什么是八字
What is Bazi

八字，全称"四柱八字"，是中国传统命理学中最重要的预测体系之一。"八字"二字的含义非常直白——它指的是由出生年、月、日、时四个时间节点所对应的八个汉字（四组天干地支的组合）。这八个字构成了一个人的命盘，也称"命造"或"命局"。 八字命理的核心理念是：宇宙万物皆由五行（木、火、土、金、水）的运动变化所驱动，而一个人出生那一刻的天体与季节格局，决定了他与生俱来的五行禀赋。通过分析这八个字之间的五行生克关系，命理师可以解读一个人的性格特征、事业走向、健康状况、人际关系以及人生各阶段的运势变化。 八字命理的历史可以追溯到唐朝李虚中（约公元800年）的三柱法，后经宋代徐子平的发展完善，增加了"时柱"，形成了我们今天所使用的四柱体系。因此八字命理也常被称为"子平术"或"子平命理"。徐子平的理论被后人整理为《渊海子平》一书，是八字命理学的经典奠基之作。

Bazi, formally known as "Four Pillars of Destiny" (Si Zhu Ba Zi), is one of the most important predictive systems in Chinese metaphysics. The term "Bazi" literally means "eight characters" — referring to the eight Chinese characters (four pairs of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches) derived from a person's birth year, month, day, and hour. Together, these eight characters form a person's destiny chart. The core principle of Bazi is that everything in the universe is governed by the movement and transformation of the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water). The celestial and seasonal configuration at the exact moment of a person's birth determines their innate elemental composition. By analyzing the productive and controlling relationships among these eight characters, a Bazi practitioner can interpret a person's personality traits, career trajectory, health tendencies, relationships, and the ebb and flow of fortune across different life phases. The history of Bazi can be traced back to Li Xuzhong (circa 800 CE) during the Tang Dynasty, who developed a three-pillar method. It was later refined during the Song Dynasty by Xu Ziping, who added the "Hour Pillar" to create the four-pillar system we use today. For this reason, Bazi is also known as "Ziping Method" (Zi Ping Shu). Xu Ziping's theories were compiled into the seminal text Yuan Hai Zi Ping (渊海子平), which remains the foundational classic of Bazi studies.

四柱，顾名思义，由四根"柱子"组成，每一柱代表一个时间维度： **年柱（Year Pillar）**——代表祖辈、家族根基与早年运势（0-16岁）。年柱也反映一个人的社会形象和外在表现。在传统命理中，年柱代表祖宗之气。 **月柱（Month Pillar）**——代表父母、成长环境与青年运势（17-32岁）。月柱被称为"事业宫"或"提纲"，是判断日主旺衰的最重要参考。月令（月柱的地支）决定了当令五行，直接影响整个命局的格局判定。 **日柱（Day Pillar）**——日柱的天干称为"日主"或"日元"，是整个命盘的核心，代表命主本人。日柱也代表中年运势（33-48岁）以及配偶关系。日支（日柱的地支）在传统命理中被视为"夫妻宫"。 **时柱（Hour Pillar）**——代表子女、晚年运势（49岁以后）以及内心世界。时柱也反映一个人的内在追求和最终归宿。 每一柱由上下两个字组成：上面的字称为"天干"（Heavenly Stem），下面的字称为"地支"（Earthly Branch）。天干共十个，地支共十二个，两两相配形成六十甲子的循环。

The Four Pillars, as the name suggests, consist of four "pillars," each representing a temporal dimension: **Year Pillar** — Represents ancestors, family foundation, and early fortune (ages 0-16). The Year Pillar also reflects one's social image and outward presentation. In classical Bazi, it represents ancestral energy. **Month Pillar** — Represents parents, upbringing environment, and youth fortune (ages 17-32). The Month Pillar is known as the "Career Palace" (Shi Ye Gong) or the "Commander" (Ti Gang), and is the most important reference for determining the Day Master's strength. The Month Branch (the Earthly Branch of the Month Pillar) dictates the dominant seasonal element, directly influencing the entire chart's structural assessment. **Day Pillar** — The Heavenly Stem of the Day Pillar is called the "Day Master" (Ri Zhu or Ri Yuan) and serves as the nucleus of the entire chart, representing the person themselves. The Day Pillar also governs middle-age fortune (ages 33-48) and spousal relationships. The Day Branch is traditionally called the "Spouse Palace." **Hour Pillar** — Represents children, late-life fortune (age 49 onwards), and one's inner world. The Hour Pillar also reflects a person's deepest aspirations and ultimate direction. Each pillar consists of two characters stacked vertically: the top character is the Heavenly Stem, and the bottom is the Earthly Branch. There are ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches, which pair together to form the sixty Jia Zi cycle.

天干地支是八字命理的基本符号系统，也是中国传统历法的核心编码方式。 **十天干：** 甲（Jia）、乙（Yi）、丙（Bing）、丁（Ding）、戊（Wu）、己（Ji）、庚（Geng）、辛（Xin）、壬（Ren）、癸（Gui）。每两个天干对应一种五行——甲乙为木，丙丁为火，戊己为土，庚辛为金，壬癸为水。其中单数天干为阳，双数天干为阴。 **十二地支：** 子（Zi）、丑（Chou）、寅（Yin）、卯（Mao）、辰（Chen）、巳（Si）、午（Wu）、未（Wei）、申（Shen）、酉（You）、戌（Xu）、亥（Hai）。十二地支不仅对应五行和阴阳，每个地支内还藏有一至三个"藏干"（Hidden Stems），这些藏干代表了地支中蕴含的不同五行能量。 藏干的权重分配遵循《渊海子平》的经典标准：单藏干的权重为1.0；双藏干的权重分配为主气0.7、中气0.3；三藏干的权重为主气0.6、中气0.3、余气0.1。这一精确的权重体系是计算命局五行力量分布的基础。 天干之间存在"五合"关系（甲己合、乙庚合、丙辛合、丁壬合、戊癸合），地支之间则存在六合、三合、六冲等多种互动关系，这些复杂的交互作用赋予了八字命理深层的解读维度。

Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches form the fundamental symbolic system of Bazi and serve as the core encoding method of the traditional Chinese calendar. **The Ten Heavenly Stems:** Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui. Every two stems correspond to one of the Five Elements — Jia and Yi are Wood, Bing and Ding are Fire, Wu and Ji are Earth, Geng and Xin are Metal, Ren and Gui are Water. Odd-numbered stems are Yang, and even-numbered stems are Yin. **The Twelve Earthly Branches:** Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai. The twelve branches not only correspond to elements and Yin-Yang polarity — each branch also contains one to three "Hidden Stems" (Cang Gan), which represent the different elemental energies contained within the branch. The weighting of Hidden Stems follows the classical standard from Yuan Hai Zi Ping: a single Hidden Stem carries a weight of 1.0; dual Hidden Stems are distributed as Main Qi 0.7 and Middle Qi 0.3; triple Hidden Stems are weighted as Main Qi 0.6, Middle Qi 0.3, and Residual Qi 0.1. This precise weighting system forms the basis for calculating the elemental strength distribution in a chart. Among Heavenly Stems, there exist Five Combinations (Jia-Ji, Yi-Geng, Bing-Xin, Ding-Ren, Wu-Gui). Among Earthly Branches, there are Six Harmonies, Three Harmonies, Six Clashes, and other interaction patterns. These complex interactions give Bazi its profound depth of interpretation.

排盘是八字分析的第一步，精确的排盘是一切命理解读的基础。排盘过程涉及以下关键步骤： **确定年柱：** 年柱以"立春"（通常在公历2月4日前后）为界，而非农历新年。在立春之前出生的人仍属上一年的年柱。这是初学者最容易犯的错误之一。 **确定月柱：** 月柱以二十四节气中的"节"为分界。每个月的起始点是一个特定的节气——如立春为寅月之始，惊蛰为卯月之始。月柱的天干由年干通过"五虎遁"口诀推算得出。 **确定日柱：** 日柱需要查万年历或使用精确的天文历算法来确定。值得注意的是，子时（23:00-01:00）的处理涉及"早晚子时"的问题：23:00至24:00属于"晚子时"，在命理上已归入次日。 **确定时柱：** 时柱的地支根据出生时辰对应十二地支，天干则由日干通过"五鼠遁"口诀推算。关键的是，排盘应使用"真太阳时"而非钟表时间——即根据出生地的经度对标准时区进行修正，以获取太阳实际位置所对应的时间。 **真太阳时校正：** 由于一个时区往往横跨多个经度，同一时区内不同经度的真实太阳位置可能相差甚远。真太阳时的公式为：真太阳时 = 地方平太阳时 + 时差方程。这一步骤对于精确排盘至关重要。

Chart calculation is the first step in Bazi analysis, and precision in this step is the foundation for all interpretation that follows. The process involves several critical steps: **Determining the Year Pillar:** The Year Pillar uses Li Chun (Start of Spring, usually around February 4th in the Gregorian calendar) as the boundary, NOT the Lunar New Year. A person born before Li Chun still belongs to the previous year's Year Pillar. This is one of the most common mistakes beginners make. **Determining the Month Pillar:** The Month Pillar uses the "Jie" (节, sectional terms) among the 24 Solar Terms as boundaries. Each month begins at a specific solar term — Li Chun marks the start of the Yin month, Jing Zhe (Awakening of Insects) starts the Mao month, and so on. The Heavenly Stem of the Month Pillar is derived from the Year Stem using the "Five Tigers Escape" (Wu Hu Dun) formula. **Determining the Day Pillar:** The Day Pillar requires consulting a perpetual calendar (Wan Nian Li) or using precise astronomical algorithms. Notably, the Zi hour (23:00-01:00) involves the "Early and Late Zi" rule: the period from 23:00 to midnight is "Late Zi" and in Bazi terms already belongs to the following day. **Determining the Hour Pillar:** The Hour Branch corresponds to the birth hour mapped to the twelve Earthly Branches. The Hour Stem is derived from the Day Stem using the "Five Rats Escape" (Wu Shu Dun) formula. Crucially, chart calculation should use True Solar Time rather than clock time — this means adjusting for the birth location's longitude relative to the standard timezone meridian. **True Solar Time Correction:** Because a single timezone often spans many degrees of longitude, the actual solar position can differ significantly across a timezone. The formula is: True Solar Time = Local Mean Time + Equation of Time. This step is essential for precise chart calculation.

在现代社会，八字命理并非封建迷信的残余，而是一套经过千年验证的人生分析框架。它的核心价值在于帮助人们认识自我、理解规律、做出更明智的决策。 **自我认知工具：** 八字通过五行的配置揭示一个人天生的性格倾向、优势和潜在弱点。正如《滴天髓》所言："欲识三元万法宗，先观帝载与神功"——了解自己命局的基本结构，是一切自我提升的起点。 **职业规划参考：** 十神体系（正财、偏财、正官、七杀、食神、伤官、比肩、劫财、正印、偏印）揭示了一个人天然的行事风格和适合的职业方向。例如，食神旺的人天生擅长创作与表达，七杀旺的人则适合挑战性强、需要决断力的领域。 **人际关系洞察：** 通过比较两个人的命盘，可以分析五行互补或冲突的程度，从而理解关系中的天然和谐与潜在摩擦点。 **健康意识提醒：** 五行失衡往往对应特定的健康隐患。例如，木旺而无金克制的人可能需要关注肝胆系统；火旺缺水的人则需注意心血管健康。 **时机把握：** 八字不仅分析先天命局，还通过大运和流年的推演，帮助人们了解人生不同阶段的运势特征，从而在合适的时机做出合适的选择。

In modern society, Bazi is not a relic of superstition but a time-tested analytical framework for understanding life. Its core value lies in helping people know themselves, understand patterns, and make wiser decisions. **Self-Knowledge Tool:** Bazi reveals a person's innate personality tendencies, strengths, and potential weaknesses through their elemental configuration. As Di Tian Sui states: "To understand the myriad methods of the Three Origins, first observe the Heavenly Ruler and Divine Work" — understanding the fundamental structure of your chart is the starting point for all self-improvement. **Career Planning Reference:** The Ten Gods system (Direct Wealth, Indirect Wealth, Direct Officer, Seven Killings, Eating God, Hurting Officer, Friend, Rob Wealth, Direct Resource, Indirect Resource) reveals a person's natural behavioral style and suitable career directions. For instance, those with strong Eating God energy are naturally gifted in creation and expression, while those with prominent Seven Killings thrive in challenging fields requiring decisiveness. **Relationship Insights:** By comparing two people's charts, one can analyze the degree of elemental complementarity or conflict, thereby understanding the natural harmony and potential friction points in a relationship. **Health Awareness:** Elemental imbalances often correspond to specific health vulnerabilities. For example, someone with excessive Wood and no Metal to control it may need to pay attention to the liver and gallbladder system; someone with strong Fire and deficient Water should monitor cardiovascular health. **Timing and Opportunity:** Bazi analyzes not only the natal chart but also projects fortune through Luck Pillars (Da Yun) and Annual Pillars (Liu Nian), helping people understand the characteristics of different life phases and make appropriate choices at the right time.

学习八字是一段循序渐进的旅程。以下是建议的入门路径： **第一步：掌握五行基础。** 理解木、火、土、金、水五行之间的相生（木生火、火生土、土生金、金生水、水生木）和相克（木克土、土克水、水克火、火克金、金克木）关系，这是八字的根基。 **第二步：熟悉天干地支。** 记住十天干和十二地支的五行属性和阴阳属性，了解每个地支的藏干构成。 **第三步：学习排盘方法。** 了解年月日时四柱的排列规则，特别是立春换年、节气换月、真太阳时校正等关键规则。现代工具可以帮助快速排盘，但理解原理仍然重要。 **第四步：理解十神体系。** 十神是八字解读的核心语言，描述了命局中各个元素与日主之间的关系。掌握十神的含义是解盘的关键。 **第五步：阅读经典文献。** 《渊海子平》和《滴天髓》是两部最重要的八字经典。结合Joey Yap等现代名家的英文著作，可以更系统地理解传统理论。 **实践建议：** 从排自己和家人的八字开始练习，对照已知的性格特征和人生经历来验证理论。记住，八字是一门需要大量实践积累的学问——排盘千例，方能融会贯通。

Learning Bazi is a gradual journey. Here is a recommended path for beginners: **Step One: Master the Five Elements.** Understand the productive cycle (Wood feeds Fire, Fire creates Earth, Earth bears Metal, Metal collects Water, Water nourishes Wood) and the controlling cycle (Wood controls Earth, Earth dams Water, Water extinguishes Fire, Fire melts Metal, Metal chops Wood). This is the foundation of all Bazi analysis. **Step Two: Familiarize yourself with Stems and Branches.** Memorize the elemental and Yin-Yang properties of the ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches, and learn the Hidden Stem composition of each branch. **Step Three: Learn chart calculation.** Understand the rules for arranging the four pillars — especially the Li Chun year boundary, Solar Term month boundaries, and True Solar Time correction. Modern tools can help with quick calculations, but understanding the underlying principles remains important. **Step Four: Understand the Ten Gods system.** The Ten Gods are the core language of Bazi interpretation, describing the relationship between each element in the chart and the Day Master. Mastering the Ten Gods is the key to chart reading. **Step Five: Read the classical texts.** Yuan Hai Zi Ping and Di Tian Sui are the two most important Bazi classics. Combined with modern English works by authors like Joey Yap, you can build a more systematic understanding of traditional theory. **Practical Advice:** Start by calculating the charts of yourself and your family members, and validate the theory against known personality traits and life experiences. Remember, Bazi is a discipline that requires extensive practice — study a thousand charts before expecting mastery.