The concept of "Empty Hour Column" (时柱空亡) is an important aspect in traditional Chinese astrology, relating to the later stages of a person's fate. This article will delve into the meaning, methods of identification, effects, and how to understand and deal with this astrological phenomenon.
Meaning of the Empty Hour Column
In the Eight Characters (八字) system, the "Empty Hour Column" refers to the period after the age of 49, which may involve many obstacles and difficulties, leading to a lonely old age, a weaker relationship with children or subordinates, fewer children, or more daughters. It also symbolizes unsatisfactory treatment in career, family, interpersonal relationships, and among descendants, students, subordinates, and employees, with little mutual support.
Method of Identifying the Empty Hour Column
The method of identifying the Empty Hour Column is based on the Day Column. If the Hour Column's Earthly Branch matches the empty one, it is considered an empty column. For example, for Day Columns like Jia Zi or Yi Chou, the empty Earthly Branches are Xu and Hai; for Day Columns like Jia Xu or Yi Hai, the empty Earthly Branches are Shen and You, and so on. This way, one can determine whether there is an Empty Hour Column in a person's Eight Characters.
Understanding the Empty
The term "empty" means that strength becomes empty and weakness leads to loss. A strong element may have power but lack results, while a weak element may be weak but still have substance. Understanding the Empty involves distinguishing between strength and weakness. A strong element is like a healthy willow, while a weak one is like a peach tree infested by insects. The impact of the Empty is profound, not just a loss of material things, but also a spiritual emptiness.
Impact of the Empty on Fate
When the Eight Characters encounter an Empty, especially in the Hour Column, it has a significant impact on one's fate. An Empty in the Year Branch may mean the loss of ancestral property or mother; an Empty in the Month Branch may indicate no siblings or siblings without support; an Empty in the Hour Branch may suggest that after marriage, one cannot have children immediately or have no children. Additionally, mutual exchanges of Empty between the Day and Hour, Year and Day, or between the Eight Characters and Major Periods each have their specific impacts.
Methods to Alleviate the Empty
The Empty can be alleviated through union, meeting, or confrontation. It can also be mitigated by encountering celestial benefactors such as Tianyi Guiren (天乙贵人) or Yuede Guiren (月德贵人), although the blessings are significantly reduced. There are also distinctions between auspicious and inauspicious outcomes for the Naying (纳音) Empty, such as "metal being empty means sound" and "fire being empty means prosperity." Understanding these methods can help us better deal with the effects brought by the Empty.
The Empty Hour Column is a complex and profound concept in the Eight Characters system, relating not only to one's later years but also to multiple aspects of fate. By understanding the meaning, identification method, and impact of the Empty Hour Column, and mastering the methods to alleviate it, we can gain a more comprehensive understanding of this astrological phenomenon and take appropriate measures to reduce its potential negative effects.
