Da Liu Ren: Reading How Events Unfold in the Four Lessons and Three Transmissions
The first time I saw a Liu Ren chart, I took it for a table that had been laid out wrongly: four rows, two characters in each; then three rows below, each of them also a group. The person beside me said only this — the four rows above are how things stand now, the three rows below are where they go next. After that sentence the table stopped looking like a table.
What this method looks at
Da Liu Ren fixes the heaven plate by placing the monthly general on the hour, then pairs it with the earth plate, the Four Lessons and the Three Transmissions to trace the cause, development and outcome of one matter. Its focus is the direction events take, so it is often used to ask what happens next in a matter, rather than to give a single verdict on whether something succeeds.
Information you need to prepare: one clearly stated question and the time you ask it. It does not depend on birth information.
What the Four Lessons and Three Transmissions are
The Four Lessons write out four present-day relations: starting from the day stem and the day branch and extending outward layer by layer, they lay the real conditions of a matter on the table. The Three Transmissions write beginning, process and destination, arranged as the first, middle and final transmission, and describe the path along which the situation advances. When you read the chart, first see what situation the Four Lessons establish, then see which step of the Three Transmissions is the hinge.
Its limits
Da Liu Ren is finely worked and dense in terminology, so its learning curve is steeper than that of Liu Yao. It also asks for a fairly precise time of asking, and the way that time is fixed has to stay consistent. What it gives you is a framework for tracing how a situation unfolds; it is not suited to questions that demand exact numerical values.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How does it differ from Liu Yao? Both can ask about a specific matter. Liu Yao takes the Six Relatives and the Self and Response lines as its core and stays relatively compact; Liu Ren spreads the process out through the Four Lessons and the Three Transmissions and stresses the stages of a situation. Choose by whether you want to ask whether something will work out, or how it will go.
Q: Do I need a birth time? No. It builds the chart from the time of asking and the question itself.
Q: Does Da Liu Ren need the time to the minute? At least to the double-hour. The monthly general placed on the hour determines the starting point of the whole chart; when the time is vague, the body of the chart shifts and the basis for judgment becomes unsteady. If you remember only a rough part of the day, it is best to mark that clearly in the reading and keep the conclusion at the structural level. A common practice is to confirm the time of asking to the double-hour before casting; if you can narrow it down only to half a day, then limit the conclusion to the situation and its leaning, and do not push it onto specific points in time.
Q: In the Four Lessons and Three Transmissions, which part should I look at first? A common order is to see what situation the Four Lessons establish, then follow the Three Transmissions to watch how it advances: the first transmission leans toward the beginning, the middle one toward the process, the last toward the destination. In practice you usually judge first whether the first transmission has support, then whether the last one holds together, and the joints in between often decide how fast things change. While reading, you can ask yourself three questions: does the starting point of this matter stand? Is there a turn in the middle? Does the landing point given by the last transmission match the real conditions described by the Four Lessons? After those three questions the thread is usually clear. If the Four Lessons and the Three Transmissions point in very different directions, it is most likely that the time of asking or the question itself is still not clear enough.
Where to start
If you have a specific question, you can use the flow on this site: state the question in natural language and the system will suggest a method — you can also specify Da Liu Ren yourself. You will then see the chart and the explanation of how it unfolds, and can export it for your records when you need to. In the Zhanbu Mizhi flow, the casting and the reasoning behind it are both given.
Disclaimer: This article covers traditional culture and folk custom. It is for entertainment and self-reflection only, and does not constitute medical, psychological, investment, legal or marital decision advice. Please do not submit sensitive personal information such as ID numbers or detailed addresses. If you experience persistent insomnia, anxiety or physical discomfort, please consult a doctor or a qualified professional.
Sources
- Liu Ren Da Quan (Compendium of Da Liu Ren), Wikisource: https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/六壬大全 (accessed 2026-09-17)