Next from sixth to tenth: animal, character, divine name, palace name, hidden heavenly stem

次六曰禽，其目有三：本屬十二，益之列宿為二十八，更益之隱禽為三十六。

The sixth section discusses the images of birds and beasts, divided into three layers: originally, each of the twelve earthly branches is paired with one kind of bird or beast. Adding the birds and beasts associated with the twenty-eight constellations brings the total to twenty-eight kinds. Furthermore, there are hidden and not obvious bird and beast images, making a total of thirty-six kinds.

次七曰字，其目有三：一曰義，二曰音，三曰形。亥為孫，子為子，卯為門，未為味，酉為酒，古人八月嘗酌，取其義也；六合為媒人，天空為晴，為聲，太常為父母，勾陳為勾連，為勾追，虛勾仿此。巳為嗣，申為身，辰為娠，又為蜃，丑為醜，取其音也。巳為弓，申為針，為箭，為刺，取其形也；天空為帽裹頭，辛亦為針，丁為獨腳，仿此。

The seventh section discusses the symbolic meanings of characters, divided into three parts: first, by meaning; second, by sound; third, by form. Taking meaning into account:亥 represents a grandson, 子 represents a son, 卯 represents a door, 未 represents taste, 酉 represents wine (because ancients tasted new wine in August, hence this meaning); Liu He represents a matchmaker, Tian Kong represents clear weather and sound, Tai Chang represents parents, Gou Chen represents connection and pursuit, and similar characters are interpreted in this way. Taking sound into account:巳 shares the same sound as 嗣, so it represents descendants; 申 shares the same sound as 身, so it represents body; 辰 shares the same sound as 娠 and 蜃, so it represents pregnancy and a giant clam; 丑 shares the same sound as 丑, so it represents ugliness. Taking form into account:巳 resembles a bow; 申 resembles a needle, an arrow, or a prick; Tian Kong resembles a hat covering the head; 辛 resembles a needle; 丁 resembles a single leg; all are interpreted in this way.

次八曰神名。辰各有神，神各有名，其命名以德。申名傳送，故為道路；寅名功曹，故為吏人，為六曹；卯為太沖，故為行往；戌為天魁，故為集眾，魁眾也；辰名天罡，故為岡獄，故為惡人；酉為從魁，故為亞魁。

The eighth section discusses the names of the twelve gods. Each branch has one god, and each god has its own name, which is derived from its virtue. The branch of Shen is called "Chuansong," so it governs roads; the branch of Yin is called "Gongcao," so it governs officials and the six departments of the government; the branch of Mao is called "Taichong," so it governs movement and travel; the branch of Xu is called "Tiankui," so it governs gatherings, because "kui" means the leader of a group; the branch of Chen is called "Tian Gang," so it governs hills and mountains, prisons, and also evil people; the branch of You is called "Congkui," so it governs assistants and secondary leaders.

次九曰宮名。宮有名，不知所始，壬稍取焉。巳曰雙女，亥曰雙魚，故巳亥為雙，主有二事，故巳為女，亥為魚。管輅戌曰白羊，故戌為雪。

The ninth section discusses the names of the twelve houses of the Yellow Path. Each of the twelve houses has a name, but its origin is unknown. The Six Rats system also adopts some of these names. The house of巳 is called 「Double Women」, and the house of亥 is called 「Double Fish」, so both巳 and亥 signify pairs, and when used in divination, they indicate two matters. Therefore,巳 also signifies women, and亥 signifies fish. Guan Lu of the Three Kingdoms period called the house of戌 「White Sheep」, so戌 also signifies snow (because the wool of sheep is white).

次十曰藏干，其目有三：一曰雜干，二曰寄干。寅為火炬，以藏丙也；申曰河池，以藏壬也；未為爭訟，戌為印綬，以藏丁也；丑為水田，辰為陂池，以藏癸也。巳未俱為兩姓，以巳寄丙戊，未寄丁己，俱藏二字也。

The tenth section discusses the heavenly stems hidden within the earthly branches. Originally divided into three parts, here only two are mentioned: one is miscellaneous stems, and the other is寄托 stems. The branch寅 is compared to a torch because it contains the stem丙 (Bing). The branch申 is called the river pool because it contains the stem壬 (Ren). The branch未 is associated with disputes, and the branch戌 is associated with official seals, both because they contain the stem丁 (Ding). The branch丑 is related to water fields, and the branch辰 is related to ponds, both because they contain the stem癸 (Gui). The branches巳 and未 both indicate the coexistence of two families, because the branch巳 contains the stems丙 (Bing) and戊 (Wu), and the branch未 contains the stems丁 (Ding) and己 (Ji), each containing two heavenly stems.

次十一曰天將。將各有家，類因取焉。亥為溺死，以玄武也；戌為奴，為吏，以天空也；申為喪，以白虎也；未為禮儀，為長上，為衣服，以太常也；午為通語，以朱雀也；巳為非橫災，以蛇螣也；辰為爭鬥，以勾陳也；卯為兄弟，為婦人，以六合也，六合為女色；丑為貴人，以天乙也。

The eleventh section discusses the Heavenly Generals. Each of the Twelve Heavenly Generals has its own branch where its corresponding animal or element originates. The associated matters are taken from there.亥 represents drowning, because亥 is the native branch of the Black Tortoise;戌 represents servants and officials, because戌 is the native branch of the Heavenly Void;申 represents funerals, because申 is the native branch of the White Tiger;未 represents etiquette, elders, and clothing, because未 is the native branch of the Tai Chang;午 represents communication and messages, because午 is the native branch of the Vermilion Bird;巳 represents sudden misfortune, because巳 is the native branch of the Teng Snake;辰 represents disputes, because辰 is the native branch of the Gou Chen;卯 represents brothers and women, because卯 is the native branch of the Liu He, and Liu He also governs female affairs;丑 represents noble persons, because丑 is the native branch of the Tian Yi.

次十二曰合。取合二物之義以成一物：若亥為高處，又為營室，合為樓臺；亥為稻，室為蓋藏，合為廩；午為蠶，又為婦人，合為蠶姑；朱雀口舌，午為陰陽相遇，合為通語；午為屋，又為路，合為巷；翼為客，軫為喪，合為弔客；丑為牛，又為田，合為犁；寅為木，又為鬼門，合為祭器，又為神樹。可類推也。

The twelfth topic discusses combining two symbolic meanings to form a new symbol. For example,亥 represents high places and the Encampment mansion (a type of dwelling), together forming a tower;亥 also represents rice and the Encampment mansion represents storage, together forming a granary;午 represents silkworms and also represents women, together forming a woman who raises silkworms; the Vermilion Bird represents speech and午 also represents the meeting of yin and yang, together forming communication;午 represents houses and also represents roads, together forming alleys; the Wings mansion represents guests and the Chariot mansion represents mourning, together forming mourners;丑 represents cattle and also represents fields, together forming a plow;寅 represents wood and also represents the gate of ghosts, together forming ritual objects, that is, the sacred tree. The rest can be inferred in the same way.

次十三曰鄰取：一曰同方，二曰界相集。亥子丑皆北方，紫宮在北，併為三堂；巳午未皆南方，巳午為婦人，未亦為眷屬；申酉戌皆西方，申酉為刀，戌亦為劍鋒見。曰同方。

The thirteenth section discusses "neighboring" relationships, divided into two parts: one is "same direction adjacent," and the other is "mutual penetration at the boundary."亥, 子, and 丑 are all in the northern direction, and the Purple Micro Palace is located in the north, so the three are combined to govern the three halls;巳, 午, and 未 are all in the southern direction, and since巳 governs women and 午, 未 also follows to govern family members;申, 酉, and 戌 are all in the western direction, and since申 and 酉 govern knives, 戌 also follows to govern swords being drawn. This is called "same direction."

戌亥俱高，以天門在戌亥間也；辰巳俱低，以地戶在辰巳間也；亥為樓，戌為閣，以閣道絕漢抵營室也；酉為邊郡，申為邊城，以天街在申酉間也；丑子相鄰，子為房，丑亦為室；亥子相鄰，子為悲，亥亦為哀；子為陰藏，亥遂為陰囊；戌亥相鄰，亥為溷廁，戌遂為浴室；寅卯相鄰，卯為舟，寅遂為櫓。是曰界相集也。

The stems Wu and Hai both govern high places, because the heavenly gate is between Wu and Hai; the stems Chen and Si both govern low places, because the earthly gate is between Chen and Si. Hai governs a building, and Wu therefore governs a pavilion, because the star of the pavilion crosses the Milky Way directly to the Encampment mansion. You govern border regions and prefectures, and Shen therefore governs border cities, because the star of the heavenly street is between Shen and You. Chou and Zi are adjacent, Zi governs a bedroom, so Chou also governs an inner chamber; Hai and Zi are adjacent, Zi governs sorrow, so Hai also governs mourning; Zi governs hidden places for storing things, so Hai governs the scrotum. Wu and Hai are adjacent, Hai governs a toilet, so Wu governs a bath; Yin and Mao are adjacent, Mao governs a boat, so Yin governs oars. This is called 'boundary mutual influence,' where the images of two palaces influence each other at their boundary.

次十四曰對取，其目有二：曰一從，二曰反。亥為管，巳即為鑰；亥為頭，巳即為面；亥為天頭，巳即為地足；卯為前門，酉即為後門：此相反也。辰為網，戌即為羅；酉為刀，卯即為砧；午為使君，子即為監司；午為堂，子即為房；寅為道，申即為僧；寅為神，申即為佛。又辰與戌併為惡人，取為奴僕，併為軍徒，併為欺詐，併為鍬鑊：此相從也。

The fourteenth section discusses taking from opposing branches, meaning taking images from two branches that are in opposition. This is divided into two categories: one is similarity (same type pairing), and the other is opposition (opposite relative).亥 represents a lock, and巳 represents a key;亥 represents the head, and巳 represents the face;亥 represents the top of heaven, and巳 represents the feet of earth;卯 represents the front gate, and酉 represents the back gate: these are examples of opposition.辰 represents a net, and戌 represents a sieve;酉 represents a knife, and卯 represents a砧 board;午 represents a magistrate, and子 represents a supervisor;午 represents a hall, and子 represents a bedroom;寅 represents a Taoist priest, and申 represents a Buddhist monk;寅 represents a god, and申 represents a Buddha. In addition, both辰 and戌 represent wicked people, both are taken as servants, both represent soldiers, both represent deceit, and both represent tools such as shovels and cauldrons: these are examples of similarity.

次十五曰三合，取其五行異方各相類從。申為湖，為塘；子為江，為漕；辰為池，為水缸：皆水之屬也。巳酉為解散，丑為冤：皆離革之象。寅午為信誠，戌為德合：皆火之情也。亥卯為陰賊，未為奸邪：皆木之情也。巳酉皆為賞賜寬大之象也。亥卯與寅皆為風痛，象木器也。是取諸之合也。

The fifteenth topic discusses the concept of Triple Harmony, which involves taking the branches that belong to the same group but are located in different directions, and selecting them based on their similar characteristics. Shen governs lakes and ponds, Zi governs rivers and canal transportation, and Chen governs ponds and water jars: these three belong to the Water group of Shen Zi Chen, and all are classified under water. Si and You govern dispersion, and Chou governs injustice: these all represent the dispersal and transformation of the Metal group of Si You Chou. Yin and Wu govern sincerity, and Xu governs virtue: these all represent the nature of the Fire group of Yin Wu Xu. Hai and Mao govern hidden evils, and Wei governs deceit: these all represent the nature of the Wood group of Hai Mao Wei. Si and You also both govern rewards and represent a broad-minded nature. Hai, Mao, and Yin all govern wind pain, because they all symbolize wooden objects. All these are derived from the concept of Triple Harmony.

次十六曰四方，取五行各生於孟、旺於仲、墓於季。寅為長生之首，故為道士；子為沐浴之首，故為浴盆；丑為暗金之首，故為冤。四季皆為獄，為墓，為老人，為暮年也；四仲為關格魁星間子。射覆辨物：四孟皆為圓，為活，為已過；四仲皆為方，為塑畫，為當時；四季皆為尖碎，為死，為未來。凡取諸四方也。

The sixteenth topic discusses taking images from the four directions, based on the pattern that the Five Phases each have their growth in the first of the four beginning months, their prosperity in the middle of the four central months, and their burial in the four seasonal months.寅 is the first of the four beginning months for growth, so it is associated with the道士 (herbalist or longevity practitioner); 子 is the first of the four central months for bathing, so it is associated with the bath tub; 丑 is the first of the four seasonal months for hidden metal evil, so it is associated with injustice. 辰, 戌, 丑, and 未, which are the four seasonal months, are associated with prisons, tombs, the elderly, and old age; 子, 午, 卯, and 酉, which are the four central months, are associated with the positions between the gate and the魁星 (a celestial official). When used for射覆 (divination by covering) to identify objects: the things associated with 寅, 申, 巳, and 癸, which are the four beginning months, are all round, alive, and already past; the things associated with 子, 午, 卯, and 酉, which are the four central months, are all square, shaped or drawn, and at the right time; the things associated with 辰, 戌, 丑, and 未, which are the four seasonal months, are all pointed or broken, dead, and yet to come. All of these are derived from the four directions.

次十七曰借取，其目有二：一曰借鄰，二曰諧音拆字。天讒主醫，其星在酉，而申為醫；七星主衣裳文繡，其星在午，而未為衣服；柳株在午，而未為爭訟；巽為風，先天在申，而未風為師；震為龍，龍司雨，而丑為雨師：是借義於傍宮者也。

The seventeenth section discusses borrowing meaning, which is divided into two parts: first, borrowing meaning from adjacent palaces, and second, using homophones and character dissection. The star Tianchan governs medicine, though this star originally belongs to You, it is borrowed from Shen to govern medicine; the Seven Stars mansion governs clothing and textile work, though this mansion originally belongs to Wu, it is borrowed from Wei to govern clothing; the Liuxu mansion originally belongs to Wu, but it is borrowed from Wei to govern disputes; the Xun trigram represents wind, though its original position in the Heaven's Trigram is Shen, it is borrowed from Wei to govern military forces; the Zhen trigram represents the dragon, which controls rain, though it originally belongs to Chou, it is borrowed from Chou to govern the rain deity. All these examples come from borrowing meaning from adjacent palaces.

丑中有斗木獬，遂於蟹；未中有井木犴，遂借為雁；卯為私門，遂借為沙門；巳中有翼宿，遂借翼頭彐字為雪；卯為轤，遂借為驢：所謂諧音拆字也。

Further, regarding homophones and character dissection: In the branch Chou, there is the mansion Dou Mu Xie, where "Xie" is phonetically similar to "Xie" (crab), so it is used to represent crabs; in Wei, there is Jing Mu An, where "An" is phonetically similar to "Yan" (goose), so it is used to represent geese; in Mao, which governs the private gate, "Si" is phonetically similar to "Sha" (sand), so it is used to represent Sha Men (monks); in Si, there is Yi Su, where the top part of the character "Yi" is dissected to form "Xue" (snow); in Mao, which governs the winch, "Lu" is phonetically the same as "Lu" (donkey), so it is used to represent donkey. This is what is referred to as homophones and character dissection.

次十八曰推取：一曰推之同類，二曰推之別類。辰為魚，推之水族，為海味，為鹽；巳為蚓，推之蟲；午為鹿，推之麋；申為猿，推之獲；酉為雞，推之鴨；未為雁，推之鳩鴿鵲；午為馬，推之蠶，與馬同類，故曰凡原蠶盛而邊馬衰；丑為牛，推之犀；酉為酒，推之醋酢醬；申為醫，推之藥；巳為灶，推之鍋；卯為門，推之窗牅，為床，推之帳；未為眷屬，推之姑娣妹；丑為僧，推之尼。此皆推之同類者也。

The eighteenth section discusses the method of extension, divided into two parts: one is extension to the same category, and the other is extension to different categories. First, extension to the same category: the earth branch Chen governs fish, so it extends to all aquatic animals, further governing seafood and salt; the earth branch Si governs earthworms, so it extends to all kinds of insects; the earth branch Wu governs deer, so it extends to elk; the earth branch Shen governs apes, so it extends to all kinds of monkeys; the earth branch You governs chickens, so it extends to ducks; the earth branch Wei governs geese, so it extends to pigeons, doves, and magpies; the earth branch Wu governs horses, so it extends to silkworms, because ancient people considered silkworms and horses to be of the same category, hence saying 'if there are many original silkworms, then the horses in border areas will decline'; the earth branch Chou governs oxen, so it extends to rhinoceroses; the earth branch You governs wine, so it extends to vinegar, sour wine, and soy sauce; the earth branch Shen governs medicine, so it extends to drugs; the earth branch Si governs the kitchen, so it extends to pots; the earth branch Mao governs the door, so it extends to windows, and also to beds, extending further to curtains; the earth branch Wei governs family members, so it extends to maternal aunts and sisters; the earth branch Chou governs monks, so it extends to nuns. These are all examples of extension to the same category.

或以器物而推之人：巳為灶，因為庖人；寅為廟，因為祝；子為江湖，因為漁人；未為酒筵，因為百戲樂官；為鷹，因為籠鷹；又午為馬，因為獸醫，為御馬人；丑為牛，因為牧人。或以人物推之屋室：戌為軍，因為營寨；申為僧，因為寺院；戌為犬，因為犬巢；亥為豬，因為豬欄。或以器物相推：巳為弩，因為穿甲；卯為兔，因為格兔；申為麥，因為磨；卯為車，因為驢騾。

Further, there is the extension to other categories. Some are extended from objects to people: Si (Snake) governs the kitchen, thus governing the cook; Yin (Tiger) governs the temple, thus governing the temple attendant; Zi (Rat) governs rivers and lakes, thus governing the fisherman; Wei (Sheep) governs banquets, thus governing performers and musicians; Wei also governs the eagle, thus governing those who raise and cage eagles; Wu (Horse) governs the horse, thus governing the veterinarian and the horseman; Chou (Ox) governs the ox, thus governing the herdsman. Some are extended from people to buildings: Xu (Dog) governs the military, thus governing the military camp; Shen (Monkey) governs the monk, thus governing the monastery; Xu also governs the dog, thus governing the doghouse; Hai (Pig) governs the pig, thus governing the pigpen. Some are extended from objects to other objects: Si governs the crossbow, thus governing the armor-piercer; Mao (Rabbit) governs the rabbit, thus governing the wooden cage for catching rabbits; Shen governs the wheat, thus governing the stone mill; Mao also governs the cart, thus governing the donkey or mule that pulls the cart.

而或以物而推之人形：辰為龍，因為身繡龍文；酉為雞，因為雀子斑；未為羊，因為羊目。或以人事而推之鬼神：子為歲官，因為上帝；為陰私，因為淫祀；寅為稷神；午為土公，因為灶神；卯門、辰獄、巳灶、未井、申路、亥廁，各為其神；酉為淫邪，因為虹霓，又為五通神會通；午為善人，因為家廟。此皆推之他類者也。

Some divination methods infer human appearance from objects: since the Earthly Branch 辰 (Chen) represents a dragon, people with this branch are said to have dragon patterns tattooed on their bodies; since 酉 (You) represents a chicken, people with this branch are said to have freckles on their faces; since 未 (Wei) represents a sheep, people with this branch are said to have sheep-like eyes. Others infer spirits from human affairs: since 子 (Zi) represents the annual official, it is associated with the Heavenly Emperor; since 子 also represents secret matters, it is associated with improper and licentious rituals; 寅 (Yin) represents the grain god; 午 (Wu) represents the earth god, thus associated with the kitchen god; 卯 (Mao) represents the gate, 辰 represents the prison, 巳 represents the kitchen, 未 represents the well, 申 represents the road, 亥 represents the toilet, each of these is also associated with the guardian spirit of that place; 酉 represents licentiousness, thus associated with rainbows and the five-way gods; 午 represents good people, thus associated with family temples. These are all examples of inference to other categories.

次十九曰轉取。類不相蒙，意相禪代。如未本為服，轉而為孝服，因孝服而又轉為白頭，因白頭而轉為雪；酉為降，為門內，為寬大，因水降而轉為恩澤，又因恩澤而轉為賞賜；寅為虎，虎有斑，轉為斑點，又轉為雜色；古有稼穡艱難之語，課得稼穡，轉為艱難。此皆轉取也。

The nineteenth lesson discusses the method of transformation. The two categories of things being transformed are not related, but the meaning proceeds layer by layer, sequentially and in succession. For example, the element 未 originally refers to clothing, which transforms into mourning clothes, then because of mourning clothes it transforms into white hair (wearing white), then because of white hair it transforms into snow. The element 酉 refers to descending, inner doors, and spaciousness; because of water descending it transforms into grace, then because of grace it transforms into rewards. The element 寅 refers to a tiger, which has spots on its body, so it transforms into spots, then into mixed colors. Ancient texts mention the phrase "the toil of farming and reaping," so when the lesson pattern is of the "farming and reaping" type, it transforms and is interpreted as hardship. These are all examples of transformation.

次二十曰造字。前曰取字，蓋因宮立義也；此云造字，復因義立字也。其目有二：一曰偏旁，二曰全字。子為點水，亥同，耳傍，女傍，衣傍；丑土傍；寅木傍，卯同，又宀頭，又佳字；卯為草頭，絲傍，又阝，乙傍；辰山傍，土傍，又廠傍；巳為火，又巳字，又弓傍；午為火傍，又者字，宜在矣；申金傍，酉同，立人，走腳，以申為道路也，刀傍；酉口傍，又雙立人；戌犬傍，戈傍。此皆取諸偏旁也。

The twentieth section discusses the creation of characters. The seventh section was called "Taking Characters," which involved deriving the meaning of characters based on their positions; this section is called "Creating Characters," which is the reverse process, deriving characters based on their meanings. It is divided into two parts: one according to radicals and the other according to whole characters. Zi takes the radical of three water strokes, Hai also takes the same, as well as the ear radical, the female radical, and the clothing radical; Chou takes the earth radical; Yin takes the wood radical, Mao also takes the same, as well as the roof radical and the character "Jia"; Mao also takes the grass radical, the silk radical, the radical "阝," and the radical "Yi"; Chen takes the mountain radical, the earth radical, and the radical "厂"; Si takes the fire radical, as well as the character "Si" itself, and the bow radical; Wu takes the fire radical, as well as the character "Zhe" (the original text notes this should be placed later); Shen takes the metal radical, You also takes the same, as well as the single person radical and the walking radical, because Shen governs roads, and also the knife radical; You takes the mouth radical, as well as the double person radical; Xu takes the dog radical and the halberd radical. All of these are derived from radicals.

若立全字，則凡五行、列宿、禽屬、八卦、分野、人神名、官名、藏干皆可取也。若巳為轆，轤之轉也；未楊，羊之轉也；子為沉，坎為穴；卯為陳，以東門也；亥為殳，乾為殳也；秋金為菊，以秋花也。此義之更進也。觸類而長，有法所不來者焉。舊以此法專推姓字氏，然諸並以巳酉相為配字，丑未相加為魁字，丑中有斗，未中有鬼，利考試。邵公又以酉亥丑相併為潤字，亥子丑相連為法字，水順去也；六月朱雀加酉為醬字，六月月將在午，借雀在午；己日戌並午未為粽字，戌為己同宗，午未為米字。或言地名，或言官名，或直推其物，是推之諸占無不可也。

If one wishes to form complete characters, then the Five Phases, the Twenty-Eight Mansions, the animals associated with the zodiac, the Eight Trigrams, the regions corresponding to the heavens, the names of spirits, official titles, and the heavenly stems hidden within the Earthly Branches can all be used. For example, Si is "lu", derived from the term "lu lu"; Wei is "yang", derived from the character for sheep; Zi is "chen", because Kan represents a cave; Mao is "chen", because it is the eastern gate; Hai is "shu", because the Qian Trigram is symbolized by shu. This is an even deeper level of interpretation. By using one example, one can infer others, but there are always some cases that cannot be covered by established methods. In the past, people used this method to determine surnames. However, various schools of thought often paired Si with You to form a character, and Chou with Wei to form "kui" (Chou contains the Dipper Mansion, Wei contains the Ghost Mansion, and Dipper and Ghost together form Kui), which is favorable for examinations. Shao Gong also combined You, Hai, and Chou to form "run", and connected Hai, Zi, and Chou to form "fa" (water flowing smoothly). In June, adding the Vermilion Bird to You forms "jiang" (in June, the Month General is in Wu, so the Vermilion Bird is borrowed for Wu). On Ji days, combining Xu with Wu and Wei forms "zong" (Xu is a relative of Ji, and Wu and Wei together form the character for rice). These combinations can result in place names, official titles, or directly indicate the object itself. They can be applied in various divination contexts without exception.

看數口訣。課有成格者，有不成格者。成格者就格而斷：凶格者看敗壞，吉格不宜破傷。既無損壞，須看後來何月日能損壞；破敗之格，須看後來何月日能補救之。其壞傷補救之日月，為吉凶成敗之期也。又須究其成敗由於何人、由於何事，總在此敗我救我之一字上決之。

The formula for determining the outcome of a divination lesson. A lesson may form a pattern or not. If it forms a pattern, then it should be interpreted according to that pattern: a harmful pattern should be judged by where it is weakened, while a beneficial pattern should not be harmed or damaged. If a beneficial pattern is not yet damaged, one should look ahead to see which month or day will cause damage. If it is already a broken pattern, one should look ahead to see which month or day can repair it. The month or day that causes damage or repair is the time when the outcome will be realized. Additionally, one must investigate who is involved and what event caused the success or failure, ultimately deciding based on the question of 'who harmed me and who saved me.'

若不成格，須於六處較其生克，審其衰旺，生破刑沖剋宜制化，亦須後來日月參看，則事情吉凶日期應候皆瞭然矣。至於從傍觀象，雖俱有驗，然須附推，不可光泛，務亂其頭緒也。

If the divination does not form a specific pattern, one must compare the relationships of the day stem, day branch, day hidden stem, hidden stem of the hour, personal destiny, and the year of movement, examining their generation, destruction, punishment, conflict, and control. One should also consider whether these relationships can be restrained or transformed, and refer to the subsequent months and days as well. In this way, the fortune and the time when the outcome will manifest become clear. As for deriving meanings from secondary aspects, although they may have some verification, they can only serve as supplementary interpretations. One must not indiscriminately take them without limits, or else it will confuse the main line of reasoning.

遁干。須用旬遁，惟甲戊庚三奇用旬遁，以旬中少此格也。旬遁方有空亡，斯有斷橋、折腰及傳不行、初空看中傳諸格；若用時遁，無空亡，並無此等格矣。

On the concept of "Dun Gan" (Evading the Heavenly Stems). Dun Gan must use the method of "Xun Dun" (ten-day cycle evading), starting from the beginning of the ten-day cycle. Only the three rare stems, Jia, Wu, and Geng, are used in this method, because within a single ten-day cycle, it is rare to form such a pattern. Using Xun Dun will result in Kongwang (void), and thus produce patterns such as "Duan Qiao" (broken bridge), "Zhe Yao" (bent waist), and situations where the three transmissions cannot be passed on, or the first transmission falls empty and then the middle transmission is consulted instead. If instead the method of "Shi Dun" (hour-based evading) is used, Kongwang cannot be evaded, and therefore all these patterns will not appear.

土金生絕分陰陽。庚金、申金遇巳為生，酉金見巳為克，土見巳為絕，戊土見巳不絕。庚金畏午為鬼，不畏巳。辛日巳為德，不作鬼論；戊日見巳為德，不作絕論。戊土不絕，辛金無鬼。

The long life and death of earth and metal should be viewed according to yin and yang. For yang metal, such as Geng and Shen, meeting Si is considered long life, but for yin metal, such as You, meeting Si is instead being overcome by fire. Earth meeting Si is generally considered death, but Wu earth meeting Si is not considered death because Wu is said to have its luck resting in Si. Geng metal fears Wu fire as a ghost, but not Si. On Xin day meeting Si is considered a day virtue, and should not be regarded as a ghost. On Wu day meeting Si is also considered a day virtue, and should not be regarded as death. In summary, Wu earth does not die, and Xin metal has no ghost.

祿。祿與德並，不宜落空及坐墓絕，謂之德喪祿絕，占病必死，占官不空。馬臨地盤空亡，謂之落陷坑；德祿又空絕者，占病必死，值閉口尤凶。

On the official star (Lü). When the official star and the virtue star appear together, it is most undesirable for them to fall into the Kongwang position, or to be seated in the Storage or the Absolute position, which is called "virtue lost and official star cut off." If this occurs in a divination about illness, it indicates certain death; for an official position, it is necessary for the official star not to fall into Kongwang. If the post-horse falls into the Kongwang position of the Earth Plate, it is called "falling into a pit." If the virtue star and the official star are both empty and cut off, then in a divination about illness, it indicates certain death; if it also coincides with the "closed mouth" lesson, it becomes even more dangerous.

馬。祿前一位為陽刃，臨干克主刑妻克子，與勾、虎並主鬥傷，與午並主傷目，與戌並主傷足。馬前四位為劫殺，乘太陰主暗害，乘武主賊害，乘蛇主柄禍，乘勾主詔獄，乘常主毒藥，皆以乘干為鬼及克年命者方驗。馬臨克地，出遊無際遇。

On the subject of horses. The stem before the禄神 is the Yang Rende, which when it approaches the day stem and attacks it, indicates harm to wife and children. If it appears together with Gou Chen and Bai Hu, it indicates disputes and injuries. If it appears together with Wu, it indicates eye injuries. If it appears together with Xu, it indicates foot injuries. The fourth position before theThe Post-horse is Jiesha: if it is accompanied by Tai Yin, it indicates being betrayed secretly; if accompanied by Xuan Wu, it indicates being harmed by thieves; if accompanied by Teng Snake, it indicates great calamity; if accompanied by Gou Chen, it indicates imprisonment by official decree; if accompanied by Tai Chang, it indicates poisoning. However, these effects only manifest when theThe Post-horse is transformed into the official ghost of the day stem and attacks the birth year. If theThe Post-horse is located in a position that attacks it, then going on a long journey will not bring good opportunities.

破合刑合。卯與戌合為大六合，六合加戌為小六合。寅亥為破合，巳申為刑合，主謀事合而不合；若乘貴、龍、德、祿，仍主順利。月破遇合為補救，仍有用。

Discussing broken unions and criminal unions. The combination of卯 and戌 is called "Great六合", and when theLiu He is added to戌 it is called "Small六合". Although寅 and亥 areLiu He, they also mutually break each other, called "Broken Union"; similarly,巳 and申 areLiu He but they also mutually injure each other, called "Criminal Union": both these situations indicate that matters seem to be coming together but actually fail to be completed. However, if there is a nobleman, azure dragon, virtue god, or禄 god above, it still indicates smoothness. If the month breaker meets the union god, even though it is a remedy, it can still be useful.

太陽發用，雖遙克亦不作無力論。太陽為福德之人，入課傳為福不淺。臨干人旺，臨宅宅輝，然尚為人所共；若臨人年，尤一人之慶幸，可解諸凶，占病尤驗。

The Sun (Month General) initiates the transmission. Even if it only remotely controls another element, it should not be considered weak. The Sun represents a person of fortune and virtue. Once it enters the lesson pattern and the three transmissions, the blessings it brings are profound. If the Sun is added to the day stem, the family will flourish; if it is added to the day branch, the family residence will shine. However, these two kinds of blessings are still shared by the whole family. If the Sun is added to someone's year pillar, it is especially beneficial for that individual, capable of dispelling various ominous signs. It is particularly effective in divinations concerning illness.

定年月。凡過去未來，期遠者於月建上定其年，如亥年占，月建上乘戌為上年，乘子為來年；期近者於日支上定其月，如正月占，日上見巳為來四月，見亥為前十月也。太歲發用乘連珠，占訟連年。

To determine the year and month, when predicting past or future events, for distant periods, the year is determined by the Month Builder: for example, if the inquiry is about the year of亥, then the Month Builder on戌 (the previous one before亥) indicates last year, and on子 (the next one after亥) indicates next year. For near periods, the month is determined by the Day Branch: for example, if the inquiry is about the first month, then the Day Branch showing巳 indicates the fourth month ahead, and showing亥 indicates the tenth month in the past. If the Sovereign Lord initiates the transmission and forms a chain transmission (three transmissions connected), the prediction of legal matters indicates a continuous issue over several years.

閉口。六癸不為閉口，以旬尾旬首相乘為是；天地盤旬首乘武是。二煩、九丑，月將臨子午卯酉，太陽又在子午卯酉，又發用方是，不發用者即非。須月將為用，又值四仲月日為是。須看劃度日月。

On closed mouth divination. Six癸 days do not automatically count as closed mouth; it depends on the last character of the current ten-day period multiplied by the first character of the period. If the first character of the period is multiplied by the Black Tortoise on the Heaven Plate or Earth Plate, it also counts. As for the lessons of "two troubles" and "nine shames," they must have the Month General positioned on the four central positions of子, 午, 卯, 酉, and the Sun also located at子, 午, 卯, 酉. Additionally, the Initiating Transmission must be present for it to be considered genuine; if not, it does not count. In summary, the Month General must be the Useful God, and it must coincide with the four central positions of子, 午, 卯, 酉 on both the month and day. Furthermore, one must also refer to the fixed degrees of the sun and moon.

刻日期。以傳用天盤支神，用河圖生成類推之：水一、火二、木三、金四、土五為生數，水六、火七、木八、金九、土十為成數。旺相則數宜多，用成數；休囚數宜少，用生數。干支上發用者連地盤算，干支陰神上發用者不連地盤算。

The method of determining the verified date involves taking the heavenly stem of the Three Transmissions' useful god, and using the numbers from the River Chart to infer: water is one, fire is two, wood is three, metal is four, and earth is five, which are the "generative numbers"; water is six, fire is seven, wood is eight, metal is nine, and earth is ten, which are the "mature numbers." If the energy is prosperous and strong, a larger number is suitable, so use the mature number; if the energy is weak and confined, a smaller number is suitable, so use the generative number. If the transmission starts from the day stem and day branch, include the earth plate in the calculation; if the transmission starts from the hidden god of the heavenly stem and earthly branch, do not include the earth plate.

如胎產數得八，猶從數今逆數第八日，是沖胎刑胎之日，即斷是日生產。若非沖刑，即加二八十六，再看刑沖；如大勢可緩，再加八八六十四日看，再刑沖亦可。餘類推。

For example, if the number obtained in a divination for childbirth is eight, count backwards from that number to the eighth day. If that day is a day of conflict or punishment for the fetus, then the delivery is predicted for that day. If the eighth day is neither conflicting nor punishing, double the number to sixteen days, and check if that day has conflict or punishment. If the overall situation allows for delay, continue doubling to sixty-four days and check again for conflict or punishment on that day. The same method applies to other types of divination.

決數目。月建若入傳用，加倍算，用與月建兩處見，故用加倍；月破用一半，破則去半矣；餘用河圖，或先天。如二月建卯，加倍；寅則雖旺不加，遇休囚亦不減。劉文成法也，只要天盤分衰斷之本驗，地盤天將不宜加入。

The method of determining numbers: if the month builder enters the three transmissions and acts as the useful god, the number should be doubled, because the useful god appears both at the month builder and the three transmissions, hence doubling; if the month breaker acts as the useful god, then the number should be halved, as it is broken and naturally reduced by half; for others, calculate according to the numbers of the River Chart or the numbers of theEarlier Heaven (primordial) system. For example, in the second month, the month builder is卯 (Mao), so the number is doubled; as for寅 (Yin), even though it is strong, it is not doubled, and if it meets weak and confined conditions, it is not reduced. This is Liu Wen Cheng's (Liu Bowen's) calculation method: simply use the heaven plate to distinguish strength and decline for judgment, which is inherently accurate, and the earth plate and heavenly generals should not be mixed in for calculation.

年命。行年上禍福準於本命，以其所主者近也；如占久大之事，則本命為重。許滄山，湖州人，捷訣：男以本命加太歲，遇寅是行年，順行；女以太歲加申，遇本命是行年，逆行。不必天干，不問歲數，無有差誤。

On the year of life. The fortune and misfortune indicated by the current year is more accurate than that of the native's birth year, because it concerns immediate matters. If one is divining about long-term and significant matters, then the native's birth year should be considered more important. A person from Huzhou named Xu Cangshan has a concise mnemonic: for men, add the native's birth year to the current heavenly stem, count to the position of Yin, and arrange in the forward direction; for women, add the current heavenly stem to Shen, count to the position of the native's birth year, and arrange in the reverse direction. This method does not require considering the heavenly stems or the age, and will never be wrong.

劃度六壬。以之占終身甚驗。若來人所占正時，即是其人初生時命宮，其人求占之意甚誠。其法先問其家中尊卑長幼各人之年庚，決其尊卑長幼之禍福，無不奇中。如父屬子，弟屬卯，子上吉凶及天將何如，定其父；卯上吉凶及天將何如，定其弟。俱以地盤為主，而吉定於天盤。

The method of the Six Rats divination is used to predict a person's destiny with great accuracy. If the person seeking the divination happens to be at the exact time of their birth, it shows their sincerity. This method first asks for the birth years and heavenly stems of each family member, then determines their fortune and misfortune accordingly, with remarkable accuracy. For example, if the father is of the Zi branch and the younger brother is of the Mao branch, one examines the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of the Zi position and the heavenly general governing it to determine the father's fate, and similarly examines the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of the Mao position and the heavenly general governing it to determine the younger brother's fate. Each person's position is determined by the Earth Plate, while the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness is decided by the heavenly generals on the Heaven Plate.

前定六壬。其法於無事時先占一課，尚未知何事求，而一人來占，則以此課定之；雖數日後求，仍以裝課之日時斷。凡在幕中者用此為宜。徐美璜先生占課好用正時，常在中州監司幕中，主人問數，每日中至後漸不驗。先生悟曰：此為正時所拘也。遂預占一課，用正時排定，明日主人來問，即出前課定之，有嚮影，乃知前定六壬之妙。

The method of the previous determination of the Six Rén divination is to first cast a lesson when there is nothing happening, at which time it is not known what the person will ask; when someone comes to consult, the lesson is used to interpret the situation. Even if several days pass before the person comes to seek a divination, it is still interpreted according to the original day and time when the lesson was cast. This method is especially suitable for those working as assistants in the military government. Mr. Xu Meihuang often used the exact hour when casting lessons. He was often in the advisory position of the central government officials, and the master would ask questions several times a day. However, after noon, the divination results gradually became inaccurate. Mr. Xu realized that this was due to being restricted by the exact hour. Therefore, he would pre-cast a lesson and arrange it according to the exact hour. The next day, when the master came to ask, he would take out the previous lesson to interpret, and it was as if the echo responded immediately or the shadow followed exactly. From this, the profound mystery of the previous determination of the Six Rén was understood.

驗有大小。壬課之驗，各隨其人。如貧賤人占終身，得砧輪、斬關課首，其人是木匠。由此推之，思過半矣。

The effectiveness of a hexagram varies greatly. The method of verifying the outcome of the Six Rats (Liu Ren) divination depends on the person's status: the same hexagram pattern, when applied to different people, will produce outcomes of vastly different scales. For example, if a poor and lowly person asks about his whole life and receives a hexagram like Zhen Lun or Zhan Guan as the main one, he is likely to be a carpenter (Zhen and Zhan both symbolize axes and chisels). By following this approach, one can understand about half of it.

知鄰家多少。支之對沖為前鄰，地盤為後鄰，支之前為左鄰，後為右鄰。旺相則多，休囚則少，旬空則城居為街、鄉居為河。加以十二天將，並可以定鄰人家之休咎；其遠近第幾家，亦以五行定之，照定數目去。如青龍、天喜則婚姻，白虎、死神則死喪，朱雀、火鬼則火炎，元武、財空則失財之類。

To determine how many neighbors there are, the branch that conflicts with the day branch represents the opposite neighbor. The earth plate position is the neighbor behind. The branch before the day branch is the left neighbor, and the branch after is the right neighbor. If these positions are prosperous and strong, there are more neighbors; if they are weak and confined, there are fewer. If they are in the旬空 (empty period), the side where people live is a street, and the side where people don't live is a river (meaning there are no houses there). By combining the twelve heavenly generals, one can also determine the fortune, misfortune, and calamities of the neighboring households. As for the distance and which house it is, it is determined by the five phases, following the method explained earlier under 'deciding the number'. For example, if the neighbor's position has the azure dragon and heavenly joy, there will be good news and marriage; if it has the white tiger and death deity, there will be mourning; if it has the vermilion bird and fire ghost, there will be a fire; if it has the black tortoise and the wealth element is empty, there will be theft and loss of wealth. Other cases can be similarly inferred.

破。干支值破，主家破人亡，然須值官之人方可言之，平常人不可輕言。

Discussing the breaking (破). If the day stem and day branch are exactly the breaking god, it indicates the destruction of the family and the death of people. However, this statement is only applicable to those in official positions who have responsibilities, as they can bear such significant consequences. For ordinary people, one should not easily make such a judgment.

神煞。滄山先生書止有天馬、驛馬、謾語三神。滄山先生神煞俱不看，只看十二天將定矣。神將相生相剋，最為要緊。余謂吉凶既分，而略以神煞定其所掌之屬亦精細；但不可先排神煞以定吉凶，塞卻凶中靈機，況有一字而吉神惡煞共之者，更從何斷。

On the subject of divine omens, Xu Cangshan's writings only retain three divine omens: Heavenly Horse, Post-horse, and Mányǔ. In reality, Cangshan did not consider divine omens at all; he simply used the Twelve Heavenly Generals to make his judgment. The mutual generation and mutual control between the Supreme God and the Heavenly Generals are the most important. I believe: once the good and bad are clearly defined, it is not a mistake to use a few divine omens to determine the type of affairs they govern; but one must never first present a pile of divine omens to determine good or bad fortune, as this would block the slightest chance of transformation in bad fortune. Moreover, often the same character has both auspicious deities and malevolent omens coexisting. Then, from which side should one begin to make the judgment?

通用六壬。陳良模以一數斷數事，或伐代人占事，即以本人之數斷之，事無大小，只換類神年命以分吉凶，其後一一皆驗。陳元如占《易》，每以人終身課斷他日諸事，無有不中，莫知其所以然。今代人占事而亦用己數，斯愈奇矣。

The general method of the Six壬 (Six Changes) divination. Chen Liangmo used the same lesson number to predict several different matters, even when predicting for others, he still used his own lesson number to make the prediction. Whether the matter was big or small, he only changed the class spirits and the person's birth year and destiny to distinguish between good and bad fortune, and later all the predictions came true. Chen Yu ran his divination of the Yi (Book of Changes), often using a person's entire life lesson to predict various future events, and none of them failed, yet no one could explain the reason behind it. Now, when predicting for others while still using one's own lesson number, it is even more extraordinary.