ZI WEI DOU SHU
What is Zi Wei Dou Shu (Purple Star Astrology)?
Zi Wei Dou Shu is a Chinese system of fate calculation that constructs a chart called a “ming pan” by placing numerous stars, beginning with the Purple Star (Zi Wei), into twelve palaces based on a person’s year, month, day, and hour of birth, then reads life, career, money, and compatibility from it. Because the placement of the stars is precise and intricate, interpreting a chart requires specialized knowledge.
Overview
- System
- Fate Reading (reads from the placement of stars based on date and time of birth)
- Origin
- China, Taiwan
- What You Need
- Date of birth and birth time
- Best For
- Life, career, money, compatibility
- Time Frame
- Life as a whole / one year
Origins & History
Zi Wei Dou Shu is one system of Chinese fate calculation, traditionally said to have been founded by the Song-dynasty Taoist Chen Tuan (c. 871–989), though this has not been confirmed by direct historical sources. It is thought to be a system that integrates Taoist cosmology, astronomical observation, and numerical calculation.
The “Purple Star” (Zi Wei) that gives the system its name refers to the North Star, or to the “Purple Forbidden Enclosure” regarded in Chinese astronomy as the center of the heavens, and is treated as a symbol linking imperial authority to the center of the sky. A defining feature is that the position of the “life palace” is determined from the year, month, day, and hour of birth, and the Purple Star along with numerous other stars are placed into twelve palaces (the life palace, siblings palace, spouse palace, and so on) to construct the chart. Vietnamese Tu Vi is a variant of this system, and this encyclopedia treats it as a separate divination practice.
How It Works
- 01Determine the position of the “life palace” from the birth month and time, based on the date and time of birth.
- 02Working outward from the life palace, arrange the remaining eleven palaces (siblings palace, spouse palace, children palace, and so on) in order.
- 03Derive the position of the Purple Star from the birth day and month, and place it together with the other stars into the twelve palaces to complete the chart.
- 04Read the combination of stars occupying each palace to judge tendencies in life, career, money, and compatibility.
What It Reveals
A defining strength of Zi Wei Dou Shu is that it can read overall life tendencies, aptitude for career and money, and compatibility in fine detail, area by area, across each of the twelve palaces. At the same time, because a large number of stars must be placed and the calculations are complex, interpreting a chart on one’s own is quite difficult and requires specialized study.
Related Methods
References
- Wikipedia: Zi Wei Dou Shu (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zi_Wei_Dou_Shu)