Clarity,
Office 17622,
PO Box 6945,
London.
W1A 6US
United Kingdom
Phone/ Voicemail:
+44 (0)20 3287 3053 (UK)
+1 (561) 459-4758 (US).
Thanks very much, Luis.Chris Lofting posted this link in FB. It looks like an interesting book and the price of the e-version is very reasonable.
The Luo Shu - the language of numbers
I don't think it reaches the level of Lars Berglund's dissertation but perhaps interesting for some.
The arrangement of numbers into a Magic Square reveals a language in terms of practical math that the ancient Chinese found useful and was part of a revered system of faith that was referred to as the Yi Jing. The Pythagorean Theorem exists within every Magic Square in the Luo Shu format and teaches the fundamentals of algebra which in turn could give man the tools to measure distances.
This math is the basis for land surveying as well as for charting the stars. The Chinese believed that the movement of the stars and celestial events such as eclipses greatly influenced life on earth. This use of numbers would help man to establish some order over the apparent chaos of the heavens; the Chinese believed that numbers (or math) contained a higher intelligence and if used properly could have a positive effect on the yin yang balance. The objective of the Yi Jing is for man to be at one with Heaven and earth and this math was used to help achieve this end.
I was wondering whether you would be interested in how the Lo Shu has been used as one of the calibration devices when creating the Former and Later Heaven trigram sequences from the arrangements of the visible celestial bodies around a Taiji symbol?
To Frank R.,
I need some more information such as what is the size (order) of the square? For example, is it a 3x3 Magic Square, a 5x5 Magic Square?
If you saw a number in the center of the square, by definition it must be an odd magic square. The problem is there are several hundred thousand arrangements of numbers for the 5x5 Magic Square, and over a million differnt arrangements for the 7x7 Magic Square!
Also, where did you see this magic square? Do you have a reference?
Robert Dickter, author of Number, Time, and Archetype and web master of www.luo-shu.com
Wonderful square! I have not seen this before and the wonderful references you name are not available in English (if they are please let me know), although Marcet Granet is one of the great originals!!
The ten has replaced the one of the conventional Luo Shu. Here the square reflects a predominance of even numbers which form a cruciform shape with six as the center, while the odd numbers occupy the four quadrates. In Shang Chinese cosmology, the even numbers represent Earth so this particular square is the "Earth" and the Luo Shu, with its cruciform shape of odd numbers and five as the center is the "Heaven" square.
This square shows a Pythagorean triad of 6, 8, and 10. This is pretty good news!!
Perhaps the six symbolizing heaven is because it is the center of the square, the center also representing the non-being or wu state. And the five represents Earth because it is in the quadrate of the square and not the cruciform. [/url]
Granet is writing that these squires together explained the calender. 94+61=72+83;72+105=94+83. They are both in balance. But they also express both 360. They average between 354 and 366. 94+61+72+83 =2X155+310+50=360. The other figur makes 72+105+94+83=2x177+354+6=360 If we count twice 6(zenith and nadir which are surrounded by the four wind directions) to 354 we get 366 the Sun year.The cruciform shape was of high significance to the Shang Chinese and was represented by the Ya character, it means the center or centrality. The ya shape was the ground plan for royal tombs and the Ming Tang temple. The symbol is incorporated into the TLV Bonze mirrors and the Jade Bi disc, as well.
The constant of the above square is 18, while the total sum of the square is 54, or the product of the size of the square and the constant. The calendar correspondences you offer I do not understand. [/url]
Do you think an eleven replacing the two would generate yet another magic square, this one with a cruciform shape of odd numbers and the even numbers in the four quadrates? [/url]
Here would be the next two squares, with 7 and 8 as the center cells, and the cruciform alternating with odd and even numbers.
This is a pattern which coud be written in mathematical terms and published.
Robert Dickter, author Number, Time, and Archetype and web master of www.luo-shu.com
Wonderful square! I have not seen this before and the wonderful references you name are not available in English (if they are please let me know), although Marcet Granet is one of the great originals!!
Hello Frank R.!
Nice to speak with you again. I have heard this quote before,
"Understand the 3, 6, and 9 and you will understand the universe."
I do not know what that means, any help out there?
robertluoshu at www.luo-shu.com
Does it have something to do with balanced ternary notation????]
Hello Comrade Frank,
I am a little slow at his hexagram / enneagram stuff. Don't know much about it at all.
But I have been studying the TMJ (the Temporo-mandibular joint) for over half my life and treat people with TMDs (Temporo Mandibular Disorders). You have peeked my interest.......
Are you saying that some magic squares, when translated by balanced ternary notation, make anatomical correspondences with the hexagrams???
The center of the body some feel is the TMJ, tell me more about the 27 hexagram and its centering qualities. ????
Nice to hear from you,
robertluoshu
Clarity,
Office 17622,
PO Box 6945,
London.
W1A 6US
United Kingdom
Phone/ Voicemail:
+44 (0)20 3287 3053 (UK)
+1 (561) 459-4758 (US).