Chapter 0 Basic Knowledge of Eight Characters (BaZi) — Recite Fluently

Overall Paraphrase

I. General Theory of Yin and Yang

Yang and Yin are not synonyms for good/bad or auspicious/inauspicious, but rather a set of classification symbols describing the relative states and attributes of all things in the world.

It can be understood as: Yang tends toward expansion, rising, brightness, and activity; Yin tends toward contraction, descending, hiddenness, and passivity.

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II. Basic Knowledge of the Five Elements

The Five Elements are Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth — five fundamental attributes, not literal substances.

Generating Cycle: Metal generates Water 🌊, Water generates Wood 🌳, Wood generates Fire 🔥, Fire generates Earth ⛰️, Earth generates Metal.

Overcoming Cycle: Metal overcomes Wood 🌳, Wood overcomes Earth ⛰️, Earth overcomes Water 🌊, Water overcomes Fire 🔥, Fire overcomes Metal.

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III. Basic Knowledge of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches

1. Heavenly Stems

The Ten Heavenly Stems are: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui.

Yin-Yang Attributes:

• Yang Stems: Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, Ren
• Yin Stems: Yi, Ding, Ji, Xin, Gui

Yang stems symbolize strength, vigor, power, progress, and dynamism.
Yin stems symbolize softness, flexibility, humility, gentleness, and stillness.

Correspondence of the Ten Stems:

Five Elements Summary of the Stems:
Jia and Yi belong to Wood; Bing and Ding belong to Fire; Wu and Ji belong to Earth; Geng and Xin belong to Metal; Ren and Gui belong to Water.

2. Earthly Branches

The Twelve Earthly Branches: Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai.

There are two methods of classifying the Yin-Yang of the Branches:

• First method: Yang branches are Zi, Yin, Chen, Wu, Shen, Xu; Yin branches are Chou, Mao, Si, Wei, You, Hai.
• Second method (adopted by this school): Yang branches are Yin, Chen, Si, Shen, Xu, Hai; Yin branches are Mao, Wu, Wei, You, Zi, Chou.

The reason for the second method: the Yin-Yang of a branch is determined by the Yin-Yang of its dominant qi heavenly stem. For example, Yin's dominant qi is Jia Wood; Jia is a Yang stem, therefore Yin is a Yang branch. Thus:

• Yin, Shen, Si, Hai are Yang branches;
• Zi, Wu, Mao, You are Yin branches;
• Chen and Xu have Wu Earth as dominant, making them Yang branches;
• Chou and Wei have Ji Earth as dominant, making them Yin branches.

Five Elements and Directions of the Branches:

Branches and Time Periods (Double Hours):

Branches and Lunar Months:

Branches and Zodiac Animals: Zi-Rat, Chou-Ox, Yin-Tiger, Mao-Rabbit, Chen-Dragon, Si-Snake, Wu-Horse, Wei-Goat, Shen-Monkey, You-Rooster, Xu-Dog, Hai-Pig.

Geographical Correspondences of the Twelve Branches:

• Zi is the Ink Pool: Zi resides due north, belongs to Water, its color is like ink — hence the image of an ink pool.
• Wu is the Beacon Tower: Wu resides due south, belongs to Fire and Earth, reddish-yellow in color; Wu is also the Horse, and beacon towers are places of war horses and military fire — hence called Beacon Tower.
• Mao is the Jade Forest: Mao is Yi Wood, residing due east, in mid-spring when all things sprout, green like jade — hence called Jade Forest.
• You is the Temple Bell: You belongs to Metal, positioned near the Xu and Hai Heavenly Gate; bells are made of metal, and when a temple bell rings, its sound reaches the Heavenly Gate; You resides due west, and temples belong to the Western Buddhist realm — hence called Temple Bell.
• Yin is the Broad Valley: Yin is in the Gen direction; Gen is mountains, where Wu Earth has its longevity growth — hence the meaning of a broad valley.
• Shen is the Famous Capital: Shen belongs to the Kun region, the earth boundless; "capital" is where emperors reside; in the Shen palace, Ren Water is born, and it faces Gen Mountain, forming a landscape where water encircles mountains — hence called Famous Capital.
• Si is the Great Post Station: A great post station is where people gather and roads are unobstructed; within Si are the images of Bing Fire and Wu Earth, and before Si lies the Wu Horse — hence called Great Post Station.
• Hai is the Hanging River: The water of the celestial river races away and never returns — hence called Hanging River.
• Chen is the Grass Marsh: Chen is in the eastern secondary position, being the reservoir of Water; where water gathers, in deep mountains and great marshes, dragons and snakes are born — hence grass and marsh.
• Xu is the Burnt Plain: The Xu month is the ninth month, deep autumn, when grasses and trees all wither, and farmers burn the fields before plowing; Xu also belongs to Earth — hence called Burnt Plain. Both Xu and Chen are places where celestial nobles do not descend.
• Chou is the Willow Bank: Within Chou there are Water, Earth, and Metal; a bank is Earth, which can hold back water — hence called Willow Bank. A poem says, "Willow hues are tender gold," precisely matching this image.
• Wei is the Flower Garden: Wei is the reservoir of Wood, like people building walls to protect a hundred flowers; Mao is the place where Wood flourishes, naturally becoming a forest, so the Flower Garden belongs to Wei and not Mao.

Correspondence of the Branches to Chinese Geographical Locations: This original passage is not expanded here.

3. Combinations of the Ten Stems

4. Six Clashes of the Branches

Yin–Shen clash, Mao–You clash, Chen–Xu clash, Si–Hai clash, Zi–Wu clash, Chou–Wei clash.

5. Six Combinations of the Branches

Zi–Chou combines to Earth, Yin–Hai combines to Wood, Mao–Xu combines to Fire, Chen–You combines to Metal, Si–Shen combines to Water, Wu–Wei combines to Fire.

6. Three Combinations of the Branches

Yin–Wu–Xu form the Fire Bureau, Si–You–Chou form the Metal Bureau, Shen–Zi–Chen form the Water Bureau, Hai–Mao–Wei form the Wood Bureau.

7. Six Harms of the Branches

Zi–Wei harm, Chou–Wu harm, Yin–Si harm, Mao–Chen harm, Shen–Hai harm, You–Xu harm.

8. Punishments of the Branches

Zi–Mao is the Punishment of Discourtesy, Chou–Xu–Wei is the Punishment of Bullying, Yin–Si–Shen is the Punishment of Ingratitude, Chen–Wu–You–Hai are Self-Punishments.

9. Three Assemblies of the Branches

Hai–Zi–Chou assemble Water, Yin–Mao–Chen assemble Wood, Si–Wu–Wei assemble Fire, Shen–You–Xu assemble Metal.

10. Correspondence of Stems and Branches to Body Parts

Song of Stem–Body Correspondence:

Jia is the gallbladder, Yi the liver, Bing the small intestine,
Ding the heart, Wu the stomach, Ji the spleen;
Geng is the large intestine, Xin the lungs,
Ren the bladder, Gui the kidneys;
The Sanjiao (triple burner) is also entrusted to Ren,
And the Pericardium likewise returns to Gui.

Song of Branch–Body Correspondence:

Zi pertains to the bladder, water passages, and ears,
Chou is the abdomen, womb, and spleen;
Yin is the gallbladder, hair, pulse, and both hands,
Mao wood is the ten fingers and the liver within;
Chen earth is the skin, shoulders, and chest,
Si is the face, throat, teeth, and lower buttocks and anus;
Wu fire is the spirit, governing the eyes,
Wei earth is the stomach, diaphragm, and spine.
Shen metal is the large intestine, channels, and lungs,
You holds essence and blood, where the small intestine resides;
Xu earth is the life-gate, legs, ankles, and feet,
Hai water is the head and the scrotum.

Song of Trigram–Body Correspondence:

Qian is the head, Kun the abdomen, Kan the ears and longevity,
Zhen the feet, Xun the thighs, Gen the hands;
Dui the mouth, Li the eyes — divided among the eight trigrams,
In all disease diagnosis, this is what one seeks.

These correspondences may be viewed as traditional classification methods and should not be directly used as a basis for modern medical diagnosis.

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IV. Nayin (Embodied Sounds)

The Sixty Jiazi Nayin table is as follows:

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V. Techniques for Chart Construction (Pai Pan)

1. Solar Terms Song

Spring rain startles spring, clear grain sky,
Summer full, summer solstice, heat linked;
Autumn dew, autumn, cold frost descends,
Winter snow, winter, minor and major cold.
Two terms each month, never changing,
At most differing by a day or two.
First half of the year: the 6th and 21st,
Second half of the year: the 8th and 23rd.

This mnemonic is used to remember the approximate dates of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms. In BaZi chart construction, the division of the Month Pillar is determined by solar term transitions, not by the first day of each lunar month.

2. Five Tiger Dun: Determining the Month Stem from the Year Stem

In years of Jia or Ji, Bing leads the first month,
In years of Yi or Geng, Wu is the head,
In years of Bing or Xin, start from Geng,
In years of Ding or Ren, Ren Yin follows the flow,
If you ask where Wu or Gui begins,
Above Jia Yin is the proper pursuit.

Plain explanation:

• If the Year Stem is Jia or Ji, the first month's stem starts from Bing, i.e., the first month is Bingyin month.
• If the Year Stem is Yi or Geng, the first month's stem starts from Wu, i.e., the first month is Wuyin month.
• If the Year Stem is Bing or Xin, the first month's stem starts from Geng, i.e., the first month is Gengyin month.
• If the Year Stem is Ding or Ren, the first month's stem starts from Ren, i.e., the first month is Renyin month.
• If the Year Stem is Wu or Gui, the first month's stem starts from Jia, i.e., the first month is Jiayin month.

3. Five Rat Dun: Determining the Hour Stem from the Day Stem

For Jia or Ji days, add Jia,
For Yi or Geng days, Bing is the beginning,
For Bing or Xin days, start from Wu,
For Ding or Ren days, Gengzi occupies the place,
For Wu or Gui days, where does one begin?
Renzi is the true path.

Plain explanation:

• If the Day Stem is Jia or Ji, the Zi-hour stem starts from Jia, i.e., Jiazi hour.
• If the Day Stem is Yi or Geng, the Zi-hour stem starts from Bing, i.e., Bingzi hour.
• If the Day Stem is Bing or Xin, the Zi-hour stem starts from Wu, i.e., Wuzi hour.
• If the Day Stem is Ding or Ren, the Zi-hour stem starts from Geng, i.e., Gengzi hour.
• If the Day Stem is Wu or Gui, the Zi-hour stem starts from Ren, i.e., Renzi hour.

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VI. Concepts and Relationships of Year, Month, Day, and Hour

Original text:

The Year is like the hook of a steelyard, holding together its objects;
The Month is like the cord and ring, lifting up its objects;
The Day is like the body of the steelyard, accurate to the nearest star and ounce;
The Hour is like the counterweight, adding or reducing by fractions and cents.

Plain understanding:
The Year Pillar resembles the hook of a steelyard, linking together the people, events, and things involved in the chart. The Month Pillar resembles the lifting cord of the scale — the key to grasping the essentials (hence "Tigang" — the main thread). The Day Pillar resembles the beam of the scale itself — the central axis for measuring weight. The Hour Pillar resembles the counterweight, determining additions or subtractions at the finest level. Each of the Four Pillars has a distinct function, and together they form a complete informational chart of the destiny.

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VII. The Twelve Stages of Life (Chang Sheng Jue)

The order of the Twelve Stages of Life and their brief meanings are as follows:

At the beginner stage, one may first memorize these brief meanings, especially the core imagery of each stage.

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8. Ten Gods (Shi Shen)

The Ten Gods are ten symbolic categories established based on the Five Element generating/controlling relationships between the Day Master and other Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, combined with the distinction of same or opposite Yin-Yang polarity.

• That which generates me is the Seal/Resource star: same polarity is the Indirect Seal (Pian Yin), also called the Owl God (Xiao Shen); opposite polarity is the Direct Seal (Zheng Yin).
• That which is the same as me forms the Companion/Rob debt stars: same polarity is the Shoulder-to-Shoulder Companion (Bi Jian); opposite polarity is the Rob Wealth (Jie Cai).
• That which I generate forms the Eating/Hurting stars: same polarity is the Eating God (Shi Shen); opposite polarity is the Hurting Officer (Shang Guan).
• That which I control forms the Wealth stars: same polarity is Indirect Wealth (Pian Cai); opposite polarity is Direct Wealth (Zheng Cai).
• That which controls me forms the Officer/Killing stars: same polarity is Indirect Officer (Pian Guan), also called Seven Killings (Qi Sha) or Seven Fatalities (Qi Sha)*; opposite polarity is Direct Officer (Zheng Guan).

Using the Day Master Jia Wood as an example:

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9. Three Origins (San Yuan)

Three Origins refer to the three levels within a Four Pillars chart:

• Heavenly Origin (Tian Yuan): Heavenly Stems
• Earthly Origin (Di Yuan): Earthly Branches
• Human Origin (Ren Yuan): Hidden Stems within Earthly Branches

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10. Hidden Stems in Earthly Branches

Verse:

Zi Palace contains Gui Water alone within,
Chou holds Gui, Xin, and Ji Earth to begin;
Yin Palace has Jia Wood with Bing and Wu,
Mao Palace meets Yi Wood, and only few;
Chen hides Yi, Wu, and Gui—three parts whole,
Si harbors Geng Metal, Bing, Wu to console;
Wu Palace Ding Fire with Ji Earth abides,
Wei Palace Yi, Ji, Ding in equal tides;
Shen holds Geng Metal, Ren Water, with Wu,
You Palace Xin Metal stands alone and true;
Xu Palace has Xin, Ding, with Wu inset,
Hai hides Ren and Jia—the true secret yet.

Arranged in the original order of the verse:

Different schools may vary in the ordering of hidden stems; here the original verse order is taken as the standard.

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11. How to Construct a Four Pillars Chart

In modern times, there is no need for manual calculation. One can search online for chart-casting websites or apps, input the birth year, month, day, time, and gender, and the Four Pillars chart will be generated automatically. The learning focus should be on interpreting the chart results.

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12. Four Pillars Chart Structure

Example: Male, born December 23, 2005 (solar calendar), at 16:00.

The Year Pillar is Yi You, derived from 2005; the Month Pillar is Wu Zi, derived from December 2005; the Day Pillar is Xin Si, derived from the 23rd; the Hour Pillar is Bing Shen, derived from 16:00.

Displayed vertically:

Yi You
Wu Zi
Xin Si
Bing Shen

Displayed horizontally: Yi You Wu Zi Xin Si Bing Shen.

"Qian" indicates a male chart, "Kun" indicates a female chart, and can be placed either before or after the Four Pillars.

Embedded chart

案例一

Male chart

Pillars	Year	Month	Day	Hour
Ten Gods	偏财	正印	Self (M)	正官
Stem	乙	戊	辛	丙
Branch	酉	子	巳	申
Hidden Stems	辛比	癸食	丙官戊印庚劫	庚劫壬伤戊印
Stage	建	长生	死	帝旺

Luck cycles

丁亥丙戌乙酉甲申癸未壬午辛巳庚辰

When examining a Four Pillars chart, the first thing to look at is the Day Master, which is the Heavenly Stem of the Day Pillar. In this example, the Day Stem is "Xin," representing the person in question.

Second, examine the relationship between the Day Master and the Month Command. The Month Command refers to the Earthly Branch of the Month Pillar, which is "Zi" in this example. Xin Metal is born in the month of Zi Water; Zi Water is the Eating God of Xin Metal, so this chart is classified as a Eating God Structure (Shi Shen Ge).

After determining the structure, examine how the remaining six characters affect it in terms of favorability or disfavor. The Year Stem Yi Wood is the Indirect Wealth of the Day Master Xin Metal, and the Hour Stem Bing Fire is the Direct Officer of Xin Metal. The Ten Gods for the remaining stems and branches can be deduced in the same manner.

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🧠 Deep Understanding

Core Concepts 💡

Yin-Yang, Five Elements, Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, Ten Gods, Hidden Stems, Nayin, and other elements together form the foundational symbolic system of Bazi (Four Pillars) metaphysics. Its essence is not a theory of ghosts and gods, but rather a classification and relationship model developed by ancient Chinese people from observing time, space, and the changes of life.

• Yin-Yang expresses binary relativity;
• Five Elements is a model of five attributes and their generating/controlling relationships;
• Stems and Branches form a system for marking time and space;
• Ten Gods represent five fundamental tensions in the Day Master's relationship with the outer world;
• Hidden Stems, Nayin, Longevity stages, and so forth provide finer layers of description.

Modern Interpretation 🌟

This system can be viewed as a traditional semiotics and taxonomy. It uses highly abstract "imagery" (xiang) to understand the world, similar to how early modern science used elements, humors, zodiac signs, and other models to explain nature and human relationships.

Modern interpretation should remain clear-headed:

• The correspondence of Five Elements to internal organs is an analogy derived from ancient experience and cannot replace modern medicine;
• Nayin and other divine/o-men symbols carry strong cultural imagery and should be understood as cultural symbols;
• Four Pillars chart casting is a clearly governed calendrical calculation, not equivalent to fatalism;
• Ten Gods relationships can be translated into psychological or social-role analysis, but forced correspondences must be avoided.

Practical Value ⚡

The direct value of studying this chapter's foundational knowledge is:

• The ability to read the Four Pillars structure, quickly identify the Day Master, Month Command, structure (Ge), and Ten Gods;
• The ability to use chart-casting tools for self-analysis;
• A solid foundation for subsequent study of structures, major luck periods, annual cycles, divine symbols, and more;
• The ability to find common language in fields such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, Feng Shui, and date selection.

The recommended practical approach follows the "hypothesis–action–review" methodology: chart results serve only as an observational framework and must be tested against real-life experience rather than blindly believed.

Philosophical Reflection 🤔

The mutual rooting of Yin and Yang, the generating/controlling cycles of the Five Elements, and the double-cycle of the Twelve Longevity Stages all reflect a worldview of dynamic balance and cyclic change. It emphasizes relationships, change, and stages rather than isolation and stasis.

At the same time, we must be wary: ancient models are prone to mechanical correspondence and absolutization, such as equating a given stem-branch combination fixedly with a certain illness, personality, or fate. The modern mind must inherit and critically evaluate such thinking.

📚 Related Knowledge

Related Concepts
Hidden Stems, Nayin, Twelve Longevity Stages, Ten Gods, divine symbols, structure (Ge), Four Pillars, major luck periods, annual cycles.

Further Reading
Chapters on Yin-Yang and Five Elements, Stems and Branches, Ten Gods, and Hidden Stems from Yuan Hai Zi Ping, San Ming Tong Hui, Di Tian Sui, Qiong Tong Bao Jian, and Wu Xing Jing Ji.

Modern Research
Contemporary scholars generally examine Bazi (Four Pillars) fate-casting within comparative frameworks including Chinese divination history, traditional semiotics, calendrical history, and the visceral-imagery theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, focusing on its classification logic, cultural psychology, and historical evolution.