How to Use the Kua Number Calculator
- Enter your date of birth.
- Choose male or female for the classic formula.
- Read your Kua number, group, element and lucky directions.
Enter your date of birth and choose male or female. The calculator first checks whether you were born before Lichun, the Start of Spring solar term that begins the feng shui year in early February. It then applies the classic Kua formula, shows each step and gives your Kua number, your East or West group, your element and trigram, and all eight directions on a compass: four favorable and four unfavorable.
Use the favorable directions as a guide when you arrange your home or office, for example facing your Sheng Qi direction at a desk or pointing the top of your head toward your Tian Yi direction in bed.
The Kua Number Formula
The Kua (or Gua) number comes from the Eight Mansions (Ba Zhai) school of feng shui. It uses the solar year of birth and has different versions for men and women and for births before and after 2000.
Male: 10 − n (1900 to 1999), 9 − n (2000 onward)
Female: 5 + n (1900 to 1999), 6 + n (2000 onward)
Reduce to one digit. Kua 5 becomes 2 for males and 8 for females.
The solar year begins at Lichun, when the sun reaches 315° of ecliptic longitude, usually on February 3, 4 or 5. The calculator finds the exact moment for your birth year in China Standard Time. Someone born on January 20, 2005 counts as born in the 2004 solar year.
Worked Example
A man born on May 15, 1990 was born after Lichun, so the solar year is 1990. The last two digits give 9 + 0 = 9, and 10 − 9 = 1. His Kua number is 1: East group, Water element, Kan trigram. His best direction (Sheng Qi) is southeast. A woman with the same birthday gets 5 + 9 = 14, then 5, and since 5 has no direction it becomes 8, West group.
A girl born on January 20, 2005 was born before Lichun 2005, so the solar year is 2004. Then n = 0 + 4 = 4 and 6 + 4 = 10, which reduces to Kua 1. A boy born the same day gets 9 − 4 = 5, which becomes Kua 2. We checked these with a separate script.
East and West Groups and Lucky Directions
| Kua | Group | Element | Sheng Qi | Tian Yi | Yan Nian | Fu Wei |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East | Water | SE | E | S | N |
| 2 | West | Earth | NE | W | NW | SW |
| 3 | East | Wood | S | N | SE | E |
| 4 | East | Wood | N | S | E | SE |
| 6 | West | Metal | W | NE | SW | NW |
| 7 | West | Metal | NW | SW | NE | W |
| 8 | West | Earth | SW | NW | W | NE |
| 9 | East | Fire | E | SE | N | S |
East group numbers (1, 3, 4 and 9) share the directions north, south, east and southeast as favorable. West group numbers (2, 6, 7 and 8) share west, northwest, southwest and northeast. Each number puts them in a different order:
- Sheng Qi: success and wealth, the best direction.
- Tian Yi: health.
- Yan Nian: love, relationships and harmony.
- Fu Wei: personal growth and calm.
The unfavorable directions are Huo Hai (mishaps), Wu Gui (five ghosts, quarrels), Liu Sha (six killings, scandal) and Jue Ming (total loss), the direction feng shui advises avoiding most.
Tips and Limits
- Use a compass at the center of your home or room to find the directions. Phone compasses work if you hold the phone flat away from metal.
- Schools differ on the Lichun cutoff. A few practitioners use January 1 or Lunar New Year, which changes the number for births in January and early February.
- Kua numbers for partners in different groups are common. Feng shui consultants usually prioritize the main earner or balance both.
- Feng shui is a cultural tradition, not a science. Use the directions for fun or comfort, not for health or money decisions.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my Kua number?
Add the last two digits of your solar birth year and reduce to one digit. Men born in the 1900s use 10 minus that number and women use 5 plus it. From 2000, men use 9 minus and women 6 plus.
Why does the calculator use February instead of January 1?
Feng shui follows the Chinese solar calendar, which starts the year at Lichun, the Start of Spring, on February 3, 4 or 5. Anyone born in January or before Lichun uses the previous year.
What happens if my Kua number is 5?
Kua 5 has no direction of its own in the Eight Mansions system. Men with 5 use Kua 2 and women with 5 use Kua 8, both in the West group.
What are the East and West groups?
Kua numbers 1, 3, 4 and 9 form the East group, with north, south, east and southeast as lucky directions. Numbers 2, 6, 7 and 8 form the West group, with the other four directions.
Which direction is best for my desk or bed?
Feng shui tradition suggests facing your Sheng Qi direction for work and pointing your head toward Tian Yi or Yan Nian when sleeping. The calculator lists all four favorable directions for your number.
Is the Kua number the same as the Chinese zodiac sign?
No. The zodiac animal comes from the year's earthly branch and changes at Lunar New Year. The Kua number comes from the year digits and gender and is used for directions.