The Earth Bureau Nourishes the Water

Original Text

赋云：戊己居于润五，萍梗他乡。此象乃戊申、戊子、戊辰三日，生于申子辰壬癸水旺之乡，非特贫贱奔波，合主四肢眼目疾，或恶疮脓血而死。辰戌丑未运应，其馀土虚，逢水局，皆漂流之命，若目旺之土，在水局富贵，行火乡发达。如戊辰、甲子、戊甲、乙卯，是土虚逢润下，故主目疾为军。辛未、庚子、戊辰、壬子，土从众水，得土堤防，行丙申、丁酉运生财大发，交乙未运戊午年破财，复得平章之职，不可例戊己居润下为凶。

Interpretation

The poem says: When the Earthly Branches Wu and Ji are in the moist Five (a reference in the Five - Element theory), one is like a floating duckweed in a foreign land. This situation refers to those born on the three days of Wushen, Wuzhi, and Wuchen in the months or years when the Water element of Shen, Zi, and Chen (in the Chinese zodiac and Five - Element system) is prosperous. Not only will they be poor and have to run around all their lives, but they are also likely to suffer from diseases in their limbs and eyes, or die from evil sores and purulent blood. These misfortunes usually occur during the periods related to Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei in the fortune - telling cycle. For other situations where the Earth element is weak and meets a Water - dominated situation, they all have a fate of drifting aimlessly. However, if the Earth element is strong, being in a Water - dominated situation can bring wealth and honor, and when the Fire element is in the fortune, they will become prosperous. For example, in the case of Wuchen, Jiazi, Wujia, Yimao, it is a situation where the Earth is weak and meets the downward - flowing Water, so the person will suffer from eye diseases and become a soldier. In the case of Xinwei, Gengzi, Wuchen, Renzi, although the Earth is surrounded by a lot of Water, there is also Earth to act as a dam. When going through the Bing Shen and Ding You fortune periods, wealth will be generated and they will become very rich. But when entering the Yi Wei fortune period and the Wu Wu year, they will lose their fortune. Then they will regain a high - ranking position. So, we can't simply assume that when Wu and Ji are in a Water - dominated situation, it is always a bad omen.