Many claim the Sun-Tianliang-Chang-Lu first-place pattern without checking where Wenchang and Lu actually sit; the wrong position means the pattern does not hold.
What This Question Is Really Asking
The focus is breaking: Wenchang must truly meet in the trine rather than being counted from the opposite, and Lu must sit where it works. Another maxim says Tianliang should not meet Lu as it draws complaint; state where Lu is and whether it balances Tianliang's austerity.
The Underlying Logic
The true pattern needs Sun and Tianliang in Mao and exalted, with Wenchang and Lu (or Hua Lu) meeting in the trine.
Wenchang must meet in the trine; if it is only counted from the opposite, its force is discounted and it is not the true pattern.
Meeting Yang, Tuo, Fire, Ling, Empty or natal Ji breaks the pattern.
Lu's position is two-sided: it balances Tianliang's austerity and aids exams, yet Liang and Lu together may draw complaint, so check the palace and any restraint.
A Step-by-Step Way to Read It
- Confirm Sun and Tianliang sit in Mao and are exalted
- Check whether Wenchang truly meets in the trine
- Then check the position of Lu (or Hua Lu) and whether it meets
- Note that Wenchang counted only from the opposite is discounted
- Check one by one whether Yang, Tuo, Fire, Ling, Empty or natal Ji break it
- Combine the Liang-Lu complaint to judge whether the pattern forms
Three Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Naming the pattern at Sun-Tianliang without checking Wenchang and Lu
Mistake 2: Taking opposite-palace Wenchang as a true trine meeting and overrating it
Mistake 3: Ignoring breaking stars and the Liang-Lu school debate
Back to Your Own Chart
Sun-Tianliang-Chang-Lu is a fine pattern, but position decides it. Wenchang and Lu placed right with no breaking stars make a true scholar pattern; otherwise it is only a good name.
Reading Order
- Cast the natal chart first and locate the palaces and major stars tied to the breaking positions of the Sun-Tianliang-Chang-Lu pattern before judging anything
- Open the triple-direction of those palaces and count the auspicious, malefic and assistant stars separately
- Check where the natal Four Transformations land to set the chart's baseline tone
- Read the decade-limit transformations to see whether the the breaking positions of the Sun-Tianliang-Chang-Lu pattern line is activated in this stage
- Then read the annual transformations and the year's palace to pin down this year's trigger and timing
- Layer natal, decade and year before concluding, then decide how to act rather than labeling good or bad