Welcome to Bazi: The Four Wisdoms of Life

There are a number of kinds of astrology and each provides us a unique view of who we are, a second opinion compared with what we have been brought up to believe—what society has provided.

Chinese "Pillars of Destiny" astrology is many centuries old and still practiced by the ethnic Chinese. It brings to us a complete and authentic way of seeing ourselves from a new perspective. I hope you enjoy your Pillars of Destiny report.

Program Author: Michael Erlewine

Chinese astrology/astronomy was practiced at least as early as the time of the Yellow Emperor (Huang Di), 2700 BC to 2150 BC. During this time, imperial astrologers/astronomers advised the emperor by observing and charting the movements of the heavens. Throughout history, Chinese medicine, astrology, and Geomancy (Feng Shui), have been interdependent; they were practiced together as one science, called "Wu Shu" (the Five Arts). This science consisted of the practices of Feng-Shui, medicine, destiny, divination and physiognomy. The Four Pillars are a part of the "Destiny" or Ming Xue studies.

Four Pillars astrology (also called BaZi) translates literally as "the eight characters." The eight characters are four pillars consisting of two characters each. These, then, are the "Four Pillars of Destiny," often just called the "Four Pillars" or "BaZi." BaZi can be traced back to the Period of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 906 A.D.). Most authorities credit Grand Master Xu Zi Ping as the founding father of this tradition. BaZi, or Four Pillars astrology, is an authentic astrological tradition practiced, to this day, by many ethnic Chinese.

Pillars of Destiny astrology should not seem entirely foreign to those of us living in the West because the Four Pillars of Destiny themselves are none other than the year, month, day and hour of the birth of an individual, or of an event, so the concept is not so very different from Western astrological ideas; the actual methods of BaZi astrology, however, can be quite different from those used in the West.

If we had to sum up what BaZi or Four Pillar astrology is all about in a single word, that word would be "balance." It is pretty much axiomatic in Chinese metaphysics that nothing is considered good, or of value, or "works," if it is not balanced. Balance is the key to unlocking one's individual destiny as that destiny is coded in the Four Pillars—the Pillars being the hour, day, month, and year of birth. Four Pillars astrology provides us with a unique viewpoint—a different view of our life; it also provides an alternate (but complementary) view when compared to standard astrology’s view.

In Four Pillars astrology, there is one pillar each for the hour, the day, the month, and the year of birth. While the popular newspaper-style of Chinese astrology concerns itself only with the animal year of birth—perhaps only with the "Year of the Dog," for example—there is much more to Pillars of Destiny astrology than that. For example, the key to the Pillars of Destiny chart is the Day Pillar, which is called the "Day Master," and this is the most important focus of interpretation. The Day Master is similar to our solar birthday here in the West.

A “Four Pillar” analysis involves relating the Day Master to the other three pillars. The Day Master represents what we would call the "Self" (Sun) and, basically, it is either strong or weak, yet it comes in various degrees of strength or weakness. A "Strong" Day Master is said to be independent, and a "Weak" Day Master is termed interdependent.

In this report, we will concentrate on the Day Pillar, or "Day Master," as it is called. In Four Pillars astrology, the Day Master is always the key to the natal chart and, as mentioned above, there are two main types of Day Masters: the Independent Day Master and the Inter-dependent Day Master.

Yin Earth

As an Earth person, you tend to be rock solid and unmoving and folks know they can depend on you. You will always be there when they need you. You stand firm and when you do move, you tend to plow straight ahead through whatever obstacles may appear. On the other hand, you are seldom subtle and "blue sky" thinking is not your style; for you everything is down to earth. You are, above all, practical, efficient, and you rarely get emotional but when you do, stand back. In Western astrology, you would have the attributes of the planet Saturn.

As a Yin Earth person, you are like the soil in a garden, generally fertile and productive. You can always be depended on for nourishment and support. Given ideas or thoughts, you will ponder usually them and bring forth a response that is productive and supportive.

You have a strong Day Master, which is considered a good thing. Now, even though you probably don't need more encouragement or support, you would still benefit from being challenged by an authority you respect and by putting yourself into creative activities and managing your projects.

Interdependent

You have what is called an Interdependent Day Master and this suggests that you prefer to work with people. You prefer to work from within a secure framework, situation, or group rather than to work alone.

What this indicates is that you are, above all, a team player, someone who prefers working with and through an existing situation (group interaction) rather than working alone as an entrepreneurial type. In other words, you work inter-dependently with others as opposed to being somehow above and independent from the group. You are more productive when working with a group than when trying to create things on your own.

Also, you are not at home being the boss and telling others what to do; you would rather work with others as a part of a team. At the same time, however, you sometimes resent authority and don't like the feeling of being controlled, although this is probably due to a lack of confidence on your part.

In summary, cooperation with others is a necessary quality for you, a quality very important for your own well being. You draw strength, increased confidence and accurate direction from your friends and family and from your surroundings in general. Given a supportive environment, you thrive. You naturally prefer not to function as an independent agent, but do fabulously when picking up on anything that is already established and in motion.

You have a somewhat fragile Day Master, which suggests that your life energy or Qi works best in an environment that is protected and secure, perhaps surrounded by friends and with plenty of resources for growth and confidence.

Season of Day Master: Winter

Your Day Master season is Winter, the season when the element Water rules. This is probably too technical, but here is what the tradition has to say about each of the five elements in Winter:

Winter season celebrates the element Water and marks a time when this element is vibrant and at its strongest. Wood is also considered strong in Winter because Water produces Wood and if Water is strong, then Wood automatically is strong. Metal however in Winter is weak because Metal is the Mother of Water and in order for Water to be strong, much Metal has to be used to produce Water. Earth is not strong in Winter because Earth controls Water, but when Water is very strong, it cannot be controlled. And last, Fire is weak in Winter because Water controls Fire, and because Water is at its strongest in Winter, it tends to over-control Fire, thus weakening it.

The Five Stars

The "Five Factors" or "Five Stars" as they are commonly called is the very heart of Four Pillar astrology as they define your relationship to the cycle of life. The cycle is endless, but the Five Stars or snapshots of that cycle are: "You and Companions," your Expression, Wealth, "Influences on You," and your Resources (support system). We will go through them one by one.

In Chinese astrology, the Output Star has to do with whether you are able to produce or do the things you need to do in order to be successful; it also has to do with just what kind of things these are—the products you make, if any. This star is often used as a main indicator of one’s career; it has a lot to say about what particular direction in life you may take—or whether or not you are waiting for something to fall into your lap.

As you might imagine, creativity and expression of all kinds can be found here, whether that be in the Arts (music, film, writing, speaking, etc.) or a physical product that you create. This star rules expression of all kinds, in particular creative expression.

You may have difficulty expressing yourself—simply getting it out for everyone to see.

You especially love and value creativity and self-expression in all things. This is a lifelong trait and very much a part of your makeup. You love and want to be a creative force and to express and show to others whatever you consider as beautiful and fine.

However, this factor is not as highly visible in your Four Pillars chart as are some of the other factors you have going for you. The net result of all this is that you may be more of a closet creator than you would like, either finding it hard to express your creativity to others and the world around you or (more probably) finding it hard to get the recognition you crave from the world for what you have produced. One result of this inner love of creativity is that your may find yourself working with others who are creative, fulfilling your own sense of creativity by enabling others to use their creativity. This syndrome can be very touchy for you.

Almost everyone is concerned with what their Wealth Star has to say. The Wealth Star covers not only what wealth we may accumulate but also our ability to create and hold onto wealth and property.

You really care when it comes to money, property, wealth, finances, and all of that. This is something that may concern you, perhaps excessively at times, and this amounts to a caution: money and possessions will be very important to you regardless of whether there is any real cause for worry.

However, you may have trouble controlling or managing money so be advised. This is not your strong suit.

Another point is that the good things in life are something you value and you are not ashamed to let others know of your good fortune. You like to show off what you have.

The Influence Star, also called the Power Star, refers to all that controls or influences you and how you take to that control, whether you like guidance or find it intimidating. In astrological terms, we are talking about authority and the rules and regulations of the planet Saturn. Your Influence star shows how you relate to authority.

You can tolerate authority but only in small doses and even then only when you are on the top of your game. Otherwise, you tend to experience these same persons or authorities as overriding and bossy when you are not feeling as secure. At these less-secure times, rules and regulations seem to get in the way and appear as obstacles rather than as help.

This kind of love-hate attitude to oversight or direction by outside authorities will probably play a significant role throughout your life, and regulations may not always be easy for you to negotiate or bear. By "outside" authority, we mean anyone in a position to direct or lay down rules or regulations that affect your life and work. These authorities could be as benign as a mentor and teacher on the one hand or a too-demanding boss on the other. You can at times be overly sensitive to this kind of direction and may be liable to resist authority of any kind.

In fact, how you respond to direction very much depends on the state of your own confidence in yourself. When confidence is high, direction is welcomed or at least tolerated, but when confidence is low or you feel somewhat out of control, then direction and regulations from the outside can be experienced as just too controlling and confining. It may be difficult at these times for you not to resent authority.

Since this condition resides in your natal Four Pillars, this is not a passing phase but will be a lifelong condition, something you should be aware of and prepare for.

The Friends Star is pretty much straightforward; it refers to your friends and companions, co-workers, as well as your business partners. Here we learn how social you are and if you prefer the company of others to being on your own.

You need friends and probably really depend on your family and/or friends for encouragement, for keeping up your self-confidence, and for guidance—helping you to make the right choices. It is unlikely that you will ever be lonely, for you will probably be surrounded by friends and acquaintances.

You own self-esteem can at times be low, and you will depend on those around you for encouragement and increased self confidence.

However, one caution: you will find that not all friends are "friendly." Your chart suggests that some friends can easily turn into competitors for attention, which is not-so-friendly, and some may even become adversaries and business competitors. Against this eventuality, you should remain aware of this configuration and take note. In other words, despite the fact that you have a strong friendship quotient, there is an indication that not all friends will remain so. Some will turn into competitors at best and enemies at worst. There is this propensity.

Resources are your support system, that is: what you can draw upon and use to become stronger and achieve success. Resources are like the mother that feeds you when you are a child but also, like a mother, they help to shape and inform you, including education of all types. In astrology, this would be what we call the Moon, which refers to emotions, feelings, everything that comes from inside and from the past. Your need for support is what is in question here.

Success and happiness for you very much depends on the support of others, your surroundings, and on your circumstances or environment in general, and it is important for you to have that support available.

To succeed in life, you will do best by seeking out situations and people that will give you support, whether that is a revenue stream, a pat on the back, or both. You do best when someone has your back and stands behind you. Otherwise, you have tendency at times to lack confidence.

You thrive on cooperation from those around you and very much benefit from all the support you can muster. You like to work situations from the inside out, rather from the outside in, from the bottom up, rather than the top down.

When it comes to training and education, this is natural to you. School, academics, studying, and all manner of learning are a path you will do well in. Learn about it from those who know, and then do it.

A lot of attention is paid in Chinese astrology to the balancing of male and female forces, what are called "Yang" (male) and "Yin" (female) elements. A Yang element represents unchanging energy (and sometimes brute force), while a Yin element represents change and adaptability. When we add up the many Yin and Yang factors in your chart, here is the balance:

Yin Dominates: 8 to 4

Your approach to life in general, and to solving problems in particular, is from a "Yin" standpoint; this means you work with existing problems as they are, manipulating them "as is" rather than trying to alter them—you do not challenge them head-on. To use a martial art analogy, you prefer Aikido to Judo; meaning, your skill lies in working with existing situations passively rather than actively confronting them. Here, the use of the word passive does not mean lying down when problems arise, but rather refers to your method of facilitating and working through a situation (while not making it worse) by redirecting energy in motion rather than getting in its way and opposing it.

In Four Pillars astrology, balance in the Four Pillars chart equals balance in your life—these balances are considered identical. A main factor needing to be balanced, both in your chart and in your life, is the distribution of the five elements: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth. We can be unbalanced if we are missing an element, or if we have it only in a small quantity, but we can also be unbalanced by having too much of an element.

Whatever element we have the least of is termed our "Lucky Element," because whenever this element does appear in our life it brings our entire chart (and life!) into balance. A year, a month, or a day containing our lucky element portends a time of balance, and thus of progress, for, in Chinese philosophy, only balance brings both fulfillment and forward motion.

Your "Lucky Element" is "Metal" and for you this element represents all matters of creativity and self-expression, which are essential for your growth and progress. The Chinese sometimes call this the "Output" element, because it refers to the things we produce in life and how we produce them, whether that be physical children or the many mental and artistic creations we might have. As mentioned, this is also the element in shortest supply and thus most needed. When you encounter this element you achieve inner balance and your life blooms and moves forward. Without it, you can be at a standstill. How easy (or difficult) access to this element will be can depend on whether this is for you a Favorable or Unfavorable element.

The "Lucky Element" in your chart is one of your Unfavorable Factors, and this complicates things a bit. If you did not need this element, you naturally would tend to avoid this factor because it goes against your grain. However, you very much need to contact this element in order to bring the needed balance to your chart, which when balanced then moves the wheel of success forward in your life.

Your Peach Blossom is the Mouse

In China, the blossom of the peach tree is associated with romance, and with a movie-star quality—charisma. If you have a strong Peach Blossom in your Four Pillars chart, you are automatically a magnet for the opposite sex; so everyone, of course, wants to know the status of the Peach Blossom in their chart.

Your Peach Blossom is the Mouse. You don't have a Peach Blossom in your standard Four Pillars chart, so instant stardom is probably not on your horizon. However, it is probably worthwhile to keep your eyes open for your particular Peach Blossom, when it occurs in a Luck Cycle or in the year, month, or day columns. This will mark a time during which you can have that star quality.

Along with "Wealth," the most in-demand factors are those having to do with relationships, romantic relationships in general, and marriage in particular. While there are several indicators for a successful relationship, one traditional indicator is whether you are favorably or unfavorably inclined to having relationships of any kind.

When it comes to relationships, the lottery of life gave to you the Unfavorable tag, which is usually not as ominous as it sounds. It does not mean you won't get married or won't have relationships, but traditionally it does suggest you may have to exercise care and discrimination in your partners, if you want to avoid bickering or even a train wreck or two. Like most of us, you are going to have to work on relationships if you want them to succeed.

Perhaps the main definitive measure of what might be called "marriage-ability" has to do with the Spouse Palace, which is connected to your Day Master. Forgive the jargon, but what it boils down to is whether your Day Master has an auspicious (favorable) factor built into it or not.

In your case, you can expect some bumps and turns along the road, both to and through marriage, because the overall indication is inauspicious and thereby “unfavorable.” But don't jump for the divorce clause, because this doesn’t mean you don’t have any chemistry, or that you don't love one another. What tradition states is, that despite the chemistry and everything that brings you together, you may have more than your share of obstacles to overcome and work through. The road will not always be smooth.

Years From 2008 Through 2017

The theme for this time period has to do with how you give and what you have to give, your particular creativity and productiveness, as in what you produce.

We could call it, equally, your talent, and the way you express yourself and what is expressed—the results or outcome (the product) of your expression. Everyone is good at something and this factor has to do with what you are good at and how well you accomplish it.

In other words, your talent may be a form of singing, dancing, poetry, novels—any manner of self-expression, but this factor also extends to whatever you produce, your particular productivity and the products of your efforts. This obviously then affects your career.

Current Year Luck for 2013

The key area for this time period is resources. It indicates your personal support system, where any and all support or encouragement comes from; in other words, it indicates your personal well of resources, the place from which you draw strength and self-confidence—your personal support system, be it strong or be it weak.

Traditionally, this factor also represents where you learn—where you take knowledge from, so it is connected to academics, schooling of all kinds, thinking, and examinations. It also represents wisdom. If this factor is favorably placed during this time it can bring intelligence and self-growth. If not well placed, it can point to just the opposite: diminished mental skills and difficulty in learning. In astrology, this would be similar to the Moon.

We hope you enjoyed your Pillars of Destiny Report, and you might also like to check out the following Chinese Pillars of Destiny reports from Astrology.com.

Ten-Year Luck Cycles Report

The Chinese 10-Year Luck Pillars are an essential part of Pillar of Destiny astrology going forward. Life is laid out in ten-year sections starting at birth and extending to over 100 years of age. Your current 10-year segment was very briefly detailed above, but you might like to check-out your complete 100-year luck pillars in our lifetime report, which provides in-depth detail on how each section of life relates to your natal Four Pillars astrology.

Chinese Annual Reading

Also available is our year-by-year analysis of your Pillars of Destiny astrology. Available ten years at a time, our year-by-year report relates the current year to your natal Four Pillars astrology and details what you can expect each year. In addition, you get month-by-month comments, which makes planning events easy.