What kind of astrology was being used? Ba Zi Eight Characters divination emerged only during the Tang dynasty. Zi Wei Dou Shu emerged during the Sung dynasty. Ziang Ziya and King Wen could not possibly use Ba Zi Eight Characters divination or Zi Wei Dou Shu, despite that the later is dubbed the Purple Emperor Star astrology.
Such a view missed the essence of the legend. By the Tang and Sung dynasties, astrology was known to the Chinese in the form of Ba Zi Eight Characters divination and Zi Wei Dou Shu. Was it that around the Tang dynasty, a new form of astrology emerged in the shape of Ba Zi Eight Characters divination or Zi Wei Dou Shu? That whatever older forms of astrology gave way to Ba Zi Eight Characters divination or Zi Wei Dou Shu?
This masks the fact that the Chinese imperial astrology was always the same, from before the Shang dynasty to Ziang Ziya and then down to the Tang and Sung dynasties! Zi Wei Dou Shu was said to be practised even during the Han dynasty.
The Truth is that the ancient astrology was originally in the form of the 28 Lunar Constellations. Traditional history also shows that even in other ancient cultures the astrology was that of the 28 Lunar Constellations. Later, short cuts were devised, first in the form of the 13 and later 12 Zodiac signs. It is an illusion that the Heaven can be divided into exactly 12 or so divisions. Further short-cuts emerged in the form of formulas often seen in modern Ba Zi Eight Characters divination or Zi Wei Dou Shu. All these short cuts are only convenient approximations of the astronomical movements underlying astrology. Effective astrological effects are determined by the precise location of the planetary movements at a particular time and these effects can be distorted by over-generalisation when using the 12 Zodiac signs and related formula systems.
The astronomical movements are consistent through the measurable Time of Man. But the short-cut formulas changed all the time down the ages, thus spawning different astrology systems. These formulas are only approximations of actual astronomical movements and had to deviate with time. A particular formula system would deviate and become less effective, paving the way for emergence of new formulas. This was why changing astrological systems appeared through the ages.
As noted by Derek Walters in his book Chinese astrology, only the emperors were allowed to look into the sky and use actual celestial movements for their imperial astrology. The common people were forbidden to use planetary tables and had to rely on the faulty calendars. This way the imperial circle reserved for themselves an astrology far superior to the inferior astrology of the people.
The imperial circle further cemented their superiority by creating Ba Zi Eight Characters divination for the people. Instead, the emperors used Zi Wei Dou Shu.
However, the modern Zi Wei Dou Shu is a watered down version, purposefully falsified by the emperor. Much potent secrets of Zi Wei Dou Shu have been lost. Our research has identified how Ba Zi Eight Characters divination originated from a small inferior section of ZWDS. We have also recovered pertinent aspects of ZWDS related to kingship.
