When the Dao Splits into Techniques, Let Techniques Return to the Dao

Liang Xiangrun, originally named Liang Tianju and also known by his Dharma name Shi Qingjue, was born in 1930 in Shanghai. He moved to Taiwan in 1994, where he spent most of his life, and passed away in Taipei in 2013 at the age of 84.

Throughout his life, Liang made significant contributions to both the religious and metaphysical fields. The phrase "Dao splits into techniques; techniques return to Dao" succinctly summarizes his life philosophy. Beginning his journey as a Buddhist monk at the age of 20, he turned to the study of fate and metaphysics in his 40s, eventually becoming a renowned master of destiny studies. For much of his life, he maintained a dual identity as both monk and practitioner. Even in his later years, he never ceased his deep exploration of Buddhism, continuing to write Buddhist texts while leading Jixiang Hermitage as a lay Buddhist.

Liang believed that the Five Arts—mountain, medicine, destiny, divination, and physiognomy—originated from the Dao of the Supreme Being, and that humanity's connection with the Dao unfolds through the vessel of civilization. His works cover both the textual study and compilation of numerical and metaphysical traditions, as well as a transcendent pursuit of metaphysical truth and spiritual liberation. Liang's thinking always evolved dialectically between these two poles, and to grasp only one aspect is to miss the full picture of his thought.

Since the 1970s, Liang authored a series of foundational textbooks on the Five Arts in Taiwan, which were well received. In the 1980s, he further developed the theoretical basis of Zi Ping (Four Pillars) astrology by compiling and analyzing the theories of Yu Chuntai on useful gods, Shen Xiaozhan on structure, Di Tian Sui on strength and weakness, and Jin Buhuan on ten-year luck cycles. In Taiwan, he became known for his innovative method of annual destiny interpretation, which still has a far-reaching impact. His book Basics of Zi Ping sold tens of thousands of copies and became a staple for students of destiny. He also meticulously analyzed classic Bazi charts and contemporary techniques, as seen in his works Random Notes on Yuanhai Favor and Aversion and Record of Observations on Ancient and Modern Astrology, laying the foundation for academic research in destiny studies.

In the 1990s, Liang compiled his historical view and ideas on Chinese destiny culture into dedicated works. As cross-strait exchanges opened and metaphysical culture from Hong Kong and Taiwan returned to the mainland, his scholarly historical approach to the Zi Ping system—particularly his proposal of the "Zi Ping Mother Method"—ushered in a new wave of research across both sides of the strait.

Now, Xingmao Publishing is compiling Liang Xiangrun’s works into a collected series titled The Collected Works of Liang Xiangrun, divided into "Textbook Series", "Theoretical Research Series", and "Classical Annotations Series" to help destiny studies researchers select according to their interests. This is the foreword.

Director of Xingmao Publishing, Liang Han

Written in Yǐwèi Year, Taipei, Taiwan