MING SHU means "fate writing," and relates the FIVE PHASE THEORY to cycles of time. In birth charts, MING SHU is used to read the five STAGES of life, and shows the energy contour of the life path in question. In daily considerations, it shows the balance of the FIVE PHASES changing from hour to hour, and can be read as a pattern of origin, development, and completion of energy cycles:

CHILDHOOD:

•	Conception to around age 6 - 8

•	Time of Beginning

•	Natural to WOOD

EDUCATION:

•	Age 6 - 8 to around age 18 - 20

•	Time of Developing

•	Natural to FIRE

GRADUATION:

•	Age 18 - 20 to around age 35 - 40

•	Time of Centering

•	Natural to EARTH

MATURITY:

•	Age 35 - 40 to around age 60

•	Time of Ripening

•	Natural to METAL

RETIREMENT:

•	Around age 60 to death-and-burial (optimally, at around age 120)

•	Time of Declining

•	Natural to WATER

Each PHASE takes on, through calculation, one of five TITLES showing its character in the STAGE indicated. In daily considerations, the TITLES maintain their relationship with each of the FIVE PHASES for the entire LUNAR YEAR:

FATE:

•	Confidence and authority

•	Realizing the proper place of the individual in the surrounding situation.

SEAL:

•	Openness and self-expression

•	Demonstrating will and desire through taking action.

OFFICE:

•	Engagement with social institutions and outside forces

•	Polarizing response and support from others.

WEALTH:

•	Ability to hold benefit from experience.

•	Storing lessons from life as usable investments.

OPTION:

•	Influence of the random and unpredictable

•	Detaching from the importance of the individual and locality.

The number value of each PHASE is derived from the FOUR PILLARS, and shows the strength of each PHASE relative to the others. The the total numbers for each hour's MING SHU always add up to 12, and show the amount of QI available through each PHASE of the cycle:

•	2 and 3 are the most balanced, and therefore, auspicious.

•	0 and 1 show deficiencies, and require attention and sometimes outside help to produce balance.

•	4 and 5 show excesses, and demand restraint and deftness to produce balance. They sometimes indicate extra power, and the challenges it can attract.

•	6, 7, 8 (or more) are inauspicious, as they show serious imbalance and are frequently accompanied by one or more 0's.

Note: The number values derived from the PILLARS of the Day, Month, and Year are stable through the day, and always add up to 9. The number values derived from the HOUR PILLAR always add up to 3, and are shown with a "+". For example, "3 +2", means that the value for the day of a particular PHASE is 3, with an addition of "+2" for that hour, giving a total value number of 5. The next hour might have a value of "+1", giving a total value number of 4; and so on. (Number values of "+0" for the hour are not shown.)