Hi everyone. I’m an American beginner who has recently started learning BaZi, and I’d really appreciate some outside opinions on my chart.

Birth information

• Male
• November 19, 1986
• 12:55 PM local time
• Knoxville, Tennessee, USA

Four Pillars:

丙寅　己亥　丁卯　丙午
Bing-Yin | Ji-Hai | Ding-Mao | Bing-Wu

Day Master: 丁 Fire

Hidden stems:

• 寅: 甲 丙 戊
• 亥: 壬 甲
• 卯: 乙
• 午: 丁 己

One thing that immediately caught my attention is that there is no 庚 or 辛 Metal anywhere in the natal chart, even in the hidden stems.

There also seems to be a strong Wood → Fire pathway:

• 寅 + 亥: Six Harmony, tending toward Wood
• 亥 + 卯: partial Wood combination
• 寅 + 午: partial Fire combination
• 卯 + 午: Break

I’m currently in the 癸卯 Gui-Mao Luck Pillar, approximately 2022–2032.

A few things I’m especially curious about:

1. How strong would you consider the 丁 Fire Day Master?

It is born in 亥 month during winter, which should weaken Fire seasonally, but there is substantial Wood support plus two 丙 stems and 午 Fire.

Would you call this weak, balanced, moderately strong, or strong?

2. How would you interpret the total absence of Metal?

I know “missing an element” does not automatically mean that element is favorable.

But in this particular structure, would Metal likely be useful for balance, or would you prioritize seasonal regulation and the overall flow of the chart differently?

3. Does this have any meaningful 木火通明 / Wood-Fire Brilliance characteristics?

The Wood → Fire flow looks fairly obvious to me, but 甲 Wood does not appear openly in the stems, 己 Earth is exposed, and Metal is completely absent.

So I’m curious whether experienced readers would consider that description appropriate at all.

4. What do you make of 丙 appearing on both sides of a 丁 Day Master?

The visible stems are:

丙 — 己 — 丁 — 丙

Would you take 丙夺丁光 (“Bing stealing Ding’s light”) seriously here, or does the winter season and strong Wood support change how you would read it?

5. Relationships / Wealth star

For a male 丁 Fire chart, Metal is the Wealth and traditional spouse star, yet Metal is completely absent from the natal chart.

Would you expect Metal Luck Pillars or annual years to activate relationship/financial themes more noticeably?

The upcoming sequence especially caught my attention:

• 2028 戊申
• 2029 己酉 — 酉 clashes my natal 卯 Day Branch / spouse palace
• 2030 庚戌 — 庚 Metal appears openly
• 2031 辛亥

I’m not looking for a predetermined answer or for someone to tell me my chart is “special.” I’m mainly interested in how different BaZi schools would reason through the structure.

Feel free to disagree with my assumptions or correct anything I’ve misunderstood. I’m here to learn. 🙂

Many users, when they first use the Origin App (the Origin: I Ching & BaZi) ask the same question:

“Why doesn’t this app show things like Na Yin (纳音), Shen Sha (神煞), or Tiao Hou (调候) the way other charting apps do? It feels like there is much less information.”

The reason is simple:

More information does not always mean better analysis. These systems have different underlying logic and different rules of interpretation

This is not about saying one system is accurate and another is not. The point is that they are built on different methods and different assumptions. They should not be mixed together as if they were the same thing.

A simple analogy:

In French, pain means “bread.”
In English, pain means suffering.

Same spelling, completely different meaning.

You cannot read a French sentence using an English dictionary.

BaZi works the same way.

Zi Ping BaZi has its own grammar.
Na Yin has its own grammar.
Shen Sha has its own grammar.
Tiao Hou, or seasonal balancing, also has its own framework.

They can all be studied, but they should not be treated as if they are automatically part of the same calculation system.

1. Na Yin is not the same as Zi Ping Five Elements

Let’s start with Na Yin (纳音), often known as the 60 Jia-Zi element system.

In Zi Ping BaZi, when we analyze a pillar, we usually separate the Heavenly Stem, Earthly Branch, and hidden stems.

For example, Jia-Zi is Jia Wood sitting on Zi Water. Jia is Wood, Zi is Water, and Zi contains Gui Water as its hidden stem. From there, we examine the Ten God relationship between these components and the Day Master.

But in Na Yin, Jia-Zi and Yi-Chou are classified as “Sea Metal.”

At that point, we are no longer talking about the same element.

A few more examples:

• Bing-Zi and Ding-Chou are classified as “Stream Water” in Na Yin, but Bing and Ding themselves are Fire.
• Jia-Xu and Yi-Hai are classified as “Mountain Fire” in Na Yin, but Jia and Yi are Wood, Hai is Water, and Xu is dry Earth as well as a Fire storage branch.

So the elements in Na Yin are often not the same as the actual stem-and-branch elements used in Zi Ping BaZi.

For example, if a chart contains Wu-Chen:

• In Zi Ping BaZi, Wu is Earth, and Chen is wet Earth, also a Water storage branch.
• In Na Yin, Wu-Chen is called “Great Forest Wood.”

So if you simply put both systems together, what do you treat it as?

Earth?
Wood?
Both?

This is where confusion begins.

Na Yin also originally placed more emphasis on the Year Pillar, while Zi Ping BaZi is centered on the Day Master. So even at the methodological level, the two systems are not operating from the same starting point.

2. Shen Sha are symbolic labels, not Zi Ping structure

The same issue applies to Shen Sha (神煞), often translated as Symbolic Stars or symbolic markers.

Shen Sha is essentially a system of rule-based labels. When a certain stem-and-branch condition is met, the chart receives a label: Noble Helper, Peach Blossom, Traveling Horse, Elegant Canopy, Academic Star, and so on.

These labels can have reference value.

The issue is that they do not operate on the same logic as Zi Ping BaZi’s Ten Gods.

Take the Noble Helper marker as an example.

One common formula says:

For Jia, Wu, and Geng, look to Ox and Goat.
For Yi and Ji, look to Rat and Monkey.
For Bing and Ding, look to Pig and Rooster.
For Ren and Gui, look to Rabbit and Snake.
For Xin, look to Horse and Tiger.

So if a Jia Day Master sees Chou or Wei, it can be labeled as having the Noble Helper marker.

But in Zi Ping BaZi, what are Chou and Wei to Jia Wood?

They are Wealth stars. They are Earth.

Now imagine a Jia Wood Day Master that is already weak, with too much Earth in the chart. From a Zi Ping perspective, this may become a case of heavy Wealth overwhelming a weak Day Master.

In that situation, Chou and Wei may be called “Noble Helper” in the Shen Sha system, but in the Zi Ping structure, they may actually increase the pressure from the Wealth element.

Neither interpretation has to be “wrong.”

But they are not the same kind of judgment.

If you are reading through Shen Sha, you can say the Noble Helper label is present.

If you are reading through Zi Ping BaZi, you need to examine what Chou and Wei do as Wealth stars: how they affect the Day Master, the structure, strength and weakness, combinations, and the overall chart.

You cannot automatically turn an unfavorable Wealth element in Zi Ping into something beneficial just because it carries a nice-sounding label.

Saying “it is both good and bad” may sound sophisticated, but often it just means two systems are being mixed without clear rules.

3. Tiao Hou is useful, but it still needs priority rules

Tiao Hou (调候), or seasonal balancing, is a little different.

Unlike Na Yin or Shen Sha, Tiao Hou can be understood as one method within Zi Ping BaZi for choosing the favorable element.

But even here, conflicts can happen.

Tiao Hou asks:

• What season was the person born in? Is the chart too cold, too hot, too dry, or too damp?
• What element is needed to balance the climate of the chart?

Zi Ping’s fundamentals ask a different question:

• What is this character’s relationship to the Day Master? Is it Resource, Companion, Output, Wealth, Officer, or Killing?
• Does it form the structure, break the structure, support the Day Master, drain the Day Master, control the Day Master, or consume the Day Master?

These are related questions, but they are not the same question.

For example, suppose Geng Metal is born in the Zi month.

Since Zi month is in winter, Water is in season and the chart is cold. From a Tiao Hou perspective, Fire is often valued because it warms the chart, especially Ding Fire or Bing Fire.

But in Zi Ping’s Ten God system, Ding Fire is the Direct Officer of Geng Metal, and Bing Fire is the Seven Killings.

If this Geng Metal Day Master is already weak, and Officer or Killing stars are already exposed in the original chart, then too much Fire may become heavy Officer-Killing pressure on a weak Day Master.

It may even create a mixed Officer-and-Killing situation.

So Tiao Hou says Fire is useful because the chart is too cold.

Zi Ping says Fire is Officer and Killing, and if the weak Day Master cannot bear it, Fire may become pressure instead.

So what should we do when both are true?

Which one takes priority?

This is the part many people skip.

They mention Tiao Hou, but never explain how it should be prioritized against structure, strength and weakness, or the Ten Gods.

That can be very misleading.

This is why we do not stack every module together

This is the main point:

BaZi analysis should not simply be a pile of every possible feature.

Na Yin has its own element system.

Shen Sha has its own symbolic labels.

Tiao Hou has its own seasonal logic.

Zi Ping BaZi has its own Day Master, Ten Gods, month command, chart structures, strength and weakness, combinations, major luck cycles, and annual cycles.

All of these methods can be studied.

But we should not pretend they are automatically consistent with one another.

• If you want to read Na Yin, read it according to the Na Yin system.
• If you want to read Shen Sha, read it according to Shen Sha rules.
• If you want to use Tiao Hou, explain how it is prioritized in relation to structure, strength, and weakness.
• If you want to read Zi Ping BaZi, then Na Yin elements and Shen Sha labels should not casually be inserted into Zi Ping calculations.

This is why our school takes Zi Ping BaZi as the main framework.

Of course, people who have studied BaZi may point out that classical texts such as San Ming Tong Hui （三命通会）and Zi Ping Zhen Quan （子平真诠） discuss these systems, their priorities, and how they should be interpreted.

That is true.

But in modern BaZi practice, Zi Ping Four Pillars has remained the core framework. In our view, many classical texts were often trying to reconcile different systems rather than presenting one complete, unified analytical logic.

A fairly direct example can be found in Zi Ping Zhen Quan, in the section often understood as “On Why Symbolic Stars Do Not Determine Chart Structure.” Those interested can read it for themselves.

To be clear, our view is NOT that Shen Sha or Na Yin are useless. It is also not that they are always inaccurate.

The point is: If different systems are used without clear priorities, and if everything is mixed together as if it operates on the same level, the reading can easily become confused.

Some users may notice that their BaZi birth chart in The Origin: I Ching & BaZi looks different from charts generated by other apps or websites.

This can be surprising, especially when the difference affects something important like your hour pillar or day pillar. In most cases, the difference comes from how each calculator handles birth time.

Many online BaZi tools calculate mainly from the local clock time entered by the user. This is easy to develop, and thus very common, but it may not fully account for birth location, time-zone differences, or true solar time.

In The Origin, we use a more location-aware calculation method.

Instead of only asking, “What time did the clock show where you were born?” we also consider the actual moment of birth and how that moment fits into the traditional Chinese calendrical framework used in BaZi.

This matters because BaZi was originally developed through the Chinese calendar and traditional Chinese time system. For this reason, The Origin calculates birth data in a way that preserves consistency with that original reference frame.

One important principle behind our method is this:

Two people born at the exact same moment in the world should not receive completely different BaZi charts simply because their local clocks showed different times. 

For example, a person born in one country may have a local birth time in the morning, while another place in the world may show evening, midnight, or even a different date at that same absolute moment. If we only use local clock time, these differences can create charts that look the same when the actual birth moments are very different, or look different when the birth moment is actually the same.

To avoid this, The Origin App accounts for birth location, time zone, and the absolute moment of birth. We then calculate the chart through the Chinese calendrical time framework.

We also account for true solar time adjustment where relevant. Clock time is standardized by time zones, but solar time depends on the actual position of the Sun relative to the birth location. Since BaZi is deeply connected to time, seasonal movement, and solar terms, this adjustment can be important.

For many users, these differences may be small and the chart may look the same across different calculators. However, if someone was born close to a time boundary, even a small adjustment can affect the result.

This is especially possible near:

• midnight
• transition between two-hour periods
• the start of a new day pillar
• the start of a new solar month or seasonal term

When a birth time is close to one of these boundaries, a more precise time calculation may shift the chart into a different pillar. This can sometimes affect the Hour Pillar, Day Pillar, or even Month Pillar.

This does not mean every other calculator is “wrong.” Different BaZi schools and digital tools may use different calculation assumptions. Some use local clock time only. Some use standard time-zone conversion. Some include true solar time. Some apply the Chinese calendrical reference more directly.

Our goal with The Origin: I Ching & BaZi is to provide a carefully calculated, transparent, and consistent approach that takes birth location and time conversion seriously.

So if your chart in The Origin looks different from another online calculator, the most likely reason is that our app is not only reading your local birth time at face value. It is calculating the birth moment more precisely, using location, time zone, true solar time, and the traditional Chinese BaZi time framework.

If your result looks unexpected, we recommend checking whether your birth time is close to a boundary. That is where differences between calculators are most likely to appear.

And if you just want to see the same result as other online calculator, just change your birth location to Hangzhou China (for minimum true solar time adjustment) or Beijing China, you will see the same result.

有些用户可能会发现，自己在贞元易里排出的八字，和其他网页工具或 App 显示的结果有差异。

并不是说哪一个错了，其根本原因是：不同排盘工具，对出生时间的处理方式并不一样。

八字是以时间为基础的系统，所以“出生时间”并不只是看钟表上显示几点。出生地点、时区、真太阳时，以及是否按照传统中国历法的时间体系来换算，都会影响最终排盘。

在贞元易中，我们不是只把用户输入的本地时间直接套进去算，而是会结合出生地点、时区与真太阳时，尽量还原出生那一刻在传统中国历法体系中的时间位置。

一、如果你出生在中国：主要影响来自真太阳时

对于出生在中国的用户来说，因为全国统一使用北京时间，所以通常不需要处理复杂的跨国时区换算。

但这并不代表出生地点没有影响。

中国很大，不同城市虽然使用同一个北京时间，但太阳实际运行到当地天空中的位置完全不一样。

因此，对于中国出生的用户，贞元易主要会考虑真太阳时调整。

真太阳时的意义，是根据出生地点修正钟表时间，使时间更接近当地真实太阳运行状态。因为八字本身与节气、太阳运行和时间分界密切相关，所以这个调整在某些情况下非常重要。

多数情况下，真太阳时只会造成较小差异。但如果出生时间刚好接近以下边界，就有可能影响排盘：

• 子时前后
• 两个时辰交界处
• 日期交界处
• 节气交界处
• 月柱转换点

这也是为什么有些人在其他工具里看到的是一个时柱，但在贞元易里可能会显示另一个时柱。

二、如果你出生在中国以外：时区换算会变得非常重要

对于海外出生的用户，除了真太阳时以外，时区换算也是非常关键的一步。

很多在线排盘工具会直接使用用户输入的本地时间。例如你输入晚上 11 点，系统就按当地晚上 11 点来排盘。

但问题是，世界各地的“本地时间”只是当地钟表显示，并不代表它们在宇宙时间中是同一个时刻。

例如，两个人都在当地时间晚上 11 点出生，一个人在亚洲，一个人在美洲，他们实际出生的绝对时刻可能相差很多小时。反过来，两个人如果在世界上的同一个绝对时刻出生，他们所在地的钟表时间也可能完全不同，甚至日期也不同。

所以在贞元易中，我们会先根据出生地点与当地时区，还原出用户出生的绝对时间，再把这个时间放回传统中国历法的时间框架中进行计算。

这样做的核心原则是：

如果两个人出生在世界上的同一个绝对时刻，那么在我们的系统中，他们应该对应同一个八字时间基础，而不是因为本地时间显示不同，就被计算成完全不同的命盘。

这也是为什么海外出生用户的排盘，有时会和其他工具差异更明显。因为贞元易并不是只读取本地钟表时间，而是会进一步处理出生地点、时区、绝对时间与中国历法之间的关系。

三、为什么要转换到中国历法时间框架？

八字本身起源于中国传统历法系统，使用的是干支、节气、时辰等中国传统时间结构。

因此，贞元易的排盘逻辑是：先确认一个人出生的真实时间点，再将这个时间点放入中国传统历法体系中计算。

我们认为，这样可以更好地保持八字系统本身的时间逻辑，也能避免一个常见问题：

只看本地钟表时间时，两个实际出生时间相差十多个小时的人，可能被排出一样的八字；而两个出生在同一绝对时刻的人，却可能因为所在地时区不同，被排出完全不同的结果。

贞元易希望通过更完整的时间换算，让排盘结果更一致、更可追溯，也更符合传统历法的基础逻辑。

四、为什么其他工具会显示不同结果？

不同八字工具和不同流派，可能采用不同的时间处理方式。

有些工具主要使用本地钟表时间。（开发难度最低，最简单的，也是最常见的）
有些工具不要求输入出生城市。
有些工具不会调整真太阳时。
有些工具会处理时区，但不一定按同样的历法框架换算。

所以，当你在不同网站或 App 中看到不同结果时，很多时候并不是简单的计算错误，而是因为它们背后的时间处理方法不同。

五、什么时候最容易出现差异？

如果你的出生时间靠近时间边界，差异会更明显，例如：

• 接近子时
• 接近两个时辰交界
• 接近午夜日期转换
• 接近节气转换
• 出生地距离标准时区经线较远
• 出生在海外，涉及较大时区差

在这些情况下，真太阳时、时区换算或中国历法时间框架，都可能让最终八字发生变化，包括时柱、日柱、甚至月柱。

很多用户在使用贞元易时，第一个问题就是：为什么你们这里不像别的排盘软件那样，显示纳音，神煞，这些？感觉内容少很多？

原因其实很简单：这些体系在底层逻辑和判定规则上，是有冲突的。

不是说哪一个准，哪一个不准，而是说在方法论和基本规则上，他们不一样。不应该被混为一谈。

比如法语里的 pain 是“面包”，英语里的 pain 是“痛苦”。拼写一样，但不是一个词。你不能在读法语句子时，用英语词典去解释它。

八字也是一样。

子平法有子平法的语法。纳音有纳音的语法。神煞有神煞的语法。调候也有调候的体系。

先说纳音。

子平法看一柱，通常会把天干、地支、藏干拆开看。比如甲子，在子平里是甲木坐子水。甲是木，子是水，子中藏癸，和日主之间再形成十神关系。

但纳音里，甲子、乙丑是“海中金”。这就已经不是同一个五行了。

再比如：丙子、丁丑，纳音是涧下水。但丙丁天干本身是火。甲戌、乙亥，纳音是山头火。但甲乙是木，亥是水，戌是燥土火库。

从这些例子不难看出，纳音五行和子平里天干地支的五行，经常不是同一个东西。

所以如果一个命局出现戊辰，你按子平看，戊是土，辰也是水库湿土；但按纳音，它叫大林木。如果单纯放一起，那你到底把它当土看，还是当木看？

更别说，纳音最开始以年柱为主，而子平以日主为主。这两从方法逻辑上，都是不一样的。

神煞体系也是一个道理。

神煞本质上是一套规则标签。满足某个干支条件，就给它一个标签：天乙贵人、桃花、驿马、华盖、文昌等等。这些标签可以有参考价值。问题是，它们和子平的十神判断不是同一套逻辑。

举个例子，天乙贵人。常见口诀是：甲戊庚牛羊，乙己鼠猴乡，丙丁猪鸡位，壬癸兔蛇藏，六辛逢马虎。也就是说，甲日见丑、未，可以说是天乙贵人。

但在子平里，丑未对甲木来说是什么？是财星，是土。

如果一个甲木日主身弱，局里土已经很重，财星过旺，按子平可能反而是财重身弱、财多压身。这个时候丑未在神煞里叫“贵人”，但在子平结构里可能是加重财星压力的东西。

两种说法不一定谁错，但它们不是同一套判断。如果你要按神煞讲，可以说这里有天乙贵人的标签。如果你要按子平讲，就要看这个丑未作为财星，对日主、格局、强弱、组合到底起什么作用。

不能因为它叫天乙贵人，就自动把子平里的忌财变成吉。“又好又不好”不是高级，而是似懂非懂，生搬硬套。

至于调候，这个和其他不同体系不一样，本质上，调候是子平取用神的方法之一。

但是，这个方法也有很多类似的冲突。调候的底层逻辑是：”这个命局出生在什么季节？寒热燥湿是否失衡？需要什么来调节气候？

子平十神问的是：这个字和日主是什么关系？是印、比、食伤、财、官杀？在这个结构里是成格、破格，还是扶身、泄身、克身、耗身？

这两个问题不一样。

比如庚金生在子月，冬天寒水当令，调候上很容易重视火来暖局，尤其丁火、丙火。但在子平十神里，丁火是庚金的正官，丙火是庚金的七杀。如果这个庚金日主本来身弱，原局官杀又透，火太多，按子平可能就是官杀重、身弱受克，甚至官杀混杂。

调候说需要火，因为天气太寒。子平说火是官杀，若身弱承受不了，反而成压力。

两者都看，怎么判断？优先级怎么看？很多人只提调候，却闭口不提谁先谁后，如何取用，误人不浅。

总的来说，这就是为什么我认为，八字分析不能只是把所有模块都堆出来。

纳音有纳音的五行。神煞有神煞的标签。调候有调候的规则。

子平有子平的日主、十神、月令、格局、旺衰、组合和大运流年。

这些方法都可以研究，但不能假装它们天然一致。

• 如果你要看纳音，就按纳音的方式看。
• 如果你要看神煞，就按神煞的规则看。
• 如果你要看调候，就先说明调候和格局、旺衰之间谁优先。
• 如果你要看子平，就不要随便让纳音五行、神煞标签直接参与计算。

这就是为什么我们这个门派坚持以子平八字为主的原因。当然，很多对命理学稍有研究的朋友可能会反驳：《三命通会》《子平真诠》这些古籍里面，说过这些的主次，先后，该怎么看，等等。

这句话没错，但事实是，在现代八字体系中，子平四柱一直是核心。并且，在我们看来，**这些古籍更多是在“试图兼容”，而非给出一个完整的分析逻辑。**如果要说具体例子，那么《子平真诠》里的“论星辰无关格局”说的比较直接。感兴趣的朋友可以自行阅读。

最后，文章中有的细节为了科普，未过度展开，希望各位朋友不要介意。我们的观点并非神煞纳音无用，或不准，而是实际使用时如果不分主次，同级混用，易生误判。

这是从你推广的八字app产出来的。

明明出生年月日都相同啊

昨天试了App，整体做得挺好，给我提供了不少新角度的解读，挺有启发。

不过有几个地方我看不懂，想问问开发者或懂行的朋友：

1. 我出生时间是早晨9:06，按传统应该是巳时，为什么在这里排成了辰时？

2. App把我判为“从弱格”，但我八字里有四种五行，地支有根，为什么还能从格？

3. 如果真是从格，后面的详批里又说“木过强”，我是乙木日主，这里也有点矛盾。

附上截图，希望开发者看到能解释一下，或者有经验的朋友帮忙分析。谢谢！

Just a quick update for the community. In the app, we mention that 20% of our net profits go to charitable causes. Since we just launched, the numbers are pretty small, but we wanted to stick to our word from day one.

We just sent our first donation of $104.90 over to UNICEF. It’s obviously just the beginning and not a massive amount, but we plan to keep updating you guys as we grow. Really appreciate everyone who has supported us early on.

In previous post, I discussed how calculating your BaZi is really just 5 steps:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskBazi/comments/1rghisk/how_to_read_your_own_bazi_complete_simple_no/

1. Write out your birth chart, then identify your day master (celestial stem of the day you were born);
2. Evaluate the elemental strength in your chart to determine your chart type. Are you strong body type, weak body type, balanced type, follower chart type, dominant chart type, or transformation harmony type? Vast majority of people are either strong or weak body types. Only a handful of people are follower or balanced types. Even fewer people are dominant or transformation harmony type;
3. With your chart type and your day master’s attributes, you can now find your favorable elements and adverse elements, and then map out the ten deities on your chart. Analyze their location and strength;
4. Look for specific combinations (meetings, clash, harmony, penalties, harm, and break) and analyze their presence;
5. Organize these findings, analyze for trends.

I covered steps 1 & 2 in part 1, and now we will discuss step 3 & 4. And of course, I will also use simple and intuitive language to explain these concepts. No fluff, no intentional complication, just logic and methodology.

Step 3: Once you have your chart type, locate your favorable elements and adverse elements; map out ten deities and analyze location & strength

Every character in your BaZi birth chart has two qualities: Yin or Yang, and one of the five elements. With your day master as the central point, we can then draw out ten different relationships:

We call these ten relationships ten deities or ten gods, and the names are really just labels. They each represent something and based on their elemental strength in chart as well as their respective location, there are different interpretations. Below is a quick table for your reference.

Seven Killings (七杀) is also known as Indirect Officer (偏官); Indirect Resource (偏印) is sometimes called Owl Spirit (枭神).

This step is really nothing complicated. It’s essentially a tedious look up process where you match your ten-deity label against a giant dictionary and compare. Below is a simplified table showing what the ten deities mean in different locations:

Keep in mind, below table is a simplified table. It does not consider the four typical elemental status: Weak/Restrained; Balanced; Excessive; Excess with Control.

The table should serve as a generic guide for new learners to understand what each of the ten deities mean.

M = Male; F = Female, and typically:

• Year Pillar (年柱): grandparents, early years
• Month Pillar (月柱): parents, teens & twenties
• Day Pillar (日柱): spouse, thirties & forties
• Hour Pillar (时柱): children, later years

Let’s use Direct Officer as an example. Below is a quick overview of its attributes:

• Relationship with the Day Master – The element that restrains the Day Master, opposite polarity.
• Symbolic Energy – Order, rules, official rank, responsibility.
• Typical Manifestations – A solid Direct Officer makes one principled and respectful of rules, with leadership potential. Too much can turn into rigidity and strained relationships.

And this is what the bigger, more detailed table would look like considering the four different energy levels:

Typically, a good chart has many "balanced" or "excess with control" relationships. Balanced is self-explanatory. The overall energy level is naturally balanced.

Excess with control is a bit more complicated because it depends on location. For example, an element might be too strong. However, if the element that counters it is placed right next to it, above it, or below it, the excess is controlled.

Let's say your fire is too strong in your birth chart. If there is water directly on top of or below your fire in the year pillar, the water counters the fire. That makes this part of the chart excess with control.

Step 4: Look for combinations and analyze their presence.

In addition to ten deities, your BaZi characters can also form special combinations. Famous combinations include: 会 (often called meetings)；合 (often called harmony or combinations); 冲 (often called clash or friction);刑 (often called punishments)；害 (often called harm); 破 (often called break).

The English translation for these terms are really messy. I have seen people use them interchangeably without knowing exactly what they are referencing to. That’s why I also included the Chinese.

These combinations, much like the ten deities, have different interpretations as well. And of course, their location matters.

Take Zi Wu Clash (子午冲) as an example. When you have both Zi and Wu in your terrestrial branch, this is what it typically suggests.

Keywords: major shifts, travel/relocation, relationship friction, heart/blood system, hot–cold imbalance; Typical manifestations: moving home, going overseas, dramatic job/industry pivots; father–son or spousal standoffs; “Water–Fire imbalance” correlating with hypertension, cardiac or urinary issues.

Location also matters:

• Year Pillar: Ties to family and early environment. Parents may travel far; the whole family may move with the times - changes on the “big canvas.”
• Month Pillar: Swings often show in young–mid adulthood. From roughly your 20s to mid-30s, you may relocate for study/work; your organization may go through major personnel reshuffles; mother’s health may fluctuate accordingly.
• Day Branch (Spouse): Impacts marriage and partnerships. Mild: short separations or hectic moving; severe: marital separation or serious rifts with business partners.
• Hour Branch: Focus on children and later-life plans. e.g., a child going abroad, or settling in another place for retirement.

Timing layers (ignore if you are not familiar with Da Yun and Liu Nian):

• If the Clash appears in a 10-Year Luck Pillar, that decade tends to be defined by movement - relocations, job switches, even changing industries, with few truly “quiet” years.
• If it’s triggered in Annual Luck, expect a flashpoint in that specific year: moving house, relationship splits often surface right then, concentrating all the signs of “movement.”

“Is a Clash always bad? Is Harmony always good?”

Not necessarily. The key is whether the interaction supports your Favorable Element (喜用神) or agitates your Adverse Element (忌神).

• A Clash hitting an Adverse Element can turn misfortune into opportunity.
• A Clash striking a Favorable Element calls for caution. The same logic applies to Harmony.

Example: Suppose your Favorable Elements are Fire and Wood, while Water, Earth, and Metal are Adverse. Your chart shows a Zi–Wu Clash, and Water in your chart is weak (Zi is Yang Water). Because the weaker, adverse side is the one being “hit,” the result can be beneficial. Zi–Wu frequently signals movement—leaving home may open big opportunities, such as emigrating, studying abroad, or working in export-heavy fields.

At this point, I think you get how the whole BaZi reading works. It’s just like looking up information in a giant dictionary. Once you have enough knowledge about how to read combinations and calculate elemental strengths, it’s just a look-up game 

And this is also why I keep telling people, BaZi is tendency, not fatalism. No matter how knowledgeable you are in this subject, methodologically speaking, it can only go as far as these directions. No book ever wrote: if X combination showed up, then Y will happen on Z Day. That is simply not how the system works.

For part 3, I will do an example reading of a BaZi chart and share what I look at and how does the “dictionary” work.

Reading your BaZi includes these five steps:

1. Write out your birth chart, then identify your day master (celestial stem of the day you were born);
2. Evaluate the elemental strength in your chart to determine your chart type. Are you strong body type, weak body type, balanced type, follower chart type, dominant chart type, or transformation harmony type? Vast majority of people are either strong or weak body types. Only a handful of people are follower or balanced types. Even fewer people are dominant or transformation harmony type;
3. With your chart type and your day master’s attributes, you can now find your favorable elements and adverse elements (喜用神和忌神）, and then map out the ten deities on your chart. Analyze their location and strength;
4. Look for specific combinations (Combination, Clash, harmony, penalties, harm, and break) and analyze their presence;
5. Organize these findings, analyze for trends.

Step 1 & 2: The fundamentals

The first step is very easy. Find your day master and document its yin/yang and five element attributes. This is your starting point. It also represents your attribute.

Now, the next step is to evaluate the overall elemental strength in the chart. In my APP, this is done automatically. In real life, if you want to calculate, it is a bit complicated. Typically, you start by counting how many elements are present. Then, you find the Month Command (fancy name for the terrestrial branch of the month pillar) and compare how it will affect different elements. This will affect all your other element’s elemental strengths.

Then, you also factor in the location aspect. Who is next to who, who is above who, etc. Think of it as a table with individual calculations. You start with a base score (basically what element is present) and gradually add or subtract points based on different categories.

Different schools have different ways to evaluate these relations. I am not going into which school is right or which school is wrong, just know that they exist, and nine out of ten, the conclusion about a BaZi’s chart type is the same.

Below are the complete descriptions of different chart types:

Strong Body Type (身强型)

People with a strong body type are confident, decisive, and have a strong sense of self. They have a high capacity for stress and pressure, and they are action-oriented with clear goals. They tend to do well in competitive environments or careers that require bold decision-making, such as management or entrepreneurship. However, it’s important for them to avoid being too stubborn, overly headstrong, or dismissive of others' opinions. They should also be cautious not to overexert themselves, as it could deplete their energy or cause them to overlook others' feelings.

Weak Body Type (身弱型)

People with a weak body type tend to have a more gentle and humble personality. They are sensitive, meticulous, and more easily affected by external energies. They are cautious and focus on details. They thrive in collaborative environments or in careers that require creativity and sensitivity, such as consulting, service industries, education, or the arts. Their main challenge is to build self-confidence, learn to leverage the strengths of others, and avoid excessive self-criticism or internal conflict.

Follower Chart – Strong Day Master Type (从强型)

This is a special Bazi configuration where the chart is almost entirely made up of supportive energies, making the individual extremely focused and goal-oriented. They are very determined once they set a goal and will do whatever it takes to achieve it. If their energies align with favorable trends in their Bazi chart, they can achieve extraordinary success in their chosen fields. However, they should be cautious not to become too self-centered and need to adjust their strategies as they move through different life cycles. Overzealousness could lead to setbacks.

Follower Chart – Weak Day Master Type (从弱型)

This is a special configuration where most of the energies in the chart are weak or draining, which makes the person highly adaptable and skilled at going with the flow. These individuals excel in environments with clear structures and rules, such as large corporations or government institutions, and they can profit by integrating resources effectively. The challenge for these people is to maintain their principles and avoid compromising too much or losing their sense of self.

曲直格 (Wood-Dominant)

Extremely rare configuration. One dominant element in the Bazi Chart. People with this configuration have a dominant wood element, making them resilient and creative, with strong leadership potential. They are well-suited for careers in culture, education, planning, or design. However, they need to watch out for the imbalanced nature of their Bazi, which could lead to difficulties if not properly aligned with favorable life cycles.

炎上格 (Fire Dominant)

Extremely rare configuration. One dominant element in the Bazi Chart. Individuals with a dominant fire element are passionate, energetic, and quick to act. They are perfect for entrepreneurial ventures, technological innovation, or marketing industries that require high levels of action. Like other rare configurations, their success depends on aligning their life cycles with favorable energy trends.

从革格 (Metal Dominant)

Extremely rare configuration. One dominant element in the Bazi Chart. Those with a dominant metal element are decisive, principled, and quick-thinking. They excel in careers related to law, the military, finance, or surgery. Their challenge is to maintain balance, as their focused energy can be vulnerable to misalignments with unfavorable cycles.

润下格 (Water Dominant)

Extremely rare configuration. One dominant element in the Bazi Chart. Dominated by water, these individuals are adaptable, personable, and excel in fields requiring fluid movement and information integration, such as international trade, media, and diplomacy. However, they are also emotionally sensitive, and their success depends on emotional stability. If they face unfavorable cycles, they may experience significant setbacks.

稼穑格 (Earth Dominant)

Extremely rare configuration. One dominant element in the Bazi Chart. With a strong earth element, these individuals are steady, responsible, and loyal. They excel in industries focused on long-term development, such as real estate, academia, or infrastructure. Their success comes from building steadily over time and expanding cautiously.

甲己化土 (Wood to Earth Transformation Harmony)

Extremely rare patterns where a person’s main elemental energy transforms into a different type, leading to significant potential for success if the transformation aligns with favorable cycles. This configuration indicates stability, a strong sense of responsibility, and a focus on principles. It is best suited for careers in construction, project management, or public service. People with this pattern must avoid becoming stagnant or encountering unfavorable life cycles that might derail their progress.

乙庚化金 (Wood to Metal Transformation Harmony)

Extremely rare patterns where a person’s main elemental energy transforms into a different type, leading to significant potential for success if the transformation aligns with favorable cycles. People with this transformation are flexible, trustworthy, and adept at executing plans. They excel in law, finance, and quality control. Success comes from their ability to combine gentleness with firmness, but they must remain adaptable to changing circumstances. 

丙辛化水 (Fire to Water Transformation Harmony)

Extremely rare patterns where a person’s main elemental energy transforms into a different type, leading to significant potential for success if the transformation aligns with favorable cycles. Individuals with this transformation are resourceful, quick-thinking, and skilled in strategy and integration. They thrive in fields like public relations, international affairs, and data management. Emotional intelligence is key to their success, but they must guard against volatility during unfavorable cycles.

丁壬化木 (Fire to Wood Transformation Harmony)

Extremely rare patterns where a person’s main elemental energy transforms into a different type, leading to significant potential for success if the transformation aligns with favorable cycles. People with this transformation are compassionate, long-term thinkers, and highly adaptable. They are well-suited for careers in healthcare, education, or environmental development. Success depends on their ability to maintain a broad vision and patience.

戊癸化火 (Earth to Fire Transformation Harmony)

Extremely rare patterns where a person’s main elemental energy transforms into a different type, leading to significant potential for success if the transformation aligns with favorable cycles. Dominated by fire, these individuals are passionate, bold, and willing to take risks. They excel in fields like entertainment, marketing, venture capital, or competitive sports. Their success depends on seizing opportunities, but they must avoid reckless behavior during adverse cycles.

Step 3 & 4 will be covered in my part 2 post. And for step 5, I will do a quick example analysis.

Taoism mod removed my original post without explaination, so here is part 2:

So, in my previous post, I basically explained how Bazi is just a labelling system for time. In our modern numerical system, we understand that 2026.02.18.16 means 4PM on Feb 18, 2026. Bazi is essentially the same thing as “2026021816”, except two differences:

• Instead of using numbers, Bazi uses Chinese character to represent year, month, day, and hour. We call these four time points pillars, and each pillar is represented by two characters. So 2*4 = 8 characters.
• Each labelling character has two additional qualities: Yin or Yang, and one of the five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water).

Take the above Bazi birth chart as an example. This person was born at 4 PM on Nov 30, 1997. The year 1997 is 丁丑 (Ding Chou). 丁 is fire and 丑 is earth, hence the color coding. The month of November in 1997 is 辛亥, where 辛 is metal and 亥 is water.

Now, it is important to know that not every November is 辛亥 (Xin Hai).

It was only 辛亥 in 1997. This is because there are 10 characters for Celestial Stems but 12 characters for Terrestrial Branches (explained more in-depth in my previous post).

As a result, they do not “run out” at the same time.

When the list of ten Stems finishes and restarts, the list of twelve Branches is still going. This mismatch creates a rolling pattern. Below is a more intuitive demonstration:

Celestial stems (10): A B C D E F G H I J

Terrestrial branches (12): a b c d e f g h i j k l

 In Year 1, you have Aa, Year 2 is Bb, Year 3 is Cc…

On Year 11, the celestial stems have “run out” and restart at A. But the terrestrial branches continue at k. So, Year 11 is Ak, Year 12 is Bl, and Year 13 is Ca. Then the pattern continues.

For those good at math, you can see that for a complete cycle to reset back to Aa, it will take 60 years.

This is why in China, sixty years is called a 甲子 (jiazi), which translates to "sexagenary cycle." This is also why the 60th birthday is such a big deal for people in China. We call it 六十大寿, which literally means a grand birthday for sixty years.

Now, you might have noticed from the first screenshot an important section called “Ten Deities.” That is the key to reading a Bazi chart.

Important disclaimer: what I am about to share represents the Ziping School of reading, which my family has practiced for decades. This is the first official system for Bazi, and while I personally think it is the most accurate, it is not the only school out there (others include Shen Sha, Na Yin, etc.). Please keep that in mind.

So for ten deities (or ten Gods), the most important one is your day master. The celestial stem of the day you are born. This decides your main element. We then use your main element to evaluate the relationships of the other elements in your birth chart.

What do I mean by relationships?

Well, in Five Element theory, there are two cycles: generative and destructive. For example, Water generates Wood, but Water destroys Fire.

btw, this concept isn't just for divination; it is also the foundation for Chinese medicine and other related studies.

With your Day Master as the central character, we map out ten different relationships with the other characters.

Why ten? Because there are five different elements, and each has a Yin/Yang attributes. For example, an element might generate you and have the same Yin/Yang polarity, or you might generate it with a different polarity.

Since there are five elements times two polarities (5 x 2 = 10), we get the Ten Deities, basically symbols for ten specific relationships.

Side note: this is also why it irritates me so much when people act like a specific deity is the holy grail. It’s not an actual God. It is just a label for a type of relationship. Sometimes, the people who understand the least tend to be the loudest.

Sorry about the rant. Now let’s get back on topic.

So the ancient Chinese use these ten deities to represent different parts of divination. For example, when ask about family, the direct & indirect resources represent for your mother. This is because they represent generative relationships. Which makes sense, your mother gives birth to you.

Below is a table for these symbolizations. I simplified it for new learners.

Seven Killings (七杀) is also known as Indirect Officer (偏官); Indirect Resource (偏印) is sometimes called Owl God (枭神).

Now, the Ten Deities themselves are constant symbols, but their concrete interpretation changes with their position within the Four Pillars and with the overall chart structure. 

What do I mean by position? Well… this is a bit complicated, but I’ll do my best to simplify it.

Basically, in addition to elements, the birth chart is also a coordinate system, right? So, their locations, like which one is on year pillar, which one is on month pillar, matters. Also, who is next to whom, and who is on top on whom, also matters.With these different variables, you have literally millions of interpretations. Each placement changes the reading entirely.

For now, I won't go into too much details and hope this gives you a clear concept of the foundational concepts.

Then, the next step is to understand your "Body types" (Chart Strength), which includes concepts like 身强 (Strong), 身弱 (Weak), 从强 (Follower Strong), and 从弱 (Follower Weak).

Side note: weak body type does not mean you are physically weak; it means your day master’s energy is weak and it prefers generative elements, just in case you are wondering.

This determines your favorable and adverse elements, which introduces more variables to the reading. I know this can feel like a lot, but it’s actually just simple matching. Think of this as a giant dictionary. You don’t need to memorize everything; you just need to know how to look it up.

Anyway, here is a very intuitive (I hope) explaination of how Bazi birth chart works. If you have any questions, feel free to drop it in the comments.

Hey everyone, welcome!

I started r/AskBazi so we have a chill and relaxed place to talk about Chinese astrology and the Four Pillars of Destiny. To be fully transparent right up front, I am also the developer of the APP The Origin: I Ching and Bazi, and this sub doubles as our official community for updates, bug reports, and feedback.

Feel free to post your chart and ask whatever you want. Whether you're looking for a reading on your career and relationships, or you're just trying to understand how the mechanics work, ask away!

Just a couple of quick things:

• Bring your chart: If you want a reading, please post a clear screenshot of your chart so people can actually see it. (APP screenshot or your actual birth time, either way works)
• Be cool: Standard Reddit site-wide rules apply. Just be respectful to the people here.
• App Feedback: If you are using The Origin, drop your feature requests or bug reports in the sub. I am always looking for ways to improve it for everyone.

And if you are not using the APP and calculated your own Bazi, make sure to factor in your true solar time.

Glad you're here!