The Four Transformations in Zi Wei Dou Shu: Lu, Quan, Ke, Ji, and the Table of the Ten Heavenly Stems

What the Four Transformations Are

The Four Transformations are changes a star goes through because of time and circumstance. If you picture a main star as a tree and a palace as a garden, the Four Transformations are like the four seasons: the same tree looks different from one season to the next.

A transformation never exists on its own; it always comes from a particular star. So when you look at a transformation, first look at which star brings it. Even the same Lu or the same Ji looks different depending on the star that brings it; every star's sense of something missing is different.

Some stars are also described with an energy transformation, for example Ju Men "transforming into Darkness" and Tai Yin "transforming into Wealth." The energy transformation is a quality of the star itself; it is not the same as the Four Transformations of Lu, Quan, Ke, and Ji. Each star's energy transformation is explained in the articles in Zi Wei Stars.

Where the Four Transformations Come From

The Four Transformations are set by the Heavenly Stems. Each layer of the chart uses its own Heavenly Stem to bring out its Four Transformations:

• Birth-year Four Transformations: these use the Heavenly Stem of the year you were born. The Four Transformations that come from the Heavenly Stem of your birth year are what you were born with.
• Decade Four Transformations: these use the Heavenly Stem of your decade Life Palace. The Four Transformations that come from the Heavenly Stem of your decade Life Palace stand for your own influences during these ten years.
• Annual Four Transformations: these use that year's Heavenly Stem. So in any given year, everyone's annual Four Transformations are the same; what differs from person to person is which palace of your chart they fall in.

The natal chart shows your attitudes and values over your whole life; the decade cycle shows your character, values, and focus during those ten years; the annual cycle shows the opportunities or influences your surroundings bring you this year. For how to read these three layers of time, see Decade Cycles and Annual Cycles in Zi Wei Dou Shu; to see which four stars this year's Four Transformations fall on, see the yearly overview.

What Lu, Quan, Ke, and Ji Each Mean

Lu: Something Extra

Lu means "something extra." When Lu falls on a star, there is a little extra in the area that star cares about. For example, with Lu on Tai Yin, what comes in extra is security and sensitivity. See Lu on the Tai Yin Star.

Quan: Wanting to Hold

Quan means wanting to hold, to be in control, and to have. When Quan falls on a star, that star's qualities want more to hold the reins and hold on more firmly. For example, with Quan on Tian Tong, what it holds on to is its own pace and ease. See Quan on the Tian Tong Star.

Ke: Letting Things Show and Being Seen

Ke means letting things show and wanting others to know. Being seen is not necessarily a good thing; it simply brings things to the surface. When Ke falls on a star, that star's qualities are more easily seen. For example, with Ke on Tian Ji, what is seen is the side of you that thinks and looks from another angle. See Ke on the Tian Ji Star.

Ji: A Sense of Something Missing

Ji means a sense of something missing. Feeling that there isn't enough doesn't mean there really isn't; when we feel low, it's often because we feel something is missing, not because it truly is. And it is only when something feels missing that the drive to fill it appears. In fact, the order of the Four Transformations begins with Ji and ends with Lu: a sense of something missing is where drive comes from. When Ji falls on a star, the sense of something missing falls on the area that star cares about. For example, with Ji on Ju Men, the inner sense of insecurity grows stronger. See Ji on the Ju Men Star.

This table is for reference. In practice, a reading takes many more details into account.

The Four Transformations Table of the Ten Heavenly Stems

Each of the ten Heavenly Stems has its own set of Lu, Quan, Ke, and Ji, falling on different stars. Below is the Four Transformations table FuSang Vision uses; for the cells marked *, see the FAQ at the end.

* FuSang Vision convention

This table is for reference. In practice, a reading takes many more details into account.

The table also shows that not every star has all four transformations. For example, in the table FuSang Vision uses, Ke never falls on Ju Men, and Ji never falls on Tian Tong.

No Dividing into Good and Bad

Lu doesn't mean good luck, and Ji doesn't mean something bad. Zi Wei Dou Shu doesn't divide things into good and bad, or into having and not having; every judgment is a relative comparison. It never looks at just one palace or one star, and the more clues you can see, the closer you get to what's really there. If a sign on the chart doesn't show up in real life, go with real life.

Frequently Asked Questions