Property Palace

Zi Wei in the Property Palace, 「茂盛自置旺相」: the emperor star in charge of property, able to buy it and to keep it. The entry names only two of its partners: Po Jun, which shares its palace only in Chou and Wei, and Tian Xiang, only in Chen and Xu. This entry gives Zi Wei with Po Jun as 'retreating from the estate', yet the Po Jun entry in the same chapter says 「紫微同有見成家業」, a ready-made estate (segment 14): the same pair gets opposite verdicts. With Tian Xiang it says 「有見成家業」, while the Tian Xiang entry says 「紫微同自置」. The palace verdicts were written one entry per star, and the same pair is often judged differently in two entries; read both and keep both. Someone with Zi Wei here cares about the quality of their home, leans towards buying rather than renting, and likes to be the one in charge at home.

Tian Ji in the Property Palace, 「退祖新創置」: Tian Ji rules change, so in the Property Palace the family property does not stay and the house is bought anew by one's own effort. Tian Ji shares a palace with Ju Men only in Mao and You, and the book splits them finely: farms in Mao; in You the estate is not kept, large at first and small later. In Xingge's brightness the two palaces look the same, Tian Ji Wang and Ju Men Miao in both Mao and You, so the difference probably comes from the elements: Mao is wood, and Tian Ji is a wood star. With Tian Liang (Chen, Xu), wealth in old age; with Tai Yin (Yin, Shen), buying one's own, prosperous. In practice, people with Tian Ji here tend to move house often and change their surroundings, and their property mostly comes from their own hands.

Tai Yang in its temple in the Property Palace gains the ancestral estate, prosperous at first and ordinary at the end. Tai Yang gives out and spreads, so here the family's fortunes bloom first and level off later. Tai Yang shares a palace with Tai Yin only in Chou and Wei, where lucky stars mean much land; with Ju Men only in Yin and Shen, flourishing in Yin and leaving the estate in Shen. The Yin/Shen split shows in Xingge's brightness: Tai Yang is Wang in Yin and De in Shen, so the sun in Yin is brighter. The section on Ju Men calls Ju Men and Tai Yang best when the Life Palace is in Yin, and the verdict for the Property Palace agrees. The Ju Men entry of this chapter, for its part, gives Tai Yang with Ju Men as 「先無後有」, nothing at first, something later. A Tai Yang home is often open, lively, with people coming and going.

Wu Qu alone in a Wang position gains the grandfather's great estate. Wu Qu sits alone only in Chen and Xu, where Xingge marks it Miao, so 'alone in a Wang position' in practice means Chen or Xu. Wu Qu is metal and its transformed qi is wealth; in the Property Palace that is a treasury with something in it, hence the great estate. The second half: with Po Jun (only in Si and Hai), the family property is squandered and even what there is does not last. Po Jun's transformed qi is waste, and a wealth star meeting a star of waste in the Property Palace means the house or estate gets used up. Wu Qu with Po Jun here often goes with changing homes, renovating and buying and selling, with heavy spending on property; borrowing against it calls for care.

This continues the Wu Qu entry with Wu Qu's other partners: Tian Xiang (Yin, Shen), ruin first and property later; Qi Sha (Mao, You), no wish to buy; Tian Fu (Zi, Wu), a ready-made estate; Tan Lang (Chou, Wei), property bought late, and excellent with Huo Xing or Ling Xing. Wu Qu and Tan Lang meeting Huo Xing or Ling Xing is the burst of the Huo Tan pattern landing in the Property Palace, which the ancients read as flourishing property. Note that the Tian Xiang entry of this chapter says 「武曲同無分」, no share (segment 12), which does not quite match 'ruin first, property later' here. Wu Qu with Qi Sha's 'heart does not want it' sounds very modern: no interest in buying a home, preferring to rent or put the money elsewhere.

Tian Tong in the Property Palace, 「先少後多，自置甚旺」. Tian Tong is the star of blessing, bitter first and sweet later; in the Property Palace that means starting without property and adding more over time. Its partners: Ju Men (Chou, Wei), little land; Tai Yin (Zi, Wu) in the temple, great wealth, best in Zi, where Tai Yin is Miao and Tian Tong Wang; Tian Liang (Yin, Shen), retreat first and advance later. With malefic stars or Hua Ji, none at all. The Tai Yin entry of this chapter gives Tai Yin with Tian Tong as 「白手自置」, buying with empty hands, which reads well alongside 'great wealth' here: starting from nothing and ending rich. Tian Tong people care most about how comfortable the home feels; the house need not be big, as long as it is easy to live in.

Lian Zhen in the Property Palace, 「破祖」. Lian Zhen's transformed qi is prisoner, and in the Property Palace the ancestral property is tied up and cannot be kept. Partners: Tan Lang (Si, Hai), an estate that does not last; Qi Sha (Chou, Wei), buying one's own; Tian Fu (Chen, Xu), a ready-made estate; Tian Xiang (Zi, Wu), nothing first and something later. The entry leaves out Lian Zhen with Po Jun (Mao, You); that pair is in the Po Jun entry: 「先破後有置」. Also, the Tan Lang entry says 「廉貞同無分」, no share, the opposite of 'there is an ancestral estate' here. People with Lian Zhen here often have a complicated relationship with the family property and end up setting up on their own.

Tian Fu in the Property Palace, 「田園茂盛，守祖自置旺相」. Tian Fu is the treasury, the star in charge of wealth and property, so the Property Palace is one of its best places: it can both keep the old estate and buy more. With Zi Wei (Yin, Shen), great wealth; with Lian Zhen (Chen, Xu) or Wu Qu (Zi, Wu), the estate kept in glory. With malefic stars, successes and failures. The Quan Shu calls Tian Fu 「職掌財帛、田宅、衣祿之神」, the spirit in charge of wealth, property and livelihood, in What Does Tian Fu Govern?; the Property Palace is its own job. People with Tian Fu here value real estate and are good at building up assets; home is where their sense of security comes from.

Tai Yin in its temple in the Property Palace means much land; in Xian with Hua Ji and malefic stars, none. Tai Yin's transformed qi is wealth, and the Quan Shu calls it the 'lord of property', so like Tian Fu it is one of the stars most at home here. In Xingge's brightness, Tai Yin is Miao in Hai, Zi and Chou and Xian in Mao, Chen and Si, a wide gap, which is why this entry opens with Miao and Xian. Partners: Tian Ji (Yin, Shen), acquiring by oneself; Tian Tong (Zi, Wu), buying with empty hands; with Zuo Fu, You Bi, Hua Quan, Hua Lu or Lu Cun, much property. In everyday life, Tai Yin people put a lot into the feel of their home, enjoy decorating and collecting, and treat property as a major asset.

Tan Lang in a Xian palace leaves the estate and has little land all its life; in Miao or Wang there is an estate, which is also lost, and property is bought in middle and later life (the text note explains 未 as 末). Tan Lang is Xian in Si and Hai and Miao in Chen, Xu, Chou and Wei. Partners: Lian Zhen (Si, Hai), no share; Zi Wei (Mao, You), an estate; Wu Qu (Chou, Wei), buying late. The striking line is 'seeing Huo Xing or Ling Xing the estate is kept... but there is fear of fire burning the house': Huo Xing with Tan Lang in the Property Palace is said both to hold the estate and to risk fire, the ancients reading Huo Xing's 'fire' literally onto the house. The modern version of this is simply to mind wiring and fire safety at home.

Ju Men in Miao or Wang 「橫發置買」, a windfall and buying; in Xian, no share, and trouble over property. Ju Men rules words and disputes, and its most typical showing in the Property Palace is a property dispute: an inheritance fight, trouble with neighbours, a lawsuit over a sale. In Xingge's brightness Ju Men is Miao in Yin, Shen, Mao and You and Xian in Chen and Xu. With Tai Yang (Yin, Shen), nothing first and something later. For Ju Men here, contracts and title deserve extra care when buying or renting, and property shared within the family is better put in writing; in Miao or Wang, unexpected chances to buy often come up.

Tian Xiang in Miao or Wang in the Property Palace has a share. Tian Xiang is the seal star, and here it means a rightful share of the family property. Partners: Zi Wei (Chen, Xu), buying one's own; Wu Qu (Yin, Shen), no share; Lian Zhen with malefic stars, the estate drifts away. All three verdicts have counterparts in other entries, but they do not quite agree: the Zi Wei entry gives Tian Xiang as 「有見成家業」 while this one gives Zi Wei as 「自置」; the Wu Qu entry gives Tian Xiang as 「先見破後方有」 while this one gives Wu Qu as 「無分」. Tian Xiang does not act on its own; how good it is depends on its neighbours, and that holds in the Property Palace too.

Tian Liang in Miao or Wang in the Property Palace has an ancestral estate. Tian Liang's transformed qi is shelter, the protection of the generation before, and in the Property Palace that is inheriting the family property. Partners: Tian Tong (Yin, Shen), hard first and easy later; Tian Ji (Chen, Xu), property in the end if no malefic stars come. The entry does not mention Tian Liang with Tai Yang (Mao, You), and the Tai Yang entry does not either, a gap in this chapter. In Xingge's brightness Tian Liang is Miao in Zi, Wu, Yin, Mao, Chen and Xu and Xian in Si, Shen and Hai. People with Tian Liang here often live in a home their elders left them or helped them buy; family care is plain to see.

Po Jun in Zi or Wu in the Property Palace keeps the estate in glory, but with gains and losses. Po Jun in Zi or Wu is Miao and alone, the 'hero star in its temple' position, which is why even the Property Palace is called glorious; with malefic stars, the estate is left and land is little. Partners: Zi Wei (Chou, Wei), a ready-made estate; Lian Zhen (Mao, You), ruin first and buying later; with Da Hao or Hua Ji, none. The Dou Shu Fa Wei Lun says 「田宅遇破軍，先破後成」 (see the original), the general rule for Po Jun in the Property Palace; this entry breaks it down by palace. In real life, Po Jun people often move or renovate on a large scale; their living space keeps changing.

Wen Chang in the Property Palace with lucky stars buys widely; with malefic stars it ruins the estate. Wen Chang is a literary star with little bearing on property itself, so the outcome depends mostly on what it meets. The entry is short and follows the usual shape of the Quan Shu's entries for helper stars: 'with lucky stars, this; with malefic stars, that'. A Wen Chang home is full of books and set up for study, and property decisions are rational and well researched; handling documents well (title, contracts) is one way its good side shows.

Wen Qu in a Wang position in the Property Palace has a share and keeps the estate; with lucky stars, buys its own; with malefic stars, gains and losses. For 'a Wang position', Xingge's brightness has Wen Qu Miao in Chou, Si and You and Wang in Mao, Wei and Hai. Compared with Wen Chang in segment 15, Wen Qu gets the extra condition of a Wang position and a slightly better verdict. Neither Wen Chang nor Wen Qu weighs heavily in the Property Palace, since neither is a star of property. A Wen Qu home has an artistic touch and attention to looks; property is mostly held steadily rather than traded often.

Zuo Fu in the Property Palace has an ancestral estate; with malefic stars, the estate is left and land is little; with lucky stars, much. Zuo Fu is a helper star, and in the Property Palace it stands for support from family or others, hence the estate. There is no entry for You Bi in this chapter: either text has been lost, or Zuo Fu and You Bi are treated as one. In practice, Zuo Fu people often get family help with a home, such as a down payment or a guarantee, or live with or near their family.

Lu Cun in the Property Palace: many fields, prosperous, buying its own; with lucky stars, inheriting the estate in glory; with malefic stars, little. Lu Cun keeps wealth, and the Property Palace is one of its best places; the Tai Wei Fu says 「祿存守於田財，堆金積玉」, Lu Cun guarding property and wealth piles up gold and jade (see the original). Note that Lu Cun is always flanked by Qing Yang and Tuo Luo, so when it is in the Property Palace the two neighbouring palaces (Fortune and Career) always hold Qing Yang and Tuo Luo; 'with Qing Yang and Tuo Luo added' in the text means in the same palace or shining in, not the flanking pair. Lu Cun people are good at saving towards a home, and property is their main way of building wealth.

Qing Yang in its temple in the Property Palace: ruin first and success later; in Xian with Di Kong or Di Jie, the estate is left. Qing Yang is Miao in Chen, Xu, Chou and Wei and Xian in Zi, Wu, Mao and You. The entry reads Qing Yang's 'punishment' as ruin: ruin first means upheaval in the family or damage to the home early on; in the temple there is the strength to rebuild. Qing Yang people often move or see family upheaval when young and later earn their own place; a common modern reminder for Qing Yang in this palace is to keep knives and sharp objects safely at home.

Tuo Luo in the Property Palace leaves the estate and toils day by day; with lucky stars, nothing first and something later; with Di Kong or Di Jie, none. Tuo Luo rules delay and entanglement: property matters drag on and the family estate is not held. 「辛勤度日」 is very concrete, building up slowly by labour. Tuo Luo is Miao in Chen, Xu, Chou and Wei; the entry does not separate Miao from Xian, but it is still worth checking the brightness on the chart: a Miao Tuo Luo is slow but steady, and only a Xian one is simply a drag. Today that tends to mean a bumpy path to buying a home, with mortgage or transfer delays, so allow extra time and patience.

Huo Xing alone in the Property Palace leaves the estate; with lucky stars, nothing first and something later; with Di Kong or Di Jie, none. Huo Xing is urgent and sudden, and in the Property Palace the family property changes abruptly. 「獨守」, guarding alone, means the Property Palace has no main star, only Huo Xing; when there is a main star, read the main star. Read with Tan Lang meeting Huo Xing in segment 10 ('fear of fire burning the house'), Huo Xing in this palace carries an extra reminder about fire. Huo Xing people change homes fast, often deciding suddenly to move or buy, and the mood at home can be hasty.

Ling Xing in the Property Palace leaves the estate; in its temple with lucky stars, it buys its own; with Di Kong or Di Jie, none. Ling Xing is close to Huo Xing but darker and more smouldering; in the Property Palace the family property drains away slowly. The entry adds the condition 'in its temple' for Ling Xing, which is Miao in Yin, Wu and Xu (volume three's table). The section on Huo Xing and Ling Xing says 「火鈴旺宮亦為福論」, that in their Wang palaces Huo Xing and Ling Xing count as fortunate, so they are not wholly bad when bright. Ling Xing people have firm ideas about their home and usually buy a little later, by their own effort.

The last entry is about the year: when the Dou Jun reaches the Property Palace, lucky stars double one's property and malefic stars, Hua Ji or stars of waste bring loss. The Dou Jun is the palace of the first lunar month in a given year, from which the months are counted. The entry treats it as a trigger: whatever good or bad sits in the natal Property Palace is set off in the year the Dou Jun arrives. Every palace chapter in the Quan Shu ends with the same kind of Dou Jun line. Put to use, it suggests that some stretch of a given year is especially suited to property matters; on Xingge you can look at the Annual and monthly luck, explained in the lesson on monthly luck.