Question 1

What is BaZi · Four Pillars of Destiny?

Accepted Answer

BaZi is a Chinese method that writes the birth year, month, day and hour as four pairs of characters, eight in all. It is read for personality tendencies, the balance of the five elements, and which stretches of years tend to run smoothly.

Question 2

How is BaZi · Four Pillars of Destiny worked out?

Accepted Answer

The year changes at the exact moment of Lichun (start of spring) and months change at the twelve solar terms, not lunar month starts. GATSEE uses the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan term table and, by default, true solar time for the hour.

Question 3

What can BaZi · Four Pillars of Destiny show?

Accepted Answer

Your day master and its strength, which elements are heavy or thin, ten-god tendencies for work, money and people, ten-year luck cycles and each year's influence.

Question 4

Can BaZi · Four Pillars of Destiny be read without a birth time?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Without a time you still get three pillars, six characters; the day master, elements and luck cycles all work. The hour pillar is missing, and births on a solar-term day may shift a pillar.

Question 5

How is BaZi · Four Pillars of Destiny different from Saju 사주?

Accepted Answer

BaZi and Korean Saju share the same calendar rules and produce the same eight characters. The difference is interpretation: Saju uses Korean terms and leans on the twelve life stages and spirit stars; BaZi follows Chinese Ziping structure and useful-god reading.

Question 6

Where does BaZi · Four Pillars of Destiny come from?

Accepted Answer

Three-pillar readings by year, month and day existed by the Tang dynasty. Adding the hour and centring on the day stem is traditionally credited to Xu Ziping around the early Song, hence the name Ziping. Classic texts include Yuanhai Ziping and Sanming Tonghui.

BaZi · Four Pillars of Destinywhat is it?how it works, what it shows