The Sun's degree is twenty-five.

太史楊惟德曰：臣等謹案：曆法日周天三百六十五度四分度之一，太陽一日行一度，八十五歲則行不及一度。臣等今依大宋《祟天曆》，起自景甲戌歲，二十四氣、日宿次合、分璧度數，以定月將，故得用式無差，占事有準，禍福符應，時變以周，悔吝凶吉與神道而合契。

The historian Yang WeiDe said: We have carefully examined according to the calendar that the sun travels around the sky once in 365 and 1/4 days, moving one degree each day. After accumulating 85 years, it will differ by one degree—this refers to the precession of the equinoxes. Now, based on the Great Song Dynasty's "Chong Tian Li" calendar, we start from the year Jing De Jia Xu (1004), and compile the positions of the solar terms in the constellations, calculating the degrees of each solar term in the constellations. Using this, we can determine the month general. Thus, when using the divination board for calculations, there will be no error, and divination will have a standard, with fortune and misfortune being verified. It will adapt to seasonal changes and comprehensively cover all situations, allowing悔吝 and fortune and misfortune to align with the divine. (The original text mistakenly writes "Chong Tian Li" as "Sui Tian Li" and omits one character in "Jing De," but we retain the original text as is.) The following lists the calculated solar degrees for each solar term.

冬至，斗宿六度二十六分。小寒，斗宿二十二度二十二分。大寒，女宿六度七十七分。立春，危宿初度九十七分。雨水，危宿十六度五十三分。驚蟄，室宿十四度二十分。春分，奎宿二度五十分。清明，婁宿初度四十分。穀雨，胃宿二度四十分。立夏，昴宿二度五十二分。小滿，畢宿六度二十八分。芒種，參宿三度八十九分。

The following lists the position of the sun in the mansions and degrees according to the solar terms, each read as "At a certain term: the sun is in a certain mansion at a certain degree and minute." Winter Solstice, the sun is in the Dipper mansion at six degrees and twenty-six minutes; Lesser Cold, the sun is in the Dipper mansion at twenty-two degrees and twenty-two minutes; Greater Cold, the sun is in the Girl mansion at six degrees and seventy-seven minutes; Start of Spring, the sun is in the Rooftop mansion at zero degrees and ninety-seven minutes ("zero degree" refers to the starting degree of the mansion); Rain Water, the sun is in the Rooftop mansion at sixteen degrees and fifty-three minutes; Awakening of Insects, the sun is in the Encampment mansion at fourteen degrees and twenty minutes; Vernal Equinox, the sun is in the Legs mansion at two degrees and fifty minutes; Clear and Bright, the sun is in the Bond mansion at zero degrees and forty minutes; Grain Rain, the sun is in the Stomach mansion at two degrees and forty minutes; Start of Summer, the sun is in the Hairy Head mansion at two degrees and fifty-two minutes; Lesser Fullness, the sun is in the Net mansion at six degrees and twenty-eight minutes; Grain in Ear, the sun is in the Three Stars mansion at three degrees and eighty-nine minutes. Here, "minute" refers to a hundredth part of a degree, a decimal fraction, which is different from the current degree and minute system. By looking up the sun's position in the mansions and degrees, and then comparing it with the boundaries of the twelve sections in the previous section "Explanation of the璧度," one can determine which month general to use.

夏至，井宿九度十三分。小暑，井宿二十三度六十六分。大暑，柳宿五度四十分。立秋，星宿五度九十八分。處暑，張宿十三度八十六分。白露，翼宿十度十二分。秋分，軫宿六度一分。寒露，角宿二度五十四分。霜降，亢宿四度九十八分。立冬，氐宿十一度五分。小雪，尾宿一度四十八分。大雪，尾宿一度四十八分。大雪，箕宿初度三十分。

Following the second half of the year: At the Summer Solstice, the sun is at 9 degrees and 13 minutes of the Well mansion; at the Minor Heat, it is at 23 degrees and 66 minutes of the Well mansion; at the Major Heat, it is at 5 degrees and 40 minutes of the Willow mansion; at the Beginning of Autumn, it is at 5 degrees and 98 minutes of the Star mansion; at the Limit of Heat, it is at 13 degrees and 86 minutes of the Extended Net mansion; at the White Dew, it is at 10 degrees and 12 minutes of the Wings mansion; at the Autumn Equinox, it is at 6 degrees and 1 minute of the Chariot mansion; at the Cold Dew, it is at 2 degrees and 54 minutes of the Horn mansion; at the Frost Descent, it is at 4 degrees and 98 minutes of the Neck mansion; at the Beginning of Winter, it is at 11 degrees and 5 minutes of the Root mansion; at the Minor Snow, it is at 1 degree and 48 minutes of the Tail mansion; at the Major Snow, it is at 0 degrees and 30 minutes of the Winnowing Basket mansion. The original text repeats the entry for 'Major Snow' after 'Minor Snow' with the same degree measurement, clearly an error from copying, so the correct entry for 'Major Snow' should be '0 degrees and 30 minutes of the Winnowing Basket mansion'. Here, both entries are included as they appear in the original text without merging. The solar degrees for all twenty-four solar terms are now fully listed, starting from the Winter Solstice at the Dipper mansion, completing a full cycle and returning to between the Dipper and the Winnowing Basket mansions.

假令十一月十五日冬至，在南斗六度。至二十一日，在南斗十二度。於辰在丑方，用大吉為月將。若二十日以前用式占事，猶用功曹為月將。餘皆仿此。

Here is an example that can be followed: Suppose on the fifteenth day of the eleventh month, the winter solstice occurs, and the sun is at the sixth degree of Nandou. By the twenty-first day, the sun has moved to the twelfth degree of Nandou. According to the previous section "Explanation of the璧度," the section from the twelfth degree of Doushu to the seventh degree of Nvshu is considered great auspiciousness, and it corresponds to the position of Chou. Therefore, starting from the twenty-first day, the Great Auspiciousness (Chou) is used as the Month General. If divination is done before the twentieth day, the sun is still within the eleventh degree of Doushu, which belongs to Gongcao, so Gongcao (Yin) is still used as the Month General. The same principle applies to other periods. The key point is that the change of the Month General is based on the actual position of the sun crossing the boundary, not on a fixed date. Therefore, before setting up the divination, one must first check the sun's position in the mansions.

古法曰：一晝夜有二十時，總一百刻，逐時更分，各有長短，謂辰戌丑未四時，各十三刻，其餘八時各六刻，共成一百刻也。殊不知天道運行，歲時差忒，銀漏著短長之限，實咎分盈縮之期。臣等今依《祟天曆》，算定遲疾，四時無差於昏曉。《月令》云：日出前二刻半為曉，日入後二刻半為昏也。

Ancient methods state that one day and night consists of twelve hours and one hundred parts, with each hour further divided into smaller segments, but their lengths are not equal. The four hours of Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei each contain thirteen parts, while the remaining eight hours each contain six parts. Four times thirteen plus eight times six exactly make up one hundred parts (the original text mistakenly says 'twenty hours' instead of 'twelve hours', and this is recorded as is). However, this method does not take into account that the heavenly way operates with variations throughout the year; the fixed divisions of the water clock do not match the changing lengths of day and night. The problem lies precisely here. Now, we have calculated the speed and slowness of day and night according to the "Chong Tian Li" calendar, ensuring that the times of dawn and dusk in all four seasons are no longer inaccurate. The "Liji · Yue Ling" states that two and a half parts before sunrise is called "dawn," and two and a half parts after sunset is called "dusk." By accurately determining dawn and dusk, we can distinguish between the nobleman of the day and the nobleman of the night. The use of the heavenly nobleman entirely depends on this.

冬至，日出卯正五刻空，入申正三刻二十分。小寒，日出卯正四刻五十分，入申正三刻三十分。大寒，日出卯正四刻二十分，入申正四刻空。立春，日出卯正三刻三十二分，入申正四刻四十八分。雨水，日出卯正二刻三十分，入申正五刻五十分。驚蟄，日出卯正一刻十七分，入申正十刻三分。春分，日出卯正初刻空，入酉正初刻空。清明，日出寅正七刻三分，入酉正一刻十七分。穀雨，日出寅正五刻五十分，入酉正二刻三十分。立夏，日出寅正四刻四十分，入酉正三刻三十二分。小滿，日出寅正四刻四十八分，入酉正四刻二十分。芒種，日出寅正三刻三十分，入酉正四刻五十分。

The following are the times of sunrise and sunset for each solar term, each read as "At a certain term: sunrise occurs at a certain hour and a certain number of minutes after the hour, and sunset occurs at a certain hour and a certain number of minutes after the hour." "Empty" means that there are no remaining minutes. On the winter solstice, sunrise occurs at 5 minutes after the卯 (Mao) hour, and sunset occurs at 3 minutes and 20 seconds after the申 (Shen) hour. On the minor cold, sunrise occurs at 50 minutes after the卯 hour, and sunset occurs at 3 minutes and 30 seconds after the申 hour. On the major cold, sunrise occurs at 20 minutes after the卯 hour, and sunset occurs at 4 minutes after the申 hour. On the beginning of spring, sunrise occurs at 32 minutes after the卯 hour, and sunset occurs at 4 minutes and 48 seconds after the申 hour. On the rain water, sunrise occurs at 30 minutes after the卯 hour, and sunset occurs at 5 minutes and 50 seconds after the酉 (You) hour. On the awakening of insects, sunrise occurs at 17 minutes after the卯 hour, and sunset occurs at 3 minutes after the酉 hour (the original text says "10 minutes and 3 seconds after the申 hour," but a single hour cannot have 10 divisions, so this is a copying error, and the original text is recorded as is). On the spring equinox, sunrise occurs at exactly the beginning of the卯 hour, and sunset occurs at exactly the beginning of the酉 hour, with day and night exactly equal. On the clear and bright, sunrise occurs at 7 minutes and 3 seconds after the寅 (Yin) hour, and sunset occurs at 17 minutes after the酉 hour. On the grain rain, sunrise occurs at 50 minutes after the寅 hour, and sunset occurs at 30 minutes after the酉 hour. On the beginning of summer, sunrise occurs at 40 minutes after the寅 hour, and sunset occurs at 3 minutes and 32 seconds after the酉 hour. On the minor full, sunrise occurs at 48 minutes after the寅 hour, and sunset occurs at 20 minutes after the酉 hour. On the wheat summer, sunrise occurs at 30 minutes after the寅 hour, and sunset occurs at 50 minutes after the酉 hour. It can be seen that from the winter solstice to the wheat summer, sunrise gradually occurs earlier and sunset gradually occurs later, with the day becoming longer and the night becoming shorter.

夏至，日出寅正三刻三十分，入酉正五刻空。小暑，日出寅正三刻三十一分，入酉正四刻五十分。大暑，日出寅正四刻空，入酉正四刻二十分。立秋，日出寅正四刻四十八分，入酉正三刻三十三分。處暑，日出寅正五刻五十分，入酉正二刻三十分。白露，日出寅正七刻三分，入酉正七刻十七分。秋分，日出卯正初刻空，入酉正初刻空。寒露，日出卯正一刻十七分，入酉正七刻三分。霜降，日出卯正二刻三十分，入申正五刻五十分。立冬，日出卯正三刻二十二分，入申正四刻四十八分。小雪，日出卯正四刻二十分，入申正四刻空。大雪，日出卯正四刻五十分，入申正三刻三十分。

From the second half of the year: On the summer solstice, the sun rises at 3:30 in the third hour of the寅 (Tiger) and sets at 5:00 in the fifth hour of the酉 (Rooster), making the day the longest; on the minor heat, the sun rises at 3:31 in the third hour of the寅 and sets at 4:50 in the fourth hour of the酉; on the major heat, the sun rises at 4:00 in the fourth hour of the寅 and sets at 4:20 in the fourth hour of the酉; on the beginning of autumn, the sun rises at 4:48 in the fourth hour of the寅 and sets at 3:33 in the third hour of the酉; on the heat cessation, the sun rises at 5:50 in the fifth hour of the寅 and sets at 2:30 in the second hour of the酉; on the white dew, the sun rises at 7:03 in the seventh hour of the寅 and sets at 1:17 in the first hour of the酉 (the original text says 'seven moments and seventeen parts', which does not match the corresponding number in the Qingming entry, so it should be a mistake for 'one moment', and the original text is recorded as is); on the autumn equinox, the sun rises at 1:00 in the first hour of the卯 (Horse) and sets at 1:00 in the first hour of the酉, marking another equal division of day and night; on the cold dew, the sun rises at 1:17 in the first hour of the卯 and sets at 7:03 in the fifth hour of the申 (Monkey) (the original text says '酉', but according to the decreasing trend, it should be '申', and the original text is recorded as is); on the frost's descent, the sun rises at 2:30 in the second hour of the卯 and sets at 5:50 in the fifth hour of the申; on the beginning of winter, the sun rises at 3:22 in the third hour of the卯 and sets at 4:48 in the fourth hour of the申; on the minor snow, the sun rises at 4:20 in the fourth hour of the卯 and sets at 4:00 in the fourth hour of the申; on the major snow, the sun rises at 4:50 in the fourth hour of the卯 and sets at 3:30 in the third hour of the申. From the summer solstice to the major snow, the sun rises later and sets earlier with each solar term, the day gradually shortens and the night gradually lengthens, which is opposite to the first half of the year. When casting a divination, one looks up the sunrise and sunset times for the day's solar term, then subtracts and adds two and a half hours respectively, to determine the times of dawn and dusk. The boundary between day and night is thus marked by the Nobleman.

《黃帝》曰：曉昏之法，以星沒為曉，星出為昏。雖諸說之紛紜，奈法式而猶闕。臣等今依《祟天曆》，算定昏曉，中星定貴神經歷之方，分天官向背之所，庶占驗無失，善惡有準矣。

The Yellow Emperor said: The method to determine dawn and dusk is that when the stars disappear, it is called 'dawn,' and when the stars appear, it is called 'dusk.' Although various schools have different opinions, the specific rules for applying them on the divination plate have always been missing. Now we have calculated the times of dusk and dawn according to the Chong Tian Li, and determined the 'central star' that was exactly in the due south meridian at that time. Using this, we can determine the direction the noble spirits' paths reach, and distinguish the facing and backing directions of the heavenly generals (Twelve Heavenly Generals). We hope this will ensure accurate divination and clear criteria for distinguishing good and evil. The term 'central star' refers to the constellation that appears exactly on the due south meridian at dusk or dawn. Knowing the central star is equivalent to knowing the actual direction of the heaven plate at that time.

節氣，曉中星，昏中星。冬至，角初度，壁四度。小寒，亢二度，奎六度。大寒，氐七度，婁八度。立春，房四度，昴初度。雨水，尾五度，畢八度。驚蟄，尾十六度，參九度。春分，箕九度，井十九度。清明，斗八度，柳三度。穀雨，斗十九度，張一度。立夏，牛四度，翼三度。小滿，女九度，軫二度。芒種，危初度，角二度。

The following table has three columns, in order: the solar term, the star at due south at dawn, and the star at due south at dusk. Each entry is read as "During the term of [X], at dawn due south is [Y] degree of [Z], and at dusk due south is [A] degree of [B]." On the winter solstice, the star at dawn is at the first degree of the Horn mansion, and at dusk it is at the fourth degree of the Wall mansion; on the beginning of winter, it is at the second degree of the Neck mansion and the sixth degree of the Legs mansion; on the great cold, it is at the seventh degree of the Root mansion and the eighth degree of the Bond mansion; on the start of spring, it is at the fourth degree of the Room mansion and the first degree of the Hairy Head mansion; on the rain water, it is at the fifth degree of the Tail mansion and the eighth degree of the Net mansion; on the awakening of insects, it is at the sixteenth degree of the Tail mansion and the ninth degree of the Three Stars mansion; on the vernal equinox, it is at the ninth degree of the Winnowing Basket mansion and the nineteenth degree of the Well mansion; on the clear and bright, it is at the eighth degree of the Dipper mansion and the third degree of the Willow mansion; on the grain rain, it is at the nineteenth degree of the Dipper mansion and the first degree of the Extended Net mansion; on the start of summer, it is at the fourth degree of the Ox mansion and the third degree of the Wings mansion; on the beginning of fullness, it is at the ninth degree of the Girl mansion and the second degree of the Chariot mansion; on the wheat grain, it is at the first degree of the Rooftop mansion and the second degree of the Horn mansion. The first number refers to the star at dawn, and the second number refers to the star at dusk. Both move in sequence through the twenty-eight mansions according to the solar terms.

夏至，危十四度，亢六度。小暑，室十三度，氐十一度。大暑，奎五度，尾初度。立秋，婁七度，尾十二度。處暑，昴初度，箕六度。白露，畢九度，斗五度。秋分，井一度，斗十六度。寒露，井二十一度，牛初度。霜降，柳五度，女三度。立冬，張二度，虛三度。小雪，翼二度，危五度。大雪，軫一度，室一度。

After the second half of the year, the two columns 'Morning Star' and 'Evening Star' continue: On the Summer Solstice, the star is at 14 degrees of the mansion of Wei and 6 degrees of the mansion of Kang; on the Minor Heat, at 13 degrees of the mansion of Shi and 11 degrees of the mansion of Di; on the Major Heat, at 5 degrees of the mansion of Kui and the beginning of the mansion of Wei; on the Beginning of Autumn, at 7 degrees of the mansion of Lou and 12 degrees of the mansion of Wei; on the Limit of Heat, at the beginning of the mansion of Mao and 6 degrees of the mansion of Ji; on the White Dew, at 9 degrees of the mansion of Bi and 5 degrees of the mansion of Dou; on the Autumn Equinox, at 1 degree of the mansion of Jing and 16 degrees of the mansion of Dou; on the Cold Dew, at 21 degrees of the mansion of Liu and the beginning of the mansion of Nü; on the Frost Descent, at 5 degrees of the mansion of Liu and 3 degrees of the mansion of Nu; on the Beginning of Winter, at 2 degrees of the mansion of Zhang and 3 degrees of the mansion of Xu; on the Minor Snow, at 2 degrees of the mansion of Yi and 5 degrees of the mansion of Wei; on the Major Snow, at 1 degree of the mansion of Chen and 1 degree of the mansion of Shi. After twenty-four entries are completed, the morning star moves from the mansion of Jiao through all twenty-eight mansions and returns to the mansion of Chen. The evening star does the same, but is about half a celestial circle behind. When casting a divination, if one needs to check whether it is already morning or evening, one can simply look at the star in the middle of the southern sky. It is not necessary to rely entirely on the water clock.

司馬遷《天官書》曰：天乙在紫徽宮門右星南，天帝之神也，主鬥戰，知人之吉凶者也。天乙常背天門向地戶而行。天官十有二，天乙常以甲戊庚日，旦治大吉，暮治小吉。乙己之日，旦治神后，暮治傳送。丙丁之日，旦治徵明，暮治從魁。壬癸之日，旦治太乙，暮治太沖。六辛之日，旦治勝光，暮治功曹也。

Sima Qian's "Tian Gao Shu" in the "Shiji" says: The star Tian Yi is located to the south of the door of the Purple Micro Palace, and it is the divine spirit of the heavenly emperor, in charge of warfare and able to know the fortune and misfortune of people (the original text says "Zi Hui" instead of "Zi Wei," and this is recorded as is). When Tian Yi moves, it always faces away from the heavenly gate (the northwest position of Qian) and towards the earthly gate (the southeast position of Xun). Among the twelve heavenly officials (i.e., the twelve heavenly generals), Tian Yi is the first. Its principle is: on the days of Jia, Wu, and Geng, during the day, the nobleman is at Da Ji (Chou), and at night, the nobleman is at Xiao Ji (Wei); on the days of Yi and Ji, during the day, the nobleman is at Shen Hou (Zi), and at night, the nobleman is at Song Song (Shen); on the days of Bing and Ding, during the day, the nobleman is at Zheng Ming (Hai), and at night, the nobleman is at Cong Kuai (You); on the days of Ren and Gui, during the day, the nobleman is at Tai Yi (Si), and at night, the nobleman is at Tai Chong (Mao); on the six days of Xin, during the day, the nobleman is at Sheng Guang (Wu), and at night, the nobleman is at Gong Cao (Yin). This is the oral formula for starting the nobleman in the Six Rén system: first look at the day stem to determine which group it belongs to, then according to whether the time is in the morning or evening, determine whether to use the day nobleman or the night nobleman. Once Tian Yi is fixed, the remaining eleven generals are arranged in order.

天乙居中貴神主，帝王之象，家在己丑，土神。臨行年日辰利，主上書見人有財錢慶賀誥命之事。在旺有貴人召命印信事，在相上有貴人賞賜財物事，在死上有貴人外喪事，在囚上有貴人囚繫事，在休上有貴人憂疾病之事。

Heavenly Ethical Official resides at the center of the twelve generals, is the master of all noble spirits, and is symbolized as a king. Its native stem-branch is Jichou, belonging to the Earth element. When it appears on the person's year, day, or hour stem, it indicates good fortune, and it governs matters such as submitting petitions, visiting important officials, and matters concerning wealth, celebrations, and official appointments. Then, according to the five levels of the atmosphere of the place where it resides, the fortune is interpreted as follows: if it is in a strong position, there will be a nobleman summoned for an audience and receiving an official seal; if it is in a flourishing position, there will be a nobleman rewarded with wealth; if it is in a dead position, there will be a nobleman suffering loss abroad; if it is in a captive position, there will be a nobleman imprisoned; if it is in a resting position, there will be a nobleman worrying or suffering illness. The following eleven generals are explained in the same format: first, state its position relative to Heavenly Ethical Official among the twelve generals, its official position, its native stem-branch and element, and the matters it governs, then explain the fortune according to the five levels of strength, flourishing, death, captivity, and rest.

前一螣蛇，天乙奉車都尉，家在丁巳，火神，驚恐怪異。在旺上有縣官鬥訟，在相上有土賊爭訟，在死上有死喪驚恐，在囚上有囚繫恐飾，在休上有疾病怪異事。

The first position before Tianyi is Teng Snake, which is equivalent to the rank of Fu Che Du Wei in the military. Its native branch is Dingsi, belonging to the fire deity, governing fear and strange occurrences. If it falls in a strong position, there will be disputes with government authorities; if in a moderate position, there will be conflicts caused by bandits and thieves; if in a dead position, there will be death and fear; if in a captive position, there will be imprisonment and fear; if in a resting position, there will be illness and strange occurrences. Teng Snake is aInauspicious General of fiery nature; whenever it appears in the course of a divination, it often indicates false alarms, nightmares, and strange phenomena.

前二朱雀，天乙羽林軍，家在丙午，火神，主刑獄口舌。在旺上有縣官口舌，在相上有錢財婚姻，在死上有死喪口舌，在囚上有囚錮囚繫，在休上有疾病，心腹口腹口竅不利。

The second one counted forward is the Vermilion Bird, equivalent to the imperial bodyguard of Tianyi. Its native branch is Bingwu, belonging to the fire deity, governing legal punishments and disputes. When it falls in a strong position, there are official disputes; in a prosperous position, it instead indicates good fortune such as wealth and marriage; in a dead position, there are deaths and disputes; in a captive position, there is imprisonment; and in a resting position, there are illnesses, with further troubles in the heart, abdomen, and mouth (the original text has the words 'mouth and abdomen' which may be a later addition, but they are recorded as such). The Vermilion Bird belongs to fire and governs documents, words, and communication, so it is often used in divination related to documents, lawsuits, and the transmission of messages.

前三六合，天乙光祿大夫，家在乙卯，木神，主婚姻和合。在旺上有賞賜遷位，在相上有嫁娶財物，在死上有死葬事，在囚上有婚姻繫囚，陰私謀事，在休上有疾病陰私之事。

Counting three positions forward, it is Liu He, equivalent to the official Guanglu Da Fu of Tian Yi. The native branch is Yimao, belonging to the Wood deity, governing marriage and harmony. If it falls in a flourishing position, there will be rewards and promotion; if in a prosperous position, there will be marriage and wealth; if in a dying position, there will be funeral matters; if in a confined position, there will be imprisonment due to marriage-related issues and secret plots; if in a resting position, there will be illness and private affairs. Liu He is a favorable general. In divination, if it appears in matters of marriage, partnership, trade, or reconciliation, success is likely.

前四勾陳，天乙大將軍，家在戊辰，土神，主戰鬥刑革。在旺上有貴人戰鬥，在相上有貴人爭訟，在死上有死喪人財物，在囚上有爭田囚繫禁錮，在休上有爭訟病人田宅事。

Counting forward four positions, we reach Gou Chen, which is equivalent to the Grand General of the Heavenly Ethereal. Its native branch is Wuchen, belonging to the earth deity, governing combat, punishment, and transformation. When it falls in a strong position, there will be military affairs involving a nobleman; in a balanced position, there will be disputes involving a nobleman; in a dead position, there will be deaths, loss of people, and damage to property; in a captive position, there will be disputes over land leading to imprisonment; in a resting position, there will be disputes, illness, and matters concerning property. Gou Chen belongs to the earth and governs conflicts, land, and imprisonment. It is commonly used in divination for land disputes and determining the outcome of conflicts.

前五青龍，天乙丞相，家在甲寅，木神，主錢財慶賀、酒禮婚姻。在旺上有貴人遷官遠使財物，在相上有貴人婚姻慶賀之事，在死上有死人財物，在囚上有囚繫人財物事，在休上有故吏酒食錢物之事。

The fifth position counted forward is the Azure Dragon, equivalent to the prime minister of Tianyi. Its native branch is Jiayin, belonging to the Wood deity, governing wealth, celebrations, banquets, and marriage. If it falls in a prosperous place, there will be promotion by a nobleman, long journeys on official business, and gain of wealth. If it falls in a favorable place, there will be celebrations and weddings related to noblemen. If it falls in a dead place, the wealth obtained is connected to the deceased (such as inheritance or funeral gifts). If it falls in a captive place, there will be matters of being detained due to people or property. If it falls in a resting place, there will be old subordinates bringing food, drink, and money. The Azure Dragon is the first of the twelve generals and is the most auspicious among them. It is most favorable for seeking wealth, seeking official positions, and matters of joy and celebration.

後一天后，天乙後官采女也。家在壬子，水神，主婦女陰私蔽匿之事。在旺上有嫁娶酒食之事，在相上有婦女陰私之事，在死上有死喪財帛之事，在囚上有奸邪囚繫，在休上有陰私疾病之事。

The Heavenly Empress comes immediately after Tianyi when counted from Tianyi onwards, equivalent to the concubine in the palace of Tianyi (the original text says "palace" but is transcribed as "officials", so it is recorded as such). The native is in Renzi, belonging to the water deity, governing women, private matters, and hidden affairs. If it falls in a prosperous place, there will be matters of marriage and feasting; if it falls in a flourishing place, there will be private matters concerning women; if it falls in a declining place, there will be matters of death and property; if it falls in a captive place, there will be matters of wickedness and being detained because of them; if it falls in a resting place, there will be private matters and illness. The Heavenly Empress belongs to water and governs women, so it is often used in divination concerning marriage, women, and obscure matters. The following five generals are all after Tianyi, and their directions are opposite to the previous five generals.

後二太陰，天乙御史中丞也。家在辛酉，金神，主陰私金帛。在旺上有嫁娶陰私事，在相上有財物蔽匿事，在死上有死喪陰私事。在囚上有陰私囚繫事，在休上有巫繫蔽匿事。

The second one counted from the end is Tai Yin, equivalent to the Imperial Inspector of the Heavenly Ethereal, and the family is in Xinyou, belonging to the Metal God, governing private matters and gold and silver. If it falls in a prosperous place, there will be marriage and private affairs; if it falls in a favorable place, there will be hidden property; if it falls in a dead place, there will be death and private affairs; if it falls in a captive place, there will be being detained due to private matters; if it falls in a resting place, there will be witchcraft and hidden matters (the original text says 'witch detention', which is recorded as such). Tai Yin governs secret, private, and concealed matters, and is often used in divination for matters of concealment, private relationships, and hidden affairs.

後三玄武，天乙後將軍也。家在癸亥，水神，主遺亡盜賊離別事。在旺上有貴人亡遺失去財物事，在相上有縣官亡失財物事，在死上有死人賊盜財物事，在囚上有賊盜囚繫事，在休上有亡失病人財物事。

The third one counted from the back is Xuanwu, equivalent to the rear general of Tianyi. Its native branch is Guihai, belonging to the water deity, governing matters of loss, theft, and separation. If it falls in a strong position, there will be loss of property by a nobleman; if it falls in a moderate position, there will be loss of property by the government; if it falls in a dead position, there will be theft of property from the deceased; if it falls in a captive position, there will be capture of thieves; if it falls in a resting position, there will be loss of property, illness, and theft. Xuanwu is the deity of thieves, and for divination regarding lost items, escape, and pursuit, the key clue is where it falls and which deity it rides.

後四太常，天乙卿也。家在己未，土神，主財物田宅衣服賞賜事。在旺上有貴人財物酒禮喜事，在相上有祠祭祀衣食媒婚吉事，在死上有諡贈財物事，在囚上有縣官召命，在休上有病人衣服錢財事。

The fourth one counted from the end is Tai Chang, equivalent to the Nine Ministers of Tian Yi. The native's branch is Jiwei, belonging to the earth deity, governing matters of wealth, property, clothing, and rewards. If it falls in a flourishing place, there will be nobleman's wealth, wine offerings, and joyful events; if it falls in a secondary place, there will be worship, food and clothing, and matters of matchmaking and marriage. If it falls in a dead place, there will be posthumous titles and funeral gifts; if it falls in a captive place, there will be official summonses; if it falls in a resting place, there will be matters concerning a sick person's clothing and money. Tai Chang is a favorable general, governing food, clothing, official rank, worship, and feasting. It is favorable for seeking food, receiving rewards, and marriage proposals.

後五白虎，天乙遷尉也。家在庚申，金神，主錢財誣咒重囚繫疾病死喪骸骨之事。在旺上有哭泣遭官，在相上有怨仇相爭，在死上有死喪疾病，在囚上有囚繫沉淪，在休上有疾病災禍事。

The fifth position counted from the beginning is the White Tiger, equivalent to the Minister of Justice (the original text says "Minister of Migration," which is recorded as such). The family is at Gengshen, which belongs to the Metal God, governing matters related to false accusations and curses concerning wealth, serious crimes leading to imprisonment, illness, death, and bones. If it falls in a strong position, there will be crying and being pursued by the authorities; if it falls in a balanced position, there will be disputes and enmity; if it falls in a dead position, there will be death and illness; if it falls in a captive position, there will be imprisonment leading to downfall; if it falls in a resting position, there will be illness and misfortune. The White Tiger is the most凶 of the twelve generals. It is most undesirable to see it in divination concerning illness, lawsuits, or the whereabouts of a traveler. However, if it is assisted by the virtue god or the rescue god, the凶 can be reduced.

後六天空，天乙司直。家在戊戌，土神，主欺詒無信，奸諶詐偽。在旺上有貴人欺誕之事，在相上有財物欺詒之事，在死上有欺詐死人事，在囚上有冊獄欺詒之事，在休上有被人欺詒之事。

The sixth one counted from the back is Tian Kong, equivalent to the official in charge of the Heavenly Ethical Officer. Its native branch is Wuxu, belonging to the earth deity, governing deceit, broken promises, cunning, and fraud. When it falls in a strong position, there are matters of deception by a nobleman; when it falls in a balanced position, there are matters of being deceived in financial affairs; when it falls in a dead position, there are matters of deceiving the dead; when it falls in a captive position, there are matters of deception in legal cases; when it falls in a resting position, there are matters of being deceived by oneself. Since Tian Kong is the sixth after Tian Yi, it is exactly in the opposing position of Tian Yi. Whenever this element appears in the calculation, the matters in question are mostly false and not genuine, with promises not being fulfilled. The twelve heavenly generals are now fully listed: Tian Yi is in the center, with Teng Snake, Vermilion Bird, Liu He, Gou Chen, and Azure Dragon in front, and Heavenly Empress, Tai Yin, Black Tortoise, Tai Chang, White Tiger, and Tian Kong behind.

《玄女》曰：造式之法，以楓子為天。楓子者，楓樹之別株。自生大枝傍，遠望與母齊，近視高下異也。又以棗心為地，以象天地陰之象。楓者，眾木之精。棗者，群木之使。物之靈者，莫過於此。

The *Xuannü* says: The method of making the *shi pan* is to use the "feng zi" as the Heaven Plate. The "feng zi" refers to a branch that grows beside the main trunk of the *feng tree*, growing separately from the main trunk. It appears to be of the same height as the main tree when viewed from afar, but upon closer inspection, it is found to be different in height. The "zaoxin" is used as the Earth Plate, to symbolize the yin and yang of heaven and earth (the original text lacks one character "yang," and reads "the image of heaven and earth yin," which is recorded without supplementation). The *feng* tree is the essence of all trees, and the *zao* tree is the messenger of all trees. Among all things, none are more spiritually endowed than these two. The *shi pan* is composed of two parts: the upper part is round and movable, representing the Heaven Plate; the lower part is square and fixed, representing the Earth Plate—this precisely corresponds with the earlier discussions in the chapters "Shi Tian" and "Shi Di" regarding the circular movement and square stillness of heaven and earth.

注《雷公殺律》云：式局有三，木之道，以霹靂棗心為上，檀木為中，以柿木為下。無霹靂棗心，取舊車軸，亦為次也，須擇良者為之。

The annotations of the "Leigong ShaLv" say: the materials used for the divination board are divided into three grades. In terms of wood, the best is the heartwood of jujube trees that have been struck by lightning, followed by sandalwood, and then persimmon wood. If lightning-struck jujube wood is unavailable, the wood from an old carriage axle may be used as a substitute, but in any case, only good quality materials should be selected. The use of lightning-struck wood is because ancient people believed it had been infused with heavenly power and was most capable of communicating with spirits. This passage discusses material selection, while the next passage deals with carving the form, and the one after that discusses the size and grade. Together, these three form the complete process of making the divination board.

造式：天中作斗杓，指天罡。次作十二辰，中列二十八宿，四維局。地列十二辰、八干、五行、三十六禽、天門地戶人門鬼路四隅訖。

The layout of the divination board is as follows: at the center of the Heaven Plate, the handle of the Big Dipper is drawn, with its tip pointing to the Heavenly Gang (Chen); next, outward from the center, the twelve earthly branches are arranged in a circle, followed by the twenty-eight constellations in the middle circle, and the four cardinal directions are placed at the four corners. On the Earth Plate, the twelve earthly branches, eight heavenly stems (the fifth and sixth stems, Wu and Ji, are placed in the center, so only the first, second, third, fourth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth stems, Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui, are listed on the board), the Five Phases, thirty-six animals, and the four corner positions, Heaven Gate, Earth Gate, Human Gate, and Ghost Path, are arranged. Once the Earth Plate is completed, when divining, one turns the Heaven Plate so that the Month General is positioned on the corresponding section. The twelve heavenly spirits on the Heaven Plate then align one by one with the twelve earthly branches on the Earth Plate, forming the entire relationship of the divination.

天子式，天廣六寸象六律，地廣一尺二寸象十二辰。王公侯伯式，天廣四寸象四時，地廣九寸象九宮。卿大夫式，天廣三寸象三才，地廣七寸象七曜。士庶人式，天廣二寸四分象二十四氣，地廣六寸象六律。

The size of the Shì pán varies according to the rank of the user, with each number representing a symbolic meaning. The Shì pán used by the Son of Heaven has a Heaven Plate with a diameter of six inches, symbolizing the six tones; the Earth Plate has a side length of one foot two inches, symbolizing the twelve earthly branches. The Shì pán used by the King, Duke, Marquis, and Count has a Heaven Plate of four inches, symbolizing the four seasons; the Earth Plate is nine inches, symbolizing the nine palaces. The Shì pán used by the Minister and the Gentleman has a Heaven Plate of three inches, symbolizing the three principles (Heaven, Earth, and Humanity); the Earth Plate is seven inches, symbolizing the seven luminaries (Sun, Moon, and the five planets). The Shì pán used by the scholar and commoner has a Heaven Plate of two inches and four parts, symbolizing the twenty-four solar terms; the Earth Plate is six inches, symbolizing the six tones. Clearly, the Shì pán is not merely a tool but also a ritual object. The larger the size, the higher the rank, and each symbolic representation is complete in itself.

次局，天廣八分，象八卦，地廣三寸法三才也。刻式之法用十一月壬子日，神在內時，起手刻之，至甲子日，醮而盛以縫囊，依法加臨而佩之。

A second-rate smaller scale, the Heaven Plate is divided into eight parts, representing the Eight Trigrams; the Earth Plate is divided into three parts, corresponding to the Three Principles. As for the time and date of carving: it should be done on the Renzi day of the eleventh month, when the noble spirit is within, and continue until the Jiazi day is completed. Then, a ritual offering should be performed, with the finished object placed in a sewn cloth bag. Afterwards, it should be used according to the method of rotating the plate for divination, and worn daily on the body. The eleventh month is the month of Zi, and Renzi is a water day, which is in harmony with the principle of the Six壬 system that takes water as its foundation. Starting from Renzi and ending at Jiazi signifies the continuous cycle of the sixty Jiazi.

《金匱經》曰：用式之法，朝向南，暮向北。當以左手執鬼門，右手轉月將以加正時。視日辰上下陰陽，以立四課。日上神為日之陽神，日上本位所得之神為日之陰神。辰上神為辰之陽神，辰上神本位所得之神為辰之陰神。

The Golden Chest Classic says: The steps for casting a divination chart using the formula board are as follows. First, set the direction correctly: face south in the morning and face north in the evening. Second, hold the earth plate with the left hand, supporting the northeast corner which corresponds to the mountain position (Gen), and rotate the heaven plate with the right hand, placing the month general of the current month on the grid corresponding to the time of divination—this is called "the month general combines with the correct time," and the heaven plate is then fixed. Third, observe the yin and yang of the day stem and day branch in the upper and lower layers, and establish the four lessons: the heavenly spirit above the day stem's palace is called "the yang spirit of the day," which is the first lesson; then take this yang spirit as the position on the earth plate, and look at what heavenly spirit is above it, which is called "the yin spirit of the day," the second lesson; the heavenly spirit above the day branch is called "the yang spirit of the hour," which is the third lesson; then take this yang spirit of the hour as the position, and look at what heavenly spirit is above it, which is called "the yin spirit of the hour," the fourth lesson. Once the four lessons are established, each lesson consists of a pair of "upper spirit pressing down spirit." Then, among these four pairs, find the initiating transmission.

四課之中，察其五行，先取相剋者為用，先以下克上為用，若無下克上，即以上克下為用。若三上克下，一下克上，當以一下克上為用。若四上克下，四下克上，即以與今日比者為用。俱比俱不比，以涉害深者為用。涉害復等，先日後辰為用，剛日用日上神為用，柔日用辰上神為用。

After the four lessons are established, examine the five elements of the heavenly and earthly gods in each lesson. First, select the initiating transmission from the lesson where there is mutual control, following this order: first, choose the lesson where the earthly god controls the heavenly god (i.e., the god on the earth plate controls the god on the heaven plate), which is called "thief control" and represents the most urgent situation. Second, if there is no earthly god controlling the heavenly god, choose the lesson where the heavenly god controls the earthly god. Third, if there are three lessons where the heavenly god controls the earthly god and only one where the earthly god controls the heavenly god, still choose the one where the earthly god controls the heavenly god—because the fewer instances are more valuable, and the isolated one is more urgent. Fourth, if all four lessons are cases of heavenly god controlling earthly god, or all four are cases of earthly god controlling heavenly god, and there are multiple instances of control, choose the one that is in "comparison" with the day stem; "comparison" refers to the god having the same yin and yang attribute as the day stem, with a yang day choosing a yang god and a yin day choosing a yin god. Fifth, if several instances are in comparison with the day stem or none are, and it is impossible to distinguish, choose the one with the deeper "involvement in harm"; "involvement in harm" refers to counting the number of controls encountered as the god moves from its position on the heaven plate back to its original position. The one that is controlled more is considered deeper. Sixth, if the depth of involvement in harm is equal, first take the day stem and then the hour stem: on a yang day, the god above the day stem is used as the initiating transmission; on a yin day, the god above the day branch is used as the initiating transmission. This entire process is the correct method for determining the first transmission in Six壬 divination, later known as the three levels of selection: thief control, comparison, and involvement in harm.

四課陰陽不相剋者，以遙相剋為用。若日遙克神，神遙剋日，始取神遙剋日為用。如無神遙剋日，便用日遙克神。若有日克兩神，兩神剋日，並取今日比者為用。四課陰陽上下，並不相剋，又無遙相剋，當以昴星為用。剛日仰視，以酉上所得之神為用。柔日俯視，以從魁所臨之辰為用。當以日辰上神重之為中，末傳不得傳於中。剛日先傳辰，後傳日。柔日先傳日，後傳辰。

When the four lessons do not show mutual control between upper and lower, the "remote control" method is used to determine the initiating transmission. Instead of looking at upper and lower, one should look at the mutual control between the heavenly stems of the four lessons and the day stem. If both the day stem controls a heavenly stem and that heavenly stem controls the day stem, the heavenly stem that controls the day stem is chosen first (as it comes from outside and is urgent). If there is no heavenly stem controlling the day stem, then the day stem that controls a heavenly stem is chosen. If the day stem controls two heavenly stems or two heavenly stems control the day stem, and it is difficult to choose, the one that is compared with the day stem is chosen. If neither mutual control nor remote control exists among the four lessons, the "昴星" method is used. On a yang day, "looking up" is used, taking the heavenly stem at the酉 position on the earth plate as the initiating transmission. On a yin day, "looking down" is used, taking the earthy stem under the Heaven Plate from 魁 (酉) as the initiating transmission. For the middle and final transmissions of the three transmissions, the heavenly stem on the day and the earthy stem on the hour are used repeatedly, but the final transmission must not be the same as the middle one. As for the order, on a yang day, the transmission starts with the heavenly stem on the hour and then the heavenly stem on the day. On a yin day, the transmission starts with the heavenly stem on the day and then the heavenly stem on the hour.

若四課無遙相剋，乃陰陽不備之時，當以別責為用。別責之課，其數有九。剛日有三，謂戊辰、戊午、丙辰，日各有一課。柔日有六，謂辛未、辛丑日各有二課，丁酉、辛酉日各二課，辛酉曰有一課。剛日別貴取干合上神為卦首，次傳日上與終傳同。柔日別責取支合上神本位所得之神為卦首，次日上與終傳同，各以神將言其吉凶。

If the four lessons contain neither mutual overcoming nor remote overcoming, and only three different gods appear among the four lessons—known as "yin and yang are not complete"—then the method of "bie zhe" (alternative responsibility) is used to determine the divination. There are nine types of bie zhe lessons: three on even days, namely Wu Chen, Wu Wu, and Bing Chen, each occupying one lesson; and six on odd days, namely Xin Wei, Xin Chou, Ding You, Xin You, and others (the original text here has repeated and disordered enumeration, with "Xin You" mentioned as having one lesson, conflicting with the previous text, so it is retained as is). The method is as follows: for even days, the bie zhe is determined by taking the god located on the position corresponding to the heavenly stem that combines with the day stem, which serves as the first transmission, while the middle and final transmissions all use the god on the day stem, which are the same. For odd days, the bie zhe is determined by taking the god located on the position related to the triple harmony and the six harmonies of the day branch, which serves as the first transmission, while the middle and final transmissions also use the god on the day stem. After the first, middle, and final transmissions are determined, each is then evaluated for auspiciousness or inauspiciousness based on the heavenly god they ride and the twelve heavenly generals.

天地伏吟返吟課有相剋者，並有比及涉害深者為用。伏吟課，己癸子二柔日課有相剋。癸丑一日，猶屬八專伏吟。六乙日有克自刑者，當以克處為課首。次傳其辰，沖動所刑為中、未傳，謂六乙日也。伏吟，六癸日有克者，當以克處為課首，盡刑為三傳。

As for the 'Hidden Chant' divination when the Heaven and Earth plates overlap, and the 'Return Chant' when the Heaven and Earth plates conflict, if there is mutual control within the divination, the method remains the same, using the place of control as the starting point. The 'Comparison' and 'Deep Harm' methods are still used to determine the order. In the case of 'Hidden Chant', among the soft days, those with mutual control (the original text here reads 'Ji Gui Zi two soft days', which is likely an error, and should refer to the groups of Yi and Gui) are considered. On the day of Gui Chou, it also belongs to the eight specialized 'Hidden Chant'. For the six days of Yi, if there is mutual control and self-infliction, the place of mutual control is used as the first transmission. The middle and final transmissions are taken from the position that the hour conflicts with and is inflicted upon (the original text writes 'final transmission' as 'untransmitted', which is recorded as is). For the six days of Gui in 'Hidden Chant', if there is mutual control, the place of mutual control is used as the first transmission, and then the three transmissions are arranged in order according to the relationship of self-infliction.

伏吟無克者，剛日以日上神為用，柔日以辰上神為用，為課首，皆盡其三刑為中、末傳。若得自刑者，剛日則先傳日，次傳辰，辰所刑為末傳。柔則先傳辰，次傳日，日所刑為終傳。更若次傳自刑者，即以沖為末傳也。

When there is a hidden chant without any mutual control, the method of using the elements is: on a strong day, take the heavenly stem above the day stem as the initiating element; on a weak day, take the heavenly stem above the day branch as the initiating element. Use this as the first element of the hexagram. The middle transmission and final transmission are arranged in the order of the three punishments (such as寅 is punished by巳, and巳 is punished by申, etc.). If the initiating element happens to be a self-punishing branch such as辰, 午, 酉, or 亥, there is no one to punish, then follow the order: on a strong day, first transmit the heavenly stem above the day, then the heavenly stem above 辰, and finally use the position punished by the heavenly stem above 辰 as the final transmission; on a weak day, first transmit the heavenly stem above 辰, then the heavenly stem above the day, and finally use the position punished by the heavenly stem above the day as the final transmission. If during the middle transmission another self-punishing element is encountered and there is still no one to punish, then take the opposing branch of it as the final transmission. In hidden chant, the elements remain still and the matter does not occur, so it is necessary to use punishment and clash to drive the matter forward. This is the general rule for determining the transmissions in a hidden chant.

返吟課多相剋，惟丁丑、己丑、辛丑、丁未、己未、辛未無克，丁未、己未猶為八專。餘四柔日當以辰沖為用。辰沖者，丑沖巳、巳沖丑、未沖亥、亥沖未。丑日沖巳，巳上見徵明為初傳。皆以辰上為次傳，日上為末傳。未沖亥，亥上見太乙為初傳，皆以辰上為次傳，日上為末傳。

Reverse repetition divination occurs when the Heaven and Earth plates are entirely in opposition, and the divination often involves many instances of conflict. Normally, one can follow standard methods to determine the transmission; however, only six days, namely Dingchou, Jichou, Xinchou, Dingwei, Jiwei, and Xingwei, are free from conflict. Among these, Dingwei and Jiwei also belong to the category of eight special days. For the remaining four soft days (Dingchou, Jichou, Xinchou, Xingwei), the method of "Chen Chong" should be used to determine the initiating transmission. "Chen Chong" refers to the mutual opposition between the pairs of Chou and Si, and Wei and Hai. On a Chou day, the opposing position is Si, and the heavenly god seen on Si is Zhengming (Hai), which becomes the first transmission. Then, the god on the day branch is used as the middle transmission, and the god on the day stem is used as the final transmission. On a Wei day, the opposing position is Hai, and the heavenly god seen on Hai is Taiyi (Si), which becomes the first transmission. Similarly, the god on the day branch is used as the middle transmission, and the god on the day stem is used as the final transmission. Reverse repetition divination indicates that matters will be repeated and return again, so it specifically uses the opposing positions to determine the transmissions.

八專之日惟有兩課，見有克者，亦以比及涉害深者為用。若無克，剛日從日上陽神順數三辰為用，柔日從辰上陰神逆數三神為用，中傳末傳當以日辰上神重之。又云末傳與初傳同，八專之日惟有兩課也。

The "Eight Special Days" refer to those days when the day stem and day branch are in the same palace, causing the four lessons to merge into two. In such cases, if there is a conflict, the initiating transmission is determined according to the principles of "comparison" and "deep involvement." If there is no conflict, on a yang day, the initiating transmission is taken by counting three steps from the yang god on the day stem in a forward direction, while on a yin day, it is taken by counting three steps backward from the yin god on the day branch. Both the middle and final transmissions use the god on the day and the god on the hour repeatedly. Another view suggests that the final transmission is the same as the initial one. The reason why the "Eight Special Days" only have two lessons is because the stem and branch are in the same palace, making it impossible to distinguish the four lessons. Thus, the nine major methods of starting and transmitting the course in the Six Rats system—stealing the conflict, comparison, involvement, remote conflict,昴star, separate responsibility, hidden chant, reverse chant, and the Eight Special Days—have now been fully explained.

《啟明式例》曰：用式法當避太歲、月建及月忌、日忌。正五九月忌卯時，二六十月忌子時，三七十一月忌酉時，四八十二月忌午時。又忌法云：甲乙日忌酉時，丙日忌子時，戊己日忌卯時，庚辛日忌午時，壬癸日忌未時。

The "Qiming Shi Li" says: When setting up a divination formula, one should avoid the time of the Tai Su, the Month Builder, and the forbidden hours according to the month and the day. The forbidden hours by month are: in the first, fifth, and ninth months, the卯 hour is forbidden; in the second, sixth, and tenth months, the子 hour is forbidden; in the third, seventh, and eleventh months, the酉 hour is forbidden; in the fourth, eighth, and twelfth months, the午 hour is forbidden. These four groups each cover three months, and the forbidden hours rotate through the four central branches:卯,子,酉,午. There is also a separate system based on the day stem: on days of Jia and Yi, the酉 hour is forbidden; on days of Bing, the子 hour is forbidden; on days of Wu and Ji, the卯 hour is forbidden; on days of Geng and Xin, the午 hour is forbidden; on days of Ren and Gui, the未 hour is forbidden. Upon close examination, it can be seen that the forbidden hours for the day stem are mostly those that are overcome by the branch of the stem, which is exactly the position mentioned in the previous chapters "Shi Gui" and "Shi Xing" as the position of the stem's ghost and the stem's crime.

右忌日時不可占事，誤用者當損用式之人也。

The above-mentioned forbidden days and times should not be used for divination. If one mistakenly uses these hours to cast a horoscope, the person performing the divination will suffer the consequences. The ancients regarded the divination disk as a tool to communicate with spirits, so they established this prohibition, which is consistent with the previous rule of selecting a favorable day for carving the disk and performing a ritual after completing the instrument. The idea is that without respect, the divination will not be effective, and improper use will lead to misfortune.

《玄女》曰：陽將臨正時，先用後三，次用前五。陰將加正時，先用前五，次用後三。假令十二月占事，第一人用月將神后，第二人用月將後三從魁，第三人用前五功曹。餘皆仿此例。

The *Xuannü* says: If the month general falls on a yang branch (yang general) and is added to the time of divination, then for the second person, start the lesson by retreating three stems backward; for the third person, advance five stems forward. If the month general falls on a yin branch (yin general) and is added to the time of divination, then for the second person, start the lesson by advancing five stems forward; for the third person, retreat three stems backward. This passage discusses "ci ke," which refers to when several people ask for divination at the same time, and how to determine the month general for the second and third persons. For example, if divination is done in the twelfth month and the month general is Shenhou (Zi), the first person directly uses Shenhou. The second person starts from Zi and retreats three stems backward to You, which is Kuai. The third person starts from You and advances five stems forward to Yin, which is Gongcao. Afterwards, continue alternating between retreating three stems and advancing five stems, following the same pattern for the rest of the people.

《靈轄經》曰：用次客法，第一客月將加正時，第二客用月建加太歲，第三客用太歲加月建，第四客用月建加日干，第五客用歲干加正時，第六客用月將加日干，第七客用月將加太歲，第八客用太歲加月將，第九客用月將加本命，第十客用月將加行年，十一客用太歲加本命，第十二客用太歲加行年。

The Lingxia Jing describes another method called "secondary guests," which assigns each of the twelve guests a specific way of overlaying. When turning the Heaven Plate, each guest's method is used to cast the divination: the first guest is the Month General added to the time of the day; the second is the Month Builder added to the Year God; the third is the Year God added to the Month Builder; the fourth is the Month Builder added to the Day Stem; the fifth is the Heavenly Stem of the Year God added to the time of the day; the sixth is the Month General added to the Day Stem; the seventh is the Month General added to the Year God; the eighth is the Year God added to the Month General; the ninth is the Month General added to the person's birth branch; the tenth is the Month General added to the current age branch; the eleventh is the Year God added to the person's birth branch; the twelfth is the Year God added to the current age branch. The phrase "Jia added to Yi" means placing the heavenly god from the Jia position onto the earth position of Yi, fixing the Heaven Plate, and then proceeding to establish the four lessons and three transmissions as usual. Each of the twelve methods is different, so even though twelve people ask at the same time, each receives a distinct divination, without confusion.