Jiaobei blocks or moon blocks (筊杯, jiǎo bēi) are wooden divination

Divination

Divination is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic standardized process or ritual...

 tools originating from China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

, which are used in pairs and thrown to answer a yes or no question

Yes-no question

In linguistics, a yes–no question, formally known as a polar question, is a question whose expected answer is either "yes" or "no". Formally, they present an exclusive disjunction, a pair of alternatives of which only one is acceptable. In English, such questions can be formed in both positive...

. They are made out of wood or bamboo and carved into a crescent shape. Each block is round on one side (known as the yin

Yin and yang

In Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang , which is often referred to in the West as "yin and yang", is used to describe how polar opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn. Opposites thus only...

side) and flat on the other (known as the yang

Yin and yang

In Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang , which is often referred to in the West as "yin and yang", is used to describe how polar opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn. Opposites thus only...

side). It is one of the more commonly used items found in Chinese traditional religion

Chinese folk religion

Chinese folk religion or Shenism , which is a term of considerable debate, are labels used to describe the collection of ethnic religious traditions which have been a main belief system in China and among Han Chinese ethnic groups for most of the civilization's history until today...

 and are used in temples and home shrines along with fortune sticks, both of which are often used together when requesting an answer from the gods.

Practice

Jiaobei blocks can be used separately to receive a straightforward answer or are accompanied by fortune sticks to clarify an oracle produced from shaking fortune sticks. When used alone, jiaobei blocks are first purified by revolving the blocks around the incense burner three times. The querent then kneels and says their name, date of birth, residence, and question while cupping the blocks between their hands in prayer. After the querent poses the question to the gods, the blocks are dropped to the floor and land in a specific position.

There are four possible answers that the jiaobei blocks can produce:

1. Shèngjiǎo (聖筊, divine answer): One block flat and another block round is a 'yes' answer.
2. Nùjiǎo (怒筊, angry answer) also kūjiao (哭筊, crying answer): Both blocks round is a 'no' answer. It is said that the gods are angered by the question, and is shown in the way the blocks directly fall flat on the floor.
3. Xiàojiǎo (笑筊, laughing answer): Both blocks flat have different interpretations; either it can be an emphasized 'no' answer and a sign that the gods are laughing at the question, or that they are laughing because the querent knows the answer to his or her question. One characteristic of this answer is when the blocks sway back and forth when dropped, a symbolic show of laughter.
4. Lìjiǎo (立筊, standing answer): One or both blocks fall but stand erect on the floor indicate that the deities do not understand the referent's question, therefore the question is nullified and the procedure must be repeated.

When used alone without the fortune sticks, the blocks are thrown three times in order to maintain accuracy of the deity's answer.

Usages

Aside from questioning the deities on mundane affairs, jiaobei blocks are also used to verify a range of issues, such as proper ritual protocol, spiritual presence of the gods or if they have eaten the offerings presented to them.

See also

• Feng shui
  Feng shui
  Feng shui ' is a Chinese system of geomancy believed to use the laws of both Heaven and Earth to help one improve life by receiving positive qi. The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu ....
  
  
• Oracle
  Oracle
  In Classical Antiquity, an oracle was a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic predictions or precognition of the future, inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of divination....
  
  
• Kau cim
• Omikuji
  Omikuji
  Omikuji are random fortunes written on strips of paper at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. Literally "sacred lot", these are usually received by making a small offering and randomly choosing one from a box, hoping for the resulting fortune to be good...
  
  
• Divination blocks