Chapter 106 of 135
星平会海
"Luoluozi's Message Ode" elucidates the core principles of destiny theory: the universe originates from the innate qi 🌌, which naturally divides into clarity and turbidity, forming the triad of heaven, earth, and humanity. Through the cycle of the four seasons, time is defined. The heavenly stems symbolize positions of禄 (social status), whose orientations determine wealth or poverty; the earthly branches represent the foundation of life, requiring careful observation of their cycles of顺逆 (favorable and unfavorable phases) to determine fortune or misfortune. Major cycles (大运) flow in ten-year periods, while minor cycles (小运) equate three days to one year—this calculation derives from the precise correspondence between the 24 solar terms and 72 pentads in a year. The subtle differences in the depth of solar terms within a destiny chart are the essence of its intricate analysis.
"Qi" is dynamic energy: future qi promotes growth, while past qi gradually recedes. Its form is elusive, like a snake hiding in ashes or an eel concealed in dust, reflecting the directional changes of the four seasons' climates. "Being" arises from "non-being" (e.g., the way of heaven manifests through celestial patterns), and the five elements, when at their extremity, can反而 establish nobility (emerging from despair, with禄 and马 shining brightly). In the ordinary way, benevolence and righteousness establish the framework of life, while specific matters are perceived through experience. The noble can become guests, the extraordinary become贵人—such as the General Star (将星) assisting virtue or the Heavenly乙贵人 (天乙贵人) descending. If the日主 (day master) is weak and inactive, actions will face obstacles; if the勾陈星 (Gouchen Star) is well-positioned, even small acts of faith can achieve benevolence; the真武星 (Zhenwu Star) in power heralds the arrival of great talent.
Conversely, signs of inhumanity and injustice often manifest in the clash between庚辛 (metal) and甲乙 (wood); entanglements of right and wrong frequently arise from the mutual aversion of壬癸 (water) and丙丁 (fire). Thus, ancient sages cultivated humility, either retreating from the world to seek Buddhist tranquility or delving into Daoism to explore mysteries. Formless phenomena exist perpetually, and inscrutable threads extend through eternity—hence,河公 (He Gong) feared the七杀 (seven killings), and Confucius dreaded the元辰 (fateful hour). Mount Emei expounded on the three-life theory of destiny, while Guiguzi promoted the nine-star method of fate analysis. I have synthesized the essence of various schools, offering subtle insights that require spiritual awakening to fully grasp the profound principles.
I hail from Lanye, and from a young age, I admired the true way. Though lacking the skill to heal the world, I have connected with the Dao through calming the spirit, regulating breath, and harmonizing the five elements. Qian and Kun determine the duality of yin and yang, metal and wood distinguish hardness and softness; the alternation of day and night represents ruler and subject, while the shifts of blue and red resemble father and son. Destiny cannot be deduced through a single method: there are anomalies like winter heat and summer frost, and反常 phenomena such as阴鼠 (yin mice) dwelling on ice and神龟 (divine turtles) resting in fire. Thus, yin and yang are unfathomable, and the categories of things are endless. Generally, the three winters have little heat, and the nine summers abound with yang; fortune and misfortune are like omens, and numerology can only grasp eighty or ninety percent of them.
If one is born in a place of休败 (decline), they will be孤穷 (isolated and poor) in their early years; if they encounter健旺 (vitality) in old age, their later years will be smooth. Those who start with misfortune and end with fortune are like turbid sources yielding clear streams; those who begin with fortune and end with misfortune are like sweet roots bearing bitter fruit. Observing signs and examining origins, the root precedes the flower—胎元 (fetal origin) determines fate, and the三兽 (three beasts, based on the year pillar's纳音) differentiate lineages; the五音律吕 (five tones and twelve pitches) and五虎 (five tigers, based on the monthly commands) discuss success and failure. The subtleties of无合有合 (without union yet with union) are difficult for later learners to understand; the secrets of得分三 (obtaining three parts) were not recorded by earlier sages.
If the year pillar encounters冠带 (the initial stage of prosperity), residual disasters may remain; when a major cycle first enters衰乡 (the phase of decline), residual blessings may still exist. When the天元 (heavenly stem, i.e., day master) is weak, even auspicious palaces cannot bring glory; when the中下 (earthly branches) are thriving, even inauspicious hexagrams will cause no harm. If the尊 (year pillar) is inauspicious and the卑 (hour pillar) is auspicious, rescue efforts will be futile; if the尊 is auspicious and the卑 is inauspicious, disasters will resolve themselves.禄 has gatherings of三会 (three meetings), and disasters arrive in五期 (five periods). More misfortune than fortune is like the first line of the大过 hexagram; shallow blessings and deep calamities resemble the fifth line of the同人 hexagram. Hearing good news without joy is due to the waxing and waning of the六甲 (six Jia cycles); facing worries without anxiety relies on the rescue of the five elements.
Entering孤虚 (loneliness and emptiness) and approaching五墓 (five tombs, e.g.,戌未 traveling east),六虚 (six voids) fall into空亡 (empty and deceased, starting from乾 in the south). A singular天元 bestows the尊 (nobility) of侯伯 (marquises and earls); the支 (branches) as人元 govern the gains and losses of商贾 (merchants). If the body is strong and the ghost is weak, breaking fate反而 leads to longevity; if the ghost is strong and the body is weak, even encountering建禄 (establishing禄) may result in premature death. Those who背禄逐马 (turn away from禄 and chase after马) end up in desolation; those with禄马同乡 (禄 and马 in the same location) reach high positions like三台八座 (high-ranking officials). High positions and显赫 (prominence) come from夹禄之乡 (lands flanked by禄); small gains and great losses fear劫财之地 (places of wealth robbery). Those born in months with带禄 (carrying禄) have illustrious official careers; those who重犯奇仪 (repeatedly encounter extraordinary instruments) possess outstanding talent.
For阴男阳女 (yin males and yang females), observe the出入 (comings and goings) of the行年 (annual cycle); for阴女阳男 (yin females and yang males), examine the元辰 (fateful hour) and岁运 (yearly cycles). When encountering生地 (places of growth), it is advisable to retreat;凶会吉会 (inauspicious and auspicious gatherings),返吟伏吟 (counterpoint and hidden repetitions),阴错阳差 (yin-yang errors), and天冲地击 (heavenly clashes and earthly strikes) all require caution. If encountering四杀五鬼 (four killings and five ghosts),六害七伤 (six harms and seven injuries),天罗地网 (heavenly nets and earthly traps), or三元九宫 (three origins and nine palaces)—celebrate when fortune comes, and be wary when disaster approaches. Support and suppression, speed and delay: when passing through noble lands, bide time; when meeting比肩 (peers), expect competition. When people are weary and horses are feeble, entrusting to财旺之乡 (lands of prosperous wealth) can bring revitalization; when wealth is prosperous but禄 is declining, establishing马 and冲掩 (charging and covering) is harmless. When the year arrives without disaster, reaching the year brings fortune.
大吉 meeting小吉反而 yields longevity;天罡 reaching天魁 grants寄生续寿 (parasitic life extension).从魁 reaching苍龙 (east) brings wealth from heaven;太冲 approaching昴胃 (west) harms人元.金禄 exhausts at正首 (庚 heavy,辛 light);木人 struggle in金乡 (寅 deep,卯 shallow). The wonder lies in通变 (adaptation)—even clumsy explanations can be divine, like a shaman's drum tuning strings beyond the律吕 (pitches).庚辛临近甲乙 benefits gentlemen seeking office; northerners operating in the south profit from trade. Morning joy and evening tears stem from火炎阳 (fiery yang); distant fortune and misfortune arise from water and earth. Metal and wood not yet formed evoke unnameable sorrow and joy; lush flowers and abundant wood resemble dense clouds without rain.
Those in乘轩衣冕 (chariots and robes) have abundant metal and fire; those in位劣班卑 (lowly positions) have indeterminate yin and yang.龙吟虎啸 (dragon's chant and tiger's roar) bring wind and rain as auspicious signs; rising fire emits smoke before entropy. Often, misfortune conceals fortune, and fortune precedes misfortune; blue hides misfortune, and misfortune signals fortune. Before the calamity decade arrives, fortune can be deduced; in the decline phase, disasters should be逆课 (reverse-calculated). Men welcome, women send off; misfortune and fortune reside in the suburbs. The two qi of yin and yang折除 (offset) through逆顺 (reverse and forward). Divining metal and wood reveals方位分野 (directional divisions); marking north and south indicates unfavorable movements. One phrase questions the year stem, one year seeks the month and day; facing three, avoiding five, pointing to directions determines success or failure.
Examining fortune and measuring misfortune describes the year's misfortunes and fortunes:丙寅丁卯 should maintain in autumn;己巳戊辰 crossing乾宫 escapes calamity. Encountering illness brings worry of illness; meeting growth yields growth.旺相 (prosperity) leads to prominence;休囚绝灭 (decline and extinction) bring demise. Discussing family worries about death and extinction; tombs among ghosts heighten danger and suspicion.足下临丧 (feet approaching mourning) can be seen ahead; relying on yin to observe yang's fortune, the year star must avoid孤辰 (lonely时辰); relying on yang to discern yin's disaster, the year fears encountering寡宿 (widowed lodgings). First discuss the two qi, then calculate longevity; a father's illness推 (deduces) the son's禄; a wife's disaster课 (calculates) the husband's year. If the三宫 (three palaces) are元吉 (originally auspicious), disasters can be delayed; if始末皆凶 (both start and end are inauspicious), calamity arrives swiftly.
宅墓 (residence and tomb) afflicted by杀 (killings) cause呻吟 (moans) like falling beam dust;丧吊 (mourning and condolence) approaching people turn宫商 (musical notes) into哀露 (dew of sorrow).推 (Deducing) the stem twice warns of元首灾 (disaster for the leader);折 (Breaking) the branch thrice lightly cautions股肱祸 (calamity for limbs).下元一气 (lower origin's qi) determines the timing of departures and stays.仁而不仁 (benevolence without benevolence) incurs injury from戊己. In moments of寝食侍卫 (rest, meals, and guard duty), objects have ghost objects, people have ghost people—encountering them brings disaster, avoiding them brings fortune.裸形夹杀 (naked form flanked by killings) sends the魄 (corporeal soul) to郪都 (the underworld); those afflicted injuries see the魂 (ethereal soul) return to岱岭 (Mount Tai). Coming and going through凶方 (inauspicious directions);嫁娶修营 (weddings and constructions) avoid黄黑 (yellow and black, ominous signs). Disaster and fortune lie within the year's position, discovered through日时击扬 (daily and hourly strikes).五神相克 (five deities mutually overcoming),三生定命 (three lives determine fate).贵人食禄 (noble people enjoying禄) reside in禄马之乡;源浊伏吟 (turbid origin with hidden repetition) languishes in歇宫之地 (resting palaces).狂横 (arrogance and tyranny) arise from勾绞 (entanglements);破败 (ruin) emerges from元亡 (origin death).宅墓同处 (residence and tomb together) bring little joy and much sorrow;万里回还 (returning from afar) leads to三归之地 (three-return lands).四杀父生五鬼子 (four killings fathering five ghost children);六害命有七伤事 (six harms fate having seven injury events). Family affections like water and fire meet in沐浴之间 (bathing periods);骨肉 (flesh and blood) separate midway,孤宿嫌隔角 (lonely lodgings despise corner separation). Control the神煞 (deities and煞) by comparing severity: body overcoming杀 is light;杀 overcoming body is heavy.
The complete hand cycles through the eight trigrams, following the遗留 texts of河洛 (River Chart and Luo Writing); slightly fixing one end, exploring myriad threads. Encountering攀鞍践禄 (saddling and treading禄) leads to佩印乘轩 (wearing seals and riding chariots); meeting马劣财微 (feeble horse and scant wealth) causes流而不返 (drifting without return). Good and evil相伴 (accompany each other), shaking and migrating;夹杀持丘 (flanking killings and holding hills) see relatives weeping farewell. Additionally, observe操执秉持 (conduct and uphold), discuss骨状 (bone structure) for厚薄 (thickness and thinness), and achieve success through心源 (heart's origin). Wood qi flourishing promotes benevolence;庚辛 deficient reduces righteousness. Malefic stars adding yet having joy mimics great talent;福星 (fortune stars) approaching yet褐发 (coarse clothing) reveals凶人 (ominous people). In stillness seeking movement, if overcoming is incomplete, migration is difficult; in safety inquiring about danger, misfortune harbors fortune. Nobles forgetting lowliness breed disaster from luxury; confusion不返 (not returning) raises祸从惑起 (calamity from delusion).异常易旧 (abnormality changing the old);变处为萌 (change points sprout);福善祸淫 (fortune for good, misfortune for excess)—吉凶异兆 (auspicious and ominous different signs).
Even公明季主 (Gongming and Jizhu) lacked the discernment for change;景纯仲舒 (Jingchun and Zhongshu) did not record form's subtlety—detail past sages, mirror former worthies: some指事陈谋 (point to events and propose strategies), some约文切理 (simplify text and切理 (adhere to reason)). More meaning, less surplus makes refinement difficult. Now,参详得失 (deliberate gains and losses),补缀遗踪 (mend遗留 traces),规为心鉴 (regulate as a heart mirror), forever hanging in清台 (clear towers), citing examples to conclude, hoping to discern命运 (fate's distinction).
[Appendix Example Explanation] General Star positions:寅午戌 in午,申子辰 in辰,巳酉丑 in酉,亥卯未 in未.河公 ancient离士 (departed scholar);宣父 Zhou great sage. Luoluozi initially served as兰台御史 (Lan Censor), studying子平术 (Ziping technique) from youth, analogizing year, month, day, and hour.孤虚空亡 days: e.g., those born in the甲子旬 have戌亥空亡, with辰巳对宫 (opposite palace) as孤虚. For甲子 born, counting to巳宫 as虚,辰 as抓 (five elements仿此 (similarly)).大吉,小吉,天罡,天魁,从魁,太冲 are all alternative names for the five stars.苍龙 east寅卯辰 direction (甲乙象);辰龙吟,寅虎啸,卯雷,巳翼风,寅龚宿雨—wind, cloud, thunder, rain assist.裸形沐浴之地岱岭 (Mount Tai) collects souls.命宫 (life palace) fifth辰 forward as宅 (residence), fifth辰 backward as墓 (tomb) (e.g.,子宫命巳宅未墓).夹丘 means日时支拱财如模禄 (day and hour branches arching wealth like禄 mold).
