In divination, determining whether a person's strength is strong or weak is a crucial step in analyzing the fate. The strength of the "body" not only relates to one's personality and health, but also affects the direction of one's destiny. This article will delve into how to accurately determine the strength and weakness of the body, providing practical analytical methods for enthusiasts of divination.

Basic Concepts of Strong and Weak Body

Strong and weak body are two important concepts in divination. The "body" refers to the day stem, i.e., the day master, representing the individual. A strong body means there are many forces that support the body, while a weak body means there are more forces that suppress the body. In "The Book of Destiny," the strength and weakness of the body are considered the most critical factors in fortune-telling. Although strength and weakness are not the only key factors in fortune-telling, they are still an essential factor. This article mainly discusses the methods of judging strength and weakness.

Methods to Determine a Strong Body

1. If the fate configuration meets the following conditions, it can be judged as a strong body:

- Being under the influence of the month: The month is of the same five elements as the day stem, or the mother element of the day stem. For example, Jia and Yi born in spring, especially in the months of Yin and Mao; or born in winter, especially in the months of Hai and Zi.

- Having many supporting elements: The fate has the same five elements as the day stem, or the mother elements of the day stem. For example, if the day stem is Jia and Yi, and the fate contains many Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Ren, Gui, etc.

- Having root energy in the earthly branches: The earthly branches in the fate have the same five elements as the day stem, especially when the day stem is sitting on its own root. For example, Jia sitting on Yin, Yi sitting on Mao, are both strong by sitting on their own roots.

2. A strong body prefers suppression and avoids support:

- A strong body prefers being controlled, where the controlling force is the official and killer elements. For example, if Jia is strong, having metal to control wood.

- A strong body prefers being drained, where the draining force is the food and injury elements. For example, if Jia is strong, having fire to drain wood.

- A strong body prefers sharing power, where the sharing force is the wealth and talent elements. For example, if Jia is strong, having earth to share the power of wood.

- A strong body avoids being nourished, where the nourishing force is the mother element. For example, if Jia is strong, having water to nourish wood.

- A strong body avoids being helped, where the helping force is the peer element. For example, if Jia is strong, having wood to help wood.

Methods to Determine a Weak Body

1. If the fate configuration meets the following conditions, it can be judged as a weak body:

- Not under the influence of the month: The month is the element that controls, drains, or consumes the day stem. For example, Jia wood born in summer or autumn, or in the last month of each season.

- There are many elements in the fate that control, drain, or consume the day stem. For example, if the day stem is Jia wood, and the fate has many fire, earth, and metal, with little water and wood.

- The earthly branches have no root energy for the day stem. For example, if the day stem is Jia wood, and the earthly branches have no Yin or Mao as the main root, let alone the secondary root.

2. A weak body prefers support and avoids suppression:

- A weak body prefers being nourished and supported, which means favoring the mother element and the peer element. For example, if the day is Jia and weak, having water and wood to nourish and support.

- A weak body avoids being suppressed, meaning avoiding the controlling, draining, and consuming elements, i.e., the official and killer elements, the wealth and talent elements, and the food and injury elements. For example, if the day is Jia and weak, avoiding fire, earth, and metal.

Detailed Classification and the Theory of Support and Suppression

A strong body can be further divided into very strong, moderately strong, and slightly strong, while a weak body can be divided into very weak, moderately weak, and slightly weak. These need to be analyzed based on the amount of support and suppression forces, among other factors. Support and suppression are important theories in strength and weakness, meaning that a strong body should be suppressed, and a weak body should be supported. This article provides basic knowledge about determining strength and weakness, but in practice, there are many special cases that make it difficult to judge strength and weakness. Many eight characters may correctly determine strength and weakness but fail to predict the actual events. For example, a strong body that favors suppression may encounter unprecedented misfortune during a suppressing major or annual cycle, while a weak body that avoids suppression may experience unexpected good fortune during a suppressing cycle. This is the mystery of divination, whose secrets are never easily revealed. It also shows that besides the concept of strength and weakness, there are other concepts equally important, or even more important than strength and weakness in many cases.

This article elaborates on the precise methods for determining the strength and weakness of the body, including the basic concepts, judgment methods, and the theory of support and suppression. Through these analyses, we can better understand the strength and weakness in divination and apply them to practical predictions. It should be noted that strength and weakness are only part of the divination analysis, and many other factors are equally important and need to be considered comprehensively.