iced ▁by ▁the ▁bush i . ▁ ▁Sign ific ance ▁of ▁the ▁number ▁nine ▁Why ▁the ▁number ▁nine ▁is ▁used ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁of ▁concern ▁to ▁some . ▁The ▁number ▁nine ▁is ▁seen ▁in ▁T ao ist ▁div ination ▁as ▁the ▁perfect ▁number ▁for ▁y ang / yo , ▁the ▁“ br ight ▁side ” ▁when ▁determ ining ▁the ▁individual ▁hex agram ▁lines ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁I - ch ing ▁( Book ▁of ▁Ch anges ). ▁Some ▁have ▁suggested ▁that ▁the ▁number ▁nine ▁refers ▁to ▁the ▁nine ▁plan ets , ▁that ▁the ▁T ao ist ▁believe ▁directly ▁influence ▁human ▁dest iny , ▁or ▁to ▁the ▁seven ▁stars ▁of ▁the ▁Big ▁Di pper ▁( N or thern ▁Seven ▁Stars ) ▁plus ▁the ▁two ▁att endant / guard ian ▁stars ▁which ▁T ao ist ▁believe ▁is ▁the ▁gateway ▁to ▁heaven , ▁and ▁which ▁each ▁star ▁is ▁a ▁T ao ist ▁de ity . ▁The ▁Imperial ▁Palace ▁had ▁nine ▁h alls , ▁the ▁cel est ial ▁sphere ▁has ▁nine ▁divisions , ▁both ▁in ▁Buddh ism ▁and ▁T ao ism , ▁heaven ▁is ▁' n ine ▁en clos ures ' ▁( chi u ▁ch ' ung ). ▁The ▁nine ▁subm andal as ▁of ▁the ▁V aj rad h ã tu - m and ala ▁correspond ▁to ▁the ▁imperial ▁city ▁of ▁Ch ' ang - an . ▁( W ater house , ▁ 1 9 9 6 ) ▁ ▁Ku ji ▁no ▁in ▁( Hand ▁se als ▁of ▁the ▁N ine ▁Sy ll ables ) ▁The ▁Ku ji