And discuss the Ten Celestial Officials

甲，是木之干節；乙，木之根；丙，火之宿者；丁，火之光；戊，石也；己，土可稼者；庚，金之質；辛，金之刃；壬，水之源；癸，水之流；亥，水之源；子，水之流；丑，土雜金土；寅，木之干節；卯，木之根；辰，土雜水木；巳，火之光；午，火之宿者；未，土雜木火；申，金之質；酉，金之刃；戌，土雜金火。（廣録）凡甲丙戊庚壬為陽干，乙丁己辛癸為陰干，子寅辰午申戌為陽支，丑卯巳未酉亥為陰支。（三命吟鈐）

The ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches each have symbolic representations: Jia represents the trunk and joints of a tree, Yi represents the roots of a tree; Bing represents the hidden and unmanifested part of fire, Ding represents the flame of fire; Wu represents mountains and stones, Ji represents arable land; Geng represents the essence of metal, Xin represents the sharp edge of metal; Ren represents the source of water, Gui represents the flow of water. Among the Earthly Branches, Hai represents the source of water, Zi represents the flow of water; Chou represents earth mixed with metal and earth; Yin represents the trunk and joints of wood, Mao represents the roots of wood; Chen represents earth mixed with water and wood; Si represents the light of fire, Wu represents the hidden and unmanifested part of fire; Wei represents earth mixed with wood and fire; Shen represents the essence of metal, You represents the sharp edge of metal; Xu represents earth mixed with metal and fire. This passage is found in the "Broad Collection." Also: Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, and Ren are the Yang Stems, while Yi, Ding, Ji, Xin, and Gui are the Yin Stems; Zi, Yin, Chen, Wu, Shen, and Xu are the Yang Branches, while Chou, Mao, Si, Wei, You, and Hai are the Yin Branches. This passage is found in the "Three Fate Rhymes."

甲己喜四季乙庚喜申酉丙辛喜亥子丁壬喜寅卯戊癸喜巳午。

Heavenly Stems prefer to have their禄 (favorable position) in the Earthly Branches: Jia and Ji favor Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei in the four seasons; Yi and Geng favor Shen and You; Bing and Xin favor Hai and Zi; Ding and Ren favor Yin and Mao; Wu and Gui favor Si and Wu.

子丑喜戊寅喜己卯辰喜庚巳喜辛庚午未喜甲壬申喜乙；酉戌喜丙亥喜丁；壞天元者，三十九歲之前，名利難發。壞地元者，四十歲後，福不如前。天元地元皆有者，平生福氣高崇；皆無者，平生名利無成。三命中，二命若衰，一命何安也。

The Heavenly Stems favored by the Earthly Branches are: Zi and Chou favor Wu, Yin favors Ji, Mao and Chen favor Geng, Si favors Xin and Geng, Wu and Wei favor Jia and Ren, Shen favors Yi, You and Xu favor Bing, and Hai favors Ding. Those whose Heavenly Stem is damaged will find it difficult to achieve fame and fortune before the age of thirty-nine. Those whose Earthly Branch is damaged will find their fortune less than before after the age of forty. Those who have both Heavenly and Earthly Stems intact will have a high and noble fortune throughout their lives; those who lack both will find themselves without success in fame and fortune. Among the three elements of destiny, if two are already declining, how can the remaining one alone ensure stability?

子丑怕己寅怕庚卯辰怕辛巳怕甲壬午未怕乙癸申怕丙；酉戌怕丁亥怕戊。

The Earthly Branches are incompatible with the following Heavenly Stems: Zi and Chou fear Ji, Yin fears Geng, Mao and Chen fear Xin, Si fears Jia and Ren, Wu and Wei fear Yi and Gui, Shen fears Bing, You and Xu fear Ding, and Hai fears Wu.

子丑癸寅甲卯辰乙巳丙戊午未丁己申庚酉戌辛亥壬；天地之秀見時，不貴即富。珞琭子云：壬癸秋生而冬旺，亥子同途；甲乙夏死而春榮，寅卯一揆是也。（神白經）

The essence of heavenly stems is found in: Zi and Chou see Gui, Yin sees Jia, Mao and Chen see Yi, Si sees Bing and Wu, Wu and Wei see Ding and Ji, Shen sees Geng, You and Xu see Xin, Hai sees Ren. When the essence of heaven and earth is revealed, one is not noble but wealthy. Luolu Zi says: Ren and Gui are born in autumn and flourish in winter, Hai and Zi are the same path; Jia and Yi die in summer but flourish in spring, Yin and Mao are the same principle. This passage is from the Shen Bai Jing.

庚辰、辛巳、庚午、辛巳甲戌、乙亥、甲子、乙亥；壬寅、癸卯、壬辰、癸卯丙申、丁酉、丙戌、丁酉；以上是陽死陰生，陰死陽生，如甘苦同受之意，所謂庚生於巳，辛死於巳，甲生於亥，乙死於亥，壬死於卯，癸生於卯，丙死於酉，丁生於酉，是不相離也。（廣信集）

The combination "death and birth" includes: Gengchen with Xinsi, Gengwu with Xinsi, Jiaxu with Yihai, Jiazi with Yihai, Renyin with Guimao, Renchen with Guimao, Bingshen with Dingyou, and Bingxu with Dingyou. All of these are cases where a yang stem dies while a yin stem is born, and vice versa, just as bitterness and sweetness are experienced together. It is said that Geng is born in Si while Xin dies in Si, Jia is born in Hai while Yi dies in Hai, Ren dies in Mao while Gui is born in Mao, and Ji dies in You while Ding is born in You. Yin and yang are never separated. This is recorded in the "Broad Trust Collection."

六乙人寅卯辰，六辛人申酉戌，水土人亥子丑，火人巳午未，餘彷此。若遇此格，不厭鬼多，多則貴，假如生地旺全，氣堅固，則不能造化，大抵五行不須太過，故使鬼多者妙。如乙亥年，庚辰月，辛卯日，庚寅時，辛未胎，然庚辛鬼氣多，緣乙木在寅卯辰木壯，更亥卯未木氣全，乙木十分氣足，雖兩庚兩辛在寅卯辰上，未及十分重氣，木盛於金則貴也。（天元變化書）

The concept of "abundant birth positions" refers to the situation where the day's stem is seated in a position of its growth and prosperity. For those with six days of Yi (乙), they should have Yin, Mao, and Chen. For those with six days of Xin (辛), they should have Shen, You, and Xu. Those with water destiny and earth destiny should have Hai, Zi, and Chou. Those with fire destiny should have Si, Wu, and Wei. The other stems follow the same pattern. If the destiny chart conforms to this pattern, it is not afraid of having many "ghosts" that harm the self. In fact, the more officials and killers there are, the more esteemed the destiny becomes. If the position of the main energy is both born and prosperous, and the momentum is solid to the extreme, it is actually not capable of forming a useful shape. This shows that the Five Phases should not be excessive. Because of this, having more officials and killers is actually beneficial. For example, someone born in the year Yihai, in the month Gengchen, on the day Xinmao, at the hour Gengyin, and with the destiny of Xinwei, has two Gengs and two Xins, which seem to be a heavy oppressive force. However, the wood of Yi is seated in the area of Yin, Mao, and Chen, which is a strong wood area, and the triple harmony of Hai, Mao, and Wei is complete. The Yi wood itself has a strong momentum. Although the two Gengs and two Xins are pressing on Yin, Mao, and Chen, they are not able to form a very strong oppressive force. The momentum of wood surpasses that of metal, so this is a noble destiny. This statement comes from the "Book of Heavenly Changes."

四字全者，取十干十二支合而言之，凡年月日時並胎月五位中，若有甲有乙，其生月日時遇寅卯兩位者是也。有丙有丁遇巳午戊己準此，有庚有辛遇申酉，有壬有癸遇亥子，土隨水源行，戊己有亥有子，亦主富貴，更須要諸位上支干相扶助也。（三命提要）

The concept of "four characters complete" refers to combining the ten heavenly stems with the twelve earthly branches to examine the five positions: year, month, day, hour, and the fetal origin. If the heavenly stems include both Jia and Yi, and among the month, day, and hour, two of the branches are Yin and Mao, then it is considered "four characters complete." Similarly, if there are Bing and Ding among the heavenly stems and they encounter Si and Wu, or if Wu and Ji are present and they encounter Shen and You, or if Ren and Gui are present and they encounter Hai and Zi, it also counts. The nature of the earth stems follows the source of water, so if Wu and Ji are present and they encounter Hai or Zi, they also indicate wealth and honor. However, it is also necessary for the heavenly stems and earthly branches in each column to support and complement each other for this pattern to be truly effective. This passage is from "Three Essentials of Destiny."

甲乙人丁壬亥卯未，丙丁人戊癸寅午戌，戊己人甲己辰戌丑未，庚辛人乙庚巳酉丑，壬癸人丙辛申子辰。以上七祿全一氣者，更有歸宿，主及第，為人超越，無歸宿，只作門陰之人，若破敗不作福，行運到祿干得地，必發旺。

The method of pairing for the "Seven禄" is as follows: for days of Jia and Yi, pair the heavenly stems Ding and Ren with the earthly branches Hai, Mao, and Wei. For days of Bing and Ding, pair the stems Wu and Gui with the branches Yin, Wu, and Xu. For days of Wu and Ji, pair the stems Jia and Ji with the branches Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei. For days of Geng and Xin, pair the stems Yi and Geng with the branches Si, You, and Chou. For days of Ren and Gui, pair the stems Bing and Xin with the branches Shen, Zi, and Chen. If these seven禄 positions are complete and belong to the same element, and there is a conclusion or resolution, it indicates success in the imperial examinations and being outstanding among people. If they are complete but lack resolution, one can only rely on ancestral favor. If these禄 positions are broken or damaged, they will not bring good fortune. However, if one's fortune reaches the heavenly stem of the禄 god and is supported by the earth, there will be a temporary period of prosperity.

帶三祿者，謂在月日時上，更帶本祿也。若在四貴、華蓋、驛馬上，必為貴顯之人。迭三支者，年月日時胎五支中，三支並在一位上者是也，並在四貴華蓋貴神之位，則主貴，在貴神與忌神同位則主福，雖迭在無氣處，若三支於祿干有輔助亦貴，若在死敗絕空亡上無輔助者，無福人也。（三命提要）

The term "dai san lu" refers to having the luck (lu) in the month, day, and hour pillars, and also having the native's own lu in these positions. If these three lu fall on the four noble positions, "Huagai," or "Yi Ma," the person is destined for great honor and status. "Die san zhi" means that among the five earthly branches of the year, month, day, hour, and fetal position, three of them are repeated on the same character. If the repetition occurs on the four noble positions or "Huagai," it indicates a noble destiny. If the noble gods and the hostile gods are in the same position, it still brings fortune. Even if the repeated branches are on weak positions, as long as they support the heavenly stem with the lu, the person can still achieve honor and status. However, if the repetition occurs on the positions of death, failure, decline, or "kongwang" without any support, the person lacks fortune. This passage is from "San Ming Ti Yao."

天元變化書有三字格，如三丁一癸，三壬一戊，三庚一丙，三辛一丁，尤恐造化輕弱不成器用，凡見三字格，切忌建旺太過中又太過，唯土金不然，如三金得土，三土得火，或三戊，三己，三庚，三辛，建旺不礙。

The "Three-Character Pattern" in the "Book of Heavenly Origins and Transformations" is established, for example, three Dings paired with one Gui, three Rens paired with one Wu, three Gengs paired with one Bing, or three Xins paired with one Ding, and so on. The most dangerous situation is when the vital energy of transformation is weak and delicate, unable to form a useful tool. Whenever encountering the Three-Character Pattern, one must avoid the case where the original energy is already excessively strong, and then adding more excess on top of that. Only the elements of Earth and Metal are not subject to this restriction: three Metals with Earth to generate, three Earths with Fire to generate, or when the heavenly stems are three Wus, three Jis, three Gengs, or three Xins, even if they are strong, it does not matter.

壺中子云：三干鳳凰極貴，切忌戀匹戀林，四本主中有三字本主同一字干而向下支不同者，曰三干鳳凰，三本主同一字支而向上干不同者，曰支鳳凰，三位本主同一支干者，日麟閣鳳沼，主清華之貴，唯戀匹戀林，見合則曰戀匹，見刃則曰戀林。

The Hu Zhongzi says: Three Heavenly Stems forming a Phoenix is an extremely noble pattern, but it most fears "affection for a mate" and "affection for the forest." When among the four pillars, three Heavenly Stems are the same character, but the Earthly Branches beneath them are all different, this is called Three Heavenly Stems Phoenix; when three Earthly Branches are the same character, but the Heavenly Stems above them are all different, this is called Branch Phoenix; when three pillars have both Heavenly and Earthly stems completely the same, this is called Lingge Fengzhao, indicating a position of clear virtue and distinguished prestige. The only things to be cautious about are the two situations of "affection for a mate" and "affection for the forest": when the destiny includes a harmonious partner, it is called affection for a mate; when the destiny includes Yangren, it is called affection for the forest.

【先上清而得之下濁，後下濁而升越上清】先取上之輕清而為用，次看濁氣壓下，上雖清而不秀，則取下濁有用之氣為福，而升越為上矣。（鬼谷遺文）

When determining a person's destiny, one should first take the light and clear qi from the upper layer as the main element, and then check whether there is turbid qi below pressing upon it. If the clear qi from above is clear but not refined, one should instead take a useful portion from the turbid qi below and let it rise and surpass the upper position, thus forming an excellent pattern. This statement comes from the "Ghost Valley Legacy."

【以干為祿向背定其富貴；以支為命，詳順逆以循環】王氏注云：如甲祿在寅，或坐祿、向祿者，不富則貴；或破祿、背祿者，不貧則夭。甲祿在寅，命得寅以坐之，遇丑以向之，逢申以破之，見卯以背之，經云：向祿則生，背祿則死，故祿前一辰為羊刃，祿後一辰為祿庫，此所謂向背定其貧富者歟。十二支曰命，命之所司者，修短定焉。蓋得之以順者，遇五行生旺，三合六合者是也。不順者逢休囚六害四衡三刑者是也，得此者壽，失此者夭，故曰以支為命，詳逆順以循環。瑩和尚注云：背者可定其貧，曏者以言其富，然不可一途取軌，亦有逢背祿不貧者。

The Luolu Zi says, "Take the Heavenly Stem as the official post; whether facing or turning away determines wealth and honor; take the Earthly Branch as the destiny; examine the order of progression and cycles." Wang Tingguang explains that for Jia, the "official post" is in寅. If one's destiny is seated on寅 or faces the position of寅, one will not be poor but will be honored; if one's destiny is broken by the opposite of寅 or turns away from寅, one will not be poor but will die young. Specifically, Jia's official post is in寅. If one's destiny is seated on寅, it is called sitting on the official post; if one meets丑, it is facing the official post; if one meets申, it is breaking the official post; if one meets卯, it is turning away from the official post. The classic says, "Facing the official post brings life, turning away from the official post brings death." The position before the official post is called "Yangren," and the position after the official post is called "Luku." This is the principle of determining wealth and poverty based on facing or turning away. The twelve Earthly Branches are called destiny, and destiny governs the length of life. When things are favorable, one meets the generation and strength of the Five Phases, as well as Triple Harmony and Liu He; when things are unfavorable, one meets the weak and confined, the six harms, the four balances, and the three punishments. Those who meet favorable conditions live long, while those who lose favorable conditions have short lives. Therefore, taking the Earthly Branch as destiny requires careful examination of favorable and unfavorable conditions in cycles. Ying和尚 notes that turning away from the official post can indicate poverty, while facing the official post can indicate wealth. However, one should not rely solely on this single method. There are also cases where one meets turning away from the official post yet is not poor.

【天元一氣定侯伯之遷榮，支作人元運商徒而得失】天元秀氣而吉將加臨者，人得之貴也，支元純粹而四柱比和者，人得之富也，直言富貴，而不言貧賤者，反此則貧賤耳。

"Tiānyuán" refers to the heavenly stems, and "Rényuán" refers to the hidden energies within the earthly branches. If a heavenly stem is pure and clear with auspicious deities accompanying it, a person who possesses it will attain nobility and hold high official positions, continuously advancing in rank. If the earthly branches are pure and the four pillars are mutually harmonious, a person who possesses them will achieve wealth, and success in business and trade will naturally follow. Here, only the aspects of wealth and honor are discussed, not poverty and low status, because the opposite situations are naturally associated with poverty and low status, and there is no need to elaborate further.

【庚辛臨於甲乙，君子可以求官，此人運至南方，貨易獲其厚利】王氏注云：甲以辛為官，乙以庚為官，庚辛來臨於甲乙之人，故曰君子可以求官，小人反以為鬼也。亥子者，北方之水，巳午者南方之火也，以水至火鄉，我克之為財，所以貨易或其厚利也。或謂壬癸至巳午亦是者非也。壬癸是祿，巳午是命。如壬癸得丙丁，亦可謂之祿財，談命者當分祿命身，以干配祿，以支合命，以納音論身，之謂三命。

Wang Tingguang explains that "Geng and Xin are overlying Jia and Yi" means that Jia takes Xin as its official star, and Yi takes Geng as its official star. When Geng and Xin are overlying Jia and Yi days, it is said that scholars can use this to seek official positions. However, for those without responsibility, the same official star can only be regarded as a harmful "ghost."亥 and Zi are the waters of the north, and Si and Wu are the fires of the south. When water goes to the land of fire, it is the case of me overcoming it, and the one that is overcome is considered wealth, so trade and commerce can bring great profit. Some people say that Ren and Gui going to Si and Wu is also based on this principle, but this is incorrect. Ren and Gui belong to the禄, while Si and Wu belong to the命, and they are not the same thing. If Ren and Gui meet Bing and Ding, then it can be called getting wealth from the禄. Those who study fate should clearly distinguish between禄, 命, and 身—using heavenly stems to match禄, earthly branches to match命, and Nayin sound element to match身. This is called the three lifetimes.

【金祿窮於正首，庚重辛輕；木人困於金鄉，寅深卯淺】王氏注云：庚辛金也，庚陽而辛陰，甲乙木也，甲陽而乙陰，庚辛之金，至寅俱絕，必曰庚重辛輕者何？寅為陽宮，庚乃陽金，以陽遇陽曰傷，寅中有甲，甲庚相惡，故曰庚重辛輕，辛為陰金，至寅陽宮，甲以辛為官，兼六辛逢馬虎，天乙貴人，故謂辛輕，寅卯之木，至申而絕，必曰寅深卯淺者何？寅為陽辰，至申宮兩陽相競，寅申相沖，為絕之深也，及卯居申合乙庚，陰陽合氣，故為絕之淺也。

Wang Tingguang explains the phrase "Jin Lu qiong yu zheng shou" saying: Both Geng and Xin belong to metal, with Geng being yang metal and Xin being yin metal; both Jia and Yi belong to wood, with Jia being yang wood and Yi being yin wood. When Geng and Xin metal reach the position of Yin, they are in a place of decline. Why does the text say that Geng suffers more than Xin? Because Yin is a yang position, and Geng is yang metal, so yang meeting yang is called mutual injury. Moreover, Yin contains Jia wood, which is hostile to Geng, so Geng suffers more. Xin is yin metal, entering the yang position of Yin, where Jia regards Xin as an official star. In addition, on the sixth day of Xin, encountering Yin is exactly where the "Tianyi Nobleman" is located, commonly known as the "Ma Hu Nobleman," so Xin suffers less. As for wood reaching the position of Shen, it is also in a place of decline. Why does the decline of Yin go deeper than that of Mao? Because Yin is a yang branch, and when it reaches the Shen position, it is two yangs fighting, and Yin and Shen are directly opposing, so the decline is deeper. Mao reaching the Shen position has the combination of Yi and Geng, which is a harmonious yin and yang relationship, so the decline is shallower.

【壬癸秋生而冬旺，亥子同途；甲乙夏死而春榮，寅卯一揆】王氏注云：壬癸亥子一類水也，水生於申，而旺於子，甲乙寅卯一類木也，木旺於卯，而死於午，故曰壬癸秋生而冬旺，甲乙夏死而春榮。（珞琭子）

Wang Tingguang explains that Ren and Gui, along with Hai and Zi, belong to the category of water. Water is born in the month of Shen and reaches its peak in the month of Zi. Ji and Yi, along with Yin and Mao, belong to the category of wood. Wood reaches its peak in the month of Mao and dies in the month of Wu. Therefore, the Luolu Zi says that water of Ren and Gui is born in autumn and reaches its peak in winter, with Hai and Zi following the same pattern. Wood of Ji and Yi dies in summer and reaches its peak in spring, with Yin and Mao following the same principle.

【甲己丙辛申子辰，丁壬亥卯未中尋，乙庚從格局為真，戊癸炎上亦須陳，得局卻嫌逢脫局，財局縈心鬼局惡，甲乙曲直亦同詳，歸認干頭莫教錯】如丁壬亥卯未本局之類，且如丙辛見巳酉丑相生局也。脫局者乙庚遇申子辰，金生水為脫局也。財局如乙庚的亥卯未鬼局，如乙庚得寅午戌也或貧賤夭壽，甲乙乃木也，亥卯未為本局，亦嫌脫也。（沉芝源髓）

This song explains the pairing of heavenly stems with the Triple Harmony Formation. The combinations of Jia and Ji, Bing and Xin should be looked for in the Shen-Zi-Chen water triad. The combination of Ding and Ren should be sought in the Hai-Mao-Wei wood triad. The combination of Yi and Geng should follow the natural order of their own formation. The combination of Wu and Gui should be considered together with the fire triad. Those who have already formed a Triple Harmony Formation should be cautious of encountering "depletion of the formation." A wealth formation may cause mental distress, while a ghost formation is particularly ominous. The curved and straight patterns of wooden stems like Jia and Yi should also be analyzed in this way. In summary, one must accurately identify the归属 of heavenly stems and avoid mistakes. The commentary provides examples: Ding and Ren forming the Hai-Mao-Wei triad is considered a natural formation; Bing and Xin encountering the Si-You-Chou metal triad forms a mutually generating formation. "Depletion of the formation" refers to Yi and Geng encountering the Shen-Zi-Chen water triad, where metal is used to generate water, leading to the loss of the original energy. A wealth formation, such as Yi and Geng encountering the Hai-Mao-Wei wood triad, is considered a wealth formation. A ghost formation, such as Yi and Geng encountering the Yin-Wu-Xu fire triad, may indicate poverty, low status, and a short lifespan. Jia and Yi, being wooden stems, although belonging to the Hai-Mao-Wei triad, are also subject to depletion. This statement is from the "Chen Zhi Yuan Me" text.

【戊己加臨丘壑，信若尾生；壬癸遁入江湖，廉如鮑叔】戊己屬土，丘壑亦屬土，辰戌丑未乃丘壑之地，壬癸屬水，江湖亦屬水，亥子乃江湖之鄉，戊己人得丘壑之地生者，足於信，蓋土主於信，壬癸得江湖之地生者，其人廉。

"The戊 and 己 are earth elements, and 山丘 and 壑 also belong to earth; the branches 辰, 戌, 丑, and 未 are the lands of 山丘 and 壑. Those born on 戊 or 己 days and falling on these branches are trustworthy, like Wei Sheng from the Spring and Autumn period who died holding the bridge pillar to keep his promise. Earth is associated with trust in the five constants. The 壬 and 癸 are water elements, and 江湖 also belong to water; the branches 亥 and 子 are the lands of 江湖. Those born on 壬 or 癸 days and falling on these branches are upright and incorruptible, like Bo Shu of the State of Qi who gave way to Guan Zhong's talents."

【頭戴腳踏，罕遇甲年寅時】頭謂八字之首，踏謂八字之末，甲乙天中之木也。寅卯地下之木也，八字之首得甲，而八字之末得寅者，戴其天中之木，而踏其地下之木也。八字之首得乙，而八字之末得卯者，戴其天中之木，而踏其地下之木也。餘十干皆彷此。

"The head and foot" refers to the beginning and end of the八字. The head refers to the heavenly stem of the year, and the foot refers to the earthly branch of the hour. Jia and Yi are heavenly wood, while Yin and Mao are earthly wood. If the beginning of the八字 is Jia and the end is Yin, it is like wearing heavenly wood on the head and stepping on earthly wood with the feet. Similarly, if the beginning is Yi and the end is Mao, it is also wearing heavenly wood on the head and stepping on earthly wood with the feet. The other heavenly stems are also compared in this way. This kind of harmonious combination between heaven and earth is very rare, which is why it is seldom to find a Jia year paired with a Yin hour.

【丁得戊而最佳，酉見丁而可畏】戊人見丁者，在字為成，酉人得丁或丁人得酉為丁入目。

This is a method of divination through character analysis: for someone born on a Wu day, seeing a Ding is favorable, because adding one stroke to the character Wu forms the character Cheng, meaning completion. However, for someone born on a You day who encounters Ding, or someone born on a Ding day who encounters You, the character shape resembles a nail piercing the eye, called "Ding entering the eye," which indicates injury to the eyes and is considered ominous.

【八字純粹，少處嚴廊，二氣偏枯，老為俗物】八字乃年月日時枝幹也，二氣乃陰陽也，八字得之渾然純粹者，必早有嚴廊之望。二氣得之交迭，偏枯者無貴，則至老終為俗物，黃帝謂一陰一陽之謂道，偏陰偏陽之謂疾。

The term 'eight characters' refers to the heavenly stems and earthly branches of the year, month, day, and hour; the term 'two energies' refers to yin and yang. Those whose eight characters are harmonious and pure may attain high office at a young age; those whose yin and yang energies are imbalanced and uneven will not attain noble status, and will remain ordinary throughout their lives. The Yellow Emperor said: when yin and yang alternate and flow in harmony, it is called the Dao; but when it is biased towards yin or yang, it is called illness.

【天干不斷若血脈之調榮，地支相連類珠璣之貫穿】天干不斷，在格曰連珠，地支相連，在格曰連茹，得連珠則貴，得連茹則富，有所畏者隔斷也，蓋十干不要斷，若甲字斷之，如血脈之不通榮銜也，反為夭折。十二支不要斷，若子字斷之，則如珠璣之不相穿貫也，反為災害，十干若不斷甲字，而斷他九字，化為虛一待用格。十二支若不斷子，而斷餘十一字，名為歇滅殺，女子尤忌之。

The heavenly stems are continuous, and when they form a pattern, it is called "lianzhu" (connected pearls); the earthly branches are interconnected, and when they form a pattern, it is called "lianyu" (connected reeds). Having "lianzhu" indicates wealth, while having "lianyu" indicates prosperity. What is feared is when the connection is broken in the middle. Among the ten heavenly stems, it is best not to have any break. If the break occurs at Jia, it is like the blood circulation being blocked, leading to a short life. Among the twelve earthly branches, it is also best not to have any break. If the break occurs at Zi, it is like pearls and jewels not being strung together, leading to calamity. If the ten heavenly stems do not break at Jia but break at the other nine, it becomes the "Xu Yi Dai Yong Ge" (Empty One Waiting to Be Used Pattern). If the twelve earthly branches do not break at Zi but break at the other eleven, it is called "Xie Mie Sha" (Extinction Killer), which is especially disliked in female命 (destiny).

天元變化書云：天干連珠中間有轉達之氣，並貴旺相者為上，無此未必便佳。支神連珠太歲在前者為上，如亥人見申酉戌亥，緊向本歲，謂之從歲，仍看天干納音如何。

The Tianyuan Huabian Book says: When the heavenly stems form a chain-like configuration, there must also be a qi that can transmit and convey, along with the presence of a noble deity and a position of prosperity and strength, to be considered top quality; without these conditions, mere chaining of the heavenly stems may not necessarily be favorable. When the earthly branches form a chain-like configuration, the one with the master year (too shi) leading the way is considered superior, for example, a person born in the year of Hai (pig) who sees Shen (monkey), You (rooster), Xu (dog), and Hai (pig), closely following the master year, is called "from too shi"; even so, one still needs to examine how the heavenly stems and "Nayin sound element" match in order to determine the final judgment.

虛其一，待其用，得之者，穩步青雲；忽頭重，忽尾輕，遇之者早歸泉世。四柱本干相連，即跳一字，號為虛一待用。四柱本支相連，而重一字者號為頭重尾輕，虛一待用為青雲得路之人，頭重尾輕乃泉壤夭折之子。（壺中子）

The "Huzhongzi" has two lines of verse: those who have one position left empty for future use can steadily ascend to success; those whose structure is suddenly heavy at the beginning and light at the end will meet an early end in the Yellow Spring. The commentary explains: the heavenly stems in the four pillars are originally connected, but one character is skipped in between, which is called "xu yi dai yong"; the earthly branches in the four pillars are originally connected, but one character is repeated, which is called "tou zhong wei qing." A person with "xu yi dai yong" is a talent destined for success, while a person with "tou zhong wei qing" is a short-lived child who will meet an early death.

【連珠入局尤為榮】如甲乙丙丁子丑寅卯之類，干支順者，謂之入局，若相刑剋者不入局。（理愚歌）

When the heavenly stems and earthly branches form a continuous sequence, it is called entering the pattern, and this brings great honor. For example, if the heavenly stems are arranged in the order Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, and the earthly branches are arranged in the order Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, this is considered entering the pattern. However, if there are mutual punishments or restrictions among them, it does not count as entering the pattern. This passage is from the "Li Yu Ge."

甲午乙未丙申丁酉戊戌己亥，餘皆彷此。（三命纂局）八字金書云：若甲子生下有乙丑，此為連珠福神，能押眾殺，更加祿馬十分之命。詩云：命中生處得連珠，足食豐衣與眾殊；若有殺神居位內，自然為福與消除。

The pattern of consecutive heavenly stems and earthly branches, such as Jia Wu, Yi Wei, Bing Shen, Ding You, Wu Xu, Ji Hai, and so on in sequence, is called the "Connected Treasure" or "Lian Zhu Gui Ge." This example comes from the "San Ming Zuan Ju." The "Bazi Jin Shu" states that if Jia Zi is followed by Yi Chou, it forms the "Lian Zhu Fu Shen," which can suppress manyInauspicious Sha (malevolent influences). If combined with the presence of "Lu" (favorable position) and "Ma" (horse, symbolizing mobility and success), it becomes an excellent destiny. The book also has a poem saying: If the birth chart has consecutive heavenly stems and earthly branches, one will have abundant wealth and a life different from ordinary people; even ifInauspicious Sha are present in the destiny, the "Lian Zhu" will naturally transform them into blessings and eliminate their negative effects.

凡見同氣連珠，如丙寅見丁卯，損氣，是名退氣連珠，丁卯見丙寅退一辰，卻是進，名貢氣連珠，如丙辰土入見丁巳不佳，丁巳見丙辰最上。（天元變化書）

All consecutive combinations within the same energy also need to be distinguished as advancing or retreating. Bingyin followed by Dingmao indicates a decline in energy, called "retreating energy combination." Conversely, Dingmao followed by Bingyin appears as a retreat but actually represents an advance, called "contributing energy combination." For example, if Bingchen earth comes before Dingsi fire, it is not good, but if Dingsi fire comes before Bingchen earth, it is the best. This statement comes from the "Tianyuan Biangu Shu."

【凡甲丙丁壬辰字平頭】若見三四字帶空亡者，定為僧道。【甲癸未申酉屬破字】甲癸酉必損眼，未申患心腹疾，更看時入害鄉，干神受制者，必不虛矣。【甲辛卯午申屬懸針】五行無氣，不值德神，定是軍人。三命纂局云：懸針三四字，號懸針眼疾，還多險厄臨，被刑帶殺須徙配，怎不為軍刺面人。

The characters Jia, Bing, Ding, Ren, and Chen have their heads aligned horizontally, which is called "ping tou"; if a person's destiny includes three or four "ping tou" characters along with "kongwang," they are destined to become a monk or Taoist priest. The characters Jia, Gui, Wei, Shen, and You belong to the category of "po zhi"; Jia and Gui paired with You will certainly cause eye damage, while encountering Wei or Shen increases the likelihood of heart and abdominal diseases. One should also check if the birth time falls into a harmful place. If the heavenly stem is further restrained, the prediction will certainly come true. The characters Jia, Xin, Mao, Wu, and Shen belong to the category of "xuan zhen"; if the Five Phases are weak and there is no benevolent deity to rescue, they are likely to be soldiers. The "San Ming Zuan Ju" has a verse that says: if three or four "xuan zhen" characters appear, it is called "xuan zhen eye disease," and one will face frequent dangers throughout life; if further afflicted by punishment and clash along with harmful influences, one will be exiled or relocated, how could they not become tattooed soldiers?

【戊庚戍屬杖刑鋒刃】若帶羊刃蝕神，定犯徙流。【乙己丑巳屬闕字】（曲腳殺附）犯多者必有闕唇，穿耳，肢體不全，若無德合，五行無氣，*（ps*讀音：gu（谷）我的字庫沒這個字）帛不充，寄食他門。李九萬云：凡巳酉丑三合全，天干帶己字者，主唇齒不全之疾，一生招人唇吻。八字金書云：四柱中乙己巳者名曲腳殺，帶多主他養為子，不然養他人子，主兩姓故也。

The characters 戊, 庚, 戌 belong to the category of 'staff, punishment, and sharp weapon'; those whose fate includes these characters along with 'Yangren' and 'Eshen' will certainly suffer imprisonment or exile. The characters 乙, 己, 丑, 巳 belong to the category of 'deficient characters'; 'Qujiao Sha' is also included in this category. Those who have many of these characters will certainly have defects such as a split lip, pierced ears, or incomplete limbs. If they also lack the harmonious presence of 'De Shen' and have no strength in the Five Phases, they will not have enough grain and cloth, and will have to live by others' charity. Li Jiowan said: if the three harmonies of 巳, 酉, 丑 are all present and the heavenly stem also includes 己, it indicates a disorder in the lips and teeth, and will bring continuous disputes and troubles throughout life. The "Eight Characters Golden Book" states: if the four pillars contain 乙, 己, and 巳, it is called 'Qujiao Sha'. Having many of these indicates being raised by others or adopting a child, in any case involving two families.

【丙壬寅酉為聾啞字】若犯多者，及胎中受害，時食於日，必患聾啞，又酉日戍時生者主聾啞，及頭害惡瘡，此是時破日者也。歌曰：平頭必是為僧道，破字終須失眼明，殺看懸針須刺面，徙流多見杖刑並，飢貧不幸逢空闕，相貌兼知不十成，惟是相遭聾啞字，空亡無氣定來精。（金書命訣）

Jia, Ding, Yin, You are considered 'deaf-mute characters'. If they appear frequently and the person's natal chart is injured, and if the birth time reverses and consumes the birthday, they will certainly suffer from deafness and muteness. In addition, those born on the Wu day at the Xu hour are also prone to deafness and muteness, and are likely to develop malignant sores on their heads, caused by the birth time conflicting with the birthday. The "Jin Shu Ming Jue" has a song that summarizes this: those with the 'level head' character are mostly destined to become monks or Taoist priests; those with the 'broken character' will eventually suffer eye damage; those with the 'suspended needle' character should beware of facial tattoos; those with the 'staff punishment' character are often associated with exile or banishment. If one encounters Kongwang and阙字, they will live a life of hunger and poverty, with an incomplete appearance. Only those with the 'deaf-mute' character combined with Kongwang and lack of vitality will have the most accurate results.

祿絕者，如甲乙生人在申，主仕官不久，職位難進，資財不豐，門閥不盛。人命絕者，如亥子人在巳，主孤獨少子，又壽不長，中年多困。（三命吟）

The concept of "Lü Jue" refers to a situation where, for example, someone born on a Jia or Yi day who is in the position of Shen, which is the place where Jia and Yi's禄 (favorable position for official rank) is considered to be "Jue" (declining), indicating that they will not hold office for long, have difficulty advancing in their career, lack wealth, and their family will not flourish. The concept of "Ming Jue" refers to someone born in the year of Hai or Zi encountering the position of Si, which leads to loneliness, few children, a short lifespan, and many difficulties in middle age. This passage is from the "San Ming Yin."

如己未見甲辰，甲辰見己丑，己丑見甲戍，甲戍見己未，凡在四沖之地，納音同類，逐兩位逆數之是也，寅申巳亥子午卯酉，亦以此取之，主人平生多不足，不成器道。經云：井欄互破，無藥可醫，遇空亡則庶幾，行年行運亦忌之。凡命帶重支迭干者，主心懷不佳，計較機謀，狡獪短行，歲運添之，因而有失，亦主思慮過當，有心力藏懷之人也。

The pattern of mutual destruction among similar elements is like Jichou encountering Jiachen, Jiachen encountering Jichou, Jichou encountering Jishou, and Jishou encountering Jichou. Whenever two pillars fall in the four conflicting positions of Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei, and their "Nayin" elements are of the same type, the destruction occurs when counting backward two positions. The same method applies to the groups of Yin, Shen, Si, Hai and Zi, Wu, Mao, You. People who commit this have lifelong regrets and cannot achieve great success. The classics say, "Well frame mutual destruction, there is no medicine to cure," and only when encountering "Kongwang" can there be some relief. This is also something to avoid in the big years and destiny cycles. Those whose destiny has repeated branches in the earth and repeated heavenly stems in the sky are often not straightforward in their hearts, are good at scheming and playing tricks, are cunning and untrustworthy in their actions. If the years and cycles add another layer, they will suffer misfortune and be prone to overthinking, indicating someone who keeps their thoughts hidden deep.

凡四柱不可犯丙戊二干，若在寅辰上，名仇讎晦氣，主招謗怨，多與人競，如韓球都大命，戊辰年，甲寅月，甲寅日，丙寅時，又*（ps：*為足和束這個字怎麼都查不到）山如老庚辰年，戊寅月，戊寅日，丙辰時是也，古詩云：丙戊忌見莫同群，逢之災咎及其身，若遇仇讎龍與虎，非時刑禍不堪論。

In the four pillars of destiny, it is not advisable for both the Bing and Wu heavenly stems to appear together. If these two stems are also located on the Yin or Chen earthly branches, it is called 'Enemy and Obstruction of Bad Atmosphere', which leads to attracting slander and hatred, and frequently quarreling with others. For example, the fate of the official Han Qiu was: Wuchen year, Jiayin month, Jiayin day, Bingyin hour; another old man whose name starts with a missing character and ends with 'Shan Ru' had: Gengchen year, Wuyin month, Wuyin day, Bingchen hour, both fall into this category. An ancient poem says: Bing and Wu are most disliked to be together, and when they meet, misfortune will fall upon oneself; if they also meet the enemy pair of Chen dragon and Yin tiger, the injuries and calamities caused by incompatibility are hard to describe.

凡命帶乙己癸三干全者，不是四肢眼目破傷，則中年後犯刑，甲乙庚三干全者主失明，十有九中，或小年斑瘡損眼，帶辰午酉全，中年定失明，乙癸二干不可同見丑字，主富貴少壽，丁辛二干不可同見巳字，主傷父母，經曰：乙癸同牛寸陰難保；丁辛見巳，父母多傷。

Anyone whose heavenly stems include 乙, 己, and 癸 all together will either suffer injury to their limbs or eyes, or be involved in legal troubles in middle age. Those with 甲, 乙, and 庚 together are likely to lose their sight, and this prediction is mostly accurate; some may have suffered eye damage from childhood rashes. If their earthly branches also include 辰, 午, and 酉, blindness is certain in middle age. 乙 and 癸 should not appear together with 丑; if they do, although there may be wealth and status, the lifespan is short. 丁 and 辛 should not appear together with 巳; if they do, there will be harm to the parents. The classic texts say: when 乙 and 癸 both fall on 丑 (the Ox), they cannot even hold on for a moment. When 丁 and 辛 meet 巳, the parents will suffer injury.

丙辛二干不可見卯，己丁壬三干，不可見午申，名曰類應，主平生歇滅，乙辛二干不可同位，乙未辛未是也。庚壬二干不可同位，庚戍壬戍是也，名曰反傷，主富貴人夭壽，小人刑戳之災，經曰：乙辛逢未是天牢，四位同宮禍患遭，庚壬遇戍須徙配，災咎來時不可逃。（廣信集）

The Heavenly Stems Jia and Xin cannot appear with the Earthly Branch Mao, and the Heavenly Stems Ji, Ding, and Ren cannot appear with the Earthly Branches Wu and Shen. This is called "classical correspondence," indicating a life of stagnation and decline. The Heavenly Stems Yi and Xin cannot be in the same position, such as Yiwei paired with Xinwei; similarly, the Heavenly Stems Geng and Ren cannot be in the same position, such as Gengxu paired with Renxu. This is called "reverse injury": people from wealthy families encountering this will have short lifespans, while common people will suffer from punishments and calamities. The classic texts say: when Yi and Xin appear together with Wei, it is as if the body is trapped in the Heavenly Prison, and when all four pillars are in the same position, disaster is inevitable; when Geng and Ren appear together with Xu, one must be exiled to the borders, and when calamity comes, there is no way to escape. This passage is from the "Broad Trust Collection."

五行者往來乎天地之間，而不窮者也，是故謂之行，北方陰極而生寒，寒生水。南方陽極而生熱，熱生火。東方陽散而而生風，風生木，西方陰止以收而生燥，燥生金，中央陰陽交而生溫，溫生土，其相生也，所以相繼，其相剋也，所以相治，此這謂有偏。（五行要論）

The Five Phases are things that circulate continuously between heaven and earth, hence the term "行" (to move or travel). When northern yin energy reaches its peak, it produces cold, and cold produces water; when southern yang energy reaches its peak, it produces heat, and heat produces fire; when eastern yang energy spreads out, it produces wind, and wind produces wood; when western yin energy gathers and becomes still, it produces dryness, and dryness produces metal; when central yin and yang meet, it produces warmth, and warmth produces earth. The mutual generation of the Five Phases ensures continuity among them, while their mutual control ensures balance and order. This statement comes from the *Five Phases Essentials*.

春忌見木，不能克伐。夏忌見火，金嫌鬼盛。秋忌見金太剛則闕，旺則害物。冬忌見水，水流則金化，（金成則火煉器就，是金成則欲得火，金未成則不欲火也。又云：秋金得火方為良金，到已（ps：懷疑實為巳）酉丑亦可謂之成也。）

Gold is unfavorable to see wood in spring, because spring wood is strong and gold cannot overcome it; in summer, it is unfavorable to see fire, as fire is the ghost that kills gold, and summer fire is too strong for gold to bear; in autumn, it is unfavorable to see gold, as too much of the same element becomes too hard and causes damage; in winter, it is unfavorable to see water, as water flows away and the gold's energy dissipates. A note says: formed gold desires fire to be shaped into an object, so formed gold hopes to see fire, but unformed gold does not. It also says: autumn gold needs fire to be good gold, and when it reaches the positions of Si, You, and Chou, it can be considered as shaped. (The original text mistakenly wrote 'Si' as 'Yi'.)

又云：金不煉不成器，聚金無火，難成脫樸之名，金重火輕，執事繁難。金不利死衰之火，器象難完，金極火盛，為格最精，金輕火重，鍛鍊消亡，大火鍊金，幸功成而退速，純金湊水遇富顯以贏餘。

It is also said that metal cannot become a useful object without being refined. If a pile of metal is gathered but there is no fire, it will be difficult to remove its roughness and achieve the status of a refined object. If the metal is too heavy and the fire is too weak, the process will inevitably be difficult. If metal meets a fire that has already died down, the shape of the object will not be complete. When metal reaches its peak and fire is vigorous, this is the most refined configuration. Conversely, if the metal is light and the fire is strong, continuous refining will cause the metal to melt away completely. A great fire refining metal may lead to temporary success, but after achieving success, it will quickly decline. If pure metal is combined with water, it indicates wealth, fame, and abundant resources.

李九萬云：金成則火來，故金未成欲得見火，金已成器，不欲見火也。又云：金無水則乾枯，土重則埋沒不顯，水重則沉沒，不作福。悟玄子云：火滅金須成大器，金輕火重命難全。孫子才云：金見子午寅亥，終始蹇塞之人，或成則破。

Li Jiūwàn said: Gold needs fire to become a complete object, so unformed gold hopes to meet fire, but formed gold does not wish to meet fire again. He also said: Gold becomes dry without water, and if the earth is too heavy, it will be buried and unable to rise. If water is too heavy, it will drown and fail to produce blessings. Wu Xuanzi said: Only after the fire is extinguished can gold become a great object. A destiny where gold is light and fire is heavy is difficult to preserve. Sun Zicai said: When gold meets the branches Zi, Wu, Yin, and Hai, it will have a life full of obstacles and blockage, and even if it becomes an object, it will still be broken again.

希尹云：五行中其他長生皆在母氣臨官位，如木臨在寅，即為火長生之地，獨金長生在巳，土氣至巳已絕，又是火臨官之位，遇剋我者，而反為長生，豈非金氣，雖以至陰為體，然中含至陽之精，乃能堅剛，獨異眾物，若獨陰而不堅，則冰雪是也。遇陽則消矣。六金中惟庚戌尤喜巳，蓋火庫中金也。若見乙巳，雖納音屬火，而乙與庚合，化為真金亦無礙。

Xi Yin said: Among the Five Phases, the long life positions of the other elements all fall in the officialdom position of their nurturing parents. For example, the officialdom of wood is in寅, and寅 is exactly the long life position of fire; only the long life of metal is in巳, and by the time the earth energy reaches巳, it has already ceased. Moreover,巳 is exactly the officialdom position of fire. When encountering fire, which is the element that controls metal, it paradoxically becomes the long life of metal. This clearly shows that although the metal element takes the form of extreme yin, it contains the essence of extreme yang in the middle, thus becoming hard and strong, different from all other things. If it were purely yin and not firm, it would become ice and snow, melting away at the first touch of yang energy. Among the six metal destinies, only Geng Xu most favors巳, because it is gold stored in the fire warehouse. If one encounters Yisi, although Yisi's nayin sound element belongs to fire, since Yi and Geng combine to form true gold, it is not a problem.