Climate and Yangsheng Pointers for 2013 (Guisi Year)
The qi-fortunes of the 2013 guisi year run from late January 2013 (Great Cold) to late January 2014. The year-movement is "fire-movement deficient"; jueyin wind-wood rules Heaven; shaoyang minister-fire is at-the-spring. The whole year's climate change will lag the seasonal change.
First qi (late January to mid-March, Great Cold to before Spring Equinox). Host qi jueyin wind-wood; guest qi yangming dry-metal. With spring taking on autumn's task, the air will run cool and severe, short on the vital quickening of spring. People will easily take in cold evil — eat plenty of pungent-warm foods. The blood-and-essence-nourishing gaofang paste tonics may run a month or two longer than usual.
Second qi (late March to mid-May, Spring Equinox to before Grain Full). Host qi shaoyin sovereign-fire; guest qi taiyang cold-water. With spring taking on winter's task, the weather runs cold; what should warm does not warm; ice does not thaw; cold rains come repeatedly; plants do not sprout or grow. Inner heat cannot disperse — eat foods that ward off outer cold and clear inner heat.
Third qi (late May to mid-July, Grain Full to before Great Heat). Host qi shaoyang minister-fire; guest qi jueyin wind-wood. Wind qi runs heavy; cold and hot shift often; the late part of this stretch turns abruptly hot; sandstorms may arrive. Add and shed clothing in good time. People will run heavy in liver-qi — moderate liver-calming, blood-nourishing medicines may be taken as appropriate.
Fourth qi (late July to mid-September, Great Heat to before Autumn Equinox). Host qi taiyin damp-earth; guest qi shaoyin sovereign-fire. Damp-heat will be unusually severe — focus on relieving heat and dispelling damp.
Fifth qi (late September to mid-November, Autumn Equinox to before Light Snow). Host qi yangming dry-metal; guest qi taiyin damp-earth. The weather will remain humid-warm, overcast and rainy; little of "high autumn skies and clear air" will be seen. Keep working at clearing damp and clearing heat.
Sixth qi (late November to mid-January 2014, Light Snow to before Great Cold). Host qi taiyang cold-water; guest qi shaoyang minister-fire. With winter taking on summer's task, this will be a textbook warm winter: dormant insects will not store away; running water will not freeze. Although it will feel pleasant, the body's essence-qi which should be stored will not store, and the strength to ward off evil and guard the surface will be weakened — warmth-illness and pestilential disease easily arise. Choose salty-cool foods, but do not over-use bitter-cold fire-clearers, lest yin-essence be injured. Keep some flu-prevention medicines on hand.
Overall, 2013 will run unseasonably — similar in shape to 2001. Spring will not warm when it should; winter will not cool when it should; mid-summer will run hot-and-damp; autumn will turn rainy. At the spring-summer turn, watch for liver-fire descent; entering winter, guard against warmth-illness.