The Mysterious Qi Men Dun Jia, Part 10: Analysis

Lecture Twelve: Analysis

Historically, the methods of Qimen Dunjia—including the eighteen dynamic formations of Yin–Yang Dunjia and the 1,080 fixed formations—offer substantial value for study and reference. Ultimately, though, they fall under the category of “fixed formations.” Although straightforward, thorough, precise, and convenient, relying on them alone in divination can be insufficient because the nature of cases varies.

The eight gates and eight deities of Qimen Dunjia, as well as the nine stars and nine palaces, each have distinct traits and represent different things. Because situations differ, the appropriate palace, gate, star, and deity will also differ. In modern terms: analyze each case on its own terms—selection is crucial. Ancient practitioners further noted that the auspiciousness of the deities on the Upper Plate applies at the beginning of a matter; the auspiciousness of the stars on the Heaven Plate applies in the middle stage; and the auspiciousness of the gates on the Human Plate applies at the final stage. Since conclusions are usually drawn from the ultimate outcome, the gates tend to carry more weight than the stars or deities. This distinction reflects the nature and attributes of the matter, the timing, and the way events develop.

That said, matters differ in urgency. “Urgent matters rely on the deities” (generally referring to the Six Jia duty officer) means that in urgent situations—such as during war—there may be no time to choose auspicious gates or stars; act according to where the auspicious deities reside. By contrast, “non-urgent matters rely on the gates” refers to situations that are not pressing, where one should select auspicious gates for the task at hand. Furthermore, “major matters look to the stars” makes clear that significant undertakings must consider the auspiciousness of the nine stars.

In analysis, according to ancient theory, the core principles still apply: consider the relationships among the symbolic entities; the interactions of the Five Elements (generating, overcoming, restraining, transforming); the timing of auspiciousness (prosperity, decline, rest, activation, decay); spatial configuration (formations); and the year, month, day, and hour stems to determine proper timing. These are foundational basics.