Xiao Liu Ren: The Six Positions of Finger Counting
As a child I saw an elder sitting in the doorway, murmuring something while tapping from joint to joint on his fingers; when he finished he said the matter could be done. I asked what he had been reciting and he could not say, only that it was passed down from the older generation and that it counted through six places in turn. Only later did I learn that this was probably Xiao Liu Ren.
What this method looks at
Xiao Liu Ren counts in order through six positions according to the lunar month, day and hour. Whichever position the count lands on, the attributes of that position give a rough read on how the matter is likely to go. The six positions are Da An, Liu Lian, Su Xi, Chi Kou, Xiao Ji and Kong Wang; each leans toward one state — calm, delay, joy, dispute, smooth, void.
Information you need to prepare: one specific question, plus the lunar month, day and double-hour that correspond to the moment you ask.
How to count
Start from Da An and first count by the month — the first lunar month begins at Da An, and you count forward to the current month; the landing point becomes the starting point of the next round. Then count by the day, and finally by the double-hour. The position you land on after the three rounds is the basis for judgment. The whole process needs no pen or paper, which is one reason it spread as a folk practice.
In one line each: Da An leans steady, Liu Lian leans delay, Su Xi leans quick and favorable, Chi Kou leans quarrelling and sharp words, Xiao Ji leans smooth with results coming through, Kong Wang leans falling through or being postponed.
About its origins, one thing should be said clearly
Xiao Liu Ren belongs to the oral formulas handed down among ordinary people; no systematic record of it in classical texts has been found. It is usually classed as folk custom, and it is not the same kind of thing as Liu Yao or Da Liu Ren, which have a documented lineage of systematic texts. This page therefore does not attach it to any classical source, and introduces it only as a folk practice; when you cite it, please also note its nature as an oral folk formula.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What if the result differs from Liu Yao? The two systems differ, and so does their granularity. Xiao Liu Ren gives a rough direction; if you need a finer structure, a system such as Liu Yao fits better.
Q: Can I ask about the same matter again and again? Folk practice mostly holds to one casting per matter; asking the same question repeatedly makes the judgment lose its frame of reference.
Q: In counting, do I count the month, day and hour all the way through? Yes — three rounds of counting forward: first by the month, with the landing point becoming the start of the next round, then by the day, and finally by the double-hour. Counting only the month and the day drops the hour, and the landing point then drifts easily; this is a common reason why different people get different results for the same matter. Count it through yourself once and the difference shows: the position you reach from month and day alone is often not the position you reach once the hour is added, and it is that second position which matches the moment you asked. If any one of the three rounds starts from the wrong point, the two following rounds drift with it, so confirm the starting point after each round lands.
Q: Does landing on Kong Wang mean something bad? Folk usage reads Kong Wang as falling through or being postponed, and it is better understood as no result visible yet rather than as a settled bad outcome. When you land on Kong Wang, the practical move is to check whether your information is complete and whether the timing has simply not arrived, rather than hurrying to a conclusion. In practice it is more useful to look back over the question: was it asked too early, is the information complete, and have two separate matters been mixed into one.
Where to start
If you have something specific to ask, you can use the flow on this site: state the question clearly and the system will suggest a method — you can also specify Xiao Liu Ren yourself. You will then see the counting result and its explanation, and can export it for your records when you need to. In the Zhanbu Mizhi flow, the counting steps are given together with the result.
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
- China Intangible Cultural Heritage website (search entry for folk-custom projects): https://www.ihchina.cn/ (accessed 2026-09-17). Xiao Liu Ren is an oral folk formula with no systematic record in classical texts; this page cites no specific classical entry.