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Chapter 6 of 11
Li Xuzhong’s Book of Destiny
The Sixty Na Yin is formed through the mutual pairing and cyclic combination of the Ten Heavenly Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches, totaling sixty variations 🌐. (The multiplication of Stems and Branches corresponds to the numbers of heaven and earth's beginning and end, resulting in sixty types in total.)
From the perspective of heaven and earth's generation: Water corresponds to number one 🌊, Fire to number two 🔥, Wood to number three 🌳, Metal to number four ⚔️, and Earth to number five ⛰️. However, from the perspective of material transformation: Fire corresponds to number one 🔥, Earth to number two ⛰️, Wood to number three 🌳, Metal to number four ⚔️, and Water to number five 🌊. (The generation numbers are based on the natural order of heaven and earth's creation; the material transformation numbers arise from the interaction of the Five Elements with the Stems and Branches, forming the Na Yin system.)
This method emulates heaven and earth, with the numbers of the Stems and Branches multiplying. (The Ten Heavenly Stems correspond to heaven, the Twelve Earthly Branches correspond to earth, and together they form the mechanism of all things' movement and stillness, fulfilling the numbers of their beginning and end.)
Rules for pairing Stems and Branches:
(The numbers decrease starting from nine, but the setting of Si and Hai as four originates from the principles of the I Ching's Qian and Kun: Qian Gua corresponds to one and two, Kun Gua to two and three. The Dao generates one, one generates two, two generates three, and three further generates three. Nine is the starting point of Yang. The numbers begin with Jia and Ji as the origin of creation, and Zi and Wu as the extremes of Yin and Yang, taking the extreme number nine as the starting point, then decreasing to eight, seven, five, and four.)
Zi and Yin share the same path, with the year above and Chen below, which cannot be generalized. The order of Stems and Branches, such as Jia first and Zi later, forms the Na Yin Metal based on numbers. The initial parental energy creates the sound, and when separated from heaven and earth, it reveals the named numbers. (Zi is the same as Ren, Yin is the same as Jia; the year is Wood, Chen is Water. For example, Yin as Wood two, if combined with Zi, may result in Jia-Zi Metal, not solely Wood. Jia approaching Zi forms Metal, which is the transformation of Stems and Branches into Na Yin numbers. The Five Elements of the Stems and Branches originate from the changes in the numbers of heaven five and earth five. The Na Yin numbers nine, eight, seven, six, five, and four are formed through mutual interaction, with upper and lower levels harmonizing, requiring the participation of the numbers five and six of Kan and Li.)
Heaven five and earth five are the foundational basis of creation; excluding these numbers yields the practical application of Na Yin. (Heaven and earth transform and communicate, with two fives making ten, ultimately completing all things. Beginning with one and ending with five, both are Yang, combining with six to form Yin. Beyond the numbers six and five lie the Five Elements numbers contained by heaven and earth. For example: Water obtains five because its original sound is obstructed by Earth, and only then does it have a sound. Thus, Bing-Zi and Ding-Chou total thirty, excluding six and five to obtain Earth, but the Na Yin is Water 🌊. Fire obtains one because Fire has no inherent sound; only when Water moistens it does it have a sound. Thus, Wu-Zi and Ji-Chou total thirty-one, excluding six and five to obtain one, making the Na Yin Fire 🔥. Wood obtains three because Wood has an inherent sound. Thus, Ren-Zi and Gui-Chou total twenty-eight, excluding five to obtain three, making the Na Yin Wood 🌳. Metal obtains four because Metal has an inherent sound. Thus, Jia-Zi and Yi-Chou total thirty-four, excluding six and five to obtain four, making the Na Yin Metal ⚔️. Earth obtains two because Earth has no inherent sound; only when Fire tempers it does it have a sound. Thus, Geng-Zi and Xin-Chou total thirty-two, excluding five and six to obtain two, making the Na Yin Earth ⛰️. Therefore, the classic says: "Jia first and Zi later, Na Yin Metal based on numbers." Understanding this principle allows for the deduction of others.)
From Qian, generation proceeds smoothly; from Kun, production proceeds inversely. The pivot of Yin and Yang lies in the Five Elements, and the substance of the Five Elements relies on the Eight Trigrams. (Father generates smoothly, mother generates inversely. For example, with the Stem Jia-Ji, the first month establishes Bing-Yin, Bing-Ding Fire, so Wood generates smoothly. Mother Ji Stem, when Wood dies, is inverse, so Jia is father and Ji is mother. In the Yin household, heaven generates Water first. Since Qian belongs to Metal, Metal generates Water, so from Qian, generation proceeds smoothly to Na Yin. Thus, Jia-Zi and Yi-Chou Metal come first because Qian contains Jia-Zi. Heaven five and earth five, through the numbers of Kun, produce inversely, with the final numbers generated also starting from nine and decreasing to four. Yin and Yang are Qian and Kun. Metal and Earth divide into two to complete the Five Elements, and the Five Elements divide into substance and function to form the Eight Trigrams.)
Fire loves the meeting with Qian, Water benefits from Xun, the year guards the Kun direction, and Metal hides in the Gen position. (Qian, pure Yang located in the northwest, becomes manifest in Hai, showing Fire 🔥. Water's nature is to flow downward, and Xun emerges from the southeast, flowing smoothly downward, so Water benefits at Si 🌊. Kun completes things, and the year ends here. At Shen, all things guard propriety; Gen begins and ends all things within Kun, so Metal ends at Yin, hidden beneath Earth ⛰️.)
Wood falls to its roots like manure, Water flows toward its end, Fire manifests in its functions, and Metal is obscured by light. (Each guards its inherent nature: Water flows toward its end, benefiting Xun; Fire manifests its functions, loving Qian; Metal is obscured by light, hiding in Gen ⛰️.)
Water, Earth, and Metal inherently sink downward; Wood and Fire inherently rise upward. (Water flows to dampness, Earth accumulates and carries, Metal is heavy and sinks, so they inherently sink 🌊⛰️⚔️; rising upward, Wood gradually ascends, Fire flames upward 🌳🔥.)
Sinking elements obtain form and rise upward; rising elements anticipate humility and meet at heights. (Water obtains Earth to generate Wood; Earth restrains Water to produce Wood; Wood restrains Earth and rises upward, so the energy of Water and Earth ascends through Wood 🌊⛰️🌳. Fire obtains Water above, achieving balance. The nature of the Five Elements, whether sinking or rising, all use form as their function 🔥🌊.)
To take Kan as Li, only the profoundly mysterious can know; to exchange Dui for Zhen, communicating with spirits and ghosts to establish the purpose. (Geng-Shen and Xin-You Wood within Si-Shen-You may be discussed as Metal; for example, a Mao person encountering three You may speak of Metal. The rest can be inferred similarly, marvelously exhausting creation. Using the original Na Yin as function is the principle of "exchanging Dui for Zhen." For example, Bing-Wu Water encountering Gui-Si month, Bing-Yin day, and Wu-Xu hour: Si-Wu-Wei is the original Fire direction, Yin-Xu-Wu is the true Fire form. Upper and lower are both Fire, so although the Na Yin is Water, it is mostly viewed as Fire 🔥. Or if Water is abundant and the person is entirely born in Si-Wu-Wei, without conflicting with the native's Branches, and the Stem has energy, it should also be viewed as Fire, not as exhausted or trapped. This is "taking Kan as Li," which the subtle and profound can understand.)
Therefore, Geng-Shen and Yi-Mao are considered the foundational ancestors of husband and wife. Zi-Gui, Hai-Ren, Ding-Horse, and丙-Snake are their designated positions. (This discusses Stem fortunes. Ji Zhu said, "First distinguish north-south Yang, then east-west Yin." Yin fortunes reside in Yang, Yang fortunes reside in Yin. Metal and Wood obtain dedicated positions, while Water, Fire, and Earth follow creation. Thus, Yang resides in Yin, and Yin resides in Yang.)
Labor without rest, the courier station resides in the direction of ailment. (The courier station is at the ailment position of the Five Elements Branches, which is a place of rest.)
The horse obtains freedom to move horizontally and vertically; further observe the Stems. Life without movement is deduced through energy establishment. (Shen-Zi-Chen Water position, the courier station is at the ailment direction, Yin is the courier station. The horse is deduced through energy establishment. For example, for a Jia-Zi person, the first month Bing is the horse. Even if not in the first month, obtaining the established position of Bing counts as the horse. Thus, the horse obtains freedom to move horizontally and vertically. Luo Lu Zi said, "The form of the unseen exists at all times," meaning this.)
Those who transcend the Five Elements control life and death themselves; those within clarity and turbidity follow numbers for survival and perish. (Cultivating virtue and nurturing nature, refining the false and guarding the true, maintaining inner stillness in the spiritual tower, and roaming beyond the six harmonies, creating prior to the Five Elements—then life, death, concealment, and manifestation are self-determined. This is the realm of immortals and true beings 🧘♂️, not constrained by heaven, earth, spirits, or temporal numbers. This encourages self-cultivation, not fixation on fate. Their life and death can be mastered, let alone cultivating virtue to attract blessings and turn misfortune into fortune. People within clarity and turbidity, due to the goodness or evil of their emotions and nature, cannot escape the numbers of the Five Elements in life and death. Because they fail to refine Yang to purity or Yin to purity, even if they harbor thoughts of the ultimate Dao, they remain within clarity and turbidity, and their suffering forms cannot escape the numbers of survival and perish.)
The victory or defeat of the primal fate's Three Primes: Stem fortune, Branch life, and Na Yin body, each divided into areas of decline and prosperity. (The Three Primes are each divided into birth, prosperity, and storage areas, forming the nine lives, governing fortune and the three meetings.)
The Stem governs reputation, fortune, nobility, and authority, serving as the foundation for clothing, food, and sustenance 💼. The Branch governs gold, pearls, and accumulated wealth, serving as the basis for gain, loss, glory, and withering 💰. The Na Yin governs talent, ability, insight, and perception, serving as the origin of human relations and kinship 👨👩👧👦.
The energy of the Stems, Branches, and Na Yin follows the Four Pillars to determine rest and imprisonment. The directions of Fortune, Horse, Deities, and Malignancies are divided into two modes to seek victory or defeat. Where劫灾 (Calamity) and天岁 (Heavenly Year) encounter usefulness, they cannot bring harm. Where Fortune, Horse, and unusual carriages encounter breakage, they may not necessarily bring blessings. (The Three Primes and Five Elements are divided into the four seasons to determine resting and prosperous energy. Stem deities and malignancies are the clear energy of heaven; Branch deities and malignancies are the turbid energy of earth. Deities and malignancies are divided into the two energies of heaven and earth to determine victory, defeat, fortune, and misfortune. Although劫灾,天岁, and the four malignancies are ominous, if the Stems and Branches combine usefully, they反而 become fortunate, prosperous, and auspicious deities 🎭. Although Fortune, Horse, and unusual carriages are the clear energy Stem deities of wealth and nobility, governing fortune, prosperity, and尊贵 (nobility), if the Branch deities combine with breakage and defeat, they反而 become impoverishment, baseness, harm, and malignancies ⚠️.)
Embedded chart
| Pillars | Year | Month | Day | Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ten Gods | 比肩 | 正官 | Self (M) | 食神 |
| Stem | 丙 | 癸 | 丙 | 戊 |
| Branch | 午 | 巳 | 寅 | 戌 |
| Hidden Stems | 丁劫己伤 | 丙比戊食庚才 | 甲枭丙比戊食 | 戊食辛财丁劫 |
| Stage | 帝旺 | 建 | 长生 | 墓 |
The Sixty Na Yin is one of the core systems of ancient Chinese metaphysics. Through mathematical combinations of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches (e.g., Jia-Zi, Yi-Chou Metal), it integrates the Five Elements (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth) with musical tones, forming 60 Na Yin types. It embodies the "Heaven-Earth-Human" triad philosophy: Stems represent Heaven Prime (fortune), Branches represent Earth Prime (wealth and life), and Na Yin represents Human Prime (body and life), collectively forming the foundation of destiny analysis. Na Yin numerology originates from the principles of the I Ching's Qian and Kun, emphasizing the dynamic balance of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements across time and space, used to interpret personal traits, fortunes, misfortunes, and human relationships.
In a modern context, the Na Yin system can be viewed as an ancient "person-environment" interaction model. It is no longer confined to superstitious predictions but serves as a cultural-psychological tool:
Na Yin deeply embodies the ancient Chinese cosmic view of "harmony between heaven and human":