How to Read a Qi Men Chart: A Worked Example for a Real Decision

Q: What should I look at first in a Qi Men chart?

Decide what you are asking about and find its focus symbol (the Open Door for career, the Life Door for money, Six Harmony for partnerships, the Scenery Door for documents). Then read the stems, star, door and deity in that palace, and last look for whole-board signals such as Fu Yin, Fan Yin and voids.

Q: What if the chart has both good and bad signs?

That is normal. Good signs can be leaned on; bad ones are reminders to prepare. This article turns each one into a concrete action: what to do, what to avoid, and when to cast another chart to check.

Q: Can a Qi Men chart guarantee an outcome?

No. A chart is a traditional framework for thinking about timing and risk, not a guarantee. Important money, legal and health decisions should still rest on facts and professional advice.

This is a complete worked example: one chart, from “what do I want to ask?” to “what do I do today?” The chart is the one derived step by step on the rules and verification page, so you can check every step.

The question and the chart

The situation: 10 a.m. on 6 February 2027 (Lunar New Year’s Day) in Shanghai. You plan to launch a small online shop today, and you are still settling the division of work with a partner. The question: Is this hour a good time to launch, and what should I watch for?

The chart for that moment (Yang Dun ju 5, Chief Star Tian Zhu, Chief Door Fright Door, voids Wu and Wei):

Xun 4 (SE)	Li 9 (S, void)	Kun 2 (SW, void)
Heaven Xin / Earth Yi Tian Ren · Block Door · Six Harmony	Heaven Bing / Earth Ren Tian Chong · Scenery Door · White Tiger	Heaven Yi / Earth Ding Tian Fu · Death Door · Black Tortoise
Zhen 3 (E)	Center 5	Dui 7 (W)
Heaven Gui / Earth Bing Tian Peng · Harm Door · Great Yin	Earth Wu	Heaven Ren / Earth Geng Tian Ying · Fright Door · Nine Earth
Gen 8 (NE)	Kan 1 (N)	Qian 6 (NW)
Heaven Ji / Earth Xin Tian Xin · Life Door · Soaring Serpent	Heaven Geng / Earth Gui Tian Zhu · Rest Door · Chief	Heaven Ding / Earth Ji Tian Rui · Open Door · Nine Heaven

Step 1: pick the focus symbols

Different questions use different symbols (see Focus Symbols). This question has four parts:

What to look at	Focus symbol	Where it sits
Launching, opening	Open Door	Qian 6 (northwest)
Making money	Life Door	Gen 8 (northeast)
The relationship with the partner	Six Harmony	Xun 4 (southeast)
Documents and announcements	Scenery Door	Li 9 (south, void)

Step 2: read each focus symbol

The Open Door in Qian 6: you can launch, but the force is thin. The Open Door is the best of the eight doors for opening a venture. In the same palace sit Nine Heaven (high aims; go high-profile) and Tian Rui (it marks where the problem lies, so fix what is wrong first). The Heaven Ding wonder lands on Earth Ji, the pattern “Fire Enters Gou Chen,” which means quarrels over small money matters and someone working against you quietly. Qian is Metal, and this month (the Tiger month, spring) Metal is “confined,” so the palace itself lacks strength. Taken together: the direction is right and you can go ahead, but you will have to put in extra effort and settle money and roles in writing in advance.

The Life Door in Gen 8: there is an opening, with a thin base. The Life Door stands for vitality and money, and Tian Xin (very auspicious) shares the palace. But the palace is Earth, which is “dead” in spring and at its weakest, and Soaring Serpent is an inauspicious deity of deceit and suspicion. The reading: the chance to earn exists, but do not expect big results on launch day, and watch for fake orders and inflated promises.

Six Harmony in Xun 4: the partnership can be discussed, quietly. Six Harmony sits in a strong position (Xun is Wood, and Wood is “prosperous” in spring) with Tian Ren (auspicious) beside it, so the relationship itself is steady. But the door in the same palace is the Block Door, which stands for secrecy and closure, so settle matters like roles and splits in private rather than announcing them on the day.

The Scenery Door in Li 9: a void, so be careful with documents. The Scenery Door governs documents, publicity and public announcements, and it falls in a void palace, so the energy for those things comes to nothing. Launch-day notices, contract signing and ad placement may fall short, so leave a buffer or move them to a later hour.

Step 3: look at the whole board

The Chief is in Kan 1, with Heaven Geng on Earth Gui, the “Great Obstruction,” which stands for violent change and obstacles when traveling. The Chief heads the whole chart, so a pattern like this in its palace is a hint not to overbook the day.
The Chief Door is the Fright Door, in Dui 7 (west). It stands for alarm, suspicion and quarrels. As the messenger of this hour, it asks you to be careful in outside communication and to make fewer verbal promises.
The chart has no Fu Yin or Fan Yin, is not a Five Non-Encounters Hour, and no palace is marked Punish or Pressed. As a whole it is neither a bad chart nor a smooth one: a “can do it, but be prepared” chart.

Step 4: turn it into today’s actions

You can launch. The Open Door’s palace is in the northwest, and traditionally people press the final button facing northwest. Treat that as a custom only.
Write down money and roles first (for “Fire Enters Gou Chen”): who pays how much, how it is split, when it is settled. Confirm it before launch to avoid quarrels later.
Do not expect big income on day one (the Life Door’s palace is weak): treat the first day as a test of whether the process runs smoothly.
Leave a buffer for announcements and paperwork (the Scenery Door is void): prepare the notice now and send it in a later hour, or check it twice.
Promise little outside (the Fright Door): do not promise customers more than you can deliver that day.
Cast another chart to check, if you need to. Qi Men casts one chart per two-hour period. To see which later hour suits the announcement better, choose “Choose date & time” in the free charting tool and try the later hours; Pro’s Golden Hours can scan the next seven days at once.

What this reading does not tell you

It does not predict the result. It lays out timing, risk and things to watch.
It does not replace facts and professional advice: accounting, contracts and legal questions still need to be handled on their merits.
Schools read charts differently; this uses the readings Qimena’s engine adopts (about the method).

Try it yourself

In the free AI charting tool, choose “Choose date & time,” enter 6 February 2027 at 10:00, pick the time zone Asia/Shanghai and set the longitude to 121.47. You will get the chart above, and you can read it step by step with this article. For what each symbol means, see the Qi Men glossary.