Free tool · Annual charts
Flying Star Chart Generator
The algorithm, in the open
- Center star: 11 − (year mod 9), reduced into 1–9. For 2026: 2026 mod 9 = 1, and 11 − 1 = 10 → 1 enters the center.
- Flight: the remaining stars follow in ascending order (2, 3, 4…) along the Lo Shu path: Center → NW → W → NE → S → N → SW → E → SE. Annual charts always fly forward.
That's the entire method — it is deterministic, and our implementation is unit-tested against published charts for 2018 and 2020–2027. Any site showing a different annual chart for the same year is using the Chinese New Year boundary (a school difference in when the chart switches, not in the chart itself).
The nine stars
| Star | Name | Element | Traditional reading (Period 9) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | White 1 · Yī Bái 一白 | Water | Career, wisdom, and new beginnings; a timely star in Period 9's neighborhood. |
| 2 | Black 2 · Èr Hēi 二黑 | Earth | The Illness Star (病符): traditionally linked to health troubles; kept quiet and undisturbed. |
| 3 | Jade 3 · Sān Bì 三碧 | Wood | The Quarrel Star (是非): gossip, disputes, legal friction. |
| 4 | Green 4 · Sì Lǜ 四綠 | Wood | The Scholar Star (文昌): study, writing, and romance; mildly favorable. |
| 5 | Yellow 5 · Wǔ Huáng 五黃 | Earth | The Misfortune Star (五黃煞): the most avoided of the nine; tradition says do not dig, drill, or renovate its sector. |
| 6 | White 6 · Liù Bái 六白 | Metal | Authority and helpful people; steady, mildly favorable. |
| 7 | Red 7 · Qī Chì 七赤 | Metal | The Robbery Star (破軍): loss, theft, and leaks now that its period has passed. |
| 8 | White 8 · Bā Bái 八白 | Earth | The wealth star of Period 8; most schools still read it as prosperous early in Period 9 (some now downgrade it — school split). |
| 9 | Purple 9 · Jiǔ Zǐ 九紫 | Fire | The ruling star of Period 9 (2024–2043): celebration, recognition, and current prosperity. |
"Traditional reading" is doing quiet work in that header: star qualities are period-dependent in strict Xuan Kong doctrine, none of them is scientifically supported, and our evidence page explains how to hold both facts at once.
Frequently asked questions
How is the annual flying star chart calculated?
Two steps, both documented on this page: the annual star entering the center is 11 minus the year modulo 9 (reduced into 1–9), and the remaining stars follow in ascending order along the Lo Shu flight path — center, northwest, west, northeast, south, north, southwest, east, southeast. Our implementation is unit-tested against published charts from 2018 through 2027.
Which year does a date in January belong to?
The chart year runs Li Chun to Li Chun (approximately February 4), so January and early-February dates belong to the previous year's chart. Enter the previous calendar year for them. Some almanacs use Chinese New Year as the boundary instead — the same school split we flag on our kua calculator.
Why is the chart sometimes drawn with south at the top?
Classical Chinese charts put south at top — emperors faced south, and maps followed. Modern Western sites flip to north-up. The toggle above shows both; the stars and their sectors are identical either way.
Is this the same as a full Flying Star natal chart?
No. This generator produces the annual overlay — the layer that changes each year and that annual feng shui guides discuss. A full natal chart also fixes water and mountain stars from the building's construction period and one of 24 facing directions. Our natal chart reference covers all 24 facings for Period 8 and Period 9 homes.
Sources & further reading
- Shen Shi Xuan Kong Xue (沈氏玄空學) — the classical reference for Flying Star method.
- Algorithm cross-checked against published annual charts for 2018, 2020–2027; see the unit tests in this site's repository (scripts/test-flyingstars.mjs).