BaZi Knowledge Base
27 entries across seven themes, from charting rules to Ten Gods, spirits, Liu Yao and Zi Wei. Each stands alone and cross-references the rest.
Introduction and Chart Setup6 entries
From the Four Pillars to solar terms and time zones, first establish a consistent framework for chart setup.
BaZi basics: Heavenly Stems, Earthly Branches and the Four Pillars
BaZi records a birth time using Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches: two characters each for the year, month, day and hour. This introduction explains these eight characters, the sixty-pair cycle and the Four Pillars.
Are Chinese BaZi, Korean Saju and Japanese Shichu Suimei the same?
Chinese, Korean and Japanese traditions all use four birth-time stem–branch pairs. The eight characters are usually the same, while time conversion, school conventions and interpretive emphasis can differ.
Solar terms and the Month Pillar: why BaZi months do not begin on lunar day one
BaZi months change at the twelve jie boundaries: Li Chun starts the first month and Jing Zhe the second. Neither lunar day one nor the first day of a calendar month sets this boundary. Births near a solar-term transition need particular care.
Daylight saving time and chart casting: that extra hour on the clock
Mainland China observed daylight saving time during designated summer periods from 1986 to 1991. For births recorded while it was in effect, subtract the extra hour before the subsequent chart-time conversion; otherwise the Hour Pillar may differ.
Can you calculate BaZi without knowing your birth hour?
Without the hour, the year, month and day still provide three pillars and six characters. They offer a Day Master and a partial elemental picture. Leave Hour Pillar matters uncertain rather than inventing a time.
Why do different BaZi calculators give different results?
When websites or AI tools give different BaZi results, the discrepancy often begins before interpretation: how the birth time is converted and how the pillars are calculated. Compare the eight characters before comparing conclusions.
Ten Gods10 entries
Ten relational types derived with the Day Master as the reference point—the system of interpersonal dynamics and personality traits in the Eight Characters.
Bi Jian (Peer): companions on equal footing
Bi Jian shares the Day Master's element and polarity. It symbolizes peers and equals, as well as independence and a mind of one's own.
Jie Cai (Rob Wealth): initiative and sharing
Jie Cai shares the Day Master's element but has the opposite polarity. It is often pictured as a more outgoing Peer: enterprising, sociable and ready to share. Its traditional name does not predict financial loss.
Shi Shen (Eating God): talent, pleasure and expression
Shi Shen is produced by the Day Master's element and shares its polarity. It represents gentle, natural expression and talent, together with enjoying everyday life.
Shang Guan (Hurting Officer): talent with an edge
Shang Guan is produced by the Day Master and has the opposite polarity. Like Shi Shen it represents talent, but its traditional style is sharper and more individual: outspoken, inventive and willing to challenge rules.
Zheng Cai (Direct Wealth): steady work and resources
Zheng Cai is the element controlled by the Day Master, with the opposite polarity. It symbolizes resources earned through sustained effort, such as wages or long-term business, and a practical, planned approach to money.
Pian Cai (Indirect Wealth): opportunities and connections
Pian Cai is controlled by the Day Master and shares its polarity. It symbolizes variable resources, such as business proceeds, investments or bonuses, and the themes of generosity and social connections.
Zheng Guan (Direct Officer): rules, responsibility and reputation
Zheng Guan controls the Day Master and has the opposite polarity. It symbolizes proportionate rules and limits, self-discipline, responsibility, position and reputation.
Qi Sha (Seven Killings): pressure and decisiveness
Qi Sha controls the Day Master and shares its polarity. Also called Indirect Officer, it symbolizes forceful pressure and the resolve traditionally associated with facing it.
Zheng Yin (Direct Resource): learning and support
Zheng Yin produces the Day Master and has the opposite polarity. Like the care of elders or teachers, it symbolizes learning, qualifications, reputation and help during difficulty.
Pian Yin (Indirect Resource): specialist knowledge and intuition
Pian Yin produces the Day Master and shares its polarity. Also called Xiao Shen, it symbolizes unconventional learning, specialized skills, inspiration and intuition.
Day Master and Strength/Weakness2 entries
The strength or weakness of the Day Master and the imagery of the ten Heavenly Stems serve as the baseline for selecting the favorable element.
Day Master strength: what makes a BaZi chart strong or weak?
Strength describes how much support the Day Master receives relative to the forces using or controlling its energy. It is not a good-or-bad score, but a starting point for considering balance within the traditional framework.
The ten Day Masters: traditional images of Jia, Yi, Bing and more
The Day Master is the Heavenly Stem representing you in a BaZi chart. Each of the ten stems has a traditional image, such as a tree for Jia, the sun for Bing or rain and dew for Gui. These images offer an accessible introduction.
Symbolic stars1 entry
Detail stars derived from combination rules serve as supporting evidence rather than primary determinants.
Six Lines6 entries
From casting the hexagram to assigning the Six Relatives using the Na Jia method, a complete chain from hexagram formation to interpretation.
Casting a Liu Yao hexagram with three coins
The most common Liu Yao casting method uses three coins tossed six times. Record the two sides after each toss and draw six lines from bottom to top to form a hexagram. This article walks through a complete example.
Na Jia: assigning stems and branches to each line
A hexagram by itself shows yin and yang, but not the Five Elements. Na Jia assigns a stem–branch pair to each of its six lines by fixed rules. These pairs allow comparison of elemental generation and control, the first step in interpreting a hexagram.
Five Elements in Liu Yao: what represents “self”?
In Liu Yao, the element of the hexagram’s palace represents “self.” Comparing each line’s element with it shows what supports or controls it. The casting month and day are then used to assess each line’s strength.
Six Relations: people and matters in a hexagram
Parents, Siblings, Descendants, Wife/Wealth and Officer/Ghost are Liu Yao’s five categories for people and matters. Selecting the category relevant to the question is called choosing the focal significator (取用神).
Six Spirits: adding character to each line
The Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, Gou Chen, Flying Serpent, White Tiger and Black Tortoise are assigned to the six lines according to the casting day’s stem. They describe a matter’s character and atmosphere, rather than independently determining a favorable or unfavorable outcome.
Self and Response lines: “me” and “the other”
The Self line represents the querent; the Response line represents the other party or the matter asked about. Their positions follow the hexagram’s place within its palace, and their elemental relationship provides the framework for many readings.
Purple Star Astrology1 entry
The Twelve Palaces and star combinations form another coordinate system for interpreting the chart.
Annual cycles and luck cycles1 entry
The interaction between the annual luck cycle and the birth chart, understanding the imagery of the year and individual boundaries.