San fang si zheng
San fang si zheng is geometry on the chart, not a lucky charm. It tells you which four palaces must be named before a topic is treated as fully seen.
- Chinese
- 三方四正
- Literal sense
- Three directions and four upright positions
Editorial review: 2026-09-17 · Reviewed by FluxAstro · Editorial method
Direct definition
For any topic palace, san fang si zheng is the set of four palaces: the palace itself, the two palaces in trine with it, and the palace opposite it. Traditional reading treats this set as one structural unit.
The earthly-branch cells that form a trine are fixed on the ring. Because palace names rotate after the Life Palace is placed, you must identify the names currently sitting on that geometry in the calculated chart.
How to use it in a reading
Write the topic palace and its stars. Add the two trine palaces and their stars. Add the opposite palace. Only then decide whether the topic looks supported, strained, or mixed.
San fang si zheng does not authorise skipping auxiliaries forever, and it does not replace luck periods. It is the minimum natal structure for a domain.
How to verify it on a FluxAstro chart
Open the chart tool and locate the topic palace on the branch grid. The opposite palace is directly across. The remaining two of the four sit on the trine points of that branch triad.
If a diagram in a book uses palace names instead of branches, translate those names back to the branch cells of your chart before copying the example.
Safety boundary
Traditional symbolism is a conditional reading frame. It is not medical, legal, or financial advice, and a single star or palace cannot replace the full chart, the declared settings, and the timing layer.
Common mistakes
- Reading only the topic palace and calling it a complete look.
- Memorising name combinations from a textbook without checking the branch geometry of this chart.
- Treating a tense opposite palace as a scheduled disaster.
Related tools
Frequently asked questions
Is san fang si zheng four palaces or three?
Four. “San fang” names the triangular relationship; “si zheng” includes the opposite palace as the fourth point.
Does every question use the same four palaces?
No. The quartet is relative to the topic palace. Career and Spouse questions use different sets.
Can I see it without generating a chart?
You can learn the rule here. You cannot see your own quartet until palaces are placed on branches.
Sources and editorial basis
- 1. iztro Zi Wei Dou Shu engine
Supports only what the current FluxAstro configuration actually calculates: palace placement, major-star arrangements, and the recorded year-boundary, leap-month, and transformation settings. It does not prove that any traditional school is uniquely correct.
- 2. Ziwei Doushu Quanshu (received editions)
Used to cross-check palace names, star lists, and traditional wording. A received text can record a tradition; it cannot prove scientific validity or guarantee an event.
- 3. FluxAstro chart rule snapshot
Each generated report stores the engine settings that produced it. Compare those settings before treating two charts as the same calculation.