7 Star Robbery Method 七星打劫法 is a XuanKong water method. Foremost where is the root source of this method?

天玉经 (地理辨證)

认得父母三般卦，
便是真神路，
北斗七星去打劫，
离宮要相合。

Translation: -

Know parent SanBan Gua
Easily have real spirit road,
North Dipper seven star, outgoing robbery,
Li palace must coincide.

Commentary: -

The SanHe people has this entire phrase – never existed in their version of Heaven Jade Classic. On such account 7 Star Robbery Method 七星打劫法 is uttered rubbish! The XuanKong people, however, is claiming that SanHe people know nuts. They cannot make head and tail about it and therefore they conveniently removed this passage. Is there an iota of truth in both camps of the FengShui political divide? Yet within XuanKong school itself, they never agreed and the results are there are many ways of looking at 7 Star Robbery Method 七星打劫法.

Zheng ZhongZan 章仲山, explained that Parent SanBan Gua 父母三般卦, referred to Heaven Jade Classic’s 4 ordinal locations as Parent SanBan. Xun (4) arriving at Dui (7) and Dui to Kan (1). This is XuanKong’s Parent SanBan Gua that is originating from the 9 stars. He continue to explain the rest. Yet, no attempt as to how Li palace 离宮 must be combined in this equation? So most translated version available in books take Li离 as Li palace 离宮 of the 8 trigrams. For sure it is entirely irrelevant and to some extend wrongfully translated.

The FeiXing School approach...

First qualifications are houses must have the combinations of 
1-4-7 (period 7), 
2-5-8 (period 8) and 
3-6-9 (period 9). 

Note that the last number correspond to the timeliness of the said period. Second qualifications are the structure of the house must conform to double stars arriving at sitting or facing. Third qualifications are these sets of three combination must be of the facing star and be activated by the physical structure. Fourth qualifications the three combination must be supported by the physical structure of the house, namely the main door, window opens to the outside and the secondary door.

This school take the premise of the secret of SanBan Gua is that the timely star will rob the auspiciousness of the rest of the stars making it auspicious for 180 years and to activate such, one must attempt to use fire activation as in Li palace 离宮, represents fire.

As a result 2 configurations namely: -

1.  Linear
2.  Diagonal

Yet, many houses are like that and they never prosper? Some school believes that the reason is, XuanKong DaGua is not applied therefore you cannot see the result.

The WuChang School approach...

地理辨证直解 - 章仲山

北斗者，天上北斗，主司元气化育万物者也。故斗柄指东，天下皆春，斗柄指西，天下皆秋，一生一杀，万事万物皆随斗柄为转移。打劫者，劫取其气也。惟离宫相合则能打劫矣。不相合，则不能打劫也。如上元一白司令，二黑即发，然二黑尚属上元，而下元之七赤亦旺；三碧司令，而下元之八白、九紫总旺，故二黑、七赤与一白离宫也，相合也，而二可劫一，七可劫一矣。八白、九紫与三碧，离宫也；相合而八可劫三，九可劫三矣。是盖一元而收两元龙力之用，尤属秘中之秘，妙中之妙，最上一层之作用也。此一诀也，又曰上元一白司令，左近乎丑，右邻乎亥，阴阳二宅，壬、亥、癸、丑在上元而发丁财贵显，在下元而发丁寿科名者何可胜数？盖天地生成有杂局，舍之则造化之工诚足婉惜，用之则气杂力轻。

Translation: -

Earth Study Discern Truth Detailed Analysis - Zhang ZhongShan states -

North Dipper refers to heavenly north dipper, the host of congenital Qi/YuanQi and the source of the myriad things. The handle of the dipper points east, spring arrives, handle points west, fall arrives. One birth one killing, everything and every matters are influenced by the movement of the dipper handle. To rob, robbing means to obtain Qi. Only in Li Palace (or leaving the palace) you are able to rob. Not conform, you cannot rob.

Comes upper cycle 1 white timely, 2 black dispatch and 2 black conjoins upper cycle matching lower period 7 auspicious. 3 jade timely, matching lower period 8 white, 9 purple always prosperous.

2 black 7 red has 1 white in Li Palace (leaving palace) mutually resonance, thus 2 can rob 1. 8 white 9 purple with 3 jade, Li Palace (or leaving the palace), mutually resonance 8 can rob 3, 9 can rob 3. Covering 1 cycle receive two Yuan Dragon use. Within has secret, mysteriously mystical, ascending up one level of use. Is one script.

Once again speak that, in upper cycle period 1 prosperous, left in proximity Chou right neighboring Hai, YinYang 2 houses Ren, Hai, Gui, Chou upper cycle, producing children wealth noble conspicuous. Lower cycle produce longevity and scholarly achievement? To cover Heaven and earth can be reproduced to cover various structure, producing abundance of graceful events. Use such Qi will be effortless.

Commentery: -

WuChang subscribed to Heaven Qi - the Dipper movement as governing season on Earth Qi. Using Heaven Qi to govern Earth Qi. Using HeTu Qi to manipulate LoShu Qi. To rob must only happen in Li Palace? To rob you must leave your palace to another palace so that you can rob? Technically, the second premise sound logical. You ought to rob others for your own benefits. Or you go out and rob not staying at a particular place to rob. In such way, it is assumed that WuChang employ Flying star. Here to fly one must have a point of departure and a point of arrival. In this case we can assumed it is LoShu - yet not rightly correct. 

In upper cycle, 1 is timely - the 司令 is much appropriately called in command. 1 white is the commanding officer dispatching 2 black to do his dirty work. 2-7 is a HeTu pair, therefore 2 is able to rob the prosperity of the 7. The keyword is 1 dispatching 2, so there is movement. 1 being the commanding officer will never move. He is station in the center. Therefore this phrase 尤属秘中之秘 becomes very important. So - 1, 2 and 7 are of a group. By the same token, 9 dispatches 8 to rob 3 - that is another set of 9,8 and 3. If you do the permutation - it does not reflect any resemblance of the Flying star chart with the absent of 5. 

Let's look at the last example, 上元一白司令 denotes upper cycle 1 white commanding, immediately we think of structure - 1 and 2 rob 7. The following stanza 左近乎丑，右邻乎亥 meaning left in proximity Chou right neighboring Hai but what has such left and right got to do with 1,2,7? Then, 阴阳二宅 can be construed as House or Grave. It can also mean YinYang mountains - Chou being Yin and Hai being Yang. The location of 壬、亥、癸、丑 can be construed as the sitting mountains yet, what happened to Zi?

It all points out that Left/Right turning refer to the cyclic arrangement of the Star probably known as Leaning star and not flying star. So, in period 1 and 2 star Qi 7 can be used - it is all about XKDG. 

The DaGua School approach...

Jiang DaHung (JDH) annotated in DLBZ the following stanzas: -

上二句，引起下文之义，言识得三卦父母，已是真神路矣，犹须晓得北斗七星打劫之法，则三般卦之精髓方得，而最上一乘之作用也。北斗云何？知离宫之相合，即知北斗之义矣。

Translation - First 2 sentences give rise to followings, Say knowing parent SanBan Gua, already is real spirit road! Still must explain obtain north dipper 7 star robbery method,
Then, SanBan Gua locations obtained. Superior in harnessing this application.  North dipper means what? Know Li (leaving) Palace this coincides, Indeed know north dipper meaning.

What the heck is JDH trying to explain? This school believes that Parent SanBan Gua means GuaYun or the period luck as attached to every single XKDG Hexagram. The secret is when all the Hexagram within the same palace transform, FanGua 反卦, only one Hexagram remains unchanged. That is the only Hexagram period luck that leaves the Palace and rob the auspicious of the rest of the palaces Hexagram. Therefore in XKDG if you are able to connect Qi to this 7 star robbery, your auspiciousness can last for 180 years. So, the term Li 离 does not mean Li Palace in this context, it simply means “leaving the palace” to rob. 

P/S - LuoPan template is credited to Joey Yap.

The JingFang School aproach...

This splinter school does not subscribe to this verse DianDao 顛倒 as annotated in Zheng ZhongZan 章仲山 explanation, opposite as FanGua 反卦, reverse Gua. It subscribed that according to JinFang 8 trigrams, there are only 5 generation of transformations before the 6th when the soul of the Hexagram leave the palace as in leaving the palace 离宮, it returns with a complete different self-called the Returning Soul and it happens in the 7th transformation where it leaves the palace and rob the auspiciousness of the other palaces. This school look at the Yao-transformation technique instead.

In summary...

I know of one “Kiasu” school that employed all these techniques that I had presented here and they professed the secret techniques of door tilting. First, they do the Flying star chart and when they get the Qi map, they tilted the door to activate the 7 star robbery formation. They further refined to the Yao degree so that it conforms to the JingFang 8 palaces.

In reality - 7 Star Robbery Method 七星打劫法 is a hoax. It conceals the real techniques of SanYuan DaGua’s application of the RenPan 人盘. 

Want to know more?

CASE STUDY - SETIAWALK AND WATER WATER EVERYWHERE

Drop by at Setiawalk recently for a FengShui audit. I cannot keep my eye away from the lush landscape with extensive use of water elements. Indeed coincident to the very notion of water-water everywhere. There are more to meet the eye but I would just disclose a little.

The center boulevard is high with F&B and very happening especially during the evening where pubs come alive and the opposite is observed for the shops facing outward, almost starving. The vibrant side is located along the Yin side of the man-made river and the Yang side takes a longer to peak.

Indeed the design of the river has YinYang almost unseen for an untrained eye. Some of the practitioners I brought along were surprised as all they see was water features and lush landscapes. They had missed the real ingredients besides saying, “Ah… the river is meandering, so it is sentimental water”. Those fans of HHC  should use this life example for their trainings based on his book on SanHe water formula. I must admit it is purely land form befitting into the context of both SanHe and SanYuan methodology. Wonder if it is the work of “JayWhy”?

While you don’t have to do much on each of the F&B outlets but to decide on the location of the main door, the office lots were a little disappointing with many vacant lots desperately to be filled up. Upon visiting, the answer is obvious. The design has not taken FengShui into consideration. Maybe the master’s work does not include such.

Points in mind – SanHe School Modern Fallacy

Five years ago, there was a query stating that since 4 major water mouth and assistant star water method are both SanHe, what happened if they contradicted each other? Which take precedent? 

Reviewing back my writing then, I put the blames on different schools, different interpretations. In fact, it is actually different part of the same “elephant” as viewed by the “blind men”, in accordance to YangGong true method. It may also be the problem of categorization. First, one has to discern that not everything to do with YangGong method is SanHe.

SanHe, loosely translated as 3 combinations have many interpretations from the obvious Dragon, Embrace and Facing to the Three Stooges, you watch in TV. What this school strength is that the believed of having the 3 positions fortified, any collapse of one portion, 2 of the others will able to hold the fort. In order to seamlessly combine the three, a Yang incoming dragon must match Yang water establishing a Yang Facing. This is believed to be what is known as Pure Yin Pure Yang. 

This so called Pure Yin Pure Yang forms the basis of assistant star water method or FuXing ShuiFa, originated from Entering Earth Eye, Ru DiYan (入地眼) by GuTuo (辜托). Therefore, it is assumed to have been a very old method of SanHe since it is believed that GuTuo is a monk lived in the Zhou Dynasty. At that time, the Heaven’s Plate of the SanHe LuoPan is unheard of. On such account and unlike modern application, FuXing ShuiFa is never measured using the Heaven’s Plate.

Qing Dynasty witnessed the following methods: - 

1. 4 Major Water Mouths
2. Later Heaven Method 
3. Earthly Principle 5 Verses 
4. QianKun National Treasure 

These methods were categorized under SanHe and were claimed to have been YangGong’s method, employing the Heaven’s Plate. Heaven Plate is a 24 mountains ring correcting the “original” Earth Plate to mark the True North based on the Sun path for measuring of Water. 

Even within these methods, there are sheer inconsistencies, often mocked around by pure YangGong practitioners such as LiDingXin. YangGong is believed to have been the forefather of FengShui lived in the Tang Dynasty. 

Strangely, the copy of Ru DiYan (入地眼) by GuTuo (辜托) as it is available today contain text which mock the usage of the Heaven’s Plate while the 3 YangGong classics of Green Satchel Profound Saying, Heavenly Jade Classic and Jade Ruler Classic, clearly dispel the inconsistency of flipping Gua method or FanGua as sheer divination without valid compliance to GuoPu’s Burial Classic therefore, not genuine FengShui.

Furthermore with the last chapter of Ru DiYan (入地眼) dedicated to 8 Mansions, it is even glaring that this very classic has been adulterated beyond recognition, most likely during the Qing Dynasty. GuTuo (辜托) may even have been a monk living in the Sung or Ming Dynasty instead. Even one chapter dedicated to evaluation of the embrace dedicated to Lai BuYi's urging officer scroll.This is one classic example of the "Death becomes Alive" and the "Living becomes Deceased".

Subsequent works revealed that assistant star water method or FuXing ShuiFa is further adulterated to include piecemeal methods such as Five Ghost Carry Treasure, 8 Mansion Five Ghost methods, FlyingStar, Water Dragon Classics and so forth with some part of it blended into SanYuan and XuanKong as well. Not surprising if you can find special RuDiYan LuoPan these days.

A genuine YangGong method discerns all these and therefore cannot be classified as a pure SanHe school -  

Note this FACT!

QingNanAoYou 青囊奥语, is another text book of FengShui believed to have been written by YangGong and yet 2 apparent versions from 2 different schools of thought.

In summary, classical texts are often distorted beyond recognition. YangGong did not write any of these classics. It was written by his students. Jiang DaHung commentaries on this classic is a sheer attempt to distort it further to his inclination and understanding. Often than not, he is labeled as a con-artiste instead. Yet, contemporary observation of masters from both schools showed tremendous results. What is your say?

PS: Graphics from  http://bazifenshui.blogspot.com/2013/09/ching-nan-au-yo.html

蒋注：
天玉内传, 即青囊奥语, 挨星五行, 玄空大卦之理.
杨公妙用, 止有一法, 更无二门, 此乃反复其词, 以授曾安公者也.
江南江北江东江西, 曾序已先下注脚矣.
但南北东西, 应有四卦；而此云三卦者, 缘玄空五行, 八卦排来, 止有三卦故也.

Adapted from Terrence’s translation
Heavenly Jade internal transmission, indeed Green Satchel profound Sayings, leaning stars 5 elements, XuanKong DaGua principles. YangGong subtle applications, only has one method, further without 2 doors, such indeed repeat the words, as taught by ZengGong. River south, north, east and west, Zeng’s preface already annotated, yet south, north, east and west should have 4 Gua yet this says 3 Gua. Affinity with XuanKong 5 elements, 8 Gua arranged only have 3 Gua. 

Commentary:
These phrase referred to XK Leaning Star that form the basis for XuanKong DaGua XKDG principles. It refers mainly to Star Period – XingYun. The North Dipper Star groups the Parent Gua as North and South River Gua while the Children Gua as River East and River West Gua. These are the 4 Gua instead of 3. Matching XuanKong Elements to the 8 Gua – there are only 3 Gua… The secret of XKDG is within the understanding of the Direct/Indirect spirits of the one Gua in 8 directions and so forth…
If you really understand what Jiang DaHung is trying to say, our common understanding of Direct/Indirect spirits on timeliness are all wrong!

The Late LiDingXin Commentaries on Jiang’s Annotation in DLBJ:
This SanHe grandmaster took a narrow interpretation on Jiang’s annotation by condemning that Jiang did not understand the meaning of River East and West. His reference of 8 spirits to the 8 Gua shows that he has very little understanding of the classics. Furthermore, the 4 referring to the 4 positions are all incorrect.
However, some SanYuan School feels that Jiang purposeful deviation of the classics indeed is to hide the SanYuan approach in understanding YinYang. He is presenting a total different view of approaching the same matter in different light – using the 64 Hexagram instead of the 60 JiaZi of the 72 dragons.

Now knowing such, what is your take on this?