The Sun (Tai Yang, 太阳) star

Gives out and is seen. Tied to career, rank and public standing.

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 Ju Ri family (巨日): The Herald, built to be heard — visible, persuasive, works through voice.

How the translations are made

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

Fire, the essence of the sun. It is the outward sign of creation, and in the reckoning it gives a person an air of honour and the ability to serve in civil or military office. Benefics gathered, it sends down good omens; among dark stars, it means toil and effort. Falling in the Self and seated on strong ground it is the highest star of the reckoning and the hinge of the Career palace. Its transformations are to honour and to income, and it is best in Career. For a man it is the father star, for a woman the husband. The Self meeting benefics guarding and shining, and the Moon (太阴) shining with it, means wealth and rank complete. Holding the Body with benefics gathered, one may be a guest at the gate of the honoured; otherwise a runner for the great. Spouse is a strong palace too: for a man with benefics gathered, honour may come through the wife; badly placed with malefics, injury to the wife and not favourable. In Children with the Eight Seats (八座) and benefics well placed, honoured children with no small authority. In Wealth on strong ground with benefics helping, it does not fear the Voice (巨门) winding round it, and the wealth and rank run long. Strong and with no the Void and the Plunder (空劫), wealth for a life. In Property, the shade of the ancestors. If the two Aides (左右) and the benefics all arrive and both limits come at once, there is sudden rising to be glad of; if the limit does not support it, do not argue from the trine, for the answer may be a little out. A woman meeting it with a strong limit may enjoy it too. With the Ember (铃星), the Punisher (天刑) and the Trouble transformation (化忌) gathered in a limit, there is trouble at hand, or harm to a parent. With punishment and malefics gathered, an official has an injured post to grieve over and a commoner is troubled by legal matters. With the Blade (擎羊) and the Millstone (陀罗) gathered there is illness; with the Flare (火星) and the Ember, no small suffering. In Travel its blessing is unlike the Self: the ancestral inheritance is hard to take up, the root is moved and the leaf changed, and one leaves home to make a household. A limit meeting it there means moving, for certain. In Wellbeing with assistance, a woman draws a wise and clear-sighted husband. In Parents, for a man it is the father star alone: with light it is favourable, without light it harms the father. Master Xiyi (希夷先生) says: The Sun (太阳) turns through the degrees of heaven without end. It welcomes the two Aides assisting the ruler and the Hoard (禄存) to help its blessing. What it dislikes is meeting the darkness of the Voice; what it delights in is the Moon strong beside it. Meeting benefics in any palace is favourable; met on the dark road it is toil. Holding the Self it makes a person loyal and plain-spoken, not given to arguing right and wrong. Well placed with the Fortune transformation (化禄) or the Power transformation (化权) it may fairly be judged honour. Getting the two Aides, the Scholar and the Artist (昌曲) and the two Patrons (魁钺) in trine shining on Wealth and Career, wealth and rank of the highest grade. With the four malefics added, still warm and fed; for a monk, a teacher's title. A woman well placed is good for husband and children, and with Power or Fortune receives a title; with malefics, ordinary. The song runs: The Sun is Fire by nature, the true ruling star of Career. Sitting in the Self, the nature is the cleverest of all — kind, wide in measure, with blessing and long years. Meeting the Moon, sudden honour beyond compare. With light shining on the Self, one walks easily through the golden gate. Where the Voice does not offend it, one climbs the hall and receives the ruler's favour. In a sideways palace met by darkness, poverty past speaking; a man must harm his father, a woman's husband is not whole. If the Flare and the Ember settle on it, and the Blade and the Millstone, the eyes grow dim. When the two limits fall here, land and garden are certainly sold. Master Yuchan (玉蟾先生) says: The Sun governs authority and honour as a civil star; meeting the Punisher it is military. At Tiger (寅) and Rabbit (卯) it is first rising; at Dragon (辰) and Snake (巳) it ascends the hall; at Horse (午) it is the sun at noon in mid-heaven and means great wealth and rank; at Goat (未) and Monkey (申) it is a sideways wall, diligent first and idle after; at Rooster (酉) it sets in the west, honoured but not prominent, fine but without fruit; at Dog (戌), Pig (亥) and Rat (子) it has lost its light, and meeting darkness besides it is a life of toil, poverty and hurry, with injury to the eyes and few people it agrees with. With the Hoard in the same palace it means wealth, but hard and unresting; with the two Aides it may be judged honour. It dislikes the Flare and the Ember (火铃), the Punisher and Trouble, which do not spare the father. For a man this star is the father, for a woman the husband.

答曰:太陽星屬火,日之精也。乃造化之表儀,在數主人有貴氣,能為文為武。諸吉集則降禎祥,處黑星則勞心費力。若隨身命之中,居於廟樂之地。為數中之至曜,乃官祿之樞機。後化貴化祿,最宜在官祿宮。男作父星,女為夫主。命逢諸吉守照,更得太陰同照,富貴全美。若身居之,逢吉聚,則可在貴人門下客,否則公卿走卒。夫妻亦為強宮,男為諸吉聚,可因妻得貴。陷地加殺,傷妻不吉。男女宮得八座,加吉星在廟旺地,主生貴子,權柄不小。若財帛宮於旺地,會吉相助,不怕巨門纏,其富貴綿遠矣!若旺相無空劫,一生主富。居田宅,得祖父蔭澤。若左右諸吉星皆至,大小二限俱到,必有驟興之喜。若限不扶,不可以三合論議,恐應小差。女命逢之,限旺亦可共享。與鈴刑忌集限,目下有憂,或生剋父母。刑殺聚限,有傷官之憂,常人有官非之撓。與羊陀聚則有疾病,與火鈴合其苦楚不少。推而至此,禍福了然。遷移宮其福與身命不同,難招祖業,移根換葉,出祖為家。限步逢之,決要動移。女命逢之不吉,若福德宮有相佐,招賢明之夫。父母宮男子單作父星,有輝則吉,無輝克父。希夷先生曰:太陽星周天曆度輸轉無窮。喜輔弼而佐君象,以祿存而助福。所忌者,巨暗遭逢。所樂者,太陰相旺。諸宮會吉則吉、黑道遇之則勞。守人身命,主人忠鯁,不較是非。若居廟旺,化祿化權,允為貴論。若得左右、昌曲、魁鉺三合拱照財官二宮,富貴極品。加四殺,亦主飽暖,僧道有師號。女人廟旺,主旺夫益子,加權祿封贈,加殺主平常。歌曰太陽原屬火,正主官祿星,若居身命位,稟性最聰明,慈愛量寬大,福壽享遐齡,若與太陰會,驟發貴無倫,有輝照身命,平步入金門,巨門不相犯,升殿承君恩,偏垣逢暗度,貧賤不可言,男人必克父,女命夫不全,火鈴逢若定,羊陀眼目昏,二限若值此,必定賣田園。玉蟾先生曰:太陽司權貴為文,遇天刑為武。在寅卯為初升,在辰巳為升殿。在午為日麗中天,主大富貴。在未申為偏垣,作事先勤後惰。在酉為西沒,貴而不顯,秀而不實。在戌亥子為失輝,更逢巨暗一生勞碌貧忙。更主眼目有傷,與人寡合招非。女命逢之,夫星不美,遇耗則非禮成婚。若與祿存同宮,雖主財帛,亦辛苦不閑。若與左右同宮則為貴論。又嫌火鈴、刑忌,未免先克其父。此星男得之為父星,女得之為夫星。

The Sun 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

Well placed, an imposing figure and a full, square face; born by day it is strong, born by night it is weak. Kind-hearted and open-handed. In the seat of the self, blessing and long life, more so with the Power transformation (化权) and the Fortune transformation (化禄) both, and with the two Patrons, the Scholar and the Artist and the two Aides (魁钺昌曲左右) gathered, rank and wealth. Badly placed, guard against harsh malefics: brooding, advancing and retreating, a life held together by hard work. Turned away from its light, a busy mind and ordinary means.

太阳火,南北斗化贵,为官禄主。太阳入庙形貌堂堂,雄壮面方圆满,夜生陷日生庙旺,心慈面紫色,好济施。太阳入男命吉凶诀:命里逢阳福寿浓,更兼权禄两相逢,魁昌左右来相凑,富贵双全比石崇。太阳入女命吉凶诀:太阳正照妇人身,姿貌殊常性格贞,更得吉星同主照,金冠封赠作夫人。太阳安命有奇能,陷地须防恶杀凌,作事沈吟多进退,辛勤度日免家倾。太阳反照主心忙,衣禄平常寿不长,克过良人还克子,只宜荫下作偏房。太阳入限吉凶诀:二限偏宜见太阳,添财进业福非常,婚姻和合添嗣续,仕者高迁坐庙堂。太阳守限有多般,陷地须防恶杀侵,加忌逢凶多阻滞,横事破财家伶仃。

Siblings palace (Xiong Di, 兄弟)

siblings, and the people alongside you

Well placed, three. With the Voice (巨门) and no malefics, three; with the Moon (太阴), five. Badly placed, discord and little support; with the six malefics, harm and the number halved.

太阳庙旺三人,与巨门同无杀加有三人,太阴同五人,陷地,不和欠力,加羊陀火铃空劫更克减半。

Spouse palace (Fu Qi, 夫妻)

marriage and close partnership

Well placed, marrying late is fortunate and marrying early brings harm; standing comes through the wife. With the Elder (天梁) and the two Aides (左右), a wise and capable wife. With the Moon (太阴), a helpmeet. With the Voice (巨门) and none of the Blade, Millstone, Flare and Ember and the Void and the Plunder (羊陀火铃空劫), no harm — with those four, harm; with the Void and the Plunder (空劫), harm for certain.

太阳庙旺迟娶吉,早娶克,因妻得贵,与天梁同加左右招贤明之妻,太阴同内助,巨门同无羊陀火铃空劫不克,有此四杀,反空劫定克,遇耗非礼成婚。

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

children, and what you create

Well placed, three sons and two daughters, and children late in life bring standing. With the Voice (巨门), three; with the Moon (太阴), five. Badly placed, three sons who do not thrive; with the six malefics as well, only one left to see you out.

太阳入庙男三女二晚子贵,巨门同三人,太阴同五人,陷地有三子不成盖,再加羊陀火铃空劫止留一子送终。

Wealth palace (Cai Bo, 财帛)

money coming in and going out

Well placed, plenty; badly placed, toil without result. With the Moon (太阴) and the two Aides (左右) and benefics, no small fortune; with the Hoard (禄存), wealth won by attention, and great; with the Voice (巨门), early gains and losses, never quite full.

太阳入庙丰足,陷宫劳碌不遂,太阴同加左右吉星发财不小,禄存同操心得财玫大富,巨门同早年成败中未充盈。

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

the body, and what wears it down

Headaches. With the Moon (太阴) and the Trouble transformation (化忌), and with the Blade and the Millstone (羊陀), injury to the eyes. Badly placed, eye trouble too, and poor sight.

太阳头风,太阴同加化忌,羊陀主眼目有伤,陷宫亦主目疾欠光明。

Travel palace (Qian Yi, 迁移)

going out — travel, moving, elsewhere

Better going out than sitting still. With the Moon (太阴), fortune in the busyness of being away; with the Voice (巨门), worry. With the six malefics, no ease of mind or body abroad.

太阳宜出外发福不耐静守,太阴同出外忙中吉,巨门劳心,加羊陀火铃空劫在外心身不清闲。

Friends palace (Pu Yi, 仆役)

friends and the people you work with

Well placed, they prosper you; badly placed, none — and any there are resent you and leave. With the Moon (太阴), many come; with the Voice (巨门), many, and resentment. With the Blade, Millstone, Flare and Ember (羊陀火铃), they turn on you.

太阳入庙旺主发,陷宫无分,有也怨主,会走,太阴同多招,巨门同有多招怨,加羊陀火铃奴则背主。

Career palace (Guan Lu, 官禄)

work and standing

Well placed, good in civil or military office; fortunate when the Blade, Millstone, Flare and Ember (羊陀火铃) are absent. With the Moon (太阴), honoured and prominent. With the two Aides (左右), the Scholar and the Artist (昌曲), the two Patrons (魁钺) and the Merit transformation (化科), the Fortune transformation (化禄) or the Power transformation (化权), rank of the first order.

太阳入庙文武为良,不见羊陀火铃吉,太阴同贵显,左右昌曲魁钺同更君科禄权,定居一品之贵。

Property palace (Tian Zhai, 田宅)

home, property, what you keep

Well placed, the inheritance comes to you; prosperous at first and levelling later. With the Moon (太阴) and benefics, much land. With the Voice (巨门) at Tiger (寅), prosperous; at Monkey (申), the inheritance recedes, though not to nothing. Badly placed and meeting the six malefics, none at all.

太阳入庙得祖业,初旺未平,太阴同加吉星田多,巨门同在寅宫旺盛,在申宫退祖,不为无田产,陷地逢羊陀火铃空劫全无。

Wellbeing palace (Fu De, 福德)

peace of mind, and what you enjoy

Blessing found in the middle of busyness. With the Moon (太阴), gladness; with the Voice (巨门), effort and little peace; with the Elder (天梁), gladness. A woman meeting benefics draws a wise and capable husband, and enjoys blessing. With the six malefics, the Trouble transformation (化忌) or drain (化耗), judge it unfavourable lifelong.

太阳忙中发福,太阴同快乐,巨门同费力欠安,天梁同快乐,女人会吉星,招贤明之夫,享福,加羊陀火铃空劫忌耗,终身不美之论。

Parents palace (Fu Mu, 父母)

parents, and anyone with authority over you

Well placed, no harm; badly placed, harm to the father. With the six malefics, harm to the parents early. With the Blade and the Millstone (羊陀) gathered, harm to both, late. With the Voice (巨门) and the four malefics or the Void and the Plunder (空劫), harm early; with the Elder (天梁), none. (Badly placed, the Sun (太阳) harms the father first and the Moon (太阴) the mother first.)

太阳在陷宫主先克父,太阴星在陷宫主先克母。太阳入庙无克,陷地克父,加羊陀火铃空劫克父母早,太阴同看无,羊陀凑父母全迟刑,巨门同加四杀空劫早克,天梁同无刑。

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 Iron · The Blessing · The Mystic · The Treasury · The Moon · The Wolf · The Voice · The Minister · The Elder · The General · The Disruptor.