Criticisim of Two Cycles & Eight Periods AND Xuan Kong Liu Fa (8)

6. The study of 64 hexagrams (六十四 卦) from the view of yang (陽) and yin (陰) cycle

If we say, the principle of 2 cycles and 8 periods is mainly based on the early trigram; the 0° should be obviously occupied by the hexagram-Fu 復 (Return) and so on as follows:

Table 6. Distribution of early hexagrams on Luopan

Interval of Degree	Arrangement of Early Hexagrams	Early Trigram Palace	Centre of the Interval / Palace	Modern Direction (early trigram palace)
0° - 45°	Yang initiating Fu 復 (Return) to Wu Wang 無妄 (Innocence)	Zhen	22.5°	North-northeast NNE
45° - 90°	Ming Yi 明夷 (Darkening of the light) to Tong Ren 同人 (Fellowship)	Li	67.5°	East-northeast ENE
90° - 135°	Lin 臨 (Approach) to Lu 履 (Treading (Conduct))	Dui	112.5°	East-southeast ESE
135° - 180°	Tai 泰 (Peace) to Qian 乾 (The Creative) Yang exhausted	Qian	157.5°	South-southeast SSE
180° - 225°	Yin initiating Gou 姤 (Coming to Meet) to Sheng 升 (Pushing Upward)	Xun	202.5°	South-southwest SSW
225° - 270°	Song 訟 (Conflict) to Shi 師 (The Army)	Kan	247.5°	West-southwest WSW
270° - 315°	Dun 遯 (Retreat) to Qian謙 (Modesty)	Gen	292.5°	West-northwest WNW
315° -360°	Pi 否 (Standstill) to Kun 坤 (The Receptive) Yin exhausted	Kun	337.5°	North-northwest NNW

From the above, one yang is initiating in palace-Zhen that is represented by the first hexagram-Fu 復 (Returning) since only the first yao is yang among all yao. Afterwards, the yang Qi (氣) is gradually increasing to give one more yang yao for the inner trigram (內卦) in palace-Li. Two yang yao and one yin yao forming inner trigrams in palace-Li start the hexagrams from Ming Yi 明夷 (Darkening of the light) to Tong Ren 同人 (Fellowship). In palace-Dui, this shows the inner trigrams also with two yang yao and one yin yao, however, the yin yao (in palace-Li) is rising from 2nd line to 3rd line; the hexagrams are changed from Lin 臨 (Approach) to Lu 履 (Treading (Conduct)). Finally, the palace-Qian is a place with maximum yang Qi and ended by the hexagram-Qian 乾 (The Creative). By the theory of Yi Jing 易經 (Book of Changes), yin would be initiating when yang exhausted, so the Qi would then be going to palace-Xun and its respective hexagrams until all yin Qi were exhausted. In turn, yang Qi would start again and so on as a continuous cycle of yin and yang. This theory from Yi Jing constitutes the principle of Da Xuan Kong (大玄空) in which yin and yang are dynamic with each other and each of them governs half of a circle in the universe.

From the above elaboration of Qi, I want to tell everyone that I have no objection for the theory of 64 hexagrams embedded into their corresponding early trigram palaces since this obeys the theory of Yi Jing and Tao in Chinese. I just argue that the misconception of time and space generated from the principle of 2 cycles and 8 periods.

The discussion of 2 cycles and 8 periods:

1) If the arrangement of directions follows the column (Interval of degree) of Table 6 shown, the middle lines of each direction should be changed to the column (Centre of the Interval / Palace) of Table 6 also.

2) The concept of 8 directions should be changed from the traditional one (i.e. N, E, S, W, NE, NW, SE & SW) to the column (Modern Direction (early trigram palace)) of Table 6 for the purpose of finding out which is the auspicious direction or not.

3) However, if the practitioners still use the traditional direction, or say later trigram-palace, from the view of early trigram palace, just only half of the palace is auspicious; the remaining would then be inauspicious. If there is no confirmation of using which set of direction (early or later), auspicious or inauspicious direction couldn't be told.

4) Finally, if the practitioners choose the early one, this is easy to say palace-Zhen is auspicious during the 8th period. (i.e. Fu 復 to Wu Wang 無妄, 0° - 45°)

5) If so, there would be no contradiction in the theory of 2 cycles and 8 periods. But is this the fact? Is this true?

Figure 7 shows the distribution of 64 hexagrams in Loupan from the view of yang and yin cycle. Commonly used directions and the centre of interval should be changed.