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Before one can do an in-depth study of the innate and formed trigram, he must be thorough in the
understanding of the He Tu and Luo Shu. Readers familiar with the jargon will immediately know that
He Tu refers to the body-patterns on the mythical dragon-horse, and Luo Shu refers to the shell-patterns
on the mythical giant-turtle.
Ancient sages and philosophers have spent their entire lives in demystifying the intricacies of the IChing (Book of Changes), also unraveling the He Tu and Luo Shu. If expounded in detail, it will not be
enough to be contained in just one volume. Therefore the author will only proceed to explain the
sections usually left out by most other books.
Theory of the He Tu
So says the Classics: "The innate (former heaven trigram) basis of the reckon-chart is the He Tu." The
markings on the Lo Pan (geomancial compass) is derived from the Map; that is such being the control,
orchestrates the four sectors."
1 & 6 shared genus residing at North
2 & 7 of same ways residing at South
3 & 8 being friends residing at East
4 & 9 being associates residing at West
5 & 10 resides at Centre
These are also the duality-complementary numbers of the Map. The Ten Heavenly Stems are also
derives from the Map, hence the nature of duality follows its corresponding numerical type (note: Yang
is odd, Yin is even).
Demystifying the He Tu
The He Tu basically follows the principle of heaven-earth being in position, but it also includes
attribute energy kinetics.
Mu-jiang teacher has said: Kan -Li meets Zhen -Xun, Gen -Dui joins Qian -Kun." This subtly points
out the rule of '1,6,4,9' and '2,7,3,8' is in accord; '1,6,3,8' and '2,7,4,9' is in discord. Trigram-energy in
accord means the arousing of the golden & vigorous dragon, while discord means myriad misfortunes.
Herein lies the secret that the left-originating clockwise turn along the Map is in growth accordance,
hence all matters prosper; else if discordance, all matters fade away into disintegration.
Ancient Yellow-River Map shows special relation to the environment in China :
West is mountainous with white snowy caps, the color category of metal
North being less shone by the sun is dark, black being the color category of water
left-originating
flow
left-originating
flow
1x3
2x2
right-originating
flow
right-originating
flow
4x2
8x2=16,
then take
6
This is what Lao-Zi meant when he said: " The Tao begets One, One begets Two, Two begets Three,
and Three begets all things in the Mystic Relation !".
The Luo Shu Guide also mirrors its relation with the Earth. " Qian being the heavenly gate, Xun being
the earthly mansion" , if we were to follow the principle of Qian being the lead and rearrange the Luo
Shu numbers, the resulting arrangement would be as follows :Earthly
Mansion
Heavenly
Gate
492
276
3 5 7 ->
951
816
438
Heavenly
Gate
Earthly
Mansion
Earth
Equator
From a new perspective , one could see that this is the very Earth we had been residing. The Earth has
its axis of rotation tilted at 23.5 degrees, a cycle after which would give the following arrangement :Heavenly Gate
8 1 6
3 5 7
4 9 2
Earthly Mansion
Equator
The Earth's rotation causes diurnal distinction, and its tilted axis causes seasonal distinction; all things
therefore bloom and wane. This is the order of "2 -8 changing places leading to all things flourishing."
Innate (early heaven) Eight Trigram
Also named Fu-xi Trigram, <the Book of Changes - Explanation of Complexities>noted : " The ancient
Fu-xi being the Lord under heaven, looking up to see the heavenly signs, looking down to see the
earthly laws, observing the relations between animals and its environment, also in observing the
vicinity and periphery, thus did he creates the Eight Trigram, with respect to intelligent virtues and all
life-forms". The preceding statement shows how Fu-xi used his own vision to observe the natural laws
and formulate the Eight Trigram, differentiating all forms and their nature.
" Changes inherit the nature of Absolute, giving rise to Duality, which begets the Four Signs, in turn
make the arising of the Eight Trigram."
The author has always asked his students: " Why is there only Eight Trigram, and never Seven or Nine
Trigram?". There is a mathematical reason for this: Because the Absolute gives rise to Duality, that is
Yang and Yin, representing the binary states of Logic. Since there is two possible changes, and each
Trigram is made of three components, the combined possible changes for each Trigram will be 2 to the
power of 3, which is equal to 8. Hence the Eight Trigram are the possible number of combinations
derived from these changes.
Modern computer technology has progressed fast and far. Its computation speed is faster than the speed
of sound. Yet its basic language is based upon the binary states of electronic logic circuits. This 'zero or
one' system is the same as the Duality concepts as propounded by the Study of Changes, that is " Self"
or "Non-Self".
<The Book of Changes- Trigram Theorizing> says : " Heaven and Earth being in place, Mountain and
Marsh in unobstructed flow, Thunder and Wind interacting, Water and Fire not in confused turmoil;
Eight Trigram in balance tension, following leads to its flow, facing leads to its source. As such,
changes could be reckoned".
Close observation will bring its apparent relation with the geography of China :
North-West is mountainous
Shao Kang-jie once mentioned : " Such is that 1 divides into 2, 2 into 4, 4 into 8, 8 into 16, 16 into 32,
32 into 64; of thousand roots which again branches into thousands of amassing and getting finer, the
finer the denser details. Gathered into one, delved into thousands." This is the principle of the
interacting Eight Trigram that creates the sixty-four Trigram, which includes all phenomena without
limits.
Zhu-xi of Song Dynasty, who authored 'Foundations on the Study of Changes' implied:
"Before the Void, there exists Yin with intrinsic Yang; after the Formed, there exists Yang with intrinsic
Yin. Yin is the mother of Yang, while Yang is the father of Yin. Thus, the mother begets the son as Fu,
the father begets the daughter as Gou: in furtherance the Yang arises from Fu and the Yin arises from
Gou." (Note: Fu Trigram has its form as with Yang starting from its foremost significant place, Gou
Attribute has its form as with Yin starting from its foremost significant place.) This illustrates the Eight
Trigram principle of Yang has Yin within, and Yin has Yang within."
Innate (former heaven) Eight Trigram derives from Absolute which begets Duality, begets Four Signs,
begets Eight Attributes and containing the Great Nature within:
Yang first appear in the East (Li Kua) and felt in the South (Qian Kua), Yin first appear in the West
(Kan Kua) and felt in the North (Kun Kua). This is also what the Classics have said : " Dragons apart in
opposing banks makes Yin and Yang."
Explained above is the theory of : " Innate (former heaven) being the principle".
Five Elements of Xuan Kong
Segregation of the five elements