What is a Lu Ban ruler: The Lu Ban ruler, also known as "Lu Ban Chi" or "Jiao Chi," is approximately 42.9 centimeters long. According to legend, it was created by Lu Ban, a famous carpenter from the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period. Its full name is "Lu Ban Yingzao Chi," and it is a measuring tool used in the construction of houses,


 similar to the modern craftsman's square. The Lu Ban ruler, approximately 42.9 centimeters long, is said to have been created by Gongshu Ban, a renowned craftsman from the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period. It was later incorporated into Feng Shui practices using the eight Chinese characters to measure the auspiciousness of houses and was referred to as the "Mengong Chi" or "Door Master's ruler." Over time, the Lu Ban ruler was improved by adding scale units, combining lengths with the chi and cun units. Using the Lu Ban ruler for dimensional control allows furniture and homes to avoid the resonance frequency range of secondary waves, thereby achieving the purpose of seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune. Due to its special functions, it is widely represented in Feng Shui and architectural cultures. The Lu Ban ruler is widely adopted in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Chinese communities in North America, and developed coastal regions of China. Today, it is widely used by craftsmen primarily to check the verticality and right angles between planed boards, frames, and structures in woodworking.

I. How to interpret the Lu Ban ruler:

The Lu Ban ruler is divided into four rows, namely the traditional cun, Lu Ban ruler (used for measuring houses and furniture), Ding Lan ruler (used for measuring ancestral halls and ancestral tablets), and centimeter scales. When making or selecting rosewood furniture, it is advisable to choose sizes that are auspicious according to the Lu Ban ruler. In fact, the "Lu Ban ruler" is not a "ruler" but a kind of reference table. 1 Lu Ban ruler = 1.368 chi = 45.6 centimeters; under normal circumstances, length units have a "decimal system"; for example, 1 chi = 10 cun, 1 cun = 10 fen, which is a decimal system. However, the Lu Ban ruler does not have a "decimal system" but only labels indicating auspicious or inauspicious meanings. The first row consists of eight characters: "1 wealth, 2 illness, 3 separation, 4 righteousness, 5 authority, 6 disaster, 7 harm, 8 foundation."

II. Auspicious and inauspicious use of the Lu Ban ruler:

In home decoration, the Lu Ban ruler is mainly used in the following areas:

• Measuring the dimensions of entrance doors, bedroom doors, kitchen doors, and several main entrances.
• Measuring the dimensions of office desks.
• Measuring the dimensions of furniture, beds, and cabinets.

For entrance doors, the dimensions are best chosen for auspicious meanings such as "welcoming fortune," "horizontal wealth," "wealth arriving," and "great fortune." For the main bedroom door, the dimensions are best chosen for auspicious meanings such as "wealth arriving," "entering treasures," "prosperity," and "union of six fortunes." For the children's room door, the dimensions are best chosen for auspicious meanings such as "academic success," "blessed child," "great fortune," and "benefit and profit."

Generally, it is important to determine the Feng Shui dimensions before ordering the door from the wooden door manufacturer. It is also necessary to communicate in advance with the floor decoration team as well.

In recent years, Feng Shui Lu Ban ruler has become popular in the Feng Shui community. The one shown in the picture is one type of Lu Ban ruler, which is divided into four rows from left to right. The four types of rulers are traditional inch, Lu Ban ruler, Ding Lan ruler, and centimeter. This Feng Shui ruler is very convenient to use, and many customers already have this kind of Lu Ban ruler, but they don't know its symbolic meaning and how to use it.

The key to its application lies in the lighting fixture.

The Lu Ban ruler is divided into two layers: the upper layer is called Mengong ruler, and the lower layer is called Ding Lan ruler. Mengong ruler is used for the construction of Yang residences and is used to measure the furniture and houses for living people. There are eight words on it: Cai (wealth), Bing (disease), Li (separation), Yi (righteousness), Guan (official), Jie (robbery), Hai (harm), and Ben (root). The eight words form a cycle, and the length of one cycle according to the current measurement is approximately 43 centimeters. Each word is associated with four stars, which are:

Cai: Represents auspiciousness, referring to wealth and talent.

Cai De: Indicates performance in terms of wealth, virtue, and merit.

Treasure House: Metaphorically refers to obtaining or storing valuable items.

Six Harmonies: Harmony and happiness. The Six Harmonies represent the four directions of the world.

Welcoming Blessings: Welcoming fortune. Fortune represents happiness and benefits.

Bing: Represents inauspiciousness, indicating injuries, disasters, and unfavorable situations.

Retreating Wealth: Indicates the loss or destruction of wealth.

Official Business: Often refers to corruption, bribery, and legal cases related to public affairs.

Imprisonment: Refers to the disaster of being imprisoned.

Loneliness: Refers to living alone and in solitude.

Li: Represents inauspiciousness, indicating the separation and dispersal of loved ones.

Long Treasury: Refers to ancient prisons.

Robbing Wealth: Indicates the depletion and loss of wealth.

Official Ghost: Refers to matters caused by the influence of official positions.

Loss and Separation: Refers to the loss of items and the dispersal of people.

Yi: Represents auspiciousness, indicating conformity with justice and moral standards or engaging in charitable and virtuous deeds.

Adding Offspring: Refers to giving birth to a boy in ancient times.

Yi Li: Indicates an increase in wealth and fortune.

Noble Child: Refers to a child who will become prominent in the future.

Da Ji: Represents good fortune and auspiciousness.

Guan: Represents auspiciousness, indicating the presence of official luck.

Smooth Passing: Smooth passage of exams and obtaining official positions.

Windfall: Unexpected wealth.

Increased Income: Increased income and profits.

Riches and Honor: Having wealth and power.

Jie: Represents inauspiciousness, indicating robbery and coercion.

Final Farewell: Refers to permanent separation.

Retreating Mourning: Refers to mourning and mourning for parents.

Leaving Home: Refers to leaving one's hometown.

Loss of Wealth: Refers to the loss or disappearance of wealth.

Hai: Represents inauspiciousness, indicating calamities and disasters.

Disaster Strikes: Calamities and misfortunes befall.

Utter Extinction: Refers to complete and clean death.

Disease Approaches: The onset of illness.

Disputes and Quarrels: Arguments and conflicts.

Ben: Represents auspiciousness, indicating the essence or essence of things.

Wealth Arrives: Wealth arrives.