Terminology
Terminology
Look up Chinese metaphysics, BaZi, and Ziwei Doushu terms, with plain meanings, uses, and common distinctions.
Foundations and Chart
01 · Ziwei Concepts
Twelve Palaces
Shi Er Gong
The Twelve Palaces are the twelve divisions of a Ziwei Doushu chart used to organize themes such as the self, family, work, and resources. Each palace provides a topic for interpretation. Its name alone does not establish an outcome; read it together with its stars and relationships to other palaces.
02 · Common Concepts
Yin and Yang
Yin Yang, Yin-Yang
Yin and Yang are traditional names for two relative aspects, such as movement and stillness. Before calling one aspect yin and the other yang, first make clear what is being compared.
03 · Ziwei Concepts
Life Palace
Ming Gong, Minggong
The Life Palace is the palace in Ziwei Doushu that focuses on the person whose chart is being read. It is used to consider personal characteristics, habitual approaches, and overall life orientation. Read it alongside its stars, the Body Palace, and the other palaces rather than using it to summarize an entire life.
04 · Common Concepts
Five Elements
Wu Xing, Wuxing, Five Phases
The Five Elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, used in traditional Chinese thought to classify qualities and describe relationships of change.
05 · Ziwei Concepts
Body Palace
Shen Gong
The Body Palace is a marker in a Ziwei Doushu natal chart placed on one of the existing twelve palaces. Modern explanations often use it to consider the emphasis of later development. It is not a thirteenth palace, and, by birth hour, it falls only in the Life, Spirit, Career, Travel, Wealth, or Spouse palace.
06 · Common Concepts
Heavenly Stems
Tian Gan, Tiangan, Ten Heavenly Stems
The Heavenly Stems are ten characters traditionally used to mark sequence and time: Jia (甲), Yi (乙), Bing (丙), Ding (丁), Wu (戊), Ji (己), Geng (庚), Xin (辛), Ren (壬), and Gui (癸). In the Four Pillars of BaZi, a Stem is written in the upper position of each pillar.
07 · Common Concepts
Earthly Branches
Di Zhi, Dizhi, Twelve Earthly Branches
The Earthly Branches are twelve characters traditionally used to mark sequence and time: Zi (子), Chou (丑), Yin (寅), Mao (卯), Chen (辰), Si (巳), Wu (午), Wei (未), Shen (申), You (酉), Xu (戌), and Hai (亥). In the Four Pillars of BaZi, a Branch is written in the lower position of each pillar.
08 · Ziwei Concepts
Fourteen Main Stars
Main Stars, Shi Si Zhu Xing
The Fourteen Main Stars are the principal stars of a Ziwei Doushu chart, also called principal stars (zheng yao). They form a group of six led by Zi Wei and a group of eight led by Tian Fu. They are central factors when reading a palace, but one main star's name alone does not describe a person or establish an outcome.
09 · Ziwei Concepts
Four Transformations
Si Hua, Hua Lu, Hua Quan, Hua Ke, Hua Ji
The Four Transformations are Hua Lu, Hua Quan, Hua Ke, and Hua Ji in Ziwei Doushu. They are not four independent stars. Each is attached to a particular star according to a Heavenly Stem; in the natal chart, the birth-year transformations follow the Heavenly Stem of the birth year. The names alone do not establish favorable or unfavorable outcomes.
10 · BaZi Concepts
Four Pillars
Si Zhu, Sizhu, BaZi, Eight Characters
The Four Pillars are the four Stem–Branch pairs for the year, month, day, and hour. Each pillar contains one Heavenly Stem and one Earthly Branch. Together they contain eight characters, which is why the system is called BaZi, or Eight Characters.
11 · BaZi Concepts
Day Master
Ri Zhu, Rizhu, Day Stem, Ri Yuan
The Day Master is the Heavenly Stem in the upper position of the Day Pillar, also called the Day Stem or Ri Yuan. In BaZi analysis, it usually represents the person whose chart is being examined.
12 · BaZi Concepts
Hidden Stems
Cang Gan, Canggan
Hidden Stems are the Heavenly Stems contained within an Earthly Branch. A Branch can contain more than one Stem.
13 · Common Concepts
Generation and Control
Sheng Ke, Shengke
Generation and Control are two kinds of relationship between the Five Elements. Generation means that one element supports another; control means that one element restrains another.
14 · BaZi Concepts
Hidden Stem Exposure
Tou Gan, Tougan, Revealed Hidden Stems, Exposed Hidden Stems
Hidden Stem Exposure means that a Heavenly Stem contained in an Earthly Branch also appears among the Heavenly Stems of the Four Pillars. This entry identifies exposure by an exact Stem match.
15 · Common Concepts
Sexagenary Cycle
Liu Shi Jia Zi, Gan-Zhi Cycle
The Sexagenary Cycle is the sequence of sixty Stem–Branch pairs formed by advancing the ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches together. It begins with Jia–Zi (甲–子), ends with Gui–Hai (癸–亥), and then repeats.
16 · Common Concepts
Solar Terms
Jie Qi, Jieqi, 24 Solar Terms
Solar Terms are twenty-four points in the year defined by the Sun’s position. They mark the progress of the seasons, with examples including Spring Commences (Li Chun), Vernal Equinox (Chun Fen), Summer Solstice (Xia Zhi), and Winter Solstice (Dong Zhi).
Ten Gods
01 · BaZi Concepts
Ten Gods
Shi Shen
The Ten Gods are ten names for the relationships between other Heavenly Stems and the Day Master in BaZi. First identify their Five Elements relationship, then use yin-yang polarity to distinguish the specific name.
02 · BaZi Concepts
Companion
Bi Jian
The Companion is one of the Ten Gods. It names the relationship between another Heavenly Stem and the Day Master when they share the same element and yin-yang polarity.
03 · BaZi Concepts
Rob Wealth
Jie Cai
Rob Wealth is the Ten God relationship in which another Heavenly Stem shares the Day Master’s element but has the opposite yin-yang polarity.
04 · BaZi Concepts
Eating God
Shi Shen
The Eating God is the Ten God relationship in which the Day Master generates the other Stem’s element and the two have the same yin-yang polarity.
05 · BaZi Concepts
Hurting Officer
Shang Guan, Shangguan
The Hurting Officer is the Ten God relationship in which the Day Master generates the other Stem’s element and the two have opposite yin-yang polarities.
06 · BaZi Concepts
Indirect Resource
Pian Yin
Indirect Resource is the Ten God relationship in which another Stem’s element generates and supports the Day Master’s element and the two have the same yin-yang polarity.
07 · BaZi Concepts
Direct Resource
Zheng Yin
Direct Resource is the Ten God relationship in which another Stem’s element generates and supports the Day Master’s element and the two have opposite yin-yang polarities.
08 · BaZi Concepts
Indirect Wealth
Pian Cai
Indirect Wealth is the Ten God relationship in which the Day Master controls the other Stem’s element and the two have the same yin-yang polarity.
09 · BaZi Concepts
Direct Wealth
Zheng Cai
Direct Wealth is the Ten God relationship in which the Day Master controls the other Stem’s element and the two have opposite yin-yang polarities.
10 · BaZi Concepts
Seven Killings
Qi Sha
Seven Killings is the Ten God relationship in which another Stem’s element controls the Day Master’s element and the two have the same yin-yang polarity.
11 · BaZi Concepts
Direct Officer
Zheng Guan
The Direct Officer is the Ten God relationship in which another Stem’s element controls the Day Master’s element and the two have opposite yin-yang polarities.
Strength and Season
01 · BaZi Concepts
Month Command
Yue Ling, Yueling
The Month Command is the seasonal context at birth represented by the Month Branch in BaZi.
02 · BaZi Concepts
Wang Shuai and Qiang Ruo
Wang Shuai Yu Qiang Ruo, Strong Day Master, Weak Day Master
Wang Shuai and Qiang Ruo are traditional terms used in BaZi to describe the strength of an element or the Day Master. This entry considers two aspects separately: whether the season supports it, and whether its overall strength is sufficient.
03 · BaZi Concepts
Rooting
Tong Gen, Tonggen
Rooting means that a Heavenly Stem finds qi of the same element within an Earthly Branch. The Stem is then said to have a root.
04 · BaZi Concepts
Twelve Stages
Shi Er Chang Sheng
The Twelve Stages are traditional labels for a Heavenly Stem’s state at different Earthly Branch positions. Their names use metaphors of birth, growth, decline, and development before birth.
Time and Chart Labels
01 · BaZi Concepts
10-Year Cycle
Da Yun, Dayun
A 10-Year Cycle is a period in BaZi represented by a Stem–Branch pair, with a new period beginning every ten years.
02 · BaZi Concepts
Annual Cycle
Liu Nian, Liunian
An Annual Cycle is the Stem–Branch pair of the year being examined in a BaZi analysis. It changes each year.
03 · BaZi Concepts
10-Year Cycle Start
Qi Yun, Qiyun
The 10-Year Cycle Start is the time when the first 10-Year Cycle begins. It is often described as the time elapsed since birth.
04 · BaZi Concepts
Void/Emptiness
Kong Wang, Xun Kong
Void/Emptiness (also called Xun Kong) refers to the two Earthly Branches that are left without a Heavenly Stem in a group of ten Stem–Branch pairs.
05 · BaZi Concepts
Nayin
Na Yin
Nayin assigns an additional Five Element name to a complete pair in the sexagenary cycle. For example, Jia–Zi (甲–子) and Yi–Chou (乙–丑) are both called Metal in the Sea. This classification is distinct from the elements of the individual Stem and Branch.
06 · BaZi Concepts
Tai Yuan and Tai Xi
Tai Yuan Yu Tai Xi, Tai Yuan, Tai Xi
Tai Yuan and Tai Xi are two traditional auxiliary chart labels, each expressed as a Stem–Branch pair. In ChiBuddy’s method, Tai Yuan is derived from the Month Pillar and Tai Xi from the Day Pillar. They are separate labels and do not change the birth Four Pillars.
Patterns and Use
01 · BaZi Concepts
Useful God
Yong Shen
The Useful God is an element or Ten God given particular attention in a BaZi analysis. It may be a function the analysis seeks to use, or the center of a chart-pattern analysis. Its precise meaning depends on the method.
02 · BaZi Concepts
Chart Pattern
Ge Ju
A Chart Pattern describes the main arrangement of relationships in a BaZi chart. First identify the relationship at the center of the analysis, then examine how other Stems and Branches support, restrain, or protect it. The way a pattern is identified depends on the method being used.
03 · BaZi Concepts
Shun Yong and Ni Yong
Shun Yong Ni Yong
Shun Yong and Ni Yong are two ways of arranging relationships in BaZi chart-pattern analysis. Shun Yong supports and protects the Ten God being used; Ni Yong restrains or redirects its effect to serve the chart’s needs.
04 · BaZi Concepts
Favorable and Unfavorable Factors
Xi Shen Yu Ji Shen, Xi Shen, Ji Shen, Xi Yong Shen
Favorable and Unfavorable Factors describe whether an influence helps or hinders what a BaZi analysis identifies as needed. A favorable factor (Xi Shen) helps that function; an unfavorable factor (Ji Shen) obstructs it. The judgment depends on the method and the chart’s relationships, not on fixed good or bad labels for an element or Ten God.
Stem and Branch Relations
01 · BaZi Concepts
Five Heavenly Stem Combinations
Tian Gan Wu He
The Five Heavenly Stem Combinations are five fixed pairs among the ten Heavenly Stems.
02 · BaZi Concepts
Earthly Branch Interactions
Xing Chong Hui He
Earthly Branch Interactions are the relationships called Punishment, Clash, Three Meetings (San Hui), and Combination. Punishments and clashes emphasize tension and change; meetings and combinations emphasize joining and concentrating elemental influence.
03 · BaZi Concepts
Heavenly Stem Transformation
Tian Gan He Hua, He Hua
Heavenly Stem Transformation is the process in which combining Heavenly Stems are assessed in terms of transformed qi when the relevant conditions are met. Identifying a fixed combination pair alone does not establish transformation.
04 · BaZi Concepts
Six Harms
Liu Hai, Earthly Branch Harms
The Six Harms are six fixed pairs of Earthly Branches known as harm relationships. The name identifies a type of Branch interaction; a matching pair alone does not establish that harm will occur.
05 · BaZi Concepts
Six Combinations
Liu He, Earthly Branch Six Combinations
The Six Combinations are six fixed pairs of Earthly Branches that combine. “Six” counts the pairs; it does not require six Branches to appear together. Identifying a pair does not establish transformation or a favorable effect.
06 · BaZi Concepts
Six Clashes
Liu Chong, Six Oppositions
The Six Clashes are six fixed pairs of opposing Earthly Branches, such as Zi (子) with Wu (午), or Mao (卯) with You (酉). They identify a Branch clash; a matching pair alone does not establish a harmful event or incompatibility between two people.
07 · BaZi Concepts
Three Harmony Combinations
San He, Three Combinations
Three Harmony Combinations are four fixed groups of three Earthly Branches, associated with Water, Wood, Fire, and Metal. They are also called San He groups or frames. The Branches must match a specified group; a group name is distinct from judging its formation, transformation, or favorability in a particular chart.
08 · BaZi Concepts
Three Meetings
San Hui, Directional Combinations, Seasonal Combinations
Three Meetings are groups of three Earthly Branches belonging to the same direction. In this dictionary, the term identifies four groups associated with Wood, Fire, Metal, and Water. “Three” counts the Branches in each group, not the number of groups. An elemental association does not establish transformation in a particular chart.
09 · BaZi Concepts
Punishments
Xing, San Xing, Three Punishments, Zi Xing, Self-Punishments
Punishments are a category of Earthly Branch relationships in BaZi. This entry distinguishes the groups called the Three Punishments from the repeated-Branch patterns called Self-Punishments. Not every Three Punishments group contains three Branches, and not every repeated Branch is a Self-Punishment. The relationship alone does not establish punishment, injury, or a person’s character.