Chinese horoscope: 4 pillars of destiny (BaZi)

Meaning of the 4 pillars of destiny

In Chinese (but also Japanese, Vietnamese and Korean) astrology, the 4 pillars of destiny (四柱 命理 学) or Ba-Zi (八字, the "8 characters" or "8 words") determine the base of a person's destiny, from which it is possible to define the broad outlines of his / her character and future. In reality, the natal chart (生辰 八字, literally "moment of birth of the 8 characters") is a numerological transcription of the state of the sky at the time of the birth of an individual. Thus, everyone's Chinese horoscope can broken down as follows:

1. First pillar of destiny: terrestrial branch and celestial trunk of the year of birth (main character traits, personality). The 1st pillar of destiny corresponds to the animal of the zodiac and to the Chinese element of the year of birth, according to the Chinese calendar, commonly called Chinese zodiac sign
2. Second pillar of destiny: terrestrial branch and celestial trunk of the month of birth (relationships with family and ancestors)
3. Third pillar of destiny: terrestrial branch and celestial trunk of the day of birth (the second chance in life, active from about 30 years old)
4. Fourth pillar of destiny: terrestrial branch and celestial trunk of the hour of birth (secret character, also called the traveling companion)

Origins and functions of terrestrial branches and celestial trunks

The 12 terrestrial branches correspond to the division of the sky into 12 sections, correlated with the duration of the orbit of Jupiter (11.83 years, adjusted to 12 years). This primitive Chinese astrological system, associated with a sexagesimal calendar, was subsequently linked to the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac and to the current lunisolar calendar. Therefore, there are 60 possible combinations of Chinese zodiac signs associated with the 5 elements of Chinese astrology and Feng Shui. Each terrestrial branch corresponds to one of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs, just as there are 5 x 2 = 10 celestial trunks corresponding to the 5 elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) in Yin or Yang polarity.

Furthermore, if there are 4 pillars of destiny according to 4 specific time periods of the date of birth (year, month, day, hour), each animal of Chinese astrology having 5 possible forms (for example: Wood Rat, Fire Rat, Earth Rat, Metal Rat, Water Rat), there are therefore 5 pillars of fate to describe each type of Chinese zodiac sign associated in binomial with an element, i.e. 60 pillars of destiny for the 60 binomials (Chinese sign + element), for a total of 60⁴ = 12,960,000 combinations and therefore of possible types of individuals. Note also that each pillar of destiny exists in a Yin form (lunar, dark, introverted, feminine) and a Yang form (solar, luminous, extroverted, masculine).

To go further on the subject:
📅 Chinese calendar
🐉 Origins of Chinese Astrology

Ba Zi chart of the 60 pillars of destiny with their imaged destiny, by KarmaWeather

BaZi calculation chart of the 60 pillars of destiny with their imaged destiny
Binomial N°	🏛 Pillar of destiny	☯ Polarity	🗝️ Imaged destiny
Pillar	Chinese sign and element	Yin or Yang	Pillar interpretation key
1	Wood Rat	Yang	Gold at the bottom of the ocean
2	Wood Ox	Yin	Gold at the bottom of the ocean
3	Fire Tiger	Yang	Oven fire
4	Fire Rabbit	Yin	Oven fire
5	Earth Dragon	Yang	The big forest tree
6	Earth Snake	Yin	The big forest tree
7	Metal Horse	Yang	The earth by the road
8	Metal Goat	Yin	The earth by the road
9	Water Monkey	Yang	Sword point steel
10	Water Rooster	Yin	Sword point steel
11	Wood Dog	Yang	Fire at the top of the mountain
12	Wood Pig	Yin	Fire at the top of the mountain
13	Fire Rat	Yang	Water that penetrates and fertilizes
14	Fire Ox	Yin	Water that penetrates and fertilizes
15	Earth Tiger	Yang	The earth on the ramparts
16	Earth Rabbit	Yin	The earth on the ramparts
17	Metal Dragon	Yang	The bronze of the white candlestick
18	Metal Snake	Yin	The bronze of the white candlestick
19	Water Horse	Yang	Poplar and willow wood
20	Water Goat	Yin	Poplar and willow wood
21	Wood Monkey	Yang	Water from wells and springs
22	Wood Rooster	Yin	Water from wells and springs
23	Fire Dog	Yang	Earth on the roof
24	Fire Pig	Yin	Earth on the roof
25	Earth Rat	Yang	Lightning fire
26	Earth Ox	Yin	Lightning fire
27	Metal Tiger	Yang	Century-old cedar and pine wood
28	Metal Rabbit	Yin	Century-old cedar and pine wood
29	Water Dragon	Yang	The water of the long river
30	Water Snake	Yin	The water of the long river
31	Wood Horse	Yang	Gold in the sand
32	Wood Goat	Yin	Gold in the sand
33	Fire Monkey	Yang	Fire at the foot of the mountain
34	Fire Rooster	Yin	Fire at the foot of the mountain
35	Earth Dog	Yang	The wood of the plains
36	Earth Pig	Yin	The wood of the plains
37	Metal Rat	Yang	Earth on the walls
38	Metal Ox	Yin	Earth on the walls
39	Water Tiger	Yang	The metal of the mirror
40	Water Rabbit	Yin	The metal of the mirror
41	Wood Dragon	Yang	Lighthouse fire
42	Wood Snake	Yin	Lighthouse fire
43	Fire Horse	Yang	The water of the heavenly river
44	Fire Goat	Yin	The water of the heavenly river
45	Earth Monkey	Yang	The land of the great plains
46	Earth Rooster	Yin	The land of the great plains
47	Metal Dog	Yang	Gold ornaments and hairpins
48	Metal Pig	Yin	Gold ornaments and hairpins
49	Water Rat	Yang	Mulberry wood
50	Water Ox	Yin	Mulberry wood
51	Wood Tiger	Yang	Water from the great spring
52	Wood Rabbit	Yin	Water from the great spring
53	Fire Dragon	Yang	The earth buried in the sand
54	Fire Snake	Yin	The earth buried in the sand
55	Earth Horse	Yang	Fire in the sky
56	Earth Goat	Yin	Fire in the sky
57	Metal Monkey	Yang	Pomegranate wood
58	Metal Rooster	Yin	Pomegranate wood
59	Water Dog	Yang	The water of the great ocean
60	Water Pig	Yin	The water of the great ocean

Confrontation between 2 pillars of destiny

What happens when a pillar of fate conflicts with the annual pillar?

Among the 4 pillars of destiny of your birth, the annual pillar is the most important. The 3 other pillars are always read from this annual birth pillar, which corresponds to your annual Chinese birth sign. According to the method of astrological interpretation of KarmaWeather, one can determine a conflict situation within a Chinese birth horoscope when one or more pillars of fate are in opposition with the annual pillar of birth.

For example, if you were born during the Year of the Metal Dragon 2000, a conflict situation could arise if one or more of the 3 remaining pillars were occupied by the Fire Dog. Therefore, the area occupied by the antagonistic pillar to the annual Chinese birth sign should be carefully monitored. If it is the second pillar, it will affect the relationships that the native will have with his parents or his ancestors (domestic violence, abandonment, separation, divorce, premature disappearance, etc.). If it is a question of the 3rd pillar of destiny, the dynamics of the second personal chance could be compromised by an unexpected and painful spell (accident, illness, bankruptcy, ruin…). Finally, in the case of an opposition with the pillar of the time of birth, we must expect emotional instability or an inability of the individual to accept and confront his psychological problems.

The negative effects of a confrontation between the binomial (animal and Chinese element) of the year of birth and one of the binomials of the other 3 pillars of life can be reinforced by an excess or deficiency of one of the 5 Chinese elements, within the natal chart (Chinese horoscope). Indeed, in addition to the element (celestial trunk) associated with each of the 4 pillars of an individual's destiny, let us remember that each Chinese sign (terrestrial branch) can itself be reduced to the sum of the elements it contains. This is why each day of the Chinese calendar can be symbolized by a charter of the 5 elements of WuXing, which can be used both for the astrological interpretation of the day for the attention of the 12 signs of Chinese astrology and of native chart of birth for babies born on this day.

According to the precepts of the traditional Chinese horoscope, the choice of the baby's first name makes it possible to counter the pernicious effect of energy imbalances, in addition to the protective effect that it can have to neutralize the possible confrontation between two opposite pillars. Indeed, according to the holistic precepts of WuXing, the energy components of each element (their essence) are found in their symbolic associations (for example, for the Fire element: the color red, red peppers or tomatoes, the first names whose etymology means fire, light or the sun).

Table of the 60 pillars of destiny with their imaged destiny, by KarmaWeather

BaZi table of pillars in conflict with the 60 annual pillars of destiny
Binomial N°	🏛 1st pillar of destiny	⚠️ Conflict with the 2nd, 3rd or 4th pillar
1st pillar	Year of birth	Month, day or time of birth
1	Wood Rat	Metal Horse
2	Wood Ox	Metal Goat
3	Fire Tiger	Water Monkey
4	Fire Rabbit	Water Rooster
5	Earth Dragon	Wood Dog
6	Earth Snake	Wood Pig
7	Metal Horse	Fire Rat
8	Metal Goat	Fire Ox
9	Water Monkey	Earth Tiger
10	Water Rooster	Earth Rabbit
11	Wood Dog	Metal Dragon
12	Wood Pig	Metal Snake
13	Fire Rat	Water Horse
14	Fire Ox	Water Goat
15	Earth Tiger	Wood Monkey
16	Earth Rabbit	Wood Rooster
17	Metal Dragon	Fire Dog
18	Metal Snake	Fire Pig
19	Water Horse	Earth Rat
20	Water Goat	Earth Ox
21	Wood Monkey	Metal Tiger
22	Wood Rooster	Metal Rabbit
23	Fire Dog	Water Dragon
24	Fire Pig	Water Snake
25	Earth Rat	Wood Horse
26	Earth Ox	Wood Goat
27	Metal Tiger	Fire Monkey
28	Metal Rabbit	Fire Rooster
29	Water Dragon	Earth Dog
30	Water Snake	Earth Pig
31	Wood Horse	Metal Rat
32	Wood Goat	Metal Ox
33	Fire Monkey	Water Tiger
34	Fire Rooster	Water Rabbit
35	Earth Dog	Wood Dragon
36	Earth Pig	Wood Snake
37	Metal Rat	Fire Horse
38	Metal Ox	Fire Goat
39	Water Tiger	Earth Monkey
40	Water Rabbit	Earth Rooster
41	Wood Dragon	Metal Dog
42	Wood Snake	Metal Pig
43	Fire Horse	Water Rat
44	Fire Goat	Water Ox
45	Earth Monkey	Wood Tiger
46	Earth Rooster	Wood Rabbit
47	Metal Dog	Fire Dragon
48	Metal Pig	Fire Snake
49	Water Rat	Earth Horse
50	Water Ox	Earth Goat
51	Wood Tiger	Metal Monkey
52	Wood Rabbit	Metal Rooster
53	Fire Dragon	Water Dog
54	Fire Snake	Water Pig
55	Earth Horse	Wood Rat
56	Earth Goat	Wood Ox
57	Metal Monkey	Fire Tiger
58	Metal Rooster	Fire Rabbit
59	Water Dog	Earth Dragon
60	Water Pig	Earth Snake