Chapter 14
The Flying Stars, Part 4
In This Chapter
Flying the period or time star
Flying the stars forward
Flying the stars backward
Applying the stars to your floor plan
Flying Star is a very challenging system. It’s a bit technical so we suggest you undertake this chapter and successive ones regarding the mechanics of the Flying Star system only when you are energetic, clearheaded, and free of time constraints. An alert mind, a positive attitude, and an insatiable curiosity are all it takes to advance toward more sophisticated feng shui techniques.
To “fly” a star means to move numbers around the nine cells of the Luoshu in a specific sequence. What you’re actually doing here is calculating the movement of qi; determining the qi pattern made manifest by the building’s construction date (time) and its magnetic orientation (space). So, instead of saying, “I’ll run the numbers,” you say, “I’ll fly the numbers.” In doing so, you’ll sound cool using feng shui lingo!
Oh, My Flying Stars!
In the last chapter, you learned about the Chinese concept of time—that the construction year of your home relates to a specific 20-year period. For example, if your home was completed in 1985, it belongs to Period 7 (1984–2004). If your home was completed in 1950, it belongs to Period 5 (1944–1964). Whatever period your home belongs to is the number that represents the star that ruled when your home was born. In other words, if your home was built between 1984 and 2004 (Period 7), the number 7 prevailed; it ruled heaven’s qi. If your home was built after February 4, 2004, the number 8 prevails. It now rules heaven’s qi.
Also called the time star, the ruling or period number is placed in the central palace of the nine-part Luoshu grid. In an ascending manner, the other numbers will fill the remaining eight cells by following a precise directional sequence: NW, W, NE, S, N, SW, E, SE. For example, let’s take a house built during Period 4 (1924–1944). Placing the time star number 4 in the center, the other numbers fly as shown in the following figures.
Next, check your work. An easy way to determine whether the numbers have been flown correctly is to check the number in the last, or southeast cell. If it precedes the number in the center palace, there should be no mistake. In this example, the number 3 is in the southeast cell. Three precedes four.
As the saying goes, “Practice makes perfect.” To fully comprehend Flying Star, it’s best that you take an active role. Participate. Be proactive and not passive. What follows are eight empty charts (representing Period 2 through Period 9) for you to complete. At this stage, the directions corresponding to your home’s sitting and facing sides are not a consideration. This aspect comes into play later on in this chapter. Here, we’re only concerned with your dwelling’s construction date. To give you a head start, we’ve filled out the first chart (Period 1) for you. Remember, the sequence is:
Center, NW, W, NE, S, N, SW, E, SE
That wasn’t so difficult, was it? Did you remember to check the southeast cell? Does the number in this cell precede that which is in the center palace? See. What seemed complicated is, in fact, simple—a piece of cake, a walk in the park.
Constructing a Flying Star Chart
You’ve just completed step one of constructing a Flying Star chart, manifesting the heaven or time qi governing your home. Now, things get more complicated.
Step two is to calculate the house’s qi pattern, which relates to its magnetic space. Let’s take a house built in Period 7, sitting N1 and facing S1. Referring to the following illustration of House 1, the star (or number) corresponding to the sitting direction (number 3) is copied and moved to the top, left side of the central palace. This star is called the sitting star. Next, the facing star, the number corresponding to the dwelling’s facing direction, is copied and moved to the top, right side of the central palace. In this example, number 2 represents the facing star.
Let’s take another example. House 2 represents a dwelling built in Period 4, sitting SW2 and facing NE2. As indicated, the sitting star 1 is copied and moved to the top, left side of the central palace. The facing star 7 is copied and moved to the top, right side of the central palace.
Finally, one more example. House 3 represents a dwelling built in Period 1, sitting E1 and facing W1. Here, the sitting star 8 is copied and moved to the top, left side of the central palace. The facing star 3 is copied and moved to the top, right side of the central palace.
Using the preceding empty chart (My House), fly the time star (period or ruling star) affiliated with your own home. Then transfer the sitting and facing stars to their appropriate positions in the central palace.
Wise Words
The time star (period star) is the number that ruled when your house was built. The sitting star (zuo xing) is the number that corresponds to your dwelling’s sitting direction. The facing star (xiang xing) is the number that corresponds to your dwelling’s facing direction. These numbers fly to the top left and top right of the central palace, respectively. The sitting star is also called the mountain star (shan xing) or people star (ding xing). The facing star is also called the water star (shui xing) or money star (cai xing).
Flying Forward, Flying Backward
Step three requires you to fly the sitting and facing stars either forward (just like you did for the time star) or backward. Logically, if flying forward (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) means the numbers ascend, then flying backward (9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1) means the numbers descend while following the directional sequence (center, NW, W, NE, S, N, SW, E, SE). Whether the sitting and facing star flies forward or backward depends on two factors:
If the star in question is odd or even
If the mountain the house sits in and faces toward is the first, second, or third mountain of the trigram in question
Now, following these next five rules, determine whether the sitting and facing stars in the center palace fly forward or backward:
Rule 1: If your house sits in and faces toward the first mountain (N1 to S1; NE1 to SW1; E1 to W1, for example) and if the sitting or facing star is odd (except the number 5), then the star in question flies forward.
Rule 2: If your house sits in and faces toward the first mountain (N1 to S1; NE1 to SW1; E1 to W1, for example) and if the sitting or facing star is even, then the star in question flies backward.
Rule 3: If your house sits in and faces toward the second or third mountains (N2 to S2; N3 to S3; W2 to E2; W3 to E3, for example) and if the sitting or facing star is odd (except the number 5), then the star in question flies backward.
Rule 4: If your house sits in and faces toward the second or third mountains (N2 to S2; N3 to S3; W2 to E2; W3 to E3, for example) and if the sitting or facing star is even, then the star in question flies forward.
Rule 5: The number 5 flies forward or backward according to whether the ruling star in the center palace is odd or even. In other words, if the ruling star is 1, 3, 7, or 9, the number 5 in the sitting or facing position flies according to Rule 1 or Rule 3. If the ruling star is 2, 4, 6, or 8, the number 5 in the sitting or facing position flies according to Rule 2 or Rule 4.
Referring to the following examples, let’s look at House 1. Built in Period 7, it sits N1 and faces S1. According to Rule 1, the sitting star 3 (located in the top, left position of the central cell) flies forward: 3 (center), 4 (NW), 5 (W), 6 (NE), 7 (S), 8 (N), 9 (SW), 1 (E), and 2 (SE). According to Rule 2, the facing star 2 (located in the top, right position of the central cell) flies backward: 2 (center), 1 (NW), 9 (W), 8 (NE), 7 (S), 6 (N), 5 (SW), 4 (E), and 3 (SE). Referring to House 2, it sits N3 and faces S3. According to Rule 3, the sitting star 3 flies backward. According to Rule 4, the facing star 2 flies forward. Get the idea?
Master Class
Another method similar to Xuankong Feixing (Time and Space Flying Stars), which we present here, is called Zibai Feigong or Purple-White Flying Palace. Basically, this technique flies the Luoshu number that correlates to your dwelling’s sitting trigram and then compares the eight other numbers to the central one. Dating to the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), the system is also called Zibai Jiuxing or Purple-White Nine Stars. Why purple-white? Because each number is associated with a color. The colors white (1, 6, 8) and purple (9) are considered auspicious numbers. Because the colors were used as mnemonics to aid learning, we will not discuss the Zibai Feigong colors, which are not related to the five phase colors.
Now, it’s your turn. Take this time to complete your chart (My House) by flying the sitting and facing stars in the central cell.
More Flying Forward, More Flying Backward
To facilitate learning, let’s review this intricate procedure one more time. House 3 (following) sits at W2 and faces E2. It was built in 1950. Take this time now to fly the stars. To help you, check off each task as you complete it:
Using the sitting 
and facing 
symbols, notate the directional orientation of the dwelling.
Determine the 20-year period the home was constructed in. Consult Chapter 13 for a reminder. Write this number (the time star) in the central palace.
Fly the time star forward. Remember, the directional sequence is: Center, NW, W, NE, S, N, SW, E, SE.
Copy and move the sitting star to the top, left side of the central palace. Copy and move the facing star to the top, right side of the central palace.
Refer to the five rules to determine whether the sitting and facing stars fly forward or backward. Fly the stars.
So, how did you do? Compare your result to the answer at the end of the chapter.
Great Charts!
Once you’ve created a Flying Star chart appropriate to your home, you must transfer the numbers comprising the numeric qi map onto your floor plan. But be careful! Make sure that you match each number combination with the correct direction on your floor plan. If you found that flying the stars is a laborious task, don’t fear—we’ve done all the work for you. In fact, we’ve even oriented the charts so that the sitting is at the bottom of the page and the facing is at the top of the page. All you need to do is look up the chart corresponding to your home! First, find the period in which your house was constructed. Then, find the chart correlating to its sitting direction.
Feng Facts
There are 216 types of houses. How did we come to this conclusion? There are 24 mountains x 9 periods = 216.
In the next chapter, you’ll learn how the position of the sitting and facing stars affects the auspiciousness of a house.
The Least You Need to Know
The set of three stars (numbers) in the central palace (the time star, sitting star, and facing star) dictate where the other stars are located.
The stars always fly in a specific directional sequence: Center, NW, W, NE, S, N, SW, E, SE.
The set of three stars in each of the eight cells surrounding the central cell represents the qi distribution coming from the eight cardinal directions.
Orient your dwelling so that the sitting side corresponds to the bottom of the page.
