The luopan or geomantic compass is a Chinese

magnetic Magnetism is the class of physical attributes that are mediated by a magnetic field, which refers to the capacity to induce attractive and repulsive phenomena in other entities. Electric currents and the magnetic moments of elementary particl ...

compass, also known as a Feng Shui

compass A compass is a device that shows the cardinal directions used for navigation and geographic orientation. It commonly consists of a magnetized needle or other element, such as a compass card or compass rose, which can pivot to align itself with ...

. It is used by a Feng Shui practitioner to determine the precise direction of a structure, place or item. Luo Pan contains many informations and formulas regarding its functions. The needle points towards the south magnetic pole. Since the invention of the compass for use in Feng Shui, feng shui audit has required its use.

Form and function

Like a conventional compass, a luopan is a direction finder. However, a luopan differs from a compass in several important ways. The most obvious difference is the Feng Shui formulas embedded in up to 40 concentric rings on the surface. This is a metal or wooden plate known as the ''heaven dial''. The circular metal or wooden plate typically sits on a wooden base known as the ''earth plate''. The heaven dial rotates freely on the earth plate. A red wire or thread that crosses the earth plate and heaven dial at 90-degree angles is the ''Heaven Center Cross Line'', or ''Red Cross Grid Line''. This line is used to find the direction and note position on the rings. Small Feng Shui Compass, c

A conventional compass has markings for four or eight directions, while a luopan typically contains markings for 24 directions. This translates to 15 degrees per direction. The Sun takes approximately 15.2 days to traverse a

solar term A solar term is any of twenty-four periods in traditional Chinese lunisolar calendars that matches a particular astronomical event or signifies some natural phenomenon. The points are spaced 15° apart along the ecliptic and are used by lunisola ...

, a series of 24 points on the

ecliptic The ecliptic or ecliptic plane is the orbital plane of the Earth around the Sun. From the perspective of an observer on Earth, the Sun's movement around the celestial sphere over the course of a year traces out a path along the ecliptic agains ...

. Since there are 360 degrees on the luopan and approximately 365.25 days in a mean solar year, each degree on a luopan approximates a terrestrial day. Unlike a typical compass, a luopan does not point to the

north magnetic pole The north magnetic pole, also known as the magnetic north pole, is a point on the surface of Earth's Northern Hemisphere at which the planet's magnetic field points vertically downward (in other words, if a magnetic compass needle is allowed t ...

of Earth. The needle of a luopan points to the south magnetic pole (it does not point to the geographic

south pole The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole, Terrestrial South Pole or 90th Parallel South, is one of the two points where Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on Earth and lies antipod ...

). The Chinese word for ''compass'' translates to “south-pointing needle.”

Types

Since the

Ming The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last orthodox dynasty of China ruled by the Han pe ...

and

Qing The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

dynasties, three types of luopan have been popular. They have some formula rings in common, such as the 24 directions and the early and later heaven arrangements.

San He

This luopan was said to have been used in the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...

. The San He contains three basic 24-direction rings. Each ring relates to a different method and formula. (The techniques grouped under the name "Three Harmonies" are San He methods.)

San Yuan

This luopan, also known as the ''jiang pan'' (after Jiang Da Hong) or the ''Yi Pan'' (because of the presence of

Yijing The ''I Ching'' or ''Yi Jing'' (, ), usually translated ''Book of Changes'' or ''Classic of Changes'', is an ancient Chinese divination text that is among the oldest of the Chinese classics. Originally a divination manual in the Western Zho ...

hexagrams) incorporates many formulas used in San Yuan (Three Cycles). It contains one 24-direction ring, known as the Earth Plate Correct Needle, the ring for the 64

hexagrams , can be seen as a compound composed of an upwards (blue here) and downwards (pink) facing equilateral triangle, with their intersection as a regular hexagon (in green). A hexagram ( Greek language, Greek) or sexagram (Latin) is a six-pointe ...

, and others. (The techniques grouped under the name "Flying Stars" are an example of San Yuan methods.)

Zong He

This luopan combines rings from the San He and San Yuan. It contains three 24-direction-rings and the 64 trigrams ring.

Other types

Each Feng Shui master may design a luopan to suit preference and to offer students. Some designs incorporate the bagua (trigram) numbers, directions from the Eight Mansions () methods, and English equivalents.

History and development

The luopan is an image of the cosmos (a world model) based on tortoise plastrons used in divination. At its most basic level it serves as a means to assign proper positions in time and space, like the Ming Tang (Hall of Light). The markings are similar to those on a

liubo ''Liubo'' () was an ancient Chinese board game played by two players. The rules have largely been lost, but it is believed that each player had six game pieces that were moved around the points of a square game board that had a distinctive, sym ...

board. The oldest precursors of the luopan are the or , meaning ''astrolabe'' or ''diviner's board''—also sometimes called ''liuren'' astrolabes—unearthed from tombs that date between 278 BCE and 209 BCE. These astrolabes consist of a lacquered, two-sided board with

astronomical Astronomy () is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, galaxi ...

sightlines. Along with

divination Divination (from Latin ''divinare'', 'to foresee, to foretell, to predict, to prophesy') is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic, standardized process or ritual. Used in various forms throughout history ...

for Da Liu Ren the boards were commonly used to chart the motion of Taiyi through the nine palaces. The markings are virtually unchanged from the ''shi'' to the first magnetic compasses. The schematic of earth plate, heaven plate, and grid lines is part of the "two cords and four hooks" () geometrical diagram in use since at least the

Warring States The Warring States period () was an era in ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded with the Qin wars of conquest ...

period. The ''zhinan zhen'' or south-pointing needle, is the original

, and was developed for Feng Shui. It featured the two cords and four hooks diagram, direction markers, and a magnetized spoon in the center.

References

Bibliography

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