Lesson 1
Day MasterThe reference point of the chart
BaZi represents the year, month, day and hour of birth as four pairs of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches: four pillars, eight symbols.
The stem of the day pillar is the Day Master, the reference for “self”. Read the other seven symbols in relation to it: what produces it, what it produces, what controls it, what it controls and what shares its element.
The ten stems form five yin–yang pairs: Jia/Yi Wood, Bing/Ding Fire, Wu/Ji Earth, Geng/Xin Metal and Ren/Gui Water. Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng and Ren are yang; their partners are yin.
1In this chart
The Day Master is 己, Earth. The day pillar is 己巳; 巳 is the branch beneath the Day Master.
己土卑湿，中正蓄藏。↳Ji Earth is low and moist, able to hold, store and nourish.
2Try it
Select the Day Master on the chart.
Select a symbol on the chart to answer. Feedback will help you locate it.