Overview
The Four Pillars of Destiny abbreviated “Bazi,” which translates as “eight characters” or “eight words” in Chinese, is a Chinese astrological idea that states that a person’s destiny or fate can be divined by the two sexagenary cycle characters allocated to their birth year, month, day, and hour.
For many, Bazi is a mystery; it functions as a kind of DNA blueprint from the day you are born to the present day, and it predicts your future relentlessly. This is the area where many Feng Shui masters strive to develop their craft.
Bazi takes some basic mathematics and an understanding of the five elements. Following that, everything will fall into the experience and knowledge of the masters who are interpreting your destiny.
At the end of the day, everyone is only responsible for their own choices and decisions in life. By knowing your own forecasts, you may see into the future and then return to the present to make required changes.
History & development
The Four Pillars of Destiny (Bazi) dates back to the Han Dynasty; however, it was not as systematic as it is today.
Li Xuzhong (李虛中) reorganised this concept during the Tang dynasty and used the two sexagenary cycle characters designated to a person’s birth year, month, and date to predict his or her personality and future. This was dubbed the “Three Pillars of Destiny” and this theory subsequently grew in popularity.
During the Song Dynasty, Xu Zi Ping (徐子平) added “birth time” as the fourth pillar to Li Xuzhong’s “Three Pillars of Destiny” This meant adding two more sexagenary cycle characters to the individual’s fate pillars, bringing the total from six to eight, thereby increasing the accuracy of the forecast and the usefulness of the Three Pillars of Destiny. Therefore, people regarded Xu Zi Ping as the architect of the Four Pillars of Destiny‘s firm foundation. Today, most of the Bazi are derived and analyse from Xu Zi Ping or better known as Zi Ping Bazi.
Song Dynasty (宋)
- Sān Mìng Yuān Yuán 三命渊源, by Xú Dà Shēng 徐大升
- Yuān Hǎi Zi Píng 淵海子平, compiled by Xú Dà Shēng 徐大升 (styled Zi Píng 子平)
Ming Dynasty (明)
- Dī Tiān Suǐ 滴天髓
- Sān Mìng Tōng Kuài 三命通會, by Wàn Mín Yīng 万民英
- Míng Wàn Yù Wú 明萬育吾
- Míng Liú Jī 明劉基
Qing Dynasty (清)
- Mìng Lǐ Yuē Yán 命理約言, by Chén Sù Ān 陈素庵
- Mìng Lǐ Tàn Yuán 命理探源, by Yuán Shù Shān 袁树珊
Methodology
In the sexagenary cycle, each day, hour, month, and year is designated one of the 10 Heavenly Stems (十天干) and one of the 12 Earthly Branches (十二地支). The fortune of a person is determined by examining the branch and stem characters for each of these four portions of their birth time in relation to the 10-year luck cycle (十年大运).
Years
Months
Days
Hours
Derivation & analysis
The derived 4 Pillars of Destiny from the years, months, days, and hours is not the end, as the is still the 10-year luck cycle. After that, the chart of an individual destiny is plot.
Herein lies the challenges from the Feng Shui consultant. In the current time, most of the Bazi can be plotted for free online or apps from the smartphone. There’s only thing that we could not get from these free online or apps, is the analysis (or the correct analysis).
Many people who had studied Chinese Metaphysics, and especially Bazi, will definitely hit a ceiling wall then they are out on the field doing Chinese Metaphysics. The reason is not that Bazi is not accurate, it’s simply because of the analysis of the Feng Shui consultant might not holistic enough.
Not many schools and the Feng Shui teachers out in the field do researches and most of them will just follow blindly from their teachers. It’s not totally wrong here, but there are chances of inaccuracy.
Example
Chinese Metaphysics as a pseudo science study, should not be taken as only Bazi of a person, but as a more holistic view. Is the person living in a good and stable country? Is the country in a good economy cycle? All this need to be taken into factors too.
NOTE
Here is also a note to all future Feng Shui consultants, please open your mind to the happenings around the world, the country that you live in. When you read someone’s Bazi, it will have a tremendous impact on them. Please continue to improve yourself as a Feng Shui consultant with knowledge, and real news from the main stream media. Improvise from what your Feng Shui teacher had taught you. I am very sure that your Feng Shui master will be proud of you someday.
