This classification is based on the Ki of the 9 Stars, and belongs to the School of Eight Houses. It is going to give us the 4 more favorable directions and the 4 ones to avoid.

We must add to this information that this 9 numbers are part of the Luo Shu Square (essential for our work) and also being part of the 8 Trigrams of the I Ging.

To calculate this number is relatively easy:

• According to the chinese moon calender the solar year starts with the beginning of Spring that  normally is in between the 4th and 5th of February.
• If you are born after the beginning of spring of a certain year, your year of birth belongs to the same year. If you are born before the beginning of spring of a certain year, your year of birth is the year before.
• For example, if you are born the 7th of August of 1980, 1980 is your year of birth. If you are born the 11 of January of 1980, your year of birth is 1979.

The formulas to calculate are different for men and woman:

1. For both, you must add the numbers of the year.
Example: Year of birth : 1985. 1 + 9 + 8 + 5 = 23
Go on adding till you get one number. 2 + 3 = 5

2. For man: subtract the obtained number from 11.
11 - 5 = 6

Add till you get a single number.
6 is the " Ming-Gua" of the man.

3. For woman: Add 4 to the obtained number.
5 + 4 = 9

Go on adding till you obtain one number.
9 is the "Ming-Gua" of the woman.

4. For man, convert 5 in 2.

5. For woman, convert 5 in 8.

6. Example:
Man born in 2004    2 + 4 = 6     11 - 6 = 5
5 is transformed in 2.
The "gua-vital" is 2.

7. Example:
Woman born in 2008     2 + 8 = 10    1 + 4 = 5
5 is transformed in 8.
The "gua-vital" is 8.

For those that do not want to calculate, you can look up the following table: