On the Ten Celestial Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches - 3

Original Text

是故十干不论月令休囚，只要四柱有根，便能受财官食神而当伤官七煞。长生禄旺，根之重者也；墓库馀气，根之轻者也。天乾得一比肩，不如得支中一墓库，如甲逢未、丙逢戌之类。乙逢戌、丁逢丑、不作此论，以戌中无藏木，丑中无藏火也。得二比肩，不如得一馀气，如乙逢辰、丁逢未之类。得三比肩，不如得一长生禄刃，如甲逢亥子寅卯之类。阴长生不作此论，如乙逢午、丁逢酉之类，然亦为明根，可比得一馀气。盖比劫如朋友之相扶，通根如室家之可住；乾多不如根重，理固然也。

刑者，三刑也，子卯巳申之类是也。冲者，六冲也，子午卯酉之类是也。会者，三会也，申子辰之类是也。合者，六合也，子与丑合之类是也。此皆以地支宫分而言，系对射之意也。三方为会，朋友之意也。并对为合，比邻之意也。至于三刑取庑，姑且阙疑，虽不知其所以然，于命理亦无害也。

八字支中，刑冲俱非美事，而三合六合，可以解之。假如甲生酉月，逢卯则冲，而或支中有戌，则卯与戌合而不冲；有辰，则酉与辰合而不冲；有亥与未，则卯与亥未会而不冲；有巳与丑，则酉与巳丑会而不冲。是会合可以解冲也。又如丙生子月，逢卯则刑，而或支中有戌，则与戌合而不刑；有丑，则子与丑合而不刑；有亥与未，则卯与亥未会而不刑；有申与辰，则子与申辰会而不刑。是会合可以解刑也。

又有因解而反得刑冲者，何也？假如甲生子月，支逢二卯相并，二卯不刑一子，而支又逢戌，戌与卯合，本为解刑，而合去其一，则一合而一刑，是因解而反得刑冲也。

又有刑冲而会合不能解者，何也？假如子年午月，日坐丑位，丑与子合，可以解冲，而时逢巳酉，则丑与巳酉会，而子复冲午；子年卯月，日坐戌位，戌与卯合，可以解刑，而或时逢寅午，则戌与寅午会，而卯复刑子。是会合而不能解刑冲也。

更有刑冲而可以解刑者，何也？盖四柱之中，刑冲俱不为美，而刑冲用神，尤为破格，不如以另位之刑冲，解月令之刑冲矣。假如丙生子月，卯以刑子，而支又逢酉，则又与酉冲不刑月令之官。甲生酉月，卯日冲之，而时逢子立，则卯与子刑，而月令官星，冲之无力，虽于别宫刑冲，六亲不无刑克，而月官犹在，其格不破。是所谓以刑冲而解刑冲也。

如此之类，在人之变化而己。

八字用神，专求月令，以日乾配月令地支，而生克不同，格局分焉。财官印食，此用神之善而顺用之者也；煞伤劫刃，用神之不善而逆用之者也。当顺而顺，当逆而逆，配合得宜，皆为贵格。

取用之法不一，约略归纳，可分为下列五种：

（一）扶抑。日元强者抑之，日元弱者扶之，此以扶抑为用神也。月令之神太强则抑之，月令之神太弱则扶之，此以扶抑月令为用神也。

（二）病药。以扶为喜，则以伤其扶者为病；以抑为喜，则以去其抑者为病。除其病神，即谓之药。此以病药取用神也。

（三）调候。金水生于冬令，木火生于夏令，气候太寒太燥，以调和气候为急。此以调候为用神也。

（四）专旺。四柱之气势，偏于一方其势不可逆，惟有顺其气势为用，或从或化，及一方专旺等格局皆是也。

（五）通关。两神对峙，强弱均平，各不相下，须调和之为美，此以通关为用也。

是以善而顺用之，则财喜食神以相生，生官以护财；官喜透财以相生，生印以护官；印喜官煞以相生，劫财以护印；食喜身旺以相生，生财以护食。不善而逆用之，则七煞喜食神以制伏，忌财印以资扶；伤官喜佩印以制伏，生财以化伤；阳刃喜官煞以制伏，忌官煞之俱无；月劫喜透官以制伏，利用财而透食以化劫。此顺逆之大路也。

今人不知专主提纲，然后将四柱干支，字字统归月令，以观喜忌，甚至见正官佩印，则以为官印双全，与印绶用官者同论；见财透食神，不以为财逢食生，而以为食神生财，与食神生财同论；见偏印透食，不以为泄身之秀，而以为枭神夺食，宜用财制，与食神逢枭同论；见煞逢食制而露印者，不以为去食护煞，而以为煞印相生，与印绶逢煞者同论；更有煞格逢刃，不以为刃可帮身制煞，而以为七煞制刃，与阳刃露煞者同论。此皆由不知月令而妄论之故也。

Interpretation

Therefore, regardless of whether the ten Heavenly Stems are in a state of prosperity or decline according to the monthly branch, as long as they have roots in the four pillars, they can receive the influences of Wealth, Official, Hurting Officer, and Seven Kills. The states of Longevity, Prosperity, and Strength are strong roots; the states of Tomb and Remaining Qi are weak roots. For a Heavenly Stem, having one Peer is not as good as having a Tomb in the earthly branches, such as Jia encountering Wei and Bing encountering Xu. However, when Yi encounters Xu and Ding encounters Chou, this rule does not apply, because there is no hidden Wood in Xu and no hidden Fire in Chou. Having two Peers is not as good as having one Remaining Qi, such as Yi encountering Chen and Ding encountering Wei. Having three Peers is not as good as having one Longevity, Prosperity, or Edge, such as Jia encountering Hai, Zi, Yin, or Mao. This rule does not apply to the so - called "Yin Longevity", such as Yi encountering Wu and Ding encountering You. Nevertheless, these are also obvious roots, comparable to having one Remaining Qi. In essence, Peer and Rob Wealth are like friends offering support, while having roots is like having a home to live in. It is a natural principle that having more Heavenly Stems is not as good as having strong roots.

"Xing" refers to the three types of penal interactions, such as the relationships between Zi and Mao, Si and Shen, etc. "Chong" refers to the six types of clashes, like the clashes between Zi and Wu, Mao and You, etc. "Hui" refers to the three - element combinations, for example, the combination of Shen, Zi and Chen. "He" refers to the six - element unions, such as the union of Zi and Chou. All these are described in terms of the branches of the Earthly Stems, representing the concept of opposition and interaction. The three - element combinations signify the gathering of friends. The paired unions imply the closeness of neighbors. As for the principle behind the three - element penal interactions, it's better to leave it in doubt. Even if we don't know the reason, it doesn't harm the study of fortune - telling.

In the earthly branches of the eight characters of one's birth date, both punishment and conflict are not auspicious events, while the three - element combinations and six - element combinations can resolve them. For example, if a person is born in the Year of the Wood - Rooster (Jia in the Heavenly Stems and You in the Earthly Branches), encountering the Rabbit (Mao) means conflict. However, if there is a Dog (Xu) in the earthly branches, then the Rabbit (Mao) will combine with the Dog (Xu) and there will be no conflict; if there is a Dragon (Chen), then the Rooster (You) will combine with the Dragon (Chen) and there will be no conflict; if there are a Pig (Hai) and a Goat (Wei), then the Rabbit (Mao) will form a three - element combination with the Pig (Hai) and the Goat (Wei) and there will be no conflict; if there are a Snake (Si) and an Ox (Chou), then the Rooster (You) will form a three - element combination with the Snake (Si) and the Ox (Chou) and there will be no conflict. This shows that combinations can resolve conflicts. Another example is that if a person is born in the Year of the Fire - Rat (Bing in the Heavenly Stems and Zi in the Earthly Branches), encountering the Rabbit (Mao) means punishment. However, if there is a Dog (Xu) in the earthly branches, then the Rabbit (Mao) will combine with the Dog (Xu) and there will be no punishment; if there is an Ox (Chou), then the Rat (Zi) will combine with the Ox (Chou) and there will be no punishment; if there are a Pig (Hai) and a Goat (Wei), then the Rabbit (Mao) will form a three - element combination with the Pig (Hai) and the Goat (Wei) and there will be no punishment; if there are a Monkey (Shen) and a Dragon (Chen), then the Rat (Zi) will form a three - element combination with the Monkey (Shen) and the Dragon (Chen) and there will be no punishment. This shows that combinations can resolve punishments.

Moreover, why is it that sometimes resolving a situation can instead lead to punishment and conflict? For example, if a person is born in the month of the Rat (Zi) in the year of the Wood Tiger (Jia), and there are two Rabbit (Mao) signs in the earthly branches, these two Rabbit signs do not punish the single Rat sign. However, if there is also a Dog (Xu) sign in the earthly branches, and the Dog and the Rabbit form a combination, which is originally supposed to resolve the punishment. But when one of the Rabbit signs is combined away, then there is one combination and one punishment, which means that resolving the situation instead leads to punishment and conflict.

Moreover, why are there cases where the combination and conjunction cannot resolve the clash and penalty? For example, in a year of the Rat and a month of the Horse, if the day pillar is seated on the Ox position, the Ox and the Rat can combine, which should resolve the clash. However, if the hour is of the Snake and the Rooster, then the Ox will form a conjunction with the Snake and the Rooster, and the Rat will clash with the Horse again. In a year of the Rat and a month of the Rabbit, if the day pillar is seated on the Dog position, the Dog and the Rabbit can combine, which should resolve the penalty. However, if the hour is of the Tiger and the Horse, then the Dog will form a conjunction with the Tiger and the Horse, and the Rabbit will penalize the Rat again. This shows that combination and conjunction may not resolve the clash and penalty.

Moreover, why can there be a situation where one form of conflict and penalty can resolve another? In fact, in the four pillars of one's birth chart, both conflict and penalty are not favorable. And when the favorable elements are affected by conflict and penalty, it especially breaks the good pattern. In such a case, it's better to use another form of conflict and penalty to resolve the conflict and penalty of the month pillar. For example, if the day master is Bing and was born in the子月, Mao penalizes Zi. But if there is also You in the earthly branches, then Mao conflicts with You instead of penalizing the official star in the month pillar. If the day master is Jia and was born in the You month, and the day pillar is Mao which conflicts with You, but if there is Zi in the hour pillar, then Mao penalizes Zi, and the conflict with the official star in the month pillar becomes less powerful. Although there are still conflicts and penalties in other palaces, which may bring some misfortunes to relatives, the official star in the month pillar remains intact, and the pattern is not broken. This is what is called resolving conflict and penalty with another form of conflict and penalty.

Things like these only depend on people's changes.

In the study of the Four Pillars of Destiny, the key is to focus on the month's branch. By matching the day stem with the month's branch, different relationships of generation and restraint emerge, thus differentiating the patterns. Wealth, official, seal, and food are favorable useful gods that should be used in a positive way; while the seven - kill, injury, robbery, and blade are unfavorable useful gods that should be used in a reverse way. When we use them in the appropriate positive or reverse way and combine them properly, all can result in noble patterns.

There are various ways of utilization. Generally speaking, they can be classified into the following five types:

(1) Support and Restraint. If the Day Stem is strong, it should be restrained; if the Day Stem is weak, it should be supported. This is to use support and restraint as the favorable elements. If the energy of the Month Branch is too strong, it should be restrained; if the energy of the Month Branch is too weak, it should be supported. This is to use support and restraint for the Month Branch as the favorable elements.

(2) Illness and remedy. If reinforcement is favorable, then what weakens the element being reinforced is considered the "illness"; if suppression is favorable, then what removes the element being suppressed is considered the "illness". Removing the element causing the "illness" is called the "remedy". This is how to select the favorable element based on the "illness" and "remedy".

(3) Adjusting the climate. When Metal and Water are born in winter, and Wood and Fire are born in summer, the climate is either too cold or too dry. Therefore, the most urgent thing is to balance the climate. This is to use the method of adjusting the climate as the favorable element.

(4) Extreme strength of a single element. In the Four Pillars, when the momentum leans towards one side and is irreversible, one should only follow this momentum as the guiding principle. Patterns such as yielding to the dominant element, transformation, and extreme strength of a single element all fall into this category.

(5) Linking. When two forces confront each other, with equal strength and neither being able to gain the upper hand, it is necessary to reconcile them to achieve harmony. This is the application of linking.

Therefore, when used in a favorable and harmonious way: Wealth favors the Hurry-eater (Shi Shen) for mutual generation and the Hurry-eater can generate the Officer to protect the Wealth; the Officer favors the transparent Wealth for mutual generation and the Wealth can generate the Seal to protect the Officer; the Seal favors the Officer and the Seven Killings for mutual generation and the Rob Wealth to protect the Seal; the Hurry-eater favors a strong Self for mutual generation and can generate the Wealth to protect itself. When used unfavorably and in a contrary way: The Seven Killings favor the Hurry-eater to subdue them and dislike the Wealth and the Seal to support them; the Hurting Officer favors wearing the Seal to subdue it and generating the Wealth to transform the Hurting Officer; the Yang Blade favors the Officer and the Seven Killings to subdue it and dislikes the absence of both the Officer and the Seven Killings; the Monthly Robbery favors the transparent Officer to subdue it and makes good use of the Wealth and the transparent Hurry-eater to transform the Robbery. This is the general principle of the harmonious and contrary use.

Nowadays, people don't know to focus on the main principle first. Then, they should attribute every stem and branch of the four pillars to the monthly order to observe the favorable and unfavorable factors. Even when they see the proper official accompanied by the seal, they think it is a combination of official and seal, and discuss it in the same way as when the seal is used with the official. When they see the wealth showing the gourmet god, they don't think it is the wealth being generated by the gourmet god, but think it is the gourmet god generating the wealth, and discuss it in the same way as when the gourmet god generates the wealth. When they see the partial seal showing the gourmet god, they don't think it is the display of one's talent by draining the body's energy, but think it is the owl god seizing the food, and think that the wealth should be used to control it, and discuss it in the same way as when the gourmet god meets the owl. When they see the evil star being controlled by the gourmet god and the seal showing, they don't think it is removing the gourmet god to protect the evil star, but think it is the evil star and the seal generating each other, and discuss it in the same way as when the seal meets the evil star. Moreover, when there is an evil star pattern meeting the blade, they don't think the blade can help the body and control the evil star, but think it is the seven - evil stars controlling the blade, and discuss it in the same way as when the positive blade shows the evil star. All these are due to the fact that they don't understand the monthly order and make random judgments.