Eight-character charting is the first step in the study of fate theory and also the most basic skill. Many people are intimidated when they see the densely packed Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. This article will use the most intuitive method to take you from zero to understanding the structure of the eight-character chart and the basic interpretation methods.
What is Ba Zi charting
Bazi, also known as the Four Pillars, represents a person's year, month, day, and hour of birth using the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, resulting in four pairs of two characters each, totaling eight characters, hence the name 'Bazi'.
- Year Pillar: The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches corresponding to the year of birth (e.g., 2000 = Year of Gengchen, Heavenly Stem Geng, Earthly Branch Chen)
- Month Pillar: The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches corresponding to the month of birth (divided by solar terms, not lunar months)
- Day PillarThe Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches corresponding to the date of birth (requires checking a perpetual calendar)
- Hour pillarThe heavenly stems and earthly branches corresponding to the time of birth (Zi hour 23:00–01:00, Chou hour 01:00–03:00, and so on)
Important Note: The monthly pillar is divided according to solar terms, not the first day of the lunar calendar. For example, around February 4 is the Beginning of Spring; only after the Beginning of Spring is it counted as the Yin month (Tiger month), while before the Beginning of Spring it is still considered the Chou month (Ox month).
Correspondence of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches
The Ten Heavenly Stems
Jia (Yang Wood), Yi (Yin Wood), Bing (Yang Fire), Ding (Yin Fire), Wu (Yang Earth), Ji (Yin Earth), Geng (Yang Metal), Xin (Yin Metal), Ren (Yang Water), Gui (Yin Water)
The Twelve Earthly Branches
Zi (Rat/Water) Chou (Ox/Earth) Yin (Tiger/Wood) Mao (Rabbit/Wood) Chen (Dragon/Earth) Si (Snake/Fire) Wu (Horse/Fire) Wei (Goat/Earth) Shen (Monkey/Metal) You (Rooster/Metal) Xu (Dog/Earth) Hai (Pig/Water)
Day Master: The most important character in the birth chart
In the Four Pillars, the Heavenly Stem of the Day Pillar (called 'Day Master' or 'Day Stem') represents 'yourself' and is the core of interpreting the entire natal chart.
- Day Master Jia or Yi Wood → You are a person of wood nature
- Day Master Bing or Ding Fire → You are a person with a fiery nature
- Day Master Wu Ji Earth → You are a person of Earth nature
- Day Master Geng Xin Metal → You are a person of metal nature
- Day Master Ren or Gui Water → You are a person of a watery nature
The Five Element attribute of the Day Master determines basic personality tendencies and also serves as the basis for analyzing the relationships of the Ten Gods.
How to determine the strength or weakness of the Day Master
The strength or weakness of the Day Master (strong or weak self) is one of the most important steps in Bazi analysis:
- Understood: The Five Elements of the birth month are the same as or generate the Day Master (for example, Jia Wood born in the spring months of Yin and Mao, Wood is strong and in season)
- obtain land: The Earthly Branch of the Day Pillar is the root of the Day Master (for example, for a Jia Wood Day Master, if the Day Branch is Yin, Mao, Chen, or Hai, it has a root)
- be bornIn the natal chart, there is a large amount of the Day Master's element (for example, if the Day Master is Jia Wood, the chart has a lot of water to nourish the wood).
- to receive helpIn the fate chart, there are a large number of characters that share the same element as the Day Master (all are Wood, with many peers and robbing wealth).
The more of the above conditions are met, the stronger the Day Master; conversely, the weaker it is. Those with a strong self prefer to control and release (favoring officers and killers, food and伤), while those with a weak self prefer nurturing and support (favoring the 印星 and peers).
A Simple Table of the Ten Gods Relationships
Taking the Day Master as 'self,' the relationships between the other stems and branches of the chart and the Day Master’s Five Elements form the 'Ten Gods':
- shoulder to shoulder: Same Five Elements and Same Yin-Yang as the Day Master (siblings, competition)
- rob wealth: Same Five Elements as the Day Master but different Yin-Yang (secretly competing for wealth)
- God of Food: The day master produces, same yin and yang (talent, output)
- Hurting Officer: The Day Master gives birth, different yin and yang (talent, rebellion)
- Regular income: Controlled by the Day Master, opposite yin and yang (stable income)
- Windfall income: The one controlled by the Day Master, same yin and yang (unexpected wealth, father)
- Proper Official: recent Lord, different yin and yang (work, rules)
- Seven Killings: Chief of the day, along with yin and yang (pressure, authority)
- Proper Seal: Birthday lord, different yin and yang (mother, studies)
- Unconventional Resource: Birthday Lord, shares Yin and Yang (unconventional wisdom)
What is 'Da Yun' and how is it arranged?
Luck cycles are the main framework of fortune that changes every ten years in a person's life, starting from the month pillar and progressing according to the order of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches:
- Born in a Yang year (Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, Ren year) - boy; born in a Yin year - girl: arranged in order (counting backward according to the sequence of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches)
- Born in a Yin year gives a boy, born in a Yang year gives a girl: reverse calculation (count forward in the order of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches)
- Starting age: Calculated by dividing the number of days from the date of birth to the nearest solar term by 3 (every 3 days represents 1 year)
Common Mistakes in Self-Studying the Eight Characters
- The more characters, the better: The Eight Characters are not about "whatever is available is fine"; the key lies in balance and the use of favorable elements.
- If a certain line is missing, what is inevitably missing?: Lack of metal does not necessarily mean a lack of willpower; the overall configuration of the destiny chart is the key.
- Only look at the major fortune period and not at the annual fortuneMajor luck is the background, annual luck is the trigger; only by combining the two can one be accurate.
- Ignore the hidden stems of the Earthly BranchesMultiple heavenly stems are hidden within the Earthly Branches, which are an important source of energy in the destiny chart.