On Yuan Chen

Original Text

元辰者，别而不合之名。阳前阴后，则有所屈，屈则于事无所申；阴前阳后，则直而不遂，于事暴而不治，难与同事，故谓之元辰。是以阳男阴女，在冲前一位支辰；阴男阳女，在冲后一位支辰。假如甲子生男，与甲午对冲，即乙未为正；乙丑生男，与乙未对冲，即甲午为正。馀干午未半之。所以为凶者，当气冲之地，左鼓则风煞在右，右鼓则风煞在左，故阴阳男女，取冲前冲后不同。若岁运临之，如物当风，动摇颠倒，不得宁息。不有内疾，必有外难。虽富贵崇高，势位炎盛，大运逢之，十年可畏。立朝定当窜逐，居家必罹凶咎，纵有吉神扶持，不免祸福倚伏，尤忌先吉后凶，临旺之后、欲出未出之际，凶祸尤的。生命逢之，主形骸陋朴，面有颧骨，鼻低口大，眼生威角，脑凸臀高，手脚强硬，声音沈浊。生旺则落魄大度，不别是非，不分良善，颠倒鹘突；死绝则寒酸薄劣，形貌猥下，语言浑浊，不识羞辱，破败坎坷，贪饮好情，甘习下流。与官符并，多招无辜之挠；带劫煞，则不循细行，动招危辱，空贱无耻；妇人得之，声雄性浊，奸淫私通奴贱，鬼魅为凭，不遵礼法，一生多灾，虽生子，拗而不孝。常术《鼠忌羊头歌》未分男女，不足凭也。《珞录子》以宣父畏其元辰，林开以元辰恶煞为灾甚重，有互换遇者，尤为不吉，忽然遇合，又以吉论。《洞玄经》云：「元辰遇合，而大亨是也。」《广信集》取巫□伎参政己卯、甲申、己巳、甲戌，滕庚枢密乙丑、壬午、乙丑、壬午，二命岂不犯元辰。李吉甫曰：「大凡贵命，须逢煞即得君主横升拔，林开一偏之见也。」徐子平云：「元辰者，命中元有所害之辰，如甲见申庚，乙见酉辛之类，人生岁月日时原有七煞，已为所害之辰，岁运复遇，谓之犯元辰，为害尤重，元无则轻。然元辰一煞，与亡劫、羊刃、空亡同类观。」《珞录子。消息赋。自见雪心赋》云：「元辰水去，亦指神煞之名。」是古人之说是也。

Interpretation

The Yuan Chen is a term denoting separation rather than combination. When Yang is in front and Yin is behind, there is a kind of restraint. With such restraint, one cannot assert oneself in matters. When Yin is in front and Yang is behind, things are straightforward but not smooth - running. In dealing with affairs, there is recklessness and lack of governance, and it is difficult to cooperate with others. Hence, it is called Yuan Chen. Therefore, for males born in Yang years and females born in Yin years, the Yuan Chen is the earthly branch one position before the opposite one. For males born in Yin years and females born in Yang years, the Yuan Chen is the earthly branch one position after the opposite one. For example, if a male is born in the year of Jiazi, which is in opposition to Jiawu, then Yihai is the Yuan Chen. If a male is born in the year of Yichou, which is in opposition to Yihai, then Jiawu is the Yuan Chen. For other combinations of heavenly stems and earthly branches related to Wu and Wei, it is calculated in a similar way. The reason why it is considered inauspicious is that when it is in the position of the opposing qi, if the wind blows from the left, the evil wind - qi is on the right; if it blows from the right, the evil wind - qi is on the left. So, for males and females according to Yin and Yang, the positions before and after the opposite are different. If the annual fortune or the major fortune encounters it, it is like an object in the wind, swaying and being in a state of chaos, unable to have peace. There will either be internal diseases or external disasters. Even if one is wealthy and in a high - ranking position with great influence, when the major fortune meets it, the ten - year period is terrifying. If one is an official in the court, one will surely be exiled; if one is living at home, one will surely encounter misfortunes. Even if there are auspicious deities to support, one cannot avoid the co - existence of good and bad fortune. It is especially taboo to have good fortune first and then bad. When one is at the peak of prosperity and about to decline, the disasters are even more certain. If one's birth chart encounters the Yuan Chen, it means that the person has an ugly and simple appearance, with cheekbones on the face, a low nose, a big mouth, eyes with a fierce look, a protruding head, a high buttocks, strong hands and feet, and a deep and turbid voice. If the qi of the Yuan Chen is prosperous, the person will be down - and - out but magnanimous, unable to distinguish right from wrong, good from bad, and will be muddled - headed. If the qi is dead or extinct, the person will be shabby and inferior, with a vulgar appearance, turbid language, no sense of shame, will experience setbacks and hardships, be addicted to drinking and lust, and be willing to engage in low - class behavior. If the Yuan Chen combines with the official - trouble star, one will often be troubled by innocent grievances. If it is accompanied by the robbery - evil star, one will not pay attention to details, often bring on danger and humiliation, and be empty - headed and shameless. If a woman has the Yuan Chen in her chart, she will have a masculine voice and a turbid personality, be promiscuous and have affairs with servants, be haunted by ghosts, not abide by the laws and ethics, and have many disasters in her life. Even if she gives birth to a son, the son will be stubborn and unfilial. The common technique in the "Song of the Rat's Fear of the Goat's Head" does not distinguish between males and females, so it is not reliable. The "Luoluzhen" says that Confucius feared the Yuan Chen. Lin Kai thought that the Yuan Chen, as an evil star, brought very serious disasters. If there is an exchange encounter (a special combination of stars), it is even more inauspicious. But if there is a sudden harmonious combination, it is regarded as auspicious. The "Dongxuanjing" says: "When the Yuan Chen has a harmonious combination, great prosperity will occur." The "Guangxinji" takes the examples of Wu □, a person involved in politics, with the birth chart of Jichou, Jiashen, Jisi, and Jiaxu, and Teng Geng, a privy councilor, with the birth chart of Yichou, Renwu, Yichou, and Renwu. Don't these two birth charts violate the Yuan Chen? Li Jifu said: "Generally, for a noble birth chart, when it encounters an evil star, the monarch may promote the person abruptly. Lin Kai's view is one - sided." Xu Ziping said: "The Yuan Chen is the earthly branch that is originally harmful in one's birth chart. For example, for Jia, Shen and Geng are harmful; for Yi, You and Xin are harmful. If there are already the seven - killing stars in one's birth year, month, day, and hour, which are the harmful earthly branches, and the annual fortune or the major fortune encounters them again, it is called violating the Yuan Chen, and the harm is even more serious. If there is no such harmful earthly branch originally, the harm is lighter. However, the Yuan Chen, as an evil star, should be regarded in the same category as the star of death and robbery, the blade - like star, and the star of emptiness." The "Message Ode in Luoluzhen" and the "Snow - Heart Ode" say: "The Yuan Chen's departure also refers to the name of a divine star." This shows that the views of the ancients are correct.