QIZHENG SIYU
What is Seven Governors and Four Remainders (Qizheng Siyu)?
Qizheng Siyu is a Chinese fate-reading system that calculates the positions of the sun and moon and the five visible planets (the "Seven Governors") together with the intangible "Four Remainders"—Rahu, Ketu, and related shadow points—using astronomical ephemeris calculations, then plots them into the houses of a natal chart to read the tendencies of a person’s life. It is said to have formed from the fusion of astrological elements introduced from Central Asia during the Tang and Song dynasties with traditional Chinese fate calculation.
Overview
- System
- Fate Reading (plots the positions of seven celestial bodies and four shadow stars into the houses of a natal chart)
- Origin
- China
- What You Need
- Birth date and birth time
- Best For
- Life direction and timing
- Time Frame
- Life as a whole
Origins & History
Qizheng Siyu is a Chinese form of astrology that reads by combining the "Seven Governors"—the sun, moon, and five planets (Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn)—with the "Four Remainders," intangible shadow points such as Rahu, Ketu, Yuebei, and Ziqi that have no physical body. It is said to have taken shape during the Tang and Song dynasties, when astrological concepts from Central Asia—including the Indian-derived notions of Rahu and Ketu—reached China and merged with the country’s traditional fate calculation.
Notable classical texts include the Xingxue Dacheng ("Great Compendium of Star Studies"), compiled by Wan Minying of the Ming dynasty, which transmits a system for placing the Seven Governors and Four Remainders into the "houses" of a natal chart based on astronomical position calculations, then reading the tendencies of a person’s life and the timing of events from that arrangement. Scholars reportedly debated the precise definition of the Four Remainders even into the Qing dynasty, and interpretations still vary between schools today.
How It Works
- 01Prepare the birth date and birth time.
- 02Use ephemeris calculations to determine the positions of the Seven Governors (the sun, moon, and five planets) at the time of birth.
- 03Calculate the positions of the Four Remainders (shadow points such as Rahu and Ketu) as well.
- 04Place the Seven Governors and Four Remainders into the "houses" of the natal chart.
- 05Read the tendencies of life and the timing of events from the arrangement in each house.
What It Reveals
Qizheng Siyu is well suited to reading a person’s innate life tendencies and the timing of major turning points. However, the definition and interpretation of the Four Remainders differ between schools, and historical debate over the system remains unresolved, so readings can vary considerably between practitioners. It is also worth noting that the system has low recognition in Japan, with most practitioners and reference material concentrated in Chinese-speaking regions.
Related Methods
References
- Wikipedia: 七政四餘 (https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%83%E6%94%BF%E5%9B%9B%E9%A4%98)