Divination

Meihua Numerology

Enter two numbers to cast a hexagram, then read the situation through how the five elements of the body and application trigrams interact.

This tool follows the traditional casting method of Meihua Yishu (Plum Blossom Numerology). It is offered for cultural exploration and self-reflection only, and is not a determination of fate or medical, legal, or investment advice.

Cast the Hexagram

Hold your question in mind and enter any two positive integers. The first number forms the upper trigram, the second forms the lower trigram, and their sum determines the moving line.

Hexagram Result

Enter two numbers and hit "Cast" - this is where you'll see the original, nuclear, and changed hexagrams, plus the body-application analysis.

About Meihua Numerology

What It Is

Meihua Yishu (Plum Blossom Numerology) is traditionally attributed to Shao Yong (Shao Kangjie) of the Song dynasty and collected in the book of the same name. Its biggest difference from the six-lines yarrow or coin method: no coins, no randomness. Anything you can take a number from can form a hexagram - a number you happen to see, a sound you hear, the current hour, even a word count.

The name comes from the story of Shao Yong watching two sparrows fight over a branch until they fell to the ground. He cast a hexagram from the sight and predicted that a young woman would come to pick flowers the next day and hurt herself.

The Primordial Bagua Numbers

Meihua uses the Primordial Bagua sequence, which is different from the directional numbers of the Later Heaven Bagua:

Number Trigram Nature Element
1 Qian Heaven Metal
2 Dui Lake Metal
3 Li Fire Fire
4 Zhen Thunder Wood
5 Xun Wind Wood
6 Kan Water Water
7 Gen Mountain Earth
8 Kun Earth Earth

How Number Casting Works

Given two numbers, a (upper trigram) and b (lower trigram):

  1. Upper trigram = the remainder of a ÷ 8 (if it divides evenly, use 8), matched against the table above.
  2. Lower trigram = the remainder of b ÷ 8 (if it divides evenly, use 8).
  3. Moving line = the remainder of (a + b) ÷ 6 (if it divides evenly, use 6), counted upward from the bottom line.
  4. The six lines are stacked from the bottom up: the lower trigram's three lines go below, the upper trigram's three lines go above. That's the original hexagram.

What Each of the Three Hexagrams Represents

  • Original hexagram: the current state of affairs - it answers "what's the situation right now?"
  • Nuclear hexagram: drop the first and top lines of the original, then recombine the middle four (lines 2-3-4 form the lower trigram, lines 3-4-5 the upper). It represents the process and what's going on underneath.
  • Changed hexagram: the hexagram after the moving line flips from yin to yang or vice versa. It represents the outcome and where things are headed.

How Body and Application Are Determined

Whichever of the two trigrams the moving line falls in becomes the application trigram; the one without a moving line is the body trigram.

  • Body trigram = the person asking (you)
  • Application trigram = the other party, the environment, the matter itself

Then look at how the two trigrams' elements interact:

Relationship Reading In plain terms
Application nourishes body Auspicious Outside help arrives; just ride the momentum
Application restrains body Unfavorable Pressure is external; hold your position
Body nourishes application Draining You're giving; the cost runs high
Body restrains application Achievable with effort It's on you; hard work, but manageable
Body and application in harmony Smooth Inside and outside align; least resistance

Seasonal Energy

The same relationship carries different weight in different seasons. The body trigram's relationship to the season falls into five grades:

Prosperous (in season) > Flourishing (nourished by the season) > Resting (season has passed) > Constrained (boxed in by the season) > Dormant (overcome by the season)

In spring, for example, Wood is Prosperous, Fire is Flourishing, Water is Resting, Metal is Constrained, and Earth is Dormant. So if your body trigram is Wood, a spring reading carries real force; if it's Earth, be conservative about what you expect.

Common Misconceptions

  • Meihua is the same as tossing coins: It isn't. The whole point of Meihua is taking a number rather than generating a random one - any number will do.
  • The changed hexagram is the final answer: It isn't. The changed hexagram shows direction, the original shows the present, and the nuclear shows the process. You have to read all three together.
  • An unfavorable hexagram means you're doomed: It doesn't. A hexagram describes a tendency. Human effort and judgment always remain outside the hexagram.

FAQ

What numbers should I enter?
Any positive integers - none of them are lucky or unlucky. The traditional approach is to use a number you naturally notice in the moment: the time, a license plate, a price, a page number, a count. This tool also offers "Pick numbers for me" if you'd rather have the system draw for you.
Why not cast from the date and time?
Authentic Meihua time casting uses the **lunar** calendar date and hour, which requires a lunar conversion table. This tool sticks to number casting so the rules stay completely transparent and you can verify the math by hand. If you want to cast from time, just convert the lunar year, month, day, and hour into numbers and enter them.
Does the order of the two numbers matter?
Yes. The first number forms the upper trigram and the second forms the lower, so swapping them gives you a different hexagram. The moving line comes from the sum of the two, so swapping doesn't change it.
It says "unfavorable" - should I give up?
That's not how to read it. "Unfavorable" means the current has resistance. The traditional advice is to hold rather than attack, avoid direct confrontation, and wait for better timing - not to quit outright. Seasonal energy also adjusts the intensity: when your body trigram is in season, even an unfavorable reading has limited impact.
Can I cast again for the same question?
Tradition holds to "one question, one cast." Re-casting the same question until you get the answer you want defeats the point of self-reflection. Cast once, sit with what it says, and come back later if the situation has actually changed.