What does a Saju chart look like? (4 pillars × 2 = 8 characters)
A Saju chart is elegant in its structure. Four pillars — Year, Month, Day, Hour — each composed of two characters: a Heavenly Stem on top and an Earthly Branch on the bottom. That gives you eight characters total (八字, "eight characters," which is why the system is also called "BaZi" in Chinese). The Heavenly Stems are the ten-character cycle representing heaven's influence: 甲 (Jia), 乙 (Yi), 丙 (Bing), 丁 (Ding), 戊 (Wu), 己 (Ji), 庚 (Geng), 辛 (Xin), 壬 (Ren), 癸 (Gui). Each corresponds to an element and a yin/yang polarity. The Earthly Branches are the twelve-character cycle representing earth's influence — these are the same twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. When you look at your chart, you're seeing a snapshot of the cosmic energy at the exact moment of your birth, encoded in these eight characters.
What is the Ilgan (day master) and how do I find it?
The single most important character in your chart is the Heavenly Stem of your Day Pillar — your Ilgan (일간, day master). This is you. Everything else in the chart is interpreted in relation to this character. There are ten possible Ilgan types, grouped by element: 甲 (Yang Wood) — the towering tree, ambitious and upright; 乙 (Yin Wood) — the flexible vine, adaptable and diplomatic; 丙 (Yang Fire) — the blazing sun, generous and conspicuous; 丁 (Yin Fire) — the candle flame, warm and focused; 戊 (Yang Earth) — the mountain, steady and immovable; 己 (Yin Earth) — the fertile garden, nurturing and productive; 庚 (Yang Metal) — the sword, decisive and forceful; 辛 (Yin Metal) — the jewel, refined and discerning; 壬 (Yang Water) — the ocean, vast and ambitious; 癸 (Yin Water) — the rain, gentle and pervasive. Identifying your Ilgan is step one in reading any chart.
What are the Sipsin (Ten Gods) in Saju?
The Sipsin (십신, ten aspects) system is what makes Saju analysis so rich and specific. Each of the other seven characters in your chart has a defined relationship to your Ilgan based on their elemental interaction and yin/yang polarity. These relationships are called Sipsin, and each one governs specific life domains. The same element as your Ilgan is Bigyeon (비견, peer) or Geopjae (겁재, rival) — siblings, allies, and competitors. The element your Ilgan produces is Siksin (식신, natural output) or Sanggwan (상관, creative drive) — creativity, expression, and children. The element that controls your Ilgan is Jeonggwan (정관, structured authority) or Pyeongwan (편관, raw power) — career, discipline, and pressure. The element your Ilgan controls is Jeongjae (정재, steady wealth) or Pyeonjae (편재, windfall) — money, spouse, and material resources. The element that produces your Ilgan is Jeongin (정인, nurturing support) or Pyeonin (편인, unconventional insight) — education, mother, and intellectual resources.
What is Daeun (the major luck cycle)?
Beyond the static birth chart, Saju maps the dynamic flow of your life through Daeun (대운, major luck cycle) — ten-year periods that each bring a different elemental influence. Starting from a specific age (calculated from your birth month and gender), your Daeun unfold in sequence, each one shifting the elemental balance of your chart. A decade where favorable elements arrive can feel like everything clicks: opportunities appear, relationships deepen, and effort produces results. A challenging decade brings different elements that test your weaknesses, demanding growth in areas you'd prefer to avoid. Neither is inherently "good" or "bad" — they're chapters in a longer story. Understanding your current Daeun helps you make strategic decisions: when to take risks, when to be conservative, when to invest in relationships, and when to focus on personal development. Combined with Seun (세운, yearly fortune) and Wolun (월운, monthly fortune), Saju provides a multi-layered timing system. This is arguably the most practically useful aspect of Saju for modern professionals.
How do I start reading my own chart?
Even without deep expertise, you can gain insight from your chart by asking a few key questions. First, what is my Ilgan? Identify the Heavenly Stem of your Day Pillar — this tells you your elemental nature and gives you a foundation for understanding everything else. Second, is my Ilgan strong or weak? Count how many elements in your chart support your Ilgan (same element or the element that produces it). If you have strong support, you can handle more pressure and take bigger risks. If support is weak, you need allies and must be more strategic. Third, what elements am I missing? Look for gaps — elements not represented in your chart. These are areas where you'll need to develop skills consciously. Fourth, what's my current Daeun? The element ruling your current decade influences what strategies will work best right now. And fifth, which Sipsin appear most? The Sipsin present in your chart highlight your natural strengths and the life themes that will recur throughout your journey.