Career or Profession

傷官傷盡，或有殺有刃。或殺印相生，宜武備。傷食生財，或身財兩停，宜貿遷食神吐秀，或帶文昌，宜文學。正官清粹，或官印相生，宜政治。身重財輕，宜區程。劫比成群，宜自由職業。空拳覓利，財官並美，宜財政。

Choosing a career should consider the overall structure and the configuration of the ten heavenly stems. If the official star is completely absent while the official star is formed by the official star, or if there is a seven killer along with the Yangren (the branch of the day stem at its peak of strength, with extreme and sharp energy), or if the seven killer and the seal are mutually generated (the seven killer generates the seal, and the seal generates the self), then a military or martial career is suitable. If the food and damage generate wealth, or if the self and wealth are of equal strength, then a career in trade and transportation is suitable. If the food god is able to express the refined energy of the self, or if the Wen Chang nobleman (a fortunate god indicating intelligence and literary talent) is present, then a career in literature and writing is suitable. If the official star is pure and uncluttered, or if the official and seal are mutually generated, then a career in politics is suitable. If the self is strong and the wealth star is weak, then a career following established procedures is suitable. If the same stem and same fortune are numerous, then a career as a free professional, not subject to others' control, is suitable. If one starts from nothing but both wealth and official star are excellent, then a career in finance and economics is suitable.

財官有力，日主朗健，可以自立為主，身旺無依，或身弱無助，只合依人作嫁。八字少沖少合，事業得成專一。多沖多合，則頻年變遷，栗六無成。 五行需水，或命有驛馬，宜流動事業，外勤職務。五行需火或需金，宜近工廠機械等事。五行需木或需土。則宜農林種植，固定實業。

If the wealth and official positions in the birth chart are strong, and the day master is healthy and vigorous, then one can establish one's own household and make independent decisions. However, if the day master is strong but has nothing to rely on, or weak and lacks support, then one is only suitable for being dependent on others, working for others' benefit. If the birth chart has few conflicts and harmonies, then the career is focused and easy to achieve. But if there are many conflicts and harmonies, then one will be constantly changing jobs, busy and involved in trivial matters, and achieve nothing. From the perspective of the Five Phases, if the destiny requires water or includes the Post-horse (a divine factor indicating movement, formed by the first branch of the Triple Harmony that is in conflict with the branch), then one is suitable for mobile jobs or external duties. If the destiny requires fire or metal, then one is suitable for working near factories or machinery. If the destiny requires wood or earth, then one is suitable for agriculture or forestry, which are fixed industries.

五行偏枯之命，所事多風俗波起落，亦有此業利而彼業不利者，五行停勻之命，大抵事業平穩，比比皆然。 八字病重藥輕。作事多出自動，而費力不計好。八字病藥相濟，事多出於被動，且遭受成而省力。

In a birth chart where the Five Phases are unbalanced, one's career tends to fluctuate with the ups and downs of circumstances (the original text says 'customary waves', the character 'customary' may be a mistake or a miswriting of 'wave'), and often one phase is beneficial while another is not, so choosing a career requires particular caution. In a birth chart where the Five Phases are well balanced, one's career is usually stable, and such examples are common. Now looking at 'disease' and 'remedy': in a birth chart where the disease is strong but the remedy is weak (the忌神 is too strong and the saving god is too weak), one's actions tend to be self-initiated, yet they require much effort and yield little reward; in a birth chart where the disease and the remedy are in balance, things tend to be passive, yet they develop smoothly and with much less effort. Here, the term 'disease' refers to the god that harms the useful god or disrupts the overall structure, while 'remedy' refers to the god that controls or removes this disease.

按事業之推斷，其法不一。以上所述，舉其例端而巳已。更有性情環境之種種關係，不可拘泥片理由，乃貴乎活看。殆亦曉然胸中，而難以形容者也。

The author's self-commentary states: There are many methods for deducing one's career prospects, and what has been mentioned above is merely a few examples. In addition, there are various connections between nature, disposition, and environment, so one should not rigidly apply a single principle. It is still important to view things flexibly. These principles are often clear in one's mind but difficult to express in writing. The author concludes twice with the phrase "live judgment," reminding readers that the lists in fate books provide a basis for judgment, not a rigid formula to follow.

（一）日主喜克，官殺並見，吉力加增。 （二）日主忌克，官殺並見，凶力更顯。 （三）應用正官見混雜，八字不清，主多磨折。 （四）應用七殺見官混雜，命局淆亂，亦主奔波。 （五）用官而殺混，幸有去殺之神，凶而不凶。 （六）用殺而官混，幸有去官之神，凶而不凶。 （七）用官而殺混，並無去殺這神，凶不可免。 （八）用殺而官混，並無去官之神，亦以凶論。

The "Zenguan" and "Qishash" are both deities that control the day stem. The difference between them lies in yin and yang. The "Zenguan" is the one with opposite yin and yang to the day stem, while the "Qishash" has the same yin and yang as the day stem. When both "Zenguan" and "Qishash" appear in the same birth chart, it is called "Guansha Hunza". Whether it is good or bad depends on whether the day stem needs to be controlled. First, if the day stem is strong and benefits from being controlled, the presence of both "Zenguan" and "Qishash" actually enhances good fortune. Second, if the day stem is weak and fears being controlled, the presence of both "Zenguan" and "Qishash" brings more danger. Third, if the original intention was to use "Zenguan" as the useful element but "Qishash" appears instead, the birth chart becomes unclear, leading to many difficulties in life. Fourth, if the original intention was to use "Qishash" as the useful element but "Zenguan" appears instead, the birth chart becomes confused, also indicating a life of toil and hardship. Fifth, if "Zenguan" is the intended useful element but "Qishash" appears, and there is a deity in the chart that can remove the "Qishash", it may seem dangerous but ultimately is not. Sixth, if "Qishash" is the intended useful element but "Zenguan" appears, and there is a deity in the chart that can remove the "Zenguan", it may seem dangerous but ultimately is not. Seventh, if "Zenguan" is the intended useful element but "Qishash" appears, and there is no deity in the chart to remove the "Qishash", the danger is unavoidable. Eighth, if "Qishash" is the intended useful element but "Zenguan" appears, and there is no deity in the chart to remove the "Zenguan", it is still considered dangerous.

（一）身弱有印，喜官殺並見。 （二）身強有財，喜官殺並見。 （三）身弱無印，忌官殺並見。 （四）身強有傷食而無財，忌官殺並見。 （五）八字忌官，寺有傷官之制忌，又見七殺。 （六）八字忌殺，幸有食之制，忌又見正官。

Whether official stars (官) and seven killers (杀) are beneficial or harmful depends on whether there is something to mediate in the chart. First, if the day master is weak and has a nurturing star (印), then the presence of both official stars and seven killers is favorable — although official stars and seven killers may weaken the day master, they first nourish the nurturing star, which in turn supports the day master, so what was originally a weakening force becomes a supporting one. Second, if the day master is strong and has a wealth star (财), then the presence of both official stars and seven killers is favorable — the wealth star generates official stars and seven killers, which in turn control the day master, thus properly restraining the overly strong day master. Third, if the day master is weak and lacks a nurturing star, then the presence of both official stars and seven killers is unfavorable — without something to mediate, the controlling force directly affects the day master. Fourth, if the day master is strong, has a food and injury star (食伤), but lacks a wealth star, then the presence of both official stars and seven killers is unfavorable — the food and injury star was meant to control the official stars and seven killers, but without a wealth star to mediate, it results in a direct confrontation between the two sides. Fifth, if the original chart is unfavorable to the official star, but there is a food and injury star to control it, then the appearance of seven killers is most unfavorable (the original text says '寺有' which should be '幸有'). Sixth, if the original chart is unfavorable to the seven killer, but there is a food star to control it, then the appearance of the official star is most unfavorable. The last two cases are similar in principle: the controlling element can only handle one force, and the appearance of a second one leads to being unable to deal with both.

（一）官殺並見，嫌其混雜者，先謀去之之道，一者既去，一者自留矣。 （二）官殺並見，愛其互相協助者，不必議去議留，聽其自然可也。 （三）官殺並見，只有食神。去殺而留官。 （四）官殺並見，只有傷官，去官而留殺。 （五）官殺並見，食傷亦並見，官殺皆可去淨。

When official stars and seven killers are mixed together, there arises a question of which one to remove and which to retain. First, whenever there is a mixture, one should first find a way to eliminate one of them; once one is removed, the other remains naturally, and the chart becomes clear. Second, if the chart requires the combined effect of official stars and seven killers to restrain the day master, and they are beneficial to each other, then there is no need to discuss removing or retaining them; let them be as they are. Third, when both official star and seven killer are present and the chart contains only food god, since food god and seven killer share the same nature and thus restrain each other, the seven killer should be removed and the official star retained. Fourth, when both official star and seven killer are present and the chart contains only wounded god, since wounded god specifically restrains the official star, the official star should be removed and the seven killer retained. Fifth, when both food god and wounded god are present, both official star and seven killer can be completely removed; however, after their removal, whether the day master still needs restraint is another matter to consider. The key point of these rules is that clarity is better than confusion; it is preferable to retain only one that is harmonious rather than have both present and conflicting.

（六）如甲日並見辛官庚殺，又有丙火合辛，是謂合官留殺。合者絆也，絆亦可去也。 （七）如甲日而透庚金七殺，又支見酉金，是庚殺乘旺，不作官殺混雜，不必議其去留耳。

Rule six gives an example to show that "he" can also serve the function of removing: if the day stem is Jia Wood, and both heavenly stems reveal Xin Metal as the proper official and Geng Metal as the seven killers, and if there is also Bing Fire in the heavenly stem, Bing and Xin combine (Bing and Xin combine to form water), which ties up Xin official, preventing it from functioning as an official. This is called "he official and retain killer." So "he" means to tie up; tying up has the same effect as removing. Rule seven distinguishes a case that seems mixed but is not actually mixed: if the day stem is Jia Wood and the heavenly stem reveals Geng Metal as the seven killer, and the earthly branch also has You Metal—although You is Yin Metal and is the proper official for Jia Wood, it is the strong place for Geng Metal (Geng's strength is in You), so it only counts as the seven killer being strong and having a root, not as a mix of official and killer. Therefore, there is no need to discuss whether to remove or retain. Clearly, judging a mix only considers the official and killer revealed in the heavenly stem; roots in the earthly branch are not included in this category.

（八）甲乙日見申酉，以巳去申，或以寅去申，以午去酉，或以卯去酉。丙丁日見亥子，以辰戌去亥，或以巳去亥，以丑未去子，或以午去子。戊己日見寅卯，以申去寅，以酉去卯。庚辛日見巳午，以亥去巳，以子去午。壬癸日見辰戌丑未，以寅去辰戌，以卯去丑未。

Rule eight explains how to remove the official and killer elements in the earthly branches. Whenever the official or killer element appears in the earthly branches, it can be removed through the methods of combination, conflict, or overcoming. For a day stem of Jia or Yi (wood), encountering Shen or You (metal), which are the official and killer elements (as metal overcomes wood), can be removed by using Si to remove Shen (Si and Shen combine), or by using Yin to remove Shen (Yin and Shen conflict), or by using Wu to remove You (Wu overcomes You), or by using Mao to remove You (Mao and You conflict). For a day stem of Bing or Ding (fire), encountering Hai or Zi (water), which are the official and killer elements (as water overcomes fire), can be removed by using Chen or Xu to remove Hai (earth overcomes water), or by using Si to remove Hai (Si and Hai conflict), or by using Chou or Wei to remove Zi (earth overcomes water), or by using Wu to remove Zi (Wu and Zi conflict). For a day stem of Wu or Ji (earth), encountering Yin or Mao (wood), which are the official and killer elements (as wood overcomes earth), can be removed by using Shen to remove Yin (Shen and Yin conflict), or by using You to remove Mao (You and Mao conflict). For a day stem of Geng or Xin (metal), encountering Si or Wu (fire), which are the official and killer elements (as fire overcomes metal), can be removed by using Hai to remove Si (Si and Hai conflict), or by using Zi to remove Wu (Zi and Wu conflict). For a day stem of Ren or Gui (water), encountering Chen, Xu, Chou, or Wei (earth), which are the official and killer elements (as earth overcomes water), can be removed by using Yin to remove Chen or Xu (Yin overcomes earth), or by using Mao to remove Chou or Wei (Mao overcomes earth).

（九）戊己日見寅卯，又遇午戌，則寅合午戌成火，而卯獨當權。庚辛日見巳午，又遇酉丑，則巳會酉丑成金，而午獨當權。甲乙日見申酉，又遇子辰，則申會子辰成水，而酉獨當權。丙丁日見亥子，又遇卯未，則亥會卯未成木，而子獨當權。壬癸日見丑辰或戌未，又遇子申或寅午則辰會子申成水，戌會寅午成火，而丑未當權矣。

Rule nine explains using the Triple Harmony Formation to remove one of the official or harmful stars, allowing the remaining one to take effect. The earthly branches form a set every four positions: Yin-Wu-Xu form a fire triple harmony, Si-You-Chou form a metal triple harmony, Shen-Zi-Chen form a water triple harmony, and Hai-Mao-Wei form a wood triple harmony. For a Wu or Ji earth day stem, if the branches include Yin and Mao as official or harmful stars, and also include Wu and Xu, then Yin is drawn into the fire triple harmony, leaving Mao as the sole effective branch. For a Geng or Xin metal day stem, if the branches include Si and Wu as official or harmful stars, and also include You and Chou, then Si is drawn into the metal triple harmony, leaving Wu as the sole effective branch. For a Jia or Yi wood day stem, if the branches include Shen and You as official or harmful stars, and also include Zi and Chen, then Shen is drawn into the water triple harmony, leaving You as the sole effective branch. For a Bing or Ding fire day stem, if the branches include Hai and Zi as official or harmful stars, and also include Mao and Wei, then Hai is drawn into the wood triple harmony, leaving Zi as the sole effective branch. For a Ren or Gui water day stem, if the branches include Chou and Chen or Xu and Wei as official or harmful stars, and also include Zi and Shen or Yin and Wu, then Chen combines with Zi and Shen to form water, and Xu combines with Yin and Wu to form fire, leaving Chou and Wei as the sole effective branches.

（十）丙丁日見亥子，若子隨辰合入庫，則亥當權。庚辛日見巳午,若午隨戌合入庫，則巳當權。戌己日見寅卯，若卯隨未合入庫，則寅當權。甲乙日見申酉，若酉隨丑合入庫，則申當權。 （十一）庚辛申酉並見，足可以去一甲一乙一寅一卯，亦可去甲寅乙卯。若一庚一申一辛一酉，去甲乙寅卯，勢必不能。

Rule ten is the same as the previous one, but it is changed to "entering the warehouse": Chen is the water warehouse, Xu is the fire warehouse, Wei is the wood warehouse, and Chou is the metal warehouse. When the main branch is taken by the warehouse branch, it no longer holds power. For Jia and Bing day stems, if the Zi or Hai branches are present, and Zi combines with Chen to enter the water warehouse, only Hai remains in power. For Geng and Xin day stems, if Si or Wu branches are present, and Wu combines with Xu to enter the fire warehouse, only Si remains in power. For Wu and Ji day stems, if Yin or Mao branches are present, and Mao combines with Wei to enter the wood warehouse, only Yin remains in power. For Jia and Yi day stems, if Shen or You branches are present, and You combines with Chou to enter the metal warehouse, only Shen remains in power. Rule eleven discusses the balance of strength: if Geng, Xin, Shen, and You all appear, they are sufficient to remove one Jia, one Yi, one Yin, and one Mao, or the pairs Jia-Yin and Yi-Mao. However, if only one Geng, one Shen, one Xin, and one You appear, they are not enough to remove the four wooden branches Jia, Yi, Yin, and Mao at the same time. The concept of removal and retention ultimately depends on the comparison of strength between the two sides.

（十二）官殺並見，傷官食神亦並見。傷官較為有力。則去官，食神較為有力，則去殺。 （十三）陰日傷官，可以去官，又可以合殺。貼近正官，則以去官論。貼近七殺，則以合殺論。陽日食神，可以去殺，而又可合官。貼近七殺，則以去殺論貼近正官，則以合官論。陰日食神，只可去殺，不能合官。陽日傷官，只可去官，不能合殺。

Rule 12: When both official and killing stars are present, and both the official star and the killing star are also present, we need to see which one is stronger. If the official star is strong, it can remove the killing star; if the food star is strong, it can remove the official star. Rule 13: To distinguish the differences between yin and yang day stems, one must understand through examples. For yin wood day stem, its official star is the sun fire. The sun fire can both overcome the metal official (the true official of the yin wood day stem) and remove the official, and it can also combine with the metal killing star (the seven killing of the yin wood day stem) to bind the killing star. At this time, we need to look at the position: if the sun fire is close to the true official, it counts as removing the official; if it is close to the seven killing, it counts as combining with the killing star. For yang wood day stem, its food star is the sun fire. The sun fire can both overcome the metal killing star (the seven killing of the yang wood day stem) and remove the killing star, and it can also combine with the metal official (the true official of the yang wood day stem). If the sun fire is close to the seven killing, it counts as removing the killing star; if it is close to the true official, it counts as combining with the official. As for the food star of the yin wood day stem being the fire of the earth, the fire of the earth can only overcome the metal killing star to remove the killing star, but it cannot combine with the metal official (since the metal official has already combined with the yin wood day stem itself). The food star of the yang wood day stem is also the fire of the earth, which can only overcome the metal official to remove the official, but it cannot combine with the metal killing star. Therefore, the food star of a yin day stem can only remove the killing star but cannot combine with the official, while the official star of a yang day stem can only remove the killing star but cannot combine with the official.

大抵命局亢燥，則喜潤澤。命局潮溼，則喜暄燠。八字無水或少水，值於夏令，或多木多火，乃亢燥之局。若命中喜土，逢燥土則益燥，未必佳妙。逢溼土則得滋，上加吉矣。八字無火或火少，時在冬令，或多金多水，乃潮溼之乙，如命中喜土，逢溫土則更溼，未易言吉。逢燥土則去溼，花添錦上矣。天干五行，無分燥溼，地支則昭然有別。今請一一言之，亦學命所不可不知也。

When judging a person's destiny, one must not only consider the quantity of the Five Phases but also the overall dryness, moisture, coldness, and warmth. Generally, if the destiny pattern is dry and hot, it prefers moisture; if the destiny pattern is damp and cold, it prefers warmth. A birth chart with little or no water, or born in summer, or with excessive wood and fire, is considered a dry and hot pattern. If such a destiny prefers earth, encountering dry earth will only make it drier, which is not necessarily good; encountering moist earth brings nourishment, which is like adding flowers to a beautiful scene. Conversely, a birth chart with little or no fire, or born in winter, or with excessive metal and water, is considered a damp and cold pattern; if such a destiny prefers earth, encountering moist earth will only make it more damp, which is hard to say if it is auspicious; encountering dry earth can remove the dampness, which is like adding flowers to a beautiful scene. Heavenly stems are only classified by the Five Phases, not by dryness or moisture; earthly branches, because they contain different hidden stems, clearly differ in terms of dryness and moisture. The following will explain this one by one, which is something all students of destiny should know.

子、卯、酉、為純金純水純木，亦無燥溼之分。丑中己辛，為溼土溼金，因有癸水藏也。寅申甲戊，為燥木燥土，因有丙火藏也。辰中戊乙，為溼土溼木，因有癸水藏也。巳中戊庚，火燥土燥金，因有丙火藏也。午中之己，為燥土，因有丁火藏也。未中己乙為燥土燥木，因有丁火藏也。申中庚戊，為溼金溼土，因有壬水藏也。戌中戊辛，為燥土燥金，因藏有丁火也。亥中之甲，為溼木，因藏有壬水也。

The dryness or dampness of the Earthly Branches depends on whether they contain water or fire in their hidden heavenly stems. The branches Zi, Mao, and You are pure water, pure wood, and pure metal respectively, with a single main element, so they do not differentiate between dryness and dampness. The branch Chou contains Ji earth and Xin metal, and since it also contains Gui water, it is damp earth and damp metal. The branch Yin contains Jia wood and Wu earth, and since it also contains Bing fire, it is dry wood and dry earth. The branch Chen contains Wu earth and Yi wood, and since it also contains Gui water, it is damp earth and damp wood. The branch Si contains Wu earth and Geng metal, and since it also contains Bing fire, it is dry earth and dry metal. The branch Wu contains Ji earth, and since it also contains Ding fire, it is dry earth. The branch Wei contains Ji earth and Yi wood, and since it also contains Ding fire, it is dry earth and dry wood. The branch Shen contains Geng metal and Wu earth, and since it also contains Ren water, it is damp metal and damp earth. The branch Xu contains Wu earth and Xin metal, and since it also contains Ding fire, it is dry earth and dry metal. The branch Hai contains Jia wood, and since it also contains Ren water, it is damp wood. The same character for earth, in Chou and Chen, can contain water, but in Wu, Wei, and Xu, it only contributes to dryness. The selection of the Useful God depends entirely on these distinctions.

用之官星不可傷，不用官星盡可傷。 用之財官不可劫。不用財星盡可劫。 用之印綬不可壞。不用印綬盡可壞。 用之食神不可奪。不用食神盡可奪。 用之七釘不可制。制殺太過反為凶。 身殺兩停宜制殺。殺重身輕宜化殺。 身強殺淺宜生殺。羊刃重重喜食傷。 若逢官殺變生殃，財多身弱宜劫刃。 劫重財輕喜食神，官旺身衰宜印地， 官衰印旺利財縛，莫道梟神無用處， 殺多食重最為良，勿謂羊刃是凶物， 財多殺黨亦為貞。

This passage is a mnemonic for beginners, explaining a single principle throughout: the ten celestial stems themselves are neither inherently good nor bad; whether they are useful gods or not determines whether they should be protected or destroyed. The official star that is used as a useful god must not be harmed; the official star that is not used as a useful god can be harmed. The wealth and official star that are used as useful gods must not be robbed; the wealth star that is not used as a useful god can be robbed. The official star that is used as a useful god must not be destroyed; the official star that is not used as a useful god can be destroyed. The food star that is used as a useful god must not be taken by the hawk star; the food star that is not used as a useful god can be taken by the hawk star. The seven killing stars that are used as useful gods must not be further restrained; restraining the seven killing stars too much can lead to misfortune. When the day master and the seven killing stars are evenly matched, it is suitable to use food and injury stars to restrain the seven killing stars; when the seven killing stars are strong and the day master is weak, it is suitable to use the official star to transform the seven killing stars; when the day master is strong and the seven killing stars are weak, it is actually suitable to use wealth to generate the seven killing stars. When there are many yang ren stars, it is favorable to see food and injury stars to release their sharpness; if there is also an official star or seven killing star, it can lead to misfortune. When there is too much wealth and the day master is weak, it is suitable to have劫财 and yang ren stars to help the day master and take away the wealth; when there are many劫财 stars and the wealth star is weak, it is favorable to have food stars to connect and transform the劫财 energy into generating wealth. When there is strong official star and the day master is weak, it is suitable to go to the official star's land to transform the official star and strengthen the day master; when the official star is weak and the official star's mother is strong, it is beneficial to use the wealth star to restrain the official star's mother. Do not say that the hawk star (biased official star) is useless; when there are many seven killing stars and also many food stars, the hawk star taking the food star and leaving the seven killing stars can be very useful, which is the best combination. Do not think that yang ren is always a harmful star; when there is too much wealth and the seven killing stars are also strong, the yang ren helping the day master and taking away the wealth is also a good sign.

木本生火，木多火熾。有金克木，則可生火矣。 火本生土，火多土焦。有水克火，則可生土矣。 土本生金，土多金埋。有木克土，則可生金矣。 金本生水，金多水弱。有火克金，則可生水矣。 水本生木，水多木浮。有土克水，則可生木矣。 木本生火，火多木焚。水克火則生木，火生土則存木也。 火本生土，土重火熄。木克土則生火，土生金則存火也。 土本生金，金多土洩。火克金則生生，金生水則存土也。 金本生水，水泛金沉。土克水則生金，水生木則存金也。 水本生木，木旺水涸。金克木則生水，木生火則存水也。

The principle of mutual generation among the Five Phases is natural. However, when one element becomes excessive, generation turns into harm, which is the subtlety of reversal. First, consider the case where the mother is strong and the child is harmed: Wood normally generates Fire, but if there is too much Wood, it suppresses Fire, making it unable to flourish. At this point, if Metal is used to control Wood, the Wood decreases, and Fire is then able to flourish. Fire normally generates Earth, but too much Fire burns the Earth. If Water controls Fire, Earth is then able to flourish. Earth normally generates Metal, but too much Earth buries Metal. If Wood controls Earth, Metal is then able to flourish. Metal normally generates Water, but too much Metal weakens Water. If Fire controls Metal, Water is then able to flourish. Water normally generates Wood, but too much Water causes Wood to float without roots. If Earth controls Water, Wood is then able to flourish—this is called 'mother abundance destroys the child,' and the remedy is to control the mother. Next, consider the case where the child is strong and harms the mother: Wood normally generates Fire, but too much Fire burns Wood. At this time, either Water can control Fire or Fire can be used to generate Earth (to release the excess Fire), and Wood can be preserved. Fire normally generates Earth, but too much Earth extinguishes Fire. Either Wood can control Earth or Earth can be used to generate Metal, and Fire can be preserved. Earth normally generates Metal, but too much Metal drains Earth's vitality. Either Fire can control Metal or Metal can be used to generate Water, and Earth is then preserved. Metal normally generates Water, but too much Water drowns Metal. Either Earth can control Water or Water can be used to generate Wood, and Metal is then preserved. Water normally generates Wood, but too much Wood absorbs Water. Either Metal can control Wood or Wood can be used to generate Fire, and Water is then preserved—this is called 'child abundance weakens the mother,' and the remedy is to control the child or to release the child's energy.

木生火也，木火兩旺，宜水以養木。 火生土也。火土兩旺，宜木以養火。 土生金也。土金兩旺，宜火以助土。 金生水也。金水兩旺，宜土以生金。 木能生火，然火亦能生木也。水 生木者，潤地之燥也。火生木者，解天之凍也。 木能生火，然火亦能生木也。水生木者，潤地之燥也。火生木者，解天之凍也。

When both the mother and child are strong, it is not advisable to suppress either one. Instead, one should go one step higher to nourish the mother. For example, if wood generates fire and both are strong, water should be used to nourish the wood—water generates wood, and thus wood can continuously generate fire. If fire generates earth and both are strong, wood should be used to nourish fire. If earth generates metal and both are strong, fire should be used to assist earth. If metal generates water and both are strong, earth should be used to generate metal. This is called "following the trend and nurturing the root." Now discussing the principle of reverse generation: although wood generates fire, fire can also generate wood. Water generates wood by moistening the dry earth, while fire generates wood by melting the cold of winter—when wood receives fire in winter, the cold is dispelled and the vitality is released, which is the source of life. (This passage is repeated in the original text, appearing again in the same form, and is now recorded as is.)

火能生土，然土亦能生火也。木生火者，冬木之枯也。土生火者，夏土之燥也。 土能生金，然金亦能生土也。火生土者，去地之溼也。金生土者，防土之傾也。 金能生水，然水亦能生金也。土生金者，砥水之溢也。水生金者，制火之烈也。 水能生木，然木亦能生水也。金生水者，阻其洩漏也。木生水者，去其淤塞也。

The principle of mutual generation is valid when traced through each element. Fire can generate Earth, and Earth can also generate Fire: Wood generates Fire by taking advantage of the dryness of dead wood in winter; Earth generates Fire by taking advantage of the dryness of summer soil which can hold fire energy. Earth can generate Metal, and Metal can also generate Earth: Fire generates Earth by removing dampness from the soil; Metal generates Earth by preventing erosion. Metal can generate Water, and Water can also generate Metal: Earth generates Metal by building dikes to block overflowing water; Water generates Metal by restraining fire's intensity, thus preventing metal from melting. Water can generate Wood, and Wood can also generate Water: Metal generates Water by preventing leakage; Wood generates Water by removing blockages. This shows that the relationships among the Five Phases are not one-way mechanical interactions. Any method that removes the illness of a particular phase is equivalent to generating it.

木本克土，土多木折。水生木，則木能克土。 火本克金，金多火熄。木生火，則火能克金。 土本克水，水多土蕩。火生土，則土能克水。 金本克木，木多金缺。土生金，則金能克木。 水本克火，火多水涸。金生水，則水能克火。 木克土，土太多。宜金以衛土也。 火克金，火太多。宜水以養金也。 土克水，水太多，宜木以納水也。 金克木，木太多，宜火以榮木也。 水克火，火太多，宜土以扶火也。

Mutual control also has reversals. First, the one being controlled may be dragged down by the one doing the controlling: Wood usually controls Earth, but if there is too much Earth, the Wood is instead broken. In such a case, using Water to nourish Wood gives Wood strength so that it can control Earth. Fire usually controls Metal, but if there is too much Metal, Fire is instead extinguished. Using Wood to nourish Fire gives Fire strength so that it can control Metal. Earth usually controls Water, but if there is too much Water, Earth is instead washed away. Using Fire to nourish Earth gives Earth strength so that it can control Water. Metal usually controls Wood, but if there is too much Wood, Metal is instead worn down. Using Earth to nourish Metal gives Metal strength so that it can control Wood. Water usually controls Fire, but if there is too much Fire, Water is instead dried up. Using Metal to nourish Water gives Water strength so that it can control Fire—methods of rescue involve nurturing the one doing the controlling. Now, when the one being controlled is too weak, the rescue methods are: Wood controls Earth but if there is too much Wood, use Metal to protect Earth (Metal controls Wood, so Wood retreats and Earth is safe; the original text says 'Earth too much' but should be 'Wood too much'); Fire controls Metal but if there is too much Fire, use Water to nourish Metal; Earth controls Water but if there is too much Water, use Wood to absorb Water (Wood absorbs Water and prevents it from overflowing); Metal controls Wood but if there is too much Wood, use Fire to strengthen Wood (Fire drains Wood's energy but actually makes Wood stronger); Water controls Fire but if there is too much Fire, use Earth to support Fire (Earth drains Fire's energy and Water can no longer attack Fire).

木克土也，木土兩旺，宜水以潤土。 土克水也。水土兩旺，宜火以溼水。 水克火也。水火兩旺，宜金以熄火。 火克金也。火金兩旺，宜木以缺金。 金克木也。金木兩旺，宜土以折木。 木能克土，然水亦能克木也。木克土者，春土之柔也。土克木者，夏土之燥也。 土能克水，然水亦能克土也。土克水者，夏水之涸也。水克土者，冬水之凍也。 水能克火，然火亦能克水也。水克火者，金水寒凝也。火克水者，杯水車薪也。 火能克金，然金亦能克火也。火克金者，春火之相也。金克火者，冬火之囚也。 金能克木，然木亦能克金也。金克木者，金堅木凍也。木克金者，木盛金脆也。

When both the element that is strong and the one it overcomes are strong, it is not advisable to further strengthen one side, but rather to find another element to mediate. If wood overcomes earth and both are strong, water should be used to nourish earth, as water both drains wood and nourishes earth, balancing both sides. If earth overcomes water and both are strong, fire should be used to warm water (the original text says 'use fire to moisten water', which should be 'use warmth to water'). Fire warms earth and dries it, preventing water from overflowing. If water overcomes fire and both are strong, metal should be used. Although metal drains water and generates water, here it is used for its ability to restrain fire (the original text says 'use metal to extinguish fire'). If fire overcomes metal and both are strong, wood should be used. Wood drains fire and allows metal to recover its strength (the original text says 'use wood to weaken metal'). If metal overcomes wood and both are strong, earth should be used. Earth drains metal and prevents wood from being harmed (the original text says 'use earth to break wood'). Now, let us discuss reverse overcoming: Wood can overcome earth, and earth can also overcome wood (the original text says 'but water can also overcome wood', which should be 'earth'). Wood overcoming earth is based on the softness of earth in spring; earth overcoming wood is based on the dryness of earth in summer, which dries up wood. Earth can overcome water, and water can also overcome earth. Earth overcoming water is based on the dryness of water in summer; water overcoming earth is based on the freezing of water in winter, which is harder than earth. Water can overcome fire, and fire can also overcome water. Water overcoming fire is based on the cold and condensed state of metal and water; fire overcoming water is based on the insufficient amount of water, which is burned dry. Fire can overcome metal, and metal can also overcome fire. Fire overcoming metal is based on the supportive phase of fire in spring, when metal is weak; metal overcoming fire is based on the confined state of fire in winter, when metal is strong. Metal can overcome wood, and wood can also overcome metal. Metal overcoming wood is based on the hardness of metal and the brittleness of wood; wood overcoming metal is based on the strength of wood and the breaking of metal.

旺者宜克。然旺之極者，宜洩而不宜克也。所謂實則瀉其子，是以春木森森，宜火旺以通耀。夏火炎炎，宜土多而斂威。秋金銳銳，宜水盛以流清。 冬水洋洋，宜木眾而納勢，季土疊疊，宜重金以吐秀。 弱者宜生。然弱之極者，宜克而不宜生也。所謂虛則補其母，是以秋木凋落，宜金而不宜水也。冬火熄滅，宜水而不宜木也仲春之土無火生，反宜木也。仲秋之土無火生，反宜金也。 陽之極者，陰至也。陰之極者，陽至也。寒極則熱生也。熱極則寒生也。

Generally, it is said that when something is strong, it should be restrained, but when it is extremely strong, it is better to release it rather than restrain it. This is what the medical scholars refer to as "when full, drain its child": in spring, when wood is vigorous, there should be strong fire to release its energy and make it shine; in summer, when fire is intense, there should be abundant earth to contain its power; in autumn, when metal is sharp, there should be abundant water to allow it to flow and become clear; in winter, when water is vast, there should be many woods to receive its strength. Conversely, it is generally said that when something is weak, it should be nourished, but when it is extremely weak, it is better to restrain it rather than nourish it. This is the principle of "when empty, supplement its mother": in autumn, when wood is withered, metal should appear rather than water (although water nourishes wood, autumn water is cold and wood does not receive it; it is better for metal to restrain it so that wood returns to its root); in winter, when fire is extinguished, water should appear rather than wood (the text here is urgent and not properly punctuated, but its meaning is that winter wood is damp and cold and cannot nourish fire; it is better for water to stimulate its nature); in the middle of spring, when earth has no fire to nourish it, it is better to see wood; in the middle of autumn, when earth has no fire to nourish it, it is better to see metal. In summary: when yang reaches its peak, yin comes; when yin reaches its peak, yang comes; when cold reaches its peak, heat arises; when heat reaches its peak, cold arises—this is the principle of "extreme leads to reversal" in destiny, which is the same as the way of heaven.

每一命局，或五行錯綜，或六神紛雜，評斷而無規定程序，極難入手。茲議為八步如後。 （一）看強弱。 （二）定格局。 （三）取用神。 （四）論喜忌。 （五）查歲運。 （六）推六親。 （七）評性情。 （八）斷事業。

Each destiny chart, whether it involves a complex mixture of the Five Phases or a multitude of the Six Spirits (which include the total designation of gods that relate to me, those I generate, those that control me, those I control, and those similar to me, namely the印, 食伤, 官杀, 财, and 比劫), is difficult to assess without a fixed order. The author therefore proposes eight steps to be followed in sequence: the first step is to examine the strength of the day master; the second step is to determine the pattern; the third step is to select the useful god; the fourth step is to discuss what is favorable and what is unfavorable; the fifth step is to check the big years and the flow years; the sixth step is to analyze the Six Relations; the seventh step is to evaluate temperament and disposition; and the eighth step is to determine career prospects. These eight steps form the general framework for all the examples in the book. The following examples of assessment are presented step by step according to this order for the readers' understanding.

（一）看強弱以日干為主。以多寡、盛衰、失時、得令、為標準。 （二）定格局，以月支為標準（外格不在此例）。 （三）以用神，以助強扶弱為標準。 （四）論喜忌，以用神為標準。 （五）查歲運，以喜忌為標準。 （六）推六親，以四柱六神為標準。 （七）評性情，以五行用神等為標準。 （八）斷事業，以用神及喜忌為標準。

There are eight steps, each with its own standard. First, assess the strength and weakness of the day stem, considering the number and strength of the gods that support and those that control or drain it, as well as whether the day stem is in season or out of season in the month's stem. Second, determine the pattern based on the hidden heavenly stems in the month's branch; the one that appears through the branch establishes the pattern (special strong or transformed patterns are not included here). Third, select the useful god based on the principle of restraining the strong and supporting the weak—when the day stem is strong, choose the gods that control, drain, or consume it; when the day stem is weak, choose the gods that generate and support it (the original text says 'useful god,' which should be read as 'select the useful god'). Fourth, evaluate favorable and unfavorable influences based on the useful god; any god that supports the useful god is a favorable god, and any that harms the useful god is an unfavorable god. Fifth, check the big years and the current year based on favorable and unfavorable influences; when the big year or current year is in the area of favorable gods, it is auspicious; when it is in the area of unfavorable gods, it is inauspicious. Sixth, determine the six relations based on the positions of the four pillars and the six spirits. Seventh, evaluate temperament based on the emphasis of the five phases and the nature of the useful god. Eighth, judge career based on the five phases and the ten heavenly stems associated with the useful god and its favorable and unfavorable influences. These eight steps are interrelated; if the useful god is selected incorrectly, the following five steps will all be wrong, so selecting the useful god is the key to the entire judgment.

癸未 甲子 丙戌 己亥 一歲 癸亥 十一 壬戌 廿一 辛酉 三一 庚申 四一 己未 五一 戊午

This is the first example demonstrating the eight-step procedure mentioned earlier, for a male birth. The four pillars are arranged vertically, from top to bottom: the year pillar is Guiwei, the month pillar is Jiazi, the day pillar is Bingxu, and the hour pillar is Jihai. The heavenly stem of the day pillar, Bing fire, is called the "day master," representing the person himself. The earthy branch of the month, Zi water, is called the "month ruler," determining the overall climate and structure of the chart. The column on the right is the "tens of years" or "big destiny," which starts at one year old and changes every ten years, in the order of Guihai, Renxu, Xinyou, Gengshen, Jiwei, Wuwu. The heavenly stem and earthly branch of the big destiny are derived from the month pillar. For a male born in a yang year, the big destiny is arranged in the forward direction, while for a male born in a yin year, it is arranged in the reverse direction; the opposite applies for females. In this case, the year stem Gui is yin, so for a male, the big destiny is arranged in reverse order, starting from the month pillar Jiazi and moving backward to Guihai, Renxu, Xinyou, Gengshen, Jiwei, Wuwu, and so on. When analyzing a birth chart, one combines the big destiny with the "current year" or "flowing year" to determine the fortune or misfortune of a particular period.

強弱 丙死於冬。亥子癸三水，既得其令，又兢來克。未戌己土雖能制水，乃本身先洩丙火之氣，只月上甲木生丙。綜計全局，抑者太多，扶者太少，故丙干以弱論。 格局 丙生子月，干透癸水，為正官之格。

First, determine the strength of the day stem: the fire element (丙火) is born in winter. According to the twelve long life stages, Bing Fire in the Zi month is in the 'death' position, and has already lost its season in the Earlier Heaven. The branch of the hour is Hai, the branch of the month is Zi, and the stem of the year is Gui, all three being water. These waters are in command and have power, and they compete to overcome the fire. The branch of the year is Wei, the branch of the day is Xu, and the stem of the hour is Ji, which are all earth elements. Although earth can control water, earth must first release the energy of the fire element to take form, which is actually helping the enemy. The entire chart only has one wood element (甲木) in the stem of the month to nourish the fire. In conclusion, there are too many elements that restrain the day stem and too few that support it, so the fire is considered weak. Second, determine the pattern of the chart: the fire element is born in the Zi month, and the hiddenGui Water in Zi is also present in the heavenly stem. For the fire element,Gui Water is a god that overcomes it and is of opposite yin and yang, which is called 'official' (正官). Therefore, the pattern is established as 'official' (正官格).

用神 丙既云弱，必須生扶。月上甲木洩水之有餘，生火之不足，取用無疑，即謂官格用印是也。 喜忌 既用甲木，自喜木火助用助身，不畏土之洩火。水之克水，蓋土有木制，水有木當也，然亦非所喜耳。最忌金為生水助虐。克木則傷用。

Third step: determining the useful god: Since the propitious fire is weak, it needs to be generated and supported. The heavenly stem at the month's dry branch, Jia wood, on one hand absorbs the excess water, and on the other hand supplements the deficiency of fire. It serves two purposes, so it is clearly chosen as the 'useful god'. This is exactly what the books on destiny call 'official pattern with seal'—when the official is too strong, instead of restraining it, the seal is used to transform the official's energy into something that nourishes the self. Fourth step: discussing what is favorable and unfavorable: since Jia wood is taken as the useful god, we naturally favor wood and fire. Wood helps the useful god, and fire supports the day master. We are not afraid of earth draining fire or water overcoming fire (the original text says 'water overcoming water', the next 'water' should be 'fire'), because earth is restrained by Jia wood, and water is transformed by Jia wood (the original text says 'water has wood when', 'when' is likely a mistake for 'transform'). However, these are not truly favorable. The most unfavorable is metal: metal generates water, which is helping the enemy, and metal overcomes wood, which directly harms the useful god.

歲運 一歲初走癸亥運，一派水鄉，稚年多病。十一歲行壬戌運。水土各半，亦乏善可陳。二十一歲辛酉運。甲辰年隨某鉅公至廣東，充記室四載。腰纏黃白，正逢木火流年也。娶妻得子，亦在斯時。嗣即奔馳少功矣。三十一歲庚甲運。用神受損蓬飄萍泛，宇內寓形。南北東西，焦桐莫識。尤以三十六後，流年多金水，無家可。

The fifth step is to check the annual and yearly cycles. From the beginning of one's life, the person has been in theGuihai (Guihai) cycle, which is entirely a water cycle, leading to frequent illness in childhood. At age eleven, the person enters theRenxu (Renxu) cycle, where壬 water and戌 earth are each half, but there is nothing remarkable about it. At twenty-one, the person enters theXinyou (Xinyou) cycle, which is aHostile God (hostile god) cycle. Fortunately, in the yearJiachen (Jiachen), the person accompanied a prominent figure to Guangdong, serving as a「记室」(a clerk handling documents) for four years, accumulating considerable wealth (「黄白」refers to gold and silver). This was because the flow of the year was of wood and fire; marriage and having children also occurred during these years. After that, the person traveled a lot but achieved little. At thirty-one, the person enters theGengshen (Gengshen) cycle (the original text says「庚甲」, but according to the previous large cycles, it should be「庚申」). In this cycle,庚 metal overcomes甲, and申 metal generates water, damaging the useful god, leading to a life of drifting like a蓬 (a type of plant) or 萍 (a water plant). Although living in the world, the person's direction is unknown, east or west, north or south. The person is like the charred zither of Cai Yong, symbolizing a talented person who is not recognized. Especially after the age of thirty-six, the flow of the years is mostly metal and water, leading to a state of having no home to return to—here, the original text has a missing character after「无家可」.

四十一歲之己未運。有甲子，乙丑，丙寅，丁卯，四則之吉，努力勿怠。再後都金水年，徵求毋奢。五十一歲戊午運。以五二，五三，五四，五五。小有作為。午運之羊刃被沖，自難樂觀。故五十六後。可撫孤松而盤桓矣。

At forty-one, entering the Jiwei cycle, although Ji earth and Wei earth may drain fire, they are still dry southern earth and do not help water. Among the four years of Jiazi, Yichou, Bingyin, and Dingmao, the years are favorable (Jia and Yi wood nourish the self, Bing and Ding fire support the self), so one should strive hard without slackness. In the following years, most belong to metal and water, so one should not expect too much in seeking success. At fifty-one, entering the Wuwu cycle, the years fifty-two to fifty-five can bring some achievements. However, Wu is the Yangren (the Prosperity place of the day stem, with strong energy and fierce nature) of Bing fire. In this case, the monthly branch is Zi water, which conflicts with Wu, so the Yangren is broken, making the situation difficult to be optimistic. Therefore, after fifty-six, one can only walk alone by the lonely pine, as described in Tao Yuanming's "Return to the Country," and spend the remaining years in peace.

六親 偏印為用。父母庇陰尚豐，劫財無力，弱弟早夭。日支藏財，然非喜神，妻乃中道雲也。傷食亦非喜見，故前雖有子，已喪申運。晚來己運，或有弄璋之望，但須琴絃再理也。 性情 火日水多，所為欠當，宗旨少決。 事業 官格用印，自以近貴求名之為宜，尤利於東南半聲耳。

Step six: Determine the Six Relations. In this case, the biased official (Jia Wood is a biased official for Bing Fire, also called the枭神) is the Useful God. The official represents the mother and also signifies parental support, so the care from parents is still considerable. The劫财, representing brothers, is weak, so the younger brother is frail and died early. The day branch is戌, which containsXin Metal, representing wealth and the wife star. Unfortunately, wealth is not a favorable element, so the wife is separated in the middle of the journey (「中道云也」means separation in the middle). The food and injury stars represent children, but these are not favorable, so although there was a son earlier, he was lost during the申 journey. In the己 journey later in life, there may still be hope for a son (「弄璋」refers to the birth of a son), but remarriage will be needed (「琴弦再理」means to remarry). Step seven: Evaluate temperament. The fire day master with too much water leads to improper conduct and lack of firm principles. Step eight: Determine career. The official pattern with the official as the Useful God naturally favors relying on noblemen and seeking advancement through reputation, especially benefiting the southeast direction (the original text's 「东南半声」has an error and should be something like 「东南半壁」).

壬子 癸丑 庚子 丁亥 五歲 壬子 十五 辛亥 廿五 庚戌 三五 己酉 四五 戊申 五五 丁未

This is a female's birth chart. The year pillar is Renzi, the month pillar is Guichou, the day pillar is Gengzi, and the hour pillar is Dinghai. The day stem is Geng metal, born in the Chou month. The big years start at age five, in sequence: Renzi, Xinhai, Gengxu, Jiyou, Wushen, Dingwei. The year stem Ren is yang, and for a female born in a yang year, the big years are arranged in reverse order, so starting from the month pillar Guichou, it goes back to Renzi, Xinhai, Gengxu, etc. When reading this chart, note that among the four pillars and eight characters, water is represented by the three branches Zi, Zi, Hai, and the two stems Ren and Gui, almost half the chart. The main problem of the entire chart is immediately apparent.

強弱 庚生季冬為寒金，水旺洩氣繫憂患。尤病丑土會亥子而化水。且寒金喜火又苦丁火之被克，是誠弱不堪言矣。 格局 庚生丑月。透癸為傷官之格。

Assessing strength and weakness:庚 metal is born in the last month of winter, December, which is cold metal. In the chart, water is strong, and the metal energy is completely drained away, which is the greatest concern. Worse still, the month's branch,丑 earth, could normally control water, but it connects with亥 and子 to form a vast northern water area, turning into water instead. The supportive element becomes a draining one. Cold metal originally prefers fire to warm it, but the hour's dry branch,丁 fire, is weakened by the month's dry branch,癸 water, so the warmth cannot be retained. Therefore, the day's ruler is extremely weak. Determining the pattern:庚 metal is born in丑 month, and丑 contains癸 water, which is also revealed in the sky.癸 water is the offspring of庚 metal, but it is a yin element, thus it is called 'hurt official' (伤官), so it is established as the 'hurt official pattern' (伤官格).

用神 水勢氾濫，若用丑中己土。非但不能制水。且激水之怒，不如亥中甲木以為用。賴甲洩水之有餘，生火之不足，所謂財能救官是也。然身弱無助之弊。在所不免矣。 喜忌 最喜為火，土，木，最忌為金水。

To select the useful god: since the water has already become overflowing, if we take the hidden Ji earth in Chou to control the water, it will not be able to restrain it, and instead provoke the water's anger (as mentioned in the previous chapter on 'Disease', 'forcing the strong god leads to being outnumbered'). It is better to take the hidden Jia wood in Hai as the useful god. Jia wood can both drain the excess water and generate the deficiency of fire. This is what the命书 (book of destiny) refers to as 'wealth saving the official' — Jia wood is the wealth for Geng metal, and Ding fire is the official for Geng metal. The wealth star connects and channels the overflowing water to generate the official, thus saving the official star. However, the day's main element is weak and lacks support, so this problem cannot be avoided. Regarding what is favorable and unfavorable: most favorable are fire, earth, and wood; most unfavorable are metal and water.

歲運 五歲交足壬子水運，十病九危。十五歲走辛亥金水運，及笄應多周折。及庚午年，怙恃之失，相繼頻乘。壬申歲身世之悲，層見疊出。雖屢屢當差，而收入甚微，仍入陷井圇圄。誠哉，時命之不遒也。

Check the yearly and annual fortunes: At five years old, the person enters the Renzi (Water) year, which is a period of great water, leading to ten illnesses and nine dangers. At fifteen, the person enters the Xinhai (Metal and Water) year, with metal and water both in play. At this age, which is the year of coming of age for women, there should be many difficulties. By the Gengwu year, both parents pass away consecutively ("hu shi" comes from the Book of Songs, "Lao E," where "hu" refers to father and "shi" refers to mother). In the Renshen year, there is continuous sorrow in life; although the person frequently obtains official positions, the income is extremely meager, eventually leading to imprisonment. When fate is so unfavorable, it is truly a matter of destiny. The reason for such hardships is that the early years of life, Renzi and Xinhai, were all years ofHostile God (hostile gods), and the more water increases, the colder the metal becomes, and the useful god, Jia wood, is drowned by water and cannot generate fire.

二十五風庚戌運。庚乃屬金，尚難脫離水火，戌中藏火土。三十三歲甲申流年。用坤得助。當獲快婿。尚可仰望者矣。三十五歲後。己酉運之己土不足制水，酉雖劫刃，亦有生水之嫌，縱不至於顛沛流離，然而病疼劇甚。四十五歲戊申運，以戊字最佳。五十歲後，歲運皆金水，恐難免賦歸於心臟病。

At the age of twenty-five, the person enters the Geng Xu cycle (the original text says 'twenty-five wind', with 'wind' being a corruption of 'intersect' or 'enter'). Geng still belongs to metal, but cannot escape the burden of water. Fortunately, Xu contains hidden Ding fire and Wu earth, which is dry earth, and there may be a turning point. At the age of thirty-three, in the Liushen year, the useful god of Jia wood receives support, and the person should find a good husband; this period still holds hope. After the age of thirty-five, entering the Ji You cycle, Ji is wet earth, which is insufficient to control water; You, although being the '劫刃' (Yang Blade) for Geng metal (which could help the body), also has the suspicion of metal generating water. Although the person may not suffer great hardship, illness will certainly worsen. At the age of forty-five, the Wu Shen cycle is the best for five years. After the age of fifty, both the big cycle and the annual cycle belong to metal and water, leading to an increase in cold water and the extinction of Ding fire. Fire represents the heart, so it is feared that the person may ultimately die from heart disease.

六親 金寒水盛則無子。官星無力易剋夫。土印化水，父母亦虛。劫比稀少終鮮四季，可無疑矣。 性情 金日水多，火土無力。水性楊花，理所然也。

To determine the Six Relations: The metal is cold and the water is abundant, the vital breath is not warm, so there is no son; the official star (Ding fire) is weak, and for a woman's fortune, the official star represents the husband, so a weak husband star indicates a tendency to overcome the husband. The earth is the official star of Geng metal, representing parents, but in this case the丑 earth is transformed into water by the亥 and子, making the parents' influence hollow. The same and劫财 are scarce, so brothers and sisters are few (the original text says '终鲜四季', which is a miswriting of '终鲜兄弟' from the Book of Songs). These points are all without doubt. To assess the nature: Metal as the day stem with too much water, and fire and earth unable to restrain it, water is flowing, so the person is like willow fluff carried by the wind — this exactly matches the statement in the 'Nature and Character' chapter that 'too much water without control leads to intelligence but weak will, and also restlessness'.

己亥 癸酉 甲辰 丙寅 三歲 甲戌 十三 乙亥 廿三 丙子 三三 丁丑 四三 戊寅 五三 己卯

A female's birth chart. The year pillar is Ji Hai, the month pillar is Gui You, the day pillar is Jia Chen, and the hour pillar is Bing Yin. The day stem Jia Wood is born in the You Metal month. The big years start at age three, in order: Jia Xu, Yi Hai, Bing Zi, Ding Chou, Wu Yin, Ji Mao. The year stem Ji is yin, so for a female born in a yin year, the big years are arranged in a forward sequence. Therefore, starting from the month pillar Gui You, it proceeds to Jia Xu, Yi Hai, Bing Zi, and so on, forming a contrast with the previous case which was in reverse order. In this birth chart, the four elements of official (You Metal), scholar (Gui Water), wealth (Ji Earth), and food (Bing Fire) are all present, making it a complete configuration of the eight characters. This is exactly the case that can be used to illustrate what "the five elements do not contradict each other" means.

強弱 甲生酉月而失其令，又多火土，則金之克洩。本當以弱論。然長生於亥，胎於酉，得祿於寅，地支有氣，尚非至弱者也。 格局 甲生酉月，為正官之格。

Assessing strength and weakness: Jia wood is born in the酉 month, when metal is dominant and wood is out of its season. The chart also contains fire (Bing and the hidden Bing in寅) and earth (Ji and Chen). On one side, Jia wood is being overcome by metal, and on the other, it is being drained by fire and earth. It would naturally be considered weak. However, Jia wood has its 'longevity' in亥 (the year branch), its 'womb' in酉, and its 'wealth' in寅 (the hour branch)—these are all positions in the twelve longevities. Longevity is the place where it first receives vital energy, and wealth is the place where it is strongest. Since there is root and vitality in the earth branches, it is not extremely weak. Determining the pattern: Jia wood is born in the酉 month, where the hidden Xin metal overcomes Jia wood, and since they are yin and yang opposites, it is considered a 正官 (positive official). The key point here is that strength and weakness should not be judged solely by the numerical quantity, but also by whether the day stem has a root in the earth branches.

用神 官印財食俱全，惟己年癸月，地位接近，財印相剋，為美中不足，故取酉丙辛金正官以為用。蓋財生官，官生印，五行六神，因此不悖矣。 喜忌 命中五行不悖，固無所謂喜忌。惟坤以夫星為重，又取正官為格，為用則不宜逢多量之火也。

Selecting the Useful God: In this case, the official star, the minister star, the wealth star, and the food god are all present. However, the dry earth of the year stem and the dry water of the month stem are closely adjacent, with the earth overcoming the water, causing a conflict between the wealth and minister stars, which is a minor flaw. Therefore, the official star, which is the metal of the month branch You, is selected as the Useful God (the original text says 'You Bing Xin metal', the character 'Bing' is likely a mistake for 'Zhong'). Why is the official star selected? Because once the official star is in use, the wealth star of the dry earth can generate the official star, the official star of You metal can generate the minister star of the dry water, and the minister star can generate the self. Thus, the wealth, official, minister, and self form a continuous chain of generation, and the Five Phases and Six Spirits no longer contradict each other. Regarding favorable and unfavorable elements: Since the Five Phases in the destiny are already harmonious, there is no particular need to discuss favorable or unfavorable elements. However, for a female's destiny, the husband star is important, and since the official star is selected as the standard, it is not advisable to encounter a large amount of fire, as strong fire will overcome the official star of You metal, damaging the husband star.

歲運 三歲起運，初走甲戌乙亥，庇陰豐裕，故童境不惡。二十歲戊千流年，偏財幫夫，于歸極利。二十三歲丙子運。丙為食神，子為正印，迭獲弄璋之慶。家道日昌。三十三歲行丁火傷官運。幸有印以制之。然辛未年夫病越七月，亦云險矣。三十八歲丑運為財，門庭煥彩，夫子皆輝。四十三歲戊寅運，之一財一比，亦安身納福。再後己卯運仍豐，堪享大年云爾。

Check the annual and yearly fortunes: Starting the fortune calculation at three years old, the first two years of fortune are Jia Xu and Yi Hai. The parents' blessings are abundant, so the childhood conditions are not bad. At twenty years old, the flow year is Wu Wu (the original text says "Wu Qian," which should be a mistake for "Wu Wu"). Wu earth is a partial wealth, and wealth can generate official positions to help the husband, so getting married is very favorable. At twenty-three years old, entering the Bing Zi year, Bing is the food god indicating offspring, and Zi is the positive official indicating blessings, so male children are born consecutively, and the family gradually becomes prosperous. At thirty-three years old, entering the Ding year, Ding fire is a damaging official, which specifically harms the positive official, which is the husband's star. Fortunately, the癸 water official in the chart can control the Ding fire; even so, the husband still fell ill for more than seven months in the Xin Wei year, which was quite dangerous. At thirty-eight years old, entering the Chou year, Chou earth is wealth, and wealth generates official positions, so the family becomes more prosperous, and both the husband and children have good fortune. At forty-three years old, entering the Wu Yin year, Wu is wealth and Yin is a companion, with one wealth and one companion, which can also provide stability and blessings. The following Ji Mao year still remains abundant, and one can expect to enjoy a long life.

六親 印有官生，父母雙慶，正官為格為用。夫既榮顯，鴻案相莊。時下一比，令弟亦云克家，時上食神吐秀，子更英奇特達矣。 性情 五行生化有情，秀外慧中，多材多義，當之無愧也。

Pushing the Six Relations: The official star comes to generate the seal, with the source unbroken, so both parents are complete and share in the joy. The official star is established as the main pattern and also used as the useful element, so the husband's star is strong, leading to the husband's honor and prominence, and the husband and wife respect each other like guests (the phrase "Hong'an Xiang Zhuang" refers to the story of Liang Hong and Meng Guang lifting their serving dishes to the same level). The branch of the hour contains Yin with hidden Jia, which is a fellow, representing brothers, so the younger brother can also inherit the family and establish a career. The heavenly stem of the hour, Bing fire, is the food god, releasing the refined energy of the day master, representing children, so the son is especially outstanding and extraordinary. Evaluating temperament: The entire chart has the Five Phases generating and transforming each other, with affection everywhere, so the person is refined and intelligent, talented and virtuous, deserving of this saying. This chart is exactly the opposite of the previous Pan surname chart: one has all Five Phases complete and smoothly generating, while the other is deficient in water and cold and stagnant. The quality of a person's destiny does not depend on the number of characters, but on their harmony and coordination.