The General (Qi Sha, 七杀) star

Command and discipline. Acts alone; big wins and big losses.

One of the fourteen main stars of Purple Star Astrology (Zi Wei Dou Shu, 紫微斗数). They are not stars in the sky: they are fourteen named markers that your birth date and hour place around a ring of twelve palaces, and each palace stands for one part of life. What this star means depends on which palace it lands in.

When this site works out a chart’s type, it counts this star with the Sha Po Lang family (杀破狼): The Disruptor, built for change — thrives in motion, restless when static.

How the translations are made

What the classic Zi Wei Dou Shu Quan Shu (紫微斗数全书) says it is

The sixth star of the southern dipper, Fire and Metal. It is the senior general within the dipper, and truly the solitary star of success and failure. In the dipper it holds the dipper's handle and governs discipline. Its authority works as Metal's spirit, and its nature is like a cold clear air. In the reckoning it suits a religious life; in the Self it certainly passes through hardship. In the Self, if the limit does not support it, life is cut short; in Career on its ground, it turns calamity into good fortune. In Children the children stand few; in Spouse the marriage bed is half cold. Meeting the Punisher (天刑) or the trapped (囚) in Property or Parents, harm to the parents and an estate hard to keep. Meeting the Punisher, the Trouble transformation (化忌) or a malefic in Travel or Health, infirmity for a lifetime — and even standing alone, the years should not be long. With the trapped in the Self, a broken arm or leg, and consumption besides. Meeting the trapped and the Great Drain (大耗) in Travel, death on the road. Coming to a weak palace the injury is a little less; falling in a truly yin palace, the trouble runs deep. The year's malefics must not be met; where the Body's malefic stars pile up at Dragon (辰) and Dog (戌), where the Body meets ill stars in an important place, where the Self meets malefics across the trine, and the year's malefics pile on again, and both limits meet it too, it means death in battle or a violent end. Joining the Sun (太阳) and the Voice (巨门) in a strong palace it is favourable; sitting on the Void (空亡) and offending the Punisher and the malefics, the trouble is not light. Where both limits join the Self and meet a malefic, even the emperor's command has no effect; clashing across the trine, even Fortune (禄) has no force. A hero of the age held down by a malefic — and here the whole thing is a dream. This is the ground of the overturned limit, and what it governs must be weighed with great care. It is an ill star of the reckoning and truly not a good one. Master Xiyi (希夷先生) says: The General (七杀) is the senior general in the dipper. Meeting the Emperor star (紫微) it is transformed to the Power transformation (化权) and brings blessing down; meeting the Flare (火星) or the Ember (铃星) it lengthens its killing force. Meeting an ill star in living ground it is certainly a butcher; meeting the Scholar and the Artist (昌曲) in an important place, the temper is stubborn and loud. The secret classic says: The General badly placed, brooding, and no blessing arises. The Self and the Body meeting it certainly pass through hardship, and either limit meeting it takes calamity and ruin. Meeting the emperor and the Fortune it can be resolved; meeting the year's malefics it meets ill. Holding the Self it advances and retreats in what it does, with gladness and anger not constant. With the two Aides (左右) and the Scholar and the Artist well placed and shining in trine, it holds the power of life and death, and its wealth and rank stand out. If the four malefics or Trouble break in, a craftsman and an ordinary person; badly placed, infirmity. A woman on strong ground commands money and authority and her will passes her husband's. For a monk it suits; and with malefics gathered, drifting and moving, and a return to lay life. The song runs: The General at Tiger (寅), Monkey (申), Rat (子) or Horse (午) — the four quarters give way to the hero. With the two Patrons (魁钺), the two Aides and the Scholar (文昌) meeting, authority and income, a high name and ten thousand measures to eat. The General badly placed is past speaking of, the ill of it like sleeping holding a tiger; and if the malefic is strong with nothing to hold it down, a young man dies badly and goes to the Yellow Springs.

答曰:七殺南斗第六星也,屬火、金。乃斗中之上將,實成敗之孤辰。在斗司斗柄,主於風憲。其威作金之靈,其性若清涼之狀。主於數則宜僧道,主於身定歷艱辛。在命宮若限不扶夭折,在官祿得地,化禍為祥。在子息,而子息孤單;居夫婦而鴛衾半冷。會刑囚於田宅、父母,刑傷父母,產業難留。逢刑忌殺於遷移、疾厄,終身殘疾,縱使一身孤獨,也應壽年不長。與囚於身命,折肱傷股,又主癆傷。會囚耗於遷移,死於道路。若臨陷弱之宮,為殘較減。若值正陰之宮,作禍憂深。流年殺曜莫教逢,身殺星辰戌迭並,身殺逢惡曜於要地,命逢殺曜於三方,流殺又迭並,二限之中又逢,主陣亡掠死。合太陽巨門會帝旺之鄉則吉,處空亡犯刑殺遭禍不輕。大小二限合身命逢殺,雖帝制也無功。三合對沖,雖祿亦無力。蓋世英雄為殺制,此時一夢南柯。此乃倒限之地,所主務要仔細推詳,乃數中之惡曜,實非善星也。希夷先生曰:七殺斗中上將,遇紫微則化權降福,遇火鈴則長其殺威。遇凶曜於生鄉定為屠宰,會昌曲於要地,情性頑囂。祕經云:七殺居陷地,沉吟福不生是也。身命二宮逢之定歷艱辛,二限逢之遭殃破敗。遇帝祿而可解,遭流殺而逢凶。守身命作事進退,喜怒不常。左右昌曲入廟拱照,掌生殺之權,富貴出眾。若四殺忌星沖破,巧藝平常之人,陷地殘疾。女命旺地,財權服眾,志過丈夫。僧道宜之,若殺湊飄蕩,流移還俗。歌曰七殺寅申子午宮,四夷拱手服英雄,魁鉞左右文昌會,權祿名高食萬鍾,殺居陷地不堪言,凶禍猶如抱虎眠,若是殺強無制伏,少年惡死到黃泉。

One further clause here fixes a woman’s outcome by her sex. It is left out, in the Chinese as well as the English, as everywhere on this site.

The General in each of the twelve palaces

Volume two of the classic goes palace by palace and says what each star does there. Each line below is its sentence for this star, translated. “Well placed” and “badly placed” refer to the star’s brightness in that branch.

Self palace (Ming Gong, 命宫)

who you are at core

The general of the southern dipper: met by the emperor it becomes authority, and in every other palace it is a malefic. At Tiger (寅), Monkey (申), Rat (子) or Horse (午), a hero the four quarters give way to; with the two Patrons (魁钺), the two Aides (左右) and the Scholar (文昌), high rank and a large income. In an idle palace with the Voice (巨门), the Blade (擎羊) and the Millstone (陀罗) opposing, if not a hurt limb then a hurt bone. In a woman's chart, decisive and clever, high-spirited and large in aim, and the text adds: hard on the husband, and a hard road. With the Wolf (贪狼) met and the Flare (火星) and the Millstone gathered, not a fortunate one.

七杀火金,南斗将星,遇帝为权,其余诸宫皆杀。七杀入男命吉凶诀:七杀寅申子午宫,四夷拱手服英雄,魁钺左右文昌会,科禄名高食万锺。七杀居命落闲宫,巨宿羊陀更照冲,若不伤肢必损骨,空门僧道可兴隆。七杀入女命吉凶诀:女命愁逢七杀星,作事果断又聪明,气高志大无男女,七杀孤星贪宿逢,火陀凑合非为贵,女人得此性不良,七杀入限吉凶诀:二限虽然逢七杀,从容和缓家道发,对宫天府正来朝,仕宦逢之名显达。七杀之星主啾唧,作事艰难俱有失,更加恶曜在限中,主有官灾多病疾。

Part of this clause fixes a woman’s outcome by her sex; it is left out here, as everywhere on this site.

Siblings palace (Xiong Di, 兄弟)

siblings, and the people alongside you

Solitary and harmed. Only at Rat-Horse-Tiger-Monkey (子午寅申) are there three, and even then not close and better apart. With the Scholar and the Artist and the two Aides (昌曲左右), better.

七杀主孤克,在子午寅申宫方有三人,也不和宜各人,加昌曲左右更好。

Spouse palace (Fu Qi, 夫妻)

marriage and close partnership

Early harm. With the Iron (武曲), harm as well, though marrying late avoids it. With the Mystic (廉贞), parting while both live. With the six malefics, three wives lost.

七杀早克,武曲同亦克,或迟娶免刑,廉贞主生离,加羊陀火铃空劫克三妻。

Children palace (Zi Nü, the Children palace (子女))

children, and what you create

Solitary — one at most. With the Emperor star (紫微) and benefics, three. With the six malefics, none, and any there are will not amount to much: headstrong, and ruinous to what is built.

七杀主孤一人之分,紫微同再吉星有三人,见羊陀火铃空劫全无,纵有不成器,必强横败家之子。

Wealth palace (Cai Bo, 财帛)

money coming in and going out

The classic has no line for this star in this palace.

Health palace (Ji E, the Health palace (疾厄))

the body, and what wears it down

Much illness in childhood; in later life, piles. With the Iron (武曲) and the four malefics, injury to hands and feet. With the Mystic (廉贞), eye trouble; with the Blade (擎羊), injury to the limbs.

七杀幼年多灾,长主痔疾,武曲同加四杀手足伤残,廉贞同主目疾,加擎羊四肢有伤残。

Travel palace (Qian Yi, 迁移)

going out — travel, moving, elsewhere

More days away than at home. With the Iron (武曲), fortune lies in movement; with the Mystic (廉贞), money made abroad; with the Emperor star (紫微), much goes as intended abroad. With the six malefics, worry and no rest, or drifting to the ends of the earth.

七杀在外日多,在家日少,武曲同动中则吉,廉贞同在外生财,紫微同在外多遂志,加羊陀火铃空劫又操心不宁或流荡天涯。

Friends palace (Pu Yi, 仆役)

friends and the people you work with

Servants who overbear their master, hard and strong, and much of the household property goes missing. With the Iron (武曲), they turn on you; with the Mystic (廉贞), they fall short. With the six malefics, none can be kept at all.

七杀欺主有刚强之仆,多盗家财,武曲同背主廉贞欠力,加羊陀火铃空劫全,难招。

Career palace (Guan Lu, 官禄)

work and standing

Well placed, distinguished in military office and of no small authority; not suited to a civil man. With the Iron (武曲), authority and standing; with the Mystic (廉贞), merit and prominence.

七杀庙旺武职峥嵘权贵非小,不宜文人,武曲同权贵,廉贞同功名显达。

Property palace (Tian Zhai, 田宅)

home, property, what you keep

The classic has no line for this star in this palace.

Wellbeing palace (Fu De, 福德)

peace of mind, and what you enjoy

Well placed, blessing enjoyed. Badly placed and with the Blade, Millstone, Flare and Ember (羊陀火铃), worry and effort. With the Iron (武曲), little calm; with the Mystic (廉贞), hard labour; with the Emperor star (紫微), toil first and ease after, and things go as wished only in the last years.

七杀入庙享福,陷地加羊陀火铃劳心费力,武曲同欠安,廉贞同辛勤,紫微同先劳后逸,末年方如意遂心,女人单居福德,

Part of this clause fixes a woman’s outcome by her sex; it is left out here, as everywhere on this site.

Parents palace (Fu Mu, 父母)

parents, and anyone with authority over you

Harm early and the line left; solitary among kin. With the Iron (武曲), harm; with the Mystic (廉贞), harm early; with the Emperor star (紫微) and benefics, none. With the six malefics, the parents are not both kept.

七杀克早离祖,六亲骨肉孤独,武曲同亦刑,廉贞同刑早,紫微同加吉星无刑,加羊陀火铃空劫,父母不周全。

Which star is in your Self palace?

That needs your birth hour and place. The chart corrects the hour to true solar time, using the timezone actually in force in your birth year.

Get your Purple Star chart

The other thirteen: The Emperor · The Strategist · The Sun · The Iron · The Blessing · The Mystic · The Treasury · The Moon · The Wolf · The Voice · The Minister · The Elder · The Disruptor.