What Is Tam Thuc and Why Are the Three Methods Grouped Under One Name?
Tam Thuc is the collective name for three ancient Eastern divination methods: Thai At, Ky Mon Don Giap and Luc Nham. The word "thuc" here means a calculation method, a way of setting up a board for inference, not the ordinary sense of "perception". The three are grouped together because they all use the can chi system, bat quai, ngu hanh and cuu cung as their foundation, but each has a different subject and scale of divination. In the common division used among researchers of divination arts, Thai At is for major affairs of the state and the times, Ky Mon Don Giap is for action and direction, and Luc Nham is for specific people and matters.
It must be said from the outset: this is an ancient divination art with no scientific basis for prediction. The sources this article draws on, such as the anthologies Tuyen tap bai viet Tam Thuc chon loc so 1, so 3 and so 8 by the Thien Hoa Dong Nhan group, all present Tam Thuc as a theoretical system and inherited experience, not as a verified method.
How Do Thai At, Ky Mon Don Giap and Luc Nham Differ?
The fundamental difference lies in the subject of divination and the time unit used to set up the board. Thai At sets up the board by year and by van, aiming at major events such as war, natural disaster, and the rise and fall of a nation. Ky Mon Don Giap sets up the board by hour, sometimes by day and month, aiming at specific actions such as sending troops, travelling far, choosing a direction, and deploying forces. Luc Nham sets up the board by hour and by day, aiming at a specific question about a person, work, love, or litigation.
| Criterion | Thai At | Ky Mon Don Giap | Luc Nham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject of divination | Major affairs of the state, the times, war, natural disaster, rise and fall | Action, direction, deploying forces, choosing the moment to act | Specific people and matters, relations between parties, the course of an affair |
| Time unit for setting up the board | Year, van, sometimes day and hour for special matters | Hour, day, month, year; usually set by hour | Hour and day |
| Board structure | Cuu cung with Thai At, chu toan, khach toan, the generals and than sat | Lac Tho cuu cung with Tam Ky, Luc Nghi, Cuu Tinh, Bat Mon, Bat Than | Thien ban, dia ban, tu khoa, tam truyen |
| Classic texts | Thai At Than Kinh | Yen Ba Dieu Tau Ca, various transmitted Ky Mon versions | Dai Luc Nham, Luc Nham Dai Toan |
The table above is only a general framework. In practice, books may divide things in more detail, and the popularity of each method varies by period and region.
What Is Thai At Used to Divinate?
Thai At is used to divinate major affairs of the state and the times. The anthology Tuyen tap bai viet Tam Thuc chon loc so 3 describes Thai At Than Kinh as a system for analysing the factors of thien thoi, dia loi and nhan hoa, and holds that it was once used to discuss major upheavals such as war, natural disaster, and the rise and fall of a dynasty. Tuyen tap bai viet Tam Thuc chon loc so 1 also mentions Thai At Than Kinh as a method with applications in forecasting and planning.
How Is the Thai At Board Set Up?
The Thai At board uses cuu cung as its base. On the board are Thai At, chu toan, khach toan, the chu and khach generals, along with many than sat. Tuyen tap bai viet Tam Thuc chon loc so 3 has a passage on how to use day and hour: after Dong Chi use Duong cuc, after Ha Chi use Am cuc. The book also mentions concepts such as chu toan, khach toan, Thuy Kich, Tu Than, Thien At, Dia At, Phi Phu, and the positions in the cycle of Sinh, Vuong, Mo.
Why Is Thai At Often Associated with State Affairs?
Because Thai At's time unit is large, usually years and van. A Thai At hexagram can span many years, so it suits discussion of long-term trends rather than a small question of the day. Tuyen tap bai viet Tam Thuc chon loc so 3 mentions battles in Vietnamese history such as Bach Dang and Dong Da when discussing the application of thien thoi, dia loi and nhan hoa. It should be noted that this is the view of divination documents, not a conclusion of historiography.
What Is Ky Mon Don Giap Used to Divinate?
Ky Mon Don Giap is used to divinate action and direction. This is the method with the most complex board structure in Tam Thuc, with many layers of information stacked on one another. Tuyen tap bai viet Tam Thuc chon loc so 4 lists familiar components such as Tam Ky, Luc Nghi, Cuu Tinh, Bat Mon, Lac Tho cuu cung, Duong Don and Am Don. Tuyen tap bai viet Tam Thuc chon loc so 1 also has many articles on the gates, stars and chu khach pairs in Ky Mon.
What Layers Does the Ky Mon Board Have?
The Ky Mon board is usually described as having four main layers: the can ky layer (Tam Ky, Luc Nghi), the star layer (Cuu Tinh), the gate layer (Bat Mon) and the than layer (Bat Than). On the Lac Tho cuu cung base, the practitioner arranges these layers by hour and by either Duong Don or Am Don cuc. Tuyen tap bai viet Tam Thuc chon loc so 4 has an article on Tam Quai, describing Tam Quai as a foundational layer linked to Tam Tai and Tam Nguyen.
Why Is Ky Mon Associated with Action?
Because the Ky Mon board is set by hour, it yields information that is moment-specific. Ky Mon users typically ask questions like: which direction should I go, when should I act, how should I deploy forces. Tuyen tap bai viet Tam Thuc chon loc so 4 mentions Don methods such as Phong Don, Van Don, and configurations such as Thien Dia Dai cach, Tieu cach. These are internal concepts of the method, not common terminology.
What Is Luc Nham Used to Divinate?
Luc Nham is used to divinate specific people and matters. This is the method closest to everyday life in Tam Thuc. Tuyen tap bai viet Tam Thuc chon loc so 8 has many articles on Luc Nham, discussing Dich Ma, Luc Hung Tang, relations between the than, and the Thin Tuat, Ti Hoi pairs. The book also mentions six types of Dich Ma: Tue Dich Ma, Nguyen Dich Ma, Chi Dich Ma, Thoi Dich Ma, Menh Dich Ma and Nien Dich Ma.
What Is the Structure of the Luc Nham Board?
The Luc Nham board consists of thien ban, dia ban, tu khoa and tam truyen. Tu khoa are the four initial layers of information, tam truyen are the three stages of how an affair unfolds. Tuyen tap bai viet Tam Thuc chon loc so 8 has a passage on how to identify Luc Hung Tang, based on the position of Quy nhan and the correlation between than such as Dang Xa and Bach Ho. The book also mentions the concept of "di hung che hung", meaning using one inauspicious factor to counter another.
Why Is Luc Nham Close to Everyday Life?
Because the questions posed to Luc Nham are usually very specific: a lawsuit, a trip, a relationship, upcoming news. The Luc Nham board is set by hour and day, so it gives a moment-specific answer for an ongoing matter. Tuyen tap bai viet Tam Thuc chon loc so 8 has an article on Thien Dich Ma and Dich Ma, distinguishing the two concepts and explaining why many learners memorise the formulas yet still struggle with real hexagrams.
Are the Three Methods Truly Separate or Do They Share Ground?
The three methods share a foundation but do not replace one another. Tuyen tap bai viet Tam Thuc chon loc so 1 has a passage saying that when examining an important event, one may use astrology to determine the timing, Luc Nham to discuss the affecting factors in detail, and Ky Mon to find an action plan. This book places Thai At Than Kinh in the role of a bridge between the methods. This is the view of one group of documents, not a mandatory rule for all schools.
Tuyen tap bai viet Bat Tu chon loc so 8 also has a passage on combining methods such as Tu Tru, Bat Quai, Dai Luc Nham, Tu Vi, Tuong hoc and Ky Mon Don Giap for cross-checking. The book holds that using only one method sometimes yields contradictory results, while when several methods point in the same direction, reliability is higher. Even so, this remains an internal view of the divination field, not a scientific conclusion.
Do the Schools Agree on Tam Thuc?
No. The schools do not agree on many points. First, the division of subjects among the three methods can differ between books. Second, the way of setting up the board, placing stars, and choosing Duong Don or Am Don cuc also has variant versions. Third, the priority among layers of information in a hexagram changes with the teacher and the school. This article follows the most common division: Thai At for major affairs of the state, Ky Mon for action and direction, Luc Nham for specific people and matters. When reading other documents, readers should check which convention that document follows.
Does Tam Thuc Have a Scientific Basis for Prediction?
No. Tam Thuc is an ancient divination art with no scientific basis for prediction. The sources for this article, such as Tuyen tap bai viet Tam Thuc chon loc so 1, so 3, so 4 and so 8, all present Tam Thuc as a transmitted theoretical system based on experience and convention, not on experimental verification. Tuyen tap bai viet Tam Thuc chon loc so 3 has a passage advising that Thai At Than Kinh should be approached as a way of understanding patterns and weighing choices, not for predicting a fixed future. This is a reasonable reading: treat Tam Thuc as a knowledge tradition and a way of thinking about time, not as a prophetic tool.
Where Should One Start Reading Tam Thuc?
If you want to study Tam Thuc as a knowledge tradition, start with the general conceptual framework: can chi, ngu hanh, bat quai, cuu cung. Then choose one method to go deep, usually Luc Nham because it is close to everyday questions, or Ky Mon because its materials are more widely available. Thai At is usually left for later because its time unit is large and its board structure complex. Tuyen tap bai viet Tam Thuc chon loc so 4 has an article on Tam Ky and Luc Nghi, regarded as the foundation for setting up Ky Mon equations, so it can serve as a starting point for this method. Whichever path you take, keep an objective attitude: this is an ancient divination art, not a forecasting science.
