What is Tứ Hóa?
Tứ Hóa refers to the four stars Hóa Lộc, Hóa Quyền, Hóa Khoa, and Hóa Kỵ in Tử Vi Đẩu Số, reflecting four directions: smooth flow, authority, reputation, and obstacles. Which heavenly stem assigns which star to Tứ Hóa is where schools differ most; for the stem Canh in particular, there are variant versions at two positions, Hóa Khoa and Hóa Kỵ, while Lộc and Quyền are the same in every version.
Also called: Hoa Loc · Hoa Quyen · Hoa Khoa · Hoa Ky
What Is the Four Transformations and Which Stars Does It Include?
The Four Transformations (Tứ Hóa) are a group of four special stars in Tử Vi Đẩu Số (Vietnamese astrology): Hóa Lộc, Hóa Quyền, Hóa Khoa and Hóa Kỵ. They do not stand alone but attach to major and minor stars depending on the heavenly stem of the birth year or the palace stem. Each star represents a direction in which life operates: Hóa Lộc governs smooth progress and growth; Hóa Quyền governs authority and decisiveness; Hóa Khoa governs reputation, scholarship and mitigation; Hóa Kỵ governs worry and obstacles.
What Is the Origin of the Four Transformations and How Are They Used in Interpretation?
The Four Transformations originate from the heavenly stem and earthly branch system in Tử Vi. Each heavenly stem transforms certain stars into Lộc, Quyền, Khoa and Kỵ. When interpreting, the reader examines which palace the Four Transformations occupy to know which area of life is most strongly affected. For example, Hóa Lộc in the Wealth palace suggests favorable finances; Hóa Kỵ in the Spouse palace may indicate difficulties in love. However, one must also consider the nature of the palace, whether the star is in a favorable or unfavorable position, and its combination with other stars to avoid one-sided conclusions.
According to the book Đẩu số tinh thành volume 1, the Four Transformations have no separate oral formula but must be memorized in the order Lộc, Quyền, Khoa, Kỵ corresponding to each birth year stem. Từ Tăng Sinh's book TVĐS Mệnh vận phân tích divides the Four Transformations into four layers: by birth year stem, by the stem of the Mệnh palace, by major period and by annual cycle. Of these, the birth year Four Transformations are only "seeding an image," inherently neither auspicious nor inauspicious, belonging to a static state; when the Four Transformations in the palaces interact with one another, good or bad fortune arises, belonging to a dynamic state.
How Do You Distinguish the Four Transformations from Easily Confused Terms?
The Four Transformations are not a single separate star but four stars with a dynamic nature that act upon other stars. Beginners sometimes confuse the Four Transformations with the Four Spirits (Long Trì, Phượng Các, Bạch Hổ, Hoa Cái) or with other star groups. In addition, Hóa Khoa is often understood simply as the star of academic excellence, but in reality it also carries the meaning of mitigating disaster. Hóa Kỵ is not only bad; it is also a "test" that reveals one's mettle depending on the palace position.
What Should Be Kept in Mind When Looking Into the Four Transformations?
The Four Transformations are traditional knowledge in Tử Vi Đẩu Số, of a reference nature, and have not been scientifically verified. Readers should approach them as a cultural symbol system, and should not use them to decide their fate or as a substitute for professional advice.
How Do Different Schools Understand the Four Transformations?
- Traditional understanding: The Four Transformations are seen as four fixed stars according to the birth year stem, each stem transforming certain stars, used to interpret overall destiny.
- Understanding by palace stem: Some hold that the Four Transformations can change according to the stem of each palace, allowing a more detailed interpretation of each stage of life.
- Understanding that emphasizes Hóa Kỵ: Some views hold that Hóa Kỵ is the most important star among the Four Transformations, because it reveals challenges and mettle, and should be examined carefully before the other stars.
How Many Variant Versions of the Four Transformations Does the Canh Stem Have?
The Canh stem has the most variant versions in the Four Transformations table. The Lộc and Quyền of the Canh stem are the same in every version: Thái Dương transforms to Lộc, Vũ Khúc transforms to Quyền. The differences lie only in the two positions of Hóa Khoa and Hóa Kỵ.
The site's chart utility table uses the version: Thái Dương transforms to Lộc, Vũ Khúc transforms to Quyền, Thiên Đồng transforms to Khoa, Thái Âm transforms to Kỵ. This is the widely transmitted version. Vương Đình Chi calls this "Dương Vũ Đồng Âm" version the inherited version.
The book Đẩu số tinh thành volume 1 (Four Transformations placement table on page 28, oral formula "Canh Dương Vũ Âm Đồng" on page 37) and Từ Tăng Sinh's book TVĐS Mệnh vận phân tích record it differently: Thái Âm transforms to Khoa, Thiên Đồng transforms to Kỵ.
Vương Đình Chi, founder of the Trung Châu school, follows a private transmission recording Thiên Phủ transforms to Khoa, Thiên Đồng transforms to Kỵ. He cites a line in the Toàn Thư, "Thiên Đồng in Hợi, a person born in the year Canh has Thiên Đồng transform to Kỵ, so it is a lower case," to retain Thiên Đồng transforming to Kỵ.
Therefore the site's table should not be called the "Trung Châu approach." The site's utility table remains as decided by the coordinator on 26/09/2026. Besides the Canh stem, the Tân and Nhâm stems also have variant versions, but this time no source has specified which other stars differ.
What Related Articles on the Four Transformations Are There?
- The Hóa Khoa Star in the Four Transformations - its role when interpreting a Tử Vi chart
- The Hóa Kỵ Star in the Four Transformations - its role when interpreting a Tử Vi chart
- The Hóa Lộc Star in the Four Transformations: its role when interpreting a Tử Vi chart
- The Hóa Quyền Star in the Four Transformations - its role when interpreting a Tử Vi chart
What Is the Four Transformations Table by Heavenly Stem?
| Stem | Hóa Lộc | Hóa Quyền | Hóa Khoa | Hóa Kỵ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giáp | Liêm Trinh | Phá Quân | Vũ Khúc | Thái Dương |
| Ất | Thiên Cơ | Thiên Lương | Tử Vi | Thái Âm |
| Bính | Thiên Đồng | Thiên Cơ | Văn Xương | Liêm Trinh |
| Đinh | Thái Âm | Thiên Đồng | Thiên Cơ | Cự Môn |
| Mậu | Tham Lang | Thái Âm | Hữu Bật | Thiên Cơ |
| Kỷ | Vũ Khúc | Tham Lang | Thiên Lương | Văn Khúc |
| Canh | Thái Dương | Vũ Khúc | Thiên Đồng | Thái Âm |
| Tân | Cự Môn | Thái Dương | Văn Khúc | Văn Xương |
| Nhâm | Thiên Lương | Tử Vi | Tả Phù | Vũ Khúc |
| Quý | Phá Quân | Cự Môn | Thái Âm | Tham Lang |
The Canh row in this table is the table of the site's chart utility, that is, the version with Thái Dương transforming to Lộc, Vũ Khúc transforming to Quyền, Thiên Đồng transforming to Khoa, Thái Âm transforming to Kỵ, as stated in the section above.
The Four Transformations are not four separate stars but four STATES added to major stars, and which stem assigns to which star is the part where schools differ most. This table follows the school that the charts on Nhật Nguyệt use.
The figures in the table match the results of the lookup tools on Nhật Nguyệt.
