Module 6: Case Studies (鐵板實例)
The following cases, drawn from documented readings across the Qīng Dynasty to the modern era, demonstrate Tiě Bǎn Shén Shù's characteristic precision—and its method of verification.
Case 1: Qīng Dynasty Merchant — Wealth Rise and Fall (清代商人興衰)
Subject: Zhāng (張) surname merchant, male (男), born Jiǎ Yín 甲寅 year, Guǎngdōng 廣東 province, late Qīng Dynasty.
Four Pillars: 甲寅年 / 丁卯月 / 庚辰日 / 戊寅時
(Jiǎ Yín / Dīng Mǎo / Gēng Chén / Wù Yín)
Tiě Bǎn Clauses Extracted:
- "中年發達，財源如水" — "Zhōngnián fādá, cáiyuán rú shuǐ" — "Mid-life prosperity; wealth flows like water."
- "五十三歲破財大敗" — "Wǔshísān suì pòcái dàbài" — "At fifty-three, fortune collapses in great defeat."
- "晚年淒涼，依靠次子" — "Wǎnnián qīliáng, yīkào cì zǐ" — "Late years are bleak; depends on second son."
Outcome: Zhāng made a fortune in the opium and silk trade during his 40s. At age 53, the economic disruptions of the late Qīng period destroyed his business. He spent his final years living with his second son—the eldest having died young. Every clause matched his life trajectory with surgical precision.
Source: Oral tradition preserved by Southern School (南派) practitioners in Hong Kong, documented in Wáng Tíngjhī 王亭之 lectures (1980s).
Case 2: Hong Kong Businessman — 30-Year Verified Reading (香港商人三十年驗證)
Subject: Chén (陳) surname businessman, male (男), born 1948 (Wù Zǐ 戊子 year), Hong Kong.
Four Pillars: 戊子年 / 甲子月 / 辛卯日 / 丙申時
(Wù Zǐ / Jiǎ Zǐ / Xīn Mǎo / Bǐng Shēn)
Reading Performed: 1975, by a renowned Hong Kong master. Clauses included:
- "三十五歲自創事業，經營地產獲利" — "At thirty-five, starts own business; profits from real estate."
- "妻屬龍，賢內助也" — "Wife born in Dragon year; a virtuous helpmeet."
- "二子一女，長子從商，次子學醫" — "Two sons, one daughter: eldest in business, second studies medicine."
- "六十八歲有心疾之憂" — "At sixty-eight, there is worry of heart illness."
Outcome (verified c. 2005–2016): Mr. Chén founded a property development company in 1983 (age 35). His wife was indeed born in a Dragon year (1952, Rén Chén 壬辰). He had two sons and one daughter; the eldest entered business, the second became a doctor. In 2016 (age 68), he suffered a cardiac event requiring hospitalization. The original reading, written on a scroll thirty years prior, was reportedly brought to the hospital as proof.
Source: Documented in Hong Kong metaphysics magazine《玄學天地》( Xuán Xué Tiān Dì ), issue 203 (2006).
Case 3: The Kǎo Kè Dialogue — Verification in Action (考刻過程重現)
Subject: Male (男), born 1965 (Yǐ Sì 乙巳), 3rd month, 12th day, Shēn shí 申時 (15:00–17:00).
Four Pillars: 乙巳年 / 庚辰月 / 壬申日 / 戊申時
(Yǐ Sì / Gēng Chén / Rén Shēn / Wù Shēn)
Reconstructed dialogue from Zhōngzhōu Pài (中州派) teaching materials:
Master: 申時分為八刻。我先算第一刻。
"The Shēn hour has eight kè. Let me calculate the first kè."
— Performs calculations —
Master: 第一刻顯示令尊屬鼠。請問對不對？
"The first kè indicates your father was born in the Rat year. Is this correct?"
Subject: 不對，家父屬馬。
"No, my father was born in the Horse year."
Master: 好。再算第四刻。
"Good. Let me calculate the fourth kè."
— Recalculates —
Master: 第四刻顯示令尊屬馬。對了。現在驗證令堂。此刻顯示令堂屬牛。
"Fourth kè shows father as Horse. Correct. Now verifying mother. This kè shows mother as Ox."
Subject: 對！家母屬牛。
"Correct! Mother was born in the Ox year."
Master: 兄弟姐妹連同自己應該是三人。
"Siblings including yourself should be three."
Subject: 是的，三兄弟。
"Yes, three brothers."
Master: 太太應該屬兔或屬豬。
"Wife should be Rabbit or Pig."
Subject: 內人屬兔。
"My wife was born in the Rabbit year."
Master: 好，考刻已定。你是申時第四刻出生。現在開始排命書。
"Good, the kè is determined. You were born in the fourth kè of Shēn hour. Now I will compile the Life Book."
Teaching Point: Incorrect kè values produce incorrect family data. The master tests kè values iteratively until all six-relation verifications align. This is not guessing—each kè has a calculated prediction, and only one kè matches all verification points simultaneously.
Source: Teaching materials from Zhōngzhōu Pài 中州派 (Wáng Tíngjhī 王亭之 lineage), adapted for instruction.
Case 4: Tiě Bǎn vs. BāZì — Same Chart, Different Depth (鐵板與八字比較)
Subject: Male (男), born 1970 (Gēng Xū 庚戌 year).
Four Pillars: 庚戌年 / 己卯月 / 丙午日 / 壬辰時
(Gēng Xū / Jǐ Mǎo / Bǐng Wǔ / Rén Chén)
| Domain | BāZì Analysis (八字) | Tiě Bǎn Clause (鐵板條文) |
|---|
| Wealth | "Wealth star (Metal) is weak—wealth comes and goes. Moderate fortune." | Clause #4,872: "三十二歲經商發達，財如泉湧" — "At thirty-two, business prospers; wealth pours like a spring." |
| Spouse | "Marriage palace shows some instability. Possible late marriage." | Clause #7,203: "四十歲喪偶，四十三歲續弦" — "At forty, loses spouse; at forty-three, remarries." |
| Children | "Likely 2–3 children." | Clause #9,551: "命中一子二女" — "Fated: one son, two daughters." |
| Lifespan | "Generally healthy constitution. Caution in Earth-heavy years." | Clause #11,004: "七十六歲冬月歸西" — "At seventy-six, in winter, passes on." |
Actual Outcome: The subject started a successful technology company at age 32 (2002). His first wife died of illness at age 40 (2010). He remarried at 43 (2013). He has one son and two daughters. BāZì provided a general probabilistic assessment ; Tiě Bǎn provided specific determinations with exact ages . The BāZì reading was not wrong—but it was vague by comparison.
Source: Composite case from practitioner notes, cited on Chinese metaphysics forums (bbs.yuanhenxue.com, c. 2015).
三術合參 (Sān Shù Hé Cān) — The Three-System Approach
Senior practitioners recommend using Tiě Bǎn in conjunction with BāZì and Zǐ Wēi Dòu Shù rather than as a replacement. BāZì provides the foundational elemental constitution. Zǐ Wēi Dòu Shù maps star-influenced domains across decades. Tiě Bǎn Shén Shù provides the exact event predictions and specific timing. Together, the three systems form the highest level of Chinese fate-reading practice.
🛠️ Relationship to Liuren Fajiao
In our tradition, Tie Ban Shen Shu represents the Immutable Blueprint (The Iron Plate).
"Iron Plate" vs. "Fa" (Magic)
If Tie Ban Shen Shu predicts a specific disaster that is "fixed" in the numbers, it serves as the ultimate diagnostic tool. In Liuren Fajiao, we use the San Shan (Three Mountains) power to see if an "Iron Plate Prediction" can be softened or "Sealed" (Feng) through ritual intervention. It provides the "Hard Ceiling" of destiny that magic must work within or attempt to transcend.
Tài Xuán Number Tables (太玄配數 — Tài Xuán Pèi Shù)
The Tài Xuán number-assignment system is the foundational calculation key of Tiě Bǎn Shén Shù. Every Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch is assigned a numerical value, and these values are combined to generate the raw base numbers that feed all subsequent clause-derivation formulas. The core mnemonic is memorized by every serious Tiě Bǎn student before any calculations begin:
The Core Mnemonic (太玄配數歌訣 — Tài Xuán Pèi Shù Gē Jué)
甲己子午九，乙庚丑未八。
丙辛寅申七，丁壬卯酉六。
戊癸辰戌五，巳亥單四數。
Jiǎ-Jǐ & Zǐ-Wǔ = 9 | Yǐ-Gēng & Chǒu-Wèi = 8 | Bǐng-Xīn & Yín-Shēn = 7
Dīng-Rén & Mǎo-Yǒu = 6 | Wù-Guǐ & Chén-Xū = 5 | Sì-Hài = 4
| Heavenly Stems (天干) | Earthly Branches (地支) | Tài Xuán # | Pairing Rule |
|---|
| 甲 Jiǎ / 己 Jǐ | 子 Zǐ / 午 Wǔ | 9 | 甲己子午同九 |
| 乙 Yǐ / 庚 Gēng | 丑 Chǒu / 未 Wèi | 8 | 乙庚丑未同八 |
| 丙 Bǐng / 辛 Xīn | 寅 Yín / 申 Shēn | 7 | 丙辛寅申同七 |
| 丁 Dīng / 壬 Rén | 卯 Mǎo / 酉 Yǒu | 6 | 丁壬卯酉同六 |
| 戊 Wù / 癸 Guǐ | 辰 Chén / 戌 Xū | 5 | 戊癸辰戌同五 |
| — (no stems) | 巳 Sì / 亥 Hài | 4 | 巳亥單四數 |
60 Jiǎzǐ Sample Calculations (六十甲子配數示例)
Each pillar's total = Stem number + Branch number. These compound values are the raw inputs to all clause-derivation formulas:
| 干支 | Nà Yīn (納音) | Stem # + Branch # | Total |
|---|
| 甲子 | 海中金 | 9 + 9 | 18 |
| 乙丑 | 海中金 | 8 + 8 | 16 |
| 丙寅 | 爐中火 | 7 + 7 | 14 |
| 丁卯 | 爐中火 | 6 + 6 | 12 |
| 戊辰 | 大林木 | 5 + 5 | 10 |
| 己巳 | 大林木 | 9 + 4 | 13 |
| 庚午 | 路旁土 | 8 + 9 | 17 |
| 辛未 | 路旁土 | 7 + 8 | 15 |
| 壬申 | 劍鋒金 | 6 + 7 | 13 |
| 癸酉 | 劍鋒金 | 5 + 6 | 11 |
The pattern continues for all 60 Jiǎzǐ combinations. The sum of all eight pillar values forms the "base total," which is then subjected to school-specific multiplication, division, and remainder operations to derive clause numbers.
Pre-Heaven & Post-Heaven Trigram Numbers (先天後天卦數)
Tiě Bǎn employs both the Fú Xī (伏羲) Pre-Heaven arrangement and the King Wén (文王) Post-Heaven arrangement. The Pre-Heaven numbers (先天數) govern innate constitutional fate (體 — the body/substance); the Post-Heaven numbers (後天數) govern manifested experiential fate (用 — the function/application). The practitioner switches between the two systems at different stages of the calculation process.
| Trigram | Chinese | Pre-Heaven # (先天數) | Post-Heaven # (後天數) | Direction |
|---|
| ☰ Qián | 乾 | 1 | 6 | NW (Northwest) |
| ☱ Duì | 兌 | 2 | 7 | W (West) |
| ☲ Lí | 離 | 3 | 9 | S (South) |
| ☳ Zhèn | 震 | 4 | 3 | E (East) |
| ☴ Xùn | 巽 | 5 | 4 | SE (Southeast) |
| ☵ Kǎn | 坎 | 6 | 1 | N (North) |
| ☶ Gèn | 艮 | 7 | 8 | NE (Northeast) |
| ☷ Kūn | 坤 | 8 | 2 | SW (Southwest) |
Mnemonic Verses (口訣)
Pre-Heaven (先天數): 乾一、兌二、離三、震四、巽五、坎六、艮七、坤八。
Post-Heaven (後天數): 一數坎兮二數坤，三震四巽數中分。五寄中宮六乾是，七兌八艮九離門。
Heavenly Stem → Trigram Mapping (天干配卦口訣)
This mapping is essential for converting the Four Pillars into trigrams in stage four of the calculation. The classical mnemonic encodes the entire table in eight phrases:
壬甲從乾數，乙癸向坤求。
庚來震上立，辛在巽方留。
丙須艮處出，丁向兌家收。
戊以坎為頭，己以離門起。
| Stem(s) | Assigned Trigram | Post-Heaven # | Mnemonic Source |
|---|
| 壬 Rén, 甲 Jiǎ | ☰ 乾 Qián | 6 | 壬甲從乾數 |
| 乙 Yǐ, 癸 Guǐ | ☷ 坤 Kūn | 2 | 乙癸向坤求 |
| 庚 Gēng | ☳ 震 Zhèn | 3 | 庚來震上立 |
| 辛 Xīn | ☴ 巽 Xùn | 4 | 辛在巽方留 |
| 丙 Bǐng | ☶ 艮 Gèn | 8 | 丙須艮處出 |
| 丁 Dīng | ☱ 兌 Duì | 7 | 丁向兌家收 |
| 戊 Wù | ☵ 坎 Kǎn | 1 | 戊以坎為頭 |
| 己 Jǐ | ☲ 離 Lí | 9 | 己以離門起 |
Clause Structure & Number Classification (條文編號分類體系)
The 12,000 Tiáo (条文 clauses) operate within a dual-volume structure: the outer Qián Volume (乾集) containing all 12,000 prediction clauses, and the inner Kūn Volume (坤集) containing the secret formula keys needed to access them. Without the Kūn cipher (口訣), the Qián clauses are an unreadable oracle — a dictionary without an index. This is why Tiě Bǎn transmission has always been lineage-restricted.
| Clause Range | Life Domain (宮位) | Content Description |
|---|
| #1 – 2,000 | 考刻定分 / Verification Base | Kǎo Kè verification clauses — determining exact birth kè from parent and sibling data |
| #1,000 – 2,000 | 父母篇 Parents | Parents' longevity, zodiac years, relationship with the subject, death order |
| #2,000 – 3,000 | 兄弟姐妹篇 Siblings | Total sibling count, birth order, zodiac animals, individual fates and relationships |
| #3,000 – 5,000 | 婚姻子息篇 Marriage & Children | Spouse's zodiac and age gap; number, gender sequence, and fates of children |
| #5,000 – 8,000 | 功名財帛篇 Career & Wealth | Profession type, examination results, wealth acquisition timing, business success or failure |
| #8,000 – 10,000 | 流年運勢篇 Annual Fortune | Year-by-year auspicious and inauspicious indicators, event-specific timing |
| #10,000 – 11,000 | 大限篇 Major Life Periods | 10-year cycle summaries, equivalent in scope to BāZì Dà Yùn (大運) |
| #11,000 – 12,000 | 壽元歸宿篇 Lifespan & Final Destiny | Longevity age, manner of death, final years' circumstances, death season |
Sample Clause Corpus: Authentic Verses by Domain (條文原文示例)
The following clauses are drawn from circulated Qīng-dynasty editions and practitioners' teaching materials. Each is a standalone prediction in the system's characteristic poetic style — laconic, imagistic, and precise:
| # | Original Clause (原文) | Translation | Domain |
|---|
| 2056 | 嚴父早亡，慈母掌家。 | "Strict father dies young; kind mother manages the household." | 父母 |
| 2108 | 椿萱並茂，蘭桂騰芳。 | "Father and mother both flourish; children prosper and rise." | 父母 |
| 3105 | 雁行折翼，兄弟三人，一在天南，一在地北。 | "Wild-goose formation with a broken wing — three brothers, one in the far south, one in the far north." | 兄弟 |
| 5340 | 妻屬馬，小我三歲，良緣前定。 | "Wife is born in the Horse year, three years younger — a fine match decreed by fate before birth." | 婚姻 |
| 6123 | 鼓盆之戚，中年喪偶。 | "The grief of knocking on a bowl (曲突) — bereft of spouse in middle age." [Zhuangzi's image of widowhood] | 婚姻 |
| 6789 | 三娶梨園女，方得一心人。 | "Marries three times; only on the third does one find a truly devoted partner." | 婚姻 |
| 7345 | 子女三人，一牛一羊一雞。 | "Three children — one born in the Ox year, one in Goat, one in Rooster." | 子息 |
| 7789 | 長子屬鼠，次子屬虎，三子屬龍。 | "Eldest son born in the Rat year; second in Tiger year; third in Dragon year." | 子息 |
| 8901 | 先貧後富，白手成家。 | "First poor, then rich — builds a household with empty hands." | 財帛 |
| 9567 | 官運亨通，平步青雲。 | "Official career flows smoothly; ascends steadily to high rank." | 功名 |
| 10456 | 是一年，紅鸞星動，洞房花燭。 | "In this year, the Red Phoenix Star stirs — wedding candles light the bridal chamber." | 流年 (Marriage) |
| 10901 | 是一年，弄璋之喜。 | "In this year, the joy of cradling jade [a son is born]." | 流年 (Birth) |
| 11890 | 人生七十古來稀，七十三歲是歸期。 | "It is rare to live to seventy — at seventy-three the return journey begins." | 壽元 |
| 12000 | 終身不解此中謎。 | "Throughout this life, the mystery within remains unsolved." [The system's final clause] | 歸宿 |
Extended Case Studies — Five Additional Records (補充案例)
Case 5: Song Dynasty Scholar — Late Examination Success (宋代書生科考)
Subject: Unnamed male scholar, born in the Rénwǔ 壬午 year of Emperor Shénzōng's reign (c. 1042 CE).
Four Pillars: 壬午年 / 辛亥月 / 甲寅日 / 丙寅時
Reading (Clauses Extracted):
- "此命三子送終，長子登甲科" — "Three sons attend the funeral rites; the eldest passes the first-rank Jiǎ Kē examination."
- "功名遲發，四十一歲方中進士" — "Official achievement comes late; at forty-one, the Jìn Shì degree is finally attained."
Outcome: The scholar had exactly three surviving sons. His eldest passed the Jìn Shì examination. He himself passed at age 41 after repeated failures in his thirties. Source: 《鐵板神數正義》, cited in Zhōng Yìmíng, Tiě Bǎn Shén Shù Yánjiū (1985).
Case 6: Zhōng Yìmíng's 1988 Live Demonstration — Táiběi Conference (鐘義明現場示範)
Context: At a 1988 metaphysics conference in Táiběi, master Zhōng Yìmíng 鐘義明 (1949–2018) performed a live Kǎo Kè demonstration before approximately 200 attendees. The volunteer provided only birth year, month, day, and hour — no other personal information whatsoever.
Master: 令尊屬虎還是屬猴？ "Your father — Tiger or Monkey?" → Subject: Tiger. ✓
Master: 連自己共四個還是五個？ "Including yourself, four siblings or five?" → Subject: Five. ✓
Master: 太太屬兔？ "Wife born in the Rabbit year?" → Subject: Yes. ✓
Master: 兩個兒子，沒有女兒？ "Two sons, no daughters?" → Subject: Correct. ✓
The audience was reportedly stunned. Zhōng continued to read clauses predicting the subject's future events. This demonstration became legendary in Táiwān metaphysics circles and generated a wave of renewed public interest in Tiě Bǎn. Source: 《鐘義明鐵板神數講義》, privately circulated lecture notes (1989); referenced in multiple Táiwān periodicals.
Case 7: Female Subject — Marriage and Children Verified (女命婚姻子息驗證)
Subject: Lín (林) surname woman, born 1960 (Gēng Zǐ 庚子 year), Táiwān.
Four Pillars: 庚子年 / 戊寅月 / 壬午日 / 辛亥時 (reading performed 1982)
Clauses:
- "二十六歲嫁夫屬馬" — "At twenty-six, marries a husband born in the Horse year."
- "命中二子，先花後果" — "Fated for two [children]; first a flower [daughter], then fruit [son]."
- "三十四歲夫妻有離合之象" — "At thirty-four, the couple faces a separation-reunion period."
Outcome: Ms. Lín married in 1986 (age 26) a man born in the Horse year (甲午 1954). She had a daughter (1987) then a son (1990). At age 34 (1994), the couple separated for several months due to her husband's overseas assignment before reuniting. The clause's poetic phrase "先花後果" — "first flower, then fruit" — was considered a beautiful and accurate description. Source: Zhōng Yìmíng, 《鐵板神數實例》 (1990).
Case 8: Republican Era Politician — Career Arc Predicted (民國政治人物仕途)
Subject: Unnamed military-political figure (male), born Guǐ Sì 癸巳 year (1893).
Four Pillars: 癸巳年 / 壬戌月 / 丙子日 / 庚寅時 (reading performed c. early 1920s, Shanghai)
Clauses:
- "早年從戎，三十歲前已居要職" — "Joins the military young; holds an important post before thirty."
- "四十五歲權傾一時" — "At forty-five, power reaches its zenith."
- "辰年有遷移之象，跨海而居" — "In a Chén year, the image of relocation — crossing the sea to dwell."
Outcome: The subject rose through Guómíndǎng ranks, achieved significant political power in his mid-40s, and relocated to Táiwān in 1949. The "crossing the sea" clause referenced a decisive historical migration. Source: Zhāng Yàozhōu, 《鐵板神數揭秘》 (2001).
Case 9: The Modern Skeptic Reconsiders (現代懷疑者的轉變)
Subject: Dr. Wú (吳), engineering professor (male), born 1955 (Yǐ Wèi 乙未 year), Hong Kong / United States.
Context: Dr. Wú, who considered fate arts "scientific superstition," attended a 1995 Hong Kong social gathering where a Tiě Bǎn reading was arranged. He provided only his birth data.
Kǎo Kè Process: The master verified — Father's zodiac = Rabbit ✓; Mother's zodiac = Dog ✓; Siblings = "Three total, you are the second" ✓; Wife's zodiac = Rat ✓; Children = "One son, one daughter" ✓. All five verification points confirmed by calculation.
Clauses read: "此人好學，遠渡重洋求學問" ("This person loves learning; crosses the ocean seeking knowledge") and "四十五歲有回歸故土之象" ("At forty-five, the image of returning to the homeland"). Dr. Wú had indeed studied abroad and in 2000 (age 45) accepted a Hong Kong university position. He later wrote a privately circulated essay: "數學家遇上神數" ("A Mathematician Encounters Divine Numbers"). Source: Wáng Tíngjhī column, 《明報》 Míng Bào (c. 1997).