bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Yating Yang

A mysterious and ancient tradition in China involves practitioners who try to predict the future and communicate with the spirit world via a ritual known as rice divination, or mun mai, in the south of the country.
Its origins can be traced back to the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) and a belief that all things in nature followed patterns and cycles, which are closely connected to human fortune and misfortune.
The term “rice divination” comes from the main component used in the practice, 1,080 round grains of rice in a bowl.
Practitioners interpret omens based on the number of grains randomly grasped in each draw.

The number 1,080 holds symbolic meaning within a numerological system derived from the Yijing, or Book of Changes.
A framework exists that links numbers with the five elements and hexagrams, using the interplay of yin and yang to infer the development and transformation of events.
After rising to prominence during the Han dynasty, rice divination gradually spread across China and became an important part of folk belief systems over time.
It was widely used to predict the future, determine auspicious or inauspicious outcomes, and make decisions on important matters such as marriage.

This ritual often involves a female spirit medium who is believed to be possessed by the spirits of the dead, enabling communication with the living.
In the southern Guangdong and Guangxi provinces, the ritual requires setting up an altar covered in white rice. Summoning spirits is strictly forbidden during the seventh lunar month.
In Xiaogan, Hubei province, central China, female spirit mediums often perform rituals in secluded rooms and claim to receive messages through physical contact.
The ritual follows a set of strict procedures.
First, exactly 1,080 smooth rice grains are used as divination tools and placed in a container.
Before beginning the divination, the practitioner silently recites their question along with basic personal information, then burns incense and chants a prayer to the gods.
Next, the practitioner uses their thumb and index finger to grab the rice three times.

The lower trigram, upper trigram and changing lines which are key concepts in the Yi Jing, are determined by the number of grains picked in each round, which are then recalculated and transformed using mathematical formulas.
The result is interpreted by combining the trigrams and analysing them according to the principles of the Yi Jing.
Beyond these basic steps, rice divination also includes specific techniques.
For example, during the grabbing process, the practitioner must maintain a light and steady hand to avoid spilling grains.
Some experienced practitioners further refine the process by developing more sophisticated methods to enhance the accuracy and reliability of the divination outcomes.


Why Chinese ‘ask rice’ divination ritual involves using 1,080 round grains

Chinese rookie cop resembling Taiwan actor Eddie Peng goes viral, attracts 1 million likes

China influencer imitating Blackpink’s Rosé provokes debate about fandom-celebrity grey area

China delivery rider saves US$160,000 in 5 years to pay off debts, is dubbed ‘Order King’

Trending in China

We explain the traditional Chinese divination practice of “ask rice” or mun mai, which involves a woman medium believed to be possessed by spirits using 1,080 grains of round rice for rituals. Photo: RedNote

A central component of the centuries-old ritual from the south of China is rice. Photo: hauyan.hk

Also central to the traditional custom is a woman spirit medium, above left. Photo: Weibo

Ancestor worship and the giving of food offerings to the dead are very much a part of Chinese culture. Photo: Shutterstock

Video of China woman evading lover’s wife by scaling high-rise wall to hide next door goes viral

A dramatic video has surfaced showing a woman in China allegedly trying to evade her lover’s wife by scaling the exterior walls of a high-rise building. Photo: Douyin/X.com

The woman is seen perched on a wall high up on the building while holding onto a curtain. Photo: ettoday.net

The daring woman shows the agility of a mountain goat as she clings onto the high-rise. Photo: ettoday.net

Finally, the woman is helped into a neighbouring unit on a lower floor of the building. Photo: ettoday.net

China ‘most beautiful’ Shaolin-trained bodyguard in spotlight during French president visit

During a recent visit to China, the French president and his wife drew attention to a female bodyguard assigned by the Chinese government, who has been dubbed the country’s “most beautiful bodyguard”. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin/Reuters

While Brigitte Macron, left, attended public events in Beijing and Chengdu, Yan, middle, was captured on film maintaining an alert demeanour, her eyes continually scanning the surroundings for potential threats. Photo: Weibo

Due to the classified nature of her profession, little personal information about Yan has been disclosed; however, it is widely believed that she was born in Luoyang, a city in central Henan province. Photo: Weibo

In 2015, she was appointed as an elite bodyguard in the Central Guard Bureau, which operates under the Ministry of Public Security (MPS). Photo: Weibo

Yan’s story has garnered significant admiration and interest among Chinese netizens, who praise both her professionalism and striking appearance. Photo: Weibo

Shocked tourists on Thai ferry watch luggage float away while enjoying deck views

Foreign passengers on a Thai ferry were stunned to see their luggage floating away while enjoying the deck views. Photo: SCMP composite/TikTok

As tourists basked in the breathtaking views, they were alarmed to witness their suitcases drifting, one by one, into the sea. Photo: X

In another video, stunned passengers inside the ferry cabin stared out the windows in disbelief as they watched their belongings being swept away by the waves. Photo: X

The sea conditions around Thailand’s eastern offshore islands can be unpredictable during the rainy season, which extends from May to October each year. Photo: X

China woman arrested for stealing fish bone waste to feed restaurant staff and customers

A Chinese woman has been arrested for stealing 30kg of leftover fish bones at a Japanese wet market and reportedly using them to prepare meals for herself, her staff and customers. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/JHN

Some online observers have questioned why the Japanese authorities identified Wu and released a picture of her masked face above. Photo: 163.com

“Friendly” eatery boss Wu was said to be well acquainted with the environs of the wet market where the thefts allegedly took place. Photo: Getty Images

Wu’s restaurant, above, is known for its cheap prices and big portions. Photo: 163.com

Wu is accused of stealing leftover tuna loins and bones. She even ate some of the waste food herself. Photo: 163.com

China public servants use face masks to bypass facial recognition to help each other skip work

Public servants at a Chinese neighborhood committee have been exposed for using printed face masks to bypass facial-recognition clocking-in machines to skip work. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin

The quality of face masks available today can be remarkably realistic and deceptive, and they are readily accessible at reasonable prices. Photo: 163.com

A worker prepares to circumvent the facial recognition technology with a face mask. Photo: 163.com

The incriminating images were captured by a surveillance camera positioned above the facial recognition machine. Photo: 163.com

Online observers have pointed out that facial recognition technology, illustrated above, which operates at a lower resolution, can be bypassed. Photo: Getty Images

News

People & Culture

Mystifying ancient tradition uses combination of the spirit world and mathematical formulas to predict future


Mystifying ancient tradition uses combination of the spirit world and mathematical formulas to predict future.


Chinese superstitions

Cantonese culture, slang and customs

Provide background, definition and detail of a specific topic, helping the reader understand how something works or what has happened in the past.  (Eg. What is Nafta? US and Mexico are on the verge of revising trade deal.)


Explainer

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Mystifying ancient tradition uses combination of the spirit world and mathematical formulas to predict future

Mystifying ancient tradition uses combination of the spirit world and mathematical formulas to predict future