Li Xuzhong's Book of Destiny, Volume Below

論一方之氣，不可過角。進角為孤，退角為寡。一方之氣，則四象各主於一時之偶也，如寅卯辰則巳孤丑寡。既旺不過一方之氣，卻言衰者成功也。木水亥衰於辰，是木出東方春位而衰，此本末衰旺，功成身退，子結花落也。

When discussing the qi of a particular direction, it must not exceed its corners. Going beyond the front corner is called "gu" (isolation), and retreating to the back corner is called "guo" (fewness). The concept of one direction's qi refers to the four trigrams each governing a season's paired branches. For example, the spring direction is governed by寅 (Yin) and卯 (Mao) and辰 (Chen). The front corner巳 (Si) is considered "gu" (isolation), and the back corner丑 (Chou) is considered "guo" (fewness). Since the prosperous qi does not go beyond the scope of one direction, the concept of "shuai" (decline) actually signifies the completion of a task. Wood is said to be born in亥 (Hai) and to decline in辰 (Chen), meaning that wood is born in the eastern spring position and declines at辰 (Chen); this is a continuous cycle of decline and prosperity, similar to achieving success and then withdrawing, like the process of bearing fruit and then the flower withering. Therefore, this book does not regard decline as purely a bad thing.

華過衰而實成，是窮則變通之象。始生於沐浴，為風水陶化之因；冠帶則材器可任，臨官則鬼害之難。物主臨官則氣血堅壯，可受制敵，不畏其鬼。旺則剛介自處，衰則去華立實，病者孤也。病者形勢孤弱，如木病巳，則寅辰之孤也。

After flowers wither, fruits are formed, which is exactly the situation described in the Book of Changes as "when things reach their limit, they change; when they change, they become unblocked." In terms of the twelve earthly branches: after birth, one enters "Bathing," which is the reason for the nurturing influence of wind and water; when reaching "Capping," the material quality and form can take on responsibilities; when reaching "Officialdom," it can withstand the harm of ghosts and evils. When something is in the position of Officialdom, its vital energy and strength are solid and robust, able to endure suppression and resist enemies, so it is not afraid of the ghosts. When reaching "Prosperity," it becomes strong and upright, maintaining its position; when reaching "Decline," it sheds superficiality and becomes grounded; when reaching "Disease," it becomes isolated.the so-called disease refers to a situation of weakness and isolation: for example, the disease position of wood is in Si, which is the isolated position outside the spring directions of Yin and Chen.

死兮無物，墓藏為造化之終；絕煞有鼎新之氣，氣盡後成胞胎，凝結始分形狀。此長生之氣，言五行至絕受氣而成形，十二支位之經，乃代謝自然。夫物出自然，端倪莫測，直須仔細探賾，消息龜數。五行之造化，萬物之盈虧，以盡蓍龜之數。

When one reaches "death," there is nothing left; "mound" signifies storage, marking the end of transformation. "Extinction" appears as a凶气, yet it contains the opportunity for renewal and transformation—after the cycle of energy is exhausted, it forms a fetus, gradually coalescing into shape. This is the origin of the growth energy: among the five phases, when they reach their end, they receive energy and take form. The twelve branches, with their positions and interconnections, describe the natural process of renewal and decay. All things arise from nature, their beginnings and details hard to measure, so one must carefully explore the profound principles, observing the waxing and waning as one would when divining with yarrow stalks or tortoise shells. The transformations of the five phases and the rise and fall of all things depend on exhausting the numbers that divination can reveal.

衰病之所，有鬼則止，無鬼則停。止則窮己，停則流滯。如丙至壬戌壬申則絕，至庚申乙亥則流滯而不通。水性本寒，火體本熱，極寒則丑寅以為期，大暑則未申而自定。極也反也，五行之常體；生也殞也，萬物之自然。五行各有正性，在人所稟有吉凶，發覺未萌，須在期程之所極可定。賦云：「三冬暑少九陽多。」亦以正氣為憑也。五行之運，陰陽相推，亦有不應和者，亦極相反，是謂死兮生之本、生兮死之源。

When a person is in a declining or diseased state, if a "ghost" comes to overcome it, the situation will stop. If there is no ghost, it will merely stagnate. Stopping means that the matter has reached its end, while stagnation means that there is an obstruction. For example, the fire element of Bing will reach its decline when it reaches Renxu or Renshen, and it will become stagnant and unsmooth when it reaches Gengshen or Yihai. Water is naturally cold, and fire is naturally hot; the coldest time is marked by Chou and Yin, and the hottest time is marked by Wei and Shen. When something reaches its extreme, it will turn around, which is the normal state of the Five Phases. Where there is birth, there is also death, which is the natural course of all things. Each of the Five Phases has its inherent nature; when people receive these elements, they may have good or bad fortune. To detect this before it begins, one must determine it according to the extreme periods of the energies. The text says, "In the three winters, the heat is less and the nine Yangs are more," which is based on the inherent nature of the elements. The movement of the Five Phases and the interaction of Yin and Yang may not always correspond with each other; when they reach an extreme, they may turn into their opposite, which is called that death is the root of life and life is the source of death.

歲隱其神，神成而歲死。歲木也，神火也，火盛則木死，勢不兩立，因恩而生害。智從義出，智盛則主藏。智，水也；義，金也。金生水，水盛金藏，未嘗不失於義也。信從四事，物物皆歸，鍾於土是也。辰為木之土，戌為金之土，未為火之土，丑為水之土。

The planet Jupiter conceals the divine, and when the divine is realized, Jupiter dies. The "year" refers to wood, and the "divine" refers to fire; when fire is too strong, it burns the wood, and the two cannot coexist. Originally, they are in a relationship of mutual generation, yet they cause harm instead. Wisdom arises from righteousness, but when wisdom becomes too strong, righteousness becomes concealed. Wisdom is water, and righteousness is metal; metal generates water, but when water becomes strong, metal becomes hidden, and righteousness is lost. Trust governs all directions and ultimately unifies all things, because trust is centered in earth. The four seasons each have their own earth: Chen is the earth of wood, Xu is the earth of metal, Wei is the earth of fire, and Chou is the earth of water. These four aspects fully explain the mutual generation and mutual destruction among the five phases, and they serve as the theoretical foundation for the previous discussion on human nature and temperament.

鬼財相會，則凶中得吉。如庚申得癸卯，是庚申月乙卯，有合會德之財，癸卯為木之鬼。觀刑逢妻，生旺不取。生月為父，胎月為母，身克為妻，妻生為子，時生是妻子之數，成敗自然。以火克金為父，則以生月定之，然後看日時承受、胎月有無刑害。身克為妻，以日論之；妻生為子，以時推之：乃看生旺刑制五行之定數也。

The ghost and wealth are in the same place, but this leads to good fortune from misfortune. For example, if Gengshen meets Guimao, and if Gengshen is the month and Yimao appears, there is a harmonious and virtuous wealth. However, the nayin sound element of Guimao is the ghost of wood. When there is punishment and harm and the wife's position is also present, we do not take the birth and prosperity. The rules for the Six Relations in this book are: the month of birth is the father, the month of the womb is the mother, what I overcome is the wife, what the wife produces is the son, and the time of birth is where the wife and son are located. Success or failure can be seen naturally. For example, if fire overcomes metal to represent the father, first determine the month of birth, then check if the day and time can support it, and then see if there is punishment and harm between the month of birth and the month of the womb. The wife is determined from the day pillar, and the son is determined from the time pillar. In all cases, we must look at the birth and prosperity and the punishment and harm according to the fixed numbers of the Five Phases.

胎氣同往，當有異母；月干相逢，須依二父。受胎正在受氣之地，而與日時支干同者，當食二母之乳；月於與年干相連，而同在父母生地，當相交或立身於二事而成也。

The fetus and the other position go together, indicating two mothers; if the monthly stem meets the yearly stem, then two fathers are involved. Specifically, if the conception falls exactly in the position of the vital breath, and the stem and branch of the fetus match those of the day and hour, this person will be breastfed by two mothers—possibly a stepmother or a wet nurse. If the monthly stem connects with the yearly stem, and both are in the positions of the parents' birth, then either the parents may have remarried or the person needs to establish themselves in two different fields to achieve success. These interpretations are derived from the relationship between the three stems and four pillars' stems and branches.

子息則先明生氣，或用克以推之。如丁巳土以木為子孫，建至亥上得辛，若四柱見丁在無氣，更有刑害者，必少子孫也。自生自旺，更看運元胎月。如生納音在月旺處，更不論刑害子孫之地；如胎月在有氣處於生時之上，亦不絕子也。

To discuss children, one must first clarify the life qi or use the relationship of '克制' (control and restriction). For example, if the nayin sound element is Dingsi, which corresponds to sandy earth, earth takes wood as its descendants. Counting from the month builder to the亥 position, we get Xin. If the existing丁 in the four pillars has no vitality and is subject to punishment and harm, then there will certainly be few descendants. If the original element is self-generating and strong, we should also examine the destiny of the journey and the positions of the胎 (womb) and月 (month). For instance, if the nayin sound element falls in the旺 (prosperous) position of the month builder, there is no need to worry about the punishment and harm in the descendants' position. Similarly, if both the胎 and月 are in positions with vitality and are added on top of the birth time, there will also be no issue with having descendants.

祿馬不閒，子孫未必絕滅。若人生時見祿馬往來朝命，不犯孤寡，亦有子孫。陰陽和會，交友結心，同氣連枝，同名定數。五行須和順者，四海之人亦心於交友相結，況同胞兄弟豈不得力；但五行中以此為兄弟而無災位也。

People who have both their official star and horse sign occupied are unlikely to have no descendants. If at the time of birth, the official star and horse sign are seen to support and assist the native's destiny, and they do not fall into Guchen or Guasu, they will still have descendants. Those who can harmonize yin and yang can make friends who truly understand them; brothers who share the same root are even more likely to share the same fate. As long as the Five Phases are harmonious, people from all over the world can sincerely connect, let alone siblings. When discussing brothers, the one in the Five Phases that is harmonious is considered the brother's position, as long as it does not fall into a bad position.

或有偶然同產一母，以生須分深淺之時，復看五音向背。凡一時有八刻二十分，故有淺深前後吉凶不同，其有以生須分深淺；異姓則論五音向背。本音生旺，須至福勝於休囚；時日初終，更看先後之凶吉。異姓同時，音得旺相者福祿深厚；言同時則看先後吉凶。

Sometimes, if two people are twins born from the same mother, they must be differentiated by the order and depth of their birth times, and also by the direction of the five tones. A single hour consists of eight parts and twenty minutes, so even within the same hour there can be differences in depth and order, leading to different fortune outcomes—this is called "distinguishing by depth and order of birth." If they are not twins but just people born at the same time but of different families, then the direction of the five tones is considered. Those whose nayin sound element is in a prosperous and strong state will certainly have more blessings than those in a weak and confined state; within the same hour, one must also consider the beginning and end of the hour relative to the day, to distinguish the fortune of the earlier and later parts. For people of different families born at the same time, those whose nayin sound element is in a prosperous and strong state will have deeper blessings—so when it is said "at the same time," one must distinguish fortune based on the order of birth.

歲月各計於氣交，胎月定推於干數。有年未交而氣先交者，氣己交而月未建者，須以交氣為定人之生也。稟五行四時之氣為性命，且年歲乃辰煞而己，其餘建月不足月，俱以十月為胎，以同天干之數。

The calculation of both year and month must be based on the intersection of solar terms. The fetal origin is determined by the number of heavenly stems. Sometimes the year has not yet changed but the solar term has, and sometimes the solar term has already changed but the month builder has not yet switched. In such cases, one must use the intersection of the solar term to determine the person's birth. Because a person's constitution is formed by the five phases and the four seasons' energies, while the years are merely the hour positions and divine omens. As for the month builder, regardless of whether it has completed a full month or not, the gestation period is always considered to be ten months, matching the number of heavenly stems (which correspond to the ten months of pregnancy). Starting from the birth month, one goes back one heavenly stem and then advances one, to determine the fetal origin.

是以天奇地偶，有萬不同；陰煞陽生，無形自運。察衰旺於氣數之中，則萬物變論之必應。天地生物不同，如人質未嘗相肖，蓋使有造化之別爾。陽主生，陰主煞，乃運於無形之中，而萬物先後自然應備。五行衰旺以四時輪轉，則萬物從而化育，至如鷹入水化為鳩、蚯蚓結之類是也。

Therefore, the heavenly numbers take the odd, and the earthly numbers take the even, varying in countless ways; yin governs the severe and killing, while yang governs growth and development, all operating spontaneously without form. By examining the waxing and waning within the vital energies, the changes of all things can be accurately inferred. The heavens and earth nurture myriad beings, each differing from the others, just as human qualities are never entirely alike, due to the inherent differentiation of nature. Yang governs growth, yin governs destruction, both operating invisibly, yet the natural order of all things is naturally complete. The waxing and waning of the Five Phases follow the four seasons, and all things accordingly undergo transformation. For example, the changes recorded in the "Monthly Orders" such as eagles entering water and transforming into doves, and earthworms forming knots, all follow this principle.

貴賤所成，刑聚敗極：甲申得丁巳己卯己巳之類。四柱不收：甲子得丙寅丁巳辛亥壬申之類。五行未備：甲子得庚子己卯癸巳之類。

The following examples illustrate how the distinction between noble and humble destinies is determined. The first is called "刑聚败极," meaning that punishments and failures are concentrated in one place to the extreme, for example, in the year Jiashen (甲申) with Dingsi (丁巳), Jimao (己卯), and Jisi (己巳). The second is called "四柱不收," meaning that the four pillars are scattered and unable to contain the destiny, for example, in the year Jiazi (甲子) with Bingyin (丙寅), Dingsi (丁巳), Xinhai (辛亥), and Renshen (壬申). The third is called "五行未备," meaning that the Five Phases are incomplete, for example, in the year Jiazi (甲子) with Gengzi (庚子), Jimao (己卯), and Guisi (癸巳). These examples take the year pillar as the destiny, and then examine whether the other pillars are contained and correspond accordingly.

數無取用：如不合干不沖支，而上下相異其氣。一方前後：如木命人己丑之類。數無取用：如不合干不沖支，而上下相異其氣。一方前後：如木命人己丑之類。

Its fourth type is called 'no use of numbers,' meaning that it neither matches the heavenly stems nor conflicts with the earthly branches, and the energies between upper and lower are different, so there is no way to take or use them. Its fifth type is called 'one side front and back,' meaning that the energy of the destiny falls on the front or back corner of one side, for example, a person with a wood destiny encountering Jichou, since Chou is after the spring direction of Yin, Mao, and Chen, which is the position of scarcity. These two types were copied repeatedly in the original text, with identical wording, clearly due to transmission errors. Now they are included exactly as they appear in the original text, without any deletion or consolidation.

柱多隔角：辛丑得辛卯，甲子得甲戌。真者失時：如丙辛合在二月六月，丁壬合在秋月。假者殃克：五行納音本輕，卻多逢剋制。

The sixth is called "columns with gaps," meaning that the pillars are separated by one position and not connected, for example, Xin Chou with Xin Mao (Chou and Mao are separated by Yin), or Jia Zi with Jia Xu (Zi and Xu are separated by Hai). The seventh is called "true combination but wrong time," meaning that the true combination is not supported by the right season, for example, Bing and Xin combine to form water but are born in February or June, or Ding and Ren combine to form wood but are born in autumn; the combination is true but the time does not support it. The eighth is called "false combination with harm and conflict," meaning that the original energy of the Five Phases and Nayin sound element is already weak, and it is further repeatedly subjected to suppression, thus causing disaster.

主本倒亂：火年水日，列先逢生旺，繼逢死絕。父子乖違：日克年，時克月。貧賤之人皆從此出。人生元命犯以上之格，皆主貧賤害身；如此而元命有氣，卻得富貴者，必不久而多凶也。

The ninth is called "the main and its sequence are reversed and confused," meaning the main element and its order are inverted and disordered. For example, if someone is born in a fire year but has a water day, when arranged, they first encounter a favorable and thriving position, then immediately face a dying and exhausted position. The tenth is called "father and son are at odds," meaning the day pillar overcomes the year pillar, and the hour pillar overcomes the month pillar, indicating a situation where the lower violates the upper. People of humble status all come from these patterns. If a person's original destiny is afflicted by any of the above patterns, they will be poor and lowly and suffer harm to themselves. If someone is afflicted by these patterns but still manages to become wealthy and prosperous due to their original destiny having some strength, they will certainly not last long and will often encounter dangers.

祿期本地，身命旺相；祿承馬在，貴合兩同。如甲人生女卯未地，或寅卯辰中，即生旺氣也；如壬辰得辛亥丙寅己亥，甲寅得乙未丙子己亥也。真冀體守位，如丁人得壬而在寅卯辰亥之中，或見丙辛各在旺地，而別旺無丁壬也。

The official position falls in its proper place, and both the body and the destiny are in a prosperous and strong state; the official position is supported, and the horse is in its proper position, with wealth and harmony being the same — this is a good pattern. For example, a person born in the year of Jia, if born in the wood trinity of亥, 卯, 未, or in the spring direction of 寅, 卯, 辰, then they have obtained the vital energy of birth and prosperity. Another example is a person with the destiny of Renchen who has Xinhai, Bingyin, and Jihai, or a person with Jiayin who has Yiwei, Bingzi, and Jihai — all fall into this category. What is meant by 'true energy remaining in its position' is that, for example, a person born in the year of Ding, if they have the combination of Ren (Ding and Ren are compatible), and this combination falls in the positions of 寅, 卯, 辰, or 亥 (where the wood element is in its proper place), or if they see both Bing and Xin in their strong positions, while elsewhere although strong, they do not repeat the presence of Ding and Ren — only when there is no repetition does purity appear.

假音得時，如上人生夏季，或居申子辰中，連四季皆是。寶義制伐四事顯明：尊生早曰寶，早生尊曰義，上克下曰制，下賤上曰伐。以此四者，胎月日時上下相生相剋是也。

The concept of "false sound in season" refers to the Nayin sound element not being genuine qi but happening at the right time, for example, a person with a earth destiny born in summer (fire generates earth), or someone whose destiny falls in the combination of Shen, Zi, and Chen and also includes the months of the four seasons, all fall into this category. The four matters of "treasure, righteousness, control, and attack" are explained clearly: when the superior side generates and supports the inferior side, it is called "treasure"; when the inferior side generates and supports the superior side, it is called "righteousness"; when the superior side controls the inferior side, it is called "control"; and when the inferior side oppresses the superior side, it is called "attack." By using these four terms to examine the mutual generation and control between the stem of the fetus, month, day, and hour, one can determine the order of the structure. These four characters are the core oral诀 of this book for judging the relationship of superiority and inferiority among the four pillars.

五行不雜，九命相養。謂三元各處一方，帶本近祿而和，及三元各居生旺庫，而納音支干相生育也。木官不重，木須要金，而木通用甲重而無金者，須得支有。金鬼無偏，金須要火，而金相當，或須重而合會於丙。

The Five Phases should be pure and not mixed, with the nine destinies mutually nurturing each other—this refers to the three elements each occupying their own position, carrying their original energy and being close to their official position, harmonizing with each other. Moreover, the three elements respectively reside in the places of Growth, Prosperity, and Storage. The Nayin sound element interacts with the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches in a way of mutual generation. For wood, the official star should not be too heavy: wood must have metal to cut and shape it, but if the Jia wood is entirely heavy without any metal, there should be metal energy in the Earthly Branches. For metal, the ghostly evil should not be too strong: metal must be tempered by fire, and fire and metal should have equal strength; if the metal energy is particularly strong, it should be combined with Bing fire to be sufficient.

用刑者有時，如寅刑巳而生在春，制克有用。守刑者不亂，如癸巳刑戊申而無丁干者是。明官德合，如丁亥得壬辰壬戊壬寅，又己卯得甲戌甲寅。暗逢支祿，甲人得丑未亥之類。

Using punishment (刑) depends on the season: for example, the punishment of寅 on巳, if it occurs in spring when wood is strong and can restrain and overcome, then this punishment is useful. Keeping the punishment orderly and not confused: for example, the punishment ofGuisi onWushen, if there is no 丁 in the heavenly stems to disrupt it, it is called orderly punishment. "Bright official virtue harmony" refers to the official star being clearly present and forming a harmonious combination, for example, Dinghai with Renchen, Renxu (the original text says 壬戊), Renyin (where 丁 and壬 form a harmonious combination), and also Jimao with Jiaxu, Jiayin (where 甲 and己 form a harmonious combination). "Hidden meeting of the branch's luck" refers to the luck not being clearly visible but hidden in the earth branches, for example, a person born in the year of 甲, who has 丑, 未, or 亥 (which contain the luck of 乙, 己, or 壬 hidden within them).

支純干一，有貴來朝。本命四柱支干純一，或四柱干目純帶貴神來朝本命，或四柱並在一支上見貴神。主旺本成，會於一方。庚子土得庚辰日、癸未時、丙戌月、丁丑胎之類，雖沖破卻會在本氣之方，更有祿馬尤吉。

When the earthly branches are all the same and the heavenly stems are consistent, and there is also a nobleman coming to support, it is considered an excellent configuration.the so-called "branch pure and stem consistent" refers to the four pillars of the birth chart having pure and uniform heavenly stems and earthly branches; or the heavenly stems being pure and all accompanied by noble spirits supporting the birth chart; or all four pillars falling on the same earthly branch and seeing noble spirits. "Mainly prosperous and mature" means that all pillars converge in the same direction. For example, if someone is born in the year of Gengzi (Wall Earth), and has the day of Gengchen, the hour of Guiwei, the month of Bingxu, and the time of Dingchou, all four pillars include the branches Chen, Xu, Chou, and Hai, although they may conflict with each other, they all align with the original earth's energy. If there are also a禄 (favorable position) and a马 (horse, indicating good fortune), it becomes even more auspicious.

金逢五事順得三奇。金木水火土、金而三元有旺氣，得生克相順尤嘉也。辛酉生人得甲午月、戊寅日、庚申時者，是三奇之順得也。富貴之人皆能應此。人生元命支干四柱應以上諸格者主富貴，縱無氣亦主聞名挺特出群。

When metal meets the five elements all present and in proper order, and also receives the Three Marvels, it forms a good pattern. The so-called five elements refer to the complete presence of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth; for someone with a metal destiny, if the three yuan also have strong energy, and the generating and controlling relationships are in harmony, it is even better. For example, a person born in the year of Xinyou, with the month of Jiawu, day of Wuyin, and hour of Gengshen, the Jia, Wu, and Geng in this combination are the Three Marvels, and they are arranged in the correct order, which is called harmonious Three Marvels. Wealthy and noble people can correspond to these patterns. If a person's four pillars of heavenly stem and earthly branch match the above patterns, they will be prosperous and wealthy; even if their original strength is weak, they will still have a far-reaching reputation and stand out prominently.

五行各有奇儀，須分逆順。若三奇各帶合，須前後五辰合為上，更分順逆之用。甲戊庚金奇喜辰戌丑未或金方，乙丙丁火奇喜寅午戌或酉方，丙辛癸水奇喜亥子丑申辰方，丁壬甲木奇喜寅卯辰亥方，甲己丙土奇喜四季及寅亥午申方。歲胎月日時者順，時日月胎歲者逆。三奇亦要合而貴，五位得逆順三奇皆吉，惟嫌不連順。

The Five Phases each have their own special symbols, and it is essential to distinguish between reverse and forward movement. If the Three Marvels are accompanied by their respective combinations, the best arrangement is when all five positions are harmonious. This should also be divided into forward and reverse usage. The preferences and aversions for each group of Three Marvels are as follows: Jia, Wu, and Geng are considered Metal Marvels, which are favorable when they fall in the positions of Chen, Xu, Chou, or Wei, or in the Metal direction. Yi, Bing, and Ding are considered Fire Marvels, which are favorable when they fall in the positions of Yin, Wu, Xu, or in the酉 direction. Bing, Xin, and Gui are considered Water Marvels, which are favorable when they fall in the positions of Zi, Chou, or Wei, or in the directions of Shen and Chen. Ding, Ren, and Jia are considered Wood Marvels, which are favorable when they fall in the positions of Yin, Mao, Chen, or Hai. Jia, Ji, and Bing are considered Earth Marvels, which are favorable when they fall in the four seasons' months or in the directions of Yin, Hai, Wu, and Shen. In terms of arrangement, the order of year, fetus, month, day, and hour is considered forward, while the order of hour, day, month, fetus, and year is considered reverse. The Three Marvels must form a harmonious combination to be considered valuable. Whether the Three Marvels are arranged in a forward or reverse order, they are considered auspicious, but they are disliked if they are not connected or in a coherent sequence.

胎本立於歲前，因歲得之胎月，故立胎在歲後月前。空刑敗害、日時倒亂，卻得順奇，不為倒也。三刑八敗六害、空亡相生相絕倒亂者，卻得三奇順在本方，亦主富貴。

The original position of the胎元 should be placed before the year position, but since the胎月 is derived from the year, in actual arrangement the胎 is placed after the year but before the month. Even if the fate involves Kongwang,刑, 败, 害, and the order of day and hour is reversed, as long as the three marvels are arranged in the correct order, it is not considered reversed. In other words, if there are three刑, eight 败, six 害, or Kongwang and mutual generation and mutual destruction with the order reversed, as long as the three marvels are arranged in the favorable direction for the native's destiny, it still indicates wealth and honor. This provides a way for those with broken patterns to be redeemed.

日時無方，東里多迪；根鮮枝榮，西門寡祿；根固時雄，花實無忒。日時之力不輔三元，或耗或克，主災多。行年根苗花實，乃胎月日時相順為貴；若五行更到旺方，即為長遠。

If the day and hour pillars lose their directional alignment, those living in the eastern alley may face many hardships; if the roots are sparse but the branches are flourishing, those living by the western gate may not receive much official salary; but if the roots are firmly planted and the growth is strong, then the blooming and fruiting will be without error. This means that if the strength of the day and hour pillars cannot support the three elements, but instead consume or overcome them, it will lead to many calamities. When calculating the flow of years, the fetal, monthly, daily, and hourly pillars are compared to roots, sprouts, flowers, and fruits, and only when these four elements follow each other in sequence can one be considered noble; if the five elements also align with the flourishing direction, then the fortune will be long-lasting.

應得位者，支干各有所刑官或無氣也，上下須依乎父母。入前格而貴者，支干中須有沖刑之官；如無官，須以德運為清也。當死絕處須要逢父母，故子晉云：「賴五行之救助。」

The concept of "should be in the right position" refers to the situation where the heavenly stem and earthly branch each have their own officials (offices) that are subject to punishment, or the official itself lacks vitality. In such cases, the superior and inferior must rely on the parents (the gods that generate me). For those patterns that conform to the previous ones and result in prosperity, the heavenly stem and earthly branch must contain an official that is either conflicting or punished. If there is no official, one must rely on the moral god and favorable fortune to achieve clarity. When one reaches the dead or terminal positions, it is especially necessary to encounter the parents to support and sustain. Therefore, Zi Jin said, "It entirely depends on the assistance of the Five Phases." This also highlights that in this book, when discussing good and bad fortune, the assisting deity is more important than the names of divine omens.

四柱主本，祿馬往來，須分建破；天乙扶持，將得侍衛，更辨尊卑。謂當用處有建不可破，已破卻不可建，吉神在四柱中，各在四時用干為貴。真合為緊，子巳卯中之合為真。

Between the four pillars and the main stem, the benefits and horses interact and cross each other, so it is essential to distinguish where the 'establishment' (建) is and where the 'destruction' (破) is. When the Tianyi Nobleman comes to support, it is like a general receiving his attendants; one must also clarify the hierarchy and order of respect. This means: if the place where something is taken is already established, it should not be destroyed again; if it has already been destroyed, it cannot be considered as established again. Beneficial deities located within the four pillars must appear on the heavenly stems that correspond to the four seasons to be considered valuable. The true harmony is most important: the heavenly stems and earthly branches hidden within Zi, Si, and Mao that harmonize with each other are called true harmony.

德合不清：甲子己丑、丙戌辛卯連順而貴，尚不如壬予癸丑。連珠未顯：連珠支干前後顛倒，皆不為顯。空合何榮：四柱相合，不扶六馬本命，即為不貴。

"Dehe bu qing" means: Like Jiazi paired with Jichou, and Bingxu paired with Xinmao, which are consecutive and smooth, forming a noble pattern, it is still not as pure as Renzi paired with Guichou. "Lianzhu wei xian" means: If the order of the connected stars in the Lianzhu pattern is reversed, they cannot achieve success. "Konghe he rong" means: Although the four pillars may be mutually compatible, if they cannot support the six horses and the original destiny, they cannot be considered noble. These three examples are all cases of "appearing to form a pattern but actually not," serving as examples for identifying false patterns.

支連干會，連珠真同鳳凰藪；刑全貴全，天赦祿食麒麟窟。甲子乙丑丙寅連順而貴，尚不如壬子癸丑甲寅乙卯為鳳凰藪，其貴清異。人生二刑更晝夜貴神全，皆主文章清秀之貴。

The Earthly Branches connect in sequence and the Heavenly Stems combine, and the true 'chain' pattern is like the gathering place of the phoenix; when the three types of punishment are complete and the noble spirits are also complete, plus the Heavenly Pardon, official luck and food god, it is like the dwelling place of the qilin. For example, if Jiazi, Yichou, and Bingyin are arranged in sequence to form a noble pattern, it is still not as good as Renzi, Guichou, Jiayin, and Yimao forming a continuous sequence of four pillars, which is called 'Phoenix薮'. Its nobility is refined and outstanding. If a person's fate includes two types of punishment, and both the day noble spirit and night noble spirit are complete, it indicates a noble status of clear and elegant literary talent.

卯酉自分承不承，魁罡言之會不會。乙酉得辛卯，辛酉得癸卯，而有辰戌，言支干相承用。魁罡辰戌也，辰戌相沖，須有寅亥申支乃為相會，不相會為凶。罡中旺乙，魁裡伏辛，貴神得癸，小吉隱丁。辰中是乙，戌中是辛，乙丑為貴神，丑中有癸，未中是丁。

Between卯 and 酉, one must clearly determine whether they connect properly or not. Similarly, between 辰 and 戌, one should check whether they can come together or not. For example, if Yiyou meets Xinmao, or Xinyou meets Guimao, and there are also 辰 and 戌 in between, this indicates that the heavenly stems and earthly branches can connect and be used. The Heavenly Gang refers to 辰 and 戌. Although 辰 and 戌 naturally conflict, they need another branch such as 寅, 亥, or 申 to mediate and connect. If they cannot connect, it becomes a凶 (adverse) situation. Now, regarding the hidden heavenly stems in the earthly branches: in 辰, 乙 wood is strong; in 戌, 辛 metal is hidden; in 丑, 贵神 (a favorable deity) is癸 water; in 未, 小吉 (a minor auspicious sign) is 丁 fire. That is, 辰 contains 乙, 戌 contains 辛, Yichou is 贵神 and 丑 contains 癸, while 未 contains 丁. These hidden heavenly stems are key to determining whether the Heavenly Gang can connect properly.

有陰而無陽，乃四方之貢土。言癸乙丁辛皆陰干，四位中貫成其物之土。陽守正於魁罡，陰有用於丑未。金在火鄉，貴而遷；逐財則孤勞。戊同辰戌，己同丑未。金命在火鄉，貴人多黜；貴財人則孤勞。

Only the yin stems are present without the yang stems, which is like soil brought in from the four directions. This refers to the yin stems, namely Gui, Yi, Ding, and Xin, which are stored in the four positions of Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei. They are connected to form the substance of earth. The yang stems remain in their proper positions at Chen and Xu, while the yin stems exert their influence at Chou and Wei. Wu earth shares the same nature as Chen and Xu, and Ji earth shares the same nature as Chou and Wei. For those born under the metal stem, if they travel to the fire region, even if they attain high status, they will still be transferred or reassigned. If they only pursue wealth, they will end up isolated and overworked. In summary, metal in the fire region, even if it is a nobleman, is often demoted, and those who value wealth will be even more lonely and burdened with toil.

體重為從革日新，本輕則災殃短折。金以火為官，若體重者為火位中生，亦可成器；若金本輕而生於火鄉，更遇之多，必短夭刑折。須詳生克之愛憎，舉一隅而辨眾。如金在火鄉，各以其義辨生克愛憎而言吉凶；如水木火土，各以金之義而推之，故一隅足以辨眾。

The essence that is substantial and heavy represents the image of 'from revolution' and can achieve constant renewal and change; the essence that is light and thin may lead to calamity and premature death. Because metal uses fire as its official star: if the substantial metal is born in the fire position, it can still be refined into a useful object; but if the original essence of metal is naturally light and thin, and it is born in the fire area, and repeatedly encounters fire, it will certainly result in a short life, premature death, or suffering from punishment and injury. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully distinguish between the love and hatred of generation and overcoming. For example, if metal falls into the fire area, we should judge the fortune and misfortune by understanding the principles of generation and overcoming; similarly, the other elements of water, wood, fire, and earth can all be analyzed in the same way as metal. Thus, understanding one example is sufficient to discern many situations.

支干論配合之情，力氣取四時之義。五行生在三合中，各以生克物化人倫之義以辨吉凶；更看四時中所得力氣，及支干配合真假，以定吉凶。仍分尊卑上下、筋脈交連、神煞吉凶，以分高下。此重言者，欲人不忽於消息。言更看上下先后尊卑、見不見抽不抽之筋脈情理，乃神煞吉凶而定榮謝也。

The relationship between heavenly stems and earthly branches should be considered in terms of their emotional compatibility. The strength and momentum should be determined according to the principles of the four seasons. The Five Phases are born within the Triple Harmony, and each should be judged according to the principles of generation and overcoming, transformation, and human relationships to determine fortune or misfortune. Additionally, one must examine how much strength each element receives within the four seasons, and whether the combination of heavenly stems and earthly branches is genuine or false, thereby determining fortune or misfortune. Moreover, one should also distinguish between hierarchy and status, how the connections are formed and linked, and whether the spiritual omens are auspicious or inauspicious, in order to judge the level of fortune. The reason for repeatedly emphasizing this is to prevent people from neglecting the subtle aspects of the waxing and waning of energies. One must observe the hierarchy and sequence of superior and inferior positions, as well as the visible and invisible, the drawn-out and undrawn connections of the subtle principles, and then combine them with the auspicious or inauspicious spiritual omens, in order to determine one's lifetime of success and decline.

至若貴神當位，諸煞伏藏，三元旺相，豈專神煞。言天乙貴人論於干，看五行四時之氣及晝夜之干而定；若有氣，天乙當位，則煞自藏矣。五行三元為本，若在旺相之地，不背克生氣，不論神煞也。

As for the nobleman god being in its proper position, all kinds of evil influences naturally hide and remain inactive, and the three elements are all in a prosperous and strong state. So there is no need to rely solely on the gods and evil influences to determine fate. This means that the Tianyi Nobleman should be determined based on the heavenly stems, considering the five phases, the seasonal energies, and whether it is day or night. As long as the essential energy is strong and the Tianyi Nobleman is in its proper position, the evil influences will naturally be hidden. The five phases and the three elements are the fundamental principles. If they are in a prosperous and strong state and do not contradict the energies that generate or control me, there is no need to pay much attention to the gods and evil influences. This statement can be regarded as the final conclusion of the entire book regarding the gods and evil influences: the gods and evil influences are secondary, while the five phases and the three elements are primary.

或遇七元，刑劫敗害、元亡沖破，在上無可救者，為頭目之疾。七元干鬼者，對命是也。三刑劫煞、八敗六害、元亡沖破者，犯真祿之位，見干鬼及三兩位並犯胎命之建，更地位無救，主頭目疾。在下無可救者，為手足之厄。只犯納音支者，乃手足股肱之病。

If "seven elements" are encountered, and further combined with three types of punishments, jiesha, eight defeats, six harms, yuanchen, wangshen, conflict, and destruction, and if there is no salvation from the heavenly stems above, it indicates diseases of the head and eyes. The so-called seven elements' heavenly ghost refers to the heavenly stem that opposes the birth stem and overcomes it. Specifically, if three punishments, jiesha, eight defeats, six harms, yuanchen, wangshen, conflict, and destruction all conflict with the true禄 position, and if heavenly stem ghosts are also present, and if two or three positions simultaneously conflict with the fetal stem and the birth stem's month builder, and if there is no salvation in the earthly branches, it indicates diseases of the head and eyes. If there is no salvation from the earthly branches below, it indicates calamities to the hands and feet; if only the nayin and earthly branches are conflicted, it indicates diseases of the hands and feet. This is a rule from this book that deduces diseases from fate, taking the correspondence between upper and lower as the human body's upper and lower parts.

父母之孫奚能免害？生時既用，行運亦然。如此之人亦須妨害六親，以三元尊卑而言也。又言己土七煞之凶，不惟生時用於上下之災，行運太歲亦當與日時通論。

How could parents and descendants be free from being involved? If such a method is used at birth, it is the same when considering one's fortune over time. Such a person will inevitably cause harm to the Six Relations, which refers to the hierarchical relationships of the three elements. Moreover, the danger of the seven evils of the己 earth element is not only harmful at birth, but also during the course of one's life and when encountering the annual stem. It should be considered in conjunction with the day pillar and the hour pillar, rather than focusing solely on the birth chart.

木火則奔速，土金水乃容之。所遇上件破害，當向坐時運中，更分五行遲速之性：火木漸上主速，土金水沉下主遲緩也。噫！造化廖廓，禍福杳微。或積善而有災殃，或積惡而多喜慶，蓋禍福定於生時，善惡由人；然而天道福善禍淫，故君子修身以俟命。

Wood and fire are quick in nature and act swiftly; earth, metal, and water are slow in nature and can endure delays. When encountering the above-mentioned destructive and harmful influences, one should consider the current period of fortune and misfortune, and then distinguish the nature of the five elements in terms of speed and slowness: fire and wood gradually rise, indicating quick results; earth, metal, and water sink downward, indicating slow results. Alas, the transformations of the universe are vast and boundless, and misfortune and fortune are deep and hard to measure. Some people who do good suffer calamities, while others who do evil enjoy happiness—this is because misfortune and fortune are determined by the time of birth, while good and evil are decided by oneself. However, the way of heaven ultimately bestows blessings upon the virtuous and calamities upon the wicked. Therefore, the gentleman should only cultivate himself and wait quietly for fate. This conclusion focusing on self-cultivation is the final point of the essay "Deciding Prosperity and Decline by Time."

三元者，大小氣運也；九限者，三運之榮謝也。自生得節日為初，陽男陰女順而理，陰男陽女逆而推。曏者數之未來，背者用之已往。十干分之為月，三日成之一年。向背之數須得其實，未來無日，謂當日得節也，當虛作歲，背之同推。行遊四柱，吉凶自然；小運同途，盛衰理異。運至四柱中伏反生克，吉凶自然；同年小運，四柱所生有別也。

The term "three yuan" refers here to the great destiny, the small destiny, and the qi destiny. The term "nine limits" refers to the division of each of the three destinies into prosperity and decline, resulting in nine different limits. The calculation of destiny begins from the day of birth up to the day of the next solar term: for a male born in a yang year or a female born in a yin year, the calculation proceeds forward; for a male born in a yin year or a female born in a yang year, the calculation proceeds backward. Counting forward represents future days, while counting backward represents past days. The number of days in front and behind must be verified: if there are no remaining days in the future, meaning the solar term coincides exactly with the day of birth, it is counted as one year of the old age. The same applies to the reverse calculation. As the destiny progresses through the four pillars, good and bad fortune naturally appear. Although the small destiny travels along with the great destiny, the principles of prosperity and decline differ. When the destiny reaches the four pillars and encounters hidden chant, reverse chant, or generation and overcoming, good and bad fortune naturally follow. Within the same year, the small destiny may differ in outcome due to the different qi generated by the four pillars.

伏反之狀災福，仍分本主之基，以辨吉凶之變。伏，守也，逢合則動；反，動也，逢合則靜。先分君子小人之主本，次看運中吉凶變通。小運天左地右，陽備於寅，陰備於申，故男一歲起於寅，女一歲起於申。寅為三陽化主，申為三陰肅煞，故男小運起於寅，女小運起於申。假如甲子年，男起丙寅，女起壬申之類是也。

The calamities and blessings brought by Fu Yin and Fan Yin must still distinguish the foundation of the native's destiny and the main position in order to discern changes of fortune and misfortune. "Fu" means to remain still, and when it meets a harmonious element, it becomes active; "Fan" means to be restless, and when it meets a harmonious element, it becomes still. When making a judgment, first determine whether the main element is of the path of the gentleman or the path of the petty person, then observe how fortune and misfortune change in the course of life. The method of calculating the minor years is that the heavenly path moves to the left and the earthly path moves to the right: yang energy is complete at寅, and yin energy is complete at申, so for a male, the minor year starts at寅 at the age of one, and for a female, it starts at申 at the age of one.寅 is the main position of the three yangs, and申 is the place of the three yins where the肃杀 (harsh and killing) energy prevails, hence males start at寅 and females start at申. For example, a person born in the year Jia Zi, the minor year for a male starts at Bing Yin (since Jia year hides Bing and moves to寅), and for a female, it starts at Ren Shen, and so on.

以建元而論勝負，助歲運而依吉凶。小運各以年遁月建五行而分生克勝負，小運助大運，太歲相依輔而為吉凶也。反破刑孤，凶中有吉；寅申二命，小運不專。返吟沖、伏吟害及孤病之類，雖是凶運，其中亦有吉者；二運生而小運伏吟反吟，故不以小運專仕太歲乏上也。

Using the Month Builder to determine victory and defeat, it assists the annual and decade cycles in determining fortune and misfortune. Each small cycle is divided into generating, overcoming, and victory and defeat based on the Five Phases of the Month Builder in the current year. The small cycle supports the large cycle, and the sovereign year interacts with it, together forming fortune and misfortune. Among the凶 factors such as reverse chant, destruction, punishment, and isolation, there are also elements of good fortune. For those whose destiny is in the positions of寅 and申, the small cycle cannot be considered alone. Because reverse chant and conflict, hidden chant and harm, and isolated and diseased positions, although they belong to bad fortune, there is also a possibility of turning into good fortune. Moreover, when the large and small cycles mutually generate, the small cycle happens to meet reverse or hidden chant, so one cannot rely solely on the small cycle and ignore the sovereign year.

一歲一移，周而復始。若一年各有一建而循環也，不可以氣運取。男三干而女二干，陽自戊子、陰自庚子，男得丁巳、女得辛巳，男順十月至丙寅、女逆十月至壬寅也。氣者時也，未有時而氣未定，既有時而氣以完。用之納音者，緣有身而得之氣也。言氣運取生時五行納音之休旺。

The small year cycle moves one position each year, repeating in a cycle. Since each year has a monthly cycle, it cannot be used as a qi cycle. The methods for men and women differ: men advance through three heavenly stems, while women retreat through two. Yang stems start from Wuzi, while Yin stems start from Gengzi. Men receive Dingsi, while women receive Xinsi. Men progress through ten months to reach Bingyin, while women regress through ten months to reach Rennyin. The term "qi" refers to the hour. Without an hour, the qi is not determined; with an hour, the qi is complete. The reason for using nayin is that only with the "body" (nayin) can one speak of receiving qi. This means that the qi cycle should be determined by the five phases of the nayin at the time of birth.

身者三元之本也，氣者身之本也。運既順而氣逆，運若逆而氣順，自生時為始轉行不已，推遷逐歲一宮，以大小運分吉凶休祥，非命之也。甲己土運，乙庚金運，乃天道起魁罡之運，主國家運祚之休祥，非雲命之氣運也。

"The body" (Nayin sound element) is the fundamental aspect of the three elements, and "qi" is the fundamental aspect of the body. When the great years progress in the usual direction, the qi moves in the opposite direction, and when the great years move in the opposite direction, the qi progresses in the usual direction. All calculations start from the time of birth, and the movement continues without stopping, advancing one palace each year, using great and small years to distinguish fortune and misfortune. This is not about the original destiny, but about the course of one's life. As for the system of the combination of Jia and Ji producing the earth cycle, and Yi and Geng producing the metal cycle, this refers to the great years calculated from the Qiu Gang starting point, which governs the rise and fall of a country's fortune, and is not about an individual's destiny. These two concepts should not be confused.

氣運並絕則厄。太歲為君王，大運為元帥，氣運如曹使，小運若使臣。帥凶則曹使不能吉。氣運二真運祿馬之氣並絕則死。太歲為百神之主，人運氣運欲轉輪不絕，則主本優遊；大運主生煞之柄，故曹使不能違理。

When the qi and the great movement both come to an end, calamity will occur. The four elements are like a system of officials: the Tai Sui is the sovereign, the great destiny is the general, the qi and destiny are like the subordinates in various departments, and the small destiny is like envoys on official business. If the general is adverse, the subordinates cannot become auspicious. If the qi and destiny, along with the two true destinies (the禄 and 马), all come to an end at the same time, it will be death. The Tai Sui is the master of all spirits; as long as a person's destiny and qi can circulate and not come to an end, the main principle will be at ease. The great destiny holds the power of life and death, so the subordinates (qi and small destiny) cannot contradict its principles.

會吉會凶，作用定矣。在三元生旺庫及祿馬旺處為會吉；居三元沐浴衰病死絕處，逢祿馬為鬼，無和順者，為會凶。其象大者至於死絕，小者期於災撓。身須逐運，運須逐身。柱助運而凶反吉，柱敗運而吉復凶。時運逢馬，吉凶馬上。一吉呼而百吉會，一凶馳而眾凶符。太歲起大運及主本尊者，則大危或死亡矣；小者有用，雖自有福，若傷慢處亦主災撓。身運二者須左右有符合資助為吉。柱為主，運為客，客為主害，無不凶也。三二運到馬上，即看馬上之吉凶。馬主動，必須細取三月元四柱論，不可以馬吉而不言馬上有凶也。

Whether it is "favorable meeting" or "unfavorable meeting" becomes clear when determining the use. If it falls in the birth, prosperity, or repository of the three elements, or in the place of wealth and prosperity, it is favorable meeting. If it falls in the bathing, decline, illness, death, or exhaustion of the three elements, and also meets wealth and prosperity, it becomes a ghostly evil and is not harmonious, thus it is unfavorable meeting. The degree of verification: severe cases may lead to death or exhaustion, while lighter cases may only bring troubles. The body must follow the fortune, and the fortune must follow the body. If the four pillars help in the fortune, even a凶 can turn into a吉; if the four pillars damage the fortune, even a吉 can turn into a凶. When the fortune meets the post-horse, the good or bad fortune will manifest on the horse. One good god calls, and all good fortune will gather; one evil demon moves, and all evil will follow. If the sovereign year touches the great fortune or the most respected position in the main pillar, it will be a great danger or even death. If the weight is lighter, there may still be some use and blessings, but once it is harmed in a careless place, it will bring troubles. The body and the fortune must have supporting gods on both sides to be favorable. The four pillars are the main, and the fortune is the guest; if the guest harms the main, it will certainly be unfavorable. When the great fortune and small fortune reach the post-horse, one must look at the good or bad of the horse. The horse's movement must be carefully combined with the three elements and the four pillars for discussion, and one cannot ignore the possibility of bad fortune just because the horse is good.

吉若勝凶，凶藏吉內；凶若勝吉，吉隱凶中。其言吉凶有相反，如季主云：「使盡吉合則殃也。」

If good fortune overwhelms misfortune, misfortune is hidden within good fortune; if misfortune overwhelms good fortune, good fortune is concealed within misfortune. This means that good and bad fortune often include each other and reverse each other. As司马季主 said: if one seeks perfection and takes in both good and bad fortune completely, calamity will result. This aligns with the previous statement "excessive prosperity and decline are to be avoided": divination most fears completeness, and leaving a space is the way to ensure longevity.

運限之道，有天官限者，三元到中庸之地，見貴逢合，或只有貴卻無合，或有合而無貴，四柱相生，運歲相輔；凡得此限，君子將榮，庶人獲安，事事皆吉。有得勢限，三元俱到旺相地，四柱相貴承。有龜藏限，如祿金入土干下者是也；命金入土支下，身金入上，納音下者，則暮春之優遊，不利君子、利平小人，蓋子弱母勝也。

There are several types of life periods. The first is called "Heavenly Official Limit": when the three yuan reach a harmonious place, encountering a nobleman and meeting a favorable condition, or only encountering a nobleman without a favorable condition, or having a favorable condition without encountering a nobleman, plus mutual generation among the four pillars, and the great year and the heavenly stem year supporting each other; whoever attains this limit will have promotion in official positions, common people will enjoy peace and security, and all things will be auspicious. The second is called "Dominant Limit": when the three yuan all reach prosperous and strong places, and the four pillars also support each other with noble connections. The third is called "Turtle Hiding Limit": for example, if the metal's luck falls under the earth stem of earth, this is this limit; if the native's metal falls under the earth branch of earth, the body's metal is above while the nayin sound element is below, it is like the leisurely time of late spring — this is unfavorable for gentlemen but favorable for common people, because this is a situation where the son is weak and the mother is strong.

有波浪限，金人運到亥子歲，乃小運上是也，木人大危，餘人意思不調，飄泛如舟也。有風雨限，運到三元衰絕處，氣運小運又為祿鬼，如此則吉凶相繼，來去迅速，勢若風雨暴遇而無所繫也。有布素限，行運到身旺相、支干死絕是也；若太歲小運扶助，本命雖入災運，於十載之間亦有五年之吉，不至於凶甚，以此消息，故名布素。限分前後：五年不吉，後運則助五年無凶；後運若凶，則凶咎。

The fourth type is called "Wave Limit": Those with a metal destiny who encounter the years of Hai and Zi, especially in their small years, are particularly affected; those with a wood destiny face great danger, while others feel their hearts and minds are unsettled, like a small boat drifting uncertainly. The fifth type is called "Storm and Rain Limit": When encountering the declining and dying phases of the three elements, the atmosphere and small years become ghosts on the禄 (favorable position), causing continuous good and bad fortune to come and go quickly, like suddenly encountering a storm with no place to take shelter. The sixth type is called "Plain Limit": When encountering a period where the destiny is prosperous and strong but the heavenly stem and earthly branch are in death or decline, this is the Plain Limit. If the master year and small year come to support, although the destiny enters a disaster period, there will still be five years of good fortune within ten years, not too bad—because there is such a fluctuation, it is called "Plain" (coarse cloth and plain clothes, living a simple life). This limit is divided into two parts: the first five years are not favorable, but the later years can provide help, making the later five years free from misfortune; if the later years themselves are also unfavorable, then it will truly become a calamity.

有失所限，三元俱值鬼，二運見三刑並沖，柱主本與行年不相承，作黃泉失所之命也。有破碎限，此非死限，只是金破碎，去如流水而不返，諸運氣沐浴更逢真鬼，謂甲衰而有庚之類。有災位限，運至伏吟，上逢喪吊，見白衣、飛廉、孤寡、歲刑剋身者，是主災位之事；凡得此限，則親戚不利，主有喪服。

The seventh is called "Lost Limit": when all three yuan meet ghosts, and the big and small years also encounter the three crimes and conflict, and the main pillars of the four pillars do not connect with the flowing year, this becomes a fate of the soul returning to the Yellow Spring, with nowhere to rest. The eighth is called "Broken Limit": this is not a death limit, but rather like a metal object breaking, once gone, it is like water flowing away and never returning; when the qi of each year falls in the bathing place and meets a real ghost, for example, when the jia wood has already declined and there is a geng metal in the destiny. The ninth is called "Disaster Position Limit": when the running year reaches hidden chant, and above it there is the mourning-and-condolence spirit and the guest, and again seeing white clothes, flying lian, guchen, guasu, and annual punishment to harm the body, this indicates disaster at the disaster position; whoever gets this limit will have relatives' misfortune and matters of mourning. The above are the nine limits that correspond with the three yuan.

夫二元九限者，乃人之利也；四柱三才者，乃人之本也。本輕則大者小利，小則主本貧，而更無運路，亦惶惶無所依矣。本大者得之小，猶勝小者得之大；本小者得之大，未及大看得之小。本重則利重，本輕則利輕。本重得小者遐邇無凶，得大者官清祿崇；本輕則小者且福且利，得大者吉極防凶。有小者如物待時，得時則萬物滋長。

Great fortune and minor fortune, along with the nine limits, are the 'benefits' of a person; the four pillars and the three essentials are the 'essence' of a person. If one's essence is light and shallow, even when encountering great fortune, the benefits are small. If even small benefits are lacking, then the person is originally poor and without a path of fortune, left in a state of anxiety and without support. If the essence is thick and substantial and one encounters minor fortune, it is still better than having a thin essence and encountering great fortune. If one has a thin essence and encounters great fortune, it is worse than having a thick essence and encountering minor fortune. The heavier the essence, the greater the benefits gained; the lighter the essence, the smaller the benefits gained. For those with a thick essence, even when encountering minor fortune, there is no danger near or far. When encountering great fortune, they will attain high official positions and receive generous salaries. For those with a thin essence, even when encountering minor fortune, they may still have blessings and benefits. However, when encountering great fortune, although it may bring extreme good fortune, one must be cautious of a possible turn to misfortune. As for those with a very small essence, they are like all things waiting for the right season; once the season arrives, they will flourish rapidly.

本無者，如折木懸空氣，過則花實並敗。是故木生於震，臨離兌以多殃；火產東南，赴天門而寡祿；金降自乾東而震北，遇坤鄉而敗祿；衰官水長，逢火木崇，方復乾宮而潛身退跡。五土忌於真敗，隨氣運以詳之。又土無正位，隨真運而敗：甲己土敗在酉，乙庚金敗在午，丙辛水敗在酉，丁壬木敗在子，戊癸火敗在卯，各以十干所配消息而取用也。

As for those whose fundamental strength is entirely absent, they are like a broken branch hanging in the air; once the vital energy departs, flowers and fruits all wither at once. Therefore, wood grows in the direction of Zhen (East), but when it reaches Li (South) and Dui (West), it encounters many calamities; fire originates in the Southeast, but when it moves toward the Heavenly Gate (Northwest, the position of Qian), it suffers from reduced official rank; metal descends from the Northwest (Qian), passes through the East (Zhen), and moves northward, encountering the territory of Kun (Southwest) where its fortune declines; when the official energy has weakened and the water force is rising, encountering fire and wood instead brings prosperity, but when it returns to the Qian position, it should retreat and hide. The central earth element most dislikes genuine decline positions, and these should be carefully discerned according to the flow of energy. Earth itself has no fixed position; its decline is determined by the true movement of the combined elements: Jia and Ji combine to form earth, which declines in You; Yi and Geng combine to form metal, which declines in Wu; Bing and Xin combine to form water, which declines in You; Ding and Ren combine to form wood, which declines in Zi; Wu and Gui combine to form fire, which declines in Mao. Each should be considered according to the combined energy of the ten heavenly stems to determine its growth and decline.