Friends Palace in Zi Wei Dou Shu: Friends, Staff and the 14 Stars

1. 1

   Major starthe star and its brightness describe the personalities who most often surround you. If the palace is empty, borrow the stars of the Siblings Palace opposite.

2. 2

   Three sides and four squares: the Siblings Palace opposite is your core circle of peers, and the Parents and Children palaces in trine are elders and juniors; all four make up your full network.

3. 3

   Transformations and minor stars: whether Hua Lu, Hua Ji, Zuo Fu, You Bi, Di Kong or Di Jie fall here sets the balance between support and loss.

4. 4

   Timingwhen a decade or year reaches the Friends Palace or transformations activate it, circles change, partnerships form and you may start leading a team.

• 紫微

  Zi Wei in the Friends Palace

  An easy-going Tian Tong in the Life Palace, alone or with Tai Yin, Ju Men or Tian Liang, always has Zi Wei in this palace. The friends around you tend to be opinionated and well placed, and their resources open doors; the catch is that you often end up giving way. Tradition notes that the ruling star in the servants' seat makes others stronger than you, so do not let anyone else make your life decisions.

  Zi Wei guide
• 天機

  Tian Ji in the Friends Palace

  People share ideas and openings without being asked: that is the upside of Tian Ji in the Friends Palace. The downside is speed, since this year's partner may be gone next year. Zi Wei always sits in the Travel Palace and Lian Zhen in Spouse, so your reach in the world is bigger than it looks. With quick-change collaborators like these, write down roles and deadlines; a verbal promise is not enough.

  Tian Ji guide
• 太陽

  Tai Yang in the Friends Palace

  First to pay for dinner, first to help, first to pass on a job lead: with Tai Yang here you are usually the one who gives, and it earns you a wide circle and a good name. The Life Palace is always Lian Zhen. Tai Yang gives light, so giving more than you get back is normal. In the daytime branches from Yin to Wu the generosity returns as reputation; dim in Xu, Hai, Zi and Chou, give within your means.

  Tai Yang guide
• 武曲

  Wu Qu in the Friends PalaceIn the example

  Contacts you can actually do business with: Wu Qu brings practical friends who keep their word, and many connections revolve around work or money. Tai Yang always sits in the Travel Palace and Tian Tong in Career. Wu Qu has a hard edge, so do the maths clearly when partnering with friends, and before lending money ask whether you could live with not getting it back, especially with Qi Sha or Po Jun alongside.

  Wu Qu guide
• 天同

  Tian Tong in the Friends Palace

  Get-togethers mean good food and relaxed conversation, with very little scheming: Tian Tong friends are gentle and easy. Zi Wei always sits in the Spouse Palace and Wu Qu in Travel. The weakness is that such friends do not carry heavy loads, so when real trouble comes you rely on yourself. Enjoy them for fun and find dependable people for serious work.

  Tian Tong guide
• 廉貞

  Lian Zhen in the Friends Palace

  Anyone with Tian Ji in the Life Palace has Lian Zhen here. Clever and thoughtful yourself, you attract vivid characters with real social skill, and friendships run hot and can end in a falling-out. Lian Zhen is a secondary peach-blossom star, so your circle often overlaps with entertainment and business dinners. With Tan Lang or Po Jun alongside, keep friendship and business, and friendship and romance, clearly apart.

  Lian Zhen guide
• 天府

  Tian Fu in the Friends Palace

  Friends who can offer real help when you need it, and who stay for the long haul: Tian Fu brings steady, well-resourced people. Qi Sha always sits in the Siblings Palace opposite, so brothers, sisters and close peers tend to be busy and strong-willed, and outside friends can feel more like family. Tian Fu also cares about face, so with these friends, courtesy and returning favours matter.

  Tian Fu guide
• 太陰

  Tai Yin in the Friends Palace

  Women friends and female clients are often your source of help, and bonds build slowly and deepen over the years. With Tai Yin here, Tian Fu always sits in the Career Palace and Tan Lang in Travel. Where Tai Yin shines, in Hai, Zi and Chou, friendships are warm and lasting; in the dim Mao, Chen and Si, friends are touchy, and saying things plainly prevents misunderstandings.

  Tai Yin guide
• 貪狼

  Tan Lang in the Friends Palace

  Parties, clubs and hobby groups are where your network grows, full of talented, fun-loving people. With Tan Lang here, Ju Men always sits in the Travel Palace and Tai Yin in Career, so choose your words carefully in public. These friendships come quickly and fade quickly; enjoy the fun, but stay clear-headed once money or romance is involved.

  Tan Lang guide
• 巨門

  Ju Men in the Friends Palace

  Misunderstandings start with retelling, a rule worth remembering with Ju Men in the Friends Palace. Friends tend to be articulate and expert and give sharp, useful advice, but where there are many people there is talk, and Ju Men, the star of what is hidden, can bring people who say one thing and do another. The Life Palace always holds Po Jun. Confirm important matters in person, not through a go-between.

  Ju Men guide
• 天相

  Tian Xiang in the Friends Palace

  Loyal, tactful friends you can entrust with things, and you are often pulled in as the mediator. With Tian Xiang here, Po Jun always sits in the Siblings Palace opposite, so sibling ties change more and friends become the steady support. Watch the palaces on either side, Travel and Career: Tian Xiang takes its cue from them, and when they are in good shape friends help a great deal.

  Tian Xiang guide
• 天梁

  Tian Liang in the Friends Palace

  Older, experienced friends gather round to guide you, or you become the big brother or big sister of the group: anyone with Tian Fu in the Life Palace has Tian Liang here. It shelters but also lectures, and over time friendships can turn into a question of who manages whom; a little more peer-to-peer respect makes them last.

  Tian Liang guide
• 七殺

  Qi Sha in the Friends PalaceIn the example

  Comrades you can charge with, who may also fall out with you over one sharp sentence: Qi Sha friends are direct, forceful doers. Your own Life Palace always holds the sensitive Tai Yin, and Tian Fu sits in the Siblings Palace opposite. When working with Qi Sha types, keep goals clear and responsibilities defined, and argue about the issue rather than the person.

  Qi Sha guide
• 破軍

  Po Jun in the Friends Palace

  A new set of friends for every stage of life is the usual Po Jun story here, along with the odd friend who leaves you to clean up. Tian Liang always holds the Life Palace and Tian Xiang the Siblings Palace opposite. Po Jun means expense, so be careful with loans and partnerships, but it also brings people from very different backgrounds who push you to change.

  Po Jun guide

• 祿Hua Lu in the Friends Palace

  Popular and well connected: friends share resources, and opportunities often arrive through people. The flip side is spending a lot on friends, so keep goodwill and expenses apart.

  Hua Lu explained

• 權Hua Quan in the Friends Palace

  Capable, opinionated friends or staff and a strong team; watch for being steered by friends, or for staff who are hard to manage.

  Hua Quan explained

• 科Hua Ke in the Friends Palace

  Well-mannered, well-regarded connections, easy recommendations and a good name; friendships stay reasonable and dignified.

  Hua Ke explained

• 忌Hua Ji in the Friends Palace

  You care deeply about relationships, worry about friends and may feel you give more than anyone notices; be careful with money between friends and with guaranteeing loans. It is not a reason to avoid friendship, only to choose carefully and set boundaries.

  Hua Ji explained

Birth-year Si Hua in the example chart's Friends Palace: Hua Quan