On the Good and Bad of the Correlation between the Five Elements, Time, and Geographical Regions - 3
Original Text
九月生者，金气稍退，遇火夜生为奇，昼生少利。逢木则克，反应骨肉参商。见水济之，冀、雍人不免冷退，徐、扬人又何忌焉？逢土亦晦，兖、青人富贵居多，豫人困滞。运喜东南，西北忌之。
冬月天气严肃，金伏藏之时也，盖金之生也，胎于春生于夏旺于秋至冬而死者，谓其畏寒无生意也。晴明则金清水秀，雨雪则水冷金寒，所以冬月之金，得火融之，然后可以夺其寒气，则富贵非常矣。
初冬之金，见火则为伤残、徐、扬人干支无土日生者贫夭。夜生者孤寒。遇土则衣禄丰足。见水木，俱不利矣。
子、丑月生者，亦喜火以温之，徐、扬人无火亦喜遇土得火为贵，冀、雍人有土无火者，孤贫，盖寒土非生金之资也。见水则寒，西北人贱贫疾夭。徐、扬人干支有火土者，福寿康宁也。遇木为财，主富，享闲中之福，兖、青人则有妻孥犯分之事，盖衰金不能制木故也，荆、梁、豫人则吉。运喜东南，西北最忌。
论水
春月之水，孰不谓其病寅死卯墓辰为至弱矣，殊不知水为阴气，生申旺子。秋冬之时，其气翕聚未散，故水常涸，春至，阳气上蒸，阴气下降，故雨露既濡而水生发，此水势之常耳。星家以活水生于卯者，良有以也。晴则春水溶溶，雨则汪洋泛滥。
正月生者，水有寒气，见火则冰融冻释，富贵雍容。得金相助，徐、扬生者最佳。逢木无火，则水冷木寒，未有生意。遇土克水，亦主贫寒。土制金生，衣资丰赡。
二、三月之水，浩无边际，见土则有堤防，昼则富贵，夜则流移，生于谷雨后者，或主淫邪痹惫之疾，盖土浑水浊故也。见火则水火相刑，灾讼不免。遇金生水，泛滥无情，徐、扬人干支得土者，无咎。见木泄之，能施惠及人。兖、青人生于二月中旬者，木气正旺，盗其元神，则生风怯之疾。得金助之，无患。
夏水失令，逢火则乾涸矣，所以忌晴而喜雨也。初夏之时，水犹泛滥，得土止而不流，则福气深厚，但不宜与火同行，盖火盛则土燥而水涸，徐、扬人干支无金水者疾夭也，逢水利就名成。金若生之，反主孤克，盖夏令金衰，母弱不能生子而反伤于母也，荆、梁、豫人值之则吉。
五、六月之水，正能滋助万物，喜土同行，生时更值阴雨者，主富贵文章，见火则有涸水之嫌，轻者疾，重者夭，得水济之，凶中反吉。见木亦主富贵豪雄，兖、青人泄其真气，非佳。逢金气弱，无力生水，不可例以母曜论之，反主孤克；干支有金水者，吉。运喜金水，火乡最忌。
水生秋令，正水清秀之时也，晴则清澈无瑕，雨则潦水浑浊。
七月之水，正能滋实万物，不宜与火同行，徐、扬火多者，贫夭无依。金为母曜，适当其时，子母相生，文章清贵。土来同处，化祸为祥，木若联行，亦行贵显。
八、九月之水，遇令星则福寿难量。金火同，则功名炬赫。见木终被疏泄，不免先成后败。火若同垣，恩金失力，虽有治民服众之德，未免痰疾刑伤。见土虽凶不凶，盖秋令金最能化难为福，徐、扬、豫人干支土多者，亦困滞终身。运利西北，东南失宜。
冬月司令之水，寒气严凝之时也，雨则冰凝，晴则冻释，故冬三月俱喜火以温之，则富贵无虞矣。见金子母相生，徐、扬人金紫玉堂之贵，冀、雍人水冷金寒，虽相生而反贫薄，得火同行为吉。逢土金，骨肉参商，冀、雍人赖以堤防而无泛滥之患也。遇木，水寒木冻，俱无生意，贫夭无疑，徐、扬人干支火多者，富寿。木土同垣，制煞反吉。丑月生者，贵显，运喜南方，东方次之。
Interpretation
Those born in September experience a slight decline in the influence of the metal element. If they are born at night and encounter the fire element, it is considered auspicious; being born during the day brings less benefit. When they encounter the wood element, there will be a conflict, which may lead to estrangement among family members. If they meet the water element, people from Ji and Yong regions will inevitably face setbacks and a decline in fortune, while those from Xu and Yang regions have nothing to worry about. Encountering the earth element also brings a sense of gloom. People from Yan and Qing regions are more likely to achieve wealth and honor, while those from Yu region will face difficulties and stagnation. They are favored by the fortune in the southeast direction and should avoid the northwest.
In the eleventh lunar month, the weather is severe, which is the time when metal lies dormant. In fact, when metal is born, it is in its embryonic state in spring, comes into being in summer, reaches its peak in autumn, and seems to "die" in winter. This is because it is afraid of the cold and loses its vitality. When it is clear and sunny, the metal is pure and the scenery is beautiful; when it rains or snows, the water is cold and the metal is chilled. Therefore, for the metal in the eleventh lunar month, it needs to be melted by fire to dispel the cold air, and then it can bring extraordinary wealth and honor.
In the early winter, when gold is involved, if it meets fire, it will be damaged. For people from Xu and Yang regions whose stems and branches in the Chinese zodiac have no earth element on their birth - day, they will be poor and have a short life. Those born at night will lead a lonely and cold life. If it meets earth, they will have abundant wealth and sufficient food and clothing. If it meets water or wood, it will bring no benefits.
Those born in the months corresponding to the Rat and the Ox also prefer fire to warm them up. For people from Xuzhou and Yangzhou regions, even without fire, they still like to encounter earth. It is considered noble if they can get fire later. For people from Jizhou and Yongzhou regions, having earth but no fire means they will be lonely and poor, because cold earth is not a good resource for generating metal. When metal meets water, it gets cold. People from the northwest will be of low status, poor, sick, and may die young. For people from Xuzhou and Yangzhou regions, if there are fire and earth in their Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, they will enjoy a long - life, good fortune, peace, and health. When metal meets wood, it is regarded as wealth, indicating that they will be rich and enjoy the blessings of a leisurely life. For people from Yanzhou and Qingzhou regions, there will be problems with their wives and children overstepping their bounds, because weak metal cannot control wood. For people from Jingzhou, Liangzhou, and Yuzhou regions, it is auspicious. They prefer the fortune in the southeast and should avoid the northwest most.
On Water
In the spring months, who doesn't think that water, being "sick" in the Tiger month (Yin), "dying" in the Rabbit month (Mao), and "buried" in the Dragon month (Chen), is extremely weak? Little do they know that water represents yin energy, which is born in the Monkey month (Shen) and reaches its peak in the Rat month (Zi). In autumn and winter, this yin energy is gathered and not dispersed, so water often dries up. When spring arrives, the yang energy rises and steams upward, while the yin energy descends. Thus, after the moistening of rain and dew, water begins to flourish. This is the normal state of water. Astrologers believe that living water is born in the Rabbit month (Mao), and there is indeed a good reason for this. On sunny days, the spring water flows gently; on rainy days, it floods and overflows.
Those born in the first lunar month have a bit of coldness in their "water element" (a concept in traditional Chinese cosmology). When "fire" appears, it's like ice melting and freezing thawing, which indicates wealth and a life of ease and grace. With the assistance of the "metal element", those born in the regions of Xu and Yang (ancient geographical areas) are the most fortunate. If they encounter "wood" without "fire", it will lead to a situation where the water is cold and the wood is chilled, showing no signs of vitality. When they meet "earth" that restrains "water", it also suggests a life of poverty. However, if "earth" restrains and "metal" is generated, they will have abundant material resources.
In the second and third lunar months, the water is boundless. When it meets earth, there will be dikes. If it appears in the daytime, it represents wealth and honor; if at night, it implies instability. For those born after the Grain Rain, it may lead to immoral and debilitating diseases, because the earth makes the water muddy. When it meets fire, there will be a conflict between water and fire, and disasters and lawsuits are inevitable. When it encounters metal, which generates water, the water will overflow recklessly. For people in Xuzhou and Yangzhou whose stems and branches in the Bazi contain earth, there will be no harm. When it meets wood, which drains the water, it can bring benefits to others. For people in Yanzhou and Qingzhou born in the middle of the second lunar month, when the wood energy is at its peak and steals the essence of the water, it may cause wind - related and timid diseases. If it gets the assistance of metal, there will be no problems.
In summer, when the water fails to follow its proper course, it will dry up when encountering fire. Therefore, clear weather is disliked while rain is preferred. At the beginning of summer, the water is still overflowing. If it is stopped by earth and does not flow, it indicates profound good fortune. However, it is not advisable for water to be associated with fire. When fire is strong, the earth becomes dry and the water dries up. For people in Xu and Yang regions, if there is no metal or water in their Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, they may suffer from diseases and die prematurely. When encountering water, they can achieve success and fame. If metal generates water, it actually leads to loneliness and misfortune. This is because in summer, metal is in a weak state. A weak mother cannot give birth to a child and is instead harmed by the mother - like element. For people in Jing, Liang, and Yu regions, this situation is auspicious.
The waters in the fifth and sixth lunar months can just nourish all things. It is favorable to be accompanied by the element of earth. If one is born during a time when it is also rainy, it indicates wealth, honor, and literary talent. When it encounters the element of fire, there is a risk of the water drying up. In mild cases, it may lead to illness; in severe cases, it may cause an early death. If it is supplemented by the element of water, the inauspicious situation can turn into auspiciousness. When it meets the element of wood, it also indicates wealth, honor, and heroic qualities. For people from Yanzhou and Qingzhou, it may drain their vital energy, which is not good. When it meets the element of metal with weak qi, the metal is unable to generate water, so it cannot be simply regarded as the "mother element" in the five - element theory. Instead, it may lead to loneliness and misfortune. If there are both metal and water in the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, it is auspicious. In terms of fortune, the elements of metal and water are favorable, while the fire element is most unfavorable.
In autumn, when water is at its best, it is a time of clear and beautiful waters. On sunny days, the water is crystal - clear without a flaw; on rainy days, the stagnant water becomes muddy.
The water in the seventh lunar month can just nourish and solidify all things. It's not suitable to be associated with fire. For those in Xu and Yang regions with an abundance of fire, they will be poor, have a short life, and have no one to rely on. Metal is the mother star and is appropriate at this time. With the mother and child elements mutually generating, one will be noble in literary pursuits. When earth co - exists, it can turn misfortune into good fortune. If wood is associated, one will also achieve nobility and prominence.
For those born in the eighth or ninth month, if their birth chart encounters auspicious stars, they will enjoy boundless fortune and longevity. When metal and fire co - exist in the chart, they will achieve great fame and success. If wood appears, their energy will be gradually depleted, and they will experience initial success followed by failure. When fire is in the same position as other elements, the favorable influence of metal will be weakened. Although they have the virtue to govern the people and gain their respect, they may suffer from phlegm - related diseases and physical injuries. When earth appears, the apparent danger may not be so serious, because in autumn, metal can most effectively turn misfortune into fortune. However, for people from Xu, Yang, and Yu regions whose stems and branches in the birth chart have a lot of earth elements, they will be trapped in a difficult situation throughout their lives. Their fortune is favorable in the northwest and unfavorable in the southeast.
In the 11th lunar month, it is the time when the water is under the command of the season, and the cold air is extremely severe. When it rains, the water freezes, and when it is sunny, the ice thaws. Therefore, people in the three winter months all hope for the warmth of fire, and then they can enjoy wealth and honor without worry. When gold and water generate each other in a mother - child relationship, people in the Xu and Yang regions can achieve high - ranking positions and great wealth. However, for people in the Ji and Yong regions, the water is cold and the gold is frigid. Although there is a generative relationship, they will be poor instead. It is auspicious for them to have fire in the same configuration. When encountering earth and gold, there will be conflicts among family members. For people in the Ji and Yong regions, the earth can act as a dam to prevent the water from overflowing. When encountering wood, the water is cold and the wood is frozen, showing no sign of vitality. It is certain that they will be poor and die young. For people in the Xu and Yang regions, if there is a lot of fire in the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, they will be rich and long - lived. When wood and earth are in the same position, it can restrain the inauspicious qi and turn it into auspiciousness. Those born in the 12th lunar month will be noble and prominent. They prefer the southern direction in their fortune, and the eastern direction is the second choice.