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Sanming Tonghui · A Comprehensive Account of the Three Destinies
On the Earthly Branches
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The use of the earthly branches differs from that of the heavenly stems, as movement differs from stillness and roundness from squareness. Their five-phase affiliations are the same, but their positions differ. A branch in the year has its yearly judgment, in the month its monthly judgment, and in day or hour the corresponding judgment. How could yin and yang, weight and lightness, hardness and softness be mixed into one? Take the monthly command as primary. For what is stored and used, see which spirit is wanted; for what is consumed and disliked, determine which thing is involved. Compare the depth and strength of the influences throughout the four pillars before using them.
Zi heads the twelve branches, Water of streams, ravines, rivers, and oceans, and Wu Earth's Flourishing ground. Yet only after the Great Snow term and the return of one yang can it become Flourishing. Xin Metal's generation also requires returning yang and warmed Water before it can occur. Zi clashes with Wu, punishes Mao, and forms three harmonies with Shen and Chen. Shen, Zi, and Chen complete raise a Water configuration, becoming rivers and sea and sounding with waves.
Chou is deep winter, with fearful ice and frost, but heaven's timing has turned to two yang. Thus warmth in Chou's Ji Earth can generate all things. Xin Metal is at Nurture: could it merely be hidden deep? Seeing Xu gives punishment and Wei a clash. Storehouse ground most suits these; punishment and clashes are not useless. Seeing Si and You forms three harmonies and raises a Metal configuration. If born in the Chou month with much Water and Wood in day and hour, one must proceed toward Xun and Li for Earth not to decline.
Yin is established in spring, gathered yang energy, where Bing Fire is born. Yin punishes Si; Si combines with Shen, and both Flourishing become noble guests. Flourishing is at Mao and Storehouse at Wei, with the same kind forming one family. At Wu, Fire shines and has the beauty of Surpassing the Ordinary and Entering the Sage's Realm. Seeing Shen clashes with Yin and raises concern over broken Emolument and injured monthly command. Much Fire in the four pillars must not further enter southern Fire ground. A classic says: “Wood does not rush south.”
Mao Wood is midspring, receiving flourishing energy. Metal and Water are called upon but must not be excessive. If Geng and Xin repeat atop the stems, Shen and You must not appear among the branches, for fear of damaging felling. If Hai and Zi repeat among branches, Gui and Ren must not appear atop the stems, indicating drifting injury. You clashes and Wood must lose its leaves; Hai and Wei combine and Wood must become forest. If day and hour contain heavy Metal and major fortune goes farther west, the affliction cannot be withstood.
Chen is established in late spring as wet mud, on which all things' roots depend for cultivation. Jia has declined here but Yi's residual energy remains; Ren is in Tomb here but Gui's soul returns. Xu is a key that can open what lies in the Storehouse, but three Xu repeatedly clashing and breaking the door are inauspicious. Much Water and Wood in day and hour, with fortune further toward the northwest, leave Chen Earth unable to remain.
Si is early summer, Fire increasing in radiance, the utmost of six yang. Geng Metal lodges its Birth here and burdens its Wu mother. Wu Earth returns to Emolument by following its Fire mother. Seeing Shen gives punishment with combination within it, instead harmless. Seeing Hai gives a clash; if the clash breaks it, injury follows. Fortune further entering southeastern growth ground makes fierce flames burning heaven.
In the Wu month blazing Fire is at its proper height; entering the middle energy brings the birth of one yin. Geng is useless here, while Ji returns to its enclosure. Shen and Zi necessarily give combat and conquest; Yin and Xu make the light brighter. Fortune toward the southeast strengthens the self; entering the northwest brings Rest, Confinement, and loss of form.
Wei is late summer, yin deepening and Fire gradually declining. It contains Yi Wood and Ding Fire: stored Office and stored Seal, not stored Wealth. Without Hai and Mao assembling, its form is hard to change and it is judged only as Fire and Earth. Without Chou and Xu punishing and clashing, the Storehouse does not open and Metal Seal is hard to obtain. If the pillars lack Fire, Metal and Water fortune is feared. Cold in day and hour particularly favors Bing and Ding's region. Preferences and taboos of the Useful Spirit must be distinguished without the slightest error.
Shen is the Long Life ground of Water and Earth. Entering Si and Wu meets refining Fire and becomes swords and halberds. Zi and Chen give quenching Water and greater radiance and edge. With much Wood and no Fire, Metal can ultimately prevail; heavy Earth burying it instead makes Metal harmful. Shen is stubborn, blunt Metal, different from gentle pearls and jade.
You establishes the eighth month: Metal's color is white and Water flows clear. Much Fire in day and hour makes eastward fortune troubling; Flourishing Water in day and hour makes southern fortune feared. Mud in the pillars should be useful; how could northwestern fortune be without favorable relation? Yet the printed Ji–Chou three harmonies also make it firm and keen. How could one rigidly treat yin Metal only as gentle pearls and jade?
Xu is the great furnace's Storehouse, through which blunt iron and stubborn Metal are refined. Chen the Dragon clashes out Ren Water and produces rain and dew; Yin the Tiger assembles Bing Fire and brings forth literary composition. Yet a Fire fate meeting it enters Tomb: how could injury be avoided?
Hai is six-yin ground, with rain and snow covering the roads. Earth here is not warm and Metal becomes cold. Its image is the five lakes gathering; its use lies in the intent of the three harmonies. To know where heaven and earth are harmonious and warm, seek in Gen, Zhen, Xun, and Li.
In general, applying the five phases has no fixed concrete substance: Birth, Death, Decline, and Flourishing are provisional names. Go directly to the source and clarify their origin. The five yang are hard and five yin soft. If out of season and the self declines, without support and with repeated energy leakage, the hard loses its hardness. If in season and the self strong, with assistance in operation, the soft does not lose its softness, as printed. Within this, Wood and Fire are distinguished as yang, Metal and Water as yin. All favor generation and support; balanced harmony is what is prized.
Translator's note: All twelve branch discussions and the closing qualification are retained. The printed Ji–Chou three-harmony phrase and the soft-does-not-lose-softness statement remain visible rather than corrected. Branch interactions, seasonal images, and claims about fortune are the historical author's explanations.
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