Opening the chapter
Loading the text. Please wait.
Bushi Zhengzong · The Orthodox Tradition of Divination
Day and Month, Cycle Void, and Month Break
Read in English. Switch to Original for word notes, or select text to ask a question.
Transmitted Signs of the Day and Month Commanders
The Day Commander with Green Dragon brings repeated wealth, emolument, and joy.
Vermilion Bird is fitting to employ.
With Gouchen, the affair has not gone through.
Soaring Snake brings many strange events;
White Tiger brings loss of wealth and misfortune.
Dark Warrior disturbs through hidden private matters.
The response occurs in the day and hour.
If the Month Commander meets these, the method of judgment is the same.
Pairing the Eight Trigrams
Qian is the old father and belongs to yang.
Kun is the old mother and belongs to yin.
Zhen is the eldest son and belongs to yang.
Xun is the eldest daughter and belongs to yin.
Kan is the middle son and belongs to yang.
Li is the middle daughter and belongs to yin.
Gen is the youngest son and belongs to yang.
Dui is the youngest daughter and belongs to yin.
Examples for Deriving the Voids of the Six Jia Cycles
In the Jia-Zi cycle, Xu and Hai are empty.
In the Jia-Yin cycle, Zi and Chou are empty.
In the Jia-Chen cycle, Yin and Mao are empty.
In the Jia-Wu cycle, Chen and Si are empty.
In the Jia-Shen cycle, Wu and Wei are empty.
In the Jia-Xu cycle, Shen and You are empty.
For example, the ten days from Jia-Zi through Gui-You form one cycle. Within the cycle there are no Xu or Hai, and therefore Xu and Hai are called empty.
Likewise, in the cycle from Jia-Yin through Gui-Hai there are no Zi or Chou. Therefore Zi and Chou are called empty. Infer the other cycles by analogy.
Fixed Rules for Month Break
Beginning of Spring, the first month's seasonal node: establish Yin; break Shen.
Awakening of Insects, the second month's node: establish Mao; break You.
Clear Brightness, the third month's node: establish Chen; break Xu.
Beginning of Summer, the fourth month's node: establish Si; break Hai.
Grain in Ear, the fifth month's node: establish Wu; break Zi.
Slight Heat, the sixth month's node: establish Wei; break Chou.
Beginning of Autumn, the seventh month's node: establish Shen; break Yin.
White Dew, the eighth month's node: establish You; break Mao.
Cold Dew, the ninth month's node: establish Xu; break Chen.
Beginning of Winter, the tenth month's node: establish Hai; break Si.
Great Snow, the eleventh month's node: establish Zi; break Wu.
Slight Cold, the twelfth month's node: establish Chou; break Wei.
Any line clashed by the Month Commander is called Month Break.
Fixed Examples of Images Presented by Hexagrams and Lines, Flying and Hidden Spirits, and the Hexagram Body:
Use ← / → or swipe left or right to change chapters