The Harmonic Layer of Chinese Metaphysics
纳音 (Nà Yīn) , literally "Harmonized Sound" or "Absorbed Tone," is an ancient system that assigns a secondary Five Element quality to each of the 60 pillars in the 六十甲子 (Liù Shí Jiǎ Zǐ / Sixty Jia Zi) cycle. Unlike the standard method—where a pillar's element is determined solely by its Heavenly Stem—Na Yin considers the combined resonance of both Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch, producing a qualitative "harmonic" element that describes the nature, texture, and strength of that pillar's energy.
The system yields 30 unique Na Yin designations —each belonging to one of the Five Elements but differentiated by a vivid poetic image. For example: 大海水 (Dà Hǎi Shuǐ / Water of the Great Sea) and 涧下水 (Jiàn Xià Shuǐ / Water Under the Stream) are both Water, but their character is radically different. This qualitative layer is Na Yin's analytical power.
Attributed to 鬼谷子 (Guǐ Gǔ Zǐ / Master of Ghost Valley) and systematized by 李虚中 (Lǐ Xū Zhōng, Tang Dynasty), Na Yin remained central in 盲派 (Máng Pài / Blindman School), burial Feng Shui, date selection, and 紫微斗数 (Zǐ Wēi Dǒu Shù) even after 徐子平 (Xú Zǐ Píng) shifted mainstream BaZi to Day Master analysis in the Song Dynasty.
System Overview
| Aspect | Standard Stem Element (正五行) | Na Yin Element (纳音五行) |
|---|
| Derived from | Heavenly Stem alone | Stem + Branch combination |
| Number of types | 10 (5 elements × Yin/Yang) | 30 unique qualitative types |
| Quality information | Element + polarity only | Element + nature + magnitude + imagery |
| Primary use era | Song Dynasty onward | Tang Dynasty origin; continuously used |
| Analytical layer | Structural / dynamic | Qualitative / environmental |
| Typical application | Day Master strength, Ten Gods | Year Pillar life element, compatibility, burial Feng Shui, ZWDS bureau |
Na Yin does not replace standard Five Element analysis — it supplements it. A skilled practitioner uses both layers for more nuanced readings. The Na Yin system is particularly indispensable in Mangpai BaZi, burial Feng Shui (阴宅), date selection (择日), and Zi Wei Dou Shu (紫微斗数) bureau calculation.
Complete Na Yin Table (六十甲子纳音总表)
All 30 Na Yin elements mapped to the 60 Jia Zi cycle. Each row represents one Na Yin designation shared by a consecutive Yang-Yin pair of pillars.
| # | Jia Zi Pair | Na Yin (Chinese) | Pinyin | English Name | Image & Character |
|---|
| 1 | 甲子 / 乙丑 | 海中金 | Hǎi Zhōng Jīn | Gold in the Sea | Precious metal hidden deep beneath the ocean; concealed wealth, latent potential |
| 2 | 壬申 / 癸酉 | 剑锋金 | Jiàn Fēng Jīn | Sword-Edge Gold | Sharp, refined, tempered metal; decisive, cutting, dangerous power |
| 3 | 庚辰 / 辛巳 | 白蜡金 | Bái Là Jīn | White Wax Gold | Soft, malleable gold; elegant but lacks hardness, used in jewelry |
| 4 | 甲午 / 乙未 | 沙中金 | Shā Zhōng Jīn | Gold in the Sand | Gold dust scattered in sand; valuable but dispersed, requires effort to extract |
| 5 | 壬寅 / 癸卯 | 金箔金 | Jīn Bó Jīn | Gold Leaf Gold | Paper-thin gold foil; beautiful on the surface but fragile, decorative |
| 6 | 庚戌 / 辛亥 | 钗钏金 | Chāi Chuàn Jīn | Hairpin Gold | Ornamental gold shaped into hairpins and bracelets; refined, complete |
木 (Mù / Wood) — Six Types
| # | Jia Zi Pair | Na Yin (Chinese) | Pinyin | English Name | Image & Character |
|---|
| 7 | 戊辰 / 己巳 | 大林木 | Dà Lín Mù | Wood of the Great Forest | Towering ancient forest; abundant, strong, providing shelter and support |
| 8 | 壬午 / 癸未 | 杨柳木 | Yáng Liǔ Mù | Willow Wood | Graceful, flexible willow; yielding, soft, beautiful but not structurally sturdy |
| 9 | 庚寅 / 辛卯 | 松柏木 | Sōng Bǎi Mù | Pine and Cypress Wood | Evergreen, enduring, noble; withstands harsh winters, symbol of integrity |
| 10 | 戊戌 / 己亥 | 平地木 | Píng Dì Mù | Wood of the Plains | Bushes and grasses on flat ground; common, widespread, low-growing |
| 11 | 壬子 / 癸丑 | 桑柘木 | Sāng Zhè Mù | Mulberry Wood | Silkworm mulberry tree; practical, nourishing, industrious purpose |
| 12 | 庚申 / 辛酉 | 石榴木 | Shí Liú Mù | Pomegranate Wood | Fruitful, ornamental tree; many seeds, symbol of fertility and abundance |
水 (Shuǐ / Water) — Six Types
| # | Jia Zi Pair | Na Yin (Chinese) | Pinyin | English Name | Image & Character |
|---|
| 13 | 丙子 / 丁丑 | 涧下水 | Jiàn Xià Shuǐ | Water Under the Stream | Gentle brook trickling beneath rocks; pure, quiet, nourishing |
| 14 | 甲申 / 乙酉 | 泉中水 | Quán Zhōng Shuǐ | Water in the Spring | Underground spring water emerging; clean, constant, life-giving |
| 15 | 壬辰 / 癸巳 | 长流水 | Cháng Liú Shuǐ | Long-Flowing Water | Great river flowing endlessly; persistent, powerful, far-reaching |
| 16 | 丙午 / 丁未 | 天河水 | Tiān Hé Shuǐ | Heavenly River Water | The Milky Way, celestial rain; heavenly, purifying, auspicious and cleansing |
| 17 | 甲寅 / 乙卯 | 大溪水 | Dà Xī Shuǐ | Water of the Great Stream | Mountain torrent rushing through valleys; vigorous, dynamic, powerful |
| 18 | 壬戌 / 癸亥 | 大海水 | Dà Hǎi Shuǐ | Water of the Great Sea | Vast ocean; all-encompassing, overwhelming, the ultimate Water expression |
火 (Huǒ / Fire) — Six Types
| # | Jia Zi Pair | Na Yin (Chinese) | Pinyin | English Name | Image & Character |
|---|
| 19 | 丙寅 / 丁卯 | 炉中火 | Lú Zhōng Huǒ | Fire in the Furnace | Contained, intense forge fire; transformative, industrial, purposeful |
| 20 | 甲戌 / 乙亥 | 山头火 | Shān Tóu Huǒ | Fire on the Mountain Top | Wildfire blazing on peaks; visible from far away, dramatic, exposed |
| 21 | 戊子 / 己丑 | 霹雳火 | Pī Lì Huǒ | Thunderbolt Fire | Lightning strike; sudden, shocking, explosive — brief but devastating |
| 22 | 丙申 / 丁酉 | 山下火 | Shān Xià Huǒ | Fire at the Foot of the Mountain | Sunset glow, campfire; warm, gentle, fading light |
| 23 | 甲辰 / 乙巳 | 覆灯火 | Fù Dēng Huǒ | Lantern Fire | Covered lamp or candle; steady, contained, illuminating but small |
| 24 | 戊午 / 己未 | 天上火 | Tiān Shàng Huǒ | Fire in the Sky | The blazing sun at its zenith; supreme Fire, brilliance, glory |
土 (Tǔ / Earth) — Six Types
| # | Jia Zi Pair | Na Yin (Chinese) | Pinyin | English Name | Image & Character |
|---|
| 25 | 庚午 / 辛未 | 路旁土 | Lù Páng Tǔ | Earth by the Roadside | Common soil alongside a road; useful, stepped upon, enduring, humble |
| 26 | 戊寅 / 己卯 | 城头土 | Chéng Tóu Tǔ | Earth on the City Wall | Rammed-earth fortification; protective, defensive, structured, strong |
| 27 | 丙戌 / 丁亥 | 屋上土 | Wū Shàng Tǔ | Earth on the Roof | Clay tiles on rooftops; sheltering, elevated, serving a purpose |
| 28 | 庚子 / 辛丑 | 壁上土 | Bì Shàng Tǔ | Earth on the Wall | Plaster and mortar; smooth, decorative, supportive but thin |
| 29 | 戊申 / 己酉 | 大驿土 | Dà Yì Tǔ | Earth of the Great Post Road | Well-traveled highway earth; well-trodden, connective, facilitating movement |
| 30 | 丙辰 / 丁巳 | 沙中土 | Shā Zhōng Tǔ | Earth in the Sand | Sandy soil; loose, shifting, dry — unstable but forming the desert base |
Classical Mnemonic Verse (纳音口诀)
The 盲派 (Máng Pài / Blindman School) oral tradition preserved this verse in its entirety, allowing practitioners to instantly identify any Na Yin from memory alone — a remarkable feat of oral transmission.
六十甲子纳音歌诀 — The Sixty Jia Zi Na Yin Chant
甲子乙丑海中金，丙寅丁卯炉中火。
戊辰己巳大林木，庚午辛未路旁土。
壬申癸酉剑锋金，甲戌乙亥山头火。
丙子丁丑涧下水，戊寅己卯城头土。
庚辰辛巳白蜡金，壬午癸未杨柳木。
甲申乙酉泉中水，丙戌丁亥屋上土。
戊子己丑霹雳火，庚寅辛卯松柏木。
壬辰癸巳长流水，甲午乙未沙中金。
丙申丁酉山下火，戊戌己亥平地木。
庚子辛丑壁上土，壬寅癸卯金箔金。
甲辰乙巳覆灯火，丙午丁未天河水。
戊申己酉大驿土，庚戌辛亥钗钏金。
壬子癸丑桑柘木，甲寅乙卯大溪水。
丙辰丁巳沙中土，戊午己未天上火。
庚申辛酉石榴木，壬戌癸亥大海水。
Blind fortune-tellers memorized this verse completely, allowing them to instantly identify the Na Yin for any year, month, day, or hour pillar spoken to them.
Theoretical Basis (纳音理论基础)
Mathematical Derivation
Na Yin assignment is not arbitrary. It follows a precise mathematical formula rooted in 先天八卦 (Xiān Tiān Bā Guà / Pre-Heaven Trigram) numerology and the 洛书 (Luò Shū / Luo Shu Magic Square).
Step-by-step derivation:
- Heavenly Stem numbers: 甲=1, 乙=2, 丙=3, 丁=4, 戊=5, 己=6, 庚=7, 辛=8, 壬=9, 癸=10(0)
- Earthly Branch numbers: 子=1, 丑=2, 寅=3, 卯=4, 辰=5, 巳=6, 午=7, 未=8, 申=9, 酉=10, 戌=11, 亥=12(0)
- Calculate: Sum the Stem and Branch numbers. Divide by 5. The remainder determines the element: 1=Metal, 2=Fire, 3=Wood, 0(5)=Earth, 4=Water
- Pairing Principle: Each consecutive Yang-Yin stem pair (甲乙, 丙丁, 戊己, 庚辛, 壬癸) with their respective branches forms a pair sharing one Na Yin — because in Chinese cosmology, Yang and Yin within the same stem-element phase are one complete unit of Qi transformation.
Five Musical Notes (五音 Wǔ Yīn)
The character 音 (yīn / sound) in 纳音 directly connects this system to ancient Chinese music theory. The five notes of the pentatonic scale map to the Five Elements:
| Note | Chinese | Pinyin | Element | Organ | Direction |
|---|
| Palace | 宫 | Gōng | 土 Earth | Spleen | Center |
| Commercial | 商 | Shāng | 金 Metal | Lungs | West |
| Horn | 角 | Jué | 木 Wood | Liver | East |
| Feather | 羽 | Yǔ | 水 Water | Kidneys | North |
| Zhi | 徵 | Zhǐ | 火 Fire | Heart | South |
When a Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch combine, they produce a specific vibrational frequency —a "sound" that resonates with one of the Five Elements. The 律吕 (Lǜ Lǚ / Pitch Pipes) system of 12 chromatic tones links to the 12 Earthly Branches. When the 10 Stems (five notes in Yang/Yin pairs) interact with the 12 Branches (12 pitch pipes), the 60 combinations yield 30 unique "harmonic" outcomes — the 30 Na Yin elements.
The Luo Shu Connection (洛书关联)
The 洛书 (Luò Shū) magic square provides the generative number pairs underlying the Na Yin formula:
Luo Shu Magic Square
4 9 2
3 5 7
8 1 6
生成数 (Shēng Chéng Shù) — Generative Pairs
- 1 & 6 → 水 Water (North) — 天一生水，地六成之
- 2 & 7 → 火 Fire (South) — 地二生火，天七成之
- 3 & 8 → 木 Wood (East) — 天三生木，地八成之
- 4 & 9 → 金 Metal (West) — 地四生金，天九成之
- 5 & 10 → 土 Earth (Center) — 天五生土，地十成之
Na Yin in BaZi (纳音在八字中的应用)
Year Pillar Na Yin as Life Element (本命纳音)
In traditional Chinese folk practice and 盲派 methodology, a person's Year Pillar Na Yin is their "life element" or "fate sound." When someone says 我是XX命 (Wǒ shì XX mìng / "I am XX destiny"), they refer to their Year Na Yin.
| Birth Year | Ganzhi Pair | Na Yin | Popular Name |
|---|
| 1984 | 甲子 Jiǎ Zǐ | 海中金 | Gold in the Sea destiny |
| 1986 | 丙寅 Bǐng Yín | 炉中火 | Furnace Fire destiny |
| 1988 | 戊辰 Wù Chén | 大林木 | Great Forest Wood destiny |
| 1990 | 庚午 Gēng Wǔ | 路旁土 | Roadside Earth destiny |
| 1992 | 壬申 Rén Shēn | 剑锋金 | Sword-Edge Gold destiny |
| 2024 | 甲辰 Jiǎ Chén | 覆灯火 | Lantern Fire destiny |
| 2026 | 丙午 Bǐng Wǔ | 天河水 | Heavenly River Water destiny |
Interactions Between Na Yin of Different Pillars
When analyzing a full BaZi chart using Na Yin, examine the relationships between the Na Yin elements of all four pillars:
| Relationship | Meaning | Example |
|---|
| 生 Shēng (Generating) | Energy flows supportively; one pillar nourishes another | Year 大林木 (Wood) → Month 炉中火 (Fire): family background supports career |
| 克 Kè (Controlling) | Tension or suppression between pillars | Year 剑锋金 (Metal) → Day 杨柳木 (Wood): harsh family upbringing |
| 同 Tóng (Same Element) | Resonance and reinforcement; overabundance possible | Multiple Metal Na Yin pillars: intense Metal karma pattern |
⚡ Critical: Quality Overrides Simple Element Cycles
Even within the same element, the quality of the Na Yin determines whether control relationships actually manifest:
- 大海水 vs 覆灯火: Great Sea Water vs Lantern Fire — Water controls Fire devastatingly; the ocean easily extinguishes a candle
- 大海水 vs 天上火: Great Sea vs Sky Fire (the Sun) — mutual respect; the sun shines above the ocean, neither overwhelms the other. This is cosmic harmony , not control.
- 涧下水 vs 天上火: Stream Water vs Sky Fire — control exists in theory but the stream cannot reach the heavens; practically ineffective
This qualitative analysis is unique to Na Yin and cannot be replicated by standard stem-element analysis.
Mangpai vs. Wuxingpai Usage
| School | Na Yin Role | Key Application |
|---|
盲派 Máng Pài
(Blindman School) | Integral — central to all readings | Year Na Yin establishes the "base tone" of the entire chart; oral verses reference Na Yin directly; crucial for timing when Luck or Annual Pillar Na Yin clashes with natal Na Yin |
五行派 Wǔ Xíng Pài
(Five Element / Zi Ping School) | De-emphasized; supplementary only | Focus remains on Day Master and Ten Gods; some dismiss Na Yin as folk superstition; when used, typically only Year Pillar Na Yin is considered |
Na Yin in Feng Shui (纳音在风水中的应用)
House Orientation (阳宅择向)
The homeowner's Year Na Yin determines favorable house orientations. The house sitting-facing direction should have a Na Yin that generates or supports the owner's Na Yin life element.
Burial Site Compatibility (阴宅风水)
Na Yin is critically important in burial Feng Shui — arguably more so than any other metaphysical application. The deceased person's 骨气 (Gǔ Qì / bone Qi) resonates with the land's energy through Na Yin.
Key Rules for Burial Site Selection
- The incoming mountain dragon (来龙 Lái Lóng) Na Yin should generate the deceased's Year Na Yin
- The water exit (水口 Shuǐ Kǒu) Na Yin should not control the deceased's Na Yin
- The tomb sitting direction should be compatible with the deceased's Na Yin
- The burial date (Day Pillar) Na Yin should generate or match the deceased's Na Yin
Classical Quote: "压骨" (Yā Gǔ / "pressing the bones") — the traditional term for an inauspicious burial date whose Na Yin controls the deceased's Na Yin, suppressing the ancestor's Qi and harming descendants.
Twenty-Four Mountain Na Yin Matching (山水配合)
Each of the 二十四山 (Èr Shí Sì Shān / Twenty-Four Mountains) compass directions has associated Jia Zi pairs and therefore Na Yin elements. When performing Luopan readings:
| Relationship | Meaning |
|---|
| Mountain Na Yin generates Water Na Yin | Excellent outward flow of prosperity |
| Water Na Yin generates Mountain Na Yin | Wealth flows inward — auspicious for accumulation |
| Mountain Na Yin controls Water Na Yin | Conflict between sitting and facing energy |
| Water Na Yin controls Mountain Na Yin | External forces overpower the site |
Na Yin in Date Selection (纳音在择日中的应用)
Core Principle (核心原则)
"所选日课的纳音应生扶本命纳音，忌克泄本命纳音"
The selected date's Na Yin should generate or support the person's life Na Yin; avoid controlling or draining the person's life Na Yin.
Application by Event Type
| Event | Day Na Yin Rule | Hour Na Yin Rule | Special Notes |
|---|
| Wedding (嫁娶) | Should generate both bride's and groom's Na Yin | Must not clash with either party's Na Yin | If both cannot be satisfied, prioritize the bride (she enters the new household) |
| Business Opening (开业) | Should generate the owner's Year Na Yin | Should support the business element type | Finance→Metal; Restaurant→Fire; Education→Wood; Logistics→Water; Real Estate→Earth |
| Burial (安葬) | Must generate the deceased's Year Na Yin | Must generate the chief mourner's Year Na Yin | Strictly avoid Day Na Yin controlling deceased's Na Yin — "pressing the bones" |
| Ground-Breaking (动土) | Should not control the land's associated Na Yin | — | Earth-element Na Yin days generally favorable |
Na Yin Date Selection Matrix
| Person's Na Yin Element | Favorable Day Na Yin | Unfavorable Day Na Yin |
|---|
| 金 Metal | 土 Earth (generates Metal) | 火 Fire (controls Metal) |
| 木 Wood | 水 Water (generates Wood) | 金 Metal (controls Wood) |
| 水 Water | 金 Metal (generates Water) | 土 Earth (controls Water) |
| 火 Fire | 木 Wood (generates Fire) | 水 Water (controls Fire) |
| 土 Earth | 火 Fire (generates Earth) | 木 Wood (controls Earth) |
Na Yin in Zi Wei Dou Shu (紫微斗数五行局)
In 紫微斗数 (Purple Star Astrology), the 命宫 (Mìng Gōng / Life Palace) calculation requires determining the person's 五行局 (Wǔ Xíng Jú / Five Element Bureau) . This Bureau is derived directly from the Na Yin of the Year Pillar — making Na Yin the foundational link between BaZi and Zi Wei Dou Shu.
| Na Yin Element | Bureau (局) | Starting Age of First Luck Period | Significance |
|---|
| 水 Water | 水二局 | Age 2 | Stars advance fastest; early experiences formative |
| 木 Wood | 木三局 | Age 3 | Moderate early development |
| 金 Metal | 金四局 | Age 4 | Standard advancement |
| 土 Earth | 土五局 | Age 5 | Slower development; later flowering |
| 火 Fire | 火六局 | Age 6 | Stars advance slowest; late-blooming destiny |
The Bureau number also determines the step size when placing stars on the 紫微 (Purple Star) chart. This makes Na Yin calculation the first essential step in constructing any Zi Wei Dou Shu chart.
Element Strength Hierarchies (纳音强弱排序)
Each element has six Na Yin types ranked from strongest/most abundant to weakest/most refined. This ranking is crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of control relationships — a weak Na Yin may be nominally controlled without practical effect.
金 Metal Hierarchy
| Rank | Na Yin | Reasoning |
|---|
| 1 — Strongest | 剑锋金 | Tempered steel, sharpened to perfection |
| 2 | 钗钏金 | Formed into shape, solid and complete |
| 3 | 白蜡金 | Pure and luminous but softer |
| 4 | 沙中金 | Scattered gold particles; dispersed |
| 5 | 海中金 | Deeply hidden; latent, inaccessible |
| 6 — Most refined | 金箔金 | Paper-thin foil; beautiful but fragile |
木 Wood Hierarchy
| Rank | Na Yin | Reasoning |
|---|
| 1 — Strongest | 大林木 | Vast ancient forest; immense and towering |
| 2 | 松柏木 | Evergreen pine; resilient, enduring |
| 3 | 桑柘木 | Mulberry; strong, practical, deep roots |
| 4 | 杨柳木 | Willow; graceful but not strong |
| 5 | 石榴木 | Pomegranate; fruitful but small-statured |
| 6 — Weakest | 平地木 | Grassland shrubs; low-growing |
水 Water Hierarchy
| Rank | Na Yin | Reasoning |
|---|
| 1 — Most abundant | 大海水 | The ocean; limitless, all-encompassing |
| 2 | 天河水 | Celestial river; heavenly, purifying |
| 3 | 长流水 | Great river; powerful, persistent |
| 4 | 大溪水 | Mountain stream; vigorous but contained |
| 5 | 泉中水 | Spring water; pure but limited in volume |
| 6 — Most gentle | 涧下水 | Brook under rocks; quietest, softest |
火 Fire Hierarchy
| Rank | Na Yin | Reasoning |
|---|
| 1 — Most powerful | 天上火 | The sun; supreme Fire, illuminates all |
| 2 | 霹雳火 | Lightning; devastating, explosive |
| 3 | 炉中火 | Furnace fire; intense, sustained, purposeful |
| 4 | 山头火 | Mountain wildfire; dramatic but uncontrolled |
| 5 | 山下火 | Sunset glow; warm, pleasant, fading |
| 6 — Most gentle | 覆灯火 | Candle; small, easily extinguished |
土 Earth Hierarchy
| Rank | Na Yin | Reasoning |
|---|
| 1 — Most solid | 大驿土 | Great post-road earth; vast, well-compacted, connecting major cities |
| 2 | 城头土 | City wall rammed earth; dense, fortified, purposefully strengthened |
| 3 | 路旁土 | Roadside earth; common, abundant, fertile, widely available |
| 4 | 屋上土 | Roof tiles; elevated, sheltering, but limited in quantity |
| 5 | 壁上土 | Wall plaster; thin, decorative, dependent on a structure to hold it |
| 6 — Most dispersed | 沙中土 | Sandy soil; loose, dry, shifting — the most unstable Earth |
Classical Case Studies (纳音案例研究)
Case 1: Career in Finance — 海中金命从事金融业
Chart: Male born 1984 (甲子年) — Year Na Yin: 海中金 | Day Pillar 庚辰 — Day Na Yin: 白蜡金
Standard Analysis: Day Master 庚 Metal weak in 卯 month; standard reading predicts education or technology career based on dominant 伤官 (Hurting Officer) Ten God pattern.
Na Yin Layer: Year Na Yin 海中金 + Day Na Yin 白蜡金 = double Metal Na Yin. 海中金 represents "hidden treasure" — wealth submerged beneath the ocean, requiring deep diving to extract. This directly points to finance, banking, investment — industries where one "dives deep" to find hidden value.
Outcome: The person became a successful investment banker specializing in undervalued assets and distressed debt — literally "finding gold in the sea." The Na Yin imagery provided the crucial industry-specific clue that standard analysis alone could not produce.
Source: Adapted from Mangpai case examples, attributed to teachings of 段建业 (Duàn Jiàn Yè).
Case 2: Marriage Compatibility — 大海水 vs 天上火
Husband: Born 1978 (戊午年) — Year Na Yin: 天上火 (Fire in the Sky)
Wife: Born 1982 (壬戌年) — Year Na Yin: 大海水 (Water of the Great Sea)
Superficial Reading: Water controls Fire! Great Sea extinguishes Sky Fire — many folk practitioners would strongly advise against this marriage.
Nuanced Na Yin Analysis: 天上火 is the Sun . 大海水 is the Ocean . The sun shines above the sea; the ocean cannot reach the sun. This is cosmic harmony — a glorious sunrise over the sea:
- The sun warms the ocean (husband provides warmth and direction)
- The ocean reflects the sun (wife mirrors and amplifies husband's brilliance)
- Neither can destroy the other (stable, balanced partnership)
Outcome: The couple married and have had a harmonious marriage for 20 years. Superficial element-control analysis would have prevented a beautiful union.
Source: Classic example from 民间合婚术 (Folk Marriage Matching), widely cited in Mangpai teaching lineages.
Case 3: Business Volatility — 剑锋金 vs 大林木
Chart: Male born 1992 (壬申年) — Year Na Yin: 剑锋金 | Day Pillar 戊辰 — Day Na Yin: 大林木
Standard Analysis: Strong Wealth stars; excellent entrepreneurial chart. Standard BaZi predicted business success with wealth accumulation.
Na Yin Layer: 剑锋金 (sharpest Metal) controls 大林木 (mightiest Wood). The image: an axe swinging repeatedly at a great forest. Each blow is devastating, but the forest is vast — it regrows. The pattern: build → destruction → rebuild → destruction .
Outcome: Built three successful businesses ages 25–33, but each faced a sharp crisis (legal dispute, partner absconding, regulatory shutdown). Each time rebuilt. Standard Wealth analysis showed wealth potential but could not explain the volatility pattern — only Na Yin did.
Recommendation: Pursue Water-industry businesses — Water exhausts Metal (dulls the axe) while generating Wood (feeds the forest). Shifted to water purification technology and found greater stability.
Source: Mangpai analysis, adapted from 夏仲奇命理讲义 (Xià Zhòng Qí Destiny Lecture Notes).
Case 4: Burial Site Selection — 杨柳木 Deceased
Deceased: Male, born 1942 (壬午年) — Year Na Yin: 杨柳木 (Willow Wood)
Requirements for Wood-life burial: Mountain Na Yin = Water (Water generates Wood, nourishing bone Qi); Avoid Metal Na Yin sitting (Metal controls Wood); Water exit should not be Fire Na Yin (Wood generating Fire drains energy outward).
Three Candidate Plots:
- Plot A (Selected): Dragon from 壬 direction (Water) — generates Willow Wood. Sitting 卯 (Wood) — harmonious. ✅ FAVORABLE
- Plot B: Dragon from 丙 direction (Fire) — Wood generates Fire, draining deceased's Qi outward. ❌ UNFAVORABLE
- Plot C: Dragon from 庚 direction (Metal) — Metal controls Wood, suppresses bone Qi. ❌ STRONGLY UNFAVORABLE
Outcome: After burial at Plot A, family fortunes improved over the following three years — consistent with the principle that proper burial benefits descendants (荫后 Yìn Hòu).
Source: 赖布衣 (Lài Bù Yī) Yin Zhai methodology, applied through Yang Gong Feng Shui lineage practice.
Case 5: Child Naming — Supplementing Weak 壁上土
Child: Born 2020 (庚子年) — Year Na Yin: 壁上土 (Wall Plaster Earth, Rank 5 of 6 — inherently fragile) | Day Pillar 甲寅 — Day Na Yin: 大溪水 (rushing mountain stream)
Problem: 大溪水 (vigorous Water) controls 壁上土 (thin wall plaster Earth). Rushing water erodes thin plaster — a problematic internal Na Yin dynamic.
Naming Strategy: Incorporate Fire characters (Fire generates Earth, strengthening weak 壁上土): radical 火 characters — 炎, 烨, 晖, 煊; or Earth characters: 岳, 磊, 坤.
Selected Name: 程煊 (Chéng Xuān) — 煊 contains Fire radical 火 meaning "warm, brilliant, radiant." Fire generates Earth, strengthening the child's fragile foundation against Water erosion.
Source: 姓名学 (Name Studies) methodology, integrating 纳音补救法 (Na Yin Remediation Method).
Synthesis & Practitioner Notes
Na Yin Five Elements represents one of the most ancient and elegant layers in Chinese metaphysical practice. Its power lies in its qualitative precision — the ability to distinguish not merely between "Metal" and "Water" but between the ocean and a trickling stream, between a blazing sun and a candle flame.
Integration with Other Systems
- BaZi (命理): Use Year Na Yin as the "life sound foundation"; check Na Yin clashes during major luck periods for event timing
- Zi Wei Dou Shu (紫微斗数): Na Yin determines the Five Element Bureau — the first and non-negotiable calculation step
- Feng Shui (风水): Essential for burial site selection; the Na Yin of mountain directions and burial dates must support the deceased's Na Yin
- Ze Ri (择日): Na Yin compatibility ensures the selected date's energy harmonizes with the person's life element
- Naming (姓名学): Character selection can supplement or remediate weak Na Yin elements
Classical Source:
Classical Quote: "纳音者，万物受音之义也"
— "Na Yin means: all things receive and absorb the tone [of the cosmos]."
Source: San Ming Tong Hui (三命通會), the foundational Song-Ming Dynasty compendium of BaZi methodology, compiled by 万民英 (Wàn Mín Yīng).