The eight gates are the human plate, answering "what action can a person take in this direction": home palace, element, omen, meanings, the eight-node order, and which gate to read.
Among the four plates the gates form the human plate. They do not answer "what will happen" (that is the heaven plate) but "what action a person can take in this direction". Each gate has a home palace, and its element follows that palace. Center 5 has no gate.
| Gate | Home palace | Element | Omen | Core meanings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xiu 休 Gate (Rest) | Kan 1 | Water | Auspicious | Rest, recuperation, marriage, meeting nobles, stability, seeking office |
| Sheng 生 Gate (Life) | Gen 8 | Earth | Very auspicious | Vitality, the number-one gate for seeking wealth, business, childbirth, seeking medical care |
| Shang 伤 Gate (Harm) | Zhen 3 | Wood | Inauspicious | Injury, damage, competition, debt collection, hunting, accidents |
| Du 杜 Gate (Blockage) | Xun 4 | Wood | Neutral | Blockage, concealment, avoidance, technical work, secrecy, closure |
| Jing 景 Gate (Radiance) | Li 9 | Fire | Neutral | Documents, brightness, exams, images, banquets, bloodshed |
| Si 死 Gate (Death) | Kun 2 | Earth | Inauspicious | Death, endings, funerals, land, stillness, fishing and hunting |
| Jing 惊 Gate (Fright) | Dui 7 | Inauspicious | Fright, disputes, legal trouble, lawsuits, news, shocks | |
| Kai 开 Gate (Open) | Qian 6 | Very auspicious | Beginnings, opening a business, public office, leaders, smooth passage, long journeys |
Xiu, Sheng, Shang, Du, Jing 景, Si, Jing 惊, Kai: link the gates in this order and they follow the eight nodes of the year, matching the later-heaven bagua sequence. Remember this and the gates need no rote memorizing.
| Gate | Home palace | Solar term | Qi dynamic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiu 休 Gate (Rest) | Kan 1 | Winter Solstice | Yang qi is just born; all things lie hidden and rest |
| Sheng 生 Gate (Life) | Gen 8 | Start of Spring | Vital force stirs |
| Shang 伤 Gate (Harm) | Zhen 3 | Spring Equinox | Shoots break through the soil, with some damage |
| Du 杜 Gate (Blockage) | Xun 4 | Start of Summer | Foliage grows dense, blocking and screening |
| Jing 景 Gate (Radiance) | Li 9 | Summer Solstice | Yang qi at its peak, brilliant and manifest |
| Si 死 Gate (Death) | Kun 2 | Start of Autumn | Yin qi begins to cut down; all things return to earth |
| Jing 惊 Gate (Fright) | Dui 7 | Autumn Equinox | A severe, killing chill; all things are alarmed |
| Kai 开 Gate (Open) | Qian 6 | Start of Winter | A cycle ends and the gate of heaven opens again |
| Subject of the question | Gate to read |
|---|---|
| Seeking wealth, business, investment | Sheng 生 Gate (Life) |
| Opening a business, job hunting, meeting leaders, long trips | Kai 开 Gate (Open) |
| Marriage, partnerships, seeking stability | Xiu 休 Gate (Rest) |
| Exams, documents, publicity, images | Jing 景 Gate (Radiance) |
| Avoiding, keeping secrets, technical breakthroughs | Du 杜 Gate (Blockage) |
| Debt collection, competition, defending rights | Shang 伤 Gate (Harm) |
| Lawsuits, disputes, gathering news | Jing 惊 Gate (Fright) |
| Funerals, real estate, ending a matter | Si 死 Gate (Death) |
An inauspicious gate is not a forbidden one: use the gate that matches the matter. Collecting a debt calls for the Shang gate, buying a burial plot for the Si gate.
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