On Great Fortune

Original Text

夫运者，人生之传舍。探命之说先以三元、四柱、五行、生死、格局致合以定根基，然后考究运气，协而从之以定平生之吉凶也。古人以大运则一辰十岁，折除以三日为年者何？盖一月之终，晦朔周而有三十日，一日之终，昼夜周而有十二时；总十年之运气，凡三日有三十六时，乃见三百六十日为一岁之数；在一月之中有三百六十时，折除节气，算计三千六百日为一辰之十岁也。天论折除之法必用生者日历。过日时数，其节气之数。阳男阴女，大运以生日后未来节气日时为数，顺而行之；阴男阳女，大运以生日前过去节气日时为数，逆而行之。假如甲子阳男十二月二十四日已时生，是月也二十九日申时立春，阳男数以未来之日，自二十四日已时至二十五日已时方是一日之实数，至二十九日申时正得五日三时之节气，实历过六十三日折除，过六十三时折除，计六百三十日，乃一岁奇九月之大运；起于丁丑，必自十二月生日后，实经历过二十有一之日，月运方移宫，是越三岁九月之内，方是甲子十二月生，行一岁奇九月之大运也。

凡行运，在乾兼用地支之神，在支则弃天干之物。盖大运重地支，故有行东方、南方、西方、北方之辨损。用神者欲运制之益，用神者欲运生之身。弱欲运引进旺乡；官欲运生，不欲运伤；煞欲运制，不欲运助。财欲运扶，不欲运劫；印欲运旺，不欲运衰；食欲运生，不欲运枭绝。更看四柱强弱何如，原有原无，原轻原重。如木人用金为官，阳男运出未入申，阴男运出亥人戌；金人用木为财，阳男出丑入寅，阴男出已入辰，俱向禄临马。原有官，行官运发官；原有财，行财运发财；原有灾，行灾运发灾。更看当生年时得气浑浅，四柱得气深，迎运便发，得气浅，须交过运始发，得其中气，运至中则发。

凡行运，长生主有创建作新之事；到临官、帝旺，主兴盛快乐，发福进财，生子骨肉之庆；到衰病之乡，多退败、破财、疾病等事；到死绝乡，主骨肉死丧，自身衰祸钝闷，百事蹇塞；到败运，主落魄懒惰，酒色昏迷；到胎库成形、冠带之乡，百事得中，安康平易。凡行运至夹贵、华盖、贵人，六合上，及乘生旺气者，皆主善庆，仍须察当生根基，十分则应五分，生时则应十分，福与灾同；凡行运至临官、帝旺上，太岁持之，官员主荐事改秩之喜中。

Interpretation

Fortune is like an inn on the journey of life. The theory of fortune - telling first determines the foundation by combining the Three Cycles, the Four Pillars of Destiny, the Five Elements, the principles of life and death, and the overall situation of one's destiny. Then, it examines the influence of luck, and by coordinating these factors, it determines the good and bad luck throughout one's life. In ancient times, the great luck cycle was considered to be one earthly branch representing ten years. Why was it calculated that three days were equivalent to one year? At the end of a month, the cycle of the new moon and the full moon has thirty days. At the end of a day, the cycle of day and night has twelve hours. Considering the ten - year luck cycle, three days have thirty - six hours, which is equivalent to three hundred and sixty days, the number of days in a year. In a month, there are three hundred and sixty hours. After accounting for the solar terms, it is calculated that three thousand six hundred days make up the ten - year period of one earthly branch. The method of calculation must be based on the calendar of the day of birth, taking into account the number of days, hours, and the solar terms. For a male born in a yang year and a female born in a yin year, the great luck is calculated based on the days and hours of the upcoming solar term after the birthday and progresses in a forward direction. For a male born in a yin year and a female born in a yang year, the great luck is calculated based on the days and hours of the past solar term before the birthday and progresses in a reverse direction. For example, if a male (born in a yang year) was born on the twenty - fourth day, the fourth period (9 - 11 a.m.) of the twelfth lunar month in the year of Jiazi. In this month, the Beginning of Spring occurred at the ninth period (3 - 5 p.m.) on the twenty - ninth day. Since he is a male born in a yang year, the calculation is based on the upcoming days. From the fourth period on the twenty - fourth day to the fourth period on the twenty - fifth day is one full day. By the ninth period on the twenty - ninth day, it is exactly five days and three hours of the solar term. After calculation, it is equivalent to sixty - three days and sixty - three hours, which totals six hundred and thirty days, that is, the great luck for one year and nine months. The great luck starts from the year of Dingchou. After his birthday in the twelfth lunar month, only after twenty - one days will the monthly luck shift to a new palace. It is within three years and nine months that the person born in the twelfth lunar month of the year of Jiazi starts to experience the great luck of one year and nine months.

In general, when it comes to the influence of the Grand Luck Cycle, in the Heavenly Stems, the Deities of the Earthly Branches are also considered; in the Earthly Branches, the factors of the Heavenly Stems are sometimes ignored. Since the Earthly Branches in the Grand Luck Cycle are of greater importance, there are distinctions such as moving towards the East, South, West, or North in terms of the influence of the luck cycle. For the favorable gods (auspicious elements in the Bazi), we hope the luck cycle can enhance their positive effects; for the unfavorable gods, we hope the luck cycle can suppress them. When the body (the day master) is weak, we hope the luck cycle can lead it to a prosperous stage. For the official element, we hope the luck cycle can generate it rather than damage it; for the killing element, we hope the luck cycle can control it rather than support it. For the wealth element, we hope the luck cycle can support it rather than rob it; for the seal element, we hope the luck cycle can strengthen it rather than weaken it; for the eating - god element, we hope the luck cycle can generate it rather than be interrupted by the stealing - god element. Moreover, we need to consider the strength or weakness of the Four Pillars of Destiny, whether a certain element originally exists or not, and whether its influence was originally light or heavy. For example, if a person with the Wood element in the Bazi uses the Metal element as the official element, for a male born in the Yang year, when the luck cycle moves from the Wei (Earthly Branch) to the Shen (Earthly Branch); for a male born in the Yin year, when it moves from the Hai to the Xu. If a person with the Metal element in the Bazi uses the Wood element as the wealth element, for a male born in the Yang year, when the luck cycle moves from the Chou to the Yin; for a male born in the Yin year, when it moves from the Si to the Chen, all these situations are related to the approaching of good fortune and prosperity. If there was originally an official element in the Bazi, when the official - related luck cycle comes, there will be an opportunity for official promotion; if there was originally a wealth element, when the wealth - related luck cycle comes, there will be an opportunity to make money; if there was originally a calamity - related element, when the calamity - related luck cycle comes, misfortunes will occur. Furthermore, we should also look at the depth of the Qi (vital energy) obtained in the year and hour of birth. If the Qi in the Four Pillars is deep, one will achieve success as soon as the favorable luck cycle arrives; if the Qi is shallow, one will achieve success only after the luck cycle has passed for a while; if the Qi is at a medium level, one will achieve success in the middle stage of the luck cycle.

In general, when one's fortune is in the stage of "Longsheng" (Longevity), it indicates the occurrence of new creations and undertakings. When it reaches the stages of "Linguan" (Full - maturity) and "Diwang" (Imperial Prosperity), it means prosperity, happiness, good fortune, wealth - gaining, and the celebration of having children and family reunions. When it arrives at the stage of decline and illness, there will often be setbacks, financial losses, and diseases. When it reaches the stage of death and extinction, it implies the death of family members, personal misfortune, dullness, and all things will be blocked. When in the stage of bad luck, it means being down - and - out, lazy, and indulging in wine and women. When in the stages of "Taiku" (Embryo and Treasury) where things take shape and "Guandai" (Crowning), everything will go smoothly, and one will live a peaceful and healthy life. In general, when one's fortune reaches the positions of "Jiagui" (Surrounded by Good Luck), "Huagai" (Canopy, a symbol in fortune - telling), "Guiren" (Noble Persons), "Liuhe" (Six - Harmony), and when it rides on the prosperous qi, it all indicates good fortune. However, one still needs to examine the foundation at birth. If the foundation is ten - fold, it will correspond to five - fold in fortune; if it is judged by the birth time, it will correspond to ten - fold. The same principle applies to both good fortune and disasters. In general, when one's fortune reaches the stages of "Linguan" and "Diwang", and the Tai Sui (Year Star) holds this position, for officials, it means the joy of being recommended for promotion and a change in rank.