Three Harmonies三合

Three branches join to form a water, wood, fire or metal group.

子丑寅卯辰巳午未申酉戌亥

三合者，取生旺墓三者以合局也。

Xie Ji Bian Fang Shu, vol. 1

What it is

A group takes the three stages of one element: birth, peak and tomb. Water is born at Shen, peaks at Zi and is stored at Chen, so those three form the water group.

Xie Ji Bian Fang Shu notes that there are only four groups. Earth has none.

The four groups

The birth, peak and tomb of each group.

  1. 申子辰水局：生於申，旺於子，墓於辰Water: born at Shen, peaks at Zi, stored at Chen.
  2. 亥卯未木局：生於亥，旺於卯，墓於未Wood: born at Hai, peaks at Mao, stored at Wei.
  3. 寅午戌火局：生於寅，旺於午，墓於戌Fire: born at Yin, peaks at Wu, stored at Xu.
  4. 巳酉丑金局：生於巳，旺於酉，墓於丑Metal: born at Si, peaks at You, stored at Chou.

Sources San Ming Tong Hui, vol. 2; Xie Ji Bian Fang Shu, vols. 1 and 3.