Understanding the composition of the Shengchen Bazhi: The Shengchen Bazhi consists of eight characters formed by the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches of the birth year, month, day, and hour. Each character is composed of one Heavenly Stem and one Earthly Branch, making up four pillars, with each pillar containing two characters, totaling eight characters. (You can leave your Shengchen Bazhi in the comments section.)
Meaning: Represents the year of a person's birth, symbolizing family background such as ancestors and parents, as well as the starting stage and foundation of life in the Eight Characters. It has a certain influence on a person's innate luck and familial inheritance. Example: If someone is born in 2025, which is the Yi-Si year, "Yi" is the Heavenly Stem and "Si" is the Earthly Branch, forming the Year Pillar.
Month Pillar ;
Meaning: Indicates the month of birth, reflecting the influence of seasonal climate on the individual. In feng shui and Chinese astrology, it is related to the karmic ties with siblings and parents, as well as the luck during youth. It embodies environmental factors and early development opportunities in a person's growth process. Example: February 5, 2025, corresponds to the first lunar month, which is the Wu-Yin month in the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches system. "Wu" is the Heavenly Stem and "Yin" is the Earthly Branch, forming the Month Pillar.
Day Pillar:
Meaning: Represents the specific date of birth and is the core part of the Eight Characters. The Day Stem in the Day Pillar represents the individual himself/herself, while the Day Branch reflects information about the spouse, as well as the individual's inner world, marriage, and family. It plays a key role in determining a person's character, temperament, marriage, and luck during middle age. Example: February 5, 2025, is the Gui-You day. "Gui" is the Heavenly Stem and "You" is the Earthly Branch, forming the Day Pillar. "Gui" represents the individual, and various characteristics and luck of the individual are analyzed through its relationship with other Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches.
Hour Pillar :
Meaning: Indicates the specific time of birth and is related to children, luck in later life, etc., in the Eight Characters. It also reflects a person's development trend and final outcome in the later stages of life, as well as having an impact on personal character formation and behavior patterns. Example: If someone is born at 10 a.m., which corresponds to the Si hour, combined with the Day Stem "Gui" from the Day Pillar, the Hour Pillar may be Ding-Si. "Ding" is the Heavenly Stem and "Si" is the Earthly Branch.
The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches cooperate with each other according to certain rules, jointly constituting the various pillars of the Shengchen Bazhi. Through the relationships of the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) interaction and Yin-Yang harmony, they reflect various information and changes in a person's life luck.
The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches have fixed correspondences with the Five Elements. The Heavenly Stems Jia and Yi correspond to Wood, Bing and Ding correspond to Fire, Wu and Ji correspond to Earth, Geng and Xin correspond to Metal, and Ren and Gui correspond to Water; the Earthly Branches Hai and Zi correspond to Water, Yin and Mao correspond to Wood, Si and Wu correspond to Fire, Shen and You correspond to Metal, and Chen, Wei, Xu, and Chou correspond to Earth.
The Five-Element Attributes of the Heavenly Stems
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Jia and Yi belong to Wood: Jia is Yang Wood, and Yi is Yin Wood. Jia Wood represents towering trees and pillars, with characteristics of vigor, upward growth, and positivity; Yi Wood symbolizes flowers, vines, and other flexible woods, being more gentle, delicate, and agile.
Bing and Ding belong to Fire: Bing is Yang Fire, and Ding is Yin Fire. Bing Fire is like the sun's fire, passionate, bright, and powerful, with the ability to illuminate and warm all things; Ding Fire is like a candle's flame, relatively soft but capable of lighting up the darkness, with characteristics of agility and keenness.
Wu and Ji belong to Earth: Wu is Yang Earth, and Ji is Yin Earth. Wu Earth represents the heavy and solid earth of the land and mountains, with characteristics of stability, support, and inclusiveness; Ji Earth is like the soil of a field, with a greater function of nourishing and nurturing all things, being more delicate and mild.
Geng and Xin belong to Metal: Geng is Yang Metal, and Xin is Yin Metal. Geng Metal is like swords, minerals, and other rigid metals, with characteristics of sharpness, rigidity, and austerity; Xin Metal is like jewelry and ornaments, delicate and gentle, focusing more on adornment and displaying value.
Ren and Gui belong to Water: Ren is Yang Water, and Gui is Yin Water. Ren Water is like the water of rivers, lakes, and seas, surging relentlessly, with strong fluidity and impact, representing exuberance and freedom; Gui Water is like rain and dew, gentle and nourishing, with the characteristic of nourishing all things silently.
The Five-Element Attributes of the Earthly Branches
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Yin and Mao belong to Wood: Yin is Yang Wood, and Mao is Yin Wood. Yin Wood is like a big tree in the forest, with vitality and an upward growth trend, combined with a certain degree of masculine energy; Mao Wood is like the flexible wood on the plain, more feminine and docile, representing a purer wood energy.
Si and Wu belong to Fire: Si is Yin Fire, and Wu is Yang Fire. Si Fire is feminine fire, with characteristics of concealment and restraint, like underground magma containing enormous energy; Wu Fire is like the scorching sun in the sky, bright and hot, pure Yang Fire with a strong power to illuminate and burn.
Shen and You belong to Metal: Shen is Yang Metal, and You is Yin Metal. Shen Metal is like newly mined ore, with original rigidity and sharpness, strong variability and aggressiveness; You Metal is like refined metal, purer and more exquisite, representing convergence and an austere qi.
Hai and Zi belong to Water: Hai is Yang Water, and Zi is Yin Water. Hai Water is like surging rivers and great rivers, with powerful energy and fluidity, and with a certain amount of wood energy because it contains Jia Wood, having the characteristic of nurturing life; Zi Water is like calm lake or well water, pure Yin Water, clear and agile, representing wisdom and storage.
Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei belong to Earth: Chen is Yang Earth, Xu is Yang Earth, Chou is Yin Earth, and Wei is Yin Earth. Chen Earth is wet earth containing water, like a reservoir, with the characteristic of nourishing all things and a certain degree of fluidity; Xu Earth is dry earth, like arid land, relatively solid, with the function of storage and stability; Chou Earth is cold earth, present in winter, with the function of storing all things and nurturing new life; Wei Earth is dry earth, prevalent in summer, with vigorous fire energy, and strong carrying and nurturing capabilities.
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Calculation of the Year Pillar
GanZhi Calendar for Years: There are 10 Heavenly Stems: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui; and 12 Earthly Branches: Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai. By pairing the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches in sequence, 60 basic units are formed, known as the "Sixty JiaZi," which cycle through for year reckoning.
Example: Taking 2025 as an example, starting from the known JiaZi year and considering a 60-year cycle, 2025 is 41 years after 1984 (JiaZi year). By moving forward in sequence, we find that 2025 is a YiSi year. Alternatively, divide the year by 60, take the remainder, and consult the Sixty JiaZi table to find the corresponding stem and branch. For instance, 2025 ÷ 60 = 33 with a remainder of 45. Counting from JiaZi, the 45th entry is YiSi.Calculation of the Month Pillar
WuHu TunNian Method for Determining the Month: If the year's Heavenly Stem is Jia or Ji, the first month is BingYin; if it's Yi or Geng, the first month is WuYin; if it's Bing or Xin, the first month is GengYin; if it's Ding or Ren, the first month is RengYin; if it's Wu or Gui, the first month is JiaYin. Knowing the stem and branch of the first month, the rest of the months can be calculated sequentially.
Example: For the YiSi year 2025, the first month is WuYin, the second month is JiMao, the third month is GengChen, and so on.Calculation of the Day Pillar
Consulting the WanNianLi (Perpetual Calendar): The simplest method is to directly consult the WanNianLi, find the specific date of birth, and ascertain the stem and branch of the day pillar.
Formula Calculation: Some formulas can be used for calculation, but they are relatively complex. One commonly used formula is: G = 4C + [C / 4] + 5y + [y / 4] + [3 * (M + 1) / 5] + d - 3. Here, G is the Julian Day number, C is the century number minus 1 (for the year 2025, C = 20), y is the last two digits of the year (for 2025, y = 25), M is the month (if it's January or February, it should be considered as the 13th or 14th month of the previous year), and d is the day of the month. After calculating G, divide it by 60 and take the remainder. The corresponding stem and branch for the remainder is the day pillar. However, this method involves a cumbersome calculation process and requires an accurate understanding of the terms in the formula.Calculation of the Hour Pillar
WuShu DunRi QiShi Method: If the day's Heavenly Stem is Jia or Ji, the Zi hour is JiaZi; if it's Yi or Geng, the Zi hour is BingZi; if it's Bing or Xin, the Zi hour is WuZi; if it's Ding or Ren, the Zi hour is GengZi; if it's Wu or Gui, the Zi hour is RengZi. Knowing the stem and branch of the Zi hour, the rest of the hours can be calculated sequentially.
Example: If someone is born on a GuiYou day, according to the WuShu DunRi QiShi Method, the Zi hour is RengZi, the Chou hour is GuiChou, the Yin hour is JiaYin, and so on.
Analyzing the Five Elements relationship in the Eight Characters: By assessing whether the Five Elements in the birth chart are balanced, one can understand the character, health status, career development, and other aspects of the person. The relationship of mutual generation and restraint among the Five Elements is key to interpreting one's fate. For example, Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal, Metal generates Water, and Water generates Wood; Wood restrains Earth, Earth restrains Water, Water restrains Fire, Fire restrains Metal, and Metal restrains Wood.
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Five Elements' Generation and Restraint Relationships
Generation: Metal generates Water, Water generates Wood, Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, and Earth generates Metal. In the Eight Characters (BaZi), the generation relationship represents a nourishing, promoting, and supporting force. For example, if the Metal element is weak in the BaZi but is supported by the Water element, Metal can be supplemented and enhanced, similar to how metal melts into a liquid state at high temperatures, akin to the process of Metal generating Water.
Restraint: Metal restrains Wood, Wood restrains Earth, Earth restrains Water, Water restrains Fire, and Fire restrains Metal. The restraint relationship embodies a constraining and controlling effect. For instance, if the Fire element is too strong in the BaZi, an appropriate amount of Water element can restrain it, preventing the fire from being too intense and achieving a balance, just like how water can extinguish fire in real life.
Analysis of Five Elements' Strength
Seasonal Influence: The strength of the Five Elements is judged based on the season of birth. For example, Wood is strong in spring, Fire is strong in summer, Metal is strong in autumn, Water is strong in winter, and Earth is strong at the end of each season. If a person is born in spring, the Wood element in their BaZi is relatively strong.
Root Strength: This refers to whether the Five Elements are in their ruling Earthly Branch or have strong roots. For example, if the Day Master is Jia Wood and the person is born in the Yin or Mao month, it is considered to have root strength because Yin and Mao are strong roots for Wood, representing powerful Wood energy.
Support: This refers to whether the Five Elements have many similar or generating elements in the BaZi to support them. If multiple Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches in the BaZi are Fire, or there is a lot of Wood to generate Fire, then the strength of Fire is very powerful, which is considered to have support.
Circulation and Balance of the Five Elements
Circulation: The ideal BaZi is one where the Five Elements can circulate smoothly, forming a cycle of Metal generating Water, Water generating Wood, Wood generating Fire, Fire generating Earth, and Earth generating Metal. Such a BaZi represents smooth energy flow for the person, and their luck in various aspects is relatively stable and smooth. If there is a blockage between the Five Elements, such as Metal restraining Wood too much without Water to mediate, it may lead to stagnant energy flow, which may manifest as obstacles or difficulties in certain aspects of real life.
Balance: Balance of the Five Elements is an ideal state where the strength of the various Five Elements in the BaZi is relatively equal, with none being too strong or too weak. People with balanced Five Elements usually have a more peaceful personality and relatively stable luck. If the Five Elements are out of balance, such as one element being too strong, it may cause the person to be too prominent or deficient in certain aspects, thereby affecting various aspects of their life.
Special Configurations and Relationships
Submission Pattern: When the strength of a certain Five Element in the BaZi is too powerful, and the other elements cannot compete with it, a submission pattern may form. For example, a Wealth Submission pattern occurs when the Wealth star (the Five Element representing wealth) is strong in the BaZi, and the Day Master (the Five Element representing the person themselves) is weak, so the Day Master can only submit to the strength of the Wealth star. In this pattern, the person's financial luck is often closely related to the submitted Five Element.
Combination and Transformation: There are five combinations among the Heavenly Stems: Jia and Ji combine to form Earth, Yi and Geng combine to form Metal, Bing and Xin combine to form Water, Ding and Ren combine to form Wood, and Wu and Gui combine to form Fire; there are six combinations among the Earthly Branches, such as Zi and Chou combining to form Earth, Yin and Hai combining to form Wood, etc. Whether the combination and transformation are successful will have a significant impact on the Five Elements' relationship in the BaZi. After combination and transformation, the strength and nature of the Five Elements will change, which in turn will affect the person's luck.
Learning BaZi Terminology: Understand common BaZi terms such as Heavenly Stems, Earthly Branches, Zodiac Animals (or Chinese Zodiac), Five Elements, Yin and Yang, Auspiciousness and Inauspiciousness, and Ten Gods. These terms are the foundation of BaZi analysis.
Basic Concepts
BaZi (Eight Characters): Also known as Four Pillars, consisting of the Year Pillar, Month Pillar, Day Pillar, and Hour Pillar. Each pillar is composed of a Heavenly Stem and an Earthly Branch, totaling eight characters, used to represent the year, month, day, and hour of a person's birth.
Day Master: Also called Yuan Ri or Ri Gan, it is the Heavenly Stem in the BaZi that represents the individual themselves and is the core of BaZi analysis.
Useful God (Yong Shen): In BaZi, it refers to the Five Element or Heavenly Stem/Earthly Branch that balances the chart and benefits the Day Master, playing a crucial role.
Unfavorable God (Ji Shen): Opposite to the Useful God, it refers to the Five Element or Heavenly Stem/Earthly Branch that disrupts the balance of the chart and harms the Day Master, bringing adverse effects.
Ten Gods Categories
Zheng Guan (Positive Officer): The Yin-Yang opposite element that controls the Day Master, representing laws, discipline, official positions, superiors, etc., and symbolizing one's reputation, status, and sense of responsibility.
Pian Guan (Seven Killings): Also known as Seven Killings, it is the Yin-Yang same-sex element that controls the Day Master, representing dignity, power, pressure, adversaries, etc., with strong aggressiveness and authority.
Zheng Yin (Positive Print): The Yin-Yang opposite element that nourishes the Day Master, representing mothers, elders, education, reputation, benefactors, etc., embodying a loving, protective, and nourishing force.
Pian Yin (Negative Print): Also called Xiao Shen, it is the Yin-Yang same-sex element that nourishes the Day Master, representing stepmothers, unconventional careers, insight, etc., sometimes exhibiting indifference and selfishness.
Bi Jian (Shoulder to Shoulder): The Yin-Yang same-sex element that is identical to the Day Master, representing brothers, sisters, friends, etc., symbolizing equality, competition, and mutual assistance.
Jie Cai (Robbing Wealth): The Yin-Yang opposite element that is identical to the Day Master, representing sisters, brothers, friends, etc., more impulsive and competitive than Bi Jian, potentially implying contention and financial loss.
Shi Shen (Food God): The Yin-Yang same-sex element generated by the Day Master, representing talent, skills, good fortune in food, children, etc., embodying a gentle, open-minded, and enjoyable lifestyle.
Shang Guan (Injury Officer): The Yin-Yang opposite element generated by the Day Master, representing intelligence, creativity, rebellion, fame, etc., talented but prone to arrogance.
Zheng Cai (Positive Wealth): The Yin-Yang opposite element controlled by the Day Master, representing wives, money, stable income, etc., wealth obtained through legitimate means.
Pian Cai (Negative Wealth): The Yin-Yang same-sex element controlled by the Day Master, representing fathers, lovers, unexpected wealth, etc., usually indicating larger and unstable sources of wealth.
Chart Patterns
Zheng Ge (Standard Patterns): Including Zheng Guan, Zheng Yin, Shi Shen, Shang Guan, Pian Cai, Zheng Cai, Seven Killings, Jie Cai, and Bi Jian patterns, established based on the revealed stem from the hidden stems in the monthly branch that serves as the Useful God.
Wai Ge (Special Patterns): Such as Following Wealth, Following Officer, Following Children, Following Strength, Following Weakness, etc., referring to special patterns where a certain Five Element force in the BaZi is overly strong, and the Day Master can only conform to its trend.
Za Qi Ge (Mixed Qi Pattern): When the monthly branch contains many hidden stems without a clear dominant or revealed force, the resulting pattern is more complex, known as the Mixed Qi Pattern, such as the Mixed Qi Wealth and Officer Pattern.
Gods and Evil Spirits
Peach Blossom: Represents love, romance, talent, etc., with different types like Xian Chi Peach Blossom and Wall-Outer Peach Blossom, indicating the individual's traits in relationships and the arts.
Yi Ma (Travel Horse): Represents movement, migration, changes, etc. People with Yi Ma in their chart are usually restless and suited to jobs involving frequent travel.
Hua Gai (Canopy of Heaven): Symbolizes talent, loneliness, religious beliefs, etc. People with Hua Gai in their chart often have sharp minds, unique artistic temperament, and spiritual pursuits.
Tian Yi Gui Ren (Celestial Noble Helper): An important auspicious god, representing assistance from noble people, turning calamities into blessings, etc. People with Tian Yi Gui Ren in their chart easily receive help and support from others in life.
Luck Categories
Da Yun (Major Luck Cycle): Based on the BaZi arrangement, with a ten-year cycle, used to infer changes in a person's luck during different stages.
Liu Nian (Flowing Year): Refers to each specific year, combined with Da Yun to analyze the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of that year.
Ming Gong (Life Palace): Complements the BaZi, aiding in judging a person's personality and fate tendencies, representing one's spiritual world and inner pursuits.