Astrology of I Ching

All calculations used in Four Pillars of Wisdom are based on the book The Astrology of I Ching written by W. A. Sherrill and W. K. Chu. Methodology of I Ching Horoscope calculation described in this book was developed by Shao Yong – notable numerologist of the ancient China.

There is a potent form of ancient Chinese Astrology which is called Eight Characters (BaZi 八字) or Four Pillars of Destiny as it known in the West. This astrology uses mathematical calculations, based on conception of five main cosmic forces, so called Five Elements (wuxing 五行): wood, fire, earth, metal and water.

BaZi takes our birth data – year, month, day and hour of birth and translates it into four pairs of distinct Chinese Characters. Four pairs make Eight Characters (or BaZi 八字). Each pair is also known as a pillar, hence the term Four Pillars. The eight characters are made up of the yin and yang variations of the Five Elements.

I Ching Astrology used in the program is a linkage between I Ching (Chinese Book of Changes) and Four Pillars of Destiny (BaZi).

On the other hand, in ancient China the divination methods based on philosophic and divination text – I Ching (Chinese Book of Changes) were very widespread as well. So it is understandable why such system which combines the hexagrams of the I Ching with Chinese Astrology (BaZi) appeared. This system is known as ”Heluo Lishu 河洛理數” (”The Numbers and Principles of the He and Luo river documents”) and it is described in the manuscript with the same title. This system connects Chinese Astrology (BaZi) with I Ching, hence the term I Ching Astrology.

According to this system, you can calculate your BaZi on the basis of your time and place of birth. Then, on the basis of calculated BaZi, you can determine two birthday I Ching Hexagrams - xiantian 先天 or Pre-Heaven hexagram and the yuantang 元堂 or Later Heaven hexagram. You can also calculate Yearly Hexagrams (daxiang 大象) and Daily Hexagrams (which are in fact hexagrams for each 6-day period, but it’s easier to call them Daily Hexagrams).

Life analysis based on Astrology of I Ching is easier to interpret in comparison with traditional BaZi analysis because BaZi has many combinations and depend on the interpreters skill and experience. In this astrology I Ching Hexagrams are used for this purpose. They can provide you excellent visual and intuitive experience, thus no interpreter is needed.

The interpretation of calculated hexagrams renders about forces, which influence a person during his life time, gives the information about ones destiny and character, gives advices how to act in order to be in harmony with the surrounding world.

The Heluo Lishu system was introduced by the authors Sherrill & Chu in their book The Astrology of I Ching. All calculations implemented in Four Pillars of Wisdom are based on this book.

This astrology is the most in-depth and the most complicated among all types of astrology of the ancient China.

In the I Ching Astrology, with the help of the program Four Pillars of Wisdom, on the basis of time and place of birth a I Ching Horoscope can be calculated. The horoscope consists of two birthday hexagrams – Pre-Heaven Hexagram and Later Heaven Hexagram.

• Pre-Heaven Hexagram describes forces influencing the first half of life of the horoscope holder.
• Later Heaven Hexagram gives interpretation of forces prevailing consequently during the second half of life.

Each of these hexagrams has its control line, which represent the core of the hexagram. Influence of forces described in both hexagrams can be changed by karma or free will of a person.

Beside this, the horoscope includes description of annual and daily cycles of life. This is, in fact, description of evolution of Pre-Heaven and Later Heaven Hexagrams during the life of a person.

The received predictions are based on interaction of two trigrams composing each hexagram in view of the control line position. When elements of a hexagram are in harmony to each other, then success and favorable events are expectable.

It should be noted that comments to the hexagrams give interpretations for the “Most Auspicious” and the “Least Auspicious”. It is based on the conception of reincarnation showing that each soul comes back to the world with specific initial conditions depending on its karma.

Of course, a person can control his destiny and developing himself, he can improve his level of “auspiciousness”. This can be done if the person learns from his mistakes, and, regarding astrology, he study cycles, which often repeat, in his life.

It should be understood that this astrology is very subjective and it will not tell you what will happen to you and moreover will not give precise directions to act.

I Ching Cards (”The I Ching Pack” by Anthony Clark and Richard Gill)

The main ideas of I Ching Astrology

1. Hexagrams are interpretations of evolution of the main forces of Yin and Yang nature;
2. Hexagrams symbolically represent all possible situations and conditions relating to a human, an animal, a plant, and all living creatures. That is why a person can use it in connection with everything he could ever think of;
3. A person is between heaven and earth and is a an equal partner in interaction with them;
4. Laws of earth and heaven are not static but evolving though rather slowly, so the prediction is available to most of people;
5. Every person has free will to act, think and speak what he wants to;
6. A person is successful when he tries to be in harmony with laws of earth and heaven;
7. A person does good for himself when he is acting selflessly in harmony with laws of earth and heaven;
8. Karma can often prevail on a person’s free will;
9. Karma is not inevitable. A person can develop himself and overcome his karma through spiritual purification;
10. Man performs divine will when he acts in harmony with laws of heaven and earth;
11. Man evolves spiritually when learning laws of earth and heaven more and more deeply and using them consciously;
12. I Ching is a guide for spiritual development;
13. Forces influencing a person at the moment of his birth are forces, which will prevail during all his entire life;
14. Authenticity of this astrology completely depends on qualification, level of spiritual development and experience of interpreter;
15. The individual alone can know all truth about his life and himself. This is a part of his personal freedom.

The I Ching Astrology is your guide inside your intuition which will help you to understand the situation you are going through and to realize the world surrounding you.

Further reading

1. The I Ching or Book of Changes,  Richard Wilhelm (Translator), Cary F. Baynes (Translator);
2. Astrology of I Ching.  W. A. Sherrill, Wen-Kuang Chu;
3. Classical Chinese Book of Changes, Y. K. Shutsky, (In Russian Language);