Stitch the pieces into one person without getting lost among the twelve palaces.
Now that every piece is familiar, it is time to put them in order. Zi Wei Dou Shu has many layers, and without a sequence it is easy to get lost among the twelve palaces.
Locate the Life Palace and identify its major stars. If it has none, move directly to the trine-and-opposition structure.
Check whether each star is comfortable in its position (brightness) and which transformation it carries. The same star begins to differ here.
Read the opposite palace and the two trine positions together. The palace’s story is complete only after all four are considered.
Check which of the six benefic and six challenging stars are present. This is why the same major star differs from person to person.
Read where life gradually gathers weight (Body Palace) and where the mind rests (Fortune Palace). Traditional readings considered outward success tiring if the latter could not rest.
Finally, add time: which palace governs the current decade and which stars become active during it.
One final note on reading responsibly. Because Zi Wei Dou Shu divides life into cells, its structure is easy to turn into rigid conclusions. Statements such as “Qi Sha in the Spouse Palace makes marriage difficult” are easy to produce. Yet the story changes once the three supporting palaces, supporting stars, and current decade are overlaid.
Classical texts repeatedly warn against defining a person by one star. A chart is not an answer but a map for viewing yourself from several angles. Seeing where weight gathers can help you decide where to direct your effort; that is the practical value of this study.
This content is for reference and entertainment, based on traditional Chinese metaphysics and astrology.