The Heaven and Earth National Treasure
乾坤国宝 (Qian Kun Guo Bao) —literally "Heaven-Earth National Treasure"—also known as 龙门八局 (Long Men Ba Ju, Dragon Gate Eight Bureaus) or 先后天水法 (Xian Hou Tian Shui Fa, Pre-Heaven/Post-Heaven Water Method) , is one of the most sophisticated water method systems in San Yuan Feng Shui.
Unlike Flying Stars which track time cycles, Qian Kun Guo Bao focuses on spatial water flow patterns to determine whether a property brings prosperity (Ding 丁 - people, Cai 财 - wealth) or disaster. The system uses the sitting mountain trigram as the axis to calculate 8-12 critical directional positions, each governing specific life outcomes.
⚠️ Traditional saying: "When Pre-Heaven and Post-Heaven waters both arrive, Ding and Cai flourish together. When both flow out, the family perishes." (先后天水俱到，丁财两旺；先后天水俱破，人财两败)
📜 System Overview & Historical Origins
Lineage & Classical Sources
Origin: Traditional attribution traces to Tang Dynasty master Qiu Yan Han (丘延翰) who transmitted to Yang Yun Song (杨筠松) . The system represents the "orthodox San Yuan Earth Science" (正三元地理) core teachings.
Alternative Names:
- 龙门八局 (Long Men Ba Ju) - Dragon Gate Eight Bureaus
- 先后天水法 (Xian Hou Tian Shui Fa) - Pre-Heaven/Post-Heaven Water Method
- 正三元水法 (Zheng San Yuan Shui Fa) - Orthodox San Yuan Water Method
- 三天水法 (San Tian Shui Fa) - Three Heaven Water Method
Modern Transmission: Particularly prevalent in Taiwan, Guangdong, and Southeast Asian Yang Gong lineages. Masters like Shen Zhao He (沈朝合) have systematically documented this previously oral-only transmission.
🎯 Core Philosophy: The Three-Heaven System
The system revolves around three primary water categories derived from the sitting mountain trigram :
| Water Type | Derivation Logic | Governs | Ideal Condition |
|---|
先天水
Pre-Heaven Water | Direction where sitting mountain trigram resides in Pre-Heaven Ba Gua | Ding (丁) - People, population, male heirs, vitality | ✅ Water FLOWS IN
❌ Water flows OUT = family decline |
后天水
Post-Heaven Water | The Pre-Heaven trigram projected back to Post-Heaven Ba Gua position | Cai (财) - Wealth, business, career, wife's fortune | ✅ Water FLOWS IN
❌ Water flows OUT = wealth loss |
中天水
Middle-Heaven Water | The outflow direction where water exits the property | Overall fate quality, determines if Pre/Post benefits materialize | ✅ Exits at "正窍位" (Correct Aperture)
❌ Exits at taboo positions = disaster |
🔑 The Golden Rule of Qian Kun Guo Bao
Ding-Cai Matrix:
- Both Pre & Post waters FLOW IN → 丁财两旺 (Both people and wealth prosper)
- Only Pre-Heaven IN → 丁旺财虚 (People thrive, wealth limited)
- Only Post-Heaven IN → 财旺丁弱 (Wealth comes, people suffer health/离散)
- Both FLOW OUT → 消亡败绝 (Complete ruin - family perishes)
🗺️ The Eight Critical Positions (八大水位)
Beyond Pre-Heaven and Post-Heaven waters, the complete system identifies 10-12 positions for each sitting mountain, each with specific meanings:
Primary Positions (主要水位)
1️⃣ 先天位 (Xian Tian Wei) - Pre-Heaven Position
Governs: People (Ding), male heirs, population, human vitality
Ideal: Water flows IN (incoming river, road, low terrain)
Broken: Water flows OUT → Family decline, male heirs suffer, population decrease, infertility
Classical quote: "先天水来主旺丁" (Pre-Heaven water arrival brings prosperous population)
2️⃣ 后天位 (Hou Tian Wei) - Post-Heaven Position
Governs: Wealth (Cai), business success, career, wife brings fortune
Ideal: Water flows IN
Broken: Water flows OUT → Wealth dissipates, business fails, "money comes and goes", wife's fortune poor
Classical quote: "后天水聚主财旺" (Post-Heaven water gathering brings wealth prosperity)
3️⃣ 宾位 (Bin Wei) - Guest Position
Derivation: The Pre-Heaven position of the FACING direction (opposite of sitting)
Governs: Outsiders - female relatives, tenants, distant relatives, daughters' husbands
Warning: If Guest water FLOWS IN while Pre/Post flow OUT → "Guests prosper while masters decline" - outsiders benefit at family's expense
4️⃣ 客位 (Ke Wei) - Visitor Position
Derivation: The Pre-Heaven position of the sitting mountain itself
Governs: Distant benefactors, external wealth, connections from afar, unexpected opportunities
Ideal: Water flows IN → Brings external wealth, overseas opportunities, helpful strangers
Auxiliary Positions (辅助水位)
5️⃣ 辅卦位 (Fu Gua Wei) - Auxiliary Trigram Position
Function: Supplementary wealth position
Ideal: Water gathers here (pond, pool) OR gentle incoming flow → Adds to wealth, "財上加財"
Usage: Secondary wealth enhancer, not as critical as Post-Heaven
6️⃣ 库池位 (Ku Chi Wei) - Treasury Pool Position
Metaphor: The "wealth vault" - money storage location
Ideal: Water GATHERS and STOPS here (pond, lake, pool) → Wealth accumulates
Forbidden: Water flows THROUGH or OUT → "财库空" (Treasury empties) - money comes but doesn't stay
⚠️ Critical for wealth retention
Calamity Positions (凶煞水位)
7️⃣ 天劫位 (Tian Jie Wei) - Heavenly Robbery Position
Derivation: "Post-Heaven's Post-Heaven" - the Post-Heaven position projected forward again
Danger: Water or road COMES FROM here → Sudden disasters, lawsuits, surgery, blood events, accidents
Ideal: This position should be quiet and empty , no incoming water/roads
🚨 High danger if violated
8️⃣ 地刑位 (Di Xing Wei) - Earth Punishment Position
Nature: Complementary punishment position to Tian Jie
Danger: Water or road COMES FROM here → Legal troubles, imprisonment, chronic illness, family conflicts
Forms: Especially dangerous if there's a T-junction, sharp corner, or large structure here
9️⃣ 三曜煞 (San Yao Sha) - Three Luminary Killers
Types:
- 正曜 (Zheng Yao) - Sitting Mountain's Eight Killings
- 天曜 (Tian Yao) - Pre-Heaven Eight Killings
- 地曜 (Di Yao) - Post-Heaven Eight Killings
Danger: Door, road, electric pole, sharp object, tree pointing from these directions → Blood disasters, chronic illness, madness, bankruptcy
🚨 NEVER place main door facing Yao Sha direction
📐 Position Derivation Summary
Starting Point: Sitting Mountain Trigram (坐山卦) in Post-Heaven Ba Gua
Calculation Chain:
- Sitting Mountain → Find its position in Pre-Heaven Ba Gua = Pre-Heaven Position (先天位)
- That Pre-Heaven trigram → Find where IT sits in Post-Heaven Ba Gua = Post-Heaven Position (后天位)
- Post-Heaven trigram → Project forward AGAIN to Post-Heaven = Heavenly Robbery (天劫位)
- Facing Mountain (opposite of sitting) → Its Pre-Heaven position = Guest Position (宾位)
- Sitting Mountain itself → Its Pre-Heaven position = Visitor Position (客位)
- Based on Five Element bureau + specific formulas = Auxiliary, Treasury, Earth Punishment positions
💡 Practical Note: In practice, masters use pre-calculated lookup tables for each of the 8 sitting mountains. The interactive calculator below automates this process.
🧮 Calculation Methodology - Complete Workflow
The complete analysis follows a 6-step systematic workflow that transitions from location assessment to final grading:
Step-by-Step Analysis Protocol
STEP 0: Site Survey & Sitting Determination
Actions:
- Use compass at building center to determine 24 Mountain sitting direction (e.g., 壬 Ren, 子 Zi, 癸 Gui for Kan mountain)
- Map sitting to one of 8 trigrams (Qian, Kan, Gen, Zhen, Xun, Li, Kun, Dui)
- Record all visible water bodies and roads:
- Rivers, streams, drainage channels
- Roads (treat as "virtual water" in urban settings)
- Low-lying terrain vs. elevated areas
- Note INCOMING water directions (来水) AND OUTGOING water directions (去水)
STEP 1: Calculate All Positions
For the identified sitting mountain trigram, determine:
- ✅ Pre-Heaven Position (先天位)
- ✅ Post-Heaven Position (后天位)
- ✅ Guest Position (宾位)
- ✅ Visitor Position (客位)
- ✅ Auxiliary Position (辅卦位)
- ✅ Treasury Pool Position (库池位)
- ⚠️ Heavenly Robbery Position (天劫位)
- ⚠️ Earth Punishment Position (地刑位)
- 🚫 Three Luminary Killers (三曜煞)
Use the interactive calculator below or pre-calculated reference tables
STEP 2: Tag Incoming Waters
For each incoming water source, identify which position it falls under:
| If water comes from... | Interpretation | Effect |
|---|
| Pre-Heaven Position | Ding water arrives | ✅ Population prosperity, male heirs strong |
| Post-Heaven Position | Cai water arrives | ✅ Wealth prosperity, business success |
| Guest/Visitor Position | External support | ✅ Beneficial if Pre/Post also arrive |
| Auxiliary/Treasury | Supplementary wealth | ✅ Adds to prosperity |
| Heavenly Robbery | Disaster water | 🚨 Lawsuits, accidents, surgery |
| Earth Punishment | Punishment water | 🚨 Legal troubles, chronic illness |
| Luminary Killer (Yao Sha) | Killing energy | 🚨🚨 Blood disasters, bankruptcy, madness |
STEP 3: Tag Outgoing Waters (Critical!)
The outflow direction determines if benefits can manifest:
| If water exits from... | Consequence |
|---|
| Pre-Heaven Position | ❌ Ding flow broken → Family decline, infertility, male heirs suffer |
| Post-Heaven Position | ❌ Cai flow broken → Wealth dissipates, bankruptcy risk |
| Treasury Pool Position | ❌ Treasury empties → Money comes but doesn't stay |
| Heavenly Robbery / Earth Punishment | 🚨 Disaster outflow → Magnifies calamity effects |
| "Correct Aperture" (正窍位) | ✅ Ideal outflow → Allows benefits to materialize, high-grade prosperity |
| "Secondary Aperture" (副窍位) | ✅ Acceptable outflow → Medium-grade prosperity |
💡 The "Correct Aperture" is typically found among the Case Robbery (案劫) and Heavenly Robbery positions, but specifically the ONE position that doesn't conflict with Pre/Post-Heaven flows.
STEP 4: Ding-Cai Prosperity Matrix
Based on Pre-Heaven and Post-Heaven water conditions:
| Pre-Heaven | Post-Heaven | Grade | Outcome |
|---|
| ✅ IN, not broken | ✅ IN, not broken | A++ | 丁财两旺 - Both people and wealth prosper maximally |
| ✅ IN, not broken | ❌ OUT / broken | B | 丁旺财虚 - People prosper, wealth limited |
| ❌ OUT / broken | ✅ IN, not broken | C | 财旺丁弱 - Wealth comes, people suffer (health issues,離散) |
| ❌ OUT / broken | ❌ OUT / broken | F | 消亡败绝 - Complete ruin, abandon site |
STEP 5: Luminary Killer & Form Assessment
Even if Pre/Post waters are perfect, check for form violations:
- Main door facing Yao Sha direction? → Major downgrade, constant disasters
- Road/water rushing from Tian Jie position? → Lawsuits, surgery inevitable
- Electric pole/sharp corner at Di Xing position? → Chronic family conflicts
- T-junction, sharp structures at any killer position? → Specific person affected (based on trigram → family member mapping)
STEP 6: Final Comprehensive Grade
Synthesize all factors:
| Grade | Conditions | Recommendation |
|---|
| A | Pre+Post both IN, outflow at Correct Aperture, no Yao Sha violations | ✅ EXCELLENT - Develop immediately |
| B | One of Pre/Post IN, outflow acceptable, minor violations | ✅ GOOD - Use with minor adjustments |
| C | Mediocre Pre/Post, outflow not ideal but not catastrophic | ⚠️ MEDIOCRE - Consider alternatives, use for commercial not residential |
| D | Both Pre+Post broken OR major Yao Sha/Tian Jie violations | ❌ REJECT - Abandon site, even Ba Zhai cannot save |
🖩 Interactive Qian Kun Guo Bao Calculator
Enter your property's sitting direction to automatically calculate all 8 positions and analyze water flows.
💡 How to Use the Calculator
- Select Sitting Mountain: Choose the trigram corresponding to your property's back/sitting direction (use a compass)
- Mark Incoming Waters: Check ALL directions where you see water flowing IN, roads coming toward the property, or low terrain that collects water
- Select Outgoing Water: Choose the ONE primary direction where water exits the property
- Calculate: The system will display all positions, tag your waters, and provide Ding-Cai prosperity analysis
📋 Complete Position Reference Tables
For manual calculation or verification, use these comprehensive tables showing all positions for each sitting mountain:
| Sitting Mountain | 先天位
Pre-Heaven
(Ding/People) | 后天位
Post-Heaven
(Cai/Wealth) | 宾位
Guest
(Outsiders) | 客位
Visitor
(External) | 天劫位
Heavenly Robbery | 八曜煞
Eight Killers |
|---|
| 坎 Kan (N) | 兑 Dui (W) | 坤 Kun (SW) | 坤 Kun (SW) | 兑 Dui (W) | 巽 Xun (SE) | 辰 Chen (Dragon) |
| 坤 Kun (SW) | 坎 Kan (N) | 巽 Xun (SE) | 艮 Gen (NE) | 坎 Kan (N) | 震 Zhen (E) | 卯 Mao (Rabbit) |
| 震 Zhen (E) | 艮 Gen (NE) | 离 Li (S) | 乾 Qian (NW) | 艮 Gen (NE) | 乾 Qian (NW) | 申 Shen (Monkey) |
| 巽 Xun (SE) | 坤 Kun (SW) | 兑 Dui (W) | 震 Zhen (E) | 坤 Kun (SW) | 坎 Kan (N) | 酉 You (Rooster) |
| 乾 Qian (NW) | 离 Li (S) | 艮 Gen (NE) | 巽 Xun (SE) | 离 Li (S) | 震 Zhen (E) | 午 Wu (Horse) |
| 兑 Dui (W) | 巽 Xun (SE) | 坎 Kan (N) | 坤 Kun (SW) | 巽 Xun (SE) | 离 Li (S) | 巳 Si (Snake) |
| 艮 Gen (NE) | 乾 Qian (NW) | 震 Zhen (E) | 离 Li (S) | 乾 Qian (NW) | 坤 Kun (SW) | 寅 Yin (Tiger) |
| 离 Li (S) | 震 Zhen (E) | 乾 Qian (NW) | 兑 Dui (W) | 震 Zhen (E) | 艮 Gen (NE) | 亥 Hai (Pig) |
Note: Auxiliary Position (辅卦位), Treasury Pool (库池位), and Earth Punishment (地刑位) positions vary by specific Five Element bureau and require advanced formulas. The calculator above handles these automatically.