Chapter 1: Introduction to MangPai Life Reading

Section 1: Methods for MangPai Life Reading

Blind numerology has 3 methods : Logical Method (LiFa), Image Method (XiangFa), Technique Method
(JiFa).

Logical method (LiFa) emphasize on the understanding and comprehension of fate (命理 MingLi), each
individual’s bazi can be considered a piece of abstracted essay, LiFa is akin to how one is able to
decipher and comprehend this piece of abstracted essay.

Logical method (LiFa) is to discuss bazi’s reasoning as what? How do we start looking at bazi? How are
we suppose to recognise riches and honor as well as poor and lowly (富贵贫贱 FuGui PinJian)? Once
mastered, Logical Method (LiFa) will be able to examine ones’s prosperity grade, career traits /
characteristics. Ability to judge one’s bazi every coming luck cycle’s good (吉) and bad (凶). To
summarsize, Logical Method (LiFa) is to enable you to comprehend bazi.

mage Method (XiangFa) is vital within mangpai bazi which deals with the delicate-ness of one’s fate.
There’s “Heavenly Stem Image” (干支象 / GanZhi Xiang), “Palace Image” (宫位象 Gong Wei Xiang), “10
God Image” (十神象 / ShiShen Xiang), “Shen Sha Image“ (神煞象 / Shen Sha Xiang). Through Image (象),
we can gauge some very specific matters, as logical method are able to make out a person’s
auspiciousness within a certain specific year but it can’t pinpoint where exactly is it. Whether it’s falling
ill, going brankrupt, or lawsuit and prison time, this is where Image Method (XiangFa) comes to the
picture. To master Image Method is when one achieve mastery in bazi life reading.

Technique method (JiFa) is the hardest part within MangPai. What is JiFa, e.g. to check if a person’s
parents are still around, whether one jinx their parents or vice versa, is not within the scope of LiFa and
requires the usage of Xiang and are to be concluded using JiFa. JiFa is also the go to method to
determine one’s marriage circumstances. Based on your needs, this book will be touching on all 3 LiFa,
XiangFa & JiFa but would concentrate mostly on LiFa.

Section 2: Characteristics of MangPai Life Reading

Mang Pai system believe that life reading is a formulation of life but through what means and how do
we formulate life? We need to understand the tools and techniques of the blind master to examine and
formulate life. Since the blind masters pass on their knowledge through a set of unorderly oral
transmission without leaving any written text or script. Therefore, this requires us to create concepts
that we do not have to understand the system.

1. The Concept of Guest & Host

This concept in Mang Pai Life Reading has a special meaning which tells us what is “Host” (self) and what
is “Guest” (others). Many divination techniques are about “Guests and Hosts”, Liu Yao Gua explains: Shi
Yao (世爻) as Host, Ying Yao (need proper explanation 应爻) as Guest; Yao within Gua (卦中之爻) as
Host, Day Month Transformation Yao (日月及变爻) as Guest; Feng Shui, Qi Men, Liu Ren, Mei Hua Yi
Shu all speaks of “Guest & Host”, in the form of “Master & Guest (主客 / Zhu Ke)”, “Body & Application
(体用/Ti Yong)”, “Heaven, Earth & Men (天地人 / Tian Di Ren)”, although different in concept but is
expressing the same fundamentals of defining the relationship between “Self Subject One's self / Host
body (自我主体)” and “External Subject Outside things / Guest body (外物客体)”. In fact, our life is the
same, through all the relationships and connections we have with the outside world, constitute the fate
of our lives.

Better translantion suggested by @ren

The Guest and the Host are a multi-layer concept. Everyone knows that the DM (daymaster) is me, I am
the "Host", and the other stems & branches are others, which I would need to interact (面对 is actually
translate to as confront) is “Guest”. Every Zi (Zi from BaZi) of other branches has its own specific
meaning: What the DM sitting on (Day Branch) represents spouse, Month Stem represent parents or
siblings, Year Stem represents ancestors or parents, Hour Stem represents children. These are the things
I must interact with. From here, we further divide into more layers: Day Pillar is me & my spouse,
represents my own family which needs to interact with external elements like my parents family, my
childs family, my siblings family & etc, whereby Day Pillar is the “Host” while other Pillars are the
“Guest”. Me and my child can also be form into a single family to interact with external elements, which
results to Day & Hour Pillar will be the “Host” while Month & Year Pillar will be “Guest”. We can also
take the whole Bazi (natal chart) as a whole to be treated as a big family, Luck Pillars and Annual Pillars
as external influences whereby our Bazi is “Host” and Luck / Annual Pillars will be “Guest”. These is
what constitute the concept of “Guest & Hosts”.

For example, whether you want to be an official or to make a fortune, look at the position of Wealth (财
/ Cai), Officer (官/ Guan) within the Bazi. If Wealth, Officer located within “Host” location then it’s mine
else if it’s within “Guest” location then it belong to others. After analysing the position, look at the
relationship and functions between the “Host” and “Guest”, and through the relationship and functions,
find out whether the Wealth, Officer is related to me or can be made mine. Through this, it is clear that
Bazi reading has little to do with DM’s Decline & Prosperous (might be referencing to the 12 stages of qi
phrase). Only in the relationship between the “Guest & Host”, within a person's social interaction, how
he reflects his ability and wealth.

2. The Concept of Ti & Yong

The concept of “Guest” and “Host” is divided into "self subject" and "external object" from the
perspective of palace position; the concept of body is divided into "self subject" and "external object"
from the perspective of ten gods, that is, we divide the ten gods in the eight characters into "Ti" and
"Yong". What is the “Ti”? “Ti” is me myself and the tools that is of use to me, or the tools that I control,
just like when you work, you always have to take a tool, such as the DM, Resource (印 / Yin), and Lu (禄)
are all “Ti”. So what is the “Yong” then? “Yong” is my objective, my pursuit, as well as what I want to
obtain, such as Wealth (财 / Cai), Officer (官 / Guan) are “Yong”, is what we pursue. It should be noted
that this “Yong" is different from the “Useful God (用神 / Yong Shen)” in conventional ZiPing Bazi.

From @ren: Here Lu does not refer to salary but image of DM that appears in the branches
原身 Original Self = Jia - 禄 Lu = Yin
原身 Original Self = Wu - 禄 Lu = Si

Then we must know what methods will we use to achieve our pursuit and purpose. Is there any way to
obtain authority? Is there any way to obtain wealth? If the “Guan” (DO) is there, how can we obtain it? If
there’s a way, it is obtainable else it would be out of reach and that’s how destiny plays out. Still taking
authority as an example, a person who is not in posession of authority is not necessarily without “Guan”
within their life. On the contrary, it may be that “Guan” in their life is too prosperous, and they are
unable to obtain it. Naturally, there is no way to obtain auhtority; or “Guan” is harmful, then the “Guan”
will bring calamity. The same is true, when it comes to “Cai”,if it is there then it’s a matter of how you
obtain it. This is the concept of “Ti Yong”.

We use the Daymaster, “Yin” (Resource) Star, the “Lu (Salary)” (禄神 is translated as Salary God but
would more appropiately termed as salary only), “Bi (Jian)” (Friend) “Jie (Chai)” (RW) as “Ti”, “Cai”
(Wealth) Star, “Guan” (DO) “Sha” (7K) as “Yong”. “Shi Shen” (EG) “Shang Guan” (HO) can be both “Ti” as
well as “Yong”, because “Shi Shen” and “Shang Guan” are in the category of human desires. It
encompass our intelligence, thought, happiness, enjoyment, wealth, and etc, which reflects to one’s life
pursuit. Depending one’s destiny circumstances, they can be used both as “Ti” or “Yong”. If there is a
need to truly classify them, “Shi Shen” is closer to “Ti”, while “Shang Gyuan” is closer to “Yong”.

Another suggestion from @ren as well

3. The Concept of Working God & Useless God

Bazi is the process of formulating life with the use of the “Ti Yong” & “Guest Host” concept. To look at
one’s life, we first examine the “Self” by looking at the Day Pillar, and see if it is “Ti” or “Yong”, and what
is the usage and relationship of occupying elemets. If it is “Ti” then it is equalvalent to our hand, they
must have usage or is working. God without usage or not working is “to take on other god’s role” (not
sure how to translate 于别的 神) and can’t remain idle. If remained idle will certainly “create trouble
out of nothing” (a chinese figure of speech 无事生非) resulting in a low grade life. The “Yong” of “Cai”
star & “Guan Sha” is external and considered “outside” of me and must be related to “Ti” by being
controlled by “Ti”, transformed by “Ti”, combined with “Ti” will be deemed as of usage. If remained idle
destiny owner will not be able to obtain wealth or authority. "Shang Guan" & "Shi Shen" star is neutral
in nature."Shi Shen" lean slightly towards "Ti" while "Shang Guan" lean slightly towards "Yong". Within
life, both can be controlled or can control others. Can be use to produce "Cai", to control "Guan Sha" or
to deplete DM Qi. We term the usage and relationship between "Ti Yong" & “Guest Host” with DM as
"Working" and Gods within the bazi that participates is termed as "Working God" while Gods that
doesn't participate is termed as "Useless God". Consuming energy to produce efficiency can't be from
only a single "Zi" (Zi of BaZi). Under normal circumstances, Zi Wu (earthly branches) power is very
opposing in nature and often causing energy depletion which with little efficiency. This would require
either party to form a "Gang" and "Influence", when the stronger "Gang" controlled the weaker one will
be considerd as "Working". To use “Host” position's "Ti" to pursue other's “Guest” position's "Yong" is
termed as "Forward Working". The other way round is to use Host position's "Yong" to pursue “Guest”
position's "Ti" is termed as "Reverse Working". How do we use "Ti Yong", "Guest Host" to be considered
as working? In general, the Zi (zi as in bazi) representing the "Ti Yong" or "Guest Host" is performing
either "Xing" (Punishment), "Chong" (Clash), "Ke" (Control), "Chuan" (Pierce), "He" (Coombination),
"Mu" (Tomb) are considered as "Working". Later chapters will discussed these in details.

From @ren: I think "zi" refers to an element in either stem or branch as you state Zi of BaZi.
From me: To further elaborate, this is the representation of the Character within one of the palace in the
natal bazi chart. E.g. Month Stem "Zi" would be the DM and same goes for each character in the
respectively palaces of heavenly stems and earthly branches.

4. The Concept of Energy & Efficiency

From precious discussion, we know MangPai bazi reading doesn't read DM weak or strong but put
emphasis on working and how it is being worked. Working is a concept borrowed from Physics and we
can also cite two other concepts of physics: Energy & Efficiency while also futher understands the
essence of the BaZi reading in-depth. Psychicists believes that to consume Energy to produce Efficiency
is said to be useful, bazi is also the same. To "Work" must consume Energy but what is Energy? Each
character in the Bazi has Energy, the Energy of the Heavenly Stem is low, while the energy Earthly
Branch is high. We can take the 10 Heavenly Stems and the 12 Earthly Branches as energy bodies with
different attributes and directional form therefore there is energy collision, dissipation and depletion
between the characters within Bazi in the form of Punishment (Xing), Clash (Chong), Control (Ke), Pierce
(Chuan), Combination (He), Tomb (Mu), Destruction (Po) and the likes. The so-called "Working God" is
that after Energy dissipation, it can produce Efficiency and merit; while the "Useless God" does not
produce Efficiency after dissipating Energy; another situation wis where the gods is not consuming
Energy and not working. The bazi structure of a successful self is to use this Energy efficiently. The
mediocre self consumes Energy but without Efficiency; The succesful self has more "Working Gods" and
least "Useless Gods, or although "Working God" is less, but the Efficiency is particularly high, and the
mediocre self has more "Useless Gods" but least "Working Gods" or with "Working Gods" but low
Efficiency. In this way, we can distinguish between the rich and the poor.

5. The Concept of Thief God & Police God

This is something commonly used in the mangpai, and its principle is evolved and extended from the
"Yong" of the subject. To put it simply: my "Host" things, or my "Ti" things, demands to control external
"Guest", or to accept of reject this "Yong", that is, the things i desired to obtain. If the "Host" or the "Ti"
is relatively strong, and the "Guest" or "Yong" are relatively weak, then at this time, we will call them
"Thief God" and "Police God". Just like the police catching thieves, when the police are particularly
strong, if the thief is extremely few, or there is no thief, the police will have no usage. Police will be
wishing that thieves will appear to be caught by him to reflect his usefulness. This is the principle of
hunting, and it is also something that is often used in numerology.

Example: Gui Ding Jia Ji

Si Si Xu Si
Analysis: Fire meeting dry soil to succed require to control metal water, Gui water becomes thief god,
during metal water luck cycle, Gui Chou year meeting Ren Shen luck ascended to Deputy Secretary of
Municipal Party Committee. "Shi Shang" (EG HO) control "Yin" (Resource) structure, "Yin" is authority.
When "Yin" is controlled then authority is obtained.

@Gmuli actually contributed an explanation to the scenario described here

6. Image

80% of the ba zi are expressed in terms of work, and 20% of the bazi are expressed in terms of images.
So the image is also very important. Need to understand in depth.

Will write some explanation on the examples from my point of view/experience as I think we
need some change of the direction the topic took after first post...

Some of the rules we have seen in depth in examples around the forum, some are really easy to
see in practice...

First problem someone may stumble upon is that this 4 pillars seem impossible. As there can
never be Gui Si hour pillar if the Day Stem is Ding.
The reason is that the date is reversed, as we have seen in other Mang Pai examples.
We can use the Gmuli BaZi App to find a possible date, one of that would be 8 May 2013 at
around 10 AM.
DM Gang(that would be all wood,fire and dry earth in the chart) control/obtain Gui.

What do we mean by control...

Well, we mean that they have relations(combination, clash etc.) with it that help them obtain it.

With the terminology here what are the work gods then...
That would be the Stems and branches that actually do the work and form of relation to Gui as
part of the Wood/Fire/Dry Earth gang.

In this case that would be Si in year pillar. The Wu in its hidden stems combines with Gui(what
we call Self Combination) in that way doing "work" and also obtaining Gui(as the Host/Ti
position is part of the Wood/Fire/Dry Earth gang, so this is what its using to obtain what it wants,
in this case Resource, so even though Resource we usually view as part of what DM is using, in
this case in its position in the year and in the opposite Gang it becomes what is sought after).

Stems are difficult to control, as they are fleeting, so this is nowhere near enough. But this is not
all.
Other working gods, Ding in Month Stem, by clash with Gui(Ding<>Gui).
Another working god in the hour, Ji controls Gui as earth controls water, low form of
"efficiency" however, as no interaction other then control cycle.

Now, we just need Gui to come in LP/AP and this will trigger.

Someone may have problem with this:

Quote
"Yin" is authority.

Why resource will be authority?

The thing is, authority is created when something is in control/obtained.
Direct Officer and Indirect Officer are considered authority because they control DM. That is
their definition after all.

However anything that is controlled, also get Images of DO and 7K, just because the Images go
with the act of control, not by relation to DM alone.
So now in this process authority is obtained, because in this process something is controlled with
what is at disposal(wood/fire/dry earth gang).

Why Output controls Resource, that should be obvious, again control relations, Water controls
Fire normally, this is controlling it back as Fire is so much stronger and has the needed
interactions. Able to control what controls you by nature - gain of authority.

There is one more work process here, but that may be viewed in later chapter.

Chapter 2: Derive Image From Four Pillars Palaces

MangPai destiny reading considers a person’s important information in life resides within the
four pillar’s 8 characters (BaZi), therefore paying particular attention towards four pillar’s
palaces image (象xiang) and application (应用).

1) Palace’s Position & Image

1. Firstly, the four pillar’s palaces contains information about a person and his / her kinship
(六亲 LiuQing). Except for day stem representing one’s self, others represent one kinship’s
position: Year pillar represents ancestors / forefathers / grandparents, parents, externals elders.
Month pillar represents parents, siblings. Day branch is spouse palace represents wife, husbands
or childrens. Hour pillar is children palace represents one’s descendants. Parents can be reflected
at year pillar as well as month pillar.

2. Four pillar’s palaces also represents the chronological sequence of a person’s life. Year pillar
represents childhood and infancy period from age 1-18. Month pillar represents youth period
from age 18-35. Day branch represents middle age period from age 35-55. Hour pillar represents
the later years age 55 onwards. Apart from this, from year to hour, from big or from first to last
order, a person for example if destined to have 3 marriages, then the order and sequence of all 3
of his mariages are searched from year to hour sequentially.

3. Four pillar’s palaces also represents the distance (空间 KongJian is directly translated as space
but i think distance is more accurate) & locations within a person’s life, for example, all long
distance travelling are in correspondence with the year pillar or hour pillar palaces because the
year pillar represents distance while the hour pillar represents portal (门户 MenHu can also be
translated as family or sect / faction reason why it use portal is stated in #6). Month pillar
represents ancestral home while day branch represents the current residence.

4. Four pillar’s palaces also represents people of different ages and relationships. Year pillar
represents the outsiders, elders or the elderly; month pillar represents the classmates, colleagues,
and superiors (领导 is directly translated as leader but i figure reference to one’s superior is more
appropriate); Day branch represents those very close to themselves; hour pillar represents the
younger generation, the students, friends & subordinates.

5. Four pillar’s palaces also represents different parts of the human body, the year pillar is far
from the day pillar, representing the legs, feet, limbs; month pillar represents the trunk / torso
part of the human body, such as the spine, shoulder, back, etc.; Day branch represents the body’s
most important parts, such as the five internal organs, six bowels (六腑 in TCM refers to gall
bladder, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, “tripler heater” (三焦 or SanJiao in TCM
reprsents throacic, abdominal, pelvic), bladder), heart, brain, and marrow; hour pillar represents
body parts that communicates with the externals, such as the head, face, hands, eyes, mouth,
ears, nose, reproductive organs, and excretion organs.

6. Four pillar’s palaces also represents the objects or matters that a person utilises, take car for
example, because hour pillar represents the portal (门户 MenHu inline with #3) and car is an
object normally used in getting in and out of a “portal’s door”, hence we can look for it within
the hour pillar. Year pillar represents shoes or other people's belongings; month pillar represents
ancestral home, family business, unit (stated as 单位 DanWei so i’m doing a direct translation),
& studies qualification; day branch represents house, bedroom, personal / private properties;
hour pillar represents car, door (a sole 门 Men so translate it directly), clothes, hat, glasses,
makeup, transactions of money or valuable items (进出之钱物 is direct translated to in & out of
money or valuable items which i’m summarising it as transactions in this context).

7. Four pillar’s palaces also represents people's will and emotional quotient (EQ). Some people
are easily affected by the external environment, while others can easily influence others. These
characteristics can also be seen from the four pillar’s palaces.

8. In the four pillar and eight-character, heavenly stems represents the appearance of a person,
their outward appearance and their characteristic representations, which are easily seen by
outsiders; while the earthly branches represent the inner feelings, such as their inner world and
the relationship with family members, often the more hidden thoughts that they often try to
conceal from others.
The specific list as follows:

Day
Year Pillar Month Pillar Day Branch Hour Pillar
Stem
Ancestors,
Kinship Parents, Parents- Parents, Siblings Self Husband, Wife Childrens
in-law
Chilldhood,
Life Stage Youth Middle age Old age
Infancy
Anccestral
Far away, Abroad
hometown,
/ overseas, Edge Portal (门户), Away
Distance & of a country / Hometown / Residence,
Location native place, A Workplace from home (出门),
borderline (边缘
person’s root (根 Far away
BianYuan)
Gen)
Classmate,
Colleague, Younger generation,
External relative, Next of kin or
Fellow Child, Students,
Relationship Outsiders, Elders, someone very
townsman / Friends,
The elderly close
villager, Subordinates
Superior
Chest, Internal
organs (五脏 Head, Face, Hands,
Eyes, Ears, Nose,
Torso, Spine, Wu Zhang), Six
Body Parts Legs, Limbs Reproductive
Shoulder, Back bowels (六腑 organs, Excretion
LiuFu), Heart, organs
Brain, Marrow
Ancestral home, House, Car, Door, Clothes,
Shoe, Ancestor,
Family business, Bedroom, Hat, Glasses,
Objects Other’s
Personal / Makeup,
belongings Unit (单位), private Transactions of
 Studies properties money or valuable
qualification items
External Communication
Emotional Parent’s Inner self /
envrionment / capability and ability
Quotient influence world
circumstances to influence others

2) Palace Location’s Auspiciouness & Inauspiciouness

Generally speaking, if the year pillar has auspicious god is in command (得力 is directly
translated to “obtained power” which i figure is more or less as “in command”), One is born with
good family background whereby ancestors are honorable individuals. If to meet with clash (冲
Chong) or control (克 Ke) at month pillar, the ancestors will suffer bankruptcy, decline in social

status and huge setback (迁变之打击 not sure how to translate this). Most of them represent the
information before birth.

If auspicious god in command within month pillar, One can obtain protection from elders (庇荫
is translated as “to shield” so to shield from elders would mean receiving protection from them).
He will obtain the family inheritance & business of his father's generation. If to meet with clash
(冲 Chong) or control (克 Ke) at day pillar, would mean he will betray (背 can also mean to
burden but in this context i felt betray is the right meaning) his ancestor and leaving hometown,
not much affinity with his kinship, incompatible with siblings and similar information.

If auspicious god in day branch, wife is virtuous, husband is noble and during middle-aged can
revitalize / revive family business. If it is controlled (克 Ke) broken (破 Po) or transformed
through combination (化 is transform合 is combine ) is taboo (忌 can also be translated as

envious, dreadful), it means good but not lasting, the marriage is abandoned midway, 断弦再续
(this is one figure of speech i don’t fully understand and does not know how to translate but
basically means end of marriage).

If auspicious god in hour pillar, One’s descendent has outstanding talent and fillial and respect
oneself. If to meet with clash (冲 Chong) or control (克 Ke), they will be good but not lasting or
are far away and unattainable. If the hour pillar is taboo, it means that the children are not filial,
fierce and unrespectful, and a miserable old age (晚景凄凉).
How to view auspicious god will be discussed in detail in later chapters.