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Chapter 23 of 131
Zeng Shan Bu Yi — Revised I Ching Divination
Overall Paraphrased Translation
The Three Punishments primarily include: Yin punishing Si, Si punishing Shen, and Shen punishing Yin; Zi punishing Mao, and Mao punishing Zi; Chou and Xu punishing each other, Xu and Wei punishing each other, and Wei and Chou punishing each other. Additionally, the four earthly branches—Chen, Wu, You, and Hai—are referred to as "self-punishments."
Regarding the manifestation of the Three Punishments, my repeated practical divinations have revealed that calamities typically occur only when the Use God itself is weak, suppressed by other lines, and further afflicted by the Three Punishments. Cases where the Three Punishments alone trigger actual outcomes are exceedingly rare. In my decades of divination practice, I have verified only one such instance.
For example, during the Yin month on a Geng Shen day, a divination was performed regarding a son's smallpox illness, resulting in the Wind-Fire Family Hexagram transforming into the Fire Hexagram:
Brother Mao Wood ′
Offspring Si Fire ○ Response → Changing to Wife Wealth Wei Earth
Wife Wealth Wei Earth × → Changing to Officer Ghost You Metal
Father Hai Water ′
Wife Wealth Chou Earth ″ World
Brother Mao Wood ′
At the time, the judgment was: The Offspring Si Fire is in the spring wood prosperity period, indicating the Offspring line is strong, so recovery was assured. However, the child later died at the Yin hour on a Yin day. It was then realized: The month is Yin, the day is Shen, and the Offspring Si Fire in the hexagram forms the "Yin-Si-Shen Three Punishments." This is the only hexagram where the Three Punishments alone, without suppression from other lines, manifested a calamity. As for Zi-Mao punishments and Chen-Xu-Chou-Wei punishments, there are cases where they manifest, but they always occur in combination with other unfavorable signs.
【New Interpretation】: The application of the Three Punishments should prioritize hexagram image analysis, with punishment theory analysis serving as a supplement. Specific usage can be referenced in my book "True Explanations of Six Yao Hexagram Examples." The Three Punishments cannot solely be used as a basis for determining misfortune. Old Man Ye He failed to fully understand the ominous signs in this hexagram because he was unaware of the "transforming through an intermediate line" theory in divination. In this hexagram, the Offspring Si Fire moves and transforms into Wife Wealth Wei Earth, and Wife Wealth Wei Earth further moves and transforms into Officer Ghost You Metal. This means the Offspring line, through Wei Earth as an intermediary, ultimately transforms into Officer Ghost You Metal. The transformation of Offspring into Officer Ghost is inherently ominous, and when combined with the Three Punishments, it results in calamity. This usage is discussed in detail in "True Explanations of Six Yao Hexagram Examples."
Embedded chart
| Stem-branch set | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Set 6 | Set 7 | Set 8 | Set 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stem | Y | n | o | t | G | n | S | e | D |
| Branch | i | M | n | h | e | g | h | n | a |
Please translate the above content into English, maintaining the original format and structure.