Seven Stars and Four Excesses · The Secret Purport of the Qian Origin · Shu Jiying

《楚詞》言：闤則九重，孰營度之？則天有九重，古昔已言之矣。西人之言九重天也，曰：最上為宗動天，無星辰，每日帶各重天自東而西左旋一周。次曰列宿天，次曰鎮星天，次日歲星天，次曰熒惑天，次曰太陽天，次曰金星天，次曰水星天，最下曰太陰天。自恆星以下，八重天皆隨宗動天左旋，然各天皆有右旋之度，自西而東，與蟻行磨上之喻相符，由是往復循環，運行不息，以氤以氳，眾物憑生，而人於其間得氣之吉者則吉，得氣之凶者則凶，細細按之，不爽毫末。有志者所當詳察焉。

In the "Heavenly Questions" from the "Chu Ci," it is asked: "If the heavens are round and have nine layers, who measured and arranged them?" This shows that the ancients already spoke of the heavens being divided into nine layers. Western astronomers also spoke of nine heavens, with the highest one called the "Prime Mover Heaven," which has no stars and rotates westward every day, carrying the other eight heavens along with it. The second layer is the "Fixed Star Heaven," where all the stars are located. The third is the "Saturn Heaven," the fourth the "Jupiter Heaven," the fifth the "Mars Heaven," the sixth the "Sun Heaven," the seventh the "Venus Heaven," the eighth the "Mercury Heaven," and the lowest is the "Moon Heaven," where the moon travels. From the layer of fixed stars downward, the eight heavens all rotate westward with the Prime Mover Heaven, but each heaven also has its own eastward rotation. This is exactly like the ancient analogy of "an ant crawling on a grinding wheel": the wheel turns westward, but the ant moves eastward on the surface, and both movements overlap. Thus, the heavenly bodies move in cycles, never ceasing. The interaction of yin and yang energies leads to the generation of all things. Human beings are born into this environment, receiving good energy leads to good fortune, and receiving bad energy leads to misfortune. These distinctions are precise and clear. Those who are interested in the study of stars and fate should thoroughly examine this fundamental principle.

水生木，又生氣；火生土，又生計；木生火，又生羅；金生水，又生孛；羅生計，又生土；氣生羅，又生火；孛生氣，又生木。土計生金，金扶月，金水孛扶日。水克火，又克羅；木克土，又克計；金克木，又克氣；土克水，又克孛；計克孛，又克水；氣克計，又克土；孛克羅，又克火；火羅克金，木氣蔽日，土計掩月。

This is the sequence of generation and control among the eleven celestial bodies in the system of "Qi Zheng Si Yu," based on the Five Phases. The seven celestial bodies, or "Qi Zheng," refer to the sun, moon, and the five planets: water, fire, wood, metal, and earth. The four additional celestial bodies, or "Si Yu," are "Zi Qi" (the remainder of wood), "Luo Hou" (the remainder of fire), "Ji Du" (the remainder of earth), and "Yue Bo" (the remainder of water). In the sequence of mutual generation: water generates wood and also "Zi Qi"; fire generates earth and also "Ji Du"; wood generates fire and also "Luo Hou"; metal generates water and also "Yue Bo"; "Luo Hou" generates "Ji Du" and also earth; "Zi Qi" generates "Luo Hou" and also fire; "Yue Bo" generates "Zi Qi" and also wood. The planet of earth and "Ji Du" both generate metal, which supports the moon. Metal, water, and "Yue Bo" all support the sun. In the sequence of mutual control: water controls fire and also "Luo Hou"; wood controls earth and also "Ji Du"; metal controls wood and also "Zi Qi"; earth controls water and also "Yue Bo"; "Ji Du" controls "Yue Bo" and also water; "Zi Qi" controls "Ji Du" and also earth; "Yue Bo" controls "Luo Hou" and also fire; fire and "Luo Hou" control metal. In addition, there are two special sequences concerning the two major celestial bodies: wood and "Zi Qi" can obscure the sun; earth and "Ji Du" can eclipse the moon.

水生計，又生羅；火生木，又生金；木生土，又生月；金生月，又生土；土生水，又生氣；計生火，又生孛；羅生孛，又生火；氣生羅，又生計；孛生金，又生木；月生氣，又生水。水克火，又克孛；火克土，又克月；木克水，又克氣；金克氣，又克水；土克計，又克羅；計克木，又克金；羅克金，又克木；氣克孛，又克火；孛克月，又克土；月克羅，又克計；太陽至尊獨不與。

This is the mutual generation and control of the Eleven Planets based on the "transformed Five Phases," which is entirely different from the above-mentioned standard Five Phases and represents a separate system used in this school. In the mutual generation aspect: water generates "Ji Du," and also generates "Luo Hou"; fire generates wood, and also generates metal; wood generates earth, and also generates Tai Yin; metal generates Tai Yin, and also generates earth; earth generates water, and also generates "Zi Qi"; "Ji Du" generates fire, and also generates "Yue Bo"; "Luo Hou" generates "Yue Bo," and also generates fire; "Zi Qi" generates "Luo Hou," and also generates "Ji Du"; "Yue Bo" generates metal, and also generates wood; Tai Yin generates "Zi Qi," and also generates water. In the mutual control aspect: water controls fire, and also controls "Yue Bo"; fire controls earth, and also controls Tai Yin; wood controls water, and also controls "Zi Qi"; metal controls "Zi Qi," and also controls water; earth controls "Ji Du," and also controls "Luo Hou"; "Ji Du" controls wood, and also controls metal; "Luo Hou" controls metal, and also controls wood; "Zi Qi" controls "Yue Bo," and also controls fire; "Yue Bo" controls Tai Yin, and also controls earth; Tai Yin controls "Luo Hou," and also controls "Ji Du." The Sun is the supreme symbol and does not participate in this system of transformed Five Phases generation and control.

木正旺則畏金，太旺又借金以成其器。火正旺則怯於水孛，太旺又借水孛以殺其威。土正旺則懮乎木氣，太旺又借木氣以疏其硬。金正旺則嫌於火羅，太旺又借火羅以化其頑鈍。水正旺則妨於土計，太旺又借土計以防其浸淫。且寒日偏替於金水，而素月獨隆於火羅。

The same Five Phases are considered, but the degree of their strength varies. When they are strong, the way to use them should be reversed. When wood is in its season and at its peak, it fears metal to cut it. However, once it is extremely strong, it actually needs metal's斧凿 to shape it into an object. When fire is at its peak, it fears water and the 'Moon孛' to extinguish it. But when it is too strong, it actually needs water and the 'Moon孛' to temper its intensity. When earth is at its peak, it fears wood and the 'Purple Qi' to weaken it. However, when it is too strong, it actually needs wood and the 'Purple Qi' to loosen its hardness. When metal is at its peak, it fears fire and the 'Ruo Hou' to melt it. But when it is too strong, it actually needs fire and the 'Ruo Hou' to soften its dullness. When water is at its peak, it fears earth and the 'Ji Du' to block it. However, when it is too strong, it actually needs earth and the 'Ji Du' to prevent its overflow. Additionally, there is another contrast: the yang of winter most fears metal and water. If metal and water are abundant, the sunlight becomes weaker. However, the pure yin alone prefers fire and the 'Ruo Hou' to illuminate it. When it receives them, its brilliance becomes even greater.

《摘奧經》云：「冬水輔陽，水借光溫暖，而太陽則凝寒矣，主克父。夏水輔陽，陽借水滋潤，而水則枯涸矣，主短壽。」

The *Zhai Ao Jing* says: A person born in winter who has the water star assisting the sun star, although the water gains warmth from the sunlight, the sun is frozen and becomes stagnant and unclear by the cold water, and such a person will harm their father. A person born in summer who has the water star assisting the sun star, although the sun gains moisture from the water, the water is dried up by the intense sunlight, and such a person will have a short lifespan. Clearly, the same "water assisting the sun" leads to completely opposite results in winter and summer, so when making a fortune prediction, one cannot treat them all the same.

耶律楚材云：「如木為財而在春，春木本旺，旺而逢生，不幾生之太過乎？以富斷之則誤矣。蓋春木宜逢金，夏宜逢水，秋宜躔木，冬宜躔火，反是非天地之中和，恐不免於貧，命主等星亦如之。再以月論，春月，火羅照之不明不燥，金水扶之，有光。夏月，逢金無益，值木亦損，不惟土計是凶，即火羅亦難，惟水孛扶之，斯元精不散。秋月，獨畏土計，不妨獨行，亦喜金水以助華。至冬，失之太寒，金水孛皆忌，火羅相照為美。」合此二書觀之，一一皆可類推。

Yelü Chucai said: Suppose the planet Jupiter is the wealth star, and a person is born in spring. Spring is already a season when wood is strong, and if it is further supported and nurtured, would it not be excessive? In this case, if we still judge it as "wealth is strong" and predict wealth, it would be wrong. Generally speaking, wood in spring is suitable to meet metal for cutting, wood in summer is suitable to meet water for nourishment, wood in autumn is suitable to reach the degree of the wood host, and wood in winter is suitable to reach the degree of the fire host. If this order is violated, it will not conform to the harmonious energy of heaven and earth, and it is likely to suffer from poverty and hardship. The use of the main star and other stars also follows this principle. Take the Moon again as an example: in spring, if it meets fire and "Luohou" (a celestial body), it will neither be dark nor too hot, and if it is further supported by metal and water, it will be especially bright; in summer, meeting metal is not beneficial, meeting wood will cause damage, not only earth and "Jidu" (another celestial body) are harmful, even fire and "Luohou" are difficult to bear, only water and "Yuebo" (another celestial body) can support it, so that the original essence will not be exhausted; in autumn, the Moon is only afraid of earth and "Jidu", being alone without companions is not harmful, and it also likes metal and water to help it shine; in winter, the Moon is too cold, and metal, water, and "Yuebo" are all to be avoided, and meeting fire and "Luohou" is considered good. Combining the "Zhaiaojing" (a divination text) and Yelü Chucai's words, the use of other celestial bodies according to the principles of the four seasons can be similarly inferred.

變於十干，化祿也。甲火，乙孛，丙木，丁金，戊土，己月，庚水，辛氣，壬計，癸羅，其中自有正理存焉。竊嘗從元星天道立極之圖及元星仰觀天文之圖而窮極之。

The phrase "the transformation of the Five Phases and the change of the Five Phases" refers to applying changes to the ten Heavenly Stems. This is known as the method of "transformed fortune" or "化禄." The Jia stem transforms into fire, the Yi stem transforms into the Moon孛, the Bing stem transforms into wood, the Ding stem transforms into metal, the Wu stem transforms into earth, the Ji stem transforms into the Taiyin, the Geng stem transforms into water, the Xin stem transforms into the Purple Qi, the Ren stem transforms into the Jiudu, and the Gui stem transforms into the LuoHou. This system of pairing is not arbitrarily arranged; there is a definite rational basis behind it. I once studied the "Yuanxing" book, which contains the "Yuanxing Heaven's Principle Diagram" and the "Yuanxing Observing the Celestial Phenomena Diagram," and thoroughly explored the underlying reasons.

日月麗乎天，日午月未，地勢起於北，子丑皆土；天道左旋，寅配春屬木，卯配夏屬火，辰配秋屬金，巳配冬屬水；地道右轉，亥配春屬木，戌配夏屬火，酉配秋屬金，申配冬屬水。

The sun and moon are attached to the heavens; the sun's position is at Wu, and the moon's position is at Wei. The earth's terrain begins at Due North, so the branches Zi and Chou both belong to earth. The heavenly way rotates to the left, starting from Yin: Yin corresponds to spring and belongs to wood, Mao corresponds to summer and belongs to fire, Chen corresponds to autumn and belongs to metal, and Si corresponds to winter and belongs to water. The earthly way turns to the right, starting from Hai: Hai corresponds to spring and belongs to wood, Xu corresponds to summer and belongs to fire, You corresponds to autumn and belongs to metal, and Shen corresponds to winter and belongs to water. The heavenly way and earthly way move in opposite directions, meeting precisely at Zi and Chou and at Wu and Wei. The five phases of the twelve branches are thus determined.

惟子丑合而屬土，故戊歸丑，己歸子；寅亥合而屬木，故甲歸寅，乙歸亥；卯戌合而屬火，故丙歸卯，丁歸戌；辰酉合而屬金，故庚歸辰，辛歸酉；巳申合而屬水，故壬歸巳，癸歸申。寅卯辰巳皆陽位也，陽居陽位，故甲丙庚壬居之；申酉戌亥皆陰位也，陰居陰位，故癸辛丁乙居之。子之視亥戌酉申，乃自西而北，陰之極也，故己居之；丑之視寅卯辰巳，乃由北而東南，陽之始也，故戊居之。

Only the Earthly Branches Zi and Chou are compatible and both belong to Earth, so the Yang Earth Wu resides in Chou, and the Yin Earth Ji resides in Zi. The Earthly Branches Yin and Hai are compatible and both belong to Wood, so the Yang Wood Jia resides in Yin, and the Yin Wood Yi resides in Hai. The Earthly Branches Mao and Xu are compatible and both belong to Fire, so the Yang Fire Bing resides in Mao, and the Yin Fire Ding resides in Xu. The Earthly Branches Chen and You are compatible and both belong to Metal, so the Yang Metal Geng resides in Chen, and the Yin Metal Xin resides in You. The Earthly Branches Si and Shen are compatible and both belong to Water, so the Yang Water Ren resides in Si, and the Yin Water Gui resides in Shen. Now looking at the distribution of Yin and Yang: Yin, Mao, Chen, and Si are all Yang positions, so the Yang Heavenly Stems Jia, Bing, Geng, and Ren reside on these four branches. Shen, You, Xu, and Hai are all Yin positions, so the Yin Heavenly Stems Gui, Xin, Ding, and Yi reside on these four branches. As for the two Earth positions Zi and Chou: looking from Zi toward Hai, Xu, You, and Shen, it is a path from west to north, which is where Yin energy reaches its end, so the Yin Earth Ji resides in Zi. Looking from Chou toward Yin, Mao, Chen, and Si, it is a path from north to southeast, which is where Yang energy begins to emerge, so the Yang Earth Wu resides in Chou.

丑為土之初基，巳為土之中位，故土歸丑，計歸巳；寅乃火甫見之方，申乃火將滅之地，故火歸寅，羅歸申；卯為木之盛，酉為木之衰，故木歸卯，氣歸酉；辰為納水之府，亥為出水之區，故水歸辰，孛歸亥；獨金好殺，而天地好生，故藏金於戌並使無餘氣也。午為日位，日居之；未為月位，月居之。月固借日之光以為光，必對始望，日既居午，故月亦居子。

Now continue with the explanation of where each of the five planets and four additional celestial bodies (四余) belong. The earthy branch 'Chou' (丑) is the initial foundation of earth, and 'Si' (巳) is the central position of earth, so the planet of earth (土星) belongs to 'Chou', and the additional celestial body of earth, 'Ji Du' (计都), belongs to 'Si'. 'Yin' (寅) is the direction where fire first appears, and 'Shen' (申) is the place where fire is about to extinguish, so the planet of fire (火星) belongs to 'Yin', and the additional celestial body of fire, 'Luo Hou' (罗睺), belongs to 'Shen'. 'Mao' (卯) is the place where wood is most vigorous, and 'You' (酉) is the place where wood is most declining, so the planet of wood (木星) belongs to 'Mao', and the additional celestial body of wood, 'Zi Qi' (紫气), belongs to 'You'. 'Chen' (辰) is the storehouse that collects all water, and 'Hai' (亥) is the area where the source of water flows out, so the planet of water (水星) belongs to 'Chen', and the additional celestial body of water, 'Yue Bo' (月孛), belongs to 'Hai'. Only the planet of metal (金星) is inclined towards destruction, while the heart of heaven and earth is inclined towards life, so the planet of metal is hidden in 'Xu' (戌), the storehouse, and it is not given an additional celestial body. This is why there is no additional celestial body for metal, 'Jin Wu Yu' (金无余). 'Wu' (午) is the original position of the sun, so the sun resides there; 'Wei' (未) is the original position of the moon, so the moon resides there. The moon originally shines by borrowing the light of the sun, and it can only form a full moon when it is directly opposite the sun. Since the sun is already in 'Wu', the moon takes its position in 'Zi' (子). (The original text here contradicts the previous statement 'Wei is the position of the moon, the moon resides there', suggesting a possible error or omission. I have recorded it as it is in the original text and do not dare to make assumptions or changes.)

此甲火，乙孛，丙木，丁金，戊土，己月，庚水，辛氣，壬計，癸羅之所由化也；金無餘，特端列一宮，水木火土孛氣羅計，皆以遞生。

The above explains the origins of the ten transformations of fortune: Jia transforms into fire, Yi transforms into the Moon孛, Bing transforms into wood, Ding transforms into metal, Wu transforms into earth, Ji transforms into the Taiyin, Geng transforms into water, Xin transforms into the Purple Qi, Ren transforms into the Ji Du, and Gui transforms into the Luo Hui. Metal, having no accompanying stars, resides alone in one palace. The four stars of water, wood, fire, and earth, together with the four residual stars of Moon孛, Purple Qi, Ji Du, and Luo Hui, pair up in twos, successively generating and developing, forming a continuous, interconnected sequence.

至於甲與己合，月借火暖；乙與庚合，孛資水勢；丙與辛合，氣叨木蔭；丁與壬合，金賴計生；戊與癸合，土用羅恩；午與未合，月藉日光；蓋化祿之合，適以相成如此。子午而犯君，丑未沖而掩光，寅申而炎燥，巳亥而克害，卯酉而侵凌，辰戌而洩漏，蓋化祿之，實以相虧如此。

After considering the effects of mutual harmony following the transformation of the禄 (favor), we see that Jia and Ji harmonize, with Jia transforming into fire and Ji transforming into Taiyin. Taiyin then gains warmth from the fire. Yi and Geng harmonize, with Yi transforming into Yuesbo and Geng transforming into water. Yuesbo then gains strength from the water. Bing and Xin harmonize, with Bing transforming into wood and Xin transforming into Ziqi. Ziqi then benefits from the shade of wood. Ding and Ren harmonize, with Ding transforming into metal and Ren transforming into Jidu. Metal then benefits from the remaining earth of Jidu. Wu and Gui harmonize, with Wu transforming into earth and Gui transforming into Luohou. Earth then benefits from the fire of Luohou as an auspicious star. Wu and Wei harmonize, with Wu being the sun and Wei being the moon. The moon then benefits from the sunlight. Thus, the harmony of the禄 is a mutual enhancement. Conversely, looking at mutual conflicts: Zi and Wu conflict, which is a conflict with the sovereign's image of the sun. Chou and Wei conflict, which obscures the moonlight. Yin and Shen conflict, causing excessive fire and dryness. Si and Hai conflict, leading to mutual harm between water and fire. Mao and You conflict, resulting in the invasion of wood and metal. Chen and Xu conflict, causing the leakage of stored energy. Thus, the conflict of the禄 is indeed mutual loss. (The original text has a missing 'conflict' character in the phrase 'Zi and Wu while committing the offense' and at the end 'the transformation of the禄', but these are retained as is.)

或又曰：己加子，子為寄宮，月方明，子宜從月；月在晦，子宜從計，二者必並推而得之，姑存其說，以俟好學者。若夫戊甲丙庚壬為五陽，五陽各與正財合，癸辛丁乙己為五陰，五陰各與正官合，是尤見合之為義大，而化祿之體精用博也。

There is another view: the dry branch Ji is transformed into Taiyin and added upon the Zi branch, which is its lodging palace. When the moon is bright, the Zi position should follow Taiyin; when the moon is dark, the Zi position should follow 'Jidu'. These two situations must be considered together to determine the correct usage. This view is temporarily preserved for later scholars to verify. As for Wu, Jia, Bing, Geng, and Ren, which are the five Yang dry branches, after they are transformed into wealth, each combines with their own 'Zengcai' (positive wealth). The five Yin dry branches, namely Gui, Xin, Ding, Yi, and Ji, after being transformed into wealth, each combines with their own 'Zhengguan' (positive official). From this, we can further see the importance of 'he' (combination) in this discipline, and also recognize the strictness and wide applicability of the method of transformation into wealth.

計——日——月——羅水——元星天道——氣木——立極之圖——金火——土——計——孛。計壬——太陽——太陰——羅癸水庚——元星仰觀——氣辛木丙——天文之圖——金丁火甲——土戊——月己——孛乙。

These two lines are the textual arrangement of two figures from the book "Yuan Xing." Because the transmission only preserves the order of characters and not the original diagrams, they are recorded as they appear. The first line represents the circular sequence of "Yuan Xing Tian Dao Li Ji Tu" (Diagram of the Ultimate Principle of the Celestial Sphere), in order: "Jidu," Sun, Moon, "Luohou" and Mercury, "Zi Qi" and Jupiter, Venus and Mars, Saturn, "Jidu," and "Yuebo." The eight-character title is written between the circular sequence. The second line represents the positional arrangement of "Yuan Xing Yang Guan Tian Wen Tu" (Diagram of Observing the Celestial Phenomena), with "Jidu" paired with Ren, Sun and Moon in the center, "Luohou" paired with Gui while Mercury is paired with Geng, "Zi Qi" paired with Xin while Jupiter is paired with Bing, Venus paired with Ding while Mars is paired with Jia, Saturn paired with Wu, Moon paired with Ji, and "Yuebo" paired with Yi. The eight-character title is also written between them. The content of this line corresponds exactly to the ten heavenly stems' transformation of wealth as discussed above.

右將元星天道立極之圖、元星仰觀天文之圖，依元星一書開載。

The two diagrams mentioned above, "The Diagram of the Original Star Heavenly Dao Establishment" and "The Diagram of Observing Celestial Phenomena from the Original Star," have both been copied according to the original style as presented in the book "Yuan Xing." They are not original creations of this book. Readers may compare them with the original text for verification.

太陽者君象也，用天下之星，而不為諸星之用，無遠弗□，無幽弗燭，不分日晝夜，不分南北，其光炯然，其氣勃然。

The sun is the symbol of the sovereign. It commands all the myriad stars in the heavens, not being commanded by them; no matter how far away, it shines upon without fail; no matter how dark, it illuminates without fail; it shines without distinction of day or night, without distinction of south or north; its light is clearly visible, its radiance suddenly arises. (The phrase "无远弗□" originally lacks one character, which should be something like "照" or "届," and the current text contains a gap, so we dare not make an arbitrary addition; the character "日" in "不分日昼夜" is suspected to be a miswriting of "是.")

凡星居日之前後，謂之內夾；居日列之最前最後，謂之外輔，必值四餘乃止。近日之度至十五度內，謂之密；自十五度至二十度外，謂之疏；眾星密，獨一星在遠，謂之特；羅計間隔一星朝日，謂之間；二星共一度輔日，謂之疊；一二星近密，謂之聚。

All stars that are closely arranged before and after the Sun are called "inner companions." Stars that are at the very front and the very end of this group are called "outer assistants," and the outer assistants should be listed all the way to the "four additional" stars before the list is complete. Stars within fifteen degrees of the Sun are called "dense"; those from fifteen degrees outward up to twenty degrees are called "sparse." If all the stars are densely gathered near the Sun, but one star is far away, it is called "unique." If "Rohini" and "Ketu" are separated by one star while approaching the Sun, it is called "intermediate." If two stars together occupy one degree to assist the Sun, it is called "double." If one or two stars are closely attached to the side of the Sun, it is called "gathered." These seven terms are the fundamental concepts for discussing academic achievements and official ranks in the following discussion, so they must be clearly understood one by one first.

昔人有歌云：「疏中外輔密中密，不中密兮即中日，眾密出特特上取，特不如間升階明，疏密只就日邊說，數者又不如一疊，疊日疊輔皆登第，經緯連處可登雲，聚處逢之魁南北，遇日須遇日度數，日度亦是度末年。」此雖端為科第而言，然由其意推而廣之，則固一一應之如響矣。

There is a rhyme from earlier times that says: among scattered stars there is an "outer assistant," and among closely gathered stars there is even a more closely gathered one; when selecting, one does not take the most densely gathered star, but rather the one that is exactly in line with the sun. If among a gathering of many stars there is a single special star, then one should take that special star; however, the "interval" pattern is even better than the special star, and those with the interval pattern are destined for promotion and success. Scattered and closely gathered stars are only referring to the distance from the sun; none of these are as good as the "stacked" pattern: if the stacked stars are on the sun or on the assistant star, they indicate success in the imperial examinations; if the stars are connected in terms of longitude and latitude, one can rise quickly to prominence; if one encounters auspicious stars at the gathering point, one can win the top position in the northern and southern examination lists. To respond to the auspiciousness of the sun, one must reach the degree where the sun is located; and the year when one reaches the solar degree is also the last year of that period of movement. This rhyme was originally made specifically for success in the imperial examinations and official rank, but if its meaning is extended to other matters, it also proves true in the same way.

嘗見命主及吉星夾輔太陽者，不為公卿，亦作侍從臣，且行至日度，或由督撫內升正卿，或由正卿晉爵宰輔，比比皆是。若與日氣不通，縱使吉曜有情，亦不過外任而已。

I have seen cases where the life star and auspicious stars support the sun together, and such people either become high officials or serve as close attendants to the emperor. Moreover, when their life span reaches the degree where the sun is located, some are promoted from provincial governor positions to high-ranking officials, while others advance from high-ranking officials to the prime minister's position. Such examples are numerous. Conversely, if the life star does not connect with the sun, even if there are auspicious stars that are favorable, they can only hold positions in the outer provinces and will never reach the emperor's inner circle.

更有近君之員，一交木度，其像蔽陽，非主眷稍衰，即退居林下，或由京官外放，或降罰重重。更有候選及候升出差等，即使限度果利，必是年得太陽照臨，或流太陽釣大限之月，始能有獲。

There are also officials who have already served close to the sovereign. If their destiny line intersects with the Wood constellation, Wood can obscure the sun, and this is exactly the sign of blocking the sun. Therefore, it is either a slight decline in royal favor, or being dismissed from office to retire in the countryside, or being transferred from central to local posts, or suffering severe punishment. There are also those waiting for selection, promotion, or appointment. Even if their destined limits are indeed favorable, they must receive the sun's illumination in the same year, or encounter the month when the flowing year's sun shines upon their destiny palace, before they can truly achieve success.

若傷煞在日前後，及與日有關會，即難宦遊，宦遊亦不能見君，見君亦不能優旨，且恐終於賈禍。若命主是金，火羅拱夾日，或火羅同緯日，繫春夏生人遇日度必死。命主是火，水孛輔日，雖係春生人，遇日度亦死。餘仿此。

If evil stars such as "Wanguan" and "Qisha" appear before or after the Sun, or are related to the Sun in some way, the person will find it difficult to hold official positions or travel far. Even if they do hold an official position, they will not see the ruler. Even if they do see the ruler, they will not receive favorable imperial orders or rewards, and may even bring about misfortune. For example, if the person's destiny is metal, and the fire star and "Luohou" form a conjunction with the Sun, or if the fire star and "Luohou" are on the same degree as the Sun, then if the person is born in spring or summer, they will die when their destiny reaches the Sun's degree—fire and Luohou are in command and will stronglyrestrain metal. If the person's destiny is fire, and the water star and "Yuebo" support the Sun, even if born in spring, they will die when their destiny reaches the Sun's degree—water and Yuebo will stronglyrestrain fire, and the sunlight will be taken away. Other situations should be analyzed in the same way as these two examples.

月到中秋則分外明。凡在上弦，以迄於望，謂之得令，有權；在下弦，則光短而力薄；在廿七至初二，畢竟無光。若與陽合，朔之前後七八度內生人，以月為命主，大率不永。倘月躔土而遇土計掩蝕，或土計躔四月度，則自其母以及其目皆主不利。

The moon becomes exceptionally bright by the time of the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is a sign of its being in season. From the waxing half-moon up to the full moon, this period is called "getting the command," during which the moon holds power. After the waning half-moon, the moon's light becomes dim and its strength weakens. From the 27th day of the month to the second day of the following month, the moon is almost completely dark. If the moon is conjuncted with the sun, meaning a person is born within about eight degrees before or after the new moon, and if the moon is the ruling star in their chart, they tend to have a shorter lifespan. If the moon is in the degree of Saturn and is eclipsed by Saturn or "Ji Du," or if Saturn and "Ji Du" are in the same degree as the moon, then from the mother's generation down to the person themselves, there will be misfortune. (The last sentence has some errors in the original text, but the meaning is clear enough, so it is transcribed as is.)

五星臣象也，一遇日即遲留伏逆，遠於日則見。譬之王者出，諸臣或趨避或俯伏；王者遠去，諸臣即呈顏色，怡怡如也。吉以此分忌喜，凶以此分喜忌。但吉星與命主在陽前，又喜其逆，逆則其氣轉親；在陽後，又忌其逆，逆則其氣轉疏，凶星反是。

The five stars represent ministers and officials. When they approach the sun, they display states such as slow movement, staying in place, being hidden, or moving backward; only when they are far from the sun do they reappear. This is like a king going out, where ministers either approach or bow down; only when the king is far away do the ministers dare to show their expressions and appear harmonious. Good stars thus distinguish what is favorable and what is unfavorable, while evil stars also distinguish what is favorable and what is unfavorable, but the directions are exactly opposite. However, there is a further distinction: if a good star is before the sun, it is favorable for it to move backward, because moving backward means turning back toward the sun, and its energy becomes more intimate; if it is after the sun, it is unfavorable for it to move backward, because moving backward means moving away from the sun, and its energy becomes more distant. The favorable and unfavorable aspects of evil stars are entirely the opposite of this.

耶律楚材云：「難逆用伏，凶災不能解救。文伏魁逆，吉祥又難並臻。主伏不顯，倘逢難亦可斷吉。恩逆不祥，倘生主未可談凶。」誠哉是言，推此可廣驗。至與春木得時，一望亦當情適；冬火失令，已過始能神怡；亦自然之理。木吏、土戶、火禮、金兵刑、水司空，皆歷歷不爽。

Yelü Chucai said: "The difficult star moves retrograde while the useful star is hidden, and thus calamity cannot be averted; the literary star is hidden while the leading star moves retrograde, and thus good fortune is difficult to come by; if the star governing the person's destiny is hidden, the person will not be prominent, but if it is directly opposite the difficult star, it can still be considered auspicious; the star of favor moving retrograde is not a good thing, but if it still generates and supports the person's destiny, it is not yet certain to be ominous." These words are indeed accurate, and following this approach, everything can be verified. As for the wood star in spring being in its proper season, as long as it is distant yet harmonious, it feels compatible; the fire star in winter has already lost its season, and it must wait until it has passed before feeling at ease: this is also a natural principle. In addition, the five stars each govern a specific department: the wood star governs the Personnel Department, the earth star governs the Household Department, the fire star governs the Rites Department, the metal star governs the Military and Justice Departments, and the water star governs the Works Department and the Minister of Works. Each is clearly assigned, with no mistakes.

四餘奴象也，主旺則竊，主衰則救。奴統於主，行主度即作奴度行，必謂氣羅之貴、金孛之淫、土月之迍、火羅之燥，單孛為拗、單計多謀，何其妄甚！若夫木司令朝日，已為青龍扶硯，何嘗蔽陽？孛乘旺凌金，方將妾奪妻權，奚啻犯主？

The four additional celestial bodies represent servants. When the main star is strong, the additional celestial bodies come to share its power; when the main star is weak, the additional celestial bodies can actually help it. Since servants are subordinate to the master, when the limit of the main star's degree is reached, it is as if the degree of the servant star is also included. Some people insist on setting up a lot of rigid rules, saying that "Purple Qi" paired with "Rohini" indicates nobility, Venus paired with "Moon孛" indicates licentiousness, Saturn paired with "Too Yin" indicates hardship, Mars paired with "Rohini" indicates fierce temper, and the appearance of "Moon孛" alone indicates stubbornness, and the appearance of "Ji Du" alone indicates many schemes. How absurd these statements are! One must know that when Jupiter is in command and bows to the Sun, it is a favorable sign of the Azure Dragon supporting the literary pursuits, not obstructing the Sun. When "Moon孛" is strong and oppresses Venus, it is a sign of a concubine seizing the authority of the main wife, not merely offending the main star. Clearly, everything must be judged based on the specific configuration, and one must not rigidly adhere to fixed examples.

從年干取用，甲乙木、丙丁火、庚辛金、戊己土、壬癸水，敬天迎神，乘時布用。

The star of "Keming" is taken from the heavenly stem of the birth year, specifically the star that shares the same element as the heavenly stem of that year: for Jia and Yi years, it is the star of wood; for Bing and Ding years, it is the star of fire; for Geng and Xin years, it is the star of metal; for Wu and Ji years, it is the star of earth; and for Ren and Gui years, it is the star of water. After determining this star, one must also respect the heavenly timing and align with the divine mechanism, using it when this star is in a favorable position and environment, in order to achieve results related to academic success. If one ignores the timing and forcefully uses it, there will be no effect.

五行相濟而成。甲見羅，其色青赤；乙見計，其色碧黃；己見氣，其色絳青；丙見金，其色赤白；丁見火，其色紫赤；戊見金，其色黃白；庚見木，其色白青；辛見土，其色粟黃；壬見日，其色黑赤；癸見月，其色綠白；發焰呈祥。含輝吐秀，獨不以水孛為文者，其無質也。

The "Wen Star" is formed by the mutual regulation of two of the Five Phases, so each group is paired with two colors. In the year of Jia, the "Luohou" is the Wen Star, with Wood and Fire in harmony, its color is a blend of blue and red; in the year of Yi, the "Jidu" is the Wen Star, with Wood and Earth in harmony, its color is a blend of green and yellow; in the year of Ji, the "Zi Qi" is the Wen Star, with Earth and Wood in harmony, its color is a blend of dark red and blue; in the year of Bing, the Star of Metal is the Wen Star, with Fire and Metal in harmony, its color is a blend of red and white; in the year of Ding, the Star of Fire is the Wen Star, with Fire and Fire supporting each other, its color is a blend of purple and red; in the year of Wu, the Star of Metal is the Wen Star, with Earth and Metal in harmony, its color is a blend of yellow and white; in the year of Geng, the Star of Wood is the Wen Star, with Metal and Wood in harmony, its color is a blend of white and blue; in the year of Xin, the Star of Earth is the Wen Star, with Metal and Earth in harmony, its color is like the yellow of millet; in the year of Ren, the Sun Star is the Wen Star, with Water and Fire in harmony, its color is a blend of black and red; in the year of Gui, the Moon Star is the Wen Star, with Water and Metal in harmony, its color is a blend of green and white. Only when two colors are combined can light be emitted and auspicious signs appear, with contained brilliance and refined elegance. The Star of Water and the "Yuebo" are not used as Wen Stars, because Water is ethereal and lacks substance, and cannot be condensed into literary brilliance. (The original text placed the entry for the year of Ji between the years of Yi and Bing, with a disordered sequence, but it is kept as it was.)

陰陽和合，相生而成。甲月木受水生，乙日木生火，丙羅火生火，丁計火生土，戊火土受火生，己金土生金，庚水辛孛金生水，壬氣癸木水生木。借勢向榮，權抒採。獨遺土者，以土性混濁之故。

The "Kui Star" is formed through the harmonious union of yin and yang and mutual generation between elements. The method of pairing is that the Five Phases of the heavenly stem of the year and the star chosen must form a relationship of generation and support. In the year of Jia (wood), the Taiyin Star is used as the Kui Star; Jia is wood and the month is water, so wood is generated by water. In the year of Yi (wood), the Taiyang Star is used as the Kui Star; Yi is wood and the day is fire, so wood generates fire. In the year of Bing (fire), the Luo Hou Star is used as the Kui Star; Bing is fire and Luo is also fire, so fire supports fire. In the year of Ding (fire), the Ji Du Star is used as the Kui Star; Ding is fire and Ji is earth, so fire generates earth. In the year of Wu (earth), the Fire Star is used as the Kui Star; Wu is earth and fire generates earth. In the year of Ji (earth), the Metal Star is used as the Kui Star; Ji is earth and earth generates metal. In the year of Geng (metal), the Water Star is used as the Kui Star; in the year of Xin (metal), the Yuebo Star is used as the Kui Star; both are cases of metal generating water. In the year of Ren (water), the Zi Qi Star is used as the Kui Star; in the year of Gui (water), the Wood Star is used as the Kui Star; both are cases of water generating wood. With this layer of life qi, one can take advantage of the situation to flourish, with authority and literary talent fully unfolding. The reason for omitting the Earth Star is that earth is turbid and does not conform to the refined and noble nature of the Kui Star. (In the phrase "quan shu cai," there is a suspected missing character; it is recorded as is without supplementation.)

子年辰，丑年巳，寅年午，卯年未，辰年申，巳年酉，午年戌，未年亥，申年子，酉年丑，戌年寅，亥年卯；分年挨定，尚需參詳。但大拜諸公，非三臺貫命、三臺貫度，即行三臺度高遷，姑存之以待用。

The "San Tai" (Three Thrones) are arranged in order according to the earthly branch of the birth year, each one counted four positions backward from the current branch: for the Zi year, it is in Chen; for the Chou year, in Si; for the Yin year, in Wu; for the Mao year, in Wei; for the Chen year, in Shen; for the Si year, in You; for the Wu year, in Xu; for the Wei year, in Hai; for the Shen year, in Zi; for the You year, in Chou; for the Xu year, in Yin; and for the Hai year, in Mao. Although this method of arranging them year by year is orderly, whether it is reliable still requires further consideration. However, from practical examples, those who have reached high official positions or received great honors are either having the "San Tai" star in their命宫 (destiny palace), or the "San Tai" star in the degree they established, or their life span reaches the degree of "San Tai" and thus achieves high promotion. Therefore, this star is temporarily retained for future use.

轝者車也，金者貴重之義。譬諸君子居官得祿，須坐車以載之，故常居祿前二辰，如甲年祿在寅，辰為金轝之類。此煞乃祿命之旌旗、三才之節鉞。如生旺得地，婦人不富即貴，男子多得賢妻妾，子孫茂盛，或主作贅，且皇族每與此煞關通。

"The term 'jinyu' refers to a carriage, with 'jin' meaning precious and 'yu' meaning vehicle. Together, they signify a luxurious carriage that carries official salary. For example, when a gentleman holds an official position and receives a salary, he needs a carriage and horses to transport him, so this star is usually placed two positions ahead of the禄 position. For the year of Jia, the禄 is in寅, moving forward two positions to 辰, which is the 'jinyu' for the year of Jia. The same pattern applies to other years. This star serves as the banner of official rank and is also the scepter of the heavens, earth, and humanity, symbolizing dignity and authority. If this star is strong and well-placed, a woman's fate may not be wealthy but noble, while a man is likely to marry a virtuous wife and have numerous descendants. Sometimes it also indicates a situation where a man marries into a woman's family. Moreover, this star has often been associated with the fate of royal families throughout history."

子申年土，未亥年火，丑午年水，寅巳年木，酉戌年金，卯年氣，辰年孛。按之頗有驗，亦姑存之。

The "Jue Star" is determined by the earthly branch of the birth year: those born in the Year of the Rat or the Monkey take the Earth Star, those born in the Year of the Goat or the Pig take the Fire Star, those born in the Year of the Ox or the Horse take the Water Star, those born in the Year of the Tiger or the Snake take the Wood Star, those born in the Year of the Rooster or the Dog take the Metal Star, those born in the Year of the Rabbit take "Zi Qi," and those born in the Year of the Dragon take "Yue Bo." When actual birth charts are checked, this star shows considerable accuracy, so it is retained, like the "San Tai," for reference and use.

子辰申年在子，丑巳酉年在酉，寅午戌年在午，卯未亥年在卯。水金火木之年，各就帝旺之地。經云：「將星文武兩相宜，祿重權高自可知，不作宰臣清要職，便居帥府擁旌旗。」

The "General Star" (将星) is determined according to the Triple Harmony (三合) principle: the years of Zi, Chen, and Shen are in Zi; the years of Chou, Si, and You are in You; the years of Yin, Wu, and Xu are in Wu; and the years of Mao, Wei, and Hai are in Mao. These four positions are precisely where the Prosperity (帝旺) of the Water, Metal, Fire, and Wood structures respectively lie. Therefore, the General Star is placed at the Prosperity position of its own structure. The classic texts have a poem that says: "The General Star is suitable for both civil and military roles, its wealth and authority are evident. If it does not serve as a high-ranking official in the court, it must hold command in the military headquarters, wielding banners and flags." This means that those who possess the General Star are suitable for both civil and military paths, with great wealth and authority. They will not serve as high-ranking officials in the court, but will instead hold command in the military, leading with banners and flags.

刃取宰割之義。祿過則刃生，故刃居祿前一位。亦劫財為刃，以旺處即劫財。卯午酉子為甲丙戊庚壬之祿前一位，並皆劫財旺地，故謂之刃。

"The term 'blade' (刃) signifies the meaning of cutting and slaughtering, and it is a star associated with killing. Once the禄 (favorable position) has passed its peak, the blade emerges, so the blade is located one position ahead of the禄. In other words, '劫财' (robbery wealth) is also referred to as the blade, because the place where the Five Phases (五行) reach their peak is precisely where劫财 is strong. For example, the禄 of Jia (甲) is in寅 (卯), the禄 of Bing (丙) and Wu (戊) is in巳 (午), the禄 of Geng (庚) is in申 (酉), and the禄 of Ren (壬) is in亥 (子). Each of these positions moves forward one step, resulting in卯, 午, 酉, and 子. These four positions are also the strong points of their respective劫财, hence they are called 'blade' (刃)."

乙祿卯，寅為祿之前位；丁己祿午，巳為祿之前位；辛祿酉，申為祿之前位；癸祿子，亥為祿之前位；亦即劫財旺地，其為刃何疑？乃乙丁己辛癸反刃於戌丑辰未，傳襲之謬，亟宜改正。得用則掌重權，失用則構奇禍。

The five yin stems are calculated in the same way, but they move in reverse order: the strength of 乙 is at Mao, so Yin is the previous position before its strength; the strength of 丁 and 己 is at Wu, so Si is the previous position before their strength; the strength of 辛 is at You, so Shen is the previous position before its strength; the strength of 癸 is at Zi, so Hai is the previous position before its strength. These positions are also the strong places of their respective劫财, so calling them 刃 is not questionable. However, the old method wrongly places the 刃 of 乙, 丁, 己, 辛, and 癸 at Xu, Chou, Chen, and Wei, which are the four storage places. This is a mistaken tradition passed down through generations and should be corrected immediately. The star 刃, when needed, holds great power, but when not needed, it can bring strange misfortunes.

神煞甚夥，大抵皆穿鑿支離，絕無理解，故多不錄。即卦氣、斗柄、貴人、文昌、馬元、祿元、壽元、的殺、陰殺、大殺、天雄、地雌、大耗、小耗等項，似皆可解，然按之於命十不一驗，故並削之。

The names of spiritual omens are extremely numerous, but most of them are fabricated and fragmented, with no logical basis. Therefore, this book omits most of them. Even those that appear to have some rationale, such as "卦气" (divination energy), "斗柄" (handle of the dipper), "贵人" (nobleman), "文昌" (culture and literature), "马元" (horse origin), "禄元" (rank origin), "寿元" (longevity origin), "的杀" (killer of the place), "阴杀" (shadow killer), "大杀" (great killer), "天雄" (heavenly strength), "地雌" (earthly femininity), "大耗" (great loss), and "小耗" (minor loss), when checked against actual birth charts, rarely match up. Hence, they are also excluded.

至於催官、科甲二名尤為誕妄，既曰催官，何以甲年人官在氣，而催官乃在金？直傷官矣，漫云催乎？果老云：「與元祿相催克。」夫與元祿相催，謂之催官可也，與元祿相剋亦謂之催官，何歟？用之則顧此失彼，殊為紊亂。科甲既不問其於年干何如，又不問其於官魁科文何如，而直以對宮主星當之，更屬矯誣，均不可從。

As for the terms 「Cui Guan」 and 「Ke Jia」, they are especially absurd. If it is called 「Cui Guan」, why does the 「Tian Guan」 of the Jia year person become 「Zi Qi」, while the so-called 「Cui Guan」 falls on Metal? Metal is actually 「Shang Guan」 for the Jia year person. If Shang Guan is completely harmful, how can there be any 「Cui」? The old master's statement is 「with Yuan Lu being mutually controlled」—to call it 「Cui Guan」 because it is mutually controlled with Yuan Lu still makes some sense; but to call it 「Cui Guan」 because it is mutually controlling with Yuan Lu, what logic is that? In practice, it is contradictory and chaotic. Moreover, 「Ke Jia」 does not consider its relationship with the stem of the birth year, nor does it consider its relationship with 「Tian Guan」, 「Kui Xing」, 「Ke Ming」, and 「Wen Xing」, and directly uses the main star of the palace opposite the命宫 as a substitute, which is even more baseless. These two terms should not be followed.

萬年書歷之由來久矣，自漢至明修輯者七十餘家，創制者十有三家，其中如《太初》、《大衍》，皆稱精當，至元郭守敬《授時曆》出，而前人莫有及焉。迨西法行，而後更由疏入密，由同得異，識者遂以為觀止也。

The origin of the wànnián lìshū (perpetual calendar) dates back a long time. From the Han Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty, seventy or so families participated in revising and compiling the calendar, while thirteen families established their own new methods. Among them, the Han Dynasty's Taichu Calendar and the Daxian Calendar created by Yixing of the Tang Dynasty were both considered precise and appropriate. By the Yuan Dynasty, Guo Shoujing's Shoushi Calendar surpassed all previous ones. When Western calendar methods became widespread, the art of astronomical calculation became more precise, moving from rough to refined. From similarities with old methods, new differences emerged. Therefore, those who understood the matter believed that the precision of calendar calculations had reached its peak and could not be surpassed.

試撮其大概言之，凡造歷必造觀天之器，自古觀天者三家：周髀、宣夜、渾天。周髀、宣夜多所違失，惟渾天為得其情，郭守敬循之，更為簡儀、仰儀、懸坐、正坐諸器，乃用二線推測餘分，測景之所凡二十有七，東極高麗、西至滇池、南逾珠崖、北盡鐵勒，中法以天儀而盡地矣。

Now let me roughly explain. To create a calendar, one must first make instruments for observing the heavens. Since ancient times, there have been three schools of thought regarding the heavens: the Zhou Bi school, the Xuan Ye school, and the Hun Tian school. The theories of the Zhou Bi and Xuan Ye schools often contain errors, but the Hun Tian school best reflects the actual conditions of the celestial sphere. Guo Shoujing followed the Hun Tian theory and developed instruments such as the Jian Yi, Yang Yi, Xuan Zu Yi, and Zheng Zu Yi, using two reference lines to measure the remaining degrees. He established a total of twenty-seven shadow-measuring sites, extending eastward to Gao Li, westward to Dian Chi, southward beyond Zhu Ya, and northward to Tie Le. This is how the Chinese method, using a single astronomical instrument, measured the entire earth.

西法則增置測儀六式，曰象限懸儀、平面懸儀、象限立運儀、象限坐正儀、象限大儀、三直遊儀，又有子午儀、黃赤全儀、弩儀、天環、天球等器，而最巧者無如遠鏡，用之能詳日蝕分秒，能見太白上下弦，能見鎮星為撱形，能見歲星旁四小星，能見鬼宿中之積尸氣，能見天漢中之無算微星；西法更以地儀而盡天，器之疏密不同矣。

The Western method also employs additional six instruments called the quadrant suspended instrument, plane suspended instrument, quadrant vertical movement instrument, quadrant horizontal alignment instrument, quadrant great instrument, and three perpendiculars meridian instrument. In addition, there are instruments such as the meridian instrument, the yellow and red full sphere, the bow instrument, the celestial ring, and the celestial sphere. Among these, the most exquisite is the telescope, which allows one to precisely observe the minutes and seconds of solar eclipses, to see that Venus also has waxing and waning phases, to see that Saturn appears elliptical, to see four small stars beside Jupiter, to see the accumulation of stars in the Ghost mansion, and to see countless tiny stars in the Milky Way. With just one instrument on the ground, the Western method can survey the entire sky. Thus, the difference in coarseness and precision between the Chinese and Western instruments becomes evident.

中法以天為三百六十五度二十五分，度析百分，分析百秒；西法則以三百六十平剖之，度析六十分，分析六十秒。中法以一日為百刻，時各八刻，子午卯酉為九刻；西法則以齊之以九十六刻，減天之度，正日之刻，此又於疏之中寓密也。

The Chinese system defines the celestial circle as 365 degrees and 25 minutes, with each degree divided into 100 parts and each part into 100 seconds. The Western system divides the celestial circle evenly into 360 degrees, with each degree divided into 60 minutes and each minute into 60 seconds. The Chinese system sets one day and night at 100 beats, with each of the twelve hours divided into eight beats, except for the four cardinal hours—子, 午, 卯, and 酉—which each have nine beats. The Western system uniformly divides a day into 96 beats. Although the Western system reduces the number of degrees in the celestial circle, it evenly divides the number of beats in a day, which demonstrates precision hidden within its apparent simplicity.