Jinyu Lu

《星平會海》云：甲龍乙蛇丙戊羊，丁己猴歌庚犬旁，辛豬壬牛癸逢虎，此是金輿祿神方。以日主為主，如甲日見辰，乙日見巳是也。《三命通會》云：金輿祿星，日時見之最吉，年月減輕，此星入命，主人性柔貌願，婦人逢之多富貴，男子得之多妻妾。

The "Jinyu Lu" star is a fortunate star that signifies security, wealth, honor, and a harmonious marriage. The mnemonic from "Xingping Huihai" uses the animal signs to represent the branches: Jia (甲) is associated with the Dragon (Chen), Yi (乙) with the Snake (Si), Bing (丙) and Wu (戊) with the Sheep (Wei), Ding (丁) and Ji (己) with the Monkey (Shen), Geng (庚) with the Dog (Xu), Xin (辛) with the Pig (Hai), Ren (壬) with the Ox (Chou), and Gui (癸) with the Tiger (Yin). To determine the position of the Jinyu Lu star, one should refer to the day pillar's heavenly stem. For example, if the day pillar is Jia, then Chen is the position; if it is Yi, then Si is the position. According to "Sanming Tonghui," the Jinyu Lu star is most auspicious when it appears in the day or hour branch, but its power is reduced when it appears in the year or month branch. People with this star in their destiny tend to have a gentle nature and a respectful appearance. Women who encounter this star often attain wealth and status, while men who do so usually have multiple wives.

又云：輿者，車也。金者，貴之之義。譬之君子居官得祿，乘高車駟馬，金璧交輝，故金輿常居祿前二辰，如甲祿在寅，前二位為辰，故甲以辰為金輿也，餘仿此。

The Complete Compendium of the Three Fates also explains the method of naming and calculation: "Yu" means a carriage, and "Jin" signifies nobility. It is like a gentleman receiving official salary and riding in a high carriage drawn by four horses, where gold and jade shine together, hence called Jinyu. Its position is fixed at the second branch before the original stem's "Lu" position. For example, the Lu of Jia is in寅, and counting two branches before寅 is辰, so Jia uses辰 as Jinyu; the other stems follow the same pattern (the Lu of Yi is in卯, two branches before卯 is巳; the Lu of Bing and Wu is in巳, two branches before巳 is未; the Lu of Ding and Ji is in午, two branches before午 is申; the Lu of Geng is in申, two branches before申 is戌; the Lu of Xin is in酉, two branches before酉 is亥; the Lu of Ren is in亥, two branches before亥 is丑; the Lu of Gui is in子, two branches before子 is寅). Here, "Lu" refers to the position of Officialdom, which is the same system as the twelve earthly branches. Mastering the formula of "two branches before Lu" allows one to apply the mnemonic without memorizing it.

《淵海子平》云：甲子旬中無戌亥，甲戌旬中無申酉，甲申旬中無午未，甲午旬中無辰巳，甲辰旬中無寅卯，甲寅旬中無子丑。如日元在甲子旬中，年支時支見戌亥，即是空亡，見辰巳即是孤虛。原注云：空亡對沖者為孤虛。《造微賦》云：空亡更臨寡宿，孤獨龍鍾。《三命通會》云：凡帶此煞，生旺則氣度寬大，多火意外名利，死絕則多成多敗，漂泊無蹤，惟與貴人、華蓋、三奇、長生並見者，主大聰明。

"Kongwang" is also called "Xun Kong," which refers to the two missing earthly branches in each of the six ten-day cycles when the sixty jiazi are divided into six periods. "Ziping's Sea of Profundity" lists the kongwang for each ten-day cycle: in the Jiazi cycle, the branches Xin and You are missing; in the Jiaxu cycle, Shen and You are missing; in the Jiashen cycle, Wu and Wei are missing; in the Jiawu cycle, Chen and Si are missing; in the Jiachen cycle, Yin and Mao are missing; and in the Jiayin cycle, Zi and Chou are missing. To determine kongwang, one refers to the ten-day cycle of the day pillar. For example, if the day pillar is in the Jiazi cycle, then seeing Xin or You in the year or hour pillar indicates kongwang; seeing Chen or Si indicates "guxu." The original commentary says that the opposite branch of kongwang is called "guxu." "Zao Wei Fu" says: "Kongwang and Guasu together indicate loneliness and decline." "Complete Compendium of the Three Fates" states: If a person's chart includes kongwang, and it meets a favorable and strong position, then the person has a broad-minded nature and may gain unexpected fame and fortune (the original text says "multi-fire" which should be "multi-have"); if it meets a dead or exhausted position, then the person experiences many successes and failures and has an unstable life; however, if kongwang appears together with Tianyi Nobleman, Huagai, Three Marvels, and Changsheng, the person is exceptionally intelligent.

《考原》云：十日為旬，以十干配十二支，自甲至癸而止，餘二辰天干不及，故為空亡。如甲子至癸酉不及戌亥，故甲子旬以戌亥為空，餘仿此。《協紀辯方》云：劉歆《七略》，有《風后孤虛》二十卷，今其書亡矣。古人以旬空為虛，其對為孤，如甲子旬中無戌亥，則戌亥為空，辰巳為孤也。兵法曰：背孤擊虛，一女可敵十夫。又按：旬中空亡，固不利矣，然猶有火空則發，金空則鳴之義，隨五行之性，輿所謂遇之格以為斷，未可盡以為凶。

The Star and Calendar Origins explains the cause of kongwang: ten heavenly stems are paired with twelve earthly branches, forming a ten-day period called a shen. From Jia to Gui, the ten heavenly stems are used up, leaving two earthly branches without a matching stem, hence called "kongwang." For example, from Jiazi to Guiyou, the branches Xu and Hai are not included, so Xu and Hai are considered kongwang in the Jiazi shen. The other five shens follow the same pattern. The book "Xieji Bianfangshu" adds that the Han dynasty scholar Liu Xin's "Fenghou Guxu" was recorded in the "Qilue," but this book is now lost. Ancient people called the empty branches in a shen "gu" and their opposite branches "xu." For instance, in the Jiazi shen, Xu and Hai are empty, so Chen and Si are considered "gu." Military strategy says "attack the empty and the isolated, one woman can defeat ten men," using this principle to arrange formations. Yuan Shushan's commentary reminds that although kongwang is generally unfavorable, there is also the saying "fire empty brings out fire, metal empty brings out sound." The fortune of kongwang depends on the nature of the element it represents and the overall pattern formed by the person's birth chart, so it should not be universally considered as bad.

《淵海子平》云：甲子並甲午，旬中水絕流；甲寅與甲申，金氣杳難求。甲子甲午旬，生人見水；甲寅甲申旬，生人見金，謂之正犯。如生年不犯，行運至水金處，亦謂之犯。《三命通會》云：凡帶此煞，主一生蹇滯，且多夭折。《壺中子》曰：顏回夭折，只因四大空亡。原注云：六甲中只有甲辰甲戌二旬，金木水火土具全，若甲子甲午旬，則無水矣；甲寅甲申旬，則無金矣。因此四旬五行不備，故曰四大空亡。

The concept of "Four Great Empty Wastes" differs from the previous "decade emptiness." It refers to a complete absence of one of the Five Phases in a particular decade. According to the mnemonic from "Ziping's Sea of Profundity," in the decades of Jiazi and Jiawu, water has completely dried up; in the decades of Jiayin and Jiashen, the metal element is entirely missing. If someone is born in the Jiazi or Jiawu decades and their chart contains water, or born in the Jiayin or Jiashen decades and their chart contains metal, this is called "directly committing the offense." Even if the birth year does not involve this, if during a major life phase one moves to an environment associated with water or metal, it is still considered an offense. "Complete Compendium of the Three Fates" states that if a person's chart includes this evil star, they will experience a life full of obstacles and misfortune, and are likely to have a short lifespan. "The Master of the Pot" says: "Yan Hui's early death was due to the Four Great Empty Wastes." The original commentary explains that among the six Jia decades, only the Jiachen and Jiaxu decades have all five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth in their Nayin sound elements; the Jiazi and Jiawu decades lack water, and the Jiayin and Jiashen decades lack metal. These four decades are incomplete in the Five Phases, hence they are called the Four Great Empty Wastes.

《淵海子平》云：甲辰乙巳與壬申，丙申丁亥及庚辰，戊戌癸亥加辛巳，己丑都來十位神。以日主見者為是，年月時不論。《三命通會》云：此煞入命，未必皆凶。《協紀辯方》云：與天德月德並者不忌，得歲建月建太陽填實者，亦不忌，惟癸亥為干支俱盡，歲得吉解仍忌。

The "Ten Evils and Great Defeat" is aInauspicious Sha composed of ten specific day pillars. The mnemonic from "Ziping's Sea of Profundity" lists these ten days: Jia Chen, Yi Si, Ren Shen, Bing Shen, Ding Hai, Geng Chen, Wu Xu, Gui Hai, Xin Si, and Ji Chou. The method of checking only considers the day pillar, and the year, month, and hour pillars are not taken into account. However, ancient people had some reservations about its malevolent nature. "Complete Compendium of the Three Fates" states that this凶煞 entering a person's destiny does not necessarily mean it is entirely harmful. "Coordinating the Calendar and Distinguishing Directions" provides more detailed information: if it appears together with Heavenly Virtue or Monthly Virtue, it should not be avoided; if the current year's sovereign, the current month's month builder, or the sun fills that empty position, it should also not be avoided; the only exception is Gui Hai day, where both the heavenly stem and earthly branch reach the end of the sixty-jiazi cycle. Even if a favorable deity in the flowing year resolves it, it still needs to be avoided. This reminds readers that the auspiciousness or malevolence of divine omens should be considered together with other auspicious deities and whether the flowing year fills that position, and one should not judge solely by the name.

《通書》云：甲祿在寅，乙祿在卯，甲辰旬寅卯空，故甲辰乙巳為無祿日也。庚祿在申，辛祿在酉，甲戌旬中申酉空，故庚辰辛巳為無祿日也。丙戊祿在巳，甲午旬辰巳空故丙申戊戌為無祿日也，丁己祿在午，甲申旬中午未空，故丁亥己丑為無祿日也。壬祿在亥，甲子旬中戌亥空，故壬申為無祿日也。癸祿在子，甲寅旬子丑空，故癸亥為無祿日也。此十日，名曰無祿，又曰十惡大敗。

The "Tong Shu" explains the principle behind the ten evil great defeats: it is actually the ten days when the day stem's禄 position falls exactly on the empty position of the current ten-day period, hence it is also called "days without禄". The禄 of Jia is in Yin, the禄 of Yi is in Mao, and in the Jia Chen ten-day period, Yin and Mao are empty, so Jia Chen day and Yi Si day have no禄. The禄 of Geng is in Shen, the禄 of Xin is in You, and in the Jia Xu ten-day period, Shen and You are empty, so Geng Chen day and Xin Si day have no禄. The禄 of Bing and Wu is in Si, and in the Jia Wu ten-day period, Chen and Si are empty, so Bing Shen day and Wu Xu day have no禄. The禄 of Ding and Ji is in Wu, and in the Jia Shen ten-day period, Wu and Wei are empty, so Ding Hai day and Ji Chou day have no禄. The禄 of Ren is in Hai, and in the Jia Zi ten-day period, Xu and Hai are empty, so Ren Shen day has no禄. The禄 of Gui is in Zi, and in the Jia Yin ten-day period, Zi and Chou are empty, so Gui Hai day has no禄. These ten days are collectively called days without禄, which is the ten evil great defeats. Understanding this method allows one to remember the ten days without memorizing them by heart, and also to understand why they are凶 — the凶 lies in the root禄 of the day's stem being empty.

《協紀辯方》云：春庚申辛酉，夏壬子癸亥，秋甲寅乙卯，冬丙午丁巳。以日主為主，年月時不論，如春月逢庚申辛酉日，皆為四廢。《三命通會》云：命帶四廢，主人作事不成，有始無終。如有生扶，不作此論。曹震圭曰：四廢者，干支具絕也。假令庚申辛酉絕於春，寅卯辰也，他仿此。

The "Four Wastes" are inauspicious days determined by the seasons. The "Coordinated Records of the Book of Direction" states that in spring the Four Wastes are Gengshen and Xinyou, in summer they are Renzi and Guihai, in autumn they are Jiayin and Yimao, and in winter they are Bingwu and Dingsi. To determine if someone's fate is marked by the Four Wastes, only the day pillar is considered; the year, month, and hour are not taken into account; for example, if someone is born in spring and their day pillar is Gengshen or Xinyou, their fate is considered to be marked by the Four Wastes. The "Complete Compendium of the Three Fates" says that those with the Four Wastes in their fate are prone to incomplete endeavors and lack of conclusion; however, if there are other supportive elements in their fate, this should not be interpreted in that way. Cao ZhenGui explains the principle behind the Four Wastes: it refers to when both the heavenly stem and earthly branch are in their "absolute decline" position. For example, on Gengshen and Xinyou days, metal is in its absolute decline during the months of寅,卯, and辰 in spring, so both the stem and branch are in absolute decline, hence called the Four Wastes; the other seasons follow the same logic (water is in absolute decline in summer, wood in autumn, and fire in winter). Thus, the Four Wastes are not an independent deity or astrological symbol, but rather an extreme combination of the twelve cycles of "decline."

《淵海子平》云：春乙卯辛卯，夏丙午戊午，秋辛酉癸酉，冬壬子丙子。以日主為主，如春月逢乙卯日，為天轉；逢辛卯日為地轉。《三命通會》云：命逢此日，必主夭折。《玄微賦》云：韓信被誅，因逢天地轉煞。如有制伏，不作此論。原注云：天地轉者，乃干支納音俱專旺於四時之謂也。如春月乙卯日，干支皆屬木，專旺於春之時也，故為天轉。辛卯日，納音屬木，地支有屬木，亦專旺於春之時也。故為地轉，餘仿此。

"The Heavenly and Earthly Rotation of Evil" is also a day of misfortune determined by the seasons, and it is exactly the opposite of the "Four Wastes." The "Four Wastes" occur when both the heavenly stem and earthly branch are in a state of decline, whereas "Heavenly and Earthly Rotation of Evil" occurs when both the heavenly stem and earthly branch are extremely strong and powerful. According to "Ziping's Sea of Profundity," in spring it is 乙卯 (Yimao) and 辛卯 (Xinmao); in summer it is 丙午 (Bingwu) and 戊午 (Wuwu); in autumn it is 辛酉 (Xinyou) and 癸酉 (Guiyou); and in winter it is 壬子 (Renzi) and 丙子 (Bingzi). The method of checking is based on the day pillar. For example, if someone is born on 乙卯 (Yimao) in the spring, it is called "Heavenly Rotation," and if born on 辛卯 (Xinmao) in the spring, it is called "Earthly Rotation." "Complete Compendium of the Three Fates" states that if one's fate meets this day, it will inevitably lead to an early death. "Xuanwei Fu" says: "Han Xin was executed because he encountered the Heavenly and Earthly Rotation of Evil." However, if there is another god in the person's fate that can control or restrain this, then such a conclusion should not be made. The original commentary explains the principle: "Heavenly and Earthly Rotation" refers to the heavenly stem, earthly branch, or the nayin sound element being extremely strong in that season and having no restraint. For example, on 乙卯 (Yimao) in spring, the heavenly stem 乙 (Yi) and the earthly branch 卯 (Mao) are both of the wood element, which is particularly strong in spring, so it is called "Heavenly Rotation." On 辛卯 (Xinmao), the nayin sound element is wood (Xinmao is the sound of cypress and pine wood), and the earthly branch 卯 (Mao) is also wood, which is also particularly strong in spring, so it is called "Earthly Rotation." The same applies to the rest. It is evident that the凶 of this evil is due to "excessive strength without restraint," which is consistent with the principle in the first volume that "the Three Punishments are extreme numbers, and the heavenly way detests fullness."

《三命通會》云：申子辰見巳，寅午戌見亥，巳酉丑見寅，亥卯未見申。以日主為主，月時見之最重，年較輕，如申子辰日，見巳月巳時是也。《古歌》云：劫煞為災不可當，徒然奔走利名場。原注云：劫者，奪也。自外奪之為劫，蓋劫在五行絕處也。如申子辰水局，絕於巳，巳中戊土劫水，故以巳為劫煞也。寅午戌火局絕於亥，亥中壬水劫火，故以亥為劫煞也，餘仿此。

"Jiesha" is aInauspicious Sha indicating disaster from external forces and a lack of success in striving. The "Complete Compendium of the Three Fates" states: if the day branch is Shen, Zi, or Chen, then seeing Si is considered to have Jiesha; if the day branch is Yin, Wu, or Xu, then seeing Hai is considered to have Jiesha; if the day branch is Si, You, or Chou, then seeing Yin is considered to have Jiesha; if the day branch is Hai, Mao, or Wei, then seeing Shen is considered to have Jiesha. The method of checking is based on the day pillar, with the heaviest influence when Si, Hai, or Yin appear in the month or hour branches, and a lighter influence when they appear in the year branch. For example, if the day branch is Shen, Zi, or Chen and both the month and hour branches are Si, then Jiesha is present. An ancient song says: "Jiesha brings disaster that cannot be borne, one merely runs about in the fields of fame and fortune in vain." The original annotation explains the meaning: "Jie" means to take away, and external taking away is called Jie. The position of Jiesha is exactly at the "Jue" (termination) point of the five phases in the native's trigram. For example, the water trigram Shen-Zi-Chen has its Jue at Si, and the dry earth hidden in Si takes away the water, so Si is considered Jiesha. The fire trigram Yin-Wu-Xu has its Jue at Hai, and the water hidden in Hai takes away the fire, so Hai is considered Jiesha. The other two trigrams follow the same pattern. Thus, Jiesha is the Jue position of the triple harmony trigram, where the hidden heavenly stem directly takes away the five phases of the trigram.

《三命通會》云申子辰見亥，寅午戌見巳，巳酉丑見申，亥卯未見寅。以日主為主，月時見之最重，年較輕，如申子辰日，見亥月亥時是也。《古歌》云：亡神入命禍非輕，用盡機關心不寧。原注云：亡者，失也，自內失之謂之亡，蓋亡在五行臨官之地也。如申子辰水局，臨官於亥，亥中甲木盜水，故以亥為亡神也。寅午戌火局，火臨官於巳，巳中戊土盜火，故以巳為亡神也。餘仿此。

The term "Wangshen" is opposite to "Jiesha," and it signifies internal loss and mental unrest due to excessive scheming. The "Complete Compendium of the Three Fates" states: if the day branch is Shen, Zi, or Chen, then the presence of Hai is considered Wangshen; if the day branch is Yin, Wu, or Xu, then the presence of Si is considered Wangshen; if the day branch is Si, You, or Chou, then the presence of Shen is considered Wangshen; if the day branch is Hai, Mao, or Wei, then the presence of Yin is considered Wangshen. The method of checking is based on the day pillar, with the month and hour branches being most significant, and the year branch being less so. For example, if the day branch is Shen, Zi, or Chen, and both the month and hour branches are Hai, then Wangshen is present. An ancient song says: "Wangshen in the chart brings serious misfortune, using all one's schemes but the mind remains unrested." The original commentary explains the meaning: "Wang" means loss, and losing from within is called Wang. The position of Wangshen is at the "Lingguan" location of the five phases in the native's chart. For example, in the water trinity of Shen, Zi, and Chen, water's Lingguan is Hai, and the hidden Jia wood in Hai steals the water's energy, so Hai is considered Wangshen. In the fire trinity of Yin, Wu, and Xu, fire's Lingguan is Si, and the hidden Wu earth in Si steals the fire's energy, so Si is considered Wangshen. The other two trinities are treated similarly. Jiesha is in the绝 (terminal) position and is overcome by external gods, while Wangshen is in the Lingguan position and is drained by internal hidden gods—this is the distinction between the two.

《淵海子平》云：戌亥為天羅，辰巳為地網。凡納音火命，見戌亥日為天羅；水土命，見辰巳日為地網，金木二命無之。原注云：此煞入命，多主蹇滯，如並惡煞，而又五行無氣，必主死亡。行運至此，亦然。《三命通會》云：羅網之說，其義明，然何以戌亥為天羅，辰巳為地網，蓋世道汙隆，人事得失，具有終極。戌亥者，六陰之終也；辰巳者，六陽之終也。陰陽終極，則闇昧不明，如人之在羅網也。

"The Tian Luo and Di Wang" areInauspicious Sha that indicate being trapped and restricted. "Ziping's Sea of Profundity" states:戌 and 亥 are Tian Luo, and 辰 and 巳 are Di Wang. For a destiny with the Nayin sound element of fire, encountering a day of戌 or 亥 is Tian Luo; for a destiny with the Nayin sound element of water or earth, encountering a day of 辰 or 巳 is Di Wang; for a destiny with the Nayin sound element of metal or wood, there is no such煞. The original commentary says: this煞 entering a destiny often indicates obstacles and lack of smoothness; if it appears together with other evil煞, and the Five Phases themselves have no life qi, then death is certain; the same applies when this occurs in a big destiny cycle. "The Complete Compendium of the Three Fates" explains the meaning of the name: the concept of a net is clear, but why specifically take戌 and 亥 as Tian Luo and 辰 and 巳 as Di Wang? Because the rise and fall of the world and the gains and losses of human affairs all have an end.戌 and 亥 are the end of the six yin energies, and 辰 and 巳 are the end of the six yang energies; when yin and yang reach their extremes, they become obscure and unclear, like a person trapped in a net.

咸池 一名敗神，一名桃花煞。《三命通會》云寅午戌見卯，巳酉丑見午，申子辰見酉，亥卯未見子。以日主為主，如寅午戌日，納音又屬火，見卯月卯時皆是。申子辰日，納音又屬水，見酉月酉時皆是。《幽微賦》云：酒色猖狂，只為桃花帶煞。

"The Xianchi" is also known as "Bai Shen," commonly called "Taohua Sha," and it signifies indulgence in wine and women. The Complete Compendium of the Three Fates states: if the day branch is寅, 午, or 戌, then seeing 卯 is considered; if the day branch is巳, 酉, or 丑, then seeing 午 is considered; if the day branch is申, 子, or 辰, then seeing 酉 is considered; if the day branch is亥, 卯, or 未, then seeing 子 is considered. The method of checking involves taking the day pillar as the main reference, and also considering whether the nayin sound element matches. For example, if the day branch is寅, 午, or 戌 and the nayin sound element is also fire, then seeing 卯 month or 卯 time counts; if the day branch is申, 子, or 辰 and the nayin sound element is also water, then seeing 酉 month or 酉 time counts. The Hidden Subtleties Treatise says: "Excess in wine and women is due to Taohua Sha." It is important to note that the four branches 子, 午, 卯, and 酉 selected for Xianchi are exactly the four main positions, which are referred to as the bathing places in the text. In divination, bathing is associated with the image of being naked, hence it is connected to sexual desires.

原注云：《淮南子》曰：日出扶桑，人於咸池，故五行沐浴之地，名咸池。是取日入之義。萬物闇昧之時也。寅午戌合火局，長生於寅，沐浴於卯，故卯為咸池。巳酉丑合金局，長生於巳，沐浴於午，故以午為咸池，餘仿此。

The original commentary explains the naming and method of calculation for Xianchi. The "Huainanzi" says that the sun rises from Fusang and sets into Xianchi (the original text "renyu" should be "ruyu"). Therefore, the position of the Five Phases' bathing is called Xianchi, taking the meaning of sunset, which is the time when all things become dim and unclear. The method of calculation is simple: take the next branch after the branch of growth in the native's chart (i.e., the bathing place). For example, the fire triple combination of Yin-Wu-Xu has fire's growth in Yin and bathing in Mao, so Mao is Xianchi; the metal triple combination of Si-You-Chou has metal's growth in Si and bathing in Wu, so Wu is Xianchi; the other two combinations are calculated in the same way (the water triple combination of Shen-Zi-Chen has water's growth in Shen and bathing in You, so You is Xianchi; the wood triple combination of Hai-Mao-Wei has wood's growth in Hai and bathing in Zi, so Zi is Xianchi). Mastering the formula "the next branch after the growth branch in the native's chart," the branch of Taohua can be determined immediately.

羊刃 對宮曰飛刃，又曰唐符。《淵海子平》云：甲日羊刃在卯，乙日羊刃在辰，丙戊日羊刃在午，丁己日在未，庚日羊刃在酉，辛日羊刃在戌，壬日羊刃在子，癸日羊刃在丑。如甲日，見卯年卯月卯時皆是。經云：煞刃兩停，位之候王。又云：身強遇刃，災禍勃然。

The "Yangren" is the most critical of the ten heavenly spirits and is the most importantInauspicious Sha. Its opposing branch is called "Feiren," also known as "Tangfu." "Ziping's Sea of Profundity" states: For Jia day stem, the Yangren is in Mao; for Yi day stem, it is in Chen; for Bing and Wu day stems, it is in Wu; for Ding and Ji day stems, it is in Wei; for Geng day stem, it is in You; for Xin day stem, it is in Xu; for Ren day stem, it is in Zi; and for Gui day stem, it is in Chou. The method of checking is based on the day stem. For example, if the day stem is Jia and there is a year, month, or hour in Mao, it counts. Ancient texts say: "When the malevolent spirit and Yangren are balanced, one can reach the rank of Marquis and King" — when the seven malevolent spirits and Yangren are evenly matched and check each other, one can achieve high status; they also say: "When the day stem is strong and meets Yangren, calamity will suddenly occur" — if the day stem is already strong and meets Yangren, disaster will suddenly arise. Thus, Yangren is a double-edged sword: if the day stem is weak and meets Yangren, it can help the day stem; if the day stem is strong and meets Yangren, it will cause sudden disaster, depending entirely on the strength and the balance or transformation.

希夷曰：陰陽萬物之理，皆惡極盛，當其極處，火則焦滅，水則潰竭，金則破缺，土則崩裂，木則摧折，故既成而未極則為吉，已極則反為凶。極盛之地，十干中正處是也。卯者，甲之正位，為陽木之極；辰者，乙之正位，為陰火之極；酉者，庚之正位，為陽金之極；戌者辛之正位，為陰金之極；子者，壬之正位，為陽水之極；丑者，癸之正位，為陰水之極。當其極處，其性剛烈，其氣暴戾，所以祿前一辰為羊刃，對沖為飛刃。既盛而未極，則溫柔和暢，故刃後一辰為祿也。

Chen Tuan, known as Master Xiyi, explained the principle of Yangren: yin and yang and all things naturally dislike reaching their peak. When something reaches its peak, fire will burn itself out, water will break through and dry up, metal will be broken, earth will crack, and wood will be broken. Therefore, when something is formed but has not yet reached its peak, it is auspicious; but when it reaches its peak, it becomes inauspicious. The position of extreme prosperity is called the "zhengwei" or proper position of the ten heavenly stems. Mao is the proper position of Jia, representing the peak of yang wood; Chen is the proper position of Yi, representing the peak of yin wood (the original text says "yin fire," which is likely an error for "yin wood"); You is the proper position of Geng, representing the peak of yang metal; Xu is the proper position of Xin, representing the peak of yin metal; Zi is the proper position of Ren, representing the peak of yang water; and Chou is the proper position of Gui, representing the peak of yin water. When something reaches its peak, it is fierce and fierce in nature, and its energy is violent and cruel. Therefore, the branch before the禄 position is called Yangren, and the branch opposite to it is called Feiren. As for when something is prosperous but has not yet reached its peak, it is gentle and harmonious, so the branch after Yangren is the禄 position. In short,禄 represents prosperity at the right time, while 刃 represents excessive prosperity.

按：《易》云，兌為羊，其質好剛滷。《說文》云，刃，刀堅也。象刀有刃之形，古人以極盛之處曰羊刃，極言其至剛堅，而易蹈危險也。《乾元秘旨》泥於祿前一位為刃之說，並不深思五行之義，誤以乙刃在寅，丁己刃在巳，辛刃在申，癸刃在亥，不足為訓也。

Yuan Shushan remarked: The "Zhou Yi · Shuo Gua" says the Dui trigram corresponds to the sheep, and the nature of the sheep is strong and impetuous. The "Shuo Wen Jie Zi" says "ren" refers to the sharp and hard part of a knife, and the character is written as a knife with a blade. The ancients called the extreme point of prosperity "Yangren," precisely indicating its extreme hardness and strength, which easily leads to danger. It also points out a common mistake: "Qian Yuan Mi Zhi" rigidly adheres to the phrase "the position before the official star is the Yangren," without considering the principles of the Five Phases. Thus, it fixes the Yangren of Yi at Yin, of Ding and Ji at Si, of Xin at Shen, and of Gui at Hai. However, for Yin stems, which should be reversed, the Yangren should be counted backward, so proceeding forward is not a proper method. According to the previous reference from "Yuan Hai Zi Ping," the Yangren of Yin stems is at Chen, Wei, Xu, and Chou, which is the correct interpretation. This remark reminds scholars to question the reasoning behind divination formulas, to avoid passing on errors.

又按：吉神化君子也，凶煞猶小人也。親君子，遠小人，古有明訓。然君子小人，又有真偽之分，不可不辯。真君子親之固宜，偽君子又豈可親之乎？真小人遠之固宜，偽小人又何必遠之耶！況偽君子之為禍，人皆不測，故受害獨多。真小人之為禍，人可易防故受害較少。如貴人文昌等，裨益日主，誠君子矣，然有反傷八字之用神者，乃偽君子也，當以凶言。咸池羊刃等，妨礙日主，誠小人矣，然有反助八字之用神者，乃偽小人也，又豈可以凶言乎。此特言其大要而已，至於吉神力微其福輕，凶煞勢盛其禍烈，尤不可不細心鑑別也。

Yuan Shushan then explains that this is a summary of all the divine omens in the system, and it is the most insightful part of this book. He says: good divine omens are like gentlemen, while evil omens are like petty people; one should be close to gentlemen and distant from petty people, as there is a clear teaching from the ancients. However, gentlemen and petty people can also be genuine or fake, and this must be distinguished. Genuine gentlemen should indeed be close to, but fake gentlemen should not be close to. Genuine petty people should indeed be distant from, but fake petty people need not be distant from. Moreover, when fake gentlemen cause harm, it is unexpected by everyone, so they cause the most damage; when genuine petty people cause harm, it is easy to prevent, so they cause less damage. In terms of destiny: Tianyi Nobleman and Wen Chang are beneficial to the day master, and they are indeed gentlemen; but if they instead harm the useful god in the birth chart, they are fake gentlemen and should be treated as evil. Xianchi and Yangren are harmful to the day master, and they are indeed petty people; but if they instead help the useful god in the birth chart, they are fake petty people, and how can they be treated as evil? This is only a general statement; as for the case where good omens have weak power and thus light blessings, and evil omens have strong power and thus severe misfortunes, one must be especially careful to distinguish. In short, the fortune or misfortune of divine omens must be judged by the useful god, and not just by their names.

《滴天髓》云：甲木參天，脫胎要火。春不容金，秋不容土。火熾乘龍，水宕騎虎。地潤天和，植立千古。純陽之木，參天雄壯。火者木之子也，旺木得火而愈敷榮。生於春則欺金，而不能容金也；生於秋則助金，而不能容土也。寅午戌，丙丁多見而坐辰，則能歸；申子辰，壬癸多見而坐寅，則能納。使土氣不干，水氣不消，則能長生矣。

From here on, the "Di Tian Mei" discusses the nature and temperament of the ten heavenly stems, with ten sections. Each section begins with a four-character verse followed by an explanation. The first section discusses Jia Wood: "Jia Wood reaches the heavens, requires fire to be born. In spring, it cannot tolerate metal; in autumn, it cannot tolerate earth. When fire is intense, it rides the dragon; when water is vast, it rides the tiger. When the earth is moist and the heavens are harmonious, it stands for thousands of years." The explanation says: Jia Wood is pure yang wood, towering and strong. Fire is the son of wood, and vigorous wood with fire becomes even more flourishing, hence the need for fire to be born. When born in spring, the wood energy is strong and can oppress metal, so it cannot tolerate metal; when born in autumn, the wood is weak and metal is strong, and if earth is present, it will help metal, so it cannot tolerate earth. "Fire intense riding the dragon" refers to the four pillars forming the fire trinity (Yin-Wu-Xu) and having many Bing and Ding, if the day stem is on Chen, which is a water reservoir, the fire energy can be contained. "Water vast riding the tiger" refers to the four pillars forming the water trinity (Shen-Zi-Chen) and having many Ren and Gui, if the day stem is on Yin, which is the official position of wood, the water energy can be contained. As long as the earth energy is not dry and the water energy is not scattered, Jia Wood can grow long-term—hence, "when the earth is moist and the heavens are harmonious, it stands for thousands of years."

乙木雖柔，刲羊解牛。懷丁抱丙，跨鳳乘猴。虛溼之地，騎馬亦憂。藤蘿繫甲，可春可秋。乙木者，生於春如桃李，夏如禾稼，秋如桐桂，冬如奇葩。坐丑未能制柔土，如割宰羊、解割牛然，只要有一丙丁，則雖生申酉之月，亦不胃之；生於子月，而又壬癸發透者，則雖坐午，亦能發生。故益知坐丑未月之為美。甲與寅字多見，弟從兄義，譬之藤蘿附喬木，不畏斫伐也。

The second section discusses the Yi wood: "Yi wood, though soft, can cut sheep and slaughter oxen. It carries Ding and Bings, crosses phoenixes and rides monkeys. In damp and wet places, even riding a horse brings worry. It is tied to Jia wood, suitable in spring or autumn." The explanation says that Yi wood born in spring resembles peach and plum trees, in summer like millet, in autumn like osmanthus and cinnamon trees, and in winter like rare flowers. Although soft, when seated on the soft earths Chou and Wei, it can control the earth easily, like cutting sheep and slaughtering oxen — this is "cutting sheep and slaughtering oxen" (Chou belongs to the ox, Wei belongs to the sheep). If there is a Jin or Ding in the heavenly stem, even if born in the month of Shen or You, where metal is strong, it does not fear being cut by metal (the original text "bu wei zhi" should be "bu wei zhi"), this is "carrying Ding and Bings, crossing phoenixes and riding monkeys" (You belongs to the chicken, which is the phoenix, and Shen belongs to the monkey). But if born in the month of Zi and the heavenly stem has壬 or癸, there is too much water, making the wood float, even if seated on Wu (which is the long life for Yi wood), there is still worry, this is "in damp and wet places, even riding a horse brings worry." This further shows that sitting on Chou and Wei is better. If there are many Jia woods and寅 in the four pillars, the Yi wood is like a younger brother following an elder brother, like vines climbing a tall tree, not afraid of being cut, so it says "tied to Jia wood, suitable in spring or autumn."

丙火猛烈，欺霜侮雪。能煅庚金，逢辛反怯。土眾成慈，水猖顯節。虎馬犬鄉，甲木若來，必當焚滅（一本作虎馬犬鄉，甲來成滅）。火陽精也，丙火灼陽之至，故猛烈，不畏秋而欺霜，不畏冬而侮雪。庚金雖頑，力能煅之，辛金本柔，合而反弱。土其子也，見戊己多而成慈愛之德；水其君也，遇壬癸旺而顯忠節之風。至於未遂炎上之性，而遇寅午戌三位者，露甲木則燥而焚滅也。

Third Rule on Bing Fire: "Bing Fire is fierce and strong, it despises frost and snow. It can smelt Geng Metal, but meets Xin Metal and becomes timid. When there is much Earth, it shows kindness; when there is much Water, it shows loyalty and integrity. When there are the branches of the Tiger, the Horse, and the Dog, if the heavenly stem of Jia Wood appears, it will certainly be destroyed." (Another version says "When there are the branches of the Tiger, the Horse, and the Dog, if Jia Wood appears, it will certainly be destroyed.") The commentary explains: Fire is the essence of Yang, and Bing Fire has the strongest Yang energy, so it is fierce and bold, not afraid of autumn frost or winter snow. Although Geng Metal is hard, Bing Fire has the strength to smelt it; Xin Metal is naturally weak, and when Bing and Xin combine, Bing becomes restrained and appears timid. Earth is the child of Bing Fire, so when there is much Wu and Ji Earth, it shows a kind and compassionate nature. Water is the sovereign (the one that controls me) of Bing Fire, so when there is much Ren and Gui Water, it shows a loyal and righteous character. When the three branches of Yin, Wu, and Xu are all present, and the fire's strength is not fully expressed in its upward movement, if the heavenly stem of Jia Wood appears, it will become too dry and hot, leading to self-destruction. This rule tells us that Bing Fire is most afraid not of water, but of excessive Wood and Fire without control or release.

丁火柔中，內性昭融。抱乙而孝，合壬而忠。旺而不烈，衰而不窮，如有嫡母，可秋可冬。丁干屬陰，火性雖陰，柔而得其中矣。外柔順而內文明，內性豈不昭融乎？乙非丁之嫡母也，乙畏辛而辛抱之，不若丙抱甲而反能焚甲木也，不若乙抱丁而反能晦丁火也，其孝異乎人矣。壬為丁之正君也，壬畏戊而丁合之，外則撫卹戊土，能使戊土不欺壬也，內則暗化木神，而使戊土不敢抗乎壬也，其忠異乎人矣。生於秋冬，得一甲木，則倚之不滅，而焰至無窮也，故曰可秋可冬。皆柔之道也。

Article four discusses Ding fire: "Ding fire is gentle and moderate, with an inner nature that is bright and harmonious. It shows filial piety by embracing Yi, and loyalty by uniting with Ren. When strong, it does not become fierce; when weak, it does not vanish. It is like a嫡 mother, capable of thriving in autumn and winter." The explanation states that Ding belongs to the yin stem, and although fire is yin, it is gentle and moderate. Its exterior is gentle and compliant, while its interior is civilized and luminous. Is its inner nature not bright and clear? It says "embracing Yi shows filial piety": Yi is not the嫡 mother of Ding (the proper nourishing stem is Jia), but Yi fears being harmed by Xin metal. Ding, however, can protect Yi. Unlike Bing fire, which embraces Jia and burns it, or Yi wood, which embraces Ding and dims it, Ding's filial piety is unique. It says "uniting with Ren shows loyalty": Ren is Ding's proper official, representing the proper ruler. Ren fears being suppressed by Wu earth. When Ding unites with Ren, it can externally comfort Wu earth so it does not oppress Ren, and internally transform into the spirit of wood, making Wu earth dare not resist Ren. Thus, Ding's loyalty is also unique. When Ding fire is weak in autumn and winter, as long as there is one Jia wood, it can rely on it, so the fire does not die and its flame remains endless. Therefore, it says "capable of thriving in autumn and winter." All of this is due to the way of gentleness and compliance.

戊土固重，既中且正。靜翕動闢，萬物司命。水潤物生，火燥物病。若在艮坤，怕沖宜靜。戊土非城牆堤岸之謂也，較己特高厚剛燥，乃己土發源之地，得乎中氣而且正大矣。春夏則氣闢而生萬物，秋冬則氣翕而成萬物，故為萬物之司命也。其氣屬陽，喜潤不喜燥，坐寅怕申，坐申怕寅。蓋沖則根動，非地道之正也，故宜靜。

Article Five discusses Wu Tu (戊土): "Wu Tu is solid and heavy, centered and upright. It is quiet and harmonious, and when it moves, it opens up, thus governing all things. Water moistens and brings life, while fire dries and causes illness. If it is in Gen (寅) and Kun (坤), it fears conflict and prefers stillness." The explanation states that Wu Tu is not the rigid earth of walls and embankments, but is instead higher, thicker, and more rigid than Ji Tu (己土); it is the source of Ji Tu, receiving the harmonious and balanced energy, thus being upright and vast. In spring and summer, the energy expands and nurtures all things, while in autumn and winter, the energy contracts and completes all things, hence it is the director of destiny for all things. The energy of Wu is yang, which prefers moisture and does not like dryness. If Wu is in寅, it fears seeing申, and if it is in申, it fears seeing寅—because the conflict between寅 and申 causes the foundation to shake, which is not in line with the nature of the great and quiet earth, so stillness is preferred over conflict. Here, "Gen Kun" refers to寅 (Gen position) and申 (Kun position).

按：今人每以戊土為城牆堤岸之土，謂不能發生萬物，讀此便知其誤。若夫水潤物生，火燥物病二句，其義重潤字、燥字、非謂戊土不宜見火，只宜見水也。若四柱水多，必須火喧，不可以燥言；四柱火多，必須水潤，不可以溼言。明乎此理，不獨可以論戊土，而己土亦可以類推。

Yuan Shushan remarked: nowadays people often regard Wu earth as the earth of city walls and embankments, believing it cannot nourish all things. Reading this passage from "Di Tian Mei" will show that this is wrong. As for the two lines "water moistens and things grow, fire dries and things become ill," the emphasis is on the words "moist" and "dry," not meaning that Wu earth should not see fire and only see water. If there is too much water in the four pillars, fire must be used to warm it, and in this case, the fire should not be called "dry." If there is too much fire in the four pillars, water must be used to moisten it, and in this case, the water should not be called "wet." Understanding this principle allows not only the discussion of Wu earth but also Ji earth can be treated in the same way. This remark points out a common mistake in reading命 books: taking the descriptive words of ancients as rigid rules, fearing fire upon seeing "dry" and fearing water upon seeing "wet," while forgetting that selection and adjustment depend entirely on the imbalance or harmony of the four pillars themselves.

己土卑溼，中正蓄藏。不愁木盛，不畏水狂。火少火晦，金多金光。若要物旺，宜助宜幫。己土卑薄軟溼，乃戊土枝葉之地，亦主中正而能蓄藏萬物。柔土能生木，非木所能克，故不愁木盛；土深而能納水，非水所能蕩，故不畏水狂。無根之火，不能生溼土，故火少而火反晦；溼土能潤金氣，故金多而金光彩，反清瑩可觀。此其無為而有為之妙用。若要萬物充盛長旺，惟土勢深固，又得火氣暖和方可。

Article six discusses Ji soil: "Ji soil is low and damp, central and upright, capable of containing things. It does not worry about excessive wood, nor fear rampant water. When there is little fire, fire becomes obscured; when there is much metal, metal shines. If one wishes for prosperity, support and assistance are needed." The explanation says: Ji soil is low, soft, and damp, being the extension of Wu soil's branches and leaves, also central and upright, capable of containing all things. Soft soil can generate wood, and is not harmed by wood, so it does not worry about strong wood; thick soil can hold water, and is not washed away by water, so it does not fear rampant water. Unrooted fire cannot generate damp soil, so when there is little fire, it is obscured by damp soil; damp soil can moisten metal energy, so when there is much metal, metal shines clearly. This is the subtle use of Ji soil, "acting without action yet achieving results." As for making all things flourish, it requires thick and solid soil, along with fire to warm it up — this is "support and assistance." Comparing Ji soil with the previous Wu soil, we can see that although both are soil, they differ in yin and yang, and in their flexible and rigid uses. This is the essence of the "Dripping Sky Pivot" in discussing heavenly stems.

庚金帶煞，剛健為最。得水而清，得火而銳。土潤則生，土干則脆。能贏甲兄，輸於乙妹。庚金乃天上之太白，帶殺而剛健。健而得水，則氣流而清；剛而得火，則氣純而銳。有水之土，能全其生；有火之土，能使其脆。甲木雖強，力足伐之；乙木雖柔，合而反弱。

Rule seven discusses Geng metal: "Geng metal carries a harsh quality, and is most robust. It becomes clear with water, sharp with fire. Moist earth nurtures it, dry earth breaks it. It can overcome Jia wood, but is defeated by Yi wood." The explanation says: Geng metal is like the bright star Tai Bai in the sky, carrying a severe and killing quality, and is most robust. Being robust and getting water to drain its energy makes its quality flow and become clear; being hard and getting fire to refine it makes its quality pure and sharp. Moist earth can preserve the vitality of Geng metal; dry earth with fire instead causes it to break. Jia wood is strong, but Geng metal has the strength to cut it; Yi wood is weak, but when Geng and Yi combine, Geng is restrained and becomes weaker—thus it defeats Jia brother but is defeated by Yi sister. This rule is consistent with the previous rule about Bing fire "Bing fire can refine Geng metal, but meeting Xin metal causes it to become timid": a yang heavenly stem meets a same type and they compete, thus winning; it meets a different type and they combine, thus being restrained.

辛金軟弱，溫潤而清。畏土之疊，樂水之盈。能扶社稷，能救生靈。熱則喜母，寒則喜丁。辛乃陰金，非珠玉之謂也。凡溫軟清潤者，皆辛金也。戊己土多而能埋，故畏之；壬癸水多而必秀，故樂之。辛為丙之臣也，合丙化水，使丙火臣服壬水，而安扶社稷；辛為甲之君也，合丙化水，使丙火不焚甲木，而救援生靈。生於九夏而得己土，則能晦火而存之；生於隆冬而得丁火，則能敵寒而養之。故辛金生於冬月，見丙火則男命不貴，雖貴亦不忠；女命剋夫，不克亦不和。見丁男女皆貴且順。

Rule eight discusses Xin Jin (辛金): "Xin Jin is soft and delicate, warm and clear. It fears the accumulation of earth and delights in the abundance of water. It can support the state and save living beings. When hot, it prefers its mother; when cold, it prefers Ding." The explanation says: Xin is Yin Jin, not specifically referring to jewels and treasures; any Jin that is warm, soft, and clear is considered Xin Jin. If Wu and Ji earth accumulate heavily, they will bury Xin Jin, hence it fears earth; if Ren and Gui water is abundant, Jin and water will nourish each other, resulting in refined qualities, hence it delights in water. "It can support the state" refers to Xin being the official of Bing (丙), and the combination of Bing and Xin transforms into water, making Bing fire submit to Ren water, thus securing the state. "It can save living beings" refers to Xin being the official of Jia (甲), and by combining with Bing fire, it prevents Bing fire from burning Jia wood, thus saving grass and trees. When born in the intense summer heat, having Ji earth can obscure fire and protect Xin Jin—this is "when hot, it prefers its mother" (earth is the mother of Jin). When born in severe winter cold, having Ding fire can ward off cold and nourish Xin Jin—this is "when cold, it prefers Ding." Therefore, when Xin Jin is born in winter, encountering Bing fire indicates a man's fate is not noble, even if noble, he lacks loyalty; for a woman, it causes marital discord, even if not causing marital problems, it leads to lack of harmony. Encountering Ding fire, however, brings both nobility and harmony for both men and women.

按：辛金軟弱，似如庚金剛健不同。然寒則喜丁，亦有非火不為功者，今人泥辛為珠玉之說，概為忌火毀傷，豈不謬甚。

Yuan Shushan remarked: Although Xin metal appears soft and weak, seemingly quite different from Geng metal's strength and vigor, the rhyme says "in cold conditions it prefers Ding fire," showing that Xin metal sometimes cannot succeed without fire. Modern people rigidly adhere to the analogy of "Xin as jewels and jade," and universally believe that fire is harmful to Xin metal, which is certainly a great mistake. This remark is consistent with the previous remark on Wu earth, both opposing the view of treating ancient symbolic analogies as absolute taboos. The selection and rejection in divination should follow only one standard — examining the coldness, warmth, dryness, and dampness of the four pillars and the needs of the useful god. Even if the condition is extremely cold, fire is still necessary for Xin metal; and even if the condition is extremely hot, the coldness of Ren water is not a problem.

壬水通河，能洩金氣，剛中之德，周流不滯。通根透癸，沖天奔地。化則有情，從則相濟。壬水即癸水之發源，崑崙之水也；癸水即壬水之歸宿，扶桑之水也。有分有合，運行不息，所以為百川者此也，亦為雨露者此也，是不可歧而二之。申為天關，乃天河之口，壬水長生於此，能洩西方金氣。周流之性，沖進不滯，剛中之德猶然也。若申子辰全而又透癸，則其勢沖奔，不可遏也。

The ninth rule discusses the water of Ren: "Ren water flows through the river, able to release the metal energy, embodying the virtue of firmness and moderation, flowing continuously without stagnation. When rooted and癸 water is revealed, it surges upward and flows downward. When transformed, it is affectionate; when following, it supports." The explanation first distinguishes the relationship between Ren and Gui water: Ren water is the source of Gui water, like the water from Kunlun; Gui water is the destination of Ren water, like the water of Fu Sang. They are both separate and united, flowing ceaselessly; they become the myriad rivers, and also transform into rain and dew, so they should not be divided into two separate entities. Shen is in the direction of the celestial gate, the entrance to the天河, so Ren water is born here, thus able to release the metal energy of the west — this is the origin of "flowing through the river" and "releasing metal." The inherent nature of Ren water is to surge forward continuously without stopping, which is precisely its virtue of firmness and moderation. If the four pillars have the three branches of Shen, Zi, and Chen complete and the heavenly stem also reveals Gui water, then the water force surges uncontrollably — this is what is meant by "rooted and revealed, surging upward and flowing downward."

如東海本發端於天河，復成水患，命中遇之，若無財官者，其禍當何如哉！合丁化木，又生丁火，則可謂有情；能制丙火，不使其奪丁之愛，故為夫義而為君仁。生於九夏，則巳、午、未、申火土之氣，得壬水熏蒸而成雨露，故雖從火土，未嘗不相濟也。

The commentary continues: Just as the water of the East Sea originally flows from the Milky Way, once it overflows, it becomes a flood; if one's destiny encounters such a situation and there are no wealth stars or official stars to control it, how great would the calamity be! As for "when transformed, there is affection":壬 water combines with 丁 fire to form wood, and wood can nourish 丁 fire, so it is considered affectionate; moreover, 壬 water can restrain 丙 fire, preventing 丙 from taking away 丁's beloved, so in the relationship between husband and wife, it is an affectionate husband, and in the relationship between ruler and minister, it is a benevolent ruler. As for "when following, they support each other": if born in the height of summer, with a great amount of fire and earth elements in the巳, 午, 未, 申 positions, the presence of 壬 water can transform the heat into rain and dew; thus, even though 壬 water has to follow the trend of fire and earth, it can still support them. These two sentences discuss the ways out for 壬 water in extreme strength and extreme weakness—when extremely strong, it needs wealth and official stars to control it; when extremely weak, it can either transform or follow.

癸水至弱，達於天津。得龍而運，功化斯神。不愁火土，不論庚辛。合戊見火，化象斯真。癸水乃陰之純而至弱，故扶桑有弱水也。達於天津，隨天而運，得龍以成雲雨，乃能潤澤萬物，功化斯神。凡柱中有甲乙寅卯，皆能運水氣，生木制火，潤土養金，定為貴格，火土雖多不畏。至於庚金，則不賴蜞生，亦不忌其多。

Article 10 discussesGui Water: "癸水 is extremely weak, reaching the Tianjin. With the dragon (i.e., Chen), it can move and transform, achieving divine functions. It does not fear fire and earth, and does not concern with庚 and 辛. When it combines with 戊 and sees fire, the transformation is genuine." The explanation says:Gui Water is purely yin and extremely weak water, so there is a legend that to the east of Fushan there is "Weak Water." It reaches Tianjin (the river crossing to the Milky Way), follows the sky to move, and with the "dragon" (i.e., Chen, which is the water reservoir and also the dragon), it can summon clouds and rain, benefiting all things, with extraordinary functions. If there are 甲 and 乙 or 寅 and 卯 wood in the four pillars, they can transform the water vapor—producing wood, controlling fire, moistening earth, and nurturing metal. This is certainly a noble pattern. Even if there is a lot of fire and earth, it is not a problem, which is why it says "does not fear fire and earth." As for 庚 metal,Gui Water does not rely on it for generation, nor does it dislike it being abundant, which is why it says "does not concern with庚 and 辛" (the original text "不赖蜞生" should be "不赖其生").

惟合戊土化火也，戊生寅，癸生卯，皆屬東方，故能生火。此固一說也，不知地不滿東南，戊土之極處，即癸水之盡處，乃太陽起方也，故化火。凡戊癸得丙丁透者，不論衰旺，秋冬皆能化火，最為真也。

The final explanation discusses the combination of癸 water: it can only transform into fire when combined with戊 earth. One view holds that戊 is born in寅 and癸 is in卯, both belonging to the east, where wood can generate fire, so戊 and癸 combine to form fire. This is indeed one explanation, but looking deeper: the earth is not full in the southeast direction (there is an old saying that "the earth is not full in the southeast"). The end of戊 earth is exactly where癸 water ends, and that is precisely the direction where the sun rises. Thus, their combination transforms into fire. Whenever戊 and癸 combine and the heavenly stem also reveals丙 or丁, regardless of their strength or weakness, even if they appear in autumn or winter, they can transform into fire. This transformation is most genuine—this is what is meant by "when戊 and癸 combine and fire appears, the transformation is truly evident." Thus, the ten discussions on the ten heavenly stems in the "Di Tian Mei" are completed. Upon reading through, one can see that it discusses the heavenly stems without using the ten god names, but directly speaks about the nature, what is favorable and what is unfavorable for each stem. This is the most vivid style in fortune telling, hence Yuan Shushan placed it first in the fourth volume "Yi Ji."

山陰沈孝瞻《子平真詮》云：天地之間，一氣而已。惟有動靜，遂分陰陽。有老少，遂分四象。老者極動靜之時，是為太陽太陰；少者初動初靜之際，是為少陰少陽。有是四象，而五行具於其中矣。水者，太陰也；火者，太陽也；木者，少陽也；金者，少陰也；土者，陰陽老少、木火金水沖氣所結也。

This passage quotes Shen Xiaozhan from his work "Zi Ping Zhen Quan," the opening discussion. He says: Between heaven and earth there is only one qi; this qi has movement and stillness, thus giving rise to yin and yang. Movement and stillness also have old and young, thus giving rise to the four images.the so-called "old" refers to when movement and stillness reach their extremes, which are the Taiyang (Sun) and Taoyin (Moon).the so-called "young" refers to when movement and stillness are just beginning, which are the Shaoyin and Shaoyang. With these four images, the Five Phases are included: water is Taoyin, fire is Taiyang, wood is Shaoyang, metal is Shaoyin, and earth is the harmonious blending of the old and young, yin and yang, and the four phases, resulting in the condensation of qi. This passage aims to find the origin of the Five Phases from "one qi," explaining that the Five Phases are not five separate substances, but rather names for the same qi in different states of movement and stillness. Understanding this is essential to comprehend why the same wood is further divided into Jia and Yi, and why the same寅 and卯 are also distinguished.

有是五行，何以又有十干十二支乎？蓋有陰陽，因生五行，而五行之中，各有陰陽。即以木論，甲乙者，木之陰陽也。甲者，乙之氣；乙者，甲之質。在天為生氣，而流行於萬物者，甲也；在地為萬物，而承茲生氣者，乙也。又細分之，生氣之散佈者，甲之甲，而生氣之凝成者，甲之乙；萬木之所以有枝葉者，乙之甲，而萬木之枝枝葉葉者，乙之乙也。方其為甲，而乙之氣已備；及其為乙，而甲之質乃堅。有是甲乙，而木之陰陽具矣。

Shen Xiaozhan then asked: Since there are the Five Phases, why are there also the ten heavenly stems and twelve earthly branches? The answer is: First there is yin and yang, then the Five Phases arise from them. Within the Five Phases, each one is further divided into yin and yang. Taking wood as an example, Jia and Yi represent the yin and yang aspects of wood. Jia is the "qi" of Yi, and Yi is the "substance" of Jia. The qi that spreads through the heavens and promotes growth in all things is Jia; the substance that forms the body of all things and receives this vital qi is Yi. Breaking it down further: the spreading out of vital qi is Jia within Jia; the gathering and forming of shape is Jia within Yi. The ability of all woods to sprout branches and leaves comes from Yi within Jia; while the specific forms of each branch and leaf come from Yi within Yi. When it is still Jia, the qi of Yi is already present; when it becomes Yi, the substance of Jia is then solidified. With the pair of Jia and Yi, the yin and yang of wood are complete. The key point here is the distinction between "qi" and "substance"—Jia and Yi are not two kinds of wood, but rather the two aspects of the same wood: its qi and its substance.

何以復有寅卯者，又與甲乙分陰陽天地而言之者也。以甲乙而分陰陽，則甲為陽，乙為陰，木之行於天而為陰陽者也。以寅卯而陰陽，則寅為陽，卯為陰，木之存乎地而為陰陽者也。以甲乙寅卯而統分陰陽，則甲乙為陽寅卯為陰，木之在天成象而在地成形者也。甲乙行乎天，而寅卯受之；寅卯存乎地，而甲乙施焉。是故甲乙如官長，寅卯如該管地方。甲祿於寅，乙祿於卯，如府官之在郡，縣官之在邑，而各司一月之令也。

So why are there also Yin and Mao in addition to Jia and Yi? This is dividing yin and yang again between heaven and earth. If we divide yin and yang only between Jia and Yi, with Jia as yang and Yi as yin, this represents the yin and yang of wood moving in the heavens. If we divide yin and yang only between Yin and Mao, with Yin as yang and Mao as yin, this represents the yin and yang of wood remaining in the earth. If we combine Jia, Yi, Yin, and Mao and divide them into yin and yang, then Jia and Yi are yang, and Yin and Mao are yin. This represents the distinction between the manifestation of wood in the heavens and its form in the earth. Jia and Yi move in the heavens, while Yin and Mao receive them; Yin and Mao remain in the earth, while Jia and Yi act upon them. Therefore, Jia and Yi are like officials, and Yin and Mao are like the territories they govern. Jia's strength is in Yin, and Yi's strength is in Mao, just as a prefect governs his prefecture and a county magistrate governs his county, each responsible for a month's season. This analogy is very apt: heavenly stems are flowing officials, and earthly branches are fixed territories. The same wood is in the heavens as a stem and in the earth as a branch; they cannot be confused with each other.

甲乙在天，故動而不居。建寅之月，豈必當甲？建卯之月，豈必當乙？寅卯在地，故止而不遷。甲雖遞易，月必建寅；乙雖遞易，月必建卯。以氣而論，甲旺於乙；以質而論，乙堅於甲。而俗書謬論，以甲為大林，盛而宜斬，乙為微苗，脆而莫傷，可為不知陰陽之理者矣。以木類推，餘者可知，惟土為木火金水沖氣，故寄旺於四時，而陰陽氣質之理，亦同此論。欲學命者，必須先知干支之說，然後可以入門。

Heavenly Stems are in the heavens, thus they are flowing and not fixed: in the first lunar month, the month builder is寅, but the heavenly stem of the month is not necessarily甲; in the second lunar month, the month builder is卯, but the heavenly stem of the month is not necessarily乙. 寅 and 卯 are in the earth, thus they are stationary and not moving: regardless of how the heavenly stems of the years change or how the heavenly stems of the months change, the first lunar month is always 寅 and the second lunar month is always 卯. In terms of 'energy,' 甲 is stronger than 乙; in terms of 'substance,' 乙 is harder than 甲. However, common books make arbitrary statements, saying that 甲 is like a big forest, which is too flourishing and should be cut down, and that 乙 is like a small young sprout, which is too weak to be touched. This is truly the work of someone who does not understand the principles of yin and yang. Using wood as an example, the other four elements can be understood similarly; only earth is the harmonious energy of wood, fire, metal, and water, thus it is strong in the four seasons. The principles of its yin and yang and substance are the same as above. Those who want to learn about destiny must first clearly understand this distinction between heavenly stems and earthly branches, and only then can they begin to enter the field. Shen Xiaozhan's discussion is the threshold of the entire Zi Ping school. Yuan Shushan recorded it after the discussion on the ten heavenly stems in the "Di Tian Mei," intending to provide the theoretical basis for why heavenly stems and earthly branches are divided in this way.

徐大升曰：金賴土生，土多金埋；土賴火生，火多土焦；火賴木生，木多火熾；木賴水生，水多木漂；水賴金生，金多水濁。金能生水，水多金沉；水能生木，木盛水縮；木能生火，火多木焚；火能生土，土多火埋；土能生金，金多土弱。

Xu Dasheng of the Song Dynasty discusses the concept of "excess and deficiency" in the Five Phases, which is one of the most practical sets of mnemonics for selecting the Useful God. The first set explains "too much of what generates me is harmful": gold relies on earth to be generated, but too much earth buries the gold; earth relies on fire to be generated, but too much fire burns the earth; fire relies on wood to be generated, but too much wood causes fire to become excessive and uncontrollable; wood relies on water to be generated, but too much water floats the wood and makes it rootless; water relies on metal to be generated, but too much metal makes the water murky. The second set explains "too much of what I generate is exhausting me": gold generates water, but too much water submerges the gold; water generates wood, but too much wood absorbs the water; wood generates fire, but too much fire burns the wood; fire generates earth, but too much earth buries the fire; earth generates metal, but too much metal weakens the earth. When these two sets are considered together, they represent the concepts of "heavy generation and buried self" and "excessive food and injury stealing energy" in命学. Readers should remember: mutual generation is beneficial, but when it becomes excessive, it leads to imbalance and problems.

金能剋木，木堅金缺；木能剋土，土重木折；土能剋水，水多土流；水能剋火，火多水熱；火能剋金，金多火熄。金衰遇火，必見銷鎔；火弱逢水，必為熄滅；水弱逢土，必為淤塞；土衰遇木，必遭傾陷；木弱逢金，必為砍折。強金得水，方挫其鋒；強水得木，方洩其勢；強木得火，方化其頑；強火得土，方止其焰。強土得金，方制其壅。

The third group explains "the one I overcome becomes too strong and harms me": metal can overcome wood, but if wood is too hard, metal is damaged; wood can overcome earth, but if earth is too thick, wood is broken; earth can overcome water, but if water is too much, earth is washed away; water can overcome fire, but if fire is too much, water is burned and evaporated; fire can overcome metal, but if metal is too much, fire is extinguished. The fourth group explains "when I am weak and meet the one that overcomes me, I will suffer serious harm": weak metal meets fire and is melted; weak fire meets water and is extinguished; weak water meets earth and is blocked; weak earth meets wood and is collapsed; weak wood meets metal and is cut. The fifth group explains "the strong should be released rather than restrained": excessive metal needs water to release its strength, thus reducing its sharpness; excessive water needs wood to release its flow, thus guiding its force; excessive wood needs fire to release its rigidity, thus softening it; excessive fire needs earth to release its intensity, thus controlling its flame; excessive earth needs metal to release its blockage, thus smoothing it. These five groups together form the outline of selecting the useful god: excess should be released or restrained, deficiency should be generated or supported, and release is often better than harsh restraint.

《窮通寶鑑》云：生於春月之木，餘寒猶有。得火溫燠，別無盤屈之患。得水潤之，而有舒暢之美。然水多則木溼，水缺則木枯，必須水火既濟方佳。至於土多則損力堪虞，土薄則豐財可許。如逢金重，見火無傷，假使木強，得金乃發。夏月之木，根幹葉燥，盤而且直，曲而已伸。欲其水盛，而成滋潤之力，誠不可少。忌其火旺，而招焚化之憂，故獨為凶。喜土在薄，不宜重厚，厚則反為災咎。惡金在多，不可欠缺，缺則不能琢削。重重見木，徒以成林。疊疊逢華，終無結果。

The "Qiong Tong Bao Jian" classifies the suitability and inappropriateness of each season based on the Five Phases of the day's main element, making it a convenient introductory table for the method of adjusting the climate. First, let's discuss wood. Wood born in spring still has residual cold; if it receives fire to warm it, it will not be curled and cramped; if it receives water to moisten it, it will be full of vitality and flourish. However, too much water makes the wood damp, and too little water makes the wood dry. Therefore, water and fire must be properly balanced ("Ji Ji") to be good. As for earth, too much earth drains the strength of wood, which is a concern; thin earth allows wood to loosen the earth and gain wealth, which is acceptable. If there is heavy metal, as long as fire controls the metal, it is not a problem; if the wood itself is strong, it actually needs metal to cut and shape it for prosperity. Wood born in summer has its roots, trunk, and leaves withered, though its form is upright, it has already reached its limit. It urgently needs abundant water to moisten it; this is absolutely essential. The greatest danger is excessive fire, which may cause burning. Therefore, summer wood particularly considers fire as harmful. It prefers thin earth rather than thick earth, as thick earth brings misfortune. It dislikes too much metal, but it cannot be entirely absent, for without metal, wood cannot be shaped into useful objects. If wood appears repeatedly, it only grows into a forest without bearing fruit; even if flowers bloom abundantly, they will not bear fruit.

秋月之木，氣漸淒涼，形漸凋敗。初秋之時，火氣未除，猶喜水土以相滋。中秋之令，果已成實，欲得剛金而修削。霜降後不宜水盛，水盛則木漂。寒露節又喜火炎，火炎則木實。木多有多材之美，土厚無己任之才。冬月之木，盤曲在地。欲土金而培養，惡水盛而亡形。金縱多不能克伐，火重見溫燠成功。歸根復命之時，木病安能輔助。惟忌死絕，只宜生旺。

Now about the wood of autumn and winter. Wood born in autumn gradually becomes bleak and withered, and should be divided into three stages to consider: in early autumn, the fire still lingers, so it still prefers water and earth to nourish it; in mid-autumn, the fruits are already formed, so it needs strong metal to shape it into an object; after the frost begins, too much water is not suitable, as excessive water would make the wood float and rootless; at the beginning of cold dew, it prefers fire to warm it, and with warmth, the wood can bear fruit. If there is much wood in autumn, it shows the beauty of having various qualities; if the earth is thick, then the wood lacks strength to bear responsibility ("lacks the talent to take on a role"). Wood born in winter is curled and hidden underground: it hopes for earth and metal to cultivate it, and it most dislikes excessive water which causes its form to vanish (too much water makes the wood float). Even if there is much metal, it cannot cut through it (winter wood is hidden, and the metal is also cold and weak); if there is much fire, several layers are needed to warm it successfully. At this time, it is the season when all things return to their roots, and the wood itself is already sick, so it cannot help others. Therefore, winter wood only fears being in a dead or dying state, and it is most suitable to be in a thriving and vigorous phase.