Chapter 100 on Measles and Scrofula

平時而問男女何時出花鬼，鬼爻為用，鬼爻靜者逢值逢沖，鬼爻動者逢值逢合，鬼衰逢生旺之年，鬼旺鬼多逢墓庫之歲。鬼空鬼破填實之時，鬼若伏藏出現之歲。出花而問吉凶，卦忌六沖兼忌子孫化鬼及鬼化子孫，父化子孫、子孫化父、子孫伏而空破，皆非吉兆。

When predicting the time for family members to contract smallpox, the 'Official Ghost'爻 is used as the 'Useful God'. If the ghost爻 is still, the illness should occur in the year or month that matches it or conflicts with it. If the ghost爻 is active, the illness should occur in the year or month that matches it or harmonizes with it. If the ghost爻 is weak, the illness should occur in the year when it gains strength. If the ghost爻 is strong or appears multiple times in the卦, the illness should occur in the year when it enters its storage. If the ghost爻 falls into the旬空 or is broken by the month, the illness should occur when the vacancy is filled or the break is resolved. If the ghost爻 is hidden and not in the upper trigram, the illness should occur in the year when it appears. If the person has already had smallpox and the question is about fortune, the卦 should avoid 'Six Clashes', as well as 'Children' transforming into 'Official Ghost' and 'Official Ghost' transforming into 'Children'. 'Parents' transforming into 'Children', 'Children' transforming into 'Parents', and 'Children' being hidden and encountering vacancy or month break are all bad signs.

問花之密者，鬼動而臨日月及動爻生扶，花必稠密，如值空破休囚墓絕，痘必來朗。鬼動乾宮，多生頭上。鬼搖坤卦，腹上多叢。艮宮多於手，兌宮多於口，坎離上身，震巽下身。火鬼其色紅紫，金鬼其色虛白，水鬼頌防痘，木鬼雜細，土鬼腫大。以上四條，分占四卦，不可一卦而斷之，大抵全在子孫爻也。子孫臨日月及日月動爻相生，動而化吉不受刑傷沖剋，爻不亂動，花中密以全生，痘雖暗仍收功。

When asking about whether the rash will appear sparse or dense: if the ghost line is activated and also approaches the day branch and month builder, or receives support from a moving line, the rash will definitely be dense. If the ghost line is empty, broken, weak and confined, entering the tomb, or at the end of its cycle, the rash will be sparse. If the ghost line moves in the Qian trigram, the rash will mostly appear on the head; if it moves in the Kun trigram, it will mostly appear on the abdomen; if it moves in the Gen trigram, it will mostly appear on the hands; if it moves in the Dui trigram, it will mostly appear on the mouth. The Can and Li trigrams indicate the upper body, while the Zhen and Xun trigrams indicate the lower body. Rashes caused by fire ghosts will be red and purple, those caused by metal ghosts will be pale and white, those caused by water ghosts are most dangerous. Those caused by wood ghosts will be mixed and fine, and those caused by earth ghosts will be swollen and large. The above four aspects regarding the timing of the rash, its fortune or misfortune, its density, and its location should be analyzed separately for each trigram, and not be combined into one interpretation. The main key lies in the "children" line. If the children line approaches the day branch and month builder, or receives support from the day and month moving lines, and if it is activated and transforms into a good spirit, not being harmed by punishments, conflicts, or attacks, and if all other lines in the卦 are not chaotic, then even if the rash is dense, the life can be preserved, and even if the rash color is dark, it will eventually recover.

火屬心經，發熱咽乾口燥。水歸腎部，惡寒盜汁遺精。金肺、木肝、土為病歸脾胃。衰輕旺重，動則牽連身軀，騰蛇心驚，青龍則酒色過度，勾陳腫脹，朱雀則言語顛狂，白虎有損傷，女子則血崩血暈。元武憂鬱，男人則陰症臨虛。

If the ghost爻 is of the fire element, the illness affects the heart meridian, with symptoms such as fever, dry throat, and dry mouth; if it is of the water element, the illness affects the kidney, with symptoms such as fear of cold, night sweats, and seminal emission; if it is of the metal element, the illness affects the lungs; if it is of the wood element, the illness affects the liver; if it is of the earth element, the illness affects the spleen and stomach. A weak ghost爻 indicates a mild illness, while a strong ghost爻 indicates a severe illness, and once it is activated, it may affect the whole body. Further, by referring to the Six Spirits, if the ghost爻 is accompanied by the snake, it indicates heart palpitations; if accompanied by the azure dragon, it indicates excessive indulgence in alcohol and sexual activities; if accompanied by the hook star, it indicates swelling; if accompanied by the vermilion bird, it indicates mental disturbances; if accompanied by the white tiger, it indicates injuries from falls or blows, and in women, it may cause uterine bleeding or fainting due to blood loss; if accompanied by the black tortoise, it indicates depression, and in men, it may indicate yin deficiency.

野鶴曰：此乃黃金策占疾病之首論也，餘以為之撞門槌，對俗人而言，不得不以此而斷之。若知分占之法，另占一卦以定吉凶，庶有後驗，若即以此卦，兼斷其生死者，如若有靈，吾不信也。要知來人而問病，有何所犯？何以治癒？及問吉凶何如？我且以發寒發熱而妄猜，而病人不得趨避之旨，問卦何益？今見此章，單言病症，並不言及何法治之，如果心經發熱，來人豈不知也？請問治其熱者是何法也？無益之論，故書刪之。

The Wild Crane Elder said: The above passage is the general introduction to the section on disease divination in The Golden Strategies. In my opinion, it is nothing more than a door-knocking hammer -- for the sake of those who do not understand the principles of divination, one must first use it to say a few words to make the occasion appropriate. If one understands the method of 'divination by separate matters,' then one should start a new divination to determine fortune and misfortune, and only then will the prediction be accurate in the future. If one uses this divination to predict both the illness and the fate of life and death, I do not believe it can be reliable. One must know that when people ask about illness, they are asking what they have offended, how they can be cured, and what the fortune or misfortune will be. However, if I merely guess at their fever or chills without knowing the cause, the sick person will not receive any advice on how to avoid misfortune and bring good luck. Then, what use is this divination? Now, looking at this chapter, it only explains what illness it is, but does not explain how to treat it. If someone really has a fever in the heart, wouldn't they themselves know? Then, how should this fever be treated? This is a useless discussion, so this section has been deleted from the book.

余嘗以來人問病，先命占其吉凶，卦得吉者，許之調理即愈，不必服藥求神，卦得凶者，命之延醫，卦得鬼動克用神者，命之再占，或占家宅、或占墳墓、務必求其是何所犯？何法治之？庶不負來人之問也。

When I meet someone who comes to ask about their illness, I always first ask them to cast a divination to determine if it is auspicious or not. If the divination shows an auspicious result, I tell them to take their time and adjust their condition naturally, without needing medicine or to consult a deity. If the divination shows an inauspicious result, I advise them to seek a doctor immediately. If in the divination the "Official Ghost" is activated and is coming to overcome the "Useful God," I tell them to cast another divination, either about their home or their tomb, to find out exactly what is conflicting and what method should be used to resolve it. In this way, I do not waste the effort of the person who came to ask the question.

凡占鬼神，卦中鬼值休囚及空破墓絕，非鬼神之害也。官鬼屬金旺相者，武神及西方之神。休囚者，刀劍身之鬼。鬼臨木者，旺則文神及東方之神。衰則倚草附木之妖，或是刑杖懸樑之鬼。水為河海及北方之神，休囚者池井江湖水死之鬼。火鬼火神及雷公電母窯之神，休囚者湯火焚燒之鬼也。土鬼土神及中央之朝及掌管山川社稷之神，休囚者牆倒屋塌土死之鬼。

When divining about ghosts or spirits causing trouble, if the "Official Ghost" in the hexagram is in a prosperous and strong state, or falls into an empty position, is broken, enters a tomb, or reaches its end, then it is not the ghosts or spirits causing harm. If the Official Ghost belongs to metal and is prosperous and strong, it represents the martial deity and deities of the west; if it is weak and confined, it represents ghosts who died by sword or knife. If the Official Ghost belongs to wood and is prosperous and strong, it represents the literary deity and deities of the east; if it is weak and confined, it represents spirits that attach themselves to plants and trees, or ghosts who died by being beaten with sticks or hanging themselves. If the Official Ghost belongs to water and is prosperous and strong, it represents deities of rivers, lakes, and seas and the deities of the north; if it is weak and confined, it represents water ghosts who died in pools, wells, rivers, or lakes. If the Official Ghost belongs to fire and is prosperous and strong, it represents fire deities, the thunder god, the lightning goddess, and the kiln deity; if it is weak and confined, it represents ghosts who died from being scalded by boiling water or burned by intense fire. If the Official Ghost belongs to earth and is prosperous and strong, it represents earth deities, the central deity, and deities in charge of mountains, rivers, states, and territories; if it is weak and confined, it represents earth ghosts who died from being crushed by collapsing walls or falling houses.

古以金木水火土各有其神，即如金官者，謂之天將闢公金剛伍公嶽公等神，餘以為非武神者不可，書斷之神也有敕卦者有來卦者，各方土俗不同，書之未載者更多，何得各朝而祭之？須問病人或於某武神朝中許願信而未還？或於何朝城穢汙作踐？心有所疑者，指其神而占之，鬼爻或旺或動，是此神也。如不上卦，再占他處之神可也。鬼值木火水土者，皆用此法，得罪於正神者，香花紙馬祭之。勾惹邪祟之鬼者，用漿紙錢夜靜之時金鬼者向西送之，水鬼者向北送之，餘仿此。

Ancient people assigned each of the five elements, metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, to a specific deity. For example, the metal trigram is associated with the Official Ghost, and it is said to represent deities such as the Heavenly General, the Commander, the Jade General, Wu Gong, and Yu Gong. I think it is sufficient to determine that it belongs to the category of martial deities without specifying which particular deity it is. Some deities listed in the books are officially enshrined by the imperial court, while others are worshipped by the people from time immemorial. Since local customs differ, there are even more deities not mentioned in the books. How could one possibly visit every temple to worship them all? One should ask the patient: Did they make a vow at a particular temple of martial deities and not fulfill it? Or did they defile the temple in some way? If they have a suspicion about a particular place, then that deity should be used for divination. If the ghost trigram is strong or active, then that deity is the one. If that trigram does not appear in the hexagram, then another deity should be consulted. If the ghost trigram belongs to wood, fire, water, or earth, the same method applies. If one has offended a proper deity, offerings of incense, flowers, paper money, and horses should be made for worship. If one has attracted malevolent spirits or wild ghosts, then one should use rice water and paper money to send them away at night when it is quiet. The metal ghost should be sent west, the water ghost north, and so on for the others.

野鶴曰：凡得時災瘟癖，照此法而祭送者，余屢驗之。倘係瘋癆氣蠱，既失調於前，酒色傷身，又失慎重於後，與鬼神何干？發之送之皆無益矣，惟節飽食、遠色慾、息氣養神，其病自減。余遊遍江湖，曾至黔蜀粵，見其病不服藥，專祭祀鬼神，先用三牲五牲，後至殺牛宰馬一次不愈，甚至二三十次，因病致窮者多矣，殊不知害他命而救命，其罪愈彰，所以屢見割性命之多者，終不能救其死，可不戒與？今下路讀書人亦信此邪神者，餘實不解。神農當百草遺救生靈，未聞有何聖賢，教人宰牲命以救命也。

The Wild Crane Elder said: Whenever people suffer from epidemic diseases such as the plague, they should follow the method mentioned above to worship and send away the illness. I have tried this many times and it has always worked. However, if someone suffers from serious illnesses such as madness, tuberculosis, edema, or chest oppression—these conditions result from improper care in the past, such as indulgence in alcohol and women, and then not being cautious afterwards—then what has this to do with ghosts and spirits? Whether you send them away or drive them off, it is of no use. Only by controlling diet, avoiding women, calming the liver fire, and resting the mind can the illness gradually improve. I have traveled through the countryside, visited Guizhou, Sichuan, and Guangdong, and saw that people there refuse to take medicine when they are sick and instead only worship ghosts and spirits. At first they use three or five animals as offerings, and later they even kill cattle and horses. If one offering does not work, they do it twenty or thirty times. Many people have spent all their wealth because of this. They do not realize that by taking another's life to save their own, their wrongdoing becomes even more evident. Therefore, I have often seen that the families who kill the most animals in the end cannot save even one life. How can this not serve as a warning? Now even scholars from the lower river regions believe in these false gods. I really cannot understand this. Shen Nong tasted hundreds of herbs and left behind formulas to save lives. There is no record of any sage teaching people to kill animals to save human lives.

李我平日：易冒以鬼臨金者為關公，嶽王補遺，又以青龍神為寺亭候第，不知關公之前，金鬼與青龍，是何神也？又曰祭者降之以福，不祭者降災，豈非邪神與？正直之神豈能為此事？此書前後無一不合於理，獨此疾病章中，亦言鬼神之事，餘實不服，因今人問病，開口先問鬼神，不得不從俗耳，智者察之。

Li Woping says: "The book 'Venturing into the Changes' says that a ghost爻 (ghost element) over metal is associated with Guan Gong and Yue Wang. The 'Supplement to The Complete Book of Divination' says that the Azure Dragon is Han Shou Ting Hou. So I wonder, before Guan Gong was born, which deity is represented by the ghost爻 over metal and the Azure Dragon? The book also says that worshiping him brings blessings, but not worshiping him brings calamity. Doesn't this make him a demon? How can a righteous deity do such things? This book has no place that is unreasonable, but in the chapter on illness, it also talks about ghosts and spirits. I can't accept this. It's only because nowadays people ask about illness by first asking if they have collided with ghosts or spirits, so the author had to follow the common belief. Those who understand things clearly can judge for themselves."

野鶴曰：有人而問余日，問卜以求神延醫而服藥，有是理乎？余曰：若無此理，伏羲書卦，神農嘗藥，作何事耶？彼曰：然則又有不能救者，何也？余曰：有根者可以救之，無根者則不能也。人之星辰過宮或是交運脫運，謂之移花接木之年，移其有根之花木者，上則遮蓋，下宜澆溉則活矣，不洗不溉，見日則枯，服藥求神者即此意也。若使無根之木無蒂之花，雖澆雖蓋，亦無用矣。

The Wild Crane Elder said: Someone asked me, is there really a reason to rely on divination, pray to gods, and take medicine and drugs? I answered: If there is no such reason, then what was Fuxi doing when he drew the Eight Trigrams and started divination, or what was Shen Nong doing when he tasted hundreds of herbs and started medicine? That person then asked again: If there is indeed a reason, why are there still people who cannot be saved? I said: Those with roots can be saved, but those without roots cannot be saved. When a person's destiny stars move through the palace, or when they are exactly at the time of changing fortune, the diviners call this the "year of grafting a flower onto a tree." If you transplant a tree with roots, you cover it from above to keep it from the sun, and water it from below, then it will live. But if you neither water nor cover it, and it is exposed to the sun, it will wither and die — taking medicine and praying to gods is exactly this meaning. If the original is a tree without roots or a flower without a stem, even if you water and cover it, it will still be of no use.

自占求醫，應爻為醫人，代六親而求醫者，亦以應為醫人。鬼作憂神休妄動，福為喜悅而生扶。自占代占，鬼雖憂疑之神也，若持世及動於卦中，得子孫動而制之，此醫可請，手到成功。若得子孫臨應爻者乃明醫也，其故何也？子孫乃制鬼之神，非真正能制法魔之鬼也，乃先去憂神，我無優也。

When one divines for oneself to consult a doctor, the "Response Line" represents the doctor. When divining for others, the same applies—the "Response Line" still represents the doctor. The "Official Ghost" is the spirit of worry, and it should not be disturbed. The "Children" are the spirits of happiness, and they are most desirable when they generate and support. Whether divining for oneself or for others, although the "Official Ghost" is merely a spirit of worry, if it holds the world line or becomes active in the hexagram, then if the "Children" become active and control it, the doctor can be summoned, and the illness will be cured immediately. If the "Children" are exactly on the "Response Line," then it is an even more excellent doctor. Why is this so? The "Children" are the spirits that control the "Official Ghost," but they are not actually able to subdue demons or ghosts. They simply help to remove the spirit of worry from my mind, and thus my mind is no longer worried.

應作醫人，不宜空破墓絕。應爻空破墓絕休囚衰弱，或旺相而被日月動爻沖剋，或動而化鬼化絕化回頭克，藥不見效。子孫制鬼，最喜旺相生扶。子孫臨在應或發動於卦中亦要旺相，不受刑沖剋害破墓絕空，藥必見效。子動化鬼化克，其藥不精，子動化空實空之日有效。子動化生化旺化進神者，其藥更靈。古以子動化子孫，其藥必雜，非也，子動化子孫而旺相者另改藥品，即比仙丹。

The response line is regarded as a doctor, so it should not fall into emptiness, be broken, enter a tomb, or reach its end. If the response line falls into emptiness, is broken, enters a tomb, reaches its end, or is weak and confined, or although prosperous and strong it is clashed or controlled by the day branch, month builder, or moving line, or if it moves and transforms into official ghost, transformation into end, or transformation into self-clash, then the medicine taken will not be effective. The children line can control the official ghost, and it is most favorable when it is prosperous and strong with support. Whether the children line is sitting on the response line or is active within the hexagram, it should be prosperous and strong, not subjected to punishment, clash, control, or harm, nor encounter breaking, tomb, end, or emptiness, then the medicine will certainly be effective. If the children line moves and transforms into official ghost or transforms into self-clash, the medicine is not refined; if the children line moves and transforms into emptiness, it will be effective only on the day when the旬空 is filled. If the children line moves and transforms into generation, prosperity, or advancing god, the medicine will be even more effective. Ancient people said that if the children line moves and transforms into children, the medicine must be mixed, but this is incorrect. If the children line moves and transforms into children and is prosperous and strong, it is like changing to another medicine, which is just like a divine pill.

醫克用爻近病即愈。自占病，應爻克世者制我之病也，應爻克用神亦如此斷。惟不宜乎久病及體弱之人，非得克病身亦受其傷矣。應爻臨兄鬼而克用神及克世爻者不拘久病近病必遭其殃。

The doctor's method restrains the "Useful God," and the new illness is immediately cured. When one divines their own illness, if the Response Line comes to restrain the World Line, it means the doctor has controlled the illness; if the Response Line restrains the Useful God, it is interpreted the same way. However, this is not suitable for those with long-term illness or weak constitutions, as they cannot endure the restraint. Although the illness is controlled, their body may be harmed. If the Response Line is occupied by "Siblings" or "Official Ghost" and they also restrain the Useful God and the World Line, then regardless of whether the illness is new or long-term, the patient will certainly suffer.

父爻持世妙藥難調。自占病，父持世藥不見功，宜於靜養，遠色慾息氣惱可也。兄弟持世有子孫動於卦中者，醫再延之，惟嫌鬼旺鬼興誤服藥餌。才爻持世切莫誤食肥甘，旺相遇生扶良醫有見，休囚逢沖剋無藥可醫。

The "Parents" line holds the world line, and even the best medicine will be of little help. When one divines their own illness and the "Parents" line holds the world line, taking medicine will not show results; one should only rest quietly, avoid sexual activity, and calm anger. If the "Siblings" line holds the world line and there is another "Children" line moving in the hexagram, another doctor may still be consulted; however, one must beware if the "Official Ghost" line is both strong and active, for this may lead to taking the wrong medicine. If the "Wealth" line holds the world line, one must not mistakenly consume rich and fatty foods. In summary, if the responding line is prosperous and strong and receives support, one can find a good doctor; but if the responding line is weak and confined and encounters conflict and control, there will be no medicine that can help.

子不代父以占藥，妻不代夫而卜醫。子占父宜父爻旺相，占藥占醫又以子孫為用神，父旺以傷子也，一爻不能兩用。妻占夫宜官鬼旺相占醫占藥亦以子孫為用神，子旺又能傷夫，所以不能代占醫也。

A son cannot take the father's place in divining medicine, and a wife cannot take the husband's place in divining medical treatment. If a son divines his father's illness, the "Parents" line should be prosperous and strong. However, when divining medicine or medical treatment, the "Children" line should be the "Useful God." If the "Parents" line is strong, it will harm the "Children" line — one line cannot serve two purposes at the same time. Similarly, if a wife divines her husband's illness, the "Official Ghost" line should be prosperous and strong. But when divining medicine or medical treatment, the "Children" line should be the "Useful God." If the "Children" line is strong, it will harm the "Official Ghost" line, which represents the husband. Therefore, these two types of people cannot take each other's place in divining medical treatment.

延醫於子孫方，治病以應爻定。卦中子孫爻旺者，延醫於子孫之方。且如午火子孫或旺或動，請南方之醫，餘仿此。卦中子孫休囚空破者又看應爻旺否，若得應爻旺相生合用神即於應爻之方請之。且如應爻臨申金，延醫必在西南，餘仿此。如卦中有一爻獨發而生用神者又以此方而延醫。以五行而定名姓，水爻動黠水之姓，火爻動姓名像火，木爻草頭木，傍土爻姓氏有土。且如占妻病，妻爻屬水，得申金發動以相生，請錢姓之醫以治之，餘仿比。

Go to the direction where the "Children" (子孙) is located to consult a doctor, and whether the treatment is successful is determined by the "Response Line" (应爻). If the "Children" line is strong and active in the hexagram, go to the direction of the "Children" to consult a doctor. For example, if the "Children" is a fire element (午火) that is strong or active, consult a doctor from the southern direction, and so on. If the "Children" line is weak, confined, or empty, and is broken, then look at whether the "Response Line" is strong and active: if the "Response Line" is strong and active and generates and harmonizes with the "Useful God" (用神), then go to the direction of the "Response Line" to consult a doctor. For example, if the "Response Line" is a metal element (申金), consult a doctor from the southwest direction, and so on. If another line in the hexagram is active and generates the "Useful God" on its own, you can also consult a doctor according to the direction of that line. You can also determine the surname of the doctor based on the Five Phases (五行): if a water element line is active, choose a surname with a water radical; if a fire element line is active, choose a surname related to fire; if a wood element line is active, choose a surname with a grass radical or a wood radical; if a earth element line is active, choose a surname with an earth radical. For example, if the "Wealth" (妻财) line, which belongs to water, is active and generates the "Useful God," then consult a doctor with the surname Qian (钱), and so on.

不起之病，卦中不現其醫。立愈之災，爻中不見服藥。屢見占醫之卦，無藥可醫之病者，神不現其醫矣。若非用神化鬼、鬼化用神，即是忌神化六親、六親化忌神，及用神化絕、化克、化墓，久病逢沖、逢空、隨鬼入墓，此皆無藥而醫也。病之即愈，神亦不現其醫。近病者，若非卦得六沖，即觀用值旬空，或用神化回頭生。自占者，子孫持世，此皆不藥而癒也。

A disease that cannot be cured will not show a doctor in the hexagram; a disaster that will recover immediately will not display the image of taking medicine in the lines. I have often seen hexagrams for divination in medical matters: whenever a disease is incurable, the divine beings do not show a doctor in the hexagram. Such hexagrams are either the "useful god" transforming into "official ghost," or the "official ghost" transforming into the "useful god," or the "taboo god" transforming into the "six relations," or the "six relations" transforming into the "taboo god," or the "useful god" transforming into its decline, its overcoming, or its burial. For chronic diseases, if they meet the "six clashes," emptiness, or follow the "official ghost" into burial, these are all signs of incurable diseases. Conversely, when a disease is about to recover immediately, the divine beings also do not show a doctor: for a new illness, the hexagram is either showing the "six clashes," or the "useful god" is exactly in the empty period, or the "useful god" transforms into a "returning support." When the person himself divines, it is the "children" holding the world. These are all signs of recovery without the need for medicine.

大抵與醫卜相仿。世為已，應爻為病人，若得世爻旺相，子孫財爻持世，世生應爻，世爻動化進神，化回頭生，日月動爻臨財星子孫而生，在此皆手到病除。近病者應值旬空，或動而化空、化回頭生、化旺、化退，日月動爻生應爻，及卦逢六沖、卦變六沖，此皆速宜往救，莫令他人先到以成功也。久病者應爻旺相，或逢日月動爻相生，或動而化生化旺，應臨子孫，應臨財動生世，雖然久病，我必除根，除此之外，皆不宜往，徒累盛名。

A physician deciding whether to go to treat a patient is generally similar to the patient's own divination seeking a doctor, except that the positions of the World Line and the Response Line are reversed. The World Line represents the physician, and the Response Line represents the patient. If the World Line is prosperous and strong, or if the Children or Wealth lines are in the World position, or if the World Line generates the Response Line, or if the World Line moves and transforms into an Advancing God or a returning generation, or if the Day Branch, Month Builder, or moving line bring the Wealth or Children lines to generate the World Line, then these signs indicate that the illness can be easily cured. If the patient has a new illness and the Response Line is in the旬空 (a period of emptiness), or if the Response Line moves and transforms into emptiness, returning generation, prosperity, or decline, or if the Day or Month Branch and moving lines generate the Response Line, or if the hexagram encounters Six Clashes or transforms into Six Clashes, then one should hurry to treat the patient, lest another physician arrives first and takes credit. If the patient has a long-term illness, then the Response Line should be prosperous and strong, or receive support from the Day or Month Branch and moving lines, or move and transform into generation or prosperity, or have the Children line sitting on it, or have the Wealth line in the Response position moving to generate the World Line — in such cases, even though the illness is long-standing, I can certainly cure it completely. If none of these signs are present, one should not go, to avoid damaging one's own reputation.

野鶴曰：諸書無不以官為鬼為病，應為醫人，子孫為藥，理固然也，但此宜鬼者非鬼非病，乃憂神耳。占子病者，父母愛子之心，未病憂疾，況已病乎？自占病者，性命在呼吸之間，且一人不起，舉室驚惶，誰不憂乎？此官鬼者，即一家之憂神也，惟除此憂者，乃賴子孫爻也。

The Wild Crane Elder said: All books on divination treat "official ghost" as ghost or disease, "response line" as a doctor, and "children" as medicine. The reasoning is basically correct; but I want to say that here, "official ghost" is neither ghost nor disease, but simply a "worried spirit." When divining about a son's illness, the parents worry about their son, even without illness they worry he might get sick, let alone when he is already ill. When one divines about one's own illness, life is between one breath and the next; and when one person is bedridden, everyone in the house is alarmed, who could not feel worried? Therefore, this "official ghost" is the worried spirit of the whole family; and the only thing that can remove this worry is the "children" line.

如午月甲寅日一人病在危篤，醫家不治，迎餘到宅，見有三十餘人至親，淚眼不乾，密友愁容可掬，此非一家之憂乎？及至弟占兄病得屯之中孚卦。兄弟子水″動，子孫卯木′；官鬼戌土′應，妻財巳火′；父母申金″，官鬼未土″世；官鬼辰土″，官鬼丑土″；子孫寅木″世動，子孫卯木′；兄弟子水′，妻財巳火′應。

On the day of Jiayin (甲寅) in the month of Wu (午), a man was very ill and in critical condition. The physician refused to treat him, so I was asked to go to his home. There were over thirty close relatives, their eyes still red from crying, and close friends all looked worried. This was clearly the sorrow of the whole family. Then the patient's younger brother divined for his brother's illness, obtaining the hexagram Zun (屯) changing to Zhongfou (中孚). The primary hexagram's six lines, from top to bottom, were: the brother's line of water (a yin line) in motion, the official ghost of戌 earth (a yang line) holding the responding position, the parents of申 metal (a yin line), the official ghost of辰 earth (a yin line), the children of寅 wood (a yin line) holding the world position and in motion, and the brother's line of water (a yang line). The transformed hexagram Zhongfou had its six lines in order: the children of卯 wood, the wife's wealth of巳 fire, the official ghost of未 earth holding the world position, the official ghost of丑 earth, the children of卯 wood, and the wife's wealth of巳 fire holding the responding position.

餘即笑而言曰：列位放心，今日半夜退災，明日卯日即起床。只見大小一門愁容變喜，此卦中之子孫爻者，是藥耶？是解之神耶？許即愈者何也？此人雖是險痘，其實近病，子水兄爻值旬空，近病逢空好，值半夜子時而不空也。

The Wild Crane Elder laughed immediately and said: Please be assured, the disaster will be removed by midnight tonight, and the person will be able to get up by the next morning at卯 time. At once, the worried expressions of the whole family turned into joy. Please look at the "Children" line in this divination. Is it medicine or a deity who removes worries? Why can we confidently promise immediate recovery? Although the person has contracted a dangerous smallpox, in the end it is a new illness. The "Children" line of the water element is currently in the旬 empty position, and a new illness meeting an empty position is actually a good thing. However, by midnight at子 time, this water element will no longer be empty.

或曰：近病逢空，何不許沖空之午日，實空之子日？余曰：因子水化卯木子孫，世爻又臨寅木子孫動化卯木子孫，次日即是卯日，正一家解憂疑之時，所以許半夜實空之時也，果於子時退災，次日起床，此何嘗用藥而制鬼耶？

Someone asked: Why is it not allowed to confirm the effect on the day of the conflicting empty (wú) day, such as the Wu day, or on the day that fills the旬空 (a period of emptiness) such as the Zi day? The Wild Crane Elder said: Because the water brother (xiong yao) changes into the mulberry wood child (mu mu zǐsūn), and the world line (shì yáo) is also the mulberry wood child (mu mu zǐsūn) that moves and changes into the mulberry wood child (mu mu zǐsūn), and the next day is exactly the卯 (mao) day, which is the time when the family resolves their worries. Therefore, it is only allowed to fill the旬空 at the moment of the midnight. Later, the disaster was removed at the子 (zi) hour, and the person got up the next day. How could there be any need to use a single medicine to control a ghost?

又如一日時值初更叩門入曰：家小主有病相迎占卜。餘問得病源自山東回後頃刻得病，餘即自占一卦。未月壬子日得節之比卦。兄弟子水″，兄弟子水″應；官鬼戌土′，官鬼戌土′；父母申金″應，父母申金″；官鬼丑土″，子孫卯木″世；子孫卯木′動，妻財巳火″；妻財巳火′世動，官鬼未土″。巳火財爻持世，子動生世，子孫乃喜悅之神，此行有益。及到達伊家，值醫檢藥。

One day, when it was already the first watch of the night, someone knocked on the door and said that the family's young master was ill and had come to ask the master to divinate. I asked about the cause of the illness, and it was said that he had fallen ill suddenly after returning from Shandong. At once, I first divined a hexagram for myself: on the day of Renzi in the month of Wei, I obtained the hexagram of节, which transformed into the hexagram of比. The primary hexagram, from the top down, was: a yin line of the brother's water, a yang line of the official ghost of戌 earth, the parents of申 metal (a yin line) holding the responding line, the official ghost of丑 earth (a yin line), the son's卯 wood (a yang line) in motion, and the wife's wealth of巳 fire (a yang line) holding the world line and in motion. The transformed hexagram of比, from top to bottom, was: the brother's water holding the responding line, the official ghost of戌 earth, the parents of申 metal, the son's卯 wood holding the world line, the wife's wealth of巳 fire, and the official ghost of未 earth. The wife's wealth of巳 fire held the world line, and the son's line was in motion to generate the world line. The son is the god of joy, indicating that this journey would be beneficial. When I arrived at his home, I just happened to meet the doctor considering the prescription.

壬子日占子病得解之坎卦。妻財戌土″，父母子水″世；官鬼申金″應動，妻財戌土′；子孫午火′動，官鬼申金″；子孫午火″，子孫午火″應；妻財辰土′世，妻財辰土′；兄弟寅木″，兄弟寅木″。餘見此卦生疑，近病得六沖不死之症耶？是子孫變鬼必死之病耶？不敢斷之，再請親人卜之。

On the same day of Renzi, I also divined the illness of the young master of this family and obtained the Hexagram of Release, which transformed into the Hexagram of Water. The six lines of the original hexagram, from top to bottom, were: wife wealth in the earth dog (a yin line), official ghost in the monkey metal (a yin line) holding the responding line and moving, son in the horse fire (a yang line) moving, son in the horse fire (a yin line), wife wealth in the dragon earth (a yang line) holding the worldly line, and brother in the tiger wood (a yin line). The six lines of the transformed hexagram of Water, in order, were: parents in the rat water holding the worldly line, wife wealth in the earth dog, official ghost in the monkey metal, son in the horse fire holding the responding line, wife wealth in the dragon earth, and brother in the tiger wood. The Wild Crane Elder saw this hexagram and became doubtful: is this a new illness with the Six Clashes, which certainly will not lead to death, or is it that the son changes into the official ghost, which means certain death? He hesitated and could not decide, so he asked the family members to cast another hexagram.

叔占侄病得坤卦。子孫酉金″世，子孫酉金″世；妻財亥水″，妻財亥水″；兄弟丑土″，兄弟丑土″；官鬼卯木″應，官鬼卯木″應；父母巳火″，父母巳火″；兄弟未土″，兄弟未土″。又見六沖，知不死矣。問有舊病否？彼曰：從無病根，便自山東一路而來，亦無病起，適間日落之時，忽而滿床亂滾，口不能言。余曰：既無舊病，餘敢保之即愈，再請醫者卜之。

So he asked his uncle to divinate his nephew's illness, and the hexagram obtained was the Hexagram of Earth (Kun). All six lines were still, and the changing hexagram was the same as the original. The six lines, from top to bottom, were: the子孙 (children) of酉 gold (a yin line) holding the world, 妻财 (wealth) of亥 water (a yin line), 兄弟 (siblings) of丑 earth (a yin line), 官鬼 (official ghost) of卯 wood (a yin line) holding the response, 父母 (parents) of巳 fire (a yin line), and 兄弟 (siblings) of未 earth (a yin line). The Hexagram of Earth is itself the "Six Clashes," and here again the Six Clashes appear, indicating that the illness will not be fatal. The Wild Crane Elder then asked: Did he have any old illness? The family replied: He had never had any chronic illness, and since he came back from Shandong, he had not been sick at all; just at sunset, he suddenly rolled around on the bed and could not speak. The Wild Crane Elder said: Since there is no old illness, I dare guarantee that he will recover immediately; please also have the doctor who treated him cast a hexagram.

得井之明夷卦。父母子水″，官鬼酉金″；妻財戌土′世動，父母亥水″；官鬼申金″，妻財丑土″世；官鬼酉金′，父母亥水′；父母亥水′應動，妻財丑土″；妻財丑土″動，兄弟卯木′應。應為病人，世克應爻還不妨，乃是剋制病人之病也，但不宜應爻化回頭克，定用藥有誤。餘問東家：藥曾吃否？答曰：未熱。問醫者曰：所得何病？所下何藥？伊曰：三伏之天中受暑，不過解暑之涼藥耳。餘私對東家曰：令郎不死，卻得必死之卦，恐此藥來必對症者，再請復看。

The doctor cast the Well hexagram, which changed into the Bright Sun hexagram. The original hexagram, from top to bottom, is: parents yin water, wife wealth戌 earth (yang line) holding the world line and moving, official ghost申 metal (yin line), official ghost酉 metal (yang line), parents亥 water (yang line) holding the response line and moving, wife wealth丑 earth (yin line) moving; the changed hexagram, from top to bottom, is: official ghost酉 metal, parents亥 water, wife wealth丑 earth (yang line) holding the world line, parents亥 water, wife wealth丑 earth, brothers卯 wood holding the response line. The doctor, casting for himself, said that the response line represents the patient. The world line controlling the response line is not too bad, since it is the doctor controlling the patient's illness; however, it is not good if the response line moves and produces a reverse control, which indicates that the medicine is definitely wrong. The Wild Crane Elder then asked the host: has the medicine been taken? The answer was: it hasn't even been boiled yet. He then asked the doctor: what illness does the patient have? What medicine has been prescribed? The doctor said: it was a heatstroke in the dog days of summer, and it's just some cooling medicine for heatstroke. The Wild Crane Elder privately told the host: your son should not have died, but now the hexagram shows a certain death, so I fear the medicine may not be appropriate. Please have the doctor check it again.

醫者曰：床上亂滾，不能把脈，隨以家人問途中何如，家人言曰：到家熱極，移床於此有風之處，再用大冰二塊，安於涼床之下，命侄女掌扇，一覺睡熟，忽然醒來呼喚幾聲，即不言矣。餘想熱極之人，臥冰臨風，空曠之場，使人掌扇，其病可知，醫者亦曰：適看病已扶入喜矣，不知此節，看來寒藥實不可服。余曰：竟用附子肉桂，方可治之，更命伊父占之。

The doctor said: The patient was rolling around on the bed and could not be taken the pulse. So he asked the accompanying family members about the situation on the way. The family members said: When we got home, it was very hot, so we moved the bed to this place where there was a breeze, and placed two big blocks of ice under the cool bed. We also had the niece fan him. He fell asleep, then suddenly woke up and called out a few times, and then stopped speaking. The Wild Crane Elder thought: A person who was extremely hot, sleeping on ice, facing a breeze, lying in an open area, and being fanned by someone, the origin of his illness is now clear. The doctor also said: When we were examining him, he had already been helped into the room, and did not know about this. According to this, he should not take cold and cool medicines. The Wild Crane Elder said: Only by using strong hot medicines such as Fu Zi and Rou Gui can this condition be treated. So he told the patient's father to cast another divination.

壬子日占用附子可否得大有之大畜。官鬼巳火′應，妻財寅木′；父母未土″，子孫子水″應；兄弟酉金′動，父母戌土″；父母辰土′世，父母辰土′；妻財寅木′，妻財寅木′世；子孫子水′，子孫子水′。子孫臨日辰，酉金兄動以相生，服用一劑，保管立愈。醫家先用乾薑湯試之，少刻開言肚疼之甚。余曰：何如快服此藥。醫家加減調理一夜，次日曰愈，此人之不死也。因我出門子孫發動一卦而斷定矣。厥後連占數卦，皆合前象，方敢用大熱之劑，起死回生，不然一劑涼藥，寒上加寒，能於治耶？

On a Renzi day, a divination was made about whether the use of aconite (a medicinal herb) would be effective. The primary hexagram was Dali (Great Accumulation), which transformed into Daxu (Great Domestication). The six lines of the primary hexagram, from top to bottom, were: Official Ghost Fire (Yang line) holding the responding line, Parents Earth (Yin line), Brothers Metal (Yang line) in motion, Parents Earth (Yang line) holding the worldly line, Wealth Wood (Yang line), and Children Water (Yang line). The six lines of the transformed hexagram, in order, were: Wealth Wood, Children Water holding the responding line, Parents Earth, Parents Earth, Wealth Wood holding the worldly line, and Children Water. In divination for medicine, "Children" is considered the useful god. The Children Water is exactly the day branch of Renzi day, and there is also a Brothers Metal in motion that nourishes it. This indicates that taking one dose of the medicine will surely bring immediate recovery. The physician first used a dry ginger soup to test the patient, but soon the patient said his stomach was hurting badly. The Wild Crane Elder said: Why wait any longer, quickly give the aconite dose. The physician adjusted the formula all night, and the next day the illness was cured. The reason this person did not die was actually determined before I left, when he divined himself and saw the Children line in motion, which indicated recovery. After that, he kept divining several more times, and the hexagram images were consistent with the first one, so I dared to use a very hot formula, which miraculously saved his life. Otherwise, if a cooling medicine had been given, adding more coldness would have made it worse, how could it have been cured?

覺子曰：此卦酉金兄動以生子孫，服此熱藥而病癒者。使前賢見之，又以酉金兄爻而為藥也。凡卜藥亦有當卜之道，或醫家看臨危之症，欲投此藥，可以起死回生，惟恐一失，繫不少得子孫動者必喜悅也，即可用之，用而必效。

Juezi said: This hexagram is the酉 metal siblings initiating the movement to produceChildren, so taking this hot medicine will cure the illness. If previous masters had seen this, they would have said that the酉 metal brother line is the medicine. Whenever one divines about medicine, there is always a reason for the divination: for example, when a physician sees a critically ill condition and wants to administer a strong medicine, which could revive the patient from the brink of death, but fears that a mistake might cause serious consequences. At such a time, if the divination shows theChildren moving, it is a joyful omen, so the medicine should be used without hesitation, and it will certainly take effect.

或泛詢行用，或長途穹旅，無處得寺醫，有人傳一奇方占得子孫動者其方必效，或半夜更深，延醫不及，檢黠古方，及家藏凡藥，實對此症，不敢擅用，不可不占，皆以子孫為用神，但得子孫持世，子孫發動，服之立可解憂，此諸占之子孫者，不拘金木水火土也，或旺或動，即為喜悅之神，（用此方而兄爻不動，何喜之有，）切不可又以金臨子孫而用針，火屬子孫而用炙，錯也誤也。

For example, if someone casually asks for a remedy and tries to use it, or if someone is traveling far or in a remote place and cannot find a good doctor, and someone passes on a strange remedy, and the divination shows the 'children' (子孙) being activated, then the remedy will definitely work. Another example is when it's very late at night and it's too late to call a doctor, and one searches through an old prescription or finds some existing medicine at home that seems to fit the condition, but is hesitant to use it without confirmation. In such cases, one should not hesitate to consult the divination. In these situations, the 'children' are considered the 'useful god' (用神). As long as the 'children' are holding the world (持世) or are activated (发动), taking the medicine will immediately relieve the worry. Here, the 'children' refer to any of the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, or earth—as long as they are strong or active, they are considered a joyful deity (喜悦之神). If the 'brother' (兄爻) is not activated, then there is nothing to be joyful about. It is wrong to say that if the 'children' belong to metal, one should use acupuncture, or if they belong to fire, one should use moxibustion. That is a great mistake.

一日到一府中，眾客告曰：老先生昨日在後園仆倒，扶起出狂言，至今不知人事，諸位醫者內有曰：不服人參不能提氣。有曰：幸無痰上，若吃人參，痰上則難治矣。余曰：就卜人參吃得否。寅月丁卯日子占父病吃人參好否。得萃之否卦。父母未土″動，父母戌土′應；兄弟酉金′應，兄弟申金′；子孫亥水′，官鬼午火′；妻財卯木″，妻財卯木″世；官鬼巳火″世，官鬼巳火″；父母未土″，父母未土″。

One day, I visited a wealthy official's home, where a gathering of guests told me that an elder had fallen in the back garden the previous day. When he was helped up, he started speaking incoherently and has since been unconscious. The doctors present had differing opinions: some said that he could not be revived without ginseng, while others said that it was fortunate that he had not yet developed phlegm; if he had taken ginseng, the phlegm might have risen and made the condition more difficult to treat. The Wild Crane Elder said that we should cast a divination to determine whether ginseng should be administered. The divination was cast on the day of Dingmao in the Year of the Tiger, with the son casting the hexagram for his father's illness and to determine whether ginseng should be given. The primary hexagram was Cui, which transformed into Po. The primary hexagram, from top to bottom, was: parents in the earth element (yin line) moving, siblings in the metal element (yang line) holding the responding position, children in the water element (yang line), wealth in the wood element (yin line), official ghost in the fire element (yin line) holding the worldly position, and parents in the earth element (yin line). The transformed hexagram, Po, from top to bottom, was: parents in the earth element (yang line) holding the responding position, siblings in the metal element (yang line), official ghost in the fire element (yang line), wealth in the wood element (yang line) holding the worldly position, official ghost in the fire element (yin line), and parents in the earth element (yin line).

占人參必以子孫為用神，若不通變，見卦中父動克子孫不過曰人參不可服也。餘非此斷，子占父病，父爻為用神，未動化戌，父戌旬空，人參莫用，藥亦莫服，明日辰日沖空即愈，果於雞鳴甦醒，次日不藥而癒。

According to conventional methods, when divining about taking ginseng, one should take the 'children' as the useful god; if one does not understand the variations, seeing the 'parents' moving and coming to control the 'children', one can only say that ginseng should not be taken. However, the Wild Crane Elder did not interpret it this way: since it is the son divining about his father's illness, one should take the 'parents' as the useful god. In this hexagram, the earth element parents are moving and transforming into戌 earth, and this戌 earth is exactly in the旬空. Therefore, ginseng does not need to be used, nor do other medicines. On the next day, when the辰 day冲 opens this旬空, the illness will naturally recover. Later, the person indeed woke up at the sound of the rooster and recovered without taking any medicine the next day.

又如一日在席間，見東翁口歪眼斜痰涎長流，餘亦在座，乃即問曰：家有牛黃，但不知可服否？餘命占之。亥日辛酉日子占父病吃牛黃丸可否，得夬卦。兄弟未土″，兄弟未土″；子孫酉金′世，子孫酉金′世；妻財亥水′，妻財亥水′；兄弟辰土′，兄弟辰土′；官鬼寅木′應，官鬼寅木′應；妻財子水′，妻財子水′。

One day at a banquet, I saw the host's mouth twisted and eyes crooked, with phlegm flowing from his mouth. I was also present, and the host asked: "We have bull's bile at home, but we don't know if it can be taken?" I asked him to cast a divination. The month was亥 (Hai) and the day was辛酉 (Xinyou). The son was casting the divination for his father's illness, to see if taking the bull's bile pill would be effective. The hexagram obtained was夬 (Gua), with all six lines quiet, and the resulting hexagram the same as the primary one. The six lines, from top to bottom, were: 兄弟未土 (Xiongdi Weituo, Siblings Earth, a yin line), 子孙酉金 (Zisun Youjin, Children Metal, a yang line) holding the world line, 妻财亥水 (Qicai Haishui, Wealth Water, a yang line), 兄弟辰土 (Xiongdi Chen Tu, Siblings Earth, a yang line), 官鬼寅木 (Guan Gui Yin Mu, Official Ghost Birch Wood, a yang line) holding the responding line, and 妻财子水 (Qicai Zi Shui, Wealth Water, a yang line). In divination regarding medicine, the "children" line is the useful god. In this hexagram, the酉金 (Youjin, Metal) children line is exactly on the world line, and the day was alsoXinyou (Xinyou).

余曰：灌服此丸可保立愈，服之便醒，喜子孫持世也。或曰：同是子占父藥，一卦看父爻，一卦看子孫，其故何也？余曰：前卦父爻發動，神兆機於動，以父母斷之，後卦子孫持世值日，子孫乃喜悅之神，父病即安則喜悅矣，卦無不靈，在人通變。

The Wild Crane Elder said: Take this pill and it will surely bring immediate recovery. After taking it, he indeed woke up, which was a sign of the 'Children' trigram ruling the situation. Someone asked: Why in the first hexagram we used the Parents trigram to interpret, but in the second hexagram we used the Children trigram, since it's the same case of a son taking medicine for his father? The Wild Crane Elder said: In the first hexagram, the Parents trigram was active, which is called 'the divine sign appears through movement,' so we used the Parents trigram to interpret. In the second hexagram, the Children trigram was ruling the situation, and it was also the Xinyou day, with the Children trigram sitting on the day branch. The Children trigram is a joyful deity. Once the father's illness is cured, the whole family naturally feels joyful. The hexagram is never without its power; it all depends on whether a person can understand and adapt.

又如申月癸卯日因楊梅瘡占醫好否。得履之否卦。兄弟戌土′，兄弟戌土′應；子孫申金′世，子孫申金′；父母午火′，父母午火′；兄弟丑土″，官鬼卯木″世；官鬼卯木′應動，父母巳火″；父母巳火′動，兄弟未土″。

For example, on a Guimao day in the month of Shen, someone suffering from a sore throat consulted a doctor to see if the doctor could cure the illness. The hexagram obtained was the Lu hexagram changing into the Po hexagram. The primary hexagram, from the top down, was: brothers戌 earth (yang line), sons申 metal (yang line) holding the world, parents午 fire (yang line), brothers丑 earth (yin line), official ghost卯 wood (yang line) holding the response and moving, parents巳 fire (yang line) moving. The changed hexagram, Po, from the top down, was: brothers戌 earth holding the response, sons申 metal, parents午 fire, official ghost卯 wood (yang line) holding the world, parents巳 fire, brothers未 earth.

斷曰：此醫不可用之，雖係子孫持世，應為醫人，不宜應爻與巳火克申金，又有卯木生火，世爻雖旺，巳日一定添災，不聽，竟延此醫治之，卯辰日服藥還保平常，巳日忽然變症，遍身疼痛難當，病人著急而問余曰：可傷命否？余曰：世值日建，何如傷命？快服解藥，過此巳午日則止疼矣，即服解藥至申日其病如常。

The Wild Crane Elder interpreted the divination: This doctor is not suitable. Although the hexagram shows the "Children" line holding the world line, the "Response line" represents the doctor. It is not good for the Response line, which is卯 wood, to join with巳 fire to attack the world line申 metal. Moreover,卯 wood nourishes巳 fire, making the fire even stronger. Although the world line申 metal is in its season during the month of申, by the day of巳 it will certainly bring disaster. The patient did not listen and still hired this doctor. On卯 day and辰 day, the medicine had no significant effect, but on巳 day, the condition suddenly changed, and the patient suffered unbearable pain all over the body. The patient became anxious and asked the Wild Crane Elder if it would be fatal. The Wild Crane Elder said: The world line has the support of the day and month's strength, so how could it be fatal? Take the detoxifying medicine quickly, and after passing through the days of巳 and午, the pain will subside. Immediately, the detoxifying medicine was taken, and by the day of申, the illness had recovered completely.

野鶴曰：前篇俱言子孫持世，其病即愈，必要子孫不受克可也，後賢不可不知。李我平曰：此論官鬼為憂神，子孫為喜悅解憂之神，雖係古法，用之得當，非合鬼神之機，不能幻想至此，然又有不以鬼作憂神者，全在來人念之所指，彼問病之吉凶，若得鬼爻持世，鬼動卦中，豈為憂神？子孫持世，子孫發動則為解憂喜悅之神是也。

The Wild Crane Elder said: In the previous few sections, it was explained that when "Children" is the occupying element in the hexagram, it indicates a favorable condition for illness, but this is only valid when the "Children" is not being overcome. Later scholars must not be unaware of this point. Li Woping said: Here, "Official Ghost" is regarded as the spirit of worry, and "Children" is regarded as the deity that brings joy and alleviates worry. Although this is an ancient method, it is used appropriately; if it does not secretly align with the mechanisms of ghosts and spirits, one would not think of this level. However, there are also instances where "Official Ghost" is not regarded as the spirit of worry. It all depends on what the person asking the question is specifically referring to. If he is asking about the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of an illness, then how can "Official Ghost" being the occupying element or moving within the hexagram be merely a spirit of worry? At this time, it is only when "Children" is the occupying element and "Children" is active within the hexagram that it can be considered the deity that brings joy and alleviates worry.

彼問犯何鬼神者，卦現金鬼，必沖犯於武神。水鬼者犯罪於河神也。彼問病原，火鬼必屬心經，水鬼必腎部，子孫旺而動者不藥而癒，非教人以此子孫爻為治病之藥，金為子孫而用針，火持子孫而用炙，殊不知子孫若旺，其病自痊，何用針炙？子孫者值空破，用針炙而何益？

If he asks about which spirit he has offended, then a卦 showing the ghost of gold indicates he has offended the military spirit; a卦 showing the water ghost means he has offended the river god. If he asks about the source of his illness, then the fire ghost belongs to the heart meridian, and the water ghost belongs to the kidney area. As for the 'children' being strong and active, it simply means he will recover without medication, not that one should use the children's line as a treatment for illness. It is not saying that because children belong to metal one should use acupuncture, or because they belong to fire one should use moxibustion. One must know that if the children are strong, the illness will naturally recover, so why use acupuncture or moxibustion? If the children are exactly in the旬空 or month breaker, then using acupuncture or moxibustion would be of no benefit.

諸書皆曰：土鬼忌熱，水鬼忌寒，水鬼若生旺之地，須用大熱之藥以治之。水鬼寒者，宜大寒之藥以功之，餘不知從何見此。假使用神屬土及子占父病，父爻臨土，若得火爻發動，乃生用爻之元神也，豈可以大寒之藥而治元神耶？又如妻占夫病，鬼為用神，假令夫臨水鬼，又可以大熱之藥以攻夫爻之用神耶？常見窮鄉僻壤，無處覓醫，只謂周易乃大聖大賢之書，遵之必靈，以此大寒大熱之藥，不知坑陷如許之命，言及髮指，此書一出，寒熱之藥不可輕用，從此泉下無冤鬼矣。

Various books say: "Earth ghosts dislike heat, water ghosts dislike cold; if a water ghost is in a place of vitality and strength, one must use very hot medicine to treat it; if a water ghost is of a cold nature, one should use very cold medicine to attack it." The first sentence says that water ghosts dislike cold, but the next sentence advises using very cold medicine to attack water ghosts, which is contradictory. I do not know where I read this. Suppose the "useful god" belongs to earth, and it is a son divining his father's illness, and the father's爻 is earth, then if there is a fire爻 that moves, this is actually generating the "origin god" of the useful god. How can one use very cold medicine to treat the origin god? Again, if a wife is divining her husband's illness, and the "official ghost" is the useful god, and the husband's爻 is a water ghost, can one use very hot medicine to attack the useful god? Often in remote villages where doctors cannot be found, people take the Zhou Yi as a great sage's book and believe that following it will surely be effective, and thus use very hot or very cold medicine, unknowingly harming many lives, which is truly horrifying. With the publication of this book, hot and cold medicines should no longer be used lightly, and from then on, there will be no more冤鬼 in the afterlife.

野鶴曰：諸書皆曰，一卦之中，可決一家休咎，六爻之內，能分六事吉凶，以卦中之父母爻為屋，又以父母爻為雙親，既為二親，又以五爻為父，四爻為母，如此悖謬糊塗，尚有刊傳為法，餘實不解。

The Wild Crane Elder said: All books say that within one hexagram, one can determine the fortune and misfortune of a family, and within the six lines, one can distinguish the good and bad fortune of six matters. They take the 'Parents' line in the hexagram as representing the house, and also take the Parents line as representing the parents. Since they have already taken it as the parents, they then establish another interpretation, taking the fifth line as the father and the fourth line as the mother. This is self-contradictory and confused. Yet it is still printed and circulated, being regarded as a fixed method. I really cannot understand this.

如戌月丙午日占得乾之小畜。父母戌土′世，妻財卯木′；兄弟申金′，官鬼巳火′；官鬼午火′動，父母未土″應；父母辰土′應，父母辰土′；妻財寅木′，妻財寅木′；子孫子水′，子孫子水′世。

For example, on a day of Bingwu (丙午) in the month of Xu (戌), one divines the family dwelling and obtains the hexagram Qian (乾), which transforms into the hexagram Xiaoxu (小畜). The six lines of the original hexagram, from top to bottom, are: parents戌土 (Yang line) holding the world, brothers申金 (Yang line), official ghost午火 (Yang line) in motion, parents辰土 (Yang line) holding the response, wife's wealth寅木 (Yang line), and sons and daughters子水 (Yang line). The six lines of the transformed hexagram Xiaoxu, in order, are: wife's wealth卯木, official ghost巳火, parents未土 (Yang line) holding the response, parents辰土, wife's wealth寅木, and sons and daughters子水 (Yang line) holding the world. Below, the Wild Crane Elder will use this hexagram to check each line against the traditional methods of interpreting family dwelling divination as recorded in ancient texts.

古法有出卦無父母，不免堂上之憂。此卦不獨有父母戌土臨月建，午火官動以相生，即父母雙慶之祥也。若又以五爻為父四爻為母斷者，鬼臨四位，老母多災，執此問之，老母多災即堂上無憂耶？又曰：好爻受克即此逢傷，今五爻申金被午火鬼克，此又老父以生災耶？又曰：鬼動乾宮老父之咎，此卦鬼發乾宮又為老父之咎？

Ancient methods say that if the "parents" line does not appear in the hexagram, the two elders in the family are sure to suffer worries. In this hexagram, not only does the "parents" line appear as the earth dog (戌土) holding the world, but it also coincides with the month builder of the戌 month. Moreover, the fire official ghost (午火) is active and gives birth to it, forming a favorable omen of both parents receiving blessings. However, according to another method, taking the fifth line as the father and the fourth line as the mother, if the ghost is on the fourth line, it should be interpreted as the old mother suffering misfortunes. Comparing these two interpretations, is it the old mother who suffers misfortunes, or the elders who are free from worries? The book also says that if a line is attacked, the corresponding person suffers injury. Now the fifth line, which is the metal (申金), is being attacked by the fire ghost (午火), so does this not indicate that the father will suffer misfortune? The book also says that if the ghost moves in the Qian trigram, it is the father's misfortune. In this hexagram, the ghost is exactly active in the Qian trigram, so it becomes the father's misfortune again?

又云：火鬼動以防回祿，白虎鬼為喪服之憂。又云：世逢生旺，宅旺家安。此卦世已旺矣，奈因火鬼臨於虎動，可謂之回祿乎？喪服乎？家興宅旺乎？又以官鬼為廳堂，謂之官旺屋宇軒昂。又云：鬼旺鬼興，為災為咎。此卦鬼臨日辰旺動，屋宇軒昂乎？為災為咎乎？

The book also says: when the fire official ghost moves, it warns of fire danger; when the ghost is accompanied by the White Tiger, there is worry of mourning clothes. It also says: when the world line is supported and strong, the family is prosperous and the house is safe. In this hexagram, the world line is already strong, but the fire official ghost is also active and accompanied by the White Tiger. So should we interpret it as fire danger, mourning clothes, or a prosperous and safe home? The book also treats the official ghost as the hall, saying that when the official ghost is strong, the house is grand and imposing. But it immediately follows by saying: when the ghost is strong and active, it brings disaster and misfortune. In this hexagram, the ghost爻 is at the Bingwu day branch, and is both strong and active. So should we interpret it as a grand and imposing house, or as disaster and misfortune?

又云：財官旺相，熱鬧門庭。又曰：財爻發動，父母遭傷，豈門庭熱鬧之家，皆無父母之家耶？又云：兄爻旺相，紫荊並茂於堂前。又云：兄弟持世，絲絃再理。豈雁行隊隊者皆失履遺之宅耶？種種悖謬，難以枚舉，餘不得已而正之。

The book also says: if the wealth hexagram and the official hexagram are prosperous and strong, the family will be lively and bustling; it also says: if the wealth hexagram is activated, the parents will be harmed. How can a family that is lively and bustling be a family without parents? It also says: if the siblings hexagram is prosperous and strong, it indicates that the brothers and sisters are harmonious and live together in peace; it also says: if the siblings hexagram holds the world position, it indicates the loss of a spouse and remarriage. How can a family with brothers living together in an orderly manner be a house that has lost its spouse and companion? Such absurdities are endless, and I have no choice but to correct them.