One of the 12 animal signs of the zodiac, or earthly branches, also occupies each life palace, including the destiny palace. This animal sign may differ from the sign of your birth year. Find the animal sign that is placed in your destiny palace. Then, look at the three directional groups, each of which contains four signs of the zodiac.
Group 1 consists of the "four corners," or "posts": the Monkey, Snake, Tiger, and Pig.

These four branches reside in one of the four corners of a Zi Wei chart. They have to do with movement, so someone with his or her ming gong (destiny) in a post corner will be perpetually on the move. Each of these signs may also invite problems unnecessarily, so the person's life path will likely be more chaotic in general.

When the Monkey is found in the destiny palace, the person will be:
- Changeable and contradictory-confident one minute, unsure the next.
- Clever, witty, and skillful.
- Poised and graceful-will excel at the performing arts.
- Inconsistent-will experience great gains, but also great losses; better to marry late in life.

When the Snake is found in the destiny palace, the person will be:
- Calm on the outside, but grasping and tumultuous on the inside.
- Perfectionistic-can miss the main point by focusing on the details.
- Savvy in business and prudent with money, but can invite problems in these areas unnecessarily.
- Ambitious, busy, and hardworking, but often lonely.

When the Tiger is found in the destiny palace, the person will be:
- Generous, big-hearted, popular, and admired. Enjoys as wide circle of friends.
- Wealthy; making money comes easy.
- Active and always on the move; prefers life in the fast lane.
- Tough and resolute; able to endure hardships.
- Does not like to be told no.

When the Pig is found in the destiny palace, the person will be:
- Sensitive and compassionate, and easily moved to tears by beauty and nature.
- Intelligent, generous, serious, busy, hardworking, kind, and gentle-hearted.
- Prone to invite problems.

Group 2 consists of the "four directions": the Rat, Rabbit, Horse, and Rooster. Each of these four branches resides in a palace associated with the four cardinal directions-North, South, East, and West. When these peach blossom branches (sometimes called the "four failures") are found in someone's destiny palace, partying, romancing, drinking, gambling, and overspending are usually the result. The arts or entertainment are where this person's charisma will help him/ her succeed. 

When the Rat is found in the destiny palace, the person will be:
- Distinctive, strong-willed, poised, smart, and practical, with uncommon judgment.
- Emotional, sensual, and easily seduced.
- Fair and even-handed, and devoted and loyal to friends; treats others equally regardless of socioeconomic status.

When the Rabbit is found in the Destiny palace, the person will be:
- Physically weak in younger years, yet stronger in adulthood.
- Sensitive, observant, and clever, and able to see what others cannot.
- Sociable and romantic; easily involved in affairs of the heart.
- Sometimes suspicious and cautious due to prior difficulties.
- Prone to arguing over trivial matters.
- Prone to feeling isolated; has few friends.

When the Horse is found in the destiny palace, the person will be:
- Witty, friendly, talkative, with a sunny personality, but sometimes prone to arrogance.
- Financially successful if brought up well.
- Lecherous and exploitive if brought up poorly; will flatter others in order to please.

When the Rooster is found in the destiny palace, the person will be:
- Dependable, hardworking, and observant.
- A lover of romance; can easily fall prey to affairs of the heart.
- Strong and independent; not open to the suggestions of others.
- Arrogant a times, which alienates others or causes failure.
- An avid traveler, particularly to historical sites.

Group 3 consists of four earths: the Dragon, Ox, Dog, and Goat. Each of these four branches is associated with the earth element. They are also called the "four graves," as earth is heavy and not easily moved or changed. Those with one of these branches placed in their destiny palace are easily stuck and have difficulty with change. They must work harder than others; success comes only when they can break out of their ruts.

When the Dragon is found in the destiny palace, the person will be:
- Intelligent, clever, and helpful.
- Courteous, well-mannered, and tranquil in appearance.
- Balanced, impartial, relaxed, unhurried, and sometimes a bit indecisive or too casual.
- Can invite sorrows or disaster with few to turn to.
- Loathe to move out into the world; personal development and success come after moving away from home or birthplace.

When the Ox is found in the destiny palace, the person will be:
- Private, independent, and solitary; not easy to get to know.
- Willing to take on responsibilities without considering personal interest; has a strong desire for praise.
- Trusted and respected, but quick to anger when crossed.
- Loathe to move out into the world; personal development and success come after moving away from home or birthplace.

When the Dog is found in the destiny palace, the person will be:
- Steady and tranquil externally, but prone to depression.
- Needy; requires much support and encouragement from loved ones.
- Smart, hardworking, and efficient, and not afraid to fight for justice.
- A bit unmotivated; often needs prompting and external motivation to succeed.
- Loathe to move out into the world; personal development and success come after moving away from home or birthplace.

When the Goat is found in the destiny palace, the person will be:
- Shy and sensitive, and seemingly easily irritated; actually quite strong inside, however.
- Idealistic, but must push hard to achieve concrete goals.
- Narrow-minded; does not readily accept outside opinions or ideas.
​- Isolated and lonely at times. Now, let's move on to the other 11 palaces.