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| Ziwei doushu | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 紫微斗數 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 紫微斗数 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Purple forbidden enclosure calculation | ||||||||||
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Ziwei doushu, sometimes translated into English aspurple star astrology, is a form offortune-telling inChinese culture. The study of destiny (Chinese:命學;pinyin:mìngxué) is one of the five arts of Chinese metaphysics. Along with theFour Pillars of Destiny,ziwei doushu is one of the most renowned[1] fortune-telling methods used in this study. Much like westernastrology,ziwei doushu claims to use the position of the cosmos at the time of one's birth to make determinations about personality, career and marriage prospects, and more.
Traditionally,ziwei doushu is considered to have been created by aTaoist named Lu Chunyang (呂純陽) during theTang dynasty. It was further developed by Chen Xiyi (陳希夷) during theSong dynasty and later on by Luo Hongxian (羅洪先) during theMing dynasty to its present-day form.[better source needed][2] Its exact origin, however, is still debated among different schools.
Unlike the more commonly knownFour Pillars of Destiny system of birth-chart divination,ziwei doushu is based on a purely lunar calendar and the position of the night sky. By contrast, Bazi is tied to thesexagenary cycle system of timekeeping, which is often mapped to traditional Chinesesolar terms. Some believe that this difference makes the two systems complementary rather than competitors.
The study of destiny (Chinese:命學;pinyin:mìngxué), of whichziwei doushu is a part, has traditionally been closely intertwined with astronomy. Historically, gifted astronomers and astrologers were recruited as officials to work in Imperial Courts during thedynastic eras, producing astrological charts for theemperor, as his personal fate had a direct bearing on his kingdom. The court astrologers also played an important role in determining the successor to the throne.[citation needed]
Astrologers observed the stars and noticed that among so many stars, only one was seemingly stationary while the rest revolved around it. This star was named the 'Emperor star' (紫微星)—the celestial equivalent of the Emperor and known in the West as Polaris. While this star inziwei doushu has a physical basis, the rest of the system's "stars" are expressions of the cyclical passage of time and do not necessarily represent physical stars in the sky.
As with many other forms of fortune-telling, practitioners do not generally see the natal chart as an infallible guide as to what will happen, but more as a form of forecasting in detail. Destiny and fortune are considered structurally complex and are unlikely to be changed by a single element. An overly simplistic application of – for example – changing one's lucky colors and numbers is not expected to affect or change one's destiny in any significant way. However, practitioners believe that knowledge about future possibilities may allow one to gauge the situation in advance and make decisions from a position of strength.Ziwei doushu approaches the world and events from the idea that to view things in their proper context, it is important to recognise the "spiritual dynamic of the universe" to find the pattern of change that leads to "fundamental truth".[citation needed]
The 12 Palaces (十二宫) are arranged and plotted in an anti-clockwise rotation. The presence of certain stars in each palace can be considered either an auspicious or inauspicious omen regarding that part of one's life. In some lineages, these palaces are also assigned phases based on thesexagenary cycle which is also used inFour Pillars of Destiny reading.
Different schools ascribe importance to the presence and strength of many different 'stars', ranging from 18 to dozens, often including interactions and transformations between these stars. However, 14 "major" stars are used consistently across different lineages:[3][4]