The Eight Spirits
The eight spirits form the "spirit" layer: unseen help or hindrance. In the rotating plate the Chief spirit follows the Chief star on the heaven plate, and the rest follow in the order Chief, Serpent, Moon, Harmony, Tiger, Tortoise, Earth, Heaven around the outer palaces: clockwise in yang structures, counter-clockwise in yin.
| Spirit | Nature | Symbolism |
|---|---|---|
| Chief (值符) | Favourable | Head of the spirits: patrons, authority and protection. Favourable. |
| Serpent (螣蛇) | Unfavourable | False alarms, strangeness, entanglement and back-and-forth. Unfavourable. |
| Moon (太陰) | Favourable | Quiet protection, help behind the scenes and private planning. Favourable. |
| Harmony (六合) | Favourable | Union, marriage, trade and partnership. Favourable. |
| Tiger (白虎) | Unfavourable | Ferocity, injury, pressure and conflict. Unfavourable. |
| Tortoise (玄武) | Unfavourable | Theft, deception and murky dealings. Unfavourable. |
| Earth (九地) | Favourable | Stability, storing and endurance; good for defence. Favourable. |
| Heaven (九天) | Favourable | Boldness, advance and long journeys; good for taking the initiative. Favourable. |
Some schools rename the Tiger and Tortoise as Gou Chen and Vermilion Bird in yin structures, or use nine spirits; this site uses the most common set of eight.
Each in detail
Chief (值符)
- Work and money
- Patrons and authority: support from superiors or influential people comes more easily; a good time to ask upwards and make formal proposals.
- Love and people
- Someone speaks up for you and backs you; in love, the other person may be the more established or decisive one.
- What to do
- Go through proper channels and the right people, and things move more easily.
Serpent (螣蛇)
- Work and money
- False alarms, entanglement and back-and-forth: things may drag, change at the last minute, or get stuck in imagined worries.
- Love and people
- Relationships can become tangled in ways hard to explain; love goes back and forth with anxiety.
- What to do
- Separate facts from fears, put important agreements in writing, and avoid being worn down by repeated reversals.
Moon (太陰)
- Work and money
- Quiet help and private planning: suited to low-key preparation, private negotiation and anything best not announced.
- Love and people
- Someone is quietly helping behind the scenes; love is reserved and steady.
- What to do
- Talk privately and prepare first, then go public; notice the people quietly helping you.
Harmony (六合)
- Work and money
- Union and exchange: good for partnerships, contracts, negotiation, marriage and introductions.
- Love and people
- Connections and introductions come easily; love develops well, a good time to meet families or discuss commitment.
- What to do
- Working with partners goes better than going it alone; negotiate on the basis of mutual benefit.
Tiger (白虎)
- Work and money
- Pressure, force and conflict: at work you may meet strict demands or a tough opponent.
- Love and people
- Open clashes come easily; in love, one side may be domineering or under heavy pressure.
- What to do
- Take care of your safety and wellbeing and avoid head-on collisions; when you must stand firm, rely on rules and evidence.
Tortoise (玄武)
- Work and money
- Deception and murkiness: in money matters, guard against fraud, loss and unclear accounts.
- Love and people
- Someone may not be telling the truth; in love, watch for concealment or suspicion of a third party.
- What to do
- Verify important matters from several sources and keep records; when things are unclear, it is better not to decide yet.
Earth (九地)
- Work and money
- Stability and storing: good for defence, saving, long-term management and strategies of holding still for now.
- Love and people
- Low-key and dependable with people; love is stable but slow.
- What to do
- Make defence your strategy and strengthen the foundations; do not rush to expand or go public.
Heaven (九天)
- Work and money
- Boldness and advance: good for taking the initiative, publicity, long journeys and anything that needs momentum.
- Love and people
- Active and outgoing, easily the centre of attention; love is passionate and expressive.
- What to do
- Use the momentum to push forward, but within your means, so high visibility does not stir up needless resistance.
These are common readings and schools differ somewhat; in practice, read them together with the star, door, spirit and stems in the same palace.
This is fixed text compiled from general convention, not a reading of any individual and not a prediction. For important decisions, please consult qualified professionals.