Why are two Qi Men charts different? First check the time, place, and charting method

Two tools each producing a complete chart does not mean they used the same question and time. Some default to the present, some retain the previous input, and some use the event time you selected. First capture the inputs and settings, then save the results; comparing only two interpretations makes it hard to find the source of the difference.

It is advisable to list two columns: date, clock time, time zone, place, purpose of time selection, charting method name, and version. Write "unknown" for data not shown; do not fill it in to make them match. Only then can you identify whether the difference is in input, method, or a possible calculation issue.

The same clock time in different time zones is not the same moment; the same matter expressed in Hong Kong time and overseas local time may also fall on different dates. First confirm which input the tool requires and whether it already handles the place automatically; do not convert it yourself once and then also enable automatic correction.

If you use the time of asking versus the time the event occurred, they may not be the same chart to begin with. First ask which purpose you want to discuss; do not claim that one chart is the time that should be used merely because it has an auspicious gate.

Common setting differences may include rotating plate or flying plate, different methods of setting the chart, and the handling of solar terms and time. Even if the screen is called Qi Men in both cases, the chart layout may not be exactly the same. First look at the official explanation or the service's own account of its method; do not force the same legend onto every product.

If the other party only says "the secret method is more accurate" without explaining the basic time selection and chart construction, at the very least it should be flagged as not fully verifiable. A reproducible method does not mean the prediction has been validated, but a lack of transparency is even less of a reason to demand your blind trust.

First select the same date, clock time, and time zone, keeping other settings and records unchanged; then check the dun method, ju number, value fu and value shi, and the positions of the gates and stars. Check only one difference at a time and write down the result. If all visible settings are the same and differences remain, then raise a specific example with the tool provider.

Do not simply pick the result that better fits what you want; nor should you declare, on the basis of one differing result, that all tools are untrustworthy or that a particular school must be correct. The purpose of comparison is to identify the sources of data and rules, not to prove predictive ability through a single divination query.

For terminology, see Yin-Yang Dun and Ju Numbers; for asking questions, see Question Preparation Checklist; you can use the Qi Men tool to view the actual fields. This article was produced with AI assistance; the accompanying images are not chart results; do not use the chart to draw medical, legal, or financial conclusions.