What is Turtle Divination? The origin of Measuring the Turtle to Reckon Fate
Turtle Divination, also called Measuring the Turtle to Reckon Fate, is a long-standing Vietnamese folk method of divination used to foretell whether a person will be rich or poor and how their wealth will run. Unlike palmistry or the intricate art of physiognomy, the Turtle Measure rests on a very plain idea: the subject's own finger and phalanx measurements are used to cut paper into the shape of a turtle, the creature that stands in Eastern culture for long life, steadiness and good fortune. The more complete the turtle that can be built, the more abundant the fate; and conversely, the fewer its legs and the shorter its tail, the harder the life.
In folk belief the turtle is one of the Four Guardians 四靈 (the Dragon 龍, the Qilin 麟, the Turtle 龜 and the Phoenix 鳳). The image of the turtle bearing a stele, and of the divine turtle that gave up the sword, is bound to the origins of the nation, so that taking the turtle as the measure of a fate carries much that is auspicious. The Turtle Measure has been handed down by word of mouth through many generations, and was especially widespread in the villages of the north, as a way of guessing at fate that is at once a pleasure and a philosophy of life: our blessings are in part from heaven, but they are also built by our own hands.
What parts make up the turtle model?
The whole divination turns upon a strip of paper called the Turtle Column, which is the total length of all 5 fingers. From this strip each part of the turtle is cut in its proper order. With every cut the remaining paper grows shorter, and it is precisely that remainder which decides whether the turtle has its full complement of legs and a tail.
| Part | Measured from | How it is reckoned |
|---|---|---|
| the Turtle Column | All 5 fingers | Add the lengths of the 5 fingers (base to fingertip) |
| Turtle Head | Middle phalanx of the thumb | Cut first of all, and deducted straight from the Turtle Column |
| The turtle shell | Middle phalanx of the index, middle and ring fingers | 3 pieces, each twice the middle phalanx |
| 4 Legs | Middle phalanx of the little finger | Each leg is 1 middle phalanx of the little finger, at most 4 legs |
| The Turtle Tail | Nail of the little finger | There must be paper enough for the nail of the little finger before the turtle has a tail |
| The Turtle Gut | The last remaining paper | What remains of the Turtle Column once everything is cut; the store of blessing and wealth |
Turtle Divination, step by step in detail
Step 1: Choose the hand by sex
The rule of the Turtle Measure that never varies is that a man is measured on the left hand and a woman on the right. Spread the hand out, palm turned upwards, the fingers straight and at ease. Have ready a ruler marked in millimetres so that the measurement is accurate to 0.1 cm, since even a small error on a finger can change the number of legs or the tail of the turtle.
Step 2: Measure the Turtle Column (the 5 fingers together)
Measure the length of each finger in turn, from where its base joins the palm to the tip of the finger. Measure all 5: thumb, index, middle, ring and little finger. Add the five measurements together and you have the length of the Turtle Column, which stands for the backbone and for the whole of the turtle's “original Qi 元氣”. The longer the Turtle Column, the more “paper” there is with which to build a complete turtle.
Step 3: Cut the Turtle Head, then build the Turtle Shell
Turn the hand over and bend the fingers so that the phalanges show clearly. First measure the middle phalanx of the thumb, which is the piece cut to make the Turtle Head and which must be deducted from the Turtle Column at the very outset. Then measure the middle phalanx of the three fingers, index, middle and ring. Each finger yields one piece of shell, and each piece of shell is twice the length of the middle phalanx that corresponds to it. The three pieces joined together make the Turtle Shell, the body that shelters the turtle.
Step 4: Divide the Turtle Legs
Once the Head and the Shell have been cut, what remains of the Turtle Column is used to divide into legs. Each leg is as long as the middle phalanx of the little finger. Cut them one after another until the paper runs out or 4 legs are complete, and then stop. The number of legs cut is the single most important thing deciding fortune and misfortune: the more legs the turtle has, the steadier and the more abundant the life.
Step 5: Cut the Tail and determine the Turtle Gut
If the Turtle Column still has paper left after the full 4 legs have been cut, measure the nail of the little finger in order to cut the Turtle Tail. There must be length enough to match the nail of the little finger before the turtle has a tail. Lastly, if paper still remains, that remainder is called The Turtle Gut, set in the middle of the turtle's body, standing for a full store of accumulated wealth. A turtle with a gut is the finest configuration of all, betokening great wealth and great standing.
How the result of Turtle Divination is read
The more complete the turtle model that can be built, the better the fate. Below is the table of 7 grades, from lowest to highest, that the tool applies:
| Turtle model | Level | The reading in brief |
|---|---|---|
| Not enough for a Head | Vô Cách 無格, No Configuration | The Turtle Column is far too short; it would be best to measure again accurately |
| Not enough for a Shell | Tối Lower Structure (Xia Ge) 最下格, the Lowest Configuration | The original Qi 元氣 is exhausted and the fate is precarious |
| Head and body, 0 to 1 leg | Lower Structure (Xia Ge) 下格, a Low Configuration | Poverty, and want of the means to make a living |
| A full 2 legs | Cận Lower Structure (Xia Ge) 近下格, near the Low Configuration | Poor all one's life; money gathers and then scatters again |
| A full 3 legs | Trung Lower Structure (Xia Ge) 中下格, the Lower Middle Configuration | Rather poor and much tossed about; matters are often left unfinished |
| 4 legs, no tail | Medium Structure (Zhong Ge) 中格, the Middle Configuration | Enough to eat and to spend, but hard to lay anything by |
| A full head, body, 4 legs and tail | Supreme Structure (Shang Ge) 上格, a High Configuration | A person of means, with steady wealth, able to build an estate |
| Complete, with the Gut left over as well | Tối Supreme Structure (Shang Ge) 最上格, the Highest Configuration | Great wealth and great standing, with blessings handed down through many generations |
Questions commonly asked about Turtle Divination
Which hand does Turtle Divination measure?
A man is measured on the left hand and a woman on the right. This is a fixed rule and applies in every case.
Why must the Turtle Head be deducted before the Shell is cut?
The traditional order of building the turtle is this: from the Turtle Column one cuts in turn the Head, the Shell, the 4 Legs and the Tail, and the remainder is the Gut. The Turtle Head is taken from the middle phalanx of the thumb and must be deducted from the Turtle Column first. To skip this step makes the result come out better than the method warrants.
Is Turtle Divination accurate?
Turtle Divination is a folk belief, for reference and for pleasure, and it does not rest on a scientific foundation. The result depends greatly on how accurately the measuring is done. It is best taken as an engaging cultural rite rather than an absolute forecast.
What does it mean if the turtle lacks legs or a tail?
The more parts the turtle lacks, the harder the fate: head and body alone means poverty; 2 legs, poor for a lifetime; 3 legs, much tossed about; 4 legs without a tail, enough to eat but hard to lay anything by. Even so, the ancients always remind us: fate is from heaven, fortune is from ourselves, and diligence and the accumulation of merit can still change it.