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The Great Sun formula is used for selecting dates for renovations and earthworks. This formula is especially useful, when you have to do earthworks in Tai Sui, Tsui Po and San sha areas. The great sun formula is just one of the various date selection formulas. I will not be discussing the application of the formula, but the logical pattern that might have been used to derive it.

The formula is based on the six combinations (used in Chinese astrology).

One has to remember, two solar terms make one Chinese month. These months are called the earthly branches, or are popular as the Chinese animals of Chinese astrology. There are 24 solar terms and 24 mountains (directions) in feng shui.

Six combinations
Zi Chou
Yin Hai
Mao Xu
Chen You
Si Shen
Wu Wei

Hidden elements of earthly branches
Hai - ren jia
Zi - gui
Chou - ji gui xin
Yin - jia bing wu
Mao - yi
Chen - wu yi gui
Si - bing wu geng
Wu - ding ji
Wei - ji ding yi
Shen - geng wu ren
You - xin
Xu - wu xin ding

Understanding the formula

The sitting directions of the house one can rennovate in a particular month are based on the earthly branch with which the month combines and the hidden element of the earthly branch with which the month combines.

For example, eg. In the month of Yin (li chun and yu shui) the house sitting one can use according to the great sun formula are ren (North 1) and hai (pig - Northwest3). Yin and hai form a combination. Ren is one of the ten heavenly stems.

The question was where does ren fit in. When you look at the hidden elements of the 12 earthly branches the main qi of hai is ren. Therefore in the month of yin the directions followed would be North 1(ren) and Northwest 3(hai-pig).

The other rule in this formula is that the first half of any month the direction is always a heavenly stem. The second half is followed by earthly branch.

Another example is the month of chen (dragon). Chen(dragon) and you(rooster) is a combination. Main qi of you is xin. Xin(west 1) is a heavenly stem. Therefore in the month of chen the first half of the month(ching ming) the sitting direction is xin(west 1) and the second half othe month (gu yu) the sitting direction is you (west 2).

This pattern is consistent in all the directions and months. My next question was why did they use the combination. Perhaps it is because combination brings relief. After all, the formula was made so that rennovations and earthworks could be done even if the area were to be afflicted by tsui po, tai sui or san sha (all three being malific stars). A combination could bring relief to an affliction.