What is Saju (Four Pillars of Destiny)?
Meaning of Saju (四柱)
Saju refers to the four pillars based on one's year, month, day, and hour of birth. Each pillar is a combination of a Heavenly Stem (天干) and an Earthly Branch (地支), creating a total of eight characters. This is the 'Four Pillars of Destiny' (四柱八字, Saju Palja).
Heavenly Stems (天干) and Earthly Branches (地支)
10 Heavenly Stems: Gap (甲), Eul (乙), Byeong (丙), Jeong (丁), Mu (戊), Gi (己), Gyeong (庚), Sin (辛), Im (壬), Gye (癸)
12 Earthly Branches: Ja (子), Chuk (丑), In (寅), Myo (卯), Jin (辰), Sa (巳), O (午), Mi (未), Sin (申), Yu (酉), Sul (戌), Hae (亥)
The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches combine sequentially to form the 60 Sexagenary Cycle (甲子), which repeats every 60 years.
Five Elements (五行)
The five fundamental elements of Eastern philosophy:
Wood (木)
Growth, Creativity
Fire (火)
Passion, Vitality
Earth (土)
Stability, Center
Metal (金)
Resolution, Will
Water (水)
Wisdom, Flexibility
Day Master (日干) - The Character That Represents You
The most important element in the Four Pillars is the Heavenly Stem of the Day Pillar, known as the Day Master. The Day Master represents 'you', and your personality, aptitude, and fortune are interpreted through its relationship with the other seven characters.
Chinese Zodiac (12 Animals)
The Earthly Branch of your birth year determines your zodiac animal. The 12 animals cycle every 12 years, from Rat (子) to Pig (亥).