---
type: Index
title: "The Five Element Bureaus (五行局)"
description: "The five element bureaus that set Zi Wei placement and decade-luck start age."
resource: https://localpapa.com/tools/ziwei.html
tags: [ziwei, bureau]
timestamp: 2026-06-21T00:00:00Z
---

# The Five Element Bureaus · 五行局

The Five-Element Bureau is read from the stem-branch (and its nayin element) of the **Life palace**. It does two jobs: it locates the Zi Wei star from the lunar day of birth, and it sets the **starting age of the decade-luck (大限) cycle** — equal to the bureau number.

- [水二局 (Water Bureau (2))](./water-2.md) — decade luck from age 2
- [木三局 (Wood Bureau (3))](./wood-3.md) — decade luck from age 3
- [金四局 (Metal Bureau (4))](./metal-4.md) — decade luck from age 4
- [土五局 (Earth Bureau (5))](./earth-5.md) — decade luck from age 5
- [火六局 (Fire Bureau (6))](./fire-6.md) — decade luck from age 6

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*[Zi Wei knowledge base](../index.md)*