Dingwei day · Divination about a lost sheep (June, original case)

六月丁未日未將未時，某占失羊。方本占案　虎常　空巳午未申玄　龍辰　酉陰　常常常常　子 丁未 常　勾卯　戌后　未未未未　子 癸丑 朱　六寅丑子亥貴　未未未丁　子 庚戌 后　朱蛇

On the 26th day of the sixth month, using the month general 'Wei' placed on the 'Wei' hour to cast a divination, the month general and the time of divination are in the same position, so the Heaven Plate remains still, forming a 'Hidden Chant' lesson. Someone comes to inquire about a lost sheep. This passage is from the "Fang Ben Zhan An." The lesson disk is arranged as follows. The Heaven and Earth Plates form a circle, starting with 'Tiger, Tai Chang' (White Tiger, Tai Chang); the next row is 'Sky Void, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, Black Tortoise'; on the left side 'Azure Dragon, Chen' faces the right side 'You, Tai Yin'; 'Gou Chen, Mao' faces 'Xu, Heavenly Empress'; the bottom row is 'Liu He, Yin, Chou, Zi, Hai, Nobleman'; ending with 'Zhu, Snake' (Zhu Que, Teng Snake). The four lessons, with the spirits moving from right to left, are 'Wei, Wei, Wei, Ding'; the upper spirits are 'Wei, Wei, Wei, Wei'; all four positions are occupied by Tai Chang, which is exactly the image of a Hidden Chant, where the Heaven Plate remains still and the spirits and generals are in their original positions. The three transmissions are Wei, Chou, Xu: the first transmission is Wei, which is the grandson爻, hidden dry branch Ding, occupying Tai Chang; the middle transmission is Chou, which is the grandson爻, hidden dry branch Gui, occupying Zhu Que; the final transmission is Xu, which is the grandson爻, hidden dry branch Geng, occupying Heavenly Empress.

邵彥和曰：伏吟課，其羊定在西南兄弟姐妹親眷家尋之，今日申時可見。果申時在西南方妻姐家尋見。蓋未為羊，上作太陽月將，丁未日又未發用，故在西南。親眷者，未為眷屬者也。伏吟在本位不旺，未乃月將，五月當相氣，故不失。

Shao Yanhe said: This is a Hidden Chant divination, and the sheep must be in the Southwest with relatives and family members. Go there to look for it, and you will find it by the hour of Shen today. Later, it was indeed found at the hour of Shen in the Southwest at the wife's sister's house. The reason is: the branch Wei is the proper match for the sheep in the twelve branches, and Wei is also riding on the Sun and the Month General. On the day of Dingwei, Wei is also the Initiating Transmission, and Wei is located in the Southwest, so the conclusion was made that the sheep is in the Southwest. It is said to be in the family of relatives because Wei naturally governs relatives. In a Hidden Chant divination, the spirits and officials are all stationed at their original positions, and the energy does not move, so it is not considered strong. However, Wei is exactly the current Month General, and in the fifth month, Wei is the governing element, so the sheep cannot be lost.

己酉年九月丁未日卯將寅時應汝言癸未生二十七歲占前程。方本占案　朱蛇　六午未申酉貴　陳巳　戌后　貴蛇貴蛇　財 丙申 蛇　龍辰　亥陰　酉申酉申　財 丁酉 貴　空卯寅丑子玄　申未申丁　子 戊戌 后　虎常

In the year Ji You, ninth month, day Ding Wei, the divination was cast with the month general positioned on the hour of Yin. The divination is for someone born in the year Gui Wei, aged twenty-seven, asking about his future. This passage is from the "Fang Ben Zhan An." The course of the divination is arranged as follows. The celestial and terrestrial plates form a circle, starting with "Zhu, She" (Al雀, Teng Snake); the next row is "Liu He (Six Harmonies) Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Gui (Nobleman)"; on the left side "Chen (Gou Chen) Si" faces the right side "Xu, Hou (Heavenly Empress)"; "Long (Qing Long) Chen" faces "Hai, Yin (Tai Yin)"; the lower row is "Kong (Tian Kong) Mao, Yin, Chou, Zi, Xuan (Xuan Wu)"; ending with "Hu, Chang" (Bai Hu, Tai Chang). The four lessons have the spirits arranged from right to left as "Shen Wei Shen Ding," and the upper spirits are "You Shen You Shen," each accompanied by "Gui, She, Gui, She," forming a pattern where the upper and lower spirits repeat on an eight-special day. The three transmissions are Shen, You, Xu: the first transmission Shen represents the wife's wealth, with the hidden stem Bing and accompanied by Teng Snake; the middle transmission You represents the wife's wealth, with the hidden stem Ding and accompanied by Nobleman; the final transmission Xu represents the son's wealth, with the hidden stem Wu and accompanied by Heavenly Empress.

邵彥和曰：若問功名難許，問財即富家矣。身宅初傳皆財，中傳上下皆財，財多宜以財營運，必因妻財起家。須把穩不可狂圖，下稍主婢僕上耗費。蓋末傳是火庫，非財庫，丁以金為財，若是金庫財收住。今見火庫反熔壞財矣。蛇主非橫，所以自婢僕生出事來。因此破財，不意而死。汝言此時尚未有妻，次年成親，頗有嫁資，遂得此營運，十餘年成富翁，四十二典錢，四十七八愈厚，五十一歲癸酉年因婢僕通姦，汝言責之，僕縊死，被告首，入官費用，財產一空，得罰贖而歸，甲戌年死。

Shao Yanhe said: If one asks about fame and status, it is unlikely to be achieved; but if one asks about wealth, it indicates becoming rich. The day stem (self), day branch (residence), and the first transmission are all wealth signs. The middle transmission and its upper and lower parts are also wealth. With so much wealth, it is suitable to use money for business and turn a profit. One will certainly become rich through wife's wealth. However, one must be cautious and not be reckless in seeking wealth. In the end, one will lose money due to servants and attendants. Because the final transmission is戌, which is the fire store, not the store of wealth. For a day of丁, metal is considered wealth. If the final transmission were the metal store, wealth could be retained. But now it is the fire store, which actually melts away the wealth. Teng Snake indicates unjust misfortune, so the trouble will arise from servants and attendants, leading to loss of wealth and even unexpected death. You said at that time you had not yet married, but the next year you married and your wife brought a considerable dowry. You used that money for business and became a wealthy man after more than ten years. At the age of forty-two, you started a pawnshop, and by forty-seven or forty-eight, your business had grown even more. At fifty-one, in the year Guiyou, due to servants and attendants committing adultery, you punished them, and the attendant committed suicide. He was reported to the authorities, and the legal expenses drained your wealth. You had to pay a fine to return home. In the year Jiaxu, you died.

己丑年十二月丁未日子將戌時京師富人江明叔甲子生六十二歲占求財。一針見血　朱蛇貴后　未申酉戌　陰貴陰貴　財 己酉 貴　合午　亥陰　亥酉亥酉　鬼 辛亥 陰　勾巳　子玄　酉未酉丁　子 癸丑 常　辰卯寅丑　龍空虎常

In the year of Jichou, the twelfth lunar month, on the day of Dingwei, the divination was started by placing the month general Zi on the hour of Xu. A wealthy man from the capital city named Jiang Ming叔, born in the year of Jiazi, aged sixty-two, asked about seeking wealth. This passage is from "One Needle Sees Blood." The course is arranged as follows. The celestial and earthly plates form a circle: the top row is "Wei Shen You Xu," with the following deities above them: "Zhu, She, Gui, Hou" (Vermilion Bird, Teng Snake, Nobleman, Heavenly Empress). On the left side: "He (Liu He) Wu" and "Gou (Gou Chen) Si"; on the right side: "Hai, Yin (Tai Yin)" and "Zi, Xuan (Xuan Wu)." The bottom row is "Chen Mao Yin Chou," with the following deities below them: "Long, Kong, Hu, Chang" (Azure Dragon, Tian Kong, Bai Hu, Tai Chang). The four lessons have the deities from right to left as "You Wei You Ding," and the upper deities are "Hai You Hai You," each accompanied by "Yin, Gui, Yin, Gui." This is an eight-special course. The three transmissions are You, Hai, and Chou: the first transmission You is the wife wealth爻, hidden dry branch Ji, accompanied by the Nobleman; the middle transmission Hai is the official ghost爻, hidden dry branch Xin, accompanied by Tai Yin; the final transmission Chou is the son grandson爻, hidden dry branch Gui, accompanied by Tai Chang.

苗公達曰：群欲斗禽之財，當以己酉日卯時，斗禽必勝。財及萬緍，是時當有商徵音中貴二人，武職一人，各敵到晚。當有酒食喧爭，雖無刑獄，預防破財三分，以此決課而去。後數日，江君來邀小飲云：共有一千餘緍，某斗鶉子得勝，當日同二內官，一人姓陳，一人姓李，飲酒。次張直殿至晚前來，同坐卻云，早來鬥得不是。因是言生氣，領在鋪中一宿，至晚勸和。不曾見官，所費三百餘千，公之術應驗如此，且以銀物三十兩為酬。

Miao Gongda said: If you want to win money by fighting birds, you should choose the day Jiyou and the time Mao to enter the competition, and you will certainly win the fight, making a profit of thousands of strings. At that time there would be two officials of the inner court who belonged to the Shang and Zheng tones, and a military officer, each betting against you, and the competition would continue until the evening. In the middle of it, there would be a quarrel over food and drink, though it would not reach the level of official punishment, you should still be cautious of losing three-tenths of your wealth. Jiang Ming叔 followed this interpretation. A few days later, Jiang came to invite him for a drink and said: In total, I won over a thousand strings, winning by fighting quails; there were two officials of the inner court sitting at the same table, one named Chen and the other Li, who also drank with me. Later, Zhang Zhidian arrived late in the evening and, when sitting together, said that the earlier fight did not count, which made him angry, and he kept the quails in the shop overnight. It was only in the evening that they reconciled. They did not go to court, and in total they spent over three hundred strings. Your divination has come true to this extent! So he gave thirty taels of silver as a reward.

議曰：初見從魁是休氣，丁死火所制，必有戰敵。酉是羽毛，斗禽之屬，其性見殺，又是今日之財，是斗禽取財也。類神之陰，得亥加酉上，作太陰，本屬酉，行年立卯上，見太乙，乘勾陳，酉與巳合，勾陳主斗，故在此也。酉日卯時，見斗也。財傳月建，是財及千緍，酉金丁火，故主商徴用事。中傳亥加酉，為今日貴人，上得太陰，為陰貴人也。末傳太常為武臣，加亥為入獄，太常又主酒食也，行年立卯上，帶勾陳互合，有喧爭，勾陳臨空，故不見官，無刑獄之咎。末傳是月建，為財數，被今日丁未損破，卻亥中有壬，為旺氣所勝，故財只破三分也。

The first transmission shows 'Congkui' (You), which is a weak and confined energy. The Ding fire has died and is being restrained, so there must be a rival competing. You represents feathers and birds, which are associated with fighting and killing. You is also the day's wealth hexagram, so it is interpreted as gaining wealth through fighting. The hidden spirit of the class god is on top of Hai, which is added to You and forms Tai Yin. Tai Yin naturally belongs to You. The year pillar is on Mao, which meets Taiyi (Si) riding on Gou Chen. You also combines with Si, and Gou Chen signifies conflict, so the conflict should occur here. Taking Jiyou day and You hour, it is a direct confrontation between You and Mao, symbolizing a fight. The wealth hexagram reaches the month builder, so the wealth is estimated to be a thousand coins. You belongs to metal and Ding belongs to fire, so it is associated with the Shang and Zheng tones. The middle transmission has Hai added to You, which is the day's nobleman, and Tai Yin is on top, making it a Yin nobleman (inner official). The final transmission has Tai Chang, which signifies a military official, added to Hai, indicating imprisonment. Tai Chang also signifies food and drink. The year pillar is on Mao, which carries Gou Chen and combines with it, leading to a noisy conflict. However, Gou Chen is in the旬空, so there will be no official involvement and no legal trouble. The final transmission is also the month builder, representing the amount of wealth, which is damaged by the day's Dingwei. However, there is hidden Ren water in Hai, which is overcome by strong energy, so only three parts of the wealth are damaged.

戊辰年正月丁未日亥將酉時占婚姻。牧夫占驗　朱蛇貴后　未申酉戌　陰貴陰貴　財 己酉 貴　合午　亥陰　亥酉亥酉　鬼 辛亥 陰　勾巳　子玄　酉未酉丁　子 癸丑 常　辰卯寅丑　龍空虎常

In the year of Wuchen, first lunar month, day of Dingwei, the divination was cast using the month general亥 placed on You time. The divination concerns marriage. This passage is from the "Pastoral Divination Verification." The course is arranged as follows. The celestial and earthly plates form a circle: the upper row is "Wei Shen You Xu," with the superimposed spirits "Zhu, She, Gui, Hou" (Vermilion Bird, Teng Snake, Nobleman, Heavenly Empress); on the left side "He (Liu He) Wu" and "Gou (Gou Chen) Si"; on the right side "Hai, Yin (Tai Yin)" and "Zi, Xuan (Xuan Wu)"; the lower row is "Chen Mao Yin Chou," with the under spirits "Long, Kong, Hu, Chang" (Azure Dragon, Tian Kong, Bai Hu, Tai Chang). The four lessons have the spirits descending from right to left as "You Wei You Ding," and the upper spirits are "Hai You Hai You," each accompanied by "Yin, Gui, Yin, Gui" respectively. Dingwei is the day of Ba Zuan, when the heavenly stem and earthly branch are in the same palace, hence the four lessons repeat above and below. The three transmissions are You, Hai, Chou: the first transmission You is the wife's wealth爻, hidden stem Ji, accompanied by the Nobleman; the middle transmission Hai is the official ghost爻, hidden stem Xin, accompanied by Tai Yin; the final transmission Chou is the son's fortune爻, hidden stem Gui, accompanied by Tai Chang.

王牧夫曰：此婚主男克二妻，女克二夫。鰥寡相配，先私後娶，不日即合巹也。蓋丁日以酉為妻，酉帶自刑加身，陰見亥水官鬼，主剋夫再醮。丁以酉為妻，何酉之多也？故亦主克妻再娶。丁主動，為新喜，支末中亦有丁火，男女之位皆逢，豈非合巹在即乎？八專為課，干支不別，帷薄不修，男女往來，非止一次。蓋干即地以，支即干，仰首即見，何用媒為？驗甚驗甚。

Wang Mufu said: This marriage indicates that the man has previously married and lost two wives, and the woman has previously married and lost two husbands. It is a match between a widower and a widow, who had an affair first and then married. They will soon perform the卺 ceremony. Why? For a day stem of Ding, the酉 is the wife. The酉 carries self-punishment and falls on the day stem, and its yin spirit also meets the亥 water official ghost, so it indicates the wife of the man is killed again and she remarries. Ding takes酉 as the wife, but why is there so much酉 in the lesson? Therefore, it also indicates the man kills his wife again and remarries. Ding is originally active, representing the joy of a new marriage; both the day stem and the final transmission contain Ding fire, and both the male and female positions meet, so the卺 ceremony is about to take place. This lesson is the eighth special case, where the stem and the branch are not distinct from each other. It exactly corresponds to the situation where within the curtain, there is no restraint, and the male and female have already met several times. Because the day stem is the same as the earth branch (the original text says '干即地以', where '以' is likely a mistake for '支'), and the day branch is the same as the day stem. When one looks up, they meet each other directly. What need is there for a matchmaker? It is very accurate, very accurate.

庚午年十二月丁未日丑將戌時遲公、王公入覲，行至東省而占。指南　貴后　蛇申酉戌亥陰　常后常后　官 辛亥 陰　朱未　子玄　丑戌丑戌　子 庚戌 后　六午　丑常　戌未戌丁　子 庚戌 后　勾巳辰卯寅虎　青空

In the year of Gengwu, the twelfth lunar month, on the day of Dingwei, the class was cast with the month general Chou placed on the hour of Xu. This class was formed when the officials Che Gong and Wang Gong were traveling through Shandong on their way to the imperial court. This entry is from the Six Rats Guide. The class disk is arranged as follows. The celestial and earthly plates form a circle, starting with "Nobleman, Heavenly Empress" (Nobleman, Heavenly Empress); next are "Teng Snake in Shen, You, Xu, Hai, Tai Yin"; on the left "Zhu Qiao in Wei" faces the right "Zi, Xuan Wu"; "Liu He in Wu" faces "Chou, Tai Chang"; the lower row is "Gou Chen in Si, Chen, Mao, Yin, Bai Hu", ending with "Qing Long, Tian Kong" (Azure Dragon, Sky Void). The four lessons have the heavenly spirits arranged from right to left as "Xu, Wei, Xu, Ding", and the upper spirits are "Chou, Xu, Chou, Xu", each accompanied by "Tai Chang, Heavenly Empress, Tai Chang, Heavenly Empress", forming the image of eight specialized spirits repeated above and below. The three transmissions are Hai, Xu, Xu: the first transmission Hai is the official star, hidden dry branch Xin, riding Tai Yin; the middle transmission Xu is the son and grandson hexagram, hidden dry branch Geng, riding Heavenly Empress; the final transmission is still Xu, hidden dry branch Geng, riding Heavenly Empress.

陳公獻曰：所占必是顯宦。蓋發用官貴日德，而式中貴人又居歲君日祿旺位，斷非尋常之官。曰：此公將來何如？曰：不能久任。干支乘墓，祿馬空陷，又太陽入山（月將丑加戌），豈能久居廟堂？次年三月因言請歸。後知為大冢宰王射斗先生也。干支乘墓，太陽落山，勢力已衰。祿馬空陷，則不可食此祿矣。此辨象而斷事，不以五行生剋為主也。

Chen Gongxian said: This divination must be about a high-ranking official. Because the initiating transmission is both an official star and a nobleman, and also carries the virtue of the day. Moreover, the nobleman in the lesson is seated in the strong position of the sovereign and the day's禄. Therefore, it is certainly not an ordinary official. Someone asked: What will happen to this person in the future? The answer was: He cannot remain in office for long. The day stem and day branch are both riding on the tomb god, while the禄 god and the post-horse are in an empty and weak position. Furthermore, the sun is entering the mountain (the month general is placed on the hour of Chou, which is added to Xu, and Xu is the mountain land). How can he stay in the court for long? In the third month of the following year, this person indeed resigned and returned to his hometown because of his advice. Later it was known that the divination was about the great official Wang Shedou. The day stem and day branch riding on the tomb god, and the sun falling into the mountain, indicate a decline in power; the禄 and post-horse being empty and weak mean he will not be able to enjoy his salary. This is a case of judging affairs by recognizing the patterns of the lesson, rather than focusing on the five phases' generation and overcoming.

己卯年戌月丁未日辰將丑時程載翁己卯生六十一歲占訟。牧夫占驗　貴后　蛇申酉戌亥陰　常后常后　官 辛亥 陰　朱未　子玄　丑戌丑戌　子 庚戌 后　六午　丑常　戌未戌丁　子 庚戌 后　勾巳辰卯寅虎　青空

In the year of Jimao, month of Xu, day of Dingwei, the class was cast using the month general Chen placed on the hour of Chou. Cheng Zai翁 was born in the year of Jimao, aged sixty-one, and consulted about a legal case. This entry comes from the "Pastoral Divination Verification." The used class pattern is the same as the previous case of Li Chong and Wang Gong's divination. The celestial and earthly plates form a circle: the beginning is "Nobleman, Heavenly Empress" (Nobleman and Heavenly Empress); the next is "Snake (Teng Snake) in Shen, You, Xu, Hai, Tai Yin"; on the left "Azure Dragon (Zhu Qiao) in Wei" faces the right "Zi, Black Tortoise (Xuan Wu)"; "Liu He (Six Harmony) in Wu" faces "Chou, Tai Chang"; the lower row is "Gou Chen (Hooked Earth) in Si, Chen, Mao, Yin, Bai Hu (White Tiger)", ending with "Qing Long (Azure Dragon), Tian Kong (Heavenly Void)". The four lessons' spirits are arranged from right to left as "Xu, Wei, Xu, Ding", and the upper spirits are "Chou, Xu, Chou, Xu", each riding "Tai Chang, Heavenly Empress, Tai Chang, Heavenly Empress". The three transmissions are Hai, Xu, Xu: the first transmission Hai is the official star, hidden dry branch Xin, riding Tai Yin; the middle and final transmissions are both Xu, which are the son and grandson oracles, hidden dry branch Geng, riding Heavenly Empress.

王牧夫曰：官訟漸息，身心漸安寧矣。但文書此次受駁，再遞到十月，方可絕決了釋，後果受駁，至十月始準詳結。蓋丁乃柔火，動盪不常，今丁日戴戌墓，是火有所藏，則不亂動，既深秋火亦休息，故曰官訟漸息，身心漸安寧。其文書初受駁者，酉貴為今日之財，坐午上，乃貴人坐堂上持權，本命乘天空相訓，正時又沖支辰兼動身位，故須再遞也。十月上寅木文書與官作合，亥為十月建，又丁火絕於亥，故主十月方能結絕了釋也。甚驗，此數若以戌墓為凶，則當入獄，然官司已拖三年，不當以此論。斷法當知權變，若新訟夏占又當以凶論也。

Wang Mufu said: This lawsuit will gradually subside, and people's minds and bodies will become increasingly at ease. However, the submitted documents will be rejected this time and need to be resubmitted, and it will not be resolved until October. Later, the documents were indeed rejected, and it was only in October that they were allowed to be concluded. Why? Ding is a soft fire, which is fickle in nature. Now, Ding, the day stem, is wearing the戌, which is a fire grave. When fire has a place to hide, it no longer moves around. Also, it is deep autumn, when fire's energy has already declined, so the lawsuit gradually subsides and people's minds and bodies gradually become at ease. The reason the documents were initially rejected is that the nobleman, who is the wealth hexagram of the day, is sitting on the午, which is a sign of the nobleman sitting in authority. The native's chart is also accompanied by Tian Kong, which indicates being scolded. The starting time of the divination also disturbed the day branch and startled the position of the day stem. Therefore, the documents need to be resubmitted. By October, the寅 wood represents the documents, which is exactly in harmony with the official star. The亥 is the month builder of October, and Ding fire is extinguished in亥. Therefore, it was concluded that the case would be resolved in October. This prediction was very accurate. If one only sees the戌 grave as an ominous sign, then one would predict imprisonment. However, this lawsuit has dragged on for three years, so it should not be interpreted that way. Divination methods require understanding flexibility: if it is a newly started lawsuit and the divination was done in summer, then one should predict it as ominous.

建炎己酉年四月初一戊申日酉將丑時鄧十八官人乙酉生二十五歲，占會試。宋本邵案　口鑑　虎常　空丑寅卯辰玄　龍子　巳陰　龍玄朱空　財 壬子 龍　陳亥　午后　子辰酉丑　子 戊申 蛇　六戌酉申未貴　辰申丑戊　兄 甲辰 玄　朱蛇

In the year Jiyou of the Jianyan era, on the first day of the fourth lunar month, on the day Wushen, the divination was cast with the month general You placed on the Chou hour. Deng Shiqi, who was twenty-five years old and born in the year Yiyou, consulted about the imperial examination. This entry is from the Song edition of the "Shao An" and also appears in the "Kou Jian." The course of the divination is presented as follows. The celestial and earthly plates are arranged in a circle, starting with "Hu, Chang" (White Tiger, Tai Chang); the next row is "Kong (Tian Kong) Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Xuan (Xuanwu)"; on the left side, "Long (Qinglong) Zi" faces the right side "Si, Yin (Tai Yin)"; "Chen (Gou Chen) Hai" faces "Wu, Hou (Tianhou)"; the lower row is "Liu (Liu He) Xu, You, Shen, Wei, Gui (Gui Ren)"; ending with "Zhu, She" (Zhuque, Tengshe). The four lessons have the deities arranged from right to left as "Chen Shen Chou Wu," and the upper deities are "Zi Chen You Chou," each riding "Long, Xuan, Zhu, Kong," meaning the first lesson is Wu on Chou, the second lesson is Chou on You, the third lesson is Shen on Chen (with Chen on the day branch Shen), and the fourth lesson is Chou on Zi. The three transmissions are Zi, Shen, and Chen, forming the water trinity of Shen-Zi-Chen: the first transmission Zi is the wife's wealth, with the hidden stem Ren riding Qinglong; the middle transmission Shen is the son's fortune, with the hidden stem Wu riding Tengshe; the final transmission Chen is the brother's fortune, with the hidden stem Jia riding Xuanwu.

邵彥和曰：土日得財局，須是用財為之卻吉。漕司正是申子辰水局也。既以漕司為財，須費己財為佳。身上是晝貴作天空，主簾幕貴人，馳聲於我，我遂得功名也。宅作元武，是本局作賊，須三換名字，及換卷子，並令人代之，此所以不正中也。甲辰旬十日，皆是魁星，此乃為魁首也。但不知何以有，即日東方江邊魚鹽之職也。鄧宅雖是積世武官，大有錢穀，申子辰正是漕司之局。戊用水為財，所費不可言。知有關節，又聞有易卷之說，不知何如也。末傳歸宅是辰，卻是甲辰旬之魁首也。作本經魁，次年雖省試不中，卻試了弓馬。得明州象山縣稅務。

Shao Yanhe said: On a day with Wu Earth as the day stem, if one has the wealth formation of Shen-Zi-Chen, one must spend money to make connections, and the matter will turn out auspicious. The granary office corresponds to the water formation of Shen-Zi-Chen. If one takes the granary office as wealth, then one should spend one's own money to make connections. The day stem has a nobleman riding on the sky, indicating that there is a ministerial class nobleman who will help one gain fame, thus obtaining official rank. The day branch, which represents the residence, has the Black Tortoise, meaning that the water formation itself is involved in wrongdoing, so one must change one's name three times, change the examination papers, and have someone take the exam on one's behalf. This is why it is said that the official rank is obtained through improper means. The ten days of Jiachen decade are all under the jurisdiction of the Qiu Star, so one can obtain the top rank. However, it is unknown why this person ends up with a position managing fish and salt in the eastern river area. The Deng family, although several generations of military officials and well-provided with food and money, corresponds to the granary office formation of Shen-Zi-Chen. On a Wu day, water is considered wealth, and the amount of expenditure is hard to describe. Although one knows there are ways to make connections, and one has heard of the paper replacement incident, it is unknown how it will turn out. The final transmission returns to the residence position, which is Chen, and Chen is the leader of the Jiachen decade, so one becomes the top of the classics. The next year, although the provincial examination was not passed, one took the archery and horse riding exams and obtained a position in the tax office of Xiangshan County in Mingzhou.

蓋戊土以辰為庫。辰土生於申，乃真庫也。凡墓與庫二名而同體，何以分別？蓋生處為庫，殆囚為墓。今辰生於辰，實真庫，天罡為魚鹽之物，故鹽務兼煎鹽也。

Investigating the underlying principle: Wu earth takes Chen as its repository. Chen earth is born in Shen, so Chen is the true repository. Generally, the terms 'mou' and 'ku' refer to the same thing; how do we distinguish them? The one at the place of birth is called 'ku', and the one at the place of decline and captivity is called 'mou'. Now, Chen is born in its own position, so it is indeed the true repository. Tiangang (Chen) governs fish and salt in terms of things, so it is associated with salt affairs and also oversees the production of salt.

己酉年戊申日酉將子時鄧巡轄本命戊寅生三十二歲占赴任。宋本邵案　陳六　龍寅卯辰巳朱　空丑　午蛇　龍朱常龍　鬼 空寅 龍　虎子　未貴　寅巳亥寅　財 辛亥 常　常亥戌酉申后　巳申寅戊　子 戊申 后　玄陰

In the year Ji You and day Wu Shen, the divination was started by placing the Month General You on the Zi hour. Deng, who was born in the year Wu Yin and is thirty-two years old, asked about taking office. This passage is from the Song edition of "Shao An." The course is arranged as follows. The Heaven and Earth Plate forms a circle: starting with "Chen, Liu" (Gou Chen, Liu He); then "Long (Qing Long)寅,卯,辰,巳, Zhu (Zhu Que)"; on the left "Kong (Tian Kong) Chou" faces the right "Wu, She (Teng She)"; "Hu (Bai Hu) Zi" faces "Wei, Gui (Gui Ren)"; the lower row is "Chang (Tai Chang) Hai, Xu, You, Shen, Hou (Tian Hou)", ending with "Xuan, Yin" (Xuan Wu, Tai Yin). The four lessons have the spirits arranged from right to left as "Si Shen Yin Wu", and the upper spirits are "Yin Si Hai Yin", each accompanied by "Long, Zhu, Chang, Long", meaning the first lesson is Yin added to Wu, the second is Hai added to Yin, the third is Si added to Shen (with Si appearing on the day branch Shen), and the fourth is Yin added to Si. The three transmissions are Yin, Hai, Shen: the first transmission Yin is the official ghost, accompanied by Qing Long, and the source text marks "Kong" before Yin, indicating Yin is in the empty period; the middle transmission Hai is the wife's wealth, hidden dry branch Xin, accompanied by Tai Chang; the final transmission Shen is the son's son, hidden dry branch Wu, accompanied by Tian Hou.

邵彥和曰：大凡占官要見官，今寅值龍作官，奈何寅空，必不得也。卻就支宅上去作朱雀，乃戊祿臨支也，宅神申又加亥為末傳，此仕莫非虛度。蓋寅是官星，巳是祿位，寅乘龍不空，即當赴任，即空反作鬼論，鬼來逼日，去日加支，克支之神，主權攝不正。又戊祿在巳，巳與申合，祿在支，故正任不可望，卻乃食祿。內主陳姓人不足，且當西南上避嫌，待陳姓退去，方得正任。行年上午乘蛇臨行時主婦人纏繞也。

Shao Yanhe said: In general, when divining about official positions, one should first see the official star in the divination. Now, the寅 is riding on the Azure Dragon and is functioning as the official star, but unfortunately, the寅 falls into the empty旬, so this official position is sure to be unattainable. The official star has instead moved to the day branch's residence and is riding on the Vermilion Bird. This is the禄神 of the戊 day, located on the branch. The residence god,申, is also added to the亥 and functions as the final transmission. This position is likely to be wasted. The reasoning is: the寅 is the official star, and the巳 is the禄 position. If the寅 rides on the Azure Dragon and does not fall into the empty旬, then one should be able to take office smoothly. But once it falls into the empty旬, it should be considered as an official ghost, which forces the day stem, leaving the day stem and adding to the day branch, thus restraining the god on the branch, indicating that one can only temporarily hold the position as an acting official rather than as the official. Moreover, the禄 of the戊 is in the巳, and the巳 combines with the申. The禄 is located on the day branch, so one cannot expect to officially take office, but there is still a salary to receive. Internally, it indicates that a person surnamed Chen is interfering, and one should go to the southwest to avoid suspicion. Only after this person named Chen leaves can one obtain the official position. The year of birth,午, is riding on the Teng Snake and is at the time of travel, indicating that there is interference from a woman.

鄧果於當年十一月上任，因陳提刑與伊尊人有仇隙，故行至半途，遂不敢往，經過鄂州，素與太守有舊，遂令權公使及酒稅。至次年八月陳替去，鄧始得到任。

Deng Xunxia indeed started his post in the eleventh month of that year, but because Chen Tixing had an old grudge with his father, he hesitated halfway and did not proceed further. When passing through Ezhou, he had a good relationship with the local governor, who therefore allowed him to temporarily take charge of the official envoy's duties and manage the wine and tax affairs. In the eighth month of the following year, Chen Tixing was replaced and transferred away, allowing Deng Xunxia to officially take up his post.

己酉年六月初一戊申日未將酉時劉秘教己巳生四十一歲占宅。宋本邵案　口鑑　六朱　陳卯辰巳午蛇　龍寅　未貴　六蛇空陳　兄 癸丑 空　空丑　申后　辰午丑卯　財 辛亥 常　虎子亥戌酉陰　午申卯戊　子 己酉 陰　常玄

In the year Jiyou, sixth lunar month, first day, on the day Wushen, using the month general Wei placed on the You hour to cast the divination. Liu Mi was born in the year Jisi, at the age of forty-one, asking about his residence. This passage is from the Song edition of the "Shao'an" and also appears in the "Koujian." The course is arranged as follows. The heaven and earth plate forms a circle: starting with "six, Zhu" (Liuhe, Vermilion Bird); the next row is "Chen (Gou Chen)卯, Chen, Si, Wu, Snake (Teng Snake)"; on the left side "Long (Qinglong)寅" faces the right side "Wei, Gui (Nobleman)"; "Kong (Tian Kong) Chou" faces "Shen, Hou (Heavenly Empress)"; the lower row is "Hu (Baihu) Zi, Hai, Xu, You, Yin (Tai Yin)"; ending with "Chang, Xuan" (Tai Chang, Xuanwu). The four lessons' spirits are arranged from right to left as "Wu Shen Mao Wu," and the upper spirits are "Chen Wu Chou Mao," each accompanied by "Liu, Snake, Kong, Chen," meaning the first lesson is Mao added to Wu, the second lesson is Chou added to Mao, the third lesson is Wu added to Shen (the day branch Shen has Wu), and the fourth lesson is Chen added to Wu. The three transmissions are Chou, Hai, You: the first transmission Chou is the brother's yao, hidden dry branch Gui, accompanied by Tian Kong; the middle transmission Hai is the wife's wealth yao, hidden dry branch Xin, accompanied by Tai Chang; the final transmission You is the son's yao, hidden dry branch Ji, accompanied by Tai Yin.

邵彥和曰：家勢退矣。日上空亡剋日，又作勾陳，舊事百般，盡牽在己，宅上午上，騰蛇帶羊刃主家人爭產，四散分飛。初傳丑作天空在卯，主泥土塞門戶，婦人婢腹常疼痛，又有白帶。自身主脾洩，末傳盡去彼被來年難過，主太陰少婦管家，乙卯年果將住宅拆毀，各人四散分居矣。

Shao Yanhe said: This family is going to decline. The day stem is being attacked by the Kongwang spirit above it, and it is also accompanied by Gou Chen, indicating that all old matters will come back to haunt the family. The house position is Wu, which is occupied by Teng Snake and also carries Yangren, indicating that family members will quarrel over property and scatter apart. The first transmission is Chou, which is accompanied by Tian Kong and is located on the position of Mao, indicating that there will be dirt blocking the entrance, and the family's women and servants will often suffer from abdominal pain and white discharge. The owner himself will suffer from spleen deficiency and diarrhea. The final transmission completely drains the energy, indicating that he will not be able to endure the next year; it also indicates that a young woman, represented by Tai Yin, will take charge of the household. In the year of Yimao, the family indeed demolished their house and scattered apart to live separately.

己酉年四月戊申日酉將申時鄒大官人庚辰生三十歲占比試弓馬取功名。宋本邵案　口鑑　空虎　龍午未申酉常　陳巳　戌玄　玄常空龍　兄 庚戌 玄　六辰　亥陰　戌酉未午　子 己酉 常　朱卯寅丑子后　酉申午戊　父 丙午 龍　蛇貴

In the year Ji You, fourth lunar month, on the day Wu Shen, the divination was started by placing the Month General You on the Shen hour. A man named Zou, born in the year Geng Chen, aged thirty, consulted about competing in archery and horseback riding to attain official rank. This passage is from the Song edition of "Shao An" and also appears in "Kou Jian." The course is arranged as follows. The Heaven and Earth Plate forms a circle, starting with "Kong, Hu" (Sky Void, White Tiger); the next row is "Long (Azure Dragon) Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Chang (Tai Chang)"; on the left side "Chen (Gou Chen) Si" faces the right side "Xu, Xuan (Black Tortoise)"; "Liu (Liu He) Chen" faces "Hai, Yin (Tai Yin)"; the lower row is "Zhu (Zhu Qiao) Mao, Yin, Chou, Zi, Hou (Heavenly Empress)"; ending with "She, Gui" (Teng Snake, Nobleman). The four lessons' spirits are arranged from right to left as "You Shen Wu Wu," and the upper spirits are "Xu You Wei Wu," each riding "Xuan, Chang, Kong, Long," meaning the first lesson Wu is added to Wu, the second lesson Wei is added to Wu, the third lesson You is added to Shen (the day branch Shen has You), and the fourth lesson Xu is added to You. The three transmissions are Xu, You, Wu: the first transmission Xu is the brother's yao, hidden dryness Geng, riding Xuan Wu; the middle transmission You is the son's yao, hidden dryness Ji, riding Tai Chang; the final transmission Wu is the parent's yao, hidden dryness Bing, riding Azure Dragon.

邵彥和曰：課得昴星，名虎視，身上有馬而無弓，馬帶陽刃，若見焦黃馬，決不可騎，為他所害。況所走之地，有汙穢，不可令新衣人在傍，如要去，須先解禳。

Shao Yanhe said: This lesson is called "Mao Star Lesson," also known as "Tiger Watching." The day stem has only a horse but no bow, and the horse is accompanied by a yang blade; if a yellowish horse is seen, one must not ride it, for it may cause harm. Moreover, the place to go has impure things, so new-clothed people should not be near it; if it is unavoidable, some ritual to remove evil influences should be performed first.

蓋干支上各自刑，賓主不投；行年上申，申是箭，卻不得地。干見酉，支見午，名四勝殺，主各逞其能。陽刃午作青龍，僅得兵部垂顧，初戌作玄武，又六害，如何比得中？鄒後果屢試不中，得趙侍郎權兵部，乃與他一虛官銜。

Examining the underlying principles: both the day stem and day branch carry punishments, indicating that the host and guest are not in harmony with each other; the year of birth is Shen, which represents an arrow, but it is located in an unfavorable position. The day stem has You and the day branch has Wu, which is called 'Four Victories Kill', indicating that both sides display their own abilities and do not yield to each other. The Yang Blade is at Wu, which is accompanied by the Azure Dragon, only receiving a little support from the Ministry of War; the first transmission is Xu, which is accompanied by the Black Tortoise and also carries the six harms—how can it be successful? Later, Master Zou indeed failed repeatedly in the examinations, only because Mr. Zhao temporarily managed the Ministry of War, giving him an empty official title.

愚按：蓋巳為弓，申為箭，今有馬有箭，而無弓，所以事終不成也。

I (the compiler, Cheng Shuxun) note: In terms of objects, Si represents a bow, and Shen represents an arrow; in this divination, there is a horse and an arrow, but no bow, so this contest will ultimately not take place.

乾隆戊辰年戌月戊申日辰將卯時弟占兄信息。牧夫占驗　空虎　龍午未申酉常　陳巳　戌玄　玄常空龍　兄 庚戌 玄　六辰　亥陰　戌酉未午　子 己酉 常　朱卯寅丑子后　酉申午戊　父 丙午 龍　蛇貴

In the year of Wuchen (1738) during the month of Xu and on the day of Wushen, a divination was cast at the hour of Mao using the month general Chen placed on Mao. The younger brother asked about the news of his elder brother. This entry is from the "Pastoral Divination Verification." The course of the divination is arranged as follows. The celestial and terrestrial plates form a circle: beginning with "Kong, Hu" (Sky Void, White Tiger); then "Long (Azure Dragon) Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Chang (Tai Chang)"; on the left "Chen (Gou Chen) Si" facing the right "Xu, Xuan (Black Tortoise)"; "Liu (Liu He) Chen" facing "Hai, Yin (Tai Yin)"; the lower row "Zhu (Zhu Que) Mao, Yin, Chou, Zi, Hou (Heavenly Empress)"; ending with "She, Gui" (Teng Snake, Nobleman). The four lessons' deities are arranged from right to left as "You Shen Wu Wu," and the upper deities are "Xu You Wei Wu," each accompanied by "Xuan, Chang, Kong, Long," meaning the first lesson Wu is added to Wu, the second lesson Wei is added to Wu, the third lesson You is added to Shen (the day branch Shen has You), and the fourth lesson Xu is added to You. The three transmissions are Xu, You, Wu: the first transmission Xu is the brother's yao, hidden dry branch Geng, accompanied by Xuan Wu; the middle transmission You is the son's yao, hidden dry branch Ji, accompanied by Tai Chang; the final transmission Wu is the parent's yao, hidden dry branch Bing, accompanied by Azure Dragon.

王牧夫曰：此課後日庚戌日，必有信音，但行人不得至，已有動念。蓋昴星為課，主信義，所動必準，故應庚戌日。午為文書，青龍乘其上，文書臨身，故主先有信至。戌酉申為返駕，當主行人至。而酉申皆金，堅固不化，雖有動念而未行也。上乃唐公圭所斷，與餘復視，其兄數年未有信息。又七十以上人，客遊在外，安能望其消息？不知此課昴星，又無凶戰，豈得以凶論之？餘以理斷，果於庚戌日，得馬溜船上人代寄信云：隨後動身來揚也。其弟次日誕辰，青龍居午馬為宴會，午為南山，即此信到在宴會時。驗甚。

Wang Mufu said: This lesson indicates that on the later heaven day Gengxu, there will certainly be news; however, the person who has left home has not yet arrived, but has already begun to think about returning. Because the lesson pattern is the昴star, which governs trust and righteousness, and whatever is set in motion will surely come to pass, so it should occur on Gengxu day. In this lesson, the hour of Wu represents documents, and the Azure Dragon is riding on it. The documents are on the day stem, so it indicates that the message will arrive first. The three transmissions of Xu, You, and Shen represent the return of a traveler, which should indicate the return of the traveler; however, You and Shen both belong to metal, which is firm and unchanging, so although the thought of returning has begun, the steps have not yet been taken. The above is the judgment of Tang Gonggui, which I am now rechecking. His older brother has not had any news for several years, and he is in his seventies, traveling abroad; where could one expect to hear from him? But they did not know that this lesson is the昴star, and there is no ominous or battle-like pattern, so how could they judge it as ominous? According to my reasoning based on the lesson, indeed on Gengxu day, someone who ran on horseback or by boat brought a message saying that he would soon set out for Yangzhou. His younger brother's birthday was the next day, and the Azure Dragon was on Wu, which is the hour of the post-horse, indicating a banquet. Wu also represents the southern mountain, and this message was delivered during the banquet. It was fully verified.

乙酉年八月戊申日巳將卯時童三十四公丙申生七十四歲占家宅。方本占案　口鑑　虎常　空未申酉戌玄　龍午　亥陰　后玄常空　財 壬子 后　陳巳　子后　子戌酉未　鬼 空寅 蛇　六辰卯寅丑貴　戌申未戊　兄 甲辰 六　朱蛇

In the year of Yiyou, eighth lunar month, day of Bingshen, the divination was started with the month general Si placed on the卯 hour. A man of thirty-four years old, born in the year of Bingshen, aged seventy-four, consulted about his family home. This case is from the "Fang Ben Zhan An" and also appears in the "Kou Jian." The course of the divination is presented as follows. The celestial and terrestrial plates form a circle: beginning with "Hu, Chang" (White Tiger, Tai Chang); the next row is "Kong (Tian Kong) Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Xuan (Xuan Wu)"; on the left side "Long (Qing Long) Wu" faces the right side "Hai, Yin (Tai Yin)"; "Chen (Gou Chen) Si" faces "Zi, Hou (Tian Hou)"; the lower row is "Liu (Liu He) Chen, Mao, Yin, Chou, Gui (Gui Ren)"; ending with "Zhu, She" (Zhu Que, Teng She). The four lessons have the spirits arranged from right to left as "Xu Shen Wei Wu," and the upper spirits are "Zi Xu You Wei," each riding on "Hou, Xuan, Chang, Kong," meaning the first lesson Wu is added with Wu, the second lesson You is added with Wei, the third lesson Xu is added with Shen (with Xu on the day branch Shen), and the fourth lesson Zi is added with Xu. The three transmissions are Zi, Yin, Chen: the first transmission Zi is the wife's wealth, hidden dry branch Ren, riding on Tian Hou; the middle transmission Yin is the official ghost, riding on Teng She, with the text before Yin marking "Kong," indicating Yin falls into the empty period; the final transmission Chen is the brother, hidden dry branch Ji, riding on Liu He.

邵彥和曰：此課老反送幼，良為不利。初子亦為子息，天后為少女，既有初而無中末，是家務不進也。身上見眷屬，行年上引出破敗，宅上戌作元武，主諸子分居，財各入己。其第三子最不肖。四課內發用更傳出玄之陰，是子孫是賊也。當年喪第三媳，又嫁少女，次年爭訟。二子死，壬子年喪長子，甲寅年喪四子，財物悉盡。音公有五子，至此僅存其二矣。

Shao Yanhe said: This lesson indicates an elder person being sent to the funeral of a younger relative, which is very inauspicious. The first transmission represents children, and the Heavenly Empress represents a young woman. Only the first transmission is observable, while the middle and final transmissions are ineffective, indicating that the family's affairs cannot progress. The day stem encounters the deity of family members, and the year stem leads to destruction. The position of the house is occupied by the戌, which is riding on the Black Tortoise, indicating that several sons have moved away and each has taken the family's wealth into their own possession. The third son is the most untrustworthy. The initiating transmission within the four lessons originates from the hidden spirit of the Black Tortoise, meaning that the descendants themselves are the family's thieves. At that time, the family had died the third daughter-in-law and married off a younger daughter, and the next year there was a lawsuit and two sons died. In the year Renzi, the eldest son died, and in the year Jiayin, the fourth son died, and the family's wealth was completely exhausted. Tong Gong originally had five sons, but by then only two remained.

蓋日上未為眷屬，陰上見酉，酉屬兌，兌為少女。初傳見子，子是子息也。皆是己下之人，而無老陰老陽之輩。且行年上巳為老陽，卻臨卯上自敗，亥為老陰，卻在酉上自敗，中寅日德而空亡，辰為財庫，庫既空，財亦空矣。

Investigating the underlying principles: The day stem's upper position has the hexagram of Wei, which represents relatives. Its yin spirit appears at You, which belongs to the hexagram Dui, representing a young girl; the first transmission appears at Zi, which is a child. These are all people of a lower generation. However, the lesson does not include spirits representing old yang or old yin, which would be the elders. Moreover, the year of action is at Si, which is originally old yang, but it is placed at Mao, thus being in a defeated position; Hai is originally old yin, but it is placed at You, also in a defeated position. The middle transmission is at Yin, which is originally the day's virtue, but it falls into Kongwang; Chen is the treasure warehouse, and since the warehouse is empty, the treasure also becomes empty.

愚按：此節自陰上見酉以下五十八字與老反送幼相矛盾，必非邵公之語，乃後人之強作解事者，杜撰之詞。餘意，子為子息，乘天后又為少女，既作死氣又受戌土之下克，干上未土之克害，故不利子息與少婦。況子在四課，恰為卑幼之位，受克受害，安得不傷？邵公既引而不發，以待學者之自悟，奈何後人不諳此理，節外生枝，使明鏡而生塵埃也乎？

I (the compiler, Cheng Shuxun) note: The fifty-eight characters from "Yin shang jian You" onwards contradict the statement "old reverses send young", so they must not be the words of Shao Yanhe, but rather additions by later scholars who pretend to know but do not. In my opinion, Zi represents children, and it is also associated with the Heavenly Empress and governs young women. It itself is already under the influence of Death Qi, and is further attacked by Xu earth below, and attacked by the earth of the day stem above. Therefore, it indicates disadvantage for children and young wives. Moreover, Zi is in a subordinate position among the four lessons, and is both attacked and harmed, so how could it not be injured? Shao Yanhe only hinted at the meaning, leaving it for later scholars to understand on their own. Unfortunately, later scholars did not understand this, and added unnecessary interpretations, causing a mirror to be clouded with dust.

戊辰年戌月戊申日辰將寅時占病。牧夫占驗　虎常　空未申酉戌玄　龍午　亥陰　后玄常空　財 壬子 后　陳巳　子后　子戌酉未　鬼 空寅 蛇　六辰卯寅丑貴　戌申未戊　兄 甲辰 六　朱蛇

In the year of Wuchen, month of Xu, day of Wushen, a divination was cast using the month general Chen placed on the hour of Yin. The divination was about illness. This passage is from "The Farmer's Divination Verification." The used lesson is the same as the previous one about the child's family. The celestial and earthly plates form a circle: starting with "Tiger, Tai Chang" (White Tiger, Tai Chang); next are "Tian Kong (Sky Void) Wei, Shen, You, Xu; "Dragon (Azure Dragon) Wu" facing "Hai, Tai Yin (Tai Yin);" "Gou Chen (Hook Star) Si" facing "Zi, Tian Hou (Heavenly Empress);" the lower row is "Liu He (Six Harmonies) Chen, Mao, Yin, Chou, Gu (Nobleman);" ending with "Zhu (Zhu Que), Snake (Teng Snake)." The four lessons have spirits arranged from right to left as "Xu Shen Wei Wu," and the upper spirits are "Zi Xu You Wei," each riding "Tian Hou, Xuan Wu, Tai Chang, Tian Kong." The three transmissions are Zi, Yin, Chen: the first transmission Zi is the wife's wealth爻, hidden dry branch Ren, riding Tian Hou; the middle transmission Yin is the official ghost爻, riding Teng Snake, falling into the旬空; the final transmission Chen is the brother爻, hidden dry branch Jia, riding Liu He.

王牧夫曰：此病其患在背，遲遲而愈，無礙也。何以知病患在背？書曰：三壬，天后臨子，遁壬一也。（愚按：此句有錯誤字。當云：三壬為背，天后屬壬，一也。甲辰旬是壬子，二也。戊日五子元遁得壬子，三也。）又寅屬艮，艮為背，是以知之。但官鬼帶蛇，不能即好，末見墓合，又是儀神，既合且墓能救日也。儀神、月將皆吉神，故能化凶為吉也。

Wang Mufu said: The patient has a disease in the back, which will take some time to recover, but there is no serious danger. How do we know the illness is in the back? The book says 'three Ren' (three壬): the Heavenly Empress is on the Zi position, and the Ren is hidden within Zi, which is the first point. (Editor Cheng Shuxun notes: This sentence has a typo; it should read 'three Ren indicate the back, the Heavenly Empress belongs to Ren, which is the first; the Jiachen decade is paired with Renzi, which is the second; on a Wu day, using the Five Sons' Hidden Transmission method, we get Renzi, which is the third.') Furthermore, the寅 position belongs to the Gen trigram, and Gen is located on the back of the human body, so the illness is determined to be in the back. However, the official ghost is accompanied by the Teng Snake, so the illness cannot recover quickly. Fortunately, the final transmission is in the墓 position and forms a combination, and it is also the 'Instrument God'. Since it is both combined and in the墓 position, it can protect the day stem. The Instrument God and the Month General are both auspicious deities, so they can transform misfortune into good fortune.

又丙子日，為人占得戌酉申三傳，余斷其病在舌。蓋心屬火，舌根於心，發用火墓，申酉金主聲為墓，所閉必病啞也。果驗。善推於理，確然必中。

Once again, on a Bingzi day, I divined for someone who was ill and obtained the three transmissions of Xu, You, and Shen. I concluded that his illness was in his tongue. Because the heart belongs to fire, the root of the tongue is connected to the heart. The initiating transmission, Xu, is precisely the storage of fire; Shen and You belong to metal and govern sound, and now they have also entered storage, blocking the sound. Therefore, he would certainly suffer from a speech impediment. Later, it indeed came true. As long as one is good at reasoning from the principles of the divination, one can certainly make accurate predictions.

五月戊申日未將辰時占父子出何時回？張本占案　龍勾合朱　申酉戌亥　后朱朱龍　鬼 ◎寅 后　空未　子蛇　寅亥亥申　父 乙巳 常　虎午　丑貴　亥申申戊　子 戊申 龍　巳辰卯寅　常玄陰后

On the 17th day of the fifth lunar month, using the month general of Wei (未) placed on the hour of Chen (辰) to cast a divination, the question is about when a son who is away will return. This passage is from "Zhang Ben Zhan An." The course of the divination is arranged as follows. The celestial and earthly plates form a circle: the top row is "Shen You Xu Hai," with the following deities above them: "Long, Gou, He, Zhu" (Azure Dragon, Gou Chen, Liu He, Vermilion Bird); on the left side: "Kong (Tian Kong) Wei" and "Hu (Bai Hu) Wu"; on the right side: "Zi, She (Teng Snake)" and "Chou, Gui (Gui Ren)"; the bottom row is "Si Chen Mao Yin," with the following deities below them: "Chang, Xuan, Yin, Hou" (Tai Chang, Xuan Wu, Tai Yin, Tian Hou). The four lessons have the deities moving from right to left as "Hai Shen Shen Wu," and the upper deities are "Yin Hai Hai Shen," each accompanied by "Hou, Zhu, Zhu, Long," meaning the first lesson is Hai added to Wu, the second is Yin added to Hai, the third is Hai added to Shen (with the day branch Shen having Hai), and the fourth is Yin added to Hai. The three transmissions are Yin, Si, Shen: the first transmission Yin is the official ghost爻, accompanied by Tian Hou, with the mark "◎" indicating the source text's note on旬空; the middle transmission Si is the parent爻, hidden dry branch Yi, accompanied by Tai Chang; the final transmission Shen is the son爻, hidden dry branch Wu, accompanied by Azure Dragon.

苗公達曰：支與干會，行人必來。申為子孫，坐干上，不過七日汝從東北四十里大木橋上相等，汝子帶有一妻，年二十八，戴朱冠穿青綢祅，下著白絲套鞋，乘馬而來。有四擔行李，得憲司牌封鑽。一女許一少年醫生，今同汝子來作贅婿。蓋末傳申七數，故七日來。寅為天梁，故曰橋。亥四數，故四十里。寅七數，坐亥故四七二十八。亥為絲綢，寅青色。寅為車馬，故曰青衣乘馬。朱雀帶天空加財上，故曰憲牌，申金為鑽也。亥為申之女，寅為醫亦為婿，寅與亥合乘天后在第四課上，是以女招婿贅到我家也。寅生巳，巳生申，申生戊，一路順生，大得和諧。

Miao Gongda said: When the day branch and day stem meet, the person who has left home will surely return. The branch Shen is the grandson's element, and it is seated above the day stem. Therefore, he will return within seven days. You should wait for him at a big wooden bridge forty li to the northeast. Your son is coming with his wife, who is twenty-eight years old, wearing a red hat, a blue silk robe, and white silk socks and shoes, riding a horse. He will be accompanied by four loads of luggage and carrying a certificate issued by the government office. There is also a daughter who has been promised in marriage to a young doctor, and she will also return with your son to join your family. Why did I make this prediction? The final transmission is Shen, which counts as seven, so he will return in seven days. The branch Yin is called "Tian Liang," so it refers to the bridge. The branch Hai counts as four, so it is forty li. Yin counts as seven and is seated on Hai, so four times seven equals twenty-eight years old. Hai represents silk, Yin represents blue, and Yin also represents carriages and horses, so he is wearing blue clothes and riding a horse. The Vermilion Bird and Tian Kong are combined with the wealth element, so it refers to the certificate from the government office. The metal element Shen is the seal on the certificate. Hai is the daughter of Shen, Yin represents both the doctor and the son-in-law, and Yin and Hai combine to multiply with Tian Hou in the fourth lesson, so the daughter-in-law will come to join the family. Yin generates Si, Si generates Shen, and Shen generates Wu, forming a continuous chain of generation, so the family will certainly be very harmonious.

甲戌年亥月戊申日卯將子時汪昆自兄代占嬰兒病。牧夫占驗　蛇朱合勾　申酉戌亥　虎勾勾蛇　鬼 ◎寅 虎　貴未　子龍　寅亥亥申　父 乙巳 陰　后午　丑空　亥申申戊　子 戊申 蛇　巳辰卯寅　陰玄常虎

In the year of Jiaxu, month of Hai, day of Wushen, the divination was cast with the Month General at Mao placed on the Zi hour. Wang Kun divined for his brother's infant's illness. This entry is from the "Pastoral Divination Verification." The course of the divination is arranged as follows. The Heaven and Earth plates form a circle: the upper row is "Shen You Xu Hai," with the following spirits above them: "Teng Snake, Vermilion Bird, Liu He, Gou Chen." On the left side: "Gu (Nobleman) Wei" and "Hou (Heavenly Empress) Wu." On the right side: "Zi, Long (Azure Dragon)" and "Chou, Kong (Heavenly Void)." The lower row is "Si Chen Mao Yin," with the following spirits below them: "Tai Yin, Xuan Wu, Tai Chang, Bai Hu." The four lessons have spirits arranged from right to left as "Hai Shen Shen Wu," and the upper spirits are "Yin Hai Hai Shen," each accompanied by "Hai, Gou, Gou, Teng Snake," meaning the first lesson is Hai added to Wu, the second is Yin added to Hai, the third is Hai added to Shen, and the fourth is Yin added to Hai. The three transmissions are Yin, Si, Shen: the first transmission Yin is the official ghost爻, accompanied by Bai Hu, marked with "◎" indicating it falls in the empty period; the middle transmission Si is the parents爻, hidden dry branch Yi, accompanied by Tai Yin; the final transmission Shen is the sons and daughters爻, hidden dry branch Wu, accompanied by Teng Snake. The four lessons and three transmissions are the same as the previous divination regarding the return of a father and son, except for the different accompanying Heavenly Generals.

王牧夫曰：此風搐之症。虎乘寅，為虎踞山林，故主風搐孔。七日之內，即為嬰鬼矣。蓋小兒占，不宜見刑，用見刑者，百無一存也。此乃三刑，刑盡長生，本元既絕，雖有些小吉象，亦無益耳。常占以虎頭蛇尾，先重後輕，餘獨謂是小棺具之象也。何也？乃日德居於蛇虎之中，成了三刑，安能望其生乎，果驗。餘又占得一九歲兒病，乃是癸丑日伏吟，丑乘勾陳，斷曰：此亂墳堆耳，不能治也。後果驗。

Wang Mufu said: This is a case of convulsions caused by wind. The White Tiger is riding on the寅, which is an image of a fierce tiger occupying the mountains and forests, so it indicates a condition of wind convulsions. Within seven days, this child will become a small ghost. Whenever one divines for a child's illness, the most dangerous thing is to see punishments in the chart; if the initiating transmission shows punishments, out of a hundred cases, none will survive. This chart is exactly the triple punishments of寅,巳, and申, which exhaust the growth energy. The original essence has already been cut off; even if there is a slight auspicious sign, it is of no help. Common people who see the pattern of a tiger's head and a snake's tail usually say that the condition is severe at first but then becomes mild; I, however, believe this is an image of a small coffin. Why? Because the day and virtue are sandwiched between the Teng Snake and the White Tiger, and they also form the triple punishments. How can one expect the child to survive? Later, it indeed came true. I once also divined the illness of a nine-year-old child, which was a hidden chant chart on aGuichou day, with the丑 position occupied by Gou Chen. I predicted that it was nothing but a pile of乱坟, and it could not be cured. Later, it indeed came true.

崇正丁丑年十月戊申日卯將子時占夢。郭氏占案　蛇朱合勾　申酉戌亥　虎勾勾蛇　鬼 ◎寅 虎　貴未　子龍　寅亥亥申　父 乙巳 陰　后午　丑空　亥申申戊　子 戊申 蛇　巳辰卯寅　陰玄常虎

In the year Dingchou of Chongzheng, on the tenth month and fifth day of the lunar calendar, a divination was cast using the month general of卯 (Boar) placed on the Zi hour. This divination concerns a dream. This entry is from the "Guo氏 Zhan An." The used lesson is exactly the same as the previous one where Wang Kun interpreted a child's illness. The celestial and earthly plates form a circle: the upper row is "Shen-You-Xu-Hai," with the following deities above them: "Teng Snake, Vermilion Bird, Liu He, Gou Chen." On the left side are "Nobleman at Wei" and "Heavenly Empress at Wu." On the right side are "Zi, Azure Dragon" and "Chou, Tian Kong." The lower row is "Si, Chen, Bo, Yin," with the following deities below them: "Tai Yin, Xuan Wu, Tai Chang, Bai Hu." The four lessons have the deities moving from right to left as "Hai Shen Shen Wu," while the upper deities are "Yin Hai Hai Shen," each accompanied by "Bai Hu, Gou Chen, Gou Chen, Teng Snake." The three transmissions are寅 (Yin), 巳 (Si), and 申 (Shen): the first transmission, Yin, is the official ghost爻, riding Bai Hu and falling into the旬空; the middle transmission, Si, is the parents爻, hidden by the dry branch Yi, riding Tai Yin; the final transmission, Shen, is the sons and daughters爻, hidden by the dry branch Wu, riding Teng Snake.

郭御青曰：餘自丁丑八月，京邸候選，至十月十四日，夜得一夢，夢一人叩寓門，高聲腔朗誦曰：正西身上可安坤。餘夢中曰：汝錯念，乃坤上可安身。其人又朗誦如前。遂醒，呼燭占之，卯加子，得申戊一課。戊乃干身，上乘申，非身上可安坤而何？夢中人為餘起此課也。亦奇矣。詳課體，初中官祿俱空，豈十月尚不得選乎？辰課不備，弔客臨宅。至家中幼小不安。其餘莫能盡解。去燈假寐，又夢一老嫗架鷹逐兔，其兔起餘面前，奔入一犬腹內，餘一足踏犬頸曰：剖犬即得此兔矣。遂醒。一夜連得二奇夢，取課詳玩，見酉乘朱雀臨午，戌乘六合臨未。酉乃婢，朱雀乃鷹也。戌乃犬，六合乃兔也。但不知所主何事。

Guo Yuqing said: I have been staying in a guest house in the capital since August of the Dingchou year, waiting for an official appointment. On the night of the fourteenth day of the tenth month, I had a dream. In the dream, someone knocked on the door of my lodging and loudly recited, "On the body of Zhengxi, the Earth can be placed." I replied in the dream, "You have recited it wrong; it should be 'On the Earth, the body can be placed.'" The person repeated the same recitation again. I then woke up, called for a lamp, and cast a divination:卯 added to 子, resulting in a lesson with 申 added to 戊. 戊 is the day stem, representing myself, and on top of it is 申 — this is exactly "On the body, the Earth can be placed" (申). It turns out the person in the dream had cast this lesson for me. It is truly strange. Looking closely at the lesson pattern, the first and middle transmissions have official stars and禄神 falling into empty positions, so does that mean I will not be appointed before the tenth month? The third transmission is incomplete, and the spirit of the吊客 is present in the宅 position, indicating that the family's children will be unsettled. The rest of the meanings cannot all be fully explained. I then extinguished the lamp and pretended to sleep again. I dreamed of an old woman riding an eagle chasing a rabbit. The rabbit darted in front of me and ran into the belly of a dog. I stepped on the dog's neck and said, "Cut the dog open and you can get this rabbit." I then woke up. In one night I had two strange dreams. Taking the lesson and repeatedly pondering it, I saw 酉 riding the Vermilion Bird on 午, and 戌 riding Liu He on 未. 酉 represents a servant girl, and the Vermilion Bird is the eagle; 戌 represents a dog, and Liu He is the rabbit — but at that time I did not yet know exactly what this referred to.

不數日，餘因舊火病，為庸醫針灸，兼得服附子過多，火熾如燎膚，遍身瘡痍，不離床褥，十月遂未得選。餘止兩幼子，家信至，俱為痘傷，至十二月，力疾選得懷慶，取課反覆推詳，一一符合。初中官祿俱空，主十月不得選。干上騰蛇，上下夾克，即主身上火病，且申乃子息爻，騰蛇正斑痘之患，即主傷子。鷹犬之夢，蓋六合小兒之象，前為鷹鶉所逐，後為天狗所食也。至十二月，春節不遠，寅木有氣，所以得選。寅臨亥地，亥乃魏分，懷慶屬焉，且籤選十七又亥日，一一皆前定矣。人生碌碌何為哉？猶幸剖犬而得兔之說，餘良辰年，交壬戌運，辰戌沖，即剖犬可以得子矣。但正西二年尚不得其解，姑存之。

A few days later, I was treated with acupuncture by an unskilled physician for an old fire illness, and I took too much of the herb fuzi, which caused my fire energy to burn like a scorching skin, resulting in sores all over my body and making me unable to get out of bed. In October, I was unable to be selected for an official post. I had only two young sons, and a letter from home arrived saying that both had been afflicted by smallpox. By December, I managed to recover enough to be selected for a post in Huaiqing. When I carefully reconsidered that particular divination, everything matched perfectly: the initial and middle transmissions of the official star and禄神 were both empty, which explained why I couldn't be selected in October. The day stem was covered by the Teng Snake, with pressure from above and below, indicating my fire illness on the body. The position of Shen, which represents children, was also occupied by the Teng Snake, which foretold the smallpox illness, thus causing harm to my sons. As for the dream of the hawk and dog, the六合 represents the image of a child. First, the hawk chased the child, then the Heavenly Dog devoured it, which exactly described this situation. By December, the Spring Festival was not far away, and the wood of Yin was gradually gaining strength, so I was able to be selected. Yin was located at the亥 position, and亥 in the system of regions belongs to the state of Wei, while Huaiqing belongs to the territory of Wei. Moreover, the day of drawing the lottery was the seventeenth, which was also the day of亥. Everything was predestined. How busy is human life, and what is it all for? Fortunately, there is the saying of "cutting the dog to find a rabbit": I was born in the year of Chen, and entered the big year of Renxu, where Chen and Xu conflict, which exactly corresponds to cutting open the dog's belly to find a rabbit. However, the two characters "正西" are still not clear to me in the past two years, so I will just record them here.