Classical BaZi - the structural sect 格局派

The most traditional way of analyzing BaZi does not begin with knowing the strength of the DM. The classical way begins analysis with looking at the month branch and see how it interacts with the DM. In other words, establishing the structure. Refer to any of the poetic texts and one could see that the Month EB is really where the analysis should begin.

I would like to write an article to explain how this can be done, but I'm not articulate enough to do this. So I'd just translate a text from SMTH and add some commentary to explain the procedure.

看命口诀

The art of analyzing Life (BaZi)

大凡看命先看月支，有无财官，方看其它，月令为命也。

Largely, when one analyzes BaZi, one should look at the Month EB first, see if there is Wealth or Officer, then only look at the others, the month EB is Life

This text tells us first to look for Officer and Wealth in the Month EB. Normally, if there is Officer in the chart and the Officer protrudes, we regard the chart as Officer structure. If there's Wealth and it protrudes, we regard it as Wealth structure. If there's neither of them, we would see which god protrudes and establish the structure based on the protruding god. However, Officer structure always takes precedence over other structures, followed by Wealth.

月取支神，年取天干，日取天干，流岁取天干，大运取支神。

Month, take the deity from the EB, Year, take the deity from the HS, Day, take the deity from the HS, the Annual pillar, take the deity from the HS, LP take from the EB.

This text tells us which part of the pillar is more important for the BaZi

月为本，日为主，如月有正官及偏官，而时又入他格，只以月中取，他格无用。

Month as the foundation, Day as the Master, if the Month has Direct Officer or Indirect Officer, but the hour has fallen into another structure, then only the one within the Month is taken, other structures are not used.

This is an important part of classical BaZi.

Month is seen as the 'Time' of the Year. In a year, Qi changes from Spring to Summer to Autumn and Winter.

In certain 'time' of the Year, certain element takes command. This is what we referred to as YueLing, the Month Command. There's an article in this blog that explain this.

Hour is seen as the 'Time' of the Day. In a day, Qi changes from Sunrise to Noon to Sunset and Midnight. 

In certain 'time' of the Day, certain element takes command. We don't refer this as the Hour Command, but we usually call this 'Birth Hour'. It is a very important point of analysis in classical BaZi.

So when Month EB carries a structure, naturally Hour EB carries another structure.However, if the Month Command carries an Officer or 7K structure, the structures that can be derived from the Birth Hour or from any other part of the chart will be disregarded.

如月令全无可用，方看他格。

If the Month Command has nothing to be used, the we would look for another structure.

古歌云：三宫带格混难详，不晓凭谁是贵方，一任三宫皆带格，除非只得用提纲是也。

The Old Song says: 

Three palaces carrying structure is mixed and difficult to analyze, don't know from whom (where) we should based the nobility on, One duty and all three palaces bring structures, nonetheless only the key-point(Month EB) can be used.

Three palaces are the Year, Month and Hour. Each of these could carry Officer and Wealth. And thus the BaZi will have 3 structures. Nonetheless, only the Month EB will be analyzed. The rest has to be disregarded. 

月令用地支，假如官星，须要上下干支透出为妙。

The Month Command uses EB, if it is Officer star, it is wonderful if it protrudes both in the Stem and Branch.

或干透出，支中不透，主聪俊。

If it only protrudes in the Stem but not in the Branch, it denotes intelligence and handsomeness. 

忌年与时冲月支, 日支自冲不妨，大运及岁君来冲月支则祸。

It is feared for Year EB and  Hour EB to clash the Month EB, but Day EB clashing the Month EB does not matter, but if the Annual Pillar and Luck Pillar comes to clash Month EB, then it is disaster.

凡正官一位，乃君子贵人，笃厚纯粹，刚直廉明，年时有印尤妙，多则反主成败。

When there is only one Direct Officer, one is a noble person, sincere and magnanimous, pure-hearted, direct, honest and clean, if there's Seal at Year or Hour pillar it would be very good, if there's many Officers, it denotes success and failure.

四位纯官，仕宦虚名。
Four places with pure Officer, one is a government official with underserved reputation

凡七煞一位，聪明伶俐，二位三位，先清后浊。
If there's only one 7k, one is very bright, clever and intelligent, two or three 7K denotes clean at first and dirt after.

四柱纯煞有制贵，无制贫凡。.
Four pillars with pure 7K (four 7Ks), with restraint it is noble, without restraint is poor or common people.

财一位务要得时，富贵成家，为人性燥紧急。
As for Wealth, if there's only one, it must obtain the 'time' (season or hour), then one can be wealthy and successful, but one is quick tempered and hasty.


二位性气灭半，三位四位耗气身衰。
If there's two Wealths, the quick temperamental is reduced to half, if there's 3 or 4 Wealth stars then it wastes Qi and DM is weak.

若身旺甚则可成立，弱则劳苦生受。
If DM is strong, then (the Wealth structure) can be established, if DM is weak then one will have a difficult life

凡印不论一位二位四位都好，格中不宜见财破印。
As for Seal, it does not matter if there's only one or two or four, they are all considered good, but within the structure there must not be Wealth to break the Seal.

Here's the recap of the above text from SMTH

1. When analyzing BaZi, first look for Wealth or Officer from the month EB.
2. If there is not Wealth or Officer, then establish another structure base on the Month EB
3. Year, Month and Hour all can carry structures but if the Month EB carries Direct Officer or Indirect Officer structure, all other structures are disregarded.