What Is a Kua Number? East and West Groups Explained
Read the number, group and direction fields as traditional labels, not as a complete assessment of your home or a promise of outcomes.
A personal Kua number is used in the Eight Mansions tradition to organise personal direction associations. You may also see the spelling Gua. The number is a reference within that framework, not a rating of your worth, a property survey or a complete Feng Shui assessment.
What East and West groups mean
| Group | Numbers after special handling of 5 | Direction set |
|---|---|---|
| East Group | 1, 3, 4, 9 | North, South, East, Southeast |
| West Group | 2, 6, 7, 8 | West, Northwest, Southwest, Northeast |
These are grouping labels, not instructions to move to the east or west side of a country. The individual number is used to assign traditional roles within its direction set. Some descriptions include 5 before applying a special rule, so check that part of the calculation rather than treating it as a missing number.
The traditional grouping and a published calculation approach are described by World of Feng Shui. This reference documents the practice; it does not validate promises about luck or health.
How to read the fields on our tool
| Field | What it represents | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Kua number | A calculated label under the tool’s input and formula conventions. | That the calculation is correct under every method. |
| Group | The East or West grouping associated with that result. | Whether your whole property is suitable for you. |
| Success | A traditional direction label shown by the tool. | A guarantee of income, promotion or achievement. |
| Health | A traditional direction label shown by the tool. | Medical information or a treatment recommendation. |
| Harmony and Growth | Additional direction labels within the same framework. | Relationship outcomes or measured personal development. |
Direction is not the same as location
Ask what an instruction means before moving furniture. “Use the west” might refer to where an activity takes place or to the direction someone faces while doing it. Those are different observations. A diagram with a location and an arrow is clearer than a short phrase.
A personal result also cannot account for door swings, room dimensions, screen reflections or the needs of another occupant. In a shared office, a theoretically preferred orientation may obstruct the route to the door. Everyday usability remains part of the decision.
Verify the number before applying it
Read why Kua calculators can disagree before relying on the tool. The year boundary also matters, particularly for early-year birthdays. Choosing a number because its directions fit your existing desk is not a verification method.
Use the result to formulate a question
A useful next question is: “How would this personal-direction framework relate to my actual room, and what information would you need to assess that?” It leaves space for a practitioner to explain the method and its limits.
For a practical comparison, see desk placement in shared spaces and recording a home direction. A home consultation should consider the agreed property question, not just repeat a number.