Identify the Four Pillars
Start by locating the Year, Month, Day, and Hour pillars. Each pillar has a Heavenly Stem (top) and Earthly Branch (bottom). The Day Pillar is the most important — its stem is your Day Master.
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Determine Your Day Master
The Day Master (日主) is the Heavenly Stem of the Day Pillar. It represents your core identity. There are ten possible Day Masters, each with an element and polarity (Yin or Yang).
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Assess Day Master Strength
Count how many elements support your Day Master versus how many control or drain it. Look at the season (Month Branch), hidden stems, and the overall distribution of elements.
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Identify Favorable and Unfavorable Elements
Based on Day Master strength, determine which elements help (favorable) and which harm (unfavorable) your chart. This is the foundation of all practical BaZi advice.
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Analyze the Ten Gods
Map each stem and branch to its Ten God relationship with your Day Master. The Ten Gods reveal how you experience wealth, authority, creativity, relationships, and resources.
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Examine Branch Interactions
Look at how the Earthly Branches interact through combinations, clashes, and penalties. These interactions activate or modify the energy of your chart.
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Read the Luck Pillars
Overlay your current and upcoming Luck Pillars onto your natal chart. See which elements are being activated and how they interact with your natal pillars.
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Synthesize the Big Picture
Combine all observations into a coherent narrative. Look for dominant themes, repeating patterns, and the overall trajectory suggested by your chart.
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Practice on Your Own Chart
The best way to learn BaZi is to analyze your own chart. Use our free calculator to generate your Four Pillars and follow this guide step by step.
Calculate Your Chart →