This article will explain in detail how to calculate the month pillar, day pillar, and hour pillar in the birth chart, helping you gain a deeper understanding of the four pillars (Ba Zi) divination method in traditional Chinese astrology. By mastering these basic calculation methods, you can more accurately analyze an individual's fate information.
Method for Calculating the Hour Pillar
The calculation of the hour pillar mainly involves the determination of the heavenly stems, as the earthly branch of the hour is fixed. To determine the heavenly stem of the hour pillar, it is necessary to use specific rhymes based on the heavenly stem of the day pillar. For example, "Jia Ji Huan Jia" means that the heavenly stem of the zi hour (23:00-1:00) is jia for a day with jia or ji as the heavenly stem. The subsequent chou hour is yi, the yin hour is bing, and so on. The calculation of the earthly branches of the hours is as follows: zi hour from 23:00 to 1:00, chou hour from 1:00 to 3:00, and so on, until hai hour from 21:00 to 23:00. By calculating the heavenly stem of the hour based on the day stem, starting from the zi hour using the "five rats' hidden rules," the heavenly stem of the birth time can be determined.
Method for Calculating the Month Pillar
The calculation of the month pillar involves the representation of the lunar calendar's heavenly stems and earthly branches, as well as the seasonal terms corresponding to the birth month. The earthly branch of the month pillar is fixed, starting from the yin month and ending with the chou month, with the boundary between months determined by the seasonal terms. For example, January is the yin month, from the beginning of spring to the awakening of insects; February is the mao month, from the awakening of insects to the clear and bright season, and so on. There are specific rhymes for calculating the heavenly stem of the month, such as "Jia Ji Zhi Nian Bing Zuo Shou," which means that the first month of the year with jia or ji as the heavenly stem starts with bing as the heavenly stem. Through these rhymes, the heavenly stem of the month pillar can be calculated.
Method for Calculating the Day Pillar
The calculation of the day pillar is more complex, involving the 60-day cycle of the heavenly stems and earthly branches. The day pillar represents the day of birth using the lunar calendar's heavenly stems and earthly branches. Due to differences in the number of days in each month and leap years, the day stems and branches need to be determined by referring to a perpetual calendar. The boundary between days is defined by the zi hour, meaning that the time before 11:00 PM is considered the previous day's hai hour, and after 11:00 PM, it becomes the next day's zi hour. Remembering special dates and following the rules for calculation allows one to determine the stems and branches of the day pillar.
Method for Determining the Heavenly Stem of the Hour Pillar
Determining the heavenly stem of the hour pillar requires pairing the heavenly stem of the current day's flower calendar starting from the zi hour. For example, "Bing Xin Cong Wu Qi" means that the zi hour (23:00-1:00) of a day with bing or xin as the heavenly stem is wu zi, the chou hour is ji chou, and so on. The zi hour of each day begins at 11:00 PM the previous night and ends at 1:00 AM the next day, then continues sequentially, with the hai hour being from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM the same day.
Through the above detailed explanation, we can understand the methods for calculating the month pillar, day pillar, and hour pillar in the birth chart. These calculations not only involve basic knowledge of the heavenly stems and earthly branches but also require precise division of seasonal terms and time periods. Mastering these methods is of great significance for in-depth research and application of traditional Chinese astrology.
