On the Direct Seal
Original Text
正印，乃五行之正库，金命见乙丑，木癸未，火甲戌，水土壬辰、丙辰是也。《言谈》云：「生逢正印，必拜玉堂。」《妙选》云：「五行入垣，官居五府。」可见得本家正印为贵。本主同德为上，帝座为中，胎月为下。主人重厚魁梧，功名昭著。本家印又得贵格扶之，更妙。若木得浮水印，火得木印，多兼他权外财。若身克印，或印克身，废而复兴。若水人得火印，火人带浮水印，次于本家印，然须本主有旺气，方吉。若克破别无福救，或空亡，只作清闲道僧、无成举人。若五行有清气，则绝世高人；有煞则贫贱。
有贵人夹印，如丙丁火命以甲戌为正印，却得酉亥夹之，酉亥乃丙丁贵人；壬癸水命以壬辰为正印，却得卯已夹之，卯已乃壬癸贵人。
有华盖印，如亥卯未得癸未之类。
有文章印，如戊寅见癸未，辛已见甲戌，庚申见乙丑，癸亥见丙辰，乙亥见壬辰，乃纳音克身，干神复制。戊午得癸未，庚子得乙丑，丁酉得壬辰，己卯得申戌，辛酉得丙辰，干神制支神合之类。
诸印要逢库墓，若生旺扶助互换，禄马贵人并相合者，至贵之命。最忌刑冲破害，三合六合上见鬼，如甲戌日得癸酉时，则减力。水命人得本家印无益；得木印损气；得土印，支干有交涉者，名官印；无交涉者，名鬼印。
又有福聚印，如年、月、日、时、胎五位俱无气衰败，得正印偏印俱在此，印上或库或旺，虽有煞神，至是受制，此之谓福聚印。
有祸聚印，如癸巳人带壬辰印，柱多逢水，俱墓于辰，则癸巳受煞；以巳为命，巳火遇多则本命病，此之谓祸聚印。
有破福成祸印，如水人得浮水印，或月日时多带土来，本家印见鬼盛，是谓破福成祸。
有带煞印，印中见贵煞，如壬子见壬辰、丙辰，子至辰谓之华盖，壬人见辰为贵。若印中反克本命，无福神往还，名带煞，主凶。
有临空印，乃印落空亡，支无六合，见官贵，至贱而无成也。
有自刑印，如庚戌人带乙丑，金人见金印固好，丑戌相刑，以金刑金，此类不如无。虽有少福，亦终贱。馀准此推。
凡论印，更得真五行与纳音同气，尤妙。但主少安逸，不利六亲，难为子息。
Interpretation
The direct seal is the proper storehouse of the five elements. For those with a metal destiny, it is the year of Yichou; for those with a wood destiny, it is Guivei; for those with a fire destiny, it is Jiaxu; for those with a water or earth destiny, it is Renchen and Bingchen. "The Book of Discourse" says, "Those born with a direct seal will surely be honored in the imperial court." "The Wonderful Selection" says, "When the five elements enter their proper positions, one will hold high - ranking official positions." It can be seen that obtaining the direct seal of one's own element is considered precious. Having the direct seal in harmony with the main element is the best, having it at the imperial throne position is medium - level, and having it in the fetal or monthly position is the lowest. The person is usually solemn, imposing, and well - known for his achievements. It is even better if the direct seal of one's own element is supported by an auspicious configuration. If wood gets a floating water seal and fire gets a wood seal, one often has additional power and external wealth. If the main element overcomes the seal or the seal overcomes the main element, there will be a decline followed by a revival. If a water person gets a fire seal or a fire person has a floating water seal, it is inferior to having the direct seal of one's own element, but it is only auspicious when the main element is in a prosperous state. If it is damaged by overcoming and there is no other good fortune to rescue it, or if it is in an empty and dead position, one can only be an idle Taoist priest or a failed candidate in the imperial examinations. If the five elements have a pure and clear qi, one will be an outstanding and extraordinary person; if there are evil influences, one will be poor and of low status.
When there are noble - star flanking the proper seal, for example, for those with the element of fire (C and D in the Heavenly Stems) in their destiny, Jiaxu is the proper seal, and it is flanked by You and Hai. You and Hai are the noble - stars for those with the element of fire (C and D). For those with the element of water (Ren and Gui in the Heavenly Stems) in their destiny, Renshen is the proper seal, and it is flanked by Mao and Si. Mao and Si are the noble - stars for those with the element of water (Ren and Gui).
If one has the "Huagai Seal", it's like getting "Guiwei" in the combination of "Haimaowei" and so on.
There are patterns in the combinations of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. For example, when the year with the Heavenly Stem "Wu" and Earthly Branch "Yin" (Wuyin) meets the year with the Heavenly Stem "Gui" and Earthly Branch "Wei" (Guiwei), the year with the Heavenly Stem "Xin" and Earthly Branch "Si" (Xinsi) meets the year with the Heavenly Stem "Jia" and Earthly Branch "Xu" (Jiaxu), the year with the Heavenly Stem "Geng" and Earthly Branch "Shen" (Gengshen) meets the year with the Heavenly Stem "Yi" and Earthly Branch "Chou" (Yichou), the year with the Heavenly Stem "Gui" and Earthly Branch "Hai" (Guihai) meets the year with the Heavenly Stem "Bing" and Earthly Branch "Chen" (Bingchen), and the year with the Heavenly Stem "Yi" and Earthly Branch "Hai" (Yihai) meets the year with the Heavenly Stem "Ren" and Earthly Branch "Chen" (Renchen), it is the case where the "Nayin" element restrains the "body" element, and the Heavenly Stem also has a restrictive effect. When the year with the Heavenly Stem "Wu" and Earthly Branch "Wu" (Wuwu) gets the year with the Heavenly Stem "Gui" and Earthly Branch "Wei" (Guiwei), the year with the Heavenly Stem "Geng" and Earthly Branch "Zi" (Gengzi) gets the year with the Heavenly Stem "Yi" and Earthly Branch "Chou" (Yichou), the year with the Heavenly Stem "Ding" and Earthly Branch "You" (Dingyou) gets the year with the Heavenly Stem "Ren" and Earthly Branch "Chen" (Renchen), the year with the Heavenly Stem "Ji" and Earthly Branch "Mao" (Jimao) gets the combination of the Heavenly Stem "Shen" and Earthly Branch "Xu" (Shenxu), and the year with the Heavenly Stem "Xin" and Earthly Branch "You" (Xinyou) gets the year with the Heavenly Stem "Bing" and Earthly Branch "Chen" (Bingchen), it is the case where the Heavenly Stem restrains the Earthly Branch and there are also other combinations.
All seals (in the context of fortune - telling) should encounter storage tombs (a concept in traditional Chinese fortune - telling). If they are in a prosperous and supportive state and interact with each other, and the lucky stars of salary, horse (a certain lucky star), and noble people are all in harmony, it is the fate of the most noble person. It is most taboo to have punishment, breakage, and harm. If there are evil spirits in the three - combination and six - combination (also fortune - telling concepts), for example, if one was born on the day of Jiaxu and at the hour of Guijiu, the power will be reduced. For those with the water element in their fate, getting the seal of their own element is of no benefit; getting the wood seal will weaken their qi; getting the earth seal, if there is an interaction between the heavenly stem and earthly branch, it is called the official seal; if there is no interaction, it is called the ghost seal.
There is also the so - called "Gathering of Good Fortune in the Seal". For example, if the five positions of year, month, day, hour, and fetus all lack qi and are in a state of decline, but both the proper seal and the partial seal are present here, and the seal is either stored in a treasury or in a prosperous state. Even if there is an inauspicious god, it will be restricted at this time. This is what is called "Gathering of Good Fortune in the Seal".
There is a situation of "gathering misfortune in the seal". For example, for a person born in the year of Guisi with a Renchen seal in the Bazi. If there is a lot of water in the Bazi and all of it is buried in Chen, then Guisi will be affected by the inauspicious qi. Taking Si as the life core, when there is too much fire of Si, the person's life will be in trouble. This is what is called "gathering misfortune in the seal".
There is a situation of turning fortune into misfortune with the seal. For example, for a person with the element of water, getting a floating water seal, or if there are many signs of the earth element in the month, day, and hour, and the seal of one's own family encounters an overly strong ghostly influence, this is called turning fortune into misfortune.
There are those with inauspicious stars and seals. When there is an auspicious inauspicious star in the seal, for example, in the case of Renzi (Water Rat) seeing Renchen (Water Dragon) and Bingchen (Fire Dragon), the transition from Zi to Chen is called the Canopy. For those with Ren as the Heavenly Stem, seeing Chen is considered auspicious. However, if the seal counter - restrains the natal element and there is no interaction with auspicious stars, it is called "carrying an inauspicious star", which indicates misfortune.
If there is an "Empty Sky Seal" (a term in divination), it means the seal falls into the empty and inauspicious position. When the earthly branches have no six - combinations, and one meets high - ranking officials, they will end up being extremely humble and achieving nothing.
There is a self - inflicting seal. For example, a person born in the Gengxu year with the Bichou element. For those of the Metal element, having a Metal seal is indeed good. However, Chou and Xu are in conflict with each other, which means Metal inflicts harm on Metal. In such cases, it's better not to have it. Even if there is a little bit of fortune, one will end up in a lowly position. The rest can be deduced in the same way.
In general, when discussing seals, it is even more wonderful if the true five - elements are in harmony with the Nayin. However, it usually means that the person will have little ease in life, it is unfavorable to one's relatives, and it is difficult to have offspring.