Friends, put down what you're doing for a moment.
The true Year of the Bing Wu (Horse) doesn't begin until the Start of Spring on February 4, 2026. The nine-palace flying stars shift positions every year, and this year's chart is completely different from what you remember of last year.
Some directions are blazing with auspicious energy this year. Others — let's be honest — are dangerous wealth-draining positions.
This article covers two things: where the wealth actually is, and exactly what to do with the southwest corner.
1. Let's Be Clear: Where Is the 2026 Wealth Position?
This needs to be spelled out properly.
In 2026, the Year of Bing Wu, the Eight White Zuo Fu Star — the star that governs steady income, salary raises, and property wealth — flies to the True East. This star belongs to the Earth element and governs the real, tangible money flowing into your bank account. If you want a pay rise, a bonus, or to profit from buying and selling property, True East is the first direction you need to watch this year.
The second is True North. The Six White Wu Qu Star flies to True North, governing windfall wealth — stocks, investments, side businesses, and freelance income. This star belongs to the Metal element. If you're an investor or running a side hustle, True North is the direction to nurture.
So what about the southwest corner?
This year, the Seven Red Po Jun Star arrives in the Southwest.
The Seven Red belongs to Metal and is a wealth-draining star. What does it govern? Financial loss, unexpected expenses, theft, and disputes. If the southwest corner of your office isn't handled properly, money this year will be like sand in your fist — the tighter you grip, the faster it slips away.
Strictly speaking, the southwest corner is not a "Wealth Position" this year. It is a "Wealth-Draining Position."
But don't panic. Feng Shui is all about transformation. A wealth-draining position, properly neutralized, can still hold your finances together. Every point below is built around that one word: neutralize.
2. The Southwest Corner: Three Hard Rules
Rule One: Southwest Corner — One Word: Stillness
The Seven Red Po Jun Star belongs to Metal and fears Fire above all. The southwest corner this year must avoid movement, fire, and sharp objects.
- Avoid movement: Don't renovate, move large furniture, or hammer nails in the southwest corner. Disturbing it wakes the Po Jun Star.
- Avoid fire: Don't place red, purple, or orange objects there. Red belongs to Fire; Fire overcomes Metal, and provoking the Po Jun Star accelerates financial loss.
- Avoid sharp objects: No scissors, pointed ornaments, or cacti. Sharp shapes also carry Fire energy — same principle.
Simply put: in the southwest corner, if you don't have to move it, don't. If you don't have to make it red, don't. If you don't have to make it bright, don't.
Rule Two: Finance Desks, Cash Registers, Safes — Move Them If You Can
If your workstation, finance office, cash register, or safe happens to sit in the southwest corner of your office, take my advice: relocate it if at all possible.
Sitting in a wealth-draining position to manage money means the books may look fine on the surface, but when you tally up at year-end, there are nothing but holes. Either you're losing clients or unexpected expenses keep appearing that you can't trace. Move anything finance-related to the True East or Southeast — that's where wealth belongs this year.
Can't move it? Read Rule Three.
Rule Three: The Three-Piece Neutralizing Set — Water, Stone, Copper
The southwest corner this year is not for activating — it's for neutralizing.
- First piece: A cup of clean water. Place a cup of clean water in the southwest corner. Metal generates Water; use Water to drain away the aggressive energy of the Seven Red Metal star. Change the water when it goes murky, top it up when it evaporates, and never let the cup sit empty.
- Second piece: Eight small round stones. Find eight smooth white or light-colored pebbles and place them in that cup of water. Earth generates Metal; the stones belong to Earth and can soften Metal's sharp edge. The number eight carries its own significance here.
- Third piece: A copper object. Place a copper Hu Lu (gourd) or a set of Liu Di Qian (Six Emperor Coins). Copper belongs to Metal; using Metal to transform Metal drains away the Po Jun Star's aggressive energy.
With these three pieces in place, the southwest corner is stabilized. Stabilize the wealth-draining position, and you've plugged the leak in your wallet.
3. True East: How to Activate This Year's Real Wealth Position
Now that we've covered how to defend the southwest corner, let's talk about how to attack from the True East.
The Eight White Wealth Star has arrived in the True East, but there's a catch — Eight White belongs to Earth, and True East belongs to Wood. Wood overcomes Earth, which weakens the wealth star's energy. So you need to give it a boost.
How to activate:
- Place a yellow or purple crystal ball. Crystal belongs to Earth; Earth reinforcing Earth strengthens the wealth star.
- Place a Ju Bao Pen (Treasure Bowl) or a large-leafed green plant such as a money tree. Green plants belong to Wood, but in this particular configuration they actually serve as a conduit.
- Keep it clean and bright. A Wealth Position hates clutter and mess — piling things there is the same as blocking the path of wealth.
What not to place there:
No rubbish bins, no mountains of files, no takeaway containers leaving grease stains. Cai Shen (God of Wealth) loves cleanliness — that's a universal rule wherever you go.
4. Southeast: Don't Overlook This Pleasant Surprise
A quick word on the Southeast. This year the Nine Purple You Bi Star flies to the Southeast. Nine Purple is the most prosperous auspicious star of the current Yun 9 period, governing celebration, romance, benefactors — and it also brings wealth.
What to do: Place nine red flowers, or arrange four potted plants around the area. Red and purple ornaments work well here too. If you want to activate romance, benefactor luck, or joyful events, the Southeast is your blessed direction this year.
5. A Final Word from the Heart
In 2026, the Year of Bing Wu, Fire energy is strong and disputes are plentiful. The logic of Feng Shui has never been "place an object and get rich." It's about releasing negative energy and receiving positive energy.
The southwest corner is not your Wealth Position this year, but if you hold that wealth-draining position steady, you've plugged the leak. Activate the True East, tend to the Southeast, and in this year's game, you're already three steps ahead of everyone else.
Remember: neutralize the inauspicious first, then activate the auspicious. If you can't neutralize the inauspicious energy, activating anything else is pointless.
Right then — go check your office's southwest corner. Go now.
Articles in this column are for cultural and educational purposes only and do not constitute life advice.