Yuanhai Ziping: Spirit Stars and Malefics

The Yang Blade (yangren) is known as the fiercest star in heaven, acting as the most malicious killing force among men. It is the position one step past the Salary: for example, Jia's Salary is at Yin, so Mao is the Yang Blade. It welcomes the Indirect Officer and Seven Killings, and welcomes the Seal. It fears Counter-Chant and Prostrate-Chant, fears the Helmet Head (kuigang), and fears the Three Combinations. What is the Yang Blade? Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, and Ren -- the five yang Stems have the Blade. Yi, Ding, Ji, Xin, and Gui -- the five yin Stems have no Blade. Hence the name 'Yang Blade.' If the chart carries the Blade, one cannot hastily call it inauspicious. In general, it resembles the Seven Killings. People with the Blade are mostly wealthy and noble. It welcomes Indirect Wealth and Seven Killings. Indeed, 'Without the Blade, the Killing is not prominent; without the Killing, the Blade is not fearsome!' When Blade and Killing are both complete, this is no ordinary person's chart. The key is a strong Self, with the Luck Cycle traveling through the strong-Self region. One should not see the Hurting Officer or a Blade-strong period. If the chart inherently has Killing and Blade, and the annual or period luck encounters them again, the disaster is extraordinary. If the chart has the Blade without the Killing, and the annual or period luck encounters a Killing-strong region, this instead generates and reverses into thick fortune. But if the Hurting Officer has strong Wealth, and the Self is weak while the Killing is strong, this is most to be feared. Example: [Geng-Shen, Ji-Mao, Jia-Yin, XX]. Jia Day sees Mao as Blade and Geng as Seven Killings. The Killing would normally injure the Self, but it borrows the Yi Wood within Mao to pair and combine. The Killing has feeling, so it cannot injure the Self -- this is precisely the principle of 'Jia marrying its younger sister Yi to Geng.' The Self is strong in southern periods, hence nobility. Example: [Wu-Wu, Wu-Wu, Wu-Wu, Jia-Yin]. This chart has complete Blade and Killing, and further uses Wu Fire as Seal -- hence nobility. The 'Preferences and Avoidances' chapter says: 'Wu Day in Wu month, do not read it as Blade; if Year and Hour have much Fire, read it instead as Seal.' Example: [Xin-You, Jia-Wu, Wu-Wu, Jia-Yin]. This chart has complete Killing and Blade, with the Seal present. Unfortunately, the Year Stem exposes the Hurting Officer. In the Xin-Mao period, the Hurting Officer meets its original position. Ren is Wealth -- at the Ren-Chen year, a calamity: death by drowning. Ren Water overcomes the Fire Seal, and the Hour sits on Jia's Seven Killings -- this is 'generating the Killing and destroying the Seal.' In this chart, Xin is the Hurting Officer; the Xin-Mao period taboos seeing the Officer. Wu-Fire within Wu is the Seal; one most fears the Hurting Officer and Wealth appearing together, because Water generates Wood to overcome the Self. Example: [Gui-Wei, Yi-Mao, Jia-Zi, Ji-Si] -- Yue Fei. This chart has the Mao Blade and Gui Seal. Unfortunately, the Hour's Ji-Si destroys the Seal. In the Xin-Hai period, Hai-Mao-Wei combine to activate the Yang Blade. In the Xin-You year, Xin Metal is again strong at You, clashing and activating the Mao Blade -- two Xin becoming excessive. With much Metal seeing Jia: though noble in rank, punishment was also suffered. Although Xin brought nobility, the Yang Blade is what is feared -- it must not be both Combined and Clashed. Verse: 'The Yang Blade at the Hour: do not call it inauspicious -- / A light Self reverses, with assistance becoming fierce; / One only fears seeing it doubled in Year and Month -- / Do not make the birth Hour an anger palace. / Ren-Zi: do not let it see the Wu palace, / For Wu palace also fears Zi's clash; / Bing Day sitting on Wu should not be repeated -- / Meeting and Combining with the Self palace brings misfortune. / The Day Blade functions like the Yang Blade: / Officer star and Seven Killings welcome their encounter; / If the Grand Year has no injury or robbery, / Punishment and Clash in the Branches establish martial merit. / The Yang Blade fears Clash and Combination with the Grand Year; / In flowing years encountering this, disaster and hardship rule; / If Three Punishments and Seven Killings cross paths, / King Yama surely sends his summons. / Hour meeting the Yang Blade welcomes the Indirect Officer; / If the Wealth star appears, a hundred calamities; / When annual and period luck Clash or Combine, / Sudden disaster comes knocking at the door again. / Yang Blade encountered repeatedly in Combination brings injury; / The person's nature is proud and strong of spirit; / Punishment and Clash too heavy, much misfortune -- / Only with control can auspiciousness be preserved. / The Yang Blade's position fears seeing the Officer -- / Punishment, Clash, Destruction, Harm: a thousand calamities; / Great dread of Wealth strong in a Three-Combination -- / Severed fingers, crippled limbs, body incomplete. / Horse meets Bing-Wu, Rat meets Ren; / Welcome seeing Officer star and Seven Killings arrive; / Punishment and Harm are no worry, but Clash and Defeat are feared -- / Encountering the Wealth territory, disaster is not light.'

The Day Blade functions the same as the Yang Blade. The Day Blade occurs on Wu-Wu, Bing-Wu, and Ren-Zi days, following the same method as the Yang Blade. It dislikes Punishment, Clash, Destruction, and Harm; dislikes Meeting and Combining; and particularly dislikes receiving the Seven Killings. It should travel to the Officer region to become a noble chart. If the Four Pillars encounter even a single Meeting or Combination, extraordinary disaster is certain. Such people have large eyes and long beards, a resolute and decisive nature, lacking compassion and kindness of heart, possessing a spirit of harsh exploitation without sympathy. When the Three Punishments, Self-Punishment, and Helmet Head are all complete, one rises to prominence on the battlefield. If the chart is without feeling, or Wealth is strong, then misfortune dominates. If there is a rescuing spirit, one must examine it first. When Punishments and Harms are all complete and each finds favorable ground, the nobility is beyond words -- how can it not be elevated? Only when the Yang Blade is discussed at the Hour: the Four Pillars must not enter the Wealth region, for one fears Clashing the Yang Blade. For example: Wu Day's Blade is at Wu -- one fears entering the Zi Direct-Wealth period. Ren's Blade is at Zi -- one fears entering the Wu Direct-Wealth period. Geng's Blade is at You -- one fears entering the Mao Direct-Wealth period. Jia Day entering Si-Wu or Chen-Xu-Chou-Wei Wealth periods does no harm, but one fears the You period. Bing Day's Blade is at Wu: entering Shen-You-Geng-Xin-Chou does no harm, but one fears the Zi period. In general, the Yang Blade requires a strong Self and welcomes having something to remove it. The classic says: 'People have ghosts among people, things have ghosts among things -- encountering them brings disaster, removing them brings fortune.' Example: the chart of Ge the Auxiliary Administrator, [Ren-Shen, Ren-Zi, Wu-Wu, Yi-Mao]. Wu Day's Blade is at Wu. Fortunately, Yi-Mao in the Hour provides the Direct Officer to control and remove it -- hence fortune.

What is Day Nobility (rigui)? It is the type exemplified by 'Jia-Wu paired with Ox and Ram.' There are only four such days: Ding-You, Ding-Hai, Gui-Si, and Gui-Mao. One most fears Punishment, Clash, Destruction, and Harm. The classic says: 'Reverence makes it treasured, rarity makes it noble -- therefore the Noble Person fears the Three Punishments and Six Harms.' The Noble Spirit should gather on the Day. The Luck Cycle should fear Emptiness and the interaction of the annual Grand Year. One should not want the Helmet Head. Such people are pure and upright, possessing benevolence and virtue, attractive appearance, and without arrogance toward others. If one encounters Punishment and overcoming, then poverty and low station. If Punishment and Clash are too severe, the Noble Person grows angry, and fortune instead becomes disaster. This cannot be ignored. The Day Nobility follows the same method as the Hour. One must distinguish day nobility from night nobility: the daytime requires the day's noble star, the nighttime requires the night's noble star. Verse: 'Day Nobility, Stems and Branches, a single position the same -- / Emptiness is greatly feared, with the Officer Clashing; / Benevolent, kind, broadly virtuous, with fine appearance -- / Meeting and Combining with Wealth-Officer becomes vain reverence. / Ding Day: Pig and Rooster; Gui: Rabbit and Snake -- / Punishment, Clash, Destruction, Harm provoke helpless sighs; / When Wealth arrives at Meeting and Combining, then nobility forms -- / Beginning to end in proper accord, this alone is excellent. / Gui and Ding: Snake, Rabbit, Pig, Rooster yield -- / Officer being Punished and Clashed, disaster surely follows; / Pure conduct with benevolent virtue, / Revered, wealthy, and noble -- extraordinarily fine. / Day Nobility, as seen, means Rabbit and Snake; / Patterns born at Hai and You are all the more praiseworthy; / If Punishment and Clash do not meet and Emptiness is absent, / Assisting in meritorious service within the Emperor's house.'

Day Virtue (ride) has five types: Jia-Yin, Wu-Chen, Bing-Chen, Geng-Chen, and Ren-Xu days. Their fortune should be abundant, and they fear Punishment, Clash, Destruction, and Harm. They dislike the Officer star and loathe strong Wealth. If additionally Meeting and Combining occur, or Emptiness coincides, they fear the Helmet Head. These factors are the great taboos of this pattern. In general, people with Day Virtue have a charitable and kind nature. If Day Virtue appears frequently, fortune is certainly thick. Luck Cycles traveling through a strong Self are extremely marvelous. If Wealth and Officer additionally appear, look for a different pattern -- one can just barely avoid undeserved disaster. If the strong qi has already declined and the Luck Cycle reaches the Helmet Head, death is certain. Or if fortune has not yet manifested and the Luck Cycle reaches the Helmet Head, even though the physical constitution is good, one must guard against disaster. Once past this period, one can surely prosper again, though ultimately with diminished strength. This must be understood. Verse: 'Ren-Xu, Geng-Chen: the Day Virtue palace; / Jia-Yin, Wu and Bing must ride the Dragon; / Luck Cycles meeting a strong Self: charitable nature -- / Day Virtue appearing often, fortune naturally abounds. / Punishment, Clash, Destruction, Harm with strong Wealth-Officer; / Emptiness with Helmet Head in Meeting-Combination: inauspicious; / Overcoming and battling, lonely and poor, extremely perilous -- / Even if one rises to prominence, life still ends. / Jia-Yin, Ren-Xu, and Geng-Chen; / Bing and Wu meeting Chen: Day Virtue is true; / Dislikes Emptiness, fears broken Salary, / And further meeting Destruction-Harm with Punishment-Clash. / Bing-Chen especially taboos seeing Ren-Chen; / Ren-Xu guards against Wu-Xu approaching; / Day sitting Geng-Chen versus Geng-Xu, / Jia-Yin still also worries about Geng-Chen. / Day Virtue dislikes seeing the Helmet Head; / Transforming into a Killing star is hardest to bear; / If seen repeatedly in the pattern, illness returns; / Luck Cycles encountering it: death is certain. / Day Virtue encountered repeatedly avoids calamity; / The Officer star especially taboos seeing the Wealth region; / Without Clash, Destruction, or Emptiness-Punishment things, / Worthy to serve as a pillar within the court.'

The Helmet Head (kuigang) has four types: Ren-Chen, Geng-Xu, Wu-Xu, and Geng-Chen days. If the Day position encounters many of these, fortune is certain. Luck Cycles traveling through a strong Self generate fortune of a hundred kinds. The moment Wealth or Officer is seen, disaster arrives instantly. Such people are intelligent in nature, their writings are brilliant and vigorous, they are decisive in affairs -- though they are fond of killing. If the Four Pillars have Wealth or Officer, or carry Punishment and Killing, the disaster is unpredictable. Should the Day stand alone while Clashing forces are too many, this is certainly a petty person -- punishment and censure will not cease, and poverty will pierce to the bone. When the Luck Cycle reaches a Wealth-Officer-strong position, one must also guard against extraordinary disaster. Verse: 'The Helmet Head's four days are foremost; / Layer upon layer encountering them, one wields great authority; / Geng-Xu and Geng-Chen fear the Officer being prominent; / Ren-Xu and Ren-Chen see Wealth arriving in succession. / The person's nature is mostly intelligent and wise, / A killing heart that is decisive and unbiased; / If the pillars have Punishment-Clash together with Destruction-Harm, / Poverty piercing to the bone, receiving the rod and whip. / Wu-Xu and Geng-Chen: the Killing is strongest; / Ren-Chen and Geng-Xu are called the Helmet Head; / The Day with many of these is truly fortunate; / A strong Self encountering them: extraordinary nobility. / People carrying the Helmet Head are necessarily strong of nature; / Ghosts and spirits worry, standing beside this person; / If encountering a single position of heavy Punishment-Clash, / Bone-piercing poverty, unbearable to face. / Helmet Head, Four Pillars with many Days the same: / Noble qi is expected to come from within; / The Day Master alone encountering heavy overcoming and clashing -- / Wealth and Officer prominently exposed: fortune without end.'

The Metal Spirit (jinshen) has only three Hours: Gui-You, Ji-Si, and Yi-Chou. The Metal Spirit is a spirit of destruction and ruin. It requires control and subjugation, and entering the Fire region is best. If the Four Pillars additionally carry the Seven Killings and Yang Blade, this is a truly noble person. In general, the ferocious rely on violent force as their ability. If their might is not concentrated, others can insult them. Therefore they must be ruthless and violent, like a tiger in motion. Once the herd of beasts is cowed, authority and virtue are exercised. Yet that which is too rigid must break. If there is nothing to control it, then severity and leniency are unbalanced -- how can one tread the path of the Mean? Therefore it is said: 'The rigid one lies in taming and domestication; by bringing about harmony, fortune and salary follow on each other's heels.' Nevertheless, such people possess the talent of rigid decisiveness and keen perception, and an unconquerable, indomitable will. When the Luck Cycle travels to the Fire region and the Four Pillars have a Fire bureau, this is a noble chart. One fears the Water region -- that is not fortune. Verse: 'Jia-Wu Hour showing the Metal Spirit: / Killing and Blade together, a truly noble person; / In Fire-Wood periods, wealth and salary flourish; / Encountering Metal-Water surely injures the body. / Nature ruthlessly violent, talent keen and perceptive; / Encountering Water's generation produces instant poverty; / With controlled periods traveling to a Fire bureau, / Swift promotion, nobility prominent, a thousand measures of salary. / Metal Spirit meeting Fire: nobility without doubt; / Metal-Water: disaster and calamity are certain; / Periods reaching the Fire region bring much success; / Official rank exalted, family wealthy -- both well-suited. / Hour encountering the Metal Spirit: noble qi is great; / If meeting the Yang Blade, balance is achieved; / If encountering a Water period: poverty and illness; / Fire controlling it: fame high, rank lofty. / Gui-You, Ji-Si, and Yi-Chou: / Meeting them at the Hour is a spirit of fortune; / Arrogant and talented, requiring control; / Encountering Killing and Blade: a truly noble person.'