Calculate your Principal Star
The Year in I Ching Astrology
The Chinese lunar new year begins around 4 February each year, on the first day of spring (called Lichun). If you are born between 1 January and the start of the Chinese lunar new year, then your year of birth will be the previous year. You can check the exact time and date change in the ‘Ten Thousand Year Calendar’. When you know which year you are born in within the lunar calendar, you can calculate your principal star number using the formula below.
- Add up all the four numbers from your year of birth.
- If the resulting number is higher than 10, add the numbers together until you have a final number from 1 to 10.
- Deduct that number from 11.
- The final number will be from 1 to 10, and is your principal star.
Example Principal Star Calculations
1972 - Year of Birth
- 1 + 9 + 7 + 2 = 19
- 1 + 9 = 10
- 11 - 10 = 1
- Principal Star is 1 Water
1982 - Year of Birth
- 1 + 9 + 8 + 2 = 20
- 2 + 0 = 2
- 11 – 2 = 9
- Principal Star is 9 Fire
1976 - Year of Birth
- 1 + 9 + 7 + 6 = 23
- 2 + 3 = 5
- 11 – 5 = 6
- Principal Star is 6 Metal
1969 - Year of Birth
- 1 + 9 + 6 + 9 = 25
- 2 + 5 = 7
- 11 – 7 = 4
- Principal Star is 4 Wood
Once you have calculated your principal star, you can move onto the month and day star calculation. Visit this page to find out what your principal star means. If you prefer to avoid doing any maths, use the handy table below to find out your principal star.
What house does your principal star reside in for 2024?
Once you know your principal star number, you can check your annual Lo Shu astrology influences, to give you an idea of what to expect for the year ahead. Each year you move into a different house on the Lo Shu square which interacts with your principal star element. An example is principal number 6 yang metal moves into the 3 yang wood house.
