module 07 conclusion and reference
Module 07: Conclusion & Comprehensive Study Guide
Conclusion
This book has covered the most foundational yet solid knowledge required to read a Bazi (八字) birth chart accurately. The knowledge spans seven major chapters, each building upon the last.
The journey from zero to accurately reading a Bazi birth chart follows this sequence:
I-Ching Foundation (易经)
↓
Yin-Yang Theory (阴阳)
↓
Five Elements (五行): Growth, Counter, Exhaustion, Excessive
↓
Ten Chinese Numeral System (十天干): Jia Yi Bing Ding Wu Ji Geng Xin Ren Gui
↓
Twelve Chinese Animal Zodiacs (十二地支): Rat Ox Tiger Rabbit Dragon Snake Horse Goat Monkey Rooster Dog Pig
↓
Sixty Columns & Emptiness (六十甲子 & 空亡)
↓
Strength of the Birth Owner (命主强弱): 得令 得势 得地
↓
Favourable & Unfavourable Five Elements (喜用神 & 仇忌神)
↓
Ten Gods (十神): BiJian JieCai ShiShen ShangGuan PianCai ZhengCai QiSha ZhengGuan PianYin ZhengYin
↓
Positive & Negative Stars (神煞) + Twelve Growth Chart (十二长生)
↓
10-Year Luck Cycle (十年大运) + Yearly Luck (流年) → Fortune & Disaster Timing
Master Reference: Complete Quick Reference Sheet
The Ten Chinese Numeral System (十天干)
| # | Name | Character | Element | Yin/Yang | Core Concept | Colour | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jia | 甲 | Wood | Yang | Kind 木主仁 | Green | East |
| 2 | Yi | 乙 | Wood | Yin | Kind 木主仁 | Pale Green | East |
| 3 | Bing | 丙 | Fire | Yang | Mannered 火主礼 | Red/Purple | South |
| 4 | Ding | 丁 | Fire | Yin | Mannered 火主礼 | Red/Purple | South |
| 5 | Wu | 戊 | Earth | Yang | Reliable 土主实 | Yellow/Brown | Central |
| 6 | Ji | 己 | Earth | Yin | Reliable 土主实 | Yellow/Green | Southwest |
| 7 | Geng | 庚 | Metal | Yang | Righteous 金主义 | White/Silver | West |
| 8 | Xin | 辛 | Metal | Yin | Righteous 金主义 | White/Silver | West |
| 9 | Ren | 壬 | Water | Yang | Wisdom 水主智 | Black/Blue | North |
| 10 | Gui | 癸 | Water | Yin | Wisdom 水主智 | Black/Blue | North |
Metaphor Summary for Ten Stems
| Stem | With Root (通根) | Without Root (无根) |
|---|---|---|
| Jia 甲 | Tall tree — strong, upright leader | Chopped tree/furniture — versatile, flexible career |
| Yi 乙 | Flower in soil — afraid of loneliness, needs company | Flower in vase — fragile, indoor work, needs employer |
| Bing 丙 | Forest fire — impulsive, powerful | The sun — lonely, taken for granted |
| Ding 丁 | Candle — always well-dressed, protected | Lantern — easily extinguished, be careful who you work with |
| Wu 戊 | Mountain — reliable, trustworthy, independent | Solid wall/road — easily stepped on by others |
| Ji 己 | Farmland soil — must be well nurtured | Flower-plot soil — easily influenced by environment |
| Geng 庚 | Heavy axe — strong, capable, self-made | Raw metal — helps others more than self |
| Xin 辛 | Fine jewellery — gracious, refined, talented | Rough stone — needs polishing, less gracious |
| Ren 壬 | Ocean — adventurous, active, hard to understand | Dam — contribution less visible |
| Gui 癸 | Rain — nourishing, quiet, supports others | Cloud — helpful to others but not self |
The Twelve Animal Zodiacs (十二地支)
| Animal | Chinese | Branch | Element | Yin/Yang | Season | Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rat | 鼠 | 子 Zi | Water | Yang | Winter | 11pm–1am |
| Ox | 牛 | 丑 Chou | Earth | Yin | Transition | 1–3am |
| Tiger | 虎 | 寅 Yin | Wood | Yang | Spring | 3–5am |
| Rabbit | 兔 | 卯 Mao | Wood | Yin | Spring | 5–7am |
| Dragon | 龙 | 辰 Chen | Earth | Yang | Transition | 7–9am |
| Snake | 蛇 | 巳 Si | Fire | Yin | Summer | 9–11am |
| Horse | 马 | 午 Wu | Fire | Yang | Summer | 11am–1pm |
| Goat | 羊 | 未 Wei | Earth | Yin | Transition | 1–3pm |
| Monkey | 猴 | 申 Shen | Metal | Yang | Autumn | 3–5pm |
| Rooster | 鸡 | 酉 You | Metal | Yin | Autumn | 5–7pm |
| Dog | 狗 | 戌 Xu | Earth | Yang | Transition | 7–9pm |
| Pig | 猪 | 亥 Hai | Water | Yin | Winter | 9–11pm |
Five Elements Interaction Summary
| Interaction | Cycle |
|---|---|
| Growth (相生) | Metal→Water→Wood→Fire→Earth→Metal |
| Counter (相克) | Metal→Wood→Earth→Water→Fire→Metal |
| Exhaustion (相泄) | Water→Metal, Wood→Water, Fire→Wood, Earth→Fire, Metal→Earth |
| Excessive Element | Effect |
|---|---|
| 水多木漂 Excessive Water | Wood floats — dependent, no opinion |
| 木多火熄 Excessive Wood | Fire diminishes — difficulty finding work |
| 火多土炎 Excessive Fire | Earth burned — digestive issues, mother suffers |
| 金多水浊 Excessive Metal | Water polluted — career difficulties |
| 土多金埋 Excessive Earth | Metal buried — career advancement difficult, hidden sickness |
Strength of Five Elements by Season (月令 Monthly Ruler)
| Season | Month | Strongest | Strong | Weak | Weaker | Weakest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1st, 2nd | Wood | Fire | Water | Metal | Earth |
| Transition | 3rd | Earth | Metal | Fire | Wood | Water |
| Summer | 4th, 5th | Fire | Earth | Wood | Water | Metal |
| Transition | 6th | Earth | Metal | Fire | Wood | Water |
| Autumn | 7th, 8th | Metal | Water | Earth | Fire | Wood |
| Transition | 9th | Earth | Metal | Fire | Wood | Water |
| Winter | 10th, 11th | Water | Wood | Metal | Earth | Fire |
| Transition | 12th | Earth | Metal | Fire | Wood | Water |
Punishments, Clashes, Breaks, Harms
Punishment (刑)
- 寅巳申 (Tiger + Snake + Monkey): Betrayal, revenge, accident, estranged family
- 丑未戌 (Ox + Goat + Dog): Crime, jail, sickness, bullied
- 子卯 (Rat + Rabbit): Hostile, sexual misconduct, ruin reputation
- 辰辰/酉酉/午午/亥亥 (Same zodiac pairs): Depression, mental stress, self-harm tendencies
Clash (冲)
- 子午 (Rat ↔ Horse): Restless, stuck
- 丑未 (Ox ↔ Goat): Disease, obstacle
- 寅申 (Tiger ↔ Monkey): Busy, accident, affairs
- 卯酉 (Rabbit ↔ Rooster): Marriage problems, lust
- 辰戌 (Dragon ↔ Dog): Argumentative, lawsuits, death
- 巳亥 (Snake ↔ Pig): Quarrels, frequent changes
Break (破)
- 子酉 (Rat ↔ Rooster): Broken promises, financial difficulties
- 午卯 (Horse ↔ Rabbit): Business failure, job loss
- 申巳 (Monkey ↔ Snake): Sabotage, family separation
- 寅亥 (Tiger ↔ Pig): Backstabbers, wasted helping
- 辰丑 (Dragon ↔ Ox): Family discord, wasted effort
- 戌未 (Dog ↔ Goat): Crime, loss of status
Harm (害)
- 子未 (Rat ↔ Goat): Loss of child, pregnancy difficulty, family discord
- 丑午 (Ox ↔ Horse): Backstabbers, lack of tolerance
- 寅巳 (Tiger ↔ Snake): Difficult lawsuit, pregnancy difficulty
- 申亥 (Monkey ↔ Pig): Relationship conflicts, poor marriage, accident
- 卯辰 (Rabbit ↔ Dragon): Illness, handicap, quarrels
- 酉戌 (Rooster ↔ Dog): Relationship conflicts, poor marriage
Combination Summary
Five Pairs Heavenly Stem Combination (天干五合)
| Pair | Becomes | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 甲 + 己 | Earth | Loving couple |
| 乙 + 庚 | Metal | Righteous couple |
| 丙 + 辛 | Water | Bullying couple |
| 丁 + 壬 | Wood | Lustrous couple |
| 戊 + 癸 | Fire | Mismatch couple |
Six Pairs Branch Combination (六合)
子丑合土 / 寅亥合木 / 卯戌合火 / 辰酉合金 / 巳申合水 / 午未合土
Three Triangular Combination (三合)
申子辰合水 / 亥卯未合木 / 寅午戌合火 / 巳酉丑合金
Three Neighboring Combination (三会)
亥子丑合水 / 寅卯辰合木 / 巳午未合火 / 申酉戌合金
Hidden Combination (暗合)
卯申 / 丑寅 / 子巳 / 巳酉 / 午亥 / 寅午
The Ten Gods Quick Reference
| Ten God | Chinese | Relationship to Day Master | Gender Meaning (Male) | Gender Meaning (Female) | Life Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bi Jian | 比肩 | Same element, same polarity | Brothers, friends | Sisters, friends | Friends, competitors, colleagues |
| Jie Cai | 劫财 | Same element, opposite polarity | Sisters, daughter-in-law | Brothers, father-in-law | Competitors, troublemakers |
| Shi Shen | 食神 | I grow, same polarity | Sperm, son-in-law | Daughter | Skills, talent, food, romance |
| Shang Guan | 伤官 | I grow, opposite polarity | Sperm, mother-in-law | Son | Talent, rebellious |
| Pian Cai | 偏财 | I counter, same polarity | Father, mistress | Mother-in-law | Business, irregular income |
| Zheng Cai | 正财 | I counter, opposite polarity | Wife | Father | Regular salary, wife |
| Qi Sha | 七杀 | Counters me, same polarity | Son | Male lover, daughter-in-law | Pressure, problem-solving |
| Zheng Guan | 正官 | Counters me, opposite polarity | Daughter | Husband | Authority, boss, discipline |
| Pian Yin | 偏印 | Grows me, same polarity | Father-in-law | Step mother | Mental health, special skills |
| Zheng Yin | 正印 | Grows me, opposite polarity | Mother | Son-in-law | Education, health, support |
Twelve Growth Chart Strength Scale
| Stage | Chinese | Strength Level | Key Words |
|---|---|---|---|
| 长生 | Learning | Strong | Birth, growth, beginning |
| 沐浴 | Bath | Stronger (vulnerable) | Exposure, romance, candid |
| 冠带 | Capable | Stronger | Maturity, goals, well-dressed |
| 临官 | Promotion | Strongest | Peak career, authority |
| 帝旺 | Di Wang | Strongest | Rich, successful, at top |
| 衰 | Weak | Weak | Retirement, satisfaction |
| 病 | Sick | Weaker | Unmotivated, sickening |
| 死 | Death | Weakest | Give up, surrender |
| 墓 | Buried | Weakest | Locked, covered, hidden |
| 绝 | Ending | Weakest | Hopeless, cut off |
| 胎 | Fetal | Strong | Planning, conception |
| 养 | Grow | Strong | Nurturing, support |
Step-by-Step: How to Read a Bazi Birth Chart
Phase 1: Set Up
- Plot the birth chart using a reliable online Bazi calculator with true solar time (真太阳) enabled.
- Identify: Year column (年柱), Month column (月柱), Day column (日柱), Hour column (时柱).
- Identify: Heaven row (天干) — ten stems; Earth row (地支) — twelve zodiacs; Hidden stems (藏干).
Phase 2: Foundation Analysis
4. Identify the day master (日主) — the heavenly stem of the day column.
5. Check yin-yang balance across all 8 characters + hidden roots. All yin = introverted/secretive. All yang = extroverted/active.
6. Check Emptiness (空亡) — look up the day column in the 60-column table and identify which two zodiacs are empty. Assess whether Emptiness is good news or bad news based on favourable/unfavourable elements.
Phase 3: Strength Determination
7. Identify the month branch (月令) to determine the season.
8. Apply the three-step strength test (三得): 得令 → 得势 → 得地.
9. Count the overall percentage balance.
10. Determine: Strong / Weak / Extremely Weak (= Weak by 物极必反).
Phase 4: Favourable Elements
11. Based on strength:
- Strong: Favourable elements = those that counter and exhaust the day master.
- Weak: Favourable elements = those that grow and support the day master.
12. Classify all five elements as: 用(Yong) / 喜(Xi) / 闲(Xian) / 仇(Chou) / 忌(Ji).
Phase 5: Ten Gods Analysis
13. Identify the ten gods for each character in the chart.
14. Locate key ten god positions: mother (年支/月支 for male), father (偏财/正财), spouse (日支), children (时支).
15. Analyse the characteristics and strength of each ten god.
16. Note any problematic combinations: e.g., strong jie cai with no authority god = potential financial recklessness.
Phase 6: Zodiac Interactions
17. Check for punishments (刑), clashes (冲), breaks (破), harms (害), and combinations (合) among the 12 zodiacs.
18. Determine the impact of each interaction based on position (which column, which relationship) and the favourable/unfavourable classification.
Phase 7: Stars and Growth Cycle
19. Identify key positive and negative stars (神煞) — especially benefactor star (贵人), romance star (桃花), lonely star (孤辰), etc.
20. Check the twelve growth chart (十二长生) to determine the strength of each star and ten god.
Phase 8: Luck Cycle Analysis
21. Apply the analysis to the 10-year luck cycle (十年大运) — identify which periods are favourable and which are unfavourable.
22. Apply to yearly luck (流年) for specific year predictions.
23. Look for convergence: when a luck cycle brings in favourable elements AND interactions trigger positive stars at strong positions = high fortune period.
Ethical Reminder
"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." — Dr. Khim Goh
- Do not use the knowledge to manipulate or sabotage anyone.
- Do not serve a "death punishment" to the birth chart owner (命主) when seeing negative parameters.
- Do not take advantage of positive parameters found in a birth chart.
- Do use the knowledge to serve as a guide to help the birth chart owner achieve happiness and success.
- Do maintain a balanced view (中庸之道) — life is 50% fated (命中注定) and 50% cultivated (人定胜天).
Further Learning Resources
- Online Bazi Calculator: Use a calculator that automatically enables true solar time (真太阳时). Check the 参数设定 (parameter settings) and ensure 使用真太阳时 (Use True Solar Time) is enabled.
- Professional Software: Available at https://drkhimgoh.com/books
- Online Courses: https://drkhimgoh.com/course
- Facebook: DR KHIM ZUN CLUB
- YouTube: DR KHIM GOH
Glossary of Key Terms
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Eight Characters / Four Pillars | 八字 | Bā Zì |
| Birth Chart Owner | 命主 | Mìng Zhǔ |
| Heavenly Stems | 天干 | Tiān Gān |
| Earthly Branches | 地支 | Dì Zhī |
| Hidden Stems | 藏干 | Cáng Gān |
| Yin | 阴 | Yīn |
| Yang | 阳 | Yáng |
| Five Elements | 五行 | Wǔ Xíng |
| I-Ching | 易经 | Yì Jīng |
| Month Controller | 月令 | Yuè Lìng |
| Ten Gods | 十神 | Shí Shén |
| Favourable Element | 喜用神 | Xǐ Yòng Shén |
| Unfavourable Element | 仇忌神 | Chóu Jì Shén |
| Emptiness | 空亡 | Kōng Wáng |
| Positive & Negative Stars | 神煞 | Shén Shà |
| Twelve Growth Chart | 十二长生 | Shí Èr Cháng Shēng |
| 10-Year Luck Cycle | 十年大运 | Shí Nián Dà Yùn |
| Yearly Luck | 流年 / 太岁 | Liú Nián / Tài Suì |
| Sixty Columns | 六十甲子 | Liù Shí Jiǎ Zǐ |
| Growth Cycle | 五行相生 | Wǔ Xíng Xiāng Shēng |
| Counter Cycle | 五行相克 | Wǔ Xíng Xiāng Kè |
| Exhaustion | 五行相泄 | Wǔ Xíng Xiāng Xiè |
| Excessive | 五行过旺 | Wǔ Xíng Guò Wàng |
| Punishment | 刑 | Xíng |
| Clash | 冲 | Chōng |
| Break | 破 | Pò |
| Harm | 害 | Hài |
| Combination | 合 | Hé |
| Root / With Root | 根 / 通根 | Gēn / Tōng Gēn |
| Without Root | 无根 | Wú Gēn |
| Strong Birth Owner | 命主强 | Mìng Zhǔ Qiáng |
| Weak Birth Owner | 命主弱 | Mìng Zhǔ Ruò |
| Season Support | 得令 | Dé Lìng |
| Heaven Support | 得势 | Dé Shì |
| Earth Support | 得地 | Dé Dì |
| Balance View | 中庸之道 | Zhōng Yōng Zhī Dào |
| Fated | 命中注定 | Mìng Zhōng Zhù Dìng |
| Cultivated/Self-made | 人定胜天 | Rén Dìng Shèng Tiān |
| Bi Jian | 比肩 | Bǐ Jiān |
| Jie Cai | 劫财 | Jié Cái |
| Shi Shen | 食神 | Shí Shén |
| Shang Guan | 伤官 | Shāng Guān |
| Pian Cai | 偏财 | Piān Cái |
| Zheng Cai | 正财 | Zhèng Cái |
| Qi Sha | 七杀 | Qī Shā |
| Zheng Guan | 正官 | Zhèng Guān |
| Pian Yin | 偏印 | Piān Yìn |
| Zheng Yin | 正印 | Zhèng Yìn |
End of all modules. Happy studying!