朱雀 Vermilion Bird 朱雀 · Southern Quadrant

The Vermilion Bird (朱雀) is one of the four classical celestial quadrants of the night sky in Chinese astronomy. It governs the southern sky, the summer constellations, and the fire element register. Each Four Symbol contains 7 of the 28 lunar mansions; the four together complete the celestial cycle.

The 7 mansions of the Vermilion Bird are: 井 Jǐng (Well), 鬼 Guǐ (Ghost), 柳 Liǔ (Willow), 星 Xīng (Star), 張 Zhāng (Extended Net), 翼 Yì (Wings), 軫 Zhěn (Chariot). They span positions 22 through 28 of the 28-mansion cycle.

The Four Symbols organise the 28 lunar mansions into seasonal and directional groups, but date selection itself works at the individual mansion level — each calendar date is governed by one specific mansion (not by the broader Four Symbol). The Four Symbol classification is useful for understanding a mansion’s elemental register and seasonal context, which inform the mansion’s classical activity associations. For chart-specific date selection, see the date selection consultation.