Lai School (賴派)

Lai Buyi (賴布衣, 1101–1126), whose given name was Lai Wenjun (賴文俊), served as an imperial adviser (國師) during Emperor Huizong's reign. Demoted for his forthright advice, he wandered the land in common cloth (布衣, literally 'cotton clothes'), using his geomantic skills to help common people — earning the legendary name 'Lai the Commoner.'

24 Heavenly Stars Method

Lai Buyi's innovation was integrating celestial star positions with the 24 Mountains compass framework. Each of the 24 mountains is associated with a specific heavenly star, adding an astronomical dimension to the traditional Form and Compass analysis. This star-mountain correspondence determines different categories of qi influence.

Cui Guan Pian (催官篇)

Lai's masterwork, the 'Essay on Hastening Officialdom,' details how specific combinations of dragon direction, facing, and water flow can accelerate career advancement and wealth accumulation. The text is organised around the four core assessments — Dragon, Acupoint, Sand, and Water — each mapped to the 24 Heavenly Stars.

The Four Great Ancestors

Lai Buyi is honoured alongside Yang Yunsong, Zeng Wenchang, and Liao Jinjing as one of the 'Four Great Ancestors of Feng Shui' (風水四大祖師).