How to Set Up a Game
Tip
Setting up the game is just the first step; what's more important is learning how to analyze and judge. It's recommended to first choose a reliable chart-plotting software, and then focus your main energy on analysis and decision-making. If the chart-plotting algorithm is incorrect, then subsequent analysis will be meaningless.
Basic Concepts
Concepts of Yang Dun and Yin Dun
Yang Dun (Yang Escape) is arranged clockwise from Palace 1 to Palace 9: Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui, Ding, Bing, Yi
Yin Dun Reverse Order from Palace 9 to Palace 1: Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui, Ding, Bing, Yi
Palace:
巽4 离9 坤2
震3 中5 兑7
艮8 坎1 乾6Bureau Number and Jia Zi Wu
During Yang Dun, if Jia Zi Wu is in Palace
When in Yin Dun, Jia Zi Wu in the
Steps for Setting up the Bureau
Step Zero: Convert Gregorian Calendar Time to Gan Zhi Calendar
For example: November 4, 2008, 12:30 PM corresponds to the Gan Zhi calendar: Wu Zi Ren Xu Wu Shen Wu Wu
Step 1: Determine the Board Number
Determine which board to use (Yang Dun or Yin Dun, Board 1 to Board 9) based on the solar terms and the day's Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch.
Solar Term Divisions
- Yang Dun: Winter Solstice to Summer Solstice (11th to 5th lunar month)
- Yin Dun: Summer Solstice to Winter Solstice (6th to 10th lunar month)
Twenty-Four Solar Terms Chart
Yang Dun Chart:
| Solar Term | Lantern Festival | Ghost Festival | Lower Origin Festival |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Solstice, Awakening of Insects | 1 | 7 | 4 |
| Lesser Cold | 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Greater Cold, Spring Equinox | 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Grain in Ear | 6 | 3 | 9 |
| Grain Rain, Lesser Fullness | 5 | 2 | 8 |
| Beginning of Spring | 8 | 5 | 2 |
| Pure Brightness, Beginning of Summer | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| Rain Water | 9 | 6 | 3 |
Yin Dun Pei Ju:
| Solar Terms | Shangyuan Festival | Zhongyuan Festival | Xiayuan Festival |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Solstice, White Dew | 9 | 3 | 6 |
| Minor Heat | 8 | 2 | 5 |
| Major Heat, Autumn Equinox | 7 | 1 | 4 |
| Start of Autumn | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| Shuangjiang (Frost's Descent), Xiaoxue (Minor Snow) | 5 | 8 | 2 |
| Daxue (Major Snow) | 4 | 7 | 1 |
| Chushu (End of Heat) | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| Hanlu (Cold Dew), Lidong (Start of Winter) | 6 | 9 | 3 |
Step 2: Arrange the Three Wonders and Six Rites
The site is fixed and unchanging, based on the Luo Shu Nine Palaces.
巽4 离9 坤2
震3 中5 兑7
艮8 坎1 乾6Following the principle of Yang ascending and Yin descending: For Yang Dun, the sequence starts from palace
Step 3: Determine the Nine Stars, Six Yi, and Zhi Shi Men led by the Zhi Fu.
This is mainly determined by the hour stem and branch of the chart.
- According to the Sixty Jia Zi table, find the Xun Shou (Decade Leader) corresponding to the hour stem and branch. The Xun Shou for Wu Wu is Jia Yin.
- Determine the Duty Star based on the banner under which the six Jia are hidden.
| Six Jia | Banner |
|---|---|
| Jia, Ji | Canopy |
| B, G | Tian Ren |
| C, H | Tian Chong |
| D, I | Tian Fu |
| E, J | Tian Ying |
According to the Nine Stars chart, determine the native star of that palace. The Chief will move with that star and the earthly stem of the underlying plate.
Eight Gates chart, determine the Eight Gates of that palace, which is the Chief Gate.
Step 4: Determine the palace where the Chief falls and arrange the heavenly stems of the heavenly plate.
Determine the palace where the Chief falls based on the hour stem. For example, if the hour stem is Wu Wu, then the Chief carries the star determined in the previous step and the earthly stem of the underlying plate to fall in the position of Wu, which is Kun 2 Palace.
Step 5: Arrange the Nine Stars and the Heavenly Plate Stems
According to the Nine Stars sequential arrangement table, starting from the palace where the Chief Star is located, arrange them clockwise (here, it's not according to the palace numbers, but the geometric order) to the other palaces.
Order of the Nine Stars
Tianxin, Tianpeng, Tianren, Tianchong, Tianfu, Tianying, Tianrui, Tianzhu. Tianqin is fixed in the central 5th palace.
Arranging the Heavenly Stems of the Heavenly Plate
The Heavenly Stems of the Heavenly Plate are determined by the Nine Stars in the current palace. Whatever the Earthly Plate Heavenly Stem was at the original position of that Nine Star will be carried over as the Heavenly Plate Heavenly Stem.
Step 6: Arranging the Spirit Plate (Eight Deities)
The Eight Deities start from the palace where the Chief Star is located. For Yang Dun, they fly clockwise; for Yin Dun, they fly counter-clockwise.
Eight Gods Order
Note: Yang is clockwise, Yin is counter-clockwise.
Eight Gods Sequential Arrangement Table: Zhi Fu → Teng She → Tai Yin → Liu He → Bai Hu → Xuan Wu → Jiu Di → Jiu Tian
Step 7: Determine the palace where the Zhi Shi Gate falls
Determine the governing gate based on the earthly branch of the hour.
Step 8: Arrange the Eight Gates
Following the Eight Gates sequential arrangement table, arrange them clockwise (geometrically), starting from the palace where the governing gate opens (Palace 2) and proceeding sequentially to the other palaces.
Eight Gates Sequence
Rest → Life → Injury → Block → Scenery → Death → Shock → Open
Key points for setting up a divination chart
Time determination
- Based on Beijing time (UTC+8)
- Pay attention to the solar term transition points
Confirm the matter
- Clearly define the specific matter to be predicted
- Choose the appropriate "Yong Shen" (useful god)
Notes
Note
- Accurate time is required for setting up the chart
- Special attention should be paid during the transition of solar terms
- It is recommended to use software for charting to avoid manual errors
- Focus on understanding the principles, don't just memorize them
- Practice more, summarize more, and improve proficiency.
Tips
Starting a game is just the first step; what's more important is learning to analyze and judge. It's recommended to first choose a reliable chart-plotting software, and then focus your main energy on understanding the patterns and judging good and bad fortune. If the chart-plotting algorithm is incorrect, then all subsequent analysis will be meaningless.