The 14 Major Stars (十四主星)
The backbone of every Zi Wei Dou Shu chart rests on the placement of 14 primary stars. These stars are divided into two groups based on their anchoring logic.
Northern Dipper Group (北斗星系)
The Northern Dipper stars are positioned based on the Zi Wei star's location:
| Star | Chinese | Nature | Keywords |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zi Wei | 紫微 | Earth Yang | Emperor, authority, noble bearing |
| Tian Ji | 天机 | Wood Yin | Strategist, intelligence, flux |
| Tai Yang | 太阳 | Fire Yang | Sun, generosity, public service |
| Wu Qu | 武曲 | Metal Yin | Warrior, finance, decisiveness |
| Tian Tong | 天同 | Water Yang | Hedonist, ease, emotional depth |
| Lian Zhen | 廉贞 | Fire Yin | Dual nature, passion, complexity |
Southern Dipper Group (南斗星系)
Anchored to the Tian Fu star's position:
| Star | Chinese | Nature | Keywords |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tian Fu | 天府 | Earth Yang | Treasurer, stability, conservation |
| Tai Yin | 太阴 | Water Yin | Moon, intuition, hidden wealth |
| Tan Lang | 贪狼 | Water/Wood | Desire, charisma, transformation |
| Ju Men | 巨门 | Water/Earth | Orator, controversy, analysis |
| Tian Xiang | 天相 | Water Yang | Minister, diplomacy, service |
| Tian Liang | 天梁 | Earth Yang | Elder, protection, longevity |
| Qi Sha | 七杀 | Fire/Metal | General, aggression, breakthrough |
| Po Jun | 破军 | Water Yin | Destroyer, revolution, renewal |
Brightness Levels (亮度)
Every star has a brightness grade depending on which palace it occupies. Brightness determines whether a star's energy is fully expressed or suppressed:
- 庙 (Miào) — Temple: Full brilliance, maximum positive expression
- 旺 (Wàng) — Prosperous: Strong influence, mostly positive
- 得 (Dé) — Gain: Moderate strength, functional
- 利 (Lì) — Benefit: Mild influence, context-dependent
- 平 (Píng) — Neutral: Baseline, neither strong nor weak
- 不 (Bù) — Deficient: Weakened, struggles to express
- 陷 (Xiàn) — Trapped: Severely limited, negative expression likely
Palace Interaction Matrix
When two major stars share a palace, their combined effect is not simply additive. Certain pairings amplify each other (e.g., Zi Wei + Tian Fu = "Emperor Meets Treasurer"), while others create tension (e.g., Lian Zhen + Qi Sha = "Fire and Blade").
The reference tables in this guide map all 91 possible two-star pairings with their combined interpretation and palace-specific modifiers.