On Designating the Life and Official Positions
Original Text
神无庙无所归，人无室无所栖，命无宫无所主，故有命宫之说，不然流年星辰，为凶为吉，以何凭据？
此法看是何月生人坐于何时，然后方定命坐何宫。先将所生之月从子上起正月，亥上二月，戌三，酉四，申五，未六、午七，已八，辰九，卯十，寅十一，丑十二，逆行十二位，次将所生之时加于所生之月，顺行十二位，逢卯即安命宫，假令甲子年三月生人得戌时，却将正月加子，二月在亥，三月在戌为止，又将戌时加在戌上、亥上、亥子上、子丑上、丑寅上、寅卯上、卯逢卯便是，即命坐卯宫是也。仍随甲子年起，亦如起月之法。甲已之年丙作首，乃丁卯宫也。次看三方并本命流干犯何星凶吉推之。
Interpretation
If gods have no temples, they have nowhere to return to; if people have no houses, they have nowhere to dwell; if one's fate has no "palace" (a concept in traditional Chinese astrology), there is nothing to govern it. Therefore, there is the theory of the "palace of fate". Otherwise, based on what evidence can we determine whether the stars of the annual fortune bring good or bad luck?
This method involves determining the month and hour of a person's birth to decide which palace the life is seated in. First, for the month of birth, start with the first lunar month on the position of Zi, the second month on Hai, the third on Xu, the fourth on You, the fifth on Shen, the sixth on Wei, the seventh on Wu, the eighth on Si, the ninth on Chen, the tenth on Mao, the eleventh on Yin, and the twelfth on Chou, moving in a reverse order through the twelve positions. Then, add the hour of birth to the position corresponding to the month of birth and move forward through the twelve positions. When you reach Mao, that's where the life palace is located. For example, if someone was born in the third lunar month of the year Jiazi at the Xu hour, place the first month on Zi, the second on Hai, and the third on Xu. Then, start from Xu (the position of the third month) and add the Xu hour: Xu (original position), Hai, Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao. Reaching Mao means the life is seated in the Mao palace. Still, starting from the year Jiazi, follow the same method as for determining the months. In the years of Jia and Ji, start with Bing. So, it's the Dingmao palace. Next, observe the three directions and the flowing stems of the natal chart to see which stars are affected and then deduce good or bad fortune.