Li Dingxin
In my spare time from writing, I occasionally came across an article titled "A Preliminary Exploration of the Scientific Principles of the Three Needles of the Luo Pan (Compass)." My original intention was not to waste time on other people's affairs. However, considering the harm this article might cause to readers, the Feng Shui community, and society as a whole, I feel compelled to write a few words to clarify right from wrong and set the record straight.
The article claims: "Many people refer to the celestial plate as being related to the solar aspect direction, which is completely wrong. Because the solar aspect direction refers to the true meridian of the Earth..."
This statement reflects an extreme misunderstanding of the three needles of the Luo Pan.
Yang Yun-song did not invent directions with the creation of the Zhengzhen (earth plate) and Fenzhen (celestial plate). Instead, he established the 24 mountains of the earth plate based on one trunk, four branches, and auxiliary elements, and the celestial plate’s double mountain of twelve palaces with one trunk, four branches, and auxiliary elements, along with the three combinations of double mountains and five elements used for analyzing landforms and measuring water flow.
The Zhengzhen (earth plate) directions evolved from the magnetic needle orientation of the earlier Han dynasty Si Nan and Liu Ren Pan, which originally used floating magnetic spoons, into today's fixed magnetic needle orientation.