Mei Hua Yi Shu — Hexagram Derivation Methods

Mei Hua Yi Shu — Hexagram Derivation Methods (梅花易數起卦法)

One of the most remarkable features of Mei Hua Yi Shu is the variety of triggers from which a hexagram can be derived. The core principle is: 觸機即占 (chù jī jí zhàn) — "When the trigger presents itself, divine immediately." Any spontaneous phenomenon can serve as the basis if the practitioner is in a state of receptive awareness (虛靜 Xū Jìng). The same mathematical process applies across all methods: derive a number, divide by 8 for trigrams, divide by 6 for the moving line.

Hexagram Derivation Formula

Given a total numerical value, the hexagram is derived as follows:

1. Upper Trigram (上卦): First number group ÷ 8, take the remainder → Earlier Heaven trigram number
2. Lower Trigram (下卦): Second number group ÷ 8, take the remainder → Earlier Heaven trigram number
3. Moving Line (動爻): Total of all numbers ÷ 6, take the remainder → which line moves (1=bottom to 6=top)

Important: If the remainder is 0, use 8 for trigrams (= Kun 坤) or 6 for moving lines (= top line). Earlier Heaven numbers: Qian=1, Dui=2, Li=3, Zhen=4, Xun=5, Kan=6, Gen=7, Kun=8.

Method 1 — Time Method (時間起卦法)

The most classical and systematic method, using Chinese calendar values. Earthly Branch numbers: Zi=1, Chou=2, Yin=3, Mao=4, Chen=5, Si=6, Wu=7, Wei=8, Shen=9, You=10, Xu=11, Hai=12.

• Upper Trigram = (Year Earthly Branch number + Month number + Day number) ÷ 8 → remainder
• Lower Trigram = (Year + Month + Day + Hour Earthly Branch number) ÷ 8 → remainder
• Moving Line = (Year + Month + Day + Hour) ÷ 6 → remainder

Example: Question on Jia Zi year (甲子年, branch 1), 6th month, 15th day, Wu hour (午時, branch 7): Upper = (1+6+15) = 22 ÷ 8 = remainder 6 → Kan (坎/Water); Lower = (22+7) = 29 ÷ 8 = remainder 5 → Xun (巽/Wind); Moving Line = 29 ÷ 6 = remainder 5 → 5th line. Hexagram: 水風井 (Shui Feng Jing, Hexagram 48, The Well).

Method 2 — Number Method (數字起卦法)

Any number or pair of numbers can generate a hexagram:

• Single number: Divide by 8 for the upper trigram; divide by 8 again for the lower trigram using different groupings; total ÷ 6 for moving line.
• Two numbers: First number ÷ 8 → upper trigram; second ÷ 8 → lower trigram; sum ÷ 6 → moving line.
• Multi-digit numbers (e.g., phone number): Split naturally — first segment → upper, second segment → lower; total ÷ 6 → moving line. Example: phone 138-0025-6789 → 138 ÷ 8 for upper, 00256789 ÷ 8 for lower.

Method 3 — Character Stroke Method (筆畫起卦法)

Count the total strokes (筆畫 Bǐhuà) in Chinese characters:

• Two characters: First character strokes → upper; second character strokes → lower; total ÷ 6 → moving line.
• Example: Name 張偉 (Zhāng Wěi) — 張 = 7 strokes, 偉 = 6 strokes. Upper = 7 ÷ 8 = remainder 7 → Gen (艮/Mountain); Lower = 6 ÷ 8 = remainder 6 → Kan (坎/Water); Moving Line = 13 ÷ 6 = remainder 1 → 1st line. Hexagram: 山水蒙 (Shan Shui Meng, Hexagram 4, Youthful Folly).

Method 4 — Sound Method (聲音起卦法)

Count audible sounds — knocks on a door, bell strikes, bird calls, thunder claps, or barks:

• A single burst of sound: count total → derive as single number method
• Two distinguishable groups of sound: first group → upper, second → lower
• Add the hour Earthly Branch number for the moving line

This method is powerful during consultations: if a client knocks three times and then four times on the door before entering, this spontaneous sound can serve as the hexagram trigger for the session.

Method 5 — Object/Image Method (物象起卦法)

Directly assign trigrams based on observed objects or phenomena, bypassing numerical calculation entirely:

• Old man, father figure, sky → 乾 (Qian / Heaven)
• Young girl, joyful person, lake or marsh → 兑 (Dui / Lake)
• Fire, bright light, radiant object → 离 (Li / Fire)
• Thunder, startling event, eldest son → 震 (Zhen / Thunder)
• Wind, something entering, eldest daughter → 巽 (Xun / Wind)
• Flowing water, difficulty, dangerous crossing → 坎 (Kan / Water)
• Mountain, something still and solid, youngest son → 艮 (Gen / Mountain)
• Earth, maternal figure, flat terrain → 坤 (Kun / Earth)

This is the most intuitive method and requires the greatest cultivation of image-recognition ability.

Method 6 — Direction Method (方位起卦法)

The direction from which a person or event approaches — using the Later Heaven (後天) directional assignments for spatial reading — determines the trigram: Li=South, Kan=North, Zhen=East, Dui=West, Xun=Southeast, Qian=Northwest, Gen=Northeast, Kun=Southwest.

Method 7 — Random Event Method (隨機起卦法)

Any spontaneous quantifiable event: the number of people in a room, the number of steps someone takes, a random page number opened in a book, the number of petals on a flower, or dice/coins. The principle is absolute: when the trigger presents itself, divine immediately (觸機即占). There is no "invalid" trigger as long as the diviner's heart-mind is in receptive stillness at the moment of observation.

Important Distinctions

Mei Hua's derivation methods differ from Liu Yao (六爻) in one critical way: Liu Yao casts the hexagram through a ritual procedure (coins or yarrow), while Mei Hua uses whatever spontaneous phenomenon presents itself. This reflects the deeper philosophical difference: Liu Yao is a systematic ritual divination; Mei Hua is a continuous perceptual discipline — a way of reading the world rather than a procedure for consulting it.