One of the twelve palaces
The Career palace
官禄Guān Lù — also called the Officials palace
Purple Star editorial · Reviewed
Career, ambition, public achievement官禄宫 Guan Lu Gong — the palace of career, ambition and public achievement; read for your working life and standing in the world.
What it governs
The Career palace — 官禄, Guan Lu, literally "office and salary", also called the Officials palace or 事业 the palace of undertakings — governs working life: ambition, vocation, public standing and the manner in which you build a name.
The classical reading concerned rank in the imperial service; the modern one asks what kind of work suits you and how far it can carry you. The star here describes a working style — whether you lead or serve, build or trade, thrive in institutions or outside them — more than a specific job title.
It sits opposite the Marriage palace, and the two are always weighed together: a chart that pours everything into this palace often shows it in that one.
How to read a star here
The Career palace governs your working life, ambition and public standing. A star here points to the field and the manner in which you are meant to build.
Ask what the star would be like at work, and whether it wants to lead, to serve, to create or to compete. Its brightness speaks to how readily achievement comes; its shadow is the professional habit that costs you.
Its opposite: the Marriage palace 夫妻
It faces the Marriage palace: the ambition outside and the partnership at home, read as one axis because each draws on the same reserve.
The fourteen stars in the Career palace
Each of the 14 main stars reads differently here. Pick yours — or the one you are curious about — for the full reading.
- The Emperor 紫微 in the Career palace
In the Career palace the Emperor is built for government, the law, and the leadership tier of large organisations.
- The Strategist 天机 in the Career palace
In the Career palace the Strategist belongs in planning, technology, consulting, education and training, media, or the philosophical fields — anywhere that rewards intelligence and adaptability.
- The Sun 太阳 in the Career palace
In the Career palace the Sun belongs in government, public affairs, media, the law, or management.
- The General 武曲 in the Career palace
In the Career palace the General is a born financial and executive type: finance, accounting, the forces, engineering, construction, running a business.
- The Peacemaker 天同 in the Career palace
In the Career palace the Peacemaker suits service, the arts, work with children, education, entertainment and leisure — work that prizes stability and comfort over hard competition.
- The Maverick 廉贞 in the Career palace
In the Career palace the Maverick suits law, creative design, the performing arts, politics, or specialised fields that take nerve.
- The Treasurer 天府 in the Career palace
In the Career palace the Treasurer is a natural for government, banking, insurance, and the administrative tier of large enterprises — conservative and steady, with slow but secure advancement.
- The Moon 太阴 in the Career palace
In the Career palace the Moon suits property, culture and the arts, financial planning, fashion and beauty, and hospitality — fields that reward aesthetic sense and care.
- The Charmer 贪狼 in the Career palace
In the Career palace the Charmer suits entertainment, the performing arts, hospitality, politics, social media and sales — eloquence and talent are your edge, and your network your greatest asset.
- The Advocate 巨门 in the Career palace
In the Career palace the Advocate is built for speech-based professions: lawyer, teacher, broadcaster, diviner, negotiator, diplomat.
- The Minister 天相 in the Career palace
In the Career palace the Minister is ideal for administration, legal work, accounting, secretarial and deputy roles — best of all inside large institutions.
- The Mentor 天梁 in the Career palace
In the Career palace the Mentor suits law, medicine, education, spiritual work, government oversight and charity — fields that ask for authority and learning.
- The Warrior 七杀 in the Career palace
In the Career palace the Warrior suits the forces, entrepreneurship and fiercely competitive fields — a fighting spirit that belongs in self-directed ventures or roles demanding hard decisions.
- The Pioneer 破军 in the Career palace
In the Career palace the Pioneer suits technical specialisms, frontier technology, travel and trade, and any venture built on breaking new ground — a spirit of clearing away the old to raise the new.
Common questions
Which palace shows career in Zi Wei Dou Shu?
The Career palace 官禄宫, sometimes labelled 事业宫. It describes your working style and public standing — what kind of work suits you and how you build a reputation — and is read alongside the Marriage palace opposite it.
The other eleven palaces
Which star sits in your Career palace? Cast your own Zi Wei Dou Shu紫微斗数 'Purple Star Astrology' — a 1,000-year-old Chinese system that maps your destiny across 12 life palaces based on your exact birth moment. chart free and read it there.
Cast your chart →