紫微斗数 - Purple Emperor Star

A teacher I met offered to teach me the art of Zi Wei analysis and since then I had been under his guidance for almost 2 years now. He had explained that destiny is not fixed or fated but how you decide it should be and you work towards your goal. (知命造命） Astrologers observed the stars and noticed that among so many stars, only one was seemingly stationary while the rest revolved around it. As it was also the brightest, the star was named the "Emperor Star" - the celestial equivalent of the Emperor.

The the person seeking the fortune telling advice, presents the BaZi (時辰八字) to the interpreter. This information covers a person's moment of birth: year, month, day, and time. Without this crucial information, the analysis cannot take place.

Using BaZi in combination with Constellation, calculations are worked out to chart the stars into 12 different palaces or Gong (宫). This would then be one's Natal Birth Chart or Mìng Pán (命盘). By integrating the stars and palaces, their attributes, environmental factors, the Five Elements, Yin and Yang concept and all the possible combinations and variations, not only can personalities be understood, but personal and professional relationships can be predicted. The end result is a calculated translation of one's destiny in detail including events that have already happened in the past for verification purposes.

The plotting of one's birth chart is not difficult. What is difficult in Zi Wei Dou Shu is the complex system of interpretation that allows us to 'see' the blueprint of our lives.