Nephew Kui's跋 (footnote)

唐時功令，以奇門、雷公、六壬為三式，雷公即太乙，所謂太乙雷公式是也。唐時禁奇門、雷公不傳，惟六壬便於民用，不涉兵事，故不之禁，傳其歧多，精者獨鮮。

In the Tang dynasty, the government classified the three schools of divination, namely Qi Men, Leigong, and Liu Ren, together as the "San Shi" or "Three Formulae." Here, "Leigong" refers to "Taiyi." The ancient texts refer to "Taiyi Leigong formula" as exactly this. The Tang court explicitly prohibited the transmission of Qi Men and Leigong outside the country, because both schools involved military and state affairs. Only Liu Ren was suitable for common people's daily inquiries and did not involve military secrets, so it was not subject to prohibition. Because it was not banned, Liu Ren had many branches and schools, with various lineages and teachers. As a result, those who truly mastered it became rare.

叔父承偉堂族祖之傳，肆習有年，占驗輒中。猶憶庚申之亂，里黨為墟，叔父之灼見機先，寓書親友，謂八月有凶，聞者疑信參半，至期果應，遂群服無閒言。以偉堂族曾祖手錄秘秩甚夥，曾為刊《大六壬一字訣玉連環》，今又復刊《畢法集覽》《壬學瑣記》兩種，而《瑣記》一書昭示後學尤切。剞劂甫竟，見示全冊，命綴數語於後。夔不諳數學，何敢漫言？爰舉夙昔所聞推驗之一端，抑以驗同志，抑以見藝術亦有分途，而法守必宗正軌，則技也進於道已。

My uncle inherited the teachings of our clan's ancestor, Wei Tang Gong, and devoted many years to studying them diligently. His divination often proved accurate. I still remember the turmoil of the Gengshen year, when the village was burned to the ground. My uncle had already sensed the signs beforehand and wrote to his relatives and friends, warning them that there would be danger in August. Those who heard him were doubtful, but indeed the event occurred in that month, and thus everyone became convinced and ceased to make any further remarks. Our clan's great-grandfather Wei Tang Gong had personally copied many secret manuscripts. My uncle had already published "The One-Character诀 of Great Six壬" and now is reissuing "Bifa Jiluans" and "Miscellaneous Notes on Ren Studies." Among these, "Miscellaneous Notes on Ren Studies" offers particularly important guidance for later learners. The woodblock printing was just completed, and my uncle asked me to write a few words at the end of the book. I am not well-versed in the study of divination, so how could I dare to make any remarks? I can only cite a case I heard about in daily life as an appendix: first, to seek confirmation from fellow enthusiasts, and second, to illustrate that although the techniques may differ, they must all follow proper principles and be guided along the right path. When this is achieved, the skill becomes the "Dao."

光緒七年歲次辛巳立夏後五日，侄夔謹跋。

In the seventh year of Guangxu, the sexagenary cycle year was Xinsi (1881), on the fifth day after the beginning of summer, the nephew Cheng Kui respectfully wrote this colophon.

予資拙而多健忘，凡有見聞及屢試屢驗者，隨筆記之，不能分其門類，聊當懷中記事珠云爾。

I am naturally dull and forgetful, so whatever I have heard or seen, as well as the insights I have repeatedly tested and found to be effective, I simply jot down as I go, without the energy to organize them systematically. I will treat these notes as the "memory beads" that ancient people kept in their pockets, using them merely to help me remember things.

六壬不知始於何時。《雲笈七籖》云：上皇三年七月二十九日壬子，太真皇人下授黃帝六壬式圖、六甲三元、遁甲造式之法，法威天下，流傳子孫。黃梨洲《易學篆數總論》以《國語》中伶州鳩之論七律即是六壬之法；馬端臨《文獻通考》六壬出於秦；張鋐《說約》則據《漢書·律曆志》注“大橈作甲子，占斗罡所建，探五行之精”，是六壬當始於大橈，成於隸首；焦裡堂先生獨云：徐嶽《術數記遺》所謂“周公掯悶”“孔子三不能”“西老成子四維”等數即六壬之天地盤，大端皆猜度之言。

The origin of Liu Ren is unknown. The "Yun Ji Qi Jian" records that on the 29th day of the seventh month in the third year of the Upper Emperor, on a day of Ren Zi, the Taizhen Huangren descended and taught Huangdi the "Liu Ren Shi Tu" as well as the methods of the six Jia and the three yuan of Liu Jia, and the method of Dun Jia. This method spread throughout the world and was passed down through generations. Huang Zongxi, who was known as Li Zhu, in his "Yixue Xiangshu Zonglun" (the original text has "Xiang" mistakenly written as "Zuan") believes that the passage in the "Guoyu" where Ling Zhoujiu discusses the seven laws refers to the method of Liu Ren. Ma Duolin's "Wenxuan Tongcao" says that Liu Ren originated in the Qin dynasty. Zhang Fu's "Shuo Yao" bases his argument on the annotation in the "Han Shu · Lüli Zhi" which says, "Da Rao created the Jia Zi, observed the position of the handle of the Big Dipper, and explored the subtle aspects of the Five Phases." He claims that Liu Ren was created by Da Rao and completed by Lishou. Jiao Xun, who was known as Litang, has a different view. He says that the several divination methods mentioned in Xu Yue's "Shushu Ji Yi," such as "Zhou Gong Kunmen," "Confucius San Beneng," and "Xilao Chengzi Siwei," are the Heaven Plate and Earth Plate of Liu Ren. All these views are mostly conjectures and there is no conclusive evidence.

然讀《吳越春秋》《越絕書》子胥、少伯諸占，與今時六壬無異，則其來久矣，吳越已。觀於《春秋傳》，左氏好言卜筮，何以不及六壬？然則《吳越春秋》《越絕書》所載亦難必其真確。而著此二書者為趙煜、袁康，二者皆後漢時人，可知後漢時始有六壬矣。今見《天官壬學》一書，內有《端木夫子十二字經》《顓孫夫子二十七字經》，豈因子貢億則屢中、子張才高藝廣，有十世可知之問，故依記而成此二篇歟！何其寥寥數語，初無異人處也。

However, reading the divination examples in the "Wuyue Chunqiu" and "Yuejue Shu" concerning figures like Wu Zixu and Fan Li (whose name was Shao Bo), their methods of divination are exactly the same as today's Liu Ren, showing that this system of divination has a long history, existing as early as the time of the struggle between Wu and Yue. (The original text seems to have a missing character in the phrase "Wuyue yi," so I have read it as the above sentence according to the meaning.) But if we look at the "Zuo Zhuan" of the "Spring and Autumn Annals," Zuo Qiuming loved to record divination matters, yet he never mentioned Liu Ren. So, the divination examples recorded in the "Wuyue Chunqiu" and "Yuejue Shu" are hard to confirm as reliable. Moreover, the authors of these two books, Zhao Yu (probably Zhao Ye) and Yuan Kang, were both from the Later Han dynasty, which suggests that Liu Ren probably appeared only during the Later Han. Recently, I have also seen a book called "Tian Gao Ren Xue," which includes the "Shi Wu Fu Zi Shier Zi Jing" and the "Zuan Sun Fu Zi Erqiushizi Jing." Endu Mu Ci is Zi Gong, whom Confucius called "yi ze lv zhong," meaning that he often guessed correctly. Zuan Sun Shi is Zi Zhang, who was talented and knowledgeable in many skills, once asking Confucius the question about "shi shi ke zhi." It is likely that later people attached these two stories to the names of these two men and compiled these two texts. In reality, the content is only a few words, and there is nothing remarkable about it.

太乙、奇門、六壬，古稱三式。愚以為六壬最先出，奇門次出，太乙晚出。何以明之？觀六壬純用干支神將推演，並不用九星、八門、文昌、計都等項，以是知其先出。奇門所用天三門、地四戶、天馬方則採用六壬矣。太乙所用九星、八門、五符等類，則採用奇門、六壬矣，以是知二書皆在六壬之後也。三式雖以太乙為尊，但其積算推至一千萬年以上，荒渺無稽，況天運循環、國祚修短，何敢予知？固不若六壬之切於日用而又不干例禁也。

The three schools of divination, Taiyi, Qimen, and LiuNin, were collectively known as the "Three Systems" by ancient people. I believe that LiuNin appeared first, followed by Qimen, and Taiyi came last. Why do I say this? Looking at the calculations of LiuNin, they use only heavenly stems, earthly branches, and the Twelve Heavenly Generals, without incorporating elements such as nine stars, eight gates, Wen Chang, and Ji Du. This shows that LiuNin appeared earlier. The terms "Three Heavenly Gates," "Four Earthly Doors," and "Heavenly Horse Direction" used in Qimen clearly come from LiuNin. The nine stars, eight gates, and five symbols used in Taiyi are elements taken from both Qimen and LiuNin. From this, we can conclude that the books of Qimen and Taiyi were formed after LiuNin. Although Taiyi holds the highest status among the three systems, its calculations often trace back millions of years, making them too vague to verify. Moreover, matters such as the cycles of heaven and the length of a nation's fortune are things ordinary people dare not predict in advance. Therefore, Taiyi is ultimately less practical than LiuNin and does not violate the imperial ban.

六壬之名，說者不一。有云水生於一、成於六，故名六壬者，宋人也。有云《周易》以乾卦為首，乾內卦納甲，故奇門稱遁甲；外卦納六壬，故稱六壬者，祝泌也。有云天一生水，天五生土，合而成六壬，字上一撇象水之朝東，下一畫重者像地之厚載，中一畫長者，縱則為天地，橫則為宇宙，六壬與天地宇宙同用，加以水土生育之功，有厚載之至德，故云六壬者，《未悟書》中語也。有云乾為天屬金，壬承天屬水，壬得天之氣，即洩天之機，故云六壬者，張江村也。至《六壬廛談》則云：本旬有壬將主事，當於排天地盤時，默祝曰“本旬壬某神將護我”，判籤則自然響應，於壬將本日拜之，則壬將默助，有斷即靈，是又以六壬為神祗矣。

The origin of the name "Liu Ren" is subject to different interpretations among various schools. Some say that water is generated from one and completed at six in the Five Phases system, hence the name "Liu Ren," according to the explanation from the Song dynasty. Others say that the "Dun Jia" system is named after the inner trigram of the Qian hexagram in the Zhou Yi, while the "Liu Ren" system is named after the outer trigram of the Qian hexagram, according to the explanation by Zhu Bi. Another view suggests that "Heaven produces water and Heaven five produces earth," with one and five combining to form six, hence the name "Liu Ren." It also analyzes the character "Ren": the first stroke resembles water flowing eastward, the middle horizontal stroke is thick, resembling the earth's bearing, and the longest horizontal stroke, when viewed vertically, represents heaven and earth, and horizontally, the universe. Thus, "Liu Ren" shares the same function as heaven and universe, and with the merit of water and earth nurturing all things and the virtue of bearing all things, hence the name "Liu Ren," according to the "Weiwu Book." Another explanation says that Qian represents heaven and belongs to the metal element, while Ren, following heaven, belongs to the water element. Since Ren receives the energy of heaven, it can reveal the secrets of heaven, hence the name "Liu Ren," according to Zhang Jiangcun. As for the "Liu Ren Chuantan," the explanation is even more mysterious: it says that in each ten-day period, there is a "Ren general" in charge. When arranging the Heaven Plate and Earth Plate, one should silently pray, "May the god general Ren of this ten-day period protect me." Thus, the divination signs will naturally respond. On the day when the "Ren general" is in charge, one should worship him, and the "Ren general" will secretly assist, making the divination accurate. This has already regarded Liu Ren as a deity to be worshipped.

《金旨占論》則曰：“旬內之壬各有主，如甲子旬壬申，丙寅日以申為財，即不求財，亦有意外之得；乙丑日以申為官，即不求官，亦有得名之事，否則口舌官非。”是又以壬為最重之神，故以六壬立名矣。諸說紛紛，未知誰是，姑集於此，請教高明。

The "Jin Zhi Zhan Lun" also says: "In each ten-day period, the 'Ren' has its own master. For example, in the ten-day period starting with Jiazi, if 'Ren' falls on Shen, then on Bingyin day, Shen is considered 'Cai' (wealth), and even if the question is not about seeking wealth, there will be unexpected income; on Yichou day, Shen is considered 'Guan' (official position), and even if the question is not about fame, there will be an opportunity to gain reputation, otherwise there will be disputes and arguments." This again treats 'Ren' as the most important deity in the ten-day period, hence the name 'Liu Ren' (Six壬). The above statements vary greatly, and I do not know which school of thought is correct. I will merely collect them here for the guidance of those who are more knowledgeable.

《景祜神定經》云：壬式楓天棗地，朝向東，暮向西。董說《詩》云：“藜杖讖圖文訂楓天神，式將移壬。”蓋古人以楓木規為天盤，棗木規為地盤，向太陽旋而用之，以觀上下相加，發四課與三傳也。

The *Jingyou Shen Ding Jing* (the original text has "Youshu" instead of "Yushu") says: The Six Rén divination plate uses maple wood for the Heaven Plate and date wood for the Earth Plate. In the morning, it is oriented to the east, and in the evening, to the west. The poem by Dong says, "With a gourd staff, the prophecy's text confirms the maple Heaven God, the system shifts to Rén," referring precisely to this. Originally, the ancients carved maple wood into a round plate as the Heaven Plate and date wood into a round plate as the Earth Plate. When using them, they turned the Heaven Plate towards the sun's direction and then observed the corresponding relationships between the Heaven and Earth Plates when they were overlaid. Based on this, they derived the "Four Lessons" and the "Three Transmissions." The "Four Lessons" refer to four groups formed by pairing the Day Stem and Day Branch with two sets of deities each, serving as the foundation of the entire lesson. The "Three Transmissions" consist of the First Transmission, Middle Transmission, and Final Transmission, representing the beginning, middle, and conclusion of an event respectively.

月將即是太陽，以太陽加正時，順布十二宮，則與天上星宿所臨方位相符，故陰陽動盡天人感應。唐朝王遠知引其師陶宏景之言曰：“六壬精髓，其一為月將，天上太陽隨月而異宮，其光普照四方，故萬事皆見。月將為誤，然後凡事不誤。”此語最為明顯，宋人邵彥和論次客曰：“古次客之法，因數人同時來占，乃用前五後三，換將不換時之例，試之每不驗。蓋燭照禍福，全賴太陽之光明，故以正將正時為最，其次則換時不換將耳。餘則不換將，亦不換時，惟以各人年命為主，課雖同而理則異。區別懸殊，十不失一。”是亦月將即太陽之明證。乃《銀河棹》則曰：“錯認日躔為月將”，而張松源之注，又惑於俗本奇門超神接氣之法，以交接之後據河圖生成數而定月將，殊屬無謂。

The "month general" refers to the palace where the sun resides during the month. By placing the month general on the "correct hour" of the divination, and arranging the twelve palaces in sequence, the heaven plate's palaces align with the actual positions of the star mansions in the sky. Thus, the interplay of yin and yang is fully captured, enabling the heavens and humanity to respond to each other. Wang Yuanzhi of the Tang dynasty quoted his teacher Tao Hongjing's words: "The essence of the Six壬 (Liuren) system is first and foremost the month general. The sun changes its palace with the months, its light illuminates all directions, so it can illuminate all things. If the month general is correct, then nothing will be wrong." This passage explains the principle most clearly. Shao Yanhe of the Song dynasty discussed the concept of "secondary guests" — that is, how to distinguish between multiple people seeking divination at the same time — saying: "In the old method for handling secondary guests, when several people came for divination at the same time, the practice was to use the rule of 'front five, back three' and to change the month general but not the hour. I tried this method and found it often inaccurate. Knowing that the illumination of fortune and misfortune depends on the light of the sun, it is best to use the correct month general and correct hour for divination. If not, then only change the hour but not the month general; if not even that, then do not change either the general or the hour, but instead use each person's age and birth sign as the main factors. Although the divination may be the same, the reasoning differs for each person, leading to vastly different judgments, and even ten times out, it would not be wrong once." This is another clear proof that the month general is the sun. However, the "Galaxy Boat" says, "Do not mistake the degree the sun has passed for the month general." Zhang Songyuan's commentary was misled by the popular method of "transcending the divine and connecting the qi" in the Qi Men system, and he proposed determining the month general after the solar term according to the generating numbers of the River Chart, which is entirely without reason.

交月將之法，古書間有異同，然總在中氣之後，或一日二日，或三日五日不等。故人所用者恆氣，每年二十四氣勻派，而太陽行度有盈縮，未必恰於交中氣之日時過宮。況其過宮，又限定於某宿某度，是以有一日二日、三日五日之殊。今時憲書則以定氣為主，故太陽即於交中氣日時過宮，便換月將，此正合天之妙。張松源之注《銀河棹》以月將並非太陽，宜其另生一法而交月將。及陳耕山作《三才發秘》，誤解“步戌成歲”一語，以為正月太陽在戌宮，更可笑也。

The specific date for changing the Month General varies in ancient records, but generally occurs after the "zhong qi" or "middle solar term"—the latter half of the twenty-four solar terms such as Rain Water, Vernal Equinox, and Grain Rain. The old method used "heng qi" or "constant solar terms," evenly distributing the twenty-four solar terms throughout the year. However, the actual movement of the sun is not uniform, so it does not always pass through the zodiac palace exactly on the day of the solar term. Moreover, the transition is restricted to specific constellations and degrees, hence the variation of one or two days, or three or five days. Now, the "Shi Xian Shu" uses "ding qi" or "fixed solar terms," where the sun passes through the zodiac palace exactly on the day and hour of the solar term, thus changing the Month General immediately. This truly aligns with the subtle workings of the heavens. Zhang Songyuan, in his commentary on "Yin He Zhao," originally believed the Month General was not the sun, which is why he established his own method of changing the Month General. As for Chen Gengshan's "San Cai Fa Mi," he misinterpreted the phrase "bu xu cheng sui," mistakenly thinking that the sun was in the Xu palace in the first lunar month, which is quite amusing.

“月將不誤，然後凡事不誤。”此至言也。乃《指南占驗》嘗有誤用月將而大事仍驗者何也？蓋無心之錯，機即隨之，故能符合相應。若有意標奇示異，恐未必然也。

"The Moon General must be correct, then all other matters will not go wrong," this is a profound truth. However, in the divination examples recorded in the "Six Rats Guide," there are cases where the Moon General was used incorrectly yet major events still came to pass. Why is this so? Perhaps because those were unintentional mistakes, and the heavenly mechanism moved along with that unintentional error, so it still matched reality. But if someone intentionally uses an incorrect Moon General to show off or be novel, it is unlikely to be effective.

《銀河棹》有兩種，一種不言遁干，不知誰人所輯，乃雜採諸書而成，為書六卷，惜選擇不精，又多訛錯。一種專用遁干，七言詩僅十六句，又擇以四言數十句，以為出於姚廣孝。寧波張松源詳註《馬松源自序》云：“姚少師得此書而藏之內府，正統中土木之變，蓉城孫南葉先生於燕臺曾門室中得之，未有師傳也，後從史道鄰兵憲於安慶，始遇異人指授，遂精其學。餘懇求再四，僅以經文相授。”按正統土木之變，距史公在安慶約為一百八十餘年，竊恐南華先生未必有此高壽。彼松源者，焉從執贄而求之哉？其用遁干，雖本《中黃經》，而又分出天地人三遁，已為節外生枝，至於月將貴人起例，一切與他書迥異。若依此推斷，則唐宋以來諸書咸不可信矣。況廣孝初見成祖，懷中出太平錢五枚，並非六壬也哉！

The *Galaxy Boat* has two versions. One does not discuss "dun gan" (hidden stems), and it is unknown who compiled it; it is merely a miscellaneous compilation of various sources, totaling six volumes. Unfortunately, its materials are not well selected, and it contains many errors. The other version specializes in "dun gan," with a seven-character verse containing only sixteen lines, and it also selects dozens of four-character lines, claiming they were written by Yao Guangxiao. Zhang Songyuan of Ningbo provided a detailed commentary on it. In his preface, he wrote: "Yao Shao Shi (Yao Guangxiao, who held the title of Shao Shi) obtained this book and kept it in the imperial palace. During the Zhengtong period, the incident at the Mudanbao fortress occurred. Sun Nanye, a scholar from Rongcheng, obtained it from the YanTai Chen Men Shi (a room of the master Chen in YanTai) but had no teacher to guide him. Later, he went to Anqing to follow Shi Daolín, the military supervisor, and only then met a strange person who personally taught him, enabling him to master this discipline. I repeatedly requested, but he only agreed to pass on the classics to me." According to the text, the incident at Mudanbao during the Zhengtong period occurred about one hundred and eighty years before Shi Kefa's tenure in Anqing. It is unlikely that Sun Nanye could have lived that long (the original text refers to "Nanye," but here it is "Nanhua," which is likely the same person). So, to whom could Zhang Songyuan have paid respects and sought instruction? Although he uses "dun gan" based on the *Zhonghuang Jing* (Middle Yellow Classic), he further divides it into three types: heaven, earth, and human, which is an unnecessary complication. As for the methods of determining the "month general" and the "nobleman," they are entirely different from other schools. If we follow his system, all the six壬 books since the Tang and Song dynasties would be unreliable. Moreover, when Yao Guangxiao first met the Ming Chengzu emperor, he took out five pieces of "Taiping Qian" (peace coins) from his pocket to divinate, using a method that was not six壬 at all!

《銀河棹》以子至巳為陽，用陰貴人；午至亥為陰，用陽貴人；復有責陰神。假如例一課，戊戌日寅時戌將，明明寅是陽時，當用陰貴人，乃作陰時而用陽貴人丑，何也？以子之矛，攻子之盾，張氏窮矣。

The *Galaxy Boat* prescribes that from the hour of Zi to Si, which belongs to the Yang, the Yin Nobleman should be used; from the hour of Wu to Hai, which belongs to the Yin, the Yang Nobleman should be used. It also establishes another term called "Responsible Yin Spirit." However, in one example lesson given in its own book, on the day of Wuxu at the hour of Yin, with the hour's general (戌将), Yin is clearly a Yang hour. According to its own rules, the Yin Nobleman should be used, but it instead took the Yang Nobleman Chou, treating it as a Yin hour. What is the reason for this? Using its own sword to pierce its own shield, the Zhang school has no words to reply.

起貴人法，論理當從先天後天坤上起甲，先天坤在子，故在子上起甲，順布十干，不加魁罡，不加子所沖午；取其干合為陽貴人。後天坤在申上起甲，逆布十二，不臨魁罡，不臨申所沖之寅，取其干合為陰貴人。嘗讀《吳越春秋》七月辛亥日平旦大吉為白虎而臨辛，功曹為太常而臨亥，則知辛日陰貴果在午，三月甲日陽貴果在丑。《晉書戴洋傳》十月丁亥夜半，從魁為貴人加丁，則知丁日陰貴果在酉，是皆起貴人之明證。而《六壬元女經》，其第一繫天乙所在，甲戊庚日旦大吉，夕小吉；乙己晝神后，夜傳送；丙丁日旦登明，暮從魁；辛日晝勝光，夜功曹；壬癸日晝太乙，夜太沖。此書出於隋朝，厥後徐道覆、凌福之、元軫、劉日新、苗公達等咸遵之，則相沿已久矣。

The method of determining the "Heavenly Benefactor" (天乙贵人) should be based on both theEarlier Heaven (primordial) and Later Heaven (postnatal) positions of the坤 (Earth) trigram. In theEarlier Heaven arrangement, the坤 position is at 子 (Zi), so one starts from 子 and proceeds through the twelve earthly branches in order, arranging the ten heavenly stems. When encountering the "Kui Gang" (魁罡), which are the two branches 辰 (Chen) and 戌 (Xu), they are not included. Also, the branch that conflicts with 子, which is 午 (Wu), is also excluded. The one that matches the day stem (日干) is taken as the "Yang Benefactor" (阳贵人). In theLater Heaven arrangement, the坤 position is at 申 (Shen), so one starts from 申 and proceeds in reverse order through the twelve earthly branches, again excluding the "Kui Gang" and the branch that conflicts with 申, which is 寅 (Yin). The one that matches the day stem is taken as the "Yin Benefactor" (阴贵人). I once read the "Wuyue Chunqiu" (吴越春秋), which mentions a divination lesson on the seventh month, on the day of Xinhai (Xinhai), at dawn. The result was Daji (Chou) (Great Favor) at 丑 (Chou), which was the White Tiger (白虎), and Gongcao (Yin) (Gongcao) at 寅 (Yin), which was the Tai Chang (太常) and fell on 亥 (Hai). From this, it is clear that the Yin Benefactor for 辛 (Xin) day is at 午 (Wu), and the Yang Benefactor for 甲 (Jia) day is at 丑 (Chou). Another example is from the "Jin Shu · Dai Yang Zhuan" (晋书·戴洋传), which records a divination lesson on the tenth month, on the day of Dinghai (Dinghai), at midnight. The result was Congkui (You) (Cong Kuai) at 酉 (You), which was the Benefactor and fell on 丁 (Ding). This confirms that the Yin Benefactor for 丁 (Ding) day is at 酉 (You). These are clear examples of the method of determining the Benefactor. The "Liu Ren Yuan Nu Jing" (六壬元女经) begins with the first entry listing the positions of the Heavenly Benefactor: for 甲 (Jia) and 戊 (Wu) and 庚 (Geng) days, the daytime Benefactor is Daji (Chou) (Great Favor) at 丑 (Chou) and the nighttime Benefactor is Xiaoji (Wei) (Minor Favor) at 未 (Wei); for 乙 (Yi) and 己 (Ji) days, the daytime Benefactor is Shenhou (Zi) (Shen Hou) at 子 (Zi) and the nighttime Benefactor is Chuansong (Shen) (Chuan Song) at 申 (Shen); for 丙 (Bing) and 丁 (Ding) days, the daytime Benefactor is Dengming (Hai) (Deng Ming) at 亥 (Hai) and the nighttime Benefactor is Congkui (You) (Cong Kuai) at 酉 (You); for 辛 (Xin) day, the daytime Benefactor is Shengguang (Wu) (Sheng Guang) at 午 (Wu) and the nighttime Benefactor is Gongcao (Yin) (Gongcao) at 寅 (Yin); for 壬 (Ren) and 癸 (Gui) days, the daytime Benefactor is Taiyi (Si) (Tai Yi) at 巳 (Si) and the nighttime Benefactor is Taichong (Mao) (Tai Chong) at 卯 (Mao). This text dates back to the Sui Dynasty, and later scholars such as Xu Daofu, Ling FuZhi, Yuan Zhen, Liu Rixin, and Miao Gongda all followed this method, showing that this system has been passed down for a long time.

貴人治旦暮，或以日出為旦，用陽貴；日入為暮，用陰貴。或以卯至申時用陽貴，酉至寅時用陰貴。《六壬心鏡注》云：“用晝夜長短分旦暮”，則以太陽出入為準可知矣。

The Nobleman oversees both day and night, but the boundary between them is defined in two ways: one divides it by sunrise as 'dawn' using the Yang Nobleman and sunset as 'dusk' using the Yin Nobleman; the other uses Yang Nobleman from卯 to申 and Yin Nobleman from酉 to寅. The "Six壬 Mind Mirror Annotation" says "divide dawn and dusk according to the length of day and night," indicating that it advocates dividing based on the actual rising and setting of the sun, rather than sticking to fixed time boundaries.

予以甲戌年閏二月丙子日戌將戌時，卜往維揚，見鬼臨三四，水路有災。幸末傳有長生可求，即於次日啟行。戊寅日三更，舟為巨石碰傷，大水冒入而受大驚。是子鬼乘蛇之故，然則丙日陰貴在亥矣。若以酉為貴人，則子鬼乘元武，當主盜賊矣。

In the year of Jiaxu, in the leap second month, on the day of Bingzi, with the hour of Xu and the general of Xu, I cast a divination for myself going to Yangzhou. I saw "ghosts in the third and fourth lessons" — the official ghost was in the third and fourth lessons — indicating disaster on the water route. Fortunately, the final transmission carried "growth," which still offered some hope, so I set out the next day. On the day of Wuyin at three in the morning, the boat was hit by a large stone, and a great amount of water poured into the cabin, causing a serious fright. This exactly corresponds to the water official ghost riding the Teng Snake. This serves as evidence that the hidden nobleman of the day of Bing is indeed in Hai. If another interpretation takes You as the nobleman of the day of Bing, then the water official ghost riding would become the Black Tortoise (the original text says "Yuanwu," which was altered to avoid taboo), and the divination would indicate a disaster of theft, which does not match the actual situation.

《金匱》、《玉門》、《曾門》三經，似覺太簡。蓋作書之初，斷法未備，後則踵事增華，又未免稍有穿鑿。《中黃經》出遁干，則又六壬之一變。

The three classics, "The Golden Chest," "The Jade Gate," and "The Zeng Gate," seem to me overly brief when read. Probably, when they were first compiled, the methods of divination were not yet complete; later generations added more and more details, but this inevitably led to some forced interpretations. When "The Middle Yellow Classic" introduced the method of "dun gan," it marked a major change in the Six壬 system.

《中黃經》之名，見於焦竑《經籍志》，然不知誰人所著。是書各家抄本錯漏遺誤最多，難以較正。家惠蒼小阮得一本於淮陰，其註明白直捷，雖用遁干而不專憑，遁干待散。何為初建？日干五子元遁是也。何為復建？時干五子元遁是也。以建干多寡逐情而變，不執本支五行。由是觀之，生中有鬼，財中有克，窮在建干變化也。

The book title "Zhonghuang Jing" appears in Jiao Hong's "Jingji Zhi," but its author is unknown. This text is found in various copied versions, which contain many errors and omissions, making it difficult to correct. My nephew Hui Cang, from Huaiyin, obtained a copy, whose annotations are clear and straightforward. Although it uses the method of "dun gan," it does not rely solely on it. The use of dun gan still needs further clarification: what is "chujian"? It refers to starting the "Wuzi Yuan Dun" based on the day stem, beginning with the Zi hour, and proceeding in order to determine the heavenly stem for each hour. What is "fujian"? It refers to starting the "Wuzi Yuan Dun" based on the stem of the time being divined, and obtaining the heavenly stem from that. According to the number of obtained jian gan, one should flexibly adapt to the situation, not rigidly adhere to the five phases of the earthly branches. In this way, it seems that the concept of mutual generation may contain hidden official ghosts, and the concept of wealth yao may contain hidden harmful influences. The subtleties lie in the changes of the jian gan.

朱恆又曰：“若取來情，當以聚散鬼救論。若斷休咎，只用日干為主，與正時三傳生克論始終平安，不必用變求奇。古人有云，求奇反不奇也。”愚按：朱恆此言最為明顯，歷觀徐道符、元軫、苗公達、劉日新、邵彥和諸公占案內，何嘗憑遁干斷吉凶耶？朱恆，元末明初之松江府人，見於《一字訣玉連環跋》，又見《五要權衡跋》。

Zhu Heng also said: "If one wants to infer what matter the visitor is thinking about, one should judge based on the gathering and dispersion of the lesson pattern, the ghost爻 and the saving god; if one wants to determine fortune and misfortune, one should only take the day stem as the main factor, combine it with the birth and death of the correct hour and the three transmissions, to discuss whether the matter from beginning to end is safe. There is no need to seek for novelty and oddity. An ancient saying goes well: deliberately seeking for the strange, one ends up not strange at all." I comment: Zhu Heng's words are the most thorough. Looking through the divination cases left by the predecessors such as Xu Daofu, Yuan Zhen, Miao Gongda, Liu Rixin, and Shao Yanhe, which one is based on hidden stems to determine fortune and misfortune? Zhu Heng was a person from Songjiang Prefecture in the Yuan and Ming dynasties. His name appears in the跋 of "Yi Zhe Yu Lian Huan" and also in the跋 of "Wu Yao Quan Heng."

《中黃經》中《五惡》章予試之，己酉年六月二十五日占天時，戌時午將得己卯日，干上卯虎，三傳未卯亥木局傷干，貴占天門，斷其即有風暴，屋倒驚塌之驚。果至次日未時，迅雷暴雨從西南而起，仰見一紅黑二云，或高或下，各處牆屋斜倒，人以為龍吼相鬥雲。

In the chapter "Five Evils" of the Zhonghuang Jing, I have tried using it. On June 25th of the Jiyou year, I divined the weather at the hour of Xu and the general of Wu. The divination result was on the day of Jimao: the day stem was on the卯 wood, which was occupied by the White Tiger. The three transmissions were Wei, Mao, and Hai, forming a wood trinity to injure the day stem. The nobleman also occupied the "Heavenly Gate" position at Hai. I predicted that there would be a storm immediately, causing danger such as collapsing houses and falling walls. Indeed, the next day at the hour of Wei, a sudden thunderstorm came from the southwest. Looking up, I saw two clouds, one red and one black, swirling high and low. Many houses and walls collapsed everywhere, and people said it was the dragon roaring and fighting.

《一字訣玉連環》最重占時，予嘗試之，果驗，不第占來意用之，凡占時與初傳相沖，或與類神相戰，或於正課有礙，便多不利，縱課傳全吉，亦主阻滯。

The "One Character Decree Yulianhuan" places the greatest emphasis on "the time of divination." I have tried it, and it indeed proves effective, not only for predicting the true intention of the person coming. Whenever the time of divination conflicts with the first transmission, or when it clashes with the "class god" — the earthly branch or heavenly general representing the category of the matter being asked — or when it hinders the main divination, it is usually unfavorable. Even if the lesson pattern and the three transmissions are entirely auspicious, it often indicates that the matter will be delayed or obstructed.

六壬最重正時，正時者，吾心忽於此時發動，自與天機感應也。其次則以雷擊棗木制盒搖時，拈門抽籤等法，尤不及報時之準。但報時必須隨口，若稍遲迴，則天機不在。或云，壬將靜則在位，動則周遊天上人間，凡事皆知，故一旬之中各有本旬神將主事，即不占之時，壬將亦在，不在一身之左右，即在書盒之左右，故凡置盒之處，皆須潔淨，則神將敬服，有斷即靈。

Six Rén divination places the greatest emphasis on the "correct time." By correct time, it is meant that at this moment, my heart suddenly awakens and naturally resonates with the heavenly mechanism. Only after this is the time determined by shaking a box made of thunder-struck date wood or by drawing lots, but these methods are not as accurate as the time spontaneously reported by the person seeking divination. However, the time must be spoken out immediately; any hesitation or delay will cause the heavenly mechanism to no longer respond. There is another saying: when the Rén general is still, it remains in its original position, but once it moves, it travels throughout the heavens and the world, knowing all things. Therefore, within a ten-day period, each day has its own guardian general in charge. Even when no divination is performed, the Rén general is always present—either by the person's side or by the side of the box. Therefore, wherever the box is placed, it must be clean, so that the generals will respect and obey it, and the divination will be effective at once.

雷擊棗木盒，以赤珊瑚為珠，此古法也。近見《兵帳賦》氏蒙矢路執示投注云：式者，六壬式也。以擊盤畫十二宮（按擊盤二字不可解，內必有錯誤。）內寫十二神辰，用雷擊棗木或檀木竹十二彈，每彈上刻一辰，十二彈刻十二辰為十二月將，遇昏蒙各按月將取其彈投於盤中，蓋覆搖動，待定啟視，其彈落於何宮，即作正時占之。愚按：比棗制更妙，故錄之。

Using a box made from thunder-struck jujube wood and red coral beads is an ancient method. Recently, I saw the "Tent Assignment" (the original text here has the phrase "氏蒙矢路执示投注" which does not make sense, and it is suspected that there are missing or incorrect characters) saying: the so-called "shi" refers to the Six Rens disk. On a round disk, twelve palaces are drawn, within each palace the twelve divine hours are written. Then, using thunder-struck jujube wood or sandalwood or bamboo, twelve small balls are made, each engraved with one of the earthly branches. The twelve balls together represent the twelve months' generals. When encountering a matter that is unclear and difficult to decide, take the corresponding ball according to the current month's general, throw it into the disk, cover the disk and shake it, then open it when it stops. See which palace the ball falls into, and take that palace as the starting point for the lesson. I note: this is better than the old method of shaking the jujube wood box, so I record it here.

虎乘遁鬼，《畢法》言其極凶，予占恆得之，未見大凶處，惟虎乘干鬼而遁旬丁者，凶動最速。如己巳日干乘丁卯，夜貴作虎星也。

The White Tiger riding on the hidden stem's official ghost is described in the "Bi Fa Fu" as an extremely ominous sign. However, I often encounter this pattern in my divination sessions without experiencing significant danger. The danger becomes most immediate when the White Tiger is riding on an official ghost that is also in conflict with the day stem, and the hidden stem happens to be the "Ding Shen" of the current ten-stem cycle—the stem that is most active in causing change. For example, on a Jisi day, if the day stem is riding on a Dingmao, and at night the noble star is the White Tiger, this is precisely such a situation.

郭氏所刊《畢法賦》內有錯誤一條，今拈出之，“避難逃生須棄舊”注：乙酉日干上亥，辛丑日干上未，比舍益就損格。蓋乙酉日舍去干上亥水之長生而就酉支之鬼克。辛丑日舍去干上未土之生而就丑支之墓，所謂舍益就損也。乃錯列於舍就皆不可格內。

In the published "Bi Fa Fu" by Guo's edition, there is an error which I now point out. The note under the entry "Avoiding danger and escaping must abandon the old" gives two examples: on Yiyou day, the day stem is亥, and on Xinchou day, the day stem is未. These two examples are said to belong to the pattern "abandoning benefit for loss." Originally, on Yiyou day, the day stem is abandoning the亥 water, which is the place of growth for the day stem, and instead yielding to the酉 metal, which is the ghost that harms the day stem. On Xinchou day, the day stem is abandoning the未 earth, which supports the day stem, and instead yielding to the丑 earth, which is the storage place. This is called abandoning the beneficial and yielding to the harmful. However, the Guo edition mistakenly classifies these two examples under the pattern "neither abandoning nor yielding is acceptable."

舍就皆不可格，惟有庚子日干上辰，生我者既空，而庚加子支，又脫我氣；庚午日干上戌，生我者既空，而庚加午支，又為日鬼也。己日卯加巳，夜將乘虎而克干，其上所載之課式亦加巳，三傳卯亥未。而《大全》則錯作卯加乙，其上所載之課云亦是卯加巳，三傳丑亥酉。

The only two cases that truly belong to the pattern "both abandoning and taking are not possible" are: on a Gengzi day, when the day stem is seen on the Chén branch, the Chén earth that nourishes the day stem is already empty, and the Geng metal is also weakening the day stem by being on the Zi branch; on a Gengwu day, when the day stem is seen on the Xū branch, the Xū earth that nourishes the day stem is already empty, and the Geng metal is also acting as the day stem's official ghost by being on the Wu branch. These two examples are neither taking nor abandoning, hence called "both abandoning and taking are not possible." As for the case where the Ji day has the Mǎo branch added to the Sì branch, with the night general riding the White Tiger to attack the day stem, the original book's lesson format also shows Mǎo added to Sì, with the three transmissions being Mǎo, Hài, and Wèi; however, the "Complete Liuren" mistakenly engraved it as "Mǎo added to Yǐ," while its own recorded lesson still writes Mǎo added to Sì, and the three transmissions change to Chǒu, Hài, and You, which contradicts itself before and after.

又《大全》少刻眉批一則：蛇乘丁格，原本眉批云：白虎屬金，故止六甲日忌遁旬內之庚，螣蛇屬火，故止六辛日遁旬內之丁。此批甚為明暢，乃《大全》失之，可惜也！

In addition, the "Daquan" also omitted a marginal note. Below the entry "Shé Chéng Ding Ge," the original printed edition's marginal note states: The White Tiger belongs to the Metal element, so only on six Jia days is it taboo to have the hidden庚 (Geng) appearing within the same ten-day cycle; the Teng Snake belongs to the Fire element, so only on six Xin days is it taboo to have the hidden Ding appearing within the same ten-day cycle. This comment explains the reasoning very clearly and smoothly, yet "Daquan" deliberately omitted it, which is truly regrettable!

下博郭御青先生，因梓人徐振南之請刻《畢法賦》二卷，《課經集》四卷，共六卷，每卷首頁則有“徐振南梓”數字，是知為初刻原本，後不知何時復益以七卷，共十三卷，名曰《大全》。原本中《占驗存略》一篇，兵占六課刪去。嘗讀《明史藝文志》有袁祥六壬三十三卷，後觀《蘇州府志》，知袁祥為元和縣人，有《六壬大全》三十六卷。此書必有可觀，惜遍求而不得，若郭氏所較輯者，雖曰“大全”，實多缺略，況較讎未盡善歟？

The person from Xiaobo, Guo Yüqing, was commissioned by the book carver Xu Zhennan to publish two volumes of the "Bifa Fu," four volumes of the "Ke Jing Ji," totaling six volumes. Each volume's front page bore the inscription "Xu Zhennan Zi," indicating that this was the original first edition. Later, seven more volumes were added at some point, making a total of thirteen volumes, and the title was changed to "The Complete Liuren." In the original work, the section "Zhanyan Cunlue" contained six military divination lessons, which were deleted. I once read the "Ming Shi · Yiwen Zhi," which recorded that Yuan Xiang had written thirty-three volumes of Liuren books. Later, when I checked the "Suzhou Fu Zhi," I learned that Yuan Xiang was from Menghe County and had written thirty-six volumes of "The Complete Liuren." His book must have had considerable merit, but it is regrettable that I could not find it anywhere. As for the edition compiled and edited by Guo's family, although it is called "The Complete Liuren," it has many omissions, and the collation and proofreading were not sufficiently meticulous.

凌福之《畢法賦》，因用邵彥和斷案而作，而復參以心得，故其書從考驗中得來，非揣摩五行之比，然亦有矛盾處。如“干乘墓虎無占病”注說既云“辛酉日丑為空墓，猶可畏矣。”，至“受虎克神為病症”注又曰“辛酉日丑作空亡，容易治療”是也。予嘗為人占病，得此課者，毫無一生，縱二月占，丑是生氣，亦不能解。惟年命在辰，則未沖丑墓(以下脫漏十九字)邵氏《斷案》惟有乙巳日干上卯，三傳不用卯寅丑而用辰卯寅，疑《畢法》因此一課而推演者也。

Ling FuZhi's "Bi Fa Fu" was written based on Shao Yanhe's case analysis as its main framework, and also incorporated his own insights. Therefore, this book comes from practical experience rather than mere speculation about the Five Phases. However, there are some contradictions within the text. For example, in the note of the entry "The Day Stem Multiplying the Buried Tiger Indicates No Disease," it says "On Xinyou day, the Chou is an empty burial, still dangerous." But in the note of the entry "Being Attacked by the Tiger Indicates Disease," it says "On Xinyou day, the Chou falls into Kongwang, which is easy to treat." These two statements contradict each other. I have once used this method to predict illness, and those who received such a chart never survived. Even if the chart was cast in February, when Chou is in its vital phase, it could not be resolved. Only when the person's birth year is in the position of Chen can it be considered differently. The original text continues with only four characters "Chen conflicts with Chou," and the following nineteen characters are missing, making the meaning incomplete. I dare not make up the missing parts. In Shao's "Duan An," there is only one case on Yisi day with the Mao on the Day Stem. The three transmissions do not take Mao, Yin, and Chou, but instead take Chen, Mao, and Yin. I suspect that "Bi Fa" was derived from this case.

有陰陽之比，有五行之比。比用課取初傳，陰陽之比也。《畢法》於甲辰日干上戌，不取戌加甲為用，亦取子加辰，以為戌土畏甲木而不比，是拉入五行之比矣，亦似可商。

"Bi" has two interpretations: one is the comparison of yin and yang, and the other is the comparison of the Five Phases.the so-called "Bi yong ke" takes the first transmission, relying on whether the yin and yang attributes are the same, which belongs to the comparison of yin and yang. However, the "Bi Fa" mentions that on a Jiachen day, when the hour is Xu, it does not take Xu added to Jiachen as the useful god, but instead takes Zi added to Chen. The reason given is that Xu earth fears Jiachen wood, thus not being comparable to Jiachen—this brings in the comparison of the Five Phases' generation and overcoming relationships. This approach may still be worth further discussion.

《畢法》一書，最為純正，亦宜融通活法看之，不可拘泥。予憶五十七年正月初十日，族人元正先生占終身財福，其時未交春，尚是丑建，庚辰日子將未時，丑墓並月建加干，根土太固，恐非中傳之未所能沖去。況寅是本命，落於空克之地，休囚無氣，末傳子水螣蛇又脫日干，安可以求財大獲格斷？後果蹇滯。

The book "Bifa" is most pure, but it should also be viewed with flexibility and adaptability, not rigidly adhering to its rules. I remember that on the tenth day of the first lunar month in the fifty-seventh year of Qianlong, a relative named Yuanzheng came to seek a divination about his lifetime's wealth and fortune. At that time, the beginning of spring had not yet arrived, and the month builder was still the month of Chou. The divination was cast on the day of Gengchen with the hour of Zi in the hour stem of Wei. The墓 of Chou was connected with the month builder and both were added to the day stem. The earth's foundation was too thick and solid, and it seemed unlikely that the earth in the middle transmission, which was Wei, could break through it. Moreover, the寅 was his own destiny, but it was placed in a position that was both Kongwang and being overcome, thus weak and confined. The final transmission, which was Zi water, was riding on Teng Snake, and it also drained the energy of the day stem. How could such a divination be interpreted according to the pattern of "great gain in seeking wealth"? Later on, he indeed encountered many difficulties and obstructions everywhere.

又嘉慶十四年三月庚辰日酉將辰時，蘇允文乙丑命占將來就何處口舉，財利若何。得求財大獲格，予見天羅自裹，命上虎鬼，象最凶。況寅馬落空，非特難動，須防災病。後果未往岸店，次年正月暴亡。

In the 14th year of the Jiaqing era, on the 3rd month, on the Gengchen day, at the You hour of the Chen period, Su Yunwen, born in the Yichou year, came to consult about which port he would go to seek his fortune and how his wealth would fare. The divination revealed the pattern of "great gain in seeking wealth." However, I noticed that the Heavenly Net was entangling his own destiny, and the White Tiger was sitting on his birth sign along with the official ghost, indicating the most dangerous omen. Moreover, theThe Post-horse (post-horse) of the寅 wood was in an empty position, meaning he would not be able to move, and he should also beware of illness. Later, he indeed did not manage to go to the port, and in the first month of the following year, he suddenly fell seriously ill and died.

又十九年正月十八，汪應璧先生丙申命占漢年，此課予亦不以財福斷，支上、行年上見酉為日刃也，為病符，被勾陳夾住，主舊事纏繞不清；財空主財不聚，難望如意。後果如占。二月患外症甚危。蓋丑墓帶血支、血忌，陰神虎鬼，支上病符。占流年以行年為主，行年上亦是病符故耳。其先予未斷出。其危而獲安者，猶賴未沖丑墓，行年上既見比劫，財福定不相宜。

In addition, on the eighteenth day of the first lunar month in the nineteenth year of the Jiaqing era, Mr. Wang Yingbi (born in the Bingshen year) came to consult about the current year (the original text mistakenly writes 'Han' instead of 'Liu'). I did not interpret this divination based on wealth and happiness. The day branch and the year branch both showed You, which is the 'day blade' of this day, also serving as the 'bingfu'. It was also caught between Gou Chen from both sides, indicating entanglement with past matters. The wealth hexagram was empty, indicating difficulty in gathering wealth and failing to achieve one's desires. Later, it indeed came true; in the second lunar month, he suffered from a serious external injury, which was very dangerous. Originally, the Chou tomb carried both the 'blood branch' and 'blood taboo' evils, and the spiritual ghost was the White Tiger official ghost, with the 'bingfu' sitting on the day branch. When consulting about the current year, one should primarily focus on the year branch, and the year branch itself was also the 'bingfu'—this point I initially did not notice. The reason he was in danger but eventually recovered was due to the Wu earth冲 (conflict) opening the Chou tomb. Since the year branch showed a fellow-born and劫财 (robbery wealth) to compete and take away, the wealth and happiness aspects were destined to be unsmooth.

今人論年，有交生日、未交生日之殊，此法蓋本之邵氏。然觀其斷案內，止有三課如此，其餘不然。

Modern people distinguish between "having already passed the birthday" and "not yet passed the birthday" when calculating the annual fate. This method probably originated from Shao Yanhe. However, examining his case judgments, only three instances were handled this way, while the rest were not. This indicates that it was not a general practice.

長生至胎養十二位，宜從五行論長生，以次順布為是。今人亦有以十干分陰陽順布逆布者，蓋因所傳之書非人，無折中之故也。又以日祿臨官，合而為一，勢不能不分出陰陽順布逆布，則日祿即是臨官，殊不知臨官與日祿本不相蒙。

The twelve positions from "Growth" to "Infancy" and "Nurturing" should be discussed according to the Five Phases. The order should be arranged sequentially. Some modern people divide the ten Heavenly Stems into yin and yang, arranging the yang stems in order and the yin stems in reverse. This is because the person who passed down the text was not a wise individual, making it impossible to choose a balanced approach. They also equate "Day's Wealth" with "Officialdom," leading them to distinguish between yin and yang and order accordingly, thus making "Day's Wealth" equivalent to "Officialdom." However, they fail to realize that "Officialdom" and "Day's Wealth" are entirely separate and have nothing to do with each other.

故《畢法》“旺祿臨身”之法，謂日之旺神，又作日之祿神，此惟陰干有之。如乙日祿在卯，而乙木長生在亥，亦旺於卯；丁日祿在午，而丁火長生在寅，亦旺於午；辛日祿在酉，而辛金長生在巳，亦旺於酉；癸日祿在子，而癸水長生在申，亦旺於子。惟己日不能相兼，故注云“己酉、巳亥、己巳，干上午雖不是己之旺神，亦可用也。”

Therefore, the "Bi Fa" mentions the method of "Wang Lu Lin Shen," which refers to the situation where the Day Stem's strong god is also its禄 god. This situation only occurs with yin stems. For example, the stem Yi's禄 is in Mao, and Yi wood is born in Hai and is strong in Mao; the stem Ding's禄 is in Wu, and Ding fire is born in Yin and is strong in Wu; the stem Xin's禄 is in You, and Xin metal is born in Si and is strong in You; the stem Gui's禄 is in Zi, and Gui water is born in Shen and is strong in Zi. Only the stem Ji cannot have both at the same time. Therefore, the commentary says: "On the days of Ji You, Ji Hai, and Ji Si, although the Wu in the day stem is not the strong god of Ji earth, it can still be used." (The original text mistakenly writes "Si Hai" instead of "Ji Hai.")

且予嘗征之占驗，如辛日干上丑，無未相沖，占病不救 ，日墓故也。若辛金長生在子，則丑是養神，當不至於此之之凶。己日干上酉占事脫賺，占人貪慾，日敗故也。若己土長生在酉，當不至若是之咎。乙日干上亥，六處無土剋制，占病沉痾獲起，占事利益恆多，長生故也。若乙木死於亥，則死神臨日，當不至於若是之吉，此皆屢試而屢驗者，其餘不能枚舉。然則習六壬者，何必惑於他歧，反滋疑而莫能斷耶？

Moreover, I have verified this point through actual divination cases. For example, if on a day with the day stem Xin, there is the branch Chou on the day stem, and there is no future conflict to open it, the divination on illness will certainly indicate no salvation, because Chou is precisely the tomb of Xin metal. If, as some people claim, Xin metal is born in Zi, then Chou should be the "nourishing" stage, and the outcome would not be so dire. Similarly, if on a day with the day stem Ji, there is You on the day stem, the divination on matters will surely involve deception and loss, and the divination on people will indicate greed, because You is precisely the decline of Ji earth. If Ji earth were born in You, it would not lead to such severe consequences. On a day with the day stem Yi, if there is Hai on the day stem, and there are no soils in the four lessons and three transmissions to restrain it, the divination on illness will indicate recovery from a serious illness, and the divination on matters will indicate frequent gains. This is because Hai is precisely the birth of Yi wood. If, according to the saying that Yi wood dies in Hai, then the Death Deity would be present on the day, and the outcome would not be so favorable. All these examples have been repeatedly verified, and there are countless other cases. If this is the case, why should students of the Six壬 (Liuren) be confused by various incorrect doctrines, leading to further doubts and indecision?

日干投墓，占病更忌。即日年命上有沖墓之神，無益也。《心鏡》六般入墓列於第四，不過次序如此，非其凶氣輕於三項也。巳年申月辛未日午將酉時，占戌命人病，日干臨丑墓，三傳亥未未，土重埋金，皆非吉象，況未是三丘，丑為五墓，行年上太陽為鬼，迴光返照，能有幾時？即斷此病不起，果七十有九日而死，己丑日辰，仍是日墓。干上未，中末未，命上未，並不見其能沖丑墓，是亥水為初而而遭群土之克，恐其凶尚不止此，奈何？

The day stem falls into the storage, which is especially ominous in divination for illness; even if there are spirits in the day branch or year stem that can break open the storage, it is of no help. The "Heart Mirror" ranks "six kinds of entering the storage" as the fourth item, which is merely the order of narration and does not mean its malevolent influence is less severe than the first three. Once, on a year of Si, month of Shen, day of Xinwei, and time of You in the afternoon, I divined for a person born in the year of Xu for illness: the day stem Xin metal was placed on the branch Chou, which is the storage of metal. The three transmissions were Hai, Wei, and Wei, with layers of earth burying the metal, with no auspicious signs at all; moreover, Wei is "Sanqiu" and Chou is "Wumu," and the solar term in the year's branch also acts as the official ghost, like a final flicker of light, how much longer can it last? I immediately concluded that the illness would not recover, and indeed, the person died after seventy-nine days. He died on the day of Jichou, and the day branch was still the storage of the day stem. In this divination, the day stem was Wei, the middle and final transmissions were also Wei, and the birth year was still Wei, yet none of them could break open the Chou storage; the water in Hai was in the first transmission, but was surrounded and attacked by the earth. I fear the danger may not be limited to this, so what else can be done?