How to Read a BaZi Birth Chart, Can You Do It Yourself?

Published: 2026/01/15 Author: fish Source: network

Many people think that the study of fate is a very complex subject, so they are unwilling to understand it. Here, the editor has compiled some content about the Eight Characters (Ba Zi) charting for you, allowing you to have a preliminary understanding of your destiny. How can you understand your own destiny? You can predict it through your birth time and date! The "Eight Characters Fate Prediction" special section on Huayi Network provides a wealth of information about the birth time and date, making it easier for you to understand your own fate.

Some simple and easy-to-understand charting knowledge

One, Ten Gods

The first group: the stars that nurture me: they can make me stronger and more prosperous. They belong to the nurturing force.
正印 (Zheng Yin): Study, reading, wisdom. Compassionate, naturally maternal, good at cause and effect. Represents the mother in the six relatives.
枭神 (Xiao Shen): Study, reading, wisdom. Suspicious, talented. Represents the stepmother in the six relatives (if there is no Zheng Yin, Xiao Shen represents the mother).
The second group: the stars that are similar to me: they can make me stronger and more prosperous. They belong to the nurturing force.
劫财 (Jie Cai): Literally means to rob the official and private wealth. It represents desires, sex, talent, etc. Represents the opposite-sex brothers and sisters in the six relatives.
比肩 (Bi Jian): Simple, tenacious, wealth. Represents the same-sex brothers and sisters in the six relatives.
The third group: the stars that I nurture: they drain me, making me weaker. They belong to the draining force.
伤官 (Shang Guan): Talent, wisdom, learning ability, destruction and reform, bad marriage for women. Represents the son in the six relatives of a woman.
食神 (Shi Shen): Talent, wisdom, learning ability, blessing, treasure house, delicacy, taste, interest. Represents the daughter in the six relatives of a woman.
The fourth group: the stars that I control: they drain me, making me weaker. They belong to the draining force.
正才 (Zheng Cai): Stable job, wealth, represents the wife in the six relatives of a man.
偏财 (Pian Cai): Investment wealth, popularity, career, represents the girlfriend or love interest of a man. Represents the father in the six relatives (if there is no Pian Cai, Zheng Cai represents the father).
The fifth group: the stars that control me: they drain me, making me weaker. They belong to the draining force.
正官 (Zheng Guan): Career, official fortune. Represents the marriage for women, husband. Represents the daughter in the six relatives of a man.
七杀 (Qi Sha): Career, official fortune. Represents the love interest and unexpected events, illness for women. Represents the son in the six relatives of a man.
The above-mentioned ten gods have two different types of forces: nurturing and draining. Please note which ones they are, as this is the basis for analyzing fate!

Two, Six Relatives

Here is a list of the relationships between the six relatives, the ten gods, and the palaces. Please refer to it.
Six Relatives Grandparents Father Mother Spouse Opposite-sex friend Son Daughter Brothers and Sisters
Palace Year Pillar Month Pillar Month Pillar Day Pillar Not Fixed Time Pillar Time Pillar Not Fixed
Male's Ten Gods Pian Cai Zheng Yin Zheng Cai Pian Cai Qi Sha Zheng Guan Jie Cai and Bi Jian
Female's Ten Gods Pian Cai Zheng Yin Zheng Guan Qi Sha Shang Guan Shi Shen Jie Cai and Bi Jian
It is necessary to remember the palaces and ten gods of the six relatives. In the next lesson, we will start discussing how to analyze fate!
In the previous lesson, the ten gods were either nurturing or draining. We call the nurturing ones self-party and the draining ones other-party.
Self-party: Jie Cai and Bi Jian (hereafter abbreviated), Zheng Yin and Xiao Shen
Other-party: Shang Guan and Shi Shen, Zheng Cai and Pian Cai, Zheng Guan and Qi Sha

Three, Strength and Weakness of the Eight Characters

Strong (Shen Wang): When the self-party is stronger than the other-party in the fate chart, it is called strong.
Weak (Shen Ru): When the other-party is stronger than the self-party in the fate chart, it is called weak.
There are three principles to determine strength and weakness: being in command, having ground, and having momentum.
Strong:
1. The day master is in command, and also has ground. This is the strongest.
2. The day master is in command and also has momentum. This is generally strong.
3. The day master is only in command but not visible on the stem, it is still mostly strong.
4. The day master only has ground, whether it is strong or weak depends on the number of self-party and other-party in the entire chart.
5. The day master only has momentum, it cannot be considered strong.
6. The power of the Yin star is less than that of the Jie Cai and Bi Jian.

Four, Determination of Weakness

Weakness is basically the opposite of strength.
Weak:
1. The day master is out of command (Shang Guan, Shi Shen, Zheng Cai, Pian Cai, Zheng Guan, Qi Sha are in command).
2. The day master loses ground, floating without roots.
3. The day master loses momentum.
Determining the strength and weakness of the fate chart is based on these fundamentals. Specific analysis is needed for each case. However, mastering the basics is always the bridge to deeper learning. Today, we've covered enough. Dear friends, if you have any questions during your learning process, feel free to contact us.

Five, Formation of the Fate Chart — Learn Only Four Types

1. Strong Formation (Zheng Ge Shen Wang): In the fate chart, the power nurturing the day master is strong. Zheng Yin, Xiao Shen, Bi Jian, and Jie Cai are strong.
2. Weak Formation (Zheng Ge Shen Ru): In the fate chart, the power that drains the day master is strong. Shang Guan, Shi Shen, Zheng Cai, Pian Cai, Zheng Guan, and Qi Sha are strong.
3. Special Formation (Zhuang Wang Ge): In the fate chart, all other characters except the day master are Zheng Yin, Xiao Shen, Bi Jian, and Jie Cai.
4. Formation of Weakness (Cong Ru Ge): In the fate chart, all other characters except the day master are Shang Guan, Shi Shen, Zheng Cai, Pian Cai, Zheng Guan, and Qi Sha.
Standard Formations: If both the nurturing and draining forces exist in the fate chart, it is called a standard formation. Numbers 1 and 2 are standard formations. Numbers 3 and 4 are special formations.
Determining the formation is certainly not that simple; it also needs to consider combinations, conflicts, and punishments in the fate chart. However, it's better to start with the simplest ones first. Other details will become clear when we discuss them later.

Six, The Useful Star

1. Strong Formation: Use Shang Guan, Shi Shen, Zheng Cai, Pian Cai, Zheng Guan, and Qi Sha as the useful stars (there's no need to distinguish between the auspicious star and the useful star; this distinction is left for you to learn when you become an expert).
2. Weak Formation: Use Zheng Yin, Xiao Shen, Bi Jian, and Jie Cai as the useful stars.
3. Special Formation: Use Zheng Yin, Xiao Shen, Bi Jian, and Jie Cai as the useful stars.
4. Formation of Weakness: Use Shang Guan, Shi Shen, Zheng Cai, Pian Cai, Zheng Guan, and Qi Sha as the useful stars.
There are many details in selecting the useful star. Beginners do not need to focus on them too much. After gaining basic knowledge, you can gradually differentiate them. Like a tree, it is more important to see the overall appearance of the tree than to study every single leaf.