On the Six Combinations of the Branches and Elements

Original Text

夫合者，和也，乃阴阳相和，其气自合。子寅辰午申戌六者为阳，丑卯已未酉亥六者为阴，是以一阴一阳和而谓之合。子合丑，寅合亥，却不子合亥，寅合丑，夫何故？造物中虽是阴阳为合，气数中要占阳气为尊，子为一阳，丑为二阴，一二成三数；寅为三阳，亥是六阴，三六成九数；卯为四阳，戌是五阴，四五得九数；辰为五阳，酉为四阴，五四得九数；巳为六阳，申为三阴，六三得九数；午为一阳，未为二阴，一二得三数。子丑午未各得三者，三生万物，馀皆得九者，乃阳数极也。

夫合有合禄、合马、合贵之说。珞录子云：是从无而立有，谓见不见之形也。从无立有，喻如甲生人以寅为禄，不见寅而见亥，谓之合禄；寅生人以申为马，不见申而见巳，谓之合马；甲戌庚人以丑未为贵，不见丑未而见子午，谓之合贵。经云：明合不如暗合，拱实不拱虚。此之谓也。《天元变化书》云：子合丑福轻，丑合子福盛；寅合亥福清，亥合寅福慢；戌合卯福虚，卯合戌福厚；辰合酉福弱，酉合辰大利；午合未福慢，未合午大利；已合申福慢，申合巳官气盛。如甲午辛未只是身旺，却命禄弱，如乙未壬午虽禄弱粗得。又曰：男子忌合绝，女人忌合贵。

Interpretation

Harmony means the combination of yin and yang, and when they are in harmony, they naturally combine. Among the twelve Earthly Branches, Zi, Yin, Chen, Wu, Shen, and Xu belong to yang, while Chou, Mao, Si, Wei, You, and Hai belong to yin. Therefore, the combination of one yin and one yang is called harmony. Zi combines with Chou, and Yin combines with Hai, but not Zi with Hai or Yin with Chou. Why is that? Although in nature, the combination is based on the harmony of yin and yang, in terms of qi and numerology, yang is considered superior. Zi represents the first yang, and Chou represents the second yin. The combination of one and two results in the number three. Yin represents the third yang, and Hai represents the sixth yin. The combination of three and six results in the number nine. Mao represents the fourth yang, and Xu represents the fifth yin. The combination of four and five results in the number nine. Chen represents the fifth yang, and You represents the fourth yin. The combination of five and four results in the number nine. Si represents the sixth yang, and Shen represents the third yin. The combination of six and three results in the number nine. Wu represents the first yang, and Wei represents the second yin. The combination of one and two results in the number three. The combinations of Zi and Chou, and Wu and Wei result in the number three, as the number three gives rise to all things in the world. The rest all result in the number nine, which is the extreme of yang numbers.

There are theories about combined emoluments, combined steeds, and combined honors. As Luo Luzi said: "It is to create something from nothing, referring to the form that is not seen." Creating something from nothing can be exemplified as follows. For those born in the year of Jia, Yin is the emolument. If Yin is not seen but Hai is seen, it is called combined emolument. For those born in the year of Yin, Shen is the steed. If Shen is not seen but Si is seen, it is called combined steed. For those born in the years of Jiaxu and Geng, Chou and Wei are the honors. If Chou and Wei are not seen but Zi and Wu are seen, it is called combined honor. The classic says: "An explicit combination is not as good as an implicit combination. It is better to support the real than the empty." This is what it means. The Tianyuan Changes Book says: When Zi combines with Chou, the fortune is light; when Chou combines with Zi, the fortune is prosperous. When Yin combines with Hai, the fortune is pure; when Hai combines with Yin, the fortune is slow. When Xu combines with Mao, the fortune is illusory; when Mao combines with Xu, the fortune is substantial. When Chen combines with You, the fortune is weak; when You combines with Chen, it is greatly beneficial. When Wu combines with Wei, the fortune is slow; when Wei combines with Wu, it is greatly beneficial. When Si combines with Shen, the fortune is slow; when Shen combines with Si, the official qi is prosperous. For example, in the case of Jiawu and Xinwei, it only means a strong physical constitution but a weak life emolument. In the case of Yiwei and Renwu, although the emolument is weak, it is still acceptable. It is also said that men should avoid combinations with the state of extinction, and women should avoid combinations with honors.