Thread by @edwardW2

0/ In this thread I will translate a section of an edition of the 三世書- Book of the Three Fates, specificaly a set of tables of simple natal delineations.

1/ First a bit of background. the 三世書, Sanshishu, "book of Three Fates" is a term given to a family of more-or-less related divinatory texts. They are widely distributed across the Chinese speaking world.

2/ Similar books have been published for some time. here is a thread discussing an edition form 1788, currently at SOAS.

https://twitter.com/edwardW2/status/1323239345587851265

3/ The Book of Three Fates consists mostly of short tables, all about 2 or 3 pages long, each dealing with one aspect of life. They are not terribly complicated to use- a basic familiarity with the Chinese calendar is all that is required to find the relevant entry.

4/ In this table, the user simply looks up the hour of their birth, and reads off the corresponding entry.

It should be noted, though, in the grand scheme of Chinese astrology this- and the whole sanshishu is considered to be a "popular" form of astrology...

5/ occupying the rough place sun-sign horoscopes or astrological apps do in the western tradition.

Nonetheless, researching & translating such works are valuable; For many they represent the main contact with Chinese mantic methods.

6/ 子時性影人。兄弟子難為。且身却辰壽。骨肉名分居
Those born in the [hour of the] Rat, They shall [over]shadow people
It is difficult to be their brother or child,
Even though their bodies shall attain longevity
Their flesh and blood shall live in separate houses

7/ 丑時足衣食。有更主聰明。向老多子才，倉庫甚克當。
[Born In] the hour of the cow, sufficient clothes and food
What’s more, it is a sign of intelligence
With age, they shall have many descendants
And their storehouses will be filled sufficiently

8/寅時主光榮。寅貴旺人丁。若然居旺位。必定爵祿兵.
[Born in] The hour of the tiger: an omen of glory
Tiger is noble; descendants will will flourish
If the person lives in a fortunate place
Surely they will raise to the rank of a Duke, or gain military rank

9/ 卯時心情高。經紀往他州。不宜住祖屋。遠出外方游。
The hour of The Rabbit ; a high spirited one!
For business, go to another province;
Best not to stay at their ancestral house,
But rather wander and travel to faraway places

10辰時心甚多。兄弟各分局。更宜修善果。福親自然抬。
The hour of the dragon, a heart of many matters 甚多
Their brethren will go their separate ways
It is best that they should cultivate fruits of goodness*
Fortune will then come,their relatives will raise by themselves
*Good deeds

11/巳時主性烈。只好奉公庭。常抬人衣祿。四方有聲名。
Born in the hr of the Snake; a fiery temper
The only thing that is good for them is the court of law,
[there]they will often be raise people’s rank and substance,
And their name will be renowned in the four directions.

12午時主刑害。遠出外方才。居家多不利。出入不空面。
The hour of the Horse foretells punishment and harm,
[it is the best to] and travel to other faraway places
By and large, it is not profitable to stay at home,
Leaving and entering, will not be empty faced

13/ 未時主平平。有敗又有成。遠游方為吉。才祿主榮華.
The hour of the Goat foretells a middling [fate]
They will meet both failure & success
Distant travel is the best for them,
They will [thus] get wealth, rank, glory.

14/申時害男女。內有友傷情。只宜抬貴女。念善保安寧
The hour of the Ape will harm men and women,
On the inside, harm to friend’s feelings.
It is only suitable to raise Noble girls,
Reciting [holy books to accrue] merit will preserve safety.

15/ 酉時衣祿旺。文武足才謀。居家反不利。父母更耽憂。
In the hour of the Chicken: Clothes and rank flourish
In Martial or civil matters, a sufficient talent in planning.
But to stay at home is not profitable,
This will only cause one’s parents to worry

16/戌時主威權。公明得安然。乎生衣祿有。好運積錢財。
Born In the hour of the Dog: It foretells power and might
By being just and open, one will gain peace
In life, sufficient clothes and rank,
Good luck, and a store of wealth.

17/亥時君子居。衣祿更有餘。居家宜習詩。爵位得高長。
In the hour of the Pig, a gentleman is born
There will be Clothes and rank in excess,
Stay at home; best to learn poetry,
[thus you will] attain the rank of a duke and high position

The correspondence between Chinese & western time is as follows:
Rat: 0000-0100
Ox: 0100-0300
Tiger: 0300-0500
Rabbit: 0500-0700
Dragon: 0700-0900
Snake: 0900-1100
Horse: 1100-1300
Goat: 1300-1500
Ape 1500-1700
Chicken 1700-1900
Dog 1900-2100
Pig 2100-2300
Rat: 2300-0000

the use of the table is simple enough; so If am born between at 9:30 AM, I am born in the hour of the Snake; as such, I look to the entry for the "snake", and read the prediction

<You are to use your local time, but i recall, if Daylight Savings time is in effect, you must correct the time back to the mean time of your area. Persons skilled in Chinese astrology may correct me in this>

I should also note this table is entitled in Chinese 【查時辰特性】-- The special characteristics of each hour.

This book, BTW is published in Singapore by the 大地圖書出版社, 'Great Earth book publishing co."

As mentioned in the opening, not every edition of the Book of Three fates possesses this table. Some editions of the book instead have a table which gives separate delineations for people born in the beginning, middle and end of each hour.