Zi Wei Dou Shu (6) - Clarity School 明澄派

Zi Wei Dou Shu was exported to Japan under the name "Purple Multiflora Rose Astrology 紫薇斗數". It was introduced as a kind of astrological divination based on purple multiflora rose - 一種紫色蔷薇的星占.

According to this school, it began with the last emperor of Shang Dynasty - Shang Zhou Wang 商纣王. The novel Feng Shen Yan Yi  封神演義 is one of the most popular novels in China. Some of the important figures in this novel were picked with the soul brought to reside on the stars to become the souls of the stars. For example, the tyrant Zhou Wang 纣王 was brought to the star Tan Lang 貪狼 and the star adopts the personality of Zhou Wang. It is a clever way to introduce Zi Wei Dou Shu as it is interesting and considering the stars used as some kind of living spirit that can influence the human mind is quite correct. This was why I wrote several episodes of "Waltzing with the Stars". The series stopped as I found that there could not be a full correspondence between a man in history and a star used in Zi Wei Dou Shu.

The school was brought back to Taiwan with the name Tou Pai 透派 (Transparent School) or Ming Cheng Pai  明澄派 (Clarity School). The worst part of this school is to divide stars into auspicious stars and evil stars:

Auspicious stars:
1. Zi Wei Star 紫薇星 - virtuous and dignity
2. Tai Yang Xing 太陽星 - benevolence and brilliance
3. Tian Fu Xing 天府星 - charity and capability
4. Tian Tong Xing 天同星 - peace and harmony
5. Tian Xiang Xing 天相星 - service and romance
6. Tai Yin Xing 太陰星 - residence and purity
7. Tian Liang Xing 天梁星 - leadership and stability

Neutral stars:
8. Wu Qu Xing 武曲星 - wealth and bravery
9. Tian Ji Xing 天機星 - alertness and wisdom

Evil stars:
10. Tan Lang Xing 貪狼星 - materialism and desire
11. Lian Zhen Xing 廉貞星 - evil and twisting
12. Qi Sha Xing 七殺星 - violence and solemnity
13. Ju Men Xing 巨門星 - suspicion and gossip
14. Po Jun Xing 破軍星 - exhaustion and destruction

Then it gives a description of what one can expect when the Ming Palace is occupied by one or two of these major stars. There follows a description one can expect when the other palaces are occupied by the stars.
Everything becomes rigid and it is easy to computerize the system to give out written reports.

The essence of astrology is totally lost and twisted. Unfortunately most people, including a lot of others who do not follow the Clarity School, also treat Zi Wei Dou Shu with this approach.

JY