Numbers of the Trigrams (Zhouyi)
Qian, 1; Dui, 2; Li, 3; Zhen, 4; Xun, 5; Kan, 6; Gen, 7; Kun, 8
Commentary: There are eight trigrams: Qian, Dui, Li, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Gen, and Kun. Collectively, they form the Bagua. Each trigram has a number associated with it. The reason for the numbers will be made clear soon.
Generation and Overcoming in the Five Phases
Generating (sheng):
Metal generates Water, Water generates Wood, Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal.
Overcoming (ke):
Metal overcomes Wood, Wood overcomes Earth, Earth overcomes Water, Water overcomes Fire, Fire overcomes Metal.
Commentary: There are Five Elements, or Phases, in Chinese metaphysics. They are called the wuxing in Chinese. The wuxing consists of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. They are pretty important not only when it comes to Plum Blossom Numerology, but also in other arts of Chinese metaphysics as well, whether that be TCM or Fate Calculation.
Five-Phase Associations of the Eight Palaces
Qian, Dui, Metal; Kun, Gen, Earth; Zhen, Xun, Wood; Kan, Water; Li, Fire
Commentary: Each trigram has one of the five phases associated with it.
Flourishing of Trigram Qi
Zhen and Xun (Wood) flourish in spring,
Li (Fire) flourishes in summer,
Qian and Dui (Metal) flourish in autumn,
Kan (Water) flourishes in winter,
Kun and Gen (Earth) flourish in the months of Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei.
Commentary: The months of Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei are transitional periods. Chen is a transition from spring to summer. Xu is a transition from autumn to winter. Chou is a transition from winter to spring. Wei is a transition from summer to autumn.
Decline of Trigram Qi
Spring: Kun, Gen
Summer: Qian, Dui
Autumn: Zhen, Xun
Winter: Li
Chen, Xu, Chou, Wei months: Kan
Ten Heavenly Stems
Jia, Yi — Eastern Wood
Bing, Ding — Southern Fire
Wu, Ji — Central Earth
Geng, Xin — Western Metal
Ren, Gui — Northern Water
Commentary: There are ten heavenly stems: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui. Each heavenly stem is associated with one of the five phases. The first stem listed in each line is of Yang polarity, while the second stem listed in each line is of Yin polarity. For example, Jia is Yang Wood, while Yi is Yin Wood. Each element is also associated with a direction. Wood is associate with the East, Fire is associated with the South, Earth is associated with the Center, Metal is associated with the West, and Water is associated with the North.
Twelve Earthly Branches
Zi — Water — Rat
Chou — Earth — Ox
Yin — Wood — Tiger
Mao — Wood — Rabbit
Chen — Earth — Dragon
Si — Fire — Snake
Wu — Fire — Horse
Wei — Earth — Goat
Shen — Metal — Monkey
You — Metal — Rooster
Xu — Earth — Dog
Hai — Water — Pig
Commentary: There are twelve earthly branches: Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, and Hai. Each earthly branch is associated with an animal. Each also has a corresponding element and polarity as well.
Images of the Eight Trigrams
Qian — three unbroken lines
Kun — six broken segments
Zhen — an overturned bowl
Gen — an upturned bowl
Li — hollow in the center
Kan — full in the center
Dui — broken above
Xun — broken below
This is a way for recalling what each of the trigrams looks like.
Method of Divination
Within the Book of Changes are hidden secrets that exhaust Heaven and Earth,
The workings of creation reveal the mechanisms of Heaven before events unfold.
Spirits within govern fortune and misfortune,
From ancient times it was never to be lightly transmitted.
Method of Play (Practice)
All things arise from a single body;
Within one body is contained an entire cosmos.
Knowing that all things are complete within oneself,
One need not establish the Three Powers separately.
Heaven divides creation from within the One;
Humans weave order from the heart-mind.
Even immortals speak in two ways:
The Dao is never transmitted falsely—it lies only in people.
Determining the Upper and Lower Trigrams (Division by Eight)
Whenever forming a trigram, regardless of how large the number, take it as the trigram number. Subtract by eight. If subtracting eight is not enough, continue subtracting by eight (two eights, three eights, etc.) until finished. The remainder determines the trigram. If the number is exactly divisible by eight, the trigram is Kun, and no further division is needed.
Commentary: This is basically the modulo function. Take the number, divide by 8, and the remainder determines the trigram number as dictated by the first section of this page. The sole exception is if a number leaves no remainder when divided by 8. In that case, the trigram will be Kun.
Determining the Moving Line (Division by Six)
To determine a moving line, divide the total number of the compound hexagram by six. The remainder is the moving line. If fewer than six, use the number directly. If greater than six, keep subtracting by six until complete.
If one line moves, we have to check the line. A yang line changes to yin, a yin line changes to yang.
The moving line should be interpreted together with the time.
Method for Deriving the Mutual Hexagram
Only the eight trigrams are used—no need for the names of the sixty-four hexagrams. Remove the first and sixth lines of the compound hexagram.
Divide the remaining four middle lines into two trigrams.
It is also said: Qian and Kun have no mutual hexagrams—use their transformed hexagrams instead.
Commentary: How can you divide four lines into two trigrams? This is how to perform the action: The lower trigram consists of the second, third, and fourth lines. The upper trigram consists of the third, fourth, and fifth lines.
Method Using Year, Month, Day, and Hour
Year–month–day form the upper trigram.
Year–month–day–hour together form the lower trigram.
The total of year, month, day, and hour determines the moving line.
Year numbers:
Zi year = 1, Chou = 2 … Hai = 12.
Month numbers:
First month = 1 … twelfth month = 12.
Day numbers:
First day = 1 … thirtieth day = 30.
Add year, month, and day; divide by eight to get the upper trigram.
Add the hour and divide by eight for the lower trigram.
Divide by six to get the moving line.
Divination by Counting Objects
When encountering countable objects, use the number as the upper trigram.
Use the time as the lower trigram.
Add both and divide by six to get the moving line.
Divination by Sound
When hearing a sound, count its number to form the upper trigram.
Add the time for the lower trigram.
Animal cries or human knocking may all be used as numerical bases for divination.
Divination by Written Characters
If the number of characters is even, divide equally into upper and lower trigrams. If uneven, the smaller portion becomes the upper trigram (Heaven is light and clear), and the larger portion becomes the lower trigram (Earth is heavy and turbid).
One-Character to Eleven-Character Divination
One character is an undifferentiated Taiji. Cursive script is chaotic and unusable. For standard script, count strokes.
Left strokes are yang; right strokes are yin. Left side forms the upper trigram; right side forms the lower trigram. The yin–yang of the whole character determines the moving line.
Examples:
Left: 彳, 丿
Right: 一, 乙, 丶
Two characters: Two Polarities — one for each trigram.
Three characters: Three Talents — one above, two below.
Four characters: Four Images — evenly divided.
Above four characters, it’s not necessary to count strokes. Tones may be used: Level tone = 1, Rising = 2, Departing = 3, Entering = 4.
Five characters: Five Phases — two above, three below.
Six characters: Six lines — evenly divided.
Seven characters: Seven governing stars — three above, four below.
Eight characters: Eight trigrams — evenly divided.
Nine characters: Nine categories — four above, five below.
Ten characters: Complete number — evenly divided.
Above eleven characters up to one hundred:
Use only the character count; divide evenly if possible.
Add both trigrams’ numbers to determine the moving line.
Commentary: The two polarities are yin and yang. The three talents are Heaven, Earth, and Man. The four images are old yang, old yin, young yang, and young yin. Explaining the significations of each number will require its own page.
Divination by Length (Zhang and Chi)
For objects measured in zhang and chi:
Zhang = upper trigram
Chi = lower trigram
Add both to determine the moving line.
Ignore cun.
Commentary: Zhang, chi, and fen are units of measure in China. The exact length of a zhang varied throughout the course of Chinese history, but it was usually around 3 meters. 1 Zhang = 10 chi = 100 cun = 1000 fen.
Divination by Chi and Cun
Chi = upper trigram
Cun = lower trigram
Add both plus the hour to determine the moving line.
Ignore fractions.
Divining for a Person
Methods vary:
By listening to speech, observing character, examining the body, objects held, clothing color, external stimuli, date and time, or written intent.
Speech:
One sentence—divide by characters.
Two sentences—first is upper, second is lower.
Many sentences—use only the first heard or the last heard.
Character types:
Elderly man = Qian; young woman = Dui, etc.
Body movement:
Head movement = Qian; feet = Zhen; eyes = Li, etc.
Objects held:
Metal, jade, round objects = Qian;
Clay, tiles, square objects = Kun.
Clothing color:
Green = Zhen; red = Li, etc.
External objects:
Seeing water = Kan; seeing fire = Li.
For year, month, day, and hour:
Proceed by analogy with the Plum Blossom method.
Written intent:
Use the written characters for divination.
Commentary: To determine which trigram a character type, a body movement, an object, a color, etc. belongs to, there will be ways to determine this later in the text.
Self-Divination
When divining for oneself, use time, sound, or external stimuli.
Methods are the same as divining for others.
Divination of Animals
Do not divine groups—only individuals.
The animal is the upper trigram; its direction of arrival is the lower trigram.
Add trigram numbers plus time to judge.
For livestock newly born, use birth date and time.
For purchased animals, use the time of acquisition.
Divination of Inanimate Objects
Large natural objects (rivers, mountains) cannot be divined.
Houses and trees may be divined at the time of construction or planting.
Tools and furniture may be divined when completed.
Otherwise, do not divine without cause.
Examples:
Plum blossoms—divine when birds fight and a branch falls.
Peonies—divine when someone inquires.
Large trees—divine only after branches wither and fall.
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