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Sanming Tonghui · A Comprehensive Account of the Three Destinies
The Five Phases Across Times, Places, and Regions
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Auspicious and Harmful Outcomes of the Five Phases in Seasonal and Regional Divisions
In examining Mr. Wang's account, the two energies are yin and yang; the five phases are Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth; times are spring, summer, autumn, and winter; places are Ji, Qing, Yan, Xu, Yang, Jing, Liang, Yong, and Yu. Heaven has yin and yang, moving through the four seasons; Earth has the five phases, present throughout the Nine Provinces. This is precisely Master Zhu's statement that the five phases' substance is present on Earth while their energy moves in Heaven. Thus Heaven has spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and Earth has Metal, Wood, Water, and Fire, with time and place mutually serving one another. Present-day interpreters of fate know only to discuss yin, yang, and the five phases, without also considering direction and region, day and night, cloud and sunshine. Consequently, when people share the same year, day, month, and hour but differ greatly in rank or low status, longevity or early death, they immediately declare that the five phases lack a basis. This arouses people's doubts about believing in fate and also misrepresents the matter. Alas, people born between Heaven and Earth cannot escape the five phases. The Nine Provinces have different boundaries, winds, and suitable conditions. Cloud, sunshine, cold, and warmth cannot in principle be uniform. People receive Heaven and Earth's numinous energy when born at a particular moment, but what each receives differs, so rank, low status, longevity, and early death cannot be confined by the Eight Characters. Jia, Yi, Yin, and Mao belong to Wood: birth in Yan or Qing obtains the proper place, and spring's command the proper time. Bing, Ding, Si, and Wu belong to Fire: birth in Xu or Yang obtains the proper place, and summer's command the proper time. Wu, Ji, Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei belong to Earth: birth in Yu Province obtains the proper place, and the four season-ending months the proper time. Geng, Xin, Shen, and You belong to Metal: birth in Jing or Liang obtains the proper place, and autumn and winter the proper time. Ren, Gui, Hai, and Zi belong to Water: birth in Ji or Yong obtains the proper place, and winter's command the proper time. Moreover, day, night, cloud, and sunshine contain cold and warmth; yin and yang's transformations contain preferences and avoidances. Generation, conquest, restraint, transformation, suppression, elevation, and relative weight are understood through recognizing their adaptable changes. One must not cling to a single rule.
Translator's note: All Nine Provinces and five phase/place/time correspondences are retained. The source's shorter Earth-side enumeration omits Earth itself, and its Metal correspondence explicitly includes both autumn and winter; neither is silently standardized. The author presents this as a reason Eight Characters alone cannot fix individual outcomes.
Wood in spring's proper season is Wood holding command. Sunshine spreads its flowers and leaves; rain chills its new shoots. Those born in the first month have the three yang energies harmonizing, yet cold has not disappeared. Fire brings abundant generative vitality and incomparable wealth and nobility. Too much Fire drains original energy; people of Xu and Yang born by day then become ill. Fire and Earth sharing position give both wealth and nobility; Earth without Fire gives only enough for clothing and livelihood. Metal threatens breakage and injury; Fire restraining it brings blessing. Water is not considered mother and child generating one another, because early-spring Wood has only just acquired vitality: Water chills it instead and is inauspicious. People born in Ji and Yong are poor and cold, with men described as dissolute and women as sexually unrestrained. Wood of the second month grows freely and luxuriantly; Earth cultivating it is fine. Fire and Earth together give wealth, nobility, and longevity. Abundant Fire also drains its energy, because flowering Wood has only begun to hold its blossoms while true yang disperses. People of Yan and Qing have wealth and nobility without concern; those of Xu and Yang have a flaw within the favorable outcome. Ren, Gui, Hai, or Zi among stems and branches is blamed: Water generates excessively, making temperament unrestrained and causing departure from ancestors and relocation. Earth, Metal, and Water gathering are said to bring early death without doubt; the next clause says poverty and low status with longevity. Metal cutting it injures it at its flourishing point and, in a damaged phrase, damages its vitality. Could this be Heaven and Earth's supreme benevolence in producing things? Earlier worthies said flourishing spring Wood should nevertheless not meet Metal; this is the reason. Wood in the third month is spreading and growing long; spring sunshine is mild and myriad flowers bloom. Prolonged rain soaks it and shakes roots and trunk. Earth gives deep roots and a firm base, with continuing blessing and longevity. Fire makes Wood connect with bright Fire, giving distinguished literary accomplishment. Metal cutting Wood is harmful for people born in Jing and Liang, but brings wealth and nobility to people of Xu and Yang. Favor Fire and Earth, avoid Metal and Water; fortune favors southeast and finds northwest unfavorable. Summer Wood is Ill at Si, Dead at Wu, and in Tomb at Wei because southern Fire is abundant and drains its true energy. Cloud and rain are auspicious; excessive sunshine is avoided. In the fourth month Wood is not yet very weak and Fire not yet very strong. Slight Fire makes branches and leaves luxuriant, giving shelter and blessing. Abundant Water makes its spirit drift, and men and women are described as eloping promiscuously. Earth achieves profit and reputation. Fire and Earth sharing position, with Ren, Gui, Hai, or Zi among the stems and branches, give wealth and nobility. Metal conquering it brings unavoidable disasters and lawsuits, but is auspicious instead for people of Xu and Yang. Wood in the fifth and sixth months favors rain and Water, with night birth called “Nine Wonders” in the supplied wording; these give wealth, nobility, and longevity. Abundant Fire without Water gives poverty and early death. Summer's heat and strong Fire scorch stones and melt Metal, threatening Wood with withering. People of Xu and Yang whose stems contain much Fire face the harmful conditions named madness, wasting illness, and scorching. Water's restraint, birth at night, or cloudy and rainy weather transforms harm into auspiciousness. Earth cultivating roots and Water opening the branches, with Water and Earth together, give not only wealth and nobility but long life, health, and peace. Metal cannot conquer Wood here: Fire flourishes and Metal is soft, while the child avenges the mother. Much Earth after Slight Heat is also avoided, because declining Wood cannot conquer flourishing Earth. For those born in Yan and Qing, it is Wealth. In general, summer Wood favors Water, unlike Wood in other seasons. Wood in autumn's three months needs sunshine and rain in proper measure. Excessive drought withers all things; excessive rain prevents harvest. At autumn's beginning heat has not retreated, so Fire should not accompany it, and birth in cloud and rain is best. Metal may seem to strip and cut it, but Fire is still hot and Metal not yet flourishing, so it does no harm. After End of Heat, people born in Jing and Liang avoid it. Metal and Water together transform harm into auspiciousness. Earth cultivating it achieves profit and reputation. Abundant Water without Earth makes people of Ji and Yong wander without a home, but turns harm into auspiciousness for people of Xu and Yang. Wood in the eighth and ninth months is withering and falling. Day birth with Fire sharing position gives poverty and early death: autumn sunshine is dry and fierce, so Wood withers and falls. Only night birth, cloud and rain, or Water resolving it makes this auspicious. People of Yan and Qing have literary accomplishment, wealth, and nobility. Water threatens drifting away, since autumn Water is not timely nourishment for Wood; people of Ji and Yong especially avoid it. Earth cultivating it makes the foundation firm and substantial. Metal is auspicious instead: when Metal holds command, things are broken down and fall. Wood can neither grow to fulfill its life nor yet return to its roots to restore its allotted vitality; the only thing to rely upon is Metal. Without Metal's working to make it useful, it is merely rotten Wood between Heaven and Earth. Thus the axe's cutting and shaping make it useful as beams and pillars. This is precisely the saying that when axes enter mountain forests at the proper time, Wood is inexhaustible in use. Energy and fortune should proceed eastward or southward. Winter Wood is in the season of severe killing, returning to its root and restoring its allotted vitality. There is a little generative life of Little Spring, showing transformation has no final exhaustion. The Changes says, “The great fruit is not eaten”; this is its meaning here. Birth in clear sunshine is best; cloud and rain bring frozen ice and accumulated snow. Wood in the tenth month meeting Fire has nobility and longevity: ice is cold and Earth frozen, so Fire is needed to warm the roots. Fire and Earth assisting fortune give both wealth and nobility. Metal does not harm the roots themselves, but estrangement among close kin remains unavoidable. Water offers nourishment and assistance. People of Xu and Yang achieve profit and reputation; those of Ji and Yong face poverty, cold, solitude, and harm to kin. Wood in Zi and Chou months favors Fire melting the cold. Sharing position with Earth brings high ministerial rank. Water is harmful and conquering: winter Water holds command, while Wood is cold. Winter Wood meeting Water becomes colder; without Fire warming it, ice freezes solid and generative vitality is broken. The poor and lowly live long; the wealthy and noble die early. Metal may injure but does not chill. Wood returned to its root under winter's command gives the axe nowhere to work; fallen Wood can be shaped into useful objects, so Metal brings no blame. A damaged clause concerning people born in Xu, Yang, Yan, and Qing mentions falling and early death. People of Jing, Liang, and Yu also avoid it, but only branches and leaves are injured, while roots remain as they were. Bing and Ding in the stems and branches providing restraint can instead give wealth and nobility, not merely exemption from disaster. Energy and fortune should proceed south: winter Wood likes rushing south, with east second best.
Translator's note: All seasonal periods, regional exceptions, timing limits, and reversals are retained. Damaged items include a stray symbol in the second-month injury clause, “Nine Wonders” after night birth, and the winter falling/early-death expression. The consecutive early-death and poor-but-long-lived clauses in the second month are left distinct without an invented condition. Historical claims about illness, sexuality, kinship, wealth, and lifespan are translated as the source's claims.
Fire in spring's three months has warm energy just beginning to show. Sunshine lets it borrow Wood to shine; rain wets Wood and dims it. First-month Fire has slight yang hidden within Wood. Though approachable and lovable, it has not shed frost and ice's energy. Wood generating it lets yang energy unfold. Metal is Wealth: people of Xu and Yang are rich and fond of propriety. Metal and Wood together give high ministerial office. Metal encountered together with Water is said to bring early death without doubt, especially for people of Jing, Liang, Ji, and Yong. Earth steals and drains slight yang, indicating a shallow character and low status. In the second month, Wood brings generation at Defeat, with refined Wood and bright Fire indicating literary accomplishment, wealth, and nobility. Water is unsuitable: wet Wood does not generate Fire, followed by a damaged phrase concerning Fire's sinking or absence. For birth after Grain Rain, slight Water is not harmful, because Earth governs the time and Wood holds command, transforming harm into auspiciousness. How could people born in Yan, Qing, Xu, and Yang doubt wealth and nobility? Earth and Metal are judged as in the first month, except that Earth is somewhat stronger in Chen month. Summer Fire is yang energy's extreme, scorching vegetation and drying rivers. Sunshine scorches stones and melts Metal, completely draining true yang; rain lets Water moderate its force, achieving balance and instead giving shelter and blessing. Fourth-month Fire gradually grows stronger and competes in brightness with the sun. It cannot fully realize loyalty and affection; even the wealthy and noble are said to die early. The poor and cold live long and have many children, yet face solitude and hardship. Metal achieves reputation and profit; Earth gives authority and strategy; Wood gives wealth and fondness for propriety. Slight Water assisting Wood gives indescribable nobility. Those born in the fifth and sixth months have Fire blazing to the extreme. Water restraining it gives the rank of commanders, generals, and ministers. Only people born in Ji and Yong should not have excessive Water: flourishing Fire cast into abundant Water must be injured. Earth restraining and Wood resolving it give extraordinary wealth and nobility. Earth slightly draining the excess gives nobility through authority and judgment, and generosity benefiting others, though favors instead provoke resentment. Fire generates Earth but can also dry it. Wood generating Fire excessively instead injures the foundation of people of Qing, Yan, Xu, and Yang; even wealth and nobility do not prevent early death. People of Ji, Yong, Jing, and Liang become richer still. Metal is Wealth, but blazing Fire melts it, threatening lost wealth and a ruined household. Water and Earth together achieve reputation and profit. Battling the sun and punishing the moon indicate deficient loyalty and filial duty, harmful calamity, solitude, and harm to kin; night birth reduces these. The fortune-direction list gives west, north, and south, while east is greatly avoided. Early-autumn Fire has not shed its heat. Earth transmits generative energy, so Water cannot conquer it, instead indicating noble honor. Wood assisting it, for people of Xu, Yang, Yan, and Qing with much Fire in stems and branches, gives wealth and nobility but not long life. Metal as Wealth gives riches, rank, and extravagant grandeur. Earth brings Fire to rest, yet gives extraordinary distinction. Fire out of season in the eighth and ninth months meets Wood generating it with inexhaustible generative intent, and the source describes wealth and nobility with an awkward “without cause” expression. Metal and Wood sharing position give chief ministerial office. Metal without Wood makes the ruler weak and enemy strong, bringing unavoidable conflict and contention. People of Ji, Yong, Jing, and Liang incur calamity through Wealth together. Earth sharing position drains true original energy, giving solitude, punishment, coldness, and decline; Wood's assistance makes it favorable. Water indicates harmful early death. Fortune favors southeast and avoids northwest. In winter people are drawn to Fire: clear weather makes it bright, cloud and rain extinguish it. Water is therefore harmful and Wood's generation noble. Water without Wood gives illness when light and early death when severe; even birth in a wealthy household cannot avoid decline. People of Xu, Yang, Yan, and Qing with Water restraining it have no blame. Earth draining it makes weakness weaker, bringing lifelong obstruction. Flourishing Earth after Slight Cold obscures its light, indicating dullness, ignorance, and blindness. Metal is Wealth and makes people of Qing, Yan, Xu, and Yang rich. For people of Jing, Liang, Ji, and Yong it assists trouble and becomes harmful: Metal's child is Water; when the mother is conquered, the child takes advantage to avenge it. Without Wood resolving this, there are disasters of weapons, imprisonment, lawsuits, swelling, dysentery, and drowning. Abundant Wood in stems and branches reduces them. Generally winter Fire favors Wood and avoids Water. Fortune should proceed southeast; northwest is greatly avoided.
Translator's note: The damaged wet-Wood/Fire clause, “without cause” expression, and printed west–north–south fortune list are identified without silently replacing them. Opposite judgments for different seasons and regions, including the winter regional exception for Water, are retained. Solar and lunar conflict imagery and historical medical and moral claims follow the source.
Earth
When Earth meets spring, its fertile veins stir, the myriad things contain life, and Wood's energy spreads. Earlier philosophers had good reason to call it Ill at Yin, Dead at Mao, and in Tomb at Chen. Rain congeals yin, wets Earth, and keeps covered shoots from unfolding; sunshine releases frost and harmonizes yang so generative vitality expands. Thus spring Earth can nurture all things as soon as it receives yang energy. First-month Earth still has frost and cold. Rain freezes it, Water ices it, and Wood makes it ill. Only Fire warming it gives incomparable glory. Metal restraining Wood also achieves both reputation and profit. Earth in the second month is at the time when Wood flourishes and Earth collapses. Wood sharing position brings diseases named spleen and stomach disorders, intestinal wind, hemorrhoids, and fistulas: mild cases illness, severe cases early death. People of Xu and Yang with Fire among stems and branches, born in daytime sunshine, have no blame. Fire sharing position brings high ministerial rank. Water is harmful. People of Ji, Yong, Qing, and Yan have muddy Earth and turbid Water, ultimately threatening surging Water and collapsing Earth, because Water generates flourishing Wood and injures Earth. Those meeting this face poverty, cold, illness, and early death. People of Xu, Yang, and Yu with Fire in stems and branches have auspiciousness instead. Metal draining Earth's energy brings unavoidable calamity. Third-month Earth gradually acquires vitality, because Earth flourishes in the season-ending month. Fire's warmth lets yang energy expand and living things thrive. Wood brings illness or early death, but does no harm to people of Xu, Yang, and Yu. Water and Wood sharing a degree give poverty, scant means, and distress, especially for people of Ji, Yong, Yan, and Qing. Metal restraining Wood transforms harm into auspiciousness. Fortune favors south, with west second best. Earth flourishes in long summer because Fire is abundant and Earth generated. Cloud and rain moisten it and nurture all things, so Water is auspicious. Excessive drought cracks the fields, so Fire is harmful. In early summer heat is not yet abundant, and Fire's assistance is still favored. Wood is said to bring illness and early death without doubt. Water is Wealth and makes people of Xu and Yang rich. Metal encountering Wood gives nobility; encountering Water gives poverty. Earth in the fifth and sixth months becomes dry with Fire and scorches all things. People of Xu and Yang with abundant Fire among stems and branches face the disasters named burning, wind, and blood: mild cases danger, severe cases death. Cloud and rain or night birth make even present calamity less severe. People of Ji and Yong with Ren, Gui, Hai, or Zi among stems and branches have extraordinary wealth and nobility. Water nurturing all things indicates wealth, nobility, and literary accomplishment. Wood opening and loosening Earth's nature often gives intelligence and distinction. Metal is useless: Fire flourishes and Metal declines, unable to restrain Wood, hence its lack of use. Energy and fortune should proceed northwest and especially avoid south, because summer Earth meeting Fire becomes too dry. In autumn Metal flourishes, draining Earth and thinning its energy. Sunshine and rain must be properly measured. Seventh-month Earth has not lost Fire's energy and remains dry; Water moistening it lets all things bear fruit. Excessive Fire risks drying Earth, and Water moderating it is excellent. Wood brings calamity, but people of Xu, Yang, Jing, and Liang have no avoidance. Earth in the eighth and ninth months meeting Wood cannot be conquered by it: all things are withering and Metal's energy is born and flourishes, so the child avenges the mother. People of Jing, Liang, Xu, and Yang have wealth, nobility, and longevity. Metal draining energy excessively gives northwestern people unavoidable decline, timidity, and weakness. Fire assisting it gives high civil and military reputation and is auspicious for gentlemen and ordinary people alike. Water is Wealth; people of Xu, Yang, and Yu become incomparably rich. For people of Ji, Yong, Yan, and Liang, excessive Water instead gives poverty and scant means, with Xu month just acceptable. Fortune favors Fire and Earth territory; Water, Wood, and Metal directions have avoidances. Earth in winter is at Heaven and Earth's season of severe killing, with cold at its utmost. Though one yang is born below, Earth's veins are not warm. Water and snow make ice cold and Earth frozen. Fire and sun return spring to the cold valley. Tenth-month Earth favors only Fire warming it, harmonizing yang in Earth's veins while all things return to their roots. Wood is harmful, Metal obstructs, and Water indicates solitude and cold. People of Xu and Yang with much Fire in stems and branches can be rich. Zi and Chou months have extreme cold; Fire and sun melt and harmonize it, achieving merit and reputation. Wood is especially avoided; Fire resolving it is auspicious. Water increases yin energy, making Water cold and Earth frozen: light cases illness, severe cases early death. Metal also indicates poverty and scant means. Southern annual and major fortunes are best; north is greatly avoided.
Translator's note: All seasonal subdivisions, regions, and exceptions are retained, including Metal's different effects in successive spring months and Water's different summer and winter roles. Liang in the later autumn regional list is the supplied name, not silently changed to Qing. Historical organ, illness, danger, and lifespan claims are translated without converting them into present-day medical advice.
Metal
For Metal in spring, Wood flourishes and Fire is vigorous; this is not when Metal obtains energy. Extinction at Yin, Womb at Mao, and Nurture at Chen show that transformation has no final limit. Spring Metal therefore finds clear sunshine auspicious and cloud and rain obstructive. Earth generating it is particularly appropriate: it is about to become Extinct yet has generative vitality. First-month Metal sees Wood as Wealth, but Wood's spirit is too strong, leaving only enough for clothing and livelihood. Earth's energy is still cold and cannot yet generate or assist; distinction comes only through arts and skills. Fire sharing position gives repeated marriages for both men and women. Fire encountered together with Earth gives extraordinary wealth and nobility. Water draining it gives solitude, cold, timidity, and weakness. Metal in the second and third months meets Earth generating it with inexhaustible generative intent, indicating wealth, nobility, and longevity. Water draining original energy likewise indicates poverty, scant means, and lack of feeling. Fire imprisons it: Metal meets a Ghost, said to bring poverty and early death without doubt. Earth generating and Water restraining are auspicious. Wood gives disasters of obstruction and distress. Spring Wood flourishes; weak Metal trying to restrain it is like an infant resisting a powerful enemy, clearly unable to stand against it. This threatens seeking honor but receiving disgrace, and official lawsuits, contention, and conflict, because benevolence and righteousness punish one another. People of Jing, Liang, and Yu meeting this become rich. People of Xu and Yang with much Earth in stems and branches have noble distinction. Earth territory is most auspicious for energy and fortune, Metal territory second best. Summer has abundant Fire and Metal becomes very soft. Sunshine scorches and melts Metal; rain lets Water nourish and moisten it. Thus summer Metal should always meet Earth, indicating authority to serve as general and minister and the nobility of the Golden Horse and Jade Hall. Fire blazes and melts Metal: poverty and early death predominate; even with wealth, there is early death, sexual excess, and low status. Wood is Wealth, often indicating wealth and nobility for people of Jing, Liang, and Yu. Water gives solitude and cold because weak Metal cannot generate Water. With Fire and Earth together, however, there is wealth, nobility, health, and peace. The supplied fortune clause favors Earth, Metal, Wood, and Fire, then leaves a “most avoided” expression incomplete before turning to autumn. Autumn Metal is severe and killing, when all things wither and fall. If left unrestrained, the intent of generation ceases. Sunshine lets Fire forge strong Metal; rain lets Water moisten and brighten it. Metal in the seventh and eighth months obtains command and has a hard, strong nature. Fire restraining its force gives the nobility of a jade belt and golden fish insignia, because stubborn Metal cannot become useful without Fire. Water draining its flourishing energy gives white Metal and clear Water, often indicating refined literary-office nobility. With neither Water nor Fire, early death is indicated. Wood is Wealth; people of Xu and Yang have both wealth and nobility. Earth hides its brilliance and buries its light: even with Wealth it does not develop, and solitude is common. A classic says, “Autumn Metal buried in Earth instead flourishes.” Wood gives nobility, especially for people of Xu, Yang, Yan, and Qing. For those born in the ninth month, Metal's energy has slightly retreated. Fire with night birth is remarkable; day birth gives little benefit. Wood is conquered and instead brings estrangement among close kin. Water moderating it still gives people of Ji and Yong unavoidable decline, but what need people of Xu and Yang avoid? Earth also dims it. People of Yan and Qing mostly have wealth and nobility; people of Yu face obstruction. Fortune favors southeast and avoids northwest. Winter weather is stern and cold, and Metal lies hidden. Metal is conceived in spring, born in summer, flourishes in autumn, and dies in winter, meaning it fears cold and lacks generative vitality. Clear sunshine gives clear Metal and beautiful Water; rain and snow give cold Water and chilly Metal. Winter Metal therefore needs Fire to melt away its cold before extraordinary wealth and nobility become possible. Yet early-winter Metal meeting Fire is said to suffer injury and disability. People of Xu and Yang with no Earth in stems and branches, born by day, face poverty and early death; those born at night solitude and cold. Earth gives abundant clothing and Emolument. Water and Wood are both unfavorable. Birth in Zi or Chou month also favors Fire's warmth. People of Xu and Yang without Fire still favor Earth; obtaining Fire gives nobility. People of Ji and Yong with Earth but no Fire are solitary and poor, because cold Earth is no resource for generating Metal. Water makes it cold: northwestern people face low status, poverty, illness, and early death. People of Xu and Yang with Fire and Earth in stems and branches have blessing, longevity, health, and peace. Wood as Wealth indicates riches and the blessing of leisure. People of Yan and Qing have wives and children overstepping their allotted bounds, because declining Metal cannot restrain Wood. People of Jing, Liang, and Yu have auspiciousness. Fortune favors southeast and especially avoids northwest.
Translator's note: The damaged summer fortune-direction transition is not repaired by inventing a forbidden phase. The quoted autumn buried-Metal statement, and the contrast between winter Fire's general benefit and the early-winter injury clause, are retained as supplied. Every seasonal and regional exception remains; historical status, marriage, illness, and longevity claims are not modern factual findings.
Water
Who would not call spring Water extremely weak, being Ill at Yin, Dead at Mao, and in Tomb at Chen? Yet Water is yin energy, Born at Shen and Flourishing at Zi. In autumn and winter its energy gathers and has not dispersed; the source consequently says Water often dries up. When spring arrives, yang energy steams upward and yin energy descends. Rain and dew moisten, and Water develops. This is Water's usual course. Astrologers therefore have good reason to say living Water is Born at Mao. Sunshine makes spring Water flow gently; rain makes it spread and overflow. For those born in the first month, Water contains cold energy. Fire melts ice and releases frost, giving wealth, nobility, and dignified ease. Metal assisting is best for those born in Xu and Yang. Wood without Fire makes Water cold and Wood chilly, without generative vitality. Earth conquering Water also gives poverty and cold. Earth's restraint together with Metal's generation gives abundant clothing and livelihood. Water in the second and third months is vast and boundless. Earth provides embankments: by day wealth and nobility, by night drifting and relocation. Those born after Grain Rain may suffer sexual perversity and illnesses of numbness and exhaustion, because Earth is muddy and Water turbid. Fire makes Water and Fire punish one another, bringing unavoidable calamities and lawsuits. Metal generating Water makes it overflow without restraint; people of Xu and Yang with Earth in stems and branches have no blame. Wood draining it gives the ability to extend kindness to others. People of Yan and Qing born in the middle ten days of the second month have flourishing Wood stealing Water's original spirit, producing illnesses of wind and weakness. Metal's assistance prevents trouble. Summer Water loses command and dries when meeting Fire, so sunshine is avoided and rain favored. At summer's beginning Water still overflows. Earth stopping its flow gives deep blessing, but Fire should not accompany it: abundant Fire dries Earth and Water. People of Xu and Yang with no Metal or Water in stems and branches face illness and early death. Water achieves profit and reputation. Metal generating it instead gives solitude and harm to kin, because summer Metal declines: a weak mother cannot generate her child and instead suffers injury through it. People of Jing, Liang, and Yu meeting this have auspiciousness. Water in the fifth and sixth months can nourish the myriad things. It favors Earth accompanying it; cloud and rain at the birth hour further indicate wealth, nobility, and literary accomplishment. Fire threatens dried Water: mild cases illness, severe cases early death. Water providing relief transforms harm into auspiciousness. Wood also indicates wealth, nobility, boldness, and power, but is unfavorable for people of Yan and Qing, whose true energy it drains. Metal's energy is weak and cannot generate Water. One cannot automatically judge it as the mother luminary; instead it indicates solitude and harm to kin. Metal and Water in stems and branches are auspicious. Fortune favors Metal and Water and most avoids Fire territory. Water born under autumn's command is at its clearest and most refined: sunshine makes it pure and flawless, rain brings muddy floodwater. Seventh-month Water nourishes and ripens the myriad things. Fire should not accompany it; people of Xu and Yang with much Fire face poverty, early death, and lack of support. Metal as mother luminary is exactly timely: mother and child generate one another, giving literary accomplishment and refined nobility. Earth sharing position transforms calamity into blessing. Wood accompanying it also gives noble distinction. Water in the eighth and ninth months meeting the command star has immeasurable blessing and longevity. Metal and Fire together give blazing merit and reputation. Wood ultimately drains it, bringing unavoidable success followed by failure. Fire sharing the enclosure weakens beneficent Metal. Though there is virtue able to govern people and win their obedience, phlegm illness, punishment, and injury remain unavoidable. Earth, though harmful, is not harmful in the end, because autumn Metal can best transform difficulty into blessing. Yet people of Xu, Yang, and Yu with much Earth in stems and branches are obstructed throughout life. Fortune benefits from northwest and finds southeast unsuitable. Water holding command in winter is at the time of severe, congealing cold. Rain freezes it, sunshine releases frost. All three winter months therefore favor Fire warming it, giving wealth and nobility without anxiety. Metal brings mother and child generating one another: people of Xu and Yang have the nobility of gold and purple insignia and the Jade Hall. People of Ji and Yong instead have cold Water and chilly Metal; even with mutual generation there is poverty and scant means. Fire accompanying it is auspicious. Earth and Metal bring estrangement among close kin, though people of Ji and Yong rely on them as embankments and avoid flooding. Wood gives cold Water and frozen Wood, neither with generative vitality, said to bring poverty and early death without doubt. People of Xu and Yang with much Fire in stems and branches have wealth and longevity. Wood and Earth sharing an enclosure restrain Killing and are auspicious instead. Those born in Chou month have noble distinction. Fortune favors south, with east second best.
Translator's note: The supplied autumn/winter “Water often dries up” wording is not silently changed. All five seasonal passages, their regional exceptions, the distinction between weak summer Metal and timely autumn Metal, and the unnamed command star remain. The text's medical, sexual, status, and lifespan judgments are historical assertions; no missing planetary or phase rule is supplied.
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