Sanming Tonghui · A Comprehensive Account of the Three Destinies

Discussions of Auspicious Spirits

Read in English. Switch to Original for word notes, or select text to ask a question.

On the Tianyi Noble Person Tianyi is a heavenly spirit outside Changhe Gate in the Ziwei Enclosure, standing beside Taiyi and serving the Heavenly August Great Emperor. Descending among the three luminaries, it has its home at Jichou in Dipper and Ox and emerges at Jiwei in Well and Ghost. Holding the Jade Balance, it measures heavenly and human affairs, named the printed Zaiyi. Most honored, it causes harmful Killings to withdraw wherever it arrives. Huzhongzi says Noble Persons govern day and night separately, each with exclusive authority. A daytime birth meeting daytime Nobility, or nighttime birth nighttime Nobility, obtains strength. Taking after Zi as day and after Wu as night, or sunrise as day and sunset as night, are both called conjectures. Better distinguish yin and yang by Yin and Shen, using yang Nobility after Winter Solstice and yin Nobility after Summer Solstice. Birth after one yang meeting yang Nobility is effective; after one yin, yin Nobility. A Survey of the Three Carts says Jia yang Wood rides lesser yang, born in the east, finishing its work at Si, then withdrawing into Wei as Nobility. Geng yang Metal rides lesser yin, born in the west, finishing at Hai, then withdrawing into Chou. Wu yang Earth harmonizes the center and spreads through seasons. Jia depends on it for generation and Geng for completion, finishing the principle of generation and completion. Yi yin Wood and Ji yin Earth lack energy and their kind, having nowhere to dwell. They await Water and Earth at Birth or Flourishing in Shen and Zi to nourish and fill their deficiency; thus they favor Shen and Zi as Nobility. Bing and Ding Fire in intense midsummer harm things, extinguish at You, and hide at Hai, harmonized by the northwest's completing energy. Thus You and Hai's yin harmony is noble for them. Ren and Gui Water in deep winter are severe and kill things, conserving at Mao and hiding at Si, harmonized by southeastern warmth. Thus Si and Mao's yang harmony is noble for them. Xin yin Metal is rigid and cannot transform itself; it needs Fire at Birth or Flourishing at Yin and Wu to file its hardness and shape it into nobility. The Broad Record says Jia yang Wood, Wu yang Earth, and Geng yang Metal all favor Earth positions. Wei is Earth's proper position and Chou its quiet ground, hence Ox and Sheep as Nobility. More closely, Jia especially favors Wei and Geng Chou, each returning to its Storehouse. Wuzi, Wuyin, and Wuwu favor Chou, Fire people's Womb and Nurture region. Wuchen, Wushen, and Wuxu favor Wei, Wood people's Storehouse and Earth people's Birth and Flourishing. Yi is yin Wood; the printed Si is called yin Earth. Yin Earth favors Birth and Flourishing and yin Wood yang Water, hence Rat and Monkey as Nobility. Yi especially favors Zi, Water's Flourishing region; Ji favors Shen, Kun's proper position. Bing and Ding are Fire, whose Tomb is Xu. Ren and Gui are Water, whose Tomb is Chen. Chen and Xu are Kuigang, where Noble Person does not arrive, so Fire's Nobility lodges at You and Hai and Water's at Mao and Si, places of returning to root and Life. The printed six-fortunate yin Metal favors yang Fire's Birth and Flourishing, hence Horse and Tiger. Nayin should further be exchanged and examined for accord: Nobility then gives blessing. Bing Fire obtaining You reaches Death there: how would that suffice for nobility? Yan Dongsou says Tianyi Nobility requires five-phase preferences and taboos. A Jia person with Wu and Geng obtaining Guiwei and Yichou meets two auspicious influences with Seal, best; deriving Dingchou and Xinwei is next, the three yin favoring Seal Storehouses. An Yi person obtains Wushen and Gengzi, Earth at Birth and Flourishing; a Ji person Jiashen and Bingzi, Water at Birth and Flourishing. Yin Wood and yin Earth favor Flourishing Wealth. Bing and Ding obtain Dingyou and Yihai; Ren and Gui Yimao and Guisi. These Water and Fire cases do not dislike Death and Extinction. Births in any Xin year obtain Bingyin and Bingwu: yin Metal does not dislike a strong hostile agent. Both are best, one next. The Zixu Configuration calls this Noble Person Entering Temple, indicating golden and purple official rank. The Golden Book of Eight Characters further ranks Noble Spirits, namely the preceding sixty-pair good and ill. In summary, they should share a nest with Emolument and Horse, avoid Crossing, Retreating, and Hidden Spirits, and have stems and branches combining for rank. Month, day, and hour stem-branch combinations are crucial. Lin Kai's Tianyi Combination uses Jiazi seeing Jiwei, without Death, Extinction, clash, disruption, or Void, and with blessing spirits assisting, for utmost rank. These taboos reduce strength and give many difficulties without blessings. Wuzi seeing Jichou without taboos and with blessing assistance is the next configuration; Death and Extinction reduce strength, while clashes, disruption, and Void give a worldly, laboring clerk. Xinwei seeing Gengyin without taboos and with blessings is third; Death and Extinction reduce strength, while clashes, disruption, and Void give lifelong difficulties and a low, redundant office. Yan Dongsou's Noble Combination gives Jia obtaining Jichou or Jiwei; Wu Guichou or Guiwei; Geng Yichou or Yiwei; Yi Gengzi or Gengshen; Ji Jiazi or Jiashen; Bing Xinyou or Xinhai; Ding Renyin or Renchen. Noble Food takes Jia's Food Bing and Yi's Food Ding, whose Nobility is at You and Hai: Jia obtains Bingyin or Bingchen, Yi Dingyou or Dinghai. Geng's Food is Ren and Xin's Gui, with Nobility at Mao and Si: Geng obtains Renshen or Renxu, Xin Guimao or Guisi. Noble Combination gives more honored and prominent office; Noble Food more satisfactory Emolument. All three together, in the source's count, give high office and substantial Emolument. Essentials of the Three Destinies places Tianyi upon the Noble Spirit's six-combination positions. Jia, Wu, and Geng at Zi and Wu combine with Chou and Wei. Yi and Ji at Chou and Si, Bing and Ding at Yin and Chen, Ren and Gui at Shen and Xu, and Xin at Wei and Hai all indicate great blessings. Two or more combinations are especially noble. The Precious Mirror has Tianyi Supporting Body: Noble Persons flank the Grand Duke. A Renyin person obtaining a Jiayin day or hour has Ren's Nobility at Mao and the printed Jia-Gui clause at Chou, flanking Yin. A Bingshen person obtaining Wushen follows the same example. In a noble configuration without other punishment or clash, it indicates little lifelong illness and blessings in youth. An ordinary configuration has no lifelong penal or prison calamity. There are Stems Flanking Noble Spirit: Jia, Wu, or Geng people obtain Chou and Wei, with one Jia, Wu, or Geng in day or hour, indicating unusual prominence. The Guide has Flanking Nobility Meeting Six Combination: Ren or Gui people see Chen and obtain Guiyou combining; Bing or Ding see Xu and obtain Dingmao. Tianyi Nobility stands before and after, while Emolument and Horse further reach Body, indicating great wealth and rank. There is Blessing-Star Noble Person. A chart Renzi, Guimao, Gengxu, and Gengchen has Ren Riding the Dragon's Back; Nobility is also at Mao and Si. Obtaining Chen is Blessing Star Supporting Noble Person. The Scripture of the Illuminating Spirit says: “Tianyi Nobility meeting Birth and Flourishing gives lofty appearance, intelligence, clear principles, dislike of miscellaneous arts, pure great capacity, embodied virtue, and others' respect and affection. Death and Extinction give stubborn self-righteousness and a liking for visiting the eminent. With Robbery Killing, substantial appearance and authority, much strategy and planning. With Official Tally, elegant writing and grand eloquence. With Established Emolument, pure and substantial writing, broad charitable travel, a gentleman. Falling in Heavenly Center, combining with it, or linked in a chain gives a musician's manner, fondness for singing and chanting, a skilled performer.” Another account calls Tianyi the Three Destinies' most auspicious spirit. Meeting it brings honor, early achievement and reputation, and easier access to office and Emolument. All three destinies riding Flourishing energy ultimately reach general, minister, duke, or marquis. Major and minor fortune or moving year arriving also indicate promotion and increased wealth, all arrivals auspicious. Broadly, Noble Person favors Birth and Flourishing, no clash or disruption, orderly principle, no Void, harmony of stem and Nayin, further Emolument and Horse, and accord with day or night. Year and hour may exchange Nobility, as Jiawu with Xinchou hour or Bingshen with Jihai. Four stems may see Nobility on one branch, as Chou or Wei births obtaining Jia, Wu, and Geng. Or four heavenly stems communicate and gather Nobility, with branches gathering the five phases' Nobility. Heavenly and Monthly Virtues further improve it. The Song for Ordering Ignorance says: “Noble Person falling in Void, Emolument and Horse turned away, is as if not encountered.” The Precious Mirror says: “Noble Person without energy, though present, is absent.” The Scripture of Penetrating Mystery says: “When Noble Person is angry, harm comes.” Thus Nobility in a chart must not immediately be called auspicious; examine it closely. Translator's note: All stem-group assignments, day/night opinions, three Lin Kai examples, Noble Combination/Food lists, flanking examples, and concluding qualifications are retained. Zaiyi, Si called yin Earth, six-fortunate yin Metal, and the Jia-Gui phrase are irregular as supplied. The three count after two named categories remains unexplained. Author disagreements and cautions against automatically judging Nobility favorable are preserved, not merged into a standard lookup table. On the Three Wonders Luoluzi says: “Wonder is nobility; wonder is difference,” treating what is precious as remarkable. Yi, Bing, and Ding emerge from the subtle pairing of Noble Person's stem virtue with branches. Yin Nobility starts Jia virtue at Zi, Yi at Chou, Bing at Yin, Ding at Mao, three stems linked without a gap. A second account again calls it yin Nobility, starting Jia at Shen, Yi at Wei, Bing at Wu, and Ding at Si, three positions linked. Following the Noble Person in heaven, these are the Three Wonders in Heaven. Only these among ten stems are different. Others have Net and Snare or Heavenly Void between, do not return to a position, or fail to link, so cannot be Wonders. The Precious Mirror of the Jade Empyrean says ancients took the first month as year's beginning and the Sun emerging at Yi, making Yi the Sun Wonder. The Old Man Star appears as an omen at Ding, making Ding the Star Wonder. Moonlight reaches Bing at night and illuminates the world, making Bing the Moon Wonder. Jia, Wu, and Geng may also be the Three Wonders in Heaven: all arrive at Chou and Wei, Noble Person's home at Dipper and Ox and emergence at Well and Ghost. Prior- and later-heaven Nobility starts, and these three stems happen to reach them, unlike others. This principle also works. A Survey of the Three Carts takes Jia as chief of yang Wood, Wu ruler of yang Earth, and Geng essence of yang Metal, Earth's three remarkable things, naming Wonders of Earth. The author calls this forced. The Taiyi Scripture takes Xin, Ren, and Gui as Water Wonders, naming Three Wonders Among People, called unsupported. Yet their stems form a linked chain called Three Platforms, also rare. The Zixu Configuration further has Four Wonders. But qi also means an odd number, the author argues: four is even, so can it be called qi? Three Wonders should be arranged forward, not reversed or confused: Yi–Bing–Ding or Jia–Wu–Geng through year, month, day, and hour is auspicious. The Broad Record, however, calls an Yi person with Bing month and Ding hour ordinary, Yi generating Bing and Ding with refined energy descending. Yi hour, Bing day, and Ding year send refinement upward and are instead noble, apparently ignoring forward and reverse. Jia–Wu–Geng forward are noble; reversed, blessings are slow; disordered, life is short. Clear energy gives rank, turbid wealth. A classic says: “Each phase has its Wonders and Instruments; distinguish forward and reverse.” Even day and month reversed, forward Three Wonders do not make a reversed chart. They must have proper form and ground, not lose their season. Yi–Bing–Ding at night and Jia–Wu–Geng by day have proper form. Hai in Yi–Bing–Ding pillars supports the three lights; Shen in Jia–Wu–Geng pillars supports the three things. Or Yi–Bing–Ding obtain Chou, Yin, Mao, Wei, Wu, and Si; Jia–Wu–Geng obtain Chou–Wei Metal: all proper ground. Three Wonders further meeting three harmonies, with Yi–Bing–Ding obtaining Metal and Water configurations or Jia–Wu–Geng Water and Fire, are favorable. Six Instruments also join: Wu in Jiazi cycle, Ji Jiaxu, Geng Jiashen, Xin Jiawu, Ren Jiachen, Gui Jiayin, all auspicious. Luoluzi says: “Repeated Wonders and Instruments contain outstanding capacity.” Concealing Jia says: “Arrange Three Wonders forward, Six Instruments reverse.” Birth in Jiazi or Jiashen cycles meeting Jia–Wu–Geng repeats Wonders and Instruments. Three Wonders in a chart indicate an unusual spirit, outstanding breadth, love of the remarkable and great, broad learning, and many abilities. With Tianyi Noble Person, achievement surpasses peers; with Heavenly and Monthly Virtues, harmful calamities do not infringe. Six Instruments give exceptional intelligence; three harmonies entering a configuration make a pillar of the state; Official Tally and Robbery Killing give great capacity and understanding. Void with Birth and Flourishing gives detachment from worldly dust, wealth and rank unable to corrupt, power unable to bend. Original Influence, Salty Pool, clashes and disruption, or Heaven's Net and Earth's Snare make them useless. If Grand Duke lacks them but month, day, and hour carry them, there is solitude. A poem says: “Forward ten-stem spirits Yi, Bing, Ding: a child prodigy passes examinations and spreads a name. Day and hour have Emolument, Horse, and duke/ministers' Killings; changing military and civil appointments assists the enlightened ruler.” Another: “Forward ten-stem spirits Jia, Wu, Geng, with Long Life and the printed Bing-Establishment-Name phrase. Without Emolument or Horse, merely a person accumulating wealth.” Another: “Three Wonders must repeatedly meet Nobility for glory, blessings, and longevity. Empty Wonders without noble ground bring poverty, low status, and bullying.” Another: “Yi–Bing–Ding and Jia–Wu–Geng: a superior configuration generates and generates again. If not a guest on Penglai's three islands, one walks golden halls and jade steps.” Another: “To know brilliant official rank in lofty halls, famous immortals are often born Gui, Ren, Xin. The Three Wonders' jade register transmits the message; do not discuss it with shallow contemporary masters.” Comparing the poems reveals their preferences and taboos. Translator's note: All competing Three-Wonder groups, their quoted criticisms, both order rules, six Instrument assignments, and five poems are retained. The two yin-Nobility starts, Chou–Wei Metal phrase, Bing-Establishment-Name wording, and reversed Gui–Ren–Xin poem remain as supplied. The odd/even objection is the author's wordplay on qi, meaning both unusual and odd-numbered; no single standardized system is substituted. On Heavenly and Monthly Virtues Virtue means benefiting things and helping people, covering harm and doing good. Heavenly Virtue says the heavenly circuit has three hundred sixty-five degrees and twenty-five and a half parts. Twelve palaces each occupy thirty degrees, totaling three hundred sixty; the remaining five degrees and twenty-five and a half parts scatter among twelve assisting palaces: Jia, Geng, Bing, Ren, Yi, Xin, Ding, Gui, Qian, Kun, Gen, and Xun. This is Spirits Hidden and Killings Submerged. Each palace receives forty-four parts. Thus Zi, Wu, Mao, and You contain Jia, Geng, Bing, and Ren; Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei contain Yi, Xin, Ding, and Gui; Yin, Shen, Si, and Hai contain Qian, Kun, Gen, and Xun. These twelve positions turn harm to goodness and are called Heavenly Virtue. Monthly Virtue is the direction illuminated by three harmonies, where Sun and Moon meet. Shen–Zi–Chen meet You and emerge through Geng, entering Ren's enclosure. Hai–Mao–Wei meet the printed Gan and emerge through Bing, entering Jia. Yin–Wu–Xu meet Mao and emerge through Jia, entering Bing. Si–You–Chou meet Zi and emerge through Ren, entering Geng. The source then names Ren, Jia, Bing, and Gui as Monthly Virtues. In Chen, Wei, Xu, and Chou months, Heavenly Virtue also shares them. Palaces illuminated by Sun and Moon restrain heavenly luminaries and earthly Killings, turning harm to good. Yan Dongsou says: “Noble Spirit in position makes Killings hide; two Virtues supporting disperse all harm.” Harmful Killings in a chart assisted and transformed by them are not severe. They must appear in day, with hour free of conquest, clash, punishment, or disruption, to be auspicious. Receiving them gives lifelong ease without punishment or theft; even calamity naturally disperses. With Three Wonders and Tianyi, auspiciousness is greater. Wealth, Office, Seal, Food Spirit, or transformed Virtue each according to its transformation further doubles blessings. A noble configuration gives examination success and the ruler's favor and appointment; inherited protection also brings prominence. A low configuration gives food, warmth, blessings, and longevity. Even obstructed, one keeps one's station in poverty and remains a gentleman. Women often become noble men's wives. The Bell of the Three Destinies says Heavenly Virtue is the five phases' blessed, virtuous position, bringing highest ministerial office, especially with Monthly Virtue; even harmful Killings leave upright prominence. The Ziping Rhapsody says: “Seal together with Heavenly Virtue avoids official punishment, without calamity into old age.” Thus Heavenly surpasses Monthly Virtue. The Datong Calendar has Heavenly- and Monthly-Virtue Combinations, positions where the phases accord. Monthly combinations give first month Bing with Xin, second Jia with Ji, third Ren with Ding, fourth Geng with Yi; follow these examples. Heavenly-Virtue Combination gives first month Ding with Ren, second Kun with Xun, third Ren with Ding, fourth Xin with Bing; follow these examples. There is Monthly Void: Ren in Yin–Wu–Xu months, Geng in Hai–Mao–Wei, Bing in Shen–Zi–Chen, and the printed Shen in Si–You–Chou. There is Monthly Aversion: first month the printed Wu, second You, third Shen, fourth Wei, fifth Wu, sixth Si, seventh Chen, eighth Mao, ninth Yin, tenth Chou, eleventh Zi, twelfth Hai. There is Monthly Killing: Chou in Yin–Wu–Xu months, Xu in Hai–Mao–Wei, Wei in Shen–Zi–Chen, and Chen in Si–You–Chou. Heavenly-Pardon days are Wuyin in spring, Jiawu summer, Wushen autumn, and Jiazi winter, the four seasons' exclusive energies nurturing things, forgiving crimes and pardoning faults. A chart gathering the source's Monthly-Virtue/Refinement/Combination/Void phrase and born at four greatly auspicious times is especially excellent with Heavenly-Pardon day further present. There is also Heavenly Joy Spirit: the printed Wu in spring, Chou summer, Chen autumn, Wei winter, indicating joy. Banner-Virtue Killing gives Yin–Wu–Xu with the printed Bing-day-advancing phrase, Hai–Mao–Wei with Jia day or hour, Shen–Zi–Chen with Ren day or hour, and Si–You–Chou with Geng day or hour. Banner-Axe Killing gives Yin–Wu–Xu with Yin hour, Hai–Mao–Wei Hai hour, the printed Jia–Zi–Chen Shen hour, and Si–You–Chou Si hour. Yin–Wu–Xu seeing Xin, Hai–Mao–Wei Ji, Shen–Zi–Chen Ding, and Si–You–Chou Yi are also called Banner Virtue. A classic says: “One spirit governs Banner Virtue: five generations avoid poverty. Banner-Axe Killing within gives generals, ministers, and Three Dukes.” Virtue and Axe meeting give wealth if not rank. Another Banner-Axe Killing gives Yin–Mao–Chen people seeing Guiyou, Si–Wu–Wei Guimao, Shen–You–Xu Wuzi, and Hai–Zi–Chou Wuwu. It is the four seasons' spirit specifically governing execution. Ordinary people face penal banishment; conquest of the natal fate indicates a harmful death. Another Three-Dukes Killing gives Yin–Wu–Xu people Renzi, Si–You–Chou Bingwu, Shen–Zi–Chen Yimao, and Hai–Mao–Wei Xinyou. It sits upon the four directions' exclusive energy to conquer birth year, the phases' poisonous energy. Ordinary people infringing it face unexpected violent death. Yet Banner Axe and Three Dukes sharing a position give exceptional rank. Present practitioners discuss Monthly Virtue but ignore the other Killings, a partial view; hence their inclusion together. Translator's note: All numerical celestial divisions, four-group mappings, twelve Monthly-Aversion positions, pardon days, and both Banner-Axe systems are retained. The Gan phrase, Gui after a preceding Geng assignment, Shen in Monthly Void, Wu in the first Aversion month and spring Joy, Bing-day-advancing, and Jia–Zi–Chen are irregular as supplied. Units are not silently converted to a modern astronomical measure, and absent remaining monthly combinations are not invented. On Supreme Ultimate Nobility Supreme Ultimate means the primal beginning: things first made are Supreme Ultimate. It also means completion and gathering: things reaching a destination are ultimate. Creation's beginning and end protecting one another are therefore Supreme Ultimate Nobility. Jia and Yi Wood first arise at Zi through Kan Water's assistance and end at Wu, burned to Death by Li Fire. Bing and Ding Fire first favor emergence at Zhen, Mao, and later concealment at Dui, You. Geng and Xin Metal obtaining Yin have Metal born at Gen; seeing Hai gives Metal's Temple at Qian. Ren and Gui Water first obtain an unspecified position for Birth, then Si for reception. A classic says: “Earth sinks in the southeast; the four great rivers flow to Xun,” all meaning beginning and end. Wu and Ji Earth favor Birth at Shen and Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei as proper Storehouses. The Song for Ordering Ignorance says: “Four Storehouses complete give utmost rank, high among the ranks, holding the balance of power.” A chart fitting a configuration, with blessed energy and Noble Spirits assisting, must be favorable. There is Wenchang Nobility: “The printed Jia-Yi at Snake's mouth, Yi at Pig's head; Bing Dog, Ding Dragon, Wu toward Monkey. Ji at Wu, Geng Yin, Xin Wei noble; all Ren at Mao, Gui meeting Ox.” There is Literary-Reputation Nobility, as a Jiazi person seeing Renxu and Bingyin: “Before and after Emolument, the same spirit makes a duke or minister surpassing the age. Heaven-given intelligence spreads reputation; wealth, rank, glory, and a renewed career follow.” There is Literary-Star Nobility: “Jia Horse, Yi Snake, Bing and Wu Monkey; You's platform for Ding and Ji, Hai sought by Xin. Geng meets Xu Dog; the following Tiger clause omits its stem. Ten Literary-Star positions, Gui roaming Rabbit.” There is Heavenly-Seal Nobility: “Jiazi is within Yin; Yi meeting Hai likewise. Ding You, Wu Shen; Bing Xu, Ji in Sheep's palace. Geng Horse, Xin Snake; Gui Mao and Ren Dragon. These are Heavenly-Seal Nobility, honor and advancement receiving imperial grants.” Translator's note: The missing Water starting position, Metal's Gen Birth, and all four additional Nobility verses are retained. The Wenchang verse's repeated Yi and Jia-Yi opening, the Literary-Star verse's missing Tiger stem, and Jiazi in the Heavenly-Seal verse are not replaced by a familiar lookup table. On the Study Hall and Literary Academy Study Hall is like a person studying in a school. Literary Academy is like today's Hanlin office, named for specialized study and outstanding writing. Long Life is Study Hall's proper position: a Metal fate seeing Xinsi has Metal's Long Life at Si and Xinsi's Nayin also Metal. Assuming Office is Literary Academy's proper position: a Metal fate with Renshen has Metal's Assuming Office at Shen and Renshen's Nayin also Metal. Extend by analogy. Schools describe Study Hall Meeting Emolument: Metal's Long Life Si and Assuming Office Shen are obtained by Jia and Yi people; Water and Earth's Long Life Shen and Assuming Office Hai by Bing, Ding, Ren, and Gui people; Wood's Long Life Hai and Assuming Office Yin by Wu and Ji people; Fire's Long Life Yin and Assuming Office Si by Geng and Xin people. Also called Office-and-Nobility Study Hall, it takes Office and Nobility's Long Life as Study Hall and Assuming Office as Literary Academy. Study Hall Meeting Food gives Jia taking Bing as Food and obtaining Bingyin, Yi taking Ding and obtaining Dingsi, and Bing taking Wu and obtaining Wushen. Office, Seal, and Post Horse together make blessings substantial. Emolument, Nobility, Wonders, and Virtue make energy clear. Punishment, conquest, clash, and disruption make it turbid. Clarity gives towering examination reputation, substance honored and prominent office, turbidity scant blessings and Emolument and low office. Conquest Seen at Birth gives Jia and Yi people Xinhai, Ding and Bing people Renyin, Wu and Ji people Jiashen, Geng and Xin people Dingsi. It is called Office-Star Study Hall, indicating examination success and close attendance at court. Nayin seeing Imperial Flourishing with Tianyi Noble Person atop it, as a Jiyou person obtaining Bingzi or Gengzi day/hour and a Renwu person Xinmao day/hour, is Study Hall Meeting Nobility and indicates upright distinction. Study Hall and Literary Academy must avoid Void, clash, and disruption, and conquest among stems, branches, and Nayin, to become useful. The Scripture of Praying for Victory says: “Jiachen and Bingyin, Study Hall untrue; perhaps only wealth and inherited protection, with lowly, poor office. Reading and study bring merely an empty name.” This says Study Hall fears emptiness. Three Carts says: “Study Hall without energy benefits only teachers and scholars,” meaning it must ride Flourishing. The Song for Ordering Ignorance says: “Study Hall further attending Post Horse gives utmost position and achievement surpassing the world,” requiring Horse. It also says: “Born with Emolument, Horse, and true Study Hall, Literary Academy together governs writing. Who understands encountering without encountering? Without clashes or conquest, blessings and Emolument flourish.” And: “Literary Stars gathering are an omen among people, brilliance surpassing heroes. Without true Study Hall at birth, how could talent and learning excel?” This says it fears clashes, disruption, and conquest. Yet a chart fitting a configuration and creation's workings may attain success without Study Hall or Literary Academy. Translator's note: Every phase-and-stem group, Food example, Noble Person example, source quotation, and final exception is retained. The chapter uses its own Water-and-Earth life-stage scheme; it is not harmonized with earlier differing Earth-stage accounts. On Direct Seal Direct Seal is the five phases' proper Storehouse: Metal fate seeing Yichou, Wood Guiwei, Fire Jiaxu, and Water and Earth Renchen and Bingchen. The Discussions says: “Born meeting Direct Seal, one must receive appointment in the Jade Hall.” Wondrous Selections says: “The five phases entering their enclosures give office in the Five Establishments.” Thus obtaining one's own Direct Seal is noble. Root and ruler sharing virtue are best, Imperial Seat next, and conception month lowest. It indicates substantial, imposing physique and renowned achievement. One's own Seal with a noble configuration further assisting is excellent. Wood obtaining Water Seal or Fire Wood Seal often gives additional authority and outside wealth. Self conquering Seal or Seal self gives abandonment followed by recovery. Water obtaining Fire Seal or Fire Water Seal is inferior to one's own Seal, and root and ruler must have Flourishing energy for auspiciousness. Conquered and broken without blessed rescue, or in Void, it gives only quiet Buddhist or Daoist clergy or an unsuccessful examination candidate. Clear five-phase energy makes an exceptional person; Killings give poverty and low status. There is Noble Person Flanking Seal. Bing and Ding Fire fates take Jiaxu as Direct Seal and obtain You and Hai flanking it, their Noble Persons. Ren and Gui Water fates take Renchen as Direct Seal and obtain Mao and Si flanking, with variant Si spelling, their Noble Persons. There is Canopy-of-Splendor Seal, as Hai–Mao–Wei obtaining Guiwei. There is Literary Seal: Wuyin seeing Guiwei, Xinsi Jiaxu, Gengshen Yichou, Guihai Bingchen, and Yihai Renchen. Nayin conquers self and the stem spirit restrains again. Wuwu obtaining Guiwei, Gengzi Yichou, Dingyou Renchen, Jimao the printed Shen–Xu, and Xinyou Bingchen have stem spirits restraining and branch spirits combining. Seals should meet Storehouse and Tomb. Birth and Flourishing supporting or exchanging, with Emolument, Horse, and Noble Person combining together, give utmost rank. Punishment, clash, disruption, and harm are most feared. A hostile agent on three harmonies or six combinations, as Jiaxu day obtaining Guiyou hour, reduces strength. A Water-fate person obtaining its own Seal gains no benefit here; Wood Seal damages energy. Earth Seal with stem-branch involvement is Office Seal; without involvement, Hostile-Agent Seal. There is Blessings-Gathering Seal. Year, month, day, hour, and conception, all without energy and Declining or Defeated, obtain Direct or Indirect Seal. Seal at Storehouse or Flourishing restrains even Killing spirits arriving here. This is Blessings-Gathering Seal. There is Calamity-Gathering Seal. A Guisi person carries Renchen Seal with much Water in the pillars, all at Tomb in Chen, so Guisi receives Killings. Si as Life has Fire, and many such encounters ail the natal fate. This is Calamity-Gathering Seal. There is Breaking Blessing into Calamity Seal: a Water person obtains Water Seal, or month, day, and hour carry much Earth, so its own Seal sees a strong hostile agent. There is Seal Carrying Killings: Noble Killings appear within it. Renzi seeing Renchen or Bingchen has Zi to Chen as Canopy of Splendor, and a Ren person sees Chen as noble. Seal instead conquering natal fate without blessing spirits coming and going is called Carrying Killings and indicates harm. There is Seal Over Void: Seal falls in Void, branches lack six combinations, and Office and Nobility are seen, yet it is extremely low and unsuccessful. There is Self-Punishment Seal: a Gengxu person carries Yichou. A Metal person seeing Metal Seal is favorable, but Chou and Xu punish one another, Metal punishing Metal, making absence better. Even slight blessings end in low status. Apply elsewhere by analogy. In judging Seal, true five-phase energy sharing Nayin's energy is especially excellent. Yet the final terse phrase gives little ease, disadvantage to the six relations, and difficulty regarding descendants. Translator's note: All Seal varieties, ten Literary-Seal examples, flanking positions, and adverse qualifications are retained. Shen–Xu is printed as two branches rather than a normal stem-branch pair. Water's own Seal being unhelpful and the terse limited-ease statement remain despite favorable general claims elsewhere. Physical, family, career, and fertility judgments are historical assertions. On Virtue and Refinement Virtue is the natal month's virtue of Birth and Flourishing. Refinement is formed by heaven and earth's balanced energy and five-phase transformation. Another account calls Virtue a yin-yang spirit resolving harm, and Refinement heaven and earth's clear, refined energy, a spirit Flourishing in each season. In Yin–Wu–Xu months, Bing and Ding are Virtue, Wu and Gui Refinement. In Shen–Zi–Chen months, Ren, Gui, Wu, and Ji are Virtue, Bing, Xin, Jia, and Ji Refinement. In Si–You–Chou months, Geng and Xin are Virtue, Yi and Geng Refinement. In Hai–Mao–Wei months, Jia and Yi are Virtue, Ding and Ren Refinement. A chart obtaining these without disruption, clash, conquest, or suppression has an intelligent, warm, substantial, harmonious nature. Meeting Study Hall with Wealth and Office further indicates rank. Clashes and conquest reduce strength. Translator's note: All four monthly groups and every stem in their Virtue and Refinement lists are retained, including the four-stem lists for Shen–Zi–Chen. The source's character and rank claims are not modern assessments.

Use ← / → or swipe left or right to change chapters

Opening the chapter