The Treasury (Tian Fu, 天府) star

Keeps and protects. Wealth that is stored rather than started.

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 Fu Xiang Chao Yuan family (府相朝垣): The Custodian, built to hold — stable, managerial, keeps what others build.

How the translations are made

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

Earth, the first commanding star of the southern dipper. It is the ruler of the Wealth palace, and in the dipper the star that holds blessing and authority. Meeting benefics it is all the ground of wealth and rank, and is judged as the Scholar (文昌) is. Master Xiyi (希夷先生) says: The Treasury (天府) is the southern dipper's star of lengthened life and dissolved calamity, and is also called the keeper of fate (司命). It is the chief minister that guards the state; in the dipper it holds authority, and in the reckoning it is the god in charge of wealth, property, clothing and income. As the emperor's second it can hold the Blade (擎羊) and the Millstone (陀罗) to service and turn the Flare (火星) and the Ember (铃星) to blessing. It makes a person clear and unusual in feature, mild, upright and refined in nature. Meeting the Scholar and the Artist (昌曲), one certainly stands first in the selection. Meeting the Hoard (禄存) and the Iron (武曲), wealth in the ten thousands. The secret text says: The Treasury is the store of income — the Self meeting it is rich in the end. It dislikes the four malefics breaking in; and even with no office or honour it still means money and land enough. It takes Property and Wealth as its strong seats and Servants and Appearance as its weak ones, with Siblings as ordinary. The Self meeting it and getting assistance means spouse and children are not wanting. Falling on the Void (空亡) it stands alone, and must not be judged all one way — broadly this star is mostly favourable. It is also said: this star is favourable in every palace. A woman getting it is clear, upright, quick and skilful, good for husband and children; and even meeting a breaking clash it is still read well. For a monk it means a teacher's title. The song runs: The Treasury is the store of income; the Self meeting it is rich in the end — ten thousand acres of farmland set down, the household's means past counting. A woman sits in her fragrant chamber, a man eats the state's bread. This is a star of blessing and fortune, and on every side there is enough.

答曰:天府屬土,南斗主令第一星也。為財帛之主宰,在斗司福權之宿,會吉皆為富貴之基,定作文昌之論。希夷先生曰:天府乃南斗延壽解厄之星,又曰司命。上相鎮國之星,在斗司權,在數則職掌財帛、田宅、衣祿之神。為帝之佐貳,能制羊陀為從,能化火鈴為福。主人相貌清奇,稟性溫良端雅。與昌曲會,必登首選。逢祿存武曲,必有巨萬之富。祕云:天府為祿庫,命逢終是富是也。不喜四殺沖破,雖無官貴,亦主財田富足。以田宅財帛為廟樂,以奴僕相貌為陷弱。以兄弟為平常,命逢之得相佐,主夫妻子女不缺。若值空亡是為孤立,不可一例而推斷,大抵此星多主吉。又曰:此星不論諸宮皆吉,女命得之清正機巧,旺夫益子,雖見沖破,亦以善論,僧道宜之有師號。歌曰天府為祿庫,入命終是富,萬頃置田莊,家資無論數,女命坐香閨,男人食天祿,此是福吉星,四外無不足。

The Treasury 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 command (令) star, and a keeper of wealth. In the seat of the self with the Power transformation (化权) or the Fortune transformation (化禄), welcome; with the two Patrons, the Scholar and the Artist and the two Aides (魁钺昌曲左右) in accord, a rise into high company. In a woman's chart, quick-witted, and with the Emperor star (紫微) in trine, honoured.

天府土,南斗化令星,为财帛主。天府入男命吉凶诀:天府之星守命宫,加之权禄喜相逢,魁昌左右来相会,附凤攀龙上九重。天府入女命吉凶诀:女人天府命身宫,性格聪明花样容,更得紫微三合照,金冠霞佩受皇封。天府入限吉凶诀:限临天府能司禄,士庶逢之多发福,添财进喜永无灾,且也润身也润屋。

Siblings palace (Xiong Di, 兄弟)

siblings, and the people alongside you

Five. With the Emperor star (紫微) and the two Aides and the Scholar and the Artist (左右昌曲), six or seven; with the Mystic (廉贞), three. With the six malefics, only two.

天府有五人,紫微同加左右昌曲有六七人,廉贞同三人,见羊陀火铃空劫只二人。

Spouse palace (Fu Qi, 夫妻)

marriage and close partnership

Mutually nourishing; the partner is cherished and brings standing. With the six malefics, marrying late avoids the harm; married late, they grow old together.

天府相生宠爱夫主贵,见羊陀火铃空劫迟娶免刑,晚娶得谐老。

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

children, and what you create

Five. With the Iron (武曲), two; with the Emperor star (紫微), four or five; with the Mystic (廉贞), three. With the six malefics, only three.

天府五人,武曲同二人,紫微同四五人,廉贞同三人,加羊陀火铃空劫止三人。

Wealth palace (Cai Bo, 财帛)

money coming in and going out

Well off. With the six malefics, gains and losses. With the Emperor star (紫微), great accumulation; with the Mystic (廉贞) or the Iron (武曲) and the Power transformation (化权) or the Fortune transformation (化禄), wealthy to the point of extravagance.

天府富足,见羊陀火铃空劫有成败,紫微同巨积,廉贞武曲同加权禄为富奢翁。

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

the body, and what wears it down

Few ailments, and rescue when they come. With the Emperor star (紫微), few. With the six malefics, wasting illness. With the Mystic (廉贞) and the Robbery Killer (劫杀) or the Void (空亡), injury part way through life.

天府灾少临灾有救,紫微同灾少,加羊陀火铃空劫有疯疾,廉贞同加劫杀空亡,半途伤残。

Travel palace (Qian Yi, 迁移)

going out — travel, moving, elsewhere

Patrons abroad who support you. With the Emperor star (紫微), fortune; with the Mystic (廉贞) or the Iron (武曲), money taken in busy places, a merchant on a large scale.

天府出外遇贵人扶,持同紫微发福,廉贞武曲闹中取财作巨商。

Friends palace (Pu Yi, 仆役)

friends and the people you work with

Capable — one call and a hundred answer. With the Emperor star (紫微), they help the household; with the Iron (武曲), servants there are. With many turn on you and run (陀羊火铃空劫).

天府得力一呼百诺,紫微同助主天家,武曲同奴仆有,加陀羊火铃空劫多背主,逃走。

Career palace (Guan Lu, 官禄)

work and standing

Well placed, good in civil or military. Without the Blade, Millstone, Flare and Ember (羊陀火铃), the Void (空) or the Drain (耗), wholly favourable. With the Emperor star (紫微), a name in both civil and military; with the Mystic (廉贞) or the Iron (武曲), authority and standing. With the Void and the Plunder (空劫), ordinary.

天府入庙文武皆吉,无羊陀火铃空耗全美,紫微同文武声名,廉贞武曲同权贵,见空劫平常。

Property palace (Tian Zhai, 田宅)

home, property, what you keep

Fields and gardens flourishing; the inheritance kept and added to, and prosperous. With the Emperor star (紫微), great wealth; with the Mystic (廉贞) or the Iron (武曲), the inheritance kept in honour. With the six malefics, less, and gains and losses.

天府田园茂盛,守祖自置旺相,紫微同大富,廉贞武曲同守祖业荣昌,见羊陀火铃空劫更少,有成败。

Wellbeing palace (Fu De, 福德)

peace of mind, and what you enjoy

Quiet, and blessing enjoyed. With the Emperor star (紫微), gladness; with the Mystic (廉贞), the body at rest and the mind busy; with the Iron (武曲), harder in early years and ease and blessing from middle life on. With the six malefics, drain (化耗) or the Trouble transformation (化忌), days passed in hardship.

天府安静享福,紫微同快乐,廉贞同身安心忙,武曲同早年更辛苦,中晚安乐享福,加羊陀火铃空劫耗忌劳苦过日。

Parents palace (Fu Mu, 父母)

parents, and anyone with authority over you

Both parents live. With the Emperor star (紫微), no harm either; with the Mystic (廉贞) or the Iron (武曲) well placed, no harm. With the six malefics, injury.

天府父母双全,紫微同亦无刑,廉贞武曲同,在庙旺无刑,加羊陀火铃空劫主伤。

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.

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