The Theory of Motion and Stillness

何以為之動也？其體屬陽，陽主動，故天行健，圓轉循球而無端。故以人之八天干透露於上者，為之動也。如八字天干之甲木，但能克運上天干之戊土也，不能克巳中所藏之戊土也。蓋以動攻為親切，如男人之攻得男人也，不攻閨閫中所藏之女人也。

What is meant by "movement" (动)? The essence of movement belongs to yang, and yang is associated with motion. Therefore, the "Qian Hexagram" in the "Zhou Changes" says, "Heaven's movement is vigorous" — meaning the celestial bodies revolve continuously without beginning or end. Therefore, the heavenly stems appearing in the heavenly dry branches of a person's birth chart are called "movement." For example, the heavenly stem Jia (甲) wood in the heavenly dry branch can only overcome the heavenly stem Wu (戊) earth in the big destiny year, but cannot overcome the hidden Wu earth in the Si (巳) branch. This is because movement overcoming movement is most direct, just like a man can only overcome another man, but not the woman hidden inside the house.

但雖不能攻人，而亦不能搖動震驚之意，但不能作實禍也。如女人見男來攻，雖不能加捶楚於其身，而亦有恐懼之意焉。如運中申中地支之庚金，亦不能攻我八字中天干所透之甲木也。是以天干之動，只能攻得天干之動，不能攻地支之靜也，明矣。

Although heavenly stems cannot actually attack the hidden elements in earthly branches, they can still shake and disturb them, but they cannot cause real harm. It is like a woman seeing a man come to her door; although he does not actually hit her, she still feels some fear. Conversely, the庚 gold hidden in the earthly branch of the big year of申 cannot attack the 甲 wood that is revealed in my birth chart's heavenly stem. This shows that the "movement" of heavenly stems can only attack the "movement" of other heavenly stems, and cannot affect the "stillness" of earthly branches. This is very clear.

何以為之靜也？其休屬陰，陰主靜，故地承順，方靜守固而有常。故以人之八字支隱藏於下者，為之靜也。如八字地之庚金，但能克運上地支之甲木，不能克運上天之甲木也。蓋以靜攻靜為親切，如女只攻得女人也，不能攻在外之男人也。

What is meant by "quietness" or "静"? The essence of quietness belongs to yin, and yin is characterized by stillness and calmness. Therefore, the earth follows the heavenly path, remains upright and still, holds firm and maintains a constant order. Hence, the hidden branches in one's birth chart, which are beneath the heavenly stems, are called "quietness." For example, in the earthly branches of a birth chart, the metal of Geng can only overcome the wood of Jia in the big year's earthly branch, but cannot overcome the wood of Jia in the big year's heavenly stem. This is because overcoming with quietness is most effective, just like a woman can only overcome another woman, but not a man outside.

但雖不能被其攻，亦有搖動震驚之意也。如運上地支之庚金，亦不能破我八字天干之甲木也。是以地支之靜，只能攻得地支之靜，不能攻天干這動也，亦明矣。又如辰戌丑未四地支之物，乃天地四方收藏之庫，極牢固。假如八字地支，辰在有戊土，乙未癸水運，或行寅，寅中雖有甲木，亦不能破其戊。

Although it does not actually break through, there is still a sense of shaking and shock. For example, the庚 metal in the earthly branch of the big destiny cannot break the甲 wood in the heavenly stem of the birth chart. This shows that the "stillness" of the earthly branches can only attack the "stillness" of other earthly branches, and cannot affect the "movement" of the heavenly stems, which is very clear. Moreover, the four earthly branches of 辰, 戌, 丑, and 未 are repositories of the four directions and the heavens, extremely solid. For instance, if there is a 辰 in the earthly branches of the birth chart, it contains 戊 earth, 乙 wood, and 癸 water. When the big destiny reaches 寅, although 寅 contains 甲 wood, it still cannot break the 戊 earth within 辰.

又運行酉，酉中雖有辛金，亦不能破其乙。又或生行午，午中雖然己土，亦不能破其癸。非不能破也，蓋其庫中，鎖鑰甚牢，真要戌字動來沖開之，就如有了鎖匙，開了其鎖，而入出戊土乙木癸水出來。如丑字就要未字沖，別物不能攻之。故曰雜氣財見沖，正此意也。

He then enters the You (酉) period, where although there is Xin metal within You, it cannot break the Bing wood in Chen; then he enters the Wu (午) period, where although there is Ji earth within Wu, it cannot break the Gui water in Chen. It is not that they cannot be broken, but rather that the warehouse is locked too tightly, and one must have Xu to come and clash with it. This is like having the key to open the lock, thus releasing the Ji earth, Bing wood, and Gui water. Similarly, the Chou warehouse must be broken by Wei. Other characters cannot break it. Therefore, the saying 'miscellaneous qi wealth and official positions require a clash' means exactly this.

何以謂之蓋頭也？如人之一身，獨有頭為一身為端也。頭與面相連，耳目中鼻繫焉，統而言之為之頭也。其下若四肢肚腹，稍有不善，可以衣服以飾其不善也；若頭之諸物，發見於外，則為之動物，非若四肢肚腹所藏之物，不足為輕重也。

What is meant by "cover head" (盖头)? Just as a person's body has only the head as its topmost part. The head is connected to the face, with ears, eyes, mouth, and nose all attached to it, collectively referred to as the head. The limbs and abdomen below the head may have some imperfections, which can still be concealed with clothing. However, the parts on the head are all exposed, thus belonging to the category of "movement," unlike the hidden parts within the limbs and abdomen which are of lesser importance.

大抵人之八字，類如此。八字中上四個字是頭也，下地支四字是肚腹四肢也，支中所藏之物，是五藏六腑也。如肚腹秀氣，發出在面頭上來，便是英發華出外來，一生富貴貧賤，只從頭面上見得。如八字畏傷官，這傷官藏在內，尚不足畏；如天下透此傷官，便是頭面上已見了，怎能掩飾？凡有所害之物，露出頭面，便是動物，就能作害。

Generally, a person's four heavenly stems in the birth chart represent the head, while the four earthly branches represent the abdomen and limbs. The hidden heavenly stems within the earthly branches correspond to the internal organs. If the refined energy from the abdomen rises to the head, it is like the essence being revealed on the surface, and a person's wealth, poverty, and status in life can be seen from their face. For example, if a birth chart is particularly afraid of 'wounding official' (a term in divination), then if this 'wounding official' is only hidden within the earthly branches, it is not so dangerous; but if it appears in the heavenly stems, it is like it has already been revealed on the face, and there is no way to hide it. Any harmful element that appears on the face becomes a 'moving' creature, and immediately causes trouble.

凡行運如原八字是乙日干，用丙丁火為傷官，乙日干傷重者，便以庚金官星為病，若八字上見了庚金，便要丙丁為疾病之神。如早年行壬申癸酉運，便不是好運，蓋因壬癸水蓋在申酉頭上，是壬癸水蓋了頭，便不好也。

Looking at one's fortune in the same way, if the original八字 has Yi wood as the day stem, and uses Bing and Ding fire as the "official son" (伤官), then for Yi day stem with heavy "official son", Geng metal "official star" (官星) is considered the "disease". If the original八字 already has Geng metal, then Bing and Ding fire are used as the "medicine god" to treat this disease. In this case, if one's early years are in the Renshen or Guiyou cycle, it would not be a good fortune — because the water of Ren and Gui covers the top of Shen and You, which means water is covering the head, and water is coming to control fire, thus the medicine god is restrained, and the fortune is not good.

後行甲戌乙亥運，便好了，是甲乙木蓋了頭也。又行丙子丁丑動又好，蓋行丙丁火蓋來克庚也，雖下面地支有亥子丑水，其水被丙丁蓋了頭，亦不能為害。又如庚辛日干，喜甲乙丙丁四字為神，庚辛壬癸四字為病神，行運望見甲乙丙丁數字，蓋了頭便好。

Later, when he went through the Jiaxu and Yihai phases, it became better, because the Jia and Yi wood covered the head. Then, when he went through the Bingzi and Dingchou phases, it was also good, because the Bing and Ding fire covered the top to overcome the Geng metal; although there was water in the earthly branches such as Hai, Zi, and Chou, this water was covered by Bing and Ding, so it could not cause harm. For example, for days with Geng or Xin as the day stem, the characters Jia, Yi, Bing, and Ding are considered auspicious, while Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui are considered harmful. When going through phases, if the heavenly stem of the phase is Jia, Yi, Bing, or Ding, covering the head is beneficial.

如望見庚辛壬癸數字，便是壞命，雖運上地支有甲乙丙丁，亦被庚辛壬癸蓋球了頭，此地支雖有甲乙丙丁，亦不能作福蓋為庚辛壬癸，蓋在上面，出頭不得。看八字以此蓋頭望見了，就識得人一生好歹，此是真傳秘訣也。

If the heavenly stems in the fortune are Geng, Xin, Ren, or Gui, that is a bad fortune: even if there are the qi of Jia, Yi, Bing, or Ding beneath the earthly branches, they are covered by Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui. Although the earthly branches may contain Jia, Yi, Bing, or Ding, they cannot bring good fortune because Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui are on top, preventing them from emerging. When looking at a person's八字, one can easily recognize this "covering" and thus determine the good or bad fortune of their entire life. This is the true secret of the transmission.

年上財官，主祖宗之榮顯；月上官殺，主兄弟之凋零。又曰：年看祖宗興廢事，月推父母定留存。然年屬祖宗之宮臨財官之地，乃坐祿馬之鄉，榮顯理然也。但坐比肩劫財，無財官之地。乃坐祿馬之鄉，榮顯理然也。但從比肩又當與羅土之祖宗，月上兄弟兩宮相寓而參看焉。

In the year pillar, if there are 'wealth' and 'officials', it indicates that the ancestors were prosperous and successful; if the month pillar has 'officials' or 'harmful officials', it suggests that brothers may be few or have difficulties. Another view says that the year pillar reflects the rise and fall of the ancestral family, while the month pillar indicates whether the parents can live long. The year pillar is the position of the ancestors; if it is located in the 'wealth' and 'officials' positions, meaning it is in the land of official salary and horse (a metaphor for success), then the ancestors naturally achieved honor and success. However, if the year pillar is occupied by 'twin brothers' or 'robbery wealth', not in the 'wealth' and 'officials' positions, the situation is different. Since it is occupied by twin brothers or robbery wealth, one should combine the ancestral palace with the brother's palace in the month pillar for a comprehensive analysis.

若歲月無財官，俱主根基淺薄，白手成家，獨月令官殺司權，俱主損傷兄弟。雖有兄弟，多主鬩牆，何也？比肩乃兄弟之壽星，見官殺面克之，安得不損兄弟乎？故曰：官殺排門兄壽夭，殺官司戶弟成行。故月乃門戶也。

If both the year and month pillars lack the "wealth" and "official" elements, it indicates a weak foundation, requiring one to start from scratch. If only the month pillar is ruled by "official" or "kill" elements, it suggests harm to brothers. Even if there are brothers, they are likely to quarrel. Why is this so? "Bijian" represents brothers and their longevity. When "official" or "kill" elements confront directly, they inevitably harm brothers. Therefore, it is said: "Official and kill elements at the gate cause brothers' short lives, and kill and official elements lead to brothers' deaths in a row." This is because the month pillar is the gate of one's destiny.

又若日通月氣，比肩神旺，多主鴻雁成行，理雖如是，變貴變通。苟或日主根多，比肩太旺，亦主參商，蓋緣兄弟多來劫財神也，此又喜官殺而得兄弟也。偏財為父，比劫重重損父親，正印為母，星旺處雖損母，以官殺為子，傷官食神多損子。

In addition, when the day stem connects with the energy of the month's stem, and the "twin" is strong, it often indicates many brothers, like geese flying in formation. Though this is the general principle, it still needs to be adjusted according to specific circumstances. If the day stem has too much root energy and the "twin" is overly strong, it may also indicate that brothers are not harmonious, because too many brothers will compete for my "wealth" deity. In such a case, it is actually favorable for "official" or "kill" to restrain the "twin" and "competitor," thus preserving the brothers. As for the other six relations: "biased wealth" represents the father, and if there are many "twin" and "competitor" deities, it will harm the father; "correct seal" represents the mother, and if the "wealth" deity is strong, it will harm the mother, because wealth can damage the seal; "official" and "kill" represent the son, and if there are many "injured official" and "food deity" deities, it will harm the son.

若官殺太重，剋制日主，早自身救死不贍，安能生子乎？必須食神傷官，制去官殺，方能生子也。男命如斯，女命亦然。若財官旺而日主弱，夫家興而母家灰，蓋財官乃旺夫之物也。然財能損母，官能克兄弟，多主父母兄弟凋零。

If "official star" and "kill star" are too strong, they may overpower the day master, leaving it unable to move or act. If the day master is already struggling to survive, how can it produce a son? Therefore, there must be "food god" and "hurt official" to restrain "official star" and "kill star" in order to have a son. This applies to both male and female destinies. If "wealth" and "official star" are strong while the day master is weak, it indicates that the husband's family will be prosperous while the mother's family declines, because "wealth" and "official star" are factors that bring fortune to the husband. However, "wealth" can harm the mother, and "official star" can suppress the brothers, so such a destiny often leads to the decline of parents and brothers.

孤鸞曰：木火蛇無媚，蓋乙巳日也。然乙巳坐下有庚夫，丁巳會下有庚財，有財能生夫也，不可謂夫婿也。女命生此二日，多主旺夫旺子也。金豬豈有郎，辛亥日坐下有正財，財亦能主夫，豈可謂無郎乎？

The song about "Guluan煞" says "wood and fire snake lack charm," referring to Yisi day. However, on Yisi day, the巳 position contains hidden庚 gold, which is the husband of 乙 wood; on Dingsi day, the巳 position contains hidden庚 gold, which is the "wealth" for 丁 fire. Wealth can generate husband, so how can it be said she has no husband? For women born on these two days, they are often beneficial to their husbands and children. The song also says "gold pig lacks a husband," but on Xinhai day, the亥 position contains hidden甲 wood, which is the "official wealth" for 辛 gold. Wealth can also generate husband, so how can it be said she has no husband?

土猴長獨臥，乃戊申日也，坐下有庚金，能剋夫也。發命戊申日，極損夫也。木虎定居孀，甲寅日也。夫星絕於寅也，不能生子也。又喜印星損其子，養其精，方能生子也。若食神傷官少，而又嫌印星，能損其食神傷官子也。

The rhyme says "earth monkey alone lies in solitude," referring to the day of Wushen (Wu Shen): in the branch of Shen, there is hidden庚metal, which is the "food god" of Wu earth, capable of overcoming Yi wood, which represents the husband. Therefore, a woman born on the day of Wushen suffers greatly in terms of her husband. It also says "wood tiger settles in widowhood," referring to the day of Jiayin: the "husband star" of Ji wood, which is Geng metal, is in a state of decline in the branch of Yin. Since the husband star is weakened, it is difficult for her to have children. If there are too many food gods and officials (representing children), it is preferable to have the "imperial star" to restrain and reduce the children's stars, thus nourishing the day's main element, which can lead to having children. However, if the food gods and officials are already scarce, then the "imperial star" is actually disliked, because the imperial star would weaken the food gods and officials, which represent the children.

若辰戌丑未四字全，此坐天地之四獄也，又安能生乎？若止犯二字，亦不畏也。若夫星子入墓，亦難為夫子也。男女二命，俱不可犯。妻星夫星子星而論之，但只看八字，有病能去其病，由有妻有夫子也。論六親只是死格，說見上文五星謬說內。

If the Earthly Branches of Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei are all present, this indicates sitting on the four prisons of heaven and earth, so where could a son be born? If only two of these characters are present, one need not be afraid. If both the 'husband star' and 'son star' are in the墓 (grave), it is still difficult to have a husband or son. Both male and female destinies should avoid this. In summary, whether discussing the 'wife star', 'husband star', or 'son star', one should only look at this八字 (eight characters). If there is a 'sickness' but it can be removed, then naturally there will be a wife, a husband, and a son. The old method of discussing the Six Relations only follows a rigid format, and this point has already been discussed in the previous section on 'False Sayings about the Five Stars'.

何以為之病？原八字中原所害之神也；何以為之藥？如八字原有所害之字，而得一字以去之謂了，如朱子所謂各因其病而藥之也。故書云：“有病方為貴，無傷不是奇；格中如去病，財祿兩相隨。”命書萬卷，則四名為之括要。蓋人之造化，雖貴中和，若一於中和，則安得探其消息，而論其休咎也？

What is called "disease" refers to the harmful heavenly stem or earthly branch in one's original birth chart. What is called "medicine" refers to a character in the birth chart that removes the harmful one. This character that eliminates the disease is called "medicine," just as Zhu Xi said, "treat the disease according to its nature." Therefore, the book of destiny says: "Only when there is a disease is it valuable; without harm, it is not extraordinary. If the pattern removes the disease, wealth and official rank will follow." There are countless volumes of destiny books, but these four lines summarize the key point. Although the transformation of human destiny is valued for its balance and harmony, if we only focus on balance and harmony, how can we understand the changes and fluctuations within, and thus judge fortune and misfortune?

若今之至富至貴之人，必先“勞其筋骨，餓其體膚，空乏其身，然後動心忍性，增益其所不能，”人命之妙，其猶此乎！愚嘗先前未諳病藥之說，屢以中和而究人之造化，十無一二有驗。又以財官為論，亦俱無歸趣。後始得悟病藥之旨，再以財官中和參看，則嘗八九而得其造化所以然之妙矣。

Looking at those who are extremely wealthy and powerful today, they must first, as said in the "Mencius," endure hardship, hunger, and poverty, and then be able to strengthen their will and increase their abilities. The mystery of human destiny is probably something like this. I used to not understand the concept of "disease and medicine," and often only investigated human destiny through the principle of harmony, but rarely had success even once out of ten times. I also only discussed matters from the perspectives of "wealth" and "official position," but these approaches did not lead to clear conclusions. Later, I realized the principle of "disease and medicine," and then combined it with the perspectives of "wealth" and "official position" and the principle of harmony, and then out of ten times, I could understand the mystery of human destiny in eight or nine cases.

何以言之？假如人八字中，四柱純土水，日干則為殺重輕，如金日干，則為土厚埋金，火日干，則為比肩太重，是則土為諸格之病，俱喜木為醫藥，以去其病也。如用財見比肩為病，喜見官殺為藥也。如用食神傷官，以印為病，喜財為藥也。或本身病重而得藥重，又宜行運，以取其中和。若病而藥，大富貴之人也。

So how does this work? If someone's four pillars in the八字 are all earth, then if water is the day stem, it is called 'heavy killing and light body'; if metal is the day stem, it is called 'thick earth burying metal'; if fire is the day stem, it is called 'same kind' being too heavy. In these situations, earth is the 'disease' of each pattern, and they all prefer wood to act as the medicine to cure the disease and remove it. For example, if the required element is 'wealth' and 'same kind' appears to compete, then 'same kind' becomes the disease, and it is favorable to see 'authority' or 'killing' as the medicine. If the required element is 'food god' or 'harmful official' and 'supporting element' appears to compete, then 'supporting element' becomes the disease, and it is favorable to see 'wealth' as the medicine. Some people have a severe disease but happen to receive a strong medicine, and they still need compatible fortune to achieve balance. Having a disease and the appropriate medicine leads to great wealth and honor.

究人之命，將何以探其玄妙？如八字中看了日干，次看了月令，且如月令中支中所屬是火，先看月令中此一火字起，又看年上或火，又看月時上或有火，宜將以上各火做一處看，或為病，或非病。又或地支雖又藏有別物，且不必看，若再看別物，由混雜不明，故曰：從重者論。此理是看命下手法處。

To investigate the subtle aspects of a person's destiny, one should first determine the day stem in the four pillars of destiny, and then examine the month's stem and branch. For example, if the month's branch belongs to fire, one should start by looking at the fire in the month's branch, then check if there is fire in the year pillar, and also look for fire in the month's stem and the hour pillar. By combining all these instances of fire, one can determine whether it is a 'disease' or not. Although there may be other elements hidden in the earth branches, they should be temporarily ignored; otherwise, the analysis will become confused. Therefore, it is said 'the heavier one is considered'. This principle is the starting point for analyzing a person's destiny.

若以火論，又再年水金看土，則不知命理之要也。若財官印綬有病，就要醫其財官印緩也。如身主有病，就要醫其身主也。如八字純然不旺不弱，原財官印俱無損傷，日干之氣，又得中和，並無起發可觀，此是平常人也。然病藥之說，此是第一家緊要，得斯術者，不可不精察也，詳見見驗類。

If one first examines the fire and then goes back to look at water, metal, and earth, that is not understanding the essentials of divination. If "wealth," "authority," and "seal" are in disorder, one should treat their respective "wealth," "authority," and "seal." If the day stem is in disorder, one should treat the day stem. If a person's八字 is balanced, neither strong nor weak, and "wealth," "authority," and "seal" are not damaged, with the day stem's energy being in harmony, there is nothing to observe or act upon. Such a person is ordinary. In summary, the concept of "disease and remedy" is the most important aspect of this discipline. Those who have learned this skill must carefully examine it. Details are provided in the section "Verification of Human Destiny" later on.

何以為之雕也？如玉雖至寶也，雨貴有雕琢之功；金雖全寶也，而貴有鍛鍊之力。苟玉之不琢，雖曰荊山之美，則為無用之玉也；金之不煉，雖曰麗水之良，則為無用之金也，人之八字，大概類此。如見官星未曾有傷官，見財星未曾有比劫，見印綬未曾有財星，見食神傷官夫曾見印綬，若此純然無雜，不猶未琢之玉，未煉之金乎？

What is meant by "雕" (carving)? Jade, though a treasure, is valuable only when it has been carved; gold, though complete in itself, is valuable only when it has been refined. Jade that has not been carved, even if it comes from the famous Jingshan mountain, is just a piece of useless jade; gold that has not been refined, even if it comes from the beautiful Li water, is just a piece of useless gold. A person's birth chart is similar: if one sees "official star" (官星) but never sees "wounding star" (伤官), if one sees "wealth star" (财星) but never sees "same kind star" (比劫), if one sees "seal star" (印绶) but never sees "wealth star" (财星), if one sees "food star" (食神) or "wounding star" (伤官) but never sees "seal star" (印绶)—such purity without any mixture is not unlike a piece of jade that has not been carved or gold that has not been refined.

大抵天之生人也，盈虛消長之機，未嘗不寓焉。若四時之有生長也，必有春夏焉；若四時之有收藏也，必有秋冬焉。又如地理骨龍穴砂水之美，而來脈又貴有蜂鶴膝斷續之妙焉。人之造化窮愛壽夭之理，亦貴宜有去留舒配，以取用焉。是以八字貴有雕也。

In general, the mechanisms of growth and decline inherent in heaven and earth are all embodied within them. Just as the four seasons have periods of growth and development, there must be spring and summer; and periods of gathering and concealment, there must be autumn and winter. Similarly, in geomancy, although a dragon, a site, sands, and water may be beautiful, the coming pulse is especially valued for its subtle and continuous variations, such as the graceful curves of a bee's waist and a crane's knee. The principles of a person's success or failure, longevity or short life are also valuable in having something to leave, something to retain, and something to expand and arrange, so that one can make use of them. Therefore, the eight characters of a person's destiny are especially valued for having the 'carving' aspect.

何以為之枯也？風霜木之，春華之至可觀焉。旱魑之苗，得雨之機難遏焉。故沖霄之羽健。貴在三年之飛，驚人之聲雄，貴在三年之不鳴。是以清涼之候。恆伸於炎烈之餘。和煦之時，每收於苦寒之後。故人之造化，官貴有桔也，行官旺地，貴不可言。財貴有桔，行財旺鄉，財難計數。

What is meant by "dryness" or "枯"? Trees that have been battered by wind and frost produce even more impressive blossoms the following spring; drought-stricken crops, when they finally receive rain, grow with unstoppable vigor. Therefore, the wings of birds that soar high are strongest, for they wait three years without flying before they take flight once; the sound that startles everyone is most powerful, for it waits three years without making a sound before it erupts. Cool seasons always follow intense heat before they can fully unfold; mild weather is only attainable after enduring harsh cold. Thus, human destiny: "official position" (官) is valuable when there is first a period of dryness, and once it reaches a flourishing stage of "official position," it becomes invaluable; "wealth" (财) is also valuable when there is first a period of dryness, and once it reaches a flourishing stage of "wealth," the amount of wealth becomes countless.

然又當然喜其有根在苗先，實從花後，但貴具有根而桔也，不貴其有苗而桔也。苟若官星無根，官從何出？財星無根，財從何生？是以財有印綬，貴有根而桔之病也。或若無根，而自為之桔焉，則亦非矣。貴有根而桔之病也。或若無根，而自為之桔焉，則亦非矣。是以八字貴有根桔之病也。

However, it also requires that the root comes before the sprout and the fruit comes after the flower, meaning that the value lies in having a root but appearing dry, rather than being dry without a root. If the 'official star' has no root, from where can the official star arise? If the 'wealth star' has no root, from where can wealth come? Therefore, 'wealth' must rely on 'imperial robe' for support, and this is considered valuable in the case of being dry but having a root. If there is no root to begin with and it is simply dry, that is incorrect. Thus, the value lies in being dry but having a root. If it is dry without a root from the beginning, it is still incorrect. Therefore, the八字 (eight characters) value lies in having this kind of 'dry but with a root' condition.

何以為之旺也？群芳茁長，可觀真木之光輝，萬物凋零，可識真金之肅殺，是以各全其質，各具其形。若木不木而金不金，旺不旺而弱不弱，則五行之質有虧矣。所以考入禍福也哉？若人之用木出也，則宜類聚，斯木性之當雜。若人之用火也，則宜照應，斯火性之不裂。

What does "being strong" (旺) mean? Only when all kinds of flowers bloom and grass and trees flourish can we see the true brilliance of wood; only when all things wither and the atmosphere is bleak can we recognize the true nature of metal. This shows that the five elements each preserve their own essence and each possess their own form. If wood does not resemble wood, and metal does not resemble metal, if they are neither strong nor weak, then the essence of the five elements is lacking. On what basis can we then examine a person's fortune and misfortune? For example, if someone's destiny is based on wood, it is suitable for similar elements to gather together and form a forest, which conforms to the nature of wood. It is not suitable for them to be mixed with other elements. If someone's destiny is based on fire, it is suitable for them to support and illuminate each other, so that the nature of fire does not become fragmented.

若春林旺，見水多益壯其神。夏月火炎，見木多愈資其烈。由引區別，則知其所以旺者，當何旺者，宜行比劫動以去財星；印星太旺者，宜行財星運以破其印是；日干太旺者，宜行官殺運以制其日主。一理如是，百理皆然。若其旺弱之相參，斯其下矣。是以八字貴有旺之病也。

In spring, trees are vigorous, and if there is more water, it actually strengthens their vitality; in summer, fire is at its peak, and if there is more wood, it further enhances its intensity. From these distinctions, we can understand how to handle "旺" (strength). If the "Talent Star" (财星) is too strong, it is advisable to go through a "Similar" (比) or "Comrade" (劫) phase to compete with the Talent Star; if the "Scholar Star" (印星) is too strong, it is advisable to go through a "Talent Star" phase to weaken the Scholar Star; if the day stem is too strong, it is advisable to go through an "Official Star" (官杀) phase to restrain the day stem. This principle applies in one place, and similarly in a hundred others. If there is a mixture of strength and weakness, it falls into a lower category. Therefore, in the eight characters, it is valuable to have the "旺" (strength) aspect.

何以為之弱也？雨露不足，則物性為之磨。血氣不充，人身為之贏瘦。天根可躡，六陽之弱可聞乎，月窟可探，六陰之弱者究也。是以六陽之弱，不至於終弱，而有《臨》《泰》之可乘。六陰之弱，不至於終弱，而有《遁》《比》之可托。

What is meant by "weakness"? When rain and dew are insufficient, the nature of grass and trees will gradually wither; when vital energy is not full, the human body will become weak. In the poem by Shao Yong, the "Heavenly Root" can be visited, and the faint trace of the initial emergence of six yang can be perceived; the "Moon Cave" can be explored, and the faint trace of the initial emergence of six yin can be clearly understood. Therefore, the weakness of six yang will not remain weak forever, for there is the "Qing" hexagram and the "Tai" hexagram where yang energy grows; the weakness of six yin will not remain weak forever, for there is the "Dun" hexagram and the "Bi" hexagram where yin can rely upon.

猶人之命，弱不弱而旺不旺，則何以稽其禍福哉？然雖貴有母也，則猶恐極弱之無根，故水雖至已為極弱，然己有庚金為水根也。火雖至亥為極母也，然亥有木為火之根也。人之造化，財官印綬，貴有弱也。弱則有旺之其焉。

A person's destiny is also like this: neither weak nor strong, neither prosperous nor flourishing. How can we determine his fortune or misfortune? Although being weak is not necessarily bad if there is a mother element that generates him, it is still feared that weakness becomes extreme and there is no root energy. Therefore, water in the position of Si is extremely weak, but Si contains hidden Geng metal, which is the root of water. Similarly, fire in the position of Hai is extremely weak, but Hai contains hidden Jia wood, which is the root of fire. A person's fate, the "wealth," "official star," and "favorable star" also value a certain degree of weakness. First being weak allows for the possibility of turning into strength later.

若官星太弱，宜行官旺之鄉；財星太弱，宜行財旺之地；日主太弱，宜行身旺之地。然猶畏弱之無根，所謂根在苗先也。弱而有根，則官星雖弱而可致其旺，財星雖弱而可致其強。是以八字貴有弱之病也。

When the official star is too weak, one should go to a place where the official star is strong; when the wealth star is too weak, one should go to a place where the wealth star is strong; when the day master is too weak, one should go to a place where the day master is strong. However, one should still be cautious about being weak and rootless, which is called "the root comes before the sprout." If something is weak but has a root, then even a weak official star can become strong, and even a weak wealth star can become powerful. Therefore, in a birth chart, it is valuable to have the weakness as a layer of deficiency.

何以謂之損？損者，損其有餘也。然木生震位，正木氣之當權也。金產競宮，正金神之得位。當權者不宜資助，得位者不必生扶。假或水又滋土，土或培金，若木有餘之病，用金以制之；金氣有餘之病，用火以克之。官星之氣有餘，則損其官星；財星之氣有餘，則損其財星。壁如人身元太旺為族，當以涼劑通藥以濟之也。是以八字貴有損之之藥也。

What is called "Shen" (Damage)? Shen refers to reducing excess. When wood is in the position of Zhen (Thunder), it is the time when the wood energy is dominant; when metal is in the position of Dui (Lake), it is the time when the metal spirit is in its proper place. The dominant should not be further supported, and the proper place should not be further assisted. If water comes to nourish wood or earth comes to cultivate metal, that is excessive. Therefore, when the wood energy is excessive and causes a problem, use metal to control it; when the metal energy is excessive and causes a problem, use fire to overcome it. If the official star energy is excessive, reduce the official star; if the wealth star energy is excessive, reduce the wealth star. This is like when a person's original energy is too strong and causes illness, one should use cooling remedies to regulate and guide it. Therefore, in a birth chart, it is valuable to have the element of "Shen" (Damage).

何以謂之益？益者，益其不及也。若木之死於午，若水之死於卯也。不及則宜資助，且如木氣之本衰，庚辛又來克木也；水氣之本衰，戊己土又來克水也，則水木不及之病在此矣。益之之理又當何如耶？若木之不及，或行水運以滋其根本，或行木運以茂其枝葉。

What is meant by "benefit" or "supplement"? "Benefit" refers to making up for what is lacking. For example, if wood dies at the position of Wu (午) or water dies at the position of Mao (卯), they are considered to have insufficient energy; in such cases, they should be supported. However, if the energy of wood is already weak, and metal elements like Geng and Xin come to overcome it, or if the energy of water is already weak, and earth elements like Wu and Ji come to overcome it, then the root cause of the deficiency in wood and water is here. How should the principle of supplementation be applied? If wood is lacking, one can either promote the water cycle to nourish its root or enhance the wood cycle to strengthen its branches.

若水之不及，或行金運浚其源流，或行水運以廣其澎湃。若宮星之氣不足，則喜官旺之鄉；財星之氣不足，則喜行財旺之地。譬如人身血氣之不足，則用溫藥之劑以補之也。是以八字貴有益之藥也。

If water is insufficient, one may either go through the metal cycle to dredge its source or go through the water cycle to enhance its flow. When the "official star" energy is lacking, one prefers to go through the "official" prosperous land; when the "wealth star" energy is lacking, one prefers to go through the "wealth" prosperous land. This is similar to a person with insufficient blood and qi needing warming and nourishing remedies for regulation. Therefore, in a birth chart, it is valuable to have the "beneficial" element.

何以謂之生也？六陽生處，真為生也。如甲木生亥，亥有壬水，來滋甲木也。六陰生處，俱為弱。如乙木生於午也，午有丁火洩木之精英，有己土為乙木之撓屈。又如六陰死處俱為生，如乙木死於亥，亥有壬水，反來滋木也。六陽死處死真為死，如甲木死於午，且午中有丁火，洩木真精，己土為之撓屈。

What is meant by "birth" (生)? The true birth of the six yang heavenly stems is their long life (长生) position. For example, Jia wood (甲木) is born in Hai (亥), which contains Ren water (壬水), which nourishes Jia wood. However, the long life positions of the six yin heavenly stems are actually weak. For example, Yi wood (乙木) is born in Wu (午), which contains Ding fire (丁火), which drains the essence of wood, and Ji earth (己土), which bends and twists Yi wood. Conversely, the death positions (死) of the six yin heavenly stems are actually birth positions. For example, Yi wood dies in Hai (亥), which contains Ren water (壬水), which instead nourishes it. Meanwhile, the death positions of the six yang heavenly stems are truly death positions. For example, Jia wood dies in Wu (午), which contains Ding fire (丁火) draining its true essence and Ji earth (己土) causing it to bend and break.

且如生之理，形氣始分，赤子未離於褓，精華初判，嬰兒初脫於胞胎。如木之生於亥，根氣猶桔也，未可以木為旺也。如火之生於寅，氣焰猶寒也，未可以火旺也。又或財官印臨於生地，未可以財官印為旺也。凡氣之不足，故貴濟之有生之藥也。

Now talking about the principle of 'birth' or 'longevity' (长生), this is the time when form and energy are just beginning to separate, when a newborn has not yet left the womb, and when the essence is just beginning to differentiate, when an infant is just emerging from the amniotic sac. Therefore, wood is said to be born in the hour of Hai, but its root energy is still weak, so it cannot be considered as strong wood; fire is said to be born in the hour of Yin, but its energy is still cold, so it cannot be considered as strong fire. Similarly, when 'wealth', 'authority', and 'seal' (财、官、印) are in the position of birth, they should not be considered as strong. In all cases where the energy is not yet sufficient, it is valuable to use the principle of 'birth' to support and nourish it.

何以謂之長也？春蠶作繭，木氣方敷。夏熱成爐，炎光始著。如木臨震位，火到離宮。若此帝旺之鄉，實不同於生長之位。是以生者長初，長者生之繼也。如財官屬木，則長養在寅卯辰之方，此木氣方敷也。如是則貴行金運以克之，則與長生之木理不同也。

What is meant by "longevity" (长)? In spring, silkworms spin their cocoons, and the energy of wood is just beginning to expand. In summer, the heat is like a furnace, and the brilliance of fire becomes evident. When wood is in the position of Zhen (震) or fire is in the position of Li (离), these are places of prosperity (帝旺), which are very different from the position of growth (长生). Therefore, "growth" (长) is the beginning of "longevity" (生), and "longevity" is the continuation of "growth." If "wealth" (财) or "official position" (官) belong to wood, then their growth occurs in the directions of寅 (Yin), 卯 (Mao), and 辰 (Chen), which are times when the energy of wood is expanding. This is valuable because it is when the metal element can be used to control it, which is different from the principle of the growth of wood.

如財官屬火，火則長養在巳午未方，此火氣之方熾也。如果則貴行水運以克之，則與長生之火理不同也。走以生長二字，衰旺之不同，故運行有喜生喜克之異。是以八字貴有長之之藥也。以上諸格，楠於合理者取之，背理者闢之矣。以後各格，楠所未及者，附陳於後，以備參考。

If "wealth" and "officials" belong to the fire element, fire reaches its peak in the directions of Si, Wu, and Wei. This is the time when fire is at its strongest, so it is valuable to travel through the water element to control it. This is different from the principle of "growth" in fire. Clearly, the terms "birth" and "growth" have different strengths and weaknesses, so when traveling through different elements, some situations favor "birth" while others favor "control." Therefore, in the eight characters, it is important to have the "growth" element. Among various patterns, I, Zhang Nan, adopt those that align with the principles and reject those that contradict them. The following patterns that I have not yet discussed are listed here for reference.

楠曰：正官者，何以言之？蓋以陽見陰，陰見陽，故曰一陰一陽之謂道，如人之一夫一婦之有配對也。何以謂之官？蓋官者答也。如人焉，必須官管，然後循規蹈矩，居仁由義，不敢放逸為非，故為制我身主之宮也。

Zhang Nan said: What is called "zheng guan"? It refers to a yang heavenly stem encountering a yin heavenly stem, or a yin heavenly stem encountering a yang heavenly stem. Therefore, the Great Treatise of the Zhou Changes says, "One yin and one yang is called the Way." Just as a man and a woman form a marital pair in the world. Why is it called "guan"? "Guan" means to control or restrain. A person must be controlled by an official authority in order to follow rules and act righteously, without committing wrongdoings. Therefore, "zheng guan" refers to the position that controls my day stem.

然月令提綱之官，若我之本府太守本縣之令尹也。但當服其管，則豈能用之。故凡月上官星，世無用官之理，如此將如取用？但或止有官星一點，日主又旺，則官星輕而日主弱，運行官旺最為奇。譬如府縣官，是我之主也。今主人弱也。當以財生之，行官運以助之。若行印運，則又洩弱官星之氣。

But the "official star" in the month's main element is like the governor of the prefecture or the county magistrate; I should only be subject to his authority, not be able to use him in return. Therefore, the "official star" in the month is never used as a useful god. If that is the case, then how should we determine the useful god? There is only one situation: if there is only a little "official star" in the chart and the day's stem is strong, then the official star is weak while the self is strong. When the fortune moves to a place where the "official star" is strong, it is most auspicious. This is like the governor of the prefecture or county magistrate being my superior. Now if the superior is weak, we should use "wealth" to generate him and "official star" fortune to support him. If we go through "education" fortune, it would instead weaken the "official star" energy.

若官星犯重，日主根弱，剋制日干太重，則不曰官星，而曰七殺也。七殺克身，則傷官食神，以制其官殺也。大抵用月上官星，要官旺，官旺方好取用。要官星有病，各因病而藥之，官旺官多，喜食神以制去之，官星氣弱，喜財神以生之，官旺之運以助之。

If the "official star" is repeated and the day stem is weak, and the official star over-controls the day stem, then it is no longer called "official star," but rather "seven killing stars." "Seven killing stars" control the body, so "injury star" and "food star" should be used to control the seven killing stars. Generally, the "official star" in the month is taken as the main reference. The official star should be strong, for a strong official star is preferable; it should also have a "disease," so that remedies can be applied according to the specific condition. If the official star is strong and numerous, it is favorable to have "food star" to control it; if the official star is weak, it is favorable to have "wealth star" to generate it, or to have a "strong official" fortune to support it.

若日干官星二者，純和無病，俱是平常人也。若歲日時上虛官，用之十有九貴。然官為扶身之本，夫人非官，則放於禮法之外，故官星不宜破損，而亦不可用也。惟官星太弱太旺，方為有病，因其病而藥之，斯可作為用神而論禍福也。

If the day stem and the "official star" are in harmony and neither is sickly, then they are ordinary people. However, the "official star" that is floating in the year pillar, day branch, or hour pillar is mostly indicative of high status. The "official star" is the fundamental support for a person; without it, one's actions would go beyond proper conduct. Therefore, the "official star" should not be damaged and should not be used casually as a useful god. Only when the "official star" is too weak or too strong does it become "sick," and only then can it be used as a useful god to infer fortune or misfortune.

《繼善篇》云：有官有印無破，作廊廟之材。楠曰：舊洋謂有官有印，乃雜氣所藏官印也，牽強不可從。或曰：有官有印，蓋言人命中有官星印綬雙全者，更無刑沖破害之物，破傷官印貴氣之物，則官生印，印生身，其人必是廊廟棟樑之大材。此說可從。蓋乙生辛月，丁生亥月，己生寅月，辛癸生巳月，皆官印兩全，何必拘於雜氣兩全乎。況雜氣喜沖破，謂之無沖可乎？

The "Ji Shan Chapter" says: "If there is official star and seal star without destruction, one becomes a great talent for the government." Zhang Nan says: old interpretations take "having official star and seal star" to mean the hidden official and seal stars in the mixed qi of the Earthly Branches of Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei, which seems forced and cannot be followed. Another interpretation says that "having official star and seal star" refers to a person's destiny having both "official star" and "seal star" and without being harmed by conflicts, collisions, destruction, or harm, which would destroy the official and seal stars' noble qi. Thus, the official star generates the seal star, and the seal star generates the body, making such a person certainly a great talent for the state. This interpretation can be followed. For example, if Bing Wood is born in the month of Xin Metal, Ding Fire is born in the month of Hai Water, Ji Earth is born in the month of Yin Wood, or Xin Metal and Gui Water are born in the month of Si Fire, they all have both official and seal stars. Why should we be restricted to the mixed qi? Moreover, the mixed qi itself is prone to conflict and destruction, so how can it be said to have no conflict?

古歌云：正氣官星月上推，無沖無破始為奇。中年歲運來相助，將相公侯總可為。補曰：正氣官星，謂陽見陰、陰見陽，如六甲日生酉月、六乙日生申巳月、六丙日生子月、六丁日生亥日之類，乃月正官也。柱中無沖刑破害，功名顯達，始為奇特，下文云“登科甲第，官星臨無破之宮”是也。中年歲運遇財星印綬，身旺之助。更無刑傷殺雜，則臺閣可登。古歌云“官印相生臨歲運，玉堂金馬作朝臣”是也。

An old song says: "The righteous official star is calculated on the month, without conflict or destruction it is considered extraordinary. When in middle age the years and months meet the 'wealth star,' 'scholarly influence,' and support, and there is no injury or mixed killing stars, one can attain high office. The old song says 'The official and scholarly influence mutually generate in the years and months, becoming officials in the Jade Hall and Golden Horse.' This refers to this." Supplementary explanation: The so-called "righteous official star" means a yang stem meets a yin stem, and a yin stem meets a yang stem. For example, the six days of Jia (甲) born in the酉 month, the six days of Yi (乙) born in the申 or巳 month, the six days of Bing (丙) born in the子 month, and the six days of Ding (丁) born in the亥 day, etc. These are the "true official" in the month. If there is no conflict, injury, destruction, or harm in the four pillars, one's fame and achievements will be prominent, which is considered extraordinary. The following statement "passing the imperial examination, the official star is in a place without destruction" is exactly this meaning. When in middle age, the years and months meet the "wealth star," "scholarly influence," and support, and there is no injury or mixed killing stars, one can reach the highest positions. The old song's statement "the official and scholarly influence mutually generate in the years and months, becoming officials in the Jade Hall and Golden Horse" refers to this.

司馬季主云：真官時遇，早登金紫之封。補曰：真官時遇，謂真正官星，遇於生時，正《淵源》所謂時土正官格是也，必早得腰金衣紫之貴。解時作月令之時，非生時之時。又於時正官格，刪而去之，則非也。若以此時遇為月令之時，則《喜忌篇》云：“偏官時遇，造微論之時”，遇官星生旺位，亦可謂令之時乎？牽強不可從。

Simama Jizhu said: "True official stars appearing at the right time will lead to early promotion and high official rank." Supplementary explanation: The phrase "true official star appearing at the right time" refers to the genuine "official star" appearing in the hour pillar at birth, which is exactly what the "Yuan Yuan" text refers to as the "official star in the hour pillar pattern." Such people will certainly achieve high official rank and prestige at an early age. Some commentators have interpreted this "time" as the time of the month's stem, rather than the birth hour, and have omitted the "official star in the hour pillar pattern" section, which is incorrect. If we interpret this "time" as the time of the month's stem, then the statement in the "Xi Ji篇" that "biased official star appearing at the right time, when the subtle theory is formed" and the saying about the official star meeting its favorable position, would also have to be interpreted as referring to the time of the month's stem. This would be too forced and cannot be followed.

強都憲造 辛未 乙未 丁未 辛亥。亥中壬水，為丁火正官，則真官為主時之遇也，有準矣。

The birth chart of Qiang Du Yushǐ is: the year pillar is Xinwei, the month pillar is Yiwei, the day pillar is Dingwei, and the hour pillar is Xinhai. The hidden壬water in the hour branch Hai is exactly the "official" (正官) for the Ding fire day stem. This is an example of the "true official" appearing in the hour pillar. This confirms the previous statement as accurate.

《通明賦》云：祿得天時，奇花生於金帶。補曰：祿得天時，乃時干得正官，而且見其言之祿，必有奇花金帶之榮貴。與上文大同而小異。解謂祿馬為官，則是為天時即干，則泛而不切。曰天下，則年月亦在其中矣，於時干，則隱而晦矣。

The Tongming Assignment says: "When the official star is in the right time, extraordinary flowers grow on the golden belt." Supplementary explanation: By "the official star is in the right time," it means that the official star is present in the time stem, and also the official star's luck is seen, which will surely bring about extraordinary honor, like extraordinary flowers on the golden belt. This is similar to the previous statement. Old annotations take "Lushima" as the official star and "tian shi" as the heavenly stem, which is too broad and not precise. Because when they say "heavenly stem," the year stem and month stem are also included, making the "time stem" layer obscure and unclear.

都御史造 癸未 乙卯 丙子 癸巳。此造時干，以癸水為官，而建祿於子，官印相生，則天時為時干，不可泛言天干也明矣。

The birth chart of a certain Grand Censor is: the year pillar is Guiwei, the month pillar is Yimao, the day pillar is Bingzi, and the hour pillar is Guisi. In this chart, the hour stem Gui water acts as the "official" for the day stem Bing fire. The Gui water's禄 (favorable position) is precisely on the day branch Zi. The month stem Yi wood is the "favorable" (mother). The official generates the favorable, and the favorable generates the self, forming an official-favorable mutual generation pattern. It is clear that "heavenly time" refers specifically to the hour stem, and cannot be generally referred to as the heavenly stem. This point has already been clearly established.

甲午 丁丑 壬辰 乙巳，宜黃縣劉景八公富命，生生活巳格。楠曰：壬生丑日水源深，疊疊財官共拱臨。水入巽官尋貴格，陶朱之富異乎人。壬水生臨丑月，水寓根源，四柱財官七殺太旺，此造本難尋究。蓋得巳時，水入巽宮，合起金局，蓋壬水能生甲乙木也。甲乙木不生丙丁火也。且四柱純粹，並無間隔，上下相親，正作生生不巳格看。所以行東南西北俱美，宜邑第一富人也。壽高五福，蓋得時上有庚金印星也。

The birth chart is: the year pillar is Jiawu, the month pillar is Dingchou, the day pillar is Renchen, and the hour pillar is Yisi. This is the prosperous destiny of Liu Jingba Gong from Yihuang County, belonging to the 'Continuous Generation' pattern. Zhang Nan wrote a poem: "Ren water is born on the Chou day, the source of water is deep. Wealth and official positions are repeatedly supporting each other. Water enters the Xun palace to seek a noble pattern, the wealth of Tao Zhu Gong is different from others." The Ren water is born in the Chou month, with the source of water deep; in the four pillars, the 'wealth', 'official position', and 'seven killers' are all strong. This destiny is originally very difficult to analyze. Fortunately, the hour pillar is Yisi, which belongs to the Xun position. Water enters the Xun palace, and the Yisi and the month pillar Chou form a metal group to generate water. The Ren water also generates the Jiabing and Yimao wood in the year and hour pillars, and the Jiabing and Yimao wood generate the Bingding fire in the year and month pillars, with a continuous generation. The four pillars are pure, with no interruption, and they support each other. This should be viewed as the 'Continuous Generation' pattern. Therefore, the fortune in the east, south, west, and north directions are all good, making him the richest person in the entire county. He also has a long life and great blessings, precisely because the hour pillar Yisi contains the hidden 'official star' Geng metal.

癸卯 甲子 乙巳 癸未，富夫女剋制剋星格。楠曰：乙未逢庚便作夫，傷庚丙火氣盈餘。火神未上重相見，見火傷庚壽必殂。乙木生於子月，用巳中庚金為夫星，則夫星得生於巳也。所以富出紅縷，原日主不弱，能任夫星。不合遇入丙寅，夫星剋制重重，患瘵死也明矣。

The person's birth chart is: the year pillar is Guimao, the month pillar is Jiazi, the day pillar is Yisi, and the hour pillar is Guiwei. She is a wealthy lady's fate, belonging to the "controlling husband star pattern." Zhang Nan wrote a poem: "When Yiwei meets Geng, it becomes a husband, the injuring of Geng is accompanied by Binghuo's excess energy. When the fire god appears again, it meets the fire, and the injuring of Geng leads to a certain death." The Yi wood is born in the Zi month, and the husband star is taken as the hidden Geng metal in the day pillar's Si. Geng metal is in its growth stage in Si. Therefore, her family is wealthy and her clothing is elegant. The day's main element is not weak, and it can bear this husband star. Unfortunately, her fate's movement goes into Bingyin, where Bing fire injures Geng, and the husband star is heavily restricted. She eventually died from tuberculosis, and the reason is clear.

辛丑 乙未 戊戌 庚申，貧夭女見夫受制格。楠曰：夫星子宿兩星期，最是誇苗實不成。枯木不堪金過克，早行金運壽先傾。戊生未月，乙木夫星透出，俗儒推其夫明子秀，不知乙木被金破之。未中乙木，被丑中辛金破之，夫星受制太過，雖有庚金子星，夫星既制，子安可生乎？大運入酉，乙木損重，自縊死矣。

The birth chart is: the year pillar is Xinchou, the month pillar is Yiwei, the day pillar is Wuxu, and the hour pillar is Gengshen. This is the fate of a woman who was poor, lowly, and died young. It belongs to the pattern of "the husband's star is restrained." Zhang Nan wrote a poem: "The husband's star and the son's star are both weak in the sky, most notably the flourishing seed fails to grow. A dry tree cannot withstand excessive metal cutting, and she dies young when entering the metal destiny." The戊土 is born in the month of Wei, and the moon pillar reveals the Yi wood as the "husband's star." Common diviners would say that her husband is clear and her son is excellent, but they do not realize that this Yi wood has been broken by metal. The Yi wood hidden in Wei is being destroyed by the Xin metal in the year pillar's branch, so the "husband's star" is overly restrained. Although there is the Geng metal in the hour pillar as the "son's star," since the "husband's star" has already been restrained, how can the son be born? When she enters the destiny of You, the damage to the Yi wood becomes even worse, and she eventually commits suicide by hanging.

壬戌 辛亥 甲子 丙寅，貴而早寡金輕火重。楠曰：夫明子透透天干，運入西方福自完。最恨南方金受制，不堪鏡破舞孤鸞。甲木生亥月，夫子星透天干，日主有根，樂堪任矣。夫何夫星頗弱，運入西方星生旺之地，夫登科甲，官至御史。運入南方，火制辛夫太過，入未夫死而孀居也。丙午火氣盈甚，帶疾而終驗也。

The person's birth chart is: the year pillar is Renxu, the month pillar is Xinhai, the day pillar is Jiazi, and the hour pillar is Bingyin. She is a woman who becomes prominent but loses her husband early. Her condition is that the metal is weak and the fire is strong. Zhang Nan wrote a poem: "When the husband's star appears clearly in the sky, when the fortune moves westward, happiness is complete. Most hated is when the south direction brings fire, which overpowers the metal, making the mirror broken and the lonely phoenix dance." The Jia wood day stem is born in the Hai month. The husband's star, the Xin metal, and the son's star, the Bing fire, both appear in the sky. The day stem has a root, so she can bear the fortune of husband and son. However, the husband's star, the Xin metal, is weak. When the fortune moves to the western direction, where metal is strong, her husband passes the imperial examination and becomes an official at the imperial court. When the fortune moves to the southern direction, the fire overpowers the Xin metal, which is her husband, and when she reaches the Wei year, her husband dies, leaving her a widow. When she reaches the Bingwu step, the fire becomes too strong, and she dies from illness, which all comes true.

丁巳 戊申 丁巳 乙巳，夭女官輕制重。楠曰：丁逢戊土太重重，壬水重遭剋制凶。戊運不宜重見土，中間早已失行蹤。丁火，以壬水為夫也。夫何戊土四重，剋制太過，雖巳有庚金，亦不能生之，大運入戌，又見戊土，一勺之水，豈勝眾土之攻乎？患癱疾而死，蓋為丁火身衰，見土洩弱精英也。

The person's birth chart is: the year pillar is Dingsi, the month pillar is Wushen, the day pillar is Dingsi, and the hour pillar is Yisi. This is the birth chart of a woman who died young, with the illness related to the official star being light but the earth element too strong to control it. Zhang Nan wrote a poem: "Ding fire meets Wushen earth too heavy,壬 water is heavily restricted and becomes dangerous. The Wushen period is not suitable for more earth, in the middle she had already lost her way." Ding fire takes壬 water as its husband, but the month dry branch and the three Si pillars contain Wushen earth, which restricts the壬 water too much. Although there is also Geng metal in the Si pillar to generate water, it is not enough. When the big destiny enters the Xu pillar, another layer of Wushen earth is added, and a single spoon of water can't withstand the attack of so much earth. She eventually died from paralysis. This is also because the Ding fire itself is weak, and seeing too much earth drains its essence.

丁酉 壬寅 辛巳 丙申，貴女命去留官格。楠曰：殺星得制獨留官，官殺相停兩得安。最喜南方官旺也，時師莫作等閒看。辛金生寅，本畏丁火為殺，得丁壬化之。更畏丙火官星太重，喜有申中壬水，沖去月上丙火，獨存時日丙火為夫星。原夫星氣弱，喜行甲乙丙丁旺夫之地。夫作廉使，其貴宜矣。

The person's birth chart is: the year pillar is Ding You, the month pillar is Ren Yin, the day pillar is Xin Si, and the hour pillar is Bing Shen. This is the birth chart of a noble lady, belonging to the 'Eliminate the Killer and Retain the Official' pattern. Zhang Nan wrote a poem: "The killer star is controlled and the official remains, the official and killer are in balance and both are secure. Most fortunate is the southern direction where the official is strong, do not treat this lightly, master of divination." Xin metal is born in the寅 month, originally fearing the year stem Ding fire as the 'seven killer', but fortunately Ding combines with the month stem Ren and transforms into something else; it also fears the Bing fire 'official star' being too strong, but fortunately the hour branch Shen contains Ren water, and Shen also conflicts with Yin, removing the Bing fire from the month branch Yin, leaving only the hour stem and day branch Si's Bing fire as the 'husband star'. Originally the 'husband star' was weak, so it is favorable to travel through the paths of Jia, Yi, Bing, and Ding, which are strong for the husband. Her husband held the position of Inspector, this high status is naturally deserved.

甲辰 甲戌 癸未 壬戌，孤夭女土重木輕格。楠曰：癸生戌月土重重，甲制干頭返有功。大運不宜重見土，再行土運壽年終。癸水生戌，夫何年月日時俱有土旺，水強進氣，亦不能勝眾土也。早行壬癸，水滋木旺克土。母夫家富，但四庫太多，生子不良。運入未字，土神太重，嘔血而死。

The birth chart is: the year pillar is Jia Chen, the month pillar is Jia Xu, the day pillar is Gui Wei, and the hour pillar is Ren Xu. This is the fate of a woman who was lonely and died young, belonging to the 'earth heavy and wood light' pattern. Zhang Nan wrote a poem: "Gui water is born in the month of Xu, earth is heavy and water is weak. Jia wood controls the dry head and brings some merit. Big luck should not see more earth, if earth comes again, life ends." Gui water is born in the month of Xu, but the year, month, day, and hour pillars are all strong earth. Although water has some strength, it cannot overcome so much earth. In early years, when the destiny runs through the壬 and癸 paths, water nourishes wood, and wood becomes strong to control earth, so both the maternal and marital families are wealthy. However, there are too many earth storage positions such as Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei, so the sons born are not good. When the destiny enters the Wei pillar, the earth becomes even heavier, and she dies from coughing up blood.

丙午 辛丑 甲戌 己巳。楠曰：甲木逢辛本作夫，庚辛夫旺木神桔。豈宜再入西方運，孤苦貧寒壽早殂。甲戌日主，四柱官殺太盛。本以官星為夫也，夫星太旺，變為克身之殺也。運入西方，官殺重見，克子夫淫賤，為身不由己，而從人也。運入申運，殺重死矣。世入不知，謬以八敗而責其不美，殊不知八字本然不美也。

The person's birth chart is: the year pillar is Bingwu, the month pillar is Xinchou, the day pillar is Jiaxu, and the hour pillar is Jisi. Zhang Nan wrote a poem saying: "Jia wood meets Xin, originally as a husband, but when Geng and Xin are strong, the wood spirit becomes dry. It is not good to enter the western destiny, leading to loneliness, poverty, and early death." The day pillar is Jiaxu, and in the four pillars, the official and killer stars are too strong: the month dry Xin metal, plus the hidden Xin metal in Chou and Xu, and the hidden Geng metal in Si, all pressing in. Originally, the official star Xin metal should be the husband, but since the husband star is too strong, it becomes a killer that harms the self. When the destiny moves into the western direction, the official and killer stars appear again, causing her to harm her children, be immoral, and be forced to rely on others. When she reaches the Shen destiny, the killer energy is too strong, leading to her death. People do not understand this principle, mistakenly blaming her bad destiny on the "eight bad" factors, without realizing that her original birth chart was already bad.

癸丑 己未 戊辰 庚申，貧夭女命未輕制重。楠曰：戊土分明賴木扶，木星入庫兩模糊。不堪再入西方運，貧夭應知賦稟枯。戊土生未，未星入墓，再加丑字沖之，辰中雖亦有乙木，庚申金帖克牛山之木，安得為美乎？運入西方，綠窗貧女，夫出遠遊，入酉會金，損傷乙木夫星服藥而死，宜矣。

The person's birth chart is: the year pillar is癸丑, the month pillar is己未, the day pillar is戊辰, and the hour pillar is庚申. This is the fate of a woman who was poor, lowly, and died young. The problem lies in the wood being weak and the metal that overcomes it being strong. Zhang Nan wrote a poem: "TheWu Earth clearly relies on wood for support, the wood star is buried in the warehouse and becomes unclear. It cannot bear to enter the western destiny, knowing poverty and early death is the fate of a person born with a dry constitution." The戊土 is born in the month of未, and the "husband star"乙木 is hidden in the warehouse of未, which is already buried, and the丑 pillar further conflicts with it. Although the乙木 is also hidden in the辰 pillar of the day, the gold in the庚申 hour pillar closely attacks it, just like the trees on Niu Mountain being completely cut down, where can there be any beauty left? When the destiny moves towards the western direction, she becomes a poor woman in a green window, her husband goes away and does not return; when reaching the酉 destiny, the metal forms a complete circle, the "husband star"Yi Wood is damaged, and she dies from taking medicine, which is natural.

庚午 戊寅 己酉 甲子，先富後孤貧夫弱被制格。楠曰：己生寅月正初旬，木嫩逢金太損神。運早北方夫子秀，西方運入受孤貧。己生寅月，甲木夫星得祿，豈不美乎？夫何生在立春後一二日，甲木柔嫩，年上庚金露出，酉中又有辛金，其木極衰矣。早行丙子乙亥甲運，衰夫得生。旺夫生子，富足金珠。一入西方運，夫星受制，夫子俱死，而孤貧也。

The person's birth chart is: the year pillar is Gengwu, the month pillar is Wuyin, the day pillar is Jiyou, and the hour pillar is Jiazi. This is the pattern of "first becoming wealthy then becoming lonely and poor, with a weak husband who is controlled." Zhang Nan wrote a poem: "Ji earth is born in the first ten days of the寅month, the young wood meets the metal and the spirit is greatly harmed. In the early years of the northern direction, the husband and son are excellent, but when entering the western direction, she becomes lonely and poor." Ji earth is born in the寅month, and the heavenly stem of the hour, Jia wood, the "husband star," is in its original position in the寅, which seems to be a good thing. However, she was born just a day or two after the Beginning of Spring, so the Jia wood is still very soft. The heavenly stem of the year, Geng metal, is revealed, and the day branch You also contains Xin metal. Thus, the wood is extremely weak. In the early years, when she travels through the丙子, 乙亥, and 甲 paths, the weak husband receives support, thus becoming strong, producing sons, and accumulating wealth. But when she enters the western metal path, the "husband star" is restrained, and both the husband and son die, leaving her lonely and poor.

丁巳 丁未 乙未 庚辰，佈政妻命火重金輕。楠曰：乙逢庚旺旺夫星，火重傷金理自明。自信柱中夫子秀，重重封贈豈常人。乙木未月，夫子兩星明透。且日主有根，則夫子兩星能任矣。運入西方，相夫相子，俱登雲路。運入北方，見水破火存夫，享受褒封，其理然也。

The person's birth chart is: the year pillar is Dingsi, the month pillar is Dingwei, the day pillar is Yiwei, and the hour pillar is Gengchen. She is the wife of a commissioner, and her destiny has an excess of fire and a deficiency of metal. Zhang Nan wrote a poem saying: "Yi wood meets Geng metal, the husband's star is strong; fire harms metal, the reasoning is clear. Confident that the pillars contain a superior husband, how can one be an ordinary person with repeated honors?" Yi wood is born in the month of Wei, the heavenly stem Geng metal at the hour position is the husband's star, and two Ding fire stars are clearly visible in the heavenly stem. The day's main element is supported by the two Weis in the earthy branches. She is capable of bearing both the husband's and son's stars. When her fate moves to the western metal land, she supports her husband and raises her son, both of whom achieve official positions. When she moves further to the northern water land, water breaks the fire and protects her husband's metal, so she receives repeated commendations from the court. This is the natural course of things.