On the Favorable and Unfavorable Trends in a Person's Life (as seen in "Ziping Zhenquan")

《三命通會》云：流年者，逐年遊行之太歲也。主一年之禍福，為四時之吉凶，不可不細察之。經云：太歲乃眾煞之主，入命未必為凶，如逢戰鬥之鄉，必主刑傷本命。蓋太歲如君也，大運如臣也。君臣和悅，其年則吉；君臣戰鬥，其年則凶。經云：歲傷日主，有禍必輕；日犯歲君，見災必重。如庚金太歲克甲木日主，謂之歲傷日主，猶之君治臣，父治子，上治下，順也，雖有舛誤，必無大害。如甲木日主，克戊土太歲，謂之日犯歲君，猶之臣殺君，子殺父，下凌上，逆也，雖有理由，亦遭譴責。

The Complete Compendium of the Three Fates says: The flow year, or the current year's Tai Sui, is the Tai Sui that moves each year. It governs the fortune and misfortune of the year and the auspiciousness and misfortune of the four seasons. It must be carefully examined. The ancient classics say: Tai Sui is the master of all evils. Entering the destiny does not necessarily mean misfortune; only when it meets a place of conflict will it certainly cause injury to the native's destiny. Because Tai Sui is like a sovereign, and the big destiny is like a minister: when the sovereign and minister are harmonious, the year is auspicious; when they are in conflict, the year is inauspicious. The ancient classics also say: "When the year harms the day master, the disaster is light; when the day master harms the year's sovereign, the disaster is heavy." For example, when the Tai Sui of Geng Metal harms the day master of Jia Wood, it is called "the year harms the day master." This is like a sovereign governing a minister, a father governing a son, or the superior governing the inferior. It is a proper relationship, so even if there is a mistake, there will be no great harm. Conversely, when the day master of Jia Wood harms the Tai Sui of Wu Earth, it is called "the day master harms the year's sovereign." This is like a minister killing the sovereign, a son killing the father, or the inferior surpassing the superior. It is an inverted relationship, so even if the day master is right, it will still be condemned. This is the first principle in determining the flow year: between the day master and the Tai Sui, it is better to be controlled rather than to commit a transgression.

若五行有救，四柱有情，其禍較減，如甲木日主，克戊土太歲，四柱原有庚申金，或大運中亦有金制伏甲木，使之不敢克犯戊土，謂之五行有救。經云：戊己愁逢甲乙，干頭需要庚辛是也。如大運與四柱中有一癸字，與戊相合，謂之四柱有情。經云：壬以癸妹配戊，凶為吉兆是也。若二字具全，凶反為吉，有一字者，凶半，二字具無，凶不能解。經云：五行有救，其年反必為財；四柱無情，故論名為克歲是也。

However, if there is "Five Phases salvation" or "Four Pillars with affection," the calamity will be lessened. What is "Five Phases salvation"? For example, if the day master is Jia Wood and it overcomes Wu Earth as the year's stem, but the original Four Pillars already contain Geng Metal or Shen Metal, or the big year also has metal to control Jia Wood, making it unable to offend Wu Earth, this is called "Five Phases salvation." An ancient text says: "Wu and Ji fear meeting Jia and Yi; the heavenly stem must have Geng and Xin," which means exactly this. What is "Four Pillars with affection"? For example, if there is a Ji in the big year or Four Pillars that combines with Wu Earth (combination means no conflict), this is called "Four Pillars with affection." An ancient text says, "Ji, as the younger sister of Ren, combines with Wu, turning misfortune into good fortune," which also means this. If both control and combination are present, misfortune turns into good fortune; if only one is present, the misfortune is halved; if neither is present, the misfortune cannot be resolved. An ancient text says, "If there is Five Phases salvation, the year will surely bring wealth; if there is no affection in the Four Pillars, it is called 'overcoming the year'," which refers to this distinction. It is clear that the second step in judging the flow year is to check whether there is a controlling element or a combining element in the Four Pillars and big year.

又有真太歲，徵太歲之說，如甲子日主，逢甲子流年，謂之真太歲，又名轉趾煞，顯官得之，其年必有君臣慶會之喜；士人得之，亦主雲程進步。惟必須與大運用神協和乃吉，若值刑沖破害則凶。常人遇之，尤主災訟，如癸巳日主，逢丁亥流年，日主干支沖剋太歲干支，亦曰真，皆主凶禍。

There are also two terms, "true Tai Sui" and "prosperity Tai Sui." For example, if the day pillar is Jiazi and the year pillar is also Jiazi, the day pillar and the Tai Sui share the same heavenly stem and earthly branch, which is called "true Tai Sui," also known as "turning foot demon." Officials who encounter this will surely experience joy from the emperor and ministers; scholars will also see progress in their careers. However, it must be in harmony with the useful god of the big year to be auspicious. If it meets punishment and clash, breakage and harm, it will be inauspicious. Common people encountering this are especially prone to disasters and lawsuits. Another example is when the day pillar is Guisi and the year pillar is Dinghai, the heavenly stems and earthly branches of the day pillar and the Tai Sui are in direct conflict (Ding and Gui clash, Si and Hai clash), which is also called "true Tai Sui." This type is generally inauspicious. It is clear that "true Tai Sui" includes both the same and conflicting types. The same does not necessarily bring complete good fortune, while the conflicting type will certainly bring misfortune.

如甲子流年，逢甲子大運，謂之歲運並臨，獨羊刃、七煞為凶，財官、印綬乃吉。經云：歲運並臨，災殃立至。此指羊刃、七煞言也。大抵日主犯歲君，五陽干重，五陰干輕。若日主帶二德，太歲值用神，則反有益矣；若天沖地擎，柱中原有，流年再見，亦無大凶。若太歲剋制生時，或生時克犯太歲，亦主有災，當以子位斷之。真太歲與徵太歲義同。

For example, if the year of a person's life is Jiazi and their big luck year is also Jiazi, this is called "years and luck coincide." This situation is only dangerous when the combination of heavenly stem and earthly branch is Yangren or seven evils. If it is wealth, official star, or supporting star, it is actually beneficial. The ancient text says, "years and luck coincide, calamity arrives immediately," referring specifically to Yangren and seven evils. Generally speaking, when the day master is offended by the year's stem, the five yang stems are more serious, while the five yin stems are less so. If the day master is accompanied by the Heavenly Virtue and Monthly Virtue stars, or if the year's stem is exactly the useful god, it is actually beneficial. If there is a clash between the heavenly stems and a confrontation between the earthly branches, and the original four pillars already have such clashes, and the year repeats this, it is not extremely dangerous. If the year's stem controls the time stem, or the time stem offends the year's stem, it indicates disaster—because the time stem represents children, so this kind of disaster should be attributed to the children's position. As for "offending the year's stem," its meaning is the same as the true year's stem.

《滴天髓》云：休囚繫乎運，尤繫乎歲，戰沖視孰降，和好視孰切。日主譬如吾身，局中之神，譬之舟馬引從之人，大運譬所到之地，故重地支，未嘗無天干。太歲譬所遇之人，故重天干，未償無地支。必先明一日主，配合七字，權其輕重，看喜行何運，忌行何運。如甲日以氣機看春，以人心看仁，以物理看木，大率看氣機而餘在其中。遇庚辛申酉字面，如春而行之於秋，新伐其生生這機，又看喜與不喜，而行運生甲伐甲之地，何斷其休咎也。太歲一至，休咎即顯，於是詳論戰沖和好之勢，而得勝負適從之機，則休咎瞭然在目。

The "Ditian Sui" says: "The weakness and confinement of a heavenly stem depend on the great destiny and especially on the annual stem; when there is conflict, we look at which side is willing to submit; when there is harmony, we look at which side is more intimate." This means that the rise and fall of a person's destiny depend on the great destiny, and even more so on the annual stem; when there is conflict, we see which side is willing to yield; when there is harmony, we see which side is more affectionate. The commentary gives a very good analogy: the day master is like myself; the various heavenly stems in the chart are like ships, horses, and accompanying people; the great destiny is like the place we are going to, so we pay more attention to the earth branch, but the heavenly stem is not without relevance; the annual stem is like the people we meet on the way, so we pay more attention to the heavenly stem, but the earth branch is not without relevance. When making a judgment, we must first understand the day master, combine it with the other seven characters, weigh their importance, and see what kind of destiny is favorable and what is unfavorable. For example, if the day master is Jia (甲), from the perspective of the vital energy, it is spring; from the perspective of human nature, it is benevolence; from the perspective of physical things, it is wood. Generally speaking, the vital energy is the main aspect, and the other two aspects are included within it. If it encounters the characters Geng (庚), Xin (辛), Shen (申), or You (酉), it is like spring suddenly arriving at autumn, cutting off its continuous vitality (the original text says "xin fa" but should be "zhuo fa," and "zhe ji" should be "zhi ji"). Then we look at whether it is favorable or not, and whether the destiny moves to a place that nourishes Jia or harms Jia, and based on this we judge its fortune or misfortune. When the annual stem arrives, good or bad fortune immediately becomes evident, so we carefully discuss the conflict, opposition, harmony, and intimacy, to determine who wins and who loses, and where to go, thus making the fortune or misfortune of the year clear.

按：如甲木日主，生春月，局中有金，堪作制木成財之用，此即舟馬引從之人物合格矣。若再逢金土歲運，輔佐用神，此即行舟順水，馬走平堤，而又遇吉人之相，安得不貞祥獲福哉。若局中無金，用神缺乏，歲運又不逢金土，此即未得舟馬引從之功，而有逆流懸巖，所遇非人之險，安得不生災禍哉。若局中無金，而歲運得土金，補其缺點，此破船遇順風，高人來摧手之兆，雖危亦安，不可盡作凶言，舉甲為例，他可類推。

Yuan Shushan remarked that the above analogy can be applied to three different situations. The first situation is when the Jia wood day master is born in the spring month, and the chart contains metal, which is exactly suitable for controlling the wood and serving as a wealth star. This is like having a boat and horse with attendants all properly arranged. If further aided by the flow years and big luck years of metal and earth, it would be like sailing smoothly with the current and riding safely on flat ground, and encountering helpful people along the way. How could misfortune not be avoided and blessings not be obtained? The second situation is when the chart lacks metal, the useful god is missing, and the flow years and big luck years also fail to meet metal or earth. This is like having neither boat nor horse with attendants, and encountering adverse currents and cliffs, meeting dangerous people, so how could misfortune not occur? The third situation is when the chart lacks metal, but the flow years and big luck years provide earth and metal to make up for the deficiency. This is like a broken boat encountering favorable winds and a wise person extending a helping hand. Although in danger, it is still safe, and cannot be universally judged as bad. Here, Jia wood is used as an example, and the other four elements can be similarly inferred. This annotation translates the analogy from "Di Tian Mei" into three practical judgments, making it the most practical passage in the entire book regarding the assessment of years and luck.

如丙運庚年，謂之運伐歲。若日主喜庚，要丙降，得丙者吉，日主喜丙，則歲不降運，得戊己以和為妙。如庚坐寅午，丙之力量大，則歲運亦不得不降，降之亦保無禍。庚運丙年，謂之歲伐運，日主喜庚，得戊己以和丙者吉；日主喜丙，則運不降歲，又不可用戊己洩助庚。若庚坐寅午，丙之力量大，則運自降歲，亦保無患。

This section discusses the concept of "battle" between the ten heavenly stems of the big year and the small year. For example, if one is in the Bing (丙) big year and encounters a Geng (庚) small year, Bing fire overcomes Geng metal, which is called "the big year overcomes the small year." If the day's main element favors Geng metal, then Bing fire should be subdued. If a year can control Bing fire, it is auspicious. If the day's main element favors Bing fire, then the small year refuses to yield to the big year. In this case, the best solution is to use Wu (戊) or Ji (己) earth to harmonize and balance the fire and earth, as earth generates metal and metal generates water. If the Geng metal is located on寅 (Yin) or 午 (Wu), which are the growth and prosperity positions of fire, the strength of fire dominates, so the small year will have to yield, and this can prevent misfortune. Conversely, if one is in the Geng (庚) big year and encounters a Bing (丙) small year, Bing fire overcomes Geng metal, which is called "the small year overcomes the big year." If the day's main element favors Geng metal, then using Wu (戊) or Ji (己) earth to harmonize Bing fire is auspicious. If the day's main element favors Bing fire, then the big year refuses to yield to the small year, and it is not advisable to use Wu (戊) or Ji (己) earth to weaken Bing fire and strengthen Geng metal. If Geng metal is located on寅 (Yin) or 午 (Wu), the strength of fire dominates, so the big year will naturally yield to the small year, and this can prevent trouble. The principle of judgment is simple: look at which side the day's main element favors, and that side should prevail.

如子運午年，謂之運沖歲，日主喜子，則要助子，又得年之干頭，遇制午之神，或午之黨多，干頭遇戊甲字者必凶。如午運子年，謂之歲沖運，日主喜午，而子之黨多，干頭助子者必凶；日主喜子，而午之黨少，干頭助子者必吉，若午重子輕，則不降，亦無咎。

This section discusses the concept of "conflict" between the big years and the current year's earthly branches. For example, if one is in the Zi (Water) big year and encounters a Wu (Fire) year, the Zi and Wu branches conflict, which is called "the big year conflicting with the current year." At this time, if the day's main element benefits from Zi water, one should try to support Zi water, and also the heavenly stem of the current year should meet a god that can control Wu fire. Conversely, if Wu fire has many allies (earthly branches have寅 and 戌 to form a fire trinity), and the heavenly stem of the current year meets Wu earth (which drains fire to generate metal but also controls water) or Ji wood (which generates fire), then it will definitely be bad. Conversely, if one is in the Wu big year and encounters a Zi year, it is called "the current year conflicting with the big year." At this time, if the day's main element benefits from Wu fire, and Zi water has many allies, and the heavenly stem also supports Zi water, then it will definitely be bad; if the day's main element benefits from Zi water, and Wu fire has few allies, and the heavenly stem also supports Zi water, then it will definitely be good; if Wu fire is strong and Zi water is weak, and Wu fire refuses to submit, then there will be no harm. Judging conflicts is similar to judging battles. First, look at what the day's main element prefers, then examine the number of allies on both sides and the support from the heavenly stems.

按：以上兩條，但言大運沖伐太歲，太歲沖伐大運，並未言日主沖伐太歲，太歲沖伐日主，當與《三命通會》論太歲篇，參觀互證，乃為精確。

Yuan Shushan remarked: The above two points regarding "battle" and "clash" only discuss the cases where the big destiny year clashes with the heavenly stem of the year and the heavenly stem of the year clashes with the big destiny year. They do not address the case where the day master clashes with the heavenly stem of the year or the heavenly stem of the year clashes with the day master. Therefore, readers should refer to the section "Discussing the Flowing Year" from the Complete Compendium of the Three Fates, specifically the part discussing "the year harming the day master" and "the day master offending the year's ruler," for mutual verification in order to make an accurate judgment. This remark reminds readers that the relationship between the year and the destiny year actually involves three parties—the day master, the big destiny year, and the flowing year. The Dropping of the Heavenly Mandate only discusses the interaction between the destiny year and the flowing year. The direct interaction between the day master and the flowing year's heavenly stem needs to be supplemented from the Complete Compendium of the Three Fates. When judging the fortune or misfortune of a particular year, all three parties should be taken into account.

如乙運庚年，庚運乙年則和，日主喜金則吉，日主喜木則不吉，子運丑年，丑運子年，日主喜土則吉，喜水則不吉。

This section discusses the concept of "harmony" in the interaction between the heavenly stems and earthly branches, which refers to the mutual combination of heavenly stems or earthly branches. For example, if one is in the Yi stem cycle and encounters the Geng stem year, or in the Geng stem cycle and encounters the Yi stem year, the Yi and Geng stems combine, which is called "harmony." When there is harmony, it transforms into metal, so if the day's main element (day master) favors metal, it is auspicious; if it favors wood, it is inauspicious (the Yi wood is combined away and cannot be used for the day master's benefit). Another example is when one is in the Zi branch cycle and encounters the Chou branch year, or in the Chou branch cycle and encounters the Zi branch year, the Zi and Chou branches combine to form earth, so if the day master favors earth, it is auspicious; if it favors water, it is inauspicious (the Zi water is combined away). Therefore, "harmony" is not always beneficial: if the combined element is a hostile god (忌神), it is auspicious; if the combined element is a favorable god (喜神), it is inauspicious. The key lies in which element is being combined away.

如庚運辛年，辛運庚年，申運酉年，酉運申年，則好。日主喜陽，則庚與申為好，喜陰，則辛與酉為好，凡此皆宜類推。

This section discusses the concept of "good" in the relationship between the big year and the current year, meaning that the big year and the current year belong to the same element but differ in yin and yang. For example, if one is in the Geng big year and encounters the Xin year, or in the Xin big year and encounters the Geng year; or in the Shen big year and encounters the You year, or in the You big year and encounters the Shen year—since their elemental nature is the same and they are close to each other, this is called "good." At this time, if the day's main element prefers yang, then Geng and Shen on the yang side are considered good; if the day's main element prefers yin, then Xin and You on the yin side are considered good. The same principle can be applied to other elements. After discussing the four relationships—struggle, conflict, harmony, and good—the four basic relationships for determining the big year and current year in "Di Tian Mei" are complete: mutual control is struggle, mutual conflict is conflict, mutual harmony is harmony, and same element is good. Regardless of which relationship it is, ultimately it must return to the general principle that what the day's main element prefers will bring good fortune if it prevails, and bad fortune if what it dislikes prevails.

按：以上斷命流年宜忌之理，條分縷晰，不難玩索而知。至於宮限宜忌，諸書皆未詳言，世人每多不察，殊不知命宮繫一生榮枯，小限繫一年之休咎，豈可不重視之耶。如丙火夏生，喜水濟之，八字中水無一點，恰逢命宮之壬水子水，補其缺乏，則一生受益無窮矣。如小限逢戊土克之，或午火沖之，則一年不幸矣。

Yuan Shushan said: The above explanation of the favorable and unfavorable aspects of the flow year is clearly divided and elaborated, making it easy to understand and appreciate. As for the favorable and unfavorable aspects of the natal palace and the minor limit, no book has given detailed explanations, and people often neglect them. However, it is unknown that the natal palace relates to one's entire life of prosperity and decline, while the minor limit relates to the fortune or misfortune of a single year. How can we ignore them? Let me give an example: if a person with propitious fire is born in summer, the fire is intense and the earth is dry, and water is desired to balance it. However, if there is no water in the birth chart, but the natal palace is壬 water or子 water, it would exactly make up for this deficiency, benefiting the person throughout their life. Conversely, if during a certain year the minor limit encounters戊 earth to overcome this壬 water, or午 fire to clash with this子 water, that year would be unfortunate. This is using the natal palace as the "ninth character outside the birth chart"—it can make up for the deficiency in the birth chart and can also be broken by the minor limit.

又如庚金秋生，喜火煉之，八字中僅有一點丁火，或巳火，堪作用神，恰逢命宮之癸水克之，或亥水沖之，則一生困難多矣。如小限逢午逢申，即可助用神之丁，合神之巳，籍生化克，籍合解沖，則一年利達多矣。舉此一例，不過略言大概，其中神奇變化，不可思議，要在智者細心體驗之。

Another example in reverse:庚 metal is born in autumn, when metal is strong and dominant. It prefers fire to refine it. In the four pillars of destiny, if there is only a single Ding fire or Si fire, it can serve as the useful god. However, if the natal palace happens to be癸 water, which restrains Ding fire, or亥 water, which conflicts with Si fire, then the person will face many difficulties throughout their life. But if in a particular year, the small limit (small period) coincides with午 or申, the situation changes.午 can support the useful god Ding fire (as午 is the禄 of Ding), and申 can combine with巳 (as巳 and申 combine). Thus, the restraint is resolved through mutual generation, and the conflict is resolved through combination, making that year very smooth and prosperous. Yuan Shushan said: this example is only a rough illustration. The miraculous changes involved are beyond imagination, and they rely entirely on wise people to carefully experience them. When these two passages are read together, they present the complete method used in this book for using the natal palace and the small limit: the natal palace reveals the whole life, while the small limit reveals the situation of a single year.

《三命通會》云：夫小運者，補大運之不足而立名也。然必須先詳八字衰旺喜忌，然後與大運及用神互相較量，吉凶乃定。至於幼童未交大運，尤宜用此法衡之。大致行死絕煞旺之宮，多主危難；行長生臨官之地，多主安寧耳。

The Complete Compendium of the Three Fates says: The concept of small years is established to complement the deficiencies of the large years. However, when using it, one must first carefully examine the prosperity and decline, as well as the favorable and unfavorable factors of the birth chart. Then compare it with the large years and the useful god to determine fortune and misfortune. One must not ignore the original birth chart and only look at the small years. As for the years when a child has not yet reached the large years, they should especially be assessed using the small years. In general, when the small years reach the death or绝 positions or the strong evil positions, they often indicate danger; when they reach the growth or officialdom positions, they often indicate safety. This corresponds with section two "Method of Calculating Small Years" which explains how to calculate small years from the time pillar. Here, the principles of judging fortune and misfortune of small years are discussed. Only by combining these two sections can the understanding be complete.

《滴天髓》云：造化起於元，亦止於貞。再肇貞元之會，胚胎嗣續之機。三元皆有貞元。如以八字看，以年為元，月為亨，日為利，時為貞。年月吉者，前半世吉，日時吉者，後半世吉。以大運看，以初十五年為元，次十五年為亨，中十五年為利，後十五年為貞。元亨運吉者，前半世吉，利貞運吉者，後半世吉，皆貞元之道。

The Dripping Sky's Essence says: "Creation begins with Yuan and ends with Zhen; again, the meeting of Zhen and Yuan arises, marking the beginning of the continuation of life." The four characters Yuan, Heng, Li, and Zhen are borrowed from the first hexagram of the Zhou Changes (I Ching), used to divide a person's life into four stages. The commentary explains that the three yuan—Heavenly Yuan, Earthly Yuan, and Human Yuan—each have their own Zhen and Yuan. In terms of the eight characters, the year pillar is considered Yuan, the month pillar Heng, the day pillar Li, and the hour pillar Zhen. If the year and month pillars are auspicious, the first half of life is auspicious; if the day and hour pillars are auspicious, the latter half of life is auspicious. In terms of the ten-year large cycles, the first fifteen years are Yuan, the next fifteen Heng, the next fifteen Li, and the last fifteen Zhen. If the Yuan and Heng periods are auspicious, the first half of life is auspicious; if the Li and Zhen periods are auspicious, the latter half of life is auspicious. All of this follows the way of Zhen and Yuan, meaning dividing one's life into four parts for observation.

然有貞元之妙存焉，非特絕處逢生、北盡東來之意也。至於仁之壽終矣，而既終之後，運之所行，果所喜者歟？則其家必興；果所忌者歟？則其家必替。蓋以父為貞，子為元也。貞下起元之妙，生生不息之機。予著此論，非欲人知考之年，而示天下萬世，實所以驗奕世之兆，而知數之不可逃也。學者勖之！

However, there is another more profound meaning within "Zhenyuan" (贞元). It is not only about turning a corner in adversity, or exhausting the north and turning east (i.e., the end of winter and the coming of spring). It also signifies that after a person's death, his main destiny continues to unfold. If the subsequent years of destiny align with what he favored in life, his family will flourish; if they align with what he disliked, his family will decline. This is because the father's generation is "Zhen" (the end of a cycle), and the son's generation is "Yuan" (the beginning of the next cycle). The transition from Zhen to Yuan represents the mechanism of continuous generation and renewal. The author says: I write this essay not to determine the year of a father's death, but to reveal to the world that it can verify signs across generations, thereby showing that fate is unavoidable. Scholars should take heed. This passage extends the concept of destiny from an individual's life to the transmission between father and son, making it the most philosophical part in "Di Tian Mei" (滴天髓).

按：余每觀一種困厄之士，甫行好運，而即病逝，甫掌握兵柄，而即陣亡。及其逝後，往往子孫發達，聲名洋溢，世人聞之，莫不有才到榮華壽有終之憾。而餘亦百思莫知其故，及讀此論，疑義乃明。繼又讀紀文達《閱微草堂筆記》，載常見一術士云，凡陣亡將士，推其死綏之歲月，運必極盛，蓋盡節一時，垂名千古，馨香百世，榮逮子孫，所得有在王侯將相之上者故也。於是而益信貞元之論，具有至理，發前人所未發也。

Yuan Shushan remarked: I have often seen a kind of people inpredicament, who just as they were about to meet good fortune, died of illness; just as they were about to take up military power, died in battle. After their death, their descendants often became successful and their names spread far and wide. When people heard about this, they all felt regretful about "reaching prosperity but dying before his time." I also could not understand the reason behind it. But after reading this section on "Zhenyuan," my confusion was completely cleared up - originally, that good fortune did not fail, but it was realized in their descendants. Later, I also read Ji Yun's (posthumous name Wen Da) "Yue Wei Cao Tang Bi Ji," which records that a common diviner often said: whenever soldiers died in battle, calculating the year and month of their martyrdom, their great destiny was certainly at its peak. Because they sacrificed themselves at once, they gained a lasting reputation, their virtue spread throughout the world, their glory extended to their descendants, and the rewards they received surpassed those of kings and generals. Thus, I became even more convinced that the theory of Zhenyuan has profound truth, which was not previously expressed. This annotation shows Yuan Shushan's efforts in reading and experience, and also finds a practical point for the somewhat mysterious theory mentioned earlier.

《滴天髓》云：夫妻因緣宿世來，喜神有意傍天財。按：妻與子一也，局中有喜神，一生富貴在於是，妻子在於是。大率依財看妻，如喜神即是財神，其妻美而富貴，喜神與財神不相妒忌，亦好，否則克妻，或不美，或欠和。然看財神，又有活法，如財神薄，須用助財。財旺身弱，又喜比劫，財神傷印者，要官星。財薄官多者要傷官。財氣未行，要沖者沖，瀉者瀉。財氣流通，要合者合，庫者庫。若財神瀉氣太重，比劫太露。及身旺無財者，必非夫婦全美也。至於財旺身強，必富貴而妻妾。用者當審辯其輕重如何。

The "Ditianmou" discusses the Six Relations in four sentences, and this is the first one: "The relationship between husband and wife is determined in previous lives; the wife is considered by whether the Favorable God is close to the Wealth Star." This means that the connection between husband and wife is predestined, and when examining the wife, one should look at whether the Favorable God is associated with the Wealth Star. Yuan Shushan comments: examining the wife is the same as examining the son—when there is a Favorable God in the chart, one's entire fortune depends on it, and so does the wife and the son. Generally, one should examine the Wealth Star to determine the wife: if the Favorable God is exactly the Wealth Star, then the wife is both beautiful and wealthy; if the Favorable God and the Wealth Star do not conflict, it is also good; otherwise, it may lead to the wife being unkind, or the wife not being beautiful, or the couple not getting along. However, examining the Wealth Star also has different methods: if the Wealth Star is weak, one should use the Food or Injury Stars to assist the Wealth Star; if the Wealth Star is strong but the body is weak, one should prefer the Same Kind Stars to support the body; if the Wealth Star harms the Official Star, one should use the Official Star to mediate; if the Wealth Star is weak but the Official Star is excessive, one should use the Injury Star to control the Official Star and protect the Wealth Star. If the Wealth Star's energy is not flowing smoothly, one should break it by conflict or release it; if the Wealth Star's energy is already flowing, one should combine it or store it. If the Wealth Star is excessively released, or the Same Kind Stars are too obvious, or if the body is strong but there is no Wealth Star at all, then the husband and wife will certainly not be harmonious. However, if the Wealth Star is strong and the body is also strong, then one will certainly be wealthy and have many wives and concubines. Those who use this method should carefully distinguish the importance of each factor.

子女根枝一世傳，喜神看與殺相連。按：大約依官看子，如喜神即是官星，其子賢俊。喜神與官星不相妒亦好，否則無子，或不肖，或有克。然看官星又須活法，如官輕要助官，煞重身輕，又須印比，無官只論財。若官星阻滯，要生扶沖法，官星洩氣太重，須合逢助。若煞重身輕而無子者，必多女。

The second sentence: "Children are like the roots and branches of a tree, passed down through generations; to see about children, look at whether the auspicious god is connected with the official star." Yuan Shushan explains: generally, one should look at the official star to determine children. If the auspicious god is exactly the official star, then the son is virtuous and outstanding. If the auspicious god and the official star do not conflict, it is also good. Otherwise, there may be no children, or the children may be unvirtuous, or there may be problems of harming children. However, looking at the official star also requires flexibility: if the official star is weak, one should strengthen it (using wealth to generate official star); if the evil star is strong and the body is weak, one should use the minister star or similar stars to support the body; if there is no official star at all, then one should look at wealth (wealth can generate official star). If the official star is blocked, one should use methods to generate and support or to break through the block; if the official star is overly drained, one should use harmony to assist. If there are no children due to strong evil stars and a weak body, it is mostly because there are many daughters. Clearly, looking at children and looking at spouse are similar in that they both depend on the relationship between the auspicious god and the relevant star.

父母或降與或替，歲月所關果非細。按：子平之法，以偏財為父，以正印為母，而斷其吉凶，十有九驗。然看歲月為緊，歲氣有益於月令者，及歲月不傷夫喜神者，父母必昌。歲月財氣斫喪於時支者，先克父；歲月印綬斫喪於時支者，先克母。又須活看局中大勢，不可專泥財印論，中間隱隱露露，其興旺之機，不必在財印，看生財、生印，與財生、印生之神，而損益舒配，並及陰陽多寡之論，無不驗矣。

The third sentence: "The prosperity or decline of parents is closely related to the year and month pillars; this is no small matter." It means that the rise or fall of parents is greatly connected with the year pillar and the month pillar (the original text says "or decrease" but should be "or rise"). Yuan Shushan comments: In the method of Zi Ping, the partial wealth is considered as father and the proper education is considered as mother. By using these to judge fortune and misfortune, it is verified nine times out of ten. However, the key is to look at the year and month pillars: if the energy of the year pillar benefits the month pillar, and if the year and month pillars do not harm the favorable gods, then the parents will certainly be prosperous. If the wealth energy of the year and month pillars is harmed by the hour branch, then the father will be harmed first; if the education energy of the year and month pillars is harmed by the hour branch, then the mother will be harmed first. In addition, one must consider the overall situation flexibly, and not rigidly rely on the terms of wealth and education. Sometimes these elements are hidden or apparent; the key to the prosperity of parents may not lie directly in wealth and education themselves. One must also consider the gods that generate wealth and education, as well as the gods generated by wealth and education, weighing their gains and losses, and adding the reasoning of the quantity of yin and yang. In this way, there will be no case that does not verify.

兄弟誰廢與誰興，提用財神看重輕。按：敗財、比肩、羊刃皆兄弟也。要在提綱之神，與財神喜神，較其輕重。財官弱，三者顯其攘奪之跡，兄弟必強；財官旺，三者其助主之功，兄弟必美；身與財官兩平，三者伏而不凶，兄弟必貴；比肩重而傷官財煞亦旺者，兄弟必富；身旺而三者不顯，有印，兄弟必多；身旺而三者又顯，無官，兄弟必衰。

The fourth sentence: "Which brothers will decline and which will rise, depends on comparing the heavenly stem of the month (the main theme) with the useful god and the wealth star to determine their strength." Yuan Shushan comments: The three elements of lost wealth, same zhi, and yang ren all represent brothers. The key is to compare the heavenly stem of the month with the wealth star and the auspicious god to determine their strength. If the wealth and official stars are weak, and these three elements show signs of competition, then the brothers will be strong (stronger than me); if the wealth and official stars are strong, and these three elements help the day master, then the brothers will be good; if the day master and wealth and official stars are balanced, and these three elements are hidden and not harmful, then the brothers will be prosperous; if the same zhi is strong and the injurious star, wealth, and evil star are also strong (same zhi has a way out and does not take away wealth), then the brothers will be wealthy; if the day master is strong and these three elements are not apparent, and there is also a seal star in the fate, then the brothers will be numerous; if the day master is strong and these three elements are apparent, but there is no official star to control them in the fate, then the brothers will be weak. The four sentences on the six relations in "Di Tian Mei" end here. The general rule is: to determine the fortune or misfortune of a relative, look at the ten heavenly stem that represents that relative and its relationship with the overall auspicious god.

《子平真詮》云： 大凡命中吉凶，於人愈近，其驗益靈。富貴貧賤，本身之事，無論矣，至於六親，妻以配身，子為後嗣，亦是切身之事。故看命者，妻財子提綱得力，或年干有用，皆主父母身所自出，亦自有驗。所以提綱得力，或年干有用，皆主父母雙全得力。至於祖宗兄弟，不甚驗矣。

The book "Ziping Zhenquan" says: Generally speaking, the fortune or misfortune in a person's destiny is more accurate when it relates to those closer in relation. Wealth, poverty, nobility, and humility are matters concerning oneself, so they need not be discussed. As for the Six Relations, wife and I are spouses, children are my descendants, and these are all matters closely related to me, so those who interpret destinies can accurately predict the wife's and children's fortunes. Parents are from whom I come, and if the month stem (month's main element) is strong or the year stem is useful, they will both be healthy and supportive, and the prediction will be accurate as well. However, for ancestors and brothers, who are more distant relations, the predictions are not as accurate. (The original text has a disorder in the phrase "wife and child's stem is strong," which repeats the next sentence. Readers should interpret it as "As for parents, if the month stem is strong or the year stem is useful, both parents will be healthy and supportive.") This passage first establishes a general rule: the accuracy of predicting the Six Relations in destiny is directly proportional to the closeness of the relationship.

以妻論之，坐下財官，妻當賢貴；然亦有坐財官而妻不利，逢傷刃而妻反吉者，何也？此蓋月令用神，配成喜忌。如妻宮坐財，吉也，而印格逢之，反為不美。妻坐官，吉也，而傷官逢之，豈能順意？妻坐傷官，凶也，而財格逢之，可以生財，煞格逢之，可以制煞，反主妻能內助。妻坐陽刃，凶也，而或財官煞傷等格，四柱已成格局，而日主無氣，全憑日刃幫身，則妻必能相關。其理不可執一。

First, we discuss the wife. If the day branch (wife's position) is occupied by a wealth star or an official star, the wife should be virtuous and of high status. However, there are cases where the wife's position is occupied by wealth or official stars yet the wife is not beneficial, or where the wife's position is occupied by a harmful star or the Yang Blade yet the wife is actually favorable. Why is this so? Because we must also consider the favorable and unfavorable elements determined by the monthly stem and branch's useful god. For example, if the wife's position is occupied by wealth, which is generally favorable, but the pattern is based on the use of the seal star (the seal star is the useful god), then the wealth star will destroy the seal star, which is not good. Similarly, if the wife's position is occupied by an official star, which is generally favorable, but the pattern is based on the use of the harmful star (the harmful star is the useful god), then the harmful star encountering the official star will not be harmonious. Conversely, if the wife's position is occupied by a harmful star, which is generally unfavorable, but the pattern is based on the use of wealth, then the harmful star can actually generate wealth; or if the pattern is based on the use of harmful stars, then the harmful star can control the harmful star, and the wife will be able to provide internal support. If the wife's position is occupied by the Yang Blade, which is generally unfavorable, but the pattern is based on wealth, officials, harmful stars, or harmful stars, and the day's main element is weak, relying entirely on the Yang Blade in the day branch to support the main element, then the wife will certainly provide assistance. Clearly, this principle cannot be fixed in one way. The favorable or unfavorable nature of the wife's position must be evaluated within the overall pattern's favorable and unfavorable elements.

既看妻宮，又看妻星。妻星者，干頭之財也。妻透而成局，若官格透財、印多逢財、食傷透財為用之類，即坐下無用，亦主內助。妻透而破格，若印輕財露、食神傷官、透煞逢財之類，即坐下有用，亦防刑剋。又有妻透成格，或妻宮有用而坐下刑沖，未免得美妻而難偕老。又若妻星兩透，偏正雜出，何一夫而多妻？亦防刑剋之道也。

To assess a wife, one must not only examine the "Wife's Palace" (the Day Branch) but also the "Wife's Star" (the heavenly stem's wealth star). If the wife's star appears and helps form a harmonious pattern, such as when the official star pattern is supported by the wealth star, or when there is an excess of official stars and the wealth star reduces this excess, or when the food and injury stars are supported by the wealth star, then even if the Day Branch is not useful, the wife can provide internal support. However, if the wife's star appears and disrupts the pattern, such as when the official star is weak and the wealth star appears (wealth destroys official), or when the food and injury stars are in a pattern and the wealth star appears (wealth generates harmful stars), then even if the Day Branch is useful, one should be cautious of marital conflicts. Another situation is when the wife's star appears and forms a harmonious pattern, or the Wife's Palace is already a useful element, but the Day Branch is subjected to punishment and clash, which may lead to a beautiful wife but not a long-lasting marriage. Also, if both the official and the secondary wealth stars appear, resulting in multiple wealth stars, it is impossible for a single husband to have two wives. This is also a sign of marital conflict. In summary, to assess a wife, one must examine both the "Wife's Palace" and the "Wife's Star." Only when both are not disrupted can the wife's situation be considered harmonious.

至於子息，其看宮分與星所透喜忌，理與論妻略同。但看子息，長生沐浴之歌，亦當熟讀，如“長生四子中旬半，沐浴一雙保吉祥，冠帶臨官三子位，旺中五子自成行，衰中二子病中一，死中至老沒兒郞，除非養取他之子，入墓之時命夭亡，受氣為絕一個子，胎中頭產養姑娘，養中三子只留一，男子宮中子細詳”是也。

As for children, one should examine the hour branch (the position of the child's palace) and the auspicious or inauspicious nature of the stars that appear. The principle is similar to that used for assessing a spouse. However, when considering children, there is a poem called "The Song of Longevity and Bathing" that should be memorized. It determines the number of children based on the position of the child star within the twelve cycles of the hour branch. The poem goes: the position of Longevity indicates four children, with possibly half of them being female; the position of Bathing indicates one pair of children, which is auspicious; the positions of Capping and Officialdom each indicate three children; the position of Prosperity indicates five children; the position of Decline indicates two children; the position of Sickness indicates one child; the position of Death indicates no children in old age; the position of Burial indicates that even if there are children, they will die young, unless they are adopted; the position of Extinction (where the child is conceived) indicates one child; the position of Fetus indicates that the first child is a girl; and the position of Nurturing indicates three children, but only one remains. For men, the number of children should be carefully analyzed based on the hour branch. It should be noted that this is only a rough estimate from ancient methods, and actual interpretation should also refer to the following practical considerations.

然長生論法，用陽而不用陰。如甲乙日只用庚金長生，巳酉丑順數之局，而不用辛金逆數之子申辰。雖書有官為女煞為男之說，然終不可以甲用庚男而用陽局，乙用辛男而陰局。蓋木為日主，不問甲乙，總以庚為男辛為女，其理為然，拘於官煞，其能驗乎？

However, when using the Longevity Rule to determine children, there is a rule: only the yang stems are used, not the yin stems. For example, on a Jia day or a Yi day, only the yang metal stem Geng is used for the Longevity (Geng's Longevity is in Si; following the order of Si, You, Chou for the twelve transformations), and not the yin metal stem Xin's reverse sequence (Xin's Longevity is in Zi; reversing gives Shen, Chen). Although some fate books say "official stars represent daughters and harmful stars represent sons," ultimately one cannot use the yang sequence just because Jia uses Geng as a harmful star, or the yin sequence just because Yi uses Xin as a harmful star. Because wood is the day's main element, whether it is Jia or Yi, it always takes Geng as a son and Xin as a daughter. This is the principle. If one insists on distinguishing between official and harmful stars, how can it be accurate? This point is very important: when determining children, if the day's main element is wood, always use Geng and Xin; if it is fire, always use Ren and Gui; and so on. The twelve transformations are always counted in the order of the yang stems, without changing according to the yin or yang of the day's main element.

所以八字到手，要看子息，先看時支。如甲乙生日，其時果係庚金何宮？或生旺，或死絕，其多寡已有定數，然後以時干子星配之。如財格而時干透食，官格而時干透財之類，皆謂時干有用，即使時逢死絕，亦主子貴，但不甚繁耳。若又逢生旺，則麟兒繞膝，豈可量乎？若時干不好，子透破局，即逢生旺，難為子息。若又死絕，無所望矣。此論妻子之大略也。

Therefore, once the four pillars are determined, one must examine the children. First, look at the hour branch: for someone born on a Jia or Yi day, which of the twelve cycles of Geng metal does the hour branch fall into? Is it in a position of birth or strength, or in a position of death or decline? The number of children is already determined. Then, one should match the "child star" of the hour stem. For example, if the wealth pattern is present and the hour stem reveals the food god, or if the official pattern is present and the hour stem reveals the wealth star, these are called useful hour stems. In such cases, even if the hour branch is in a position of death or decline, it indicates that the son will be distinguished, though the number will be limited. If the hour branch is in a position of birth or strength, then there will be many sons, too numerous to count. Conversely, if the hour stem is not favorable and the child star is revealed, disrupting the pattern, then even if the hour branch is in a position of birth or strength, there will be no children. If the hour branch is also in a position of death or decline, there will be no hope at all. This is the general discussion on wife and children. In summary, the number of children is determined by the twelve cycles of the hour branch, while the intelligence, virtue, status, and worth of the children are determined by the hour stem and the success or failure of the pattern.

按：《滴天髓》與《子平真詮》論六親法，由常而變，參伍錯綜，學者固宜細讀。然子平之常法，亦不可不知，如以五行生剋論偏財旺者主父壽；比劫重者主父喪；正印有氣者主母壽；財旺破印者主母喪；比肩劫財旺者雁行眾；正官七煞盛者昆仲希；正財得令，官煞有權，男命則妻賢子盛；疊逢比、刃、傷、食者，則又有鼓盆喪明之痛。

Yuan Shushan points out: Both "Di Tian Mei" and "Zi Ping Zhen Quan" discuss the Six Relations by first explaining the common methods and then moving to the variable ones, interweaving and complementing each other. Scholars should certainly read them carefully. However, the common methods of Zi Ping should not be ignored. In terms of the Five Phases and their generation and overcoming: if the biased wealth is strong, the father tends to live long; if the ratio and劫 are heavy, it indicates the loss of the father (as ratio and劫 overcome wealth). If the proper official is strong, the mother tends to live long; if wealth is strong and overcomes the official, it indicates the loss of the mother. If the ratio and劫 wealth are strong, there are many brothers (the term "yan xing" refers to the row of brothers). If the proper official and seven evils are strong, there are few brothers (as the official and seven evils overcome ratio and劫). If the proper wealth is in command and the official and seven evils have authority, then for a man's fortune, the wife is virtuous and the children are numerous. Conversely, if ratio, Yangren, injuries, and food gods appear successively, there will be the pain of losing the wife and children ("gu peng" refers to the story from Zhuangzi where the wife dies and he beats the drum, indicating the loss of the wife; "sang ming" refers to the story of Zi Xia who cried so much after losing his son that he became blind, indicating the loss of the child). These are the most basic correspondences. Beginners may first memorize them and then study the variable methods discussed in the previous two works.

官煞不雜，而有精神，傷食不繁，而居旺相，女命則夫榮子貴；重見傷、食、梟、印者，則又有敬姜器夫器子之悲，此皆理之自然者也。又有以四柱次序論者，年為根，為祖宗，月為苗，為父母，日為花，為己身與妻宮；時為實，為子宮。年、月值用神佔優勢，而不犯空亡沖剋刑破者，必叼祖宗父母庇廕。日時值用神佔優勢，而不犯空亡沖剋刑破者，自身固多建設，而妻和子貴，尤不待言，反是則不足觀矣。

For female destiny: if the official and harmful stars are not mixed and are strong, and the injurious stars and food gods are not numerous but are in prosperous and strong positions, then there will be honor for the husband and glory for the children (in female destiny, the official and harmful stars represent the husband, and the injurious and food stars represent the children). Conversely, if injurious stars, food gods, scavenger stars, and nourishing stars appear repeatedly, there will be sorrow of losing the husband and children (the story of "Jing Jiang Crying Her Husband and Son" is taken from the "Guoyu" about the mother of a Lu official, Jing Jiang). These are all natural consequences. There is another method of analysis based on the order of the four pillars: the year pillar is the root, representing ancestors; the month pillar is the sprout, representing parents; the day pillar is the flower, representing oneself and the wife's palace; the hour pillar is the fruit, representing the children. If the root and sprout pillars have the useful god and are strong, and do not suffer from kongwang, clash, control, crime, or destruction, then one will surely inherit the blessings of ancestors and parents; if the flower and fruit pillars have the useful god and are strong, and do not suffer from kongwang, clash, control, crime, or destruction, then oneself will have many achievements, the wife will be harmonious, and the children will be prominent without doubt. Conversely, if this is not the case, it is not worth considering. This method of "root, sprout, flower, fruit" is most convenient for beginners, and readers may use it together with the previous explanations from different schools.

《滴天髓》云：論財論殺論精神，四柱和平易養成，氣勢攸長無削喪，殺關雖有不傷身。財神不黨七殺，主旺精神貫足，干支安頓和平。又要看氣勢，如氣勢在日主，而日主雄壯者；氣勢在財官，而財官不叛日主；氣勢在東南，而五七歲之前，不行西北；氣勢在西北，而五七歲之前，不行東南。行運不逢前喪，此為氣勢攸長，雖有關殺，亦不傷身。

This passage discusses the fate of children (child's destiny). The "Di Tian Mei" says: "Discussing wealth, discussing evil stars, discussing spirit, if the four pillars are peaceful and easy to raise, the momentum will be long and not cut off, even if there are evil stars, they will not harm the body." This means when examining the destiny of a young child, one should look at the wealth star, the seven evils, and the spirit. If the four pillars are peaceful and harmonious, it is easier to raise the child. As long as the momentum is continuous and not cut off, even if there are evil stars, they will not harm the body. The commentary explains that being qualified means the wealth star does not join forces with the seven evils (wealth does not generate evil stars that attack the body), the day master is strong and the spirit is full, and the heavenly stems and earthly branches are placed peacefully. In addition, one should look at the "momentum": if the momentum is on the day master's side, the day master should be strong; or if the momentum is on the wealth and official star's side, the wealth and official stars should not betray the day master (still connected with the day master). If the momentum is in the southeast (wood and fire), then before the age of five or seven, one should not go through the northwest (metal and water) destiny; if the momentum is in the northwest, then before the age of five or seven, one should not go through the southeast destiny. If the destiny does not meet the above-mentioned cutting off, it is called continuous momentum; thus, even if the child's destiny includes evil stars, it will not harm the body. In the past, many children died young, so the fortune books specially set up this section. The key point is that the momentum is smooth and the destiny is not against it.

按：觀童造之成立與否，其要訣在“主旺，精神貫足，干支安頓、和平。”二句，然有主旺而精神暴露者，太過也，非貫足也。主弱而精神敗脫者，不及也，非和平也，皆難成立。太過者，行剝削歲運；不及者，行生扶歲運，乃主成立，此又不可盡泥。

Yuan Shushan remarked: To determine whether a young child's destiny can develop properly, the key lies in "the day stem is strong and the spirit is fully present" and "the heavenly stems and earthly branches are properly arranged and in harmony." However, there are cases where the day stem is strong but the spirit is overly exposed, which is excessive and not fully present; there are also cases where the day stem is weak and the spirit is scattered and drained, which is insufficient and not in harmony. Both situations make it difficult for the child to develop properly. For those who are excessive, they need a period of depletion (to control and drain the excess); for those who are insufficient, they need a period of generation and support, only then can they develop properly. Therefore, these two phrases should not be taken literally. This remark advances the principles of "Di Tian Mei" further: judging whether a child can be raised properly cannot only depend on whether the original destiny is balanced and harmonious, but also on whether the first few years of destiny are supportive or damaging.

錢塘舒繼英《乾元秘旨》云：雙生之別，命主太旺，幼者勝；命主太弱，長者勝；命主不旺不弱，長幼略同。

This section discusses how to distinguish between twins. Shu Jiying from Qiantang mentioned in "The Secret Purport of the Qian Origin" that the difference between twin brothers lies in the following: if the day master is very strong, the younger brother (the one born later) will surpass the elder brother; if the day master is very weak, the elder brother (the one born first) will surpass the younger brother; if the day master is neither too strong nor too weak, the fortunes of the two brothers will be roughly similar. The reasoning is that since the八字 of twins are the same, the difference must be found in their birth order. If the day master is too strong, it is suitable to release or control it, and the younger brother, who is born later, has already experienced a decline in energy, which is more suitable. If the day master is too weak, it is suitable to nourish or support it, and the elder brother, who is born first, still has strong energy, which is more suitable. In the past, different schools had different approaches to handling twins, but Yuan Shushan only recorded this one view and did not offer any evaluation.

《乾元秘旨》云：大吉大凶之命，一望而知，易於推算。若中庸之輩，只可斷其大概。必謂當為某等人，不作某等業，抑知士農之子，長為士農；工商之子，長為工商耶。

The Secret Purport of the Qian Origin says: The destiny of those with great good fortune or great misfortune is easy to discern and calculate. But for those with ordinary and common fates, one can only make a general judgment. If one insists on saying that a particular person should become a certain type of person or should not engage in a certain profession, that would be too rigid. How could one know that the sons of scholars and farmers are mostly still scholars and farmers when they grow up, and the sons of artisans and merchants are mostly still artisans and merchants when they grow up? This passage is saying that the differences in status among ordinary people are inherently subtle, and the influence of family background and inherited occupations on their lifetime careers is often more direct than their birth chart. This is a rare honest statement in fortune books, and Yuan Shushan's recording of it is consistent with his consistent attitude of not making fortune telling seem all-powerful.

《乾元秘旨》云：一日不過十二時，所產何止數萬人，雖五方風土不齊，要亦大率相類。凡大富大貴之命，往往世不偶生，而貧賤者恆曾見疊出，何歟？蓋天地之精華，獨醞釀於此一日，發洩於此一時。闢諸祥麟綵鳳，原不多見，若泛泛化生於陰陽五行之內，不啻吠犬鳴雞。何地無之。

The Secret Purport of the Qian Origin says: A day only has twelve hours, yet the number of people born on that day is in the tens of thousands. Although the customs and land vary across regions, the general pattern of the eight characters of birth is similar. However, the fate of great wealth and high status is rarely encountered even in several generations, while the poor and lowly are constantly emerging. Why is this so? Because the essence of heaven and earth is concentrated in a single day and released in a single hour—just like the auspicious qilin and the colorful phoenix, which are naturally rare. As for those that are generated in the general flow of yin and yang and the Five Phases, they are like barking dogs and roosters that crow at dawn, which can be found everywhere. This passage answers the most commonly questioned issue in the study of fate: if so many people are born at the same hour, why do their destinies differ so greatly? Its answer is that only a very few truly receive the essence of heaven and earth, while the rest, although sharing the same eight characters, differ in the thickness and thinness of the qi they are endowed with.

按：大富大貴之命，往往世不偶生，而貧賤者恆曾見疊出，此數語誠為確論，足補古人之不逮。然間有同一八字，而富貴貧困迥異者，此變格也，不可以常法衡之。其理由備列《星命十家》常變篇，茲再節錄先賢所記事實二條於後，俾可參考。

Yuan Shushan remarked: "The fate of great wealth and high status is rarely encountered even after several generations, while the fate of poverty and low status is constantly appearing." These words are indeed a definitive statement, sufficient to supplement what previous scholars have not yet covered. However, occasionally there are cases where the eight characters of the birth are exactly the same, yet the outcomes of wealth and poverty are completely different. These cases belong to the category of variation, and cannot be measured by conventional methods; the reasons for this have already been thoroughly discussed in my book "Ten Schools of Star Fate" in the section on "constant and variable" (chang bian). Here, I will briefly cite two factual examples from previous scholars, which are appended below for reference. The following two examples are one from Ji Yun's "Notes from the Hall of Reading the Microscopic," and the other is a story from a Qing dynasty notebook about a military commander and a military officer, both being cases of the same eight characters leading to different experiences. Yuan Shushan cites these examples to illustrate the differentiation of fate in astrology, rather than to defend astrology itself.

紀文達《閱微草堂筆記》云：餘當以聞見最確者，反覆深思，八字貧富貴賤，特大如是，其間乘除盈縮，略有異同。無錫鄒小山先生夫人，與安州陳密山先生夫人，八字干支並同。小山先生，官吏部侍郎，密山先生，官貴州佈政，均二品也。論爵，佈政不及侍郎之尊；論祿，則侍郎不及佈政之厚，互相補矣。二夫人並壽考，陳夫人早寡，然晚歲康強安樂；鄒夫人白首齊眉，然晚歲喪明，家計亦薄，又相補矣。

Ji Yun's "Yue Wei Cao Tang Bi Ji" says: I have repeatedly thought deeply about the most certain examples I have heard and seen, and the general pattern of wealth, poverty, high status, and low status determined by the eight characters is roughly like that, with slight variations in addition and subtraction, surplus and deficit. The wife of Zhu Xiaoshan from Wuxi and the wife of Chen Mishi from Anzhou have exactly the same heavenly stems and earthly branches in their eight characters. Zhu Xiaoshan held the position of Undersecretary of the Ministry of Personnel, while Chen Mishi held the position of Governor of Guizhou, both being second rank officials. In terms of rank, the Governor of Guizhou was less prestigious than the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Personnel; in terms of salary, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Personnel was less generous than the Governor of Guizhou—thus, they complement each other. Both wives lived long lives: Chen's wife was a widow early in life, but she remained healthy and happy in her later years; Zhu's wife lived with her husband until old age, but she became blind in her later years and her family's finances were not prosperous—again, they complement each other. This example shows that people with the same eight characters have a similar total amount of fortune, but it is distributed differently among various aspects.

此或疑地有南北，時有初正也。餘第六侄，與奴子劉雲鵬生時，只隔一牆，兩窗相對，兩兒並落草，非惟時同刻同。侄只十六歲而夭，而奴子今尚在，豈非此命所賦之祿，只有此數，侄長生富貴消耗先盡，奴子長生貧賤，消耗無多，祿尚未盡耶。盈虛消息，理似如是，俟知命者，更詳之。

Ji Yun went on to say: The previous example might lead some to doubt, since the two families were one in the south and one in the north, and their birth times differed with the terms "initial" and "correct" [referring to different divisions of time]. So let me give another example: my sixth nephew and the servant Liu Yunpeng were born only separated by a wall, with their windows directly facing each other. The two children were born at the same time, not only with the same birth time, but also the same time division. However, the nephew died at the age of sixteen, while the servant is still alive today. Is this not an example showing that the amount of destiny one is endowed with is limited? The nephew grew up in a wealthy family, thus consuming his destiny quickly and exhausting it first; the servant grew up in a poor and humble family, thus consuming little, and his destiny has not yet been used up. The principle of fullness and emptiness, increase and decrease, seems to be like this. It awaits those who understand destiny to further investigate. This example attributes the difference in lifespan, "same destiny, different longevity," to the rate of consumption of destiny, and is a very famous passage in the genre of notes-style destiny theory.

制軍與其中軍八字相同，是日生人皆貴，因制軍生於牢獄，得貫索星對照命宮，更主榮顯。某君算命者都算為乞丐命，而其人奮志攻讀，登甲第，放知縣，擢郡守。後欽天監精於算命者，算得其生日有文曲星高照，天廚化解，若再生於文明之地，必貴。果其母避難他鄉時，值日暮，將欲分娩，而棲之無地，因於欞星門左產焉。兒之貴，果為是歟，命之理微矣。

The second example discusses two cases related to the place of birth. The first case involves a governor-general and one of his subordinates, both of whom share the same八字 (eight characters of birth). On that day, everyone born would be destined for high status. However, the governor-general became particularly distinguished because he was born in a prison, where the star "Guan Suo" (which governs prisons) aligned with his命宫 (destiny palace). Being born in the place associated with this star made it come true, thus bringing him extraordinary honor. The second case involves a man who consulted a fortune teller, who predicted he would be a beggar. However, he worked hard, passed the imperial examinations, became a county magistrate, and later was promoted to a prefectural governor. Later, an expert at the Imperial Astronomical Bureau calculated that on his birthday, the star "Wen Qu" (literary talent) was prominent, and the star "Tian Chu" (celestial kitchen) was present to resolve difficulties. If he had been born in a civilized place, he would surely have achieved great success. Upon investigation, it was found that his mother had fled to another place for safety, and as dusk approached, she was about to give birth but had nowhere to stay. She gave birth to him beside the left side of the Lingxing Gate of a Confucius Temple. Is this child's success truly due to this reason? The subtlety of destiny is indeed difficult to fully comprehend. Yuan Shushan recorded these two cases precisely to illustrate that the place of birth can also be a cause of variation in destiny.

萬育吾曰：晝夜十二時，均分百刻，一時有八大刻，二小刻。大刻總九十六，小刻總二十四，小刻六，準大刻一，故共為百刻也。上半時之大刻四，始曰初，初次初一，次初二，次初三，最後為小刻為初四。下半時之大刻亦曰四，始曰正，初次正一，次正二，次正三，最後小刻正四。若子時，則上半時在夜半前，屬作日，下半時在夜半後，屬今日。亦猶冬至得十一月中氣，一陽來後，為天道之初耳。古歷每時以二小時為始，乃各繼以四大刻，然不若今曆之便於籌策也。世謂子午卯酉各九刻，餘皆八刻，非是。

This passage addresses a very practical question: whether people born between 11 p.m. and midnight should have their day column calculated based on today or yesterday. Wan Minying first explains the concept of "ke" (刻), which divides a day and night into twelve hours, each hour containing eight large ke and two small ke. There are a total of ninety-six large ke and twenty-four small ke, with six small ke equivalent to one large ke, making a total of one hundred ke. The first half of each hour consists of four ke, with the first called "chū" (初), followed by chūyī, chūèr, chūsān, and the last small ke called chūsì. The second half of each hour also consists of four ke, with the first called "zhèng" (正), followed by zhèngyī, zhèngèr, zhèngsān, and the last small ke called zhèngsì. Regarding the Zi hour (子时), the first half, which occurs before midnight, belongs to yesterday, while the second half, which occurs after midnight, belongs to today. This is similar to the winter solstice, which is the middle term of November, but the beginning of the heavenly cycle is considered to start after the return of the yang energy. The old calendar begins each hour with two small ke, followed by four large ke, which is less convenient for calculation than the modern calendar. The claim that the Zi, Wu, Mao, and You hours each have nine ke while the others have eight is incorrect.

《星平大成》云：余初不明一夜字，詢諸監中友人始知。子正者，今日之早，非作日之晚也。夜子者，今日之夜，非今日之早也。觀十二生肖陰陽可知，牛兔羊雞豬屬陰，其蹄爪雙偶，蛇陰甚，不見足。虎龍馬猴犬屬陽，其蹄爪單奇，獨鼠前兩隻腳屬陰，四爪，後兩隻腳屬陽，五爪，故夜子時屬陰，而子時正屬陽。如康熙辛未年十二月十七夜子時立春，十七亥時末刻，尚未立春，若不知此，必差訛一年矣。

The Star and Balance Great Achievement says: At first I did not understand the character "night." I asked a friend from the Astronomical Bureau and finally understood that "the beginning of the Zi hour" refers to the early morning of today, not the night of yesterday; "night Zi hour" refers to the night of today, not the morning of today. This principle can also be seen from the yin and yang of the twelve animals: the ox, rabbit, sheep, chicken, and pig belong to yin, and their hooves are all even numbers; the snake has the heaviest yin energy and thus has no feet. The tiger, dragon, horse, monkey, and dog belong to yang, and their hooves are all odd numbers. Only the rat has four toes on its front feet, which belong to yin, and five toes on its back feet, which belong to yang. Therefore, the night Zi hour belongs to yin, and the beginning of the Zi hour belongs to yang. A single rat embodies both yin and yang, which perfectly represents the Zi hour spanning two days. For example, if the beginning of spring occurs at night Zi hour on the seventeenth day of the twelfth lunar month in the Xinwei year of the Kangxi era, then spring has not yet arrived at the end of the亥 hour on the seventeenth day. If one does not distinguish between these two, the year pillar would be off by an entire year.

按：假如甲寅年，正月初十，辛酉，夜子時立春，其人正月初十日，午後九點後，十一點前，亥時生，即作癸丑年，乙丑月，辛酉日，己亥時推。如在初十日，午後十點後，十二點前，夜子時生，即作甲寅年，丙寅月，辛酉日，庚子時推。（用壬日起庚子時。）所謂今日之夜，非今日之早也。如在初十日，午後十二點後，一點前子時正生，即作甲寅年，丙寅月，壬戌日，庚子時推，所謂今日之早，非昨日之晚也。若夫推行運之零借，命宮之過氣，尤當知此。

Yuan Shushan explains, here is a complete example of a three-part comparison. Suppose someone is born on the tenth day of the first lunar month, at 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., which is the亥 time, on a day when the spring equinox begins at night子 time. The first case: if the person is born after 9 p.m. and before 11 p.m., before the spring equinox, the year and month should be adjusted backwards, making the yearGuichou, monthYichou, dayXinyou, and hourJihai. The second case: if the person is born after 10 p.m. and before midnight, which is the night子 time, the spring equinox has already passed, so the year and month should be adjusted forwards, making the yearJiayin, monthBingyin, dayXinyou, and hourGengzi (the day column remains辛酉, and the hour stem is calculated starting from辛, moving through戊子 in sequence... the original text notes 'using壬 to start庚子 hour,' referring to the method of starting the hour on the next day壬戌). This is called 'the night of today is not the morning of today'—the day column remains unchanged, but the hour column has already entered子. The third case: if the person is born after midnight and before 1 a.m., which is the exact子 time, the day has already changed, so the year isJiayin, monthBingyin, dayRenxu, and hourGengzi. This is called 'the morning of today is not the evening of yesterday'—the day column advances by one day. As for the details of borrowing and making up the fractions for large years and whether the middle qi has passed for the heavenly stem of the palace, it is especially important to understand this distinction.