BaZi Calculator (Four Pillars of Destiny)
Free Four Pillars chart with true solar time, Day Master and Luck Pillars. Your birth details never leave this device.
Saved on this device only.
How to read your BaZi chart
BaZi (八字, "eight characters") describes the moment you were born with four pillars: Year, Month, Day and Hour. Each pillar pairs a Heavenly Stem on top with an Earthly Branch below, and each character carries one of the Five Elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water.
- Find your Day Master. The stem at the top of the Day pillar represents you. Our calculator labels it "You".
- Read the labels above the other stems. These are the Ten Gods: names for how each stem relates to your Day Master, such as Direct Resource (support and learning) or Eating God (creativity).
- Look at the month. The Month pillar places you in a season, which classical texts use to judge how strongly your Day Master is supported.
- Check the element balance. Which elements appear often, and which are rare? A count shows emphasis, not good or bad.
- Read your Luck Pillars as phases. Each ten-year Luck Pillar brings a new stem and branch that highlight different themes.
Why BaZi calculators give different results
Most differences come from three conventions: whether the calculator uses true solar time for your birthplace, whether the year starts at the Start of Spring (立春) or at Chinese New Year, and whether the new day starts at 23:00 or midnight. A fourth difference is a real calculation error that catches people born outside China: comparing a local clock time directly with solar-term times published in Beijing time.
When any of these affects your chart, we show both versions and explain why. We check every release against astronomical data and 14 tricky birth moments. See how we calculate and test the BaZi calculator.
Questions
What does my BaZi chart mean?
Your chart has four pillars (Year, Month, Day, Hour). Each pairs a Heavenly Stem on top with an Earthly Branch below. The top of the Day pillar is your Day Master, which represents you; every other character is read by how it relates to it.
How do I calculate my BaZi chart?
Enter your birth date, time and city. We convert your local clock time to true solar time, handle daylight saving, and place each pillar using the exact solar-term moments. Everything runs in your browser.
Why do BaZi calculators give different results?
Mostly for three reasons: whether they use true solar time, whether the year starts at the Start of Spring or Chinese New Year, and whether the new day starts at 23:00 or midnight. When any of these affects your chart, we show you both versions.
What if I don't know my birth time?
You still get three of the four pillars. We list the twelve possible hour pillars so you can compare them, or ask a parent or check your birth certificate.
Is BaZi accurate?
The calculation can be exact: we test ours against astronomical data to the minute. The interpretation is a traditional framework for reflection, not a prediction of events.
Last updated