The Modern Applications of Divination
The Book of Changes (I Ching) covers four areas: theory, symbols, numbers, and divination, and it remains widely used today, for example:
- Using Taiyi numerology to forecast celestial fortunes
- Using Liu Ren to predict human affairs
- Using Qimen to gauge regional fortunes
- Using the year, month, day, and hour to assess an individual’s life prospects
Predicting a nation’s fate primarily relies on Taiyi and Qimen, supplemented by astrological techniques. Taiyi focuses on year-by-year fortunes, while Qimen emphasizes directional influences. However, I believe the original Taiyi system has been lost, and what we now call Taiyi preserves only part of the original.
By contrast, Qimen Dunjia is often seriously misused. The character “甲” (Jia) evokes a seed coat splitting as a sprout emerges, representing beginnings. “One” signifies unity and the Taiji point that contains the whole. The heavenly stem “辛” (Xin), eighth in order, represents Jia’s official post, so Xin is akin to a prime minister. “庚” (Geng), the seventh, represents Jia’s “seven killings,” indicating destructive events; hence Geng signifies disaster. Dunjia means to avoid disaster. The Eight Gates correspond to specific directions.
Taiyi and Qimen employ a polar coordinate system, and the Nine Palaces correspond to the regions of ancient China, outlining its traditional scope. Thus, Taiyi and Qimen were used by the state to read celestial fortunes and natural disasters. Because Qimen (especially time-based Qimen) emphasizes directional fortunes, it has major significance in military operations. Today, using Qimen to speculate on stocks is a misstep; using Qimen for divination about personal matters is to trade the essential for the trivial. Alas, all three traditions are now largely turned toward personal divination, at the expense of their higher purpose!
Divining human affairs mainly involves Liu Ren and Liu Yao. Liu Yao is easy to learn but hard to master, while Liu Ren is harder to begin yet easier to interpret once learned. Liu Ren’s rituals are complex; although they invoke various deities and spirits that add informational layers, they also pose challenges for learners. In contrast, Liu Yao is indeed simpler, lowering the barrier for many I Ching enthusiasts. This is why Liu Yao is the more popular method for personal divination.
Liu Yao derives from the Zhou Yi and the Jia framework. Zhou Yi divination is orthodox, as it is the source of Confucianism. Liu Yao strengthens the Zhou Yi’s mathematical and logical functions. “Zhou Yi Shang Shi Xue” returns to the origins, restoring the function of symbolic (image-based) divination. Thus, both symbolic and numerical divination are well integrated.
Predicting a person’s life through fate analysis primarily uses two methods: the well-known Four Pillars BaZi, which arose in the Tang dynasty, and Zi Wei Dou Shu, which emerged in the Northern Song. Compared side by side, the Four Pillars are hard to start yet easier to master, while Dou Shu is easier to begin but harder to master.
The Four Pillars (BaZi) center on the interplay among Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, the ten Heavenly Stems, and the twelve Earthly Branches, analyzing their relationships and transformations. One can even make predictions without invoking deities, relying solely on the Elements, Stems, and Branches; whereas Dou Shu, in addition to weighing the strengths and weaknesses of Yin and Yang and the influence of palaces on the natal chart, must also analyze the fourteen main stars, six assistant stars, six killing stars, and dozens of miscellaneous and flowing stars (deities) in the chart to establish the pattern before interpreting. Generally, identifying the pattern is easy, but drawing conclusions is difficult. For life readings, the predominant method is the Four Pillars BaZi.
According to the “Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of Astrologers,” during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, he once summoned famous date-selection masters from Chang’an to ask whether a certain day was suitable for marriage. The Five Elements expert said it was fine; the Feng Shui master said it was not; a calendrical expert said it was inauspicious; the astrologer said it was very ominous; another calendar specialist said it was slightly ominous; the “heavenly man” said it was inauspicious; while the Taiyi expert said it was very auspicious. Each held to their reasoning and argued heatedly. Finally, Emperor Wu declared, “Avoid all death taboos, and prioritize the Five Elements.” This settled the dispute.
“Avoid all death taboos, and prioritize the Five Elements”—this statement also serves as the overarching principle guiding the evolution of Chinese metaphysics. The field will inevitably move from complex deity-focused studies to a distinctly Eastern discipline centered on the mathematical logic of the Five Elements and the interactions of Stems and Branches. Advancing mathematical rigor moves it toward scientific validation. Only through practical verification can it gain broad public acceptance.
The development of Chinese metaphysics still has a long road ahead. It calls for more top-tier thinkers—especially experts in science and engineering—to refine the essence, discard the spurious, and bring Chinese metaphysics into the realm of science as soon as possible.