Volume II: Foundational Methods

Volume II: Foundational Methods

Overall Gist
This chapter systematically explains the basic calculation methods of Four Pillars of Destiny (Bazi), covering the rules for determining the year, month, day, and hour pillars, the logic behind calculating major life cycles (Da Yun), the principles of the Five Elements' mutual generation and restriction, the definitions of the Ten Gods relationships, and advanced techniques such as calculating the Fate Palace and minor cycles. Through concrete examples, it transforms the palm formulas and rhymes from ancient texts into a step-by-step system accessible to modern practitioners. The cyclical relationships of 🌊 Water → 🔥 Fire → ⛰ Earth → 💍 Metal → 🌳 Wood reveal the ancient Chinese holistic worldview.

📅 Method for Determining the Year Pillar

The key to determining the year pillar is the Start of Spring (Lichun) solar term, not the first day of the lunar new year. There are three specific cases:

1. Born after Start of Spring in the first lunar month: Use the current year's heavenly stem and earthly branch.
2. Born before Start of Spring in the first lunar month: Use the previous year's heavenly stem and earthly branch.
3. Born after Start of Spring in the twelfth lunar month: Use the next year's heavenly stem and earthly branch.

🧠 Modern Interpretation: The Start of Spring occurs around February 4th in the Gregorian calendar and is the actual demarcation point for the Chinese zodiac sign. Those born around the Lunar New Year must check whether their birth time has passed Start of Spring—this is the first crucial step in Bazi calculation.

Palm Calculation Example:

• Given the current year is Yi Mao (乙卯), a person is 49 years old: Start from Yi Mao as age 1 and count backwards to age 49 to get Ding Mao (丁卯) year.
• Given the current year is Bing Chen (丙辰), a person is 71 years old: Count forwards to get Bing Wu (丙午) year.

Solar Term Boundary Cases:

• Born at Si hour (9–11 AM) on the 9th day of the first lunar month in Bing Wu year (Start of Spring at Wu hour [11 AM–1 PM]) → Before Start of Spring, calculate as Yi Si (乙巳) year.
• Born at Wu hour (11 AM–1 PM) on the same day (Start of Spring at Wu hour) → After Start of Spring, calculate as Bing Wu (丙午) year.
• Born at Xu hour (7–9 PM) on the 19th day of the twelfth lunar month in Bing Wu year (Start of Spring at You hour [5–7 PM]) → After Start of Spring, calculate as Ding Wei (丁未) year.
• Born at Shen hour (3–5 PM) on the same day (Start of Spring at You hour) → Before Start of Spring, still calculate as Bing Wu (丙午) year.

📆 Method for Determining the Month Pillar

The month pillar is determined by the year’s heavenly stem combined with the month’s earthly branch, using solar terms as boundaries (not the first day of the lunar month). Rhyme for calculating the month’s heavenly stem and earthly branch:

In years of Jia or Ji, Bing leads the start;
In years of Yi or Geng, Wu takes the part.
For Bing or Xin years, seek Geng to begin;
For Ding or Ren years, Ren flows within.
Where for Wu or Gui years does the search win?
On Jia Yin, the first month’s path is spun.

Which means:

• Jia/Ji year: First month is Bing Yin (丙寅)
• Yi/Geng year: First month is Wu Yin (戊寅)
• Bing/Xin year: First month is Geng Yin (庚寅)
• Ding/Ren year: First month is Ren Yin (壬寅)
• Wu/Gui year: First month is Jia Yin (甲寅)

🧠 Modern Interpretation: The transition of month pillars is based on the "Jie" solar terms (e.g., Start of Spring, Awakening of Insects). Each lunar month has two solar terms: "Jie" marks the month boundary, while "Qi" is used for climate analysis.

Example Demonstration:

• Born at Zi hour (11 PM–1 AM) on the first day of the first lunar month in Ding Mao year (after Start of Spring) → Ding year, first month is Ren Yin (壬寅).
• Born at Si hour (9–11 AM) on the 9th day of the first lunar month in Bing Wu year (before Start of Spring) → Treated as Yi Si year, twelfth month is Ji Chou (己丑).
• Born at Xu hour (7–9 PM) on the 19th day of the twelfth lunar month in Bing Wu year (after Start of Spring) → Treated as Ding Wei year, first month is Ren Yin (壬寅).

📅 Method for Determining the Day Pillar

The day pillar is obtained directly from a perpetual calendar, as there is no rhyme for calculation. Ancient methods involved counting sequentially from the first day’s stem and branch recorded in almanacs; modern practitioners can use tools for direct lookup.

Examples:

• First day of the first lunar month in Ding Mao year is Bing Chen (丙辰) → Day pillar is Bing Chen.
• 9th day of the first lunar month in Bing Wu year → Count sequentially from the first day’s stem and branch to get Yi Chou (乙丑).
• 19th day of the twelfth lunar month in Bing Wu year → Count sequentially from the 11th day’s stem and branch to get Geng Wu (庚午).

⏰ Method for Determining the Hour Pillar

The hour pillar is determined by the day’s heavenly stem combined with the hour’s earthly branch, using the rhyme:

For Jia or Ji days, Jia starts the cycle;
For Yi or Geng days, Bing takes the title.
For Bing or Xin days, Wu begins the flow;
For Ding or Ren days, Geng Zi will show.
For Wu or Gui days, where does one go?
Ren Zi is the path one must know.

Which means:

• Jia/Ji day: Zi hour is Jia Zi (甲子)
• Yi/Geng day: Zi hour is Bing Zi (丙子)
• Bing/Xin day: Zi hour is Wu Zi (戊子)
• Ding/Ren day: Zi hour is Geng Zi (庚子)
• Wu/Gui day: Zi hour is Ren Zi (壬子)

🧠 Modern Interpretation: The hour pillar reflects energy changes throughout the day. Convert the birth time to true solar time to determine the hour’s earthly branch, then use the rhyme to find the hour’s heavenly stem.

Examples:

• Born at Zi hour on a Bing Chen day → According to "For Bing or Xin days, Wu begins the flow," the hour pillar is Wu Zi (戊子).
• Born at Wu hour (11 AM–1 PM) on a Yi Chou day → Count sequentially from Bing Zi to get Ren Wu (壬午).
• Born at Xu hour (7–9 PM) on a Geng Wu day → Count sequentially from Bing Zi to get Bing Xu (丙戌).

🔄 Method for Calculating Major Life Cycles (Da Yun)

Rules for Da Yun Calculation:

• Yang male, Yin female: Count forward from the birth day to the next solar term.
• Yin male, Yang female: Count backward from the birth day to the previous solar term.
• Conversion rule: 3 days = 1 year, 1 day = 4 months, 1 hour = 10 days.

Theoretical Basis: One month of 30 days equals 360 hours, corresponding to one year of 360 days; one major cycle of 10 years equals 3,600 days, corresponding to the 120-year natural lifespan cycle.

Example Demonstrations:
Yang male (Bing Wu year, Geng Yin month, Yi Chou day, Ren Wu hour): Count forward to Awakening of Insects (Jingzhe) — 10 days short of 3 hours → Begins Da Yun at 10 years minus 30 days.

Embedded chart

Yang Male Example

Male chart

Pillars	Year	Month	Day	Hour
Ten Gods	伤官	正官	Self (M)	正印
Stem	丙	庚	乙	壬
Branch	午	寅	丑	午
Hidden Stems	丁食己才	甲劫丙伤戊财	己才癸枭辛杀	丁食己才
Stage	长生	帝旺	衰	长生

Luck cycles

辛卯壬辰癸巳甲午乙未丙申丁酉戊戌

Yin female (Born at Xu hour in the twelfth month of Bing Wu year, calculated as Ding Wei year): Count forward to Awakening of Insects — 30 days short of 4 hours → Begins Da Yun at 10 years minus 40 days.

Embedded chart

Yin Female Example

Female chart

Pillars	Year	Month	Day	Hour
Ten Gods	七杀	劫财	Self (F)	七杀
Stem	丙	辛	庚	丙
Branch	午	丑	午	戌
Hidden Stems	丁官己印	己印癸伤辛劫	丁官己印	戊枭辛劫丁官
Stage	沐浴	墓	沐浴	衰

Luck cycles

庚子己亥戊戌丁酉丙申乙未甲午癸巳

Yin male (Ding Mao year, Ren Yin month, Bing Chen day, Wu Zi hour): Count backward to Start of Spring — 5 hours → Begins Da Yun at 1 year minus 310 days.

Embedded chart

Yin Male Example

Male chart

Pillars	Year	Month	Day	Hour
Ten Gods	劫财	七杀	Self (M)	食神
Stem	丁	壬	丙	戊
Branch	卯	寅	辰	子
Hidden Stems	乙印	甲枭丙比戊食	戊食乙印癸官	癸官
Stage	沐浴	长生	冠带	胎

Luck cycles

辛丑庚子己亥戊戌丁酉丙申乙未甲午

Yang female (Bing Wu year, Xin Chou month, Geng Wu day, Jia Shen hour): Count backward to Minor Cold (Xiaohan) — 30 days and 5 hours → Begins Da Yun at 10 years plus 50 days.

Embedded chart

Yang Female Example

Female chart

Pillars	Year	Month	Day	Hour
Ten Gods	七杀	劫财	Self (F)	偏财
Stem	丙	辛	庚	甲
Branch	午	丑	午	申
Hidden Stems	丁官己印	己印癸伤辛劫	丁官己印	庚比壬食戊枭
Stage	沐浴	墓	沐浴	建

Luck cycles

庚子己亥戊戌丁酉丙申乙未甲午癸巳

⚖️ Five Elements: Mutual Generation and Restriction

Generation sequence: Wood → Fire → Earth → Metal → Water
Restriction sequence: Wood → Earth → Water → Fire → Metal

🌱 Philosophy of Generation and Restriction:

• Mutual Generation: The natural flow of energy in the universe.
• Mutual Restriction: A balancing mechanism that maintains systemic equilibrium.
• Modern Understanding: The relationships reflect promoting and restraining mechanisms in systems theory, representing the ancient understanding of interrelations between things.

🧮 Earthly Branches' Hidden Stems

The hidden heavenly stems within the earthly branches reflect the composite energy structure of each branch:

👥 The Ten Gods Relationships

Taking the day stem as "self," the ten relationships with other stems and branches:

Table of Ten Gods for the Five Yang Stems:

Practical Meanings of the Ten Gods:

• Equaling/Rob Wealth: Peers, colleagues, partners.
• Eating Spirit/Hurting Officer: Talent, creativity, expression.
• Direct Wealth/Indirect Wealth: Wealth, resources, material foundation.
• Direct Resource/Indirect Resource: Career, authority, responsibility, pressure.
• Direct Power/Indirect Power: Knowledge, mentors, thinking patterns.

Case Analysis:
Male chart: Jia Zi (甲子), Xin Wei (辛未), Jia Shen (甲申), Bing Yin (丙寅)

Embedded chart

Ten Gods Example

Male chart

Pillars	Year	Month	Day	Hour
Ten Gods	比肩	正官	Self (M)	食神
Stem	甲	辛	甲	丙
Branch	子	未	申	寅
Hidden Stems	癸印	己财丁伤乙劫	庚杀壬枭戊才	甲比丙食戊才
Stage	沐浴	墓	绝	建

Luck cycles

壬申癸酉甲戌乙亥丙子丁丑戊寅己卯

• Year pillar Jia Zi: Jia is Equaling, Zi hides Gui Water (Direct Power).
• Month pillar Xin Wei: Xin is Direct Resource; Wei hides Yi Wood, Ji Earth, Ding Fire (Rob Wealth/Direct Wealth/Hurting Officer).
• Day pillar Jia Shen: Shen hides Geng Metal, Ren Water, Wu Earth (Indirect Resource/Indirect Power/Indirect Wealth).
• Hour pillar Bing Yin: Bing is Eating Spirit; Yin hides Jia Wood, Bing Fire, Wu Earth (Equaling/Eating Spirit/Indirect Wealth).

🏛️ Calculating the Fate Palace

Calculation Method:

1. Start from the Zi position on the palm for the first month, count backward to the birth month.
2. Add the birth hour to the month’s branch, count forward to Mao (卯).
3. The branch at the Mao position is the Fate Palace.
4. Use the year’s stem to derive the Fate Palace’s heavenly stem.

🧠 Modern Significance: The Fate Palace reflects innate talents and overall fortune tendencies, serving as an important supplement to the Bazi chart.

📊 Calculating Minor Cycles (Xiao Xian)

Calculation Method:
Add the birth year’s branch to the Fate Palace and count backward to the current year’s branch. The position reached determines the minor cycle, which reflects specific annual fortune changes.

🌊 Analysis of Yearly Fortune (Liu Nian)

The yearly stem and branch interact with the major cycles and birth chart through generation and restriction, governing the year’s luck. For example, a Geng Metal day master encountering a Yi Mao year (Yi Wood is Direct Wealth) indicates wealth-related matters.

🤰 Calculating Prenatal Energy (Tai Yuan)

Two Methods:

1. Stem: one position before the birth month’s stem; Branch: three positions before the birth month’s branch.
2. Count back 300 days (approximately 10 months) from the birth day.

Tai Yuan reflects innate genetics and physical constitution.

🔁 Methods of Xi, Bian, and Tong

• Xi Method: Combination of day stem and day branch.
• Bian Method: Combination of hour stem and hour branch.
• Tong Method: Connection between month pillars (e.g., Yin-Mao, Chen-Si).

These are special ancient calculation methods rarely used today.

👶 Calculating Minor Fortunes (Xiao Yun)

Calculation Rules:

• Yang male, Yin female: Move forward from the hour pillar, one pillar per year.
• Yin male, Yang female: Move backward from the hour pillar, one pillar per year.

Xiao Yun assists in interpreting childhood fortune alongside major cycles.

💡 Core Concept

Bazi calculation is a complete system based on astronomical calendars and the theories of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements. It analyzes life trajectory possibilities by mapping the energy at the moment of birth.

🌟 Modern Interpretation

• Scientific Perspective: Bazi is an ancient system for recognizing patterns of temporal energy.
• Practical Value: Provides a framework for self-awareness and life planning.
• Rational Attitude: Use as a reference rather than superstition; integrate with real-world circumstances.

⚡ Practical Applications

• Analysis of personal destiny trends.
• Identification of personality traits.
• Assessment of strengths and weaknesses.
• Reference for important time nodes.

🤔 Philosophical Reflection

Bazi theory embodies the Chinese philosophical idea of "harmony between heaven and humanity," suggesting profound correspondences between humans and the natural universe. This systems thinking remains inspiring in modern complex systems research.

📚 Related Knowledge

• Related Concepts: The 24 Solar Terms, Yin-Yang and Five Elements, Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches calendar.
• Further Reading: San Ming Tong Hui, Yuan Hai Zi Ping, Di Tian Sui.
• Modern Research: Psychological studies of Bazi, chronobiology research.

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Note: This chapter covers basic Bazi methods; practical application requires systematic study and validation. Modern usage should incorporate scientific thinking, embracing the essence while discarding the outdated.