On the Ten Celestial Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches - 9
Original Text
其有似喜而实忌者，何也？如官逢印运，而本命有合，印逢官运，而本命用煞之类是也。
有似忌而实喜者，何也？如官逢伤运，而命透印，财行煞运，而命透食之类是也。
又有行干而不行支者，何也？如丙生子月亥年，逢丙丁则帮身，逢巳午则相冲是也。
又有行支而不行乾者，何也？如甲生酉月，辛金透而官犹弱，逢申酉则官植根，逢庚辛则混煞重官之类是也。
又有乾同一类而不两行者，何也？如丁生亥月，而年透壬官，逢丙则帮身，逢丁则合官之类是也。
又有支同一类而不两行者，何也？如戊生卯月，丑年，逢申则自坐长生，逢酉则会丑以伤官之类是也。
又有同是相冲而分缓急者，何也？冲年月则急，冲日时则缓也。
又有同是相冲而分轻重者，何也？运本美而逢冲则轻，运既忌而又冲则重也。
又有逢冲而不冲，何也？如甲用酉官，行卯则冲，而本命巳酉相会，则冲无力；年支亥未，则卯逢年会而不冲月官之类是也。
又有一冲而得两冲者，何也？如乙用申官，两申并而不冲一寅，运又逢寅，则运与本命，合成二寅，以冲二申之类是也。
命之格局，成于八字，然配之以运，亦有成格变格之要权。其成格变格，较之喜忌祸福尤重。
何为成格？本命用神，成而未全，从而就之者是也。如丁生辰月，透壬为官，而运逢申子以会之；乙生辰月，或申或子会印成局，而运逢壬癸以透之。如此之类，皆成格也。
何为变格？如丁生辰月，透壬为官，而运逢戌，透出辰中伤官；壬生戌月，丁己并透，而支又会寅会午，作财旺生官矣，而运逢戊土，透出戌中七煞；壬生亥月，透己为用，作建禄用官矣，而运逢卯未，会亥成本，又化建禄为伤。如此之类，皆变格也。
然亦有逢成格而不喜者，何也？如壬生午月，运透己官，而本命有甲乙之类是也。
又有逢变格而不忌者，何也？如丁生辰月，透壬用官，逢戊而命有甲；壬生亥月，透己用官，运逢卯未，而命有庚辛之类是也。
成格变格，关系甚大，取运者其细详之。
命中喜忌，虽支干俱有，而干主天，动而有为，支主地，静以待用，且乾主一而支藏多，为福为祸，安不得殊？
譬如甲用酉官，逢庚辛则官煞杂，而申酉不作此例。申亦辛之旺地，辛坐申酉，如府官又掌道印也。逢二辛则官犯重，而二酉不作此例。辛坐二酉，如一府而摄二郡也，透丁则伤官，而逢午不作此例。丁动而午静，且丁己并藏，安知其为财也？
然亦有支而能作祸福者，何也？如甲用酉官，逢午酉未能伤，而又遇寅遇戌，不隔二位，二者合而火动，亦能伤矣。即此反观，如甲生申月，午不制煞，会寅会戌，二者清局而火动，亦能伤矣。然必会有动，是正与乾有别也。即此一端，馀者可知。
支中喜忌，固与乾有别矣，而运逢透清，则静而待用者，正得其用，而喜忌之验，于此乃见。何谓透清？如甲用酉官，逢辰未即为财，而运透戊，逢午未即为伤，而运透丁之类是也。
故凡一八字到手，必须逐乾逐支，上下统看。支为乾之生地，乾为支之发用。如命中有一甲字，则统观四支，有寅亥卯未等字否，有一字，皆甲木之根也。有一亥字，则统观四支，有壬甲二字否。有壬，则亥为壬禄，以壬水用；用甲，则亥为甲长生，以甲木用；用壬甲俱全，则一以禄为根，一以长生为根，二者并用。取运亦用此术，将本命八字，逐干支配之而已。
八字用神专凭月令，月无用神，徐寻格局。月令，本也；外格，末也。今人不知轻重，拘泥格局，执假失真。
故戊生甲寅之月，时上庚甲，不以为明煞有制，而以为专食之格，逢甲减福。
Interpretation
Why are there cases where it seems favorable but actually brings misfortune? For example, when an official star meets the fortune of the seal star, but there is a combination in one's birth chart; or when the seal star meets the fortune of the official star, but the birth chart uses the killing star, and so on.
Why are there cases where it seems like there is something to be avoided but actually it is favorable? For example, when an official (a favorable element in the Bazi system) encounters an unfavorable "injury" period in the luck cycle, but the natal chart has the "print" element showing up; or when wealth encounters the "killing" period in the luck cycle, but the natal chart has the "eater" element showing up, and so on.
Moreover, why are there cases where the heavenly stem can act but the earthly branch cannot? For example, if a person is born in the month of Zi and the year of Hai with Bing as the heavenly stem, when encountering Bing or Ding, it will strengthen the self-element; when encountering Si or Wu, it will result in a clash.
Moreover, why do some elements act according to the branches but not the trunks? For example, when Jia is born in the You month, if Xin metal appears in the heavenly stems but the official qi is still weak, when Shen or You comes, the official qi will take root in the earthly branches; when Geng or Xin appears, it will mix with the seven - killing qi and strengthen the official qi, and so on.
Moreover, there is a situation where elements belong to the same category but do not follow the principle of duality. Why is that? For example, when a person is born in the month of Hai with Ding as the day stem, and there is Ren, the official star, showing up in the year pillar. In this case, when Bing appears, it helps strengthen the self-element; when Ding appears, it combines with the official star, and so on.
Moreover, there is a situation where things belong to the same category but do not follow two different paths. Why is that? For example, when the Heavenly Stem Wu is born in the Mao month of a Chou year, if it meets Shen, it sits on its own prosperous stage; if it meets You, it combines with Chou to form a situation of Hurting Officer and so on.
Moreover, why are there situations where the same kind of conflict can be divided into urgent and less urgent ones? When the conflict occurs with the year and month in the Bazi, it is urgent; when it occurs with the day and hour, it is less urgent.
Moreover, why are there cases where the same type of conflict is divided into different degrees of severity? If the luck is originally good and then encounters a conflict, the impact is mild. If the luck is already unfavorable and then there is a conflict, the impact is severe.
Moreover, why is there a situation where an opposing force fails to cause an actual conflict? For example, if in the Bazi (Four Pillars of Destiny), the Jia element uses You as the official star, and when the luck cycle reaches Mao, it should theoretically create a conflict. However, if in the natal chart, Si and You are in a harmonious combination, then the conflict from Mao becomes ineffective. Another case is when the year pillar has Hai and Wei. In this situation, although Mao appears, due to its association with the annual combination, it won't conflict with the official star in the month pillar.
Moreover, what does it mean when one clash leads to two clashes? For example, when Yi uses Shen as the official, if there are two Shen that do not clash with one Yin. When the luck cycle encounters Yin, then the luck cycle and the natal chart combine to form two Yin, which clash with the two Shen, and so on.
The pattern of one's fate is determined by the eight characters of the birth date. However, when combined with the luck cycle, there are also important factors in the formation and transformation of the pattern. The formation and transformation of the pattern are even more important than the auspiciousness, inauspiciousness, good fortune, and misfortune.
What does it mean to form a favorable pattern? It refers to the situation where the favorable element in one's natal chart is initially formed but not fully developed, and then is enhanced and completed. For example, if a person is born in the Chen month with Ding as the day stem, and Ren (representing the official position) appears on the heavenly stem, and then the fortune meets the years or months with Shen and Zi to form a water combination; or if a person is born in the Chen month with Yi as the day stem, and either Shen or Zi forms a combination with the seal element to form a pattern, and then the fortune meets the years or months with Ren and Gui to make them appear on the heavenly stem. Situations like these are all cases of forming a favorable pattern.
What is a changed pattern? For example, in the case of a person born in the Chen month of the Ding year, if the Ren element appears as the official star, but during the luck period when the Xu year comes, the Hurting Officer in the Chen element is revealed; when a person is born in the Xu month of the Ren year, if both the Ding and Ji elements are revealed, and the earthly branches form a combination with Yin and Wu, it is regarded as a pattern where wealth is prosperous and generates the official star. However, during the luck period when the Wu earth appears, the Seven Killings in the Xu element are revealed; when a person is born in the Hai month of the Ren year, if the Ji element is revealed for use, it is regarded as a pattern where the Yang Blade uses the official star. But during the luck period when the Mao and Wei years come, they combine with the Hai element to form the Wood element, and the pattern of Yang Blade is changed to the Hurting Officer pattern. Such examples are all cases of changed patterns.
However, there are also cases where one doesn't like it even when the conditions are met. Why? For example, when a person is born in the month of Wu with the Heavenly Stem Ren, and in the fortune, the Earthly Stem Ji (representing the official star) appears, while in the natal chart, there are Jia and Yi (Wood elements) and so on.
Moreover, why are there cases where one doesn't avoid encountering a changed pattern? For example, in the case of a person born in the Chen month of the Ding year, with Ren showing up and using the official star, when encountering Wu but having Jia in the birth chart; or for someone born in the Hai month of the Ren year, with Ji showing up and using the official star, when the luck cycle encounters Mao and Wei but having Geng and Xin in the birth chart, and so on.
The changes between the standard and non - standard patterns have a great impact. Those who select the fortune - determining factors should examine them carefully.
In terms of the auspicious and inauspicious aspects in one's fortune, although both the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches are involved, the Heavenly Stems represent the sky, being active and initiating actions. The Earthly Branches represent the earth, remaining static and waiting to be utilized. Moreover, each Heavenly Stem has a single nature, while each Earthly Branch hides multiple elements. So, whether it brings good fortune or misfortune, how can it not be different?
For example, if Jia uses You as the official star, when encountering Geng and Xin, there will be a mixture of official and seven - killing stars, but Shen and You are not in this case. Shen is also the prosperous land of Xin. When Xin sits on Shen or You, it is like a prefect also holding the seal of a circuit - inspector. When encountering two Xins, the official star is in a redundant situation, but two Yous are not in this case. When Xin sits on two Yous, it is like a prefect governing two prefectures. If Ding appears, it is an offensive - official star, but when encountering Wu, it is not in this case. Ding is active while Wu is static, and besides, both Ding and Ji are hidden in Wu. How can we be sure that it is the wealth star?
However, there are also cases where a branch can bring good or bad fortune. Why is this so? For example, when Jia uses You as the official star, if Wu and Wei cannot harm it, but then it meets Yin and Xu without being separated by more than two positions, when these two combine and the fire element is activated, it can also cause harm. By looking at this in reverse, if Jia is born in the Shen month and Wu cannot control the killing star, when it combines with Yin and Xu, and the fire element is activated after these two form a clear combination, it can also cause harm. However, there must be a combination to cause an activation, which is different from the situation in Qian. Just from this one example, the rest can be inferred.
The auspicious and inauspicious factors in the earthly branches are indeed different from those in the heavenly stems. When the earthly branches encounter the clear manifestation of relevant elements in the luck cycle, the elements that were originally dormant and waiting for their turn to be useful can finally play their roles, and the effects of auspicious and inauspicious factors can be seen at this time. What is meant by "clear manifestation"? For example, when the heavenly stem is Jia and the earthly branch uses You as the official star, when it meets Chen or Wei, they are considered as wealth stars, and if the luck cycle reveals Wu (earthly branch associated with wealth - related energy); when it meets Wu or Wei, they are considered as the stars of hurting officials, and if the luck cycle reveals Ding (associated with the energy of hurting officials) and so on.
Therefore, whenever an eight-character birth chart (Bazi) is in hand, one must examine each Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch comprehensively, considering them from top to bottom. The Earthly Branches are the bases for the Heavenly Stems, and the Heavenly Stems are the manifestations of the Earthly Branches. For example, if there is a "Jia" (Yang Wood) character in the chart, one should comprehensively examine the four Earthly Branches to see if there are characters such as "Yin", "Hai", "Mao", or "Wei". If there is any one of them, they are all the roots of the Jia Wood. If there is a "Hai" character, then comprehensively examine the four Earthly Branches to see if there are the characters "Ren" (Yang Water) and "Jia". If there is "Ren", then "Hai" is the "Lu" (auspicious position) of "Ren", and "Ren" Water is used; if "Jia" is used, then "Hai" is the "Chang Sheng" (birth position) of "Jia", and "Jia" Wood is used; if both "Ren" and "Jia" are present, then one uses the "Lu" as the root and the other uses the "Chang Sheng" as the root, and both are used. The same method is used when analyzing the luck cycles. One just matches the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches of the natal eight-character birth chart one by one.
In determining the favorable element in the eight - character horoscope, one should solely rely on the month branch. If there is no favorable element in the month branch, then gradually search for the overall pattern. The month branch is the root; the external pattern is the offshoot. Nowadays, people don't understand the relative importance. They are rigid about the patterns and hold on to the false while losing the true.
Therefore, when a person is born in the month of Jiayin (the first month in the sexagenary cycle) under the Wu Earth element, and there are Geng and Jia in the Hour Pillar, it is not considered that the obvious inauspiciousness is under control. Instead, it is regarded as a pattern of the "Exclusive Eating" (a term in traditional Chinese fortune - telling). Meeting with the Jia Wood element will reduce the fortune.