Zi Wei Dou Shui is a star system. It has ancient origins and a map of this celestial astrology was found in the Chinese cave at Dunhuang in 1899, one of the oldest known star maps.
Zi Wei Dou Shu literally means “to calculate the purple star” and is a birth chart based on the north star. There are fourteen main stars represented, including the Sun (Tai Yang) and the Moon (Tai Yin), as well as the nine dipper stars used in Feng Shui (i.e. Tan Lang, Ju Men, Lu Cun, Wu Qu, Lian Zhen , Po Jun, You Bi, Wen Qu and Zuo Fu). Most stars are considered mathematical points in space. The pole star (Zi Wei) is known as the emperor of the sky as it never moves and all other stars revolve around it. A letter in Zi Wei Dou Shu is similar to the ancient Vedic letters of the south, and may have been originally inspired by the Indian Jyotish system.
There are twelve houses on the map called courtyards or palaces through which the stars move in regular cycles. The houses used are very close to the more familiar western houses (the numbers are shown below), although they do not follow the same order. The western house system progresses according to the annual season. The palaces below follow a typical life path of an Asian individual in the past.
Karma / Virtue… (the inner self that comes before birth) – (12-Pisces)
Parents… (your parents and their resources) – (2-Taurus)
Ming / I… (developing the self) – (1-Aries)
Brothers… (conscience of his family) – (3-Gemini)
wedding… (the association is arranged early) – (7-Libra)
Kids… (the children soon follow) – (5-Leo)
Money… (money must be kept to support a growing family) – (8-Scorpio)
Health… (health must also be maintained) – (6-Virgo)
Trip… (travel is often needed to expand wealth) – (9-Sagittarius)
Friends / colleagues… (networking is necessary for continued growth) – (11-Aquarius)
Career… (vocation requires a good part of life to fulfill) – (10-Capricorn)
Property… (family and property wealth) – (4-Cancer)
There is also a house number 13 known as Shen or house of the body that coincides with one of the basic twelve, revealing an especially important area of your life.
The natal chart is determined by the time of your birth at two-hour intervals. The fourteen main stars largely determine the overall meaning of the graph. In addition to the birth chart, there is also a 10 years. lucky cycle, a yearly and monthly cycle that must be compared for best results, especially to determine auspicious dates. Charts can include up to 144 stars in total; minor stars may add a bit of flavor, but they have minor significance.
Of the fourteen main archetypal stars, their names and personalities simulate the personalities of a royal court, reminiscent of the Western gods and goddesses who lived on Mount Olympus.
1) Zi Wei: “The emperor” It is considered the most important star (North Star) and is the location of the Pole Star on an astrological chart. The house you reside in is often what you make yourself known for in your life and consider yourself a leadership star. If Zi Wei is in your Ming / Self court, you are often the most accomplished in your family.
2) Tian Ji: “The counselor” He is strong in intelligence and knowledge. It carries a sensitive, acute and perceptual energy. It is an open and active energy that can sometimes be unstable because it brings changes.
3) Tai Yang: “The masculine or paternal aspect” It represents the influence of the Sun, it is masculine and shows an area where you will shine and be influential. He is upright, enthusiastic, altruistic, and also represents his father or husband.
4) Wu Qu: “The general or manager”It is the star of wealth obtained through hard work and application. He is calm, firm, committed to duty and promises money where it is placed.
5) Tian Tong: “The lover of life” He is the star of good fortune, leisure, has a good heart and is an area of sensitivity. She is childish, dreamy, and idealistic.
6) Lian Zhen: “The politician or charismatic”It is the star of charisma and gives you the ability to influence others towards your goals. Lian Zhen type people can be indecisive because they like popularity, but they know right from wrong and love the peach blossom.
7) Tian Fu: the treasurer “It is a conservative and tolerant influence that represents the treasury and has the ability to store things like wealth that is beneficial for success.
8) Tai Yin: “The feminine or maternal aspect” It represents the Moon, the changing lunar influence and femininity. He is emotional, silent, reserved and moody and has the power to attract opportunities where he is placed.
9) Tan Lang: “The artist or the talented” He is the star of the arts, desire, romance, and personal drive. Tan Lang is curious about life experiences, is acquisitive and likes material things, and can also be spiritual in the future.
10) Ju Men: “The Speaker” It is the star of thought, communication, speech and verbal skills.
eleven) Tian Xiang: “The administrator”He has a social conscience and represents prudence and perseverance. He is conservative, impartial, and is often called prime minister.
12) Tian Liang: “The teacher or priest” He has the power to transform bad luck into good luck on the court where he resides. It represents honesty, justice and truth. He is a person of high rank, or someone who has the power to change your fortune.
13) Qi Sha: “The adventurer or the soldier” He is an assertive star, loves to take risks and can bring big changes. Qi Sha is brave, fiery and adventurous and loves challenges or difficult situations.
14) Po Jun: “The rebel” Represents a breakdown to rebuild something better, sometimes violently. This star is a powerful reformer, revolutionary or transformer similar to a Uranian or Plutonian influence.
Some of the smaller stars represent things like angelic advisers, affairs, or protectors with some troublesome stars coming to test one’s progress. The oldest and traditional Chinese interpretations of these stars can be quite negative, as the survival of ancient man was more fragile in the past. I have reinterpreted many of these archetypal influences in light of modern times and psychology.
They are also important transforming stars that change monthly, annually, and every ten-year cycle. These are Quan (power), Ke (fame / name), Lu (happiness), and Ji (trouble). These transforming stars can change the meaning of the other stars quite dramatically as they move through time cycles. You have a permanent set of these stars in your birth chart, and then a moving set for 10 years. Annual and monthly cycles.
When I compose a personal birth chart for a client, I use both Zi Wei Dou Shu and Western astrology to do a comparative study. There is a wealth of information available when comparing these two systems that is surprising in its detailed descriptions of our life potentials. Free will always plays into this template, and we make better decisions when we know our hidden or shadow side. The areas of our personality veiled to us will have a subconscious influence, so it is better to understand those tendencies, as they can undermine our best efforts to be happy. Today, many psychologists (especially Jungians) are increasingly using astrology as a tool to understand the human personality and what motivates us. If you have never made your natal astrological chart, isn’t it time you found a good astrologer to reveal your life potential?
