Traditional Divination7 min read
Zi Wei Dou Shu: Twelve Palaces and the Life Palace
Chart from birth date and hour—structure first, annual luck second
Unlike Ba Zi’s stems and branches, Zi Wei maps symbolic stars into twelve life domains: self, siblings, spouse, children, wealth, health, travel, friends, career, property, joy, parents. Ming texts such as the Zi Wei Quan Shu tradition shaped modern software charts.
What the twelve palaces mean
- Life Palace: temperament and life theme.
- Wealth Palace: earning style—not a promise of riches.
- Career Palace: work, study, social role.
- Spouse Palace: relationship patterns.
Key takeaways
- You need accurate lunar birth date, hour, and sex; without the hour, trends are only approximate.
- Life Palace is “who I am”; Body Palace is “how I act.” Fate, Wealth, Career, and Travel form the core frame.
- Major stars (Zi Wei, Tian Fu, Sun, Moon, etc.) need palace context and auxiliary stars—never judge from one star alone.
Sources & references
Key points are summarized from the works and public references below, reflecting mainstream feng shui, fate-chart, and divination teachings for beginners—not personal invention. Apply ideas with judgment.
- ReferenceZi Wei Dou Shu (Wikipedia)
Overview
- ClassicCompendium of Three Lives
Ming-era Bazi reference
- ReferenceBa Zi (Wikipedia)
Four Pillars overview