On the Ten Celestial Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches - 2
Original Text
人之日主，不必生逢禄旺，即月令休囚，而年日时中, 得长禄旺，便不为弱，就使逢库，亦为有根。时产谓投库而必冲者，俗书之谬也，但阳长生有力，而阴长生不甚有力，然亦不弱。若是逢库，则阳为有根，而阴为无用。盖阳大阴小，阳得兼阴，阴不能兼阳，自然之理也。
合化之义，以十干阴阳相配而成。河图之数，以一二三四五配六七八九十，先天之道也。故始于太阴之水，而终于冲气之土，以气而语其生之序也。盖未有五行之先，必先有阴阳老少，而后冲气，故生以土。终之既有五行，则万物又生于土，而水火木金，亦寄质焉，故以土先之。是以甲己相合之始，则化为土；土则生金，故乙庚化金次之；金生水，故丙辛化水又次之；水生木，故丁壬化木又次之；木生火，故戊癸化火又次之，而五行遍焉。先之以土，相生之序，自然如此。此十干合化之义也。
其性情何也？盖既有配合，必有向背。如甲用辛官，透丙作合，而官非其官；甲用癸印，透戊作合，而印非其印；甲用己财，己与别位之甲作合，而财非其财。如年己月甲，年上之财，被月合去，而日主之甲乙无分；年甲月己，月上之财，被年合去，而日主之甲乙不与是也。甲用丙食与辛作合，而非其食，此四喜神因合而无用者也。
盖有所合则有所忌，逢吉不为吉，逢凶不为凶。即以六亲言之，如男以财为妻，而被别干合去，财妻岂能亲其夫乎？女以官为夫，而被他干合去，官夫岂能爱其妻乎？此谓配合之性情，因向背而殊也。
十干化合之义，前篇既明之矣，然而亦有合而不合者，何也？
盖隔于有所间也，譬如人彼此相好，而有人从中间之，则交必不能成。譬如甲与己合，而甲己中间，以庚间隔之，则甲岂能越克我之庚而合己？此制于势然也，合而不敢合也，有若无也。
又有隔位太远，如甲在年乾，己在时上，心虽相契，地则相远，如人天南地北，不能相合一般。然于有所制而不敢合者，亦稍有差，合而不能合也，半合也，其为祸福得十之二三而已。
又有合而无伤于合者，何也？如甲生寅卯，月时两透辛官，以年丙合月辛，是为合一留一，官星反轻。甲逢月刃，庚辛并透，丙与辛合，是为合官留煞，而煞刃依然成格，皆无伤于合也。
又有合而不以合论者，何也？本身之合也。盖五阳逢财，五阴遇官，俱是作合，惟是本身十干合之，不为合去。假如乙用庚官，日乾之乙，与庚作合，是我之官，是我合之。何为合去？若庚在年上，乙在月上，则月上之乙，先去合庚，而日干反不能合，是为合去也。又如女以官为夫，丁日逢壬，是我之夫，是我合之，正如夫妻相亲，其情愈密。惟壬在月上，而年丁合之，日乾之丁，反不能合，是以己之夫星，被姊妹合去，夫星透而不透矣。
用神之情，不向日主，或日主之情，不向用神，皆非美朕也。
然又有争合妒合之说，何也？如两辛合丙，两丁合壬之类，一夫不娶二妻，一女不配二夫，所以有争合妒合之说。然到底终有合意，但情不专耳。若以两合一而隔位，则全无争妒。如庚午、乙酉、甲子、乙亥，两乙合庚，甲日隔之，此高太尉命，仍作合煞留官，无减福也。
今人不知命理，动以本身之合，妄论得失；更有可笑者，书云"合官非为贵取"，本是至论，而或以本身之合为合，甚或以他支之合为合，如辰与酉合、卯与戌合之类，皆作合官。一谬至此子平之传扫地矣！
书云，得时俱为旺论，失时便作衰看，虽是至理，亦死法也。然亦可活看。夫五行之气，流行四时，虽日干各有专令，而其实专令之中，亦有并存者在。假若春木司令，甲乙虽旺，而此时休囚之戊己，亦未尝绝于天地也。特时当退避，不能争先，而其实春土何尝不生万物，冬日何尝不照万国乎？
旺衰强弱四字，昔人论命，每笼统互用，不知须分别看也。大致得时为旺，失时为衰；党众为强，助寡为弱。故有虽旺而弱者，亦有虽衰而强者，分别观之，其理自明。春木夏火秋金冬水为得时，比劫印绶通根扶助为党众。甲乙木生于寅卯月，为得时者旺；乾庚辛而支酉丑，则金之党众，而木之助寡 。干丙丁而支巳午，则火之党众，木泄气太重，虽秉令而不强也。甲乙木生于申酉月，为失时则衰，若比印重叠，年日时支，又通根比印，即为党众，虽失时而不弱也。不特日主如此，喜用忌神皆同此论。
Interpretation
In the study of a person's fate in traditional Chinese divination, the day master (the heavenly stem of the day pillar) doesn't necessarily need to be born in a month when it is prosperous according to the five - element theory. Even if it is in a weak state in the month branch, as long as it gets long - term prosperity in the year, day, or hour pillars, it won't be considered weak. Even if it meets a storage (a particular state in the five - element theory), it still has a root. The view in some common books that when it enters the storage, it must be counteracted is a fallacy. Generally, when the heavenly stem of the yang element reaches its birth state, it has strong power, while the yin element in its birth state is not so powerful, but it is still not weak. If it meets the storage, the yang element has a root, while the yin element is ineffective. This is because the yang is dominant and the yin is subordinate. The yang can incorporate the yin, but the yin cannot incorporate the yang, which is a natural principle.
The principle of the combination and transformation is formed by the matching of the ten Heavenly Stems according to yin and yang. The numbers in the Hetu (Yellow River Map) match 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 with 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, which represents the innate way. Therefore, it starts with the water of the great yin and ends with the soil of the neutral qi, which describes the order of generation in terms of qi. Before the existence of the Five Elements, there must first be yin and yang, the young and the old, and then the neutral qi, so the generation ends with soil. Once the Five Elements exist, all things are born from soil, and water, fire, wood, and metal also rely on it. So soil comes first. Therefore, when Jia and Ji combine, they first transform into soil; soil generates metal, so the combination of Yi and Geng transforms into metal next; metal generates water, so the combination of Bing and Xin transforms into water after that; water generates wood, so the combination of Ding and Ren transforms into wood next; wood generates fire, so the combination of Wu and Gui transforms into fire last, and thus the cycle of the Five Elements is completed. Starting with soil and following the order of mutual generation, it is naturally like this. This is the principle of the combination and transformation of the ten Heavenly Stems.
What are the characteristics and circumstances of this? Well, since there are combinations, there must be tendencies and oppositions. For example, when Jia uses Xin as the official, but Bing appears and combines with Xin, then the official is no longer the proper official for Jia. When Jia uses Gui as the seal, but Wu appears and combines with Gui, then the seal is no longer the proper seal for Jia. When Jia uses Ji as the wealth, but Ji combines with Jia in another position, then the wealth is no longer the proper wealth for Jia. For instance, if Ji is in the year column and Jia is in the month column, the wealth in the year column is combined away by the Jia in the month column, and the Jia or Yi of the day master has no share. If Jia is in the year column and Ji is in the month column, the wealth in the month column is combined away by the Jia in the year column, and the Jia or Yi of the day master is not involved. When Jia uses Bing as the eater and it combines with Xin, then it is no longer the proper eater. These are the four auspicious gods that become useless due to combinations.
In fact, when there is a combination, there are also taboos. Encountering auspiciousness doesn't necessarily mean good fortune, and encountering inauspiciousness doesn't necessarily mean bad luck. Taking the Six Relatives for example, for a man, wealth represents his wife. If the wealth is combined away by other Heavenly Stems, how can the wife be close to her husband? For a woman, the official represents her husband. If the official is combined away by other Heavenly Stems, how can the husband love his wife? This is what is meant by the nature of the combination, which varies according to the favorable or unfavorable circumstances.
The meaning of the combinations of the Ten Heavenly Stems was explained in the previous chapter. However, there are also cases where the combinations do not occur. Why is that?
This is because there are intervening factors. For example, when two people get along well with each other, but someone comes between them, their friendship will surely not last. Take the combination of Jia and Ji in the Five - Element theory as an example. If Geng comes between Jia and Ji, how can Jia cross over Geng, which restrains it, to combine with Ji? This is determined by the situation. It wants to combine but dare not, just like having something as if having nothing.
Moreover, there are cases where the positions are too far apart. For example, if Jia is in the Heavenly Stem of the Year Pillar and Ji is in the Hour Pillar, although they are compatible in nature, they are far apart in position. It is like two people living at the ends of the earth and unable to come together. However, it is slightly different from the situation where there are restrictions preventing them from combining. This is a situation where they attempt to combine but fail, a partial combination. The resulting good or bad fortune is only about two or three tenths.
Moreover, there are cases where combination does not harm the combination. Why? For example, if the stem of the day is Jia and it is born in the Yin or Mao months, and both the month and hour stems reveal Xin as the official star. If the Bing of the year combines with the Xin of the month, this is to combine one and leave the other, and the influence of the official star becomes weaker. When Jia meets the month's yang blade, and both Geng and Xin are revealed, and Bing combines with Xin, this is to combine the official star and leave the seven - killing star. And the combination of the seven - killing star and the yang blade still forms a valid pattern. In all these cases, the combination does no harm.
Moreover, there are cases where a combination is not regarded as a combination in the relevant theory. Why? It is because of the combination of the self. Generally speaking, when five yang elements encounter wealth and five yin elements meet an official, all these are considered combinations. However, when the ten Heavenly Stems of the self make a combination, it is not regarded as "being combined away". For example, if B uses G as the official, and the B of the day stem combines with G, since G is my official and I combine with it, how can it be regarded as "being combined away"? If G is in the year column and B is in the month column, then the B in the month column combines with G first, and the B of the day stem cannot combine with it. This is what is called "being combined away". Another example is that for a woman, the official represents the husband. If it is a Ding day and meets Ren, Ren is my husband and I combine with it, just like a loving couple whose affection grows deeper. But if Ren is in the month column and the Ding in the year column combines with it, the Ding of the day stem cannot combine with it. Thus, one's husband star is combined away by one's sisters, and the husband star becomes present in name but absent in fact.
If the favorable element doesn't align with the Day Master, or the Day Master doesn't align with the favorable element, neither of these is a good sign.
However, there is also the theory of competing for combination and being jealous of combination. Why is that? For example, when two Xin combine with Bing, or two Ding combine with Ren. One husband should not marry two wives, and one woman should not be matched with two husbands. That's why there is the theory of competing for combination and being jealous of combination. However, in the end, there is still a sense of combination, but the affection is not exclusive. If two elements combine with one but are separated by other positions, there will be no competition or jealousy at all. For example, in the Bazi of Gengwu, Yiyou, Jiazi, Yihai, two Yi combine with Geng, and Jia separates them. This is the Bazi of High - ranking Military Officer Taiwei. It is still regarded as a case of combining the inauspicious element and retaining the auspicious official element, and there is no reduction in fortune.
Today's people don't understand the principles of fate and fortune. They always base their judgments on the so - called "combinations" of their own birth charts and randomly discuss gains and losses. What's even more laughable is that an ancient book says, "A combination with an official star doesn't necessarily mean obtaining nobility," which is a very reasonable statement. However, some people take the "combinations" of their own birth charts as the ones mentioned in the book. Even more absurdly, they regard the combinations of other earthly branches as the relevant "combinations". For example, they consider the combination of Chen and You, or Mao and Xu as combinations with an official star. With such a serious mistake, the true teachings of Ziping's theory of fate and fortune are completely undermined!
The book says that when the elements are in their proper seasons, they are considered prosperous; when out of season, they are regarded as in decline. Although this is a fundamental principle, it is also a rigid rule. However, it can be interpreted flexibly. The qi of the five elements circulates through the four seasons. Although each day - stem has its own dominant season, in fact, even during the dominant season of one element, other elements also co - exist. For example, when spring is the season of wood, the Wood of Jia and Yi is prosperous. But at this time, the Earth of Wu and Ji, which is in a state of inactivity, is not completely absent in the universe. It just retreats temporarily and cannot take the lead. In fact, the earth in spring also nurtures all things, and the sun in winter also shines on all countries, doesn't it?
The four characters "prosperity, decline, strength, and weakness" were often used interchangeably in a vague way by the ancients when discussing one's fate. They didn't know that these should be examined separately. Generally speaking, being in season means prosperity, while being out of season means decline; having many allies means strength, while having few supporters means weakness. Therefore, there are cases where one can be prosperous but weak, and also cases where one can be in decline but strong. By examining them separately, the principle will become clear. Wood in spring, fire in summer, metal in autumn, and water in winter are in season and thus prosperous. When there are many same - element and supporting elements with roots in the earthly branches, it means having many allies. For example, when the Heavenly Stems are Jia and Yi (representing wood) and the birth month is Yin or Mao (wood months), it is prosperous as it is in season. If the Heavenly Stem is Geng or Xin (representing metal) and the earthly branches are You and Chou, then metal has many allies, while wood has few supporters. If the Heavenly Stem is Bing or Ding (representing fire) and the earthly branches are Si and Wu, then fire has many allies, and wood loses too much energy, so even if wood is in its governing season, it is not strong. When Jia and Yi (wood) are born in the Shen or You (metal) months, it is out of season and thus in decline. However, if there are many same - element and supporting elements, and the earthly branches of the year, day, and hour also have roots for the same - element and supporting elements, it means having many allies, so even if it is out of season, it is not weak. This principle applies not only to the Day Master but also to the favorable, useful, and unfavorable elements.