The Chinese sky chart is composed of 28 main stars, which have a very important influence on our lives. According to one's date and time of birth, the position of these 28 stars in the 12 palaces of one's life can be established, and the future forecast accordingly.

The twenty-eight stars and the twelve palaces

The 12 palaces are as follows: palace of Life, Brothers, Spouse, Children, Finances, Health, Travels, Friends, Career, Property (or heritage), Happiness and Parents. Among the 28 stars, there are bad and good stars. According to their location, their positions can range from bad to average, good to excellent. Their influences are different, depending upon their positions.

For example, a good star in a bad position will have less leverage to exert a positive influence in your life. By contrast, if the star is in an excellent place, it can chase away the bad luck of other bad stars, as long as it is a powerful star. For the same reason, a bad star in a bad position will have a more ferocious influence but if its position is good, it cannot do much damage. The better the position, the better the influence.

If a good star and a bad star are located simultaneously in the same palace, luck will be mixed. The good luck will be overwhelmed by the bad. If the good star is more powerful or if there are more good stars than bad ones in the palace, your luck will be better. By the same token, if there are more bad stars in the palace, your luck will be worse.

Here is a list of the 28 principal stars and their characteristics:

• Star of the King: Good. The most powerful of all stars, its presence can chase away the bad luck of other bad stars.
• Opportunity of Heaven: Good.
• The Sun: Good and powerful.
• Warrior: Good or bad depending upon the palace and combination with other stars.
• Equality: Good, quite powerful.
• Honesty: Good or bad depending upon the palace and combination with other stars.
• Palace of Heaven: Good and powerful.
• The Moon: Good.
• Voracious Wolf: Bad.
• Big Door: Bad.
• Premier of Heaven: Good and powerful.
• Frame of Heaven: Good and powerful.
• Seven Killers: Bad.
• Defeated Army: Bad.
• Preserved Office: Good.
• Horse of Heaven: Good.
• Right and Left Aid: Good and very powerful.
• Twisted and Prosperous Literary: Good.
• Arm of Heaven: Good and powerful.
• Climbing Goat: Good or bad depending upon the palace and combination with other stars.
• Empty and Ruined Land: Bad.
• Prosperity: Good.
• Power: Good and powerful.
• Exam: Good and powerful.
• Jealousy: Bad.

The five elements

The relationship between the five elements in Chinese astrology (metal, fire, wood, earth, and water) is important to the Chinese sky chart. This is due to the fact that these five elements may either be productive or destructive. Examples of productive relationships include water nourishing trees of wood; wood being used to feed fire; fire burning away to become ash, which in turn contributes to the creation of earth; earth producing metal; metal become liquid (water) when heated.

Examples of destruction include wood sapping nutrition from the earth; earth absorbing water; water extinguishing fire; fire melting metal; metal cutting wood. The element of one's year and the one of one's palace of Life, be it productive or destructive, has great influence on one's life. In addition, the body may be located in one of six different palaces: the palace of Life, of Spouse, of Finances, of Travels, of Career or of Happiness. Each of these will give various meanings to one's life.

Positioning of the stars and the palaces

The positioning of the 28 stars and the 12 palaces as well as its interpretation is a very complicated process which I will not be able to outline here, for more detail, please consult my book titled "Encyclopedia of Chinese Astrology", ISBN 0-9685735-0-9, or the CD-ROM (with animations and music).