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Luojing Dingmenzhen is an operation manual of the geomantic compass, written by Xu Shike who was a master of Feng-Shui in Ming Dynasty. To analyze the principles and the modes of operations of the geomantic compass could let us conceive the knowledge system in a traditional environment. Topics of this research are as followed: the influence of Luojing Dingmenzhen and Xu’s work characteristics, the elaboration constructions and principles, the operation mods of the compass, the construction and annotation of ideal posited relations. Xu Shike was a Confucian scholar and a master as well. He reedited Dili Tianji Kuaiyuan during the Wanli period, got rid of the bad and retained the good from books of Feng-Shui. Luojing Dingmenzhen(1623) is the method that Xu had learned for many years in geomancy practices. It was one of the most representative geomantic literature reorganizations at that time. Xu’s theory, originally stemmed from Fawei Lun, Ching Nang Jing, Tsui Guan Pian, Yuchin Jing, provides the most exhaustive explanations to Sexagenary-characters and the five elements system of Twenty-four Divisions. The models and diagrams, used for judging the good and bad fortune in Luojing Dingmenzhen, could help modern people understand the traditional environment in depth. There are four big principles of Luojing Dingmenzhen: the eight trigrams(Pa-kua), Yin and Yang, the five elements and Fen-chin division. The Later Heaven Sequence of the eight trigrams illustrates the quality of Chi at eight main compass directions. Each trigram is associated with one or other members of the family. With the Lo-shu, Na-jia and models of the five elements, it forms the azimuthal direction of I Cing. Pa kua also indicates the circular waxing and waning of Yin and Yang in the compass. In twenty-four azimuthal direction poits, half are Yin and half are Yang. In the ten heavenly stems, stems 1 and 9 intend orphans, stems 2 and 10 intend emptiness, stems 3 and 7 intend prosperity, stems 4 and 8 intend assistance, stems 5 and 6 intend tortoise-shell. The five elements (Wu-hsing) is used to ascertain the relationship of growth and death in a grave. Xu adopted various kind of Wu-hsing systems, included Zheng Wu-hsing, Na-jia Wu-hsing, San-he Wu-hsing, Xuan-kong Wu-hsing and Hua -chi Wu-hsing. The compass has a number of different Rings divided based on different classification outlines, with division by twelve, twenty-four, sixty, seventy-two, 120, 240 and so on. Fen-chin represents a sequence of Chi in the waxing and waning circle. The admixture of Stems and Branches produces the set of symbols bearring directly on men and the grave. The modes of Feng-Shui operations recorded in Luojing Dingmenzhen induce 5 kinds of ways to measure the dragon vein, 4 kinds of ways to establish the position, 2 kinds of ways to find the lair, and 3 kinds of ways to judge the direction of rivers and hills. He used the correct needle and Wu-hsing sequences to measure dragon veins, hills, lairs and the rivers around the graves. He used the through-earth Ring, the penetrated-mountain Ring and 120 Fen-chin to choose the better position of Chi. Since every numerical division is utilized, the master can judge a particular geomantic situation based on any of the above principles. The purpose of Feng-Shui is to urge people being selected and being an official. Xu believed that the models of the compass could arrange good and rich position for a family. Feng-shui is not only a method to prepare the grave for the death, but a forecast about the good future of a family.
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