Chinese Numerology: The Way to Prosperity & Fulfillment is Richard Webster's latest book, and it's a fascinating guide to the arcane world of numerology.

Webster explains how, nearly 4,000 years ago, Wu of Hsia discovered a special tortoise shell. The markings on the back of the shell formed a magic three-by-three square. Named the Lo Shu grid, the square was regarded as magic "because every horizontal, vertical, and diagonal row added up to fifteen," a number of great significance in ancient China.

Chinese numerology, as well as I Ching, feng shui, and other Chinese divination techniques, evolved from the Lo Shu grid.

Three systems of Chinese numerology are currently in use, and Webster presents complete directions on how to use each of them. He starts with the Western version of Chinese numerology, which is the easiest to learn. He explains how to calculate your life path number, and the significance of each number. For example, "people with a life path number of 6 are nurturing, caring, and responsible," while 22's "are able to achieve anything they set their minds on."

He then shows how to calculate individual strengths and weaknesses, using personal Lo Shu grids. He presents grids of celebrities as examples. Edgar Cayce, Beethoven, and Mozart all had grids indicating growth in knowledge and wisdom through great personal losses.

Webster explains that "we live our lives in nine-year cycles. Each year contains a different energy, and if we work with the energy, or tone, of the year we will progress smoothly and quickly. Conversely, if we fight the tone of the year, we will struggle all year long." He then presents a simple way to determine which year you are in and gives examples of what kinds of activities are good for each year of the cycle.

Traditional Chinese numerology uses the Lo Shu grid, but the numbers are determined using the lunar calendar rather than the Western solar calendar. Not to worry--Webster includes an extensive solar-lunar conversion chart in the appendix.

The Ki, or Nine House Divination, is more complex. It "starts with the same magic square, but the numbers change position every year creating nine different combinations." In addition, the numbers are associated with the basic elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Each number also has its own color.

Whether you are simply interested in learning what numerology is all about, or wish to use it for character analysis or planning your future, you'll find Chinese Numerology informative and helpful.

But I give it five stars anyway. Just when I thought that I'd learned all there was to learn about numerology, and just when I thought that I'd heard of every possible way to use numbers to diagram lives, along comes this book. It has many "innovative" methods to tell lots about different personality types using personal info such as date of birth, name, etc. It also gives compatability information along with number and personality signs. There are methods of numerology in this book that most practicing "numerologists" probably don't even know about--it's that diverse, interesting, and innovative. Though I'm interested in these things, I'm a die-hard skeptic. I was a non-believer until I did a few diagrams for myself, and then for people that I know. The nail was hit dead on the head each time. Move over, Western astrology, and make room for Chinese numerology!