Is my Daymaster strong or weak?

While I was wandering around the web looking for information regarding the concept of 进退 (advancing and retreating), I stumbled across a blog of a traditional ZiPing practitioner, Mr Wang XiangShan 王相山先生. He wrote something that tickles my sense of humor. So I thought I'd translate his article into English. Unfortunately, my translation is not as funny as the original mandarin article (due to my limited command of English). But, I think I have more or less managed to translate the message of the original article.

IMO, the criticism is directed at other Chinese BaZi practitioners, as they supposedly understand Chinese and have access to the information contains in literature but somehow they disregard literature and made some theories up on their own.

Original source: http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_63d1d9ea0102v2jo.html

旺衰，是梗于命理喉咙的一根骨刺。
Strong and Weak, is a bone stuck in the throat of Knowledge of Life (BaZi)

“我八字日元旺还是弱？”常有人这样问。
"Is my DayMaster Strong or Weak?" That is a very commonly asked question.

常人如是，好多命学大师也被旺衰弄得神经兮兮。
Common people are like that, many BaZi Masters have also gone crazy with the concept of Strong and Weak


张大师说旺，李大师说弱。

Master Zhang says it's strong, Master Li says it's weak.

同一个大师，今天说旺，明天又说弱。

The same Master, today he says strong, tomorrow he would say weak.

台湾某某看到这种状况，弄出了一套系统软件，通过打分测定日元旺衰，从此软件充斥网络，本人亦名声大噪。

In Taiwan, someone saw this happening, and created a system or software, that gives scores to determine if Daymaster is strong or weak, this software is all over the internet and the creator becomes very famous.

一时间，日元旺衰论命法大有一统江湖之势。但实践证明，大批学旺衰者，交高价学费奔旺衰而去，反被旺衰碰得鼻青脸肿，才慢慢醒过神来，自己是被旺衰引入了命理深渊。

At one time, the method that focuses on the strength of DayMaster is the major force in every corner of the (BaZi) world. But practically, those who learnt that method paid expensive tuition fees. They were hit badly by the concept of 'Strong and Weak' until their noses become green and their faces swollen, only after that they are slowly awakened and they realized that they have been led by 'strong and weak' into the abyss of Knowledge of Life (BaZi). 

只有那些文化功底浅薄者，无力读古籍者，只想以上混饭而不想而为学者的，仍然抱着旺衰论命行走于江湖。因为它简单，好学，能碰。

Only those who knows little about culture or unable to read the classics, and with that they want to 'have meals at other's expense' and not thinking about learning, would embrace the concept of  'strength of DayMaster' and practice it. That is because it is easy, it's easy to learn and it's within grasp. 

实际上，正宗的论命法，就是古法格局派。

In truth, the orthodox method of analyzing BaZi, is the ancient method, the structural sect. 

江湖上，那些各立山头的，盲派，正宗子平，真宗子平，自然门，形意门，门户派等，其实，都是在对古法格局的研究中，因对某一问题有独到见解而创立的“新门派”。

In every corner of the (BaZi) world, those who established their own factions, like the blind sect, the orthodox ZiPing, traditional ZiPing, Natural Sect, As-You-Wish Sect, Doors and Door Sect, etc, are actually, when they were researching the ancient methods of structures and have found their own unique viewpoints, established a new Sect.

以为无门派就不能成师成名，无门派就不能收徒开班授课。

They think that without having a school or a sect, then one cannot become a teacher and get some reputation, without a school or a sect, one cannot have students and give classes.

以某一个问题而开山立派，我总觉得，是对古人的不尊，内里流露的是一股浮躁气。

Having seen a problem and then establish a Sect, I find it disrespectful of the ancient people (those who created BaZi), the Qi that flows within is restless.

一切命理真知源于古籍，格局中分出的任何一个门派，离开古法格局，都会成为无源之水，无本之木，又如何成为另一门独立的学问呢。

All those true knowledge of BaZi have the classics as their sources, all those structures that were separated out to become a sect, that deviate from the ancient methodical structures, will become a water that has no source, a tree that has no foundation, how could that become a knowledge that is completely self-sufficient?

抛开古籍而自创难免差强人意，因为命是古人创立，古人的格局法，是一个综合的庞大的理论体系，各位命学专家呕心沥血对子平格局进行研究，对某一问题有独到的见面，实令人敬佩。

To leave the classics and establish a Sect would give some kind of satisfaction, that is because the method was invented by ancient people, is a synthesis of an enormous theoretical system. Every BaZi specialists who laboriously researched ZiPing structures, and found unique viewpoints regarding certain aspects are admirable.

但不能因对某一问题有见解，就超越了古人，凌驾于古人之上，另立门派。

But one should not, because of having found certain viewpoints to certain problems, put himself above the ancient people and establish new sects or schools.

在这方面，我还是比较敬佩那些潜心研究子平术，而不开山立派的学者们。

On this aspect, I respect more those who studies ZiPing method meticulously without establishing new sects. 

离开古人本意的所谓“真知”最终会成为邪说。

To deviate from what was actually meant by the ancient people and to call that deviation 'true knowledge' will eventually become heresy.

玄学本身不是普通人大众化的学说，所以从古到今多为口传的形式，传到如今，很多真理停留在口诀之上，而有些口诀被误解，所以今人所学的东西难免带有很大的瑕疵。

Xuan Xue (mystical knowledge) itself is not a form of public knowledge, thus, from the ancient times until now, most of the knowledge were passed on orally, today, a big part of the knowledge is stuck in the form of 'odes', some of the odes are incorrectly interpreted, so the knowledge that is learnt today, ineluctably, is flawed.

恰恰经典口诀《五言独步》记载着惊人的真知等待后人的觉悟。

Exactly, the classical Ode, WuYanDuBu contains surprisingly huge amount of true knowledge that awaits the 'after people' (new generations) to come to understand.