On the Yangren (a term in traditional Chinese fortune - telling, can also be translated according to specific context as On the "Blade of Yang")
Original Text
《三车》云：「羊言刚也，刃者取宰割之义。」禄过则刃生；功成当退不退则过，越其分如羊之在刃，言有伤也。故羊刃常居禄前一辰。希夷曰：「阴阳万物之理，皆恶权盛。」当其极，处火则焦，灭水则涌，竭金则折，缺土则崩，裂木则摧折，故既成而未极，则为福，已极则将反而为凶。极盛之地，十干中正处是也。卯者，甲之正位，为阳木之极；辰者，乙之正位，为阴木之极；午者，丙之正位，为阳火之极；未者，丁之正位，为阴火之极；酉者，庚之正位，为阳金之极；戌者，辛之正位，为阴金之极；子者，壬之正位，为阳水之极；丑者，癸之正位，为阴水之极。当其极处，其气刚烈暴戾不和，所以禄前一辰为辛刃，对冲为飞刃。既盛而未极，则温柔和畅，故刃后一辰为禄也。壶中子云：「凡人有禄，必赐刃以卫之，此其义也。」《一行命书》云：「羊刃重重又见禄，富贵饶金玉。」《洞玄经》云：「官、印相助福相资。」是羊刃带禄，更有官、印相资，尤作吉论。如专羊刃，主眼露性急，凶暴害物，亲近恶党，生旺稍可，死绝尤甚。在五行败者逢之，多患瘰疠或瘴疠、金刃之灾，不论贵贱，多冗杂劳迫，少得安逸。《太乙经》云：「六甲生人逢乙卯、丁卯，为真羊刃。若重犯，主残疾，官禄失退则散在晚年。馀卯为偏刃，则轻。」
《广信集》有刃头财，如甲人见己卯之类，谓之销煞。主财帛歇灭，常人以屠沽刀锯等事为业，或因被盗而致命者。
有刃头鬼，如甲人见辛卯之类，谓之持刃煞，主人不令终，虽入贵格，亦不可测。甲乙人见之，尤紧。多脑疽发背而终。
《金书命诀》有羊刃相蚀，如甲寅虎、兔、甲戊狗兔之类，见所蚀年月稍可，日时至危。若见两重，更值空亡，设非相蚀，亦犯流配至老，主不善终。
又连珠刃，如庚戌、辛酉、戊午、己未、丙午、丁未、甲辰、乙卯、壬子、癸丑，皆凶象也。金紧木慢，女命犯之，定克夫害子，不贞洁。《理愚歌》云：「倒悬羊刃又同行，形骸不免填沟壑。」又云：「飞刃倒戈终见乖，小人得此便为灾；空亡截路同相见，此身安得出尘埃。」又云：「羊刃更兼倒戈，必作无头之鬼。」是羊刃带诸恶煞尤凶。
凡人行运，最怕羊刃，主作事稽迟，无士农之商皆厌之。经云：运行羊刃，财物耗散。此之谓也。
《玉霄宝览》有揽辔澄清格，谓贵人乘马而前视羊刃，犹马头带剑之义。假令庚午人得乙酉或己酉日时带甲申为入格。午马在申，庚禄在申，乙巳贵在申，庚羊刃在酉，却乙巳贵人取甲申为驿马而前视羊刃，故曰揽辔澄清。此格多为清严之官。若更有吉类，多为酷吏，能制奸宄。子平以甲丙戊庚壬五阳乾有刃，乙丁巳辛癸五阴乾无刃，惟见伤官；与羊刃同祸，是指阴阳之阳，非牛羊之羊。其义见后论阳刃格中。
Interpretation
The book San Che (Three Vehicles) states: "The term 'yang' implies firmness, and 'blade' is used to signify the meaning of slaughtering." When one's good fortune (lu) reaches an excessive level, the "blade" (yangren) emerges. When one has achieved success but fails to retire at the appropriate time, it leads to excess. Going beyond one's proper place is like a sheep under the blade, which means there will be harm. Therefore, the yangren usually occupies the position one celestial stem ahead of the lu. Xi Yi said: "The principles of all things in the yin - yang theory all abhor excessive power." When it reaches the extreme, in the case of fire, it will burn things to a crisp; in the case of water, it will cause surging; in the case of metal, it will break; in the case of earth, it will collapse; in the case of wood, it will be broken. So, when something is accomplished but has not yet reached the extreme, it brings good fortune, but once it reaches the extreme, it will turn into misfortune. The place of extreme prosperity is the exact position of the ten celestial stems. Mao is the proper position of Jia, representing the extreme of yang - wood; Chen is the proper position of Yi, representing the extreme of yin - wood; Wu is the proper position of Bing, representing the extreme of yang - fire; Wei is the proper position of Ding, representing the extreme of yin - fire; You is the proper position of Geng, representing the extreme of yang - metal; Xu is the proper position of Xin, representing the extreme of yin - metal; Zi is the proper position of Ren, representing the extreme of yang - water; Chou is the proper position of Gui, representing the extreme of yin - water. At the extreme, the qi is fierce, violent and inharmonious. So, the position one celestial stem ahead of the lu is the "xin blade", and the opposite position is the "flying blade". When it is prosperous but not yet at the extreme, it is gentle and harmonious. Therefore, the position one celestial stem after the blade is the lu. Hu Zhong Zi said: "For anyone who has lu, the blade is surely bestowed to protect it. This is the meaning." The book Yi Xing Ming Shu (The Life - Book of Yi Xing) states: "If one has multiple yangren and also lu, they will be wealthy and prosperous, possessing a lot of gold and jade." The book Dong Xuan Jing (The Scripture of Mysterious Cavern) says: "When official position and seal (symbolizing power and status) assist each other, good fortune is accumulated." So, when yangren is accompanied by lu and further supported by official position and seal, it is especially regarded as auspicious. If one only has yangren, it usually indicates a person with a sharp look and an impatient temper, being violent and harmful to others, and getting close to bad people. It is a bit better if the five - element is in a prosperous state, and it is even worse if it is in a dead or declining state. When those in the state of decline among the five - elements encounter it, they often suffer from scrofula or pestilence, or disasters caused by sharp weapons. Regardless of whether they are noble or common, they often face a lot of miscellaneous and laborious situations and rarely enjoy ease. The book Tai Yi Jing (The Scripture of Tai Yi) states: "For those born in the cycle of the six Jias, encountering Yi Mao or Ding Mao is the real yangren. If it occurs repeatedly, it will lead to disability, and official positions and good fortune will decline and disperse in old age. Other Mao are partial blades, which are less serious."
In "Guangxin Collection", there is a concept called "wealth at the blade's edge". For example, when a person born under the sign of Jia encounters the combination of Ji and Mao, it is called the "destructive evil". It indicates that one's wealth will decline and disappear. Ordinary people with this sign may engage in occupations such as butchery, brewing, and using knives and saws, or they may lose their lives due to being robbed.
There is a so - called "blade - headed ghost". For example, when people with the Heavenly Stems of Jia or Yi encounter the combination of Xin and Mao, it is called the "holding - blade evil". It indicates that the person will not end well. Even if they achieve a noble status, the outcome is still unpredictable. It is especially critical for those with the Heavenly Stems of Jia or Yi. Most of them will die from carbuncles on the head or back.
According to "The Golden Book of Fate and Fortune", when there is a conflict between the Yang Blade (a term in Chinese fortune - telling) and other elements, such as the combination of Jia - Yin (Wood - Tiger), Rabbit, Jia - Wu (Wood - Horse), Dog, and Rabbit. It's slightly acceptable if this conflict is seen in the year or month, but it's extremely dangerous if it appears in the day or hour. If there are two such conflicts and they coincide with the Empty and Lost (another term in Chinese fortune - telling), even if there is no such conflict, one may still be exiled for life and will not end well.
Moreover, there are the consecutive pearl-like blade combinations, such as Gengxu, Xinyou, Wuwu, Jiwei, Bingwu, Dingwei, Jiachen, Yimao, Renzi, and Guichou. All of them are inauspicious signs. When the metal element is in a tense state and the wood element is in a slow state, if a woman's horoscope has such combinations, she will surely overcome her husband and harm her children, and will be unchaste. The "Song for Enlightening the Ignorant" says, "When the hanging blade appears together, the body will end up in the gully." It also says, "The flying blade and the reversed weapon will eventually lead to discord. When a commoner gets such a situation, it will bring disasters. When it meets with the emptiness and the roadblock, how can this body get out of the mortal world?" It further says, "When the blade is combined with the reversed weapon, one will surely become a headless ghost." Therefore, when the blade is accompanied by various evil stars, it is extremely inauspicious.
In everyone's fortune - running, the most feared thing is the "Yang Ren" phenomenon. It usually leads to delays in doing things, and people in all walks of life, whether they are scholars, farmers, or merchants, all dislike it. As the classic says: When the fortune runs into the "Yang Ren", wealth and possessions will be dissipated. This is what it means.
The "Yuxiao Baolan" has the pattern of "reining in the horse to purify the world". It means that when a noble person rides a horse and looks ahead at the Yangren (a term in traditional Chinese divination), it is like the meaning of a horse's head with a sword. For example, if a person was born in the Gengwu year and has the Yiyou or Jiyou day and hour, and has the Jiashen in the Bazi (the four pillars of destiny), it is considered to enter this pattern. The Wu (which represents the horse) is in the Shen position. The Geng's Lu (a concept related to good fortune in Bazi) is in the Shen position. The Yisi's noble star is in the Shen position. The Geng's Yangren is in the You position. However, for the Yisi noble star, it takes the Jiashen as the Yima (the star of travel and opportunity) and looks ahead at the Yangren. So it is called "reining in the horse to purify the world". People with this pattern often become upright and strict officials. If there are more auspicious signs, they may become harsh officials who can suppress evildoers. In Ziping's theory, the five Yang heavenly stems of Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, and Ren have Yangren, while the five Yin heavenly stems of Yi, Ding, Ji, Xin, and Gui do not have Yangren. They only show the effect of the Shangguan (a term in Bazi). It has the same misfortune as the Yangren. Here, the "Yang" refers to the Yang in the concept of Yin and Yang, not the sheep. The meaning will be further discussed in the later part about the Yangren pattern.