On the Official in a Proper Position (Note: "正官" here is translated in a more general way as "official in a proper position", as the specific meaning of "正官" may vary in different cultural and historical contexts. If there is a more specific context, the translation can be adjusted accordingly.)
Original Text
正官者，乃甲见辛、乙见庚之例。阴阳配合，相制有用，成其道也。故正官为六格之首，止许一位，多则不宜。正官先看月令，然后方看其馀。以五行之气，惟月令当时为最，况四柱各管年限，年管十五，失之太早，时管五十后，失之太迟。
故只此月令为正，馀格例此。甲日生酉月，乙生申巳，丙生子，丁生亥，戊生卯，己生寅，庚生午，辛生寅巳，壬生午未丑，癸生辰巳戌月，皆为正气。官星更天乾透出，如甲见辛酉，乙见庚申之例，谓之支藏乾透，馀位不宜再见，又须日主健旺，得财印两扶，柱中不见伤煞，行运引至官乡，大富大贵命也。
大忌刑冲破害、伤官七煞、贪合忘官、劫财分福，为破格。如甲生酉月，见卯为冲、酉为刑、午为破、戌为害、丙为合、乙为劫、丁为伤克、庚为混杂、须是官星纯一，五行和粹，方以正官论。若见前忌柱中，虽有物去之，亦不纯粹，若官星结局，又有财资扶，非行身旺地不发。官止一二，无财有印，身弱无妨，若四柱皆归背禄，宜推岁运向背财官旺地。何如？若财官满目，日主衰弱，不能负荷，徒劳无用，运至财煞旺乡，多染痨瘵，但有七煞行运复遇，便是徒流之命。
又曰甲生酉月，辛金正禄，若见丁伤，支中无局，时引归衰败死绝之地，或有制合去之衰绝之火，岂能伤其旺禄。若时引官星临衰败死绝之位，反引丁火归生旺之乡或临煞地，降官失职，祸生无疑。时为归息之地，吉凶全在时消息。日主用神太盛，宜时以节制之；日主用神渐衰，宜时以补助之。柱中虽有凶神，时能节制，亦不能为祸。此看命之要法也。又曰甲生丑月，内有辛金，又值酉时，己是重犯，若天干复透辛多，更行西方，力不胜任，变官为鬼，旺处必倾，多致灾夭，须有合制方吉。若自身乘旺，如甲寅、乙卯等日，更有印生助，官星虽多亦不为害。甲生戌月，虽坐火库，若不成局，无党不能为害。
又曰取官星不必专泥月令支辰，或月乾，或年日时支干，只一处有，不曾损伤，皆可取用。故经云：明乾有气明乾取，明乾无气暗中取。若明乾无气，引归地支，或有助托，运行得地，亦不减月内官星之福。
又曰凡论官星，略见一位食神坐实，便能损局，惟月令隐禄，见食却为三奇之贵。大要看官食虚实何如，若官星坐实，合神略虚，随官助贵；合神坐实，官星渐弱，官随合神，谓之贪合忘官。
又曰正官格，要行印乡，即是逢官看印，柱中原有印随，官因轻重，日干强弱，以观所以之运，身弱印轻，要补其印，身旺官轻，要补其官，行伤官运即是背禄，行身旺运即是逐马。《三命铃》云：凡禄命身三等官，各禀五行，率以其性推之，如以金为官，职位清峻，多掌刑狱钱谷之任，决断明敏，遇行年太岁在丑为官库。若以木为官主，品秩清高，和俗守慎，遇行年太岁在未为官库。以火为官主，官序炎赫，为性猛烈，用刑惨酷，亦主发歇不常，遇行年太岁在戌为官库。以水为官主，职卑位下，级升幂进，谦和得众，矜恤孤寡，亦有道性，遇行年太岁在辰为官库。以土为官主，官序稳当，难侵犯，厚重质直，法令分明，遇行年太岁在辰为官库。
凡五行之官，各随其性则吉，若失其性，则主为官不久。西蜀知命者云：凡人年月日时，四干叠相，官印足者，主贵。历观大命，遇两印者颇多，如吕吉甫学士，壬申、己酉、丁巳、庚子，壬与己，庚与丁为官，壬与庚、己与丁为印。又云：看官星，有天官乡，取月乾制岁干，如六甲年正月建丙寅，五月庚午，六月辛未，庚辛金能制甲木，戊癸即相带而行，甲癸人在午未，乙丙人在辰巳，丁戊人在寅卯，己庚人在戌亥，辛壬人在申酉，若人遇之，当食天禄，贵处朝伦。有地官乡，取月建制岁干，如岁干是甲乙，属木，七八月见申，属金，金能制木，甲乙人在申酉，丙丁人亥子，戊己人在寅卯，庚辛人在巳午，壬癸人在辰戌丑未，若人遇之，主早承休荫，官序易升。有真官乡，取命前三辰月乾与命干合，如丙子人二月生，为命前三辰是辛卯，丙与辛合，故丙子二月生人为真官，中生之类，君子遇之，职居近侍，小人遇之，亦主富豪。如刘行素御史，丙子、辛卯、丙子、辛卯，正合此说。
又云：术者以甲见辛为官，不知真五行克纳音为真官，此最紧福坤。干头自见官而得合者为上，有诸神来朝者最佳。如甲寅生，纳音水，得己亥，甲己为真土，是纳音见真五行克也。若不见太岁本干克，但于日月时上见乙庚亦是。若止见庚，谓之偏官，比之全者减力，又不见乙庚，止见乙巳、乙丑、乙酉，馀位中多见申，不见申止得三五分力，馀仿此。又如己酉、己卯见丁壬，壬子、壬午见乙庚，虽纳音见真五行克为官，奈本乾同受克，故不作真官，而作真鬼断之，大小运流年逢之，灾尤重。此亦看官星者所当知。
《喜忌篇》云：「五行正官，忌冲刑克破之官。」《五言》云：「有官要有印，无刑足可夸，不为金殿客，也作富豪家。」《秘诀》云：「官星重见，只作煞推，再至官乡，灾非难免，若是太多，制之为福。」古歌云：「正气官星用月支，喜逢财印到年时，破害冲空俱不犯，富贵双全报尔知。」又：「官星不可被刑冲，官煞同来吉变凶，化煞为官方是吉，化官为煞祸重重。」又「官星大抵要身强，身弱须求气旺方，印绶兼行财旺地，无冲伤破是荣昌。」又：「生月官星坐禄乡，日辰生旺福无疆，有财有印无伤破，年少成名坐玉堂。」又：「月逢正禄号真官，不犯刑伤禄最宽，日主兴隆名利显，运逢财印步金銮。」又：「印多官多为贵命，官旺身衰反为病，官多身旺化为财，财旺身衰贫病并。」又：「正官大抵要纯和，四柱无伤掇显科，时上喜逢财健旺，柱中欣见印生多。提纲独遇为真贵，年位重逄乃太多，别处若有煞来混，反为辛苦受奔波。」合诸说，观正官喜忌见矣。
Interpretation
The proper official refers to cases like Jia encountering Xin and Yi encountering Geng. The combination of yin and yang, with mutual restraint and usefulness, forms its principle. Therefore, the proper official is ranked first among the six patterns and only one is allowed; having more is not appropriate. When analyzing the proper official, first examine the monthly branch, and then look at the rest. Among the qi of the five elements, only that of the monthly branch is the most prominent at that time. Moreover, each pillar of the four pillars governs a certain period of years. The year pillar governs the first 15 years, which is too early, and the hour pillar governs after the age of 50, which is too late.
Therefore, only this monthly ordinance is regarded as the standard, and other patterns follow this example. For those born on a day with the Heavenly Stem of Jia in the You (Rooster) month, on a day with the Heavenly Stem of Yi in the Shen (Monkey) or Si (Snake) month, on a day with the Heavenly Stem of Bing in the Zi (Rat) month, on a day with the Heavenly Stem of Ding in the Hai (Pig) month, on a day with the Heavenly Stem of Wu in the Mao (Rabbit) month, on a day with the Heavenly Stem of Ji in the Yin (Tiger) month, on a day with the Heavenly Stem of Geng in the Wu (Horse) month, on a day with the Heavenly Stem of Xin in the Yin (Tiger) or Si (Snake) month, on a day with the Heavenly Stem of Ren in the Wu (Horse), Wei (Goat) or Chou (Ox) month, and on a day with the Heavenly Stem of Gui in the Chen (Dragon), Si (Snake) or Xu (Dog) month, they all have the so - called "righteous qi". When the Officer Star is also revealed in the Heavenly Stems, such as Jia encountering Xin and You, Yi encountering Geng and Shen, this is called "the element hidden in the Earthly Branch is revealed in the Heavenly Stem". It is not advisable to see it again in other positions. Moreover, the Day Master must be strong and prosperous, supported by both the Wealth Star and the Seal Star. There should be no Hurting Officer Star or Killing Star in the Bazi. When the fortune - making cycle leads to the Officer Star's domain, it is a life of great wealth and high status.
It is a great taboo to have punishment, conflict, breakage, and harm in the Bazi (Eight Characters of Birth), as well as the presence of the "Hurting Officer" and the "Seven Killings", the situation of "greedily combining and forgetting the Officer", and the "Rob Wealth" that divides fortune, which are considered to break the pattern. For example, if a person is born in the Year of Jia and the Month of You, seeing Mao is a conflict, You is a punishment, Wu is a breakage, Xu is a harm, Bing is a combination, Yi is a robbery, Ding is a hurting and restraining, and Geng is a mixture. It is necessary that the Officer Star is pure and the five - elements are harmonious and pure to be regarded as a proper Officer pattern. If the above taboos are seen in the Bazi, even if there are elements to resolve them, it is still not pure. If the Officer Star is at the end of the Bazi and there is Wealth to support it, it will not prosper unless the fortune is in a prosperous position for the Day Master. If there are only one or two Officer Stars, no Wealth but with the Seal, it doesn't matter if the Day Master is weak. If all the four pillars are against the "Backing the Officer's Fortune", one should analyze the good or bad of the annual and monthly fortune in the prosperous areas of Wealth and Officer. How about this situation? If there are full of Wealth and Officer Stars while the Day Master is weak and unable to bear them, it is all in vain. When the fortune reaches the prosperous area of Wealth and the Seven Killings, one is likely to suffer from tuberculosis. If there are already the Seven Killings in the Bazi and they are encountered again in the fortune - moving period, it means a life of exile.
It is also said that when Jia is born in the You month, Xin Metal is in its proper position of full prosperity. If Ding Fire appears to damage it, and there is no formation in the earthly branches, and the time pillar leads it to a place of decline, death, or extinction, or if there is a way to control or combine the declining and extinguished fire, how can it damage the prosperous and well - established Metal? If the time pillar leads the official star to a position of decline, death, or extinction, but instead leads Ding Fire to a place of birth and prosperity or to a place of evil influence, it will result in the loss of official position and there is no doubt that misfortune will occur. The time pillar is the place of rest, and good and bad fortune are entirely determined by the situation of the time. If the favorable element of the day master is too strong, the time pillar should be used to restrict it; if the favorable element of the day master is gradually weakening, the time pillar should be used to supplement it. Even if there are inauspicious stars in the natal chart, if the time pillar can restrict them, they will not cause harm. This is the essential method for fortune - telling. It is also said that when Jia is born in the Chou month, there is Xin Metal inside, and if it is also the You hour, it is already a repeated occurrence. If there is more Xin Metal revealed in the heavenly stems and one further goes to the Western direction, one will be unable to bear the burden. The official star will turn into an evil star, and at the peak of prosperity, there will be a downfall, often leading to disasters and premature death. There must be ways to combine and control it to be auspicious. If one's own element is in a prosperous state, such as on days like Jia Yin or Yi Mao, and there is the support of the seal element, even if there are many official stars, they will not cause harm. When Jia is born in the Xu month, although it sits on the fire treasury, if there is no formation and no support, it will not cause harm.
It is also said that when selecting the official star, one does not have to focus solely on the earthly branch of the month. It can be the heavenly stem of the month, or the heavenly stems and earthly branches of the year, day, or hour. As long as there is an official star in one place and it is not damaged, it can be used. Therefore, the classic says: If the heavenly stem is strong, select from the heavenly stem; if the heavenly stem is weak, select from the hidden elements. If the heavenly stem is weak, trace it back to the earthly branch. If there is support and the luck cycle is favorable, the blessings will not be less than those of the official star in the month.
It is also said that in general, when discussing the official star, if there is even one well - grounded gourmet star, it can damage the overall situation. Only when there is a hidden salary in the monthly order, the appearance of the gourmet star is regarded as a sign of the noble status of the three wonders. Generally, one should focus on whether the official star and the gourmet star are real or false. If the official star is well - grounded and the harmony star is relatively false, it can assist the noble status along with the official star. If the harmony star is well - grounded and the official star gradually weakens, and the official star follows the harmony star, this is called being greedy for harmony and forgetting the official.
It is also said that for the pattern of the proper official, one should have the fortune of the seal. That is to say, when there is an official, one should look for the seal. If there is already a seal in the natal chart, according to the strength or weakness of the official and the day - stem, we can observe the fortune. If the body (day - stem) is weak and the seal is light, one should strengthen the seal. If the body is strong and the official is weak, one should strengthen the official. When one goes through the fortune of the hurting official, it means going against the salary; when one goes through the fortune of a strong body, it means chasing away the wealth. According to "San Ming Ling", for the three types of officials related to fortune, life, and the body, each is related to the five elements, and we can generally infer their characteristics according to the nature of the five elements. For example, if metal is the official, the position is noble and clear - cut. One often takes charge of prison and financial affairs, and is decisive and sensitive in judgment. When the annual Tai Sui is in Chou, it is the official treasury. If wood is the official, the rank is noble and pure. One is in harmony with the common people and cautious. When the annual Tai Sui is in Wei, it is the official treasury. If fire is the official, the official position is prominent. One has a fierce nature, uses cruel punishments, and the official career may be unstable. When the annual Tai Sui is in Xu, it is the official treasury. If water is the official, the position is low. One is promoted gradually, is humble and popular, shows pity for the widowed and the orphaned, and also has a moral nature. When the annual Tai Sui is in Chen, it is the official treasury. If earth is the official, the official position is stable and hard to be invaded. One is honest and straightforward, and the laws and regulations are clear. When the annual Tai Sui is in Chen, it is the official treasury.
In general, for the five - element officials, if they act in accordance with their nature, it is auspicious. If they deviate from their nature, it means that they will not hold office for long. Those who understand fate in the Western Shu region say that for a person, if the four Heavenly Stems in the year, month, day, and hour are overlapping and there are sufficient official and seal elements, it indicates nobility. Looking through many fates, it is quite common to encounter those with two seals. For example, Scholar Lü Jifu was born in the year of Ren Shen, the month of Ji You, the day of Ding Si, and the hour of Geng Zi. Ren and Ji, Geng and Ding are in the relationship of official, and Ren and Geng, Ji and Ding are in the relationship of seal. It is also said that when looking at the official star, there is the Heavenly Official Region. One should take the Heavenly Stem of the month to control the Heavenly Stem of the year. For example, in the year of the six Jia, in the first lunar month, the stem - branch combination is Bing Yin, in the fifth month it is Geng Wu, and in the sixth month it is Xin Wei. Geng and Xin, which belong to metal, can control Jia, which belongs to wood. Wu and Gui act in a related way. People born in the year of Jia or Gui are in the position of Wu or Wei, those born in the year of Yi or Bing are in the position of Chen or Si, those born in the year of Ding or Wu are in the position of Yin or Mao, those born in the year of Ji or Geng are in the position of Xu or Hai, and those born in the year of Xin or Ren are in the position of Shen or You. If a person encounters such a situation, they will enjoy the imperial salary and hold a noble position in the court. There is also the Earthly Official Region. One should take the Earthly Branch of the month to control the Heavenly Stem of the year. For example, if the Heavenly Stem of the year is Jia or Yi, which belong to wood, seeing Shen in the seventh or eighth month, which belongs to metal, as metal can control wood. People born in the year of Jia or Yi are in the position of Shen or You, those born in the year of Bing or Ding are in the position of Hai or Zi, those born in the year of Wu or Ji are in the position of Yin or Mao, those born in the year of Geng or Xin are in the position of Si or Wu, and those born in the year of Ren or Gui are in the position of Chen, Xu, Chou, or Wei. If a person encounters such a situation, it means that they will early inherit the blessings of their ancestors and their official rank will be easily promoted. There is the True Official Region. One should take the Heavenly Stem of the month three months before the birth month and combine it with the Heavenly Stem of the birth year. For example, for a person born in the year of Bing Zi in the second lunar month, the Heavenly Stem three months before the birth month is Xin Mao, and Bing combines with Xin. So, a person born in the year of Bing Zi in the second lunar month has the True Official. For those in the middle - born category, if a gentleman encounters this, he will hold a position close to the emperor; if a commoner encounters this, it also means that he will be wealthy. For example, Imperial Censor Liu Xingsu was born in the year of Bing Zi, the month of Xin Mao, the day of Bing Zi, and the hour of Xin Mao, which exactly conforms to this theory.
It is also said that some practitioners think that when Jia meets Xin, it is regarded as an official star. However, they don't know that when the true five - element restrains the纳音 (a system in Chinese metaphysics), it is the true official star, which is of the utmost importance. In the heavenly stems, when an official star appears and forms a combination, it is considered excellent. And when various auspicious signs gather, it is the best. For example, if one is born in the year of Jiayin, with the纳音 of water, and then meets Jihai. Jia and Ji represent true earth, which means the纳音 water is restrained by the true five - element earth. If there is no restraint from the heavenly stem of the Tai Sui (yearly star), but there is a combination of Yi and Geng in the solar terms, lunar months, or hours, it also counts. If only Geng is seen, it is called a partial official star, and its power is less compared to the complete combination. If neither Yi nor Geng is seen, but only Yisi, Yichou, or Yiyou are seen, and there are many Shen in other positions, if Shen is not seen, it only has about three to five tenths of the power. The rest can be deduced by analogy. Moreover, when Jiyou or Jimao meets Ding and Ren, and Renzi or Renwu meets Yi and Geng, although the纳音 is restrained by the true five - element and is regarded as an official star, since the heavenly stems are also being restrained, it is not regarded as a true official star but as a true evil star. When one encounters such situations in the major or minor fortune cycles or in the annual luck, the disasters will be especially severe. This is also something that those who study the official star should know.
The "Chapter on Preferences and Taboos" states: "For the proper official of the five - elements, one should avoid the official that is subject to clash, punishment, restraint, and destruction." The "Five - Character Verse" says: "If there is an official, there should be a seal. Without punishment, it is truly praiseworthy. If not a guest in the imperial palace, one will still be a wealthy family." The "Secret Formula" states: "When the official star appears repeatedly, it should be regarded as a killing star. If it reaches the official position again, disasters are inevitable. If there are too many, restraining it will bring good fortune." An ancient poem says: "When using the monthly branch as the proper official star, it is auspicious to have wealth and seal stars in the annual and hourly pillars. If there are no violations such as damage, clash, and emptiness, it is guaranteed that one will have both wealth and honor." Also: "The official star should not be subject to punishment and clash. When the official and killing stars come together, good turns into bad. Transforming the killing star into an official star is auspicious, while transforming the official star into a killing star brings numerous disasters." Also: "Generally speaking, the official star requires a strong body. If the body is weak, one should seek a place with strong qi. When the seal and wealth stars are in prosperous positions and there are no clashes, injuries, or destructions, it means prosperity." Also: "When the official star in the birth month sits in the position of prosperity, and the day stem is strong, the blessings are boundless. With wealth and seal stars and no damage, one will achieve fame at a young age and sit in the imperial court." Also: "When the monthly pillar has the proper official star, and there are no punishments or injuries, the official position is the most stable. When the day master is prosperous, fame and fortune are prominent. When the fortune meets the wealth and seal stars, one will step into the imperial palace." Also: "Many seal stars and many official stars indicate a noble life. When the official star is strong but the body is weak, it becomes a problem. When there are many official stars and the body is strong, they can be transformed into wealth. When the wealth is strong but the body is weak, poverty and illness will come together." Also: "Generally speaking, the proper official star should be pure and harmonious. If there are no injuries in the four pillars, one can achieve high - ranking positions. It is auspicious to have a strong and prosperous wealth star in the hourly pillar, and it is pleasing to see many seal - generating elements in the pillars. Meeting the official star only in the monthly pillar is truly noble. Meeting it repeatedly in the annual pillar is too much. If there is a killing star mixing in elsewhere, one will have a hard and tiring life." Combining all these statements, the preferences and taboos of the proper official star are clear.