Plum Flower Divination and Medicine

by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac.

Table of Contents
A Brief History and Background of Plum Flower Divination ............................................ 2
Plum Flower Divination and its Medical Usage ................................................................. 3
A. Terminology ............................................................................................................... 3
B. Elemental Relationships between the Gua ................................................................. 5
The Body Gua and Function Gua ............................................................................... 6
Mutual Gua ................................................................................................................. 6
Changed Gua ............................................................................................................... 7
C. Gua Qi: Relationships between Season and the Gua ................................................. 8
D. Response Time for Predictions ................................................................................ 11
E. Specifics of Diagnosis and Treatment ...................................................................... 13
Body Parts and Disease ............................................................................................. 14
F. Other Considerations ................................................................................................ 17
G. Ghosts and Spirits .................................................................................................... 17
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 18
Appendix 1: Plum Flower Divination Case Studies ......................................................... 19
Case Study 1 ................................................................................................................. 19
Case Study 2 ................................................................................................................. 20
Case Study 3 ................................................................................................................. 23
Appendix 2: Setting Up the Gua ....................................................................................... 25
A. Setting up a Gua based on Time and Date ............................................................... 25
B. Setting up a Gua based on Counting Grains of Rice ................................................ 27
Glossary ............................................................................................................................ 28
References ......................................................................................................................... 30

Note: This document may be passed around freely, no permission necessary. However,
quoting from it without attribution to the author is plagiarism and brings very bad karma.

If you find any typos or errors, please contact the author at: zhenjiu@gmail.com

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 1

 Plum Flower Divination and Medicine

Plum Flower Divination is an ancient Chinese calculation method based on the

Yijing 《易經》. This essay discusses the medical uses of Plum Flower Divination, but
once the principles are understood, this method can be applied to other subjects.
Much of the information in this essay comes from a Chinese book called True
Formula of Plum Flower Yi Calculation by Li Keru (1997).
In this essay, I am assuming some basic knowledge on the part of the reader: yin-
yang, five element theory, stems and branches, Chinese lunar calendar, and the eight gua
(trigrams) of the Yijing. There are many sources available for these topics. Please refer to
them if you need more information.

A Brief History and Background of Plum Flower Divination

It is said that Shao Kangjie 邵康節 (1011-1077), who was also known as Shao
Yong 邵雍, discovered Plum Flower Yi Calculation 梅花易數 during the Song Dynasty.
The story goes like this: Shao studied the Yijing for many years, but never was satisfied
with his achievement. One day he found a note in a ceramic pillow when it broke. This
note stated the exact time the pillow would break. Shao finally traced the note to an old
man, but found that the old man had recently died. However, the old man’s son was
instructed by his father before his death that someone would come to the door at that
exact time, and that he should give the visitor (Shao) the old man’s copy of the Yijing.
Shao found that the old man had marked up and annotated the book. In this way, Shao
received the Plum Flower methods (Liu, 1979).
Stories about Master Shao are quite marvelous. There are at least four English
language books that discuss this story and his methods (Huang, 2000; Jou, 1984; Liu,
1979; Sherrill & Chu, 1977), but sometimes these books are hard to find or out of print.
Some scholars feel that Plum Flower techniques were developed by later authors
and attributed back to Shao Kangjie (Smith, 1990). However, it is agreed that Shao wrote
the Book of Supreme Principles Ordering the World 《皇極經世》 and some books of
poetry (Smith, 1990; Liu, 1979). Shao focused on the image and number aspects of the
Yijing. His unique perspectives influenced generations of scholars and users of the Yijing.
The Plum Flower methods do not require the use of coins, yarrow stalks, dice,
tortoise shells, or any other object as a tool to derive a gua. Instead, they use the mind,
images, and numbers. Many things are taken as omens: anything out of the ordinary, no
matter how small; something or someone coming from a certain direction, birds fighting,
a girl falling out of a tree, a strange expression on someone’s face, or the time and date.
These are all the things that can be translated into gua and analyzed.
Predictions may be made on any topic or for any subject. For example, a patient
can be diagnosed using the Plum Flower methods. A doctor could use it on a difficult
case, when there is a change in the patient’s condition, or even when the patient first calls
to make an appointment. While it may appear to have some level of accuracy, it is best
used in conjunction with more conventional methods of diagnosis.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 2

Plum Flower Divination and its Medical Usage
There are two aspects to Plum Flower Divination: special methods of deriving a
set of gua for divination and special methods of interpreting this set of gua. Two methods
of setting up the gua are briefly described in Appendix 2. The basic principles and
medical interpretation will be investigated below.
A. Terminology: First, the Plum Flower terminology must be introduced.
Note that the term gua (卦) can refer to a three-line diagram (trigram or single-gua)
or a six-line diagram (hexagram or double-gua).
Let us assume that we have already used some method to set up a double-gua with
a changing line. This is called the original gua (本卦 ben gua). The original gua consists
of two single-gua: the body gua and the function gua.
The body gua (體卦 ti gua) is the single-gua in the original gua that represents the
subject of the divination. ‘Ti’ 體 literally means ‘body, the state of a substance, form.’ It
is the still or unchanged gua, so it appears in both the original gua and the changed
double-gua. When asking about health or illness, it represents the patient.
The function gua (用卦 yong gua) is the single-gua that represents the activity,
especially the beginning of an activity. ‘Yong’ 用 literally means ‘use, employ, apply,
function.’ It is the single-gua in the original gua that contains the changing line. When
asking about health or illness, it represents the disease.
The original gua contains the body gua and the function gua. Either the upper or
the lower gua can be the body gua and the other will always be the function gua,
depending on where the changing line falls.
The changing line (變爻 bian yao) is the line that represents some activity or
change in the situation. If it is originally yin, it transforms to yang and vice versa. In the
Plum Flower methods, there is only one changing line.
After the changing line transforms to its opposite, a second double-gua is made,
called the changed gua (變卦 bian gua). ‘Bian’ literally means ‘change, become different,
become, transform, alter.’ The term ‘bian gua’ is also used for the single-gua with the
changing line after it has been transformed. So the ‘changed gua’ may refer to the
changed single-gua or the changed double-gua. The changed gua represents the end of the
activity. In divination of disease, it is the outcome of the illness.

Now we have four single-gua making up two double-gua:

original gua changed gua
___ body gua ___ body gua
___ qian ___ qian
___ heaven ___ heaven
_ _ function gua _ _ changed gua
→
_ _ kun _ _ zhen
_ _ changing line earth ___ thunder
25 12
無妄 wu wang 否 pi
innocence stagnation

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 3

 There is an additional type of gua: The mutual gua (互卦 hu gua) represents the
activity’s process or course, or the course of treatment when looking at an illness. ‘Hu’
互 literally means ‘mutual, each other, reciprocal.’ There are two mutual gua. One is
formed by lines 2, 3, and 4 of the original double-gua. The other is formed by lines 3, 4,
and 5 of the original double-gua. The body mutual gua contains two lines from the body
gua. The function mutual gua contains two lines from the function gua.

original gua mutual gua

6 ___ body gua 5 ___ body mutual gua
5 ___ qian 4 ___ xun
4 ___ heaven 3_ _ wind, wood
3 _ _ function gua 4 ___ function mutual gua
→
2_ _ kun 3_ _ gen
1_ _ earth 2_ _ mountain
25 53
無妄 wu wang 漸 jian
innocence gradual progress

While the numbers and names of the double-gua are included in the above
examples, they are not necessary in Plum Flower Divination. We do not need to identify
the double-gua nor read their associated text. Interpretation is based on the single-gua,
their associated elements, and the season or month in which the divination takes place.
Body and function are essential concepts. Body is form or substance and function
is how it is used. Body is pre-heaven, and function is post-heaven. Body is simple and
function is complex. Body is the car you drive and function is the road you drive it on.
The timber is the body, and the finished furniture uses it (function).
In Plum Flower Divination, the body gua represents the host; it is me, it is the
subject of the divination. The function gua, mutual gua, and changed gua are all guests;
they are the other. Therefore, the mutual gua and changed gua are all classified as falling
within the function gua (Li, 1997, p. 94). This is one reason why body is said to be simple
and single, while the function is multiple and complex (Jou, 1984, p. 75).

Body Gua Function Gua

stillness movement
host guest
me other person
my body activity
my body illness
simple complex
single multiple

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 4

B. Elemental Relationships between the Gua
As stated above, Plum Flower Divination ignores the text of the Yijing.
Interpretation is instead based on the elemental relationships of the gua with each other,
and also their relationship with time and the seasons. Here are the element associations
for the eight gua:

Pre-heaven number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 (0)

Single-gua qian dui li zhen xun kan gen kun
Associated element metal metal fire wood wood water earth earth

Determining the condition of the body gua is of primary importance as it

represents the condition of the patient. Anything that makes the body gua stronger helps
the patient. Anything that makes it weaker injures the patient.
Since the body gua represents the patient himself, it is important that the other gua
support it. This makes the patient stronger and healthier. This is why it is auspicious for
the function gua (including the mutual gua and changed gua) to engender or be the same
element as the body gua; the results of treatment will be satisfactory or the patient will
recover spontaneously. For example, if the patient is represented by a body gua that is
wood, another wood gua or a water gua brings benefit to the patient.
If the function, mutual, or changed gua restrain the body gua, it puts more stress
and pressure on the patient, so it is an inauspicious sign. For example, if the patient is
represented by a body gua that is wood, a metal gua is not favorable.
If these gua drain the body gua, it also weakens the patient and is a bad omen.
Treatment is not likely to be effective and the disease may worsen. For example, if the
patient is represented by a body gua that is wood, a fire gua is inauspicious.
If the body gua restrains the function gua or the others, it is considered half-
auspicious and half-inauspicious. This is because the body gua is still in charge of the
relationship, but it takes effort to restrain someone or something else. It is good to win a
struggle but better not to struggle at all. Recovery is possible but the treatment may not
be smooth or may have setbacks. For example, if the patient is represented by a body gua
that is wood, an earth gua is half-auspicious and half-inauspicious.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 5

The Body Gua and Function Gua
It is beneficial for the function gua to be of the same element or to engender the element
of the body gua. It is harmful for the function gua to restrain the body gua, or for the
body gua to engender the function gua. If the body gua restrains the function gua, the
prognosis is mixed. Even though the body gua is able to control the function gua, it takes
effort to do so. This effort or struggle weakens the body gua somewhat.

Relationship between Body Gua and Function Gua

Relationship of Gua Prognosis Judgment
function gua engenders good health returns soon, a dose of
auspicious
body gua medicine easily cures the patient
function gua restrains
the disease is serious inauspicious
body gua
body gua engenders qi is drained, the body is weak,
inauspicious
function gua difficult to cure with medicine
body gua restrains
disease is expelled but recovery is gradual mixed
function gua
body and function gua are the
minor self-limiting disease auspicious
same element

Mutual Gua
Since the mutual gua represents the course of treatment, if it benefits the body gua
(the patient), then the treatment will go smoothly. The treatment does not go well if the
mutual gua restrains the body gua.

Relationship between Body Gua and Mutual Gua

Relationship Prognosis Judgment
mutual gua engenders
successful treatment, medicine cures auspicious
body gua
mutual gua restrains up and down, unstable, treatment not
inauspicious
body gua smooth, possible degeneration
body gua engenders
treatment is unsuccessful inauspicious
mutual gua
body gua restrains
treatment takes longer than expected mixed
mutual gua
body gua and mutual gua are
treatment is beneficial auspicious
the same element

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 6

Changed Gua
In order to completely recover, the changed gua must help the body gua. Here is a
summary of the relationship between the changed gua and the body gua:

Relationship between Body Gua and Changed Gua

Relationship Prognosis Judgment
changed gua engenders
completely cured, health returns soon auspicious
body gua
changed gua restrains
cure no good, disaster inauspicious
body gua
body gua engenders medicine without effect, body weakens,
inauspicious
changed gua even long-term treatment will not cure.
body gua restrains
medicine cures, but delays, slow recovery mixed
changed gua
body gua and changed gua
good prognosis auspicious
are the same element

Summary of Elemental Relationships between Gua

Relationship Outcome
body gua engendered
by any of the other gua
auspicious Treatment is highly satisfactory.
body gua and any of
You can be cured.
the other gua have
the same element
any of the other gua
restrain the body gua Treatment is not successful.
inauspicious
body gua engenders No cure, poor prognosis.
any of the other gua
Treatment is half gain and half loss.
body gua restrains any half-auspicious and You may need to switch doctors or
of the other gua half-inauspicious treatments. Or it can mean that you have
obstructions and setbacks.

In most cases, the function, two mutual, and changed gua have different
relationships with the body gua, so some skill and practice is needed in interpretation.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 7

C. Gua Qi: Relationships between Season and the Gua
First, we need to understand the terms gua qi, prospering, and declining.
Gua qi (卦氣) is the effect of the season or month on the gua based on the five
elements. First we need to understand the relationship of the seasons and the months with
the five elements. Each season consists of three months. The first two months have the
same element as the season. The last month of every season corresponds to earth, as earth
element is the transformation between two seasons.

Month Branch Element Season

1st Yin Wood
Spring:
2nd Mao Wood
Wood
3rd Chen Earth
4th Si Fire
th Summer:
5 Wu Fire
Fire
6th Wei Earth
7th Shen Metal
th Autumn:
8 You Metal
Metal
9th Shu Earth
10th Hai Water
Winter:
11th Zi Water
Water
12th Chou Earth

Remember that Chinese seasons are different than western seasons:

The spring begins with the first lunar month (around February).
The summer begins with the 4th lunar month (around May).
The autumn begins with the 7th lunar month (around August).
The winter begins with the 10th lunar month (around November).
To know the exact date that Chinese lunar months begin and end, you need to consult a
Ten-Thousand Year Calendar 《萬年曆》.
There are two basic types of gua qi: prospering (旺 wang) and declining (衰
shuai).
Prospering means the element of the season or month is the same as or engenders
the gua in question. It is an auspicious state for the body gua because the patient is then
strong. Prospering is auspicious for the function, mutual, and changed gua if they help the
body gua. If they hurt the body gua, it is inauspicious for them to prosper because then
they can do more damage.

Prospering Gua Qi
Season Primary Secondary
spring wood zhen, xun li
summer fire li gen, kun
autumn metal qian, dui kan
winter water kan zhen, xun
four earth months earth kun, gen qian, dui

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 8

 Declining is when the element of the season or month restrains the gua in question,
or the gua engenders the season or month. It is inauspicious for the body gua to decline
because the patient is in a weakened state. However, declining improves the status of the
function, mutual, and changed gua if they injure the body gua. That way they are not
strong enough to do much damage. But if these gua help the body gua and are also
declining, they cannot give a lot of help.

Declining Gua Qi
Season Primary Secondary
spring wood gen, kun kan
summer fire qian, dui zhen, xun
autumn metal zhen, xun gen, kun
winter water li qian, dui
four earth months earth kan li

If a gua restrains the element of the month or season, it is neither prospering nor
declining. You can consider this a more or less neutral condition: not too good, not too
bad.
To know the condition of a disease, whether there will be recovery or if it will
worsen, you should observe the declining and prospering of the body gua (representing
the patient) and the various function gua (representing the condition of the disease pattern
and the success of treatment).

The Body Gua Declining or Prospering

Condition Prognosis Outcome
body gua declines difficult to cure inauspicious
body gua prospers easy to cure auspicious
body declines and is restrained difficult to survive very inauspicious

If the body gua is restrained by another gua, we can check further to see if good
fortune is hidden in the situation and the patient can be saved. If it is the season of
whatever element engenders the body gua, then the season drains the qi of the gua that
restrains the body gua. For example, take a body gua of kan water being restrained by a
changed gua of gen earth. If this occurs during the autumn, the metal season, then, the
metal of autumn drains the earth of gen, and supports the water of kan. Even if metal gua
such as dui or qian are not present, the season supports the body gua and mitigates the
situation.
Body Changed
Season Outcome
Gua Gua
kan autumn gen Even though gen earth restrains the body gua, the metal
water metal earth of autumn weakens the earth and benefits the body gua.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 9

 However, if the body gua is firmly restrained, and the restraining gua are
prospering, this is a very serious situation. For instance, a body gua of kan water with a
changed gua of gen earth and the function gua and mutual gua also support the earth
element. In addition, the month is chen, wei, xu, or chou (the earth months). In this case,
the prognosis would be very poor. The disease condition worsens and the patient cannot
be cured or rescued.
Body Other
Month Outcome
Gua Gua
chen, wei, gen and Kan water is powerfully restrained by the other gua,
kan
xu, or chou kun and these are very strong because the month element
water earth earth supports them and weakens kan water.
Most cases will not be this extreme.

Here is a summary of gua qi and outcomes:

Body Gua Other Gua Outcome
gang up to engender or support body recovery prospects are
gua auspicious, flourishing
a few restrain body gua, especially if not inauspicious, without
they are declining hindrance
prospers
many gang up to restrain body gua inauspicious
restrained by body gua auspicious
not inauspicious, without
engendered by body gua
hindrance
engender or support body gua auspicious
a few restrain body gua inauspicious
declines
many gang up to restrain body gua very inauspicious
restrained by body gua inauspicious
help the body gua (engender or same
auspicious
element)
help the body gua and prosper very auspicious
regardless of
hurt the body gua (restrain or drain) inauspicious
gua qi
hurt the body gua and prosper very inauspicious
help the body gua and decline they can only help a little
hurt the body gua and decline they can only hurt a little

Not every possibility is listed, but once you have the idea, you can infer the outcome.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 10

The principles are as follows:
1. If the function gua engenders the body gua, the body gua is supported, so it is
appropriate.
2. If the body gua restrains the function gua, the body gua is in control, so it is
appropriate. If the body gua is prospering, it is strong enough to restrain the function
gua well, so it is auspicious. If the body gua is declining, it is unable to restrain the
function gua, so it is inauspicious.
3. If the function gua restrain the body gua, and the function gua prosper, the function
gua are able to restrain the body gua firmly, so it is not appropriate. However, if the
function gua decline and the body gua prospers, the strong body gua can withstand
the pressure, so it is without hindrance.
4. If the body gua engenders the function gua, then the body gua loses qi, so this is
without benefit. However, if the body gua prospers, it is strong and can withstand
losing qi, so it is without hindrance.
5. If the body gua is supported by many gua, and the body gua is prospering, it is
appropriate. If instead many function gua hurt the body gua even though it is
prospering, then the body gua is weak, and it is not appropriate.

D. Response Time for Predictions

There are a number of methods to judge the timing and progression of the
outcome. The body gua is not used in the calculation of timing as it is the starting point. It
is now, not some future time.

1. Sequence: Activities have a beginning, middle, and an end. You can arrange the
timing into four stages according to the function gua, the two mutual gua, and changed
gua. Judgment can be made about the course of the activity (or treatment) over time:
The body gua is me. The function gua is the beginning of the
activity. The mutual gua is the course or process of the activity. The
changed gua is the conclusion of the activity. If the function gua and the
mutual gua are auspicious, but the changed gua is inauspicious, the
activity is auspicious in the beginning, but turns out to be inauspicious
later. If the function gua is inauspicious, but the mutual gua and the
changed gua are auspicious, the activity is inauspicious in the beginning,
but becomes auspicious later. (Li, 1997, p. 94)

The function gua becomes the two mutual gua and the mutual gua become the
changed gua. It is likely the body mutual gua precedes the function mutual gua, but it is
best to be flexible in your interpretation. In any case, it is most important that the changed
gua is favorable as this is the final outcome; even if the course of treatment is not smooth,
at least the patient is likely to recover in the end.
If the two mutual gua and the function gua are all unfavorable for the body gua,
and only the changed gua is good, perhaps you should consider whether a different
treatment plan than the one you had in mind would bring a smoother and quicker
resolution.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 11

2. Length of time: You can use the pre-heaven numbers of the original gua’s two
components, and add these to the double-hour’s number. Use this number as hours, days,
months, or years (depending on how acute or chronic the situation is).

Pre-heaven number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Single-gua qian dui li zhen xun kan gen kun
Associated element metal metal fire wood wood water earth earth

Hour Branch Time Year or Hour Number

zi 11 pm-1 am 1
chou 1-3 am 2
yin 3-5 am 3
mao 5-9 am 4
chen 7-9 am 5
si 9-11 am 6
wu 11 am-1 pm 7
wei 1-3 pm 8
shen 3-5 pm 9
you 5-7 pm 10
xu 7-9 pm 11
hai 9-11 pm 12

For example, the body gua of qian (1), function gua of dui (2) and current hour of
zi (1) adds to four. If the sum is four, then a long time might mean four years or four
months. If a short time is likely, you can calculate four days or four hours.
You can take this sum and divide it into four stages associated the function, body
mutual, function mutual, and changed gua. In the above case with a sum of four, each
phase would occupy one year, one month, one day, or one hour.
If the total is 20, divide it into four phases, each occupying five years, five months,
five days, or five hours.

3. Pacing: You can also observe whether the person asking is walking, standing, sitting,
or lying down to calculate the speed of the response. If the sum obtained above is 24, and
the person who is asking is seated, you can infer the response in 24 days, 24 hours, or 24
minutes.
If the person asking is standing at the time of the divination, the response will be
quicker. Based on two-thirds of the sum, you can estimate 16 days, 16 hours, or 16
minutes.
If the person is walking, then the response is even faster. Based on one-half of the
sum, estimate 12 days, 12 hours, or 12 minutes.
If the question is asked in a moving car, this is really a fast response. Based on
one-third of the sum, infer 8 days, 8 hours, or 8 minutes.
If the person asking is lying down, then based on the sum you can double it or
increase it by one-third or two-thirds. So a sum of 24 can be increased to 32, 40, or 48.
The change is completed by 32, 40, or 48 days, hours, or minutes.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 12

 Another source says that if the person who asked was standing, use this number as
hours, days, months, years, etc. If walking, divide it by two because time is moving fast.
If sitting, multiply it by two, because time is slowed down. (Jou, 1984 p.98)
When do you use days or hours or minutes? It is inferred by ordinary logic based
on the type of activity. For example, a sprained ankle might take 10 to 30 days to heal.
In pregnancy, the maximum response time is nine months, so you can usually
infer a range of three to nine months. If the person is about to give birth, and the delivery
time is near, then infer the range of 3 or 4 days or perhaps 3 or 4 hours.
If someone suffers a stomach upset, it might resolve in 1 to 3 days.
If it is a common cold, it may take 7 to 14 days. You must be flexible with the
time and use judgment.

4. Fixed periods: Sometimes you may already have a period of time in mind when the
question is asked. The speed of the response varies according to the situation: Generally a
lifespan is around 72 years, so if the calculation used someone’s birth date, each of the
four phases occupies 18 years. If the calculation is based on the period of a year, then
each of the four stages occupies one season or three months. Based on a month, each of
the four stages occupies seven days. Based on a day, each of the four stages is six hours.

Length Function Gua Mutual Gua Mutual Gua Changed Gua

1 life 1-18 yrs 19-36 yrs 37-54 yrs 55-72 yrs
1 year spring summer autumn winter
1 month 7 days 7 days 7 days 7 days
1 week 2 days 2 days 2 days 2 days
1 day 6 hours 6 hours 6 hours 6 hours

E. Specifics of Diagnosis and Treatment

We can use Plum Flower Divination to receive information about the diagnosis
and treatment. Of course, this information should be compared with the signs and
symptoms of the patient and should be in relative agreement in the judgment of the
physician.
According to Li Keru (1997), the presenting condition should be related to either
the body gua itself, or to conditions associated with gua that restrains the body gua.
However, Dr. Chang Qing (2001) has stated that the symptoms are more likely to be
related to the restraining gua than the body gua.
Li suggests that treatment should consist of things (such as direction, season, and
medicine) associated with the gua that engenders the body gua.
For example, if the body gua is li, the patient may present with some sort of blood
disease. This is because blood is associated with li (fire element is associated with the
heart and the circulatory system, and therefore with the blood). Blood is also associated
with kan, as the water element corresponds to fluids in the body. Kan water restrains the
body gua of li fire.
In order to treat this blood disease, we can choose remedies associated with the
wood gua (zhen and xun) because wood reduces the strength of the disease as represented

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 13

by kan water, and also because wood strengthens the body gua, li fire, which represents
the patient.
Therefore, in addition to whatever herbs, acupuncture, etc. prescribed by the
doctor, the patient can also be told to travel east or southeast (wood directions).
Perhaps even sleeping in the east or southeast of the house or with the head in
those directions would be beneficial. Herbal treatment is especially effective, as most
herbs relate to the wood element. The disease should also improve in the springtime.

Body Parts and Disease

Here are the body parts and illnesses corresponding to each of the eight gua:

Qian as the body gua: Body parts include the head, face, forehead, chest, lungs, and
bones. Illnesses include diseases of the head and face, achy pain of the sinews and bones,
cold or heat in the upper jiao, coughing up blood, and external injuries.
If li restrains the body gua: burns or scalds, high fever, high blood pressure, wind
stroke, and illness of the blood.
Remedies related to gen or kun engendering the body gua: go to the southwest or
northeast to diagnose and treat, use medicine appropriate to the condition of the
patient (especially those made from metal or stone), the earth months are beneficial.
In both linggui bafa and feiteng bafa,1 gen corresponds to 内關 neiguan PC6. In
linggui bafa, kun corresponds to 照海 zhaohai KI6. In feiteng bafa, kun corresponds
to 申脈 shenmai UB62.

Dui as the body gua: Body parts include the mouth, large intestine, lungs, tongue, lips,
saliva, and throat. Illnesses include diseases of the mouth, tongue, throat, teeth, or lungs;
asthma, phlegm, toxin stroke, injury to the sinews or bones, and external injuries.
If li restrains the body gua: poisoning including food poisoning, toxin stroke, burns or
scalds, mania, raving.
Remedies related to gen or kun engendering the body gua: go to the southwest or
northeast to diagnose and treat, use medicine appropriate to the condition of the
patient (especially those made from metal or stone), the earth months are beneficial.
In both linggui bafa and feiteng bafa, gen corresponds to 内關 neiguan PC6. In
linggui bafa, kun corresponds to 照海 zhaohai KI6. In feiteng bafa, kun corresponds
to 申脈 shenmai UB62.

1
靈龜八法 linggui bafa and 飛騰八法 feiteng bafa are two ancient methods of chrono-acupuncture. While
we are not using those systems here, perhaps the correspondences of the eight gua with the confluence
points of the eight extraordinary vessels is useful.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 14

Li as the body gua: Body parts include the eyes, heart, small intestine, upper jiao, or
blood. Illnesses include diseases of the eyes, heart, or blood; fever, burns, mania, high
blood pressure, and wind stroke.
If kan restrains the body gua: wind stroke, the brain fills with blood, impoverished
blood, wasting of the blood, essence-spirit (mind) in a trance.
Remedies related to zhen or xun engendering the body gua: go to the east or southeast
to diagnose and treat; use warm nourishing prescriptions; herbal medicine
prescriptions; spring is beneficial. In both linggui bafa and feiteng bafa, zhen
corresponds to 外關 waiguan SJ5. In linggui bafa, xun corresponds to 臨泣 linqi
GB41. In feiteng bafa, xun corresponds to 後谿 houxi SI3.

Zhen as the body gua: Body parts include the feet, legs, liver, gall bladder, hands,
sinews, or eyes. Illnesses include external injury of the hands or feet, liver or gall bladder
disease, achy pain of the sinews and bones, broken bones, or fright wind.
If qian or dui restrains the body gua: external injury of the hands or feet, broken
bones, vehicle misfortune, and achy pain of the sinews and bones.
Remedies related to kan engendering the body gua: go to the north to diagnose and
treat, use appropriate cooling and freeing medicine, winter is beneficial. In linggui
bafa, kan corresponds to 申脈 shenmai UB62. In feiteng bafa, kan corresponds to 臨
泣 linqi GB41.

Xun as the body gua: Body parts include the thighs, hips, eyes, liver, gall bladder, hair,
or hands. Illnesses include wind-damp achy pain, wind stroke, gastrointestinal distention,
external injury of the hands or feet, or wind evils.
If qian or dui restrains the body gua: external injury of the hands or feet, broken
bones, vehicle misfortune, and achy pain of the sinews and bones.
Remedies related to kan engendering the body gua: go to the north to diagnose and
treat, use appropriate cooling and freeing medicine, winter is beneficial. In linggui
bafa, kan corresponds to 申脈 shenmai UB62. In feiteng bafa, kan corresponds to 臨
泣 linqi GB41.

Kan as the body gua: Body parts include the kidneys, urinary bladder, urinary tract,
breasts, blood, or ears. Illnesses include women’s diseases, diseases of the ear, heart,
blood, kidneys, urinary tract, stones, vacuity cold, difficult delivery, infertility, or syphilis.
If gen or kun restrains the body gua: infertility, syphilis, ear diseases, difficult
delivery, uterine cancer.
Remedies related to qian or dui engendering the body gua: go to the northwest to
diagnose and treat, use appropriate cool acrid freeing medicine, acupuncture, autumn
and winter are beneficial. In both linggui bafa and feiteng bafa, qian corresponds to
公孫 gongsun SP4. In both linggui bafa, dui corresponds to 後谿 houxi SI3. In
feiteng bafa, dui corresponds to 照海 zhaohai KI6.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 15

Gen as the body gua: Body parts include the hands, fingers, spine, ribs, nose, spleen, or
stomach. Illnesses include illnesses of the hands, fingers, spleen, stomach; stones,
swellings and tumors, cancer, sore-toxins.
If zhen or xun restrains the body gua: gall bladder and liver illness, poor digestion,
abdominal distention, wind pain.
Remedies related to li engendering the body gua: go to the south to diagnose and treat,
use appropriate warming and harmonizing medicine, hot medicines, summer is
beneficial. In both linggui bafa and feiteng bafa, li corresponds to 列缺 lieque LU7.

Kun as the body gua: Body parts include the belly, spleen, stomach, flesh, intestines,
uterus, or reproductive organs. Illnesses include diseases of the intestines or stomach,
poor digestion, infertility, women’s diseases, uterine cancer.
If zhen or xun restrains the body gua: gall bladder and liver illness, poor digestion,
abdominal distention, wind pain.
Remedies related to li engendering the body gua: go to the south to diagnose and treat,
use appropriate warming and harmonizing medicine, hot medicines, summer is
beneficial. In both linggui bafa and feiteng bafa, li corresponds to 列缺 lieque LU7.

The above gua associations are rooted in the Explanation of the Gua (《說卦》
shuogua), one of the commentaries on the Zhouyi attributed to Confucius (孔夫子). For
example, Chapter Nine of the Explanation of the Gua says: “Qian is the head. Kun is the
belly. Zhen is the foot. Xun is the thighs. Kan is the ears. Li is the eyes. Gen is the hand.
Dui is the mouth.”
Chapter 11 of the Explanation of the Gua also lists many other attributes that can
also be used in medicine. These attributes can be extended in meaning to include related
aspects. For example, since kun is the mother and represents the belly, it also can
represent the female reproductive organs, and things related to fertility and pregnancy.
Since it is the belly and also the earth element, it can include the spleen and stomach, the
organs of digestion which correspond to the earth element.

According to Liu Jie (2005, p329-343), zhen formulas are chiefly to release the
exterior, so their herbs are often acrid, sweet, and effusing. They are light, clear,
upbearing, and floating and are often plant matter consisting of branches, barks, and peels
that are hollow or empty inside.
Xun formulas are chiefly to order the interior, so their herbs are often sour, bitter,
expelling and discharging. They are heavy, turbid, sinking, and downbearing. You often
see herbs with a dry heart and full interior.
Kan formulas are chiefly to expel cold, so their herbs are often acrid, sweet, warm,
or hot. Their nature is upbearing and floating. They are often produced in the seasons of
winter and spring.
Li formulas are chiefly to clear heat, so their herbs are often sour, bitter, cold, or
cool. Their nature is to sink and downbear. They are often produced in the summer and
autumn.
Gen formulas are chiefly to supplement vacuity, so their herbs are often sweet,
warm, enriching, and supplementing. Their nature is to upbear and rise up. They
supplement qi and boost the blood.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 16

 Dui formulas are chiefly to eliminate repletion, so their herbs are often effusing,
scattering, attacking, and precipitating. Their nature is to go outward and expel evil qi.
Qian formulas are to strengthen yang, so their herbs are often acrid, sweet,
effusing, and scattering. They have a bland flavor and percolate and discharge. They are
light, clear, upbearing, and floating.
Kun formulas chiefly enrich yin, so their herbs are often sour, bitter, expelling and
discharging, or salty, enriching, and supplementing. They are heavy, turbid, sinking, and
downbearing.

F. Other Considerations
While it is certainly possible to perform divination without the subject being
present, it is important that we have a minimum of information about them. Knowing
their gender and their approximate age will enable us come to an appropriate diagnosis.
Male disease patterns are different than female disease patterns. There are also
distinctions according to age: the elderly, in the prime of life, young adults, teenagers,
children, and infants are quite different. Of course, it is always preferable to have the
patient examined by the physician but mild remedies may be prescribed for an unseen
patient if it is unlikely that they may cause harm.

G. Ghosts and Spirits

Li Keru (1997) states:
If there is long-term treatment without recovery, or if the patient is
sometimes good and sometimes bad, or if the patient is good when taking
the medicine but ill when not taking the medicine, you can also consider
the theory that ghosts and spirits are affecting the patient. Although this is
an unorthodox theory, for the time being apply logic and look into which
gua restrains the body gua. In that way you can quickly understand who
the ghost or spirit is that comes to fool with the patient.

Ghosts and spirits had always been a part of Chinese medicine until the 1950’s.
The style of medicine now called TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) has not
acknowledged the etiological category of ghosts and spirits. However, many still believe
this is a possibility.
Li suggests in the above paragraph that if a patient is not recovering as they
should, it is possible that a spirit is bothering them. The types of ghosts and spirits
associated with each gua are given below. Li says the spirit is most likely related to the
gua that restrains the body gua. He does not suggest any remedy. However, you can use
the gua that engenders the body gua, as described above, or choose other methods of
expelling spirits.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 17

 Qian: ghosts or spirits from the northwest, battle spirit, commander in chief,
nobleman, or a ghost who died by the sword.
Dui: ghosts or spirits from the west, matchmaker god,2 a soul (hun) who died in
battle; ghosts from suicide, vehicle misfortune, or a knife injury.
Li: ghosts or spirits from the south, the kitchen god, soul (hun) of a brave warrior
or someone who died by electrocution, ghost who died by burning.
Zhen: ghosts or spirits from the east, tree spirits, thunder spirit, ghost from a
hanging death or who was struck by lightning, a soul (hun) demon (or monster).
Xun: ghosts or spirits from the southeast, wind spirits, tree spirits, ghost from a
hanging death or a mountain forest death.
Kan: ghosts or spirits from the north, water spirits, river spirits, soul (hun) from a
drowning death, ghost from a blood illness or water death.
Gen: ghosts or spirits from the northeast, mountain spirits, door guard spirits,
ghost from a mountain disaster, an ancestor’s soul, wind or water spirit.
Kun: ghosts or spirits from the southwest, the earth god, earth foundation god,
ancestor’s soul, a soul (hun) who died wandering the roads.

Conclusion
While the usual four methods of diagnosis are certainly adequate for
understanding the condition of the patient, there is no reason to be limited to looking,
feeling, listening/smelling, and asking. If other methods can reveal what is hidden or
confirm a difficult diagnosis, why not make use of them?
If we only use our minds in a linear, material, cause and effect manner, we lose
much of the information that can be seen when we look for images and correspondences.
This type of vertical thinking makes every phenomenon sequential in time, and either a
cause or an effect. It limits our ability to see how interconnected the body, life, the
environment, and the universe are. Horizontal thinking doesn’t look for sequential cause
and effect, but looks at synchronistic and simultaneous relationships like the moon and
the tides, electric current and magnetism, a mirror and a reflected image. What is inside
always manifests outside. What exists can be known, if only we know how to look.
Plum Flower Yi Jing is one kind of mirror that reflects to us what might have
otherwise been hidden. This can only benefit the patient.

2
月老公 (yuelao gong): this is a god in the moon who connects a red thread between two people who are
destined to be married. Would this be the god himself harassing to patient? Or perhaps a ghost from a pre-
destined spouse who died before the marriage could take place?

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 18

Appendix 1: Plum Flower Divination Case Studies

Case Study 1: (From Li, using rice gua divination. Rice gua divination involves making
three small piles of uncooked rice and counting them. The method is described in
Appendix 2.)
The first time 9 grains of rice were obtained. Nine divided by 8 leaves a
remainder of 1, which corresponds to qian, and makes the upper gua.
The second time, 8 grains were obtained. Eight is kun, and makes the lower gua,
setting up the original gua as heaven over earth: 12 否 Pi Gua (Stagnation).
The third time, 13 grains were obtained. 13 is six times two, with a remainder of 1.
Transform the first (lowest) line from yin to yang. The changed gua is heaven over
thunder: 25 無妄 Wu Wang Innocence. The body, function, two mutual, and changed gua
are shown below:

Original Gua Changed Gua Mutual Gua

12 25 53
否 pi 無妄 wu wang 漸 jian
stagnation innocence gradual progress
___ qian ___ qian ___ xun
___ body ___ ___
___ ___ _ _
_ _ kun → _ _ zhen ___ gen
_ _ function _ _ changed _ _
_ _x ___ _ _

Body Function Mutual Mutual Changed

qian kun xun gen zhen
metal earth wood earth wood
+ x + x
engenders body body restrains engenders body body restrains

Li says, “Because the first line changes in this gua, we can infer that the disease
condition is light and recovery is easy. There is merely a little pain from chafing to the
skin. The injury to the hands and feet is not serious. The patient also has poor appetite.
We should advise him to eat some noodles in soup. His digestion is not too bad. At most,
health will return in one month.”
Li does not explain the significance of which line is moving. However, from the
above, we can infer that since the bottom or first line is the beginning of the gua, that the
disease is recent and not deeply rooted in the patient; he can recover easily. Since the
function gua and one of the mutual gua engender the body gua, it also signifies a disease
that is not serious or difficult to cure. The other mutual gua and the changed gua are
restrained by the body gua. This is not inauspicious but can signal delays in recovery.
The time or season of divination was not stated, so we cannot factor in the gua qi.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 19

 The changed gua is zhen and one of the mutual gua is xun, both wood. Since
wood is restrained by the body gua, the disease is superficial and mild; this is why there
is only a minor injury to the hands and feet.
Kun is sometimes associated with the skin. Xun and zhen wood are associated
with movement. This causes the chafing to the skin.
The function gua is kun earth. One of the mutual gua is gen earth. They are
related to the spleen, stomach, and digestive disturbances. But since the function gua
engenders the body gua, the disease is very mild. Only poor appetite is encountered. The
disease should resolve by itself because it is relatively superficial. Medicine is not
necessary. Foods that are easy to digest, such as noodle soup, will help the spleen and
stomach.
Since the body gua needs to restrain two other gua, there is some hindrance to
recovery. The recovery will not be immediate, but will not be prolonged either, so the
prognosis is that health returns within one month.

Case Study 2: Patient JF, male, in his 50’s, HIV positive for many years. He is taking
some powerful antiretrovirals for HIV. His blood work is good: high t-cells, viral load
undetectable for 4 years. The main problem is severe wasting of the flesh. The patient’s
face looks like a skull covered with skin. He has a lot of pain in both feet, due in part to
neuropathy. However, much of the pain is due to wasting; his feet are just skin, tendons,
and bones. Since there is no padding left, it is very painful to walk, regardless of the type
of shoes he wears.
This wasting is most likely due to one of the drugs he is taking but JF has been
reluctant to change his medications due to the success with his blood work. His Western
doctor has also been conservation about making changes, but recently decided to
gradually wean him off his current medications and place him on another combination of
drugs that is less likely to cause wasting. The change in the medications will be in a
number of incremental steps over a period of a few months.
The patient came on September 7th, 2001 at 12:15 pm PDT. The corrected
standard time would be 11:15 am, but either way, it is in the same two-hour period.
2001 is a si year. Si is the 6th branch, fire element.
September 7th is the 20th day of the 7th lunar month (a shen metal month, and a
you metal day). It is in autumn, according to the Chinese lunar calendar.
11:15 am is the 7th hour, wu branch and fire element.

Upper gua: year + month + day

6 + 7 + 20 = 33
33/8 = 4, Remainder of 1 = qian gua

Lower gua: year + month + day + hour

6 + 7 + 20 + 7 = 40
40/8 = 5, Remainder of 0 = kun gua

Changing line: 40/6 = 6, Remainder of 4 = 4th line changing

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 20

 Original Gua Changed Gua Mutual Gua
12 20 53
否 pi 觀 guan 漸 jian
stagnation contemplation gradual progress
___ qian ___ xun ___ xun
___ function ___ changed ___
___ x __ _ _
_ _ kun → _ _ kun ___ gen
_ _ body __ _ _
__ __ _ _

Body Function Body Mutual Function Mutual Changed

kun qian gen xun xun
earth metal earth wood wood
decline prospering decline decline decline
drains body gua same as body restrains body restrains body
me
hurts a lot helps hurts hurts
Season: autumn

Condition and relationships of the gua:

Kun (the body gua) is only supported by one gua: gen (body mutual gua). Both
are earth.
Kun (body) and gen (mutual) are both earth gua. They are drained by the month
(season) and day (both metal). However, they are engendered by the year and the
hour. The main determination is based on the month or season. Therefore, kun
and gen gua are declining (shuai), but this is somewhat mitigated by the year and
hour (fire element). Results: only one gua helps the patient and it is not strong.
Qian metal, the function gua, has the same element as the month (season), so it is
prospering (wang). Since it is strong and drains the body gua, it can do a lot of
harm. The disease is strong and drains the patient.
Xun gua (mutual and changed gua) is wood. It is declining based on the month
(season). These two restrain the body gua. Even though they are not strong, the
body gua gets little support and much harm when you look at the overall situation.

Analysis: The body gua, representing the patient, is in decline, so the patient is not strong.
The only support he gets is from one of the mutual gua, gen, which is also earth. The
other mutual gua and the changed gua are both wood, which restrains the body gua’s
earth. However, this earth is also in decline, reducing the harm a little. The function gua
is metal, which drains the body gua. This function gua is in season, so it is strong.
The body gua represents the patient and is weak. The function gua is the disease.
It is strong and drains the patient. This is quite inauspicious and describes the severe
wasting he is enduring. The judgment is that it is difficult to cure with medicine.
The mutual gua represents the course of treatment. One of them restrains the body
and the other is the same element, helping the body gua. When the body is restrained by

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 21

the mutual gua, the treatment is up and down, unstable, not smooth, with possible
degeneration. However, one of the mutual gua helps the patient.
The changed gua is the outcome. Here the changed gua restrains the body gua,
meaning that the cure is not good, disaster.
Overall, this gives a very poor prognosis for JF. Li says, “When the body gua
declines and is also restrained by the mutual gua and/or the changed gua, the judgment is
that it is difficult to survive.”
As for the specific diagnosis, kun represents the belly, spleen, stomach, flesh, and
intestines. JF’s flesh is wasting (being drained by qian gua). This wasting of flesh is
because the spleen and stomach are not able to transform the food into qi and blood.
Since the mutual gua and the changed gua are xun wood, it is possible that the liver is
involved in his condition.
As for the method to decide the timing: Take the numbers of the upper and lower
gua, and add these to the double-hour’s number. 1 qian + 8 kun + 7th hour = 16. Is this 16
hours, days, months, or years? Hours and days are too quick, as wasting is a slow disease.
Years are probably too long. So this prediction probably represents a period of about 16
months.
Take the sum and assign the four stages according to the function, two mutual,
and changed gua. Each stage will be 4 months (16 months divided by four stages). The
function gua is the disease of wasting. It may last 4 months more, during the change of
medications. The body mutual gua is gen, which is earth like the body gua. This is
auspicious. The condition will improve for 4 months on the new medicine. The function
mutual gua and the changed gua are xun wood. Eight months of big trouble will follow.
While this is not a positive outcome for the patient, it seems that there are 4-8
months to find a different course of treatment, one that may have better results, before a
more serious decline begins.
Note that in both these case studies, we did not need to know the name of the
double-gua, nor did we read any of the text associated with it. This method is purely
image and number. It is not based on the meaning of the text.
Caution: if you are a licensed practitioner but not a MD, you cannot recommend
that the patient alter their intake of drugs prescribed by the Western doctor. This is called
‘practicing medicine without a license.’ Even though you have a license, if your scope of
practice does not include Western pharmaceuticals, be very cautions about this or you
could lose your license.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 22

Case Study 3: On September 30, 2006, between 2 and 3 pm, this person sprained her
ankle badly. The time and date were used to make a set of gua:

Upper gua: year + month + day

11 + 8 + 9 = 28
28/8 = 3, Remainder of 4 = zhen gua

Lower gua: year + month + day + hour

11 + 8 + 9 + 8 = 38
36/8 = 4, Remainder of 4 = zhen gua

Changing line: 36/6 = 6, Remainder of 0 = 6th line (top) changing

Body Function Body Mutual Function Mutual Changed

zhen zhen gen kan li
wood wood earth water fire
decline decline decline prosper neutral
same as body restrained by body engenders body drains body
me
helps mixed helps hurts
Season: autumn

Condition and relationships of the gua:

Zhen (the body gua) is supported by two gua: the function gua zhen (same
element) and the function mutual gua kan (water, which engenders the body gua).
The body and function gua are out of season, so they are not strong. The function
mutual gua of kan is prospering however, so it can help a lot.
The body mutual gua is gen earth. The body gua needs to expend effort to restrain
it, but it is in decline, so not a lot of effort is required. The body gua is in charge
of this relationship; while it doesn’t help the patient, it doesn’t hurt either.
The biggest problem is the changed gua, which is li fire. Since the element of this
gua restrains the season, it is neither prospering not declining. However, it hurts
the body gua by draining it. The other gua generally support the body gua and
only this one hurts it. The situation wouldn’t look too bad, except that this is the
final outcome.

Analysis
The body gua represents the patient. Here it is zhen, which commonly signifies
the feet. Zhen is also thunder, something sudden and startling. Being wood, it is related to
the liver, which governs sinews and movement. Hence, the patient, is startled while
moving by suddenly tripping and hurting her ankle. The injury is to the sinews.
According to the four phases, healing should go fairly smoothly until the end, but
complete healing is hard to achieve because the changed gua drains the body gua. This
changed gua is li fire. Perhaps it represents inflammation (heat) in the sinews of the ankle.
Perhaps it represents lingering blood stasis (because li also can represent the blood).
In any case, treatment of the sprained ankle can help to restore function and
eliminate pain in the short term, but should not neglect prevention of sequelae, such as

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 23

chronic pain, limited range of movement, etc. She should be warned to continue
treatment even after basic function is restored.
The remedy should be related to kan gua, which engenders zhen, the body gua:
going to the north to diagnose and treat, using cooling and freeing medicines. Perhaps
herbal plasters should be applied that include cooling herbs that move the blood. The
condition may also improve in the winter. Perhaps full recovery will have to wait until
the winter months. In linggui bafa, kan corresponds to 申脈 shenmai UB62. In feiteng
bafa, kan corresponds to 臨泣 linqi GB41. Either of these points might be useful in
acupuncture treatment of a sprained ankle.
If we try to calculate the timing: 4 zhen + 4 zhen + 8th hour = 16 hours, days,
months, or years. The person was walking when it happened, so we can divide the sum in
half: 8 hours, days, months, or years. Years are too long and hours are too short. A
reasonable estimate might be 8 days until she can walk without excessive pain, but 8
months to resolve all the sequelae.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 24

Appendix 2: Setting Up the Gua
A. Setting up a Gua based on Time and Date (Li, 1997, pp. 79-80; Chang, 2001)
The method given here is considered a pre-heaven method (Jou, 1984, p. 89). Many of
Shao Kangjie’s other methods involved using events that happened around the observer,
and for certain divinations, the direction from the observer. These methods use the post-
heaven sequence of the gua so they are called post-heaven methods (Jou, 1984, p. 91).

We need to know:
the year branch and its number [y]
the lunar month number (not the branch number) [m]
the day of the lunar month [d]
the hour branch and its number [h]

The above information (except the hour branch and branch number) can be found in a
Ten-Thousand Year Calendar 《萬年曆》.

Branch Year or Hour Lunar Month

Branch Time
Element Number Number
zi (rat) water 11 pm-1 am 1 Eleventh
chou (ox) earth 1-3 am 2 Twelfth
yin (tiger) wood 3-5 am 3 First
mao (rabbit) wood 5-9 am 4 Second
chen (dragon) earth 7-9 am 5 Third
si (snake) fire 9-11 am 6 Fourth
wu (horse) fire 11 am-1 pm 7 Fifth
wei (sheep) earth 1-3 pm 8 Sixth
shen (monkey) metal 3-5 pm 9 Seventh
you (rooster) metal 5-7 pm 10 Eighth
xu (dog) earth 7-9 pm 11 Ninth
hai (pig) water 9-11 pm 12 Tenth
Subtract one hour from the clock if Daylight Savings Time is in effect.

Plum Flower Formulas

[y + m + d] / 8 R = upper gua
If R = 0, use 8.
[y + m + d + h] / 8 R = lower gua
[y + m + d + h] / 6 R = changing line If R = 0, use 6.
[R] means the remainder.

In the first two formulas, the remainder represents the pre-heaven number of the gua (a
remainder of zero is the same as eight, meaning kun gua).

Pre-heaven number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 (0)

Single-gua qian dui li zhen xun kan gen kun
Associated element metal metal fire wood wood water earth earth

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 25

 When calculating the changing line, remember that the first line is the bottom line
and the sixth line is the top line. A remainder of zero is the same as six, meaning the top
line.

The result of this calculation is the original (ben) gua. The gua without a changing
line is the body gua. The gua with the changing line is the function gua.
A new gua is made by transforming the changing line to its opposite. Both the
new double-gua, and the single-gua that has been transformed are called the changed gua.
There are two mutual gua. One is formed by lines 2, 3, and 4 of the original
double-gua. The other is formed by lines 3, 4, and 5 of the original double-gua.
To find the gua qi, compare the element of the month branch to the gua in
question.

Month Branch Element Season

1st Yin Wood
Spring:
2nd Mao Wood
Wood
3rd Chen Earth
4th Si Fire
th Summer:
5 Wu Fire
Fire
6th Wei Earth
7th Shen Metal
th Autumn:
8 You Metal
Metal
9th Shu Earth
10th Hai Water
th Winter:
11 Zi Water
Water
12th Chou Earth

As a secondary consideration, the element of the day branch may be compared to

the gua. The element of the year or hour branch may also be compared.

Note on the changing line: This method of finding a changing line makes only
half of the lines possible (thanks to Andy Nicola for pointing this out). If the sum for the
bottom gua is odd, then only odd-numbered lines can change. This means that any
double-gua with qian, li, xun, or gen on the bottom will only have lines 1, 3, or 5 as
changing lines.
If the sum is even, then only even-numbered lines can change. This means that
any double-gua with dui, zhen, kan, or kun on the bottom will only have lines 2, 4, or 6 as
changing lines.
If any line could change, then every double-gua would have six possible changed
gua. With this method, there are only three possibilities.
If that seems like an issue to you, you can throw a dice instead to get a number
from 1 to 6 and use that as the changing line.
You could also add the pre-heaven numbers of the body and the function gua to
the number of the double-hour. Divide this by six and use the remainder for the changing
line.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 26

B. Setting up a Gua based on Counting Grains of Rice (Li, 1997, p. 89)
Li describes a method of deriving the gua by counting grains of rice, called rice
gua divination. True Plum Flower methods only use the mind. They rely on image or
mathematics. Therefore, this is not really a Plum Flower method, as it uses the
manipulation of objects (grains of rice). However, it is quick and easy so people less
facile with the calendar or the associations of the gua can use it. After a gua is produced,
we can still use Plum Flower methods of interpretation.
Have on hand a small bowl of uncooked rice. You or the person who comes to ask
a question (the patient) uses their thumb, index, and middle fingers to pick up rice grains
from the bowl. Drop them onto the table into three piles. Count the first pinch of rice
grains. If the number is greater than eight, divide by eight and take the remainder the
same way as in the time and date calculation above. The remainder represents the upper
gua.
Repeat this procedure to establish the lower gua.
The last pinch of rice grains is the number of the changing line. If there are more
than six grains, divide by six and use the remainder.
An alternate method to find the changing line uses the number of the current hour
branch added to the total of the first two pinches of rice grains. This sum is divided by six,
and the remainder is the changing line.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 27

Glossary
Gua (卦 gua4): A three-lined or six-lined diagram made up of solid (yang) and
broken (yin) lines. Often translated as trigram or hexagram. In Chinese, there is no
distinction, except by the context.
Line (爻 yao2): There are three lines in a single-gua (trigram) and six lines in a
double-gua (hexagram). Yang lines are solid (___). Yin lines are broken (_ _).

A. Types of Gua
Body Gua (體卦 ti3 gua4): ‘Ti’ literally means ‘body, the state of a substance, form.’
It is the gua that represents me or my body (the subject of the divination). It is the still,
or unchanged gua; it has no changing lines.
Function Gua (用卦 yong4 gua4): ‘Yong’ literally means, ‘use, employ, apply.’ It is
the gua that represents the activity’s beginning. It is the original gua that contains the
changing line.
Original Gua (本卦 ben3 gua4): Is the original double-gua, containing the body gua
and the function gua.
Mutual Gua (互卦 hu4 gua4): ‘Hu’ literally means ‘mutual, each other, reciprocal.’
It is the gua that represents the activity’s process or course, or the course of treatment
when looking at an illness. There are two mutual gua. One is formed by lines 2, 3,
and 4 of the original double-gua. The other is formed by lines 3, 4, and 5 of the
original double-gua. The body mutual gua contains two lines from the body gua. The
function mutual gua contains two lines from the function gua.
Changed Gua (變卦 bian4 gua4): ‘Bian’ literally means ‘change, become different,
become, transform, alter.’ It is the gua that represents the activity’s end. It is the new
gua that is formed by changing the line in the function gua. A second meaning of
‘bian gua’ is the double-gua formed by the body gua and the changed gua. In other
words, it is the original gua after the changing line has been changed.

B. Element Relationships
Engender (生 sheng1): Often translated as ‘produce’ or ‘generate.’ The element that
nourishes the element in question. Wood engenders fire. Fire engenders earth. Earth
engenders metal. Metal engenders water. Water engenders wood. Engendering
weakens the feeding element and strengthens the element that is being fed.
Restrain (剋 ke4): Often translated as ‘control’ or ‘dominate.’ The element that puts
pressure on another element. Wood restrains earth. Earth restrains water. Water
restrains fire. Fire restrains metal. Metal restrains wood. Restraining weakens the
element that is putting on the pressure a little, and weakens the element receiving the
pressure a lot.
Same Element (比和 bi4he2): literal translation of this term is difficult, but it means
that two things correspond to the same element. This makes that element stronger.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 28

C. Condition of the Gua
Gua Qi (卦氣 gua4 qi4): The effect of the season or month on the body, function,
mutual, and changed gua, based on the five elements. There are two basic types of
gua qi: prospering and declining.
Prosper (旺 wang4): The element of the season or month is the same as or engenders
the gua in question. It is an auspicious state for the body gua. Prospering is auspicious
for the function, mutual, and changed gua if they help the body gua. If they hurt the
body gua, it is inauspicious for them to prosper. Secondarily, prospering can also
refer to the body gua when it is engendered by the other gua.
Decline (衰 shuai1): The element of the season or month restrains the gua in question,
or the gua engenders the season or month. Decline is inauspicious for the body gua.
Decline is a better state for the function, mutual, and changed gua if they injure the
body gua. That way they are not strong enough to do much damage. If the gua
restrains the season or month, it is also slightly declining, but this situation is really
mixed: the gua that is restraining is in control of the situation, so it is not too harmful.
However, it needs to expend qi to maintain control, so it is slightly weakened.
Secondarily, decline can also refer to the body gua when it is restrained by other gua.

© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 29

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© 2006 by Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Plum Flower Divination and Medicine 30