It is said that the inspiration for this pattern came from a numerical
pattern recorded as the scroll of the river Loh, or Loh-shou (fig.102). Fig 102: Loh-shou
This pattern is a series of numbers from one to nine so old they are
drawn as beads strung on a thread, like an abacus, each number a dot, even numbers black
and odd numbers white, arranged around a square in a particular order. The order of
the numbers is known the magic square of three (fig. 103).
Fig. 103: Magic Square of Three
The magic square of three is a well known
"mathematical amusement", and was known to the Jains of ancient India as
well as ancient China. It is a number acrostic in which the three numbers of each side, as
well as those of each diagonal, sum 15.
Fig. 104: 4x4 dot grid
The perimeter of the 3x3 square grid is divided by twelve points,
creating twelve divisions, three on each side (fig. 104), connoting the zodiacal cycle,
and figuratively alluding to the mystical squaring of the circle. The square relates to
the four corners of the earth, the four cardinal points, the four seasons, the cross of
terrestrial space and time. The circle relates to heaven, which is eternal, but
circumscribed by the Absolute.
The middle cell, in relation to this zodiacal circle, is the centre of
the earth, the world, and as the fifth in the series one to nine, it is also the centre of
the entire material universe, and all the worlds; the Sun around which all suns revolve;
the seat of the king of kings at the centre of the "round table".
