Nine Chou Divination

四辰臨五日，九丑惡聲名，大吉時加仲，天災莫舉兵。遠行人必死，嫁娶起哀聲，修造妨家長，遷移人口驚，葬埋絕後裔，買賣不順成。大小二時並，凶神生四平，三年與三月，不出大凶星。乙戊己辛壬，四仲上加臨。大吉與支干，九丑不堪論。

The four Earthly Branches Zi, Wu, Mao, and You combine with the five Heavenly Stems Yi, Wu, Ji, Xin, and Ren to form the ominous name of Jiuchou (Nine Cows). When Daji (Chou) falls on the four central branches, it is a time when heaven sends calamity, and military action must be avoided. At this time, travelers will surely die, marriages will end in sorrowful crying, construction of houses will harm the head of the family, moving house will disturb the population, burial will cut off descendants, and trade will not go smoothly. If the twoInauspicious Spirit (evil spirits) of Dashi (Great Hour) and Xiaoshi (Minor Hour) come together, and these evil spirits are positioned on the four equal positions, then the time of prosperity will be within three years, and the time of decline will be within three months. It will not escape this great evil star. On the days of Yi, Wu, Ji, Xin, and Ren, when the four central branches are added to them, and Daji (Chou) is placed on the day stem and day branch, the evil of Jiuchou is endless.

《協記辨方?奏議》：九丑本於壬遁，其法以乙卯、己卯、辛 卯、乙酉、己酉、辛酉、戊午、戊子、壬午、壬子十日，丑臨於支上，則其時為九丑課。推其理，以此十課魁罡及日干皆落敗地，故謂之丑。乙己辛壬戊五日干加子午卯酉四支，共為九，故曰九丑。

The "Zhouyi" section of "Xieji Bianfangshu" states (the original book title has one character faded, read as "Xieji Bianfang? Zhouyi"): The Nine Chou method originates from the Nen Dun technique, selecting ten days: Yi Mao, Ji Mao, Xin Mao, Yi You, Ji You, Xin You, Wu Wu, Wu Zi, Ren Wu, and Ren Zi. Whenever the Great Auspicious Chou appears on the day branch, that hour forms a Nine Chou lesson. Investigating its reasoning, in these ten lessons, the two spirits of Kui and Gang as well as the day stem all fall into declining positions, hence called "Chou." The five day stems of Yi, Ji, Xin, Ren, and Wu are paired with the four earthly branches of Zi, Wu, Mao, and You, resulting in a total of nine numbers, hence called Nine Chou.

乙戊己辛壬五日，四仲相併九丑神。大吉臨其干支上，值此凶災將入人。大小二時相濟會，剛日男凶柔女迍。重陽害父陰害母，測其天官決事因。不但納妻並嫁女，最忌行遊及出軍。日干乙戊己辛壬，子午卯酉支來尋，大吉還加日辰上，四仲加時九丑淫。穢惡聲聞為不肖，百體雜亂家陰沈。月建大時來入課，必有喪禍哭呻吟。

The five day stems 乙, 戊, 己, 辛, and 壬, when paired with the four central branches 子, 午, 卯, and 酉, form the nine disgraceful spirits. If the Daji (Chou) is positioned above the day stem or day branch, misfortune will befall the person. If both the Great Hour and Minor Hour, which areInauspicious Spirit, join together, then on a yang day stem it will affect a man, and on a yin day stem it will affect a woman. If both the day stem and day branch are before the Nobleman, it is called "heavy yang," indicating harm to the father. If both are after the Nobleman, it is called "heavy yin," indicating harm to the mother. By examining the accompanying Heavenly General, one can determine the origin of the matter. This divination is not suitable for marriage or wedding, and it is especially dangerous for traveling far or leading an army. In summary: take the day stems 乙, 戊, 己, 辛, and 壬, and find the day branch among 子, 午, 卯, and 酉. Add the Daji (Chou) to the day stem and day branch. If the time is also among the four central branches, then the nine disgraceful spirits are complete. When this divination is obtained, a bad reputation will spread, behavior will be disorderly, and the family will be in confusion. If the Month Builder and Great Hour also enter the divination, there will certainly be loss and sorrow within the family, with continuous weeping and lamentation.

經曰：大吉乘乙戊己辛壬之日，配子午卯酉之神，是謂天地之道歸殃九丑，謂五干四神合為九也。大吉乃天帝之大殺，居其上行其殺，故曰丑。四仲之日時加四仲，在吉臨日辰，舉百事大凶。大吉加日害長，加辰害幼，剛日害男，柔日害女。

The text says: Daji (Chou) is auspicious on the five days of Yi, Wu, Ji, Xin, and Ren. It also combines with the four divine directions of Zi, Wu, Mao, and You. This is called the way of heaven and earth bringing calamity to the nine Chous. The number nine is formed by adding the five heavenly stems and the four earthly branches. Daji Chou is originally a great killing god of the heavenly emperor. It holds a high position and exercises the power of punishment, hence it is called "Chou." When the four middle days coincide with the four middle times, and Daji appears on the day stem and day branch, doing anything will result in great misfortune. If Daji is on the day stem, it harms the family elders; if on the day branch, it harms the young members of the family. On a yang day stem, it harms men; on a yin day stem, it harms women.

在日陽傷夫，在月陰傷婦，重陰害母，重陽害父。天乙前為陽，天乙後為陰，日辰皆在天乙前為重陽，日辰皆在天乙後為重陰。以四時為旺相期三年，囚死期三月。以大吉並將言其形狀，四辰與天將大吉與凶並，如加九者大凶，禍重至，必有刑戳、死亡、流血千里，萬無全者。

If the heavenly stem falls on the yang position of the day, it harms the husband; if it falls on the yin position of the moon, it harms the wife. Heavy yin harms the mother, and heavy yang harms the father. To distinguish between yin and yang: those appearing before the heavenly general are yang, and those appearing after are yin. If both the day stem and day branch are before the heavenly general, it is heavy yang; if both are after, it is heavy yin. The timing of the event is determined by the seasonal strength of the elements: if the element is in its season and strong, the event will occur within three years; if it is in captivity or death, the event will occur within three months. Then, combining the big good (daji) in the earthy branch of the cow (丑) with the heavenly general it rides, one can determine the specific form of the calamity. If the four lessons' hour and the heavenly general, the big good and the evil spirits are layered and meet to total nine, it is extremely凶 (feng), with continuous misfortunes, inevitably leading to punishments, death, and bloodshed over a thousand miles, with no one being able to escape.

經言“乙者，雷霆之始；戊己，北辰下降之日；辛乃秋金，斷刑之日；壬乃三光所不照之日。四仲之日，萬物存亡所繫，子午為易氣，子為冬至，陽氣所生，以陽易其陰之氣；午為夏至，陰氣始生，以陰易其陽之氣。卯乃春分氣交，陽盛陰絕；酉乃秋分氣交，陰盛陽絕。大吉乃日月五星所始也，故合則為害，即乙卯、乙酉、己卯、己酉、辛卯、辛酉、戊子、戊午、壬子、壬午十日是也。

The text also says: Yi is the beginning of thunder and lightning stirring; Wu and Ji are the days when the Pole Star descends; Xin belongs to autumn metal and is the day for the use of punishment; Ren is the day when the light of the sun, moon, and stars cannot reach. The four central days, Zi, Wu, Mao, and You, are related to the survival and demise of all things: Zi and Wu branches govern the alternation of qi. Zi corresponds to the winter solstice, when yang qi begins to arise, replacing yin qi with yang. Wu corresponds to the summer solstice, when yin qi begins to arise, replacing yang qi with yin. Mao corresponds to the spring equinox, when the two qi meet and yang becomes dominant while yin is extinguished; You corresponds to the autumn equinox, when the two qi meet and yin becomes dominant while yang is extinguished. Daji Chou is again the starting point of the movement of the sun, moon, and five stars, so when these elements come together, calamity results. These are the ten days: Yi Mao, Yi You, Ji Mao, Ji You, Xin Mao, Xin You, Wu Zi, Wu Wu, Ren Zi, and Ren Wu. Note: The original text has only opening quotation marks without closing ones, making it difficult to distinguish between the quoted text and the main text. Therefore, I have read the text up to the end of the sentence based on the meaning.

孔明曰：天地之道，賞善罰惡，故以九丑之歸，四時成功，諸神奏書，集會明堂，以考生殺，建丑之九。大吉為眾會之首，更兼大小二時在四仲之時，與日辰俱會，則主殺傷悖逆之禍。

Zhongming said: The way of heaven and earth rewards goodness and punishes evil, so calamities and misfortunes are assigned to the nine Chou. At the time of achieving success in the four seasons of a year, all the gods present memorials and gather at the Bright Hall to examine matters of life and death. Thus there is the saying of taking Chou as the starting point and nine as the number. The great good Chou is the first among the gathering of all the gods. If further adding the two evil spirits, Great Hour and Minor Hour, which are exactly at the four midpoints of the seasons, and if they coincide with the day stem and day branch, then it indicates calamity and rebellion.

如二月壬子日酉時，大吉臨子，剛日當殺長男，期六月戊辰、戊戌、己丑、己未日應，所以然者，壬子惡土，故寺月之日期之。四土月十二月時加四仲，亦是大吉加子，此謂加陽神，男人主之。

For example, on the day of Renzi in the second lunar month at You hour, the divination shows Daji (Chou) in the Day Branch Zi. Ren is a yang stem, belonging to a strong day, and it should harm the eldest son in the family. The time of fulfillment is on the days of Wuchen, Wuxu, Jichou, and Jiwei in the sixth lunar month. This is because the water of Renzi is most afraid of earth to overcome it, so the days of earth when earth is strong in the four seasons are selected to determine the fulfillment time (the original text's 'si yue' should be a mistake for 'si yue' or 'the fourth month of the four seasons'). Whenever the four earth months, namely Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei, and the twelfth lunar month are used, and the time is added on the four central directions, it is also Daji added to Zi, which is called adding on the yang spirit, and this should be related to a man.

二月大吉在子，春日土死，此為大凶，決知所主，以大吉所得將言之，太常並，定主父無，鬼神為敗；螣蛇併為驚死；朱雀並主祠寺燒死；六合並主女子淫佚；勾陳並主路鬥死；青龍並主領會酒食財錢死；天乙並與貴人同貴死；天后並主婦人懷他人子死；玄武並主盜賊詐為敗。

In the second lunar month, when the Daji (Chou) falls on the Chou branch, it is considered a great凶 (misfortune) because the earth is in a dead position during spring. To determine what specific event this refers to, one should look at which Heavenly General is associated with the Daji: if it is with Tai Chang, it indicates the father's death, caused by supernatural interference; if with Teng Snake, it indicates a sudden death from fright; if with Vermilion Bird, it indicates death from a fire in temples or monasteries; if with Liu He, it indicates a woman's immoral behavior; if with Gou Chen, it indicates death from a fight on the road; if with Azure Dragon, it indicates death due to gatherings involving food, drink, and money; if with Heavenly General, it indicates death from associating with a nobleman; if with Heavenly Empress, it indicates death from a woman carrying another man's child; if with Black Tortoise, it indicates failure due to theft or fraud. Thus, although the Daji (Chou) is the same, the different Heavenly Generals it is associated with result in completely different outcomes.

如十一月乙卯日辰時，大吉加乙為用，將得螣蛇，憂婦女爭田宅，長女主之。又如戊子日卯時，大吉加子陰，功曹為用，大吉雖不為用，亦名九丑，少男主之。大吉課家冢動。如四仲占，丑臨日辰，加四仲時發用，亦為九丑課。夫丑紐也，歲終物慾歸而未舒，尚紐也。占事多凶，統小過之體，乃上迍邅之課也。

For example, on the day of Yi Mao in the 11th lunar month at the hour of Chen, the Daji (Chou) is placed on the Day Stem Yi and serves as the Initiating Transmission. The accompanying Heavenly General is Teng Snake, indicating disputes among women over property and land, with the issue concerning the eldest daughter. Another example is on the day of Wu Zi at the hour of Mao, where the Daji (Chou) is placed on the Yin position of the Day Branch Zi. The Initiating Transmission is taken from Gongcao (Yin). Although Daji is not the Initiating Transmission, it is still called the Nine Evil Lesson, with the issue concerning the youngest son. Whenever Daji enters the lesson, it also indicates movement of the family's ancestral graves. If the lesson is cast on one of the four central days, and the Chou is placed on both the Day Stem and Day Branch, and the lesson is initiated with the four central days, it is also called the Nine Evil Lesson. The term 'Chou' is equivalent to 'Niu', meaning the end of the year. At this time, all things wish to retreat and conceal but are still unable to fully unfold, remaining bound and constrained. Matters divined at this time tend to be unfavorable. This lesson is associated with the hexagram Xiao Guo, indicating a difficult situation with difficulty in moving forward or backward.

象曰：剛日男凶，柔日女凶，重陽害父，重陰害母，婚姻有災，造葬無補，諸事難為，徒勞辛苦。此時不可舉兵、遠行、移徒、嫁娶、造葬、求謀，百事災禍，更與大小時並，禍不出月。或神將吉滅凶神將，一切事皆不可就，且多凶咎，應小過上六“災眚”之凶。

The image text says: On days of yang stems, misfortune falls on men; on days of yin stems, misfortune falls on women; double yang harms the father, double yin harms the mother; marriages bring disaster, and construction and burial offer no help, all affairs are difficult to complete, and efforts are wasted. At this time, it is not advisable to go to war, travel far, move house, get married, build a tomb, or seek anything, for all these actions bring calamity; if at the same time the great hour and the minor hour, twoInauspicious Spirit (evil spirits), appear together, misfortunes will occur before the end of this month. Even if there are auspicious spirits and generals that can suppress the evil spirits and generals, it is still not advisable to do anything, for misfortune remains abundant. This precisely corresponds to the hexagram "Xiao Guo" (Small Overstep), line six, "disaster and misfortune," which indicates that both heavenly calamity and human error arrive together.

如二月乙卯日子時占，大吉臨卯，下克上為用，時加四仲，大吉乘白虎帶死氣而臨旺鄉，在小時殺上，以此占人，有暴死，三年與三月者，四仲每隔三辰也。

For example, if one divines on the day of Yimao in the second lunar month at the hour of Zi, it is considered Daji (Chou). The Daji is located on the day branch of Mao, where Mao wood overcomes Chou earth, which is a case of the lower overcoming the upper, and thus it is taken as the initiating transmission. At the time of divination, Zi is one of the four central hours. The Daji is riding on the White Tiger, which itself carries death qi but is located in a strong wood area, and it is precisely pressing upon theInauspicious Sha (evil killing) of the hour. With this divination, it indicates a sudden death. The previous mention of the timing being either three years or three months is because the four central hours (Zi, Wu, Mao, You) are separated by three trines, hence the number three is used.

課名號三陰，災患疊來侵。天乙逆行治，丘墓加日辰。用爻值囚死，上下相剋刑。賊來賊年上，是課名三陰。

This lesson is called "San Yin" or "Three Yins," with calamities coming one after another. The nobleman's god moves backward to arrange the generals, which is the first yin; the spirit of the grave is added to the day stem and day branch, and the useful god is in a state of captivity and death, with mutual attacks and punishments between upper and lower, which is the second yin; the destructive god falls on the person's age, which is the third yin. With all three present, it is called the Three Yins lesson.

天乙逆行為不順，元白二神日前立。用終囚死又相剋，賊行年凶必殘破。三陰任如能施作，課主精神入墓間。百事總乖家業散，縱使登科位不遷。

Heavenly Mandate Nobleman moves in reverse, indicating disorder in governance; the twoInauspicious General White Tiger and Black Tortoise are positioned before the day stem. The useful god moves from the first transmission to the final transmission and is in a state of imprisonment or death, and they also mutually control each other. The destructive energy falls on the year stem, resulting in great danger leading to ruin. Such a divination indicates that even if one tries to act, one's spirit feels as if confined in a storage place. All affairs go against one's will, family and business disperse, and even if oneby chance passes the imperial examination, one's official position will not advance.

正時克年天乙逆，元武白虎加日辰。初傳更往克末傳，或終囚死又克賊。此曰三陰事不明，陰暗災危事非一。居官之人年入墓，縱得為官不遷職。

When the time of divination harms the year stem, the heavenly stem of the nobleman moves in reverse; theInauspicious General White Tiger and Black Tortoise press upon the day stem and day branch. If the first transmission further harms the final transmission, or if the final transmission falls into a state of imprisonment or death and is further harmed, this is called three yin. The matter is obscure and unclear, with multiple dangers lurking in the shadows. For an official whose year stem also enters the storage, even if he obtains an official position, he will not be able to move or promote.

天乙逆行，三五加日辰，一陰也；用終囚死，上下相剋，二陰也；時克行年，三陰也。斗月照今日之本，為殃；用在其中，名曰重陰，一曰凡天乙逆行，日辰在後，用起囚死，將乘玄虎，時克行年，陰氣不利三也。此三者，主闇昧陰危，故名三陰。

Heavenly Mandate Nobleman moves in reverse, with the grave and tomb deity added upon the day stem and day branch, forming the first layer of yin; the useful god and final transmission both fall in the position of imprisonment and death, with mutual conflict between upper and lower, forming the second layer of yin; the time of divination harms the year of the subject, forming the third layer of yin. When Heavenly Mandate and Month Builder illuminate the day's position of growth, disaster arises; if the initiating transmission also occurs there, it is called 'double yin'. Another view states: whenever Heavenly Mandate Nobleman moves in reverse, the day stem and day branch both come after the nobleman, the initiating transmission originates from the position of imprisonment and death, and the accompanying element is either Black Tortoise or White Tiger, with the time of divination again harming the year of the subject—these three aspects of unfavorable yin energy are the ones mentioned. These three factors indicate ambiguous and sinister outcomes, hence called 'three yins'.

一曰天乙逆治，日辰在後立，白虎居前，是名三陰。占者得此，凡謀不通，多有悔滯，統中孚之體，乃群陰黨惡之課也。

Another interpretation says that when the Heavenly Ethical Person moves in reverse order, the day stem and day branch are positioned after the Nobleman, while the White Tiger is in front. This is called the Three Yins. If this lesson is divined, all plans will not proceed smoothly, there will be much regret and obstruction. It ultimately corresponds to the structure of the Zhongfou hexagram, representing a situation where a group of yin forces conspire to do evil.

象曰：動作困苦，百事沉淪，見官屈伏，占病多迍，士憂祿位，男亡婚姻，求財破散，孕主女娠。又主終日禍患困窮，繫者雖解身屬災，病者雖起精魂入棺，居家理耗破敗憂愁，萬事大凶，所謂入九地之下。

The symbolic interpretation states: actions are difficult and painful, all affairs sink into misfortune; when encountering officials, one can only submit; in matters of illness, the condition is prolonged; scholars worry about losing their official rank, and men's marriages are ruined; seeking wealth leads to dispersal of resources and separation of people, and in matters of pregnancy, a daughter is born. Furthermore, it indicates constant troubles and poverty throughout the day: those in custody may be released, but still carry misfortune; the sick may recover, but their spirit has already entered the coffin; in daily life, there is constant expenditure and decline, along with continuous worry, and all things are extremely ominous, as if falling into the depths of the ninth earth.

夫三陰者，如日辰三傳始終囚死，帶墓鬼克行年，最凶，主公私事皆不成，或喪魄、五鬼、伏殃諸煞並臨，禍尤甚喪魄正月起未，逆行四季。游魂天鬼伏殃正殺，正月起亥順行十二辰。此諸煞有一併臨日辰年命者，占病必死，行兵多敗，謀為反覆。

The so-called three yin refers to the day stem, day branch, and the three transmissions all being in the positions of imprisonment and death throughout. If they also bring along theTomb Spirit (mound spirit) and 日鬼 (day ghost) to attack the person's birth year, it is the most凶 (dangerous). Both public and private affairs will be completely unachievable. If furthermore the凶煞 (evil stars) such as 丧魄 (soul loss), 五鬼 (five ghosts), and 伏殃 (hidden calamity) all appear together, the calamity will be even heavier. The method of calculating 丧魄 is to start from the branch of Chen in the first month and move backward through the branches of Chou, Xu, Wei, and Si. The evil stars of 游魂 (wandering soul), 天鬼 (heavenly ghost), and 伏殃 (hidden calamity) are calculated by starting from the branch of Hai in the first month and moving forward through the twelve earthly branches. If any of these evil stars appear together with the day stem, day branch, or the person's birth year, then if one is sick, death is certain; if one goes to war, there will be many defeats; all plans will be reversed and repeated.

主破財人離，百事凶殃，則應中孚六三“得敵，或鼓或罷”之凶象。若六處有救解，末傳旺相，主敗中反成，始則凶。

Divination for a family's dwelling shows three yin lines, indicating loss of wealth and family members dispersing, with all matters being ominous, corresponding to the line "Meeting an enemy, sometimes drumming up attack, sometimes ceasing" in the sixth line of the Zhongfou hexagram — a凶 omen of indecisiveness and confusion in the face of an opponent. If among the six positions — day stem, day branch, and the three transmissions (initial, middle, and final) — there is a saving deity, and the final transmission is prosperous and strong, then it indicates a reversal of fortune from failure, though the beginning is inevitably dangerous.

假令三十四歲，行年立亥。七月乙亥日丑時，小吉臨卯為用，乙木入墓中得又帶死氣，丑時克行年是也。未加卯為初傳，發用之神囚死，日未為墓中傳，又是死氣，丑時又克行年，亥水天乙又逆行，故名三陰。

The diviner is thirty-four years old, with the year pillar standing on Hai. The divination is made on the day of Yihai in the seventh month, at the hour of Chou. Xiaoji is not present on Wei, but is taken as the initiating transmission. The wood of Yi is buried in Wei, and the useful god has entered its burial place and is accompanied by death qi. At the time of Chou, it also harms the year pillar. This exactly matches the rule of the three yin. Wei is placed on Mao as the first transmission, and the initiating transmission god is in a state of captivity and death; the burial place of Yi on the day is Wei, and the middle transmission also carries death qi; the hour of Chou again harms the year pillar; the heavenly nobleman on Hai is still moving in reverse—three layers of yin qi are all present, so it is called the lesson of three yin.

才未后 印亥六 兄卯白 後白勾貴 未卯子申 卯亥申乙 酉戌亥子 申 丑 未 寅 午巳辰卯

This is a divination chart for the time of Chou (Ox) on the day of Yi Hai (Ethylene Pig) in the seventh month. The top three lines represent the three transmissions: the first transmission is Xiao Ji (Minor Prosperity) on Wei (Earth Dog), which is the wife's wealth for the day of Yi Wood, riding on the Heavenly Empress; the second transmission is Deng Ming (Dawn Illumination) on Hai (Water Dog), which is the official seal and parents for the day of Yi Wood, riding on Liu He; the third transmission is Tai Chong (Great Rush) on Mao (Horse), which is the brother for the day of Yi Wood, riding on the White Tiger. The middle three lines are the four lessons, read from right to left: the lower god line "Mao Hai Shen Yi" starts with Yi, then Shen, Hai, and Mao; the upper god line "Wei Mao Zi Shen" starts with Shen, Zi, Mao, and Wei; the heavenly general line "Hou Bai Gou Gui" starts with the Heavenly Emperor and Nobleman, then Gou Chen, Bai Hu, and Hou. Yi Wood is lodged in Chen, so the first lesson is Yi (Chen) with Shen riding on the Nobleman; the second lesson is Shen with Zi riding on Gou Chen; the third lesson is the day branch Hai with Mao riding on Bai Hu; the fourth lesson is Mao with Wei riding on Hou. The fourth lesson's Mao Wood overcomes Wei Earth, which is the lower god stealing the upper god, so Wei is taken as the initiating transmission, then following in order, Wei with Hai as the middle transmission, and Hai with Mao as the final transmission. The bottom four lines are the heaven and earth plates: the earth plate starts with Si at the top left and proceeds clockwise, while the heaven plate starts at the top left and reads clockwise as You, Xu, Hai, Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen. The heaven plate is four positions ahead of the earth plate, which corresponds to the situation where the month general Tai Yi (Great Unity) in Si is added to the time of Chou. The position of Wei over Mao matches the previous statement "Xiao Ji is on Mao as the transmission"; Si over Chou is the point where the month general is added to the time.

分至四神前，蟾光月正臨。名為天寇課，百禍皆來侵。君臣無義合，夫妻有離心。傳中雖有救，父子淚淋淋。

The four solar terms of the two solstices and two equinoxes each have their preceding day called "Li Shen"; when the clear light of the moon's residence shines exactly upon it, it is named "Tian Kou Ke". All kinds of misfortunes come together. If this lesson is divined, there is no affection between sovereign and minister, and husband and wife each harbor thoughts of separation; even if there is a saving deity among the three transmissions, it is still unavoidable for father and son to weep facing each other.

陰陽生煞言分至，前之一日是離神，假令春分今日卯，離神昨日是居寅。占時月宿在寅上，詳其多少患災殃。八月積陰為殺氣，離上逢之天寇逆。豈但行人去遭劫，所事修營害及身。分至之神月宿度，來加作支今日辰。天寇必因神願動，事無多至患敗群。資財耗散皆凶惡，故宜守舊勿逡巡。

Yin and yang energies alternate between life and death, and this occurs on the four solar terms: the solstices and equinoxes. The day before a solar term is called "Li Shen." For example, if the day of Spring Equinox is a Mao day, then the previous day, which is a Yin day, is Li Shen. If the moon's position is exactly on Yin on that day, one should carefully consider the depth of misfortune. In August, heavy yin energy transforms into killing energy, and when it meets Li Shen, the heavenly marauders will move in reverse. At this time, not only will people going out be attacked, but those engaged in construction or business will also be harmed. When the degrees of the two solar terms' deities and the moon's position are added together onto today's day branch, the calamity of the heavenly marauders will definitely occur due to the deities' demands. Although the incidents may not be numerous, they will certainly ruin a group of people. Wealth will be lost, and all things will be evil, so it is best to stick to old businesses and not act recklessly.

孔明曰：四離日者，春分秋分冬至夏至各前一日是也。春分，陰氣在卯，盜殺百草，薺麥死；秋分陽氣在酉，秋主刑煞而有秋華之美；冬至陽氣在子，萬物蟄藏，薺麥之類冬至始生，皆非正氣，故曰寇。加以月宿乃積陰之精，主刑殺闇昧，與四離之日盯臨，而加於日辰及發用者，其禍之慘勝於寇盜之劫掠矣，豈但竊取乎？

Zhongming said: The so-called four separation days are the day before spring equinox, autumn equinox, winter solstice, and summer solstice. At the time of spring equinox, the yin energy is still lingering in the卯 position, secretly harming all grasses and herbs, causing荠 and wheat to wither; at the time of autumn equinox, the yang energy is still lingering in the酉 position, and although autumn is naturally associated with punishment and killing, there is an unusual phenomenon of flowers blooming on plants; at the time of winter solstice, the yang energy begins to arise in the子 position, and although all things should be dormant and stored,荠 and wheat begin to sprout at winter solstice — these are not the proper energies of the season, so they are called '寇', meaning foreign invaders that intrude. Moreover, the moon's position is the concentrated essence of yin energy, associated with punishment and darkness. When it coincides with the four separation days, it adds to the day stem, day branch, or initiating transmission, causing a disaster more severe than bandit raids, not just a quiet theft.

又按：《金匱》云：二月春分，陽氣始出，先一日謂之陰離；八月秋分，陰氣始出，先一日謂之陽離；冬至陽氣始至，先一日謂之陰離；夏至陰氣始生，先一日謂之陽離。

Again, according to what is said in the Golden Chest: on the day before the spring equinox in February, when yang energy begins to emerge, it is called "yin li," meaning the departure of yin energy; on the day before the autumn equinox in August, when yin energy begins to emerge, it is called "yang li," meaning the departure of yang energy; on the day before the winter solstice, when yang energy first arrives, it is called "yin li"; and on the day before the summer solstice, when yin energy first arises, it is called "yang li." The term "li" in the four instances refers to the departing of the old energy and the not yet settled state of the new energy.

假令寅日春分，先一日丑，丑便為春分之離神，此離神之上見月宿加之作發用，故名天寇。蓋月者積陰之精，其氣主刑主盜賊，離為陰陽衰盛之地，未離而月宿加之，未為無凶，即離而蟾光照之，不免有盜。經曰：四離之神望見月，是謂不祥，不祥災多，天寇所遇主有寇盜暴至，不出日中，亦不可遠行，必逢盜賊，卻死道路，又主事破壞，多值亂離，統蹇之體，乃時事多艱辛之課也。

For example, if the day of Yin is the Spring Equinox, then the previous day of Chou is the Li spirit of the Spring Equinox. If the Moon's residence is added upon this Li spirit and acts as the Initiating Transmission, it is called Tian Kou. The Moon is the concentrated essence of Yin energy, and its influence is associated with punishment and theft. The Li spirit represents the transition between Yin and Yang, a time of decline and rise. If the energy has not yet truly departed but the Moon's residence has already arrived, it cannot be said there is no danger. If the energy has already left but the Moon's light is upon it, theft is inevitable. The classic says: "When the four Li spirits see the Moon, it is an omen of misfortune; misfortune brings many calamities." Encountering Tian Kou indicates sudden bandits arriving, and the incident will occur on the same day. One should not travel far, for if one goes out, one will meet thieves, and even die on the way. It also signifies the destruction of affairs, frequent loss, and separation. This divination is associated with the卦 of Jian, indicating a situation of hardship and obstacles at every step.

象曰：陰陽分離，氣不得反，盜賊恣生，軍兵惰懶，病者即亡，孕者當產，出路死傷，婚姻拆散。如月宿加離神發用，禍事尤速。若乘元武作游都盜神，定主盜賊來，必戰，或乘白虎作鬼劫，為真天寇，其凶尤甚。如年命見月宿加離神，主己身欲為盜來問也。

The image text says: Yin and Yang are separated, and the vital energy cannot circulate; thieves run rampant, and soldiers are lazy and lack fighting spirit; the sick person will die immediately, and a pregnant woman will give birth right away; going out on the road will result in deaths and injuries, and marriages will end in separation. If the moon is placed on the Li trigram and serves as the initiating transmission, misfortune will come very quickly. If the accompanying element is Xuanwu and it acts as the 'You Du' deity, which is the main deity of theft, it definitely indicates thieves will come to the door, and a fight is inevitable; if the accompanying element is Baihu and it acts as the ghost calamity, that is a true heavenly enemy, and the danger is even greater. If the monthly star is seen on the person's birth year's trigram and combined with the Li trigram, it means the person who asks the question has already had the thought of committing a crime and is seeking divination.

如是真天寇，則不可出行及市賈，主劫盜喪亡，百事不遂，應蹇卦九三曰“往蹇，來連。”之凶。或月宿值太陽，謂之日月交明，主盜賊敗露，為敗寇課。當應蹇卦之上六，曰“往蹇來碩，利見大人，以濟蹇”之象也。

If it is indeed a true heavenly bandit, one should not go out far, nor engage in trade, as it indicates danger of robbery, loss, and failure in all endeavors, corresponding to the line "Going forward is difficult, coming back is connected" in the hexagram Jian (Obstruction) nine three. If the moon is exactly aligned with the sun, called "sun and moon meeting in brightness," it signifies the exposure of thieves, also known as the "defeated bandit lesson," corresponding to the line "Going forward is difficult, coming back brings abundance, favorable to see a great person" in the hexagram Jian (Obstruction) upper six. Going forward brings difficulty, but returning brings abundance, and it is favorable to seek the guidance of a great person to overcome the obstruction.

袁天罡曰：天寇課，在家吉，出外凶，占孕主女，占產子母分離，占婚不成，離神見月，病主死，天寇臨身，出行逢盜，謀望無成。如月宿乘元白勾，或作游都，或作月內之死氣，主死於非命。

Yuan Tiangang said: The Tiankou lesson indicates good fortune when staying at home, but misfortune when going out. When divining pregnancy, it indicates giving birth to a daughter; when divining childbirth, it indicates separation between mother and child; when divining marriage, it indicates failure to achieve the marriage. If the Li spirit meets the moon's dwelling place, it indicates death when divining illness; if Tiankou is on the person, going out will result in encountering thieves, and all endeavors will fail. If the moon's dwelling place is occupied by Xuanwu, Baihu, or Gouchen, or if it is the 'You Du' thief spirit, or if it carries the death qi of the current month, it indicates death by misfortune.

如二月五日春分是卯，前一日是寅。二月四日是丙寅卯時占課，倍正月得二加四，更添一日，得七數，以室順到七個星宿，得酉畢宿在酉發用，或將加卯時，室上得酉，見月宿加四離日，名天寇。

For example, on the fifth day of the second lunar month, which is the day of Mao, the day before is Yin. The fourth day of the second lunar month is Bingyin. The lesson is cast at the hour of Mao. To calculate the moon mansion: double the number of the month, which is two, add the day number four, and add one more day, resulting in seven. Starting from the Encampment mansion, count seven mansions in order, arriving at the Net mansion, which falls on You. Thus, You is used as the initiating transmission. Alternatively, using the Month General added to the hour of Mao, the mansion above the Encampment is You, which is the Moon mansion added to the fourth day of the four separated days, known as the Heavenly Robber.

二月五日春分卯，先一日是四日是丙寅，為春分前一日，繫四離日，卯時占課，以月將戌加卯時數去，以室為亥宮星首，亥屬天門，故以亥宮室星為法。

On the fifth day of the second lunar month, which is the day of Mao (Rabbit), the spring equinox occurs. The day before, the fourth day, is the day of Bingyin, which is the day before the spring equinox and falls under the category of the four Li days. When casting a divination at the hour of Mao, the month general Hekui (Xu) is placed on the hour of Mao and counted in a clockwise direction. For determining the star mansions, the mansion of Encampment (Shi Xu) is taken as the first star of the亥 (Hai) palace, because亥 (Hai) is located in the northwest, which is the position of the heavenly gate. Therefore, the rule is established to start counting from the star mansion of Encampment in the亥 (Hai) palace.

子丑寅卯 亥 正 辰 戌 巳 酉申未午

This is the heaven and earth plates for the lesson on the fourth day of the second lunar month, Bingyin day, Mao hour. The outer frame with twelve sections is the fixed earth plate, starting with Si palace in the upper left corner, proceeding clockwise as Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai, Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen. The text within each section is the heaven plate, read from the upper left clockwise as Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai. This means the heaven plate is seven positions ahead of the earth plate. This is exactly the plate formed by the month general Hekui Xu added to the hour Mao: Xu covers Mao, matching the phrase "the month general Xu added to the Mao hour." From this, we can find that the day stem Bing is located in the Si palace, where Shenhou Zi is found, and the day branch Yin has Congkui You. This corresponds to the previous statement that the moon's position is on You. The "zheng" character in the center of the plate is a mark indicating the central palace's correct position, and it is not counted among the twelve palaces.

丑寅卯辰 子 巳 亥 午 戌酉申未

This is another chart placed alongside the previous one, showing the Heaven and Earth Plates. The Earth Plate continues to be arranged clockwise starting from the upper left corner with the Si palace. Within the grid, the Heaven Plate reads clockwise from the upper left as Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai, Zi. The Heaven Plate is four positions behind the Earth Plate, meaning the Month General is four positions earlier than the time of divination. For example, Gongcao is at Yin General added to Wu time, or Tiangang at Chen General added to Shen time. In this passage, to calculate the heavenly enemy, one needs to observe the conjunctions of the four directions, the lunar mansion, and the Day Stem and Day Branch. Therefore, two plates are placed side by side for comparison: one showing the advancement of the Month General added to the time, and the other showing the retreat. Readers should use them according to the day they are divining.

月宿者，乃子午卯酉宮之四月宿也。法以室宿加占時上，詳其倍上之月為數，再加四離日數，又添一日為數，共湊多少，即數多少星宿至何宮辰，看四離日所加之辰，有四月宿者，即天寇也。

The so-called month mansion refers to the four month mansions located in the four palaces of Zi, Wu, Mao, and You. The method of calculation is as follows: add the Encampment mansion to the time of day, first take the doubled number of the month being considered, add the number of days of the four separated days, then add one more day, and combine all these numbers into a total. Then, starting from the Encampment mansion, count the number of Star mansions according to this total, and see which palace it ends up in. Next, check the palace that the four separated days have added to. If one of the four month mansions is exactly on this palace, then it is considered a heavenly thief.

四立干神上，分明未日臨。此名天禍課，乖覺更相侵。火動燒人死，水臨劫盜侵。木囚梁屋折，土動重懸檁。金則兵戈亂，鬧處主衰聲。

On the days of Beginning of Spring, Beginning of Summer, Beginning of Autumn, and Beginning of Winter, the heavenly stem of the day clearly has the spirit of the previous day's absolute phase, which is called "Heavenly Misfortune." This is a day where discordant energies clash. Further classified by the Five Phases: if it belongs to fire, it indicates a fire disaster causing deaths; if it belongs to water, it indicates theft and robbery; if it belongs to wood, it indicates the collapse of roof beams; if it belongs to earth, it indicates heavy pressure leading to collapse and dangerous beams; if it belongs to metal, it indicates military conflicts and disorder. In bustling places, there are instead signs of decline and decay.

四立日占為百事，切忌干臨四絕辰。此名曰為天禍課，殃咎之災四立旬。今日立春當乙酉，昨暮穹各是甲申，假令乙酉戌時課，乙將臨申害凌人。欲知禍患緣何起，以將推之決事因。白虎死亡元武賦，官追朱雀鬧勾陳。天官凡事主欺詐，可依此法立災迍。四立七日干屬陽，加往昨日干欲亡。此名天禍多凶惡，禍起多因廟廢傷。不出一節事必至，定見家亡後死喪。

On the days of the four beginnings (spring equinox, summer solstice, autumn equinox, winter solstice), if the day stem is positioned on one of the four critical hours, it is called a heavenly calamity lesson, which brings misfortune and disaster within the ten-day cycle. For example, if today is the day of Start of Spring, which is the Yi You day, then yesterday was the Jiashen day (the original text has some errors and omissions in the phrase '昨暮穹各', which should be read as the previous day's stem and branch). If a divination is cast at the戌 hour on the Yi You day, and the Yi stem is positioned on the Shen branch, it may lead to harm and deception. To determine the source of the misfortune, one should look at the riding heavenly general: the White Tiger indicates death, the Black Tortoise indicates theft, the Vermilion Bird indicates official pursuit, the Gou Chen indicates disputes, and the Tian Kong indicates fraud. By following this method, one can determine the nature of the calamity. Within seven days after the four beginnings, if the day stem is yang and added to the previous day's stem, the person is in danger of losing their life. This lesson is called the heavenly calamity, which is full of misfortune and evil. The source of disaster often arises from the abandonment of temples and the injury of deities. Within one solar term, the event will surely occur, and it will certainly result in family destruction and funeral rites.

孔明曰：四立前一日為死絕，立春日少陽氣始，立夏日太陽氣始立，秋日少陰氣始，立冬日太陰氣始立。春日水絕，立夏日木絕，立秋日火絕，立冬日金絕，時變四始，以先一日相臨悲哀，相去決絕，故曰四絕。如辛亥日立克，先之一日庚戌，月將臨庚是也，故曰天禍。得此日而臨之，萬事莫為。

Zhongming said: The day before the four solstices is a day of death and exhaustion. The day of Start of Spring is the beginning of the Lesser Yang energy, the day of Start of Summer is the beginning of the Yang energy, the day of Start of Autumn is the beginning of the Lesser Yin energy, and the day of Start of Winter is the beginning of the Tai Yin energy. The original text has a misplacement in punctuation, and the phrase "the day of Start of Summer is the beginning of the Sun energy, the day of Start of Autumn is the beginning of the Lesser Yin energy" should be read as "the day of Start of Summer is the beginning of the Yang energy, the day of Start of Autumn is the beginning of the Lesser Yin energy." On the day of Start of Spring, water is exhausted; on the day of Start of Summer, wood is exhausted; on the day of Start of Autumn, fire is exhausted; and on the day of Start of Winter, metal is exhausted. When the season changes and the four energies are renewed, the day before and the current day are adjacent, forming a mournful and parting image, hence called "four exhaustion days." For example, on the day of Xinhai which is the Start of Winter, the day before is Gengxu, and the Month General is on Geng, forming this pattern, hence called a heavenly calamity. If such a day occurs and the adjacent days are as described, nothing should be done.

一曰凡四立日占得今日干支臨昨日干支，或昨日干支臨今日干支，為天禍課。又四立日干支神加絕神干支，或絕神干支加四立干支神。此四時之氣德絕用刑，如天刑時災，人受其禍，故名天禍。

Another account states that if on the days of the beginning of the four seasons, the stem and branch of the current day is positioned above the stem and branch of the previous day, or the stem and branch of the previous day is positioned above the stem and branch of the current day, it is called a heavenly calamity. Additionally, if the stem and branch of the four seasonal beginnings are combined with the stem and branch of the绝神, or the stem and branch of the绝神 are combined with the stem and branch of the four seasonal beginnings, it is also considered the same. This represents the disruption of the four seasonal energies and the shift to punishment and severity, akin to heaven imposing punishment and the seasons bringing disaster, causing people to suffer, hence it is named heavenly calamity.

《金匱》云：四立之日，五行正旺，立前一辰，其德既絕。如今日立春，是甲申，前一日是癸未，便為絕神。如絕神臨今日發用，則為天禍課。

The Golden Chest says: On the days of the four beginnings of the seasons, the new ruling Five Phases are at their peak, while the old energy of the previous day has already ceased. For example, if today is the day of the Beginning of Spring, which is Jiashen day, then the previous day, Guiwei, is the day of cessation. If this day of cessation falls upon today's stem and branch and acts as the initiating transmission, it becomes a heavenly calamity lesson.

邵氏曰：四立干支忌加時，曰天禍，將來殃凶必極。如今日癸亥，後一日甲子，甲加癸上，亦是天禍，定主血傷，禍不出一節，四十五日內也。主暴禍在門，流血。至臨官不失其時，女子逆生，月神正立，其禍愈速月生者，月將也。又主暴死道路，不出月中，占者動有凶咎，不可妄為。統大過之體，乃嫩草遭霜之課。

Shao said: On the days of the four solstices and equinoxes, the heavenly stem and earthly branch should not be added to the time of divination, which is called heavenly calamity. The future misfortune will certainly reach its extreme. For example, today is Guihai, and the next day is Jiazi. If Jia is added to Gui, it is also heavenly calamity, which will certainly result in bloodshed and injury. The misfortune will not exceed one solar term, that is, within forty-five days. It indicates sudden calamity entering the door, bloodshed occurring; even when the officialdom is reached and the time is appropriate, it cannot be avoided. Women will suffer from difficult childbirth and inverted delivery. The month general is exactly positioned above, so the calamity comes faster—what is called "month birth" refers to the month general. It also indicates death on the road, not exceeding this month. The person divined will have misfortune in every action and should not act recklessly. This divination is generally associated with the hexagram of Great Excess, representing an image of tender grass encountering frost.

象曰：以新易舊，天有災咎。事莫亂為，身宜謹守。戰鬥流血，葬喪凶禍。出行死亡，干謁空走。如四立日是金，前一日是火神，相加又發用，占者主火災，或雷震天災。水主水災，或盜賊淫亂。木主屋樑折。金主戈兵戰鬥。土主土瘟，或牆壁陷塌，主官司陰暗，遭罪而死。

The image and words say: replacing old qi with new qi, heaven will bring calamity. One should not act recklessly and must be cautious and self-restrained. If it is about a battle, there will be bloodshed; if about a funeral, there will be misfortune. If about traveling, there may be death. If about seeking an audience, it will be in vain. Further divided according to the Five Phases: if the day of the four solstices and equinoxes belongs to metal, and the previous day is the fire deity, and both together serve as the initiating transmission, then the divination indicates fire disaster or lightning strikes and other heavenly calamities. If it belongs to water, it indicates water disaster or theft and disorder. If it belongs to wood, it indicates the collapse of beams. If it belongs to metal, it indicates warfare with weapons. If it belongs to earth, it indicates epidemic diseases caused by earth qi, or the collapse of walls, and also indicates legal disputes that are unclear, leading to wrongful death.

更乘白虎，主死喪；元武主失脫；朱雀主口舌；勾陳主爭鬥；帶德煞必有不意之殃，不出九十日也。或四立日值朔望先一日，月窮為四廢，並此四絕之日，止望見月宿，其凶尤甚。當此之時，不可出行造作等事，犯者大凶，當應大過九三“棟橈，凶。”之象也。一年之間只有四課。

If the hexagram is accompanied by the White Tiger, it indicates death or funeral matters; if accompanied by the Black Tortoise, it signifies loss or escape; if accompanied by the Vermilion Bird, it suggests disputes or verbal conflicts; if accompanied by Gou Chen, it indicates quarrels. If there is a presence of the De煞, there will certainly be unexpected misfortunes, which will not be resolved within ninety days. If the four cardinal days coincide with the day before the new moon or full moon, the moon's energy is exhausted, forming the 'Four Wastes' (四废). When these four critical days coincide, and the moon's position is seen again, the danger becomes even greater. At such times, one must not travel or start new projects. Committing an offense during this period will result in great misfortune, corresponding to the hexagram 'Great Excess' (大过) nine three (九三), which signifies a dangerous situation where the roof beam is bent and about to break. Such a hexagram occurs only four times a year.

假令日立干神發用，亦謂之天禍課。今日干臨昨日干，為絕神，禍不出戶。如甲日立春，前一日癸，甲日占，甲上見丑是絕神；庚日立夏，前一日己未，庚日占，庚上見未是也。餘例推。

If the day stem is used as the initiating transmission on the day of the beginning of a season, it is also called a Heaven's Misfortune lesson. The current day's stem is placed on the previous day's stem, and the previous day's stem is considered the absolute spirit, meaning misfortune does not arise from within one's own household. For example, if the day is Jia and it is the beginning of spring, the previous day is Gui. When starting a lesson on Jia, the upper spirit of Jia meets Chou—Gui's lodging palace is in Chou, so Chou is the absolute spirit. Similarly, if the day is Geng and it is the beginning of summer, the previous day is Jiwei. When starting a lesson on Geng, the upper spirit of Geng meets Wei—Ji's lodging palace is in Wei, so Wei is the absolute spirit. Other examples follow the same pattern.

甲日立春，前一日癸，甲占甲上是丑，是絕神，丑好癸，癸為絕神也。庚日立夏，前一日己未，庚日占庚上見未是也，未為絕神。

Again, it is clarified: On the day of Jia, when the Beginning of Spring comes, the previous day belongs to Gui. When casting a divination lesson on the day of Jia, the superior spirit of Jia is Chou. Chou is the spirit of termination, for Chou is the lodging palace of Gui. Therefore, Gui is the spirit of termination (the original text says 'Chou is good for Gui', but 'good' is likely a corruption of 'is' or 'is called'). On the day of Geng, when the Beginning of Summer comes, the previous day is Jiwei. When casting a divination lesson on the day of Geng, the superior spirit of Geng meets Wei. Wei is the spirit of termination.

辰巳午未 卯 申 寅 酉 丑子亥戌

This is an example of the Heaven and Earth Plates on the day of Jia with the beginning of spring. The Earth Plate's top left corner remains the Si palace, proceeding clockwise as Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai, Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen. Within the grid, the Heaven Plate starts from the top left and reads clockwise as Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai, Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao. The Heaven Plate is one step behind the Earth Plate. The Jia wood lodges in Yin, and on the Earth Plate, Yin is exactly where the Heaven Plate's Chou is. This matches the previous statement "Jia sees Chou, which is the绝神 (cut-off god)." Chou is the lodging palace of Gui, which is the stem of the day before the beginning of spring. Therefore, Chou is the cut-off god. Any plate formed by the Month General only one step behind the time of the divination follows this pattern.

辰巳午未 卯 申 寅 酉 丑子亥戌

This is an example of the Heaven and Earth Plates on a Geng day at the beginning of summer, with the same structure as the previous diagram: the Earth Plate's upper left corner starts with the Si palace and proceeds clockwise. Within the grid, the Heaven Plate reads from the upper left clockwise as Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai, Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao. The Heaven Plate is one step behind the Earth Plate. Geng metal's Lodging Palace is in Shen; on the Earth Plate, Shen has the Heaven Plate's Wei, which matches the statement "Geng sees Wei." Wei is the Lodging Palace of Ji, and Jiwei is the stem-branch combination of the day before the beginning of summer, so Wei is the absolute spirit. When the two diagrams are placed side by side, it clearly shows the common pattern that the four beginning-of-season days coincide with the absolute spirit.