volume one
Scientific BaZi Reasoning: Foundation Principles
Five Elements (五行 Wǔxíng) Produce and Clash · Academy of Chinese Metaphysics
By Teacher Wenbao — Book 1
Volume One: Understanding the Five Elements (五行 Wǔxíng) and BaZi
1-1 When Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) Meets the Traditional School
Would you believe it? Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) has a history of less than sixty years, and its market share is under ten percent. Traditional BaZi still dominates the market by a wide margin.
Speaking of BaZi schools, most people are familiar with Ziping BaZi and the classical texts of traditional destiny learning — also known as the Academic School of BaZi. What people generally study are the widespread, mainstream academic schools. Regardless of whether it is traditional destiny study or any other school, everything ultimately cannot escape the foundational theory of production and clash.
Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) also follows this same principle. It does not conflict with traditional destiny study — it simply simplifies some of the cruder concepts in traditional chart reading, making BaZi more relevant to the modern mindset. It carries scientific practical value: it is stronger in real-world application, with the characteristic of a higher accuracy rate in predicting events. In practice, Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) production and clash further breaks through the blind spots that traditional destiny learning cannot break through. I say with great confidence: among its features, the monthly qi flow (流月氣法 liúyuè qìfǎ) method and the application of Combination are, without exaggeration, the highest refinement of Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì).
(The yearly and monthly qi flow (流月氣法 liúyuè qìfǎ) method is the essence of chart reading in Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì).)
There are countless BaZi schools, and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. The methods of reading a chart all lead to Rome — like solving a math problem. As long as the result of a reading can gain the recognition of others, generally speaking, whichever school you study is actually fine.
Additionally, many people hold many misconceptions about the differences between Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) and the traditional school. Is it the case that the two are unable to complement each other and be combined?
The answer to this is no. Why? The reason is simple. Beyond the basic Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) production and clash flow, there are actually some concepts from traditional destiny learning that can be incorporated and used by us — not only will they not affect the accuracy of chart reading, but they can also help us perceive many different chart-reading core principles. This is because Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) is like a master key — it has long been known as the All-Purpose School.
If you have been studying traditional destiny learning, then Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) will certainly conflict in many ways with what you have learned. Traditional destiny study holds many treasures of wisdom left by our forebears that are worth exploring. It still has many usable chart-reading theories — for example, seasonal adjustment (調候 tiáohòu), illness-and-medicine (病藥法 bìngyào fǎ), strong and weak Day Master (身強身弱 shēnqiáng shēnruò), Five Elements (五行 Wǔxíng) across the four seasons, Useful God (用神 Yòngshén), and so on.
To take it further: regardless of which school of theory you are studying, empirical verification is the one true shortcut to mastering BaZi. In this process, discover which theories are useful and which are not, refine and keep what is good, and incorporate the usable theories into your own system. Through this way of learning, BaZi scholarship will become unique, rare, and distinctive. Not only can you improve the accuracy rate of predicting events — even better, you will no longer be influenced by others or books, blindly repeating whatever you hear.
One more thing to add: I am not claiming that Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) is the most powerful or miraculous. The traditional schools also have extremely skilled practitioners. The key lies in knowing how to take usable theories and add them in to fuse with Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) — and over time, through accumulated hands-on experience, turn them into your own signature principles.
Well! No rush — this book is written for you. Excited, aren't you?
Let us read on together!
1-2 The Origins of Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì)
Since ancient times, there have been many schools of destiny learning, but the basic principles are nothing more than yin-yang (陰陽 yīnyáng), the Five Elements (五行 Wǔxíng), and numerology (數 shù). Because all movement in heaven and earth, and all the rise and fall of the ten thousand things, lies entirely within yin-yang (陰陽 yīnyáng), the Five Elements (五行 Wǔxíng), and numerology (數 shù) — the root of destiny calculation absolutely cannot depart from the changes of yin-yang (陰陽 yīnyáng), the Five Elements (五行 Wǔxíng), and numerology (數 shù). But where exactly the calculation should begin requires deep thought.
Most readers who enjoy BaZi found their way here by watching YouTube videos and seeking out my community group or fan page by name. A good traditional discipline truly needs everyone to help promote it — especially Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì).
Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) production and clash is ancient wisdom that has been passed down since time immemorial. Many people who have studied BaZi for most of their lives have discovered the blind spots of traditional destiny learning and have begun returning to the most fundamental Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) production and clash. The teachers in our community group and fan page, through large quantities of actual cases studied repeatedly and carefully, have unified and distilled individual situations into our "laws." These laws may not be the same as those of other teachers in the marketplace, but they have all been verified — accurate, and standing up to testing.
Finding a book on pure Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) in the marketplace can be said to be extremely rare. Strictly speaking, the history of Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) is less than sixty years. Its ancestral origins trace back to King Wen Hexagram divination, and can later be traced to Master Siying's BaZi Secrets Revealed 1.0, then Master Guanglian's BaZi Qi Number 1.1 (Siying's disciple), then Hu Yiming's Destiny Study Essentials 1.2 in 2003, then Hong Kong's Ma Hanchen's Zhengxin BaZi 1.3, and finally to Professor Huang's Scientific BaZi Reading 1.4. What we currently use is the verified and improved version 1.5. What sets it apart from the earlier three versions is that we abandoned the traditional strong-and-weak Day Master (身強身弱 shēnqiáng shēnruò) pattern classification, while at the same time strengthening the accuracy of monthly flow and the effect of Combination — relying purely on yin-yang Five Elements (五行 Wǔxíng) analysis. It can be said to be, as of now, the BaZi school in the marketplace most closely aligned with modern life.
A netizen once asked me: "Teacher, I have seen a partial version of Teacher Hu's work. It seems to still use formal and variable patterns to determine chart structure, and strength is judged by counting the number of elements. Does version 1.5 retain this? For example: if the yearly luck brings one Xin Metal that clashes three Mao Wood, and the Mao Wood also has roots (通根 tōnggēn), would the Xin Metal be damaged?"
Based on my revised understanding: although the Xin Metal of the yearly luck has very strong qi, trying to knock down three Mao Wood at once would be a tall order. The force of the Mao Wood will be weakened, but it will not be completely damaged.
Regarding this question, the second e-book on Advanced Principles will address it.
A selfless scholar does not hesitate to pass on to others the knowledge they possess — because they carry a confidence that they will not fall behind others. Moreover, humans are social creatures. We must always support each other and strike sparks together, so that our abilities and scholarship can keep advancing.
Teacher Wenbao is glad to share the verified laws with readers. Only by reading accurately can we restore everyone's confidence in BaZi, and contribute our part to BaZi's wide propagation.
Come — we are waiting for you to help carry Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) to the whole world!
Version History:
| Version | Representative | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Master Siying | BaZi Secrets Revealed — laid the foundation of modern Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) |
| 1.1 | Master Guanglian | Siying's disciple — evolution into BaZi Qi Number |
| 1.2 | Hu Yiming | Destiny Study Essentials, 2003 |
| 1.3 | Ma Hanchen | Hong Kong Zhengxin — BaZi developed further |
| 1.4 | Professor Huang | Scientific BaZi Reading |
| 1.5 | Teacher Wenbao | Abandoned traditional strong-weak Day Master pattern classification; strengthened monthly flow accuracy and the effect of Combination; relies purely on yin-yang Five Elements (五行 Wǔxíng) analysis |
| 1.6 / 1.7 | Teacher Wenbao | The version has long since been upgraded to 1.6, even reaching 1.7. Year after year, continues to think and refine — perceiving and discovering more Ten God (十神 Shí Shén) archetypes (人生縮影 rénshēng suōyǐng) from lived experience. |
Charging Station 1: How to Strengthen Your BaZi Ability?
The chart-reading rules of Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) are actually very simple. As long as you can grasp the core chart-reading principles and apply logical thinking, everything will click into place. Become fluent in Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) production and clash, and I guarantee you will learn how to read BaZi charts — and from practical experience, you will also come to understand the inner content of this system of BaZi, further sharpening your reasoning ability.
If you want to strengthen your BaZi ability, you must improve through empirical practice. When you calculate a client's BaZi and the other person shakes their head and says it is inaccurate or disagrees — please do not be discouraged. This does not necessarily mean there is a problem with your chart-reading technique!
Very often, it is because the birth hour was reported incorrectly, or because the subject is afraid of being exposed and, to save face, denies the facts. Don't doubt it! Experience is the best teacher. I have read a chart correctly, only for the other person to say it never happened — even refuting me with the opposite opinion. For example: you tell a client their finances are bad this year, but the subject refuses to accept it and stubbornly insists that their finances this year are actually fine — and then the following month they come back to ask you: "Teacher, when will I be able to pay off my debts?"
This kind of situation has come up more times than I can count over my career. In fact, there are also many other reasons that lead to an inaccurate reading — such as a relative or friend asking on someone else's behalf, or not understanding the Ten God (十神 Shí Shén) life archetypes (人生縮影 rénshēng suōyǐng). Just take financial loss as an example: there are actually many interpretations. It could represent the father's poor health, the mother-in-law's or wife's poor health, a car accident, or the death of a pet.
At this point you will ask me: how do I practice verification? Simple! Go to a free destiny website, randomly pick a chart, read whatever you see in it, and then go back and look at the subject's actual question — and see whether it matches what you read.
Teacher Wenbao welcomes you to join our FB community group.
Would you like to strengthen your BaZi ability? Reading books and watching videos makes it very hard to truly grasp the core principles of chart reading. Let me tell you the real SOP.
The Real SOP
- The fundamental skill of Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) is to avoid chaotic generation and clashing. Get that sorted out first!
- In your spare time, visit destiny study forums or Facebook and put the techniques you have learned to actual verification.
- Record your chart-reading insights in a notebook or blog.
- Repeat the above until you can read fluently without needing to ask.
- The richer your experience, the better you will be able to grasp the core BaZi principles.
Every day in this world, there are people asking about their fate. That is not the issue. The key lies in whether you are willing to take the first step.
1-3 A Detailed Explanation of Stems, Branches, and Five Elements (五行 Wǔxíng)
The Ten Heavenly Stems (天干 Tiāngān)
| Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) | Wood 木 | Fire 火 | Earth 土 | Metal 金 | Water 水 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yang Stem | 甲 Jiǎ | 丙 Bǐng | 戊 Wù | 庚 Gēng | 壬 Rén |
| Yin Stem | 乙 Yǐ | 丁 Dīng | 己 Jǐ | 辛 Xīn | 癸 Guǐ |
Teacher Wenbao's Tip: The correct order of the Five Elements (五行 Wǔxíng) is Wood → Fire → Earth → Metal → Water, not Metal → Wood → Water → Fire → Earth! This is because sequential production is what allows qi to form and consolidate. The characteristic of Yang is that it is active and its force is great; the characteristic of Yin is that it is passive, and its force is secondary to Yang.
The Twelve Earthly Branches (地支 Dìzhī)
| Branch | 子 Zǐ | 丑 Chǒu | 寅 Yín | 卯 Mǎo | 辰 Chén | 巳 Sì | 午 Wǔ | 未 Wèi | 申 Shēn | 酉 Yǒu | 戌 Xū | 亥 Hài |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal | Rat | Ox | Tiger | Rabbit | Dragon | Snake | Horse | Goat | Monkey | Rooster | Dog | Pig |
| Polarity | Yang | Yin | Yang | Yin | Yang | Yin | Yang | Yin | Yang | Yin | Yang | Yin |
| Corresponding Stem | 壬 | 己 | 甲 | 乙 | 戊 | 丁 | 丙 | 己 | 庚 | 辛 | 戊 | 癸 |
Important Note: In Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì), Zǐ (子) and Wǔ (午) are treated as Yang; Sì (巳) and Hài (亥) are treated as Yin. The principle behind the sixty Jiǎzǐ stem-branch pairings is that Yang must always pair with Yang and Yin must always pair with Yin — and this confirms the above assignment.
1-3-2 How Charts Are Arranged in the Marketplace
In the early years when I was studying BaZi, the way my father taught me to set up a chart had the Year on the right and the Hour on the left. As technology advanced by leaps and bounds and apps proliferated like mushrooms after rain, modern people have come to rely much less on manual chart arrangement. It was only after I made contact with friends from mainland China and abroad that I came to understand that the chart layout differs from Taiwan's convention. Ha! Going out into the world is what lets you see a wider world — otherwise you risk becoming a frog in a well. Usage varies by personal preference. I personally still favor the Taiwanese right-to-left format, as shown in the diagram below.
Teacher Wenbao has used many chart-arranging apps. Among them, "Natural Way" (自然之道) is the most user-friendly — the timing of decade luck transitions does not differ by too much. I recommend everyone use this app to arrange charts, to reduce the rate of errors.
Chart Arranging Tool: destinytoolbox.net / BaZi Chart / Natural Way
| Region | Direction | Column Order |
|---|---|---|
| Taiwan | Right to Left | Hour Pillar (時柱 Shízhù) / Day Master / Month Pillar (月柱 Yuèzhù) / Year Pillar (年柱 Niánzhù) / Decade Luck (大運 Dàyùn) / Yearly Luck (流年 Liúnián) |
| Mainland China | Left to Right | Year Pillar (年柱 Niánzhù) / Month Pillar (月柱 Yuèzhù) / Day Master / Hour Pillar (時柱 Shízhù) / Decade Luck (大運 Dàyùn) / Yearly Luck (流年 Liúnián) |
1-3-3 Using the Five-Rat Chasing (五鼠遁 Wǔ Shǔ Dùn) Method to Quickly Find the Hour Stem
Upon seeing this small section, you might feel a lack of enthusiasm. You might say: "Teacher, the main reason I bought this book is to learn chart-reading techniques and insights — wouldn't it be better to write more case studies?" Fair enough! Having been in this field for twenty years, I know exactly what dish you want to eat — how could I possibly pretend not to know? Besides, at the ripe age of nearly fifty — the age of knowing heaven's mandate — publishing the first book of my life, I have complete faith that the eyes of readers are sharp and unclouded. Anyone who casually makes things up or plagiarizes — anyone can see through it!
Of course! Nothing in life is absolutely perfect. If you are a fan of my YouTube channel, you will certainly understand Teacher Wenbao's style — an amateur teacher who strives for perfection. This debut work, though it markets itself as Foundation Principles, I believe that after reading it, it will at minimum help you open the basic governing meridians of Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) — perhaps even give you a sudden flash of enlightenment. That would be my great honor and privilege!
Let us return to the main topic. Speaking of the Five-Rat Chasing (五鼠遁 Wǔ Shǔ Dùn) method for finding the hour stem: when I first entered the field in 1999, learning BaZi alongside my father, I always kept a perpetual calendar in hand. In the era before smartphones, apart from the Star Bridge software on a computer, manual chart arrangement was mostly the only option. Actually, the marketplace has long had a method for quickly deriving BaZi without a perpetual calendar. But now that everyone has a phone in hand, people have gradually grown accustomed to using apps for chart arrangement, and the quick-calculation method is used less and less.
But what exactly is the charm of the Five-Rat method that makes the teacher take the time to write this section? Couldn't you just use a phone to arrange the chart and get the answer immediately? Well, let me put it this way: suppose one day you forget a person's birth data and only remember seven of the eight characters in the BaZi (and don't doubt me — I encounter this frequently), with only the hour stem missing. At that point you can use the Five-Rat method to quickly find the Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) of the hour stem. You might say: isn't using a chart-arranging app even faster?
No! It is actually not faster. If you know the arrangement of someone's BaZi but do not remember the birth date, you can use the "finger-pointing divine skill" (掐指神功) to derive the hour stem. Additionally, it can also be used to derive the qi of the daily and hourly flow — though that is not within the scope of this book. Now let me tell everyone the three main methods for quickly using the Five-Rat method to find the hour stem.
In order to keep beginners from struggling, you first need to know what the "finger-pointing divine skill" is. Veteran practitioners can skip ahead — I understand how you feel!
OK! Now please open your left hand (as shown in the diagram below), and firmly memorize the position of each of the twelve Earthly Branches (地支 Dìzhī) on the palm of your hand. Then, based on the Heavenly Stem of the Day Master, consider the Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) produced by the Heavenly Stem's Five Combination, and according to the Heavenly Stem of that Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) (paying attention to yin or yang), begin counting your fingers from Zǐ hour (子時) as the starting point, proceeding clockwise until you reach the hour branch in question — that gives you the corresponding Heavenly Stem. Can't follow? No rush — once you have read through the example explanations, you will understand.
Method One: The Five-Rat Chasing (五鼠遁 Wǔ Shǔ Dùn) Mnemonic
Jiǎ-Jǐ still starts with Jiǎ,
Yǐ-Gēng begins with Bǐng,
Bǐng-Xīn starts from Wù,
Dīng-Rén places Gēng at Zǐ,
Wù-Guǐ — where does it start? Rén-Zǐ is the true path.
This is the most common method. Anyone who has studied BaZi should already know it, so I will not go into further detail here. In the early years, memorizing this was painful for me — but the benefit was that it laid a great deal of foundational destiny study groundwork.
Method Two: The Heavenly Stem Combination-Clash Reverse Method
This method seems to receive very little attention in books on the market, so I am sharing it with everyone specially. The combination-transformation (合化 héhuà) is only used in the Five-Rat method to find the hour stem — it does not apply when reading a BaZi chart.
Let me use the Jiǎ-Yǐ Day Masters (日主 Rìzhǔ) as an illustration. Because Jiǎ and Jǐ combine to transform into Earth, at this point we first find the Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) that clashes Earth — the answer is Jiǎ-Yǐ Wood, correct! But note that only Jiǎ Wood can be used. Why can Yǐ Wood not be used? Because the Five-Rat method uses Zǐ hour (子時) as the starting sequence point. Remember — in Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì), Zǐ (子) and Wǔ (午) are Yang, and Sì (巳) and Hài (亥) are Yin. In the sixty Jiǎzǐ stem-branch combinations, Yang must always pair with Yang and Yin with Yin. Therefore, above Yang Zǐ Water, the corresponding stem must be Yang Jiǎ Wood. Yin Yǐ Wood cannot be used because the combination Yǐ-Zǐ simply does not exist.
Once you understand this principle, I will offer a few examples for practice.
Example 1 — Find the Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) of the hour stem:
- Heavenly Stems (天干 Tiāngān): ? · 乙 Yǐ · 癸 Guǐ · 丁 Dīng
- Earthly Branches (地支 Dìzhī): 申 Shēn · 丑 Chǒu · 丑 Chǒu · 卯 Mǎo
Yǐ Day Master. Yǐ-Gēng (乙庚) combine to transform into Metal. Use Fire to clash Metal. Fire is Bǐng-Dīng Fire. Since the hour branch is 申 (Shēn, Yang), the Heavenly Stem must be Yang 丙 (Bǐng) Fire.
Answer: Place Bǐng Fire at Zǐ hour and count through to Shēn. The hour stem = 甲 (Jiǎ).
Example 2 — Find the Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) of the hour stem:
- Heavenly Stems (天干 Tiāngān): ? · 丙 Bǐng · 癸 Guǐ · 丁 Dīng
- Earthly Branches (地支 Dìzhī): 戌 Xū · 寅 Yín · 丑 Chǒu · 卯 Mǎo
Bǐng Day Master. Bǐng-Xīn (丙辛) combine to transform into Water. Use Earth to clash Water. Earth is Wù-Jǐ Earth. Since the hour branch is 戌 (Xū, Yang), the Heavenly Stem must be Yang 戊 (Wù) Earth.
Answer: Place Wù Earth at Zǐ hour and count through to Xū. The hour stem = 戊 (Wù).
Teacher Wenbao's Tip: When the hour branch is Zǐ (子) or Chén (辰), the hour stem will necessarily be of the same Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) as the Day Master's combination-transformation (合化 héhuà) result. Simply substitute Wù Earth directly — no need to count fingers.
Example 3 — The difference between Early Zǐ Hour and Late Zǐ Hour:
Early Zǐ Hour (00:00–01:00):
Answer: 甲子 (Jiǎ-Zǐ) hour.
Late Zǐ Hour (23:00–24:00):
Because ancient people counted after 11 PM as the following day, the day after Jiǎ is Yǐ. Yǐ-Gēng (乙庚) combines to transform into Metal; use Fire to clash Metal. Zǐ is Yang, so start with Bǐng Fire.
Answer: 丙子 (Bǐng-Zǐ) hour.
Teacher Wenbao's Tip: Modern people and ancient people treat the Zǐ hour differently. For details, please refer to the article "The Mystery of Early Zǐ Hour and Late Zǐ Hour."
Method Three: The Dragon-Transforms Method (逢龍則化法)
The Heavenly Stem corresponding to the Chén (辰) Earth branch is the Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) produced by the combination-transformation (合化 héhuà). Then count your fingers to find the Heavenly Stem Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) corresponding to the hour branch. For example: for a Yǐ Day Master, Yǐ-Gēng combine to transform into Metal, so the Heavenly Stem Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) corresponding to Chén Earth is Gēng Metal — meaning the Chén hour is Gēng-Chén. I will use two examples to illustrate:
Example 1:
- Bǐng Day Master. Bǐng-Xīn (丙辛) combines to transform into Water; use Rén (壬) Water. Therefore the Heavenly Stem Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) corresponding to Chén Earth is Rén Water.
- Answer: 壬辰 (Rén-Chén) hour.
Example 2:
- Dīng Day Master. Dīng-Rén (丁壬) combines to transform into Wood; use Jiǎ (甲) Wood. Therefore the Heavenly Stem Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) corresponding to Chén Earth is Jiǎ Wood — then count from Chén to Yǒu, giving a Heavenly Stem of Jǐ (己) Earth.
- Answer: 己酉 (Jǐ-Yǒu) hour.
The above introduces three methods for using the Five-Rat method to find the hour stem. You may choose whichever one to use. In truth, this is just a tool — it does not have much practical impact on chart-reading technique. But if you get it wrong, the chart reading will not be accurate. Of course, if you still find this troublesome, just use an app to arrange the chart directly!
Teacher Wenbao's Tip: When the hour branch is Zǐ (子) or Chén (辰), the hour stem will necessarily be of the same Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng). Simply substitute Wù Earth directly — no need to count fingers.
Teacher Wenbao's Tip: Modern people and ancient people treat the Zǐ hour differently. For details, please refer to the article "The Mystery of Early Zǐ Hour and Late Zǐ Hour."
1-3-4 Heavenly Stem Five Combinations (天干五合 Tiāngān Wǔhé) and Earthly Branch Six Combinations (地支六合 Dìzhī Liùhé)
The Heavenly Stem Five Combinations (天干五合 Tiāngān Wǔhé) are a fundamental skill in BaZi study, and almost every book in the marketplace covers them. I will not go into further detail here. However, please note: in this book's treatment of the Heavenly Stem Five Combinations (天干五合 Tiāngān Wǔhé) and Earthly Branch Six Combinations (地支六合 Dìzhī Liùhé), Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) only discusses Combination — not Transformation. We do not look at transformation. This book focuses on the foundational Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) production-and-clash core principles. In order to give beginners a better understanding of the foundational stem-branch Five Elements (五行 Wǔxíng), Heavenly Stem Five Combinations (天干五合 Tiāngān Wǔhé), and Earthly Branch Six Combinations (地支六合 Dìzhī Liùhé), I have listed a few key points below for everyone to review.
Teacher Wenbao's Tip: The Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) order we often refer to is correct as Wood → Fire → Earth → Metal → Water — not Metal → Wood → Water → Fire → Earth! Because sequential production is what allows qi to consolidate and form. From the Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) arrangement shown in the diagram below, the yin-yang Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) attributes of the Ten Heavenly Stems (天干 Tiāngān) can be easily identified. To further analyze the characteristics of yin and yang: Yang's characteristic is that it is active and its force is great; Yin's characteristic is that it is passive and its force is secondary to Yang. In the producing relationships: Yang produces Yang, Yin produces Yin, Yin produces Yang, and Yang produces Yin. In the clashing relationships: Yang clashes Yang, Yin clashes Yin, Yang clashes Yin, and Yin clashes Yang.
Teacher Wenbao's Tip: Among the Heavenly Stems (天干 Tiāngān), only yin-yang combination occurs — Yang will not clash Yin (except when the Day Master clashes-and-combines with surrounding elements). Among the Earthly Branches (地支 Dìzhī), both Yang-clashes-Yin and yin-yang combination occur.
These foundational pieces of knowledge can be found in books and on the internet. Among them, the more controversial point is the yin-yang assignment of the Earthly Branches (地支 Dìzhī) Zǐ (子), Wǔ (午), Sì (巳), and Hài (亥). Traditional destiny learning treats Zǐ and Wǔ as Yin and Sì and Hài as Yang — due to the hidden stems consideration — and the theories are varied and conflicting. However, in Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì), Zǐ and Wǔ are treated as Yang, and Sì and Hài as Yin. The simplest method of distinguishing yin and yang is to use the sixty Jiǎzǐ combinations as the best proof. Because the principle behind stem-branch pairings is that Yang must pair with Yang and Yin must pair with Yin — a Yang Heavenly Stem will not pair with a Yin Earthly Branch. For example, in the year Jiǎzǐ (甲子): the Heavenly Stem 甲 (Jiǎ) Wood is Yang, and therefore the Earthly Branch Zǐ (子) Water must also be Yang. In the year Jǐhài (己亥) of 2019: the Heavenly Stem 己 (Jǐ) Earth is Yin, and the Earthly Branch Hài (亥) Water must therefore also be Yin. And so on by this logic.
If you still have doubts, please click to watch "Scientific BaZi Reasoning: The Yin-Yang Concept of Earthly Branch Five Elements (五行 Wǔxíng)." This lesson explains three different concepts of Earthly Branch yin-yang found in the marketplace. Which explanation is more accurate? The method is simple: continually verify through actual chart reading, and you will find the correct answer from the people around you — friends or clients. This book makes no comment on the matter.
"The principle of the Yijing: Yin and Yang contain each other. Zǐ and Wǔ are Yang, Sì and Hài are Yin — there is no contradiction."
Combination (合) — but there is no need to memorize Transformation (化). To emphasize once more: Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) is a discipline of time-based reasoning. The second book, Advanced Principles, will cover "Combination: Heaven or Hell," which will include much more in-depth explanation of the application of Combination.
The Three Hidden Combination (暗合 Ànhé)s (三暗合 Sān Ànhé) may be referenced in Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì). Based on personal practical experience, they are generally used for the characteristics of the innate natal chart. I once read a female chart where the Day Master was Yǐ (乙) Wood, and the Earthly Branches (地支 Dìzhī) Mǎo (卯) and Shēn (申) were in hidden combination (暗合 ànhé). The husband had been "secretly keeping a mistress for a long time" — because Mǎo represents Yǐ, and the primary qi of Shēn is Gēng. Yǐ-Gēng combination is Companion Star (比劫 Bǐjié) combining with Officer Star (官星 Guānxīng), which in the Earthly Branches (地支 Dìzhī) represents something carried out secretly, in private, concealed from others.
Heavenly Stem Five Combinations (天干五合 Tiāngān Wǔhé):
| Combination | Transforms To (optional, not used) |
|---|---|
| 甲 Jiǎ + 己 Jǐ | Earth |
| 乙 Yǐ + 庚 Gēng | Metal |
| 丙 Bǐng + 辛 Xīn | Water |
| 丁 Dīng + 壬 Rén | Wood |
| 戊 Wù + 癸 Guǐ | Fire |
Earthly Branch Six Combinations (地支六合 Dìzhī Liùhé):
| Combination | Transforms To (optional, not used) |
|---|---|
| 寅 Yín + 亥 Hài | Wood |
| 午 Wǔ + 未 Wèi | Earth |
| 辰 Chén + 酉 Yǒu | Metal |
| 子 Zǐ + 丑 Chǒu | Earth |
| 卯 Mǎo + 戌 Xū | Fire |
| 巳 Sì + 申 Shēn | Water |
Note: Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) only discusses Combination, not Transformation. If the Seal Star (印) is said to be the core of the Ten Gods (十神 Shí Shén), then Combination is the soul of Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì).
1-4 The Four Great Souls of Chart Reading
Chart reading in Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) is built upon four core concepts: Production (生), Clash (剋), Combination (合), and Leakage (洩). Master these four, and you have grasped the root of chart reading.
I. Production · Shēng (相生)
The producing cycle refers to the phase where the Five Elements (五行 Wǔxíng) support and strengthen each other. Imagine it this way: Water nourishes plants, hence Water produces Wood. We need Wood to start Fire, so Wood produces Fire. Fire reduces Wood to ashes, these ashes return to the Earth — hence Fire produces Earth. Metal is found from the Earth, so Earth produces Metal. And then, we use Metal to attract Water via condensation.
The Producing Cycle:
Wood → Fire → Earth → Metal → Water → Wood
Explanation: Well... information on this can be found in books and articles in the marketplace at any time. Let me remind you once more: the producing order of the Five Elements (五行 Wǔxíng) is Wood → Fire → Earth → Metal → Water — not Metal → Wood → Water → Fire → Earth! For readers' convenience, Teacher Wenbao offers a brief explanation:
Water produces Wood: All living things cannot grow without water. Plants absorb sunlight and water in order to grow and survive. But if there is too much water, the wood will be drowned.
Wood produces Fire: You have heard the phrase "dry kindling, roaring flames"! Ancient people drilled wood to obtain a fire source. Dry wood can burn into fierce flames — but remember, wet wood cannot kindle a fire.
Fire produces Earth: If a wooden house catches fire, after the blaze burns through it, what remains is a pile of ash. This ash can be viewed as a mound of Earth.
Earth produces Metal: Soil contains natural metallic ore — gold, silver, copper, iron. If there is too much Earth, the metallic ore becomes very difficult to excavate. (Earth buries Metal.)
Metal produces Water: When metal is subjected to high heat, it melts into liquid water. Metal produces Water.
II. Clash · Kè (相剋)
In the concept of Yin and Yang, we want balance. Counter (Clash) is not necessarily bad — it is merely a check-and-balance measure to ensure the Elements are in harmony with each other. Water controls Fire. Fire controls Metal. Metal controls Wood. Wood controls Earth. Earth controls Water.
The Clashing Cycle:
Metal → Wood → Earth → Water → Fire → Metal
Metal clashes Wood; Wood clashes Earth; Earth clashes Water; Water clashes Fire; Fire clashes Metal.
Explanation: When the clashing element is in seasonal power, the force of the clash will be strengthened. But one must be mindful: when the Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) being harmed is stronger than the Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) doing the harming, the clash will be ineffective — and the clashing element itself will also land in trouble.
Water clashes Fire: When a fire breaks out, we generally use water to put it out. Clash represents suppression and restraint — what is known as the Seven Killings (七殺 Qīshā). But if Fire is too vigorous, the Water will be evaporated dry.
Fire clashes Metal: The characteristic of Metal is hardness. When it encounters Fire, it can be melted and produce toxic substances — hence Fire can clash Metal. But if Metal is too abundant and powerful, Fire will be extinguished.
Metal clashes Wood: Holding a sharp knife, one can cut through a tree branch. The small knife is Metal and the tree branch is Wood — this is Metal clashing Wood. But if the Wood is a towering tree, the knife will snap in response.
Wood clashes Earth: Plant root systems grow out of the soil and split the earth apart — in nature, this easily gives rise to earthquakes. But if Earth is too dominant, the Wood will break at the waist.
Earth clashes Water: "Soldiers block with force; water is blocked with earth." Earth can obstruct the flow of Water. Earth has form and can clash Water, which is formless. If Water is too vigorous, it will cause landslides.
Knowing how to use Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) production and clash is the prerequisite for judging fortune and misfortune — viewing all the events of the world through the lens of the constraints of Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) production and clash.
III. Combination · Hé (合)
1-4-3 Combination
Heavenly Stem Five Combinations (天干五合 Tiāngān Wǔhé), Earthly Branch Six Combinations (地支六合 Dìzhī Liùhé), and Earthly Branch Three Hidden Combination (暗合 Ànhé)s (三暗合 Sān Ànhé) (Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì) does not discuss the Three Hidden Combination (暗合 Ànhé)s (三暗合 Sān Ànhé), but they may be used as reference).
Combination of the Ten Heavenly Stems (天干 Tiāngān):
Jiǎ + Jǐ / Yǐ + Gēng / Bǐng + Xīn / Wù + Guǐ / Dīng + Rén
Combination of the Twelve Earthly Branches (地支 Dìzhī):
Zǐ (Rat) + Chǒu (Ox) / Yín (Tiger) + Hài (Pig) / Mǎo (Rabbit) + Xū (Dog) / Chén (Dragon) + Yǒu (Rooster) / Sì (Snake) + Shēn (Monkey) / Wǔ (Horse) + Wèi (Goat)
Explanation: Speaking of Combination — this is an inexhaustible topic. Combination in Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) production and clash is far simpler than Combination in traditional destiny study. Teacher Wenbao only uses the Heavenly Stem Five Combinations (天干五合 Tiāngān Wǔhé) (Jiǎ-Jǐ, Yǐ-Gēng, Bǐng-Xīn, Dīng-Rén, Wù-Guǐ) and the Earthly Branch Six Combinations (地支六合 Dìzhī Liùhé) (Yín-Hài, Wǔ-Wèi, Zǐ-Chǒu, Sì-Shēn, Xū-Mǎo, and Chén-Yǒu). As for the Three Hidden Combination (暗合 Ànhé)s (三暗合 Sān Ànhé), they are limited to natal chart personality reference only.
Many people see a Combination and treat it as a disappearance — or even ignore it entirely. In reality, that is not how things work. Whether it is a Combination in the natal chart or a Combination in the dynamic or static flow, there are different interpretations and meanings. For instance: is it the Companion Star (比劫 Bǐjié) combining with Wealth, or Wealth combining with the Companion Star (比劫 Bǐjié)? These are completely different things — worlds apart!
If you can further observe the archetypes of Combination more carefully, you will discover many more interesting facets of the variety of human life. Honestly, I am extremely conflicted about Combination — a true love-hate relationship. As I mentioned earlier, if you simply treat the elements involved in a Combination as invisible, many of the interactive subtleties will be forever lost to the depths. So when it comes to learning Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì), the thing that is hardest to read accurately is the changes produced by Combination. If you can become fluent in the most fundamental characteristics of Combination, you will not even need to consider the Three-Harmony (三合 Sānhé) or combination-transformation (合化 héhuà) questions — you will already be able to accurately read the overall fortune.
If the Seal Star is said to be the core of the Ten Gods (十神 Shí Shén), then Combination is the soul of Five Elements BaZi (五行八字 Wǔxíng Bāzì).
IV. Leakage · Xiè (洩)
In the Weakening Cycle, any Element that produces another Element is weakened by the Elements it produces. Earth produces Metal and is therefore weakened by Metal. Water corrodes Metal, so Water weakens Metal. Plants need Water to survive, so Wood weakens Water. Fire burns Wood and reduces it to ashes, so Fire weakens Wood. Once Fire has completely reduced Wood to ashes, it will be naturally extinguished by Earth. Hence, Earth weakens Fire.
Explanation: Books and videos on the market rarely discuss Leakage — but I consider this concept very important: "If you eat but cannot excrete, over time your body will inevitably develop problems."
From this Leakage chart, we can see that a Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) that produces another is weakened by the Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) it produces. Let me use the archetypes of the ten thousand things to explain. Earth produces Metal, and is therefore weakened by Metal. Water corrodes Metal, so Water weakens Metal. Plants need Water to survive, so Wood weakens Water. Fire burns wood and reduces it to ash, so Fire weakens Wood. Once Fire has completely reduced Wood to ash, Earth will naturally cause Fire to be extinguished. Therefore Earth weakens Fire.
After reading the above explanation, if you are still confused, let me use two examples to illustrate.
First: What does a mother do after giving birth to a child? You would say, teacher, why are you asking such an obvious question — of course she does her postpartum confinement (做月子)! Yes, indeed! A woman who has just given birth has already depleted her vital energy, spirit, and strength — she needs to greatly nourish herself during the confinement period. This is common knowledge that everyone knows.
Second: A skin-and-bones thin person tries to knock down a stout, muscular fat person. Note — this fat person can only take hits and will not fight back. We find that no matter how hard the thin person strains, using every last ounce of their strength, the fat person simply will not be knocked out. All you will see is the thin person collapsing to the ground exhausted, gasping like a pig. We might also describe it as a foot soldier shooting a rifle at a tank — firing wildly without aim, wasting ammunition. Are these not exactly the concept of Leakage? Understanding the archetypes of Leakage through everyday life will surely give everyone a much deeper appreciation of BaZi.
The concept of Leakage completely accords with the laws of natural science. In practical chart reading, if you only discuss Combination, Production, and Clash without considering the principle of Leakage, then many of the heavenly secrets hidden within a BaZi chart will pass you by! Teacher Wenbao will provide a more detailed explanation of this in Volume Two.
1-5-1 Do Not Trust the Client's Birth Hour
When you receive a BaZi chart, remember — do not rush to read it. In addition to asking the subject for their year, month, day, and hour of birth, you must also know the birthplace. Because the location determines both the True Solar Time (真太陽時 Zhēn Tàiyáng Shí) and the accuracy of the chart. If you can also find out the exact time of birth in hours and minutes, you will be able to calculate the fortune with even greater precision!
Why does Teacher Wenbao place this chapter at the tail end of Volume One? The reason is simple: never fully trust the birth hour that a client gives you. Wow! How can that be? If you can't trust a client's birth time, what are you even calculating? Well — no rush, let me explain this gradually.
First of all, everyone should hold a basic understanding: the hour reported by a client is not necessarily accurate. Why? Take Shēn hour (申時) as an example — this refers to the period between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM. If a client today directly reports "Shēn hour," will you immediately use that to calculate their BaZi? No! If it were me, I would absolutely not do that. You must understand: 3:01 PM is Shēn hour, and 4:59 PM is also Shēn hour. In Taiwan, which falls under the Central Standard Time zone, a person born in Taipei versus one born in Kaohsiung, due to their different longitudes, has a time discrepancy of approximately five minutes between the two locations.
Suppose this client tells you they were born in Taipei at 4:56 PM. The question then is: should this Day Master's chart use Shēn hour or Yǒu hour (酉時)? Ordinary people do not understand True Solar Time (真太陽時 Zhēn Tàiyáng Shí), let alone the fact that birth hours need to be corrected. Most people learn their birth hour through word of mouth from their elders, or by reading a handwritten note on a red paper slip. Even so — is the recorded birth time necessarily accurate?
Not necessarily! As in the example just given: 4:56 PM, after correction, may already have crossed past 5:00 PM — so a person born in Taipei must be corrected to Yǒu hour in order to obtain the correct True Solar Time (真太陽時 Zhēn Tàiyáng Shí). And if born in Kaohsiung? Because the discrepancy is less than two minutes — still before 5:00 PM — the calculation must use Shēn hour. You might say: teacher, does it really matter? It's just reading a chart — does it need to be this painstakingly precise?
Let me be direct. If even the same BaZi chart cannot produce the same fate for different people — how much more so when the birth hours themselves differ? As a professional destiny consultant, teaching, transmitting knowledge, and resolving doubts has become a kind of social responsibility. An erroneous birth hour in a chart is equivalent to a sheet of worthless paper. Even if some future fortune predictions happen to come true, that is simply a blind cat bumping into a dead mouse — pure luck. Therefore, before reading any chart, you must first establish the correct birth time. Otherwise, it is equivalent to calculating the chart of a random stranger — or falling into the rut of pattern-matching.
What would Teacher Wenbao do? The first task is to correct the True Solar Time (真太陽時 Zhēn Tàiyáng Shí). Let me now use a case study, with two different birthplaces, to try to find the True Solar Time (真太陽時 Zhēn Tàiyáng Shí) for two different countries. Suppose a male chart was born on May 1, 1981, at 17:20. One was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; the other was born in Chongqing, Sichuan, China. How should the True Solar Time (真太陽時 Zhēn Tàiyáng Shí) be corrected in this case? Teacher Wenbao is sharing here a website for quickly looking up True Solar Time (真太陽時 Zhēn Tàiyáng Shí). The website name is ridiculously long, but I have condensed it. Come on — please click directly on the link, or scan the QR code below.
OK! Please follow along with me. After entering the website, find the location of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the map and click on it with your mouse. Then in the settings panel on the right (do not touch anything else), simply enter the Gregorian date of May 1, 1981 — there is no need to select a specific hour. Then click "Calculate." At this point, the "Hour Division Table" will appear below. You will find that 17:20 falls between 15:40 (start of Shēn hour) and 17:40 (end of Shēn hour). Because only after 17:40 can Yǒu hour begin, anyone born before that time must be classified under Shēn hour. In other words, Shēn hour is the True Solar Time (真太陽時 Zhēn Tàiyáng Shí) for this chart. If you skip the correction and arrange the chart under Yǒu hour, the chart reading will have a major error — as shown in Figure A below.
(Figure A: Kuala Lumpur Hour Division Table)
Now, please move the map again to Chongqing City, Sichuan, China. There is no need to change the settings — simply click on Chongqing's location with your mouse, and the "Hour Division Table" will update immediately. You will see that 17:20 falls between 15:49 (start of Shēn hour) and 17:49 (end of Shēn hour). So, identical to the previous example, Shēn hour must be used as the True Solar Time (真太陽時 Zhēn Tàiyáng Shí). Reading the chart under Yǒu hour would be a serious error — as shown in Figure B below.
(Figure B: Chongqing, Sichuan, China True Solar Time (真太陽時 Zhēn Tàiyáng Shí) Table)
The coolest feature of this website is that it has already calculated the time zone and longitude/latitude for you. You only need to click on the city in the country on the map, then enter the Gregorian year, month, and day, and you can find the True Solar Time (真太陽時 Zhēn Tàiyáng Shí) for the BaZi. How about it — isn't that simple? Although this method is not one hundred percent accurate, it can assist us in identifying the hour division and increasing the accuracy of the chart. With practice, it will become second nature.
What if the birth time falls right on the boundary between two hours, leaving an ambiguous situation? Teacher Wenbao recommends using the most original approach: arrange two charts simultaneously, then analyze the client's personality and verify events that have happened in the past — and from there find the correct birth hour. For beginners, this method is quite difficult and requires some level of skill — correct! But it is an excellent opportunity to accumulate experience and break through in BaZi. Never give up the challenge!
At the end of this section, I quote a passage from the internet to help everyone understand what "True Solar Time (真太陽時 Zhēn Tàiyáng Shí)" is:
"What standard did ancient people use to determine a person's birth hour? Was it the Central Standard Time zone? Or local time? The standard was the apparent angle of the sun relative to the Earth. Because the Earth's orbit is elliptical, not a perfect circle, the length of each day is not fixed. The 24-hour clock in common use today is Mean Solar Time, and it has a discrepancy from actual solar time. This means that at 120° East longitude, at 12:00 noon, the sun has not truly crossed the meridian. This discrepancy is called the Equation of Time in astronomical terminology — and this is what astronomers call True Solar Time (真太陽時 Zhēn Tàiyáng Shí). That is: True Solar Time (真太陽時 Zhēn Tàiyáng Shí) = Mean Solar Time + Equation of Time. In determining birth hours, it is necessary to calculate the local Mean Solar Time based on the birthplace, and then derive the True Solar Time (真太陽時 Zhēn Tàiyáng Shí) from that — and use that as the standard. A rigorous destiny teacher, at the boundary point between hours, will correct for this parameter in order to obtain the true birth hour — only then can the reading advance to a level of genuine precision."
1-5-2 Daylight Saving Time (日光節約時間 Rìguāng Jiéyuē Shíjiān) Case Study
What is Daylight Saving Time (日光節約時間 Rìguāng Jiéyuē Shíjiān)? It is a human-made convention that artificially regulates local time in order to conserve energy. During the period when this system is in effect, the unified time adopted is called "Summer Time." Generally, during summer when dawn arrives earlier, the clock is artificially advanced by one hour. This encourages people to rise earlier and sleep earlier, reducing the amount of lighting needed — thereby making fuller use of natural light resources and saving on electricity for lighting.
Daylight Saving Time (日光節約時間 Rìguāng Jiéyuē Shíjiān) = Summer Time (DST)
In practice, clients born during Daylight Saving Time (日光節約時間 Rìguāng Jiéyuē Shíjiān) (Summer Time) are regularly encountered. Anyone who has studied destiny learning knows that for any BaZi born during this period, the birth time must be reduced by one hour to obtain the correct chart time. For example: a birth time of 5:00 PM (Yǒu hour, 酉時) minus one hour becomes 4:00 PM (Shēn hour, 申時).
But in actual practice, clients report only the hour name rather than the exact time in hours and minutes, and the birth time happens to fall right within the Daylight Saving Time (日光節約時間 Rìguāng Jiéyuē Shíjiān) window. In a situation like this, how does one find out the correct time?
In the previous section, Teacher Wenbao mentioned: do not completely trust the time given by a client. As a professional destiny consultant, you must know how to identify the correct time — otherwise, an erroneous birth hour is equivalent to calculating someone else's chart entirely!
Let me use a real example to illustrate:
Female chart, lunar calendar: 13th day, 7th month, 1975, Yǒu hour. Birthplace: Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Before the explanation, please remember: Taiwan falls under the Central Standard Time zone. In the 1970s (Republic of China years 60 through 69), Daylight Saving Time (日光節約時間 Rìguāng Jiéyuē Shíjiān) was implemented in only three years: 1974 (ROC year 63), 1975 (ROC year 64), and 1979 (ROC year 68). Of these, the 1979 (ROC year 68) Daylight Saving Time (日光節約時間 Rìguāng Jiéyuē Shíjiān) period was the shortest — from the 8th day of the 6th lunar month to the 10th day of the 8th lunar month.
The subject told me she only knew it was Yǒu hour but did not know her exact birth time — not even her mother could clarify. We found that this BaZi falls right within the Daylight Saving Time (日光節約時間 Rìguāng Jiéyuē Shíjiān) window, and therefore one hour must be subtracted to obtain the correct True Solar Time (真太陽時 Zhēn Tàiyáng Shí). But here is the problem: Yǒu hour refers to 5:00 PM through 7:00 PM, correct? But she might have been born between 5:00 and 6:00, or between 6:00 and 7:00. If the former — subtract one hour and you get 4:00 to 5:00 PM, which is Shēn hour. If the latter — subtract one hour and you still get Yǒu hour unchanged. In Taiwan from the 1940s through the 1970s, very few parents recorded their children's exact birth time in such detail. Most recorded it on a red paper slip. Unless you go to the hospital of the time to retrieve the birth records — but over the passage of time, the hospital may have long since relocated or no longer exist, and the elders can offer no further information. And don't forget: that era was characterized by large families. Parents found it very hard to remember the exact birth hour of each child.
So what to do? How do you help her find the correct birth hour?
The method is not difficult. Students, please arrange two charts simultaneously (Shēn hour + Yǒu hour), and then use Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) production and clash to verify the subject's personality and things that happened in early childhood.
Let us look at the difference between the two birth hour charts (the actual difference is enormous!):
(The following compares Shēn hour and Yǒu hour)
(Decade Luck (大運 Dàyùn): starting in 1982 at age 8 — Guǐsì → Rénchén → Xīnmǎo → Gēngyín → Jǐchǒu → Wùzǐ → Dīnghài → Bǐngxū → Yǐyǒu)
Born in Shēn hour: In early childhood, wisdom is easily obscured. Behavior and thinking are controlled by elders. Growing up in a strict educational environment, the subject feels very unhappy during the growth process. This is because the Heavenly Stem Jiǎ (甲) Wood clashes Wù (戊) Earth with no compassion. Even though autumn Jiǎ Wood is not particularly vigorous, Wù Earth will still be damaged — just not as severely (spring Jiǎ Wood is fully vigorous Wood). At age 18, entering the Bǐng (丙) Fire Decade Luck (大運 Dàyùn) opens a path between Jiǎ Wood and Wù Earth, forming: Jiǎ Wood produces Bǐng Fire produces Wù Earth. The Output Stars (食傷 Shíshāng) revive, signifying wisdom awakening and talents blooming — the subject is filled with confidence and energy.
Born in Yǒu hour: The Heavenly Stem Jiǎ-Jǐ (甲己) combines as Output Star combines Seal Star. This kind of child tends to be obedient and well-behaved from an early age — does whatever elders say, and rarely has rebellious ideas or their own opinions. There is also none of the situation seen in Shēn hour, where Wù Earth is suppressed and punished by elders. But at age 18, entering the Bǐng Fire Decade Luck (大運 Dàyùn), the subject studies diligently during the academic stage yet does not achieve brilliant results — because Jiǎ-Jǐ combines, and the Earthly Branches (地支 Dìzhī) Mǎo-Xū (卯戌) combine, causing the Output Star to be unable to function.
Looking at the two BaZi charts alone: both have Earthly Branches (地支 Dìzhī) showing Wealth breaking Seal. This can explain why the parents' relationship was not good in childhood, or why the relationship with elders was poor. By using simple Five Element (五行 Wǔxíng) analysis to verify personality and early childhood growth, it is possible to successfully derive the correct birth hour. Typically this skill requires sufficient chart-reading experience — after all, a one-hour difference produces completely opposite personalities and destinies.
Teacher Wenbao's Tip: In practice, reading charts for real people is the most accurate method of all — because clients will directly tell you whether you're right or wrong. From them, you can learn the wisdom and experience that ancient people did not have. Simply put, your clients teach you BaZi. I strongly recommend that everyone who studies this discipline never bury themselves in ancient books and become a "two-legged bookshelf." Read charts for clients and friends, keep correcting errors, and accumulate more practical experience — that is what will make your chart-reading ability more precise and solid. Experience is the best teacher!
1-5-3 True Solar Time (真太陽時 Zhēn Tàiyáng Shí) Calculation Case Study
Early autumn of 2018. A real case from a client.
The owner of this BaZi found me through my YouTube videos in the Wùxū year (2018) and sought me out by name. The subject told me they only knew they were born somewhere between approximately 3:00 AM and 4:00 AM, but were not sure of the exact time — even their mother had no clear recollection. We found that the birth BaZi falls right within the Summer Time window and therefore one hour must be subtracted to obtain the true chart time. But wait — here is the problem: Yín hour (寅時) refers to 3:00 AM through 5:00 AM, correct? But this person may have been born between 3:00 and 4:00 AM, or between 4:00 and 5:00 AM. If the former: subtract one hour and you get 2:00 AM — Chǒu hour (丑時). If the latter: subtract one hour and you still get 3:00 AM — Yín hour (寅時).
So what to do? How do you calculate the correct birth time?
As I said before: arrange two charts simultaneously (Yín hour and Chǒu hour), and then verify the subject's fortune in the decade luck cycles, or what events occurred in specific yearly luck periods.
Let us look at the difference between the two birth hour charts (a comparison makes all the difference).
Born in Chǒu hour (丑時):
The natal Yín-Chǒu (寅丑) is a hidden combination (暗合 ànhé), representing Output Star combining with Officer Star (官星 Guānxīng). If we set aside the hidden combination (暗合 ànhé) and look at it directly, Yín (寅) Wood clashes Chǒu (丑) Earth — indicating a strongly competitive inner world that refuses to accept defeat. Even with one Officer Star (官星 Guānxīng) gone, two Wèi (未) Earth still remain, so there is still a sense of law and moral principle in the heart. The Heavenly Stems (天干 Tiāngān) show Officer Star (官星 Guānxīng) and Seal Star producing each other — the arrangement is actually quite good. However, once the Wùchén (戊辰) Decade Luck (大運 Dàyùn) is entered, it can be said that the subject falls from heaven into hell. Why? Very simple: the Heavenly Stem Rén (壬) Water is attacked by Wù (戊) Earth. The Day Master is clashed — all manner of misfortune can occur. Add to this the fact that the Earthly Branch Officer-Clash has affected the Output Star (you read that correctly — I wrote that correctly), and the subject said that during this period life felt meaningless, and no matter what methods were tried, fate could not be resisted (ten years felt like purgatory on earth). The years Wùzǐ, Xīnmǎo, and Rénchén were all particularly poor. Fortunately, heaven did not play tricks on him — there were still two small Seal Stars (印星 Yìnxīng) in the Heavenly Stems (天干 Tiāngān), and he managed to hold on through those darkest ten years.
(Chǒu hour chart hidden stems)
Born in Yín hour (寅時):
What is different about Yín hour compared to Chǒu hour is the hour stem Rén (壬) Water. We know Rén Water is a Companion Star (比劫 Bǐjié) — and also the Day Master's protective guardian. I have said before: the Companion Star (比劫 Bǐjié) has a sharing function. On the good side, it can help the Day Master deflect Officer-Clash. On the bad side, it will share your good fortune with you. At age 30, entering the Wùchén Decade Luck (大運 Dàyùn): Wù Earth comes in and first clashes the hour stem Rén Water. At this point the Day Master is safe and unharmed — and this situation actually favors career promotion. Looking at the Earthly Branches (地支 Dìzhī): two Yín (寅) Wood clash the natal Wèi (未) Earth and the decade Chén (辰) Earth — this is Output Star clashing Officer Star (官星 Guānxīng)! Compared to Chǒu hour: although the Output Star in Yín hour leaks into the Officer Star (官星 Guānxīng), it is still better than a single Output Star leaking alone, is it not? The Officer Star (官星 Guānxīng) in a male chart represents children. If the subject was born in Yín hour, he would generally be more averse to having children or not want them.
(Yín hour chart, Decade Luck (大運 Dàyùn): Wùchén)
(Decade Luck (大運 Dàyùn): starting in 1979 at age 1 — Gēngwǔ → Xīnwèi → Rénshēn → Guǐyǒu → Jiǎxū → Yǐhài → Bǐngzǐ → Dīngchǒu → Wùyín)
Through the above reasoning and verification, we can determine that the subject was born in Chǒu hour rather than Yín hour. This is because only Chǒu hour satisfies the condition that the Day Master is clashed during the Wùchén Decade Luck (大運 Dàyùn). Fortunately, after age 40, he completely escaped the oppression of the Wù Earth Officer-Clash. However, I reminded him that the 2018 Wùxū year was still an unfavorable yearly luck period. Whenever the monthly luck brings Rén Water out-on-the-stem (出干 chūgān), or when the Xīn Metal Seal Star is damaged, Wù Earth will once again attack the Day Master Rén Water. Therefore, in the second half of the year — particularly October through December — he should be watchful for his boss or supervisor causing trouble at work, traffic accidents, or emotional lows. His conduct should be conservative and patient. He should absolutely not make major decisions or invest. Finding stable employment would suit him better than starting a business or speculating.
End of Volume One