Loading...
Chapter 14 of 20
卜筮全书
Activity and stillness, yin and yang, shift and change repeatedly within the hexagrams. What is called "migration and change" refers to the mutual transformation of the lines. For example, in the Qian hexagram ☰ with its three connected lines: when the bottom line moves, it transforms into the Xun hexagram ☴; when the top line moves, it transforms into the Dui hexagram ☱; when the middle line moves, it transforms into the Li hexagram ☲; when all three lines move, it transforms into the Kun hexagram ☷; when the middle line does not move, it transforms into the Kan hexagram ☵, and so on. Some people believe that in a quiet hexagram, a "single" could transform into a "broken" line, or a "broken" into a "single" — this is incorrect. A hexagram's line must move to produce change; without movement, there is no transformation.
Consider grain as an analogy: if you do not move it, it remains merely grain. Only when it is pounded does it become rice, and when cooked, it becomes cooked rice. The pounding and cooking are like the activation of hexagram lines; the rice and cooked rice are like the transformations of those lines. However, when grain is pounded into rice, some grains remain whole and can serve as food, some break into pieces becoming broken rice, and some become chaff unusable by people. When rice is cooked, some is fine rice that people enjoy eating, while some becomes spoiled and unpleasant, revolting to those who would eat it. Thus we see that both rice and cooked rice have differences of quality and poorness, just as transformed lines may be auspicious or inauspicious.
I observe in the "Tian Xuan Fu" (Heaven's Mystery Rhapsody) there are theories of "quiet transformation" and "moving transformation," suggesting that lines which do not move can also transform. People today have followed this practice successively, often treating quiet hexagrams as transformed ones. All such cases are major problems in divination that must be clarified; thus I am compelled to explain them. There are also cases where only one line transforms — but if there is chaotic movement, there is no transformation — this too is something I find unknowable.
Although the myriad phenomena are complex and interwoven, one must penetrate them with a single principle. "Phenomena" refer to such things as void, three punishments, and generation-combination; "principle" refers to the logic of generation, control, transformation, and destruction.
People differ in worthiness and unworthiness; hexagrams differ in excess and deficiency. What is excessive should be diminished to accomplish matters; what is deficient should be augmented to gain benefit. The difference between worthy and unworthy arises from unequal births; the difference between excess and deficiency arises from inherently unbalanced hexagram lines. People regard the virtue of the Mean as the highest standard; hexagrams regard balanced and harmonious images as the most excellent state. When virtue attains the Mean, there is nothing that does not go well; when hexagram images attain harmony, what request cannot be fulfilled? Therefore, in all divination, one must suppress excess, guide deficiency, and return to the middle path — then all matters will be accomplished imperceptibly. This is the great purpose of divination, and so it is revealed at the beginning of this chapter.
People today know only that "deficiency" cannot accomplish matters, but do not know that "excess" also cannot accomplish them. What is called excess? When the governing line is repeated too many times — that is excess. Multiplicity prevents single-mindedness, so it cannot accomplish blessings; thus it should be diminished. What is called deficiency? When the governing line exists in only one place and is also out of season — that is deficiency. Deficiency means no vital energy, so it cannot accomplish matters; thus it should be augmented. The way of diminishing and augmenting is through generation, support,拱, and combination versus control, harm, punishment, and clash.
For example, if Earth is the governing line and appears three or five times, that is excess. It must be controlled by Tiger (Yin) or Rabbit (Mao) months or days, or by the movement of Yin or Mao lines within the hexagram to control it — only then can matters be accomplished; this is "diminishing it." Again, if Metal is the governing line and is without vitality in the summer season, it must be supported by the month-commander or day-stem, or assisted by moving lines combining with it — only then can there be accomplishment; this is "augmenting it." Generally speaking, with excess, good fortune cannot achieve its goodness, and misfortune also cannot achieve its evil.
Generation, support,拱, and combination are like timely rain nourishing young seedlings. Generation refers to mutual generation. For example, if the governing line is Metal but the divination occurs on a Chen, Xu, Chou, or Wei day, or if a moving line in the hexagram belongs to Earth — this is generation. Support refers to cases like the Mao line seeing the Yin day, the You line seeing the Shen day, Zi seeing Hai, Wu seeing Si, Chou-Wei seeing Chen-Xu, and similar. Arch-support refers to the Yin line seeing the Mao day, the Shen line seeing the You day, Hai seeing Zi, Si seeing Wu, and similar. Combination refers to the twofold combinations, six combinations, and three combinations. The twofold combinations are like Zi combining with Chou; the three combinations are like Shen-Zi-Chen combining to form the Water Bureau. All four of these can maintain and protect. Weak line-images encountering them become strong; declining ones become flourishing when seen; hidden ones rise when seen. Thus they are likened to timely rain nourishing young seedlings. However, there is also the distinction of good and bad fortune: when the governing line encounters them, it is auspicious; when the taboo line encounters them, it is inauspicious — this is what is meant by "aiding Jie in his tyranny," making the evil even worse. Students should naturally distinguish the spirit of use. The three rules below follow similarly.
Control, harm, punishment, and clash are like autumn frost withering plants and trees. Control refers to mutual control — the deity that suppresses through the five phases. Harm refers to the six harms — the deity that encroaches through the earthly branches. Punishment refers to the three punishments — whose meaning is like that of enemies. Clash refers to opposition — whose momentum is like battle. All four of these can injure the body, defeat virtue, subjugate, and ruin affairs. Therefore they are likened to autumn frost killing plants. Only when the taboo deity encounters them do they instead become auspicious.
Long-Life and Imperial-Prosperity are like the gardens of Golden Valley. Long-Life and Imperial-Prosperity are the most auspicious among the twelve stages of the life cycle. When the six lines encounter them, even decline is considered to have vital energy. Thus the comparison with the Golden Valley garden. If judging the accomplishment of matters, Imperial-Prosperity indicates swift completion, while Long-Life is somewhat slower. This is because Long-Life is like a person just born, not yet strong; Imperial-Prosperity is like the prime of life, when blood and vital energy are at their peak, and their force advances sharply. Therefore Long-Life is slow and Imperial-Prosperity is swift.
Death, Tomb, Absolute-Stillness, and Void are lands of muddy hell. Death, Tomb, and Absolute-Stillness are all calculated from Long-Life. Void refers to the ten-day-period void. When the four are encountered, there is no escape from sinking. Even if one gains seasonal prosperity, matters cannot be accomplished. Thus the comparison to muddy hell. Death means demise, like a person dying from illness. Tomb means burial, likening a person dying and being buried in a tomb. Absolute-Stillness means cutting off, like a person buried in a tomb with their roots severed. Void means emptiness, like a deep abyss or thin ice where one cannot approach or tread. Muddy hell is the name of a Buddhist hell, indicating extreme inauspiciousness. But when the inauspicious deity encounters them, they become auspicious for me instead.
The day-stem is the sovereign of the six lines; it is pleasing when it removes the Chu and restores the Han. The day-stem is the master of divination. Without considering the day-stem, one cannot know the relative importance of matters. This is because the day-stem can stir the line-images of a quiet hexagram, can raise up the line-spirits of a quiet hexagram, can control those that have moved, can suppress the inauspicious, can thwart the strong and vigorous, can support the weak and declining, and can break apart what has been generated and combined. The ancients said, "The day-stem can save matters and can ruin matters" — this is precisely its meaning. Thus it is the sovereign of the six lines.
For example, when divining about documents, if a wealth line moves in the hexagram, this means the documents have been damaged. If the day-stem combines with the wealth line, or disperses it, or controls it, preventing it from harming the father-mother line, then the documents retain their vital energy and the matter can be accomplished. This is the day-stem saving the matter. Again, when divining about descendants, if the father-mother line does not move and the virtue-blessing line is not void, the omen is originally auspicious. But if the day-stem supports the father-mother and punishes or harms the descendants line, then good fortune turns to misfortune — this is the day-stem ruining the matter. When the day-stem supports the governing line, it is auspicious; when it supports the taboo line, it is inauspicious; when it controls the taboo line, it is auspicious; when it controls the governing line, it is inauspicious.
For example, on a Yi-Wei day in the seventh month, divining about a brother's illness, one obtained the Tong-Ren hexagram transforming into the Wu-Wang hexagram. In the hexagram, the ghost line moved to control the main image, and the Absolut-Jue line also moved; the inauspiciousness was knowable. Fortunately, the day-stem Wei Earth controlled and ruined the officer line, and combined with and raised the main image — this is precisely what is meant by "removing the Chu to restore the Han." Later, indeed, nothing happened.
The month-commander is the guiding principle of all divination; how can it aid Jie in his tyranny? The month-commander is the deity of imperial virtue, and so divination takes it as the guiding principle. One must carefully examine whether it has punishments, clashes, controls, or harms, and whether it has generations, supports, arch-supports, or combinations; whether it has any involvement with the world, body, or main image — then good and bad fortune will be visible. What the month-commander contains is truly present. If it ruins matters, it truly ruins them.
For example, when divining about wealth, if the hexagram has no wealth line but the month-commander is wealth, then ultimately one may attain it; if the hexagram has a wealth line but the month-commander controls it, it certainly indicates difficulty and obstruction — one must wait past this month before obtaining wealth. If the hexagram has no wealth line, and the month-commander is also not wealth, but the day-stem is wealth, one may expect a small amount that very day. When wealth is scarce and subject to control, it is of no use. Because the month-commander can accomplish matters, while the day-stem can provide immediate assistance.
Again, for example, when divining about a child's illness in the fifth month, one obtained the Da-Guo hexagram. The hexagram had no descendant line, but the month-commander Wu Fire was flourishing as the main image — yet death was not declared. Other cases follow this pattern. In all examinations of the month-commander, treat it the same as the day-stem. Also delight in its support of the governing line and control of the taboo line. When the taboo line flourishes and moves and also generates and supports it, then it is "aiding Jie in his tyranny," and the calamity is especially severe.
Most dreaded is the year-sovereign; it should be still and not moving. The Grand Years is the line of the Son of Heaven. If it comes to clash with or control the world, body, or main image, it indicates calamity and disadvantage, with much unrest throughout the year. Thus this star is the most inauspicious. But for the noble person, it is conversely appropriate to see it. If it carries the three punishments or six harms, the calamity is especially severe — even for the noble person it is not appropriate. If it serves as the governing line entering the hexagram, the matter must involve the court and is advantageous for seeking office or position. For ordinary people's affairs, it brings more misfortune than good fortune. However, this line delights in stillness, not in movement; if it is stirred up by the day-stem or moving lines, disaster and suffering will certainly follow.
Most essential is the body-position; it delights in support and not in injury. The body refers to the monthly hexagram-body. Its method and formulas are found in the first volume. Generally speaking, after forming the hexagram, first examine whether the body-line appears or does not appear; then examine whether it has any involvement with the month-commander, day-stem, or moving lines — then good and bad fortune will be visible. Thus divination regards the body as most essential and cannot neglect to examine it.
For example, when obtaining the Kun hexagram, the body-line is at Wu. In the Dui palace, Wu Fire is the officer-ghost; if flourishing, it indicates litigation; if declining, it indicates illness. Again, for the Wei-Ji hexagram, the hexagram-body is at Yin. If the day-stem is Si or Shen, clashing or punishing it — in the Li palace, Yin Wood is the father-mother — one knows that an elder is interfering, or that documents are involved. Another example: if a brother line moves and merges with the hexagram-body, in decline it indicates deception, in prosperity it indicates gossip and strange occurrences. If it appears and transforms, judge according to the five categories it belongs to. For example, when divining a person's noble or base status, if the body encounters a wealth line transforming into a father-mother line, the person must be a wealthy artisan. Other cases follow this pattern.
In general, the hexagram-body represents the matter itself when divining about affairs, and the person's body when divining about a person. It delights in support and not in injury. All mention of "support" includes generation, merging, arch-support, and combination; mention of "injury" also includes punishment, clash, control, and harm. People today mostly use the body-line based on "Zi-Wu holds the world, the body resides in the first line," and much of it is ineffective, not to mention failing to understand its meaning. I see that in "Bu Yi Xuan Ji" (Divination's Mysterious Mechanism) and "Jin Suo Xuan Guan" (Golden Lock Mysterious Gate), it is clearly stated that this refers to the "hexagram-body" — this truly captures the meaning. Therefore I discard the former theory and adopt this one.
The world is oneself; the response is the other person; they greatly require harmony. In divination, the distinction between world and response is the image of host and guest. The world represents oneself, and the response represents other people and matters. People have distinctions between self and other, so one can discern the likes and dislikes of human feelings. For seeking and planning affairs, one must obtain generation, combination, and mutual harmony — then there can be accomplishment. If there is punishment, clash, control, or harm, it certainly indicates hardship. This is what "greatly requiring harmony" means. The "Hai Di Yan" (Hidden Bottom Eye) says: when world and response mutually control, even good matters require effort.
Movement is the beginning; transformation is the end; what is most feared is mutual conflict. Jiao (✖) and Zhong (∘) indicate movement. With movement, yin transforms into yang and yang transforms into yin. When encountered in a hexagram, one should take the moving line as the beginning of the matter and the transformed line as its end. For example, when divining about a person's coming, one obtains the Xiao-Xu hexagram transforming into the Qian hexagram. The Xin-Wei line moves, transforming into the Ren-Wu descendant line combining with it — a woman will certainly come bringing a small child. Other cases follow this. What is most feared is mutual conflict — for example, when the governing line approaches Zi Water and moves, transforming into a Wei Earth line that comes to harm or control me — this is a great inauspicious omen. Even if the governing line is flourishing, in the end matters will not be satisfactory.
When the response position suffers injury, it is disadvantageous for others' affairs; when the world line is controlled, how could it be fitting for one's own plans? When the response is injured, it is disadvantageous for divination on another's behalf, because in proxy divination the response is primary; when the world is injured, it is disadvantageous for self-divination, because in self-divination the world is primary. If the world and response encounter misfortune, do not base judgments on them.
When world and response are both void, people lack certainty and reality. The world and response lines should not reside in void territory. World void means oneself is insubstantial; response void means the other person is insubstantial. When both are void, each lacks certainty, and plans will certainly encounter obstruction. If the hexagram is quiet and the world-response combine with void, it is called "broken promise without sincerity." If an taboo line moves flourishing, then emptiness is fitting.
When inner and outer both stir, affairs must surely tumble. In a hexagram, when one or two lines move, transformations have constancy, generation and control do not become chaotic, and whether auspicious or inauspicious has its own order. But if the inner and outer lines all stir in competition, then good and bad fortune become uncertain and human feelings become inconstant. Affairs must certainly turn over repeatedly and ultimately have no conclusion. The "Hai Di Yan" says: "A single movement is easy to grasp; chaotic movements are difficult to determine." This is precisely the meaning.
When the world is jiao or zhong, both eyes gaze toward the horse's head; when the response moves, the heart seems to cling like a gibbon climbing. Neither the world nor the response should move, for movement brings inconstancy and reversal. "Gazing at the horse's head" — whether east or west; "a gibbon climbing a tree" — mind and body are unsettled. Both describe change and alteration, the inability to concentrate thought single-mindedly. But the world speaks of oneself, and the response speaks of others. The "Hai Di Yan" says: "When the response moves, other people's hearts easily change." Extrapolating from the response, one may know the world as well.
When the governing line has vital energy and no other interfering causes, all undertakings succeed; when the main image merely exists but is also injured, no plans go as intended. The governing line is the managing matter line. For example, when divining about documents, elders, or messages, the father-mother is the main image; when seeking wealth, wives, concubines, or women, the wealth line is the main image, and so on. It delights in prosperity and possessing vital energy, and should not be weak without strength. If the governing line has vital energy and there is nothing else in the month-commander, day-stem, or moving lines that punishes, clashes, controls, or harms it, this is a supremely auspicious hexagram — whatever one wishes from the heart will be fulfilled. If the governing line lacks vital energy and is also harmed, clashed, or controlled by the day-stem or moving lines, this is a greatly inauspicious hexagram — vain expenditure of effort, with no possibility of success. This is because the governing line is weak with no other generation or assistance, making it equal to a void or hidden line; although it appears, it is useless. Thus it is said to "merely exist."
When injured, one must be rescued. Injury refers to the world, body, and main image being injured by other lines. Rescue refers to the moving lines or day-stem controlling the taboo line. For example, if the governing line approaches Shen Metal and is moved upon and controlled by a Wu Fire moving line, then the Shen line is injured. If the day-stem is a Wei character, combining with the Wu Fire so that it cannot control; or the day-stem is a Zi character, dispersing the Wu Fire so that it cannot come to control; or the day-stem is a Hai character, controlling the Wu Fire so that it cannot control — all these count as having rescue. Other punishments, harms, and similar cases follow this pattern. But if the world, body, or main image is injured by the month-commander or day-stem, then one truly suffers the calamity. Because these two are the masters of divination and there is no way to rescue them.
Do not void without cause. In the ten-day-cycle voids, there are voids with reason and voids without reason. When one encounters punishment, clash, harm, or control from the sun, moon, or moving lines and is then void, this is called "void with reason" — one may avoid it. But if there is no punishment, clash, control, or harm, yet the world, body, or main image falls into void on its own, this is "void without cause," a great inauspicious omen. Divining illness, death is certain; divining affairs, they will not succeed; divining people, they will have difficulties. Because when void, even the day-stem or moving lines find it hard to support and rescue.
When void meets clash, it becomes useful. When encountering void in hexagram lines, people today — regardless of good or bad omen — generally treat it as useless. They do not know that upon seeing clash, there is also usability. Because clash necessarily brings movement, and movement is not void. Thus although void, it is nonetheless useful. For example, on a Wu-Wu day divining about weather, one obtained the Sheng hexagram transforming into the Qian hexagram (Editor's note: this hexagram citation seems inappropriate; the Wu-Wang transforming into the Qian hexagram would be better). In the hexagram, the father-mother line was void, but the day-stem stirred it, so rain was certain. Only one fears Fire void encountering clash, which is then inauspicious.
When combination encounters destruction, it accomplishes nothing. When there is combination in the hexagram, plans are easily fulfilled. Like two people working in concert, matters surely can be accomplished. Only one fears that treacherous, petty people will destroy it from both sides, and then suspicion will inevitably arise. Therefore, whenever combination is encountered, one must guard against punishment, clash, control, or harm destroying it — for when destroyed, it is no longer a combination. For example, the Yin and Hai lines are originally harmonious combination; but if a Shen character moves, then Shen Metal controls Yin Wood and also harms Hai Water — thus although they combine, there is no utility. The three-combination works the same way. The "Tian Xuan Fu" has a discussion of "meeting clash at the point of combination" that merits careful examination.
Voided by oneself, transformed into void, will surely become misfortune and calamity. The ten-cycle void is like a deep abyss or great ravine, a place into which people cannot step. If the world, body, or main image enters void without cause, or moves and enters void, all are great inauspicious omens — undertaking matters is disadvantageous. Only when the taboo line encounters them is it conversely auspicious.
Punishing combination and controlling combination ultimately reveal perversity and excess. Combination means harmony. Whenever encountered in divination, nothing is not auspicious. Yet people do not know that within combination there may be punishment or control. Combining yet being controlled — in the end there is no harmony; combining yet being punished — in the end there will be perversity. For example, using the Wu character as the wealth line and the Wei character as the virtue-blessing line — Wu and Wei combine, but Wu carries self-punishment, and this is called "punishing combination." When divining about a wife or concubine, there is indeed impropriety; when divining about wealth, it is also irregular wealth. Controlling combination is like the Chou-Zi category. The rest all follow this pattern. (Editor's note: in the above, "Wu as wealth line and Wei as virtue-blessing line" reverses the relationship of the two; readers should distinguish this themselves.)
When movement encounters combination, it is shackled. Generally, moving lines without encountering combination lines are truly active. But if there is combination, they become shackled and cannot move. Thus although moving, they are treated as static lines. However, there are both auspicious and inauspicious cases, and one cannot treat them all the same. For example, when using wealth and a brother line moves, if the day-stem combines with and shackles the brother, then it cannot control, and the wealth line does not suffer injury. When a descendant line moves and is combined and shackled by the day-stem, then it cannot generate wealth, and the wealth line does not receive its benefit. Thus all taboo lines that move and are combined — the evil does not materialize; beloved lines that move and are combined and shackled do not accomplish their work. In a three-combination, all three lines move to create the combination; in a six-combination, both lines move to create the combination.
When stillness encounters clash, it darkly stirs. Generally, when one divines a hexagram with no moving lines, one cannot simply regard it as quiet. If the day-stem clashes it, then although still, it moves. This is like a person sleeping soundly at night — if no one disturbs them, they will not wake. But if someone stirs, calls, pushes, shakes, or drags them, using every method to wake them, then they cannot remain peacefully asleep. Therefore the "Tian Xuan Fu" takes this as "dark stirring when striking void." But one cannot only take the day-stem; a flourishing moving line can also stir it up. The details of auspicious and inauspicious can be found in the "Tian Xuan Fu."
Entering the tomb is hard to control. The tomb means stagnation. When a moving line encounters it, it becomes sunk and sluggish, unable to break free. For example, if Yin is the main image and the hexagram produces You and Chou characters moving, originally one fears the You Metal controlling and injuring the Yin Wood; but fortunately Chou is the tomb of Metal, so the You Metal greedily enters the tomb, and the Yin Wood is not injured by it. The rest follows this pattern of inference. Punishment, clash, control, and harm should also be examined the same way.
Bearing prosperity, void is not truly void. Prosperity refers to the flourishing phases. This refers to Wood flourishing in spring and Fire prospering, Fire flourishing in summer and Earth prospering, Metal flourishing in autumn and Water prospering, Water flourishing in winter and Wood prospering, and in the transitional earthly-branch months Earth flourishes and Metal prospers. The ancients called this "that which experiences birth flourishes; that which is born prospers." When this line is void, it is not treated as void, because it has vital energy. Although things are blocked for the moment, after the ten-day cycle passes, they are accomplished. The ancients said, "When flourishing and void, pass one decade" — meaning that after passing this one ten-day cycle, it is no longer void, and plans begin to succeed.
With support and assistance, even decayed and weak — rest-imprisoned and dying-deceased still bring fortune. This refers to the governing line specifically. A governing line without vitality is originally inauspicious; but if the day-stem, moving lines, or month-commander generate, support, or merge with it, then although it lacks vitality, it is not treated as weakened. This is like a poor or humble person meeting a noble patron who lifts them up — the hardship is forgotten under that support. But a taboo line without vitality must not be supported.
Greedy for generation, greedy for combination — punishment, clash, control, and harm all are forgotten. Punishment, clash, control, and harm are all inauspicious deities. If they receive a generation line or combination line from the side, then they are greedy for generation and greedy for combination, and naturally they do not cause trouble. Thus it is said "forgotten." For example, if the world sits on Zi Water and a Mao character moves — this belongs to the punishment of impropriety (Wu-Mao punishment), originally an inauspicious omen; but if a Xu character also moves from a side line, then Mao is greedy for the Xu combination and has no time to punish Zi. This is an example of "greedy for combination, forgetting punishment." Another example: if the world sits on Si and a Yin character moves in the hexagram — wood can generate fire, so it forgets the punishment. Another: if the governing line approaches Si and a Hai character moves — Hai originally clashes Si; but if a Mao character also moves, then Hai Water is greedy to generate Mao Wood and has no time to clash Si. This is an example of "greedy for generation, forgetting clash." The rest all follow this pattern of inference.
Distinguish decline and prosperity to clarify control and combination; differentiate movement and stillness to determine punishment and clash. When earthly branches are incompatible, it is no wonder they mutually control, mutually clash, mutually punish, or mutually harm. But without distinguishing decline and prosperity, and movement and stillness, errors will arise in their application. Because prosperous lines can control declining lines; declining lines cannot control prosperous lines; prosperous lines can combine with declining lines, but declining lines cannot combine with prosperous lines. Moving lines can punish static lines; static lines cannot punish moving lines; moving lines can clash static lines; static lines cannot clash moving lines. The rest follows this pattern. Again, regarding the day-stem and the hexagram lines — the day-stem can harm hexagram lines, but hexagram lines cannot harm the day-stem.
Someone may ask: If static and declining lines cannot injure moving and prosperous lines, what if the moving line happens to be declining and the static line prosperous? Answer: When both lines are static, consider prosperity foremost; when one moves, consider motion as the urgent priority. Movement is like a person rising; stillness is like a person lying down. Although that one is prosperous, what is there to fear? Thus it is said, "A moving line is urgent as fire." When divining marriage, take the intermediary line as the go-between. There are two intermediary lines; one should also determine them by this rule. If both are static or both moving, or neither prosperous nor declining, then take as the correct one the line that is clashed by the moving line or day-stem; if none clashes, look at which line is merged and raised for the go-between. If none is merged or combined either, then look at the line supported by the day-stem. In this way matters return to a single principle without the doubt of dual possibilities. This chapter treats the most subtle points of divination. Therefore such things all require distinction, and I cannot omit them. Students of the Changes should not view them as trifling.
Not merging with the single, not clashing with the one, due to redundant characters; punishment that is not punishment, combination that is not combination, for lacking branch-spirits. When hexagram lines are complete, one inevitably encounters merges, combinations, punishments, and clashes. Yet with one extra character, it loses its name; with one missing character, it also loses its name. For example, divining on a Zi day, which is called merging if there is one Zi character; but if there are two Zi characters, they are separated and excessive — although its name is "merge," in reality it cannot merge. Two Wu do not clash. Two Chou do not combine. Two Wei do not harm. Two Mao do not punish. Two Si do not control. These are cases of redundant characters failing to establish the term.
For another example, Yin-Si-Shen are the three punishments; but if there are Yin and Si without the Shen character, or Yin and Shen without Si, or Shen and Si without Yin, then it is not a punishment. Similarly for the three combination of Hai-Mao-Wei: if there are Mao and Wei but no Hai, or Hai and Mao but no Wei, or Hai and Wei but no Mao, it is not a combination. These are cases of missing a single character making the combination incomplete. For the three punishments and three combinations, one must see two lines moving to punish or combine one line into action; a single moving line cannot punish or combine two lines into action. This again must be known.
Regarding the three punishments: the ancient verses say Chou punishes Xu, Xu punishes Wei, Wei punishes Chou, and so forth — these are most misleading for beginners. Because when all three appear together, they mutually punish one another; it is not that Chou can punish Xu but cannot punish Wei, nor that Wei can punish Chou but cannot punish Xu. As for the self-punishments of Chen, Wu, You, and Hai — the "Wen Bu Yi Lan" opines that Chen seeing Chen, Wu seeing Wu, You seeing You, and Hai seeing Hai constitute self-punishment in accordance with the hexagram — this too is especially absurd and erroneous. Because self-punishment means punishing itself without relation to other lines — and why must it be the seeing of same characters to constitute self-punishment?
When encountering the ordered star, things cannot harm me. The ordered star is the seasonal month command: Wood in spring, Fire in summer, Metal in autumn, Water in winter — and is also the star of seasonal vitality and vigor. Although punishment, clash, control, and harm appear, they cannot check its momentum. Thus it is said, "Things cannot harm me." When encountering void, it is half effective.
Floating in void spaces, matters go against the heart. Floating refers to the hidden lines. On the hexagram's six lines are the flying lines; beneath them are the hidden lines of the original palace. Flying is manifest; hidden is concealed. If the hexagram possesses its governing line, one need not seek the hidden line; if it does not appear, one must seek under which hidden line of the original palace it resides, examining its substance or emptiness to fix auspicious or inauspicious. If the six lines already lack the main image and the hidden line also approaches void, whether the affair can be accomplished is most dubious. For example, on a Bing-Shen day divining about documents, one obtains the Tai hexagram. The six lines lack the father-mother, and the original palace father-mother is hidden beneath the Jiu-Yao official line and is still void — consequently nothing is accomplished.
Without leverage, hidden lines remain futile; without loosening the flying, all is in vain. Hidden lines that are void show unpropitious everything, and need no pursuit. If they are not void, one must punctually release the flying to hoist the hidden — then expectations arise. For instance, divining about documents, getting the Bi hexagram — the six lines lack the father-mother, while Bing-Wu documents govern beneath the sixth-constituting Ki-Chou brother; one may say an acquaintance impedes. With the day-stem and moving lines bringing a thirteenth-sign Wei punishing or torturing Chou-tu, or Vandal-wood controlling Chou-tu — it then exposes, hoisting the hidden, rendering the governing line apparent. But to obtain useful sovereignty one must have Ri derived from Wei coming to Ti combined with the Wu-fire’s coming forth from Zu days; alternating generations — hence difficult, not to be viewed at once as integral to the work — for delivery demands two great breaks. Drawing near repeatedly in terms of ungovernable ends is inconsequential. Examining both uses and prohibitions, hidden lines and the release of the aerial weight require dual sense.
Any hexagram’s hidden support can bear seed beneath all things’ hidden lineage. Absent stir-becomings’ origin — flaunted by blank kingsmith and desiccated land, or sinking within the world seat vacant — and in such cases rebirth may scarce recur.
For example, during mid-winter days K, in ninth month, he’nders his self-impatched work: gets Du Pi as has actualities—entreaty done forever, of issue scatter as has from official death itself: whatever small germ among support-line hidden selfs seek hand on propelling (Eligibility relates), while days yield both riers—those still-corners lost: With all about cast visible aftermath and hidden hoist reappearances to the cause.
Another, seeking contesting: got Ko. The family relies doubled-usage: hence the days mark with whom ever made up intention.
Under void hidden lines are easy to draw up carefully indeed! Allow void foundations lifted — concealed like helpful seeds can sway days or promote seeds by days at movement turn unconstrained; break through empty nets more readily for not circumscribing forms-as-waters first stilled within ranges removed-like-settling upon when upon seeing births new births had guided help. Dissensions divide that hindmost stages remain outside — so only day stir always brings subject into visible lords as time evolves. Prelocked root-stocks of an earlier plan accept delays of process causing overbearing efforts: or else dissolve into nothing brought forth following co-specifics and contradictions came from necessary strokes…
Vitals being diminished fall to maintain strength. Disappointments to a lord of purpose with reposed submission most degrade yields seen anyway: like climbing brittle branch knowing all failure. Star‐dampens despise season-borne expectations being downrun deep foregone loops absolute to expectations.
When elements injure nodes, what result—nodes torturing signs—false benefits through titled yet remote modes alone; core lords? Since Ytr-Sign-common weirs their whole import, twinned be many instances; cases rule few now recognized against field main.
Raising divinations with respect; essence keeps its right aloft at length one.
月建上的运用等同如律。太岁的总承则另起效於中－应辅守冬的。
There follows the “Guan-Yu” system…
These notes explain entire inner-mechanical gisting in design unities; focus sequentially so lines & principles interlock as single guidance proceeding. 🌾