8 Controversies of the Eight Mansions Feng Shui Formula Explained.

Introduction:

Eight Mansions Feng Shui formula was first published in English by Lillian Too in the 1990s in her book "Applied Feng Shui – Pa-Kua and Lo Shu". Master Yap Cheng Hai co-authored the book based on an 18^th Century text that he used in his feng shui practice.

This book is from Master Yap's handwritten treatise. A hand-copied text from a volume written initially during the Chien Lin period (1711-1799) of the Qing Dynasty by a Feng Shui practitioner in Southern China.

The Eight Mansions Feng Shui Formula is now "the go-to formula" for Feng Shui practitioners and enthusiasts in the Western Hemisphere. However, when you talk to high-level consultants in Taiwan, they come up with a different interpretation of Eight Mansions Feng Shui. I heard an interesting backstory. I will share this knowledge in a later post. Consultants and experts based in Hong Kong view this formula as fake.

This article is in three parts:

1. My interpretation is from the information from a hand-copied text from "Applied Feng Shui" book.
2. Applications – my experiences with this formula.
3. Commentary – an analysis of this text.

My standpoint is neutral. I just want to get the best results for my clients.

The Eight Mansions Feng Shui Formula

Essentially, each person has four auspicious compass directions and four inauspicious directions.

The set of directions relates to a kua number derived from the person's date of birth.

From the kua number, you belong to either the East house or the West house group.

Whenever the word direction is mentioned, it includes the location. This is for the convenience of the reader.

My interpretation of the text

Auspicious and Inauspicious Directions and Locations

Each kua number has four auspicious and four inauspicious compass directions.

Good or auspicious directions

1.            Sheng Qi – Prosperity Direction

This direction is for prosperity, good fortune and success. People in business especially should tap into this direction to advance their wealth acquisition.

2.            Tien Yi – Health Direction

The direction for improving your health.

3.            Nien Yen – Relationship Direction

If you are looking for a relationship or maintaining one, this is the direction.

4.            Fu Wei – Personal Growth Direction

The direction for furthering one's personal growth.

Bad or Inauspicious Directions

1.            Huo Hai – Bad luck Direction

This direction leads to struggle and failure, which brings hardship and bad luck to one's life.

2.            Wu Gui - Five Ghosts Direction

Negative energy leads to deceit and backstabbing.

3.            Liu Shi - Six Killings Direction

The direction that spoils all relationships, albeit professional or personal.

4.            Jueh Ming – Total Loss Direction

The most dangerous direction. To be avoided.

Kua Numbers

In the Eight Mansions Feng Shui formula, every person has a Kua number. This is from your birth date.

How do you calculate your own Kua number?

Please note that the Chinese Solar calendar is from 4^th February to 3^rd February of the following year.

Calculation of Kua numbers for birth years up to 1999 (with examples):

For males (born up to 1999)

Example 1

Date of birth: March 1969

Add the last 2 digits of your birth year until it is a single digit. Subtract this number from 10. The result is your Kua number.

Example: your birth year- March 1969.

Add the last 2 digits of your birth year – 6 + 9 = 15.

Then add the 2 digits – 1 + 5 = 6

Subtract this number from 10. 10 – 6 = 4

Your Kua number is 4.

Example 2:

Date of Birth: Jan 1969

Because you are born before 4th February 1969, your Chinese birth year is 1968

Add the last 2 digits of your birth year until a single digit.

Add the last 2 digits if your birth year – 6 + 8 = 14

Add the 2 digits again – 1 + 4 = 5

Subtract from 10 – 10 – 5 = 5

Your Kua number is 5

For females (born up to 1999)

Example 3:

Date of birth: March 1969

Add the last 2 digits of your birth year until it is a single digit. Add this number to 5. The result is your Kua number.

Add the last 2 digits of your birth year – 6 + 9 = 15

Then add these 2 digits - 1 + 5 + 6

Add 5 to the result – 5 + 6 = 11

If there are 2 digits, add the 2 digits – 1 + 1 = 2

Your Kua number is 2

Example 4:

Date of birth is Jan 1969

Because you are born before 4th February 1969, your Chinese birth year is 1968

Add the last 2 digits of your birth year until a single digit.

Add the last 2 digits if your birth year – 6 + 8 = 14

Add the 2 digits again – 1 + 4 = 5

Add 5 to the result   – 5 + 5 = 10

If there are 2 digits, add the 2 digits – 1 + 0 = 1

Your Kua number is 1

Example 5:

Calculation of Kua numbers for birth years after 2000:

Males:

Your date of year is April 2011

Add the last 2 digits – 1 + 1 = 2

Subtract from 9. 9 – 2 = 7

Your Kua number is 7

Female:

Your date of birth is April 2011

Add the last 2 digits - 1 + 1 = 2

Add 6 to the above number 6 + 2 = 8

For other dates not listed above, refer to an automated kua number system.

East and West House Groups

In the Eight Mansions Feng Shui Formula, there are two groups. The element of the kua number determines the group. The kua numbers are from the PaKua.

In the Eight Mansions Feng Shui Formula, each person has four auspicious directions and four inauspicious directions.

Each house has its four auspicious directions with its element shown above. Their inauspicious directions have the element of the other group.

For example:

West House – elements are metal and earth. Their auspicious directions are Northwest, West, Southwest and Northeast. The inauspicious directions have the elements of wood, fire and water, which are East, Southeast, South and North.

Likewise, for the East House

Elements are wood, water and fire. Their auspicious directions are East, Southeast, South and North. Their inauspicious directions are of the metal and earth elements, with the directions being Northwest, West, Southwest and Northeast.

A Summary of the auspicious and inauspicious Directions

East House - The auspicious and inauspicious directions.

West House - The auspicious and inauspicious directions

Applications of the Text

Application of Eight Mansions Feng Shui Formula in the house

To utilise the direction and location of the house for Prosperity, Health, Relationships and Personal Growth. These are under ideal conditions.

• Prosperity – working at a desk – facing Prosperity direction and Prosperity location.
• Prosperity - main door and door to the office – doors facing Prosperity directions.
• Health – eating at the dining table – facing health direction and health location.
• Health – kitchen (food preparation) the power (gas or electricity) to the cooker – coming from a favourable direction and also, health location.
• Relationship – in bed with the head points to the Auspicious direction in the Auspicious location.
• Relationship – Door facing the relationship direction.
• Personal growth - mediating or thinking – facing the Auspicious direction in the Auspicious location.

Case Study 1

This is an analysis of a property where I have worked with the owner.

This involves only the use of directions in the Eight Mansions Feng Shui Formula.

The owner is a Kua 6 - Auspicious and Inauspicious directions.

The Auspicious Directions

1^st  Direction – Sheng Chi (Prosperity Direction) – West

2^nd  Direction – Tien Yi (Health Direction) – Northeast

3^rd  Direction – Nien Yen (relationship direction) – Southwest

4^th Direction – Fu Wei (personal growth) is in the Northwest direction. The home for Kua 6.

The Inauspicious Directions

1^st Direction – Huo Hai (Bad Luck Direction) - Southeast

2^nd Direction – Wu Gui (Five Ghosts) - East

3^rd Direction – Liu Shi (Six killings) - North

4^th Direction – Jueh Ming (Total Loss) – South – This is the worst direction

Case Study 1 (Ground Floor).

Analysis of the Ground Floor:

1. The front door of the house faces West

This is the owner's Sheng Chi or Prosperity Direction.

• Eating at the Dining Table

He could sit facing Northeast (Tien Yi) or his health direction

• Cooking stove

Currently, the energy comes from the North direction. Not his favourable direction.

Analysis of the 1^st floor

• Sleeping – The sleeping direction of the body is to point West – Sheng Chi (his prosperity direction)
• Using the bedroom on the West side of the property, he could sit at his desk and face Northwest – his personal growth direction.

Conclusion: This is a good and practical implementation. The owner can utilise the majority of Auspicious directions in his favour.

Note: This analysis is solely using the Eight Mansions Feng Shui Formula. No consideration is given to other feng shui factors.

Further Analysis

This involves both directions and locations.

The owner is Kua 6.

Analysis of Ground Floor

• Sheng Chi – Prosperity direction and location = West

The front door is located in the West Sector and the West direction.

This is beneficial to the owner.

• Tien Yi – Health location = Northeast.

This is the missing corner in the property.

• Nien Yen – Relationships location = Southwest

Ground Floor – This is the Utility Room

• Fu Wei – Personal Growth – Northwest>

  This is the missing corner in the property.

  Analysis of 1^st floor

  It was not possible to implement Eight Mansions (Locations) on the property at all. Yet, the owners are doing exceptionally well. They have a good standard of living, children in private schools, happy family lives and are in good health.

  The front door was in his auspicious direction.

  Commentary:

  I have found Eight Mansions (Locations) very difficult to implement.

  You have to remember; the main purpose of Feng Shui is to improve the lives of people who live on the property. It is not about how correctly you can implement the formula. So what is my actual priority? To help the client achieve his goals faster or to implement the formula correctly?

   

  Case Study 2

  A client who was not doing well both in his work and relationships. He had called me in to help improve his luck.

   

  

  The Auspicious Directions

  1st Direction – Sheng Chi (Prosperity Direction) – West

  2nd Direction – Tien Yi (Health Direction) – Northeast

  3rd Direction – Nien Yen (relationship direction) – Southwest

  4th Direction – Fu Wei (personal growth) is in the Northwest direction. The home for Kua 6.

  The Inauspicious Directions

  1st Direction – Huo Hai (Bad Luck Direction) - Southeast

  2nd Direction – Wu Gui (Five Ghosts) - East

  3rd Direction – Liu Shi (Six killings) - North

  4th Direction – Jueh Ming (Total Loss) – South – This is the worst direction

  The house faces North

  Ground Floor

  1. Front Door faces North – Not auspicious
  2. Prosperity Direction – Study/Office; cooker – energy from the West
  3. Health Direction – Dining Table (facing West)
  4. Personal Growth – Living Room (facing Northwest)

  1^st floor

  • Bedroom – Pointing West

  Eight Mansions (Locations)

  Ground Floor

  1. Prosperity Location – West – Utility Room
  2. Health Location – Northeast – Study
  3. Relationships Location – Southwest – Living Room

  1^st floor

  • Prosperity Location – West – Bathroom
  • Health Location – Northeast – Bedroom 2
  • Relationship Location – Northwest – Master Bedroom
  • Personal Growth Location – Southwest – Bedroom 4.

  Comment:

  This property has a significant drawback in that the door faces North, and it is not an auspicious direction for the client. However, within the property, there are suitable rooms where he can tap into the auspicious directions in the auspicious locations.

  It is straightforward to implement Eight Mansion when using the directions. Should Locations be involved, it becomes complicated.

   

   

  Commentary on the Eight Mansions Feng Shui Formula:

   

   

  The Aims of Eight Mansions Feng Shui Formula

  The aim is:

  To get the people to benefit from the appropriate energies from their auspicious directions and locations.

  There are four auspicious directions and locations.

  1. Prosperity (Sheng chi)

  2. Health (Tien Yi)

  3. Relationships (Nien Yen)

  4. Personal Growth (Fu Wei)

  Each person has their own personalised set of directions and locations, but they are within two groups, East and West House.

  The aims stated in an ancient text in Lillian Too's "Applied Feng Shui" book are:

  1. The main door of your house or office should face at least one of your auspicious directions, preferably your Prosperity direction and location.
  2. The door to your bedroom should face one of your auspicious directions, preferably your Relationships direction and location.
  3. The fire mouth of your oven or cooker should face one of your auspicious directions, preferably your Prosperity or Health directions and locations.
  4. It would be best if you sat at your desk or office desk facing one of your four auspicious directions, preferably your Prosperity direction and location.

   

  Difficulties in implementing Locations

  In the Eight Mansions Feng Shui Formula, for better results, the residents are to be located in the appropriate auspicious locations within that property.

  Let me give you an example of a person who has Kua 6 in Case Study 1.

  Prosperity direction and location – West

  Health direction and location – Northeast

  Relationship direction and location – Southwest

  Personal Growth direction and location – Northwest.

  Therefore, it suggests that for the person to get maximum benefit for prosperity, he has only to face the Prosperity direction; he has to be in the West sector (location) of the house.

  For example – the office in the Prosperity sector (West), the dining room in the health sector (Northeast), the bedroom in the Relationship sector (Southwest) and the Living Room in the Personal Growth sector (Northwest).

  The front door with the entrance hall is in the best direction and sector (Prosperity) – in this case, West.

  The bathroom and kitchen are considered to be feng shui "negative" areas. Therefore, it is appropriate that they be located in inauspicious locations.

  From the above points, you can see that it is a challenge to implement the above in any property unless it is an open-plan design where you can create different configurations of rooms. However, it is not easy to relocate your bathroom and your kitchen because of the services they require.

  In my opinion, the Eight Mansions Feng Shui Formula can only be used satisfactorily with the "location" variable when it is incorporated into the design from the very beginning. Otherwise, it is fraught with difficulty.

   

  East House and West House compatibility

  I was introduced to the benefits of the Eight Mansions Feng Shui Formula personally by Master Yap Cheng Hai. He was extolling the results he had with the formula.

  He was very optimistic about the compatibility of people within the group. He was West Group. He would only do business with people in the West Group and not the East Group. He also mentioned other compatibility characteristics and reliability.  

   

  

   

  From personal experience as a consultant, I have visited quite a few clients in my 20-odd years. I have noticed that couples and families with the same house group have better relationships than mixed groups. I use this as an indicator of family harmony. But, of course, it is subject to confirmation when I visit the property.

   

  Cooking past and present

  In the past, there was only one cooking facility.

   

  

  In the old arrangement, the person walks towards the cooking apparatus with the air (energy) going in from the same direction. You can easily see the importance of the direction of the "fire mouth" of the cooker.

  However, today, cooking appliances are supplied by electricity through the copper cord or gas through the pipe. It is not tangible as the old arrangement.

  In these modern times, there is a plethora of cooking facilities – hob, various types of ovens – convection, steaming, microwave, slow cooker, air fryer, kettle, coffee maker etc.

  How do you get all the electrical cords or gas lines to go in the same direction?

  Could the answer be to prioritise which equipment you use most?

  I do not give this rule a high priority.

   

  Grid system in Cities

  The front door faces the road. When the road runs from East to West, the front door faces North or South. These are the primary cardinal directions. When the road runs from Southeast to Northwest, it faces Northeast or Southwest. These are the secondary cardinal directions. The map on the left is downtown Seattle - the road grid system is in the primary cardinal directions. The map on the right is Manhattan

   

  

  In the UK, there is no order in the direction of the roads; it is random. It is not structured like in North America, where roads are in a grid network. Many of the cities in North America have the grid in the primary cardinal directions (North, East, South, and West). In other cities like Manhattan and Philadelphia, the streets are in secondary cardinal directions (Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest).

  For properties in the cities with a grid system in the primary cardinal directions, it is more favourable for people in the East House Group. Their auspicious directions are South, East, North and Southeast. The auspicious directions for the West House Group are seen in the Cities with the grid in the minor cardinal directions (Northeast, Northwest, Southwest and West).

  Consequently, in most cases, the internal doors of the property will either be parallel or at right angles to the front door.

  I have read an article stating that:

  If you belong to the West House Group and you live in a North American city with the street grid in the major cardinal directions, you will have difficulty in finding a property that has the front door in your favourable directions. Therefore, you will also have a tougher life as it is more difficult to get the auspicious directions.

  Similarly, if you belong to the East House Group and you live in a North American City with the street grid in the minor cardinal directions. Therefore, you will have a tougher life as it is more difficult to get the auspicious directions.

  Comment: I am unable to draw any conclusions on this topic. In other words, according to this formula, half the population living in a city with a grid road system is disadvantaged.

  I do not find this credible. I am a firm believer in evidence to support an observation. However, I am unable to find a test of this hypothesis.

   

  Properties with missing areas

  In this modern age, not all properties have a regular shape. Architects and property developers love designing styles that are different or outstanding. Secondly, in the UK, there is a national obsession with home improvement, which includes extending the property. This can consist of extensions budging in various parts of the property.

  Just look at the floor plan of Case Study 1 below.

   

  

   

  Life Kua and House Kua

  I have seen articles on the internet and in books describing Life Kua and House Kua.

  Life Kua is what we have been discussing. These Kua numbers belong to the person and also known as personal Kua.

  House Kua belongs to the house. This is based on the direction of the back of the house, the sitting direction.

   

  

   

  According to these articles, if you belong to the East House Group, you should live in a property that belongs to the East House. And similarly for the persons who belong to the West House Group.

  Therefore, if you belong to the East House Group, you should not live in a property that belongs to the West House and vice versa for people of the West House Group.

   

  Contradictions

  The chart below summarises the Sitting Location, East or West House and facing direction.

   

  

   

  Let me explain this table.

  East House

  For property No 1, the back of the house faces South. Therefore, the sitting location is South. As it is Kua 9, it is East House. This property is ideal for a person who belongs to the East House.

  The front door faces North. This is ideal for a person who belongs to the East House.

  This is the same for Property No 5, which sits North, and the front door faces South. It is ideal for a person who belongs to the East House.

  West House

  For properties No 2, it sits in the Southwest, which is West House. The front door faces Northeast which is ideal for a person who belongs to the West House.

  This is the same for Property No 6, which sits in the Northeast. This belongs to West House. The front door faces Southwest which is ideal for a person who belongs to the West House.

  However.

  For property No 3, the sitting location is West. Therefore, it is Kua 7. This belongs to West House. Therefore it is ideal for the person who belongs to the West House.

  However, the front door faces East. This is ideal for a person in the East House.

  There is a contradiction.

  Similarly, there is a contradiction with Properties Nos 4,7,8 – those highlighted in yellow.

   

  My experience with Eight Mansions Feng Shui Formula

  This is a summary of the methods that I use.

  In the table below, I describe the implementation of the formula for a single person. Further on, it is for a Couple, initially for the same group (either East or West House) and for a different group (one is East and the other is West House)

   

  

   

  Comment:

  This is based on my experience of more than 20 years. Rather than getting the person to tap into the specific auspicious direction and locations, it is easier to get the person to tap into any one of the four helpful directions.

  Single Person. It is straightforward to get the person to sit in their working, dining and living positions. Also, it is easily possible to arrange the bed so that the person sleeps in a beneficial direction.

  As regards the doors, it depends very much on the existing property. Suppose the doors are in the appropriate directions, well and good. It is costly and also potentially unsightly to change the direction of the front door.

  Couple:

  Same Group - The treatment is the same as the "single person". They could belong to the same group – be it – East House or West House.

  Different Group – As above, except for the sleeping arrangements and doors. It is not possible for two persons from different groups to share the same bed, and both can benefit from the auspicious directions. Only one person can benefit from the auspicious direction.

  Both cannot share the benefits of the front door, office door and cooking directions equally. A compromise has to be reached.

   

  My Opinion of the Eight Mansions Feng Shui Formula

   

  From my observations, the Eight Mansions Feng Shui formula works when it just involves directions. The issues discussed relate to the locations part of the formula

  1. Difficulties implementing Locations
  2. Grid system in Cities
  3. Properties with missing Areas
  4. Life Kua and House Kua
  5. Contradictions between sitting and facing (East and West House)

  In my opinion, the core of the Eight Mansions Feng Shui Formula is the Kua numbers and their related directions. I believe that the locations section is an embellishment of the formula's core.

  Embellishment is part of human nature.

  For example, an author needs to show a new angle for a book; a teacher needs to sell his course. He has to show a different perspective on an established procedure. They have to do this to survive and show something new and unique. For academics, their scholarly approach is to gain another publication to gain merit in the perception of their peers.

  Secondly, there are freelance writers who just write articles or blogs for their clients and businesses. The writers do not know anything about feng shui, but they search the internet for information. This is how the misinformation about the subject multiplies. It gets copied again and again.

  However, they are unable to test what they have written. They are not feng shui consultants. They only deal with the written word.

  These texts might make good and interesting reading if you have no intention to apply the knowledge.

  That is why I have always recommended that, if you want to be trained as a good feng shui consultant, get trained by an established feng shui consultant. They know what works.

   

  Master Yap Cheng Hai: I spoke to Master Yap about these contradictions. He said he only used the core part in his feng shui practice.

   

  Lillian Too: This book is about the Ancient Chinese Text, which was Master Yap's reference and guide. Master Yap provided the translation for the book. We must thank Lillian for writing about the text and publishing it. This material would not have come to light at all.

   

  It shows the text in its true light. The text should not be treated as 100% accurate. A critical analysis has to be made.

   

  Conclusion: Eight Mansions Feng Shui is one of the main formulae of Feng Shui. The core method is powerful. It is the periphery that is the distraction.

  It has its strengths in the auspicious directions and compatibility predictions.

   

  Dr Michael Oon wrote this article that practises Traditional Feng Shui and is a member of Alliance Feng Shui.

   

  Other Posts that might be of Interest:

  Feng Shui Knowledge Hub

  Feng Shui Technical Aspects

  Feng Shui Topics

  Other Related Matters