Children Palace

The chapter opens with a method, in this order: the main stars in the palace fix the number, malefic stars and Hua Ji decide harm, then the opposite palace is checked. The palace opposite the Children Palace is always the Property Palace, so the old readers looked at the home when reading children: a settled household gives children somewhere to land. The 子 in 「主有幾子」 leans toward sons in the old texts, from a clan society concerned with carrying on the family line. The numbers need not be taken at face value; read them as how deep the bond with one's children runs and how it plays out. The Children Palace is also often stretched to cover students, juniors, creative work and subordinates.

With no stars in the palace (an empty palace), borrow the stars of the opposite palace: the general rule of reading an empty palace, stated outright here. Good and noble stars mean thriving, eminent children; evil stars with punishment and malefic stars mean, if not harm, then headstrong sons who waste the family's fortune. This gives two directions for bad outcomes: a thin bond (harm), or a bond that exists but is hard to live with (domineering children). In family terms now, the issue may be little time together, or a strong-willed child who takes a great deal of effort to raise.

Many Southern Dipper stars for sons, many Northern Dipper stars for daughters: one of the Quan Shu's rare methods for telling sex. The Southern Dipper includes Tian Fu, Tian Liang, Tian Ji, Tian Tong, Tian Xiang and Qi Sha; the Northern Dipper includes Tan Lang, Ju Men, Lu Cun, Wen Qu, Lian Zhen, Wu Qu and Po Jun; Zi Wei, Tai Yang and Tai Yin are written as 「南北斗」 or as central-heaven stars, belonging to both (The Elements and the Dippers). Tai Yang in a yang palace for a son first and Tai Yin in a yin palace for a daughter first match the yin or yang of the star to that of the palace; the note lists which palaces are which. Methods like this are best kept as tradition, not used for prediction.

The first half: punishment and malefic stars in the Children Palace with nothing to restrain or transform them, and no mutual generation, end the line. The second half is an unusual rule: one born by day fears Tai Yin in the Children Palace, one born by night fears Tai Yang. It follows the same thinking as the Tai Yang chapter's 'Xian when born at night, Miao or Wang when born by day', which looks at whether the birth was in daytime or at night. Brightness on a Xingge chart depends only on the palace's branch and makes no day or night distinction, so for this rule readers have to check the birth hour themselves: roughly Mao through Shen counts as a day birth, You through Yin as a night birth. See the lesson on Tai Yang and Tai Yin, where the sun and moon in one palace are discussed.

Zi Wei in Miao or Wang: three sons and two daughters, five with Zuo Fu, You Bi, Wen Chang and Wen Qu. Zi Wei needs its court of officials (the helper stars), and the Children Palace is no exception: with helpers, children are many and capable. With malefic stars, only a pair, or many born of a concubine, or 「招祀子居長」: adopting a son to be the eldest, the old way of making sure the family had a first son to carry on the line. Zi Wei with Po Jun (Chou, Wei), three. Children with their own minds and a knack for leading, and a family where birth order may not run the usual way. See Zi Wei in the Children Palace.

Zi Wei with Tian Fu (Yin, Shen) and lucky stars: four or five, sons of rank. 「若獨守再加空劫孤君」: Zi Wei alone in the Children Palace meeting Di Kong and Di Jie is what later writers call the Lonely Ruler, an emperor star without its court. In the Children Palace that reads as children who stand out yet are distant from their parents, or few children. Zi Wei with Tian Fu is emperor plus treasury, so in the Children Palace it means capable children with resources behind them.

Tian Ji in Miao or Wang: two, or many born of a concubine; with Ju Men (Mao, You), one; with Tai Yin (Yin, Shen), two or three. The 'Tian Liang in the Yin palace' in the middle cannot be matched on a chart, as the note explains. Compare segments 10 and 11: Tian Tong and Tian Liang share a palace in Yin and Shen, and 'two or three in Yin, only one son in Shen' is worded almost the same way there, so this half-sentence was very likely copied by mistake from the Tian Tong entry. Tian Ji in the Children Palace means clever, changeable children, and not many of them. See Tian Ji in the Children Palace.

Tai Yang in its temple: three sons and two daughters, and 「晚子貴」, a late-born son rises to rank. Tai Yang radiates and gives, so in the Children Palace it means a parent who gives a great deal to the children, and children who are outgoing and make their mark. In Xian, three sons who come to nothing; with malefic stars, only one son left to see the parent to the grave. That was the most basic thing the old world expected of children: at least one at one's side to handle the last rites. Tai Yang is Xian in Hai and Zi, which shows directly on the chart. See Tai Yang in the Children Palace.

Wu Qu: one son; with Po Jun (Si, Hai), harm, and with malefic stars no heirs; with Tan Lang (Chou, Wei), two sons who come late; with Tian Xiang (Yin, Shen), a son from outside first and then one of one's own; with Qi Sha (Mao, You), loneliness or an injured or disabled son. Wu Qu is the star of the lonely widow, so its bond with children runs thin. The 'son from outside' is explained in the note. In families today: having children late or having few, or a stepchild or adopted child in the picture. See Wu Qu in the Children Palace.

Tian Tong in Miao or Wang gives five sons, some of rank, one of the best main-star verdicts in this palace: Tian Tong is the star of blessing, so children are many and harmonious. Tian Tong shares a palace with Tai Yin in Zi and Wu; in Wu, Tian Tong is Xian and Tai Yin is Bu, hence 'halved', which matches the brightness Xingge marks. With Tian Liang in Yin and Shen, 「先女後男」, a daughter first, and in Shen only one son. Tian Tong in the Children Palace means an easy relationship with easy-going children. See Tian Tong in the Children Palace.

This continues Tian Tong with Tian Liang: in Yin with lucky stars, three sons; with malefic stars, few sons to see one to the grave. In Yin, Tian Liang is Miao and Tian Tong is Li; in Shen, Tian Liang is Xian and Tian Tong is Wang, so Yin is the better of the two, which agrees with 'only one son in Shen' in the previous segment. It is also one of the few places where the Quan Shu splits the same pair across its two palaces, so watch the branch when reading a chart.

Lian Zhen in the Children Palace: one; with Tian Fu (Chen, Xu), three sons of rank; with Tan Lang, Po Jun or Qi Sha, loneliness; with Tian Xiang (Zi, Wu), two sons. Lian Zhen can share a palace with five stars, and this entry lists all five, with a clear ranking: Tian Fu and Tian Xiang rein Lian Zhen in, while Qi Sha, Po Jun and Tan Lang magnify its harm. It is the same logic as the Tian Xiang chapter, where Tian Xiang can also defuse Lian Zhen's malice. See Lian Zhen in the Children Palace.

Tian Fu in the Children Palace: five; with Zi Wei, four or five; with Lian Zhen, three; with Wu Qu, two; and even with malefic stars, three. Tian Fu is the treasury, so in the Children Palace it means many children and heirs to the family business. Malefic stars only bring the number down to three, a sign of how solid Tian Fu's treasury is and how little the malefic stars can do to it, in line with the Tian Fu chapter's 「能制羊陀為從，能化火鈴為福」, it can make Qing Yang and Tuo Luo its followers and turn Huo Xing and Ling Xing into blessings. See Tian Fu in the Children Palace.

Tai Yin in the Children Palace: three daughters and two sons, daughters first. Tai Yin is yin, hence more daughters and a daughter first, echoing segment 3's 「太陰星落在陰宮主先生女」. In Miao or Wang, sons of rank; in Xian, weak sons, or 「虛花不成器」, all show and nothing more. Tai Yin is Xian in Mao, Chen and Si, which can be read off the chart. Sensitive, finely tuned children, and a relationship built on sharing feelings. See Tai Yin in the Children Palace.

This continues Tai Yin's companions: with Tai Yang (Chou, Wei), five; with Tian Ji (Yin, Shen), two; with Tian Tong (Zi, Wu), five. The sun and moon share a palace in Chou and Wei, a male and a female temperament together, hence many children. No harm in a temple position, harm in a Xian palace: brightness still decides. When the sun and moon share a palace, their brightness differs: in Chou, Tai Yin is Miao and Tai Yang is Bu; in Wei the balance tips the other way, with Tai Yang at De and Tai Yin at Bu. Read the two separately.

Tan Lang in Miao or Wang: two, with harm early; with Zi Wei (Mao, You), two; with Lian Zhen (Si, Hai), few; with Wu Qu (Chou, Wei), three, hard at first and easy later. The text note covers 「如占星二人」. 'Hard first, easy later' for Tan Lang with Wu Qu has the same rhythm as the Gu Sui Fu's 「貪武墓中居，三十才發福」 (Gu Sui Fu): early years of struggle, good things late. Today that is having children late, or children who bloom late. See Tan Lang in the Children Palace.

Ju Men in its temple: two, hard at first and easy later; with Tai Yang (Yin, Shen), one or two sons, easy to raise; with Tian Ji (Mao, You), one. As in the Spouse and Siblings Palaces, the key for Ju Men is Tai Yang: with the sun beside it, children are easy to raise. Ju Men rules words, so between parent and child there is a lot of talk, and a lot of arguing. 'Hard first, easy later': a child who is a handful when small and easier grown up. See Ju Men in the Children Palace.

Tian Xiang with no malefic stars: two sons who amount to something; with malefic stars, an adopted heir as eldest first, then one or two of one's own. 「招祀子居長」 appears again, as in segment 5 for Zi Wei: the old remedy of adopting an eldest son to absorb the harm. Tian Xiang is the mediator, so in the Children Palace it means sensible, steady children. With Tian Xiang in the Children Palace, the Property Palace opposite always holds Po Jun; a home that sees a lot of change may show in the setting the children grow up in. See Tian Xiang in the Children Palace.

This continues Tian Xiang: with Zi Wei (Chen, Xu) plus Wen Chang, Wen Qu, Zuo Fu and You Bi, three or four; with Wu Qu (Yin, Shen), three; with malefic stars, certain harm, better born of a concubine. 「宜偏室生」 was the old remedy of taking a concubine to have children. It no longer applies; it can be read as the bond with children not necessarily arriving the conventional way, as in a blended family or adoption. It agrees with the Tian Xiang chapter's assessment: Zi Wei with Tian Xiang and Wu Qu with Tian Xiang are both patterns of wealth and office, and in the Children Palace they also suggest children who make something of themselves.

Tian Liang in Miao or Wang: two, with early harm if malefic stars come; with Tian Tong (Yin, Shen) and lucky stars, three; with Tian Ji (Chen, Xu), two. Tian Liang is the star of shelter, so in the Children Palace it means a parent who looks after the children a great deal, and children who are mature and sensible. The relationship is like teacher and pupil, with the parent often in the role of instructor. See Tian Liang in the Children Palace.

Qi Sha means loneliness, a share of one; with Zi Wei (Si, Hai) and lucky stars, three. With malefic stars, none, and any there are will be 「強橫敗家之子」, headstrong sons who ruin the family, echoing the general rule in segment 2. Qi Sha in the Children Palace means independent, strong-willed children, and parent and child easily butt heads. Tian Fu always sits opposite Qi Sha, so with Qi Sha in the Children Palace, the Property Palace always holds Tian Fu: the family estate is solid, but the children may not be able to hold on to it. See Qi Sha in the Children Palace.

Po Jun in its temple (Zi, Wu): three, strong-willed sons; with Zi Wei, three; with Wu Qu and lucky stars, three; with Lian Zhen (Mao, You), one. 「見羊陀相生有制」: when Po Jun meets Qing Yang or Tuo Luo, if the elements generate each other and there is restraint, the harm is held in check after all. Po Jun in the Children Palace means pioneering children who are not content with things as they are, and who may leave home early to make their own way. See Po Jun in the Children Palace.

Zuo Fu alone: three sons and one daughter; seeing Zi Wei and Tian Fu, sons of rank; seeing Po Jun, Qi Sha and the malefic stars, only two, who come to nothing. Here Zuo Fu is the main star being judged (it sits alone), which shows that when a helper star sits in an otherwise empty palace, the Quan Shu also uses it to fix the number. Po Jun and Qi Sha listed alongside the malefic stars is the Quan Shu's familiar 'Sha Po Lang plus malefic stars' grouping. In today's terms: well-liked children who find help.

You Bi: three; with lucky stars, sons of rank; with malefic stars, halved. This entry is simpler than Zuo Fu's and milder in outcome: malefic stars only halve the number, with no 'comes to nothing'. That fits the tone of the You Bi chapter, 「若與諸殺同纏及羊陀火鈴忌沖合者僅主福薄亦不為凶」: with malefic stars, only thinner blessings, not misfortune. Throughout the Quan Shu, You Bi is written as a star that can take the weight of malefic stars.

Wen Chang in the Children Palace: three, more with lucky stars; with malefic stars, a share of one son. Wen Chang rules documents and study, so in the Children Palace it means children who do well at school and value qualifications. Wen Chang is placed by the birth hour and has no fixed link to the main stars, so the actual chart has to be checked. Children who do well academically, with parents who prize education: the familiar picture of a family built around schooling.

Wen Qu in Miao or Wang: four; in Xian, two or three; with malefic stars, few. Wen Qu's weak positions are Yin, Wu and Xu (Xian in Wu and Xu, Ping in Yin), which Xingge marks. Wen Qu in the Children Palace means children with artistic gifts and a way with words. Compared with Wen Chang, Wen Qu gives one more child, perhaps because Wen Qu belongs to water and rules flow, which the old readers thought better for bearing and raising children. Details like this need not be pressed; the general direction is what counts.

Lu Cun in the Children Palace 「主孤」: better a child by a concubine or an adopted 「螟蛉之子」 (see the note). With Lu Cun in the Children Palace, Qing Yang and Tuo Luo always sit in the Spouse and Wealth Palaces, flanking it, which is why the old readers judged it lonely. It is the same character as Lu Cun in the Life Palace being a 'miser guarding his money': it holds on but does not expand. The likely picture now: few children, or adoption or stepchildren in the family.

Qing Yang and Tuo Luo in the Children Palace: alone in a Xian palace; in the temple with lucky stars, one; with many lucky stars opposite and no clash, three or four; with the star of waste, malefic stars or Hua Ji in the palace, no heirs. 'Many lucky stars in the opposite palace' goes back to the general rule of segments 1 and 2: the Children Palace is read together with the Property Palace. Qing Yang and Tuo Luo are in their temple in Chen, Xu, Chou and Wei. In real life: friction between parent and child, and how stable the home (the Property Palace) is affects how the relationship goes.

Huo Xing with lucky stars: not alone; in a Xian palace with malefic stars, injury. Huo Xing is Xian in Shen, Zi and Chen, and Xingge marks its brightness. The entry is short, and the rule is the same as for the other malefic stars: lucky stars rescue, a Xian position harms. Children who are hasty and full of drive, and parents who need a little extra patience.

Ling Xing alone: alone; with lucky stars and in its temple, 「可許庶出」; with many lucky stars opposite, two or three. 'Children by a concubine may be allowed' is an old remedy; today it reads as the bond with children possibly coming in an unconventional way. As with Huo Xing, the good or bad of the Property Palace opposite affects the outcome. In everyday language: feelings between parent and child that go unspoken, and need more talking through.

Tian Kui and Tian Yue alone in the Children Palace: sons of rank. The Xingge approach above explains why 'alone' cannot be matched to charts. Kui and Yue are the noble-helper stars, so in the Children Palace the children are benefactors, or win the backing of benefactors. The section on star combinations says 「魁鉞命身多折桂」 (Star Combinations: Kui Yue, Zuo Fu, You Bi and Lu Cun), and here the link between Kui and Yue and examination success reaches the children. Children who go far, often noticed by elders or teachers.

In the year the Dou Jun passes through the Children Palace, lucky stars mean thriving children; malefic stars, harm or a son who ruins the family. This is the fixed Dou Jun ending of each palace chapter. When the year or month reaches the Children Palace, it is a time to watch the relationship with one's children, their schooling and their health. Overlay the year on Xingge and look at where the Dou Jun and the annual Life Palace fall to see which month of the year lands on the Children Palace.