Feng Shui has numerological aspects in its application, which can be used by experienced practitioners to state events that have happened or will happen to occupants within a property based on the interactions between bodies of Qi that are represented by numbers. This numerological study is derived from two numerical formations, which are known as the Luo Shu and the He Tu.

Legend says that these patterns were discovered as markings on the bodies of strange creatures emerging from rivers in ancient China. More likely, they came from astronomical observations. In any case, the Luo Shu and He Tu describe patterns of Qi and help us understand how Qi works, especially in relation to time.

The He Tu

The He Tu is traditionally said to originate from the emergence of a dragon-headed horse with carp-like scales that emerged from the Yellow River. Its body was covered in strange markings which were noted by the sages of the time and studied in depth. Eventually, these markings were codified into a set of dots (see the diagram on the right), which were called the He Tu, or River Map. Many observations about nature were derived from study of the He Tu, including the existence of the north-south axis of the Earth, and the idea that heat rises while cold descends. Gradually, associations with directional and Five Phase energies were incorporated into the He Tu. Eventually, the He Tu came to be represented by a grid of numbers like this:

The He Tu shows a perfect balance of Yin and Yang. Numbers 2 and 7 are paired together and represent Fire and the south; 1 and 6 represent Water and the north; 3 and 8 represent Wood and the east; 4 and 9 represent Metal and the west; and 5 and 10 represent Earth and the center. In the He Tu, there is on movement, no change and no passage of time.

The Luo Shu

The Luo Shu, on the other hand, depicts the universe in a constant state of change, as it is now. Legend states that in the era of Xia Yu, a giant turtle with black and white spots on its shell emerged from the River Luo. Sages recalled the tale of the dragon-headed horse that gave rise to the He Tu, and immediately noted and began studying the turtle's markings. From these studies came the Luo Shu, or Luo Book.

The Luo Shu places 9 at the top of the chart, which corresponds to the direction of south. 9 is associated with Fire. 2 is in the southwest, and is associated with Earth. 7, associated with Metal, resides in the west. 6, also associated with Metal, is located in the northwest. 5, associated with Earth, is located in the center. 1, which is associated with Water, is placed in the north. 4 and 3, both associated with Wood, are placed in the southeast and east, respectively. Finally, 8, associated with Earth, is located in the northeast.

At a very basic level, you can superimpose the Luo Shu grid over a floor plan of your house and look for imbalances between the Five Phases. For example, if your house has a missing corner in the north, you have a lack of the Water Element. This could indicate trouble with intelligence or emotions or with the kidneys.

Another application would be to look at the shapes of buildings located in each of the directions around your site and compare the Five Phase association of the building's shape with the Phase associated with that direction. For example, a building with a domed roof located in the East has a Metal association, which controls the Wood associated with that direction on the Luo Shu. This could indicate problems with growth or kindness, both of which are associated with the Wood Element.

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Primary References

The Luo Shu & He Tu: Numerology In Feng Shui

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About Feng Shui || Yin and Yang || The Five Phases || The Luo Shu and He Tu || Qualities of Qi || The Eight Trigrams (Part 1) || The Eight Trigrams (Part 2) || The Early Heaven and Later Heaven Sequences || The Luo Pan and the 24 Mountains || Taking Directions || Direction vs. Location || The Key Factors || Introduction to Landforms || Forms in the Urban Environment || The Four Celestial Animals || The Shapes of Forms || Introduction to Eight Mansions || East and West Groups || The Positive Wandering Stars || The Negative Wandering Stars || Calculating the Life Gua || Using the Life Gua || Common Mistakes in Eight Mansions || Introduction to Flying Stars || Plotting the Stars 1 || Plotting the Stars 2 || Timeliness of the Stars || Facing Stars and Sitting Stars || Characteristics of the Stars || Activating and Deactivating Stars || Period 8 Flying Stars || Activating the Prosperous Facing Star || Bedroom Flying Stars || Integrating Flying Stars with Eight Mansions

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