module 06 stars and growth chart
Module 06: Positive and Negative Stars (神煞) & The Twelve Growth Chart (十二长生) — Chapter 7
Positive and Negative Stars (神煞)
Positive and negative stars (神煞) are special stars derived from the interaction of the ten Chinese numeral systems (天干) and twelve Chinese animal zodiacs (地支) in the birth chart. There are over one hundred such stars.
Important: Do not be so quick to be happy when you see an auspicious star, or so quick to be depressed when you see an inauspicious star. The strength of the positive and negative stars follows the twelve growth chart (十二长生图). A star that is at a weak position in the twelve growth cycle carries much less impact than one that is at a strong position.
Definition of the Positive and Negative Stars (神煞)
The easiest way to look for positive and negative stars (神煞) is to use a plotted online Bazi calculator.
Benefactor Star Table (Table 24) — 天乙贵人
| Day Master | Benefactors (Animal Zodiacs) |
|---|---|
| Jia 甲, Wu 戊, Geng 庚 | Ox and Goat (丑未) |
| Yi 乙, Ji 己 | Rat and Monkey (子申) |
| Bing 丙, Ding 丁 | Pig and Rooster (亥酉) |
| Ren 壬, Gui 癸 | Snake and Rabbit (巳卯) |
| Geng 庚, Xin 辛 | Horse and Tiger (午寅) |
Selected Positive and Negative Stars Table (Table 25)
| Star (Chinese) | Pinyin | Meaning / Concept |
|---|---|---|
| 天乙贵人 | Tian Yi Gui Ren | Benefactor star — nobleman who helps you out of difficulties |
| 金櫃 | Jin Gui | The birth owner's spouse may bring wealth to the birth owner and has a good marriage |
| 禄神 | Lu Shen | The birth owner has abundance of friends and wealth |
| 将星 | Jiang Xing | The birth owner is suitable to be his own boss or in a leadership role |
| 天赦 | Tian She | The birth owner is lucky because misfortune is transformed into auspicious event; lucky escape from lawsuits, jail, accidents |
| 进神 | Jin Shen | The birth owner is strong-opiniated, wilful and conceited, unwilling to admit defeat, and impatient |
| 流霞 | Liu Xia | A lustful and alcoholic man; women should be careful of miscarriage |
| 丧门 | Sang Men | Avoid visiting funerals |
| 亡神 | Wang Shen | Unpredictable and scheming personality |
| 岁破 | Sui Po | An unexpected loss of wealth |
| 五鬼 | Wu Gui | Easy to provoke or attract backstabbers |
| 天狗 | Tian Gou | Prone to bloody accidents or mishaps |
| 飞刃 | Fei Ren | Sudden attacks, accidents, disputes, gossiping — most serious when appearing in the month and hour column |
| 羊刃 | Yang Ren | The birth owner has a very strong personality; this is a double-edged sword |
| 元辰 | Yuan Chen | The birth owner suffers a loss of wealth and invites gossipers |
| 隔角 | Ge Jiao | Jail-related misfortunes; relationship with family, siblings or relatives is weak |
| 孤辰 | Gu Chen | The birth owner is lonely |
| 寡宿 | Gua Su | A widow's life |
| 勾绞 | Gou Jiao | Birth owner is emotionally troubled by assorted types of relationships |
| 文昌 | Wen Chang | Educational, cultural star |
| 红鸾 | Hong Luan | Romance and marriage star; romantic opportunities |
| 桃花 | Tao Hua | Peach Blossom star; romantic attractions |
| 将星 | Jiang Xing | General star; leadership quality |
| 驿马 | Yi Ma | Travelling Horse; lots of travel, career movement |
| 华盖 | Hua Gai | Canopy Star; religious and spiritual inclinations |
| 学堂 | Xue Tang | Learning Hall; talent for study |
| 劫煞 | Jie Sha | Rob Spirit; vulnerability to theft or loss |
Stars Table (神煞图) by Earthly Branch — Full Table (Page 175)
This table shows which positive and negative stars appear at each earthly branch (地支) position. Read each column from top to bottom for the stars present at that branch.
地支神煞图 — Stars Organized by Branch
| 子 Rat | 丑 Ox | 寅 Tiger | 卯 Rabbit | 辰 Dragon | 巳 Snake | 午 Horse | 未 Goat | 申 Monkey | 酉 Rooster | 戌 Dog | 亥 Pig | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 运 Luck | 太岁 | 病符 | 太阳 | 丧门 | 太阴 | 死符 | 命主死 | 福德绝 | 官禄胎 | 官禄 | 迁移养 | 疾厄长生 |
| 太岁 Stage | 沐浴 | 冠带 | 临官 | 帝旺 | 衰 | 病 | 死 | 墓 | 绝 | 胎 | 养 | 长生 |
| 主要神煞 | 天乙贵人 · 孤辰 | 禄神 · 红鸾 | 禄神 · 孤辰 | 文昌 · 亡神 · 隔角 · 勾绞 | 金舆 · 隔角 · 勾绞 | 天赦 · 天乙贵人 · 天喜 | 天乙贵人 | 天喜 | 天乙贵人 · 天喜 · 驿马 | 华盖 · 飞刃 · 金匮 · 年血刃 | 天狗 · 学堂 · 劫煞 | 疾厄 · 天狗 · 学堂 · 劫煞 |
Additional stars per branch (column-by-column detail):
子 (Rat):
- 妻妾 (wife/concubine position)
- 太岁 (Grand Duke)
- 沐浴 (Bath stage)
- 天乙贵人 (Benefactor Star)
- 孤辰 (Lonely Star)
丑 (Ox):
- 奴僕 (servants position)
- 冠带 (Capable stage)
- 禄神 (Prosperity Star)
- 红鸾 (Red Phoenix — romance star)
寅 (Tiger):
- 男女 (male/female)
- 临官 (Success stage)
- 太阳 (Sun Star)
- 禄神 (Prosperity Star)
- 孤辰 (Lonely Star)
卯 (Rabbit):
- 田宅 (property position)
- 帝旺 (Strongest stage)
- 太阳
- 丧门 (Mourning Gate)
- 五鬼 (Five Ghosts)
- 文昌 (Literary Star)
- 亡神 (Death Spirit)
- 隔角 (Corner Blockage)
- 勾绞 (Entanglement)
辰 (Dragon):
- 兄弟 (siblings position)
- 财帛 (wealth position)
- 衰 (Weak/Helpless stage)
- 太阴 (Moon Star)
- 五鬼 (Five Ghosts)
- 死符 (Death Sign)
- 红艳 (Red Charm)
- 将星 (General Star)
- 元辰 (Origin Star)
- 年桃花 (Annual Peach Blossom)
- 文昌 · 亡神 · 金舆 · 隔角 · 勾绞
巳 (Snake):
- 命主死 (Day master death position)
- 福德墓 (Blessing Storage)
- 岁破 (Year Breaker)
- 天赦 (Heavenly Pardon)
- 天乙贵人 (Benefactor Star)
- 天喜 (Celestial Joy)
午 (Horse):
- 相税墓
- 命主死
- 岁破 (Year Breaker)
- 红艳 · 将星 · 元辰 · 年桃花
- 天乙贵人 (Benefactor Star)
未 (Goat):
- 福德绝
- 天喜 (Celestial Joy)
申 (Monkey):
- 官禄胎 (Official Status — Fetal position)
- 龙德 (Dragon Virtue)
- 驿马 (Travelling Horse)
- 天乙贵人 (Benefactor Star)
- 天喜 (Celestial Joy)
酉 (Rooster):
- 官禄 (Official Status)
- 白虎 (White Tiger)
- 福德 (Blessing)
- 太极贵人 (Tai Ji Nobleman)
- 飞刃 (Flying Blade)
- 金匮 (Gold Cabinet)
- 年血刃 (Annual Blood Blade)
- 华盖 (Canopy Star)
戌 (Dog):
- 迁移养 (Moving — Grow stage)
- 天狗 (Heavenly Dog)
- 福德 (Blessing)
- 白虎 (White Tiger)
- 学堂 (Learning Hall)
- 劫煞 (Rob Spirit)
亥 (Pig):
- 疾厄长生 (Sickness — Learning stage)
- 天狗 (Heavenly Dog)
- 疾厄 (Sickness)
- 学堂 (Learning Hall)
- 劫煞 (Rob Spirit)
How to Use Positive and Negative Stars Practically
Usage 1: Find the Benefactor (贵人)
Step 1: Identify the benefactor star in the birth chart (e.g., tian yi gui ren 天乙贵人).
Step 2: Check the positive-negative god chart (神煞图) to see who is the benefactor.
Step 3: Check the strength of the positive and negative star (神煞) using the twelve growth chart (十二长生图).
Example — Geng (庚) Day Birth Owner:
- Benefactor is the spouse (hour column)
- Benefactor is the mother (month column)
- Benefactor is the ancestor, mother or the parents (year column)
Conclusion: The benefactors are strong 冠带 in his birth chart. Therefore, he is born from a silver spoon and his parents have good wealth and fortune for him.
Tip: If you can't find a benefactor in your birth chart, then look for it in your ten-year luck cycle or yearly luck.
Usage 2: Check the Status of the Birth Owner in Different Life Stages
Step 1: Identify which column corresponds to the life stage you are interested in.
Step 2: Check the positive-negative god chart (神煞图) to see what stars are active.
Step 3: Check the strength of those stars using the twelve growth chart.
Example: 冠带 in the year column informs that the birth owner had rather mature thinking when young. Since young, he knows clearly what he wants to achieve in his life. He is rather independent, arrogant and well-dressed.
The Twelve Growth Chart (十二长生)
The twelve growth chart (十二长生) tracks the life cycle strength of each heavenly stem through the twelve animal zodiacs. This tells you the strength of any element, ten god, or star at any given time.
Table 26: The Twelve Growth Chart (十二长生图) — Verified Complete (Page 181)
| Stage | 甲 Jia | 乙 Yi | 丙 Bing | 丁 Ding | 戊 Wu | 己 Ji | 庚 Geng | 辛 Xin | 壬 Ren | 癸 Gui |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 长生 Learning | 亥 | 午 | 寅 | 酉 | 寅 | 酉 | 巳 | 子 | 申 | 卯 |
| 沐浴 Bath | 子 | 巳 | 卯 | 申 | 卯 | 申 | 午 | 亥 | 酉 | 寅 |
| 冠带 Capable | 丑 | 辰 | 辰 | 未 | 辰 | 未 | 未 | 戌 | 戌 | 丑 |
| 临官 Success | 寅 | 卯 | 巳 | 午 | 巳 | 午 | 申 | 酉 | 亥 | 子 |
| 帝旺 Strongest | 卯 | 寅 | 午 | 巳 | 午 | 巳 | 酉 | 申 | 子 | 亥 |
| 衰 Helpless | 辰 | 丑 | 未 | 辰 | 未 | 辰 | 戌 | 未 | 丑 | 戌 |
| 病 Sick | 巳 | 子 | 申 | 卯 | 申 | 卯 | 亥 | 午 | 寅 | 酉 |
| 死 Die | 午 | 亥 | 酉 | 寅 | 酉 | 寅 | 子 | 巳 | 卯 | 申 |
| 墓 Graveyard | 未 | 戌 | 戌 | 丑 | 戌 | 丑 | 丑 | 辰 | 辰 | 未 |
| 绝 Ending | 申 | 酉 | 亥 | 子 | 亥 | 子 | 寅 | 卯 | 巳 | 午 |
| 胎 Fetal | 酉 | 申 | 子 | 亥 | 子 | 亥 | 卯 | 寅 | 午 | 巳 |
| 养 Grow | 戌 | 未 | 丑 | 戌 | 丑 | 戌 | 辰 | 丑 | 未 | 辰 |
Twelve Growth Stages — Definitions
胎 Fetal (tai)
Signifies: getting pregnant, initial plan, planning, forming, hard to change nature, beginner, care, worry, idea, childish, weak, young age, getting started, genetic, can't figure it out, slow response.
Chinese: 含有怀胎、酝酿、初步打算、计划、形成、先天的、与生俱来的、天生的，本性难移、初级、勾连、牵挂、操心、想法、幼稚、弱小、年龄小、起步、遗传的、命中带的、有点想不通、反映迟钝。
养 Grow (yang)
Signifies: lonely, giving birth, grows, entrust, adoption, rest, dependent, nourish, support, suspicious, worried, unreliable, guilty conscious, disturbed, adopt, nurture, weak, need support.
Chinese: 养主狐疑，含有出生、生长、寄托、收养、休养、疗养、休息、依靠、营养、滋养、扶助、怀疑、不放心、不踏实、心虚、操心、不安、过继、培养、养育、弱小、扶持。
长生 Learning (chang sheng)
Signifies: birth, growth, source, starting point, help, relying on nurturing source, root, original, beginning, awakening, rescued, arising, seeking, obtained, happening.
Chinese: 其包含有出生、生长、来源、起点、帮助、依靠、哺育、源泉、根、始、苏醒、获救、救助、产生、寻找、得到、发生等意思。
沐浴 Bath (mu yu)
Signifies: bathing, entering water, nudity, obscene, undressing, disgrace, taking advantage, exposure, bald, bare, smooth, enjoy, candid, rundown, ugly, shameless, loving, caring, no defence, no protection.
Chinese: 含有洗澡、入水、裸体、淫乱、淫亵、脱衣、恩泽、好处、有利、暴露、光秃、光溜、光滑、享受、坦诚、大小便、睡觉、破败、难看、无耻、滋润、照顾，薄、弱点、致命处、除去防卫、不设防、无防护能力等意思。
冠带 Capable (guan dai)
Signifies: dressing, formal wear, dressing up, packaging, decoration, clothing, upgrades, honours, moving upwards, commendation, protect, keep, get a certificate, achievement.
Chinese: 含有穿衣、正装、和衣、打扮、包装、装饰、服装、升级、荣誉、戴帽、入伍、遮盖、外表、表彰、嘉奖、防护、保管、获得证书等意思。
临官 Success (lin guan)
Signifies: networking with the officials, be an official, flattering, official luck, to have status, self-reliance, hardworking, independent, almost succeeding, state run, worry, grow, hopeful, promise, transform.
Chinese: 含有公家的、官府、巴结当官的、阿谀奉迎、出仕、当官、拍马屁、有官运、有地位、公务员、自力更生、自我努力、成长、快要成功、国营、危险、忧虑、发愿、许诺、变化、神出鬼没等意思。
帝旺 Retire (di wang)
Signifies: big, brilliant, thriving, rise, powerful, extreme, climax, reaches the top but approaching ending, the end.
Chinese: 含有荣发、发达、得意、精神、兴奋、神气、有力、雄壮、高大、擅长、强大、辉煌、欣欣向荣、腾达、有权、极限、高潮、顶点、到头、终点、结局等意思。
衰 Helpless (shuai)
Signifies: powerless, weak, small, depressed condition, learning disabilities, decline, down on the luck, no backing, petite, incapable, not capable, neither keen to learn nor skilful.
Chinese: 含有无力、软弱、衰弱、弱小、不景气、弱智、败落、力小、倒霉、退缩、没靠山、弱点、胆小、虎弱、矮小、无能、没本事、不学无术、高不成低不就、不敢抗等意思。
病 Sick (bing)
Signifies: disease, infection, plague, nasty, hate, enemy, hostility, shortcomings, weakness, trouble, leak, anxiety, rot, questionable, hurt, needs medication, having fun.
Chinese: 含有疾病、病灶、瘟神、讨厌、憎恨、仇人、仇视、不足之处、缺点、欠缺、毛病、弱点、漏洞、把柄、要害、心病、腐败、问题、伤损、需要吃药、寻欢、想小孩等意思。
死 Die (si)
Signifies: death, troublemaker, inflexible, leaking, the end, finished, stubborn, leads to darkness, depressed, lifeless, no zest, clumsy, take things too hard, narrow minded, no turning back, quiet, scary.
Chinese: 含有死亡、钻牛角尖、不灵活、不能变通、滞留、终结、完蛋、认死理、一条道走道黑、没有余地、不景气、无生气、无活力、呆板、笨拙、想不开、心胸狭窄、无退路、寂静、安静、可怕等意思。
墓 Graveyard (mu)
Signifies: collection, bury, close, store, manage, control, manipulate, command, trap, controlled, hiding, defence, groggy, confused, darkness, ending, resistance, blockage, obsessed, take things too hard.
Chinese: 含有包容、收藏、埋藏、关闭、收拾、存放、管理、管制、属于、控制、操纵、指挥、包含、囊括、陷阱、不自由、入迷、受管束、隐藏、保护、护卫、围拦、仓库、权限、昏沉、糊涂、黑暗、不流畅、不畅通、结束、阻力、堵塞、暗味、不明白、痴迷、想不开等意思。
绝 Ending (jue)
Signifies: no retreat, extreme dangerous place, extreme difficult situation, cliff, split, cut off, fight to the death, disappointed, disheartening, hopeless, rest in peace, helpless, merciless, not accommodating, stop, disappear, without a trace.
Chinese: 含有无退路、危险、绝地、绝境、悬崖、分手、断绝、背水一战、失望、心灰意冷、死心、无可救药、无能为力、无情冷酷、不通融、停止、消失、无影无踪等意思。
Strength Classification Summary
| Stage | Chinese | Strength Level |
|---|---|---|
| 长生 Learning | 长生 | Strong |
| 沐浴 Bath | 沐浴 | Stronger (but vulnerable) |
| 冠带 Capable | 冠带 | Stronger |
| 临官 Success | 临官 | Strongest |
| 帝旺 Retire | 帝旺 | Strongest (approaching ending) |
| 衰 Helpless | 衰 | Weak |
| 病 Sick | 病 | Weaker |
| 死 Die | 死 | Weakest |
| 墓 Graveyard | 墓 | Weakest (stored/buried) |
| 绝 Ending | 绝 | Weakest |
| 胎 Fetal | 胎 | Strong (new cycle beginning) |
| 养 Grow | 养 | Strong |
The Twelve Growth Cycle — Illustrated Overview (Page 182)
The book illustrates the twelve growth stages as a lifecycle flowchart organized into four strength zones:
Strength Zone: STRONG (绿色 Green)
| Stage | Chinese | Key Words |
|---|---|---|
| 胎 Fetal | 胎 | Intention but no action |
| 养 Grow | 养 | Starting out, experimenting, feeding |
| 长生 Learning | 长生 | Growing & learning, making mistakes, room for improvement |
Strength Zone: STRONGER (深绿 Dark Green)
| Stage | Chinese | Key Words |
|---|---|---|
| 沐浴 Bath | 沐浴 | Popular, romance, wrong perception |
| 冠带 Capable | 冠带 | Setting goals, promising future, capable |
Strength Zone: STRONGEST (绿色 Green)
| Stage | Chinese | Key Words |
|---|---|---|
| 临官 Success | 临官 | Rich, successful, reaching goals |
| 帝旺 Retire | 帝旺 | Achieved goals, retire, satisfied |
Strength Zone: WEAK (粉色 Pink)
| Stage | Chinese | Key Words |
|---|---|---|
| 衰 Helpless | 衰 | Powerless, helpless, 有心无力 |
Strength Zone: WEAKER (紫色 Purple)
| Stage | Chinese | Key Words |
|---|---|---|
| 病 Sick | 病 | Sickening, unmotivated |
| 死 Die | 死 | Surrender, no cure, give up |
Strength Zone: WEAKEST (红色 Red)
| Stage | Chinese | Key Words |
|---|---|---|
| 墓 Graveyard | 墓 | Covered, locked, unmovable |
| 绝 Ending | 绝 | Determine, heartless, gone for good (决心、绝对、绝情、绝决) |
The cycle flows: 胎 → 养 → 长生 → 沐浴 → 冠带 → 临官 → 帝旺 → 衰 → 病 → 死 → 墓 → 绝 → back to 胎
How to Apply the Twelve Growth Chart
Step 1: Find the ten god or positive/negative star you want to evaluate.
Step 2: Look up the corresponding heavenly stem in Table 26.
Step 3: Identify which animal zodiac it lands on in the chart (birth chart or luck cycle).
Step 4: Read the strength — is the star at 帝旺 (strongest), 冠带 (capable), 绝 (ending)?
Step 5: Apply to the interpretation. A benefactor star at 冠带 is very strong and effective — a benefactor star at 绝 is nearly powerless.
Practical example: If benefactors are strong 冠带 in the birth chart → he is born from a silver spoon and his parents have good wealth and fortune for him.
Next module: Module 07 — Conclusion & Study Guide