Ju Men, the Shadowed Gate Star
In a Nutshell
The second star of the Northern Dipper, element Water–Metal, whose transformed breath is Darkness.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Element | Water–Metal (Gui Water, Xin Metal) |
| Transformed breath | Darkness (An) |
| Group | 2nd star of the Northern Dipper |
| Nature | Star of hidden essence; governs speech and dispute |
What is the Ju Men star?
The Ju Men star is one of the fourteen major stars of Zi Wei Dou Shu, the second star of the Northern Dipper. Elementally it belongs to Water and Metal, and within the Dipper group it stands second, flanked by Tan Lang and Lian Zhen. The old books call it the star of hidden essence, whose transformed breath is "Darkness" — the star of speech, dispute, and research, with a flavor all its own. Beginners often read it too literally, so it repays a second look.
The *Complete Book of Zi Wei Dou Shu* (Book 1, "Questions and Answers on the Stars") calls Ju Men a Water and Metal star, the second of the Northern Dipper, "a star of yin essence, transformed into Darkness", which in the Life palace "draws quarrels and gossip". "Darkness" and "quarrels" are technical terms of star imagery for speech, debate and discussion, not everyday verdicts. The original passage is quoted below.
In a real chart, note which palace Ju Men lands in and which stars share or face it — that is the key step in reading. Ju Men takes on different traditional colorings in each of the twelve palaces, so study it palace by palace against what each palace governs. A full Zi Wei chart lays out the stars, palaces, and brightness at a glance. The old verdicts on Ju Men run heavily on speech and dispute and carry the coloring of their era; take the star's attributes, its element and transformed breath, and its structural ties, and leave the rest as history.
Classical sources
"Ju Men belongs to Water and Metal. It is the second star of the Northern Dipper, a star of yin essence, and its transformed breath is Darkness. In the Life or Body palace it draws quarrels and gossip throughout life."
Plain words: Ju Men is Water and Metal, the second star of the Northern Dipper, a star of yin essence transformed into Darkness, traditionally tied to words and disputes.
Source: *Zi Wei Dou Shu Quan Shu* (Complete Book of Zi Wei Dou Shu), Book 1, "Questions and Answers on the Stars" · "What does Ju Men govern?" — original: 巨门属水、金。北斗第二星也，为阴精之星，化气为暗。在身命，一生招口舌之非。
*For entertainment purposes only.*