On Reverse Eating

Original Text

倒食即偏印之谓，一名吞啖煞，食神最忌见之。如甲生丙火为食，火能生土，为甲之财，财旺生金，为甲之官，食神生旺，财官备矣。今甲见壬为倒食者，壬旺则克了丙火，丙被克去，不能生土，甲无财矣；壬合起丁，伤甲之辛，甲无官矣；壬克去丙，庚煞得安，来伤甲木，甲生灾矣。所谓用食忌见者，此也。凡命带倒食，福薄寿夭，若有制合，如甲日见壬辰、壬戌，辰戌中带有土制丁合；乙日见癸未、癸丑，丑未中有己制癸；丙日见甲申，丁日见乙巳、乙酉，戊日见丙子、丙申、丙辰，己日见丁亥，庚日见戊寅、戊辰，辛日见己卯、己亥，壬日见庚午、庚戌，癸日见辛巳、辛未。此等偏印不能为食害，有克制故也。柱中身旺，财官俱生，可取为福助身，阳日逢之能暗合伤官生财，阴日逢之能暗合财星，柱中无食，只以偏印论。又曰：凡命有食遇枭，犹尊长之制我，不得自由，作事进退悔懒，有始无终，财源屡成屡败，容貌欹斜，身品琐小，胆怯心虚，凡事无成，克害六亲，幼时克母，长大伤妻子。赋云：倒食者，名为偏印，号曰枭神，值身旺而财丰福厚，遇刑煞则寿夭身贫，财星若见，披星带月不停留，煞星若生，驰担息肩无定日，身弱重逢偏印，须愁颜子之伤，正食若遇枭神，未免韩信之祸，始遇者精神慵懒，重犯者容貌欹斜。《万祺赋》云：枭神见官煞，多成多败，偏印遇财曜，反辱为荣，身旺为贵，身弱乃常，有伤官而平生丰润，值食神则处世伶仃。古诗云：印星偏者是枭神，柱内最喜见财星，身旺遇此方为福，身衰枭旺更无情。

如丙戌、丙申、甲戌、壬申，甲见丙食，又见壬倒食，甲生申月受煞制无气，二丙窃气，壬水制丙，煞得施行，故无名利。

又如壬申、壬子、甲戌、丙寅，会印归禄，水精火神之妙，木火通明之象。

又，己未、壬申、甲子、丙寅，以煞化印，归禄得秀，木火通明，水木清奇。

二命俱大贵。前忌倒食，逢制合反贵，切不可一见倒食，便以凶论。

Interpretation

"Reverse eating" refers to the so - called "partial seal". It is also known as the "devouring evil", and the "food god" most fears encountering it. For example, when Jia (Yang Wood) gives birth to Bing (Yang Fire) as the "food god", fire can generate earth, which is the wealth of Jia. Abundant wealth generates metal, which is the official of Jia. When the "food god" is prosperous, both wealth and official positions are available. Now, when Jia meets Ren (Yang Water) as the "reverse eating", if Ren is prosperous, it will overcome Bing Fire. Once Bing is overcome, it cannot generate earth, and Jia loses its wealth. Ren combines with Ding, which harms Xin of Jia, so Jia loses its official position. Ren overcomes Bing, and Geng (Yang Metal), the evil star, can act freely and comes to harm Jia Wood, thus bringing misfortune to Jia. This is what is meant by the taboo of using the "food god" to encounter the "reverse eating". In general, if one's fate has the "reverse eating", they will have meager blessings and a short lifespan. If there are restraining and combining factors, such as on a Jia - day person meeting Ren - Chen or Ren - Xu. In Chen and Xu, there is earth to restrain and Ding to combine. On a Yi - day person meeting Gui - Wei or Gui - Chou. In Chou and Wei, there is Ji to restrain Gui. On a Bing - day person meeting Jia - Shen. On a Ding - day person meeting Yi - Si or Yi - You. On a Wu - day person meeting Bing - Zi, Bing - Shen, or Bing - Chen. On a Ji - day person meeting Ding - Hai. On a Geng - day person meeting Wu - Yin or Wu - Chen. On a Xin - day person meeting Ji - Mao or Ji - Hai. On a Ren - day person meeting Geng - Wu or Geng - Xu. On a Gui - day person meeting Xin - Si or Xin - Wei. In these cases, the "partial seal" cannot harm the "food god" because there are factors to restrain it. If in the eight - character chart, the self - element is strong and both wealth and official positions are generated, the "partial seal" can be taken as a factor to assist the self - element. For a Yang - day person encountering it, it can secretly combine with the "hurting official" to generate wealth. For a Yin - day person encountering it, it can secretly combine with the wealth star. If there is no "food god" in the chart, it is only regarded as a "partial seal". It is also said that if in one's fate the "food god" meets the "owl god", it is like being restricted by one's elders, and one cannot act freely. When doing things, one is hesitant, lazy, starts but does not finish, the source of wealth is repeatedly achieved and then lost. One's appearance is slanting, one's figure is small, one is timid and nervous, and one fails in everything. It also harms one's relatives. In childhood, it may cause the death of the mother, and when grown - up, it may harm the wife and children. The "Fu" says: The "reverse eating" is called the "partial seal" and also known as the "owl god". When the self - element is strong and there is abundant wealth, one will have rich blessings. When encountering punishment and evil stars, one will have a short lifespan and be poor. If the wealth star appears, one will be busy day and night. If the evil star is generated, one will have no fixed place to rest. If the self - element is weak and meets the "partial seal" again, one should worry about a short - lived fate like Yan Hui. If the "proper food god" meets the "owl god", one may suffer a disaster like Han Xin. At first encounter, one will be listless, and if it occurs repeatedly, one's appearance will be slanting. The "Wanqi Fu" says: When the "owl god" meets the official and evil stars, there will be many successes and many failures. When the "partial seal" meets the wealth star, one can turn humiliation into honor. It is noble when the self - element is strong and ordinary when the self - element is weak. With the "hurting official", one will be prosperous in life. When encountering the "food god", one will be lonely in the world. An ancient poem says: The "partial seal star" is the "owl god". In the eight - character chart, it is most favorable to see the wealth star. When the self - element is strong and encounters it, it is a blessing. When the self - element is weak and the "owl god" is strong, it is merciless.

For example, in the cases of Bingxu, Bingshen, Jiaxu, and Renshen, when Jia encounters Bing as the Eating God, and also encounters Ren as the Reverse Eating God. Jia is born in the Shen month and is restricted by the Killing Qi and has no vital energy. Two Bings steal its vital energy. Ren water restricts Bing, allowing the Killing Qi to take effect. Therefore, there will be no fame or fortune.

Another example is a horoscope with the year stem and branch of Renshen, the month stem and branch of Renzi, the day stem and branch of Jiaxu, and the hour stem and branch of Bingyin. Here, the Gathering of Seal and Return to Prosperity occurs. There is a wonderful combination of the essence of water and the power of fire, presenting an image of the clear brilliance of wood and fire.

Moreover, for the birth date combination of Jiwei, Renshen, Jiazi, and Bingyin, the killing qi transforms into the seal element. The qi of the day master returns to its prosperous position and shows excellence. The wood and fire elements are in a clear and harmonious state, and the water and wood elements present a pure and extraordinary appearance.

Both of the two fates are extremely noble. In the former case, there is a taboo against "inverse eating" (a term in fortune - telling). When it meets with restriction and combination, it actually turns out to be a sign of nobility. One must not simply regard it as inauspicious as soon as seeing "inverse eating".