Introduction: The Underlying Logic of Marriage Divination —— The Balance of Yin-Yang, World-Response, and Wealth-Official
Marriage is the manifestation of the union of Yin and Yang. In the prediction system of Zeng Shan Bu Yi, romance and marriage are not judged by a single "Auspicious" label, but by a three-dimensional model composed of:
Protagonist (Functional Spirit): Men divining for women look at "Wife/Wealth"; women divining for men look at "Official/Ghost." This represents the essence of the partner.
Relationship (World-Response): The World line represents oneself, and the Response line represents the other party and their family. The generation, restriction, combination, and clash between World and Response determine the interaction pattern.
Structure (Hexagram Body): Structures such as Six Combinations, Six Clashes, and the trends of hexagram transformation determine the durability and final outcome of the relationship.
The commentary specially emphasizes that ancient methods often judged a marriage as inauspicious if "Wealth is prosperous and restricts Parents." Wild Crane Elder strictly criticized this, advocating the "Method of Separate Divination." That is, when divining for marriage, focus exclusively on the marriage; do not be distracted by the injury of other Six Relatives unless the hexagram shows an extremely obvious collateral impact. This chapter will lead readers through this highly practical system of matrimonial judgment.
Section 1: The Art of Selecting the Functional Spirit —— Differences Between Male and Female Divination
According to the records, selecting the correct protagonist is the first step.
1. Men Divining for Women: Focus on "Wife/Wealth"
When a man seeks marriage or divines about his wife, the Wife/Wealth line is core. If the Wealth line is prosperous and moves to transform into an auspicious state, it represents the woman being healthy and virtuous. If the Wealth line is void, broken, or transforms into Return Restriction, it represents weak affinity or that the woman is in trouble.
2. Women Divining for Men: Focus on "Official/Ghost"
When a woman seeks marriage or divines about her husband, the Official/Ghost line is core. If the Official star generates or combines with the World, it means the husband is affectionate; if prosperous, it means the husband is capable or has status. The movement of the Children line (傷官 - injuring the Official) is most disliked, as it represents obstacles to the relationship or the husband being harmed.
3. The Auxiliary Role of the Response Line
The records clearly state: "Response is the wife for a hundred years." Although Wealth and Official are the Functional Spirits, the Response line represents the other party's "Body" and "Family."
Wealth/Official generates World, and Response also generates World: This is top-tier luck; not only is the partner good, but their family is also fully supportive.
Wealth/Official generates World, but Response restricts World: Represents the partner liking you, but their parents or environment are obstructing the marriage.
Section 2: World-Response Interaction —— Seeing Through Sincerity and Interaction
The relationship between World and Response is like a dialogue between two people.
1. World and Response Generating or Combining
Shi-Ying Combination: Both parties are of the same mind; communication is smooth.
Response generates World: The other party is proactive and chases after you.
World generates Response: You are deeply infatuated with the other party and willing to give.
2. World and Response Clashing or Restricting
Shi-Ying Clash: Personalities are incompatible, prone to quarrels, or there is a great geographical distance.
Response restricts World: The other party is dominant; you feel pressured in the relationship, or the other family has issues with you.
Both World and Response are Void: The records state "Neither side is sincere." This represents a lack of sincerity from both; the marriage is likely talk without action, like "plucking the moon from water."
3. Modern Imagery of Six Relatives Holding the World
Brothers holding the World (Male): A major taboo for men. Brothers is the spirit of wealth-robbery; holding World represents a bad temper, harming the wife, or lacking the financial means to support the relationship.
Children holding the World (Female): A major taboo for women. Children is the spirit that harms the official; holding World represents dissatisfaction with the husband, high standards, or no current intention to marry (the God of Fortune holds World, signifying a detached mindset).
Section 3: Structural Judgment —— The Destiny of Gathering and Scattering
The records in the "Six Combinations" and "Six Clashes" chapters provide decisive judgments on the durability of marriage.
1. Six Combination and Six Clash Hexagrams
Marriage Loves Six Combinations: Represents mutual affection and a lifelong bond.
Marriage Hates Six Clashes: Represents easily scattered emotions; even if married, it is prone to separation by life or death.
Special Case: For a "recent matter" like a fresh breakup, a clash can actually represent clashing open the barriers and a quick reconciliation.
2. Combination to Clash vs. Clash to Combination
Six Combinations changing to Six Clashes: The most feared structure in marriage. The records call it "Prosperity first, withering later." It represents being inseparable at the start but turning into enemies and ending in divorce.
Six Clashes changing to Six Combinations: Represents "Difficult first, easy later." Despite initial obstacles or misunderstandings, a consensus is eventually reached.
3. Fan Yin and Fu Yin
Fan Yin: Emotions are repetitive and unstable—now good, now fighting; or multiple engagements and cancellations.
Fu Yin: In marriage, this represents "Anxiety, pain, and being trapped." Though not separated, the heart is tormented.
Section 4: Modern Topics: Divorce, Remarriage, and Extra-Marital Affairs
Using the modern cases from the commentaries, we can apply Zeng Shan logic to complex modern emotions.
1. Extra-Marital Affairs and Third Parties
The records point out that "Multiple appearances of Wealth or Official" often represent multiple relationships.
Wealth Appears Twice (Male): If there are two Wealth lines, one combining with the World and another with the Response (or one is hidden), it usually means a relationship with another woman besides the wife.
Official Appears Twice (Female): Similarly, represents other male suitors besides the husband.
Brothers Moving: If the Response (the partner) goes to combine with a Brothers line, it means the partner's heart has leaned toward a competitor (a friend or third party).
2. Signs of Divorce
Functional Spirit transforms into Return Restriction: E.g., for a man, Wealth transforms into a restriction; the wife wants to withdraw, or the affinity has reached its end.
Shi-Ying Clash and Transforming into Clash: Represents both parties being completely unable to communicate, with the future trend being drifting further apart.
3. Possibility of Remarriage
Retreat Spirit and Remarriage: This is a subtle logic. The commentary mentions that if a couple is already divorced, but the Functional Spirit (Wealth or Official) transforms into a Retreat Spirit, it represents the other party having the intent to "retreat to the original state." If World and Response generate each other at this time, remarriage can be expected.
Section 5: Practical Case Analysis
Case 1: Wealth has Roots; Recovered after Loss (Male Divining Marriage)
Background: Shen Month, Ji-Wei Day. Divining for his own marriage. Hexagram Da You to Kui.
Analysis: Official Chou Earth holds the World. Although it is Monthly and Daily Broken, it transforms into "Wu Fire Wealth" to return-generate the World.
Conclusion: Wild Crane Elder judged: although the World line is currently injured, there is prosperous Wealth generating the World. This represents "broken for now, but eventually not broken." He married the following April.
Case 2: The Tragedy of Combination to Clash and Adultery
Background: Xu Month, Geng-Shen Day. A man and woman are in litigation over emotions. Hexagram Kun to Song (Combination to Clash).
Logic: Wealth holding the World is beautiful, but the "Yin Wood" in the hexagram is scattered by the Day, and the changed hexagram is Six Clashes.
Detail: The line the World transforms into forms a "Triple Punishment" with the Day. This represents not just the end of the relationship, but legal punishment.
Result: Adultery was proven; both were caned and separated.
Case 3: Husband's Affair and Separation (Commentary Case)
Background: Si Month, Yi-Hai Day. A woman divines if she can reconcile with her husband. Hexagram Heng to Da Guo.
Analysis: Child Shen Metal holds the World (a woman divining for a husband dislikes Child holding World).
Detail: The Response line (husband position) Zi Water transforms into Chou Earth to combine. Zi Water is Wealth (another woman).
Logic: The husband already has an affair (Zi-Chou combination) and the two are intimate. Child holding World restricts the Official; though no death occurs, separation is certain.
Result: The wife was divorced the following February.
Section 6: Deep Analysis —— Imagery of Personality, Appearance, and Background
Chapter "Marriage" provides corrections on how to judge appearance using the "Six Gods":
Appearance is in the Six Gods:
Azure Dragon: Elegant, dignified, refined temperament.
Vermilion Bird: Ruddy complexion, lively personality, talkative.
White Tiger: Majestic, fair skin but a cold expression.
Black Tortoise: Charming eyes but with a hint of melancholy, deep personality.
Soaring Serpent: Slender build (like a snake), suspicious or sensitive.
Family Background is in the Parents Line:
Parents Prosperous on Azure Dragon: From a prestigious or scholarly family.
Parents Weak or Injured: Ordinary family background or currently in decline.
Section 7: "Separate Divination" vs. "Linked Impact"
This is a crucial advice for modern readers. Many want to calculate everything in one卦: "Does he have money? Is she pretty? Do my parents like them?"
The Method of Separate Divination:
First Divination: Can this marriage succeed?
Second Divination: What is the character and personality of the partner?
Third Divination: Will the marriage benefit my parents?
Why? The records point out that mixing everything can lead to misjudgments like "Wealth Prosperity restricting Parents." Sincere "Divine Reports" focus on the major issue first; details require separate inquiry.
Section 8: Ten Practical Golden Rules for Marriage (Summary)
Men divining Wealth, Women divining Official: Don't pick the wrong protagonist.
Shi-Ying Generation/Combination: Mutual intent is the foundation.
Combination to Clash means Divorce: Good start, bad end.
Shi-Ying both Void means no Marriage: Neither side is sincere.
Wealth/Official appearing twice means a Third Party: Signals of a complex relationship.
Children holding World (Female) restricts the Husband: Movement is a bad sign for women.
Brothers holding World (Male) restricts the Wife: Movement is a bad sign for men.
Response combining elsewhere means an affair: The partner's heart is looking outward.
Functional Spirit retreating can mean Remarriage: A chance for reconciliation.
Clash meeting Combination brings mediation: Despite conflicts, a Noble Man will intervene.
Conclusion of Chapter 12
In the marital view of Zeng Shan Bu Yi, a relationship is not maintained by passion alone, but by "Energy Matching" and "Structural Stability." Through the interaction of World and Response, we see the other's sincerity; through the prosperity of Wealth and Official, we see the depth of the bond.
Next Chapter Preview: "Chapter 13: Practicing Medicine to Save the World: Thematic Predictions for Health, Disease, Medical Judgment, and Life-Death Avoidance." We will analyze why "Near illness heals upon a clash," while "Official holding the World" is a sign of long-term lingering!
