"Observing the Monthly Changes" · Categories of Things

木火土金水，物類認疏親。甲乙東方木，亥為父母身。生我為父母，我生為子孫，克我為官鬼，我克為妻財，同類為兄弟姊妹，惟墓為妾也。

The "Observing the Monthly Cycle" verse says: According to the Five Phases of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water, recognize the closeness of relationships with things. Jia and Yi belong to the Eastern Wood, and亥 water generates wood, so亥 is the position of parents. The general rule for the Six Relations is: those that generate me are parents, those I generate are children, those that overcome me are officials and spirits, those I overcome are wife and wealth, those of the same kind are brothers and sisters, and the burial ground of the same element is considered the concubine.

太沖與功曹，甲乙合三春。甲木為兄弟，姊妹乙為真。小吉為妻婦，巳午作子孫。甲來欲求己，庚便作媒人。外孫是丁火，與木為子孫。甲以己為妻，己土生庚金，為媒人也。

The song continues with the arrangement for days of Jia and Yi: Mao (Taichong) and Yin (Gongcao) both belong to the Wood element, sharing the same nature as Jia and Yi, which corresponds to spring's third month. Jia Wood represents brothers, while Yi Wood represents sisters; Wei (Xiaoji) is the wife, and Si and Wu are the children. Jia needs to marry Ji, and Geng acts as the matchmaker; the grandson is Ding Fire, which is born from Wood, thus still considered the next generation of Wood. The reason Geng is called the matchmaker is because Jia takes Ji Earth as his wife, and Ji Earth can generate Geng Metal, with the son acting as the one to arrange the marriage.

其日是丙丁，父母配寅中。巳午為身類，丁火姊妹宮。丙火兄弟是，河魁次妻同。辰與丑未土，子孫有始終。辛來欲嫁丙，壬水作媒人。尋思己中土，外孫此處窮。陽為子陰為孫也。

If the day is Bing or Ding: the parents are positioned on the寅 wood. The巳 and午 are of the same type as the day itself. The Ding fire is the position of the sister, and the Bing fire is the position of the brother. The戌 (Hekui) is considered the secondary wife. The辰, along with the丑 and 未, which are earth, are the positions of sons and daughters. This calculation continues from beginning to end. The辛 is married to the丙, and the壬 water is the媒人; further down, the己 earth is the position of the grandson, and the lineage ends there. The yang branches represent sons, while the yin branches represent grandsons.

假令戊己日，傳送父母期。未土丑同類，兄弟戊中推。己土為姊妹，申酉子孫宜。外孫辛上推，天罡小妻室。癸水欲妻戊，甲媒送信知。

Assuming it is a Wu Ji day: Shen (Chuansong) is the position of parents. The soil of Wei and Chou belong to the same category. Brothers are calculated from Wu. Ji soil is considered sisters. Shen and You are for sons and daughters. The grandson is calculated from Xin. Chen (Tiangang) is considered the younger wife. The癸 water must marry Wu, so甲 is used to act as the matchmaker and convey the message.

若遇庚辛日，太乙父母師。申酉為同類，庚金兄弟知。辛來作姊妹，亥子子孫期。癸日為外孫，丑墓小妻兒。乙來欲嫁庚，丙火作月冰。乙木生丙火，火作媒，惟求陽干通信也。

If it is a day of Geng or Xin: Si (Taiyi) is considered the parents. Shen and You are of the same type as the self, Geng metal is the brother, and Xin metal is the sister. Hai and Zi are the children, with Gui being the grandson. Chou is the storage for metal, regarded as the small wife. Yi needs to marry Geng, so Bing fire acts as the matchmaker. Yi wood can generate Bing fire, so Bing takes the role, representing the use of a yang stem to convey messages.

其日是壬癸，傳送父母居。辰墓為妻妾，亥子身類推。壬水為兄弟，姊妹癸相知。寅卯子孫類，外孫乙不虛。丁來欲壬位，戊己土送書。媒者正妻子，取其正丈夫。細心分配定，墓上小妻居。正妻者，甲乙見土，丙丁見金，戊己見水，庚辛見木是也。墓為小妻，木墓未、火墓戌、金墓丑、水土墓辰，六親依此卦推之。

If the day is Jia or Yi water: Shen (Chuansong) is considered parents, Chen is the storage of water and earth, and is regarded as wife or concubine; Hai and Zi are the same as the day itself, Jia water is brother, Yi water is sister; Yin and Mao are considered children, and Yi is considered the grandson. If Ding needs to marry Jia, then Wu and Ji earth are used to mediate. The person acting as the matchmaker is the son born from the main wife, using him to arrange the marriage for the main husband. When carefully allocated, the storage is considered a secondary wife. The main wife is determined by the day: on Jia or Yi day, earth is the main wife; on Bing or Ding day, metal is the main wife; on Wu or Ji day, water is the main wife; on Geng or Xin day, wood is the main wife. The storage as secondary wife is: wood's storage is Wei, fire's storage is Xu, metal's storage is Chou, and water and earth's storage is Chen. All six relations are determined according to this trigram.

用神與日類須詳，物氣分明辨否臧。立用之神與日有族類。甲乙初傳水為氣，甲乙木得水神為有氣也。

The Xin Jing says: The initiating transmission deity and the day stem must be determined to belong to which of the six relations; only when the qi of the object is clearly distinguished can the good or bad be judged. This means that there is a relationship of the six relations between the initiating transmission deity and the day stem. On days of Jia and Yi, the water in the first transmission is considered as qi - Jia and Yi belong to wood, and receiving the water deity which nourishes them is considered as having qi.

占者當有父母匡。若見木神為兄弟，同類之稱是可量。如逢小吉為妻類，甲乙木見亥卯未皆今日之族類，墓為妾也。鷹雁妻奴及酒羊。亥豬卯兔甲乙類，旺相尤生墓已傷。旺生物，墓死物。

Therefore, the fortune teller should consider the presence of parents' support. If the wood deities appear, they represent brothers, and the classification of similar elements is determined in this way. If the hexagram of Wei (Small Favor) appears, it belongs to the category of wife. For Jia and Yi wood, encountering Hai, Mao, and Wei are all of the same kind on the same day, among which Wei, the storage, is considered as a concubine. The song also mentions eagle, goose, wife, servant, wine, and sheep: Hai is pig, Mao is rabbit, both belong to the Jia and Yi group. The prosperous and strong are living creatures, while those falling into the storage are already injured. The term prosperous and strong refers to living creatures, and entering the storage means becoming dead matter.

甲乙 子 癸水母。 丑 辛金祖姑。 癸水叔。 己土妾。 寅 甲木兄姐。 丙火兄之男女。 卯 乙木弟 辰 癸水小姑。 乙木妹。 戊土繼妻。 巳 庚金伯祖。 丙火女。 午 丁火男。 未 乙木叔之兄弟。丁火弟之男女。 己土妻。 申 庚金祖。 壬水伯。 酉 辛金祖母。 戌 辛金叔祖。 丁火姊妹之男女。 戊土婢妾。 亥 壬水父。 甲木伯之兄弟。

This is the Six Relations chart for days of Jia and Yi. Each of the twelve Earthly Branches contains a hidden Heavenly Stem, which is matched to a relative. The Zi position has癸 water as the mother; the Chou position has辛 gold as the maternal aunt and癸 water as the uncle, and己 soil as the concubine; the Yin position has甲 wood as the elder brother or sister, and丙 fire as the children of the elder brother; the Mao position has乙 wood as the younger brother; the Chen position has癸 water as the younger sister-in-law,乙 wood as the younger sister, and戊 soil as the second wife; the Si position has庚 gold as the paternal grandfather, and丙 fire as the daughter; the Wu position has丁 fire as the son; the Wei position has乙 wood as the uncle's brother,丁 fire as the children of the younger brother, and己 soil as the main wife; the Shen position has庚 gold as the grandfather, and壬 water as the paternal uncle; the You position has辛 gold as the grandmother; the Xu position has辛 gold as the paternal uncle,丁 fire as the children of the sisters, and戊 soil as the servant; the Hai position has壬 water as the father, and甲 wood as the paternal uncle's brother. When consulting the divination, look at which branch a deity falls on, and you will know which relative is being referred to.

丙丁 子 癸水祖母。 丑 癸水祖姑。 己土弟之男女。 辛金婢妾。 寅 甲木父。 丙火伯之兄弟。 卯 乙木母。 辰 癸水叔祖。 乙木叔。 戊土男。 巳 丙火兄姐。 午 丁火弟。 未 乙木小姑。 丁火妹。 己土女。 申 壬水伯祖。 庚金繼妻。 酉 辛金妻。 戌 丁火叔之兄弟。 戊土兄之男女。 辛妾。 亥 壬水祖。 甲木伯。

This is the Six Relations chart for days of Bing and Ding. The position of Zi is癸 water, representing the maternal grandmother; the position of Chou is癸 water, representing the maternal aunt, and 己 earth represents the children of the younger brother; the position of Yin is甲 wood, representing the father, and 丙 fire represents the brothers of the paternal uncle; the position of Mao is乙 wood, representing the mother; the position of Chen is癸 water, representing the paternal uncle's father, and 乙 wood represents the paternal uncle, and 戊 earth represents the son; the position of Si is丙 fire, representing the elder brother and sister; the position of Wu is丁 fire, representing the younger brother; the position of Wei is乙 wood, representing the younger sister-in-law, and 丁 fire represents the younger sister, and 己 earth represents the daughter; the position of Shen is壬 water, representing the paternal uncle, and 庚 metal represents the second wife; the position of You is辛 metal, representing the main wife; the position of Xu is丁 fire, representing the brothers of the paternal uncle's generation, and 戊 earth represents the children of the elder brother, and 辛 metal represents the concubine; the position of Hai is壬 water, representing the paternal grandfather, and 甲 wood represents the paternal uncle.

戊己 子 癸水妻。 丑 己土叔之兄弟。辛金姊妹之男女。 癸水婢妾。 寅 甲木祖。 丙火伯。 卯 乙木祖母。 辰 乙木叔祖。 戊土伯之兄弟。 癸水婢妾。 巳 丙火父。 庚金兄之男女。 午 丁火母。 未 乙木祖姑。 丁火叔。 己土弟。 申 庚金子。 壬水妾。 酉 辛金女。 戌 丁火姑。 戊土兄。 辛金弟之男女。 亥 甲木伯祖。 壬水繼妻。

This is the Six Relations chart for Wu and Ji days. The Zi position is Gui water, which is the official wife; the Chou position is Ji earth, which is the brother of the paternal uncle, and Xin metal, which is the children of the sisters, and Gui water, which is the concubine; the Yin position is Jia wood, which is the grandfather, and Bing fire, which is the elder paternal uncle; the Mao position is Yi wood, which is the grandmother; the Chen position is Yi wood, which is the paternal uncle of the maternal uncle, and Wu earth, which is the elder paternal uncle's brother, and Gui water, which is the concubine; the Si position is Bing fire, which is the father, and Geng metal, which is the children of the elder brother; the Wu position is Ding fire, which is the mother; the Wei position is Yi wood, which is the maternal aunt, Ding fire, which is the paternal uncle, and Ji earth, which is the younger brother; the Shen position is Geng metal, which is the son, and Ren water, which is the concubine; the You position is Xin metal, which is the daughter; the Xu position is Ding fire, which is the maternal aunt, Wu earth, which is the elder brother, and Xin metal, which is the children of the younger brother; the Hai position is Jia wood, which is the paternal uncle of the elder uncle, and Ren water, which is the second wife.

庚辛 子 癸水女。 丑 己土叔。 辛金妹。 癸水姐妹之男女。 寅 丙火伯祖。 甲木（繼妻。 卯 乙木妻。 辰 戊土父。 癸水弟之男女。 乙木婢妾。 巳 丙火祖。 庚金伯之兄弟。 午 丁火祖母。 未 丁火祖姑。 己土母。 乙木婢妾。 申 庚金兄姐。 壬水兄之男女。 酉 辛金弟。 戌 丁火叔祖。 戊土伯。 辛金叔之兄弟。 亥 壬水（男。 甲木妾。

This is the table of Six Relations for days of Geng and Xin. The position of Zi is癸 water, representing a daughter; the position of Chou is己 earth, representing an uncle and辛 metal, representing a younger sister, and癸 water, representing the children of sisters; the position of Yin is丙 fire, representing a paternal grandfather and甲 wood, representing a wife who came later; the position of Mao is乙 wood, representing the main wife; the position of Chen is戊 earth, representing a father and癸 water, representing the children of a younger brother, and乙 wood, representing a concubine; the position of Si is丙 fire, representing a grandfather and庚 metal, representing brothers of the paternal uncle; the position of Wu is丁 fire, representing a grandmother; the position of Wei is丁 fire, representing a maternal aunt and己 earth, representing a mother, and乙 wood, representing a concubine; the position of Shen is庚 metal, representing an elder brother and a sister, and壬 water, representing the children of an elder brother; the position of You is辛 metal, representing a younger brother; the position of Xu is丁 fire, representing a paternal great-uncle,戊 earth, representing a paternal uncle, and辛 metal, representing brothers of the paternal uncle; the position of Hai is壬 water, representing a son and甲 wood, representing a concubine. In the table, the entries 「甲 wood as a wife who came later」 and 「壬 water as a male」 have an extra parenthesis, which is a mistake in the carved edition and does not affect the assigned relatives.

壬癸 子 癸水弟。 丑 己土叔祖。 辛金姑。 癸水妹。 寅 甲木子。 丙火妾。 卯 乙木女。 辰 戊土伯祖。 癸水叔之兄弟。 乙木弟之男女。 巳 庚金伯。 丙火繼妻。 午 丁火妻。 未 己土祖母。 乙木姊妹之男女。 丁火婢妾。 申 庚金父。 壬水伯之兄弟。 酉 辛金母。 戌 戊土祖。 辛金叔。 丁火婢妾。 亥 壬水兄姐。 甲木兄之男女。

This is the Six Relations chart for days of the Jia and Gui stems. The Zi position is癸 water, representing the younger brother; the Chou position is己 earth, representing the paternal uncle and 辛 metal, representing the maternal aunt, and 癸 water, representing the younger sister; the Yin position is甲 wood, representing the son, and 丙 fire, representing the concubine; the Mao position is乙 wood, representing the daughter; the Chen position is戊 earth, representing the elder paternal uncle, 癸 water, representing the brothers of the paternal uncle, and 乙 wood, representing the children of the younger brother; the Si position is庚 metal, representing the elder paternal uncle, and 丙 fire, representing the second wife; the Wu position is丁 fire, representing the main wife; the Wei position is己 earth, representing the maternal grandmother, 乙 wood, representing the children of the sisters, and 丁 fire, representing the servant; the Shen position is庚 metal, representing the father, and 壬 water, representing the brothers of the paternal uncle; the You position is辛 metal, representing the mother; the Xu position is戊 earth, representing the paternal grandfather, 辛 metal, representing the paternal uncle, and 丁 fire, representing the servant; the Hai position is壬 water, representing the elder brother and sister, and 甲 wood, representing the children of the elder brother.

父母生氣與日本，父兼德神母天后。妻責天后並財爻，神后之神亦為取。兄弟姊妹責太陰，及兼兄弟之爻神。子孫六合子孫爻，太沖登明亦可尋。奴責河魁及天空，婢責從魁太陰中。朋友單來責六合，以上人之類神從。

This passage lists the class deities used when divining about people. For parents, look at the qi that generates me and the day stem's original qi; the father also considers the virtue deity, while the mother considers the Heavenly Empress. For a spouse, take the Heavenly Empress and the wealth爻; the branch of Zi (Shenhou) can also be used. For siblings, take Tai Yin and also consider the sibling爻. For children, take Liu He and the child爻; the branches of Mao (Taichong) and Hai (Dengming) can also be used. For servants, take Xu (Hekui) and Tian Kong; for maids, take You (Congkui) and Tai Yin. If asking about friends alone, take Liu He. These are the class deities used when divining about people.

求官龍常及官星，求名文書朱雀中。干貴貴人婚天后，求財青龍財爻通。衣服酒食責太常，雨責青龍晴天空。田土勾陳路白虎，以上事之類神名。

This passage lists the class deities used in divination for various matters. When seeking official positions, use the Azure Dragon, Tai Chang, and official star; for fame and documents, use the Vermilion Bird; when petitioning a nobleman, use the Nobleman; for marriage matters, use the Heavenly Empress; for wealth, use the Azure Dragon and wealth爻; for clothing and food, use Tai Chang; for rain, use the Azure Dragon; for clear weather, use Tian Kong; for land and property, use Gou Chen; and for roads, use the White Tiger. These are the class deities used in divination for various matters.

人事類神兼二三，以入傳課為取用。若是皆入皆不入，不用兼神責將神。如妻止去責天后，財爻神后不須論，不在課傳為局外，所臨地位看原因。有氣亦遠無氣難，旺相德合終可親。

When there are often two or three class gods related to a person or matter, only the one that enters the four lessons and three transmissions is taken as the standard. If two or three of them enter the lessons and transmissions, or none of them do, then the other ones are not considered, and the Heavenly General is solely responsible for the judgment. For example, when divining about a wife, only the Heavenly Empress is taken, and the wealth hexagram and the son (Shenhou) are not discussed further. If a class god is not in the lessons or transmissions, it is called an external god in the chart. Then, we look at the position of the earth plate it is on to find the cause. If it has strength, even if the person is far away, they can still be reached. If it lacks strength, it will be difficult. If the god's strength is prosperous and strong, and it meets virtue or harmony, it will ultimately be approachable.

甲膽乙肝丙小腸，丁心戊胃己脾鄉。庚是大腸辛主肺，壬癸膀胱癸腎藏。

This passage assigns the ten heavenly stems to the internal organs of the human body: Jia corresponds to the gallbladder, Yi to the liver, Bing to the small intestine, Ding to the heart, Wu to the stomach, Ji to the spleen, Geng to the large intestine, Xin to the lungs, Ren to the bladder, and Gui to the kidneys. When divining illness, one examines the day stem and the useful god to determine which heavenly stem they fall on, thereby identifying the affected organ.

子腎膀胱耳腰液，丑脾腹兮與兩足。寅膽風門筋脈髮，卯肝血筋手背目。辰皮膚肩暨背項，巳焦小腸面齒股。午心目神氣與舌，未胃腹口唇齒戶。申為大腸筋骨間，酉肺口鼻聲血路。

This passage assigns the twelve Earthly Branches to parts of the human body: Zi governs the kidney and bladder, as well as the ears, waist, and body fluids; Chou governs the spleen, abdomen, and both legs; Yin governs the gallbladder and the wind gate, as well as tendons and hair; Mao governs the liver, blood, and tendons, as well as the back of the hands and eyes; Chen governs the skin, shoulders, and back; Si governs the triple burner and small intestine, as well as the face, teeth, and thighs; Wu governs the heart, eyes, spirit, and tongue; Wei governs the stomach, abdomen, lips, and gums; Shen governs the large intestine and the space between bones; You governs the lungs, as well as the mouth and nose, voice, and blood vessels.

戌乃命門膝脅胸，亥膀頭髓二便呼。

This is the concluding part of the mnemonic for "the twelve earthly branches governing the body." The earthly branch 戌 governs the lower back (the area between the two kidneys where vital energy gathers), the knees, the flanks, and the chest; the earthly branch 亥 governs the bladder, the head, the bone marrow, and the functions of urination and defecation as well as respiration. When diagnosing illness, first determine the patient's "class god" (the deity representing a particular type of human activity in the divination chart), then check where the malevolent spirits and harmful officials fall: if they fall on 戌, interpret the condition as involving weakness in the lower back, knee pain, flank distension, and chest oppression; if they fall on 亥, interpret the condition as involving difficulty in urination, headache, bone marrow deficiency, disorders of bowel and bladder functions, and shortness of breath with coughing.

木主谷林及瓜果，當於寅卯位中尋。火主黍稷與紅豆，巳午之位乃為親。午神又為蠶之命，螣蛇蠶象妙有因。土主麻與大黃豆，辰戌丑未為其根。金主二麥八月時，申當別論酉為真。水主黑豆與稻菜，亥子之位所必雲。

Divination for agriculture and sericulture begins by classifying crops according to the Five Phases. All crops belonging to the Wood Phase, such as grains, trees, and fruits, should be associated with the branches Yin and Mao. Crops of the Fire Phase, such as millet, millet rice, and red beans, are most closely related to the branches Si and Wu. In addition to representing Fire Phase crops, the branch Wu also serves as the life god for sericulture, because among the Twelve Heavenly Generals, "Teng Snake" has a coiled form resembling a silkworm, and the image of the silkworm is associated with the Fire branch Wu. This pairing is very logical. Crops of the Earth Phase, such as hemp and large yellow beans, are rooted in the Earth branches Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei. Crops of the Metal Phase, such as barley and wheat, mature in August, with the branch Shen being a special case; the true master of wheat is the branch You. Crops of the Water Phase, such as black beans, rice, and vegetables, must be associated with the branches Hai and Zi.

旺相德合為收成，死囚克墓是所嗔。日辰農人辰禾類，生合吉將喜忻忻。日克支上農事荒，支剋日上禾必損。太歲上神生何類，即主何類收十分。太常小吉為棉花，又在五行之外存。

These divine entities, if riding on the prosperous and harmonious energies of the four seasons, and if they harmonize with the day branch, indicate a good harvest. However, if they fall into death qi or imprisoned qi, or if they are overcome by other deities or absorbed by storage places, it is the worst omen. For divination regarding agriculture, the day stem represents the person farming, and the day branch represents the crops in the field. If the deities at the day stem and day branch mutually generate and harmonize, and if they are riding on auspicious generals, it indicates a happy and prosperous year. If the day stem deity overcomes the deity at the day branch, agricultural activities will be neglected; if the deity at the day branch overcomes the day stem, the crops will certainly suffer damage. Furthermore, observe which type of crop is supported by the deity riding on the year stem. That type will achieve a full harvest. Additionally, there is another factor outside the five phases: the general Tai Chang and the branch Xiaoji (Wei) together indicate cotton.

子有癸水。 丑有己土、有餘癸水、有死辛金。 寅有甲木、有生丙火。 卯有乙木。 辰有戊土、有餘乙木、有死癸水。 巳有丙火、有生庚金。 午有丁火。 未有己土、有餘丁火、有死乙木。 申有庚金、有生壬水、有生土。 酉有辛金。 戌有戊土、有餘辛金、有死丁火。 亥有壬水、有生甲木。

The term "Ten Heavenly Stems Mixed with Twelve Earthly Branches" refers to the way the Ten Heavenly Stems are associated with the Twelve Earthly Branches. Each branch contains several layers of qi: the main qi, residual qi, and death qi. The Zi branch contains only the癸 water stem; the Chou branch has 己 earth as its main qi, along with the residual qi of 癸 water and the death qi of 辛 metal. The Yin branch contains 甲 wood, and also includes the growth qi of 丙 fire. The Mao branch contains only 乙 wood. The Chen branch has 戊 earth as its main qi, along with the residual qi of 乙 wood and the death qi of 癸 water; the Si branch contains 丙 fire, and also includes the growth qi of 庚 metal. The Wu branch contains only 丁 fire; the Wei branch has 己 earth as its main qi, along with the residual qi of 丁 fire and the death qi of 乙 wood. The Shen branch contains 庚 metal, and also includes the growth qi of 壬 water and earth. The You branch contains only 辛 metal. The Xu branch has 戊 earth as its main qi, along with the residual qi of 辛 metal and the death qi of 丁 fire; the Hai branch contains 壬 water, and also includes the growth qi of 甲 wood. The Zi, Wu, Mao, and You branches have the purest and most singular qi, containing only one heavenly stem. The Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei branches, along with Yin and Shen, contain multiple layers of qi, hence they are called "mixed."

經云：陰陽五行，中有十雜。其類異方，萬物存焉。或得凶，或得吉，或得短，或得長，紛紛眾事，其應不同，各懷其子，以救其窮。故曰憂與不憂，傳自相求。

The ancient classics say: within yin and yang and the five phases, there is also a layer called "ten miscellaneous" (shizi). They are distributed among the four directions: southeast, northwest, and the rest. All things under heaven are寄托ed within them. When divining, some divinations showinauspicious sign, some show吉象, some have short-term fulfillment, and some have long-term fulfillment. Human affairs are numerous and varied, and their responses differ. This is because each phase has within its branch a hidden "son" that it generates, which serves to save it from poverty. Therefore, to determine whether a matter should be worried about or not, one must examine the three transmissions (initial, middle, and final transmissions, each representing a useful god) and compare them to see the distinction.

甲青乙碧。蓋青者，東方正色，象木葉也。甲木畏金，以乙妹嫁庚金為妻，甲往召乙，乙懷金氣以應甲，故有間色碧也。丙赤丁紫。蓋赤者，南方正色，象火炎也。丙火畏水，以丁妹嫁壬水為妻，丙往召丁，丁懷水氣以應丙，故有間色紫也。

The color of Jia is green, and the color of Yi is blue-green. Green is the true color of the East, symbolizing the leaves of grass and trees. Jia wood fears being conquered by metal, so it marries its younger sister Yi to Geng metal. Later, when Jia calls Yi back, Yi has already absorbed the metal energy from her husband's household to respond to Jia. Green mixed with the white of metal produces blue-green. The color of Bing is red, and the color of Ding is purple. Red is the true color of the South, symbolizing rising flames. Bing fire fears being extinguished by water, so it marries its younger sister Ding to Ren water. When Bing calls Ding back, Ding has already absorbed the water energy from her husband's household to respond to Bing. Red mixed with the black of water produces purple.

庚白辛栗。蓋白者，西方正色，象霜露也。庚金畏火，以辛妹嫁丙火為妻，庚往召辛，辛懷火氣以應庚，故有間色栗也。壬黑癸綠。蓋黑者，北方正色，象水中泥淖色也。壬水畏土，以癸妹嫁戊土為妻，壬往召癸，癸懷土氣以應壬，故有間色綠也。

Geng has the color white, and Xin has the color chestnut (a yellowish brown). White is the pure color of the west, symbolizing frost and dew. Geng metal fears fire to melt it, so it marries its younger sister Xin to Bing fire. Geng calls Xin back, and Xin brings the fire's energy from her husband to respond to Geng. White thus shows a reddish yellow, producing the intermediate color chestnut. Ren has the color black, and Gui has the color green. Black is the pure color of the north, symbolizing the color of mud at the bottom of water. Ren water fears earth to block it, so it marries its younger sister Gui to Wu earth. Ren calls Gui back, and Gui brings the earth's energy from her husband to respond to Ren. Black thus mixes with the yellow of earth, producing the intermediate color green.

戊黃己絳。蓋黃者，中央正色，象黃中通理也。戊土畏木，以己妹嫁甲木為妻，戊往召己，己懷木氣以應戊，故有間色絳也。

The color of Wu is yellow, and the color of Ji is vermilion (deep red). Yellow is the central color, and the "Book of Changes, the Commentary on the Hexagram of Earth" says, "Yellow in the center communicates the principles," which represents the image of earth in the center with its principles flowing smoothly. Wu earth fears wood to disperse and overcome it, so it marries its younger sister Ji to Jia wood as a wife. Wu calls Ji back, and Ji brings the wood energy from her husband's family to respond to Wu. Yellow then takes on the red of fire generated by wood, thus producing vermilion as an intermediate color. The above five groups are all examples where the original stem takes the primary color and the younger sister takes the intermediate color.

子黑、午赤、卯青、酉白、寅碧、申黑白、巳斑點、亥淡青、辰戌丑未純黃。寅卯為木，春旺時寅懷火，故卯為純木，寅為雜木。巳午為火，夏旺時，巳懷金，故午為純火，巳為雜火。申酉為金，秋旺時，申懷水，故酉為純金，申為雜金。亥子為水，冬旺時，亥懷木，故子為純水，亥為雜水。

Assigning colors to the twelve Earthly Branches: Zi is black, Wu is red, Mao is blue, You is white, Yin is green, Shen is a mixture of black and white, Si is a speckled color, Hai is light blue. Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei, the four Earthly Branches representing earth, are all pure yellow. The reason for some being pure and others mixed is that the four branches of the beginning of the seasons still contain the qi of another element. Yin and Mao both belong to wood, and in spring wood is dominant, but Yin contains the qi of Bing fire, so Mao is pure wood and Yin is mixed wood. Si and Wu both belong to fire, and in summer fire is dominant, but Si contains the qi of Geng metal, so Wu is pure fire and Si is mixed fire. Shen and You both belong to metal, and in autumn metal is dominant, but Shen contains the qi of Ren water, so You is pure metal and Shen is mixed metal. Hai and Zi both belong to water, and in winter water is dominant, but Hai contains the qi of Jia wood, so Zi is pure water and Hai is mixed water.

土居中央，分旺四季，故春夏秋冬辰戌丑未月，各寄旺十八日，四季共七十二日。五行之旺，各為三百六十日，以為一歲功成。故辰中有餘木，未中有餘火，戌中有餘金，丑中有餘水也，各十二日。木死於未，火死於戌，金死於丑，水死於辰。故四孟之月為懷生氣之所由也。四仲之月為正位，盛旺之所立也。四季之月為死氣葬送之所由也。

The earth element does not reside in a single direction but sits in the center, distributing its flourishing energy across the last parts of each season. Therefore, in the last month of spring, the辰 month, the earth element is temporarily strong for eighteen days; in the last month of summer, the未 month, it is also temporarily strong for eighteen days; in the last month of autumn, the戌 month, and in the last month of winter, the丑 month. The earth element is thus temporarily strong for eighteen days in each of these four months, totaling seventy-two days across the four seasons. Wood, fire, metal, and water each have seventy-two days of strength, and the five elements rotate through these periods, completing a total of three hundred and sixty days, which marks the end of the annual cycle. It is also because the earth months follow the other elements that remnants of the previous elements remain in them: wood's residual energy remains in the辰 month, fire's residual energy remains in the未 month, metal's residual energy remains in the戌 month, and water's residual energy remains in the丑 month, each for twelve days. As for the death places, wood dies in the未 month, fire dies in the戌 month, metal dies in the丑 month, and water dies in the辰 month. From this we can understand that the four beginning months,寅,申,巳, and亥, are where each element begins its growth; the four middle months,子,午,卯, and酉, are where each element is in its prime and strongest position; and the four end months,辰,戌,丑, and未, are where the death qi is gathered and buried.

是五行十雜，其應不同，陰陽五行，萬物所存，吉凶之應，各以其類。或吉中有凶，或凶中有吉，征吉而有大凶，或征凶而有大吉。凶則視其所救，吉則視其所害。凶則有救不致於禍，吉而有害不及於慶。純凶則禍成，純吉則福生。

With the addition of the ten miscellaneous elements, the responses and influences differ accordingly. Yin and Yang and the Five Phases form the framework in which all things are contained; the manifestation of fortune and misfortune depends on their respective categories. Therefore, often good fortune contains elements of misfortune, and misfortune contains elements of good fortune; some show signs of good fortune first and then suffer great misfortune, while others show signs of misfortune first and then experience great good fortune. The key to divination is: when seeing misfortune, first check if there is a saving deity; when seeing good fortune, first check if there is a harmful deity. If misfortune has a saving element, it will not result in actual calamity; if good fortune has a harmful element, it will not lead to genuine celebration. Only when there is pure misfortune without salvation will calamity be realized; only when there is pure good fortune without harm will fortune be realized.

言舉百事姓音不同。一云，五情不同時日，神將上下不和，四時旺相新故差別，和同則吉，乖異則凶，凶則有短，吉則有長。紛紛眾事，其應不同者，言五行各有所利，各有所傷，故曰不同。各懷其子以救其窮者，土中有金，金中有水，水中有木，木中有火，火中有土，此懷子救母之謂也。萬物消息盡在其中，不可不明。

This passage discusses the idea that in the world, all matters and individuals have different surnames and belong to different five tones. Another way of explaining it is that a person's five temperaments change with time and the seasons. The heavenly generals on the Heaven Plate and the accompanying heavenly generals may not always be in harmony. The flourishing and declining energies of the four seasons also differ according to the nature of the matter, whether new or old. When the upper and lower elements are in harmony, it is auspicious; when they are discordant, it is inauspicious. Inauspicious events tend to have short-term effects, while auspicious ones have long-term effects. The saying "numerous affairs have different responses" means that each of the five elements has its own strengths and weaknesses, so their responses differ. The saying "each carries its child to save from hardship" means that earth contains metal, metal contains water, water contains wood, wood contains fire, and fire contains earth. When a mother element is in hardship, it relies on its own child element to rescue it. This is the principle behind it. The mechanism of the waxing and waning of all things lies in this, and it is essential to understand it clearly.

乙中金刑己中之木，己中木刑癸中之土，癸中土刑丁中之水，丁中水刑辛中之火，辛中火刑乙中之金，是謂五刑也。

The miscellaneous elements contained in each of the Ten Heavenly Stems have a further relationship of mutual punishment: the metal in Yi punishes the wood in Ji, the wood in Ji punishes the earth in Gui, the earth in Gui punishes the water in Ding, the water in Ding punishes the fire in Xin, and the fire in Xin goes back to punish the metal in Yi. These five form a cycle, and this is called the "Five Punishments." It differs from the commonly mentioned Three Punishments, as it is not the inherent elements that are punished but the miscellaneous elements. When interpreting divination charts, this should be treated separately.

乙中之金，從魁傳送是也。於物為斧斤；於人為下賤土匠；人形為頭、口、咽喉、缺齒；於色為白；於怪為釜鳴。己中之木，功曹太沖是也。於物為船、車、樹木；於人形有奇骨聳起，若病為癰腫；於色為青；於怪為音聲；於畜為野獸驢兔。

The metal contained in Yi corresponds to 'Congkui' (You) and 'Chuansong' (Shen) on the divination board. In terms of objects, it refers to axes and chopping knives; in terms of people, it refers to low-status masons; in terms of body parts, it refers to the head, mouth, throat, and missing teeth; in terms of color, it refers to white; and in terms of strange occurrences, it refers to pots and cauldrons making noises without cause. The wood contained in Ji corresponds to 'Gongcao' (Yin) and 'Taichong' (Mao) on the divination board. In terms of objects, it refers to boats, vehicles, and trees; in terms of body parts, it refers to prominent and unusual bone joints, and if someone is sick, it refers to abscesses and swellings; in terms of color, it refers to green; in terms of strange occurrences, it refers to hearing sounds without cause; and in terms of animals, it refers to wild beasts, donkeys, and rabbits.

癸中之土，辰戌丑未是也。於物為磚瓦、泥土類；於人形為大頭，腹腫黃，四肢癰腫；於色為黃；於怪為風塵，垣壁崩頹，孔穴土聚；於畜為子母牛、羊、狐、犬類。丁中之水，登明神后是也。於人形為腎，於色為黑，於怪為井沸，於畜為鼠豬。

The earth contained in Gui corresponds to the four branches Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei on the divination board. It takes bricks, tiles, and soil in terms of objects; a large head, swollen and yellowish abdomen, and swollen limbs in terms of human appearance; yellow in terms of color; wind and sand rising, collapsing walls and ceilings, and hills formed in caves in terms of strange occurrences; and cows with young calves, as well as sheep, foxes, and dogs in terms of animals. The water contained in Ding corresponds to the two branches 'Dengming' (Hai) and 'Shenhou' (Zi) on the divination board. It takes the kidneys in terms of human appearance; black in terms of color; well water rising without cause in terms of strange occurrences; and rats and pigs in terms of animals.

辛中之火，太乙勝光是也。於物為文書、皮毛、文章、爐冶、血光、飛鳥；於人形為髭髮、赤目、有蒼缺損、股腫有疾；於色為赤；於怪為光明；於畜為馬蛇。言十二辰以觀親疏也。

The fire contained in Xin is represented in the divination board as "Taiyi" (Si) and "Shengguang" (Wu). In terms of objects, it corresponds to documents, animal hides, writings, furnaces for smelting, the light seen from blood, and flying birds. In terms of human appearance, it corresponds to beards and hair, red eyes, a bluish-green face with injuries, and swollen legs with illness. In terms of color, it corresponds to red. In terms of strange occurrences, it corresponds to sudden bright lights. In terms of animals, it corresponds to horses and snakes. The above assigns the five elements' miscellaneous energies to the twelve earthly branches, in order to further determine the closeness or distance of human relationships.

日與辰三六合者為親，不合者為疏。生日干者父母。如甲乙日以子為父，亥為母，壬癸為外翁姑，午為子，巳為女，丙火為外孫，寅為伯為兄，卯為叔為弟，甲為姊，乙為妹，辰戌丑未為妻妾。

If the day stem and day branch can form a triple harmony or a six harmony, they are considered close; if they cannot harmonize, they are considered distant. Those that generate and support the day stem are considered parents. For example, for a day stem of Jia or Yi (wood), water generates wood, so the yang water Zi is considered father and the yin water Hai is considered mother. The heavenly stems Ren and Gui (water) are considered maternal and paternal in-laws. Those that are generated by the day stem are considered children. Therefore, for a day stem of Jia or Yi (wood), the fire Wu is considered son and the fire Si is considered daughter, while the heavenly stem Bing (fire) is considered grandson. Those of the same type as the day stem are considered brothers and sisters. The branch Yin (wood) is considered elder uncle and also brother, while the branch Mao (wood) is considered younger uncle and also brother. The stem Jia is considered sister and the stem Yi is considered younger sister. Those that are overcome by the day stem are considered wife and concubine. Since wood overcomes earth, the four earth branches Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei are considered wife and concubine.

日干所克為正妻。如甲乙見土，丙丁見金，戊己見水，庚辛見木，壬癸見火是也。以干之墓神為妾。如甲乙見未，丙丁見戌，庚辛見丑，戊己壬癸見辰是也。

The wife is taken as the element that the day stem overcomes: if the day stem is Jia or Yi (wood), then earth is the wife; if the day stem is Bing or Ding (fire), then metal is the wife; if the day stem is Wu or Ji (earth), then water is the wife; if the day stem is Geng or Xin (metal), then wood is the wife; if the day stem is Ren or Gui (water), then fire is the wife. The concubine is taken as the branch where the day stem is buried: Jia and Yi (wood) are buried in Wei, Bing and Ding (fire) are buried in Xu, Geng and Xin (metal) are buried in Chou, Wu (earth), Ji (earth), Ren and Gui (water) are all buried in Chen. Each day stem takes its own burial branch. The wife is determined by what is overcome, and the concubine by where it is buried; these two should be considered separately and not mixed together.

妻前一位為媒人，己為甲妻，則己前庚與申為媒。乙為庚妻，則乙前丙與巳為媒。辛為丙妻，則辛前壬與亥為媒。丁為壬妻，則丁前庚與申為媒。癸為戊妻，則癸前甲與寅為媒也。

The person preceding the wife star is taken as the matchmaker. Ji is the wife of Jia, so counting forward from Ji we reach Geng. Geng's lodging palace is Shen, so Geng and Shen are the matchmakers for Jia. Yi is the wife of Geng, so counting forward from Yi we reach Bing. Bing's lodging palace is Si, so Bing and Si are the matchmakers for Geng. Xin is the wife of Bing, so counting forward from Xin we reach Ren. Ren's lodging palace is Hai, so Ren and Hai are the matchmakers for Bing. Ding is the wife of Ren, so counting forward from Ding we reach Geng again. Geng's lodging palace is still Shen, so Geng and Shen are the matchmakers for Ren. Gui is the wife of Wu, so counting forward from Gui we reach Jia. Jia's lodging palace is Yin, so Jia and Yin are the matchmakers for Wu. When divining marriage, if the matchmaker is in a strong position, the match will be effective; if it falls in Kongwang, the matchmaker is not reliable.

日干所克干神為奴婢。如甲乙日戊己，丙丁日庚辛之類，總之干屬外，支屬內，外翁姑、外甥、奴婢皆以干言。

The day stem is used to determine the person being overcome. If the person being overcome falls on the heavenly stems, they are considered servants or maids. For example, if the day stem is Jia or Yi wood and it overcomes Wu or Ji earth, then Wu and Ji are considered servants or maids. Similarly, if the day stem is Bing or Ding fire and it overcomes Geng or Xin metal, then Geng and Xin are considered servants or maids. The same principle applies to the rest. In general, heavenly stems represent the outer aspect, while earthly branches represent the inner aspect. Therefore, people outside the immediate family such as in-laws, nephews, and servants or maids are all determined by the heavenly stems, not the earthly branches.

媒辰所合為親家。如申為媒，則卯為親家，乙庚合也。巳為媒，則戌為親家，丙辛合也。亥為媒，則未為親家，丁壬合也。寅為媒，則未為親家，甲己合也。子日見亥，寅日見卯，日辰同氣，為本家人。子見丑，丑見寅為鄰人。

When the branch of the matchmaker is compatible, it is taken as a close relative. For example, if the matchmaker is the branch of Shen, which contains Geng, and Geng is compatible with Yi, and Yi resides in the branch of Mao, then Mao is considered a close relative. If the matchmaker is the branch of Si, which contains Bing, and Bing is compatible with Xin, and Xin resides in the branch of Xu, then Xu is considered a close relative. If the matchmaker is the branch of Hai, which contains Ren, and Ren is compatible with Ding, and Ding resides in the branch of Wei, then Wei is considered a close relative. If the matchmaker is the branch of Yin, which contains Jia, and Jia is compatible with Ji, and Ji also resides in the branch of Wei, then Wei is considered a close relative. In addition, on the day of Zi, the branch of Hai is seen; on the day of Yin, the branch of Mao is seen. The day and the branch belong to the same Yixing energy, only differing in yin and yang, and thus are considered family. When Zi meets Chou or Chou meets Yin, the two branches are adjacent but have different energies, and thus are considered neighbors.

十二支類神不就日干而言者：子為子息漁屠兒，丑為賢者又僧尼。寅婿道士更胥吏，卯術沙門長子宜。辰為魁卒兇頑惡，巳朋長女為窯皂。婦人宮女蠶姑午，姑姨舅妹小吉時。申獵醫巫銀鐵匠，少女婢婦姐從魁。卒奴吏官僕凶戌，幼子寇盜亥宮推。

The following set of twelve earthly branch deities does not involve interactions with the day stem in terms of generation and overcoming; instead, they are based solely on the inherent characteristics of each earthly branch. Zi represents children, fishermen, and butchers; Chou represents virtuous scholars, monks, and nuns. Yin represents sons-in-law, Taoist priests, and officials in government offices; Mao represents magicians, monks who have left the world, and the eldest son. Chen represents fierce and unruly people and jailers; Si represents friends, elder sisters, and potters and low-ranking officials. Wu represents women, palace attendants, and silkwomen; "Xiaoji" (Wei) represents maternal aunts, paternal aunts, paternal uncles, and younger sisters. Shen represents hunters, physicians, witches, and silversmiths and blacksmiths; "Congkui" (You) represents young girls, servants, and elder sisters. Xu represents soldiers, servants, officials, and government messengers who are fierce and unruly; Hai represents young sons and also thieves and bandits.

凡占動眾，三合為兄弟朋友之眾，同類為眷屬之眾，戌為部領之眾，反吟連茹牽連之眾。

When divining matters involving gathering a crowd or mobilizing people, one must first determine which type of 'group' is involved. If the lesson and transmissions form a Triple Harmony Formation, it refers to a group of brothers and friends coming together. If the branches share the same element as the day stem, it refers to a group of family and relatives. If it falls on the戌 (Xu) branch, it refers to a group under the command of a leader. If the lesson pattern forms a 'Reverse Chant' (where the Heaven Plate and Earth Plate branches mutually conflict) or 'Connected Growth' (where the three transmissions are connected sequentially like vines), then it refers to a group that is involved through mutual connections and being dragged in.

亥中木為功曹太沖之父母，甲中木為兄姊，辰中木為弟妹，未中木為外孫。寅中火為太乙勝光之父母，丙中火為兄姊，未中火為弟妹，戌中火為外孫。申中水為登明神后之父母，壬中水為兄姊，丑中水為弟妹，辰中水為外孫。巳中金為傳送從魁之父母，戊中土為兄姊，丑中土為弟妹，辰未中土為外孫。故曰萬物比類，以觀親疏也。

According to the concept of miscellaneous qi, we divide the relationships among family members based on the long life, original qi, residual qi, and death qi. The hidden Jia wood in Hai is the long life qi of wood, so it is considered the parents of Gongcao (Yin) and Taichong (Mao), the two wood deities. The original qi wood of Jia is the elder brother or sister, the residual qi wood in Chen is the younger brother or sister, and the death qi wood in Wei is the grandson from outside the family. The hidden Bing fire in Yin is the long life qi of fire, so it is considered the parents of Taiyi (Si) and Shengguang (Wu), the two fire deities. The original qi fire of Bing is the elder brother or sister, the residual qi fire in Wei is the younger brother or sister, and the death qi fire in Xu is the grandson from outside the family. The hidden Ren water in Shen is the long life qi of water, so it is considered the parents of Dengming (Hai) and Shenhou (Zi), the two water deities. The original qi water of Ren is the elder brother or sister, the residual qi water in Chou is the younger brother or sister, and the death qi water in Chen is the grandson from outside the family. The hidden Jin in Si is the long life qi of metal, so it is considered the parents of Chuansong (Shen) and Congkui (You), the two metal deities. As for the earth element, the original qi of Wu is the elder brother or sister, the earth in Chou is the younger brother or sister, and the earth in Chen and Wei is the grandson from outside the family. Therefore, by comparing all things according to their categories, the closeness and distance of relationships become clear.

假令正月甲子日辰時上，是功曹臨未為發用，上克下，與日比，將得天后；傳見從魁，將得勾陳；終於天罡，將得元武。以此占人法，憂外孫，事因婦女鬥訟相傷，終到亡遺偷盜。他仿此。

Take an example: On the day of Jiazi in the first lunar month, at the hour of Chen, the Heavenly General 'Gongcao' (寅) on the Heaven Plate falls on the Earth Plate's Wei, initiating the transmission. The wood of寅 overcomes the earth of Wei, which is an upper overcoming lower transmission.寅, being the same element as the Jia day, is in a mutual relationship. The heavenly general accompanying it is 'Heavenly Empress', which governs women. The middle transmission shows 'Congkui' (酉), accompanied by 'Gou Chen', which governs disputes and lawsuits. The final transmission returns to 'Tiangang' (辰), accompanied by 'Yuanwu', which governs theft and loss. Following the method of relatives: the wood in Wei belongs to the grandson, so the worry falls upon the grandson. The matter is initiated by a woman, with disputes and mutual harm in between, and ends with loss of property and theft by others. All other lessons are to be interpreted in the same way.

甲乙日日干及寅卯發用為己身同類，占寅為兄，卯為弟，寅中甲為姐，辰中乙為妹，亥中甲為伯之兄弟，未中乙為叔之兄弟，子為父，亥為母，亥中壬為伯，丑中癸為叔，申中壬為長姑，辰中癸為小姑，申為祖父，酉為祖母，巳中庚金為伯祖，戌中辛金為叔祖，丑中辛金為祖姑，未墓為妻，辰為繼妻，丑為妾，戊為婢妾，土生庚申金為媒人，午為男，巳為女，寅中火為兄之男女，未中火為弟之男女，戌中火為姐妹之男女，生祖者為曾祖，生曾祖者為之高祖，男生者為孫，孫生者為元孫。

Taking the example of the day stem Jia and Yi, which represent wood, we can arrange the entire family. The day stem itself, along with the trigrams Yin and Mao, are considered the same generation: Yin represents an elder brother, and Mao represents a younger brother. The hidden Jia in Yin represents a sister, and the hidden Yi in Chen represents a younger sister. The hidden Jia in Hai represents the brothers of the paternal uncle, and the hidden Yi in Wei represents the brothers of the paternal uncle's younger brother. Those that generate me are considered parents: Zi represents the father, and Hai represents the mother. The hidden Ren in Hai represents the paternal uncle, and the hidden Gui in Chou represents the paternal uncle's younger brother. The hidden Ren in Shen represents the maternal aunt, and the hidden Gui in Chen represents the younger maternal aunt. The generation above these: Shen represents the grandfather, and You represents the grandmother. The hidden Geng in Si represents the paternal grandfather, and the hidden Xin in Xu represents the paternal uncle's grandfather. The hidden Xin in Chou represents the maternal aunt's grandfather. Those that I generate are considered children: Wu represents a son, and Si represents a daughter. The hidden fire in Yin represents the children of the elder brother, the hidden fire in Wei represents the children of the younger brother, and the hidden fire in Xu represents the children of the sisters. Going further up, the one that generates the grandfather is the great-grandfather, and the one that generates the great-grandfather is the high-grandfather. Going further down, the son's children are the grandson, and the grandson's children are the yuan sun (i.e., the great-great-grandson).

凡十二支中親屬論者不一，姑兩存之。如甲乙日有取子陽水為父，亥陰水為母者，有取子中癸水為母，亥中壬水為父者，餘說類此。

The twelve earthly branches are used to indicate family relationships, but different families have different interpretations. Here, both versions are preserved. For example, on days of Jia and Yi, some take the yang water Zi as father and the yin water Hai as mother, based on the yin and yang of the earthly branches themselves; others take the hidden癸 water in Zi as mother and the hidden壬 water in Hai as father, based on the yin and yang of the heavenly stems hidden within the branches. The differences in other branches are of the same kind. When making a divination, choose one interpretation and stick to it, without mixing different interpretations.