Chart Construction: Steps and Rules for Star Placement

To convert the querent's Western or national calendar birth year to the lunar calendar's Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches: for example, if the querent claims to have been born in 1892 CE, the simplest method is to look it up in a calendar conversion table, which reveals they were born in a Ren-Chen (壬辰) year.

Zi hour: 23:00-01:00. Chou hour: 01:00-03:00. Yin hour: 03:00-05:00. Mao hour: 05:00-07:00. Chen hour: 07:00-09:00. Si hour: 09:00-11:00. Wu hour: 11:00-13:00. Wei hour: 13:00-15:00. Shen hour: 15:00-17:00. You hour: 17:00-19:00. Xu hour: 19:00-21:00. Hai hour: 21:00-23:00.

Nothing can be accomplished without following proper rules — even constructing a preliminary Ziwei Doushu chart is no exception. The method is extremely simple: prepare a sheet of paper roughly magazine-sized divided into twelve cells (i.e., twelve palaces), a pen, and a plastic ruler. Fold the paper four times and draw the grid lines according to the diagram, forming a standard fate chart.

For Jia or Ji years, start with Bing at Yin. For Yi or Geng years, start with Wu at Yin. For Bing or Xin years, start with Geng at Yin. For Ding or Ren years, start with Ren at Yin. For Wu or Gui years — where do they fall? Seek them starting from Jia at Yin.

Starting from Yin for the first month, count forward through the birth month — both ends connect. From the birth month, start at Zi hour; count backward to the birth hour to place the Body Palace. Count forward to the birth hour to find the Fate Palace.

There are five Bureaus: Water-2, Wood-3, Metal-4, Earth-5, and Fire-6. The method to determine the Bureau is to match the Fate Palace's Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch against the Nayin (tonal correspondence) mnemonic verses: Jia-Zi and Yi-Chou are 'Gold in the Sea'; Bing-Yin and Ding-Mao are 'Fire in the Furnace'; Wu-Chen and Ji-Si are 'Wood of the Great Forest'; Geng-Wu and Xin-Wei are 'Earth by the Roadside'; Ren-Shen and Gui-You are 'Gold of the Sword's Edge'...

Ziwei (Purple Star) belongs to Earth among the Five Elements and is the chief of the Southern Dipper star lords. Ziwei commands eleven star-constellations. Placing Ziwei does not depend on the birth month — only on the birth day. For Water-2 Bureau: day 1 starts at Chen. For Wood-3 Bureau: day 1 starts at Chen. For Metal-4 Bureau: count to find Ziwei's palace. For Earth-5 Bureau: day 1 starts at Wu. For Fire-6 Bureau: reverse two, day 1 starts at You.

Tianfu is the chief of the ten Southern Dipper stars and serves as Ziwei's deputy. It resolves calamities and is a greatly auspicious star. It governs a person's Fate and Body. For example, if Ziwei is in Yin, then Tianfu is placed in Chen.

Ziwei commands five major stars of the central heavens. Among the Northern Dipper stars are Tianji (Heavenly Secret), Taiyang (Sun), Wuqu (Military Music), Tiantong (Heavenly Unity), and Lianzhen (Pure Integrity) — five major stars all placed in retrograde sequence from Ziwei. The mnemonic says: 'Skip one for Wuqu, then Tiantong; skip three and there is Ziwei's companion star; skip two more palaces for Lianzhen's proper position.'

The mnemonic says: 'From Tianfu, proceed forward: Taiyin (Moon), then Tanlang (Greedy Wolf), followed by Jumen (Giant Gate), Tianxiang (Heavenly Minister) and Tianliang (Heavenly Beam); skip three for Qisha (Seven Killings), then Pojun (Vanquisher).'

For people born in Shen, Zi, or Chen years: Fire Star starts at Xu, Bell Star at Mao. For Yin, Wu, or Xu years: Fire Star at Chou, Bell Star at Mao. For Si, You, or Chou years: Fire Star at Yin, Bell Star at Xu. For Hai, Mao, or Wei years: Fire Star at You, Bell Star at Xu. The placement method for Fire and Bell Stars is based on the birth year's Earthly Branch.

Wenqhang (Literary Prosperity) and Wenqu (Literary Melody) are both auspicious stars. When they enter the Fate or Body Palace, the person has a refined, scholarly bearing with elegant deportment. Those who have these stars guarding their Fate Palace are invariably well-read and reasonable.

Lucun (Salary Preservation), also called Heavenly Salary, is the third star of the Northern Dipper — the constellation of the True Person, a greatly auspicious luminary. It is determined by the birth year's Heavenly Stem. The mnemonic: 'Jia's salary reaches Yin Palace; Yi's salary resides in Mao; Bing and Wu's salary is in Si; Ding and Ji's salary resides in Wu; Geng's salary is fixed in Shen; Xin's salary reaches You; Ren's salary hides in Hai.' Qingyang (Ram, the forward malefic) is one position ahead; Tuoluo (Spinning Top, the rear malefic) is one position behind.

The Four Transformations (Hua Lu/Salary, Hua Quan/Authority, Hua Ke/Examination, Hua Ji/Obstruction) are determined by birth year Heavenly Stem: Jia transforms Lianzhen-Pojun-Wuqu-Taiyang. Yi transforms Tianji-Tianliang-Ziwei-Taiyin. Bing transforms Tiantong-Tianji-Wenqhang-Lianzhen. Ding transforms Tiantong-Tianji-Jumen-Tianji. Wu transforms Tanlang-Taiyin-Youbi-Tianji. Ji transforms Wuqu-Tanlang-Tianliang-Wenqu. Geng transforms Taiyang-Wuqu-Taiyin-Tiantong. Xin transforms Jumen-Taiyang-Wenqu-Wenqhang. Ren transforms Tianliang-Ziwei-Tianfu-Wuqu. Gui transforms Tanlang-Jumen-Taiyin-Pojun.

The Major Limit (Da Xian) governs the fortune of ten-year periods. For Water-2 Bureau, the Major Limit starts from the Fate Palace covering ages 2 to 10 (first decade). Yang males and Yin females proceed forward (clockwise). Yin males and Yang females proceed backward (counterclockwise).

The Fate Ruler (Ming Zhu) is determined by the birth year's Earthly Branch: Zi Palace → Tanlang (Greedy Wolf). Chou → Jumen (Giant Gate). Yin → Lucun (Salary). Mao → Wenqu (Literary Melody). Chen → Lianzhen (Pure Integrity). Si → Wuqu (Military Music). Wu → Pojun (Vanquisher). Wei → Wuqu. Shen → Lianzhen. You → Wenqu. Xu → Lucun. Hai → Jumen.

The Body Ruler (Shen Zhu) is determined by the birth year's Earthly Branch: Zi → Fire Star. Chou → Tianxiang (Heavenly Minister). Yin → Tianliang (Heavenly Beam). Mao → Tiantong (Heavenly Unity). Chen → Wenqhang (Literary Prosperity). Si → Tianji (Heavenly Secret). Wu → Fire Star. Wei → Tianxiang. Shen → Tianliang. You → Tiantong. Xu → Wenqhang. Hai → Tianji.