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THE SHORT ANSWER
Zi Wei Dou Shu’s twelve palaces are traditional categories, not twelve scores for your life. Check the birth inputs and chart conventions, then identify the palace name, earthly branch, major stars and markers. The Body Palace overlays one of the twelve; it is not a thirteenth palace. An “empty” palace means no major star, not an absent part of life.
- Earthly branches and palace names are different labels. Two people’s Wealth Palaces can occupy different branches; do not identify a palace only by its screen position.
- The traditional san fang si zheng relationship groups a reference palace, its two trine partners and its opposite. For the Life Palace, the group includes Wealth, Career and Travel.
- Wenbu shows major stars, supporting-star names, selected transformation markers and decadal age ranges. Those fields are not a completed annual reading.
The teaching diagram highlights Life, Wealth, Career and Travel within the twelve-palace structure. It illustrates a traditional relationship, not a personal birth chart, and assigns no strength, fortune or prediction scores.
Read the structure before the star names
Zi Wei Dou Shu arranges stars within twelve palaces using birth information. Traditional names organize themes such as self, siblings, partnership, children, resources, health, movement, friendships, work, home, inner life and parents. A palace label is a symbolic category, not a factual statement about that part of your life.
The Life palace and Body palace are common reference points. Major stars, supporting stars and other markers form a network. Isolating one star and using it to define a person leaves out the rest of that network.
An empty palace is not an empty life
A palace without a major star is commonly called empty. Traditional readings consider relationships with other palaces; they do not simply conclude that a life area is absent or doomed.
Likewise, dramatic words in star names are technical labels, not forecasts of harm. Wenbu displays the structure first so you can identify which palace or star a reflection refers to.
Palace names and questions grounded in your own records
| Palace | Traditional subject | A starting question |
|---|---|---|
| 命宫 · Life | Self and approach | Which approach have I been using repeatedly? |
| 兄弟 · Siblings | Siblings and peers | What actual support or division of effort exists? |
| 夫妻 · Partnership | Close partnership | Which expectations need a conversation? |
| 子女 · Children | Children and related relationships | What care arrangements are actually in place? |
| 财帛 · Wealth | Resources and spending | Where do time and money currently go? |
| 疾厄 · Health | A traditional bodily category | What do existing health records establish? |
| 迁移 · Travel | External settings and movement | Which conditions change in a new setting? |
| 交友／仆役 · Friends | Friendships and cooperation | Are responsibilities and communication clear? |
| 官禄／事业 · Career | Work and undertaking tasks | Where are results or support needs visible? |
| 田宅 · Property | Home and household foundations | Do the practical arrangements work? |
| 福德 · Well-being | Inner life and enjoyment | Which activities restore or drain me? |
| 父母 · Parents | Parents and elders | What needs or boundaries are confirmed? |
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways.
Time and school conventions matter
A known birth time is needed for this tool. Wenbu does not generate a guessed chart when the hour is unknown. It uses the entered local civil date and clock time, without an automatic solar-time correction.
The current engine uses iztro’s default configuration with fixLeap=true and distinguishes early from late Zi. Schools may differ on leap months, transformations and day boundaries. Compare settings before deciding that one chart is simply wrong.
Bring the symbolism back to observation
A friendship palace can prompt you to review which collaborations communicate well. A work palace can prompt a list of tasks you enjoy or resist. Those observations belong to you; the stars have not independently verified them.
Do not use a health palace to diagnose illness or a partnership palace to assert another person’s loyalty. Real questions still need real evidence, conversation and qualified support.
What to open on your first visit
Find 命宫, the Life Palace, then select one palace relevant to your question. Note its name, listed major stars and visible markers. Wenbu retains the Chinese palace and star names so you can match them directly with references.
For a question about work, ask the Agent to explain the traditional context of 官禄宫, the Career Palace, then identify the stars actually listed. Learn to read the chart’s labels before connecting them to your circumstances.
Read the labels before discussing a work question
Start with a reliable birth date, local clock time and the other inputs the tool requires. This exercise reads the result without assuming which stars your Life or Career Palace will contain.
Keep the inputs and method. Wenbu uses entered local civil time without automatic solar-time correction. Record the iztro version and its late-Zi and leap-month conventions before comparing tools.
Find 命宫, the Life Palace, and copy its earthly branch and major-star names. If a Body Palace marker appears, note its location rather than drawing an extra box.
Select 官禄, the Career Palace. Record major stars, brightness, visible transformations and supporting-star names separately. If it lacks a major star, write that—not “no ability to work.”
Add the Wealth and Travel Palace labels to your notes. Complete this description of what is present before asking how a particular tradition interprets the relationship.
Write actual work information on a separate line: responsibilities, recent tasks and feedback. Ask the Agent to distinguish chart fields, traditional interpretation and the facts you supplied before listing questions to investigate.
A useful reading makes its references traceable to a palace and star. A palace name alone cannot establish a profession, income or event in a particular year.
Key terms
- Reference palace / ben gong 本宫
- The palace currently being examined; the reference can change with the question.
- Opposite palace / dui gong 对宫
- The palace facing the reference across the twelve-palace structure. Travel is opposite Life.
- San fang si zheng 三方四正
- A traditional grouping of the reference palace, two trine partners and its opposite, not four independent scores.
Common questions
Are the Life and Body Palaces separate charts?
No. They are reference points within one chart. The Body Palace falls in one of the twelve, marked by isBody in Wenbu’s result. Also distinguish these locations from the 命主 and 身主 star labels shown in the chart summary.
Why does the same palace appear elsewhere on another site?
Compare the inputs, time handling, leap-month convention and layout. Some differences are visual; others reflect different calculation assumptions. Match the palace name, earthly branch and stars rather than the screen coordinates alone.
Should I copy the opposite stars into an empty palace?
Some traditions consult the opposite palace in interpretation. That does not change the original data. Keep “no major star” in the record and label any borrowed reference separately so another reader can reconstruct the method.
Sources and their scope
Supports palace terminology and relationships, treated as a traditional framework rather than verified personal facts.
Technical reference for palace objects, opposite palaces and related-palace operations.
Documents the actual time convention, engine version, Body Palace marker and returned fields.
Further reading; not validation of real-world predictions.
Traditional interpretations are not established predictions. See the source notes for context.
Read this guide with your agent
Get the complete text, diagram descriptions and sources in an open format. These files contain public knowledge only.
ADDITIONAL PRACTICE · 2026-11-11
How to line up two Zi Wei charts when their Life Palaces fall on different branches
Zi Wei's twelve palaces: copy the names and branches, then check the opposite
The safest way to locate palaces in a Zi Wei chart is to copy, not derive: go through the chart and write down each palace's displayed name and earthly branch as a pair, then check that all twelve branches appear exactly once and that the Life Palace is opposite the Travel Palace. A palace name is a traditional theme label; an earthly branch is a structural coordinate, and recording them separately makes the reading reviewable. Wenbu's Zi Wei calculation uses iztro 2.6.1 defaults with fixLeap=true, takes a Gregorian date and known clock time, does not convert time zones or correct solar time automatically, and handles early and late Zi separately—so check inputs and rules before comparing tools.
Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗iztro · official documentation ↗Current complete zh canonical article ↗
- Copying order: write each palace's name and earthly branch as a pair; do not derive the other eleven branches from the Life Palace branch.
- Two checks: all twelve branches appear once with no repeats, and Life is opposite Travel. If either fails, return to the copying step.
- Once names and branches are paired, another chart or another tool can be compared item by item without relying on screen coordinates.
Copy-and-check flow: names and branches first, then two checks
- 01Confirm inputs and rules
Check the Gregorian date, clock time, early/late Zi handling and leap-month setting; Wenbu uses iztro 2.6.1 defaults with fixLeap=true and does not correct solar time automatically.
- 02Copy palace by palace
For each palace, write the displayed name and earthly branch as a pair until all twelve are copied; do not derive the rest from the Life Palace branch.
- 03Check one: branches complete
Check that each of the twelve branches appears exactly once, with no repeats or omissions; if not, return to the copying step.
- 04Check two: opposite relationship
Check that Life and Travel are opposite; if not, suspect a missed or misplaced copy before considering input or rule differences.
- 05Record stars and markers
Only then record major stars, minor stars, visible transformations and the Body marker; write “no major star” rather than overwriting the field.
Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗iztro · official documentation ↗Current complete zh canonical article ↗
The copying path: write palace names and branches as pairs
In iztro's chart data, the palaces array fills the twelve palaces, and each palace object carries fields such as palace name, earthly branch, major stars and minor stars. Position and name are therefore separate data items, and a reader should record them separately rather than assuming that a screen cell is a particular palace.
In practice, copy palace by palace: for each palace you read, write down the name and earthly branch it displays, for example “some palace — some branch,” until all twelve are copied. Do not derive the remaining palaces from the Life Palace branch, because derivation needs an explicit palace sequence and direction rule, and the available sources only support that palaces carry name and branch fields—they do not supply that rule.
After copying, run the first check: does each of the twelve branches appear exactly once, with no repeats and no omissions? If two palace names land on one branch, or a branch is missing, the copying step has an error; stop and recheck rather than continuing to interpret stars.
The Body Palace falls in one of the twelve and is marked by isBody in Wenbu's result; it is not a thirteenth palace. Note the Body marker beside its palace rather than drawing an extra cell.
iztro · official documentation ↗Current complete zh canonical article ↗Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗
The second check: Life and Travel should be opposite
Once all twelve palaces are copied, test the opposite relationship: Life and Travel are opposite each other in the twelve-palace structure. This is a fixed structural relation that can show whether location was read correctly; it does not mean Travel is good or bad, only that the two are opposite.
If Life and Travel are not opposite in your record, suspect the copying first: did you miss a palace, write two names onto one branch, or mistake the Body marker for a separate palace? Only after ruling out copying errors should you consider whether inputs or calculation rules differ.
The opposite relationship only settles whether position was read correctly; it does not settle what a palace means. Interpretation still returns to the palace name, the stars and the tradition being cited, with a note of which field layer is being used.
Current complete zh canonical article ↗iztro · official documentation ↗
The name layer: palace, stars and markers in separate columns
Only after the location checks pass do you enter the name layer. For each palace record the palace name, earthly branch, major-star names, minor-star names and visible transformation markers in separate columns. Separating them lets an explanation say which layer it cites: structural position, traditional theme, or a specific star name.
The four transformations are a traditional marker system, and schools may differ on their rules. Wenbu uses iztro defaults, so confirm transformation settings match before discussing what a marker means; treating a marker difference as a conclusion difference skips the premise check.
An empty palace means no major star. Write “no major star” and keep the palace's branch and name; do not overwrite the original field with an opposite palace's stars. If you consult the opposite palace under a traditional method, add a separate line naming that reference so another reader can reconstruct it.
Current complete zh canonical article ↗Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗iztro · official documentation ↗
| Record item | What to enter | Self-check |
|---|---|---|
| Inputs | Gregorian date, clock time, sex parameter | No guessed chart when time is unknown |
| Rules | iztro 2.6.1, fixLeap=true, early/late Zi handling | Confirm before comparing tools |
| Palace copy | Write “name + branch” for each palace | Do not derive the rest from the Life branch |
| Branch check | Each of the twelve branches appears once | Repeat or omission means recopy |
| Opposite check | Life is opposite Travel | Structural relation, not a fortune judgment |
| Stars | Major and minor star names in separate columns | Write “no major star” when absent |
| Markers | Visible transformations, Body marker | Body is not a thirteenth cell |
Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗iztro · official documentation ↗Current complete zh canonical article ↗
Hypothetical case: a copy-and-check note for a work question
The following is a hypothetical example for demonstrating the record format. It corresponds to no real birth data and assumes nothing about which stars any palace will contain. Suppose someone wants to read a chart around “is a role change suitable?” and starts with a copy-and-check note before any interpretation.
- First, write inputs and rules: Gregorian date, clock time, sex parameter, noting iztro 2.6.1 defaults with fixLeap=true and no automatic solar-time correction. If only an approximate time is known, stop and confirm rather than generating a guessed chart.
- Second, copy palace by palace: for each palace, write the displayed name and earthly branch as a pair, for example “some palace — some branch,” until all twelve are copied. Do not derive the remaining palaces from the Life Palace branch.
- Third, check the branches: confirm each of the twelve appears exactly once, with no repeats or omissions. If two names land on one branch, return to step two rather than continuing to interpret stars.
- Fourth, check the opposite: confirm Life and Travel are opposite. If not, suspect a missed or misplaced copy first; only after ruling that out should you consider whether inputs or calculation rules differ.
- Fifth, record the name layer: list the Career Palace's major stars, minor stars and visible transformations in separate columns. If it has no major star, write “no major star” and add a separate line noting whether an opposite-palace reference was used.
- Sixth, write real-world material: current duties, recent tasks and existing feedback, in columns separate from chart fields. End with questions to verify, such as “which tasks produced results,” not “does the chart say I should change roles.”
The observable outcome is that any reader can compare names and branches item by item, point to which palace and which field an explanation cites, and use the two checks to catch a copying error. It cannot derive a profession, income or event from a palace name, and it is not advice on whether to change roles.
Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗iztro · official documentation ↗Current complete zh canonical article ↗
Questions you may have
Why shouldn't I derive the other eleven palaces from the Life Palace branch?
Because derivation needs an explicit palace sequence and direction rule, and the available sources only say that palace objects carry name and branch fields—they do not supply that rule. Deriving would make the self-check circular: you could not tell whether a mismatch was a copying error or a missing rule. Copy the displayed values instead, then check branch completeness and Life–Travel opposition.
iztro · official documentation ↗Current complete zh canonical article ↗
If transformation markers differ between tools, which one is wrong?
Check the calculation premises first: input date and time, early/late Zi handling, leap-month setting and transformation rules. Wenbu uses iztro defaults with fixLeap=true, and schools may differ. Until premises match, a marker difference is not automatically a conflict of conclusions.
Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗iztro · official documentation ↗
Terms in this guide
- Copy-and-check
- Writing down each palace's displayed name and earthly branch, then using two checks—all twelve branches present and unique, and Life opposite Travel—to confirm nothing was missed or misplaced.
iztro · official documentation ↗Current complete zh canonical article ↗
- isBody marker
- The field in Wenbu's result that identifies which palace holds the Body Palace; the Body overlays one of the twelve and is not a thirteenth palace.
Current complete zh canonical article ↗Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗
See the claim and source notes
Wenbu's Zi Wei calculation uses iztro 2.6.1 defaults with fixLeap=true, takes a Gregorian date and known clock time, does not convert time zones or correct solar time, and handles early and late Zi separately.
采用 iztro 2.6.1 默认配置，fixLeap=true
iztro's chart data fills the twelve palaces from a palaces array, and each palace object carries fields such as name, earthly branch, major stars and minor stars.
palaces 数据用于填充 12 宫
The existing guide already treats earthly-branch position and palace name as two separate labels, and states that Travel is opposite Life.
地支位置与宫名是两套标签
Sources and review scope
Wenbu drafted and checked this article in Codex. The source list records the scope of the review.
- Current complete zh canonical article ↗Current public original and earlier additions; add substantial coverage without repeating or replacing them. · 2026-11-05 · Fetched text
- Current complete en canonical article ↗Current public original and earlier additions; add substantial coverage without repeating or replacing them. · 2026-11-05 · Fetched text
- Wenbu · twelve palaces ↗Existing editorial; traditional interpretation · 2026-11-05 · Fetched text
- iztro · official documentation ↗Calculation library documentation · 2026-11-05 · Read excerpt
- Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗First-party implementation; not evidence of predictive accuracy · 2026-11-05 · Fetched text
Open the Zi Wei chart and copy it once with the check sheet
Generate a chart from a birth date and clock time you have confirmed, copy each palace's name and branch, check that all twelve branches are present and unique, then check that Life is opposite Travel before recording stars and markers.
Open the Zi Wei chart and copy it once with the check sheet ↗Choose a lookup before you compare Zi Wei charts. To compare the Life Palaces, find that palace by name in each chart and then note its branch. To ask what the same branch contains, hold the branch fixed and read the palace labels. The two examples place the Life Palace at Hai and Zi, and the opposite Travel Palaces at Si and Wu.
Current complete zh canonical article ↗Current complete en canonical article ↗Wenbu · twelve palaces ↗Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗
- Start from the same palace name when comparing its role across charts.
- Find the opposite branch inside each chart separately.
- A branch can have a different palace label in each chart.
Pick the label you are looking up
- 01Same palace
Find the Life Palace in each chart.
- 02Opposite position
Find the opposite branch in that chart and check the palace label.
- 03Same branch
Hold the branch fixed and compare the palace labels.
Current complete zh canonical article ↗Current complete en canonical article ↗Wenbu · twelve palaces ↗Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗
Read the two sample charts
Use Gregorian March 26, 2023 at 08:30 for chart A and Gregorian April 26, 2023 at 08:30 for chart B. Both are fictional inputs using the calculator's female setting. In Wenbu, chart A returns the Life Palace at Hai and the Travel Palace at Si. Chart B returns the Life Palace at Zi and the Travel Palace at Wu. These are checkable placements for the inputs, not observations about a person.
For a comparison by role, record Hai and Zi on the same Life Palace row. For a comparison by branch, hold Hai fixed: it is the Life Palace in A and the Siblings Palace in B. Hold Zi fixed: it is the Parents Palace in A and the Life Palace in B. The results differ because you changed the label you used for the lookup.
Current complete zh canonical article ↗Current complete en canonical article ↗Wenbu · twelve palaces ↗Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗
Verify opposite positions within each chart
Count six positions along the twelve Earthly Branches from the Life Palace. Hai is opposite Si, and Zi is opposite Wu. Read the palace label at each of those positions and check that it says Travel. The two labels are a better check than the physical position on the screen, because charts can be drawn with different orientations or layouts.
If another calculator puts these palaces elsewhere, check its Gregorian or lunar input, time setting and calculation conventions first. Keep the input, convention, palace name and branch together in your notes. Record stars separately if you need them for a different exercise. This check concerns the layout of the chart; it does not establish character traits or life events.
Current complete zh canonical article ↗Current complete en canonical article ↗Wenbu · twelve palaces ↗Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗
| Lookup | A · March 26 | B · April 26 |
|---|---|---|
| Life Palace | Hai | Zi |
| Opposite Travel Palace | Si | Wu |
| Branch Hai | Life Palace | Siblings Palace |
| Branch Zi | Parents Palace | Life Palace |
Current complete zh canonical article ↗Current complete en canonical article ↗Wenbu · twelve palaces ↗Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗
Do both lookups without relying on the drawing
Cover the last two columns. Calculate the two fictional charts with the dates and settings above.
- Find the Life Palace in both results and write down its branch.
- Find its opposite inside each chart and check the Travel Palace labels.
- Look up Hai and Zi separately and compare the palace names in the two results.
If both lookups match the key, you have kept the palace roles separate from the branch positions.
Current complete zh canonical article ↗Current complete en canonical article ↗Wenbu · twelve palaces ↗Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗
Questions you may have
Can I compare two Life Palaces if they occupy different branches?
Yes. Use the Life Palace name as the match and keep the two branch values in separate columns. A lookup by branch answers a different question.
Current complete zh canonical article ↗Current complete en canonical article ↗Wenbu · twelve palaces ↗Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗
Can I use the same box in two online charts as a shortcut?
Read the labels first. Charts can rotate or rearrange their boxes. The printed palace name and branch provide the check, and the opposite position must be found within the same chart.
Current complete zh canonical article ↗Current complete en canonical article ↗Wenbu · twelve palaces ↗Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗
Terms in this guide
- Palace name
- A role label in a Zi Wei chart, such as Life or Travel.
Current complete zh canonical article ↗Current complete en canonical article ↗Wenbu · twelve palaces ↗Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗
- Earthly Branch
- One of twelve position labels, used here to check where a palace sits and which position is opposite.
Current complete zh canonical article ↗Current complete en canonical article ↗Wenbu · twelve palaces ↗Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗
See the claim and source notes
Palace names and Earthly Branches are different labels.
Earthly branches and palace names are different labels.
The Travel Palace is opposite the Life Palace.
the opposite Travel Palace
The worked inputs use Wenbu's documented Zi Wei configuration.
采用 iztro 2.6.1 默认配置，fixLeap=true
Sources and review scope
Wenbu drafted and checked this article in Codex. The source list records the scope of the review.
- Current complete zh canonical article ↗Current public original and earlier additions; add substantial coverage without repeating or replacing them. · 2026-11-11 · Fetched text
- Current complete en canonical article ↗Current public original and earlier additions; add substantial coverage without repeating or replacing them. · 2026-11-11 · Fetched text
- Wenbu · twelve palaces ↗Existing editorial; traditional interpretation · 2026-11-11 · Read excerpt
- Wenbu · calculation conventions ↗First-party implementation; not evidence of predictive accuracy · 2026-11-11 · Fetched text
Check the placements with two fictional charts
Enter both Gregorian dates with the same clock time and calculator setting. Compare the palace names before comparing branch labels.
Check the placements with two fictional charts ↗