Leading and Following (引从包承) — The Imperial Escort Pattern in BaZi

In BaZi (Chinese astrology), there is a pattern that evokes the majestic aura of an emperor's procession — it is known as the "Leading and Following" pattern (引从包承格). This is not a single, fixed combination but a structure woven from four protective concepts: Leading (引), Following (从), Encircling (包), and Supporting (承). At its core, one pillar of the birth chart (often the Year or Day Pillar) is treated as the "Sovereign," while the other stems and branches, based on their order in the sixty-cycle Stem-Branch (干支) sequence, position themselves before and after it to form a guard of guides, attendants, wrappers, and supporters. It is like stars clustering around the moon, with a solemn escort — a special pattern that portends great nobility.

How to Identify This Pattern

To identify this pattern, take a central pillar (usually the Year or Day Pillar) as the coordinate origin. Then, examine whether the stems and branches of the other pillars fall before or after it in the sequential order of the sixty-cycle Stem-Branch (干支) sequence, forming a protective formation.

Specific concept breakdown:

• Leading (引) : Refers to the stems and branches that come after the central pillar in the sixty-cycle sequence. They act like the vanguard, clearing the path ahead. An ancient saying emphasizes that "the Leading should be distant" — the greater the sequential gap from the central pillar, the stronger its power.
• Following (从) : Refers to the stems and branches that come before the central pillar in the sequence. They act like the retinue, following and supporting from behind. The ancient saying states that "the Following should be near" — the closer they are to the central pillar, the better.
• Encircling (包) : Occurs when two pillars are positioned one before and one after the central pillar (especially the Day Pillar), creating a "front-and-back clamping" encirclement. For example, the Month Pillar before the Day Pillar and the Hour Pillar after it.
• Supporting (承) : Within the "Encircling" structure, this refers to the pillar that comes after the central pillar in sequence, providing a foundation and bearing support.

Key to Formation: Once this pattern is established, its power is considered very strong. Traditionally, it is said to be "unaffected by Punishments (刑), Harms (害), Clashes (冲), or Breaks (破)." If it also combines with auspicious stars like the Earner (正财), Executive (正官), Fortune God (禄神), or Travelling Horse (驿马), the pattern's level and nobility become even more extraordinary.

Core Meaning of the Pattern

People with the Leading and Following pattern in their chart often symbolize a life with abundant support, deep roots, and strong fortune. This pattern paints a life picture: there are pioneers to lead the way ahead (Leading), forces to follow behind (Following), and solid guards on both sides (Encircling and Supporting). This means such individuals easily gain support from others, can unite teams, and possess natural leadership qualities and charisma. Their career development path, like having a elite escort, is usually smooth and leads to success. If this pattern guards the Year Pillar (representing the "Grand Duke" or fate), it especially indicates smooth official career paths, allowing them to attain pure and prominent positions in systems or important fields.

Favorable and Unfavorable Aspects

• Favorable Aspects:

  1. Guardians are Auspicious Gods: If the stems and branches serving as Leading, Following, Encircling, and Supporting are the Day Master's Favorable God (喜神) or Useful God (用神), or auspicious stars like the Heavenly Noble (天乙贵人), it adds icing on the cake, multiplying the nobility.
  2. Guarding the Year Pillar: The pattern is most powerful and noble when it encircles and guards the Year Pillar (representing the Grand Duke and heavenly mandate), indicating the person receives help from the right timing and achieves the highest success.
  3. Complete Structure: If the chart simultaneously possesses the complete protective circle of Leading, Following, Encircling, and Supporting, the pattern is most stable, and the blessings are the deepest and most enduring.

• Unfavorable Aspects:

  1. Guardians are Unfavorable Gods: If the stems and branches forming the guard happen to be the Day Master's Unfavorable God (忌神), the pattern becomes a disadvantage. It predicts being surrounded by petty people or adverse environments, burdening the person throughout life.
  2. Punishments, Harms, Clashes, Breaks: Although ancient texts say the pattern is not afraid of these, from a balance perspective, if the central pillar (Day or Year Pillar) suffers severe Clashes (冲) or Overcoming (克) from other stems and branches, the "central hub" is shaken. Even with many guards, it's hard to exert full power, and the pattern's level significantly decreases.
  3. Falling into Void (空亡): If the key pillars of Leading, Following, Encircling, or Supporting fall into the Void (空亡), it means the protective power is illusory and unreal. The pattern exists in name only, and its blessings are greatly diminished.

Excerpts from Classical Texts

"Three Lives Through the Ages" (《三命通会》)

Those positioned before the year are called Leading; those after the year are called Following. For example, for a Jia Zi person, the three stems before are Leading, so Bing Yin and Ding Mao are Leading. The three stems after are Following, so Ren Xu and Gui Hai are Following. Leading should be distant, with Ding Mao being distant. Following should be near, with Gui Hai being near. For example, a Jia Zi born person has Gui Hai after and Yi Chou before; a Bing Yin person has Yi Chou after and Ding Mao before, and so on.

Some say: A Jia Zi person uses Ding Mao as Leading, but Zi and Mao Punish each other, so it's not as good as Bing Yin, which is the Talent (食神) carrying the Fortune God (禄神) and Travelling Horse (驿马). If the Hour Pillar is Ren Xu, then Ding and Ren Combine, Mao and Xu Combine, forming a hidden Combination. Thus, Ren Xu, Gui Hai, Jia Zi are three consecutive pillars, only lacking Yi Chou for use. The Leading spirit has Bing Yin and Ding Mao; within one Jia cycle, the energy of Heaven and Earth is complete. One must examine the Nayin (纳音) for any thriving or declining energy, plus the assistance of various nobles and Warlords (七杀) (with control), for great nobility. It is even more wonderful if the Year, Month, Day, and Hour pillars are within the same "Xun" (旬).

If Leading, Following, Encircling, and Supporting guard the Year Pillar (Grand Duke), the person will have a pure and prominent official career; if Punishments, Harms, Clashes, or Breaks damage it, the person will suffer a lifetime of hardship. For example: Ji You year, Gui You month, Wu Shen day (Wu Shen is after Ji You in sequence, so it is Following), Ren Zi hour (Ren Zi is after Wu Shen in sequence, so it is Leading), forming a pattern of distant Leading and near Following, making a great noble. In court, they will have many attendants coming and going, which is the activation of Leading and Following. For a Yi Chou Day Master, seeing Jia Zi is Following; or encountering a Geng Wu day ahead, (Geng Wu) acts as Leading, Yi and Geng Combine; seeing Ji Si as Leading, Jia and Ji Combine, all showing emotional connection between stems and branches. Other stems follow this pattern. For example, a Xin Mao year person encountering a Ren Chen day and Geng Zi hour, this is distant Following and near Leading, which does not meet the pattern conditions. Another example: Ren Chen day, Ren Yin hour, (because Yin and Chen clamp out Mao) can form the "Ding You Main Gate" pattern, which is not discussed under the Leading and Following pattern.

An ancient poem says: "The year pillar sits like the emperor in the central palace, the day and hour pillars are like two attendants. If you can recognize these assisting noble stars, the person's official aura is most heroic."

Modern Interpretation: In the order of the sixty-cycle Stem-Branch (干支), stems and branches positioned before the Year Pillar are called "Leading," and those after are called "Following." For example, for someone born in a Jia Zi year, Bing Yin and Ding Mao, which come before it in sequence, can serve as "Leading"; Ren Xu and Gui Hai, which come after it, can serve as "Following." The "Leading" spirit is best if it is far away; (between Bing Yin and Ding Mao) Ding Mao is farther from Jia Zi, better fitting the principle "Leading should be distant." The "Following" spirit should be near; (between Ren Xu and Gui Hai) Gui Hai is closer to Jia Zi, better fitting "Following should be near." For example, a Jia Zi year person has Gui Hai (as Following) after and Yi Chou (as Leading) before; or a Bing Yin year person has Yi Chou after and Ding Mao before, all falling into this category.

Another view holds that a Jia Zi year person uses Ding Mao as Leading, but the earthly branches Zi and Mao Punish each other, so it's better to use Bing Yin as Leading, because Bing Yin is the Talent (食神) and carries its own Fortune God (禄神) and Travelling Horse (驿马). If the Hour Pillar is Ren Xu, then (the Leading spirit Ding Mao's) heavenly stem Ding Combines with Ren, and earthly branch Mao Combines with Xu, forming a hidden Combination. Thus, the three pillars Ren Xu, Gui Hai, Jia Zi are consecutive, only missing Yi Chou for use. The Leading spirits ahead are Bing Yin and Ding Mao; within one Jia cycle, the energy of Heaven and Earth tends to be complete. When examining the Leading and Following before and after, one must also observe whether the Nayin (纳音) five elements have thriving or declining energy. If further aided by various nobles and Warlords (七杀) (with proper control), it is a life of great nobility. It is even more exquisite if the four pillars of Year, Month, Day, and Hour are within the same "Xun" (旬).

When the stars of Leading, Following, Encircling, and Supporting guard the Year Pillar (Grand Duke), it indicates a pure and prominent official career; if the pattern is damaged by Punishments (刑), Harms (害), Clashes (冲), or Breaks (破), it indicates a lifetime of hardship. For example: Ji You year, Gui You month, Wu Shen day (Wu Shen is after Ji You in sequence, so it is Following), Ren Zi hour (Ren Zi is after Wu Shen in sequence, so it is Leading), forming a combination of distant Leading and near Following, making a great noble. In court, they will have attendants supporting them wherever they go, which is the manifestation of the power of "Leading and Following." For a Yi Chou Day Master, seeing Jia Zi is Following; or encountering a Geng Wu day ahead, (Geng Wu) acts as Leading, Yi and Geng Combine; seeing Ji Si as Leading, Jia and Ji Combine, all showing emotional connection between stems and branches. Other heavenly stems follow this pattern. For example, a Xin Mao year person encountering a Ren Chen day and Geng Zi hour, this is distant "Following" and near "Leading," which does not meet the pattern conditions. Another example: Ren Chen day, Ren Yin hour, (because earthly branches Yin and Chen clamp out Mao) can form the "Ding You Main Gate" pattern, which is not discussed under the Leading and Following pattern.

An ancient poem says: "The Leading and Following differ in their front and back positions, so their effects vary and need careful examination." Another poem says: "If the Executive (正官) and nobles can form Leading and Following, the person can rank among high officials." It might be the Executive ahead as Leading, and nobles behind as Following; or nobles ahead as Leading, and the Executive behind as Following; or the Warlord (七杀) ahead as Leading, and auspicious gods behind as Following. If a pattern with complete Encircling, Supporting, Leading, and Following can be formed, it is especially noble. For example, the BaZi of Grand Tutor Xu Jie: Gui Hai, Ren Xu, Gui Wei, Ren Zi. Taking the Day Pillar Gui Wei as the core, the Month Pillar Ren Xu is behind it as "Following," close; the Hour Pillar Ren Zi is ahead of it as "Leading," distant. Moreover, all heavenly stems are Gui and Ren water, flowing in one breath, and the earthly branches Hai and Zi are the Fortune God (禄神) of the Day Master Gui, making this a true Leading, Following, Encircling, and Supporting pattern. Another example is the BaZi of Grand Tutor Yang Bo (a first-rank official for twelve years): Ji Si, Geng Wu, Yi Mao, Geng Chen. The Month Pillar Geng Wu is ahead as Leading, and the Hour Pillar Geng Chen is behind as Following. The heavenly stems Yi and Geng Combine, and the two Geng metal Executives form Leading and Following, making the pattern particularly unique.

If two earthly branches form "Encircling and Supporting," with the Day Pillar in the middle. For example, a Xin Hai year person has a Geng Zi month and Wu Xu day. The month branch Zi water is before the day branch Xu earth as "Encircling," and the day branch Xu earth is after the month branch Zi water as "Supporting" (note: the original text discusses from a specific angle; usually Encircling and Supporting refer to Year and Hour pillars clamping the Month and Day pillars). This counts as the "Encircling and Supporting" pattern, also indicating pure nobility and deep blessings. However, it fears Void (空亡) and Clashes (冲) or Breaks (破). For example, the BaZi of Censor-in-Chief Sun Shen: Yi Hai, Bing Xu, Xin Chou, Wu Zi; and the BaZi of Censor-in-Chief Meng Zhong: Yi Hai, Ding Hai, Yi Chou, Bing Xu. These belong to the "Encircling" pattern with all twelve earthly branches present, adding another type of pattern.

An ancient song summarizes: "The Year Pillar sits like the emperor in the central palace, the Day and Hour Pillars are like left and right attendants. If you can recognize these assisting noble stars, the person's official aura is most heroic."