Glossary of Terms
Standardized Chinese-English terminology used throughout this site. Consistency matters for learning — every term here follows the same translation convention.
Core Concepts
Twelve Palaces
Zi Wei Group Stars
Tian Fu Group Stars
Brightness Levels
Transformations
Chart Terms
Timing & Luck Pillars
Taoist & Philosophy
Core Concepts
紫微斗数
Purple Star Astrology
Also: Purple Star Numerology, ZWDS
The complete astrology system. Literally "Purple Star Number Calculation." Maps 100+ stars across twelve palaces based on lunar birth data.
System
命盘
Birth Chart / Natal Chart
The 4×4 grid chart that maps all palace and star positions based on your birth data. The foundational document of a ZWDS reading.
Chart
主星
Major Stars / Principal Stars
The 14 most important stars in ZWDS. Divided into the Zi Wei group (6 stars) and Tian Fu group (8 stars). These carry 80% of the chart's meaning.
Stars
三方四正
Triangular Relationships
The system of palace relationships where each palace connects to three other palaces forming a triangle, plus the opposite palace. Essential for advanced reading.
Concept
阴阳
Yin-Yang
The fundamental duality in Chinese philosophy. Determines the directional flow of palaces around the chart grid (clockwise for yang charts, counterclockwise for yin).
Philosophy
五行
Five Elements
Wood (木), Fire (火), Earth (土), Metal (金), Water (水). The five elemental phases that underpin Chinese metaphysics and influence star interactions.
Philosophy
The Twelve Palaces (十二宫)
命宫
Ming Palace (Self)
Palace 1. Core personality, temperament, life direction. The most important palace — everything is read in relation to it.
Palace
兄弟宫
Siblings Palace
Palace 2. Siblings, close friends, peer relationships, business partnerships.
Palace
夫妻宫
Spouse Palace
Palace 3. Marriage, romantic partnerships, intimate relationships, spouse character.
Palace
子女宫
Children Palace
Palace 4. Children, creativity, fertility, legacy, creative projects.
Palace
财帛宫
Wealth Palace
Palace 5. Financial capacity, income patterns, relationship with money, sources of wealth.
Palace
疾厄宫
Health Palace
Also: Illness Palace
Palace 6. Physical constitution, health vulnerabilities, accident-proneness, recovery capacity.
Palace
迁移宫
Travel Palace
Palace 7. Travel, relocation, public image, external environment, opportunities from afar.
Palace
仆役宫
Friends Palace
Classically: Servants Palace
Palace 8. Social circle, employees, subordinates, helpers, networking ability.
Palace
官禄宫
Career Palace
Literally: Official Salary Palace
Palace 9. Career path, professional achievements, work environment, suitable industries.
Palace
田宅宫
Property Palace
Palace 10. Real estate, home environment, family assets, housing stability.
Palace
福德宫
Fortune Palace
Also: Blessing and Virtue Palace
Palace 11. Inner happiness, spiritual life, mental well-being, quality of subjective experience.
Palace
父母宫
Parents Palace
Palace 12. Parents, elders, authority figures, upbringing environment, early childhood.
Palace
身宫
Body Palace
Not one of the 12 palaces but an overlay palace. Represents the "acquired self" — how you develop and what you pursue in the second half of life.
Palace
Zi Wei Group Stars (紫微星系)
紫微
Purple Emperor
Polaris / North Star
The central star of the entire system. Represents leadership, authority, dignity, and central position. The emperor on his throne.
Star · Zi Wei Group
天机
Heavenly Secret
Intelligence, strategy, adaptability, planning. Associated with thinking, analysis, and quick-mindedness. Can indicate changeability.
Star · Zi Wei Group
太阳
Sun
Generosity, visibility, masculine energy, warmth. Represents outward expression, public service, and father figures.
Star · Zi Wei Group
武曲
Martial Music
Determination, finance, directness, action. Strong in financial matters. Represents willpower and decisive action.
Star · Zi Wei Group
天同
Heavenly Unity
Harmony, enjoyment, passivity, contentment. Represents leisure, emotional sensitivity, and the pursuit of happiness.
Star · Zi Wei Group
廉贞
Pure Integrity
Complexity, passion, transformation. A dual-nature star — can represent both refinement and turbulence. Associated with politics and power.
Star · Zi Wei Group
Tian Fu Group Stars (天府星系)
天府
Heavenly Treasury
Wealth accumulation, stability, conservation, resource management. The treasurer of the celestial court.
Star · Tian Fu Group
太阴
Moon
Intuition, gentleness, feminine energy, real estate. Represents behind-the-scenes work, subtlety, and mother figures.
Star · Tian Fu Group
贪狼
Greedy Wolf
Desire, charisma, versatility, ambition. The most multifaceted star — represents entertainment, romance, and the pursuit of experience.
Star · Tian Fu Group
巨门
Giant Gate
Communication, analysis, skepticism, debate. Represents speech, investigation, and questioning. Can indicate gossip or disputes.
Star · Tian Fu Group
天相
Heavenly Minister
Service, diplomacy, support, mediation. Represents the advisor or secretary — working behind a leader.
Star · Tian Fu Group
天梁
Heavenly Beam
Wisdom, protection, longevity, moral authority. Represents the elder or teacher who guides and protects.
Star · Tian Fu Group
七杀
Seven Killings
Courage, decisiveness, intensity, combativeness. A fierce star of action and confrontation. Represents military or competitive energy.
Star · Tian Fu Group
破军
Army Breaker
Revolution, pioneering, destruction-and-creation. Represents radical change, innovation, and breaking old patterns.
Star · Tian Fu Group
Brightness Levels (亮度)
旺
Thriving / Flourishing
Maximum brightness. The star expresses its qualities at their strongest and most positive. Best possible placement.
Brightness
庙
Temple
Very strong brightness. The star is well-resourced and expresses its positive qualities fully. Near-optimal placement.
Brightness
得
Attaining
Good brightness. The star is comfortable and expresses positively, though not at maximum power.
Brightness
利
Beneficial
Moderate brightness. Helpful but not dominant. The star contributes positively but doesn't lead.
Brightness
平
Neutral
Neither strong nor weak. The star is functional but unremarkable. Its effects are mild.
Brightness
不
Unfavorable
Weak brightness. The star struggles to express its positive qualities. Negative tendencies may surface.
Brightness
陷
Fallen / Trapped
Weakest brightness. The star is in its worst position. Negative qualities are amplified, positive ones suppressed.
Brightness
The Four Transformations (四化)
四化
Four Transformations
The four transformative forces (Hua Lu, Hua Quan, Hua Ke, Hua Ji) that activate, empower, or challenge specific stars in the chart.
Transformation
化禄
Hua Lu (Transformation of Wealth)
Brings prosperity, smoothness, and abundance to the affected star. The most positive transformation — indicates gain and opportunity.
Transformation
化权
Hua Quan (Transformation of Power)
Brings authority, control, and influence to the affected star. Indicates empowerment, leadership, and sometimes forcefulness.
Transformation
化科
Hua Ke (Transformation of Fame)
Brings recognition, academic success, and reputation to the affected star. Indicates scholarly achievement and social standing.
Transformation
化忌
Hua Ji (Transformation of Obstruction)
Brings obstruction, attachment, and challenge to the affected star. The most difficult transformation — indicates areas of karmic debt and growth through difficulty.
Transformation
Chart Terms
时辰
Birth Hour (Two-Hour Period)
The Chinese two-hour period of birth (e.g., 11pm–1am = Zi hour). Essential for determining the Ming Palace position.
Chart
天干
Heavenly Stems
The ten Heavenly Stems (甲乙丙丁戊己庚辛壬癸) used in the Chinese calendrical system. Determine the Four Transformations in each chart.
Chart
地支
Earthly Branches
The twelve Earthly Branches (子丑寅卯辰巳午未申酉戌亥) that form the palace positions on the chart grid. Also correspond to the 12 Chinese zodiac animals.
Chart
宫干
Palace Stem
The Heavenly Stem assigned to each palace. Used to derive the palace-specific Four Transformations.
Chart
对宫
Opposite Palace
The palace directly across the chart grid from a given palace. Stars in the opposite palace strongly influence the palace they face.
Chart
本宫
Native Palace / Original Palace
The palace currently being analyzed. Stars "in" this palace are in their native position.
Chart
Timing & Luck Pillars
大限
Major Luck Pillar (Decade Luck)
The 10-year life phases that unfold the chart over time. Each decade activates different palaces and stars, revealing life themes for that period.
Timing
流年
Annual Luck Pillar (Year Luck)
The yearly influence that overlays the natal chart. Each year activates different palaces, creating specific themes and events for that year.
Timing
小限
Minor Luck Pillar
A shorter-term timing system (often 2-year periods) used by some practitioners for more granular life timing.
Timing
命主
Chart Ruler / Life Master
The star that rules the Ming Palace, determined by the Earthly Branch of the Ming Palace position. Provides additional nuance to the core personality reading.
Chart
身主
Body Ruler
The star that rules the Body Palace, determined by the Earthly Branch of the birth year. Complements the Chart Ruler for a fuller personality picture.
Chart
Taoist & Philosophical Terms
陈抟
Chen Tuan
Taoist sage (871–989), the "Sleeping Immortal." Traditionally associated with the development of ZWDS and contributions to Yi Jing philosophy.
History
睡功
Sleep Meditation
A Taoist meditation practice associated with Chen Tuan — cultivating spiritual awareness through conscious sleep states.
Taoism
太极
Supreme Ultimate
The principle of dynamic balance between Yin and Yang. The source of all duality and change in Chinese cosmology.
Philosophy
无极
Wu Ji (Limitless / Nothingness)
The state before differentiation — the undifferentiated void from which Yin-Yang emerges. Chen Tuan's Wu Ji Tu (Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate) is a famous cosmological diagram.
Philosophy
易经
Yi Jing (Book of Changes)
Also romanized: I Ching
One of the oldest Chinese classic texts. A divination and philosophical system that forms part of the intellectual foundation of ZWDS.
Philosophy
道
Tao / Dao (The Way)
The fundamental principle of reality in Taoism. The natural order of the universe that ZWDS seeks to map and understand.
Philosophy