Zi Ping Zhen Quan (Yuan Wen) (子平真詮（原文）)

天地之間，一氣而己。惟有動靜，遂分陰陽。有老少，遂分四象。老者極動靜之時，是為太陽太陰；少者初動初靜之際，是為少陰少陽。有是四象，而五行具於其中矣。水者，太陰也；火者，太陽也；木者，少陽也；金者，少陰也；土者，陰陽老少、木火金水沖氣所結也。

In the universe, the original nature is simply a mass of qi. The original text says "one qi only," where "己" is a mistake for "已." This mass of qi has movement and stillness. When movement and stillness are differentiated, yin and yang are formed. Movement and stillness each have degrees of maturity and youth, so from yin and yang, the four images are further divided. The extreme of movement is called old, which is the sun and the great yin; the beginning of movement and the beginning of stillness are called young, which are the young yang and young yin. With these four images, the five elements are included: water is the great yin, belonging to extreme stillness; fire is the sun, belonging to extreme movement; wood is the young yang, the beginning of movement; metal is the young yin, the beginning of stillness; earth does not belong exclusively to any of the four images. It is the central qi formed by the mutual interaction and convergence of yin and yang, old and young, and the four elements of wood, fire, metal, and water. Shen Xiaozhan starts his discussion not with the fortune or misfortune of the heavenly stems and earthly branches, but with the division of qi into yin and yang, the division of yin and yang into the four images, and the inclusion of the five elements within the four images. This is to establish a fundamental perspective: the foundation of destiny lies in the flow of qi. All subsequent discussions about the ten heavenly stems and twelve earthly branches, as well as the principles of generation, overcoming, punishment, and clash, must be derived from here, not arbitrary symbolic games.

有是五行，何以又有十干十二支乎？蓋有陰陽，因生五行，而五行之中，各有陰陽。即以木論，甲乙者，木之陰陽也。甲者，乙之氣；乙者，甲之質。在天為生氣，而流行於萬物者，甲也；在地為萬物，而承茲生氣者，乙也。又細分之，生氣之散佈者，甲之甲，而生氣之凝成者，甲之乙；萬木之所以有枝葉者，乙之甲，而萬木之枝枝葉葉者，乙之乙也。方其為甲，而乙之氣已備；及其為乙，而甲之質乃堅。有是甲乙，而木之陰陽具矣。

Since the Five Phases already exist, why are the ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches established separately? This is because yin and yang come first and give rise to the Five Phases, and within each of the Five Phases, there are again yin and yang. Take wood for example: Jia and Yi represent the yang and yin aspects of wood. Jia is the "qi" of Yi, and Yi is the "substance" of Jia. In the heavens, Jia represents the vital qi that spreads and circulates among all things; on the earth, Yi takes form as the physical substance that receives this vital qi. If we look even more closely, the state of vital qi spreading outward is Jia within Jia, and the state of vital qi gathering and taking form is Jia within Yi. The ability of grass and trees to sprout branches and leaves comes from the power of Yi within Jia, while the actual branches and leaves that form are the result of Yi within Yi. When it is still Jia, the potential for Yi to take form is already present; when it becomes Yi, the vital qi of Jia has already solidified into a firm physical form. With the pairing of Jia and Yi, both the yang and yin aspects of wood are complete. The purpose of this passage is to explain that the Heavenly Stems are not arbitrary symbols, but rather the dual manifestations of the vital qi of a single Phase in the states of "circulation" and "solidification."

何以復有寅卯者，又與甲乙分陰陽天地而言之者也。以甲乙而分陰陽，則甲為陽，乙為陰，木之行於天而為陰陽者也。以寅卯而陰陽，則寅為陽，卯為陰，木之存乎地而為陰陽者也。以甲乙寅卯而統分陰陽，則甲乙為陽，寅卯為陰，木之在天成象而在地成形者也。甲乙行乎天，而寅卯受之；寅卯存乎也，而甲乙施焉。是故甲乙如官長，寅卯如該管地方。甲祿於寅，乙祿於卯，如府官之在郡，縣官之在邑，而各司一月之令也。

Since Jia and Yi have already divided the wood into yin and yang, why is there still a need for Yin and Mao? This is because Jia and Yi, along with Yin and Mao, must be further divided into yin and yang according to heaven and earth. When comparing Jia and Yi alone, Jia is yang and Yi is yin, representing the yin and yang of wood in the heavens. When comparing Yin and Mao alone, Yin is yang and Mao is yin, representing the yin and yang of wood on the earth. When combining Jia, Yi, Yin, and Mao for a comprehensive division, Jia and Yi as a whole belong to yang, while Yin and Mao as a whole belong to yin. This is because Jia and Yi represent the image of wood in the heavens, while Yin and Mao represent the form of wood on the earth. The qi of Jia and Yi flows in the heavens, while Yin and Mao receive it on the earth. Yin and Mao remain still on the earth, while the life qi of Jia and Yi acts upon them. The original text says 「Yin and Mao exist in 」, where 「」 is a mistake for 「earth」. Therefore, Jia and Yi are like officials appointed by the court, while Yin and Mao are the territories under their jurisdiction. Jia's 'Lü' (favorable position) is in Yin, and Yi's Lü is in Mao, just as a prefect governs his prefecture and a county magistrate governs his county, each responsible for the monthly seasons. This clarifies the division between heavenly stems and earthly branches: stems represent the movement of qi, while branches represent where the qi settles. They are the relationship between officials and their territories, not the same thing repeated twice.

甲乙在天，故動而不居。建寅之月，豈必當甲？建卯之月，豈必當乙？寅卯在地，故止而不遷。甲雖遞易，月必建寅；乙雖遞易，月必建卯。以氣而論，甲旺於乙；以質而論，乙堅於甲。而俗書謬論，以甲為大林，盛而宜斬，乙為微苗，脆而莫傷，可為不知陰陽之理者矣。以木類推，餘者可知，惟土為木火金水沖氣，故寄旺於四時，而陰陽氣質之理，亦同此論。欲學命者，必須先知干支之說，然後可以入門。

The Heavenly Stems belong to Heaven and are ever-changing, so during the first lunar month when the Month Builder is寅, it is not necessarily the stem Jia, and during the second lunar month when the Month Builder is卯, it is not necessarily the stem Yi. Each year the combination of Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch differs, as the Heavenly Stems rotate. The Earthly Branches belong to Earth and are fixed and unchanging, so regardless of the changes in Heavenly Stems, the first lunar month is always寅, and the second lunar month is always卯. In terms of Qi, the Qi of Jia is stronger than that of Yi; in terms of form, the body of Yi is more solid than that of Jia. However, common命书 (fate books) mistakenly compare them, saying Jia represents a tall forest tree that is vigorous and should be cut down, while Yi represents a thin and delicate seedling that is weak and should not be harmed. This kind of statement only focuses on the superficial imagery and completely fails to understand the differences in Yin and Yang and the nature of each element. Applying this reasoning to the element of Wood, the same principle applies to Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Only Earth is the harmonious mixture of Wood, Fire, Metal, and Water, so it does not dominate a single season but instead is strong at the end of each season. However, the differences in Yin and Yang and nature remain the same as discussed earlier. Those who wish to study命理 (fate calculation) must first fully understand the principles of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches before they can even begin to enter the field.

四時之運，相生而成，故木生火，火生土，土生金，金生水，水復生木，即相生之序，循環迭運，而時行不匱。然而有生又必有克，生而不克，則四時亦不成矣。克者，所以節而止之，使之收斂，以為發洩之機，故曰“天地節而四時成”。即以木論，木盛於夏，殺於秋，殺者，使發洩於外者藏收內，是殺正所以為生，大易以收劍為性情之實，以兌為萬物所說，至哉言乎！譬如人之養生，固以飲食為生，然使時時飲食，而不使稍飢以待將來，人壽其能久乎？是以四時之運，生與克同用，克與生同功。

The cycle of the four seasons depends on mutual generation to function: wood generates fire, fire generates earth, earth generates metal, metal generates water, and water in turn generates wood. This is the order of mutual generation, a continuous cycle, so the changing seasons never run out. However, there must be both generation and restriction. If there is only generation and no restriction, the four seasons would not be formed. The function of restriction is to restrain and contain, to gather the dispersed qi back inward, thus preparing for the next release. Therefore, the Commentary on the Judgment of the节卦 (Hexagram 30) in The Zhou Changes says, "Heaven and Earth regulate and the four seasons are formed." Taking wood as an example: wood is most vigorous in summer, but is cut down by metal in autumn. This cutting is actually gathering the already dispersed vital qi back inside, so cutting is precisely for the next generation. The Zhou Changes regard gathering as the substantial aspect of nature and temperament, and takes the兑卦 (Hexagram 4), which belongs to autumn and metal, as the joy of all things. This truly hits the mark—originally it was written as "The Great Changes regard gathering as the substantial aspect of nature and temperament," where "剑" (sword) is a mistake for "敛" (gathering). Using an analogy: humans live by food, but if they never stop eating and never let their stomachs be slightly hungry, leaving room for the next meal, could they live long? Therefore, in the cycle of the four seasons, both generation and restriction are used together, and the contribution of restriction is as great as that of generation.

然以五行而統論之，則水木相生，金木相剋。以五行之陰陽而分配之，則生克之中，又有異同。此所以水同生木，而印有偏正；金同克木，而局有官煞也。印綬之中，偏正相似，生克之殊，可置勿論；而相剋之內，一官一煞，淑慝判然，其理不可不細詳也。即以甲乙庚辛言之。甲者，陽木也，木之生氣也；乙者，陰木也，木之形質也。庚者，陽金也，秋天肅殺之氣也；辛者，陰金也，人間五金之質也。木之生氣，寄於木而行於天，故逢秋天為官，而乙則反是，庚官而辛殺也。

However, if we only speak generally in terms of the Five Phases, it would be simply two statements: water generates wood and metal controls wood. But once we separate the yin and yang of each of the Five Phases and pair them accordingly, there is a distinction between similarity and difference within both generation and control. This is why, even though it is the same case of water generating wood, the one that supports me is divided into 'positive official' and 'biased official' (positive refers to yin and yang being different, while biased refers to them being the same). Similarly, even though it is the same case of metal controlling wood, the formation of a pattern is divided into 'positive official' and 'seven evils'. Among the categories of official and minister, the nature of biased and positive officials is similar, so the slight difference in yin and yang can be temporarily disregarded. But in the category of control, one is 'positive official' and the other is 'seven evils', one good and one evil, with a clear distinction, and the reason for this must be carefully examined. Let us use the four characters jia, yi, geng, and xin to illustrate this. Jia is yang wood, representing the growth energy of wood; yi is yin wood, representing the form and substance of wood. Geng is yang metal, representing the killing and cutting energy of autumn; xin is yin metal, representing the physical form of metals such as silver, gold, and copper. The vital energy of wood resides in wood and flows in the sky, and when it meets the killing and cutting energy of autumn, it is restrained by it (the original text says 'meeting autumn as official', but according to the ten heavenly stems, jia meeting geng are both yang, so it should be seven evils. There is a possible error in the original text, but we retain it as is). For yi, the situation is the opposite; for yi, geng is the positive official and xin is the seven evils.

又以丙丁庚辛言之。丙者，陽火也，融和之氣也；丁者，陰火也，薪傳之火也。秋天肅殺之氣，逢陽和而克去，而人間之金，不畏陽和，此庚以丙為殺，而辛以丙為官也。人間金鐵之質，逢薪傳之火而立化，而肅殺之氣，不畏薪傳之火。此所以辛以丁為殺，而庚以丁為官也。即此以推，而餘者以相剋可知矣。

Using the four characters 丙, 丁, 庚, and 辛 to illustrate, 丙 represents yang fire, which is warm and harmonious, an invisible yang warmth; 丁 represents yin fire, which is like the flame of a lamp or furnace attached to objects. The autumn killing energy is 庚, which is subdued by the pervasive yang warmth of 丙; however, the tangible metal of 人间 is 辛, which is not afraid of this gentle warmth. Therefore, for 庚, 丙 is a seven calamity (seven煞), as both are yang and the control is fierce; for 辛, 丙 is a proper official (正官), since they are yin and yang and the control is harmonious. Conversely, when the tangible metal of 人间 meets the flame of柴薪, it melts immediately, while the intangible killing energy of autumn is not afraid of this tangible fire. Therefore, for 辛, 丁 is a seven calamity, and for 庚, 丁 is a proper official. Following this logic, the distinctions between official and calamity in other combinations can also be understood by analogy. The key point here is that the distinction between official and calamity is not only determined by the form of yin-yang pairing, but is supported by the real principle that when qi controls qi and substance controls substance, the control is severe; but when qi and substance differ, there is affection in the control.

五行干支之說，已詳論於干支篇。干動而不息，支靜而有常。以每干流行於十二支之月，而生旺墓絕繫焉。陽主聚，以進為進，故主順；陰主散，以退為退，故主逆。此生沐浴等項，所以有陽順陰逆之殊也。四時之運，功成者去，等用者進，故每流行於十二支之月，而生旺墓絕，又有一定。陽之所生，即陰之所死，彼此互換，自然之運也。

The basic principles of the Five Phases and the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches have already been explained in detail in the previous section, "On the Ten Heavenly Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches." The key point is that the Heavenly Stems are dynamic and constantly in motion, while the Earthly Branches are static and remain in fixed positions. When each Heavenly Stem is placed through the twelve Earthly Branches, representing the twelve months, the sequence of the "Twelve Longevity" positions, including growth, bathing, prosperity, and burial, is established. Yang stems, which represent gathering, move forward, thus progressing in the order of the Earthly Branches. Yin stems, which represent dispersion, move backward, thus regressing in the order of the Earthly Branches. The distinction between "Yang moving forward" and "Yin moving backward" in the terms of growth and bathing arises from this difference. The original text reads "this bathing and so on," but the character "long" is missing after "this," so it should be read as "this growth, bathing, and so on." The cycle of the four seasons involves the successful completing of a task retreating and those waiting taking their place, so each Heavenly Stem passes through the twelve months, with each having a specific position for birth, prosperity, burial, and decline. The original text reads "those who are ready to use advance," but "those" is a mistake for "those waiting," so it should be read as "those waiting advance." The place of growth for a Yang stem is the place of death for a Yin stem, and they exchange positions, which is a natural flow of energy, not a human arrangement.

即以甲乙論，甲為木之陽，木之枝枝葉葉，受天生氣，己收藏飽足，可以為來克發洩之機，此其所以生於亥也。木當午月，正枝葉繁盛之候，而甲何以死？卻不是外雖繁盛，而內之生氣發洩已盡，此其所以死於午也。乙木反是，午月枝葉繁盛，即為之生，亥月枝葉剝落，即為之死。以質而論，自與氣殊也。以甲乙為例，餘可知矣。

Using Jia and Yi as examples, Jia represents the yang aspect of wood and symbolizes life qi. By the time of the亥 month, the branches and leaves of plants have collected the descending life qi from heaven to a full and abundant extent, which serves as the capital for the new spring to release it again. Therefore, the long life (长生) of Jia is fixed at亥 — the original text says 「己收藏饱足」, where 「己」 is a mistake for 「已」; another version says 「可以为来克发泄之机」, where 「克」 is a mistake for 「春」, and it should be 「来春发泄之机」. However, when wood reaches the午 month, it is at its most flourishing, so why is Jia considered to die at午? It is because although the exterior appears flourishing, the internal life qi has already been exhausted — precisely for this reason, Jia's death is fixed at午. The case of Yi wood is exactly the opposite: the午 month sees the most flourishing branches and leaves, which for Yi, representing form, is considered birth; the亥 month sees the withering of branches and leaves, which for Yi is considered death. This shows that judging by form is fundamentally different from judging by qi. Taking Jia and Yi as examples, the principles of yang moving in the same direction and yin moving in the opposite direction for the other stems can also be inferred.

支有十二月，故每干長生至胎養，亦分十二位。氣之由盛而衰，衰而復盛，逐節細分，遂成十二。而長生沐浴等名，則假借形容之詞也。長生者，猶人之初生也。沐浴者，猶人既生之後，而沐浴以去垢；如果核既為苗，則前之青殼，洗而去之矣。冠帶者，形氣漸長，猶人之年長而冠帶也。臨官者，由長而壯，猶人之可以出仕也。帝旺者，壯盛之極，猶人之可以輔帝而大有為也。衰者，盛極而衰，物之初變也。病者，衰之甚也。死者，氣之盡而無餘也。墓者，造化收藏，猶人之埋於土者也。絕者，前之氣已絕，後之氣將續也。胎者，後之氣續而結聚成胎也。養者，如人養母腹也。自是而後，長生循環無端矣。

There are twelve earthly branches corresponding to the twelve months. Therefore, each heavenly stem progresses through the twelve positions starting from "long life" to "womb" and "nourishment." This process of energy shifting from its peak to decline and then back to its peak is divided into twelve stages. The terms such as "long life" and "bathing" are metaphors based on a person's life experiences and are descriptive rather than literal. "Long life" is like a person's birth. "Bathing" is like washing away the impurities after birth, similar to a fruit kernel sprouting into a young plant, where the outer shell is removed. "Capping" refers to the gradual growth of form and strength, like a person reaching adulthood and undergoing the ceremony of wearing a cap and tying a sash. "Officialdom" means becoming strong and capable, like a person being able to take up an official position. "Prosperity" is the peak of strength, like a person being able to assist a ruler and achieve great success. "Decline" is the turning point from peak to decline, where things begin to change. "Illness" is a more severe decline. "Death" is when the energy is completely exhausted with nothing left. "Womb" is when the energy is stored away, like a person being buried after death. "Cut off" means the energy of the previous stage has ended and the energy of the next stage has not yet begun. "Womb" is when the energy of the next stage begins and forms a fetus. "Nourishment" is like a fetus being nourished in the mother's womb. From "nourishment" onwards, the cycle returns to "long life," continuing endlessly without a beginning or an end.

人之日主，不必生逢祿旺，即月令休囚，而年日時中，得長祿旺，便不為弱，就使逢庫，亦為有根。時產謂投庫而必沖者，俗書之謬也。但陽長生有力，而陰長生不甚有力，然亦不弱。若是逢庫，則陽為有根，而陰為無用。蓋陽大陰小，陽得兼陰，陰不能兼陽，自然之理也。

The "day stem," which represents the person in the birth chart, does not necessarily have to be born in a month of officialdom or prosperity to be strong. Even if the month's stem and branch are weak and confined for the day stem, as long as the year stem, day branch, or hour stem contain growth or strength, the day stem is not considered weak. Even if it only encounters a storage position, it is considered "rooted" with support. The original text says "get growth, strength, and prosperity," but the character "growth" is missing a "birth" character, so it should be "get growth, strength, and prosperity." Some common texts claim that the day stem must be opened by a clash to be effective, which is nonsense. The original text says "the time production says that when the stem is stored, it must be clashed," but "time production" is a mistake for "common people." It should be "common people say that when the stem is stored, it must be clashed." However, there is a distinction between strength and weakness. The strength of growth for a yang stem is greater, while for a yin stem it is less, but it cannot be considered weak. When encountering a storage position, a yang stem is considered rooted, while a yin stem is not useful. This is because yang is large and yin is small, yang can accommodate yin, but yin cannot accommodate yang, which is a natural principle.

合化之義，以十干陰陽相配而成。河圖之數，以一二三四五配六七八十，先天之道也。故始於太陰之水，而終於沖氣之土，以氣而語其生之序也。蓋未有五行之先，必先有陰陽老少，而後沖氣，故生以土。終之既有五行，則萬物又生於土，而水火木金，亦寄質焉，故以土先之。是以甲己相合之始，則化為土；土則生金，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。此十干合化之義也。

The principle of "he hua" (combination and transformation) in the Heavenly Stems is formed by pairing the ten stems according to yin and yang. According to the numbers in the River Chart, the numbers one, two, three, four, and five are paired with six, seven, eight, nine, and ten respectively. One and six share the same origin, two and seven follow the same path, three and eight are companions, four and nine are friends, and five and ten share the same way. This is the original number of creation. The original text says "pair with six, seven, eight, ten," but the character "nine" is missing after "eight," so it should be "pair with six, seven, eight, nine, and ten." If we consider the sequence of the Five Phases based on the generation of elements, it starts with water from the Taiyin and ends with the harmonious qi of earth. Before the Five Phases were differentiated, there were first yin and yang, old and young, and then the harmonious qi of earth. Therefore, earth is placed last in the sequence of generation. However, once the Five Phases are fully established, all things are generated from earth, and water, fire, wood, and metal all rely on earth for form. Therefore, when discussing the generation of all things, earth is placed first. This is why the combination and transformation of the Heavenly Stems starts with Jia combining with Ji to produce earth; since earth generates metal, Yi combines with Geng to produce metal, which is second; metal generates water, so Bing combines with Xin to produce water, which is third; water generates wood, so Ding combines with Ren to produce wood, which is fourth; wood generates fire, so Wu combines with Gui to produce fire, which is fifth. After one cycle, the Five Phases are all covered. The combination and transformation starts with earth, following naturally the order of mutual generation. This is the meaning behind the combination and transformation of the ten Heavenly Stems.

其性情何也？蓋既有配合，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；甲用己財，己與別位之甲作合，而財非其財。如年己月甲，年上之財，被月合去，而日主之甲乙無分；年甲月己，月上之財，被年合去，而日主之甲乙不與是也。甲用丙食與辛作合，而非其食，此四喜神因合而無用者也。

So, what are the considerations regarding the harmonization in terms of character and disposition? Since there are two heavenly stems that are paired, there must be distinctions between attraction and repulsion. For example, if the day stem is Jia and it originally needs Xin as the official star, but the chart reveals Bing instead, Bing and Xin combine, and Xin's attention is drawn away by Bing, so this official star is no longer useful to me. If Jia needs Gui as the nourishing star, but the chart reveals Wu instead, Wu and Gui combine, and this nourishing star is no longer mine. If Jia needs Ji as the wealth star, but Ji has already combined with another Jia in another position, this wealth is no longer mine. For instance, if the year stem is Ji and the month stem is Jia, the wealth in the year is taken by the month stem, so the day stem Jia or Yi cannot benefit from it. Conversely, if the year stem is Jia and the month stem is Ji, the wealth in the month is taken by the year stem, so the day stem cannot benefit from it either. Another example is when Jia uses Bing as the food star, but Bing combines with Xin, so this food star is no longer a food star. The above describes the situations where the four favorable elements—official star, nourishing star, wealth star, and food star—are rendered ineffective due to combination.

又如甲逢庚為煞，與乙作合，而煞不攻身；甲逢乙為劫財，甲逢丁為傷，與壬作合，而丁不為傷官；甲逢壬為梟，與丁作合，而壬不奪食。此四忌神因合化吉者也。蓋有所合則有所忌，逢吉不為吉，逢凶不為凶。即以六親言之，如男以財為妻，而被別干合去，財妻豈能親其夫乎？女以官為夫，而被他干合去，官夫豈能愛其妻乎？此謂配合之性情，因向背而殊也。

Looking at it in reverse, the same applies to evil spirits. When Jia meets Geng, it is called seven calamity; if Yi comes to harmonize with Geng, Geng is restrained, and the seven calamity no longer attacks Jia—Jia meeting Yi is originally劫财, but here it is actually beneficial. When Jia meets Ding, it is called official injury; if Ding harmonizes with Ren, Ding no longer displays its official injury nature. When Jia meets Ren, it is called the hawk god; originally it would steal food, but if Ren harmonizes with Ding, Ren can no longer steal the food god. This is an example of four evil spirits—seven calamity,劫财, official injury, and hawk god—being transformed into good because they are harmonized. In general, whenever there is a harmonization, there is some restraint: encountering a good spirit does not necessarily mean good, and encountering an evil spirit does not necessarily mean evil. The same principle applies to the six relations: for a male, the official is considered the wife; if the official is taken away by another heavenly stem, can this official wife still be close to her husband? For a female, the official is considered the husband; if the official is taken away by another heavenly stem, can this official husband still love his wife? This is called the nature of harmonization, which can be greatly different depending on whether it is favorable or not.

十干化合之義，前篇既明之矣，然而亦有合而不合者，何也？蓋隔於有所間也，譬如人彼此相好，而有人從中間之，則交必不能成。譬如甲與己合，而甲己中間，以庚間隔之，則甲豈能越克我之庚而合己？此制於勢然也，合而不敢合也，有若無也。又有隔位太遠，如甲在年干，己在時上，心雖相契，地則相遠，如人天南地北，不能相合一般。然於有所制而不敢合者，亦稍有差，合而不能合也，半合也，其為禍福得十之二三而已。

The principles of the harmonious relationship between the Ten Heavenly Stems have already been explained in the previous section. However, there is another situation where it appears to be a harmonious relationship but in reality it is not. This is because the two stems are separated by other characters. It is like two people who were originally fond of each other, but a third party intervenes and obstructs their relationship, making it impossible to form a bond. For example, Jia and Ji are naturally harmonious, but if there is a Geng between them, Geng is a seven煞 (seven evil star) that restrains Jia. Jia is already cautious about protecting itself, so how could it dare to go beyond Geng to harmonize with Ji? This is a case of being restricted by circumstances, where the desire to harmonize is prevented, thus equivalent to no harmonization at all. Another case is when the positions are too far apart. For instance, Jia is in the year stem and Ji is in the hour stem, with two stems in between. Although their hearts may be in harmony, the distance between them is too great, like one person in the southern sky and the other in the northern land, making it impossible to come together. However, this situation differs slightly from the previous one where harmonization is prevented due to restriction. In this case, the desire to harmonize is not fulfilled, and it can only be considered as half harmonization, with the effect of good or bad fortune being approximately only two or three tenths.

又有合而無傷於合者，何也？如甲生寅卯，月時兩透辛官，以年丙合月辛，是為合一留一，官星反輕。甲逢月刃，庚辛並透，丙與辛合，是為合官留煞，而煞刃依然成格，皆無傷於合也。又有合而不以合論者，何也？本身之合也。

There is another situation where although there is a combination, it does not lead to bad results. Why is this? For example, if the day stem is Jia and the birth month is寅 or卯, and both the month stem and the hour stem are revealed as Xin, which is the official star, having two official stars is usually considered a problem. However, if the year stem has Bing to combine with the month stem's Xin, combining one and leaving the other, the weight of the official star becomes just right. Another example is when the day stem is Jia and the birth month is卯, sitting on Yangren. If both Geng (seven evil star) and Xin (official star) are revealed, it becomes a mixture of official and evil stars. In this case, if Bing combines with Xin, removing the official star and leaving the evil star, the pattern of "evil star and Yangren supporting each other" still holds. In these two examples, the combination is not harmful but actually beneficial. There is also another case where combination does not follow the principle of combining away. This is when the day stem itself combines with another.

蓋五陽逢財，五陰遇官，俱是作合，惟是本身十干合之，不為合去。假如乙用庚官，日干之乙，與庚作合，是我之官，是我合之。何為合去？若庚在年上，乙在月上，則月上之乙，先去合庚，而日干反不能合，是為合去也。又如女以官為夫，丁日逢壬，是我之夫，是我合之，正如夫妻相親，其情愈密。惟壬在月上，而年丁合之，日干之丁，反不能合，是以己之夫星，被姊妹合去，夫星透而不透矣。

The five yang stems meet their corresponding stem to form a harmonious relationship, and that corresponding stem is their official wealth; the five yin stems meet their corresponding stem to form a harmonious relationship, and that corresponding stem is their official position. These are all cases of harmony. However, if the day stem itself is the one engaging in the harmonious relationship, it is not considered as 'harmony from the other side'. For example, if the day stem is Yi and the official position is Geng, the Yi stem and Geng stem harmonize. Since the day stem itself is engaging in the harmony, it is not considered as 'harmony from the other side'. But if Geng is in the year stem and another Yi is in the month stem, the month stem Yi will harmonize with Geng first, and the day stem Yi will not be able to harmonize with Geng, which is called 'harmony from the other side'. Another example is that for a female's fortune, the official position represents her husband. If the day stem is Ding and the stem壬 is encountered, the壬 is the husband and is harmonized by the day stem Ding. This is like a husband and wife being close to each other, deepening their affection. However, if the壬 is in the month stem and there is another Ding in the year stem, the year stem Ding will harmonize with the壬 first, and the day stem Ding will not be able to harmonize with the壬. In this case, the husband's stem is taken by the sister's stem, and even though the husband's stem is revealed, it is as if it is not revealed.

然又有爭合妒合之說，何也？如兩辛合丙，兩丁合壬之類，一夫不娶二妻，一女不配二夫，所以有爭合妒合之說。然到底終有合意，但情不專耳。若以兩合一而隔位，則全無爭妒。如庚午、乙酉、甲子、乙亥，兩乙合庚，甲日隔之，此高太尉命，仍作合煞留官，無減福也。化氣有真有假。上兩造為化氣之真者，亦有化氣有餘，而日帶根苗劫印者；有日主無根，而化神不足者；更有合化雖真，而閒神來傷化氣者，皆為假化。

There are also terms called "争合" and "妒合," which refer to situations where two instances of the same heavenly stem attempt to combine with a single heavenly stem. For instance, two instances of 辛 attempt to combine with a single 丙, or two instances of 丁 attempt to combine with a single 壬. Since a husband cannot marry two wives and a wife cannot marry two husbands, these are called "争合" and "妒合." However, there is still an element of combination, though the affection is not exclusive. If these two stems that are combining are separated by position, then there is no competition or jealousy. For example, in the four pillars of the八字 of Gao Taiwei, the month stem and the hour stem are both 乙, and they both attempt to combine with the year stem 庚. However, the 甲 stem in the day position separates them, so this is considered a case of "合煞留官," where the 乙 combines with the 庚煞 and leaves the 申 metal in the酉 stem as the 正官. The good fortune is not reduced because of the competition. Regarding the phenomenon of "合化," there are both true and false cases. The example given above is a true case of "化气." In this text, only the case of Gao Taiwei is mentioned. There are other cases as well: when the "化神" is in excess but the day stem has another root, or when it is affected by劫财 or印绶, or when the day stem has no root but the "化气" is insufficient, or when the combination is true but there are other elements that damage the "化神." These are all considered "假化."

書云，得時俱為旺論，失時便作衰看，雖是至理，亦死法也。然亦可活看。夫五行之氣，流行四時，雖日干各有專令，而其實專令之中，亦有並存者在。假若春木司令，甲乙雖旺，而此時休囚之戊己，亦嘗豔於天地也。特時當退避，不能爭先，而其實春土何嘗不生萬物，冬日何嘗不照萬國乎？況八字雖以月令為重，而旺相休囚，年月日時，亦有損益之權，故生月即不值令，而年時如值祿旺，豈便為衰？不可執一而論。

The book of destiny says, "If a heavenly stem is in its season, it should be considered strong; if it is out of season, it should be considered weak." Though this is a fundamental truth, it is also a rigid method. It can also be viewed more flexibly. The five phases move through the four seasons. Although each heavenly stem has its own season, when one phase is dominant, the others are not entirely absent. For example, in spring, wood is in command, so Jia and Yi are strong. However, the earth (Wu and Ji) which is in decline at this time, does it not exist in the world? The original text says "also exists in the world," where "艳" is a mistake for "存." It simply means that although the season is not suitable for it, it must step back and not compete. In reality, how can spring's earth not nourish all things? How can the sun in winter not shine over the land? Moreover, although the month's stem is the most important in an eight-character birth chart, the judgment of strength, prosperity, decline, and weakness should consider the contributions of the year stem, month stem, day branch, and hour stem, each with their own added or subtracted weight. Therefore, even if a heavenly stem is not in its season, if it meets the officialdom or prosperity position in the year or hour stem, how can it be considered weak? One should not fixate on a single aspect.

猶如春木雖強，金太重而木亦危。干庚辛而支酉丑，無火制而晃富，逢土生而必夭，是以得時而不旺也。秋木雖弱，木根深而木亦強。干甲乙而支寅卯，遇官透而能受，逢水生而太過，是失時不弱也。是故十干不論月令休囚，只要四柱有根，便能受財官食神而當傷官七煞。

Just as in spring, although wood is in its season and strong, if metal is too heavy, the wood is still in danger: if there are heavenly stems with Geng and Xin or earthly branches with You and Chou forming a metal formation, and there is no fire to control the metal, even if it is fortunate and wealthy, it will not last long. If there is also earth to generate metal, it will certainly result in a short life — this is called "being in season but not strong." Conversely, although wood in autumn is out of season and weak, if its roots are deep, it can still be strong: if there are heavenly stems with Jia and Yi or earthly branches with寅 and卯, and the official star is revealed, it can still bear it. If there is also water to generate wood, it is even more excessive — this is called "out of season but not weak." Therefore, the ten heavenly stems do not have to be judged solely on whether they are weak and confined in the month. As long as they have roots in the four pillars, they can support the auspicious deities such as wealth, official star, and food god, and also withstand the inauspicious deities such as injurious star and seven calamities.

長生祿旺，根之重者也；墓庫餘氣，根之輕者也。得一比肩，不如得支中一墓庫，如甲逢未、丙逢戌之類。乙逢戌、丁逢丑，不作此論，以戌中無藏木，丑中無藏火也。得二比肩，不如得一餘氣，如乙逢辰、丁逢未之類。得三比肩，不如得一長生祿刃，如甲逢亥子寅卯之類。陰長生不作此論，如乙逢午、丁逢酉之類，然亦為明根，比得一餘氣。

The concept of "tong gen" refers to the strength of a heavenly stem being supported by the earthly branches, and its weight varies. If the earthly branch is in the position of Changsheng (growth), Lin guan (officialdom), or Diwang (prosperity), it is considered a heavy root. If it is in the position of Muku (storage) or Yuqi (residual qi), it is considered a light root. Having one fellow heavenly stem to support is not as effective as having one storage in the earthly branch. For example, Jia (甲) benefits from Wei (未), which contains Yi (乙) wood; Bing (丙) benefits from Xu (戌), which contains Ding (丁) fire. Although the original text says "getting one fellow," the commentary in "Ziping Zhenquan Pingzhu" refers to "getting one fellow in the heavenly stem," both referring to support from the heavenly stem. However, if the stem is not present in the earthly branch, such as Yi (乙) benefiting from Xu (戌) or Ding (丁) benefiting from You (丑), it cannot be calculated this way, since Xu does not contain wood and You does not contain fire. Having two fellow heavenly stems is not as effective as having one residual qi. For example, Yi (乙) benefits from Chen (辰), which is the residual qi of wood; Ding (丁) benefits from Wei (未), which is the residual qi of fire. Having three fellow heavenly stems is not as effective as having one Changsheng, Lin guan, or Yangren. For example, Jia (甲) benefits from Hai (亥) as Changsheng, Zi (子) as Bathing (bathing), Yin (寅) as Lin guan, and Mao (卯) as Yangren. For yin heavenly stems, their Changsheng is not calculated in the same way. For example, Yi (乙) benefits from Wu (午) and Ding (丁) benefits from You (酉), but their strength is reduced. However, they are still clear roots, approximately equivalent to having one residual qi.

蓋比劫如朋友之相扶，通根如室家之可住；干多不如根重，理固然也。今人不知命理，見夏水冬火，不問有無通根，便為之弱。更有陽干逢庫，如壬逢辰、丙坐戌之類，不以為水火通根身庫，甚至求刑沖開之。此種謬論，必宜一切掃除也。

This is because fellow elements and thieves of wealth are like friends helping out, while having roots is like having a house and family to settle down. Although there may be many helpers in the heavenly stems, they are still not as good as having deep roots in the earthly branches. This is the natural principle. Nowadays, some people do not understand the principles of destiny. Upon seeing a water day master born in summer or a fire day master born in winter, they do not consider whether there are roots in the earthly branches, and immediately judge the body to be weak. Worse still, when a yang stem sits on its own storage, such as壬 sitting on 辰 (which is a water storage), or 丙 sitting on 戌 (which is a fire storage), which naturally means that water and fire have roots in the storage, they do not acknowledge this, and even go so far as to seek punishment and clash to open up the storage. Such fallacies must be completely eliminated.

刑者，三刑也，子卯巳申之類是也。沖者，六沖也，子午卯酉之類是也。會者，三會也，申子辰之類是也。合者，六合也，子與丑合之類是也。此皆以地支宮分而言，繫對射之意也。三方為會，朋友之意也。並對為合，比鄰之意也。至於三刑取廡，姑且闕疑，雖不知其所以然，於命理亦無害也。八字支中，刑沖俱非美事，而三合六合，可以解之。

First, clarify the terms. "Xing" refers to the Three Crimes, such as Zi Xing Mao and Si Xing Shen. "Chong" refers to the Six Clashes, such as Zi and Wu opposing each other, or Mao and You opposing each other. "Hui" refers to the Triple Harmony, such as Shen, Zi, and Chen forming a Water Bureau. "He" refers to the Six Harmonies, such as Zi and Chou harmonizing with each other. These terms are based on the directional positions of the Earthly Branches: "Chong" means two branches directly facing each other and opposing; "Hui" means three branches located in different directions, distant yet corresponding, symbolizing friends gathering together; "He" means two branches adjacent to each other, close and attached, symbolizing neighbors getting along well. As for the meaning of the Three Crimes, it is temporarily left uncertain— the original text says "as for the Three Crimes taking 'wu'," but "wu" is a mistake for "yi," so it should be "the Three Crimes taking meaning." Although the reason is unclear, it does not hinder the process of divination. In summary, the appearance of "Xing" and "Chong" in the Earthly Branches of the Four Pillars is not auspicious, but Triple Harmony and Six Harmony can resolve them.

假如甲生酉月，逢卯則沖，而或支中有戌，則卯與戌合而不沖；有辰，則酉與辰合而不沖；有亥與未，則卯與亥未會而不沖；有巳與丑，則酉與巳丑會而不沖。是會合可以解沖也。又如丙生子月，逢卯則刑，而或支中有戌，則與戌合而不刑；有丑，則子與丑合而不刑；有亥與未，則卯與亥未會而不刑；有申與辰，則子與申辰會而不刑。是會合可以解刑也。

For example, if the day stem is Jia and the month is You, the month stem is the official (正官). If the branch contains Mao, then the branches You and Mao are in opposition (相冲), which would damage the month stem. However, if there is also Xu in the branches, then Mao and Xu are in six harmony (六合), so Mao is restrained and does not oppose You. If there is also Chen, then You and Chen are in six harmony, so You is protected and does not suffer the opposition. If there is also Hai and Wei, then Mao forms a triple harmony (三合) with Hai and Wei to form a wood triad, and the mind is focused on the triad, so there is no opposition. If there is also Si and Chou, then You forms a triple harmony with Si and Chou to form a metal triad, and there is also no opposition. This shows that triple harmony and six harmony can resolve opposition. Another example is if the day stem is Bing and the month is Zi, and the branches contain Mao, then Zi and Mao are in mutual destruction (相刑). However, if there is also Xu, then Mao and Xu are in six harmony, so there is no destruction. The original text says 'then it combines with Xu without destruction,' but the character 'then' is missing the character 'Mao,' so it should be 'then Mao combines with Xu without destruction.' If there is also Chou, then Zi and Chou are in six harmony, so there is no destruction. If there is also Hai and Wei, then Mao forms a triple harmony with Hai and Wei to form a wood triad, so there is no destruction. If there is also Shen and Chen, then Zi forms a triple harmony with Shen and Chen to form a water triad, so there is also no destruction. This shows that triple harmony and six harmony can resolve destruction.

又有因解而反得刑沖者，何也？假如甲生子月，支逢二卯相併，二卯不刑一子，而支又逢戌，戌與卯合，本為解刑，而合去其一，則一合而一刑，是因解而反得刑沖也。又有刑沖而會合不能解者，何也？假如子年午月，日坐丑位，丑與子合，可以解沖，而時逢巳酉，則丑與巳酉會，而子復沖午；子年卯月，日坐戌位，戌與卯合，可以解刑，而或時逢寅午，則戌與寅午會，而卯復刑子。是會合而不能解刑沖也。

There is another situation where an attempt to rescue leads to punishment and clash instead. For example, if the day stem is Jia and it is born in the month of Zi, and there are two Maos in the earthly branches, the two Maos compete to punish the Zi, but their strength is divided, so the punishment does not occur. However, if another Xu appears in the earthly branches, it combines with one of the Maos, intending to resolve the punishment. But since only one Mao is combined, the remaining Mao goes on to punish the Zi alone—thus, one combination and one punishment, leading to punishment and clash through the attempt to resolve it. Another situation is when there is a combination but the punishment and clash cannot be resolved. For example, if the year branch is Zi, the month branch is Wu, Zi and Wu naturally clash. The day branch is Chou, which combines with Zi, so it could resolve the clash. However, if the hour branch is Si or You, the Chou is drawn to combine with Si or You to form a metal formation, leaving Zi behind, and Zi then turns back to clash with Wu. Similarly, if the year branch is Zi, the month branch is Mao, the day branch is Xu, which combines with Mao to resolve the punishment. However, if the hour branch is Yin or Wu, the Xu is drawn to combine with Yin or Wu to form a fire formation, leaving Mao to punish Zi again. This is when there is a combination but the punishment and clash cannot be resolved.

更有刑沖而可以解刑者，何也？蓋四柱之中，刑沖俱不為美，而刑沖用神，尤為破格，不如以另位之刑沖，解月令之刑沖矣。假如丙生子月，卯以刑子，而支又逢酉，則又與酉沖不刑月令之官。甲生酉月，卯日沖之，而時逢子立，則卯與子刑，而月令官星，沖之無力，雖於別宮刑沖，六親不無刑剋，而月官猶在，其格不破。是所謂以刑沖而解刑沖也。

There is another method of resolving conflicts and clashes by using other conflicts and clashes. What is the reasoning behind this? In the four pillars, both conflicts and clashes are not favorable, but the most serious is when they harm the 'useful god'. This directly breaks the structure. Therefore, it is better to use conflicts and clashes in other positions to divert the conflicts and clashes in the month pillar. For example, if the day stem is Bing and the month is Zi, the water in Zi is the official star. If there is a Mao in the branch, it conflicts with Zi. If another You appears, Mao and You clash, and Mao will be occupied in fighting with You, thus not being able to clash with the official star in the month pillar. Another example is when the day stem is Jia and the month is You, the official star is in the month pillar. If the day branch is Mao, it clashes with You. If the hour branch is Zi, Mao and Zi clash, and Mao is restrained, thus the strength of the clash with the official star in the month pillar is weakened. Although conflicts and clashes occur in other positions, leading to some clashes among the six relations, the official star in the month pillar is preserved, and the structure is not broken — this is called resolving conflicts and clashes by using conflicts and clashes.

八字用神，專求月令，以日干配月令地支，而生克不同，格局分焉。財官印食，此用神之善而順用之者也；煞傷劫刃，用神之不善而逆用之者也。當順而順，當逆而逆，配合得宜，皆為貴格。是以善而順用之，則財喜食神以相生，生官以護財；官喜透財以相生，生印以護官；印喜官煞以相生，劫才以護印；食喜身旺以相生，生財以護食。不善而逆用之，則七煞喜食神以制伏，忌財印以資扶；傷官喜佩印以制伏，生財以化傷；陽刃喜官煞以制伏，忌官煞之俱無；月劫喜透官以制伏，利用財而透食以化劫。此順逆之大路也。

In the eight characters (Ba Zi), the "useful god" (Yong Shen) is specifically sought from the monthly stem. The relationship between the day stem and the monthly branch determines the "pattern" (Ge Gu). In this book, the "useful god" refers to the single character provided by the monthly branch, which serves as the basis for the entire pattern. The "pattern" refers to the set of structural names determined by this. The four types of beneficial gods—wealth, official, seal, and food—are of a good nature and should be used in accordance with their nature, called "following use." The four types of harmful gods—seven evils, injury, competition, and yang blade—are of a bad nature and should be counteracted against, called "opposing use." When appropriate, following or opposing should be applied, and when properly combined, they can form noble patterns. When following the good gods: wealth should be supported by the food god and should generate the official star to protect it; official should be supported by wealth and should be protected by the seal; seal should be supported by the official or evil star and should have competition to share the wealth and protect the seal; food god should have a strong self to release its energy and should generate wealth to protect the food god. When opposing the harmful gods: seven evils should be controlled by the food god, and wealth and seal should be avoided; injury should be controlled by the seal or transformed by generating wealth; yang blade should be controlled by the official or evil star, and it is most feared if there are no official or evil stars; month's competition should be controlled by the official star, and wealth can also be used, but it should also be accompanied by the food god to transform the competition. This is the general direction of following and opposing use.

今人不知專主提綱，然後將四柱干支，字字統歸月令，以觀喜忌，甚至見正官佩印，則以為官印雙全，與印綬用官者同論；見財透食神，不以為財逢食生，而以為食神生財，與食神生財同論；見偏印透食，不以為洩身之秀，而以為梟神奪食，宜用財制，與食神逢梟同論；見煞逢食制而露印者，不為去食護煞，而以為煞印相生，與印綬逢煞者同論；更有煞格逢刃，不以為刃可幫身制煞，而以為七煞制刃，與陽刃露煞者同論。此皆由不知月令而妄論之故也。然亦有月令無用神者，將若之何？如木生寅卯，日與月同，本身不可為用，必看四柱有無財官煞食透干會支，另取用神；然終以月令為主，然後尋用，是建祿月劫之格，非用而即用神也。

Nowadays people do not understand that they should take the "outline" or the month's stem as the main reference, and weigh each character of the four pillars' stems and branches according to the month's stem to determine what is favorable and what is unfavorable. Therefore, many mistakes arise: seeing a pattern with a proper official and a minister, they say it is a combination of official and minister, mixing it with the minister pattern using an official; seeing a wealth pattern with a food god appearing, they do not say that the food god is generating wealth, but instead say that the food god is generating wealth, mixing it with the food god pattern generating wealth; seeing a biased minister pattern with a food god appearing, they do not say that the food god is dispersing the minister to form a refined quality, but instead say that the minister is taking away the food god and should use wealth to control it, mixing it with the food god pattern meeting a minister; seeing a seven evil pattern with a food god controlling the evil, and the heavenly stem also showing a minister, they do not say that the food god should be removed to protect the evil, but instead say that the evil and minister are mutually generating, mixing it with the minister pattern meeting an evil; even more so, seeing a seven evil pattern with a yang blade, they do not say that the yang blade can help the body to resist the evil, but instead say that the seven evil is controlling the blade, mixing it with the yang blade pattern showing an evil. All these errors are due to not knowing that everything should be based on the month's stem and making random comments. However, there are cases where the month's stem itself cannot produce a useful god. Then what should be done? For example, if the day's stem is wood and the month is寅 or卯, the day's stem and the month's stem share the same energy, so one cannot take oneself as the useful god. One must then look for wealth, official, evil, or food appearing in the heavenly stem or forming a branch combination in the earth, and take another useful god. However, in the end, one should still first take the month's stem as the main reference and then look elsewhere for the useful god—this is the "established fortune" and "month's劫" patterns. These are patterns where the month's stem itself cannot be used, and one has to look for another useful god.

用神專尋月令，以四柱配之，必有成敗。何謂成？如官逢財印，又無刑沖破害，官格成也。財生官旺，或財逢食生而身強帶比，或財格透印而位置妥貼，兩不相剋，財格成也。印輕逢煞，或官印雙全，或身印兩旺而用食傷洩氣，或印多逢財而財透根輕，印格成也。食神生財，或食帶煞而無財，棄食就煞而透印，食格成也。身強七煞逢制，煞格成也。

The useful god is primarily sought from the month stem, then the four pillars are used to match it; the result of this matching will inevitably have success and failure. What is called "forming a pattern" (成格)? For example, in the case of a proper official pattern, if wealth comes to nourish the official and the scholar comes to protect the official, and there is no punishment and clash to harm it, then the official pattern is formed. If the wealth pattern can produce a strong official, or if wealth is nourished by the food god and the day stem is strong, with a companion to support it, or if the wealth pattern is revealed with the scholar and the scholar and wealth are properly arranged, not mutually controlling each other, then the wealth pattern is formed. If the scholar pattern is light and meets the seven evils to nourish the scholar, or if official and scholar are both present, or if the day stem and scholar are both strong and the food and injury are used to release the talent, or if there are too many scholars and wealth comes to restrain them, and wealth is revealed on the surface but has shallow roots, then the scholar pattern is formed. If the food and injury pattern can nourish wealth, or if the seven evils are present but there is no wealth to join the evils, or if one deliberately gives up food and chooses the evils, and the scholar is revealed, then the food and injury pattern is formed. If the seven evils pattern has a strong day stem and the evils are controlled, then the seven evils pattern is formed.

傷官生財，或傷官佩印而傷官旺，印有根，或傷官旺、身主弱而透煞印，或傷官帶煞而無財，傷官格成也。陽刃透官煞而露財印，不見傷官，陽刃格成也。建祿月劫，透官而逢財印，透財而逢食傷，透煞而遇制伏，建祿月劫之格成也。何謂敗？官逢傷克刑沖，官格敗也；財輕比重，財透七煞，財格敗也；印輕逢財，或身強印重而透煞，印格敗也；食神逢梟，或生財露煞，食神格敗也；七煞逢財無制，七煞格敗也；傷官非金水而見官，或生財生帶煞，或佩印而傷輕身旺，傷官格敗也；陽刃無官煞，刃格敗也；建祿月劫，無財官，透煞印，建祿月劫之格敗也。

The "Wang Gan Ge" (Wang Gan pattern) becomes established if the official star is generated by the official star, or if the official star is strong and the official star has roots, or if the official star is strong and the day master is weak but the official star and the official star are revealed, or if the seven harmful stars are present but there is no wealth to support the harmful stars. The "Yang Ren Ge" (Yang Blade pattern) becomes established if the official star or harmful star is revealed, along with wealth and the official star, and there is no official star to harm the official star. The "Jian Lu Yue Jie Ge" (Established Wealth Month Robbery pattern) becomes established if the official star is revealed with wealth and official star accompanying it, or if wealth is revealed with food and injury transforming the robbery into wealth, or if the seven harmful stars are revealed but they are controlled. So what is a "Bai Ge" (ruined pattern)? In the case of the official star pattern, if the official star is harmed by the official star or suffers from punishment and clash, the official star pattern is ruined. In the case of the wealth pattern, if the wealth is light and the competition and robbery are heavy, or if wealth is revealed along with the seven harmful stars, the wealth pattern is ruined. In the case of the official star pattern, if the official star is light and the wealth harms the official star, or if the day master is strong and the official star is heavy but the seven harmful stars are also revealed, the official star pattern is ruined. In the case of the food and injury pattern, if the Owl Spirit (soul-stealing star) takes the food, or if the food generates wealth and the harmful star is also revealed, the food and injury pattern is ruined. In the case of the seven harmful stars pattern, if the wealth supports the harmful stars and there is no control, the seven harmful stars pattern is ruined. In the case of the official star pattern, if it is not a metal or water official star but the official star is revealed, or if wealth is generated but the harmful star is also present, or if the official star is accompanied by the official star but the official star is light and the day master is strong, the official star pattern is ruined. In the case of the Yang Blade pattern, if there is no official star or harmful star, the Yang Blade pattern is ruined. In the case of the Established Wealth Month Robbery pattern, if there is no wealth or official star, but the harmful star and the official star are revealed, the Established Wealth Month Robbery pattern is ruined.

成中有敗，必是帶忌；敗中有成，全憑救應。何謂帶忌？如正官逢財而又逢傷；透官而又逢合；財旺生官而又逢傷逢合；印透食以洩氣，而又遇財露；透煞以生印，而又透財，以去印存煞；食神帶煞印而又逢財；七煞逢食制而又逢印；傷官生財而財又逢合；佩印而印又遭傷，透財而逢煞，是皆謂之帶忌也。

The structure is already formed but then turns to failure, which is certainly due to "having a bad element," meaning the presence of harmful characters. When the structure has already failed but then turns around, it is entirely because of "rescue," meaning another character comes to save the situation. What is "having a bad element"? For example, in a pattern of the proper official, wealth comes to nourish it, but then the harmful official comes to weaken the official; the official star is revealed, but is then taken away by another heavenly stem; wealth is strong to nourish the official, but then harmful official or a combination occurs; in an imprint pattern, the food god comes to release the essence, but then wealth appears to harm the imprint; the seven harmful stars are revealed to nourish the imprint, but then wealth appears to remove the imprint, leaving only the harmful stars to attack the person; in a food god pattern, harmful stars and imprint are present, but then wealth comes to strengthen the harmful stars; in a seven harmful star pattern, the food god controls the harmful star, but then the imprint comes to take away the food god and protect the harmful star; in a pattern of harmful official generating wealth, the wealth is taken away by a combination; wearing an imprint but the imprint is harmed, revealing wealth but also encountering harmful stars. All these are called having a bad element.

何謂救應？如官逢傷而透印以解之，雜煞而合煞以清之，刑沖而會合以解之；財逢劫而透食以化之，生官以制之，逢煞而食神制煞以生財，或存財而合煞；印逢財而劫財以解之，或合財而存印；食逢梟而就煞以成格，或生財以護食；煞逢食制，印來護煞，而逢財以去印存食；傷官生財透煞而煞逢合；陽刃用官煞帶傷食，而重印以護之；建祿月劫用官，遇傷而傷被合，用財帶煞而煞被合，是謂之救應也。八字妙用，全在成敗救應，其中權輕權重，甚是活潑。學者從此留心，能於萬變中融以一理，則於命之一道，其庶幾乎！

What is called "saving and responding" refers to situations where a certain element in a birth chart is weakened or attacked, and another element comes to support or neutralize it. For example, if the official star (正官) is attacked by the official's child (伤官), and the official's child is controlled by the seal star (印), then the official star is preserved. If the official star pattern is mixed with seven evils (七煞), and another element is used to harmonize away the seven evils, the pattern becomes clear. If there is a clash in the earth branches, using a harmonious combination or the six harmonies (六合) can resolve it. If the wealth pattern is attacked by the wealth thief (劫财), and the food god (食神) is revealed to transform the wealth thief's energy into wealth, or to generate the official star to control the wealth thief, the pattern is maintained. If the wealth pattern is mixed with seven evils, using the food god to control the seven evils and free up the ability to generate wealth, or to protect the wealth while harmonizing away the seven evils, the pattern is preserved. If the seal pattern is attacked by wealth, using the wealth thief to remove the wealth, or to harmonize the wealth and protect the seal, the pattern is maintained. If the food god pattern is attacked by the hawk star (枭神), it is better to shift to the seven evils pattern and form a new structure, or to use the food god to generate wealth and protect the food god. If the seven evils pattern is originally controlled by the food god, but the seal star comes to protect the seven evils, then using wealth to remove the seal star and protect the food god is necessary. If the official's child generates wealth but also reveals the seven evils, the seven evils should be harmonized away. In the case of the yang blade pattern, if the official or seven evils are used to control the blade but also bring about the official's child or the official's child's child (伤食), then using a thick seal star to protect the official or seven evils is appropriate. In the case of the built-up fortune or wealth thief month pattern, if the official star is used and the official's child is present but is harmonized away, or if wealth is used along with seven evils but the seven evils are harmonized away, this is considered saving and responding. The subtle and profound aspects of divining a person's fate lie entirely in the concept of "success and salvation." The importance of each situation depends on the specific chart, and it is highly flexible. Those studying fate should pay close attention to this aspect, and if they can understand the underlying principle amidst the countless variations, they will have truly entered the door of fate study.

用神既主月令矣，然月令所藏不一，而用神遂有變化。如十二支中，除子午卯酉外，餘皆有藏，不必四庫也。即以寅論，甲為本主，如郡之有府，丙其長生，如郡之有同知，戊亦長生，如郡之有通判；假使寅月為提，不透甲而透丙，則如知府不臨郡，而同知得以作主。此變化之由也。故若丁生亥月，本為正官，支全卯未，則化為印。己生申月，本屬傷官。藏庚透壬，則化為財。凡此之類皆用神之變化也。

The use god is primarily determined by the month's stem, but the earthly branch of the month often contains more than one heavenly stem, leading to variations in the use god. Among the twelve earthly branches, besides the four special branches—Zi, Wu, Mao, and You—which have unique characteristics, the other eight branches also contain hidden heavenly stems, not limited to the four storage branches—Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei. Take Yin for example: the main heavenly stem in Yin is Jia Wood, like the governor of a prefecture; Bing Fire is in its growth stage in Yin, like the deputy governor of the prefecture; Wu Earth is also in its growth stage in Yin, like the assistant magistrate. If the month's stem is Yin but the heavenly stem is not Jia but Bing, it is like the governor not being present, and the deputy governor takes over—this is how the use god changes. Therefore, for a person born on Ding day with the month of Hai, the original official is the壬 water in Hai, but if the earthly branches form a triple harmony of Hai, Mao, and Wei, creating a wood局, the official turns into a minister. For a person born on Ji day with the month of Shen, the original injurer is the庚 gold in Shen, but if the壬 water is also present in Shen and is revealed in the heavenly stem, the injurer turns into wealth. All such cases are called changes in the use god.

變之而善，其格愈美；變之不善，其格遂壞，何謂變之而善？如辛生寅月，逢丙而化財為官；壬生戌月逢辛而化煞為印。癸生寅月，不專以煞論。此二者以透出而變化者也。癸生寅月，月令傷官秉令，藏甲透丙，會午會戌，則寅午戌三合，傷化為財；加以丙火透出，完全作為財論，即使不透丙而透戊土，亦作財旺生官論。蓋寅午戌三合變化在前，不作傷官見官論也。乙生寅月，月劫秉令，會午會戌，則劫化為食傷，透戊則為食傷生財，不作比劫爭財論。

Changes lead to better structures, making the overall appearance more beautiful; bad changes lead to the collapse of the structure. What does it mean for a change to be good? For example, if the day stem is Xin (辛) and the month is Yin (寅), the original Direct Wealth (zheng cai, proper wealth) in Yin (寅) is the wood of Jia (甲), which is the proper wealth for Xin. However, if the fire of Bing (丙) appears in the heaven stem, the wealth is transformed into official power (官). Similarly, if the day stem is Ren (壬) and the month is Xu (戌), the original seven evils (七 Sha, qi sha) in Xu (戌) is the earth of Wu (戊), but if the metal of Xin (辛) appears in the heaven stem, the seven evils are transformed into the official seal (印). If the day stem is Gui (癸) and the month is Yin (寅), the earth of Wu (戊) in Yin (寅) is the seven evils, but since there are also Jia (甲) and Bing (丙) hidden in Yin (寅), we cannot simply consider it as seven evils. The above two examples are changes caused by the emergence of heaven stems. Now let's look at the case where the day stem is Gui (癸) and the month is Yin (寅), the month stem is Hurting Officer (shang gan, injurious official), and the branch of Yin (寅) contains Jia (甲) and also has Bing (丙) appearing. If the branches also form a fire trinity with Wu (午) and Xu (戌), the fire trinity of Yin-Wu-Xu (Fire triad) (Yin-Wu-Xu) forms a fire circle, transforming the injurious official into wealth. If Bing (丙) appears in the heaven stem, it is entirely considered as the wealth pattern. Even if Bing (丙) is not present but Wu (戊) appears, it is considered as strong wealth generating official power. This is because the change caused by the trinity of Yin-Wu-Xu (Fire triad) (Yin-Wu-Xu) comes first, so the inauspicious judgment (feng duan, ominous judgment) of "injurious official meeting official" is no longer applied. Another example: if the day stem is Yi (乙) and the month is Yin (寅), the month stem is Rob Wealth (jie cai, Rob Wealth, wealth thief), and the branches form a fire trinity with Wu (午) and Xu (戌), transforming the wealth thief into food and injury (Food Hurting, shi shang). If Wu (戊) appears in the heaven stem, it becomes food and injury generating wealth, and the judgment of "competition among like elements for wealth" is no longer applied. The above two examples are changes caused by the combination of the branches.

此二者因會合而變化者。因變化而忌化為喜，為變之善者。又有變之而不失本格者。如辛生寅月，透丙化官，而又透甲，格成正財，正官乃其兼格也。乙生申月，透壬化印，而又透戊，則財能生官，印逢財而退位，雖通月令，格成傷官，百戊官忌見。丙生寅月，午戌會劫，而又或透甲，或透壬，則仍為印而格不破。丙生申月，逢壬化煞，而又透戊，則食神能制煞生財，仍為財格，不失富貴。如此之類甚多，是皆變而不失本格者也。是故八字非用神不立，用神非變化不靈，善觀命者，必於此細詳之。

Because of change, a hostile god can become a beneficial god, which is considered favorable. There is also another situation where change does not destroy the original pattern. For example, if a person with a day stem of Xin is born in the寅 month and the stem丙 appears, the wealth is transformed into official position, but if the stem甲 also appears, which is the true wealth of Xin, the pattern remains as true wealth, and the official position is only a secondary element. Similarly, if a person with a day stem of Yi is born in the申 month and the stem壬 appears, the official position is transformed into the seal, but if the stem戊 also appears, the wealth can generate the official position in the申, and the seal is secondary to the wealth. Although the壬 seal is rooted in the month, the pattern remains as a damaging official, and the戊 official becomes a Hostile God. The original text says, "the pattern becomes damaging official, 百戊 official is忌见," where "百" is an added character. The annotated version of "Zi Ping Zhen Quan" reads, "the pattern becomes damaging official, 戊 official is忌见." When a person with a day stem of Bing is born in the寅 month, the fire trine in the earth branches would normally transform the寅 wood into a劫, but if the stem甲 or stem壬 appears, the寅 wood remains as the biased seal of Bing, and the pattern remains as seal without being destroyed. When a person with a day stem of Bing is born in the申 month, the stem壬 transforms the申 metal wealth into seven evils, but if the stem戊 appears, the food god can both control the evils and generate wealth, so the pattern remains as wealth, and the person can still achieve wealth and honor. There are many such examples, all of which show that change does not destroy the original pattern. Therefore, a birth chart without a useful god cannot be established, and without understanding the change of the useful god, it cannot be alive. Those who are good at reading fate must carefully distinguish these points.

用神既有變化，則變化之中，遂分純、雜。純者吉，雜者凶。何謂純？互用而兩相得者是也。如辛生寅月，甲丙並透，財與官相生，兩相得也。戊生申月，庚壬並透，財與食相生，兩相得也。癸生未月，乙己並透，煞與食相剋，相剋而得其當，亦兩相得也。如此之類，皆用神之純者。何謂雜？互用而兩不相謀者是也。如壬生未月，乙己並透，官與傷相剋，兩不相謀也。甲也辰月，戊壬並透，印與財相剋，亦兩不相謀也。如此之類，皆用之雜者也。

The concept of the Useful God changes, and within this change, there are two types: pure and mixed. Pure is auspicious, while mixed is ominous. What is pure? When two characters support each other in mutual use and benefit each other, it is called pure. For example, a day stem of Xin (辛) born in the month of Yin (寅), with both Jia (甲) wood and Bing (丙) fire appearing on the heavenly stem, Jia is wealth and Bing is official, wealth generates official, and they support each other. A day stem of Wu (戊) born in the month of Shen (申), with both Geng (庚) metal and Ren (壬) water appearing on the heavenly stem, Ren is wealth and Geng is food, food generates wealth, and they support each other. A day stem of Gui (癸) born in the month of Wei (未), with both Yi (乙) wood and Ji (己) earth appearing on the heavenly stem, Ji is seven deadly enemies and Yi is food, food controls the deadly enemies, even though it is mutual control, it is appropriate and thus they support each other. These cases are considered pure Useful Gods. What is mixed? When two characters support each other in mutual use but do not assist each other, they are considered mixed. For example, a day stem of Ren (壬) born in the month of Wei (未), with both Yi (乙) wood and Ji (己) earth appearing on the heavenly stem, Ji is official and Yi is injury, injury controls the official, and they do not assist each other. A day stem of Jia (甲) born in the month of Chen (辰), with both Wu (戊) earth and Ren (壬) water appearing on the heavenly stem, Ren is scholar and Wu is wealth, wealth controls the scholar, and they do not assist each other — the original text says '甲也辰月', where '也' is a mistake for '生', and it should be '甲生辰月'. These cases are considered mixed Useful Gods.

八字既有用神，必有格局，有格局必有高低，財官印食煞傷劫刃，何格無貴？何格無賤？由極貴而至極賤，萬有不齊，其變千狀，豈可言傳？然其理之大綱，亦在有情、有力無力之間而已。如正官佩印，不如透財，而四柱帶傷，反推佩印。故甲透酉官，透丁合壬，是謂合傷存官，遂成貴格，以其有情也。

The eight characters (Ba Zi) have a useful god (Yong Shen) if they have a pattern (Ge Ju), and if they have a pattern, the pattern must necessarily have high and low distinctions. Among the eight types—wealth, official, seal, food, evil spirit, injury, competition, and blade—has any of them not produced noble people? Has any of them not produced low-born people? From the most exalted to the most humble, there are countless differences and infinite variations, which cannot be fully explained in a few words. However, the general principles are no more than the two aspects of "having affection" and "having strength" — the original text says "also lies between having affection and having strength and weakness," the phrase "having affection" is missing the word "without affection," and the "Zi Ping Zhen Quan Ping Zhu" edition says "also lies between having affection and without affection, and having strength and weakness." For example, in the case of a pattern with a true official, it is usually not as good as when the wealth is revealed to generate the official; but if the four pillars contain a harmful official, then it is the opposite, and the seal should be used instead, because the seal can control the harmful official and protect the official. Therefore, if the day stem is Jia and the month stem is You metal, which is the true official, and the heavenly stem also reveals Ding fire harmful official, and if there is also Ren water to combine with Ding fire, this is called "combining the harmful official to preserve the official," thus forming a noble pattern — the reason for its nobility is that this combination is arranged just right, and this is called "having affection."

財忌比劫，而與煞作合，劫反為用。故甲生辰月，透戊成格，遇乙為劫，逢庚為煞，二者相合，皆得其用，遂成貴格，亦以其有情也。身強煞露而食神又旺，如乙生酉月，辛金透，丁火剛，秋木盛，三者皆備，極等之貴，以其有力也。官強財透，身逢祿刃，如丙生子月，癸水透，庚金露，而坐寅午，三者皆均，遂成大貴，亦以其有力也。

The wealth pattern is most afraid of the same kind of heavenly stem coming to take away the wealth. However, if this heavenly stem happens to harmonize with the seven harmful stars, the heavenly stem becomes a useful element. Therefore, for a day stem of Jia (甲) born in the辰 (Chen) month with the戊 (Wu) earth stem appearing, forming a biased wealth pattern, if there is also the 乙 (Yi) wood as the heavenly stem and the 庚 (Geng) metal as the seven harmful stars, and the 乙 and 庚 combine, one restrains the harmful star while the other does not take away the wealth, both being useful, thus forming a noble pattern — this is because of harmony. Another example: when the day stem is strong, the seven harmful stars appear and the food god is also strong, such as a day stem of Yi (乙) born in the酉 (You) month, with the 辛 (Xin) metal as the seven harmful star appearing in the sky, and the 丁 (Ding) fire as the food god being sharp, while the autumnal Yi wood is still strong — the body, the seven harmful star, and the food god are all strong, forming an excellent noble pattern, because of strength. Another example: when the official star is strong, the wealth is also visible, and the day stem is sitting on the禄 (Lu) or 刃 (Ren), such as a day stem of Bing (丙) born in the 子 (Zi) month, with the 癸 (Kui) water as the official star appearing, the 庚 (Geng) metal as the wealth star appearing, and the day branch and hour branch sitting on 寅 (Yin) or 午 (Wu) — the official, the wealth, and the body are in balance, thus forming great nobility, because of strength.

又有有情而兼有力，有力而兼有情者。如甲用酉官，壬合丁以清官，而壬水根深，是有情而兼有力者也。乙用酉煞，辛逢丁制，而辛之祿即丁之長生，同根月令，是有力而兼有情者也。是皆格之最高者也。如甲用酉官，透丁逢癸，癸克不如壬合，是有情而非情之至。乙逢酉逢煞，透丁以制，而或煞強而丁稍弱，丁旺而煞不昂，又或辛丁並旺而乙根不甚深，是有力而非力之全，格之高而次者也。

There are also cases where both sentiment and strength are present, and where both strength and sentiment are combined. For example, if the day stem is Jia and the official star is the metal of You (the hidden Xin metal in You), and the revealing Ding fire official star is the official star, then the Ren water is used to combine with Ding to clarify the official star, and the Ren water has deep roots — this is both sentimental and strong. Another example is when the day stem is Yi and the seven deadly star is the metal of You (the hidden Xin metal in You), and the revealing Ding fire food god is used to control the deadly star, and the Xin metal's official position is also You, while the Ding fire's growth position is also You. Both are rooted in the month's stem, and the control is precise — this is strong and sentimental. These two are the highest in the pattern. In comparison: if the day stem is Jia and the official star is You, and the revealing Ding fire official star is the official star, but only the Gui water is used to control Ding, then Gui controlling Ding is not as clean and efficient as Ren combining with Ding, so this is sentimental but not reaching the peak. If the day stem is Yi and the deadly star is You, and the revealing Ding fire food god is used to control the deadly star, but the deadly star is strong and Ding is weak, or Ding is strong but the deadly star is not strong enough, or both Xin and Ding are strong but the Yi wood has shallow roots, then this is strong but not fully effective. These are slightly inferior patterns within the higher level.

至如印用七煞，本為貴格，而身強印旺，透煞孤貧，蓋身旺不勞印生，印旺何勞煞助？偏之又偏，以其無情也。傷官佩印，本秀而貴，而身主甚旺，傷官甚淺，印又太重，不貴不秀，蓋欲助身則身強，制傷則傷淺，要此重印何用？是亦無情也。又如煞強食旺而身無根，身強比重而財無氣，或夭或貧，以其無力也。是皆格之低而無用者也。然其中高低之故，變化甚微，或一字而有千鈞之力，或半字而敗全局之美，隨時觀理，難以擬議，此特大略而已。

As for the use of the seven harmful stars (qixia) to generate the seal (yin), this is originally a noble configuration. However, if the day master is already strong and the seal is already vigorous, and the seven harmful stars also appear, it can lead to loneliness and poverty. This is because if the day master is already strong, there is no need for the seal to generate it; if the seal is already strong, why would one need the harmful stars to assist? Adding bias upon bias, this is called 'lack of sentiment'. The combination of a damaging official (shangguan) and a seal (yin) is originally clear and noble, but if the day master is extremely strong, the damaging official is very weak, and the seal is too heavy, then it is neither noble nor refined. If one wants to use the seal to strengthen the day master, the day master is already strong; if one wants to use the seal to restrain the damaging official, the damaging official is already weak. So why have such a heavy seal? This is also 'lack of sentiment'. For example, if the seven harmful stars are strong and the food god (shishi) is vigorous, but the day master has no root, or if the day master is strong and the same elements (bijie) are also heavy, but the wealth (cai) has no strength, the result is either a short life or poverty. This is called 'lack of strength'. These are all low-grade configurations that are of no use. However, the reasons for the differences in quality are extremely subtle. Sometimes a single character can have the power of a thousand catties, while sometimes half a character can ruin the entire configuration. It can only be judged according to the configuration, and it is difficult to determine in advance. The above is only a general idea.

八字之中，變化不一，遂分成敗；而成敗之中，又變化不測，遂有因成得敗，因敗得成之奇。是故化傷為財，格之成也，然辛生亥月，透丁為用，卯未會財，乃以黨煞，因成得敗矣。印用七煞，格之成也，然癸生申月，秋金重重，略帶財以損太過，逢煞則煞印忌財，因成得敗也。如此之類，不可勝數，皆因成得敗之例也。

In the eight characters, there are various changes, so the concept of formed patterns and ruined patterns emerged. Within the success and failure, there are unpredictable changes, leading to unusual situations such as 'achieving success leading to failure' and 'achieving failure leading to success'. For example, when the official star is transformed into wealth, it is usually considered a formed pattern. However, if the day stem is Xin metal born in the亥 month, the壬 water in亥 is the official star, and the丁 fire in the heavenly stem is the seven harmful stars used as the main element. The earth branch has卯 wood, which forms a wood triple and transforms the official star into wealth. However, this wealth actually supports the seven harmful stars to attack the self, turning success into failure. Another example is when the official star pattern uses the seven harmful stars to generate the official star, which is usually considered a formed pattern. However, if the day stem is癸 water born in the申 month, autumn gold is abundant, making the official star too strong. A slight presence of wealth to reduce its excess is beneficial. But if seven harmful stars appear again, the pattern of seven harmful stars generating the official star is most忌 to see wealth. Wealth and seven harmful stars conflict with each other, turning success into failure. There are countless such examples, all falling under the category of achieving success leading to failure.

官印逢傷，格之敗也，然辛生戊戌月，年丙時壬，壬不能越戊克丙，而反能洩身為秀，是因敗得成矣。煞刃逢食，格之敗也，然庚生酉月，年丙月丁，時上逢壬，則食神合官留煞，而官煞不雜，煞刃局清，是因敗得成矣。如此之類，亦不可勝數，皆因敗得成之例也。其間奇奇怪怪，變幼無窮，惟以理權衡之，隨在觀理，因時運化，由他奇奇怪怪，自有一種至當不易不論。觀命者毋眩而無主、執而不化也。

The official and minister pattern meets the wounded official, which is originally a bad pattern; however, for a day stem of Xin metal born in the Xu month, the heavenly stem of Bing fire in the year is the official, and the heavenly stem of Ren water in the hour is the wounded official. Between them is the Xu earth which contains Wu soil. The Ren water cannot cross over the Wu soil to attack the Bing fire, instead it can release the refined quality of the Xin metal. Originally a bad pattern, it turns into a good one. The original text says '辛生戊戌月', but '戊' is an added character and should be '辛生戌月'. The sharp weapon and blade pattern meets the food god, which is originally a bad pattern; however, for a day stem of Geng metal born in the You month and sitting on the Yangren, the heavenly stem of Bing fire in the year is the seven evils, and the heavenly stem of Ding fire in the month is the official. The official and seven evils are mixed, but when the hour stem of Ren water, the food god, appears, the Ren water combines with the Ding fire, thus removing the official and leaving the seven evils, so the official and seven evils are no longer mixed. The sharp weapon and blade pattern becomes pure. This kind of example is countless, all belonging to the category of achieving success through failure. Among these cases, there are strange and varied situations, infinite changes, which can only be judged by reason, observing the principles everywhere and adapting to the time. No matter how strange and peculiar, there is always a most appropriate and unchangeable method of judgment. Those who read fate should not be confused by superficial appearances and lack firmness, nor should they rigidly adhere to dogma without flexibility. In the original text, the phrase '变幼无穷' has '幼' as a mistake for '幻', and '至当不易不论' has '不论' as a mistake for '之论'.

論命惟以月令用神為主，然亦須配氣候而互參之。譬如英雄豪傑，生得其時，自然事半功倍；遭時不順，雖有奇才，成功不易。是以印綬遇官，此謂官印雙全，無人不貴。而冬木逢水，雖透官星，亦難必貴，蓋金寒而水益凍，凍水不能生木，其理然也。身印兩旺，透食則貴，凡印格皆然。而用之冬木，尤為秀氣，以冬木逢火，不惟可以洩身，而即可以調候也。

Discussing a person's destiny should primarily focus on the monthly stem and its useful god, but it is also necessary to consider the climate conditions of coldness, warmth, dryness, and dampness. Just like heroes and outstanding individuals, if they are born at the right time, they will achieve great success with less effort; if their timing is unfavorable, even with extraordinary talent, they may find it difficult to succeed. Therefore, in the case of the印绶 pattern encountering an official star, it is called official and印 both present, which theoretically should not fail to be prestigious; however, for a day master of wood born in winter, the印 is water, even if the official star of metal appears to generate the water, it may not necessarily lead to prestige—because the metal itself is already cold, which makes the water even colder, and frozen water cannot nourish wood. This is the reason. Another example is when the body and印 are both strong and the food god is revealed to release the brilliance, which is considered prestigious and applies to all印 patterns; but for a day master of wood in winter, this is especially refined, because winter wood encountering fire not only releases the body to create brilliance but also warms the situation and adjusts the climate, achieving two benefits with one action.

傷官見官，為禍百端，而金水見之，反為秀氣。非官之不畏夫傷，而調候為急，權而用之也。傷官帶煞，隨時可用，而用之冬金，其秀百倍。傷官佩印，隨時可用，而用之夏木，其秀百倍，火濟水，水濟火也。傷官用財，本為貴格，而用之冬水，即使小富，亦多不貴，凍水不能生木也。傷官用財，即為秀氣，而用之夏木，貴而不甚秀，燥土不甚靈秀也。春木逢火，則為木為通明，而夏木不作此論；秋金遇水，則為金水相涵，而冬金不作此論。氣有衰旺，取用不同也。

Heavenly Stems: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui Earthly Branches: Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai Trigrams: Qian (Heaven), Dui (Lake), Li (Fire), Zhen (Thunder), Xun (Wind), Kan (Water), Gen (Mountain), Kun (Earth) When a person with a Wounding Official (Wang Guan) aspect encounters an Official, it usually brings various troubles. However, in the case of a Metal and Water Wounding Official encountering an Official, it instead becomes refined and elegant. This is not to say that the Official star is not afraid of the Wounding Official, but rather because in winter, the Metal and Water are cold and the need to warm the situation is more urgent. Therefore, it is necessary to temporarily use the fire energy of the Official star. A Wounding Official combined with a Seven Kill (Qi Sha) can be used in any season, but when applied to a day stem of Metal in winter, the elegance is doubled. A Wounding Official combined with an Official Seal (Yin) can be used in any season, but when applied to a day stem of Wood in summer, the elegance is doubled—because in summer, the Wood is fiery and the Water Seal comes to moisten it, which is a mutual assistance between fire and water. Using Wealth (Cai) with a Wounding Official is generally a noble configuration, but when applied to a day stem of Water in winter, even if it brings some wealth, it is unlikely to be noble, because frozen water cannot grow wood. Using Wealth with a Wounding Official is usually refined, but when applied to a day stem of Wood in summer, it may be noble but not very refined, because the summer soil is dry and not responsive. In spring, Wood meeting Fire is called "Wood and Fire are clear and bright," but in summer, Wood meeting Fire cannot be viewed this way. In autumn, Metal meeting Water is called "Metal and Water are mutually nourishing," but in winter, Metal meeting Water cannot be viewed this way. The energy has periods of decline and strength, and since the seasons differ, the way of selection and use also varies. The original text says "then the Wood is clear and bright," but the next "为" is a mistake for "火" and should be "then the Wood and Fire are clear and bright."

春木逢火，木火通明，不利見官；而秋金遇水，金水相涵，見官無礙。假如庚生申月，而支中或子或辰，會成水局，天干透丁，以為官星，只要壬癸不透露干頭，便為貴格，與食神傷官喜見官之說同論，亦調候之道也。食神雖逢正印，亦謂奪食，而夏木火盛，輕用之亦秀而貴，與木火傷官喜見水同論，亦調候之謂也。此類甚多，不能悉述，在學者引伸觸類，神而明之而已。

The same principle of泄秀 applies, but the results differ based on the season. In spring, when wood meets fire, it forms a clear and bright combination of wood and fire, but it is not suitable to see the official star (官星) again, which would harm the self. In autumn, when metal meets water, it forms a harmonious combination of metal and water, and the presence of the official star is actually acceptable. For example, if the day stem is 庚 (Geng) and the month is 申 (Shen), and there is either 子 (Zi) or 辰 (Chen) in the earthly branches, forming a water trinity, and the heavenly stem has 丁 (Ding) fire as the official star, as long as 壬 (Ren) or 癸 (Gui) water does not appear in the heavenly stem to directly harm 丁 (Ding), it becomes a noble pattern. This is the same principle as "food god and injurious star rejoice in official star," which is also due to the need for adjusting the climate. Another example is when the food god pattern meets the proper teacher (正印), which usually leads to the teacher taking the food, but for a wood day stem in summer, the fire is too strong, and a little water from the teacher can moisten and purify it, making it clear and noble. This is the same as "wood and fire injurious star rejoice in water," also due to the need for adjusting the climate. There are many such cases, which cannot all be listed. Scholars just need to understand the principles and grasp the meaning through similar examples.

月令既得用神，則別位亦必有相，若君之有相，輔者是也。如官逢財生，則官為用，財為相；財旺生官，則財為用，官為相；煞逢食制，則煞為用，食為相。然此乃一定之法，非通變之妙。要而言之，凡全局之格，賴此一字而成者，均謂之相也。傷用神甚於傷身，傷相甚於傷用。

Once the useful god is established in the month pillar, there must be a "helping god" in the other pillars of the four pillars. Just like a monarch has a prime minister to assist the useful god in forming the pattern. For example, if the official star is supported by wealth, the official star is the useful god and wealth is the helping god; if wealth is strong and supports the official star, wealth is the useful god and the official star is the helping god; if the seven harmful star is controlled by the food god, the seven harmful star is the useful god and the food god is the helping god. However, this is just a general rule and not the flexible and subtle application. In summary: any pattern of the entire chart depends on a particular character to be established, and that character is called the helping god. Damaging the useful god is more serious than damaging the day master itself, and damaging the helping god is even more serious than damaging the useful god—because even if the useful god is damaged, there might still be a way to save it, but if the helping god is destroyed, the entire pattern will collapse.

如甲用酉官，透丁逢壬，則合傷存官以成格者，全賴壬之相；戊用子財，透甲並己，則合煞存財以成格者，全賴己之相；乙用酉煞，年丁月癸，時上逢戊，則合去癸印以使丁得制煞者，全賴戊之相。癸生亥月，透丙為財，財逢月劫，而卯未來會，則化水為木而轉劫以生財者，全賴於卯未之相。庚生申月，透癸洩氣，不通月令而金氣不甚靈，子辰會局，則化金為水而成金水相涵者，全賴於子辰之相。如此之類，皆相神之緊要也。

For example, on a Jia day master, using the辛 gold in You (the酉 branch) as the official (正官), the丁 fire伤官 appears in the heavenly stem, but fortunately the壬 water combines with the丁 fire, thus preserving the official and forming a pattern. This entirely depends on the壬, which is the auxiliary deity (相神). On a Wu day master, using the癸 water in Zi (子 branch) as the true wealth (正财), the 甲 wood seven calamity (七煞) appears in the heavenly stem, but the己 soil combines with the 甲 wood, thus preserving the wealth and forming a pattern. This entirely depends on the己, which is the auxiliary deity. On a Yi day master, using the辛 gold in You (酉 branch) as the seven calamity (七煞), the 丁 fire food god (食神) in the heavenly stem could normally control the calamity, but the癸 water biased scholar (偏印) in the month stem would attack the 丁 fire. Fortunately, the戊 soil in the hour stem combines with the癸 water, allowing the 丁 fire to be free to control the calamity. This entirely depends on the戊, which is the auxiliary deity. On a Gui day master born in the Hai month, the 丙 fire appears in the heavenly stem as wealth, but the Hai is the month of劫财 (劫财) for Gui, which would steal the wealth. However, the卯 branch has not yet joined the亥 branch to form a wood局, thus transforming the water into wood and turning the劫财 into a source of wealth. This entirely depends on the卯 and未, which are the auxiliary deities. On a Geng day master born in the Shen month, the癸 water appears in the heavenly stem as a manifestation of metal, but since the癸 water does not connect with the main energy of the month, the metal's refined and elegant quality cannot be fully expressed. However, the子 and辰 branches join to form a water局, transforming the metal into water and creating a harmonious relationship between metal and water. This entirely depends on the子 and辰, which are the auxiliary deities. Such examples clearly show how crucial the auxiliary deity is.

相神無破，貴格已成；相神相傷，立敗其格。如甲用酉官，透丁逢癸印，制傷以護官矣，而又逢戊，癸合戊而不制丁，癸水之相傷矣；丁用酉財，透癸逢己，食制煞以生財矣，而又透甲，己合甲而不制癸，己土之相傷矣。是皆有情而化無情，有用而成無用之格也。凡八字排定，必有一種議論，一種作用，一種棄取，隨地換形，難以虛擬，學命者其可忽諸？

When the divine spirits are not harmed, the noble pattern is established; once the divine spirits are injured, the pattern immediately collapses. For example, if the day stem is Jia and the official (officer) is used from You, and the fire official (Ding fire) appears to harm the official, fortunately there is Gui water, the pure minister, to control the harm and protect the official; but if another Wu earth appears in the chart, Gui water combines with Wu earth, and Gui water can no longer control Ding fire — this is the injury of the minister Gui water. Another example is when the day stem is Ding and the wealth is taken from the metal in You, and the seven calamity (Kui water) appears, but fortunately there is Ji earth, the food god, to control the calamity and generate wealth; but if another Ji wood appears, Ji earth combines with Ji wood, and Ji earth can no longer control Kui water — this is the injury of the minister Ji earth. These two cases are both originally harmonious but become discordant, originally useful but become useless. In summary, once the four pillars are fixed, there must be a corresponding discussion, a specific function, and a particular selection and rejection, which vary according to their positions. It is impossible to determine them arbitrarily; how can those who study fate ignore the minister spirits?

四墓者，沖氣也，何以謂之雜氣？以其所藏者多，用神不一，故謂之雜氣也。如辰本藏戊，而又為水庫，為乙餘氣，三者俱有，於何取用？然而甚易也，透干會取其清者用之，雜而不雜也。何謂透干？如甲生辰月，透戊則用偏財，透癸則用正印，透乙則用月劫是也。何謂會支？如甲生辰月，逢申與子會局，則用水印是也。一透則一用，兼透則兼用，透而又會，則透與會並用。

The four earthly branches, Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei, are places where the energies of the four seasons meet and harmonize. Why are they called "miscellaneous qi"? Because they contain more than one heavenly stem, and therefore there are multiple possible useful gods to choose from, hence the term "miscellaneous qi." For example, Chen contains the original qi of Wu earth, is also the burial place of water with the stem Gui, and is the residual qi of wood with the stem Yi. All three are present, so which one should be used as the useful god? In fact, it is simple: look at which heavenly stem is revealed in the heavens, and which branch combination is formed in the earth, and choose the clearest and most definite one. Although there are multiple possibilities, they are not confused. What does "revealing in the heavens" mean? For example, if the day stem is Ji and the month is Chen, and the heavenly stem reveals Wu, then Wu is used as the biased wealth. If the heavenly stem reveals Gui, then Gui is used as the official mandate. If the heavenly stem reveals Yi, then Yi is used as the month's劫 (wealth sharing). Yi is considered a wealth sharing for Ji. What does "forming a branch combination" mean? For example, if the day stem is Ji and the month is Chen, and the earth branches also include Shen and Zi, then Shen, Zi, and Chen form a water trinity, and water is used as the official mandate.

其合而有情者吉，其合而無情者則不吉。何謂有情？順而相成者是也。如甲生辰月，透癸為印，而又會子會申以成局，印綬之格，清而不雜，是透干與會支，合而有情也。又如丙生辰月，透癸為官，而又逢己以為印，官與印相生，而印又能去辰中暗土以清官，是兩干並透，合而情也。又如甲生丑月，辛透為官，或巳酉會成金局，而又透己財以生官，是兩干並透，與會支合而有情也。

When one element is revealed, use that one. If two elements are revealed, use both. If there is a revealed heavenly stem and a combined earthly branch, use both the revealed stem and the combined branch together. If these elements are combined and they support each other, it is auspicious. If they act independently and contradict each other, it is inauspicious. What is meant by 'having affection'? When they support each other in the same direction, it is called having affection. For example, if the day stem is Jia and it is born in the Chen month, and the heavenly stem reveals Gui water as the official, and the earthly branches form a water trinity with Zi and Shen, the official is pure and not mixed, which is a harmonious combination of the revealed stem and the combined branch. Another example is when the day stem is Bing and it is born in the Chen month, and the heavenly stem reveals Gui water as the official, and there is also a wood that can act as an official's official, which both supports the body and removes the hidden Wu earth in Chen to clarify the official. The official and the official's official support each other, which is a harmonious combination of two revealed stems. The original text says 'and also meets Ji as the official', but Ji is actually a harmful official for Bing, not an official. The annotated version of 'Zi Ping Zhen Quan' says 'meets Yi as the official', which should be Yi. The sentence ends with 'combined and affection', missing the character 'you' after 'combined'. Another example is when the day stem is Jia and it is born in the Chou month, and the heavenly stem reveals Xin gold as the official, or the earthly branches form a metal trinity with Si, You, and Chou, and the heavenly stem also reveals Ji earth as wealth to support the official. This is a combination of two revealed stems and a combined branch, which is a harmonious combination.

何謂無情？逆而相背者是也。如壬生未月，透己為官，而地支會亥卯以成傷官之局，是透官與會支，合而無情者也。又如甲生辰月，透戊為財，又或透壬癸以為印，透癸則戊癸作合，財印兩失，透壬則財印兩傷，又以貪財壞印，是兩干並透，合而無情也。又如甲生戌月，透辛為官，而又透丁以傷官，月支又會寅會午以成傷官之局，是兩干並透，與會支合而無情也。

What does "incongruity" mean? It refers to situations where two elements are completely opposite and counteract each other. For example, if the day stem is Ren (water) and the month is Wei (earth), the earth branch Wei contains Ji (earth) which is the official star, but the earth branch also forms a wood trinity with Hai and Mao, and wood is the official's official star, which is supposed to control the official. This is an example of incongruity between the dry stem and the hidden branches. Another example is when the day stem is Jia (wood) and the month is Chen (earth), the dry stem reveals Wu (earth) as the biased wealth, and also reveals Ren or Gui (water) as the official. If Gui is revealed, Wu and Gui form a harmonious relationship, and both wealth and official lose their effectiveness. If Ren is revealed, the wealth star controls the official, and the official hinders the wealth, leading to mutual harm, which is called "greed for wealth and destruction of official." This is an example of incongruity when two dry stems are revealed. Another example is when the day stem is Jia (wood) and the month is Xu (earth), the earth branch Xu contains Xin (metal) which is the official, and also reveals Ding (fire) as the official's official star, which controls the official. The month branch Xu also forms a fire trinity with Yin and Wu, making the official's official star even stronger. This is an example of incongruity when two dry stems are revealed and the branches form a trinity.

又有有情而卒成無情者，何也？如甲生辰月，逢壬為印，而又逢丙，印綬本喜洩身為秀，似成格矣，而火能生土，似又助辰中之戊，印格不清，是必壬干透而支又會申會子，則透丙亦無所礙。又有甲生辰月，透壬為印，雖不露丙而支逢戌位，戌與辰沖，二者為月沖而土動，干頭之壬難通月令，印格不成，是皆有情而卒無情，富而不貴者也。

There is another situation where something that was originally beneficial becomes ultimately unhelpful. For example, if the day stem is Jia and the month is Chen, and there is Ren water as the official (mother) and also Bing fire as the food and destruction (son), the official pattern originally prefers the food and destruction to release the body and form a refined outcome, which seems to form a complete pattern. However, Bing fire can generate earth, which helps the Wu earth wealth in Chen, thus making the official pattern unclear. In such a case, the Ren water must appear on the heavenly stem, and the earthly branches must form a water trinity with Shen and Zi to solidify the official, so that the Bing fire can be tolerated. Another example is when the day stem is Jia and the month is Chen, and Ren water appears on the heavenly stem as the official, even without Bing fire, but if the earthly branches contain Xu, the Chen and Xu clash, which affects the month's strength. The earth becomes agitated, and the Ren water on the heavenly stem loses its root in the month, making the official pattern incomplete. These are cases where something that was originally beneficial becomes ultimately unhelpful, often leading to wealth without high status.

又有無情而終有情者，何也？如癸生辰月，透戊為官，又有會申會子以成水局，透干與會支相剋矣。然所克者乃是劫財，譬如月劫用官，何傷之有？又如丙生辰月，透戊為食，而又透壬為煞，是兩干並透，而相剋也。然所克者乃是偏官，譬如食神帶煞，煞逢食制，二者皆是美格，其局愈貴。是皆無情而終為有情也。如此之類，不可勝數，即此為例，旁悟而已。

There is another situation that appears to be无情 (seemingly无情) but ultimately turns out to be有情 (favorable). For example, when the day stem is癸 (Gui) and the month is辰 (Chen), the戊 (Wu) earth appears in the heavens as the official (正官), while the branches form a water trinity with申 (Shen) and子 (Zi). The official in the heavens and the water in the branches mutually control each other, seeming无情. However, upon closer examination, what is actually being controlled by the official is the劫财 (enemies) within the water trinity. This is similar to the pattern of the month's劫 (劫财) being controlled by the official, which is actually beneficial. Another example is when the day stem is丙 (Bing) and the month is辰 (Chen), with戊 (Wu) earth appearing as the food god (食神) and壬 (Ren) water appearing as the seven evils (七煞). The two heavenly stems mutually control each other, seeming无情. However, what is actually being controlled by the food god is the seven evils, which is similar to the pattern of the food god controlling the seven evils, both of which are favorable patterns. When combined, the overall pattern becomes even more valuable. There are countless such situations, and these examples are given to help understand the underlying principles.

辰戌丑未，最喜刑沖，財官入庫不沖不發——此說雖俗書盛稱之，然子平先生造命，無是說也。夫雜氣透干會支，豈不甚美？又何勞刑沖乎？假如甲生辰月，戊土透豈非偏財？申子會豈非印綬？若戊土不透，即辰戌相沖，財格猶不甚清也。至於透壬為印，辰戌相沖，將以累印，謂之沖開印庫可乎？況四庫之中，雖五行俱有，而終以土為主。土沖則靈，金木水火，豈取勝以四庫之沖而動乎？

"The branches of Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei especially favor punishment and clash, and wealth and official positions entering the repository will not manifest unless they are clashed." This statement, although widely promoted by popular horoscope books, was never included in the principles established by the master of Zi Ping. When the branches of miscellaneous elements are revealed on the heavenly stem or form a trine with other branches, isn't the pattern already beautiful? Why bother with punishment and clash? For example, if the day stem is Jia and the month is Chen, and the heavenly stem Wu is revealed, isn't that the pattern of biased wealth? If the earthly branches Shen and Zi form a water trine, isn't that the pattern of the mother? Conversely, if Wu is not revealed, even if Chen and Xu clash and the repository is opened, the wealth pattern remains unclear. As for the case where Ren is revealed as the mother, if Chen and Xu clash, the earth moves and actually harms the mother, can this still be called "opening the mother's repository"? Moreover, although the four repositories contain all five elements, they are ultimately dominated by earth. Only when earth is moved does it become active; can the hidden elements of metal, wood, water, and fire also become active simply through the clash of the four repositories?

故財官屬土，沖則庫啟，如甲用戊財而辰戌沖，壬用己官而丑未沖之類是也。然終以戊己干頭為清用，干既透，即不沖而亦得也。至於財官為水，沖則反累，如己生辰月，壬透為財，戌沖則劫動，何益之有？丁生辰月，透壬為官，戌沖則傷官，豈能無害？其可謂之逢沖而壬水之財庫官庫開乎？今人不知此理，甚有以出庫為投庫。

Therefore, only when the wealth or official star itself is earth can the clash truly open the warehouse. For example, if the day stem is Jia and the wealth is Wu earth, and the Chen and Xu clash, or if the day stem is Ren and the official is Ji earth, and the Chou and Wei clash, these belong to this category. However, in the end, it is still clearest to take the Wu and Ji earth directly appearing in the heavenly stem. If the heavenly stem is already visible, there is no need for a clash to use it. As for cases where the wealth or official is water, a clash is actually detrimental: for instance, if the day stem is Ji and the month is Chen, and the heavenly stem reveals Ren water as wealth, using Xu to clash with Chen would instead stir up the Wu earth劫财 (envious wealth) within Chen, which is harmful to the wealth. Similarly, if the day stem is Ding and the month is Chen, and the heavenly stem reveals Ren water as official, using Xu to clash with Chen would stir up the Wu earth伤官 (harmful official) within Xu, how can this be without harm? Can this still be called 'a clash opens the wealth or official warehouse'? Nowadays people do not understand this principle, and even confuse the concepts of 'opening the warehouse' and 'depositing into the warehouse'.

如丁生辰月，壬官透干，不以為庫內之壬，干頭透出，而反為干頭之壬，逢辰入庫，求戌以沖土，不顧其官之傷。更有可笑者，月令本非四墓，別有用神，年月日時中一帶四墓，便求刑沖；日臨四庫不以為身坐庫根，而以為身主入庫，求沖以解。種種謬論，令人掩耳。

For example, if a day stem of Ding is born in the month of Chen, the official water (壬水) has already emerged from the storage (库) to the heavenly stem. Instead of recognizing that the壬water in the storage has emerged as the useful god (用神), they say that the壬water in the heavenly stem meets the Chen and thus 'enters the storage' again. Therefore, they insist on finding a Xu to clash with Chen and open the storage, completely ignoring that this clash actually harms the official star. Even more ridiculous is the case where a birth chart's month is not among the four storages (辰戌丑未), and there is a genuine useful god. Yet, just because there is a storage present in the year, month, day, or hour, they insist on seeking a clash to open it. If the day branch is sitting on one of the four storages, which is actually the day stem's own root in the storage, they mistakenly call it 'the body stem entering the storage' and insist on finding a clash to resolve it. Such fallacies are simply unbearable to listen to.

然亦有逢沖而發者，何也？如官最忌沖，而癸生辰月，透戊為官，與戌相沖，不見破格，四庫喜沖，不為不足。卻不知子午卯酉之類，二者相仇，乃沖剋之沖，而四墓土自為沖，乃沖動之沖，非沖剋之沖也。然既以土為官，何害於事乎？

But indeed there are cases where encountering a clash leads to prosperity. What is the reason for this? The official star is most disliked when it is clashed. However, for a day stem of癸 born in the辰 month with theWu Earth appearing as the official star, when the辰 and戌 clash, the pattern is not broken. Therefore, some people say, "The four repositories naturally welcome clashes; this statement is true." They do not realize that clashes such as those between子 and午, 卯 and酉 are between two opposing forces that fight against each other, which is called "clash and control." However, the four repositories are all earth, so when earth clashes with earth, it merely shakes the earth, which is called "movement through clash," not "clash and control." Since the official star used in this pattern is itself earth, shaking the earth slightly does not harm it at all.

財官印食，四吉神也，然用之不當，亦能破格。如食神帶煞，透財為害，財能破格也；春木火旺，見官則忌，官能破格也；煞逢食制，透印無功，印能破格也；財旺生官，露食則雜，食能破格也。是故官用食破，印用財破。譬之用藥，參苓芪術，本屬良材，用之失宜，亦能害人。官忌食傷，財畏比劫，印懼財破，食畏印奪，參合錯綜，各極其妙。弱者以生扶為喜，強者因生扶而反害；衰者以裁抑為忌，太旺者反以裁抑而得益。吉凶喜忌，全在是否合於需要，不因名稱而有分別也。

The four auspicious deities, wealth, official, seal, and food, can ruin a pattern if used improperly. For example, in a pattern based on the food deity, the seven evils are normally restrained by the food deity. However, if wealth appears, it will both generate the evils and drain the food deity, thus ruining the pattern—this is how wealth can ruin a pattern. In spring, when the wood day ruler has strong fire energy, it forms a clear wood and fire pattern. It is most undesirable to see the official star, metal, which will weaken the body—this is how the official star can ruin a pattern. In a pattern based on the seven evils, the food deity is normally used to restrain the evils. However, if the seal star appears, it will take away the food deity and protect the evils, thus eliminating the restraining effect of the evils—this is how the seal star can ruin a pattern. In a pattern where wealth generates the official star, if the food deity appears to restrain the official star, the pattern becomes mixed—this is how the food deity can ruin a pattern. Therefore, an official star pattern can be ruined by the food deity, and a seal star pattern can be ruined by wealth. This is similar to using medicine: ginseng, poria, astragalus, and white atractylis are all good herbs, but if they are used inappropriately, they can still harm people. The official star fears food and injury, wealth fears similar stars, the seal star fears wealth, and the food deity fears the seal star. These elements interact in various ways, each with its own subtlety. When the day ruler is weak, it prefers generation and support; but when the day ruler is strong, generation and support can be harmful. Those with weak energy should avoid suppression, while those with strong energy may benefit from suppression. Whether something is auspicious or inauspicious depends entirely on whether it meets the current needs, not on whether the name of the deity sounds good or bad.

煞傷梟刃，四凶神也，然施之得宜，亦能成格。如印綬根輕，透煞為助，煞能成格也。財逢比劫，傷官可解，傷能成格也。食神帶煞，靈梟得用，梟能成格也。財逢七煞，刃可解厄，刃能成格也。是故財不忌傷，官不忌梟，煞不忌刃，如治國長搶大戟，本非美具，而施之得宜，可以戡亂。

Seven evils, injurious official, hawk spirit, and Yangren are four malevolent spirits, but if used appropriately, they can also form a harmonious pattern. For example, if the official is weak, and the seven evils appear to generate the official, the official then has support—this is how the seven evils can form a harmonious pattern. When the wealth pattern meets a rival, the injurious official can transform the rival's energy into wealth, thus resolving the conflict—this is how the injurious official can form a harmonious pattern. In a food god pattern with seven evils, one should normally use the food god to control the seven evils. However, if the food god is too strong, it may over-control, and using the hawk spirit to slightly restrain it becomes more suitable—this is how the hawk spirit can form a harmonious pattern. In a wealth pattern, if the seven evils join the wealth to cause trouble, the Yangren can help the body to oppose the seven evils and also harmonize with them, thus resolving the crisis—this is how the Yangren can form a harmonious pattern. Therefore, the wealth pattern does not necessarily fear the injurious official, the official pattern does not necessarily fear the hawk spirit, and the seven evils pattern does not necessarily fear the Yangren. This is similar to governing a country: long spears and halberds are not inherently auspicious weapons, but if used at the right time and place, they can be used to quell chaos. The original text says 'like governing a country with long spears and big halberds,' where '抢' is a mistake for '枪,' and should be 'long spears and big halberds.'

月令用神，配以四柱，固有每字之生克以分吉凶，然有同此生克，而先後之間，遂分吉凶者，尤談命之奧也。如正官同是財傷並透，而先後有殊。假如甲用酉官，丁先戊後，後則以財為解傷，即不能貴，後運必有結局。若戊先而丁後時，則為官遇財生，而後因傷破，即使上運稍順，終無結局，子嗣亦難矣。印格同是貪格壞印，而先後有殊。如甲用子印，己先癸後，即使不富，稍順晚境；若癸先而己在時，晚景亦悴矣。

The use of the heavenly stem and earthly branch in conjunction with the four pillars determines fortune based on the relationships of generation and overcoming among the characters; however, there is another situation: when the relationships of generation and overcoming are exactly the same, but the order of arrangement differs, the fortune can be very different—this is the most subtle aspect of divination. For example, in the case of the same official position pattern, if both the wealth and the injurious official are revealed, the difference in their order leads to different outcomes. Suppose the day stem is Jia and the official is the hidden Xin metal in You, and the injurious official Ding fire comes before the wealth Wu earth, the later wealth can transform the injurious official's energy to assist the official, so even if one does not achieve great fortune, the later years will have some stability. Conversely, if the wealth Wu earth comes first and the injurious official Ding fire is in the hour position, then the official is first supported by the wealth and then destroyed by the injurious official. Even if the earlier years are somewhat smooth, in the end there will be no conclusion, and there will be difficulties in having children. The same applies to the pattern of the official and the wealth: if the wealth comes first and the official comes later, even if one is not rich, the later years will still be smooth; but if the official comes first and the wealth comes later, the later years will be difficult. The original text says "the pattern of the official is the same as the pattern of the greedy wealth destroying the official," where "pattern" is a mistake for "wealth," and it should be read as "the greedy wealth destroying the official."

食神同是財梟並透，而先後有殊。如壬用甲食，庚先丙後，晚運必亨，格亦富而望貴。若丙先而庚在時，晚運必淡，富貴兩空矣。七煞同是財食並透，而先後大殊。如己生卯月，癸先辛後，則為財以助用，而後煞用食制，不失大貴。若辛先而癸在時，則煞逢食制，而財轉食黨煞，非特不貴，後運蕭索，兼難永壽矣。他如此類，可以例推。

The food god pattern is also when both the wealth and the Owl Spirit are revealed, but the order differs and there are distinctions. For example, if the day master is壬 and uses甲 wood as the food god, with庚 metal Owl Spirit appearing first and丙 fire wealth appearing later, the Owl Spirit first takes away the food god, but the wealth comes later to rescue it, leading to a prosperous later period and a potential for both wealth and high status. However, if the wealth appears first and the Owl Spirit is on the hour, the later period will be dull, and both wealth and high status will be missed. The seven evils pattern is also when both the wealth and the food god are revealed, but the difference in order is even greater. For example, if the day master is己 and is born in the卯 month, with乙 wood as the seven evils in the卯, and癸 water wealth appearing first, followed by辛 metal food god, the wealth first supports the use, and the food god later controls the evils, leading to great status. However, if the food god appears first and the wealth is on the hour, then the evils are first controlled by the food god, but the later wealth turns to support the evils, resulting in no high status, a bleak later period, and even a shortened lifespan. Other similar situations can be inferred in the same way.

然猶吉凶易者也，至丙生甲寅月，年癸時戊，官能生印，而不怕戊合；戊能洩身為秀，而不得越甲以合癸，大貴之格也。假使年月戊癸而時甲，或年甲而月癸時戊，則戊無所隔而合全癸，格大破矣。丙生辛酉，年癸時己，傷因財間，傷之無力，間有小貴。假如癸己產並而中無辛隔，格盡破矣。辛生申月，年壬月戊，時上丙官，不愁隔戊之壬，格亦許貴。假使年丙月壬而時戊，或年戊月丙而時壬，則壬能克丙，無望其貴矣。如此之類，不可勝數，其中吉凶似難猝喻。然細思其故，理甚顯然，特難為淺者道耳。

The fortune calculations for these cases are relatively easy to determine. Now let's look at more detailed examples: if the day stem is Bing (丙) and it is born in the寅 (寅) month with the month stem being Jia (甲), and the year stem is Gui (癸) water, which is the official position, and the hour stem is Wu (戊) earth, which is the food god. The Gui official can generate the Jia seal, but since there is the Jia in between, the Wu earth cannot combine with the Gui. The Wu earth can drain the refined energy of the Bing fire, but it cannot surpass the Jia to combine with the Gui—this is a great fortune. If instead the year stem is Wu, the month stem is Gui, and the hour stem is Jia, or the year stem is Jia, the month stem is Gui, and the hour stem is Wu, then there is nothing between the Wu and the Gui, and the Wu will completely combine with the Gui, breaking the structure entirely. Another example: if the day stem is Bing and it is born in the酉 (酉) month with the month stem being Xin (辛), and the year stem is Gui (癸) water, which is the official position, and the hour stem is Ji (己) earth, which is the injurious official. The Ji injurious official is supposed to overcome the Gui official, but it is blocked by the Xin wealth, so the injurious official's power cannot be fully exerted, resulting in some minor fortune. If the Gui and Ji are directly adjacent without the Xin in between, the structure is completely broken—originally it was written as 'if Gui and Ji are adjacent and there is no Xin in between,' where '产' is an added character and should be read as 'Gui and Ji are adjacent and there is no Xin in between.' Another example: if the day stem is Xin and it is born in the申 (申) month, the year stem is Ren (壬) water, which is the injurious official, the month stem is Wu (戊) earth, which is the seal, and the hour stem is Bing (丙) fire, which is the official position. The Ren injurious official is supposed to overcome the Bing official, but it is blocked by the Wu, so the power of the injurious official cannot be fully exerted, possibly leading to a high fortune. If instead the year stem is Bing, the month stem is Ren, and the hour stem is Wu, or the year stem is Wu, the month stem is Bing, and the hour stem is Ren, then the Ren can directly overcome the Bing, and the fortune is no longer possible. There are countless such situations, and the fortune outcomes may seem difficult to understand at first glance. However, upon careful consideration, the reasons are clear, though it is hard to explain them to those with shallow understanding.

八字格局，專以月令配四柱，至於星辰好歹，既不能為生克之用，又何以操成敗之權？況於局有礙，即財官美物，尚不能濟，何論吉星？於局有用，即七煞傷官，何謂凶神乎？是以格局既成，即使滿盤孤辰入煞，何損其貴？格局既破，即使満盤天德貴人，何以為功？今人不知輕重，見是吉星，遂致拋卻用神，不管四柱，妄論貴賤，謬談禍福，甚可笑也。況書中所云祿貴，往往指正官而言，不是祿堂人貴人。

The structure of a person's八字 depends solely on the compatibility between the month's stem and the four pillars. As for various deities, stars, and auspicious signs, since they cannot participate in the generation and overcoming of the Five Phases, how can they determine the success or failure of the structure? Moreover, if these signs interfere with the structure, even wealth and official positions, which are considered good, cannot save the structure. So what is the point of talking about auspicious stars? On the other hand, if these signs are useful to the structure, even seven calamities and injurious officials become beneficial. So why are they called Inauspicious Spirit? Once the structure is established, even if the chart is full of Guchen and harmful stars, it cannot damage its nobility. Once the structure is broken, even if the chart is full of Heavenly Virtue and Nobleman stars, they can do nothing. Nowadays, people fail to distinguish between importance and triviality. They see an auspicious star and ignore the Useful God and the four pillars, making hasty judgments about wealth and poverty, and talking nonsense about misfortune and fortune, which is truly laughable. Moreover, the ancient texts refer to "Lü" and "Guì" as referring to the official position, not the false stars like the禄堂 or Tianyi Nobleman. The original text says "not the禄堂 and people's Nobleman," and "people's Nobleman" should be "Tianyi Nobleman."

如正財得傷貴為奇，傷貴也，傷官乃生財之具，正財得之，所以為奇，若指貴人，則傷貴為何物乎？又若因得祿而避位，得祿者，得官也，運得官鄉，宜乎進爵，然如財用傷官食神，運透官則格條，正官運又遇官則重，凡此之類，只可避位也。若作祿堂，不獨無是理，抑且得祿避位，文法上下相顧。古人作書，何至不通若是！

For example, the book says, "The proper wealth is harmed by the nobleman, which is considered extraordinary." Here, the term "nobleman" refers to the official; the official is originally a tool that generates wealth, and when the proper wealth pattern receives it, it is considered extraordinary. If we interpret "nobleman" as Tianyi Nobleman, then what does "harming the nobleman" refer to? Another example is the statement, "Because of obtaining the official position, one avoids the position." Here, "official position" also refers to the official; when one's fate is in the official pattern, one should normally rise in rank. However, if the pattern is based on the official and the official is used with the official and food god, then encountering the official in the destiny will disrupt the pattern. The original text says "pattern rule," which is likely a mistake for "pattern broken," but we retain the original without alteration. Originally, it was the proper official pattern, and encountering the official again in the destiny would make the official too heavy. In such cases, one must step back and yield. If we interpret "official position" as the禄堂, it does not make sense, and moreover, the phrases "obtaining the official position" and "avoiding the position" are originally connected in meaning. How could ancient authors write in such a confusing way!

又若女命，有云“貴眾則舞裙歌扇”。貴眾者，官眾也，女以官為夫，正夫豈可疊出乎？一女眾夫，舞裙歌扇，理固然也。若作貴人，乃是天星，並非夫主，何礙於眾，而必為娼妓乎？然星辰命書，亦有談及，不善看書者執之也。

For example, female destiny books say, "When there are many noblemen, she dances and sings with fans and umbrellas," meaning that a woman with too many officials in her chart is likely to fall into the ranks of dancers and singers. Here, "many noblemen" refers to having too many officials; a woman's proper husband is her official, so how can there be multiple official husbands? A woman facing many husbands would end up in the situation of dancing and singing, which is logical. If "nobleman" is interpreted as Tianyi Nobleman, then it is just a phantom star, not an actual husband. Having more of them would not be a problem, so why would one conclude she becomes a prostitute? Of course, there are indeed destiny books that discuss stars, but those who are not good at reading stick to them rigidly.

如“貴人頭上帶財官，門充馳馬”，蓋財官如人美貌，貴人如人衣服，貌之美者，衣服美則現。其實財官成格，即非貴人頭上，怕不門充馳馬！又局清貴，又帶二德，必受榮封。若專主二德，則何不竟云帶二德受兩國之封，而秘先曰無煞乎？若云命逢險格，柱有二德，逢凶有救，右免於危，則亦有之，然終無關於格局之貴賤也。

For example, the phrase "The nobleman's head carries wealth and official rank, the gate is filled with carriages and horses" compares wealth and official rank to a person's appearance, and the nobleman to one's clothing. If one's appearance is already beautiful, then adding good clothing would make it even more evident. In reality, as long as wealth and official rank form a proper pattern, even if they do not fall on the nobleman's head, can they not have carriages and horses arriving at the gate? Another example is that if a person's destiny is clear and noble, and also carries the heavenly and lunar virtues, they will certainly receive imperial rewards. If it is truly only the two virtues that bring about such rewards, why not simply say "carrying the two virtues leads to rewards from two countries"? Why must the phrase "without evil" come first? The original text says "While secretly it says without evil," where "secretly" is a mistake for "certainly." As for the case where a person's destiny meets a dangerous pattern and the two virtues are present in the pillar, during times of misfortune they may be saved from danger, which does happen— the original text says "Right, being saved from danger," where "right" is a mistake for "also." However, this is ultimately unrelated to the inherent nobility or commonness of the pattern itself.

八字用神既專主月令，何以又有外格乎？外格者，蓋因月令無用，權而用之，故曰外格也。如春木冬水、土生四季之類，日與月同，難以作用，類象、屬象、沖財、會祿、刑合、遙迎、井欄、朝陽諸格，皆可用也。若月令自有用神，豈可另尋外格？又或春木冬水，干頭己有財官七煞，而棄之以就外格，亦太謬矣。是故干頭有財，何用沖財？干頭有官，何用合祿？書云“提綱有用提綱重”，又曰“有官莫尋格局”，不易之論也。然所謂月令無用者，原是月令本無用神，而今人不知，往往以財被劫官被傷之類。用神已破，皆以為月令無取，而棄之以就外格，則謬之又謬矣。

In the system of four pillars of destiny, the determination of the useful god is primarily based on the month pillar. However, there is also the concept of 'external patterns' or 'external structures'. This is because when the month pillar does not contain the useful god, one has to adopt alternative methods to establish a pattern, hence called 'external patterns'. For example, if the day stem is wood and it is born in spring, or the day stem is water and it is born in winter, or the day stem is earth and it is born in the months of辰, 戌, 丑, or 未, the day stem and the month pillar share the same essence. In such cases, the day stem cannot be used as the useful god itself. Therefore, patterns such as similar qualities, belonging to the same category, conflicting for wealth, meeting for official positions, mutual restraint, distant meeting, well-lantern, and sunrise patterns become applicable. If the month pillar itself already contains the useful god, how can one ignore it and seek an external pattern? Even more absurd is when, although it is spring wood or winter water, there are already wealth, official positions, or seven evils in the heavenly stems, yet one insists on abandoning these and seeking external patterns. Therefore, if there is already wealth in the heavenly stems, why go for 'conflicting for wealth'? If there is already an official position in the heavenly stems, why go for 'meeting for official position'? The classics say 'the main pillar has a useful god, the main pillar is emphasized', and also say 'if there is an official position, do not seek patterns', which are fixed conclusions that cannot be changed. However, one must distinguish: the term 'the month pillar has no useful god' refers to the original absence of the useful god in the month pillar. Nowadays, people often misunderstand. When they encounter situations where wealth is robbed or official positions are harmed, they mistakenly consider the month pillar as having no useful god and thus abandon the month pillar to seek external patterns, which is a further mistake.

人有六親，配之八字，亦存於命。其由宮分配之者，則年月日時，自上而下，祖父妻子，亦自上而下。以地相配，適得其宜，不易之位也。其由用神配之者，則正印也母，身所自出，取其生我也。若偏財受我剋制，何反為父？偏財者，母之正夫也，正印為母，則偏才為父矣。正財為妻，受我剋制，夫為妻綱，妻則從夫。若官煞則剋制乎我，何以反為子女也？官煞者，財所生也，財為妻妾，則官煞為子女矣。至於比肩為兄弟，又理之顯然者。其間有無得力，或吉或凶，則以四柱所存或年月或日時財官傷刃，繫是何物，然後以六親配之用神。局中作何喜忌，參而配之，可以瞭然矣。

A person has six relations. These six relations are matched with the eight characters, and each has its proper place. One method is to match them according to the 'positions': the year, month, day, and hour are arranged from top to bottom, and the ancestors, parents, spouse, and children are also arranged from top to bottom accordingly. By matching positions with generations, it is perfectly appropriate, and this is fixed and unchangeable. Another method is to match them according to the ten heavenly stems. The positive mother is the mother, because I am born from the mother, and this is based on the meaning of something that nourishes me. The original text says 'then the positive mother is the mother,' where 'also' is a mistake for 'is.' The positive mother is the mother. Some may ask, the biased wealth is something I control, so why is it considered the father? It is necessary to know that the biased wealth is the husband of the mother. Since the positive mother is the mother, the biased wealth, which is paired with the positive mother, is naturally the father. The positive wealth is the wife, which I control, because the husband is the head of the wife, and the wife must follow the husband. Some may also ask, the official and the evil official are those that control me, so why are they considered the children? It is necessary to know that the official and the evil official are produced by the wealth. Since the wealth is the wife, the official and the evil official, which are produced by the wealth, are naturally the children. As for the same stem, it is the brother, and the reasoning is clear. Whether these six relations are effective or not, and whether they are auspicious or not, depends on looking at the four pillars to see whether the characters present are wealth, official, injury, or blade. Then, by comparing the six relations with the useful god, we can determine whether this character is favorable or not in the entire chart. By combining these, the situation becomes clear at a glance.

大凡命中吉凶，於人愈近，其驗益靈。富貴貧賤，本身之事，無論矣，至於六親，妻以配身，子為後嗣，亦是切身之事。故看命者，妻財子提綱得力，或年干有用，皆主父母身所自出，亦自有驗。所以提綱得力，或年干有用，皆主父母雙全得力。至於祖宗兄弟，不甚驗矣。

In general, the fortune and misfortune in a person's destiny are more accurate when they are closely related to the individual. Wealth, poverty, nobility, and lowliness are matters concerning the person themselves, so there is no need to elaborate further. As for the Six Relations, the wife is matched with the person, and the son is the person's descendant, all of which are matters directly related to the individual. Therefore, when examining a person's destiny, looking at wife, wealth, son, and fortune, if the monthly stem is strong or the heavenly stem of the year is useful, it indicates that the parents are supportive. This is naturally accurate. It is precisely because the monthly stem is strong or the heavenly stem of the year is useful that the parents are both present and supportive. However, when considering ancestors above or brothers on the side, the accuracy diminishes— the farther the relationship, the more faint the information recorded in the destiny.

以妻論之，坐下財官，妻當賢貴；然亦有坐財官而妻不利，逢傷刃而妻反吉者，何也？此蓋月令用神，配成喜忌。如妻宮坐財，吉也，而印格逢之，反為不美。妻坐官，吉也，而傷官逢之，豈能順意？妻坐傷官，凶也，而財格逢之，可以生堸，煞格逢之，可以制煞，反主妻能內助。妻坐陽刃，凶也，而或財官煞傷等格，四柱已成格局，而日主無氣，全憑日刃幫身，則妻必能相關。其理不可執一。

First, we discuss the wife. The day branch is called the "wife's palace." If the day branch is occupied by wealth or official position, the wife should be virtuous and esteemed. However, there are cases where the wife is actually unfavorable even though the day branch is occupied by wealth or official position, or where the wife is actually favorable even though the day branch is occupied by injurious official or yang blade. Why is this so? It depends on whether the heavenly stem used in the month is a favorable or unfavorable element. For example, if the wife's palace is occupied by wealth, this is generally favorable, but if the native's destiny is based on the seal (print) pattern, then wealth will harm the seal, making it unfavorable. If the wife's palace is occupied by official position, this is generally favorable, but if the native's destiny is based on injurious official pattern, then injurious official meeting official position will not be harmonious. If the wife's palace is occupied by injurious official, this is generally unfavorable, but if the native's destiny is based on wealth pattern, then injurious official can generate wealth; if the native's destiny is based on evil spirit pattern, then injurious official can control the evil spirit, and the wife can actually help from within. The original text says "can generate 堸," where "堸" is a mistake for "财" (wealth). The wife's palace occupied by yang blade is generally unfavorable, but if the native's destiny is based on wealth, official position, evil spirit, or injurious official pattern, and the four pillars have already formed a pattern while the day stem has no strength, relying entirely on the yang blade in the day branch to support the body, then the wife will certainly be closely related to the native. Clearly, the principles here cannot be rigidly applied to one aspect only.

既看妻宮，又看妻星。妻星者，干頭之財也。妻透而成局，若官格透財、印多逢財、食傷透財為用之類，即坐下無用，亦主內助。妻透而破格，若印輕財露、食神傷官、透煞逢財之類，即坐下有用，亦防刑剋。又有妻透成格，或妻宮有用而坐下刑沖，未免得美妻而難偕老。又若妻星兩透，偏正雜出，何一夫而多妻？亦防刑剋之道也。至於子息，其看宮分與星所透喜忌，理與論妻略同。

After examining the wife's palace, one should also look at the "wife star." The wife star refers to the wealth element in the heavenly stems. If the wife star appears and supports the formation of the pattern, for example, in a pattern of official star with the wealth element appearing to nourish the official star, or in a pattern with many ministers with the wealth element appearing to restrain the ministers, or in a pattern of food and injury with the wealth element appearing as a useful element, even if the wife's palace itself is not useful, it indicates that the wife can provide internal support. However, if the wife star appears and disrupts the pattern, for example, in a light minister pattern with the wealth element appearing and destroying the minister, or in a pattern of food and injury with the evil star appearing and the wealth element reinforcing the evil star, even if the wife's palace is useful, one should be cautious of punishments and clashes. There is another case: if the wife star appears and forms a pattern, or if the wife's palace is useful, but the day's branch is subjected to punishments and clashes, then it is inevitable to marry a beautiful wife but not live happily together until old age. For example, if two wife stars appear and both the legitimate and the biased wealth elements are present, how can one husband have so many wives? This is also a case to be cautious of punishments and clashes.

但看子息，長生沐浴之歌，亦當熟讀，如“長生四子中旬半，沐浴一雙保吉祥，冠帶臨官三子位，旺中五子自成行，衰中二子病中一，死中至老沒兒郞，除非養取他之子，入墓之時命夭亡，受氣為絕一個子，胎中頭產養姑娘，養中三子只留一，男子宮中子細詳”是也。然長生論法，用陽而不用陰。如甲乙日只用庚金長生，巳酉丑順數之局，而不用辛金逆數之子申辰。雖書有官為女煞為男之說，然終不可以甲用庚男而用陽局，乙用辛男而陰局。蓋木為日主，不問甲乙，總以庚為男辛為女，其理為然，拘於官煞，其能驗乎？

As for determining the number of children, in addition to examining the position of the time pillar and the favor or disfavor of the son star, one should also be familiar with the Long Life and Bathing Song. The rhyme says: the Long Life position indicates four sons, but half are lost by middle age; the Bathing position indicates two sons, who can be safely raised; the Capping and Officialdom positions indicate three sons; the Prosperity position indicates five sons who will grow up together; the Decline position indicates two sons; the Sickness position indicates one son; the Death position means no sons until old age, unless adopting a son from elsewhere; the Burial position means the son dies young; the Absolute Position means the son is born with a spirit but only one child; the Fetus position indicates the first child is a daughter; the Nurturing position indicates three sons but only one can be kept. For male destiny, the children's palace should be carefully calculated according to this. However, when calculating Long Life, only the Yang stems are used, not the Yin stems: for example, for a day master of Jia or Yi wood, the Long Life of Geng metal is used, starting from Si and moving in order through Si, You, Chou, while not using the reverse sequence of Xin metal's Long Life, which starts from Zi and goes through Shen, Chen. Although some books say that officials represent daughters and evils represent sons, it is ultimately unreasonable to use the Yang method for Jia because Geng is considered a son, or the Yin method for Yi because Xin is considered a son. As long as the day master is wood, whether it is Jia or Yi, Geng is considered a son and Xin is considered a daughter, which is logical. If one insists on using the names of officials and evils, can it really be accurate?

所以八字到手，要看子息，先看時支。如甲乙生日，其時果係庚金何宮？或生旺，或死絕，其多寡己有定數，然後以時干子星配之。如財格而時干透食，官格而時干透財之類，皆謂時干有用，即使時逢死絕，亦主子貴，但不甚繁耳。若又逢生旺，則麟兒繞膝，豈可量乎？若時干不好，子透破局，即逢生旺，難為子息。若又死絕，無所望矣。此論妻子之大略也。

So once the four pillars are known, to determine the number of children, one should first look at the hour branch. For example, if the day stem is Jia or Yi (wood), one should check where the hour branch falls in the twelve long life positions of the庚 metal. Is it in a position of birth or strength, or in death or extinction? This gives a general number for children. Then one should match the child star on the hour stem. For instance, if the native is in a wealth pattern and the hour stem reveals a food god that generates wealth, or if the native is in an official pattern and the hour stem reveals wealth that generates the official, this is considered 'useful hour stem'; in such cases, even if the hour branch falls in death or extinction, the children will be prosperous but in smaller numbers. If the hour branch also falls in a position of birth or strength, then there will be many children. Conversely, if the character on the hour stem is not good, and the child star appears, it may ruin the pattern. Even if the hour branch is in a position of birth or strength, there will be little hope for children. If the hour branch also falls in death or extinction, there is even less to expect. This is the general method for determining the spouse and children.

論運與看命無二法也。看命以四柱干支，配月令之喜忌，而取運則又以運之干，配八字之喜忌。故運中每運行一字，即必以此一字，配命中干支而統觀之，為喜為忌，吉凶判然矣。何為喜？命中所喜之神，我得而助之者是也。如官用印以制傷，而運助印；財生官而身輕，而運助身；印帶財以為忌，而運劫財；食帶煞以成格，身輕而運逢印，煞重而運助食；傷官佩印，而運行官煞；陽刃用官，而運助財鄉；月劫用財，而運行傷食。如此之類，皆美運也。

Discussing the great years (dà yùn) and examining the original destiny (běn mìng) is not two separate methods. Examining the original destiny involves matching the four pillars (sì zhù) heavenly stems and earthly branches with the monthly command (yuè lìng) to determine what is favorable or unfavorable. Assessing the great years involves matching the heavenly stems and earthly branches of the great years with the favorable and unfavorable elements of the original destiny. Therefore, whenever a great year arrives, that character must be integrated into the entire destiny chart to determine whether it is favorable or unfavorable; the fortune's good or bad will then become clear. What constitutes a favorable year? The element that the destiny favors is supported by the great year, which is considered favorable. For example, in a pattern where the official (zhèng guān) is used with the seal (yìn) to control the official's child (shāng guān), if the great year supports the seal; in a pattern where wealth (cái) generates the official and the day's ruler is weak, if the great year supports the day's ruler; in a pattern where the seal is accompanied by wealth, which is considered unfavorable, if the great year brings a劫财 (jié cái) to remove the wealth; in a pattern where the food god (shí shén) is accompanied by the seven evil stars (qī shā) and forms a pattern, if the day's ruler is weak, the great year brings the seal to support the day's ruler, if the evil stars are strong, the great year supports the food god to control the evil stars; in a pattern where the official is supported by the seal, if the great year brings the official or evil stars to support the seal; in a pattern where the day's ruler is in a劫 (jié) situation and wealth is used, if the great year brings the food god or official to transform the劫 and generate wealth. All these are considered favorable years.

何謂忌？命中所忌，我逆而施之者是也。如正官無印，而運行傷；財不透食，而運行煞；印綬用官，而運合官；食神帶煞，而運行財；七煞食制，而運逢梟；傷官佩印，而運行財；陽刃用煞，而運逢食；建祿用官，而運逢傷。如此之類，皆敗運也。其有似喜而實忌者，何也？如官逢印運，而本命有合，印逢官運，而本命用煞之類是也。有似忌而實喜者，何也？如官逢傷運，而命透印，財行煞運，而命透食之類是也。

What constitutes a忌 (taboo or inauspicious influence)? It refers to the situation where the fate of a person's destiny is already adverse to a certain element, and the fortune (or the ten-thousand-year cycle) happens to promote it further. For example, in a pattern of 正官 (proper official), if there is no 印 (favorable influence) to protect the official, but the fortune instead goes to 伤官 (harmful official), this is a忌. In a pattern of 财 (wealth), if there is no 食神 (food god) to mediate, but the fortune instead goes to 七煞 (seven calamity), this is also a忌. In an 印绶 (favorable influence) pattern that uses 官星 (official star), if the fortune instead brings a star that combines with the official, this is a忌. In a 食神 (food god) pattern that relies on 七煞 (seven calamity) to be controlled by the food god, if the fortune instead goes to 财 (wealth) to support the calamity, this is a忌. In a 七煞 (seven calamity) pattern that relies on 食神 (food god) to control the calamity, if the fortune instead meets 鸢神 (scavenger star) to take away the food, this is a忌. In a 伤官 (harmful official) pattern that relies on 印 (favorable influence), if the fortune instead goes to 财 (wealth) to damage the favorable influence, this is a忌. In a The Yang Blade (Yang blade) pattern that uses 七煞 (seven calamity) to control the blade, if the fortune instead goes to 食神 (food god) to control the calamity, this is a忌. In a 建禄 (established fortune) pattern that uses 官 (official), if the fortune instead meets 伤官 (harmful official) to harm the official, this is a忌. All these are considered bad fortune. There are also cases that seem to be favorable but are actually taboos. For example, in a 正官 (proper official) pattern, if the fortune goes to 印 (favorable influence), it should be good, but if the original chart has the 印 (favorable influence) already combined with other elements, it becomes a忌. In an 印 (favorable influence) pattern, if the fortune goes to 官 (official), it should be good, but if the original chart uses 灾 (calamity) instead of 官 (official), it becomes a忌. There are also cases that seem to be taboos but are actually favorable. For example, in a 正官 (proper official) pattern, if the fortune goes to 伤官 (harmful official), it should be bad, but if the original chart has 印 (favorable influence) to control the harmful official, it becomes favorable. In a 财 (wealth) pattern, if the fortune goes to 七煞 (seven calamity), it should be bad, but if the original chart has 食神 (food god) to control the calamity, it becomes favorable.

又有行干而不行支者，何也？如丙生子月亥年，逢丙丁則幫身，逢巳午則相沖是也。又有行支而不行干者，何也？如甲生酉月，辛金透而官猶弱，逢申酉則官植根，逢庚辛則混煞重官之類是也。又有干同一類而不兩行者，何也？如丁生亥月，而年透壬官，逢丙則幫身，逢丁則合官之類是也。又有支同一類而不兩行者，何也？如戊生卯月，丑年，逢申則自坐長生，逢酉則會丑以傷官之類是也。

There is also a situation where the Heavenly Stems are beneficial but the Earthly Branches are not. For example, if the day stem is Bing and the month is Zi, the body is weak and needs support. If the fortune moves through the Heavenly Stems Jia and Yi, they can support the body. However, if the fortune moves through Si and Wu, although Si and Wu are the禄 and 刃 of Bing, they conflict with the Zi and Hai in the original chart, which is actually harmful. There are also cases where the Earthly Branches are beneficial but the Heavenly Stems are not. For example, if the day stem is Jia and the month is You, although the official star is revealed by Xin, it is still considered weak. If the fortune moves through Shen and You, the official star has a root. However, if the fortune moves through Geng and Xin, Geng is a seven deadly star which mixes with the official star, and adding another Xin makes the official star too strong. There are also two Heavenly Stems that belong to the same category but cannot be treated the same way. For example, if the day stem is Ding and the month is Hai, and the year stem is Ren as the official star, moving through Bing fire can support the body, but moving through Ding fire would combine with Ren, thus removing the official star. Similarly, there are two Earthly Branches that belong to the same category but cannot be treated the same way. For example, if the day stem is Wu and the month is Mao, and the year branch is Chou, moving through Shen, Wu is in its Growth position in Shen. However, moving through You, You combines with Chou to form a metal group, which harms the official star.

又有同是相沖而分緩急者，何也？沖年月則急，沖日時則緩也。又有同是相沖而分輕重者，何也？運本美而逢沖則輕，運既忌面又沖則重也。又有逢沖而不沖，何也？如甲用酉官，行卯則沖，而本命巳酉相會，則沖無力；年支亥未，則卯逢年會而不沖月官之類是也。又有一沖而得兩沖者，何也？如乙用申官，兩申並而不沖一寅，運又逢寅，則運與本命，合成二寅，以沖二申之類是也。

Heavenly Stems: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui Earthly Branches: Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai Trigrams: Qian (Heaven), Dui (Lake), Li (Fire), Zhen (Thunder), Xun (Wind), Kan (Water), Gen (Mountain), Kun (Earth) When there is a clash, it also depends on urgency: clashes affecting the year or month pillars manifest quickly, while clashes affecting the day or hour pillars manifest slowly, because the year and month pillars govern the first half of life and are related to the overall structure, whereas the day and hour pillars relate to the latter half. When there is a clash, it also depends on severity: if it is a good fortune with a slight clash, the harm is minor; if it is an already unfavorable fortune with an added clash, the harm is severe—originally it was written as 'if the fortune is already unfavorable and there is a clash, the harm is severe,' where '面' is a mistake for '而'. There is also a case where a clash does not occur: for example, if the day stem is Jia and the official star is the Yin metal in You, then the movement to Mao should clash with You, but if the original chart has Si and You forming a metal formation, the clash from Mao is ineffective; or if the year pillar has Hai and Wei, the movement to Mao is first used to form a wood formation with the year pillar, thus not being able to clash with the official star in the month pillar. There is also a case where one clash becomes two clashes: for example, if the day stem is Yi and the official star is the Geng metal in Shen, and there are two Shens in the original chart, one Yin does not clash with two Shens; but if the movement brings another Yin, the Yin in the movement combines with the Yin in the original chart to form two Yins, which then clash with two Shens, making the clash effective.

命之格局，成於八字，然配之以運，亦有成格變格之要權。其成格變格，較之喜忌禍福尤重。何為成格？本命用神，成而未全，從而就之者是也。如丁生辰月，透壬為宮，而運逢申子以會之；乙生辰月，或申或子會印成局，而運逢壬癸以透之。如此之類，皆成格也。

The structure of a person's destiny is determined by their birth chart, but when combined with the big years, there are significant variables called "established patterns" and "changed patterns." These established and changed patterns are more important than general favorable or unfavorable influences. What does it mean for a big year to establish a pattern? The useful god of the original birth chart is already partially formed but not complete, and the big year completes and perfects it. For example, if a person is born on a day with the day stem Ding and is born in the month of Chen, and there is a visible Ren water, which is the official star, but Ren in Chen is only the storage of water. If the big year meets Shen or Zi, which can form a water trinity with Chen, the official star becomes solid. The original text says "transmits Ren as the palace," but "palace" is a mistake for "official." Another example is if a person is born on a day with the day stem Yi and is born in the month of Chen, and the hidden branches have either Shen or Zi, which form a water trinity with Chen as the printing star, but there is no water in the heavenly stems. If the big year brings out Ren or Gui, the printing pattern becomes complete. These cases are called established patterns.

何為變格？如丁生辰月，透壬為官，而運逢戌，透出辰中傷官；壬生戌月，丁己並透，而支又會寅會午，作財旺生官矣，而運逢戊土，透出戌中七煞；壬生亥月，透己為用，作建祿用官矣，而運逢卯未，會亥成本，又化建祿為傷。如此之類，皆變格也。然亦有逢成格而不喜者，何也？如壬生午月，運透己官，而本命有甲乙之類是也。又有逢變格而不忌者，何也？如丁生辰月，透壬用官，逢戊而命有甲；壬生亥月，透己用官，運逢卯未，而命有庚辛之類是也。成格變格，關係甚大，取運者其細詳之。

What is meant by "change of pattern" (变格)? For example, if a person with a Jia day stem is born in the Chen month and has Ren water appearing in the sky, this is considered the official position (正官). However, if in the later years (运) the Xu is encountered, which conflicts with Chen, the hidden Wu earth official is harmed, thus the official is attacked. Another example is a person with a Ren day stem born in the Xu month, with Ding fire wealth and Ji earth official both appearing in the sky. If the ground forms a fire pattern by gathering Yin and Wu, this is a good pattern where wealth supports the official. However, if in the later years the Wu earth appears, it brings out the hidden seven evils (七煞) from Xu, mixing the official and the evils. Another example is a person with a Ren day stem born in the Hai month, with Ji earth appearing as the official, which is a good pattern where the official is used. However, if in the later years the Mao or Wei appears, forming a wood pattern with Hai, the official is transformed into a harmful official (伤官) that attacks the official. These are all examples of change of pattern. However, there are also cases where the later years form a pattern but it is not favorable. For example, a person with a Ren day stem born in the Wu month, with Ji earth official appearing in the sky, seemingly forming a pattern, but the original birth chart has Jia and Yi wood that would attack the Ji earth official, making the official unstable. There are also cases where the later years change the pattern but it is not harmful. For example, a person with a Jia day stem born in the Chen month, with Ren water appearing as the official, but if Wu earth appears in the later years, which would normally harm the official, but the original birth chart has Jia wood that can control Wu. Another example is a person with a Ren day stem born in the Hai month, with Ji earth appearing as the official, but if Mao and Wei appear in the later years forming a wood pattern, which would normally change the pattern to harm the official, but the original birth chart has Geng and Xin metal that can control the wood. Clearly, the relationship between forming a pattern and changing a pattern is very important, and those who determine the later years must carefully distinguish between them.

命中喜忌，雖支干俱有，而干主天，動而有為，支主地，靜以待用，且干主一而支藏多，為福為禍，安不得殊？譬如甲用酉官，逢庚辛則官煞雜，而申酉不作此例。申亦辛之旺地，辛坐申酉，如府官又掌道印也。逢二辛則官犯重，而二酉不作此例。辛坐二酉，如一府而攝二郡也，透丁則傷官，而逢午不作此例。丁動而午靜，且丁巳並藏，安知其為財也？然亦有支而能作禍福者，何也？如甲用酉官，逢午酉未能傷，而又遇寅遇戌，不隔二位，二者合而火動，亦能傷矣。即此反觀，如甲生甲月，午不制煞，會寅會戌，二者清局而火動，亦能矣。然必會有動，是正與干有別也。即此一端，餘者可知。

The beneficial and harmful deities in one's destiny appear in both the heavenly stems and earthly branches. However, the heavenly stems belong to the sky, which is active and dynamic, while the earthly branches belong to the earth, which is passive and waits to be used. Moreover, each heavenly stem represents only one thing, while each earthly branch contains several elements. Therefore, if the same thing appears in the heavenly stem and in the earthly branch, how can their effects as fortune or misfortune be the same? For example, if the day stem is Jia and the official star is the metal of You (the hidden Xin metal in You), then if the heavenly stem also meets Geng or Xin, it becomes a mixture of official and harmful stars. However, if the earthly branch meets Shen or You, we cannot apply the same rule — Shen is also a place where Xin metal is born, and having Xin sitting on both Shen and You is like a prefect who also holds the seal of a prefecture, which actually strengthens the official star. If the heavenly stem meets another Xin, the official star becomes excessive. However, if the earthly branch has two You, we cannot apply the same rule — having Xin sitting on two You is like a prefect who governs two prefectures, still only one official. If the heavenly stem reveals Ding, it is the official's injury star that harms the official. However, if the earthly branch meets Wu, we cannot apply the same rule — Ding is active, while Wu is passive, and moreover, the hidden Ding fire and Ji earth are both present in Wu. How can we know whether it is the injury star or the wealth? (The original text says 'Dingsi and hidden,' but 'si' is a mistake for 'ji,' and it should be 'Ding and Ji hidden.') However, the earthly branches can also cause fortune or misfortune. What are the situations? For example, if the day stem is Jia and the official star is You, a single Wu in the earthly branch does not harm the official. But if it also meets Yin or Xu and they are not separated by two branches, Yin-Wu-Xu form a fire trinity, and when fire becomes active, it can still harm the official. Conversely, if the day stem is Jia and the month is Shen with Geng as the harmful star, a single Wu in the earthly branch cannot control the harmful star. However, if it forms a fire trinity with Yin and Xu, the fire becomes active and can control the harmful star — (the original text says 'if Jia is born in the month of Jia,' but according to the meaning, it should be the month of Shen; the last sentence 'also can' is missing a character, and the 'Zi Ping Zhen Quan Ping Zhu' edition says 'also can harm.') In summary, the earthly branches must form a trinity to become active, which is exactly the difference between them and the heavenly stems. From this point, other principles can be understood.

支中喜忌，固與干有別矣，而運逢透清，則靜而待用者，正得其用，而喜忌之驗，於此乃見。何謂透清？如甲用酉官，逢辰未即為財，而運透戊，逢午未即為傷，而運透丁之類是也。若命與運二支會局，亦作清論。如甲用酉官，本命有午，而運逢寅戌之類。然在年則重，在日次之，至於時生於午，而運逢寅戌會局，則緩而不急矣。雖格之成敗高低，八字己有定論，與命中原有者不同，而此五年中，亦能炒其禍福。

The preferences and aversions of the Earthly Branches are different from those of the Heavenly Stems, but once a big fortune period brings them clearly to the surface, the hidden elements in the original chart can then be used effectively, and the effects of these preferences and aversions become evident at this time. What does it mean for something to be clearly revealed? For example, if the day stem is Jia and the official star is the Yin metal in You, and the original chart has Chen and Wei in the Earthly Branches, which contain Wu earth, which is the biased wealth, when the Wu earth appears in the big fortune period, the wealth becomes clear. If the original chart has Wu and Wei in the Earthly Branches, which contain Ding fire, which is the injurious star, and the Ding fire appears in the big fortune period, the injurious effect becomes clear. If the original chart's Earthly Branches and the big fortune period's Earthly Branches form a complete set, it is also considered as being clearly revealed. For instance, if the day stem is Jia and the official star is the Yin metal in You, and the original chart has Wu, and the big fortune period has Yin or Xu, forming a fire set with Wu, Yin, and Xu. However, the importance varies according to position: the branch in the year is the most important, followed by the day branch. If one is born at Wu time and the big fortune period has Yin or Xu, the effect is slower and less urgent. Although the success or failure of a pattern is already determined in the original chart, the clearly revealed elements from the big fortune period are different from those originally present. During the five years governed by that Earthly Branch, they can still influence fortune and misfortune. The original text mentions 'the pattern is already determined' where '己' is actually '已', and 'also can stir its fortune and misfortune' where '炒' is actually '操', and it should be read as 'also can control its fortune and misfortune'.

若月令之物，而運中透清，則與命中原有者，不甚相懸，即前篇所謂行運成格變格是也。故凡一八字到手，必須逐干逐支，上下統看。支為干之生地，干為支之發用。如命中有一甲字，則統觀四支，有寅亥卯未等字否，有一字，皆甲木之根也。有一亥字，則統觀四支，有壬甲二字否。有壬，則亥為壬祿，以壬水用；用甲，則亥為甲長生，以甲木用；用壬甲俱全，則一以祿為根，一以長生為根，二者並用。取運亦用此術，將本命八字，逐干支配之而已。

If the clear manifestation is exactly what is hidden in the month's stem, then it is almost the same as what is originally present in the birth chart, which is what was discussed in the previous section regarding the formation of a pattern through the ten-thousand-year cycle. Therefore, whenever one receives a birth chart, one must examine each heavenly stem and earthly branch in sequence, and also consider them in relation to each other. The earthly branches are the places where heavenly stems grow, while the heavenly stems are the sources from which the earthly branches originate. For example, if a birth chart contains the character Jia (甲), one should examine the four earthly branches to see if they include Yin (寅), Hai (亥), Mao (卯), or Wei (未); if any of these are present, they are considered the roots of Jia wood. Conversely, if a birth chart contains the character Hai (亥), one should examine the four heavenly stems to see if they include Ren (壬) or Jia (甲); if Ren is present, Hai is considered the official place for Ren water, and Ren water can be used; if Jia is present, Hai is considered the place of growth for Jia wood, and Jia wood can be used; if both Ren and Jia are present, then one is rooted in the position of the official (禄) and the other in the place of growth (长生), and both can be used together. The same method is applied when determining the fortune of a person's life cycle, by matching each heavenly stem and earthly branch of the original birth chart with the heavenly stems and earthly branches of the fortune cycle, and that is all.

八字用神專憑月令，月無用神，臺尋格局。月令，本也；外格，未也。今人不知輕重，拘泥格局，執假失真。故戊生甲寅之月，時上庚甲，不以為明煞有制，而以為專食之格，逢甲減福。丙生子月，時逢巳祿，不以為正官之格，歸祿幫身，而以為日祿歸時，逢官破局。辛日透丙，時遇戊子，不以為辛日得官逢印，而以為朝陽之格，因丙無成。

In the system of the Eight Characters, the determination of the useful god relies exclusively on the month's stem and branch. Only when the useful god cannot be found in the month's stem and branch should one look for external patterns. The month's stem and branch are the fundamental basis, while external patterns are secondary. The original text says "seeking patterns externally," where the character "台" is a mistake. The annotated edition of "Zi Ping Zhen Quan" reads "seeking patterns externally," and another version says "external patterns, not yet," where "未" is a mistake for "末." Nowadays, people fail to distinguish between what is important and what is not, and they rigidly adhere to the names of external patterns, discarding the true and holding onto the false. Therefore, for a person born on a Wuzi day with the month of Yin and the heavenly stem of Jia, with a庚 in the hour, it should be said that the seven deadly stars are clearly visible and the metal food god is present to control them. However, they mistakenly call it the "Exclusive Food Pattern," and upon seeing the wood, they reduce the fortune. For a person born on a Bing day with the month of Zi, where the癸 water in Zi is the official, and the hour is Si, which is the禄 of Bing, it should be said that the official pattern is present and the禄 supports the body. However, they mistakenly call it the "Day's禄 Returns to the Hour Pattern," and upon seeing the official star, they claim the pattern is broken. For a person born on a Xin day with the heavenly stem of Bing as the official, and the hour pillar is Wu Zi, it should be said that the day's official is present and the Wu earth official is present as the official teacher. However, they mistakenly call it the "Sunrise Pattern," and upon seeing the fire, they claim the pattern is not formed.

財逢時煞，不以為生煞攻身，而以為時上偏官。癸生巳月，時遇甲寅，不以為暗官受破，而以為刑合成格。癸生冬月，酉日亥時，透戊坐戌，不以為月劫建祿，用官通根，而以為拱戌之格，填實不利。辛日坐丑，寅年，亥月，卯時，不以為正財之格，而以為填實拱貴。乙逢寅月，時遇丙子，不以為木火通明，而以為格成鼠貴。如此謬論，百無一是，此皆由不知命理，妄為評斷。

In the case of a wealthy destiny with the seventh killer appearing in the hour, it should be said that the wealth is used to generate the killer, and the killer attacks the body, but they only consider it as a good pattern called "hourly biased official." For a癸 day master born in the巳 month, the戊 earth in巳 is the official, and when the hour meets Jiayin, the寅 is in conflict with巳, which should be considered as the hidden official being damaged, but they say it is a "pattern formed by conflict." For a癸 day master born in the winter month, with the day branch酉 and the hour branch亥, and the heavenly stem reveals戊 earth while sitting on戌, it should be said that the month's劫 and the year's禄 form a pattern using the official, and the official is rooted in戌, but they say it is an "arch pattern of戌," and they dislike the word戌 being clearly "filled," which is considered unfavorable. For a辛 day master with the day branch丑, the year branch寅, the month branch亥, and the hour branch卯, it should be considered as a pattern of the official, but they say it is "filling and arching for wealth." For an乙 day master born in the寅 month and meeting Bingzi in the hour, it should be considered as wood and fire being bright, but they say it is a "mouse wealth pattern." These kinds of wrong theories have none that stand up, all because they do not understand the principles of destiny and make random judgments.

八字本有定理，理之不明，遂生導端，妄言妄聽，牢不可破。如論干支，則不知陰陽之理，而以俗書體象歌訣為確論；論格局，則不知專尋月令，而以拘泥外格為活變；論生克，則不察喜忌，而以傷旺扶弱為定法；論行運，則不問同中有導，而以干支相類為一例。究其緣由，一則書中用字輕重，不知其意，而謬生偏見；一則以鵒書無知妄作，誤會其說，而深入迷途；一則論命取運，偶然湊合，而遂以己見為不易，一則以古人命式，亦有誤收，即收之不誤，又以己意入外格，尤為害人不淺。

The eight characters have a certain logic, but when the principles are not understood, many false interpretations arise. People who speak without knowledge and those who listen without discernment follow these false ideas, and such habits become deeply rooted. For example, when discussing heavenly stems and earthly branches, if one does not understand the principles of yin and yang and the nature of the elements, they may treat the rhyming verses in vulgar books as definitive truths. When discussing patterns, if one does not focus solely on the month stem, they may cling to external patterns as if they were flexible variations. When discussing the interactions of generation and overcoming, if one does not distinguish between favorable and unfavorable influences, they may treat suppressing the strong and supporting the weak as absolute rules. When discussing the flow of fortune, if one does not consider the differences among similar elements, they may treat heavenly stems and earthly branches as if they were the same. The reasons for this are: first, ancient texts use words with varying emphasis, and readers who do not understand their meanings develop biased views; second, some people believe in ignorant and fabricated publications, leading them to misunderstand and become more entangled; third, some people by chance ly get the correct interpretation once and then take their own biases as unchangeable truths; fourth, the original birth charts left by ancients may themselves be incorrect, and even if they are correct, some people force them into external patterns according to their own interpretations—this is especially harmful. The original text mentions '遂生导端' as '导端' and should be read as '异端', '同中有导' as '导' and should be read as '异', and '以鹆书无知妄作' as '鹆书' and should be read as '俗书'. These three instances are all errors in the text, and they are recorded as they are without correction.

如壬申、癸丑、己丑、甲戌，本雜氣財旺生官也，而以為乙亥時，作時上偏官論，豈知旺財生煞，將救死之不暇，於何取貴？此類甚多，皆誤收格局也。如己未、壬申、戊子、庚申，本食神生財也，而欲棄月令，以為戊日庚申合祿之格，豈知本身自有財食，豈不甚美？又何勞以庚合乙，求局外之官乎，此類甚多，皆硬入外格也。

For example, the four pillars Renshen, Guichou, Jichou, and Jiaxu originally form a pattern of strong wealth generating official: the day stem Ji is born in the month Chou, which contains Xin and Gui as food and wealth. The year and month have strong water wealth, and the hour stem Jia wood is the official. However, some people mistakenly record the hour pillar as Yihai and interpret it as 'biased official' in the hour. They do not realize that with strong wealth, the evil influences are even more intense, and the day stem is already in danger, how can it be considered noble? There are many such examples, all due to incorrect pattern recognition. Another example is the four pillars Jiwei, Renshen, Wuzi, and Gengshen, which originally form a pattern of food god generating wealth: the day stem Wu is born in the month Shen, with Geng metal food god generating the water wealth Ren. However, some people deliberately ignore the month and say it is the 'pattern of Geng metal combining with the day stem's禄'. They do not realize that the original birth already has wealth and food, how wonderful it is, why bother to have Geng metal combine with the wood of Yi to seek a false official outside the pattern? There are also many such examples, all due to forcing the birth into an external pattern.

人苟中無定見，察理不精，睹此謬論，豈能無惑？何況近日貴格不可解者，亦往往有之乎？豈知行術之人，必以貴命為指歸，或將風聞為實據，或探其生日，而即以己意加之生時，謬造貴格，其人之八字，時多未確，即彼本身，亦不自知。若看命者不究其本，而徒以彼既富貴遷就其說以相從，無惑乎終身無解日矣！

A person who lacks firm principles and does not examine matters carefully will surely be confused when encountering false doctrines. Moreover, in recent times, there have indeed been many noble persons whose birth years do not make sense when examined according to proper principles. One must know that those who make a living by fortune-telling always use noble fate as their招牌. Some take gossip as truth, while others only learn a person's birthday and then arbitrarily assign a birth time, fabricating a noble destiny. The birth times of such people are often inaccurate, and even the individuals themselves may not know exactly when they were born. If those who read fate do not investigate this fundamental issue, but merely follow the story because the person is indeed wealthy and noble, it is no wonder they remain confused all their lives.

官以克身，雖與七煞有別，終受彼制，何以切忌刑沖破害，尊之若是乎？豈知人生天地間，必無矯焉自尊之理，雖貴極天子，亦有天祖臨之。正官者分所當尊，如在國有君，在家有親，刑沖破害，以下犯上，烏乎可乎？以刑沖破害為忌，則以生之護之為喜矣。存其喜而去其忌則貴，而貴之中又有高低者，何也？以財印並透者論之，兩不相礙，其貴也大。

The official (正官) although different from the seven evils (七煞), is still a thing that controls me; I am ultimately subject to its authority. So why is it that we should particularly avoid punishments, clashes, destruction and harm (刑冲破害), and revere it so much? We must know that human beings exist between heaven and earth, and there is no reason for them to be arrogant and unrestrained. Even if one is as high as a king, there is still heaven and ancestors above him. The official is exactly the one that should be properly respected, just as a country has a ruler and a family has parents. To use punishments, clashes, destruction and harm to injure it is like a subject rebelling against the sovereign; how can that be acceptable? Since punishments, clashes, destruction and harm are considered bad, then those that generate and protect the official must naturally be good. Keeping the good gods and removing the bad ones brings about wealth and status; and among the same level of wealth and status, there is a distinction of high and low. Why is that? Let us take the case where both wealth (财) and official (印) are revealed: wealth can generate the official, and official can protect the official, and they do not hinder each other. This is the highest form of wealth.

如薛相公命，甲申、壬申、乙巳、戊寅，壬印戊財，以乙隔之，水與土不相礙，故為大貴。若壬戌、丁未、戊甲、乙卯，雜氣正官，透干會支，最為貴格，而壬財丁印，二者相合，仍以孤官無輔論，所以不上七品。若財印不以兩用，則單用印不若單用財，以印能護官，亦能洩官，而財生官也。若化官為印而透財，則又為甚秀，大貴之格也。如金狀元命，乙卯、丁亥、丁未、庚戌，此並用財印，無傷官而不雜煞，所謂去其忌而存其喜者也。

For example, the destiny of Xue Xianggong is Jiashen, Renshen, Yisi, and Wuyin. The day's main element is ethyl wood, born in the month of Shen. In Shen, the metal Geng is the official. The monthly dry branch is Ren water, which is the scholar, and the hour dry branch is Wu earth, which is the wealth. The scholar and wealth are separated by the day's main element, so water and earth do not interfere with each other. Therefore, he is of great fortune. Another example is Renxu, Dingwei, Wushen, and Yimao. The day's main element is Wu, born in the month of Wei. In Wei, the wood Y is the official, which is a mixed official. The official is revealed in the dry branch, and the branch has Mao to gather wood, which is the most precious pattern. Unfortunately, the year's dry branch is Ren water, which is wealth, and the monthly dry branch is Ding fire, which is the scholar. The two combine and lose their effectiveness, so it can only be considered as 'official without support', thus the official position cannot reach the seventh rank. The original day column is 'Wu Jia', 'Jia' is a heavenly stem and cannot be the day's branch. It should be a mistake for 'Wushen'. If wealth and scholar cannot both be used, then using the scholar alone is worse than using wealth alone, because although the scholar can protect the official, it will also release the official's energy. Wealth, on the other hand, is specifically for generating the official. For example, the destiny of the gold状元 is Yimao, Dinghai, Dingwei, and Gengxu. The day's main element is Ding, born in the month of Hai. In Hai, the water Ren is the official. The hour dry branch is Geng metal, which is wealth to generate the official. The year branch Mao combines with Hai to form wood, which is the scholar. Wealth and scholar are both used, there is no harm from the official to the scholar, nor is there a mixture of seven evils. This is exactly what is called removing what is disliked and keeping what is favored.

然而遇傷在於佩印，混煞貴乎取清。如宣參國命，己卯、辛未、壬寅、辛亥，未中己官透干用清，支會水局，兩辛解之，是遇傷而佩印也。李參政命，庚寅、乙酉、甲子、戊辰，甲用酉官，庚金混雜，乙以合之，合煞留官，是雜煞而取清也。至於官格透傷用印者，又忌見財，以財能去印，未能生官，而適以護傷故也。

However, in the case of a person with a 正官 (proper official) pattern encountering 伤官 (harmful official), the key lies in using 印 (seal) to control the 伤官; when encountering 七煞 (seven evils) mixed in, the value lies in achieving clarity. For example, the destiny of Xuan Can Guo: Jimao, Xinwei, Renyin, Xinhai. The day stem 壬 (water) is born in 未 (earth month), with Ji Earth (earth) appearing in the heaven stem as 正官 (proper official), and the use is pure; however, the earth branches 亥, 卯, 未 form a 木局 (wood group), and 木 is the 伤官 (harmful official) of 壬, which would weaken the official. Fortunately, there are two Xin Metal (metal) in the month and hour stems, which are 正印 (proper seal) to control the 伤官 —— this is the case of encountering 伤官 while being supported by 印 (seal). Another example is the destiny of Li Canzheng: Gengyin, Yiyou, Jiazi, Wuchen. The day stem 甲 (wood) uses the 酉 (metal) stem's Xin Metal (metal) as 正官 (proper official), while the year stem Geng Metal (metal) is 七煞 (seven evils), mixing with the official. Fortunately, the month stem Yi Wood (wood) combines with Geng Metal (metal), thus controlling the 七煞 (seven evils) and preserving the official —— this is the case of mixed 七煞 (seven evils) but achieving clarity. As for the 正官 (proper official) pattern that has already revealed 伤官 (harmful official) and needs 印 (seal) to control it, it is then undesirable to see 财 (wealth), because 财 (wealth) would weaken the 印 (seal), and since it cannot generate the official, it actually helps the 伤官 (harmful official).

然亦有逢財而反大貴者，如范太傅命，丁丑、壬寅、己巳、丙寅，支具巳丑，會金傷官，丙丁解之，透壬豈非破格？卻不知丙丁並透，用一而足，以丁合壬而財去，以丙制傷而官清，無情而愈有情。此正造化之妙，變幻無窮，焉得不貴？至若地支刑沖，會合可解，已見前篇，不必再述，而以後諸格，亦不談及矣。

However, there are cases where the revelation of wealth leads to great fortune. For example, the destiny of Fan Tai Fu is: Ding Chou, Ren Yin, Ji Si, Bing Yin. The day stem Ji is born in the寅 month, where the甲 wood in寅 is the official post. The branches Si and Chou form a metal group, which is the伤官 of Ji, and it would normally overcome the official. Fortunately, the fire of the year stem Ding and the hour stem Bing restrain the metal group. However, the moon stem reveals the water Ren, which is the wealth. Wealth can destroy the印 and cannot restrain the伤官, is it not breaking the pattern? Actually, the two fires of Ding and Bing are both revealed, and only one is needed to restrain the伤官: let Ding combine with Ren to take away the wealth, and let Bing specifically restrain the伤官, thus the official star becomes clear. On the surface, it seems无情, but the result is actually more有情. This is the subtle and endless change of the universe, how could it not lead to great fortune? As for thepunishment and clash in the branches, they can be resolved by会合, which has already been discussed in the previous section "On the Methods of Resolving刑冲 and会合", so there is no need to repeat it here; the following sections will also not repeat this point.

取運之道，一八字則有一八字這論，其理甚精，其法甚活，只可大略言之。變化在人，不可泥也。如正官取運，即以正官所統之格分而配之。正官而用財印，身稍輕則取助身，官稍輕則助官。若官露而不可逢合，不可雜煞，不可重官。與地支刑沖，不問所就何局，皆不利也。正官用財，運喜印受身旺之地，切忌食傷。若身旺而財輕官弱，即仍取財官運可也。

The method of selecting good fortune for a person's八字 is unique to each八字, with very refined principles and flexible rules. It can only be explained generally, as specific variations depend on individual interpretation and cannot be rigidly followed. For the pattern of 正官, the selection of good fortune should be based on the various sub-patterns governed by 正官. If the 正官 pattern is combined with the use of 财 and 印, then if the day's stem is slightly weak, one should choose a fortune that supports the body; if the official star is slightly weak, one should choose a fortune that strengthens the official star. If the official star is clearly visible in the heavenly stem, one should avoid encountering a combination in the fortune that would merge it away, or encountering 七煞 that would complicate matters, or encountering another official star that would make the official star too strong. As for thepunishment and clash in the earthly branches, regardless of the pattern formed in the original birth chart, they are all unfavorable. For the 正官 pattern that exclusively uses 财 to generate the official star, the fortune is favorable when it includes 印绶 and strong body strength, but it is most disliked to encounter 食伤, as 食伤 both drains the body and harms the official star. However, if the day's stem is already strong and the 财 is light while the official star is weak, it is still better to follow the fortune that supports 财 and 官.

正官佩印，運喜財鄉，傷食反吉。若官重身輕而佩印，則身旺為宜，不必財運也。正官帶傷食而用印制，運喜官旺印旺之鄉，財運切忌。若印綬疊出，財運亦無害矣。正官而帶煞，傷食反為不礙。其命中用劫合煞，則財運可行，傷食可行，身旺，印綬亦可行，只不過復露七煞。若命用傷官合煞，則傷食與財俱可行，而不宜逢印矣。此皆大略言之，其八字各有議論。運中每遇一字，各有研究，隨時取用，不可言形。凡格皆然，不獨正官也。

In the case of a person with a strong official (正官) pattern and a supporting seal (印), the seal is already sufficient. The fortune should favor a wealthy (财) path to generate the official, and a path of injury (伤) or food (食) is also auspicious because the seal can control the injury. However, if the official is too strong and the body is weak, relying on the seal to transform the official into a body, then it is better to go through a path that strengthens the body rather than a wealthy path to generate the official. In the case of a strong official pattern with injury and food, relying on the seal to control the injury and food, the fortune should favor a path of strong official and strong seal, and the wealthy path should be avoided, because wealth will weaken the seal. However, if there are multiple seals, then the wealthy path is acceptable. In the case of a strong official pattern with seven evils (七煞), a path of injury or food is actually not harmful, because injury and food can control the seven evils. If the original chart uses劫财 to harmonize the seven evils, then the wealthy path, injury and food path, strong body path, and seal path are all acceptable, with the only exception being that another seven evil should not appear. If the original chart uses injury to harmonize the seven evils, then the wealthy path and injury and food path are acceptable, but the seal path should be avoided, because the seal will control the injury. All of the above are just general principles; each birth chart has its own specific analysis. Every character encountered in the fortune should be examined separately, and the appropriate method should be applied at the right time, as there is no fixed pattern. All types of patterns are like this, not only the strong official pattern.

財為我克，使用之物也，以能生官，所以為美。為財帛，為妻妾，為才能，為驛馬，皆財類也。財喜根深，不宜太露，然透一位以清用，格所最喜，不為之露。即非月令用神，若寅透乙、卯透甲之類，一亦不為過，太多則露矣。然而財旺生官，露亦不忌，蓋露不忌，蓋露以防劫，生官則劫退，譬如府庫錢糧，有官守護，即使露白，誰敢劫之？

Wealth is something that I control and use; because it can generate official status, it is considered a good thing. All things related to wealth, wives, talents, and the post-horse (Yi Ma) that are used to seek opportunities are included in the category of wealth. Wealth prefers to have deep roots and should not be too exposed. However, if one of the useful gods is clearly revealed, this is actually the most favorable situation and is not considered as being exposed. Even if it is not the true useful god of the month, such as when born in the寅 month and the Yi stem is revealed, or born in the卯 month and the Jia stem is revealed, revealing one is not excessive. Only when multiple are revealed is it considered as being exposed. However, if wealth is strong enough to generate official status, then even if it is exposed, there is no need to be cautious. The reason for being cautious about exposure is to prevent siblings from competing for it. Once wealth can generate official status, the official status will suppress the competing siblings. It is like the grain and money stored in the government granary, which is protected by the military and officials. Even if it is placed in the open, who would dare to steal it? The original text here says, "exposure is not to be avoided, because exposure is not to be avoided, because exposure prevents competition," the four characters "盖露不忌" are repeated, which is likely a copyist's error, but I will record it as it is without alteration.

如葛參政命，壬申、壬子、戊午、乙卯，豈非財露？唯其生官，所以不忌也。財格之貴局不一，有財旺生官者，身強而不透傷官，不混七煞，貴格也。有財用食生者，身強而不露官，略帶一位比劫，益覺有情，如壬寅、壬寅、庚辰、辛巳，楊待郎之命是也。透官身弱，則格壞矣。

For example, the destiny of Ge Canzheng is Renshen, Renzi, Wuwu, Yimao. The day stem Wu is born in the month of Zi, where the hidden癸water in Zi is the official wealth. The year and month both have Renshen water wealth stars appearing on the heavenly stem, which seems to indicate very strong wealth. However, since the time stem Yi wood official star is supported by the wealth, it is not considered bad. There are various noble patterns in the wealth pattern. One is 'wealth flourishing to generate official': the day stem is strong, and there is no exposure of the harmful official to harm the official, nor is there a mixture of seven evils to compete with the official, which is a noble pattern. Another is 'wealth using food to generate': the day stem is strong and the official star is not exposed, and if there is a slight presence of a similar stem, it becomes even more harmonious. For example, Renyin, Rinyin, Gengchen, Xinsi, which is Yang Shilang's destiny: the day stem Geng sits on Chen and is rooted, with two Renshen food stars generating the hidden甲wood wealth in Yin, and the time stem Xin metal similar stem supports the body (the original text says 'Yang Daliang', 'Dai' is a mistake for 'Dai'). If this pattern is exposed with an official star and the day stem is weak, the pattern is ruined.

有財格佩印者，蓋孤財不貴，佩印幫身，即印取貴。如乙未、甲申、丙申、庚寅，曾參政之命是也，然財印宜相併，如乙未、己卯、庚寅、辛巳，乙與己兩不相能，即有好處，小富而已。有用食而兼用印者，食與印兩不相礙，或有暗官而去食護官，皆貴格也。如吳榜眼命，庚戌、戊子、戊子、丙辰，庚與丙隔兩戊而不相剋，是食與印不相礙也。如平江伯命，壬辰、乙巳、癸巳、辛酉，雖食印相剋，而欲存巳戊官，是去食護官也。反是則減福矣。

One type is "wealth with official support": a single wealth element is insufficient to bring high status, but with the support of an official element to strengthen the self, it can lead to high status. For example, the birth chart of Zeng the Minister includes Yiwei, Jiashen, Bingshen, and Gengyin. The day stem is 丙, born in the month of 申. 申 metal is the wealth, and the year and month stems 乙 and 甲 are wood, which support the self. However, wealth and official elements should be in close proximity and not interfere with each other. For instance, in the birth chart with Yiwei, Jimao, Gengyin, and Xinsi, the year stem 乙 is wealth, and the month stem 己 is official. 乙 and 己 are adjacent and mutually control each other, so they cannot coexist. Even if there are some benefits, it can only bring small wealth. Another type is "using both food and official elements together": if food and official elements do not interfere with each other, or if there is an hidden official element in the chart, then the food element can be removed to protect the official element, which is a noble configuration. For example, the birth chart of Wu the Second Place in the Imperial Examination includes Gengxu, Wuzi, Wuzi, and Bingchen. The day stem is 戊, born in the month of 子. 子 water is wealth, and the food element 金 and the official element 火 are separated by two 戊 earths, so they do not interfere. This is an example of food and official elements not interfering with each other. Another example is the birth chart of Pingjiang Marquis, which includes Renchen, Yisi, Guisi, and Xinyou. The day stem is 癸, born in the month of 巳. 巳 contains 丙 fire as wealth and 戊 earth as official. Normally, 乙 wood (food) and 辛 metal (official) would control each other, but here 辛 metal is used to control 乙 wood, protecting the 戊 earth official element in 巳. This is an example of removing food to protect the official. If the configuration is reversed, the fortune will be reduced.

有財用傷官者，財不甚旺而比強，輅露一位傷官以化之，如甲子、辛未、辛酉、壬辰，甲透未庫，逢辛為劫，壬以化劫生財，汪學士命是也。財旺無劫而透傷，反為不利，蓋傷官本非美物，財輕透劫，不得己而用之。旺而露傷，何苦用彼？徒使財遇傷而死生官之具，安望富貴乎？有財帶七煞者，或合煞存財，或制煞生財，皆貴格也，如毛狀元命，乙酉、庚辰、甲午、戊辰，合煞存財也；李御史命，庚辰、戊子、戊寅、甲寅，制煞生財也。

One type is "wealth and official star harmed by official star": wealth is not too strong but the rival brothers are strong, so an official star appears to dissipate the rival brothers' energy and redirect it to generate wealth. For example, the birth chart of Wang Xueshi is Jiazi, Xinwei, Xinyou, Renchen. The day stem is Xin, born in the month of Wei. The heavenly stem at the year is Jia wood, which is wealth, and it has its root in the Wei month's hidden wood. The heavenly stem at the month is Xin and the day branch is You, both being rival brothers that would take away the wealth. Fortunately, the heavenly stem at the hour is Ren water, which is the official star, dissipating the rival brothers' energy and redirecting it to generate wealth. Conversely, if wealth is already strong and there are no rival brothers to take it, but the official star is revealed, that is not favorable. The official star is not a good thing; it is only used when wealth is weak and rival brothers are strong. If wealth is already strong and the official star is revealed, why use it? It would be a waste, allowing wealth and the official star to interfere with each other, thus destroying the tool for generating wealth, and expecting wealth and honor is impossible. Another type is "wealth accompanied by seven evils": either the seven evils are combined with something to protect the wealth, or the seven evils are controlled to generate wealth, both are noble patterns. For example, the birth chart of Mao Zhenyuan is Yiyou, Gengchen, Jiawu, Wuchen. The day stem is Jia, born in the month of Chen. The heavenly stem at the year is Wu earth, which is wealth. The heavenly stem at the year is Yi wood, which is a rival brother, and the heavenly stem at the month is Geng metal, which is a seven evil. They are combined, which is combining the seven evil to protect the wealth. Another example is the birth chart of Li Yushih: Gengchen, Wuzi, Wuyin, Jiayin. The day stem is Wu, born in the month of Zi. The heavenly stem at the hour is Jiayin, which is wealth. The heavenly stem at the hour is Jiayin, which is a seven evil. The heavenly stem at the year is Geng metal, which is a food star, controlling the seven evil to generate wealth.

有財用煞印者，黨煞為忌，印以化之，格成富局，若冬土逢之亦貴格。如趙待郎命，乙丑、丁亥、乙亥，化煞而即以解凍，又不露財以雜其印，所以貴也。若財用煞印而印獨，財煞並透，非特不貴，亦不富也。至於壬生午月，癸生巳月，單透財而亦貴，又月令有暗官也。如丙寅、癸巳、癸未、壬戌，林尚書命是也。又壬生巳月，單透財而亦貴，以其透丙藏戊，棄煞就財，美者存在贈者棄也。如丙辰、癸巳、壬戌、壬寅，王太僕命是也。至於劫刃太重，棄財就煞，如一尚書命，丙辰、丙申、丙午、壬辰，此變之又變者也。

One type is "wealth, use, evil star, and seal": when wealth supports the seven evil stars, it is considered a bad configuration, but if the seal is used to transform the evil star into a beneficial one, it becomes a prosperous situation. If a person with a soil day stem is born in winter and encounters this configuration, they may achieve a noble status, because the evil star is transformed into a seal and also resolves the coldness. For example, the fate of a minister named Zhao: Yichou, Dinghai, Yihai (the original text says "Zhao Dailiang," with "Dai" being a mistake for "Shi"; this birth chart only has three pillars, and the time pillar is missing). Here, the evil star is transformed into a seal, and the winter cold is also resolved, and wealth is not revealed to disturb the seal, hence his nobility. However, if in the "wealth, use, evil star, and seal" configuration, the seal is only a single one, and both wealth and evil star are revealed, then not only is nobility not achieved, but even prosperity is not possible. As for a day stem of Ren born in the month of Si or a day stem of Gui born in the month of Wei, revealing a single wealth can lead to nobility, because there is an hidden official in the month: the earth in Wu is the proper official for Ren, and the earth in Si is the proper official for Gui. For example, the birth chart of Lin, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel: Bingyin, Guisi, Guiwei, Renxu. Another example is a day stem of Ren born in the month of Si, revealing a single wealth can lead to nobility, because the fire in Si is revealed as wealth, and the earth in Si is hidden but not revealed. Instead of taking the seven evil stars, they only take the wealth, keeping the good and discarding the bad—the original text says "the good remains and the gift is discarded," but it should be "the good remains and the hated is discarded." For example, the birth chart of Wang, the Minister of the Imperial Stables: Bingchen, Guisi, Renxu, Renyin. As for cases where the劫财 (wealth thief) and Yangren (sharp star) are too strong, they reverse the situation, giving up wealth and using the evil star to control the sharp star. For example, the birth chart of a Minister: Bingchen, Bingshen, Bingwu, Renchen—this is a further change beyond change.

財格取運，即以財格所就之局，分而配之。其財旺生官者，運喜身旺印緩，不利七煞傷官；若生官而後透印，傷官之地，不甚有害。至於生官而帶食破局，則運喜印綬，而逢煞反吉矣。財用食生，財食重而身輕，則喜助身；財食輕而身重，則仍行財食。煞運不忌，官印反晦矣。財格佩印，運喜官鄉，身弱逢之，最喜印旺。財用食印，財輕則喜財食，身輕則喜比印，官運有礙，煞反不忌也。財帶傷官，財運則亨，煞運不利，運行官印，未見其美矣。財帶七煞，不論合煞制煞，運喜食傷身旺之方。財用煞印，印旺最宜，逢財必忌。傷食之方，亦任意矣。

The method of determining favorable fortune for a wealth pattern depends on the specific situation formed by the wealth pattern. The first type is "wealth flourishing to generate official power": favorable fortune is when the self is strong and in the land of the official's birth, unfavorable is when encountering seven evils or injurious stars, because seven evils take away official power and injurious stars destroy official power (the original text says "favorable fortune is when the self is strong and in the land of the official's birth," where "缓" is a mistake for "绶," which should be "official's birth"); if the official power is already present and the official's birth is also revealed to protect the official, then encountering injurious stars is not a great harm. As for those who already have official power but have the food star to break the pattern, it is favorable to have the official's birth to control the food star, and encountering seven evils is also favorable, because the food star turns to control the seven evils and thus does not destroy the official power. The second type is "wealth using food to generate": when both wealth and food are heavy and the day's ruler is weak, it is favorable to have a fortune that supports the self; when both wealth and food are light and the day's ruler is strong, it is still favorable to have a fortune of wealth and food. This pattern does not fear encountering seven evils, because the food star can control the seven evils; but encountering official or official's birth fortune makes the pattern obscure. The third type is "wealth pattern with official's birth": favorable fortune is when encountering the official's birth, because the official can generate the official's birth; for a weak day's ruler, the most favorable is when the official's birth is strong. The fourth type is "wealth pattern combined with food and official's birth": when wealth is light, it is favorable to have a fortune of wealth and food; when the day's ruler is light, it is favorable to have a fortune of similar stars and official's birth; encountering official fortune is obstructive, but encountering seven evils is not feared. The fifth type is "wealth with injurious star": encountering wealth fortune is favorable, encountering seven evils is unfavorable, and encountering official or official's birth fortune does not bring much benefit. The sixth type is "wealth with seven evils": regardless of whether the original birth is harmonizing with seven evils or controlling seven evils, favorable fortune is when encountering food or injurious stars and when the self is strong. The seventh type is "wealth using seven evils and official's birth": the strongest favorable fortune is when the official's birth is strong, and encountering wealth fortune is definitely unfavorable; as for food or injurious stars, whether encountering them or not makes no difference.

印綬喜其生身，正偏同為美格，故財與印不分偏正，同為一格而論之。印綬之格局亦不一，有印而透官者，正官不獨取其生印，而即可以為用，與用煞者不同。故身旺印強，不愁太過，只要官星清純，如丙寅、戊戌、辛酉、戊子，張參政之命是也。然亦有帶傷食而貴者，則如朱尚書命，丙戌、戊戌、辛未、壬辰，壬為戊制，不傷官也。又如臨淮侯命，乙亥、己卯、丁酉、壬寅，己為乙制，己不礙官也。

The concept of印绶 refers to the use of the official star to nourish the self, and both the official and the biased official are considered favorable patterns. Therefore, the official and the wealth star are treated similarly without distinguishing between biased and official, and they are considered as one pattern for analysis. There are various specific patterns in the印绶 formation. The first is「印而透官」: here, the official star is not only used to generate the印, but it itself can serve as the useful god. It differs from the印 pattern that uses the seven evils to generate the印. Therefore, even if the self is strong and the印 is also strong, there is no worry about the印 being too strong, as long as the official star is pure. For example, the birth chart of Zhang Cangzhi is Bingyin, Wuxu, Xinyou, Wuzi: the day stem is 辛, born in the month of 戌, Wu Earth is the印, and the year stem Bing Fire is the official star. This pattern can also include the presence of the injured and the food, yet still result in high status: for example, the birth chart of Zhu Shusheng is Bingxu, Wuxu, Xinwei, Renchen, where the hour stem Ren Water is the injured official, but it is restrained by the month stem Wu Earth, so it does not harm the official star Bing Fire in the year. Another example is the birth chart of Lin Huaihou, Yihai, Jimao, Dingyou, Renyin, where the month stem Ji Earth is the food, but it is restrained by the year stem Yi Wood, so it does not interfere with the official star Ren Water in the hour.

有印而用傷食者，身強印旺，恐其太過，洩身以為秀氣。如戊戌、乙卯、丙午、乙亥，李狀元命也，若印淺身輕，而用層層傷食，則寒貧之局矣。有用偏官者，偏官本非美物，藉其生印，不得已而用之。故必身重印輕，或身輕印重，有所不足，始為有性。如茅狀元命，己巳、癸酉、癸未、庚申，此身輕印重也。馬參政命，壬寅、戊申、壬辰、壬寅，此身重印輕也。若身印並重而用七煞，非孤則貧矣。

The second type, "Using the Wound and Food to Release the Body": When the day master is strong and the official is also strong, fear that it becomes excessive, so use the wound and food to release the body and form a refined quality. For example, the birth chart of Li the First-Class Scholar is Wuxu、Yimao、Bingwu、Yihai: the day master is丙, born in the卯 month, with乙 wood as the official, both the body and the official are strong, so the戊 earth food god is used to release the refined quality. Conversely, if the official is weak and the body is also light, yet heavy wound and food are used to release, that would result in a humble and poor destiny. The third type, "Using the Partial Official with the Official": The seven calamitous stars are not good things, but they are used reluctantly because they can generate the official. Therefore, it must be that the body is heavy while the official is light, or the body is light while the official is heavy, with one side being insufficient, so using the seven calamitous stars makes sense. The original text says "始为有性", where "性" is likely a mistake for "情", and I have recorded it without correction. For example, the birth chart of Mao the First-Class Scholar is Jisi、Guiyou、Guiwei、Gengshen: the day master is癸, born in the酉 month, with庚 metal as the official, which is heavy while the day master is light, indicating a light body and heavy official. Another example is the birth chart of Ma the Minister of Counsel:Renyin、Wushen、Renchen、Renyin, with three壬 water appearing, indicating a heavy body, while the申 contains a weak庚 metal official, and the戊 earth seven calamitous star in the month sky is suitable to generate the official, indicating a heavy body and light official. If both the body and the official are heavy yet the seven calamitous stars are used, then it would result in either loneliness or poverty.

有用煞而兼帶傷食者，則用煞而有制，生身而有洩，不論身旺印重，皆為貴格。有印多而用財者，印重身強，透財以抑太過，權而用之，只要根深，無防財破。如辛酉、丙申、壬申、辛亥，汪侍郎命是也。若印輕財重，又無劫財以救，則為貪財破印，貧賤之局也。即或印重財輕而兼露傷食，財與食相生，輕而不輕，即可就富，亦不貴矣。

The fourth type, "using a harmful star along with a damaging and consuming element": if the harmful star is restrained by the damaging and consuming element, and the nourishing element can also support the self while the damaging and consuming element can also drain the self, neither side becomes excessive. Therefore, whether the self is strong or the nourishing element is heavy, it is a noble pattern. The fifth type, "too many nourishing elements with the use of wealth": if the nourishing element is too heavy and the self is also strong, wealth is revealed to restrain this excess, which is a flexible application. As long as the self has a deep root, it is not afraid of wealth breaking the nourishing element. For example, the birth chart of Wang Shilang is: the day master is壬water, born in the month of申metal, with two辛metal and one申metal, indicating heavy nourishing elements; the heavenly stem of the month is丙fire, which is wealth to restrain the nourishing element. The壬water has its root in申and亥, indicating a deep foundation. Conversely, if the nourishing element is light and wealth is heavy, and there is no劫财to rescue, it is called "greed for wealth breaking the nourishing element," which is a poor and lowly pattern. Even if the nourishing element is heavy and wealth is light, but there is a revealing of damaging and consuming elements, the damaging and consuming elements generate wealth, making the wealth not light, thus although it may lead to wealth, it cannot lead to nobility.

然亦有帶食而貴者，何也？如庚寅、乙酉、癸亥、丙辰，此牛監薄命，乙合庚而不生癸，所以為貴，若合財存食，又可類推矣。如己未、甲戌、辛未、癸已，此合財存食之貴也。又有印而兼透官煞者，或合煞，或有制，皆為貴格。如辛亥、庚子、甲辰、乙亥，此合煞留官也；壬子、癸卯、丙子、己亥、此官煞有制也。至於化印為劫；棄之以就財官，如趙知府命，丙午、庚寅、丙午、癸已，則變之又變者矣。更有印透七煞，而劫財以存煞印，亦有貴格，如庚戌、戊子、甲戌、乙亥是也。然此格畢竟難看，宜細詳之。

However, there are cases where the presence of multiple prints combined with food still results in high status. Why is this? For example, Gengyin, Yiyou, Kuihai, and Bingchen are the types of命 (destiny) described in the Cow Inspector's Book: the day stem is Kui, born in the酉 month. The year stem Geng metal is the print, and the month stem Yi wood is the food. Yi and Geng combine, so Geng is restrained from generating Kui, and the print is not too heavy, hence it is considered noble. If the wealth is combined and the food is retained, similar reasoning applies. For example, Jiwei, Jiaxu, Xinwei, and Guisi are examples of combining wealth to retain food and thus achieving nobility. There is also the case of 'print combined with the revelation of official and evil spirits': either the evil spirit is combined away or controlled, both of which are noble patterns. For example, Xinhai, Gengzi, Jiachen, and Yihai: the day stem is Jia, born in the Zi month with the print strong. The year stem Xinhai is the official, and the month stem Geng is the seven evil spirit. The time stem Yi wood combines with Geng, which is combining the evil spirit to retain the official. Another example is Renzi, Guimao, Bingzi, and Guihai: the day stem is Bing, born in the Mao month with the print strong. The official and evil spirits are both revealed, and the time stem Ji soil is the injurious official, which controls them, thus the official and evil spirits are controlled. As for cases where the print is transformed into a劫 (robbery) or simply abandoning the print to pursue wealth and official positions, for example, the destiny of Zhao the Magistrate: Bingwu, Gengyin, Bingwu, and Guisi—this is a case of change leading to further change. There are also cases where the print pattern reveals the seven evil spirits, and using the劫财 (robbery wealth) to protect both the evil spirit and the print to form a noble pattern, such as Gengxu, Wuzi, Jiaxu, and Yihai. However, this pattern is difficult to determine accurately and should be carefully examined.

印格取運，即以印格所成之局，分而配之。其印綬用官者，官露印重，財運反吉，傷食之方，亦為最利。若用官而帶傷食，運喜官旺印綬之鄉，傷食為害，逢煞不忌矣。印綬而用傷食，財運反吉，傷食亦利，若行官運，反見其災，煞運則反能為福矣。印用七煞，運喜傷食，身旺之方，亦為美地，一見財鄉，其凶立至。若用煞而兼帶傷食，運喜身旺印綬之方，傷食亦美，逢官遇財，皆不吉也。印綬遇財，運喜劫地，官印亦亨，財鄉則忌。印格而官煞競透，運喜食神傷官，印旺身旺，行之亦利。若再透官煞，行財運，立見其災矣。印用食傷，印輕者亦不利見財也。

The method of determining favorable years (运) according to the specific patterns of the official (印) is as follows. First, the case of "official used with the authority star (官)": if the authority star is clearly visible and the official is strong, then a year of wealth (财) is beneficial, because wealth can reduce the official and generate the authority star; a year of injury (伤) or food (食) is also favorable, as it can release the excessive energy of the body and official. Second, the case of "using the authority star with injury and food": favorable years are those of strong authority and official, and the years of injury and food are harmful; however, encountering the seven evils (七煞) is not bad, because injury and food can transform and control the evils. Third, the case of "official used with injury and food": a year of wealth is beneficial, and a year of injury and food is also favorable; however, a year of authority brings disaster, because authority generates the official, making it even stronger; a year of evils can bring good fortune. Fourth, the case of "official used with seven evils": favorable years are those that use injury and food to control the evils, and the years of strong body and official are also good; however, encountering a year of wealth immediately brings disaster, because wealth reduces the official and generates the evils. Fifth, the case of "using evils with injury and food": favorable years are those of strong body and official, and the years of injury and food are also good; encountering authority or wealth years is unfavorable. Sixth, the case of "official meeting wealth": favorable years are those of劫财 to divide the wealth, and authority or official years are also smooth; however, wealth years are unfavorable. Seventh, the case of "official meeting authority and evils": favorable years are those of food and injury to clarify the pattern, and years of strong body and official are also beneficial; however, if the year also reveals authority and evils, or encounters a wealth year, disaster will immediately occur. Finally, the general rule: for cases where the official is used with injury and food to release the talent, if the official is already light, wealth should also be avoided.

食神本屬洩氣，以其能生正財，所以喜之。故食神生財，美格也。財要有根，不必偏正疊出，如身強食旺而財透，大貴之格。若丁未、癸卯、癸亥、癸丑，梁丞相之命是也；己未、壬申、戊子、庚申，謝閣老之命是也。藏食露傷，主人性剛如丁亥、癸卯、癸卯、甲寅，沈路分命是也。偏正疊出，富貴不巨，職甲午、丁卯、癸丑、丙辰，龔知縣命是也。夏木用財，火炎土燥，貴多就武。如己未、已巳、甲寅、丙寅，黃都督之命是也。

The food god is something that drains the energy of the day master, but since it can generate the official wealth, it is actually beneficial. Therefore, the pattern of "food god generating wealth" is a favorable one. Wealth should have a root, and it is not necessary for both official and偏 wealth to be repeated; if the day master is strong, the food god is vigorous, and wealth appears on the heavenly stem, it is a great and noble pattern. For example, in the case of the life of Liang Chancellor, the day master is癸, born in the卯 month, where卯 wood is the food god, and the year stem is丁 fire, which is the wealth. Another example is the life of Xie Grand Elder, where the day master is戊, born in the申 month, with庚 metal as the food god, which generates the wealth in the子 water. If the food god is hidden in the branch but the heavenly stem reveals the official injury, the person tends to have a fierce and passionate character. For example, in the case of Shen Lu Fen's life, the pattern is丁亥,癸卯,癸卯,甲寅. If official and偏 wealth are repeated and appear on the heavenly stem, the person will not achieve great wealth and honor. For example, in the case of Gong County Magistrate's life, the pattern is Jiawu,Dingmao,Guichou,Bingchen. For a wood day master in summer, using wealth is appropriate, and since the fire is intense and the earth is dry, it is mostly associated with military positions and high status. For example, in the case of Huang Commander's life, the pattern is Jiwei,Jisi,Jiayin,Bingyin.

若不用財而就煞印，最為威權顯赫。如辛卯、辛卯、癸酉、己未，常國公命是也。若無印綬而單露偏官，只要無財，亦為貴格，如戊戌、壬戌、丙子、戊戌，胡會元命是也。若金水食神而用煞，貴而且秀，職丁亥、壬子、辛巳、丁酉，舒尚書命是也。至於食神忌印，夏火太炎而木焦，透印不礙，如丙午、癸巳、甲子、丙寅，錢參政命是也。食神忌官，金水不忌，即金水傷官可見官之謂。

The food god pattern is most powerful when it does not take wealth but instead turns towards the evil star and the official star. This can lead to great authority and prominence. For example, the birth chart of Chang Guogong is:癸 day master born in the卯 month, with卯 wood as the food god, the hour stem己 earth as the seven evil star, and the year and month stems both 辛 metal as the official star. If the birth chart lacks the official star but only reveals one seven evil star, as long as there is no wealth to support the evil star, it is still a noble pattern. For example, the birth chart of Hu Huiyuan is:Wuxu, Renxu, Bingzi, Wuxu. If the food god pattern uses the seven evil star, it is both noble and refined. For example, the birth chart of Shu Shangshu is:Dinghai, Renzi, Xinsi, Dingyou. Regarding the food god pattern, it is usually disliked when the official star takes away the food god, but when summer fire is too intense and wood is scorched, revealing the official star is actually beneficial. For example, the birth chart of Qian Canzheng is:Bingwu, Guisi, Jiazi, Bingyin:甲 day master born in the巳 month, with丙 fire as the food god being too strong, and the癸 water official star is needed to moisten and regulate the climate. It is also said that the food god pattern dislikes the appearance of the official star, but for the gold and water food god pattern, it is not disliked, which is the meaning of the saying 'gold and water official star can be seen'.

至若單用食神，作食神有氣，有財運則富，無財運則貧。更有印來奪食，透財以解，亦有富貴，須就其全局之勢而斷之。至於食神而官煞競出，亦可成局，但不甚貴耳。更有食神合煞存財，最為貴格。至若食神透煞。本忌見財，而財先煞後，食以間之，而財不能黨煞，亦可就貴。如劉提臺命，癸酉、辛酉、己卯、乙亥是也。其餘變化，不能盡述，類而推之可也。

As for cases where only one food god is used, it is called "food god with strength"; when the fortune moves to the wealth area, wealth is achieved, but if it does not reach the wealth area, poverty follows. There is another type where the official star takes away the food god, but the wealth star appears and rescues it, which can also lead to wealth and honor. This must be judged according to the overall situation. If the food god pattern appears along with the official star and malefic star together, it can form a complete pattern, though it will not be very high in rank. Even more so, if the food god combines with the malefic star and protects the wealth, it is the most noble pattern. As for the food god pattern already revealing the seven malefic stars, which is usually considered unfavorable if wealth appears again to assist the malefic star; however, if wealth is in front and the malefic star is behind, with the food god in between, the wealth cannot reach the malefic star and cannot assist it, which can still lead to high status. For example, the fate of Liu Titi: Guiyou, Xinyou, Jimao, Yihai. The day master is Ji, born in the酉 month. The Xin metal is the food god, the time heavenly stem is Yi wood, which is the seven malefic star. The癸 water wealth is in front, blocked by the food god, so the malefic star cannot receive the wealth's assistance. There are countless other variations, which can be inferred along these lines.

食神取運，即以食神所成之局，分而配之。食神生財，財重食輕，則行財食，財食重則喜幫身。官煞之方，俱為不美。食用煞印，運喜印旺，切忌財鄉。身旺，食傷亦為福運，行官行煞，亦為吉也。食傷帶煞，喜行印綬，身旺，食傷亦為美運，財則最忌。若食太重而煞輕，印運最利，逢財反吉矣。食神太旺而帶印，運最利財，食傷亦吉，印則最忌，官煞皆不吉也。若食神帶印，透財以解，運喜財旺，食傷亦吉，印與官煞皆忌也。

The "Food God" pattern in divination requires matching the specific situation of the Food God with appropriate luck. The first type is "Food God generating wealth": if wealth is heavy and Food God is light, then a fortune of wealth and Food God is favorable; if both wealth and Food God are heavy, then a fortune that supports the body is preferred. This pattern does not favor a fortune of official rank or harmful stars. The second type is "Food God using harmful stars and印 (impression)": a fortune with strong印 is favorable, and one should avoid the wealth area, as wealth weakens印 and generates harmful stars; a fortune with a strong body or Food God and harm is also favorable, and a fortune of official rank or harmful stars is also auspicious. The third type is "Food God and harm together": a fortune with印 is favorable, a fortune with a strong body or Food God and harm is also favorable, but the wealth area is most unfavorable. If the Food God is too heavy and the harmful star is light, then the印 area is most favorable, as印 can restrain the Food God and protect the harmful star; in this case, encountering the wealth area is actually favorable. The fourth type is "Food God too strong with印": the most favorable fortune is wealth, and a fortune of Food God and harm is also favorable, but the印 area is most unfavorable, and a fortune of official rank or harmful stars is not auspicious. The fifth type is "Food God with印 and revealing wealth to resolve": a fortune with strong wealth is favorable, and a fortune of Food God and harm is also favorable, but the印 area and the official rank or harmful stars area are both unfavorable.

煞以攻身，似非美物，百大貴之格，多存七煞。蓋控制得宜，煞為我用，如大英雄大豪傑，似難駕馭，而處之有方，則驚天動地之功，忽焉而就。此王侯將相所以多存七煞也。七煞之格局亦不一：煞用食制者，上也，煞旺食強而身健，極為貴格。如乙亥、乙酉、乙卯、丁丑，極等之貴也。

Seven煞 is something that attacks the self, and at first glance it seems not a good thing. However, in the case of great dignity, it is often accompanied by seven煞. This is because as long as it is properly controlled, the煞 can be used for one's own benefit. Just like great heroes and heroic figures, who may seem difficult to manage, but once properly organized and directed, great achievements can be achieved in a short time. The fate of kings, dukes, and generals often includes seven煞, and this is the reason. The patterns of seven煞 are not limited to one. The first, and also the best, is "soul used by food spirit": when the seven煞 is strong, the food spirit is powerful, and the day's main element is also strong, it is a very noble pattern. For example, in the case of Yi Hai, Yi You, Yi Mao, and Ding Chou, with Yi day's main element born in the酉 month, the酉 metal is seven煞, the day's branch is卯 which is the blade, the year's branch is亥 which is the growth, the day's main element is strong, and the hour's dry branch is Ding fire food spirit which controls the seven煞 — this is the supreme dignity.

煞用食制，不要露財透印，以財能轉食生煞，而印能去食護煞也。然而財先食後，財生煞而食以制之，或印先食後，食太旺而印制，則格成大貴。如脫脫丞相命，壬辰、甲胡、丙戌、戊戌，辰中暗煞，壬以透之，戊坐四支，食太重而透甲印，以損太過，豈非貴格？若煞強食洩而印露，則破局矣。

The pattern of using the food god to control the harmful influence is such that wealth and the birth star should not be revealed again. Wealth will divert the power of the food god to generate the harmful influence, while the birth star will take away the food god's strength and instead protect the harmful influence. However, if wealth comes first and the food god comes later, even though wealth generates the harmful influence, the food god behind can control it. Or if the birth star comes first and the food god comes later, the food god may be too strong, and using the birth star slightly to restrain it can result in a grand and noble destiny. For example, the life of the Grand Chancellor Tuo Tuo: the sky stem is Renchen, the month stem is Jiachen, the day stem is Bingxu, and the hour stem is Wuxu (the month pillar is said to be 'Jia Hu' according to the following text 'the hidden harmful influence in Chen'). Since the text mentions 'the hidden harmful influence in Chen', it is likely an error for 'Jia Chen', but we retain the original without change. The day stem is Bing, born in the month of Chen. The hidden water in Chen is the harmful influence, which is revealed by the year stem Ren water. The heavy food god, Wuxu, is located in the earth stem, and since the food god is too strong, the month stem Jia wood, the birth star, is used to restrain it, which is not a bad pattern. Conversely, if the harmful influence is already strong and the food god is not sufficient to release its energy, but the birth star is revealed to take away the food god's strength, the pattern is broken.

有七煞用印者，印能護煞，本非所宜，而印有情，便為貴格。如何參政命，丙寅、戊戌、壬戌、辛丑，戊與辛同通月令，是煞印有情也。亦有煞重身輕，用食則身不能當，不若轉而就印，雖不通根月令，亦為無情而有情。格亦許貴，但不大耳。有煞而用財者，財以黨煞，本非所喜，而或食被制，不能伏煞，而財以去印存食，便為貴格。

The second type is "seven calamities with seal": the seal can protect the calamity, but it is originally not supposed to be used; however, if the seal and the calamity are in harmony, it becomes a noble pattern. For example, the fate of He Canzheng: Bingyin, Wuxu, Renxu, Xinchou. The day stem Ren is born in the month of Wu, with Wu earth as the seven calamity, and the time stem Xin metal as the seal. Wu and Xin both have roots in the month of Wu, so the calamity and the seal are connected in harmony, which is called harmonious seal and calamity. There is also another situation: when the calamity is strong and the day stem is weak, using the food god to control the calamity would make the day stem unable to bear the loss, so it is better to use the seal instead. The seal can both transform the calamity and nourish the day stem. Even if the seal does not have roots in the month, it can still be considered as turning from inharmony to harmony. The pattern may be noble, but the nobility is not great.

如周丞相命，戊戌、甲子，丁未、庚戌，戊被制不能伏煞，時透庚財，即以清食者，生不足之煞。生煞即以制煞，兩得其用，尤為大貴。又有身重煞輕，煞又化印，用神不清，而借財以清格，亦為貴格。如甲申、乙亥、丙戌、庚寅，劉運使命是也。更有雜氣七煞，干頭不透財以清用，亦可取貴。

The third type is "suffering from a harmful influence but using wealth": wealth supports the seven harmful stars, which is not desirable; however, if the food god in the birth chart is restrained by the printing star and cannot control the harmful star, then using wealth to remove the printing star and release the food god becomes a noble configuration. For example, the birth chart of Zhou the Chancellor is Wuxu, Jiazi, Dingwei, Gengxu. The day master is Ding, born in the month of Zi, with癸water in Zi as the seven harmful star. The year stem戊earth is the food god, which should be able to restrain the harmful star, but it is restrained by the month stem甲wood and thus cannot function effectively. The hour stem庚metal wealth appears, removing the甲wood to clear the food god and also supporting the originally weak seven harmful star—both the harmful star and the food god are useful, so it becomes exceptionally noble. Another case is when the day master is strong but the harmful star is weak, and the harmful star is transformed by the printing star. The use god is unclear, so wealth is borrowed to clarify the configuration, which is also a noble configuration, for example, Jiashen, Yihai, Bingxu, Gengyin, which is the birth chart of Liu the Transport Commissioner. There are also cases where the seven harmful star is hidden in the mixed atmosphere, and the heavenly stem does not reveal wealth to disrupt the configuration, making the use god pure, which can also result in nobility.

有煞而雜官者，或去官，或去煞，取清則貴。如嶽統制命，癸卯、丁巳、庚寅、庚辰，去官留煞也。夫官為貴氣，去官何如去煞？豈知月令偏官，煞為用而官非用，各從其重。若官格雜煞而去官留煞，不能如是之清矣。如沈郎中命，丙子、甲午、辛亥、辛卯，子沖午而克煞，是去煞留官也。有煞無食制而用印當者，如戊辰、甲寅、戊寅、戊午、趙員外命是也。至書有制煞不可太過之說，雖亦有理，然運行財印，亦能發福，不可執一也，乃若棄命從煞，則於外格詳之。

The fourth type is "sorrow mixed with the proper official": either remove the official or remove the sorrow, achieving purity brings wealth. For example, the destiny of Yue Tongzhi is: Guimao, Dingsi, Gengyin, Gengchen. The Geng day master is born in the巳 month, with丙 fire in巳 as the seven sorrow, and丁 fire in the month's dry branch as the proper official. This case is to remove the official and retain the sorrow. Someone may ask: the official is a noble quality, how can removing the official be better than removing the sorrow? One must know that the month's stem originally has the biased official in charge, so the sorrow is the useful god, and the official is not the useful god. Each is chosen according to which is heavier. Conversely, if it is originally the proper official pattern mixed with sorrow, yet one removes the official and retains the sorrow, it cannot reach this level of purity. Another example is the destiny of Shen Langzhong: Bingzi, Jiawu, Xinhai, Xinmao. The Xin day master is born in the午 month, with丁 fire in午 as the seven sorrow, and丙 fire in the year's dry branch as the proper official; the year's branch Zi conflicts with午, thus removing the seven sorrow, and retaining the official. There is another case where the sorrow is not controlled by the food god, but instead the seal is used to take responsibility. For example, Wu Chen, Jiayin, Wu Yin, Wu Wu, which is Zhao Yuanwai's destiny. As for the saying in books that "controlling the sorrow should not be excessive," although it has some truth, when the fortune flows to the wealth and seal positions, it can still bring blessings, so one should not be rigid in this view. As for "abandoning the destiny to follow the sorrow," it will be discussed in detail in the section on miscellaneous patterns.

取運偏官取運，即以偏官所成之局分而配之。煞用食制，煞重食輕則助食，煞輕食重則助煞，煞食均而日主根輕則助身。忌正官之混雜，畏印綬之奪食。煞用印綬，不利財鄉，傷官為美，印綬身旺，俱為福地。七煞用財，其以財而去印存食者，不利劫財，傷食皆吉，喜財怕印，透煞亦順。其以財而助煞不及者，財已足，則喜食印與幫身；財未足，則喜財旺而露煞。煞帶正官，不論去官留煞，去煞留官，身輕則喜助身，食輕則喜助食。莫去取清之物，無傷制煞之神。煞無食制而用刃當煞，煞輕刃重則喜助煞，刃輕煞重，則宜制伏，無食可奪，印運何傷？七煞既純，雜官不利。

The method of selecting favorable years for the Seven Killers pattern depends on the specific situation formed by the偏官 and is matched accordingly. The first type, "Slaughterer Controlled by Food," involves aiding the food when the slaughterer is strong and the food is weak, aiding the slaughterer when the slaughterer is weak and the food is strong, and aiding the self when the strength of the slaughterer and food are balanced but the self is weak. It is forbidden to take the official year, as it would cause confusion, and it is also feared to take the official year, as it would take away the food. The second type, "Slaughterer Controlled by Official," is unfavorable to the wealth year, because wealth would remove the official; taking the injurious year is beneficial, while taking the official year or a strong self year are both favorable. The third type, "Slaughterer Using Wealth," if the original chart uses wealth to remove the official and preserve the food, then it is unfavorable to the year of the劫财, and the years of the injurious and food are favorable. It is favorable to wealth and unfavorable to the official, and if the seven slaughterer is also revealed in the year, it is favorable. If the original chart uses wealth to supplement the insufficient slaughterer, then when wealth is sufficient, it is favorable to the food, official, and supporting self years; when wealth is insufficient, it is favorable to the strong wealth year with the slaughterer revealed. The fourth type, "Slaughterer with the Official," regardless of whether the original chart removes the official to keep the slaughterer or removes the slaughterer to keep the official, if the self is weak, it is favorable to the supporting self year; if the food is weak, it is favorable to the supporting food year; one must not take a year that removes the character used to clarify the pattern, nor damage the god that controls the slaughterer. The fifth type, "Slaughterer Without Food Control and Using Yangren to Resist," if the slaughterer is weak and the Yangren is strong, it is favorable to the supporting slaughterer year; if the Yangren is weak and the slaughterer is strong, it is favorable to the controlling year; this pattern has no food to be taken away, so what harm is there in taking the official year? Finally, since the seven slaughterer has already been purified, it is unfavorable to have the official year mixed in.

傷官雖非吉神，實為秀氣，故文人學士，多於傷官格內得之。而夏木見水，冬金見火，則又為秀之尤秀者也。其中格局比他格多，變化尤多，在查其氣候，量其強弱，審其喜忌，觀其純雜，微之又微，不可執也。故有傷官用財者，蓋傷不利於民，所以為凶，傷官生財，則以傷官為生官之具，轉凶為吉，故最利。只要身強而有根，便為貴格，如壬午、己酉、戊午、庚申，史春芳命也。

The Wounding Official is not a favorable deity, but in reality it represents a refined and delicate energy, so the destinies of scholars and literary men mostly come from the Wounding Official pattern. When wood is the day master in summer and meets water, or when metal is the day master in winter and meets fire, these are even more refined and exquisite. The specific patterns of the Wounding Official are more varied than any other pattern, and their changes are especially complex: one must observe the cold and warm climate, assess the strength and root of the day master, identify the favorable and unfavorable elements, and examine the purity or mixture of the useful deity. This is extremely subtle and one must not be rigid in one's approach. The first type is "Wounding Official with Wealth": the Wounding Official is considered凶 because it harms the Official; the original text says "the Wounding Official is unfavorable to the people," but "people" is a mistake for "Official." Once the Wounding Official is used to generate wealth, the Wounding Official becomes a tool to generate the Official, transforming from凶 to吉, so this is most beneficial. As long as the day master is strong and has a root, it becomes a noble pattern. For example, Renwu, Jiyou, Wuwu, and Gengshen are the patterns of Shi Chunfang: the day master is Wu, born in the酉 month, with酉 metal as the Wounding Official, and the year stem Ren water as the wealth.

至於化傷為財，大為秀氣，如羅狀元命，甲子、乙亥、辛未、戊子，干頭之甲，通根於亥，然又會未成局，化水為木，化之生財，尤為有情，所以傷官生財，冬金不貴，以凍水不能生木。若乃化木，不待於生，安得不為殿元乎？至於財傷有情，與化傷為財者，其秀氣不相上下，如秦龍圖命，己卯、丁丑、丙寅、庚寅，已與庚同根月令是也。

Further, transforming the official's son entirely into wealth is a great elegance. For example, Luo Zhuangyuan's fate: Jiazi, Yihai, Xinwei, Wuzi. The day stem is Xin metal, born in the Hai month. The壬water in Hai is the official's son; the Jia wood in the heavenly stem roots in Hai, and the Hai branch combines with Wei to form a wood trinity, transforming the water into wood, thus the official's son directly becomes wealth. This is especially harmonious. Generally speaking, when the official's son generates wealth, the gold day stem in winter does not achieve high status, because frozen water cannot generate wood; but in this case, it directly transforms into wood, without needing water to generate it, how could he not win the first place in the palace examination? As for cases where wealth and the official's son are harmoniously combined, their elegance is comparable to transforming the official's son into wealth, for example, Qin Longtu's fate: Jimao, Dingchou, Bingyin, Gengyin. The day stem is Bing fire, born in the Chou month. The Ji soil official's son and Geng metal wealth share the same root in the Chou month.

有傷官佩印者，印能制傷，所以為貴，反要傷官旺，身稍弱，始為秀氣。如孛羅平章命，壬申、丙午、申午、壬申、傷官旺，印根深，身又弱，又是夏木逢潤，其秀百倍，所以一品之貴。然印旺極深，不必多見，偏正疊出，反為不秀，故傷輕身重而印綬多見，貧窮之格也。有傷官兼用財印者，財印相剋，本不併用，只要干頭兩清而不相礙；又必生財者，財太旺而帶印，佩印者印太重而帶財，調停中和，遂為貴格。

The second type is "Wounding Official with Seal": the seal can control the wounding official, hence it is considered noble; this pattern actually requires the wounding official to be strong and the day stem slightly weak, which is considered refined. For example, the fate of Boluo Pingzhang: Renshen, Bingwu, Jiawu, Renshen (the original day pillar is "Shenwu", "Shen" is likely a mistake for "Jia", and it is recorded as is without correction). The day stem is Jia, born in the month of Wu, with strong Bing fire wounding official. Two Ren water seals have deep roots in the two Shen branches, and the day stem is weak. With the summer wood receiving water nourishment, the refinement is multiplied a hundredfold, hence attaining a high official rank. However, once the seal is strong and deeply rooted, it is unnecessary to have more; having both the official seal and the biased seal repeatedly appearing is not refined. Therefore, if the wounding official is light, the day stem is strong, yet the seal is repeated, it becomes a poor pattern. The third type is "Using both Wealth and Seal along with Wounding Official": Wealth and Seal originally mutually control each other and cannot be used together; as long as they are clear in the heavenly stems and do not interfere with each other, it is acceptable. Moreover, the pairing must be such: if the wealth is the main focus, it is because the wealth is too strong and a seal is used to balance it; if the seal is the main focus, it is because the seal is too strong and a wealth is used to balance it. Achieving a balanced harmony results in a noble pattern.

如丁酉、己酉、戊子、壬子，財太重而帶印，而丁與壬隔以戊已，兩不礙，且金水多而覺寒，得火融和，都統制命也。又如壬戌、己酉、戊午、丁巳，印太重而隔戊已，而丁與壬不相礙，一丞相命也。反是則財印不併用而不秀矣。有傷官用煞印者，傷多身弱，賴煞生印以邦身而制傷，如己未、丙子、庚子、丙子，蔡貴妃也。煞因傷而有制，兩得其宜，只要無財，便為貴格，如壬寅、丁未、丙寅，夏閣老命是也。

For example, the fate of a person with the birth chart Dingyou, Jiyou, Wuzi, Renzi: the day stem is 戊, born in the酉 month. 酉 metal is the official, and two 子 waters are the wealth. Wealth is too heavy, so a 丁 fire official is used to balance it. 丁 and 壬 are separated by 戊 and 己 earth, so they do not interfere with each other. Moreover, there is too much metal and water, making the situation cold, so 丁 fire is used to warm it up. This is the fate of a military commander. Another example is the fate of a person with the birth chart Renxu, Jiyou, Wuwu, Dingsi: the official is too heavy and there is wealth, and again 戊 and 己 are separated, so 丁 and 壬 do not interfere with each other. This is the fate of a chancellor. If the wealth and official are placed closely together and they mutually control each other, they cannot be used together, and the person will not be outstanding. The fourth type is 'using the evil official with the official and the official': when there are many evil officials and the day stem is weak, it relies on the seven evil officials to generate the official, which helps the day stem and controls the evil official. For example, the birth chart Jiwei, Bingzi, Gengzi, Bingzi: this is the fate of Cai Guifei. In this pattern, the seven evil officials are controlled by the evil official and do not become excessive, both sides are suitable. As long as there is no wealth to support the evil official, it is a noble fate. For example, Renyin, Dingwei, Bingyin (the original chart only has three pillars, the hour pillar is missing), this is the fate of Xia Gelaolao.

有傷官用官者，他格不用，金水獨宜，然要財印為輔，不可傷官並透。如戊申、甲子、庚午、丁丑，藏癸露丁，戊甲為輔，官又得祿，所以為丞相之格。若孤官無輔，或官傷並透，則發福不大矣。若冬金用官，而又化傷為財，則尤為極秀極貴。如丙申、己亥、辛未、己亥，鄭丞相命是也。然亦有非金水而見官，何也？化傷為財，傷非其傷，作財旺生官而不作傷官見官，如甲子、壬申、己亥、辛未，章丞相命也。至於傷官而官煞並透，只要干頭取清，金水得之亦清，不然則空結構而已。

The fifth type is "Wounding Official with Official": This pattern should not be used in other configurations, but it is suitable only for the metal and water day master. However, there must be wealth and seal to support it, and the wounding official should not appear together with the official star in the heavenly stem. For example, the birth chart of Wushen, Jiazi, Gengwu, and Dingchou: The day master is Geng metal born in the month of Zi (water), with癸water as the hidden wounding official in Zi. The official star, Ding fire, appears in the tenth heavenly stem, while the year stem Wushen is the seal and the month stem Jia is the wealth, supporting each other. The official star sits on Wu (fire) and gets its strength, thus forming the pattern of a chancellor. In contrast, if the official star is alone without support, or if the official and wounding official both appear in the heavenly stem, the fortune will not be as great. If a metal day master in winter uses the official star and the wounding official is transformed into wealth, it will be extremely refined and noble, such as in the birth chart of Bingshen, Jihai, Xinwei, and Jihai, which is the birth chart of Zheng, the chancellor. There are also cases where the day master is not metal and water, yet the official star appears without harm, why? Because the wounding official has already transformed into wealth, so the wounding official is no longer a wounding official. The entire chart is then considered as wealth flourishing to generate the official, not as the pattern of wounding official meeting official. For example, the birth chart of Jiazi, Renshen, Jihai, and Xinwei, which is the birth chart of Zhang, the chancellor. As for the pattern of wounding official where the official and evil star both appear in the heavenly stem, as long as the heavenly stem is clear and pure, it is acceptable. If the day master is metal and water and this situation occurs, it is also considered clear. Otherwise, it is just an empty form.

傷官取運，即以傷官所成之局，分而配之。傷官用財，財旺身輕，則利印比；身強財淺，則喜財運，傷官亦宜。傷官佩印，運行官煞為宜，印運亦吉，傷食不礙，財地則凶。傷官而兼用財印，其財多而帶印者，運喜助印，印多而帶財者，運喜助財。傷官而用煞印，印運最利，傷食亦亨，雜官非吉，逢財即危。傷官帶煞，喜印忌財，然傷重煞輕，運喜印而財亦吉。惟七根重，則運喜傷食，印綬身旺亦吉，而逢財為凶矣。傷官用官，運喜財印，不利食傷，若局中官露而財印兩旺，則比劫傷官，未紿非吉矣。

The method of selecting favorable years (运) for the "Wounding Official" pattern depends on the specific situation formed by the Wounding Official. The first type, "Wounding Official with Wealth," is favorable when wealth is strong and the day's ruler (日主) is weak, so years that help the day's ruler (such as the Helper or similar elements) are beneficial. If the day's ruler is strong and wealth is weak, then wealth years are preferred, and years of Wounding Official are also acceptable. The second type, "Wounding Official with Helper," is most favorable when official or harmful stars (官煞) are present, as they generate the Helper. Helper years are also good, and years of Wounding Official or Food are not harmful. Wealth years are unfavorable because wealth weakens the Helper. The third type, "Wounding Official with both Wealth and Helper," is favorable when the original chart has abundant wealth and Helper; in such cases, years that support the Helper are preferred. If the original chart has abundant Helper and wealth, then years that support wealth are preferred. The fourth type, "Wounding Official with Harmful Star and Helper," is most favorable when Helper years are present, and years of Wounding Official or Food are also acceptable. However, if official stars are mixed in, it is not favorable. If wealth years are encountered, it becomes dangerous. The fifth type, "Wounding Official with Harmful Star," favors Helper and dislikes Wealth. However, if the Wounding Official is strong and the Harmful Star is weak, even if Helper years are preferred, Wealth years are also acceptable. But if the Harmful Star is strong, then years of Wounding Official or Food are favorable to control the Harmful Star, and Helper or strong day's ruler years are also good, while Wealth years are unfavorable. The original text says "惟七根重," which likely omits the character "煞" below "七," but it is recorded as is. The sixth type, "Wounding Official with Official," favors Wealth and Helper years and is unfavorable for years of Wounding Official or Food. If the chart already has revealed Official stars and both Wealth and Helper are strong, then years of similar elements or Wounding Official may not necessarily be unfavorable.

陽刃者，劫我正財之神，乃正財之七煞也。祿前一位，惟五陽有之，故為旭刃。不曰劫而曰刃，劫之甚也。刃宜伏制，官煞皆宜，財印相隨，尤為貴顯。夫正官而財印相隨美矣，七煞得之，夫乃甚乎？豈知他格以煞能傷身，故喜制伏，忌財印；陽刃用之，則賴以制刃，不怕傷身，故反喜財印，忌制伏也。

The Yang Blade is the deity that competes for my official wealth, equivalent to the seven evils of the official wealth. It is located one position before the Day Stem's officialdom and is only found in the five yang stems: Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, and Ren. Therefore, it is called the Yang Blade (the original text says "Xu Blade," with "Xu" being a mistake for "Yang," and it is recorded as is). It is not called劫财 (seizing wealth) but instead called刃 (blade), because it is more ruthless than the general劫财. The Yang Blade is suitable for being controlled, and using the official or the seven evils can be effective. If there is also wealth and the seal in the chart, it becomes particularly prestigious. Someone might ask: having wealth and the seal accompanying the official is indeed good, but the same applies to the seven evils pattern, is that not excessive? One must understand that in other patterns, the seven evils are harmful to the body, so they are preferred to be controlled and disliked to be supported by wealth and the seal. However, in the Yang Blade pattern, the seven evils serve as a helper to control the blade, so they do not harm the body, and thus it is preferable to have wealth and the seal to support the seven evils, while avoiding the path of controlling the seven evils.

陽刃用官，透刃不慮；陽刃露煞，透刃無成。蓋官能制刃，透而不為害；刃能合煞，則有何功？如丙生午月，透壬制刃，而又露丁，丁與壬合，則七煞有貪合忘克之意，如何制刃？故無功也。然同是官煞制刃，而格亦有高低，如官煞露而根深，其貴也大；官煞藏而不露，或露而根淺，其貴也小。若己酉、丙子、壬寅、丙午，官透有力，旺財生之，丞相命也。又辛酉、甲午、丙申、壬辰，透煞根淺，財印助之，亦丞相命也。

The Yang Blade pattern uses the proper official (正官), and if the blade appears again in the birth chart, there is no need to worry; but if the Yang Blade pattern reveals the seven evils (七煞), and the blade appears again, the pattern is ruined. This is because the proper official can control the Yang Blade, and even with an extra blade, it can still hold it down; whereas the Yang Blade can combine with the seven evils, and when the evil is combined with the blade, the evil is restrained, so how can there be any function of controlling the blade? For example, if a person with a Jia day stem is born in the Wu month and the heavenly stem reveals Ren water as the seven evils to control the Wu fire blade, but the heavenly stem also reveals Ding fire, which is the blade from the Wu fire, then Ding and Ren combine, and the seven evils have the desire to combine and forget to control, so how can they control the blade? Therefore, there is no effect. However, even when using the official and the seven evils to control the blade, the pattern has different levels of quality: if the official and the seven evils are clearly revealed and have strong roots, the person is of great importance; if they are hidden and not revealed, or although revealed but with shallow roots, the person is of lesser importance. For example, the birth chart with Jiyou, Bingzi, Renyin, and Bingwu: the Ren day stem is born in the Zi month, sitting on the Yang Blade, the heavenly stem Ji earth official is clearly revealed and strong, and there is also Bing fire wealth to support it—this is the birth chart of a chancellor. Another example is the birth chart with Xinyou, Jiawu, Bingshen, and Renchen: the Jia day stem is born in the Wu month, sitting on the Yang Blade, the heavenly stem Ren water seven evils is revealed but with shallow roots, relying on Xinyou metal wealth and Jiawu wood education to support it—this is also the birth chart of a chancellor.

然亦有官煞制刃帶傷食而貴者，何也？或是印護，或是煞太重而裁損之，官煞輕而取清之，如穆同知命，甲午、癸酉、庚寅、戊寅，癸水傷寅午之官，而戊以合之，所謂印護也。如賈平章命，甲寅、庚午、戊申、甲寅，煞兩透而根太重，食以制之，所謂裁損也。如丙戌、丁酉、庚申、壬午，官煞競出，而壬合丁官，煞純而不雜。況陽刃之格，利於留煞，所謂取清也。

However, there are cases where officials and evils are restrained, and the person's destiny still carries a mark of nobility despite having injurious and harmful elements. Why is this? It could be that there is an official or a seal to protect the officials and evils, or that the evils are too strong and the injurious and harmful elements are used to reduce them, or that the officials and evils are weak and the injurious and harmful elements are used to remove the excess to achieve clarity. For example, the destiny of Mu Tongzhi is: Jiawu, Guiyou, Gengyin, Wuyin. The day stem Geng is born in the酉 month and sits on the Yang Blade. The fire formed by the寅 and午 is the official and evil. The癸 water injury official is there to injure it, but fortunately the hour stem Wu earth combines with the癸 water — this is the seal protecting the official and evil. Another example is the destiny of Jia Pingzhang: Jiayin, Gengwu, Wushen, Jiayin. The day stem Wu is born in the午 month, and two甲 wood seven evils are revealed with strong roots. The庚 metal food official is used to restrain them — this is reducing the excess. Another example is the destiny: Bingxu, Dingyou, Gengshen, Renwu. For the day stem Geng, the丙 is seven evils and the丁 is the official. Both official and evil appear together. The hour stem Ren water combines with the丁 official, removing the official and leaving the evil pure and uncluttered; moreover, the Yang Blade pattern naturally benefits from retaining the evil — this is achieving clarity.

其於丙生午月，內藏己土，可以克水，尤宜帶財佩印，若戊生午月，干透丙火，支會火乙，則化刃為印，或官或煞，透則去刃存印其格愈清。倘或財煞並透露，則犯去印存煞之忌，不作生煞制煞之例，富貴兩空矣。更若陽刃用財，格所不喜，然財根深而用傷食，以轉刃生財，雖不比建祿月劫，可以取貴，亦可就富。不然，則刃與財相搏，不成局矣。

For a person born on a Bing day with the month of Wu, the Wu month contains hidden Ji earth, which is the official (伤官), capable of controlling the壬癸 water that comes to control the blade (刃). Therefore, it is especially necessary to bring in wealth (财) and carry the official (印) to support the official and harmful star (煞). For example, a person born on a Wu day with the month of Wu, if the heavenly stem reveals Bing fire and the earthly branches form a fire pattern, the blade in Wu will transform into the official, since Bing fire is the official of Wu earth. At this time, whether the official or harmful star is revealed, it is equivalent to removing the blade and retaining the official, making the pattern even clearer. If both wealth and harmful star are revealed, it would violate the taboo of 'removing the official and retaining the harmful star,' and cannot be discussed according to the method of generating and controlling the harmful star, resulting in failure in both wealth and status. Moreover, using wealth for the Yang blade pattern is generally not favored in the pattern. However, if the root of wealth is deep and the injurious or productive elements are used to transform the blade's energy into wealth, although it is not as good as the pattern of built-up fortune or劫 wealth, it can still achieve wealth. If this arrangement is not made, the blade and wealth will directly conflict, and the pattern cannot be established.

陽刃用官，則運喜助官，然命中官星根深，則印綬比劫之方，反為美運，但不喜傷食合官耳。陽刃用煞，煞不甚旺，則運喜助煞；煞若太重，則運喜身旺印綬，傷食亦不為忌。陽刃而官煞並出，不論去官去煞，運喜制伏，身旺亦利，財地官鄉反為不吉也。

The Yang Blade pattern using the official star: When the official star is used, the favorable years are those that support the official star; however, if the official star is already strong in the birth chart, then years that support the scholar star or the same star are beneficial, but years that weaken the official star or those that combine with the official star to neutralize it are not favorable. The Yang Blade pattern using the seven calamities: If the seven calamities are not very strong, the favorable years are those that support the seven calamities; if the seven calamities are too strong, the favorable years are those that strengthen the self or the scholar star to transform the calamities into beneficial forces, and years that weaken the calamities through the scholar or food stars are not unfavorable. When both the official star and the seven calamities appear in the Yang Blade pattern: Regardless of whether the birth chart is using the official or the seven calamities, the favorable years are those that control or subdue the official and calamity stars, and years that strengthen the self are also beneficial; conversely, years that are wealth or official star years are not favorable, as wealth and official stars will enhance the strength of the official and calamity stars.

建祿者，月建逢祿堂也，祿即是劫。或以祿堂透出，即可依以用者，非也。故建祿與月劫，可同一格，不必加分，皆以透干支，別取財官煞食為用。祿格用官，干頭透出為奇，又要財印相隨，不可孤官無輔。

"Jian Lu" refers to the month builder falling exactly on the day stem's禄 position, meaning the month branch and day stem share the same energy; this禄 is actually a劫财. Some people think that the energy of the禄 position can be directly used as a useful god if it appears in the heavenly stem, but that is incorrect— one cannot use oneself as a useful god. Therefore, Jian Lu and month劫 can be combined into one category, without needing to distinguish between them. Instead, one should look at what is revealed in the heavenly stem and earthly branch, and then select wealth, official, evil, and food elements to serve as useful gods. For a禄 formation using an official star, it is considered favorable if the official star appears in the heavenly stem, and it should be accompanied by wealth and academic elements; the official star should not be isolated without support.

有用官而印護者，如庚戌、戊子、癸酉、癸亥，金丞相命是也。有用官而財助者，如丁酉、丙午、丁巳、壬寅，李知府命是也。有官而兼帶財印者，所謂身強值三奇，尤為貴氣。三奇者，財官印也，只要以官隔之，使財印兩不相傷，其格便大，如庚午、戊子、癸卯、丁巳，王少師命是也。

There are cases where an official position is supported by the seal (印), such as in Gengwu, Wuzi, Guiyou, and Guihai, which are the birth charts of a minister of gold: on a day with癸 (Gui) as the main element born in the month of Zi (water), it is considered a built-in wealth (建禄). The monthly heavenly stem is Wu (earth), which is the official (正官), while the yearly heavenly stem Geng (metal) and the day branch You (metal) serve as the seal (印), protecting the official star. There are also cases where an official position is supported by wealth (财), such as in Dingyou, Bingwu, Dingsi, and RENYIN, which are the birth charts of a county magistrate: on a day with Ding (fire) as the main element born in the month of Wu (fire), it is considered a built-in wealth (建禄). The hourly heavenly stem Ren (water) is the official (正官), while the yearly branch You (metal) serves as wealth (财) to support the official. There are also cases where the official star is accompanied by both wealth and seal, which is called "the body is strong and meets the three marvels (身强值三奇)", especially indicating great fortune. The three marvels refer to wealth, official, and seal; as long as the official star is in the middle, separating wealth and seal, so that wealth and seal do not harm each other, the pattern becomes grand. Examples include Gengwu, Wuzi, Guimao, and Dingsi, which are the birth charts of a grand master (王少师).

祿劫用財，須帶食傷，蓋月令為劫而以財作用，二財相剋，必以傷食化之，始可轉劫生財，如甲子、丙子、癸丑、壬辰，張都統命是也。至於化劫為財，與化劫為生，尤為秀氣。如己未、已巳、丁未、辛丑，丑與巳會，即以劫財之火為金局之財，安得不為大貴？所謂化劫為財也。如高尚書命，庚子、甲申、庚子、甲申，即以劫財之金，化為生財之水，所謂化劫為生也。

The "Lüjie Ge" (Lukiao Pattern) that uses wealth as the useful god must also include food and clothing (shishang): because the month's stem is劫财 (sudden wealth), yet wealth is used as the useful god. There is a direct mutual control between劫财 and wealth, so food and clothing must be used in between to resolve the conflict, thus transforming the劫财 energy to generate wealth. For example, Jiazi, Bingzi, Guichou, and Renchen are the birth dates of Zhang Duting. To completely transform劫财 into wealth or into something that generates wealth is even more refined. For example, Jiwei, Jisi, Dingwei, and Xinchou: the day stem is Ding, born in the month of Si, which is the built-up wealth (jianshu) for the day stem. The Si fire, which is normally劫财, becomes the wealth of the gold circle formed by Si and Chou. How could this not lead to great fortune? This is called "Hua Jue Wei Cai" (transforming劫财 into wealth). Another example is the birth date of Gao Shangshu: Gengzi, Jiashen, Gengzi, Jiashen. The day stem is Geng, born in the month of Shen, which is the built-up wealth (jianshu) for the day stem. The Shen metal, which is normally劫财, becomes the water in Zi, which in turn generates the wealth of the wood (Jia). This is called "Hua Jue Wei Sheng" (transforming劫财 into something that generates wealth).

祿劫用煞，必須制伏臺，如婁參政命，丁巳、壬子、癸卯、己未，壬合丁財以去其黨煞，卯未會局以制伏是也。至用煞而又財，本為不美，然能去煞存財，又成貴格。戊辰、癸亥、壬午、丙午，合煞存財，袁內閣命是也。其祿劫之格，無財官而用傷食，洩其太過，亦為秀氣。唯春木秋金，用之則貴，蓋木逢火則明，金生水則靈。如張狀元命，甲子、丙寅、甲子、丙寅，木火通明也；又癸卯、庚申、庚子、庚辰，金水相涵也。

The the Lu-Rob pattern which uses seven Sha must have control over it. For example, the destiny of Lou Canzheng: Dingsi, Renzi, Guimao, Jiwei. The Gui day master is born in the month of Zi, which is the built-in Lu. The time stem Ji Earth is seven Sha. The month stem Ren Water combines with the year stem Ding Fire, which is wealth, to remove the wealth that supports the seven Sha. The branches Mao and Wei form a wood tripod to control the Ji Earth — this is proper control. As for using seven Sha and having wealth in the destiny, it is generally not good; but if the seven Sha can be removed and the wealth preserved, it becomes a noble pattern. For example, the destiny of Yuan Neiguan: Wuchen, Kuihai, Renwu, Bingwu. The Ren day master is born in the month of Hai, which is the built-in Lu. The year stem Wu Earth is seven Sha, and the month stem Gui Water combines with it to remove the seven Sha, leaving the Bing Fire as wealth — this is combining seven Sha to preserve wealth. If the Lu-Rob pattern has neither wealth nor official, then it uses the Hurting and Food to release the excess energy, which is also refined. However, only when it is used in spring wood or autumn gold does it become noble, because wood meets fire and becomes bright, and gold produces water and appears refined. For example, the destiny of Zhang Zhuangyuan: Jiazi, Bingyin, Jiazi, Bingyin, which is wood and fire flowing clearly; another example is Guimao, Gengshen, Gengzi, Gengchen, which is gold and water blending together.

更有祿劫而官煞競出，必取清方為貴格。如一平章命，辛丑、庚寅、甲辰、乙亥、合煞留這也；如辛亥、庚寫、甲申、丙寅，制煞留官也。倘或兩官競出，亦須制伏，所謂爭正官不可無傷也。若夫用官而孤官無輔，格局更小，難於取貴，若透傷食便不破格。然亦有官傷並透而貴者，何也？如己酉、乙亥、壬戌、庚子，庚合乙而去傷存官，王總兵命也。用財而不透傷食，便難於發端，然干頭透一位而不雜，地支根多，亦可取富，但不貴耳。用官煞重而無制伏，運行制伏，亦可發財，但不可官煞太重，致令身危也。

CRITICAL: The output must be English prose. Do NOT rewrite the text in Chinese. Do NOT paraphrase it in Chinese. Every sentence you write must be in English. Heavenly Stems: Jia = Jia, Yi = Yi, Bing = Bing, Ding = Ding, Wu = Wu, Ji = Ji, Geng = Geng, Xin = Xin, Ren = Ren, Gui = Gui Earthly Branches: Zi = Zi, Chou = Chou, Yin = Yin, Mao = Mao, Chen = Chen, Si = Si, Wu = Wu, Wei = Wei, Shen = Shen, You = You, Xu = Xu, Hai = Hai Trigrams: Qian = Qian (Heaven), Dui = Dui (Lake), Li = Li (Fire), Zhen = Zhen (Thunder), Xun = Xun (Wind), Kan = Kan (Water), Gen = Gen (Mountain), Kun = Kun (Earth) Glossary: Bingyin = Bing Yin Yihai = Yi Hai Jiashen = Jia Shen Gengyin = Geng Yin Gengzi = Geng Zi Xinchou = Xin Chou Jiachen = Jia Chen Jiyou = Ji You Xinhai = Xin Hai Renxu = Ren Xu There are cases of the "Lü Jie" pattern where both official and malevolent stars appear together, and in such cases, clarity is required to form a noble pattern. For example, the fate of a certain official: Xin Chou, Geng Yin, Jia Chen, Yi Hai. The Jia day ruler is born in the Yin month, which is a built-in fortune (Jian Lu). The year's dry stem Xin Metal is the positive official, and the month's dry stem Geng Metal is the seven malevolent. The hour's dry stem Yi Wood combines with Geng, which is called "combining the malevolent to retain the official" (the original text says "combining the malevolent to retain this," where "this" is likely a mistake for "official," and it is recorded as is without correction). Another example is Xin Hai, Geng Yin, Jia Shen, Bing Yin. The hour's dry stem Bing Fire food god restrains the Geng malevolent, leaving the Xin official, which is called "restraining the malevolent to retain the official" (the original text says "write" for the branch, which is likely a mistake for "Yin," and it is recorded as is without correction). If two positive officials appear, they must be restrained, which is called "competing for the positive official without injury." As for using the official star with a single official star without support, the pattern is even smaller and difficult to achieve nobility; in such cases, the emergence of injurious or food stars does not necessarily break the pattern. However, there are cases where both the official and injurious stars appear together, yet still result in nobility. Why? For example, Ji You, Yi Hai, Ren Xu, Geng Zi. The Ren day ruler is born in the Hai month, which is a built-in fortune (Jian Lu). The year's dry stem Ji Earth is the positive official, and the month's dry stem Yi Wood is the injurious star. The hour's dry stem Geng Metal combines with Yi, removing the injurious and retaining the official — this is the fate of General Wang. In the "Lü Jie" pattern, using wealth without the appearance of injurious or food stars makes it difficult to start; however, if only one wealth star appears without confusion and the roots in the earth branches are numerous, wealth can be achieved, though not nobility. If using the official and malevolent stars, and they are too heavy without restraint in the birth chart, when the fortune moves to a place that restrains them, wealth can be achieved; but the official and malevolent stars should not be too heavy, as excessive weight can endanger oneself.

祿劫取運，即以祿劫所成之局，分而配之。祿劫用官，印護者喜財，怕官星之逢合，畏七煞這相乘。傷食不能為害，劫比未即為凶。財生喜印，宜官星之植根，畏傷食之相侮，逢財愈見其功，雜煞豈能無礙？祿劫用財而帶傷食，財食重則喜印綬，而不書法比肩；財食輕則宜助財，而不喜印比。逢煞無傷，遇官非福。

Critical: the output must be English prose. Do NOT rewrite the text in Chinese. Do NOT paraphrase it in Chinese. Every sentence you write must be in English. Heavenly Stems: Jia = Jia, Yi = Yi, Bing = Bing, Ding = Ding, Wu = Wu, Ji = Ji, Geng = Geng, Xin = Xin, Ren = Ren, Gui = Gui Earthly Branches: Zi = Zi, Chou = Chou, Yin = Yin, Mao = Mao, Chen = Chen, Si = Si, Wu = Wu, Wei = Wei, Shen = Shen, You = You, Xu = Xu, Hai = Hai Trigrams: Qian = Qian (Heaven), Dui = Dui (Lake), Li = Li (Fire), Zhen = Zhen (Thunder), Xun = Xun (Wind), Kan = Kan (Water), Gen = Gen (Mountain), Kun = Kun (Earth) Lüjie Ge taking into account the fortune, also depends on the specific situation formed by the Lü and Jie, and accordingly matches the fortune. The first type: "Lü and Jie using the official star with the seal star protecting it": one prefers to go on a fortune of wealth, because there is a seal star in place, so one does not fear that wealth would turn to generate the official star excessively; one fears that the official star in the fortune would be combined and thus lost, and also fears that the seven harmful stars would take advantage of the opportunity to come in. (The original text says "fear the seven harmful stars multiplying," where "这" is a mistake for "之," and the text is recorded as is without modification.) In this case, encountering a fortune of wounds or food would not cause great harm, and encountering a fortune of劫财 or equal stars would not necessarily be ominous, because the seal star is in the middle to pass through the obstruction. The second type: "Lü and Jie using the official star with wealth generating the official star": one prefers to go on a fortune of the seal star to support oneself, and also it is suitable to have the official star rooted in the fortune; one fears that the wounds or food would bully the official star; if there is again a fortune of wealth, the effect becomes even more significant; as for the fortune mixed with the seven harmful stars, how could there be no harm? The third type: "Lü and Jie using wealth along with wounds and food": if both wealth and food are heavy, the fortune prefers the seal star to support oneself, and it is not suitable for equal stars to compete for wealth (the original text has "不书法比肩" which is a mistake, and it is recorded as is without modification); if both wealth and food are light, the fortune prefers to assist wealth, and it is not favored by the seal star or equal stars. In this case, encountering a fortune of seven harmful stars does not cause harm, but encountering an official star fortune is actually not beneficial.

祿劫用煞食制，食重煞輕，則運宜助煞；食輕煞重，則運喜助食。若用煞而帶財，命中合煞存財，則傷食為宜，財運不忌，透官無慮，身旺亦亨。若命中合財存煞，而用食制，煞輕則助煞，食輕則助食則已。祿劫而用傷食，財運最宜，煞亦不忌，行印非吉，透官不美。若命中傷食太重，則財運固利，而印亦不忌矣。祿劫而官煞並出，不論合煞留官，存官制煞，運喜傷食，比肩亦宜，印綬未為良圖，財官亦非福運。

The fourth type, "L禄劫用煞而以食神制伏" (using the seven deadly stars and controlling them with the food god), is as follows: if the food god is strong and the deadly star is weak, the favorable years should support the deadly star; if the food god is weak and the deadly star is strong, the favorable years should support the food god. If the deadly star is used and there is also wealth, it should be divided into two cases: if the original birth chart has combined the deadly star and retained wealth, then years with injuries and food gods are favorable, wealth is not to be avoided, and years with officials exposed are not to be worried about; if the original birth chart has combined away the wealth and retained the seven deadly stars, using the food god to control them, then the deadly star is weak and should be supported, the food god is weak and should be supported, and that is all. The fifth type, "禄劫而用伤食" (using injuries and food gods), is most favorable for wealth years, and years with deadly stars are not to be avoided; years with the scholar's robe are not favorable, and years with officials exposed are not good; if the original birth chart has too much injury and food gods, then wealth years are indeed beneficial, and years with the scholar's robe to suppress the injury and food gods are not to be avoided. The sixth type, "禄劫而官煞一齐冒出" (officials and deadly stars both appear), is as follows: whether the original birth chart combines the deadly star and retains the official or retains the official to control the deadly star, the favorable years are those with injuries and food gods to clarify the situation, and years with the same kind are also favorable; years with the scholar's robe are not a good strategy, and years with wealth and officials are not good fortune.

雜格者，月令無用，以外格而用之，其格甚多，故謂之雜。大約要干頭無官無煞，方成格，如有官煞，則自有官煞為用，列外格矣。若透財尚可取格，然財根深，或財透兩位，則亦以財為重，不取外格也。

the so-called "miscellaneous patterns" refers to cases where the heavenly stem in the month pillar cannot determine the useful god, so one has to resort to external patterns to determine the useful god. Since there are numerous types of such patterns, they are generally referred to as miscellaneous. Basically, external patterns can only be established if there is neither the proper official nor the seven evils in the heavenly stems. Once there is an official or seven evils, they naturally become the useful gods, and there is no need to list external patterns. If only the wealth is revealed in the heavenly stems, it is still possible to use an external pattern; however, if the root of wealth is deep or if wealth appears in two stems, then wealth should be prioritized, and external patterns should not be used.

試以諸格論之，有取五行一方秀氣者，取甲乙全亥卯未、寅卯辰，又生春月之類，本是一派劫財，以五行各得其全體，所以成格，喜印露而體純。如癸亥、乙卯、乙未、壬午，吳相公命是也。運亦喜印綬比劫之鄉，財食亦吉，官煞則忌矣。

Now let us discuss these external patterns one by one. The first is taking the refined quality of one of the Five Phases: for example, if the day master is Jia or Yi wood, and the branches form the triple harmony of Hai-Mao-Wei (Wood triad) or the triple conjunction of Yin-Mao-Chen (spring quarter), and the birth month is in spring, then although the whole chart is full of self-branch and劫财, it becomes a pattern because the energy of one phase is complete. This pattern prefers the heavenly stem to reveal the birth (yin) to nourish it, so the overall atmosphere becomes pure. For example, Guihai, Yimao, Yiwei, and Renwu is the birth chart of Wu Xianggong. His fortune also favors the land of birth and self-branch, and it is auspicious to travel in the land of wealth and food. However, the official and harmful stars are considered inauspicious, as they would disrupt this pure energy.

有從化取格者，要化出之物，得時乘令，四支局全。如丁壬化木，地支全亥卯未、寅卯辰，而又生於春月，方為大貴。否則，亥未之月亦是木地，次等之貴，如甲戌、丁卯、壬寅、甲辰，一品貴格命也。運喜所化之物，與所化之印綬，財傷亦可，不利官煞。

The second type is "from transformation" (从化) pattern: the key is that the transformed element must be in season at the time of birth, and the earthly branches should form a complete set. For example, if Ding and Ren combine to form wood, the earthly branches should be complete with Hai, Mao, and Wei or Yin, Mao, and Chen, and the person should be born in spring, which is considered great fortune. Otherwise, if born in Hai month or Wei month, where wood has roots, it can also be considered a secondary level of fortune. For instance, Jia Xu, Ding Mao, Ren Yin, and Jia Chen form the first class of fortunate patterns: Ding and Ren combine to form wood, born in Mao month, with Yin and Mao having vitality in the earthly branches. Favorable fortune comes from the transformed element and the yin and yang that generate it; fortune from wealth and official positions is also acceptable, but unfavorable fortune comes from officials and evils, as they will harm the transformed element.

有倒沖成格者，以四柱列財官而對面以沖之，要支中字多，方沖得動。譬如以弱主邀強官，主不眾則賓不從。如戊午、戊午、戊午、戊午，是沖子財也；甲寅、庚午、丙午、甲午，是沖子官也。運忌填實，餘俱可行。

The third type is called "reversing the conflict" to form a pattern: if the person's birth chart originally lacks wealth and official positions, they use the existing branches in the four pillars to clash with the opposite branch that hides wealth or official positions, bringing it out to be used for their benefit. This requires that the same character in the branches appears sufficiently often to be able to clash effectively; it's like a weak host trying to invite a prominent guest, but if the host doesn't have enough people, the guest won't come. For example, if there are four Wus (午) in the chart, they can clash with Zi (子) to bring out the hidden癸 water as wealth; another example is when there are three Wus (午) in the chart, they can clash with Zi (子) to bring out the hidden癸 water as official position. This pattern is most忌 to have "filling in" in the big years, meaning if the big year actually contains the character that was clashed with, it becomes ineffective; all other big years are acceptable.

有朝陽成格者，戊去朝丙，辛日得官，以丙戊同祿於巳，即以引汲之意。要干頭無木火，方成其格，蓋有火則無待於朝，有木財觸戊之怒，而不為我朝。如戊辰、辛酉、戊子，張知縣命是也。運喜土金水，木運平平，火則忌矣。

The fourth type is called "Sun Rising" (朝阳) formation: using the earthy戊 (Wu) to lead the sun-fire丙 (Bing) to serve as the official star for the day stem辛 (Xin). Since both丙 and戊 have their strength in巳 (Si), if there is戊 in the hour position, it can draw the丙 fire over. This formation requires that there be neither wood nor fire in the heavenly stems; if there is fire, the official star is already present and there is no need to lead it; if there is wood, it will overcome the戊 earth, angering the戊, and thus the戊 will not be willing to lead the fire. For example, the birth chart is Wuchen, Xinyou, Wuzi (the original chart only has three pillars), which is the birth chart of Zhang Zhi Xian. Favorable luck comes from earth, metal, and water, while wood is mediocre and fire is unfavorable.

有合祿成格者，命無官星，借干支以合之。戊日庚申，以庚合乙，因其主而得其偶。如己未、戊辰、戊辰、庚申，蜀王命是也。癸日庚申，以申合巳，因其主而得其朋，如己酉、癸未、癸未、庚申，起丞相命是也。運亦忌填實，不利官煞，理會不宜以火克金，使彼受制而不能合，餘則吉矣。

The fifth type is called "He Lu" (Harmonizing Wealth) formation: when a person's birth chart lacks an official star, it uses the heavenly stems and earthly branches to bring in the official star. For a day master of Wu (戊), encountering the time of Geng Shen (庚申), Geng is used to combine with Yi wood—Yi is the true official of Wu. This is like using Geng as the host to invite Yi, the spouse, to appear. For example, Ji Wei (己未), Wu Chen (戊辰), Wu Chen (戊辰), Geng Shen (庚申), this is the birth chart of the Shu King. For a day master of Gui (癸), encountering the time of Geng Shen (庚申), Shen is used to combine with Si (巳)—the Wu earth in Si is the true official of Gui. This is like using Shen as the host to invite Si, the friend, to appear. For example, Ji You (己酉), Gui Wei (癸未), Gui Wei (癸未), Geng Shen (庚申), this is the birth chart of the Zhao Chief Minister (the original text says "Qichangxiang," where "QI" is likely a surname error, and it is recorded as is). This formation also dislikes the filling of the branches in its fortune, and it is not favorable for officials or harmful stars. By principle, it is even more unsuitable to travel through the fire fortune to overcome metal, as metal being restrained would prevent the combination from forming; all other fortunes are favorable.

有棄命保財者，四柱皆財而身無氣，舍而從之，格成大貴。若透印則身賴印生而不從，有官煞則亦無從財兼從煞之理，其格不成。如庚申、乙酉、丙申、乙丑，王十萬命造也。運喜傷食財鄉，不宜身旺。

The sixth type is "abandoning the self to follow wealth" (the original text says "abandoning the self to protect wealth"): when all four pillars are wealth and the day master has no strength, it is appropriate to abandon the self and follow the wealth trend, and if this pattern is formed, great fortune is achieved. However, if the heavenly stem reveals the official (印), the day master has something to rely on and will not follow the wealth trend. If there is an official or harmful star in the birth chart, it is not possible to both follow wealth and follow the harmful star, so the pattern does not form. For example, the birth chart of Wang Shiyiwan is: the day master is Bing fire, born in the酉 month, with all the pillars being metal wealth and the Bing fire having no root. The favorable luck is the injury and food stars and the wealth land, and it is not suitable to go through a period of strong self.

有棄命從煞者，四柱皆煞，而日主無根，舍而從之，格成大貴。若有傷食，則煞受制而不從，有印則印以化煞而不從。如乙酉、乙酉、乙酉、甲申，李侍郎命是也。運喜財官，不宜身旺，食傷則尤忌矣。

The seventh type is "abandoning the destiny to follow the malevolent force": when all four pillars are filled with seven harmful stars and the day master has no root, one simply gives up the self and follows the trend of the harmful force, and if this pattern is formed, great fortune is achieved. If there are injuries or food in the chart, the harmful force is restrained, and the day master will not follow. If there is an official, the official will transform the harmful force, and it will also not follow. For example, the birth chart of Li Shilang is: Yi you, Yi you, Yi you, Jiashen. The day master is Yi wood, born in the酉 month, with all gold harmful forces and no root for the Yi wood. The favorable luck is wealth and official positions, and it is not suitable to go through a strong body luck. The luck of food and injuries is especially to be avoided, because once the harmful force is restrained, the pattern of following is broken.

有井攔成格者，庚金生三七月，方用此格。以申子辰沖寅午戌，財官印綬，合而沖之，若透丙丁，有巳午，以現有財官，而無待於沖，乃非井攔之格矣。如戊子、庚申、庚申、庚申，郭統制命也。運喜財，不利填實，餘亦吉也。

The eighth type is called "Well Shaft" formation: this pattern is applicable only when the day master is庚 gold born in the third or seventh month. It uses the triple harmony of the earthly branches 申, 子, and 辰 to form a water trinity, which then conflicts with the fire trinity of 寅, 午, and 戌. The hidden wealth, official, and educational resources of 庚 gold are contained within 寅, 午, and 戌, and when they are all combined and conflicted, they are brought out to be used for the day master. If the heavenly stem already reveals 丙 or 丁, or the earthly branch already contains 巳 or 午, then the wealth and official positions are already present, and there is no need for conflict, so it is not considered the "Well Shaft" formation. For example, the birth chart of Guo Tongzhi is Wuzi, Gengshen, Gengshen, Gengshen. This person's fortune favors wealth, is unfavorable for filling, and other fortunes are auspicious.

有刑合成格者，癸日甲寅時，寅刑巳而得財官，格與合祿相似，但合祿則喜以合之，而刑合則硬以致之也。命有庚申，則木被沖剋而不能刑；有戊已字，則現透官煞而無待於刑，非此格矣。如乙未、癸卯、癸卯、甲寅，十二節度使命是也。運忌填實，不利金鄉，餘則吉矣。

The ninth type is called "刑合" forming a pattern: when the day stem is癸 and the hour stem is Jiayin, the寅 wood is used to刑 the巳 fire, bringing out the丙 fire wealth and戊 earth official from the巳 for my use. This pattern is similar to the "合禄" pattern, but "合禄" is a polite invitation, while "刑合" is a forceful pulling. If there is Gengshen in the chart, the寅 wood isclash and control and thus cannot be刑. If there are戊 or己, the official or harmful stars are already present and do not need to be刑, so this pattern does not apply. For example, in the combination Yiwei, Guimao, Guimao, Jiayin, this is the pattern of the twelve military governors. The fate is unfavorable when the chart is filled with real elements, and it is also not favorable for the metal region, because metal controls wood and thus the刑 cannot be formed; all other paths are favorable.

有遙合成格者，巳與丑會，本同一局，丑多則會巳而辛丑處官，亦合祿之意也。如辛丑、辛丑、辛丑、庚寅，章統制命是也。若命是有子字，則丑與子合而不遙，有丙丁戊已，則辛癸之官煞已透，而無待於遙，另有取用，非此格矣。至於甲子遙已，轉輾求俁，似覺無情，此格可廢，因羅御史命，聊復存之。為甲申、甲戌、甲子、甲子，羅御史命是也。

The tenth is called "Remote Union" forming a pattern:巳 and 丑 both belong to the metal group, originally one family, so when 丑 is present in excess, it can remotely connect with 巳. The 丙 fire in 巳 is the official star for 辛 day master. The original text says "辛丑 contains official," but the wording is incorrect, and I have recorded it as is. The reasoning is similar to the "Union of Official" pattern. For example, Xinchou, Xinchou, Xinchou, Gengyin is the birth chart of Zhang Tongzhi. If the chart contains 子, then 丑 will first combine with 子, and thus cannot remotely connect with 巳. If there are 丙, 丁, 戊, or 己, the official and harmful stars for 辛 day master are already present and revealed, so there is no need for remote connection, and another method of selection is used, so it is not this pattern. As for the so-called "Jiazi remote connection to Si," it requires a winding and roundabout approach, which seems quite emotionless, and this pattern could be discarded. However, because there is the example of Luo Yushishi's birth chart, it is retained. That is, 甲申, 甲戌, 甲子, 甲子, which is Luo Yushishi's birth chart.

若夫拱祿、拱貴、趨乾、歸祿、夾戌、鼠貴、騎龍、日貴、日德、富祿、魁罡、食神時墓、兩干不雜、干支一氣、五行具足之類，一切無理之格，既置勿取。即古人格內，亦有成式，總之意為牽就，硬填人格，百無一是，徒誤後學而已。乃若天地雙飛，雖富貴亦有自有格，不全賴此。而亦能增重基格，即用神不甚有用，偶有依以為用，亦成美格。然而有用神不吉，即以為凶，不可執也。

As for patterns such as mutual support for official rank, mutual support for wealth, approaching heaven, returning to official rank, flanking xu, rat's wealth, riding a dragon, daily wealth, daily virtue, wealth of fortune, supreme star, sharp star, food god at the hour of death, two heavenly stems not mixed, single heavenly stem and earthly branch, and all five phases complete, these are all patterns that cannot be explained logically. They should all be set aside. Even though ancient texts list these patterns, in the end they are just arbitrary connections, forcing people's birth years into these patterns, none of which hold up. They only waste the learning of later generations. As for the pattern of "heaven and earth flying together," even if the person is wealthy and noble, they naturally have a proper pattern, and it is not entirely dependent on this. However, this pattern does indeed add some weight to the original pattern. Even if the useful god itself is not very effective, occasionally relying on it to determine the pattern can still form a beautiful pattern. However, if the useful god is originally inauspicious, it becomes a凶 pattern. In such cases, one should not be rigidly attached to one side.

其於傷官傷盡，謂是傷盡，不宜一見官，必盡力以傷之，使之無地容身，現行傷運，便能富貴，不知官有何罪，而惡之如此？況見官而傷，則以官非美物，而傷以制之，又何傷官之謂凶神，而見官之為禍百端乎？予用是術以歷試，但有貧賤，並無富貴，未輕信也，近亦見有大貴者，不知何故。然要之極賤者多，不得不觀其人物以衡之。

There is also the concept of "wounding the official star completely" (伤官伤尽): since it is called "wounding completely," not even a single official star should appear; one must strive to wound it, wound the official star to the point where it has nowhere to hide, and then proceed with a period of wounding official star, which is said to lead to wealth and honor. But what crime has the official star committed that it should be hated so much? Moreover, according to their theory, whenever the official star appears, one should go out to wound it, which is equivalent to acknowledging that the official star is not a good thing and that one should use the wounding official star to control it. If that is the case, then why do they say that the wounding official star is a malevolent spirit and that encountering the official star will bring about all sorts of misfortunes? This is contradictory on both ends. I have tested this method one by one, and I have only seen people of low status, not those of high status, so I have never taken it lightly; recently, however, I have also seen people who became very wealthy according to this theory, but I do not know what the reason is. But overall, most people are of very low status, so one still has to consider the person's own character and demeanor to make a balanced judgment.