--- type: Palm Sutra Concept title: "Four-pillar Interactions (四柱交互)" description: "How the four pillars' earthly branches clash, harmonise, punish, harm or break each other." resource: https://localpapa.com/tools/yizhang.html category: "Damo Yi Zhang Jing · Interaction" tags: [yizhang, palm-sutra, interaction, branches] timestamp: 2026-06-21T00:00:00Z --- # Four-pillar Interactions · 四柱交互 Beyond the star each pillar lands on, the **earthly branches of the four pillars relate to one another**. These relationships say how the areas of life — foundation, family, self, later years — pull on or reinforce each other. A single pair can carry **more than one** relationship at once: 巳–申 is a harmony, a destruction and part of the 寅巳申 punishment all at the same time. ## The relationships 關係 - **Clash (相沖)** — brings movement, tension and contrast between the two areas — hard to reconcile, calling for balance - **Harmony (相合)** — brings cooperation and mutual support between the two areas — a smooth, mutually reinforcing sign - **Trine (三合)** — pools energy in one direction — the areas resonate and reinforce one another, a strong supportive sign - **Punishment (相刑)** — friction that grows out of closeness — resentment born of favour; keep some distance and do not press the other side - **Self-punishment (自刑)** — the same branch on two pillars turns on itself — inner conflict and rumination; the obstacle is mostly self-made - **Harm (相害)** — a hidden chafing where good intentions get in the way — misunderstanding, or being weighed down by those closest; say things plainly - **Destruction (相破)** — things come apart after coming together — plans change midway and seldom land first time; leave room to redo them ## How each is determined 判定 | 關係 | Rule | Pairs | | --- | --- | --- | | 沖 Clash | branches six apart | 子午 丑未 寅申 卯酉 辰戌 巳亥 | | 合 Harmony | the six unions | 子丑 寅亥 卯戌 辰酉 巳申 午未 | | 三合 Trine | same trine group | 申子辰 寅午戌 巳酉丑 亥卯未 | | 刑 Punishment | within 寅巳申 or 丑戌未, plus 子卯 | 寅巳 巳申 寅申 丑戌 戌未 丑未 子卯 | | 自刑 Self-punishment | same branch on two pillars | 辰辰 午午 酉酉 亥亥 | | 害 Harm | the six harms | 子未 丑午 寅巳 卯辰 申亥 酉戌 | | 破 Destruction | the six destructions | 子酉 丑辰 寅亥 卯午 巳申 未戌 | ## Named patterns 格局 Certain **combinations of palm stars across the four pillars** are given names. A pattern holds when all its stars appear somewhere among the four pillars, regardless of which pillar each sits on. These names are an interpretive summary — schools do not share a fixed list. - **Noble & Authority (貴權格)** — Nobility and authority together: standing and position reinforce each other, favouring office and command. The higher the post, the more visible a misstep.　*(天貴 + 天權)* - **Noble & Scholar (貴文格)** — Nobility with letters: reputation earned through learning. Scholarship, culture and profession suit this best — the work speaks, not the networking.　*(天貴 + 天文)* - **Scholar & Artisan (文藝格)** — Learning and craft together: understands deeply and can also make. Suits creation, design, teaching or R&D — the risk is dabbling without one defining work.　*(天文 + 天藝)* - **Authority & Blade (權刃格)** — Authority with the blade: decisive and commanding, suited to enforcement, surgery or high-pressure work. Hardness breaks — bank the temper and leave others room.　*(天權 + 天刃)* - **Blessing & Longevity (福壽格)** — Blessing with longevity: a settled, low-risk life with health and contentment. Comfort dulls the edge — keep setting goals inside the ease.　*(天福 + 天壽)* - **Solitary & Adversity (孤厄格)** — Solitude with hardship: early years are heavy and there is little to lean on. Those who endure gain unusual depth — specialised, contemplative or solitary work suits.　*(天孤 + 天厄)* - **Blade & Rupture (刃破格)** — The blade with rupture: forceful action and heavy churn, often overshooting and starting over. Put the drive somewhere with rules; avoid acting on temper or speculating.　*(天刃 + 天破)* - **Rupture & Journey (破驛格)** — Rupture with movement: far more relocations and changes of trade than most, with little that holds still. Make the moving a strategy rather than a reaction, and string the changes into one route.　*(天破 + 天驛)* - **Cunning & Artisan (奸藝格)** — Wit with craft: full of ideas and quick to execute, best at turning a clever thought into a thing. Suits creative, product or trade work — but cleverness tempts shortcuts, and depth only comes with time.　*(天奸 + 天藝)* - **Threefold Blessing (三奇福厚格)** — Nobility, blessing and longevity all present across the four pillars: a deep foundation and lasting good fortune, with difficulty tending to resolve. A rarer combination — cherish and extend it.　*(天貴 + 天福 + 天壽)* A reading at lists whichever of these hold for a given birth date. --- *[Palm stars](./stars/index.md) · [The four pillars](./pillars/index.md) · [Palm Sutra knowledge base](./index.md)*