What is Chang Qu Tong Gong (Literary Stars Together)?

Wen Chang and Wen Qu are the pair among the Six Auspicious Stars for study and artistry: Wen Chang is order, paperwork, exams and formal learning; Wen Qu is eloquence, artistic sense and expressiveness. With both in the same palace, it is called Chang Qu Tong Gong (Wen Chang and Wen Qu in the same palace), and that palace's affairs gain both skills: "writing it clearly" and "saying it movingly." To see whether you have it, draw your chart.

The conditions for Chang Qu Tong Gong

• Wen Chang and Wen Qu share a palace.
• Any of the twelve palaces counts.

Wen Chang's and Wen Qu's positions are both set by the birth hour: Wen Chang counts backward from Xu, Wen Qu forward from Chen. One goes left and the other right, and they only meet in two hours:

• Born in the Mao hour (roughly 5 to 7 a.m.): Wen Chang and Wen Qu together in Wei.
• Born in the You hour (roughly 5 to 7 p.m.): Wen Chang and Wen Qu together in Chou.

So about 1 chart in 6 has Chang Qu Tong Gong in some palace; in the Life Palace, about 1 in 75.

What the classics say, and how we read it today

Volume three of the Quan Shu has a line that covers both the hour and the position:

Wen Chang and Wen Qu in Chou or Wei, for those born in the Mao or You hour: near the imperial presence.

"Near the imperial presence" means close to the emperor, which the ancients took as a distinguished official career. The commentary cites Jia Yi and Bu Shang as examples, describing Wen Chang and Wen Qu in Wei with the Life Palace in Chou, and adds that it only counts "in the Life Palace and with an auspicious transformation": the two must be connected to the Life Palace and carry an auspicious transformation.

When the Zhu Xing Wen Da Lun in volume one discusses Wen Qu, it says:

In harmony with Wen Chang, the auspicious number is most blessed.

The two stars are a pair to begin with, and best together.

Xingge's Chang Qu Tong Gong is broader than the classics': it isn't limited to the Life Palace and doesn't require an auspicious transformation, and reads whichever palace the two sit in. The classics judge the chart as a whole; Xingge looks at the polish and order that palace gains.

Today, Chang Qu Tong Gong commonly looks like this:

• Study, exams and certifications go more smoothly. Wen Chang brings order, Wen Qu understanding and memory.
• Good at both writing and speaking. Reports come out clear, and presentations land well.
• An artistic sense. Wen Qu's artistry plus Wen Chang's structure gives creative work both substance and form.

In different palaces

Wherever Chang Qu Tong Gong sits, that palace's affairs are lifted by polish and order:

• Life Palace: a cultured air and a strong ability to learn; you come across as "the scholarly type."
• Career Palace: work built on expertise, writing and expression; suited to education, publishing, law, design and marketing.
• Wealth Palace: earning tied to knowledge, writing and talent, such as writing, teaching or consulting.
• Spouse Palace: drawn to talented people you can really talk to; communication matters in love.
• Travel Palace: a good image out in the world; studying and exchanges away from home pay off.
• Children Palace: good rapport with younger people and students; suited to mentoring and teaching.

Where Chang Qu Tong Gong tends to get stuck

First, thinking more than doing. The talent and ideas are there, but neither Wen Chang nor Wen Qu is a star of action, so things easily stay on paper.

Second, caring too much about form. Wen Chang values structure and Wen Qu values beauty; together, you often revise over and over for the sake of details.

Third, reputation running ahead of substance. Writing and eloquence make a strong impression; the actual doing needs to keep up.

What strengthens it and what weakens it

• Strengthens: Hua Ke in the same palace or the San Fang (such as Wen Qu taking Hua Ke in Xin years, or Wen Chang in Bing years) supplies the classics' "with an auspicious transformation"; add Tian Kui and Tian Yue, and exams and promotions come with helpers.
• Weakens: Wen Chang taking Hua Ji in Xin years or Wen Qu in Ji years puts Hua Ji in their palace, so take extra care with documents and verbal promises; Qing Yang, Tuo Luo, Di Kong or Di Jie in the same palace keep the polish on the surface. Volume three warns that Wen Chang and Wen Qu at Xian meeting these challenging stars bring "a hollow reputation," more name than substance; Chou and Wei aren't Xian positions for them, but when challenging stars are present the warning is still worth keeping in mind.

Wen Chang and Wen Qu not in the same palace but flanking a palace from either side is a different pattern, Chang Qu Jia.

How to check whether you have Chang Qu Tong Gong

1. Check whether you were born in the Mao or You hour.
2. Draw your chart and find the palace where Wen Chang and Wen Qu sit together (Wei for Mao, Chou for You).
3. See which of your palaces it is; that is where you gain polish and order.

Common questions

What does Chang Qu Tong Gong mean?

Wen Chang and Wen Qu sitting in the same palace is called Chang Qu Tong Gong. Wen Chang governs order, paperwork and exams; Wen Qu governs eloquence, artistry and expression. Together, that palace's affairs gain the skills of both writing and speaking.

Who has Chang Qu Tong Gong?

Wen Chang's and Wen Qu's positions are set by the birth hour, and only people born in the Mao hour (both in Wei) or the You hour (both in Chou) have them in the same palace. So about 1 chart in 6 has it; which palace varies from person to person.

Is Chang Qu Tong Gong good in the Life Palace?

People with Wen Chang and Wen Qu in the Life Palace have a cultured air and a strong ability to learn, with study, exams and written expression as strengths. Volume three of the Quan Shu says "Wen Chang and Wen Qu in Chou or Wei, for those born in the Mao or You hour: near the imperial presence," noting that it counts only in the Life Palace with an auspicious transformation, so check for Hua Ke or Hua Lu too.

What is the difference between Chang Qu Tong Gong and Chang Qu Jia?

Chang Qu Tong Gong is the two in the same palace, with their strength concentrated there; Chang Qu Jia is the two in the squares on either side, flanking the palace in the middle. The classics say "Wen Chang and Wen Qu flanking the Life Palace is most remarkable," so flanking is also rated highly; both bring polish, in different ways.