Passing Yin Yang (Golden Lock Jade Gate): The Simplest Feng Shui Reading Method

Overview of Passing Yin Yang

Passing Yin Yang (过路阴阳), also known as the Golden Lock Jade Gate (金锁玉关), is a Feng Shui school that emerged in modern times. Its defining feature is remarkable simplicity and lightning-fast readings — so much so that practitioners say you can "determine auspicious and inauspicious energy just by passing by," which is how the method got its name.

The Passing Yin Yang School employs a straightforward theoretical framework that requires no complex Luopan (Feng Shui Compass) measurements or lengthy calculations. Simply observe the distribution of Sand (山 or buildings) and Water (rivers or roads) around a residence, and you can quickly assess its fortune.

Cultural Context: Passing Yin Yang represents a deliberate departure from the calculation-heavy methods of traditional Feng Shui. It appeals to modern practitioners because it relies on direct observation — much like how a Western real estate assessor might quickly evaluate a property's "curb appeal" and surroundings. This school emerged in the 20th century as Chinese cities rapidly urbanized, making the classical mountain-and-river assessments less practical.

Core Theory of Passing Yin Yang

Bagua Directions and Sand/Water

Passing Yin Yang divides the environment around a home into eight directions, each corresponding to a Bagua (八卦) trigram. Every direction has specific requirements regarding Sand (elevated features) or Water (depressed features).

The Core Mnemonic:

"One, Two, Three, Four — Sand is right. Six, Seven, Eight, Nine — Water is right."

This saying is the master formula of Passing Yin Yang. It means:

• One White (Kan, North), Two Black (Kun, Southwest), Three Jade (Zhen, East), and Four Green (Xun, Southeast) — these four directions favor Sand (elevated features) and should avoid Water
• Six White (Qian, Northwest), Seven Red (Dui, West), Eight White (Gen, Northeast), and Nine Purple (Li, South) — these four directions favor Water (depressed features) and should avoid Sand

Cultural Context: The numbers 1–9 correspond to the Nine Stars (九星) of the Xuan Kong Flying Stars system. Passing Yin Yang uses just this single principle as its entire framework — a radical simplification of the more elaborate time-based calculations found in other Feng Shui schools.

Detailed Sand and Water Requirements

Direction	Trigram	Number	Requirement	Favorable	Unfavorable
North	Kan	1	Needs Sand	Mountains, buildings, tall trees	Rivers, ponds, roads
Southwest	Kun	2	Needs Sand	Hills, tall buildings, earth mounds	Ditches, lakes, lowlands
East	Zhen	3	Needs Sand	Forests, buildings, elevated ground	Rivers, highways, depressions
Southeast	Xun	4	Needs Sand	High ground, buildings, slopes	Water channels, ditches, flat plains
Northwest	Qian	6	Needs Water	Rivers, roads, plazas	Mountains, tall buildings, towers
West	Dui	7	Needs Water	Ponds, lakes, lowlands	Hills, buildings, tall trees
Northeast	Gen	8	Needs Water	Ditches, roads, open spaces	Mountains, hills, buildings
South	Li	9	Needs Water	Lakes, rivers, plazas	Mountains, buildings, power towers

How Passing Yin Yang Reads Fortune

Quick-Reference Mnemonics

The Passing Yin Yang School employs a series of concise mnemonic verses for quick application:

North (Kan Palace) with Sand:

• Middle son enjoys health and longevity
• Indicates intelligence and wisdom
• Favorable for career and official success

North (Kan Palace) with Water:

• Middle son suffers from weak health and frequent illness
• Career faces obstacles and setbacks
• Prone to urinary system disorders

South (Li Palace) with Water:

• Middle daughter is intelligent and beautiful
• Reputation spreads far and wide
• Favorable for cultural and creative endeavors

South (Li Palace) with Sand:

• Middle daughter may suffer eye or heart problems
• Reputation becomes damaged
• Risk of blood-related accidents

East (Zhen Palace) with Sand:

• Eldest son enjoys robust health
• Career flourishes and thrives
• Household remains peaceful and safe

East (Zhen Palace) with Water:

• Eldest son becomes physically weak
• Prone to liver and gallbladder disorders
• Career encounters waves of setbacks

Comprehensive Assessment

When reading fortune with Passing Yin Yang, the practitioner must evaluate the Sand and Water configuration across all eight directions:

1. Perfect Alignment: All eight directions match the requirements — a residence of great wealth and nobility
2. Mostly Aligned: Most directions match — an auspicious home
3. Half and Half: Mixed alignment — an ordinary home
4. Mostly Reversed: Most directions contradict the requirements — an inauspicious home
5. Fully Reversed: All eight directions contradict — a deeply inauspicious home

Practical Application of Passing Yin Yang

Exterior Survey of the Residence

Step 1: Determine Directions

Stand at the center of the residence and use a compass or Luopan to identify the eight directions.

Step 2: Observe Sand and Water

Survey the external environment in each direction:

• Sand: Mountains, buildings, tall trees, power towers, high walls — anything rising above ground level
• Water: Rivers, ponds, roads, plazas, low-lying areas — anything below ground level or open and flat

Step 3: Compare with the Mnemonic

Match your observations against the formula "One, Two, Three, Four — Sand; Six, Seven, Eight, Nine — Water" to determine auspicious and inauspicious energy.

Urban Application

In city environments, Passing Yin Yang can be applied as follows:

Sand Equivalents:

• High-rise buildings and towers
• Elevated highways and overpasses
• Large trees and greenbelts
• Walls and solid structures

Water Equivalents:

• Streets and roads
• Plazas and parking lots
• Parks and open spaces
• Low-rise buildings (relative to surrounding structures)

Case Studies

Case 1: An Auspicious Home

A residence with:

• North: Tall building (Sand) ✓
• Southwest: Earth slope (Sand) ✓
• East: Forest (Sand) ✓
• Southeast: Building (Sand) ✓
• Northwest: Road (Water) ✓
• West: Plaza (Water) ✓
• Northeast: Parking lot (Water) ✓
• South: Lake (Water) ✓

Assessment: Perfect alignment — an exceptionally auspicious home. Expect household peace, career prosperity, and flourishing family lineage.

Case 2: An Inauspicious Home

A residence with:

• North: River (Water) ✗
• Southwest: Pond (Water) ✗
• East: Road (Water) ✗
• Southeast: Lake (Water) ✗
• Northwest: Tall building (Sand) ✗
• West: Building (Sand) ✗
• Northeast: Hill (Sand) ✗
• South: Tall building (Sand) ✗

Assessment: Fully reversed — a deeply inauspicious home. Expect persistent illness, career decline, and family misfortune.

Remedies in Passing Yin Yang

When you discover that your home's Sand and Water configuration does not match the requirements, you can apply the following adjustments:

Adding Sand

For directions that "need Sand but see Water":

1. Plant tall trees
2. Build walls or artificial rockeries
3. Place tall Feng Shui items (such as Shi Gan Dang / Taishan Stone Tablet, Stone Lions)
4. Pile earth and stones

Adding Water

For directions that "need Water but see Sand":

1. Dig a small pond or water feature
2. Keep the ground level low and open
3. Place water features (such as Feng Shui Sphere, aquarium)
4. Avoid building high walls or stacking clutter

Specific Remedies by Direction

Direction	Problem	Remedy
North	Has Water, no Sand	Place Taishan Stone, build a wall
South	Has Sand, no Water	Create a water feature, keep the area open
East	Has Water, no Sand	Plant trees, place Shi Gan Dang
West	Has Sand, no Water	Dig a small pond, place a water fountain

Quick Tips:

• In urban environments, even a row of tall potted plants can create enough "Sand" energy to satisfy the East and North requirements
• A small tabletop fountain or fish bowl can substitute for a natural water feature when Sand-dominant directions need balancing
• Consistency matters more than scale — regular, ongoing maintenance of your remedies is more effective than elaborate one-time installations

Strengths and Limitations of Passing Yin Yang

Strengths

1. Easy to Learn: The theory is simple, the mnemonics are clear, and you can master it quickly
2. Fast Readings: You can assess a home simply by passing by — no complex measurements required
3. Highly Practical: Applies easily to modern urban environments
4. Reliable Accuracy: For macro-level environmental assessment, the accuracy rate is high

Limitations

1. Over-Simplification: Considers only Sand and Water, ignoring other important Feng Shui factors
2. Lacks Precision: Cannot determine specific events or detailed fortune readings
3. Environmental Constraints: Modern urban settings blur the boundary between Sand and Water
4. Missing Time Dimension: Does not account for Three Cycles and Nine Periods or other cyclical influences

Combining Passing Yin Yang with Other Schools

With the Form School

Passing Yin Yang can be viewed as a simplified version of the Form School. Both emphasize direct observation of the natural environment and can be used to cross-verify each other.

With the Eight Mansions School

Passing Yin Yang assesses the macro environment, while the Eight Mansions School guides interior layout. Combining both provides a more complete picture.

With Xuan Kong Flying Stars

Passing Yin Yang reads static Sand and Water, while Xuan Kong Flying Stars tracks dynamic time-based energy. Together, they enable more precise and nuanced readings.

Classic Mnemonic Collection

The Master Formula:

One, Two, Three, Four — Sand. Six, Seven, Eight, Nine — Water.

Kan Palace (North):

Sand in Kan brings the middle son nobility; Water in Kan brings illness and suffering.

Li Palace (South):

Water in Li spreads fame afar; Sand in Li invites eye disease.

Zhen Palace (East):

Sand in Zhen keeps the eldest son strong; Water in Zhen harms the liver and gallbladder.

Dui Palace (West):

Water in Dui makes the young daughter graceful; Sand in Dui invites quarrels and disputes.

Xun Palace (Southeast):

Sand in Xun makes the eldest daughter virtuous; Water in Xun invites romantic entanglements.

Qian Palace (Northwest):

Water in Qian keeps the father healthy; Sand in Qian brings head ailments.

Kun Palace (Southwest):

Sand in Kun brings peace to the mother; Water in Kun harms the stomach and spleen.

Gen Palace (Northeast):

Water in Gen makes the young son wise; Sand in Gen brings hand and foot injuries.

Passing Yin Yang, with its simple and direct approach, serves as an excellent entry point for Feng Shui enthusiasts. Although its theory is streamlined, it still offers considerable practical value in real-world applications — especially for those just beginning their journey into the profound world of Chinese metaphysical geography.

Quick Tips:

• Start by assessing your own home using the eight-direction checklist — it's the best way to learn the method
• Use Google Maps or a satellite view to examine the surrounding terrain when you cannot visit in person
• Remember that Passing Yin Yang is a screening tool, not a complete reading — for major life decisions, consult multiple Feng Shui methods

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