Acquired Ba-gua and the Seasons

Yi-jing is Natural Science, in fact the very basic Natural Science. Like seasons, the Winter, the Summer and all that.

In the same paragraph of “Shuo-gua” (說卦), a commentary of Zhou-yi, explaining the Acquired Ba-gua, it highlights only “Dui” (兌) as for Autumn. We can imagine the rest of them do represent different seasons as well. The question is which is which.

If Dui represents Autumn, then it must be mid-Autumn, or “Qiu-fen” (秋分), or Autumnal Equinox as what the western astronomy calls. As such, “Zhen” (震) would be mid-Spring, or “Chun-fen” (春分), or Vernal Equinox, while “Kan” (坎) and “Li” (離) must be Winter Solstice (冬至 or “Dong-zhi”) and Summer Solstice (夏至 or “Xia-zhi”) respectively.

In 24 Solar Segments, we know that between Winter Solstice and Vernal Equinox, there is “Li-chun” (立春), or Beginning of Spring, in the middle, so the trigram in the Acquired Ba-gua must be “Gen” (艮). Similarly, “Xun” (巽) will be “Li-xia” (立夏) or Beginning of Summer, “Kun” (坤) as “Li-qiu” (立秋) or Beginning of Autumn, and “Qian” (乾) as “Li-dong” (立冬) or Beginning of Winter.

Oh, almost forgot…. Aries is in Dui, Cancer in Li, while Libra in Zhen and Capricorn in Kan.

How WWG works? …. continue

We talked about Jing Fang’s 8 Chambers Theory yesterday. It is the first step of Setting. We still need the next step before we can start to decipher.

The Rules of Na-Jia

The Rules of Na-jia (納甲法) is to relate particularly the Earthly Branches to the line of the hexagram. The table below shows how it works.

For Acquired Ba-gua, we have different properties for different trigrams, which are associated with the weathers they represented. For example, Kan ☵ (坎) for Winter, so the property of Kan is Water. Similarly, we have Wood for Zhen ☳ (震) and Xun ☴ (巽), Fire for Li ☲ (離), Metal for Dui ☱ (兌) and Qian ☰ (乾), and Earth for Gen ☶ (艮) and Kun ☷ (坤). Jing Fang was using it as the base for his “8 Chambers Theory”.

To explain why it works would require some lengthy explanation. Perhaps I should stop here. I rather use the following example “Sui of Zhun” (屯之隨) to demonstrate how it works. “Sui of Zhun” means from Zhun (屯) changed to Sui (隨) . The Changed hexagram can be called Bian-gua (變卦) or Zhi-gua (之卦).

How WWG works?

There are totally three steps that you would require to decipher a Yi-shi (易蓍), or the hexagram which you casted: the Casting (起卦, or Qi-gua), the Setting (裝卦, or Zhuang-gua), and the Interpreting (解卦, or Jie-gua). This is applicable to all kinds of Yi-shi, not just WWG.

Casting is easy. All you need is 49 milfoil stalks or 3 rounded coins, through which you “randomly” generate six numbers. Not just any number, but the numbers of 6, 7, 8, or 9. The first number is always for the initial (bottom) line (初爻, or Chu-yao). The second number from the bottom for the second line, and so forth. This is used to determined the Lao, Shao, Yin and Yang, i.e., the Change.

Jing Fang’s 8 Chambers Theory

It requires two basic steps for Setting. The first step is to determine which “Chambers” the original hexagram before change (本卦, or Ben-Gua) belongs to. It is called the “8 Chambers Theory” and is believed to be initiated by Jing Fang (京房) of Han (漢) Dynasty.

For Acquired Ba-gua, we have different properties for different trigrams, which are associated with the weathers they represented. For example, Kan ☵ (坎) for Winter, so the property of Kan is Water. Similarly, we have Wood for Zhen ☳ (震) and Xun ☴ (巽), Fire for Li ☲ (離), Metal for Dui ☱ (兌) and Qian ☰ (乾), and Earth for Gen ☶ (艮) and Kun ☷ (坤). Jing Fang was using it as the base for his “8 Chambers Theory”. See the following Table.

It’s all about Change ….

No matter which type of “Yi-shi” (易蓍) you try to employ for a casting, the basic principle would not alter, i.e., it’s all about change. Sound contradicting.


As far as I remember, Newton’s First Law of Motion said an object will remain where it is or will remain with constant velocity if there is no external force applies onto it. I found Yi-shi similar. Change would definitely alter the status quo, but it would be either good or bad.


The conservative would say why change if things are already good, but the reformer would say you have to change in order to cope with the evolving world. The latter sounds logical, but you just don’t want to make change for the sake of changing. There should always be a target for change.


Conficius said the following in “Xi-ci” (繫辭), another commentary of Zhou-yi:


“吉凶悔吝者，生乎動者也。”


Literally, “Ji” (吉) means good luck, “Xiong” (凶) means bad luck, both “Hui” (悔) and “Lin” (吝) means regret. When you regret, there are two alternatives you can do: 1) taking corrective measure which will lead you towards good luck, or 2) not taking any corrective measure which will eventually lead you to bad luck. The former is Hui and the latter is Lin. “Sheng” (生) could mean initiated, and “Dong” (動) means action or movement.


In other word, matters related to good luck, bad luck or even the two stages of regrets, are the direct result of change.


In Yi-shi, we focus on the interactions among the changed, which are the Lao Yang and Lao Yin. The hexagram of Qian was used as an example in the last blog. There are 6 lines all together and each of them associates to one specific Yao-ci. Like “乾．初九”, or the initial line of Qian, it means the initial line of Qian is a Lao Yang and is going to change from Yang to Yin, whereas the inner trigram of Qian changed into Xun (巽), and hence from Qian to “Heaven-Wind Gou” (天風姤). The Yao-ci “潛龍勿用” is actually describing the changed.

What is WWG?

There are different methods of “Divination using Yi-jing”, for short, let’s call them “Yi-bo” (易卜). In fact, we should call it “Yi-shi” (易蓍) since “Bo” (卜) is related to “Gui-bo” (龜卜) and is from the cracking sound of an expanded tortoise shell due to heating while “Shi” (蓍) is the milfoil stalks used for Divination of Yi-jing. Both of which are used for “Casting” (起卜 or 起卦).

Among them, “Wen-wang-gua” (文王卦, or WWG) is one of the Yi-bo methods which was believed to be developed during Song Dynasty. People mistakenly refer WWG as its earlier derivative, Huo-zhu-lin-fa (火珠林法), as both of them are quite similar in terms of Casting and “Setting” (裝卦). However, there are major differences in terms of Deciphering (解卦, or Interpretation).

“Wen-wang” (文王) refers to Emperor Wen (文) of Zhou (周) Dynasty. In fact, Emperor Wen never took the throne. He was named as Emperor only after his son Emperor Wu (武) overthrew Emperor Zhou (紂) of Shang (商) Dynasty and become the first emperor of the Zhou (周) Dynasty. It is also believed that Wen-wang completed his interpretations of the 64 hexagrams as their associated 384 lines (or “Yao” 爻), which are called as “Gua-ci” (卦辭) and “Yao-ci” (爻辭) respectively, when he was jailed as prisoner of Emperor Zhou. Using the hexagram of Qian (乾) as an example:

乾：元亨。利貞。
　　初九：潛龍勿用。
　　九二：見龍在田，利見大人。
　　九三：君子終日乾乾，夕惕若，厲，無咎。
　　九四：或，躍在淵，無咎。
　　九五：飛龍在天，利見大人。
　　上九：亢龍有悔。
　　用九：見羣龍無首，吉。

Conficius interpreted Qian as Strong (健). His followers further interpreted Qian as Hard or Unyielding (剛). According to ancient Chinese dictionary, Qian mean Key (鍵). Yes, as key for lock. Obviously, the meaning would be quite different if you use key to interpret Qian.

We don’t know why WWG is named as there is no direct relationship between this special Yi-bo method and Wen-wang, but we are accustomed to call it WWG.

Magic Numbers in Divination using “Yi-jing”

The introduction of Congenital Ba-gua and Acquired Ba-gua highlights three major aspects of Yi:
1) Yin and Yang, properties of opposite nature.
2) the interaction of Yin and Yang, Heaven and Earth, Mountain and River, etc.
3) The Enhancing and Diminishing Effect of Yin and Yang.

The latter signifies the change of Yin and Yang, i.e., Yang enhances while Yin diminish or vice versa. Obviously, if Yang enhances to the maximum, Yin will certainly diminish to the minimum at the same time, after which, Yang will then start to diminish and Yin will start to enhance. Any stage between maximum and minimum is referred as developing. Weather change in a year is a prefect example to demonstrate the change effect of Yin and Yang.

In order to represent different combinations of Lao, Shao, Yin, and Yang which we discussed during the introduction of the Four Stages (四象), we use the numbers 6, 7, 8, and 9. As a general rule of thumb, odd numbers represent Yang and even numbers represent Yin. We have 6 as Lao Yin, 8 as Shao Yin, 7, as Shao Yang, and 9 as Lao Yang. These numbers are derived by ancient casting of Hexagram using 49 pieces of milfoil stalks. This casting method however will take quite some time to derive a hexagram.

The casting of hexagram was then modified by using 3 rounded coins in order to save time. Assuming tails equal to 3 while heads equal to 2, we will have either:
1) three heads, 2 + 2 + 2 = 6, a Lao Yin;
2) two heads and a tail, 2 + 2 + 3 = 7, a Shao Yang;
3) one head and two tails, 2 + 3 + 3 = 8, a Shao Yin; or
4) three tails, 3 + 3 + 3 = 9, a Lao Yang.

Regardless of casting using 49 milfoil stalks or 3 rounded coins, the purpose of which is to preserve the use of these four numbers. Once the numbers of each lines are defined, then we will know what is the Original Hexagram and what is the Changed Hexagram.

For instance, starting from bottom (the initial line) to top (the uppermost), if the numbers of lines are 7, 8, 8, 6, 7, 8, then we know the fourth line (from the bottom) is changing from Yin and Yang, and hence the Original Hexagram Water-Thunder “Zhun” (水雷屯) and the Changed Hexagram is River-Thunder “Sui” (澤雷隨).

Finding the Flying Star for the Month

Thought I could drop the Sexagenary Cycle and Luo-shu for a while and ready to introduce “Wen-Wang Gua” (文王卦, or WWG in short), a friend of mine asked me if I could spend some time in introducing the Flying Star for the Month.

In fact, the Flying Star for the Month has been introduced in my book titled “Introductory to Qi-men Dun-jia” (《奇門遁甲入門》). To recap in English is not really difficult at all, but to introduce the concept of how Chinese Astronomical Calendar was calculated in a blog does.

As mentioned in my earlier blog that there are two types of calendars in China: the Astronomical and the Civil. The Astronomical Calendar is what the Government official calculated, the Civil Calendar is what the Government announced to the general public.

The Astronomical Calendar in ancient China uses Winter Solstice (冬至) as a reference point. Using modern astronomy, it is 270 degrees in Cartesian Coordinates whereas 0 degree is referred as the Vernal Equinox (春分), or Aries. As such, the first year Jia-zi of the Sexagenary Cycle starts in fact since Winter Solstice of the previous year Gui-hai. In “24 Solar Segments” (二十四節氣), Winter Solstice is the “Central Point” (氣) of the Month of Zi and hence called “Zi-zheng” (子正).

Ideally, it will be most perfect if the calendar was being calculated under the conditions of: 1) Year of Jia-ji, 2) Month of Jia-zi, 3) Day of Jia-zi which happened to be both the Winter Solstice and the first day of the Lunar Month, and 4) The “Chen” (辰) of Jia-zi which referred as midnight, or also Zi-zheng. Obviously, this is for the sake of calendar recording. We haven’t discussed other astronomical parameters like tropical year, lunation, and alignment of planets, etc.

Using the same method as we used to determine the Flying Star for the Year, we will have the following table, through which the Flying Star of the Month can be easily determined.

Remember, the Civil Calendar starts with the “Segment Point” (節) as a new month, but the Flying Star for the Month will be changed only when it reaches the Central Point of the Month.

Congenital Ba-gua and Acquired Ba-gua

You are most probably aware that there are two different Ba-gua diagrams with different trigram placements, but you may not realize that they are actually coming from the same script which Conficius or his followers wrote two thousand years ago. The name of the script is “Shou-gua” (《說卦》), which literally means the explanation of trigrams. It was an independent script till people found it convenient to make reference to if it is attached to “Zhou-yi” (《周易》) as a commentary.

“Yi” (易) literally means easy or transaction. Since the book “Yi-jing” (《易經》) talks about the interaction of Yin and Yang, Yi can therefore mean change, and hence “Yi-jing” (or people refer it as I-Ching) is called the Book of Change by the westerner. No matter how people try to come up with the meaning for “Zhou” (周), it simply means of the Zhou Dynasty.

However, keep one thing in your open mind, “Zhou-yi” is not the only “Yi-jing” even in Zhou Dynasty. It is just a version happened to be interpreted by Conficius and hence used to refer to by most of the people thereafter. If he interpreted wrongly, then we were fooled during all these times, not to mention the entire study of “Zhou-yi” would just go off course for the last two millenniums.

In “Shou-gua”, there is a paragraph dictated the trigram placement for Congenital Ba-gua. It is as follow:

「天地定位，山澤通氣，雷風相薄，水火不相射，八卦相錯。數往者順，知來者逆，是故《易》，逆數也。」

I am not good in translation, so all I can do is to talk about what it means. The paragraph mentioned heaven and earth, mountain and river, thunder and wind, even water and fire. All these substance pairs have opposite properties nature, like up in the heaven and down on the earth, etc. A practical presentation of Yin and Yang. In fact, the word “定位” means to fix the position.

As Chinese evolved to Zhou Dynasty, the concept of coalescence between human and heaven was gradually established. It is generally acknowledged that the trigram Qian (乾) means heaven. That’s why “Zhou-yi” starts with the hexagram Qian. If Qian assumes the top position, then Kun (坤) should be underneath. As such, we have the Congenital Ba-gua.

However, there is another paragraph in “Shuo-gua” which is far more details in introducing different trigram placements. It is as follow:

「帝出乎震，齊乎巽，相見乎離，致役乎坤，說言乎兌，戰乎乾，勞乎坎，成言乎艮。」

The word “帝” means emperor, but it is here used to represent Sun. “出” means appear, so “帝出乎震” means the Sun arises from Zhen (震). It doesn’t quite make sense unless Zhen means East. Starting Zhen at the left horizon as East and going clockwise, we will then have the Acquired Ba-gua.

The terms Congenital and Acquired in fact are not good descriptions of the Ba-gua’s because they are having the meaning of order of presence. It is generally believed that the Congenital Ba-gua comes before the Acquired Ba-gua. However, later studies show otherwise.

The Congenital Ba-gua demonstrates the opposite properties of different pairs, as compared to Yin and Yang, but also highlights the interaction between them, like mountain and river. The Acquired Ba-gua, on the other hand, illustrates the periodic changes of Yin and Yang, as compared to the change of weather on Earth. The influence, so to speak. It also show directions. This is the primary reason why Chinese metaphysics are based upon the application of Acquired Ba-gua, Luo-shu, and Sexagenary Cycle.

Qi-Men-Dun-Jia and Tai-yi

“Qi-Men-Dun-Jia” (奇門遁甲) and “Tai-yi” (太乙), together with “Liu-ren” (六壬), were considered as the three most secret metaphysics developed throughout “Qin” (秦) Dynasty. They are called “Gu-san-shi” (古三式, or the Three Ancient “Shi”).

“Shi” (式) is equivalent to “Shi” (栻), which is a wooden device symbolizing “Round Heaven and Square Earth” (天圓地方) for the purpose of casting, and is believed that it is the origin of modern Feng-shui “Luo-pan” (羅盤, or compass). By secret it means the emperors believed they are too powerful in terms of divination, and afraid that someone will use them to overthrow their kingdoms. As such, it is forbidden for the civilian to practice these three metaphysics.

All of them are having tight connection with calendrical calculation, Tai-yi even had its own calendar. It is of course a derivative from the official calendar which published by the emperor. Among them, both QMDJ and Tai-yi are also the direct applications of Sexagenary cycle and Luo-shu.

We are not going to talk about QMDJ, or Liu-ren, or Tai-yi as either one of them are too complicated to discuss in just one blog. I would rather break them down in easily understood topics and introduce them in multiple blogs. So, better stay tuned and particularly when you are ready.

Before I start other new topics, please feel free to comment if you have any question. Will try to answer as details as I can.

Applications of the Sexagenary Cycle: #3

Further to the last application of “Life Trigram” (命卦), there is a direct application in “Feng-shui” (風水).

“Feng” (風) literally means wind or airflow, so Feng is also related to Qi (氣). It is in fact the mountain range. “Shui” (水) literally means water or river. In simple term, Feng-shui is Geography, or more specific Anthropogeography (or Human Geography) because the focus of Feng-shui is not just about the landscape, but rather on how it interacts with people who live there, and hence the culture, the economy, the health, etc.

Since Earth is under the influences of the five planets, Chinese metaphysicists believe that the terrain in Earth is the direct result of the Qi’s and hence the Feng-shui theory. However, there are quite some different schools of thoughts in Feng-shui. Among which, there is the “8 Mansions Feng-shui” (八宅風水, or Ba-zhai Feng-shui).

The number 8 will easily lead us to Ba-gua as there are 8 trigrams in the Acquired Ba-gua. They are related to directions, or 8 different sittings of either the house for the livings or the grave for the deaths. For example, a “Kan” house, “Kan” is in the north, so the sitting of the house is north and thus the facing of the house is south.

Application #3: Finding the Best Directions

“8 Mansions” believes that it is best to take advantage of the Qi if the house direction matches with the Life Trigrams of the people who live there, or at least they have to be related. For “Kan” house with a “Kan” Life Trigram, it’s a match. What is “to be related”?

Before we answer the question, let’s go back to the drawing board and examine how Ba-gua is constructed.

If we use solid line to represent Yang (陽) and broken line to represent Yin (陰), then two solid lines would mean “Lao-yang” (老陽) and two broken lines “Lao-yin” (老陰). “Lao” (老) literally means old, so Lao also means reached the maximum, and thus able to change. If there is a broken line atop a solid line, then it is called “Shao-yin” (少陰) as the Yin starts to develop. “Shao” (少) literally means young, so Shao also mean growing or developing. Since it is developing, Shao-yin is not going to change. Similarly, we have Shao-yang (少陽), which is obviously not going to change either.

Other than Yin and Yang as the very basic, we have now “Si-xiang” (四象), the combination of Lao, Shao, Yin, and Yang. “Xiang” (象) literally means elephant, or the like, but Si-xiang could be the four quadrants or four symbols. I prefer to call it the “Four Stages”.

Based on these Four Stages, if we put different lines either solid or broken on top, then we have the 8 trigrams, namely, “Qian” (乾☰), “Dui” (兌☱), “Gen” (艮☶), “Kun” (坤☷), and “Xun” (巽☴), “Kan” (坎☵), “Li” (離☲), “Zhen” (震☳). Obviously, the first 4 trigrams are derived from the Lao’s, and the others from the Shao’s.

“8 Mansions” refers people with Life Trigrams which are derived from the Lao’s as “Xi-si-ming” (西四命), while from the Shao’s as “Dong-xi-ming” (東四命). Literally, “Si” means four, “Ming” means life, “Dong” means East and “Xi” means West. However, the Dong and Xi here are not for directions, they are only used to differentiate the Lao’s and Shao’s as most of the Lao’s are happened on the right-hand side of the Acquired Ba-gua, which generally refers as West. Similarly, we have “Dong-si-zhai” (東四宅) and “Xi-si-zhai” (西四宅). “Zhai” (宅) means house. It can also be extended as grave.

To answer the question, Xi-si-ming is best to stay in Xi-si-zhai while Dong-xi-zhai is good for Dong-xi-ming.

Do you know which facing is good for you now? However, this is not what the Great Grand Master Yang from the Tang Dynasty said.

Applications of the Sexagenary Cycle: #2

Flying Stars are mostly used to determine the “Qi” (氣). Qi literally means air or airflow in Chinese, but that’s not the true meaning of Qi. The true meaning of Qi is the influences that the five planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) may have on earth. In scientific terms, it could be electromagnetic field, gravitational field, or other undiscovered matters. However, Qi and the Flying Stars are not equal. We will talk about it in due course.


China metaphysics describes properties of things on Earth in five major categories as it is believed that they are the direct influences of the different Qi’s mentioned above. They are, in English terms, Water (水), Fire (火), Wood (木), Metal (金), Earth (土), but are referred as Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus, and Earth respectively. In general, they are called “Wu-xing” (五行).


It occurs to me that most people translate the word “Wu-xing” as Five Elements in English. It is perhaps due to the fact that there are similar terms in Western metaphysics, like Water, Fire, Air and Earth, which are knows as Four Elements. However, those are the things which every creatures in the Earth depends upon, things that you can feel, and things that are tangible. As such, I disagree to use Five Elements to represent “Wu-xing”. I’d rather just called them “Wu-xing”.


Application #2: Finding Life Trigram of the Birth Year


Other than the adoption of Sexagenary Cycle into “Luo-shu”, the integration of Acquired Ba-gua (as differs from the Congenital Ba-gua) and “Luo-shu” is equally fascinating. According to the description in “Shuo-gua” of “Zhou-yi” (《周易．說卦》) , we can derive the following chart and consider “Kan” (坎☵) in grid #1 as North and Winter, then we will have “Zhen” (震☳) in grid #3 as East and Spring, “Li” (離☲) in grid #9 as South and Summer, and “Dui” (兌☱) in grid #7 as West and Autumn.


Now that we have both charts, we can easily find out where the year is and hence which trigram it belongs to. We will be using the year of 2008 as an example to demonstrate.


Since 2637BCE is the first year of launching the recording system, then it must be the first year of Jia-zi. For every 180 years (Least Common Multiplication of both 9 and 60), the Jia-zi will be returning to the original grid, which is grid #1 for “Kan”, and be starting all over again. Among this 180 years, the Sexagenary Cycle will repeat 3 times. We defined as First Cycle (上元), Second Cycle (中元), and the Third Cycle (下元), or people generally refer as “San-yuan” (三元, or The Great Cycle).


To find out which Cycle the year 2008 belongs to, we need to first find out the number of years (both year inclusive) since the first Jia-zi.


NY = Y – N0 where Y is the current year and N0 = -2637
N2008 = 2008 – (-2637) = 4645


Then divided N2008 by 180, take the next integer, resulting as 26, which mean the year 2008 is in the 26th Great Cycle, or 145 years after the 25th Great Cycle, or 25 years after the first two Cycles in the 26th Great Cycle. Since the Third Cycle must be started with Jia-zi in “Dui” of grid #7, then the 25th year must be Wu-zi (戊子) in “Kan” of grid #1. Thus, the dominating Flying Star for the year 2008 is also 1. For male born in the year 2008, their Life Trigram is referred as “Kan”.


You may say, “Wow, that’s fascinating, but is there any easier way to find out the Life Trigram?” Oh yes, I almost forgot, always the easy way. Tend not to think, aren’t you?


In fact, there is. People use to add all the digits in a number till it gives out only single digit, then subtracted from 11 and further divided by 9, take the remainder. The result of which will then give you the grid number and hence the Life Trigram. For male born in 2008 as an example, the remainder is 1, and therefore the Life Trigram is “Kan”.


2 + 0 + 0 + 8 = 10
1 + 0 =1
11 – 1 = 10
10 ≡ 1 (mod 9)


Most of the people know how it works, but do not know why it works. Only the mathematician will know why, because it is based upon Chinese Remainder Theorem.


1000x + 100y + 10z + w ≡ x + y + z + w (mod9)


Or, we can modify the above equation with the consideration of both (1) 4CE is also Jia-zi and (2) to satisfy each of the Cycle in the Great Cycle as follow:


X + y + z + w – 4 ≡ 7 – p (mod9)


Hence, 11 – (x + y + z + w) ≡ p (mod9)


Question: how about for female?

Applications of the Sexagenary Cycle: #1

Other than just recording time, there are numbers of applications in Chinese metaphysics in which the adoption of the Sexagenary Cycle into “Luo-shu” plays an important role. I will be talking a few of these applications in the coming blogs.

Application #1: Finding the dominating Flying Star of the Year

As shown in the diagram of my last blog, the first Jia-zi (甲子) starts in grid #1 of the magic square, so the dominating Flying Star is obviously 1. Applying the sequential order, we will have the Flying Star Chart for the Year Jia-zi as shown. As we move on to the second year, Yi-chou (乙丑) is located in grid #9 of the magic square, so the dominating Flying Star will then be 9. Again, applying the sequential order, we will have the Flying Star Chart for the Year Yi-zhou.

As seen in the diagrams, the dominating Flying Star 1 of the first year of Jia-zi is placed in the centre grid. As we move on to the next year, the Flying Star 1 will then be moved to grid #6, during which the centre grid is replaced by the Flying Star 9. Since the year follows Jia-zi is the year of Yi-chou, therefore Yi-chou is in grid #9 when Jia-zi is in grid #1. That’s why in my last blog, the diagram demonstrates how the Sexagenary Cycle works with “Luo-shu” in reverse order.

It looks pretty simple and easy, right?

Let’s imagine that we are about to finish the first Sexagenary Cycle, which will be ending with the year of Gui-hai (癸亥). The question now is: Where does the year of Jia-zi (甲子) of the next Sexagenary Cycle start? Which also leads to the next question: Where does the year of Jia-zi (甲子) of the Sexagenary Cycle which follow, and so forth, start?

And above all, the most important question is: Which cycle we are in today? What is the dominating Flying Stars for this year and the next?

Sexagenary Cycle and the “Book from River Luo”

Now we know the Sexagenary Cycle is being used by the Chinese astronomers to record time. We are also told that the Sexagenary Cycle is also related to Chinese metaphysics in every aspect. The question is: how do they relate?

To answer this question, let us first take a look at the “Book from River Luo”, or in short “Luo-shu” (洛書). It was said that a turtle, carrying the Book or having the Book marked on its shell, arose from River Luo (洛水) when the Emperor candidate Shun (舜), the successor of Emperor Yao (堯), was about to harness the River Luo back in around BCE2250. The purpose of this fairy tales is to legitimate the divination power of this Book mostly by ancient metaphysicists. It is in fact a 3-by-3 magic square in today’s modern mathematics.

Because the number 5 is at the centre of the square, the interesting things are: (1) the sum of numbers in every horizontal lines, vertical lines, and even diagonal lines are all equalled to 15, and that (2) the sum of any opposite pairs are equalled to 10. With 5 at the centre, it has to be so.

The Chinese metaphysicists believe this magic square exists with a reason, and no matter what the reason is, the order of these numbers in the square must be a prophecy of how human beings in the Earth should communicate with the supreme beings in the Heaven. As much, the Sexagenary Cycle is brought into the magic square, and thereafter becomes the basic of Chinese metaphysics including Tai-yi (太乙), Qi-Men-Dun-Jia (奇門遁甲), and even Feng-shui, etc.
If we use directions to represent the order of the numbers, start with 1, we will have two different presentations, where C stands for the Centre:
In sequential order: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 or N-SW-E-SE-C-NW-W-NE-S
In reverse order: 1-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2 or N-S-NE-W-NE-C-SE-E-SW

In order to make the Sexagenary Cycle and the “Luo-shu” works together, Chinese metaphysicists fill the magic square in reverse order with the Sexagenary Cycle as shown.

Why is this so significant? What is its applications? I’d rather let you think about it first.

Astronomical and Civil Calendar

Like the West, Chinese astronomers had discovered the average time for the sun, as observed from the earth, to return to about the same position in its path in 365.25 days, and that within this period of time, the moon had been changing from one new moon to the next for slightly more than 12 times, averaging a cycle of 29.5 days, and hence they found the equation to bring Li-chun (立春 or Begining of Spring) close enough to the 1st day of the 1st lunar month of the year, i.e. 365.25 x 19 = (12 x 19 +7) x days/month, which means 7 intercalations in 19 year. The significance of which is not to confuse the farmer because Li-chun will simply be slipping away if there isn’t any intercalation.

Li-chun as part of 24 Solar Segments (二十四節氣 Er-shi-si Jie-qi), is one of the 24 specific positions in the ecliptic. By taking Chun-fen (春分), or Vernal Equinox at 0 degree longitude as defined by the West, Li-chun is then 315 degrees in longitude. Chinese people accustom to Li-chun as the beginning of the year. It is generally referred as Civil Calendar. However, it is not the way the astronomers use for calendar calculation.

Chinese astronomers employ the concept of Yin and Yang in calendar calculation and believe Yang starts to grow right after the most Yin and vice versa. By putting the 12 Earthly Branches around a Tai-ji Yin-Yang Diagram (太極陰陽圖), with Zi (子) as the leading Branch, then Yang will start to grow at Zi while Yin will start to grow at Wu (午). To put in seasonal context, both Winter Solstice (冬至 Dong-zhi) and midnight will then signify the beginning of Yang while both Summer Solstice (夏至 Xia-zhi) and mid-day will then be the beginning of Yin.

Together with Sexagenary Cycle as the recording system, the calendar is best calculated in the year of Jia-zi (甲子), the month of Jia-zi, the day of Jia-zi and the 辰 (Chen or 2-hour period) of Jia-zi. Winter Solstice is the second segment in the month of Zi and the Chinese called it Zi-zheng (子正) which means the middle of the month of Zi. Likewise, 12 o’clock midnight will be Zi-zheng as well.

Wait a minute, are you suggesting there is month of Jia-zi in the year of Jia-zi, but that’s not what people said. People said the year of Jia-zi starts with the month of Bing-yin (丙寅), there should not be any month of Jia-zi.

Yes and no, as this is the most confusing part about Chinese Calendar. The calendar we were told is in fact a civil calendar, while the astronomers are calculated by using Winter Solstice (the most Yin) as a reference point. Therefore, the year of Jia-zi in fact begins in the Winter Solstice of the previous year Gui-hai (癸亥) till the coming Winter Solstice in the year of Jia-zi. There is month Jia-zi in the year of Gui-hai.

However, this is only the relationship between the Solar system and the recording system, how does the lunar system come in the picture?

Let’s imagine if the above said date and time happens to be a new moon, then from one of this phenomenon to the next is a kind of a common cycle for sun, moon, and the sexagenary cycle. By using Chinese Remainder Theorem, we know there will be solutions in multiple. If it is required to consider the alignment of planets as well, then the length of the cycle could be astronomical. We don’t have the history to witness the entire cycle, but could only imagine there exists one. By then, this cycle is called the Initial Epoch. Every calendar before Tang Dynasty had different Initial Epoch due to different parameters were being used, but they were all checked against the recording system in order to make sure continuity.

Remember, the equation holds only if we are talking about average days per year and month, or Mean Sun and Mean Moon. Ever since Tang Dynasty, the Chinese calendars were changed from Mean Sun - Mean Moon to Mean Sun - True Moon and further changed to True Sun - True Moon at the beginning of 1912CE. Without Mean Sun and Mean Moon, there is no way we can calculate the Initial Epoch.

Now, if the recording system was really first introduced in 2637BCE (since it was said that Huang-di took the power some time in 2697BCE), then in fact they were calculated by using the previous Winter Solstice as reference point. It was definitely clear that it did not start in February, be it proleptic Gregorian nor Julian.

Chinese Calendar

We live by the calendar everyday. What’s so special about calendar? In fact, it is a fair question. If we are not interested in calendar, certainly we won’t notice that we actually lost 10 days by the time when the Pope ordered to change from Julian calendar to Gregorian calendar on October 4, 1582. It become October 15, 1582 in Gregorian calendar the next morning.

Chinese does not have discontinuity in calendar. Ever since Emperor Xuan-yuan (軒轅黃帝 Xuan-yuan Huang-di) ordered to make calendar, his officials were trying very hard to build a calendar system and hoping that it can be accurately representing the motions of the sun and the moon and hence the Yin-Yang Calendar (陰陽曆) which combines the Solar Calendar (太陽曆 Tai-yang Li) together with the Lunar Calendar (太陰曆 Tai-yin Li). They even built a presentation system using the Heavenly Stems (天干 Tian-gan) and Earthly Branches (地支 Di-zhi) for recording year, month, day, and even 辰 (or Chen, 2-hour period in a 24 hours per day system).

Considering Yin and Yang, the 10 Stems and 12 Branches produce a Sexagenary Cycle which the Chinese people refer it as 六十甲子 (Liu-shi-jia-zi). Starting from 甲子 (Jia-zi) as the very beginning, then followed by 乙丑 (Yi-chou), 丙寅 (Bing-yin), 丁卯 (Ding-mao), etc., till it reaches 癸亥 (Gui-hai) as the end of the Cycle, then restarts from 甲子 again. This recording system has never been interrupted since the day of launch. It has been in fact used as a reference check when people were making new calendars throughout the entire Chinese history. Though China is not officially using this recording system today, the Chinese community throughout the world are still using it.

We do not have the exact year which Huang-di had ordered to launch this recording system because it was just simply too far off from now and that there was no single piece of record whatsoever to at least give us a hint to trace. Some were saying during 2637BCE, which is the year of 甲子. Does that means Chinese Calendar is having a 60-year epoch? If it were really that easy, why do we have to bother to observe the sun, the moon, the planets, and even some of the stars in order to make a good and accurate calendar. Without an accurate calendar, how could Huang-di possibly teach people when to plow, to seed, to harvest, and when to do whatever appropriate in farming activities.

The recording system might start from 2637BCE, but it has nothing to do with calendrical calculation. In calendrical calculation, we have only astronomical calendar as well as civil calendar.