The short answer
A child’s kua number is worked out the same way as an adult’s, using birth year and gender. There is no separate formula for children. The one extra step is the early-February check: a baby born in January or early February may belong to the previous solar year. The number matters most once a child has a bed or desk of their own.
The same formula for children
Reduce the last two digits of the birth year to one digit. Then apply the formula for the child’s gender. Boys subtract the digit from 10 for births before 2000, or from 9 for births in 2000 or later. Girls add 5, or 6 for births in 2000 or later. A result of 5 becomes 2 for boys and 8 for girls. The kua number guide has the full formula and a lookup table.
Check the early-February date
The Chinese solar year begins at Li Chun, around 3 to 5 February. A baby born before that date uses the previous year. On the day itself, the exact time can matter, so check a solar-calendar table for the year. See how to find your kua for the steps.
Worked examples
- A boy born in 2019, after Li Chun: 1 + 9 = 10, then 1 + 0 = 1. Then 9 − 1 = 8. Kua 8.
- A girl born in 2019, after Li Chun: 1 + 9 = 10, then 1 + 0 = 1. Then 1 + 6 = 7. Kua 7.
The two children born in the same year get different numbers, because gender changes the formula.
When the number matters: a child’s own space
A kua number applies from birth, but it is most useful once a child has a room, a bed or a desk of their own. A shared nursery or a family room is better arranged around the family as a whole, and the bagua’s children and creativity corner is a separate way to think about the home. When the child has a defined space, the number can guide where the bed and desk go.
Bed, desk and meals
- Bed. Where the room allows, point the child’s head toward a favourable sector. Sheng Chi is the strongest choice.
- Desk. For study, face the Fu Wei sector, which is the life palace. The office desk guide lists the sectors for each number. Some families also place a Wen Chang pagoda on a study desk.
- Meals. Some traditions suggest seating a child to face Tian Yi, the health sector, at the table. The dining table guide covers seating in general.
Shared rooms
When siblings share a room, or when parents have different kua numbers, the simplest approach is a compromise. Give each child their favourable sector for the bed or desk where possible, and use the family’s shared spaces for the rest. The front door guide explains how to read the entrance.
A note on what feng shui does not do
Feng shui is a traditional guide for arranging a home. It does not replace advice from a doctor, teacher or other professional, and it is not a way to predict a child’s future. Use the directions as a way to arrange a space the child will use, and focus on the things that matter most for their health and development.
For the wider system, see the Eight Mansions overview.
These are traditional guidelines, not scientific findings.