An introduction to Da Liu Ren and its scope

Da Liu Ren (大六壬), also known as Liu Ren Divine Lessons (六壬神课) or simply Liu Ren (六壬), is grouped with Qi Men Dun Jia (奇门遁甲) and Tai Yi Shen Shu (太乙神数) as the Three Styles (三式). Because its deductive system is the most complex, it is revered as the foremost of the Three Styles. It is primarily used to divine good and bad fortune in human affairs. Therefore, it holds the reputation as the King of Human Affairs (人事之王).

The deduction of Da Liu Ren charts relies on ancient astronomy as its calendrical basis, grounded in the Heavenly Stems, Earthly Branches, Yin-Yang, and the Five Elements. Based on the time of inquiry, the Monthly General (月将) is placed over the divination hour to configure the Heaven and Earth Plates (天地盘). Auspiciousness and inauspiciousness are divined by superimposing the Heaven Plate on the Earth Plate, combined with the structures of the Four Lessons (四课) and Three Transmissions (三传). This process also incorporates the Twelve Heavenly Generals (十二天将) and the generation and overcoming of the Five Elements. Among them, the Four Lessons focus on presenting human relationships and the fundamental state of affairs. The Three Transmissions focus on tracing the development of events. Together, the Heaven and Earth plates, the Four Lessons, and the Three Transmissions form a comprehensive, multi-dimensional divination system rich in information.

Da Liu Ren originated very early, tracing back to before the Han dynasty, and was already widespread during the Eastern Han. Historically, it circulated primarily among the scholar-official class. The ancient Astronomical Bureau designated it as a mandatory examination subject to serve imperial decision-making. The Tang dynasty poet Wang Jian wrote, "My health has recently declined, so I often turn to Liu Ren for divination" (近来身不健，时就六壬占), showing that Liu Ren was already very popular in the Tang dynasty. In the Northern Song, Emperor Renzong personally penned a preface for the Jingyou Liu Ren Shen Ding Jing compiled by Yang Weide, demonstrating that Liu Ren was embraced across all social strata during the Song dynasty. By the Ming and Qing dynasties, books on Liu Ren emerged in an endless stream.

As the king of human affairs, Da Liu Ren has an extremely broad scope of divination. It covers career and work, business partnerships, marriage and relationships, academics and examinations, health and illness, pregnancy, lawsuits, travel and safety, lost items and missing persons, Feng Shui, weather, and more. When divining these matters, it typically provides several key insights. It reveals the current state of the situation and clarifies the relationships among the person concerned, the environment, and relevant parties. It shows how the matter is progressing and whether it will proceed smoothly. It also indicates whether the intended goal can ultimately be achieved and what conditions are required. Finally, it specifies the timing of turning points and final outcomes, which is known as the fulfillment period.