Kua 6 and Kua 7 in the Eight Mansions system
In the Eight Mansions (Ba Zhai) school of feng shui, Kua 6 and Kua 7 are both Metal-element numbers in the West group. The West group also includes kua 2 and 8. The life palace of Kua 6 is in the northwest, linked with the Qian trigram, which is associated with heaven and gives the bagua its northwest helpful people area. The life palace of Kua 7 is in the west, linked with the Dui trigram, often translated as lake, which names the children and creativity corner.
The life palace is the sector that gives the Fu Wei (personal growth) star.
How to check if you are Kua 6 or Kua 7
Reduce the last two digits of your birth year to a single digit. Then apply the formula for your gender and birth date:
- Born before 2000: women add 5, and men subtract the result from 10.
- Born in 2000 or later: women add 6, and men subtract the result from 9.
Two examples:
- A woman born in 1964: 6 + 4 = 10, then 1 + 0 = 1. Then 1 + 5 = 6. Kua 6.
- A man born in 1975: 7 + 5 = 12, then 1 + 2 = 3. Then 10 − 3 = 7. Kua 7.
The Chinese solar year starts around 3 to 5 February. If your birthday falls in early February, check the exact date for your birth year before you use the formula. The full kua number calculation walks through the steps and the edge cases.
Kua 6: favourable and unfavourable sectors
Kua 6 has four favourable sectors:
- West: Sheng Chi (growth and wealth). The strongest of the four. Traditionally, use it for work and important decisions.
- Northeast: Tian Yi (health and recovery). Traditionally a good sector for rest.
- Southwest: Yan Nian (relationships and longevity). Linked with family and close relationships.
- Northwest: Fu Wei (stability and personal growth). This is the life palace for Kua 6.
The four unfavourable sectors are:
- Southeast: Huo Hai (mishaps and financial loss). Avoid long periods of work or sleep here.
- East: Wu Gui (five ghosts). Traditionally linked with theft, gossip and unexpected loss.
- North: Liu Sha (six killings). Traditionally linked with setbacks and disagreements.
- South: Jue Ming (total loss). The most serious sector in the chart. Avoid facing it or sleeping with your head toward it.
Kua 7: favourable and unfavourable sectors
Kua 7 has four favourable sectors:
- Northwest: Sheng Chi (growth and success). The strongest of the four.
- Southwest: Tian Yi (health). Traditionally a good sector for rest and recovery.
- Northeast: Yan Nian (relationships and longevity). Linked with family and close relationships.
- West: Fu Wei (stability and personal growth). This is the life palace for Kua 7.
The four unfavourable sectors are:
- East: Jue Ming (total loss). The most serious sector in the chart. Avoid facing it or sleeping with your head toward it.
- Southeast: Liu Sha (six killings). Traditionally linked with setbacks and disagreements.
- South: Wu Gui (five ghosts). Traditionally linked with gossip and loss.
- North: Huo Hai (mishaps and disputes). Traditionally a sector to spend little time in for work or sleep.
Home layout tips for Kua 6 and Kua 7
- Sleep. Where the room allows, point your head toward a favourable sector. For Kua 6, the West is the strongest. For Kua 7, the Northwest is the strongest.
- Desk and study. Face your Sheng Chi sector when you work. Use the life palace for focused personal work.
- Entrance. If your home has more than one door, use the one in a favourable sector when you can. For more on this, see the front door direction guide.
- Kitchen and bathroom. The Eight Mansions tradition places these rooms in the unfavourable sectors, where they are said to reduce the effect of those sectors. Keep them out of the favourable ones.
- Use this as a guide, not a rule. The room layout and the orientation of the house affect the picture. When two people in a home have different favourable sectors, many practitioners suggest a compromise.
Colours for the metal element
White, silver, grey and gold are the traditional metal colours, so they suit Kua 6 and Kua 7. Earth tones such as yellow and brown support metal, because earth feeds metal in the five-element cycle. Many practitioners suggest limiting strong red, because fire is said to control metal.
Kua 6 and 7 compatibility
Compatibility in the Eight Mansions tradition is usually explained through the five-element cycle:
- Kua 6 with Kua 7 (or with each other): both are metal and both are in the West group, so they are generally seen as harmonious.
- Kua 6 and 7 with kua 2 and 8 (earth): earth feeds metal, so the support flows toward Kua 6 and 7. See the Kua 2 and 8 guide.
- Kua 6 and 7 with kua 9 (fire): fire controls metal, so this pairing is often described as harder work. See the Kua 9 guide.
- Kua 6 and 7 with kua 3 and 4 (wood): metal controls wood, so this pairing is often described as more demanding. See the Kua 3 and 4 guide.
For a broader view, see the Eight Mansions overview. For Kua 6 traits, see the Kua 6 personality guide.
These are traditional guidelines, not scientific findings. Use them as a starting point for arranging a room, not as a verdict on a person.