Punishment (相刑)
Understand the main Earthly Branch punishment patterns, their school-sensitive completion rules, and how to separate structural friction from event claims.
Overview
Punishment (相刑) is a family of Earthly Branch patterns rather than one universal pair rule. Commonly reviewed groups include Yin–Si–Shen, Chou–Wei–Xu, Zi–Mao, and repeated Chen, Wu, You, or Hai for self-punishment. Schools differ on whether incomplete three-branch groups count, so the convention, members present, force, and chart layer must be published.
At a glance
- Main groups
- Yin–Si–Shen, Chou–Wei–Xu, Zi–Mao, and self-punishment branches
- Rule type
- Several distinct patterns, not one pair sequence
- School variance
- Incomplete-group treatment must be labelled
- Force
- Season, repetition, roots, and palace position matter
- Timing
- A period can complete or intensify a natal pattern
- Boundary
- Punishment is not a legal or moral verdict
Identify the exact punishment family
List every branch actually present and classify the relation as group, pair, or self-punishment under a stated convention.
Do not merge Zi–Mao, three-branch patterns, and repeated-branch patterns into one mechanism.
- Name the pattern and members.
- State the school convention.
Separate complete and incomplete structures
A full three-branch group carries different evidence from a two-member fragment.
If a Luck Pillar or year supplies the missing member, mark the completion as period-specific.
- Publish missing members.
- Date timing-based completion.
Assess force and competing relations
Month Command, repetition, roots, palace relevance, clashes, and combinations change whether the pattern is dominant or secondary.
Explain the structural function affected rather than repeating the word “punishment” as the conclusion.
- Weigh the whole chart.
- Name the altered function.
Reject moral and catastrophic literalization
相刑 does not mean crime, punishment by authorities, self-harm, betrayal, surgery, or abuse.
Sensitive claims require direct evidence and professional support outside the chart model.
- No moral judgement.
- No medical or legal prediction.
Sources and editorial basis
- 《三命通會》 (Sanming Tonghui)卷二地支相刑：寅巳申、丑未戌、子卯與自刑A historical compilation covering stems and branches, Ten Gods, Nayin, Shen Sha, and multiple classical pattern systems.
- 《淵海子平》 (Yuanhai Ziping)地支刑法諸論：三刑、自刑與成局差異A foundational Ziping reference for branch months, hidden stems, roots, and stem-branch relationships.