Introduction: Month Commander and Day Master —— The "Outline" and "Sovereign" of Hexagram Reading
In the system of Zeng Shan Bu Yi, the core factor determining the fortune of a line is not mystical stars, but "Prosperity, Strength, Rest, Trap, and Death" (Wang, Xiang, Xiu, Qiu, Si). The records clearly state:
Month Commander (Yue Jian): Governs the authority of a month and manages the orders of the three ten-day periods (Xun). It is the "Outline of ten thousand divinations," inspecting the good and evil of the six lines, capable of assisting the weak and suppressing the overly powerful.
Day Master (Ri Chen): Presides over the power of life and death for the six lines, possessing equal merit to the Month Commander. The Day Master does not concern itself with the distant past or future; it represents the "current," decisive power.
To learn Liu Yao, one must first learn to quantify these two types of temporal energy.
Section 1: Four Seasons Prosperity Chapter —— The Periodic Law of Cosmic Energy
The Five Elements (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth) possess five energy states in different seasons: Prosperous (Wang), Strong (Xiang), Resting (Xiu), Trapped (Qiu), and Dead (Si).
1. Five Elements Prosperity Comparison Table (Core Logic)
According to the "Four Seasons Prosperity Chapter 15," the judgment criteria are as follows:
Season (Months) Prosperous (Strongest) Strong (Secondary) Resting (Retired) Trapped (Blocked) Dead (Weakest) Spring (Yin 1st, Mao 2nd Month) Wood Fire Water Metal Earth Summer (Si 4th, Wu 5th Month) Fire Earth Wood Water Metal Autumn (Shen 7th, You 8th Month) Metal Water Earth Fire Wood Winter (Hai 10th, Zi 11th Month) Water Wood Metal Earth Fire Season Ends (Chen, Xu, Chou, Wei Months) Earth Metal Fire Wood Water
2. Deep Analysis:
Prosperous (Wang): Those identical to me. E.g., in Spring, Wood is prosperous; Wood lines are most powerful.
Strong (Xiang): Those I produce. E.g., in Spring, Wood produces Fire; Fire lines are secondary in strength.
Resting (Xiu): Those that produce me. E.g., in Spring, Water produces Wood; Water's energy is dissipated and in a state of rest.
Trapped (Qiu): Those I restrict. E.g., Wood restricts Earth; Earth is trapped in Spring.
Dead (Si): Those that restrict me. E.g., Metal restricts Wood; Metal is suppressed by the powerful field of Wood in Spring and is powerless.
Practical Golden Rule: When reading a hexagram, if the Functional Spirit attains "Prosperous" or "Strong" states, it means the matter has a foundation for success. If it is in "Resting, Trapped, or Dead" states, the foundation is weak, and one must see if the Day Master or Moving Lines provide rescue.
Section 2: The Authority of the Month Commander and the "Monthly Break"
The Month Commander is the "General Director" of energy. Its influence on the lines is primarily manifested through generation, combination, comparison, assistance, restriction, clash, punishment, and break.
1. Four Major Functions of the Month Commander:
Assisting the Weak: For weak lines, the Month Commander can generate or combine with them, making them "prosperous despite weakness."
Suppressing the Strong: For overly powerful lines, the Month Commander can clash with or restrict them, making them "weak despite prosperity."
Subduing: If a Changed Line restricts a Moving Line, the Month Commander can subdue the Changed Line.
Promoting Hidden Spirits: When the Functional Spirit is hidden, if the Month Commander clashes away the Flying Spirit, the Hidden Spirit can take effect.
2. The Fatal "Monthly Break" (Yue Po)
"When the Month Commander clashes with it, it is called a Monthly Break." E.g., if divining in the 1st Month (Yin), and a Shen Metal line appears, Shen is "Broken." Original View: A Monthly Break is like rotten wood; it cannot be revived by generation, and even assistance from the Day Master can hardly save it. Wild Crane's Special Insight: The divine omen manifests in movement. "If it moves, it can harm; if it changes, it can harm."
If a line in Monthly Break moves, it is broken for the current month but "Not Broken once the month passes."
If a line in Monthly Break combines (with the Day or another line), it is "Not Broken due to combination." Practical Conclusion: Only a Monthly Break that is "Still (not moving) and lacks generation from the Day Master or other Moving Lines" is a true, "Total Break."
Section 3: The Authority of the Day Master and "Dark Movement"
The Day Master's power is equal to the Month Commander's, but its role is more focused on "Triggering" and "Sovereignty."
1. Dark Movement (An Dong): The Special Trigger Mechanism of the Day
Definition: A line is prosperous (supported by the Month or sharing the same energy), but is not moving. If it is clashed by the Day Master, it is called "Dark Movement."
Practical Significance: The power of Dark Movement is immense; its auspicious or ominous force is the same as a "Manifest Movement" (a line you shook out). It carries the imagery of something happening "unknowingly or secretly."
Distinguishing Dark Movement from Day Break (Ri Po):
Prosperous lines clashed are "Dark Movement" (useful).
Resting/Trapped lines clashed are "Day Break" (useless, also called Day Dissipation/Ri San).
2. Influence of the Day Master on the Void (Xun Kong)
Clashing the Void makes it Real: If a line is in the Ten-day Void but is clashed by the Day Master, it takes effect on that day and is no longer considered void.
Section 4: Quantitative Interaction of Month and Day (The 7/10 vs 8/10 Debate)
When the Month and Day have opposite effects on a line (e.g., Month generates, Day restricts), how should one judge? Wild Crane Elder provides a critical correction to old views:
Old View: If Restricted by Day and Generated by Month, it is 8/10ths generated. If Restricted by Month and Generated by Day, it is 7/10ths generated.
Wild Crane's Correction: Such quantification is too rigid. Core Principle: If the Functional Spirit is generated by the Month, even if clashed/restricted by the Day, as long as "Restriction is not increased" (no other Moving Lines add to the restriction), it is usually considered "Weak but not Extinct."
Section 5: Deep Analysis —— The Truth about Month Tomb and Day Tomb
In many ancient books, as long as a line enters a "Tomb" (e.g., Wood meeting Wei, Fire meeting Xu), it is judged as a major omen of death. However, this is a major misunderstanding.
1. Redefining the "Three Tombs":
True Tombs are only of three types: Day Tomb, Moving Tomb, and Changed Tomb.
Month Tomb is NOT included: The text explicitly states: "Month Tomb is not within these." The Month Commander's effect is generation or restriction, not imprisonment in a tomb.
Imagery of Entering a Tomb: It does not mean death; it represents "Coma, storage, hesitation to move, or being imprisoned."
2. Practical Case: Divining for illness on a Ji-Chou Day in the Shen Month. The World line "Follows the Ghost into the Tomb" (Day Tomb). Old methods predicted certain death, but the analysis noted: Because the World line was prosperous in the month, entering the tomb only meant "dizziness or lethargy." Once the "Wei Day" clashed open the tomb, the illness would be cured.
Section 6: Practical Case Analysis
Case 1: The Miracle of the Broken that is Not Broken
Background: Divining "When will my father return?" on a Ji-Wei Day in the Yin Month. Hexagram Qian changing to Gou.
Analysis: Parents Xu Earth holds the World position. In the Yin month, it is restricted. It moves and changes into Wei Earth, which is also a weak position in the Yin month.
Old Judgment: Monthly Break changing into Void; he certainly won't return.
Wild Crane's Logic: The Parents line holds World and moves. Movement signifies a return date. He will return on a Mao day (which combines with the break).
Conclusion: The father returned on the Wei day. This proves the truth that "Movement prevents a total break."
Case 2: Over-Prosperity as a Death Omen (Extreme ends meet)
Background: An 80-year-old man divines his own illness on a Wu-Wu Day in the Si Month. Hexagram Wei Ji changing to Kun.
Analysis: Fire holds the World position. It is summer (Si Month, Wu Day), so Fire energy is at its absolute peak, further generated by Yin Wood.
Old Judgment: World line is extremely prosperous; he will recover without medicine.
Wild Crane's Logic: An elderly person getting such an "all-prosperous" hexagram is like "the glow of a setting sun"—he will die.
Conclusion: He died on the Ren-Xu day (the day Fire enters the tomb). This reminds us that prosperity judgment must consider "The Middle Way."
Section 7: Practical Essentials Note
Check Month first, then Day: Month sets the "Base Plate" (Prosperity/Decline); Day sets the "Current State" (Triggering, Dissipating, or Filling the Void).
Moving Lines are the energy exit: If both Month and Day restrict the Functional Spirit, but a Moving Line generates it, it is called "Finding Life within Restriction," an omen of survival in a dead end.
Distinguish True and False Monthly Breaks: A still, weak line clashed is a True Break; a prosperous or moving line clashed is a False Break.
Value Dark Movement: In a "Still Hexagram," if a line is clashed by the Day and is prosperous in the Month, treat it as a Moving Line.
Conclusion of Chapter 4
The Month Commander and Day Master are the two major coordinate systems of Liu Yao. The Month gives the "Seasonal Trend," while the Day captures the "Current Turning Point." By understanding the dynamic transition of energy, you can see the flow behind the symbols.
Next Chapter Preview: "Chapter 5: The Power of Time (Part 2): Practical Applications of Void (Xun Kong), Advance/Retreat Spirits, and the Twelve Stages of Life."
