Twelve palaces
Life, spouse, wealth, career, property, parents, and other domains are read as chart locations rather than only as elemental relationships.
Purple Star Astrology
Zi Wei Dou Shu
A separate Chinese astrology column for palace-based chart reading. BaZi starts from pillars and elements; Zi Wei Dou Shu starts from twelve palaces and star placement.
Major stars
Fourteen major stars, including Zi Wei, Tian Fu, Wu Qu, Tan Lang, Qi Sha, and Po Jun, shape the tone of each palace.
Timing layers
Da Xian periods show which palace becomes more active across a decade, giving the chart a different timing feel from BaZi.
BaZi and Zi Wei read different chart grammars
| Layer | BaZi | Zi Wei Dou Shu |
|---|---|---|
| Chart center | Day Master and Five Elements | Life palace, body palace, and star layout |
| Best use | Structure, useful elements, relationship flow | Life domains, palace emphasis, vivid chart narrative |
| Beginner anchor | Four Pillars | Twelve palaces |