Loading...
Chapter 1 of 1
御定子平
A Study of the Origins of the Art of Destiny (Lu-Ming)
Wang Chong once said: "By observing a person's bone structure and physical appearance, one can know their destiny and fortune; by knowing their destiny and fortune, one can also infer their bone structure and physical appearance." This shows that the doctrine of destiny (Lu-ming) has a long history. However, before the Han and Jin dynasties, there were no definitive records in historical texts. It was not until the reign of Emperor Wucheng of the Northern Qi dynasty that Wei Ning, a native of Julu, was summoned to serve as a guest scholar because of his expertise in calculating destinies. Emperor Wucheng tested him personally, and all his predictions proved accurate. During the reign of Emperor Wen of the Sui dynasty, Lin Xiaogong of Jingbei was held in high regard and wrote a work titled "Book of Destiny" (Ming Shu) in twenty volumes, which was circulated among later generations. These deeds are all recorded in the "History of the Northern Dynasties" (Bei Shi). The "Suishu Jingjizhi" (Treatise on Classics and Books in the Book of Sui) lists "Za Yuan Shen Lu Ming" in two volumes and "Ban He Lu Ming" in three volumes, though without noting the authors' names. There is also commentary stating: "During the Liang dynasty, there was a work titled 'Wu Xing Lu E Hui' in ten volumes, which has been lost." The "History of the Southern Dynasties" (Nan Shi) has no "Biographies of Artists," so the author's identity is unknown. The "Tangshu Yiwenzhi" (Treatise on Arts and Literature in the Book of Tang) records a work titled "Lu Ming Ren Yuan Jing" in three volumes by Pu Yangxia Qiaozi, and "Tui Lu Ming E Hui Shi" in one volume by Yang Longguang, but their eras are uncertain. The "Songshi Yiwenzhi" (Treatise on Arts and Literature in the Book of Song) records "San Ming Tong Zhao Shen Bai Jing" in three volumes, attributed to Guo Pu, but this work is not recorded in either the Sui or Tang histories, nor is it mentioned in Guo Pu's own biography. There is also "Yuan Jing Lu Ming E Hui Jing" in one volume by the monk Yi Xing, "San Ming Xing Nian Tao Qian Bi Mi" in two volumes by Li Jifu, "Ming Shu Ge Ju" in two volumes by Li Xuzhong, and "Luo Luyi Fu" in one volume. The commentary states: "The author's name is unknown; it is traditionally attributed to a Warring States figure, but upon examining the literary style, it is far removed from ancient conventions and is clearly a later forgery." "Most of the ancient texts recorded in successive dynastic histories no longer exist; what circulates today are all works from after the late Tang."
The Meaning of the Three Destinies (San Ming)
Regarding the doctrine of the Three Destinies, today the Heavenly Stems are considered the Heavenly Prime (Tian Yuan) , the Hidden Heavenly Stems within the Earthly Branches are the Earthly Prime (Di Yuan) , and the Nayin is the Human Prime (Ren Yuan) , collectively called the Three Destinies. Some say: "The ancients, when discussing destiny, only spoke of the year, month, and day, hence the term 'Three Destinies.'" According to the "Tangshu Lü Cai Zhuan · Lu Ming Pian": "Emperor Wu of Han was born in the year Yiyou, on the seventh day of the seventh month, at dawn." The so-called "born at dawn" corresponds to the Yin hour, demonstrating that the ancients did discuss the hour of birth. People born at the same time may have different fortunes or misfortunes. If one only discussed the day, then there would be no difference between the twelve hours, and how could one make determinations? But the method takes the year as the primary factor, as stated: "Duke Zhuang of Lu was born in the year Yihai, with the month-star Shen, his destiny was Fire," referring to the Nayin of Yihai being Fire. "The First Emperor of Qin, born in the year Renyin, in the first month, his destiny was 'Beilu' (turning away from fortune)," because the Yin month is Ren Water's Food God, hence "Beilu"; it also says "his destiny was Metal," referring to the Nayin of Renyin being Metal. Emperor Xiaowen of the Later Wei dynasty was born in the eighth month of the first year of Xinghuang, which was the year Dingwei, with the eighth month being the Jiwei month; since Ding's Food God is Ji, it was called "Beilu." These examples do not record the day or hour, only basing the argument on the year-star. Therefore, after Xu Jun, all texts emphasized taking the Day Master as the primary factor, which proves that earlier traditions did not center on the Day Master. Han Yu's evaluation of Li Xuzhong's scholarship states: "He was most profound in the Five Element texts, weighing the mutual generation, victory, decline, death, and thriving of the stems and branches of the year, month, and day of a person's birth, calculating their longevity, premature death, nobility, baseness, fortune, and misfortune, and he would first determine their years and times, never missing even once. No astrologer or calendar master could compete with him." The "Day and Hour Stars" (Richen) refers to the day and the hour; his particular mention of the day stars shows that the day was primary while also incorporating the hour. However, eliminating all the intricate extraneous doctrines, he exclusively used the Six Spirits (Liu Shen) , taking Direct Officer, Seven Killings, Hurting Officer, Eating God, Seal (Resource), and Wealth Star as the Inner Patterns. Among these six, Wealth and Officer were the most important; patterns formed through Clashes, Punishments, Remote Combinations, etc., in the absence of Wealth or Officer, were called Outer Patterns. This system is still in use today. Xu Jun's style name was Ziping, so later generations named this art after his style name. Many works circulating today, such as the "Luo Luyi Xiao Xi Fu," make extensive use of Nayin and also indiscriminately cite gods and killing stars; it was not until the Five Dynasties period that Xu Jun of the East Sea began to clear up and refine these methods.
The Treatise on Clarity and Turbidity, Thickness and Thinness (Qing Zhuo Hou Bo)
Heaven transforms and gives birth to all things through the Yin-Yang and Five Elements. Human beings are born within the very qi of the Five Elements. In years, months, days, and hours, with trunks and branches complete, the waxing and waning, sickness and health of the Five Elements are intermingled in complex, chaotic patterns of a thousand forms and ten thousand states, differing in clarity and turbidity, thickness and thinness. Those who receive clear qi (Qing Qi) are noble; those who receive turbid qi (Zhuo Qi) are base; those who receive thick qi (Hou Qi) are wealthy; those who receive thin qi (Bo Qi) are poor. There are also those who are noble yet poor — their qi is clear but thin; and those who are base yet wealthy — their qi is turbid but thick. The poor and base have turbid and thin qi; the noble and wealthy have clear and thick qi. The gradations of wealth, nobility, poverty, and baseness are discussed according to the varying degrees of clarity-turbidity and thickness-thinness. Once the Pattern (Ge Ju) is established and Fortune Cycles (Xing Yun) are taken into account, a person's rise and fall, gain and loss can be inferred. As for those in whom the essence of the Two-Fives (Er Wu Zhi Jing) is extremely pure, they are born as emperors and kings, as sages and worthies. At such times, Zhen Yuan (the primal cycles of epochs) converge; heaven and earth are clear and bright; the sun and moon emit radiance; mountains and rivers concentrate their finest spirits. Such occurrences happen only once in several thousand years and cannot be constrained by ordinary principles, nor can they be deduced by ordinary rules. Thus, from ancient times, no book on destiny has laid out rules for evaluating the destinies of emperors or sages. The imperial destinies discussed in Lü Cai's "Lu Ming Pian" fail to conform when judged by ordinary methods, and according to such calculations, they should not even hold official positions. This is because those who transcend the bounds of qi and number cannot be measured by standard frameworks.
The Integrated Treatise on the Three Powers (San Cai)
The fortune or misfortune indicated by the Eight Characters is received from Heaven. However, the principles of the Five Elements must be discussed with reference to the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, Humanity) for the doctrine to be complete. Dong Zhongshu said: "The people of Yao and Shun's eras were all benevolent and long-lived without exception." Those born in times of great peace experience abundant harvests and harmonious people, few lawsuits and disputes, and absolutely no great catastrophes or disasters — they spend their lives carefree, enjoying blessings into old age. This is the difference in the era in which one lives. Similarly, the customs and climates of the five directions differ. The situation where Metal is cold and Water is frigid calls for Fire; this is especially pronounced in the north, and slightly less so in the south. Where Fire is blazing and Earth is parched, Water is needed; this is particularly severe in the south, while more tempered in the north. This is the difference in the region where one is born. There is also the matter of the accumulated virtue of one's ancestors — families with generations of virtue will invariably see their descendants prosper. Even if the Eight Characters show some deviations or impurities, they can still avert disaster. Families that accumulate evil will surely see their descendants decline; even with favorable Eight Characters, theoretically indicating wealth and nobility, their ancestors' transgressions will have depleted their blessings, and ultimately they cannot enjoy fortune. This is the principle of "accumulated virtue brings descending blessings; accumulated evil brings descending calamities." Furthermore, the principle of cultivating one's character and establishing one's destiny is even more significant. If fate indicates wealth and nobility, a noble person gains it and can implement their principles; a petty person gains it and uses it to satisfy selfish desires. When a noble person encounters a cycle of ominous fortune, they have never been arrogant or dissipated on ordinary days, so naturally no great disasters befall them. When a petty person extravagantly wastes the creations of heaven too severely, their original vitality has already been destroyed — what surplus fortune remains? A noble person is cautious and fearful; even if calamity comes, it is Heaven-made disaster. A petty person's calamity is self-made and inescapable. This is the principle of "following virtue brings good fortune; following evil brings calamity." Lü Cai said: "In the world, there are those with the same Establishment and salary-star, yet whose nobility and baseness are in entirely different domains; those who share the same fate and conceived at the same time, yet whose deaths and longevity differ drastically." One must comprehensively discuss cases like these by integrating the principles of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. If one is fixated on a single angle or attached to old sayings, one cannot avoid being like someone who tries to play the zither with the tuning pegs glued fast.
Tracing the Foundations of Number and Principle
Multiply the sixty-year cycle of Jiazi by the twelve months: the result is 720. Multiply the sixty Jiazi by the twelve hours: the result is also 720. Then multiply the 720 of year-month by the 720 of day-hour: the result is 518,400. Thus, all beings born between Heaven and Earth — humans, birds, beasts, insects, fish, grasses, and trees — their great numbers all fall within this range. Shao Kangjie's numbers also derived from counting from ten and twelve. But Kangjie multiplied 360 by 360, so his total was 129,600. The practitioners of destiny multiply 720 by 720, so their total is 518,400. And 518,400 is exactly four times 129,600. Thus the transformations of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements are exhausted within this; the nurture of all moving and stationary things is fully contained within this. By extrapolating from the interweaving and variable arrangements of the essence of the Two-Fives, the partial and complete, the pure and mixed become visible therein; the clear and turbid, the noble and base become distinguishable through it. This is the origin of the art of destiny (Lu-ming).
The Meaning of the Six Spirits and Their Correspondence in Human Affairs
Within the Five Elements, there are those that generate me, those that I generate, those that overcome me, those that I overcome, and those of my same kind. The practitioners of destiny call the one that generates me the "Seal/Resource (Yin Shou) ," the one that overcomes me the "Officer/Killing (Guan Sha) ," those that I generate the "Hurting Officer (Shang Guan) " and "Eating God (Shi Shen) ," the one that I overcome "Wealth Horse (Cai Ma) ," and those of the same kind "Companion (Bi Jian) ." In terms of human relations, the one that generates me should be a parent; those I generate should be children; the one that overcomes me should be an official; the one I overcome should be a wife or wealth; those of the same kind should be siblings — these are all used by diviners. Yet in today's art of destiny, only the mother is taken as the Seal, while the father is instead Wealth; only the officer is taken as the controller, while the Hurting Officer and Eating God merely represent a person's spirit and intelligence. Why is this so? Because a person is born of their mother, so the Seal represents the mother. And since the Seal is overcome by Wealth, Wealth is the Seal's husband; therefore it is reversed: Wealth is taken as the father. The wife is what I overcome, so Wealth represents the wife. And since the Officer is what Wealth generates — the child of Wealth — it is reversed: the Officer represents the child. Because in a woman's chart, the one that overcomes me is the husband, and the one she generates is the child, so in a man's chart the correspondences are mirrored accordingly. In terms of human affairs: the one that overcomes me is the Officer, because with official rank there are laws and regulations, and one dares not act willfully — I am controlled by the Officer. The one I overcome is Wealth, because what people consume in life is wealth and goods — wealth is that which I control. With official rank there is the Seal, meaning "that which generates me is generated by that which controls me," hence the one that generates me is the Seal. With spirit and intelligence, even authority and power can be controlled, meaning "that which controls me is controlled by that which I generate," hence those I generate are the Hurting Officer and Eating God. This is the general logic of correspondence. What humans pursue in life is nothing more than official position and wealth. However, if one can restrain oneself with official position, then "the one that overcomes me" is a controlling form of overcoming; if one cannot restrain oneself with official position, then "the one that overcomes me" becomes a harmful form of overcoming. With wealth, if one uses it with moderation, "that which I overcome" is controlling; if one uses it without restraint, that which I overcome becomes harmful. Fortune and misfortune occupy the same territory, and blessing and calamity follow accordingly. Therefore, practitioners of destiny specifically use the two stars of Wealth and Officer to infer a person's poverty or wealth, nobility or baseness, fortune or misfortune. If these two stars are not present in one's natal chart, one takes what is latent in the subtle — the germinal traces (Pei Tai Zheng Zhao) hidden in the twelve branches. Where a thing is subtler, it is more concentrated; where it is smaller, it is more distinct. If the subtle element taken as the use is genuine and the fortune cycles provide generation and support to stir it, then the time of its rise has come.
The Divine Treatise on Disease and Medicine (Bing Yao Shen)
The Wealth, Officer, and similar elements selected as the basis for use in a chart are called the "Useful God (Yong Shen) ." What overcomes the Useful God is called the "Disease God (Bing Shen) ." And what eliminates the Disease God is called the "Medicine God (Yao Shen) ." In cases where there is no disease or medicine in the chart, even if the five energies are balanced and harmonious, this is still not honored, just as a state flourishes through difficulty, or a person rises to distinction through hardship — this is the constant way of Heaven. Thus, if Officer is the Useful God, Hurting Officer is disease, and Seal is medicine. If Wealth is the Useful God, Companion is disease, and Killing is medicine. If Hurting Officer is the Useful God, Seal is disease, and Wealth is medicine. If Seal is the Useful God, Wealth is disease, and the Companion who assists the body is the medicine. Wherever there is a major disease in the chart, the Medicine God is the Useful God. For example, if killing is heavy and the body is light, one must take the one that controls killing; if wealth is strong and the body is declining, one must take the one that supports the body. If Hurting Officer is too heavy, one uses Seal as medicine; if Seal is too heavy, one uses Wealth as medicine. Medicine, too, is best taken from the subtle — if the medicine is excessive, it is no longer honored. Why? Because if there is too much medicine, it stops working. If patterns are overly controlled or transformed, they lose effectiveness when fortune cycles are applied. Thus: significant disease is in the pattern; significant medicine is in the fortune cycles. However, the medicine must also be rooted in the pattern and be supported by the arriving cycles to produce good fortune. If there is no root and one merely walks into cycles that bring the medicine for the disease, even if the rise occurs, it must necessarily be shallow.
The Treatise on Partial and Correct (Pian Zheng)
The five elements generate and overcome each other, and each has its partial and correct form. Where yang generates yin, yin generates yang, yang overcomes yin, or yin overcomes yang: this is called Correct (Zheng) . Where yang generates yang, yin generates yin, yang overcomes yang, or yin overcomes yin: this is called Partial (Pian) . Therefore: where there is a Correct Seal, there is a Partial Seal; where there is a Correct Officer, there is a Partial Officer; where there is Correct Wealth, there is Partial Wealth; where there is a Hurting Officer, there is an Eating God. Only for Companion: those of the same yin-yang type are called Companion, while those of differing yin-yang type are called Robber (Jie). This means yang compared to yang and yin compared to yin are correct; yin compared to yang and yang compared to yin are partial. Yet destiny practitioners, when selecting in practice, often find the partial to be extraordinary. Why? Because the correct belongs to what is constant in principle, while the partial belongs to what is transformative in principle. When the way undergoes change and transformation, then fortune and calamity arise and undertakings emerge — this resembles the idea that "disease is worthy of the official's courtesy."
The Treatise on Earthly Branch Convergence
A child lies latent in the mother's womb, returning to alignment with its own kind. Thus, when Wood is at full strength, the roots of Fire are already hidden within it; and when the element Earth is exhausted, the function of Fire is what ultimately goes out. This is the principle by which Yin-Wu-Xu (寅午戌) conjoining completes the Fire Bureau, and all other Bureaus follow by analogy. To be "in command" (Dang Ling) is to be in the time of abundance and strength. "Long Life" (Chang Sheng) is when qi first begins to stir and arise; "Tomb" and "Grave" (Ku Mu) are where qi rests in hiding. Though subtle, it must nevertheless manifest; though extinguished, it must yet be reborn — this is the manifestation of the Five Elements supporting each other as roots. Thus, what is called "taking usefulness from the subtle" all originates from the Four Long Life positions and the Four Treasure positions.
The Four-Character Framework of "Clarity/Turbidity, Thickness/Thinness": This is the core evaluation framework of the entire General Introduction. Clarity and Turbidity determine nobility/ignobility (the social-status dimension), while Thickness and Thinness determine wealth/poverty (the material-resource dimension). These two axes intersect to form four fundamental life patterns: Clear and Thick → wealth and nobility are both complete; Clear and Thin → respected but not wealthy; Turbid and Thick → wealthy but not respected; Turbid and Thin → both poverty and ignobility. This framework elevates fortune analysis from a simple dichotomy of "good fate/bad fate" to a multi-dimensional analysis.
The Disease-Medicine Divine System: The Useful God is like a state's governmental order, the Disease God like the state's troubles, and the Medicine God like the state's capable generals. A "harmonious" chart without disease or medicine is-and-war advisors." (Quote about army attacking without deploying)
The "Name Determines Fortune/Misfortune" Philosophy of Language: When the body is strong and controlled, the name is "Partial Officer" — a neutral even somewhat positive label; when the body is weak and uncontrolled, the name is "Seven Killings" — a label loaded with ominous connotation. The same Five Element relationship gets different names and different fortune depending on conditions. This reflects the Chinese tradition of "rectifying names": if names are incorrect, words cannot be proper, and affairs cannot be accomplished. But deeper still, it conveys that fortune and calamity reside not in things themselves, but within relationships.
The Principle of "Balanced Control and Transformation" (Zhi Hua Yu Du): The method of Driving notes that "over-control turns into detriment at the limit, leading nowhere." Seven-Killings inherently represents a powerful dynamic that, once completely eliminated or dominated, simply generates functional impairment. Chronicling failure invariably follows if Fortune trumps the dimension-balancing prescriptions. Successfully stressed twice here should deliver enough density for rhetorical balance — precisely because that was the tone.
Seven Killings and the Pressure of Modern Competition: In today's world, Seven Killings most directly corresponds to competitive environmental pressure, both institutional and market. Project boards, hostile ranking benchmarks, or unyelding CEO of storm-facing corporations: pressure transforms workplace psychophysiology when real stakes are validated daily. It never doubts as much as follows set relationships:
Eating God Controlling Seven Killings and Professional Gap: Here victory grounds competitive accuracy around independently acquired portfolios simultaneously rising design a man power until stress targets turn metrics considered common-join assets inventory run efficiently because discipline leaps as competitive distinct inner moat identical cost toward profitability building resilience chains = early with Porter's prescription on cost leads diversification measures granting complete yield neutrality within approach life.
Seal Transforming Killings and Collaborative Power Learning blocks: Just as Seal converts unaddressed antagonism to essential fire-defense stamin – within best-sellers like Peter M. Senge, the same conversion shields under skill magnification now — competitive but zero-sum intelligence stacks external adversary content with earned reciprocity stacking lines take a company open only in skilled employees finally, cumulative coherence when ordinary might or output short-quintets? Not limited at all.
Self-Management Strategies for Seven Killings Patterns:
Recognize temporarily "Killings become Authority" door-opens"; only when body stamina deserves focus on vertical performance scoring because gain-distribution direct dynamics claim most excellent for progression into accessible rings competitors truly internal. Fides transfer modest fine tuning not delay benefits of gains are best only visible challenge well defined naturally will lead as building measure taken each vector mapped elegantly given context shifts whole application strong start re-enter confidence return so when push for stretch.
Deep-layered purpose parallel to surprise army: Barley-four shows basic relation — absence nub drive structure regardless no flash use during prime "internal leader breakthrough marker." Potentials dwell near identity set that surface under productive precision windows scanning and will evolve movement once accurate context clicks straight this has universal orientation aligned innovation lines.
ShiSha doctrine spanning “direct shadow on killing-tanks to mercy-tan bonds”— layered methodology to address hazards already covers pre-prepared defense.
Fight = Power: achieve ascendency consistently upgraded proper hard assets along at targets at direct street-ranges, no style duplication considered overall engagement secure vision beyond next growth
Transcendence relational into soft law across established center direction changes*= aligns levels of both polar opposites where one returns harmony relative level exists cooperation gets modified root driving from adversary-driven relationship move over further learning =
Ride = Nearing artifact integration stronger role positioning at opposing concept direction is externalized deliver structure aligned; adopting positive machine law is one application difference relation
Merge = off its life commitment design factor replacing their threat the conceptual realm path start output changes condition entire linkage over dependency graph once used danger made zero-negative influence vs re-introduction reposition complete route harmony settlement approach such steps makes close unify competitors.
A deeper philosophical issue: Is good-evil actually absolute? Although forced and artificial sides ignore labels lay bare but then conflict state stronger/start line and more regulated allowed appear killing held property will actual become blessed.
Close logical world-of-solid ideas roots use background principles full-line alternative branch contradiction handled real conditions how impact placement objective no need material retention alone type relationship changes look appropriate point.
| Related Terms | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Yang Ren (Blade) | Stem-centered basis state fixed forces resting value maximum deconstruction. Formal counter-offense strategic complete representative immediate |
| Tan Sheng Wong Ke | Conditional primary interaction ordering - Sha shifts desire to activate aspect from setting damaging and instead serves derived combination, rather building energetic trace crosswork design basis described inside Sha present with indicator transitions |
| Fu Di Zhi Bing | External subtle active-strike package reserves not visible structural layer of four-stack form that deliver delayed flexible contingent entire elimination under sealed front-door cannot initiate actual source thus await gate arrival yet right moment switches entry option available |
| Tra Yin Min Zero | Too heavy changes flow balance logic stands paired exactly reversed same remedy definition focus on visible reference layout works like entire decision mapping multi-check integration fail simple universal then error remains |
Related Reference Reading:
Contemporary Angle Research: