According to one legend, in the sixth century B.C. the Jade Emperor invited all the animals in creation to a race, only twelve showed up: the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Lamb, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig, and according to their places in the race, the Jade Emperor had given them each a number starting with the Rat who was the winner of the race.
Many legends arose from the Race of the Chinese Zodiacs. One told of the reason why cats and rats shall always be enemies: He and the cat were poor swimmers, so they asked the ox if they could stay on top of his head to cross the river. Along the way he pushed the cat off the ox's back. And the cat, incapable of swimming, lagged behind. The rat stayed on top of the ox's head until the ox was almost at the finish line. And as the ox was about to cross it, the rat jumped from the ox's head and became first place. And the cat and rat have been enemies ever since.
Another legend tells that the cat had asked the rat to wake him up the day of the Race. The rat agreed, but on the said day, he did not wake the cat in his greed to win. When the cat finally woke up and got to the racing ground, he found the race to be over. The cat then swore revenge upon the rat.
The legend of the Zodiac Race, of course, is by far the least credible of all explanations of the origin of the Chinese zodiac. Because the "twelve earthly branches" which correspond with the zodiac, was already in existence as early as the Zhou era, long before the advent of Buddhism. A parallel decimal set of symbols called "ten heavenly stems", corresponding with yin-yang dualism and the was in existence in the Shang dynasty as the stems were part of Shang rulers' names. The order of 12 Chinese zodiac animals was based on the number of toes/hooves, alternating between even and odd numbers. Rat was the first because unlike other animals of the Chinese zodiac which all had the same number of toes/hooves on each leg, rat has four toes on the front legs and five on the rear legs, so it was selected to be number one. Ox is second with four hooves on each leg, and tiger is the third three with five toes, hare is the fourth with four toes, dragon is next in line with five fingers on its claw, while snake ranks number six because it lacked any legs and zero is an even number, etc.
The Zodiac, or the "twelve earthly branches" is probably devised together with the ten heavenly stems. However, according to Derek Walters, British scholar and author of several related books, there is no historical evidence for the 12 animals correlation with the Earthly Branches prior to the late or early eras. Susan Whitfield asserts that it was not until the Qin Dynasty that the 12 animal cycle was imported along the Silk Road from Buddhist peoples in Khotan, Sogdiana, and India.
As a duodecimal numeral system, the twelve earthly branches is probably evidence for trade between early tribes that later contributed to the Chinese civilization on the one hand, and the Mesopotamian civilization, which perfected duodecimal arithmetics, on the other.
The Chinese zodiac, though not entirely identical with the , nonetheless shares with it the duodecimal system and the idea of using animals as numerical symbols. This is a hint for the triangular relations between early Chinese, Mesopotamian and Greek cultures.
When the Bulgars, an early tribe within the Hun tribal federation that invaded Europe at the end of the Roman Empire, brought with them the very same Chinese zodiac. This is a probability that the Chinese zodiac is of northern Chinese origin, commonly shared among Altaic and northern Chinese tribes.
Currently, the and Tibetans use the same zodiac with slight modification, probably due to millennia of contact with the Chinese civilization.
2008年10月4日星期六
Monkey (zodiac)
The Monkey is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. The Year of the Monkey is associated with the symbol .
Persons born within these date ranges can be said to have been born in the Year of the Monkey, while also bearing the following elemental sign:
* 2 February, 1908 - 21 January, 1909:
* 20 February, 1920 - 7 February, 1921:
* 6 February, 1932 - 25 January, 1933:
* 25 January, 1944 - 12 February, 1945:
* 12 February, 1956 - 30 January, 1957:
* 30 January, 1968 - 16 February, 1969:
* 16 February, 1980 - 4 February, 1981:
* 4 February, 1992 - 22 January, 1993:
* 22 January, 2004 - 8 February, 2005:
* 2016 - 2017:
* 2028 - 2029:
The Monkey is the most versatile sign of the Chinese zodiac. Such people are often inventors, plotters, entertainers and the creative geniuses behind anything ingenious, including mischief. They have natural quick-wittedness which enables them to understand what is happening and then make a right decision. Even during a conversation a person born in this year is aware of what is going on around him/her, and then makes a mental note of who said what and stores it away for future reference. In general, with their agile minds and multiple talents, monkey types can master any subject. They are reliable and honest people so that any secret is safe in their hands. These people are also honest in their dealings and are very good at problem-solving: knowing how to listen closely and work out solutions at the same time.
Although these people are trustworthy and unlikely to hurt someone out of spite, they would never let people escape if they have behaved badly or damaged a monkey's reputation. Their stamina and determination to achieve their main goals can make these people appear vain or manipulative. People born under this sign should be careful so they do not damage their friendships. It is important to remember for these people that it would be wiser sometimes not to pursue their goals and simply let things pass.
Monkeys have flexible principles and serene self-confidence so they are completely content; but they usually manage to complicate the lives of others. After yet another plan or project has gone wrong, they are seldom there to help clean up the disorder and confusion that they leave in their wake. Monkeys can handle that too; with their charm and persuasiveness they can make people believe that just knowing them is a privilege.
Years and the five elements
Persons born within these date ranges can be said to have been born in the Year of the Monkey, while also bearing the following elemental sign:
* 2 February, 1908 - 21 January, 1909:
* 20 February, 1920 - 7 February, 1921:
* 6 February, 1932 - 25 January, 1933:
* 25 January, 1944 - 12 February, 1945:
* 12 February, 1956 - 30 January, 1957:
* 30 January, 1968 - 16 February, 1969:
* 16 February, 1980 - 4 February, 1981:
* 4 February, 1992 - 22 January, 1993:
* 22 January, 2004 - 8 February, 2005:
* 2016 - 2017:
* 2028 - 2029:
Attributes
The Monkey is the most versatile sign of the Chinese zodiac. Such people are often inventors, plotters, entertainers and the creative geniuses behind anything ingenious, including mischief. They have natural quick-wittedness which enables them to understand what is happening and then make a right decision. Even during a conversation a person born in this year is aware of what is going on around him/her, and then makes a mental note of who said what and stores it away for future reference. In general, with their agile minds and multiple talents, monkey types can master any subject. They are reliable and honest people so that any secret is safe in their hands. These people are also honest in their dealings and are very good at problem-solving: knowing how to listen closely and work out solutions at the same time.
Although these people are trustworthy and unlikely to hurt someone out of spite, they would never let people escape if they have behaved badly or damaged a monkey's reputation. Their stamina and determination to achieve their main goals can make these people appear vain or manipulative. People born under this sign should be careful so they do not damage their friendships. It is important to remember for these people that it would be wiser sometimes not to pursue their goals and simply let things pass.
Monkeys have flexible principles and serene self-confidence so they are completely content; but they usually manage to complicate the lives of others. After yet another plan or project has gone wrong, they are seldom there to help clean up the disorder and confusion that they leave in their wake. Monkeys can handle that too; with their charm and persuasiveness they can make people believe that just knowing them is a privilege.
Traditional Monkey Attributes/Associations
Horse (zodiac)
The Horse is the seventh of the 12 animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. The Year of the Horse is associated with the symbol .
Persons born within these date ranges can be said to have been born in the "year of the Horse," while also bearing the following elemental sign:
* 25 January, 1906 - 12 February, 1907:
* 11 February, 1918 - 31 January, 1919:
* 30 January, 1930 - 16 February, 1931:
* 15 February, 1942 - 4 February, 1943:
* 3 February, 1954 - 16 February, 1955:
* 21 January, 1966 - 8 February, 1967:
* 7 February, 1978 - 27 January, 1979:
* 27 January, 1990 - 14 February, 1991:
* 12 February, 2002 - 31 January, 2003:
* 2014 - 2015:
* 2026 - 2027:
The horse personality is often willing to give as well as expect a lot of liberty. These people are extremely independent and confident. The horse person is very quick-witted, inquisitive and determined. They are very good at recognizing patterns: she or he is on to the thought in your mind even before you've expressed it. In general, these people are gifted.They adore being the center of everyone's attention, but they prefer to be recognized for their skills and are easily flattered. On the other hand these people have an honesty and genuine warmth which attracts lots of people and helps them make new friends. People as a rule confide in a horse person because he/she is sincerely interested in their thoughts and feelings and is able to help with both wise words and an action, but there is a small problem about it - the horse person is so excited by new discoveries that it is difficult for them to keep a secret. This is not something that arises out of malice or revenge - sometimes they just cannot help themselves.
It is easy to inspire such a person by new ideas and he/she tends to act on them without delay, carried away by the excitement of the moment. But it is also important to remember that there is a danger for a horse person to be too impulsive and it may cause some problems in the future. And if they do not see the result of their efforts, it is rather natural for them to turn their attention to a new project and head off once again, brimming with new ideas. The horse person is always ready to offer good advice and can be very persuasive, but his/her confident and carefree approach hides inner doubts. Those who know such a person will recognize this, and offer the support and reassurance he/she needs. Males born under the year of the Horse are considered charming and attractive to members of the opposite sex.
Horses should beware of the , as any relationship with this sign is said to be extremely trying for the horse. Of all relationships between Chinese zodiac signs, a relationship between a rat and a horse is said to be the worst. The rat may just be too calculating, dictatorial and possessive for the free-spirited and independent horse. A relationship with a rat can potentially break down the horse's free-spirit and cause rage in the rat - as neither will be willing to yield to the other. Rats and Horses will attract each other like no other. Male Horses, especially, will find the female Rat irresistible, though they always bring out the worst in each other. Horses do get along great with , and .
Possible professions for people that are born on the year of the horse are that of a journalist, engineer, architect, a writer or novelist, an actor or a model.
Years and the Five Elements
Persons born within these date ranges can be said to have been born in the "year of the Horse," while also bearing the following elemental sign:
* 25 January, 1906 - 12 February, 1907:
* 11 February, 1918 - 31 January, 1919:
* 30 January, 1930 - 16 February, 1931:
* 15 February, 1942 - 4 February, 1943:
* 3 February, 1954 - 16 February, 1955:
* 21 January, 1966 - 8 February, 1967:
* 7 February, 1978 - 27 January, 1979:
* 27 January, 1990 - 14 February, 1991:
* 12 February, 2002 - 31 January, 2003:
* 2014 - 2015:
* 2026 - 2027:
Attributes
The horse personality is often willing to give as well as expect a lot of liberty. These people are extremely independent and confident. The horse person is very quick-witted, inquisitive and determined. They are very good at recognizing patterns: she or he is on to the thought in your mind even before you've expressed it. In general, these people are gifted.They adore being the center of everyone's attention, but they prefer to be recognized for their skills and are easily flattered. On the other hand these people have an honesty and genuine warmth which attracts lots of people and helps them make new friends. People as a rule confide in a horse person because he/she is sincerely interested in their thoughts and feelings and is able to help with both wise words and an action, but there is a small problem about it - the horse person is so excited by new discoveries that it is difficult for them to keep a secret. This is not something that arises out of malice or revenge - sometimes they just cannot help themselves.
It is easy to inspire such a person by new ideas and he/she tends to act on them without delay, carried away by the excitement of the moment. But it is also important to remember that there is a danger for a horse person to be too impulsive and it may cause some problems in the future. And if they do not see the result of their efforts, it is rather natural for them to turn their attention to a new project and head off once again, brimming with new ideas. The horse person is always ready to offer good advice and can be very persuasive, but his/her confident and carefree approach hides inner doubts. Those who know such a person will recognize this, and offer the support and reassurance he/she needs. Males born under the year of the Horse are considered charming and attractive to members of the opposite sex.
Horses should beware of the , as any relationship with this sign is said to be extremely trying for the horse. Of all relationships between Chinese zodiac signs, a relationship between a rat and a horse is said to be the worst. The rat may just be too calculating, dictatorial and possessive for the free-spirited and independent horse. A relationship with a rat can potentially break down the horse's free-spirit and cause rage in the rat - as neither will be willing to yield to the other. Rats and Horses will attract each other like no other. Male Horses, especially, will find the female Rat irresistible, though they always bring out the worst in each other. Horses do get along great with , and .
Possible professions for people that are born on the year of the horse are that of a journalist, engineer, architect, a writer or novelist, an actor or a model.
Traditional Horse Attributes/Associations
Heavenly Market enclosure
Tian Shi Yuan, the Heavenly Market Enclosure , is one of the San Yuan or Three enclosures. Stars and constellations of this group are visible during late summer and early autumn in the Northern Hemisphere . The summer triangle lies directly to the northwest.
Four Symbols (Chinese constellation)
The Four Symbols are four creatures in the Chinese constellations. They also appear in Korean mythology. They are:
*
*
*
*
Each one of them represents a direction and a season of the year, and each has its own individual characteristics and origins. They have been portrayed in many historical Chinese myths and fiction, and also appear in as well as modern Japanese and .
These Four Symbols were given human names after Daoism became popular. Azure Dragon has the name Meng Zhang 孟章; Vermilion Bird is Ling Guang 陵光; White Tiger is Jian Bing 監兵; Black Tortoise is Zhi Ming 執明.
Each of these mythological creatures has also been synthesized into the :
* : Wood
* : Fire
* : Metal
* : Water
Additionally, there is a fifth legendary beast, Huáng-lóng , or the . The cardinal direction associated with this animal is "centre," and its element is Earth.
The four legendary beasts represent a season each. The seasons they represent are as follows:
* : Spring
* : Summer
* : Autumn/Fall
* : Winter
*
*
*
*
Each one of them represents a direction and a season of the year, and each has its own individual characteristics and origins. They have been portrayed in many historical Chinese myths and fiction, and also appear in as well as modern Japanese and .
These Four Symbols were given human names after Daoism became popular. Azure Dragon has the name Meng Zhang 孟章; Vermilion Bird is Ling Guang 陵光; White Tiger is Jian Bing 監兵; Black Tortoise is Zhi Ming 執明.
Correspondence with the Five Elements
Each of these mythological creatures has also been synthesized into the :
* : Wood
* : Fire
* : Metal
* : Water
Additionally, there is a fifth legendary beast, Huáng-lóng , or the . The cardinal direction associated with this animal is "centre," and its element is Earth.
Correspondence with the Four Seasons
The four legendary beasts represent a season each. The seasons they represent are as follows:
* : Spring
* : Summer
* : Autumn/Fall
* : Winter
Four Pillars of Destiny
Four Pillars of Destiny is a conceptual term that describes the four components creating a person's destiny or fate. The four components within the moment of birth are year, month, day, and time . The four pillars is a component used alongside fortune telling practices such as Zi wei dou shu within the realm of Chinese Astrology.
* The four pillars is an English translation of the phrase ''"Shi Chen Ba Zi"''.
* The Chinese term literally translates to ''"Hour of the Eight Characters"''.
* It is also under the Chinese term which literally translates to ''"The Four Pillars Life-ology"''.
* It is commonly referred to by the shortened names of ''"Four Pillars"'' or ''"Ba Zi"''. One of the most frequently used alternate phrase is ''"Four Pillars of your birthday"''.
The years are calculated by the 12 zodiac animals with the sexagenary cycle of 60 years.
The months are presented by the inner animals.
The hours are represented by the animals within a 24 hour time span.
It began with Xu Zi Ping at the beginning of Song Dynasty. He founded the pure theoretical basis of the system. Ever since then, scholars continued to do research work on the system and published their work for further development. Representatives of this school and their publications include
* Xu Sheng 宋徐升
* Yuan Hai Zi Ping by Xu Sheng 淵海子平
* Wan Yu Wu 明萬育吾
* San Ming Tong Hui 三命通會
* Liu Ji 明劉基
* Di Tian Sui 滴天髓
* Chen Su An 清陳素庵
* Meng Li Yue Yan 命理約言
The original Chinese name "Jiang Hu Pai" has a negative implication. It refers to people who take Life Reading and Fortune Telling as a profession. Usually it is regarded as a business. These professionals may not know the theory very well. They may just memorize some formulas and also collect a lot of statistical results from their practices.
Terminology
* The four pillars is an English translation of the phrase ''"Shi Chen Ba Zi"''.
* The Chinese term literally translates to ''"Hour of the Eight Characters"''.
* It is also under the Chinese term which literally translates to ''"The Four Pillars Life-ology"''.
* It is commonly referred to by the shortened names of ''"Four Pillars"'' or ''"Ba Zi"''. One of the most frequently used alternate phrase is ''"Four Pillars of your birthday"''.
Year
The years are calculated by the 12 zodiac animals with the sexagenary cycle of 60 years.
Months
The months are presented by the inner animals.
Hours
The hours are represented by the animals within a 24 hour time span.
The Two Schools
Scholarly School
It began with Xu Zi Ping at the beginning of Song Dynasty. He founded the pure theoretical basis of the system. Ever since then, scholars continued to do research work on the system and published their work for further development. Representatives of this school and their publications include
Song Dynasty
* Xu Sheng 宋徐升
* Yuan Hai Zi Ping by Xu Sheng 淵海子平
Ming Dynasty
* Wan Yu Wu 明萬育吾
* San Ming Tong Hui 三命通會
* Liu Ji 明劉基
* Di Tian Sui 滴天髓
Qing Dynasty
* Chen Su An 清陳素庵
* Meng Li Yue Yan 命理約言
Professional School
The original Chinese name "Jiang Hu Pai" has a negative implication. It refers to people who take Life Reading and Fortune Telling as a profession. Usually it is regarded as a business. These professionals may not know the theory very well. They may just memorize some formulas and also collect a lot of statistical results from their practices.
Earthly Branches
The Earthly Branches provide one system for reckoning time.
This system was built from observations of the orbit of Jupiter. Chinese astronomers divided the celestial circle into 12 sections to follow the orbit of ''Suìxīng'' . Astronomers rounded the orbit of Suixing to 12 years . Suixing was associated with ''Sheti'' and sometimes called Sheti.
In correlative thinking, the twelve years of the Jupiter cycle also identify the twelve months of the year, twelve animals , directions, seasons, months, and in the form of double-hours. When a Branch is used for a double hour, the listed periods are meant. When used for an exact time of a day, it is the center of the period. For instance, 午 means noon or a period from 11am to 1pm.
Chinese seasons are based on observations of the sun and stars, not the weather. Many Chinese calendrical systems have started the new year on the first new moon after the .
The Earthly Branches are today used with the Heavenly Stems in the current version of the "traditional " and in Taoism. The Ganzhi combination is a fairly new way to mark time; in the Shang era it was the ten Heavenly Stems that provided the names of the days of the week. The Branches are as old as the Stems , but the Stems were tied to the ritual calendars of Chinese kings. They were not part of the calendrical systems of the majority of Chinese.
Some cultures assign different animals: Vietnam replaces the ox, rabbit, and sheep with the water buffalo, cat, and goat respectively; Japan replaces the pig with the wild boar.
Even though Chinese has words for the four cardinal directions - , , , and - Chinese and astronomers/astrologers preferred using the twelve directions of the Earthly Branches, which is somewhat similar to the modern-day practice of English-speaking pilots using ''o'clock'' for directions. Since twelve points were not enough for sailing, twelve midpoints were added. Instead of combining two adjacent direction names, they assigned new names as follows:
* For the four diagonal directions, appropriate trigram names of I Ching were used.
* For the rest, the Heavenly Stems were used. According to the Five Elements theory, east is assigned to wood, and the Stems of wood are and . Thus they were assigned clockwise to the two adjacent points of the east.
Following is a table of the 24 directions:
{|class="wikitable" table border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"
! ?
!Character
!Chinese
name
!Japanese
name
!Direction
|-tr align="center"
|1
|子||zǐ||ne
|0°
|-tr align="center"
|2
|癸||guǐ||mizunoto
|15°
|-tr align="center"
|3
|丑||chǒu||ushi
|30°
|-tr align="center"
|4
|艮||gèn||ushitora
|45°
|-tr align="center"
|5
|寅||yín||tora
|60°
|-tr align="center"
|6
|甲||jiǎ||kinoe
|75°
|-tr align="center"
|7
|卯||mǎo||u
|90°
|-tr align="center"
|8
|乙||yǐ||kinoto
|105°
|-tr align="center"
|9
|辰||chén||tatsu
|120°
|-tr align="center"
|10
|巽||xùn||tatsumi
|135°
|-tr align="center"
|11
|巳||sì||mi
|150°
|-tr align="center"
|12
|丙||bǐng||hinoe
|165°
Advanced mariners such as used 48-point compasses. An additional midpoint was called by a combination of its two closest basic directions, such as for the direction of 172.5°, the midpoint between , 165°, and , 180°.
This system was built from observations of the orbit of Jupiter. Chinese astronomers divided the celestial circle into 12 sections to follow the orbit of ''Suìxīng'' . Astronomers rounded the orbit of Suixing to 12 years . Suixing was associated with ''Sheti'' and sometimes called Sheti.
In correlative thinking, the twelve years of the Jupiter cycle also identify the twelve months of the year, twelve animals , directions, seasons, months, and in the form of double-hours. When a Branch is used for a double hour, the listed periods are meant. When used for an exact time of a day, it is the center of the period. For instance, 午 means noon or a period from 11am to 1pm.
Chinese seasons are based on observations of the sun and stars, not the weather. Many Chinese calendrical systems have started the new year on the first new moon after the .
The Earthly Branches are today used with the Heavenly Stems in the current version of the "traditional " and in Taoism. The Ganzhi combination is a fairly new way to mark time; in the Shang era it was the ten Heavenly Stems that provided the names of the days of the week. The Branches are as old as the Stems , but the Stems were tied to the ritual calendars of Chinese kings. They were not part of the calendrical systems of the majority of Chinese.
Some cultures assign different animals: Vietnam replaces the ox, rabbit, and sheep with the water buffalo, cat, and goat respectively; Japan replaces the pig with the wild boar.
Directions
Even though Chinese has words for the four cardinal directions - , , , and - Chinese and astronomers/astrologers preferred using the twelve directions of the Earthly Branches, which is somewhat similar to the modern-day practice of English-speaking pilots using ''o'clock'' for directions. Since twelve points were not enough for sailing, twelve midpoints were added. Instead of combining two adjacent direction names, they assigned new names as follows:
* For the four diagonal directions, appropriate trigram names of I Ching were used.
* For the rest, the Heavenly Stems were used. According to the Five Elements theory, east is assigned to wood, and the Stems of wood are and . Thus they were assigned clockwise to the two adjacent points of the east.
Following is a table of the 24 directions:
{|class="wikitable" table border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"
! ?
!Character
!Chinese
name
!Japanese
name
!Direction
|-tr align="center"
|1
|子||zǐ||ne
|0°
|-tr align="center"
|2
|癸||guǐ||mizunoto
|15°
|-tr align="center"
|3
|丑||chǒu||ushi
|30°
|-tr align="center"
|4
|艮||gèn||ushitora
|45°
|-tr align="center"
|5
|寅||yín||tora
|60°
|-tr align="center"
|6
|甲||jiǎ||kinoe
|75°
|-tr align="center"
|7
|卯||mǎo||u
|90°
|-tr align="center"
|8
|乙||yǐ||kinoto
|105°
|-tr align="center"
|9
|辰||chén||tatsu
|120°
|-tr align="center"
|10
|巽||xùn||tatsumi
|135°
|-tr align="center"
|11
|巳||sì||mi
|150°
|-tr align="center"
|12
|丙||bǐng||hinoe
|165°
Advanced mariners such as used 48-point compasses. An additional midpoint was called by a combination of its two closest basic directions, such as for the direction of 172.5°, the midpoint between , 165°, and , 180°.
Dragon (zodiac)
The Dragon is the only mythical creature in the Chinese zodiac. In China, dragons are associated with strength, health, harmony, and good luck; they are placed above doors or on the tops of roofs to banish demons and evil spirits. The Year of the Dragon is associated with the symbol .
Persons born within these date ranges can be said to have been born in the "year of the Dragon," while also bearing the following elemental sign:
* 16 February, 1904 - 3 February, 1905:
* 3 February, 1916 - 22 January, 1917:
* 23 January, 1928 - 9 February, 1929:
* 8 February, 1940 - 26 January, 1941:
* 27 January, 1952 - 13 February, 1953:
* 13 February, 1964 - 1 February, 1965:
* 31 January, 1976 - 17 February, 1977:
* 17 February, 1988 - 5 February, 1989:
* 5 February, 2000 - 23 January, 2001:
* 2012 - 2013:
* 2024 - 2025:
The is omnipotent. He/she is flamboyant, attractive and full of vitality and strength. In China, the Dragon is the sign of the Emperor of China or the male element Yang. The Dragon is the symbol of power and wealth.
It would be right to say that people born in the year of the dragon have a natural charisma and are certainly gifted with power and luck. It is unlikely for them to escape unnoticed from a party or to take second place in a competition. The dragon person has an active mind and shows an unfeigned interest in the world around him/her. This person is also self-confident enough to know how to create a necessary impression. Because they are larger than life themselves, dragon people like to do everything on a grand scale. They are egotistical self-aggrandizing and ambitious, almost to the point of megalomania. They will stop at nothing to get what they want. A person born in this year wears the crown of destiny, and is capable of great achievements if he or she knows how to harness his or her tremendous energy, intelligence and talent. While these people enjoy being the center of attention, they also have a brave and charitable side to their personality. If a dragon's friend faces a problem or dilemma, he or she will be there to offer help, and when others leave the field of battle the dragon takes a step forward to solve the problem with authority and dignity. Dragons set a high standard of actions for themselves as well as for other people and are surprised when others cannot cope with a task; they are so carried away by the process that they fail to see other people's weaknesses.
Ideal jobs for dragons include kings, military officer, politician, musician, buffers, poet, artist, biological and environmental engineer, stockbroker, athlete, trade union leader, company director, explorer, and attorney.
The Dragon is most compatible with the , , and .
Years and the Five Elements
Persons born within these date ranges can be said to have been born in the "year of the Dragon," while also bearing the following elemental sign:
* 16 February, 1904 - 3 February, 1905:
* 3 February, 1916 - 22 January, 1917:
* 23 January, 1928 - 9 February, 1929:
* 8 February, 1940 - 26 January, 1941:
* 27 January, 1952 - 13 February, 1953:
* 13 February, 1964 - 1 February, 1965:
* 31 January, 1976 - 17 February, 1977:
* 17 February, 1988 - 5 February, 1989:
* 5 February, 2000 - 23 January, 2001:
* 2012 - 2013:
* 2024 - 2025:
Attributes
The is omnipotent. He/she is flamboyant, attractive and full of vitality and strength. In China, the Dragon is the sign of the Emperor of China or the male element Yang. The Dragon is the symbol of power and wealth.
It would be right to say that people born in the year of the dragon have a natural charisma and are certainly gifted with power and luck. It is unlikely for them to escape unnoticed from a party or to take second place in a competition. The dragon person has an active mind and shows an unfeigned interest in the world around him/her. This person is also self-confident enough to know how to create a necessary impression. Because they are larger than life themselves, dragon people like to do everything on a grand scale. They are egotistical self-aggrandizing and ambitious, almost to the point of megalomania. They will stop at nothing to get what they want. A person born in this year wears the crown of destiny, and is capable of great achievements if he or she knows how to harness his or her tremendous energy, intelligence and talent. While these people enjoy being the center of attention, they also have a brave and charitable side to their personality. If a dragon's friend faces a problem or dilemma, he or she will be there to offer help, and when others leave the field of battle the dragon takes a step forward to solve the problem with authority and dignity. Dragons set a high standard of actions for themselves as well as for other people and are surprised when others cannot cope with a task; they are so carried away by the process that they fail to see other people's weaknesses.
Ideal jobs for dragons include kings, military officer, politician, musician, buffers, poet, artist, biological and environmental engineer, stockbroker, athlete, trade union leader, company director, explorer, and attorney.
The Dragon is most compatible with the , , and .
Traditional Dragon Attributes/Associations
Dog (zodiac)
The Dog is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. The Year of the Dog is associated with the symbol . The character 狗 refers to the actual animal while 戌 refers to the zodiac animal.
Persons born within these date ranges for the zodiacal Dog bear the following elemental sign:
* 10 February, 1910 - 29 January, 1911:
* 28 January, 1922 - 15 February, 1923:
* 14 February, 1934 - 2 February, 1935:
* 2 February, 1946 - 21 January, 1947:
* 18 February, 1958 - 7 February, 1959:
* 6 February, 1970 - 26 January, 1971:
* 25 January, 1982 - 12 February, 1983:
* 9 February, 1994 - 30 January, 1995:
* 29 January, 2006 - 17 February, 2007:
* 2018 - 2019:
* 2030 - 2031:
Like his animal namesake, he is Loyal. He is the one who people are most likely to turn to when they need help. The dog person will come through every time. That is because he/she is sensitive to others and empathizes with them, particularly if someone has suffered an injustice; he/she reacts quickly with the same feeling as though he/she had been personally offended. Friends know that they can rely upon their Dog friend to keep a promise or remain cool in a crisis. Dog People are somewhat selfish, terribly stubborn, and eccentric. They can find fault with many things and are noted for their sharp tongues. Dogs are also considered to be extremely good looking, smart, graceful, likeable and nice.
Dog types are honest, intelligent and straightforward. They will take on any responsibility that is given to them and you can be sure that they will do their job well.
People born in this year tend to be difficult, upset and shocked more often than the other signs.
Dog types do not tolerate weakness. They will work to push the weakness or the whole person with weakness out of their lives if the behavior continues.
Dogs ideal jobs: politician, scientist, actor/actress, teacher, writer, movie director, secret agent, pub landlord/landlady.
Years and associated five elements
Persons born within these date ranges for the zodiacal Dog bear the following elemental sign:
* 10 February, 1910 - 29 January, 1911:
* 28 January, 1922 - 15 February, 1923:
* 14 February, 1934 - 2 February, 1935:
* 2 February, 1946 - 21 January, 1947:
* 18 February, 1958 - 7 February, 1959:
* 6 February, 1970 - 26 January, 1971:
* 25 January, 1982 - 12 February, 1983:
* 9 February, 1994 - 30 January, 1995:
* 29 January, 2006 - 17 February, 2007:
* 2018 - 2019:
* 2030 - 2031:
Attributes
Like his animal namesake, he is Loyal. He is the one who people are most likely to turn to when they need help. The dog person will come through every time. That is because he/she is sensitive to others and empathizes with them, particularly if someone has suffered an injustice; he/she reacts quickly with the same feeling as though he/she had been personally offended. Friends know that they can rely upon their Dog friend to keep a promise or remain cool in a crisis. Dog People are somewhat selfish, terribly stubborn, and eccentric. They can find fault with many things and are noted for their sharp tongues. Dogs are also considered to be extremely good looking, smart, graceful, likeable and nice.
Dog types are honest, intelligent and straightforward. They will take on any responsibility that is given to them and you can be sure that they will do their job well.
People born in this year tend to be difficult, upset and shocked more often than the other signs.
Dog types do not tolerate weakness. They will work to push the weakness or the whole person with weakness out of their lives if the behavior continues.
Dogs ideal jobs: politician, scientist, actor/actress, teacher, writer, movie director, secret agent, pub landlord/landlady.
Traditional Dog attributes/associations
Chinese constellations
Chinese constellations are the way ancient Chinese grouped the stars. They are very different from the modern recognized constellations, which were based on Greek astronomy, or the Nakshatras of the Indian astronomy. This is due to the independent development of ancient Chinese astronomy.
Ancient Chinese skywatchers divided their night sky into 31 regions, namely Three Enclosures and Twenty-eight Mansions . The Three Enclosures occupy the area close to the North Celestial Pole. The stars in the Three Enclosures can be seen all year around.
The Twenty-eight Mansions occupy the zodiac region of the sky. They can be considered as the equivalent to the 12 zodiacal constellations in the Western Astronomy. Contrary to the Western Astronomy, the Twenty-eight Mansions reflect the movement of the Moon in a lunar month rather than the Sun in a Solar Year.
The Three Enclosures and the Twenty-Eight Mansions are further divided into 23 s. Each visible star is assigned into one of the asterisms. Some of the asterisms only have one star. Traditionally, a star is named by combining the name of its asterism with a number.
The Three Enclosures are the Purple Forbidden enclosure , the Supreme Palace enclosure and the Heavenly Market enclosure . The Purple Forbidden Enclosure occupies the northernmost area of the night sky. From the viewpoint of the ancient Chinese, the Purple Forbidden Enclosure lies in the middle of the sky, and is circled by all the other stars.
The Supreme Palace Enclosure lies east and north to the Purple Forbidden Enclosure, while the Heavenly Market Enclosure lies west and south. The Three Enclosures are separated by "walls", which are asterisms with their shapes resembling their namesakes.
The zodiac is listed below,
The sky around the south celestial pole was unknown to ancient Chinese. Therefore, it was not included in the Three Enclosures and Twenty-Eight Mansions system. However, by the end of the Ming Dynasty, Xu Guangqi introduced another 23 asterisms based on the knowledge of western star charts. These asterisms were since incorporated into the traditional Chinese star maps.
Ancient Chinese astronomers designated names to the visible stars systematically, roughly more than one thousand years before Johann Bayer did it in a similar way. Basically, every star is assigned to an asterism. Then a number is given to the individual stars in this asterism. Therefore, a star is designated as "Asterism name" + "Number". The numbering of the stars in an asterism, however, is not based on the apparent magnitude of this star as in Bayer designation, but rather its position in the asterism.
For example, Altair is named 河鼓二 in Chinese. 河鼓 is the name of the asterism . 二 is the number designation . Therefore it literally means "the Second Star of the Drum at the River.
Some stars also have traditional name, often related with mythology or astrology. For example, Altair is more commonly known as 牛郎星 or 牵牛星 in Chinese, after the mythologic story of Cowherd and Weaver Girl.
These designations are still used in modern Chinese astronomy. All the stars using the traditional name in English are routinely translated with traditional Chinese designations, instead of the translation of its catalogue names.
Ancient Chinese skywatchers divided their night sky into 31 regions, namely Three Enclosures and Twenty-eight Mansions . The Three Enclosures occupy the area close to the North Celestial Pole. The stars in the Three Enclosures can be seen all year around.
The Twenty-eight Mansions occupy the zodiac region of the sky. They can be considered as the equivalent to the 12 zodiacal constellations in the Western Astronomy. Contrary to the Western Astronomy, the Twenty-eight Mansions reflect the movement of the Moon in a lunar month rather than the Sun in a Solar Year.
The Three Enclosures and the Twenty-Eight Mansions are further divided into 23 s. Each visible star is assigned into one of the asterisms. Some of the asterisms only have one star. Traditionally, a star is named by combining the name of its asterism with a number.
Three Enclosures
The Three Enclosures are the Purple Forbidden enclosure , the Supreme Palace enclosure and the Heavenly Market enclosure . The Purple Forbidden Enclosure occupies the northernmost area of the night sky. From the viewpoint of the ancient Chinese, the Purple Forbidden Enclosure lies in the middle of the sky, and is circled by all the other stars.
The Supreme Palace Enclosure lies east and north to the Purple Forbidden Enclosure, while the Heavenly Market Enclosure lies west and south. The Three Enclosures are separated by "walls", which are asterisms with their shapes resembling their namesakes.
The Twenty-Eight Mansions
The zodiac is listed below,
The Southern Asterisms
The sky around the south celestial pole was unknown to ancient Chinese. Therefore, it was not included in the Three Enclosures and Twenty-Eight Mansions system. However, by the end of the Ming Dynasty, Xu Guangqi introduced another 23 asterisms based on the knowledge of western star charts. These asterisms were since incorporated into the traditional Chinese star maps.
Chinese Star Designation
Ancient Chinese astronomers designated names to the visible stars systematically, roughly more than one thousand years before Johann Bayer did it in a similar way. Basically, every star is assigned to an asterism. Then a number is given to the individual stars in this asterism. Therefore, a star is designated as "Asterism name" + "Number". The numbering of the stars in an asterism, however, is not based on the apparent magnitude of this star as in Bayer designation, but rather its position in the asterism.
For example, Altair is named 河鼓二 in Chinese. 河鼓 is the name of the asterism . 二 is the number designation . Therefore it literally means "the Second Star of the Drum at the River.
Some stars also have traditional name, often related with mythology or astrology. For example, Altair is more commonly known as 牛郎星 or 牵牛星 in Chinese, after the mythologic story of Cowherd and Weaver Girl.
These designations are still used in modern Chinese astronomy. All the stars using the traditional name in English are routinely translated with traditional Chinese designations, instead of the translation of its catalogue names.
Chinese bronze zodiac
The Chinese bronze zodiacs were a set of 12 bronze figurehead sculptures that were looted from the Old Summer Palace by British and French expeditionary forces during the Second Opium War in 1860.
The 12 bronze figureheads were part of a water clock fountain at Hall of the Calm Sea situated in the Garden of Eternal Spring
The 12 bronze figureheads represented the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac with the main bodies carved out of stone and heads cast from bronze. They were designed by the European missionaries serving the Qing Court at the time, and were made by court artisans.
The recovery of the 12 figureheads have become a national priority in recent years. The current status are as follows:
The Chinese collection are being housed at the Poly Art Museum, Beijing. The Rabbit and Rat are part of a private European collection housed in France.
History
The 12 bronze figureheads were part of a water clock fountain at Hall of the Calm Sea situated in the Garden of Eternal Spring
The 12 bronze figureheads represented the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac with the main bodies carved out of stone and heads cast from bronze. They were designed by the European missionaries serving the Qing Court at the time, and were made by court artisans.
Current status
The recovery of the 12 figureheads have become a national priority in recent years. The current status are as follows:
The Chinese collection are being housed at the Poly Art Museum, Beijing. The Rabbit and Rat are part of a private European collection housed in France.
Celestial stem
Celestial stem is an ancient cyclic character numeral system: Jia , Yi , Bing , Ding , Wu , Ji , Geng , Xin , Ren , Gui . They were first used for dates in the Shang Dynasty, and are now used with the twelve Earthly Branches in the Sexagenary cycle. They are associated with the concepts of yin and yang and the .
The Shang people had a myth in which there were ten suns, each of which appears in order in a ten-day cycle . The Heavenly Stems were the names of the ten suns and were found in the kings' of the Shang given names. Some historians think the ruling class of the Shang had ten clans, but it is not clear whether their society reflected the myth or vice versa. The association to Yin Yang and the Five Elements occurred later, after the collapse of the Shang Dynasty.
The literal meaning of the characters was roughly as follows:
The Stems are still commonly used nowadays in China in counting systems similar to the way the alphabet is used in , namely,
* Students' grades: with an additional ''Yōu'' before ''Jiǎ'' .
* Names in legal documents and contracts where English speakers would use A, B, C, etc.
* Choices on multiple choice exams, surveys, etc.
* Naming of s
* Naming of diseases
* Naming of sports leagues
* Vitamins' names
* Naming characters entertaining a dialogue in a short text
China, Korea and Japan also use heavenly stems on legal documents in this way. In Korea, letters ''gap'' and ''eul'' are consistently used to denote the larger and the smaller contractor in a legal contract, and are sometimes used as synonyms for such; such usage is common in the Korean industry.
Table
Origin
The Shang people had a myth in which there were ten suns, each of which appears in order in a ten-day cycle . The Heavenly Stems were the names of the ten suns and were found in the kings' of the Shang given names. Some historians think the ruling class of the Shang had ten clans, but it is not clear whether their society reflected the myth or vice versa. The association to Yin Yang and the Five Elements occurred later, after the collapse of the Shang Dynasty.
The literal meaning of the characters was roughly as follows:
Current usage
The Stems are still commonly used nowadays in China in counting systems similar to the way the alphabet is used in , namely,
* Students' grades: with an additional ''Yōu'' before ''Jiǎ'' .
* Names in legal documents and contracts where English speakers would use A, B, C, etc.
* Choices on multiple choice exams, surveys, etc.
* Naming of s
* Naming of diseases
* Naming of sports leagues
* Vitamins' names
* Naming characters entertaining a dialogue in a short text
China, Korea and Japan also use heavenly stems on legal documents in this way. In Korea, letters ''gap'' and ''eul'' are consistently used to denote the larger and the smaller contractor in a legal contract, and are sometimes used as synonyms for such; such usage is common in the Korean industry.
傷官 (Four Pillars of Destiny)
The 傷官 is a pronoun and a concept in Four Pillars of Destiny.
For the complete research of Four Pillars of Destiny , it is the most important concept.The ''傷官'' worker is too complicated and sometimes chenges into an extreme effector.
The ''傷官'' term is also the relative pronoun among the ''Heavenly Stems''.When we have our birthday as ''甲子'' , ''甲戌'' , ''甲申'' , ''甲午'' , ''甲辰'' , ''甲寅'',in Chinese calendar,
the will belong to the ''傷官''.
;On the Other Heavenly Stems
*When we have the Heavenly Stems as ''甲'' in our birthday , the ''丁'' acts as a ''傷官'' factor.
;as follows
* 乙 : 丙
* 丙 : 己
* 丁 : 戊
* 戊 : 辛
* 己 : 庚
* 庚 : 癸
* 辛 : 壬
* 壬 : 乙
* 癸 : 甲
*Generally speaking , the ''傷官'' is the symbol of our splendid talents , our brilliant appearances , our academic seekings .
*The freedom of speech , freedom of thinking , freedom of expression are releted to the ''傷官''.
*When we have not the appropriate ''傷官'' in our dayly life , we may be in confusions.Often we will be involved in the terrorism.
*The ''傷官'' is also the symbol of sword , slash.Consequently the 傷官 will be no preferred in our usual society.
*The figures with ''傷官'' is usually bright and beautiful , however the true and real successes in the life is another.
*Hirohito : His birthday is 29 April 1901.We call the Greenery Day in Japan.
The chart is as belows.
**The year of birth : 1901 : 辛丑
**The month of birth : April : 壬辰
**The day of birth : 29th : 丁丑
**The time of birth : one quarter past 10 at night : 辛亥
:The main structure of his chart is ''傷官'' ''格''.
:The day of 丁 meets April , the month of , the month of ''戊''. Then we gain the ''傷官''.
:The most important elements and workers in his chart is the ''甲'' or ''乙''.
:The is also the worker for the controlling of ''傷官''.
:In 1945 , in the year of ''乙酉'' , the Inju has no working.
:The Heavenly Stem ''乙'' is in . We had been defeated in World War II and atomic bomb explosions have been suffering since then.
;Additional
The ''Dai Un'' is as belows.
The beginning of April in Lunar calendar is the 5th day. So we have 24 days from 5 to his birthday.One month is equivalent to ten years in ''Dai Un''.The 24 days are equivalent to
8 years.
*From the age of 8 to the age of 18 : 辛卯
*18 to 28 : 庚寅 : corresponding the reign and beginning of Showa Period in 1926
*28 to 38 : 己丑 : the beginning of Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937
*38 to 48 : 戊子 : World War II
*48 to 58 : 丁亥
*58 to 68 : 丙戌
*68 to 78 : 乙酉
*78 to 88 : 甲申 : The end of Showa Period in 1989
*88 to 98 : 癸未
For the complete research of Four Pillars of Destiny , it is the most important concept.The ''傷官'' worker is too complicated and sometimes chenges into an extreme effector.
The Definitions of ''傷官''
The ''傷官'' term is also the relative pronoun among the ''Heavenly Stems''.When we have our birthday as ''甲子'' , ''甲戌'' , ''甲申'' , ''甲午'' , ''甲辰'' , ''甲寅'',in Chinese calendar,
the will belong to the ''傷官''.
;On the Other Heavenly Stems
*When we have the Heavenly Stems as ''甲'' in our birthday , the ''丁'' acts as a ''傷官'' factor.
;as follows
* 乙 : 丙
* 丙 : 己
* 丁 : 戊
* 戊 : 辛
* 己 : 庚
* 庚 : 癸
* 辛 : 壬
* 壬 : 乙
* 癸 : 甲
The meanings of ''傷官''
*Generally speaking , the ''傷官'' is the symbol of our splendid talents , our brilliant appearances , our academic seekings .
*The freedom of speech , freedom of thinking , freedom of expression are releted to the ''傷官''.
*When we have not the appropriate ''傷官'' in our dayly life , we may be in confusions.Often we will be involved in the terrorism.
*The ''傷官'' is also the symbol of sword , slash.Consequently the 傷官 will be no preferred in our usual society.
*The figures with ''傷官'' is usually bright and beautiful , however the true and real successes in the life is another.
Examples
*Hirohito : His birthday is 29 April 1901.We call the Greenery Day in Japan.
The chart is as belows.
**The year of birth : 1901 : 辛丑
**The month of birth : April : 壬辰
**The day of birth : 29th : 丁丑
**The time of birth : one quarter past 10 at night : 辛亥
:The main structure of his chart is ''傷官'' ''格''.
:The day of 丁 meets April , the month of , the month of ''戊''. Then we gain the ''傷官''.
:The most important elements and workers in his chart is the ''甲'' or ''乙''.
:The is also the worker for the controlling of ''傷官''.
:In 1945 , in the year of ''乙酉'' , the Inju has no working.
:The Heavenly Stem ''乙'' is in . We had been defeated in World War II and atomic bomb explosions have been suffering since then.
;Additional
The ''Dai Un'' is as belows.
The beginning of April in Lunar calendar is the 5th day. So we have 24 days from 5 to his birthday.One month is equivalent to ten years in ''Dai Un''.The 24 days are equivalent to
8 years.
*From the age of 8 to the age of 18 : 辛卯
*18 to 28 : 庚寅 : corresponding the reign and beginning of Showa Period in 1926
*28 to 38 : 己丑 : the beginning of Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937
*38 to 48 : 戊子 : World War II
*48 to 58 : 丁亥
*58 to 68 : 丙戌
*68 to 78 : 乙酉
*78 to 88 : 甲申 : The end of Showa Period in 1989
*88 to 98 : 癸未
Zi wei dou shu
Zi Wei Dou Shu is a form of fortune-telling in Chinese culture. It remains one of the most well-respected process for laying out "The Destiny Path" or "Fate".
* Zi Wei - Literally translated as the "Purple Emperor", it is the most auspicious star in the chart.
* Dou Shu means calculation.
Zi Wei Dou Shu thus means the study of a person's life based on the movement and location of the Zi Wei Star and 100+ other stars at the specific time the person was born.
The procedure is sometimes loosely called as a street term. Literally meaning to cut or "split life" in phases for analysis.
The requester, or the person seeking the fortune telling advice, presents the Four Pillars of Destiny to the fortune interpreter. This information covers a person's moment of birth: year, month, day, and time. Without this crucial information, the analysis cannot take place. Chinese name or strokes in the characters that make up one's name is also requested at times for further refinement in the analysis at times.
Using Chinese astrology in combination with Chinese constellation, calculations are worked out to chart the stars into 12 different palaces or Gong . This would then be one's Natal Birth Chart or Mìng Pán .
By integrating the stars and palaces, their attributes, environmental factors, the , Yin and Yang concept and all the possible combinations and variations, not only can personalities be understood, but personal and professional relationships can be predicted. The end result is a calculated translation of one's destiny in detail including events that have already happened in the past for verification purposes.
The plotting of one's birth chart is not difficult. What is difficult in Zi Wei Dou Shu is the complex system of interpretation that allows us to 'see' the blueprint of our lives.
The Zi Wei Dou Shu concept was devised by a Taoist named Lu Chun Yang . It was then developed by Chen Xi Yi during the Song Dynasty and later on Luo Hong Xian 羅洪先 during the Ming Dynasty to the present day format. Its exact origin, however, is still debated among the different schools, and should not be taken as a guaranteed historical context.
Chinese Astrology has always been closely intertwined with Astronomy. Gifted astronomer/astrologers were recruited as officials to work in Imperial Courts during the . In those days, astrological charts were delineated for the as his personal fate has a direct bearing on that of his kingdom. The court astrologers played an important role in determining the successor to the throne also.
Astrologers observed the stars and noticed that among so many stars, only one was seemingly stationary while the rest revolved around it. As it was also the brightest, the star was named the "Emperor Star" - the celestial equivalent of the Emperor.
The most basic interpretations should be able cover the following. These are just examples.
* Position of birth within family. Such as whether one is the oldest, middle child, youngest child.
* Shifts in luck.
* At which age will there be a shift in "phase" in your life.
* Era of fortune.
* Romance and relationships.
The more advanced interpretations may reveal the following. These are just some examples.
* Class in society. For example, an individual born a peasant, does not mean that he/she will die as one. Vice versa, a king may not live like one.
* Possible time of death, and means.
* Information about one's soulmate.
* Personality matching of compatibility and incompatibility.
* What climate or region is most beneficial.
* Is your mindset of eastern or western origin. Such as will you actually find it easier learning Chinese than English.
* Information regarding your parents.
As with all other forms of fortune-telling, the Chinese do not generally see astrology as an infallible guide to what will happen, but more as a form of weather forecasting in detail. Knowledge about events to come, may allow one to gauge the situation and make decisions from a position of strength. Zi Wei Dou Shu approaches the world and events from the idea that, to view things in their proper context, it is important to recognise the spiritual dynamic of the universe to find the pattern of change that leads to fundamental truth.
The 12 Palaces, or Shí ?r Gōng are arranged in Anti-clockwise direction in this fixed sequence.
# Life Palace
# Siblings Palace
# Marriage Palace
# Children Palace
# Wealth Palace
# Health Palace
# Travel Palace
# Friends, Servants Palace
# Career Palace
# Property Palace
# Fortune, Virtue Palace
# Parents Palace
In addition, there is a 13th Palace called or literally, Body Palace. It is as important as any of the other 12 Palaces in interpreting one's life events. Palaces, or Gōng originated from the concept of house or temple or a space where spirits or souls live in. "Space" does not exist outside "time",
so each palace can relate to the time span of events happening in the particular Gōng.
As mentioned earlier, the essence of Zi Wei Dou Shu lies in the interpretation, and not the plotting of a Birth Chart. Thus, a lot of masters spent years or decades doing case studies before seeing their fruits of their labour.
Terminology
* Zi Wei - Literally translated as the "Purple Emperor", it is the most auspicious star in the chart.
* Dou Shu means calculation.
Zi Wei Dou Shu thus means the study of a person's life based on the movement and location of the Zi Wei Star and 100+ other stars at the specific time the person was born.
Additional Terminology
The procedure is sometimes loosely called as a street term. Literally meaning to cut or "split life" in phases for analysis.
Practice
The requester, or the person seeking the fortune telling advice, presents the Four Pillars of Destiny to the fortune interpreter. This information covers a person's moment of birth: year, month, day, and time. Without this crucial information, the analysis cannot take place. Chinese name or strokes in the characters that make up one's name is also requested at times for further refinement in the analysis at times.
Using Chinese astrology in combination with Chinese constellation, calculations are worked out to chart the stars into 12 different palaces or Gong . This would then be one's Natal Birth Chart or Mìng Pán .
By integrating the stars and palaces, their attributes, environmental factors, the , Yin and Yang concept and all the possible combinations and variations, not only can personalities be understood, but personal and professional relationships can be predicted. The end result is a calculated translation of one's destiny in detail including events that have already happened in the past for verification purposes.
The plotting of one's birth chart is not difficult. What is difficult in Zi Wei Dou Shu is the complex system of interpretation that allows us to 'see' the blueprint of our lives.
History
The Zi Wei Dou Shu concept was devised by a Taoist named Lu Chun Yang . It was then developed by Chen Xi Yi during the Song Dynasty and later on Luo Hong Xian 羅洪先 during the Ming Dynasty to the present day format. Its exact origin, however, is still debated among the different schools, and should not be taken as a guaranteed historical context.
Chinese Astrology has always been closely intertwined with Astronomy. Gifted astronomer/astrologers were recruited as officials to work in Imperial Courts during the . In those days, astrological charts were delineated for the as his personal fate has a direct bearing on that of his kingdom. The court astrologers played an important role in determining the successor to the throne also.
Astrologers observed the stars and noticed that among so many stars, only one was seemingly stationary while the rest revolved around it. As it was also the brightest, the star was named the "Emperor Star" - the celestial equivalent of the Emperor.
Interpretation
The most basic interpretations should be able cover the following. These are just examples.
* Position of birth within family. Such as whether one is the oldest, middle child, youngest child.
* Shifts in luck.
* At which age will there be a shift in "phase" in your life.
* Era of fortune.
* Romance and relationships.
The more advanced interpretations may reveal the following. These are just some examples.
* Class in society. For example, an individual born a peasant, does not mean that he/she will die as one. Vice versa, a king may not live like one.
* Possible time of death, and means.
* Information about one's soulmate.
* Personality matching of compatibility and incompatibility.
* What climate or region is most beneficial.
* Is your mindset of eastern or western origin. Such as will you actually find it easier learning Chinese than English.
* Information regarding your parents.
Chinese Society
As with all other forms of fortune-telling, the Chinese do not generally see astrology as an infallible guide to what will happen, but more as a form of weather forecasting in detail. Knowledge about events to come, may allow one to gauge the situation and make decisions from a position of strength. Zi Wei Dou Shu approaches the world and events from the idea that, to view things in their proper context, it is important to recognise the spiritual dynamic of the universe to find the pattern of change that leads to fundamental truth.
Zi Wei Birth Chart
The 12 Palaces, or Shí ?r Gōng are arranged in Anti-clockwise direction in this fixed sequence.
# Life Palace
# Siblings Palace
# Marriage Palace
# Children Palace
# Wealth Palace
# Health Palace
# Travel Palace
# Friends, Servants Palace
# Career Palace
# Property Palace
# Fortune, Virtue Palace
# Parents Palace
In addition, there is a 13th Palace called or literally, Body Palace. It is as important as any of the other 12 Palaces in interpreting one's life events. Palaces, or Gōng originated from the concept of house or temple or a space where spirits or souls live in. "Space" does not exist outside "time",
so each palace can relate to the time span of events happening in the particular Gōng.
As mentioned earlier, the essence of Zi Wei Dou Shu lies in the interpretation, and not the plotting of a Birth Chart. Thus, a lot of masters spent years or decades doing case studies before seeing their fruits of their labour.
Wood (classical element)
In traditional Chinese philosophy, Wood is classified as one of the Wu xing , or the Five Elements, also translated as five phases, five movements or five steps, by which all natural phenomena can be explained. The system of five elements was used for describing interactions and relationships between phenomena. It was employed in many fields of early Chinese thought, including seemingly disparate fields such as geomancy and Feng shui, , traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese alchemy, music, military strategy and martial arts. The original foundation for the idea is based on the concept of the .
Wood is yang or masculine in character, it is associated with springtime, the east, the planet , the colors brown or green, and with windy conditions. Its Primal Spirit is represented by the Azure Dragon.
In Chinese thought, ''Wood'' attributes are considered to be strength and flexibility, as with bamboo. It is also associated with qualities of warmth, generosity, co-operation and idealism. The Wood person will be expansive, outgoing and socially conscious. The wood element is one that seeks always to grow and expand. Wood heralds the beginning of life, springtime and buds, sensuality and fecundity. Wood needs moisture to thrive.
In Chinese medicine, wood is associated with negative feelings of anger or , and positive feelings of patience and altruism. associated with this element are the liver and the gall bladder , the eyes and the tendons.
In Chinese astrology wood is included in the 10 heavenly stems , which combine with the 12 earthly branches , to form the . Yang wood years end in 4 , while Yin years end in 5 . Wood governs the Chinese zodiac signs , , , and .
Although it traditionally is not included in the Western scheme of elements, some western astrologers have suggested that wood should be recognised as a 'combined element' or 'material' derived from and ; just as Jupiter rules the sign of and the sign of .
In the regenerative cycle of the elements, Water engenders Wood, as rain or dew makes plant life flourish; and Wood begets Fire as fire is generated by rubbing together two pieces of wood. In the conquest cycle, Wood overcomes Earth by binding it together with the roots of trees; and Metal overcomes Wood, as the metal axe can fell even the largest tree.
Wood is yang or masculine in character, it is associated with springtime, the east, the planet , the colors brown or green, and with windy conditions. Its Primal Spirit is represented by the Azure Dragon.
Attributes
In Chinese thought, ''Wood'' attributes are considered to be strength and flexibility, as with bamboo. It is also associated with qualities of warmth, generosity, co-operation and idealism. The Wood person will be expansive, outgoing and socially conscious. The wood element is one that seeks always to grow and expand. Wood heralds the beginning of life, springtime and buds, sensuality and fecundity. Wood needs moisture to thrive.
In Chinese medicine, wood is associated with negative feelings of anger or , and positive feelings of patience and altruism. associated with this element are the liver and the gall bladder , the eyes and the tendons.
In Chinese astrology wood is included in the 10 heavenly stems , which combine with the 12 earthly branches , to form the . Yang wood years end in 4 , while Yin years end in 5 . Wood governs the Chinese zodiac signs , , , and .
Although it traditionally is not included in the Western scheme of elements, some western astrologers have suggested that wood should be recognised as a 'combined element' or 'material' derived from and ; just as Jupiter rules the sign of and the sign of .
Cycle of the elements
In the regenerative cycle of the elements, Water engenders Wood, as rain or dew makes plant life flourish; and Wood begets Fire as fire is generated by rubbing together two pieces of wood. In the conquest cycle, Wood overcomes Earth by binding it together with the roots of trees; and Metal overcomes Wood, as the metal axe can fell even the largest tree.
Twenty-eight mansions
are 28 mansions in Chinese astronomy.
Chinese skywatchers divided the sky ecliptic into four regions, each assigned with an animal, they are on the east, on the north, on the west, and on the south. Each region contains seven mansions, making 28 mansions in total, called twenty-eight mansions. The mansions or ''xiù'' are latitudes the Moon crosses during its monthly journey around Earth and serve as a way to track the Moon's progress.
A similar system is used in Hindu astronomy.
Introduction
Chinese skywatchers divided the sky ecliptic into four regions, each assigned with an animal, they are on the east, on the north, on the west, and on the south. Each region contains seven mansions, making 28 mansions in total, called twenty-eight mansions. The mansions or ''xiù'' are latitudes the Moon crosses during its monthly journey around Earth and serve as a way to track the Moon's progress.
A similar system is used in Hindu astronomy.
Link
Timeline of Chinese astronomy
This is a timeline of records and investigations in astronomy.
*2137 BC, October 22- Chinese book Classic of History; records the earliest known solar eclipse on October 22.
*ca. 2000 BC - Chinese determine that Jupiter needs 12 years to complete one revolution of its orbit.
*ca. 1400 BC - Chinese record the regularity of solar and lunar eclipses and the earliest known Solar prominence and two novas .
*ca. 1200 BC - Chinese divide the sky into twenty eight regions; for recognitions of the stars.
*ca. 1100 BC - Chinese first determine the spring equinox.
*776 BC - Chinese make the earliest reliable record of solar eclipse.
*613 BC, July - A Comet, possibly Comet Halley, record in Spring and Autumn Annals .
*532 BC - A nova was recorded in Records of the Grand Historian and Zuo Zhuan .
*28 BC - Chinese history book Book of Han makes earliest known dated record of sunspot.
*185 AD - The earliest recorded supernova of RCW 86
*687 - Chinese make earliest known record of meteor shower.
*1054 - On July 4th, Chinese astronomers noted the appearance of a ''guest star'', the supernova now called the Crab Nebula, M1.
*1088 - In his ''Dream Pool Essays'', the polymath Chinese scientist Shen Kuo wrote of his findings for the improved meridian measurement between the polestar and true north, which was an invaluable concept for aiding navigation by use of the magnetic compass. Shen Kuo also argued for spherical celestial bodies by using evidence of lunar eclipse and solar eclipse, which promoted spherical earth theory and went against flat earth theory.
*2137 BC, October 22- Chinese book Classic of History; records the earliest known solar eclipse on October 22.
*ca. 2000 BC - Chinese determine that Jupiter needs 12 years to complete one revolution of its orbit.
*ca. 1400 BC - Chinese record the regularity of solar and lunar eclipses and the earliest known Solar prominence and two novas .
*ca. 1200 BC - Chinese divide the sky into twenty eight regions; for recognitions of the stars.
*ca. 1100 BC - Chinese first determine the spring equinox.
*776 BC - Chinese make the earliest reliable record of solar eclipse.
*613 BC, July - A Comet, possibly Comet Halley, record in Spring and Autumn Annals .
*532 BC - A nova was recorded in Records of the Grand Historian and Zuo Zhuan .
*28 BC - Chinese history book Book of Han makes earliest known dated record of sunspot.
*185 AD - The earliest recorded supernova of RCW 86
*687 - Chinese make earliest known record of meteor shower.
*1054 - On July 4th, Chinese astronomers noted the appearance of a ''guest star'', the supernova now called the Crab Nebula, M1.
*1088 - In his ''Dream Pool Essays'', the polymath Chinese scientist Shen Kuo wrote of his findings for the improved meridian measurement between the polestar and true north, which was an invaluable concept for aiding navigation by use of the magnetic compass. Shen Kuo also argued for spherical celestial bodies by using evidence of lunar eclipse and solar eclipse, which promoted spherical earth theory and went against flat earth theory.
Tiger (zodiac)
The Tiger , associated with good fortune, power, and royalty, is viewed with both fear and respect. Their protection and wisdom is sought after. The Chinese see the tiger, and not the lion, as the king of beasts. The Year of the Tiger is associated with the earthly branch symbol .
People born within these date ranges can be said to have been born in the "Year Of The Tiger," while also bearing the following elemental sign:
* 8 February, 1902 - 28 January, 1903:
* 26 January, 1914 - 13 February, 1915:
* 13 February, 1926 - 1 February, 1927:
* 31 January, 1938 - 18 February, 1939:
* 17 February, 1950 - 5 February, 1951:
* 5 February, 1962 - 24 January, 1963:
* 23 January, 1974 - 10 February, 1975:
* 9 February, 1986 - 28 January, 1987:
* 28 January, 1998 - 15 February, 1999:
* 15 February, 2010 - 3 February, 2011:
* 2022 - 2023:
Tiger people are difficult to resist, for they are magnetic characters and their natural air of authority confers a certain prestige on them. They are tempestuous yet calm, warm-hearted yet fearsome, courageous in the face of danger yet yielding, soft and mysterious. They enjoy a life full of challenges and unexpected events, like visiting unusual places and meeting interesting or outstanding people. Other people in their area are easily attracted by the tiger's enthusiasm and way of life. Tigers find pleasure in the unpredictable, and while other people would rather make a backward step, they are not afraid to explore the new and unusual. But it is not that simple to interest the Tiger. What they really need is first-hand experience. Usually open and frank, these people are likely to withdraw and can be aggressive when trapped. As soon as the Tiger has regained their sense of security their confidence also returns, enabling them to set out once more. These people usually tend to trust their instincts, though there is another side of their personality, which assesses situations thoughtfully before they launch any actions. Their friends usually secretly admire their determination and optimism, though sometimes may find it complicated to share the Tiger's enthusiasm and can be pushed away and left behind. Although Tigers can be courageous and generous friends, if they are not able to achieve what they want, they can be inflexible and self-centered. So if your friend was born in the year of the Tiger, there will be highs and lows in your friendship, but the friendship itself will remain firm.
Ideal jobs for tigers include entrepreneur, military officer, politician, musician, writer, poet, artist, theater director, biological and environmental engineer, stockbroker, athlete, film star, trade union leader, company director, stunt person, explorer, and lawyer.
Love interests for the Tiger are the Dog and Horse.
Years and the Five Elements
People born within these date ranges can be said to have been born in the "Year Of The Tiger," while also bearing the following elemental sign:
* 8 February, 1902 - 28 January, 1903:
* 26 January, 1914 - 13 February, 1915:
* 13 February, 1926 - 1 February, 1927:
* 31 January, 1938 - 18 February, 1939:
* 17 February, 1950 - 5 February, 1951:
* 5 February, 1962 - 24 January, 1963:
* 23 January, 1974 - 10 February, 1975:
* 9 February, 1986 - 28 January, 1987:
* 28 January, 1998 - 15 February, 1999:
* 15 February, 2010 - 3 February, 2011:
* 2022 - 2023:
Attributes
Tiger people are difficult to resist, for they are magnetic characters and their natural air of authority confers a certain prestige on them. They are tempestuous yet calm, warm-hearted yet fearsome, courageous in the face of danger yet yielding, soft and mysterious. They enjoy a life full of challenges and unexpected events, like visiting unusual places and meeting interesting or outstanding people. Other people in their area are easily attracted by the tiger's enthusiasm and way of life. Tigers find pleasure in the unpredictable, and while other people would rather make a backward step, they are not afraid to explore the new and unusual. But it is not that simple to interest the Tiger. What they really need is first-hand experience. Usually open and frank, these people are likely to withdraw and can be aggressive when trapped. As soon as the Tiger has regained their sense of security their confidence also returns, enabling them to set out once more. These people usually tend to trust their instincts, though there is another side of their personality, which assesses situations thoughtfully before they launch any actions. Their friends usually secretly admire their determination and optimism, though sometimes may find it complicated to share the Tiger's enthusiasm and can be pushed away and left behind. Although Tigers can be courageous and generous friends, if they are not able to achieve what they want, they can be inflexible and self-centered. So if your friend was born in the year of the Tiger, there will be highs and lows in your friendship, but the friendship itself will remain firm.
Ideal jobs for tigers include entrepreneur, military officer, politician, musician, writer, poet, artist, theater director, biological and environmental engineer, stockbroker, athlete, film star, trade union leader, company director, stunt person, explorer, and lawyer.
Love interests for the Tiger are the Dog and Horse.
Traditional Tiger Attributes/Associations
Three enclosures
Three enclosures are Purple Forbidden enclosure , Supreme Palace enclosure , and Heavenly Market enclosure in Chinese constellation.
Tai Sui
Tai Sui refers to stars directly opposite of Jupiter. They influence the Chinese zodiac, and are also a theory in religious Taoism and Feng Shui.
In the Chinese zodiac, there are sixty heavenly generals who assist the Jade Emperor in taking charge of the well-being of the Mortal World. Each of them takes turn to be in charge for a year. Due to most of them having a military background, they are normally known as the Military Generals, or as the Cycle Gods. Each of their features and weapons signifies the well-being of that year. For example, if the Tai Sui of the year is one who holds a pen, it signifies political unrest for that particular year. On the other hand, if the Tai Sui of the year holds a spear or sword it signifies the need to work hard and excel for that year.
In Taoism, those whose their Chinese Zodiac offended, or by their sign conflict or clashes with the Tai Sui of the year are advised to go through a prayer session with a Taoist Priest to ask for blessing in obtaining Peace and Good Fortune throughout the year. s thought to protect again Tai Sui are sold in many areas.
In Feng Shui, the area of the house corresponding with the position of that year's Tai Sui is to be left undisturbed or misfortune will befall the residence.
The Tai Sui General for 2008 is General Zou Dang.
In the Chinese zodiac, there are sixty heavenly generals who assist the Jade Emperor in taking charge of the well-being of the Mortal World. Each of them takes turn to be in charge for a year. Due to most of them having a military background, they are normally known as the Military Generals, or as the Cycle Gods. Each of their features and weapons signifies the well-being of that year. For example, if the Tai Sui of the year is one who holds a pen, it signifies political unrest for that particular year. On the other hand, if the Tai Sui of the year holds a spear or sword it signifies the need to work hard and excel for that year.
In Taoism, those whose their Chinese Zodiac offended, or by their sign conflict or clashes with the Tai Sui of the year are advised to go through a prayer session with a Taoist Priest to ask for blessing in obtaining Peace and Good Fortune throughout the year. s thought to protect again Tai Sui are sold in many areas.
In Feng Shui, the area of the house corresponding with the position of that year's Tai Sui is to be left undisturbed or misfortune will befall the residence.
The Tai Sui General for 2008 is General Zou Dang.
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