What is Li Shi?
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Li Shi (Strongman) is the second of the Twelve Erudite Gods (Bo Shi), one palace after Bo Shi. It is about carrying the weight and making the call: in this palace you can shoulder things and decide. The thing to remember is to use that strength to get things done, not to push people around. To see which palace your Li Shi is in, draw your chart.
How Li Shi is placed
The Bo Shi set starts with Bo Shi in the Lu Cun palace. Men born in yang years and women born in yin years count forward, so Li Shi is one palace ahead of Lu Cun; men born in yin years and women born in yang years count backward, so Li Shi is one palace behind it.
The palace ahead of Lu Cun always holds Qing Yang and the palace behind always holds Tuo Luo. So Li Shi always shares a palace with one of them: Qing Yang when counting forward, Tuo Luo when counting backward. The palace opposite Li Shi always holds Xi Shen, and its trines hold Zou Shu and Da Hao.
What the classics say, and how to read it now
The verse in volume two of the Zi Wei Dou Shu Quan Shu (The Complete Book of Zi Wei Dou Shu), in the An Shi Er Gong Tai Sui Sha Lu Jue section, says "Bo Shi is clever, Li Shi has power." Where volume two lists each star's element, it also says:
Li Shi is Fire and rules power and influence.
The Tai Wei Fu says "Li Shi and Jiang Jun with Qing Long display power and influence," grouping Li Shi with Jiang Jun and Qing Long as a combination that brings power into view.
Read for today, Xingge takes Li Shi to mean that you make the call in this palace. People look to you for the decision, and you're used to taking responsibility. With Qing Yang, the strength is more forceful: you move fast and speak bluntly. With Tuo Luo, it's more about quietly holding on and not letting go easily. Both are strength; the difference is how it's used.
Li Shi in key palaces
- Life Palace: you come across as reliable and decisive, and people readily hand things to you. When you're used to leading, leave room for others to contribute too.
- Wealth Palace: you like to make your own calls about earning and spending, and you don't enjoy being managed. Before big decisions, run them past someone you trust; your judgment gets steadier.
- Career Palace: suited to roles that carry responsibility and decision-making, such as leading a team, running projects or working on your own. When authority comes your way, use it to move things forward, not to make a show of it.
- Spouse Palace: who makes the decisions is often a topic between you. Your willingness to carry things is a strength; talk household matters over together and your partner will feel more at ease.
- Health Palace: you tend to push through and don't say when you're tired. Being able to keep going is a gift, but still put rest and a steady routine into your schedule.
Natal chart and Annual Luck
Li Shi is natal. It follows your birth-year Lu Cun and never changes. On the Xingge chart, the sets that change with the year are the Twelve General Gods (Jiang Qian) and the Twelve Year Gods (Sui Qian). When the Decade Luck or Annual Luck reaches the Li Shi palace, you have more say in that area, which makes it a good time to settle things that have been dragging on.
FAQ
What does Li Shi mean in Zi Wei Dou Shu?
Li Shi is the second of the Twelve Erudite Gods, and the Quan Shu says it rules power. Xingge reads it as making the call and carrying responsibility in this palace. It carries very little weight, so read it with the main stars and the Four Transformations.
How do you read Li Shi with Qing Yang?
On a chart counted forward, Li Shi always shares a palace with Qing Yang. The strength here is more forceful and you move faster; the upside is boldness, and the thing to watch is not speaking too harshly. On a chart counted backward, Li Shi sits with Tuo Luo instead, which is more about quietly holding on.
How is Li Shi different from Jiang Jun?
Both are about presence. Li Shi leans toward carrying the load and making decisions; Jiang Jun leans toward acting decisively and commanding respect. The Tai Wei Fu groups Li Shi, Jiang Jun and Qing Long together, all as signs of power.
More of the Twelve Erudite Gods (Bo Shi)
This is the general reading. On your own chart it shifts with the stars' brightness, the San Fang Si Zheng and the year you are in.
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