On the Six Calamities

Original Text

厄者，遭乎难者也，常居马前一辰，劫后二辰，死而不生谓之厄。申子辰水局，水死在卯；寅午戌火局，火死在酉；亥卯未木局，木死在午；巳酉丑金局，金死在子，所以为厄。若有救护，有扶持，逢生旺兼贵气相助，则吉，究竟一生蹇滞。

《壶中子》云：「六厄为剥官之煞，李广不封侯是也。」

Interpretation

"E" (厄) refers to those who encounter difficulties. It is usually located one celestial - stem and - branch combination ahead of the "horse" position in the zodiac cycle and two such combinations after the "calamity" position. When something meets its end and cannot be revived, it is called "E". In the water trigram of Shen, Zi, and Chen, water meets its end at Mao; in the fire trigram of Yin, Wu, and Xu, fire meets its end at You; in the wood trigram of Hai, Mao, and Wei, wood meets its end at Wu; in the metal trigram of Si, You, and Chou, metal meets its end at Zi. That's why these are regarded as "E". If there are elements to rescue and support, and when it encounters the state of growth and prosperity along with the assistance of noble qi, it is considered auspicious. However, throughout one's life, there will still be setbacks and stagnation.

According to "Hu Zhong Zi", "The six misfortunes are the baleful stars that strip one of official positions, just like Li Guang who was never enfeoffed as a marquis."