TL;DR: In Vietnamese Tử Vi (Vietnamese astrology), Official Symbol and Magistrate are two stars from different cycles. Official Symbol is the fifth star of the Grand Duke cycle, placed according to the earthly branch of the birth year, and always moves forward. Magistrate is the last star of the Prosperity cycle (the Bác Sĩ cycle), placed according to the heavenly stem of the birth year, moving forward or backward depending on yin, yang, male or female. Việt Viêm Tử's Tử Vi áo bí biện chứng học records both as Fire: Official Symbol governs intelligence, strategy and authority, Magistrate governs gossip and talk. Nguyễn Phát Lộc's Tử Vi tổng hợp treats the two stars as synonymous, both indicating matters of law and lawsuits; Tử Vi đẩu số tân biên prints both as Official Symbol.
How are Quan Phủ and Quan Phù different?
In Tử Vi, the two stars Quan Phù and Quan Phủ are easily confused because their names are so close, yet they belong to two different star rings and are placed in two different ways. This article presents their placement and meaning as taught in Vietnamese Tử Vi, based on Tử Vi áo bí biện chứng học by Việt Viêm Tử, Tử Vi đẩu số tân biên by Vân Đằng Thái Thứ Lang, Tử Vi tổng hợp by Nguyễn Phát Lộc and Tử Vi nghiệm lý by Thiên Lương; where the books disagree, each is reported separately.
What is Quan Phù in the Thái Tuế circle?
Quan Phù is one of the 12 stars of the Thái Tuế ring, placed by the branch of the birth year. Việt Viêm Tử records that the ring has 12 stars "placed forward, one star per palace": Thái Tuế, Thiếu Dương, Tang Môn, Thiếu Âm, Quan Phù, Tử Phù, Tuế Phá, Long Đức, Bạch Hổ, Phúc Đức, Điếu Khách, Trực Phù[1]. Tử Vi đẩu số tân biên by Vân Đằng Thái Thứ Lang gives the same order and states that "whether the chart is a man's or a woman's, always go forward"[2].
For example: a person born in the year of Dần has Thái Tuế placed at the Dần palace. Then Thiếu Dương at Mão, Tang Môn at Thìn, Thiếu Âm at Tỵ, Quan Phù at Ngọ, Tử Phù at Mùi, Tuế Phá at Thân, Long Đức at Dậu, Bạch Hổ at Tuất, Phúc Đức at Hợi, Điếu Khách at Tý, Trực Phù at Sửu.
Thus Quan Phù always stands fifth from Thái Tuế, that is, in the same three-palace harmony (tam hợp) as Thái Tuế and Bạch Hổ. Việt Viêm Tử writes: "Quan Phù belongs to Fire. It governs intelligence, stratagem and authority"[1]. According to this book, Quan Phù suits Thái Tuế and Tuế Phá, and when it meets Thiên Cơ, Thiên Lương, Tang Môn, Bạch Hổ or Thiên Hình in a bright (miếu) position it adds lustre in letters and in military careers. Vân Đằng Thái Thứ Lang also lists Quan Phù as Fire, "good at judging and reasoning, fond of helping", governing disputes, lawsuits and matters connected with the law[2].
Also according to Tử Vi áo bí biện chứng học, when Quan Phù meets Thái Tuế, Đà La, Thiên Hình and Hóa Kỵ in a dark (hãm) position, the book reads it as prone to trouble with the law or disputes at public offices, and it records the couplet: "Quan Phù, Tấu and Tuế in one band / day and night waiting wearily at the mandarin's gate"[1], meaning that Quan Phù together with Tấu Thư and Thái Tuế is read as frequent dealings with the authorities. Thiên Lương reads it differently: he sets Quan Phù in the harmony of Thái Tuế, Quan Phù and Bạch Hổ and describes a person whose Mệnh falls on the Quan Phù position as someone who "weighs things carefully"[4].
What is Quan Phủ in the Bác Sĩ circle?
Quan Phủ is the last star of the Bác Sĩ ring, which Tử Vi đẩu số tân biên calls the Lộc Tồn star system. According to Vân Đằng Thái Thứ Lang, one first places Lộc Tồn by the stem of the birth year, then "yang men and yin women go forward, while yin men and yang women go backward", one star per palace in the order Lực Sĩ, Thanh Long, Tiểu Hao, Tướng Quân, Tấu Thư, Phi Liêm, Hỷ Thần, Bệnh Phù, Đại Hao, Phục Binh and the last star[2]. Tử Vi áo bí biện chứng học gives the same method and adds that Bác Sĩ always shares a palace with Lộc Tồn[1].
The basic difference is the ring. Quan Phù follows the branch of the birth year and always runs forward; Quan Phủ follows the stem of the birth year and changes direction with the yin or yang of the year and the sex of the person. Being the twelfth star of its ring, Quan Phủ always stands right next to Lộc Tồn: Tử Vi áo bí biện chứng học gives the example of Lộc Tồn at Tỵ, where going forward puts Quan Phủ at Thìn with Đà La, and going backward puts Quan Phủ at Ngọ with Kình Dương[1]. As for the name, the placement chapter and the star-meaning chapter of Tử Vi đẩu số tân biên print both stars as Quan Phù (sections 3.60 and 3.73, both Fire), while the sample charts of the same book print the Lộc Tồn ring star as Quan Phủ[2].
As for meaning, Việt Viêm Tử lists Quan Phủ as Fire, governing disputes and talk; when it meets Thái Tuế, Thiên Hình and Cự Môn in a bright position the book says the person "is, on the contrary, very skilled in law and gifted in argument"[1]. Vân Đằng Thái Thứ Lang is briefer: this star "causes trouble and nuisance, and obstructs every undertaking"[2]. Nguyễn Phát Lộc treats the two stars as one in meaning: "Thái Tuế always stands in trine with Quan Phù. And Quan Phủ is synonymous with Quan Phù"[3]; in his reading the three stars typify the legal profession and everything connected with the law.
For the Tài Bạch and Điền Trạch palaces, Tử Vi tổng hợp writes of the group Quan Phù, Thái Tuế, Quan Phủ and Hóa Kỵ: "These stars indicate loss of property through deceit and betrayal"[3], and explains that applied to real estate the group points to disputes and lawsuits over houses and land. This is the book's reading of the whole group, not of Quan Phủ alone.
What criteria are in the comparison table of Quan Phủ and Quan Phù?
| Criterion | Quan Phù | Quan Phủ |
|---|---|---|
| Ring | Thái Tuế ring | Lộc Tồn ring (Bác Sĩ ring) |
| Placed by | Branch of the birth year, always forward | Stem of the birth year, forward or backward by yin or yang and sex |
| Position in the ring | 5th star, in trine with Thái Tuế | 12th star, next to Lộc Tồn |
| Element | Fire (Áo bí, Tân biên) | Fire (Áo bí, Tân biên) |
| Meaning in Tử Vi áo bí biện chứng học | Intelligence, stratagem, authority | Disputes, talk |
| Meaning in Tử Vi đẩu số tân biên | Judging, reasoning; disputes, lawsuits, legal matters | Trouble, nuisance, obstruction |
| Meaning in Tử Vi tổng hợp | Legal matters, lawsuits | Synonymous with Quan Phù |
Why are Quan Phủ and Quan Phù easily confused?
There are three main reasons students of Tử Vi confuse these two stars:
First, the names are nearly identical: "Quan Phủ" and "Quan Phù" differ by only one tone mark. In Vietnamese, "Phủ" and "Phù" are two different Hán characters, but they sound very much alike.
Second, both carry the word "Quan," evoking the mandarin court, public office, and lawsuits. This makes beginners think they are one star or one group.
Third, the books themselves do not keep them apart: Nguyễn Phát Lộc's Tử Vi tổng hợp treats Quan Phủ as synonymous with Quan Phù and usually reads the two in one group with Thái Tuế, while Tử Vi đẩu số tân biên prints both names as Quan Phù.
However, structurally in the chart, Quan Phù belongs to the Thái Tuế circle while Quan Phủ belongs to the Bác Sĩ circle. This is the fundamental difference students must grasp.
How to place Quan Phù and Quan Phủ in a chart?
To avoid confusion, students need to know each circle's placement rules clearly.
Placing Quan Phù (Thái Tuế circle):
- Identify the Thái Tuế palace: the palace whose earthly branch matches the birth-year branch. Example: born in the year of Dần, place Thái Tuế at the Dần palace.
- Place the 12 stars forward in order: Thái Tuế, Thiếu Dương, Tang Môn, Thiếu Âm, Quan Phù, Tử Phù, Tuế Phá, Long Đức, Bạch Hổ, Phúc Đức, Điếu Khách, Trực Phù.
- Quan Phù is always in the 5th position, four palaces forward from Thái Tuế.
According to Việt Viêm Tử's Tử Vi áo bí biện chứng học, the Thái Tuế circle has 12 stars, one placed in each palace going forward. The book also reminds us: Thái Tuế and Tuế Phá are often called the "lưỡng tuế" pair, always in two opposite palaces. Tang Môn and Bạch Hổ, called the "Tang Hổ" pair, also always oppose each other[1].
Placing Quan Phủ (Bác Sĩ circle):
- Place Lộc Tồn by the stem of the birth year: Giáp at Dần, Ất at Mão, Bính and Mậu at Tỵ, Đinh and Kỷ at Ngọ, Canh at Thân, Tân at Dậu, Nhâm at Hợi, Quý at Tý. Bác Sĩ shares the palace of Lộc Tồn.
- Yang men and yin women go forward; yin men and yang women go backward; one star per palace: Bác Sĩ, Lực Sĩ, Thanh Long, Tiểu Hao, Tướng Quân, Tấu Thư, Phi Liêm, Hỷ Thần, Bệnh Phù, Đại Hao, Phục Binh, Quan Phủ.
- Quan Phủ is the 12th star: when the ring goes forward it falls in the palace just behind Lộc Tồn, with Đà La; when the ring goes backward it falls in the palace just ahead of Lộc Tồn, with Kình Dương.
This method is the same in Tử Vi đẩu số tân biên and Tử Vi áo bí biện chứng học[2]. For example, a man born in a Giáp year (yang man) has Lộc Tồn at Dần, the ring goes forward, and Quan Phủ is at Sửu; a woman born in a Giáp year (yang woman) has the ring going backward, and Quan Phủ is at Mão. Because the two rings are independent, in some charts Quan Phủ and Quan Phù fall in the same palace, for instance a man born in the Bính Tý year: Quan Phù is at Thìn (four palaces from Thái Tuế at Tý) and Quan Phủ is also at Thìn (just behind Lộc Tồn at Tỵ).
How do the books read Quan Phù and Quan Phủ?
Below are the readings each book gives for star combinations, not predictions for any particular chart.
Quan Phù, according to Tử Vi áo bí biện chứng học:
- Nature of the star: intelligence, stratagem, authority.
- Meeting Thái Tuế and Tuế Phá, or Thiên Cơ, Thiên Lương, Tang Môn, Bạch Hổ and Thiên Hình in a bright position: the book reads added lustre in letters and military careers.
- Meeting Thái Tuế, Đà La, Thiên Hình and Hóa Kỵ in a dark position: the book reads a tendency to trouble with the law and disputes at public offices.
- Together with Tấu Thư and Thái Tuế: the book records frequent dealings with the authorities.
Quan Phủ, book by book:
- Tử Vi áo bí biện chứng học: meeting Liêm Trinh, Thiên Hình and Thái Tuế in a dark position, the book reads frequent disputes and litigation; meeting Thái Tuế, Thiên Hình and Cự Môn in a bright position, skill in law and a gift for argument.
- Tử Vi đẩu số tân biên: causes trouble and nuisance, obstructs undertakings.
- Tử Vi tổng hợp: together with Quan Phù and Thái Tuế it indicates lawsuits over money and disputes over property; for people who work in the law the book does not read it in that sense.
What points should be noted when reading Quan Phù and Quan Phủ?
First, do not lump Quan Phủ and Quan Phù into one star or one single group. Although both can indicate lawsuits and loss of wealth, their mechanisms and placement circles differ.
Second, Quan Phù belongs to the Thái Tuế ring, placed by the branch of the birth year and always running forward. Quan Phủ belongs to the Lộc Tồn ring, placed by the stem of the birth year and changing direction with yin or yang and sex, so the sex of the person must be known before it can be placed.
Third, when reading, consider Quan Phù and Quan Phủ within the whole chart, combined with other stars such as Thái Tuế, Hóa Kỵ, Phục Binh, Thiên Không, Tang Môn, Bạch Hổ, Thiên Hình. Do not conclude from a single star.
Fourth, the books do not say the same thing. Tử Vi áo bí biện chứng học gives each star its own meaning; Tử Vi tổng hợp treats the two as synonymous; Tử Vi đẩu số tân biên prints one name, Quan Phù, for both; Thiên Lương's Tử Vi nghiệm lý discusses only Quan Phù, in its harmony with Thái Tuế and Bạch Hổ. When reading an interpretation, it helps to know which book it comes from.
What is the summary of Quan Phù and Quan Phủ?
Quan Phù and Quan Phủ are two stars of different rings. Quan Phù belongs to the Thái Tuế ring and is placed by the branch of the birth year; Tử Vi áo bí biện chứng học records it as governing intelligence, stratagem and authority. Quan Phủ belongs to the Lộc Tồn ring (Bác Sĩ ring) and is placed by the stem of the birth year together with yin or yang and sex; the same book records it as governing disputes and talk. The books list both as Fire, and Tử Vi tổng hợp reads the two together in the group that indicates legal matters and lawsuits.
