Zhang Taian's Birth Chart

戊辰 乙丑 癸卯 庚申 九歲 丙寅 十九 丁卯 廿九 戊辰 三九 己巳 四九 庚午 五九 辛未 六九 壬申 七九 癸酉

The heavenly stem of the year is Wu Chen, the month is Yi Chou, the day is Gui Mao, and the hour is Geng Shen. The day stem Gui water is born in the month of Chou. Starting from the age of nine, the big destiny runs in the order of Bing Yin, Ding Mao, Wu Chen, Ji Si, Geng Wu, Xin Wei, Ren Shen, and Gui You. The heavenly stem of the year, Wu, is yang, and for a male destiny, it is arranged in order, so from the month Yi Chou, it proceeds in order to Bing Yin, Ding Mao, Wu Chen, and so on. The first half of his life is in the southeast of wood and fire, and only in his later years does he move to the west of metal. In this case, the heavenly stem of the year, Wu soil, is the official of Gui water, and the heavenly stem of the hour, Geng metal, is the scholar of Gui water, each occupying one position. The day branch Mao is the禄 of the month stem Yi wood food god, and the hour branch Shen is the禄 of the hour stem Geng metal scholar. Both useful gods have roots in the branches, which are the key points for the following discussion.

章太炎先生。名滿天下，立德立功立言。謂三不朽。視其命造，確非凡品。蓋官印兩透。印食又皆得祿，日坐文昌貴人，宜其博通今古。酋為國學之師。惟財星絕跡。所以貴而不富，已往運程，除己已運混官羈印。繫獄六年。餘皆平順。

Master Zhang Taiyan's name is known throughout the world; he achieved the three great accomplishments of establishing virtue, merit, and words, which are called the "three immortal achievements" in ancient times. Looking at his birth chart, it is indeed extraordinary: the official star (Wu) and the positive seal (Geng) both appear in the heavenly stem, with the official generating the seal and the seal generating the self, forming a clear and straightforward path. The positive seal is in Shen and thus gains power, and the food god (Yi) is in Mao and also gains power, both having roots. The day branch, Mao, is also the "Wenchang" nobleman for the癸 day stem, which is a beneficial deity associated with intelligence, literary talent, and scholarly writings, with each day stem having its own specific position. It is no wonder he was well-versed in both ancient and modern knowledge and became a leading scholar of national learning. However, the wealth star (fire) is entirely absent in the chart, so although he is esteemed, he is not wealthy. In the past, except for theJisi period, which was a period of hardship, the rest of his life was mostly smooth. In theJisi period, the己 soil is the seven killing star, appearing in the heavenly stem and mixing with the Wu official star, while the巳 fire is also attacking the Geng metal seal, leading to six years of imprisonment.

未運沖提綱。土重太過。幸已早息家園。洵君子知命也。去年甲戍。會齊辰戍導未。安度無恙。尤屬大幸。應為其額手稱慶。未來壬申十年。金水邦峰。如文彥博之老不益壯，頤養安康，壽元雖不能媲美彭聃。然至酉運方危。已八十外人矣。

The heavenly stem is Renshen, and the earthly branch is Jiaxu. The month branch is Chou, which is the main theme of the whole chart, and since Chou and Wei are in opposition, there is a clash. Earth is excessive and overbearing, and the official and killing stars are pressing upon the person. Fortunately, he has already returned to his home, and can be considered a gentleman who understands divination. Last year, in Jiaxu, the four earth depositories (Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei) gathered together (the original text has an error in "dou wei"), and he was able to pass through safely, especially a great fortune, which deserves celebration. In the coming decade of Renshen, the metal and water will support the day stem, just like Wen Yanbo of the Song dynasty, who became stronger with age and could enjoy a peaceful and healthy old age. Although his lifespan cannot compare with Pengzu or Lao Dan, there will be danger only when the You cycle comes, which would be when he is in his eighties. This chart is similar to the previous one of Wu Jingxiong, both belonging to the fate of scholars. One is a complete formation due to excess, and the other is a mutual generation between official and minister, each possessing its own clarity and dignity.

辛未 庚子 丙戌 甲午 二歲 己亥 十二 戊戌 廿二 丁酉 三二 丙申 四二 乙未 五二 甲午 六二 癸巳

The heavenly stem and earthly branch of the year are Xinwei, the month are Gengzi, the day are Bingxu, and the hour are Jiawu. The day stem is Bing fire, born in the month of Zi (water). Starting from the age of two, the big destiny cycle proceeds in order: Jihai, Wuxu, Dingyou, Bingshen, Yiwei, Jiawu, Guisi. The heavenly stem of the year, Xin, is yin. For a male's destiny, it is arranged in reverse order, so starting from the month stem Gengzi, it goes back to Jihai, Wuxu, Dingyou, Bingshen, and so on. The most notable aspect of this chart is the distribution of the four pillars: the year and month pillars, Xin and Geng, Zi, are all metal and water; the day and hour pillars, Bing, Xuxu, Jia, and Wu, are all wood and fire. Metal and water represent cold, while wood and fire represent warmth. They are evenly balanced, each occupying its own domain. The following statement "each guarding its own domain, cold and heat, dryness and dampness are in balance" refers to this configuration.

夏應堂先生。上海名醫也。夫醫能活人。裨益社會不淺。然求學術之精。誠匪易事。或亦秉命有所維繫歟。夏先生之命。金水居於年月。木火居於日時。各守門戶。五行無悖。且標本平均。寒熱燥溼停勻。得天獨厚。自宜術追扁鵲。功同良弼。由來者漸非一朝一夕故也。

Master Xia Yingtang was a famous physician in Shanghai. His medical practice could save lives, bringing considerable benefit to society; however, achieving profound academic mastery is no easy task, and this may also be related to one's innate destiny. Master Xia's fate: metal and water occupied the year and month pillars, while wood and fire occupied the day and hour pillars, each maintaining their own domain, with the five elements not conflicting with each other. Moreover, the "superficial" (year and month, representing ancestors and early years) and "fundamental" (day and hour, representing oneself and later years) were in balance, and the harmony between cold and heat, dryness and dampness was evenly maintained. This can be said to be a most favorable destiny. It is no wonder his medical skills rival those of Bian Que, and his achievements are comparable to those of a virtuous minister. Such accomplishments are accumulated over time, not achieved in a single day. This case precisely confirms the previous chapter on "dryness and dampness": within a single chart, the balance between cold and warmth leads to a person's equilibrium and harmony.

考其行運，惟早年稍遜。酉運以後。負順一帆。直至現行癸水正官運。仍是名通利達。已運堸己午未會成方南。似嫌火太偏重。除精神只樂之外。餘無所勝。早退珂鄉。頤養天年。是為上策。或從事著述。將畢生經驗學識，公諸同好。一貫真傳。亦足以壽萬世雲。

Examining his fortune, he had only slight difficulties in his early years. After the You (酉) period, everything went smoothly, although the original text mistakenly reads "负顺一帆" instead of "一帆风顺". Up to the present, he is still experiencing the official position of Gui Water, which continues to bring him fame and success in his career. However, when entering the Si (巳) period, Si combines with the existing Wu (午) and Wei (未) in his destiny to form a large area of fire in the south. This makes the fire too strong, as Bing Fire is already dominant. Adding more fire from the southern region disrupts the balance between cold and warmth. At that time, he would only be able to enjoy mental satisfaction, but would be incapable of achieving anything else. Therefore, it would be better for him to return to his hometown earlier and retire in peace. Alternatively, he could engage in writing, sharing his life experiences and knowledge with others, and leave behind his consistent teachings, which would be enough to be passed down through generations. This passage best illustrates the measured approach of Wei's commentary on fate: when the fortune is not favorable, he does not advise people to force themselves, but instead suggests alternative ways to achieve personal fulfillment.

戊子 癸亥 庚寅 戊寅 九歲 甲子 十九 乙丑 廿九 丙寅 三九 丁卯 四九 戊辰 五九 己巳

The heavenly stem and earthly branch of the year are Wu Zi, the month is Gui Hai, the day is Geng Yin, and the hour is Wu Yin. The day's stem Geng Metal is born in the month of Hai. Starting from the age of nine, the big destiny cycle proceeds in the order of Jia Zi, Yi Chou, Bing Yin, Ding Mao, Wu Chen, Ji Si. The heavenly stem of the year Wu is yang, and for a male destiny, it is arranged in the order of the month. Therefore, starting from the month Gui Hai, it proceeds in order to Jia Zi, Yi Chou, Bing Yin, and so on. The middle part of the cycle is all in the direction of eastern wood and fire. In this case, the earthly branches contain Zi and Hai, which are water, and Yin and Yin, which are wood. Water generates wood, and wood is considered wealth. The wealth is extremely strong, while the day's stem Geng Metal is isolated. Only the two Wu Earths in the year and hour can be relied upon. The path of selection is clearly visible.

此為洗冠生大實業家命造。冼先生赤手創辦冠生園。範圍由狹而廣。所制糧果餅干。現已媲美外貨。挽回漏厄。不可勝計。其精神既屬可敬。其宗旨更屬可欽。因由薛君介紹。來詢休咎於餘。餘簡為批曰。庚金生於初冬水令。地支水木林立。財重身輕。得力於時上戊土之偏印。制水幫身。功莫大焉。

This is the birth chart of Mr. Xian Guansheng, a great industrialist (the original text has both "Xian" and "Xiao" but here it is recorded as "Xian"). Mr. Xian started the Guanshengyuan enterprise from scratch, gradually expanding its scale. His candies and biscuits now can compete with foreign products, and the recovered wealth lost to foreign goods is incalculable. His spirit is admirable, and his principles are even more worthy of respect. Through Mr. Xue's introduction, he came to me to inquire about auspicious and inauspicious signs. I briefly commented: the庚 metal is born in early winter when water is dominant, with water and wood strong in the earthly branches. "Wealth is heavy and the self is light" — having too much wealth is usually good, but if the day's ruler cannot bear it, it becomes a burden. The key to this chart lies entirely in the heavenly stem Wu Earth, which is the biased official star. Wu Earth on one hand controls the overflowing water, and on the other hand generates and supports the 庚 metal. There is no greater contribution than this.

自必殺力勝人。思想銳敏。已往之運。泰半屬火。生土而暖金。故如枯苗得雨。勃然興之。又如疾風勁草。再接再歷。四十九歲交進戊運。幫助用神。後來居上。更可翱翔雲天。卓立偉業。辰運亦有喜無尤。己運稍遜。夕陽雖好。紅不矣多時矣。

Therefore, he certainly possesses extraordinary perseverance and sharp thinking. His previous fortune was mostly of the fire element, which both generates earth and warms metal, exactly what the useful god (用神) needed. Thus, it is like a withered crop encountering rain, suddenly reviving; or like strong grass in a fierce wind, striving again and again. At forty-nine, he enters the戊 (Wu) fortune, which directly supports the useful god Wu earth, and he is expected to surpass others, soar high in the sky, and establish remarkable achievements. The Chen fortune is also joyful without worries. The Ji fortune is somewhat inferior—Ji is moist earth, which absorbs water but cannot control it, so its strength is less than Wu earth; at that time, although the sunset is beautiful, it cannot last long. This case, along with the previous one of Wu Peifu, is both "wealth is strong" (财旺). One can bear wealth and eventually remain hidden, while the other, being weak in body, gains wealth through the influence of the official star (印). The difference lies entirely in whether there is something to support the body.

戊子 庚申 乙丑 壬午 六歲 辛酉 十六 壬戌 廿六 癸亥 三六 甲子 四六 乙丑 五六 丙寅

The heavenly stem and earthly branch of the year are Wu Zi, the month are Geng Shen, the day are Yi Chou, and the hour are Ren Wu. The day stem Yi Wood is born in the month of Shen. Starting from the age of six, the big destiny cycle proceeds in order as Xin You, Ren Xu, Gui Hai, Jia Zi, Yi Chou, Bing Yin. The heavenly stem of the year Wu is yang, and for a male destiny, it is arranged in the order of the month. Therefore, from the month stem and branch Geng Shen, it proceeds in order to Xin You, Ren Xu, Gui Hai... The key factor in this destiny is the earthly branch of the month Shen. Shen contains the heavenly stem Geng Metal, Ren Water, and Wu Earth, which correspond to the official, the scholar, and the wealth for Yi Wood. The three characters Geng, Wu, and Ren also appear in the heavenly stems. The hidden elements in the branches and the revealed ones in the stems correspond completely. This "hidden and revealed correspondence" is an important criterion in fortune books for judging wealth and status.

此為杜月笙先生命造。有以乙庚化金論者。竊以時上見午火。格局僅成其半。且遠不符其聲價。乙生申月。干透戊庚壬。財官印既同藏於申宮。又並藏於干頭。斯乃貴徵。俠義豪爽。固是不凡。

This is the birth chart of Mr. Du Yuesheng. Some people use the "ethereal metal" pattern of "Yi-Geng transforming into metal" to analyze it—Yi and Geng are in harmony, and with the month of Shen or You, there is an appearance of transforming into metal; however, I personally think that the presence of Wu fire in the hour column, which is fire overcoming metal, only completes half of the transformation pattern. Moreover, such an analysis does not match his reputation and status. It is better to look at the original pattern: Yi wood is born in the month of Shen, and the heavenly stem reveals Wu, Geng, and Ren. Wealth (Wu), official (Geng), and education (Ren) are all hidden in the Shen palace and also revealed in the heavenly stem. This is the sign of great status and prominence. He is a person of chivalry and generosity, naturally different from the ordinary. Here we can see the attitude of Wei's theory on the "ethereal metal" pattern: if the harmony is not genuine transformation, it is better to take the original pattern rather than compromise for a beautiful pattern name.

前運日新月盛。五十一之丑運。更進一步。造福社會。奚啻萬家生佛。亦原於財。故有利人而利己也。再後丙運雖克庚金。幸有壬水制之。不足為慮。寅運以沖申為豈可許子不憚煩勞。趨吉避凶。建策終莫妙於退隱。今年歲運皆乙。妒合庚金。能者多勞。其奈無功何。

In former times, the era was getting more prosperous day by day. The year of Chou (the Ox), which comes at the age of fifty-one, is further advanced. Chou and Shen (the Monkey) share the metal element, and Chou is also the treasure house of the wood element, which brings benefits to society, not just benefiting thousands of households. This is rooted in the strong wealth star, thus benefiting both others and oneself. Moving forward, although the year of Bing (the Tiger) may overcome the official star of Geng (the Metal), fortunately there is Ren (the Water) to restrain Bing fire, so it is not a cause for concern. The year of Yin (the Tiger) will clash with the monthly branch Shen (the Monkey), thus disturbing the root of the official star (the text here is damaged and the meaning is not fully clear). In all matters, being diligent and avoiding trouble, the best way is to retire. This year, both the age and the year are of Yi (the Cypress). Yi and Geng compete for the conjunction (two Yis competing for one Geng, in divination books this is called 'du he'), thus the official star is hindered. Although the capable person is often busy, there will be no achievement.

甲午 甲戌 丁酉 癸卯 六歲 乙亥 十六 丙子 廿六 丁丑 三六 戊寅 四六 己卯 五六 庚辰

The heavenly stem and earthly branch of the year are Jia Wu, the month are Jia Xu, the day are Ding You, and the hour are Gui Mao. The day stem Ding Fire is born in the month of Xu. Starting from the age of six, the big destiny cycle is in order: Yi Hai, Bing Zi, Ding Chou, Wu Yin, Ji Mao, Geng Chen. The heavenly stem of the year Jia is yang, and for a male destiny, it is arranged in order, so from the month stem Jia Xu, it proceeds in order to Yi Hai, Bing Zi, Ding Chou, etc. This destiny has two Jia, Wu, Xu, and Mao, with the qi of wood and fire almost filling the entire chart. Only the day branch You Metal and the hour stem Gui Water are two points that gather and restrain. The spirit of the entire chart is concentrated in these two characters, and all the following statements are based on this.

此梅蘭芳先生命也。全局木火太旺。喜日坐酉金。時得癸水。財殺清粹。兼帶貴人文昌。自宜藝術獨精。譽滿天下。革中國之劇才。作梨園這砥柱。令界大王。當之無愧。

This is the birth chart of Mr. Mei Lanfang. The entire chart has excessive wood and fire, so the favorable elements are the day stem sitting on You metal and the hour stem having Gui water. You metal is the biased wealth of Ding fire, and Gui water is the seven killer that controls Ding fire. Both wealth and killer are pure and uncluttered. Moreover, the character You, for a Ding day stem, is both "Tianyi Nobleman" (the first auspicious deity among the ten heavenly stems, which brings good fortune and assistance from others; for a Ding day, Tianyi is located in You and Hai) and "Wenchang" (which signifies intelligence and literary talent). Two auspicious stars are both located in the day branch. It is no wonder that he excelled uniquely in his art, gained fame throughout the world, and became a talent who revolutionized Chinese opera, the backbone of the opera world, and truly deserved the title "King of the Actor's World" (the original text mistakenly writes "ling jie" instead of "ling jie").

惜行運未能媲美命局。所以僅享盛名。而無權爵。然晚來庚運資殺。空前絕後。恐不以令官終其身。變化飛騰。未可限量焉。今歲乙亥。印得長生。殺得旺地。現赴蘇俄演劇。必須一番轟烈。宣揚中國文化。灌輸東方藝術。所當厚望於君耳。

It is regrettable that his fortune does not match his destiny, so he only enjoys great reputation but lacks power, titles, and wealth. However, during his late years in the Geng period, the Geng metal will support the癸 water seven killer, which will gain wealth and become even stronger. At that time, his achievements will be unprecedented and probably not end as a minor court official (the original text says 'ling guan', which should be 'ling guan'). His career will change rapidly and his potential is limitless. This year is Yihai, where the Yi wood official is in the亥 which gives 'growth', and the癸 water seven killer is strong in亥. Both the official and the killer are strong. He is now going to perform in the Soviet Union, and he will certainly have a remarkable performance, promoting Chinese culture and spreading Eastern art. This is something we should deeply expect from him. This case also shows the approach of Wei's method in analyzing the destiny of artists: when wood and fire are too strong, the energy becomes floating, and only with wealth and killer can it be restrained, giving the person a solid character.

乙酉 庚午 庚子 丙子 六歲 己巳 十六 戊辰 廿六 丁卯 三六 丙寅 四六 乙丑 五六 甲子 六六 癸亥

The heavenly stem and earthly branch of the year are Yi You, of the month Geng Wu, of the day Geng Zi, and of the hour Bing Zi. The day's heavenly stem Geng Metal is born in the month of Wu Fire. The big destiny cycle starts at the age of six, in the order of Yi Si, Wu Chen, Ding Mao, Bing Yin, Yi Chou, Jia Zi, Gui Hai. The heavenly stem of the year Yi is yin, and for a male's destiny, it is arranged in reverse order, so starting from the month stem Geng Wu, it goes back to Yi Si, Wu Chen, Ding Mao, etc. After the age of thirty, the destiny moves through the eastern wood direction and the northern water direction. The month's earthly branch Wu Fire is strong, and the hour's heavenly stem Bing Fire is visible, which is the seven killing for Geng Metal. Two Zi Water branches are also present, which drain the Metal and suppress the Fire. This destiny is calculated from the birth date of a foreigner, and the author himself says he does not rely on it entirely, so it should be read as a reference only.

或有以猶太富商哈同生庚。譯為陰曆，演成命局。浼余推測。雖未秘可恃。然察其八字。殺旺用印。固非凡庸之輩。但空拳致富。竟為滬上地產大王。實行運有以致之。蓋自三十歲後。歷行數十年水木財鄉。所當豪門珠履。

Someone once converted the birth date of the Jewish merchant Ha Tong into the lunar calendar and arranged it into a birth chart, asking me to interpret it. The resulting八字 may not be very reliable (the original text says '未秘' which should be '未必'), but looking at the八字 itself, the seven杀 (Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui) are strong, so the need is to take the印绶 (earth) to transform the杀 and benefit the self. The overall pattern is not ordinary. As for his becoming wealthy from nothing and becoming a major real estate magnate in Shanghai, it is actually due to his good fortune. From the age of thirty onwards, he has been continuously moving through the water and wood wealth areas (wood is the wealth of the metal庚, and water can control fire and protect himself). Therefore, his family is wealthy and his house is full of guests (the reference to '珠履' is from the story of Chunshen Jun's three thousand guests, all wearing pearl shoes).

貫按富貴人未必皆富貴命。或行運輔之以成也。反之貧賤人亦然。洵哉。孔孟所謂命也運也。運之朽粟陳。為地主領袖。稱海內鉅富。至於七殺少制。傷官無力，是以伯道無兒。子夏喪明。絕其後嗣。是亦畫龍雖好。占晴未成。牡丹吐豔。綠葉少助耳。視命。似屬更不可強矣。

This is the author's commentary (the original text "贯按" should be "谨按" or similar, and the order of the sentences in this passage is disordered; the four characters "贯朽粟陈" originally belonged to the previous description of wealth and were mistakenly placed here): A wealthy person does not necessarily have a wealthy destiny; some achieve their success through good fortune. Conversely, a poor and lowly person is also the same. What Confucius and Mencius said about "destiny" and "fortune" is indeed accurate. His money串 are rotten and his grain is old, yet he has become the leader of the landowners, renowned as a wealthy man throughout the country. As for the seven杀 being without control and the wounded official (a term in divination) lacking strength (the wounded official represents children), he is like Deng You of the Jin dynasty who had no sons ("Bo Dao Wu Er"), or Zi Xia who lost his son and wept himself blind, eventually having no descendants. It is like a dragon painting that is good but the final stroke of the eye is missing, or peonies that are beautiful but lack the support of green leaves. It seems that destiny is something that cannot be forced.

庚寅 甲申 甲申 甲戌 三歲 乙酉 十三 丙戌 廿三 丁亥 三三 戊子 四三 己丑 五三 庚寅

The heavenly stem of the year pillar is Geng, the earthly branch is Yin; the heavenly stem of the month pillar is Jia, the earthly branch is Shen; the heavenly stem of the day pillar is Jia, the earthly branch is Shen; the heavenly stem of the hour pillar is Jia, the earthly branch is Xu. The day stem Jia Wood is born in the month of Shen. Starting from the age of three, the big destiny cycle proceeds in order: Yi You, Bing Xu, Ding Hai, Wu Zi, Ji Chou, Geng Yin. The heavenly stem of the year is Geng, which is yang. For a male destiny, the sequence proceeds in the order of the month pillar. Therefore, from the month pillar Jia Shen, it proceeds in order to Yi You, Bing Xu, Ding Hai, etc. There are three Jia Woods in the heavenly stems, two Shen Metals in the earthly branches, and the heavenly stem of the year also reveals Geng Metal. The three Jia Woods form a strong position, and the two Shen Metals are in command. This is a typical configuration of "body and killer both strong." When reading the following interpretation, you can refer to this. The two strong forces are in contention without anything to mediate, which is the key point of the entire argument.

辛未之秋。袁子寒雲逝世。士林婉惜。鄭正秋君以其年庚詢余。余曾答諸新聞報新園林。言曰。初秋三甲。雖不得令。卻得其勢。庚金七殺。既旺且盛。堪謂身殺兩強。惟乏火之制殺。印之化殺。大為缺點。

In the autumn of the Xinwei year, Yuan Hanyun (Yuan Shikai's second son Yuan Kewen) passed away, and people in the literary circles felt deeply sorry. Zheng Zhengqiu asked me about his birth date. I had answered in the "New Garden" column of the "News Report" as follows: The three Jia woods in early autumn, although not in season, gained strength through being grouped together. The Geng metal seven killer was strong and abundant, indicating both the body and the killer were strong. Unfortunately, the chart lacked fire to control the killer and also lacked the official to transform the killer, which was a major flaw. Previously, Yan Xishan's chart had the癸 official to transform the killer and the丁 fire to control the killer, so it was stable and balanced. In this case, both elements were missing, so even with great strength, it was just a direct confrontation, with no way to resolve the situation.

是以豪放不羈。崛強寡合。雖燕許文章。機雲才藻。未獲顯貴。抑鬱以終。行運僅丙戍丁亥之二十年。較為優良。名山事業。以此最宜。再後即夢幻泡影矣。辛未流年。官之混殺。又甲木入墓。縱不至修文道山。亦有勃然他變。孟子曰。莫非命也。誠哉是言。先獲我心矣。

Therefore, he was unrestrained and unmanageable, stubborn and seldom in harmony with others. Although he had the literary talent of Zhang Shuo and Su Ting of the Tang Dynasty, known as the great prose writers Yan and Xu, and the literary prowess of the brothers Lu Ji and Lu Yun of the Jin Dynasty, he did not attain high status and died in depression. His favorable period was only the twenty years of Bingxu and Dinghai—Bing and Ding belong to fire, which is exactly what is needed to control the killer stars, so those twenty years were most suitable for achieving the "mountain and river" endeavors of writing and establishing a reputation. After that, everything became like a dream or illusion. In the year Xinwei, the metal Xin is the official star of the wood Jia, coming into conflict with the seven killer stars, making the killer stars even more chaotic. The earthy branch Wei is the storage of Jia wood, so the Jia wood is buried. Although he would not necessarily die ("Xiu Wenshan" all refer to death), there would be sudden misfortunes. Mencius said, "It is all destiny," which is indeed accurate, precisely matching my thoughts.

戊子 辛酉 乙未 己卯 七歲 壬戌 十七 癸亥 廿七 甲子 三七 乙丑 四七 丙寅 五七 丁卯

The heavenly stem and earthly branch of the year are Wu Zi, the month are Xin You, the day are Yi Wei, and the hour are Ji Mao. The day stem Yi Wood is born in the month of You Metal. Starting from age seven, the big destiny runs in sequence as Ren Xu, Gui Hai, Jia Zi, Yi Chou, Bing Yin, Ding Mao. The heavenly stem of the year Wu is yang, and for a male destiny, it is arranged in order, so from the month stem Xin You, it proceeds in order to Ren Xu, Gui Hai, Jia Zi, etc. In this case, the heavenly stem of the month Xin Metal is the seven killing, which is in command. The heavenly stems of the year Wu and the hour Ji are both earth and appear on the surface as wealth. Wealth generates the seven killing, and the day stem Yi Wood only relies on the day branch Wei and the hour branch Mao to form a wood group for support. This is another example of "heavy killing and light body," which coincides exactly with the cases of Yan Xisshan and Yuan Hanyun.

河南省政府知命子先生。示余商震總指揮之命造。餘簡為批曰。乙生辛酉月，殺重身輕。財星之兩透。尤足為病，所貴者。卯未曾木局。幫身而制財。日主弱中有氣。行運最喜比劫。遇印則印被財壞。不能化殺。未必盡美。逢食則有財當信此等命局。獨喜乎比劫矣。

The esteemed gentleman of the Henan Provincial Government, Master Zhimizi, showed me the birth chart of General Shang Zhen. I briefly commented: The ethereal wood (乙木) is born in the month of Xinyou, where the killing star (杀) is heavy and the self (日主) is weak. The two wealth stars (戊、己) are also revealed in the heavenly stem, and the wealth star nourishes the killing star, which becomes a root of trouble. What is commendable is that the day branch (日支) You (酉) and the hour branch (时支) Mao (卯) form a wood combination (会成木局), which supports the self and restrains the wealth earth. Thus, the self, though weak, still has some strength. The most favorable fortune is to meet a similar element (比劫), which is the same kind of wood. If the fortune meets the nurturing star (印绶), the nurturing star will be harmed by the strong wealth, and it cannot transform the killing star, which may not be ideal. If the fortune meets the food and injury stars (食伤), the combination already contains wealth, and the food and injury stars would instead nourish the wealth and assist the killing star (the text here has some errors). Therefore, for this type of birth chart, the only favorable fortune is to meet a similar element (比劫). This passage best illustrates the subtle difference in the effectiveness of helping the self: although both the nurturing star (印) and the similar element (比劫) help the self, their effectiveness differs greatly in different combinations.

丑運乃酉丑會成金局。故幾瀕於危。去年交來丙運。合殺最美。權爵更顯。當不止為一方領袖。以後寅運繼長增高。丁運雖善。以視丙寅。直如小巫。耳（一說丙子時。想繫傳聞之誤）。

During the Chou period, the metal of You and Chou formed a golden trinity, causing the seven deadly forces to suddenly double, bringing the situation almost to a critical point. However, last year entered the Bing period, where Bing and Xin combined (Bing-Xin combination), thus trapping and restraining the seven deadly forces. This was the most beautiful move, hence the power, rank, and prestige became even more prominent, and he should not be confined to being just a local leader. In the future Yin period, Yin is the land of Jia wood, so the brothers and sisters gain strength, continuing to rise. Although the Ding period is also good, it is still inferior to the Bing and Yin periods, like a small wizard facing a great one. The last sentence in parentheses is the author's own note: there is a saying that he was born at Bingzi hour, but this is likely a rumor. "Combining with the deadly force" is listed alongside "controlling the deadly force" and "transforming the deadly force" from Yan's case, as the third method of dealing with the seven deadly forces—instead of killing it, just restraining it.

壬子 壬寅 乙亥 丙子 三歲 癸丑 十三 甲辰 廿三 乙巳 三三 丙午 四三 丁未 五三 戊申

The year pillar is Renzi, the month pillar Renyin, the day pillar Yihai, and the hour pillar Bingzi. The day stem Yi wood is born in the寅 month. Starting from age three, the big destiny runs in the order of Guichou, Jiachen, Yisi, Bingwu, Dingwei, and Wushen. The heavenly stem of the year pillar Ren is yang, and for a male destiny, it should be arranged in order from the month pillar Renyin to Kuimao, Jiachen, Yisi, etc. However, the original text starts with Guichou, which is inconsistent with the subsequent order of Jiachen and Yisi. This should be an error, and we follow the original text. This destiny has two Ren, two Zi, and one Hai, making five waters in total. Although Yi wood is in its season, it is at risk of floating. The only salvation in the entire destiny is the hidden Wu earth in Yin. The subsequent selection of elements is based on this.

錢翁以其少君警庸先生之吉庚詢余。先生為海上籃球健將。在運動界中。頗負時譽。視其命造。新春乙木。甫得旺氣。然見五水。不免飄浮。應賴寅中戊土制水為用神。時上丙火生土為相神。偏枯之避。一若無可貴者。

Master Qian used his son, Master Jingyong's birthday, to ask me. Master Jingyong is a basketball athlete in Shanghai and has a good reputation in the sports world. Looking at his birth chart: the ethereal wood of Bing is just beginning to gain strength in early spring, but there is an excessive amount of water in the chart, which may cause floating and rootlessness. Therefore, we should rely on the hidden Wu earth in the month's branch of寅 to control the water, taking it as the useful god. The propitious dry branch of Bing fire in the hour can generate Wu earth, taking it as the auxiliary god (a god that assists the useful god, as stated in "Ziping Zhenquan"). The chart cannot avoid the problem of imbalance. At first glance, it seems to have no valuable aspects. However, we should note that with excessive water and floating wood, the remedy is not to add more wood, but to build a dike to stop the water. Therefore, we use earth instead of wood.

然核其運途。早歲多比肩劫財之運。是以矯強果敢，體力加人一等。二十八歲後。一路火土。足補命中缺憾。正合乎五言獨步所云。有病方為貴。無傷不是奇。格中如去病。財祿喜相隨矣。顯達前程。豈可限量。雖非富貴命。行得富貴運。當亦富貴中人也。姑志如上。以待後驗。

However, checking his destiny: in his early years, he experienced a lot of the fortune of fellow travelers and劫财, with the wood qi supporting his body, so his physique was strong and healthy, his nature was bold and resolute, and his physical strength surpassed others. After the age of twenty-eight, he went through a continuous path of fire and earth, which exactly made up for the deficiencies in his destiny. This is exactly what the "Wuyan Dubu" says: "It is valuable to have a sickness, but not valuable to have no injury; if the pattern can remove the sickness, wealth and official rank will follow." Having a sickness in one's destiny is not a problem, as long as the fortune can remove it, leading to greater achievements. Thus, his future success will be evident, and there is no limit to it. Although he is not a destiny of great wealth and honor, he is on a fortune of great wealth and honor, so he can be considered as a person of wealth and honor. Let us note this here for now, waiting for it to be verified in the future. This case is similar to the case of Ha, both belonging to the category of "a normal destiny with an assisting fortune," so they can be viewed together.

甲辰 丙子 壬寅 辛亥 二歲 丁丑 十二 戊寅 廿二 己卯 三二 庚辰 四二 辛巳 五二 壬午 六二 癸未

The heavenly stem and earthly branch of the year are Jiachen, the month are Bingzi, the day are Rennyin, and the hour are Xinhai. The day's main element, Rennyin, is born in the month of Zi. Starting from the age of two, the big destiny cycle proceeds in order as Dingchou, Wuyin, Jimao, Gengchen, Xinsi, Renwu, Guiwei. The heavenly stem of the year, Ji, is yang, and for a male destiny, it proceeds in order, so from the month's Bingzi, it continues as Dingchou, Wuyin, Jimao, and so on. In this case, the earthly branch of the month, Zi, is the "Yangren" for Rennyin. The earthly branch of the day, Yin, combines with the earthly branch of the hour, Hai, and the earthly branch of the year, Chen, also combines with Zi. There are connections in the earthly branches in three places. At first glance, the heavenly stems of the year and month, Ji and Bing, are not in season, but in reality, there is hidden vitality. The following analysis will focus on these combinations and connections.

此為摯友王君命造。十七歲來滬。就學金業。十九歲憤師友之敬束，自營標金。廿三廿四兩年。盈財五十餘萬。茲已息影家園。稱素封矣。視其八字。洵不偶然。蓋壬水生於仲冬。羊刃當權。年月木火失令。似屬凡庸。

This is the birth chart of my close friend Wang Jun. At seventeen, he came to Shanghai and worked as an apprentice in a financial business. At nineteen, he could not bear the restrictions of his teachers and friends (the original text says "jing shu" but should be "ji shu"), so he started his own business dealing in standard gold. In the years 23 and 24, he made a profit of over five million taels. Now he has retired from business and lives at home, becoming a wealthy man without official rank, known as a "su feng" (a term for a wealthy person without official position). Looking at his八字, it is indeed not accidental. The壬 water is born in the middle of winter, November, where 子 is the "Yangren" (a term indicating a sharp and fierce force) for 壬 water — the place of prosperity for the day stem, indicating a person with strong willpower but also prone to turmoil. The Yangren is in power. The 甲 wood and 丙 fire in the year and month pillars are not in season, so at first glance, his chart seems ordinary.

所妙日支為寅。時支為亥。乃木火之生地。且寅亥合。則木火之氣愈貴。子辰會。則食神反得生扶。滴天髓所謂。何以其人富財氣通門戶是也。己往寅運。包藏一甲一丙。發軔雲程。立志卓犖。固非常人所能望其項背。

The beauty lies in the Day Branch being寅 and the Hour Branch being亥: 寅 contains hidden Jia wood and Bing fire, and 亥 is the place of growth for Jia wood, so both are birthplaces for wood and fire; furthermore, 寅 and 亥 combine, making the qi of wood and fire even more valuable. The Year Branch 辰 and the Month Branch 子 form a water trinity, nourishing the food and injury (shen) of Jia wood (water generates wood). This is exactly what the "Di Tian Mei" says: "Why is this person wealthy? The wealth qi flows through the gate." Wood is the food and injury of Ren water, and fire is the wealth of Ren water. Food and injury generate wealth, and the gate is open, so the path to wealth is opened. In the past, the journey through 寅 included hidden Jia and Bing, with both food and injury and wealth stars present, so the start was already high in the sky, with lofty aspirations, something not ordinary people could even compare.

己運為正官。中逢廿三丙寅。廿四丁卯。兩大火年。以濟其美。自宜點金有術。一躍致富。卯運以來。流年平滯。不過保持仍舊而已。此後庚辰辛等運。每況愈下。還防波折。萬不可再圖徼倖。已運則敷演家聲。發場蹈歷。有更上層樓之可能。謂余不信。請觀其後。

The Ji (己) period is the proper official star for Ren (壬) water. During this time, at the ages of 23 and 24, there are the years Bingyin (丙寅) and Dingmao (丁卯), which are years of strong fire. Fire is the wealth star, which complements the virtues of water, thus transforming stone into gold and leading to sudden wealth. Since the Mao (卯) period, the flow of years has been plain and stagnant, merely maintaining the existing situation. Afterwards, during the Gengchen (庚辰) and Xin (辛) periods, metal generates water, making water even stronger. This causes the wealth energy to be diluted, leading to a gradual decline. One must be cautious of obstacles and must not attempt to rely on luck again. When entering the Si (巳) period, Si contains Bing fire and Wu earth, meaning both wealth and official stars are present. This can bring honor to the family and enable great achievements, offering the possibility of further advancement. If you doubt my words, please look at what happens in the future.

辛亥 辛卯 庚子 庚辰 九歲 庚寅 十九 己丑 廿九 戊子 三九 丁亥 四九 丙戌 五九 乙酉

This is the author Wei Qianli's own birth chart. The heavenly stem of the year is Xin Hai, the heavenly stem of the month is Xin Mao, the heavenly stem of the day is Geng Zi, and the heavenly stem of the hour is Geng Chen. The day stem Geng Metal is born in the month of Mao. The big years start from the age of nine, in order: Geng Yin, Ji Chou, Wu Zi, Ding Hai, Bing Xu, Yi You. The heavenly stem of the year, Xin, is yin. For male birth charts, the order is reversed, so from the month stem Xin Mao, it goes back to Geng Yin, Ji Chou, Wu Zi, etc. In this chart, there are two Xin and two Geng in the heavenly stems, all metal. In the earthly branches, Hai and Mao form wood, Zi and Chen form water, all water and wood. Although there is much metal, there is no earth to generate it and no fire to refine it. Although water and wood are strong, the day stem cannot bear them. The author's self-evaluation of bitterness and sweetness in the following text comes directly from this structure, making it the most sincere and expressive part of the entire book.

此為千里自造。識者咸謂憾於無火。然春金固非當令。乏土之生。則且無根。縱天干庚辛林立。子平真詮雲。得三比肩。不如得一長生祿刃。可見徒多比劫。而日元無氣。非是真強。矧又亥卯會成木局。子辰會成水局。水與木皆有挫於金乎。

This is my own birth chart according to Wei Qianli's fate. Those who understand fate say it is a pity that there is no fire in the chart. In fact, gold in spring is not in its season, and it also lacks earth to generate it, so it has no root at all. Even though the heavenly stems have geng and xin in a row, they are only virtual strength. "The True Explanation of the Zi Ping" says: "Having three same heavenly stems is not as good as having one long life and禄刃." This shows that even if there are many brothers and sisters in the heavenly stems, if the day stem has no strength in the earth branches, it is still not truly strong. This is an important boundary for determining whether the day stem is strong or weak. Heavenly stems of the same type are only helpers, while the long life,禄, and 刃 in the earth branches are the foundation. Moreover, the earth branches have亥 and 卯 forming a wood trine, and 子 and 辰 forming a water trine. Wood is the wealth I can overcome, and water is what drains my energy. Water and wood attack from both sides, how can gold not be affected?

火能熔金。有火固可顯達。無火則一寒儒而已。然寒弱之金。逢微火當可得志。逢巨火則不勝其克。或且因貴顯而惹禍殃。此孔子所謂過猶不及者是也。若云水木兩局。財星甚旺。亦滴大髓所謂何以其人富。財氣通門戶者歟。無如身人任財。難免富貴貧人之譏。正合我今日之筆耕終夕。硯田枯澀者也。

Fire can melt metal into useful objects; with fire, one can achieve success, but without it, one remains merely a poor, simple scholar. However, weak metal can still find some success with a small amount of fire, but it cannot withstand strong fire, which may even bring misfortune because of the sudden rise in status—this is what Confucius meant by "excess is as bad as deficiency." If someone has a strong water and wood combination in the earthly branches and a powerful wealth star, isn't this in line with the saying in "Di Tian Mei" that "why is this person wealthy? Because the wealth energy flows into the family gate"? Unfortunately, the day's ruler cannot bear such wealth ("shen bu ren cai" in the original text), so one inevitably falls into the mockery of "a poor person in a wealthy house"—a poor person living in a wealthy house, which exactly matches my current situation of working all night with a dry inkstone.

然則富貴皆無大望。我將永自韜養矣。嘗以身弱之命。與身強之命相較。同走好運。同處美境。而其速率與份量。大相懸殊。身強者每遠過於身弱者。此余屢試不爽。故益信拙造之身弱。恐終其身不過爾爾也。查行運。方今行至丑字。尚屬順利。將來戊宇或更進一步。子運恐厄於病。但蓋頭屬戊。當無生命之危。於運少濟。亥運伏櫪。丙運以下。老更無為矣。

So it seems that whether rich or noble, there is little hope for great success, and I can only cultivate myself for a long time. I once compared a weak constitution with a strong one: even when both are in good fortune and favorable circumstances, the speed and extent of their success differ greatly. The strong constitution often far surpasses the weak one, and this has been my consistent experience. Therefore, I place more trust in my own weak constitution, fearing that I may never achieve much in my lifetime. Checking the current and future trends: at present, I am in the "Chou" (Ox) cycle, which is moist earth that can generate metal, so it is still smooth. In the future, the "Wu" (Earth) cycle might bring further progress, as "Wu" is dry earth that can strongly generate metal. The "Zi" (Rat) cycle may be troubled by illness, but the heavenly stem of the big cycle is "Wu" earth (the heavenly stem covers the earthly branch, called "gaitou," which can reduce the strength of the earthly branch), so there should be no danger to life. The "Ji" (Earth) cycle offers limited help, and the "Hai" (Pig) cycle can only wait for the right time. The "Bing" (Fire) cycle and below are for old age, when there is nothing more to do. The author's self-commentary here clearly explains the limits of a weak constitution throughout one's life, showing that he does not shy away from discussing his own fate.

壬子 戊申 戊辰 辛酉 二歲 十二 廿二 三二 四二 五二

The year pillar is Renzi, the month pillar is Wushen, the day pillar is Wuchen, and the hour pillar is Xinyou. The day stem is Wu earth born in the month of Shen. The big luck years section of the original text is missing some characters: only the ages of two, twelve, twenty-two, thirty-two, forty-two, and fifty-two are left, and all the dry and wet stems of each step are missing, making it impossible to supplement. The original is preserved as it is. According to the remarks below that mention "all the lucks are of western north gold and water" and "the movement of Ding luck" and "the following Ji luck," the big luck years should be calculated in reverse from the month pillar Wushen, resulting in Dingwei, Bingwu, Yisi, etc. However, there is no conclusive evidence, so it cannot be assumed. This chart has the three branches Shen, Zi, and Chen forming a complete water trinity, and the hour pillar is Xinyou, which is gold and water. The Wu earth is isolated, making it a typical case of "the body not being able to bear wealth."

此吾邑錢翁之命也。出身豪富。重義輕財。晚年耗頓。卒彈鋏於猶子門下。殊為戚敞鄙夷。茲者壽愈杖朝。淒涼孤苦。士論惜之。夫戊土生於孟秋。支全水局。時落辛酉。金水並旺而秀氣流行。格局本非庸俗。

This is the birth chart of an old gentleman named Qian, my fellow townsman. He was born into a wealthy family, valuing righteousness over wealth, and in his later years his family fortune was completely exhausted. He finally had to live under the care of his nephew, a situation symbolized by the story of Feng Xuan, the guest of Meng Changjun, who played the sword and sang songs, indicating living in someone else's house and seeking help. He was greatly looked down upon by relatives. Now that he is over eighty years old, he is lonely and pitiful, and scholars in the literary circles all feel sorry for him. His birth chart shows the day stem Wu earth born in the seventh month of late summer. The earthly branches of Shen, Zi, and Chen form a complete water trinity, and the time stem falls on Xinyou. Both metal and water are strong and the refined energy flows smoothly. The overall pattern is not ordinary. What is meant by refined energy flowing is that the energy of the day stem flows smoothly through metal and water, clear and not turbid.

奈日主太輕。身不任財。既有月上戊土比肩。從財則又不真。益以運皆西北金水。宜其豐裕春申。雖有三千珠履之名。卒流金空季子之類。亦足悲矣。刻走丁運。正印助身。本應否極泰來。然行諸太晚。不免美人犀暮之慨。以後已運更佳。或不致落寞以終。

Unfortunately, the day master is too weak to support the wealth (water is the wealth for the earth戊土). If one were to consider abandoning the self to follow the wealth and form the 'from wealth' pattern, there is still the month's dry earth戊土, which supports the day master, making the pattern incomplete — the 'from' pattern requires the day master to have no support at all; once there is support, the pattern does not hold, and this is the iron gate for taking an external pattern. Moreover, the big years all go to the northwest of metal and water, making the wealth stronger and the body even more weak. Therefore, he was once wealthy like the door of Prince Chunshen (the phrase 'three thousand pearl shoes' refers to the guests of Prince Chunshen all wearing pearl shoes), but in the end, he ended up like Su Qin, returning home in poverty and with empty pockets, which is quite pitiful. Now he is in the year of Ding fire, which is the proper teacher of the earth戊土, nurturing the body and supporting the master. It should be a time of reversal of fortune, but it comes too late, leading to a sigh of a beautiful woman aging late (the original text 'xi mu' should be 'chi mu'). The following year of Ji will be better, perhaps he will not end his life in loneliness.

戊戌 戊午 癸亥 戊午 九歲 丁巳 十九 丙辰 廿九 乙卯 三九 甲寅 四九 癸丑 五九 壬子

This is a female birth chart. The year pillar is Wuxu, the month pillar is Wuwu, the day pillar is Guihai, and the hour pillar is Wuxu. The day master is Gui water, born in the month of Wu (fire). The big years start at age nine, in the order of Dingsi, Bingchen, Yimao, Jiayin, Guichou, and Renzi. The heavenly stem of the year pillar, Wu, is yang. For a female birth, if born in a yang year, the big years are arranged in reverse order (opposite to male birth charts). Therefore, starting from the month pillar Wuwu, it goes backward to Dingsi, Bingchen, Yimao, etc. The most striking feature of this chart is the three Wu earths in the heavenly stems, all facing the day master Gui water. Wu and Gui are a pair of compatible stems, but three Wu competing for one Gui creates a situation called "du he" in the fortune books. The conclusion that she lacks a firm mind is based on this.

此乃某妓命造。幼孤為娼。廿五歲後。侍某顯宦造室。詎以不知自愛戀一伶人。終被顯宦所黜。茲則伶亦絕裾斷交。暝二養女。仍操故業，夫癸生午月。財官並旺。惟天干三透戊土。爭合癸水，日主用情，毫無定見。自是水性揚花。張三李四。坐下劫刃，足以幫身。苦無印綬，終如飛絮浮萍。飄流無定，

This is the birth chart of a prostitute. She was orphaned from a young age and entered the profession. After the age of twenty-five, she became a concubine of a prominent official, but unfortunately, due to lack of self-restraint, she fell in love with a performer and was eventually expelled by the official. Now the performer has cut off all contact, and she is raising two adopted daughters while continuing her old profession. Analyzing the chart:癸 water is born in the month of午, which contains丁 fire as wealth and己 earth as official. Both wealth and official are strong. However, the three戊 earths in the heavens all combine with癸 water, causing the day's main element to be pulled in several directions, lacking firmness. Naturally, she is fickle and easily swayed by others. The day's branch is亥, which is the旺 place for癸 water, equivalent to '劫刃', which can support the day's main element. The hardship lies in the chart lacking an印, which represents root and support. Without an印, it is like floating chaff and water lilies, drifting without a fixed course.

查早年多火遠。何善可陳，辰運沖開水庫。宛若雲開見日。惜乙卯運洩身生財，只如曇花一現。不免重作馮婦。以後甲寅運木土爭戰。不堪言狀。寅運之會成火局。且恐不祿矣。

She had a strong fire fortune in her early years (the original text says "fire far" but should be "fire fortune"), with wealth flourishing but her body weak, so there is not much to say. During the Chen (Earth) fortune, the water reservoir was opened (Chen is the water reservoir, and when the fortune arrived, the gate of the reservoir was opened, giving the day's main element a root), like clouds clearing to reveal the sun, her situation changed greatly during those years. Unfortunately, the following Yi Mao fortune saw wood draining the strength of the day's main element and also nurturing fire to increase wealth, which was like a昙花一现 (a fleeting flower), inevitably leading her back to her old ways ("repeating as the old woman Fu Fu" refers to the story in the Mencius about Fu Fu, who once hunted tigers, meaning repeating past actions). Later, during the Jiayin fortune, wood and earth clashed, the official star was overcome by wood, and her situation became unbearable. When reaching the Yin fortune, Yin combined with Wu and Xu to form a fire trinity, wealth became extremely strong but her body had nowhere to return to, and she might even risk her life.