What is the Quan Quy line and why does it carry two names?
The Quan Quy line is the line whose element controls the element of the palace containing the hexagram. For example, if the hexagram belongs to the Can palace of Metal, then the Quan Quy line of that palace carries Fire, because Fire controls Metal. This determination lies in the core calculation of the nap jia system: each palace has one element, and among the six lines of the hexagram, the line whose element controls the palace element is called the Quan Quy line of that palace.
The name combines two words because this line serves two roles depending on context. The word Quan refers to things belonging to power, position, superior, agency, and when a woman asks, Quan also means husband or the man in a relationship. The word Quy refers to things that cause pressure, anxiety, disaster, theft, obstruction. The book Bo Phe Chinh Tong by Vuong Duy Duc says in essence: the noble use the Quan line to discuss Quan tinh, while the common people take Quy as harm. That is, the same line, its reading depends on the asker and the question, not that the line itself is fixed as good or bad.
Why is Quan Quy the line controlling the palace element, and what does that indicate?
The rule of taking the line that controls the palace element as Quan Quy comes from how the six relatives are assigned in nap jia. Each palace has one ruling element, and the six relatives are derived by generating and controlling relationships with that palace element: the line that generates the palace is Phu Mau, the line of the same element as the palace is Huynh De, the line generated by the palace is Tu Ton, the line controlled by the palace is The Tai, and the line that controls the palace is Quan Quy. Thus Quan Quy is the only line standing in the position of controlling back against the root of the hexagram, so it naturally carries opposition, pressure, binding. That is also why this line is both authority and disaster: both are things pressing on the asker.
It is necessary to distinguish Quan Quy from the other lines. Phu Mau is the line that generates the palace, often documents, papers, parents, protection. Tu Ton is the line generated by the palace, often children, relief, and especially the line that can control Quan Quy. The Tai is the line controlled by the palace, often money, wife, property. Huynh De is the line of the same element as the palace, often siblings, friends, competitors. Because Tu Ton controls Quan Quy, in many situations the appearance of Tu Ton completely changes the meaning of Quan Quy.
Table of Quan Quy lines by the eight palaces
The table below is built from the core calculation: each palace has one element, the Quan Quy line of that palace carries the element that controls the palace element, and the branches carrying that element are those that can appear at the Quan Quy position in hexagrams of that palace.
| Palace | Palace element | Element of Quan Quy line | Branches carrying that element |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can | Metal | Fire | Ty, Ngo |
| Kham | Water | Earth | Thin, Tuat, Suu, Mui |
| Can | Earth | Wood | Dan, Mao |
| Chan | Wood | Metal | Than, Dau |
| Ton | Wood | Metal | Than, Dau |
| Ly | Fire | Water | Ty, Hoi |
| Khon | Earth | Wood | Dan, Mao |
| Doai | Metal | Fire | Ty, Ngo |
This table only shows what element the Quan Quy line of each palace carries and which branches it can fall into. To know in a specific hexagram which line number the Quan Quy line is at and what branch it carries, you need to cast the hexagram with a nap jia tool such as LapQueLucHao and then compare with the table above. The table cannot replace casting the hexagram.
When to read as Quan, when to read as Quy?
The short answer: read as Quan when the question belongs to career, position, exams, superior, agency, or when a woman asks about her husband and the man. Read as Quy when the question belongs to safety, anxiety, disaster, litigation, theft, or when this line plays the role of obstructing the pursued goal.
The book Tang San Boc Dich by Da Hac lao nhan, in the section on seeking career, says in essence: if you get Quan tinh strong holding the Self line, or the day and month and moving line make Quan tinh generate and combine with the Self line, then seeking fame is easy as taking something from your pocket. Conversely, if you meet Tu Ton holding the Self line or Tu Ton moving in the hexagram, then seeking to pass exams or seeking promotion is hard to achieve. Thus the Tang San policy clearly separates the two faces: Quan Quy is what is needed when seeking fame, but it is what is destroyed by Tu Ton when seeking fame, and conversely Tu Ton is what is desirable when needing to suppress disaster.
The phu for divining the I Ching circulated in Luc Hao circles also records in that direction. With the Quy line holding the Self, the phu says in essence: matters are hard to be peaceful, divining for oneself if not illness then entanglement in trouble, divining for wealth then worry of loss, but for seeking career one is glad when this line is in position and in power. The same line, the same at the Self, yet the conclusion reverses completely according to the question. This is the core point of reading Quan Quy.
What does Quan Quy holding the Self say when asking about career?
When asking about career, position, exams, Quan Quy holding the Self is often seen as a sign that the asker is directly tied to that matter: currently holding a related position, very concerned, or personally involved. If this Quan Quy line is also strongly generated and supported by Phu Mau, the common reading direction is the possibility of being valued or restored to a higher position, with only the timing left.
Conversely, if Quan Quy holds the Self but is heavily controlled, especially by Huynh De or Tu Ton, then the path of advancement meets obstacles. Huynh De symbolizes competition, opponents; Tu Ton symbolizes breaking in, obstructing official matters. The book Tang San Boc Dich emphasizes exactly this point when saying Tu Ton holds the Self or Tu Ton moves then seeking promotion is hard to achieve. However, note: this is the common reading direction, not an absolute rule, because you still must consider day and month, moving lines, void, month break, and combine clash relationships.
One point where books are not fully consistent: some books hold that Quan Quy holding the Self is always a sign of pressure, even when asking about career; other books hold that in seeking office, Quan Quy holding the Self is a favorable condition. The book Bo Phe Chinh Tong leans toward reading according to the asker, while some other books read Quan Quy moving as bad regardless of the question. This article follows the convention of Bo Phe Chinh Tong: the meaning of Quan Quy depends on the asker and the question.
What does Quan Quy holding the Self say when asking about safety?
When asking about safety, anxiety, litigation, theft, Quan Quy holding the Self is often read according to the Quy face: the asker is under heavy pressure, persistently worried, or entangled in a difficult situation. The phu for divining the I Ching says in essence: Quy holding the Self then matters are hard to be calm, divining for wealth then worry of loss, if entering the tomb then stagnation and sorrow, meeting day and month that clash open the tomb then disaster turns to joy.
Here it is necessary to distinguish two situations. First, Quan Quy holds the Self and is strong, and is generated and supported by The Tai, then the pressure has a clear source, possibly a superior, possibly a partner, possibly a specific force. Second, Quan Quy holds the Self and is weak, and meets inauspicious stars or is controlled, then the pressure is more vague, likely inner worry rather than external threat. This second reading is close to the spirit of Bo Phe Chinh Tong when distinguishing Quan tinh and Quy harm according to the asker.
It must be said clearly: this article does not use the Quan Quy line to diagnose illness. In traditional Luc Hao there is a branch of illness discussion based on Quan Quy, but that is a separate field with its own rules and is not within the scope of this article. Readers with health needs should seek professional medical advice rather than rely on hexagrams.
Why is Tu Ton the nemesis of Quan Quy?
Tu Ton is the line generated by the palace element, and in the five-element relationship, this line can control Quan Quy. According to the book Luc Nham, volume 1, introductory section, it says in essence: when divining harmful matters such as illness, official trouble, then Tu Ton is needed, because Tu Ton can control Quan Quy, that is, the line causing disaster, so Tu Ton is called the saving spirit, also the Phuc Duc line. However, when divining about official position or seeking office and meeting Tu Ton, that is an unfortunate point, because the Quan line has been controlled away by Tu Ton.
This means: Tu Ton is not fixed good or bad. It is good when the goal is to extinguish disaster, and it is unfavorable when the goal is to keep or attain authority. The book Luc Nham also adds: if asking about livelihood and business and meeting Tu Ton then it is not good, because Tu Ton drains one's own energy, so it is also called the Thoat Khi line. Thus Tu Ton has three roles: saving spirit when meeting disaster, breaking office when seeking position, and draining energy when seeking wealth. The same line, three readings, depending on the question.
Where schools and books are not consistent
There are at least three differences between books when discussing Quan Quy.
First, about the original meaning. Bo Phe Chinh Tong advocates that the meaning of Quan Quy depends on the asker: the noble use the Quan line as Quan tinh, the common people take Quy as harm. Some other books read all moving Quan Quy as bad, regardless of the question.
Second, about the role of Tu Ton. The book Luc Nham emphasizes Tu Ton as saving spirit when meeting disaster, but also as an unfavorable point when seeking office. Some books only say Tu Ton controls Quan Quy without separating these two faces, leading to oversimplified conclusions.
Third, about the threshold of strength and weakness. The phu for divining the I Ching says in essence that Quan Quy in a strong position then seeking office succeeds, while Quan Quy weak then disaster strikes oneself. But which threshold is called strong, which is called weak, each book sets differently, and in practice one must also combine with day and month, moving lines, void, month break. Therefore one should not apply a rigid formula to all cases.
Practical approach
When encountering a Quan Quy line in a hexagram, the usual reading sequence is: determine who the asker is and what they ask; determine which line the Quan Quy line is at, what branch, what element; see whether it is strong or weak according to day and month; see whether it is void, month-broken, entering the tomb; see whether it is controlled by Tu Ton or Huynh De; see whether it is generated and supported by The Tai or Phu Mau. Only then give a judgment, and the judgment should clearly state which convention it follows.
An important note: do not assert absolute fortune or misfortune. The same Quan Quy holding the Self, when asking about career can be a favorable sign, when asking about safety can be a sign of pressure, and both are only tendencies, not predetermined results. The books Tang San Boc Dich, Bo Phe Chinh Tong, and Luc Nham all emphasize examining the whole hexagram, not taking one line as the final conclusion.
