Four Sacred Rules & Theoretical Foundation (批命四大規則與理論基礎)

Immutable Principles for Systematic Wuxing Pai Analysis

⚖️ The Four Sacred Rules

These four rules are immutable and non-negotiable . Violating them produces nonsensical results and destroys analytical accuracy. Master these before attempting any chart reading.

Every Wuxing Pai analysis must follow these principles in exact sequence.

這四條規則是 不可變且不可妥協的 。違反它們會產生無意義的結果並破壞分析準確性。在嘗試任何命盤解讀之前，請先精通這些規則。

每一個五行派分析都必須按照這些原則的精確順序進行。

Part I: Theoretical Foundation (理論基礎)

1.1 What Wuxing Pai Analyzes

Only Examines :

  • Heavenly Stem Combinations (天干五合)
  • Earthly Branch Combinations (地支六合)
  • Five Elements generation relationships (相生)
  • Five Elements conquest relationships (相剋)
  • Yin-Yang properties (陰陽屬性)

Explicitly Ignores :

  • ❌ Spirit deities/star gods (神煞) - "Spirit deities are useless" (神煞無用)
  • ❌ Traditional structural patterns (格局) - "Patterns are not true" (格局不真)
  • ❌ Strong/weak body analysis (身強身弱)
  • ❌ Triple combinations (三合三會)
  • ❌ Most punishments/clashes (刑沖破害) - "Do not speak of punishment/harm" (莫言刑害)
  • ❌ Hidden stems (藏干)

1.2 Philosophical Foundation

Core Premise : Your fate (命) is not predetermined—it's the cumulative result of decisions made at critical junctures. Bazi cannot determine your ultimate achievement, but it accurately predicts when opportunities and crises occur , enabling optimal decision-making.

Case Study : Two identical charts (乙己乙壬 / 丑卯亥午)—one became a warlord, one died a beggar monk. Traditional masters retrofitted explanations; Wuxing Pai acknowledges inherent unpredictability of outcomes while maintaining precision on timing of fortune shifts.

Implication : Focus shifts from "what will happen" (fatalism) to "when to act/refrain" (agency).

1.3 Combination Theory Deep-Dive (合的理論)

The Fundamental Doctrine: 五行派只論『合』不論『化』
(Wuxing Pai Only Discusses Combination, NOT Transformation)

This single principle separates Wuxing Pai from virtually all traditional Bazi schools:

ApproachTraditional SchoolsWuxing Pai
TheoryWhen elements combine, they transform (化) into a new elementWhen elements combine, they neutralize (合不化) and disappear
Example甲己合化土 → combination becomes Earth
The resulting Earth then participates in Five Elements flow		甲己合 → both 甲 Wood and 己 Earth cease to exist in the chart
Neither element participates in subsequent analysis
ResultChart gains new element compositionChart loses combined elements permanently
Why This Matters Critically

Traditional analysis of chart with 甲己丙:

  1. 甲己 combine and transform to Earth
  2. Now chart has: Earth (from combination) + 丙 Fire
  3. Fire generates Earth → favorable

Wuxing Pai analysis of same chart:

  1. 甲己 combine and disappear
  2. Now chart has: Only 丙 Fire remaining
  3. Completely different Five Elements state

Result : Opposite fortune conclusions from identical chart.

Linked Combinations (連動合)

When one element combines with another, all instances of that element throughout the chart participate :

Example 1
Multiple Victims
  • Natal Chart Heavenly Stems: 甲 甲 己 丙
  • Two instances of 甲 Wood, one instance of 己 Earth
  • 甲己合 activates → Both 甲 elements combine with the one 己
  • Result: All three elements (甲+甲+己) disappear
  • Remaining: Only 丙 Fire
Example 2
Multiple Attackers
  • Natal Chart: 甲 丙 戊 辛
  • Decade Luck enters: 己 Earth
  • 甲己合 → 甲 disappears
  • Year enters: Another 己 Earth
  • Result: One 甲 Wood has now been "combined" by multiple 己 instances (linked effect)
✦ ◆ ✦

Part II: The Four Sacred Rules (批命四大規則)

Rule 1: Decade Luck and Annual Fortune Interact First (大運流年先作用)

Principle : Never analyze natal chart in isolation. The "you" at any moment = Natal Chart + Decade Luck + Annual Fortune.

Why :

  • Natal chart only represents birth moment (static snapshot)
  • Decade Luck (大運) provides 10-year macro environment
  • Annual Fortune (流年) shows yearly fluctuations within that environment
🚫 CRITICAL CORRECTION - The "First 5 Years Stem, Last 5 Years Branch" Myth

Common Misconception (promoted by some traditional schools):

  • "前五年走天干，後五年走地支"
  • "First 5 years of Decade = Heavenly Stem operates"
  • "Last 5 years of Decade = Earthly Branch operates"
  • Example: 丙辰 Decade, ages 25-34
    • Ages 25-29: Only 丙 Fire operates
    • Ages 30-34: Only 辰 Earth operates

林子玄's Emphatic Correction :

"This is completely wrong (完全錯誤) and will destroy your analytical accuracy."

Correct Understanding :

  • 大運十年都走一樣的干支 (The entire 10-year Decade operates with same Stem+Branch)
  • Both Heavenly Stem AND Earthly Branch function simultaneously for all 10 years
  • Example: 丙辰 Decade, ages 25-34
    • Ages 25-34: Both 丙 Fire AND 辰 Earth operating continuously
    • No division at 5-year mark
    • No switching from Stem to Branch
Master 林子玄's Summary

"If you use the 'first 5 years Stem, last 5 years Branch' method, your predictions will be off by several years. Clients will say 'you told me age 28-32 would be difficult, but actually 25-27 were the disasters.' Why? Because you waited for the 'Branch to activate' when actually both Stem and Branch were operating from day one of the Decade.

The entire 10-year Decade is one unified Stem+Branch environment. Annual Fortune and Monthly Fortune create variation WITHIN that environment, but the environment itself doesn't change at the 5-year mark. "

Rule 2: Sequence of Combination→Generation→Conquest (合生剋的順序)

Fixed Procedure (NEVER DEVIATE):

1
Natal combinations process first
2
Decade Luck combines with Natal
3
Annual Fortune combines with Decade + Natal
4
Linked combinations activate
5
Linked conquests activate
6
Five Elements arrange → generation/conquest flows
Example Walkthrough

Female chart with 寅亥戌未 (Earthly Branches)
Decade: 未
Year: 子

  1. Step 1 : Decade + Year interact first - 未土 and 子水 coexist (Yin earth cannot conquer Yang water)
  2. Step 2 : Check natal combinations - 寅亥 combine (adjacent positions), these two disappear from play
  3. Step 3 : Apply Yang-first, Yin-second rule - Remaining: 亥(Yin water), 戌(Yang earth), 未(Yin earth), 子(Yang water) → 戌(Yang) conquers 子(Yang) and 亥(Yin)
  4. Step 4 : Final state - 子 and 亥 injured, only 戌 and 未 remain
  5. Step 5 : Diagnosis - Day Master (子 water) under severe attack
  6. Step 6 : Prescribe remedy - Use Metal as intermediary (Earth→Metal→Water通關) to reduce direct Earth pressure

Rule 3: Yang First, Then Yin (先批陽，再處理陰)

Core Principle : 陰隨陽而動 (Yin follows Yang's movement)

Hierarchy :

  • Yang = primary, active, large
  • Yin = secondary, passive, small
  • Yang-Yang interactions dominate; Yin struggles to influence
  • Yin-Yin interactions still allow Yang participation
CategoryYang (陽)Yin (陰)
Heavenly Stems甲丙戊庚壬乙丁己辛癸
Earthly Branches子寅辰午申戌丑卯巳未酉亥
Generation Rules (all permissible)
  • Yang→Yang ✓
  • Yin→Yin ✓
  • Yang→Yin ✓
  • Yin→Yang ✓
Conquest Rules (one exception)
  • Yang→Yang ✓
  • Yin→Yin ✓
  • Yang→Yin ✓
  • Yin→Yang ✗ (CRITICAL EXCEPTION)
林子玄's Sword and Hairpin Metaphor

庚金 (Yang Metal) = 刀斧 (sword and axe)

  • Heavy, destructive, cutting power
  • Can directly chop down 甲木 (large Yang Wood trees)
  • Can forcefully cut 乙木 (small Yin Wood flowers)
  • Overwhelming force

辛金 (Yin Metal) = 髮釵 (jewelry hairpin)

  • Delicate, refined, decorative
  • Cannot chop down 甲木 trees (too small, too weak)
  • Can theoretically damage 乙木 flowers, but effect minimal
  • Insufficient force

Application to Charts :

  • 甲 Day Master facing 庚 Metal → Severe conquest (axe chopping tree)
  • 甲 Day Master facing 辛 Metal → Minimal conquest (hairpin tapping tree trunk)
  • 乙 Day Master facing 庚 Metal → Severe conquest (axe cutting flower)
  • 乙 Day Master facing 辛 Metal → Moderate conquest (sharp pin can damage flower)
Specific Examples of Yin Cannot Conquer Yang
  • 乙木 (Yin Wood) cannot conquer 戊土 (Yang Earth) ✗
  • 己土 (Yin Earth) cannot conquer 壬水 (Yang Water) ✗
  • 辛金 (Yin Metal) cannot conquer 甲木 (Yang Wood) ✗
  • 癸水 (Yin Water) cannot conquer 丙火 (Yang Fire) ✗
  • 丁火 (Yin Fire) cannot conquer 庚金 (Yang Metal) ✗

BUT - Yin can conquer Yin ✓, and Yang can conquer both ✓

Rule 4: Find Treatment Spirit (找治療用神)

Paradigm Shift from Traditional Bazi :

AspectTraditionalWuxing Pai
TimingDetermine before analysisDetermine after analysis
PurposeTool for fortune readingPrescription for life optimization
BasisStrong/weak body determinationCurrent fortune damage assessment
AnalogyNutritionist's diet planPhysician's treatment protocol

Treatment Spirit Philosophy :

Think of Bazi analysis as medical diagnosis:

  1. Diagnosis Phase (批命): Systematically analyze Five Elements flow to identify injuries
  2. Pathology Phase : Determine which Ten Spirits (十神) correspond to injured elements
  3. Treatment Phase (用神): Prescribe life adjustments based on current condition
  4. Monitoring Phase : Re-evaluate when Decade Luck shifts
Treatment Methods
  1. Conquest Method (剋): Conquer the attacker
    Example: Fire attacking Wood Day Master → Use Water to conquer Fire
  2. Drainage Method (洩): Drain the attacker's energy
    Example: Fire attacking Wood Day Master → Use Earth to drain Fire
  3. Combination Method (合): Combine away the attacker
    Example: 丙 Fire attacking → Use 辛 Metal to combine away 丙
  4. Intermediary Method (通關): Insert bridging element
    Example: Metal attacking Wood → Use Water (Metal→Water→Wood) to smoothen
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