Essential Words on Liuren · Preface

八卦書自伏羲，而文王演之。六壬受於黃帝，而太公傳之。旗鼓相當，功力悉敵也。自各秘其術，言人人殊，世所行者惟《大全》中之《畢法》，《指南》中之《會篡》，如車之有軌。然《畢法》則隨手拈來，意盡而止。《會篡》則引而不發，未放厥詞。餘殫精竭慮，寒暑不輟者七載，見前人一詞之善，一簡之合，即捃摭焉而納之於其中，分匯推移，理其部署。時有稍露隙明，暢申微義，亦不過引而伸之，觸類而長之，以求斯理之明徹而止，而不敢以自用自專者忝其間也。稿凡三易，始成是編。噫！餘之用心亦苦矣。

The book of the Eight Trigrams originated with Fuxi drawing the trigrams, and it was King Wen of Zhou who systematized it into the sixty-four trigrams. The art of Liuren was passed down from the Yellow Emperor and was popularized by Jiang Taigong. Both schools were equally matched, with no clear superiority. However, later generations concealed their own methods, each speaking in their own way, resulting in great differences. At present, only two works, the "Bifa Fu" from the "Complete Liuren" and the "Hui Cuan" from the "Liuren Guide," are widely circulated, like the tracks of a cart that are clearly visible. Yet the "Bifa Fu" is merely picking up fragments, stopping when the meaning is sufficient, without going into depth. The "Hui Cuan," on the other hand, is like drawing the bowstring but not releasing the arrow—never fully explaining the matter. For this, I have made every effort, working through seven years of cold and heat without interruption. Whenever I found a sentence from predecessors that was good or a principle that made sense, I collected it and organized it into categories, making the order clear. Occasionally, when I myself noticed some gaps or insights, I merely expanded on the previous statements, extending and elaborating them, aiming only to explain the principle thoroughly, without daring to include my own assumptions or personal opinions. The manuscript was revised three times before it became this compilation. Alas, this effort has been quite arduous.

獨是斷一事，而求之義例，或有未及載者，則所謂書不盡言，言不盡意也。斷一事而執前人之成法以繩之，或有不相吻合者，則所謂學我者拙，似我者死也。輪扁以古人之書為糟粕，而自言其得心應手之妙，臣不能傳之臣之子，臣之子亦不得受之於臣。《易》曰，神而明之，存乎其人。是固非三折肱九轉丹者，不足以語斯也。余觀陳公獻先生所傳《占驗》一卷，心之靈，齒之慧，皆為印板書中之所無。郭御青先生所存數條，如老吏折獄，周折如意，斯可謂獨出心裁，而善談元理者矣。我夫子言，學有適道與立與權之分。《畢法補談》，則適道之書也。《指南匯箋》，則與立之書也。陳郭兩先生之占驗，則與權之書也。六壬之術，不外乎此矣。剞劂既成，爰舉其大略，以弁簡端。

But when judging a single matter, if one looks for support in the established rules, one will always encounter situations not covered in the books. This is what the Great Treatise of the Zhou Changes says: "The written word cannot exhaust the meaning, and the meaning cannot be fully expressed in words." If one rigidly compares with the methods of predecessors, one will also always meet situations that do not match. This is what is meant by "those who learn from me will be clumsy, and those who imitate me will die"—those who merely copy will be clumsy, and those who insist on similarity will only end up in a dead end. The craftsman who made the chariot wheels in the chapter "Heavenly Way" of the Zhuangzi called the writings of the ancients mere dross, and claimed that he had mastered the subtle skill of making wheels through his own experience. He said that even though he passed it down to his son, the son could not inherit it from him. The Great Treatise of the Zhou Changes says: "To grasp the subtle and make it clear lies in the person." This shows that this subject cannot be discussed with those who have not undergone repeated practice like the skilled physician who has broken his arm three times, or like the alchemist who has refined the elixir nine times. I have seen the volume of divination transmitted by Mr. Chen Gongxian, whose mind is so flexible and whose speech so quick and wise, that these qualities cannot be found in any rigidly compiled book. The few entries left by Mr. Guo Yqing resemble the judgment of an experienced jailer, with every turn and twist proceeding smoothly, and they can be said to be original and skillful in discussing profound matters. (In the Qing dynasty, people avoided the name of Emperor Xianzong Xuanye, so "xuan" was written as "yuan.") Confucius said that learning has three levels: "adapting to the way," "establishing oneself," and "flexible application." The "Supplement to the Bi Fa" is a book of the first level, teaching one to follow the right path; the "Guide to the Collection of Commentaries" is a book of the second level, teaching one to establish oneself; the divination records of Mr. Chen and Mr. Guo belong to the third level, teaching one to adapt flexibly in matters. The art of Liu Neng does not go beyond these three levels. Since the printed edition is already completed, I will briefly summarize the main points at the beginning of the volume.

道光六年歲次丙戌夏至前三日，蛟門劉赤江慕農甫書於荊門之知止小舍。

In the sixth year of Daoguang, which corresponds to the Bingxu stem-branch year, three days before the summer solstice, Liu Chijiang, a native of Jiaomen and known by his courtesy name Muning, wrote this at his official residence in Jingmen, called "Zhi Zhi Xiao She." The sixth year of Daoguang corresponds to the year 1826. Jiaomen is the author's hometown, located in present-day Hubei Province. "Zhi Zhi Xiao She" is the name of his study, derived from the phrase "Zhi Zhi then there is determination" in the "Great Learning."

用月將之法，諸書皆以每月中氣為過宮。每月中氣者，即太陽過宮所躔之辰也。其法至精至確。乃有用月令合神者，未免自我作古，似是而非。至姚廣孝用河圖生成之數，陽從生數，陰從成數，因其數而超之，創為異說，更屬荒唐，斷不可從。

The method of determining the "Month General" varies among different books, all of which take the middle solar term of each month as the time when the sun moves into a new zodiac sign. The middle solar term refers to the zodiac sign that the sun enters when it crosses the Yellow Path's twelve houses. For example, after the rainwater solar term, the sun enters the亥 (Hai) house, so the "Dengming" (Hai) is used as the Month General; after the spring equinox, the sun enters the戌 (Xu) house, so the "Hekui" (Xu) is used as the Month General, and so on. This method is the most precise and accurate, and can be relied upon. However, some people use the "month ruler's combined god" as the Month General, which means taking theLiu He (Liu He) of the month's ruler. For instance, if the month's ruler is寅 (Yin) in January, then亥 (Hai) is used; if the month's ruler is卯 (Mao) in February, then戌 (Xu) is used. This is clearly establishing a new method based on personal opinion, creating a trend that seems plausible but is actually incorrect. As for the early Ming dynasty scholar Yao Guangxiao, who used the numbers from the Yellow River Chart to deduce the Month General, he claimed that the yang heavenly stems and yang earthly branches follow the sequence of one, two, three, four, five (the generating numbers), while the yin heavenly stems and yin earthly branches follow six, seven, eight, nine, ten (the forming numbers). By moving forward according to these numbers, he created a completely different theory, which is even more absurd and should not be followed. The only correct way to determine the Month General is to rely on the actual position of the sun. There is no other method.

十干貴神，《通龜》、《訂訛》諸書，皆甲戊庚用丑未，六辛用寅午。而《曾門》、《金匱》等書，甲戊用丑未，庚辛用寅午，相為互異。查《協紀》一書，雖與此又異，而甲戊庚俱用丑未，則同。子平中天乙貴人，亦甲戊庚同用丑未，可知《通龜》所用，確乎其不可易矣。

Each of the ten heavenly stems is paired with its own "Heavenly Nobleman." The books "Six Rats Comprehensive Manual" and "Six Rats Corrections" state that the stems Jia, Wu, and Geng use Chou and Wei, while the six days of Xin use Yin and Wu. However, the books "Zeng Door" and "Golden Chest" state that Jia and Wu use Chou and Wei, while Geng and Xin both use Yin and Wu. The two schools differ in the stem Geng. Checking the records in "Coordinating the Calendar and Clarifying the Directional Book," although there are differences from the previous two schools, the agreement that Jia, Wu, and Geng all use Chou and Wei is the same. Looking further at the Heavenly Nobleman in Zi Ping fortune-telling, Jia, Wu, and Geng also use Chou and Wei. This shows that the system adopted by "Comprehensive Manual" is indeed unchangeable. When determining the "Nobleman," Jia, Wu, and Geng should all be placed in the two palaces Chou and Wei, and should not be misled by the idea that Geng and Xin both use Yin and Wu.

旦暮貴人即陰陽貴人也，如得卯辰巳午未申六時，則用陽貴，得酉戌亥子丑寅六時，則用陰貴。此法極為妥當，乃有日占即得夜時，亦用日貴；夜占即得日時，亦用夜貴。如此則日占者多，夜占者少，未免偏而不全。又有謂晝夜有長短，晨昏有早晚，以日出日入之時，定旦暮貴人者，更屬刻舟求劍矣。

"Dawn and Dusk Nobleman" refers to the Yang Nobleman and the Yin Nobleman. If the time of divination falls within the six hours of the day (卯, 辰, 巳, 午, 未, 申), the Yang Nobleman should be used; if it falls within the six hours of the night (酉, 戌, 亥, 子, 丑, 寅), the Yin Nobleman should be used. This method is very appropriate. However, some people advocate that if the divination is done during the day, even if the time is in the night hours, the Yang Nobleman should be used; if the divination is done at night, even if the time is in the day hours, the Yin Nobleman should be used. Following this approach, since more people come for divination during the day and fewer at night, the use of the Yang Nobleman would dominate over the Yin Nobleman, making the method biased and incomplete. Others argue that day and night have varying lengths, and dawn and dusk occur at different times, so they suggest determining the "dawn and dusk nobleman" based on the actual sunrise and sunset times of the local area. This would be even more like "searching for a sword in a boat"—the division of the Nobleman into day and night is based on the fixed divisions of the twelve hours, not on the changing shadows according to the seasons.

起長生日墓之法，有五行十干之別。五行則不論陰陽，一例順行。十干則分陰陽順逆，陽之死地，即陰之生地。如此用則十二神中之臨官，即係日之祿神。日祿不錯，不知此法乃子平家所用，六壬向無此類。查陳公獻郭御青二先生所存占驗之課，俱用五行生墓，而不用十干生墓，其應如響，即此以觀，可以知所適從矣。

The method of determining "longevity" and "burial" involves two different approaches: one based on the Five Phases and the other based on the Ten Heavenly Stems. When using the Five Phases, there is no distinction between yin and yang; the sequence is always in the same direction: the longevity of wood is in Hai, fire in Yin, metal in Si, and water and earth in Shen, with both yin and yang following the same path. When using the Ten Heavenly Stems, there is a distinction between yin and yang, and the direction varies: yang stems proceed in the normal order, while yin stems go in reverse. The death of a yang stem is the birth of its corresponding yin stem, for example, Jia dies in Wu while Yi is born in Wu. According to this method, the "officialdom" position in the twelve cycles falls exactly on the day's禄神 (lucky god), and the day's禄 is indeed accurate. However, it should be noted that this method is used by the Zi Ping school of divination, and the Six Rens have never used such an approach. Checking the divination cases left by Chen Gongxian and Guo Yüqing, they used the Five Phases for birth and burial, not the Ten Heavenly Stems, and their predictions were as accurate as an echo. Based on this alone, it is clear which school to follow.

戊己墓神，有從水用辰者，有從火用戌者，各執一是，莫適其歸。不知六壬一書，丙戊同巳，丁己同未，旺祿等神，土即從火為用，而絕墓等神，反從水為用，不亦自相矛盾耶？故戊己斷以用戌作墓，方得其真。

The "mound" spirits for the two earth stems 戊 (Wu) and 己 (Ji) should be placed where? Some argue for using 辰 (Chen) because the "mound" of water is in 辰, and earth and water share the same palace; others argue for using 戌 (Xu) because the "mound" of fire is in 戌, and earth is associated with the fire position. Each side insists on its own view, and there is no consensus. However, in the discipline of Liu Nian, it has always been the case that 丙 (Bing) and 戊 (Wu) share the same palace at 巳 (Si), and 丁 (Ding) and 己 (Ji) share the same palace at 未 (Wei). When discussing "strength" and "favorable position" of heavenly stems, earth follows fire; but when discussing "decline" and "mound," earth instead follows water. Is this not contradictory? Therefore, for the two stems 戊 (Wu) and 己 (Ji), we must definitely use 戌 (Xu) as the "mound," which is the true method.

涉害一課，取克賊之神。從地盤曆數歸於本家，以受克深者為用。經云“涉害行來本家止，多克便將用為起”是也。如涉害俱深，則取孟位上神為用，如孟位上無取，則取仲位上神為用。此古法也。近來諸家，均未用之者，然其原委，不可不知也。至擇比一法，涉於趨避，斷不可從。

The method of "Shè Hài" (Involving Harm) selects the deity among the four lessons that is either mutually controlling or conflicting. The procedure involves starting from the position where this deity is located on the Heaven Plate, and then counting along the Earth Plate back to its own native palace. The number of Five Phases that control it along the way is counted; the deity that is more strongly controlled is chosen as the initiating transmission. The passage says, "Involving harm, the path leads back to its native palace; if there are many controls, it is used as the starting point," which precisely expresses this meaning. If several deities are equally controlled, then the deity located in the four beginning positions—寅 (Yín), 申 (Shēn), 巳 (Sì), and 亥 (Hài)—is chosen. If there is no suitable deity among the beginning positions, then the deity located in the four middle positions—子 (Zǐ), 午 (Wǔ), 卯 (Mǎo), and 酉 (Yǒu)—is chosen. This is the ancient method. Recently, various schools no longer use it, yet it is important to understand its origin and development. As for another method called "Zé Bǐ" (Selection by Comparison), which does not consider the depth of harm but instead selects the deity with the same yin and yang as the day stem, this has already fallen into the private intention of seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune, and should not be followed.

別責一課，或云皆常用天上神作初傳。剛日既取干合上神為用，柔日亦宜取支三合前位上神為用。如酉日取地盤丑位上神，非用丑也。其說似是，不知剛日主動，柔日主靜，陰陽攸分，故用亦有異，仍以古法為是。

The method of "Bie Ze" suggests that regardless of whether it is a yang day or a yin day, one should take the god from the Heaven Plate as the first transmission. On a yang day, since the first transmission is taken from the god residing in the palace of the five harmony of the day stem, on a yin day, one should take the god from the palace of the triple harmony preceding the day branch. For example, on a You day, which is a yin day, the triple harmony preceding You is Chou, so one should take the god on the Chou palace of the Earth Plate, not directly use the character "Chou." This seems reasonable. However, it is not understood that a yang day is active and a yin day is still, and yin and yang are divided into two paths, so the method of taking the transmission differs accordingly: on a yang day, one uses the Heaven Plate, and on a yin day, one uses the Earth Plate. This reflects the difference between movement and stillness. It is better to follow the ancient method.

八專一課，《訂訛》亦取遙克，不知伏吟干支只有二神，八專干支同處一位，伏吟課既無遙克之例，而八專何獨有取於遙克耶？且既取遙克，則古來當不設獨足一課矣。有克賊者，照舊用克賊比涉之法。如無克賊者，則用順逆三神之法為合雲。

The "Ba Zhuang" lesson also advocates taking "yao ke" according to "Liu Ren Ding E." However, it is not realized that in "fu yin" lessons, the heavenly stem and earthly branch only have two spirits left, just as in "Ba Zhuang" lessons where the heavenly stem and earthly branch are in the same palace and only two spirits remain. The situation is exactly the same. Since "fu yin" lessons do not have established examples of taking "yao ke," why should "Ba Zhuang" lessons take "yao ke" alone? Moreover, if taking "yao ke" is allowed, then since ancient times there should not have been a separate "du zu" lesson. The "du zu" lesson is precisely the pattern where "Ba Zhuang" has no "ke" or "zhe," and the three transmissions return to one spirit. If "yao ke" could be taken, such a lesson would not exist. Therefore, in "Ba Zhuang" lessons that have "ke" and "zhe," continue to use the old methods of "ke zhe," "bi yong," and "she hai." If there is neither "ke" nor "zhe," then use the method of counting three spirits forward on a yang day or backward on a yin day. This approach is appropriate.

行年之法，男起丙寅，女起壬申，此正法也。乃有謂男從生年旬首前三位起一歲，女從生年旬首後五位起一歲，如甲戌旬年生人，男起丙子，女起壬午。甲申旬年生人，男起丙戌，女起壬辰，六甲不同。似乎有理，細按之，全是似是而非，夫人生於寅，為歲月之首建，是以男從寅起，申者寅之對也，是以女人申起。陳公獻先生尊用此法，無不應驗，予用之亦驗，則六甲異用之說，可以置之不論矣。

The method of calculating "xingnian" (age in the cycle) is that for male birth charts, one starts from Bingyin and proceeds in a forward direction, one year at a time. For female birth charts, one starts from Renshen and proceeds in a backward direction, one year at a time. This is the correct method. However, some people advocate that for male birth charts, one should count three positions forward from the beginning of the shengnian (the decade containing the birth year) to start the cycle, and for female birth charts, one should count five positions backward from the beginning of the shengnian to start the cycle. According to this method, those born in the Jiaxu decade start with Bingzi for males and Renu for females; those born in the Jiashen decade start with Bingxu for males and Renchen for females. Each of the six Jia decades has a different starting point. At first glance, this seems reasonable, but upon careful examination, it is all but misleading. We must remember that "people are born in the year of Yin," and Yin is the first month established in the twelve months of the year. Therefore, male birth charts start from Yin. Shen is the opposite position of Yin, so female birth charts start from Shen. Master Chen Gongxian has always followed this correct method, and it has never failed. I have also found it to be accurate. Therefore, the idea that each of the six Jia decades has a different starting point can be set aside and not discussed further.

二十八宿分野，今古不同。考列宿之行，積七十年有奇，而差一度，二千一百十餘年而移一宮。堯時冬至日在虛，周在牛，漢唐宋在斗，元明在箕，至我朝嘉慶年間在箕一度，是列宿之行較堯時已經移二宮矣。

The twenty-eight mansions are assigned to the twelve palaces, but the division has differed between ancient and modern times. Investigating the movement of the mansions, it is approximately every seventy years or so that they shift by one degree, and after about two thousand one hundred and fifteen years they move through one palace—astronomers call this phenomenon "precession of the equinoxes." During the time of Yao, on the day of the winter solstice, the sun was in the mansion of Emptiness; by the Zhou dynasty, it had moved to the Ox mansion; during the Han, Tang, and Song dynasties, it was in the Dipper mansion; in the Yuan and Ming dynasties, it was in the Winnowing Basket mansion; and by the Jiaqing period of our dynasty, it had already reached one degree into the Winnowing Basket mansion. Thus, compared to the time of Yao, the mansions have shifted by two palaces. Therefore, using the old division of mansions to determine directions or boundaries will certainly not match the current celestial phenomena, and it is necessary to recalibrate them.

查《大全》所載女虛危列子宮，斗牛列丑宮云云。此乃宋代星躔，非今時躔度也。考《曆象考成》之法，分周天為三百六十度，六十分為一度。丑宮：箕一至八。子宮：斗二十二至二十三度、牛七、女十一、虛四。亥宮：虛八至九、危二十二、室七。戌宮：室八至十五、壁十三、室七。酉宮：奎十至十一、婁十二、胃十二、昴十一。申宮：昴三至八、觜О、參六。未宮：參七至十、井二十六。午：井二十七至三十、鬼四、柳十六、星四。巳宮：星五至八、張十八、翌七。辰宮；翌八至十六、軫十三、角七。卯宮：角八至十、亢十、氐十六。寅宮：氐十七、房四、心八、尾十五、箕О。共三百六十度。

In the "Complete Liuren," the three mansions of Nu, Xu, and Wei are listed under the Zi mansion, and the two mansions of Dou and Niu are listed under the Chou mansion, and so on. This is the star position of the Song dynasty, not the current one. According to the calculation in "Historical Examination of the Celestial Phenomena," the entire circle of the sky is divided into 360 degrees, with each degree divided into 60 minutes. The degrees occupied by each mansion are as follows: Chou mansion: Ji mansion from 1 to 8 degrees. Zi mansion: Dou mansion from 22 to 23 degrees, Niu mansion 7 degrees, Nu mansion 11 degrees, Xu mansion 4 degrees. Hai mansion: Xu mansion from 8 to 9 degrees, Wei mansion 22 degrees, Shi mansion 7 degrees. Xu mansion: Shi mansion from 8 to 15 degrees, Bi mansion 13 degrees, and also "Shi 7" (the original text mentions "Shi" twice in the Xu mansion; the second "Shi" is likely a mistake for "Kui," but it is still recorded as is). You mansion: Kui mansion from 10 to 11 degrees, Lou mansion 12 degrees, Wei mansion 12 degrees, Mao mansion 11 degrees. Shen mansion: Mao mansion from 3 to 8 degrees, Zi mansion 0 degrees, Shen mansion 6 degrees. Wei mansion: Shen mansion from 7 to 10 degrees, Jing mansion 26 degrees. Wu mansion: Jing mansion from 27 to 30 degrees, Gui mansion 4 degrees, Liu mansion 16 degrees, Xing mansion 4 degrees. Si mansion: Xing mansion from 5 to 8 degrees, Zhang mansion 18 degrees, Yi mansion 7 degrees (the original text has "Yi" written as "Yi"). Chen mansion: Yi mansion from 8 to 16 degrees, Zhen mansion 13 degrees, Jiao mansion 7 degrees. Mao mansion: Jiao mansion from 8 to 10 degrees, Kang mansion 10 degrees, Di mansion 16 degrees. Yin mansion: Di mansion 17 degrees, Fang mansion 4 degrees, Xin mansion 8 degrees, Wei mansion 15 degrees, Ji mansion 0 degrees. The total of the twelve mansions is 360 degrees. When discussing "star mansion fields," one should refer to this table, which conforms to the actual celestial observations of the present dynasty.

羅洪烈云，西洋曆法周天之數三百六十年餘。而太陽行度，每歲循環一周，但為至日所限，周天之度未畢，而冬至之日既至，此歲差之法所由來，是以太陽行度，始於冬至之日，終於大雪之末。每歲所躔，計差五十一秒，積至七十年間方差一度。黃道過宮，由此而異，星垣度分，今古相殊云云。但遵用新法，則經中所謂牛女乘常，斗牛相加，風伯會箕，雨師會畢諸法，均不可用矣。故仍錄古法於圖考中，而備載新法於此，以見古今之異如此而已，不可以不知也。

Luo Honglie said: The Western calendar sets the celestial circle at more than 360 degrees; the sun's movement goes through one full cycle each year, but is restricted by the fixed point of the winter solstice—the celestial circle has not yet been fully traversed when the winter solstice arrives, and thus the method of the precession of the equinoxes comes into being. Therefore, when calculating the sun's position, it starts from the winter solstice and ends at the end of the great snow. Each year, the sun's position differs by fifty-one seconds; after seventy years, the difference accumulates to one degree. Thus, the Yellow Path moves through the twelve earthly branches, and the degrees occupied by the star mansions differ between ancient and modern times, and so on. However, if one entirely follows the new method, then the methods of divination in the classic texts such as "Taurus and Virgin remain constant," "Aries and Taurus align," "Fengbo meets Ji," and "Yushī meets Bi" would all become invalid—those statements were based on the star mansion positions of the Song dynasty. Therefore, this book still includes the ancient method in the diagram and examination section, while also fully recording the new method here, so that one may see that the differences between ancient and modern times are not so great. One must know both methods and not neglect either.

兩儀陰陽有真銓。兩儀謂干支取課之法。先以亥子丑列北方，寅卯辰列東方，巳午未列南方，申酉戌列西方，次第布定，謂之地盤。再用月將加於占人所得之時。月將即太陽也。冬至日，日躔星紀，大吉丑將。大寒日，日躔元枵，神后子將。雨水日，日躔諏訾，登明亥將。春分日，日躔降婁，河魁戌將。穀雨日，日躔大梁，從魁酉將。小滿日，日躔實沈，傳送申將。夏至日，日躔鶉首，小吉未將。大暑日，日躔鶉火，勝光午將。處暑日，日躔鶉尾，太乙巳將。秋分日，日躔壽星，天罡辰將。霜降日，日躔大火，太沖卯將。小雪日，日躔析木，功曹寅將。

"The Two Principles" refers to the method of establishing four lessons using heavenly stems and earthly branches. One yin and one yang, each contributing two lessons. To cast a divination, first set up the fixed plate: arrange the twelve earthly branches in a circle according to the directions, with Hai, Zi, and Chou in the north, Yin, Mao, and Chen in the east, Si, Wu, and Wei in the south, Shen, You, and Xu in the west, and so on in order. This circle is called the "Earth Plate" and remains fixed. Then add the "Month General" corresponding to the current season to the time of the divination. The Month General is the sun—when the sun is in a particular palace, take the general of that palace. After the winter solstice, the sun is in the second of the "Star Records," using the "Great Favor" general Chou; after the great cold, it is in the second of the "Xuan Xiao," using the "Shenhou" general Zi (the original text avoids the name of the Qing emperor, so "Xuan" is written as "Yuan"); after the rain water, it is in the second of the "Zuo Zi," using the "Dengming" general Hai; after the spring equinox, it is in the second of the "Jiang Lou," using the "Hekui" general Xu; after the grain rain, it is in the second of the "Da Liang," using the "Congkui" general You; after the small full, it is in the second of the "Shi Shen," using the "Chuansong" general Shen; after the summer solstice, it is in the second of the "Chun Shou," using the "Xiao Ji" general Wei; after the great heat, it is in the second of the "Chun Huo," using the "Shengguang" general Wu; after the beginning of autumn, it is in the second of the "Chun Wei," using the "Taiyi" general Si; after the autumn equinox, it is in the second of the "Shou Xing," using the "Tiangang" general Chen; after the frost descent, it is in the second of the "Da Huo," using the "Taichong" general Mao; after the light snow, it is in the second of the "Xi Mu," using the "Gongcao" general Yin. Each of the twelve solar terms governs one general, changing with the months, and the selection of the general is based solely on the solar term passing into a palace.

以此值月之將，加於地盤正時之上，順布十二宮，謂之天盤。再視本日之干支，甲寄寅，乙寄辰，丙戊寄巳，丁己寄未，庚寄申，辛寄戌，壬寄亥，癸寄丑。取日干寄宮上所得神為第一課，名干上陽神。再取干陽上所得之神為第二課，名干上陰神。取日支本宮上所得神為第三課，名支上陽神。再取支陽上所得神為第四課，名支上陰神。而四課於是備矣。

The procedure for casting a divination lesson is: place the current month general on the earth plate at the position corresponding to the time of day, then arrange the twelve earthly branches in order clockwise to fill the circle. This moving plate is called the "Heaven Plate." Once the Heaven Plate is fixed, the pattern of the twelve palaces overlapping vertically is established. Next, determine which palace the day stem is located in: Jia is in寅, Yi in辰, Bing and Wu both in巳, Ding and Ji both in未, Geng in申, Xin in戌, Ren in亥, and Gui in丑. Take the god that appears on the Heaven Plate above the palace where the day stem is located, and use this as the first lesson, called "Yang God on the Day Stem." Then take this god as the position on the earth plate, and use the god that appears on the Heaven Plate above it as the second lesson, called "Yin God on the Day Stem." Then reverse the process to take the palace where the day branch is located, and use the god that appears on the Heaven Plate above that palace on the earth plate as the third lesson, called "Yang God on the Day Branch." Then take the god that appears on the Heaven Plate above the Yang God on the Day Branch as the fourth lesson, called "Yin God on the Day Branch." At this point, the day stem has two lessons, and the day branch has two lessons, completing the "Four Lessons." The Four Lessons form the foundation of the entire divination, and the Three Transmissions are derived from them.

三傳初中立法推。四課既布，則三傳宜立矣。立傳之法有九。一克賊，二比用，三涉害，四遙克，五昴星，六別責，七八專，八伏吟，九返吟。諸法俱詳後文。四課既立，則取克賊之神，立為初傳，名曰發用。取初傳位上神為中傳，中傳位上神為末傳。而三傳備矣。初傳為發端，中傳為轉移，末傳為歸結。得德祿和合等神則吉，得刑害墓克沖絕等神則凶。初吉終凶，終歸於凶，初凶終吉，終歸於吉。其旨多端，詳占法門。

After the four lessons have been arranged, the next step is to establish the "Three Transmissions." There are nine methods for establishing the transmissions: first, "mutual control and destruction," second, "comparison and use," third, "involvement of harm," fourth, "remote control," fifth, "Amber Star," sixth, "separate responsibility," seventh, "eight specialities," eighth, "hidden chant," and ninth, "returning chant." The conditions and methods for each of these nine techniques are explained in detail later. After the four lessons are fixed, select the god that is mutually controlling or destructive among the four lessons to serve as the "first transmission," also called "initiating transmission." Then take the god that falls on the heavenly plate above the palace of the first transmission as the "second transmission," and take the god that falls on the heavenly plate above the palace of the second transmission as the "third transmission," thus completing the three transmissions. Each of the three transmissions has its own function: the first transmission represents the beginning of the matter, the second transmission represents the transfer in the middle, and the third transmission represents the final conclusion. If the three transmissions include gods such as "virtue," "favor," "harmony," and "union," the outcome is favorable. If they include gods such as "punishment," "harm," "burial," "control," "clash," and "decline," the outcome is unfavorable. If the beginning is favorable but the end is unfavorable, the final result will be unfavorable; if the beginning is unfavorable but the end is favorable, the final result will be favorable—the focus is on the third transmission. The meanings and details are numerous, and they will be explained in detail in the section on "divination methods" later.

上克下賊先重審。上克下謂之克，下克上為之賊。蓋陰陽生合比和，吉凶之端倪不露，惟於相剋處，一逗殺機，而吉凶遂爾見形也。立課之法，先取一下克上為用，雖有二三課之上克下，亦所不計，名曰重審。以下克上，事須重複審詳也。如四課並無下克，惟一上克下，則取一上克為用，名曰元首。元首者，別無下克，亭亭然有首出庶物之象也。俱以所得克賊之神為初傳，以初傳所乘神為中傳，以中傳所乘神為末傳。一云，四課取克賊為用，惟元首重審，決事有準。經云，入不入，事最急。蓋課以克賊發用為入，無克賊為不入也。

Among the four lessons, when the god on the Heaven Plate is overcome by the god on the Earth Plate, it is called 'kè' (overcoming); when the god on the Earth Plate overcomes the god on the Heaven Plate, it is called 'zéi' (stealing). Generally, when yin and yang are in mutual generation, mutual harmony, or mutual comparison, the signs of good or bad fortune are not apparent. Only when there is mutual overcoming does the danger become evident, and the nature of good or bad fortune becomes clear. Therefore, when establishing a divination lesson, one should first focus on the place of overcoming. The method of establishing a lesson is to first select a lesson where the Earth Plate overcomes the Heaven Plate as the initiating transmission. Even if there are a couple of other lessons where the Heaven Plate overcomes the Earth Plate, they are all disregarded. Such a lesson is called 'chóngshěn' (re-examination) — 're-examination' because it involves a lower force overcoming a higher one, and the matter requires careful review. If there is no instance of the Earth Plate overcoming the Heaven Plate, but only one instance of the Heaven Plate overcoming the Earth Plate, then this one instance is taken as the initiating transmission, called 'yuánshǒu' (first leader) — 'first leader' because there is no lower force to contend with it, and it stands alone, like the 'Qian' hexagram in the Zhou Changes, which 'leads all things'. Both these types of lessons use the god of overcoming or stealing as the first transmission, the god that the first transmission rides upon as the middle transmission, and the god that the middle transmission rides upon as the final transmission. There is another view that among the lessons involving overcoming or stealing, only 'chóngshěn' and 'yuánshǒu' are most accurate in their divination. The classic says 'rù bù rù, shì zuì jí' — when a lesson has an instance of overcoming or stealing, it is called 'rù' (entry), and when there is no such instance, it is called 'bù rù' (non-entry). All lessons that are 'rù' indicate urgent matters.

重審課。謂課得一下賊上為用，曰重審。計二百五十六課，以下克上，必須再三詳審，然後可行。仍以神將斷其吉凶。如丙寅日，干上午，三課無克，取四課下克上為用，三傳辰巳午。干支各乘旺神，三傳遞相引進，中末又為旺祿，主人宅俱泰，凡事有成。惟以靜守為吉，如欲動用，則變為羅網煞而有凶矣。

"The Re-examination Lesson": Among the four lessons, if only one lesson is of the type where the lower is attacking the upper, then that lesson is taken as the initiating transmission, and this lesson is called "Re-examination." Out of the total of 256 lessons, this type accounts for all of them. Because it is a case of lower attacking upper, the matter must be examined repeatedly before taking action. To determine fortune or misfortune, one still needs to consider the Heavenly General. For example, on a day of Bingyin, the day stem is located in Si, and the stem above the day stem is Wu. The first three lessons do not involve any overcoming, but the fourth lesson is of the type where the lower overcomes the upper, so this is taken as the initiating transmission. The three transmissions are Chen, Si, and Wu. The stem above the day and the branch above the day are both occupied by spirits that are prosperous and strong. The three transmissions, Chen generates Si, Si generates Wu, and so on, forming a continuous progression. The middle transmission, Si, is the禄 (favorable position) of Bing fire, and the final transmission, Wu, is the旺 (prosperous position) of Bing fire. With both禄 and旺 present, the person and their home are both peaceful and secure, and all matters can be successful. However, this lesson is only suitable for quiet waiting; if one wishes to take action and make progress, then the sequence of Chen, Si, and Wu moving in a forward direction will transform into the "Net of Entrapment" — the Net indicates being restricted and hindered, and once action is taken, one will be constrained, leading to misfortune.

元首課。謂課得一下克下為用，曰元首。計一百二十課。以上克下，大順之徵，凡事順利。仍以神將斷其吉凶。如壬戌日干上申，三課無克，取第二課上克下為用，三傳巳寅亥。安傳為日財，末為德祿，又要三傳遞互相生，日占，巳為貴人，干貴求財，無不亨利。

"The First Leader Divination": Among the four lessons, if only one lesson is an upper overcoming lower, then that lesson is taken as the initiating transmission, and this lesson is called the First Leader (the original text says "one upper overcoming lower," the character "lower" before "upper" is likely a mistake for "upper"). The entire set of 120 lessons belongs to this category. An upper overcoming lower indicates a superior governing an inferior, a sign of smooth progress, and all matters will be favorable. The judgment of good or bad fortune still refers to the Heavenly General. For example, on a Renxu day, the day stem is located in Hai, and the stem is riding on Shen. The other three lessons do not involve overcoming. Take the second lesson as the initiating transmission since it is an upper overcoming lower. The three transmissions are Si, Yin, and Hai. The initial transmission Si fire is the wealth爻 of Ren water (the original text says "An Chuan" but should be "Initial Transmission"). The final transmission Hai is both the禄 of Ren and the day's virtue. In addition, the three transmissions Si, Yin, and Hai support each other in sequence, forming a continuous flow of energy. If the divination is done during the day, Si is riding on the Nobleman, and the day stem receives both the Nobleman and wealth. Therefore, seeking wealth will certainly be prosperous and beneficial.

克多取用比方知。謂課有二三下克上，或二三上克下，擇課之陰陽與日比者為用，其中末亦如克賊相因。曰比用。計九十五課。占主事有兩歧，須擇其近於己者為和。乃能有所得也。乃以神將斷其吉凶。

If among the four lessons there are two or three that are lower elements attacking upper ones, or two or three that are upper elements overcoming lower ones, and the number of overcoming elements becomes numerous, then among these overcoming elements, one with the same yin-yang attribute as the day stem is selected to initiate the transmission. On a yang day, a yang element is chosen; on a yin day, a yin element is chosen. This is called 'comparison' or 'like'. The middle and final transmissions are still obtained by the method of overcoming and attacking, layer by layer. This pattern is called 'comparison transmission', and it applies to ninety-five lessons. If this pattern appears, it indicates that there are two possible paths or a situation of mutual confrontation. One must choose the path that is closer to oneself and similar to oneself in order to achieve success. If one desires both paths, it will result in failure. The determination of fortune or misfortune still depends on the heavenly general.

陽日陽比課格。如甲戌日量課未申，二課子未，三課卯戌，四課申卯。除上克不用，外餘二課，皆下賊上，甲為陽日，取子之與日比者為用，三傳子巳戌。初為敗氣，中為脫氣，末傳雖為日財，奈墓覆日干，所為不通，凡占不吉。

"The Yang Day Yang Comparison Pattern": For example, on a Jiaxu day, the first lesson has Wei added to Shen, the second lesson has Zi added to Wei, the third lesson has Mao added to Xu, and the fourth lesson has Shen added to Mao (the original text's "liang ke" is a mistake for "yi ke"). Among these, the lesson where the superior overcomes the inferior is excluded, leaving two lessons where the inferior attacks the superior. Since Jiaxu is a Yang day, we select "Zi" from these two inferior attacking superior spirits, as Zi is Yang and comparable to the Yang day. The initiating transmission is Zi, followed by Si and Xu. The initial transmission, Zi water, is the bathing and decline of Jia wood. The middle transmission, Si fire, is the depletion of Jia wood (wood generates fire, which drains my energy). The final transmission, Xu earth, although it is the wealth hexagram for the Jia day, is also the burial place of Jia, and the burial is on top of the day stem, making all actions unsmooth. This lesson is unfavorable for any divination.

陰日陰比格。如辛卯日，一課午辛，四課未亥。二上克下，辛為陰日，取未之與日比者為用。三傳未卯亥，合局作財，奈初中空陷，僅存末傳亥為脫氣，且遁丁神而作暗鬼，如取其財，必有禍出，日占，將乘白虎尤凶。

"The Yin Day Yin Comparison Pattern": For example, on a Xinmao day, the first lesson has Wu added to Xin (Xin is located in Xu), and the fourth lesson has Wei added to Hai. Both lessons show the upper overcoming the lower. Since Xin is a Yin day, we take "Wei" — Wei belongs to Yin, and is compared with the Yin day — as the initiating transmission. The three transmissions are Wei, Mao, and Hai. Wei, Mao, and Hai form a Triple Harmony of Wood, and Wood is the wealth of Xin Metal. It seems to form a wealth pattern; however, the initial transmission Wei and the middle transmission Mao are both in the旬空 (ten-day void), which is empty and not substantial. Only the final transmission Hai is real, but Hai is the泄气 (leak of energy) of Xin Metal (Metal generates Water, which drains my energy). The heavenly stem hidden on Hai also becomes the hidden ghost of the day stem. Seeking wealth in this way will certainly bring misfortune. If the divination is done in the daytime and the final transmission Hai is further occupied by the White Tiger, it becomes even more ominous.

見機在孟察微仲。謂陽日上用一陽，今則二陽三陽俱比矣。陰日止用一陰，今則二陰三陰俱比矣。則以涉害之法取之。涉者渡也，害者克也。先取孟位上乘神為和，曰見機。如孟位無以，則取仲位上乘神為用，曰察微（無取季位上神）。其中末亦如克賊之相因。占主凡事艱辛，必須歷盡風霜而後能得，乃苦盡甘來之象，仍以神將斷其吉凶。

The previous section "Comparative Use" states that on a yang day, only one yang spirit can be compared, and on a yin day, only one yin spirit can be compared. Now, on a yang day, two or three yang spirits appear and are compared with the day, and on a yin day, two or three yin spirits appear and are compared with the day. Since there is no choice, the method of "Involving Harm" must be used instead. "Involving" means crossing over, and "Harm" means being overcome. Take each of these overcoming spirits and move them from their position on the Heaven Plate back to their original position on the Earth Plate, and observe how many layers of overcoming they pass through. The one with the deeper overcoming is chosen. If the depth is the same, first choose the spirit that is on one of the four beginning positions—寅, 申, 巳, 亥—this is called "Seeing Opportunity"; if there is no suitable spirit on the beginning positions, then choose the one on one of the four middle positions—子, 午, 卯, 酉—this is called "Observing the Subtle" (spirits on the four seasonal positions—辰, 戌, 丑, 未—are not chosen). The middle and final transmissions still follow the rule of overcoming and being overcome, proceeding in sequence. When the method of "Involving Harm" is used, it indicates that all matters will be arduous, requiring great hardship and trials before success can be achieved, symbolizing a transition from hardship to ease. The determination of fortune or misfortune still depends on the Heavenly General.

見機課。謂涉害取四孟上神為用，曰見機。計五十三課。蓋有害者，不可不見其機也。如癸未日，一課巳癸，二課酉巳，三課亥未，三下克上，俱與日比，則取孟位上酉為用，三傳酉丑巳。干乘日財，支見旺神，三傳又合局生干，嫌初中空亡，如日占天將皆貴常勾，土神助傳之生，無不亨快。

The "Seeing Opportunity" method involves selecting the initiating transmission from the four young positions, known as "Seeing Opportunity," which comprises fifty-three lessons. Since there is harm present, one must not neglect to foresee the opportunity and identify the turning point in advance. For example, on a Guiwei day, the first lesson is巳 added to Gui (Gui resides in Chou), the second is酉 added to巳, and the third is亥 added to未. These three lessons are all instances of lower elements attacking upper ones, and the three deities involved are all compared with the Yin day, making it difficult to choose. Therefore, according to the method of involvement, we select the酉 located in the young position as the initiating transmission, resulting in the three transmissions of酉, 丑, and巳. The巳 fire is riding on the day stem Gui water, which represents wealth; the day branch shows a prosperous and strong deity; the three transmissions of巳, 酉, and 丑 form a metal trinity, which in turn supports the day stem Gui water. The only drawback is that the first transmission 酉 and the middle transmission 丑 fall into the empty旬. If the divination is done during the day, the heavenly general receives the nobleman, Tai Chang, and Gou Chen, which are deities of the earth element. The earth element can generate metal and enhance the life qi of the three transmissions, thus ensuring smooth and favorable results.

察微課。謂涉害取四仲上神為用，曰察微。計二十六課。蓋有害者，不可不察其微也。如庚辰日，二課子戌，四課申午，二下克上，俱與日比，孟位無取，則取仲位上申為用，三傳申戌子。初傳德祿空亡，末傳脫氣，幸干支互受上神之生，尚有所益，但以靜守為定，如欲動用，即為支上之午火所克，而有凶矣。

"Observing Subtle Lessons": When dealing with subtle lessons, one should take the divine transmission from the middle of the four trines, called "Observing Subtleties," which applies to twenty-six lessons. Since there is harm involved, one must carefully examine the subtle signs and clearly identify the hidden beginnings. For example, on a Gengchen day, the second lesson has Zi added to Xu, and the fourth lesson has Shen added to Wu. Both lessons are cases of lower overcoming upper (Xu earth overcoming Zi water, Wu fire overcoming Shen metal), and both deities are compared with the yang day; there are no suitable ones among the four trines. Therefore, the transmission is taken from the middle position Wu, where Shen is used. The three transmissions are Shen, Xu, and Zi. The initial transmission Shen is both the禄 (favorable position) and the 日德 (daily virtue) of Geng, but it falls into Kongwang (void). The final transmission Zi water is the 脱气 (loss of vital energy) of Geng metal. Fortunately, the day stem and day branch each receive the support of their respective upper deities, offering some benefit. However, this lesson is only suitable for stillness and stability; if one attempts action, Shen will be overcome by the Wu fire on the day branch, leading to misfortune.

復等課。謂涉害有與日俱比，俱在孟位上，取時之先見者為用。名曰復等。計三課。主兩雄相爭，惟在前者，乃有得也。如戊辰日，一課子戊，四課午亥，皆與日比，又俱在孟位上，取先見之子為用，三傳子未寅，干支俱乘財爻，似宜求財，但子遁甲，亥遁乙，作干支之暗鬼，又三傳遞互相剋，如求財必有禍出，此外又有戊辰、戊戌日返吟兩課。

"The 'Repetition of Lessons' (复等课): When the afflicted god (涉害之神) is both compared with the day stem and falls in the first position of the four lessons, and their depth and position are entirely equal, then the one that appears first in the hour is taken as the initiating transmission, called 'Repetition of Lessons,' which applies only to three lessons. This indicates a struggle between two strong forces, and only the one that acts first will gain benefit. For example, on a day of Wuchen (戊辰), the first lesson has Zi (子) added to Wu (戊) (Wu is located in Si), and the fourth lesson has Wu (午) added to Hai (亥). Both gods are compared with the yang day stem and fall in the first position (Zi and Hai are both in the first position). Therefore, the one that appears first, Zi, is taken as the initiating transmission, and the three transmissions are Zi, Wei, and Yin. Both the day stem and day branch are occupied by wealth divination elements, seemingly favorable for seeking wealth; however, Zi contains Jia (甲) and Hai contains Yi (乙), which are the ghosts of Wu (戊) earth, forming hidden ghosts in the stem and branch. Moreover, the three transmissions Zi, Wei, and Yin successively overcome each other, so if one truly seeks wealth, misfortune will surely follow. In addition, the reverse transmission lessons on Wuchen (戊辰) and Wuxu (戊戌) days also fall under the category of 'Repetition of Lessons.'"

按涉害之法，取克賊之神，從地盤曆數歸於本家，以受克深者為用。如丁卯日蛄課丑加卯，四課亥加丑，兩下克上，俱於陰日比，丑加卯，前行歷乙木一重，歸地盤本家丑位。亥加丑前行歷辰戊己未戌土五重，歸地盤本家亥閏，五重者較一重為深。則取亥為用。如上神克下，亦準此推。經云，“涉害行來本家止，多克便將為用起”是也。如涉害俱深，則取孟位上神為用，孟位無以，則取仲位上神為用，則古法也，近來諸家皆無用之，附近志於此，以見其原委如此云。

The method of involvement in harm involves taking the gods in the four lessons that mutually control or harm each other, and starting from the palace where they are located on the Heaven Plate, counting along the Earth Plate in a clockwise direction to their own palace. We observe how many phases of the Five Phases along the way are harmful to them. The one that is more deeply harmed is taken as the initiating transmission. For example, on a Dingmao day, the first lesson is Chou added to Mao, and the fourth lesson is Hai added to Chou. Both lessons involve the lower god harming the upper one, and both gods are compared with the Yin day. Chou is added to Mao; starting from Mao and moving forward to its own palace Chou, only one phase of wood (Yi) is encountered to harm earth. Hai is added to Chou; starting from Chou and moving forward to its own palace Hai, five phases of earth (Chen, Wei, Xu) are encountered along the way to harm water. Five phases are deeper than one, so Hai is taken as the initiating transmission. If the upper god harms the lower one, the same method is applied. The passage says, "Involvement in harm moves along the path to its own palace, and if it is heavily harmed, it is taken as the initiating transmission," which is exactly this meaning. If two gods are equally harmed, the one in the first position is taken as the initiating transmission; if the first position is not available, then the one in the middle position is taken. This is the ancient method, but it is no longer used by modern schools. It is recorded here to show its original meaning. (The original text has errors: "一课" is mistakenly written as "蛄课", "亥位" as "亥闰", and some characters in the list of earth phases are also incorrect. These errors are retained as they appear in the original.)

蒿矢無取彈射宜。謂四課上下剋剋，則以日干為主，與二三四課較對。若有一上神遙剋日干，取以為用，曰蒿矢。如無上神遙克，則取日干遙克上神為用，曰彈射。如有二克或克二者，則取日之相比者為用，中末亦如克賊之相因。占主虛而不實，禍福俱輕，帶土金煞，則能克人。蓋蒿矢見金為有鏃，彈射見土為有丸也。主凡事驀然而成。仍以神將斷其吉凶。二課有近射，有遠射。如二課發用，乃日之二課自戰，其勢略大，三課發用，乃辰陽與日干相競，尚覺有力。若四課更遠而無力矣。或兩神剋日，或日克兩神，尤主多心多意。

The Four Lessons do not show any mutual control between upper and lower (the original text says "no control," but was mistakenly written as "mutual control"). In such cases, take the Day Stem as the main reference and compare it with the upper deities of the second, third, and fourth lessons one by one. If one of these upper deities is remotely and indirectly controlling the Day Stem, take that deity as the initiating transmission, called "Hao Shi" (arrow made of reed). If there is no such remote control, take the deity that the Day Stem remotely controls as the initiating transmission, called "Tan She" (bow without string). If two deities jointly control the Day Stem, or the Day Stem jointly controls two deities, take the one that has the same yin-yang relationship as the Day Stem for the initiating transmission. The Middle and Final Transmissions are still determined according to the principle of mutual control. This pattern indicates that the outcome is usually empty and not substantial, with both good and bad events being light. However, if there are harmful deities such as earth or metal, it can actually cause harm. This is because Hao Shi is originally an arrow made of reed, and when it meets metal, it is considered to have a sharp tip; Tan She is originally an empty bow, and when it meets earth, it is considered to have a ball of mud. A virtual object becomes real and thus can harm people. This pattern indicates that things come about unexpectedly and suddenly. To determine good or bad outcomes, still refer to the Heavenly General. Remote control is further divided into near and distant control: if the second lesson is used as the initiating transmission, it is a conflict between the Day Stem and its own lesson, with a stronger force; if the third lesson is used, it is a conflict between the yang deity of the Day Branch and the Day Stem, still relatively strong; if the fourth lesson is used, it is further away and less powerful. If two deities jointly control the Day Stem, or the Day Stem jointly controls two deities, it especially indicates that a person's mind is confused and they cannot make up their mind.

蒿矢課。謂四課無克，取上神遙剋日干為用，曰蒿矢。計四十課。蓋神遙剋日，緩而且輕，若折蒿為矢，力弱難傷。主憂喜無實，事多虛謀。仍以神將斷其吉凶。如丙戌日，干上寅，二課亥，遙剋日神，則取亥為為用，三傳亥申巳，初作日鬼，中傳申財，又入鬼鄉，幸得末傳之日祿，尚有可守，如日占，亥乘貴人尤妙。

The "Hao Shi" divination lesson: When there is no direct conflict among the four lessons, select the upper god that remotely controls the day stem from a distance to initiate the transmission, called "Hao Shi," which applies to forty lessons. The god is separated by positions and remotely controls the day stem, its approach is both slow and weak, like breaking a bamboo pole to make an arrow, which lacks strength and cannot harm. This lesson indicates that whether there is worry or joy, nothing is concrete, and matters are mostly empty schemes. Judging fortune and misfortune still refers to the Heavenly General. For example, on a Bingxu day, the day stem is located in Si, and the stem on the day is Yiny. The upper god of the second lesson is Hai, which is water and remotely controls the Bing fire. Therefore, Hai is used to initiate the transmission, and the three transmissions are Hai, Shen, and Si. The initial transmission Hai is the official ghost of the Bing day; the middle transmission Shen metal is originally the wealth of Bing, but it falls into the ghost territory of Hai; fortunately, the final transmission Si is the fortune of Bing, so there is still something to hold onto. If the divination is done in the daytime and Hai is accompanied by the Nobleman, it becomes especially good— the ghost transforms into the Nobleman, and becomes supportive instead.

彈射課。謂四課無上神遙剋日干，則取日干克上神為用。曰彈射。計二十五課。蓋我去克他，如彈丸當向量，射物難中。縱有虛名虛利，不可實用。仍以神將斷其吉凶。如癸未日，干上子，三課午，四課巳，日干遙克兩上神，則取巳之與日比者為用。三傳巳辰卯，自第四課財爻發用，為力雖輕，幸得末傳助之，且支上陰陽復見日見，占求財最吉，但不免往來奔波，多心多意耳。

"The 'Projectile Transmission' (弹射课): If among the four lessons there is no upper god that remotely controls the day stem from above, then take the upper god that is remotely controlled by the day stem as the initiating transmission, which is called 'Projectile Transmission,' and there are twenty-five such cases. This represents me attacking him, like shooting a projectile into the air, which is difficult to hit the target. Even if there are some superficial gains or benefits, they should not be taken seriously. Judging fortune and misfortune still refers to the Heavenly General. For example, on a Guiwei day, the day stem is located in Chou, and the stem is riding on Zi. The third lesson's upper god is Wu, and the fourth lesson's upper god is Si. The Gui water remotely controls the two fire gods Wu and Si. Therefore, take Si as the initiating transmission, since Si is yin and compared to the yin day, it is used as the initiating transmission. The three transmissions are Si, Chen, and Mao. Starting from the fourth lesson's wealth爻, the strength is weak, but fortunately the final transmission Mao wood supports it (wood generates fire, assisting the wealth爻). In addition, the yin and yang gods on the day branch are also seen again, which again indicate wealth. Therefore, the divination for seeking wealth is most favorable; however, there is inevitably much traveling and mental confusion, and indecision (the original text has errors in '当向量' and '复见日见,' which are recorded as is without correction)."

陰陽昴星觀俯仰。謂四課無克，又無遙克，取酉將上下祥為用，曰卯星。昴星者酉中昴宿也。酉位西方，義司決斷。故取以立傳，陽日取地盤酉上神為用為仰視格。陰日取天盤酉下神為用，為府視格。俯視者憂近，仰視者憂遠。二課大端皆凶，如蛇虎入傳更甚。分敘於左。

The four lessons have neither mutual control nor remote control, and there is no place for initiating transmission. In such a case, the spirits above and below theYou Palace are taken for initiating transmission, and this pattern is called "Amber Star Lesson" (the original text mistakenly writes "卯" instead of "昴" and "上下祥" instead of "上下神"). The term "Amber Star" refers to the Hairy Head mansion within theYou Palace. The酉 position is in the west, and by meaning it signifies punishment, killing, and decision-making, so it is used to establish the transmission. On a yang day, the spirit falling on the heaven plate over the earth plate's酉 position is taken for initiating transmission, called "Looking Up Pattern"; on a yin day, the spirit under the heaven plate's酉 character, pressed by the earth plate, is taken for initiating transmission, called "Looking Down Pattern." The Looking Down Pattern indicates immediate worries and troubles, while the Looking Up Pattern suggests troubles still far away. These two patterns generally indicate misfortune. If the Teng Snake or White Tiger enters the transmission, the situation becomes even more ominous. The details of each pattern are described below.

昴星仰神格。謂剛日昴星，取地盤酉上神為用，中用辰上神，末用日上辰，為仰視格。計四課，主事多驚危險則宜靜守，仍以神將斷其吉凶。如戊寅日，三傳丑午酉，初末皆空，獨存中傳之午，日占乘虎而居支上。諺云，雙拳不敵四手，何況逢兩虎乎？凡占不吉。

"The '昴 Star Looking Up God' (昴星仰神格): On a Yang day (Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, Ren), when the昴 Star lesson occurs, take the god on the Earth Plate's You position as the initiating transmission. The middle transmission is taken from the god on the day branch, and the final transmission is taken from the god on the day stem (the last sentence of the original text '日上辰' should be '日上神'). This is called the 'Looking Up' pattern, and all four lessons belong to it. The affairs involved are often marked by fear and danger, and it is only suitable to remain still and cautious. Judging fortune and misfortune still refers to the Heavenly General. Example: On a Wuyin day (戊寅), the three transmissions are Chou, Wu, and You. The initial transmission Chou and the final transmission You both fall into the旬空 (empty period), leaving only the middle transmission Wu as real; if the divination is done during the day, the Wu position is occupied by the White Tiger, and it is also directly above the day branch. There is an old saying: 'Two fists cannot match four hands.' Moreover, when encountering two tigers — the branch is occupied by the White Tiger, and the transmission also contains the White Tiger — this lesson is generally unfavorable in all divinations."

昴星俯視格。謂柔日昴星，取天盤酉下神為用，中用日上神，末用辰上神，為俯視格。計一十二課。主事多蔽慝，惟潛藏為宜，仍以神將論其吉凶。如己巳，三傳申申午，雖無蛇虎入傳，但申為虎之本家，課傳三見此神，災驚有所不免。又如癸未日，三傳申寅申，往來綿在干支上，又初中皆空，主往來效能下稍全無一事。如晝占，將乘合元合肥市陰私萬狀，尤不可言又辛未日，三傳申亥申，中傳旬空，夜占，申乘天空。辛卯日三傳子未子，中傳旬空，晝占，子乘天空，其例亦同。

"The昴星俯视 pattern": On a flexible day (乙, 丁, 己, 辛, 癸), when the昴星 lesson occurs, take the god under the酉 character on the Heaven Plate as the initiating transmission. The middle transmission is taken from the god above the day stem, and the final transmission is taken from the god above the day branch. This is called the俯视 pattern, and it applies to twelve lessons. It indicates that matters are often obscured or hidden, and only quiet inaction is suitable. Judging fortune and misfortune still refers to the Heavenly General. Example: OnJisi day, the three transmissions are申, 申, 午. Although there are noTeng Snake or White Tiger in the transmissions, 申 is the original position of White Tiger, and this god appears three times in the lesson and transmissions, so disaster and alarm are inevitable. Another example: OnGuiwei day, the three transmissions are申, 寅, 申. The transmissions move back and forth over the stem and branch, and both the first and middle transmissions fall into empty positions, indicating that one will run about and make efforts but end up achieving nothing. If the divination is done during the day, the Heavenly General is Liu He and Black Tortoise, indicating many private matters, which are especially difficult to discuss (the original text has some errors in this sentence, and the meaning can be inferred, but the characters cannot be guessed). Another example: OnXinwei day, the three transmissions are申, 亥, 申. The middle transmission falls into an empty position, and at night, 申 is occupied by Tian Kong. OnXinmao day, the three transmissions are子, 未, 子. The middle transmission also falls into an empty position, and during the day, 子 is occupied by Tian Kong. The reasoning behind these examples is the same: when the transmissions fall into empty positions and are also occupied by Tian Kong, the matter will be false and ultimately unsuccessful.

不備三五合神依。謂課有一課與四課相同，或二課與三課相同，則干支之陰陽二神，缺一課矣。陽課缺一，曰陽不備，陰課缺一，曰陰不備。不備者，以干支之陰陽言，非以奇偶陰陽言也。有克賊，照常以克賊等論。中末亦如克賊之相因。如無克無遙，陽日取干五合上神為用，陰日最支三合前位神為用，中末俱有干上神，曰別責。分列於左。

The term "incomplete" refers to a situation in the four lessons where the first and fourth lessons are the same, or the second and third lessons are the same, causing one lesson to be repeated. As a result, the yin and yang spirits of the heavenly stem and earthly branch are missing one lesson. If the yang position is missing a lesson, it is called "yang incomplete"; if the yin position is missing a lesson, it is called "yin incomplete." It should be noted that the term "incomplete" here refers to the absence of the yin and yang spirits in the day stem and day branch, not based on odd or even numbers. In such cases, if there are conflicts or thefts, they are still handled according to the methods for conflicts and thefts, with the middle and final transmissions following the same principles. If there are neither conflicts nor thefts, then for a yang day, the spirit associated with the five harmonies of the day stem is taken from the palace where it resides, and for a yin day, the spirit is taken from the palace one position before the triple harmony of the day branch. The middle and final transmissions are both taken from the spirit on the day stem. This method is called "alternative responsibility" (the original text mistakenly writes "take" as "most" and "both take" as "both have"). The details are listed below.

陽不備課。謂干支之陽神不備，曰陽不備。如庚午日干上午，干陰辰，支陽辰，支陰寅，剛日先盡干神，辰既為干陰所占，則支陽缺一課矣。又辛未日，干陽丑，干陰辰，支陽戌，支陰丑，柔日先盡支神，丑既為支陰所占，則干陽缺一課矣。故曰陽不備。占主事不成全，必有缺憾。干陽不備，主外事不足。支陽不備，主內事不足。仍以神將驗其吉凶。如乙亥日，干上酉，一課缺一干之陽神，酉為官鬼，且繫旬空，有官者占之，主求官事必有缺憾。如常人占，則日鬼空亡，反為吉也。

"The Yang Not Being Complete" refers to the absence of the yang spirits in the heavenly stem and earthly branch. For example, on a Gengwu day, the heavenly stem is Wu, the yang of the stem is Chen, the yang of the branch is Chen, and the yin of the branch is Yin. On a yang day, the spirits of the heavenly stem are exhausted first. Since Chen has already been occupied by the yin of the stem, the yang of the branch is missing. Similarly, on a Xinwei day, the yang of the stem is Chou, the yin of the stem is Chen, the yang of the branch is Xu, and the yin of the branch is Chou. On a yin day, the spirits of the branch are exhausted first. Since Chou has already been occupied by the yin of the branch, the yang of the stem is missing. This is called "Yang Not Being Complete." It indicates that matters will not be fully realized and will leave some regret. If the yang spirits of the day stem are missing, it suggests that external affairs are incomplete. If the yang spirits of the day branch are missing, it suggests that internal affairs are incomplete. The determination of fortune and misfortune should still be verified through the Heavenly General. For example, on a Yihai day, the heavenly stem is You, and there is a missing yang spirit in the four lessons. You metal is the official ghost of Yi wood, and it falls in the empty period. If someone with an official position divines this, it indicates that seeking official positions will leave some regret. If a common person divines this, the official ghost falls in the empty period, meaning the ghost cannot cause trouble, which is actually favorable.

陰不備課。謂干到之陰神不備，曰陰不備。如甲午日，干陽戌，干陰午，支陽寅，支陰戌，剛日先盡干神，戌既為干陽所占，則支陰缺一課矣。又如乙未日，干陽未，干陰戌，支陽戌，支陰丑，柔日先盡支神，戌既為支陽所占，則干陰缺一課參。故曰陰不備。占同前例。如壬辰日，干上午，一課缺一支之陰神，午為妻財，又係旬空，日占乘後，主妻財有不足之憾。夜占乘元，空財被竊，必有失竊事。

"Yin Bu Bei Ke" means that the Yin spirits of the heavenly stem and earthly branch are missing, which is called Yin not being complete (the original text mistakenly writes "dry to" instead of "heavenly stem and earthly branch"). For example, on a Jiawu day, the Yang of the heavenly stem is Xu, the Yin of the heavenly stem is Wu, the Yang of the earthly branch is Yin, and the Yin of the earthly branch is Xu. On a Yang day, the spirits of the heavenly stem are first exhausted. Since Xu has already been occupied by the Yang of the heavenly stem, the Yin of the earthly branch is missing. Another example is on a Yiwei day, the Yang of the heavenly stem is Wei, the Yin of the heavenly stem is Xu, the Yang of the earthly branch is Xu, and the Yin of the earthly branch is Chou. On a Yin day, the spirits of the earthly branch are first exhausted. Since Xu has already been occupied by the Yang of the earthly branch, the Yin of the heavenly stem is missing. Therefore, it is called Yin not being complete. The divination should follow the example of the previous section. Example: On a Renchen day, the heavenly stem is Wu, and there is a missing Yin spirit of the earthly branch in the four lessons. Wu fire is the wife and wealth of Ren water, and it falls in the empty period. If the divination is done in the daytime, Wu is occupied by the Heavenly Empress, indicating that both wife and wealth are lacking. If the divination is done at night, Wu is occupied by the Black Tortoise, and the lost wealth is further stolen, which definitely indicates a theft incident.

剛日別責課。謂剛日不備，無克無遙，取干五合上神為用，澡末末取干上神，為剛日別責。計三課。如丙合辛，辛寄戌，取戌上神為用，如丙辰日，干上午，一課戌上亥，三傳亥午午是也。戊合癸，癸寄予丑，取導丰神為用，如戊辰、戊午日，干上午，兩課丑上寅，三專寅午午是也。主凡事倚仗於人，方能有成。或吉凶多係他人，不干於己之事。仍以神將論其吉凶。如戊辰日，三傳寅午午，寅為長生災民星，午為日之旺神，有官者占之最吉。但事必須借徑而行，方能成就，如日占初蛇終龍，大事可成，認占初蛇終龍，不過小就而已。

"The method of distinguishing responsibility on a strong day" refers to when a strong day meets an incomplete divination chart, and there is neither a direct conflict nor a remote conflict. In such cases, one should take the deity residing in the palace corresponding to the day stem's five harmonious partner and use that deity as the initiating transmission. Both the middle and final transmissions should be taken from the deity on the day stem. This is called distinguishing responsibility on a strong day, and it applies to three lessons. For example, if Jia and Ji are harmonious, Ji resides in Xu, so the deity on Xu is used as the initiating transmission. On Bingchen day, the day stem is Wu, the first lesson is the deity on Xu riding Hai, and the three transmissions are Hai, Wu, and Wu. Another example is when Wu and Gui are harmonious, Gui resides in Chou, so the deity on Chou is used as the initiating transmission. On Wuchen and Wuu days, the day stem is Wu, the second lesson is the deity on Chou riding Yin, and the three transmissions are Yin, Wu, and Wu. This pattern indicates that matters depend on others to be accomplished, or that fortune and misfortune are mostly determined by others, not by oneself. The judgment of fortune and misfortune still refers to the Heavenly General. For example, on Wuchen day, if the three transmissions are Yin, Wu, and Wu, Yin is the long life place of Wu earth and also represents an official star, while Wu is the strong deity for Wu day. This is most favorable for someone holding an official position. However, the matter must be accomplished through the path of others. If the divination is done in the daytime and the first transmission is ridden by Teng Snake while the final transmission is ridden by Azure Dragon, a major matter can be achieved. If the divination is done at night with the same first and final transmissions, only a minor achievement is expected. (The original text mistakenly writes 'middle and final both take' as 'zao mei mei take,' 'deity on Chou' as 'dao feng shen,' and 'night divination' as 'ren zhan,' but these errors are retained as they are.)

柔日別責。謂柔日不備。無克無遙，取支三合前位神為用，中末俱取干上神。為柔日別責。計六課，如酉日取丑為用，如丁酉日，干上巳，三傳丑巳巳。辛酉日，干上酉，三傳丑酉酉。是也。丑日取巳為用，如辛丑日干上丑，三傳巳丑丑。又干上未，三傳亥丑丑是也。主異方求合，遠而無力。謀為不正，事多留連。仍以神將論其吉凶。如辛未日三傳亥丑丑，脫氣發用，三傳全空，中末又為日墓，主凡事仍其費力。終無成就。如夜占亥乘玄武為用，主有失脫，事末乘後，占夫婦必有淫亂事。

"The Rule of Separate Responsibility on a Soft Day": On a soft day, if the divination chart lacks preparation and there is neither a direct conflict nor a remote conflict, then the initiating transmission is taken from the god at the position before the day branch's triple harmony. Both the middle and final transmissions are taken from the day stem. This is called "Separate Responsibility on a Soft Day," and it applies to all six transmissions. For example, on a day of酉 (You), the initiating transmission is taken from丑 (Chou): On a Dingyou day, the day stem is巳 (Si), and the three transmissions are丑 (Chou), 巳 (Si), and 巳 (Si); on a Xinyou day, the day stem is酉 (You), and the three transmissions are丑 (Chou), 酉 (You), and 酉 (You). On a day of丑 (Chou), the initiating transmission is taken from巳 (Si): On a Xinchou day, the day stem is丑 (Chou), and the three transmissions are巳 (Si), 丑 (Chou), and 丑 (Chou); if the day stem is未 (Wei), then the three transmissions are亥 (Hai), 丑 (Chou), and 丑 (Chou). This pattern indicates that the matter will involve seeking cooperation from another path or place, which is distant and beyond one's capacity. The affairs are likely to deviate from the proper course and be entangled and delayed. The determination of fortune or misfortune still refers to the Heavenly General. Example: On a Xinwei day, the three transmissions are亥 (Hai), 丑 (Chou), and 丑 (Chou). The initiating transmission is taken from the god that releases the energy (metal generates water, and Hai drains the energy of Xin metal). The three transmissions all fall into the旬空 (decade void), and the Chou in the middle and final transmissions are theTomb Spirit (grave god) of Xin metal, indicating that all efforts are wasted and nothing is achieved. If the divination is done at night, and the initial transmission is on Hai with the Black Tortoise, it indicates loss or escape. If the final transmission is on Chou with the Heavenly Empress, it suggests marital affairs involving infidelity."