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Chapter 6 of 7
Selected Essentials of Destiny Study
Overall Paraphrased Translation
The origins of the study of fate and fortune (Eight Characters astrology) are untraceable. Ancient texts record that it began with Luoluzi during the Warring States period, a contemporary of Guiguzi. Figures such as Sima Jizhu and Yan Junping of the Han dynasty, Guan Lu of the Three Kingdoms, Guo Pu of the Jin dynasty, Wei Ding of the Northern Qi, and Yuan Tiangang, Monk Yixing, Li Bi, and Li Xuzhong of the Tang dynasty all inherited this art. Li Bi once obtained Guan Lu’s "Heavenly Yang Secrets" and the essence of Yixing’s teachings, making his calculations of human fortunes remarkably accurate. Li Bi passed the art to Li Xuzhong, who further developed and applied it. From Luoluzi to Li Xuzhong, fate analysis primarily focused on the birth year and the Five Elements based on Na Yin (sound elements). During the Five Dynasties period, figures like Maiyi Daoist and Chen Xiyi emerged, while Xu Juyi (styled Ziping) inherited Li Xuzhong’s methods and refined them, shifting emphasis to the Day Master (the heavenly stem of the birth day) and using the mutual generation and restraint of the Five Elements for fortune-telling, abandoning reliance on Na Yin. During Emperor Xiaozong’s reign in the Song dynasty, the fortune-teller Chongxuzi from the Huai region mastered this art and passed it to the monk Dao Hong, who in turn transmitted it to Xu Dasheng. Scholars of the Yuan dynasty further developed the methods of Ziping and Dasheng, which have continued to this day—this is the general historical development. My research reveals that Luoluzi’s era lacks solid evidence and likely aligns more closely with Li Xuzhong’s time. Ancient texts attributed to Luoluzi cite figures from the Han and Jin dynasties, indicating he was not from the Warring States period. Why then claim later generations inherited his art? Many figures from the Han, Jin, and Tang dynasties were renowned for divination, physiognomy, or calendrical studies, but none specialized in fate analysis. The external biographies of Li Bi only record matters of immortals, while Chen Xiyi focused on reclusive cultivation—neither contain content on fate analysis. Methods of fate calculation occasionally cite Li Xuzhong in old texts, but complete documents are rare, and his methods remain unclear. It was with Xu Ziping that the methods became standardized; with Xu Dasheng, they gained prominence. However, in the works of both, concepts such as wealth, office, seal, food, and spirit-ghosts are mixed with principles of generation, restraint, fortune, and misfortune, easily confusing readers. Many later treatises and discourses follow this style, with occasional attempts to analyze principles separately, yet they often become convoluted and crudely expressed, as those lacking scholarly depth fail to grasp the principles fully, and those without literary talent struggle with articulation. Zhang Nan (Yisou) authored The Orthodox School of Fate Studies, which analyzes principles separately, but the writing is clumsy and verbose. Only the jinshi (advanced scholar) Wan Minying, in his Comprehensive Compendium of the Three Fates, provides clear, systematic analysis with coherent reasoning, though his aim was broad collection rather than unified principles, valuing quantity over refinement, breadth over conciseness. Nevertheless, it far surpasses other practitioners. The common saying "Ziping" is mistakenly explained as "zi" representing water level, implying fate calculation is as level as water—this is erroneous. Xu Juyi of the Later Five Dynasties, styled Ziping, was from Donghai, with the alternative names Sha Di Xiansheng and Penglai Sou. He lived in seclusion at the Tangfeng Cave west of Taihua Mountain, as recorded in detail in historical texts.
Fate analysts generally discuss nothing beyond wealth, office, patterns, and spirit-ghosts. However, the two works Jade Well Profound Secrets and Dripping Celestial Marrow delve deeply into the principles of Yin and Yang and透彻ly interpret the nature of the heavenly stems and earthly branches, not confined to these three aspects, which is why practitioners do not highly regard them. Yet, with their profound understanding of Yin-Yang principles and透彻 grasp of stem-branch relationships, wouldn’t using them to analyze the three aspects yield deeper and more accurate insights? Therefore, they are fully included here. Profound Secrets was written by Du Qian of Andong, with obscure and ethereal prose; Dripping Celestial Marrow is attributed to Liu Bowen, with clear and sharp writing, making its principles透彻 and easy to understand. In summary, these two works should be regarded alongside the writings of Ziping and Dasheng as foundational texts for fate analysis.
Zhang Shenfeng, in discussing the Four Pillars and major cycles, emphasized the heavenly stems, proposing the "covering head" theory: stems are like a person’s head and face, branches like internal organs—what is hidden below manifests above; the hidden can be concealed, but the manifested cannot. A person’s lifetime fortunes of wealth, poverty, and status can be seen from the head and face. Fortunes and misfortunes revealed in the pillars are most directly influenced by the heavenly stems. Even if a cycle encounters a favorable earthly branch, if it is covered by a disliked stem, it is inauspicious; if it encounters a disliked branch but is covered by a favorable stem, it is not harmful. For example, if wood and fire are favorable and the cycle meets Jia, Yi, Bing, or Ding stems, there will be some benefit; if metal and water are disliked and the cycle meets Geng, Xin, Ren, or Gui stems, there will be some disadvantage. This theory is quite insightful, but ultimately, both stems and branches must be considered together in analyzing pillars and cycles. For instance, if Jia or Yi stems sit on Shen or You branches, can they remain undamaged? If Bing or Ding stems are disliked but sit on Hai or Zi branches, would there be no benefit? In essence, when pillar stems are in season, such as Jia or Yi covering Yin or Mao, if born in autumn, they are merely autumn wood. Cycles consider direction: Yin, Mao, Chen belong to the east; even if covered by Geng or Xin stems, they remain eastern metal, different from western metal. The rest can be inferred similarly.
Zhang Shenfeng’s "illness and remedy" method is quite effective, but seeking medicine immediately upon identifying illness and then returning to balance after treatment—doesn’t this abandon proper principles for the sake of novelty? Moreover, he claims that if the Eight Characters are purely balanced—neither strong nor weak, with wealth and office undamaged, and the Day Master neutral—it indicates an ordinary fate. This view is particularly biased. If a person’s fate is纯粹ly balanced and harmonious, how could they not be noble or wealthy? If apparent balance hides impurities or superficial harmony, it remains impure and unbalanced. I have seen great and noble fates without illness or injury, neither strong nor weak, experiencing cycles where all Five Elements are favorable, embodying the five blessings without deficiency—isn’t this clear evidence of纯粹 balance and harmony? Why overly adhere to the illness-remedy theory?
An ancient saying: The world is filled with water and earth 🌊⛰, hence they endure without perishing; wood, though flourishing and shedding seasonally, is found everywhere, thus next; fire comes from drilling wood, and metal from sifting sand, hence easily generated and extinguished. This reasoning is plausible, but the generation and cessation of the Five Elements should be discussed in terms of principle, not form. Observing the numbers of heaven’s generation and earth’s completion in the Book of Changes, it is clear their energies are equal, requiring no distinction.
All things possess vital energy, enabling prolonged growth and development; human fate is the same. Regardless of the presence of wealth or office, or the formation of patterns, there must be a kind of vital energy—not referring to the五行 that generate or are generated by the self, but仔细观察ed within the embodiment, imagery, spirit, and principle. Superior fates have it; inferior fates also have it. It exists within harmony and vigor, as well as within stubborn harshness or柔 weakness. Just as the six pulses in the human body: if stomach energy is abundant, there is life 🌱; if declining, illness; if severed, death. A skilled physician discerns stomach energy clearly beneath the fingers, though难以形容; similarly, divine observation of vital energy is clearly understood in the mind, yet也难以形容.
A person born in spring or autumn experiences moderate warmth and cold. If born in midsummer, there is excessive heat 🔥; heat favors moisture, making water 🌊 in the configuration favorable. If born in severe winter, there is excessive cold ❄️; cold favors warmth, making fire 🔥 in the configuration desirable. However, there are differences: in winter, water generates wood, wood generates fire—transforming restraint into generation is easy; in summer, fire generates earth, earth generates metal—transforming imprisonment into generation is difficult. Thus, winter fire only seeks generation, while summer water may merely cause conflict. If summer water does not conflict but forms an image with strong roots, or winter fire meets generation and shines brilliantly—whether as the Day Master or one of the six spirits—it indicates a noble fate.
If the Day Master is weak, abandoning patterns fails; if official, killer, food, or injury spirits are strong, following the configuration does not succeed. In such cases,强行 supporting or suppressing leads to conflict and反而 harm. It is better to引导 and transform based on the strong element’s nature,即其所生. For example, if official or killer spirits are too strong,引导 with seal; if food or injury spirits are too strong,引导 with wealth. However,引导ing yang with yang is superior (e.g.,引导甲 with丙);引导ing yang with yin or yin with yang is secondary (e.g.,引导甲 with丁,引导乙 with丙). If wealth or seal spirits are too strong,引导 and transformation may not generally apply, as wealth generates official and killer spirits, potentially加重克身 and harming the weak master; seal generates比肩 and劫财, akin to too many mothers sickening the child, not something比劫 can remedy.
Even if the Day Master is noble and in season, if the month branch holds official, killer, wealth, seal, food, or injury spirits, their generative and restraining interactions are numerous and meaningful. Holding禄 only assists the master, with less meaningful interaction; if holding刃 or劫, it反而 requires others’ regulation. Thus, for the Day Master, "相" (neither strong nor weak) is superior, especially for female fates. Insisting that female nobility requires休囚 is not entirely reasonable.
Yang stems have轻任克之力 but重生物之力, so for yang days, using seal sometimes favors偏印, especially for丙 and壬. Yin stems have轻生物之力 but重任克之力, so for yin days, encountering killer spirits is not feared even if strong, especially for丁 and己.
The six spirits are divided into official, killer, wealth, seal, food, and injury; the six relatives are divided into parents, wife, children, and siblings—this is only a general framework. If rigidly applied, inconsistencies arise: e.g., wealth represents both wife and assets. If a fate has a timely and undamaged wealth spirit, both should be favorable, yet sometimes the wife lives to old age while wealth is lacking, or wealth is abundant but the wife dies. If the wealth spirit is untimely and克ed, both should suffer, yet sometimes wives pass frequently while wealth remains ample, or wealth is lacking but the wife is unharmed. How to resolve this? If methods should be viewed separately, are they reliable? If principles differ, where do they lie? Thus, both six spirits and six relatives should be interpreted flexibly.
Beyond归禄 at the hour, auspicious hours include: Jia day, Gui You hour (stem-branch official-seal相生); Ji day, Bing Yin hour (stem-branch official-seal相生); Ding day, Ren Yin hour (stem-branch official-seal相生); Ren day, Ji You hour (stem-branch official-seal相生); Ji day, Jia Zi hour (stem-branch wealth-official相生); Ding day, Xin Hai hour (stem-branch wealth-official相生); Wu day, Yi Mao hour (stem-branch纯官); Gui day, Geng Shen hour (stem-branch纯印); Jia day, Wu Chen hour (stem-branch纯财); Wu day, Ren Zi hour (stem-branch纯财); Ren day, Bing Wu hour (stem-branch纯财); Gui day, Ding Si hour (stem-branch纯财); Wu day, Geng Shen hour (stem-branch纯食); Gui day, Yi Mao hour (stem-branch纯食). These hours do not guarantee nobility upon encounter but assist overall auspiciousness more effectively.
Common discussions of the four墓库: if favored, they are called wealth库, official库, killer库—wealth库 is somewhat reasonable, but why库 for official and killer? If disliked, they are hastily termed "heavenly net and earthly trap"—Chen and Xu are tombs of water and fire, but are all stems entombed? Even water and fire sometimes use库—how can they be nets? Also, it is said the young dislike库 cycles, the old like them. If the original configuration is overly expansive,收敛 benefits even the young; if overly stagnant, the old also dislike闭塞. This parallels the偏见 "the young fear death and extinction, the old fear长生."
Fates of monks and Taoists who attain enlightenment and immortality not only possess至极清纯 constitutions but also至极深厚福力, surpassing even人间大富贵 individuals. This should not be sought through孤高; those孤高 are only稍成品格 within Buddhism and Taoism. Ordinary monks and Taoists, judged by the Five Elements, often have偏枯驳杂 configurations, naturally leading to淡薄世缘. Insisting that fire-earth represents Buddhism and metal-water represents Taoism is固陋.
A person’s good cycles may last up to thirty years, typically occurring after age twenty; shorter ones, ten to twenty years, after age thirty. If good cycles come too early, such as before弱冠, how could glory and prominence be achieved immediately? Even if benefiting from family荫庇 or hereditary positions, after the good cycle ends,福尽寿促.
If a fate has ten parts of福气, experiencing two or three parts of恶运 feels not凶; four or five parts bring only minor浮灾; six or seven parts cause重灾—due to深厚福力. If a fate has five parts of福气, one part of恶运 brings dissatisfaction; two or three parts cause重灾; four or five parts lead to death—due to不坚根基.
If the Day Master is extremely strong, cycles that克损 should be beneficial, yet sometimes bring凶 or death—why? Like a暴悍 person suddenly facing挫折, often leading to self-destruction. If the Day Master is extremely weak, cycles that滋助 should bring prosperity, yet sometimes bring危 or丧—why? Like a寒微 person suddenly gaining富贵,反而 becoming不祥. Thus, avoid excessive亢 for strength, and avoid无气 for weakness.
Some people face accusation one day and suddenly gain nobility the next; some pass imperial exams one month and die abruptly the next—not because吉凶 cycles are mixed, but because吉运 carries微带危机, and凶运偶尔扶贵气. Others gain通达 through righteous actions despite祸患, or meet丧亡 through deceitful gains of名利—these are吉运 with绝非危机, or凶运 with毫无贵气.
Why do some with十分吉运反而休官? Official paths are dangerous, difficult to leave;一旦投闲 brings终身安枕—without十分吉运, how could this be achieved? Why do some with十分凶运反而迁秩? Serving peacefully, suddenly transferred to重地,意外 arising leading to命损须臾—without十分凶运, how could this occur?
When analyzing a fate, first inquire about the六亲 surnames and previous履历, detailing everything before calculating. Past events, even if verified, are not remarkable; only accurately foreseeing future吉休 can make the person believe, enabling上积善改过 and下趋吉避凶. Yet, without examining the past, the future cannot be predicted. If details are concealed or朦胧 tested,谨慎 avoid轻谈妄断.
Old texts refer to official as禄 and wealth as马,容易混淆 with日禄 and驿马; also call Zi and Chou鼠牛, Yin and Mao虎兔—such terms are confusing, hence this collection corrects the names.
Old texts often call Zi, Wu, Mao, You坎离震兑, and Yin, Shen, Si, Hai艮坤巽乾. Actually, the eight trigrams overlay the twelve branches:坎 occupies Zi正位, with亥丑各二分半旁占;离 occupies Wu正位, with巳未各二分半旁占;震 occupies Mao正位, with寅辰各二分半旁占;兑 occupies You正位, with申戌各二分半旁占;艮 occupies丑寅各七分半;坤 occupies未申各七分半;巽 occupies辰巳各七分半;乾 occupies戌亥各七分半. Calling Zi, Wu, Mao, You坎离震兑 is like举重者言; calling Yin, Shen, Si, Hai艮坤巽乾—why偏举其少,独遗其多? Earthly branches are the first layer, heavenly stems the second, trigrams the third. Geomancers divide sixty-four trigrams and twelve branches into twenty-four mountains, yet discerning scholars find it incomplete—how can fate analysis分裂诸支妄取四卦?
Common belief: if a father’s fate is凶, he克子; if a son’s fate is凶, he克父; if a husband’s fate is凶, he克妻; if a wife’s fate is凶, she克夫—leading to骨肉相怨憎. This is highly erroneous. If a father’s fate shows damaged child star, it indicates an unworthy son, not克子 due to the father’s fate. If a son’s fate shows衰绝 father star, it indicates early loss of father, not克父 due to the son’s fate. If a husband’s fate shows damaged wife star, it indicates frequent loss of wives, not克妻 due to the husband’s fate. If a wife’s fate shows死绝 husband star, it indicates husband’s early death, not克夫 due to the wife’s fate.
An ancient saying: read a thousand赋 to understand赋, observe a thousand剑 to understand剑. To master this art, collect old fates and current fates worldwide, compile them chronologically by year, month, day, hour as a foundation, detail六亲履历, study past and present, naturally精通命理. If only reading practitioners’ old books and analyzing known fates, it is like空读医经 without diagnosing thousands of illnesses or using thousands of prescriptions—suddenly prescribing accurately is difficult.
Appendix: Zhang Shenfeng’s Refutation of Various Five Elements Fallacies
Lou Jing matched Na Yin Five Elements with炉中火,海中金,大林木,路旁土 in songs for memorization, later generations considering them factual. Books like Three Carriages Overview, True Scripture of Gazing at the Dipper, and Elegant Selections from the Orchid Terrace ignore生克正理, loosely using rivers, mountains, water, stones, wind, rain for theory, and even judging吉凶 by the twelve zodiac animals of birth year—especially谬妄. For example, the八字 of Tan Erhua, Minister of War from Huang County: Geng Chen, Jia Shen, Ding Wei, Bing Wu. Originally身强煞浅,假煞为权, favoring killer旺 cycles. Yet, abandoning this正理,谬言 he is属龙, with Ding Wei, Bing Wu day and hour, called "dragon rushing to heaven’s river," considering dragon meeting water as极贵.
Embedded chart
| Pillars | Year | Month | Day | Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ten Gods | 正财 | 正印 | Self (M) | 劫财 |
| Stem | 庚 | 甲 | 丁 | 丙 |
| Branch | 辰 | 申 | 未 | 午 |
| Hidden Stems | 戊伤乙枭癸杀 | 庚财壬官戊伤 | 己食丁比乙枭 | 丁比己食 |
| Stage | 衰 | 沐浴 | 冠带 | 建 |
A poor fate: Geng Chen, Jia Shen, Gui Hai, Gui Hai, could also be called "dragon entering the great sea"—why extremely poor? Because this八字 has excessive water as illness, further行北方运, adding water to water,正谓背禄逐马,守穷途而凄惶.
Embedded chart
| Pillars | Year | Month | Day | Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ten Gods | 正印 | 伤官 | Self (M) | 比肩 |
| Stem | 庚 | 甲 | 癸 | 癸 |
| Branch | 辰 | 申 | 亥 | 亥 |
| Hidden Stems | 戊官乙食癸比 | 庚印壬劫戊官 | 壬劫甲伤 | 壬劫甲伤 |
| Stage | 养 | 死 | 帝旺 | 帝旺 |
Moreover, people属鸡犬豕羊 also have noble fates—how to explain? Also,破碎,吞陷等煞, and小儿雷公,金锁,断桥,百日,鸡飞等关, only consider one character of the year violating某日某时, alarming parents. When analyzing八字干支 with生克制化正理,祸福尚且不然—how can one character determine生死?
Lü Cai’s marriage compatibility books lack理之所无. Marriages are predetermined; choosing婚姻 and命 reflects parental love. For men choosing women, examine夫 and子 stars in the八字; for women choosing men, seek中和之道. Why establish谬说 like骨髓破,铁扫帚,六害,大败,狼籍,飞天,八败,孤虚, judging solely by one month character against the birth year branch? How is this reasonable? Analyzing fate with year, month, day, hour, and branch藏干尚且不能准确—how can仅取年月两字 unrelated to day and hour suffice? Common people believe it true; those高明 knowing it无效破之, others不信. Even科举 achievers只读儒书,未谙此理,酷信 it, making下愚之人 say: "Even scholars believe it, why should I doubt?" Or, if八字 is偏枯,太弱太旺,有病无药, instead of blaming正理未佳,怨带此诸凶为害. I say such妄语 must毁其板,火其书而后可.
进财退财,望门守寡,妻多危,夫多厄,死墓绝,妨夫妻—only judged by the Na Yin element of the birth year and one month character.进财退财 depends on one’s own命运—how can others’男女 cause my祸福?
For female fates,祸福淫乱 often focus on八败,桃花煞.八败 considers亥未戌生人见三月生 as八败, ignoring day and hour, even夫 and子 stars—highly谬.桃花煞: e.g.,寅午戌属火,沐浴于卯, implying裸体—highly谬. I have seen夫夫子两全富贵老夫, whose八字 were altered due to childhood八败诸煞,父母改造适人;临终才告真造 for纪谱志墓. Examining the真造, originally夫子明透,理得中和. Commoners only see八败诸凶, not realizing the八字甚美.
Marriage books match男女年命宫数:天医福德 as上婚,游魂归魂 as中婚,五鬼绝命 as下婚. If true, all would choose上中婚, reject下婚, leading to怨女旷夫. Alternatively: if both choose good四柱相配, for下命 men with heavy比肩劫财, choose women with heavy食神伤官; for women with heavy食神伤官, choose men with heavy比肩劫财—perhaps more reasonable.
Luoluzi focused solely on财官, though people rely on财, excessive财官 with weak Day Master makes one unable to任财官; excessive Day Master with light财官气 makes财 insufficient for身主运用—must参看 both财官 and Day Master. Ziping’s book says: "Light财官 with旺日主,行财官 cycles most利;旺财官 with弱日主,行生旺 cycles most奇." This is至当至约. If Luoluzi only seeks财官生旺, ignoring Day Master strength, isn’t that highly谬?
日德格 includes甲寅,丙辰,戊辰,庚辰,壬戌—why consider them virtuous? Without examining origins, naming them日德 is谬说.
魁罡格 takes壬辰,庚戌,庚辰,戊戌临四墓 as魁罡, claiming掌大权. Why临四墓 grants this? Also谬说.
六壬趋乾格 claims using寅中甲木 to合己土 as壬’s官,寅中丙火 to合辛金 as壬’s印—both无中生有. Generally relates to拱禄,飞禄,禄马 theories,尤非.
六甲趋乾格 claims亥 is heaven’s door,甲日生临亥 called趋乾. If other stems生临亥, why not趋乾? Does heaven’s door only welcome六甲? Heaven’s body is perfectly round, no door; even if乾居西北类比 heaven’s door, how can it determine human祸福?
勾陈得位格 refers to Day Master临财官之地. If身主不柔,能任财官, called得位禀权宜. If身主气弱,临财官太旺之地, becoming财多身弱 or煞重身轻, considering it美 is谬.