The Blade (Qi Sha) is the major star of authority and drive in Zi Wei Dou Shu. It is known as the "general star," belongs to the Southern Dipper, and is Yin Metal by element. It has a sharp personality, and it shows up differently in each of the twelve palaces.

For example, someone with a strong Blade may be the person on the team who is quickest to make the call, who acts first and talks later, and who gets things done with real force while sometimes making the people around them feel pressure. That direct, action-first style is the classic mark of the Blade.

The Blade at a Glance

The Blade belongs to the Southern Dipper and is Yin Metal. It is one of the two "general stars" (the Disruptor and the Blade), which stand for strategy and command.

The Blade stands for strength and authority, so its temperament carries an impatient, competitive side.

It is part of the Pioneer group (the Blade, the Disruptor and the Wolf). Traditionally this group is compared with greed, anger and delusion in human nature, and it carries a sense of "cutting and striking." That is why the Blade tends to make whichever palace it sits in more forceful, more direct and more willing to collide with things.

The Blade in the Ego Palace

People with the Blade in the Ego palace tend to have a sharp-edged, decisive character. They speak plainly and lean toward action more than words. When the Blade is in an S-tier or A-tier position, they are often skillful and strong in how they work. In a D-tier position they may be more hot-tempered, more secretive in their thinking and more ready to use tactics. Either way, the Blade has a tendency to press down on others and to think of its own interests first.

The Blade also points to loneliness and strictness, so these people often do not like getting too close to others.

Career

• People with the Blade in the Ego palace may build wealth through trade and business. Commerce and industry often suit them, but high-risk investing and speculation do not, because the chance of failure is high.
• In an A-tier position, the Blade tends to bring management and leadership talent, and it may do well in settings with strict discipline, such as the military or police. With the Builder and a Resource star in the same palace, medicine, such as being a doctor or a dentist, may be a path to a strong reputation.

Fortune and What to Watch

• For women, the Blade in an S-tier or A-tier position with the Resource Transformation or the reserve often points to a voice with weight and authority, and a pattern that supports the partner and children.
• If the Blade shares a palace with many harsh stars, watch for isolation and distance from family. For men, even with harsh stars around, there is often still a chance to win people over by skill.

The Blade in the Wealth Palace

The Blade in the Wealth palace suggests the ability to hold financial control, to build a career far from home, and to have comfortable money.

Whether the Blade is in an S-tier, A-tier, B-tier or D-tier position, people with it in the Wealth palace often have a talent for earning money quickly, and a Resource star makes the picture richer. In a D-tier position, though, there is a tendency toward "sudden gains and sudden losses": money comes fast and wealth builds fast, but spending is also fast, and savings are hard to keep.

If the Blade meets the Wolf carrying the Resource Transformation during a favorable stretch, unexpected money often comes. The focus then should be on keeping what has been gained and running things steadily, not on rushing for a breakthrough, or money can scatter and setbacks follow.

The Blade in the Career Palace

In S-tier, A-tier or B-tier positions, the Blade usually means a smooth career and recognition. In a D-tier position, work tends to be harder, with little room to relax and a lot to do personally.

So people with the Blade in the Career palace do well to develop the people under them. To lead others, they need both firmness and softness before people will truly trust them.

The Blade in the Love Palace

The Blade in the Love palace often points to arguments between partners and a later marriage. In a strong position such as S-tier or A-tier, the partner may have management skill and each person may have their own career. With helpful stars and a favorable transformation, the person may meet an ideal partner, but often only after some bumps before marriage.

However, when the Blade and the Disruptor share the Love palace, especially with the Resource Transformation added, relationships may go through a rough patch or the marriage may exist mostly in name.

The Blade in the Property Palace

If you want to see which stars sit in each palace of your own chart, you can open HOROS and look at your chart there.

The Blade alone in the Property palace is often a poor fit for buying and selling land or houses. Losses are easy, and real estate work is usually not recommended, unless the Blade is in an S-tier position.

If the Blade in the Property palace has the reserve or the Resource Transformation, then even without family property passed down, the person may build their own through effort.

The Blade in the Persona Palace

The Blade in the Persona palace often brings status and authority, and respect from others. It also suggests good connections with people. With the Pillar or the Perfectionist in the same palace, a person may make a name and build a career even far from home.

In a D-tier position, however, going out into the world can bring more arguments and clashes. When the Blade shares the palace with the judge star, the sudden-loss star or the void stars, take extra care about sudden accidents when traveling.

The Blade in the Network Palace

The Blade in the Network palace usually means a small social circle, with few friends and few people working under you. When helpful stars gather, the circle may grow, but it is still hard to get real help from others, which is why the Resource Transformation or the reserve is needed to back it up.

In an S-tier or A-tier position, the Blade can bring loyal friends who keep their word, though a career can still be affected because of friends.

The Blade in the Allies Palace

The Blade in the Allies palace (the palace of siblings) leans toward solitude. There are usually few siblings, and even when there are many, they may keep their distance or not get along well.

The combination and brightness of the stars in this palace shape the bond between siblings. When the Blade is in an S-tier or A-tier position and helpful stars come with it, siblings tend to get along better, and the person may receive their help.

The Blade in the Nurture Palace

The Blade in the Nurture palace (the palace of children) usually means fewer children, higher standards for them and a harder road in raising them. With the grace star, the honor star and a relief star (Jie Shen), children tend to be gentler and more obedient.

The Blade in the Authority Palace

The Blade in the Authority palace (the palace of parents) is not a gentle star here. Even in an S-tier position, the person often has less closeness with their parents, who may be strict or tend not to listen to their children. It can also mean distance from superiors.

In an S-tier or A-tier position, parents may be in good health and have standing, but they also tend to control their children more.

The Blade in the Inner Life Palace

People with the Blade in an S-tier or A-tier position in the Inner Life palace have their own ideals, but they often have talent without the right timing, so a career can be harder. For women, the Blade here calls for extra care in marriage, and a later marriage may suit better.

The extended family often has several successful and wealthy people, but its members tend to drift apart. In a D-tier position, relatives may not get along with one another.

The Blade in the Shadow Palace

The Blade is Yin Metal, which traditionally links it with the respiratory system, such as coughs, asthma and care of the airways and lungs.

People with the Blade in the Shadow palace should take extra care of their health in childhood, and watch for injuries from sharp objects and for traffic safety.

In short: The Blade stands for authority and drive, with a direct, action-first style. In different palaces it brings boldness and a pioneering spirit, and it also asks for attention to relationships and to keeping what you earn.