The life gua is an English term used to describe the Ming Gua (命卦) in 8 mansions feng shui.
It is more commonly known as the personal gua number and sometimes termed as life star.
A man or woman’s gua number can be calculated by a simple equation or simply by referring to the gua number table.
People with Gua number 4 are assigned the Xun trigram ☴ of the southeast.
This means that a person with gua 4 will take on several attributes associated with the Xun trigram.
It addition, feng shui beginners should note that their personal gua derived from 8 mansions calculations are different from what is determined from a feng shui audit of a residence.
This is because a house has it’s own energy map compared to a personal energy aura.
For example, it is totally common for someone with a personal gua like Kan, but another trigram such as Qian in the home premises is the more appropriate trigram that represents him.
In this case, a feng shui expert should be able to determine what takes prescedence in different circumstances and come up with a configuration that enables a homeowner to take advantage of both guas.
Attributes Of Gua 4
Like Gua 3, Gua 4 is associated with the wood element.
The unique difference between them is that Gua 3 is yang wood while Gua 4 is yin wood.
Yang wood is represented by tall, strong trees. And yin wood is represented by smaller plants like flowers and house plants.
Gua 4 personalities are romantics. Even if they put on a facade that seems indifferent to romance, they still long for it deep down inside.
They are commonly display a natural grace.
Being highly attuned to their senses also means that they tend to appreciate beauty, art, and other forms of creative works.
On top of that, Gua 4 people tend to have a strong affiliation with academic pursuits and literary arts. They are however, more interested in theories that practical applications.
This natural and developed intelligence nurtures a quiet confidence that others might not notice.
While Gua 4 personalities have a capacity for achievement on their own, their biggest accomplishments tend to be with partners. This is because like golden pothos, it is at it’s most majestic when exploiting the strength of others.
Basic feng shui
In Ba Zhai feng shui, life star 4 belongs to the East group with the 8 specifically categorized directions as shown below.
| Gua | SQ | TY | YN | FW | 5G | 6K | HH | JM |
| 4 | N | S | E | SE | SW | W | NW | NE |
In feng shui practice, the implications of the above directions would mean that certain types of activities or living spaces are suited and unsuited for certain areas of a house.
For example, if a homeowner intends to setup a home office at his residence, the best place to do it is at the Sheng Qi sector of north as that is the space where he can tap onto his personal energy for wealth-related activities.
By the same token, if health is a particular concern, then the Tian Yi sector at the south would be the ideal area to nurture good health, heal or recover from health ailments.
Gua 4 is also linked to the academic star (文曲星) which explains why those of this life gua has an affinity with scholarly pursuits.
Wood element also favors rectangular house shapes and flat roofs.
Personal grand duke
The personal grand duke is a basic feng shui concept that identifies the personal grand duke direction based on his or her zodiac sign which depicts unlucky areas.
This is with reference to the year of birth and the zodiac sign that is associated with that year.
For example, a person of gua 4 born in the year 1987 would be assigned the rabbit zodiac. The rabbit takes on the position of direct east according to the compass of the 24 mountains. So the personal grand duke position of this individual would be E2.
The below table illustrates the different grand duke locations of gua 4.
Male Gua 4
| Year | Grand Duke Direction |
Clash Direction |
| 1915,1951,1987,2023 | E2 | W2 |
| 1924,1960,1996 | N2 | S2 |
| 1933,1969,2005 | W2 | E2 |
| 1942,1978,2014 | S2 | N2 |
Female Gua 4
| Year | Grand Duke Direction |
Clash Direction |
| 1917,1953,1989,2025 | SE3 | NW3 |
| 1926,1962,1998 | NE3 | SW3 |
| 1935,1971,2007 | NW3 | SE3 |
| 1944,1980,2016 | SW3 | NE3 |
Learners must note that the afflicted area is not just at the location of the grand duke, but also the area directly opposite it. This is because the opposite sector creates a direct clash with the tai sui.
Putting this concept into practice is to avoid setting up these space for important activities.
Sleeping in these area are also not recommended unless there are remedies in place.
However, sometimes one might really have to sleep in these areas to avoid more hostile sources of sha qi.
This really depends on the findings of a feng shui assessment.