Eight Gates Explained

TIP

The application of the Eight Gates requires comprehensive judgment in conjunction with the Nine Stars, Eight Gods, palace positions, etc., and cannot be used in isolation.

Eight Gates Overview

Gate Name	Five Elements	Auspicious/Inauspicious	Direction
Rest Gate	Water	Auspicious	North (Kan Palace)
Life Gate	Earth	Auspicious	Northeast (Gen Palace)
Harm Gate	Wood	Ominous	East (Zhen Palace)
Block Gate	Wood	Flat	Southeast (Xun Palace)
Jing Gate	Fire	Flat	South (Li Palace)
Death Gate	Earth	Ominous	Southwest (Kun Palace)
Alarm Gate	Jin	Ominous	West (Dui Palace)
Open Door	Jin	Auspicious	Northwest (Qian Palace)

The Eight Doors are an important component of Qimen Dunjia, representing human activities. The Eight Doors are divided into auspicious doors, inauspicious doors, and neutral doors.

Mnemonic Rhyme

Song of the Auspicious and Inauspicious Eight Doors:

用时宜忌细思量
杜景二门为平平
死惊伤三凶莫当
开休生三吉门强

Eight Gates Song Formula:

惊兑开乾莫乱传
景门离火死门坤
伤震杜巽要记全
休门坎水生门艮
八门排列按方来
休生伤杜景死惊开

Gate-Star Combinations

The Eight Gates combine with the Nine Stars to form different patterns:

• Death Gate + Heavenly Malady: Extremely inauspicious, illness and disaster
• Jing Men (Scenery Gate) + Tian Ying (Heavenly Hero): Document fire, needs attention
• Xiu Men (Rest Gate) + Tian Ren (Heavenly Duty): Favorable for marriage, seeking wealth
• Kai Men (Open Gate) + Tian Xin (Heavenly Heart): Favorable for seeking official positions, meeting dignitaries
• Sheng Men (Life Gate) + Tian Ren (Heavenly Duty): Greatly favorable for seeking wealth

Eight Gates Applications

• Reconciliation: Suitable for Kai Men (Open Gate), Xiu Men (Rest Gate)
• Defendant: Suitable for Xiu Men (Rest Gate), Du Men (Obstruct Gate)
• Plaintiff: Suitable for Jing Men (Fear Gate), Shang Men (Injury Gate)

Litigation Gate Selection

• Avoid: Du Men (Obstruction Gate), Si Men (Death Gate)
• Second Choice: Kai Men (Open Gate)
• First Choice: Jing Men (Scenery Gate)

Choosing the Right Door for Exams

• Avoid: Injury Door, Death Door, Fear Door
• Secondary Choices: Life Door, Open Door
• First Choice: Rest Door

Marriage Gate Selection

• Avoid: Death Gate, Injury Gate
• Second Choice: Open Gate, Rest Gate
• First Choice: Life Gate

Seeking wealth, choose the right door

• Avoid misfortune: Avoid the Injury Door, Death Door, and Fear Door
• Short trips: Suitable for the Life Door, Open Door
• Long trips: Suitable for the Open Door, Rest Door

Choosing a Door for Travel

Auspicious Door

Open Door

• Imagery: Court, bank
• Unsuitable:
• Suitable: Opening a business, going to war, traveling, taking exams, getting married, moving, building, trading, giving birth, treating illnesses
• Original Position: Qian Metal Palace (Northwest)
• Five Elements: Metal

Rest Gate

• Imagery: Government, civil servants, a family
• Not suitable for: Judging cases, settling lawsuits, carrying out executions
• Suitable for: Meeting dignitaries and leaders, taking office, marriage, moving, doing business, construction
• Original position: Kan Water Palace (North)
• Five Elements: Fire

Life Gate

• Associations: Real estate, profit, salary, vitality
• Unsuitable for: Funerals, memorial services
• Suitable for: Seeking wealth, warfare, travel, marriage, trade, childbirth, treating illness, planting, breeding, real estate
• Original Position: Gen Earth Palace (Northeast)
• Element: Earth

Jing Men

• Associated Images: Roads, documents, certificates, media, advertising, information, interviews, perfect scores, coaches, scores, calligraphy and paintings, wine industry, meetings
• Not Suitable For:
• Suitable for: Strategizing, recommending worthy individuals, attacking enemies with fire
• Original Position: Li Palace (South)
• Five Elements: Fire

Du Men

• Imagery: Harm, conflict, demanding
• Unsuitable for: Marriage, cooperation, seeking wealth
• Suitable for: Debt collection, hunting, catching thieves, sports competitions
• Characteristics: Injury, damage, impulsiveness
• Original position: Zhen Palace (East)
• Five Elements: Wood

Gate of Terror

• Imagery: Endings, death, illness
• Unsuitable for: Almost all auspicious matters
• Suitable for: Funerals, attending to the dying, lawsuits, hunting fierce beasts
• Characteristics: Death, End, Danger
• Original Position: Kun Palace (Southwest)
• Element: Earth

Injury Gate

• Associations: Vehicles, Criminal Police
• Not advisable: Business, travel, taking office, construction, marriage
• Advisable: Debt collection, fishing, hunting, catching thieves
• Original position: Zhen Wood Palace (East)
• Five Elements: Wood

Death Gate

• Imagery: Death, grave, plot of land, land parcel, real estate
• Unsuitable for:
• Suitable for: Funerals, fighting to the death
• Original position: Kun Earth Palace (Southwest)
• Element: Earth

Gate Restrained by Palace and Gate Controlled

When the Gate restrains the Palace, it is called "Gate Restrained" or "Gate Restrained by Palace." When the Palace restrains the Gate, it is called "Palace Restrained," also known as "Controlled" or "Gate Controlled."

If a propitious Gate is restrained by the Palace, propitious outcomes will not materialize. If an inauspicious Gate is restrained by the Palace, matters will become even more inauspicious. If a propitious Gate is controlled, propitious outcomes will not be achieved. If an inauspicious Gate is controlled, misfortunes will be difficult to arise.