On Pediatrics

Original Text

夫观小儿之命，如种花木之法。善培养者，则根苗茂盛，花果兴隆；不善培养者反是。何以言之？凡人种花木，必以土栽培其根，根实则苗盛；必以水浇灌其体，体壮则花茂；赖阳火温照其花，花实则果成；假金刃修伐其枝，枝清则本固。设若土虚根浅，水少苗枯，日暴花焦，风摧果落，是皆失中和培养之气，其花木安有不枯之理乎？人之八字，以年为根，月为苗，日为花，时为果，其理皆然。故推小儿之命，要日乾有气，月令生扶，年上栽根，印绶无伤，财官有制，七煞得化，伤官遇合，气禀中和，不值刑冲破害，此则易养长寿之命。如煞重身轻，财多身弱，伤官叠遇，食神重逢，日乾或旺甚无依，或太柔少印，气失中和，柱中有刑冲破害，此则难养促寿之命。二者类如栽培之法。

又曰：小儿之命，当论时辰为正，先看关煞，次看格局。日主强财官旺，有关无煞，日主弱财官少，常病易养；日乾弱财官多，有煞有关，难养。夫关者何也？即偏官为关，偏财为煞。专以日乾为主，取生成之数断之。关者，譬如今之关隘，乃险阻之地。人至关，非明文不敢私渡，违者必致其祸。小儿命犯此关，则为不利。柱中日干强健，制伏纯粹，印绶无伤，如有明文之类，通达顺遂，易养长寿。反之则否。

子平之关只以煞论。假如初生小儿甲日者，庚为关，柱有戊土党煞，此为关重无财。日主健旺得印生解化者，关轻无害。甲日见庚九岁关，丁见癸为六岁关，戊见甲为三岁关，丙见壬为一岁关，壬见戊为五岁关，癸见己为半岁关。古有占男女生时之日阴阳贵贱法。如金命，天阴生，主官贵相；昏暗贫贱；不问大小风起，不长寿；有雨雪，主心善孝顺。

木命，天阴生，大富；晴朗，有官，长寿；天昏，衣食平微，短命；有雪雨，身贵孝顺。水命，天阴生，心恶，倘来衣食；明朗，大贵；昏暗，短命，贫贱；有风起，久后贵人提携。火命，天阴生，大富；晴朗，虽富寿夭；昏暗，有官分；不问大小风起，有衣食；大雪，短命；微雪雨，年至五十左右，有病。土命，天阴，不过十五岁死；微雨，不过三十岁，大富；昏暗，富贵，有官分，寿却夭；大风忤逆，短命；雨雪，有外财；晴朗，富贵久远。

凡小儿生时是辰戌丑未，又四柱中多墓，主过房；带午未多者，名执拗煞，主为性执拗。戌多者亦然；带子亥多，主疝气偏坠，是子时者无不应，壬子、丙子尤紧；生时与胎同在辰上者亦然；带火多，主少年浓血之灾；带丁午多，有未字者，主头大，害疮疖，或疤痕，或秃疮，大人脑疽。四孟月上带金火相克，多疮疖惊疾；金水火相克制，主剥皮疮灾；金水多主晚语见木主早语。五行全者，主少便清俊伶俐，是夙有灵骨。五行自生月至时上以次求生旺少刑冲者吉，主长寿，成器人也。反是则夭，纵使福神多有救，少年当十生九死，及至成人，亦非上寿。益禀五行生旺则气实，气实则寿长；五行死绝则气薄，气薄则短夭。

凡月日时支干支错乱而重见太岁，曰重元星，主过房寄生螟蛉之子。初生或食神重叠，或偏印太旺，皆主无乳。犯五重羊刃，名曰满盘刃。多养不成，更时带刑害者，决死。女儿差慢，终不免产厄而死。生时见官符，父有公讼，母有惊恐；咸池重合，不得亲父母养育，或非嫡母所生；重叠见空亡，主惊颠失坠，克父母。生时犯空亡及自死绝者，七岁前赢疾，七岁后徒肥。凡俗推小儿正否，命见孤辰、寡宿，多隔房异宅，势不行气不转，幼离父母。如庚辰金见己巳火，金气转于十二支，则有火截，所以气不转。馀依此推。

或问：偶然同产一母，所生何以别贵贱荣枯？答曰，凡一时有八刻十二分，故有浅深、前后、吉凶不同。其有同时同母所生，须分浅深及日时之阴阳。如阳日时，兄胜；阴日时，弟胜。浅则占先时之气，深则占后时之气。古歌云：双生之法有奇门，欲验荣枯视日辰；阴日弟强兄必弱，阳时兄贵弟必贫。又一说：一时分方向，如木命向东方者受生气，向西方者受克生，贵贱寿夭以是别之。余闻三河王氏兄弟双生，弟先中，兄后中，功名寿夭，大率相似，而兄竟不如弟。颖州李氏兄弟双生，因差一时，故弟登甲科，兄只秀才。考其八字，果如前说。

Interpretation

Observing the fate of a child is like the method of cultivating flowers and trees. Those who are good at cultivation will see the roots and seedlings thrive, and the flowers and fruits flourish; those who are not will experience the opposite. Why do I say so? When people plant flowers and trees, they must use soil to cultivate the roots. If the roots are solid, the seedlings will be vigorous; they must use water to irrigate the plants. If the plants are strong, the flowers will be lush; they rely on the sun's heat to warm the flowers. If the flowers are well - developed, the fruits will form; they use knives to prune the branches. If the branches are well - trimmed, the trunk will be firm. Suppose the soil is loose and the roots are shallow, there is little water and the seedlings wither, the sun is too strong and the flowers are scorched, and the wind blows and the fruits fall. All these are due to the lack of the harmonious and nurturing qi. How can the flowers and trees not wither? In a person's eight - character horoscope, the year represents the root, the month represents the seedling, the day represents the flower, and the hour represents the fruit. The principle is the same. Therefore, when inferring the fate of a child, it is necessary that the heavenly stem of the day has qi, the monthly order provides support, the year establishes the root, the seal and ribbon are not damaged, the wealth and official positions are restricted, the seven - killing is transformed, the hurting officer meets with harmony, the qi is in a state of balance, and there are no punishments, clashes, breaks, or harms. This is a fate that is easy to raise and leads to a long life. If the killing is strong but the body is weak, there is too much wealth but the body is frail, the hurting officer appears repeatedly, the eating god meets again, the heavenly stem of the day is either extremely prosperous without support or too weak with little seal, the qi loses its balance, and there are punishments, clashes, breaks, or harms in the horoscope. This is a fate that is difficult to raise and leads to a short life. These two situations are similar to the method of cultivation.

It is also said that for a child's fate, the hour of birth should be taken as the key factor. First, examine the "obstacles" and "calamities," and then analyze the overall pattern. If the Day Master is strong and the Wealth and Officials are prosperous, with obstacles but no calamities; or if the Day Master is weak and there is little Wealth and Officials, the child often gets sick but is easy to raise. If the Day Stem is weak while there is a lot of Wealth and Officials, with both calamities and obstacles, the child is difficult to raise. So, what are these "obstacles" and "calamities"? The partial official represents the "obstacle," and the partial wealth represents the "calamity." It is mainly based on the Day Stem, and the outcome is judged by the numbers formed. The "obstacle" can be compared to a modern pass, which is a dangerous and difficult place. When people reach a pass, they dare not cross privately without proper documents. Those who violate this rule will surely bring disaster upon themselves. If a child's fate is affected by such an "obstacle," it is unfavorable. If in the Bazi (birth chart), the Day Stem is strong, the restraining forces are pure, and the Seal is not damaged, it is like having proper documents. The child will have a smooth and unobstructed life, be easy to raise, and live a long life. Otherwise, the situation will be the opposite.

In Ziping's theory, the "barriers" are only considered in terms of the seven - killing (a concept in Chinese fortune - telling). For example, for a newly - born child born on a day with the Heavenly Stem of Jia, Geng is the barrier. If there is Wu Earth in the Bazi (Four Pillars of Destiny) to support the seven - killing, it means a serious barrier without wealth. If the Day Master is strong and is nourished by the seal element to resolve the situation, the barrier is mild and harmless. For those born on a Jia day, the barrier occurs at the age of nine when encountering Geng; for those born on a Ding day, the barrier is at the age of six when encountering Gui; for those born on a Wu day, the barrier is at the age of three when encountering Jia; for those born on a Bing day, the barrier is at the age of one when encountering Ren; for those born on a Ren day, the barrier is at the age of five when encountering Wu; for those born on a Gui day, the barrier is at the age of half a year when encountering Ji. In ancient times, there was a method to predict the yin - yang, nobility, and baseness of a person's birth time. For example, for those with a Metal element in their destiny, if they are born on an overcast day, they are likely to have an official career and a noble appearance; if it is dim at the time of birth, they will be poor and humble; if there is a wind blowing regardless of its strength, they will not have a long life; if there is rain or snow, they will be kind - hearted and filial.

Those with a Wood destiny born on an overcast day will be extremely wealthy; if born on a sunny day, they will hold official positions and enjoy a long life; if born when the sky is gloomy, they will have meager food and clothing and a short life; if there is snow or rain, they will be of noble status and filial. Those with a Water destiny born on an overcast day will have a malicious heart and obtain food and clothing unexpectedly; if born on a clear day, they will be extremely noble; if born when it is dim, they will have a short life and live in poverty; if there is a wind blowing, they will be promoted by noble people in the future. Those with a Fire destiny born on an overcast day will be extremely wealthy; if born on a sunny day, they will be wealthy but have a short life; if born when it is gloomy, they will hold official positions; regardless of the size of the wind, they will have enough food and clothing; if there is heavy snow, they will have a short life; if there is light snow or rain, they will get sick around the age of fifty. Those with an Earth destiny born on an overcast day will die before the age of fifteen; if there is light rain, they will be extremely wealthy but die before the age of thirty; if born when it is dim, they will be wealthy and noble, hold official positions, but have a short life; if there is a strong wind, they will be rebellious and have a short life; if there is rain or snow, they will get external wealth; if born on a sunny day, they will enjoy long - lasting wealth and nobility.

If a child is born in the periods corresponding to Chen, Xu, Chou, or Wei, and there are many Tomb symbols in the Four Pillars of Destiny, it indicates that the child will be adopted by another family. If there are many symbols related to Wu and Wei, it is called the Stubbornness Evil. It means that the child will have a stubborn personality. The same goes for those with many Xu symbols. If there are many Zi and Hai symbols, it indicates hernia or testicular deviation. This is especially true for those born in the Zi hour, and it is even more significant for those born in the years of Renzi and Bingzi. The same situation applies when the birth time and the fetus are both associated with Chen. If there are many Fire symbols, it indicates that the child will suffer from purulent and bloody diseases in youth. If there are many Ding and Wu symbols along with a Wei symbol, it means the child will have a big head, and may suffer from boils, scars, or bald - headed sores. For adults, it may lead to carbuncles on the head. If there is a conflict between Metal and Fire in the Four Cardinal Months, it often leads to boils and convulsive diseases. If Metal, Water, and Fire mutually restrict each other, it indicates a disaster of skin - peeling sores. If there is an abundance of Metal and Water, it means the child will start speaking late; if there is Wood, it means the child will start speaking early. If all the Five Elements are present, it means the child will be handsome, smart, and quick - witted from an early age, indicating a spiritual nature from a previous life. If the Five Elements from the birth month to the birth time successively generate and strengthen each other with few conflicts and punishments, it is auspicious, indicating a long life and the ability to achieve something. On the contrary, it indicates an early death. Even if there are many auspicious symbols to rescue, the child will face life - threatening situations in youth, and even if they survive to adulthood, they will not live a long life. This is because when the Five Elements are in a state of growth and prosperity, the qi is solid, and a solid qi leads to a long life; when the Five Elements are in a state of decline and extinction, the qi is weak, and a weak qi leads to a short life.

Whenever the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches of the month, day, and hour are in disorder and the Grand Duke Jupiter (Taisui) appears repeatedly, it is called the Repeated Yuan Star. It indicates that the person will be adopted, fostered, or be a step - child. At birth, if the God of Cookery (Shishen) appears repeatedly or the Partial Seal (Pianyin) is overly strong, it means the mother will have no milk. If one violates the Five - fold Yang Blade, it is called a Full - board Yang Blade. Most of such children cannot be raised successfully. If there are also punishments and harms in the hour pillar, the child will surely die. For girls, the situation is a bit less severe, but they will eventually die due to childbirth difficulties. If there is an Official Talisman (Guanfu) at the time of birth, the father will be involved in a lawsuit and the mother will be frightened. If the Salt Pond (Xianchi) appears repeatedly, the child will not be raised by their biological parents or may not be born to the legal mother. If the Empty Tomb (Kongwang) appears repeatedly, it indicates that the child will have convulsions, falls, and will harm their parents. If there is an Empty Tomb or Self - Death and Extinction at the time of birth, the child will be sickly before the age of seven and will only gain fat after the age of seven. Generally, when the common people judge the fortune of a child, if the Lonely Star (Guchen) and the Widow Star (Guasu) appear in the horoscope, the child will often live in a different house from the family. The energy will not flow smoothly, and the child will leave their parents at a young age. For example, when the Gengchen Metal meets the Jisi Fire, the metal energy in the Twelve Earthly Branches is blocked by the fire, so the energy does not flow. The rest can be inferred in the same way.

Someone asked, "If two people are born from the same mother by chance, why is there a difference in their status, prosperity, and fortune?" The answer is that within one hour, there are eight quarters and twelve minutes, so there are differences in the depth, sequence, and auspiciousness or inauspiciousness. For those born from the same mother at the same time, it is necessary to distinguish the depth and the yin - yang nature of the day and hour. If it is a yang day and hour, the elder brother will be more successful; if it is a yin day and hour, the younger brother will be more successful. Those born earlier within the hour will receive the qi of the earlier time, and those born later will receive the qi of the later time. An ancient poem says, "There is a mysterious principle in the case of twins. To examine their prosperity and decline, look at the day and time. On a yin day, the younger brother will be strong while the elder brother will be weak. At a yang hour, the elder brother will be noble while the younger brother will be poor." Another theory is that within one hour, there are different directions. For example, for those with the wood element in their destiny, those facing the east will receive the vital qi, while those facing the west will be restricted by the qi. Their status, longevity, and fortune can be distinguished in this way. I heard that among the twin brothers of the Wang family in Sanhe, the younger brother passed the imperial examination first, and the elder brother later. Their official careers and lifespans were generally similar, but the elder brother was actually inferior to the younger brother. Among the twin brothers of the Li family in Yingzhou, because there was a difference of one hour in their birth times, the younger brother passed the highest - level imperial examination and became a Jinshi, while the elder brother only became a Xiucai. After examining their eight - character birth dates, it was indeed as the previous theories stated.