Introduction to Deviation from Divination

Li Gua is the thirtieth of the sixty-four hexagrams in the Book of Changes, just like two yang hexagrams with a yin hexagram, representing fire. Because divination represents fire, it is empty inside and bright outside, so its image can be a little bit in the circle, symbolizing the sun. In Taoism, Li Gua is often paired with Kan (representing water), which is water with black, and Li Gua is fire with red. Not only that, Taoist rituals and practices are also integrated into Yi-ology, such as the "water pool" and "fire marsh" used to symbolize the shape of heaven and earth in the refining ceremony: the water pool is round inside and outside, with a divination at the center, and Fiona Fang is five feet long with runes engraved on it, which is placed in the northeast corner of the altar; The fire marsh is round inside and outside, with the plum melon as the center. Fiona Fang, three feet wide and inscribed with runes, is placed in the southeast corner of the altar. The pool is filled with real water, and the fire marsh is filled with real fire. The round pool and square marsh of the refining altar symbolize heaven and earth in an intuitive form. Taoist jade steps should also cooperate with gossip, and the high arch follows the astrological chart of gossip: when stepping on the bucket, the high arch stands on the fork, first raising its left foot, stepping on Li Gua, and stepping on Kun Gua with its right foot; Step on the left to shake the divination, the right to reverse the divination, the left to reverse the divination from the right, the right to reverse the divination, the left to reverse the divination and the right to reverse the divination; Step on Tianmen on the left, step on the door on the right, and stand on the door from left to right. The "Fire and Water Wide Map" in Zhouyi Shentongqi Yi of Houshu explains the formation pattern of Dan medicine in Shentongqi in this way: the left half of the picture is divination, the right half is divination, the white one is yang, and the black one is yin. As for refining Waidan, it is said that on the left is Qinglong, namely cinnabar, on the right is white tiger, namely lead, and the small white circle in the middle refers to Waidan. This schema later became one of Taoist schemata about alchemy.

Zhang Ze Zhu Hong: Taoist Immortal Belief and Sacrificial Ceremony (Taipei: Jinwen Publishing House, 2003).