Spouse Palace

The Quan Shu calls this palace 「妻妾宮」, the palace of wives and concubines, because it is written from a man's point of view; Xingge follows modern usage and calls it the Spouse Palace, read the same way for men and women. Zi Wei in the Spouse Palace is 「晚聘諧老性剛」: a late marriage, a couple who grow old together, a spouse with a strong character. With the emperor star in the spouse's seat, the usual reading is a spouse with opinions of their own and some standing. The palace opposite the Spouse Palace is always the Career Palace, so with Zi Wei here, the Career Palace holds whatever faces Zi Wei, and marriage and career tend to pull on each other. Zi Wei with Po Jun (Chou, Wei) brings harm; Zi Wei with Tan Lang (Mao, You) escapes it if lucky stars come. See Zi Wei in the Spouse Palace.

Tian Ji in the Spouse Palace suits a young wife with a strong character and an older husband; with malefic stars, separation; marrying late is lucky. An age gap is the Quan Shu's favorite remedy in this palace: a wider difference in age, or a later wedding, lets the couple sidestep the harm. Tian Ji rules change, so a marriage under it has its twists, which is why most of these entries advise marrying late. With Tai Yin (Yin, Shen), 「內助美容」, a capable and lovely wife: Tian Ji with Tai Yin is a gentle, finely tuned pairing. Two quick minds, each needing room of their own. See Tian Ji in the Spouse Palace.

Tai Yang in Miao or Wang: marrying late is lucky, marrying early brings harm, and 「因妻得貴」, rank comes through the wife. In the Quan Shu, Tai Yang is the father star in a man's chart and the husband in a woman's, so in the Spouse Palace it means a spouse who shines and has a name, hence rank through the spouse. Brightness matters a great deal for Tai Yang: it is Miao or Wang from Yin through Wu and Xian in Hai and Zi, which can be read straight off the chart. With Tian Liang (Mao, You) plus Zuo Fu and You Bi, the spouse is wise. In today's life: a spouse who is visible in the world, well connected, and good for one's own career. See Tai Yang in the Spouse Palace.

This segment continues the Tai Yang entry. With Tai Yin (Chou, Wei), a helpmate; with Ju Men (Yin, Shen), it depends on malefic stars: none, no harm; any, certain harm. Ju Men with Tai Yang is a pairing the Quan Shu discusses often: Ju Men's darkness meets the sun's light, and in a marriage that means a relationship where things get said out loud. In 「遇耗非禮成婚」, the star of waste usually means Po Jun or Da Hao, and marrying without the rites means a union made without a matchmaker, which was a bad thing in the old world. Now that choosing one's own partner is normal, the negative edge of this line no longer fits, but the original meaning stands as written.

Wu Qu in the Spouse Palace is 「背剋宜遲娶」. Wu Qu is the star of the lonely widow, so in the spouse's seat it means feelings that are hard to show, and some distance. With lucky stars, wealth through the wife; with malefic ones, property lost through her: Wu Qu is a wealth star, so marriage and money are tied together. Wu Qu with Qi Sha (Mao, You) harms two or three wives, one of the heaviest verdicts in this chapter. How money is planned before the wedding and managed after it is the thing this combination most needs to talk through. See Wu Qu in the Spouse Palace. The Tai Wei Fu line of texts also has many entries on Wu Qu in the wealth and property palaces to compare.

Tian Tong in the Spouse Palace: a late marriage, growing old together, an older husband and a younger wife. Tian Tong is the star of blessing, so in the spouse's seat it means a happy marriage and an easy-going spouse. With Tian Liang (Yin, Shen), 「極美夫婦」, since both are mild stars; with Tai Yin (Zi, Wu), also good; with Ju Men (Chou, Wei) plus the four malefic stars, harm, because Tian Tong and Ju Men are both weak in Chou and Wei. A spouse who is easy to live with and cares about the quality of daily life; the risk in this marriage is that both are so easy-going that nobody makes the big household decisions. See Tian Tong in the Spouse Palace.

「廉貞三度作新郎」 is one of the best-known lines in this chapter: three marriages. Lian Zhen's transformed qi is prisoner, and it is also a secondary peach-blossom star, so in the spouse's seat feelings run strong, and a third party or a lasting grudge comes easily. With Tan Lang (Si, Hai) the harm is worse, since two peach-blossom stars are stacked and both are Xian there; with Tian Fu (Chen, Xu) the couple grow old together, because Tian Fu can rein Lian Zhen in. Seen today: a rich romantic history, and a marriage that needs clear boundaries and clear commitment. See Lian Zhen in the Spouse Palace.

Tian Fu in the Spouse Palace is 「相生寵愛，夫主貴」. Tian Fu is the treasury and is steady, so in the spouse's seat it means a spouse with resources who can run a household. 'Generating each other' means Tian Fu's element (earth) and the palace's branch generate each other. With malefic stars, marrying late avoids harm and brings old age together; as with most combinations, a late wedding is the remedy. With Tian Fu in the Spouse Palace, the Career Palace sits opposite, and it holds Qi Sha, since Qi Sha always faces Tian Fu; charts like this often show a split of 'a steady spouse, a hard-driving self'. See Tian Fu in the Spouse Palace.

Tai Yin in its temple: men and women both of rank, a fine couple; with Wen Chang and Wen Qu, finest of all. The Tai Wei Fu's 「太陰會文曲於妻宮，蟾宮折桂，文章全盛」 (Tai Wei Fu) describes exactly this combination. In the Quan Shu, Tai Yin is the wife star in a man's chart, so the Spouse Palace is its most natural seat. With malefic stars or Hua Ji, 「不剋主生離」: not disaster for the spouse, but the two parting ways. Tai Yin is in its temple in Hai, Zi and Chou, which shows directly in the brightness on a Xingge chart. See Tai Yin in the Spouse Palace.

Tan Lang in the Spouse Palace: not fine for men or women, 「三次作新郎」, three marriages, the same as Lian Zhen. Tan Lang's transformed qi is peach blossom, so in the spouse's seat it means many feelings and many choices. In its temple (Chen, Xu, Chou, Wei) better to marry late; with Zi Wei (Mao, You) the partner should be older. The Tai Wei Fu already names Zi Wei with Tan Lang 'peach blossom offending the emperor' and judges it harshly: 「桃花犯主為至淫」, the utmost in lewdness (Tai Wei Fu); the Quan Shu also treats Zi Wei in Mao and You separately in the Gu Sui Fu. In a modern marriage, the usual picture is plenty of romantic experience, with faithfulness and freshness needing real work after the wedding. See Tan Lang in the Spouse Palace.

Ju Men in the Spouse Palace, 「宜年長，定剋欠和」, is one of the stars this chapter rates lowest. Ju Men's transformed qi is darkness and it rules words, so in the spouse's seat it means frequent quarrels and suspicion. With Tai Yang (Yin, Shen) and no malefic stars, the couple grow old together: light dispels the dark. With Tian Ji (Mao, You), a helpmate; with Tian Tong (Chou, Wei), together into old age. All three shared palaces are better than Ju Men alone. Communication is the heart of this marriage; talking things through beats keeping them in. See Ju Men in the Spouse Palace.

Tian Xiang in the Spouse Palace: a lovely, virtuous spouse, and 「親上成親」, marriage between relatives, which was common in the past; today it can be read as marrying through people one already knows, or someone known from before. Tian Xiang is the seal and the mediator, so in the spouse's seat it means a steady, family-minded spouse. With Lian Zhen (Zi, Wu), in its temple, harm is avoided, an application of Tian Xiang's power to defuse Lian Zhen's worst side (The Nature of Tian Xiang). With Wu Qu (Yin, Shen), little harmony. See Tian Xiang in the Spouse Palace.

Tian Liang in the Spouse Palace: 「妻宜大」, an older spouse. Tian Liang is the star of old age and of shelter, so in the spouse's seat it means a spouse who looks after one like an elder, which is why an older partner fits best. With Tian Tong (Yin, Shen), harmony; with Tian Ji (Chen, Xu), a lovely and virtuous wife. The miswritten 朵, as the text note says, is 多. A mature spouse who knows how to take care of people, though one who may also like to manage and lecture. See Tian Liang in the Spouse Palace.

Qi Sha in the Spouse Palace, 「早剋」, and with malefic stars harm to three wives: the heaviest verdict in this chapter. Qi Sha is the general star, lonely and harsh, so in the spouse's seat it means a strong-willed spouse and a couple who clash easily. With Wu Qu (Mao, You), harm too, or a late wedding avoids it; with Lian Zhen (Chou, Wei), separation. When Qi Sha is in the Spouse Palace, the Career Palace opposite holds Tian Fu, so 'steady career, stormy marriage' is a common shape for such charts. The usual approach today is a later marriage, or a partner who is comfortable with a forceful other half. See Qi Sha in the Spouse Palace.

Po Jun in the Spouse Palace is 「男女俱剋，別聚主生離」: living apart and parting in life. Po Jun's transformed qi is waste, so a marriage under it sees great change. Tian Xiang always sits opposite Po Jun, so with Po Jun in the Spouse Palace, the Career Palace always holds Tian Xiang: a mediator at work, a bumpy road in love. With Zi Wei (Chou, Wei), an older wife suits. In present-day terms, long-distance marriage, separation and remarriage are all more likely. See Po Jun in the Spouse Palace.

Wen Chang in the Spouse Palace: a young wife and a clever helpmate; with Tian Ji and Tai Yin (Tian Ji and Tai Yin in Yin or Shen with Wen Chang), a lovely wife. Wen Chang is Xian in Yin, Wu and Xu, so 'it should not be in a Xian position' collides with the Tian Ji, Tai Yin and Wen Chang combination in Yin: in that one palace the main stars are good and Wen Chang is Xian. Read the two apart when checking a chart. A spouse with learning who can help with paperwork and planning, a good partner in work as well.

Wen Qu where it generates its palace, meeting Tai Yin and lucky stars: old age together. 「同昌曲妻妾多」: with both Wen Chang and Wen Qu in the Spouse Palace, the old reading is many wives and concubines, since the pair carries a peach-blossom tint. Wen Chang and Wen Qu share a palace only in Chou and Wei, so this condition only arises in charts whose Spouse Palace is in Chou or Wei. The Tai Wei Fu's 「太陰會文曲於妻宮」 (Tai Wei Fu) is one source of this entry. A modern reading is a full romantic life and easy charm with others, with boundaries to mind after marriage.

Lu Cun in the Spouse Palace, 「相生無剋」: a young wife, and a late marriage that lasts. With Lu Cun in the Spouse Palace, Qing Yang and Tuo Luo always sit in the Siblings and Children Palaces, flanking it. Jie Lu Kong Wang is Jie Kong, placed by the year stem, as the note explains; Lu Cun meeting Jie Kong is what later writers call Lu Feng Jie Kong, and when the blessing of the marriage falls into the void, one is alone. A practical spouse who handles money well, though both lean cautious, and daily life needs a little more give.

Zuo Fu and You Bi in the Spouse Palace: old age together; with malefic stars, or with Tan Lang and Lian Zhen, an older wife of strong character. Yet the verse in the You Bi chapter says 「若在夫妻位，主人定二婚」 (What Does You Bi Govern?) and 「妻宮遇此宿，決定兩妻成」 (the same chapter, a few lines on), two marriages, the exact opposite of 'old age together' here. Later writers mostly take the two-marriage view, reasoning that Zuo Fu and You Bi are 'second' helpers. Both readings stand side by side, a classic case of the Quan Shu contradicting itself, and a chart reader should not lean on either one alone.

Qing Yang and Tuo Luo in the Spouse Palace: in the temple with lucky stars, a late marriage avoids harm; in Xian, early harm. The two flank Lu Cun, so when the Spouse Palace holds Qing Yang, Lu Cun is in the Children Palace, and when it holds Tuo Luo, Lu Cun is in the Siblings Palace. With the sun (Tai Yang), the moon (Tai Yin), Ju Men, Tian Ji, Huo Xing, Ling Xing, Wu Qu or Qi Sha, separation. The sun and moon are on this list because in the Quan Shu they stand for man and woman, husband and wife, and a blow from Qing Yang or Tuo Luo wounds the marriage. In practice: rivalry or delays within the marriage, with a later wedding the most common remedy.

Huo Xing and Ling Xing in the Spouse Palace: in the temple (Yin, Wu, Xu) with lucky stars, no harm; in Xian (Shen, Zi, Chen), harm. The entry is short and, like the other malefic-star entries, divides good from bad by brightness, which Xingge marks for both stars so it can be checked directly. Love that comes fast and conflict that comes just as fast; if both partners are quick-tempered, they need a way to cool off after a fight.

Tian Kui and Tian Yue in the Spouse Palace: a good-looking couple and wealth through the wife; with lucky stars, a couple of rank and beauty. Kui and Yue are the noble-helper stars, so in the spouse's seat the spouse is a benefactor, or brings benefactors along. The Kui and Yue chapter calls them 「上界和合之神」, the heavenly spirits of union (What Do Tian Kui and Tian Yue Govern?), and the Spouse Palace suits them best of all. Put in today's words: a spouse who brings resources or connections, and a marriage that helps one's own career.

In the year the Dou Jun passes through the Spouse Palace, lucky stars mean the wife is well and malefic stars mean she meets disaster. The second half is a reading rarely spelled out in the Quan Shu, natal chart plus annual chart: for someone whose natal Spouse Palace harms the wife, that year brings injury; where the natal palace does not harm, only some disaster is judged. In other words, how heavy a year's events are depends on the natal foundation, one of the most important principles in reading luck periods. Overlay the year and month on Xingge to see which palace the Dou Jun falls in.