辛 Xīn, The Polished Jade
琢玉 zhuó yù
Yin Metal · refined, exacting, sensitive
辛 Xīn is the Yin Metal day master 日主 rì zhǔ, “ruler of the day”. Its image is a cut jewel.
Nature
Yin Metal is the cut jewel and the fine needle. In the household you are the courtier whose taste and precision set the standard.
Inner life
You are acutely sensitive to quality, beauty and slight. You flourish when you are polished with care.
Shadow side: The jewel that cannot bear a scratch
Perfectionism; a quick sting when your worth is questioned.
A practice. Ship something at 80%. Let one flaw stand.
The verse in the 滴天髓 Dī Tiān Suǐ, “Drops of Heaven’s Marrow”
辛金软弱温润而清
xīn jīn ruǎn ruò, wēn rùn ér qīng
Xin Metal is soft; warm, smooth and clear.
Dī Tiān Suǐ 滴天髓, the classical verses on the ten stems
In each birth month
The Earth character of the month pillar sets the season, the 月令 yuè lìng, “the month’s command”. It decides how much strength 辛 Xīn draws from the climate it is born into.
Seasonal state 旺相休囚死 wàng xiàng xiū qiú sǐ, “prosperous, supported, resting, confined, dormant”
The season is your own element.
The season feeds you.
You feed the season.
You must work to control the season.
The season presses on you.
辛 Xīn begins its cycle of the 十二长生 shí èr cháng shēng, “twelve stages of long life” at 长生 cháng shēng, “Birth”, in the 巳 Sì Snake month, and stands at 帝旺 dì wàng, “On the throne”, in the 酉 Yǒu Rooster month.
Stellae Mundi follows 任铁樵 Rèn Tiěqiáo’s commentary on the 滴天髓: 阴阳同生同死 yīn yáng tóng shēng tóng sǐ, “yin and yang are born and die together”. So 辛 Xīn shares the life-stage cycle of its Yang partner 庚 Gēng.
| Month branch | Around | Season | Seasonal state | Life stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 寅Yín · Tiger | Feb | early spring | 囚 qiúconfined | 绝 juéSevered, cut off, starting over |
| 卯Mǎo · Rabbit | Mar | mid-spring | 囚 qiúconfined | 胎 tāiConceived, an idea taking shape |
| 辰Chén · Dragon | Apr | late spring | 相 xiàngsupported | 养 yǎngNurtured, held in the womb |
| 巳Sì · Snake | May | early summer | 死 sǐdormant | 长生 cháng shēngBirth, newly born and rising |
| 午Wǔ · Horse | Jun | midsummer | 死 sǐdormant | 沐浴 mù yùBathing, raw and impressionable |
| 未Wèi · Goat | Jul | late summer | 相 xiàngsupported | 冠带 guān dàiCapping, coming of age |
| 申Shēn · Monkey | Aug | early autumn | 旺 wàngprosperous | 临官 lín guānTaking office, capable and established |
| 酉Yǒu · Rooster | Sep | mid-autumn | 旺 wàngprosperous | 帝旺 dì wàngOn the throne, at peak power |
| 戌Xū · Dog | Oct | late autumn | 相 xiàngsupported | 衰 shuāiWaning, past the peak, seasoned |
| 亥Hài · Pig | Nov | early winter | 休 xiūresting | 病 bìngAiling, turned inward |
| 子Zǐ · Rat | Dec | midwinter | 休 xiūresting | 死 sǐStilled, still and quiet |
| 丑Chǒu · Ox | Jan | late winter | 相 xiàngsupported | 墓 mùEntombed, stored away, hidden |
The six day pillars of 辛 Xin
辛 Xīn is the Heaven character of six of the sixty pillars. Each one sets the jewel on a different Earth branch.