A plain-language definition for anyone researching kua number, what it is, where it comes from, and how practitioners use it.
85 plain-language definitions · Cited sources · Persona-authored
By Master Wei Lin · Updated August 3, 2026
Chinese Metaphysics Scholar
What is kua number?
The Kua Number (卦數 Guà Shù) is a personal feng shui number derived from your birth year and gender, used in the Eight Mansions (八宅 Bā Zhái) feng shui school. Each Kua number corresponds to a Bagua trigram and four auspicious + four inauspicious directions.
The Kua number ranges from 1 to 9 (excluding 5, which is assigned to the center). It is calculated by reducing the last two digits of your birth year using a gender-specific formula, then mapping to one of the eight Bagua trigrams. Each Kua then carries four 'good' directions (Sheng Qi, Tian Yi, Yan Nian, Fu Wei) and four 'bad' directions (He Hai, Wu Gui, Liu Sha, Jue Ming).
In Eight Mansions feng shui, the Kua number determines where in a home or workplace you should sleep, work, eat, and place your front door. The classical reading shows this is one of the most personalized layers of classical feng shui, going beyond the universal Bagua sectors to account for individual energetic preferences.
The Kua number system is part of the Eight Mansions (八宅) school of classical Compass School feng shui, documented in classical Chinese texts dating to the Tang and Song dynasties. Modern English sources include Lillian Too, who popularized Eight Mansions feng shui for Western audiences in books including Total Feng Shui. Joey Yap and Master Raymond Lo have also written extensively on the system.
Practitioners calculate the Kua number first, then identify the four auspicious and four inauspicious directions for that Kua. They then use these to recommend bed orientation, desk facing, dining seating, and front door placement. The classical reading shows this is most useful in long-term spaces (homes, offices) rather than temporary ones.
Most modern English readers begin with online Kua calculators. The classical reading shows cross-checking the calculation across two or three sources, since gender-specific formulas vary slightly by lineage.
These glossary terms are closely connected to kua number:
There are gender-specific formulas based on your birth year. The simplified version: take the last two digits of your birth year, add them together until you get a single digit. For males, subtract that digit from 10 (or use 9 if the result is 5). For females, add 5 to that digit (or use 8 if the result is 5). Online calculators handle the variations.
Classical Eight Mansions feng shui assigns different Kua formulas to males and females based on Yin-Yang theory. Modern practitioners differ on how to handle this; the practical guidance is to choose the formula whose teacher you trust.
Each Kua has four auspicious directions: Sheng Qi (life generation, best for career), Tian Yi (heavenly doctor, best for health), Yan Nian (longevity, best for relationships), and Fu Wei (stability, best for personal cultivation). The specific directions vary by Kua.
Classical Eight Mansions feng shui suggests aligning bed orientation, desk facing, and front door with your auspicious directions where practical. Perfect alignment is rare in real homes; the classical sources recommend starting with the bed and primary workspace.
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