Prosperity Star (Lushen): The day stem’s root: where livelihood and inner footing come from
The classics say the Prosperity Star governs food, clothing and official salary: carry it and you will not go without. On the month branch it is called Jian Lu (established Prosperity), on the day branch Zhuan Lu (Prosperity of one’s own), and on the hour branch Gui Lu (returning Prosperity), each with its own lore. This page lays out how to find it, what the old books say and a reading closer to modern life, with a lookup so you can check your own chart.
How to find the Prosperity Star
| Day stem | Prosperity Star branch |
|---|---|
| Jia 甲 | Yin 寅 |
| Yi 乙 | Mao 卯 |
| Bing 丙 | Si 巳 |
| Ding 丁 | Wu 午 |
| Wu 戊 | Si 巳 |
| Ji 己 | Wu 午 |
| Geng 庚 | Shen 申 |
| Xin 辛 | You 酉 |
| Ren 壬 | Hai 亥 |
| Gui 癸 | Zi 子 |
The rhyme simply lists them: Jia’s Prosperity at Yin, Yi’s at Mao, Bing and Wu’s at Si, Ding and Ji’s at Wu, Geng’s at Shen, Xin’s at You, Ren’s at Hai, Gui’s at Zi. The Prosperity Star is the Taking Office stage of the day stem’s own element, and shares its qi.
How we counted: our engine cast one chart for every day from 1960 to 2005, with the birth hour drawn by a fixed-seed random sample, 16,802 charts in all, and checked each star by the formal method on this page.
What the classics say, and a closer modern reading
Traditional view: The classics say the Prosperity Star governs food, clothing and official salary: carry it and you will not go without. On the month branch it is called Jian Lu (established Prosperity), on the day branch Zhuan Lu (Prosperity of one’s own), and on the hour branch Gui Lu (returning Prosperity), each with its own lore.
Modern reading: The Prosperity Star is really the Day Master’s own root: the day stem finds a branch of the same qi and gains steady footing. A weak Day Master that has it can stand firm; a strong one needs a Wealth or Officer star to put the strength to use, otherwise it only means more force and more stubbornness.
Where it sits and how to read it
- Prosperity on the month branch: the Jian Lu Structure; see Jian Lu & Yang Blade Structures.
- Prosperity on the day branch (the Jia-Yin, Yi-Mao, Geng-Shen and Xin-You day pillars): Zhuan Lu, sitting on your own root; the classics say you make your way by yourself.
- Prosperity on the hour branch: Gui Lu. The classics praise “the day’s Prosperity returning to the hour with no Officer in sight” as a smooth road upward.
- Prosperity clashed (Yin-Shen or Si-Hai): the classics call it “Prosperity struck”; a practical reading is that your work or source of income changes more easily.
Always read a star back through the Five Elements and the Ten Gods. On a favorable element, helper stars get better and even ominous stars can become assets; on an unfavorable one, helper stars lose value and an ominous star’s reminder deserves more attention. For what each pillar stands for, see the four pillar palaces; for how to tell favorable from unfavorable, see favorable elements.
Does your chart have the Prosperity Star?
Enter your birth date (Gregorian calendar) to check all 22 common stars at once: whether you have each one, which pillar it sits on, and how it was found. Everything is calculated in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Uses your Gregorian birth date; the day changes at 11 p.m. with the late Zi hour. Without a birth hour, the hour pillar cannot be read.
Two common misunderstandings
With the Prosperity Star you will never want for anything.
It is footing, not savings. A strong Day Master that meets it again, with no Wealth star to use, has strength and nowhere to put it.
The Prosperity Star and the Wealth star are the same thing.
The Prosperity Star shares the Day Master’s qi and belongs with the Peers; the Wealth star is the resource you can take hold of. Prosperity keeps you standing; Wealth decides whether you harvest anything. See wealth luck.
Other symbolic stars
A straight word: symbolic stars are footnotes, not fate
Symbolic stars are labels the ancients pinned onto a chart, some auspicious and some ominous, but what really decides a chart is the strength of the Five Elements and how the Ten Gods combine. A helper star on an unfavorable element loses value; an ominous star on a favorable element can become an asset. Whatever stars you find, treat them as a reminder or a small bonus. Everything on this site is for reference and entertainment only.
Beyond the Prosperity Star, which other stars does your chart carry?
Symbolic stars are only footnotes. The in-depth reading starts from the Five Elements, the Ten Gods and what is favorable for you, and covers personality, career, love and money together.
Prosperity Star FAQ
How do I find the Prosperity Star?
From the day stem, look across the four branches: Jia Yin, Yi Mao, Bing and Wu Si, Ding and Ji Wu, Geng Shen, Xin You, Ren Hai, Gui Zi.
What is the difference between Jian Lu, Zhuan Lu and Gui Lu?
Prosperity on the month branch is Jian Lu (the Jian Lu Structure), on the day branch Zhuan Lu (the Jia-Yin, Yi-Mao, Geng-Shen and Xin-You day pillars), and on the hour branch Gui Lu.