The Eight Deities of Qimen Dunjia

In Qimen Dunjia, the deities typically number ten: Zhi Fu, Teng She, Tai Yin, Liu He, Bai Hu, Xuan Wu, Jiu Di, Jiu Tian, Gou Chen, and Zhu Que (some schools also include Qing Long). Because the Eight Deities board in each Yin and Yang Dunjia chart contains only eight divine positions, they are commonly referred to as the Eight Deities.

The deities play a pivotal role in Qimen. In the Ren Dunjia, Shen Dunjia, and Gui Dunjia formats within the Nine Dunjia, the deities are employed: Tai Yin serves as the master, Jiu Tian represents the divine, and Jiu Di represents the ghostly. The Eight Deities of Qimen can adjudicate matters across the upper, middle, and lower realms. They embody the meridians of the cosmos, the openings and closings of qi flow, and the gateway to the mysterious. Only by opening this channel can one navigate the complexities of Qimen Dunjia and approach its true essence.

Ancient texts briefly outline their traits. The "Qimen Method Secrets" states: "Zhi Fu is the deity of Tian Yi, Teng She is the deity of deception, Tai Yin is the deity of Yin assistance, Liu He is the deity of protection, Bai Hu is the fierce deity, Xuan Wu is the deity of theft and expansion, Jiu Di is the solid deity, Jiu Tian is the mighty deity, Gou Chen is the deity of stagnation, and Zhu Que is the deity of civilization." Qing Long is known as the deity of benevolence. These innate qualities guide interpretation. For example, Liu He, as the deity of protection and harmony, tends to be indecisive, emotionally sensitive, and fearful of death; Tai Yin, as the deity of Yin assistance, is secretive, obscure, mysterious, nurturing, and weak. Jiu Tian, being the mighty deity, corresponds to human affairs with a strong, combative nature that is hard to subdue, resembling the fierce temperament of Zhang Fei; when Jiu Tian is taken as "heaven," its color should be observed when forecasting weather. Bai Hu is fierce, while Qing Long is benevolent, making for a sharp contrast. Each deity carries a unique informational field and a distinct personality.

Different texts place the deities differently on the Eight Deities board. Because Qimen includes both arranged-board and flying-board schools, the deities can be set in either manner. In flying-board Qimen, there is also the concept of nine deities. Qimen follows heavenly principles that are ever in motion, like the cycles of spring, summer, autumn, and winter; accordingly, the deities are best set in rotation. The "Qimen Method Secrets," originally rooted in flying-board Qimen, still follows rotational principles for arranging the Eight Deities. On the arrangement of the Eight Deities, the classic Qimen text "Yun Bo Diao Sou Fu" states: "Zhi Fu is in the first three Liu He positions, Tai Yin is in the first two. In the latter palace is Jiu Tian, and the latter two deities are Jiu Di." This placement has become broadly accepted, while the positions of the other deities may vary slightly across schools.

Qimen deities arise from celestial phenomena and are closely tied to the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. According to the "Shen Ji Zhi Di Tai Bai Yin Jing": "The deity of Jiu Tian corresponds to the six Jia, the deity of Zhu Que corresponds to the six Bing, the deity of Tai Yin corresponds to the six Ding, the deity of Gou Chen corresponds to the six Yi, the deity of Liu He corresponds to the six Ji, the deity of Bai Hu corresponds to the six Geng, the deity of Xuan Wu corresponds to the six Xin, and the deity of Jiu Di corresponds to the six Gui." In other words, each Heavenly Stem corresponds to a deity. The "Qimen Dunjia Tongzong Daquan" states: "Tai Yin resides in the heavens at Ding and in the underworld at Mao." It also notes: "In the Jia Xu cycle, Yin is at Ding Chou; in the Jia Shen cycle, Yin is at Ding Hai; in the Jia Wu cycle, Yin is at Ding You; in the Jia Chen cycle, Yin is at Ding Wei; in the Jia Yin cycle, Yin is at Ding Si." Thus, the deities’ positions in heaven correspond to those in the underworld, though they are not identical.

In heaven, the deities are fixed to the Heavenly Stems, while on earth they do not have fixed matches with the Earthly Branches, instead shifting with the Stems. Each cycle represents an energy cluster and a specific phase, so within each cycle the ground positions of the deities are likewise fixed. Consequently, in every cycle two Earthly Branches are empty, with no deity presiding; at such times the empty branches are "without a master," leading to confusion and disorder—what Qimen calls the solitary position. Branches that clash with the solitary position are deemed void. The solitary lies in the wild, while the void lies in the court. Each of the ten deities has its own seat, like a master and their dwelling. The ten deities serve as representatives of the twenty-eight lunar mansions, while the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches are the dwellings that nourish the deities and transmit their information.

In Qimen Dunjia, the deities link heaven, earth, and humanity, forming one of the board’s core mysteries. The Eight Deities board moves with the rotation of the heavenly board, with the small Zhi Fu closely following the large Zhi Fu. In this way, the Eight Deities classify and position the information reflected by the nine stars across astronomy, geography, and human affairs. Once the Zhi Fu star is set, the roles of the other stars are correspondingly defined, assigned by Zhi Fu as star-lord. The small Zhi Fu, as the attendant to the large Zhi Fu, naturally follows it. The large Zhi Fu serves as leader, while the Eight Deities function as the warrants of appointment. Although the nine stars each have their own positions, functions, and characteristics, to fully exercise their influence they must carry an appointment. Without proper authority, meddling in matters beyond their jurisdiction produces poor results. Therefore, while the Eight Deities may not directly determine the final outcome of human affairs, they do shape the process. The Eight Deities are like the parents of the nine stars: if the parents are weak, even strong children will lack momentum and feel insecure. Thus the nine stars are manifest and yang, whereas the Eight Deities are hidden and yin.

Qimen offers a rule for weighing human affairs: "Act quickly with the deities, and slowly with the doors." The Eight Deities and the Eight Doors naturally depend on one another. In divination, the doors are the primary reference for human matters, while the deities are the residents within the doors. Their relationship is like soul to body. The deities are celestial, yet on the ground they each have their own domains. The doors govern human affairs; though their changes are endless, they cannot depart from their essence and are ultimately constrained by the Eight Deities. The formats of Shen Dunjia, Ren Dunjia, and Gui Dunjia within the Nine Dunjia all contain this hidden mystery.

Heavenly time and earthly time operate differently, and the deities’ effects ultimately manifest through the Eight Doors. Strictly speaking, deities in heaven are beyond prosperity or decline. On earth, however, fortunes wax and wane, and the spirit of the Eight Deities can rise and fall accordingly. "Qimen Tongzong" states there are yang generals and yin deities: the yang follows the stars, the yin follows the doors. Because the Zhi Fu star is the county official, the Zhi Shi acts as its human-world deputy in charge of specifics. As the county official, Zhi Fu cannot handle every detail; it sets policy, while the Zhi Shi handles implementation. As the saying goes, "the county official is not as effective as the current manager," underscoring the Zhi Shi’s authority. The nine stars have their appointments, and the Eight Doors naturally have their distinctions as well. For human affairs, the Eight Doors emphasize spatial information, while the Eight Deities emphasize temporal information.

On the Qimen time board, the nine palaces symbolize the earth and provide the starting point and foundation for all forecasts of human affairs. The stars, doors, and Eight Deities act through the nine palaces to influence outcomes. Thus the Eight Deities function like messengers, relaying information among heaven, earth, and humanity. "Disasters and blessings have no doors; only humans bring them upon themselves." The Eight Deities’ role is to furnish the most insight possible for seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune.

Because the Eight Deities are yin in nature, in Qimen readings they play a supporting and strengthening role. To assess their qualities, they must be analyzed together with the stars and doors. Malefic deities appearing in auspicious configurations are not a concern, while benefic deities in ominous configurations can aggravate problems. Hence the "Qimen Secret General Assignment" says: "If one gains the Qimen in three layers, it is like a dragon gaining clouds and rain; encountering Liu He in a killing situation is like a tiger or wolf gaining wings." "Following the deities" and "following the doors" both mean aligning with heavenly principles to pursue good fortune. Follow whoever holds power; the "county official" or influential person (the current manager) will naturally wield authority and achieve twice the result with half the effort.