Piercing Mountain Dragons: 60 and 72 Dragon Systems (穿山七十二龍與透地六十龍)
Among the most refined precision systems in classical San He Feng Shui are the Dragon subdivision methods, techniques that decompose the compass into finer segments than the standard 24 Mountains (15 degrees per sector), enabling diagnosis of the precise quality of Earth energy (Dragon Qi, 龍氣) as it descends from mountain ridges into a burial or dwelling site.
Earth-Penetrating 60 Dragons (透地六十龍 - Tou Di Liu Shi Long)
The 60-Dragon system maps the complete Jia Zi cycle (甲子 - sixty stem-branch combinations) onto the 24 Mountains compass. Since 60 divisions are applied across 360 degrees, each Dragon occupies exactly 6 degrees of arc. Every Dragon carries a specific Nayin Five Element quality (納音五行), derived by combining the stem-branch pair with classical number resonance theory. Nayin attributes such as Ocean Metal (海中金), Furnace Fire (爐中火), and Great Forest Wood (大林木) determine the fundamental character of Dragon energy at each compass position. Three quality classifications apply: Precious Jewel (珠寶) positions are the highest quality Dragon positions that powerfully activate the site; Neutral (中性) positions have standard balanced potential; and Depleted (衰氣) positions weaken site energy and require remedy or avoidance.
Piercing Mountain 72 Dragons (穿山七十二龍 - Chuan Shan Qi Shi Er Long)
The 72-Dragon system provides even finer resolution. The 24 Mountains are each subdivided into three sub-sectors, producing 72 positions of 5 degrees each. Within these 72 positions, 12 are classified as Kong Wang (穿山空亡 - Empty / Void), positions where Dragon energy is absent or blocked. These void positions are critical avoidance zones in site selection. A grave or building entrance on a Kong Wang Dragon position is traditionally considered inauspicious regardless of other favourable indicators. The remaining 60 active positions carry the same 60 Jia Zi stem-branch designations as the 60 Penetrating Dragons system. The two systems work in complementary relationship: the Tou Di Long reads Dragon energy entering the site from below, while the Chuan Shan Long reads Dragon energy arriving from the mountain.
The Concept of Dragon Qi and Its Descent
Dragon Qi (龍氣) travels along mountain ridges and descends into the earth where topographic conditions cause it to concentrate rather than dissipate. The Han Long Jing (撄龍經 - Shaking the Dragon Classic), attributed to Yang Yunsong, describes genuine Dragon pulse characteristics: undulation (起伏), lateral protective flanking ridges (纏護), vital vegetation (生氣), and unbroken continuity (連綿). The Dragon systems on the Luopan allow determination not only that Dragon Qi is present but what elemental quality that Qi carries, and whether it harmonises with the intended occupant’s natal BaZi or the building period’s Flying Star configuration. This integration of landform observation with precise compass measurement is the hallmark of advanced San He practice.
120 Gold Divisions
The 72-Dragon system is further refined in some lineages by the 120 Gold Divisions (一百二十金分), subdividing the 24 Mountains at 3-degree intervals to achieve the finest standard compass precision available without astronomical instruments, approaching the Critical precision tier (plus or minus 0.5 degrees) required for boundary measurements at significant sites.