Liuyao Najia — Six Spirits Guide
Determine Six Spirits by Day Stem to enhance divination interpretation
What Are the Six Spirits
The Six Spirits (Liushen) are auxiliary tools in Liuyao divination, consisting of Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, Hook Array, Soaring Serpent, White Tiger, and Dark Warrior. They are arranged on the six lines based on the Day Stem of the divination date, providing supplementary information to enrich the interpretation.
Key Point
The Six Spirits serve to enhance and supplement the interpretation of the Principal Spirit and World Line, rather than directly determining fortune or misfortune. Divination should prioritize Five Element interactions, with Six Spirits as auxiliary.
Six Spirits Overview
Learn the basic attributes of each spirit
Azure Dragon
WoodGoverns auspiciousness, celebration, wealth, official rank, benefactors
Vermilion Bird
FireGoverns speech, documents, information, communication, disputes
Hook Array
EarthGoverns stability, delays, land matters, obstacles, entanglements
Soaring Serpent
EarthGoverns false alarms, strange events, changes, deception, complications
White Tiger
MetalGoverns injuries, bloodshed, funerals, legal troubles, fierceness
Dark Warrior
WaterGoverns theft, ambiguity, secrets, deception, darkness
Five Element Attributes
Each spirit corresponds to an element and direction
| Six Spirits | Element | Direction | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐉Azure Dragon | Wood | East | Yang Wood, governs benevolence and growth |
| 🐦🔥Vermilion Bird | Fire | South | Yang Fire, governs civilization and etiquette |
| 🦄Hook Array | Earth | Center | Yang Earth, governs stability and solidity |
| 🐍Soaring Serpent | Earth | Center | Yin Earth, governs change and complexity |
| 🐅White Tiger | Metal | West | Yang Metal, governs severity and might |
| 🐢Dark Warrior | Water | North | Yang Water, governs wisdom and mystery |
Arrangement Rules
Determine the starting spirit by Day Stem
The Six Spirits are arranged from the first line upward to the sixth line. The fixed order is: Azure Dragon → Vermilion Bird → Hook Array → Soaring Serpent → White Tiger → Dark Warrior, cycling continuously. The key is determining the starting spirit for the first line, which depends on the Day Stem of the divination date.
Six Spirits Mnemonic
Jia & Yi start Azure Dragon
Bing & Ding start Vermilion Bird
Wu day starts Hook Array
Ji day starts Soaring Serpent
Geng & Xin start White Tiger
Ren & Gui start Dark Warrior
Memorize this mnemonic to quickly determine the starting spirit
| Day Stem | Starting Spirit |
|---|---|
| Jia, Yi | 🐉Azure Dragon |
| Bing, Ding | 🐦🔥Vermilion Bird |
| Wu | 🦄Hook Array |
| Ji | 🐍Soaring Serpent |
| Geng, Xin | 🐅White Tiger |
| Ren, Gui | 🐢Dark Warrior |
Tip: The spirit order is fixed; only the starting position changes with the Day Stem. Arrange upward from the first line, cycling after the sixth.
Interactive Practice
Select a Day Stem to view the spirit arrangement
Try different Day Stems to observe how the arrangement changes
Detailed Spirit Symbolism
Each spirit carries rich auspicious and inauspicious meanings
Azure Dragon
Wood element, governs auspiciousness, wealth, official rank
- • Celebrations, weddings, childbirth
- • Promotions, advancement, honors
- • Prosperous finances, abundant profits
- • Benefactor assistance, good fortune
- • Over-optimism, blind confidence
- • Vanity, caring too much about appearances
- • If on an unfavorable line, joy mixed with worry
Dragon-shaped items, green/blue items, eastern matters, benevolent people, benefactors, banquets, celebrations
Vermilion Bird
Fire element, governs speech, documents, communication
- • Smooth document processing, contract signing
- • Success in examinations, article publication
- • Message delivery, smooth communication
- • Excellent eloquence, strong expression
- • Gossip, arguments, disputes
- • Document errors, contract disputes
- • Rumors, slander, lawsuits
- • Fire hazards, burns
Phones, letters, contracts, documents, red items, southern matters, flames, birds
Hook Array
Earth element, governs land, delays, obstacles
- • Smooth real estate transactions
- • Stability, reliability, durability
- • Loyalty, integrity, steadfastness
- • Favorable for agriculture and land matters
- • Delays, procrastination, obstacles
- • Entanglements, complications
- • Persistent lawsuits, ongoing litigation
- • Difficulty escaping situations
Land, real estate, center, yellow items, military, martial positions, prisons
Soaring Serpent
Earth element, governs false alarms, strange events, changes
- • Adaptability, flexibility, resourcefulness
- • Mysterious matters, metaphysical topics
- • Soft, winding objects
- • False alarms, making something out of nothing
- • Strange dreams, fear, insomnia
- • Fraud, schemes, petty people
- • Entanglement, complications, difficulty escaping
Snake-shaped items, ropes, pipes, winding objects, strange events, dreams
White Tiger
Metal element, governs injuries, bloodshed, legal troubles
- • Might, strength, decisiveness
- • Favorable for military and police careers
- • Successful surgery, recovery (if Principal Spirit is strong)
- • Breaking old patterns, removing obstacles
- • Bloodshed, injuries, illness
- • Funerals, death, danger
- • Legal troubles, imprisonment, punishment
- • Traffic accidents, metal-related injuries
Metal items, swords, vehicles, western matters, white items, hospitals, tiger-shaped items
Dark Warrior
Water element, governs theft, ambiguity, deception
- • Wisdom, strategy, depth
- • Secret matters proceeding smoothly
- • Favorable for water-related and shipping matters
- • Gentleness, smoothness, adaptability
- • Theft, lost items, financial loss
- • Ambiguity, affairs, romantic troubles
- • Deception, concealment, dishonesty
- • Petty people, conspiracies, hidden harm
Water, northern matters, black items, thieves, ambiguous people, affairs, alcohol
Application Principles
Correctly understanding the role of Six Spirits in interpretation
Six Spirits Are Auxiliary; Element Interactions Are Primary
Six Spirits are merely auxiliary tools and should not overshadow the main analysis. The core of divination remains the Five Element interactions; Six Spirits serve to refine and enhance the interpretation.
Focus on the Principal Spirit
Six Spirits must be considered alongside the Principal Spirit. Azure Dragon on a strong Principal Spirit indicates great fortune; on a strong Avoidance Spirit, it amplifies harm.
Consider Movement and Stillness
When a Six Spirit is on a moving line, its symbolic meaning becomes more pronounced and active. On a static line, its influence is relatively weaker.
Fortune Is Not Absolute
Azure Dragon is not always auspicious; White Tiger is not always inauspicious. Consider the overall hexagram and Principal Spirit strength for comprehensive judgment.
Refine Interpretation Details
Six Spirits are mainly used to enrich interpretation details, such as determining visitor direction, object colors, or specific personal characteristics.
Adapt to Actual Circumstances
Six Spirit symbolism should be flexibly applied according to the specific matter being divined; avoid rigid application.
Example Demonstration
Using Geng day divination to demonstrate spirit arrangement
Find the Starting Spirit
According to the mnemonic "Geng & Xin start White Tiger," the first line starts with White Tiger.
Arrange Spirits in Sequence
Starting from White Tiger on the first line, arrange upward: White Tiger → Dark Warrior → Azure Dragon → Vermilion Bird → Hook Array → Soaring Serpent.
"Geng & Xin start with White Tiger"
Starting from the first line with White Tiger, arrange upward in sequence
Spirit Arrangement Result
Cycle upward from the first line