The twelve stages of life — Longsheng (Longevity), Muyu (Bathing), Guandai (Crown and Belt), Lin'guan (Official Position), Dewang (Imperial Prosperity), Shuai (Decline), Bing (Illness), Si (Death), Mu (Grave), Jue (Extinction), Tai (Embryo), Yang (Nourishment) — represent the life process of the five elements through the twelve months. They cycle endlessly, just like the changes of human birth, aging, illness, and death.
The general rule for the movement of the five elements is analyzed based on the twelve stages of life. The general view of the twelve stages is the process from growth to death of the five elements, corresponding to people as the process from birth, growth, prosperity, decline, and death. Among them, the stages from Longsheng to Dewang are auspicious, while the stages of decline, illness, death, and extinction are inauspicious, and the stages of Tai and Yang are neutral.
In the twelve stages of life, after Lin'guan comes Dewang. In Lin'guan, we mentioned that a person starts to hold an official position, which can be considered as taking the right path. When reaching Dewang, it means reaching the peak. This stage is also the period when a person's vitality is most vigorous, like the sun at its zenith, representing the peak of vitality. Once this peak is passed, it gradually declines.
Dewang represents strength and prosperity, also signifies nobility and auspiciousness, indicates that things go smoothly, brings benefits, wealth, and children, etc., which are all joyful events. It symbolizes the ultimate maturity of body and mind, similar to the peak of a monarch's power, but it also implies the risk of decline. Some fortune-telling books describe Dewang as containing meanings such as prosperity, development, self-satisfaction, spirit, excitement, energy, strength, grandeur, height, expertise, power, climax, peak, and so on.
In general, a person's fate with Dewang in their eight characters is the most prosperous among the twelve zodiac positions. For a yang day pillar, Dewang is actually Yangren (Yang Blade), which has some tendency toward declining after reaching its peak, feeling strong but unable to control everything. People with such fates have a strong sense of self-respect, following the principle of "excess leads to reversal." Generally, male fates have a weak connection with parents, but a good relationship with the mother-in-law's family; females tend to dominate over their husbands, making it difficult to maintain harmony. Below is a specific explanation by the heavenly stems:
Jia Wood's Dewang is in Mao (Rat). A person with this characteristic is strong-willed yet full of compassion.
Yi Wood's Dewang is in Yin (Tiger). A person with this characteristic has a broad mind and good cultivation, but tends to be conservative in doing things, lacking initiative, yet rarely makes major mistakes.
Zhen Fire's Dewang is in Wu (Horse). A person with this characteristic dares to act boldly and is fearless of hardship. Female partners should preferably have a chart with Kuigang (Kui and Gang).
Ding Fire's Dewang is in Si (Snake). There are often entanglements in relationships with the opposite sex, especially not suitable for female fates.
Wu Earth's Dewang is in Wu (Horse). It prefers to see Chou (Ox) in the chart, where Chou (Ox) is moist and can moisten the situation. Female fates prefer tall and handsome men.
Ji Earth's Dewang is in Si (Snake). A female born on Ji Si is considered a golden god, and her marriage may not be smooth.
Geng Metal's Dewang is in You (Rooster). A person without fire in their chart is inauspicious, possibly facing natural disasters.
Xin Metal's Dewang is in Shen (Monkey). This is weak metal, like jade and pearls, and is best suited for being washed by Ren Water to reveal its brilliance. Note: This should not be understood as "strong metal benefits from water drainage," because at this time, Xin Metal fears Gui Water (the food god's water).
Ren Water's Dewang is in Zi (Rat). It is most忌 (forbidden) to be born in the month of Mao (Rat), which is known as "abandoning the salary and chasing the horse." Regardless of gender, marriage will be unsatisfactory.
Gui Water's Dewang is in Hai (Boar). If Ren Water appears on the heavenly stem, it indicates an uncontrolled person. For females, there may be concerns about losing a husband.
Changes in all things in the world do not necessarily mean good fortune if they are strong and prosperous, nor are they necessarily bad if they are idle, dead, or extinct. If something is too strong, it should be restrained or suppressed by another element. If it is dead, extinct, or lacks strength, it should be supported or supplemented by another element. In short, the eight characters emphasize the balance between mutual generation and control. Excess or deficiency is not auspicious.