Ancient Figures in Zi Wei Dou Shu Quan Shu (2026): Xiang Yu and Li Guang

In this episode, the Quan Shu divides ancient figures into two categories. Those who experienced a single major event are described as having their luck period reach a certain star, marking only one segment of life. Lifelong achievements or regrets are described as being carried in the natal chart. Xiang Yu losing his empire is attributed to his luck period, while Li Guang’s failure to be enfeoffed is written into his natal chart.

1. When the luck period arrives, a single incident occurs: Xiang Yu, Qu Yuan, Ruan Ji

Xiang Yu, a hero, lost his state when his luck period reached Tian Kong (Earth Void)

This comes from Volume 1, "Dou Shu Bone Marrow Fu." Xiang Yu was the Hegemon-King of Western Chu at the end of the Qin Dynasty. He lost to Liu Bang and committed suicide by the Wu River. The Quan Shu uses him to illustrate that even heroes fall when their luck period reaches Tian Kong. Tian Kong is what we now call Di Kong on the chart; the Quan Shu consistently writes it as Tian Kong.

Volume 2 also cites this line in its section on Tian Kong, but adds a caveat first: "If there are main stars plus auspicious stars, one remains safe." With main stars and auspicious stars present, one can remain safe even when the luck period reaches Tian Kong.

When the luck period reached Tian Luo and Di Wang, Qu Yuan drowned and died

From the same piece. Qu Yuan was a high minister of the State of Chu during the Warring States period. After being exiled, he threw himself into the Miluo River and died. The commentary in Volume 3 states that Chen is called Tian Luo and Xu is called Di Wang. When the luck period reaches these two boxes, it is like being trapped in a net.

Interestingly, Qu Yuan is one of the few ancient figures who recorded his own birthday. Li Sao says, "When She Ti was upright in Meng Zou, on Geng Yin I descended." Eastern Han scholar Wang Yi interpreted this as the Yin year, the first month, and the Geng Yin day (while Zhu Xi believed She Ti was a star name, not a year). Even using the most complete interpretation, the time of birth is not recorded. Since the Life Palace requires the birth month and time to arrange, his Life Palace cannot be determined.

When luck encountered Di Jie and Tian Kong, Ruan Ji suffered from poverty

This follows immediately after Qu Yuan. Ruan Ji was one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove during the Wei and Jin dynasties. The Quan Shu says his luck reached Di Jie and Di Kong, causing him to suffer the hardships of poverty. His most famous story involves driving his carriage aimlessly; when he reached a dead end, he would cry loudly and turn back. Later generations called this "weeping at the end of the road." This "end" refers to reaching the limit of the path, not lacking money.

2. Written in the natal chart, a lifelong pattern: Li Guang, Zhou Bo, Guan Yu

Li Guang was not enfeoffed because Qing Yang met Li Shi

From the "Bone Marrow Fu." Li Guang was a famous general of the Western Han Dynasty. The Xiongnu called him the Flying General. He fought all his life but was never enfeoffed as a marquis. The Quan Shu attributes this to Qing Yang meeting Li Shi. Li Shi is the second of the Twelve Gods of Doctor, starting from the box with Lu Cun as Doctor, with the next box being Li Shi.

The problem is that this configuration is too common. According to Volume 2 of the Quan Shu, "Yang males and Yin females proceed forward," for males born in Yang years and females born in Yin years, Li Shi is always in the same box as Qing Yang; for males born in Yin years and females born in Yang years, Li Shi is in the same box as Tuo Luo. We ran this through the Xingge chart calculation program, and there were no exceptions. This means half of all people have Qing Yang meeting Li Shi. Volume 3 also has the line "Qing Yang meets Li Shi, Li Guang finds it hard to be enfeoffed," but the commentary narrows the scope: those born in Jia years with the Life Palace in Mao, Bing years in Wu, Geng years in You, or Ren years in Zi. In these cases, Qing Yang sits in the Life Palace and falls into one of the four boxes: Zi, Wu, Mao, or You.

Hua Ke and Hua Lu circulate and meet, Zhou Bo happily enters the premiership

Also from the "Bone Marrow Fu." Zhou Bo was a founding meritocrat of the Han Dynasty. After Empress Dowager Lü died, he and Chen Ping pacified the Lü clan, enthroned Emperor Wen of Han, and served as Chancellor. The Quan Shu says he encountered both Hua Ke and Hua Lu, which allowed him to become Chancellor.

However, he was later accused of treason and imprisoned. The Records of the Grand Historian records that after his release, he sighed: "I led an army of a million, yet I did not know that prison officials held such power."

Po Jun, Qi Sha, and Tan Lang, when at Miao, produce heroes who cannot be stopped; Guan Yu’s fate met this, making him a top general

From Volume 2, "Po Jun Entering Male Fate Auspicious and Inauspicious Verdicts." Guan Yu was a famous general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period. The Quan Shu says that if Qi Sha, Po Jun, and Tan Lang are at Miao guarding the Life Palace, it is the fate of a top general.

But these three stars form a trine group in every chart. We ran tens of thousands of charts through the calculation program, and there were no exceptions. So everyone has this group on their chart. What the Quan Shu actually looks at are the subsequent conditions: "Fate met," meaning one of them sits in the Life Palace; and "At Miao," meaning they fall in their bright positions.

3. Also written in the natal chart: Empress Dowager Lü

Double Lu guards the Life Palace, Empress Dowager Lü monopolized power

From Volume 3, though the "Bone Marrow Fu" has similar lines. Empress Dowager Lü was Liu Bang’s empress. After Liu Bang died, she effectively held power for over ten years. Double Lu refers to Lu Cun plus Hua Lu, with both forms of Lu in the Life Palace. The Quan Shu says people with this configuration can "monopolize power."

Zhou Bo, mentioned earlier, was a minister in her court and the person who led the eradication of the Lü clan after her death. The Quan Shu treats both of them as examples of Lu stars: one entered the premiership with Ke and Lu, the other monopolized power with Double Lu.

First check for the word "limit" (Xian)

As mentioned in the previous episode, the Quan Shu often changes stars for the same ancient figure, and this batch is no different. In the "Bone Marrow Fu," Xiang Yu is associated with Tian Kong, but in Volume 2’s "Di Jie and Tian Kong Entering Limit Auspicious and Inauspicious Verdicts," it becomes Di Jie and Tian Kong together. Volume 3 writes, "Jie and Kong approach the limit, the King of Chu loses his state, and Lü Zhu perishes." The King of Chu is paired with Lü Zhu, just like in the song in Volume 2, referring to Xiang Yu. For Zhou Bo, the "Bone Marrow Fu" mentions Ke and Lu, but another poem in Volume 1 writes, "Lu and Quan meet Zhou Bo in his fate."

However, this batch of ancient figures clearly distinguishes between luck periods and natal charts. Losing a state, drowning in a river, or suffering poverty are events that happen during a specific period, so they are counted under luck periods. Whether one becomes Chancellor or is enfeoffed as a marquis depends on the whole life, so it is written into the natal chart.

Therefore, when reading examples of ancient figures in the Quan Shu, you can first check if the sentence contains words like "limit" (Xian) or "luck" (Yun). If it does, it refers to a specific period. If not, it refers to the person’s foundational nature.