Earthly Branch Punishments- Chou-Wei-Xu Three Punishments

Chou, Wei, and Xu must all appear for the Three Punishments to be read. The three branches may appear together in the natal chart, or they may be completed through the natal chart, major luck, and annual luck. Distance does not prevent the pattern from forming, but the force is stronger when the branches are close together.

Wu Earth or Ji Earth does not need to appear in the Heavenly Stems for the Three Punishments to count. If Wu and Ji Earth do appear, it simply means the earth energy is stronger. When the month branch is one of Chou, Wei, or Xu, the force of the Three Punishments is stronger. When the day branch is involved, the connection to the person is closer. If any one of Chou, Wei, or Xu appears again in annual or luck cycles, it can continue to strengthen the Three Punishments.

The result of the Chou-Wei-Xu Three Punishments is that earth becomes stronger through punishment. Whether this is favorable or unfavorable depends on whether earth is useful or harmful in the chart. If earth is favorable, the Three Punishments may bring career growth, promotion, a raise, or wealth. If earth is unfavorable, it strengthens the harmful element and may bring money loss, illness, injury, petty people, disputes, gossip, or legal trouble.

Because of this, the Chou-Wei-Xu Three Punishments should not be judged as disaster by default. If the chart has strong wood to loosen earth, or strong metal to drain earth, the impact of excessive earth can be reduced.

After earth is strengthened by punishment, it may bury metal, drain fire, counter-overcome wood, and overcome water. If metal is weak in the chart, it may affect people and matters represented by metal, as well as the respiratory system. If fire is weak, it may affect people and matters represented by fire, as well as the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems. If wood is weak, it may affect the liver and gallbladder. If water is weak, it may affect the kidneys, reproductive system, and urinary system.

The Chou-Wei-Xu Three Punishments can easily affect the spleen, stomach, skin, endocrine system, thyroid, and pancreas. After the hidden stems are damaged, related family members may also be affected. For example, damage to Resource often points to parents or elders, while damage to Officer or Seven Killings often points to children.

When the Three Punishments appear in the year or month branch, the effects are often related to parents or elders. When they appear in the day branch, they are more related to the person or spouse. When they appear in the hour branch, they are more related to children.

If the marriage palace is involved in the Three Punishments, marriage and relationships may face difficulties in both male and female charts. When the Three Punishments involve the day branch or hour branch, they are also more likely to affect the person directly.

The Chou-Wei-Xu Three Punishments carry the image of hidden struggle and self-punishment. They can bring heavy mental pressure, inner conflict, and a tendency to overlook things when dealing with certain problems.

When the overall chart is well balanced, the person may be energetic, direct, loyal, and emotionally sincere. When the chart structure is poor, the person may become intolerant, stubborn, and unwilling to listen to advice, or may show violent tendencies in thought, speech, or behavior. The pattern can also go to the opposite extreme, showing timidity, indecision, and excessive compliance.