The Complete Steps of Ziping Pattern Selection
Pattern selection is the first step of Ziping technique, and also the most important step
If the pattern is selected incorrectly, all subsequent Useful God analysis and luck cycle judgments are built on a wrong foundation. Pattern selection has a clear set of priority rules — it's not just randomly picking a Ten God from the month branch. This article starts from the month branch, following the classical sequence of 'if there is Killing, first discuss Killing; if no Killing, then discuss Use,' to explain the complete steps of Ziping pattern selection.
The core principle of pattern selection: the month branch is the first priority, Seven Killings is a special priority, mixed-qi and outer patterns are exceptional cases. Follow the sequence, don't skip steps.
1. Step One: Start from the Month Branch — What Ten God Is the Month Branch?
The first step of Ziping pattern selection is always to examine the month branch (the earthly branch of the birth month). Whatever Ten God the month branch's hidden heavenly stem is, the pattern takes that Ten God as its body. For example, Jia Wood Day Master born in Yin month — Yin hides Jia (Companion), Bing (Eating God), Wu (Indirect Wealth). Yin month for Jia Wood is Build-Renewal (Jia's Renewal is in Yin), so the pattern is the Build-Renewal pattern. Jia Wood Day Master born in You month — You only hides Xin (Direct Officer), so the pattern is the Direct Officer pattern. Jia Wood Day Master born in Chen month — Chen hides Wu (Indirect Wealth), Yi (Rob Wealth), Gui (Direct Seal). Chen month is a mixed-qi month branch (Chen, Xu, Chou, Wei are the four season branches), requiring further pattern determination based on heavenly stem emergence and earthly branch meetings. The principle of month-branch pattern selection is simple: the month branch is the bazi's macro climate, determining the pattern's basic direction. Whatever Ten God the month branch is, the pattern is constructed centered on that Ten God. But there is one important exception — Seven Killings.
2. Step Two: The Priority of Seven Killings — If There Is Killing, First Discuss Killing
There is a core principle in the Ziping Zhenquan: 'If there is Killing, first discuss Killing; if no Killing, then discuss Use.' This means: if the destiny chart has Seven Killings (Indirect Officer), regardless of whether the Seven Killings come from the month branch, you must prioritize considering the Seven Killings' impact on the pattern. Why do Seven Killings have special priority? Because Seven Killings is the most ferocious among the 'overcoming me' Ten Gods — it shares the same yin-yang as the Day Master (same-sex overcoming), and its restraining nature is the most intense. The presence of Seven Killings in a pattern is like having a fierce beast in the room — if you don't deal with it first, nothing else can be discussed. There are three ways to handle Seven Killings. Control — use Eating God to restrain Seven Killings; Eating God is the natural nemesis of Seven Killings (Eating God controls Killing). Transform — use the Seal star to transform and drain Seven Killings (Killing-Seal mutual generation), turning Seven Killings' ferocity into Seal-star body-supporting force that benefits the Day Master. Combine — use Rob Wealth or other Ten Gods to combine with and trap Seven Killings (such as Jia Day Master using Ji Earth to combine with Geng Metal Seven Killings), dissolving Seven Killings' ferocity through combination-transformation. If the Seven Killings in the destiny chart are not effectively handled (no control, no transformation, no combination), regardless of how good the pattern itself is, Seven Killings will remain a persistent hidden danger.
3. Step Three: Handling Mixed-Qi Month Branches and Special Patterns
The four months Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei (the four season branches) are mixed-qi month branches with multiple and mixed hidden stems; pattern selection cannot simply be 'whatever Ten God the month branch is, that's the pattern.' The pattern selection principle for mixed-qi month branches is: whatever Ten God emerges on the heavenly stems, take that Ten God to determine the pattern. If nothing emerges on the heavenly stems, check the earthly branch meeting and combination situation. If there is neither emergence nor meeting/combination, then take the month branch's primary qi for the pattern. Additionally, there are some special patterns that do not follow conventional month-branch pattern selection. Transforming Qi pattern — the Day Master and month stem (or hour stem) form a Heavenly Stem Five Combination and the transformation succeeds (such as Jia-Ji transforming to Earth); the pattern is analyzed as a Transforming Qi pattern. Monopolizing Prosperity pattern — one element forms dominance throughout the chart, and the Day Master itself is the core of this force (such as Bend and Straight pattern, Flame Upward pattern, etc.); do not select the pattern by the month-branch Ten God. Follower pattern — the Day Master is extremely weak and follows the chart's most powerful Ten God; also do not select the pattern by the month branch. The sequence for pattern selection should be: first determine whether it belongs to special patterns such as Transforming Qi, Monopolizing Prosperity, or Follower patterns. If not, then follow the standard process of 'if there is Killing, first discuss Killing; if no Killing, examine the month branch' to select the pattern.
Three-Step Pattern Selection
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Classical Support
Practical Key Points
- Select patterns in the standard sequence; don't skip steps : Special patterns → Seven Killings priority → Month-branch Ten God → Mixed-qi emerged stems and branch meetings. Follow this sequence; you won't miss key information. Skipping steps is the number one reason for pattern selection errors.
- If Seven Killings isn't handled well, even the best pattern is discounted : Judging whether Seven Killings has control or transformation is the first thing to do after pattern selection. With control/transformation = pattern bonus. Without control/transformation = pattern has a fundamental flaw; subsequent luck cycles need focused attention.
- For mixed-qi month branches, check emerged stems and branch meetings : Chen/Xu/Chou/Wei month with no emerged stems → check meetings. No meetings → check primary qi. Don't forcibly take the primary qi as the pattern when there's no emerged stem or branch meeting — mixed-qi month branches leave room for pattern judgment.
Common Follow-ups
Q: If the month branch's stems don't emerge, how to select the pattern?
A:
Month-branch stems not emerging is a common situation. Although the month branch's primary qi hasn't emerged, the pattern still takes the month branch's primary qi as its body. For example, Jia Wood Day Master born in Shen month — Shen's primary qi is Geng Metal (Seven Killings); even if Geng or Xin hasn't emerged on the heavenly stems, the pattern is still the Seven Killings pattern (Killing not emerged is hidden Killing, its influence is slightly weaker than emerged Killing but the pattern name remains unchanged).
Q: What if the month branch is Companion (Build-Renewal) or Rob Wealth (Ram Blade)? How to select the pattern?
A:
Build-Renewal pattern (month branch is the Day Master's Renewal, such as Jia seeing Yin) and Ram Blade pattern (month branch is the Day Master's Blade, such as Jia seeing Mao) belong to outer patterns. Build-Renewal pattern does not take the eight pattern names like Wealth, Officer, Seal, Eating God, etc.; it is directly analyzed as Build-Renewal pattern. These two types of patterns have different Useful God selection methods from the eight patterns and require special attention.