寅巳害

取义

In 三命通会, the chapter 论六害 names this group 恃临官而进相害. The name refers to the fact that 寅 is the 临官 position of 甲 wood, while 巳 is the 临官 position of 丙 and 戊. Both branches stand at a stage of full strength and self-assertion. Because each branch occupies its own 临官 position, neither is inclined to yield. The harm arises from mutual advancement and pressure: both sides press forward in the belief that they are capable, and this forward movement produces friction. The text describes them as being in opposition not because of weakness, but because each is strong in its own right and refuses to defer.

There is also an underlying penal element. 寅 and 巳 already carry a 刑 relationship, and this 刑 is embedded within the harm. As a result, the difficulty between 寅 and 巳 is not merely indirect or hidden; it contains an element of active contention. The harm relationship draws on this tension and expresses it in a quieter, less direct form than an open clash.

由冲合而生

寅巳害 is not an independent rule standing alongside the six clashes and six combinations. It arises from the interaction of a clash and a combination. The logic is as follows: 寅 is involved in a clash with 申, while 巳 is involved in a combination with 申. Because 寅 fears the clash from 申, and 巳 combines away 申, the result is harm between 寅 and 巳. In other words, 巳 removes the branch that 寅 would otherwise contend with, and this removal creates a concealed grievance. The harm is therefore a secondary product of the clash and combination system, not a primary force of the same order.

This point is essential for interpreting the strength of 寅巳害. The six harms do not function as an independent structural layer equivalent to the six clashes or six combinations. They are derivative. Their meaning depends on the underlying clash and combination relationships from which they are produced. In the case of 寅巳害, the presence of 申 in a chart or in a luck cycle can clarify or intensify the underlying dynamic, because 申 is the pivot through which the harm is generated.

位置与轻重

三命通会 states that among the positions in the four pillars, a harm is most significant when it occurs between the day pillar and the hour pillar. The day branch and hour branch are close to the person and to the later part of life, and their relationship is treated as especially important in this context. The body and life palace are considered secondary in importance.

寅巳害 follows this general rule. When 寅 appears in the day branch and 巳 appears in the hour branch, or when the positions are reversed, the harm is given greater weight than when it appears between the year and month pillars or elsewhere. The day-hour connection is considered more intimate and more directly relevant to personal conduct, private affairs, and outcomes in later life.

In terms of overall strength, the six harms are generally weaker than the six clashes and six combinations. A clash is overt and forceful; a combination is binding and constructive. A harm, by contrast, is mostly felt as hidden disharmony. It suggests friction that is not fully expressed, resentment that is not openly acknowledged, or damage that occurs through indirect means. In traditional practice, the harms are used as an auxiliary reference. They are not used independently as the main basis for judging fortune or misfortune. Their role is to modify, qualify, or add texture to a reading that is primarily built on clashes, combinations, and other structural factors.

命例

The following chart illustrates 寅巳害 falling on the day and hour pillars:

辛丑
辛丑
甲寅
己巳

The day branch is 寅 and the hour branch is 巳, so the 寅巳害 relation appears between the day pillar and the hour pillar. According to the positional rule above, this is the most significant placement for a six harm. The chart pattern is 从财格. In this configuration, the day master 甲 relies on the surrounding elements in a particular way, and the day-hour harm between 寅 and 巳 introduces a concealed tension into the relationship between the self and the hour pillar. Because the hour pillar represents later life, children, and outward results, the harm here may indicate friction in those areas that is not immediately obvious.

When reading this chart, the harm should not be treated as the primary determinant of fortune. It is a supporting detail. The clash and combination structure of the whole chart remains more important. The 寅巳害 qualifies the day-hour connection and suggests that, within the larger pattern, some private or indirect difficulty may accompany otherwise favorable or unfavorable developments.

Worked example (solar 1962-01-16 10:00, female, computed by this site's engine):

Pattern: 从财格 · Strength: 偏弱 (engine verdicts)

常见误区

One common misunderstanding is to treat 寅巳害 as equal in force to a clash. This is incorrect. A clash is direct and visible; a harm is indirect and often hidden. 寅巳害 does not mean that the two branches attack each other openly in the way that a 寅申 clash would. Instead, it indicates a quieter form of damage, often involving resentment, avoidance, or underhanded interference.

Another common error is to read 寅巳害 as a fixed relationship that applies whenever the two branches appear anywhere in a chart. In practice, the positional rule matters. If the harm appears between the year and month pillars, it is still present, but it is not given the same weight as a harm between the day and hour pillars. The context of the chart also matters. If 寅 or 巳 is involved in a strong combination elsewhere, or if the chart structure is dominated by other factors, the harm may be less noticeable.

It is also a mistake to view the six harms as an original system parallel to the six clashes and six combinations. 寅巳害 depends on the interaction of 寅申 clash and 巳申 combination. Without understanding this derivation, one may overstate the independent power of the harm. The traditional texts present it as a secondary product, and its practical use follows that understanding.

Finally, some readers assume that 寅巳害 only exists when both branches are present in the natal chart. In fact, if the four pillars do not contain both 寅 and 巳, the harm can still be activated when a luck cycle or annual cycle brings the missing branch. In that case, the relation is formed temporarily. This is an important point in practice, because it means a harm may lie dormant in the natal chart and become active only during certain periods. Such temporary activation should still be read as auxiliary, not as a standalone indicator of major fortune or misfortune.