Derived Stars.Secondary signals, read precisely.
Search the Nova Masters reference library by function and English or Chinese name. Learn what each star traditionally indicates, how it is derived, where it appears and what must be verified before application.
Read chart structure first. Derived Stars refine a reading; they do not overrule season, strength, Ten Gods, pillar placement, combinations, clashes or observable reality.
A supplementary indexing system inside BaZi.
Derived Stars, commonly called Shen Sha (神煞), are calculated indicators found by comparing a reference point—such as the Day Stem, Day Branch, Year Branch or Month Branch—with another stem or branch in the natal chart or a timing layer.
Different lineages preserve different star lists and, occasionally, different formulas or names. Every reference page should therefore identify its calculation key, target, source convention and scope instead of presenting a title without derivation.
A star can focus attention on assistance, learning, attraction, mobility, administration, risk or constraint. It becomes meaningful only after placement, repetition, chart structure, timing and real-world evidence are considered together.
Do not let a small marker dominate the whole chart.
Verify inputs
Confirm calendar conversion, location, time zone and pillar data.
Read structure
Assess season, Day Master condition, roots, support, output and control.
Read interaction
Map Ten Gods, combinations, clashes, harms, punishments and pillar scale.
Add Derived Stars
Use correctly derived markers to refine—not replace—the structural reading.
Structure establishes the field. Interaction shows movement. Derived Stars add resolution.
Virtue, assistance and authority.
Markers traditionally associated with help, mitigation, institutional access, moral conduct and recognised standing.
Heavenly Nobleman · 天乙貴人
Timely assistance and access to capable helpers.
Heavenly Virtue · 天德
Traditional mitigation, principled assistance and reduced friction.
Monthly Virtue · 月德
A traditional friction-softening and assistance marker.
Dragon Virtue · 龍德
Support, standing and constructive resolution.
Duke Virtue · 歲德
Auspicious conduct, grace and timing support.
Duke Virtue Combination · 歲德合
Harmony and support through a defined combination.
Heavenly Officer · 天官
Procedure, conduct and official pathways.
National Treasure · 國印
Credentials, responsibility and institutional standing.
Prosperity, learning and craft.
Indicators associated with resources, study, expression, presentation, cultural standing and material facilitation.
Heavenly Wealth · 天財
Access, favourable terms and resource opportunity.
Prosperity Star · 福星
Goodwill, facilitation and fortunate conditions.
Fortune Virtue · 福德
Grace, approvals and reduced procedural friction.
Intelligent Star · 文昌
Learning, writing, examination and articulation.
Study Hall · 學堂
Mentors, curriculum, sustained study and cultivated competence.
Jade Hall · 玉堂
Culture, scholarship, refinement and institutional recognition.
Golden Carriage · 金輿
Transport, assets, access and material facilitation.
Heavenly Chef · 天廚
Nourishment, hospitality, service and refined craft.
Phoenix Pavilion · 鳳閣
Articulation, elegance, voice and presentation.
Attraction, connection and social visibility.
Markers often associated with magnetism, union, celebration, solitude, alliance or excessive social entanglement.
Peach Blossom · 桃花
Visibility, aesthetics, magnetism and social attention.
Red Matchmaker · 紅鸞
Partnership momentum and ceremonial union.
Sky Happiness · 天喜
Joyful announcements, gatherings and shared milestones.
Elegant Seal · 華蓋
Independent depth, specialist study and artistic distinction.
Grand Duke Combination · 歲合
Cooperation and reconciliation through a yearly relationship.
Salty Pool · 咸池
Allure and entanglement requiring clarity and boundaries.
Mobility, transition and opportunity.
Markers used to examine travel, repositioning, logistical change, relief, patronage and expanding access.
Sky Horse · 驛馬
Travel, movement, relocation and expansion.
Pommelled Saddle · 攀鞍
Advancement through a stronger platform or sponsor.
Sky and Earth Relief · 天解 / 地解
Resolution, release and movement through obstruction.
Purple and Emperor Stars · 紫氣 / 紫微
Visibility, authority and access to consequential platforms.
Sharp edges, endings and leakage.
Traditional caution markers that should prompt proportionate safeguards—not fear, diagnosis or deterministic prediction.
Solitary and Lonesome · 孤辰 / 寡宿
Withdrawal, independence and relational distance.
Funeral Door and Guest · 喪門 / 弔客
Duty, closure and periods requiring emotional perspective.
Blood Knife and Sword Edge · 血刃 / 劍鋒
A prompt for care with speed, tools, procedures and risk.
Curled Tongue and Crossing Sha · 卷舌 / 絞煞
Miscommunication, dispute and the need for clear records.
Robbery Sha and Consumers · 劫煞 / 小耗 / 大耗
Leakage, exposure and the need to protect resources.
Litigation and Charm Markers · 官符 / 天官符 / 年符 / 飛符
Documentation, compliance and procedural discipline.
Macro constraint and structural risk.
Grouped annual and cautionary markers used to identify where buffers, expert advice and conservative planning may be appropriate.
Grand Duke, Breaker and Punishment · 太歲 / 歲破 / 歲刑
Leadership pressure, opposition and accountability cycles.
Calamity and Health Flags · 災煞 / 病符 / 死符
A prompt for ordinary safety, healthcare and contingency planning.
Sky Sha and Dark Sky · 天煞 / 天厄
Changing conditions requiring buffers and redundancy.
Prison and Funeral Portents · 囚獄 / 地喪
Restriction, protocol, closure and careful escalation.
Every star page should answer three questions.
What is the key?
Identify whether the formula begins from the Day Stem, Day Branch, Year Branch, Month Branch or another defined reference.
- State the lineage or convention
- Separate natal and timing use
- Show Chinese and English names
What is the target?
Show the exact stem or branch being sought and where it must appear for the star to be considered present.
- Publish a lookup table
- Explain pillar placement
- Mark formula variants clearly
What changes the reading?
Interpret placement, repetition, combinations, clashes, chart function and current timing before making a practical inference.
- Lead with structure
- Use bounded language
- Verify through events
A caution marker is not a sentence.
Use Derived Stars to improve attention and preparation—not to manufacture fear or certainty.
No single-star verdicts
Never predict marriage, wealth, illness, injury, litigation or death from one Shen Sha.
No replacement for expertise
Medical, legal, financial and safety decisions require qualified professional evidence.
No universal “good” or “bad”
A marker’s expression depends on structure, placement, timing, behaviour and context.
No formula mixing
Do not combine names and derivations from different conventions without explaining the variation.
No retrospective storytelling
Record the hypothesis before the period, then compare it with observable outcomes.
No loss of agency
Use the signal to design a safeguard, question or experiment—not an excuse.
Return to the systems that carry more weight.
BaZi Knowledge Hub
Learn chart foundations, structure, interaction and timing.
10 Day Masters
Understand the Heavenly Stem used as the chart’s self-reference.
The 10 Gods
Read how the Five Phases function relative to the Day Master.
60 Pillars of Destiny
Study the complete Jia Zi cycle and exact Day Pillar profiles.
Continue through the extended Derived Stars library.
Each marker below opens its dedicated reference page, with a stated lookup basis, naming notes, practical interpretation and appropriate safeguards. Use the search field to locate a Chinese name, English title, theme or pinyin keyword.