The Eight Gates (八门)
The Eight Gates form the Human Plate, representing human affairs — whether things will succeed or go smoothly, first look to the Gate.
| Gate | Five Elements | Original Position | Auspiciousness | Symbolic Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rest Gate (休门) | Water | Kan 1 | Auspicious | Rest, noble people, stability, seeking plans |
| Life Gate (生门) | Earth | Gen 8 | Highly Auspicious | Generating wealth, business, property, vitality |
| Harm Gate (伤门) | Wood | Zhen 3 | Inauspicious | Injury and disaster, competition, debt collection, vehicles and boats |
| Delusion Gate (杜门) | Wood | Xun 4 | Moderate | Obstruction, secrecy, hiding, technique |
| Scenery Gate (景门) | Fire | Li 9 | Moderate to Auspicious | Documents, exams, reputation, bloodshed |
| Death Gate (死门) | Earth | Kun 2 | Inauspicious | Death, land, funerals, stubbornness |
| Fear Gate (惊门) | Metal | Dui 7 | Inauspicious | Fright, verbal disputes, lawsuits, singing and storytelling |
| Open Gate (开门) | Metal | Qian 6 | Highly Auspicious | Initiating, work, officialdom, noble people |
Common Symbolic Readings
- Seeking wealth: The Life Gate is the wealth star; if the Life Gate is prosperous and supported by the Wonder Instruments (奇仪), there is promise in finances
- Work / meeting officials: The Open Gate is the gate of career and officialdom
- Exams and documents: The Scenery Gate governs exam papers, reputation, and contracts/documents
- Evasion / keeping a low profile: The Delusion Gate governs enclosure; useful for hiding away or going into seclusion
- Inauspicious Gates: When the Death, Harm, or Fear Gate arrives at the palace of the useful god (用神宫), affairs are often fraught with danger and setbacks
Gate Pressure: Even Auspicious Gates Can Turn Bad
When the Gate's Five Elements overcomes the palace's Five Elements, this is called Gate Pressure (门迫) — human affairs press upon the palace, forcing one to operate under duress:
- Open Gate falling on Zhen or Xun (Metal overcomes Wood) — good things are blocked by the environment
- Rest Gate falling on Li (Water overcomes Fire)
- Life Gate falling on Kan (Earth overcomes Water) — the wealth position is restrained
- Scenery Gate falling on Qian or Dui, Harm and Delusion Gates falling on Kun or Gen, Death Gate falling on Kan, Fear Gate falling on Zhen or Xun
When the useful god encounters Gate Pressure, deduct points first, then examine the other factors.