Life
Shen Xiaozhan passed the highest civil examination in the Qianlong reign of the Qing; little else is recorded of his life, and he is known above all for the Ziping zhenquan. In 48 chapters it reorganizes earlier works such as the Yuanhai ziping and the Sanming tonghui into a clear system centred on the month branch and on chart 'structures' (geju), and it was widely copied in its own time. In the Republican era Xu Lewu published an influential commentary, though some later readers argue it departs from Shen's meaning, especially on the 'useful god' (yongshen).
The system
- The month branch as the key to the 'useful god'.
- Ten main structures (proper officer, seven killings, wealth, seal, eating god, hurting officer, etc.) and how they succeed or fail.
- Reading luck periods by their effect on the structure.
Key works
- Ziping zhenquan (True Interpretation of Ziping, 48 chapters)
Where to start
- Learn chart construction and the ten gods first; when using Xu Lewu's commentary, keep the original text and the commentary apart.
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