A Complete Guide to Plum Blossom Numerology

Plum Blossom Numerology is one of the traditional Chinese divination arts. It is said to have been created by Shao Yong, a Northern Song scholar of the Book of Changes. Based on the I Ching, it combines the theories of the Eight Trigrams, the Five Elements, and yin and yang. Its methods for casting a hexagram are remarkably flexible: one can use the time, direction, sounds, numbers, or even chance events in the surrounding environment. Once a hexagram has been cast, the relationship between the host and guest trigrams is analyzed, along with the rich symbolic associations of the Eight Trigrams, such as Qian representing Heaven and Kun representing Earth. The hexagram and line texts of the I Ching are also consulted to infer how events may unfold. In ancient times, it was often used to divine answers and predict good or bad fortune, from matters of state to the everyday concerns of ordinary people. Though Plum Blossom Numerology is shrouded in mystery, today it should be viewed as part of traditional culture and approached with reason and objectivity. We should appreciate its cultural meaning rather than blindly believe in its predictive power.