BaZi: 用神 Useful God, 杂气 Mixed Qi

杂气 - ZaQi, mixed Qi or miscellaneous Qi is a term frequently used to describe the Qi under Earth EBs i.e Chen Xu Chou and Wei.

ZPZQ says:

四墓者，杂气也，何以谓之杂气？以其所藏者多，用神不一，故谓之杂气也。如辰本藏戊，而又为水库，为乙余气，三者俱有，于何取用？然而甚易也，透干会取其清者用之，杂而不杂也。
The four tombs are mixed Qi, why is it called so? because there are many (Qi) hidden inside, that is why it is called mixed. Like Chen is basically Wu, but it is also the tomb of Water and the Residual Qi of Yi, there are three (Qi), how do we get the Useful (God)?, it is actually quite easy, those that protrude or is combined (3 combination or 3 meetings) and is thus become clear is used (as the Useful God), it is mixed but not mixed.


This paragraph tells use there are 2 ways to determine Useful God for an Earth month EB.
1. To look for a HS that protrude from the Month EB
2. To look for a combination or meeting involving the Month EB

Next ZPZQ continues to explain what is protruding and meeting / combination.


何谓透干？如甲生辰月，透戊则用偏财，透癸则用正印，透乙则用月劫是也。
What does it mean by protruding in the stem? Such as Jia born in the month of Chen, with Wu protruding the Use(ful God) is Indirect Wealth, with Gui protruding the Use(ful God) is Direct Seal, with Yi protruding the Use(ful God) is YueJie.

何谓会支？如甲生辰月，逢申与子会局，则用水印是也。
What does it mean by meeting (and combination) in the branches? Like Jia born in the month of Chen, meeting Shen and Zi to form (water frame), thus the Use(ful God) is Seal.

一透则一用，兼透则兼用，透而又会，则透与会并用。
One that is protruding means there is one Use(ful God), When there are more than 1 protruding at the same time, the elements are Use together, protruding and combination if happens together, then element that is protruding and the element that is resulted from the meeting are Used together. (Use as in regarded as Useful God)

其合而有情者吉，其合而无情者则不吉。
And if the match is affectionate, it is auspicious, if the match is not affectionate, it is not auspicious.

何谓有情？顺而相成者是也。
What does it mean by (being) Affectionate? It 'follows', and (the Gods) mutually complete.

如甲生辰月，透癸为印，而又会子会申以成局，印绶之格，清而不杂，是透干与会支，合而有情也。
Like Jia born in the month of Chen, protruding Gui as Seal, and (Chen) meets Zi and Shen to form (water) frame, it is a Seal structure, Pure and not Impure, it is protruding in the stem and meeting in the branches, the matching is affectionate. (like Obama's chart)

又如丙生辰月，透癸为官，而又逢乙以为印，官与印相生，而印又能去辰中暗土以清官，是两干并透，合而情也。
Also, such as Bing born in the month of Chen, protruding Gui as Officer, and also meets Yi as Seal, Officer and Seal mutually engenders, and Seal can also get rid of the dark Earth inside Chen to clear the Officer (Wu earth is Food God for Bing DM, and Officer dislikes Food and Hurting Officer), it is both stems protruding together, matching and affectionate.

又如甲生丑月，辛透为官，或巳酉会成金局，而又透己财以生官，是两干并透，与会支合而有情也。
Also, such as Jia born in the month of Chou, Xin penetrates as Officer, and meets Si and You in the branches to form Metal Frame, and also Ji Wealth protrudes to engender Officer, that is 2 stems protruding simultaneously, and it matches with the combination between the branches and is regarded as Affectionate.

Affection 有情 is a very important concept for classical BaZi, ZPZQ seems to explain this concept in many of its chapters. Unlike modern BaZi that stresses on the strength of the DayMaster, classical BaZi emphasizes more on the way of the Useful God is used, if it is used correctly, the chart is regarded as Affectionate, if it is not used correctly, then it is not affectionate.

何谓无情？逆而相背者是也。
What does it mean by Not Affectionate? it is against and (the Gods) turn their backs against each other.

如壬生未月，透己为官，而地支会亥卯以成伤官之局，是透官与会支，合而无情者也。
Like Ren born in the month of Wei, Ji penetrates as Officer, and the branches meets Hai and Mao to form a Hurting Officer frame, that is penetrating Officer and combination of the branches (that resulted in a Hurting Officer), the match is not affectionate.

又如甲生辰月，透戊为财，又或透壬癸以为印，透癸则戊癸作合，财印两失，透壬则财印两伤，又以贪财坏印，是两干并透，合而无情也。
Also such as Jia born in the month of Chen, Wu penetrates as Wealth, or also penetrating are Ren or Gui as Seals, if Gui penetrates, it combines with Wu, and thus Wealth and Seal are both lost, if Ren penetrates, Wealth and Seal are both injured, also that is called 'to be greedy of Wealth and break the Seal' is two Stems that protruding together with a inaffectionate match.

又如甲生戌月，透辛为官，而又透丁以伤官，月支又会寅会午以成伤官之局，是两干并透，与会支合而无情也。
Also such as Jia born in the month of Xu. Xin penetrates as Officer, also penetrating is Xin as Hurting Officer, Month branch meets Yin and Wu to form a Hurting Officer frame, two stems protruding together, and with the combinations of the branches, result in an inaffectionate match.

又有有情而卒成无情者，何也？
Also there are (charts) that is affectionate but eventually becomes inaffectionate, why?


如甲生辰月，逢壬为印，而又逢丙，印绶本喜泄身为秀，似成格矣，而火能生土，似又助辰中之戊，印格不清，是必壬干透而支又会申会子，则透丙亦无所碍。
Like Jia born in the month of Chen, meets Ren as Seal, also meets Bing, Seal (structure) basically likes DM to be exhausted, that seems like a successful structure, and fire can engender Earth, and that fire is assisting the Earth inside Xu, so the Seal structure is not clear, in this case, it is better for Ren to protrude while the branches meets Shen and Zi (to form a water frame), so the protrusion of Bing does not hinder (the Seal)

又有甲生辰月，透壬为印，虽不露丙而支逢戌位，戌与辰冲，二者为月冲而土动，干头之壬难通月令，印格不成，是皆有情而卒无情，富而不贵者也。
Also there's Jia born in the month of Chen, Ren protrude as Seal, although Bing does not protrude, the Branches see a Xu, Xu and Chen clash and Earth is moved, the Ren on stem has difficulties connecting to the Month Branch, the Seal structure is not successful, that is (example of) an affectionate (chart) that is eventually not affectionate, wealthy but not noble people.

又有无情而终有情者，何也？
Also there are (charts) that seem inaffectionate but eventually is affectionate, why?

如癸生辰月，透戊为官，又有会申会子以成水局，透干与会支相克矣。然所克者乃是劫财，譬如月劫用官，何伤之有？
Like Gui born in the month of Chen, Wu protrudes as Officer, also meets Shen and Zi to form a water frame, protruding is mutually countering with the combination. But the one that is being countered or countering is Rob Wealth, it is like YueJie structure that uses Officer, what injury does it bring?

Note: Rob Wealth structure likes to use Officer.

又如丙生辰月，透戊为食，而又透壬为煞，是两干并透，而相克也。然所克者乃是偏官，譬如食神带煞，煞逢食制，二者皆是美格，其局愈贵。是皆无情而终为有情也。
Also there's Bing fire born in the month of Chen, Wu penetrates as Food, also protruding is Ren as Devil, there's two stems that are protruding together, and they both counter each other, but then the one being countered is the Indirect Officer, it is likened to a Food God carrying the Devil or Devil being controlled by Food, both of them are beautiful structures, these frames are more noble. It is inaffectionate (at first) but eventually become affectionate.