There are many different styles of Zi Wei Dou Shu available today, which can be found on the internet or in bookstores.
Some of these styles are considered “new-age,” having been introduced in the last few decades with new features added or even undergoing dramatic overhauls and being rebranded with the founder’s name. However, these new-age Zi Wei Dou Shu styles have not been tested enough with time and a large enough sampling size to prove their effectiveness.
On the other hand, there are also “old-school” styles of Zi Wei Dou Shu that have retained much of their original form, with minor adjustments made to align with the evolution of human civilization. Some of these old-school styles have even amalgamated with other forms and reemerged as a new style, while others remain steadfast and have stood the test of time.
Today, among the many styles of Zi Wei Dou Shu, the most prominent ones are the San He and Sihua 18 Flying Stars (四化十八飞星) styles.
In this article, we will focus specifically on the Sihua 18 Flying Stars style, which is considered the original style of all Zi Wei Dou Shu, and explore the unique characteristics that set it apart from other styles.
“These two different system emanated from ancient Chinese legend that there were two volumes of Zi Wei Dou Shu Classics kept in the Palace. While the “SanHe” volume was stolen, the “Si Hua” volume remained safely behind. To preserve the original “Si Hua” volume for his private use, the Emperor instructed his Imperial Astrologer to edit a falsified “Si Hua” version to complete the circulation of both volumes to the people. Upon the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the public discovered the existence of the original “Si Hua” classics”.
Copyright attributed to: Ng, CP. & Tham, Leonard (2009). Flying Star Zi WEi Dou Shu – Purple Star Astrology. Practitioners Handbook (With Special preview on Zi Wei Fengshui) pp: Cover, ISBN: 978-967-5168-07-9, Jan 2014
The Sihua Flying Stars chart is simple and uncluttered, featuring predominantly 18 stars, though some charts may have additional auxiliary stars.
Unlike other styles of Zi Wei Dou Shu, Sihua 18 Flying Stars does not focus on interpreting the position or formation of stars in the chart’s cell. Instead, it places emphasis on how the chart’s cells interconnect to create impressions (象) or events (数). We call it cell and not palace. Palace is a literal translation from Chinese word of “宫 Gōng” — which the “宫“ means palace — but it was not meant for this purpose when Zi Wei Dou Shu was founded.
Sihua Flying Stars is not overly burdensome on the memory, as it doesn’t require memorizing the characteristics of each star. Rather, students start by understanding how subject matters interact to form impressions or events, and then apply common sense logic to interpret the chart.
Sihua Flying Stars strictly adheres to the principle of impression leading to events, which gives it the merit of being able to accurately predict events. This is why Sihua 18 Flying Stars is highly regarded as an accurate system for destiny reading.
Furthermore, Sihua Flying Stars places a strong emphasis on the “principles of decoding” to ensure that every decoding stays within a narrow interpretation framework, thus reducing the margin of error. Students spend a significant amount of time in class learning what is right and wrong to ensure that they can hit the mark with sniper-shot accuracy in each decoding.
Decoding destiny requires a deep respect for an individual’s life and goes beyond mere storytelling. As an interpreter, one must use critical thinking, analytical thought, and a holistic approach to evaluate and analyze each person’s unique life journey, rather than simply force-fitting textbook theories.
It is important to note that authentic Sihua 18 Flying Star is rare to find in the market. What is mostly seen on the internet or in print are not true Sihua Flying Stars. Moreover, many self-branded courses claim to teach Sihua techniques, but they do not adhere to the “principles of decoding”, which results in inaccurate interpretations.
Zi Wei Dou Shu is a complex system of Chinese astrology that has been studied and practiced for centuries. If you are curious to learn more about it, be sure to embark on the right path that will lead you to your desired destination. With the right guidance and resources, the study of Zi Wei Dou Shu can be a rewarding and enlightening journey. So, take the first step and explore this rich field of knowledge.
To plot a free ZWDS Sihua Flying Stars chart, refer Sihua 18 Flying Stars chart
Zi Wei Dou Shu destiny reading: Ziwei consultation services
Zi Wei Dou Shu Sihua Flying Stars courses: Online 1×1 Practitioner course
*If you’re interested in learning more about the various styles of Zi Wei Dou Shu, check out our Master Practitioner graduate’s in-depth article, “Aliran Ziwei Doushu”, which provides detailed information in Indonesian.