Sanming TonghuiVol. 1, On the Nature and Fortune of the Sixty Jiazi (verdicts & remarks)
Ren Yin Metal is metal of ornamental splendor, delighting in Wood and subtle Fire. Barred Road [Jie Lu], Flat Head [Ping Tou], Deaf and Mute [Long Ya]. Ren Yin Metal does not rebel when serving a sovereign; Geng Shen Wood is not domineering when acting as a minister.
The Five Elements correspond to the Five Tones: Gong Earth is the sovereign, Shang Metal is the minister, and Jiao Wood is the common people. When Shang is excessive, the minister becomes overly strong; when Jiao is excessive, the sovereign is weakened.
Therefore, among the Five Tones, the four clear tones are often used to temper Shang and Jiao. Geng Shen is Jiao Wood in self-extinction; Ren Yin is Shang Metal in self-extinction.
Their dispositions attain the virtue of loyalty and compliance, so they serve the sovereign without rebellion and act as ministers without overbearing force.
Thus, for high officials in the Purple Micro, Luan Tai, and Feng Ge bureaus, charts with Wood and Metal in flourishing birth are strictly to be avoided; if one has such a chart, one will not attain these offices, or if attained, cannot hold them long—only censors and remonstrators are permissible.
If Metal and Wood are flourishing yet countered and broken, this rule does not apply. In Geng Shen Wood and Yi Si Fire, Earth and Metal should be born yet are not born; in Bing Wu Water and Gui Mao Metal, Wood and Water should die yet do not die.
Earth is born at Shen, but is not born under Geng Shen; Water is born at Shen, but is not born under Wu Shen; Fire is born at Yin, but is not born under Jia Yin; Metal is born at Si, but is not born under Yi Si; Wood is born at Hai, but is not born under Xin Hai—for what should be their place of birth instead restrains them; those who have this suffer premature death.
Wood dies at Mao, but does not die under Gui Mao; Earth dies at Mao, but does not die under Ding Mao; Wood dies at Wu, but does not die under Bing Wu; Metal dies at Zi, but does not die under Geng Zi; Fire dies at You, but does not die under Xin You—for in the place of death they obtain birth; those who receive this enjoy longevity.