module 00 preface and introduction
How to Read Bazi Birth Charts Accurately
By Dr. Khim Goh
Module 00: Preface & Introduction (Chapter 1)
Preface
Dr. Khim Goh has been teaching psychology at polytechnics and universities since 2007. Her Bazi (八字) prediction work is documented on her Facebook page "DR KHIM ZUN CLUB" and YouTube channel "DR KHIM GOH."
Her books are structured like textbooks with a step-by-step guide, written with students in mind — not with an entrepreneur's mindset. The methods taught are experimented and proven to show high accuracy.
Bazi (八字) covers an extreme extension of information: marriage, career, wealth, health, fortune, disaster, yearly luck cycle (太岁), 10-yearly luck cycle (十年大运), Feng Shui (风水), and more. The core concepts involve:
- I-Ching (易经) yin-yang (阴阳) theory
- Five elements (五行)
- Ten Chinese numeral system (十天干)
- Twelve Chinese animal zodiacs (十二地支)
- Hidden Chinese numeral system (藏干)
- Ten gods (十神)
- Twelve growth cycle (十二长生)
- Over one-hundred positive-negative stars (神煞)
This book covers the most basic yet solid foundation of Bazi knowledge, starting from zero. Basic I-Ching (易经) is the most crucial foundation for all Chinese metaphysics.
Author's note: For students who have prior Bazi knowledge, set aside what you have learned before and start fresh. Strictly follow the teaching methodology and you will soon be able to predict as accurately as the author.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Ethical Principles of Bazi Reading
As a Bazi teacher and lecturer, it is the author's duty to impart ethical behaviour, correct perspectives and accurate readings. Although you may gain in-depth Chinese metaphysics knowledge with high accuracy predictions, it is important to constantly remind yourself not to use the knowledge to manipulate or sabotage anyone. This is similar to learning kung fu (功夫) and using it to bully or hurt someone's body.
The good reason to learn Chinese metaphysics (玄学) is to empower people and yourself, so as to become a better person and help the society.
- Chinese metaphysics is an ancient science, without any religion component.
- Should you learn about negative parameters in a Bazi birth chart, please do not serve a "death punishment" to the birth chart owner (命主). Use the knowledge to guide them toward proper ethical behaviour, happiness and success.
- Any positive parameters found should not be taken advantage of.
Fate vs. Cultivation (命中注定 vs. 人定胜天)
Learn to develop a balanced view (中庸之道). Life destiny is fated in a sense, but that is not always true. The author proposes:
- 50% is fated (命中注定) — you cannot decide your ancestors, parents, siblings, relatives, culture, background, and childhood events
- 50% is cultivated (人定胜天) — you can choose how to manage your life: to marry or not, to have children or not, or to be a monk or not
| Column | Age Range | Family Context | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Childhood (<20 years) | Original family, grandparents/parents | Fated |
| Month | Young adult (20–40 years) | Father/brother, mother/sister | Fated |
| Day | Middle age (40–60 years) | ME / Spouse | Fated but can be managed |
| Hour | Old age (>60 years) | Son/daughter | Cultivated |
Key principle: When you are learning Bazi birth charts from ancient books, you must consider differences in era, culture, gender, and background. Put on a researcher's lens and ask: how would the Chinese ancestors' wisdom be correctly positioned into the contemporary world?
How Does a Typical Bazi Chart Look Like?
Once you have plotted a Bazi birth chart, you may see a very complicated chart. Do not fret. Below are the essential parameters in an accurate Bazi reading:
Rows of a Bazi chart:
- Heaven row (天干) — Ten Chinese Numeral System; represents males, active, outer, exposed
- Earth row (地支) — Twelve Chinese Animal Zodiacs; represents females, passive, inner, hidden
- Hidden roots row (藏干) — Hidden Chinese Numeral System beneath each animal zodiac
Columns of a Bazi chart:
| Column | Age Period | Body Area | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year (年柱) | Childhood; grandparents/parents | Head area | Initial intentions; family background |
| Month (月柱) | Young adult; father/siblings | Chest area | What impacts your decisions |
| Day (日柱) | Middle age; ME / Spouse | Stomach area | Yourself; inner self |
| Hour (时柱) | Old age; children | Leg area | End result; final wishes |
The chart also shows:
- Upper Ten Gods (透十神) — at the top of each column
- Strength of the Day Master (命主强弱)
- Favorable and Unfavorable Five Elements (喜忌神)
- Strength of the Five Elements (五行旺衰)
- 10 Years Luck Cycle (十年大运)
- Bazi Feng Shui (八字风水)
- Emptiness (空亡)
- Changing Luck Period (交大运)
- Significant Personality indicators
Practical examples of how columns are used:
- Family Bazi: Year = Grandpa/Grandma; Month = Father/Mother/Siblings; Day = ME/Spouse; Hour = Son/Daughter
- Career Bazi: Year = Senior Boss; Month = Manager/Competitor; Day = ME/Business Partner; Hour = Subordinates/Customers
- Friendship Bazi: Year = Childhood friends; Month = Adult colleagues; Day = Best friends; Hour = Social/Society friends
- Feng Shui Bazi: Each column corresponds to a compass direction based on the stem/branch meanings
How Did Bazi Begin?
Our Chinese ancestors used Bazi to predict fortune or disasters. They relied on it for harvesting crops and winning wars. The system evolved from the:
- Ten Chinese numeral system (十天干) — used to represent Heaven (天)
- Twelve Chinese animal zodiacs (十二地支) — used to represent Earth (地)
Historical development:
- Shang Dynasty (商朝) — Oracle bone inscriptions (甲骨文) recorded the complete "sixty columns (六十甲子)" system. The earliest Chinese characters were engraved on tortoise shells or animal bones by the royal family for divination records.
- Xi Han Dynasty (西汉) — The twelve earth zodiacs were used to record months of the moon.
- Dong Han Dynasty (东汉) — Twelve Chinese animal zodiacs assigned to each month.
- Warring States (476–221 BC) — Zhou Yan (邹衍) introduced the Five Elements (五行) into interaction cycles.
- Western Han (西汉) — Liu Shang (刘尚) developed the Growth (五行相生) and Counter (五行相克) cycles of the Five Elements.
- Han Dynasty (汉朝, 206 BC–220 AD) — Li Xu Zhong (李虚中), known as the father of Bazi (八字), first developed yin and yang, the five elements, the ten Chinese numeral system, and Chinese animal zodiacs into a three-column (三柱) fortune-telling system covering year, month and day.
- Early Song Dynasty (宋朝) — Xu Zi Ping (徐子平) improved the system by adding the hour column (时柱), creating the four-column eight-character system (四柱八字) used today.
- Song Dynasty — Xu Da Shen (徐大升) further added the Ten Gods (十神) system.
- Later — Wan Min Ying (万民英) compiled both Xu Zi Ping's and Xu Da Shen's work into "San Ming Tong Hui" (三命通会).
- Ming Dynasty (明朝) — "Di Tian Sui" 《滴天髓》, the most important classic in ancient Chinese metaphysics (玄学), was written by Song Zhi Jing (宋之京) and annotated by Liu Bowen (刘伯温). It focuses on favourable (喜用神) and unfavourable (仇忌神) five elements and month seasons (月令) to promote higher accuracy.
Practical Notes for Students
- Never guess a birth hour. "Garbage in will be garbage out." Dr. Khim sometimes declines to read anyone born before 1950 because their date of birth may be based on parents' or grandparents' memory.
- Do not manually calculate the chart. There are many free, accurately calculated Bazi calculators available online. Spend your time learning concepts and interpretation techniques instead.
- Plot according to actual solar time (真太阳) at the birth place. Most good Bazi calculators adjust the solar time automatically. NEVER convert the client's birth hour from one timezone to another — doing so may jeopardize the yin-yang structure in the birth chart.
- Please have a realistic expectation. Do not expect 100% accuracy. Eight out of 10 matters predicted accurately would be an impressive result.
- Total combinations in a Bazi chart: 60 years × 60 months × 60 days × 60 hours = 12,960,000 combinations. This is why it is difficult to find someone with the exact same Bazi birth chart, though not impossible.
- People born on the same year, month, day and hour will display similar personality, but intensity may differ due to upbringing, culture, and environment. Events that occur are similar but timing and intensity may vary.
Next module: Chapter 2 — The Basic I-Ching Concepts