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The Four Pillars 八字: reading a destiny from the four pillars of year, month, day and hour of birth
🏛️ THE FOUR PILLARS 四柱八字

Four Pillars of Destiny 八字 (四柱八字)

Reading a destiny from the year, month, day and hour of birth. Each pillar holds 1 Heavenly Stem 天干 + 1 Earthly Branch 地支 = 8 characters. Find the Governing Element 用神 to improve fortune through feng shui.

4
Pillar
8
Characters
10
Gods
5
Phase

The Structure of the Four Pillars 四柱結構

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Everyone is born carrying 4 pillars; each pillar holds 1 Heavenly Stem 天干 + 1 Earthly Branch 地支, making 8 characters, the Bát Tự 八字.

An example: Born on 15/03/1990 hours Mão 卯, the 4th Earthly Branch, the Cat → the Four Pillars 八字: 庚午 / 己卯 / 壬辰 / 癸卯
THE DAY MASTER = NHÂM 壬, Yang Water = THE ROOT DESTINY
The Year Pillar 年柱
the Heavenly Stems 天干
Canh 庚, the 7th Heavenly Stem, yang Metal
the Earthly Branches 地支
Ngọ 午, the 7th Earthly Branch, the Horse
The Month Pillar 月柱
the Heavenly Stems 天干
Kỷ 己, the 6th Heavenly Stem, yin Earth
the Earthly Branches 地支
Mão 卯, the 4th Earthly Branch, the Cat
The Day Pillar 日柱
the Heavenly Stems 天干
Nhâm 壬, the 9th Heavenly Stem, yang Water
the Earthly Branches 地支
Thìn 辰, the 5th Earthly Branch, the Dragon
The Hour Pillar 時柱
the Heavenly Stems 天干
Quý 癸, the 10th Heavenly Stem, yin Water
the Earthly Branches 地支
Mão 卯, the 4th Earthly Branch, the Cat

What Each of the Four Pillars Means 四柱意義

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Each pillar stands for a stage of life and a different set of relationships

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The Year Pillar (年柱)

Childhood · ages 0 to 15

Stands for the ancestors, the grandparents, the root of the family. The Year Pillar reflects the foundation of the family, the blessing handed down by the ancestors, and it bears on the years of childhood.

It bears on: the family line, the foundation, ancestral blessing
👨‍👩‍👧

The Month Pillar (月柱)

Youth · ages 16 to 30

Stands for the parents, the career, standing. The Month Pillar matters greatly in deciding whether the Day Master 日主 is strong or weak; it is the Month Command 月令.

It bears on: standing, career, parents
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The Day Pillar (日柱) ★ THE MOST IMPORTANT

Middle age · ages 31 to 45

Stands for the self and the spouse. The Heavenly Stem of the Day Pillar = THE DAY MASTER 日主 = THE ROOT DESTINY , the centre of the whole Four Pillars 八字. Every part of the reading turns on the Day Master.

The Heavenly Stem = THE DAY MASTER 日主 = your root destiny
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The Hour Pillar (時柱)

Old age · 46 and beyond

Stands for children, the later fortune. The Hour Pillar reflects the fortune of the last stage of life, what has been gathered, and the blessing of the children and grandchildren.

It bears on: old age, what is gathered, children

The Ten Gods 十神 十神

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The 10 relations between the Day Master 日主 and the other Stems and Branches: the key to reading a destiny

The relation Same Yin or Yang Different Yin or Yang
The same phase (Tỷ 比) Tỷ Kiên 比肩比肩 Kiếp Tài 劫財劫財
Generating us (Ấn 印) Thiên Ấn 偏印偏印 Chính Ấn 正印正印
We generate (Thực 食) Thực Thần 食神食神 Thương Quan 傷官傷官
We control (Tài 財) Thiên Tài 天才, the Star of Talent偏財 Chính Tài 正財正財
Controlling us (Quan 官) Thiên Quan 偏官 / Thất Sát 七殺偏官 / 七殺 Chính Quan 正官正官
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Chính Tài 正財 (正財)
A salary, steady income, the wife in a man's chart. Character: thrifty and practical.
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Thiên Tài 天才, the Star of Talent (偏財)
Unexpected gains, investment, the father. Character: generous and willing to take a risk.
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Chính Quan 正官 (正官)
Standing, office, the husband in a woman's chart. Character: orderly and responsible.
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Thất Sát 七殺 (七殺)
Pressure, power, risk. Character: decisive, commanding, upright.
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Chính Ấn 正印 (正印)
Learning, qualifications, the mother, a benefactor. Character: kind, intelligent, conservative.
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Thực Thần 食神 (食神)
Food and drink, creativity, children. Character: cheerful, enjoying life, even-tempered.
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Thương Quan 傷官 (傷官)
Talent, rebellion, the arts. Character: clever and unruly.
🤝
Tỷ Kiên 比肩 (比肩)
Friends, siblings, colleagues of equal standing. Character: independent and competitive.
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Kiếp Tài 劫財 (劫財)
Money lost, competition, partnership. Character: bold in thought and deed, contending.
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Thiên Ấn 偏印 (偏印)
A particular gift, intuition, a second trade. Character: solitary and profound.

The Governing Element 用神: the Key to Improving Fortune 用神

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Establish which of the Five Phases 五行 must be supplied to balance the Four Pillars 八字, and apply it directly to feng shui

🔑 How the Governing Element 用神 Is Established

A STRONG Day Master 日主
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The Governing Element 用神 = the phase that controls or drains

The surplus strength needs to be spent

A WEAK Day Master 日主
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The Governing Element 用神 = the phase that generates or supports

Strength needs to be supplied and supported

📋 Feng Shui by the Governing Element 用神

Governing Element 用神 Facing Colour Objects / layout
METAL 金 The West White, silver, metallic Metal objects, wind chimes, a metal clock
WOOD 木 The East Green, jade green Plants, wooden furniture, landscape paintings
WATER 水 The North Black, blue An aquarium, a fountain, a mirror
FIRE 火 The South Red, orange, purple Bright lamps, candles, a painting of the sun
EARTH 土 SW / NE Yellow, brown, beige Stone, ceramics, terracotta figures

The Four Pillars 八字 + Feng Shui = a PERFECT pairing

"Know the Governing Element 用神 and you can choose the facing of a house, the colours and the trade that SUIT THAT PERSON ALONE."

The Major Periods 大運 & the Annual Reading 流年 大運流年

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The two most important cycles of fortune: know them in advance and meet them prepared

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Major Period (大運)

A cycle of fortune lasting 10 years , showing the broad tendency and the overall fortune of each stage of a life.

  • Each Major Period 大運 holds 1 Heavenly Stem 天干 + 1 Earthly Branch 地支
  • Counted from the Month Pillar, forward or in reverse according to sex
  • A good Major Period: the career runs smoothly and things go well
  • A poor Major Period: take care and hold your ground
1

The Annual Reading 流年 (流年)

The fortune of each single year , showing the particular changes and the events that stand out in that year.

  • The Annual Reading 流年 = the Stem and Branch of the present year
  • It interacts with the original Four Pillars 八字 and with the Major Period 大運
  • Clash, accord, punishment and harm bring change
  • An annual year in accord with the Governing Element 用神 is a good year

🎯 In Practice

Know a good Major Period 大運 in advance → invest and expand on your own terms. Know a poor Major Period in advance → hold your ground, gather and keep your strength. Join the annual reading 流年 to it and each year can be foreseen exactly: this is the greatest advantage of understanding the Four Pillars 八字.

Key Terms 術語

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The core terms to know in the Four Pillars 四柱八字

The Four Pillars 四柱八字: know the Governing Element 用神 → choose the facing, the colours and the trade in feng shui that SUIT THAT PERSON ALONE.

"Destiny is set by Heaven, fortune is made by oneself: understand the Four Pillars 八字 and hold your fortune in your own hands."

Frequently Asked Questions 常見問題

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What are the Four Pillars 四柱八字?
The Four Pillars 四柱八字 is a way of reading a destiny from 4 pillars: the year, month, day and hour of birth. Each pillar holds 1 Heavenly Stem 天干 + 1 Earthly Branch 地支, making 8 characters, the Bát Tự 八字. From those 8 characters a practitioner establishes the Day Master 日主, analyses the Ten Gods 十神 and finds the Governing Element 用神, to understand the destiny and to offer a way of improving fortune through feng shui.
What is the Day Master 日主, and why does it matter?
The Day Master 日主 is the Heavenly Stem of the Day Pillar, standing for the ROOT DESTINY, that is the person themselves. Every analysis of the Ten Gods 十神, every judgement of strength or weakness, and the finding of the Governing Element 用神 all take the Day Master as their centre. Whether the Day Master is strong or weak decides the whole strategy for improving fortune.
What are the Ten Gods 十神 in the Four Pillars?
The Ten Gods 十神 are the 10 relations between the Day Master 日主 and the other Stems and Branches in the chart: Tỷ Kiên 比肩, Kiếp Tài 劫財, Thực Thần 食神, Thương Quan 傷官, Chính Tài 正財, Thiên Tài 偏財, Chính Quan 正官, Thất Sát 七殺 (Thiên Quan 偏官), Chính Ấn 正印 and Thiên Ấn 偏印. Each God stands for a side of life, from wealth and career to marriage and children.
What is the Governing Element 用神, and how is it used?
The Governing Element 用神 is the phase of the Five Phases 五行 that must be supplied to balance the Four Pillars 八字. If the Day Master 日主 is strong, the Governing Element is the phase that controls or drains it; if the Day Master is weak, it is the phase that generates or supports it. In practice: choose the facing of a house, the colours of the decoration, the trade and the feng shui objects that suit that person alone, so as to improve their fortune.
How do the Major Period 大運 and the Annual Reading 流年 differ?
The Major Period 大運 is a cycle of fortune lasting 10 years, reflecting the broad tendency of a life in that stage. The Annual Reading 流年 is the fortune of a single year, reflecting the particular changes. Joining the Major Period 大運, the Annual Reading 流年 and the original Four Pillars 八字 makes it possible to foresee exactly and to act on your own terms: which year to invest, and which year to hold your ground.

Begin Your Four Pillars 八字 Reading

Explore your destiny through the Four Pillars 四柱八字, from the Day Master 日主 and the Ten Gods 十神 to the Governing Element 用神 for improving fortune

🏛️ Learn About the Four Pillars 八字