Liuyao Najia — Six Relations & Five Elements Guide
Derive the Six Relations through Five Elements interactions based on Palace attributes
What are the Six Relations
The Six Relations (Liuqin) form the foundational framework of Liuyao divination, serving as the bridge connecting hexagram symbols to human affairs. 'Six Relations' does not refer to actual family relationships, but rather six symbolic categories established based on Five Elements interactions, with the Palace's element as the center. Each category represents different aspects of people, events, and things.
Key Point
The Six Relations are determined using the hexagram Palace's element as 'Self', based on the generating and overcoming relationships of the Five Elements. Here, 'Self' refers to the element of the Palace to which the entire hexagram belongs, not the World Line or the querent.
Five Elements Fundamentals
Understanding the basic principles of Five Elements interactions
The Generating Cycle
The generating cycle represents mutual promotion between elements
The Overcoming Cycle
The overcoming cycle represents mutual restraint between elements
Eight Palaces and 64 Hexagrams Elements Attribution
Each Palace contains eight hexagrams, totaling 64 hexagrams
The 64 hexagrams are categorized into eight Palaces, with each Palace containing eight hexagrams. The Palace's element attribute determines which element is used when calculating the Six Relations for that hexagram.
Six Relations Definition Rules
Determining the Six Relations with Palace element as 'Self'
Compare each line's Earthly Branch element with the Palace element, and determine the Six Relations based on the generating and overcoming relationships.
| 六亲 | 生克关系 |
|---|---|
| PParents | What generates Self is Parents |
| SSiblings | What is same as Self is Siblings |
| WWealth | What Self overcomes is Wealth |
| OOfficer | What overcomes Self is Officer |
| OOffspring | What Self generates is Offspring |
Six Relations Assignment Example
Using Sui hexagram (Following) to demonstrate the derivation process
Sui (Following)
Determine Palace Element
Sui hexagram belongs to Zhen Palace, which has the element of Wood. Therefore, this hexagram takes 'Wood' as 'Self'.
Determine Each Line's Branch
Through the Najia method, we obtain the Earthly Branch configuration for each line.
Learn Najia MethodDerive the Six Relations
Compare each line's branch element with the Palace element (Wood) to determine the Six Relations based on generating/overcoming relationships.
| 爻位 | 干支 | 五行 | 推理 | 六亲 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top Line | 丁未 | Earth | Wood overcomes Earth, Earth is Wealth | Wealth |
| 5th Line | 丁酉 | Metal | Metal overcomes Wood, Metal is Officer | Officer |
| 4th Line | 丁亥 | Water | Water generates Wood, Water is Parents | Parents |
| 3rd Line | 庚辰 | Earth | Wood overcomes Earth, Earth is Wealth | Wealth |
| 2nd Line | 庚寅 | Wood | Wood equals Wood, Wood is Siblings | Siblings |
| 1st Line | 庚子 | Water | Water generates Wood, Water is Parents | Parents |
Through this derivation, Sui hexagram's Six Relations configuration is: two Parents lines (Water), one Siblings line (Wood), two Wealth lines (Earth), one Officer line (Metal), and no Offspring line (Fire).
Six Relations Symbolic Meanings
Each relation carries rich symbolic significance
Parents Line
Nurturing, protection, education, support
- • Parents, grandparents, teachers, elders
- • Protectors, guardians, leaders
- • Landlords, hosts
- • Houses, buildings, shelters
- • Vehicles, boats, transportation
- • Documents, certificates, contracts, licenses
- • Studies, education, knowledge
- • Hard work, running about, worry
- • Responsibility, duty, burden
Siblings Line
Peers, competition, assistance, depletion
- • Brothers, sisters, cousins
- • Friends, colleagues, classmates, peers
- • Competitors, rivals
- • Arms, limbs, extremities
- • Doors, walls, fences
- • Similar items, comparable things
- • Financial loss, expenses, depletion
- • Arguments, disputes, conflicts
- • Cooperation, mutual aid, unity
Wealth Line
What I control, what I enjoy, property, spouse
- • Wife, lover, girlfriend (when man divines)
- • Subordinates, employees, servants
- • Those managed, those controlled
- • Money, currency, assets
- • Jewelry, valuables
- • Food, daily necessities
- • Wealth, profit, income
- • Material enjoyment, quality of life
- • Financial situation, fortune
Officer Line
Restraint, management, pressure, honor, illness
- • Superiors, bosses, leaders
- • Husband, boyfriend (when woman divines)
- • Government offices, authorities
- • Rank, position, official title
- • Work, career, occupation
- • Illness, pain, symptoms
- • Troubles, worries, pressure
- • Lawsuits, legal matters
- • Reputation, prestige, status
Offspring Line
Joy, liberation, creation, restraining Officer
- • Children, grandchildren, juniors
- • Students, disciples, apprentices
- • Doctors, pharmacists, healers
- • Medicine, medical supplies
- • Pets, animals
- • Artwork, creative works
- • Entertainment, joy, pleasure
- • Relief from worry, release, relaxation
- • Medicine, treatment, recovery
Interactive Practice
Select a Palace element to observe Six Relations changes
| Branch Element | Zi (子) | Chou (丑) | Yin (寅) | Mao (卯) | Chen (辰) | Si (巳) | Wu (午) | Wei (未) | Shen (申) | You (酉) | Xu (戌) | Hai (亥) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Element | Water | Earth | Wood | Wood | Earth | Fire | Fire | Earth | Metal | Metal | Earth | Water |
| Corresponding Relation | Offspring | Parents | Wealth | Wealth | Parents | Officer | Officer | Parents | Siblings | Siblings | Parents | Offspring |
Try selecting different Palaces to observe how the same branch corresponds to different relations
Six Relations in Divination Applications
Selecting the Principal God for different query types
Fortune Query
Wealth is the Principal God, favorable when strong and supported; Siblings is unfavorable, movement means financial loss; Offspring is the source of wealth
Career Query
Officer is the Principal God, favorable when strong and vital; Offspring is unfavorable, movement restrains Officer; Wealth can generate Officer
Exam Query
Parents is the Principal God, representing documents and grades; Officer represents merit and admission; Wealth movement restrains Parents, unfavorable
Children Query
Offspring is the Principal God, representing children's fortune; Parents movement restrains Offspring, unfavorable; Siblings can generate Offspring
Partnership Query
Siblings is the Principal God, representing partners and friends; Officer movement restrains Siblings, indicating pressure in cooperation
Marriage Query
Men use Wealth as Principal God representing wife; women use Officer as Principal God representing husband
Illness Query
Offspring is the Medicine God, strong means recovery; Officer is the Illness God, strong means serious condition; Parents movement restrains Offspring, unfavorable for recovery
Property Query
Parents is the Principal God, representing houses and property; Wealth movement restrains Parents, indicating property damage
Litigation Query
Officer represents lawsuits and cases; strong Offspring can resolve issues; World Line should be strong, not weak
Important Notes
Based on Palace
Six Relations must be determined based on Palace element, not World Line element or other standards
Flexible Symbolism
The meaning of Six Relations is flexible and must be determined in conjunction with specific query content and hexagram context
Distinguish Image from Palace
The hexagram image is the yin-yang line composition of the hexagram itself, while the Palace is the hexagram's classification in the Eight Palace system
Comprehensive Analysis
Six Relations cannot be judged in isolation; they must be combined with World/Response, movement/stillness, strength/weakness, emptiness, and Six Spirits