Traditional reference / Solar year
Kua Number Calculator: Eight Mansions Reference
Compare male and female formula readings side by side, with the solar year, trigram, East or West group and eight traditional direction labels.
Kua Number Calculator: Eight Mansions Reference: Your Kua number depends on your birth year in the Chinese solar calendar, which starts at Li Chun (Start of Spring) around 4 February, so a birthday in January or early February counts towards the previous year. The tool works out that exact moment, applies the standard male or female formula, and replaces Kua 5 with 2 for men or 8 for women. Runs 100% locally in your browser with zero server file uploads.
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A cultural reference to traditional feng shui assignments, without predictions or personal advice.
八宅 Bā zhái (Eight Mansions) uses male and female formula categories. Both readings are shown by default; you do not need to choose one.
Convert your recorded birth date and time to UTC+8 first. The year changes at 立春 Lì chūn (Start of Spring), not Lunar New Year. Supported dates: 1901–2099.
Li Chun: 1991-02-04, 16:08:32 UTC+8 (computed astronomical time).
Solar year used: 1991
Male formula
| Traditional label and literal gloss | Direction |
|---|---|
| 生氣 Sheng Qi · Generating breath | E |
| 天醫 Tian Yi · Heavenly physician | SE |
| 延年 Yan Nian · Prolonging years | N |
| 伏位 Fu Wei · Resting position | S |
| 禍害 Huo Hai · Misfortune | NE |
| 六煞 Liu Sha · Six sha (harmful influences) | SW |
| 五鬼 Wu Gui · Five ghosts | W |
| 絕命 Jue Ming · Severed life | NW |
Female formula
| Traditional label and literal gloss | Direction |
|---|---|
| 生氣 Sheng Qi · Generating breath | W |
| 天醫 Tian Yi · Heavenly physician | NE |
| 延年 Yan Nian · Prolonging years | SW |
| 伏位 Fu Wei · Resting position | NW |
| 禍害 Huo Hai · Misfortune | SE |
| 六煞 Liu Sha · Six sha (harmful influences) | N |
| 五鬼 Wu Gui · Five ghosts | E |
| 絕命 Jue Ming · Severed life | S |
Formula and terminology
Reduce the last two digits of the solar year to one digit. Before 2000: male 10 − digit, female 5 + digit. From 2000: male 9 − digit, female 6 + digit. Reduce again; zero becomes 9. A male 5 becomes 2, and a female 5 becomes 8.
The constants above apply to the last two year digits. Using all four digits with these constants gives different results from the cited worked examples.
The glosses explain traditional names. Words such as physician, ghosts and severed life are labels within this system, not statements about anyone's health or future.
Formula and worked examples
The 10/5 and 9/6 constants use the last two digits of the solar year. Before 2000, subtract the reduced digit from 10 for male, or add 5 for female; from 2000 use 9 and 6. Reduce again, treating zero as 9; male 5 becomes 2 and female 5 becomes 8. Dalalba works 1978 to male 4 and female 2, and 2001 to male 8 and female 7: https://www.dalalba.com/calculate-kua-number-better-sleep/?lang=en . LoveToKnow independently works 1951 male 4, 2003 male 6, 1991 female 6 and 2001 female 7: https://assets.lovetoknow.com/files/4806-calculate-your-feng-shui-kua-number.pdf .
Eight Mansions direction table
The typed table follows the middle-mountain rows of https://www.fengshuied.com/8-mansions-24-mountains . Source columns are Sheng Chi, Tian Yi, Yen Nien, Fu Wei, Wu Gui, Liu Sha, Hou Hai and Jue Ming. The interface uses pinyin and literal glosses, without favourable or unfavourable ratings. Trigram directions and names: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagua .
Year boundary and formula distinction
立春 Lì chūn means Start of Spring. The tool finds the Sun's apparent longitude of 315 degrees; this tool compares the birth instant in UTC+8. Solar-term definition: https://www.hko.gov.hk/en/gts/time/24solarterms.htm . Applying the constants above to all four year digits does not match the cited worked examples. The formula therefore uses the last two digits, as those sources specify.
How to use it
- Enter a birth date in China time (UTC+8), and an optional birth time.
- Keep both traditional formula categories visible, or select one.
- Read the Kua number and the eight direction labels. On the Li Chun date without a time, compare both possible solar years.
Privacy & limitations
Birth details and results stay in the browser. The calculation does not send birth details to a service.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I have to choose male or female?
No. The classical formula uses these two categories, and both readings appear side by side by default.
Which new year is used?
Li Chun, Start of Spring, using its computed astronomical instant in UTC+8. This is distinct from Lunar New Year. Convert the recorded birth time to UTC+8 before entry.
Why can a date give two solar years?
A birth date alone cannot determine whether a birth on Li Chun occurred before or after the transition. Supply a birth time or keep both readings.
Are the labels predictions?
No. This is a cultural reference to traditional assignments, without predictions or personal advice. The names and literal glosses are terminology within the Eight Mansions system.
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