The Origins of Purple Star Astrology: Tracing the Roots of Chinese Astrology

The combination of astrology, taoism, and math

Throughout history, almost every ancient civilization has had its own way of using astrology to predict good and bad fortune, and Chinese civilization is no exception. But there's a twist. Unlike Western astrology, which looks at the movements of stars and planets, Purple Star Astrology goes a step further. It uses the names and meanings of stars, mixing them into special mathematical formulas to create detailed star charts.

This method comes from the Yi Jing, or the Book of Changes, a famous ancient text used by Chinese sages over three thousand years ago. Recognized as one of the "Five Classics" since the Han dynasty, the Yi Jing uses symbols to explain how things change, reflecting the deep philosophical and cosmic ideas of ancient Chinese culture. It’s where the well-known concepts of Yin and Yang started, which later evolved into more complex ideas like the Four Symbols and the Eight Trigrams.

The Yi Jing’s use of binary math to explain changes in the universe has influenced other fortune-telling methods, including Purple Star Astrology. In Purple Star Astrology, the star charts are not just about where stars are in the sky but are arranged by specific formulas. This setup helps dive deep into someone's personality and destiny based on the features of different star charts, all interpreted by looking at the stars and their spots within these charts. So, Purple Star Astrology is a cool blend of Western astrology and Numerology, showing its strong roots in both mathematical and astrological traditions.

The History of Zhi Wei Dou Shu

Traditionally, Purple Star Astrology is considered to have been created by a Taoist named Lu Chun Yang (呂純陽) during the Tang dynasty. It was further developed by Chen Xi Yi (陳希夷) during the Song dynasty and later on by Luo Hong Xian (羅洪先) during the Ming dynasty to its present-day form. Its exact origin, however, is still debated among different schools.

Unlike the more commonly known Four Pillars of Destiny system of birth-chart divination, Purple Star Astrology is based on a purely lunar calendar and the position of the night sky. By contrast, Bazi is tied to the sexagenary cycle system of timekeeping, which is often mapped to traditional Chinese solar terms. Some believe that this difference makes the two systems complementary rather than competitors.

The study of destiny (命學, ming xue), of which Purple Star Astrology is a part, has traditionally been closely intertwined with astronomy. Historically, gifted astronomers and astrologers were recruited as officials to work in Imperial Courts during the dynastic eras, producing astrological charts for the emperor, as his personal fate had a direct bearing on his kingdom. The court astrologers also played an important role in determining the successor to the throne.

Astrologers observed the stars and noticed that among so many stars, only one was seemingly stationary while the rest revolved around it. This star was named the "Emperor Star" (紫微星)—the celestial equivalent of the Emperor and known in the West as Polaris. While this star in Purple Star Astrology has a physical basis, the rest of the system's 'stars' are expressions of the cyclical passage of time and do not necessarily represent physical stars in the sky.

As with many other forms of fortune-telling, practitioners do not generally see the natal chart as an infallible guide as to what will happen, but more as a form of forecasting in detail. Destiny and fortune are considered structurally complex and are unlikely to be changed by a single element. An overly simplistic application of – for example – changing one's lucky colors and numbers is not expected to affect or change one's destiny in any significant way. However, practitioners believe that knowledge about future possibilities may allow one to gauge the situation in advance and make decisions from a position of strength. Purple Star Astrology approaches the world and events from the idea that to view things in their proper context, it is important to recognise the "spiritual dynamic of the universe" to find the pattern of change that leads to "fundamental truth".

The modern understanding of Purple Star Astrology

Just as astrological charts observe the impact of different stars entering different zodiac signs, the Purple Star Astrologychart also contains 12 palaces, with various major stars falling into different palaces, each bringing unique interpretations. The most critical is the major star in the Palace of Life, which is conceptually similar to the Sun sign in Western astrology. By considering the major star in the Palace of Life and applying the concepts of Yin and Yang, we can immediately categorize the 14 major stars into yin (feminine) and yang (masculine) personalities. Further, these can be subdivided into categories such as Action, Leadership, Support, and Adapt. The summary is as follows in the table below:

Knowing your Purple Star chart

To discover your own major star in the Palace of Life, you'll need to provide your birth date and time. You can use a free Purple Star Astrology calculator available here. Additionally, for a full reading of your Ziwei Chart, complete with a comprehensive analysis of all 12 palaces, you can access detailed insights into how your stars influence various aspects of your life, including career, relationships, family, and more, here.