What is Qi Zheng Si Yu (七政四余)? The Seven Luminaries

Qi Zheng Si Yu, meaning "Seven Luminaries and Four Remainders," is one of the most sophisticated and astronomically precise systems of Chinese astrology. Unlike BaZi which uses the calendar system, Qi Zheng Si Yu maps the actual positions of celestial bodies at your moment of birth to create a detailed stellar portrait of your destiny.

The Seven Luminaries (七政)

The seven classical celestial bodies that form the core of the system:

• Sun (太阳) — Vitality, identity, authority, father figure
• Moon (太阴) — Emotions, intuition, mother figure, inner world
• Mercury (水星) — Intellect, communication, strategy
• Venus (金星) — Relationships, beauty, wealth, pleasure
• Mars (火星) — Action, courage, conflict, energy
• Jupiter (木星) — Growth, wisdom, expansion, fortune
• Saturn (土星) — Discipline, structure, karma, longevity

The Four Remainders (四余)

In addition to the visible planets, the system tracks four mathematical points:

• Rahu (罗睺) — South Node of the Moon, representing karmic challenges and ambition
• Ketu (计都) — North Node of the Moon, representing karmic mission and spiritual growth
• Yue Bei (月孛) — Moon's apogee, representing hidden forces and transformation
• Zi Qi (紫气) — A spiritual point representing grace, protection, and wisdom

The Twelve Palaces (十二宫)

The zodiac is divided into twelve palaces, each governing a different area of life:

• Life Palace (命宫) — Your core destiny and personality
• Appearance Palace (相貌宫) — Physical appearance and public image
• Fortune Palace (福德宫) — Happiness, merit, and spiritual fortune
• Career Palace (官禄宫) — Career, status, and authority
• Travel Palace (迁移宫) — Movement, relocation, and foreign affairs
• Adversity Palace (疾厄宫) — Health, obstacles, and challenges
• Spouse Palace (夫妻宫) — Marriage and partnerships
• Servants Palace (奴仆宫) — Subordinates, service, and health matters
• Children Palace (男女宫) — Children, creativity, and speculation
• Property Palace (田宅宫) — Real estate, home, and assets
• Siblings Palace (兄弟宫) — Brothers, sisters, and peers
• Wealth Palace (财帛宫) — Income, finances, and material resources

The 28 Lunar Mansions (二十八宿)

Unlike Western astrology's 12 zodiac signs, the Chinese system divides the sky into 28 Lunar Mansions — specific sectors of the sky through which the Moon passes during its monthly cycle. Each mansion has unique qualities and associations that add depth to planetary interpretations. The mansions are grouped into four symbolic animals: the Azure Dragon (East), Black Tortoise (North), White Tiger (West), and Vermilion Bird (South).

Transit and Prediction

One of the most powerful features of Qi Zheng Si Yu is its predictive capability. By tracking how planets move through the palaces over time (transits), practitioners can identify:

• Ding Xian Du (定限度) — Critical life transitions when the limit degree meets a natal planet
• Palace Transits — When a planet enters a new palace, activating that life area
• Retrograde Effects — Retrograde planets indicate internalized or delayed energy

Qi Zheng Si Yu vs. Western Astrology

While both systems use planetary positions, Qi Zheng Si Yu differs fundamentally. It uses the sidereal zodiac (based on actual star positions), divides the sky into 12 palaces (not houses), and incorporates the 28 Lunar Mansions. It also tracks the four mathematical points (Rahu, Ketu, Yue Bei, Zi Qi) that have no direct Western equivalent. The result is a system that is simultaneously more astronomical and more philosophical than Western astrology.

The Classical Source: Xinghai Cilin

Among the surviving texts of Qi Zheng Si Yu, the Xinghai Cilin is the largest and most complete — sixty volumes in all. This app has structured about one million characters of its text, of which roughly 330,000 are already wired into chart casting and interpretation.

What is currently integrated:

• The star-officer table (量天尺) — star officers are looked up by house and degree within the house, covering all 360 degrees. This is the foundation of the whole system.
• Twelve-house judgements — recorded mansion by mansion, section by section. Ask about money and the wealth house is read; ask about marriage and the spouse house is read — the passage is taken from the house matching your question.
• Father and mother foundations — the father's foundation is read from the Sun's position, the mother's disposition from the Moon's, each divided by the five tones.
• 1st and 11th sets of chart commentaries — degree-by-degree judgements, each headed by "conjunct star officer X, presides over Y". The 11th set (leap remainder) brings in three-enclosure star officers such as Zuo Fu, San Gong and Yao Guang, which cannot be found in the common star-officer tables.
• Star-officer limit (星官限) — which house and degree your life progress enters, which star officer it meets, and the exact dates of entry and exit.

The remaining nine sets and the theory in volumes 1–2 are still being prepared and will be added as new techniques over time. This system is far from fully explored — which is one reason this app keeps being updated.

Try Qi Zheng Si Yu with AI

Our AI-powered Chinese & Vedic Astrology app calculates your complete Qi Zheng Si Yu natal chart using the Swiss Ephemeris for astronomical precision. Get professional analysis of your palace positions, planetary dignities, auspicious and inauspicious patterns, and transit forecasts.