紫微斗數
Zi Wei Dou Shu · Purple Star Astrology

12 Palaces, transformation stars and elements structures.

The 12 Palaces 十二宮 (C.3)
The Zi Wei Dou Shu chart is divided into 12 palaces, each mapped to one of the 12 Earthly Branches. Stars are placed into these palaces based on the person's birth data to reveal different aspects of life.
命宮
LIFE PALACE 命

The most important palace. Reveals personality, life path, and overall destiny.

財帛宮
WEALTH PALACE 財

Financial ability, wealth accumulation, money management.

兄弟宮
SIBLINGS PALACE 兄弟

Relationship with siblings, peers, and close associates.

夫妻宮
SPOUSE PALACE 夫妻

Marriage, romantic relationships, and partnerships.

子女宮
CHILDREN PALACE 子女

Relationship with children; also creativity and subordinates.

疾厄宮
HEALTH PALACE 疾厄

Health constitution, illness tendencies, medical matters.

遷移宮
TRAVEL PALACE 遷移

Travel, relocation, overseas opportunities, public image.

交友宮
FRIENDS PALACE 交友

Social network, friendships, employees, subordinates.

官祿宮
CAREER PALACE 官祿

Career path, achievements, official position, vocation.

田宅宮
PROPERTY PALACE 田宅

Real estate, home environment, assets and possessions.

福德宮
VIRTUE PALACE 福德

Spiritual life, leisure, happiness, inner contentment.

父母宮
PARENTS PALACE 父母

Relationship with parents, superiors, and mentors.

Four Transformation Stars 四化星 (C.8)
Four major stars transform each year based on the Year Stem. They bring enhanced luck (祿 wealth, 權 power, 科 status) or obstacles (忌) to whichever palace they fall in.
Year Stem化祿 Hua Lu (Wealth +)化權 Hua Quan (Power +)化科 Hua Ke (Status +)化忌 Hua Ji (Obstacle −)
甲 Jia廉貞 Lianzhen破軍 Pojun武曲 Wuqu太陽 Sun
乙 Yi天機 Tianji天梁 Tianliang紫微 Ziwei太陰 Moon
丙 Bing天同 Tiantong天機 Tianji文昌 Wenchang廉貞 Lianzhen
丁 Ding太陰 Moon天同 Tiantong天機 Tianji巨門 Jumen
戊 Wu貪狼 Tanlang太陰 Moon右弼 Youbi天機 Tianji
己 Ji武曲 Wuqu貪狼 Tanlang天梁 Tianliang文曲 Wenqu
庚 Geng太陽 Sun武曲 Wuqu太陰 Moon天同 Tiantong
辛 Xin巨門 Jumen太陽 Sun文曲 Wenqu文昌 Wenchang
壬 Ren天梁 Tianliang紫微 Ziwei左輔 Zuofu武曲 Wuqu
癸 Gui破軍 Pojun巨門 Jumen太陰 Moon貪狼 Tanlang
Five Elements Structure 五行局 — Determines Star Speed (C.6)
Cross-reference the Life Palace Branch with the Birth Year Stem to find the Five Elements Structure (局). This governs the starting age of the Big Limits 大限.
Life Palace甲/己 Jia·Ji乙/庚 Yi·Geng丙/辛 Bing·Xin丁/壬 Ding·Ren戊/癸 Wu·Gui
子 RatWater 2ndFire 6thEarth 5thWood 3rdMetal 4th
丑 OxFire 6thEarth 5thMetal 4thWater 2ndWood 3rd
寅 TigerWood 3rdWater 2ndFire 6thEarth 5thMetal 4th
卯 RabbitWood 3rdFire 6thMetal 4thWater 2ndEarth 5th
辰 DragonMetal 4thWood 3rdWater 2ndFire 6thEarth 5th
巳 SnakeMetal 4thMetal 4thEarth 5thWood 3rdWater 2nd
午 HorseFire 6thEarth 5thWater 2ndMetal 4thWood 3rd
未 GoatEarth 5thEarth 5thWood 3rdMetal 4thFire 6th
申 MonkeyWater 2ndMetal 4thFire 6thEarth 5thWood 3rd
酉 RoosterMetal 4thWater 2ndWood 3rdFire 6thEarth 5th
戌 DogEarth 5thWood 3rdFire 6thWater 2ndMetal 4th
亥 PigWood 3rdFire 6thEarth 5thMetal 4thWater 2nd
Key Star Streams 星系
NORTHERN STREAM — Zi Wei 紫微

Located from the Lunar Day of Birth. Leads the Northern stars: 紫微 Emperor, 天機 Heavenly Mechanism, 太陽 Sun, 武曲 Military, 天同 Heavenly Unity, 廉貞 Chastity.

SOUTHERN STREAM — Tian Fu 天府

Located opposite Zi Wei. Leads the Southern stars: 天府 Sky Treasurer, 太陰 Moon, 貪狼 Greedy Wolf, 巨門 Giant Gate, 天相 Sky Minister, 天梁 Sky Beam, 七殺 Seven Killings, 破軍 Army Breaker.

Big Limits 大限 & Small Limits 小限
Big Limits 大限: Each covers a 10-year period. Starting age = the number of the Five Elements Structure (Water 2nd → starts age 2, Wood 3rd → age 3, Metal 4th → age 4, Earth 5th → age 5, Fire 6th → age 6).

Direction: Yang Male / Yin Female → Limits move clockwise (順). Yin Male / Yang Female → Counter-clockwise (逆).

Small Limits 小限: Govern year-by-year luck, each covering exactly 1 year. Males in Yang years / Females in Yin years start at 寅 Tiger palace (clockwise). Males in Yin years / Females in Yang years start at 申 Monkey palace (clockwise).