The Plum Blossom Method - Divination Through Insight and Calculation
Welcome to our exploration of the Plum Blossom I Ching method, known in Chinese as Mei Hua Yi (梅花易) or, more fully, Méihuā Yì Shù (梅花易數). This unique and fascinating school of divination offers a distinct approach to consulting the I Ching, diverging significantly from methods reliant on the chance casting of coins or yarrow stalks. Instead, it emphasizes insight, observation, numerology, and the diviner’s intuitive connection to the patterns of the cosmos.
Shao Yong: The Visionary Behind the Method
The Plum Blossom method is primarily attributed to the brilliant Shao Yong (邵雍, AD 1011–1077), a highly respected Confucian scholar, philosopher, historian, and poet of the Northern Song period in China. Shao Yong was renowned not only for his profound understanding of Yi Xue (I Ching studies) for moral self-cultivation but also for his remarkable ability to use the I Ching for prediction with uncanny accuracy. His divinatory skills often appeared to his contemporaries to border on the shamanistic, demonstrating a deep attunement to the subtle workings of the universe. His original text outlining this system is titled “梅花易數” (Méihuā Yì Shù), which translates to something like “Plum Blossom Easy Numbers” or “Plum Blossom Method of I Ching Calculation.”
The Core Concept: The “Plum Flowering Mind”
What sets the Plum Blossom method apart is its revolutionary way of forming hexagrams. Instead of relying on external randomizing tools, Shao Yong’s “Plum Flowering Mind” (a metaphorical description of the diviner’s perceptive and intuitive faculty) derives hexagrams from:
- Objective Events or Phenomena: Observations of specific occurrences in the environment around the diviner at a particular moment.
- Specific Timing: Calculations based on the date and time an event occurs or a question is asked.
- Internal “Channeling” or Intuition: In some variations, hexagrams can be formed through a deeply meditative or trancelike state.
This approach shifts the focus from chance operations to the diviner’s ability to perceive and interpret the meaningful patterns inherent in the moment and the environment.
Shao Yong’s Legacy: Prediction and Cultivation
Shao Yong’s work with the Plum Blossom method highlighted a fascinating integration of seemingly disparate abilities. He was widely acknowledged by his peers for his predictive prowess, yet this was grounded in a deep philosophical understanding and commitment to the moral and spiritual self-cultivation central to traditional Yi Xue. This blend suggests that the Plum Blossom method, in its fullest expression, is not merely about foretelling but about understanding the deeper currents of the Tao and one’s place within them.
Roadmap for This Workshop Series
This series of articles will guide you through the multifaceted world of the Plum Blossom method:
- Article 1: The Plum Blossom Method - Divination Through Insight and Calculation (You are here!)
- Article 2: The Language of Numbers - Numerology in Plum Blossom Divination: Exploring the foundational role of mathematics and numerical associations.
- Article 3: Time and Cosmos - The Lunisolar Calendar in Mei Hua Yi: Understanding the importance of traditional Chinese calendrical systems.
- Article 4: Frameworks of Understanding - Trigrams, Wu Xing, and Taiji: Delving into the core symbolic systems used.
- Articles 5-9: Techniques for Hexagram Formation: Detailed explorations of methods based on external events, numerical calculation, horary principles, channeling, and other observational techniques like the rice grain method.
- Article 10: Interpreting Plum Blossom Readings - Wu Xing, Cycles, and Innate Knowing: Focusing on the unique interpretive aspects of this school.
- Article 11: Shao Yong’s Legacy - History and Philosophy of Mei Hua Yi: Examining the historical context and profound philosophical underpinnings of the method.
Join us as we uncover the elegant and insightful techniques of the Plum Blossom I Ching, a path to divination that connects the keenness of observation with the depths of intuition.