What is Schools of Zi Wei Dou Shu?
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Zi Wei Dou Shu has two broad schools. One reads the stars: which stars sit in a palace, their brightness, the Three Harmonies and Four Directions, and the classic patterns. This is the San He (Three Harmonies) school. The other reads the transformations: where each palace's stem sends its Hua Lu, Hua Quan, Hua Ke and Hua Ji. This is the Flying Star (Fei Xing) school, also called the Four Transformations school. The same chart can produce different emphases in each, and the transformation table itself has more than one version. So when two readings disagree, it's usually a difference of school, not a mistake.
The short version:
- San He school: reads the stars, following the star natures, brightness and patterns in the Zi Wei Dou Shu Quan Shu (The Complete Book of Zi Wei Dou Shu), plus the Three Harmonies and Four Directions.
- Flying Star school: reads the transformations: where palace-stem transformations land, where the birth-year transformations sit, and the Origin Palace.
- The tables differ: most often on Ren-year Hua Ke, which is Tian Fu in the Quan Shu and Zuo Fu in another common version.
- What Xingge follows: the Quan Shu and the San He school as the base, the birth-year transformations alongside, and flying transformations for questions about money and timing.
How the two schools differ
| San He school | Flying Star school | |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Stars, brightness, patterns | Where Lu, Quan, Ke and Ji fly |
| Source | Mainly the Quan Shu | Later schools |
| Strength | Character, lifelong tendencies | How events unfold, timing |
| Key terms | Three Harmonies, brightness, patterns | Flying stars, self-transformation, Origin Palace |
The two aren't mutually exclusive. Most practitioners use both and differ only in which one leads. A San He reader asks "which stars live in this palace?"; a Flying Star reader adds "where does this palace's attention end up?"
Versions of the transformation table
Each of the ten Heavenly Stems transforms four stars. Most schools agree on most of the table; the differences cluster around three stems:
| Stem | *Quan Shu* | Where versions differ |
|---|---|---|
| Ren | Tian Liang Lu, Zi Wei Quan, Tian Fu Ke, Wu Qu Ji | Most often Zuo Fu takes Hua Ke |
| Geng | Tai Yang Lu, Wu Qu Quan, Tai Yin Ke, Tian Tong Ji | Several versions of Ke and Ji, e.g. Tian Fu Hua Ke |
| Wu | Tan Lang Lu, Tai Yin Quan, You Bi Ke, Tian Ji Ji | Sources differ on which star takes Hua Ke |
People born in Ren or Geng years run into this most: the same chart can show Hua Ke in a different palace depending on the software or the teacher. Xingge follows the Quan Shu (Tian Fu Hua Ke for Ren) and marks it on the chart; if you see Zuo Fu Hua Ke elsewhere, that source uses the other version.
The elements assigned to the transformations vary too. Volume two of the Quan Shu gives Earth for Hua Lu, Wood for Hua Quan, Water for Hua Ke and Water for Hua Ji. Some teachers use Wood, Fire, Metal and Water instead. Both are in use, so it helps to ask which one a reading follows.
One question, two readings
Empty Palaces: the San He school borrows the main stars from the opposite palace (see Empty Palace). Some Flying Star teachers hold that an empty palace containing Wen Chang, Wen Qu, Zuo Fu, You Bi or Lu Cun isn't truly empty and should be read through those stars first; others look at where that palace's stem flies. Xingge's palace readings borrow from the opposite palace and add a note to read these stars first when they're present.
Where money comes from: the San He school looks at the stars in the Wealth Palace (Wu Qu is earned income, Tai Yin is steady saving). The Flying Star school looks at where the birth-year Hua Lu lands (where your resources come from), then at where the Wealth Palace stem sends its Hua Ji. If it lands in the Life, Wealth, Career, Health, Property or Fortune Palace, money tends to stay on your side; in the Siblings, Spouse, Children, Travel, Friends or Parents Palace, it tends to go to other people.
What you care about most: the San He school reads the stars in the Life Palace and the Body Palace. The Flying Star school reads the birth-year transformations: Hua Lu is what comes without asking, Hua Quan is what you'll strive for, Hua Ke is where help comes from, and Hua Ji is what you find hardest to let go. The "Four answers for this life" card on your chart page uses this reading.
What Xingge follows
- Casting the chart: the Quan Shu, including You Bi Hua Ke for Wu, Tai Yin Hua Ke for Geng, Tian Fu Hua Ke for Ren, and the brightness table. See How Xingge casts a chart.
- Palace readings: San He as the base, written palace by palace against the Quan Shu.
- Birth-year transformations: read in every palace, and turned into the four-questions card on the chart page.
- Flying transformations: used for money, career and timing (the wealth line and "where money goes"), and traced in the Life Reading.
When readings disagree
- Check the table first: see which version the source uses for Ren and Geng. Hua Ke or Hua Ji may be in a different palace altogether.
- Then ask whether it's reading stars or transformations: San He describes character, the transformations describe how things unfold. The two answers often fit together.
- Come back to your own experience: every reading is a tendency. Lean on the one that sounds more like you.
FAQ
What are the schools of Zi Wei Dou Shu?
The usual split is two paths: the San He (Three Harmonies) school, which centres on stars and patterns, and the Flying Star school, also called the Four Transformations school, which centres on palace-stem transformations. Individual lineages use slightly different tables and methods, but most sit on one of these two paths.
Which is more accurate, San He or Flying Star?
There's no settled answer. San He is good at describing character and lifelong tendencies; Flying Star is good at tracing how events unfold and when. Most practitioners use both in different proportions.
Why is my Hua Ke in a different palace on another site?
The most common reason is the Ren-year Hua Ke: the Quan Shu gives Tian Fu, and another common version gives Zuo Fu. Wu-year and Geng-year transformations also have several versions. Check your birth-year stem, then which version each source uses.
Which school does Xingge follow?
Xingge uses the Zi Wei Dou Shu Quan Shu and the San He school as its base: chart casting, brightness and the transformation table all follow the Quan Shu. Birth-year transformations are read in every palace, and flying transformations are used for questions about money, career and timing.
What elements do the Four Transformations belong to?
Volume two of the Quan Shu gives Earth for Hua Lu, Wood for Hua Quan, Water for Hua Ke and Water for Hua Ji. Another common assignment is Wood, Fire, Metal and Water. Both are in use.
Which school does the Origin Palace come from?
The Origin Palace comes from schools that emphasize palace-stem transformations; it isn't in the Quan Shu. They treat the birth-year transformations as flying out of the Origin Palace and read it as where your motives start in this life.
Other key concepts
This is the general reading. On your own chart it shifts with the stars' brightness, the San Fang Si Zheng and the year you are in.
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