Virtue Palace, Karma Palace, Happiness Palace etc. But all these
names do not do justice to its Chinese name 福德宫 「Fú Dé Gōng 」.
For convenience sake, I'll just call it Fortune Palace here.
福 「Fú 」 means Happiness, Fortune, Good Luck, Blessing. From the
Chinese perspective, 福 is very abstract and subjective. One needs
not be born rich or smart to be considered fortunate or blessed. As long as
one is satisfied and contented with one's living, and has peace of mind,
he is considered happy and blessed.
One's desire to enjoy life is also indicated here. For example, one can be rich, yet
scrimps and saves on meals or one can be poor but enjoys good food (the best he
can afford). Thus, this palace also covers one's ability to manage his wealth outflow.
德 「Dé 」 means Ethics, Morals, Virtue. Ethics and morals can be shaped by
beliefs, or vice versa. How one behaves does not necessarily reflect his thinking.
福德 reveals one's psychological aspects such as, mental state of happiness,
stress, emotional state, contentment, spirituality etc. Whether one is optimistic
or pessimistic, or has inclination to suicide is also indicated here.
Generally, if a person has a weak 命宫,
a strong 福德宫 can make dramatic changes to his life.
One with good morals will beget good fortune.
A happy state of mind will beget longevity.
