On the Ten Celestial Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches - 16
Original Text
若夫拱禄、拱贵、趋乾、归禄、夹戌、鼠贵、骑龙、日贵、日德、富禄、魁罡、金神、时墓、两干不杂、干支一气、五行俱足之类，一切无理之格，既置勿取。即古人格内，亦有成式，总之意为牵就，硬填入格，百无一是，徒误后学而已。乃若天地双飞，虽富贵亦有自有格，不全赖此。而亦能增重基格，即用神不甚有用，偶有依以为用，亦成美格。然而有用神不吉，即以为凶，不可执也。
其于伤官伤尽，谓是伤尽，不宜一见官，必尽力以伤之，使之无地容身，现行伤运，便能富贵，不知官有何罪，而恶之如此？况见官而伤，则以官非美物，而伤以制之，又何伤官之谓凶神，而见官之为祸百端乎？予用是术以历试，但有贫贱，并无富贵，未轻信也，近亦见有大贵者，不知何故。然要之极贱者多，不得不观其人物以衡之。
徐注：用伤官之忌见官星，亦犹用官之忌伤，用印之忌财，用财之忌劫也。何格无喜忌，岂独伤官？况官星有喜见不喜见之别乎？至于格局之不可解者甚多。我人学识不足，未穷奥妙，知之为知之，不知为不知，正不必曲为讳饰也。
四十八、附论杂格取运
徐注：杂格不一，大都气势偏旺，出于五行常理之外。昔人评命，泥于财官之说，四柱无财可取，则不惜遥合倒冲，牵强附会，以期合于财官，未免可嗤。命理不外乎五行，气势虽为偏旺，而偏旺之中，仍有正理可取，详《滴天髓徵义》。偏旺之格，取运大都须顺其气势，虽干支喜忌，须察四柱之配合，而顺势取运，大致有定。兹就本篇所引各造。约略言之：
曲直仁寿格
癸亥 乙卯 乙未 壬午
甲寅 癸丑 壬子 辛亥 庚戌 己酉
甲乙日主，支全亥卯未或寅卯辰，乃曲直仁寿格也。气势偏旺于木，宜行水木火运，官煞运最忌，财运亦不宜。丙丁日主，支全寅午戌、或巳午未，为炎上格。戊已日主，支全辰戌丑未为稼穑格。庚辛日主，支全巳酉丑或申酉戌，为从革格。壬癸日主支全甲子辰或亥子丑，为润下格。五种意义相同。
化气格：
甲戌 丁卯 壬寅 甲辰
戊辰 己巳 庚午 辛未 壬申 癸酉
丁壬化木，生于春月，时逢甲辰，木之元神透出，乃化木格。气势偏于木也。化神喜行旺地，最宜东方寅卯辰比劫乡，而忌官煞，日主还原之地亦忌，其中略分别，如丁壬化木，日元壬水，行亥子丑印地，生起化神亦吉；若甲已化土，而行寅卯辰，克我化神，为大忌也。化气格有甲己化土、乙庚化金、丙辛化水、丁壬化木、戊癸化火五种，意义略同。
倒冲格：
戊午 戊午 戊午 戊午
己未 庚申 辛酉 壬戌 癸亥 甲子
两神成象，而气势偏于火土，为从旺格。最宜金运，泄土之气，但火炎土燥，究嫌偏枯，宜带水之土以护之。如庚辰辛丑等运为最佳，若见水运，如以一杯水救车薪之火。立见其灾。所谓倒冲最忌填实，即此意也。木运逆土之性，增火之焰，亦不相宜。
甲寅 庚午 丙午 甲午
辛未 壬申 癸酉 甲戌 乙亥 丙子
庚金无根，置之不论，气偏木火，格成炎上，最宜土运泄火之气。说见前仁寿格。
以上两造皆俗所谓倒冲格也。
朝阳格：
戊辰 辛酉 辛酉 戊子
壬戌 癸亥 甲子 乙丑 丙寅 丁卯
此金水伤官，原无官星，气势偏于金水，以顺其性。行土金水运为美，火运为忌。带水之木尚可行，而带火之木则不宜见。此俗所谓朝阳格也。
合禄格：
己未 戊辰 戊辰 庚申
丁卯 丙寅 乙丑 甲子 癸亥 壬戌
此土金食神也。比劫重重，气势偏于土金，以金运泄土之秀为最吉，水运亦美，火运为忌，木亦不美，所谓土盛木折也。俗以庚合乙为官星，称为合禄格，又不要明见，喜财以生之。取运略同。
Interpretation
As for those so - called patterns such as "Arching for Official Rank", "Arching for Nobility", "Moving towards Qian", "Returning to Official Rank", "Flanking Xu", "Rat Nobility", "Riding the Dragon", "Day Nobility", "Day Virtue", "Wealthy Official Rank", "Kuigang", "Golden God", "Hour Tomb", "Two Stems without Mixture", "Uniformity of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches", "Completeness of the Five Elements" and the like, all these unreasonable patterns should be discarded. Even in the ancient patterns, there are established formulas. In general, they are just forced interpretations and the elements are stuffed into the patterns forcefully, with hardly any of them being correct. They only mislead later learners. As for the pattern of "Heaven and Earth Flying Together", although those who are wealthy and noble have their own patterns and do not entirely rely on this one, it can still enhance the basic pattern. Even if the useful god is not very effective, if it is occasionally used as a support, it can also form an excellent pattern. However, if the useful god is inauspicious, it will be regarded as inauspicious, but this should not be taken as an absolute rule.
Regarding the situation of completely exhausting the "Hurting Officer" element, it is said that once it is completely exhausted, it is not advisable to encounter an "Officer" element. One must try one's best to "hurt" it and make it have no place to stand. If one is currently in a "Hurting" fortune, one can achieve wealth and honor. They don't know what crime the "Officer" element has committed to be hated so much. Moreover, if one "hurts" when encountering the "Officer" element, it means that the "Officer" is not a good thing and should be restricted by "hurting". Then why is the "Hurting Officer" regarded as an inauspicious element and encountering the "Officer" brings all kinds of disasters? I have used this method to test cases over the years, and I only found people in poverty and never those achieving wealth and honor. So I didn't easily believe it. Recently, I also saw some people achieving great honor, and I don't know the reason. However, in general, there are more extremely poor people, so one has to evaluate based on the individual's circumstances.
Xu's note: When using the Hurting Officer, it is taboo to see the Official Star, just as when using the Official, it is taboo to have the Hurting Officer; when using the Seal, it is taboo to have the Wealth; when using the Wealth, it is taboo to have the Robbery. Which pattern doesn't have preferences and taboos? It's not just the Hurting Officer pattern. Moreover, there are differences between the Official Stars that are welcome and those that are not. As for the patterns that are hard to understand, there are many. Our knowledge is insufficient, and we haven't fully explored the mysteries. We should know what we know and admit what we don't know. There's no need to try to cover up our ignorance with far - fetched explanations.
48. Supplementary Discussions on Selecting Fortunes from Miscellaneous Patterns
Xu's note: The various patterns are not uniform. Generally speaking, the qi and momentum are on the stronger side, going beyond the normal principles of the Five Elements. In the past, when people evaluated one's fate, they were stuck in the theory of wealth and official positions. If there was no sign of wealth in the Four Pillars, they would not hesitate to use remote combinations and reverse clashes, making far - fetched associations in order to fit the criteria of wealth and official positions, which is really laughable. The theory of fate does not go beyond the Five Elements. Although the qi and momentum are on the stronger side, there are still proper principles to be found within this imbalance. Details can be found in "Explanation of the Secret Essentials of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches". For patterns with a stronger - side qi and momentum, when selecting the luck cycles, generally one has to follow the trend of this qi and momentum. Although the preferences and taboos of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches require an examination of the combination of the Four Pillars, when it comes to following the trend to select the luck cycles, there are generally certain rules. Now, let's briefly talk about each of the cases cited in this chapter.
The pattern of benevolence and longevity with twists and turns
Guihai, Yimao, Yiwei, Renwu
Jia Yin, Gui Chou, Ren Zi, Xin Hai, Geng Xu, Ji You
For those with the Heavenly Stems of Jia or Yi, if the Earthly Branches in their Bazi are all Hai, Mao, and Wei or Yin, Mao, and Chen, it forms the Pattern of Gentle Flexibility and Benevolence. The qi and momentum are biased towards the element of Wood. It is advisable to have the luck cycles of Water, Wood, and Fire. The luck cycles of Officials and Killers are most unfavorable, and the wealth luck cycle is also inappropriate. For those with the Heavenly Stems of Bing or Ding, if the Earthly Branches are all Yin, Wu, and Xu or Si, Wu, and Wei, it is the Pattern of Blazing Ascendance. For those with the Heavenly Stems of Wu or Ji, if the Earthly Branches are all Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei, it is the Pattern of Grain Cultivation. For those with the Heavenly Stems of Geng or Xin, if the Earthly Branches are all Si, You, and Chou or Shen, You, and Xu, it is the Pattern of Transformation through Metal. For those with the Heavenly Stems of Ren or Gui, if the Earthly Branches are all Jia, Zi, and Chen or Hai, Zi, and Chou, it is the Pattern of Moistening Descent. These five patterns share the same significance.
The pattern of qi transformation.
Jiaxu, Dingmao, Renyin, Jiachen
Wuchen, Jisi, Gengwu, Xinwei, Renshen, Guiyou
When Ding and Ren combine to transform into Wood and are born in the spring months, and the time is Jia Chen, the primordial essence of Wood emerges, which is the pattern of Ding and Ren transforming into Wood. The qi - momentum leans towards Wood. The transformed god prefers to be in prosperous places. It is most suitable to be in the eastern areas represented by Yin, Mao, and Chen, which are the regions of the same element (Wood), and it忌讳 official and killing elements. The place where the heavenly stem of the day returns to its original state is also 忌讳. There are some slight differences. For example, when Ding and Ren transform into Wood and the heavenly stem of the day is Ren Water, when it moves into the regions of Hai, Zi, and Chou which are the regions of print, it can nourish the transformed god, which is also auspicious. However, if Jia and Ji transform into Earth and it moves into the regions of Yin, Mao, and Chen, which can overcome the transformed god, it is a great 忌讳. There are five types of transformation - qi patterns: Jia and Ji transforming into Earth, Yi and Geng transforming into Metal, Bing and Xin transforming into Water, Ding and Ren transforming into Wood, and Wu and Gui transforming into Fire, and their meanings are slightly the same.
Reverse rush pattern:
Wuwu, Wuwu, Wuwu, Wuwu
Jǐwèi, Gēngshēn, Xīnyǒu, Rénxū, Guǐhài, Jiǎzǐ
When two cosmic forces form an image, and the qi and momentum lean towards the elements of fire and earth, it belongs to the pattern of following the prosperous. The metal element's fortune is most suitable, as it can drain the qi of the earth. However, with the intense fire drying up the earth, it is still considered one - sided and withered. Earth containing water is needed to protect it. For example, the fortunes like Geng Chen and Xin Chou are the best. If the water element's fortune appears, it is like trying to put out a cartload of burning firewood with a cup of water, and disasters will immediately occur. This is what is meant by the saying that filling in the void in a reverse - impact situation is most taboo. As for the wood element's fortune, it goes against the nature of the earth and increases the intensity of the fire, so it is also not appropriate.
Jia-yin, Geng-wu, Bing-wu, Jia-wu
Xinwei, Renshen, Guiyou, Jiaxu, Yihai, Bingzi
Since the Metal element represented by Geng has no root, it can be ignored. The qi is biased towards Wood and Fire, and the pattern forms the "Blazing Fire" pattern. Earth as the favorable element in the luck cycle is most suitable to drain the qi of Fire. The explanation can be found in the previous "Longevity and Benevolence" pattern.
The above two cases are both what is commonly referred to as the "reverse-impact pattern" in popular parlance.
Morning Sun Pattern
The Wuchen year, Xinyou month, Xinyou day, and Wuzhi hour
Renxu, Guihai, Jiazǐ, Yichǒu, Bingyin, Dingmao
This is a case of "Golden Water and Hurting Officials" pattern. Originally, there is no Officer Star. The momentum leans towards the elements of Metal and Water, so we should follow its nature. The luck periods of Earth, Metal, and Water are favorable, while the Fire luck period is unfavorable. Woods associated with Water can still be acceptable, but Woods associated with Fire should not be seen. This is what is commonly known as the "Facing the Sun" pattern.
Combined with the Lu (Lucky) Pattern:
Jǐwèi, Wùchén, Wùchén, Gēngshēn
Dingmao, Bingyin, Yichou, Jiazi, Guihai, Renxu
This represents the Earth and Metal Grand Duke of the Kitchen. With an abundance of Siblings and Rob Wealth stars, the overall qi is inclined towards Earth and Metal. The Metal phase, which allows the Earth to express its excellence, is the most auspicious. The Water phase is also favorable. The Fire phase is inauspicious, and the Wood phase is not good either, as the saying goes, "When Earth is overly prosperous, Wood will break." Conventionally, when Geng combines with Yi to form the Officer star, it is called the "Combined Salary Pattern," and it is better not to have it clearly visible, and it is preferable to have the Wealth star to nourish it. The selection of luck cycles is roughly the same.