TL;DR: Thanh Long is the third star in the Bác Sĩ cycle (12 stars starting from the Lộc Tồn palace), belongs to the Water element, and is classed as an auspicious star governing joy, prosperity, career, marriage, and childbirth. Its placement: from the palace holding Lộc Tồn, start Bác Sĩ, with yang male and yin female going forward, yin male and yang female going backward, in the order Bác Sĩ, Lực Sĩ, Thanh Long, Tiểu Hao, Tướng Quân, Tấu Thư, Phi Liêm, Hỉ Thần, Bệnh Phù, Đại Hao, Phục Binh, Quan Phù. Tử Vi khảo luận and Tử Vi đẩu số tân biên both rank Thanh Long as a good star, but the degree of influence depends on miếu or hãm status and star combinations.
What Is Thanh Long in the Bác Sĩ Star Cycle of Tử Vi?
Thanh Long (青龍) is the third star in the Bác Sĩ cycle, meaning the cycle of 12 stars placed according to the Lộc Tồn palace. It is one of the important auxiliary star cycles of Tử Vi Đẩu Số, alongside the Trường Sinh cycle and the Thái Tuế cycle. Thanh Long belongs to the Water element and sits in the auspicious star group; it governs joy and prosperity, and also influences career, marriage, childbirth, and the family's business affairs[1].
Within the 12 stars of the Bác Sĩ cycle, Thanh Long stands right after Lực Sĩ and before Tiểu Hao. The cycle consists of: Bác Sĩ, Lực Sĩ, Thanh Long, Tiểu Hao, Tướng Quân, Tấu Thư, Phi Liêm, Hỉ Thần, Bệnh Phù, Đại Hao, Phục Binh, Quan Phù[1].
The name Thanh Long originally comes from the four symbols of ancient Eastern astronomy: Thanh Long is the Eastern spirit creature, together with Bạch Hổ (West), Chu Tước (South), and Huyền Vũ (North). When it entered Tử Vi Đẩu Số, Thanh Long became an auxiliary star with an auspicious meaning, symbolizing a dragon meeting clouds and meeting water.
How Is Thanh Long Placed in a Tử Vi Chart?
The placement of Thanh Long follows the general rule of the Bác Sĩ cycle. First one must identify the palace holding Lộc Tồn, then start Bác Sĩ from there, and then place the remaining 11 stars in forward or backward order depending on gender and the yin or yang of the birth year[1].
Specifically, after placing Lộc Tồn and Bác Sĩ in the same palace, the following stars are placed in order: Lực Sĩ, Thanh Long, Tiểu Hao, Tướng Quân, Tấu Thư, Phi Liêm, Hỉ Thần, Bệnh Phù, Đại Hao, Phục Binh, Quan Phù[1].
The direction rule: yang male and yin female go forward, yin male and yang female go backward[1]. This is also the general rule for many other star cycles in Tử Vi Đẩu Số.
The starting position of Lộc Tồn depends on the heavenly stem of the birth year. Tử Vi khảo luận records the table for placing Lộc Tồn by heavenly stem: Giáp places Lộc Tồn and Bác Sĩ 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[1].
| Heavenly stem of birth year | Palace for Lộc Tồn and Bác Sĩ |
|---|---|
| Giáp | Dần |
| Ất | Mão |
| Bính, Mậu | Tỵ |
| Đinh, Kỷ | Ngọ |
| Canh | Thân |
| Tân | Dậu |
| Nhâm | Hợi |
| Quý | Tý |
After Lộc Tồn is placed, Thanh Long will be in the third palace counting from Lộc Tồn in the forward or backward direction. For example, if Lộc Tồn is at Dần, then Bác Sĩ is at Dần, Lực Sĩ at Mão, and Thanh Long at Thìn (if going forward).
Tử Vi khảo luận adds a note: when placing Lực Sĩ, one also places Kình Dương in the same palace, and when placing Quan Phù, one also places Đà La in the same palace, for convenience and easy memory[1]. That note comes with an example chart placed forward: Kình Dương always sits in the palace just ahead of Lộc Tồn and Đà La just behind it, so when the Bác Sĩ cycle runs backward, Lực Sĩ shares a palace with Đà La and Quan Phù with Kình Dương[3].
What Is the Meaning of Thanh Long According to Tử Vi Texts?
Thanh Long in Tử Vi khảo luận
According to Tử Vi khảo luận by Hoàng Thường and Hàm Chương, Thanh Long belongs to Water, governs joy and prosperity, and influences career, marriage, childbirth, and the family's business affairs[1]. Huyền Vi's Muốn luận đoán đúng số Tử Vi further treats Thanh Long as a rescuing star that can dispel minor illnesses and accidents, and says a person with Thanh Long at Mệnh is cheerful and gentle, best of all at the Tỵ palace[3].
The book also records some special combinations: Thanh Long ruling at Thìn, Tuất, Sửu, Mùi in Mệnh and meeting Hóa Kỵ in the same palace is called a noble configuration, like a dragon meeting clouds, with good influence on examinations and seeking career. Thanh Long meeting Lưu Hà in the same palace is also a noble configuration, like a dragon meeting a great river, with good influence on the career path. When Mệnh and Thân have Thanh Long and Mộc Dục, the person is considered to have fame[1].
Thanh Long in Tử Vi đẩu số tân biên
Tử Vi đẩu số tân biên by Vân Đằng Thái Thứ Lang classifies Thanh Long in the auspicious star group of the Bác Sĩ cycle, together with Bác Sĩ, Lực Sĩ, Tướng Quân, Tấu Thư, and Hỉ Thần. This classification is consistent with Tử Vi khảo luận.
Thanh Long in other texts
Another Tử Vi Đẩu Số document also places Thanh Long in the group of auspicious and benevolent stars, together with stars such as Tử Vi, Thiên Phủ, Vũ Khúc, Thái Dương, Thái Âm, Thiên Lương, Thiên Cơ, Thiên Tướng, Thiên Đồng, Lộc Tồn, Văn Xương, Văn Khúc, Tả Phụ, Hữu Bật, Thiên Khôi, Thiên Việt, Hóa Khoa, Hóa Quyền, and Hóa Lộc.
Even so, this document also emphasizes that the auspicious or inauspicious, benevolent or malevolent nature of a star is only relative, not absolute. An auspicious star is not without drawbacks, and an inauspicious star is not without merits. Whether a star actually brings good or bad depends on whether it is miếu or hãm, đắc địa, or đắc lệnh, and more importantly on whether the combination of stars is harmonious.
How Does Thanh Long Differ from Thanh Long in Lục Nhâm and Feng Shui?
One should distinguish Thanh Long in Tử Vi Đẩu Số from Thanh Long in other divination systems. In Lục Nhâm, Thanh Long is a heavenly general, described as the deity who makes sweet rain, with its seat at Giáp Dần, belonging to yang wood, facing northeast and leaning east. Thanh Long in Lục Nhâm is called Lộc thần or Tài thần, carrying life-giving energy that nourishes all beings[2].
Lục Nhâm texts also record that Thanh Long combines with Thiên Hậu and Thiên Hợp, and fears Bạch Hổ and Thái Âm. When in a favorable position, it corresponds to supreme wealth and honor, belonging to the class of highly revered people, civil officials, decent and elegant intellectuals. When it loses its position, it means loss of precious objects or money[2].
In feng shui and ancient astronomy, Thanh Long is one of the four symbols, referring to the seven Eastern lodges: Giác, Cang, Đê, Phòng, Tâm, Vĩ, Cơ. In Daoism, Thanh Long is one of the four guardian deities, together with Bạch Hổ, Chu Tước, and Huyền Vũ.
Thus, although the name Thanh Long is the same, its meaning and application in each divination system can differ. In Tử Vi Đẩu Số, Thanh Long is an auxiliary star in the Bác Sĩ cycle, carrying an auspicious meaning, governing joy, prosperity, career, marriage, and childbirth.
Why Is Thanh Long Classed as an Auspicious Star?
The classification of Thanh Long as an auspicious star comes from the meaning of its name and its position in the star system. Thanh Long symbolizes the blue dragon, the Eastern spirit creature, a symbol of growth, prosperity, and good fortune. In Tử Vi Đẩu Số, Thanh Long is regarded as a star governing joyful events, capable of rescuing from minor illnesses and accidents[3].
However, it should be noted that this is a classification and interpretation of the Tử Vi Đẩu Số system, not a scientific claim. Whether a chart has Thanh Long at Mệnh or not does not determine a person's fate. Tử Vi texts all emphasize that one must consider the chart as a whole, including main stars, auxiliary stars, miếu or hãm status, and the combination of stars, and cannot rely on a single star alone.
What Points Should Be Noted When Interpreting Thanh Long?
When interpreting Thanh Long, the following factors should be considered:
- The position of Thanh Long in the chart: Thanh Long at Mệnh, Thân, Quan Lộc, Tài Bạch, Phu Thê, or Tử Tức has different meanings.
- Combination with other stars: Thanh Long meeting Hóa Kỵ, Lưu Hà, Mộc Dục, Hỉ Thần, or Thiên Hỉ can form special configurations[1].
- Miếu or hãm and đắc địa: Some books hold that Thanh Long is best placed at Tỵ, and at Thìn, Tuất, Sửu, Mùi it also has good influence[3].
- Star combination in the palace: Thanh Long meeting auspicious stars increases auspicious energy, while meeting inauspicious stars may reduce its effect or bring negative influence.
As the Đẩu số tinh thành document notes, the auspicious or inauspicious nature of a star is only relative. Whether Thanh Long brings good fortune also depends on the harmony of the star combination in the palace.
What Is the Summary of Thanh Long in Tử Vi?
Thanh Long is the third star in the Bác Sĩ cycle, belongs to Water, is classed in the auspicious star group, and governs joy, prosperity, career, marriage, and childbirth. The placement of Thanh Long is based on the Lộc Tồn palace, following the rule that yang male and yin female go forward, and yin male and yang female go backward. Tử Vi khảo luận, Tử Vi đẩu số tân biên, and Đẩu số tinh thành all place Thanh Long in the auspicious star group, but emphasize that one must consider the chart as a whole and the combination of stars for accurate interpretation.
One should distinguish Thanh Long in Tử Vi Đẩu Số from Thanh Long in Lục Nhâm, feng shui, and ancient astronomy, because although the name is the same, the meaning and application can differ. The interpretation of Tử Vi in general and Thanh Long in particular is a field of metaphysics, not experimental science, and should not be used to make important decisions about finances, health, or fate.
