If Newton discovered gravity when an apple fell on his head, then Shao Kangjie (Shao Yong) witnessing sparrows fighting on a branch and developing Meihua Yishu (Plum Blossom Numerology) represents East Asian metaphysics' most fascinating "eureka" moment.
In I Ching circles, "Plum Blossom Divination" is legendary. It's not just the opening case of the book "Meihua Yishu" — it's the soul of this entire discipline. Why could two sparrows fighting predict that a neighbor's daughter would fall and injure herself? This sounds like absurd superstition, but under rigorous mathematical logic, it's a space-time deduction of startling precision.
For modern people, the significance of reading the Plum Blossom Divination isn't about predicting who will fall, but about learning a holographic perspective. When you understand how Shao Yong deduced a major outcome (a human event) from a tiny omen (sparrows), you'll realize: our AI divination system isn't random — it follows the same rigorous cosmic algorithm.
This article will guide you like a detective, layer by layer through every reasoning step of the Plum Blossom Divination, unveiling Meihua Yishu's core interpretation logic.
The Scene: Under the Plum Tree on the 17th Day of the 12th Month in a Chen Year
The story takes place during a Northern Song winter.
- Time: Chen Year, 12th Month, 17th Day, Shen Hour (3-5 PM)
- Location: Master Shao Kangjie's courtyard, with plum blossoms in full bloom
- Event: Master Shao was admiring flowers when suddenly two sparrows quarreled on a plum branch and both fell to the ground
Most people witnessing this would simply think, "Oh, birds are fighting."
But Shao Kangjie thought: "Do not divine without movement, do not divine without cause. Today I see two sparrows fighting over a branch and falling — how strange."
In the quiet afternoon, this sudden disturbance ("strange") was a signal from the universe — what we call an External Omen. He decided to cast a hexagram to predict what would happen.
Logic Breakdown: How Did Shao Kangjie Cast the Hexagram?
This is a standard Time-based Hexagram Method (Xiantian Gua). Let's examine Master Shao's calculation process — this is also the foundational logic behind Purplestarmapper's backend algorithms.
1. Gathering Numbers (Data Input)
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Chen Year | Earthly Branch sequence #5, value = 5 |
| 12th Month | Value = 12 |
| 17th Day | Value = 17 |
| Shen Hour | Earthly Branch sequence #9, value = 9 |
2. Constructing the Hexagram (Algorithm Processing)
Upper Trigram (Year + Month + Day):
(5 + 12 + 17) ÷ 8 = 4 ... remainder 2
In Xiantian Bagua numbers, 2 corresponds to Dui Trigram (☱, Lake).
Lower Trigram (Year + Month + Day + Hour):
(5 + 12 + 17 + 9) ÷ 8 = 5 ... remainder 3
In Xiantian Bagua numbers, 3 corresponds to Li Trigram (☲, Fire).
Moving Line (Total ÷ 6):
(5 + 12 + 17 + 9) ÷ 6 = 7 ... remainder 1
The first line moves, meaning the bottom line transforms.
3. Hexagram Result (Output)
| Hexagram | Composition | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Hexagram | Upper Dui, Lower Li | Lake over Fire: Revolution (Ge) |
| Mutual Hexagram | Lines 2-3-4 form Xun (Wind), Lines 3-4-5 form Qian (Heaven) | Heaven over Wind: Encountering (Gou) |
| Transformed Hexagram | Bottom line moves, Li becomes Gen (Mountain); Upper Dui, Lower Gen | Lake over Mountain: Influence (Xian) |
Detective Deduction: From "Lake Fire Revolution" to "Young Woman Injures Thigh"
The hexagram is cast. Now comes the moment of revelation. How did Shao Kangjie reach his verdict?
His prediction was: "Tomorrow evening, a young woman will pick flowers. The gardener, unaware, will chase her. Startled, she will fall and injure her thigh."
This sounds like he saw through time! Let's reverse-engineer using Meihua Yishu's image-number theory:
1. Why a "Young Woman"? (Ti-Yong Analysis)
Primary hexagram: Lake over Fire (Revolution). Upper trigram Dui is Ti (self), Lower trigram Li is Yong (other/situation).
- Dui Trigram represents: young girl, mouth/speech, damage.
- Li Trigram represents: fire, red, middle-aged woman.
Shao Yong intuitively took Dui's imagery, identifying the main character as a "young woman."
2. Why "Picking Flowers" and "Gardener"? (Mutual Hexagram Analysis)
The process of events is seen in the mutual hexagram: Heaven over Wind (Gou).
- Upper mutual is Qian (Heaven), representing: elder father, elder, manager — here interpreted as the gardener.
- Lower mutual is Xun (Wind), representing: wood, flowers and plants.
Qian Metal controls Xun Wood (Metal overcomes Wood), symbolizing the gardener controlling the plants, or the gardener holding metal tools (scissors/axe). This constructs the scenario of "gardener discovering someone touching the flowers."
3. Why "Injury"? (Transformed Hexagram and Five Elements)
The transformed hexagram is Lake over Mountain (Xian). Upper Dui, Lower Gen.
- Dui (young woman) belongs to Metal, Gen (mountain/earth) belongs to Earth.
- Though Earth generates Metal (favorable relationship), remember the trigger was "strange" (sparrows fighting and falling).
- Dui also represents "damage" and "injury." Gen represents "earth," "stones," "hillside."
- The young woman (Dui) comes into contact with earth/stones (Gen), and Dui Metal itself carries connotations of "deficiency."
4. The Brilliant Detail: Why the "Thigh"?
This is where Xun Trigram shines. In the mutual hexagram, Xun represents the thigh.
- Dui is Metal, which controls Xun Wood. Metal (or injury) overcomes the thigh.
- Plus the transformed hexagram's Gen represents feet. Injury between leg and foot, hence the verdict: "injured thigh."
5. Timing: Why "Tomorrow Evening"?
Primary hexagram: Lake over Fire (Revolution). Transformed hexagram: Lake over Mountain (Xian).
- Dui Metal (Ti) vs Li Fire (Yong). Fire controls Metal — Ti is attacked, indicating disaster.
- When will disaster strike? When Dui Metal is weakest or Li Fire is strongest.
- Shao Yong used numerical timing here: Qian=1, Dui=2, Li=3, Zhen=4, Xun=5, Kan=6, Gen=7, Kun=8.
- Or he took the moving line number. The specific derivation has intuitive elements (heart-based I Ching), commonly interpreted as: Li is sun, Dui is moon. When sun sets and moon rises = evening.
Modern Insights from Plum Blossom Divination: "Everything is I Ching"
After hearing this story, you might think: "This is too mysterious; I can't learn it."
But the insight from Plum Blossom Divination isn't about supernatural prediction — it's about demonstrating the underlying logic of how the world operates.
1. Holographic Universe Theory
Plum Blossom Divination proves that any local part of the universe (two sparrows) contains information about the whole (a neighbor's daughter's fate).
In modern physics, this is called Holographic Theory.
This means that when you press "Start Divination" on Purplestarmapper, that moment in time (number) already contains all the answers to your question (image). AI computation simply makes this hidden connection visible.
2. The Importance of External Omens: Notice the Signals Around You
Shao Yong achieved accuracy because he caught the external omen of "sparrows fighting over a branch."
In modern life, if you're considering an investment and suddenly a cup breaks (imagery of shattering), or you hear an ambulance (imagery of emergency stop), this could be the universe giving you your own "Plum Blossom Divination."
Learning Meihua Yishu means learning to stay alert to your environment.
3. Translation Between Numbers and Images
Shao Yong transformed time (numbers) into hexagrams (images), then transformed hexagrams into human affairs (verdict).
This is a process of "translation."
Doing SEO and building websites is also translation. We transform users' vague search intent (images) into precise keywords (numbers), then provide them with valuable content (verdict).
Other Classic Cases in Meihua Yishu
Besides Plum Blossom Divination, the book records many brilliant cases, each a treasure trove for learning interpretation.
1. Peony Divination (Mudan Zhan)
- Scenario: A guest admiring peonies asks about the flower's fate.
- Hexagram: Heaven over Wind (Gou) transforms to Fire over Wind (Ding).
- Verdict: Shao Yong predicted the flower would be trampled by horses at noon the next day.
- Logic: Two horses were heard neighing (external omen), plus Qian represents horses, Xun represents wood, Metal controls Wood.
- Insight: Everything has its predetermined number; even a flower's bloom and wilt is within the calculation.
2. West Forest Temple Plaque Divination
- Scenario: Shao Yong noticed the temple plaque's "林" (forest) character was missing its double hook.
- Verdict: He implied the temple would have treacherous people (petty persons) causing trouble.
- Logic: This applies character analysis. Defects in character form correspond to defects in hexagram.
- Insight: Characters themselves carry auspicious or inauspicious energy.
FAQ: Deep Questions About Plum Blossom Divination and Practical Application
Conclusion: Becoming a Detective of Daily Life
After reading about Plum Blossom Divination, do you see the world differently?
Every sound around us, every image, could be an unopened letter. Shao Kangjie wasn't a god — he was simply someone skilled at reading the universe's correspondence.
Purplestarmapper's vision is to use technology to grant this "reading ability" to everyone. We hope that next time you see falling leaves or hesitate at a life crossroads, you'll remember Plum Blossom Divination's wisdom — neither startled nor frightened, flowing with heaven's timing, because the answer was already written in the wind.
