Do you feel Chinese Astrology is as powerful as Western Astrology?

Of course they are both powerful!
Total votes: 7 (41%)
No, not that powerful as Western astrology..
Total votes: 1 (6%)
Who knows..
Total votes: 9 (53%)
Total votes: 17

Introduction to Chinese Astrology

1
Hi my name is Ewyen Minh and I am a Chinese astrologer. This is my first post in the forum and as part of my contribution I will like to express my views on the concepts of Chinese Astrology.

Chinese Astrology is a powerful ancient art. It's rules and ideas are quite simple for anyone to understand. The purpose of Chinese astrology is to help people achieve their goals through self awareness and continuous advances of the mind and soul. Through the study of a person's personal Chinese horoscope, important aspects of that person's personality and destiny can be revealed. Chinese Astrology can help you find your purpose on this planet and discover an appropriate and joyful way of life.

Like western astrology, the Chinese astrology system is trying to determine a person's health, career direction, likes and dislikes, compatibility with other people, luck attraction and a lot more. The system works based on the usual birth details (year of birth, month of birth and day of birth) and a few significant other concepts. Chinese astrology is a gift of the gods according to ancient Chinese. This ancient art has successfully guided and guarded the Chinese from ancient times through modern times. Today, this horoscope system still plays a significant role in the lives of millions of people across the world.

Let's look at some key components of the Chinese zodiac system which is based on a twelve-year astrological cycle (aligned with the sun and moon cycle). First of all the Chinese astrology cycle is divided into five parts that represent the five magical universal elements according to the Chinese. These elements are: Metal, Earth, Fire, Wood and Water. The elements are a creation of the Chinese heavenly god who magically embedded them in Chinese Astrology and the Chinese Calendar.

Then the Chinese Horoscope cycle is enhanced with the divisions of the twelve Chinese horoscope signs that are represented by twelve carefully chosen animals. These are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The animals where not selected by luck, but each one of them is highly associated with the human culture and way of life. There's also a legend that explains in detail how the 12 animals where selected. According to the scriptures, the Chinese god of earth conducted a race between all the animals on planet earth. The first twelve animals would represent the twelve astrological signs. The twelve Chinese Horoscope signs shape the twelve-year cycle. When the year-cycle ends, a new one begins by repeating itself.

Last but not least there is the cosmic and divine force that influences the entire Chinese astrology system. This force is well known to many people as The Yin and The Yang. The Yin represents the female and the Yang represents the male. Another interpretation claims that the Ying represents the Evil and the Yang represents the Good. When properly combined the Ying and Yang produce universal harmony and eternal balance. The combination of Yin and Yang is the secret power behind the Chinese Horoscope system.

So, these are the key elements of Chinese Astrology. I will not go into further details in this article but let's summarize:

- We have the five Chinese Astrology Elements which are universal and magical and these are: Metal, Earth, Fire, Wood and Water as ordered by the Chinese Heavenly God.
- Then we have the twelve Chinese horoscope signs which are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig as ordered by the Chinese Earthly God.
- And lastly, we have the cosmic power named as Yin and Yang, that symbolizes the eternal harmony.

It is as simple as that to begin with. All these comprehensive ideas are carefully, strategically and magically mixed by the gods to produce the entire Chinese Astrological System. Of course, one can go deeper and deeper into the meanings of these concepts and come up with unlimited combinations and interpretations of this system, but the basic components of Chinese Astrology are summed up as described above.

I hope you enjoyed the post. I would love your comments. Feel free to ask me personally any question regarding Chinese astrology and the Chinese zodiac system. You can find more totally free information on my website about Chinese Astrology and Chinese Horoscope.
Evil exists to glorify the good..

3
Woodwater- I have read some of your other posts. Are you beginning to learn Western astrology, but you are experienced in Zi Wei Dou Shu? I am not qualified to speak much about Zi Wei Dou Shu, but my friend and former Chinese tutor (she grew up in Singapore before moving to the States) told me many stories of how accurate the predictions are. For this kind of accuaracy in Western astrology, personally I think using Traditional methods (William Lilly and before) are best. It tends to avoid the vagueness that you describe.

Ewyen- Thank you for touching on the underlying philosophy of Chinese astrology, but could you or Woodwater explain more of Zi Wei Dou Shu? At least for me, until my friend educated me, I had only heard of the 12 animal system with elements. I did not know that there was a further system based on exact time and place of birth using the 28 lunar mansions, fixed stars, etc, arranged into 12 Palaces governing various areas of life. In many ways it seems similar to Vedic and Western astrology, but I'm sure there are many differences. Are the 7 classic planets used? saturn, jupiter, mars, etc?

Thank you both.

5
woodwater wrote:i use the BAZI and ZI wEI DOU SHU systems,plus 9 Ki astrology. Very effective and less vague than western astrology 8)
Hi Woodwater,

I've been reading about Bazi since early this year. Recently, I learned that there are certain special types of charts. I'm particularly interested to know more about the following:

1) "Jin Shen Ge", which is called Golden Spirit Structure; and
2) "San Ji Gui Ge" which means 3 Oddly Distinguished Structures.

Could you tell me what are they? What are their criteria / features? What's so special about them? Is the chart below a Jin Shen Ge:

Wu-------Gui-------Ren---------Geng
Wu-------You-------Wu---------Xu

According to the book, Fire is fav and Water is unfav to a Jin Shen Ge. But the Fire and Earth elements of this chart is so strong. The DM is therefore weak. The Fav should be water and metal and Fire should be unfav. Could you kindly enlighten me on this matter?

Thanks

Regards
Jiayaocai

6
I have studied Chinese astrology ( Ba Zi, and Nine star Ki). Personally, I dont resonate or find it as powerful in its methods as much as western traditional astrology.

In particular I have not found Nine Star Ki that effective at all as a reflection of character. In many ways I would really like to. I have used the I Ching for nearly 30 years. It would therefore blend perfectly with my interest in the I Ching trigrams. However, i just dont see Nine Star Ki 'nailing' the personalities I have calculated with this system. Its a bit like my problem with western sidereal astrology. I dont have a philosophical problem with it. Its just that experientally it doesn't seem to 'click' for me.

I am still keeping an open mind on Ba Zi. Some of the material I have read describing animal/element rulers for years in my life does seem quite accurate and even uncanny in some cases. :shock:

More controversially, I would challenge the use of the term 'Chinese Astrology' for any of the systems described above. Surely, a more accurate term would be 'calendrical numerology'? It might not look catchy on the bookshelves but its a more accurate term for what is going on.

At the very best these systems rely on just the lunar-Solar calendar. However, they do not plot the position of planets in the way that we understand the term in the west. I accept Zi Wei Dou Shu does sound more similar with its use of the Moon, 'houses' and 'flying stars'. However, unlike stars or planets used in western astrology the 'flying stars' of this system are basically hypothetical points. Its rather like an extreme version of Uranian astrology!

None of this implies I think these systems dont work. I sure in their own terms within the logic of their own system they can be effective divinatory tools in the hands of a skillful practitioner.

Historically, though surely the 'real' Chinese astrology was the Imperial astrology that plotted planets through the lunar mansions? This was surely the representative of an indigenous tradition of Chinese planetary astrology that seems all but extinct today? The problem as I understand it is ambiguity about what the precise boundaries of the 28 lunar mansions or xiu actually were. In ancient China the position of the Moon at birth by lunar mansion was often the way a person was described in astrological profile similar to sun sign astrology in the west today.
As thou conversest with the heavens, so instruct and inform thy minde according to the image of Divinity William Lilly

7
The Chinese systems, the variant Western (tropical zodiac) systems, the Vedic system are all examples of whole system models; regardless of the premises upon which each is based, they all are internally consistent and, when data is inputed to each model, each returns indications/analyses/prognoses the validity of which is entirely dependant upon the skill and insight of the person using the model. The "scientific" validity or absurdity of the premises upon which the particular model is based do not matter IF the criteria of evaluation is based upon the reliability, precision and actuality of the outcomes from using that particular model. How valid are the analyses, how accurate are the prognoses, and how consistent in obtaining high quality outcomes: these are the elements which matter in evaluating any whole system model. In macrocosmic analytical work ("astrology") this depends entirely upon the personal adaptability of the artist to the particular whole system model selected, the artist's level of knowledge of that model and the artist's skillfulness in applying the selected model for a practical outcomes purpose.

8
jiayaocai wrote:
woodwater wrote:i use the BAZI and ZI wEI DOU SHU systems,plus 9 Ki astrology. Very effective and less vague than western astrology 8)
Hi Woodwater,

I've been reading about Bazi since early this year. Recently, I learned that there are certain special types of charts. I'm particularly interested to know more about the following:

1) "Jin Shen Ge", which is called Golden Spirit Structure; and
2) "San Ji Gui Ge" which means 3 Oddly Distinguished Structures.

Could you tell me what are they? What are their criteria / features? What's so special about them? Is the chart below a Jin Shen Ge:

Wu-------Gui-------Ren---------Geng
Wu-------You-------Wu---------Xu

According to the book, Fire is fav and Water is unfav to a Jin Shen Ge. But the Fire and Earth elements of this chart is so strong. The DM is therefore weak. The Fav should be water and metal and Fire should be unfav. Could you kindly enlighten me on this matter?

Thanks

Regards
Jiayaocai
In the chart above fire and earth are too strong, so water,to quench the fire and Metal,to weaken the earth,r favorable. Metal represents studies and suppoft from others,parents, water represents friends, so this person should not go it alone in any way. He should try to make money with the help of friends. Since metal is in marriage palace he is likely to have a supportive spouse.

9 ki isnt very accurate when it comes to personality,but it works when it comes to yearly houses and diectionology. If you look at major plane cashes they take place in the direction of the 5 or the opposite direction

10
Bill wrote:Well said Dr Farr!

Nice to see some discussion of comparative astrology.
The Bazi chart of the Mystery death person who died in australia shows a strong possibility of dying in a hot country as there was a lot of fire in 2002 and it is unfavourable.
But i would have said he died in 2006, when the fire was stronger.
He was born in year and month of Snake, a fire beast. He has got a hot cjhart so water is the Useful God.
you can use the software in this site to get the chart, but you have to use sun time
www.astro-fengshui.com

12
For those Skyscript members who might be interested in making a sincere comparative study of the original fundamental principles of Chinese astrology, I would recommend a study of the following excellent (albeit academically oriented) works:

-"Imperial Guide to Feng Shui & Chinese Astrology"; Thomas Aylward, Sterling Publishing, from Watkins Publishing, London, 2007

-"Tibetan Astrology"; Philippe Cornu, Shambhala, London & Boston, 1997
(contains great deal of historical documentary and philosophical material relating to BC Indian and Chinese origins of what evolved to become known as Tibetan astrology)