How to Calculate Xiao Liu Ren
A clear English walkthrough of the month → day → hour counting method used by the Ask Six Ren calculator.
The Basic Counting Method
The six states repeat in this order: Da An → Liu Lian → Su Xi → Chi Kou → Xiao Ji → Kong Wang, then return to Da An.
Step 1: Count the lunar month
Start at Da An as count 1 and count forward through the six-state cycle to the lunar month number. The state where the month lands becomes the starting point for the next step.
Step 2: Count the lunar day
Continue from the month state, treating that state as the first count for the lunar day. Count to the lunar day number. This gives the second state.
Step 3: Count the Chinese hour
Continue again from the day state and count the traditional two-hour branch. Zi is the first branch, followed by Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu and Hai. The landing state is the final hour result.
A Simple Example
Suppose a date falls in lunar month 3, lunar day 5, during the third traditional hour branch. Count the month first, continue from that landing point for the day, and then continue again for the hour. The important idea is that each stage begins from the previous stage rather than restarting independently.
The Ask Six Ren calculator performs this counting automatically so you can compare the calculated sequence with the six meanings.