BaZi: ZPZQ - To combine or not to combine?

原文：十干化合之义，前篇既明之矣，然而亦有合而不合者，何也？
The meaning of combination and transformation is already explained in the previous chapter, but still there are cases where combination is actually not combining, why?


原文：盖隔于有所间也，譬如人彼此相好，而有人从中间之，则交必不能成。譬如甲与己合，而甲己中间，以庚间隔之，则甲岂能越克我之庚而合己？此制于势然也，合而不敢合也，有若无也。
That is because they are separated, sort of like (two) people liking each other, but there's someone else in between, so the matching will not have result. For example Jia combines with Ji, but in between there's Geng, how can Jia pass through Geng that counter itself to combine with Ji? This naturally restrains the intensity, combine but does not dare to combine, the combination is there but actually it's not there.


原文：又有隔位太远，如甲在年干，己在时上，心虽相契，地则相远，如人天南地北，不能相合一般。然于有所制而不敢合者，亦稍有差，合而不能合也，半合也，其为祸福得十之二三而已。
Also, it could be that they are separated by a distance, like Jia on Year stem while Ji is on hour stem, even though their hearts are getting along well, but the distance is too far, like people on southern heaven and northern earth, cannot be together like normal, and this relative to the one that is restrain has some difference, combine but cannot combine, half combine, it's auspiciousness or inauspiciousness becomes like 20 to 30% only.


原文：又有合而无伤于合者，何也？如甲生寅卯，月时两透辛官，以年丙合月辛，是为合一留一，官星反轻。
Also, there's combination that does not injure the combined entity, why? like Jia born of Yin and Mao, on Month and Hour protrude 2 Officers, so the Year Bing would combine with the Month Xin, one is combined and another is left. Officer star has become lighter.

Trey: 2 Officer stars is inauspicious.


甲逢月刃，庚辛并透，丙与辛合，是为合官留煞，而煞刃依然成格，皆无伤于合也。
Jia born in the month of Blade (Mao), where Geng and Xin are protruding together, Bing combines with Xin is 'combining Officer leaving Devil', so Devil + Blade complete the structure, that it is not injured by the combination.


原文：又有合而不以合论者，何也？本身之合也。
Also, there are combination that is not regarded as combination, why? as they involve combining with Self (DM)


盖五阳逢财，五阴遇官，俱是作合，惟是本身十干合之，不为合去。
That is 5 Yangs seeing Wealth, 5 Yins meeting Officer, although they matches, it involves Self and thus it is not regarded as 'combined away'


假如乙用庚官，日干之乙，与庚作合，是我之官，是我合之。
For example Ji DM uses Geng Officer, the DM of Yi matches with Geng Officer, that is my Officer, my combination.


何为合去？若庚在年上，乙在月上，则月上之乙，先去合庚，而日干反不能合，是为合去也。
What does it mean by 'combined away'?, If Geng is on Year stem while another Yi is on month Stem, that Geng will combine with Yi on the month Stem, and DM would have nothing to combine, that is called 'combined away'


又如女以官为夫，丁日逢壬，是我之夫，是我合之，正如夫妻相亲，其情愈密。
As woman uses Officer as husband, Ding DM seeing Ren, it's my husband, my combination, it's like husband and wife loving each other, that relationship becomes closer.


惟壬在月上，而年丁合之，日干之丁，反不能合，是以己之夫星，被姊妹合去，夫星透而不透矣。
It fears that Ren is on the month stem while another Ding is on the Year stem, then Ding DM cannot combine, that is like my husband is being combined away by my sister, the Officer that is protruding is like not protruding.


原文：用神之情，不向日主，或日主之情，不向用神，皆非美朕也。
When the affection of the Useful God is not towards the DM, or when the affection of the DM is not towards the Useful God, these are not beautiful unions.


然又有争合妒合之说，何也？

Also there are sayings of 'rivalry combination' or 'jealousy combination', what is it?

如两辛合丙，两丁合壬之类，一夫不娶二妻，一女不配二夫，所以有争合妒合之说。

Like 2 Bings combining with Xin, 2 Dings combining with Ren, one husband cannot take 2 wives, one woman cannot marry 2 husbands, that is why they say 'rivalry combination' and 'jealousy combination'.

然到底终有合意，但情不专耳。

There is intention to combine, but the affection is not exclusive.

若以两合一而隔位，则全无争妒。如庚午、乙酉、甲子、乙亥，两乙合庚，甲日隔之，此高太尉命，仍作合煞留官，无减福也。

If there's 2 combining one but is separated by a distance, it has no rivalry or jealousy.

Like

Yi     Jia     Yi     Geng

Hai   Zi      You   Wu

Two Yis combining with Geng, one is separated by Jia DM, thus is a chart of Grand Commander Gao. This should be analyzed as 'Combining with Devil, leaving Officer' does not discount any blessings.

BaZi: ZPZQ - 论印绶 Discuss Seal and ribbon

论印绶
Discuss Seal and ribbon


原文：印绶喜其生身，正偏同为美格，故财与印不分偏正，同为一格而论之。印绶之格局亦不一，有印而透官者，正官不独取其生印，而即可以为用，与用煞者不同。故身旺印强，不愁太过，只要官星清纯，如丙寅、戊戌、辛酉、戊子，张参政之命是也。

Seal and ribbon likes to engender Self, Direct or Indirect are both beautiful structures, that is because for Wealth and Seal, Direct and Indirect are not separated (analyzed as different structures). There are many types of Seal structure, there is a Seal structure with protruding Officer, Officer is not only for engendering Seal, it is also Usable (as a Useful God), that is different from using Devil. Thus when Self is prosperous and Seal is strong, it does not matter (if officer) is overly strong, only that Officer has to be clear and pure, like

Wu Xin Wu Bing
Zi   You Xu Yin

The chart of Minister Zhang.


原文：然亦有带伤食而贵者，则如朱尚书命，丙戌、戊戌、辛未、壬辰，壬为戊制，不伤官也。又如临淮侯命，乙亥、己卯、丁酉、壬寅，己为乙制，己不碍官也。
There's also (charts) with Hurting Officer and Food God and (they are) noble (charts), like

the chart of minister Zhu

Ren Xin Wu Bing
Chen Wei Xu Xu

Because Ren is restraining Wu so Wu cannot hurt the Officer.

Also the chart of Duke LinHuai

Ren  Ding  Ji     Yi
Yin  You  Mao Hai

Ji is controlled by Yi thus Ji cannot hinder Officer.


原文：有印而用伤食者，身强印旺，恐其太过，泄身以为秀气。如戊戌、乙卯、丙午、乙亥，李状元命也，若印浅身轻，而用层层伤食，则寒贫之局矣。

There's Seal that uses Hurting Officer or Food, when Self is strong and Seal is prosperous, it could be excessive, exhausting self becomes elegant Qi,

Yi  Bing Yi   Wu
Hai Wu Mao Xu

Chart of Lee, the person who scored the highest in the imperial examination, when Seal is shallow and Self is light with many outputs, the structure becomes cold and poor.


原文：有用偏官者，偏官本非美物，藉其生印，不得已而用之。故必身重印轻，或身轻印重，有所不足，始为有性。如茅状元命，己巳、癸酉、癸未、庚申，此身轻印重也。马参政命，壬寅、戊申、壬辰、壬寅，此身重印轻也。若身印并重而用七煞，非孤则贫矣。

There's (structure) that uses Indirect Officer, Indirect Officer is originally not something good, but when there's no other choice, it must be used. Thus, Self must be heavy and Seal light, or Self light and Seal heavy, what is there (should be) inadequate, then it has temperament (meaning the chart can behave in a good way).

Like the chart of Mr Mao, who scored first in the imperial exam,

Geng Gui Gui Ji
Shen Wei You Si

This is light Self with heavy Seal.

Or the chart of Minister Ma

Ren Ren Wu Ren
Yin Chen Shen Yin

This is heavy Self with light Seal.

If Self and Seal are both strong, and uses 7K, the person would either be alone / solitary or poor.


原文：有用煞而兼带伤食者，则用煞而有制，生身而有泄，不论身旺印重，皆为贵格。

There's a chart that uses Devil and carries the outputs, that is using Devil and it is restrained, engenders Self and there's exhaustion, it does not matter is Self is prosperous and Seal is heavy, all are regarded as noble structure.


原文：有印多而用财者，印重身强，透财以抑太过，权而用之，只要根深，无防财破。如辛酉、丙申、壬申、辛亥，汪侍郎命是也。若印轻财重，又无劫财以救，则为贪财破印，贫贱之局也。

There are charts with many Seals that use Wealth, that Seal is heavy and Self is strong, protruding Wealth would suppress the overly strong Seal, rightly used, when the root is deep, it does not matter if it is broken by Wealth.

Like

Xin Ren Bing Xin
Hai Shen Shen You,

Chart of Minister Wang. If Seal is light and Wealth is heavy without being rescued by Rob Wealth, it is regarded as 'greedy of Wealth and broken Seal', a lowly and poor structure.


原文：即或印重财轻而兼露伤食，财与食相生，轻而不轻，即可就富，亦不贵矣。然亦有带食而贵者，何也？如庚寅、乙酉、癸亥、丙辰，此牛监薄命，乙合庚而不生丙，所以为贵，若合财存食，又可类推矣。如己未、甲戌、辛未、癸巳，此合财存食之贵也。

And if Seal is heavy, Wealth is light with protruding outputs, Wealth and Seal mutually engendering, so light is not really light, the person can be rich but not noble. But there are also structures with protruding outputs that can be noble, why?

Like

Bing Gui Yi Geng
Chen Hai You Yin

Chart of minister Niu, Yi and Geng is combined and thus it does not engender Bing, thus is noble, if Wealth is combined and Food is saved, it can be analyzed like this example. Like

Gui Xin Jia Ji
Si Wei Xu Wei

This chart has Wealth combined and Food saved, and is noble.

Trey: I dont know how to translate the titles of the people used by Master Shen, so I'll just write minister or general'

原文：又有印而兼透官煞者，或合煞，或有制，皆为贵格。如辛亥、庚子、甲辰、乙亥，此合煞留官也；壬子、癸卯、丙子、己亥、此官煞有制也。

Also there's Seal with Officer and Devil protruding together, if Devil is combined, if there is restraint, it is a noble structure.

Like

Yi    Jia    Geng    Xin
Hai Chen   Zi       Hai

This one has Devil combined and Officer saved;

Ji  Bing Gui Ren
Hai Zi Mao Zi

This one has restraint

原文：至于化印为劫；弃之以就财官，如赵知府命，丙午、庚寅、丙午、癸已，则变之又变者矣。

And as for 'Transforming Seal to become Rob Wealth'; thus it is abandoned to follow Wealth and Officer, like the chart of Governor Zhao,

Gui Bing Geng Bing
Si    Wu   Yin   Wu

That changes again and again.

原文：更有印透七煞，而劫财以存煞印，亦有贵格，如庚戌、戊子、甲戌、乙亥是也。然此格毕竟难看，宜细详之。

Also there's Seal with protruding 7K, and Rob Wealth to save Devil and Seal, for this type, there are also noble structures, like

Yi   Jia Wu Geng
Hai Xu  Zi    Xu

This type of chart is difficult to read, and thus it is good to analyze in detail (carefully.)

BaZi: ZPZQ - 论偏官 Discussing Indirect Officer

ZPZQ says:


原文：煞以攻身，似非美物，而大贵之格，多存七煞。盖控制得宜，煞为我用，如大英雄大豪杰，似难驾驭，而处之有方，则惊天动地之功，忽焉而就。此王侯将相所以多存七煞也。
Devil attacks Self, so it is not a good thing, but structures of great nobility usually contain Devil. That is because when it is restrained, it is beneficial, Devil will become what I can use, it's like people of great talents are difficult to be managed, if they can be handled properly, they can achieve greatness. Charts of Kings, Dukes, Generals and Ministers generally contain 7K.


原文：七煞之格局亦不一：煞用食制者，上也，煞旺食强而身健，极为贵格。如乙亥、乙酉、乙卯、丁丑，极等之贵也。
There are more than 1 type of 7K structure, the one that uses Food to control, is a high grade chart, when Devil is prosperous and Food is strong and Self is healthy, that is an extremely noble chart. Like


Ding   Yi     Yi    Yi
Chou Mao You Hai


Extremely noble.

原文：煞用食制，不要露财透印，以财能转食生煞，而印能去食护煞也。
Devil that uses Food to restrain, does not want to have exposed Wealth or protruded Seal, as Wealth can transform Food to Devil and Seal can counter Food to save Devil.


然而财先食后，财生煞而食以制之，或印先食后，食太旺而印制，则格成大贵。
And if Wealth is First and Food is after, Wealth can engender 7K for Food to counter, or Seal First and Food after, Food is too prosperous and is restrained by Seal, the structure becomes greatly noble.


如脱丞相命，壬辰、甲辰、丙戌、戊戌，辰中暗煞，壬以透之，戊坐四支，食太重而透甲印，以损太过，岂非贵格？

Like the chart of Prime Minister Tuo:

Wu Bing Jia Ren
Xu Xu Chen Chen

Within Chen there's an obscured Devil, with Ren protruding, and Wu sitting on 4 EBs, thus Food is too heavy and so Jia Seal is protruded to damage the overly strong (Seal), how can it not be a noble structure?


若煞强食泄而印露，则破局矣。
If Devil is strong, Food is exhausted and Seal protrudes, it is a broken structure.


亦有煞重身轻，用食则身不能当，不若转而就印，虽不通根月令，亦为无情而有情。格亦许贵，但不大耳。
There's also charts where Devil is heavy while Self is light, to use Food would be extra burden for the DM, thus it is better to turn to use Seal instead, even though Seal will not be rooted in Month's decree, which is not affectionate but it is still a little affectionate, the structure can be noble but would not be great.


原文：有煞而用财者，财以党煞，本非所喜，而或食被制，不能伏煞，而财以去印存食，便为贵格。
There are also charts with Devil using Wealth, Wealth can shield devil and thus it is not good, but when Food is being countered it cannot restrain Devil, Wealth can get rid of Seal to save Food and that becomes a noble structure.


如周丞相命，戊戌、甲子，丁未、庚戌，戊被制不能伏煞，时透庚财，即以清食者，生不足之煞。生煞即以制煞，两得其用，尤为大贵
Like the chart of Prime Minister Zhou,
Geng Ding   Jia  Wu
Xu     Wei   Zi    Xu

Wu is restrained and thus it cannot manage the Devil, on the hour pillar Geng Wealth protrudes, thus it 'clears the Food' (from being countered by Seal), and then it engenders the inadequate Devil. Engendered 7K is being controlled, both are being used, and thus it is greatly noble.


原文：又有身重煞轻，煞又化印，用神不清，而借财以清格，亦为贵格。如甲申、乙亥、丙戌、庚寅，刘运使命是也。
Also there are charts with heavy DM and light Devil, Devil is further transformed to Seal, thus the Useful God is not clean, and it borrows wealth to clear the chart and it becomes noble.

Like

Geng   Bing   Yi      Jia
Bing    Xu    Hai    Shen


The chart of transportation minister(?) Liu

原文：更有杂气七煞，干头不透财以清用，亦可取贵。
Also, there's mixed Qi 7K, when Wealth is not protruding in the stems, it can be used in a clean manner, and thus it can be noble.


原文：有煞而杂官者，或去官，或去煞，取清则贵。
There are charts with Devil mixed with Officer, when Officer is gone, or when Devil is gone, the chart clears up and becomes noble

Trey: 'gone' means been combined away or countered away.

如岳统制命，癸卯、丁巳、庚寅、庚辰，去官留煞也。
Like the chart of General Yue

Geng  Geng   Ding     Gui
Chen  Yin      Si        Mao

Officer is gone and Devil stays. (Ding is countered by Gui and Si is saved)

夫官为贵气，去官何如去煞？
When Officer represents the Qi of nobility, how can getting rid of Officer can be compared to getting rid of Devil?

岂知月令偏官，煞为用而官非用，各从其重。
When the Month's Decree is Indirect Officer, Devil is used and Officer is not used, and that is how we weigh (the importance)


若官格杂煞而去官留煞，不能如是之清矣。
If it is an Officer structure that is mixed with Devil, and then Officer is gotten rid of while Devil is saved, it is not as clean.

如沈郎中命，丙子、甲午、辛亥、辛卯，子冲午而克煞，是去煞留官也。
Like the chart of Imperial Guard(?) Shen,

Xin   Xin    Jia    Bing
Mao Hai   Wu    Zi

Zi is clashed with Wu and thus it counters Devil, the devil is gone and Officer saved.


原文：有煞无食制而用印当者，如戊辰、甲寅、戊寅、戊午、赵员外命是也。
Also, there's Devil that is not restrained by Food, but it's useful to Seal,

Such as

Wu   Wu   Jia    Wu
Wu   Yin   Yin  Chen

Chart of ministry councillor Zhao

原文：至书有制煞不可太过之说，虽亦有理，然运行财印，亦能发福，不可执一也，乃若弃命从煞，则于外格详之。
In books, there's a saying that Devil must not be overly restraint, this is reasonable, thus when Luck goes to Wealth or Seal, one can be successful, then there's 'Abandoning Life to Follow Devil structure (follow 7K)'. This should be analyzed as external (special) structure.

End of chapter

BaZi: ZPZQ - 论财 Wealth Discussion

It's a boring Saturday afternoon and I'm studying ancient Chinese bazi charts

ZPZQ says:



财为我克，使用之物也，以能生官，所以为美。为财帛，为妻妾，为才能，为驿马，皆财类也。
Wealth is something that I control and thus I can use, it can engender Officer, that is why it is good. It represents wealth (money), wives and concubines, talents and capabilities, post horse, all that is related to wealth.


财喜根深，不宜太露，然透一位以清用，格所最喜，不为之露。
Wealth (star) likes to be deeply rooted, it's not good to be too exposed, and if there's only one protruding and is used, that is most desired for (wealth) structure, it is not regarded as too exposed.


即非月令用神，若寅透乙、卯透甲之类， 一亦不为过，太多则露矣。
Even if it's not the Useful God from the Month's Decree, if it is like Yin with protruding Yi, or Mao with protruding Jia, one is not too much, many is considered exposed.


然而财旺生官，露亦不忌，盖露不忌，盖露以防劫，生官则劫退，譬如府库钱粮，有官守护，即使露白，谁敢劫之？
And as for 'Prosperous Wealth engendering Officer', (having wealth) exposed is not dreadful, that is because Officer can prevent Robbery (Rob Wealth), when Officer is engender, Rob Wealth would retreat, it's like the food storage that belongs to the government, guarded by the officer, even if the food storage is exposed, who would dare to rob?


如葛参政命，壬申、壬子、戊午、乙卯，岂非财露？唯其生官，所以不忌也。
Like the chart of minister Ge,


Yi Wu Ren Ren

Mao Wu Zi Shen


Is it not that wealth is exposed? but it is engendering Officer, so that is okay.


Trey:

Wu born in Zi month with 2 Rens protruding,Ren (wealth) engenders Yi (Officer), Officer could guard the wealth from being robbed.


财格之贵局不一，有财旺生官者，身强而不透伤官，不混七煞，贵格也
The noble structures for Wealth structures are many, there's 'Prosperous Wealth engendering Officer', Self is strong and Hurting Officer is not protruding, and it does not mix with 7K, that is a noble structure.

原文：有财用食生者，身强而不露官，略带一位比劫，益觉有情，如壬寅、壬寅、庚辰、辛巳，杨待郎之命是也。透官身弱，则格坏矣.
There's Wealth that is engendered by Food, Self is strong and Officer is not exposed or if it carry one Compare Shoulder or Rob Wealth, that is still affectionate, like

Xin Geng Ren Ren
Si   Chen Yin Yin
Chart of Minister Yang,.

If Officer protrudes and Self is weak, structure is broken.

有财格佩印者，盖孤财不贵，佩印帮身，即印取贵。
Then there's 'Wealth structure adorned with Seal', that solitary Wealth is not noble, to adorn with Seal to support self, and Seal can grant nobility.


如乙未、甲申、丙申、庚寅，曾参政之命是也，然财印宜相并，
like

Geng Bing Jia Yi

Yin Shen Shen Wei

Chart of minister Cheng, with Wealth and Seal protruding together.




如乙未、己卯、庚寅、辛巳，乙与己两不相能，即有好处，小富而已。
like

Xin Geng Ji Yi

Si Yin Mao Wei

Yi and Ji does not enable each other, even if it's still good, it's only a little wealthy.


有用食而兼用印者，食与印两不相碍，或有暗官而去食护官，皆贵格也。
There's one that uses Food but also uses Seal at the same time. Food and Seal should not hinder each other, of if there's hidden Officer and Food is discarded to protect the Officer, these are noble structures.


如吴榜眼命，庚戌、戊子、戊子、丙辰，庚与丙隔两戊而不相克，是食与印不相碍也。
Like the chart of BangYan Wu (the person who came second in imperial exam)

Bing Wu Wu Geng

Chen Zi Zi Xu

That Geng and Bing does not counter each other, Seal and Food does not hinder each other.


如平江伯命，壬辰、乙巳、癸巳、辛酉，虽食印相克，而欲存巳戊官，是去食护官也。反是则减福矣
Like the chart of Ping JiangBo,

Xin Gui Yi Ren

You Si Si Chen

Even if Food and Seal counter each other, but it is desired to save Si Wu Officer, and thus to discard Food to protect Officer, but it also reduces the blessing.


Trey: This is confusing, Gui born in Si is Wealth structure, but Xin protrudes changes that Useful God to Seal, Seal counters Food, the text says this is good because Seal is protecting Wu earth Officer inside Si, I don't know why.. it seems strange to me.


有财用伤官者，财不甚旺而比强，辂露一位伤官以化之，
There's Wealth that uses Hurting Officer, Wealth is not really prosperous but parallels are strong, when one Wealth is exposed, Hurting Officer can transform parallels to Wealth.

如甲子、辛未、辛酉、壬辰，

like

Ren Xin Xin Jia

Chen You Wei Zi


甲透未库，逢辛为劫，壬以化劫生财，汪学士命是也，财旺无劫而透伤，反为不利，盖伤官本非美物，财轻透劫，不得已而用之。
Jia is protruding from it's storage Wei, seeing Xin as Rob (compare shoulders are sometimes referred as rob wealth too), Ren transforms Rob to engenders Wealth, it's the chart of Imperial secretary Wang, prosperous Wealth without Rob and protruding Hurt is not good, as Hurting Officer is not something good, but when Wealth is weak and Rob is protruding, there was no other choice but to use Hurting Officer.

旺而露伤，何苦用彼？徒使财遇伤而死生官之具，安望富贵乎？
When Wealth is prosperous and Hurt is protruding, why does it need to use Hurt? When wealth is prosperous Hurting Officer could counter Officer, how could it hope to be wealthy and noble?

有财带七煞者，或合煞存财，或制煞生财，皆贵格也，
There's Wealth that carries 7K, if 7K is combined and Wealth is saved or if 7K is controlled and Wealth is engendered, these are noble structures

如毛状元命，乙酉、庚辰、甲午、戊辰，合煞存财也；
Like ZhuangYuan Mao chart


Wu Jia Geng Yi

Chen Wu Chen You

7K is combined and Wealth is saved.


李御史命，庚辰、戊子、戊寅、甲寅，制煞生财也。
Like the imperial ambassador Li chart


Jia Wu Wu Geng

Yin Yin Zi Chen

7K is controlled and Wealth engendered.

有财用煞印者，党煞为忌，印以化之，格成富局，若冬土逢之亦贵格。
There's Wealth that uses 7K and Seal, many 7K is a taboo, Seal is used to transform, the structure becomes a wealthy structure, if it's Earth born in Winter, it's also a noble structure.


如赵侍郎命，乙丑、丁亥、己亥、乙亥 化煞而即以解冻，又不露财以杂其印，所以贵也。
Like minister Zhao,

Yi Ji Ding Yi

Hai Hai Hai Chou

transforms 7K and defrosts the chart, wealth is not exposed to contaminate the Seal, that's why it is noble.


若财用煞印而印独，财煞并透，非特不贵，亦不富也。
If Wealth uses 7K and Seal and Seal is solitary, or Wealth and 7K are both protruding, it's neither Wealthy nor noble.


至于壬生午月，癸生巳月，单透财而亦贵，又月令有暗官也。
And as for Ren born in the month of Wu, or Gui born in the month of Si, even if only Wealth is protruding, it is considered noble, as the Month Decree has a hidden Officer.


如丙寅、癸巳、癸未、壬戌，林尚书命是也。
Like the chart of minister Lin.

Ren Gui Gui Bing

Xu Wei Si Yin



又壬生巳月，单透财而亦贵，以其透丙藏戊，弃煞就财，美者存在赠者弃也。
Also for Ren born in the month of Si, if only Wealth is protruding, it is also regarded as noble, as the protruded Bing has a hidden Wu, to abandon 7K and follow Wealth (does not mean DM follow Wealth), keep the good and discard the bad.

如丙辰、癸巳、壬戌、壬寅，王太仆命是也。
Like the chart of Grand Tutor Wang

Ren Ren Gui Bing

Yin Xu Si Chen


至于劫刃太重，弃财就煞，如一尚书命，丙辰、丙申、丙午、壬辰，此变之又变者也
If Yang Ren or Rob Wealth are too heavy, abandon Wealth to follow 7K,

Like the chart of some minister

Ren Bing Bing Bing

Chen Wu Shen Chen

End of chapter...

BaZi: ZPZQ - 论正官 Direct Officer Discussion

The classics often holds Direct Officer in very high regards, Direct Officer is the leader of the 10 gods, a very auspicious god to have in the chart, the classics writes 官为抚身之本, 财为养身之源 - literally translated: Officer is the base that supports Self, Wealth is the resource that raises Self. Direct Officer mainly represents nobility, a person's status in the society. As Officer is engendered by Wealth, naturally someone with a lot of money would have a high status in the society.

ZPZQ says:

原文：以刑冲破害为忌，则以生之护之为喜矣。存其喜而去其忌则贵，而贵之中又有高低者，何也？以财印并透者论之，两不相碍，其贵也大。
(Direct Officer structure) dreads Punishment, Clashes, Breakage and Harm, likes to be engendered and protected. Keep the 'likeness' and get rid of the 'taboo' is noble, and there's higher and lower nobility, why is that so? For Wealth and Seal are both protruding, and they do not hinder each other, its nobility is great.




如薛相公命，甲申、壬申、乙巳，戊寅，壬印戊财，以乙隔之，水与土不相碍，故为大贵。
Like the chart of Prime Minister Xue,

         DM
Wu    Yi       Ren    Jia
Yin    Si       Shen     Shen

With Yi standing in between (Ren and Wu), water and earth does not hinder each other, thus this is great nobility


若壬戌、丁未、戊甲、乙卯，杂气正官，透干会支，最为贵格，而壬财丁印，二者相合，仍以孤官无辅论，所以不上七品。
If

          DM
Yi       Wu     Ding    Ren
Mao   Shen   Wei     Xu

Mixed-Qi Direct Officer is protruding in the Stems and combined in the Branches, this is supposedly a very noble structure but Ren Wealth is combined with Ding Seal and thus the Officer star is left with no assistance, thus the rank of this government officer is not higher than the 7th grade.

Trey: Like SMTH, ZPZQ teaches the same rules, Direct Officer must not be punished, clashed, broken or harmed. I think this is agreed by all books I've read, this should be the first thing to look at when the Direct Officer structure is analyzed.

Direct Officer likes to be engendered by Wealth or protected by Seal. To be engendered by Wealth simply means that Wealth is protruding in the Stems or Wealth has a combination frame among the branches. The Seal protects Officer by countering or combining with the Hurting Officer.

The chart of Prime Minister Xue,

        DM
Wu    Yi     Ren   Jia
Yin     Si    Shen  Shen

Yi born in the month of Shen is naturally a Direct Officer structure, Wealth and Resource are both protruding, Wealth engenders and Seal protects, the good thing about this chart is that Wealth and Seal are separated by the DM, thus they don't counter each other. That makes the chart a very auspicious chart.

      DM
Yi    Wu   Ding  Ren
Mao Shen Wei   Xu

This chart has Wu DM born in the month of Wei with Yi Direct Officer protruding in the Stems, a chart that we call Mixed-Qi Direct Officer Structure. Like the previous chart, Ding Seal and Ren Wealth are also protruding, these are very auspicious signs, however Ding is next to Ren and they both combine into wood, leaving wood as the only element protruding. This case in called '孤官无辅' - The solitary Officer without assistance, which greatly reduces the auspiciousness of the Officer star.



ZPZQ says:

原文：若财印不以两用，则单用印不若单用财，以印能护官，亦能泄官，而财生官也。

If Wealth and Seal are not used together, to use only Seal is not as good as to use only Wealth, as Seal protects Officer but it also exhausts Officer, while Wealth engenders Officer.

若化官为印而透财，则又为甚秀，大贵之格也。

If (the Useful God) Officer is transformed into Seal and Wealth is protruding, that is very elegant, a structure of great nobility.

如金状元命，乙卯、丁亥、丁未、庚戌，此并用财印，无伤官而不杂煞，所谓去其忌而存其喜者也。

Such as the chart of ZhuangYuan Jin, (ZhuangYuan 状元 is the top scorer in the palace examination, whom were given high office in the government).

Geng      Ding     Ding      Yi

Xu         Wei       Hai       Mao

This chart uses both Wealth and Seal, there's no Hurting Officer and it does not mix with 7K, this is what is meant by keeping the good and discard the bad.

Trey: Ding born in the month of Hai is naturally a Direct Officer structure. However, water does not protrude while Yi wood is protruding. Hai-Mao-Wei transform to wood, the Useful God changes from Direct Officer to Seal. As Seal and Wealth are far away, they do not hinder each other. This becomes a high grade chart.

原文：然而遇伤在于佩印，混煞贵乎取清。

As for meeting Hurt, it (shall) be adorned with Seal, mixing Devil, noble is when to be purified.

如宣参国命，己卯、辛未、壬寅、辛亥，未中己官透干用清，支会木局，两辛解之，是遇伤而佩印也。

Like the chart of minister Xuan

Xin      Ren       Xin          Ji

Hai       Yin       Wei        Mao

Ji within Wei is protruding and used 'cleanly', in the branches Hai-Mao-Wei becomes a wood frame, while the two Xins emancipate them, that is meeting Hurt and adorned with Seal.

李参政命，庚寅、乙酉、甲子、戊辰，甲用酉官，庚金混杂，乙以合之，合煞留官，是杂煞而取清也。

The chart of minister Li

Wu       Jia        Yi          Geng

Chen     Zi         You       Yin

Jia uses You Officer, (Officer) is mixed with (7K) Geng metal, Yi combines (with Geng) and 7K is combined and Officer is left, this is 'mixing Devil but purified'

Trey:

Xin      Ren       Xin          Ji

Hai       Yin       Wei        Mao

This chart is also a Mixed-Qi Direct Officer structure, the Hai-Mao-Wei wood frame transforms to Hurting Officer. The sickness of the chart is Hurting Officer meeting Direct Officer. The 2 protruding Xins are Seals, they act to counter the HO and protect the DO. This is an example of a chart that has sickness and medicine.

Wu       Jia        Yi          Geng

Chen     Zi         You       Yin

This chart also has a sickness, Devil is mixed with Officer. The remedy is Yi wood which combines away  the Devil and keep the Officer. Charts with sickness and medicine are noble charts, as said by WuYanDuBu, 五言独步 - 有病方为贵 - With Sickness and Remedy as noble (structure).

ZPZQ says:

原文：至于官格透伤用印者，又忌见财，以财能去印，未能生官，而适以护伤故也。

As for Direct Officer structure with protruding Hurt and uses Seal, Wealth is a taboo, because Wealth can remove Seal and not necessarily can it engenders Officer, it is most likely to protect the Hurting Officer.

然亦有逢财而反大贵者，如范太傅命，丁丑、壬寅、己巳、丙寅，支具巳丑，会金伤官，丙丁解之，透壬岂非破格？却不知丙丁并透，用一而足，以丁合壬而财去，以丙制伤而官清，无情而愈有情。此正造化之妙，变幻无穷，焉得不贵？

But there are cases that has Wealth but it is of great nobility, like the chart of Grand Tutor Fan, 

Bing        Ji            Ren            Ding

Yin         Si            Yin             Chou

The branches has Si and Chou that forms a metal Hurting Officer frame, Bing and Ding emancipates but with protruding Ren is it not a broken structure? With Bing and Ding protruding, with only one being useful would suffice, and Ding is combined with Ren and thus Wealth is removed, and Bing countering Hurt and the Officer is cleaned, this seemingly in-affectionate chart is actually affectionate. That is the wonder of this chart,  endless form of transformation, how can it not be noble?

Trey:

Bing        Ji            Ren            Ding

Yin         Si            Yin             Chou

This chart has many layers:

Ji born in the month of Yin is naturally a Direct Officer structure, Si and Chou arch to form a metal frame, Metal Hurting Officer is meeting Officer 伤官见官, in this case Seal would be the remedy for this sickness. Both Ding and Bing are Seals that could counter the Hurting Officer. However Ren Wealth is present. Wealth could counter Seals and render them ineffective at countering Hurting Officers. The good thing is one of the Seals (Ding) is combined with Wealth (Ren) and the other Seal Bing is suffice to counter the Hurting Officer.

That's the end of the chapter. Have a nice day.

BaZi: Between Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch.

BaZi: Between Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch.

It had been a very hectic week and I could not update the blog as much as I wanted. I tried to write something but I could not think of anything because of exhaustion, most of my posts are left unfinished.

Anyway, in this post I'd like to translate a part of ZPZQ about the differences between HS and EB and how they function in a BaZi chart.

ZPZQ says:
原文：命中喜忌，虽支干俱有，而干主天，动而有为，支主地，静以待用，且干主一而支藏多，为福为祸，安不得殊？

Even though HS and EB have their own favorable and unfavorable (element, character), Stems primarily represent Heaven, it is moving and it acts, Branches primarily represent Earth, it is still and awaits use, and Stem is mainly one (element) while Branch hides many (elements), as fortune or misfortune, don't they have their own uniqueness? 

This paragraph tells some very important points, a BaZi chart is divided into Heaven and Earth, Heaven is occupied by the Stems, which belong to a certain single element and the Earth is occupied by the branches that are made of mixed elements. Also, Heaven moves and Earth is still, Heaven acts and Earth awaits, this sentence might be difficult to understand for non-classically trained practitioners so let me try to explain.

Heaven, the stems are the elements that 'acts' in a BaZi chart, that is because they moves, they engender and counter, support and exhausts. 

Earth, the branches are Gods that wait for instruction from Heaven, that is because they are 'still' (unmoving). The branches do not engender or counter, they punish, clash, break and harm (刑冲破害)

So when we choose a Useful God, we usually choose the one that protrudes to the Heaven, for example Jia born in Yin month with protruding Jia is regarded as JianLu structure, with the Useful God being Jia, a parallel. If Bing fire protrudes, then the chart is regarded as a Food God structure, with Bing Fire being the Useful God.

ZPZQ gives some examples here:

譬如甲用酉官，逢庚辛则官煞杂，而申酉不作此例。

For example Jia uses You Officer, meeting Geng and Xin, it becomes 'Officer and Devil mixed' (which is inauspicious), but Shen and You are not regarded as Such. 

If Jia wood is born in the month of You, metal takes command, if Geng protrudes, it's a 7K structure, if Xin protrudes, it's a Direct Officer structure, if both protrudes it's considered as DO mixed with 7K, a broken structure. However if we see Shen and You both existing in the earthly branches, we do not take them as DO mixed with 7K.

申亦辛之旺地，辛坐申酉，如府官又掌道印也。
Shen is also the prosperous place for Xin, Xin sits on Shen You is like the government officer who also has the seal of Tao. (I don't know what does the Seal of Tao mean)

逢二辛则官犯重，而二酉不作此例。
Meeting 2 Xins is regarded as double officer (which is not good), but seeing 2 You is not regarded as such.

辛坐二酉，如一府而摄二郡也，透丁则伤官，而逢午不作此例。
Xin sits on 2 You, is like a governor assimilating 2 regions, meeting Ding is regarded as Hurting Officer, but meeting Wu is not regarded as such.

丁动而午静，且丁己并藏，安知其为财也？
Ding moves and Wu is still, and Ding and Ji are both hidden, is it safe to know that it is wealth?

然亦有支而能作祸福者，何也？如甲用酉官，逢午酉未能伤，而又遇寅遇戌，不隔二位，二者合而火动，亦能伤矣。
Then there are branches that can be fortune and misfortune, why? such as Jia uses You Officer, meeting Wu, You still will not be injured, but also seeing Yin and Xu, they are not separated, 2 of them combine and fire moves, and that will cause injury (to the Officer).

即此反观，如甲生申月，午不制煞，会寅会戌，二者清局而火动，亦能伤矣。

And to look for the opposite perspective, Like Jia born in the month of Shen, Wu does not control 7K, seeing Yin and Xu, they clear the frame and fire moves, that also will injure (the 7K)

然必会有动，是正与干有别也。即此一端，余者可知。

That meeting will cause movement, that is the difference from the stems. From this one point, the others can be known.

Okay, the text says pretty much everything that we need to know about the difference between HS and EB and how they function in a BaZi chart. In summary, we analyze the interactions of Gods mainly from the Heavenly Stems, if there's a meeting or combination in the Earthly Branches, it will cause movement of the resultant elements, and that will influence of the interactions in the Heavenly Stems. 

Ciao

BaZi: 用神 Useful God, 气候 - Climate

BaZi: 用神 Useful God, 气候 - Climate

气候 QiHou - Climate in BaZi encompasses temperature and humidity. Master Xu LeWu proposed the use of 调候用神, that is the Climate adjustment Useful God under the topic of Useful God in his commentary on ZPZQ. His idea, imo is against the concept of Climate 气候 in ZPZQ, there's no such thing as 调候用神. What ZPZQ discusses is the influence of the Climate on the Useful God 用神配气候得失. Remember, Useful God is always derived from the month's branch, not taken anywhere else from the BaZi.

ZPZQ says:

论命惟以月令用神为主，然亦须配气候而互参之。譬如英雄豪杰，生得其时，自然事半功倍；遭时不顺，虽有奇才，成功不易。
To discuss Life, only the Month's Decree Useful God is regarded as the main (point), and then it has to be referred to the climate . Like heroes, bold people or talented people born at the right time, naturally his little efforts would result in a great return. If the timing is not right, even the person is extraordinarily talented, success is hard to come by.

This paragraph alone contradicts Master Xu LeWu's Climate adjustment Useful God concept. ZPZQ often emphasizes that Useful God has to come from the month's decree but Master Xu LeWu used to take the Useful God from everywhere. Anyway, let's forget about Master Xu LeWu and concentrate on ZPZQ.

是以印绶遇官，此谓官印双全，无人不贵。而冬木逢水，虽透官星，亦难必贵，盖金寒而水益冻，冻水不能生木，其理然也。
Is like Seal (Useful God) meeting Officer, it's called Seal and Officer both complete, not one with this chart that is not noble. But wood that is born in Winter, even with penetrating Officer star is difficult to be noble, that is because metal is chilly and water is easily frozen, frozen water cannot engender wood, that is the law of nature.


身印两旺，透食则贵，凡印格皆然。而用之冬木，尤为秀气，以冬木逢火，不惟可以泄身，而即可以调候也。
Self and Seal are both prosperous, protruding Food is noble, all Seal structures are like this. But if it is used on wood that is born in winter, it is exceptionally elegant, that is when winter wood meets fire, not only can it exhaust Self, it also can adjust the climate.

伤官见官，为祸百端，而金水见之，反为秀气。非官之不畏夫伤，而调候为急，权而用之也。
Hurting Officer meeting Officer will bring about hundreds of disasters, but if Metal (DM) Water (HO) sees (Officer), that becomes elegant. That is not because Officer is not afraid of being hurt, but adjusting the climate is urgent, that is rightly used.

伤官带煞，随时可用，而用之冬金，其秀百倍。
Hurting Officer carrying Devil, can be used anytime, but if it is used on Winter Metal, it's a hundred times more elegant.

伤官佩印，随时可用，而用之夏木，其秀百倍，火济水，水济火也。
Hurting Officer adorned with Seal, can be used anytime, but if it is used on Summer Wood, it's a hundred times more elegant, fire can be of help for water and vice versa.

伤官用财，本为贵格，而用之冬水，即使小富，亦多不贵，冻水不能生木也。
Huring Officer using Wealth, is basically a noble structure, but if it used for Winter water, it's only a small fortune, mostly not noble, as frozen water cannot engender wood.

伤官用财，即为秀气，而用之夏木，贵而不甚秀，燥土不甚灵秀也。
Hurting Officer using Wealth, is elegant, if used on Summer wood, it is noble but not elegant, parched earth is not efficacious nor handsome.

春木逢火，则为木火通明，而夏木不作此论；
Spring wood meeting fire, is termed as 木火通明 Wood and Fire brightly lit, but Summer Wood is not discussed as such;

秋金遇水，则为金水相涵，而冬金不作此论。
Autumn metal meeting water, is termed as 金水相涵 Metal and Water containing each other, but Winter metal is not discussed as such.

气有衰旺，取用不同也。
Qi can be weak or prosperous, to take the useful object would rely on the circumstance.

春木逢火，木火通明，不利见官；
Spring wood meeting fire, wood and fire brightly lit, it's not good to see Officer

而秋金遇水，金水相涵，见官无碍。
But Autumn metal meeting Water, Metal and Water containing each other, seeing Officer is okay.

假如庚生申月，而支中或子或辰，会成水局，天干透丁，以为官星，只要壬癸不透露干头，便为贵格，与食神伤官喜见官之说同论，亦调候之道也。
E.g Geng born in the month of Shen, and branches see Zi or Chen, meeting to form a water frame, Ding protrudes in HS, as Officer star, as long as Ren and Gui does not protrude, it is regarded as noble structure, that is how Food God and Hurting Officer likes seeing Officer (for Metal Water HO structure), that is also the Tao of climate adjustment.

食神虽逢正印，亦谓夺食，而夏木火盛，轻用之亦秀而贵，与木火伤官喜见水同论，亦调候之谓也。
Food God even when it meets Direct Resource, it is regarded as Taking away Food, but if wood is in Summer with prosperous fire, lightly use would be elegant and noble, that is the same logic as Metal Water Hurting Officer likes to meet officer, that is also the idea of climate adjustment.

Ciao 

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.

BaZi: 用神 Useful God - Overview

So far I had translated a number of the topics in ZPZQ related to the concept of Useful God, these concepts are the fundamental of BaZi analysis, according to traditional ZiPing method.

I'd like to do a recap on the chapters that I had translated.

用神 Yong Shen - Commonly known as the Useful God, is the God that resides in the Month's Branch.

顺用 Shun Yong - Follow Use, the way of using Benevolent Useful Gods

逆用 Ni Yong - Against Use, the way of using Not Benevolent Useful Gods

纯杂 Chun Za - Purity and Impurity, tells us if the Useful God is used the correct way or the wrong way

救应 Jiu Ying - If there's a Taboo God, a Rescue Response is needed to clear the chart

忌神 Ji Shen - Taboo God, the God that breaks the chart.

相神 Xiang Shen - Minister God, the God that makes the chart, the God that rescues the chart.

变化 Bian Hua - Useful God changes and transforms for the better or worse

有情 You Qing- Affection, the interactions among the Gods that makes a good structure

有力You Li- Strength, the strength of the Gods in the chart to make it a better structure.

Having known these concepts, let's take a look at some charts to test these theories.

Chart #1 - Bill Gates

Bill Gates

Bill Gates is one of the richest person in the world and that should be reflected in his chart

1. Ren water born in Late Autumn, 7K takes the command but 7K does not protrude.

2. Xin metal and Bing fire protrudes, so Useful God changes from 7K to Seal and Wealth, Useful God has changed for the better.

3. That makes this a double-structure, we can call the structure Wealth structure adorned with Seal 财格佩印. Both Wealth and Seal are the Useful Gods

4. The main requirement for Both Seal and Wealth to be used together is that they must not counter each other. In this case, both are separated by DM, and so that criterion is met

5. The transformation from 7K to Seal and Wealth and the proper placements of Seal and Wealth make this chart Affectionate, also a weak DM that is supported by useful Seal also indicates affection.

6. The roots of the Gods - Bing and Xin as well as DM makes this chart Strong (with strength)

This chart can be said to meet all the criteria that make it a good chart.


Chart #2 David Cameron

1. Xin metal born in Late autumn, with Wu Seal and Bing Officer protruding, also protruding is Xin, Compare Shoulders.

2. This is also a double-structure, Seal and Officer structure.

3. There's a half fire frame between Xu and Wu that strengthen the Officer while Chou and Xu both supports the Seal. Xin DM is supported by a Compare Shoulder on the hour stem. That makes this chart strong.

4. Also note that Compare Shoulder is located further away from the Seal and Officer and thus it does not compete with the DM for those auspicious Gods.

5. Like Barrack Obama's chart, this chart is very Pure,and a Pure chart signifies wealth and nobility.

That's all for the post today, I hope my readers enjoy what I had shared. Have a nice day.

PS: I'd appreciate if readers could contribute some reliable birth data of  famous people so that we could analyze them together.

BaZi: 用神 Useful God, 成败 Success Failure (cont)

用神因成得败因败得成

Useful God becomes a Failure because of its Success, and becomes a Success because of its Failure

八字之中，变化不一，遂分成败；而成败之中，又变化不测，遂有因成得败，因败得成之奇

Within BaZi, changes are many, it is divided into Success and Failure; and within Success or Failure, changes and transformation are unexpected, sometimes because (Useful God) is successful it becomes a Failure, sometimes (Useful God) becomes successful when it fails.

是故化伤为财，格之成也，然辛生亥月，透丁为用，卯未会财，乃以党煞，因成得败矣。

Is like when Hurt is transformed to Wealth, the chart is successful, but for Xin born in the month of Hai. Ding is protruding as usable, Mao and Wei combines to Wealth, that would shield the Devil, because of the success, (the chart) becomes a failure.

Hurting Officer engendering Wealth is originally a good structure, but in the case of Xin metal born in Hai with protruding Ding, it is actually a Hurting Officer controlling 7K structure, when Hai meets Mao and Wei, they are combined and transformed to Wealth, and Wealth engenders 7K and protects 7K from being countered by HO, thus the structure fails. 

印用七煞，格之成也，然癸生申月，秋金重重，略带财以损太过，逢煞则煞印忌财，因成得败也。如此之类，不可胜数，皆因成得败之例也。

Seal that uses 7K, is a successful structure, but Gui born in the month of Shen, Autumn metal is heavy and many, the plan is to carry Wealth to damage the over(ly strong Seal), but meeting Devil and Devil with Seal dreads Wealth, because of the success, it becomes a failure, cases like these are numerous.

Seal structure that uses 7K is originally a good structure, but in the case of Gui born in Shen month, Metal is very strong in autumn, and thus it is good for Wealth to counter Seal but with a 7K, Wealth would in turn engenders 7K and 7K support the Seal. Wealth would not be able to break the overly strong Seal.

官印逢伤，格之败也，然辛生戊戌月，年丙时壬，壬不能越戊克丙，而反能泄身为秀，是因败得成矣。

Officer and Seal meeting Hurt, is a failed structure but for Xin born in the month of Wu Xu, Year Steam is Bing and Hour Stem is Ren, Ren cannot overcome Wu to counter Bing and in turn Ren exhausts Self elegantly, that is because of Failure it becomes Successful. 

This sentence talks about an Seal structure that uses Officer, when Officer meets Hurting Officer, the structure is broken or in another word, failed, however if the positions of the gods are appropriate, the structure would become successful. Such as

Ren    Xin    Wu     Bing
X        X      Xu       X

Ren Hurting Officer cannot overcome Wu to counter Bing (because Wu is the 7K of Ren), thus the positions of the Gods are appropriate, Ren would in turn exhausts Self elegantly (exhausting self is another function of the output stars), and that makes Ren also favorable to the chart.

杀刃逢食，格之败也，然庚生酉月，年丙月丁，时上逢壬，则食神合官留杀，而官杀不杂，杀刃局清，是因败得成矣。。

7K and YR meeting Food is a failed structure, but for Geng born in the month of You, Year Stem is Bing and Month Stem is Ding, Hour Stem has Ren, that makes Food God combining with Officer to keep 7K, and Officer and 7K are not mixed, the structure of 7K and YR becomes clear, because of failure it is successful. 

This sentence talks about a YR structure that uses 7K, when meeting Food, the structure is broken but if the position of the Gods are appropriate, the structure could be successful, for example

Ren       Geng      Ding        Bing
X            X          You         X

You is the YangRen for Geng DM, as YR favors 7K, 7K is the first choice of use, but in this chart 7K is mixed with DO (considered a flaw), also 7K meets Food God, which is a taboo for YR uses 7K structure. but Ren Food God is combined with Direct Officer Ding, this clears up the chart from the two 'sicknesses' resulting in a successful structure.

如此之类，亦不可胜数，皆因败得成之例也.
Cases like this are many, because of failure the structure succeed.

This chapter explains the importance of having the Gods in proper places, as that could determine the eventual outcome from the interactions among the Gods.

BaZi: 用神 Useful God - 高低 High Low - Grade of BaZi charts

Grading of Useful Gods

The grade of a BaZi chart can easily tell the status of a person, whether the person is wealthy or poor, noble or lowly.

Affection and Strength

ZPZQ:

八字既有用神，必有格局，有格局必有高低，财官印食煞伤劫刃，何格无贵？何格无贱？由极贵而至极贱，万有不齐，其变千状，岂可言传？然其理之大纲，亦在有情无情、有力无力之间而已。

BaZi has Useful God, therefore there must be structures and frames, when there's structures and frames, they must have high and low (grade).

Wealth, Officer, Seal, Food, Devil, Hurt, Rob and Blade, which structure that has no nobility? which structure that has no lowliness? (Meaning all structures could have noble people as well as lowly people), from the extreme noble to the extreme low, ten thousands have dissimilitudes, its changes in the form of thousands circumstances, how can it be said to be focused? the great outline of its principles lies in (the concepts of) 'affectionate' and not 'affectionate', and in between (the concepts of) 'with strength' and 'without strength'

** I am not a good translator, my translations sound nonsensical sometimes

This paragraph tells us that all structures are equal when it comes to determining nobility and lowliness.

Wealth structure, Officer structure, Seal structure, Food structure, Devil (7K)structure, Hurting Officer structure, Rob Wealth structure, YangRen structure; there are all kinds of people with these structures ranging from the extremely rich with very high social status to the extremely poor with very low social status. In other words, not one structure is better than the others.

Grading of a chart is not based on what structure the chart is, rather it is based on how 'affectionate' and 'strong' the Gods are.

Affection

如正官佩印，不如透财，而四柱带伤，反推佩印。
For example Direct Officer adorned with Seal, is not as good as penetrating Wealth, but if the 4 Pillars carry Hurt, then it is recommended to adorn Seal.


故甲透酉官，透丁合壬，是谓合伤存官，遂成贵格，以其有情也。
Jia with penetrating You as Officer, Ding penetrates to combine with Ren, this is called 'combined with Hurting (Officer) to save the (Direct) Officer' and that successfully make a noble structure, and (that) is affectionate.


财忌比劫，而与煞作合，劫反为用。
Wealth does not like Compare and Rob (Compare shoulders and Rob Wealth). and if (Rob Wealth) combines with Devil, Rob becomes useful.


故甲生辰月，透戊成格，遇乙为劫，逢庚为煞，二者相合，皆得其用，遂成贵格，亦以其有情也。
Jia born in the month of Chen, with a protruding Wu (Wealth) structure is established, meeting Yi as Rob (wealth), meeting Geng as Devil, these 2 combines with each other, and their uses are obtained, (that) successfully make a noble structure, and is also affectionate.

When a structure is established with the presence of the Taboo God, a Rescue Response is needed, when the Rescue Response is present in the Chart, the condition is called 'Affectionate'.

Strength

身强煞露而食神又旺，如乙生酉月，辛金透，丁火刚，秋木盛，三者皆备，极等之贵，以其有力也。
Self is strong with exposed devil and the Food is prosperous, like Yi born in the month of You with protruding Xin metal, Ding fire is tough and flourishing wood in Autumn, the three are prepared, (that) is extreme(ly) high level of nobility, and that is with strength.


官强财透，身逢禄刃，如丙生子月，癸水透，庚金露，而坐寅午，三者皆均，遂成大贵，亦以其有力也。
Officer is strong and Wealth protruding, Self meets 'Lu' (stage of LinGuan) and Ren (stage of DiWang for Yang polarity DM), like Bing born in Zi month, Gui water protrudes, Geng metal exposed, and sits on Yin and Wu, all three are equal,(the chart) succeed to be great nobility, that is also with strength.

Examples of Application of Affection and Strength

如甲用酉官，透丁逢癸，癸克不如壬合，是有情而非情之至。
Like Jia uses You as Officer, Ding penetrates meets Gui, Gui counters is not as good as Ren combines, this is affectionate but not totally affectionate.


** For an Officer structure, protruding Ding is a taboo, Gui can counter Ding and Ren can combine with Ding, if the chart has Gui, the chart is affectionate but is not completely affectionate because Countering is not as good as Combining.


乙逢酉逢煞，透丁以制，而或煞强而丁稍弱，丁旺而煞不昂，又或辛丁并旺而乙根不甚深，是有力而非力之全，格之高而次者也。
Yi born in You meets the Devil, protruding Ding controls the Devil, or if the Devil is strong and Ding is a little weak, or Ding is prosperous but Devil is not high (strong), or when Xin and Ding are both prosperous but Yi's root is not deep enough, that is 'with strength' but not good enough, the good (grade) of the structure is (only) secondary.


至如印用七煞，本为贵格，而身强印旺，透煞孤贫，盖身旺不劳印生，印旺何劳煞助？偏之又偏，以其无情也。
As for Seal using 7K, it is originally a noble structure, but when self is strong and Seal is prosperous, Devil protrudes but solitary and inadequate, when Self is strong it does not need to be engendered by Seal, when Seal is strong does it need to be supported by Devil? It's indirect and even more indirect, that is without affection.

伤官佩印，本秀而贵，而身主甚旺，伤官甚浅，印又太重，不贵不秀，盖欲助身则身强，制伤则伤浅，要此重印何用？是亦无情也。
Hurting Officer adorned with Seal, originally it is elegant and noble, but DM is strong, Hurting Officer is shallow, Seal is too heavy, (that is) not noble nor elegant, when (Seal) desires to support self and self is strong, counters Hurt and Hurt is shallow, with this heavy Seal, what is the use? that is also without affection.


又如煞强食旺而身无根，身强比重而财无气，或夭或贫，以其无力也。是皆格之低而无用者也。
Also when Devil is strong, Food is prosperous but self is rootless. Self is strong, Compares are heavy and Wealth has no Qi, (the subject would either be) poor or has a short life, because that is without strength. That is because of the low (grade) structure that has nothing useful.

BaZi: 用神 Useful God - 纯杂 Pure Impure

纯杂 Pure and Impure

Purity and Impurity (DTS: 清浊 Clarity and Turbidity）is a very important concept. It tells the good BaZis from the bad ones.

ZPZQ says:

用神既有变化，则变化之中，遂分纯、杂。纯者吉，杂者凶。

Useful God changes and transforms, and that results in Pure and Impure. Pure is auspicious, Impure is inauspicious.

何谓纯？互用而两相得者是也。

What does it mean by Pure? (The Gods) that uses each other and they are mutually supportive. 

如

Such As

辛生寅月，甲丙并透，财与官相生，两相得也。

Xin born in Yin month, Jia and Bing are both protruding, Wealth and Officer are mutually engendering, both are mutually supportive

*Officer likes to be engendered and Wealth likes to engender Officer

戊生申月，庚壬并透，财与食相生，两相得也。

Wu born in Shen month, Geng and Ren are both protruding, Wealth and Food are mutually engendering, both are mutually supportive.

*Wealth likes to be engendered and Food likes to engender Wealth

癸生未月，乙己并透，煞与食相克，相克而得其当，亦两相得也。

Gui born in Wei month, Yi and Ji are both protruding, Devil and Food are mutually countering, mutually countering is right (correct), that is also mutually supportive.

*Food likes to counter 7K and 7K likes to be countered by Food.

如此之类，皆用神之纯者。

Cases like these, is the Purity of the Useful God.

何谓杂？互用而两不相谋者是也。

What does it mean by Impure? (The Gods) that use each other but do not seek each other.

如壬生未月，乙己并透，官与伤相克，两不相谋也。
Like Ren born in the month of Wei, Yi and Ji are protruding, Officer and Hurting Officer mutually counter, both do not seek each other.

甲生辰月，戊壬并透，印与财相克，亦两不相谋也。
Jia born in Chen, Wu and Ren are both protruding, Seal and Wealth counter each other, is (also a case of both gods) do not seek each other.

如此之类，皆用之杂者也。
Cases like these, Useful (God) is impure.

BaZi: 用神 Useful God - 变化 Changes Transformations

I want to play Candy Crush in Facebook, but I ran out of lives. if you play Candy Crush please add me and send me lives :D, Thanks!

ZPZQ 子平真诠 writes:

论用神变化
Discussing Changes of the Useful God

用神既主月令矣，然月令所藏不一，而用神遂有变化。
The Useful God is primarily the Month's Decree, but what is hidden in the Month's Decree is more than one, thus the Useful God has changes.


如十二支中，除子午卯酉外，余皆有藏，不必四库也。
As the 12 Branches, all of them have more than one hidden stems apart from Zi, Wu, Mao and You, not necessarily only the 4 storage (have miscellaneous Qi).


Innate Qi as Governor, ChangSheng Qi as Prefect and Local Magistrate

即以寅论，甲为本主，如郡之有府，丙其长生，如郡之有同知，戊亦长生，如郡之有通判；假使寅月为提，不透甲而透丙，则如知府不临郡，而同知得以作主。此变化之由也。
Take Yin EB for example, Jia as the Master, like a governor of a district, Bing is ChangSheng, like a sub-prefect for a district, Wu is also in ChangSheng, is likened to a local magistrate, If Yin Month is the outline, Jia does not protrude while Bing protrude, is like the governor is not overlooking the district, so the sub-prefect rules the district. This is the reason for (Useful God) changes.


故若丁生亥月，本为正官，支全卯未，则化为印。
If Ding is born in Hai Month, is originally a DO structure, if the EBs has Mao and Wei, DO is transformed to Seal.


己生申月，本属伤官。藏庚透壬，则化为财。
Ji born in Shen Month, is originally a Hurting Officer structure, if Geng is hidden and Ren protrudes, it transforms to Wealth.


凡此之类皆用神之变化也。
Cases like this are changes of the Useful God.


变之而善，其格愈美；
Benevolent (improved) change, the structure becomes more beautiful.


变之不善，其格遂坏，
Not benevolent (worsen) change, the structure becomes worse.

Useful God changes for the better


何谓变之而善？
What does it mean by benevolent (improvement) change?


如
Like for example,


辛生寅月，逢丙而化财为官；
Xin born in Yin month, meeting Bing that transforms Wealth to Officer;


壬生戌月逢辛而化煞为印。
Ren born in Xu month, meeting Xin that transform Devil to Seal


此二者以透出而变化者也。
These two examples (have Useful God) that changes because of protrusions.


癸生寅月，月令伤官秉令，藏甲透丙，会午会戌，则寅午戌三合，伤化为财；
Gui born in Yin month, month decree has Hurting Officer in charge. With Jia hidden and Bing exposed, meeting Wu and Xu will form a Yin Wu Xu 3 combinations, Hurting Officer is transformed to Wealth.


加以丙火透出，完全作为财论，即使不透丙而透戊土，亦作财旺生官论。
Plus, if Bing fire protrudes, it has to be regarded as Wealth (structure) completely, and even if Bing does not protrude, and Wu earth protrude, (the chart structure) should be regarded as Prosperous Wealth engendering Officer.


盖寅午戌三合变化在前，不作伤官见官论也。
That is because Yin-Wu-Xu transformation take precedence, the chart should not be regarded as Hurting Officer meeting Officer.


乙生寅月，月劫秉令，会午会戌，则劫化为食伤，透戊则为食伤生财，不作比劫争财论。
Yi born in Yin month, Rob Wealth takes charge, meeting Wu and Xu would transform Rob Wealth to Food and Hurt, with Wu protrudes, it would be regarded Food and Hurt engendering Wealth, is not regarded as Compare and Rob competing for Wealth


此二者因会合而变化者。
These 2 examples (have Useful Gods) that changes because of meetings and combinations


因变化而忌化为喜，为变之善者。
Due to changes and transformation, the unfavorable becomes favorable, that is change to become benevolent.


Useful God changes for worse

何谓变之不善？
What does it mean by not benevolent (worsen) change?


如
Like for example,


丙生寅月，本为印绶，甲不透干而会午会戌，则化为劫。
Bing born in Yin month, is originally a Seal structure, Jia does not protrude, and meeting Wu and Xu in the branches, (Seal) transforms to Rob.


丙生申月，本属偏财，藏庚透壬，会子会辰，则化为杀。
Yin born in Shen month, is originally Indirect Wealth (structure), Geng is hidden and Ren protrudes, meeting Zi and Chen, (Indirect Wealth) transforms to become Killing.


如此之类亦多，皆变之不善者也
Cases like this are many, they change to become not benevolent (worse).

Changes (of Useful God) that does not change the original structure


又有变之而不失本格者。
There are also cases of changes that do not lose the original structures.


如
Like for example


丙生申月，逢壬化煞，而又透戊，则食神能制煞生财，仍为财格，不失富贵。

Bing born in the month of Shen, seeing Ren to transform Devil, also protruding is Wu, that Food God can restrain 7K and engender Wealth, so the chart ownder does not lose his wealthiness and nobility.


辛生寅月，透丙化官，而又透甲，格成正财，正官乃其兼格也。
Xin born in Yin month, Bing protrudes to transform (Wealth structure to) Officer, also protrudes Jia, structure becomes Direct Wealth, Direct officer is also the zusammen structure.


乙出申月，透壬化印，而又透戊，则财能生官，印逢财而退位，虽通月令，格成正官，而印为兼格。
Yi born in Shen month, protruding Ren changes the structure to Seal, also protrude Wu, thus Wealth can engender Officer, Seal when it sees Wealth, Seal retreats, even if Seal connects through Month's Decree, the structure becomes Direct Officer, and Seal is the zusammen structure.


丙生寅月，午戌会劫，而又或透甲，或透壬，则仍为印而格不破。
Bing born in Yin month, Wu and Xu meets (transforms the structure) to Rob, and when Jia protrudes or Ren protrudes, the structure would still be the Seal (structure) and it is not broken.


丙生申月，逢壬化煞，而又透戊，则食神能制煞生财，仍为财格，不失富贵。

Bing born in Shen Month, meeting Ren transform (the structure) to Devil, a protruding Wu means the Food can control the Devil and engender Wealth, that is still a Wealth structure, (the structure)does not lose its wealthiness and nobility.


如此之类甚多，是皆变而不失本格者也。是故八字非用神不立，用神非变化不灵，善观命者必于此细详之。
Cases like this are many, charts that change without losing its original structure. That is because BaZi could not be established without Useful God, Useful God is not efficacious without changes and transformation, ..........

BaZi: 用神 Useful God - 救应 Rescue Response

Again from ZPZQ (it's my favorite book, okay I'm a nerd)

原文：成中有败，必是带忌；败中有成，全凭救应。

Within success if there's failure, (the chart) brings along taboos, within failure if there's success, it relies of the rescue response.

何谓带忌？

What does it mean by 'bringing along taboos'?

如正官逢财而又逢伤；

Such as Direct Officer meeting Wealth and also meeting Hurting Officer

透官而又逢合；

Direct Officer protrudes but it is combined

财旺生官而又逢伤逢合；

Prosperous wealth engendering Officer but officer meets HO or combination

印透食以泄气，而又遇财露；

Seal structure with protruding Food to exhaust Qi, also meeting exposed Wealth

透煞以生印，而又透财，以去印存煞；

Devil protrudes to engender Seal, also Wealth is protruding, thus it discards the Seal to save the Devil

食神带煞印而又逢财；

Food God carries Devil and Seal meeting Wealth.

七煞逢食制而又逢印；

7K is being controlled by Food and meeting Seal (counters Food)

伤官生财而财又逢合；

Hurting Officer engendering wealth, and wealth is combined

佩印而印又遭伤，透财而逢煞，是皆谓之带忌也。

Adorned with Seal but Seal is injured, Wealth is protruding but meets Devil, all these are regarded as bringing along Taboos.

BaZi: 用神 Useful God - 成败, Success Failure

This topic of ZPZQ discusses how to determine if a chart is successfully established or when it is not. This is one of the most important factors to know if the chart is good or bad.

Successful Structures

原文：用神专寻月令，以四柱配之，必有成败。
Useful God is seek only from the Month's decree and matches it with the 4 pillars, there would be success and failure.

何谓成？
What is considered successful?

BaZi: 相神 The importance of Minister God

The God that in charge in the month's branch is what we call the Useful God, and the God that is very important in regulating the chart is called the Minister God, Xiang Shen 相神

ZPZQ says:

原文：月令既得用神，则别位亦必有相，若君之有相，辅者是也。如官逢财生，则官为用，财为相；财旺生官，则财为用，官为相；煞逢食制，则煞为用，食为相。然此乃一定之法，非通变之妙。要而言之，凡全局之格，赖此一字而成者，均谓之相也。


From the month's decree we obtain the Useful God, and from other places we can get the ministers, if the ruler has minister, it is like the assistant.

Such as

Officer engendered by Wealth 官逢财生, Officer is the Useful God and Wealth is the Minister God;

Prosperous Wealth engenders Officer 财旺生官, Wealth as the Useful God and Officer as the Minister God.

Devil (7K) countered by Food 煞逢食制, Devil is the Useful God and Food is the Minister.

This is a fixed method, in summary, for a particular structure that relies one that one word to be established, that word is regarded as the Minister.

原文：伤用神甚于伤身，伤相甚于伤用。如甲用酉官，透丁逢壬，则合伤存官以成格者，全赖壬之相；戊用子财，透甲并己，则合煞存财以成格者，全赖己之相；乙用酉煞，年丁月癸，时上逢戊，则合去癸印以使丁得制煞者，全赖戊之相。
To injure the Useful God is somehow the same as injuring Self, to injure the Minister God is somehow the same as injuring the Useful God.

Such as

Jia uses You as the Officer, Ding penetrates and meets Ren, the HO is combined away and the Officer is saved and so the establishment of the structure relies on Ren, the Minister God.


trey:

X Jia Ding Ren
X X You X

This is a Direct Officer structure, but HO is protruding is inauspicious for a DO structure, and Ren combines with Ding rendering Ding harmless. So Ren is considered as the Minister God.

Wu DM uses Zi as Wealth, Jia penetrates together with Ji, 7K is combined and Wealth is saved, the structure relies on Ji as the minister.


X Wu Jia Ji
X X Zi X

This is a Wealth structure with protruding 7K, 7K is considered inauspicious for a wealth structure, Ji combines with Jia rendering Jia harmless, so Ji is considered the Minister God

Yi uses You as the 7K, Year is Ding and Month has Gui, on hour sees Wu, thus the Seal Gui is combined away to allow Ding to control the 7K, Wu is the minister.

Wu Yi Gui Ding
X X You X

This is a 7K controlled by Food structure, however, Ding is being countered by Gui the Owl, Wu combines away with Gui to render Gui harmless to Ding, so Ding is saved and the structure is established. Ding is considered the Minister God.

So now we see that when a chart is established, like 7K controlled by Food, food is not necessarily the Minister God, like the chart above, Food is countered by Owl, and then Wealth breaks the Owl, saves the Food, allowing the structure to be established, so Wealth is taken as the Minister God.

原文：癸生亥月，透丙为财，财逢月劫，而卯未来会，则化水为木而转劫以生财者，全赖于卯未之相。
Gui born in Hai Month, Bing wealth penetrates, Wealth encounters Robbing Month (Rob Wealth Month EB), but Mao and Wei comes to meet, that is to transformed water to become Wood, Rob Wealth is transformed to become wealth, that relies on Mao and Wei as ministers.


X Gui X Bing
Wei Mao Hai X

Yue Jie Robbing month structure that uses wealth favors output to transform the Robbing Month to Wealth, thus Wei and Mao in this chart are very auspicious Minister Gods.


庚生申月，透癸泄气，不通月令而金气不甚灵，子辰会局，则化金为水而成金水相涵者，全赖于子辰之相。如此之类，皆相神之紧要也


Geng born in Shen, Gui penetrates exhausting its Qi, does not connect through the month decree so the Metal Qi is not very efficacious, Zi and Chen comes to form a water frame, transform metal to water and thus it becomes a structure that is called 'Metal and Water mutually contained' (a structure that indicates beauty and intelligence), this relies on Zi and Chen as ministers. Examples like this show the importance of the Minister Gods.


原文：相神无破，贵格已成；相神相伤，立败其格。如甲用酉官，透丁逢癸印，制伤以护官矣，而又逢戊，癸合戊而不制丁，癸水之相伤矣；

Minister God that is not broken means a noble structure is established; Minister Gods that mutually injure each other, the structure fails.

For example, Jia uses You as Officer, Ding penetrates meeting Gui as Seal, thus the Seal controls the Hurting Officer so it would not hurt the Officer, but it is also seen Wu in the chart, thus Gui combines with Wu and does not control Ding, Gui water as minister is injured;

Wu Jia Gui Ding
X X You X


丁用酉财，透癸逢己，食制煞以生财矣，而又透甲，己合甲而不制癸，己土之相伤矣。

Ding uses You wealth, Gui penetrates and meets Ji, the Food God is countering 7K and at the same time is engendering wealth, but Jia protrudes, Jia combines with Ji so Ji does not counter Gui, Ji earth the minister is injured.

是皆有情而化无情，有用而成无用之格也。
These are originally affectionate charts that transformed to be not affectionate, structures with useful objects that become useless.

Now from this text, we can know that Minister God is just as important as the Useful God, it can make or break a chart structure. But before we can know determine the Minister God, we must be able to determine the chart structure, Useful God and how the Useful God functions. Benevolent Useful Gods favors being engendered and protected. Not benevolent Useful Gods favors being countered or exhausted.

When the chart structure is established, we look for any God that might break the structure, e.g Hurting Officer could break a Direct Officer structure, Rob wealth could break a wealth structure. Wealth could break a Food God countering 7K structure etc. If there's any God that could save the chart from being broken, then the God is taken as the Minister God.

When the Minister God is being harmed, then the chart structure would be harmed, that is a sign of inauspiciousness.