Introduction: The Essence of Career Prediction —— The Intersection of Power, Documentation, and the Self
In the system of Zeng Shan Bu Yi, the prediction of career and fame is viewed as a combination of "Officials" and "Seals." The records clearly state that the core of career prediction lies in the "Officials/Ghosts Line" (representing position, power, and rank) and the "Parents Line" (representing documents, institutions, and admission letters).
Wild Crane Elder believed there is a fundamental difference between seeking fame and seeking wealth. Seeking wealth loves the movement of Children (the source of wealth), but seeking fame most dislikes Children (the spirit that harms the Official). This logic remains precise in the modern workplace: Officials/Ghosts represent your position, Parents represent your formal establishment or labor contract, and Children represent the factors that challenge your authority or make you lose your job. This chapter will combine the "General Discourse on Fame" with modern practical corrections to help readers see through the advancement and retreat of the workplace.
Section 1: Functional Definitions of the Six Relatives in Career
To accurately predict workplace fortune, one must first clarify the specific指代 (indications) of the Six Relatives in a modern office environment:
Officials/Ghosts Line (Functional Spirit): Represents the position, rank, authority, superior, or the company itself. It is the soul of the seeker of fame. If the Official line is prosperous, the position is stable; if void or broken, the position is hollow.
Parents Line (Functional Spirit/Seal Star): Represents admission letters, official documents, labor contracts, professional titles, or the company's "establishment." If Parents hold the World or generate the World, it means you have legal status and reputation.
Wife/Wealth Line (Original Spirit): Represents salary and benefits—the resources that "nourish" the Official. In the modern workplace, prosperous Wealth generating the Official means the position is lucrative or that you gained promotion through performance.
Children Line (Restricting Spirit): Represents dismissal, layoffs, opposing views, professional technical personnel, or freelancers. Children moving to restrict the Official represents damage to the position or resignation.
Brothers Line (Obstruction): Represents colleagues, competitors, or workplace gossip. Brothers holding the World often means the position is being contested by others or the environment is full of disputes.
Section 2: Core Logic of Exams and Selection Prediction
The records in Chapters 49 and 55 detail the necessary conditions for exam success.
1. Official and Parent Both Rise: Success on the Gold Roll
The most ideal hexagram for exam success is both "Officials/Ghosts" and "Parents" being prosperous and generating or combining with the World line.
Prosperous Official: Represents a high ranking and having the qualification for selection.
Prosperous Parent: Represents excellent exam performance and the successful delivery of the admission letter (document).
Analysis Note: If Parents are prosperous but Officials are weak, it may represent an opportunity to study but without obtaining a formal rank or permanent position. If the Official is prosperous but the Parent is weak, the reputation is great, but there may be issues with certificates or formalities.
2. Children Holding the World: The Omen of Failure
"If Children hold the World, do not ask about fame." Children restrict Officials. If you participate in an exam and the Children line moves or holds the World, it usually represents unsatisfactory results or being disqualified for some reason despite good scores.
Exception: The records mention that if Children hold the World but are "Void," one might pass a short-term exam (within 2-3 days) because the Children line has not yet exited the void and cannot yet restrict the Official. Long-term, however, it is still unfavorable.
3. Brothers Seizing the Standard: Fame is Hard to Achieve
Brothers represent competitors. If the Brothers line is prosperous and moves, or competes with the World line for the Official star, it represents "strong competitors," and you may become the stepping stone for others.
Section 3: Dynamic Judgment of Promotion and Workplace 博弈
The records in Chapters 55 and 57 provide extensive details on workplace promotion.
1. Prosperous Official Generating the World: High Promotion in Sight
The core imagery for promotion is "Official generating the World" or "Official holding the World."
Official Holding World transforming into Advance Spirit: Represents a thriving career with continuous promotions.
Official Generating World on Azure Dragon: Represents receiving favor and being promoted with honor and legitimacy.
2. Year Master or 5th Line Generating World: Patronage from Noble Men
In Liu Yao, the "Year Master" (Tai Sui) represents the highest decision-maker (the Big Boss), and the "5th Line" represents the ruler's position (direct supervisor or CEO).
If the Year Master or 5th line moves to generate or combine with the World, it means your performance is valued by high-level management, and there will be opportunities for exceptional promotion.
Conversely, if the 5th line Official clashes with or restricts the World, it means you have offended your direct superior, and the environment will be extremely difficult.
3. World/Official Broken and Weak: Power does not Last
If the World line or Official line encounters "Monthly Break" or "Void," it represents the collapse of your power structure.
World on Monthly Break: Represents that you have a problem (misconduct, scandal) and cannot continue in the current post.
Official on Void: Represents a hollow position or one that is about to be abolished or adjusted.
Section 4: Workplace Crisis and Resignation Warnings
Based on Chapter 63, we can accurately predict when to "withdraw" or "jump ship."
1. Children Prosperous and Rising: Successful Retirement/Resignation
If you wish to resign or retire, you love "Children holding the World" or "Children moving." Children is the spirit that strips the Official of power; its movement means your affinity with the position has ended, and you can successfully escape the shackles of fame.
2. World Line Transforming into Ghost or Return Restriction
This is the most ominous imagery in career prediction.
World transforming into Official/Ghost: The records warn that this is not promotion, but "Transforming into a Ghost," representing disaster, lawsuits, or health damage caused by the position.
World transforming into Return Restriction: Represents a final tragic end due to your own mistakes or internal struggles.
Section 5: Deep Analysis —— "Image" and "Degree" in Workplace Prediction
After studying the records, I have summarized several high-difficulty workplace judgment techniques:
1. Official Holding the World without Promotion
Many readers think holding the World equals promotion. But the commentary notes: "If the Official is on Monthly Break, the tenure is short." If the Official holds the World but is "Broken" by the month or day, it means you are in the position, but your power has been hollowed out, or you are about to be dismissed.
2. The Imagery of "Transfer" for the Parents Line
In the modern workplace, the Parents line represents your "Work Location" or "Work ID." If the Parents line is prosperous and moves, it usually indicates a "Transfer" rather than a promotion.
Parents transforming into Advance Spirit: Transfer to a better city or a more promising department.
Parents transforming into Retreat Spirit: Transfer to a marginalized position or being sent to the grassroots.
Section 6: Practical Case Analysis
Case 1: The Omen of a County Magistrate's Transfer (Commentary Case)
Background: Si Month, Ding-Yin Day. A county magistrate divines if he can be promoted this year. Hexagram Tong Ren to Dun.
Analysis: Official Hai Water is clashed by the Month (Monthly Break). Promotion is hopeless. However, the Parents Mao Wood moves.
Logic: Parents are the carrier of the post and represent the place of office. Parents move and transform into Children (variation), and the Monthly Break means the original post cannot be kept.
Conclusion: He was not promoted but was transferred to another county as magistrate in the Wei month. This confirms the principle: "Parent movement indicates transfer."
Case 2: "One Point Short" for the High School Exam (Source Case)
Background: Ding-Chou Year, Bing-Wu Month, Ji-Hai Day. Divining for a son's high school entrance exam. Hexagram Guai to Da You.
Analysis: Parents Wei Earth moves to transform into the Official, looking like a certain pass. However, the Official Si Fire, though dark-moving, is in "Void."
Logic: The commentator judged: Dark movement is good, but because of the Void, it only "triggers half the power."
Result: The son usually studied hard and had good grades, but he "missed the passing score by one point." This demonstrates the subtlety of "half power" in limit-testing judgments.
Case 3: Case of Preserving Fame (Source Case)
Background: Shen Month, Bing-Chen Day. Divining to see if fame/rank can be preserved. Hexagram Da Zhuang to Guai.
Analysis: Parents hold the World (articles/defense), looking preservable. However, it is not ideal that Child Shen Metal moves to harm the Official.
Logic: Child Shen Metal is in season; the career is ruined. Although currently recommended by superiors, he cannot escape punishment.
Result: He was stripped of his post in the 8th month.
Section 7: Ten Practical Golden Rules for Career (Summary)
Official and Parent both prosperous: Best combo for exams and hiring.
Children holding the World: Workplace taboo; represents resignation or dismissal.
Wealth generating the Official: High-salary positions or promotion via performance.
Parent movement indicates transfer: Usually a change in department or location.
5th line generating World: Your direct boss is your Noble Man.
Official transforming to Retreat: Retirement or reduction of power.
Brothers holding the World: Competition with colleagues; guard against rivals.
World transforming to Ghost: Guard against disasters brought by the job.
Dark-moving Official: Unexpected promotion opportunities.
Void Official: An empty title without actual power.
Conclusion of Chapter 11
In the wisdom of Zeng Shan Bu Yi, career is not just a change of position, but a 博弈 (game) between individual energy and social rules. The core of career prediction lies in clarifying the relationship between "Me (World)," "Power (Official)," and "Name (Parents)." Once you learn to observe the support of Wealth and the destruction of Children, you can master the ways of advancement and retreat in workplace survival.
Next Chapter Preview: "Chapter 12: Bound by Destiny: Thematic Predictions for Marriage, Romance, Gender Relations, and Family Harmony." We will analyze why "Wealth/Official holding the World" doesn't always mean growing old together, and why "Six Combinations changing to Six Clashes" is a sign of broken ties!
