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Capítulo 19 de 20
卜筮全书
People are not born into wealth and honor; how could they sit back and enjoy glory and splendor? If driven by fame and profit, who can avoid the toil of the road? Yet the journey is a thousand miles long—how could it be a matter of just a day or two? Who can know the good or ill fortune along the way? Of the disasters and blessings encountered, only the spirits can give accurate answers through the divination.
The Father line represents luggage. If the Father line carries punishment or harm, the luggage will be damaged and useless; if it is flourishing, there is much luggage; if declining, little luggage; if void, no luggage at all. If flourishing but void, there is some but not much; if carrying punishment/harm or being wounded/overcome, it is broken or old belongings. If the Father line transforms into a Brother, one will share a bed with another person; if the Brother line transforms into the Father, one will share luggage with others. If borrowing luggage from others, it is unfavorable for the Wealth line to be held by the World or to move actively—otherwise it will be difficult to borrow; if it carries a Combination, the borrowing will ultimately succeed.
The Wealth line represents travel money and provisions. If flourishing, there is an ample supply; if declining, very little; if void, none at all. If there is no Wealth line in the hexagram, but a Brother transforms into Wealth, it must be partnership capital or borrowed goods—not one's own belongings.
The World line represents the traveler. If the World line is flourishing and has energy, it is auspicious. If declining, dead, or imprisoned; if overcome, prone to falling; if wounded, prone to injury—unable to bear the hardship of travel or the exposure to wind and frost, morning and evening. The Response line represents the destination. In the Zhen palace, it is a city, town, or bustling place; in the Kun palace, a desolate open area; in the Gen palace, in the mountains; in the Kan palace, in a watery region; other cases follow this pattern of inference. What is most feared is the Response line falling void—indicating a desolate destination, where matters will be difficult to accomplish, and one will return disappointed and unsuccessful.
The Interval lines represent the journey and places passed through. If the Interval lines are quiet and not void, the whole road will be safe and unimpeded. If they move, there will surely be obstructions and delays along the way.
The Year Breaker (Tai Sui) appearing and moving to clash or overcome the World line indicates that the person will have an unfavorable year throughout their travels. If additionally there are Ghost/Sha or White Tiger baleful spirits, it is especially inauspicious. If traveling for official position or career advancement, it is most favorable for the Year Breaker to give life and combine with the World body—a sign of accomplishment.
World overcomes Response—I control the other party, and wherever one heads, things will go smoothly; even better if the Interval lines do not move and the Ghost/Sha do not arise—there will be no obstructions. Response overcomes World—I cannot focus my will, and the direction is blocked; if additionally the moving lines or the Day Breaker punish, clash, overcome, or harm, things will definitely not go smoothly. Whether for public or private matters, both are unfavorable.
The Eight Pure Hexagrams are the Six Clash hexagrams—the inner and outer lines do not harmonize or combine, and all plans and hopes face difficulty. If the six lines are chaotically moving, there is nothing auspicious to speak of; in any direction it is unfavorable, and for long journeys it is especially forbidden.
Both Interval lines both void—if one travels alone without a companion, it is instead an auspicious sign; only be concerned about the World overcoming the Response position. If traveling with companions, void Interval lines indicate obstruction on the road and slow, unpleasant progress. Metal/Water void: the water route is impassable; Fire/Earth void: the land route is impassable; if both Interval lines are void, one often turns back halfway.
The World line moving—the travel date is already set. If both World and Response move, travel quickly; if a side line moves, travel slowly. If the World moves and transforms into a Ghost line, disaster will befall after departure. If a Ghost holds the World, it is a sign of hesitation and fear—wanting to go but not going, harboring doubts; if declining, it is difficult to set out; if flourishing, mostly one will not leave; if it moves, one fears going without companions and therefore does not go. If it also faces the Response line, things will be unfavorable upon arrival. If the Ghost transforms into a Descendant, although there are disasters, they are not worth worrying about.
The World line quiet—if struck by the Day Breaker or a moving line with a dark clash, it means someone else has come to request the person to travel—it is not for one's own affairs. To know who has made the request, determine it by the line doing the clash/combination—for example, a Father line indicates an elder, and so on. If the World moves but is held in check by the Day Breaker or a moving line Combining with it, one is about to depart but is held back by some matter and cannot set out. To know what matter is holding one back, determine it by the Combining line—for example, a Ghost line indicates official matters; Gou Chen moving to Combine indicates land/property matters. If on an Interval line, it is mostly due to obstruction by companions.
The World falling void—this is most favorable for artists, craftsmen, and those of the nine schools of wandering professions. If the World is void, one will not go; if forced to go, one will ultimately return dissatisfied. If the person themselves divines about traveling, an empty World is the most dreaded sign—even if one forces the journey, one will end up stranded in another land, toiling in vain. If artists, craftsmen, or those in official service divine, it is instead an auspicious sign—indicating grasping money with empty hands and obtaining wealth in bustling places. However, wealth cannot be accumulated; encountering a Clash is the best outcome.
Fire and Earth lines moving—suitable for overland travel.Water and Wood lines moving—suitable for water routes. If Fire/Earth face the Wealth or Blessing lines, travel by land is best; if Ghost/Sha face Water/Earth, it is not suitable for boat travel. If Earth/Fire transforms into void, beware of falls and tumbles; if Water/Earth transforms into void, beware of drowning. One should adapt flexibly.
Avoid ghost-places and grave-directions; head toward wealth-directions and father-directions. Ghost-places: for example, if the World is Metal, the southern Fire direction is a ghost-place. Grave-directions: for example, if the World is Fire, the northwest Xu (Earth) direction. Going in these directions will surely bring disaster. For seeking wealth and profit, travel in the Wealth direction—for example, if the World is Earth, the northern Water direction. For seeking official position or audience with the powerful, travel in the Father direction—for example, if the World is Water, the western Metal direction. Generally: avoid places where Ghost/Sha resides; go to places where Wealth/Blessing resides.
An Officer Ghost facing the Xuan Wu line with punishment/overcoming—beware of bandits and thieves. In all travel divinations, the most feared is a Ghost line appearing. If declining and quiet, it is auspicious; it especially must not move, for if it moves, disaster is certain. Facing Qing Long, calamity arises from wine and women; facing Zhu Que, trouble comes from words and disputes; facing Teng She, much fright; facing Bai Hu, much illness; facing Xuan Wu, loss and theft. If Gou Chen faces Water and moves, there will be much wind and rain along the way. A Ghost holding or overcoming the World is most taboo; flourishing is also taboo. If declining and restrained, not wounding the World body, there will ultimately be no great disaster—only one's companions will have misfortune. If the World is void and does not receive the overcoming, it also indicates disaster for one's companions.
Brother facing Bai Hu Sha and moving—danger from wind and waves. Brother plus Bai Hu moving, or a Ghost moving on a Wood line, or Wood transforming into a Ghost to punish/clash, or a Ghost in the Xun palace moving to overcome—all indicate danger from wind and waves. In the 3rd or 4th lines, danger appears right at departure; on an Interval line, encountered mid-journey; on the 5th line, the whole road is unsettled; on the top line or the Response, it is not seen until arriving at the destination. A side line moving without wounding the World body only indicates danger and obstruction. Taking advantage of flourishing to clash/overcome, beware of drowning. Ghost transforming into Brother, or Brother transforming into Ghost—not only wind and wave terrors on the journey, but also the menace of thieves and robbers.
Wealth line moving to punish/overcome the World—calamity caused by money; do not be greedy. If the World Combines with the Wealth line and the Wealth line transforms into a Ghost that punishes/overcomes, disaster comes through lust; do not be infatuated.
Father line suffering punishment/overcoming—suffering from wind and rain; especially taboo when traveling by boat. The Father is the spirit of toil and hardship; when it moves, it indicates weary traveling and no ease or benefit. If it punishes/overcomes the World, one will surely encounter obstruction from wind and rain. The Father also represents the boat; overcoming the World indicates the boat will not travel smoothly. If additionally a Bai Hu Wood line appears or it transforms into an Officer Ghost, there will certainly be danger from wind and waves. If a Descendant moves to rescue, one can turn disaster into good fortune.
Descendant holding the World—auspicious without exception; good fortune goes and transforms well. When it moves, one will surely meet good companions—on the 3rd or 4th lines, encountered right at departure; on the 5th line, met mid-journey; on the 6th line, good people assist upon arrival. If traveling for an audience with a noble, a moving Descendant is not suitable—it is called "hurting the Officer"—and is instead unfavorable.
Gen palace Ghost sitting on the Yin line—beware of tigers and wolves. An Officer in the Zhen or Gen palace meeting a moving Yin line indicates danger from tigers and wolves. If weak and controlled, or not wounding the World, or the World is in a place of avoidance/void, one will not lose one's life—only experience empty fright.
Zhen hexagram Brother meeting Teng She Sha—beware of swindlers and con artists. Brother governs robbing wealth; if combined with Teng She moving, there will surely be swindlers robbing or defrauding goods. In the Zhen palace, the swindlers are in the town market; in the Kun palace, they are country folk; on the Response, they are the local hosts; on the 5th line, one is cheated mid-journey. If it transforms into an Officer Ghost, they are robbers. If weak, beware of pickpockets.
Ghost on an Interval line moving—disharmony among companions, or illness among one's companions. If the Brother line is void and not subject to restraint, it indicates one's own disaster rather than something happening to one's companions.
Brother holding the World—money will surely be spent. Facing Teng She/Zhu Que, beware of gambling and wasteful expenditure; Qing Long/Xuan Wu, spending on wine and women; other cases, travel expenses will simply be excessive. Traveling for profit is the most inauspicious scenario. If declining and quiet, it is still tolerable; if flourishing and moving, one wastes travel money and toils in vain—gaining nothing.
If the hexagram lacks Officer Ghost baleful spirits altogether—only then can things go according to one's heart. Officer Ghost in the first line: feet will hurt; second line: the body has misfortune; third line: companions fall ill; fourth line: after departure, official troubles from home; fifth line: the road is blocked; sixth line: plans at the destination are unfavorable. No Ghost in all six lines—only then is it greatly auspicious.
If the six lines do not show the Descendant/Blessing spirit—how can one be satisfied? The Descendant is the virtue spirit and also the rescuing spirit. If it does not appear in the hexagram or falls void, then Ghost/Sha holds full authority, and any disaster will have no rescue. Hence the Sea Bottom Eye says: "When the hexagram has no Descendant, there is no joy."
The principal person's line moving and encountering void—returning halfway. If divining on behalf of another, one must look at who is traveling—for example, for monks, Daoists, sons, or nephews, look at the Descendant line as the useful spirit. Other cases follow accordingly. If the principal's line moves into void, the person sets out and turns back midway; if it transforms into a Retreating spirit, the same; if it transforms into void, the person will have ill fortune after going. Retreating spirits: for example, Mao transforming into Yin, or You transforming into Shen.
Wealth energy flourishing facing the Monthly Breaker—returning fully loaded. If in the travel divination the Wealth line is flourishing, gives life to or Combines with and holds the World, does not face void, and suffers no punishment/overcoming, there will certainly be good business prospects upon return. If additionally supported by the Monthly Breaker, one will surely return home loaded with goods.
If one can only approach good fortune and avoid disaster, why worry about climbing high or crossing dangerous waters?
The core logic of travel divination lies in taking the World line as the traveler, the Response line as the destination, and the Interval lines as the journey process, forming a "person—road—place" tripartite framework of judgment. At the same time, the Father line represents luggage and the Wealth line represents travel money, forming a complete analysis of travel resource allocation. The entire system emphasizes "going with the flow"—World overcoming Response means go; Response overcoming World means stop; go where Wealth/Blessing resides; avoid where Ghost/Sha dwells.
From the perspective of modern decision science, this divination system is essentially a risk assessment checklist: Is the luggage sufficient (Father line)? Is the funding in place (Wealth line)? Is the destination favorable (Response line)? Will the journey be smooth (Interval lines)? Are companions reliable (Brother/Interval lines)? Are there unexpected risks (Ghost line, Bai Hu)? This is highly consistent with the "pre-trip checklist" logic that modern people use before business trips or vacations. The ancients converted uncertain factors into hexagram symbols, essentially using systematic thinking to reduce decision blind spots under conditions of information scarcity.
"People are not born wealthy; how can they sit back and enjoy glory; if driven by fame and profit, who can avoid the toil of the road"—this opening reveals an eternal human existential anxiety: the contradiction between rest and movement. The essence of travel divination is risk management of the existential state of "leaving the familiar and entering the unknown." The World line represents subjective will, the Response line the external environment, and the Interval lines the transitional space—the relationship among these three is precisely Heidegger's "Being-in-the-world": humans are always on a journey from one place to another, and what divination provides is nothing more than a psychological anchor for seeking certainty amid uncertainty.
People driven by fame and profit forget the joy of their native place; with no news from home, everything is inferred from the Zhou Yi hexagrams.
To determine the return date, seek the main symbol (useful spirit). For officials and functionaries, look at the Officer line. For monks, Daoists, sons, and juniors, look at the Descendant line. For wives, concubines, and servants, look at the Wealth line. For brothers and friends, look at the Brother line. For elders and old people, look at the Father line. For those not covered by the six relatives, look at the Response line.
The useful line moving—the person has already set out. See which line it is on to know where the person is: on the 1st or 2nd line, just departed; on the 3rd or 4th line, about to arrive home; on the 5th line, mid-journey; on the 6th line, still at the place, the return is still far. The useful line quiet—if the Day Breaker and moving lines do not clash or combine it, the person is settled in a foreign land with no thought of returning.
Overcoming accelerates, giving life delays. If the Day Breaker overcomes the World, the person will arrive quickly. If it gives life to or Combines with the World, the person returns slowly. The worst fear is the World line overcoming the useful line—then the person cannot yet return.
The 3rd line is the gate, the 4th line is the door. When the useful line is on them and moving, the return is near. Even better if the Response line or a moving line overcomes or gives life to the World, and the useful line is not restrained—the person will arrive home immediately, and one can wait standing.
Moving and transforming into a Retreating spirit—the person, having set out, turns back again. In general, Yin moving into Mao, Si moving into Wu, etc., are called Advancing spirits; You moving into Shen, Zi moving into Hai, etc., are called Retreating spirits. If the useful line transforms into an Advancing spirit, the traveler hurries back and can be expected any day. If it transforms into a Retreating spirit, the traveler, though coming, still turns back; moving into void is the same. See which line it is on to know where the person turned back. To calculate how many miles the person has traveled, use the generated numbers: 1/6 water number, 2/7 fire number, 3/8 wood number, 4/9 metal number, 5/10 earth number; Yang lines use the heaven number, Yin lines the earth number; flourishing is doubled, dead/declining halved.
Still, yet giving life to the World—body not yet moved but heart already longs for home. All six lines quiet—the person has definitely not returned. If the Response gives life to or Combines with the World, or the World and Response are harmonious, or the useful line gives life to and Combines with the World line—though the body has not moved, there is already the intention of returning. Determine the departure date by the Clashing month/day; if flourishing, arrival within ten days; if energized, swift arrival; if weak, slow arrival. If met with a dark clash, the person sees something that reminds them of home and is just beginning to think of returning. If the Day Breaker clashes but the Monthly Breaker and moving lines restrain it, even with homesickness, it is difficult to set out.
Encountering Combination—at departure, worldly affairs bind. The useful line moving is originally a sign of return, but if it meets a moving line or Day Breaker Combination, called "held in check," the person, though wanting to return, is tied up by affairs and cannot come. Held by the Father: detained by an elder or blocked by documents. By the Wealth line: infatuated with a woman or delayed by money matters. By the Brother line: hindered by friends, companions, or verbal disputes. By the Descendant line: blocked by children, livestock, or monks/Daoists. By an Officer Ghost: if auspicious, a noble detains; if inauspicious, fire, theft, or official disaster hinders.
World overcomes Response and both move—turning toward another place. World moving means the heart is set on returning; Response moving means the person has already set out. If the moving World overcomes the moving Response, the person, though coming, goes elsewhere—not homeward. If the useful line moves and gives life to/Combines with the Response line, the same is inferred.
Response harmonious with World and both void—difficult to return to the homeland. The Response is the foreign land; the World is the homeland. The Response giving life to or Combining with the World is a sign of the traveler longing for home and being expected to return. World/Response harmony is originally not a sign of return; only when the useful line moves to overcome or combine the World can return be expected. But if the Response falls void, even coming, it is slow. If both Response and World are void, then wanting to come but not coming—no certainty at all, and hard to expect return. If the Response is not void but the World alone is void, it indicates the traveler has already left the place, and precisely this makes return fast. If the useful line also moves, one can stand and wait.
For long-distance travelers, most feared is injury to the useful line; especially dreaded is entering the Grave. For distant travelers, if the useful line appears, does not face void, suffers no injury or overcoming, and the hexagram has Wealth and Blessing, one is doing well abroad, and even tardy return is no problem. In Death/Grave/Decline/Extinction places, or suffering punishment/overcoming from Sun/Month/moving transformations, all indicate misfortune. If the useful line voids itself without cause, or transforms into Death/Grave/Void/Extinction, or a jealous line takes advantage to move with Sha, or the hexagram lacks the useful line and the Response is also void—all these should be judged as inauspicious.
For nearby travelers, having the main symbol hidden is no problem; encountering a Clash is favorable. For nearby travelers, a hidden useful line means some incident prevents return. If the Day Breaker or moving lines clash it, return is immediate; if no Day Breaker or moving line clashes, arrival at the time indicated by the clashing day/hour. A quiet useful line is judged the same.
If hidden in a void place, one must investigate the Six Combinations in the hexagram. For a useful line that is void, one must break through or overcome the line above the hidden spirit to reveal the hidden spirit for use; otherwise it remains suppressed. If hidden below a void line, once a moving line or Day Breaker makes a Six Combination, it emerges for use—the traveler can be expected home. Six Clash is even better. Determine the return period also by the clashing/combining month and day. If the hidden spirit itself meets void, one fears the person will become a ghost in a foreign land—there will never be a return day.
If hidden below an Officer, examine the Six Spirits of the covering line. A useful line hidden below an Officer Ghost line indicates detainment by an inauspicious matter. Facing Qing Long: illness from wine and lust; facing Zhu Que: official disputes and verbal trouble; facing Gou Chen: falls and injuries; facing Teng She: entanglements and fright; facing Bai Hu: bedridden illness; facing Xuan Wu: robbed or lost money. In general, an Earth ghost is illness, a Fire ghost is litigation—regardless of the Six Spirits. If the hexagram lacks Officer Ghost, likewise judge by the above.
Brother covering and hiding—not returning due to disputes. The useful line hidden below a Brother line: disputes, verbal altercations, and fights prevent return. With Zhu Que, gambling; transforming into Officer Ghost, loss of wealth; facing Bai Hu, wind and wave troubles.
Descendant holding it—indulging in wine and forgetting to return. The useful line hidden below a Descendant: pleasure-seeking, drinking, hunting, theatergoing, horseback riding—not returning. Otherwise, matters of livestock, children, or obstruction by monks/Daoists.
The Father is the obstruction of documents. The useful line hidden below the Father line: blocked by documents, or detained by craftwork; otherwise detained by an elder. No Father in the hexagram or fallen void: there must be no travel permit. Movement into void: the permit is lost. Father transforming into Father: two people share one permit.
Wealth due to business entanglements. The useful line hidden below the Wealth line: held by business and trade, hence not returning. Wealth void or robbed by Brother: mostly due to losses. Wealth flourishing or supported: there must be profit, hence forgetting home. If facing Qing Long or Xuan Wu, certainly lost in sensual pleasure.
Useful hidden below Wealth on the Response—the person has married into another family. The useful line hidden below the Wealth line on the Response: the person has married into the other family and does not think of returning. Wealth moving to give life to/Combine with the World line: he will bring his wife home. If Wealth neither gives life to nor Combines with the hidden spirit, he is managing money for others, or relying on another household—not a son-in-law.
The main spirit cast into the Wealth treasury—fame left in a wealthy house. The useful line hidden in the Wealth treasury: the person is managing finances in a rich household. If the hidden spirit is weak and dead, he merely lives by others. If the useful line appears and the Wealth treasury line moves, one day he will return fully loaded. Additionally facing Qing Long and Monthly Breaker, especially satisfactory.
Ghost on the 5th line—all because the road is impassable. A Ghost moving on the 5th line: the road is blocked and impassable, hence no return. If a jealous Sha on the 5th line moves, the same. Void on the 5th line also has this indication.
No Wealth anywhere in the hexagram—all because travel money is lacking. If none of the moving/transforming lines or Sun/Month have a Wealth line: lacking travel expenses, hence not returning. The same if Wealth voids without cause. If the traveler originally went for profit, then the trip must have been unsatisfactory.
Grave held or Grave moving—certainly bedridden and groaning with illness. The useful line entering the Grave or transforming into the Grave, or holding a Ghost/Grave, or a Ghost/Grave line moving, or the useful hidden below a Ghost/Grave line—all indicate the person is ill in a foreign place and hence not returning. If hidden below an Officer line, likewise. With Zhu Que or transforming into documents, the person is in prison, not ill.
World combining or clashing—one must send someone to search. The useful line quiet, and the World moves to clash it or lift it: one must personally go search, then the person returns. The useful line hidden and the World lifts it up. The useful line in the Grave and the World breaks the Grave—all require seeking before return.
Combination meeting Xuan Wu—dazed by beauty, not thinking of home. A Six Combination hexagram with Xuan Wu Wealth moving, or the useful line facing Xuan Wu, moving and held by a Wealth line, or hidden below a Xuan Wu Wealth line, or a Three Combination Wealth pattern with Xuan Wu moving within it—in all cases the traveler is abroad indulging in lust and not missing home. If a moving line or Day Breaker clashes/breaks the Combining line, then a return day may be hoped for. If the useful line faces Xuan Wu and transforms into a Ghost, or hidden below Xuan Wu/Ghost and the Wealth line does not Combine—the person abroad has become a bandit, or has been implicated by bandits—hence no return.
Hexagram obtaining You Hun (Wandering Soul)—drifting in foreign lands without fixed traces. A You Hun hexagram with the Response line moving: the traveler wanders east and west, staying nowhere. The useful line on the 5th line moving likewise. You Hun transforming into You Hun: traces unfixed. You Hun transforming into Gui Hun (Returning Soul): the person wanders everywhere and then returns.
When the jealous spirit arises together with the Day—do not hope for arrival; the body facing the useful line's movement—certain return. The line that restrains the useful line is the jealous line. If it moves in the hexagram, or faces the body/World, or carries the Day Breaker, or is clashed/combined by the Day Breaker—all indicate no return. If the useful line faces the hexagram body, appears, and moves, then one will definitely return. If it holds the World and moves, return can also be expected.
Father moving in the hexagram—there should be a letter sent. In divining for a person away, a Father line moving in the hexagram means news/letters will be sent. If it gives life to/Combines with/holds/overcomes the World, arrival is fast. If the World gives life to/overcomes it, arrival is slow. Transforming into a Joy line or Blessing line: good news. Transforming into a jealous line or Officer line: bad news. Movement into void or transformation into void: empty news. With Teng She transforming into Brother: still unreliable. Father transforming into Father: news will come twice. If met with Combination, the news is suppressed/hidden by someone, or the letter-bearer is delayed on the way; if met with Clash, the letter has been lost.
Wealth rising on the World—there should be no arrival of letters. In divining for expected letters, if the Father line is declining and quiet, or void or hidden, or there is a Wealth line moving, or Wealth flourishing and facing the body/World—all indicate no news. If a moving line transforms into a Father that gives life to/Combines with the World, this is the person who delivers the message; if a Brother transforms into it, a friend has sent it.
To determine the distance of the return date, one must examine the vigor of the main symbol. If the useful line is flourishing, return is swift; if declining, return is slow. Return on the Sheng/Wang/Grave day; if declining/dead/declining, return on the flourishing day. If quiet, return on the clashing day. If moving, use that very line to fix the month/day. If entering the Grave or held by Combination, use the day that breaks the Grave or breaks the Combination. If quiet but has a Clash and then a Six Combination—judge by that day. Moving and being restrained—judge by the Three Combination day. When divining on behalf of another, trace through the Response line. For distant matters, use year/month; for near matters, use day/hour. A singly moving line can also be used—for example, if the Water (Zi) line moves, take the Zi day as the return date.
In movement and stillness, many auspicious and inauspicious images are concealed; across the ends of heaven and the corners of the sea, how many people seeking fame and profit are detained!
The core framework of divination for absent persons is positioning the person through the useful spirit, judging the journey through the line positions, and inferring the return date through generation/overcoming/combination/clash. The choice of the useful spirit is based on the six relative relationships—father, brother, son, wealth, officer each govern their domains; the Response line serves as the supplementary useful spirit for those "not in the six relatives." The line-position system in this chapter is particularly subtle: the first line is the foot, the second the body, the third/fourth the gate/door, the fifth the road, and the sixth the place of sojourn—forming a spatial sequence from near to far. The determination of return dates through advance/retreat spirits, clash/combination, entering the Grave, and void mechanisms constitutes a systematic method of temporal inference.
In today's era of instant communication, the practical scenarios of "absent person divination" have been greatly reduced, but the reasoning method under information absence still offers insight. The core approach is: through "the state of the useful spirit" (whether it moves, whether it is held by combination, whether it enters the Grave) to judge the person's state of action (has set out, is detained, is trapped); through "the line position" to judge the person's spatial location; through "clash/combination" to judge the time node of return. This is remarkably similar to how modern people, when unable to contact someone, infer their whereabouts from their last activity time, mode of transport, and schedule. The concept of "Combination holding" is especially worthy of attention—it reveals a profound reality: people do not return, often not because they do not want to, but because something "holds" them. This analysis of the state of "being unable to act freely" corresponds in modern psychology to the theory of "situational constraints."
"People driven by fame and profit forget the joy of their native place; with no news from home, everything is inferred from the Zhou Yi hexagrams"—this opening reveals an eternal anthropological theme: departure and return. The deeper philosophical meaning of absent-person divination lies in treating "separation" as an anomalous state requiring explanation, while "return" is the restoration of order. The states of being held by Combination, entering the Grave, or hidden are all descriptions of a constriction of free will—the person wants to return but cannot. The Six Lines system's fine-grained analysis of "non-return" is actually a taxonomy of various "bonds" in human life: the bonds of documents, the bonds of profit, the bonds of lust, the bonds of disputes, the bonds of illness—these resonate deeply with the Buddhist concept of "bondage" (bandhana).
For divination about buying a boat, whether it is auspicious or not—judge in the same way as if the boat owner himself divines. If a boatman comes to divine himself, judge in the same way as house-residence divination for his family.
Six relatives holding the World—one can infer old or new. Wealth or Descendant holding the World: a new boat. Father holding the World: an old boat. Brother holding the World: half new half old. Ghost holding the World: disasters and fright, unfavorable.
Various ghosts moving—one can identify the location of the flaw. Metal ghost: missing nails. Earth ghost: insufficient caulking. Wood ghost: cracks. Water ghost: leaking holes. Fire ghost: dried and split due to burning. The first and second lines are the bow hold—favor Wealth/Blessing there. The fifth and sixth lines are the stern rudder—fear the presence of Officer/Brother there. Each position should be considered with its Six Spirit: facing Qing Long, Tian Xi, nobleman, Wealth/Blessing favors nobility and refined passengers aboard—lucky. The third and fourth lines are the midship hold—also suitable with Wealth/Blessing.
Father represents the boatman; it is unsuitable for him to be wounded or overcome. The Father is the boat itself and also the boatman. If flourishing, and not wounded/overcome by the Day Breaker or Sun/Month moving lines—auspicious. For buying a boat, Wealth quiet ensures the boat is sound with no damage.
Qing Long is the stern. Flourishing, moving, holding, giving life to, and Combining with the World—benefit and satisfaction. How could it be empty or punished?
Teng She is the mooring rope/cable. Void: dry and rotten, useless. Flourishing: firm, and profitable.
Bai Hu is the sail and mast. Bai Hu belongs to Wind—hence it is taken as the sail. If flourishing with Wealth/Blessing auspicious spirits, moving, holding, giving life to, and Combining with the World body, then the boat has a good sail and the wind lets it travel smoothly and quickly. If Bai Hu carries a baleful ghost or evil Sha, flourishing and moving to harm/overcome the World body, this is very unfavorable—loss by wind and capsizing.
Gou Chen is the iron anchor. Declining, imprisoned, or void: the boat has no iron anchor. With a Ghost overcoming the World: the anchor turns anomaly. Transforming into void/extinction: loss.
All six lines auspicious and not harming the body—roaming the four seas with no obstruction. Six lines giving life to and combining; Wealth/Blessing auspicious spirits flourishing, holding the World body; moving lines do not harm or overcome—then no place is unfavorable, and even wandering the five lakes and four seas is fortunate. If the Child (Water) Zi line holds the World, this boat harms lives.
Each tested hexagram method further examines taboos for sailing out and entering harbors. For example, if a Ghost/Brother facing Bai Hu on the Tai Sui line moves to punish/clash/overcome/harm the World body, storms and danger are certain; if additionally an evil spirit overcomes the World, it is greatly ominous.
The uniqueness of boat divination lies in mapping the ship's structure onto the line positions and six-relative system: the bow corresponds to lines 1–2, the midship to lines 3–4, the stern rudder to lines 5–6; the Father is both ship and boatman, Qing Long the stern, Teng She the mooring rope, Bai Hu the sail, Gou Chen the anchor. This is a micro-artifact–macro-hexagram correspondence system, demonstrating the ancient wisdom of "all things are accessible to the symbolic system." Each component is assessed through the Six Spirits and six relatives to judge its condition and fortune-bearing quality, creating a comprehensive "inspection sheet" for a ship.
In modern terms, boat divination can be viewed as an analog of vehicle purchase and safety inspection. Its core methodology—decomposing a complex piece of equipment into key components (bow, midship, stern, ropes, sails, anchors) and assessing each—is highly consistent with modern "equipment inspection checklists" in industry. Quantifying potential defects by Five Elements (Metal = missing nails; Water = leaks; Fire = dry cracks) is essentially fault taxonomy based on elemental attributes. And "Father as boatman should not be wounded or overcome" emphasizes the human factor: even if the equipment is good, if the operator suffers harm, it is still inauspicious—completely consistent with the "human–machine–environment" trinity in modern safety management.
Boat divination holds a special position within the Six Lines system because it addresses the relationship between humans and technological objects. The boat was one of humanity's earliest large-scale transportation technologies, embodying the will to conquer waterways. But the ancients keenly recognized that the boat's fate depended not only on the object (components) itself but also on the interaction of human (boatman) and nature (wind, water). The ideal of "all six lines auspicious, not harming the body" describes a harmonious coordination of technology, human, and nature. This holism contrasts interestingly with Heidegger's critique of technology as "Enframing" (Gestell)—the ancient view of technology is not one of conquest but of harmonization.
To earn one's living among willows and blossoms—that is the trade of the singing girl and courtesan; to perceive fortune and misfortune in the subtlest signs—that is the function of the yarrow stalks and the tortoise shell. Setting foot in the flower streets and willowing lanes, taking lodging on those thoroughfares. Outside the doors, a hurly-burly of young gallants and lovestruck sons; before the windows, a crowd of singing and dancing beauties.
For tranquility, the World must not be clashed or overcome; for satisfaction, the Response should give life and support. Whenever a pleasure-house operator divines about residence or business, take the World as the operator herself, and the Response as the patrons. If the Month Breaker, Day Breaker, and moving lines do not punish, clash, overcome, or harm the World, the household is peaceful and everyone safe. If the Response comes to give life and combine—a completely auspicious hexagram, everything to one's liking. Even a normal householder's divination favors the Response giving life to and combining with the World—flourishing ambitions and fulfilled hopes. An empty Response is mostly unfavorable. An empty Response is especially unfavorable.
A Six Clash hexagram—people come and go but beware: guests may have no true affection or fruitful outcome. In a Six Clash hexagram you may have money being freely communicated as if drifting in and out with empty thoughts; then very costly by wandering idlers and unruly types. Seeing such cases for retail and enterprises involving a host of visitors requires special scrutiny.
Interpretive convention: If the six lines themselves lack binding due to being separated yet formed connections, obstacles from unexpected avenues may be introduced—as specific situations in case law prevent open counting for even a six-rank record. With Six Clash also increasing the pace that run-ins appear, returning as is then should focus events from their end other plan actions arriving transparent part formed than fact: history was set by accurate preceding essentials.*
In spirit, the passage says: when there is no coherence, connections are superficial, especially in frequented establishments where crowds come and go with no personal loyalties.
If a Six Clash hexagram also has an empty World/Response, or a Wealth line moving, there will be changes of residence or insecurity.
A Six Combination hexagram—morning and evening are pleasantly spent. A Six Combination is the most auspicious for a pleasure establishment, because harmony and mutual attachment mark the household within and gatherings in relation to affairs truly felt. In normal households hexagrams with prominent Compounds can also point to moral failures and ruin—while in pleasure-house applications they count positively because the diagnostic standard adjusts to the calling. Excess even of yang ties following customs conversely warned but does not exempt from control is concerned to permit for most primary difference listed breaking in:
Wealth void—the money tree must beware toppling. Wealth represents the working girls. If it voids itself without cause, or is declining/dead and receives overcome, a girl perishes. Stacked Wealth multiplicities require equal use facilities to support abundant attractions. Flourishing/strong makes beauties; declining makes girls plain—far can appear wrong as critical will states. Penal rulings afflict ail progress by empty case shapes done differently for greater ancient trust constraints such account the true key gates tested from volume lead outward many leaves irrelevant different port actual deep seam ends from extra written partial standlines*.
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