Liu Yao — The Na Jia Method (六爻納甲法)
Liu Yao (六爻), also known as the Na Jia method (納甲法) or Wen Wang Gua (文王卦), is the most systematic and mathematically rigorous divination system within the Yi Jing tradition. Unlike the purely textual interpretation approach of the original Zhou Yi (周易), Liu Yao layers a complete analytical apparatus of Earthly Branches, Five Element interactions, and relational symbolism onto the hexagram structure — transforming Yi Jing divination from literary interpretation into a precise diagnostic science.
Historical Development
The system takes its name from King Wen of Zhou (周文王), who is traditionally credited with doubling the trigrams into 64 hexagrams and writing the hexagram statements during his imprisonment at Youli. However, the technical apparatus of Liu Yao as practised today was codified by Jing Fang (京房, 77–37 BCE), a Han Dynasty scholar who assigned Earthly Branches and Six Relatives to each of the six lines — transforming the hexagram from a literary symbol into an analytical matrix. His work, preserved in the Jing Fang Yi Zhuan (京房易傳), forms the foundation of all subsequent Liu Yao practice.
The Three-Coin Casting Method
The most common casting procedure uses three identical coins tossed six times to build the hexagram from the bottom line (Line 1) upward:
- 3 Backs (all Yang) = 9: Old Yang (changing line) — written as ——○—— → changes to Yin
- 2 Backs, 1 Face = 8: Young Yin (static) — written as —— ——
- 1 Back, 2 Faces = 7: Young Yang (static) — written as ————
- 3 Faces (all Yin) = 6: Old Yin (changing line) — written as ——×—— → changes to Yang
Changing lines (lines 9 and 6) transform into their opposite, generating a secondary hexagram (之卦 Zhī Guà) that provides additional interpretive context.
The Eight Palace System (八宮)
The 64 hexagrams are organised into eight palaces, each headed by a "Pure Hexagram" (純卦): Qian (乾), Dui (兌), Li (離), Zhen (震), Xun (巽), Kan (坎), Gen (艮), and Kun (坤). Each palace has a ruling element that determines how the Six Relations are assigned to the lines. This is the Na Jia (納甲) assignment: each trigram is associated with specific Heavenly Stems (Na Jia) and each line position is assigned specific Earthly Branches (Na Zhi).
The Six Relations (六親 Liù Qīn)
Each of the six lines receives one of five relationship designations based on the Five Element interaction between the line's branch element and the palace (ruling) element:
- Parent (父母 Fùmǔ): The element that generates the palace element. Represents documents, elders, weather, protection, contracts — everything that nurtures or contains.
- Sibling (兄弟 Xiōngdì): The same element as the palace element. Represents competitors, colleagues, shared expenses, peer relationships — things that compete for the same resource.
- Offspring / Children (子孫 Zǐsūn): Generated by the palace element. Represents happiness, medicine, religious figures, solutions to problems, the capacity to subdue the Officer/Ghost star.
- Wife-Wealth (妻財 Qīcái): Controlled by the palace element. Represents money, possessions, tangible assets, and (for a man asking about relationships) the wife or female partner.
- Officer-Ghost (官鬼 Guānguǐ): Controls the palace element. Represents authority figures, illness, worry, legal issues, pressures — both institutional power and threatening forces.
The Yong Shen — Useful Spirit (用神)
The first and most critical analytical step is selecting the Yong Shen (用神) — the specific line whose condition determines the answer. The Yong Shen is selected based on the nature of the question:
- For financial matters: Wife-Wealth line
- For career/official matters: Officer-Ghost line
- For health matters: Officer-Ghost line (representing illness) or Offspring line (representing cure)
- For relationship matters: Wife-Wealth (for men seeking a partner); Officer-Ghost (for women seeking a partner); Sibling (for conflict with a third party)
- For legal matters: Officer-Ghost line
- For travel: Parent line (documents, transportation)
Interaction Principles
Day and Month Support or Suppress: The day branch and month branch can either support (生 Shēng) or suppress (克 Kè) the Yong Shen. A Yong Shen supported by both day and month is strong and the matter will likely succeed. A Yong Shen clashed by both is weakened and indicates difficulty.
Hui Tou Sheng / Hui Tou Ke (回頭生/剋): When a changing line transforms into a new branch, the relationship between the new and original branches is critical. If the new branch generates the original (Hui Tou Sheng 回頭生), it strengthens the line. If the new branch controls the original (Hui Tou Ke 回頭剋), it destroys it despite any initial appearance of activity.
Kong Wang — Void (空亡): Lines whose branches fall in the current ten-day cycle's void positions (based on the sexagenary cycle) are considered latent or temporarily unfulfilled. A Yong Shen in void may indicate the matter is delayed or not yet manifest rather than definitively failed — it may activate when the void ends.
Timing
Liu Yao provides specific timing predictions: the answer will arrive or the event will occur when the branch that supports or generates the Yong Shen appears in the annual or monthly calendar. A Yong Shen of Water element will activate when a Water-branch month or day arrives. This makes Liu Yao uniquely powerful for answering "when" questions with specificity.