Tan Lang, the Greedy Wolf Star
In a Nutshell
The first star of the Northern Dipper, element Water–Wood, whose transformed breath is Peach Blossom.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Element | Water–Wood (Jia Wood rooted in Zi Water) |
| Transformed breath | Peach Blossom (Tao Hua) |
| Group | 1st star of the Northern Dipper |
| Office | Lord of fortune and misfortune |
What is the Tan Lang star?
The Tan Lang star is one of the fourteen major stars of Zi Wei Dou Shu, the first star of the Northern Dipper. Elementally it belongs to Jia Wood, rooted in Zi Water — hence the "Water–Wood" double attribution. Within the Dipper group Tan Lang stands first, flanked by Ju Men and Lian Zhen, and it is one of the most distinctive stars of the Dipper line; the old books give it comparatively generous coverage, and it repays close reading.
The *Complete Book of Zi Wei Dou Shu* (Book 1, "Questions and Answers on the Stars") calls Tan Lang "the spirit of the Northern Dipper that releases from misfortune, its first star", a Water star transformed into Peach Blossom, "the spirit that governs fortune and misfortune". "Peach Blossom" is a technical image for charm, talent and sociability, not the everyday meaning. The original passage is quoted below.
In a real chart, note which palace Tan Lang lands in and which stars share or face it — that is the key step in reading. Tan Lang 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 and palaces at a glance, and there are lookups for common star combinations. The old verdicts on Tan Lang carry a strong coloring of their era and its morals; take the star's attributes, its element and transformed breath, and its structural ties — and make no value judgments.
Classical sources
"Tan Lang is the spirit of the Northern Dipper that releases from misfortune, its first star. It belongs to Water; its transformed breath is Peach Blossom; it is a standard, the spirit that governs fortune and misfortune."
Plain words: Tan Lang is the first star of the Northern Dipper, a Water star whose transformed breath is Peach Blossom, governing fortune and misfortune.
Source: *Zi Wei Dou Shu Quan Shu* (Complete Book of Zi Wei Dou Shu), Book 1, "Questions and Answers on the Stars" · "What does Tan Lang govern?" — original: 贪狼北斗解厄之神，第一星也。属水，化气为桃花，为标准，乃主祸福之神。
*For entertainment purposes only.*