Azure Dragon and Black Tortoise in Chinese Astrology — Lunar Mansions and Their Constellation Meanings

Surrounding Ecliptic and the Equator, The Twenty-eight Lunar Mansions are divided into four groups that are led by Four Mythical Symbols: Azure Dragon of the East, Black Tortoise of the North, White Tiger of the West, and Vermilion Bird of the South.  

Combined with Chinese Mythology, Yin Yang, and Five Elements theories, every mansion is represented by an animal and guarded by a deity.

Lunar Mansions in Azure Dragon of the East

Stars in the east section look like a dragon, and are divided into seven mansions that present a dragon's horn, neck, chest, abdomen, heart, tail, and winnowing.

Horn Wood Scaly Dragon

The Ecliptic, the orbit of movement of the Seven Celestial Beings goes through two main stars of this mansion. Hence, they are two doors of heaven, and responsible for disseminating of emperor's reputation, and the beginning of spring.

People of Horn Wood Scaly Dragon Mansion are sincere, fortunate, organized, determined; but also possible to become self-centered, stubborn, and impulsive. 

Their strong minds could help them conquer negative encounters. They are likely to experience some unpleasant setbacks in the early years, but good luck will come in the middle age era and everything would be settled.

Neck Gold Dragon

This is the essence of the Azure Dragon, guarded by the god of wind. The stars of this mansion are in charge of etiquette and health.   

People of Neck Gold Dragon Mansion are good leaders, persuasive, insightful, elegant, helpful, prideful, and impulsive. Many of them might be too discreet in love life. 

Self-discipline, diligence in the early years, and balance of mind and activity could guarantee a stable, wealthy life.

Root Earth Raccoon Dog

Also named the Root of Heaven, which is in charge of imperial women. 

People of Root Earth Raccoon Dog Mansion are smart strategists, easygoing, ambitious, insightful, impatient. 

They are quite possible to get help from elders and to achieve success. However, the rebellious spirit inside and extreme pursuit of freedom may cause instability, even setbacks in their late years.

Room Solar Rabbit

It is the abdomen of the Azure Dragon, where everything dissolves. In some records, it's also the place that the Great Emperor of Heaven issues policies.  

People of Room Solar Rabbit Mansion are fortunate, quite likely to be successful or wealthy, easy to meet important benefactors to help them. 

They are open, straightforward, observant, good-looking, but also easy to be capricious. Hence, being down-to-earth, modest, and caring would be good for both career and love life. 

Heart Lunar Fox

It is also named the Fire of Heaven. The fox guarding in this mansion is believed can bring people romantic relationships, hence, it is also the mansion of love. 

In some folklores, Wu Zetian (624 — 705), the only female emperor in the history of China, was the incarnation of the Heart Lunar Fox. 

When Mars moved to and lingering around the main star of this mansion (Antares), in ancient Chinese Astrology, is an omen of big disasters on earth.  

People of Heart Lunar Fox Mansion are diligent, righteous, strong-willed, smart, active, and suspicious. They are possible to have dual characteristics but most are optimistic and straightforward people. 

Many of them would leave their hometown and settle in other places; the hard work and talent will bring them good lives and happy families.

Tail Fire Tiger

The tail of Azure Dragon, the sixth mansion of the eastern section. 

The people of Tail Fire Tiger Mansion are discreet, competitive, fortunate, stubborn, and are rational in love life. 

If they stay modest, down-to-earth, pay attention to self-cultivation, and useful advice from outside, they would be easier to obtain happy lives. 

Winnowing-basket Water Leopard

It is the whirlwind caused by the wing of the Azure Dragon's tail. When the main stars of this mansion are extremely bright, it usually predicts the rising of big wind on earth.   

People of Winnowing-basket Water Leopard Mansion are brave, smart, straightforward, sometimes might be hedonistic or rough. 

They may experience many ups and downs in life, but could always stay optimistic and strong. Besides, trying to be cooperative, caring, and focused would make life easier and more successful. 

Lunar Mansions in Black Tortoise of the North

Stars in the north section formed Xuan Wu, a snake-turtle combined mythical creature in Chinese mythology.

Dipper Wood Xie

The main stars in this mansion shape like a dipper, and are believed to correspond to the emperor. 

Xie is a mythical animal that looks like a black lion with a horn, who would attack the injustice side during a fight. Hence, Xie is representative of justice and law.

People of Dipper Wood Xie Mansion are creative, emotional, talented, competitive, ambitious, jealous, sometimes easy to be misunderstood by others. 

They are likely to fight and win in challenging situations, and good relationships with others would contribute to bigger successes.

Ox Gold Cattle

The stars of this mansion look like a horn of an Ox and are in charge of worship and sacrifice ceremonies. 

Stars of Couple of the Double Seventh Festival, Cowherd, and Celestial Princess are located in this mansion. 

The people of Ox Gold Cattle Mansion are energetic, competitive, have a strong sense of self-esteem, down-to-earth, hard-working, but not quite good at expressing.

Girl Earth Bat

Stars in this mansion formed a sign that looks like "'girl" in Chinese, and are in charge of the fabric, treasure, jewelry, and marriage. 

People of Girl Earth Bat Mansion are agile, helpful, diligent, hard-working; sometimes might be too straightforward or insensitive. 

Emptiness Solar Rat

This is the place where the emperor deal with issues of the nether world, in which stars are in charge of death, sacrifice, worship, and grave. 

People of Emptiness Solar Rat Mansion are curious, superstitious, persistent, fortunate, talented, romantic, and argumentative.

Rooftop Lunar Swallow

Rooftop implies tall, dangerous; besides, the stars of this mansion usually are not very bright. Hence, it is not a very auspicious mansion. 

People of Rooftop Lunar Swallow Mansion are irritable, strong, observant, rebellious, and are possible to be extremely good or bad. 

They are possible to experience many ups and downs, and only being hardworking, sticking to good faiths, and being serious to family and marriage could lead to a wealthy, stable life.

Encampment Fire Pig

The stars of this mansion look like a house and are in charge of construction and provisions. 

Fomalhaut, the brightest star of this mansion is a brave general, leading soldiers and guarding in the north. 

People of Encampment Fire Pig Mansion are strong, aggressive, bold, ambitious, indiscreet, and insensitive.

Wall Water Fish

This is the library of heaven, the mansion that represents literature. 

People of Wall Water Fish Mansion are calm, discreet, considerate, responsible, independent; sometimes are unsocial, stubborn, and might be over rational in love life.