L.01MANTIC ARTS LIBRARY

Atlas of Chinese mantic arts

Thirty-four core dossiers across nine families. Explore principles, formation, primary texts, school differences and the limits of evidence.

34core dossiers09families
An editorial still life of objects and diagrams associated with Chinese mantic traditions
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6 core dossiers shown

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四柱子平命理

Sìzhù Zǐpíng Mìnglǐ · Four Pillars / Bazi fate calculation

Birth year, month, day and hour are each expressed as a stem-branch pillar; the day stem anchors analysis of ten relations, phases, patterns, seasonal adjustment, major cycles and years.

Textually documentedTraditional attribution
Principles, history & texts

紫微斗数

Zǐwēi Dǒushù · Ziwei Doushu

A natal chart assigns life and body palaces from lunar birth data and places symbolic stars, auxiliaries and four transformations across twelve palaces to interpret themes and periods.

Textually documentedTraditional attribution
Principles, history & texts

七政四余与五星星命

Qīzhèng Sìyú yǔ Wǔxīng Xīngmìng · Seven Governors, Four Auxiliaries and planetary nativities

A natal system using the Sun, Moon, five visible planets and four auxiliary points with twelve houses, lunar lodges, degrees and time-lord techniques.

Textually documentedCross-cultural formation
Principles, history & texts

演禽术

Yǎnqín Shù · Lunar-lodge animal calculation

A system pairing the twenty-eight lunar lodges with animal symbols, birth data and dates, combined with the five phases for nativities, selection or topical divination.

Textually documentedCross-cultural formation
Principles, history & texts

铁板神数

Tiěbǎn Shénshù · Iron-Plate Divine Calculation

A family of methods encoding birth stems-branches, minute divisions, Hetu-Luoshu hexagram numbers and kin data to retrieve numbered life statements, known for calibrating the birth time.

Traditional attributionContested lineage or date
Principles, history & texts

邵子神数与条文神数谱系

Shàozǐ Shénshù · Shaozi and numbered-oracle calculation families

A textual family mapping birth data, hexagram numbers, phonology or keys to numbered life statements rather than one fully unified algorithmic school.

Traditional attributionContested lineage or date
Principles, history & texts

CONNECTED KNOWLEDGE

Follow concepts across families.

Each path connects a family, shared questions and related fields for comparative reading, without claiming proven historical transmission.

02KNOWLEDGE FAMILIES

Nine knowledge families

015 dossiers

Divination and correlative foundations

From oracle bones, yarrow and numerical hexagrams to Hetu-Luoshu and Najia: the symbolic, temporal and numerical languages shared by many later systems.

027 dossiers

Yijing-derived and correlative systems

Distinct traditions of inference built around hexagrams, lines, correlative roles, oracular texts and large-scale models of time.

035 dossiers

The Three Cosmic Boards and spatiotemporal methods

Taiyi, Qimen, Liuren and related methods organize time and space through nine-palace models, cosmic boards, agents and calendrical rules.

046 dossiers

Fate calculation and astral nativities

Traditional interpretive systems organizing life narratives through birth time, stems and branches, palaces or celestial positions.

053 dossiers

Celestial omens and signs

From state astrology to winds, cloud forms and phenology: how observations became political and human interpretation.

061 dossiers

Fengshui and environmental arts

Approaches to dwellings, graves, settlements and landscapes through form, orientation, timing and spatial order.

071 dossiers

Physiognomy and bodily observation

Historical systems of classification and analogy based on appearance, bones, voice and movement, studied together with their risks of bias.

081 dossiers

Date selection and almanac traditions

Traditions matching activities with calendrical days, seasonal nodes, the Twelve Officers and other almanac factors.

095 dossiers

Dreams, characters and popular divination

Lots, moon blocks, character analysis, dream books and local quick methods reveal the diversity of divination in everyday life.

03Scope and classification

Distinguish material from interpretation

No closed, universally accepted list covers every Chinese mantic art. Names overlap, divide, disappear, acquire pseudonymous authors and are reinvented. This atlas centers identifiable texts, living systems and significant branches, with its scope and evidence levels made explicit.

01

Historical evidence

Supported by datable material, catalogs, objects or verifiable text.

02

Traditional attribution

How a lineage or book tells its story; not automatically a modern historical finding.

03

Legend

A culturally meaningful origin narrative that does not establish a date.

04

Debate

Disagreement over author, composition, genealogy or algorithmic relationship.

04Branch index and extended dossiers

Branches, aliases and local traditions

These names remain in a traceable branch index. They become independent dossiers only when rules, dates and relationships can be described with adequate evidence.

01

Six Lines: Huozhulin, Wenwangke, Huangjin Ce, hidden lines, advancing-retreating signs and timing schools

02

Qimen: rotating, flying, split-term, intercalary, Maoshan, hourly, daily and selection approaches

03

Liuren: lesson-pattern, correlative, case-based, Golden Formula and the genealogically uncertain Lesser Liuren

04

Fate calculation: nayin luming, Ziping pattern, strength, climatic adjustment, spirits, Taiyi natal methods, nine-palace annual movement and hand mnemonics

05

Astral nativities: Qintang, Guolao, celestial-office planets, Seven Governors and Four Auxiliaries, animal-star and lodge traditions

06

Fengshui: form, Sanhe, Sanyuan, Xuankong, Flying Stars, Eight Mansions, living and burial approaches and compass layers

07

Physiognomy: face, bone, hand, voice, gait, complexion and moles, with cross-cultural origins marked where needed

08

Miscellaneous methods: hidden-object guessing, inverse puncture, emptiness, animal calls, bodily signs, anomalies, board games, coins, dominoes and dice

Excluded or separately sourced

  1. 01The modern Five-Grid name system spread chiefly from Japan and is not treated as an ancient Chinese invention.
  2. 02Tarot, Western astrology, Kabbalah and Jyotisha are not Chinese-origin systems.
  3. 03Phone-number energy, license-plate magnetism and quantum-occult marketing do not enter the historical core.
  4. 04Claims based only on secret transmission or invention by the Yellow Emperor or Zhuge Liang are marked traditional or unverified.