Date Selection 擇日 (擇日)

1 Definition

Date Selection (擇日) means choosing the day, picking an auspicious day and hour for an important undertaking. "Trạch" (擇) = to choose, "Nhật" (日) = day.

In feng shui, Date Selection is the LAST step, and an EXTREMELY important one:

2 Occasions That Call for Date Selection

3 The Common Methods of Date Selection

1. Thập Nhị Trực 十二建除 十二直 : the 12 Day Officers

2. Nhị Thập Bát Tú 二十八宿 二十八宿 : the 28 Lunar Mansions

• Thanh Long 青龍, the Azure Dragon, East: Giác 角, Cang 亢, Đê 氐, Phòng 房, Tâm 心, Vĩ 尾, Cơ 箕
• Huyền Vũ 玄武, the Black Tortoise, North: Đẩu 斗, Ngưu 牛, Nữ 女, Hư 虛, Nguy 危, Thất 室, Bích 壁
• Bạch Hổ 白虎, the White Tiger, West: Khuê 奎, Lâu 婁, Vị 胃, Mão 昴, Tất 畢, Chủy 觜, Sâm 參
• Chu Tước 朱雀, the Vermilion Bird, South: Tỉnh 井, Quỷ 鬼, Liễu 柳, Tinh 星, Trương 張, Dực 翼, Chẩn 軫

3. Thiên Đức 天德 and Nguyệt Đức 月德 天德月德 : the Benefactors

• Thiên Đức 天德: a day under the protection of the Heavenly Benefactor → HIGHLY AUSPICIOUS.
• Nguyệt Đức 月德: a day under the protection of the Monthly Benefactor → AUSPICIOUS.
• Thiên Đức Hợp 天德合 and Nguyệt Đức Hợp 月德合: days in accord with the Benefactor.

4. Hoàng Đạo 黃道 and Hắc Đạo 黑道 黃道黑道 : the 12 Days

4 The Basic Rules of Date Selection

1. Check the Householder's Year

• The Stem and Branch of the birth year: check the householder's year of birth.
• Avoid Lục Xung 六沖: avoid a day that CLASHES with the year, such as Tý 子 ↔ Ngọ 午 or Sửu 丑 ↔ Mùi 未.
• Avoid Tam Hình 三刑: avoid a day that PUNISHES the year.
• Choose a day in ACCORD: choose a Tam Hợp 三合 or Lục Hợp 六合 day.

2. Check the Month

• Ngũ Hoàng 五黃: avoid a Ngũ Hoàng 五黃 month, when star 5 Yellow lands there, as it is inauspicious.
• Suited to the occasion: choose a month that suits the occasion.
• The Ghost Month: the 7th lunar month, best avoided for anything large.

3. Check the Day

• Good days: choose a Hoàng Đạo 黃道, Thiên Đức 天德 or Nguyệt Đức 月德 day.
• Bad days: avoid Hắc Đạo 黑道, Sát Chủ 煞主 and Tam Sát 三煞 days.
• Thập Nhị Trực 十二建除: check it. Trừ 除, Mãn 滿, Thành 成 and Khai 開 are the good ones.

4. Check the Hour

• Hoàng Đạo 黃道 hours: choose a Hoàng Đạo 黃道 hour within the chosen day.
• Avoid clashing with the year: avoid an hour that clashes with the householder's year.
• The best hour: one that suits the year, the day and the occasion alike.

5. Check the Direction

• Avoid the Sha stars: avoid the Tam Sát 三煞, Thái Tuế 太歲 and Ngũ Hoàng 五黃 directions for the year.
• The facing of the house or grave: it must not offend any of the Sha stars.

5 The Days to Avoid

1. Tam Sát 三煞 Days 三殺 : the three Sha directions of the year

• Years of Thân 申, Tý 子 or Thìn 辰: Tam Sát 三煞 lies in the SOUTH, at Tỵ 巳, Ngọ 午 and Mùi 未.
• Years of Dần 寅, Ngọ 午 or Tuất 戌: Tam Sát 三煞 lies in the NORTH, at Hợi 亥, Tý 子 and Sửu 丑.
• Years of Tỵ 巳, Dậu 酉 or Sửu 丑: Tam Sát 三煞 lies in the EAST, at Dần 寅, Mão 卯 and Thìn 辰.
• Years of Hợi 亥, Mão 卯 or Mùi 未: Tam Sát 三煞 lies in the WEST, at Thân 申, Dậu 酉 and Tuất 戌.

2. Particular Days of Breaking and Clashing

• Thái Tuế days (太歲): ): the Stem and Branch coincide with the current year, so take care.
• Tuế Phá days (歲破): ): directly opposite Thái Tuế 太歲, so very bad.
• Nguyệt Phá days (月破): ): directly opposite the month, so bad.
• Tứ Ly days (四離): ): the eves of the spring and autumn equinoxes and the summer and winter solstices, to be avoided.
• Tứ Tuyệt days (四絕): ): the day before the start of spring, summer, autumn or winter, to be avoided.

6 Date Selection for Particular Occasions

1. Nhập Trạch 入宅 入宅 : Moving into a New House

• Good days: Choose a Hoàng Đạo 黃道 day, with Thiên Đức 天德 or Nguyệt Đức 月德.
• Avoid: days clashing with the householder's year, and Tam Sát 三煞 days.
• A good hour: usually the morning, when Yang Qi is strong.
• The rite: light the stove and boil water, and turn on every light.

2. Động Thổ 動土 動土 : Breaking Ground

• Good days: Thành 成, Khai 開 and Mãn 滿 days are good.
• Ngũ Hoàng 五黃: Avoid Ngũ Hoàng 五黃 landing on the facing of the works.
• The facing of the house: check that it does not offend Thái Tuế 太歲 or Tam Sát 三煞.

3. Weddings 嫁娶

• The best days: Thiên Hỷ days (天喜) and Thiên Đức 天德.
• Avoid clashing with the year: Both the bride and the groom.
• Avoid: The 7th lunar month.
• Especially good: Thành 成 and Định 定 days for a wedding.

4. Burial 安葬 安葬

• Please note: The most involved of all, combining Date Selection with Yin Dwelling 陰宅 feng shui.
• Check: Tam Sát 三煞 and Thái Tuế 太歲 against the facing of the grave.
• The hour: choose an hour that suits the Twelve Life Stages 十二長生.

7 In Summary