Thirty-seven miscellaneous stars（三十七雜曜） ​

Introduction ​

Continuing our classroom analogy, if major stars（主星） are the class teacher and auxiliary stars（輔星） are the student representatives, miscellaneous stars（雜曜） are the students. They often have to adapt to the teacher’s disposition. When their traits conflict with those of the teacher or representatives, those traits may be suppressed and remain as inner thoughts or wishes, like recessive genes in this analogy. They can still emerge involuntarily in certain situations. Yet matching the major stars does not automatically make a miscellaneous star beneficial. Zi Wei Dou Shu（紫微斗數） emphasizes balance: overemphasizing one trait can be harmful. For instance, too many stars associated with intelligence can lead to arrogance and the belief that only you understand how the world works. The rivalry between Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang in the Three Kingdoms stories illustrates the trouble such pride can cause.

Besides specific traits, miscellaneous stars（雜曜） can suggest a general demeanor. A troubled expression or a melancholy air, for example, may be associated with them and with symbolic stars（神煞）. This chapter introduces the attributes and traits of thirty-seven miscellaneous stars for reference. Sources on them are limited, and their influence is weaker than that of major and auxiliary stars. If you find an error, use the WeChat or email details on About the author to let me know, and I will correct it promptly.

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Social interaction ​

This category contains four romance stars（桃花星）. They are not limited to romantic attraction: they strengthen social skills and the ability to express feelings, which can also make a person more popular. Their lesson is simple: if you hope to form a romantic relationship, you first need opportunities to meet and connect with others.

attractive（紅鸞） Yin Water 🌊 ​

Attractive（紅鸞） adds warmth and a reserved manner, giving an impression of dignity, gentleness, and good character. This is only an impression; whether it reflects the person’s actual nature must be assessed together with the major and auxiliary stars.

cheerful（天喜） Yang Water 🌊 ​

Cheerful（天喜） adds approachability, a welcoming smile, and a lively manner. Attractive（紅鸞） and cheerful always occupy opposite palaces, forming two complementary outward and inward sides. This can produce a noticeable contrast in how a person presents themselves.

social（天姚） Yin Water 🌊 ​

Social（天姚） strengthens social skills and gives a person a roguish or playfully quirky charm. They enjoy attracting attention in social situations and being the center of the group.

passionate（咸池） ​

Passionate（咸池） increases a person’s appeal to the opposite sex by adding a seductive charm. It is also associated with attention to cleanliness and better skin. In either men or women, these qualities can make the person more attractive to the opposite sex.

Aloofness ​

This category contains three miscellaneous stars（雜曜） whose names alone can sound unsettling. They weaken social ease to different degrees, making a person seem less approachable. Their pride can also make them reluctant to put aside their dignity and accommodate others, creating an aloof impression.

alone（孤辰） Yang Fire 🔥 ​

Alone（孤辰） adds a sense of solitude, preferring time alone to noisy surroundings. It can create a cool, distant impression and make opening up seem difficult. This is only an outward impression; if the major stars suggest different traits, a marked contrast may emerge.

lonely（寡宿） Yin Fire 🔥 ​

Lonely（寡宿） reduces the urge to express oneself, creating a quiet, reserved impression. Thoughts remain inside and can become elaborate, making the person seem suspicious or prone to overthinking. Again, this is an impression; different major-star traits may produce a strong contrast.

serious（天刑） Yang Fire 🔥 ​

Serious（天刑） reduces approachability and gives a stern, unsmiling impression. It can suggest impulsiveness, coldness, and little willingness to soften a response for someone’s sake, making the person seem difficult to get along with. This is an impression; conflicting major-star traits can create a noticeable contrast.

Arts and talents ​

The arts-and-talents category contains four miscellaneous stars（雜曜） that strengthen different abilities to different degrees. Having talent is not the same as achieving something with it. Like high starting attributes in a game, natural ability still needs training and continued investment to become an accomplishment.

talented（龍池） Yang Water 🌊 ​

Talented（龍池） strengthens technical abilities, such as structural work and construction, as well as skills involving penwork, including calligraphy and drafting.

refined（鳳閣） Yang Earth ⛰️ ​

Refined（鳳閣） strengthens expressive artistic talents such as music and dance. Its romantic outlook and aesthetic sensitivity also suggest talent in art and design.

gifted（天才） Yin Wood 🪵 ​

Gifted（天才） strengthens intelligence and can be viewed as a lesser advisor（天機）. It suggests quick understanding and reactions, but also a tendency to look down on others because of one’s abilities.

gourmet（天廚） ​

Gourmet（天廚） strengthens appreciation of food and makes delicious dishes hard to resist, so dietary restrictions can be difficult. It does not necessarily mean being able to cook. But someone with this trait who does cook well can make food that keeps you coming back for more.

Distinction and status ​

This category is called “distinction and status” because its five miscellaneous stars（雜曜） add a distinguished air to different degrees. The author compares it to Xu Fengnian（徐鳳年） in the Chinese novel Sword Snow Stride（雪中悍刀行）, joking that once he cleans up, he looks quite distinguished.

senior（三台） Yang Earth ⛰️,dignified（八座） Yin Earth ⛰️ ​

These two stars are discussed together because their effects are closely linked. Zi Wei Dou Shu（紫微斗數） has many paired stars（對星） whose influences resonate. Senior（三台） and dignified（八座） both favor grandeur and luxury, strengthening an appreciation of such qualities. They dislike restraint, enjoy life, and value reputation, status, and honor.

grateful（恩光） Yang Fire 🔥 ​

This star’s name evokes “the light of gratitude.” It suggests loyalty and returning favors. Yet disliking any debt of gratitude can make a person overly formal. Courteous exchanges are pleasant, but this distance can make genuine emotional closeness difficult.

noble（天貴） Yang Earth ⛰️ ​

Noble（天貴） is a minor benefactor star（貴人星）, associated with helping others and receiving a positive response. It can also add pride, so pay attention to how you offer help: otherwise your effort may go unappreciated or put emotional pressure on the recipient.

solemn（天官） Yang Earth ⛰️ ​

Solemn（天官）, as its name suggests, relates to official status. It brings a desire for authority and can make a person seem rather formal or self-important.

Inner life ​

The six miscellaneous stars（雜曜） in the inner-life category mainly affect thoughts and the demeanor that emerges from within.

upset（天哭） Yang Metal 🪙 ​

Upset（天哭） adds a sorrowful air. Think of actors who seem naturally suited to tragic roles; the author associates that impression with this star. It can also add pessimism and a tendency to feel discouraged.

frail（天虛） Yin Earth ⛰️ ​

Frail（天虛） suggests mental exhaustion from rumination and inner conflict. Getting caught in tangled feelings drains energy without a useful result, creating a melancholy, listless impression.

broken（破碎） Yin Fire 🔥 ​

Broken（破碎） suggests many scattered fragments rather than a complete whole. This extends to broad interests without depth: a person may have many hobbies but find it hard to study one thoroughly.

instigated（蜚廉） Yang Fire 🔥 ​

Instigated（蜚廉） suggests curiosity and a strong urge to express oneself, much like a lesser advocator（巨門）. Its unconventional outlook and willingness to challenge authority and tradition can encourage innovative thinking.

religious（華蓋） ​

Religious（華蓋） suggests an interest in mysterious or unfamiliar things, a reflective nature, an aptitude for philosophy, and a tendency toward spiritual beliefs.

gloomy（陰煞） ​

Gloomy（陰煞） adds a melancholy, somber air, with quietness, difficulty expressing feelings, and a timid disposition.

Luck ​

This may be everyone’s favorite category—who would not welcome good fortune? Four of the thirty-seven miscellaneous stars（雜曜） represent luck, each with slightly different traits.

considery（解神） ​

Considery（解神） represents resolving problems. It adds an optimistic impression, an ability to reassure and guide others, and greater empathy.

blessed（天德） ​

Blessed（天德） adds steadiness, tact, a willingness to help, and compassion for others. It can temper the traits of more impetuous stars.

peaceful（月德） ​

Peaceful（月德） adds kindness, gentleness, tolerance, and a strong moral sense. It makes selfish actions that harm others less likely and suggests a willingness to give. Like blessed（天德）, it can temper more impetuous stars.

lucky（天福） Yang Earth ⛰️ ​

Lucky（天福） can be viewed as a lesser fortunate（天同）. It adds a positive, optimistic outlook, but its preference for a smooth life over taking risks can reduce the drive to strive for more.

Health ​

There is relatively little to discuss about personality in the health category, which contains four miscellaneous stars（雜曜）. Wounded（天傷） always occupies the friends（僕役） palace, and heaven（天使） the health（疾厄） palace, so these two stars do not affect personality.

ageless（天壽） Yang Earth ⛰️ ​

Ageless（天壽） adds a composed demeanor, calm responses, and emotional stability. The author’s lesson from this star is that longevity calls for a healthy mindset rather than frequent swings of anger and joy.

wounded（天傷） Yang Water 🌊 ​

Wounded（天傷） always occupies the friends palace（僕役宮）. Its symbolism reflects that friendships bring both reunions and partings, and parting can be painful.

heaven（天使） Yin Water 🌊 ​

Heaven（天使） always occupies the health palace（疾厄宮）, symbolizing birth, aging, illness, and death as a cycle no one can escape.

sickly（天月） ​

Sickly（天月） suggests a frail, delicate appearance, not necessarily an actual illness. Think of an actress portraying Lin Daiyu（林黛玉）, the fragile heroine of the Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber: she can convey that weakness without being ill herself.

Rewards ​

The rewards category resembles the luck category, but emphasizes receiving something unexpectedly. It contains three miscellaneous stars（雜曜）.

psychic（天巫） ​

Psychic（天巫） strengthens intuition and a desire to help others, mainly through ideas and guidance. It suggests an interest in mysticism or philosophy and a tendency to develop spiritual beliefs.

honorable（台輔） Yang Earth ⛰️ ​

Honorable（台輔） resembles a lesser officer（左輔）. It suggests a willingness to help others, mainly through encouragement and emotional support, and places value on reputation.

awarded（封誥） Yin Earth ⛰️ ​

Awarded（封誥） is like a lesser helper（右弼） and forms a pair with honorable（台輔）. Where honorable provides emotional support, awarded provides material help. It values status.

Thought and introspection ​

These four stars are collectively nicknamed “the four emptiness stars”（四大皆空） because all belong to the emptiness category（空曜）. They emphasize inner or spiritual pursuits, with less attachment to worldly possessions, fame, and wealth.

utopian（天空） ​

Utopian（天空） suggests sudden turns and changes, with a strong pursuit of mental stimulation or inner enjoyment.

fancied（旬空） ​

Fancied（旬空） suggests latent challenges and unfinished possibilities. It represents potential and an inclination to explore philosophy or mysticism.

interrupted（截空） ​

Interrupted（截空） represents obstacles to overcome, along with endurance and a firm determination to work through difficulties.

bottomless（空亡） ​

Bottomless（空亡） can suggest low spirits, emptiness, or a lack of direction. Setting clear goals can help counter these feelings.