Question 1

What are the 28 lunar mansions?

Accepted Answer

The 28 lunar mansions are the segments the traditional Chinese sky was divided into along the moon's monthly path, forming one of the oldest constellation systems in the world. Each mansion is anchored by a marker star, carries an animal totem distinct from the twelve zodiac animals, and was used for calendar science, astrology and choosing auspicious dates for more than three thousand years.

Question 2

What are the four palaces of the lunar mansions?

Accepted Answer

The 28 mansions are organized into four palaces of seven mansions each, one for each cardinal direction, season and element. The East Azure Dragon governs spring and Wood, the North Black Tortoise governs winter and Water, the West White Tiger governs autumn and Metal, and the South Vermilion Bird governs summer and Fire.

Question 3

How are the lunar mansions used in Chinese astrology?

Accepted Answer

Each mansion carries a personality and energy, an element, an animal totem and a set of activities it is considered auspicious or inauspicious for. Traditionally they were used to time important events, from weddings to building work, and to add a layer of character reading alongside the zodiac animal and the five elements.

Question 4

How are the lunar mansions different from the Chinese zodiac?

Accepted Answer

The twelve zodiac animals come from the twelve Earthly Branches and cycle through the years, while the 28 lunar mansions divide the sky itself and track the moon's position. The mansions have their own 28 animal totems, separate from the twelve zodiac animals, so the two systems describe different things and are read independently.

Question 5

How do the lunar mansions compare to Western constellations?

Accepted Answer

Both are ways of dividing the night sky into named regions, but the lunar mansions follow the moon's monthly journey rather than the sun's yearly path, so they do not line up with the Western zodiac constellations. They are closer in spirit to the lunar station systems also found in Indian and Arabic astronomy.

The 28 Lunar Mansions

The Four Palaces

East Palace — Azure Dragon (青龙, Wood)

North Palace — Black Tortoise (玄武, Water)

West Palace — White Tiger (白虎, Metal)

South Palace — Vermilion Bird (朱雀, Fire)

Frequently asked questions

Where this fits in Chinese astrology