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Bazi Glossary: Chinese Metaphysics Terms

This Bazi glossary defines key terms such as Day Master, Ten Gods, Heavenly Stems, Earthly Branches, and Luck Pillars.

By Mingli Atlas Editorial TeamPublished Dec 15, 2025Updated Oct 20, 2026Sources

Direct Answer

This Bazi glossary defines 24 core Four Pillars terms in four groups (chart structure, elements, relationships, and timing), from Mingli (命理), Bazi (八字), and the Day Master (日主) to the Ten Gods (十神), Luck Pillars (大运), and Li Chun (立春). Each definition is one or two sentences and links to the full guide for that concept.

Quick Facts

Terms defined

Each term links to its full guide where one exists.

Stem-branch cycle

The shared calendar foundation for Bazi timing.

Pillars

Year, month, day, and hour, each a stem above a branch.

Chart structure

Mingli (命理) — also Ming Li, life-pattern principles: Life-pattern principles: the Chinese study of timing, temperament, and recurring patterns through systems such as Bazi, Ziwei Doushu, and the Chinese calendar. Read the guide
Bazi (八字) — also Eight Characters, Four Pillars of Destiny: A birth-chart system that converts the year, month, day, and hour of birth into four stem-branch pillars, eight characters in total. Read the guide
Four Pillars (四柱): The year, month, day, and hour pillars of a Bazi chart. Each pillar pairs one Heavenly Stem above one Earthly Branch. Read the guide
Heavenly Stems (天干) — also Tian Gan: The ten stems Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui. Each is a Yang or Yin form of one of the Five Elements. Read the guide
Earthly Branches (地支) — also Di Zhi: The twelve branches Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, and Hai. They mark months, two-hour periods, and the twelve zodiac animals, and each contains hidden stems. Read the guide
Sexagenary cycle (六十甲子) — also Jiazi cycle, stem-branch cycle: The repeating sequence of 60 stem-branch pairs, from Jia-Zi to Gui-Hai, used to label years, months, days, and hours. Read the guide
Day Master (日主) — also Day Stem, Ri Yuan (日元): The Heavenly Stem of the day pillar. It represents the self in a Bazi chart, and every other stem and branch is read in relation to it. Read the guide

Elements and polarity

Five Elements (五行) — also Wu Xing, Five Phases: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water: five phases that describe how energies generate and control one another. Read the guide
Generating cycle (相生): The supporting sequence of the Five Elements: Wood feeds Fire, Fire creates Earth, Earth bears Metal, Metal carries Water, and Water nourishes Wood. Read the guide
Controlling cycle (相克): The restraining sequence of the Five Elements: Wood controls Earth, Earth controls Water, Water controls Fire, Fire controls Metal, and Metal controls Wood. Read the guide
Yin and Yang (阴阳): The paired polarity carried by every stem and branch. In Bazi it decides, for example, which of two related Ten Gods a stem becomes. Read the guide
Hidden Stems (藏干): The one to three Heavenly Stems contained inside each Earthly Branch. They add elements to the chart that are not visible in the stems above. Read the guide

Relationships and strength

Ten Gods (十神) — also Shi Shen, Ten Relationship Stars: Ten relationship roles named by comparing each stem with the Day Master by element and polarity, grouped as Peer, Output, Wealth, Authority, and Resource. Read the guide
Month Branch (月令) — also Month Commander: The Earthly Branch of the month pillar. It sets the season of the chart and is traditionally the strongest single factor in judging an element's strength. Read the guide
Day Master strength (身强 / 身弱): Whether the Day Master is well supported (strong) or under-supported (weak) by season, roots, and the surrounding stems and branches. Element counts alone do not decide it. Read the guide
Useful God (用神) — also Yong Shen, favorable element: The element or Ten God that best balances a particular chart. Schools differ in how they choose it, so it should be stated together with the method used. Read the guide
Clash (冲) — also Chong: The opposition between two branches six positions apart, such as Zi and Wu (Rat and Horse) or Chen and Xu (Dragon and Dog). Read the guide
Six Combinations (六合) — also Liu He: Six pairs of branches that combine, such as Zi-Chou (Rat-Ox) and Chen-You (Dragon-Rooster). Read the guide
Three Harmony (三合) — also San He, triad: Four groups of three branches that form an element frame: Shen-Zi-Chen (Water), Yin-Wu-Xu (Fire), Hai-Mao-Wei (Wood), and Si-You-Chou (Metal). Read the guide

Timing and calendar

Luck Pillars (大运) — also Da Yun, ten-year luck cycles: Ten-year stem-branch periods that run forward or backward from the month pillar. Direction depends on the year stem's polarity and the traditional gender rule. Read the guide
Annual Pillar (流年) — also Liu Nian, flowing year: The stem-branch pair of a calendar year, such as Bing-Wu for 2026, compared with the natal chart and the current Luck Pillar. Read the guide
Solar terms (节气) — also Jie Qi: The 24 points of the solar year. The twelve Jie (节) terms mark the start of each Bazi month. Read the guide
Li Chun (立春) — also Start of Spring: The solar term around February 4 that begins the Tiger month. Many Bazi schools, and the mingliatlas calculator, change the year pillar at its exact moment rather than at Lunar New Year. Read the guide
True solar time (真太阳时): Clock time adjusted for the birthplace's longitude and the equation of time. Some practitioners use it to set the hour pillar. Read the guide

Terms that depend on the calculation method

Three entries change with the method rather than the birth data: the year boundary, the hour boundary, and the Useful God. A year pillar can change at Lunar New Year or at Li Chun; an hour pillar can follow civil clock time or true solar time; and schools choose the Useful God with different balancing rules.

The mingliatlas Bazi calculator changes the year pillar at the exact Li Chun moment, uses civil time unless true solar time is selected, and does not choose a Useful God for you. State the same three choices whenever you share or compare a chart.

How to use this glossary

Read the groups in order the first time: the later entries assume the earlier ones. The structural terms follow received Zi Ping texts such as Yuan Hai Zi Ping and San Ming Tong Hui; the linked guides show where modern interpretation begins.

When a chart reading uses a term you do not recognize, return here for the short definition, then open the linked guide for worked examples and sources.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions

Is Bazi the same as Western astrology?

No. Bazi uses year, month, day, and hour pillars from the Chinese stem-branch calendar. Western astrology uses planetary positions and zodiac signs, so the two systems organize time in different ways.

Do I need my birth hour for a Bazi reading?

The birth hour completes the fourth pillar and gives a fuller chart. A three-pillar reading can still show broad patterns, but the hour pillar adds detail about later life, children, and inner motivations.

Can Bazi predict an outcome with certainty?

No. Bazi is best used as a self-knowledge and timing framework. It highlights patterns, strengths, and pressure points, but personal choices and context still matter.

What is the most important part of a Bazi chart?

The Day Master is the anchor, but it should never be read alone. Season, element balance, Ten Gods, and luck cycles all shape the final interpretation.

How accurate does my birth time need to be for Bazi?

Aim for accuracy within the two-hour window that defines the hour pillar, since each Earthly Branch covers two clock hours. If your birth falls near the boundary between two branches, a small error can shift the hour pillar, so check the birth certificate time and, when in doubt, compare both possible charts.