What is Xi Shen?

Xi Shen (Joy Spirit) is the eighth of the Twelve Erudite Gods (Bo Shi). It brings happy energy, and good things often come from this palace; share the good news and the good fortune grows. There is also a Xi Shen in the Twelve General Gods (Jiang Qian), spelled the same in pinyin but written with a different character and meaning something quite different; more on that at the end. To see which palace your Xi Shen is in, draw your chart.

How Xi Shen is placed

The Bo Shi set starts with Bo Shi in the Lu Cun palace; count to the eighth and you reach Xi Shen. Men born in yang years and women born in yin years count forward, so Xi Shen is seven palaces ahead of Lu Cun; men born in yin years and women born in yang years count backward, so it's seven palaces behind.

The palace opposite Xi Shen always holds Li Shi, and its trines hold Xiao Hao and Guan Fu.

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, follows Fei Lian with "Xi Shen prolongs." Where volume two lists each star's element, it says:

Xi Shen is Fire and rules joy.

"Prolongs" means to extend and carry on, and Xingge reads it this way: the happy things don't pass in a moment; they keep going.

Read for today, Xingge takes Xi Shen to mean that in this palace there are more happy things, and they last. Work here feels more rewarding, and moments worth celebrating come more easily. Share the good news with the people around you; the good mood spreads, and the next good thing comes more easily too.

Xi Shen in key palaces

• Life Palace: you come across as warm and easy to be around, and your mood rubs off on the people near you. When you're happy, invite people out more and your relationships keep getting better.
• Wealth Palace: making money is more fun for you, and what you enjoy can become income. When you earn well, treat yourself and set a share aside.
• Career Palace: your work often brings results that make people happy, such as good reviews, celebrations or thanks. Share the good news with the team and you'll pull everyone together.
• Spouse Palace: there's more to celebrate in your relationship, and more moments you enjoy together. Anniversaries and small surprises keep things getting sweeter.
• Health Palace: when you're in a good mood, your energy holds up better too. Don't wear yourself out having fun all at once; with a steady routine, the good mood lasts longer.

Telling it apart from the Jiang Qian Xi Shen and Tian Xi

• The Jiang Qian Xi Shen: spelled the same in pinyin but a different word, the fourth of the Twelve General Gods. It changes with the Annual Luck and is about low energy and wanting to stop and catch your breath. It has nothing to do with the joy of the Bo Shi Xi Shen.
• The minor star Tian Xi: placed by birth-year branch, often discussed with Hong Luan for celebrations and romance. Xi Shen is a Bo Shi god placed from Lu Cun. They come from different sources, and together they can be read as this palace having more happy energy.

Natal chart and Annual Luck

Xi Shen 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 Xi Shen palace, that area is more likely to bring something worth celebrating.