Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams

Nine Palaces Layout

Qimen Dunjia uses the Post-Heaven Eight Trigrams with the Nine Palaces, which is the Luoshu Nine Palaces Diagram:

东南   正南   西南
 4      9      2
巽宫   离宫   坤宫

正东   中央   正西
 3      5      7
震宫   中宫   兑宫

东北   正北   西北
 8      1      6
艮宫   坎宫   乾宫

Nine Palaces Explained

Kan Palace (North)

• Direction: North
• Number: 1
• Element: Water
• Bagua: Kan ☵
• Meaning: Trap, danger, wisdom, flow
• Symbolism: Middle son, water, ear, blood
• Application: Strategy, concealment, adaptability

Kun 2nd Palace (Southwest)

• Direction: Southwest
• Number: 2
• Element: Earth
• Bagua: Kun ☷
• Meaning: Compliance, gentleness, profound virtue, inclusiveness
• Symbolism: Mother, Earth, Abdomen
• Applications: Following the trend, maintaining the status quo, inclusiveness

Zhen trigram (East)

• Direction: East
• Number: 3
• Five Elements: Wood
• Bagua: Zhen ☳
• Meaning: Movement, development, rising up
• Symbolism: Eldest son, thunder, foot
• Application: Launch, Development, Transformation

Xun 4th Palace (Southeast)

• Direction: Southeast
• Number: 4
• Five Elements: Wood
• Bagua: Xun ☴
• Meaning: Entering, Gentle, Penetrating
• Symbolism: Eldest daughter, Wind, Thigh
• Applications: Communication, Marketing, Gradual

Central Palace (Center)

• Direction: Center
• Number: 5
• Element: Earth
• Bagua: No corresponding trigram
• Meaning: Impartial, pivotal, harmonious
• Symbolism: Center, core
• Application: Coordination, balance, transit
• Note: The central palace is associated with the Kun palace

Qian Hexagram (Northwest)

• Direction: Northwest
• Number: 6
• Five Elements: Metal
• Bagua: Qian ☰
• Meaning: Strong, Healthy, Enterprising
• Symbolizes: Father, Heaven, Head
• Applications: Leadership, Decision-making, Pioneering

Dui (兌) in the Seventh Palace (due West)

• Direction: West
• Number: 7
• Five Elements: Metal
• Bagua: Dui ☱
• Meaning: Joy, Speech, Delight
• Symbolism: Maiden, Lake, Mouth
• Applications: Communication, Public Speaking, Entertainment

Gen (艮) Eight Palaces (Northeast)

• Direction: Northeast
• Number: 8
• Element: Earth
• Bagua: Gen ☶
• Meaning: Stop, stillness,守
• Symbolism: Youngest son, mountain, hand
• Application: Stop, Maintain, Wait

Li trigram (due South)

• Direction: Due South
• Number: 9
• Five Elements: Fire
• Bagua: Li ☲
• Meaning: Bright, Beautiful, Civilized
• Symbolism: Middle Daughter, Fire, Eye
• Applications: Culture, Diplomacy, Beauty

Nine Palaces and Five Elements Relationship

Generating Relationship

• Kan 1 (Water) → Zhen 3/Xun 4 (Wood) → Li 9 (Fire) → Kun 2/Gen 8/Zhong 5 (Earth) → Qian 6/Dui 7 (Metal) → Kan 1 (Water)

Overcoming Relationship

• Kan 1 (Water) restrains Li 9 (Fire)
• Li 9 (Fire) restrains Qian 6 / Dui 7 (Metal)
• Qian 6 / Dui 7 (Metal) restrains Zhen 3 / Xun 4 (Wood)
• Zhen 3 / Xun 4 (Wood) restrains Kun 2 / Gen 8 / Zhong 5 (Earth)
• Kun 2 / Gen 8 / Zhong 5 (Earth) Restrains Kan 1 (Water)

Nine Palaces Flying Stars Rules

Yang Dun Flies Clockwise

Starting from Palace One, fly in order to Palace Nine:

1 → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → 6 → 7 → 8 → 9

Yin Dun Reverse Flight

Starting from the Nine Palaces, fly in reverse order to the First Palace:

9 → 8 → 7 → 6 → 5 → 4 → 3 → 2 → 1

Nine Palaces Quick Reference Chart

Houses	Number	Direction	The Eight Trigrams	Five Elements	Representative Figures	Body Parts	Nature
Kan	1	North	☵	Water	Middle-aged man	Ears, Kidneys	Danger, Wisdom
Kun	2	Southwest	☷	Earth	Mother	Abdomen, Spleen	Smooth, Soft
Zhen	3	East	☳	Wood	Eldest Son	Foot, Liver	Movement, Emission
Xun	4	Southeast	☴	Wood	Eldest daughter	Thigh, gallbladder	Enter, Follow
Middle	5	Central	-	Earth	-	-	Middle, and
Heaven	6	Northwest	☰	Jin	Father	Head, lung	Rigid, strong
Lake	7	West	☱	Jin	Maiden	Mouth, lung	Pleasure, speak
Gen	8	Northeast	☶	Earth	Young man	Hand, back	Stop, still
Li	9	South	☲	Fire	Middle-aged woman	Eyes, heart	Bright, beautiful

Nine Palaces Application

Measure Direction

Based on the matter in question, see which palace the "Yongshen" (useful god) falls into. The direction of that palace is then the favorable or unfavorable direction.

Measure Time

Each palace corresponds to a different time period, which can be used for timing.

Character divination

Determine relevant characters based on the Bagua attributes of the palace.

Event divination

Based on the five elements and trigrams of the palace, determine the nature and development of events.

Mnemonic Rhyme

Nine Palaces Digital Song:

一数坎来二数坤
三震四巽数中分
五为中宫六乾是
七兑八艮九离门

Nine Palaces Direction Song:

戴九履一，左三右七
二四为肩，六八为足
五居中央，纵横皆十五

Tips

Memorizing the positions, numbers, five elements, and eight trigrams of the Nine Palaces is the foundation for learning Qimen Dunjia. It is recommended to practice drawing diagrams frequently.