Qi Men Dun Jia
The Highest Level of Ancient Chinese Divination
Qi Men Dun Jia is one of the Three Styles of ancient Chinese divination, alongside Liu Ren and Tai Yi. It integrates astronomy, geography, mathematics, and philosophy — known as the “Emperor’s Art”.
Origins of Qi Men Dun Jia
Over 4,000 years of history — from ancient legend to the Emperor's Art
Legendary Origins
Legend has it that the Nine Heavens Profound Girl bestowed the art of Qi Men Dun Jia upon the Yellow Emperor during his war with Chi You. Qi Men Dun Jia is divided into Mathematical Qi Men and Magical Qi Men. Our focus is on Mathematical Qi Men.
Jia — The Supreme Commander
The highest-ranking unified commander. “Dun Jia” means to hide and protect the commander — concealing Jia from danger.
Three Wonders — The Advisors
Six Instruments — The Six Armies
Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui — the six armies. Each of the Six Jia commands one army. The first commander is Jia-Zi Wu.
Historical Evolution (Traditional Account)
What We Study
Time-Based Rotating Plate Qi Men, totaling 18 Ju(9 Yang Dun + 9 Yin Dun). These 18 base patterns group the system's 1,080 distinct configurations into a practical framework. This is the crystallization of wisdom from generations of scholars, refined from complexity to simplicity.
Classical References
The knowledge presented here is drawn from classical Chinese texts that have been studied for centuries:
Content by Cyan Sandalog · Educational content for cultural study purposes only · Classical texts referenced are in the public domain.
Five Elements: Strength & Application
Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water — the fundamental system of categorization
Reverse Controlling
Quantity becomes quality — extremes reverse:
Four Core Parameters
The essential foundations for Qi Men Dun Jia analysis:
Heavenly Stems & Practical Application
The Ten Heavenly Stems are the core predictive symbols in Qi Men Dun Jia
Stem Symbolism Reference
| Stem | Yin/Yang | Element | Personality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 甲 | Yang Wood | Wood | Straightforward and confident |
| 乙 | Yin Wood | Wood | Gentle and compliant |
| 丙 | Yang Fire | Fire | Passionate and volatile |
| 丁 | Yin Fire | Fire | Calculating and strategic |
| 戊 | Yang Earth | Earth | Solid, strong-tempered |
| 己 | Yin Earth | Earth | Calm and gentle |
| Yang Metal | Metal | Sharp-edged and decisive | |
| Yin Metal | Metal | Composed and calculating | |
| 壬 | Yang Water | Water | Cunning and unpredictable |
| 癸 | Yin Water | Water | Soft and yielding |
Five Combinations
Stem Clashes
Yin & Yang Division
Yang Stems favor action and the guest — initiative, going out, pioneering;Yin Stems favor stillness and the host — maintaining, waiting, internal affairs.
Earthly Branches & Practical Application
The Twelve Earthly Branches encode time, space, and universal correspondences
Six Clashes
Punishments
Pair Combinations
Triple Combinations
Seasonal Gatherings
Twelve Stages of the Life Cycle
Every phenomenon goes through a cycle of rise and decline
Yang Advances, Yin Retreats
Yang stems follow the twelve stages forward; Yin stems follow them in reverse. This is the fundamental rule for determining trends in Qi Men analysis.
Yang Death, Yin Birth
Where a Yang stem dies is where a Yin stem is born. Yin and Yang are mutually each other's life and death, embodying the Way of Heaven and Earth.
The Mystery of the Grave
Entering the Grave means matters are concealed with hidden significance. This requires special attention in Qi Men analysis — like someone entering a tomb, unseen from outside, with mysteries within.
Rising Stages
Falling & Nurturing Stages
Note on the Grave Stage
Entering the Grave means matters are concealed with hidden significance — this requires special attention in Qi Men analysis.When something enters the Grave, it is like a person entering a tomb — the outside cannot see what is within. Truth is hidden and changes are unknowable. In practice, the Grave often indicates that critical information is obscured, requiring comprehensive analysis of other symbols.