Chapter 157 of 200
三命通会
"Reverse Eating" refers to the Partial Seal, also known as the "Devouring and Swallowing Kill" 🌪️, and is the most dreaded killing star that can appear for the Eating God. For example, Jia Wood takes Bing Fire as its Eating God 🔥. Fire can generate Earth (Jia Wood's Wealth), and strong Earth generates Metal (Jia Wood's Officer). A strong Eating God thus brings both Wealth and Officer. However, if Jia Wood encounters Ren Water 🌊 as Reverse Eating, strong Ren Water overcomes Bing Fire 🔥. Once Bing is overcome, it cannot generate Earth, leading Jia Wood to have no Wealth. Ren Water also combines with Ding Fire, the Injury Officer, which harms Jia Wood's Xin Metal Officer Star, leaving it without an Officer. After Ren overcomes Bing, the Geng Kill (Seven Kill) gains power and overcomes Jia Wood 🌳, causing disaster. This illustrates the principle of "using the Eating God but fearing to see Reverse Eating."
Those whose fate carries Reverse Eating typically have shallow blessings and short lifespans. However, if there is a restraining or combining mechanism (e.g., specific Five Element interactions of overcoming or combining within the stem-branch combinations), Reverse Eating can conversely bring fortune. For example:
A fate carrying the Eating God meeting the Owl Spirit (Reverse Eating) is like being constrained by elders, leaving one without freedom: hesitant and indecisive in actions, lazy and indolent, starting things but not finishing them; financial resources are repeatedly gained and lost 💸, appearance is not upright, stature is short, one is timid and insecure, and everything is difficult to accomplish; it harms the Six Relatives, harming the mother in childhood, and harming wife and children in adulthood. The Fu states: Reverse Eating (Partial Seal) is named the Owl Spirit. If encountered when the body is strong, it brings abundant wealth and thick fortune ⚖️; if encountering punishment or killing stars, it brings a short life and a poor body; seeing the Wealth Star leads to toil and奔波; seeing the Killing Star leads to drifting and instability; if the body is weak and meets the Partial Seal again, the worry is like having a short life; if the proper Eating God meets the Owl Spirit, disaster is unavoidable; upon first encounter, the spirit is weary and listless; encountering it heavily distorts the appearance. The Wan Qi Fu adds: The Owl Spirit seeing the Officer and Kill Stars leads to many successes and many failures; the Partial Seal encountering the Wealth Star turns humiliation into honor; strong body brings nobility, weak body brings ordinariness; having the Injury Officer means a rich and comfortable life; encountering the Eating God brings loneliness and hardship. An ancient poem summarizes: The Partial Seal is the Owl Spirit; within the pillars, it is auspicious to see the Wealth Star. A strong body is a blessing 🌱; a weak body with a strong Owl brings ruthlessness.
Example: Bing-Xu, Bing-Shen, Jia-Xu, Ren-Shen. Jia Wood sees Bing Fire as its Eating God 🔥 and also sees Ren Water as Reverse Eating 🌊. Jia is born in the Shen month, controlled and Qi-less due to the Kill. The two Bings steal Qi. Ren Water restrains Bing, allowing the Killing Star to gain power. Therefore, there is no fame or profit.
Embedded chart
| Pillars | Year | Month | Day | Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ten Gods | 食神 | 食神 | Self (M) | 偏印 |
| Stem | 丙 | 丙 | 甲 | 壬 |
| Branch | 戌 | 申 | 戌 | 申 |
| Hidden Stems | 戊才辛官丁伤 | 庚杀壬枭戊才 | 戊才辛官丁伤 | 庚杀壬枭戊才 |
| Stage | 养 | 绝 | 养 | 绝 |
Another example: Ren-Shen, Ren-Zi, Jia-Xu, Bing-Yin. The Seal converges and returns to the Lu position. Water essence and Fire spirit aid each other 🌊🔥, an image of Wood and Fire illuminating each other 🌳✨.
Embedded chart
| Pillars | Year | Month | Day | Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ten Gods | 偏印 | 偏印 | Self (M) | 食神 |
| Stem | 壬 | 壬 | 甲 | 丙 |
| Branch | 申 | 子 | 戌 | 寅 |
| Hidden Stems | 庚杀壬枭戊才 | 癸印 | 戊才辛官丁伤 | 甲比丙食戊才 |
| Stage | 绝 | 沐浴 | 养 | 建 |
Yet another example: Ji-Wei, Ren-Shen, Jia-Zi, Bing-Yin. The Kill transforms into a Seal, returning to Lu and obtaining elegance. Wood and Fire illuminate each other 🌳🔥, Water and Wood are pure and extraordinary 🌊🌳.
Embedded chart
| Pillars | Year | Month | Day | Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ten Gods | 正财 | 偏印 | Self (M) | 食神 |
| Stem | 己 | 壬 | 甲 | 丙 |
| Branch | 未 | 申 | 子 | 寅 |
| Hidden Stems | 己财丁伤乙劫 | 庚杀壬枭戊才 | 癸印 | 甲比丙食戊才 |
| Stage | 墓 | 绝 | 沐浴 | 建 |
Both of the latter two destinies are greatly noble. The first example feared Reverse Eating, but encountering restraint and combination turned it to nobility, illustrating that one cannot judge it as inauspicious upon merely seeing Reverse Eating ⚠️.
Core Concept 💡 Reverse Eating (Partial Seal) is essentially the nemesis of the Eating God, destroying the Wealth-Officer pattern and triggering disaster. However, through Five Element restraint and combination (e.g., Earth overcomes Water, Fire generates Earth), the inauspicious killing force can be transformed into auspicious assistance, embodying the dialectical view of "auspiciousness hidden within inauspiciousness."
Modern Interpretation 🌟 In modern society, Reverse Eating symbolizes obstacles or resource competition in life (e.g., workplace suppression, health crises). "Restraint and Combination" corresponds to risk management—for example, resolving conflicts through teamwork (Earth restrains Water) or skill enhancement (Fire generates Earth). Those with a strong body (strong stress resistance) encountering Reverse Eating may have their potential stimulated; those with a weak body need to be wary of chain reactions.
Practical Value ⚡ In Bazi analysis, evaluating Reverse Eating requires considering:
Philosophical Reflection 🤔 This reveals the dynamic balance of Yin and Yang: what seems like an inauspicious killing force (Reverse Eating), when harmonized, can become an aid, echoing the survival wisdom of "crisis is opportunity." Modern society emphasizes adaptability—personal growth requires accepting adversity and achieving transformation through resource integration.
Related Concepts:
Further Reading:
Modern Research:
