Ding Yin Shou Jue (Setting the Yin Starting Point)

In the process of constructing a Zi Wei Dou Shu chart, "Ding Yin Shou" is the first step and forms the foundation for determining the entire chart's structure. The term "Yin Shou" refers to the method of designating the Earthly Branch "Yin" as the starting point of the chart.

The Concept of Yin Shou

In Zi Wei Dou Shu, the twelve palaces are arranged according to the Earthly Branches in the following order:

Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai, Zi, Chou

These twelve Earthly Branches form the basic framework of the chart, and "Yin," as the starting branch, is called "Yin Shou." As the ancient text "Chuan Yi" states: "The chart displays twelve palaces, with Yin as the head and Chou as the tail."

Method for Determining Yin Shou

The position of Yin Shou is not fixed but is determined by the Stems and Branches of the birth time. The specific method is as follows:

1. Determine the Year, Month, Day, and Hour of Birth

First, you need to determine the Stems and Branches of the birth year, month, day, and hour. For example:

• Birth Year: Jia-Zi year
• Birth Month: Bing-Yin month
• Birth Day: Ding-Mao day
• Birth Hour: Wu-Chen hour

2. Method for Positioning the Yin Palace

There are several common methods for locating the Yin palace:

Method One: By Hour Branch

This is the most commonly used method, where the position of Yin Shou is determined by the Earthly Branch of the birth hour.

• Born in Zi hour: Yin is in the Zi palace
• Born in Chou hour: Yin is in the Chou palace
• Born in Yin hour: Yin is in the Yin palace
• Born in Mao hour: Yin is in the Mao palace
• And so on...

For example, if a person was born in the Wu-Chen hour, Yin Shou would be in the Chen palace.

Method Two: By Day Stem (used by some schools)

Some schools use the Day Stem to determine Yin Shou:

• Born on Jia or Ji day: Yin starts from Mao
• Born on Yi or Geng day: Yin starts from Yin
• Born on Bing or Xin day: Yin starts from Hai
• Born on Ding or Ren day: Yin starts from Shen
• Born on Wu or Gui day: Yin starts from Si

3. Handling Special Cases

In certain special situations, such as when the month changes or when the hour changes, particular attention must be paid to determine the correct Stems and Branches to avoid affecting the judgment of the entire chart.

The Importance of Ding Yin Shou

Setting Yin Shou is the foundation of the entire Zi Wei Dou Shu chart construction. If Yin Shou is incorrectly determined:

1. The arrangement of the twelve palaces will be incorrect
2. The positions of the Life and Body palaces will be off
3. The placement of stars will be completely different
4. All interpretations of the chart may be completely opposite

Therefore, in actual chart construction, Yin Shou must be accurately positioned.

Practical Example

Let's illustrate the specific steps for determining Yin Shou with an example:

Birth Information:

• Date and Time of Birth: March 15, 2000, at 9:00 AM (Geng-Chen year, Ren-Chen month, Jia-Xu day, Wu-Chen hour)

Determining Yin Shou: Using the method of determining Yin Shou by Hour Branch, the Hour Branch is Chen, so Yin is positioned in the Chen palace. Starting from the Chen palace, the other Earthly Branches are arranged clockwise:

• Chen palace: Yin
• Si palace: Mao
• Wu palace: Chen
• Wei palace: Si
• Shen palace: Wu
• You palace: Wei
• Xu palace: Shen
• Hai palace: You
• Zi palace: Xu
• Chou palace: Hai
• Yin palace: Zi
• Mao palace: Chou

With this, Yin Shou has been determined to be "Yin occupying the Chen position," and the arrangement of the twelve palaces' Earthly Branches is complete. Subsequent steps in chart construction will proceed on this foundation.

Conclusion

The Ding Yin Shou method may seem simple, but it is the first and most important formula in Zi Wei Dou Shu chart construction and forms the basis for the entire chart. Only by accurately determining the position of Yin Shou can the twelve palaces be correctly arranged, which then allows for accurate star placement and destiny interpretation.