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This page serves as the syllabus outline. for the complete guide on how to calculate your Ming Gua, detailed Star meanings, and video tutorials, please visit the Academy.
Go to Eight Mansions Lesson →Syllabus Outline
- Level 1: Foundations & Classics
- He Tu & Luo Shu Numerology
- The Classics: Ba Zhai Ming Jing & Yang Zhai San Yao
- Early Heaven vs. Later Heaven Ba Gua
- Level 2: The House (Zhai Gua) & Flip-Gua Logic
- Determining Facing vs. Sitting
- The Da You Nian (大游年) Flip-Gua Method
- The 8 House Types (Qian House, Kan House, etc.)
- East Group vs. West Group classification
- Level 3: The Person (Ming Gua)
- Calculation Formulas (Male/Female)
- The Life Gua vs. The House Gua conflict resolution
- Life Group (東四命/西四命)
- Level 4: The 8 Wandering Stars (Ba Xing)
- Xing Gong Ke Zhi (星宮剋制): Interaction between Star element and Palace element
- Sheng Qi (Wealth) - Tan Lang Wood Star
- Tian Yi (Health) - Ju Men Earth Star
- Yan Nian (Harmony) - Wu Qu Metal Star
- Fu Wei (Stability) - Fu Bi Wood Star
- Jue Ming (Total Loss) - Po Jun Metal Star
- Wu Gui (Five Ghosts) - Lian Zhen Fire Star
- Liu Sha (Six Killings) - Wen Qu Water Star
- Huo Hai (Mishaps) - Lu Cun Earth Star
- Level 5: Practical Application (The Three Essentials)
- The Main Door (门): The primary Qi mouth
- The Master Bed (主): Position vs. Direction rules
- The Stove (灶): Zuo Xiong Xiang Ji (Sit on Bad, Face Good) logic
- Suppression: Placing Toilets and Kitchens in inauspicious sectors
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🔢 Ming Gua Calculation (命卦計算)
Every person has a Ming Gua (命卦, Personal Trigram) derived from their birth year and gender. This number determines which of the eight compass directions are favorable or unfavorable for that individual.
Formula for Males (born before 2000)
Step 1: Add the last two digits of the birth year together. If the result is two digits, add again until you get a single digit.
Step 2: Subtract that single digit from 10 .
Result = Ming Gua number.
Example: Male born 1978 → 7 + 8 = 15 → 1 + 5 = 6 → 10 − 6 = 4 (Xun 巽)
Formula for Females (born before 2000)
Step 1: Add the last two digits of the birth year together. Reduce to a single digit.
Step 2: Add 5 to that digit. If the result exceeds 9, subtract 9.
Result = Ming Gua number.
Example: Female born 1985 → 8 + 5 = 13 → 1 + 3 = 4 → 4 + 5 = 9 (Li 離)
⚠️ Important Rules:- If the result is 5 : Males default to Kun (坤, Gua 2) ; Females default to Gen (艮, Gua 8) . There is no "Gua 5."
- For people born 2000 onwards : Males subtract from 9 instead of 10; Females add 6 instead of 5.
- The Chinese Solar Year starts at Li Chun (立春) , typically around February 4th. Births before Li Chun belong to the previous year.
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⭐ The Eight Wandering Stars (八游星)
Once the House Gua or Ming Gua is determined, eight Wandering Stars (游星, Yóu Xīng) are distributed across the eight compass sectors. Four are auspicious (吉), four are inauspicious (凶).
Four Auspicious Stars (四吉星)
| Star | Chinese | Element | Nature | Governs | Best Placement |
|---|
| Sheng Qi | 生氣 | Wood 木 | Most Auspicious | Vitality, wealth, career, male heirs | Main door, master bedroom, office |
| Tian Yi | 天醫 | Earth 土 | 2nd Auspicious | Health recovery, nobleman luck (貴人), stable wealth | Kitchen stove, bedroom for ill family |
| Yan Nian | 延年 | Metal 金 | 3rd Auspicious | Relationships, marriage harmony, longevity | Master bedroom (couples), living room |
| Fu Wei | 伏位 | Wood 木 | Mildly Auspicious | Inner calm, study, meditation, steady progress | Study room, meditation space |
Four Inauspicious Stars (四凶星)
| Star | Chinese | Element | Nature | Effects | Mitigation |
|---|
| Huo Hai | 禍害 | Earth 土 | Mildly Inauspicious | Petty annoyances, minor arguments, small legal issues | Place storage/bathroom here |
| Liu Sha | 六煞 | Water 水 | Moderately Inauspicious | Romantic scandals, backstabbing, depression | Avoid bedrooms; laundry room OK |
| Wu Gui | 五鬼 | Fire 火 | Severely Inauspicious | Fires, theft, paranormal disturbances, sudden losses | Place kitchen stove here (fire controls fire 以火制火) |
| Jue Ming | 絕命 | Metal 金 | Most Inauspicious | Serious illness, bankruptcy, depression, death | Bathroom only (drains negative energy) |
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🧭 East & West Life Groups (東四命 / 西四命)
The eight trigrams are divided into two groups. The fundamental Ba Zhai rule: East Group people should live in East Group houses; West Group people in West Group houses. When this is impossible, the main door and master bed should at minimum align with the person's favorable sectors.
| Gua Number | Trigram | Symbol | Direction | Group | Element |
|---|
| 1 | Kan (坎) | ☵ | North | East Group 東四命 | Water |
| 3 | Zhen (震) | ☳ | East | East Group 東四命 | Wood |
| 4 | Xun (巽) | ☴ | Southeast | East Group 東四命 | Wood |
| 9 | Li (離) | ☲ | South | East Group 東四命 | Fire |
| 2 | Kun (坤) | ☷ | Southwest | West Group 西四命 | Earth |
| 6 | Qian (乾) | ☰ | Northwest | West Group 西四命 | Metal |
| 7 | Dui (兌) | ☱ | West | West Group 西四命 | Metal |
| 8 | Gen (艮) | ☶ | Northeast | West Group 西四命 | Earth |
Why the Groups Work
East Group trigrams (Kan, Zhen, Xun, Li) belong to Water, Wood, and Fire — elements that produce each other in a generative cycle. West Group trigrams (Kun, Qian, Dui, Gen) belong to Earth and Metal — elements that also produce each other. Placing an East Group person in a West Group house creates elemental conflict across every sector.
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🏠 The Eight House Charts
Each of the eight house types has a fixed distribution of the eight stars across its sectors. The Sitting direction always receives Fu Wei (伏位), and the remaining seven stars are distributed according to the Da You Nian (大游年) flip-gua transformation method.
Example: Li House (離宅) — Sitting South
| SE (巽) | S (離) — Sitting | SW (坤) |
|---|
Yan Nian 延年
Metal ☆ | Fu Wei 伏位
Wood ☆ | Jue Ming 絕命
Metal ✧ |
| E (震) | Center | W (兌) |
|---|
Sheng Qi 生氣
Wood ☆ | — | Wu Gui 五鬼
Fire ✧ |
| NE (艮) | N (坎) — Facing | NW (乾) |
|---|
Liu Sha 六煞
Water ✧ | Tian Yi 天醫
Earth ☆ | Huo Hai 禍害
Earth ✧ |
☆ = Auspicious sector ✧ = Inauspicious sector. A Li House is an East Group house — favorable for Gua 1, 3, 4, 9 occupants.
The Three Essentials (陽宅三要)
Classical Ba Zhai application focuses on three critical features, known as Yang Zhai San Yao (陽宅三要):
| Essential | Chinese | Rule | Priority Star |
|---|
| Main Door (門) | 門 Mén | The "mouth of Qi" — should open toward an auspicious sector | Sheng Qi (wealth), Tian Yi (health), Yan Nian (marriage) |
| Master Bed (主) | 主 Zhǔ | Headboard direction determines which star governs sleep | Yan Nian (couples), Tian Yi (illness recovery) |
| Stove (灶) | 灶 Zào | "Sit on Bad, Face Good" (坐凶向吉) — fire mouth aims at inauspicious sector to burn away negative Qi | Wu Gui (fire controls fire), Jue Ming |
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📋 Case Study: Chronic Illness Resolved
Case: East Group Woman in West Group House (慢性病化解)
Background: A woman (Ming Gua 4, Xun 巽, East Group) moved into a Gen House (艮宅, Northeast sitting — West Group). She suffered recurring digestive problems for three years.
Ba Zhai Audit:
- Her bedroom was located in the Jue Ming (絕命) sector relative to her Ming Gua — the most destructive star position
- The kitchen stove's fire mouth pointed toward her Wu Gui (五鬼) direction — amplifying illness energy
- East Group person in a West Group house = fundamental mismatch across all sectors
Remedy:
- Moved her bedroom to the Southeast room — her Sheng Qi (生氣) sector
- Rotated the stove so the fire mouth pointed toward her Wu Gui direction (burning away negative Qi) while she faced Tian Yi (天醫) when cooking
Result: Within two months, her gastric issues resolved. Six months later, she received an unexpected promotion at work — a classic Sheng Qi activation benefit.
Source: Ba Zhai practitioner case collection, Southeast China residential consultation.
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8 House Types & 8 Gua People | 八宅与八命分类
Ba Zhai divides buildings and inhabitants into two distinct energetic groups: East Group (东四卦) and West Group (西四卦) . Optimal harmony occurs when the resident's Life Gua matches the House type.
| House/Gua (卦) | Sitting Direction (坐) | Group (组别) | Element (五行) |
|---|
| Kan (坎) | North (北) | East Group (东四) | Water (水) |
| Li (离) | South (南) | East Group (东四) | Fire (火) |
| Zhen (震) | East (东) | East Group (东四) | Wood (木) |
| Xun (巽) | Southeast (东南) | East Group (东四) | Wood (木) |
| Qian (乾) | Northwest (西北) | West Group (西四) | Metal (金) |
| Kun (坤) | Southwest (西南) | West Group (西四) | Earth (土) |
| Gen (艮) | Northeast (东北) | West Group (西四) | Earth (土) |
| Dui (兑) | West (西) | West Group (西四) | Metal (金) |
Wandering Stars Detailed Table | 八游星详表
| Star Name (星名) | Nature (性质) | Governs (掌管) | Element (五行) |
|---|
| Sheng Qi (生气) | Auspicious (大吉) | Success, Wealth, Vitality | Wood |
| Tian Yi (天医) | Auspicious (中吉) | Health, Mentors, Healing | Earth |
| Yan Nian (延年) | Auspicious (小吉) | Relationships, Longevity | Metal |
| Fu Wei (伏位) | Auspicious (辅吉) | Stability, Peace, Study | Wood |
| Huo Hai (祸害) | Inauspicious (小凶) | Arguments, Gossip, Delays | Earth |
| Wu Gui (五鬼) | Inauspicious (大凶) | Fire, Theft, Backstabbing | Fire |
| Liu Sha (六煞) | Inauspicious (次凶) | Scandals, Legal Issues | Water |
| Jue Ming (绝命) | Inauspicious (至凶) | Severe Illness, Disaster | Metal |
Life Gua (Ming Gua) Calculation | 命卦计算法
Your Life Gua determines which of the eight sectors support your personal energy. Formulas for those born before 2000:
- Male (男): (100 − last two digits of birth year) ÷ 9. Use the Remainder.
- Female (女): (last two digits of birth year − 4) ÷ 9. Use the Remainder.
Note: If the remainder is 5, Males default to Kun (2) and Females default to Gen (8). For those born after 2000, the calculation adjusts to the new century base.
Interior Layout Integration | 室内布局应用
A Ba Zhai compliant home follows the "Auspicious Door, Auspicious Bed, Inauspicious Stove" (吉门吉床凶灶) rule:
- Door and Bed (门与床): Main entrance and headboard should face your Sheng Qi , Yan Nian , or Tian Yi directions to absorb positive Qi daily.
- Stove Placement (灶位): The stove sits in an inauspicious sector (like Wu Gui ) to "burn away" negative energy, but the fire mouth points toward an auspicious direction.