Zengshan Buyi Volume 4: Practical Affairs and Commerce

When the world line overcomes the official line, or the official line generates the world line, one should go to make the visit. When the wealth line encounters destruction, or the ghost line overcomes the world, running about is wasted effort. The Wild Crane says: Visiting dignitaries involves two considerations. Those seeking reputation use the official line; those seeking profit use the wealth line. Both should ideally hold the world position or generate and combine with the world line for an auspicious outcome. If these lines encounter void, destruction, tomb, or extinction, or move and transform inauspiciously, the effort of traveling will be in vain. If the world line transforms into a ghost, transforms into an overcoming force, or follows into tomb-assisted injury, it is even more inadvisable to go. If not danger at the destination, then disaster along the road. Case: In the Shen month, Ding-Mao day, divining about traveling to visit a dignitary. Obtained: Tongren hexagram. The official star holds the world and is void -- upon exiting void on Hai day, the meeting occurs. The official receives favorable treatment and wealth follows as hoped. Indeed on the day void was exited, he met the official and obtained the desired wealth -- because the month establishment's wealth line generates the world, and the official and world combine.

The world line represents oneself; the response line represents others -- they should ideally combine. Wealth is the capital; fortune is the foundation -- it is best when both are flourishing together. The old method takes the response line as the business partner, and also as the customers. The Golden Strategy says: 'Opening a business is certain to attract investors.' The Awakened One says: One must consider the querent's actual intention. If one specifically asks about a business partner, the response line represents the partner. If world and response generate and combine with each other, both parties are of one mind. Response generating world means the other benefits me; world generating response means I benefit the other. When they clash or overcome each other, feelings will change. Response overcoming world means I am deceived by the other; world overcoming response means the other submits to me. When the response line bears the Dark Warrior and the sibling line, there is secret theft and deception. When the response line bears the official-ghost and overcomes the world, open disaster and litigation follow. If the querent's main concern is trade rather than partnership, then the response line represents customers. When response generates and combines with world, new customers become old friends. When world and response clash and overcome, familiar faces eventually become enemies. The ghost line moving and causing disaster is most to be feared when it overcomes the world. The wealth line, representing capital, dreads decay, tomb, void, destruction, and adverse transformation. A returning-motion hexagram (反吟) brings repeated vacillation -- wanting to act but not acting, opening then closing, closing then opening again. If the store has been open for a long time and this hexagram appears, relocation is certain. A hexagram of six clashes transforming into six combinations, or where the world, wealth, and offspring lines form a triple combination, signals a business that will flourish, decline, then flourish again. But six combinations transforming into six clashes is unfavorable -- initial bustle followed by eventual desolation.

When the wealth line is in decline, one should hold off on selling. When wealth is currently prosperous, one should sell immediately. Whether stockpiling or selling, it is never good when the wealth line encounters void, destruction, or moves to transform into an overcoming force. When wealth is weak, stockpile; when wealth is strong, sell. For example, if divining in spring and the wealth line belongs to wood, it is called 'prosperous' -- sell quickly. If it belongs to metal, water, earth, or fire [out-of-season elements], stockpile. Fire in spring is considered prosperous and also should not be stockpiled. This discusses the waxing and waning through the four seasons. The Awakened One says: Even when decline makes buying appropriate, one must examine the underlying root. Though weak, it should have a root -- then in the future it will recover its prosperity. If there is no underlying root, the goods will ultimately be impossible to sell. This must not be overlooked.