(4) The Zhan surname with the Qian trigram destiny

庚子 庚辰 甲子 戊辰 六歲 辛巳 十六 壬午 廿六 癸未 三六 甲申 四六 乙酉 五六 丙戌

A male's birth chart. The year pillar is Geng Zi, the month pillar is Geng Chen, the day pillar is Jia Zi, and the hour pillar is Wu Chen. The day stem Jia Wood is born in the Chen month. The big years start from age six, in order: Xin Si, Ren Wu, Gui Wei, Jia Shen, Yi You, Bing Xu. The year stem Geng is yang, and since the male was born in a yang year, the big years are arranged in sequence from the month pillar Geng Chen, proceeding to Xin Si, Ren Wu, Gui Wei, etc. This birth chart has all yang stems and branches (Geng, Zi, Geng, Chen, Jia, Zi, Wu, Chen are all yang stems and branches). The earth branches contain two Zis and two Chens, implying an hidden water trinity, which is the turning point of the entire chart. We will know more from the following text.

強弱 甲生暮春土令，又見三土二金，財殺太旺。幸子辰成產水之局，辰土之財，化印生身，故專弱為強矣。 格局 甲生辰月，干透戊土，是為偏財之格。

Assessing strength and weakness: Jia wood is born in late spring, during the third month, when Chen earth is in charge. The chart also contains three instances of earth (two Chens and one Wu) and two instances of metal (two Gengs). Earth is the wealth that Jia wood is defeated by, and metal is the seven killer that defeats Jia wood. Both wealth and seven killer are too strong, so the day's main element should be weak. Fortunately, there are two Zi and two Chen, forming a water trinity. The Chen earth, which is wealth, is transformed by the water trinity into a scholar's support, which nourishes the self, thus turning weakness into strength. Determining the pattern: Jia wood is born in the month of Chen. The hidden Wu earth in Chen is revealed in the heavenly stem. Wu earth is the wealth that Jia wood defeats, and since it shares the same yin and yang, it is called 'biased wealth'. Therefore, the pattern is established as 'biased wealth pattern'.

用神 干頭盡是財殺，自取年支子印為用，賴以化殺生身也。 喜忌 最喜水木而忌土，火亦不利，因能生土也。金卻不忌，因能生水也。

To determine the useful god: all the heavenly stems are wealth and killing stars (Geng and Geng are killing stars, Wu is wealth). The day master is isolated, so we need to take the癸water of the year branch Zi as the印绶 useful god, relying on it to transform the killing star energy into something that generates and supports the day master — this is what was previously mentioned as "when the killing stars are heavy and the body is weak, it is suitable to transform the killing stars." In terms of favorable and unfavorable elements: the most favorable are water and wood, as water generates the day master and wood supports it; the most unfavorable are earth, as earth is wealth and can also generate metal killing stars; fire is also unfavorable because it can generate earth. As for metal, it is originally the killing star, but in this case, it is not unfavorable, because there is water in between to connect and pass through, so metal instead generates water, and the killing star becomes the source of the印. This point best demonstrates the flexible approach of Wei's method of determining the useful god: whether something is favorable or unfavorable is not determined by the name of the heavenly stem, but by where it goes in this particular chart.

歲運 六歲行辛己運，一金一火，乏善可陳。十六歲之壬運，大病三年。按壬水為偏印，莫非丁己戊午，己未，三載火土流年之故。二十歲午火運，得美缺於交通部，繫純逢金水流年之故。諺云：運好不發年好，洵然。

Check the annual and yearly influences: At six years old, he was in the Xinsi (辛巳) period, which consists of one metal and one fire, nothing remarkable. At sixteen, he entered the Ren (壬) period, and suffered from a serious illness for three years. Ren water is actually the biased teacher and the proper harmonizer of Jia wood, which is the useful god. So why did he fall ill? Probably because of the three fire and earth years, Dingsi (丁巳), Wuwu (戊午), and Jiwei (己未), which were harmful. Although the period was good, the years were not. At twenty, he entered the Wuwu (午火) period and got a good position in the transportation department, because he happened to meet pure metal and water years. The proverb says, "A good fortune is not as good as a good year," which is exactly the case here: the big period determines the trend of ten years, while the yearly influence determines the success or failure of the year, and both must be considered together.

廿六歲以來，癸未運，裘馬麗都。蓋一以運勝，一以年佳也。三十六歲甲運雖是幫身，惜被庚克，恐用武無地。四十一歲申運，三合全成水局，殺印相映。地位權譽，登峰造極矣。官至簡任特任，唯所望於此時也。往後乙酉運，無足可取，丙運更不宜戀棧。

Since the age of twenty-six, he has been in the Guiwei cycle, and his clothing, fur, carriages, and horses have all been extremely luxurious. This is due to both good fortune and a favorable year coinciding. At thirty-six, he enters the Jia cycle. Although Jia wood is a helpful companion that supports his body, it is unfortunately weakened by two Geng metals in the heavenly stem. Therefore, he may find himself without the opportunity to display his talents. At forty-one, he enters the Shen cycle, which forms a complete Triple Harmony with the Zi and Chen in his birth chart, creating a water pattern. The seven killing energy is entirely transformed into a seal to nourish his body. The killing and seal mutually generate, thus achieving the peak of status, power, and reputation. His official rank reaches the level of "Jianren" and even "Te ren" (the highest and second highest levels of civil officials in the Republic of China). This is exactly what he is expecting during this decade. The Yiyou cycle that follows is not favorable, and the Bing cycle is even more unsuitable to stay in. Bing fire drains wood and generates earth, injuring the useful god; thus, he should step down when appropriate.

六親 以印為用，深獲父母庇陰，不見傷食，亦且為忌神，僅午運得一子，日支坐祿，中饋尚賢，劫比之稀，因鮮足弟矣。 性情 木得水養，五行清而不雜。八字純陽，磊落大方，可斷言也。 事業 忌財喜印，最宜行政機關。堪握大權，然亦廉吏耳。

To determine the Six Relations: The Useful God is the印 (Intellectual Influence), indicating strong support from parents. The chart does not contain the food god or the injurious official, and these are also considered Hostile Gods in this case, leading to difficulties in having children. A son was obtained only during the午 (Dragon) period. The day branch, which is 子 (Zi) water, is the "Bathing" position for 甲 (Jia) wood. Here it is referred to as "sitting on the禄 (Wealthy Post)" to indicate that water nourishes the body and the wife's position is strong, thus indicating a capable wife (the "middle kitchen" refers to the wife managing the household's food and is a term for the wife). The presence of 比肩 (Equal) and 劫财 (Robbery Wealth) is sparse, so brothers are few. Assessing temperament: Wood is nourished by water, the Five Phases are pure and not mixed; the八字 (eight characters) is entirely yang, so the person is open-minded and generous. This can be stated clearly. Judging career: Dislikes wealth and prefers the Intellectual Influence, which governs official positions and documents. It is most suitable to work in government agencies where one can hold power, but since the wealth star is a Hostile God, the power is great but not accompanied by wealth accumulation.

壬子 丙午 癸亥 戊午 八歲 丁未 十八 戊申 廿八 己酉 三八 庚戌 四八 辛亥 五八 壬子

A male birth chart. The year pillar is Renzi, the month pillar is Bingwu, the day pillar is Guihai, and the hour pillar is Wuwu. The day stem Gui water is born in the month of Wu (fire). Starting from age eight, the big years are in sequence: Dingwei, Wushen, Jiyou, Gengxu, Xinhai, Renzi. The year stem Ren is yang, and for male birth charts, the sequence is in order, so from the month pillar Bingwu, it proceeds in order to Dingwei, Wushen, Jiyou, etc. This chart has water and fire facing each other: the year pillar Renzi is all water, the month and hour pillars are both Wu (fire), and the day branch Hai is also water. The success or failure of the entire chart depends on whether these two forces can balance each other. It is one of the most harmonious cases in the "Evaluation Section" of the five examples.

強弱 癸水生於仲夏，又逢午時，三火一土，財官太旺。幸載亥支，為帝旺之鄉，更妙年干壬水劫財。載子而亦為旺地，弱而有助，得中和之妙也。 格局 癸生午月，為偏財之格。

Assessing strength and weakness:癸 water is born in midsummer May, and the hour is also午. The chart contains three fires (丙, 午, 午) and one earth (戊). Fire is the wealth that癸 water is overcoming, and earth is the official that controls癸 water. Both wealth and official are too strong. The day's main element should be weak. Fortunately, the day's main element sits on the亥 branch, which is the 'Prosperity' land for癸 water, giving it a root. Even better, the year's heavenly stem is壬 water, which is the劫财, and it sits on the子 branch, which is also a strong land for water. Although the day's main element is weak, it has support. The strength and weakness balance each other, achieving harmony. Determining the pattern:癸 water is born in午 month, and the丁 fire in午 is the wealth that癸 water is overcoming, and since they share the same yin and yang, it is the 'biased wealth'. Therefore, the pattern is established as 'biased wealth'.

用神 日元稍弱，宜取壬水，劫財幫身為用。 喜忌 喜金水，忌火土，尤忌木之生火洩水。

To determine the useful god, since the day stem is still slightly weak, we take the heavenly stem壬 water in the year as the劫财 to assist the day stem, making it the useful god. When the body is weak and wealth is strong, it is necessary to use brothers and sisters to share and bear the wealth, which is exactly what the previous rhyme said: "When wealth is abundant and the body is weak, brothers and sisters are suitable." In terms of what is favorable and unfavorable: we favor metal and water, as metal generates water and water supports the day stem; we dislike fire and earth, as fire represents wealth and earth represents official stars, both of which consume and control the day stem. Especially we dislike wood, because wood both generates fire to assist wealth and drains the vitality of water, causing damage on both sides. The selection of the useful god here is very simple, and all the key points lie in the two characters "helping the body."

歲運 八歲初走丁未火土運，幼境未豐。十八歲戊運，賴流年多金水，所如尚順。廿一歲壬申年，茅廬初出，即入某銀行為練習生。廿三歲轉入申運，劫財得長生，當可不脛而馳。廿八歲後，己酉運，一以流年之勝，一以行運之善，青雲直上，前途正未有艾也。

Check the age and yearly influences: At eight years old, the person entered the Dingwei period, with both fire and earth present, leading to an unprosperous childhood. At eighteen, they entered the Wuyun period, with Wutu being the official star, which was not favorable. However, they relied on many years of metal and water in the flow of the year, so things generally went smoothly. At twenty-one, in the first year of Renshen, they began their career, entering a bank as an apprentice. Renshen is a useful god for the person, with Shen being able to generate water, making it a year when the useful god was well established. At twenty-three, they entered the Shen period, which is the "growth" place for Ren water. The劫财 (robbery star) had its source, so their reputation spread quickly. After twenty-eight, they entered the Jiyou period. With good flow years and the inherent goodness of the period (You metal generating water), they rose rapidly, with a promising and boundless future.

三十八歲庚金正印運，尤幫運達。四十三歲戌運，歲運皆木火土之鄉，縱不修文地下。亦必床第呻吟。越過此津，然後得辛亥壬子，運走西北，致富何難。 六親 財旺多妻，日支亥字，大有裨益於命局，自然內助之賢。亥中甲木傷官非喜神，子較艱難。年柱壬子為精華，出身高第，有劫元印。丁運父母雙亡，劫財為用，宜其長兄二兄，皆有名於時也。

At thirty-eight, he entered the Geng cycle, and Geng metal is the proper teacher of癸 water, thus it is strong enough to support his body. This cycle was particularly beneficial for his success. At forty-three, he entered the Xu cycle, which is a fire store and dry earth. During those years, his big luck and the years of the sky were all in the areas of wood, fire, and earth. Although he would not necessarily die, he would certainly suffer from illness and pain. After overcoming this period, he would enter the Xinhai and Renzi cycles, moving to the northwest areas of metal and water, and it would not be difficult for him to become wealthy. In terms of the six relations: when wealth is strong, it indicates having many wives; the day branch亥 water greatly helps the entire chart, so the wife is virtuous. The hidden甲 wood in亥 is a harmful official, not a favorable god, so having children would be difficult. The year pillar Renzi is the most important part of the entire chart, so his family background is very high, and he is protected by both the劫财 and the origin god's seal. During the Ding cycle, both parents died (Ding fire is wealth, and wealth destroys the seal; the seal represents parents). Since劫财 is the useful god, it is not surprising that his elder and second elder brothers had some reputation at that time.

性情 火有水濟，能剛能柔。見解必清楚處事多得當。 事業 命本可富，自宜置身金融界。若趨北地，尤稱佳妙。

Evaluating temperament: Fire is tempered by water, resulting in a balanced combination of fire and water, known as "Water and Fire in Harmony." Therefore, this person can be both strong and flexible, has clear insights, and tends to handle affairs appropriately — this contrasts with the first case where "fire on a water-rich day" leads to inappropriate actions. Both cases involve the meeting of fire and water, but one is imbalanced while the other is harmonious, leading to completely different temperaments. Assessing career: This configuration originally has the potential for wealth, and it is naturally suitable for working in the financial sector. If the person can develop in the north, it would be even better — the north belongs to water, which is exactly where the useful god (useful element) is in its proper place. In the above five cases, the author has systematically analyzed them according to eight steps: strength and weakness, configuration, useful god, favorable and unfavorable elements, age and year influences, six relations, temperament, and career. Readers can follow this method to apply it to their own cases and gain a clear approach.

丁亥 庚戌 己巳 庚午 初九 己酉 十九 戊申 廿九 丁未 三九 丙午 四九 乙巳 五九 甲辰 六九 癸卯 光緒十三年九月十五日午時生

The "Ying Yun Chapter" and the following are examples of horoscopes analyzed by Wei Qianli for contemporary people. Each case first lists the four pillars, then the big years, and finally the interpretation. This case has the year pillar Dinghai, month pillar Gengxu, day pillar Jisi, and hour pillar Gengwu. The day master is Jiutu, born in the month of Xiu. The birth date is the fifteenth day of the ninth month of the thirteenth year of Guangxu, at the hour of Wushen. The big years start from the age of nine, in the order of Jiyou, Wushen, Dingwei, Bingwu, Yisi, Jiachen, and Guimao, each lasting ten years. The heavenly stem of the year, Ding, is yin. For a male's birth in a yin year, the big years are arranged in reverse order, so starting from the month pillar Gengxu, it goes back to Jiyou, Wushen, Dingwei, and so on, moving from the western metal direction to the southern fire direction. The key to understanding this table is to compare the four pillars with the big years: the four pillars form the basis, determining the overall pattern of a person's life; the big years determine the fortune and adversity of each decade.

此蔣介石之命也。庚金傷官，既得九秋餘氣，矧復雙透干頭，妙有火印制傷，天生康壯之體。三命通會所載：金神入火鄉，夫以傷官佩印為用。運喜逢印，不必再見傷食。早年申酉，有駿骨牽監之嘆。丁未運為火力不足。龍潛於淵。迨丙午運。火候功深。風去際會。乙已運木炎媲美，仍是從心所欲，甲辰運傷官見官。解組歸田，是為上策。

This is Chiang Kai-shek's birth chart. The earth (己土) generates the metal (庚金), and the metal is considered the "wounding official" (伤官). Although September has passed the peak of autumn, the metal still retains its strength, and with two instances of metal appearing in the heavenly stem, the wounding official is very strong. Fortunately, the day branch (巳) and the hour branch (午) are both fire. Fire is the earth's "mother" (印), and the mother can control the wounding official, so he naturally has a healthy and strong physique. The "Gold God entering the fire land" (金神入火乡) mentioned in the Complete Compendium of the Three Fates refers to this situation. The "Gold God" refers to the old names of the three sets of heavenly stem and earthly branch combinations: Yichou (乙丑), Jisi (己巳), and Guiyou (癸酉). These combinations are extremely sharp and must be tempered by fire to become useful. In this case, the day pillar is exactly Jisi (己巳). The method of selecting the key elements is "wounding official with mother" (伤官佩印): instead of using food or wounding elements to relieve the body, the mother is used to control the wounding official and then support the body. Therefore, the big years should be favorable when encountering the mother (fire and earth), and it is not advisable to encounter the wounding official or food elements again (metal and water). In his early years, when he traveled through the years of Shen and You, the metal was too strong, like a thousand-mile horse being tied up with a halter, with strong bones but unable to run freely. In the Dingwei year, the fire was still insufficient, and he was like a dragon in the depths of the pond. It was not until the Bingwu year that the fire was strong enough, and he achieved great success (the original text says "wind goes" but it should be "wind and cloud meet"). In the Yisi year, the wood and fire supported each other, which was equally favorable, and he could still do whatever he wanted. When he reached the Jiachen year, the wood (甲木) is the official of the earth (己土), and it conflicts with the wounding official (庚金), forming the situation of "wounding official meeting official" (伤官见官). In this case, it is best to remove the mother and retire to the countryside.

乙酉 丁亥 己丑 甲子 九歲 丙戌 十九 乙酉 廿九 甲申 三九 癸未 四九 壬午 五九 辛巳 六九 庚辰

The year pillar is Yi You, the month pillar is Ding Hai, the day pillar is Ji Chou, and the hour pillar is Jia Zi. The day stem Ji Tu is born in the month of Hai. Starting from the age of nine, the big destiny runs in the order of Bing Xu, Yi You, Jia Shen, Gui Wei, Ren Wu, Xin Si, and Geng Chen. The stem of the year, Yi, is yin, and for a male destiny, it is arranged in reverse order, so from the month pillar Ding Hai, it goes back to Bing Xu, Yi You, Jia Shen, and so on. The destiny first moves to the western metal land, and later in middle age, it moves to the southern fire land. When reading this destiny, one must pay attention to the branches: Hai, Zi, and Chou form a continuous northern water area, which is a strong wealth for the day stem Ji Tu. The entire destiny's cold and damp condition and its remedy all come from these three branches.

前黑龍江代理主席郎官普先生。勻耳餘名。客春因公南下。道出海上，手馬占山將軍命造。叩餘休咎。緣為簡批曰。己見亥子丑。病於水盛。助成寒溼。妙有丁火煦融。更喜鄰於乙木。丁 獲資助，則驅寒有力。且水生木而木生火，財也殺也印也。生生不息。八字貴重。良有以也。

A certain Mr. Lang Guanpu, the former acting chairman of Heilongjiang, had long heard of my name. Last spring, on his way south for official business, he passed through Shanghai and brought along the birth chart of General Ma Zanshan to inquire about its fortune. I briefly commented on it, saying that the day master, Ji earth, was overwhelmed by a great amount of northern water, represented by Hai, Zi, and Chou, which caused a cold and damp condition. Fortunately, there was Ding fire in the month's heavenly stem to warm and harmonize the chart, and even more so, the Ding fire was closely adjacent to the time's heavenly stem, Yi wood. The Ding fire was thus supported by the Yi wood, giving it the strength to drive away the cold. Moreover, water nourishes wood, and wood generates fire—water in this chart is considered "wealth" (the thing that Ji earth controls), wood is "enemy" (the force that attacks Ji earth), and fire is "intellectual support" (the force that nourishes Ji earth). The combination of wealth, enemy, and intellectual support forms a continuous chain of generation, creating a cycle of perpetual renewal. The value of a birth chart indeed lies in such principles. The key point in this case is the concept of "passing through" (or "mediation"): wealth is usually harmful to the day master, but once it is passed through by wood and fire, it becomes the source of the day master's strength.

或謂此命天成格局。名化氣者，非篤論也。早年行運。碌碌無奇。行屆未運，中藏乙丁，並含用神喜神。再逢辛未之年，宜乎一鳴驚人。一飛沖天。行及壬運。則又以水之助溼。歸諸平淡，白圭之玷。莫非命也。午運丁火得祿。發揚蹈歷。趾參予望之。辛運與乙丁互沖，功成歸隱，頤養天年。斯其時矣。

Some people say this destiny is naturally formed in a pattern called "Hua Qi Ge" (the day stem combines with a neighboring stem to transform into another element), but this is not an accurate assessment. In this case, although Jia and Ji are in combination, the chart has abundant water and strong wood, so the day stem has its own support and has not truly transformed. In early years, the fortune was unremarkable. When reaching the Wei year, the Wei branch contains Yi wood and Ding fire, which are the useful and auspicious elements; and when encountering the Xinwei year (1931, the year of the Jiangqiao Resistance), it is no wonder he suddenly became famous and soared to great heights. When reaching the Ren year, the Ren water promotes dampness, which reduces the achievements to a more ordinary level, leaving a blemish on the white jade, which is also the way of destiny. When reaching the Wu year, the Ding fire gets its "Lu" (the Ding fire is strong in Wu, which is its original strength place), and it is a time for renewed efforts and achievements, which is worth watching. When reaching the Xin year, the Xin metal conflicts with Yi wood and fights with Ding fire, causing both the useful and auspicious elements to be harmed. At that time, it is the right time to retire after achieving success and to enjoy a peaceful old age.

甲戌 戊辰 戊申 壬子 六歲 己巳 十六 庚午 廿六 辛未 三六 壬申 四六 癸酉 五六 甲戌 六六 乙亥

The heavenly stem of the year pillar is Jia Xu, the month pillar is Wu Chen, the day pillar is Wu Shen, and the hour pillar is Ren Zi. The day master is Wu Earth, born in the month of Chen. Starting from the age of six, the big destiny cycle proceeds in order: Ji Si, Geng Wu, Xin Wei, Ren Shen, Gui You, Jia Xu, Yi Hai. The heavenly stem of the year, Jia, is yang. For a male destiny, the sequence is in the order of the month pillar, so from Wu Chen, it proceeds to Ji Si, Geng Wu, Xin Wei, and so on. Initially, it moves towards the southern fire and earth, then towards the northwest metal and water. In this case, the earth branches Shen, Zi, and Chen are all present, forming a complete configuration of the triple harmony water cycle. The heavenly stems also reveal Ren Water, indicating a very strong wealth force, which is the key point for the following discussion.

或曰，吳佩孚命造，為甲戍戊辰已酉丁卯。夫土重遠過於金水木。身太強。財官太弱。標本不均，身世似不類。心滋疑焉。雲夏蓬萊李潔盒君。從餘學命。書函往還。於請益中，以甲戍戊辰戊申壬子。

Some people say Wu Peifu's birth chart is Jia Xu, Wu Chen, Ji You, and Ding Mao. However, when arranged this way, the amount of earth is far greater than that of metal, water, and wood, making the day stem extremely strong while the wealth and official stars are very weak. This creates a mismatch between the essential and the superficial, which seems inconsistent with his life story. Therefore, I have some doubts (the original text mistakenly writes "Jia Shu" instead of "Jia Xu", same for other instances). A person from Penglai, Mr. Li Jie'an, studied divination with me, and we corresponded by letter (the original text has an error in the words "Yunxia", possibly meaning "Zi You" or "Jin Xia"). In his letter asking for advice, he presented another birth chart: Jia Xu, Wu Chen, Wu Shen, and Ren Zi. This passage illustrates a common difficulty in divination: the conflicting accounts of famous people's birth dates, and the only way to choose is by comparing the divination with actual facts.

一造見詢，據云繫子玉上將軍真命，視其戊土日元。比肩重疊。申子辰會不局。時干透壬。乃身財兩美。旺財生年頭甲木之殺。惟乏火印以化殺，及金星制殺之為病。故清高氣骨惜屢起屢仆。終隱平泉，無非制殺。或為化殺，因是益信殺重之命 ，最貴乎化與制矣。

It is said that this configuration is the true destiny of General Zi Yu (Wu Peifu, who was styled Zi Yu). The day stem is Wu earth, with two Wu earths appearing in the year and month, making the day ruler strong. The earthly branches form a water trinity (the original text says "会不局" but should be "会水局"), and the time stem also reveals Ren water, thus both the body and wealth are strong. The abundant wealth then generates the heavenly stem Ji wood in the year. Ji wood is a killer (seven killer) to Wu earth, and since they share the same yin and yang, it is called "seven killer." Unfortunately, the chart lacks fire for the intellectual aspect to transform the killer, and also lacks metal (food and injury) to control the killer, which is the root of the problem. Therefore, although the person has a refined and noble character, he has many ups and downs and eventually retires to live in seclusion in the mountains and forests. In the end, the seven killer must either be controlled or transformed. This further confirms that for a chart with a strong killer, the most valuable thing is having something to transform or control it.

酉運以流年不濟。備嘗挫扼。英雄氣短。莫非命也。甲運最危。幸在野養晦，可謂知命者矣，刻雖已進戍運。然比肩輔翼。不過蔗境安康。頤樂天年而已。

During the You (酉) period, due to unfavorable heavenly stems in the flow year, there were many hardships and frustrations, leading to a decline in heroic spirit and a sense of suppression. This is also part of one's destiny. The Jiā (甲) period is the most dangerous—Jiā represents the seven deadly stars, and when the period supports the deadly stars but there is no control or transformation within the chart, it is particularly perilous. Fortunately, at this time, he is retreating into seclusion and cultivating his potential in the wild, which can be considered as understanding the principles of destiny. Although now he has entered the Xu (戌) period, Xu is a dry earth, and with the year's Xu branch, it only serves as a helper, providing comfort in old age and allowing for a peaceful retirement. The term "zhè jìng" (蔗境) refers to the latter part of life gradually improving, inspired by Gu Kaizhi's metaphor of eating a sugarcane and gradually reaching the sweetest part. Comparing this chart with the previous one of Ma Zhan Shan, one has heavy killing stars with a minister star to transform them, while the other has heavy killing stars without any control or transformation, and this is the key difference between success and failure.

癸未 辛酉 乙酉 丁亥 十一 庚申 廿一 己未 三一 戊午 四一 丁巳 五一 丙辰 六一 乙卯 七一 甲寅 光緒九年九月初八日亥時生

The year pillar is Guiwei, the month pillar is Xinyou, the day pillar is Yimao, and the hour pillar is Dinghai. The day stem is Yi wood, born in the month of You metal. The birth date is the eighth day of the ninth lunar month in the ninth year of the Guangxu era, at the hour of Hai. The big destiny starts at age eleven, in sequence: Gengshen, Jiwei, Wuwu, Dingsi, Bingchen, Yimao, Jiayin. The year stem Gui is yin, for a male destiny it is reversed, so starting from the month pillar Xinyou, it goes back to Gengshen, Jiwei, Wuwu, etc. From middle age onwards, the destiny moves towards the southeast direction of wood and fire. In this case, the month stem is Xin, the month branch is You, and the day branch is You, so there are three instances of metal in the sky and earth, which is in command. The Yi wood is weak and isolated, which is a standard case of "heavy killing and light body." The following discussion on control and transformation is based on this.

前論殺重之命。貴乎制化。視閻錫山命造。更可徵信矣。蓋秋木凋零。秋金既得其時，又得其祿。殺重身輕。身殺之力量懸殊。其輕重不可以道里計。幸有癸印生身，並化殺，又有丁火食神以制殺，制化之功。乃完備矣。

The previous discussion emphasized that a heavy presence of the seven killing stars (seven deadly stars) is valuable when it is controlled and transformed. Taking Yan Xisshan's birth chart as an example further confirms this. The ethereal wood (乙木) is born in late autumn, already withering, while the metal of autumn is both timely and strong, as it is in the branch of You (酉), which is the native place (禄) of Xin metal. The seven killing stars are heavy, and the body (the person's own energy) is weak, with a great imbalance between the two forces that cannot be measured by numerical calculation. Fortunately, the heavenly stem of the year has Gui water, the true mother (正印), which both supports the ethereal wood and transforms the metal energy. The heavenly stem of the hour also has Ding fire, the food god (食神), which directly controls the seven killing stars of Xin metal. Both transformation and control are present, thus completing the function of transformation and control. This is exactly what the previous case of Wu Peifou lacked—both have heavy seven killing stars, but one has a remedy and the other does not, leading to vastly different fates.

宜其坐鎮晉省。廿四年來，無或失足。可方於唐之李郭。宋之朝範。啟澤覃敷。考其一生經歷。犖犖大者，如辛亥年應鄉革命，壬子年任山西都督。丁已年兼省長，午丁二運。春風和煦，水波不興，要非歲運屬水之化殺，或火之制殺，曷克臻此。已運適以沖亥。瑕瑜互見。丙運以丙子丁丑兩年，盛極一時，辰運妒合酉金。似乎難展驥才。乙運五年。蔗境優洲，未可限量焉。

It is no wonder that he has remained steadfast in Shanxi for twenty-four years without any misstep, comparable to Li Guangbi and Guo Ziyi of the Tang dynasty, and Zhao Ding and Fan Zhongyan of the Song dynasty, whose benevolence was widespread. Examining his entire career, major events such as his response to the revolution in the year Xinhai, his appointment as governor of Shanxi in the year Renzi, and his concurrent role as provincial governor in the year Dingsi, all occurred during the years of the Wu and Ding cycles—years marked by gentle spring winds and calm waters. If it were not for the influence of the water element in the annual and cycle years to neutralize the harmful forces, or the fire element to control them, he could not have reached such a position. The Si cycle, however, exactly conflicts with the hour branch Hai, removing the place where the fire element was seated, thus resulting in a mixture of strengths and weaknesses. During the Bing cycle, the years Bingzi and Dingsi saw strong fire elements that controlled the harmful forces, leading to a period of great success. The Chen cycle, on the other hand, combined with the You metal, forming a metal-water union, which stirred up the harmful forces, making it difficult to fully display his abilities. In the Yi cycle, the five years were marked by the presence of a fellow element, providing support and allowing him to enjoy a comfortable later life, with an uncertain but promising future ahead.

甲午 乙亥 庚申 己卯 九歲 丙子 十九 丁丑 廿九 戊寅 三九 己卯 四九 庚辰 五九 辛巳 六九 壬午

The heavenly stem and earthly branch of the year are Jia Wu, the month Yi Hai, the day Geng Shen, and the hour Ji Mao. The day stem Geng Metal is born in the month of Hai. Starting from the age of nine, the big destiny runs in the order of Bing Zi, Ding Chou, Wu Yin, Ji Mao, Geng Chen, Xin Si, Ren Wu. The heavenly stem of the year, Jia, is yang, and for a male destiny, it is arranged in the order of the stems. Therefore, starting from the month stem Yi Hai, it proceeds in order to Bing Zi, Ding Chou, Wu Yin, etc. The merit of this destiny does not lie in a special pattern, but in the fact that each of the four heavenly stems finds its strength in the earthly branches: Geng Metal's strength is in Shen, Ji Earth's strength is in Wu, Yi Wood's strength is in Mao, and Jia Wood's growth is in Hai. The eight characters are perfectly matched, and the statement later that "the heavenly stems all find their strength" refers to this.

當見富貴人。其命了無所長。僅以干神皆得旺氣。而致貴者。如宋子文是也。財旺身弱，幸日主坐祿。然亦不足為奇。其干神皆得旺氣（庚祿在申。已祿在午乙祿在卯。甲長生在亥。亦有稱為交祿格者）斯乃可貴。

It is often seen that wealthy and noble people have birth charts that do not appear to have any special strengths. They merely achieve prominence because each heavenly stem is supported by the earthly branches, as seen in the case of Song Ziwén. In this case, wood and fire form a powerful combination representing wealth, and the庚 gold day master is weak. Fortunately, the day master sits on the申 gold禄, thus being stable. This alone is not remarkable. What is truly valuable is that all four heavenly stems have roots—(the author's note: 庚's禄 is in申, 己's禄 is in午, 乙's禄 is in卯, and 甲's长生 is in亥). This configuration where heavenly stems and earthly branches support each other is also called the "Intersecting禄 Pattern."the so-called "禄" refers to the position in the earthly branches where the heavenly stem's true strength is fully manifested. A heavenly stem without a root is like a floating duckweed; only with a root can it bear wealth and official positions.

廿九歲以來。利祿功名，與日俱進。蓋日主較弱，戊寅已三運。偏重於幫身之故。寅運中之辛未年，亥卯未會成木局。以財重印傷所致。未來之卯運。財愈重身愈輕。固宜韜光養晦。自求多福。以保其君子闇然而日章。（一說宋命為甲午乙亥庚辰已卯。未知孰是。）

Since the age of twenty-nine, benefits, official positions, and fame have been increasing day by day. This is because the day stem is weak, and the three periods (Wu, Yin, and Ji) have all been favorable for supporting and strengthening the day stem. Wu and Ji are the official stars that nourish metal, and although Yin is a wealth star, the heavenly stem in that period also supports the day stem. In the Xinwei year during the Yin period, the three branches Hai, Mao, and Wei form a wood trinity, making the wealth star too strong and the official star weakened, hence that year was not favorable. In the future Mao period, wealth will become even stronger while the day stem becomes even weaker, so one should be modest and seek blessings from within, maintaining the state of a gentleman who appears dull on the surface but grows brighter internally (a phrase from the Zhongyong: "The way of the gentleman is dark but becomes ever more luminous"). The last sentence in parentheses is the author's note: another view suggests the birth chart is Jiawu, Yihai, Gengchen, Jimao, but it is unclear which one is correct.

丁卯 丙午 庚午 己卯 五歲 乙巳 十五 甲辰 廿五 癸卯 三五 壬寅 四五 辛丑 五五 庚子 六五 己亥

The heavenly stem and earthly branch of the year are Dingmao, the month is Bingwu, the day is Gengwu, and the hour is Jimao. The day's stem is Geng metal, born in the month of Wu fire. The big destiny starts at age five, in order: Yisi, Jiachen, Guimao, RENYIN, Xinchou, Gengzi, Jihai. The heavenly stem of the year, Ding, is yin. For a male, the destiny is reversed, so from the month Bingwu, it goes back to Yisi, Jiachen, Guimao, etc. The first part is southeast wood and fire, and the latter part is northwest metal and water. This chart has two Wus and two Maos, with wood and fire interacting and metal in the middle. The heavenly stems include Jia, Yi, and Ji, which represent official, killer, and minister, thus forming the basis for the discussion of "official and killer mixed together."

此虞洽卿先生命也。識者咸雲官殺混雜。財官過強為疑。竊以庚生午月。干透丁已，為純粹正官正印之格。殺之混官。是無傷害。木火雖盛。妙有已土之洩火生身。弱中有氣。全得力於時上正印。

This is the birth chart of Mr. Yu Qieqing. Those who understand命理 say it has "official and killer stars mixed together," and they also doubt the excessive strength of wealth and official stars. My private opinion is different: the庚 metal is born in the午 month, with丁 fire and己 soil appearing in the heavenly stem. The丁 fire controls the庚 metal and is of opposite yin and yang, making it a proper official star; the己 soil generates the庚 metal, making it a proper nurturing star. This forms a pure pattern of a proper official star paired with a proper nurturing star. As for the丙 fire in the month stem, which is a seven killer star that mixes with the official star, it does not cause any harm (the official star is in command and strong, and the killer star is controlled by the official). Although wood and fire are very strong, it is wonderful that the己 soil sometimes releases the fire energy to generate metal. The day master is weak but has some strength, entirely relying on the proper nurturing star in the hour column to support it. Therefore, judging the case of mixed official and killer stars should not only count how many gods that control me appear in the heavenly stem, but also see who is in command and whether there is any resolution.

宜其溫良恭儉。建樹嵫基。昭然為江左聞人。況太君賢德。鄉里咸稱，濟苦恤貧。樂而不倦。祖德既裕。母教又足以踵鍾郝而紹陶歐。是更官印相生之故歟。惟火旺無水。似嫌亢炎。故名高利淡。積勞寡逸。

It is no wonder that he was kind, gentle, respectful, and frugal, thus establishing a great foundation and becoming a prominent figure in the Jiangdong region. Moreover, his mother was virtuous and benevolent, praised by the local people for her charitable deeds, which she never tired of doing. The virtue of his ancestors was deep, and his mother's education was sufficient to match the virtue of the Zhong and Hao families of the Jin dynasty, continuing the family tradition of Tao Kan's mother and Ouyang Xiu's mother. This is precisely the manifestation of the "official seal mutual generation" in his destiny (the seal represents the mother, and the official generates the seal, hence the mother's virtue is prominent). However, the overall situation is overly fiery without water to balance it, leading to a tendency towards excess and dryness. Therefore, his reputation is high but his benefits are few, his efforts are many but his ease is scarce. This situation corresponds exactly with the previous chapter on "dry and damp": an overly dry situation desires moisture, and since there is no water in his destiny, his life lacks a fraction of composure.

早年多木火運。備嘗困扼。壬運以來。一路金水。兼以所經營者。多金水商業。更宜如月之恆。刻在已運。仍其舊貫。七十歲這亥運。蔗境餘廿。再後戊運康強逢吉。豐厚境遇。不讓於前。戍運化火。明哲保身。享受考終而已。

In early years, one experienced much of the wood and fire energies, with fire overpowering and melting metal, leading to many hardships. Since the Rén cycle, the path has been predominantly of metal and water, precisely compensating for the lack of water in one's fate; furthermore, the industries he engaged in, such as shipping and finance, belong to the metal and water categories. This is like the waxing moon, gradually becoming full (a phrase from the Book of Songs: "like the moon in its waxing phase"). At present, during the Si cycle, everything remains as before. At seventy, entering the Hai cycle, the water of Hai moistens the situation, leading to a sweet old age (the original text "yue niang" should be "yue gan"). Afterwards, during the Wu cycle, the body becomes strong and healthy, and favorable events occur, with the richness of circumstances not inferior to the past. When reaching the Xu cycle, Xu and the fire of Wu and Mao combine to form fire again, and the dry atmosphere returns. At that time, one should be wise and cautious, enjoying the remaining years of life.

丁丑 癸卯 乙巳 丙子 十歲 壬寅 廿十 辛丑 三十 庚子 四十 己亥 五十 戊戌 六十 丁酉 七十 丙申

The year pillar is Dingchou, the month pillar is Guimao, the day pillar is Yisi, and the hour pillar is Bingzi. The day stem Yi wood is born in the month of Mao. Starting from the age of ten, the big destiny runs in the order of Renyin, Xinchou, Gengzi, Jihai, Wuxu, Dingyou, Bingshen. The heavenly stem of the year, Ding, is yin. For a male's destiny, it is arranged in reverse order, so from the month pillar Guimao, it goes back to Renyin, Xinchou, Gengzi, and so on. The day stem Yi wood is born in the month of Mao, which is the original strength position of Yi wood. The classic texts call this "Jian Lu" — when the birth month is the strength position of the day stem, the destiny pattern is named "Jian Lu." The following discussion on selecting useful elements starts from here.

有以顏大使惠慶之命詢余者，乃簡為批曰。乙生卯月為建祿。不見他木，但得時令之旺。未獲氣勢之盛。最貴水之灌溉。火之煊赫。妙在癸丙透干。已子居支。生洩之功。無忝美備。自宜富貴雙全。屢膺鉅任。丙見已祿。乙見卯祿。癸見子祿，日主用神喜神，交互得祿，尤為貴徽。

Someone asked me about the fate of Ambassador Yan Huiqing. I briefly commented: The ethereal wood (Yi) is born in the卯 month, which is the "Jian Lu" pattern. The chart lacks other woods, and only receives the strength of the season, so it is not yet strong enough. Such wood is most valuable when there is water to nourish it and fire to express it. Fortunately, there is癸 water and丙 fire appearing in the heavenly stems, and also巳 and子 in the earthly branches. The癸 water gets its root in子, and the丙 fire gets its root in巳. One nourishes me, and the other expresses my vitality. Both functions of nourishing and expressing are complete and lacking nothing. Naturally, he should be both wealthy and noble, and repeatedly take on important responsibilities. Further, the丙 fire gets its strength in巳, the乙 wood in卯, and the癸 water in子. The day master, the useful god, and the happy god all interact and get their strength, especially showing the signs of high status. The so-called "useful god" is the most needed deity in the entire chart, and the "happy god" is the deity that supports the useful god. All three have roots, so their strength is solid.

前行子運。爵位迭晉，蓋印得祿也。已運息影。財壞印也。亥運再起印。印會局也。戊運韜晦。印被合也。戍運癸酉年，授駐俄大使。癸印之功也。今年乙亥。明年丙子。折衡樽俎。壇玷增光。有厚望焉。丁丑年以下。歲支均屬庸常。宜清流賦詩。無官司一身輕矣。

In the previous cycle of the Zi (mouse) branch, his rank and position kept rising, because Zi is the禄 (favorable position) of癸 water's印 (intellectual influence), and when the印 gets the禄, fame and status come. In the Si (snake) cycle, he retreated, because Si fire is the财 (wealth), and wealth can damage the印. In the Hai (pig) cycle, he resumed activity, because Hai joins with Mao and Wei in a harmonious trine, forming a group of印 stars. In the Wu (horse) cycle, he again withdrew, because Wu earth appears in the heavenly stem and combines with癸 water, thus the印 is combined and blocked. In the Xu (dog) cycle, the year Guiyou saw him appointed as the ambassador to Russia, which was due to the merit of癸 water's印. This year is Yihai, next year is Bingzi, which is most suitable for diplomatic negotiations (meaning discussions at the banquet table), bringing glory to the country, which is very promising. From the year Dingchou onwards, the branch of the heavenly stem is ordinary, so it is appropriate to be a clean official who recites poetry and enjoys leisure, free from official duties. This case thoroughly follows the thread of the印, experiencing getting the禄, being damaged by财, forming a harmonious trine, and being combined and blocked, all of which correspond with the actual events, clearly demonstrating Wei's method of reading the destiny.

己亥 丁卯 乙未 己卯 八歲 丙寅 十八 乙丑 廿八 甲子 三八 癸亥 四八 壬戌 五八 辛酉 六八 庚申

The year pillar is Jihai, the month pillar is Dingmao, the day pillar is Yiwei, and the hour pillar is Jimao. The day stem Yi wood is born in the month of Mao. Starting from the age of eight, the big destiny runs in the order of Bingyin, Yichou, Jiazi, Guihai, Renxu, Xinyou, and Gengshen. The year stem Ji is yin, and for a male destiny, it is arranged in reverse order, so from the month pillar Dingmao, it goes back to Bingyin, Yichou, Jiazi, and so on. In this case, the branches Hai, Mao, and Wei are all present, forming a complete Triple Harmony wood configuration. Additionally, the month branch Mao is the true essence of Yi wood. The entire chart is dominated by wood energy, and there is no trace of metal in the four pillars. This creates the conditions for a special旺 (prosperous) external pattern. The subsequent mention of the "Curved and Straight Kindness and Longevity Pattern" originates from this.

吳經熊先生，海上名律師也。積學多才。歷任學府法院領袖。公餘之暇。好研命理，時蒙以五行生剋相討論。視其命造。乙生卯月。亥卯未會局。五行絕金。乃曲直仁壽之格，尤貴干透丁火已土。英華發越 。秀氣畢呈。其命酷似遜清之李鴻章，畫錦前程。可操左券。

Master Wu Jingxiong was a renowned lawyer in Shanghai, with profound scholarly attainments and great versatility. He held leadership positions in both academic institutions and courts. In his spare time, he enjoyed studying divination, often discussing the Five Phases with me. Looking at his birth chart: the ethereal stem Yi Wood is born in the卯 month, and the earthly branches亥,卯,未 form a Wood trinity, with no metal at all in the Five Phases. This is the "Qu Zhí Rén Shòu Pattern" — Wood is flexible and straight, with a Wood day stem and the entire chart composed of Wood, and no metal to restrain or break it, forming a dominant pattern. This indicates a person of benevolence and longevity. Particularly precious is the revelation of the heavenly stem Ding Fire and Ji Earth: Ding Fire releases the refined essence of Wood, and Ji Earth is restrained by Wood to become wealth. Thus, the refined essence is fully expressed, and the refined qi is fully revealed. This chart is extremely similar to that of Li Hongzhang of the late Qing dynasty, indicating a secure path to a brilliant future.

子運以流年不濟。外圓內缺。未來癸運。滋木助格，氣象萬千。尤以丙子丁丑兩火年。騰達蜚黃，晉行亥運。繼長增商，壬運亦康頤安穩。蔗境春濃，戍運屬財。惟中芷辛金為病，秋山紅樹，退老珂鄉，徽諸過去未來，行運多吉。足與命局媲美。洵時代之傑出也。

During the Zi period, the flow of the year is not favorable, so although things appear complete on the surface, there is a lack within. In the future, during the Gui period, water will nourish the wood and assist in forming the pattern, leading to a magnificent situation. Especially during the Bingzi and Dingchou fire years, the wood and fire will be in harmony, which is a time of great success and advancement. Then comes the Hai period, where Hai and Mao do not form a complete pattern, and the career continues to grow. During the Ren period, the situation remains peaceful and stable, and the later years will be as pleasant as spring. When reaching the Xu period, Xu earth represents wealth, but the hidden Xin metal within is considered harmful (as metal can break the wood pattern, and this is especially dangerous for a strong pattern). At that time, it will be like autumn mountains with red trees, and it is appropriate to return to one's homeland for retirement. Overall, considering the past and future, the journey through different periods is mostly favorable, sufficient to match the destiny pattern. Therefore, with both good destiny and good fortune, one is indeed an outstanding figure of this era. This case can be compared with the previous case of Yan Xishan: one uses control and transformation to save from harm, while the other directly follows the trend of a single strong element, although the methods are different, the principle lies in the three characters "following its nature."

癸酉 庚申 戊午 甲寅 十歲 己未 廿十 戊午 三十 丁巳 四十 丙辰 五十 乙卯 六十 甲寅 七十 癸丑

The heavenly stem of the year is Guiyou, the heavenly stem of the month is Gengshen, the heavenly stem of the day is Wuwu, and the heavenly stem of the hour is Jiayin. The day's main stem, Wutu, is born in the month of Shen. Starting from the age of ten, the big destiny runs in the order of Jiwei, Wuwu, Dingsi, Bingchen, Yimao, Jiayin, and Guichou. The heavenly stem of the year, Gui, is yin, and for a male destiny, it is arranged in reverse order, so from the month column Gengshen, it goes back to Jiwei, Wuwu, Dingsi, and so on, all along the southern fire land. This is the reason mentioned later that "he has already traveled half his destiny in the land of fire." In this case, the heavenly stem of the month, Gengjin, is the food god of Wutu, and the heavenly stem of the hour, Jemu, is the seven killer of Wutu. Both are in their own strength in Shen and Yin, one controlling and one draining, forming a very neat configuration.

前見報載。本埠申新第七紡織廠。被滙豐銀行強行拍賣。由某商極廉價格承購，凡有血氣者。莫不憤懣填胸。特為檢視該廠主辦人榮宗敬先生命造，戊生庚申月，甲寅時。食神七殺均得祿。寅午會成火局以生身。子平真詮所謂殺旺食強而身健。為極等之貴格，宜其致力實業。奮斗不懈。為我國紡織界這泰斗。

Some time ago, the newspaper reported that the Shenzhen Seventh Textile Mill in this city was forcibly auctioned by the HSBC Bank, and purchased by a certain merchant at an extremely low price. Anyone with a sense of justice felt deeply indignant. I specially examined the birth chart of Mr. Rong Zongjing, the head of the mill. He was born with Wu earth in the Gengshen month and Jiayin hour. The seven killer (Geng) gets its strength in Shen, and the food god (Jia) gets its strength in Yiny. Both are strong. The day branch Wu and the hour branch Yiny form a fire trinity to generate and support Wu earth, so the day master is not weak. This is exactly what the "Ziping Zhenquan" says: "When the seven killer is strong and the food god is powerful, and the day master is healthy," which belongs to the highest level of noble destiny. The seven killer is controlled by the food god and does not cause harm, and the day master can bear the seven killer and shoulder the career. It is no wonder he devoted himself to industry and never gave up, becoming the leader of the textile industry in our country.

秋金更旺過於火。已往行運。泰半火鄉。自應竿頭日進，如順水行舟。長風破浪。萬里流行，得機得勢，現行甲運。似遜於前，明年丙子。後年丁丑。歲運木火相生。或能日升月恆，大振旗鼓。目前挫折。無足憂傷。不必以一時成敗。陰礙英雄銳氣耳。

In the month of Shen, the autumn metal is stronger than fire, and the day's main element relies heavily on fire to generate and support it. Therefore, in the past, most of the big years have been in the fire element, naturally leading to continuous success, like sailing on calm waters and breaking through waves with strong winds, traveling smoothly for thousands of miles and gaining advantage everywhere. Now, the current big year is in the Jia element, which is the seven killer. The coming big year supports the killer without the food element to control it, so it seems less favorable than before. Next year is Bingzi and the following year is Dingchou. The fire elements of the flowing years Bing and Ding will generate and support the Jia wood, and the wood will generate fire, which in turn will support the day's main element. Perhaps this can lead to a rising sun and a constant moon, reviving the situation once again. The current setbacks are not worth worrying about, nor should they discourage the bold spirit of a hero (the original text mistakenly says 'yin ai' instead of 'zhang ai', which means 'obstacle'). This case shows another aspect of Wei's fortune analysis: it not only explains the principles of fate but also comforts the heart. In times of setbacks, it always leaves a chance for recovery.