What is Sang Men?

When people see "Sang Men" on a chart, most tense up. In fact it's one of the lightest labels on the chart, and it's about mood: the affairs of that palace are more likely to leave you low on drive this year, wanting to hide for a bit. The ancients named it after the most extreme case; the reading can be quite ordinary. To find which palace this year's Sang Men falls in, draw your chart.

What Sang Men is: third of the Twelve Year Gods

Sang Men (Mourning Gate) belongs to the Twelve Year Gods (Sui Qian) and comes third, two palaces on from Sui Jian. It's one of the few gods in the set with a placement in the Zi Wei Dou Shu Quan Shu (The Complete Book of Zi Wei Dou Shu). Volume two, in its verse for placing the four flying stars Sang Men, Bai Hu, Diao Ke and Guan Fu, says:

Two places ahead of the annual Tai Sui is Sang Men; two places behind is Diao Ke. Opposite Sang Men place Bai Hu; opposite Diao Ke place Guan Fu.

Two palaces ahead of Tai Sui is Sang Men, and the palace opposite Sang Men is Bai Hu. In a Zi year Sang Men is in Yin, in a Chou year in Mao, and so on; in 2027, a Ding Wei year, it's in You. In volume one of the Quan Shu, the Dou Shu Fa Wei Lun also groups Tian Ku with Sang Men, as a reminder to take care when you meet them in an Annual Luck. So from the start, the ancients used it to read the year.

In the Annual Luck, Sang Men always sits in the Annual Fortune Palace

Sui Jian sits in the Annual Life Palace, and two palaces on is exactly the Annual Fortune Palace, which governs mood and state of mind. With Sang Men there, the message is consistent: this year, your feelings need more looking after.

What Sang Men means, in plain words

There may be times when your mood sinks and you want to withdraw; give yourself some time, and it will come back. Sang Men is about a sinking feeling, and it's often tied to matters at home: spend a bit more time with family and deal with the small things around the house. It doesn't say anything will happen; it only reminds you not to force your way through that palace's affairs.

Sang Men in key palaces

• Life Palace: you want time alone more often this year. Rest when you're tired, and talk with someone you trust.
• Wealth Palace: you may lose interest in money matters, or spend to cheer yourself up. Hold big purchases until your mood is steadier.
• Career Palace: now and then work feels pointless and you want to get away. Slow the pace first, and don't rush into big decisions.
• Spouse Palace: the mood between you can turn heavy. More company, fewer demands.
• Property Palace: home needs more of your time: tidying, keeping someone company, looking after people all count.
• Health Palace: your energy tires easily. Sleeping enough and keeping a regular routine help more than anything.

Natal and annual, read separately

The natal Sang Men is placed by your birth-year branch; Xingge treats it as background and doesn't read it separately. Only the annual Sang Men is read: on the first day of each lunar year it moves one palace along with Tai Sui. Switch the chart to an Annual Luck and you'll see it move to that year's position.

Sang Men and Diao Ke flank Tai Sui, one ahead and one behind, and both are about mood and matters at home: Sang Men leans toward your own feelings, Diao Ke toward worrying for others. The minor star Tian Ku is also about feeling things deeply; it's a separate star placed by birth year.