Classic favorable patterns, a selection

First, a word on the criteria

The conditions here follow the common San He school reading, which is also what Xingge uses to detect patterns. Schools differ in how strict they are, so don't worry if another book words them differently. Also, many patterns in the *Quan Shu*'s "Patterns of Nobility" in volume one only say "see the earlier commentary" without giving conditions, and later writers each filled them in, so the same pattern name often has two or three versions.

The emperor star's entourage

• Jun Chen Qing Hui (Emperor and Ministers Meet): Zi Wei in the Life Palace, with both Zuo Fu and You Bi present. The "Patterns of Nobility" says "Zi Wei with Zuo Fu and You Bi guarding Life together", requiring the same palace; later practitioners widened it to meeting within the San Fang Si Zheng, and Xingge uses this wider reading. Practitioners say such people are suited to leading others, and the bigger the role, the more they shine.
• Zi Fu Tong Gong (Emperor and Treasury Together): Zi Wei and Tian Fu together in the Life Palace, which only happens in Yin or Shen. The emperor star plus the treasury star can both create and hold on; the "Gu Sui Fu" says "Zi Wei and Tian Fu in the same palace: a lifetime of rich blessing". The thing to watch is wanting to have it both ways, which can slow decisions.
• Fu Xiang Chao Yuan (Treasury and Minister Pay Court): Tian Fu and Tian Xiang aren't in the Life Palace but shine in from the trines. Volume three says "Tian Fu and Tian Xiang paying court: a thousand measures of grain in salary". Resources and opportunities are often handed to you by others, suited to rising steadily in large organizations.

Patterns of light

• Ri Yue Bing Ming (Sun and Moon Both Bright): Tai Yang and Tai Yin are both at Miao and Wang, and both within the Life Palace's San Fang Si Zheng. The classic example is a Life Palace in Chou, with Tai Yang in Si and Tai Yin in You shining in from the trines; Xingge uses the wider "both bright, both shining on Life". Volume three has a line: "Sun and Moon guarding Life are not as good as both bright shining in from the trines": Sun and Moon sitting directly in the Life Palace is worse than shining in from the trines. This pattern values light coming in from outside.
• Ming Zhu Chu Hai (Bright Pearl Rising from the Sea): the Life Palace is in Wei with no main star, while Tai Yang in Mao and Tai Yin in Hai shine in from the trines. Tai Yang in Mao is the newly risen sun, and Tai Yin in Hai is the moon at its brightest in the night. The "Gu Sui Fu" says "the bright pearl in the trines, in prosperous ground, walks steadily to the toad palace": the toad palace is the moon palace, and the ancients used "plucking osmanthus in the toad palace" to mean passing the imperial exams.
• Yang Liang Chang Lu (Sun, Beam, Literary and Wealth): Tai Yang, Tian Liang and Wen Chang, plus Lu Cun or Hua Lu, meet in the Life Palace's San Fang Si Zheng. The name is a later coinage; the original line in volume three of the *Quan Shu* is "Tian Liang, Tai Yang, Wen Chang and Lu meeting: first name announced at court", meaning first place in the palace examinations. Today, think of studying, earning qualifications and taking the professional route as especially rewarding.

Slow burners and hard chargers

• Shi Zhong Yin Yu (Jade Hidden in Stone): Ju Men in the Life Palace in Zi or Wu. Volume three says "Ju Men in Zi or Wu with Ke, Quan and Lu: jade hidden in stone, flourishing fortune", and the pattern only forms when Hua Ke, Hua Quan and Hua Lu meet it from the trines. Like jade hidden in rock, quietly building up does better than rushing to stand out.
• Qi Sha Chao Dou (Seven Killings Faces the Dipper): Qi Sha in the Life Palace in Yin, Shen, Zi or Wu. Volume three says "Qi Sha in Yin, Shen, Zi or Wu: a lifetime of flourishing rank and salary; this is the Qi Sha facing the Dipper pattern". With Qi Sha in Yin or Shen, Zi Wei and Tian Fu are opposite, like a general facing the emperor; in Zi or Wu, Wu Qu and Tian Fu are opposite. The "Gu Sui Fu" also has the line "facing the Dipper, looking up to the Dipper: rank and salary flourish", without saying which is which; later practitioners mostly call the Zi and Wu version "looking up to the Dipper". Drive finds a direction: daring to fight, and winning a position.

There are many more

Xiong Su Chao Yuan (Lian Zhen in the Life Palace with no challenging stars; the *Quan Shu* says "in Shen or Wei", the common modern reading is Yin or Shen), Ri Zhao Lei Men (Tai Yang and Tian Liang in Mao), Yue Lang Tian Men (Tai Yin in Hai)... The *Quan Shu* has over a hundred patterns. Learn these eight well, and for the rest you can usually guess the picture from the name.

One last reminder: every pattern depends on whether the San Fang Si Zheng holds it up, and on whether challenging stars or Hua Ji join in. Whether a pattern forms, and how fully, is covered over the next two lessons.