What is Zuo Gui Xiang Gui (Noble Within, Noble Opposite)?

Tian Kui and Tian Yue are the two noble stars of Zi Wei Dou Shu: Tian Kui is the daytime noble, older, promoting you openly; Tian Yue is the nighttime noble, low-key, giving you a hand in private. With one sitting in the Life Palace and the other shining in from directly opposite, the ancients called it Zuo Gui Xiang Gui (sitting with a noble, facing a noble): a noble where you sit, and a noble you face. To see whether you have it, draw your chart.

The conditions for Zuo Gui Xiang Gui

• Tian Kui in the Life Palace and Tian Yue in the Travel Palace, or the other way round.
• The Travel Palace is the Life Palace's opposite palace, with an influence second only to the Life Palace itself.

Tian Kui and Tian Yue are placed by the birth-year stem. The first line of the verse in volume two of the Quan Shu is:

Jia, Wu and Geng: the ox and the goat.

For people born in Jia, Wu or Geng years, Tian Kui is in Chou (the ox) and Tian Yue in Wei (the goat), exactly opposite each other. For other stems, Tian Kui and Tian Yue are never opposite. So by Xingge's detection, only people born in Jia, Wu or Geng years with the Life Palace in Chou or Wei have Zuo Gui Xiang Gui; about 1 chart in 20.

The classics' scope is a little wider. The section on noble patterns in volume one says:

Sitting with a noble and facing a noble: Kui and Yue in turn seated in and embracing the Life Palace.

"Seated in and embracing" means one sits in the Life Palace and the other embraces it from outside, and the classics' "embracing" often includes the trines as well as the opposite palace. Xingge only looks at the opposite palace, the strictest and most direct form.

What the classics say, and how we read it today

The Tai Wei Fu in volume one says:

Tian Kui and Tian Yue traveling together: a seat among the chief ministers.

"Chief ministers" were the highest officials assisting the ruler. When the Zhu Xing Wen Da Lun in volume one asks about Tian Kui and Tian Yue, it says:

Kui and Yue are the stars that oversee rank and exams. In the Life Palace, sitting with a noble and facing a noble, or joined by Zuo Fu, You Bi and the auspicious stars, there is always wealth and standing.

The same passage says that in great difficulty, they "bring a noble who helps you through." Volume three also has the line "Kui and Yue in the Life or Body Palace: many pluck the laurel," with the commentary saying the Life and Body Palaces are best, the San Fang next.

Today, Zuo Gui Xiang Gui commonly looks like this:

• When you are stuck, someone often reaches out. Not necessarily someone important; often just the person who happens to appear at the right moment.
• Both kinds of noble helper. Tian Kui is open promotion, like a manager's recommendation or a teacher's introduction; Tian Yue is private help, like a friend's introduction or someone quietly speaking up for you.
• More opportunity away from home. The Travel Palace stands for the world outside, and with a noble star there, you often meet helpers precisely when you leave familiar surroundings.

Where Zuo Gui Xiang Gui tends to get stuck

First, relying on it too much. With strong help from others, the first reaction to trouble can become "someone will help," and your own preparation shrinks.

Second, forgetting to give back. You receive a lot of help without thinking of becoming someone else's helper. Goodwill runs both ways; take without giving, and your helpers gradually thin out.

Third, not seeing who is sincere. With many people offering help, you still need to tell who really has your interests at heart and who wants something.

What strengthens it and what weakens it

• Strengthens: Zuo Fu, You Bi, Wen Chang, Wen Qu or Hua Ke in the San Fang as well. The classics say "or joined by Zuo Fu, You Bi and the auspicious stars, there is always wealth and standing": helpers and reputation on top of noble help.
• Weakens: Qing Yang, Tuo Luo, Huo Xing, Ling Xing, Di Kong or Di Jie in the Life or Travel Palace. Volume three says Kui and Yue "clashed or met by punishing and killing stars are ordinary": the helpers' strength is diluted, and when they come, a little more patience is needed.

Tian Kui and Tian Yue not opposite but flanking the Life Palace on either side is a different pattern, Kui Yue Jia.

How to check whether you have Zuo Gui Xiang Gui

1. Check whether your birth-year stem is Jia, Wu or Geng (by lunar year; if you were born before Lunar New Year, use the previous year).
2. Draw your chart and see whether your Life Palace is in Chou or Wei.
3. With the Life Palace in Chou and Tian Kui in it, or in Wei with Tian Yue in it, the other star is directly opposite, and you have Zuo Gui Xiang Gui.

To learn more about the two stars, see the Six Auspicious Stars lesson.

Common questions

What does Zuo Gui Xiang Gui mean?

Tian Kui or Tian Yue sits in the Life Palace and the other in the Travel Palace opposite: a noble where you sit, and a noble you face. The Quan Shu says "sitting with a noble and facing a noble: Kui and Yue in turn seated in and embracing the Life Palace," meaning strong help from others throughout life, with someone often reaching out when you are stuck.

Who has Zuo Gui Xiang Gui?

By the placement verse for Tian Kui and Tian Yue, "Jia, Wu and Geng: the ox and the goat," people born in Jia, Wu or Geng years have Tian Kui in Chou and Tian Yue in Wei, directly opposite. So only people born with those three stems and the Life Palace in Chou or Wei have Kui and Yue one seated and one facing.

What is the difference between Zuo Gui Xiang Gui and Kui Yue Jia?

In Zuo Gui Xiang Gui, one star is in the Life Palace and the other opposite; in Kui Yue Jia, the two sit in the palaces on either side of the Life Palace, flanking it. Zuo Gui Xiang Gui's helpers are more direct and often met out in the world; Kui Yue Jia has people supporting you from both sides.

What should people with Zuo Gui Xiang Gui watch out for?

The most common challenges are relying too much on helpers and forgetting your own preparation, and taking without giving. The classics say in great difficulty they "bring a noble who helps you through," but helpers are usually willing to step in because you are someone worth helping.