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Chapter 6 of 7
壬归
Why should one divine before traveling? Because a person's movements and stillness, appearances and withdrawals, relate to the fortune and misfortune of the whole person; water routes and land routes, the toil of boats and carriages, involve safety or peril a thousand miles away. Knowing beforehand makes it easy to pursue good fortune and avoid disaster; treating it lightly and neglectfully makes it difficult to guard against what has not yet occurred. Who can say that the matter of travel can be undertaken without divination? As for the sighs of gazing at clouds and longing for home, who among us has not experienced them? Therefore, the auspicious and inauspicious affairs of the household must all have somewhere to attach themselves; only after this can one pack one's bags and set forth, crossing mountains and fording waters—perhaps then one may proceed without regret?
Core Categories: Take the Day Stem as representing the traveler himself, observing the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of the Divine on the Day to determine the safety of the body; take the Day Branch as representing the destination, observing the Divine on the Branch to determine the conditions of the place to which one goes 🌍.
Whenever the Divine on the Day Stem is not harmed, rides an auspicious General, is not in mutual combat or克制, and its qi is flourishing, and the Yin Divine of the Day Branch does not inflict harm upon the Day Stem, then advance will certainly be auspicious. Conversely, there will be disaster and misfortune—one should not act recklessly.
Whenever the Divine on the Day is Void, with no qi and nothing to impel it, then even if one wishes to go, one may not necessarily be able to depart. When the Officer or Ghost is on the Day accompanied by punishment or harm, then movement will be obstructed. The specific causes of obstruction can be judged through the Heavenly General it rides: if the Ghost rides the Heavenly One, and its qi is declining or at rest, then one will surely be obstructed by matters of powerful personages or spirits; if the Ghost rides the Flying Serpent or the Vermilion Bird, accompanied by the Official Talisman, then one will be obstructed by verbal disputes, lawsuits, entanglements, worries, and doubts; if the Ghost rides the Earth-Support, accompanied by punishment or slaughter, then one will be obstructed by land disputes, entanglements, and dragging involvements; if the Ghost rides the White Tiger, accompanied by the Funeral Gate, Mourning Guest, Death Talisman, or Illness Talisman, then one will be obstructed by deaths, funerals, or diseases; if the Ghost rides the Dark Warrior, accompanied by theft or depletion, then one will be obstructed by robbery and loss; if the Ghost rides the Sky Void, accompanied by the Vanishing Robber, then one will be obstructed by flight, loss, deception, or swindling. Reasoning by analogy from this, the causes of Void can be deeply contemplated. If the Initial Transmission sees the Descendant riding prosperity, and is neither harmed by what is below nor rides an inauspicious General above, then the force of the Initial Transmission can control the Ghost and generate Wealth; although there may be the suspicion of an Officer or Ghost obstructing the Day, one may still travel.
Whenever the Ghost is on the Day Stem at rest or declining, movement is difficult—it is the Ghost entangling the body; when flourishing, it is difficult to withstand—it is the Ghost prohibiting the Day. If the Ghost is on the Day and is also in the Initial Transmission, further riding an inauspicious General above, it is even more unsuitable to act rashly. Seeing it on the Day is already hard to bear—how much more so when it is also in the Initial Transmission? If the flourishing Ghost rides an auspicious General, and the Usage issues from the Day, then for an official journey, this is instead an auspicious divination—one must not treat it as inauspicious in all cases.
Whenever the Divine on the Day rides auspiciousness and is flourishing, and can control the Divine on the Branch, while the Divine on the Branch also flourishes and rides auspiciousness, then my Wealth Spirit is seen in that place, and going there will certainly be auspicious. If on the contrary it is inauspicious and acts as Ghost, bearing calamities and wearing punishments, and its qi is imprisoned or dying, then my Ghost-thief is seen in that place, and going there will certainly be inauspicious. The reasons for inauspiciousness may also be inferred from the Deities and Omens carried and ridden.
The direction toward which the Day Stem travels should also be examined together. The Heavenly Day Stem is where the body moves; the place it approaches is where the body rests; auspiciousness, inauspiciousness, blame, and fortune all have bearing on it—how could one not ask? Therefore one should examine it together.
The positions of the Day Stem's disease, death, tomb, and extinction must not be visited, for going there brings much misfortune. Only directions where the Earth is both flourishing and not Void, and where the Spirit and General are both auspicious, may be visited. Furthermore, one must compare and judge between the Divine on the Day and the Divine of the direction: for example, if the above the Day Stem is one of the Four Earth Spirits, then where Wood approaches may not be visited; where Fire approaches is greatly beneficial, for Fire generates Earth; where Water approaches is also beneficial, for Earth subjugates Water; where Metal approaches brings no benefit, for Earth generates Metal and leaks out vitality. If the direction of benefit has auspicious generals and vigorous qi, and can further generate and combine with the Day Stem and the Yearlife, then it is even more beneficial—other directions follow this pattern.
However, whenever divining for travel, one must first clearly distinguish what kind of person the traveler is and what kind of affair he undertakes, and only then judge based on inner and outer likes and dislikes—only then can there be no error. Seeking divination aimlessly will not yield verification. For example, what the Day Void indicates cannot be treated uniformly. If it is a person of the nine streams or hundred arts, seeking wealth with empty hands, the Void is not something to be feared; one must still obtain auspicious qi and flourishing-riding, and only then will going be beneficial. If it is a person who carries capital for commerce, then not only can one not go, but even going will bring loss. For the divination method for merchants takes the Day as the outer category; when the outer is Void and one divines, then running about is in vain; when the self ("I") is Void and inauspicious, then capital is a concern. Observing the Heavenly General, the causes of the Void can be pointed out one by one.
Again, what the Ghost on the Day indicates—the Ghost entangling the body or the Ghost prohibiting the Day—if it is a person seeking office or asking for rank, or a matter of merit and reputation in examinations, it is conversely what they delight in. For the divination method for matters of merit takes the Officer Ghost as the master; when the Officer approaches the body, rides dominating multiplication and auspicious generals, neither in internal or external punishing combat, and the Usage transmissions and Yearlife are not mutually harmed, while the Grand Year and Month Commander receive generation and support, and the Spirit-Powers above do not come and go attacking each other—then for the office-less there will surely be the celebration of obtaining office, and for the office-holder there will surely be the benefit of promotion. How glorious! But if it has no qi, is Void, or is handicapped, then even seeking office one must not go. And when a common person obtains this, it will certainly be what they should avoid—how could one speak rashly without making distinctions?
Method for Movement and Stillness: Whenever one desires to travel and divines whether one can accomplish the journey, there is the principle of movement and stillness. Moving, one can go; still, one cannot.
Whenever the Pass or Tomb approaches the Day Stem, the body finds it hard to move. The Pass has the meaning of obstruction; the Tomb has the meaning of gathering and concealing. Both are images of stillness, hence difficult to move. If the Spirit-Power on the Year can rush through the Pass or break the Tomb, then it is still counted as movement; otherwise, one must await the month or day that rushes the Pass and breaks the Tomb to act.
Whenever the Day Stem is Void, this also indicates difficulty in moving. If in the Usage or transmissions the Yearlife shows a rushing Spirit, this also counts as movement. For when Void meets the rush, it is instead made solid, hence movement is possible. But only when roaring Void meets the rush does this image appear; if the Void carries rest or decline, rushing is of no benefit.
Whenever the Heavenly General on the Day Stem enters the temple, even though it is not Void or at a Pass or Tomb, movement is still hard to affirm. For when the Spirit and General are the same entity, transformations are without an end point—hence movement is hard to affirm. Only when the Two Horses ride flourishing and appear in the Initial Transmission, without anything tying feet or keeping them in the stable, is movement secure.
Whenever Star-Head or Star-Tail approaches the Day, there is unavoidable movement. Riding auspiciousness and vigor, the movement is auspicious and swift; riding inauspiciousness and declining-imprisonment, the movement is inauspicious and slow; bearing punishments and calamities while having vigor counts as swift in motion. Hence it is said: vigorous as riding in a chariot with horses can overtake the lightning and chase the wind ⚡.
Method for Speed and Slowness: Whenever divining travel and desiring to know whether it will be swift or slow, compare the Day and the Usage—the Day is the body of the traveler, and the Usage is the beginning of the journey.
Whenever the lesson and transmissions are all Yang, the matter must be splendidly evident and replete with accomplishment, and the movement must be swift; when the lesson and transmissions are all Yin, the matter must be Private-emblematic veiled in obscurity—movement is necessarily slow. Hence it is said: the Day yang and the Usage yin means there was quickness containing slowness; the Day yin and the Usage yang means there was slowness yet quickness. If on the Day Yang is prevailing while the Usage Yin is resting at tomb, then though there be motion it will halt again; if the Day Riding Yin-being at rest and Usage Spirit prevails / endures / flourishes: then despite lag there must ultimately be actual movement...
When the Day Yang is yang and the Usage is yin, beware of obstruction midway; when the Usage is yin and transmission is yang, then the road is unimpeded without cares. The Middle Transmission is the yin Spirit of the Initial and speaks of conditions of journey—impact is not negligible.
Whenever the Usage is Descendant and punishable-harming the Day-upon, there is the expression of fellow traveler injuring; if Usage is Parent-punishment Strike-harm, this presages elder-travelers hastening matters toward trouble. If Usage then Be as Sibling (brother or sister), that signals agreements upon friends—seeing Wealth-wife gives share to spouses. Like seeks like. Only if Usage with Bringer-of-Dingma activates does Fire-Mar-Speak : movement accelerated particularly under combination with strong Fire-Horse: neither vacuity, beneath None-Over coming—motion at its quickest.
Method for Auspicious and Inauspicious: Whenever divining a journey's fortune or misfortune, first inspect Day upon (body of traveler); second inspect Chen upon (land where going occurs); thenthe Transmission Begin/Mid/End (image of those road experiences), and finally Life+Year to Years, and It-hira signifies Original, flow indicates momentary currents placed unique to traveler. Where Ghost-seize-inauspicious-come-Dom-Set / each cause indicates correspond-time correspond-place-K-p separately apparent.)
For Benefitting-travel belongs Mount-of-the-its-luck specifically among prosperity-breathing annual-OY-likes—YANNA-Lotus-being ausp-Vigorous-R, by favorable riders benefit & harm-none leads—although travels-but must reach an affirmation to motion through those forthcoming circumstances associated rightly with Yu-Harvest/Concord upon-o.,
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Shenhou (Spirit Queen) placed on the Mang throne indicates a virtuous person, for Meng corresponds to the Four Long Life positions, hence virtue; on the Zhong throne indicates a merchant, for Zhong corresponds to the Four Flourishing positions, hence trade; on the Ji throne indicates a wicked person, for Ji corresponds to the dark metal Four Killing positions, hence malice. Why hold Shenhou accountable? Because Shenhou is the chief of the Twelve Spirits, where the first Yang begins to arise, first stealing the vitality of Heaven. It can be good, it can be evil—its transformations are limitless, hence the name Shenhou (Spirit Queen), and it is used accordingly in judgment.
For any inquiry regarding someone arriving by boat, Tian Gang is the primary indicator, and one also examines whether it falls on Meng, Zhong, or Ji. If Tian Gang rests on Meng, the person is an official—a leader among men, for Meng has the quality of leadership, which is why officials are called elders. If resting on Zhong, the person is an ordinary commoner, for Zhong has the quality of centrality and equality. If resting on Ji, the person is shrewd and wicked, for Ji occupies the lower station, bearing the quality of harboring filth and accepting impurity. Why hold Tian Gang accountable? Because the sight of boats raises suspicion, and Gang stands before the Mao position.
Wherever there is a classified subject, one should always discuss it according to the classification falling on Meng, Zhong, or Ji. Where there is no classified subject, one observes Tian Gang instead. Gang is the general arbiter of good and evil, and therefore in military divination and critical decisions, one always looks to it.
The above two types of divination do not mention the Day, the Branch, the Initial Transmission, the Middle Transmission, the Year, or the Destiny. Instead, they observe Shenhou and Tian Gang, because in matters of life and death within a breath, there is not a moment to spare. Looking at too many indicators leads to confused directions and only compounds doubt. Nevertheless, if by chance the riding imagery turns out to be truly inauspicious, what then is to be done? One determines the essential pattern by what it rests upon, and then uses the Day overlay and the Branch overlay to determine whether to approach or avoid.
If the spirit over the Branch overcomes the spirit over the Day, it is auspicious. If the Branch is flourishing and vibrant while the Day is declining and weak, it is even more auspicious—one may advance forward without concern. If the spirit over the Day overcomes the spirit over the Branch, it is inauspicious. If the Branch is also weak and declining, it is even more inauspicious—one had best avoid it. Only when they generate or harmonize with each other, when both vital energies flourish together, and when riding auspicious generals, may one proceed without fear even in the company of wicked ones.
For any inquiry regarding the truthfulness of a matter, Tian Gang is also the primary authority. One observes whether it falls on Meng, Zhong, or Ji. If Gang rests on Meng, the matter is groundless and fabricated—Meng is initial growth, and affairs are not yet real. If resting on Zhong, truth and falsehood are half and half—Zhong carries the image of sitting on the fence, suspended between trust and doubt. If resting on Ji, the matter is solid—Ji corresponds to the Four Earths, which are faithful and substantial. However, the Day overlay and the Branch overlay should also be consulted in conjunction: if the Day overlay punishes or overcomes the Branch overlay, what is said must be empty. Moreover, when Gang, Kui, Ténghé, Baihu, Taiyin, Tiankong, or Words of Deceit appears upon the Day overlay, there is especially much trickery involved. When combined with the Void, the matter moreover traces to no root whatsoever. If Tian Gang rests on Meng or Zhong, and simultaneously the Day overlay presses over it likewise, its falsehood becomes evident.
In all the above divinations, the Branch belongs to me, and the Day to the other person. Coming and speaking both bear a characteristic of motion; and what is moving refers to the guest. Seeing and hearing both bear a quality of stillness; what is still is the host. Consequently, the Day is attributed to what is said or come, while the Branch to what is seen or heard. Amid the interplay of host and guest, of motion and stillness, careful distinction must be drawn.
On divining planned meetings: For inquiries about an appointment or gathering, whether one shall meet, and whether the other has already left—if divining for another person, one regards Tian Gang. If Gang sits upon the Day or Branch overlay, the meeting will certainly take place. If Gang lies before the Day overlay, the party has already departed. If Gang lies behind, the party has not yet arrived. Moreover, one should further determine by the Meng, Zhong, Ji positions: if Gang rests on Meng, the person has not yet reached the place; if resting on Ji, they have already left; only if resting on Zhong can a meeting still be arranged.
If divining for travelling companions, one regards Shengguang (the Noon star). If Shengguang appears before the Nobleman, it lies ahead of him; if behind the Nobleman, then still following behind him. If it precisely sits upon the Day or Branch overlay, a meeting may certainly be conducted. The reason for observing Shengguang: the Noon position corresponds in the trigram to Encounter—the moment of meeting—therefore one looks to it.
On divining the fortunes of one‘s household: When one is abroad in a strange place and wishes to divine the fortunes of home, the Day and Branch are the leading authorities. One observes the celestial generals they ride to make the judgment, with the Branch constituting my household.
If the spirit above the Branch generates the Branch below, is flourishing in vitality, and sits atop a general of noble standing, then the household is secure and undisturbed, carrying on in ordinary peace. If the spirit above the Branch drains the Branch below, and its upper vital energy is declining and weak, then losses and expenses are many. If the spirit above overcomes the Branch below, and is declining with an inauspicious general, the household will certainly encounter many episodes of hardship and tangled distressing matters. If the Branch overcomes its upper spirit, and that upper spirit remains flourichishingly strong, things may yet be endurable, though barely.
Although good fortune and calamity are anchored in the upper spirits, the concrete manifestations of events depend on the celestial generals. Thus, when a Ghost rides upon Tianyi (the Nobleman), though it speaks of ghosts, malefic spirits, deities, or spirits, one should ask day or night, yang or yin—where are the distinctions? When a Ghost makes for Ténghé (the Plastered Vulture), though the symbols point to shocks, anxieties, flames, and thieves, does abundance and decline, void or essence, not call for equal care? In general, the Celestial Nobleman, the Six Harmonies, the Azure Dragon, and the Great Constancy bring auspicious happenings more often than not, and their misfortunes, even when present, remain shallow. The Dark Martiality, the Hooking Chen, the Vermilion Sparrow, and the White Tiger bend things toward perils grave and frequent, while omens of good stay slight indeed. Each celestial general has its charge, and the practitioner at divination values high the act of reasoning by analogy. Should one fully comprehend their ever-shifting aspects, levers of comprehension naturally follow. Wife, child, father, elder brother—how could the libretto not bear such figures? Punishments and balances, virtues and harmonies—each finds in their own nexus its spirit. Survey broadly, reach all of them, and sentient appearances reveal of their own accord in visible lines; look upward and downward, manifest prefigurations colour their proper groupings bright and clear.
"Analogical-image thinking" and pattern recognition theory. Contemporary cognitive science's Pattern Recognition theory reveals the human brain's ability to distill complex information into limited patterns. The "analogical-image" system of Da Liuren is essentially an efficient pattern recognition framework constructed by the ancients: reducing the infinitely varied scenarios of travel into finite symbols such as day stem, day branch, three transmissions, year-ming, celestial officials, and spirit-killers, then "recognizing" risk patterns in travel through symbol combinations. This mode of thinking bears structural similarity to symbolic reasoning systems in the field of artificial intelligence.
Da Liuren and decision support systems. In recent years, some scholars have attempted to formalize the divination logic of Da Liuren, constructing rule-based conventional decision support systems. Taking travel divination as an example: conditions such as "day stem encountering void death," "ghost multiplying on Celestial Great One," and "offspring flourishing" are written as rules; upon inputting specific lesson information, the system can output structured risk alerts. This path of "traditional wisdom + modern technology" offers a possible avenue for the contemporary transformation of classical divination methods.
The concept of "avoidance and approach" and risk communication. Modern risk communication research emphasizes the importance of Risk Communication — not merely informing of the existence of risk, but more importantly, informing how to respond. The "avoidance and approach" philosophy in the Travel Section aligns closely with this: divination not only identifies where danger lies, but also provides specific strategies for circumvention — "refrain from going," "avoid it," or "only follow the most flourishing option." This "diagnosis + prescription" model is key to how traditional divination surpasses mere prediction, and where it may offer inspiration for modern decision-making approaches.