Star Combinations: Wu Qu

The Quan Shu says Wu Qu is 「無失陷」, and Xingge's brightness table has no Xian for it either: Miao in Chen, Xu, Chou and Wei, Wang in Zi and Wu, Ping in Si and Hai, plus De in Yin and Shen and Li in Mao and You, so its weakest grade is Ping in Si and Hai. Wu Qu's transformed qi is wealth; it is the master of the Wealth Palace and belongs to metal, and it is Miao in the four tomb palaces (earth) because earth produces metal. Since Wu Qu has no fallen position, every unlucky verdict that follows comes from the stars and malefic stars sharing or facing its palace, not from Wu Qu's own brightness. For Wu Qu's character as a whole, see The Nature of Wu Qu and the Wu Qu star page.

The original is the Gu Sui Fu's 「武曲廟垣威名赫奕」 (segment 21). The note adds an unusual condition: people born in a Chen, Xu, Chou or Wei year, with the Life Palace in Chen or Xu. That puts both the birth-year branch and the Life Palace branch in the four tombs, earth on earth, and metal is nourished. With the Life Palace in Chen or Xu, Wu Qu sits alone with Tan Lang opposite; in Chou or Wei it shares the palace with Tan Lang, which is why the note ranks Chou and Wei next. The Wen Chang and Wen Qu page also puts Wu Qu best in Chen, next in Chou and Wei; the two places agree.

Wu Qu and Tian Xiang share a palace only in Yin and Shen; one governs wealth, the other the seal of office, and with the literary talent of Wen Chang and Wen Qu added, the person is clever and many-skilled. The Quan Shu often uses 'skilled crafts' for Wu Qu with literary stars, in the same sense as the Gu Sui Fu's 「文曲武曲為人多學多能」. That fits someone good with their hands and technically minded, who can turn expertise into finished work, in engineering, design or precision crafts. On a chart, with Wu Qu and Tian Xiang in Yin or Shen, see whether Wen Chang and Wen Qu are in the same palace or shine in from the San Fang.

Lu Ma Jiao Chi (wealth and the horse galloping together) is Lu Cun (or Hua Lu) and Tian Ma in the same palace or meeting. Tian Ma is only ever in Yin, Shen, Si or Hai and Lu Cun follows the year stem; when the two meet with the wealth star Wu Qu among them, the person makes money far away. What Does Wu Qu Govern? also says 「與祿馬交馳，發財於遠郡」. It suggests income from another region, business across regions or countries, or work that keeps the person on the move.

Wu Qu in the Travel Palace puts the wealth star out in the world, hence a great merchant; the note requires many lucky stars. The Women's Gu Sui Fu also has 「武曲遷移利市場」 (segment 36). With Wu Qu in the Travel Palace, the Life Palace sits opposite: with Wu Qu in Chen or Xu, the Life Palace holds Tan Lang; with Wu Qu in Mao or You (with Qi Sha), the Life Palace holds Tian Fu; with Wu Qu in Zi or Wu (with Tian Fu), the Life Palace holds Qi Sha. Different major stars in the Life Palace mean different ways of trading abroad.

These four stars belong to the Zi Fu Wu Lian group and the Sha Po Lang group, and they meet each other on a chart: Wu Qu shares a palace with Tan Lang in Chou and Wei and with Qi Sha in Mao and You, and is always in a trine with Lian Zhen. All of them lean toward action, desire and pioneering, which the ancients thought unsuited to study and office, so they assigned them to trade. It describes, in present-day language, a sales-minded or entrepreneurial personality.

Wu Qu and Po Jun share a palace only in Si and Hai, where both are only Ping. Wu Qu is wealth and Po Jun is waste; the wealth star meets the wasting star, neither strong, so the inheritance and the family are ruined and the person toils. The Quan Shu derives this straight from the stars' natures: the star that keeps money meets the star that spends it. It can mean money coming and going without building up, or leaving the family business early to start over on one's own. With Hua Lu (Wu Qu in a Ji year, Po Jun in a Gui year) or lucky stars, the verdict softens.

Wu Qu belongs to metal, and so does Qing Yang; two metals meeting, plus Di Jie and malefic stars, the ancients read as drawing a blade over money. It is a blunt verdict and is kept as written. In present-day terms, it may mean conflict over money disputes, or work involving blades, surgery or metal; which of these applies depends on the Career and Travel Palaces, and on whether lucky stars soften it.

Tian Kui and Tian Yue are stars of noble helpers and promotion; Wu Qu is the wealth star and governs money; together they make an official who manages money. What Does Zi Wei Govern? likewise says that Zi Wei in the Wealth or Property Palace with Wu Qu 「必為財賦之官」. This corresponds to finance, accounting, banking and tax, the role that handles money in an organisation.

Wu Qu and Tan Lang share a palace only in Chou and Wei, where both are Miao. Wu Qu is wealth and Tan Lang desire and opportunity; in the Wealth or Property Palace, the ancients read sudden riches. Sudden is not steady: the Quan Shu elsewhere speaks of rising and falling suddenly, hinting that money that comes fast may go fast. It fits income with big swings, such as investments, sales bonuses or starting a business. With this pair in the Life Palace, the Quan Shu says 'poor first, rich later'; see the Tan Lang page of this chapter.

The same Wu Qu and Tan Lang, in the Life Palace with malefic stars and Hua Ji, make a craftsman. Set against the previous line's sudden riches in the Wealth or Property Palace, the Quan Shu's logic is clear: the energy of Wu Qu and Tan Lang becomes wealth only with lucky stars and a good position, and broken by malefic stars and Hua Ji it can only be turned to a trade. Craftsmen had low status in old times; today a professional skill can be very valuable, so the verdict should be read in its historical setting.

Mao belongs to wood and to Zhen, thunder, hence 'crushed by trees, startled by thunder'. The original in What Does Wu Qu Govern? is 「惡殺耗囚會於震宮，必見木壓雷震」, where 耗 is Po Jun, 囚 is Lian Zhen, and 震 is Mao. By the chart rules, Lian Zhen and Po Jun share the palace in Mao, while Wu Qu in Mao shares it with Qi Sha, so the three never sit in Mao together; what the line really describes is Lian Zhen and Po Jun in Mao with Wu Qu shining in from another palace. Accidents in old times were often falling trees and lightning; today the line serves as a reminder about accidental injury.

This runs along the same line as the eighth, only heavier. Wu Qu is metal and Huo Xing is fire, and fire overcomes metal; add Qing Yang and Tuo Luo, and the wealth star is struck again and again. As written it is a heavy verdict. Financial risk may involve personal safety, as in high-risk business or debt disputes, and calls for special care; not everyone with Wu Qu and malefic stars will meet this.

The original is the Women's Gu Sui Fu's 「武曲之宿為寡宿」 (segment 10). Keep two things apart: among Xingge's minor stars there is also a star named Gua Su (paired with Gu Chen and placed by the year branch), which is a separate star; here the line says Wu Qu's nature is like the widow star, hard and solitary. The note's meaning is that when husband and wife are both hard, there is harm and separation, and only a weak husband with the wife in charge avoids it. This is an old view of women's charts; a modern reading is a strong, dominant personality, where the partners need to divide roles and give way to each other.