On the Ten Celestial Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches - 6
Original Text
春木逢火，则为木为通明，而夏木不作此论；秋金遇水，则为金水相涵，而冬金不作此论。气有衰旺，取用不同也。春木逢火，木火通明，不利见官；而秋金遇水，金水相涵，见官无碍。假如庚生申月，而支中或子或辰，会成水局，天乾透丁，以为官星，只要壬癸不透露干头，便为贵格，与食神伤官喜见官之说同论，亦调候之道也。
食神虽逢正印，亦谓夺食，而夏木火盛，轻用之亦秀而贵，与木火伤官喜见水同论，亦调候之谓也。
此类甚多，不能悉述，在学者引伸触类，神而明之而已。
月令既得用神，则别位亦必有相，若君之有相，辅者是也。如官逢财生，则官为用，财为相；财旺生官，则财为用，官为相；煞逢食制，则煞为用，食为相。然此乃一定之法，非通变之妙。要而言之，凡全局之格，赖此一字而成者，均谓之相也。
伤用神甚于伤身，伤相甚于伤用。如甲用酉官，透丁逢壬，则合伤存官以成格者，全赖壬之相；戊用子财，透甲并己，则合煞存财以成格者，全赖己之相；乙用酉煞，年丁月癸，时上逢戊，则合去癸印以使丁得制煞者，全赖戊之相。
癸生亥月，透丙为财，财逢月劫，而卯未来会，则化水为木而转劫以生财者，全赖于卯未之相。庚生申月，透癸泄气，不通月令而金气不甚灵，子辰会局，则化金为水而成金水相涵者，全赖于子辰之相。如此之类，皆相神之紧要也。
相神无破，贵格已成；相神相伤，立败其格。如甲用酉官，透丁逢癸印，制伤以护官矣，而又逢戊，癸合戊而不制丁，癸水之相伤矣；丁用酉财，透癸逢己，食制煞以生财矣，而又透甲，己合甲而不制癸，己土之相伤矣。是皆有情而化无情，有用而成无用之格也。
凡八字排定，必有一种议论，一种作用，一种弃取，随地换形，难以虚拟，学命者其可忽诸？
四墓者，杂气也，何以谓之杂气？以其所藏者多，用神不一，故谓之杂气也。如辰本藏戊，而又为水库，为乙馀气，三者俱有，于何取用？然而甚易也，透干会取其清者用之，杂而不杂也。
何谓透干？如甲生辰月，透戊则用偏财，透癸则用正印，透乙则用月劫是也。何谓会支？如甲生辰月，逢申与子会局，则用水印是也。一透则一用，兼透则兼用，透而又会，则透与会并用。其合而有情者吉，其合而无情者则不吉。
何谓有情？顺而相成者是也。如甲生辰月，透癸为印，而又会子会申以成局，印绶之格，清而不杂，是透干与会支，合而有情也。又如丙生辰月，透癸为官，而又逢乙以为印，官与印相生，而印又能去辰中暗土以清官，是两乾并透，合而情也。又如甲生丑月，辛透为官，或巳酉会成金局，而又透己财以生官，是两乾并透，与会支合而有情也。
何谓无情？逆而相背者是也。如壬生未月，透己为官，而地支会亥卯以成伤官之局，是透官与会支，合而无情者也。又如甲生辰月，透戊为财，又或透壬癸以为印，透癸则戊癸作合，财印两失，透壬则财印两伤，又以贪财坏印，是两乾并透，合而无情也。又如甲生戌月，透辛为官，而又透丁以伤官，月支又会寅会午以成伤官之局，是两乾并透，与会支合而无情也。
又有有情而卒成无情者，何也？如甲生辰月，逢壬为印，而又逢丙，印绶本喜泄身为秀，似成格矣，而火能生土，似又助辰中之戊，印格不清，是必壬乾透而支又会申会子，则透丙亦无所碍。又有甲生辰月，透壬为印，虽不露丙而支逢戌位，戌与辰冲，二者为月冲而土动，干头之壬难通月令，印格不成，是皆有情而卒无情，富而不贵者也。
又有无情而终有情者，何也？如癸生辰月，透戊为官，又有会申会子以成水局，透干与会支相克矣。然所克者乃是劫财，譬如月劫用官，何伤之有？又如丙生辰月，透戊为食，而又透壬为煞，是两乾并透，而相克也。然所克者乃是偏官，譬如食神带煞，煞逢食制，二者皆是美格，其局愈贵。是皆无情而终为有情也。
辰戌丑未，最喜刑冲，财官入库不冲不发--此说虽俗书盛称之，然子平先生造命，无是说也。夫杂气透干会支，岂不甚美？又何劳刑冲乎？假如甲生辰月，戊土透岂非偏财？申子会岂非印绶？若戊土不透，即辰戌相冲，财格犹不甚清也。至于透壬为印，辰戌相冲，将以累印，谓之冲开印库可乎？
况四库之中，虽五行俱有，而终以土为主。土冲则灵，金木水火，岂取胜以四库之冲而动乎？故财官属土，冲则库启，如甲用戊财而辰戌冲，壬用己官而丑未冲之类是也。然终以戊己乾头为清用，干既透，即不冲而亦得也。至于财官为水，冲则反累，如己生辰月，壬透为财，戌冲则劫动，何益之有？丁生辰月，透壬为官，戌冲则伤官，岂能无害？其可谓之逢冲而壬水之财库官库开乎？
Interpretation
When the wood in spring meets fire, it means the wood is bright and transparent. However, this theory does not apply to the wood in summer. When the metal in autumn encounters water, it means the metal and water are in harmony. But this theory does not apply to the metal in winter. Qi has its decline and prosperity, so the methods of selection are different. When the wood in spring meets fire and the wood and fire are bright, it is unfavorable to see the official star. While when the metal in autumn encounters water and the metal and water are in harmony, it doesn't matter to see the official star. For example, if a person is born with Geng in the Shen month, and there are either Zi or Chen in the earthly branches, forming a water situation, and Ding appears in the heavenly stems as the official star. As long as Ren and Gui do not appear in the heavenly stems, it is a noble configuration, which is the same as the theory that the eating god and the hurting officer like to see the official star. It is also the way of regulating the climate.
Even when the God of Food encounters the Proper Seal, it is still regarded as the Seal robbing the Food. However, in summer when the wood and fire are strong, using it appropriately can still lead to elegance and nobility. This is similar to the situation where the Wood-Fire Hurting Officer likes to see water, which is also about adjusting the climate.
There are many such examples and it's impossible to describe them all. It's up to the learners to draw inferences from one instance to many others and understand them thoroughly on their own.
If the favorable element is obtained in the monthly ordinance, there must also be a supporting element in other positions, just like a king having a prime minister, which serves as an assistant. For example, when an official star is supported by a wealth star, the official star is the favorable element, and the wealth star is the supporting element; when a strong wealth star generates an official star, the wealth star is the favorable element, and the official star is the supporting element; when a killing star is controlled by an eating god star, the killing star is the favorable element, and the eating god star is the supporting element. However, this is only a fixed rule, not the essence of flexibility. Generally speaking, any element in the entire chart that makes the overall structure favorable is called the supporting element.
The harm to the auxiliary element is more severe than that to the physical body, and the harm to the supportive element is more serious than that to the main functional element. For example, when Jia (Yang Wood) takes You (Metal) as the official element, and Ding (Fire) appears and meets Ren (Yang Water), then through the combination that neutralizes the harm and preserves the official element to form a favorable structure, it entirely depends on Ren as the supportive element; when Wu (Yang Earth) takes Zi (Water) as the wealth element, and Jia (Yang Wood) and Ji (Earth) appear, then through the combination that neutralizes the killing element and preserves the wealth element to form a favorable structure, it entirely depends on Ji as the supportive element; when Yi (Yin Wood) takes You (Metal) as the killing element, with Ding (Fire) in the year column, Gui (Water) in the month column, and Wu (Yang Earth) appearing at the hour position, then through the combination that gets rid of Gui (the seal element) so that Ding can control the killing element, it entirely depends on Wu as the supportive element.
When Gui is born in the month of Hai and Bing appears on the Heavenly Stem as wealth, but the wealth encounters the monthly robbery. However, when Mao, Wei, and other elements combine, it transforms water into wood and turns the robbery into a factor that generates wealth, all relying on the interaction between Mao and Wei. When Geng is born in the month of Shen and Gui appears on the Heavenly Stem, dissipating the qi. If it is not in harmony with the monthly order and the metal qi is not very active, when Zi and Chen form a combination, it transforms metal into water and achieves a state where metal and water are in harmony, all relying on the interaction between Zi and Chen. Similar cases like these all show the importance of the interacting elements.
If the supporting element is not damaged, an auspicious pattern is formed; if the supporting elements harm each other, the pattern will immediately fail. For example, when Jia (Wood) uses You (Metal) as the official, and Ding (Fire) appears and meets Gui (Water) as the seal, which restrains the harming element to protect the official. However, if Wu (Earth) also appears, Gui combines with Wu and no longer restrains Ding, which means the harm to Gui Water. When Ding (Fire) uses You (Metal) as the wealth, and Gui (Water) appears and meets Ji (Earth), the eater restrains the killing element to generate wealth. But if Jia (Wood) also appears, Ji combines with Jia and no longer restrains Gui, which means the harm to Ji Earth. These are all cases where the pattern changes from having favorable interactions to having unfavorable ones, and from being useful to being useless.
Once the eight characters of one's birth date are determined, there must be a certain way of analysis, a certain principle of operation, and a certain approach to selection and rejection. These vary according to different circumstances and are difficult to hypothesize. How can those who study the art of fortune - telling neglect this?
The four tombs are of mixed qi. Why are they called mixed qi? Because they contain many elements and the useful gods are not uniform, so they are called mixed qi. For example, Chen originally stores Wu, and it is also the reservoir of water and contains the remaining qi of Yi. All three elements exist. How to choose the useful one? However, it is very easy. If they are revealed in the Heavenly Stems, choose the pure one to use, then the mixed becomes not mixed.
What is meant by "revealing in the stems"? For example, if the day master is Jia and the birth month is Chen, when Wu is revealed in the stems, the partial wealth is used; when Gui is revealed, the proper seal is used; when Yi is revealed, the monthly robbery is used. What is meant by "combining in the branches"? For example, if the day master is Jia and the birth month is Chen, when it meets Shen and Zi to form a combination, the water seal is used. When one element is revealed, one corresponding element is used; when multiple elements are revealed, multiple corresponding elements are used. When there is both revelation in the stems and combination in the branches, both the revealed and the combined elements are used. If the combination is harmonious, it is auspicious; if the combination is disharmonious, it is inauspicious.
What is meant by "compatible elements"? They refer to those that complement and support each other smoothly. For example, if the Heavenly Stem Jia is born in the Chen month, and the Heavenly Stem Gui is revealed as the Seal, and at the same time, there are combinations of Zi and Shen to form a pattern, the Seal pattern is clear and unadulterated. This shows that the revealed Heavenly Stem and the combined Earthly Branches are in harmony and compatible. Another example is when Bing is born in the Chen month, and Gui is revealed as the Official, and there is also Yi as the Seal. The Official and the Seal generate each other, and the Seal can remove the hidden Earth in Chen to purify the Official. This is a case where two Heavenly Stems are both revealed and are in harmony and compatible. Also, when Jia is born in the Chou month, and Xin is revealed as the Official, or there is a combination of Si and You to form a Metal pattern, and at the same time, Ji as the Wealth is revealed to generate the Official. This is a situation where two Heavenly Stems are revealed and are in harmony with the combined Earthly Branches.
What is meant by "lack of harmony"? It refers to the situation where things go against each other. For example, when a person is born in the month of Wei (the 6th month in the lunar calendar) with Ren (the Yang Water in the Heavenly Stems) as the main element in the natal chart, and Ji (the Yin Earth) appears as the official star in the Heavenly Stems, but the earthly branches form a combination of Hai (the Yang Water in the earthly branches), Mao (the Yin Wood in the earthly branches) to create a structure of the Hurting Officer. Here, the appearance of the official star in the Heavenly Stems and the combination in the earthly branches are in conflict and lack harmony. Another example is when a person is born in the month of Chen (the 3rd month in the lunar calendar) with Jia (the Yang Wood in the Heavenly Stems) as the main element. If Wu (the Yang Earth in the Heavenly Stems) appears as the wealth star, and either Ren (the Yang Water in the Heavenly Stems) or Gui (the Yin Water in the Heavenly Stems) appears as the seal star. When Gui appears, it combines with Wu, resulting in the loss of both the wealth star and the seal star. When Ren appears, both the wealth star and the seal star are damaged, and it is also a case of "greed for wealth damaging the seal". This is a situation where two Heavenly Stems appear simultaneously, and their combination lacks harmony. Furthermore, when a person is born in the month of Xu (the 9th month in the lunar calendar) with Jia (the Yang Wood in the Heavenly Stems) as the main element. If Xin (the Yin Metal in the Heavenly Stems) appears as the official star, and Ding (the Yin Fire in the Heavenly Stems) appears as the Hurting Officer, and the monthly earthly branch forms a combination with Yin (the Yang Wood in the earthly branches) and Wu (the Yang Fire in the earthly branches) to create a structure of the Hurting Officer. This is a situation where two Heavenly Stems appear simultaneously, and their combination with the earthly branches lacks harmony.
Moreover, why do some cases start with favorable conditions but end up unfavorable? For example, when a person is born in the Chen month with Jia as the Day Master, and there is Ren as the Seal in the Bazi. If Bing also appears, the Seal element usually likes to be vented to form a favorable pattern. It seems to form a good structure. However, since fire can generate earth, it may also assist the Wu in the Chen month, making the Seal pattern unclear. In this case, it is necessary for Ren to appear clearly in the Heavenly Stems and for the earthly branches to combine into the Shen - Zi water combination. Then, the appearance of Bing will not cause any problems. Another situation is when a person is born in the Chen month with Jia as the Day Master and Ren appears clearly as the Seal. Even if Bing does not appear, but there is Xu in the earthly branches. Xu clashes with Chen. When the month branch has a clash and the earth is stirred up, the Ren in the Heavenly Stems has difficulty connecting with the month branch, and the Seal pattern fails to form. These are all cases where the initial favorable conditions end up unfavorable, and such people may be wealthy but not noble.
Moreover, why is it that there are cases where the initial situation seems inharmonious but ultimately turns out to be favorable? For example, in the case of a day stem of Gui born in the Chen month of the year, if Wu is revealed as the official star, and there are combinations of Shen and Zi to form a water bureau, then the revealed stem and the combined branches are in conflict. However, what is being conflicted is the rob wealth. Just like when using the official star in a month of the rob wealth, what harm can it do? Another example is when the day stem is Bing born in the Chen month. If Wu is revealed as the eating god, and at the same time, Ren is revealed as the seven - killing star, then two stems are revealed simultaneously and they are in conflict. Nevertheless, what is being conflicted is the seven - killing star. Just like the pattern of the eating god controlling the seven - killing star, when the seven - killing star is controlled by the eating god, both are excellent patterns, and the overall situation becomes even more noble. These are all cases where the initial inharmonious situation ultimately turns out to be favorable.
In the cases of the Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei earthly branches, it is often said that clashes and punishments are most favorable. It is claimed that when wealth and official elements enter the storage (the earthly branches representing storage), they won't prosper without clashes. Although this view is widely advocated in common books on fortune - telling, there is no such theory in the works of Master Ziping on fortune - making. When the hidden elements in the mixed qi (the complex qi in the earthly branches) emerge through the heavenly stems and form combinations with other earthly branches, isn't it excellent? Why is there a need for clashes and punishments? For example, if the Heavenly Stem is Jia and the Earthly Branch is Chen (in the birth chart), when the Earthly Stem Wu emerges, isn't it a favorable condition for partial wealth? If there is a combination of Shen and Zi, isn't it a favorable condition for the seal element? If the Heavenly Stem Wu doesn't emerge, even if there is a clash between Chen and Xu, the pattern of wealth is still not very clear. As for the situation where the Heavenly Stem Ren emerges representing the seal element, when there is a clash between Chen and Xu, it will actually harm the seal element. Can we really say that this clash opens the storage of the seal element?
Moreover, among the Four Storages, although the Five Elements are all present, earth ultimately dominates. When the earth is stirred up, there is spiritual energy. Can Metal, Wood, Water, and Fire achieve victory by the stirring up and movement of the Four Storages? Therefore, when wealth and official positions belong to earth, being stirred up will open the storage. For example, when Jia uses Wu as wealth and Chen and Xu are in conflict, or when Ren uses Ji as an official position and Chou and Wei are in conflict, and so on. However, ultimately, having Wu and Ji on the Heavenly Stems is a pure and useful situation. Once they are revealed on the stems, the storage can be utilized even without being stirred up. As for when wealth and official positions belong to water, being stirred up will instead cause problems. For example, when Ji is born in the Chen month and Ren is revealed as wealth, if Xu stirs it up, the robbery energy will be activated. What benefit can there be? When Ding is born in the Chen month and Ren is revealed as an official position, if Xu stirs it up, the energy of the Hurting Officer will be aroused. How can there be no harm? Can it be said that when there is a conflict, the storage of Ren water for wealth and official positions is opened?