Nine Treasures

甲己寅 乙庚申 丙辛戊癸巳 丁壬亥 子起巳順十二，福佑之神，乃一日之喜神也，課傳六處見之，能轉禍為福，化凶為吉。

"Day Stem Virtue" is also called "Day Virtue." It is determined based on the Day Stem: Jia and Ji days have their virtue in寅, Yi and Geng days have their virtue in申, Bing, Xin, Wu, and Gui days have their virtue in巳, and Ding and Ren days have their virtue in亥. The method of calculation starts from the Zi position and moves clockwise through the twelve earthly branches to determine it. Day Stem Virtue is a deity who bestows blessings and protection, and it is the auspicious deity of the day. If it appears in any of the six places—Four Lessons, Three Transmissions, and the person's own birth stem—it can transform misfortune into fortune and turn calamity into good fortune.

正丁二坤宮，三壬四辛同，五乾六甲上，七癸八寅逢，九丙十居乙，子巽丑庚中。主心慈好善。

The Heavenly Virtue is determined by the month: in the first month it is at Ding, in the second month at the Kun trigram (which corresponds to the position of Shen), in the third month at Ren, in the fourth month at Xin, in the fifth month at the Qian trigram (which corresponds to the position of Hai), in the sixth month at Jia, in the seventh month at Gui, in the eighth month at Yin, in the ninth month at Bing, in the tenth month at Yi, in the eleventh month (the Zi month) at the Xun trigram (which corresponds to the position of Si), and in the twelfth month (the Chou month) at Geng. The song includes the trigrams Kun, Qian, and Xun, which are used to refer to the branches Shen, Hai, and Si respectively. The Heavenly Virtue signifies a benevolent heart and a willingness to do good deeds.

寅午戌月丙，申子辰月壬，亥卯未月甲，巳酉丑月庚。上遁干見之，一月逢凶化吉。

The "Monthly Virtue" is determined by the Triple Harmony Formation of the month's Earthly Branch. For the months of寅, 午, and 戌, take 丙; for 申, 子, and 辰, take 壬; for 亥, 卯, and 未, take 甲; and for 巳, 酉, and 丑, take 庚. These are all the yang heavenly stems of their respective Triple Harmony Formations. Whenever this heavenly stem appears in the hidden heavenly stems on the pan, it brings the ability to turn misfortune into good fortune within that month.

寅午戌月辛，申子辰月丁，亥卯未月己，巳酉丑月乙，與月德同。

The "Monthly Virtue Combine" is the heavenly stem that combines with the "Monthly Virtue." For the months of寅, 午, and 戌, it is 辛 (which combines with 丙); for 申, 子, and 辰, it is 丁 (which combines with 壬); for 亥, 卯, and 未, it is 己 (which combines with 甲); and for 巳, 酉, and 丑, it is 乙 (which combines with 庚). Its function is the same as the "Monthly Virtue," also governing the transformation of misfortune into good fortune.

子丑合土，寅亥合木，卯戌合火，辰酉合金，巳申合水，午未合日月。一名六合，又名橫合。若干支互合，名同心合，婚事吉。凡事成合不脫。

"Branch Combination" refers to the pairing of the twelve Earthly Branches into six pairs: Zi combines with Chou to form earth, Yin combines with Hai to form wood, Mao combines with Xu to form fire, Chen combines with You to form metal, Si combines with Shen to form water, and Wu combines with Wei to form the sun and moon (Wu represents the sun and Wei represents the moon, they do not form another element). This is also called "Liu He" or "horizontal combination." If the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches also combine with each other, it is called "Heart Combination," which is most auspicious for marriage. Whenever branch combinations occur, they indicate gathering and success rather than dispersion.

甲己化土，乙庚化金，丙辛合水，丁壬合木，戊癸合火。遇六則合，遇五則化。五陽奇，五陰偶，陰配為夫婦，故凡事和合，一名五合。

" Heavenly Stems combination " refers to the pairing of the ten Heavenly Stems into five pairs: Jia combines with Ji to form earth, Yi combines with Geng to form metal, Bing combines with Xin to form water, Ding combines with Ren to form wood, and Wu combines with Gui to form fire. It is said that "when separated by six positions, they combine; when separated by five positions, they transform." This means that two stems combined at a distance of six positions form a combination, and at a distance of five positions, they transform into another element. Among the ten Heavenly Stems, five are yang stems (odd numbers) and five are yin stems (even numbers). A yin and yang stem pairing is like a husband and wife, so whenever there is a combination of stems, it signifies harmony and union. This is also called "Five Harmony."

申子辰合水，亥卯未合木，寅午戌合火，巳酉丑合金，三方作合會局，上了字生中一字，下一字主墓，主凡事湊合，外方相助，一名三角合，但主事成遲。

Triple Harmony refers to three branches combining to form a single pattern: Shen, Zi, and Chen form a Water pattern; Hai, Mao, and Wei form a Wood pattern; Yin, Wu, and Xu form a Fire pattern; and Si, You, and Chou form a Metal pattern. When three branches meet in one position to form a pattern, the first character is the Longsheng (growth) of the five elements of that pattern, the middle character is the Diwang (prosperity), and the last character is the Muku (storage). Triple Harmony indicates that things are accomplished through cooperation, with assistance from people from outside, hence it is also called 'Triangle Harmony'; however, it indicates that things are achieved slowly. The original text mistakenly wrote '上一字' as '上了字', and this is recorded as is without correction.

甲午、乙巳、丙辰、丁巳、戊寅、己丑、庚未、辛申、壬酉、癸戌。主意外遇合超遷。

"The Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch combination known as 'Gan Qi' consists of ten pairs formed by matching each of the ten Heavenly Stems with an Earthly Branch. When this combination appears in a divination chart, it signifies unexpected encounters and promotions to higher positions. The original arrangement follows the pattern of ascending Heavenly Stems and descending Earthly Branches, starting from Jiawu (甲午) and proceeding through Yisi (乙巳), Bingchen (丙辰), Dingsi (丁卯), Wuyin (戊寅), Jichou (己丑), Gengzi (庚子), Xinhai (辛亥), Renxu (壬戌), and Guiyou (癸酉). However, the combinations from Dingsi (丁巳) downwards do not conform to this pattern, and are likely errors introduced during copying. Here, we follow the original text as recorded, without adjusting according to the standard pattern."

子戌旬丑，申午旬子，辰寅旬亥。

The "Xun Qi" is determined based on the ten-day period it belongs to. The six ten-day periods are grouped into three sets: the Jiazi and Jiaxu periods have their odd deity in Chou; the Jiashen and Jiawu periods have their odd deity in Zi; the Jiachen and Jiayin periods have their odd deity in Hai. When divining, first determine which ten-day period the current day belongs to, then identify the palace where the odd deity of that period is located.

亥星精，子月精，丑日精。斗轉亥，鶴鳴子，雞鳴丑，日月星三光之精備，化凶為吉。

"Lianzhu Qi" refers to the consecutive Earthly Branches of Hai, Zi, and Chou forming a chain. Hai represents the essence of stars, Zi the essence of the moon, and Chou the essence of the sun; corresponding to the seasonal phenomena: the handle of the Big Dipper points to Hai, the phoenix cries at Zi time, and the rooster crows at Chou time. When these three branches appear together, it signifies the complete essence of the sun, moon, and stars, capable of transforming misfortune into good fortune.

天下乙丙丁，地下甲戊庚，人中壬癸辛。奇本忌空，要三傳全見，順為上，逆次，亂又次之。

The Three Marvels are divided into three groups: the heavenly Three Marvels are Yi, Bing, and Ding; the earthly Three Marvels are Jia, Wu, and Geng; and the human Three Marvels are Ren, Gui, and Xin (the original text reads 'heavenly' but is here transcribed as 'heavenly' as per the source). Originally, the Three Marvels are most忌 to fall into Kongwang, and all three characters must appear together in the Three Transmissions to be considered valid. If the three characters appear in the original order, it is the best; if they appear in reverse order, it is次; and if their order is mixed, it is the worst.

同干奇。入課傳有喜，動用有禮。同常冠冕、筵會、婚姻、賞賜。

The dry branch taken by "Gan Yi" is the same as that of "Gan Qi." It enters the four lessons and three transmissions, indicating good fortune. Any action taken is in accordance with propriety. It is of the same type as Tai Chang, governing matters such as ceremonial attire, banquets, marriage, and bestowals of titles or rewards.

子 丑 寅 卯 辰 巳 午 未 申 酉 戌 亥 午 巳 辰 卯 寅 丑 子 亥 戌 酉 申 未 禮儀之中，主喜慶之事，居同旬首作幕貴主高中。

"The 'Branch Symbols' is a chart: the upper row lists the twelve Earthly Branches, and the lower row lists the corresponding positions of the Branch Symbols for each branch. When matched one by one, they are as follows: Zi corresponds to Wu, Chou to Si, Yin to Chen, Mao to Mao, Chen to Yin, Si to Chou, Wu to Zi, Wei to Hai, Shen to Xu, You to You, Xu to Shen, and Hai to Wei. The two rows mirror each other exactly around the line passing through Mao and You. The Branch Symbols belong to the category of rituals and are associated with auspicious events; if they share the same palace as the beginning of a ten-day period, they can be considered 'Mugui,' which is favorable for success in imperial examinations."

甲子甲戌甲申甲午甲辰甲寅。六甲之首，主婚姻、喜慶、考試、冠軍。並忌刑害，主因喜起禍，忌空。

"The term 'Xun Yi' refers to the first day of each of the six ten-day periods, namely Jiazi, Jiaxu, Jiashen, Jiawu, Jiachen, and Jiayin. These are the first days of the six Jia cycles and are associated with marriage, celebrations, examinations, and achieving the top rank. However, they are most feared when accompanied by punishments or harmful influences, as such combinations can lead to misfortune instead of good fortune from joyful events. They are also feared when they fall into Kongwang."

甲 乙 丙 丁 戊 己 庚 辛 壬 癸 寅 卯 巳 午 巳 午 申 酉 亥 子 臨官之位，利仕宦食祿，入課傳顯榮，遇合養身之本，受命之源。

"Dry禄" refers to the official positions of the ten heavenly stems, corresponding as follows: Jia's禄 is in Yin, Yi's禄 is in Mao, Bing's禄 is in Si, Ding's禄 is in Wu, Wu's禄 is in Si, Ji's禄 is in Wu, Geng's禄 is in Shen, Xin's禄 is in You, Ren's禄 is in Hai, and Gui's禄 is in Zi. Wu and Ji, the two earth stems, have no inherent position and follow Bing and Ding respectively. The禄 position corresponds to "Officialdom" in the twelve long lives, indicating favorable conditions for holding an official post and receivingofficial stipend. If it appears in the four lessons and three transmissions, it signifies prominence and honor. If it also forms a harmonious combination, it represents the fundamental basis for establishing one's life and the source of receiving a mandate.

申子辰寅牡水，亥卯未巳牡木，寅午戌牡火，巳酉丑亥牡金。三合頭沖也。帶丁祿臨卯酉，名喜報神。助威迅捷，年月日時命上馬俱見，主大富貴。

"The 'Heavenly Horse' refers to the Post-horse. It is determined according to the Triple Harmony Formation: in the Water triad of Shen-Zi-Chen, the horse is in Yin; in the Wood triad of Hai-Mao-Wei, the horse is in Si; in the Fire triad of Yin-Wu-Xu, the horse is in Shen (the original text lacks the character 'Shen' here, but it is recorded as is); in the Metal triad of Si-You-Chou, the horse is in Hai. The principle behind this method is 'Triple Harmony Head Opposition'—taking the first character of the Triple Harmony (the Growth position) and using its opposing branch as the horse. If the Post-horse is accompanied by the Ding spirit and the禄神 (favorable official), and is located in the Mao or You position, it is called 'Joyful Divine Report'. The Post-horse signifies enhancement of power and swift movement; if the Heavenly Stem, Month Builder, Day Branch, hour, and personal destiny all contain the Post-horse, it indicates great wealth and honor."

正七午，二八戌，四十子，五十一寅，六十二辰。正月起午順數六陽神也。仕宦升遷，飛騰萬里，並貴名天使星。

The Heavenly Horse is determined by the month, with two months sharing one branch: the first and seventh months are in the branch Wu, the second and eighth in Shen, the third and ninth in Xu, the fourth and tenth in Zi, the fifth and eleventh in Yin, and the sixth and twelfth in Chen. The method of calculation starts from the first month with Wu, and proceeds in order through the six yang branches (Wu, Shen, Xu, Zi, Yin, Chen). The Heavenly Horse signifies official promotion and rapid advancement; if it is combined with the Nobleman, it is also called the Angel Star. The original text under 'two and eight' is carved as 'Xu' and omits the entry for 'three and nine Xu', which does not conform to the method of counting the six yang branches in order starting from the first month. This version is recorded as is, and when used, the correct method is to follow the order of the six yang branches.

即十干之長生，乃天地生氣，凡事有益，名學堂星，忌空克，名文星受制。

"The 'Heavenly Star' refers to the long life position of each of the ten heavenly stems, which is where the vital energy of heaven and earth originates. It is beneficial for any matter and is also called the 'Academy Star,' particularly valued in divination related to literature and examinations. It is most忌 to fall into Kongwang or be overcome. Once it falls into Kongwang or is overcome, it is called 'the Literary Star is restricted,' indicating obstacles in official rank and literary achievements."

即五行自旺之季，蓋五行自旺則氣盛之候也。諸事有氣，強盛生發。再同類相比，亦名比旺。

"Dryness and strength" refers to the seasons when each of the Five Phases is dominant—spring for wood, summer for fire, autumn for metal, winter for water, and the fourth month for earth. When the Five Phases encounter their dominant season, they are at their strongest, so all things have vitality, are vigorous, and can flourish. If they also meet similar phases that support them, this is called "mutual strength."

即每日陰陽二貴也。乃十干之貴氣也。

"Qian Gui" refers to the yang nobleman and yin nobleman paired each day, with their calculation methods shown in the earlier heaven yang nobleman and later heaven yin nobleman diagrams. It represents the noble aura inherent in each of the ten heavenly stems, being the most esteemed among the nine treasures.

以上九寶也，德合奇儀祿馬生旺貴，皆十干之吉煞，故曰寶。

The above is the "Nine Treasures," summarizing into nine categories: virtue, harmony, oddity, ceremony, officialdom, horse, birth, prosperity, and dignity (where virtue includes heavenly virtue, monthly virtue, heavenly virtue combine, and monthly virtue combine; harmony includes branch harmony, heavenly stem harmony, and triple harmony; and birth refers to heavenly stem stars). They are all auspicious stars associated with the ten heavenly stems, hence called "treasures."

一字刑名自刑，自相戕害也。二字刑名無禮刑，父子相賊也。三字刑名無恩刑，兄弟同類相傷也。

The Three Punishments are divided into three categories based on the number of characters involved. When a single character harms itself, it is called Self-Punishment (Zi Xing), such as Chen刑Chen, Wu刑Wu, You刑You, and Hai刑Hai, indicating self-inflicted harm. When two characters harm each other, it is called No Respect Punishment (Wu Li Xing), such as Zi and Mao harming each other, symbolizing mutual harm between father and son. When three characters harm each other in sequence, it is called No Mercy Punishment (Wu En Xing), such as Yin刑Si, Si刑Shen, Shen刑Yin; and Chou刑Xu, Xu刑Wei, Wei刑Chou, representing mutual harm among siblings of the same type.

甲沖庚，乙沖辛，丙沖壬，丁沖癸，戊己無沖，合逢沖則散，伏逢沖則動，空逢沖則起，吉事不宜沖，凶事宜沖。

"Dry Branches Clash" refers to the mutual control between heavenly stems that are seven positions apart: Jia clashes with Geng, Yi with Xin, Bing with Ren, and Ding with Gui. Wu and Ji are in the middle and belong to earth, so they do not clash. The effect of a clash is that what was originally harmonious becomes dispersed, what was latent becomes active, and what was empty becomes effective. Therefore, good events should not encounter a clash, while bad events may benefit from a clash.

子午卯酉之類，搖動反覆，解散變遷，分爭離異之神，一名斜沖，吉凶逢之皆變動散解，隔七位相沖，又名七煞。

"Branch opposition" refers to pairs such as Zi and Wu, Mao and You, totaling six pairs (Zi-Wu, Chou-Wei, Yin-Shen, Mao-You, Chen-Xu, Si-Hai). It is a divine force associated with movement, change, dispersion, and separation, also called "oblique opposition." Whether it is a favorable or unfavorable event, encountering it leads to change and dispersion. Since the two branches are seven positions apart, it is also called "seven evil."

午破卯，辰破丑，酉破子，戌破未，亥破寅，申破巳，主破碎解裂、改換不完，陽日前四，陰日後四，隔四位相破，人情不順，諸事虧缺，仕防虧空，又名破隔。

"Branch destruction" consists of six pairs:午 breaks 卯, 辰 breaks 丑, 酉 breaks 子, 戌 breaks 未, 亥 breaks 寅, and 申 breaks巳. It signifies fragmentation, disintegration, and change that prevents completeness. In terms of calculation, on a yang day, count forward four branches; on a yin day, count backward four branches. In all cases, the branches are four apart to form destruction. When encountering branch destruction, one's interpersonal relationships may be unsmooth, and various affairs may suffer losses and deficiencies. Officials should be cautious of financial losses in public funds. It is also called "broken separation."

子 丑 寅 卯 辰 申 酉 未 午 巳 辰 卯 亥 戌 主事阻抑不利，骨肉參商，直致相害，穿心可畏。一名穿心煞、怨恨煞。財物中心穿。

"Branch Harm" is also known as the Six Harm. A pair is formed when two lines face each other: Zi harms Wei, Chou harms Wu, Yin harms Si, Mao harms Chen, Chen harms Mao, Shen harms Hai, You harms Xu (the remaining pairs are the reverse of these, such as Wei harming Zi, Wu harming Chou, following the same pattern). It indicates obstacles and lack of smoothness in affairs, discord among close relatives, and direct harm, which is the most dangerous kind of "heart-piercing" danger. Therefore, it is also called "Heart-Piercing Evil" and "Resentment Evil." When this appears in a divination about property, it signifies that property is pierced through the middle and lost.

水土壬辛辰，火乙丙戌，金庚丁己丑，木甲癸未。辰戌為陽墓剛墓，丑未為陰墓柔墓，又辰未為晝墓，戌丑為夜墓，占者得夜墓臨日，自暗投明；晝墓臨夜，自明入暗。又三傳自生入墓，如人墮井中，呼天不應。病死賊獲，己不能去，行人不能來，凡事皆昏晦、閉塞、遲滯，五行葬地，伏沒之神，蒙閉之象也。

The "dry and branch墓" refers to the palace where each of the ten heavenly stems is buried. The Chen palace is the burial place for water and earth, where Ren and Xin stems are buried. The Xu palace is the burial place for fire, where Yi and Bing stems are buried. The Chou palace is the burial place for metal, where Geng, Ding, and Ji stems are buried. The Wei palace is the burial place for wood, where Jia and Gui stems are buried. Among the four burial palaces, Chen and Xu are yang palaces, called "yang墓" or "strong墓"; Chou and Wei are yin palaces, called "yin墓" or "soft墓". Additionally, Chen and Wei are called "day墓", while Xu and Chou are called "night墓". When a night墓 is on the day stem, it signifies moving from darkness to light; when a day墓 is on the night stem, it signifies moving from light to darkness. Furthermore, if the three transmissions proceed from the long life to the burial palace, it is like a person falling into a well, calling out without response. In such a case, if it is about illness, it indicates death; if about a thief, it indicates capture. The person cannot escape, and travelers cannot return. All matters become obscure, blocked, and delayed. The burial palace is the resting place of the five phases, representing a hidden and declining deity, symbolizing confusion and blockage.

甲 乙 丙 丁 戊 己 庚 辛 壬 癸 庚 辛 壬 癸 甲 乙 丙 丁 戊 己 陽見陽，陰見陰為鬼賊克之神，威制之敵也。陽見陽則爭，陰陽相見則相配。青龍為鬼，名紙錢煞，占病有祟，吉神帶鬼亦凶。

"The 'dry ghost' refers to the heavenly stem that overcomes the day stem. By comparing upper and lower stems, we find: Jia's ghost is Geng, Yi's ghost is Xin, Bing's ghost is Ren, Ding's ghost is Gui, Wu's ghost is Jia, Ji's ghost is Yi, Geng's ghost is Bing, Xin's ghost is Ding, Ren's ghost is Wu, and Gui's ghost is Ji. These are all heavenly stems of the same yin or yang that overcome each other. A yang stem encountering another yang stem or a yin stem encountering another yin stem is considered a ghost. It is a spirit that harms and attacks, a god of suppression and subjugation of enemies. Yang encountering yang indicates conflict; if a yin and a yang stem meet, it does not form a ghost but a harmonious pairing. If the Azure Dragon becomes an official ghost, it is called 'paper money evil spirit,' and in divination for illness, it indicates ghostly disturbances. Even if it is a benevolent deity, once it is associated with an official ghost, it becomes ominous."

日上鬼、干合鬼、死鬼、陰鬼、外鬼、害鬼、蛇鬼、六樣鬼、日陰鬼、穿宮鬼、黨鬼、敵鬼、金木水火土五鬼、沖鬼、馬鬼、日下鬼、支藏鬼、絕鬼、家鬼、破鬼、刃鬼、日支鬼、墓中鬼、行年鬼、貴鬼、旬鬼、客鬼、罡鬼、辰上鬼、納音鬼、邪鬼、正鬼、剛鬼、明鬼、暗鬼、厭鬼、本命鬼、三傳鬼、空鬼、真鬼、建鬼、虎鬼、旺鬼、丁鬼、假鬼、夜鬼、勾鬼、六合鬼、三合鬼、陽鬼、日鬼、刑鬼，以上鬼非一種，取其旺用者斷之。

Officials and ghosts vary in name according to their position and the accompanying deities. The original text lists over fifty different names. These can be roughly categorized into several types: those named according to position, such as day ghost, under-day ghost, day shade ghost, day branch ghost, hour ghost, three transmissions ghost, year ghost, birth ghost, penetrating palace ghost, family ghost, guest ghost, and outer ghost; those named according to their relationships, such as heavenly harmony ghost, harmful ghost, conflicting ghost, criminal ghost, breaking ghost, blade ghost, horse ghost, faction ghost, enemy ghost, and triple harmony ghost; those named according to their state, such as dead ghost, terminal ghost, buried ghost, strong ghost, empty ghost, ten-day ghost, establishment ghost, true ghost, and false ghost; those named according to the heavenly generals they ride, such as snake ghost, tiger ghost, hook ghost, six harmony ghost, noble ghost, and pole ghost; and those named according to the five elements and yin-yang brightness and darkness, such as the five ghosts of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, yin ghost, yang ghost, strong ghost, bright ghost, dark ghost, evil ghost, righteous ghost, night ghost, ding ghost, repelling ghost, nayin ghost, and branch hidden ghost. Although there are many names, their usage is simple: select the one that is currently strong and has been chosen as the main element, and use it for interpretation.

合而為我之友，剛柔相倚之義也；晝則為官府，夜為鬼神，見子孫則有救。身強不妨，有助不妨，鬼坐制不妨。鬼臨日干，身必難，看是何等鬼，以日干為主，三遁干為賓，只以所遁干鬼為重，餘鬼之名不一種，各以所臨、所伏、所帶、所乘而號其名，其吉凶則隨時、隨地、隨人、隨事取斷可也。

If the official ghost is in harmony with me, it becomes a friend instead, which follows the principle of mutual support between strong and weak forces. In terms of nature, if it is divined during the day, it represents government offices; if at night, it represents supernatural disturbances. As long as the son and grandson lines are present, there is a way out. Moreover, if the official ghost is strong on its own, or has helpers, or is seated in a position of being subdued, there is no problem. However, if the official ghost directly faces the day stem, the person will certainly face difficulties. At this time, we need to determine which type of ghost it is. The judgment should be based primarily on the day stem, with the heavenly, earthly, and human layers of hidden stems as secondary factors. Among these, the ghost formed by the hidden stem is the most significant. Other names for various ghosts are determined according to the palace they occupy, the place they are hidden in, the evils they carry, and the general they ride. The fortune or misfortune of these ghosts depends on the time, place, person, and situation, and should be judged flexibly accordingly.

鬼臨鬼上剋日，為攢眉煞，兩重不美。雙親鬼坐生旺地，戀生貪旺不來，過時仍來。臨制剋死絕不來，無路不來，遠於日干遲來。鬼下伏官，小人得助；官下伏鬼，受賄懷欺；鬼帶合，反覆進退；鬼多，有救不妨，要年命上有子孫。見合局，為鬼為黨，鬼煞必非一人。若生干上爻為全鬼化生，反凶為吉。

Official Ghosts overlapping again on top of Official Ghosts to attack the day stem are called "Cuan Mei Sha", which represents double pressure and is very bad. If Official Ghosts are seated in the Growth or Prosperity positions, they will be attracted to the flourishing and prosperous places and will not come immediately, but will come later. However, if they are located in positions that are controlled, attacked, or in death or decline, they will not come. Those with no way to proceed will not come, and those far from the day stem will come later. Now consider the relationship of hidden elements: if Official Ghosts are hidden beneath Official Stars, it indicates that small people are in power and have support; if Official Stars are hidden beneath Official Ghosts, it indicates bribery and deceit. If Official Ghosts are accompanied by a combination, it indicates that matters are fluctuating and uncertain. Although there may be many Official Ghosts, as long as there is a rescue, it is not a problem. The key is that the year pillar and the native's birth pillar should have the Son and Grandson Trigrams. If Official Ghosts form a Triple Harmony Formation, then many ghosts form a group, and the supernatural forces will definitely not be just one. If Official Ghosts instead go to nourish the Trigrams above the day stem, then all the ghosts will transform into Life Qi, turning bad into good.

甲 乙 丙 丁 戊 己 庚 辛 壬 癸 子 巳 卯 申 卯 申 午 亥 酉 寅 五行沐浴之神，主頹浪、費產、嫖賭。

"Dry decay" refers to the place where the ten heavenly stems are considered to be in decline. By comparing above and below, we find: Jia decays in Zi, Yi in Si, Bing in Mao, Ding in Shen, Wu in Mao, Ji in Shen, Geng in Wu, Xin in Hai, Ren in You, and Gui in Yin. This position corresponds to "bathing" in the twelve long lives, also known as the decaying qi. When this occurs, it indicates decline, recklessness, squandering of family property, and activities such as prostitution and gambling.

甲乙丙丁，丙丁戊己，戊己庚辛，庚辛壬癸，壬癸甲乙。名脫氣、盜神、洩氣、一名剝官，皆盜洩日干之氣。又名救神，制鬼，有鬼須尋制。

"The dry branch" refers to the heavenly stem that is born from the day stem. It is determined by pairing them as follows: Jia and Yi days are connected to Bing and Ding, Bing and Ding days are connected to Wu and Ji, Wu and Ji days are connected to Geng and Xin, Geng and Xin days are connected to Ren and Gui, and Ren and Gui days are connected to Jia and Yi. It is also called "depletion," "theft of spirit," "leak of energy," or "peeling official," because they all drain the energy of the day stem. However, it has another aspect: it is the son element, which can control the official ghost. Therefore, it is also called "savior deity." In any divination lesson that contains ghosts, one should look for methods of control here."

甲 乙 丙 丁 戊 己 庚 辛 壬 癸 申 酉 亥 子 亥 了 寅 卯 巳 午 斷絕之神，加生絕而復發，利結舊事。

"Dryness and Exhaustion" refers to the places where the Ten Heavenly Stems are at their weakest: Jia is exhausted in Shen, Yi in You, Bing in Hai, Ding in Zi, Wu in Hai, Ji in Zi (the original text had "Zi" but it was mistakenly carved as "Liao" due to similarity in form, and it is recorded as such here), Geng in Yin, Xin in Mao, Ren in Si, and Gui in Wu. Exhaustion signifies the deity of termination; if the place of exhaustion is overlaid with the position of Growth, it indicates revival after termination and a renewal of energy, which is favorable for concluding past matters.

甲 乙 丙 丁 戊 己 庚 辛 壬 癸 午 亥 酉 寅 亥 寅 子 巳 卯 申 十干無氣之神，百事不成，帶自刑主自盡。並二血見血光，並刑刃主兵死，帶蛇虎厭亦凶。

"Dead" is the dead position of the ten heavenly stems: Jia dies at Wu, Yi dies at Hai, Bing dies at You, Ding dies at Yin, Wu dies at Hai, Ji dies at Yin, Geng dies at Zi, Xin dies at Si, Ren dies at Mao, and Gui dies at Shen (according to the principle of fire and earth sharing the same palace, Wu's dead position should be You, but the original text says Hai, and this is recorded as is). "Dead" is a spirit of the heavenly stems without vitality; encountering it results in failure in all affairs. If it is accompanied by self-punishment, it indicates self-destruction; if it appears together with the two blood spirits, blood branch and blood taboo, it indicates a blood disaster; if it appears together with punishment and Yangren, it indicates death by weapons; if it is accompanied by Teng Snake, White Tiger, or Tianyan, it is also very凶.

空者，十干不到之地，孤虛之神也。一名天中煞。經曰：「空亡諸事慢對沖，必虛本位為孤虛。」加日干並華蓋、墓神，主占非孤即寡，非僧即道，陰為尼，陽為僧道。又主庶出孤寡無妻，故名孤寡煞。有數等空亡，逢沖好起遇合即就。

The term "Kongwang" refers to the two earthly branches that are not matched by any of the ten heavenly stems in a given set of ten stems and twelve branches. Since each set of ten stems is paired with twelve branches, two branches are left unmatched, making them the "solitary and empty" spirits, also known as "Tianzhong Sha." The classics state: "If something falls under Kongwang, all matters will be delayed; one should look at its opposite branch. Since the position is empty, it becomes solitary and empty." If Kongwang is combined with the day stem and also appears together with "Huagai" (a star indicating solitude and aloofness) and the "mushroom spirit," the person involved is either solitary or childless, or a monk or a Taoist. For women, it may indicate becoming a nun, and for men, becoming a monk or Taoist. It also signifies being庶出 (illegitimate), solitary, and childless, hence it is also called "Gugua Sha." Kongwang has several different levels (see details below). Generally, when it meets its opposite branch, it becomes empty again and reappears; when it meets a compatible branch, the matter can be resolved.

漏空 地下空亡名漏底空亡，主事無根底，空中樓閣，宜空手求謀，或過三甲六甲百日主有成，以衰旺酌論。或年命歲月時填實。 截空 初傳空破有為而被截住也。名曰斷首，主月內不成。中傳空名折腰，又名斷橋，凡事中間有變更、斷更復續，並漏底則無成。 遊空 即旬空，天上空亡也。出旬可望，年月太陽可填。

"Lei Kong": When the Kongwang falls on the Earth Plate, it is called "Loudi Kongwang," indicating that the matter being handled has no foundation, like a building in the air; in such cases, it is advisable to proceed without any prior preparation. If one can survive three Jia (thirty days), six Jia (sixty days), or one hundred days, the matter may still succeed, but the specific outcome should be determined by the strength and decline of the elements. The empty position can also be filled by the year pillar, birth year, Tai sui, month builder, or time of day. "Jie Kong": When the first transmission falls on Kongwang or is broken, the original intention is obstructed, which is called "Duan Shou," indicating that the matter cannot be completed within a month. When the middle transmission falls on Kongwang, it is called "Zheyao" or "Duanqiao," indicating that the matter undergoes changes midway, with interruptions and renewals. If this is combined with "Loudi Kongwang," the matter will definitely fail. "You Kong": This refers to the usual "Xun Kong" (decade empty), which belongs to the Heaven Plate's Kongwang. Once the current decade is over, there is hope, and the empty position can also be filled by the Tai sui, month builder, or the position of the Sun.

皆空 上下天地皆傾家蕩產，凡事莫追，了無一實。 究竟空 末傳空也，事無下稍，又名失尾，又名刖足，終不能行而少歸結。 無依空 日上空亡也。主無依告，空自出頭，較高親少力。 無家空 支上空亡也。孤獨無居，無妻子田產，或常出外，或賃居。

"Jie Kong": Both the Heaven Plate and Earth Plate fall into emptiness, indicating the loss of family fortune, and nothing worth pursuing remains. "Jing Li Kong": The Final Transmission falls into emptiness, meaning the matter has no conclusion, also called "Shi Wei" or "Yue Zu" (the punishment of cutting off the feet), ultimately unable to move forward with little resolution. "Wu Yi Kong": The Day Stem falls into emptiness, indicating no place to rely on or seek help, being exposed without support, even though attaching oneself to a prominent family may not bring any benefit. "Wu Jia Kong": The Day Branch falls into emptiness, indicating being alone without a place to settle, lacking wife, children, land, or property, or being away from home for a long time, or living in rented housing.

孤鴻空 初末兩傳空也，事無頭尾，憑中作主。 虛聲空 正時入空也。凡事有名無實，有心無意，指空說空。 孤虛空 凡年月日時前一位為孤，後一位為寡，對沖為虛，行兵宜擊。

"Lonely Wild Goose Void": The first and final transmissions both fall into void, leaving only the middle transmission. The matter has neither beginning nor end, and can only be decided by the middle transmission. "Empty Sound Void": The correct time of the divination falls into the void, so all matters are empty in reality, with no real intention. What is said is all empty talk. "Lonely Void": Whenever the master year, month builder, day branch, or hour is used as a reference, the one before it is called "lonely," the one after is called "few," and the one directly opposite is called "empty." These three positions are important to military strategists, and in military operations, it is advisable to attack from the empty position.

退茹空 反急宜進步，即可求退，則入空亡矣。 進茹空 急宜退步，若再求進，則入空亡矣。 真空 春土夏金夥木冬火，乃五行絕地，諸事不宜。

"The Retreat into Void": When the three transmissions form a continuous and retreating pattern, one should instead act swiftly and advance; if one follows the trend of retreating, one will retreat into the void. "The Advance into Void": When the three transmissions form a continuous and advancing pattern, one should instead retreat quickly; if one continues to advance, one will enter the void. These two principles indicate that the trends of advancing and retreating are opposite to the void, and one should look at them in reverse. "True Void": The earth in spring, the metal in summer, the wood in autumn, and the fire in winter are all the dead places of the five elements, which are the true voids, and nothing auspicious should be done (the original text mistakenly wrote "伙木" for "秋木", which is similar in appearance and is now corrected).

以上八煞也。刑沖破害墓鬼廢空，為八煞。與九寶皆斷法所必需也。

The above is the "Eight Evils," which can be summarized as crime, collision, destruction, harm, tomb, ghost, waste, and emptiness (among which waste includes dry failure, dry loss, dry depletion, and dry death, and emptiness includes the various types of kongwang mentioned above). Just like the Nine Treasures, the Eight Evils are essential tools for divination.

神煞類神猶如散錢，以遁干貫之，方有用耳。凡欲知來情，諸書皆以發用初傳上所乘之神測其事類，為來意，參日干生克詳之。如我生為子，生我為父，克我為鬼，我克為財，比肩為兄弟朋友。若旺而有氣，必有所行之事而來矣。看所乘之神，細分其事類，即知為何事也。如休囚無氣，必是來占一物，則看月將為何類之物。蓋將主遁，神主事也。主物則以神為形貌，干為顏色也。主事又看旺用生比日干者為吉事，克洩日干者為凶事也。

The concepts of divine omens and their categories are like scattered coins; they are only useful when tied together by the method of hidden stems. When trying to determine the nature of a person's inquiry, all schools of壬 (Rén) divination use the initial transmission and the divine spirit riding on it to determine the type of matter involved, treating it as the main subject. Then they combine this with the relationship between the day stem and other elements to further analyze. The classification of the Six Relations is as follows: what I generate is my descendants, what generates me is my parents, what controls me is official ghosts, what I control is wife and wealth, and what is similar to me is brothers and friends. If this character is strong and has vitality, the person is likely coming about an ongoing matter; by examining the divine spirit riding on it, we can determine the specific category of the matter, thus knowing what the question is about. If it is weak and confined, then the person is likely inquiring about an object. In such cases, we look at the month general to determine the category of the object. Because the month general is associated with the hidden stem, and the divine spirit determines the matter. When inquiring about objects, the divine spirit determines the form and the heavenly stem determines the color. When inquiring about matters, we then look at the strong and active element: if it nourishes the day stem or is similar to it, it indicates a favorable matter; if it controls or drains the day stem, it indicates an unfavorable matter.

故凡占來意，全責初傳，初傳乃人心之開、意之萌、事之始也。又四課之間，日辰各有陽神，陽神之上各有陰神，陰神乃事之背後幽隱之處也。即三傳內初傳之陰，即中傳，中傳之陰即末傳也。因而事之初中末可究，故陰神與陽神相生比者，其事成。若陰神克陽神者，其事不成。陰神陽神兩相摩蕩者，此法是也。觀其立課傳之旨，知其陰神為最重矣。不然何以初傳之成敗主變易於中傳，中傳之成敗變易於末傳哉？是故陽神之吉，惟恐陰神之凶；陽神之凶，專望陰神之吉。即行年本命皆取陰陽並看，故經曰：「欲知其隱，必觀其陰。」是也。

Therefore, when divining the intention of a matter, the focus is entirely on the first transmission, because the first transmission represents the moment when human thoughts first arise and the matter first begins. Looking at the four lessons: the day stem and day branch each have a yang spirit, and above each yang spirit is a yin spirit, which represents the hidden and subtle aspects behind the matter. In the three transmissions, the yin spirit of the first transmission is the middle transmission, and the yin spirit of the middle transmission is the final transmission. Thus, the beginning, middle, and end of the matter can be investigated. Therefore, when the yin spirit and yang spirit are in mutual generation, the matter can succeed; when the yin spirit overcomes the yang spirit, the matter will fail. The phrase "the mutual interaction between yin and yang spirits" refers to this method. By examining the intention behind the establishment of the four lessons and three transmissions, one can see that the yin spirit is most important. Otherwise, why would the success or failure of the first transmission change in the middle transmission, and the success or failure of the middle transmission change in the final transmission? Therefore, when the yang spirit is auspicious, the most feared thing is a凶 yin spirit; when the yang spirit is inauspicious, one hopes for a auspicious yin spirit. Even the year of birth and the native's destiny must be considered from both yin and yang perspectives. Therefore, the classic says: "To understand hidden circumstances, one must look at the yin spirit."

然凡看一字，須看所遁之干為緊。遁干乃活動能變遷其事之凶吉，而其事乃實干能制支、動能制靜所必然也。既得其來情，首看神上所遁之干，次看末傳神將所遇之時，次看所臨之地，次看神將所得之陰神，合而細詳之，得以遁干論。如初傳在日上兩課，則為己身之事，在辰上兩課發用則為他人之事也。經曰：「日上發用己事論，日陰從我事相尋。辰上動時占別人，陰伏小口定災迍。」

However, when examining any character, the most important thing is to look at the heavenly stem it represents. The hidden heavenly stem is dynamic, capable of causing changes in the fortune's auspiciousness or inauspiciousness. The reason things can be resolved is because the heavenly stem can control the earthly branch, and movement can control stillness, which is a natural law. Once the origin is known, the first step is to examine the heavenly stem hidden in the noble spirit. The second step is to look at the time when the noble spirit's heavenly general meets the final transmission. The third step is to consider the earthly plate palace it is in. The fourth step is to examine the yin spirit paired with the noble spirit's heavenly general. By combining these details carefully, the final judgment should be based on the hidden heavenly stem. If the initial transmission is in the day stem's two lessons, it refers to one's own affairs. If the initial transmission is in the day branch's two lessons and initiates the action, it refers to others' affairs. The classic says: "If the initial transmission initiates the action on the day stem, it concerns one's own affairs; if the yin spirit on the day stem follows me, follow it to find the origin of the matter. If the action initiates on the day branch, it concerns others; if there is an obstruction in the hidden place of the yin spirit, children and young people will surely suffer misfortune."

故凡陽神之剋日干者，是官鬼臨身。若陰神乃克陽神，則陰神為子孫爻，定是子孫為主，官鬼不能害，故有鬼須尋救也。若仕宦人不忌官鬼，官為爵位，鬼為威權，反忌子孫剝官。又忌子孫克洩青龍祿神。

Therefore, whenever a yang spirit controls the day stem, it is considered that the official ghost is present. At this time, if a yin spirit can control the yang spirit, then the yin spirit is the son and grandson hexagram, and the matter should be governed by the son and grandson hexagram, so the official ghost cannot harm me—thus, when there is a ghost, one must seek salvation. However, this must be differentiated: officials do not mind the official ghost, because the official represents rank and the ghost represents authority; for them, it is actually the son and grandson hexagram that they fear, as it may take away their position. They also fear the son and grandson hexagram to control and drain the azure dragon and the禄神 (the禄神 represents salary).

又如陰神生日干者，是父母臨身。若陰神克陽神則陰神為妻財，定是妻財為主，占父母病則凶。又如陽神為日干所生，是子孫臨身矣。若陰神克陽神則陰神為父母，定知父母為主，占子孫為凶。又如陽神與日干比者，是兄弟臨身，若陰神克陽神則陰神為官鬼，定是官鬼為主，占妻病亦凶，占財亦有分奪，其辰上陰神陽神與日上陰陽同例看，則兩邊之情事得矣。

Now let's give a few more examples. If the Yang spirit is the Day Stem, then the parents are present; at this time, if the Yin spirit overcomes the Yang spirit, the Yin spirit is the wife and wealth hexagram, and the matter is determined by the wife and wealth hexagram, which is ominous when predicting the parents' illness (wealth can overcome parents). If the Yang spirit is generated by the Day Stem, then the children are present; at this time, if the Yin spirit overcomes the Yang spirit, the Yin spirit is the official and ghost hexagram, and the matter is determined by the official and ghost hexagram, which is ominous when predicting the children's illness or when predicting property, as it may be taken away (brothers steal wealth). If the Yang spirit is of the same type and harmonious with the Day Stem, then the brothers are present; at this time, if the Yin spirit overcomes the Yang spirit, the Yin spirit is the official and ghost hexagram, and the matter is determined by the official and ghost hexagram, which is ominous when predicting the wife's illness or when predicting property, as it may be taken away by others (brothers steal wealth). The Yin and Yang spirits on the Day Branch are analyzed in the same way as on the Day Stem, so both sides can be understood.

若又占己身之事，則以辰上陰陽為我事之情形，與日干參看。蓋辰上陰陽，皆占我與他人相涉之事，假如甲子日辰上兩課發用，是水將土神，水將生甲為父母，乃乘土神，又克水神，若水旺則主父母官位事，水相則主父母財喜事，若水休囚則主父母失財物事。蓋將為六親，神為事也。

If the divination is about oneself, then the yin and yang deities on the day branch are taken as the situation concerning oneself, and they are combined with the day stem for reference; because the yin and yang on the day branch represent matters involving oneself and others. For example, on a Jiazi day, the two lessons on the day branch with their initiating transmission are riding on a water general and a soil divine. The water general can generate Jia wood, so it represents parents; but since it is riding on the soil divine, the soil divine in turn restrains the water. At this point, we look at the strength of the water: if water is strong, it indicates matters concerning the official position of the parents; if water is in the phase of prosperity, it indicates matters concerning the parents' wealth and good fortune; if water is weak and confined, it indicates matters concerning the loss of the parents' wealth. The general principle is: the month general represents the identity of the six relations, and the noble divine represents the nature of the matter.

又如甲木兄弟太沖木將為用，乘土神，則為兄弟財物事。又孟為長，仲為次，又為等輩，季為幼輩，又將旺為壯少，休囚為老。又與日干三合為親，不合為疏，如上法推占來意，決無差誤。再看六處遁干孰旺孰衰，旺而生比日干則與我為吉，旺而克洩日干則與我為凶，而吉凶判矣。

Another example: On a day with the stem Jia (wood), wood is considered as the brother. If the heavenly general Taichong (Mao, wood) is used, and it is accompanied by a noble spirit of earth, then wood overcomes earth, which represents wealth. This indicates matters related to brothers and wealth. To determine the generation or rank, look at the four beginning, middle, and end seasons:寅,申,巳,亥 are the beginning seasons, indicating elders or the eldest; 子,午,卯,酉 are the middle seasons, indicating the next generation or peers; 辰,戌,丑,未 are the end seasons, indicating younger generations. Also, determine the age by the strength of the heavenly general: a strong one indicates youth or middle age, while a weak and confined one indicates old age. To determine closeness or distance, check if the heavenly general forms a triple harmony with the day stem: those that form a triple harmony are close relatives, while those that do not are distant. By following these methods, the meaning can be accurately determined. Finally, examine the six hidden stems to see which are strong and which are weak: if they are strong and generate or are similar to me, it is favorable; if they are strong and overcome or drain me, it is unfavorable. Thus, the favorable and unfavorable outcomes are clearly determined.