Introduction: The Sages Created the I Ching to Help People Seek Auspiciousness and Avoid Harm
In the philosophical system of Zeng Shan Bu Yi, prediction is by no means a shackle of fatalism. The text opens with a profound statement: "The Sages created the I Ching originally to allow people to seek auspiciousness and avoid harm. If good cannot be pursued and evil cannot be avoided, what use would the Sage's work be? What use would people have for divination?"
Wild Crane Elder believed that human encounters are divided into three situations:
Macro-Fate (Ding Shu): Those who do not divine and thus do not know.
Divine Warning (Qi Ji): After divining, the information field has issued an early warning.
Human Effort (Decision): Once warned, if one knowingly commits the act, they are left to fate; if one can evade according to logic, misfortune can be turned into a blessing.
This chapter will combine the "Principles of Avoidance" with modern operational details to teach readers how to achieve a "soft landing" of destiny through the adjustment of time, space, and behavior when a hexagram shows an ominous sign.
Section 1: The Underlying Logic —— Finding "Glimmers of Life" and "Shields"
In Liu Yao hexagrams, the operation of seeking auspiciousness and avoiding harm is not blind, but based on the energy 博弈 (game) between the Functional Spirit, Original Spirit, and Restricting Spirit.
1. Finding the Strongest Shield: The Children Line (God of Fortune)
The records clearly state: "For all divinations regarding doubt, alarm, disaster prevention, and guarding against trouble, it is best for Children to hold the World, or for the God of Fortune to move in the hexagram."
Logic: The Children line is the nemesis of the Officials/Ghosts line (representing disaster, fear, disease, and legal disputes). As long as the Children line is prosperous and moves, no matter how powerful the Ghost is, it cannot ultimately cause harm.
Modern Application: If you are caught in a lawsuit or workplace crisis, and the hexagram shows Children holding the World, this is ironclad evidence of "a false alarm." Your task is to stay calm and wait for the timing to pass.
2. Observing the Attribute and Direction of the Restricting Spirit
To avoid harm, one must first identify where the danger comes from.
Fire Ghost: Guard against fire, electric shocks, or feverish illnesses.
Wood Ghost: Guard against wooden tools causing injury, drowning areas, or disasters related to forests.
Metal Ghost: Guard against swords, sharp metal objects, or car accidents.
Six Gods Auxiliary: White Tiger Ghost governs bloodshed; Soaring Serpent Ghost governs strange false alarms; Vermilion Bird Ghost governs official disputes and gossip.
Section 2: Three Strategic Methods for Avoiding Harm
According to the commentary, methods for evading disaster are divided into: Time-Gap Evasion, Space-Shift Evasion, and Behavioral Energy Counteracting.
1. Time-Gap Evasion: Avoiding the Peak of Energy
The records mention a famous case: A man wanted to cross a river to collect a debt. He obtained a hexagram where an "Advance Spirit restricted the World" and the World line was "Void."
Operation: Wild Crane Elder forcibly kept this person for breakfast, intentionally delaying him.
Logic: The World line being Void meant the person was "not present" at that moment. Once the hour of Chen arrived and he exited the void, the restricting spirit's power was at its peak. By delaying him, the Elder allowed the party to avoid the "dangerous moment" when the Restricting Spirit exerted force.
Result: The man missed that boat, and that boat indeed capsized in the middle of the river. This is the classic operation of "Avoiding the Dangerous Timing."
2. Space-Shift Evasion: Finding Blessing Grounds
The records propose a core principle: "If the restriction is internal, avoid it outside; if the restriction is external, avoid it at home."
Internal vs. External: If the force restricting you comes from the inner hexagram (lines 1, 2, 3), the danger is internal or nearby; you must travel far or go out to hide. If the force comes from the outer hexagram, the danger is external; you only need to close your doors and stay home to dissolve it.
Seeking Blessing Grounds: The direction for evasion should be the "Direction that Generates the World" (Sheng Fang) or the "Direction of Children." E.g., if the World is Earth, go South (Fire generates Earth) or West (Children Metal can subdue the Ghost).
3. Behavioral Energy Counteracting (Chapter 40)
Wild Crane Elder emphasized: If divined to die by execution, do not break the law; if divined to die by water, stay away from riverbanks.
Deep Commentary: This is "Human-Matter Induction." The hexagram shows an energy trend. If you can proactively cut off the connection with that energy in your behavior (such as not participating in illegal acts or staying away from dangerous waters), then the Ghost in the hexagram has no object to act upon.
Section 3: Lawsuits and Disputes —— Pre-judgment and Resolution
Chapter 95 details how to use Liu Yao to pacify official disputes.
1. Early Warning Signals for Lawsuit Success/Failure
Ghost holding World or Ghost restricting World: This is a signal that litigation is inevitable and unfavorable. If the Response line (the other party) is prosperous at this time, settle as soon as possible; do not fight head-on.
Children holding World or Ghost being Void/Broken: This is a sign that the lawsuit "cannot be fought" or "will eventually be pardoned." Even if already indicted, one will eventually be exonerated.
2. Key Operational Points for Avoiding Litigation
Vermilion Bird Ghost moving: Represents disputes caused by gossip. One should "be careful with words" to cut off the Bird's energy source.
World retreating, Void, or Broken: Represents your own inner cowardice or lack of evidence. The records suggest that if you get this hexagram, you should endure even if you are right, because "litigation will not be successful."
Section 4: Evading Disasters: Earthquakes, Thieves, and Turmoil
Liu Yao's performance in extreme environments is highly precise.
1. Earthquake and Building Collapse Warning
Case Analysis: Yin Month, Ding-Mao Day. Divining for the year. In the hexagram, Yin Wood (Wood Ghost) transforms into an Advance Spirit to restrict the World, and Wood is extremely prosperous in the month.
Evasion Operation: Wild Crane Elder judged that in the 6th or 7th month when Wood withers, one should guard against Earth-Wood disasters. He suggested traveling East.
Modern Interpretation: After the party moved, an earthquake occurred in their hometown, and houses collapsed, causing injuries. This shows that when the Restricting Spirit is prosperous, physical space transfer is mandatory.
2. Evading Thieves and Turmoil
Ghost on Black Tortoise or White Tiger: Typical signals for thieves or armed harm.
Rule of Evasion: Observe the Children line. If Children form a Union (like Si-You-Chou Metal Union) to restrict the Ghost, it is called "Living with soldiers and thieves without worry." Your defensive power or magnetic field is strong enough that thieves dare not approach.
Section 5: Deep Analysis —— The "Mind, Time, Space" Model
After studying the records, I have summarized a model for modern practitioners:
1. Mind (Repair of Intent)
Chapter "Settled Heavy Matters" mentions that if a heavy crime has already been sentenced, but Children hold the World, there is still a turning point. At this time, the first step is to "give to the poor and repair bridges/roads."
Logic: Through behavior, change your own information field (accumulating merit) to induce the divine to grant an opportunity for a "clash open." This is not superstition, but influencing results by changing variables.
2. Time (Buffer of Time)
All disasters have a "Trigger Point" (Timing).
If the hexagram is ominous but the timing is distant (e.g., next year), you have a whole year for asset transfer or relationship repair.
If the timing is current (today), the best evasion is "Inaction." The records say: "World moving to transform into Combination means there must be an accident to block progress." Sometimes, being delayed by something is actually an invisible form of evasion.
3. Space (Shielding of Space)
Hidden Spirit Evasion: If the Functional Spirit (Self) is hidden under a Flying Spirit, and the Flying Spirit is prosperous, it means you are currently "protected" or "hidden." This is most auspicious during turmoil or when being chased for debt; enemies cannot find you.
Section 6: Practical Case Analysis
Case 1: Avoiding Storms while Collecting Debt (Time Evasion)
Background: Mao Month, Ren-Yin Day. A man divines about crossing a river to collect a debt. Hexagram Pi to Zhong Fu.
Analysis: Day Master Wood Ghost transforms into Advance Spirit to restrict the World. This represents that once he departs (at the time of exiting the void), death is certain.
Process: Wild Crane Elder kept him for breakfast. When he reached the river later, he found the previous boat had already capsized.
Analysis: This demonstrates the importance of "Void" in avoiding harm. When the World is void, disaster has nowhere to land; once it exits the void, disaster strikes. Manually delaying the exit from the void is a high-level skill in changing fate.
Case 2: The Choice between Life and Death in Refuge Direction (Space Evasion)
Background: Si Month, Bing-Xu Day. Divining where to flee from turmoil.
Logic: Others chose North based on Five Elements. But the hexagram showed the Ghost moving to generate the World, and the World line was prosperous in the South.
Result: Wild Crane Elder insisted on the South. Later, bandits burned the northern village; those who fled South were safe.
Analysis: Seeking auspiciousness should not strictly follow rigid Five Elements logic, but rather see "which direction's energy comes to generate and assist me."
Section 7: "Fire over the Mountain" and Special Mechanisms
The commentary mentions a high-level judgment: "Fire over the Mountain" (Ge Shan Hua Huo).
Meaning: The branch that the Children line transforms into, after another layer of transformation, turns back into the Official/Ghost. This means that if the operation to avoid harm is not thorough, the disaster will change shape and re-emerge.
Countermeasure: After performing an evasion, one must "Divine again" to confirm the danger is completely resolved.
Section 8: Ten Practical Golden Rules for Evasion (Summary)
Children holding the World, Disasters turn to Dust: The strongest signal for safety.
Avoid the Timing of the Restricting Spirit: Calculate the time of disaster and stay home/do nothing on that day.
The direction generating the World is the place of Blessing: Run toward energy that supports you.
Internal Restriction, flee outside: Nearby threats require physical isolation.
External Restriction, stay inside: Distant risks only require staying home.
Void World avoids disaster, Exiting the Void brings harm: Use the void period for strategic transfer.
Ghost entering the Tomb, disaster cannot harm: Calamity is locked; do not proactively "clash it open."
Ominous Retreating Spirits will eventually vanish: If disaster retreats, just be patient.
Unrighteous acts cannot be avoided: Gods do not report unrighteous wealth nor protect evil-doers.
A single sincere thought changes the world: Behavioral merit is the highest form of energy adjustment.
Conclusion of Chapter 15
Seeking auspiciousness and avoiding harm is the most sacred duty of Liu Yao prediction. In the universe of Zeng Shan Bu Yi, the hexagram is the map, but the feet belong to us. Through precise calculation of time energy and spatial directions, we can find a stable reef in the turbulent river of destiny. Prediction is not to make us submit to fate, but to empower us with the right to choose.
