What is Bazi: The Four Pillars of Destiny Chart To Decode Your Destiny Calculator

This ancient Chinese astrology system The Four Pillars of Destiny, also known as Bazi 八字, claims to unlock the secrets of your life path using just your birth date and time. Let’s dive into this fascinating world and see what it might reveal about you.

What is Bazi?

Bazi, also known as the Four Pillars of Destiny, is a fundamental concept in Chinese astrology. The term “Bazi 八字” literally means “eight characters” in Chinese, referring to the eight components that make up a person’s birth chart.

This system uses four key time markers – year 年, month 月, day 日, and hour 时 of birth – to create a detailed astrological profile. Each of these “pillars 柱” is represented by two characters: one from the Heavenly Stems 天干 and one from the Earthly Branches 地支.

The Heavenly Stems consist of ten elements 十天干, while the Earthly Branches comprise twelve 十二地支. These combine to form the sexagenary cycle, a 60-year calendar system that’s been used in China for millennia.

Bazi’s core theory comes from two ancient Chinese philosophical concepts: Yin Yang 阴阳 and Wu Xing 五行 (Five Elements).【link】

The Four Pillars

So, what exactly are these four pillars of time markers? They’re the cornerstones of your Bazi chart, each representing a different aspect of your life:

Year Pillar: Your Life’s Backdrop

This is the foundation, the big-picture stuff. It’s like the stage set for your life’s play, giving insights into your family background and the overall vibe of your generation.

Month Pillar: Your Natural Toolkit

Think of this as your inherited talents and resources. It’s what you naturally bring to the table – your innate skills and abilities.

Day Pillar: The Star of the Show – You!

This is all about you – your personality, your core self. It’s the heart of your Bazi chart and gives the lowdown on your character and personal journey.

Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches 天干地支

Each pillar is made up of two parts: a Heavenly Stem and an Earthly Branch. These are represented by Chinese characters, each associated with one of the five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and either Yin or Yang energy.

The Heavenly Stems are like the yang to the Earthly Branches’ yin. Together, they create a complex dance of energies that shape your life’s narrative.

How do I find out my Year Pillar?

Don’t sweat it. There’s a shortcut for converting our familiar Western years into Bazi speak.

For the Heavenly Stem, just look at the last digit of the year. Each number corresponds to a specific stem. As for the Earthly Branch, divide the year by 12 and check out the remainder. That number points to your branch.

Let’s take 1985 for a spin. The last digit is 5, which gives us the stem “Yi”. Now, 1985 divided by 12 leaves a remainder of 5. That matches up with the branch “Chou”. Put them together, and voila – 1985 is the year of Yi Chou.