Chapter 77 of 200
三命通会
The Yuan Chen Sha, or "Prime Origin Malevolence," refers to an inauspicious influence in fate theory symbolizing "separation and discord." It originates from the principle of conflict between Yin and Yang: if Yang is ahead and Yin follows, it causes obstruction and hinders smooth progress 🌪️; if Yin is ahead and Yang follows, it manifests as impulsive actions, lack of organization, and difficulty in cooperation. Therefore, the Yuan Chen Sha is seen as an energy that disrupts harmony. In the Four Pillars of Destiny (BaZi), for males born in Yang years or females born in Yin years, the Yuan Chen is located in the branch preceding the one directly opposing their Day Pillar. Conversely, for males born in Yin years or females born in Yang years, it is in the branch following the opposing one. For example, a male born in the Jia-Zi year has a Day Pillar of Jia-Wu, which opposes Wu; thus, Yi-Wei is his Yuan Chen. A male born in the Yi-Chou year has a Day Pillar opposing Yi-Wei, so Jia-Wu is his Yuan Chen. Other stems and branches follow this pattern. This malevolence is considered dangerous because it resides in a "place of clashing energy" — like a sudden shift in wind direction 🌬️, causing imbalance and turbulence. When encountering the Yuan Chen in a major or annual cycle, a person may feel unsettled, restless, and prone to internal illnesses or external misfortunes, akin to an object tossed by the wind. Even those of wealth and high status must remain vigilant if their major cycle meets this Sha, as they may face career setbacks or domestic disasters over a decade; even with auspicious deities' assistance, fortune and misfortune often coexist. The most critical juncture is a turn from auspicious to inauspicious, such as when luck shifts from prosperity to decline, where calamities are particularly severe. Individuals with Yuan Chen in their destiny often have coarse features — prominent cheekbones, low nose, large mouth, eyes revealing sharp angles, protruding forehead, high buttocks, stiff limbs, and a deep voice. If the Yuan Chen is in a state of growth and vigor, it manifests as carelessness, inability to distinguish right from wrong, and muddled, inverted actions. If in a state of decay and extinction, it results in a vile character, unsightly appearance, crude speech, shamelessness, a life of ruin and hardship, and susceptibility to indulgence in wine and lust. If combined with the Guan Fu Sha (Official Seal Misfortune), it invites unwarranted disasters; with the Jie Sha (Robbery Misfortune), it leads to indiscreet behavior and self-inflicted humiliation. For women encountering it, their voices may be masculine, their temperament chaotic, potentially violating etiquette and laws, with a life full of disasters, and their children may be unfilial. The traditional "Song of Rat Fearing Sheep Head" discusses Yuan Chen without distinguishing gender and is insufficient as a reference. The Luoluozi holds that the Yuan Chen Sha brings extremely severe calamities, and encountering it mutually is even more inauspicious, but if suddenly combined and transformed, it can conversely turn auspicious. The Dongxuan Jing also mentions that "Yuan Chen encountering harmony brings great fortune." For example, the BaZi of Minister Wu □ Ji (Ji-Mao, Jia-Shen, Ji-Si, Jia-Xu) and that of Privy Councilor Teng Geng (Yi-Chou, Ren-Wu, Yi-Chou, Ren-Wu) appear to violate the Yuan Chen. Li Jifu refuted this, saying, "Noble destinies encountering Sha反而 lead to promotion; Lin Kai's view is one-sided." Xu Ziping summarized: Yuan Chen is the inherent harmful time in one's destiny, such as Jia encountering Shen-Geng or Yi encountering You-Xin, etc. If the original chart already has the Seven Killings causing harm, and the annual or cyclical luck encounters Yuan Chen again, misfortune is compounded. The Yuan Chen Sha should be regarded similarly to the Wang Jie (Perishing and Robbery), Yang Ren (Blade), and Kong Wang (Empty Void). The phrase "Yuan Chen water departs" in the Luoluozi·Message Rhyme also refers to this Sha name; the ancients' discussions are reasonable.
Embedded chart
| Pillars | Year | Month | Day | Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ten Gods | 比肩 | 正官 | Self (M) | 正官 |
| Stem | 己 | 甲 | 己 | 甲 |
| Branch | 卯 | 申 | 巳 | 戌 |
| Hidden Stems | 乙杀 | 庚伤壬财戊劫 | 丙印戊劫庚伤 | 戊劫辛食丁枭 |
| Stage | 病 | 沐浴 | 帝旺 | 养 |
Embedded chart
| Pillars | Year | Month | Day | Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ten Gods | 比肩 | 正印 | Self (M) | 正印 |
| Stem | 乙 | 壬 | 乙 | 壬 |
| Branch | 丑 | 午 | 丑 | 午 |
| Hidden Stems | 己才癸枭辛杀 | 丁食己才 | 己才癸枭辛杀 | 丁食己才 |
| Stage | 衰 | 长生 | 衰 | 长生 |
The essence of the Yuan Chen Sha is dynamic conflict caused by "imbalance between Yin and Yang," symbolizing uncontrollable turbulent factors in life. It emphasizes the interaction between environment and personal aura—when internal and external energies clash, it easily triggers physical and mental imbalance and interpersonal conflicts. The ancients classified it as an inauspicious Sha, with the core purpose of warning that "prevention is better than cure," reminding people to pay attention to turning points in their fortune.
In contemporary society, the Yuan Chen Sha can be understood as a metaphor for a "pressure critical point." For example:
The Yuan Chen Sha reveals the eternal theme of "balance versus conflict": adversity is inevitable in life, but the wisdom of the ancients lies in transforming external shocks into internal vigilance. In a modern context, it challenges us to think—how to maintain resilience amidst instability? This resonates with existentialism: while fate sets limits, individuals can赋予 meaning through choices (like "turning auspicious through harmony"). Simultaneously, it's important to critique the limitations of its physical descriptions, emphasizing that internal growth outweighs external judgment.
