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Chapter 8 of 14
六壬粹言
The so-called Leading-Following Class (Yincong Ke) refers to a divination pattern in which the initial transmission occupies a position before the Day Stem or Day Branch as the "Leader (Yin)" , while the final transmission occupies a position after it as the "Follower (Cong)" . This resembles the ceremonial escort of a noble personage on travels, with attendants leading before and following behind, signifying official promotion and scholarly success.
Leading-Following Surrounding the Day Stem Pattern:
Only these three cases exist; there are no other examples.
Leading-Following Surrounding the Day Branch Pattern:
These four cases primarily indicate that renovation and relocation of residences bring great fortune.
Core Logic: The Leading-Following Class, through its "leading before and following behind" formation, symbolizes that matters have support and response—assistance from both front and back—thus indicating smooth progress in assertive undertakings.
This pattern is divided into four grades: Enclosing the Noble, Enclosing the Salary, Two Nobles over Stem and Branch Enclosing the Natal Years, and Two Nobles over the Three Transmissions Enclosing the Natal Years. It also belongs to the variant forms of the Leading-Following Class.
Stem and Branch Enclosing the Noble Pattern:
Stem and Branch Enclosing the Day-Salary Pattern:
The above two examples follow the Fu Yin (Returning Yin) Class as the standard enclosing-bracing form.
Two Nobles over Stem and Branch Enclosing the Natal Years Pattern:
For instance, Dingsi Day with Hai above the Stem and You above the Branch, with the diviner's natal year at Noon; Guihai Day with Si above the Stem and Hai above the Branch; Guimao Day with Mao above the Stem and Si above the Branch—two Nobles separately positioned over Stem and Branch, with the natal years dwelling between them receiving enclosure and protection. There are no such examples for Bing or Ren Days.
Two Nobles over the Three Transmissions Enclosing the Natal Years Pattern:
For instance, Renzi and Guiwei Days, with initial transmission Si and final transmission Mao, and the diviner's natal year at Hai. The three transmissions enclose the natal years from front and back, and the final transmission Mao generates and assists the initial transmission Si, forming an image of "assisting nobility with nobility," indicating that petitioning before authorities will bring success. Additionally, Bingshen Day with three transmissions You-Xu-Hai, Dingwei and Dingsi Days with three transmissions You-Chen-Hai, and the six Gui Days with three transmissions Mao-Xu-Si—altogether nine cases.
Core Logic: The essence of the Enclosing-Bracing Class lies in "the void at the center"—that is, the enclosed spirit does not appear directly within the transmissions, but is instead "supported and protected" by the spirits flanking it. This symbolizes noble assistance operating invisibly, with resources hidden yet present, ready to be utilized when the time matures.
Example of the Four Establishments All Within the Four Lessons:
For instance, Jiazi year, Renshen month, Yisi day, You hour, divining with Si General:
The year, month, day, and hour (Zi, Shen, Si, You)—all four establishments—are within the four lessons, designated as the Heavenly Concordance Class (Tianxin Ke) , indicating that extraordinary matters will be accomplished on that very day; matters submitted to the court are certain to succeed. However, it is not favorable for divining illness, litigation, childbirth, or anxiety-related matters; if the spirits and generals are inauspicious, the matter becomes even more intractable.
Embedded chart
| Pillars | Year | Month | Day | Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ten Gods | 劫财 | 正印 | Self (M) | 比肩 |
| Stem | 甲 | 壬 | 乙 | 乙 |
| Branch | 子 | 申 | 巳 | 酉 |
| Hidden Stems | 癸枭 | 庚官壬印戊财 | 丙伤戊财庚官 | 辛杀 |
| Stage | 病 | 胎 | 沐浴 | 绝 |
Example of the Four Establishments All Within the Three Transmissions:
For instance, Jisi year, Dingchou month, Guiyou day, Si hour, divining with Chou General; the three transmissions are Si-Chou-You. The year, month, day, and hour—all four establishments—enter the three transmissions completely, and moreover the year, month, day, and hour proceed in forward sequence, indicating that distant matters draw near and slow affairs accelerate. If Sky Emptiness (Tian Kong) or the Vermilion Bird (Que Que) rides the year establishment as the initial transmission, this indicates that the court's orders will move, proving even more certain.
Embedded chart
| Pillars | Year | Month | Day | Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ten Gods | 七杀 | 偏财 | Self (M) | 偏财 |
| Stem | 己 | 丁 | 癸 | 丁 |
| Branch | 巳 | 丑 | 酉 | 巳 |
| Hidden Stems | 丙财戊官庚印 | 己杀癸比辛枭 | 辛枭 | 丙财戊官庚印 |
| Stage | 胎 | 冠带 | 病 | 胎 |
Core Logic: The Four Establishments all being encountered means the complete superimposition of the temporal dimension—the fourfold forces of year, month, day, and hour converge within the lessons and transmissions, like four pillars exerting force simultaneously, giving the matter an extremely powerful quality of irresistibility and immediacy.
This refers to the Day Stem bearing the Xun Head above it, and the Day Branch bearing the Xun Tail above it, forming the Complete Cycle of a Xun Pattern. For instance, Yichou, Xinwei, and Renshen Days, with Zi (Xun Head) above the Stem and You (Xun Tail) above the Branch—head and tail responding to one another; matters undertaken will not slip away, and all plans succeed. When engaging in joint enterprises, matters will have proper commencement and completion. However, it is not favorable for divining matters of worry and dissolution, for the cyclical-completion image conversely indicates that affairs will linger without resolution.
Reverse Complete Xun Cycle (Xun Tail above Stem, Xun Head above Branch): For instance, Yiwei, Bingshen, Xinchou, and Renyin Days, with Mao (Xun Tail) above the Stem and Wu (Xun Head) above the Branch; Wushen Day with Chou (Xun Tail) above the Stem and Chen (Xun Head) above the Branch—the divination verdict is the same as the standard pattern.
Core Logic: The Xun Head and Xun Tail function like the complete closure of a cycle, providing matters with the guarantee of "beginning and end." Like holding both the first and last links of a chain in one's grasp, planned matters will not easily slip away or be lost.
The Three Marvels Class (Sanqi Ke) is divided into two major systems:
Calculated by xun (ten-day period), with Chou as the Day Marvel, Zi as the Month Marvel, and Hai as the Star Marvel:
Chou is the essence of the sun, Zi the essence of the moon, and Hai the essence of the stars; these three are the marvels within the xun, hence called the Three Marvels of the Xun. If all three marvels enter the three transmissions completely, this is named the String-of-Pearls Three Marvels (Lianzhu Sanqi) , bringing even greater fortune. Moving forward, the You and Xu days together yield nine cases; moving backward, the Mao day yields five cases.
The Stem Marvels are further divided into two methods:
A. The Method of Concealed Trunks within the Xun:
These four cases constitute the Three Marvels of Heaven. There are no cases of the Three Marvels of Earth in this category.
B. The Method of the Five Zi Concealed Trunks:
The above constitute the Three Marvels of Heaven.
The above constitute the Three Marvels of Earth (Dixia Sanqi) . Altogether eight cases.
Core Logic: The Three Marvels Class centers on "the marvelous"—that which is extraordinary and uncommon, not obtainable through ordinary means. Divination indicates remarkable encounters, extraordinary affairs, and uncommon gains. When the Three Marvels are all complete, it is like three luminous pearls strung together, their radiance mutually enhancing and their power multiplied.
This refers to the divination pattern in which the Xun Head serves as the initial transmission, designated as the Six Dignities (Liuyi) . For example, in the Jiazi xun, Zi serves; in the Jiaxu xun, Xu serves, and so forth. The Xun Head is the chief of the star officials, possessing the honor of ceremonial dignity; divination indicates that all matters are auspicious, not avoiding punishments and killings—even encounters with Kui and Gang turn misfortune into fortune. Only if the Dignity overcomes the diviner's natal annual position is it inauspicious.
If the Xun Head additionally serves as the Heavenly Noble, it is named the "Wealth-and-Honor Six Dignities (Fugui Liuyi) ," bringing even greater fortune:
Those in official positions will receive promotion; those taking examinations will pass with distinction. Only these six days above exist.
Core Logic: The Xun Head is the leader of a xun, like the ceremonial regalia of officials or the banner of an army. When the Xun Head serves as the initial transmission, the overall situation is already determined; even if obstacles arise, danger can be transformed into safety. If the Xun Head also serves as the Noble, then both authority and preferential treatment are present—a perfect union of "wealth" and "honor."
This refers to Si, Xu, Mao as the three transmissions, named Seal-Casting (Zhuyin) . Because:
Furthermore, the Xin metal within Xu and the Bing fire within Si form a union, creating the image of stamping a formed talisman-seal. This indicates official rank advancement and favorable wealth and profit.
Applicable lesson structures: Bingzi, Wuzi, Gengzi, Renzhi, Yiwei, Xinwei, Guiwei days, as well as the five Ding days and five Ji days—altogether seventeen cases.
Variant Patterns:
Core Logic: The Seal-Casting Class symbolizes a complete industrial process—raw material (Mao wood) enters the furnace (Si fire) for refining, cast into a seal (Xu earth). The seal is the credential of authority and efficacy, hence indicating official rank and achievement. However, casting must be completed in one uninterrupted flow; if the hour arrives to clash and break the seal star, it is like the seal being destroyed—all previous effort comes to nothing.
This refers to Mao, Xu, Si as the three transmissions, named Wheel-Shaping (Zhuolun) (that is, the reverse sequence of the Seal-Casting Class's three transmissions). Because:
This indicates that seeking office or wealth must first pass through hardship, and only then will success be achieved. If the initial transmission is empty or sunken, all plans will be difficult to realize; one should change careers or alter one's course and pursue a different livelihood. This lesson concerning pregnancy, childbirth, and litigation is all inauspicious.
Clarification: One might ask: Yin is also wood—why is it not also a wheel-shaping material? Answer: Yin is the Heavenly Beam (Tianliang) (load-bearing structural timber that cannot be casually hewn); encountering metal, it suffers the image of fracture and breakage. Mao, on the other hand, is forest wood (Linmu) (dense undergrowth that must be carved and shaped before becoming useful). The two natures are fundamentally different.
Core Logic: The philosophy of the Wheel-Shaping Class lies in "becoming a vessel requires tempered grinding." Mao wood unhewn does not become a wheel; a life untempered does not become accomplished. This coincides remarkably with the modern "growth mindset"—ability is not innate but forged through subsequent refinement. Yet excessive carving also implies pain and sacrifice; hence, for inauspicious divinations (pregnancy, litigation), such suffering cannot be borne.
This refers to Wu, Mao, Zi as the three transmissions, named Carriage-and-Canopy (Xuangaì) :
When these three spirits meet together, the manifestation is that of mounting a horse, boarding a carriage, and unfurling a lofty auspicious canopy above. This indicates honor and prominence in official rank, gain in seeking wealth, and the arrival of travelers. If divined in the first or seventh month, Wu serves as the Heavenly Horse, confirming the matter even more definitively. If divined at the You hour with the Wu general, the lesson transforms into the Three Intersections Class and becomes inauspicious.
Core Logic: The Carriage-and-Canopy Class depicts the travel scene of ancient nobility—horse-drawn carriage, ceremonial canopy, and full processional. Its modern equivalent: one's career is in a moment of brilliance, with status and treatment rising simultaneously; travel and change are both auspicious omens. Yet one must be mindful that changes in temporal conditions can alter the nature of the lesson.
This refers to the Day Stem bearing the Branch's Horse above it, and the Day Branch bearing the Stem's Salary above it, named the Wealth-and-Honor Class (Fugui Ke) :
Salary is the god of occupying the official position, indicating emolument; the Horse indicates vast prospects ahead. Having both Salary and Horse, one is wealthy and honorable—indicating addition of rank and increase of emolument, and for ordinary persons, profitable business dealings. If the diviner's natal and annual stars also carry Salary and Horse, the same interpretative principle applies.
The Four-Route Post Horse Pattern:
For instance, Gengchen year, Jiashen month, Bingzi day, Chen hour, divining with Si General; the three transmissions are Yin-Mao-Chen. The year, month, day, and hour all take Yin as the Post Horse, named the "Four-Route Post Horse (Silu Yima) ," indicating that officials will be transferred and promoted and that examination candidates will pass. If union spirits appear in any of the six positions, it is even more excellent. If the natal year position shows a clash or break against the Post Horse, this is inauspicious. If the spirits above the natal year further obtain Shen-Zi-Chen, this becomes the "Six-Route Post Horse (Liulu Yima) ," which is especially excellent.
Embedded chart
| Pillars | Year | Month | Day | Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ten Gods | 偏财 | 偏印 | Self (M) | 七杀 |
| Stem | 庚 | 甲 | 丙 | 壬 |
| Branch | 辰 | 申 | 子 | 辰 |
| Hidden Stems | 戊食乙印癸官 | 庚才壬杀戊食 | 癸官 | 戊食乙印癸官 |
| Stage | 冠带 | 病 | 胎 | 冠带 |
Core Logic: The union of Salary and Horse is the perfect matching of "strength" and "opportunity." Salary represents internal capability and accumulation; Horse represents external platforms and channels. Having only Salary without Horse means "talent without a road"; having only Horse without Salary means "opportunity without ability." Only when both are present does one truly attain the "auspicious period."
This refers to Kui and Gang (Chen and Xu) exerted upon the Day Stem or Day Branch to serve as the initial transmission, named Pass-Severing (Zhanguan) . The Day Stem and Branch represent the person; Kui and Gang represent the pass-barrier. When Kui and Gang bear down upon the Day Stem or Branch, it is like a person encountering a barrier of the pass—one must severe through the pass and open the gate before proceeding.
The three transmissions contain Yin-Mao-Wei-Zi [i.e., appropriate complementary spirits] , with the heavenly generals riding Green Dragon, Six Harmonies, Great Yin, and Heavenly Noble, constituting the moment of "unique heavenly-earthly passage"—ten thousand li can be traversed:
With the protection of these deities, it is most auspicious for travel and escape—capture will be difficult. If the transmission contains Transferring Spirit (申) or White Tiger, this is also auspicious, for both are deities of the road.
Example: On a 六甲 day, with the three transmissions being 辰午申, in a daytime divination: 辰 mounts Six Harmonies, 午 mounts Azure Dragon, 申 mounts White Tiger—this is precisely the typical combination of the Guanzhan (Barrier-Breaking) Class.
For those wishing to flee and hide, one should look to the day and location where Great Yin and Six Harmonies alight as auspicious. If the middle or final transmission is void, this is "movement within stillness"—seeking afar yet finding it nearby.
Core Logic: The essence of the Guanzhan Class lies in the seemingly contradictory abilities of "breakthrough" and "concealment." Kui (Dog) and Gang (Leopard) represent barriers, but when the transmissions include 寅卯子 and the four auspicious generals, one possesses both the power to break through barriers and the art of invisibility. For travel and escape, this is the most ideal class; for daily divination, it signifies restlessness and ceaseless wandering.
When all three transmissions are seasonal gods (辰戌丑未), or contain the cyclical Ding, or feature the Heavenly Horse, this is called the Wanderer Class.
Example: 乙巳 day, with three transmissions 未戌丑—未 conceals the Ding Horse and initiates use; if divined in the third or ninth month, 戌 is also the Heavenly Horse. All three transmissions are seasonal gods, and with both Ding Horse and Heavenly Horse present, the aspect of movement is extremely pronounced.
Classification:
This governs restless wandering, with no trace to follow—unfavorable for quiet perseverance; both illness and litigation bring misfortune.
Core Logic: The essence of the Wanderer Class is "transience" and "rootlessness." All three transmissions being seasonal gods (Earth) suggests stability, but combined with Ding Horse and Heavenly Horse, stability becomes motion—like a wanderer nostalgic for home yet unable to settle. For modern people facing career transitions or urban migration, receiving this class reflects the adage: "Moving may not bring great fortune, but staying still brings certain regret."
When the Virtue, Emolument, Wealth, and Horse—the four auspicious gods—all reside in Tomb or Extinction positions, this is called the Four Extinctions Class. These four are what determine a class's fortune or misfortune: in positions of growth and prosperity they bring good fortune; in Tomb or Extinction positions they bring disaster.
Example: 六辛 day:
This governs only the settling and conclusion of financial matters—all else is unfavorable.
Core Logic: The Four Extinctions Class is an extreme model of "comprehensive resource failure"—ability (Virtue), income (Emolument), assets (Wealth), and opportunity (Horse) all陷入困境. The practical lesson of this class: when four core resources are simultaneously exhausted, the best strategy is not attack, but "conclusion"—winding up, settling accounts, cutting losses.
When divined on a Four Cardinal day (子午卯酉 day), the following three conditions combine to form "Three Intersections":
子午卯酉 represent the unbalanced qi of heaven and earth, positions the Sun avoids. Moreover, the Celestial Gang malicious class occupies the 丑未 positions, preventing the Noble from administering affairs. At this time, virtuous qi is within while punitive qi is without—a source of great worry; all divinations are unfavorable.
Class statistics:
Example: In the third month, on a 己卯 day, divining at the 子 hour with the 酉 general, with three transmissions 子酉午—hour, general, and use are all Cardinal deities, governing entangled complications,进退两难, and difficulty obtaining wealth. If the year/ming order also reaches a Cardinal deity, this portends the misfortune of law-breaking, and even encountering auspicious gods will not save one.
Embedded chart
| Pillars | Year | Month | Day | Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ten Gods | 七杀 | 比肩 | Self (M) | 正官 |
| Stem | 乙 | 己 | 己 | 甲 |
| Branch | 卯 | 卯 | 卯 | 子 |
| Hidden Stems | 乙杀 | 乙杀 | 乙杀 | 癸才 |
| Stage | 病 | 病 | 病 | 绝 |
Core Logic: The core warning of the Three Intersections Class is "multi-line intersection brings chaos." The four Cardinal points 子午卯酉 are the four directional poles, and their threefold叠加 creates a multidimensional field of confusion. The Noble not administering affairs signifies the failure of external support systems; virtue within and punishment without means inner goodness struggles to manifest while external threats approach. This class demands that the当事人 cease action and await developments quietly.
When all four classes show upper overcoming lower, this is called No Offspring. For example, on 辛未 day:
All four classes have upper overcoming lower, governing demotion of office and rank; commoners lose their livelihood. If there is a saving deity (one of the three transmissions, year, or ming generating the day's stems), disaster may also be averted.
When all four classes show lower attacking upper (lower overcoming upper), this is called No Emolument. For example, on 庚辰 day with 卯 on the day stem, all four classes have lower overcoming upper, governing minor persons without propriety, elders meeting disaster. If the gods and generals are auspicious, it portends division of property and separate residence; if inauspicious, the scattering of flesh and blood.
Core Logic: No Offspring and No Emolument are paired inauspicious classes, respectively representing top-down oppression and bottom-up rebellion. No Offspring signifies "the severance of succession"—excessive suppression from above leads to no successors; No Emolument signifies "the loss of order"—total subversion from below leads to inverted hierarchy. Both point to structural crises within organizations.
When all four classes show lower generating the upper deity, this is called Root Severed and Source Extinguished. For example, on 辛卯 day with 子 on the day stem, with three transmissions 巳未酉: both the stems/branches and three transmissions generate the upper deities sequentially—nourishment flows away continuously—like a tree's roots transporting nutrients ceaselessly to the branches, while the roots gradually wither.
Divining illness necessarily results from lack of regulation—due to excessive depletion of vital qi; all divinations show depletion and drain. If this is a Six Yin class, the depletion is even more severe.
Counterexample analysis: For example, on 甲辰 day with 午 on the day stem, the first class all have lower generating upper, appearing to show depletion. But fortunately, the three transmissions 申子辰 generate the day stem (the 申子辰 three-harmony water bureau generates 甲 wood), so depletion is not complete—this exceptional case must be known.
Core Logic: The Root Severed and Source Extinguished Class reveals the unsustainable state of "output exceeding input." Like a tree, the root system continually sends nutrients to the branches and leaves, yet receives no sustenance from rain and dew—the root eventually withers and the tree falls. In reality, this corresponds to states of deficit: energy overextension, resource outflow, and one-sided devotion in relationships. But if there is "returning nourishment" (such as the three transmissions generating the day stem), some room for recovery remains.
The "Classes and Examples" chapter of this volume presents, in concentrated form, the sixteen core class types of Da Liu Ren, which can be synthesized into the following framework:
I. Yin-Yang Symmetry and Fortune-Misfortune Correspondence
The chapter's formations present rigorous symmetrical structures:
Acronym | Auspicious Classes | Inauspicious Classes | Corresponding Relationship |------|------|----------| | Guidance and Following | Three Intersections | Order vs. Disorder | | Enclosing and Arching | No Offspring/No Emolument | Hidden Support vs. Open Opposition | | Seal-Casting | Wheel-Carving | Fulfillment vs. Grinding | | Canopy-Assembly | Wanderer | Prominence vs. Drifting | | Wealth-Nobility | Four Extinctions | Resource Abundance vs. Resource Exhaustion |
II. The Constructive Logic of "Images"
The Da Liu Ren class system uses "images" as its core language; each formation is a condensed symbolic representation of a life scenario:
These "images" are not rigid symbolic mappings, but iconic expressions of the fundamental patterns of operation in all things.
III. The Key Function of the "Middle Transmission"
In multiple formations, the middle transmission plays a key "unlocking" role:
This embodies the Da Liu Ren principle of "the three transmissions as an integrated whole"—initial transmission as beginning, middle transmission as pivot, final transmission as culmination; the middle transmission is the axis that unlocks the entire configuration.
I. Guidance and Following Class—"Mentors" and "Followers" in the Workplace
The modern equivalent of the Guidance and Following Class: finding a position with both guidance before and support behind. In the workplace, "guidance from before" means mentors and guides;" support from behind" means a team and followers. With both, one is qualified for promotion. With only "guidance" and no "following," one is a loner; with only "following" and no "guidance," one gropes in the dark.
II. Enclosing and Arching Class—The Art of Hidden Resources
The essence of the Enclosing and Arching Class can be summarized in a modern phrase: "relationship network." The Noble or Emolument deity being arched does not appear directly in the transmissions, but is "squeezed out" by the forces on both sides. This mirrors modern society precisely: the true contacts often do not reveal themselves directly, but work behind the scenes through intermediaries and resource networks. Recognizing these "hidden" benefactors distinguishes superior social networking skill.
III. Seal-Casting and Wheel-Carving—Two Models of Achievement
The Seal-Casting Class (巳→戌→卯) represents "<b>sequential casting</b>": first there is a foundation (power of 巳 Fire), which, through forging, eventually produces the result (戌 Seal). This is a resource-driven model of achievement—with powerful existing reserves of energy, one takes form with the current.
The Wheel-Carving Class (卯→戌→巳) represents "creative chiseling": first there is raw material (卯木), through tempering (戌土), the final implement emerges (巳火). This is a capability-driven model—building from zero, through hardship, until finally achieving mastery.
In choosing career paths, identifying whether one is a "seal-casting type" (with existing platforms and resources) or a "wheel-carving type" (needing to refine oneselffrom the ground up) helps formulate more suitable personal strategies.
IV. Barrier-Breaking Class—Modern Wisdom of "Breaking Through" and "Concealment"
The modern applications of the Barrier-Breaking Class are richly diverse:
V. Three Intersections Class—An Ancient Early Warning for Information Overload
The Three Intersections Class structure of "virtue within, punishment without" bears remarkable similarity to modern people's experiences of "information overload and choice anxiety." The quartet of Cardinal signs叠加 signifies the simultaneous pull of multiple directions—much like the state of receiving multiple job offers or standing at crossroads with too many path choices at once. This class warns: the root cause of entangled complications is having too many directions, not too few.
I. Decision-Making Aid—"The Class-Comparison Method"
In actual divination, specific matters can be compared gauge against the sixteen class types to determine their nature:
| Type | Auspicious classes for reference | Calamitous classes to be wary of |
|---|---|---|
| Promotion and job-hunting | Guidance and Following, Wealth-Nobility, Seal-Casting | No Offspring, Three Intersections |
| Travel and relocation | Barrier-Breaking, Canopy-Assembly | Wanderer (unfavorable to linger) |
| Cooperation and projects | Enclosing and Arching, Tenth Cycle of the Day-Branch | No Emolument, Root Severed and Source Extinguished |
| Official disputes and litigation | — | Seal-Casting (deepens litigation), Wheel-Carving |
| Illness and childbirth | — | Wheel-Carving, Wanderer, Four Extinctions |
| Investment and wealth | Wealth-Nobility, Seal-Casting | Three Intersections, Four Extinctions, Root Severed and Source Extinguished |
II. "Hypothesis—Action—Review" Application Model
Courting the Wheel-Carving Class as an example:
III. Risk-List Method
For dire classes such as Three Intersections or No Offspring, specific risk items should be enumerated:
I. The Dialectic of "Framework" and "Formation"
"Framework" (格) is a static template; "formation" (局) is dynamic unfolding. All sixteen class types are "frameworks"; the changes in the three transmissions constitute "formations." The framework sets the broader trajectory, while the formation reveals the specific turns. This flows from第《易经》's "substance/function" doctrine: the class body as "substance," the initiating use as "function"—defining the interaction of "substance" and "use" is what discloses affliction and fortune.
II. "Two leading, two following" and "enclosure with arch" — the Chinese philosophy of networked relatedness
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III. "Casting" and "Carving"—Two Modes of Creation
The "casting" in the Casting Seal Lesson is a mold-based mode of creation: first the mold (Mao), then the furnace (Si), and finally the vessel is cast (Xu). This is the generative process of the "instrument" in "That which is above form is called the Way; that which is below form is called the instrument"—a shaping that proceeds from the outside inward.
The "carving" in the Wheel-Carving Lesson is a sculpting mode of creation: first the raw material (Mao), then the removal of excess (Xu), and finally the hidden vessel is revealed (Si). This is the practice of "Learning increases daily; the Way diminishes daily"—a manifestation that proceeds from the inside outward.
These two modes of creation represent two epistemological paths: external shaping and internal revelation. Extended to personal growth, some require "casting" (systematic cultivation), while others require "wheel-carving" (refinement by discarding the superfluous).
IV. The Philosophical Value of Inauspicious Lessons
Inauspicious lessons such as Severed Succession, Loss of Emolument, Four Extremes, and Three Intersections are not set merely for intimidation. Their deeper philosophy lies in: precise description of "imbalanced" states.
"Knowing the inauspicious enables one to avoid danger"—this is the fundamental purpose behind the design of inauspicious lessons in Liuren: not to evade peril, but to identify it and take precautions against it.
I. The Relationship Between the Supplemental Discussions on the Bi Method and This Volume
The "Bi Method" originates from the ancient method of "divination completion procedures" and serves as the foundational framework of Liuren judgment. The "supplemental discussions" on the Bi Method in the Liuren Cuiyan involve adding new examples and refining rules upon the original structures. The sixteen "patterns and examples" in this volume are mostly supplements and extensions of the orthodox Bi Method, hence the name "Supplemental Discussions, Part Six."
II. The Systems of Liuren Lesson Structures
The complete configurations of Liuren lesson structures extend far beyond the sixteen types. Additional common ones include:
The "patterns and examples" of this volume are specialized configurations further refined upon these foundational lesson structures, involving the application of special spirits and omens such as Emolument, Horse, Noble, Virtue, Marvel, and Protocol.
III. The System of Spirits and Omens
Key spirits and omens covered in this volume:
| Spirit/Omen | Method of Derivation | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Celestial Noble | Derived from the Day Stem | Power, assistance from nobles |
| Emolument Spirit | Position of the Day Stem's authority | Salary, status |
| Courier Horse | The Clash position of the Three Harmonies bureau | Relocation, promotion |
| Xun Ding | The Ding spirit within a Xun | Transformation, swift movement |
| Celestial Horse | Derived from the monthly command | Travel, dispatch |
| Xun Leader | First day of each Xun | Leadership, ceremonial presence |
| Three Marvels | Xun Marvel/Stem Marvel | Fortuitous encounters, extraordinary abilities |
| Kui Gang | Chen and Xu | Barriers, trials |
I. Systems-Theoretic Perspectives on Lesson Configurations
Contemporary scholars have noted that Liuren lesson configurations can be viewed as a form of early systems-theoretic tool. The sixteen configurations correspond to sixteen systemic states, with each configuration describing a specific pattern of energy distribution and information flow. This shares a certain methodological resonance with "state-space theory" in modern systems science.
II. Eastern Law and Decision Science Applications of Liuren
In recent years, some scholars have applied Liuren lesson configurations to modeling decision-making contexts. For instance, the "Leading and Following Lesson" corresponds to decision environments with support, the "Three Intersections Lesson" corresponds to decision dilemmas with multi-objective conflicts, and the "Severed Succession Lesson" corresponds to organizational dilemmas with hierarchical failure. These mappings provide non-Western, image-based heuristic frameworks for modern decision analysis.
III. Liuren and Complexity Science
Certain researchers have observed that Liuren's four lessons and three transmissions structural dynamics bear structural similarity to "multi-layer network models" in complexity science: the Four Lessons constitute the micro-level (individual relationships), the Three Transmissions the macro-level (overall trends), and the Celestial and Earth plates the background layer (environmental constraints). This "micro—macro—environment" three-tier information integration is precisely the foundational approach of modern complex systems analysis.