# Key Texts and Concepts

## Key texts

<table><thead><tr><th width="189.25390625">Name</th><th width="246.63671875">Original Chinese Title</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>The I Ching</td><td>《周易》 Zhōuyì</td><td>3000-year-old system of change and pattern analysis. Hexagrams. Big brain stuff.</td></tr><tr><td>Shuowen Jiezi</td><td>《说文解字》</td><td>The original Chinese dictionary. Structure, roots, etymology.</td></tr><tr><td>Five Elements Theory</td><td>《五行大义》 Wǔxíng Dàyì</td><td>Fire, Water, Wood, Metal, Earth. How they feed or fight each other—and what that means for you.</td></tr><tr><td>Three Lives Compendium</td><td>《三命通会》 Sānmìng Tōnghuì</td><td>Uses your full birth data to decode life’s blueprint.</td></tr><tr><td>Yuanhai Ziping</td><td>《渊海子平》</td><td>A classic in Eight Characters (Bazi) astrology. Sets the standard.</td></tr><tr><td>Ditian Sui</td><td>《滴天髓》</td><td>Poetic, cryptic, powerful. A deep dive into cosmic alignment.</td></tr><tr><td>Ziping True Explanation</td><td>《子平真诠》 Zǐpíng Zhēn Quán</td><td>Breaks down complex charts. Adds clarity to chaos.</td></tr><tr><td>Qiong Tong Bao Jian</td><td>《穷通宝鉴》</td><td>Focuses on seasonal balance in charts—adjusts readings based on timing.</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Core concepts

<table><thead><tr><th width="154.640625">Name</th><th width="152.58984375">Original Chinese</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Ten Gods</td><td>十神</td><td>Archetypes like <em>True Wealth</em>, <em>Hurting Officer</em>, <em>Proper Authority</em>. Each represents a life theme.</td></tr><tr><td>Heavenly Stems</td><td>天干</td><td>Ten cosmic building blocks. Paired with elements. Timelines start here.</td></tr><tr><td>Earthly Branches</td><td>地支</td><td>The zodiac’s DNA. Twelve parts that lock into the calendar—and your fate.</td></tr><tr><td>Hidden Stems</td><td>藏干</td><td>What’s underneath each Branch. Adds depth and twists to the reading.</td></tr><tr><td>Secondary Stars</td><td>副星</td><td>Bonus traits. Think: life flavoring.</td></tr><tr><td>Star Luck</td><td>星运</td><td>Time-based influences. Periods when certain energies rise or fall.</td></tr><tr><td>Self-Seating</td><td>自坐</td><td>When your core aligns with your environment. Sign of internal power.</td></tr><tr><td>Void</td><td>空亡</td><td>Empty space in your chart. Weak zones. Quiet signals.</td></tr><tr><td>Na Yin</td><td>纳音</td><td>Turns stem-branch combos into elemental sounds. Adds texture to the analysis.</td></tr><tr><td>Five Elements</td><td>五行</td><td>Fire burns. Water cools. Wood grows. Metal cuts. Earth anchors. Everything’s a cycle.</td></tr><tr><td>Destiny Stars</td><td>神煞</td><td>Hidden forces—some auspicious (<em>Nobleman Star</em>), others ominous (<em>Goat Blade</em>). They shape the fine print of your fate.</td></tr></tbody></table>