was/bedz oriented/vbn in/in this/dt same/ap fashion/nn ./.