Long Men Ba Ju: Advanced Reference

Decoding the Dragon Gate Water Flow Algorithms

The Logic of the "In-Laws" (三元三合之應)

The **Qian Kun Guo Bao** system (乾坤國寶), also known as the **Dragon Gate Eight Formations**, is the primary water method of the San Yuan school. It maps the **Early Heaven Trigrams** (Xian Tian) onto the **Later Heaven Trigrams** (Hou Tian) layout to determine the flow of Qi across the Grand Cycle.

Unlike Flying Stars which changes every 20 years, Long Men Ba Ju focuses on the **Stable Foundations** of the land, identifying the perennial wealth and people positions that remain consistent throughout the 180-year San Yuan cycle.

1. The Four Major Positions (四大水法)

According to the Qian Kun Guo Bao classics, water flow is categorized into four primary directions relative to the Sitting Mountain:

  • Xian Tian (先天位): Governs 'People' (Ding). Water IN brings prosperity to the lineage.
  • Hou Tian (後天位): Governs 'Wealth' (Cai). Water IN brings financial gain.
  • Tian Jie (天劫位): The 'Calamity' position. Water IN brings disaster; Water OUT is required.
  • An Jie (案劫位): The 'Case' position (Front). Ideally clear and flat.

根據《乾坤國寶》經典，水流相對於坐山分為四個主要方向：

  • 先天位： 主丁（子孫）。水來則人丁興旺。
  • 後天位： 主財（財富）。水來則財源廣進。
  • 天劫位： 主災（禍事）。水忌來，宜去。
  • 案劫位： 前方案山位。宜平坦清秀。
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2. Advanced Water Formulas

Tian Jie (Heavenly Calamity)

Water flowing IN from this direction leads to loss of life, litigation, and total financial ruin. However, water flowing OUT (exit) through this direction is considered positive as it "flushes away" the calamity.

Bin-Wei (Stranger/Guest)

This direction is used primarily for commercial properties. If water flows in from here, it indicates wealth coming from strangers or customers rather than internal family members or regular clients.

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3. The Eight Bureau Classification (八局分類)

In the Long Men Ba Ju system, every site is classified into one of eight Bureaus based on its Sitting trigram. Each Bureau has a fixed mapping of the four water positions — Xian Tian, Hou Tian, Tian Jie, and An Jie — derived from the Early Heaven to Later Heaven trigram transformation.

在龍門八局系統中，每個場地根據其坐山卦氣分為 八局 之一。每局有四個固定的水位映射——先天、後天、天劫、案劫——源於先天到後天卦的轉化。

Bureau (Sitting)TrigramXian Tian (先天) — PeopleHou Tian (後天) — WealthTian Jie (天劫) — CalamityAn Jie (案劫) — Front
Kan Bureau (坎局)☵ Sitting NSW (坤)E (震)SE (巽)S (離)
Li Bureau (離局)☲ Sitting SNW (乾)W (兌)NE (艮)N (坎)
Zhen Bureau (震局)☳ Sitting ENE (艮)NW (乾)W (兌)SW (坤)
Dui Bureau (兌局)☱ Sitting WSE (巽)S (離)N (坎)NE (艮)
Qian Bureau (乾局)☰ Sitting NWS (離)NE (艮)SW (坤)E (震)
Kun Bureau (坤局)☷ Sitting SWN (坎)SE (巽)E (震)W (兌)
Gen Bureau (艮局)☶ Sitting NEW (兌)SW (坤)S (離)NW (乾)
Xun Bureau (巽局)☴ Sitting SEE (震)N (坎)NW (乾)S (離)

🔑 How to Read This Table

  • Xian Tian (先天) : Water flowing IN from this direction brings people luck (health, descendants, lineage prosperity). Water flowing OUT causes population decline.
  • Hou Tian (後天) : Water flowing IN from this direction brings wealth . Water flowing OUT causes financial loss.
  • Tian Jie (天劫) : Water flowing IN from here is disastrous (litigation, illness, death). Water flowing OUT is beneficial — it "flushes away" the calamity.
  • An Jie (案劫) : The frontal area — ideally clear, flat, and unobstructed.
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4. Dragon Gate Water Exit Analysis (龍門水口分析)

The "Dragon Gate" (龍門) is the point where water exits the Bright Hall (明堂) of the site. In Long Men Ba Ju, the exit direction is the most critical single measurement — more important even than the incoming water direction.

🚨 Critical Water Exit Rules

  1. Water must exit through the Tian Jie (天劫) position of the relevant Bureau — this is the "flushing the calamity" principle
  2. Water must NOT exit through Xian Tian or Hou Tian positions — this drains people luck or wealth respectively
  3. The Water Mouth should be narrow and guarded — flanked by Sand formations or structures that slow the flow
  4. Water should meander away , not rush straight out — a curved exit path is far superior to a straight one
  5. The exit should NOT be visible from the main door — seeing the Water Mouth from inside means "watching wealth leave"

✅ Correct Exit Example

Kan Bureau (坎局, Sitting North):

  • Water enters from SW (Xian Tian) → ✅ people prosperity
  • Water enters from E (Hou Tian) → ✅ wealth gain
  • Water exits through SE (Tian Jie) → ✅ calamity flushed
  • Result: Excellent site for both people and wealth

❌ Incorrect Exit Example

Same Kan Bureau, but:

  • Water exits through SW (Xian Tian) → ❌ people luck drains
  • Water enters from SE (Tian Jie) → ❌ calamity flows in
  • Result: Lineage decline, illness, possible litigation
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5. The Four Water Frames Cross-Reference (四大水框)

Advanced Long Men Ba Ju practice cross-references the four water positions against the San He Twelve Growth Stages (十二長生) to add another layer of verification. This ensures the water analysis is robust even when landscape features are ambiguous.

Water PositionLong Men Ba Ju RoleSan He Growth StageCombined Interpretation
Xian Tian (先天)People/Health INShould correspond to "Chang Sheng" (長生, Birth) or "Guan Dai" (冠帶, Coming of Age)Water entering here carries vital, growing Qi — nourishes descendants
Hou Tian (後天)Wealth INShould correspond to "Lin Guan" (臨官, Approaching Office) or "Di Wang" (帝旺, Emperor's Peak)Water entering here carries authority and peak prosperity Qi
Tian Jie (天劫)Calamity OUTShould correspond to "Si" (死, Death) or "Mu" (墓, Tomb)Water exiting through "dead" energy positions takes away the negative Qi
An Jie (案劫)Front referenceShould correspond to "Yang" (養, Nurturing) or "Tai" (胎, Embryo)The frontal area carries preparatory, potential energy — should be open and receptive
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6. Practical Measurement Methodology (實地測量法)

Field application of Long Men Ba Ju requires systematic measurement. Here is the step-by-step protocol used by professional practitioners:

📐 Field Measurement Protocol

  1. Establish the Sitting Direction — Use a precision Luopan at the centre of the building's rear wall. Take three readings and average. Determine which of the 24 Mountains the Sitting falls within.
  2. Identify the Bureau — Match the Sitting trigram to the Eight Bureau table above. This gives you the four water position directions.
  3. Survey all water features — Walk the entire perimeter. Map every visible water body (river, stream, pond, drain) and every road. Note the direction each flows IN from and OUT to, measured from the building's centre.
  4. Classify each water feature — Assign each to Xian Tian (people), Hou Tian (wealth), Tian Jie (calamity), or An Jie (front) based on its compass bearing from the building.
  5. Identify the Water Mouth — Find the exact point where water (or road) exits the site's visual boundary. Measure its bearing. This is the Dragon Gate.
  6. Cross-reference with San He — Verify the water exit against the Twelve Growth Stages. The exit should fall in a "dead" or "tomb" stage position.
  7. Render verdict — If water enters from Xian Tian and Hou Tian while exiting through Tian Jie, the site is excellent . Any reversal requires remediation.

🧭 Equipment Checklist

  • Precision Luopan with Long Men Ba Ju ring (or our digital water methods calculator )
  • Compass inclinometer for slope measurements
  • Laser rangefinder for distance to water features
  • Topographic map or satellite imagery for macro landscape context
  • Field notebook for recording all bearings and observations
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7. The Bin-Wei Position (賓位) — Stranger/Guest Water

Beyond the four major positions, advanced Long Men Ba Ju practice identifies a fifth position: Bin-Wei (賓位, "Guest/Stranger"). This direction is used primarily for commercial properties . If water flows in from the Bin-Wei position, it indicates wealth coming from strangers or customers rather than internal family members — ideal for retail, hospitality, and service businesses.

除四大主位外，高級龍門八局認定第五位： 賓位 。此方位主要用於 商業物業 。水從賓位流入，表示財富來自 陌生人或客戶 而非家族內部——適合零售、餐飲和服務業。

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📋 Case Study: Merchant's Burial Site in Jiangxi

Case: Wealthy Merchant's Father Burial (江西商人祖墳), 2008

A Feng Shui master from the Gan (贛) school was invited to select a burial site for a wealthy merchant's father. The site was a south-facing hillside — a Li Bureau (離局) with Sitting South.

Long Men Ba Ju Analysis (Li Bureau):

  • Xian Tian (先天) = NW (乾) : A mountain ridge extended from the NW, providing solid "people" support ✓
  • Hou Tian (後天) = W (兌) : A stream flowed IN from the West, curving past the Bright Hall ✓ wealth entering
  • Tian Jie (天劫) = NE (艮) : The stream then exited through a narrow gorge to the Northeast ✓ calamity flushed
  • Bright Hall : A rice paddy extending 300 metres to the river — wide, flat, and unobstructed ✓

Verdict: All four water positions were perfectly aligned. Water entered from Hou Tian (wealth), was supported by the Xian Tian mountain, and exited through Tian Jie. This is a textbook-perfect Long Men Ba Ju configuration.

Outcome (tracked 2008–2024):

  • The merchant's business expanded from one province to four
  • Eldest son graduated from a UK university and returned to lead the family business
  • Daughter married into a prominent political family
  • No major health issues in the extended family

The family credits the burial site, demonstrating the enduring power of correct Long Men Ba Ju water alignment for Yin Zhai applications.

Source: Gan (贛) school practitioner field notes, Jiangxi province.

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📍 External Tool Note

For automated calculation of these positions based on a precise compass reading, utilize the Water Methods Hub in our Field Tools section.

Open Water Methods Hub →
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