Zuo Fu, the Left Assistant Star
In a Nutshell
An assisting star of the Southern Dipper, element Earth — a supporting star.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Element | Wu Earth |
| Type | Assisting star of the Southern Dipper |
| Nature | A supporting star; paired with You Bi as "Fu Bi" |
What is Zuo Fu?
Zuo Fu is an auxiliary star of Zi Wei Dou Shu, paired with You Bi as "Fu Bi." Elementally it belongs to Wu Earth, an assisting star of the Southern Dipper group. Auxiliaries are the supporting cast beside the fourteen major stars: they back up and harmonize the majors in a chart, and Zuo Fu and You Bi are the most important auxiliary pair — read in nearly every chart.
In the *Complete Book of Zi Wei Dou Shu* (Book 1, "Questions and Answers on the Stars"), the entry on Zuo Fu is answered by Master Xiyi: "Zuo Fu is the governing star of the Imperial Pole; in the Life or Body palace or any other palace it sends down blessings" — that is, it serves the Emperor star Zi Wei. The old books discuss Zuo Fu and You Bi together as helpers that back up the major stars. The original passage is quoted below.
In a real chart, note which palace Zuo Fu lands in and which major star shares it — an important detail in reading. Zuo Fu takes on different traditional colorings in each of the twelve palaces, so study it together with the major star and the palace. A full Zi Wei chart lays out the stars and palaces at a glance. The old writings on Zuo Fu are terse, arguing mostly from support and harmonizing with little elaboration. Read it against You Bi and feel out the harmonizing role auxiliaries play in chart combinations.
Classical sources
"Zuo Fu is the governing star of the Imperial Pole; guarding the Life or Body palace or any other palace, it sends down blessings. It makes a person solid in looks, generous and free-spirited."
Plain words: Zuo Fu is the governing star that serves the Imperial Pole (Zi Wei), bringing blessings wherever it sits.
Source: *Zi Wei Dou Shu Quan Shu* (Complete Book of Zi Wei Dou Shu), Book 1, "Questions and Answers on the Stars" · "What does Zuo Fu govern? (answered by Master Xiyi)" — original: 左辅帝极主宰之星，守身命诸宫降福。主人形貌敦厚慷慨风流。
*For entertainment purposes only.*