Mastering the Flying Disk Qimen: A Step-by-Step Guide to Arranging the Divination Plate

I. The Sequence of Nine Stars Used in the Flying Disk Qimen Divination Plate

1. Tian Qing Star 2. Tian Ren Star 3. Tian Chong Star 4. Tian Fu Star 5. Tian Ying Star 6. Tian Xin Star 7. Tian Zhu Star 8. Tian Ren Star 9. Tian Ying Star

These can be abbreviated as: Qing, Ren, Chong, Fu, Ying, Xin, Zhu, Ren, Ying.

The order of the Nine Stars in the Flying Disk actually follows the numerical sequence of the Lo Shu Nine Palaces from one to nine. For instance, the Tian Qing Star is originally in Palace One, Tian Ren in Palace Two, Tian Chong in Palace Three... and so on, up to Tian Ying in Palace Nine.

II. The Sequence of Eight Gates Used in the Flying Disk Qimen Divination Plate

1. Rest Gate 2. Death Gate 3. Injury Gate 4. Obstruction Gate 6. Opening Gate 7. Surprise Gate 8. Life Gate 9. Landscape Gate

These can be abbreviated as: Rest, Death, Injury, Obstruction, Opening, Surprise, Life, Landscape. Since the central Palace Five has no gate, the Eight Gates are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9.

The principle for the Eight Gates is the same as for the Nine Stars—they are arranged sequentially according to the numbers of the Lo Shu Nine Palaces. For example, the Rest Gate is originally in Palace One (number one), the Death Gate in Palace Two (number two), and so forth.

III. The Specific Arrangement of the Nine Gods

In the Rotating Disk Qimen, eight gods are used, but the Flying Disk Qimen employs nine gods. Here's the sequence for the Nine Gods:

1. Zhi Fu 2. Jie Sha 3. Tai Yin 4. Liu He 5. Gou Chen 6. Tai Chang 7. Zhu Que 8. Jiu Di 9. Jiu Tian

The above is the sequence for the Nine Gods used during Yang Plate times.

1. Zhi Fu 2. Jie Sha 3. Tai Yin 4. Liu He 5. White Tiger 6. Tai Chang 7. Xuan Wu 8. Jiu Di 9. Jiu Tian

The above is the sequence for the Nine Gods during Yin Plate times.

Below, we'll explain the arrangement method for the Flying Disk Qimen divination plate through an example. For instance: December 22, 2006, at 4 PM, Yang First Bureau.

Ren Wu Year, Ji Zi Month, Ren Wu Day, Ren Shen Hour, Yang First Bureau

Zhi Fu: Jia Wu Xin, Tian Fu Star, Zhi Shi: Du Gate

Now, let's begin arranging the Flying Disk Qimen plate. The first step is to place the Zhi Fu Tian Fu Star in the Kun Palace Eight where the hour stem Ren is located. As shown in the figure:

For Yang Plate times, arrange the Nine Stars in the order 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, following the Flying Disk Qimen sequence. After Tian Fu Star comes Tian Ying Star. Since Tian Fu is placed in Palace Eight, the next Tian Ying Star goes to Palace Nine. In the Flying Disk Qimen, all Nine Stars 'fly' or jump in placement. As shown below:

Next, Tian Xin Star goes to Palace One, Tian Zhu Star to Palace Two, Tian Ren Star to Palace Three, Tian Ying Star to Palace Four, Tian Qing Star to Central Palace Five, Tian Ren Star to Palace Six, and Tian Chong Star to Palace Seven. Thus, the Nine Stars fly across the nine palaces, each finding its position, completing the arrangement:

The arrangement for the Eight Gates is similar to that of the Nine Stars, with the key difference that the Eight Gates skip the Central Palace Five. When placing during arrangement, jump over Palace Five to Palace Four or Six. For Yang Plate, jump from Palace Four to Palace Six; for Yin Plate, from Palace Six to Palace Four.

In this case, the day stem is Jia Wu Xin, placed in Palace Four. Starting from Palace Four with Jia Wu, Palace Five would be Yi Wei, and Ren Shen falls in Palace Six. Thus, the Zhi Shi Gate, Du Gate, is placed in Palace Six. As shown:

Now with Zhi Shi Du Gate in Palace Six, the next in the Flying Disk Qimen Eight Gates sequence after Du Gate is Opening Gate, so Opening Gate goes to Palace Seven. As shown:

With Zhi Shi Du Gate in Palace Six and Opening Gate in Palace Seven, then Surprise Gate in Palace Eight, Life Gate in Palace Nine, Landscape Gate in Palace One, Rest Gate in Palace Two, Death Gate in Palace Three, Injury Gate in Palace Four. The Du Gate jumps over the center directly to Palace Six, forming the initial positions for the Zhi Shi Gates. This completes the Eight Gates flying across the nine palaces. As shown:

The next step is to arrange the Nine Gods. The method for the Nine Gods is basically similar to the flying method for the Nine Stars. For Yang Plate, the Nine Gods are placed in the forward order 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. For Yin Plate, they are placed in the reverse order 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

In this case, the Zhi Fu Star Tian Fu is in Kun Palace Eight, so place the Zhi Fu of the Nine Gods in Kun Palace Eight. The next after Zhi Fu is Jie Sha, so Jie Sha goes to Palace Nine. As shown:

Now with Zhi Fu in Kun Palace Eight and Jie Sha in Palace Nine, the next Tai Yin goes to Palace One, Liu He to Palace Two, Gou Chen to Palace Three, Tai Chang to Palace Four, Zhu Que to Central Palace Five, Jiu Di to Palace Six, and Jiu Tian to Palace Seven. Thus, the Nine Gods complete their flight across the nine palaces, as shown below:

The final step is to write the Three Oddities and Six Instruments brought by each Flying Star onto the positions above, completing a full Qimen plate:

Ren Wu Year, Ji Zi Month, Ren Wu Day, Ren Shen Hour, Yang First Bureau

Zhi Fu: Jia Wu Xin, Tian Fu Star, Zhi Shi: Du Gate

 The arrangement method for the Yin Plate Qimen is basically the same as for the Yang Plate, with the following key differences:

1. The Flying Disk arrangement for Yin Plate Qimen follows the reverse order 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

2. In the Yang Plate Qimen Flying Disk, when an Eight Gate reaches Palace Four, the next jumps to Palace Six. In the Yin Plate Qimen Flying Disk, when reaching Palace Six, the next jumps to Palace Four.

Below is an example explaining the arrangement for Yin Plate Qimen Flying Disk: August 2, 2006, at 10 AM

Ren Wu Year, Yi Wei Month, Hai Xu Day, Geng Wu Hour, Yin Fourth Bureau