Ding Fire Chapter · Di Tian Sui and Fate Analysis
1. Original Di Tian Sui
Ding Fire is gentle at its core; its inner nature is bright and harmonious.
It embraces Yi to be filial, and unites with Ren to be loyal.
Flourishing but not fierce, waning yet not exhausted,
If there is a rightful mother, it can endure through autumn or winter.
2. Original Annotations
Original annotations: The Ding stems belong to Yin; though Fire is Yin, it is soft and thus attains its center. Externally soft and compliant, while internally civilized; is not its inner nature bright and harmonious?
Yi is not Ding's rightful mother; Yi fears Xin and clings to Xin; not as good as Bing embracing Jia and thus able to burn Jia wood,
nor as good as Yi embracing Ding and thereby able to obscure Ding Fire; its filial piety is beyond others.
Ren is Ding's rightful sovereign; Ren fears Wu and Ding harmonizes with it; externally it consoles Wu Earth, capable of preventing Wu Earth from deceiving Ren,
internally it subtly transforms the Wood Spirit, causing Wu Earth not to dare oppose Ren; its loyalty is beyond others.
Born in autumn or winter, if it gains one Jia Wood, it will lean on it and not be extinguished, and the flame will be endless, hence said to endure autumn or winter.
All are the ways of softness.
3. Ren's Yi Shu Explanation
Ren's Yi Shu: Ding is not called a lamp; compared with Bing Fire, it is merely soft in the middle. The inner nature that is bright and harmonious is a sign of civilization.
Embracing Yi to be filial shows that Xin Metal does not harm Yi Wood; uniting with Ren to be loyal, secretly makes Wu Earth not harm Ren Water.
It is only because of its softness in the middle that it has no excessive or deficient drawbacks; even when it is at its peak, it will not burn violently;
even when it faces decline, it will not extinguish.
Stems contain Jia and Yi; autumn-born do not fear metal; branches hidden in Yin and Mao; winter-born do not fear water.
4. Modern Fate Analysis
Ding Fire is gentle at its core, its inner nature bright and harmonious.
Ding Fire is Yin Fire; its image is not the blazing flames, but warm light. Externally soft and internally bright, like a furnace fire or starlight; the emphasis is on continuity and cultivation, rather than eruption.
Embracing Yi to be filial: Yi Wood is a soft wood; Ding Fire gains Yi and is nurtured; the relationship resembles a child relying on a mother, with fire protecting wood, manifested as nurturing and completion rather than burning.
Uniting with Ren to be loyal: Ren Water is the proper authority of Ding Fire. When Ding Fire and Ren Water unite, outwardly it restrains; inwardly it harmonizes, manifested as order, loyalty and inner restraint.
Prosperous yet not fierce, waning yet not exhausted: Ding Fire's greatest value lies in moderation. When in its bloom, it does not overwhelm; when waning, it still retains a warm glow that does not die, symbolizing endurance, stability and resilience.
With a rightful mother, it can endure autumn or winter: If Ding Fire receives the nurturing of Jia or Yi, or gains structural care, even in autumn's metal or winter's water places, it can sustain its light, not fearing the cold environment; this is the extreme of the soft path.