9 squares or 8 wedges of circle?

[shaquille]

Hello Cecil/Robert,
In flying star, should we divide house
with a 9 square/rectangle template or
should we use a circle divided into 8
equal wedges?
thanks

[Cecil Lee]

Dear Anon,

Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages.  

1. Most of the time, the 8‑pie method is the easiest to use if you have a protractor or a ready-made transparent template. It makes it very simple to find the center point and then quickly sketch or draw the 8‑pie chart on a copy of the layout plan.  
The 8‑pie method is also very handy if the house has an odd shape, has missing corners, or if you want to do an analysis that extends beyond the actual outline of the house. It works well for circular houses too.  
Many Traditional Feng Shui practitioners like using this method because, in my opinion, the Water, Mountain, and Base star numbers can be written neatly and are easy to read and understand.  

2. The 9 equal parts, or 9‑grid method, is useful when the house is rectangular or roughly square in shape. With this, you can clearly see which parts of the home fall under a particular sector.  
It is mainly advantageous when we are only looking at what happens inside the boundaries of the house.  

3. So, there is really no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing which method to use.  Personally, I like the Pie Chart method as a quick and easy way to divide the different sectors (including the center sector).  If the house is a “perfect” rectangle or square, the grid method is much easier to draw. Many Singapore government flats have rooms and sectors that fit quite nicely into the 9 x 9 grid, so it makes good sense to use the Grid method for them. Also, the walls often run parallel to the true compass directions, such as North, 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, and so on.  

4. More importantly, it’s not about how we draw the 9 x 9 grid or the 8‑sector Pie chart. What truly matters is delivering quality results to our clients.  

5. In the past, I’ve had a little laugh when I came across debates about which method is “better.” I feel that all of us have more important things to focus on than arguing childishly over such a trivial issue.

Warmest Regards,
Cecil

 

Quote

On 3/9/00 11:55:00 PM, Anonymous wrote:
Hello Cecil/Robert,
In flying star, should we
divide house
with a 9 square/rectangle
template or
should we use a circle divided
into 8
equal wedges?
thanks
 

[Cecil Lee]

Summary

The text compares the 8‑pie and 9‑grid Feng Shui layout methods, explaining when each is most practical, emphasizing that neither is inherently superior and that the real priority is delivering meaningful results rather than debating techniques.

Key Takeaways

- The 8‑pie method is easiest with a protractor or template, quickly locates the center, and is ideal for irregular, missing-corner, or circular houses and for analysis extending beyond the house outline.  
- Many traditional practitioners favor the 8‑pie method because Water, Mountain, and Base star numbers can be written neatly and read clearly.  
- The 9‑grid method works best for rectangular or square houses and clearly shows which parts of the home fall into each sector within the house boundaries.  
- For “perfect” rectangular or square homes—such as many Singapore government flats aligned with true compass directions—the grid method is especially practical.  
- There is no universally “right” or “better” method; choice depends on house shape, layout, and purpose of analysis.  
- The most important factor is not the drawing style but providing high-quality, useful results to clients.  
- Debates over which method is superior are viewed as trivial and not worth serious argument.

[Cecil Lee]

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