The Lo Shu is part of the legacy of ancient Chinese mathematical and divinity (cf. the I Ching易經) traditions, and is an important emblem in Feng Shui (風水)—the art of geomancy concerned with the placement of objects in relation to the flow of qi (氣), or "natural energy".[citation needed]
History
A Chinese legend concerning the pre-historic Emperor Yu (夏禹) tells of the Lo Shu, often in connection with the Yellow River Map (Hetu) and the eight trigrams. In ancient China there is a legend of a huge deluge: the people offered sacrifices to the god of one of the flooding rivers, the Luo river (洛河), to try to calm his anger. A magical turtle emerged from the water with the curiously unnatural Lo Shu pattern on its shell: circular dots representing the integers one through nine are arranged in a three-by-three grid.[citation needed]
Early records dated to 650 BCE are ambiguous, referring to a "river map", but clearly start to refer to a magic square by 80 CE, and explicitly give an example of one since 570 CE.[1][2] Recent publications have provided support that the Lo Shu Magic Square was an important model for time and space. It served as a basis for city planning, and tomb and temple design. The magic square was incidentally used to designate spaces of political and religious importance.[3]
The Lo Shu square on the back of a small turtle (in the center), surrounded by the signs of the Chinese zodiac and the Eight Trigrams, are all carried by a large turtle (that presumably stands for the Dragon horse that had earlier revealed the trigrams to Fu Xi).[citation needed] This example drawn by an anonymous Tibetan artist.
The layout
The odd and even numbers alternate in the periphery of the Lo Shu pattern; the four even numbers are at the four corners, and the five odd numbers (which outnumber the even numbers by one) form a cross in the center of the square. The sums in each of the three rows, in each of the three columns, and in both diagonals, are all 15.[notes 1] Since "5" is in the center cell, the sum of any two other cells that are directly through the five from each other must be 10 (e.g., opposite squares and corners add up to 10, the number of the Yellow River Map.[citation needed]
In numerology
The Lo Shu is sometimes connected numerologically with the "Bagua" (八卦 or eight trigrams"), that can be arranged in the eight outer cells, reminiscent of circular trigram diagrams. Because north is placed at the bottom of maps in China, the 3x3 magic square having number 1 at the bottom and 9 at the top is used in preference to the other rotations/reflections. As seen in the "Later Heaven" arrangement, 1 and 9 correspond with ☵ Kǎn 坎 "Water 水" and ☲ Lí 離 "Fire 火" respectively. In the "Early Heaven" arrangement, they would correspond with ☷ Kūn 坤 "Earth 地" and ☰ Qián 乾 "Heaven 天" respectively. Like the Yellow River Map, the Lo Shu square, in conjunction with the Bagua, is sometimes used as a mandalic representation important in Feng Shui geomancy.[citation needed]
Cammann, Schuyler (Summer 1961). "The Magic Square of Three in Old Chinese Philosophy and Religion". History of Religions. 1 (1): 37–80. doi:10.1086/462439. S2CID 162306354.
Schinz, Alfred (1996). The Magic Square: Cities in Ancient China. Axel Menges. ISBN9783930698028.
Yoshio, Mikami (1913). The Development of Mathematics in China and Japan. LCCN 61-13497.
Further reading
Swetz, Frank J. (2008). The Legacy of the Luoshu (2nd Rev ed.). A. K. Peters / CRC Press. ISBN978-1-56881-427-8.
Berglund, Lars (1990). The Secret of the Luo Shu: Numerology in Chinese Art and Architecture. Tryckbiten. ISBN9789162800680.
External links
Media related to Luoshu at Wikimedia Commons
Lo Shu Square: Definition, Nature and History
March 23, 2023
luoshu, square, luoshu, pinyin, wade, giles, nine, halls, diagram, ancient, chinese, diagram, named, river, near, luoyang, henan, luoshu, appears, myths, concerning, invention, writing, cangjie, other, culture, heroes, unique, normal, magic, square, order, thr. The Luoshu pinyin Lo Shu Wade Giles or Nine Halls Diagram is an ancient Chinese diagram and named for the Luo River near Luoyang Henan The Luoshu appears in myths concerning the invention of writing by Cangjie and other culture heroes It is a unique normal magic square of order three It is usually paired with the River Map or Hetu named in reference to the Yellow River and used with the River Map in various contexts involving Chinese geomancy numerology philosophy and early natural science Luoshu SquareThe traditional Luoshu diagramThe equivalent magic squareLuoshuTraditional Chinese洛書雒書Simplified Chinese洛书TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinLuoshuWade GilesLo ShuNine Halls DiagramTraditional Chinese九宮圖Simplified Chinese九宫图TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinJiǔgōngtuWade GilesChiu kung t u Contents 1 Traditions 2 History 3 The layout 4 In numerology 5 See also 6 References 6 1 Notes 6 2 Citations 7 Bibliography 8 Further reading 9 External linksTraditions EditThe Lo Shu is part of the legacy of ancient Chinese mathematical and divinity cf the I Ching 易經 traditions and is an important emblem in Feng Shui 風水 the art of geomancy concerned with the placement of objects in relation to the flow of qi 氣 or natural energy citation needed History EditA Chinese legend concerning the pre historic Emperor Yu 夏禹 tells of the Lo Shu often in connection with the Yellow River Map Hetu and the eight trigrams In ancient China there is a legend of a huge deluge the people offered sacrifices to the god of one of the flooding rivers the Luo river 洛河 to try to calm his anger A magical turtle emerged from the water with the curiously unnatural Lo Shu pattern on its shell circular dots representing the integers one through nine are arranged in a three by three grid citation needed Early records dated to 650 BCE are ambiguous referring to a river map but clearly start to refer to a magic square by 80 CE and explicitly give an example of one since 570 CE 1 2 Recent publications have provided support that the Lo Shu Magic Square was an important model for time and space It served as a basis for city planning and tomb and temple design The magic square was incidentally used to designate spaces of political and religious importance 3 The Lo Shu square on the back of a small turtle in the center surrounded by the signs of the Chinese zodiac and the Eight Trigrams are all carried by a large turtle that presumably stands for the Dragon horse that had earlier revealed the trigrams to Fu Xi citation needed This example drawn by an anonymous Tibetan artist The layout EditThe odd and even numbers alternate in the periphery of the Lo Shu pattern the four even numbers are at the four corners and the five odd numbers which outnumber the even numbers by one form a cross in the center of the square The sums in each of the three rows in each of the three columns and in both diagonals are all 15 notes 1 Since 5 is in the center cell the sum of any two other cells that are directly through the five from each other must be 10 e g opposite squares and corners add up to 10 the number of the Yellow River Map citation needed In numerology EditThe Lo Shu is sometimes connected numerologically with the Bagua 八卦 or eight trigrams that can be arranged in the eight outer cells reminiscent of circular trigram diagrams Because north is placed at the bottom of maps in China the 3x3 magic square having number 1 at the bottom and 9 at the top is used in preference to the other rotations reflections As seen in the Later Heaven arrangement 1 and 9 correspond with Kǎn 坎 Water 水 and Li 離 Fire 火 respectively In the Early Heaven arrangement they would correspond with Kun 坤 Earth 地 and Qian 乾 Heaven 天 respectively Like the Yellow River Map the Lo Shu square in conjunction with the Bagua is sometimes used as a mandalic representation important in Feng Shui geomancy citation needed See also EditAssociative magic square Sator Square Tetractys Camunian roseReferences EditNotes Edit 15 is the number of days in each of the 24 cycles of the Chinese solar year Citations Edit Cammann 1961 Swaney Mark Mark Swaney on the History of Magic Squares Archived from the original on 2004 08 07 Schinz 1996 pages needed Bibliography EditCammann Schuyler Summer 1961 The Magic Square of Three in Old Chinese Philosophy and Religion History of Religions 1 1 37 80 doi 10 1086 462439 S2CID 162306354 Schinz Alfred 1996 The Magic Square Cities in Ancient China Axel Menges ISBN 9783930698028 Yoshio Mikami 1913 The Development of Mathematics in China and Japan LCCN 61 13497 Further reading EditSwetz Frank J 2008 The Legacy of the Luoshu 2nd Rev ed A K Peters CRC Press ISBN 978 1 56881 427 8 Berglund Lars 1990 The Secret of the Luo Shu Numerology in Chinese Art and Architecture Tryckbiten ISBN 9789162800680 External links Edit Media related to Luoshu at Wikimedia Commons Lo Shu Square Definition Nature and History Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Luoshu Square amp oldid 1145510096, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
